Monday Menu Plan

Here is my menu plan for the week. It was 80 degrees on Saturday, so we were outside grilling. I am hoping to get outside this week and do some more.

Monday: Maple and Mustard-Glazed Grilled Chicken with red potatoes and green salad

Tuesday: Layered Chicken-Black Bean Enchiladas

Wednesday: Slow Cooker Italian Shredded Beef Hoagies

Thursday: Raspberry Glazed Grilled Chicken with asparagus, corn and red potatoes with a honey-mustard glaze

Friday: Tex Mex Chicken Salad

Recipe for Maple and Mustard-Glazed Grilled Chicken

3/4 cup maple-flavored syrup
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

Cook chicken on the grill for about 15 minutes over medium heat; turn chicken, cover and cook 20 to 40 minutes longer turning occasionally and brushing 2 or 3 times with glaze until juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut. Heat remaining mustard mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute. Serve sauce with chicken

For more great menu ideas visit Laura at I'm an Organized Junkie

Your Manners Matter - part 3

Here and here I shared how I use meal preparation and meal time to teach my children etiquette. I explained that the foundation of all etiquette is kindness, which expresses itself by consideration for the people around you. Knowing proper etiquette makes you feel comfortable so that you can reach out to others and make them feel important. If you are concerned about making a mistake or appearing to be foolish, then your thoughts are consumed with yourself. However, when you know how to properly conduct yourself in the presence of others, then you are free to focus on them.

We have taught our kids some simple table conduct. Of course, elaborate instructions or rules are available for every state of a guest's dinner experience in any etiquette book, but following strict rules is not our goal. We are hoping to help them learn how to properly conduct themselves so that they may be a blessing to others.

We have a little one who drops food on the floor and and another who is still learning not to use his fingers for everything. We encourage lots of conversation. We want our meal times to be a time in which we connect with one another and a chance to hear the hearts of our children. Here are some simple etiquette rules made simple for our home:

-Wait for mom (or the hostess)to be seated before beginning to eat

-Put your napkin on your lap

-We encourage the kids not to comment about the food. We have explained that kindness does not embarrass the hostess who may not always know what we like or dislike.

-If you are served something that you do not eat or like, we have explained to just leave it on your plate and eat around it.

-When serving family-style (all the food on the table), pass the food to the person on your right. Hold the dish for the person while they serve their plate. They should then hold it for the next person and so on until it returns to you.

-If I am serving from the kitchen (stove), I will sometimes have one of my kids help me and again everyone waits until each person has been

served.

-Eat with your mouth closed and do not talk with your mouth full.

-If you must leave the table for an important reason, ask to be excused.

-When our kids have finished eating we have them take their plates to the sink. We have taught them to place their silverware in their plate. Even if some food remains on their plate, laying the utensils together and at an angle lets the hostess know you are finished with your meal.

-Of course, there are times when food is passed across the table especially on taco and tostada night. On occasion we have a carpet picnic in which the meal is put on a blanket in the family room and we eat as if we were outside having a picnic.

Most importantly enjoy your family meal time together! This time is given to us each and every day. Treasure it!