Going green in the kitchen

It has been a while since I've posted. As the end of the school year wraps up, things get busy! Today I spent a very small amount of time in the kitchen but got much accomplished. I have been saving old whipped topping, butter, and ice cream containers. I finally found a great use for them. First, I browned 2 pounds of ground beef. I separated them into four containers and stuck them in the freezer. I plan to use them for beef nachos, spaghetti sauce, hamburger helper, and tacos. I also baked a couple of chicken breasts and diced them. I will use those for chicken enchiladas. Last, I made a batch of cookie dough. I baked a couple dozen and froze the rest in an ice cream container. So, in less than an hour, I have meat ready four five meals and cookie dough too!! Plus, I reused some items instead of throwing them in the trash.

Do you have a great time saving tip or another way to reuse food containers?

More April Meals...The Cheaper, The Better

Last week, I told you we were saving for a summer vacation. I felt that a good way to help with that was to cut down on our grocery budget. Here are five more meals that are good, but cheap. The total was under $35! 
Pork chops, baked potato, frozen dinner rolls, and baked beans. $7.75
Grilled chicken breasts, homemade muffins, tossed salad, banana/strawberry mix. $9
Frozen meal (a meal I premade a few weeks ago). Free
Hamburger helper, green beans, and tossed salad. $7.75
Tacos, carrots and dips $8

Hamburger helper is on the menu again. I found them on sale for $1 a box, plus had a 75 cent off coupon for three. So I got them for 75 cents each! 

April Meals - The cheaper, the better

For the month of April, I am going to see how many good, cheap meals I can come up with instead of doing weekly menus this month. Time to start saving for a summer vacation.

My first five meals are the following:
***Breakfast: Pancakes, sausage, eggs, strawberries  Estimated total for this meal is: $8
***Hamburger helper (4.75 with ground beef and HH), steamed veggies (1.50), frozen bread dough loaf ($1). Estimated total: $7.25
***One of my frozen meals, I prepared a few weeks ago (Free!!)
***Pot pie chicken bake, garden salad, dessert Estimated total $11
***Mini pizzas, garden salad, carrots $8

Total for first five meals : $34.25 
Hopefully have some of these meals for leftovers!

Recipes

Pot pie chicken bake
Mix can of chicken gravy, frozen mixed vegies, two cups of diced chicken breast, and one cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Warm together in sauce pan.
Spread mixture into baking pan.
Cover with unrolled crescent rolls. 
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Mini Pizzas
Place biscuits (however many you need) in a greased baking dish. Flatted with spoon. Spread pizza sauce on top of each biscuit. Top with your choice of toppings. Cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.   

Organizing Kids Clothing

I have been storing my kiddo's clothing in totes since day one. I felt they were organized, and they were good enough. Today, I got a real organizing "bug" and went a step further. First of all, I struggle with keeping the clothing the have outgrown it at all. We want more kids, but who knows if it's going to happen? Some of my daughter's clothing is getting outdated....she is six and I bought a lot of her clothing at garage sales, so some of it could be up to ten years old already. I went through it all today! If I felt it was a bit outdated, or something not practical, I got rid of it. I ended up eliminating three totes worth of clothing and in the process sold it on my local Facebook buy sell trade right away.  I printed off some cute labels I found on Pinterest and stored it away, where it will stay until I hopefully need it again. Tomorrow it is my son's turn, which will be easier since he only has three years worth! :) I love organizing...it brings me sanity.

 

Weekly Menu: March 26- April 1

Hi! I am back after a week off being with my family. I hope you tried my two freezer meals from two weeks ago. It is a good feeling to have a few meals to pull out of the freezer when you don't feel like cooking. I have one more to add this week, which is the chicken enchiladas. You could even freeze some hamburger patties for future use. 
Monday: Cheeseburger rollups, baked beans, strawberry-banana mix
Tuesday: Chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice, carrots and dip
Wednesday: Grilled hamburgers, baked french fries, leftover baked beans, pasta salad
Thursday: Grilled chicken breasts, leftover pasta salad, baked potatoes, rolls
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: Lunch- Pizza       Supper-Out
Sunday: Palm Sunday Dinner- Ham, cheesy potatoes, corn casserole, rolls
              Supper- ham sandwiches, salad, carrots and dip

Recipes:
Cheeseburger rollups
Brown 1 lb. of ground beef. Drain grease.
Add one can of cheddar soup.
Lay out two cans of crescent rolls.
Place spoonful of beef mixture into crescent roll and roll up.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or golden brown.

Chicken Enchiladas
Combine 2 cups of cooked, diced chicken breasts
Heat chicken with can of cream of chicken or jar of salsa
Roll up mixture in tortilla and place seam down in baking dish
Top with a second can of cream of chicken and shredded cheddar cheese
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling

 

Off week

Due to my grandfather's passing, I will not be posting a menu for the coming week. I've been with family all week and have not had time to work on things. See you next week.

Weekly Menu March 12-18

This week I will be preparing some frozen meals, along with preparing our daily meals. I purchased a couple of foil pans and am ready to go!
Monday: Beef enchiladas, Mexican rice, strawberry/banana mix
Tuesday: Chicken mac and cheese, Olive Garden bread sticks, garden salad
Wednesday: French dips in crock pot, pasta salad, strawberry/banana mix
Thursday: Honey lime chicken, Leftover pasta salad, leftover bread sticks, carrots and dip
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: Lunch- pizza  Supper-Out
Sunday: Lunch- baked ham, baked potatoes, corn casserole
              Supper- Sloppy joes, baked beans, vegetables with ranch dip
The meals I will be freezing are enchiladas and chicken mac and cheese. I will make half of the recipe in a baking dish and the other half in the foil pan. Cover the foil pans with tin foil and write what the item is, how long to bake and oven temp. You will then have two meals to pull out of the freezer on a night you don't feel like it!

Chicken-Macaroni Casserole via food.com

• ½ cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine , melted
• 2 (10 ¾ ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese , divided
• 1 cup milk
• 3 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 ½ cups cooked macaroni
• salt
• pepper
• ¼ cup Ritz cracker crumbs

Directions:

1. 1
   In a large skillet over med-high heat, saute onions in butter until onions are tender.
2. 2
   Add in soup and 1 ½ cups cheese; gradually stir in milk.
3. 3
   Cook over medium heat until cheese melts; stir in chicken and macaroni; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. 4
   Transfer mixture to a greased 2 ½ quart casserole; sprinkle with cracker crumbs.
5. 5
   Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.
6. 6
   Top with remaining ½ cup cheese and bake 5 minutes.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-macaroni-casserole-351655#ixzz1oeiohpNJ

Copy Cat Olive Garden Breadsticks via sixsistersstuff.com

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups of water
1 1/2 Tbsp butter, softened
4 cups of flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast (one packet)
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Non-stick cooking spray (preferably butter flavored)
Garlic salt for topping

 

Procedure:

1. In the mixing bowl of dough mixer, mix together 1 1/2 Tbsp softened butter, flour, sugar, salt, yeast and water and make smooth soft dough. (If you don't have a dough mixer, simply mix ingredients together in a bowl using a large spoon. When dough becomes too hard to mix using that, pull out of pull and knead on a floured surface until dough is smooth. I kneaded mine for about 5 minutes and it turned out fine)

2. When dough is ready make elongated shape of bread sticks having 1 1/2” thickness and 5-6" long.

3. Place these sticks on a greased baking sheet by keeping 2-4 cm distance in between sticks cover the pan and let them rise to double in size for 60-80 min (keep in a warm place for faster rising).

4. Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

5. Brush breaksticks with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake for 18-20 min until they are barely lightly golden on top (don't over-do it!). Serve warm breadsticks with marinara sauce for dipping.

*Final result: These are delicious breadsticks and are pretty close to Olive Garden, but I still love Olive Garden's more. :) I cooked mine for about 3 minutes too long, so they were a little overdone for my taste. Next time I am going to pull them out a little earlier and see if that makes a difference. I am usually scared when it comes to making bread, but these were pretty quick to rise and made just the right amount that I felt comfortable making them . . . and if I can do it, anyone can!! They make a great side dish and I will for sure make them again.

Recipe adapted from Recipe Dose

 Easy Corn Casserole

1 - 16 oz can corn, drained

1 - 16 oz can cream-style corn

1 c. macaroni, uncooked

1 stick butter, cubed

1 c. cubed Velvetta cheese

Mix all ingredients and place in greased 8x8x2 baking dish. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

 

French dip sandwich (Crock Pot)

1 lean beef roast

1 can beef broth

1 can water

1 package French au jus sauce mix

1 package Italian dressing mix

Hoagie or sourdough buns

In slow cooker, place roast, broth, water , sauce mix and dressing mix. Cooke on low for 8-10 hours. Meat will come apart easily when done. Remove meat and pour juice in individual serving bowls. Serve on buns; dip in juice. Add cheese if desired.

Honey-Lime Chicken via plainchicken.com

4 chicken breasts

1/2 c lime juice

1/3 c. oil

1 tsp dried thyme

garlic powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine ingredients in bag. Pour over chicken in bag. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Grill.

Pasta Salad

Boil bag of garden (tri-color) pasta.  Drain. Pour 1/2 bottle of Italian dressing over.  Add an vegetables you desire. Refrigerate for a few hours.

Beef enchiladas

Brown one pound of ground beef. Drain. Add can of tomato soup, can of enchilada sauce, and cream of mushroom soup. Heat through. 

Heat 8-10 flour tortillas. Fill each with about 1/4 c - 1/2 c of beef mixture. Fold up enchiladas with folds down into greased baking dish.

Cover with Mexican blend shredded cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Make some extra cash using Facebook

Recently, I stumbled upon a local Facebook group that has put some extra cash in my wallet. It was right after Christmas and we had an unexpected car repair, plus a hospital visit from last fall to pay for. I wanted to find a way we could pay these off quicker. I noticed some Facebook friends joining a local group where you can buy, sell, or trade things. I joined the group and instantly going through closets, searching for quality things that we didn't use any more. We had recently moved and had gotten the kids new beds and bedding. Within hours of posting my son's toddler bed and bedding, the were sold. I made $50 like that. Easy enough! I then went to my daughter's wardrobe and paired together some outfits that she didn't like, but were like new and very cute. Another sell! Quickly, I was making enough money to start paying off our unexpected bills. I also sell things on craigslist, but found this a bit easier. If you are Facebook savvy, it is much simpler. You post a picture of your item with a description. Facebook notifies you when someone comments on your post.
Here are some tips I found helpful in the process.

• Perform a search on Facebook to see if anyone has a local group set up for buying or selling things. Example: Butler County Buy Sell Trade
• Look for things to sell that are in nice shape, in style, ans something that you, yourself would buy used
• Kids stuff sells the best if it is in good condtion
• Junk does not sell, no old 80's decor! :)
• Display your items nicely as if you were looking at it in a magazine
• Take a picture with great lighting so the buyer can see the item and post
• Include a helpful description with price, size, condtion
•  
• Price things reasonably
• Be prepared to negotiate a price and meeting place
• If you sell, meet at a public location for safety reasons

Weekly Menu March 5-11

So, I am going to see if I can try all of my "pinned" recipes I have found on Pinterest.  I think I am getting pretty close on my meal recipes. If you are interested in looking at the recipes I have tried, I always leave a comment on my board after I have tried it.
Monday: Chicken fried chicken, snickerdoodle cupcakes, grean beans, and baked potato
Tuesday: Taco braid, pasta salad, carrots with dip
Wednesday: Crockpot Italian chicken, leftover snickerdoodle cupcakes, tossed salad
Thursday:Best burger on grill, leftover pasta salad, vegetables with dip
Friday: leftovers
Saturday lunch:  Sandwiches                   supper: out
Sunday: lunch: frozen meal        supper: Homemade pizza, carrots and dip, apples

TACO BRAID
Recipe By: Holly Lofthouse

1 lb ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

1 cup water

1 can refried beans

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup salsa

1 can Pillsbury Pizza Dough

       Unravel the Pizza Dough and let sit out on a greased cookie sheet while you brown the ground beef. Once beef is cooked, add the taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Mix well and let simmer for 5-10 minutes on low.

       Now that dough is room temp and easy to work with, shape out into a large rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut one inch strips down along sides of dough. In the center spread out the refried beans.

       Next spread the seasoned ground beef on top of the beans, and then drizzle the salsa over the meat. Last sprinkle the cheese evenly. Now start braiding the one inch strips over the top.

       Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown! Let cool 5 minutes

Chicken Fried Chicken 
from mynameissnickerdoodle.com


4 skinned and boned chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
oil

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Set aside. Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, remaining salt and pepper. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk and eggs. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet (do not use a nonstick skillet). Over medium high heat (more on the high side) fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack in a cookie sheet. Keep chicken warm in a 225° oven.

Country Gravy1/3 - cup flour
2 - 3 tablespoons pan drippings
3 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste

Carefully drain the hot drippings, reserving cooked bits and 2 -3 tablespoons of the drippings in skillet. Add 1/3 cup flour to the skillet with the drippings. Cook over medium high heat. Using a whisk mix the flour into the drippings until it starts to brown and become a paste. This is called a roux. If the roux looks to oily and runny you can add another tablespoon or so of flour and mix again. Whisk constantly until the paste becomes nice and brown.

Slowly add the milk whisking constantly and blending the liquid with the flour mixture until combined. Let the gravy come to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until the gravy thickens up. If the mixture thickens to much add more milk as needed until the gravy is the consistency that you want. This could end up being more then the required 3 cups. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve over the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes.


Pizza from Smitten Kitchen 

Yield: One small, thin-crust pizza. Can serve two with a big salad.
Dough
6 tablespoons warm water (may need up to 1 or 2 tablespoons more water)
2 tablespoons white wine
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups flour
Assembly
Cornmeal for sprinkling
Flour for dusting counter
1/2 pound torn-up buffalo mozzarella
Few leaves of torn-up basil
Whisk wine, water and yeast in a medium bowl until yeast has dissolved. Add honey, salt and olive oil and stir. Add flour and no matter how dry it looks, work it with a spoon and your fingers until it comes together as a dough. Add more water one tablespoon at a time if you need, but in my experience, this is almost never necessary.
Sprinkle some flour on the counter and knead the dough for a minute or two.
If you’re like me and always trying to reduce the number of dirty dishes left at the end of the night, wash the bowl you made the dough in, dry it and coat the inside with olive oil. Put the dough in, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for an hour or up to two, until it is doubled.
[Easiest way to tell if a dough has risen enough? Dip two fingers in flour, press them into the dough, and if the impression stays, it's good to go. If it pops back, let it go until it doesn't.]
Meanwhile, make some sauce [recipe below].
Preheat your oven to its highest temperature. If you have a pizza stone, sprinkle it with cornmeal and put it in the oven. Otherwise, sprinkle a baking pan with the same.
Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured counter and gently deflate the dough with the palm of your hands. Form it into a ball and let it rest on a floured spot with either plastic wrap over it (sprinkle the top of the dough with flour so it doesn’t stick) or an upended bowl. In 15 minutes, it is ready to roll out.
Do so on the floured counter until pretty darn thin, then lift it onto a cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet or pizza paddle. Add the sauce, torn-up mozzarella and slivers of fresh basil.
Slide the pizza from the paddle to your preheated pizza stone, or just put the baking sheet in the oven as is.
Bake for about 10 minutes, checking at 7. Slice and serve immediately.
Moderately Easy Tomato Sauce  **** I will probably just use canned pizza sauce! :)
A more involved, seasonal update of the Basic, Awesome stuff.
Makes enough for one small/medium pizza.
4 roma tomatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Splash of white wine
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Bring medium pot of water to a boil. Poach the tomatoes for one minute only, and then drain them. As soon as they are cooled off enough that you can touch them, peel them. The peels should come right off. If they don’t, make a slit in the skins. This always does the trick.
Drain and dry the pot. Put it back on the burner over medium heat. Pour in olive oil and let it heat completely before adding the garlic and stirring it for a minute with a wooden spoon. Add the red pepper flakes and stir it for anther minute. You do not want the garlic to brown. Put the peeled tomatoes in the pot, along with the wine, sugar and salt. Break the tomatoes up with your spoon.
Let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down. Carefully taste without burning your tongue and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Best Burger Ever

Burger Ingredients:
ground beef 85/15
sesame seed buns
1/2 cup of grated Monterrey jack cheese
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
season salt to taste
cracked black pepper
onion powder

We usually like to buy extra lean ground beef around these parts, but when it comes to a juicy burger, you’ve gotta make an exception.  The best burgers have more fat–naturally.

Combine the ground beef, grated cheese, bbq sauce, and seasonings.  Shape patties that are about 1 inch thick.  Then it is very important to  push a 1/2 inch indent into the center of the patty–this is what prevents the patty from becoming a dome.  These burgers stay extra moist because the bbq sauce and cheese are mixed in with the meat.

Reduce heat to medium and allow this side of the patty to cook for about 4-6 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t burn. Then flip the burger over and cook until done.  I like my burger medium-well.  While the burger is cooking, I like to whip up some secret sauce–sort of my version of In & Out’s addicting sauce.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of mayo
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup relish
2 tablespoons worcestershire
seasoned salt

Combine all ingredients and whisk until well mixed. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking.

I also butter and toast the buns on a skillet Pioneer Woman style.  Something about a sesame seed bun makes the burger seem more legit.

Now while the burger might not look like an award winner, it certainly tastes like it.

click here for more yummy recipes

Best Burger Recipe Ever with Secret Sauce

3.9 from 14 reviews

Print

Recipe type: Entree

Author: Ashley Stock – Little Miss Momma

I am kinda a stickler when it comes to homemade burgers. I can’t stand the dryness of pre-constructed or frozen patties, or when the patty turns into a giant dome that I can hardly bite into–and my burger muuust have cheese. So last year I set about creating the perfect burger, and you know what? I don’t even make it on the grill.

Ingredients

• Burger
• ground beef 85/15
• sesame seed buns
• 1/2 cup of grated Monterrey jack cheese
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• season salt to taste
• cracked black pepper
• onion powder
• Secret Sauce
• 3/4 cup of mayo
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup relish
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire
• seasoned salt

Instructions

1. Combine the ground beef, grated cheese, bbq sauce, and seasonings. Shape patties that are about 1 inch thick.
2. Then it is very important to push a 1/2 inch indent into the center of the patty–this is what prevents the patty from becoming a dome. These burgers stay extra moist because the bbq sauce and cheese are mixed in with the meat.
3. Wait for the skillet to get super hot and then apply a very thin layer of butter to the pan. Place the patties on the pan, indent side up.
4. Reduce heat to medium and allow this side of the patty to cook for about 4-6 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t burn. Then flip the burger over and cook until done.
5. For the sauce: Combine all ingredients and whisk until well mixed. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking.
6. Assemble the burgers and serve with avocado, lettuce or your choice of toppings!

 Crockpot Italian Chicken
Crockpot Italian Chicken: 4 chicken breasts, 1 packet Zesty Italian dressing seasoning, 1 8 oz. cream cheese (softened), 2 cans cream of chicken soup; Cook on low for 4 hours. If sauce is too thick, add a little milk. Serve over pasta.

Snickerdoodle Muffins
slightly modified from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar and 1 TBSP cinnamon mixed together for rolling*

1.Cream the butter and sugar until soft about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is incorporated.

2.In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar and nutmeg.

3.Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately to the egg-butter mixture in the additions. Start with the flour and end with the flour. Scrape the bowl occasionally.

4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out muffin batter one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely in cinnamon sugar. Place muffin into muffin tin. Depending on the size of your tins, you should get about 12 to 14 muffins. Bake them for approx. 20-22 minutes in a 350F oven or until they are golden brown.

*The original recipe calls for 1 cup sugar and 2 tbsp cinnamon, but this was way way too much for me. I ended up dumping maybe more than half of it.
at

Simple Tip-freezer meals

Simple Tip-Freezer Meals
Freezer meals are easier to make than you may think, plus they are great to have on hand on busy nights or on days when you just don't feel like making anything. I recently found a nice, large deep freezer used for $75.  It was a great investment in order to have meals on hand. I like to freeze pasta casseroles, enchiladas, and soups the best.  Since we are a family of four and our kids are still young and don't eat much, I can usually make about any casserole or soup and use half for a meal we are having that night and freeze the other half. If you are a larger family or have older kids, doubling the recipe is the way to go. It doesn't take much time if you are making the meal anyway, why not freeze half? Some people reserve an afternoon to make a bunch of meals at once. I have not ever tried that. Above are the last of what I made in January which includes Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti, Macaroni Beef Noodles, White Chicken Chili and homemade dinner rolls. 
Here is a list of what you need to begin making freezer meals:
Foil pans-if you are using the other half of a recipe, use 8x8 cake pans or if you are doubling a recipe, you will need the 8x10 cake pans. I buy the ones with lids, but they aren't necessary if you wrap a lot of tin foil around them.
Tin Foil-used to cover after the food is in the pan
Sharpie-write what the meal, date you made, and baking directions
Freezer Bags-Great for soups, browned hamburger, diced chicken or breads

Making freezer meals for a sick friend or a new mom is also a great idea!
 

Weekly Menu: February 27-March 4

This week I am going to make three side dishes that can be used throughout the week. I will make them on Sunday evening or Monday so they are ready for the week. I will be making an easy fruit salad, vegetable salad, and cheesy potatoes.
Fruit Salad: Wash carton of strawberries and dice. Add sliced bananas and clean apples. Mix together in bowl. You could use a side of plain vanilla yogurt as a dip.
Vegetable salad: Wash fresh broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Pour about half a bottle of ranch dressing over and mix in bowl.
Cheesy Potatoes:
In large bowl, combine 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup butter, 3 Tablespoons of dried minced onion, and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Stir in 1 package (32 oz) of frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed. Transfer into 12"x9" baking pan. Toss 2 1/2 cups of crushed cornflakes and 1/4 cup butter; sprinkle over potatoes. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until heated through.
I won't actually bake the potatoes until the day I am going to use it. You can also divide between two smaller dishes and freeze one for later in a disposable tin pan. 

Monday: Taco ring, Spanish rice, apple slices
Tuesday: Chicken bundles, cheesy potatoes, fruit salad
Wednesday: Crock pot pork chops, leftover cheesy potatoes, vegetable salad
Thursday: French dip crescents, fruit salad, lettuce salad
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Lunch: Baked calzones  Supper: out
Sunday: Lunch:                              Supper: Pizza, carrots

Grocery List:
Meats: 1 lb. ground beef, package of frozen skinless chicken breasts, sliced deli roast beef, pork chops
Dairy: package cream cheese, sour cream, package of shredded mozzerella cheese, 2 package of shredded cheddar cheese, sliced provolone or swiss cheese
Produce: lettuce, tomato, apples, strawberries, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots
Other:
Taco seasoning, Spanish rice, cream of chicken soup, pizza sauce, au jus seasoning, beef broth, ranch dressing, ranch dip mix, cornflakes, 5 crescent rolls
Frozen: southern style hashbrowns, pizza

 Crock Pot Pork Chops via Picky Pallet

• Pork Chops
• Ranch Seasoning Dry Mix Packet
• 1 can Cream of Chicken plus 1 can water as needed {or 2 cans cream of chicken}  This will depend on how fast your crockpot cooks and how long you’ll be cooking it. 

Combine all three ingredients in the crockpot and mix well.


Taco Ring via Taste of Home
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 package (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 c. (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbs water
2 8-oz packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 medium green bell pepper
1 c. salsa (optional)
3 c. lettuce, shredded (we used more — ¾ a head)
1 medium tomato, diced
¼ c. onion, chopped
½ c. pitted ripe olives
sour cream
Directions:
–Preheat oven to 375°. Brown the ground beef, then drain. Add taco season and simer
–Unroll the crescent dough; separate into triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle on a pizza pan with the wide ends toward the center of the pan, overlapping each other. It will look like a large sun with the points hanging half off the pan. There should be a 5 or 6 inch opening in the center.
–Spoon the meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough. (Filling will not be completely covered).
–Bake 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
–Shred lettuce, dice tomato, onions, olives, green pepper, and whatever other items you want to put inside. Place them in center of the taco ring and use that as your toppings!

French Dip Crescent via MamaLovesFood.com
 Ingredients: 2 packages crescent rolls, 8 count 1 pound deli roast beef, thinly sliced 4 ounces Swiss or provolone cheese, cut in 16 equal sized pieces optional: Horseradish Sauce optional: Au Jus for dipping French Dip Crescent Directions: Unroll crescents onto a large cookie sheet. Spread a small dab of horseradish on each crescent, then place a slice of roast beef and a piece of cheese on each crescent. Roll crescents starting from the wide end and ending at the narrow end. Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes, until crescents are a golden color. Serve with Au Jus and enjoy!

Homemade Calzone: Click here for recipe: http://www.squidoo.com/homemade-calzone

Chicken Bundles via QuickandEasyDinners.com

Chicken bundles are delicious dough filled pockets with cream cheese, sesame seeds and more.  Ingredients for Chicken Bundles

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1-13 oz. can chicken (or equivalent cooked chicken)
• 1 Tbs. sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp. parsley
• 2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls - leave in fridge until ready to use!
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped onion or dried minced onion

Directions:
Combine the above ingredients (minus the crescent rolls) and mix well.

Open one 8 count package crescent rolls. DO NOT divide into triangles. Keep every 2 triangles together, forming 4 rectangles. Pinch the seams closed and pat each one out into a larger square. 
Put a spoonful of chicken/cream cheese mixture into the center of each square. Fold the corners up into the center, layering like flower petals so the roll is sealed. (Don't stress too much on the technique, fold them up press seams together to make a bundle.)
Repeat with all 8 rectangles. You're going to worry that you're doing this wrong, but you're not, just do it, I promise they'll taste delicious.
Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
Thanks Leticia, from Rotan, TX for the recipe.

Money Tip #4

I am a HUGE Dave Ramsey fan! If you have never heard of him, I highly suggest you read a book of his or check out his website: daveramsey.com. You can learn so much from him and his viewers. You can also listen to his radio show via his website.  He teaches you how to have a place for every dollar you make and how to get out of debt first, while teaching you how to invest your money later. His plan is based on baby steps. The first one is getting $1000 dollars in a savings account as an emergency fund. Don't touch that money unless it is an emergency. An emergency does not include buying a new pair of shoes that are on sale that you have really been wanting or going on a vacation that you cannot afford. This does include things like an unexpected car or home repair. The next step is to start paying off debt. He suggests making a list of all of your debts from least to greatest. Pay the minimums on everything, except for the lowest debt. That is the one you want to tackle first. For example, say you have a few credit cards with balances of $575, $1300, and $1700. Use any extra money you have to knock out that $575. It may take only a few months to pay it off if you pay $200 a month on it. After that is paid for, go after the next one. Roll over what you were paying on the $575 card, plus the minimum you were paying on the $1300 (for example $100). So now you would be paying $300 on the $1300. In no time you will have that second one paid. You keep rolling over to the next card. Other money experts suggest you tackle the card or loan with the highest interest rate instead. The reason he suggests starting with the lowest debt, is to feel some instant gratification. Once you feel how good it is to knock out one debt, you are so much more motivated to keep at it.  After you get those cards paid off, cancel them! It is a hard thing to do, but once you work so hard to pay them off, you will never want to use them again. It is a great feeling!!

Menu February 20-26

There are always those months when money is tight. An unexpected car repair, a medical bill, or whatever the expense might be, there are times where I have to cut the grocery budget and use up what we have. So, at times like these, I go to the cupboard and freezer and make a list of what we have. Here is what I found:
pasta sauce, alfredo sauce, spanish rice, chicken rice, Velvetta skillet meal, refried beans, white corn tortillas, macaroni elbows, cream of chicken soup, tomato sauce, creasant rolls, cheese, frozen bread dough, frozen veggies, frozen egg noodles, Canadian bacon, creamy mashed potatoes, hash browns, frozen diced chicken, ground beef
It's time to get creative!
Monday: Spaghetti noodles with Alfredo sauce and frozen diced chicken, salad, bread, apples
Tuesday: Beef/bean burritos topped with lettuce, Spanish rice
Wednesday: Velvetta boxed meal (add hamburger), California blend with cheese, leftover bread, apples
Thursday: Chicken creasant rollups, green beans, banana slices
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: Lunch-Pizza, salad  Supper-Out
Sunday: Lunch -Roast, baked beans, bread, baked potato
              Supper-Soup and sandwiches
You would be surprised what you have on hand to make some meals. A great website to go to and create meals from ingredients you have is: www.allrecipes.com. Type in the ingredients you have on hand and they will give you a choice of recipes to choose from.

Simple Tip #4

Two items that I use a lot in my cooking is ground beef and chicken breasts. When I find these two items on sale, I like to stock up on them. At least once a month, frozen chicken breasts can be found on sale from $3.99 to $4.99 which is a great deal considering how much meat and meals you can get out of a bag. I can usually get at least four meals out of it. I like to thaw about four breasts and then bake them. I dice the meat as soon as it comes out of the oven. Then, I put about two cups of the chicken in a couple of freezer bags. It is so much easier to pull them out of the freezer and warm them up when needed. It is much healthier and tastes better than the precooked chicken you buy in the store, not to mention much CHEAPER. I also like to do this with ground beef.  Brown a couple of pounds of beef and freeze in bags by the pound. The meat can quickly be combined with a pasta and sauce, a soup, tacos, or any recipe that calls for chicken or beef. A real time-saver!! 
Chicken breasts also can make a great main dish. They are great on the grill, but are good baked too. Some easy things I do with chicken breasts are seasoning with lemon pepper, covering in barbeque sauce, or even doing something a little more like coating in bread crumbs.  Cover some potatoes in foil and put in the oven while the chicken is baking.  Bake some frozen bread, and add another fruit or vegie and you have yourself a hearty meal that really is not much work at all.

Money Tip #3

Setting a monthly budget is a great way to track how much money you spend each month. Some people have budgets, but by keeping tabs on every penny you spend makes even more of a difference. I separate our expenses into categories: House (mortgage, utilities, phone); Car (payment, gas, insurance); Misc. (cell phone, preschool, dance, etc); and Loans (school, credit cards, medical bills, etc.). These payments rarely change, so there isn't much room to improve upon them unless you drop your cable or refinance, for example.  Next are the expenses you can change: groceries, eating out, personal stuff, entertainment, etc. Try and decide what you think you spend a month or a week on each. If you know you are overspending on these things, this is a great time to discipline yourself and bring that spending down.  These are the things that I like to use cash for. I like to use a coupon binder and label each category. I then put the amount of cash I think we will use each month or week for each. When the money is gone, do not spend any more or you will go way over budget. This can take months to master, but will be well worth it in the end. I also leave another miscellaneous category for things like birthdays, Christmas, clothing, etc. I created my own spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel to track our expenses. Next you need to add up all of your expenses. Then add up your monthly income. Subtract the expenses for the income. Hopefully you have a positive. If you don't, you need to reevaluate your spending and make some cuts.

Weekly Menu: February 13-19

Monday: Spaghetti, garden salad, garlic bread
Tuesday: Pork chops, baked potato, bread, baked beans
Wednesday: Crock pot chicken, mixed vegies, bread
Thursday: Tacos, apple slices
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: lunch- Sub sandwiches, pasta salad, carrots and dip
                dinner- Pizza
Sunday: lunch-out
              dinner- Chicken Chili

Simple Tip #3

I like to reserve my weekends for getting out of the house and spending quality time with my family. I do not want to be cleaning or doing laundry on a Saturday.  To break up the chores and laundry, I created a weekly household schedule.  I do laundry on Mondays because it is after the weekend and it is nice to have fresh laundry at the beginning of the week and on Thursdays so I don't have to do laundry on the weekend.  I wash bedding on Tuesdays, along with cleaning the bedrooms.  Here is how I break up my week:
Monday: Laundry, Clean bathrooms, Do bills, Meals for the week (I look at my menu for the week to figure out if and when I need to thaw anything or bake anything ahead of time)
Tuesday: Clean bedrooms (wash bedding), Cut coupons, Balance checkbook
Wednesday: Clean kitchen, Clean dining room, Make next week's menu
Thursday: Laundry, Grocery list, Clean living room
Friday: Clean staircase, Do anything that didn't get done during week
Grocery shopping gets done either on Friday nights or during the weekend

If there is spare time, I like to tackle a bigger project by breaking it up through the week and add it to my to do list for the week. A recent example is our master bedroom. It got bombarded with junk while we are finishing our basement. I took a little time each day to get it decluttered and also took time to straighten up dresser drawers and the closet.

Money Tip #2

You may think I am crazy on my next money tip, but believe me it works! Use cash only...gasp! I'm not talking about cash to pay your bills.  I'm talking groceries, eating out, clothing, etc. You would be surprised how much closer you pay attention to what you are buying. Think about it...you have the cash in hand and when you have to hand over actual cash to the cashier, it makes the transaction more real. You don't think about it as much if you are putting it on the credit or debit card.  When you look in your wallet and see you've spent all of your cash, it really makes you think. Maybe try it on a weekly basis at first. Plan how much you can spend on groceries, if you are going to eat out, or if you are going to the mall. I'm guessing you won't be as tempted to throw in that extra bag of chips or DVD that you don't really need. A great book to read is "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. This book is very eye-opening. It has changed the way we spend our money and has helped us pay off our cars and credit cards.  It is not your typical "financial advice" book. It is an easy read and there are many examples of how people got out of debt and more.  Cash only....really!

Weekly Menu: February 6-12

I find it very helpful to have my "weekly menu" displayed on my kitchen counter. It is a reminder to me if I need to defrost something for the next day or if there is something I can prepare ahead of time. I use a printable from the website http://organizedhome.com. I clip it to a clipboard, along with my recipes that I will be using. I have a cookbook holder that I display the clipboard on. As I write out my menu, I have a shopping list right on the page which makes it easy to look at my menu and add to the shopping list.

 Menu:
Monday: Pepperoni string cheese rollups (new recipe I am trying)
  *Roll a half piece of string cheese up with pepperoni in a crescent roll
                Garden Salad, Carrots
Tuesday: Creamy Chicken Crescent Casserole
  *Warm a cup of diced chicken breasts and can of cream of chicken soup. Roll out a can of crescent rolls on bottom of 8x8 pan. Dump mixture on top of rolls. Add shredded cheese of your choice. Top with can of crescent rolls.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
                 Mixed vegies with cheese, banana slices
Wednesday: Ham and cheese melts
  *Place a few slices of Canadian bacon and cheese in bun. Melt butter and add sesame seeds. Spread on top of bun. Wrap sandwiches in tin foil and bake for 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees.
                   Cheesy potatoes, apples
Thursday: Lasagna, garlic bread, garden salad 
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Lunch: pizza, apples
                Dinner: Out
Sunday: Homemade Frozen Meal 
               Dinner: Baked Potato Soup, Carrots  *** I will probably tweak the soup recipe by buying real bacon bits and using only red potatoes since it's what I have on hand.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup via Disney Parks
Serves 6
1 pound bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
3/4 cup diced celery
4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups heavy whipping cream
Optional garnishes: chopped chives, bacon bits, sour cream, shredded cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese

1. In a 6- to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp.
2. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving half for garnish. In bacon fat, cook onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent. Add potatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Whisk in flour and stir constantly over low heat until the flour is cooked and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken stock and half of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Over medium-high heat, bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Mash some of the potatoes for thicker, creamier texture. Add whipping cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Adjust thickness by adding water or stock. Soup should have a creamy consistency.
6. Season to taste, and garnish with toppings.

Cooks’ notes: Soak diced potatoes in cold water until ready to use to keep them from turning brown. To make bacon easier to chop, lightly freeze.

Simple Tip #2

It seems like every time one of our kids has a fever, we run out and buy a new bottle of Tylenol or Advil.  While cleaning the medicine cabinet the other day, I came across four bottles of almost new medicines. To keep our medicines in neat and organized, I went out and purchased two things...a package of labels (actually name tags) for $2 and a few small rectangle baskets for a buck at the dollar store. I labeled each basket with the type of medicine; kids pain relievers, cold/allergy, misc. medicines, etc. This is a really easy and cheap way to organize your medicines. Plus, you aren't digging through your cabinet in the middle of the night when someone wakes up sick. 

 Labels and baskets

Organized meds!!

Money Tip #1

I mentioned in my "about me" that I used to be a working mom. I always thought I would be a working mom, but the stress just got to be more than working was worth. I had a 40 minute commute each way. I was so exhausted when I got home, I did not feel like I was being a good mommy or wife. I knew this wasn't for us. By the time I figured out daycare, gas, a couple of lunches out a week, and clothes for work, I really wasn't making that much at all. By the time we cut out things we really didn't need like, eating out a few times a week, shopping for too many "wants", and just watching a bit more how we spent our money, I knew we could swing me staying at home. In order not to feel completely financially deprived, I decided to start watching a few kids in my home. I didn't want to do it just for the money. I do love kids, plus it was nice to have other kids for our own kids to interact with.  It was the best decision I have ever made! I have never once looked back about working outside of the home.

If you are trying to make that decision, but don't think you are quite ready to stay at home all the time, look into other options.  I have many friends who work a few days out of home and a few days are spent home without work. It never hurts to ask if your current employer would be up for that. 

I will try and give some tips each week that help us save some money without a second full-time income.

Money Tip #1

Limit your shopping! This takes some time to give up, but you just have to do it. I used to shop about once a week at Target or the shopping mall. I was "bargain" shopping, but it was for stuff I really didn't need. It just sat in the closet or cupboard and took up space. I probably spent $30 a week. Take that times for weeks a month and you have a savings of $120. You aren't going to need all of those clothes or whatever your weakness may be. Think about some of your recent purchases and see if they were really "needed". I'll bet you will be surprised. Good luck!

Weekly Menu January 30-February 5

This week I am going to try a few new recipes I found via Pinterest! I marked them each with an "*". They are all sounding pretty good. My goal is to keep my grocery total for the week to right around $90. I figured up the cost of these meals, and it is right at $90. This is without coupons, so it could be lower if you use them or there is a sale.

Weekly Menu January 30-February 5
Monday: Macaroni & beef with cheese*, apple slices, baked beans
Tuesday: Pork chops, baked potato, corn casserole
Wednesday: Chicken crock pot Parmesan*, garlic bread, cheesy broccoli
Thursday: Taco ring*, carrots, apple slices
Friday: Leftovers or pizza?
Saturday: Lunch: Grilled ham and cheese, yogurt, banana slices
                Dinner: Out to eat or pizza?
Sunday: Lunch:Homemade frozen meal
              Dinner: Chili soup

Treat of the week: Brownie strawberry cupcakes *

Grocery List: 4 lbs. ground beef, taco seasoning, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, (2) 8 oz. crescent rolls, green bell pepper, salsa, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream, chicken breasts, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, olive oil, sliced mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, tomato sauce, (2) box macaroni elbows, brownie mix, strawberry cake mix, eggs, apples, baked beans, pork chops, potatoes for baking, garlic bread, frozen cheesy broccoli, bananas, yogurt, kidney beans, tomato juice, soup crackers, chili seasoning, creamed corn, sweet corn, Velveeta

Feel free to email for any recipes. I will include the new ones I am trying this week. I don't always follow the recipes exactly. My family doesn't like onions, for example. Instead of using onions like it calls for, I use onion salt instead. I always change up the recipe to make the dish more likeable to our family.

Brownie Strawberry Cupcakes from Jen DelMuro

Ingredients

• 1 (19.5 ounce) package brownie mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package strawberry cake mix
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 3 egg whites

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 48 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the brownie mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. Stir just until fully incorporated, about 50 strokes; set aside.
3. Mix the cake mix, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 1/3 cup water, and 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Spoon the brownie batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full. Spoon the cake batter over the brownie batter, until muffin cups are each 2/3 full.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. 
6. Top with vanilla icing

Simple Tip #1

If you are wondering how to reuse plastic shopping bags and old tissue boxes, I have a great tip for you! I do not buy trash can liners for the bathrooms, because I use the plastic shopping bags. They can get out of control so I use an old tissue box by stuffing the bags inside. I have one under each bathroom sink and they are very handy. Nothing fancy, but it is very practical. A way to save dollars on trash bags, plus you can feel good about recycling!

 

Weekly Menu: January 23-29

One of the best things I have done since we have been married is create a weekly menu. I am not good at "creating" a meal from what I have on hand. I like to know that I have all of the ingredients I need before I start preparing a meal. Plus, it really helps me when doing my grocery shopping. I CANNOT shop without a list..just ask my husband!  This has come in even more handy since we recently moved from a town with two grocery stores and a Walmart, to a town with NOTHING of the kind! This is a very simple menu for the upcoming week. I usually sit down on a Thursday and create our menu.

Menu for Week of January 23-29
Monday: Spaghetti, Cheese bread, apple slices, green beans
Tuesday: Lemon-peppered chicken breasts, baked potatoes, slice bananas, bread (frozen bread loaf)
Wednesday: Hot ham and cheese melts, cheesy potatoes, left over green beans
Thursday: Taco bar--hard shell tacos, seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, and taco sauce, apple slices
Friday: Left over night
Saturday: Lunch.....Nachos (use beef and toppings from taco bar and sprinkle over tortilla chips, bake until cheese is melted). Dinner.....Night out
Sunday: Lunch.....Using a frozen meal that I prepared last week. Dinner....Frozen pizza, fruit of choice, carrots


Grocery List:
spaghetti noodles, frozen cheese bread, apples, green beans, boneless chicken breasts, lemon pepper seasoning, potatoes, bananas, frozen bread loaves, hamburger buns, Canadian bacon, cheese slices, hash browns, sour cream, 2 packages of shredded cheddar cheese, hard shell tacos, ground beef, lettuce, taco sauce, tortilla chips, frozen pizza, carrots