A Monday Roast

We all have a thousand and one ideas about what to do with chicken but I really prefer beef.  It is a little more expensive per pound but I have a 1 roast, 3 meal plan for you that will save you time and money.  If you make your roast on Monday you can spread your beef main courses out over the rest of the week.

3-5 lbs. eye of round roast
2T vegetable oil
1T salt
1t Italian seasoning
1/2t pepper

Coat roast on all sides with oil and seasonings.  Roast in a shallow pan at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Open oven door and reduce heat to 300.  Close door and continue to cook roast in slow oven until desired doneness.  I like mine pretty rare so I cook for 30 minutes and then take out to rest under tin foil for another 30.  Serve at room temperature.

Meal 1:  Roast Beef - 1/4" thick slices with popovers and gravy made from pan drippings
Meal 2:  Sandwiches - paper thin slices on sourdough
Meal 3:  Hash - chop into cubes and mill in food processor.  Add diced raw onion and diced parboiled potatoes and mix well.  Store in refrigerator in an airtight container. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet and scoop out mounds of beef mixture.  Flatten and fry until a crispy crust forms on both sides. 

Kitchen Spruce Up

So I have the home improvement bug; sadly I have no home improvement budget.  My husband keeps telling me to save money and prioritize my list so that he can help me accomplish what I want to do.  He's right of course, but I want to do things now, now, now!!  I have started a coffee can account for new tile floors.  This is really a must do because my builder grade vinyl has been pretty well defeated by my two kids and one beagle puppy.  Tracy will do all the work himself and I'm planning on doing 12x12 neutral beige.  Pretty standard stuff.  Less standard is the counter top makeover I'm considering.  Rustoleum has a counter top refinishing product that looks like it would change the look and feel of the surface without removing or replacing the counter tops.  I'm intrigued and will keep you posted.  I also want new knobs and pulls.  And a backsplash.

What I'm really curious about is why.  Why?  Why do I feel this need to upgrade?  I am blessed to have all I need to prepare, store and serve food to my family.  God is faithful to provide every single day.  I have electricity, running hot and cold water, air conditioning and refrigeration.  Am I seriously drooling over granite in a home improvement catalog?  You know I am.  In a matter of a few weeks I will be beginning a Bible study based on the book Radical led by my friend Dani.  The Lord knows I need that, too.  And He is faithful to provide.  And mighty to save.  Thank goodness!!

A Saturday Baking

Monday, wash day.  Tuesday, ironing.  Wednesday, mending.  Thursday, errands.  Friday, cleaning. 

Saturday, baking.

This weekly chore chant has gotten thousands of homemakers on track for hundreds of years.  When I need a reboot I sing it to myself and decide again that I am going to get on and stick to a schedule.  It usually works until it doesn't anymore and then I find I need another reboot.  I am thinking ahead to school starting in a couple of weeks and trying to get on track for the renewal of our busy family schedule.  Both my little ones are going this year and I want very much for them to have lunch boxes full of food they would never trade and a dinner that makes them look forward to coming home.  Here is a Saturday baking itinerary that will get your ready for your week.

1 basic roll dough - yields 12 clover leaf dinner rolls and 16 raisin cinnamon rolls

1 perfect white bread - yields 2 loaves

1 best ever muffins - yields 12 muffins; we like blueberry or jam

1 biscuit dough - wrap tightly and refrigerate.  take out at dinner time, bake, and eat immediately - yields 12-15 biscuits.

1 simple cake - loaf pound cake, pineapple upside-down cake, applesauce cake, etc.

OR

1 pie

AND

2 cookies, bars or mini pies; we like chocolate chip cookies, brownies and apple pies but I like to mix it up.

This sounds like a lot of baking, and well, it is.  But if you set aside the time to do it in one day you save a lot of time in cleanup and ingredient gathering.  This list should give a family of four like mine 3 breakfasts, 5 desserts,  5 dinner breads, sandwiches and toast, and lunch box and after school snacks for the week.

Mmmm....

Menu 7/25 - 7/30

Monday - cereal and milk, bananas
                pimento cheese sandwiches, orange slices
                Italian roast beef, mashed potatoes, carrots, popovers

Tuesday - eggs and grits, orange juice
                 roast beef sandwiches, sliced apples
                 pork chops, rice and gravy, broccoli, chocolate pie

Wednesday - peanut butter toast and yogurt
                     spaghetti O's and cheese cubes
                     grilled chicken breasts, peas and carrots, tomato slices, cornbread

Thursday - cheese toast and apple slices
                  grilled chicken salad, corn bread
                  spaghetti with meat sauce, grissini

Friday - cereal and milk
              spaghetti with meat sauce, fruit salad
              Chick-fil-A

Saturday - waffles and turkey sausage
                 burgers and fries
                 pizza