Oh goodness, it’s been a crazy Thursday afternoon!

But I have got to tell you, the White Chicken Enchilada Recipe that is on next week’s menu is

HEAVEN!

Thank you Pioneer Woman – you are and always will be my hero!

(Second only to my amazing mother who is your talent twin!)

The recipe is a few more steps than I normally do
(not really, just kinda felt like it),
but I’ve been snacking on it the whole time

DELICIOUS!!

To fill you in, pre-blog writing days (when I actually had 5 extra minutes in the day – but now with writing this blog, have SWIFTLY disappeared, and then some) I used to prepare a menu for our family, just like I give to you, each Friday.

Some have asked how I come up with these menus….
you’re assuming of course that I’ve thought that much about them!

This is what normally happens:

1. I look at what we are doing the next week and figure that we will be eating at home at least 4 nights.  Which leaves room for pre-exisitng plans, last minute invites, and spontaneity.  I also know that there will always be some kind of leftover if we needed it, and honestly, there is enough food in the house to wing it, we wont starve, and neither will you. A quesadilla and soup will always work.

2. I pick 4 meals that sound good to me.  My hubby could honestly not care less what we eat, luckily, so it’s up to me and my moods, and being pregnant for 3 of the 3 1/2 years we’ve been married means we have had to fill a lot of cravings!

3. I normally scan a few favorite cookbooks, try to keep it simple, try for recipes that will work for Addie as well as us, see where I can use leftover meat from one dinner in another and then make up my shopping list.

I was asked if I have some kind of check off plan, like Italian on Mondays, Tacos on Tuesdays.  Or a plan for so many crockpot meals in a month.  Or maybe a list of dinners I like that I plan in a month for how many times I will prepare them.  NOPE.  All sound like good ideas, just more planning than I can typically do.  But each family really needs to do what’s best for them.

5. I plan by what sounds good, what will give us variety, what I can wing with in a week…knowing that I may not eat the meals Monday thru Thursday, that they are really fair game for any of the 7 days.

6. Once I figure out what we are having, I typically shop and prep on the weekend, & make Hayden’s food and freeze it, and then we are  ready to go for the following week with only 1 or 2 straggler ingredients needed if it needs to be fresh. This limits store visits and at least makes me feel prepared.  (Please note that I said it makes me feel prepared…didn’t say that I was!!)

HOWEVER, now that I’m sharing recipes with you all, I prep the menu a week ahead so that our family can eat it and make sure we like how it all works.

(OH THE PRESSURE!!!  WILL YOU LIKE IT???)

So the long and the short of this explanation is that we are having next week’s enchiladas on Thursday night and although it is a bit more steps than normal, I was able to easily make today.  Remember how I said today was crazy??  I worked a consulting job this AM, got home at noon, had to write 3 posts (because I had help today), make Hayden’s food (as I wont have much time this weekend), work on my mother in laws re-decorating project, make the enchiladas early (since I have a holiday bookclub tonight), and finish about 5 loads of much needed laundry…

but I was still able to make these….so I KNOW you can too!

AND YOU ARE JEALOUS, believe me!!

So have a great weekend everyone!

Check out next week’s menu,

Get your gifts wrapped by an Elf.

or wrap them yourselves…

(I LOVE my Tape Gun!!)

Think about buying a camera for yourself or as a gift…
(and Enter the session Giveaway from Sandy Heit!)

Figure out what beautiful tablewear you will have on your table for the holiday.
(And enter the Juliska Giveaway, it ends TONIGHT).

Be sure to check back this weekend for more fun tips & the Juliska winner…

And most certainly spend some time with you Littles, your grand-Littles,  your friends Littles!

and enjoy the season!

(Please note the photos of the Chicken Enchilada recipe were not taken by me (I wish) that is one of the many talents of the Pioneer Woman! And she is so nice to share them with her recipes!)