Summer Days and Stuffed Shells

So it has been a whirlwind of a week so far, but we have been kicking ass and taking names! The BF and I took some action and everything seems to be working out exactly how we hoped. Custody issues are hard, but it felt so good to know in our hearts that we were taking the right path, and now we will get to have the Boy and Girl half of the time! School starts up soon and I can't wait to see what life has in store for our little family!

Meanwhile at the house...

This beautiful thing actually bloomed! The color is so radiant in the sun, its captivating.  Sadly, this picture is not the same today. Do you see that leaf in the bottom right of the photo? See that chunk that's missing? It seems there is something chomping around in our little garden while we aren't looking. Even though this flower had a quarter of its petals chomped off, it still radiates and fills the patio with color. 

Weekly meal planning has been working great, I put up a schedule on the fridge and start to fill in the meals for the beginning of the week, and keep filling in as we go. I generally have an idea of what dinner could be each night based on what we bought groceries for, and we love leftovers for lunch so it seems our system is working so far. Next week will be the biggest challenge yet: 4 mouths to feed 3 meals 7 days straight! I'm up to it, and have already started filling in the days for next week too. Its so fun to try new meals with the kids, their tastes are expanding and both of them are more adventurous these days! Not the same ol' chicken nuggets and french fries here! 

This week I tried out a new idea for Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells. I saw it first here.

It turned out really great, they have a rich and creamy flavor with the Alfredo sauce and it came together great with the chicken, broccoli and cheese. We had a salad on the side and it more than filled me up!

I cooked up the whole box of shells, and it was more than I needed. It worked out perfectly though, because some of the shells come apart while cooking, and I had the perfect amount of intact shells for all the stuffing. For dinner that night I cooked 12 shells in this great dish the BF's sister sent to us, plus had 3 containers (17 shells) for the freezer. I did stuff the shells pretty full, and I would do it the same again because the shells themselves are pretty thick to begin with, so lots of stuffing is good!

The dish is very cute, can I use it everyday? Thank you, please!

Shells almost ready for the freezer. I poured some of the Alfredo sauce over them and then into the freezer they went! 

For the meal we ate that night I topped the shells sauce, some panko breadcrumbs, some chopped fresh basil from our garden, and a little Parmesan cheese. It made a toasty crust which added a nice texture to the pasta.

Can you tell we liked it? Lunch the next day... drool...

Overall life is really great, the days have been filled with swimming (and hot tub), BBQ tri-tip a la BF, awesome new music, and (just last night) a big Pot Roast dinner with friends. When our house is filled to the ceiling with love and laughter its just the best feeling in the world! 

Smile bigger, laugh harder, and soak up some sunshine today!

Whipped-up Gourmet

The BF and I have been eating basically every single meal at home. It's something I like to do, we enjoy cooking together and trying out new recipes and ideas, but its also a must when money is tight. At the start of each week I like to get some input from the BF and the kiddos if they're around and make a tentative list/schedule of meals. I am so proud of how great we've been doing! Its easy to feel like I'm always making a grocery list and heading to the store, but the more we eat at home the better we are at grocery shopping for the week and  only stopping for misc items during the week if necessary.

So last night we were faced with a dilemma: Go to the grocer and then cook or whip up something at home and save the shopping for another day.

We bought a tri-tip roast at Fresh & Easy last week to grill up this weekend, and it was pretty big - especially after getting it out of the vacuum sealed packaging! The BF suggested cutting a chunk off to cook for dinner tonight, saving the majority of it for sometime this weekend. He's so smart! He sliced up some strips and I seasoned the meat with salt, pepper, and a little curry powder and sauteed the pieces up in a skillet.

Originally the plan was peanut chicken over spinach and rice (mmm...Thai food...), but we used the chicken for Teriyaki chicken and rice when the kids were over for dinner on Wednesday. I knew the BF and I had been thinking about that deliciously spicy peanut sauce all week, and I had found a great new recipe to try for the sauce. Tri-tip + Peanut Sauce + Spinach + leftover rice = a meal that rivals our favorite Thai place!

The rice, meat, and peanut sauce are all hot to start with and cause the spinach to wilt slightly and its heavenly. Believe you me! Here's the recipe:

• 1/4 cup Peanut Butter
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 clove minced garlic (I grated in 2 cloves)
• 1/4 cup lime juice 
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• garlic chili paste (or some sort of hot sauce, its not right until your mouth tingles!)
• 2 tbsp honey

I put it all in a glass Pyrex bowl and microwave 30 seconds to a minute at a time. Once it starts to warm up you will be able to smell the peanut-y spice. Its divine! 

I will definitely be making this sauce again, it was a hit - smooth and creamy with the addition of coconut milk, it really adds a nice flavor. 

This is me. I am only showing you this so you can drool over the wilted spinach. YUM! 

And now I will leave you with this:

That is some serious brownie mix ribbon. Two of our friends biked over to hang out, and it was perfect with a little vanilla ice cream after a dip in the hot tub. 

Got the BF's parents and niece coming through town tonight and tomorrow, we are VERY excited to show off our apartment, its a happy home (especially after our whirlwind after-dinner clean up) ! 

Don't forget to soak up some rays - its beautiful out today!