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6/5/2019 0 Comments I couldn't find what I needed, as usual, so I made my own... Patent Description Worksheet. And I'm sharing it as a FREE PDF for anyone else that needs it. So, as usual... I go looking for something online & elsewhere; can't find it after an hour or so... then I give up and just go ahead and make something myself... That's what this post and PDF are about. As you might be aware of, I have been hinting at and attempting to launch a new product line since earlier this year. And one of my hold ups has been getting the patent for it. Well, I qualify for the reduced rate for the Provisonal Patent Application, which basically gives me a year to get my shit together and submitted, along with the additional fees that will be required. Doing the Provisional Patent will allow me to have the "Patent Pending" wording on my new product, as well, so that's cool. I've been sick for a few days and hence haven't been sharing much lately, but I wanted to definitely get this up, since it's ready to go. It's not as pretty as I wanted it to be, but its purpose is really just meant to be a worksheet that I could use to brainstorm my ideas about how to describe my new invention, its purpose/suggested uses, etc. To be CLEAR, this IS NOT meant to be the final paperwork that I'd send in, instead it's JUST supposed to be something I can formulate my ideas through/with. If you didn't know... I LOVE WORKSHEETS. And this one is 5 Pages worth of semi-structured, guided thinking, helpful goodness! If you need something like this, or know someone who does, feel free to share! Here it is...
If you'd like to learn more about Provisional Patents, click here.
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11/30/2016 0 Comments FREE Meal Planning Course--Lesson #3.2 (December's Meal Planning Calendars & Planners)
 So... here are the Meal Calendars & Planner/Menus for December--AS PROMISED!!! Now.... Should I really call this a "lesson"? Maybe not... Hence-- 'Lesson 3 -point- 2' If you have read Lessons #1 (How to plan with a calendar, all of your meals) & #2 (How to Make a Grocery List), what follows is described in that said lesson. No idea what I'm talking about? Here, go to Lesson #1 and/or Lesson #2 for full tutorials (or reviews). They will open in new windows, btw... Then if you want to copy my menus, you can, or make up your own... whatever... Now, if you already read those lessons, or can figure out what to do by looking at the following pictures, or just need the copies again and don't want to go searching for them in the earlier lessons... here are the PDFs for the 4 Calendars & Planner. Which, in December, you will need 5 of the Weekly Planners, just fyi.
Here's what I've got for next month, with a few exceptions to my 'rules/selections'-- For one thing...December, being an extremely COLD month, is one of my favorite months to do stews, chowders, and soups. PLUS, any leftovers, left over, I can on the second day, to stock the pantry for January & February--which are always much, much colder. You can check out my Pinterest board of Soups, Chowders & Stews for some yummy ideas. 
Let's see, what else? *the 17th is my eldest daughter's birthday, and we'll have family over and then the next day... *the 18th I take a road trip to pick up my middle daughter from visiting her family, so meal choices on that day are mostly leftovers & simple stuff also, *We are doing our 'family' Christmas on the 26th, this year And.... I think that's it. So here's my calendars...     This is the Meat Tally Chart I wrote on the back of my Snack Calendar prior to doing my Grocery Lists... 
A few notes on my Grocery Lists... *I DID NOT ADD, because I didn't need to (I already have the stuff): Cereal Eggs (Until later in the month) Frozen Mixed Veggies Applesauce Instant Oatmeal Onions Chicken Broth Frozen Corn *I ALSO plan to buy extra buns the first week for the BBQ Pork Sandwiches, to use the following week for the Sloppy Joe Casserole. *The Potato Soup mix that I use for both my Clam Chowder & a base for my Potato & Onion Soup is the Green bordered packages by 'Bear Creek' *And... I decided NOT to get any bacon or ground sausage for the Christmas Casserole, until closer to Christmas. Why? I dunno. Truthfully, I kinda forgot to add it in when I did the Meat Tally Chart... So I might just go and get it and cook it/freeze it in the beginning of the month, like I'm suppossed to. I certainly do not want a repeat of this Thanksgiving... Gee, You didn't hear about it? Hmm... oh yeah-- 'cause I haven't had hardly ANY time to post! It's okay... I'll catch you up soon with all the details and overdue posts and recipes... I PROMISE! ;) Okay... So here are my Weekly Planners/Grocery Lists for December...      Alright. That wraps this lesson up. Again, if you have any questions, if something isn't clear, or if you have recipe requests, or just want to tell me what you think about the course, so far... whatever you want to talk about, please--Contact me. I would love to chat with you!
and if you missed ANY of the lessons in the FREE Meal Planning Course, you can catch up, here: Announcing the FREE Meal Planning Course(Why I Meal Plan & how my method is Different) Lesson #1 (Meal Planning Binder, Calendars & Grocery Lists) Lesson #1.5 (How I Organize Meal Planning in the Household) Lesson #2 (How to Make your Grocery Lists for the Month) Lesson #2.5 (Meal Prep Kitchen Necessities) Lesson#3 (My Secret to Meal Planning Success) Thanksgiving Lesson Thanksgiving Recipes Part#1 S'mores, Turkey, 2 Hams, Stuffing Also, if you haven't yet entered to win a copy of my book, there's still a little time left, as I am on Pacific time, plus, like I said yesterday-- I will be running another Giveaway next month, but I think only until the 16th or so. To enter, go to the TOP of this page! Thanks again for all of your support & for just stopping by! Love, T.B. Cooper
Anybody that knows me knows that I have been cooking Thanksgiving since I was 15, and I haven't missed one, since. Every year the family gathers at our house, and I spend the day joyously cooking for more than 20 people. Now that's not saying much, since eight of those people already live with me, it really just sounds like I'm only doubling what I normally make-- But not really.
This is a FEAST. This is a feast that is meant to last for days, even if everybody doesn't stay for that long. I make sure there is enough food for dinner itself, second and third helpings, breakfast lunch and dinner for the next day for everyone in the house (which still includes almost all the guests), take-home boxes, and at least one pie per car to take with. We don't do Thanksgiving at my house on Thanksgiving, anymore. With kids and family members expanding our family to include significant others/in-laws and grandparents, I found it to be too selfish of me to insist that they come to my house instead of anywhere else, on Thanksgiving. So we instead do it on Saturday after. This not only gives me a couple of days extra to prepare food/desserts, but it also allows me some down time-- after we of course, “prep” the one or two turkeys we have been raising for the table. 
When I first started cooking Thanksgiving dinner (at 15), I used to get up at three or 4 o'clock in the morning, and dinner would not be ready until at least 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I grew up in a household where both parents were immigrants, and so Thanksgiving was not a tradition we celebrated. When I moved out (at 15), I took it upon myself to cook the meal for my family, for my first Thanksgiving. Back then, my very first meal was a cheat-- we bought one of those Albertson's boxed Thanksgiving dinners, that I had to do was heat most of it up. But I did add extra dishes, some that I still continue to this day to make-- such as the brown sugared golden sweet potatoes, that I list as part of the meal, but is really good enough to be considered a desert.
Over the last 22 years, I have not only perfected my methods and recipes, but I have shaved that 12 hour time in one day, to just barely 4 (maybe five) hours on the day itself. Which means if I actually did Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day like the rest of the country, you would find me sleeping in until roughly 8 o'clock, and dinner would be done no later than 1 PM. 
I've included a couple of Printables in this lesson. One is a copy of what our Thanksgiving menu has grown to look like… It is split into three sections: parts of the MEAL, DESSERTS, and where I COOK everything. And YES, this is really what our menu looks like. Of course, a couple of my kids have often joked and said that when I die and they take over cooking the Thanksgiving meal, it will consist only of ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, potato salad, and Green Bean Casserole. To make up for the other dishes, they will just buy Chinese take-out. But like I tell them, I don't cook the meal just for them. We have an eclectic family group, an extended family, and friends that are family… so I cook to appease everyone, even for some who have passed on from this life into the next.
Okay, as you can see from the picture of what my menu looks like... I'm probably crazy.
LOL Or not. 
This year we will still have two turkeys (one homegrown/one store bought) & two different hams(as usual). I've decided to do the pot roast instead of corned beef and cabbage. Traditionally, mom normally makes it, but I'll have her make that for Christmas, this year, instead. The potato salad I usually make is a white potato salad, so when you see the ingredients you'll notice there's no mustard. Not that I don't love yellow potato salad, but I came up with the white one on accident many years ago, and my daughter that loves potatoes-- loves this potato salad. I enjoy candied yams and mashed yams, some years I make both… this year is one of them. You'll also see Green Bean Casserole and green beans on this list, I have no other explanation other than I have people in our clan that like one or the other, some who like both. The cream cheese/garlicky crescent rolls are a must, that my sister insists I make dozens of. They are simply refrigerated crescent rolls with chunks of cream cheese rolled into them, brushed with garlicky butter, and baked until golden… But oh, so good!
On the dessert side, the first thing you see is s'mores. Now before I tell you why it's there, let me just tell you that it's only been the past eight years or so that I've begun to let others join me in the kitchen/help me in any way, shape, or form.
It all started when my youngest daughter was maybe six, and I was cooking Thanksgiving dinner as usual, and she desperately wanted to help make something. The only thing was, I didn't have anything for a six-year-old to make. But I thought quickly (like I usually do), and realized I had a cookie sheet, 10 to 15 minutes of free oven time, some left over graham crackers that were not ground-up, chocolate chips and extra marshmallows. So I taught her to make s'mores-- in the oven. Now, every year since it has been a tradition that she makes at least one cookie sheet of s'mores, right around the time everybody starts getting restless and hungry. Of course, we joke now than when she finally brings home a potential mate, that that individual might find it humorous that her contribution, is s'mores. 
Moving on…
You will see a lot of pies on this list. We love pie, some love cheesecake, and no one likes the same thing… Plus like I said earlier, I have to make sure there is enough that each carload, at least, gets to take home one whole pie. You'll probably also notice there are two different kinds of apple pie in two different kinds of pumpkin pie on the list. The difference between the apple pies, is one has cinnamon rolls on it, the other doesn't. And the pumpkin pies, are either bake or no bake. I will be including recipes for most of these, shortly after I have this post up (within a day or two). I am still currently working on getting everything typed up/caught up. The last thing you see in the Desserts column is Libby's-type Desserts. These are whatever assortment I can find when I go shopping, that I pick up, for all of the other children that will be at my house, wanting to help. 
The last section, is all about where I cook everything.
So where do I cook everything? Well, in my kitchen, of course! Or, I should say kitchens… One of the selling points when we bought our house, was that one of the prior owners added an extension, which included a large kitchen, but chose to keep the original smaller kitchen. Which meant I automatically had two stove tops, two spaces for refrigerators, two ovens, and one sink... and somehow to this day, still not enough counterspace or cupboards-- which is just funny, because it's more than I have ever had. A few years back we ended up upgrading all the appliances so my two ovens became three. My two four-burner stoves became one 4-burner and one 5-burner. But it still is not enough appliances to cook the full meal.
Each one of the “methods” in the “Cook Where” section, has a code next to it, such as Roaster #1—code-(R1). In the next picture of the same menu, there are codes written on each line next to each menu item. Which by the way, I do just like my Pre-make List(Lesson #3)
and stick inside of a sheet protector, that I then hang on my refrigerator with magnets. 
Click to get your FREE Thanksgiving Menu PRINTABLE either the already filled version or the Blank version. Or both!
Thanksgiving Lesson Part #2
This is where I make my list for groceries, for this epic meal.
Just like I do for Meal Prepping, I go through each item on my menu and write down what each dish requires for ingredients. As you can see from the two pictures below, I first do a run through of every item/ingredient I can think of, regardless if I have it or not, keeping in mind how much of each one I might need.* *Making sure I forget something, so my husband has a convenient reason (or three) to get out of the house! (Kidding!!--not really)
*I do however, do one small thing differently with my Thanksgiving Shopping List/Rough Draft.
I grab all of my colored highlighters, divide the groceries into (7) different aisles/sections (6 colored markers + 1 non-colored/misc. category), and then highlight away. P.S. I'm sorry the yellow doesn't show up that well! :(
Then I do the fun part… Fill in the blanks!
BTW, my picture of the list looks slightly different than the PRINTABLE, just FYI. And also, I told you--I need to get new toner! 
Now, you may notice on the PRINTABLE as well as on my copy, I divided further.
That's because I noticed I could divide the Miscellaneous section down by adding another section for the 'Bread Aisle.' 
Click below, for your FREE Grocery List Printable!!
And... well...
Besides the recipes, that's it for this Lesson. Recipes I will post, tomorrow and Monday: Turkey Ham #1 Ham #2 Stuffing Mashed Potatoes Green Bean Casserole Cream Cheese/Garlicky Crescent Rolls Apple Pie (or Berry, or any other kind of fruit) S'mores Cinnamon Puff Apple Pie "Healthy" Cheesecake (That tastes too good!) If there is anything on the "Menu" that you'd like a recipe for, please Contact me. Also, I did promise in an earlier Lesson, that I'd show you (briefly) how to budget a Grocery List. Unfortunately, that is not gonna happen this week. I do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, but I did not forget & will post it soon! If you don't stop back by this week for the recipes-- Have a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving! YOU are one of my blessings I am Thankful for! <3 
 Meal Planning Lesson #3 My Secret to Meal Planning Success-- Well, I think you've waited long enough for me to come forth with this lesson. My gosh, the last few weeks have been full and overflowing with equal amounts of good and bad, and in true Libra form (with severe bipolar depression), I've tried my damnedest to stay balanced, coming real close to just shutting down. I've wanted to give up more times than I'd ever admit, and I can't say I'm feeling much better about life right now... I'm just... going. Like I've said before, Family comes first, and if I want to have a breakdown I have to schedule it in and then cancel the appointment later on because I just don't have that kind of time! So, I've had to handle what I could, when I could... and now I can finally post something of my own/my interest. So, let's not keep you waiting. My secret? Pre-makes. ? Oh-wow... Right? That's what you're thinking? Hold on, it gets better--I promise! so... Isn't that what Meal Planning/Prepping is? Isn't it all pre-makes? Well, it depends on how you look at it. Let me explain. Meal Planning/Prepping in the traditional sense, is really about having your meals planned and prepped for. That's easy enough to understand. For me, however, the way most Planners/Preppers do it, the making the whole meal in a bag or casserole dish, freezing it, thawing it out, and then cooking it, is too confining and boring, for me. Sorry-- well--sort of. My blog, my post, my opinions… Moving on. **I'm including a Printable of the same list of Pre-makes I/we do every month. I keep it in a sheet protector and when we're prepping, I hang it with magnets on my fridge, so we can see what we're doing – as a checklist.  But I'm getting ahead a bit… Let's go back for a second. Remember the list we did on the back of the Snack Calendar, to the tally up the meats? (Lesson #2)   This is where my Pre-make/INGREDIENT-way, rocks! Let's think for a minute, so I can explain my thought process, when planning out our meals... *I chose meals I would cook, every day, for the month. *I planned my groceries/ingredients, accordingly. Now, ==== I KNOW MOST of the ingredients can be made ahead of time and frozen... how? Well, #1 because I'm smart and #2 because I'm observant. You know, people pay good money for already made stuff, like “meal helpers” from the frozen aisle. Okay, but I'm not one to pay good money for something I'm perfectly capable of doing for myself. So that's my secret. Do you feel like I've let you down? Let me add to this, the bonuses I've found, because contrary to what you might think (not saying you do, but if you do)-- I didn't start off my Meal Prepping/Planning this way. I too, started with doing the (Already-made)meals ahead of time. That lasted all of two weeks. The amount of money versus the redundancy, and to be honest-- poor quality of the food, made me change the game-- real quick. For example, maybe it's just me, but, I also don't claim to be a great cook. Like, I'd never have the balls to enter a competition, because I just cook. That's what I do, and apparently most people love it... And I'm just tickled and grateful that they do. I don't do pretty food. Just like my house is not decorated pretty. I do comfy. My house and my cooking are just warm and welcoming and make you feel at home. **With that in mind, don't expect my recipes to be like everyone else's either. I don't purposely rebel against the standard recipe format, I just am incapable of following one, let alone thinking in that black and white structure. Anyway…… The example I was going to point out – Crockpot Chicken. So, a bunch of recipes you'll find online for Meal Prepping, will be crockpot dinners. And a majority of those involve chicken. Well, I like chicken. But I HATE the way chicken comes out in the crockpot. The videos the recipes the pictures... All look SO YUMMY!!  For Recipe ideas on Crockpot meals (including chicken) that you might be better at cooking, than me...
checkout my Pinterest board: 
But mine NEVER comes out that way. UNLESS, my chicken is pre-cooked and then tossed in. *cue 'Aha' audience clip* (I don't have one... just imagine it though)  I don't know what it is, but every recipe, every time-- the chicken comes out the same. IF I PUT IT IN RAW- to cook... Kinda rubbery. Kinda stringy. Kinda really nasty. Like I said, I'm not a “cook.” I'm just a mom/wife/etc. etc. Also, another thing I hate about the “other” way of Meal Prepping-- “take it out from the freezer the night before, let defrost overnight in the fridge, and in the morning (before work for example) empty contents into the crockpot, and it will be magically done when you get home.” I don't know whose fridge they're putting these freezer meals in, to defrost overnight. NOT MINE. Freezer meals can sit in my fridge for two days, before thawing to be even remotely manageable. My fridge(s) are set at what they were programmed to (37°) by the factory. I'm not changing that. So what do I do? How do I defrost my frozen foods? Well, I'll tell you, but I think legally I need to add this disclaimer: Disclaimer/Commonsense WARNING: DO NOT USE the following method. Possible harmful effects could occur that include poisoning, tummy aches, diarrhea, vomiting, anal leakage, death, and broken legs and/or hearts, among other things. If you use this method, you do so at your own risk, and accept full responsibility for your actions and any repercussions that may occur. You have been warned. Okay-- now this is what I do. So here's the scene… It's 5:47 PM, I've been at my computer all day… Kids are hungry, mom is hungry… Husband and sister are on their way home from work… And I'm NOWHERE NEAR DONE working for the day… And – I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT DINNER. Gasp*yeah. I know. Total parenting/wifely fail. But… I have a teakettle and frozen ingredients. Which means I also have choices. I could stick to the menu, and make what I have planned for, or I can make something completely different… It's my choice. So I ask myself, how committed am I today to cooking (_blank_)? First, I fill the teakettle w/water and set it to boil. Then I go pick out what I'm going to make, meat-wise/pasta too, if applicable. I set the bag of meat in a pot on the counter (on top of a pot holder) (same with pastas), and then go back to my desk, or go potty, or go get coffee, or yell at the kids, or all of that combined… Once the water boils, I pour from the tea kettle on to the meat/pasta (still in their bags), and let them sit in the water for about 15/20 minutes or so. !!AH!! yeah, I know… We've been told and warned for years NOT TO DO THIS, but here I am saying, I do this. Well, yeah… I do. I basically do my own “boil in bag” version. The meat or pasta is already cooked-- well, mostly... The pork and chicken cubed pieces aren't. However, the way I freeze and store those/all of it, make the thaw-out time minimal, like 10 minutes- tops. I'm only thawing enough so that the meat/pasta is manageable and I can break it up and throw it in, into whatever I'm going to make. Anyway, once that's done… Here's my 15 minutes in the kitchen… (And no, I'm not breaking that 15 minutes down into increments to illustrate)... I'll saute some onions, garlic, and peppers in my big electric skillet... At the same time, I also boil/steam the rice and/or veggies (cabbage, carrots, broccoli/cauliflower etc.)in separate pot(s). Then, back at the skillet, I'll throw in the meat, add a bit of saucy and/or spices etc.… and then finally add the pasta and/or veggies, into the skillet… or something similar to that if throwing together a casserole, or (if done earlier in the day) for chili, etc.  And-- DONE. Dinner(for tonight) and lunch(for tomorrow) done in 15 Minutes of actual “in the Kitchen” cook-time... So-- What's on the list of Pre-Makes?  Let's go over it… The biggest section, is the “Freeze” section. I know, real imaginative label… The Freeze section is divided into three smaller sections. The first, is a fairly simple section, the name alone tells you what each ingredient is, and how to prepare them/it. With the ingredients in this section, you simply cut, dice, chop, spiralize or shred them, and then put them into a freezer bag.
Then, I put the sheet in the protector, grab an eraser marker and cross out (on the plastic) the items I'm NOT MAKING. And you'll notice, I marked a few of the numbers with RED notes, to explain what you're looking at...  And THEN... I keep a different color eraser marker in my apron, and as we make this and that – I cross them off, until we're done.  2-3 days of roughly 4 hours each, of prep work. And that's all it takes, and I'm done cooking for the month, and usually with extra to carry us into the next month as well, or for those days when there's unexpected extra mouths to feed. Now, again, if I find I don't have time, or don't feel like it, or we have guests – whatever, I have already cooked and ready ingredients that are part of a HUGE ENDLESS MENU… The menu in my head, which is fueled by a knack for being able to throw stuff together, regardless of a recipe. Flexibility – so important. And, you know what else is important? No “Fend for Yourself Nights” AND-- Lunches are covered. How? Well… The leftovers/Lunches happen, because I ALWAYS make more than what we're going to eat that night, and since leftovers are good 2-3 days, if kept in the fridge, in quality Tupperware/plastic storage containers, this also means = Money $aved. No “Fend for Yourself” nights ALSO = Money $aved, because if given the choice, they ALWAYS go for “the good stuff,” which is usually the expensive stuff, as well… Bread usually runs $3.25/loaf, not expensive? Add everything that goes into a sandwich, multiply it by nine… and, uh--yeah… To each their own, but I'm not trying to spend that kind of money, by being too lazy to make sure there's enough (made)food to eat.
Well, that's that lesson. Below you will find the Printable, with extra space in case you think of stuff to add. Again, you can totally use your whiteout tape, or ask for an adjustment (one time) to customize it how you want. **Also, your copy will more than likely printout darker and more vivid... I kinda need new toner and I'm too cheap to buy it until I'm REALLY out! And again, if you have questions or need help… Contact me. One LAST THING... I AM SUPER TIRED... BUT, I am posting the Thanksgiving Lesson as soon as I am done with this. So Don't GIVE UP ON ME!!! Please?! I AM trying.... Be back shortly!
And if you've missed any of the Lessons, so far...
Announcing the FREE Meal Planning Course(Why I Meal Plan & how my method is Different) Lesson #1 (Meal Planning Binder, Calendars & Grocery Lists) Lesson #1.5 (How I Organize Meal Planning in the Household) Lesson #2 (How to Make your Grocery Lists for the Month) Lesson #2.5 (Meal Prep Kitchen Necessities) 10/23/2016 0 Comments FREE Meal Planning Course--Lesson #1
****Sorry I was late, family was over for our monthly Birthday gathering... Plus, I wanted to make sure this was/is as close to perfect as I can get it. But, it is still Sunday here, on the West coast... just saying ;)
Okay, so... Meal planning/prepping makes sense in this crazy hectic world we live in. Many people already do this, and a simple search online, will lead you to thousands of brilliant folks doing it and very kindly sharing that info. But let me save you some time… Here are five clever sites to show you some of the Meal Planning Techniques that many others are using right now. My Meal Prep Sunday New Leaf Wellness Mommy Savers Richly Rooted Meal Planning Magic
Now, I promised you something different.
And different, you shall have. But – where to start? ............………? ..............……!
……...................................................................Ready now? Good.
So I had suggested 12 dividers (at least) so you can keep track, month by month or (better yet) plan your Meals & Budget, months in advance! Either or, I think 12 tabs for 12 months is a good start. So go ahead and label the tabs. January through December. Done? Okay, moving on… **I would add, that you'll probably want five or six more tabs, and as this course progresses I'll explain why. Before you go yelling me, just accept it. People are different, and like doing things a certain way. You might decide you will use other binders/folders for the other sections I'll discuss, or some of the “worksheets” you might want to just keep in the side pockets of the binder. So you never know. Also, you might want to punch three holes in a standard sized manila envelope and label it “receipts” if you need a spot to put them, or have a desire to keep them… and stick the envelope in the binder. It's not what I do, but you may want to.
Okay. So, here is your first “lesson,” which is your basic “How to plan with a calendar, all of your meals,” lesson...
This will be/might be pretty similar to other Planners, by the way… just so you know, but I have to start from the beginning, in case there are viewers who are just getting introduced to Meal Planning/Prepping. *Below, you will see five forms to print out. 4 are calendars, 1 is a Weekly Meal Planner *Download/save them ALL to a safe spot on your computer.
*Since next month is November, starts on a Tuesday, and ends on a Wednesday, print out all four Calendars
(you'll do this, regardless of the month, each month) and print five of the Weekly Meal Planner (one sheet per week of the month you're planning for). **NOTE: the 1st 4 Worksheets need to be PRINTED in "Landscape," & the last one needs to be PRINTED in "Portrait." If your Printer for PDFs isn't already marked to 'Auto portrait/landscape' be sure to check the orientation BEFORE PRINTING. Also, select 'Actual Size' as opposed to 'Fit," that way you have a bit more writing room. 
The 4 Calendars
*All four calendars are NOT DATED, but are labeled for the days of the week, with (my) meal category for that particular day. ***** BTW, if at any time you do not like my “choice” for the day of the week, you can – like I do when I want to change a form option – use whiteout tape, and write what you'd like, instead. I am really addicted to whiteout tape, just FYI (here's a great deal on Amazon, this is what I buy). Or, until there are too many requests, for now, just Contact me – I'll gladly change the meal options per your request, ONE TIME so make sure you are clear and concise, and thoroughly well researched in your options. ****I suggest whiteout for at least three months, before you're absolutely sure. *Now, date your Calendars and Weekly Meal Planner accordingly. There are little squares at the top right corner of each day on the Meal Planner, to write the date in, but on the Calendars I just write them in, freestyle (also in the upper right-hand corner of each day). *I suggest for the time being, you use my suggestions for meals, and fill in the days with the appropriate (what you like) versions of the choices. Let's start with Breakfast..... 
Okay – The Lunch Calendar
Most of this calendar gets filled up with (“)'s. Soup options are usually Top Ramen (sorry, but we LOVE Top Ramen, but almost always it's only an option one or two times a month), or canned homemade soup. Leftovers are ALWAYS for lunch. Period. *Except for my husband, who gets “special” lunches – with sandwiches, wraps, stuff for dipping, etc. (jerk). 1x/week a wrap is an option. 1x/week a sandwich is and option. Wrap choices are either – chicken salad, tuna salad, or egg salad – in a tortilla. Sandwiches are fair game – lunch meat, tuna (if it wasn't in a wrap this week), PBJ etc. So basically, I only “write” in the wrap choices, again, alternating the choices between: chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad. All other columns, are filled with (“)'s. 
*When you're done with your calendars, fill in the corresponding meals with their matching letters on the Weekly Meal Planner Sheets…
Breakfast=B Lunch=L Snack=S Dinner=D vvvvvv^^^^^Examples ^^^^^ vvvvvv 
Um...
I'd like to point out something SUPER IMPORTANT right now. The next two months are (usually) the most expensive when it comes to food. You have Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hanukkah/etc.... family over – parties – holidays – etc.etc. etc..... Now may not be the best time to learn how to “Meal Plan.” Especially when you might end up eating mac & cheese for the next month or two, just so you can have enough money for the festivities… I'm just pointing it out, so you'll keep that in mind. I'd hate for you to start this, feel like it's harder to do than you thought, and end up going greatly over budget etc. etc. and then on top of that-- end up giving up, before you really ever get started. What I'd like to see you do, ideally, is learn EVERYTHING you can from this course. Get all your ducks in a row, so to speak. Then, from January on – Meal Prep the Hell out of your life. New years are perfect for New habits. I told you, I plan my year in advance. Anyway, it's so much easier to learn from someone else's mistakes, than having to waste your time making the same ones, yourself. Of course, you can still go through with this, right now, and succeed. Just stay with me, okay? (Of course, I did include pictures of what my November Plan looks like & you can copy if you want, I don't mind. And just FYI, my family has been getting together on Saturdays for Thanksgiving for a few years now, so that's why my November might seem a bit weird. Also note: Thanksgiving "Day" Meal is NOT accounted for on the lists.... that, I can do a separate run through Menu/Grocery List, if you want? Actually, I think I will. In fact, I will post my Menu & List around the 11th-ish, so be sure to watch for it!) Also, now that I think about it, I think I'll go ahead and just post my Meal Plans, so you can see them as I go along, since I do them every month, regardless... AND… PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE – do not move ahead! I HATE having to answer questions that I haven't covered the material for yet. I'm the same way when home-schooling my kids. So please be patient. We'll get there. I promise!
Alright, here's a Recap –
Your “Assignment” is to have ALL of the following, done by Thursday, the 27th... or whenever, it's not like I'm grading you or anything! LOL. *Label tab dividers (possibly buy a few more) *Download/save the Calendars and Weekly Meal Planner *Fill in dates on the worksheets and fill out meals/ideas for November *Fill out ONLY the Menu Side of the Meal Planner Sheets(the rest of the sheet will be covered in Lesson #2) **Meet me back here, on Thursday the 27th, for Lesson #2 (How to Make a Grocery List--Like, the best-est list EVER) & Lesson #2.5 (Meal Prep Kitchen Necessities) and, If you have any questions, please contact me. & YES, I will post/share recipes as we go along, but if you have a request of something you saw on here, again... Contact Me. **One more thing... I've got two Halloween Giveaways, that I'm helping to share/promote for some fellow authors (Sharon Hamilton & Brandy Nacole), so before you leave, why don't you check out the verbiage on them & possibly enter for your chance to win some FREE e-books and other cool stuff! **Clicking below might financially benefit me if your click becomes a purchase. Below link is an Affiliate Link. Just FYI. |
Mt. Charleston, as seen from my backyard.
Hello!I’m T.B. Cooper, and I’m very excited to share my life with you. In between living on Pinterest, voicing political views of Equality (on Pinterest, Twitter and Tumblr), running an atypical farm in the Southern Nevada Desert, spiritually guiding & advising & fixing lives, and schooling my kids plus a bunch of others' kids (...that I'm not sure how they got here); you’ll find me fighting for desk space with my cats, attempting to keep their hair out of my tea, plugging my nose 'cause my bulldog likes to sleep & fart next to me, trying to actually do some work that makes ME happy… 
Don't miss out on my NEW SERIES, Tentaglian Empire: House of Tentagel. For details, click here.
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