this weekend we had all the kids gone and we celebrated Craig’s 40th.
it was pretty wild… we washed windows, gathered a trailer of trash, unpacked boxes, got take out once and watched shows on the DVR.
40 year olds know how to party.
honestly though… i am e x h a u s t e d.
moving is gosh dang hard.
physically yes and mentally too and then emotionally too because everything is different and sounds different and looks different and is a mess…. and then i get emotional. in a very cranky kind of way. the kind where i go out of my way to the gas station to buy crazy overpriced peanut butter m&ms and emotionally eat two bags alone in my car crying.
so instead of listening to me complain about that stuff… let’s think about what we should have for dinner or breakfast this week?
here are 10 great ideas!
Zesty Chicken Bites
my kids would love these!
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
i know i would reeeeeally enjoy these with a cup of hot coffee.
Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
i might drink that dressing with a straw.
Coconut Quinoa Pudding
i hope this is delicious because i need it to be.
Blackened Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa
someone should make me salmon because i am scared and i want to like it but i am pretty sure i will screw it up and it will be gross and i will take another 10 years to try it again.
Roasted Cauliflower with Red Chile, Lime & Cilantro
YES PLEASE.
Chicken Avocado Burgers
come on…. you know these would be so good!!!
Garden Veggie Pizza with Kale Pesto & Brie
the best kind of pizza.
Black Beans & Corn stuffed Sweet Potatoes
this one wins for my dinner tonight… it looks SO yummy! can’t wait!
Coconut Cake
honestly THIS is what i want. just me and that fork. all the frosting. all three layers.
there is no better kind of cake in my mind. coconut wins.
forever.
ok… i have more crap to do…clean, unpack, organize, purchase, hang, stock, throw away, drop off, etc.
bye.
Megan - We are moving this weekend! Small stuff in our cars on Saturday and Sunday, official “movers” on Monday. I’m excited and nervous. It’s not a far move in terms of distance, but it is far in terms of lifestyle change for us. Kids sharing rooms, only one full bath, no air conditioning…deep breaths. This is what I wanted and signed up for. Lots of green space, less suburban congestion, more time together.
Lorie - That Southern chopped salad looks yummy! A restaurant here has a mexi-cobb salad that is similar. I think I know what I have having for lunch tomorrow!
Debi Meyers - Did you see Emma Stone on Jimmy Fallon this week? She reads Mom Blogs in her spare time! I bet she reads you, Meg.
dmeyers
Tanya - I sometimes do salmon in the George Foreman grill. Easy and delicious.
Lexi@ Lexi's Clean Kitchen - Thanks for including my Zesty Chicken Bites!! 🙂
Jenny B. - I don’t know how you feel about deep frying things, but my husband deep fried brussels sprouts this week, and they were SO GOOD. He didn’t do anything to them (no batter). He just cut them in half (fresh, raw) and dropped them in the Fry Daddy. I think he probably salted them when they came out, but I don’t know. Anyway, they were delicious! 🙂
Jenny B. - Thank you, Meg! I am not glad at all that you are exhausted and struggling emotionally, but I am glad to know that I am not the only one who breaks down when things get overwhelming. Change is HARD. Wishing you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control… and rest. 🙂
Colleen - SAlmon…. fillet, boneless, preferably wild alaskan. Heat gas grill to hot temperature, place salmon skin side down then turn grill down to medium flame. Prior to placing on grill marinate in cheap white wine, then place a coffee cup of white wine on top of grill with a brush ( have another glass of expensive white wine for yourself while doing this)
Intermiteently and frequently brush the salmon with the now warm wine on top of the grill while you enjoy your own glass of wine. The more basting the better the outcome. Do not flip! Cook until the salmon turns white on the top and the fat bubbles. and there is no pink inside ( unless you like it rare.. not me)… 10 to 20 minutes or around when you are done nursing your own drink.. depending on temp of grill.
This makes a very moist wonderful salmon that both my kids ( picky) enjoy… always!!! This is my dad’s grilling recipe and how to that I will remember forever and always think of him when making it.
Mickie - I’ve been watching your move and gaining some courage as we are about to do it again too. We were only in this house for 3 years but I just needed to move back to where I have some trees around me (among a few other things) so… here we go! So, even though you are feeling emotional (and I get that)you also inspire courage. And, I’ll bet Kimberlee Jost could make a mean salmon. Or, the next time you are at RedRock, try theirs. It’s my favorite!
Tiffany - You have quite the palate there Lady. My choices are all deep fried and of the pub menu variety. Not so good good for my over 40 thighs. Tell Craig, Welcome to the 40 Club!! We party HARD (not so much). Idea for you, plan a celebration weekend for when the house stuff is all over, it’s nice to have something to look forward to.
Lynette - Thanks Meg, now I am hungry and don’t have anything in the house to make any of those wonderful dishes I have just drooled over. I will have to make the carrot muffins this afternoon then wont I
Wendy C - Our last move was 4 years ago and there is still that one tub in the basement of things that haunts me. The items that never found a home in the new house but I couldn’t bear to part with. My summer goal will be to find those items a home – either in my house or someone else’s – and then celebrate with a piece of that coconut cake! Good luck and remember this is all in His plan for you and your family!
april r - coconut absolutely wins 🙂
Flower Patch Farmgirl - We are total foodie twins.
I want that salad so bad. And the cauliflower!
I have to say, I’m skeptical of the quinoa pudding.
But your caption cracked my business up.
Stephanie - I hear you on the moving! We’re military and have set up ten homes in fifteen years. It’s not getting easier! I just told my husband that, while I love our life, I might be getting too old to keep moving. It’s hard. BUT it’s always worth it and we’ve had our stuff for a month (today, in fact) and almost everything has found its home. I hope you feel more settled in a month, too! Secondly, thanks for the amazing recipe links – it all looks so good! I’ll try the salmon for you…we’re in Alaska now and I think I have to learn to like it 🙂
Carrie - Thank you for taking the time to post during the busyness of your life! We all appreciate it! 🙂
Hope it settles down for you soon!
Kathi - I love that you are so transparent, it really helps me to realize that i’m not the only one that gets emotional sometimes. Reading blogs is strange, to me it looks like you have it together in every way. You inspire me, the way you’ve taken your photography, crafts & sewing and made a business from them. Your new house is awesome! {hugs}
Melissa - I’m not one for baked sweet potato but I think I could tweak the recipe and put it on baked sweet potato fries. Thanks for the inspiration
marcie - meg, my daughter and i cook some mad salmon – if kimberlee is ever busy we will come to craft weekend ( we craft, too!) and make salmon and show you how – it’s easy- and you will love it. We have salmon every.single.week. really.
mollie’s mom
emily - thanks for sharing so I know I’m not alone. we are getting ready to move and it makes me feel stressed, even though we just going across town. i’ve never really moved before and i’m gonna miss this house.
Tammy - Yummm! This is my first time commenting, but just wanted to say I was in the same boat as you regarding salmon…it scared the crap out of me….but it turned out to be the easiest and tastiest fish to cook. I just used a small drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to season it, then cook it in on a really hot pan skin side down first to get a yummy crispy skin and finish it on the other side…so easy and so yum served with a dill mayonnaise drizzled on top and salad. It is really filling too… Good luck with it and settling into your new place…many good times ahead I’m sure 🙂
Kori - The easiest, tastiest salmon I have had is to brush the salmon with olive oil, then sprinkle with cajun seasoning (to taste, I like a medium bit of spice) and bake it at 425* for roughly 25 minutes. Another way I like it is to brush it with olive oil (no other seasoning) and bake it the same as above, but while it’s cooking, make the Knorr Bearnaise sauce and put it over the salmon when it’s out of the oven.
Oh. My. Goodness. SOOOO delicious!
Elizabeth Stewart - Thanks for giving me cravings for peanut m&ms and that gorgeous coconut cake!
Kimberlee Jost - I show you how to make salmon and you will love it.
🙂
gina - you always find the yummiest recipes; thanks for sharing. One of the easiest ways to cook fish is to take a frying or saute pan and add a can of broth and a squirt of lemon juice. Bring it to a gentle boil, add fish, and cook for 10 min or so. The fish is cooked when it flakes apart with a fork.
SoCalLynn - That kale pesto veggie pizza is to.die.for. I’ve made it three times in 2 weeks. I only used brie cheese once; shredded parmesan works better actually because the brie gets lost in the baking. I’m going to look at that salad with the cilantro dressing. Looks delicious!
Andrea - this all looks so good!!!! but I completely understand the bag of M and M’s…sometimes they just make everything seem better?! So glad that you are getting moved in….to be honest….I couldn’t recall where you live and wondered if the crazy weather last night affected you all?
Hang in there!!! Your new house looks awesome!
Lauren @ Focused To Be Fit - I just about pinned every one of these. OMG, so yum!
Emily @ DavenportDIY - I grew up in the Pacific NW, so any salmon you get there is amazing. But now we live in Georgia, and I’ve purchased some horrid salmon at the grocery store before. So if you do salmon, start off with some good salmon. Frozen wild caught is better than farmed. But don’t buy thawed wild caught ’cause that can get nasty if it’s been thawed too long. Get salmon from Pacific waters, NOT Atlantic. My 2 favorite ways to cook it are a brown sugar/lemon rub (rub with brown sugar, top with lemon slices) OR cover it in pesto sauce. Then bake ~350 for 20-30min MAX (depends on the size of the fillet too). You want the white fat to just start bubbling out of the top of the fish, or until the fish flakes with a fork. Don’t overcook it. It’s an easy one to cook and is very delicious! 🙂
heidi maggard - Thanks so much for posting those recipes! You’re crazy, salmon is AWESOME but then again, I hate coconut so we must have opposite taste buds. 🙂 Love love love seeing pics of your house. Thanks for sharing. Every single thing you do inspires me to be more creative and colorful.
Jessica - Make the Barefoot Contessa’s panko crusted salmon, but just bake it in the oven, don’t hassle with the step of browning it first. It is AMAZING! Seriously, my best friend hated salmon and I made this for her and she is addicted now. The recipe is online at food network
Corinne - I am not a good cook and I have made Salmon before. It really doesn’t need much, it will be yummy. I can’t wait to see pics of your new home.