Good morning!
*Yawn … stretch*
Yeah… is seems early as I type this at 6:20 a.m. and it is really dark out yet, but the hustle of my day will start in about 30 minutes as I get read y for work.
Over the weekend we were having a great conversation here about the BIG BOOKS, and then as if on some sort of cosmic cue this arrives in my mailbox on Monday:
yes…. I think this came in from Shelf Awareness and I don’t recall it looking this ummm…. errrr…. HUGE on-line. I think I was thinking, this is somewhat of a classic and I have never read it…. and now here it is. Bigger than ever.
On time management I took part of Sunday to prepare this weeks meals ahead of time. Since Chance came to stay with us I feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to dinner. I work weekdays, then I hit the gym with a friend from 3:30 – 4:30 or 5… THEN I come home and many times have a small window before I have a meeting or a class, or Chance has something going on so we need to be out of the house by 6 or 6:30. It has got to the point that we are eating pizza , subs, and chicken at least once a week – takeout -yes TAKEOUT! Not good for any of us….
SO… thanks to the Make Ahead Meals cookbook I reviewed last year as well as a few recipes I picked off the weekend Cooking from Beth Fish Reads, on Sunday within a three-hour window I made:
This is the base for Taco Pie. This part you can freeze and when ready to eat, thaw and then add in a corn muffin mix with milk and butter and eggs that goes over the top. TASTY! We had this last night.
Shredded beef for sandwiches – so yummy! This is already packaged for the freezer, pull out the day you plan to serve it, thaw and heat up for a quick meal with raw vegies on the side.
Shephards Pie… ready and froze – a great meal that the guts like because it contains both meat and potatoes.
Not pictured:
BBQ Bacon Pepper Jack chicken
Tuna Fettuchini * not prepped yet
Hamburgers and sweat potato fries *not prepped yet
Manicotti
Lasagna
And on a final note for this morning – LINKY was a bear yesterday for the Monday What Are You reading meme. The site was going through an upgrade and unfortunately it hit on the day that I use it the most and caused the list of participants to not be able to be accessed for most of the day. I believe it is working now and if you still need to add your post please do so – I have hardly had time myself to visit so that will happen over the next few days.
Final final note… I have to get back into my training – Birthday week did a number on my eating habits…… back to the gym and back to setting my goals…. spring will be here before we know it! 😀
Book Journey 
Those meals look good! When my kids were at home, I would prepare something big on the weekend, and then freeze portions for later use.
But we also did a lot of takeout….
As for chunky books, I’ve been thinking about that, too, and how blogging has changed the way I read. In an effort to get through a lot of titles, I often stick to the 300-400 page books, with a few that are 280 +.
But I do have some fat ones waiting…and I plan to add one every week whenever possible. Because I love to savor my books….
Glad to hear you are adding them in Laurel. That is what i plan to do to as well and without a push to get it done… I just want to start and read it as I can. 😀
That book looks massive in the picture so i can only imagine what it is like sitting in front of you – very daunting but a good challenge nonetheless!
The food looks good and i think i might have to invest in one of those make ahead meal books as time is very limited these days and i can see it only getting tigher!
For the what are you reading do we put our details on to link to our what are you reading post? I think that came out right!!
Have a nice day! 😀
I was really trying to capture the “brickish” look of this book 😀
On What you are reading add your link to the post I put up where it says click here, your post consists of whatever you want to share – what you read this past week, links to your reviews, what your plan is for this week… 😀
I hope that is the answer to your question. 😛
Make-ahead cooking is awesome! And you got a lot done in your 3 hours, wow. I’m not great at it, though — the organizing, the getting around to doing it …
I was cruising through it as we had friends in town form Australia who were having an open house to see everyone from 2 – 7. I told Al give me until 3 pm and then we will go so I was hustling 😀 I did get in 3 hours of audio with that so it was all good 😀
Always a plus, for sure! 🙂
So … all that time you’re saving by cooking ahead you can now use to read a chunkster or two, right? :p
Hannah that is brilliant – I want to apply that philosophy! 😀
If only it actually worked out that way, right? 😛
Exactly 😀
Mm… Shephards Pie is on of my favourite make ahead meals! Sometimes I like to change it up a bit, I’ve used sweet potatoes, or even pasta, instead of just white potatoes.
MMMMM Sweet potatoes1 What a great idea Bonnie. Is that good with the mixed vegies?
Hope you enjoy the Jean Auel book. I’ve read the whole Earth’s Children series and really liked it. I recently picked up a book recommended for Auel fans: Picture Maker by Penina Keen Spinka. Can’t wait to get into that one!
Do you make Shepherd’s Pie with lamb? I was taught that Shepherd’s Pie is lamb, and the same thing with beef is Cottage Pie. Just curious because I’ve never tried it with lamb, and wondered if it was good.
And you must post a recipe or link to for the BBQ Bacon Pepper Jack chicken. Four yummy foods all in one dish? Hello!
Ok, I need to go make some breakfast. You’ve made me hungry. 🙂
I have only made the Shepherds Pie with hamburger, cottage pie sounds interesting – I may have to look that one up. 🙂
I can post that recipe – it was super good ad easy!
Oh how I wish I had prepped meals ahead of time! How clever and practical that is! XO
I am trying to make my weekdays less “GAH!!!!!” Rebecca…
LOL 😛
Sheila, good morning-you have the funniest typo-under the photo of shepard pie you wrote guts not guys. I am sure the guts like shepard’s pie also.
Sometimes I avoid the big books as it is a commitment and means that is the only book I will be reading for a week.
I took The Distant Hours to Europe and home for Christmas-I chose it as I knew I would not finish it-however that is a lot of book to drag through the airport.
Esme oh wow – thanks for letting me know… that is hilarious and fitting…. I will fix it now. Typing and 6 am dont mix I guess… 😀
I have The Distant Hours…. forgot I did when I did the chunkster post but while looking for another book today discovered it in all of its BIGNESS.
I am impressed by your cooking ahead. I keep meaning to do the same.
Vivienne I was so tired of scrambling for what to eat every night…. all it did was make me make poor choices and be crabby doing it 😀
I’m so impressed! We rarely do take out, but I’m not good at planning meals.
I am trying to get better at it Kathy 🙂
Good for you for cooking ahead!
I try to cook healthy meals most nights, but just gave in tonight. Wasn’t feeling well, so my husband went out for burgers and fries.
I couldn’t read the title of the Jean Auel book in your photo – is it her latest? I enjoyed the first few books but haven’t read the last couple. I know her latest is coming out soon (or recently).
Sue
I dont think I went healthy Sue – I would like to get better at that part. Mainly I try to go filling…. with Chance staying with us, a 15 year old boy is like having another man in the house…. eats and eats! 😀
Ok so why did I automatically think that pic of shepherd’s pie was cake? What’s on my mind?! 🙂
LOL – it does look like a cake… a little bit if the mashed potatoes were frosting 😀
Bravo- those meals look great! Freezer cooking is a huge timesaver that I need to do more of. A big help for me is making my menu up for the whole month. On days I know I have Scouts, Bookies or some other meeting I plan for quick to put together meals or crockpot meals. If I have a plan I’m more likely to execute it rather than grabbing takeout at the last minute.
That is so smart Angie – I am impressed that you still do that. 🙂 I did a weeks menus but think I over achieved a bit… need to tone down the meals…. my grocery cost for one week was uhh…. spooky.
And that’s just for the two guys and me 😀
All those meals look great, thanks for the update. I think I should check the library for a make ahead type cookbook!