::: The First Day of School :::

 

 

 

  

::: Menu Plan Monday :::

 
Our back-to-school routine begins today!  And with it, a renewed sense of wanting to share our weekly meal plans with you all.  Just in case there's a little bit of inspiration lurking here among our usual family favorites.  

And so, with that thought in mind ... here's what's on tap at our house this week.  Now that we are once again settling into that long anticipated, predictable, and familiar school time routine: 





Breakfast Staples:

• Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal/Berry Baked Oatmeal
• Cereal, fruit, and yogurt with granola
• English Muffins with homemade strawberry jam
• Mini Apple Pie Tarts
• Mommy's Kitchen Instant Oatmeal
• Various homemade muffins/breads (see below)


 
Dinnertime Fare:

• Cheeseburgers, corn on the cob, and macaroni salad
• Breakfast Dinner
• Chicken Stuffed Shells and carrots
• Kid-friendly dinner/No Fuss Night
• Meatball Sub Casserole and garden salad (new!)
• Chicken Potato Bake and Squash-Apple Bake
• Broccoli Ham Ring with veggies and dip


Baking/Freezing List:  I'm hoping to restock my freezer with some go-to breakfast goodies this week.  We'll just have to see how that goes.

• Cranberry Banana Bread 
• Morning Glory Muffins
• Holiday Gingerbread Muffins
• Pumpkin-Butterscotch Muffins
• Monkey Muffins (new!)
• Lemon-Blueberry Drop Scones (new!) 

 Have a wonderful week and don't forget to click here for more menu-planning inspiration.  Thanks so much for visiting!

 {Camping: Night #2 at Winslow Park}

We're all feeling pretty much like this these days ... after an exceptionally busy and beautiful Maine summer filled with lots of fun, loads of day trips, oodles of beach time, and many lovely days spent with family and friends.  It's been a good run and we are all eagerly anticipating a return to the routine come Monday when school starts again.

Time has really slipped away from me these last two weeks as we've welcomed the last of our company and enjoyed those last and lovely summertime "must-dos" on our Summer 2010 wish list.  What a wonderful, crazy, and memorable time of year!  There's lots to share and look forward to.  Come Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!  I'll be back in the groove soon.  I promise.

Colleen's Kitchen Recipe Swap

Welcome friends, newbies, followers, and readers! It's time for more weekly recipe swapping fun. Feel free to share any and all family favorites here until 11 PM Sunday evening (EST).

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

 

If you'd like to participate, simply write up your post and leave the link here with MckLinky. Please remember to mention my name and link to my blog within your posts as well. And feel free to grab the Colleen's Kitchen button above for your posts and/or sidebar. Thanks for joining in! It's been such fun pouring over the weekly entries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blueberry season is still going strong here in Maine!  We had the chance to go picking for the very first time last week ... and we've been enjoying our (10+ pounds of) blueberries ever since.  This blueberry muffin recipe was a welcome, easy, and delectable hit.  Very fresh and just a little different.  I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we have.

 

 

 

We've just returned from a camping trip after hosting some company earlier this week ... so please bear with me and click here for the Blueberry Peach Muffin Recipe.  I'll have the recipe and a printable version posted sometime this weekend ... once I catch up a little on the home front. 

 

Have a wonderful summertime weekend and thanks, as always, for joining the food-related fun!

Colleen's Kitchen Recipe Swap

Welcome friends, newbies, followers, and readers! It's time for more weekly recipe swapping fun. Feel free to share any and all family favorites here until 11 PM Sunday evening (EST).

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

 

If you'd like to participate, simply write up your post and leave the link here with MckLinky. Please remember to mention my name and link to my blog within your posts as well. And feel free to grab the Colleen's Kitchen button above for your posts and/or sidebar. Thanks for joining in! It's been such fun pouring over the weekly entries.

I was looking for a simple and quick fruit dip late last week.  Preferably one that did not require marshmallow cream.  It was getting late in the day and I was really hoping for something that could be whipped up with what I had on hand.  This little recipe fit the bill beautifully ... and with a wonderful taste and texture to boot.  Three ingredients and a tray of fruit never tasted so good.  I hope you and yours will enjoy this little gem too.

Sour Cream Fruit Dip

(adapted from Recipezaar)

2 cups low fat sour cream

4-6 T brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Whisk ingredients together, chill, and serve with your favorite fruits.  Makes two cups.

(click here for printable recipe)

Also linked to:

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Remodelaholic Recipe Link Party
Mommy's Kitchen Potluck Sunday

Thanks, as always, for being part of the fun!  Happy Weekending ... 

{embrace the camera}

I hope you'll indulge me today with a little photographic flash back.  Emily is once again hosting her {embrace the camera} blog party and I really wanted to participate ... even though our camera never saw the light of day this week.  How sad is that?!  

Anyway ... this little guy has been making me feel very nostalgic lately.  My baby will be turning three shortly after school starts and I've found myself going back through loads and loads of his pictures lately. 

And then I came upon this forgotten gem.  It was taken about five weeks before Brendan entered the world ... weighing a whopping 9 lbs. 6 oz.  Incidentally, I'm about 5' 1".  Yeah, that ginormous belly was a sight to behold alright.  Oh my!

If you're feeling adventurous, come join the Mom-centered photographic fun.  You won't regret it! 

Life's a beach...

As always, our August calendar is filled to bursting with friends, family, back-to-school preparations, long-awaited company, workshop days, and anything else we can squeeze in just for fun.  And when all else fails ... we head to our favorite little tidal beach for a lazy summer afternoon.  Yep ... it doesn't get much better than this, folks.

 

I so hope you're soaking up as much summertime goodness as you can these days too.

And the winner is ...

 ... Dan from Yesterday Once More

(Three grumpy kiddos required the assistance of this little gadget this morning)

 

Random Integer Generator

Here is your random number:

26

Time stamp: 2010-08-01

(Please email me, Dan ... and I'll get these goodies on their way to you this week.)

Thanks to everyone who left such kind comments and entries.  I have another special giveaway planned for a bit later this month, in celebration of a major first for me.  So stay tuned and thanks, as always, for making this little blogging space so rewarding.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, friends!