Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

May 16, 2016 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

So I sent my husband shopping last week. There were 2 things on my list. He called from the store to say that they were out of one. So that left 1 thing on my list. Silly me. I thought that meant he would come home with 1 thing. Nope. He came home with 3 bags! lol

I sliced a beef roast from the freezer, that I had gotten on sale, to make fajitas. The secret to slicing meat is to have it partially frozen. It makes it so much easier to slice, or dice, or however you want to cut it.

Yum! We love fajitas. My youngest son just pulls the meat out. He hates onions if he can see them. lol

We had Sloppy Joes one night and I made Oven Fries to go with them. I used planned over baked potatoes. Planned overs are when you plan to have leftovers to use for another meal. I cut the cold baked potatoes, oiled seasoned, and baked them. The came out so tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. I liked them better than making oven fries with raw potatoes.

I tried a new recipe for Skillet Lasagna. It is now added to the favorite family meal list. So easy, and so good! So good it’s on this week menu, too! Look for the recipe coming soon!

On Sunday, I tried another new recipe. Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches. They were a hit with the family. Look for how I made those, coming soon, too!

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Take out Pizza

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches for lunch, get your own supper 🙂

Monday – chicken or turkey – Chicken strips, mac & cheese, beets

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Cincinnati Style Chili, green beans

Wednesday – Taco Night- Tacos with all the fixin’s, some of us will have Taco Salads

Thursday – pork or beef – Skillet Lasagna, peas

Friday – venison – Venison roast, potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slowcooker

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

The Grocery Budget Makeover

May 13, 2016 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This post contains an affiliate link.

I have two of the Five Dollar Dinner Cookbooks. My family has liked every recipe I have tried from them. The books also have money saving tips in them that I have found helpful.

Now Erin Chase is offering the Grocery Budget Makeover. A 10 week course sent to you by email. Each weekly email will contain videos, worksheets, resources, tips, tricks, and more. We will learn to change the way we shop so we can save as much as half off our grocery bills!

Here is the outline for the Grocery Budget Makeover course:

Week 1 – Setting the Table

Week 2 – Family Pow-Wow

Week 3 – The Art of the Creating a Shopping List

Week 4 – A 5 Dinner Meal Plan, not the $5 Dinner Meal Plan (Maybe)

Week 5 – Outsmarting Yourself, and Someone Else Too

Week 6 – Stockpiling for Normal People (Not for Hoarders)

Week 7 – Meal Planning 201

Week 8 – Stretching Your Coupon-Buck As Far As You Can

Week 9 – Time Saving Kitchen & Cooking Hacks

Week 10 – How to Score Freebies Every Week

Finale – Mantras & Report Your Savings Time!

I’m excited to see how much I can lower my grocery bill!

If your grocery bill needs help like mine does, check out the Grocery Budget Makeover!

*This post contains an affiliate link. If you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a commission.

ARTistic Pursuits High School Homeschool Art Review

May 11, 2016 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

As part of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received ARTistic Pursuits Inc. High School Book One The Elements of Art and Composition homeschool art curriculum to review.

High School Book One The Elements of Art and Composition, $47, is for ages 14 and up. This course is designed to be a full year course earning the student 1 credit. There are instructions in the back of the book for using it as a one semester course, earning 1/2 credit. The book is not consumable, so you can use it for more than one student.

Topics covered in High School Book One The Elements of Art and Composition include space, line, texture, shape form, value, contrast & unity, composition, balance, rhythm, atmospheric perspective, proportion – of the face & figure, clothing the figure, and more.

The art supplies needed for High School Book One are easy to obtain.

Art supplies for the first semester are:
drawing pencil set – 2H – 4B
vinyl eraser
metal handheld sharpener
drawing pad

Art supplies for the second semester are:
vine charcoal sticks
jumbo nice charcoal stick
compressed charcoal
charcoal paper pad
paper blending stump
kneaded eraser
natural chamois leather, 4×4 inches

Additional supplies that you may already have on hand: drawing board, hairspray, cotton ball or cloth, ruler, x-acto knife or other cutting tool, 12″x 12″ cardboard box.

You can view the full Table of Contents, as well as sample pages from the book, on the website linked above. This video shows all of the ARTistic Pursuits curriculum available, including this high school book.

ARTistic Pursuits High School Homeschool Art Review

My 15 year old, 9th grade son, Zach, used this homeschool art curriculum. He hasn’t done any drawing since being a teenager. He didn’t think he had any interest in drawing. Since starting this course, he has discovered that he likes drawing.

Zach’s been using it for a few weeks now, a couple of lessons a week. He has been doing well with this course. He looks forward to it. He usually reaches for it first, before everything else. Zach said that some of the lessons have been easy, while others have been harder. He also said that he can draw better now than he could before starting this course. I can see that he is improving, and I like that he feels he is, too.

I like the way ARTistic Pursuits includes art appreciation in the lessons. As the student learns a technique, they also learn to see how that same element was used by some of the greatest artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Durer, Raphael, Tintoretto, and more. The students learn a technique, pick something from their own surroundings to draw, and learn how to apply what they have learned to their own drawings.

As a non-artistic parent, who can barely draw a straight line, I love that the course is designed for the student to work independently.

He wouldn’t let me share all of his drawings. He said they were personal. I did get permission to share these three.

I wish I had found this homeschool art curriculum earlier, so my older kids could have used it. ARTistic Pursuits Inc. High School Book One The Elements of Art and Composition is a great addition to our homeschool.

The Schoolhouse Review Crew reviewed other ARTistic Pursuits homeschool art curriculum as well. Click the graphic below to check out more reviews.

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

May 9, 2016 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

We had Alfredo Ham & Pasta Skillet Dinner again last week. I used more leftovers from our Easter ham that I have in the freezer. I think I have one more package left. Plus the bone. This dish is so good!

On May the 4th, I helped my son make Blue Milk. If you are a Star Wars fan, then you know what I’m talking about. lol

We had Chicken Strips for lunch on Saturday. I only had one, but had a big salad with it.

I drink my Pink Drink every day! It’s helping me to get healthy!

We had taco salads last week, instead of just tacos. I made it with some of the venison I ground in the food processor.

I didn’t do anything major in the kitchen last week. As you can see, we ate pretty good last week, though. I don’t have anything major planned this week, either. Just the usual meals, and lots of dishes! I do need to make some healthy snacks. I never have enough snacks, according to my family, anyway. lol

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Take out Pizza

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Sandwiches – Roast beef and cheddar, ham, with the choice of white bread, onion rolls. For supper, keilbasa & onions, mac & cheese, corn

Monday – chicken or turkey – Baked chicken, baked potato, corn, green beans

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Skillet Lasagna – trying a new recipe, peas

Wednesday – Taco Night- Beef fajitas

Thursday – pork or beef – Sloppy Joes, carrots, celery

Friday – venison – Venison roast, potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slowcooker

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

In the Kitchen with Linda and Dinner Menu

May 2, 2016 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Oven Fries are a favorite with my family. The like all fries in any shape, size, or flavor. lol

I make mine by simply cutting the potatoes to the size I want. and placing them on cookie sheets. I then sprinkle with oil, and seasonings. I usually use chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper.

I use my hands to mix it all together, making sure to distribute all the seasonings well.

Bake until done. I usually take the pan out and flip them over halfway through the cooking time. They come out great every time. My family eats them all, anyway. lol

My daughter, 20, made Strawberry Shortcake the other day. It was so good!

Hopefully, we get a lot of strawberries in our garden this year!

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Fish filets, homemade tartar sauce, baked beans, asparagus from our garden

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Sandwiches – Roast beef and cheddar, turkey, BLT, all with the choice of white bread, onion rolls, pita pockets

Monday – chicken or turkey – Chicken strips, mac & cheese, peas & carrots, beets

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Spaghetti with venison meat sauce, green beans or asparagus from our garden

Wednesday – Taco Night- Venison tacos with all the fixin’s

Thursday – pork or beef – Alfredo Ham Pasta Skillet Dinner, asparagus from the garden or broccoli

Friday – venison – Venison roast, potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slowcooker

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

YWAM Publishing Christian Heroes – C.S. Lewis Review

April 27, 2016 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

For the last several weeks we’ve been reading Christian Heroes- C.S. Lewis ($7.50, paperback) and using a Digital Unit Study from YWAM Publishing. The Christian Heroes: Then & Now series of books features the life stories of inspiring Christians written at a level that kids can understand. There are currently over 25 books in the series. These Christian Heroes Then & Now books are a great addition to any homeschooling curriculum.

Christian Heroes – C.S. Lewis is a paperback book 189 pages in length, with 17 chapters and a bibliography. You can read a sample chapter on the website linked above. This is a well written biography recommended for ages 10 and up. The book covers all of C.S. Lewis’ life. From early childhood to being a literature professor, to living through two world wars. C.S. Lewis was an atheist that struggled with his faith and that is shown in this book. C.S. Lewis went on to write over 30 books.

I love Christian biographies, so I was happy to share this book with my son. My 15 year old son read this biography. He said it was good. He has read several books written by C. S. Lewis so enjoyed learning more about him. He said he didn’t know that C.S. Lewis had been in the military. He said that he would recommend this biography for other kids that have liked C.S. Lewis’ books.

While reading this C.S. Lewis biography, we used a digital unit study. I love this digital unit study. You can use it on the computer, no need to print everything. Or you can print out how ever many copies you need for your students. There are some activities that are better suited to printing, such as the maps.

The digital unit study is divided into two parts. The first part has 8 chapters.

Key Bible Verses

Display Corner – a visual display the student can set up of what they learned

Chapter Questions – there are 6 questions for each chapter in the book

Student Explorations – includes writing, hands on projects, audio/visual projects, arts & crafts

Community Links

Social Studies – includes terms and vocabulary

Related Themes to Explore

Culminating Event

as well as 3 appendices: Books & resources, Answers to Chapter Questions, and Social Studies Reproducibles.

Appendix C Social Studies Reproducibles is divided between part one and part 2 of the digital unit study. Part 2 contains 3 printables – a United Kingdom Fast Sheet- with blanks to fill in, a Europe map, and a United Kingdom – map. Both maps are blank and can be labeled and colored by the student.

The digital unit study includes the following curriculum areas:

History

Geography

Essay writing

Creative writing

Reading comprehension

Public speaking

Drama

Art

The unit study contains instructions on how it can be used for a single student or in a group setting. It also has information about using it for more than one grade level.

This digital unit study has so many activities that it would take months to do everything. I like that so much is included. It means we can pick and choose which activities work best for our student and our homeschools.

For more information, visit YWAM at:

Website: www.ywampublishing.com

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/o9VOMN

Twitter: @YWAMpublishing http://twitter.com/YWAMpublishing

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/YWAMpublishing

The YWAM Publishing Blog: www.ywampublishingblog.com

To see what others have to say about this book, and others in the Christian Heroes series, visit:

Christian Heroes {YWAM Publishing Review}

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

April 26, 2016 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

This salad was my lunch one day last week. I had some homemade chicken salad left over from the day before. I had that with diced cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, lettuce tomatoes, and onions. It made a nice summer lunch. I know it’s only spring, but we have been having some warm weather here in Kentucky.

My major kitchen accomplishment last week was grinding and cooking 12 pounds of venison. I grind it in the food processor. The food processor works very well for grinding the meat.

I cooked 4 pounds at a time, making 3 different dishes. The first four pounds, I browned with beef bouillon. I froze it in meal size bags to be used for spaghetti.

I used four pounds to make sloppy joes, back right corner. (Secret! I used canned sloppy joe sauce!) I used the other 4 pounds to make venison guisado, front left corner. It’s a fancy name for taco meat! I got the recipe from a venison cookbook. The cooked, bagged hamburger is in the middle.

And all the finished meat bagged for the freezer. I love having meats like this in the freezer. They are my own convenience meals!

My family loved it when I made homemade venison breakfast sausage. So I hope to make a big batch, like 10 pounds worth, this week.

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- take out pizza

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Fish fillets, chicken strips, macaroni & cheese

Monday – chicken or turkey – Chicken Potato Skillet, sliced tomatoes

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Spaghetti with venison meat sauce, peas, broccoli

Wednesday – Taco Night- Venison tacos with all the fixin’s

Thursday – pork or beef – Slow cooker Mongolian Beef, rice, green beans

Friday – venison – Venison roast, potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slowcooker

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

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