Menu Plan Monday

This week I am going super easy on the meals as I have some sort of middle ear issue that is making my balance all wonky.  Yeah, that’s a medical term.  So, any way, easy-peasy for me or for whoever I rope into cooking!

Head over to Menu Plan Monday to see what is on everyone else’s plate.  For the Gluten Free Menu Swap, see Gluten Free Mommy, who is hosting this week.  The theme ingredient is mint.  See my mint recipe after the menu plan.

Monday:  for the big girl:  dental x-rays and orthodontist apt/For the boy:  youth group Bible study

         Shrimp Spring Roll Salad (I will post tomorrow if it works out…)

Tuesday: Mini girl’s last soccer (parent/child game)/preschool play date/National Night Out Picnic

Gluten free hot dogs for us, fruit salad to share

Wednesday: ENT appointment for my wonky ear/ mini girl goes to a b-day party

            Broccoli and Rice with CrockPot Ginger Beef with Onions and Garlic from Crock Pot 365 (Check her out.  She totally ROCKS my crock pot world!).  It sounds yummy and I am hoping the garlic helps cure me.  It’s gotta help.  Right?  Right??!!???

Thursday:   Big boy’s yearly doctor check up (time for back to school)/Girl Scouts marching in parade

            Veggie Tomato Sauce in the Slow Cooker (to freeze or pressure can) with GF noodles (to be posted Thursday for Slow Cooking Thursday)

Friday – Weekend:  may go to a cabin, but we will see how my ear goes…

            Menu still up in the air as I haven’t heard what it is yet.  I will be sending emails out today…

I have two big old patches of mint by my entry way.  One is chocolate mint and the other peppermint.  Both yummy.  This is one way I use it in the summer.  Those fruit and green tea drinks at the store are yummy, but usually corn syrup laden and spendy.  So, this is what you can do instead.  I put it in the fridge in my glass gallon-sized container with a spout on the front (one of those sun tea containers).  Yummy!

Ginger Pear Mint Iced Tea

I use about these amounts to make other combos too:  peach-cardamon, apple-mint, apple-cinnamon, berry-basil.  Gotta stay hydrated, baby!

12 bags of green tea

2 to 3 inch piece of ginger, cut into matchsticks
1 pear, cut into matchsticks
8 sprigs mint
8 cups boiling hot water

6 cups ice in gallon container

2 cups pear or white grape juice
Honey, to taste, optional

Combine tea bags, ginger, pear and mint in a large non-reactive container. Fill with  the boiling hot water and steep for 5 minutes. Pour and strain into ice-filled container. Add pear juice and honey as desired.

Yield – one gallon