Menu Plan Monday - May 3 - 9, 2015

Our breakfasts are typically cereal, boiled eggs, yogurt, fruit and/or juice and Amanda fixes simple lunches during the week so this menu is mostly dinners.

This week is a little different for us because we're going to be in and out of town. 

Sunday - At the Beach

Monday - Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Fruit

Tuesday - Homemade Beans and Pork over Rice, Salad, Homemade Bread

Wednesday - Dinner at Church

Thursday - Homemade Hot Pockets, Veggie Sticks, Fruit (Easy finger food for eating on the way to the beach)

Also making Baked Spaghetti and Spiced Sweet Potato Bread to take along for meals at the beach house 

Friday  - At the Beach

Saturday - At the Beach

LINKING HERE
MONDAY - Menu Plan Monday

Homemade Hot Pockets

I love hot pockets and so do the kids but I do not love how much I have to pay for them in the store. So every now and then I make a batch of homemade hot pockets and put in the freezer what we don't eat right away.

They an be filled with a variety of fillings. The last ones I made I filled with a mixture of browned ground chicken, chopped onions and Queso Blanco Velveeta cheese. I've also filled them with pepperoni, sliced deli meat, browned ground beef,  and various types of cheese. 

 Here is the bread recipe I used the last time I made hot pockets and it's my favorite so far. 

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast (5 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons white sugar

3 1/2 cups warm water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or lard or butter)

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

7 - 8 cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Stir in vegetable oil, salt, dried parsley, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (I mix the dough in my KitchenAid mixer and use the dough hooks when the dough begins getting stiff and also to knead it.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about an hour.

Deflate the dough and divide into 12 -14 individual balls of dough. Flatten each ball of dough and top with hot pocket fillings. 

Fold sides and ends over, pressing together to seal and place seam side down on greased baking sheet.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

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Today's Adventures - Homemade Hot Pockets, A Spider and More

Today's Verse
But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God, the eternal King . . . Jeremiah 10:10

Today's Quote
Though our feelings come and go, God's love for us does not. ~C. S. Lewis

Playing, Learning and Working Together

Putting together picture and word puzzles

Playing memory with transportation cards. And apparently I was being told something very important although I cannot remember now what it was.

Busy working on our writing practice worksheets.

It was wet outside from a rain shower this morning so outside play was on the front porch.

Austin: "Look what I found. Can I hold it?" Me: "NOOOO!!!"

Michael doing his afternoon work in his workbook.

Overheard

Amanda as she struggles to get the broom out of the closet and the swiffer keeps getting in her way "The swiffer and the broom are in love. The swiffer doesn't want me to take the broom away."

Austin chuckling to himself as he watches something about liverwort on his science video clip this afternoon "Liver wart. That would be painful! "

From the Kitchen

I made two recipes of Traditional White Bread dough today and then made all the dough into homemade hot pockets.

Amanda helped me make the first batch this morning. We filled half of these with pepperoni and cheese and half with sausage and cheese.

I got distracted on the second batch this afternoon and by the time I got back to the rising dough it looked like this. When I uploaded the photo I noticed the drawer underneath the dough is open  slightly. I'm so glad it didn't spill over far enough to get in there.

Michael helped me fill the second batch. We filled half of these with bacon and cheese and half with sausage and cheese.

He got a  little over enthusiastic filling the first one but he soon got the hang of it and did a good job.

We had these for lunch and the older kids and Doug had some for snack this afternoon. The rest (17) I put in the freezer for later snacks, breakfasts and Doug's lunches.

Tonight I am Grateful For. . .

A quiet evening and an ice cream date at DQ with Doug.