Finishing off my second two-week meal plan with a list of the meals we have been enjoying. I really try to snag a picture of everything; however, with hungry mouths drooling all over the place sometimes it’s a little difficult. I will be following up with some “thoughts on two-week meal planning” and what I liked, didn’t like and if I plan to continue! I hope you enjoy my menu below and as always, let me know if you want to see recipes!

Breakfast // Veggie Quesadilla

Snack // chicken/pita/tzatziki, yogurt & PB

Lunch // deli sammy & chips, leftovers

Dinner //
Baked Pork Chops topped with Apples, Spaghetti & Eggplant
Mini Meatloaves w/ Ravioli & Broccoli
German Feast ( bratwurst, sauerkraut, spaetzle and warm potato salad )
Sausage Ragu w/ Noodles and Cheesy Garlic Bread
Yogurt Chicken with Rice Pilaf and Brussels
Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers
Beef Stroganoff w/ Peas
White Chicken Chili
Keto Kabob with Low Carb Pita w/ Broccoli

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs from last week!

There’s nothing like trying to plan for two weeks of meals when you can barely think of enough for one week. Kick ‘me while I’m down! A fellow blogger (and workout sister) has some great posts on her site and in September, she did enough planning and shopping to cover two weeks of meals for her family of 5. I have been on the struggle-bus lately but between her fresh ideas and my grocery store’s monthly magazine KILLING it with easy recipes, I hit the ground running. Here is what we had the last two weeks in no particular order!

Breakfasts: Yogurt & PB // Oatmeal, Yogurt & Banana // Egg Scramble & Ham

Snack: Banana, Rice Cake & PB // Cheese & Nuts // Turkey Patty w/ Rice

Lunch: Eggplant Meatballs & Pasta // Pulled Pork Sandwich // Leftovers

Dinner:
Baked Caprese Chicken w/ Cauliflower Rice & Zucchini
Cacio e Pepe w/ Chicken & Peas
Chicken Sausage & Pepper Sandwich
BBQ Meatballs w/ Mashed Potatoes, Zucchini & Green Beans
Baked Chicken Nuggets w/ Pasta & Carrots
Pepperoni / BBQ Chicken Pizza on Cauliflower Crust
Turkey Meatloaf w/ Sweet Potato Fries and Carrots
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs w/ Rice

I linked up recipes I have already shared on previous posts but if there’s anything you want the recipe for, leave me a comment and I’ll write that up for a future post. These meals were all super quick to throw together on a week night and they were tasty besides!

What are you loving lately? Any recipes that are your ‘goto’ on a weekly or monthly basis? I love changing things up.

Our weekly CSA has been booming with Eggplant lately and I’m kind of running out of ideas for it! I had shared a recipe a few years back for my eggplant meatballs and zoodles but I upped my game a little this time around and they turned out even better! Sadly, I don’t have the step by step, but it’s really very simple!

Print

Eggplant 'Meat'balls

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

• 8 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced onions
• 4 T olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup panko or regular breadcrumbs
• 2 cloves garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Toss eggplant, onions and tomatoes on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt and pepper
   

3. Roast 30 minutes until soft.
   

4. Once the eggplant is cooked, remove from oven and let sit to cool a few minutes. Add all ingredients from the sheet pan along with garlic into a blender and blend until smooth.
   

5. You can let cool and refrigerate mixture until ready to make the meatballs later in the week or continue to the next step.
   

6. Add panko until the mixture is less watery and can form ball shapes. Taking an ice cream scoop, scoop mixture onto baking sheet and cook another 20-25 minutes until balls are hardened.
   

Recipe Notes

This can be a "meatless" meal, or I cooked up some ground beef and added it to leftover sauce for some added protein and topped with Soba Noodles.

Long time no update! Summer has flown by and it did not disappoint. But now that the cooler weather is right around the corner and we’ll soon be spending all our days indoors cozied up, I wanted to do a quick roundup of the clothing items that have found their way into my closet these last few weeks. I hate to say it, but the mustard/toffee color is really wearing away at my heart at the moment! The best part of all is that all of these things mix and match and layer SO well.

Low-Rise Skinny / Perfect Tee / Sweater Cardigan / Camo Skinny / Chucks /

Choker here and here / Chambray top / Peplum Tank

I have been looking for a new pair of black skinny jeans ever since my last ones finally ripped so much I had to throw them out. These are SUCH a great pair ( not distressed ) and low-rise which is my favorite. The camo jeans are the same Rockstar style but they are a mid-rise which is not typically my choice but the fit and stretch is too good. Pair it with a white tee or choose the toffee option and you will not be upset.

I can’t believe I actually purchased a “denim” shirt but the options are endless. They go with leggings, black and camo jeans and they layer over tees, tanks and under chunky sweaters. I am so in love. Bonus is that the material is buttery soft. Plus, Old Navy is having 40% off sale so go grab ALL the things. Also, he slip-on Chucks run a little big, I returned my usual 9 and have to find an 8.5 in these.

Aside from new clothes to head into warmer weather, we’ve also been taking on a few home projects which means I’ve been scouring the inter-web for home decor and couldn’t pass up these baskets for added storage around the holidays or this wire one for a little laundry room or bathroom re-no.

We’re in the middle of giving our second bath a little makeover so I grabbed this super chic glass photo frame in brass and this 2019 Lemon Calendar to hang from some wrought iron hooks. How cute is this gold tasseled basket for Christmas time or this multi-colored one for the kids room! ( I may have purchased one or both )

Well those are my most recent picks going into September. I should have a bathroom makeover coming soon displaying all of the new things I bought…kind of super excited!

Oh! I almost forgot. I am DYING to order this round wire shelf but trying to convince myself I have a place for it. Please…someone help and tell me I need it.

Happy end-of-August everyone!

We’ve now been in our house for a full year, settled in and ready to make some updates to enjoy it to its potential! Items on the list, include updating our laundry room ( which I love already ), bathroom updates and closet organizing. First on the list as soon as Spring hit was a patio update.

lanterns ( similar here and here ) / rug

Our deck gets super hot when the sun beats down ( all morning and into late afternoon ) so I knew I wanted an outdoor rug for under the table. We had string lights around the railings last year and it felt so cozy. I wanted to do something similar with that and spruce up the nighttime lighting a little.

I ordered these Globe Lights  ( similar here ) and we hit up the hardware store for a few supplies, read a few ‘how-to” blogs and made our own oasis. We are so happy with how it turned out and now just need the rain to stop so we can actually enjoy it!

Not pictured, I found some great patio chair cushions at a consignment store. I have been looking for so long and they are all so expensive! They really complete the table and make it comfortable to sit outside and bat watch at night!

Hanging Globe Lights

(2) – 8 foot 2″x2″s
(4) – 4″ wood screws
(4) – eye hooks
Deck Paint

• we measured the area of the deck where the lights would be hung to get an idea of how long a strand to order. factoring in the “droopage”, we decided on the 50ft strand and it’s perfect. ( the lead on the ends is NOT very long so if you needed to plug in multiple strands it would not be an issue ).
• next, we painted the 2×2’s with the same color paint as the deck so it would blend in. ( we originally had metal rods but decided wood was a better option ).
• attached an eye hook to the top of the 2×2 ( we did not cut these at all ). the other two hooks we attached to the underside of the soffit. another option would be to add 2×2’s against the house depending on how your area is laid out.
• we drilled the 2×2 into the railing with a 4″ screw to secure. you may want to add a wedge to the bottom if there is a gap between the 2×2 and the railing post to keep it sturdy.
• hang lights!

That last step took us FOREVER. First we had too much overhang on one side, then we had too much on the other, then we decided we want extra on the first side for the extension cord and plug. It was basically an amazing shoulder workout!

2 things to note: (1) test out the lights before you hang them. i screwed in 1 bulb to make sure the strand worked. i recommend not screwing in the bulbs until the strand is completely in place. the bulbs are very delicate and like I said, we moved them about four times and it just makes life easier. (2) wrap the cord around the eye hooks to ensure they are secure and won’t slide out.

Hope everyone has a Happy Memorial Day!

behind the 8-ball here – but we’ve been enjoying life and nice weather so much that the blog took a back burner! Here’s Brandon’s much anticipated 3-year update.

Age: 3 Years

Stats: Height 40″ (94%), Weight 36lb (85%).

Clothes/Size: 2T/3T – we need 2T for waist size and 3T for length. Is it normal to grow 3+ shoe sizes in a year? Brandon is still outgrowing shoes every 3 or so months.

Favorite Foods: Fruit. Chips. Pickles. Pizza. Dessert. Spicy things. Basically, anything that anyone else is eating – except burgers and chicken.

How much am I eating: Nothing has changed here. Brandon just loves. to. eat. After dinner the other night he had a treat then noticed I was snacking on salt and vinegar chips – before I knew it, he was arm deep in the bag as well. Kid has no off switch.

Words: I would like to remove “why” from the English language. He has no problem talking and everyone seems to understand him for the most part. I especially like when he comes out with random phrases such as, “it was here a minute ago…”.

Activities: Being outside doing any and everything. He constantly wants to go to the playground and the choo-choo station. Ride his Gator in the road. Water all the flowers and rake stones.

Sleep: Brandon has had a solid bedtime of 8/830pm-6am for the last year or so. He was waking up before 6am so we invested in the “OK To Wake” clock which lights up when it’s OK to get out of bed. He did real well with it for the first couple months but now he doesn’t pay much attention to it. He will wake up anytime between 615-645am every morning.

Favorite Things: Baby Penguin (aka Roast Beef, similar here) is our current fav and goes back and forth with all of his other stuffed animals. Brandon got an arts and crafts table and cart for his birthday and just absolutely loves working at it, whether it’s coloring, cutting or painting. I love when he wants to do art because it means he’s not begging to watch a movie or the iPad and is typically occupied for a while.

Signature Moves: Singing. Always singing the Grand Old Duke of York.

Mom’s Proudest Moment: How do I pick just one? I think I would have to go with his love for everything. He’s always up for an adventure and gets excited to do things. He’s been in swimming lessons since September and has gone from being super nervous and clinging to us for dear life, to jumping, touching the bottom and doggy paddling by himself in just about 6 months. He has grasped the concept of swimming and has been an example for the rest of his class. He is ready to move up and we don’t have to be in there with him anymore! Happy and sad moment for us all. We also upgraded Brandon to a big bed and I can’t believe we’re at this point already. He was in a toddler bed ( converted crib ) since he was about 20 months old so it was definitely time for a change. We got him the Tuft & Needle bed and a platform frame.

Dad’s Proudest Moment: Kevin is really proud of how Brandon is doing at swimming lessons! Most recently, Kevin got Brandon his own fishing pole, tackle box and accessories. All he wants to do is fish in the backyard! It’s fun to see that Brandon is at an age now where he can DO things ( with assistance ) and experience new things and activities.

I worked this recipe into our menu a couple weeks ago and it was rather tasty! Spaghetti squash is all over the place when Fall hits and I love eating it but I feel like I run out of ideas sometimes and there it sits on the counter for ump-teen weeks!

I took a simple Pomodoro recipe from the @tasty app and added some ground beef to make it a well-rounded meal for us. Bonus –> it’s toddler approved!

Print

Spaghetti Squash Pomodoro

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Spaghetti Squash
• 3/4 lb Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup Spaghetti Sauce
• 1/2 cup Grape Tomatoes; halved
• 1/2 cup Peas
• Mozzarella
• Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Slice spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds. Lay cut side down in baking pan with water and bake 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until fork tender. Allow to cool.
   

2. While squash is cooling, cook meat fully and drain if greasy.
   

3. Scoop the spaghetti squash out and mix in a bowl with meat, sauce, salt and pepper. Split mixture and add back to squash shells. Top with tomatoes, peas and cheese.
   

4. Bake 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes uncovered until cheese melts and is bubbling.
   

Recipe Notes

Spaghetti squash can be cooked and scooped ahead of time. Refrigerate up to five days until ready to cook.

Recipe used in menu in this post.

The first thing I think about when I wake up on a weekend is “what the heck are we having for breakfast?”. A couple other things cross through my mind….typically because Brandon woke us up before 6am AND requires three-courses before 630am. Anyway, I have high hopes of creating something really neat and fancy and blah blah blah but in reality, I just want something and I want something quick! That something typically consists eggs, beans and sausage or bacon. These tacos are a new favorite thanks to my Mother-in-law.

Anything breakfast related consists of the same ingredients, used in a different way! For these tacos, I thawed some hash browns (Trader Joe’s has the best) and throw those into an oiled pan with onions and black beans, stirring until heated through. I added corn to this as well because Brandon won’t eat egg unless I put corn in it. ::Insert emoji shrug:: I whisk eggs with a splash of milk, salt and pepper. Once the veggies are cooked through, add eggs and stir continuously until no longer runny. Warm up a tortilla for a few seconds and fill with egg mixture, cheese, hot sauce and sour cream.

So. So. SO. Yummy!

Bowls large // medium // small
Measuring spoons
Egg crate small // large

I would say these breakfast enchiladas are in our rotation at least once, sometimes twice a month because of how EASY and delicious they are. I don’t think I shared a recipe on them yet and my apologies on that. The funny thing is, sometimes it’s hard to share a recipe because I change how I make meals all the time! It’s based on what’s on sale, what we have/don’t have, what I forgot at the store or how saucy I’m feeling! I made them a little differently this week by adding chick peas and tomatoes…only because I had some leftover from a previous meal.

Print

Breakfast Enchiladas

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 8 flour tortillas
• 8-10 eggs; beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• salt + pepper
• cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and liberally spray 8 x 13" pan with cooking spray. I've tried butter and oil and they both leave most of my enchilada attached to the pan.
   

2. Cook sausage while breaking up with spatula; drain.
   

3. Lay tortillas on a work surface and fill with 1/4c sausage and generous pinch of cheese. Roll up and line in the pan.
   

4. Beat eggs with milk, salt and pepper and pour over the tortillas. Top with cheese.
   

5. Bake covered for 15 minutes; uncover, cook another 7-8 minutes until egg is set and tortillas begin to rise.
   

Recipe Notes

This is the base recipe, feel free to add or omit ingredients!

I prefer Jones sausage because it tastes good and is already out of casing, making this recipe even easier.