Alright, so I was a complete menu planning slacker last week and didn't prepare one. I suppose that it's going to happen once in awhile. I'm only human. And a very busy human at that. I did miss not having a plan. I really did. We ended up scrambling around at the last minute trying to figure out what to feed the kids (and ourselves). As a result, we had much less interesting meals. A frozen pizza here, Harris Teeter's 'Grab and Go Meal' there (which isn't that bad, but isn't that great either). So, I am happy to now be back on track. :)

I do want to mention a few things from the June 15th - 21st 2009 menu. The Ultimate Roast Beef Sandwich was to die for. Seriously. Brett and I were talking about it for days afterwards. Had to be the best roast beef sandwich either of us have ever had. And that says a lot. The Red Broccoli Salad I made to go with it was really good, too. That one's going into the rotation, for sure. The Candied Sweet Potatoes were... really sweet. But, exactly what I was craving. They were super yummy, although best right out of the oven the first night. The leftovers... not so hot. I think it has something to do with the marshmallows browned on top. When I went to pull it out the second night, they had disintegrated. Boo!

I reference everything on the menu with a link to the recipe, unless it's something that doesn't require one. If the link directs you to another website, it means that I have not tried the recipe, and therefore have no idea whether it is good or not. :) If the link leads to a posted recipe here on my blog, it means that it is a tried & true family recipe that we love. I will also revisit some of the recipes I link to and leave comments about how they turned out for us the following week.

I am really excited about this week's plan. Everything sounds yummy.. and fun! Here's what we have on the menu...

Dinner Menu :: June 29th - July 5th 2009

Monday
Spiedies
Spiedies originate from New York state, and we had the pleasure of enjoying them at a cookout held here a few years ago by some of Brett's co-workers. You can use chicken, pork or lamb (or a combo). I will be using whatever is on sale this week. :) They key is marinating the meat cubes for at least 3 days. Some people marinate for up to two weeks in a controlled environment. Holy e Coli! Um, I think we'll stick with 3 days. You then grill the meat on skewers and slap it on slices of fresh-baked Italian bread (another must). No condiments are needed (in fact, that would be an insult). I must say, we thought they were super tasty. Here's to hoping we can replicate them with this recipe.
Fresh-baked Italian Bread (I will buy ready-made dough or a mix for my breadmaker... whatever I can find.)
Dill Potato Salad
Grapes

Tuesday
Leftovers from Monday.

Wednesday
Pineapple Ham Loaf
Oklahoma Cheese Grits
Green Beans (The canned kind - yes, I know... but we love them. I simmer them in bacon for about an hour on the stove. Yum!)

Thursday
Leftovers from Wednesday.

Friday
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Baked Brie (I bake it with raspberry jelly on top. Then, sprinkle it with some sliced almonds that I've toasted.)
Apple Slices & Crackers

Saturday - 4th of July!
We plan to have a picnic in a park area near our home where we can watch the fireworks out over the intercoastal waterway. They will be far enough away so it is not so loud for the kids. My parents will be joining us from Greensboro, so we are looking forward to some fun family time.
Confetti Cheese Salsa
Avocado and Ham Sandwiches
Corn and Chickpea Salad
American Flag Cake
Watermelon (A must-have on the 4th of July!)
Freshly Brewed/Made Sweet Tea and Lemonade

Sunday
Clean out the refrigerator night! Peanut butter & jelly for the kiddos. :)

If you try anything listed here, I'd love to know how it turns out for you! For more menu ideas, or to submit your own plan, visit orgjunkie.com.

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So PLEASE - cast your vote for us today!

To browse last year's winners, click here. To enter the competition yourself, go here. If you do enter, let me know and I'll return the love by voting for you each day. How's that for a deal?

Gavin had his preschool graduation this week. He was so excited, and I think also very proud to get his certificate. He had been going to the Child Development Center (CDC) since he was two years old, it has been a huge part of his development. When he started there, he was completely "non-verbal and low functioning" - in layman's terms that means he couldn't speak and he was in his own little world all the time. Now he is just a social butterfly and sometimes talks too much! When he gets around his school buddies he is definitely the class clown. His speech is by no means perfect or on par with a typical five year old, but his social skills have really come a long way. Having him in this school has been great. They have been able to let Gavin's naturally sweet personality flourish while setting rules, getting him accustomed to school routine, and always pushing the limits of his abilites. I doubt he would be even nearly ready for kindergarten next year if he hadn't had the awesome teachers and classroom experiences he's had for the past 3 years.

To kick off the ceremony, the teachers herded all the graduates up onto the stage and they sang two songs together. Gavin was right in the middle of all his friends, just belting out the words like a little rock star. Every now and then he would pause for a second to yell out "Mama! Daddy!" Pointing to us in the audience. Though somewhat lacking in tonality, (Simon Cowell might say "He's a tad bit pitchy") he made up for it with robust volume and energy. Gavin is actually a really good singer, I catch him all the time singing to himself. This performance just turned out to be a little more "Punk Rocky", since he had a big captive audience. He always has to be the "Black Sheep" these days, it seems.

The actual receiving of the diploma was pretty funny, too. He was so excited, but he sat nicely right next to his teacher, on the edge of his seat. It took forever for his name to be called, since it's toward the end of the alphabet. As each child walked (or ran) to get their diploma, their picture was put up on the screen. Gavin couldn't wait to see his picture up on the screen, which I'm sure to him looked like a giant flag. If you've been following these posts, you'd know a little about Gav's flag fascination. He is very proud of his diploma, and he's been carrying it around with him all week, even to bed! Here's a little excerpt of "Brown Bear, What Do You See?"