Empty Nest Menu #14

Last week's un-menu was a success as I used up almost all of the things I did not want to waste, got all of the Thanksgiving menu plans made, and will go grocery shopping tomorrow. 

Monday - (Last of the freezer meals) Hoisin Chicken, rice, peas {dentist appointment}
Tuesday - Mississippi Pot Roast, mashed potatoes, carrots {start crock on my way to store}
Wednesday - Baked Beans Skillet, kale {give carpets a quick once over with the steam cleaner}
Thursday - Kitchen closed - eat at Pok-e-Joe's  {Getting a new water heater today, and cutting Firstborn's hair at lunchtime AND It's my birthday and I'm off for the next 4 days!}
Friday - Leftover roast served open-faced style on garlic toast with red onion and cheese slice {going to Brenham, then to Highlands}
Saturday - Chicken Tacos {to Fiesta Winery tasting room in Marble Falls, then STW to interview the owners and have a birthday beer, then home.  The Girl and Teddy arrive!}
Sunday - Rest of the Tilapia, rest of the pot stickers, rest of the kale {roasting the turkey today}

Gina

I made my kitchen bigger this morning!

You know how one change in your home generally leads to another?   

When we first moved in, the kitchen seemed large.  Our peeps were small (there were only three) and we actually had a leaf in this kitchen table which took up the entirety of the breakfast nook.

Thinking back,  I don't even know how we did that!

But over the past few years, even removing the leaf  didn't make it feel roomier in here and with the dishwasher open it was impossible to get around.  So, I made a brilliant plan to move the table into my craft/office space to solve two problems.  Then I attempted to move it.  Nope.  That circa 1970 table is wider and heavier than it looks.

Then I thought:  there's only two people living here, why do I need 4 chairs in here.  It was a real duh moment.

I moved them out, re-positioned the chairs, and now the kitchen seems a tad bit bigger.  I still have to find some sort of crafting table for my craft room, but I think I am going to look into a folding one, and we actually have two of those at Highlands.

Gina

Weekend re-cap: on-call, Highlands, Wedding Oak, 7 Creeks, home

 This is going to be short and sweet I guess, because I didn't take a lot of photos.

 All I need are boots and a shawl!

I was on call Saturday and I did get called in for about 2 hours, but I also got a lot done.  I bought groceries, shopped at Kohl's to find a dress to wear to Hubby's work Christmas party ($9!), trimmed up the wandering jew in the backyard, did some Thanksgiving planning, did some filing, went as far as I could on Bubbie's FAFSA, and did some odds and ends housework.  At 6:30p I figured I was safe to leave town, so I headed to Highlands where we enjoyed fondue and steak bites at the campsite until very late.

The next day we went to Wedding Oak's pick-up party, which featured live music and wood fired pizza - yum!

 

The weather was perfect, the patio filled up with friendly people and we met a nice couple who had just moved to Burnet from California.

That pizza oven was like a gigantic BBQ pit on wheels and turned out some of the best wood fired pizza I've had in a long time.  We stopped by 7 Creeks on our way home, chatted under the oaks for a while, then headed home to enjoy some salmon for dinner.  And the weekend ended all too soon.  

Gina

Empty Nest Un-Menu #13

For Lucky #13 on the Empty Nest meal plan I have things in the freezer that I need to use so that I can clean it up and get it ready for the holidays.

*two Grilled Honey Dijon Pork Chops
*Tater Tot Casserole
*assorted frozen veggies
*half a bag of potstickers
*several Tilapia filets
*one pound ground beef
*a roll of breakfast sausage
*2 small twice baked potatoes
*half a jar of TJ's Autumnal Pasta Sauce
*half a pound of Elgin sausage links
*Hamburger Soup

Additionally I have these things in the pantry to use up:
*a package of linguini
*jar of Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo
*1 can butternut squash soup
*a box of Red Beans and Rice mix
*potatoes
*a LOT of rice
*pancake mix
*2 boxes mac and cheese
*Asiago cheese croutons
*Italian breadcrumbs

So what I'm going to do is get creative and use these things up!  It will help my grocery budget and avoid waste.  Plus its fun to figure out what to make - kind of like that cooking show where they give you unrelated items and you have to figure it out.  What's on the menu this week at your house?  

Gina

5 thing Friday - knobs, blankets, dining, decor, harvest decor

I bought some knobs at Hob Lob to switch out with the ones on my extended desk:

 I bought 5 of them  each one different and beautiful. The one above - so pretty!

You can still see the small holes left by the previous knobs on this mid-century desk.  Someday, I will fill those holes, sand, and re-stain and seal...some day.  For now, I love the beautiful knobs - all ceramic with brass, some with gold paint.

 At 7 Creeks, there is a basket near the back door full of folded Mexican blankets for you to wrap around yourself out on the patio.  I loved the idea so much that I bought a collection of them to place by the backdoor at Camp Rustown.  They are destined for fire pit sittin' and wine sippin' and stayin' cozy.

I thoroughly cleaned the floors and put two leafs in the dining table.  We are having EIGHT of our peeps and significant others for Thanksgiving!  Plans are already in the works for the menu.  When it gets a little closer I am going to work on my tablescape.

I bought these blue velvet pumpkin sprigs, some magnolia garland, and some pinecones, all on clearance.

 I finally got around to getting some mums and some gourds.

 When they bloom a little more they will be beautiful!

Gina

Empty Nest Menu #12

Monday - Eggs, cheesy grits, pecan pumpkin bread  {laundry, grocery shop}
Tuesday - Crockpot Pork and Apples and Pears, skillet potatoes, corn
Wednesday - Link Sausage with onions and peppers, butternut squash
{hang new curtains in the bedroom if I haven't already done so}
Thursday - Hoisin Chicken, rice, peas and carrots {pull out Thanksgiving supplies, start making out menus and lists}
Friday - Hamburger Soup, corn muffins {payday!}
Saturday - Chicken Piccata, mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts {filling day, buy a new laptop, out after dinner - I'm on call til 7 p}
Sunday - Baked Salmon, pot stickers. honeyed carrots {pick up at Wedding Oak winery}

Gina

5 thing Friday: firepits, Highlands, 7 Creeks, Scout, cider

Happy November!
'tis the season of firepits

Its just about my favorite thing out at Highlands.  Normally we burn oak, but I have also discovered that I love the smell of cedar - so aromatic.  A firepit, a glass of wine, some deer wandering through - so peaceful.

The barn is mostly empty with assorted gear going into the newly built storage shed.  Step two of this on-going project is to replace the insulation, then build out the interior walls.  After that, we will floor it.  Then we can get a new A/C and heater combo installed.  

 

We had a nice weekend at Highlands and its always hard to leave.  The weather warmed up to an early summerish temp and besides moving stuff out of the barn we got some yard work done, enjoyed a firepit, and enjoyed a couple of great meals. 

 

Now that Fall is here, I think we should remove the bird nests near Mabel.  When we arrived Friday night, a very confused Bewick's wren was flying around in here.  They don't migrate, but I don't want them thinking this area is home.

We enjoyed a relaxing and breezy hour or so at 7 Creeks Vineyard on our way home to make birthday dinner for Scout and Dutch.  The wine is fabulous and the owners are so friendly.  Side note:  how is it possible that my little goblin is 24?

It makes my heart swell with love and longing for one more day with you as a toddler.  You have grown up to be a caring, kind, and loving man.

Still working on that Fairweather piece for Texas Wine Lover.  Just having a time of connecting with the owner.  I will keep visiting the cidery...all in the name of journalism...until I can snag him for a few minutes to chat. And this cider called "Grape Situation", brewed with grenache skins,  is my new fav!

Gina