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Stolen Moments Menu Planning

June 25, 2009 By Kate 8 Comments

Maybe this post isn’t for you. Maybe it’s for your sister though. (And it still could be for you too!)

I have been menu planning for over a decade now. Initially, I did it out of necessity. If I wasn’t careful in planning meals and grocery expenses, we’d be out of food by the end of the month. And after that, I just knew that menu planning made good sense for our finances and for my stress level. Life was just a whole lot easier when I planned our menus.

My education in menu planning was trial by fire. I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning. It sure would have been nice to have someone plan my meals for me, especially if they could plan meals that our family would like and that would keep our budget where it was supposed to be.

I know there are a lot of other people that feel that way too. Or maybe some just lack the time, inclination or experience to menu plan. Maybe they rely on take-out or eating out on those nights when they’re out of ideas for dinner. In this economy, many people could benefit from having a menu plan that helps them stick to a budget and avoid unnecessary meals out.

That is why I dreamed of starting a menu planning service. I wanted to be able to help with the menu planning, and to do it in a way that fully personalized and yet reasonably priced for any budget.smmp

So I am excited to announce that Stolen Moments Menu Planning is now live!

I’m currently offering an introductory rate of just $7.95 per month for a customized, month long menu plans of dinner (with corresponding, complete grocery lists and other tips, tricks and bonus recipes). Or for just $14.50 per month, I’m offering a complete menu plan that includes daily breakfast, lunch and dinners. (Also with corresponding, complete grocery lists and other tips, tricks and bonus recipes.)

Please head over to take a look at Stolen Moments Menu Planning. It just might be what you need. And if it’s not, I hope you’ll let your sister (or best friend, or co-worker…) know about the service. You can also buy 6 or 12 month subscriptions to gift someone you know with the benefits of menu planning.

Stop by Life As Mom for more Frugal Friday and Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On…

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Barbecue Sausage

June 25, 2009 By Kate 5 Comments

Super yummy…super simple…super summery. That best sums up this dish. It’s versatile enough that it can be made on the grill, stovetop or in the oven.

I use a homemade barbecue sauce whenever I make anything with barbecue sauce. It is so easy to throw together and I always have the ingredients on hand. Plus, we all think it just tastes so much better than barbecue sauce in a bottle.

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Barbecue Sausage

  • 2 T. oil
  • 1 green pepper, cut into large chunks
  • 1 onion, cut into large chunks
  • 1 lb. smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1″ chunks
  • 1 – 1 1/2 c. barbecue sauce (Here’s my recipe for homemade barbecue sauce)

1. For the grill – Make a large packet with tin foil. In a large bowl, toss green pepper, onion and smoked sausage with oil. Place in foil packet. Grill for 10 minutes. Add barbecue sauce and grill an additional 5-10 minutes.

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2. For the stovetop – Heat oil in a large skillet and add green pepper, onion and smoked sausage. Cook for 15 minutes, until pepper and onions are tender and sausage is fully cooked. Stir in barbecue sauce and cook until heated throuh.

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3. For the oven – Toss the green pepper, onion and sausage with the oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Stir in barbecue sauce and bake another 10 minutes.

Stop by The Grocery Cart Challenge for the recipe and Ann Kroeker’s blog for Food On Fridays.

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Chicken Pesto & Couscous Salad

June 24, 2009 By Kate 2 Comments

In my never ending quest to add to my cold-salad-for-summertime-dinner repotoire, I decided to play around with my homemade pesto and see what I could come up with. I’m so glad I did and now we have a great new addition to our regular routine.  Eric and the kids thought this was delicious too, so much so that Eric was severly disappointed to find out there wasn’t enough left for him to have a third helping.

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Chicken Pesto & Couscous Salad

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 medium sized yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 c. couscous
  • 2 c. chicken stock
  • 1/2 lb. roma or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1/2 c. pesto

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add cubed chicken and sliced zucchini. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is fully cooked and squash is tender. Remove from heat and cool.

2. While chicken cooks, bring 2 cups chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the couscous, stir, cover and reduce heat to to low. Cook for about 5 minutes, until stock is absorbed and couscous is tender. Cool.

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3. Once chicken-squash mixture and couscous are cooled, pour into a large bowl. Add tomatoes and pesto and stir until well combined. Refrigerate until serving.

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