Two more weeks until Christmas vacation! I can't believe how fast the time is going by. My poor kid has had a tough week. Our wonderful hike last weekend ended up being a bad deal for Corey - he got a horrible case of poison ivy and ended up in urgent care mid-week. :( After getting a shot, he is slowly mending, but it has not been fun.

I finally got my apron finished for the Christmas Flirty Apron Swap. I think it turned out very festive. The fabrics are very sparkly, which doesn't show up in the photo.

This week is a normal school week filled with lots of activities - ortho appointment for the boy, school Christmas program for me, academic team meet, school Christmas party, etc. I tried to keep the menu simple, and I am still trying to use up the last of the stuff in the freezer before I restock over Christmas break. Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday - Lasagna (from freezer), Salad, Broccoli
Monday - Meatball Hash Brown Bake, Green Beans, Peaches
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Sausage and Potato Soup, Salad, Applesauce
Thursday - Turkey and Gravy (from freezer), Mashed Potatoes (from freezer), Green Beans
Friday - Homemade Pizza, Salad, Oranges
Saturday - Eat at Christmas party

What a wonderful weekend! No football game performances and no band contests! We actually got to spend some time together as a family, and it was wonderful. :) Today we ate our way across Silver Dollar City and had a blast. Our favorite treat was the spiral potato on a stick. Why is it that food on a stick is always more fun? :)

I participated in the Fall Flirty Apron Swap and finished my partner's apron package this week. It's always fun to make a surprise for someone - even someone you don't know! :)



I did some cooking for the week today. I made Bacon Cheese Pull Aparts for today's breakfast, and cooked 2 dozen Bacon Cheddar Muffins to eat during the week. I also made some Halloween Buddies for a fun treat. This week's menu is full of family favorite staples. I cooked pretty much everything ahead of time except for the things we are grilling. Here's the menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy and have a great week!

Sunday - Steak, Green Beans, Salad (didn't do on Saturday)
Monday - Sausage Potato Soup (made ahead), Salad
Tuesday - Creamy Chicken Breasts (made ahead), Rice, Green Beans
Wednesday - Chili Ranch Grilled Pork, Twiced Baked Potatoes (from freezer), Broccoli
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Burgers, Steak Fries, Salad, Peaches
Saturday - Eat out (band contest)

I finally finished the apron for my partner in the Flirty Apron Swap. I think it turned out very cute.

We had a great week this past week. No one had the flu! :) I made some great snacks for the teachers at my school on Friday. The pizza dip is amazing. If you need an appetizer for a party, give this one a try. Mine is decorated for Halloween, but you could leave the spider web design off the top for other occasions. I also finally got to make the chocolate cream cheese tunnel cake. All I can is that it is to die for!

We got to spend lots of time together as a family this weekend, starting with participating in the Bass Pro 5K on Saturday morning. Corey got 2nd place in his age division, Eric placed 6th in his and got his personal best time, and Toby and I were the first dog/person team to cross the finish line. :)

I received my apron for the Hot Mamas Chocolate Apron swap! It's so cute! It reminds of a prairie skirt I had when I was younger. Thanks so much, Jody, for making me such a beautiful apron!

On Halloween evening, Corey went to a party with some friends and we hung out with some grownup friends while we waited for his party to end. We finally had some time to get the house cleaned, so we feel like we are in pretty good shape for the week. Here's this week's menu. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com. Enjoy!

Sunday - Beef Burgundy with Biscuits, Green Beans
Monday - Crock Pot Corn, Ham, and Potato Scallop, Salad
Tuesday - Paprika Chicken with Sour Cream Gravy, Rice, Broccoli Salad
Wednesday - Honey Roasted Pork Loin, Mashed Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Salad
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Homemade Pizza
Saturday - Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, Green Beans, Salad

I finally got my Hot Mamas Fiesta Apron Swap package in the mail yesterday (which was the deadline - eek!). I absolutely love this apron, so much so that I had to duplicate it for myself. :) My partner's favorite color is pink, as is mine, so I really had fun making this for her. This particular pattern reminded me of the ruffles on a flamenco skirt, so I think it's perfect for a fiesta! I included some other fiesta goodies as well. She should get the package on Wednesday. Hope she likes it! Here are some pics:

Well, I think we have finally de-toxed our bodies from all of the cruise food we had on vacation. We ate very well this week at home and definitely stuck to the menu. The hit of the week was the Kickin' Creamy Chicken Crockpot Stew. I heard from several of you that you tried it with your families this week as well and really enjoyed. It's always nice to have those easy crockpot dishes you know you can rely on during busy nights and that you know your family will eat. :)

When I got home from school on Friday, I had a surprise package on the front porch. I got my Hot Mamas apron swap package from Val! I was so excited! I didn't expect it to arrive so early. She send such a wonderful gift - an adorable apron, hot sauce with the cutest crocheted sombrero and scarf, a dip bowl, some beads (she's from Louisiana), and some great recipes. I will post pics of it soon. Thanks for such a wonderful swap package, Val! I loved it!


We celebrated Corey's 14th birthday (man, that makes me feel old) on Saturday with both sets of grandparents. He requested an ice cream cake for his party (chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream). I think it turned out pretty well. :) Believe it or not, it snowed on March 28! It was very pretty coming down, and because the ground was so warm, it didn't stick.


This week is one of those nights we have lots of evening obligations, including Corey's Eagle Scout board of review. I'm doing most of my cooking for the week today so everything will be ready to heat up once we finally get home each evening. Here's our busy-family menu for the week. For more menu ideas, go to orgjunkie.com.

Sunday - Filets (on the grill), Green Beans, Grilled Asparagus, Strawberries
Monday - Bourbon Chicken (premade), Basil Green Beans (premade), Peaches
Tuesday - Tuna Noodle Casserole, Apple slices
Wednesday - Spaghetti with Meatballs (premade), Salad
Thursday - Golden Mushroom Pork Chops (crockpot), Broccoli w/Cheese Sauce, Salad
Friday - Out to eat (Cheddars)
Saturday - Homemade Pizza, Salad

Thank you to everyone who participated in my "blogiversary" giveaway last week. I really enjoyed reading your comments and seeing which recipes you enjoy. I also appreciated receiving some new recipes. I hope that you continue to find What's for Dinner a useful site.

Now, for the winner of my apron giveaway! I made what I think is a very cute reversible half apron for the prize. It has extra long ties for those who like to wrap them around and tie in front. I have to admit, I really want to keep this one for myself, but that would be greedy. ;)


I know, I know....quit rambling and get on with the winner. :) The winner by random drawing is....

Carol Ann!

Carol Ann said...

My favorite recipe of yours is the Better than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce. The sauce is fool-proof and so easy to make. My daughter calls them her "white noodles".
Thanks for the great blog and the great recipes.
I dont know how you juggle so many things and do everything so well. I wish I could!!

Carol Ann, I need you to email me your mailing address so I can get your prize sent out to you. You can email it to me at cmatzat (at) gmail.com. I hope you enjoy it!

My package from my partner in the Winter Sassy Apron Swap arrived on Friday afternoon! I got a cute holiday themed apron, a cookie magazine, and a Christmas tree cookie cutter. Thanks, Amy! I will put them to use during my holiday cookie baking with my son. :)

I finally finished my apron package for my partner in the Winter Sassy Apron Swap. The theme was cookies, so I chose a cute gingerbread man fabric for the arpon. I also sent her some supplies to make sugar cookies with her family. I hope she enjoys it!

I received my Holiday Hostess apron for the Flirty Apron Swap this week. When I opened the package, my son said, "Isn't that the one you were hoping you would get?" And guess, what? It was! Thanks, Kara! I love this fancy apron.

I received my apron package for the Hot Drinks for Hot Mamas swap on Friday. My favorite hot drink is hot chocolate, so my partner sent me a cute apron in my favorite color - pink - and she added a cute cutout of a mug and the word "chocolate". She also sent some hot chocolate packets, some Dove dark chocolate candies (which I LOVE), and a cute matching tissue holder. Thank you so much for the wonderful package, Zoe! Here are some pics of my gift.

Saturday afternoon this surprise package arrived on my doorstep!



Nadine C., the person I sent an apron to for the Fall Flirty Apron Swap, read that I had not received a package for the Fall Sassy Apron Swap, so she served as my apron angel and sent me the most beautiful apron package I could have asked for! Nadine, this is by far my favorite apron. I wore it all day Saturday! She also sent a matching potholder (how cute is that!) and a very pretty matching necklace. Nadine, I can't tell you how much this meant to me. I've been in kind of a funk lately, and your thoughtfulness really cheered me up. Thank you so much!

I finished my apron swap package for the Hot Drinks for Hot Mamas swap. My partner's favorite hot drink is hot chocolate, so I found some cute holiday fabric that has hot cocoa on it. I think it turned out really cute. I hope she enjoys her package. It goes in the mail tomorrow! Here are some photos.

Last Friday I received my package from my partner in the Fall Flirty Apron Swap. The apron was really adorable and very well made. She also sent me a cute charm bracelet to go with it. Thank you, Rachelle, for the wonderful package! Here are some photos of my gifts (sorry that the one of me in the apron is so sloppy - it was a sweats day for me today).

I'm having one of those "whiner baby" moments, so instead of whining in person, I just thought I would vent on my blog instead. I'm allowed to do that! It's my blog. ;)

This fall I participated in two apron swaps, which I love doing. My sadness is that I did not receive an apron in return from either swap. I really wish that if people are going to sign up for a swap that they truly intend to participate. I know, suck it up and deal with it. But, it still makes me sad. I do realize that something terrible could have happened in the lives of my partners to prevent them from participating, so I probably shouldn't be complaining publicly, but I'm just having a sad weekend and don't want to complain to my family. :) (So partners, if you do happen to read this for some reason, I apologize if you had something terrible happen.) I do wish that they would have contacted the swap host to let them know that they can't participate so that I don't keep eagerly awaiting a package every day. I'm worse than a kid at Christmas time. I really need to get a life. ;)

On top of my apron sadness, my computer crashed again. This is the second time this year, and you would think I would have learned my lesson about backing up information after losing four years of work the last time it crashed. But alas, I apparently did not learn my lesson. I do keep almost everything on an external hard drive that I back up to our main home PC. Everything except MY RECIPES! ARGGGG!!!!!!!!! How stupid can I get?!? Out of all the things on my computer, my recipes are probably one of the most important things to me. They make me happy. They are organized in folders. I love them dearly. :-( Now, they are gone. And, my techie friend Mark, the only person I know who might be able to tell me how I might save them before I have to reformat my computer, is nowhere to be found. I'm really sad, can you tell?

Ok, enough of my griping. I must get on with life. When I finally get my menu plan posted for this week, you won't see anything new, because I will have to function from the recipes already posted on the blog. At least there is lots of good stuff there.

Here are a few more photos of the items I sent my partner in the Boo Spooky Apron Swap. I think the apron is really cute, and I thought my treat bag turned about pretty well, also. I did forget to send a pot holder (sorry Sharon), but I did put some goodies in her treat bag that hopefully she will enjoy.

I received my apron from my swap partner, Sharon, for the Boo Spooky Apron Swap! It is absolutely adorable! Sharon made it reversible so I can wear it year round. She also sent me a reversible bag to go with it. Thanks for such a lovely package, Sharon! Here are some pictures of my gift.

I spent most of yesterday working on my aprons for the Fall Sassy Apron Swap and the Boo Spooky Apron Swap. I think both aprons turned out really cute. Both were new patterns for me, and I really enjoyed making them. My partner in the Sassy Apron Swap wanted a Thanksgiving apron, and I found really cute turkey fabric. I hope she thinks it's as cute as I do. I really love the bat apron I made for my partner in the Spooky Swap. I think I'm going to have to make one for myself! Now, I need to get to work on my Flirty Apron Swap apron. I haven't decided what pattern I'm going to use yet, but I found a pretty good fabric for my partner.

So far this summer I have participated in two summer apron swaps: The Sassy Apron Swap and The Flirty Apron Swap. I have really enjoyed sewing again, and it is "sew" fun to make these surprise gifts for someone else. It's kind of like having a secret pal that lives far away that you don't know. :) Of course, it's also fun to receive a package as well! Here are some pictures of the aprons I made and the aprons I received. Enjoy!


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Yes, I know this is not a normal post from me - it's not a recipe. But, aprons and recipes go hand-in-hand, so I think it's still appropriate. :)

I stumbled on the Flirty Apron Swap last week and thought it would be really fun to participate. It will be a great way for me to force myself to get my sewing machine back out and practice my sewing skills. Plus, my very talented mother promised she would help me make my apron for the swap, so my partner won't have to worry about the quality of the apron they receive. It will be great! Anyway, here are the details of the swap if this sounds like fun to you:

Deadline to Sign Up: March 2, 2008
Deadline to Mail Aprons: March 31, 2008

Total items required to receive a Swap-Bot 5 rating for the swap:
* Handmade adorable adult-sized apron (by you or you could buy one on Etsy I suppose)
* A kitchen/cooking accessory of some sort - could be a fun gadget, a small cookbook, or new condiment. Must be valued at least $5.
* Two of your favorite recipes, preferably something fun, flirty and cute! =) (Feel free to make up a fun name for a more-ordinary recipe)

Want hearts on Swap-Bot? Make an effort for adorable packing, naming, creative embellishments, etc. Most of all , HAVE FUN! Click here to join at Swap-Bot. Not a Swap-Bot member? E-mail the swap host, Shawneeh, at shawneeh at yahoo dot com with your full name, mailing address and blog URL (if you have one).

As an extra incentive to sign up for the swap by February 29th, the Maple Lane Apron Company has donated one of their very cute aprons to be given away in a random drawing. All you have to do to be eligible for the drawing is register for the swap by February 29, visit the Maple Lane website and look at their aprons, and post a comment on Shawneeh's blog stating which apron you like the best. Here are a couple of pictures of the apron that will be given away in the drawing: