menu ideas

So last month was the first time I planned a whole month's worth of menus (I have done weekly menus before, but usually I just flew by the seat of my pants). I did that so when I went to WinCo in Reno I would have what I needed for the month and not have to pay higher prices here if I were missing an ingredient (though I did plan on getting a few things at WalMart during the month). It worked fairly well, so I just did it again the other day. While planning, though, I realized having a chart might help me, so I developed one.

I usually have something with rice on Mondays, potatoes for Tuesday, Pasta for Wednesdays, Beans for Thursdays, and grains for Fridays. I found most maindishes got served with the same side (e.g. meatloaf needs potatoes), and some items (pilaf and stir-fry) could be in 2 columns.

I decided I need a soup list--and maybe a sandwich list, too, but I haven't developed that yet. But this is what I have at this point, and I think I will really like using it.

	Rice	Potatoes	Pasta	Beans	Grains
Beef	Cabbage rolls Baked chimichangas	Meatloaf muffins Hamburgers & fries Hotdogs & fries SOS Stew Shepherd’s pie Roast	Spaghetti & meatballs Swedish meatballs Stroganoff	Chili Franks and beans Chili dogs Hamburgers & beans Taco salad	Tacos Fajitas Corndogs
Chicken	Pilaf Stir-fry Sweet and sour thighs Fragrant Indian butter Orange chicken Hawaiian haystacks Teriyaki chicken Chicken fingers Barbecues chicken	Chicken fingers Barbecued chicken	Pilaf Stir-fry (with ramen) Mediterranean pasta Chinese chicken salad Ranch noodles	White chicken chili	Baked creamy taquitos Chicken and dumplings Pot pie Chicken pockets Sour cream enchiladas Café Rio Fajitas Chicken sopa Chicken and stuffing
Eggs		Breakfast Spanish tortilla			Breakfast Quiche
Pork	Pork fried rice Sweet and sour pork Potstickers	Ham & yummy pot. Stew Roast			Pulled pork Stromboli
Misc	Red beans and rice Tilapia	Baked potato bar Pierogis Potato soup Ñoquis	Pierogis Ravioli/casserole Lasagna Fettuccini Macaroni & cheese	Red beans and rice Kielbasa & bean soup Burritos	Polenta Pizza Sandwiches Nachos Quesadillas Eggplant parmesan

seek heavenly guidance one day at a time

Here's a great quote from the most important man on the earth today. It was given in a talk "Believe, Obey, Endure" addressed to the young women at the General Young Women Meeting March 24, 2012.

I have spoken over the years with many individuals who have told me, “I have so many problems, such real concerns. I’m overwhelmed with the challenges of life. What can I do?” I have offered to them, and I now offer to you, this specific suggestion: seek heavenly guidance one day at a time. Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it’s a cinch. Each of us can be true for just one day—and then one more and then one more after that—until we’ve lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness. The Savior promised, “Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.”  

--Pres. Thomas S. Monson

full talk:

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-young-women-meeting/2012/03/believe-obey-endure?lang=eng

 

General Conference is the best

I love General Conference. Each conference, as I listen, I think to myself that this has got to be the best conference ever. What a testimony to me of the truthfulness of the gospel and that this is the church of Jesus Christ.

Now, we are supposed to prepare ourselves so we can get the most out of it.

Years ago (and I mean in the 70s), I heard on a Sunday morning religious show the analogy of the wet or dry sponge. If you take those large compressed sponges and have one that is still dry and one that is wet, which one will absorb water faster? It's the wet sponge.

So, if you want the most out of conference, you have to be a wet sponge...you already have to be immersed in spiritual things. We are especially told to immerse ourselves in the last conference in order to prepare (I believe that was in March's Ensign). So review the past conference, read the scriptures, and pray.

Another way to prepare for conference is to figure out ahead of time some questions that you are wanting answers to. I have to admit, I'm not good at this. I go with the flow, happy to listen to whatever is presented to me. I haven't gone in seeking anything. Maybe I should give it a try.

So, as I've been re-reading conference talks (and listening to them at lds.org), I find I still come across things...and the other day it was a whole talk...that sound totally unfamiliar, even though I know I listened to all of conference and perhaps even read when the conference issue of the Ensign first came out. No wonder we are told to read and study the talks more than once. Once just isn't enough...and sometimes neither is 3 or 4 times.

One thing I am trying to change is to do more than listen...I need to find applications. Just hearing doesn't benefit me and my family. You have to "do" after you "hear." Last conference I made an action list. I think I worked on it a little before the goal sheet wound up underneath a pile of other papers.

So, this conference, in order to better be prepared, I am going to:
1- find a question or two I want answered
2- make an action list of what I feel I need to do between now and next conference
3- follow through with the list