Menu Plan: Week of April 14

Week in Review 

The pizza superstar skillet made with brown rice and quinoa was great. Like most casserole type dishes, it's not the prettiest, but it tasted really good.  The recipe will be coming soon. 

Pizza Superstar Skillet

On Wednesday my friend Renae drove up from Dubuque, Iowa, and we had I had lunch at my favorite sushi place, Restaurant Muramoto. I love sushi at this place so much that I've already asked Husband Jeff and our friend Buddha if they'll meet me for lunch there either this week or next.  Husband Jeff doesn't like sushi, but I've heard their entrees are great.

Me and Renae.

On Wednesday night my brother-in-law Scott was in town so we had dinner with him at Husband Jeff's parents' house. I made green beans with fennel and feta cheese, I liked it a lot but wish I had bought a bigger fennel bulb since I've found I really like fennel. Mother-in-law Cathy made an awesome chicken pot pie.

Green beans with fennel and feta

Sonny D's swimming lessons are going great.  He does pretty much everything except put his face in the water to blow bubbles, but I think that's because he forgets to blow and always ends up sucking up a bunch of water.  This week at Chocolate Shoppe Sonny D had a junior scoop of chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream and I ordered a monkey tail (banana dipped in chocolate and then frozen).  We ended up sharing the monkey tail since Sonny D really likes chocolate.

I had a really busy Friday.  After dropping off Sonny D at preschool, I got a pedicure, browsed exercise clothes at Old Navy, ate leftover pizza superstar skillet in the car, went to the volunteer sale at the Half-Pint resale event, went shopping at Marshall's (new exercise clothes!), headed back to the sale to work my volunteer shift, and then went to Husband Jeff's parents to pick up Sonny D.  I got some great stuff at the sale, Sonny D requested a lawn mower, so I had to get one of those.  I also bought him a Sit-n-Spin, a kid-sized camp chair (with a cup holder!), a plastic pizza set, a couple pairs of leggings (he prefers them over regular pants since they're super comfy), a pair of sandals, and a pair of aqua socks/water shoes.  The lawnmower was definitely a great purchase for $5, he absolutely loves it.  He insisted on going outside to "mow" in the back yard even though it was rainy and cold all weekend.  But the sleeper hit is the aqua socks!  He put them on, wore them to bed that night and constantly for the next couple of days. I had never imagined he would love them so much. 

This Week

This week isn't busy at all.  Sunny D doesn't have preschool for the week because it's spring break. Luckily Husband Jeff's parents live nearby and will watch him.

I need advice!  This is the first year we're going to do an Easter basket and I don't know what to do in reference to the Easter Bunny!  What are everybody's traditions?  What did you grow up with?   All I remember is that the Easter Bunny hides a basket of awesome stuff for you.  Any suggestions for what to do for a three-year-old?  Sonny D liked finding candy canes hidden around the house in the days leading up to Christmas, so I'll probably hide plastic eggs around the house for Easter morning.  

• Monday - We opened a jar of marinara sauce on Saturday so we're using the rest of the jar for pasta with red sauce for dinner.  Over lunch I prepped carrots, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts and we're going to roast them when I get home.
• Tuesday - Another quick meal of pancakes, Canadian bacon, and scrambled eggs before I head out for cardio dance fitness class.
• Wednesday - Premade chicken cordon bleu from our local meat market along with a bag of frozen Tuscan veggies with marinara.
• Thursday - Husband Jeff will feed Sonny D chile-lime chicken burgers from Trader Joe's along with a a frozen bag of mac and cheese with broccoli since I've got  Zumba right after work.  After exercising, I'll meet up with them at the pool so I can help with the after-pool showering.  The men's locker room at the elementary school pool is super tiny and the women's is larger, so I'm going to clean up Sonny D while Husband Jeff maneuvers around all the other dads in the miniscule men's room.  And we'll go out for ice cream afterwards, like usual. 
• Friday - hot dogs, corn, Trader Joe's frozen superfood pilaf (blend of quinoa, sweet potatoes, carrots, kale).  This is "Me & D" night.  Not sure what we'll do for entertainment, but I've heard the newly renovated downtown library is a lot of fun, so I might see if he wants to go there. 
• Saturday - I'm going to be at Food Camp all day.  It's already sold out, so glad I bought my ticket early!  I'm most interested in the classes about the pressure cooker, canning, mindful eating, and fermented breakfast cereal (what is that??).  For dinner we're going to Glass Nickel Pizza to celebrate our friend Buddha's birthday (last Friday) and Husband Jeff's (next Wednesday).  
• Sunday - My Mom invited us and Husband Jeff's parents over for Easter luncheon.  I haven't decided what to bring for a dish to pass, but right now I'm thinking glazed carrots.  For dinner we're having spring rolls, a few leftover home-frozen Asian meatballs, and a frozen bag of brown and wild rice with broccoli and carrots (might turn it into quickie fried rice).