ON THE MENU WEEK OF NOVEMBER 27TH
I don’t like when people ask me, “Are you ready for Christmas”? Too much pressure! I will be… eventually. I’m not one to decorate, buy gifts, wrap them, etc as items I need to check off a to-do list. Yes, they need to get done but I am more of an enjoy-the-process girl! I love turning up the Christmas music and reveling in all the once a year things I’m doing! So when someone asks me if I am READY I say… YES, my heart is so ready!
This is the last week to enter to win the NOVEMBER’S READERS APPRECIATION GIVEAWAY!
Are you ready for a week’s worth of yummy recipes?
SUNDAY
Today is the first day of Advent. A time of preparation and anticipation for the coming of our LORD! You can get a free downloadable Advent devotional by Billy Graham. We are all so busy preparing our home and lives for Christmas let’s make sure we take time to prepare our hearts as well! I downloaded my copy and Bobby and I will use it until Christmas!
- Pan Seared Tilapia With Wine Reduction Sauce
- Sautee Rice
- Roasted Broccoli With Shaved Parmesan Cheese
MONDAY
It’s Cyber Monday! And yes, I am going to buy most of my Christmas gifts today! I tried this last year and it was so easy that I’m doing it again! Hope to get some great deals today!
We are big soup eaters here at StoneGable. And one of our favorite soups is ham and bean. There is a secret… a very simple secret… that makes ham and bean soup amazing and delicious! I’m spilling the beans about it!
This was also one of my very first post. You can certainly see how my photography has improved! Photographs, not so good but the soup sure is!
- Ham And Bean Soup
- Crusty Rye Bread
TUESDAY
Last day to enter to win StoneGable’s READER APPRECIATION Giveaway! Comment, comment comment!!!!
I’m hoping the weather is nice because I’m adding more outdoor Christmas decor to StoneGable today!
WEDNESDAY
Do you wrap your gifts as soon as you get them? You should! It saves so much time and angst! Don’t wait until the last minute. Start today and start wrapping. Here’s a very easy and portable gift wrapping station! A must read to keep your gift wrap and everything else that goes along with it in one place. See it here.
And here’s another tip… keep all your gift receipts in a big envelope in your gift wrapping station! You will know where everything is!
- Easy Chicken Fricassee
- Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Organic Carrots
THURSDAY
Happy December! Are you having guests for Christmas? Now is the time to survey all your guest rooms to make sure they have everything your guests need! Don’t forget to put together a little box of necessities guests might forget like toothbrushes, antiperspirant or disposable razors.
- Cheater’s Chicken Pie
- Mixed Greens with sliced Pears, Candied Pecans in a Poppyseed Dressing
FRIDAY
One of my readers asked what I do with all my “everyday” decorations when I put up Christmas decor. That’s a great question! I use one or two plastic laundry baskets and fill them with my everyday decorations and stash them in the basement. When I am ready to put them back out after Christmas I know exactly where they are and can easily bring them back upstairs!
SATURDAY
Okay, I’m not bragging when I say this is the best chicken noodle soup EVER!!!! There are a few tricks for making perfect chicken noodle soup. My Nani taught me and now I’m showing you too! I make tons of Chicken soup during the winter! I like to freeze it so I never run out!
- The Perfect Chicken Noodle Soup
- Crusty Bread
OTHER RECIPES ON THE MENU THIS WEEK…
Zesty Ranch Crackers… these are addictive!
Starbuck’s inspired Lemon Loaf Cake
Mason Jar Lid Chocolate Raspberry Tarts
Hope you have a delicious week!
You might like to follow me on Pinterest and see all the fun things I’m finding to pin every day HERE.
Thanks for the great sounding recipes.
Good advise, about being ready for Christmas in your heart!!!
Your recipes are always inspiring.
I love those ranch crackers. I always get compliments on them. And so easy.
Love your recipes, thanks for all of your ideas!!
I make your Mexican explosion salad often. It’s delicious! The recipe for quesadillas sounds good. The addition of pepper jelly is new. Trying that one Next.
What a great attitude towards Christmas. It’ll get done!
All this food is making me hungry!
I too dislike it when I am asked “Are you ready for Christmas!”
I usually reply I will be when it arrives, are you ready?
Love love love your response!
I always look forward to reading your posts
Some new recipes for my collection. Thanks!
Love this time of year and your posts are so inspirational!
Yvonne, what a perfect response to that age old question, “Are you ready for Christmas?” I will forever be in you debt!
Yippie – new recipes……will be making all of these over the Holidays. The best Chicken Noodle Soup is the best and make it often. The Starbucks Lemon cake is the best ever ever……….thanks for sending some new things……..
We had a second Thanksgiving dinner with extended family today. Right now I feel like I may never want to eat again. But in case I do I am going to print out the recipe for the ham and bean soup. It looks delicious!
I have so missed On the Menu… glad you brought it back! I hope you will be able to keep it a regular feature on the blog. Love it! Thanks! Kim
I want to try your chicken soup recipe. It looks wonderful. I roast my carrots with garlic. So yum!
I just love this post! All the little ideas you gave us for each day. Great ideas to help get us through til Christmas, and the wonderful recipes too. You are such a blessing, Yvonne!!
Can’t wait to try the Cheese Tortellini recipe. With three children I’m always looking for delicious meals that are fast and easy to prepare. This looks like a great one!
I love your menu of the week posts!
love mason jar tarts thanks for reminding me
Before you wrap the gifts, have a master list telling what each gift is. One year I wanted to finish up some last minute gift shopping and had a gift labeled for my daughter but I couldn’t remember what was in the wrapped box! So although I knew who the gift was for, I didn’t know what was in the box. Not wanting to ruin the paper by unwrapping it, I kept shaking the box and FINALLY remembered what was in it. After that I kept a list!
Oh goodness, I’ve done that too! Keeping a master list is a brilliant idea!
I always appreciate all of the recipes but right now what I appreciate the most is the Advent download. Thank you
Great holiday suggestions!!! You’re like me, I want to savor every moment!!
I have made the chicken pot pie and it IS wonderful! Now I want to make some of the chicken noodle soup – do you freeze with the noodles in the broth or wait til you heat it up to add them??
I also do not understand the big rush to Christmas. . . . Advent is such a beautiful time of quiet, preparation, and waiting. . . . it is so good for kids to be still, light a candle, sing a song such as “Come thou Long Expected Jesus” or something they choose. Christmas is stressful for adults & kids so kick back & make the most of Advent. Thank you too for the recipes. I will keep this posting!
Thank you for the recipes and like you I’m so ready, today I decorate the Christmas tree and later my husband will work on the train that goes around the living room.
YummyYummyYummy!!!!!!
I love to turn on holiday music while I decorate the house. It inspires me to get creative and puts me in a Christmas spirit.
In our living room there is a very large Victoriam armoire…when its time to decorate the house & the tree all I have to do is remove the plastic bins stored in the armoire & voila!… all the decorations are easily accessible. Love all your tried & true decorating ideas & holiday recipes, Yvonne. Thank you for all your creativity & exquisie taste.
Happy Holidays…enjoy a blessed Christmas, Angela
Love all the tips for making your chicken noodle soup. It sounds so good for a chilly day.
Oooh, the Mason Jar Chocolate Raspberry Tarts is such a good idea and look yummy. And the lemon loaf looks really good too. I’m going to have to try both of these recipes. Thanks for the great inspiration. I might try to make chicken noodle soup this week too, but I might not have time because of work. Just the thing for this time of year.
Chicken Pot Pie will be on my Wed. Night menu. Thank you for the recipe.
Ok…you’ve inspired me! My first 2017 resolution will be to make a weekly menu and shop ahead. One question though…what about left-overs? How does that work into weekly menu planning? Lunch the next day?
Yes, we usually eat them for lunch! YUM!
All the recipes sound so yummy.
Love your attitude about Christmas – ” my heart is always ready.”
You have inspired me to say “Bring on the coming week!” I love your tips, and even more so, your heart.
Can’t wait ti try the chicken soup, sounds yummy!
I am going to make the Ham & Bean soup! Sounds yummy!
I have to try your recipe for ham and bean soup. Thank you for sharing.
“You put all your everyday decor in laundry baskets and set them in the basement.” Waaaaaaa!!!!! You can’t imagine what it is like for those of us who have had basements and then move to a place that doesn’t! Sheer torture I tell you!
I’ve been out of menu ideas for awhile. These recipes look so delicious. Must try soon.
Thoroughly enjoyed Christopher’s Shepard Pie and now will have to try one of these new ones! I can just see you in the kitchen with the music in the background.
Can’t wait to try the ham and bean soup! Love all your recipes!
Thank you for sharing the devotional from Billy Graham. I pray that it touches many.
Jere Newcomb
Your Cheese Tortilla night sounds so yummy…gotta try it this week! Love your recipes!
Thanks for the wonderful recipes! They all sound like comfort food for this time of year.
Thanks for the yummy recipes YVONNE. Can you tell me what you do with all those Xmas decorations you don’t use anymore. .
And would love to see a night time pic of Stonegable,
What to do with your everyday decor when you are decorating for Christmas…. I store the everyday in my emptied Christmas tubs. That way when I take down the decor, I know exactly where my everyday things are! Love your delicious looking recipes…. I love to bake and the lemon cake looks divine… Another great page of advice….
Thanks for the recipes/ideas. I REALLY appreciate them.
Loved your idea of putting everyday decorations in plastic laundry baskets and putting them in the basement. Unfortunately we don’t have basement in our area!!! Storage is a challenge but instead of stashing things I am going to try to keep them together better.
Okie Dokie – I am all in with the Bean Soup, Roasted Carrots, Cheater Chicken Pot Pies and the Perfect Chicken Noodle Soup and for dessert, the Starbucks Lemon Cake. All comfort food for this gal as it is finally raining in Southern California! Back to work tomorrow – Let’s do this! thanks as always! xx-hb
Mmmm! Love quesadillas. Will definitely try with pepper jelly.
Yet again, your recipes look beautiful and sound so delicious! I will be trying a few this week. Thanks
The lemon dessert and the chocolate raspberry looks too good !
I haven’t had that Christmas Spirit lately so reading your post (even the older ones!) gave me a dose of whatever I needed to get it together. We won’t have many decorations this year and, no tree because we will be with our daughters and their families for the better part of the holidays – no sense putting the tree up only to come home and take it down! Surely we will enjoy others’ decor and trimmed trees but most importantly we’ll be with family …especially a new granddaughter who will be only two weeks old. So when I well up at the sound of the Hymns and bells at church on Christmas Eve, that Spirit will definitely be present!
Yvonne, thank you for gently nudging me with your beautiful photos that show decorations, pretty wrapped boxes and for all of the scrumptious recipes, the gift ideas, and for reminding me that that Christmas spirit does not only come in tangible measures! To you and your loved ones and to fellow readers a: Blessed Christmas full of heartfelt spirit and the joy of being with your family, friends.
Hi Bonnie, I’m sure your little granddaughter will be such a joy this Christmas! Merry Christmas
I am going to try the chicken pot pie and the raspberry tarts. Thank you for the recipes .
As usual, your menu is fabulous! The ham and bean soup will be on our table soon.
ham and beans–love them-thanks
I love seeing the ideas planned out for the week. It helps me focus. I’m so busy with 3 jobs that I’m having a hard time focusing on the Heart of Christmas. I’m the director of Children’s min at a church and working on a play/musical that sings about the Heart of the Story. Thank you for helping me focus.
These all look so good! Thank you! And I love the portable wrapping station idea!
Yummy yummy!!! It all looks so good. Never particularly cared for bean soup, but your recipe looks so good. I have some left over ham, I think this will be supper tonight.
My tummy is growling! Thank you for the recipes and weekly menu!
You seem so organized and together! I wish….I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. I can’t seem to get dinner plannned or cooked and Christmas decorations and shopping…. you do make it all look easy?Good job!
Yummy! I am not on facebook so I would not know if I won.
So glad that ON THE MENU postings are back! Thank you!!! I have really missed this part of your blog.
I’m adding the ham and bean soup to our menu next week.
Wonderful recipe ideas. Love the pot pie idea!!
looks like a delicious week!!