Monday

 Ugggh. It is dark again in the mornings and today was a rainy one as well. I did text Emily around 7:30 AM to make sure they got to school ok. There was quite the downpour right after they left. The dog had to wait for my lunchtime to get his walk today. 

Sunday, Emily needed more driving hours with her permit and has not seen Grandma in a while since she is so busy with school and extra things. She drove over to Inverness to spend the afternoon chatting and playing Domino's with her. We did pop out for Checkers for lunch and had a nice picnic outside on their stone benches. Both kids, Grandma and me. It was domino's time after that. We played from double 12 down to double 0. I was doing ok, until I kept picking up all the doubles! It was a fun afternoon and then she got another 45 minutes of drive time to get home. Chatting with the kids in the car about life, what's happening at school and the world is always a good thing. I kinda miss that, not picking them up from school this year.

I had to do a quick grocery run to grab a few things for the kids for lunches this week and some BOGOs. 

I had picked up a head of broccoli last week with plans to try this salad recipe I found on Facebook. I made it last night and it was really yummy. I used whatever apple I had in the fridge and forgot the cranberries, but added a few to my leftovers for lunch. I left out the nuts as well, and the cheese. I didn't have red onion, so used a couple of scallions. I will make this again! It was yummy.

Honeycrisp Apple Broccoli Salad

A crisp and refreshing salad combining sweet Honeycrisp apples, crunchy broccoli, and a creamy tangy dressing. Perfect for fall gatherings or as a healthy side dish, this salad is packed with flavor and texture from fresh ingredients and a touch of sweetness.

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli florets, chopped

1 large Honeycrisp apple, diced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

For the dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the chopped broccoli, diced Honeycrisp apple, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, red onion, and shredded cheddar (if using).

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss until everything is well coated.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Chilling Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

I wrote out a proposed menu for dinners this week and added it to the fridge. They seem to like that as they know what is planned. Emily asked for Taco's this week and Aidan asked for Weatherby Chicken on the grill. That made life easy.

Monday - taco meat, pinto beans (I made these in the instapot at lunch) for salads or soft taco's with the fixings.

Tuesday - beef fajitas. I've got peppers that need using. Aidan is helping at senior presentations tonight at school so that delayed tomorrow's meal. He is my grill master.

Wednesday- Weatherby Chicken on the grill (bone in chicken grilled and seasoned with a butter/oleo/vinegar/water/salt sauce that is boiled together. It is better than it sounds, and I grew up with it as a staple for summer BBQ. Potato salad will go with it. Aidan gets his braces off today!

Thursday- leftovers probably. Or Fridays plan.

Friday - pizza or lobster cakes. I got a bag of these and crab cakes from Aldi a few months ago. The crab cakes were good.