Looking for easy meals on a Monday

How is it Monday again, already?  Did your weekend fly by in a blur?  With all the soccer games and parties and adventures sometimes Monday just hits me like those anvils that would flatten Tom in the old Tom and Jerry cartoons.

But thankfully, I’m eating cold pizza thanks to Stefan Frei (a phemonal flying octopus of a goalie.  I have no idea how he stops some of the things he does!).  Our Seattle soccer  team has a deal that if they get a shut-out on a home game we get free Papa Murphy’s pizza with our tickets.  And we have four tickets and they had an amazing win this weekend so we’ll be eating pizza for days…..

When the pizza runs out, I’ve actually resurrected my slow cooker because of a cookbook I’ve been using lately so life shouldn’t be too horrible. I received a copy of Taste of Home Simple and Delicious and it is seriously simple and we’ve had some really tasty meals because of it.   A lot of the recipes are the slow-cooker/casserole/doctor-up-a-cake mix-type, so they are perfect for our busy days now that we are back in school.  I’ve tried a few soups and pasta entrees and they’ve turned out and I’m glad that the book inspired me to actually eat in and the leftovers have been great for lunches the next day.

I’ve been back volunteering at the Pike Place Market too so I will finally update my 52 weeks of market eating again.  Have you noticed all the construction at the market lately?  I’m so excited about the new Marketfront!

The kids tried out something new too-a Stomp Rocket LED that is fun to play with at night now that it’s starting to get dark in Seattle before bedtime.  They told me it doesn’t go as high as the original Stomp Rocket because it has more weight thanks to the LED (Go STEM!! I’m not sure if I would have figured this one out.) BUT they think it is the COOLEST because it glows.  (I totally get this.) We can’t wait to try it when it gets even darker.  I can’t believe how much darkness we get here in wintertime.

The upside of winter though is warm clothes and I want this Betabrand jacket for soccer when it gets cooler and darker for sure! It’s like a jacket and blanket mashed together. It looks a little like one I keep buying from Lululemon but it’s water repellent and can be used as an actual blanket.  Don’t you just love it?  Should I buy it?

And I saw my first advent calendar sighting of the year at Costco (the one on 4th in Seattle if you are looking to find it). It is a beer calendar so I’m not super excited-I’m more of a make up advent calendar girl.  BUT I heard about a Tsum Tsum advent calendar that just came out too that might be fun and advent calendars are probably my favorite thing about the winter season and counting down the miserable dark days in a happy way.  I can’t believe it’s almost THAT time of year though….

So are you cooking anything easy meals this week that are super fantastic?  I’d love to try them if you have a recipe! And if your September is zooming by too I totally hear you!  Happy Tuesday! Monday!!!

(PS. I received a copy of the cookbook and a stomp rocket to review.  I also received pizza because I have Sounders Seasons tickets and the Sounders got a shut out!!!!!!!! I was not required to review and these opinions are my own.)

(PPS. If you are thinking of advent calendars THIS EARLY, last year I did one with my friends and family that really made my heart happy and if you are going to do it to you need to think about this one soon to get it set up.)

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)