Sit back and prepare to be amazed! Where once it was all I could do to stand in the kitchen long enough to prepare a decent meal, check out what I did yesterday!

At about 3pm I decided I better get going on dinner. Hmmm, what to fix. I decided on a new recipe - Pepper Jack Stuffed Chicken. When I got the chicken out (a pkg of 10 breasts), I took 3 out for the meal. Then I went ahead and threw 3 in a pot to boil to cut up for a casserole. When they were done boiling, I washed out the pan and got out some ground beef. I had purchased a 5.5 pound pkg. I separated 1.5 pounds out of it and set it aside for meatloaf, and put the rest on to boil. 

Back to the meal at hand. I stuffed the breasts w/ the pj cheese and rubbed taco seasoning on them. Then I went ahead and measured out the taco seasoning for tacos/burritos. I browned the chx breasts and stuck them in the oven. I cut up the boiled chx, and opened the cans of soup for my casserole. While I had the can opener out, I went ahead and opened the cans of beans, tomato paste, etc. for chili and dumped them in the crockpot. I got out an onion and diced it up - splitting it between the casserole, the chili, the meatloaf and put some in a baggie to use raw on burritos.

When the ground beef was done, I put 2 pounds in the crockpot w/ the chili seasoning, and added the taco seasoning to the other 2 pounds. I washed out my "boiling" pan, and boiled the noodles for the casserole. I also put some green beans on for dinner and mixed up a quick salad.

I mixed the rest of the ingredients for the meatloaf, covered, and stuck in the fridge and transferred the now cooked taco meat into a container. Out with the chx breasts for dinner. In with the casserole. The chili is simmering in the crockpot. 

After we were done eating, out w/ the casserole. I put the meatloaf in casserole dish and made it into a ring - stuck it in the oven.

I made 5 meals at one time --- stuffed chx breasts, creamy chicken manicotti casserole, chili, meatloaf, and taco meat for Mexican night. And did it all in about 3 hours (not incl. cooking the meatloaf after dinner.) I had started at 3pm and we sat down to eat at 5:45pm.

And now, no question this week of what will we have for dinner? We actually have a menu - some choices... And yes, I am very proud of myself! Can you tell?

Oh, Yeah! The best part? I was able to do all this and didn't hurt! I was on my feet for 3 hours and didn't pay for it afterward! WOO-HOO!

I was hoping that I could stick this blog in between a couple of others, but it posted it as the most recent. So, FYI, this was written Dec. 2, 2007. I got a call this afternoon that my grandmother was very ill (pneumonia/cancer). After totally falling apart, then pulling myself back together, John and I got the boys together to tell them the news. We were talking about how badly I wanted to get there quick to tell her one more time that I love her, but that she would probably be gone before I could get there.

My 7-yr-old, Harrison, said, "That's ok, Mommy. Just tell Jesus and He will make sure she gets the message when she gets to heaven, 'cause He's already there!"

Isn't that just precious?!

Grandma did go to be with Jesus - just before midnight Colorado-time. It was pain-free, and I praise God for His mercy. She just went to sleep and quit breathing. She is now "all better", as my kids would say.

I have many, many fond memories... and will visit them often!