Weekly Menu Plan for 12-28 to 1-3-2026

 

How was your Christmas?  I hope you all had a healthy and happy one!  I was super busy last week, trying to make a nice Christmas Eve brunch for my family.  There were 12 of us in all, not that many, but you'd think I was catering a party for 200.  It took me 2 full days of baking and cooking to get ready.  I'm old and slow, is all I can say!

But I did something that amazed myself!  I made homemade cinnamon rolls for the first time!  And they turned out!  Unbelievable!  Of course, I forgot to take a picture of them.  But I have some in the freezer, so if I remember I will snap a photo of one of them when I pull one out to give my husband for breakfast.

I made Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls, and they really looked so good.  I am always afraid of yeast, so I don't often bake yeasted goods.  I don't know what possessed me to do that this year, but now I want to make them all the time.  It wasn't even hard!  And they turned out beautifully!  All gooey and warm, I almost wanted to taste one but wasn't willing to get sick over it.

But I'm all rested up now, the hustle and bustle is over, the weather here is turning tonight from spring break weather to North Pole weather.  We're supposed to drop 50 degrees overnight.  It's 66 degrees right now, very windy, starting to rain, and the winds are picking up.  50 mph winds are expected overnight.  So the extra blankets are back on my bed, and I've been out to the grocery store so I don't have to go out tomorrow, and I'll be sewing a lot tomorrow in my happy little sewing room.

But let's get on to next week.  My husband seems to be enjoying eating real meals again!  He didn't complain when I wasn't cooking much, and I appreciate that, but he likes his regular meals!  Plus, I have extras to send over to neighbors and family.  That's always nice!

Here's my menu plan for next week.  I know that New Year's Eve is thrown in there, but honestly, we don't celebrate it anymore.  Christmas is enough celebrating for me, I'm not ready for another round of merriment just a week later.  I'm still enjoying the peace after Christmas.  So I'm sure that any of you reading this will definitely want a different menu for New Year's Eve, or even New Year's Day.  For me, I'm just keeping it simple.

This is what I'm making for next week:

Links are below.

Links:

Sunday:

Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper

Orange Creamsicle Pie

Monday:

Crockpot Denver Omelet - this is actually a carnivore-ish recipe and I can eat it for breakfast, too! Yay!

Juicy Pork Loin Roast 

Tuesday:

Breakfast Tacos

Tater Tot Hot Dish

Lemon Coffee Cake

Wednesday:

Blueberry Lemon Coconut Overnight Oats

Thursday:

Ooey Gooey Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls

Baked Queso Chicken

Bailey's Chocolate Poke Cake

Friday:

Carnivore Sausage Gravy - this is so yummy served over scrambled eggs, that's how I eat it!  It's carnivore!

Saturday:

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Mexican Cornbread

Peanut Butter Icebox Cake

There you go!  A menu that will take you into January 2026!  Hard to believe 2026 is almost here!

Just a note for all you Bible readers, I have followed the year long Bible reading plan on The Bible Recap for the last 5 years.  Yep, I've read it 5 years in a row, cover to cover, and I still could fit what I know on the head of a pin.  It's an amazing program hosted by Tara-Leigh Cobble, who does a wonderful job explaining what you just read for that day.  I love her and highly recommend The Bible Recap!

This year, though, I decided to change it up a bit and am going with Heart Dive.  It's also on You Tube, as is The Bible Recap, and I'm going to follow the 2024 Phase 1 plan.  That seems to be the recommended way to go.  I will probably check in with The Bible Recap also, since they follow the same reading plan.  I can't imagine going through a day without seeing Tara-Leigh on You Tube!  

If anyone is interested in following along on Heart Dive, please let me know in the comments.  We could be study buddies!

Time to wrap it up and start dinner!  Have a wonderful, blessed week, everyone!  And Happy New Year!

Hugs,

Weekly Menu Plan 12-14 through 12-21-2025

Hello!

I had so much fun making last week's menu plan, I made another one!  And I have to say, my husband enjoyed his meals!

This week looks to be very busy, so my menu plan reflects the fact that I won't have much time in the kitchen.  I have a lot of shopping to do, plus my son is having back surgery on Friday.  So it will be a busy week.  He'll be home for 6 weeks after his surgery, so I'm not sure how much care he'll need.  We'll have to play it by ear.  

I hope you're all more prepared for Christmas this year than I am!  I thought I was doing pretty well, until this week.  All of a sudden I realized it's right around the corner, and I have Christmas Eve brunch to plan for next week.  And then Christmas Day!  AAAGH!  I better get busy!

Here is the menu plan I'm working off of this week:

Links can be found below.

Sunday:

Malted Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Tuesday:

Creamy Tuscan Chicken 

Wednesday:

Chicken Nugget Bowls

Thursday:

Breakfast Lasagna

Hot Chocolate Poke Cake

Friday:

Beef Stroganoff

Saturday:

Breakfast Haystacks

Gingerbread Cookies

That's it for this week!  Have a blessed week, and I'll see you next week with a new menu plan!

Hugs,

Weekly Menu for 12-7 thru 12-13, 2025

 

Hello!  Tis the season to decorate!  And bake!

Well, I got nostalgic this week, and all of a sudden felt like making a menu plan for the week.  Since I've been eating a carnivore diet for the last year and a half, my poor husband has had to endure some pretty boring meals.  I don't usually feel like preparing two different meals, one for me and one for him.  But all of a sudden I started feeling guilty about that!  So I looked around and found some meals that I can prepare for him, and set some of the ingredients aside and prep them for me.  I eat pretty simple and straightforward meals. And I haven't had a dessert in a year and a half!  And guess what?  I don't even miss it.  No cravings or desire for sweet stuff.  It's a miracle, I know.  

But that's not true for my husband, and I figure he deserves some good meals from now on.  And since I will be prepping my food separate from his, I don't have to make his meals gluten free like I did before.  So he gets to eat the food he loves!  Yay for him!  I do have to send leftovers over to my kids, or neighbors, but that's okay.  There's plenty of people who love to have a prepared meal or two sent over!

So here's my menu plan for this week.  Now I know that I'm a day late, we've had a busy month so far.  But hopefully you'll find something fun to try from the links below.

And on Friday, how I make the breakfast bowls will be explained below the chart.

All links can be found below the chart.

Here you go!

Notes:

Sunday:

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Easy Shepherds Pie

Monday:

Farmer's Casserole

Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin

Tuesday:

Orange Glazed Salmon

Wednesday:

Gingerbread Waffles

Thursday:

Bailey's Tiramisu Dessert Shots

Friday:

**Sausage and Gravy Bowl - The way I make this bowl is, I layer cooked grits, cooked home fries (which I buy and make in my air fryer), scrambled eggs, and top it with the sausage and gravy.

Saturday:

The Best Cherry Coffee Cake

Brown Sugar Pop Tart Cookies

And there you have it!  My first menu plan in about 2 years!  I guess I was due to make one eventually!

I hope you can find something you like here!

Have a wonderful week, and I will be back soon!

Hugs,

More Bags

 

Hello!  Happy Sunday!

I was busy this week making more cell phone wristlet bags for my daughter and myself.  

Here are the front parts of  what I made:

Now, the two on top that are fall looking bags, I can't find on Google photos.  I don't know where I stored them!  But my daughter chose the leafy one on the right, and I'm using the one on the left.

The three Christmas bags turned out like this:

My daughter chose the middle one, I haven't chosen either one until December comes, but I will probably use the gingerbread one first.

I am currently working on an apron using that same gingerbread fabric.  I haven't made one like this before, so I'm hoping it turns out!

This week is going to be a busy week.  I have lots of baking to do for my daughter's work Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, plus we are having a mini Thanksgiving dinner Friday night for my granddaughter, who will be out of town on Thanksgiving.  

First up, I'm making acorn cookies.  I can't remember if I posted about them or not last year, but they are super cute and super easy.  I will post some pics when I get them done.  

Next, I'm making a sweet potato casserole that I will share as soon as I get the recipe card done.

I will also post my mini Thanksgiving menu this week, as well as recipes.  My granddaughter is gluten free, so everything will be gluten free for her.

Have a wonderful week ahead!  See you in a day or two!

A New Tote Bag

 

Hi there!  

Two days in a row!  I'm breaking my own record!

Just wanted to share a new tote bag I made for myself.  It really turned out pretty nice!  

I followed a tutorial from ospring sewing I found on You Tube, and it was pretty easy to follow.  If I make another one, I think I'll change a couple things that would make it even easier.

This will be a great project bag, or just a medium size bag for shopping or going out to lunch.

It has one pocket on the inside, and I used fabric that I've had in my stash for quite awhile now.  Time to use it up!

Today I'm cutting out a couple cell phone bags, one for this month and one for next month.  I'll share them as I finish them!

Hope you're all having a beautiful November 3rd!  See you soon!

I'm Back! Happy November!

 

It's been a long time, right??  

I bet you thought I quit blogging, and to be honest, so did I!  But I'm feeling the nudge again to get back to it!

Just a quick update, I'm still following a carnivore way of eating.  That means I only eat meat, eggs, and some dairy.  I feel great, I've lost almost 70 pounds, and I can't imagine going back to my old way of eating.  Ever.  

However, I'm the only one in my family who eats this way.  I'll admit, it's quite drastic!  Especially for me, of all people!  I always loved my carbs.  But, as it turns out, that's what was causing all of my health problems.  I am so much healthier today than I was a year and a half ago.  Yep, that's how long I've been carnivore.  And I plan on staying this way.

But, I need to do a better job of cooking for my family.  Although it's just my husband and me at home now, I still have kids and grandkids, and I totally have gotten lazy about making them good meals.  My meals are so easy to make, and I just kind of throw something together for my husband or whoever I'm cooking for.  

I've decided that's enough of that!  It's almost like I'm punishing them for eating differently than I do!  I don't want to be like that, and none of them have the health issues I had.  At least they're not near as bad as I was!  

So I decided to share some things I'm doing, here on my blog.  I don't know if I'll do complete menu plans again, or if anyone even wants that.  That is, if anyone still reads this!  I would be surprised if anyone is still reading this blog!

I love monthly themes, so this month's theme is....of course....November!  I will be sharing some things I am making, either in the kitchen or the sewing room.  And maybe whatever else pops into my brain!

For today, I am sharing a recipe using one of the wonderful November flavors - PUMPKIN!  My whole family loves pumpkin anything, from baked goods to foods with pumpkin incorporated into them.  I've made a really good pumpkin chili in the past.  

But today, I'm sharing an appetizer dip I found on Gimme Some Oven.  It is quite delicious served warm, according to my family!  They loved it the most with pretzels, but they also enjoyed it with crackers.  I had Ritz crackers and also some Sociables, and they liked it with both kinds of crackers.

Here is the recipe:

For my dinner tonight, I'm having hamburgers and chicken wings.  My husband is having leftovers from our dinner out last night.  See how easy carnivore cooking is??  :)

I will post again soon.  If anyone is still out there, and would like me to post menu plans again, just let me know and I will start them up again.  

Happy beginning of November, everyone!  Here's to the beginning of the holiday season!

Hello Again, Friends!

 

It's not even morning, I just loved this cute graphic!  :)

Good afternoon, and hello again!  It's been awhile since I posted here, and I have had a lot of changes over the past few months!

I'm not even sure where to start, but I guess since this is where I post my weekly menus, I'll start with food.

Since I posted my last menu, my diet has changed DRAMATICALLY.  And I mean DRAMATICALLY!  At my last menu post, I weighed more than I have ever weighed in my life, even when I was pregnant and you couldn't tell me apart from a beached whale.  204 pounds to be exact.  We were scheduled to go on vacation at the end of June, and I thought maybe I could lose a few pounds if I went on a low carb diet.  So I started eating low carb, and was doing okay on that.  I lost a couple pounds before we left, and I decided that I would continue it while on vacation.  Well, I'm not sure what happened, (I blame You Tube and my constant research for low carb recipes), but by mid-July I was following a Carnivore diet.  If you're not familiar with a Carnivore diet, it simply is animal based.  By that I mean I eat only meat - fish, chicken, beef, and pork.  And butter and eggs.  No veggies, very little if any cheese or dairy.  

Well.  Since mid-July I have lost over 30 pounds, and I feel GREAT!  I have never felt better in my life!  I have lots of energy, I wake up refreshed and ready to start the day, I sleep great each night, I am calm and peaceful....I could go on and on.  I am never hungry, and I don't get those shaky feelings like I used to get

At this point, I must say that I have something called Graves Disease, and it is a thyroid disorder.  The doctors killed off my thyroid many years ago by having me drink radioactive iodine, so now I am hypothyroid.  I take levothyroxine daily as a synthetic thyroid.  My doctor told me that it was futile for me to try and lose weight, because I don't have a thyroid and my metabolism is just not there.  I had pretty much given up trying, and just ate whatever I wanted within my boundaries.  I also was celiac and had many tummy issues because of inflammation.  I was always tired and didn't ever feel GOOD.  But I was always eating!  I snacked all day long to get energy to do whatever I had to do!  I even ate before I went to bed!  Usually ice cream or a sweet snack, like a piece of cake or pie.

So here I am in September, totally committed to staying Carnivore.  I have never felt better.  I am still losing weight, although it is coming off slower.  But I don't care, because I feel so good!  I am able to take walks without getting so tired I have to sit down and rest, I can do my daily chores and more and still have energy in the evening, and so much more.  I don't crave or want sweets, no more chips or candy, just....well, meat!

So, my meals are WAY different than before!  Here is what I ate (or am going to eat) today:

Breakfast - A tin of sardines and an egg

Lunch - none.  Not hungry.  I only eat when I'm starting to get hungry, or when food starts sounding good.  At about 3:00, I ate a piece of liver sausage on pork rinds that I use as crackers.

Dinner - Spare ribs that I made in the crockpot, and some chicken sausages.

That's it, folks.  I don't cook like I used to!  I don't spend hours in the kitchen, and I don't spend much time planning meals.  I go to the store and buy steak, hamburger, and whatever pork or chicken sounds good.  That is about it.  I have freed up so much of my time!  I am able to lots of things I didn't have much time for before, mostly my crafts, walking, and reading.  Most of my inflammation and stomach issues have gone away for the most part, my skin is so soft, and I get so much more done because I feel so good!

That leaves me with the question of what to do with this blog.  For now, I have no meal plans to add.  I could share more about the carnivore way of eating, or what I'm reading and crafting, or faith based posts.  I'm not sure if anyone is interested in that or not!  

Please let me know with a comment if you're interested in anything like that.  Since the weather cooled off, I do feel an urge to bake, and I'm sure I will be baking things to give away.  Also, my husband is only carnivore to the extent that he has to eat what I make.  But he still eats a variety of foods and enjoys his sweets.  I'm not forcing him to change, but I'm also not cooking a completely different meal for one person!  

If you have any suggestions on what you'd like to see me post, please let me know.  I'd like to keep it going somehow!  For now, I have no plans to change my diet, as this is the best thing I've ever done and I wish I had done it 40 years ago! 

I'll try and figure out what to do with this blog, but for now, enjoy the rest of your Sunday and God bless you!

Hugs,