Do you Believe?

I grew up not believing in Santa Claus. I understood the story. I understood other kids believed there was a Santa Claus, and it was ok for them. I never ruined it for another child. However, my parents choose to tell us "the truth" from the beginning. We had amazing and magical Christmases. I would change nothing about my experiences growing up. We learned about the love of God. The importance of loving our neighbors, helping those in need and giving generously were lessons imprinted on our hearts. The memory of my mom working feverishly into the night; hold up in the kitchen, doorway covered with a sheet to avoid peeping eyes, warms my soul to this day.

Fast forward to college. I fall in love with a man who at 19 proudly proclaimed he absolutely believes in Santa Claus. I was baffled. Is he joking? Crazy? Trapped in his adolescence? Should I flee now? I ultimately decided to ignor this weird quirk and move forward with our relationship. It came up here and there over the next 10 years, but without much discussion. When we were expecting our own child we needed to figure out a plan for handling Santa. I had concerns about lying to my kids. Among other issues, I just felt like it would be easiest for me to do what my family did. On the other hand, I found it is extremely difficult to tell a 29 year old who still believes in Santa, "Sorry dude, not doing that with our kids." So, I got on board, and now, at 32, I realize, I believe in Santa. Maybe you can too.

St. Nicholas, the historical figure, was moved by God to help people in need with anonymous gifts. If he was confronted as being the giver, he would simply tell people to thank God. The gifts were a show of his love of God and represented God's love of all people. Saint Nicolas's name ultimately became Santa Claus.

Christmas time is a time where most people give a little more, care a little more, and love a little more. People give to charities and food banks more generously. People go to church more and give money to support the church and its ministries. God's love is brought into society more so than any other time of year. Even for those who are not religious, the principles of loving your nieghbor, generosity and hope are practiced in ways they are not during the rest of the year.  It's the time of year for miracles.  I remember a few years ago, a community pulled together to replace everything a family lost in a fire.  They received clothes, decorations, gifts all in just a couple of days.  In time for Christmas, and well before their insurance could help. Stories of money being stolen from charitable organizations and being raised again in just a couple of days.  People get lost items returned to them. Families somehow make it to see each other despite traveling obstacles. These miracles are performed by regular people.  People like me and you; the lady next to me at church; the kind man at the toy store. Everywhere I look, I see St Nicholas. This man who found a way to spread God's love and kindness not just to people he interacted with, but to thousands of people hundreds of years after he physically walked the earth. How could I not believe in Santa when he is alive in so many ways?  His spirit carries on his mission year after year.

This morning, I saw a news story about an organization in Pittsburgh, Sisters helping sisters, which uses the Toys for Tots organization to give gifts to 500 local at-risk kids in our area. This year, due to some paper work issue, they found out yesterday they would not be receiving any toys his year.  They are holding a toy drive with 2 drop offs. One today and one tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM in order to gather the toys they need to give the 500 kids this week.  I know, I believe, they will get the toys they need.  I believe it because I know Santa Claus lives in those of us who will open our hearts.  I know there are plenty of Santas who will be dropping of toys to make sure those kids are not disappointed.  I believe.

When the time comes, my boys will realize that Santa is real. Maybe not in the cute ways we talk about in the stories and Christmas specials.  Those stories which teach kids about the spirit of Christmas in a way they can understand and relate to. They will have great memories of Christmas, and the excitement of a child in their hearts forever.  I believe.

I believe.


If you want more information about the Sisters helping sisters story check out this link.

If you are in the Beaver County Area, and you are reading this Tonight (Friday December, 19 2014), and have new toys you would like to donate, let me know and I would be happy to pick them up and deliver them with mine tomorrow morning.

I don't miss the Villiage

I just read this beautiful blog post by the AMAZING Bunmi Laditan.  It holds nostalgic wishes of a mom who struggles with raising kids in a society where one can often feel there are more judging eyes than empathetic ones.  Where the war between stay at home moms and working moms is bubbling under the surface.  Where every parenting choice, even the small ones, becomes some sort of statement about what kind of parent you are and whose side you are on. Where pintrest is making us feel like failures, and every holiday from christmas to hundred days to preschool graduation needs to be marked and celebrated in some elaborate fashion and includes some sort of costume or goody bag or more. Bunmi dreams of a community of moms working together make it through the day to day.  To lift each other up and to support one another. It is a beautiful picture of days gone by.

I read it and I feel empowered. I feel empowered because I know the village is there. Because when you get right down to the heart and soul of it, women are still women. We love our children. We love to laugh.  We tend to be caregivers by nature. We each have out own unique talents and abilities.  And we can surround ourselves with women who lift each other up. We can insist on it. We get to make those choices. The village is there, you have but to open your heart, pull down your wall, and let in the other moms out there seeking the same. I don't miss the village, I live in it.

I have never been super comfortable making friends.  I am not shy, I can talk to anyone anywhere, but to shift from casual conversations to deep friendships was a move I have never been comfortable with.  I would tend to wait for people to call me on the phone or invite me to places. It would take long time for me to realize how much my friends truly cared for me. Then, with the rising popularity of texting, facebooking and all form of electronic living, it became more and more easy to never truly talk with anyone. You can connect to your smart phone and disconnect from the world. (Remember the movie The Net?) In addition, my choice to be a stay at home mom had potential to further the option to shut down from real life people. I would not have to leave the house.  I realized, I need to make an effort. I made a calculated effort to step out of my comfort zone and make friends. I went to mom groups, and story times for babies, and went to parks and chatted with fellow moms. Anytime an activity or play date or lunch was suggested I said "I'm in!" I met moms. I met the mom friends of my new mom friends. I see them everywhere, these mom I have meet.  At the park, at the grocery store, at the library, at the mall and of course on facebook too. I have called on them for advice, for support, for ideas, for help.  I have made them dinners, I have watched their kids, and we have laughed and loved and leaned on one another. They are my village. We are only beginning to get good at asking for help and offering help. But we are trying. These women who I did not know 3 years ago.  I love them and I love their children. I know I can count on them for a recipe for dinner on any given night, for help finding a park in my area or to help me out with child care in a jam. These are women who breastfeed, formula feed, cloth diaper, eat clean, work or stay home.  They are moms who let their kids watch tv and moms who hold firm to the no screen time before two rule. They are all different.

Here is what I learned.  We are not the problem. We are not judging each other. We can't, we are too busy judging ourselves and worrying that we are failing. Sure there are some women out there who think they are doing certain things better than the mom next to them (of course those ladies were there in days gone by too.) The judgement is being passed down by the media trying to sell advertising time by telling news that inflames us. The judgment comes from parenting books and magazines who sell more if they polarize the subject rather than acknowledge different children and different parents need to find their own unique techniques.  I think above all the judgment comes from ourselves.
We have this fear of making the wrong choices.  The fear breeds insecurity.  Those insecurities cause us to imagine terrible things about the mom across from us who is doing something differently.  She is having success where we are failing, she must think I am a failure. She is cloth diapering she must think I am lazy.  She is using disposables, she must think I am a hippie. She is afraid her son will put a dirty toy in his mouth, what would she think of me if she knew my son ate a nugget he found on the floor of the mall play area. Here is the secret. She is not thinking those things. We are seeing our own insecurities. If you get to thinking women are judging you, remind yourself, you are doing the best you can for your little miracle. Your miracle is different than her miracle.  They will develop differently and respond to things differently.  You will make big mistakes, but you will have glorious successes too. Be humble and be proud.  Be confident. It will set a good example for your kids, and it will show the world that you are doing the best for your kids.  If you think about it tell that mom across from you that she is doing a great job.  Focus on her strengths, and listen carefully for times she is asking for help or advice. Sometimes it is subtle. When you give advice, try to frame it with what worked or didn't work for us was... In time, you will find the village too.

Remember, we are as different as our children. You do not have to do every amazing craft on pintrest or bake a seven layered rainbow cake if that is not what you enjoy. Your party decorations can be handmade or store bought. You may choose not to participate in the 100 days celebration.  The key is to do the things that bring you and your kids joy. Celebrate the things other people do to bring themselves and their kids joy.  You do not have to do all of them.  You may be a rock star about reading to you kids, they may have taught their kids a cool craft. It is a good thing because it is how the world gets filled with so many different and amazing and interesting people. If you realize this. You will find your village.

We choose. We can help, love and support each other. Talk to the mom with the shy smile across the park.  Get out there and find your village, don't just dream about.

Selling stuff, Buying community

I love selling stuff on craiglist.org.  It may sound crazy.  You may be thinking, "She means she loves making money selling stuff on craiglist." Of course that is part of the whole, but just part. IF you get past the people who contact you with some obscure plan in which they are trying to scam you out of money, email address, passwords or whatever (That dark sinister world of internet and identity theft crime), and you can get over the fear that someone is going to murder/rape you (which seems pretty unlikely if you are not using the "personals" section, and you use your judgement in making arrangements). Then you can really get down to the loving of the strange and awesome community of people out there to meet.  People who are so like you and so different from you.

My dishwasher is with the family of a soldier. It was a gift for his wife who found theirs way too loud. My mini fridge from college, the one that has a melted spot from my roomie leaving her curling iron on it too long (Thanks a lot Alison), it has moved back to campus, where I was told it will be used primarily as a beer fridge.  Colin's old high chair was purchased to make a matched set for a momma of twin boys.  She had searched for months because she wanted one to match the chair she had from her first child born in 2011. I just sold John's pap's microwave to a mom who is send her oldest daughter off to college next month.  It is really hard for her, but her daughter is so excited. The mom who bought Colin and Andy's  bumbo is not only fabulous, she has also become a facebook friend and another member of the local mom community who I love to bump into. They are all just things.  They don't hold my memories, my heart does.  My heart now also hold the image of these things with their new home, making new memories. THey wife who does dishes every night, and can catch up on her favorite show at the same time with out the dishwasher drowning the sound out.  Two twin 6 month old trying solids side by side in matching chairs.  A mom unpacking her overloaded car 4 hours from home trying to stay strong. I get my memories and their memories too.  I can see their faces, I know their stories.  It makes me feel closer to the great big world around me when I take a minute to realize how much the same we are.  The money I have made has been spent, but the memories all remain.

Meal Plan April 29- May 3

The Locke household is on the fence.  We are trying to decide if we should continue to eat clean.  For now the verdict seems to be we will eat mostly clean. We are currently allowing some soda when we are eating out (Not buying it for the house). And we are eating out more.  Still trying to make good choices, but not being nearly as strict.  At home we are following most of the same clean eating rules as before. So here I am a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short! 

Tuesday, April 29

I actually Could not find all the ingredients for these before, so this will be my first attempt at this lasagna. 

Artichoke and Mushroom Lasagna (Vegetarian, PG 166- With some modification)

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Onions, Coarsely chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1/4 cup walnuts

2 1/2 lbs mixed mushrooms, coarsely chopped

8 cherry tomatoes

4 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup Wheat Flour

4 1/2 Cups Milk

2 Bay leaves

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

8 oz prepared whole wheat noodles

1 (14 oz) can artichokes hearts in water, drained and halved

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Fresh oregano

Preheat the oven to 400. (Or you can do all the prep work and store in the fridge for up to 3 hours.  Remove from fridge 30 minutes before time to bake)

Mushroom Mixture:

Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions gently for 10 minutes, until soft.

Add garlic and walnuts and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until pale golden.

Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes.

Simmer Briskly for another 10 minutes or until all liquid is evaporated.

Add tomatoes to the Skillet and then remove from the heat and set aside.

Sauce:

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add flour and stir over gentle heat for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in the milk until you have a smooth mixture.

Bring to a boil, add the bay leaves, and then stir over gentle heat for 10 minutes or until thickened and smooth.

Add the Lemon Juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Discard the bay leaves.

Grease a shallow Ovenproof dish and layer lasagna noodles over the bottom.

Spoon half of the Mushroom mixture over the noodles, and then half of the artichokes.

Cover with a layer of noodles and half the sauce.

Spoon remaining mushroom mixture over the top and add remaining artichokes.

Top with remaining noodles

Stir the Parmesan cheese into the remaining sauce and spoon evenly over the top of the lasagna 

O                  Bake in oven for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.  Garnish with oregano sprigs, and serve.

                   

                   Wednesday, April 30

                     Tenderloin Steak with Red onion Marmalade, Serve with mashed potato and steamed broccoli

Olive Oil spray

1 large red onion, sliced and separated into rings (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (1 inch thick) 

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Add vinegar, honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 8 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.

3. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, thyme, and pepper evenly over beef. Place beef on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with onion mixture.

Thursday May 1- Leftover lasagna

Friday May 2

 Fr

Beef and Walnut Stir Fry (Eat clean, Pg 260)    

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil or sesame oil

8 OZ Lean beef tenderloin chopped into 1 inch pieces

Half bunch asparagus, washed, trimmed and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsley chopped

3/4 cups green beans trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/4 cup toasted walnuts

1 tsp sea salt

Ground black pepper

1/2 Orange- Juice and discard peel

1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinger mixed with a pinch of salt and pinch of garlic powder

1- Heat Oil over med-high heat in skillet

2- Add beef and cook until well done on all sides. Add vegetables and garlic. Stir fry until tender

3- Add Walnuts and toss to heat through. Season with Salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.  Place serving on serving of rice.

4- Deglaze Pan (this means to add liquid to a pan that food has been cooked in, to dissolve the remains of roasted or sautéed food that sticks to the bottom) with juice.  Add Balsamic mixture and stir well. cook over med-low until mixture is reduced by half. Pour over each plate and serve.

                     Saturday, May 3

Chicken Picadillo (Eat Clean Pg. 134)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Coconut oil

1 Small yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1 Cup fresh tomatoes chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp sea salt

1 chicken breast, cooked and diced

1/4 cup raisins or chopped dates

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 bunch green onions, Trimmed and chopped

fresh cilantro for garnish

2 cups cooked rice

1- Heat oil in pan over med-high heat

2- Add onion and pepper and cook until onion is soft - about 5 minutes

3- Add Chili powder, tomatoes, Garlic, cumin, oregano and sea salt cook until it becomes fragrant- several minutes

4- Add Chicken, raisins. Heat through for another 10 minutes

5- Serve over rice or qunoia and garnish

Check your Kitchen

Olive Oil

Coconut Oil

Garlic

Butter

Wheat Flour

Bay leaves

Salt

Pepper

dried Thyme

Garlic Powder

chili powder

cumin

dried Oregano

red wine vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar 

honey

Grocery List

Lemons

Orange

2 Onions

1 small yellow onion

1 large red onion

Walnuts

raisins or chopped dates

2 1/2 lbs mixed mushrooms

cherry tomatoes

Fresh Oregano

Bunch of asparagus

Red Bell pepper (small)

2 Green Bell Pepper (small)

3/4 cups green beans 

1 Tomato

bunch green onions

Whole Milk

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

8 oz prepared whole wheat noodles

Brown Rice

1 (14 oz) can artichokes hearts in water, drained and halved

1.5 LBS beef tenderloin steaks 

1 chicken breast

Meal Plan April 14 -20

The home stretch! It seems crazy, but this is the last meal plan for eating clean! Sunday is Easter. Time flies.


Monday April 14 (This one seems like a lot of work, but looks really yummy too)
Artichoke and Mushroom Lasagna (Vegetarian, PG 166- With some modification)

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Onions, Coarsely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1/4 cup walnuts
2 1/2 lbs mixed mushrooms, coarsely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes
4 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup Wheat Flour
4 1/2 Cups Milk
2 Bay leaves
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
8 oz prepared whole wheat noodles
1 (14 oz) can artichokes hearts in water, drained and halved (Hoping I can find these clean, because starting with fresh artichokes looks hard)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Fresh oregano

Preheat the oven to 400. (Or you can do all the prep work and store in the fridge for up to 3 hours.  Remove from fridge 30 minutes before time to bake)

Mushroom Mixture:
Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions gently for 10 minutes, until soft.
Add garlic and walnuts and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until pale golden.
Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes.
Simmer Briskly for another 10 minutes or until all liquid is evaporated.
Add tomatoes to the Skillet and then remove from the heat and set aside.

Sauce:
Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add flour and stir over gentle heat for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in the milk until you have a smooth mixture.
Bring to a boil, add the bay leaves, and then stir over gentle heat for 10 minutes or until thickened and smooth.
Add the Lemon Juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Discard the bay leaves.

Grease a shallow Ovenproof dish and layer lasagna noodles over the bottom.
Spoon half of the Mushroom mixture over the noodles, and then half of the artichokes.
Cover with a layer of noodles and half the sauce.
Spoon remaining mushroom mixture over the top and add remaining artichokes.
Top with remaining noodles
Stir the Parmesan cheese into the remaining sauce and spoon evenly over the top of the lasagna

Bake in oven for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.  Garnish with oregano sprigs, and serve.

Tuesday April 15- Left overs

Wednesday April 16

Pear and Sage stuffed Pork chops

Ingredients:

4 thick, boneless pork chops

1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 c yellow onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, minced

1 slice whole wheat bread, cubed

1 pear, cored and diced

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced

Cooking spray 

Directions:

Trim away fat and cut a pocket into each chop.

Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate and dredge chops in flour mixture.

Sear chops to brown in a skillet sprayed with cooking oil, about 5 minutes on each side. Add some water to pan to deglaze and pull up any brown bits. Remove chops from the pan and set aside.

Add oil to pan and saute onion and celery. Add bread cubes, pear, sage and rosemary. Moisten with 2 tablespoons of water, or more if needed.

Stuff chops with cooked mixture. Place a toothpick in each cop to hold together.

Place in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour any residual liquid over chops, cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, until center is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Serve.

Serve with Rice and steamed broccoli

Thursday April 17:

We LOVE salsa chicken and Barbacoa so when I found this italian style take on the same concept, I had to try it. I halved the recipe because I don't need nearly as much!

Italian Stallion Crock pot chicken 

FROM He and She eat clean

Ingredients:

2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 Large tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped onion (we use Vidalia/Sweet)

1 1/2  Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1Tbsp olive oil

1/2 Tbsp honey

Dry Ingredients/Spices:

1/2 Tbsp basil

1/2 Tbsp thyme

1/2 Tbsp red pepper flakes

1/2 Tbsp oregano

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp bay leaves

Directions:

Mix all ingredients (not including the chicken breasts) together in a blender/food processor and blend for about 30 seconds until ingredients are mixed well.

Place blended pasta sauce in sauce pan and simmer on low/medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until sauce takes on a thicker consistency and a dark shade of red.

Mix chicken breasts and pasta sauce in crock pot and cook on low heat for at least 7 hours.

After 7 hours, you will notice the sauce looks very runny, this is normal.  Remove crock pot from heating base, shred chicken with a wooden spoon or spatula and as it cools, the shredded chicken will absorb the juices from the pasta sauce.

Friday April 18:

Sole Florentine, Prevention Pg 165 I wanted to make this last year during lent and could not find SOle anywhere. I noticed last week they now have it at Giant eagle! SO yay, I get it about 1 year later! Good things come to those who wait.  

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1 cup diced red bell peppers

2 garlic cloves minced

4 cups loosely packed spinach

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 lbs sole (4 filets)

1/4 cup bread crumbs (I am using the corn flake cereal I used for a recipe Here- buffalo chicken tenders recipe)

1 large egg white

2 Tbsp Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tbsp Chicken broth

Fresh thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 425.  Spray a 11X7 inch baking dish with olive oil spray

In a large, heavy, non-stick skillet, warm oil over medium high heat until hot but not smoking.  Add bell peppers and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until peppers are tender. Transfer 1/4 cup of the pepper mixture to a small bowl and set aside. 

Stir in Spinach, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring continually, for about 1 minute or until spinach is wilted. Drain the spinach in a strainer, pressing down lightly to remove any excess moisture. Transfer Spinach/pepper mixture to a medium bowl.

Cut Sole filets in half length-wise, removing any bones near the top of the filet.  

Add the breadcrumbs, egg white and Parmesan to the spinach and toss well. Spoon to Rounded Tbsp of the mixture onto the wide end of each piece of sole. Roll up the fillet toward the narrow end. Place the rolls seam side down in the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the rolls with the reserved pepper mixture, then drizzle with broth. Cover the baking dish with foil and bale for 10-12 minutes or until fish just flakes when tested with a fork.  and filling is heated through.

Transfer 2 fish rolls with the bell pepper topping to each plate. Discard pan juices, and garnish with fresh thyme springs. 

Serve with Rice or Quinoa 

Saturday April 19

We are going to be working on our Spring Cleaning this week, so here is an easy favorite from the past weeks.

Beef and Walnut Stir Fry (Eat clean, Pg 260)

Ingredients:

2 tsp coconut oil or sesame oil

1 lbs Lean beef tenderloin chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 bunch asparagus, washed, trimmed and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsley chopped

1.5 cups green beans trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

1 tsp sea salt

Ground black pepper

Juice of 1 freshly squeezed orange

1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinger mixed with a pinch of salt and pinch of garlic powder

1- Heat Oil over med-high heat in skillet

2- Add beef and cook until well done on all sides. Add vegetables and garlic. Stir fry until tender

3- Add Walnuts and toss to heat through. Season with Salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.  Place serving on serving of rice.

4- Deglaze Pan (this means to add liquid to a pan that food has been cooked in, to dissolve the remains of roasted or sautéed food that sticks to the bottom) with juice.  Add Balsamic mixture and stir well. cook over med-low until mixture is reduced by half. Pour over each plate and serve.

Sunday April 20, EASTER Sunday! Going to the In-laws house for all the DELICIOUS things we have not been able to eat over lent. My mother-in-law has promised me cake with LOTS of icing and I could not be happier! 

CHECK YOUR KITCHEN

Olive Oil

coconut oil or sesame oil

Garlic

Wheat Flour

whole wheat pastry flour

Butter

Bay Leaves

Basil

Black pepper

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary

Red pepper Flakes

Sage

Thyme

Salt

Honey

1/4 cup bread crumbs (I am using the corn flake cereal I used for a recipe Here- buffalo chicken tenders recipe)

GROCERY LIST

3 Onions
1 yellow onion
3 Red bell peppers
1 green bell pepper
1.5 cups green beans
1 bunch asparagus
Celery
Brocoli

2 1/2 lbs mixed mushrooms
cherry tomatoes
2 Large tomatoes
4 cups spinach

1 lemons or Lemon Juice
Orange
Pear
Fresh oregano

Fresh thyme sprigs

walnuts

whole wheat Lasagna noodles
Rice

1 (14 oz) can artichokes hearts in water
tomato paste

whole milk
1 egg white
Parmsean cheese (1 Cup)
Ezekiel Bread

4 thick, boneless pork chops

2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 lbs sole (4 filets)

1 lbs Lean beef tenderloin