I love fall - the cooler temperatures, the leaves crunching under my feet when hiking through the woods, baking with apples and pumpkin - it's just a good thing. :) This weekend we attempted to do our annual apple picking trip to Plaster's Orchard, but they closed too early on Saturday for us to make it. :( Instead, we loaded up the dogs and went for a short hike at our favorite Branson Trail - the Henning Homesteaders Trail. We've actually had a couple of rainy days this week, so there were some small waterfalls and a couple of great water holes for the dogs to cool off in along the trail. The weather was perfect for a hike, and it was a great way to shake of the stress of the work week.



By the way, I finally posted the recipes from my fondue party. Be sure to check them out. 

I have a pretty loaded week coming up. I have two computer workshops on different days after school, Corey has two cross country meets and a possible math contest, and I'll be spending a couple of days with my mom. I know I've said this a lot lately, but I'm SO glad I stocked my freezer right before school started. It is really saving me on these busy weeks. Hopefully this is a good example of how meal planning can keep you from eating out, even when you have a hectic schedule. :)

Here's this week's menu. Enjoy and have a great week! Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get fast updates from the blog. :)

Sunday - Honey Baked Pork Chops (from freezer), Green Beans, Salad, Strawberries
Monday - Shrimp Fra Diavolo (this keeps getting bumped - hopefully I'll actually make it), Broccoli, Salad, Peaches
Tuesday - Tequila Lime Chicken (from freezer), Green Beans, Salad, Strawberries
Wednesday -Sloppy Joes (from freezer), Steak Fries, Broccoli, Applesauce
Thursday - Teriyaki Steak, Green Beans, Baked Potatoes (cooked in crock pot), Salad
Friday - Chili (from freezer), Salad, Peaches
Saturday - Eat at Mom's


For more menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com.   

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Three Course Fondue

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A couple of weeks ago, I hosted my book club at my house, and I served fondue for dinner. Fondue has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. It was definitely a special occasion dinner, but it was a family favorite. My youngest brother always requested it for ...

Cynthia Matzat

Fall is a crazy good time of the year. :) Crazy because of all the activities going on, and good because the weather is amazing! We finally got rain this weekend! If you aren't from the midwest, you may not know that we are in a severe drought. It has been the 3rd hottest summer on record, and we've had way too many 100+ degree days. Hopefully last Tuesday was our last of those. The crazy thing was that on Wednesday, the temperature got down to 46. Talk about extreme temperature changes! This weekend my brother from New York came to visit, so we spent the whole weekend at my mom's eating like pigs. :) It was even cold enough to turn on the fireplace, which gave the house a nice, cozy feel.

This is homecoming week at Corey's school, so he has a bunch of extra activities in the evenings. So, that means our meal plan will be a little goofy.

Here's this week's menu. Enjoy and have a great week! Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get fast updates from the blog. :)

Sunday - Eat at mom's (loved not having to cook this weekend!)
Monday - Ott's House Casserole (gotta carb up the boy for his CC meet tomorrow), Green Beans, Salad, Strawberries
Tuesday - Steak (will grill when we get home from the meet - it's in our town), Green Beans, Salad
Wednesday - Bacon Wrapped Grilled Chicken, Broccoli, Salad, Peaches
Thursday - Spaghetti Supper Fundraiser at school
Friday - Eat Out (Homecoming night)
Saturday - Steak Pizza (didn't get to it last week), Salad, Strawberries

For more menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com.  

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What's for Dinner Menu Plan

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Fall is definitely in the air. :) Our temperatures have been in the 70s for highs, and 50s for lows. Fabulous! Much better than the 100 degree temps we dealt with all summer. Monday was Labor Day, and we didn't have school. We took advantage of our day off and went for a run. I ...

Cynthia Matzat

This past Thursday I hosted my book club at my house and decided to do fondue. Since fondue seems like a retro 70s kind of thing to me, I used my grandmother's old dishes, which have a great retro look to them. :) Plus, they have great fall colors and the cooler temperatures we've been having definitely have me in the mood for fall. Fondue has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. My brother always asked for it for his birthday. I did three courses - cheese, meat, and dessert. I did do a healthier cooking style than what my family used to do on the meat course. My family always cooked the meat in oil, and I chose to do a broth-based fondue for the meat (much healthier).

Here are some pics from the party. I'll post my recipes for the sauces later.

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Margarita Cake

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This would be a great dessert when serving Mexican food as your main meal. The cake is very moist and has a great citrus flavor. Ingredients: 1 package lemon cake mix (could also use a yellow cake mix if you don't want the cake to have a strong lemon flavor) 1 (4 ounce) ...

Cynthia Matzat

What a beautiful Labor Day weekend! We've been having temperatures over 100 degrees the last week, and this weekend, it seems that we are getting our first hint at fall. It's 55 degrees this morning! Love it! This will definitely be a day spent outdoors. :)

I survived my first week back at school. My mom continues to regain her strength and had a good follow-up checkup at the surgeon on Friday. Now, we just wait for the oncologist appointment in a couple of weeks. We've really had a nice weekend as a family so far. Eric and I went for a great run on Saturday morning (did my first 5K in a long time), and we got caught up on some cleaning and much-needed sleep. We went to my mom's on Sunday for my nephew Conner's 11th birthday party. It's always nice to spend time with family. And today, we're headed off for another run on this gorgeous morning, and then off to the woods for a hike.

The meal plan this week continues to use lots of grilling items from the freezer. The weather this week will be perfect for eating outside. :) I also have a great recipe for Margarita cake to share with you, and I'll be hosting my book club for a fondue party, so be sure to check back later in the week for details and recipes.

Here's this week's menu. Enjoy and have a great week! Be sure to follow me on Facebook to get fast updates from the blog. :)

Sunday - Eat at mom's for Conner's birthday (actually had Mom's Lasagna)
Monday - In-N-Out Burgers, Baked Beans, Salad, Strawberries
Tuesday - Cranberry Catalina Chicken (from freezer - didn't get to it last week), Noodles, Broccoli, Salad
Wednesday - Tuna Noodle Casserole, Green Beans, Salad, Peaches
Thursday - Fondue Party for book club (details and recipes coming soon)
Friday - Date night with hubby
Saturday - Pub House Steak (from freezer), Green Beans, Salad, Strawberries

Lunch soup for the week: Chicken, Black Bean, and Salsa Soup

For more menu ideas, visit orgjunkie.com.