Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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

Saturday, March 3, 2012

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.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

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!
 

Friday, February 24, 2012

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. 
directions

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 overs recipe
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.
chicken bundles recipe
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.
chicken bundles picture

Monday, February 20, 2012

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!!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

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.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

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.