Menu Plan 101512

Wow! What a great weekend!! Saturday morning we moved to a new spot here in the park so that we now have a bigger yard and are right across from two couples couples that we have befriended since here - more on them in a bit. Then went went to BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse - I loved it, the hubby liked it but still thinks Chilis is better. My new phone stinks - so no pics, which is why I have not done any posts on the places we eat at every weekend. I don't like not having pics to go with the post, but enough on that. We then spent the evening at home watching movies, snacking and just relaxing. Sunday we had new tires put on the car, grabbed lunch on the way home and were sitting around bored. We decided to go for a walk and ran into one of the couples across from us and they invited us over for smoked pork butt and something else - I forget what - Monday night. We visited a little more and decided to get together with them and the other couple that night and just have hot dogs - boredom solved. It was a wonderful evening visiting, laughing and just getting to know each other a little better. So all that being said my menu plan for the week has already changed once and I haven't even been to the store yet! But it's a good change!!! Here's what I have right now.

Monday
Smoked Meats and

Chipotle Corn Salsa (I think I'm going to rename this Chipotle Corn Salad. I believe the      word Salsa is a bit misleading.)

Tuesday

Jalapeno Sausage Pasta with Salad

Wednesday
Glazed Pork Chops* with Mac-n-Cheese

Thursday
Bertolli Dinner for Two with

Green Beans (actually sugar snap peas this time and I really should get a better pic of these - after they are cooked)

Friday

Cream Cheese Burgers with

Spicy Baked Fries

Saturday
Dinner Out

Sunday
Shrimp Pasta Salad* with Green Beans (I may actually put these in the salad rather than on the side - we shall see - the recipe is still coming together; again sugar snap peas)

Bastrop

We are spending a couple of days in Bastrop while waiting for a gate to go guard. Anytime we are in Bastrop with the RV we stay at Highway 71 RV Park - both because it's a nice park and it's just a stones throw from my mom's house. It's a secure, gated park with onsite laundry, really nice restrooms and showers, and for warmer temps a swimming pool!

We will talk to the new boss this morning and depending on what he says may head to Gonzales later today to be closer to where the work is.  For now I am enjoying some bonus family time. Spent both Tuesday evening and most of Wednesday with my mom except for Wednesday afternoon when I headed off to Hair Express. Trim and a new color.

I usually go more red but this is closer to my natural color and it won't wash out as fast - reds are the worst for washing out quickly.

Thursday was mostly spent at the RV. John took our dog Midnight to a local vet for her rabies and rattlesnake vaccines. She was none too happy with us! Then I headed to town to pick up a few groceries.

For dinner I convinced John that we needed to go to Chili's. It's a favorite spot for both of us and my gate guarding experience tells me it could be a while before we get another chance to go to one, especially together. We each had a salad: John had the Quesadilla Explosion Salad and I went with the Buffalo Chicken Salad. We avoided the two for $20 trap, which includes an appetizer and two entrees. No appetizer means we left pleasantly full rather than miserably stuffed.

After Chili's we headed over to my baby sister's house for some good family fun with her and her family - family game night! We played team monopoly since there were so many of us. Here are pics of the teams.

My nieces, Courtney and Emily - They ended up winning.

Nephew and niece, Travis and Miranda.

My oldest nephew Jonathan, he is my older sister's son, and his friend Sherry Dawn.

Last but not least my baby sister Tabitha and her sweetie Dean.

Before heading to the salon on Wednesday, I loaded up the car with shoes and clothes that I thought my sister Tabitha and her daughter Courtney might be able to use. I was surprised to see that Miranda had snagged a pair of boots for herself, although about a size too big (guess she figures she'll grow into them) she did look really cute:

She was trying to look like Cindy Lou Who. Haha, they are such fun kids! My niece Katie was absent for the evening and was missed, she is always a joy to be around. The two youngest headed off to bed at 9:00 and 9:30, leaving their partners to finish the game. When 10:00 rolled around we ended the game so the two older girls could get to bed as well as half the adults present who needed to be at work the next morning. So to date I still have yet to finish a game of monopoly. Oh well, maybe next time!

Weekend Dining

Saturday is our regular night to eat out and since we will be leaving the area soon we headed over to what has become our favorite Mexican food restaurant: Con Queso's. The food is always great and the service friendly. I had the fish tacos and John had a chimichanga. On this particular occasion there was a gentleman there that I took to be the owner. I mentioned how amazing I thought the Chipotle Maple Sauce was that they put on the fish tacos. I also commented that I was going to try to recreate it - so he told me how to make it - sugar cane and chipotle - simple. He said that's how he believes cooking should be - simple - my philosophy as well! Good food doesn't have to be complicated. He also told me the secret seasoning for the fish - salt and pepper. Simple!

Sunday afternoon we had some friends show up and invite us to a favorite place of theirs to watch the cowboys game and have dinner - Brick House. We started with an appetizer - freshly made potato chips sprinkled with bleu cheese and served with queso. I am not a fan of bleu cheese but this stuff was yummy!

For the entree John had a burger, our friends  one had steak & shrooms, the other chicken fried steak which was served with sausage gravy - all looked really good! I had the beer battered fish & chips, very good.

For dessert I had an apple crisp with a scoop of ice cream - yummiest non-chocolate dessert ever!

Despite the outcome of the game everyone had a good time. We will genuinely miss these two, they are great friends who are just fun to be around. Definitely have to stay in touch!

Busy Weekend

After working at the office till 3 PM Saturday we relaxed at the RV for a couple of hours, then headed to Chili's for a yummy dinner. We did the 2 for $20 deal, stuffing ourselves with an appetizer of crispy onion strings and jalapenos. We each picked one of the new entrees they are offering with the 2 for $20 deal. I had grilled shrimp tacos while John had honey chipotle quesadillas. Of course we traded a sample so we could each see what the other was like. We then waddled out to do some Christmas shopping. Our shopping for the grand-babies is complete!

Today started out equally busy. After breakfast we unhooked the Brave and took it to fill both the propane and the gas tanks. It's good to get the RV out and run it a little - something we don't do often enough. Which led to the next item on today's agenda - shopping for a fifth wheel! We headed to Denton, had lunch at a Chinese place there. Then the search began.

This was in one of the "gently used" units we looked at. We have a ways to go before we're actually ready to make the change but we have a very good idea now of what we do and don't like, size that is most comfortable, best floor plan, manufacturer that is best quality, etc. Now to exercise the patience needed to wait for the right time and price.

Humperdinks!

Just visited Humperdink's for the first time.

Yummy!! We started with an appetizer sampler - Armadillo Eggs - Jalapenos stuffed with chicken and cheese, Southwest Egg-rolls, and Mozzarella Cheese Sticks.

Then I had the Rio Grande Burger - bacon, guacamole, pico de gallo, peperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato and jalapenos with fries....so good!

John had the Southwestern Burger - battered bacon, onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo. We went with friends and had a blast. If you ever get a chance I would definitely recommend it. Great food, friendly service!!