Baked Flounder with Parsley and Thyme {Recipe}

Last week I made a special point to plan my menu, and even though it didn't go exactly as planned; it was nice to know that dinner was not on my list of things to worry about for the week. There were a few nights that didn't work out, so I've bumped some things to a later time. Soccer practice and ballet are throwing off my evenings and I've got to figure out how those puzzle pieces come together. That being said, I've got a menu planed for this week, and I'd like to share one of our favorites from last week with you as well.

Monday--Apple-Pork meatloaves with potatoes. This didn't get done last week because of evening practices, so I'm doing it this week.

Tuesday--Chicken Tenders with mac and cheese. The boneless, skinless chicken tenders were on sale this weekend and I got a huge package. It's a meal the kids love, so I know they'll eat it. I'm making a double batch, so I can freeze some for pater, or just have leftovers for later in the week.

Wednesday--Ham slice and biscuits. This is not a fancy meal, no recipe involved, but last week Ken mentioned missing ham, so I bought him some.  He did make me those brownies, so if he can take a hint, so can I!

Thursday--Chicken tenders again, this time with the opposite kids!

Friday--Pizza bubbles--I shared this recipe on my friend Lydia's page. Every time I want to make them again, I search my own blog and I can never find them!! LOL!

Saturday/Sunday--Leftovers, or whatever else I feel like cooking. 

Last week, one of the recipes that was a big hit was our plan for baked tilapia with parsley and thyme. I ended up not buying tilapia because all I could find was farm-raised and I prefer my fish to be wild caught. The flounder was wild caught, so I went with that instead. The recipe was super simple, and super delicious.  I ended up baking it in two different casserole dishes to give it some space. I only took one dish out to the table and Ken grabbed the last piece when Henry wasn't looking. I wish you could have seen his face a few minutes later!

Henry: Mommy, can I have more...Where's the fish!?!?
Ken: <snicker>
Henry: <heartbroken>
Me: Mommy to the rescue!! <Gets other dish>
Henry: <grins> Yeah!!

Baked {White Fish} with Parsley and Thyme

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds tilapia or other white fish (we used flounder) fillets
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon dried thyme
lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions

Preheat over to 375 degrees
Place fillets in a rimmed baking dish and season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning.
Drizzle melted butter over fillets and top with parsley and thyme
Bake until flaky and opaque (about 15 minutes)
Serve with lemon wedges if desired

Recipe based on one I found at Relish!

Meal Plan Monday

Last week there was a silly holiday called "Swap Ideas Day." As is usual around here, I came across it late in the day but I still decided to post about it on my Facebook page. I got one nibble from Tia at Becomin Neurotic, but it was a good one and something I haven't shared a lot lately.

I used to be a lot better at menu planning, but over the summer I got off course. Now that school is back in session and routine rules the day, I'm trying to get back in the habit. I signed in to my Relish! account to find some yummy foods to get us out of the food rut we've been stuck in and I found some winners! Check here if you'd like to see my explanation of how Relish! works to keep you organized in the kitchen.

This semester, Tuesday and Thursday are our major activity nights. I decided to plan one meal for both of those days and the girls will eat it one night and the boys get it the other. There's no sense in planning two whole meals for nights when only half the family is home at a time.

This week we'll be eating:

• Monday-Sloppy Jose's
• Tuesday-Individual Apple-Pork Meatloaves with rice
• Wednesday-Slow cooker roasted rosemary chicken with boiled salt potatoes
• Thursday-Individual Apple-Pork Meatloaves with rice
• Friday-PIZZA
• Saturday-Honey Teriyaki Chicken
• Sunday--Baked Tilapia with parsley and thyme and noodles

I'll be honest, I usually don't plan out my sides very well. We typically have a fresh fruit and a fresh vegetable to go with our dinner each night,  but I don't often make a side dish recipe. We prefer simple sides so we can focus on the mail course.

What's for dinner at your house this week?

10 Things Tuesday-Good Habits

Since last week was "Make Your Bed Day" I am making a list of

10 Good Habits We Have Started Recently

1. 30 minutes of cleaning every night
2. 1 load of laundry every day
3. Pre-Made dinner menu 
4. Eating breakfast at the table together
5. More fresh fruits and vegetables
6. Alternating TV times with chores for the kids
7. Better brushing and flossing
8. More walking for Mom
9. Packing lunches for school
10. Less computer/iPad time in the evenings

We still falter on most of these, but we keep going. It makes our house look better, our bodies feel better, our money go further, and our relationships work better. I also hope that I am teaching my kids good habits that will serve them well in adulthood.

What good habits are you working on?

Next week: 10 Bad Habits You are Trying to Quit

Having it all Together

I have set some goals for myself recently and been working on some self-improvement things. I have been trying to walk more, eat healthier and teach my children (and myself) good cleaning habits. I made a dinner menu that we are on the second cycle of and still tweaking.  I wear a pedometer, take daily walks and participate in friendly, encouraging smack talk with a co-worker who is also trying to get in shape. I made a two-week cleaning schedule that includes daily tasks as well as a 30-minute concentration on one room per night.  We've done well at all these things.  I feel better, my clothes fit better, my housed looked better...And there is the problem! I can accomplish all of these goals separately, but I can't seem to do them all at once. 
Three weeks ago, I was cleaning and eating well, but not getting in as many steps as I would have liked.  I made a point to concentrate on walking. I devised a route around this hobbled-together building that I work in that hits 10 different staircases and gets me about 1,200 steps in 7 minutes. I walked my butt off last week. I averaged 8,290 steps per day last week. And I know that because I keep track of it all on a spreadsheet on my computer.

 

I am on week 31 of keeping track and usually getting more steps than the week before. I felt like I had a good handle on the steps and dinners were nice and stress-free. I had all the groceries bought. I had all the recipes ready.  I tweaked a few things so we could take dinner with us the nights that Henry had soccer practice and Frances had ballet. I had the steps and the meals under control. Then I took a look at my house and got mad!

Right now there are 5 baskets of clean laundry in my living room, toys all over the dining room, clutter on my kitchen counters and laundry overflowing the hamper! I can handle two tasks, but apparently not three.  The thing that gets me is that they aren't unreasonable tasks. I don't think I am aiming for the pinnacle of motherhood here. I just want an organized, healthy family.  Is that supposed to be so difficult?? I feel like I can carry things in both hands, but I can't juggle. 

The thing is, I know better than to give up. One cookie does not completely ruin an entire diet, just like one day of sitting around too much doesn't ruin an exercise regimen, just like seven really full baskets of clothes doesn't ruin a clean house--well actually that doesn't work. I don't think you can have a clean house that involves multiple baskets of laundry in various stages of clean. What I guess I should say is that one messy living room does not ruin a plan for a cleaner house.  I will keep on trucking. I am moving in the right direction, and as long as I can keep sight of that things should be fine.

I think the cleaning thing will be coming together again soon. How do I know that? Because now meals seem to be falling apart. I shopped for all the things on our list and I have the plan and the recipes ready. But twice now this week, we've run out of essentials and had to run to the store again. Tuesday night it was milk and last night I got halfway through making pizza crust and ran out of flour!! I had 3 bags of sugar though!!

Maybe one of these days, we could have it all AND have it all together! (Although, "having it all" is one of my cleaning issues. I need to get rid of some stuff!!)

What personal goals are you struggling with? What goals are you achieving? Want an accountability partner? I can do that well!