BRYTTIN'S BARGAINS

Pizza Night

2011-02-25T10:42:00.002-07:00

Friday night is usually pizza night at our house. My husband LOVES pizza and I like to make the homemade kind with lots of veggies for my kids. But I've been feeling in a bit of a pizza rut. We eat lots of pineapple, cheese, chicken and veggie pizzas- salad on the side. Frankly, it's getting a little boring. So when I saw this Pizza Casserole on the Betty Crocker website- I knew we'd found our change-up! It turned out so yummy! My family isn't big on mushrooms- so I swapped those out for some fresh spinach I had, and it turned out great. Really- this would be great with any vegetable or even swap out the sausage for chicken. I hope you enjoy this one!

PIZZA CASSEROLE
from Betty Crocker

8	ounces uncooked wheel-shaped macaroni (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2	pound bulk turkey Italian sausage
2 3/4	cups meatless tomato pasta sauce
1/4	cup sliced ripe olives
1	can (4 ounces) Green Giant® mushroom pieces and stems, drained
1	cup shredded fat-free or part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

Heat oven to 350º. Cook macaroni as directed on package; drain. Cook sausage in skillet, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain.
Mix macaroni, sausage, pasta sauce, olives and mushrooms in 2 1/2-quart casserole.
Cover and bake about 30 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

We fondue- do you?

2011-02-15T14:02:00.003-07:00

image: thenibble.com

My family LOVES fondue!

It's such an easy, fun meal to make for your family and perfect for Valentines day. Or really, any day! And if your kids are like mine- they love to eat anything they can dip!

Don't have a fondue pot? Well- you could always find a well-loved set at a thrift store (so many awesome retro ones around)...but really a crock-pot and wooden skewers work just as well. Once you've made the cheese sauce- the possibilities of dipping are endless. A few favorites at my house are: french bread cubes, blanched broccoli, cubes of baked potatoes, sausage (my meat-eater hubby's fav), apple slices, pretty much any par-cooked veggie. In a pinch, I just make my Mac & Cheese Sauce for dipping- but the real Fondue Sauce holds up a little bit better and has great flavor.

Cheddar Fondue
adapted from allrecipes.com, easily halved
2 cups milk
1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. ground dry mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 Tb. flour
6 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix together milk, Worcestershire sauce, ground dry mustard, garlic and flour. Heat until almost boiling. Gradually stir in Cheddar cheese. Continue heating until all the cheese has melted. Keep the mixture warm and melted in a fondue dish.

On to my favorite- the chocolate fondue for dessert! Dipping ideas: fruit of all sorts, pretzels, Nilla wafers, pound cake or angel food cake cubes, and my personal favorite- cinnamon bears. Truth be told- I'm a cheater and just buy the chocolate melts at the grocery store. But I found this decadent recipe online and think it's worth a try.

Enjoy your fondue this week!

Oh yes, I'm sorry about no post yesterday. I'm sick and didn't get around to any computer time!

Be Mine...Valentine

2011-02-13T16:05:00.004-07:00

Some last minute Valentine ideas:

1. If you are running a little behind on Valentine's Day...here are some darling printable Valentines to give! Thanks to One Charming Party for this cute V-day love! Wouldn't these be great with a few Sweetheart Candies or a lollipop attached?

2. I made some pink popcorn for my little girl's Valentine party yesterday that would also be yummy to pair with these Valentines. It's super easy to make a batch for your Valentines, too!

Pink Chocolate Popcorn

1 bag of white chocolate chips
3 drops of red food coloring
1 big bowl of popcorn (I like air-popped)

In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, melt the chocolate in the microwave for 2-ish minutes. Make sure to stir every 20 seconds so you don't scorch it! (I know from experience!) Then add a few drops of red food coloring to the melted chocolate and stir until color is uniform. Pour over the BIG bowl of popcorn and stir until coated.

3. A great Valentine dinner for your loved ones coming up tomorrow! Be thinking about the goodness of FONDUE!

A Morphed Meals How-To

2011-02-08T11:37:00.002-07:00

With some new readers/followers- I thought I'd just do a quick re-cap of what this Morphed Meals thing is all about. For you few faithful followers- I hope this is a good reminder of how you are saving all that money and actually using your leftovers! Enjoy!

I don't have a cape.
Or bracelets that deflect bullets.
And I drive a Subaru- not an invisible plane.
I'm no Wonder Woman- but I still manage to fit Shop/Prep day into my busy, happy life!

YOU CAN DO THIS! After my last Shop/Prep post I got so many comments about how "I just don't have time", "I'm not that organized", "I hate to cook". If this was you- the Shop/Prep idea is just what you need! Remember my motto: Do what works for your family. I promise- this system can work for your family no matter how busy, unorganized or chef-challenged your family is! No matter the category you fall into- there is something here for you!

I'M JUST TOO BUSY:
What could be easier for a busy mom than having all (yes all) your cooking/prep work done on one day! And this doesn't have to suck up all your time, either! Imagine being able to put dinner on the table after just 15 minutes of combining a few ingredients. The Crock-Pot will become your best friend. Take some help from the store- bagged salads, pre-chopped and frozen veggies or fruit, rotisserie chickens. (Yes, you may spend a little bit more initially - but you'll spend a lot less prepping and serving a meal at home than running out to the fast food joint 20 minutes before dinner!) And remember to do what works for your family- if you have a little more time or the inclination- you can do that extra prep on your own. Some weeks I have the time to do the "extras", some weeks I don't. Streamline S/P day by having all the "tools" you'll need on hand: zip-top freezer bags, gladware/tupperware bowls in a few sizes, a sharp chef's knife, cutting board, your spice cupboard open.

Here is a meal plan for a "too busy" family:
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie Casserole, Apple Salad
Tuesday: Chicken Salad Pita Pockets, chips, carrot and celery sticks with dip
Wednesday: Angel Hair Pasta with Sweet Peas and Bacon, French Bread
Thursday: Breakfast French Toast, Bacon, Orange slices
Friday: Garlic Chicken Pizza Night, green salad
Saturday: Leftovers or eat out!
Sunday: Pot Roast with veggies

The Prep Plan:
Buy rotisserie chicken, Pita bread, a loaf French Bread, pre-cooked bacon, jarred Alfredo sauce, a roast, refrigerator biscuits and 2 bags of frozen "stew vegetables." You'll also be purchasing your "everyday items" like milk, fruit/veggies, pasta, cheese etc. (Can you see how your ingredients are being used in at least 2 meals? This cuts down on "leftovers" and stretches your food dollars.) Whatever day you start on- realize that this is when you will spend the most time. It's worth it for quick meals the rest of the week!

Your prep day may go something like this:
--Remove all meat from the chicken. Chop into bite size pieces. Put half into a large Gladware bowl- this will be your pita filling. One generous cup goes into a zip-top bag- this is your pizza topping. And the rest goes into a skillet on your stove top for the pot pie casserole. For your roast, take it out of the packaging it came in and stab it with a fork a few times. Rub garlic, salt and seasonings into the meat and put it in a large zip-top freezer bag. Store in the freezer until Saturday.

--On to the veggies and fruit! You've bought bagged celery and carrot sticks, bagged salad, frozen peas, frozen mixed vegetables- so the work is DONE for you! (If you are really strapped for time during the week- start steaming the veggies in the microwave and putting them into Gladware containers.) If you like onions on your pizza- slice some thin and put in the bag with your chicken. Dice some celery for the Apple salad tonight and the pita filling. Wash and toss some grapes into the pita filling. For the Apple Salad tonight- core and chop your apples and mix with celery. Slice 4 oranges into rings, sprinkle with powdered sugar and store in a container in the fridge.

--Now for finishing up. Make the dressing for the apple salad and the pita filling. Dress each, but cover pita filling and store in the fridge. Store other items in their containers in the fridge and feel content about being prepared for the week.

--Make the Chicken Pot Pie Casserole for tonight's dinner. Finish assembling the Apple salad and eat! Tuesday, pull out your Chicken Pita filling, veggies and dip- enjoy. On Wednesday night put your pasta and peas on to boil- yes, you can use the same pot. Crisp bacon in micro. Slice French Bread. When the pasta/peas are finished, dress with a bit of that Alfredo sauce you have in the fridge, snip bacon on top to garnish. Thursday night is breakfast for dinner. Make french toast out of the remaining bread, crisp bacon in microwave and pull the orange slices out of the fridge! Friday is Garlic Chicken Pizza. Each family member can make their own pizza from the pita bread, cheese, remaining Alfredo sauce, minced garlic and chicken. (My family also likes bacon on this pizza!) Pop those pizzas in a hot oven until the cheese is bubbling and chicken is warmed through. Serve with your bagged green salad. Saturday night- treat yourself to dinner out or just stay home and have leftovers...if you have any! Remember to take your roast from the freezer to the fridge tonight. On Sunday morning, pull out your trusty Crock-Pot. Layer the bags of "stew veggies" on the bottom, with the roast on top and add 1-2 cups of water or stock. Cook on low 7-9 hours.

Take a big sigh and realize that an extra hour on one day made the rest of the weeks' meals a CINCH!

Valentines Day Window Craft

2011-02-04T11:21:00.002-07:00

Last week my mom and I pulled out the old crayon pieces and made this darling window craft from Martha Stewart Living. This will take you back to your elementary school days! And with supplies you already have at home- it makes a thrifty girl happy.

Pull out the waxed paper, shave the crayons, layer in a brown paper sack and iron. We cut out all sizes of hearts, added string and now I have a super cute Valentine hanging up in my back window! This is a great project to do with kids, too. My three-year-old made a few blue hearts for the window in her room. Check out all the instructions and supplies HERE.

Happy crafting!

Ten Laundry Tips

2011-01-28T17:35:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Make It Do for these great tips!

10. 1/4 cup of vinegar in your rinse load works wonders in keeping your clothes soft.

9. Always check pockets. There is nothing worse than opening the dryer to find silly putty on your entire load of clothes. (Don’t try to sleep with silly putty in your bed either. Body warmth + bedding and pajamas + silly putty = DISASTER. Silly Putty has been banned from our home. Aren’t I a nice mom?)

8. If you use dryer sheets, cut them in half. I rip mine in half. You will never know the difference in your clothes…. just in your pocket book.

7. Sorting clothes is a great chore for little kids. One of the first “jobs” I gave my kids was sorting dirty laundry. They loved it. Yes, you do need to do a bit of fixing later, but it’s well worth the trouble. I like to think it helps with their decision making skills!

6. Don’t have too many clothes. If you have less clothing you are less likely to allow large amounts of laundry to build up. You’ve got the motivation to get it done or your kids will have nothing to wear. I try to have no more than seven days worth of clothes. This is also a great help for keeping drawers and closets under control.

5. Fold clothes when the dryer stops if you can. It’s so much easier to fold when they are a bit warm. Plus it’ll make you happy to fold warm, nice smelling clothes in the winter.

4. Try to rinse stains out when they are fresh. They are so much easier to get out while they are still wet.

3. Invest in a Folding Drying Rack or a clothesline. I have a folding rack and LOVE it. I use it to dry all my delicates and many of my clothes (anything we’re not in a big hurry for). I pin clothes to it just like a line, or use the “wings” to layout my sweaters. It puts humidity into the air, saves money, and is great for the environment. Air drying will also extend the life of your clothes. I especially like to use it for any clothes I don’t want to shrink. During use, I set up my rack in my family room (next to the laundry room) and even though it’s very visible and I thought it would bother me, I don’t mind it. When it’s not in use, it folds up and fits next to my washing machine. I bought my Polder brand rack at Costco when it had an instant rebate for only $15 dollars. One day I may invest in a wider rack, like the Moerman they sell on Amazon, to make it easier to dry wider towels, etc.

2. Have a mending basket where any clothes with missing buttons or holes can be kept until they are mended. Set aside a day, just like our grandmothers did, for mending. Clothes are so expensive, it really pays to mend.

1. Do laundry every day if you have a family. One load a day can keep laundry from getting overwhelming.

Morphed Meal Plan

2011-01-26T16:33:00.003-07:00

Day 1: Southwest Chicken Skillet with Orange Wedges
Day 2: Tortellini with Browned Butter, Bread with Herb-Butter and Green Salad
Day 3: Quick Chicken Veggie Soup with Cornbread
Day 4: Chocolate French Toast with Chopped Fruit

Shopping List:
rotisserie chicken
1or 2 loaves french bread, depending on how big of eaters your family is!
2 bags mixed frozen veggies, for this weeks recipes- I like the broccoli/pepper/mushroom mix
1 bag frozen corn
1 can black beans
1 jar salsa
cornbread mix
1 box of chicken broth
frozen tortellini
butter
chocolate milk
oranges
fruit your family likes
shredded cheddar cheese
bagged salad mix

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
Southwest Chicken Skillet with Orange Wedges
Prep: Take all the chicken off the bone. Half goes for tonight's skillet dinner, and save the other half for soup on Day 3. Make your herb butter and store in the fridge. Chop all your fruit, label and store. You're ready!
Tonight's dinner is a favorite one pot wonder from Betty Crocker. Find the recipe here. Hey, since your chicken is already cooked- you can skip the first part of the recipe! Serve with your orange wedges.

Day 2: Tortellini with Browned Butter, French Bread with herb-butter and Green Salad
Boil water and get your pasta going. Slice up your bread and serve on the table with a pot of your favorite compound butter. (Make sure to keep the leftover bread for Day 4!) Beef up your bagged salad with a few shredded carrots and some cherry tomatoes, if you want! Brown your butter up in a separate pot. Never browned butter before? Check out this simple how-to. Drain pasta and toss in brown butter, sprinkle with Parmesan or myzithra and serve!

Day 3: Quick Chicken and Veggie Soup with Cornbread
In a big pot combine your leftover chicken, one bag of frozen veggies, one box of chicken stock and heat. Depending on the flavors your family likes- you can add a few cups of water, some rosemary, salt and pepper. While this heats through and the veggies cook- mix up the cornbread. To "spice up" a boxed mix- I like to add 1 cup of frozen corn to the batter. Make sure to serve everything piping hot.

Day 4: Chocolate French Toast with Chopped Fruit
One of my favorites is breakfast-for-dinner! This is a sweet take on basic french toast. Use your leftover bread from Day 2 for this meal. Mix up your french toast batter with eggs and chocolate milk. Dip in the bread and toast on a hot skillet. We like this with sliced bananas and just a little powdered sugar (or whipped cream!) on top- no need for syrup here!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

2011-01-17T16:40:00.002-07:00

I love my slow cooker! Simple, hearty meals are trademark of this appliance- and this lasagna recipe fits the bill. The ingredients look easy, healthful and delicious...this will be on my "try it" list this week! Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER LASAGNA
from Betty Crocker

pound bulk Italian sausage

medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

cans (15 ounces each) Italian-style tomato sauce

teaspoons dried basil leaves

1/2

teaspoon salt

cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese

cup grated Parmesan cheese

uncooked lasagna noodles

Cook sausage and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.
Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella cheese while lasagna cooks.)
Spoon one-fourth of the sausage mixture into 6-quart slow cooker; top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with half of the cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noodles and remaining sausage mixture.
Cover and cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until noodles are tender.
Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into pieces.

Morphed Meal Plan

2011-01-13T16:15:00.004-07:00

Yay! Morphed meals is back!

Even though I've still been morphing my leftovers, I haven't been posting them as of late. I guess I just figured you were getting sick of the meal plans...but was I ever wrong! After many requests, this feature is back! Thanks for your patience with me, your emails/comments and your input on this (and every topic) for Bryttin's Bargains. I really enjoy coming up with yummy meals and I'm glad that you like using these recipes, too. If you need to catch up on the "morphing meals" idea- check out this post.

So, in short, this is what my family is eating this week... Enjoy!

Morphed Meal Plan:
Day 1- Garlic Bread Cheese Pizzas, Green Salad
Day 2- Spicy Chicken Peanut Lettuce Wraps, rice, pineapple spears
Day 3- Green Chile and Bean Salad with tortillas, apple slices with dip

Shopping List: Remember to read through the list before you shop...you may have most of these items in your pantry or fridge already!
Lettuce (I got three heads of lettuce this week in my Bountiful Basket- so salad is FOR SURE on the list this week!)
your family's favorite veggies (frozen or fresh)
Thai Peanut Sauce (Archer Farms makes a good one)
shredded carrots
chicken breast
pineapple
apples
tortillas
can of green chilies
canned beans- three variety
favorite tomato sauce (I like one with onions and peppers)
mozzarella cheese
butter
rice
loaf of roasted garlic bread (the kind from Costco is my fav)

Day 1: Garlic Bread Cheese Pizzas and Green Salad
Pull out that salad spinner and get ready! Wash and spin enough lettuce for green salad tonight, lettuce wraps tomorrow (best with bibb lettuce) and bean salad on Day 3. Tear greens into a big bowl for your salad tonight. Next, stack leaves and wrap with damp paper towel and put in a plastic bag for your wraps tomorrow. Chop the rest and keep in a ziptop bag to go with your bean salad.
Turn on your oven to 400. Top thick slices of garlic bread with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese- heat until the cheese is melted and bubbly (15 minutes-ish). Put together your green salad and serve with your favorite dressing.
Day 2: Spicy Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Rice and Pineapple Spears
With your biggest pot (or rice cooker), make enough rice for dinner tonight and to go in your salads tomorrow. I figure a 1 1/2 cups per person for both nights. In a large skillet, brown chopped chicken with a little shredded yellow onion. Add in shredded carrots (and celery too if you like it) and peanut sauce to heat through. Serve chicken mix in crisp lettuce leaves along side rice and pineapple.
Day 3: Green Chile and Bean Salad with tortillas, apple slices with dip
Open three cans of beans (or make your own)- we like white, black and pinto. Rinse and toss in a warm skillet along with the rest of your rice. Add a can of green chilies (not drained!), cilantro, cumin, red pepper flakes and oregano. Make it as seasoned/spicy as you like. Stir with beans/rice and heat through. Serve a warm tortilla, covered with lettuce, topped with rice/bean mix. Add some cheese or salsa if you wish. Serve along side apple slices and a yogurt dip.

on my list this week...

2011-01-10T10:53:00.003-07:00

Hello and welcome to the week! This week I highly recommend taking advantage of the great case lot deals going on a Smiths Marketplace this week...check your local ads for all the details. Enjoy the super bargains this week...and check back for a Morphed Meal Plan!

DICKS (or your Associated Foods Store)
WF Mayo, $2, 32 oz.
WF Peas or Corn Frozen Veggies, $.88
Apples, $.68/lb.
Grapefruit, $.20 each
Leaf Lettuce, $89 each

FRESH MARKET
Progresso Soups, $1`each (10 for 10 sale)
WF Orange Juice, $1.25
WF Ice Cream, $2.50
Pears, $.99/lb.

SMITHS
Pampers Big Pack, $18.99
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, $.41
Kroger Honey, $2.4o, 16 oz.
Starkist Chunk Light Tuna, $.50
Pork Baby Back Ribs, $3.49/lb.
Clementines, 3 lbs., $3.99

Happy New Year to You!

2011-01-08T08:13:00.002-07:00

Hope your New Year is warm and wonderful!

Stay tuned for great case lot sale tips and a few great Morphed Meal ideas...

Enjoy!

Best-Ever Hot Cocoa Mix
makes about 20 servings
from Cooks Country Magazine

3 cups nonfat dry milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups Dutch-Processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine ingredients in large bowl. Working in two batches, pulse ingredients in food processor until chocolate is finely ground. Store in airtight container for up to 3 months. To make hot cocoa, stir 1/3 cup of this mix into 1 cup of hot milk. Top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows.

coupons!

2010-11-16T15:14:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading this great article and couldn't wait to share it with you! Hope you get some good ideas for your couponing!

HOW-TO SHOP AND SAVE WITH COUPONS
by kendra of key lime digital designs

I am certain we have all had times in our life when there is that extra push to save money. As full-time college students and parents, my husband and I are in that season of our life. Christmas and the holidays are around the corner {in my family that means: 2 birthdays, christmas, and an anniversary all within a week}, not to mention the costly affair of applying to pharmacy school.

That is what brought me to the conclusion that I needed to start tackling the project of couponing. I am going to be honest, when I see a lady walking around the store with a binder of coupons I think, "aren't you embarrassed?" But, what is there to be embarrassed about saving $37 a shopping trip? Or spending 50% - 60% less on groceries a month? Not a single thing. I am a binder lady now and you can be one too.

:: Use your Resources to obtain coupons.
Printable Internet coupons:
Once a day or every few days I browse through the 3 coupon sites below. If I see a post with a printable coupon for an item I typically buy say, save $.55 on Cheerios, then I print it.

The Krazy Coupon Lady
Hip 2 Save
Utah Deal Diva

Local newspaper: A lot of coupon ladies get the multiple copies of the weekend newspaper for the coupons. This is great if you plan on stock-piling. {Buying a lot of something when it is a screamin’ deal.} My family lives in a small-ish house and we don't have a lot of stock-piling room so I stick with the printable internet coupons.

:: Get organized.
It doesn’t matter how you organize your coupons. You can use a binder, folder, etc. You can put them in alphabetically, buy expiration date, or by sections at the grocery store. Just make sure it works for you.

:: Choose where to shop.
When you are just starting out only focus on one or two stores. The 3 coupon sites above post several times a day with multiple couple deal scenarios. Don't stress yourself trying to get them all. I choose to do my main shopping at my local Smith's. I used to think Smith's was an expensive store, and it can be if you don't buy the items on sale. It is the same way at every store. Just pick the store you like most and that is close to your house.

:: Match up.
I read through the Weekly Smith's Ad that comes in the mail. Look at the things that are on sale. Try and match the manufacture coupons to the things that are already on sale. For example, last week at Smith's they had mac & cheese on sale for .49 then I used a coupon for $.75 off two boxes. That made each box of mac & cheese only .23. That is a good deal!

:: Write a list.
Once you have figured out the best deals and what you plan on buying write a shopping list. That way you don’t forget anything. I also pull out the coupons for the things on my list and move them to the front of my binder. That way you aren't trying to gather your coupons while the cashier is waiting for you to pay.

::Another tip.
Just take all your coupons to the store even if you don't plan on using them. {hence the giant binders} The first couple weeks I was trying to coupon I just carried in the stack of coupons I planned on using. But, every time I got to the store I would find something in a clearance bin, or that wasn't advertised in the ad on sale. I would kick myself for not having the coupon to make it an even better deal.

Trust me, I know it is a little intimidating getting started. I am not an expert by any means. I am learning new tricks to the couponing game every week. And, that is what it has become to me. A game. I love to see how much money I can save or the look on the cashiers face when my bill goes from $72 to $35.

Don't feel like you have to jump head first into couponing. Even using a few coupons here and there is great. Every dollar counts, right?

Do you have any other couponing tips?

Healthy Snacks

2010-11-08T14:40:00.002-07:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Mom In Need Of Mercy, posted this on her site and I couldn't help but share! I hope you enjoy this list of healthy snacks as much as I do!

Basics

These tried and true classics will provide healthy sustenance for your kids. Better yet, many require little or no preparation.

Chips and salsa. Baked tortilla chips paired with a healthy, fresh salsa is a great lo-cal snack for kids and adults alike.
Yogurt pops. Throw out the sugary, unhealthy popsicles your kids are currently eating and replace them with these healthy, yogurty ones instead.
Homemade trail mix. Some trail mixes come complete with ingredients that are too salty or sweet to be healthy. By making yours at home, you can control what goes into the mix.
Cereal bars. If you’re on-the-go and need a quick snack for your kids, try a pre-packaged cereal bar. While there are healthier options out there, these will definitely work in a pinch.
Yogurt. Lucky for parents, there are tons of brands of yogurt out there that are packaged and marketed to kids, helping them want to eat this healthy and delicious snack.
Granola bars. Make your kids this grain-filled snack at home to give them a boost.
Graham crackers. A few of the whole wheat variety of these crackers can make a sweet and delicious snack for kids.
Cottage cheese. Try out this curdy food with your kids as an after school snack. A few slices of fruit on top can also be a great addition.
Unsweetened applesauce. It might not pack the punch that its heavily sweetened cousin does, but unsweetened applesauce can still be a snack kids enjoy.
Fruit cups. When you’re in a hurry, fruit cups can be a lifesaver. Make sure you look for those packed with water or light syrup so you won’t pump your kids full of sugar, however. Enterprising parents can make and prepare their own at home in advance as well.

Fruits

Fruit can be a great way to indulge your child’s sweet tooth in a healthy way. Try out these kid-approved ideas for fruity after school snacks.

Cherries with Brown Sugar Dip. If cherries are in season why not whip up this dish? Put a little brown sugar on some yogurt to create a yummy dipping sauce for kids.
Sliced apples. One of the most basic snacks out there is still a great choice for those with kids.
Frozen grapes. Turn up the appeal of grapes by popping them in the freezer. They’ll be a cool and delicious treat kids will love.
Orange sections. A peeled or cut orange offers up loads of vitamins and flavor for kids.
Pear pinwheels. Pears are a great healthy snack and you can make them even more fun for kids with this snack idea.
Apples and peanut butter. Give your apple a dose of protein by offering kids peanut butter for dipping sauce.
Fruit salad. Parents can make up a fruit salad in advance and dole it out to kids after school for a healthy and delicious snack.
Fruit and yogurt parfait. Alternate fruit and yogurt in a glass and top with granola to create this snack.
Mixed berries. Berries are packed with antioxidants and vitamins, so giving your child a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries can be a great way to get nutrition into his or her diet.
Pomegranate. Pomegranates are fun for kids to eat and also pack a heck of a nutritional punch.
Bananas. Bananas are great because they are extremely portable, easy to eat and healthy to boot. Pair them with peanut butter for an added boost.
Apple puzzle. Make your child’s apple into a fun game they’ll love eating with this snack idea.
Fruit juice. While you’ll need to watch out for sugar content, juice with 100% real fruit can be a great snack for kids.
Melon balls. If melons are in season, create fun melon balls for kids to snack on or put them on a skewer for fruit kebabs.
Fruity salsa. Salsa doesn’t always have to be savory. Try out this fruity, healthy and yummy salsa with your kids.

Veggies

Fill your kids up on these healthy, veggie-based snacks instead of junk food.

Carrots with peanut dipping sauce. Spice up plain old carrot stick with this recipe for a tasty dipping sauce.
Cucumber yogurt boats. Turn cucumbers into a fun and playful experience for your kids with this great snack idea.
Veggies and hummus. Get kids the veggies they need with a healthy dose of protein by pairing hummus with them.
Edamame. Kids will have fun getting these soy beans out of their shells. Simply steam, salt and serve.
Ants on a log. Make eating right fun with this classic, playful snack of raisins, peanut butter and celery.
Pickles. If your kids are longing for something salty, let them have a few of these healthy dills. For pickles on the go, consider Pickle Packs.
Celery and carrot sticks. Paired with a veggie dip, your kids won’t be able to resist eating their veggies.
Veggie chips. Get away from the potato and feed your kids chips made with more nutrient rich foods. Better yet, make your own.
Baked sweet potato fries. Low in calories and fat and high on taste and nutrition, your kids will enjoy these fun fries that are simple to make.
Corn on the cob. Let your kids feel like it’s summertime anytime with frozen corn on the cob.
Olives. Not all kids love olives but those that do will love sticking the treats on their fingers and eating them off. Just make sure they don’t eat too many, as olives are high in salt.
Pita chips and guacamole. Avocados are packed with healthy fats so let your kids indulge with a few baked pita chips.
Lettuce wraps. Wrap up veggies and low fat snacks with lettuce for a healthy after school meal.

Whole Grains

Whole grains will help keep your kids fuller for longer, making the most of snack time.

Whole grain bread and peanut butter. A simple piece of toast with peanut butter can make for a great after school snack.
Whole wheat pretzels.Pretzels can actually be a healthy snack for kids if you go for the whole wheat kind.
Whole grain crackers. Crackers that are made of whole grains paired with cheese or peanut butter can make for a good snack, just make sure to watch out for salt and fat content.
Whole wheat mini-bagels. These tiny bagels will fill your kids up with whole grains and are fun to eat.
Sandwich on whole grain bread. A small sandwich or half sandwich can help stave off hunger until dinnertime.
Soft pretzels. When you make these treats at home, use whole wheat flour for a healthier pretzel.
Goldfish crackers. This brand of cute goldfish-shaped crackers now makes them in the whole wheat variety– perfect for healthy kids.
Pita crisps. Stick some whole-wheat pitas in the oven to make this fun and healthy snack.
Multigrain waffles. Craving breakfast for a snack? A waffle topped with jelly or peanut butter is a healthy option.

Small Snacks

These snacks deliver nutrients by the handful.

Sunflower seeds. Kids will love chewing up and spitting out these seeds.
Unsalted nuts. Skip the salt to make nuts a healthy snack for kids.
Plain popcorn. Popcorn can feel like a special treat, but without loads of butter and salt it’s actually a pretty healthy snack.
Cereal. Healthy, dry cereals like Cheerios can make a good after school meal.
Rice cakes. Rice cakes come in lots of flavors to meet the nutritional and taste needs of your kids.
Pumpkin seeds. In the fall, roast up pumpkin seeds to get a healthy snack.
Granola. You can make your own granola and kids will love helping and sampling the results.
Raisins. Give your kids a little box of raisins for a snack.
Fruit leather. Fruit that has been flattened and dried can make for a healthier alternative to fruit roll-ups.
Dried fruit. Bananas, pineapple, mangoes and more are available dried and ready to snack on.
Toasted almonds. Almonds pack a healthy repertoire of nutrients, so you won’t feel guilty about letting your kids snack on them.

Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to ensure kids get their daily intake of fruits and veggies.

Banana Fruit Smoothie. Blend up a banana and milk to make this delicious smoothie.
Grape and kiwi smoothie. Turn kiwis and grapes into a delicious drink using this recipe.
Healthy milkshake. Want a healthy take on milkshakes? This recipe offers it up.
Strawberry smoothie. Get all the healthy benefits of strawberries with this smoothie.
Green smoothie. Kids not keen on veggies? Hide them in this tasty smoothie.
Tropical smoothie. Help your after school snack feel like a day at the beach with this tropical blend.
Berry smoothie. Berries in any form, even in a smoothie, are a great healthy snack for kids.
Peach smoothie. If peaches are in season, blend them up using this recipe.

Sweet but Healthy

Sometimes, kids just want a sweet treat. Here you’ll find some that will satiate their sweet tooth without being too unhealthy.

Monkey bars. Kids will enjoy these healthy but sweet cookie bars.
Walnut-raisin somersaults. This blend of fruit and nuts tastes so good kids won’t know it’s healthy.
Juice jelly cubes. Turn those healthy juices into jiggling treats with this recipe.
Peanut butter power balls. Give your kids a protein-fueled boost with these graham and peanut butter tidbits.
Chocolate dipped bananas. Half of one of these chocolately bananas is a healthier way to eat something sweet.
Microwave Apple Pudding. Turn an apple and cinnamon into something irresistible with this idea.
Cranberry muffins. Making these cranberry muffins doesn’t mean you have to be culinary expert.
Oatmeal cookies. If your kids want cookies, oatmeal is an alternative that offers up some nutrition.
Sugar-free J-ello. It’s not the healthiest snack in the world, but it isn’t the worst either and it’s simple and easy to take with you. If you make it at home, put some fruit in it as well.
Banana bread. Filled with bananas and nuts, kids will get nutrients when they snack on this bread.
Carrot bars. Sneak carrots into a treat with this recipe.

Healthy but Cheesy

Try out these healthy, cheesy snacks that kids will love. If your child can’t eat cheese, try substituting a soy alternative.

Tortilla pizzas. Turn a plain old tortilla into a delicious pizza with this recipe.
English muffin pizza. Use a whole wheat muffin as the basis for a pizza for a healthier treat.
Light string cheese. Kids will enjoy pulling strings of this cheese off and eating them.
Low-fat quesadilla. This recipe shows you how to make a quesadilla that’s actually healthy.
Vegetable pita pizza. Pizza doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Load it up with veggies instead of fattier options.
Cheese straws. This simple recipe lets you make fun, tasty snacks for your kids.
Cheese cubes. If you want to go simple, low-fat cheese cubes are a good snack when eaten in moderation.

Mini Meals

If your child is simply starving, consider one of these pre-dinner, snack-sized meals.

Low fat hot dogs and beans. Get a protein boost with this classic snack.
Baked potato. Top your baked potato with salsa for an easy and low-cal snack.
Soft taco. Filled with veggies or chicken breast, soft tacos can be healthy.
Healthy pita. Kids will enjoy filling their whole wheat pita with all kinds of healthy fixins.
Turkey wrap. Adults and kids alike can enjoy these healthy snacks.
Tuna on crackers. Make a low fat tuna salad and spread it on crackers.
Modified PB and J. Try this alternative to the standard peanut butter and jelly.
Low-sodium soup. Many soups are loaded with sodium but there are other options out there that can make great snacks.
Small omelet. Eggs and veggies mixed together make a perfect after school snack.
Whole wheat pasta. Cook the pasta in advance and warm it up with sauce when your kids are begging for a meal.

Miscellaneous

Still searching for the perfect after school snack? These ideas cover a wide variety of foods.

Egg boats. Take a hard boiled egg and add a cheese sail to create this nautical treat.
Glass of milk. A simple glass of milk can make for a healthy snack.
Ham and cheese crepes. Enjoy this French-inspired snack when your kids are feeling peckish.
Lean turkey rolls. Turkey is a great snack, and rolled up with cheese, mustard and a pickle it can be a tasty one too.
Chocolate soy milk. Chocolate soy milk can help your kids get nutrients but still tastes great.
Homemade lunchables. Kids love lunchables but they aren’t always the healthiest option. Cut out small pieces of cheese and meat at home and pair with whole wheat crackers for a healthier take.

Halloween Meal Plan

2010-10-28T10:34:00.002-06:00

Happy Halloween!
This may be a little bit late...but better late than never! I've planned out an easy week with fun, festive and spooky eats. And because this week is super busy- lots of these items are from your pantry/freezer. Enjoy a sweet night with your family!

Day 1: Chicken Vegetable Soup with "Witches Fingers" Breadsticks
Day 2: Pumpkin Pancakes, Bacon and Sliced Pears
Day 3: "Tarantula" Tacos with Slice Apples
Day 4: Halloween Chili for a bunch with Cornbread

Shopping List:
2 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 rotisserie chicken
lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
bacon
1 onion
a bunch of pears and apples
frozen roll dough OR dough from the bakery

From the Pantry/Freezer:
Canned beans
Canned or frozen corn
bag of frozen mixed veggies
box of chicken stock
Canned pumpkin
pancake mix
cornbread mix

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
Chicken Vegetable Soup with "Witches Fingers" Breadsticks
Prep: Pull all chicken off the bone and place into a large soup pot- add stock and bagged frozen veggies and begin to simmer. Dice onion. In a medium skillet brown the meat and onion together. Take half out, put in a container and refrigerate for the chili on day 4. Add taco seasonings to the remaining meat- combine then bag & tag for the fridge. Slice up the apples, sprinkle with a little lemon juice to prevent browning and store in the fridge.
Divide/roll dough into breadsticks. (I made mine sort of gnarly looking for fingers- then added a sliced almond onto the tip for the fingernail!) Bake according to directions. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with warm Chicken Veg Soup.

Day 2: Pumpkin Pancakes, Bacon and sliced pears
Mix pancakes according to directions- add a can of pumpkin and more milk until the right consistency. I like to add pumpkin pie spice- but it's up to you! Crisp bacon in microwave while you slice up pears. Cook pancakes and serve with chocolate chips or whipped cream and pears.

Day 3: "Tarantula" Tacos and Sliced Apples
Pull the taco meat out of the fridge and heat. Make tacos as directed in the previous post. Serve with slice apples along side.

Day 4: Halloween Chili for a bunch with Cornbread
In the morning- place ground meat and other ingredients into Crock-Pot, set for Low, 8 hours.
Halloween Chili:
1 lb. ground meat
1 diced onion
3 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato sauce
1 can great northern beans, rinsed/drained
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed/drained
1 can corn, drained
2 Tb. chili powder
1 Tb. cumin
1 cup salsa

Before serving, mix up the cornbread mix- adding in 1-2 cups of frozen corn kernels (depending on how much cornbread you are making- I use 2 cups for 2 pans of bread.) Bake according to directions and serve with hot chili.

Have fun trick-or-treating!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

2010-10-21T16:49:00.002-06:00

I love pumpkin in just about anything from breads to pancakes to sauces and even stuffed inside ravioli. But when I came across these Pumpkin Swirl Brownies, two of my favorite things, I knew I'd found something great! So crack open that can of pumpkin- use some for these brownies and some for pancakes in the morning. Enjoy this flavor of fall!

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

One Brownie Mix (or your favorite homemade recipe)

Filling:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 egg
3 Tb. sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

- Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom of a 9 inch square pan. In a small bowl, beat all filling ingredients until smooth and set aside.
- Make brownie batter as directed. Spread 3/4 of the batter into the pan. Spoon filling by the spoonful evenly over the batter. Spoon remaining brownie batter over the filling. Cut through batter several times with knife for a marbled design.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out almost clean. Cool completely. Cut brownies and enjoy with cold milk. Just try to make these last!

Halloween Cooking!

2010-10-19T10:32:00.002-06:00

With the spookiest season of all upon us, I like to have a few fun meals to bring the spirit (get it?!) of the holiday into our house. With some simple tweaking, you can make pretty much any meal into a Halloween meal. On of my easy favorites- pumpkin peanut butter sammys. Make your favorite sandwich (ours is PB, honey and apple slices) then using a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter, press out a pumpkin for lunch.

Here is another creepy crawly idea to try....Enjoy!

Tarantula Tacos from Betty Crocker- a super way to usher in Halloween!

1	box taco shells
1	lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1	package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
2/3	cup water
1	cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1 1/2	cups shredded lettuce
1	medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1/4	cup sour cream
20	extra-large pitted ripe olives



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1.	Heat oven to 325°F. Heat taco shells in oven as directed on box.
2.	Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Reduce heat to medium; cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until water has evaporated. Remove from heat.
3.	Spoon beef mixture into heated taco shells. Top with cheese, lettuce and tomato.
4.	Spoon sour cream into small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut tiny hole in corner of bag. Pipe sour cream over top of each taco to resemble spiderweb.
5.	For each spider, top taco with 1 olive, pitted end down. Cut second olive lengthwise into 8 pieces; place around whole olive for legs. For eyes, squeeze 2 dots of sour cream onto top of olive.

Morphed Meal Plan

2010-10-03T08:31:00.003-06:00

Hello! Here is a delicious meal plan- perfect for the coming fall weather. The Crock-Pot Enchiladas are a favorite at our house and so easy. Enjoy!

Double Duty Meals:
1. Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Herb Potatoes
2. Potato and Sweet Corn Soup in a Bread Bowl
3. Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas with fresh mangoes
4. Vegetable Frittata with hash browns, sliced strawberries and cantaloupe

Shopping List
(Remember- you may have stocked up on some of these items when they've been on sale. So you can "shop" from your pantry, now! Especially keep your eye out for canned items, frozen meat or veggies and seasonings.)
Pork Tenderloin
Chicken Breasts
green onions
16 red potatoes
frozen corn
frozen veggie mix (we like the "California" mix)
canned black beans
jarred salsa
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of corn chowder (like Progresso)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 package of tortillas
4 bread bowls
mangoes
strawberries
cantaloupe

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day, Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Herb Potatoes
--Heat up your oven for the pork and potatoes. Follow the recipe for the pork on the sidebar and pop in the oven. Scrub all the potatoes, slice them into quarters and place in a large bowl. Drizzle a few tablespoons of oil over the potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle your favorite herb blend (like a Mrs. Dash or McCormick Seasoning blend) over the potatoes and stir to coat. Turn out the potatoes onto a foil lined baking sheet and put them in the oven with the pork.
--In a large zip-top bag or Gladware container- combine the ingredients for the Crock-Pot Chicken: 4-5 Chicken breasts, 1 cup salsa, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can black beans, 1 pkg taco seasoning. On a sticky note write "Low 6-8 hours" and stick it on the container.
--Pull out your cutting board, wash your fruit and slice everything up. I like to put everything in containers or zip-top bags in the fridge.
--When the pork and potatoes are done- divide the potatoes in half and put one half of them in a container in the fridge for your soup and hash browns. Serve the pork and potatoes with a cinnamon applesauce and enjoy!

Day 2: Potato and Sweet Corn Soup in a Bread Bowl
--In a large soup pot add: 1 can corn chowder, 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 package of frozen corn and 2/3 of the leftover herb potatoes. I like to taste the soup and see if it needs any more pepper or herbs- do this to your taste. Heat through until corn is tender and potatoes are warmed.
--Serve in a bread bowl with a little cheese sprinkled on top. Add a salad or chopped veggies on the side to round out the meal.

Day 3: Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas and Sliced Mangoes
--Pull out your Crock-Pot in the morning. Dump your container of enchilada ingredients in and set for 6-8 hours on Low.
--Come back at dinner time to shred chicken with a fork. Serve with flour or corn tortillas, lettuce, salsa, cheese and sour cream. Don't forget your sliced mangoes in the fridge!

Day 4: Veggie Fritatta with Hash browns, Sliced Strawberries and Cantaloupe
--Scramble 8 eggs in a bowl with 3 Tbs of milk and a little pepper. Pour egg mixture into a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with cheese and 1/2 the package of mixed veggies over the egg mixture. Let the eggs set a little, cheese melt and veggies start to get tender and then either flip it like a big pancake or (if your cookware is oven-safe) pop in in a 350 oven until the eggs are completely set and veggies are tender.
--Roughly chop your remaining herb potatoes. Crisp in a skillet with a little butter or oil.
--Sprinkle fritatta with extra cheese before slicing and serving with fruit and crispy hash browns.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

2010-09-23T09:09:00.002-06:00

Ok- I've tried a few fruit salsas, but this one has to be my favorite. And now that summer is winding down and PEACHES (my favorite!) can be added right in- it's the perfect time to whip some up! A big thanks to Let's Dish for this recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 medium Granny Smith apples, finely chopped
2 kiwis, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 pound strawberries, finely chopped
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
Juice and zest of one orange
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together chopped apples, kiwi and strawberries. Stir in orange juice, zest, jam and brown sugar until well combined. Cover and place in refrigerator. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. One at a time, lightly brush tortillas with water, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Slice into 8 triangular wedges. Place tortilla wedges on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until tortillas are crisp and just starting to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve with fruit salsa.

A little planning goes a long way!

2010-09-15T09:46:00.003-06:00

Simple weeknight meals.

Ah, music to the ears of any mom. This is TOTALLY within your grasp! With a few simple lists- you too can have easy, healthy, affordable dinners all week long! (I'm a major believer in lists, as you may have noticed.)

Here are a few of my tips:

1. Only plan 4-5 meals a week. I always factor in leftovers and an occasional pizza night. Plus, it's just easier to swallow planning 4 meals instead of 7! I usually "theme" my meals. We eat a vegetarian meal, "ethnic" meal (Mexican/Asian), breakfast for dinner, casserole/crock-pot dinner, and a meal from our "favorite file" each week. Make up a plan that works for your family. You'll be more likely to stick to a meal plan if it includes your families favorites and dishes that are simple to make. I like to try a couple of new recipes a month and then we decide if they are worthy enough to be in the "rotation".

2. Eat what is on sale that week. Chicken? Squash? Soup? See what is on sale, buy what your family likes, then make meals based on your savings. Also- stock up on the basics so you'll always have them at your fingertips!

3. Start up a Shop/Prep Day. You may have read about my Shop/Prep idea here. But in a nutshell: Purchase groceries- don't forget to check the ads for sale items! Get home and unload the car. Immediately fill your sink with water and wash all your fruits and veggies. Chop everything you'll need for the weeks meals (including lunches!), place into zip-top bags or containers and pop into the fridge. I promise this whole routine takes me about 45 minutes. Then when you are ready to make your dinner- everything is ready to go and prep work is a breeze!

4. Morph your leftovers. I LIVE by this idea that I got from the Food Network Chef, Robin Miller. The theory is: cook/prep once- eat 3 (or more) meals! For example: Turkey breasts on sale? Roast up ALL the meat, potatoes, carrots, other veggies on Day 1. Eat a "turkey dinner" on Day 1. Day 2 it's Shredded BBQ Turkey sandwiches with crispy oven fries. Day 3 it's Turkey Veggie Noodle soup. SOOO easy!

5. Stock your freezer. The freezer just may be my favorite appliance! I've learned the joys of freezer/batch cooking and have incorporated it into my monthly meal plans. Read about it in this post. When you're shopping in the frozen section keep this in mind: frozen veggies are an easy go-to for dinner, same goes for frozen fruit and smoothies! Also, I like to make up a casserole or lasagna and just keep it in the freezer. (I do all this on my Shop/Prep day.) That way, if we're having a crazy night, I can just pop it in the oven.

It's Lunchtime!

2010-09-08T14:23:00.002-06:00

Hello! Ok, after a serious summer hiatus- I'm back! I'm hoping that a few of you are still around too and ready for all the bloggy goodness of Bryttin's Bargains.

What is for lunch at your house? With kids heading back to school- I thought I'd post a few delicious ideas for brown bagging it. Whether you are sending it to the lunch room or eating at your kitchen table, these lunches are sure to please.

The Sandwich:
Really, why spoil a good thing? But there are a few yummy combos that could make this staple even yummier (or just mix it up a bit).

-Use a cookie cutter to make the sammy into a fun shape.
-Try out Nutella instead of peanut butter.
-Pita bread makes a great pocket for deli meats, leftover chicken, cream cheese, hummus or veggies.
-Mini buns are a good size for kids- just slather on some tuna or egg salad and lunch is set.
-Wraps or tortillas are another time saver. We like honey mustard, turkey, provolone cheese and cucumber slices all rolled up in a tortilla at our house.
-Air pop some popcorn and tuck in the lunch box. Add some fruit and veggies, a string cheese- and who needs a sandwich?

Fruit/Veg: A must have
Ok, so every mom wants their kid to eat the carrot sticks- not trade them for Oreo's. But how can you make them enticing and delicious?

-Dip. Seriously. If there was one thing I learned as a preschool teacher- it was that any fruit or veggie could be promoted to "awesome status" by adding a dip. For fruit: cream cheese, berry yogurt, a little cinnamon sugar, peanut butter, apple butter. For veggies: hummus, honey mustard, low-fat Ranch dressing, spinach dip, crouton crumbs.
-Frozen grapes are pretty much like candy. I'm just saying.
-Grate it. Add grated carrots to the tuna salad or grated apples on top of the PB & J. Or chop fruit, like bananas, small so they can easily be stirred into a yogurt.
-My little girl loves those fruit cups. Dole has some sugar free, packed in juice that are delicious.
-Ever sliced an apple horizontally so you can see the "star" in the middle? These rings are a fun way to mix it up.
-You can't go wrong with their favorites. If your kid loves cucumber slices- send the cucumber! Don't try to force a new veggie at school- it will probably just get thrown away. Save the experimenting for dinner time!

Moo: the Dairy Darlings
Stick with the basics- they are classics for a reason!
-Go-gurts or kid size yogurts can be frozen and thaw by lunch time.
-String cheese comes in so many varieties now! One of my favorites is the cheddar/mozzarella swirl sticks- yum!
-Lots of schools offer cartons of milk for about a quarter- sometimes less.

Crunchy Stuff
Nothing like a sweet (or salty) something to finish off a lunch,
-Let your child choose their favorite cereal to mix in their own GORP. Add raisins, craisins, nuts, sunflower seeds, dried apricots, pretzels, dried apple slices, even a few chocolate chips! (This isn't just for kids! I have a bowl of my own GORP on my counter to munch on during the day...)
-Have I mentioned popcorn? Not only is this one of my most favorite snacks- but air-popped is pretty dang healthy! Need to jazz it up? A little grated cheese or a sprinkle of butter with taco seasoning or cinnamon sugar can fit the bill.
-Make your own pita or tortilla chips and send some salsa.
-A delicious homemade cookie. Or a brownie. Oh, come on- treats are good!

I found some good articles about packing lunches, saving money and yummy recipes here and here and here. Check them out!

What are your families favorite lunch time foods?

Snacks!

2010-07-13T11:57:00.003-06:00

I don't know about you, but in the summertime- snacks seem to be the way of life. And if you are like me, you want something healthy, yummy, kid-friendly and simple. I like to use mostly fruits and veggies for a quick snack- but sometimes a little more creativity is fun! Lyvia, my three year old, and I like to fill a small drawer in the kitchen with healthy snacks. Then she knows that when she is hungry- those are the options. She gets to help choose and make everything that goes in the drawer, so I know she'll eat it! Here are a few tried and true snacks that my family loves:

Frozen grapes
fruit leather
air-popped popcorn
any kind of berries
apples dipped in peanut butter or Nutella
"Monster Mix"- which is pretty much a trail mix with cereal, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
sugar snap peas
pretzels
homemade ice-pops- check the dollar store for the plastic molds
smoothies
cinnamon tortillas- brush a tortilla with a little water, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and bake until crispy, then break into chips.
frozen dipped bananas- stick a popsicle stick in a half of a banana, roll in nuts or sprinkles and freeze.
crackers and cheese- homemade crackers are even better!

Homemade Wheat Crackers
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs. soften butter
2/3 cup milk
Sea salt for tops (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flours, sugar, and salt in large mixing bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles a course meal. Slowly blend in milk, using just enough to form a ball that holds together. Divide dough in half and roll each portion out to 1/16 or 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface. Lightly sprinkle with salt and gently roll over dough with rolling pin. Using a sharp knife, cut crackers into 2 inch squares. Place on un-greased cookie sheet. Prick crackers 2-3 times with a fork and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a rack. (Makes about 100 crackers.)

What are your family's favorite snacks?

Baking The Fast and Frugal Way!

2010-07-07T14:46:00.002-06:00

I love baking. Breads, cookies, rolls, pies- all of it! I remember baking with my Nana and Grammy. Learning the art of popovers or sweet rolls. I love getting out all the ingredients, measuring and watching something delicious take shape. That being said, I don't get as much time as I wish for to bake anymore! But dry mixes have come to the rescue! And not the kind you buy at the store, but real homemade kind that are easy, healthier and three-times as yummy.

I set aside an hour once a week to assemble my mixes. The mixes we like best are: pancakes, waffles, rolls, biscuits, cookies. I set out all the ingredients of the "dry team" of some tried and true recipes. Then measure everything into a zip-top bag, write the "wet team" and baking instructions on the bag, pop them in my freezer or pantry and I'm good to go! When we get the craving for brownies or rolls one evening then I just dump the wet team in with the dry team, mix and bake. My oldest girl loves to help baking and measuring with me. And I love making those same memories for her!

Check out Good (Cheap) Eats for some other delicious ideas for baking mixes.

Darn Good Waffles

dry team:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 Tb. baking powder
1/8 cup sugar

wet team:
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup canola oil

Mix wet with dry. Scoop into hot waffle iron and cook until golden. Serve or freeze for later!

Bountiful Baskets

2010-07-01T16:54:00.003-06:00

Produce is a big thing at my house.
A good chunk of our grocery budget goes towards fresh fruits and veggies every week. But, even buying on sale and in season, it can be pricey. Here are a few ideas for saving on produce:

A new favorite is this produce co-op called Bountiful Baskets. For $15 a week I pick up a LOAD of produce, evenly split between fruit and veg. Most of the produce is grown locally and is always delicious. Even though I can't choose what comes in the basket each week, I like experimenting with foods I haven't tried before. Swiss Chard came in this week's basket and my family tried a new flavor! This is a photo of my friend Nan's basket a few weeks back- Yum!
Plant your own stuff! I love my garden this year! Lots of lettuce, radishes and carrots have been making big salads at our house. Things taste pretty good out of your own backyard.
Try a produce swap with some friends. Trade what's growing in your garden or on your trees with your neighbors. I know when our blackberry crop comes in we'll need some help to pick and eat! Respond in kind when someone brings you a bag of tomatoes...start a swap in your neighborhood.
The freezer can be your best friend. Fruit and veggies can be frozen and enjoyed during the "off" months. I freeze a lot of fruit for smoothies or cobbler in January. (Try these yummy Fruit Smoothies from Our Best Bites.) I also make soups and sauces with fresh produce and either freeze or can so there is plenty during the winter. And there is nothing so delicious as Strawberry Freezer Jam on your buttermilk pancakes!

Eat what's in season and you'll always save money! Here is a favorite apple recipe of mine...enjoy!

Apple Salad serves 4 (easily doubled)

3-4 apples, cored and chopped
4 large ribs of celery, chopped1 cup of grapes, halved (you can substitute/add raisins)
1/2 cup walnuts (if desired)
1/3 cup mayonnaise or 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt (or sweetened whipped cream if you can spare the calories!)
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs lemon juice

In a bowl, mix mayo/yogurt, sugar and lemon juice with a whisk until combined. Add in chopped fruit, celery and nuts. Mix to coat in dressing. Serve chilled.

thanks to closetcooking.blogspot.com for this picture

I'm Back!!!

2010-06-29T10:26:00.003-06:00

I'm here! I'm back!

Thanks for being patient while I took a break for my family. I now have two beautiful daughters (see how cute?!) who are healthy and happy and ready for fun! I'm ready to jump back into the money-saving world with my fellow bloggers.

With this new start, comes a bit of a new format. Here's what you can expect from Bryttin's Bargains:

weekly deals from Utah grocery stores
coupon deals
frugal homemaking ideas
cheap and cute crafts
delicious budget recipes
tips for thrift store shopping
and fun giveaways!

Come on back and join in the fun!

Thanks for Coming!

2010-04-21T14:32:00.002-06:00

You know how when you are mixing banana bread and you realize that you put salt in instead of sugar and now there is nothing you can do to fix it so you'll just have to either toss it out or use it as a doorstop?

That is very similar to having a newborn, a two-year-old and a blog.
And something's gotta give.

Sadly, it is the blog! I have loved sharing all my bargain deals, meal plans, recipes and craft ideas with you all. Thank you for your comments, emails and support of this experiment. I've loved every minute. I'll be leaving the archives up- in case you missed a great recipe or craft. Feel free to search through and discover something you may have forgotten. I hope you've enjoyed this small labor of love.

Keep on being thrifty!

Thank you!

:) Bryttin

stay tuned...

2010-03-09T14:27:00.004-07:00

Baby #2 is just 3-ish days from arriving...

I'm so ready! I've got a few freezer meals, good friends and family to help me out and one awesome husband! We did one final grocery shop before the big day, so my fridge is stocked...but I have not been up to doing much cooking. Mostly things like quesadillas, soup and eating out!

And to you loyal readers: thanks for your patience with me and support for this blog. I love writing it and hearing from you all. While I'm taking a break, I'm hoping I can tap into your creativity and post some of your delicious recipes and thrifty tips. Please email me at bryttinsbargains@hotmail.com if you are interested in being featured on this blog over the next few weeks!

Stay tuned...I'll be back with some great stuff in a couple of weeks!

Kitchen Clean-up

2010-03-01T13:42:00.004-07:00

As I'm getting dangerously close to having this baby girl- I thought I'd save the complete rehash of how the Eat From The Pantry Challenge went and just do something simple today.

The mini-rehash is this:
- I've spent less than half of our grocery budget this month and saved on 2 gas fill-ups. (Who knew all my shopping was using fuel, too?)
- I've got a pretty stocked freezer- a lifesaver for my husband when this baby comes!
- I think we could eat for at least another 2 weeks on what I've got left in the pantry. But I am out of frozen veggies and just about out of meat and beans.
- I'm just craving lots of fresh fruit, too- so it's back to the grocery store for me!

I would LOVE to hear how your Pantry Challenge went!

Enjoy today's simple reminders on keeping your kitchen clean and tidy!

Eliminating Kitchen Clutter

from LDS Living Magazine

Fact: the average homemaker will spend 15 years in the kitchen. If you’re going to be spending all that time there, why not make it a little more relaxing? Try some of these simple strategies for streamlining the most popular area of the house:

Use the wall. Maximize counter space by taking the spoon holders, dish soap, and paper towel dispenser out of the equation. Find suspension rails with accompanying containers, such as those sold at IKEA, which can hang from the rods and hold kitchen tools. Use shelves for bigger or heavier things. To free up some space in your cupboards, hang a pan holder in the ceiling.

Keep the favorites on-hand. On one of those shelves, put attractive containers holding your most used ingredients—flour, sugar, salt, etc.—for easy access. Tape a few of your family’s favorite recipes to a cupboard door near your working space; that way, you won’t have to search through all your cards each time you want to make it.

Clear the cupboards. Go through and identify which mixing bowls, baking pans, strainers, etc., you use the most; get rid of the rest. Chances are, you’re hanging onto a popcorn bowl you haven’t used in ten years.

Stash appliances. With your newly free cupboards, put your blender and stand mixer away. Unless you’re one of the few who use these appliances daily, they’re taking up valuable counter space.

Get an easy-wipe backsplash. A good backsplash will save you clean up time. If you have a beautiful mosaic backsplash, look into taping up a smooth layer of plastic wrap or putting laminate over it.

Coupon Codes and More!

2010-02-25T14:15:00.003-07:00

Being pregnant, I'm finding more and more enjoyment from the "shop at home" thing!

There are so many great websites for coupon codes and free shipping codes that I'm discovering! So I thought I'd share two of my favorites: Cha-Ching on a Shoestring and Money Saving Mom.

I like how these sites are set up and both of the blog authors use easy to follow directions for actually using the codes for those newbies like me! These sites also feature printable grocery store coupons and other grocery savings every week, too. I hope you'll check them out and save while you shop online!

My favorite this week: Children's Place Coupon Code

15% off your order: SPRING22A
free shipping: FSFEB2010

Baking Mixes

2010-02-22T11:37:00.003-07:00

I'm a pretty faithful Bisquick gal.
But when I read how easy these baking mixes are to make (and store!), I may by the small box of mix instead! I made some pancake and waffle mixes and a pretty simple muffin mix, too. So simple to make:

Line up some zip-top bags.
Label with mix name, date, wet ingredients to be added and baking instructions.
Fill bags with pre-measured dry ingredients called for in the recipe.
Store.

I hope you guys enjoy these ideas for simple baking mixes. Although you can keep them in your pantry- I like to put them in the freezer for longevity. Enjoy!

Multi-Grain Blueberry Pancakes
from Good (&CHEAP) Eats

Dry Team in the Bag:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
3 Tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, or sucanat
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Team to add before cooking:
2 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup blueberries

In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients, whisking to combine. If it's already bagged and ready to go, just go to next step. In other bowl, combine wet team. Add dry team to wet ingredients and stir just until mixed. Some lumps are okay. Fry on hot, oiled griddle until brown and cooked through.

Cream of Chicken Soup Mix
from Loose Ends

2 c nonfat dry milk
3/4 c cornstarch
1/3 c instant chicken bullion
2 T dried minced onion flakes
1 t dried basil, crushed (optional)
1 t dried thyme, crushed (optional)

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Store in airtight container.

To use: Combine 1/3 cup mix with 1 cup cool water in microwave-safe dish. Cook for 1 minute, then stir. Cook and stir every 30 seconds until thickened. Or, if browning meat or adding to any dish with hot ingredients, just add it as you would a cornstarch slurry.

Yield: 3 cups mix, equivalent to about 9 cans of soup

Sooo...how is it going?

2010-02-16T14:19:00.003-07:00

How is the Pantry Challenge going at your house?
I found this great post from a favorite blogger of mine, Moms In Need of Mercy, and just had to share!

Eating From the Pantry Challenge: When to Call it Quits

While I think it is noble to see how long one can go without going to the grocery store, sometimes it is just as noble to call it quits.

This week, as my husband was eating toast for lunch because he didn't find my from-the-pantry creation all that appealing (pasta salad with whole wheat noodles, Italian dressing, pepperoni, red and green peppers and mozzarella cheese--just for the record), I knew it was time to break down and go to the store. As wives, our number one priority after serving the Lord is loving and honoring our husband. When he is no longer on board, it is time to jump ship and head for the nearest grocer.

As you break the fast, so to speak, a word of warning--you will be tempted to go overboard and overbuy at the store. "Food! Food!" you be your cry. It will all look so wonderful and yummy and tantalizing. You will be tempted to buy things you normally wouldn't, just because you got down to bare bones from eating from your pantry for too long, and you'll feel like a kid in a candy store. I, in fact, bought a gallon of Hi-C, which I don't think I ever have before--just because it looked so good, high fructose corn syrup and all!

And you know what? If you overbuy a little and treat yourself to some things you normally wouldn't...why, I think that's ok. Stretching your family's food dollars by eating from the pantry for awhile is admirable. You save money in the process and develop creativity in the kitchen as you think up things you can cook and bake from what you already have on hand. It is a good exercise to do now and then. And when you go to the store again, if you want to buy yourself a cookie as a reward, I say go ahead. You earned it. :)

This Pantry Challenge is working for my family right now.
Right now, being key words!
I'm doing my best to last just a few more weeks- but really, if all we're living on is yogurt, oatmeal and pretzels- I'm going to the store. I'm glad to have some freezer meals all stocked, especially since this baby is just a few weeks from arriving. I'm happy with all the frugal tips I've been gleaning from this project. I'm grateful for the realization of how much I have. And I'm especially grateful for a family who is willing to try out some new (and sometimes strange/unusual) recipes all for the sake of this money-saving experiment!

Here is my favorite recipe of homemade goodness- from my family to yours! Enjoy!

Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

Cook 1 bag macaroni and drain.
In a saucepan: Stir in 3 Tb. butter and 3 Tb. flour until a paste forms.
Add 1 1/2 cups of milk and stir to thicken.
Season with salt, pepper and a pinch or two of dried onion.
Slowly add shredded cheddar cheese, stirring to melt. Pour over macaroni and stir to coat. (variations: Stir in some steamed veggies to macaroni OR pour sauce over broccoli for a side dish OR use sauce as cheese fondue for dipping...See? Even this cheese sauce can "morph"!)

A Delish Freezer Meal

2010-02-12T11:18:00.002-07:00

Ok- so the freezer dinners are wonderful! I love having dinner made and ready to go! I have made double of pretty much everything- so when I make something in the afternoon we have one for dinner and one for the freezer. I went on my first shopping trip of the month and only spent $70!!! That included 6 gallons of milk, 2 lb. cheese and Costco bags of pears, oranges, apples and lettuce. I couldn't believe it- but I'm thrilled! The Pantry Challenge is really changing the way I think about shopping and meal planning.

This is a great Enchilada Casserole from my mom's recipe stash- and a new favorite of my hubby. Enjoy!

6 - 8 tortillas

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can tomato sauce

1 lb. hamburger- browned (I used ground turkey)

salt, pepper, onion salt, garlic, cumin etc. for spices

Cheese

(can use sliced olives too....I usually don't)

Mix the tomato and enchilada sauce together. Dip some of your tortillas in sauce and cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with them. Brown hamburger and spices. (can add some of the sauce to the hamburger if desired) put over the top of the tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the hamburger. Dip the rest of the tortillas and cover the top of the hamburger, pour on the rest of the sauce and top with more cheese. (think layering like a lasagna)

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

I think next time I'll add some corn, green chilies, onions and peppers to pump up the veggies- last night we had salad and sliced fruit with this casserole. So yummy!

How is the Challenge going at your house?

Pantry Challenge...still going strong!

2010-02-08T13:48:00.003-07:00

Holy Cow.

We're only into the Pantry Challenge 8 days and I'm already totally amazed at what I have just hiding out in my pantry! Here are a few things I've learned so far:

As I've taken inventory and made out a few meal plans- I'm surprised at what I have stocked all the time. And also what I've bought and we've never eaten. Ever. I think this challenge is going to make me a much savvier shopper.
I've always considered myself to be a healthy shopper/chef- but I'm surprised at some of the not so healthful foods I have stored in my pantry. Case in point: mixes. Baking mixes are convenient- but full of stuff I usually scoff at. It's making me rethink using boxed mixes vs. making my own. (Don't worry- I haven't abandoned cake/muffin mixes entirely!)
Sometimes I tend to get stuck in a "theme night" rut, like Friday Night Pizza or Monday Casseroles, which prompts me to go and pick up the ingredients that I'm missing that morning. This usually ends up in a few impulse buys and more that I'd planned on spending at the grocery store. Making my meal plans with only the on-hand ingredients is helping me know better what to stock my pantry with- and helping me create delicious meals!
We don't just eat dinner at my house. Shocker! Usually, dinner is the meal that I plan and shop for- when really breakfast is just as big of a deal for me! I've now incorporated some of our favorite breakfast foods into my meal planning, too.

I also read this fun post, Eat from the Pantry Every Day for the Rest of Your Life, from Life As Mom, and wanted to share. She talks about trying out the Pantry Challenge for a week and then making up her own new challenge! Also- this is a great Bulk Cooking Tutorial from the Happy Housewife. Enjoy!

Chicken Fingers with Honey Sauce
2 lb. boneless chicken strips
1/4 cup mayo
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. onion powder
1 cup bread crumbs (or corn flakes or whole wheat crackers)
1/2 tsp. paprika

Mix mayo, mustard and onion powder in a large bowl. Mix in chicken strips and coat. Place crumbs and paprika in a large ziptop bag. Add half the chicken and shake to coat. Spread on a cookies sheet in single layer. Repeat with remaining chicken. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes- turning over halfway through cooking.
To Freeze: Freeze cooked chicken on cookie sheets about 2 hours. Remove from sheets and place into ziptop bags, then you can heat what you need. To reheat frozen strips: Bake 5-10 minutes at 400.

Honey Sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Stir and dip!
What have you learned so far from the Pantry Challenge?

Beef- It's what's for dinner

2010-02-04T10:05:00.002-07:00

I don't know about you- but as I've been digging around in my freezer I've found quite a few surprises!
One of which was lots of ground beef. Lots. I was shocked at how much ground beef has been hanging out in my freezer since I feel like we eat mostly ground turkey. (It must have been on a killer sale!) Luckily, I did have it divided into freezer bags, dated and labeled- so nothing was too far gone to use! Some were made into hamburger patties or meatballs- but the bulk of the meat was ready for me to transform it into something delicious. As part of the Pantry Challenge- I decided to make at least 20 meals to keep on hand in my freezer (to prevent the inevitable eating out). All this beef is a great way to help me reach that goal!

Here is what I did with all that beef:
- Brown up enough for taco meat for 2-3 meals. I bagged/tagged and stacked it all up in the freezer. Now I can just heat and eat!
- Made one big batch of Sloppy Joes, which always seems to feed us for two meals.
- Tried out a new recipe for Hamburger Stroganoff from a neighbor. It was super easy to make and she said it freezes well.
- The aforementioned burger patties and meatballs move to the top of the meal plan!

It's so nice to have this all in my freezer- but who's to say I won't just forget about it all again? I've now made a big list that is posted on my freezer with all the contents inside. Now I can just cross off meals we've eaten or add a few more packages of frozen veggies to the list after I shop. Cinchy!

EASY HAMBURGER STROGANOFF

1 lb. ground beef
chopped onion
1 can mushrooms or 1 cup fresh mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream (I used half of this...figured I can add more later when we eat it!)
1 tsp. salt
flat egg noodles or rice

Brown in pan: beef, onions and salt. When cooked through, add in sour cream, soup and mushrooms. Simmer until flavors combine. (If freezing: let cool, cover and store in a freezer container for up to 2 months. When ready to serve- thaw and heat through in a skillet.) Serve warm over noodles or rice.

Freezer Cooking and a Delicious Meal Plan!

2010-02-02T11:20:00.002-07:00

Hello Friends!

The pantry challenge has started at our house- and in a big way! I hope you are trying this along with me... or at least planning on seeing how I do it and giving it a shot in March. :)

Here is what I've done so far this week to make it to my goal:

1. Made a meal plan. Yes, I'm still morphing meals- but I'm also adding in some freezer meals and a few quick "go-to" meals. Check out my list below.

2. Started in on my freezer. That includes some freezer batch cooking, pulling stuff up from the bottom of the chest freezer and organizing everything!

3. Making a grocery list. At our house- the "budget month" starts/ends on the 11th of the month. So as I've been using up all of our fresh stuff- I've been making a list of essentials to fill my fridge. As I've said before, ALWAYS go to the grocery store with a list!

Here's what we're eating this week:

Fettuccine Alfredo, frozen peas and canned peaches
Shredded beef tacos (beans/rice) with pineapple spears (I made pot roast on Saturday and this is my last "morph" for these leftovers.)
Roast chicken, garlic bread, green salad (this chicken will morph into chicken roll-ups and a chicken pot-pie, too!)
Smoothies, bacon and waffles
Baked potatoes, chili and apple salad

FREEZER COOKING: a quick tutorial and some great links!

Something new I'm trying is Once-A-Month-Cooking (or OAMC). It's known by many names: batch cooking, freezer cooking, freezer stocking. I've tried different versions of this concept- but this month I decided to go all out! The $5 Dinner Mom has some great tips for this and so does LifeAsMom. I felt confident I used my freezer to it's full potential, but after reading what these women do- I realized I'm highly underusing this appliance!

Here are a few freezer tips & tricks that I liked:

Divide and marinate meats, freeze flat to store
Make baking mixes (pancakes, quick breads, pizza dough, cookies, etc.) and freeze
Make sure to double wrap casseroles or use freezer paper
Shred cheese in your food processor and store in smaller bags
Freeze in portions that your family will eat or use for one or two meals

This is what I made to fill our freezer (with lots of ingredients from our freezer!) for this next month:

2 lasagnas (one turkey and one beef)
1 batch of sloppy joes
1 batch of butternut squash soup- frozen in smaller containers as I'm the only one who likes it at our house!
1 batch of stroganoff
2 loaves of banana bread- one to eat now, one to freeze
1 taco casserole
2 dinners of marinated turkey cutlets- I'm planning on tossing them in my CrockPot then serving one shredded for tacos or sandwiches and the other with a green salad or noodles
1 turkey meatloaf

In addition to the freezer meals- I am making a batch of granola, chicken pot pie, chicken roll-ups and maybe two mini apple slab pies today.

One of the best things about this- it didn't take as much time as I had planned. I know! Not what you'd think! But these meals were pretty quick to whip up- especially with lots of shared ingredients. For example, I chopped up a big onion that went in my lasagna, stroganoff, taco casserole and meatloaf. The 2 pounds of ground beef I browned went into one lasagna, stroganoff and sloppy joes. And since my oven was on to roast the squash, I popped in the bread to bake alongside. So simple! I think this whole list only took me about 2 hours. And to eat for about 11 meals- not too shabby! I hope you'll try out a few freezer meals and let me know what is working for your family. Share with us!

What works for your family when you freeze meals?

A Well Stocked Pantry

2010-01-26T14:15:00.003-07:00

A well stocked pantry is truly a thing of beauty. And a pretty handy little thing when you are trying to come up with quick, delicious and healthy dinners. I've been toying with the idea of a "pantry challenge" for sometime now- but a few of my favorite food bloggers (here, here and here) have inspired me to actually do it!

Eating meals from the pantry is nothing new- but we've never done it on this large of a scale before. I usually think of my pantry as a last resort instead of my go-to plan. I'm choosing to try it out for a couple of reasons: 1) to see what I actually use to plan my food storage better, 2) come up with creative new recipes, 3) save on our monthly grocery bill (and prove to myself that we can live on less!). I'd also like to make a donation to a charity (I'm thinking of something for Haiti) with some of the money I would usually spend on groceries.

The "rules" of the challenge are pretty simple:

-Eat only from our existing freezer/pantry food for the month of February.

-Half of our usual grocery bill will be allowed for fresh items only (think: milk, produce, eggs, etc.).

Could your family benefit from this Pantry Challenge? Join in! Post your ideas and recipes in the comments and let's give each other some great ideas!

So- in lieu of February's "Monday's Morphed Meals"- I'll just be posting my weekly menu (and a few great recipes/deals/tips) on eating from your pantry. To start out, I thought it would be great to post a nice overview of a "well stocked pantry". This list comes from Food411.com- and I've added my little side notes in blue.

Basic Pantry Essentials

Extra-virgin olive oil
Canola oil
Sesame oil I don't stock this on a regular basis
Sea salt
Black peppercorns
Vinegar (balsamic/sherry/red wine) good for salad dressings
A variety of pastas we like the whole wheat at our house
Rice
Cannelloni Beans
Kidney beans
Tuna – water & olive oil packed
Black beans
Couscous
Chicken broth
Soy sauce
Honey (good quality)
Baking soda
Baking powder
Sugar white, powdered and brown
Flour (all-purpose and whole wheat)
Cornmeal
Pure vanilla/almond extract
Mustard (whole grain or Dijon)
Cornstarch
Peanuts, walnuts, almonds - Store in cool dark place for up to 4 months, 8 months in the freezer
Natural nut butters such as Almond, Peanut
Jams – besides toast –they make quick sauces for ice cream/cake. Spreads for meats, great add in for plain yogurt/cottage cheese
Chocolate chips
Oatmeal
Natural applesauce (great snack, side for pork, use in baking to reduce fats)
Raisins
Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, cumin, cloves, curry powder, allspice, turmeric
Dried herbs: bay leaves, oregano
Canned Tomatoes, good quality jarred pasta sauce
Crackers (for entertaining) or for a snack for your toddler!

In addition...

Refrigerator Essentials

Eggs - fast omelets & frittatas for anytime of the day
Orange juice
Low-fat milk or soymilk
Low-fat plain yogurt and/or vanilla yogurt
Good-quality Parmesan cheese and/or Romano cheese Parm all the way at our house- we also keep a chunk of Mizithra around as well
Sharp Cheddar cheese

Freezer Essentials

4 month supply works well if your freezer is large enough. Be careful of freezer burn -double wrapping will help. If buying a large size package – wrap them in meal size portions and then put several into a freezer bag.

Fruit-juice concentrates
Frozen vegetables: peas, spinach, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper and onion mix, corn, chopped onions
Frozen berries
Frozen minced herbs (small cubes of basil, cilantro)
Sausage (chicken/turkey preferable) makes a very quick meal! I'm a big fan of chicken sausage- my husband likes a chicken with apple variety I buy.
Vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and some chocolate, too :)

Monday's Morphed Meal (a day late!)

2010-01-19T10:58:00.003-07:00

There are a few things you should know about this week's meal plan:
1. I'm only shopping at one store this week.
2. I've been trying to use up a lot of "forgotten" food from my deep freezer.
3. The meals don't seem to "morph" as well- but they are simple!

Enjoy a yummy week!

Day 1: Chicken & Apple Sausage, Parmesan Rice and Three Bean Salad
Day 2: Buffalo Chicken Salad with biscuits
Day 3: Asian Lettuce Wraps with Rice and Pineapple Spears

Shopping List:
Bibb lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Hot sauce
Pineapple
Buttermilk
Parmesan cheese
Ground Beef
green onions
bell pepper

Pantry/Freezer:
Rice
Chicken tenders
Chicken & Apple Sausages
White beans
Green beans
Pinto beans

Day 1: Chicken & Apple Sausages, Parmesan Rice and Three Bean Salad
Make rice- save half for Day 3. Stir in butter, cheese and oregano. Grill sausages. Open canned beans, drain and stir together with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt/pepper to taste.

Day 2: Buffalo Chicken Salad and Biscuits
I like Rachel Ray's salad recipe- super easy. This is my go-to biscuit recipe from America's Test Kitchen. Simple, but SO yummy!

Day 3: Asian Lettuce Wraps, Rice and Pineapple Spears
Truthfully- I totally have made up my own recipe for these! I brown the ground beef and add a little Asian Toasted Sesame salad dressing and some chili flakes. Stir in some bean sprouts, chopped green onions and diced bell pepper. Scoop into a Bib lettuce wrap and enjoy! You can add some rice to the wrap, too- or just eat it plain. This is an easy dinner and delicious.

Monday's Morphed Meal

2010-01-11T16:12:00.002-07:00

Out With The Old

2010-01-07T16:41:00.002-07:00

As Smiths Case Lot sale is this week- and you may be stocking up (which I highly suggest!)- I thought I'd give a quick rundown on nonperishable foods. Often we are quick to assume that our nonperishable are . . . nonperishable. But many of those items sitting in your food storage will not last forever. Here are guidelines for when some of the basics need to be thrown out:

Pancake mix: 6-9 months

Crackers: 6 months

Pasta (without egg solids): 1 year

Cereals: 6-12 months (but they can go stale quickly if opened)

Plain white rice, in airtight container: 2 years

Popcorn: 1-2 years

Canned fruit: 12-18 months (unopened)

Baking powder and soda: 6 months (opened)

Flour: 6-8 months

Sugar: 2 years (indefinite if kept free of moisture)

Prepared cake, pudding, and biscuit mixes: 9-12 months

Shortening: 18 months (unopened)

Vanilla extract: 1 year (opened)

Use it up or throw it out so you can replace it with a fresh item. I also like to take a black Sharpie to my items as I'm unloading an just put a date on the top of the can or box. This really helps me with rotation and usage. Face it- I have unopened vanilla pudding from 2004, I'm not using this item enough to warrant it using up my precious (and limited) food storage space! Needless to say, I won't be buying that in bulk again! :) Keep in mind that many canned items, like #10 cans from the LDS Cannery or Blue Chip Group items, lengthen the shelf life- as long as they are unopened or stored properly. Check your labels to make sure everything you've stored is still in good shape. I'll be posting some great "use it up" recipes this weekend...

Happy Shopping this week!

...and stay tuned for a Monday Morphed Meal next week!

Library Bag Craft

2010-01-04T14:54:00.006-07:00

If you are like me- "read more books" is on your list of resolutions for 2010. And what better way to accomplish your goals that to get the whole family involved!? Making these stylish, and frugal, totes to haul your books will encourage those weekly library visits. Made of thrift or dollar store placemats- they are affordable and darling enough to make one for each member of the family.

Check out all the instructions here.

Thanks to Dollar Store Crafts for this cute idea!

Best Ever Hot Cocoa Mix

2009-12-31T13:49:00.002-07:00

Hope your New Year is warm and wonderful!
Enjoy!

I hope you'll still like me...

2009-12-22T14:37:00.002-07:00

OK- I'm taking a break!

Between holiday cheer, gift wrapping, baking up a storm and being pregnant- I've slacked off on my twice weekly blogging goal! I hope your heart is in a forgiving mode and you'll stick with me through the new year for more Meal Morphing, frugal crafting and yummy recipes.

Until January- I won't be posting any "formal" meal menus, but I'm going to try to put a few of our families favorite treat recipes up as well as a fun craft I've discovered.

Keep checking in...and have a wonderful holiday and a merry New Year!

Monday's Morphed Meal (a day late!)

2009-12-15T13:57:00.004-07:00

Are you still using your freezer meals? I sure am! But it's always nice to add in a few freshly made items to break up the "heat and eat" routine. Enjoy these three meals with your family this week!

Every Monday, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Day 1: Twice Baked Potatoes with Yogurt Fruit Salad
Day 2: Potato Veggie Soup in a bread bowl and Green Salad
Day 3: Scrambles with Hashbrowns and Sausage

Shopping List:
10 baking potatoes
4 bread bowls
shredded cheese
cream cheese
eggs
breakfast sausage
yogurt
apples, pears, bananas, oranges, pineapple- fruit salad stuff!
lettuce, celery, shredded carrots, onion, peppers- green salad stuff!

From the Pantry/Freezer:
frozen mixed veggies
canned vegetable soup (I like Low-Sodium Progresso Soups...)
chicken broth

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day Twice Baked Potatoes with Yogurt Fruit Salad
Scrub all potatoes. Prick with fork and bake until tender. Set aside 4 for dinner tonight. Cube and bag the rest for the fridge. Chop up all fruit into bite size pieces. Cover with one 6 oz. container of fruit yogurt and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. With 4 remaining potatoes: slice in half length-wise. Scoop out flesh and place into a separate bowl. (I like to pop the skins back into the oven while I mash the insides- it keeps the skins crisp.) Mash potatoes with a few tablespoons cream cheese, milk and chopped onion. Fill skins. Top with a sprinkle of cheddar and put back into the oven until warmed through and cheese is melted. Enjoy your baked potatoes with the tangy fruit salad!

Day 2: Potato Veggie Soup in Bread Bowls with Green Salad
Pour canned soup, 1 cup chicken broth, half bag of cubed potatoes and 1 bag frozen veggies into a soup pot. Simmer. Make a green salad to serve with your favorite dressing. Let everyone scoop out their bread bowls and fill with steaming soup- Enjoy!
Day 3: Scrambles with Hashbrowns and Sausage
Brown sausage, remove to a paper towel lined plate. In the same skillet-add in 1 Tbs olive oil and hashbrowns. Season to taste and brown potatoes. While those are browning- scramble two eggs per person in a large bowl with a little milk and S&P. In another skillet, pour in egg scramble. At our house- we like to sprinkle in leftover veggies (broccoli, onions, mushrooms, peppers, shredded carrots) and a little cheddar cheese. Stir until set. Serve everything hot with toast!

thrifty tidbits

2009-12-10T14:06:00.004-07:00

Some great buys this week- Happy Shopping!

Dicks Market
Huggies Diapers, Jumbo Pack, $9.77
WF Brown & Powdered Sugar, $1.08
WF Chocolate Chips, $1.48
Ritz Crackers, $1.88
Pineapple, $.99/lb.
Cranberries, $1.99

Smiths
Chicken of the Sea Tuna, $.50
Progresso Soups, $1
Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix, $1
Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream, $1
Boneless Pork Chops, $1.99
Pears, $1/lb.
Clementines, $4.99 for 3 lb.
Kroger Cottage and Cream Cheese, $.88
Mountain Dairy Milk, $1.67

Fresh Market (the old Albertsons)
Huggies Diapers & Pull-Ups, Jumbo Pack, $9.49
Pillsbury Brownie Mix, $.98
French Bread, $.99
Clorox Wipes, $3.49
Softsoap Liquid Soap, $.88
Simply Lemonade/Limeade, $1.87

Super Target
Betty Crocker Cake Mix, $.78
Coke Products, $2.75 (12 pk), $1 (2 ltr.)
Oranges, $2.49, 5 lb.
Glad Cling Wrap, $2.34

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-12-07T08:37:00.004-07:00

I hope you all had a warm weekend- the Christmas season has begun! We've been out shopping, seeing lights and trees and already been to one party! This is truly a busy- but wonderful- time of year. So I decided this week, I'm going to use some of my "one pot wonders" as well as double a few more recipes to have for the rest of the season. Yup- we're eating 2 freezer meals a week this December! I hope you enjoy these ideas...and remember to do what works for your family.

Crock-Pot Beef Stew great for a re-heat freezer meal, too
1 lb. browned stew meat
4 cubed potatoes
4 cubed carrots
2 sliced celery stalks
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
-Mix together, put in Crock-Pot on low for 8 hours. Serve in a bread bowl.

Chicken n' Cheese Casserole hey- it's even a Weight Watchers recipe!
2 cups cooked macaroni
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
2 cups cream of mushroom soup
2 cups fat free milk
8 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed
-Preheat oven to 350.
-In a large casserole dish, combine all ingredients, mixing well.
-Bake, covered, 35-35 minutes. Remove cover; bake 10 minutes longer- until browned.
*If freezing- combine all ingredients, cover and freeze. When you are hungry, let thaw- then bake.

Pita Sandwiches easy to make ahead or double
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup cashew pieces
2-3 sliced green onions
2 cups Mayo
1 can pineapple tidbits
sprouts
salt and pepper
- Mix chicken, mayo, celery, onion, cashews and pineapple. Season to taste.
-Stuff halved pita breads and add sprouts.

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-11-30T14:17:00.004-07:00

Soup's On!

Did your family make the obligatory Day-After-The-Day Turkey Soup? Delicious, eh? And nothing warms you up more than a steaming bowl of soup. Hey- as long as you are cooking up a batch, why not cook up a few batches and freeze for later in December? December is a super busy month- so a "done dinner" is always welcome! Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Wild Rice Soup

2	teaspoons vegetable oil
1	medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2	medium stalks celery, diced (1 cup)
2	medium carrots, diced (1 cup)
1	cup diced smoked turkey (6 ounces)
1/2	cup uncooked wild rice
1	teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/4	teaspoon pepper
3 1/2	cups chicken broth
1	can (12 ounces) evaporated fat-free milk
1/3	cup all-purpose flour
1	cup frozen sweet peas, thawed



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

1.	In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion in oil about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
2.	Place onion, celery, carrots, turkey, wild rice, tarragon and pepper in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Pour broth over top.
3.	Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until wild rice and vegetables are tender. Stir in peas last 15 minutes of cooking.
4.	Mix milk and flour; stir into soup. Cover and cook about 20 minutes or until thickened.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2	cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed Cheddar cheese soup
2	cups water
6	cups frozen broccoli florets
2	cups milk
1/2	teaspoon ground mustard
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/4	teaspoon garlic powder
1/8	teaspoon pepper
2	cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

In 4-quart saucepan, mix soup and water. Heat over high heat, stirring constantly, until boiling and smooth.

Add broccoli. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender.

Stir in milk, mustard, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Cook uncovered 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated. Stir in cheese until melted.

Green Chilie Chili

1	tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2	medium onions, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2	teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1	tablespoon ground cumin
1	teaspoon salt
1/8	teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2	lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2	cans (15 to 16 oz each) great northern beans, drained, rinsed
2	cans (4.5 oz each) chopped green chiles, undrained
2	cups chicken broth
	Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

1.	In 4 1/2- to 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are softened.
2.	Stir in cumin, salt, red pepper and chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned.
3.	Stir in beans, chiles and broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Carving Your Turkey

2009-11-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

Carving the Perfect Turkey

It’s finally time to pull that fat, juicy turkey out of the oven. You place the turkey on the counter and bask in your fine cooking, and then you pause: how do you carve a turkey?! Here are a few tips:

1. Start with a leg. Either grab the leg with one hand and cut it away with the other, or if you have a carving fork, stick it into the turkey for leverage and then cut. Probe the area before you cut—you are looking for the joint that connects the leg to the turkey.

2. Cut through the joint. This should be fairly easy; if it’s not, you may be cutting through bone.

3. Cut off the wing. Do this the same way you cut off the leg.

4. Now it’s time to carve the breast. Stick your carving fork into the top of the turkey. Then, use the knife and slice downward in a slanting motion. Start with small slices—they will gradually get bigger as you move toward the center of the turkey. Lay the slices on a plate. Serve them quickly or try dripping gravy on top of the finished slices to maintain the heat.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 on the other side of the turkey.

6. Feast!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!!

Monday's Morphed Meal (a day late!)

2009-11-17T12:30:00.003-07:00

Hello there! Is life getting crazier for all of you?
Oh, good.
It's sometimes nice to know I'm not the only one! :)

Well, for this week's meal plan I've decided to share another "5 Meals Ready in Minutes" from the August 2009 issue of Parenting Magazine. I love their quick and simple ideas. Often, I feel like they are a little lacking in the veggie department- but that is so easy to remedy, salads/frozen veg/crudities, I dock no points from these delectable meals! A lot of these meals are ideal for your "unplanned" nights during the week or just a quick lunch. Enjoy!

5 Meals Ready In Minutes

Monday: Peas 'n' Ziti Boil 1 pound of ziti, then add a 10-oz package of frozen peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Reserve a half cup of the cooking water, then drain. Stir in ricotta cheese and cooking water along with Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.

Tuesday: Chicken Pizza Spread a prepared crust with tomato sauce, Monterrey jack cheese and cooked chicken. Bake as directed until bubbly.

Wednesday: Tex-Mex Tacos Breakfast for dinner! Whisk 6 eggs with salt and pepper. Scramble in canola oil, adding grated Mexican-blend cheese. Warm corn tortillas int he microwave. Top each with scrambled eggs and salsa (and/or scallions and avocado). Fold up and serve.

Thursday: Sausage Sliders Form 10 small patties from 1 lb ground turkey sausage. Broil for about 5 minutes, or until crisp and thoroughly cooked. Place on small rolls, along with mozzarella cheese and a tomato.

Friday: Pasta e Fagioli In a large pot, saute a chopped onion and minced garlic clove in olive oil. Add 4 cups chicken broth, a can of diced tomatoes, a cup of uncooked elbow macaroni, and 2 cans of drained cannellini beans. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.

thrifty tidbits

2009-11-12T11:59:00.002-07:00

Baking and Ham and Laundry, Oh My!
The holidays are creeping up!
Here are a few good buys to help your season run smoothly.

Smiths
Flour, $1.49, 5 lbs.
Planters Nuts, $2.50
General Mills Cereals, $1.50/box
Langers Apple Cider, $1.25
Frozen Veggies, $.88 each

Dicks Market
Pillsbury Cake Mix, $.99 each
Langers Cranberry or Pomegrante Juice, $1.67
Honeysuckle White Frozen Turkey Burgers, $4.99
Sugar Tree Ham, Spiral Cut, Bone-In, $1.38
WF Paper Towels, $.48 roll

Target
Market Pantry Frozen Turkey, $.68
Cheer Laundry Detergent, $8.99, 100 oz.
Dove Body Wash, $3.99, 16 oz.
Archer Farms Soy Milk, $2.49

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-11-09T13:52:00.004-07:00

An easy and delicious meal plan for a brisk fall week. Remember- use up some of your meals that you've been freezing for an easy dinner. You do have a lasagna or stew in your freezer, right? And if not- hey, another pasta or soup night never hurt anyone! Enjoy!

Day 1: Packed Omlettes with Toast and Fruit Slices Day
Day 2: Stuffed Bell Peppers with Chicken and Rice, Applesauce
Day 3: Chicken Green Chilie Tacos, Cilantro-Lime Rice and Green Salad
Day 4: Noodles with Brown Butter, Asparagus and French Bread

Shopping List:
eggs
your favorite fruit
4 bell peppers
chicken (rotisserie or otherwise)
1 can green chilies
1 bunch cilantro
2 limes
salad fixings
asparagus
french bread

From The Pantry:
rice
noodles
black beans
salsa
tortillas
applesauce

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day Packed Omlettes with Toast and Fruit Slices
Prep: Cube and cook up all your chicken or de-bone your rotisserie chicken. Divide into two containers. In the chicken for tacos, add the juice of one lime, the whole can of green chilies and a few dashes of cumin- seal up and save for taco night. Wash and chop all fruit. Wash and tear up some lettuce for salad and shred some for tacos. Open, drain and rinse a can of beans- save some for tacos, some for tonight's omlettes. I like to make the rice the night of the meal, but if you are in a time crunch this week- just cook up enough for 8 servings and pop it in the fridge.

OK- I'm pretty sure you know how to make and omlette and toast, so I won't go into details. Our family likes: cheese, onion, salsa, beans, mushrooms, any leftover veggies, sprouts. Serve with some pineapple or orange slices. Yum!

Day 2: Stuffed Bell Peppers with Chicken and Rice, Applesauce
Make up three cups rice. Wash and slice the tops off the peppers and scoop out seeds. With the cooked rice- mix in reserved chicken, chopped onion, a few shakes of your most Italian spices, and nuts (if your family likes 'em). Stir to combine ingredients, then fill peppers and top with mozzarella cheese. Place peppers on a baking sheet and pop in a 375 oven for about 15 minutes. Serve with applesauce.

Day 3: Chicken Green Chilie Tacos, Cilantro-Lime Rice and Green Salad
Make up 4-5 cups rice- adding the juice of one lime to your cooking liquid. Chop cilantro, fine, and add to finished rice. Warm up the Chicken mixture in the microwave and heat tortillas. Shred cheese, put taco fixings out on the table so everyone can just make their own!

Day 4: Noodles with Brown Butter, Asparagus and French Bread
Set pasta to cook. Wash and toss asparagus in a little olive oil- spread out on a baking sheet and put in a 400 degree oven, until grilled. Brown butter in a skillet then toss in cooked pasta. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top and serve with asparagus and bread.

Thanksgiving- A Plan Ahead Guide

2009-11-06T14:46:00.004-07:00

Incredible.
Inspiring.
Chock full of ideas.
Pure goodness.
Ok. I've discovered an AMAZING website that I'm in love with: $5 Dinners. The blogger, Erin the $5 Dinner Mom, is my kinda woman. She's organized, frugal and creative with her meals! She has come up with this great Plan-Ahead Thanksgiving that I couldn't help but share. Visit her site for lots of good, money-stretching ideas!

Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the whole year. I love every part of it…

the colors of the trees outside
the piles of leaves in the street that await the leaf sucker-upper
the rock bottom prices in the grocery stores
the insane number of coupons that are released during November
the fantastic Thanksgiving deals that can be found matching up coupons with sale prices
the many fragrances that fill the house as the oven roasts the turkey and bakes the pies

Ahhh.

It will be a bit different for us this year. With a very small newborn, I couldn’t imagine preparing the whole feast, as I’ve done in years past! So we’ll be feasting with family. And if I can manage to whip up a side dish, I will!

I wanted to share a few reminders on how to reduce the overall cost of your Thanksgiving meal.

1. Plan. Rework the plan. Finalize the plan.

Make a plan. Dig through those recipe cards, browse the magazines. Make your plan. But only pencil it in!

Then rework your plan as time gets closer and you see things on sale, or another recipe you’d like to experiment with.

On Sunday before Thanksgiving, finalize the plan and get to work! By then, you’ll have seen all the products that are on sale, what the lowest prices are and you’ll be able to carve the plan into stone.

2. Prices.

From my experience in years past, the LOWEST prices on all the Thanksgiving favorites…like green beans, sweet potatoes, pecans and walnuts, cranberry sauces, etc…are found during Thanksgiving week. And possibly the week before.

It’s a tricky game to play, but if you have a plan and you see something on your list for 60-75% less than regular retail price the week before Thanksgiving, go ahead and get it. Or wait and hope it’s still on sale for Thanksgiving week. But if you wait, it might not be on sale the next week. Trust your instincts.

3. Coupons. Coupons. Coupons.

Over the next few weeks, there will be an insane number of coupons released both online and in the newspapers. Many of which are for the most popular products used during the Thanksgiving meal.

Clip them. Use them. Match them with the products on sale!

4. Turkey Prices.

Watch those circulars. I already see whole turkeys advertised in my store for $1.49/lb. But I know it will be half that price come Turkey Day!

Shop around. Pay close attention to all the store’s prices in your area.

How big of a turkey should I get? Rule of thumb: 1 lb. per person attending your feast. Depending on how much meat you need/want for leftovers!

And don’t forget…this is a great time to get an extra turkey, perhaps a smaller turkey breast, that you can cook up in the slow cooker and use the meat for multiple meals. Prices won’t be this low until Thanksgiving 2010!

Enjoy your feast! And revel in the fact that you spent as little as you could on your Turkey Day Feast!!!

What other tips do you have to share for saving $$$ on the Thanksgiving meal???

thrifty tidbits

2009-11-04T14:21:00.003-07:00

Produce is on sale this week- Happy Shopping!

Smiths Marketplace:
Red seedless grapes, $.99/lb
Baby Carrots, $1/lb
Lettuce, $.99 a head
Bell Peppers, $1 each

Dicks Market:
Yellow Onions, $.39/lb
Pineapple, $.79/lb
Apples, Braeburn and Jonagold, $.89/lb
Pears, $.99/lb

***Also, check out the easy recipe for Homemade Granola Bars at Simply Eating Healthy. Jen has posted a yummy and simple granola bar. I made mine this week with walnuts and dried cherries. Sooo good!***

Morphed Meals Re-Cap

2009-11-02T12:30:00.003-07:00

With lots of new readers/followers- I thought I'd just do a quick re-cap of what this Monday's Morphed Meals thing is all about. For you few faithful followers- I hope this is a good reminder of how you are saving all that money and actually using your leftovers! Enjoy!

I don't have a cape.
Or bracelets that deflect bullets.
And I drive a Subaru- not an invisible plane.
I'm no Wonder Woman- but I still manage to fit Shop/Prep day into my busy, happy life!

YOU CAN DO THIS! After my last Shop/Prep post I got so many comments about how "I just don't have time", "I'm not that organized", "I hate to cook". If this was you- the Shop/Prep idea is just what you need! Remember my motto: Do what works for your family. I promise- this system can work for your family no matter how busy, unorganized or chef-challenged your family is! No matter the category you fall into- there is something here for you!

I'M JUST TOO BUSY:
What could be easier for a busy mom than having all (yes all) your cooking/prep work done on one day! And this doesn't have to suck up all your time, either! Imagine being able to put dinner on the table after just 15 minutes of combining a few ingredients. The Crock-Pot will become your best friend. Take some help from the store- bagged salads, pre-chopped and frozen veggies or fruit, rotisserie chickens. (Yes, you may spend a little bit more initially - but you'll spend a lot less prepping and serving a meal at home than running out to the fast food joint 20 minutes before dinner!) And remember to do what works for your family- if you have a little more time or the inclination- you can do that extra prep on your own. Some weeks I have the time to do the "extras", some weeks I don't. Streamline S/P day by having all the "tools" you'll need on hand: zip-top freezer bags, gladware/tupperware bowls in a few sizes, a sharp chef's knife, cutting board, your spice cupboard open.

Here is a meal plan for a "too busy" family:
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie Casserole, Apple Salad
Tuesday: Chicken Salad Pita Pockets, chips, carrot and celery sticks with dip
Wednesday: Angel Hair Pasta with Sweet Peas and Bacon, French Bread
Thursday: Breakfast French Toast, Bacon, Orange slices
Friday: Garlic Chicken Pizza Night, green salad
Saturday: Leftovers or eat out!
Sunday: Pot Roast with veggies

The Prep Plan:
Buy rotisserie chicken, Pita bread, a loaf French Bread, pre-cooked bacon, jarred Alfredo sauce, a roast, refrigerator biscuits and 2 bags of frozen "stew vegetables." You'll also be purchasing your "everyday items" like milk, fruit/veggies, pasta, cheese etc. (Can you see how your ingredients are being used in at least 2 meals? This cuts down on "leftovers" and stretches your food dollars.) Whatever day you start on- realize that this is when you will spend the most time. It's worth it for quick meals the rest of the week!

Your prep day may go something like this:
--Remove all meat from the chicken. Chop into bite size pieces. Put half into a large Gladware bowl- this will be your pita filling. One generous cup goes into a zip-top bag- this is your pizza topping. And the rest goes into a skillet on your stove top for the pot pie casserole. For your roast, take it out of the packaging it came in and stab it with a fork a few times. Rub garlic, salt and seasonings into the meat and put it in a large zip-top freezer bag. Store in the freezer until Saturday.

--On to the veggies and fruit! You've bought bagged celery and carrot sticks, bagged salad, frozen peas, frozen mixed vegetables- so the work is DONE for you! (If you are really strapped for time during the week- start steaming the veggies in the microwave and putting them into Gladware containers.) If you like onions on your pizza- slice some thin and put in the bag with your chicken. Dice some celery for the Apple salad tonight and the pita filling. Wash and toss some grapes into the pita filling. For the Apple Salad tonight- core and chop your apples and mix with celery. Slice 4 oranges into rings, sprinkle with powdered sugar and store in a container in the fridge.

--Now for finishing up. Make the dressing for the apple salad and the pita filling. Dress each, but cover pita filling and store in the fridge. Store other items in their containers in the fridge and feel content about being prepared for the week.

--Make the Chicken Pot Pie Casserole for tonight's dinner. Finish assembling the Apple salad and eat! Tuesday, pull out your Chicken Pita filling, veggies and dip- enjoy. On Wednesday night put your pasta and peas on to boil- yes, you can use the same pot. Crisp bacon in micro. Slice French Bread. When the pasta/peas are finished, dress with a bit of that Alfredo sauce you have in the fridge, snip bacon on top to garnish. Thursday night is breakfast for dinner. Make french toast out of the remaining bread, crisp bacon in microwave and pull the orange slices out of the fridge! Friday is Garlic Chicken Pizza. Each family member can make their own pizza from the pita bread, cheese, remaining Alfredo sauce, minced garlic and chicken. (My family also likes bacon on this pizza!) Pop those pizzas in a hot oven until the cheese is bubbling and chicken is warmed through. Serve with your bagged green salad. Saturday night- treat yourself to dinner out or just stay home and have leftovers...if you have any! Remember to take your roast from the freezer to the fridge tonight. On Sunday morning, pull out your trusty Crock-Pot. Layer the bags of "stew veggies" on the bottom, with the roast on top and add 1-2 cups of water or stock. Cook on low 7-9 hours.

Take a big sigh and realize that an extra hour on one day made the rest of the weeks' meals a CINCH!

Tuesday's Morphed Meals

2009-10-27T13:49:00.004-06:00

Happy Halloween!
I've planned out an easy week with fun, festive and spooky eats. And because this week is super busy- lots of these items are from your pantry/freezer. Enjoy a sweet night with your family!

Day 1: Chicken Vegetable Soup with "Witches Fingers" Breadsticks
Day 2: Pumpkin Pancakes, Bacon and Sliced Pears
Day 3: "Tarantula" Tacos with Slice Apples
Day 4: Halloween Chili for a bunch with Cornbread

Shopping List:
2 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 rotisserie chicken
lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
bacon
1 onion
a bunch of pears and apples
frozen roll dough OR dough from the bakery

From the Pantry/Freezer:
Canned beans
Canned or frozen corn
bag of frozen mixed veggies
box of chicken stock
Canned pumpkin
pancake mix
cornbread mix

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
Chicken Vegetable Soup with "Witches Fingers" Breadsticks
Prep: Pull all chicken off the bone and place into a large soup pot- add stock and bagged frozen veggies and begin to simmer. Dice onion. In a medium skillet brown the meat and onion together. Take half out, put in a container and refrigerate for the chili on day 4. Add taco seasonings to the remaining meat- combine then bag & tag for the fridge. Slice up the apples, sprinkle with a little lemon juice to prevent browning and store in the fridge.
Divide/roll dough into breadsticks. (I made mine sort of gnarly looking for fingers- then added a sliced almond onto the tip for the fingernail!) Bake according to directions. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with warm Chicken Veg Soup.

Day 2: Pumpkin Pancakes, Bacon and sliced pears
Mix pancakes according to directions- add a can of pumpkin and more milk until the right consistency. I like to add pumpkin pie spice- but it's up to you! Crisp bacon in microwave while you slice up pears. Cook pancakes and serve with chocolate chips or whipped cream and pears.

Day 3: "Tarantula" Tacos and Sliced Apples
Pull the taco meat out of the fridge and heat. Make tacos as directed in the previous post. Serve with slice apples along side.

Day 4: Halloween Chili for a bunch with Cornbread
In the morning- place ground meat and other ingredients into Crock-Pot, set for Low, 8 hours.
Halloween Chili:
1 lb. ground meat
1 diced onion
3 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato sauce
1 can great northern beans, rinsed/drained
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed/drained
1 can corn, drained
2 Tb. chili powder
1 Tb. cumin
1 cup salsa

Before serving, mix up the cornbread mix- adding in 1-2 cups of frozen corn kernels (depending on how much cornbread you are making- I use 2 cups for 2 pans of bread.) Bake according to directions and serve with hot chili.

Have fun trick-or-treating!

Mini Celebration!

2009-10-26T14:22:00.002-06:00

We just found out our little cinnamon bun in the oven is a GIRL! So, we'll be having a mini celebration tonight in honor of adding a sister to our house. Lyvia, the big sis, is pretty excited!

Needless to say, it'll have to be a Tuesday's Morphed Meals!

In the meantime: enjoy these Tarantula Tacos from Betty Crocker- a super way to usher in Halloween week!

1	box taco shells
1	lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1	package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
2/3	cup water
1	cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1 1/2	cups shredded lettuce
1	medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1/4	cup sour cream
20	extra-large pitted ripe olives



	Print these coupons...





	About Concordance™

1.	Heat oven to 325°F. Heat taco shells in oven as directed on box.
2.	Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Reduce heat to medium; cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until water has evaporated. Remove from heat.
3.	Spoon beef mixture into heated taco shells. Top with cheese, lettuce and tomato.
4.	Spoon sour cream into small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut tiny hole in corner of bag. Pipe sour cream over top of each taco to resemble spiderweb.
5.	For each spider, top taco with 1 olive, pitted end down. Cut second olive lengthwise into 8 pieces; place around whole olive for legs. For eyes, squeeze 2 dots of sour cream onto top of olive.

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-10-19T13:53:00.003-06:00

I love my slow cooker. I use it at least once a week- if not more. Especially this week- with doctors appointments, meetings and substitute teaching- I'm putting my Crock-Pot to good use! If a Crock-Pot brings to mind only pot roast- it's time to dust off that old appliance and give it new life! This week I'm sharing a few of the delicious, healthy and simple recipes that cook without much effort in your slow cooker. Another bonus: Easy to eat half tonight and freeze the other half for later in the month. Double duty! Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili, from Betty Crocker

Pumpkin Apple Cobbler Dessert, from Betty Crocker

Autumn Squash Casserole, from SlowandSimple.com

Easy French Dip Sandwiches, from SlowandSimple.com

Maple Country Style Ribs, from AllRecipes.com

Tangy Corn Chowder, from AllRecipes.com

I also frequent the Food Network's Slow Cooker site. Check it out!

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-10-12T14:04:00.003-06:00

I have a confession. I didn't look at the ads this week. I didn't check the internet for all the deals. I didn't use one coupon while shopping today. Ok, ok- it's been a crazy week at my house, yes- but I don't feel guilty for not working the system for one week! :) Everyone has weeks like this, right? I've had a few emails saying, "I don't have time to do everything you do for the meal planning." My advice: Just do what works for your family. Don't let not having a plan discourage you from the Meal Morphing system. You can still use the Morphed Meal plan to save you a few bucks, try a new recipe- or even just make a few freezer meals for a rainy day. Since I didn't really plan, per se, this week- we're having a few meals that I've frozen and saved for just such a time. I hope you enjoy this week and relax!

Every Monday, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Day 1: Butternut Squash Soup and Mixed Green Salad (great freezer meal)
Day 2: Broccoli Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes with fruit salad
Day 3: Grilled Cheese Sammys, Apples with Dip
Day 4: Creamy Pork Chops, Rice and Applesauce (great freezer meal)

Shopping List:
1 large butternut squash
8 oz. cream cheese
cheddar cheese
whole wheat bread
apples
grapes
bananas
berries
plain yogurt
frozen broccoli florets
mushrooms
salad fixings
Pork Chops

From Your Pantry/Freezer:
3-4 cups chicken stock
russet potatoes
rice
applesauce
cream of mushroom soup
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day Butternut Squash Soup and Mixed Green Salad
Put scrubbed potatoes in the oven to bake (1 hour or until tender). Chop all your apples- some into slices for dipping and some into chunks for the fruit salad. Chop the rest of the fruit and mix together with a little lemon juice. Add in 1 cup of yogurt and some jam- stir and cover for Day 2. Make fruit dip. Take potatoes out of the oven and when they are cool enough to handle- scoop out insides into a bowl. Cover both shells and insides with plastic and refrigerate.

This is a delicious recipe for the Butternut Soup from All Recipes.com- and very easy to double for your freezer on another busy week. My family likes green salad with nuts and feta with a sweet dressing to pair with this creamy soup.

Day 2: Broccoli Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes and Fruit Salad
Since you've already baked and scooped your potatoes- half the work is done! Follow this recipe starting on step 2. Serve them up warm with the chilled fruit salad from yesterday. Enjoy!

Day 3: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Apples and dip
Pretty sure you know how to make grilled cheese- right? We like ours with a little mayo spread inside. I even like mine with a few thinly sliced apples pressed inside. Delicious!

Day 4: Creamy Pork Chops, Rice and Applesauce
This is a Crock-Pot recipe that is easily doubled to freeze for a rainy day. Use 4-6 chops for this version. Cook up the rice and dish the applesauce just before serving. Save some of that yummy sauce for spooning over the rice.
Creamy Pork Chops

6 pork chops

1 packet dry Ranch Dressing seasoning mix

10 oz. can cream of chicken soup (or make your own here)

2 small cans sliced mushrooms, drained (optional, but I like fresh better)

Place pork chops, ranch seasoning, soup and mushrooms into crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6.

Make Something Cool

2009-10-08T13:49:00.002-06:00

Getting out the paint and glue is therapeutic to me. As soon as the weather starts to change, I find all sorts of fun, inside crafts and projects to start working on to soothe the loss of summer and warm weather. I saw these cute Jack-O-Lantern Jars and HAD to make them with all of my random jelly/babyfood jars that I've kept around for some reason! Hey- even a great recycling project! :)

Here are links to a few fun, and inexpensive, Halloween crafts. Enjoy!

Halloween Treat Buckets from Dollar Store Crafts

Jack-O-Lantern Jars from Dollar Store Crafts

Light-Up Spiders from Family Fun Crafts

Candy Monster Pops from Martha Stewart Crafts

Tin Can Frankenstein from Family Corner.com

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-10-05T13:28:00.004-06:00

Ok- so everyone is jumping on the meal morphing bandwagon! :) I got this great meal plan from the June 2009 Parenting Magazine. Thanks Parenting! (Yes, it has been sitting in a pile by my computer, just waiting to be shared with you!) They call this "M-F, 5 meals ready in minutes" and they are right! I hope you enjoy these simple meals as much as I do.

Monday: Chinese Chicken Stir-Fry
Stir-fry diced chicken with soy sauce and rice vinegar; remove from skillet. Add minced garlic, ginger and veggies; cook until crisp-tender. Dissolve 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch in same amount of chicken broth; pour in pan with additional broth and soy; cook until sauce is thick. Return chicken to pan and serve.
Tuesday: Pizza Margherita
Top a prepared crust with tomato sauce, basil and thin slices of mozzarella. Bake. Serve with salad.
Wednesday: Lime-Cilantro Shrimp
Season shrimp, saute for 2 minutes, then turn. Add the juice of a lime, some chopped cilantro, and a couple of chopped tomatoes. Saute until shrimp is cooked. Serve with rice.
Thursday: Balsamic Pork
Season and saute boneless center-cut pork chops until nearly cooked; remove from pan. Add balsamic vinegar and chicken broth to pan; boil until thickened. Stir in quartered seedless grapes; add the pork to finish cooking and warm through.
Friday: Chicken Quesadillas
Layer precooked diced chicken, bottled roasted peppers, sliced mushrooms, corn and shredded jack cheese on half of a flour tortilla. Fold over, and cook in a heated nonstick skillet until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-09-28T12:56:00.003-06:00

Monday is here again! Welcome to a great week- October will be starting in a few days, and even if the weather doesn't seem to brisk- it really is fall! And nothing says fall to me more than soup. I've included my mom's "secret" homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe in this week's morphed meals. Happy cooking and enjoy!

Every Monday, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Day 1: Baked Potatoes with Apple Yogurt Slaw
Day 2: Chicken Noodle Soup and French Bread
Day 3: Hashbrowns, Egg Scrambles with Sliced Fruit

Grocery List:
6 baked potatoes
1 rotisserie chicken
canned low-sodium chicken stock
1 head of cabbage
1 package of shredded carrot
1 bunch carrots
1 cup plain yogurt
1 onion
3 apples
shredded cheese
loaf of french bread

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
Baked Potatoes and Apple Yogurt Slaw
Scrub and put all the potatoes in to bake- four for tonight and two for hashbrowns later in the week. Take all the chicken off the bone, bag it and store in the fridge for soup.
Make the Apple Yogurt Slaw for dinner tonight!
6 cups chopped cabbage
3 cups chopped apple
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup mayo
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tb. sugar
2 Tb. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
- Combine cabbage, apples, carrots in a bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in another bowl and whisk well. Pour dressing over cabbage mix and toss to coat. Even better if you chill for an hour before serving.
Serve the Slaw with your baked potatoes. We like to top with shredded cheese, pepper and a little sour cream.

Day 2: Chicken Noodle Soup and French Bread
Pull out your chicken out of the fridge to make the delicious soup for tonight's dinner! This makes a big batch, so you could freeze some for another meal- just don't freeze the noodles, add those fresh. Serve up for dinner tonight with hearty slice of bread.
Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup
3 cups chicken soup stock
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
1 chop chopped onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 can of evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken
4 cups cooked noodles
-Heat chicken soup stock and vegetables until they are tender. Add cream of chicken soups and milk. Add cooked chicken and noodles- salt and pepper to taste. Simmer to combine flavors.

Day 3: Hashbrowns, Egg Scrambles with sliced fruit
Dice up your two remaining baked potatoes. In a medium high skillet, melt a little butter and add in the potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir. Serve crispy. Slice up fruit and serve with eggs and hashbrowns.
As for the scrambles- this is a great way to use up leftovers in the fridge! To your scrambled eggs add: cheese, frozen veggies, onions, crumbled bacon, mushrooms, hot sauce- the list is endless.

thrifty tidbits

2009-09-24T13:22:00.002-06:00

Happy Shopping!

Albertsons:
Act 2 Microwave Popcorn, $1
Campbells Soup at Hand, $1
Progresso Soup, Vegetable Classics, $1
Select Kelloggs Cereals, $1.50/box, *Must buy 10-mix/match

Super Target:
Huggies Diapers, SUper-Mega Pack, $16.99
Brachs Candy Corn, 27 oz., $2
Kelloggs Nutri-Grain Bars, $2

Dicks: (Associated Foods Case Lots Sales happening this week!)
WF Brown or Powdered Sugar, $1.25
Hersheys King Size Candy Bars, $1
WF Tuna, $.53
WF Cream Soups, $.57
WF Lasagna, $8.99
Pork Sirloin Roast, $1.49/lb
WF Mac & Cheese, $.33 each

Smiths:
Kroger Value Spices, $1 each
General Mills Cereals (Honey Nut, Apple Cinn. anad Multi Grain Cheerios), $1.77/box
Oreo Cookies, $1.99
Colgate Toothbrush/toothpaste, $.94 each
Kroger sour cream and cottage cheese, $1
Mountain Dairy milk, $1.67 gallon
Extra-Lean Ground Beef, $1.69/lb.
Dreyers Ice Cream, $1.99

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-09-21T14:16:00.003-06:00

The rumors are true- this baker has a bun in the oven! With all of the wonderful excitement that comes with this, sickness also follows me around for 9 months. So- I hope you enjoy this repeat Morphed Meal from earlier this year. These are some of our families favorites (pizza anyone?!), and I hope your family loves them, too! Enjoy!

Every Monday, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Grocery List:
6 chicken breasts
1 acorn squash
2 sweet potatoes
2 large sweet onion
1 jar of orange marmalade
maple syrup
orange juice
Classico Alfredo sauce
mozzarella cheese
American Beauty pasta
Salad mix
10 mushrooms
Compound herb butter

Meal Plan:
Day 1: (Shop/Prep day)
Tonight's meal: Maple-Orange Chicken with Squash and Sweet Potatoes.
1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces
3/4 sweet onion, chopped (Chop both onions and store remaining in the fridge for later)
6 chicken breasts
1 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbs. maple syrup
Place vegetables in the bottom of a greased or lined slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper and layer over the vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients and then pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.
***Serve 4 chicken breasts with vegetables for dinner tonight. Spoon remaining sauce over the top. Hold out 2 remaining chicken breasts for later this week.

Day 2 meal: Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Green Salad
On crust (recipe below), spread 3/4 cup Alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese, 1 chopped chicken breast, sliced mushrooms and remaining 1/4 sweet onion. (Feel free to add whatever veggies or toppings you wish! Bacon and spinach are yummy on this pizza.) Bake and serve with a salad.
Pizza Crust (makes 2 crusts)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg. dry active yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water
2 Tb. canola oil
In a large bowl (I use my Kitchen-aid mixer with the dough hook), mix 1 1/4 cups flour with yeast and salt. Add warm water and oil. Beat for 3 minutes. Stir in another 1 1/4 cups flour- or until the dough holds together. Take out of bowl and knead on a floured surface until it comes together. Divide in half. (You can freeze half now if you are only making 1 pizza) Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 425, heat pizza stone. (If you aren't using a pizza stone, sprinkle some cornmeal on a baking sheet to prevent sticking.) Roll out dough into a circle. Transfer to stone or sheet. Build edges up or roll edges to form crust; prick bottom of crust. Bake about 5-7 minutes. Spread sauce and toppings and back for another 8 minutes until done.

Day 3 Meal: Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs, Angel Hair Pasta with Herbs
In a little olive oil, quickly saute remaining whole mushrooms and onion. (Do you have leftover squash or sweet potato? Add these in to warm as well!) Add cubed chicken to warm through. Boil angel hair pasta; drain. While still hot, add 2 Tb. compound herb butter and stir to coat pasta. Skewer chicken and veggies- one for each person. Serve pasta and kabobs with a frozen vegetable for extra goodness!

thrifty tidbits

2009-09-17T13:36:00.003-06:00

Between your garden and all the deals during these case lot sales- you may be wondering how to best take advantage of all that the end of summer has to offer. May I suggest a few?

Freezing:
Freezing food is a wonderful way to preserve freshness and enjoy homegrown stuff all winter long. Dairy products, cookie dough and casseroles also lend themselves well to freezing. With just a few tips- you'll have a well stocked freezer in no time.
- Wash veggies and fruit well. Blanch vegetables. Drain and dry. Lay out on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze. After the fruit/veg is frozen, you can pop them into bags or containers and freeze for up to 8 to 10 months.
- If you've already sliced/cut your cookies, freeze them in layers with waxed paper in between each one. I like to wrap my dough in freezer paper, in a log, then seal in a labeled plastic bag. Freeze dough for up to 6 months. Make sure to thaw in the fridge before baking!
- Soup is easy to freeze- and really, as long as you are making soup, double the recipe for easy dinners later in the month! When your soup is finished- cool it and divide into labeled containers, allowing 1/2 inch head space. Then just thaw and heat when the need arises! A few words of caution: soups with potatoes tend to go a bit mushy in the freezer and soups thickened with cornstarch may need to be re-thickened once thawed.
- Check out this post for more about freezing dairy products.

Canning:
Truthfully, I am a novice canner. I've really been enjoying it the past couple of years, though! I think my best advice about this is: check with the USU Extension! I've done peaches and tomatoes this year. What do you like to can?
- I found these great articles about canning, complete with charts, on the Better Homes and Gardens website: Fruits, Tomatoes, Vegetables. Hope these help you as much as they help me!

Storing Breads and Doughs:
Whether it be your homemade bread or some delicious store bought pizza dough- how can you make the most of it's shelf-life?
- Place your cooled bread in a freezer bag and freeze loaf for up to 3 months.
- To freeze bread dough, place it in an airtight container. Seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. To use the dough, let it stand at room temperature for 3 hours or until thawed. Or, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Shape and bake the bread as directed in the recipe.

Storing Meat:
Thanks BHG.com!

If you plan to use the meat within a week after buying it, freeze it in the plastic film-wrapped retail packaging. For longer storage, rewrap or overwrap the meat with moisture- and vapor-proof wrap, such as freezer paper, heavy-duty aluminum foil, or freezer bags.
Freeze the meat quickly and maintain your freezer's temperature at 0 degrees F or below. For best quality, freeze beef roasts and steaks up to 12 months; lamb roasts and chops up to 9 months; pork roasts and chops up to 6 months; ground beef and lamb up to 4 months; and pork sausage up to 2 months.
Thaw the frozen meat in the refrigerator on a plate or in a pan to catch any juices. Do not thaw meat on the counter at room temperature.

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-09-14T15:35:00.003-06:00

Case Lot anyone? Check out Smith's Case Lot as well as many Associated Foods stores for some great deals.
***A quick note about Shop/Prep day and the meal plans: So your family isn't really into chicken, you can always sub in turkey! Remember to do what your family likes and will eat! Also, feel free to make some of these items from scratch. For example, if you have a delicious homemade salsa, there is no need to purchase one for the Skillet Dinner. Use what you've got!

And in the meantime- enjoy your Monday Meals!

Every Monday, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Day 1: Southwest Chicken Skillet with Orange Wedges
Day 2: Tortellini with Browned Butter, Bread with Herb-Butter and Green Salad
Day 3: Quick Chicken Veggie Soup with Cornbread
Day 4: Chocolate French Toast with Chopped Fruit

Shopping List:
rotisserie chicken (Smiths, $4.99)
1or 2 loaves french bread, depending on how big of eaters your family is!
2 bags mixed frozen veggies, for this weeks recipes- I like the broccoli/pepper/mushroom mix
1 bag frozen corn (Dicks, Green Giant, $1)
1 can black beans
1 jar salsa (Dicks, Embasa Salsa, $.89)
cornbread mix
1 box of chicken broth
frozen tortellini
butter
chocolate milk
oranges
fruit your family likes (on sale is good, too! Smiths, Bananas, $.39/lb.)
shredded cheddar cheese
bagged salad mix (Dicks, Dole, $.59)

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
Southwest Chicken Skillet with Orange Wedges
Prep: Take all the chicken off the bone. Half goes for tonight's skillet dinner, and save the other half for soup on Day 3. Make your herb butter and store in the fridge. Chop all your fruit, label and store. You're ready!
Tonight's dinner is a favorite one pot wonder from Betty Crocker. Find the recipe here. Hey, since your chicken is already cooked- you can skip the first part of the recipe! Serve with your orange wedges.

Day 2: Tortellini with Browned Butter, French Bread with herb-butter and Green Salad
Boil water and get your pasta going. Slice up your bread and serve on the table with a pot of your favorite compound butter. (Make sure to keep the leftover bread for Day 4!) Beef up your bagged salad with a few shredded carrots and some cherry tomatoes, if you want! Brown your butter up in a separate pot. Never browned butter before? Check out this simple how-to. Drain pasta and toss in brown butter, sprinkle with Parmesan or mizithra and serve!

Day 3: Quick Chicken and Veggie Soup with Cornbread
In a big pot combine your leftover chicken, one bag of frozen veggies, one box of chicken stock and heat. Depending on the flavors your family likes- you can add a few cups of water, some rosemary, salt and pepper. While this heats through and the veggies cook- mix up the cornbread. To "spice up" a boxed mix- I like to add 1 cup of frozen corn to the batter. Make sure to serve everything piping hot.

Day 4: Chocolate French Toast with Chopped Fruit
One of my favorites is breakfast-for-dinner! This is a sweet take on basic french toast. Use your leftover bread from Day 2 for this meal. Mix up your french toast batter with eggs and chocolate milk. Dip in the bread and toast on a hot skillet. We like this with sliced bananas and just a little powdered sugar (or whipped cream!) on top- no need for syrup here!

Honey-Glazed Chicken

2009-09-09T16:41:00.002-06:00

If your freezer has room for chicken- this is a great week to stock up. A 40 lb. case is on sale at Smiths for $1.39 a pound! Can't eat that much chicken? I like to split a box with a friend. Not up for the 40 lb. case? You can still get a bargain with the Super Saver Packs for just $1.69/lb. Here is a awesome, and easy, chicken recipe to start you off right!

Honey Glazed Chicken
from Eat Better America

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt

- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a greased 13x9 dish.
- In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
- Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, turn chicken over and bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes longer until chicken is done.

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-09-08T13:59:00.002-06:00

As Monday was a holiday, and I was no where near a computer, I hope you'll accept this humble (and delicious) Tuesday offering of Morphed Meals. This is a little bit of a repeat from last year- but seriously- we all repeat meals every so often, right?! :)

Enjoy!

Every Monday, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Cauliflower, Sweet Onions, Red or Sweet Potatoes

A little extra time on your Shop/Prep day makes the rest of the weeks meals so simple. Wash all your veggies. Peel potatoes and onions. Chop cauliflower into large florets, onions and red potatoes into good size wedges and sweet potatoes into "fries". Drizzle everything with a little olive oil, spread out on a foil covered baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until tender (1 hour-ish). Tonight's dinner is a simple Vegetable Curry to serve over rice or couscous. I like this recipe- just remember that all your veggies are cooked so you can skip over all the first part and jump in at adding the spices and broth. Bag or tupperware the other veggies and store in the fridge.
Busy night? How about breakfast for dinner? Pull out some eggs and cheese in addition to your onions and potatoes. Crisp up your red potatoes in a little cooking spray in a skillet. Scramble the eggs, salt and pepper to taste, add the cheese and chopped up onion to make a pumped up Scrambled Egg dinner. Serve your crispy "hash browns" on the side.
Maybe you've already planned burgers on the grill for tonight. How about adding some roasted onions to top them off? And nothing is better than Sweet Potato Fries! Just crisp them up in a skillet.
What to do with these leftovers? My easy solution is to add both potatoes, cauliflower and onions to your blender. Add in a little vegetable broth, milk/cream and some nutmeg and blend. You've got a delicious, creamy vegetable soup to serve with some toasted garlic bread. (You know, from the butters you made on Shop/Prep Day?:)

It's National Coupon Month!

2009-09-01T13:22:00.001-06:00

Thrifty spending habits are even more popular nowadays. September is a month dedicated to thrifty living; it’s National Coupon Month. Here’s how these penny-pinching papers came into being:

- The first hand-written coupons, for free fountain drinks promoting Coca-Cola, were given out in 1894.

- Coupons soon spread to local grocery stores and supermarkets, eventually becoming their own industry during the late 1950s.

-The first National Coupon Month was in 1998. In 2000, the program expanded to help parents teach children about the importance of saving money.

-In 2008, 89 percent of consumers used coupons to save money, giving them about $2.3 billion in savings!

Monday's Morphed Meal

2009-08-31T13:54:00.003-06:00

Every Monday, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Happy Monday! As you know, I'm enjoying all the delicious veggies from my garden- so this week's meals revolve around that goodness. Don't have a garden? Don't want to hit up the neighbors? (I'm sure they'd be happy to share!) Don't fret- just check out the "local produce" section at the grocery store for some fresh veggies. Enjoy!

Day 1: BLT Sandwiches, fruit and chips
Day 2: Yogurt Smoothies and Overnight Bran Muffins
Day 3: Breakfast Strata, Steamed Zucchini
Day 4: Broccoli Salad, Bread with Herb Butter

Pantry List:
bread (you made that whole wheat bread this week, right?)
veggies from your garden
herb butter

Shopping List:
bread (if you didn't get to make some this week)
bacon (enough for sandwiches and salad)
3 large broccoli bunches
fresh fruit (I bought apples)
bag of frozen mixed fruit
large container of vanilla yogurt
buttermilk
box of bran flakes cereal
shredded cheese
salted sunflower seeds, 1 cup
red onion
your family's favorite chips/pretzels

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
BLT's with fresh fruit and chips
The Prep Part looks big this week- but I did it all in less than an hour, mostly chopping and mixing! You can do it!
Get all your bacon cooking up in the microwave. Wash all your fruit and veggies. Chop up apples, bag and tag for the fridge. Slice up all the bread.
Now you're going to make your broccoli salad: Chop all the broccoli into bite size pieces, mince the red onion. In a large bowl- combine the broccoli, onion, sunflower seeds and 6 slices of crumbled bacon. Cover and put in the fridge. I mix this dressing up in an old jelly jar and keep it to dress the salad right before serving: 1 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 Tb. red wine vinegar, 1 tsp. salt. Shake up the ingredients and keep in the fridge.

Time to mix up your bran muffins for dinner tomorrow:
Combine in a large bowl:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 cups bran flakes
2/3 cup sugar
Then add:
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
Chill batter overnight.

Ok- on to the Breakfast Strata! You'll need an 8x8 casserole dish for this. Cut 4-6 slices of bread into cubes. Take a few and layer into your dish. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat with bread and cheese until you've used all the bread and about 1 cup of cheese. In a separate bowl mix: 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk, dash of hot sauce, 1/2 tsp mustard. Pour egg mix over the bread, cover and pop in your fridge for Day 3.

Whew! Luckily, your just making BLT's for dinner tonight!

Day 2: Yogurt Smoothies and Overnight Bran Muffins
Pull out your muffin batter- it will be thick! With an ice cream scoop, or two spoons, fill your muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. While your muffins are baking- get out your yogurt and frozen fruit to blend up some smoothies. Serve the hot muffins with butter and an ice cold smoothie.

Day 3: Breakfast Strata with steamed zucchini
Get your casserole out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature while your preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Bake the strata for one hour (or until set). Steam your zucchini and serve with an herb butter. (My favorite is the garlic butter!)

Day 4: Broccoli Salad with Bread and Herb Butter
Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad and stir to coat. I like a french bread or soft roll along side this salad. Don't forget your herb (or fruit) butter!

Back by popular demand...

2009-08-27T13:21:00.002-06:00

Here is my favorite recipe for Whole Wheat Bread- its an easy "dump and mix" recipe. And with only one rise, it's easy to whip up a few loaves in an afternoon. I use my KitchenAid to do all the mixing and kneading- but you could do it by hand if you wanted to. I also "cheat" and add one or two cups of white flour in for the wheat. I think it gives the bread a better texture. But make sure to knead for the full 10 minutes! This is what develops the gluten and helps your bread not to crumble.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!

PERFECT WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
from the "Bee Prepared" cookbook
--makes two loaves and is easily doubled or tripled

Instant Yeast 1 Tb.
Hot Water 2 1/2 cups
Oil 1/3 cup
Honey (or raw sugar) 1/3 cup
Salt 1 Tb.
Whole Wheat Flour 6-7 cups

Combine all ingredients. Knead for 10 minutes. Form into loaves. Place in prepared bread pans and let rise until double. (**side note: in my warm kitchen, this takes about 20-25 minutes.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. (**I also bake two loaves at the same time.)

Delicious served warm with a Fruit Butter or Honey Butter slathered on top. Click here for the recipes.

Re-Purposing Everyday Items

2009-08-26T13:11:00.002-06:00

These are some great ideas from Teresa Hunsaker from the USU Extension. Enjoy!

- For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. Even better, add a little rubbing alcohol to it.

- Crayon marks on walls? A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).

- Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time!

- When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.

- Look what you can do with Alka Seltzer. * Clean a toilet: Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. * Clean a vase: To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets. * Polish jewelry: Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes. * Clean a thermos bottle: Fill the bottle with water, drop in 4 Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer,if necessary). * Unclog a drain: Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.

It's what's for lunch...

2009-08-25T13:52:00.006-06:00

On a side note: Yay! The new computer is finally here! I love my new keyboard, flat screen monitor and super-fast Internet. Love it!!! And there is good news for you- I can now go back to my regular blogging. In my office. Not at the library. Good stuff!

What is for lunch at your house? With kids heading back to school- I thought I'd post a few delicious ideas for brown bagging it. Whether you are sending it to the lunch room or eating at your kitchen table, these lunches are sure to please.

The Sandwich:
Really, why spoil a good thing? But there are a few yummy combos that could make this staple even yummier (or just mix it up a bit).

-Use a cookie cutter to make the sammy into a fun shape.
-Try out Nutella instead of peanut butter.
-Pita bread makes a great pocket for deli meats, leftover chicken, cream cheese, hummus or veggies.
-Mini buns are a good size for kids- just slather on some tuna or egg salad and lunch is set.
-Wraps or tortillas are another time saver. We like honey mustard, turkey, provolone cheese and cucumber slices all rolled up in a tortilla at our house.
-Air pop some popcorn and tuck in the lunch box. Add some fruit and veggies, a string cheese- and who needs a sandwich?

Fruit/Veg: A must have
Ok, so every mom wants their kid to eat the carrot sticks- not trade them for Oreo's. But how can you make them enticing and delicious?

-Dip. Seriously. If there was one thing I learned as a preschool teacher- it was that any fruit or veggie could be promoted to "awesome status" by adding a dip. For fruit: cream cheese, berry yogurt, a little cinnamon sugar, peanut butter, apple butter. For veggies: hummus, honey mustard, low-fat Ranch dressing, spinach dip, crouton crumbs.
-Frozen grapes are pretty much like candy. I'm just saying.
-Grate it. Add grated carrots to the tuna salad or grated apples on top of the PB & J. Or chop fruit, like bananas, small so they can easily be stirred into a yogurt.
-My little girl loves those fruit cups. Dole has some sugar free, packed in juice that are delicious.
-Ever sliced an apple horizontally so you can see the "star" in the middle? These rings are a fun way to mix it up.
-You can't go wrong with their favorites. If your kid loves cucumber slices- send the cucumber! Don't try to force a new veggie at school- it will probably just get thrown away. Save the experimenting for dinner time!

Moo: the Dairy Darlings
Stick with the basics- they are classics for a reason!
-Go-gurts or kid size yogurts can be frozen and thaw by lunch time.
-String cheese comes in so many varieties now! One of my favorites is the cheddar/mozzarella swirl sticks- yum!
-Lots of schools offer cartons of milk for about a quarter- sometimes less.

Crunchy Stuff
Nothing like a sweet (or salty) something to finish off a lunch,
-Let your child choose their favorite cereal to mix in their own GORP. Add raisins, craisins, nuts, sunflower seeds, dried apricots, pretzels, dried apple slices, even a few chocolate chips! (This isn't just for kids! I have a bowl of my own GORP on my counter to munch on during the day...)
-Have I mentioned popcorn? Not only is this one of my most favorite snacks- but air-popped is pretty dang healthy! Need to jazz it up? A little grated cheese or a sprinkle of butter with taco seasoning or cinnamon sugar can fit the bill.
-Make your own pita or tortilla chips and send some salsa.
-A delicious homemade cookie. Or a brownie. Oh, come on- treats are good!

I found some good articles about packing lunches, saving money and yummy recipes here and here and here. Check them out!

What are your families favorite lunch time foods?

Monday's Morphed Meals

2009-08-19T13:20:00.003-06:00

Yes. I know it is Wednesday, and I'm sorry about that.
I'm hoping that this delicious menu will make up for the painful lack of Internet/computer/technology at my house these past few weeks!!!
Luckily, our computer is on the mend and expecting a full recovery next week. I'm thrilled to have a healthy computer back in my life! Check in for more Morphed Meals and a cute craft idea coming soon. In the meantime- this menu will help you use up all of those delicious veggies from your garden or neighbors garden. Enjoy!

Every other Monday this summer, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Day 1: Cheese Fondue with Steamed Veggies and French Bread
Day 2: Veggie Curry with Rice
Day 3: Chicken and Veggie Kabobs with Spicy Salsa and Grilled Peaches

Shopping List:
All the good veggies from your garden: tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, potatoes, zucchini, squash, corn, etc...
french bread (with a good crust)
shredded cheese
chicken
cilantro
green onions
jalapeno
peaches
plain yogurt
bottled curry sauce
skewers and/or toothpicks
tortilla chips

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
Cheese Fondue with Steamed Veggies and French Bread
Prep stuff: Wash, peel (if needed) and chop all your veggies into about 1 inch cubes. Divide veggies into three containers. Chop chicken into 1 inch cubes and place in a zip-top bag. Add 2 Tbs. lemon juice, a few tablespoons of chopped cilantro, 1 tsp. cumin, salt and pepper- store in fridge. Either use your favorite store-bought salsa, or make this easy blender salsa.

Blender Salsa
5-8 fresh tomatoes
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 or 2 jalapenos, to taste
2 Tb. Mrs. Dash
1 clove garlic
1 Tb. lemon juice
1 tsp. onion salt.
-- Blend all ingredients until smooth. Best if chilled overnight.

Make the cheese sauce. This is an easy-to-follow recipe and good- it does make a lot, so feel free to half it or just freeze some for loaded baked potatoes later! While the cheese sauce is bubbling away, steam cut veggies and place on a large platter. Chopped bread goes on the table, too. Serve with cheese sauce and skewers for dipping- a kid favorite! If you want to make this a little heartier meal- cubed ham from the deli and grilled chicken cubes are also delicious with the cheese sauce.

Day 2: Veggie Curry with Rice
Set rice on stove top to cook. In a large skillet, soften veggies in a little melted butter and olive oil. When they are soft and starting to turn golden, add in the jar of curry. Stir to combine and warm through. Serve veggie curry over rice and top with a little plain yogurt or sour cream.

Day 3: Chicken & Veggie Kabobs with Spicy Salsa and Grilled Peaches
Soak bamboo skewers in water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wash and slice peaches in half, removing the pit. Heat grill. Skewer chicken and veggies, alternating as you go. Grill until chicken is done and veggies have a good char. Grill peaches, pit side down, until they get grill marks and a little carmelization. Serve with your spicy blender salsa on top of the kabobs, or with tortilla chips. The grilled peaches are also delicious with a little cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top!

Delicious Dessert

2009-08-12T22:05:00.002-06:00

Ok- I'm still running a little behind on the Morphed Meals, but I wanted to make good on my "delicious dessert" promise. (Oh yeah, coming home from a long vacation to a computer on the fritz is not fun. But I'm determined to make the best of it- library internet, here I come!) In the meantime- enjoy these quick Trail Mix cookies on your next hike- or just while exploring your own backyard!

Trail Mix Cookies

1 pouch oatmeal cookie mix (yes, you can always make your own, homemade goodness, too!)
2 Tbs. wheat germ
2 Tbs. ground flaxseed
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup canola oil
4 Tbs. water
2 egg whites
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup chocolate chunks

Heat oven to 375. In a large bowl stir cookie mix, wheat germ, flaxseed, cinnamon, oil, water and eggs until well mixed. Fold in remaining ingredients until combined.
On ungreased cookie sheets, drop by the spoonful about 2 inches apart.
Bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are a light golden brown. Cool and enjoy with cold milk!

Don't worry....

2009-08-03T14:11:00.002-06:00

I have not abandoned this blog! I'm just on an extended vacation in remote Montana... :) But we have a window of internet connection and I thought I'd update my readers and let you know- I'm still here!

As I have not been grocery shopping, thrift shopping or cutting any coupons- I don't have much to update you on except for my plans when I'm back home with regular internet.

There will be 2 installments of Morphed Meals, a new delicious dessert recipe (possibly something with fresh huckleberries!), and a easy craft to update all those magnets on your fridge. So please stay tuned!

I Scream, You Scream, We all scream for ICE CREAM!

2009-07-22T07:56:00.003-06:00

Did you know...

...21 seconds is the duration of a typical "brain freeze"?
...Americans spend $21.6 billion on ice cream and frozen desserts every year?
...an average American eats 21.5 quarts of ice cream every year?
...the largest ice cream sundae was made in Alberta, Canada in 1988 and weighed 55,000 pounds!

With the mercury rising to 100 degree temperatures- here are a few cool treats to enjoy!

Albertsons:
Albertsons Fudge or Orange Bars, $.99, 6 count box
Lemonade or Punch, Buy 1 Get 1 Free

Dicks:
Breyers Ice Cream, $2.77
Meadow Gold Ice Cream Bars, Orange Dream, Root Beer or Fudge, $1.25, 6 count/box
WF Lemonade or Limeade, $.79

Smiths:
Dryers Ice Cream, $2.49 each **Mix and match 10
Popsicle Novelties, variety, $1.99, 8-30 count **Mix and match 10
Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream, $1.88

Happy shopping!

Supermarket Savvy

2009-07-13T10:36:00.002-06:00

I read a great article from MSN Money about being a savvy shopper and I thought I'd share a few of their tips with you! (To read the article, click here.)

-Make a list. Did you know 50-60% of all supermarket purchases are impulse buys?! The whole store is set up to make you think you need stuff you really don't. Make sure to shop with a list!

-Be flexible about brands. You can really get good quality and save money with a store brand item. A study cited in the article says an average shopper can save 30% on a grocery bill just by purchasing store brand items!

-Only buy in bulk sometimes. Checking the unit price listed on the price tag is always a good idea to see if you are really getting a deal. And remember- it's not a good deal if you have to throw half of it away!

-Clip coupons with care. Don't clip any coupons for things you don't buy!!! The lure of a bargain can sometimes steer you towards a pricier item you wouldn't normally buy. You can come out ahead on coupons if you use them for a price break on an item that you use or eat regularly.

These are just a few of the great tips in the article. There also is a section of "10 bulk-buying bargains" that was interesting, too. Here is the link.

Happy shopping and saving!

Rain, Rain Go Away....

2009-07-11T13:34:00.005-06:00

Nothing cheers me up more when it's raining than a slice of warm, homemade bread with honey butter. It makes my kitchen smell enticing and brings my family in from the wet weather! With the cloudy, rainy day today- this bread may be just what you need!

Here is my favorite recipe for Whole Wheat Bread- its an easy "dump and mix" recipe. And with only one rise, it's easy to whip up a few loaves in an afternoon. I use my KitchenAid to do all the mixing and kneading- but you could do it by hand if you wanted to. I also "cheat" and add one or two cups of white flour in for the wheat. I think it gives the bread a better texture. But make sure to knead for the full 10 minutes! This is what develops the gluten and helps your bread not to crumble.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!

PERFECT WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
from the "Bee Prepared" cookbook
--makes two loaves and is easily doubled or tripled

Instant Yeast 1 Tb.
Hot Water 2 1/2 cups
Oil 1/3 cup
Honey (or raw sugar) 1/3 cup
Salt 1 Tb.
Whole Wheat Flour 6-7 cups

Combine all ingredients. Knead for 10 minutes. Form into loaves. Place in prepared bread pans and let rise until double. (**side note: in my warm kitchen, this takes about 20-25 minutes.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. (**I also bake two loaves at the same time.)

Delicious served warm with a Fruit Butter or Honey Butter slathered on top. Click here for the recipes.

thrifty tidbits...

2009-07-08T12:27:00.002-06:00

Happy Shopping!

Albertsons:
Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, $.49
Kraft BBQ Sauce, $.49
Capri Sun Roarin' Water, 10 count, $1.50
Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts, Pork Spare Ribs, Sirloin Tip Roast, Sirloin Steaks are all- Buy 1 package Get 1 Free
Celery, $.89 each
Cherries, $1.69/lb.

Dicks:
WF Chunk Chicken Breast, 10 oz, $2.50 (great for food storage!)
WF Mayo, $1.88
French Bread, $.99/loaf
PowerAde, $.50 each
Meadow Gold Orange Dream Bars or Fudge Bars, $2.99 a box, 18 count
WF Twin Pops, $2.50 for a bag of 30
Pork Loin Chops, $1.79/lb.
London Broil, $1.79/lb.
Country Style Pork Spare Ribs, $1.49/lb
Pineapple, $.89/lb
Watermelon, seedless, $.25/lb
Cucumbers, $.50 each

Smiths:
General Mills Cereals, $2/box
Chicken Breasts, split bone-in, $.99/lb
Coke Products, $.79 for 2 ltr.
Canteloupe, $.33/lb
Iceberg lettuce, $.99 a head
Green Onions, $.50a bunch
Mangoes, $.99 each
Kroger Butter, $1.67
Kroger Sour Cream, $1
Kroger Cottage Cheese, $1
Mountain Dairy Milk, $1.50 a gallon
Charmin Basic TP, $4.79 for 12 rolls

Super Target:
Huggies Diapers, Big Pack, $18.99
Huggies Pull-Ups, Big Pack, $18.99
Clif Bars, $5.00 for 6 count
Oil of Olay Body Wash, $4.99 each
Bounty Paper Towels, 6 rolls, $6.99

Creative Crafts

2009-07-07T12:24:00.003-06:00

Ok- yet another darling Dollar Store Craft idea! This is a Gardeners Apron made from a placemat! The instructions can be found here.

These of course are so cute for the garden, but can you imagine this for painting/crafting for the kids? What about a playdough tool belt? Possibilities are endless!

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Monday's Morphed Meals

2009-06-29T11:54:00.002-06:00

Seriously-vacations, sunshine and the pool are seriously cramping my blogging style! But, isn't that the beauty of summer?! I'm so glad you few faithful are still checking in with me on a semi-regular basis! Here is a little delicious goodness for your Monday (and all week long!).

Every other Monday this summer, check in for simple, delicious weeknight meals- and you only have to cook once! (Need to catch up on the Morphing Meal concept? Check this post out...) These dinners are good for 4 servings- feel free to adjust for your family. I'll post the main ingredients for the meals in the "grocery list" but I'm assuming that you have a well stocked pantry (flour, sugar, salt, canned goods, pasta, etc...) to make these meals. Remember, these are your dinners! Do what works for your family!

Day 1: Turkey Pitas with Fresh Fruit and Chips
Day2: Lemon-Chicken Pasta Salad with french bread and herb butter
Day 3: BBQ Chicken Pita Pizzas with chopped salad

Shopping List:
Rotisserie Chicken ($4.99, Smiths)
Deli Turkey Breast ($.5.99/lb, Dicks)
Family's Favorite Chips Lays ($1.88, Smiths), Fritos Chips ($1.38, Smiths)
tomatoes ($.99, Smiths)
BBQ sauce (Kraft, $.69, Smiths)
lettuce ($.89, Dicks)
Family's favorite fruit (cherries, apples, cantaloupe and pineapple on sale at Dicks)
lemon
8 pita bread
Pasta
veggies
avocado
mozzarella cheese
reduced-fat mayo
onion
French Bread

Day 1: Shop/Prep Day
Turkey Pitas with Fresh Fruit and chips
Prep for the week: Take all the chicken off of the bone. Chop and divide into 2 containers, one for salad and one for pizza, and put them in the fridge. Shred mozzarella cheese, bag and keep in the fridge. Thinly slice onion- reserve some for the pitas tonight, and bag the rest for later in the week. Mix up an herb butter for the bread and keep in the fridge.
For dinner tonight: Mix 3 Tbs. sour cream with 2 Tbs. salsa. Spread on 4 pita breads- top with sliced deli turkey, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes and cheese. Serve fruit and chips alongside.

Day 2: Lemon-Chicken Pasta Salad with French Bread and herb butter
Set one pound curly pasta in water to boil. While pasta is cooking, mix: 1 cup mayo, 2 tbs. lemon juice, 2 tsp. grated lemon zest, 1 tsp. dill and salt/pepper to taste. Drain pasta and put into a large bowl. Stir in dressing, reserved chicken, cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, almonds and snow peas. Heat oven to toast halved french bread loaf. Top with herb butter and serve with salad.

Day 3: BBQ Chicken Pita Pizzas with Chopped Salad
On a foil-lined baking sheet, spread out four pitas. Top each with 2 Tbs. BBQ sauce, some mozzarella cheese, remaining chicken and sliced onion. Bake in a 400 degree oven until cheese is melted and chicken warmed through. While pizzas are baking: chop 1 head of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, carrots, celery, nuts and apples. Top with your family's favorite dressing and serve with hot pizzas.

Pasta's Cousins: The Other Grains

2009-06-19T13:34:00.004-06:00

In my new endeavor to cook and eat with more whole grains, we've been eating a lot of brown pasta and brown rice. And frankly, it's getting boring. How many nights a week can we have steamed veggies alongside another pasta dish!!! Yes, there are a myriad of delicious sauces, cooking methods, casseroles and accompaniments to pasta- but really, it can get tiring.

So I have been exploring a few of the other "grains" on my supermarket's shelves- and it's good stuff, people! Some of these are old favorites I've been lovingly integrating into my recipes for years. Others are newcomers that I've had to do some experimenting with. So without further adieu, here are just a few of my favorites:

Good Grains!

COUSCOUS: This is a favorite at my house! It looks sorta like rice, but it actually a mini-pasta made from semolina flour. Couscous is used in a lot of Moroccan cooking, but is also delicious just served up like rice. Like rice or pasta- it needs some flavor. I like to buy the quick-cooking variety (the Near East brand), in different flavors from Parmesan Herb to Roasted Garlic. You can find this right by the rice and pasta in your grocery store. Couscous is so versatile! Use in everything: salads, stuffings, curries, side dishes. Try the Stuffed Pepper Recipe in the side bar.

POLENTA: Made from ground cornmeal. This delicious grain has a smooth, creamy texture and tastes a little sweet. Known by lots of different names (grits, anyone?) and made lots of different ways- but the kind I like best comes in a little, round loaf. This is easy to slice off a few discs and toast or fry them in a skillet for a quick side dish. Use as a side dish on it's own, mix with veggies and meat for an entree or even use as a stuffing for pork or chicken. Also good to mix into pancakes and top with maple syrup.

ASIAN RICE and EGG NOODLES: I'm already a fan of Asian cuisine- and these make it so easy to whip it up at home! They are in the refrigerated case of the produce section- you know, over by the bagged salads? There are a few different varieties- but most are already cooked or fresh and can be added directly to your wok (or skillet) for stir-frys and lo meins.

WON TON WRAPPERS: Speaking of Asian food- have you tried these won ton wrappers, yet? While you are picking up some rice noodles, get some of these too! Talk about versatile! You can easily make your own pot stickers and won tons in no time. Not an fan of Chinese food? How about adding some cheese or meat to make your own, fresh ravioli?! Or slice into triangles, lay on a baking sheet and bake until crispy- a yummy chip to dip in hummus! Or cut into strips, fry and use as "croutons" for salads. Mini quiches. Dessert wraps with Nutella. Pizza pockets for the kids. I'm serious- the list is endless! Get. These. Today!

BARLEY: Ok, here's another one that I've tasted before, but never purchased. After some testing- I have found a few ways that I really like this nutty, chewy grain. I bought the pearled barley and it was easy to cook (very similar to rice). The quick-cooking barley was just as good, although the texture came out a little more chewy- probably good for soups. The flavor is complex, sort of nutty/toasty- but I like it! My husband loves it in Turkey Soup and I'm partial to a Barley and Corn Salad.

For more info on whole grains check out this website for The Whole Grains Council. The list all the different kinds of grains, cooking ideas and uses. They are also the people who stamp our supermarket food with the "whole grain" stamp of approval. Look for it when you are buying cereals, breads and pastas to know you are getting the good stuff!

I hope this very mini-introduction to some of my favorite pasta alternatives has expanded your grocery list this week. Branch out and try one of these new flavors today!

I think I could make this!

2009-06-15T13:51:00.004-06:00

This puppet theater is darling! A creative mom made this out of tablecloths, colored electrical /duct tape and garden stakes! She estimated about $6 for the whole thing. I think if you found the tablecloths at a thrift store- you could do it for even less. Toss in a few paper-bag hand puppets and you've got a busy afternoon!

Check out a supply list and directions on "how-to" here.

Need a few more projects for these rainy, "inside days"? Here are a few of my favorites:
This Creative Play Mat looks fun- a great way to encourage imagination.
Pull out those old t-shirts to Tie-Dye with Tissue Paper!
These Hooded Play Cape's are dang cute- I think Lyvia may be getting one of these.
Ok- and maybe it's because I'm the mother of a girl- but this Magazine Dollhouse is darling!

Be crafty, creative and enjoy!

a request

2009-06-11T09:55:00.002-06:00

I made these delicious Jam Bars (aka Fruit Newtons) and had a few requests to post the recipe. Believe it or not, this is a Martha Stewart recipe!!! I know! And you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. They are simple, healthly (hey, whole wheat!) and so yummy. I used my homemade strawberry freezer jam instead of the raspberry jam and they turned out just fine. I also nixed the bran and just added some wheat germ and flaxseed- because I had those on hand.
I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine!

Whole-Wheat Jam Bars

Ingredients

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
1 cup raspberry jam

Directions

Whisk together flours, bran, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside. Put brown sugar and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Beat in butter until fluffy. Beat in egg until pale and smooth. Reduce speed to low. Mix in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the applesauce. Divide dough in half; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of parchment to a 9 1/2-by-11 1/2-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. If dough becomes too soft, refrigerate until firm. Remove top piece of parchment. Trim dough 1/2 inch on all sides. Transfer rectangle on parchment to a baking sheet.
Cut rectangle in half lengthwise. Spread 1/4 cup jam down half of each length, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold dough over; pinch to seal. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining chilled dough and jam.
Cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide bars, but do not separate until after baking. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.