March 19th, 2007
Dine Without Whine's Weekly Newsletter
An Extension of our Menu Planning Service
www.dinewithoutwhine.com
Publisher ~ Christine Steendahl
Read Past Issues In Our Newsletter Archives
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This Issue:
A Personal Note
Easy
Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Great Coffee Without Leaving the House
A Personal Note
BRRR, we got our first taste of spring and now we’re freezing
again! That’s how it goes I guess. That 70 degree weather sure felt good while
it lasted!
The trade show last Monday was good. Unfortunately,
I caught the kids cold, so it went something like this… Cough Cough, OOHHH,
that’s cute!, Hubby chimes in “my back hurts”, cough cough, OHHH look at that!,
Hubby chimes in “my knees hurt”. Etc. LOL We decided we walked about 6-7 miles
by the time we were done. There were over 10,000 booths. I enjoyed myself, but I
might have to find a lady to go with me next year. LOL I think Matt actually
kind of enjoyed it, (he’s very good, for a guy, when it comes to shopping) but
his joints all hurt by the end. I was even sore a little bit the next day and I
generally do my elliptical most days so I am used to exercising more than he is.
Anyway, we came home to our little one who once AGAIN had a
fever. So he basically was sick for about 9 days straight. He is finally
starting to feel better. YEA!
It was a fun week for me. The trade show Monday and then Thursday
I got to leave again to go to the Hearts at Home National Conference. That was
an excellent, I’m even willing to say life changing, event for me. It really
opened my eyes and reminded me that our kids are only young for such a short
time, and every day we are impacting their lives and leaving a legacy. I often
get so wrapped up in my business that I don’t take enough time to just hang out
with them... I was already feeling this a tad before I left, but through the
conference it was made very clear to me. I had already hired on another
assistant this past week, so I will be handing over many things to her so I can
focus on my little ones, my husband and our home more. I’ll still be around, but
might not answer e-mail within an hour or two – it will be more of a once a day
routine – things like that. I work at home for a reason, and I need to put that
back into perspective.
So with that said, I’m off to spend some time with Matt and tuck
myself into bed after a long emotional past couple of days.
Have a great week!
Christine
“The Menu Mom”
www.themenumom.com
Recipe of the Week
Exerted from this week's family friendly menu plan
and convenient grocery shopping list.
Have you tried our
sample menu?
Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Makes 4 servings
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms pieces and stems, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
Hot cooked noodles or rice, if desired
1. Cook beef, onion and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10
minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.
2. Stir soup, mushrooms and salt into beef. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes; reduce
heat to low.
3. Stir in sour cream; heat until hot. Serve over noodles.
Serve with Green Beans
This Weeks Top Five Referring Sites
(These sites have a link
to DWW somewhere on their site and have sent the most visitors to
www.dinewithoutwhine.com this week)
http://www.homemakingcottage.com/mother/dr_suess.htm
http://www.catholicmom.com/main
http://www.ihomemaker.com/blog/
http://www.nossgalenbaby.com/twins_resources.html
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/dr_seuss_recipes.htm
Kitchen and Cooking Tips, Articles, And Product
Reviews
Great Coffee Without Leaving the House
Coffee is very popular in our everyday lives. You find coffee shops on many
street corners. You see people everywhere – the mall, school, church – carrying
coffee with them. But you don’t need to pay $5.00 for a good cup of coffee.
There are many ways to prepare a great cup of coffee in the comfort of you own
home.
One popular way to prepare coffee is by pouring instant coffee crystals into a
hot cup of water. This method is popular for people that may not have access to
a coffee maker, such as college students, couples just starting out who don’t
have the means to invest in a coffee maker, or those on camping trips.
Another method for making coffee is to use a percolator. Percolating coffee is
popular because the coffee is allowed to brew slowly and is not rushed through a
filter. Percolators are also great for dinner parties or entertaining, because
you can brew large amounts of coffee easily. Caution needs to be taken when
percolating coffee as allowing it to sit too long may cause a bitter, burnt
taste.
Probably the most popular method for making coffee is to use a drip coffee
maker. Growing up, I remember seeing a drip coffee maker on the kitchen
countertops of all of my friends’ houses. In our house, it was the one kitchen
appliance that was used daily. Drip coffee makers are quick and convenient. They
work best when used with a metal filter, which does not filter out the aromatic
coffee oils from the brew. Paper filters have a tendency to filter out these
oils. In addition, a new paper filter needs to be used with each pot of coffee,
whereas metal filters can be reused over and over again.
Finally, a French press is another option for brewing a cup of coffee. Many
coffee connoisseurs swear by its delicious brew but this option is not as
popular in the United States as it is in Europe. The French press is a device in
which coffee grinds are placed on top of hot water. When you are ready to drink
a fresh cup of coffee, you depress a lever that sends the coffee grinds through
the hot water down to the bottom and into your coffee cup. The end result is a
perfectly brewed, gourmet cup of coffee.
If you love coffee the above tips will allow you to brew a great cup of coffee.
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