tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79657702451843866552024-02-07T03:24:06.827-06:00Bailes For Better LivingStriving to live better, one day at a time!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-52060386002210763822014-02-25T05:30:00.000-06:002014-02-25T05:30:00.910-06:00Two Week Meal Plan and Freezer CookingWho else plans meals ahead of time before going grocery shopping? I don't mean planning tomorrow night's dinner when you're shopping for groceries for tonight's dinner, I'm talking about planning a week, two weeks or even an entire month ahead of time. The idea of meal planning has mostly gone by the wayside in our fast paced society that offers delivery pizza, Chinese take out, and dozens upon dozens of fast food restaurants. However, there are a handful of people that still plan meals ahead of time, and plan their grocery list around those meals. And with a growing number of people working to become more self-sufficient despite our hurried society, this is one way to grow your pantry based on what you eat, to put better foods in your body, and to make the food budget stretch further each month.<br />
<br />
Planning meals ahead of time has quite a few other great benefits. First off, and my favorite reason, you don't have to stress when you get home from work in the evening and everyone's bombarding you with THE question: "What's for dinner?". How nice is it when you have an answer right away?!? How about those of you with special dietary restrictions? You can't exactly NOT plan if there are certain foods you can't eat.<br />
<br />
My second favorite reason to plan meals in advance is money: If you plan meals around what you have on hand and what is on sale (especially if you price match and use coupons), you can save a LOT!! In fact, between using what I already have on hand and combining sales with coupons and only buying what I absolutely need, I spent $150 on groceries this past weekend. Over the next couple weeks, I'll only need to stop by the store for milk and lettuce for the nights we have salads on the side. Keep in mind, that amount includes buying an extra can of whatever here and there, extra bacon, extra chicken breasts, extra hamburger, a few staple items and bleach for laundry day. Oh, did I forget to mention- I feed 7 to 8 people dinner daily???<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMzEMV1FfFaVYVdlrAXbP1mH5kXATjwqlloXk1XAwKSTbCWQbREoBwqftylySDlf7yF-S1Aqx65L7KKKAwwCfxlm6fv-wW_P3FbRdf3CjOj92G5yqEaN8Ft5qmN2KzjmQ4YxJAaNn7wDm/s1600/Costco+Receipt+2+22+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMzEMV1FfFaVYVdlrAXbP1mH5kXATjwqlloXk1XAwKSTbCWQbREoBwqftylySDlf7yF-S1Aqx65L7KKKAwwCfxlm6fv-wW_P3FbRdf3CjOj92G5yqEaN8Ft5qmN2KzjmQ4YxJAaNn7wDm/s1600/Costco+Receipt+2+22+14.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While I try to bake some bread myself, I occasionally 'splurge' on store-bought bread!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrvpddSwfTXVCnZFALdiNh_UKYm0u7bxWFdHFCcfPlnk7Xk6-dVq5aBZX8LxbTcYflQnOtEzoFpB3aLAgCdHotxpwDJpgTjTIKKN2-n32Ev_ZgR16Z_0_vc2u_SbSsqBCNXCO6C3Z3zgp/s1600/WalMart+Receipt+2+22+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrvpddSwfTXVCnZFALdiNh_UKYm0u7bxWFdHFCcfPlnk7Xk6-dVq5aBZX8LxbTcYflQnOtEzoFpB3aLAgCdHotxpwDJpgTjTIKKN2-n32Ev_ZgR16Z_0_vc2u_SbSsqBCNXCO6C3Z3zgp/s1600/WalMart+Receipt+2+22+14.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only two coupons this trip- usually there's more!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My third favorite reason to plan meals in advance? Time! This is where the Freezer Cooking comes in. Between the budget and other tasks vying for my waking hours on the weekends, I haven't built myself up to cooking for a month at a time yet, but I am cooking for a two week period at a time, and there is usually enough left over from some meals that we eat leftovers for lunch and sometimes eat leftovers for dinner. It does mean giving up a day or two on a weekend for a massive amount of chopping, prepping, cooking, mixing, bagging and freezing, but it also means that for the two to three weeks following, my dinner prep time is cut drastically. Most days I pull something out of the freezer in the morning to thaw for the following day, dump a bag from the fridge that had thawed into the Crock Pot, and enjoy dinner when I get home from work!<br />
<br />
So now that I've built up the suspense, are you ready to see what my family is eating for the next couple weeks? I promise, the following meals are sure to please just about everyone. My youngest son is one of the pickiest eaters I know, and the only meal I anticipate him having a cow about is the Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Chicken- only because there is meat and veggies touching. If your kids don't mind foods touching, and especially if they like foods that have flavor, you should have no problem with these meals!<br />
<br />
In no particular order, here you go!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi8Qxs8B4qiiPL7N2DuedQaQwUNEP7Vtpe8VLyFgjN8Y8ez46zrfjMBW8Z69JZmqjVwIykxl_yHoD84InIY-iDRFrKzEGi0lGImst4bx-TSLlcMQ6pU9j8UEqLs8NKb9MGBj1SOrKBj1M/s1600/baked+potato+soup+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi8Qxs8B4qiiPL7N2DuedQaQwUNEP7Vtpe8VLyFgjN8Y8ez46zrfjMBW8Z69JZmqjVwIykxl_yHoD84InIY-iDRFrKzEGi0lGImst4bx-TSLlcMQ6pU9j8UEqLs8NKb9MGBj1SOrKBj1M/s1600/baked+potato+soup+image.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mamalovesfood.com/2009/06/baked-potato-soup-slow-cooker-style.html" target="_blank">Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've fixed potato soup before, but not in the crock pot, so I'm really looking forward to this! It's always a winner served with crumbled bacon, cheese and green onions. It's also great during this cold weather!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFPi86Ld1Nos4uqNL6LlgS6hS3Kk4xPaMrtfhxc-uhlY-B5aAEmv9oCx4xwCsB-GjEwTTh6aJFtpe1Jvd_m1qbx4Kn7z6vadv0D-l8Nj5rSYOsWUjvS3ETxtUeHr0v7EWm7PxZtE9ICKr/s1600/Slow+Cooker+Ham+and+White+Beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFPi86Ld1Nos4uqNL6LlgS6hS3Kk4xPaMrtfhxc-uhlY-B5aAEmv9oCx4xwCsB-GjEwTTh6aJFtpe1Jvd_m1qbx4Kn7z6vadv0D-l8Nj5rSYOsWUjvS3ETxtUeHr0v7EWm7PxZtE9ICKr/s1600/Slow+Cooker+Ham+and+White+Beans.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/01/slow-cooker-ham-white-beans.html" target="_blank">Slow Cooker Ham & White Beans</a> by Plainchicken.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is one of those meals that tastes better after a long day in the slow cooker, or after it's been frozen and reheated. All of the flavors have a chance to meld together, especially if you let the ham bone cook in the Crock Pot all day and simply remove it before serving (plus, you get all the meat off the bone that you otherwise can't pluck off by hand!). Don't forget to make a batch of cornbread from scratch to go with it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2nQz6XCkWT5UuMzIRj5hG30727aocmoBnMtiuRErnLh33r48obgVHjk-FLF4vi2fYuOApapJqrwtrFdptGX7gvdhdPkHGXTh16DOE6jg2GsUmBdNAPQ9ymOCN_XRgWPtkQrSV6DGE2RB/s1600/Honey+Baked+Ham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2nQz6XCkWT5UuMzIRj5hG30727aocmoBnMtiuRErnLh33r48obgVHjk-FLF4vi2fYuOApapJqrwtrFdptGX7gvdhdPkHGXTh16DOE6jg2GsUmBdNAPQ9ymOCN_XRgWPtkQrSV6DGE2RB/s1600/Honey+Baked+Ham.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.chewoutloud.com/2013/03/21/honey-baked-ham/" target="_blank">Honey Baked Ham</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Honey Baked Ham is normally a meal reserved for holidays and special occasions, but when the ham is on sale for super cheap, how can you pass it up?!? I bought two of these hams a while back and stuck them in the deep freezer waiting for the right time to use them... and this meal plan period just happened to be the right time for one of them. I'm fixing green bean casserole and au gratin potatoes to go with it... we'll probably have the other ham for our Easter dinner!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg882ZMJh9wSYhVOEvDSOC6-o98ZYNIkz1kpad3aKkfmCmgBLxSqSNYuSkvNRUvAVEDCE4t2ypz1TeKZmWw4hnbgxuShIPdEaCoc6th1tdz2mMkzu2AeMvhWQm-be8TzxUUmcGCA4MnzDfK/s1600/ranch+parmesan+crusted+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg882ZMJh9wSYhVOEvDSOC6-o98ZYNIkz1kpad3aKkfmCmgBLxSqSNYuSkvNRUvAVEDCE4t2ypz1TeKZmWw4hnbgxuShIPdEaCoc6th1tdz2mMkzu2AeMvhWQm-be8TzxUUmcGCA4MnzDfK/s1600/ranch+parmesan+crusted+chicken.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yellowblissroad.com/baked-ranch-parmesan-crusted-chicken/" target="_blank">Ranch Parmesan Crusted Chicken</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Chicken is always on sale, so I try to use it often in my meal plans, but I find it's easier to eat the same meat if I find multiple ways to fix it. This recipe uses things I have on hand already- all I had to buy was the shredded parmesan cheese!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNM9l9p70g0v00yDF28G0hR6nobjKWZXsQfkz3XZ8FrjIOcBy3CkD93tTeEqigaIpTWxphtKVgf2CeXI0Z_9hucPEom6SnUJxWmjmWuOJ9_0NgND-FXU78jGB8-D30PdD4CiKRYed0UBi/s1600/chicken+tater+tot+casserole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiNM9l9p70g0v00yDF28G0hR6nobjKWZXsQfkz3XZ8FrjIOcBy3CkD93tTeEqigaIpTWxphtKVgf2CeXI0Z_9hucPEom6SnUJxWmjmWuOJ9_0NgND-FXU78jGB8-D30PdD4CiKRYed0UBi/s1600/chicken+tater+tot+casserole.jpg" height="231" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-tater-tot-casserole-404027" target="_blank">Chicken Tater Tot Casserole</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've cooked other variations of the Tater Tot Casseroles before, but they usually include mixed veggies in the casserole. While this isn't a problem for most of the family, Mr. Picky always balked. This recipe doesn't include the veggies, and it gave me a chance to try another variation. We actually had this one tonight, and it got rave reviews! Well, except for Mr. Picky. He was in bed before dinner, not feeling well. :-(<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAtCAXIxXLWZgDxH3Q4Xes7JgNsObgHeGglncQsQudngc21DjoXoC68_fBPhxG9wZxedtcsv737HQpWXvvRkbGB-MKmHt5oTwtkfc2ySzvPP9aPAPBruD8T8MGjJOhR2-QwF5rf0JJYb7/s1600/country+fried+hamburger+steaks+with+gravy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAtCAXIxXLWZgDxH3Q4Xes7JgNsObgHeGglncQsQudngc21DjoXoC68_fBPhxG9wZxedtcsv737HQpWXvvRkbGB-MKmHt5oTwtkfc2ySzvPP9aPAPBruD8T8MGjJOhR2-QwF5rf0JJYb7/s1600/country+fried+hamburger+steaks+with+gravy.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/country-fried-hamburger-steaks-with-gravy-338883" target="_blank">Country Fried Hamburger Steak with Gravy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is an easy way to make hamburger less plain. Make it a patty and cook it up like a cubed steak! I actually have some pre-formed hamburger steaks in the freezer, so I'll be using them this time. And the gravy is super easy to make from scratch, and even if you typically shy away from making it from scratch, the directions are included with the recipe. Along with this, we'll be having corn, rolls or biscuits from scratch (since other meals prepped in the freezer frees up time to bake on other evenings), and salad.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSacisuPaD5PqLnxTZjjDiGzX02kBS8WxBum5FBAyxoQT-WbJ_E3tK9O8_e4Ej7hBOpVJ6t_qlDCunudiXV4AApzTUgQGdNUOROUIE1avWK_8u_y_ag_FsTCrXLjw8kNwjS5MmtxqFrvfu/s1600/Super+slow+sloppy+joes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSacisuPaD5PqLnxTZjjDiGzX02kBS8WxBum5FBAyxoQT-WbJ_E3tK9O8_e4Ej7hBOpVJ6t_qlDCunudiXV4AApzTUgQGdNUOROUIE1avWK_8u_y_ag_FsTCrXLjw8kNwjS5MmtxqFrvfu/s1600/Super+slow+sloppy+joes.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/25/f0/67/25f0675a7f0c23819e695729ec1861d3.jpg" target="_blank">Super Slow Sloppy Joes</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sloppy Joes are quick and easy, and even quicker and easier in a Crock Pot!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgabAB29Hw-xuMvdbDekU2d0QIcyWt_ZmL-0F2WkhbVZrQ0T28bD5nK4cEHd6fJKk6wo7he-6kLdQJholaZjH0pidzFPCivGBiPkDeoBuKZxdaxeTVkiEL4Z84uVtx_wS2h9F2unrdVLcD/s1600/oven+baked+meatball+sandwiches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgabAB29Hw-xuMvdbDekU2d0QIcyWt_ZmL-0F2WkhbVZrQ0T28bD5nK4cEHd6fJKk6wo7he-6kLdQJholaZjH0pidzFPCivGBiPkDeoBuKZxdaxeTVkiEL4Z84uVtx_wS2h9F2unrdVLcD/s1600/oven+baked+meatball+sandwiches.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/easy-dinner-idea-oven-baked-meatball-sandwiches/" target="_blank">Oven Baked Meatball Sandwiches</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For these meatball sandwiches, you can make your own meatballs from scratch to season them the way you want, or you can buy frozen meatballs to make the meal even easier. Serve with some chips for a super easy meal!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxw624AhyphenhyphenV5rS0Sjm02urb3dUogBs64U3Nbc5myQUOF_HdJspJxsdwf6dF2Lgka2cVpiEYyRGJT5LK44eyYgb4pPWfD9cJlBQIFHSssEtanaEtSQOZs5bnwiIGR-qirsiSvqcJjzPd6Sdu/s1600/tex+mex+slow+cooker+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxw624AhyphenhyphenV5rS0Sjm02urb3dUogBs64U3Nbc5myQUOF_HdJspJxsdwf6dF2Lgka2cVpiEYyRGJT5LK44eyYgb4pPWfD9cJlBQIFHSssEtanaEtSQOZs5bnwiIGR-qirsiSvqcJjzPd6Sdu/s1600/tex+mex+slow+cooker+chicken.jpg" height="167" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cozi.com/live-simply/recipes/tex-mex-slow-cooker-chicken" target="_blank">Tex Mex Slow Cooker Chicken</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've had this recipe a couple of times, and while my youngest doesn't like it, everyone else LOVED it. The corn and beans mixed in help make it stretch, and make it a filling meal, without the need to cook any other side dishes. Serve it on tortillas with salsa, sour cream and guacamole, make burritos with it, or toss it on tortilla chips to make some nachos that are unbelievable!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIhnNFNcthxwU3TdHvyBkXE09kMN3_8IGS12bS8qAsi3Tw6qS44OvbxDIf32L1RKZBNA_H_S5bpg4CSdJRF8JEBIWolhn387xh5EtUNsg4WVkBAsd-IeZkHubTCV6oUVRDO3opVWN4VHL/s1600/classic+meatloaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIhnNFNcthxwU3TdHvyBkXE09kMN3_8IGS12bS8qAsi3Tw6qS44OvbxDIf32L1RKZBNA_H_S5bpg4CSdJRF8JEBIWolhn387xh5EtUNsg4WVkBAsd-IeZkHubTCV6oUVRDO3opVWN4VHL/s1600/classic+meatloaf.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theculturaldish.blogspot.com/2013/02/classic-meatloaf.html" target="_blank">Classic Meatloaf</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Meatloaf is one of those things you either love or hate. Luckily for me, everyone in the family loves it! Some like it drier than others, but that's part of the reason I like it- you can add more glaze on to each individual serving if you like it more moist, and if you like it dry, leave it alone! I know some of you might have a family recipe memorized, or you just throw stuff together based on what looks right- I can't do that most of the time. I have to have a recipe to follow. If you don't, do your own thing!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq9CFGoPVltyVXjHbaOrp0_U4kys1PQH_DSj3uMOK9neuEgHV1cn774-TZqwKCOXPEH9AsJcmPIQhHc2YF-8C_lZyuLPfdMohMlT7RC-fg1EOuHWpniCS2QKbmqc8nR0cZQbiMX2zBfPM/s1600/Homemade+Hot+Pockets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq9CFGoPVltyVXjHbaOrp0_U4kys1PQH_DSj3uMOK9neuEgHV1cn774-TZqwKCOXPEH9AsJcmPIQhHc2YF-8C_lZyuLPfdMohMlT7RC-fg1EOuHWpniCS2QKbmqc8nR0cZQbiMX2zBfPM/s1600/Homemade+Hot+Pockets.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.abeautifulruckus.com/2013/03/recipe-homemade-hot-pockets.html" target="_blank">Hot Pockets</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Okay, okay, I know what you're thinking. Hot Pockets are for lunch. Even Rebecca over at A Beautiful Ruckus makes them for lunch. You know what happens when someone eats a dinner that consists of a 'lunch' food? Nothing bad, that's for sure! And sometimes a change of pace is nice. Not only that, but we don't need heavy filling meals all the time, right? Right!<br />
<br />
The next three meals don't have links to the recipes, but if you need a recipe to follow they are abundant online! The other three easy peasy meals include chili dogs, breakfast (biscuits and sausage gravy, eggs and bacon), and Chili Verde. The Chili Verde recipe I use is in a cookbook I have, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Once-A-Month-Cooking-Revised-Edition-Delicious/dp/0312243189" target="_blank">Once A Month Cooking</a>, that I was lucky enough to get from a friend for free, but is available for as little as a few dollars on Amazon.com. You could probably find it in the library as well!<br />
<br />
I realize that not all of these meals are going to work great as freezer meals, but the few that can't be made ahead and frozen turn out to be pretty easy to throw together quickly and toss in the oven in a matter of minutes. In order to keep myself a little more organized and know quickly what I have ready and what I need, when I plan my meals, I write the recipes down on index cards. This makes it easy to form my grocery list, and when I need to know what meals I have to choose from, I simply flip through cards instead of digging around in the freezer or refrigerator. Once a meal has been cooked, I put the card in a different location with other used cards. Unless it was a new meal I hadn't made before and everyone hated it. In that case I toss the card in the trash, never to be seen again. Yeah, I've had to do that a time or two.<br />
<br />
Let me know what your favorite freezer meals are, or if you have tips or tricks to your freezer cooking or any cooking for that matter- I'm sure I'm not the only one who's always looking for ways to make meals easier!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-65514676791889444342014-02-19T22:47:00.000-06:002014-02-19T22:47:07.960-06:00Who Doesn't Love Pop-tarts!?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9HRKffXEYQJr2uGciXQj-c4yLfc4l3bKk4LiKgGNAHtYmlLBCvgKVceSeEa6lhRiLHEKrs9Ppmbg8VHJW9oozaJdq7inizonqyidQxIFVHUrmTsHHFOsyOcU2PzW1-RjamvH_PEq2vUw/s1600/IMG_4142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9HRKffXEYQJr2uGciXQj-c4yLfc4l3bKk4LiKgGNAHtYmlLBCvgKVceSeEa6lhRiLHEKrs9Ppmbg8VHJW9oozaJdq7inizonqyidQxIFVHUrmTsHHFOsyOcU2PzW1-RjamvH_PEq2vUw/s1600/IMG_4142.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
I know there has been many a mornings that my family is in a hurry to get out the door to school, to work, to church, to whatever, and we don't always have time to cook a good, healthy breakfast. Heck, I'll even go so far as to admit that on weekdays, the idea of me cooking a hot breakfast for my family is about as likely as snow in Kansas in May. Oh, wait, that's happened before... Okay, it's about as likely as a snowstorm shutting down Atlanta. No, that happened this year... okay, suffice it to say, I don't cook weekday mornings! I have made breakfast burritos that can be pulled out of the freezer and thrown in the microwave before, and when we've had breakfast for dinner we've made extra pancakes for the kids to grab in the mornings. But the majority of weekday mornings the kids are grabbing a bowl of cereal or a packet of Poptarts. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you're big on eating natural or eating healthy most of the time, you probably steer clear of cereal, Poptarts and the majority of other popular pre-packaged breakfast foods. I don't blame you. Most of what we buy on the grocery store shelves anymore has ingredients we can't pronounce and some of those iffy ingredients are associated with heart disease, autism, cancer, and a number of other ailments! For those readers, I'm sure this would make a great occasional treat. For everyone else like me, they are a great breakfast on the go! Not to mention that when you make an at-home version of a store bought treat that is so popular, it's usually easier on the bank account as well. Especially if you shop the sales or buy in bulk. ;-) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So I really enjoyed doing some experimenting and I think I have one of the best at-home versions of the brown sugar and cinnamon Pop-tarts, frosting and all! It's easier than you might think, and was actually pretty fun. I have to say though, one batch won't last long, so after you've tried it once and decided you love it (which I know you will), be sure to double or triple (maybe even quadruple?!?) the recipe next time. I know I'll be making these again and making a lot more of them! These will freeze well in freezer bags if you decide to make more than enough, which is exactly what I will be doing next time. I've seen some recipes that claim you can warm them in the toaster just like the store-bought stuff, but with the frosting I made, I'm a little leery of popping them in the toaster and having frosting ooze everywhere! I will say that warming them in the microwave works great, especially if you're not big on the crunch that toasters give (like me). Or, you could always do what we do most of the time- grab some and eat them straight out of the package without warming them!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Before I got started, I pulled my margarine sticks out of the fridge, but decided I didn't want to wait forever for them to warm up and soften, so I used a little trick I learned a while back:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3he88kCsXf4A6-0dmCwprL9bYUS3XD2Ee49dGYsxRxf1Y5xXBo36m_teqqEWNFJQU1dsAkaIl0BJMdkzcZNxF35-oWUz6z1TRAlJ8U-WuqZgCXscbiiEP5CzBzDJMDGrX59vhjRsWAAKM/s1600/IMG_4132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3he88kCsXf4A6-0dmCwprL9bYUS3XD2Ee49dGYsxRxf1Y5xXBo36m_teqqEWNFJQU1dsAkaIl0BJMdkzcZNxF35-oWUz6z1TRAlJ8U-WuqZgCXscbiiEP5CzBzDJMDGrX59vhjRsWAAKM/s1600/IMG_4132.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sandwich the margarine (or butter if you use the real stuff for everything) between two pieces of wax paper. I used the wrappers and just smushed the margarine down on one piece of wax paper. The only magic at work here is science: There is a larger surface area exposed to the room temperature air, so the margarine softens quicker. Yeah, it was an aha moment for me too when I learned this!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After the margarine smushing, I preheated the oven and got the dry ingredients together. Which wasn't much, and didn't take longatall. So it really helped speeding up the margarine! The dry ingredients consist of flour and salt. That's it. Seriously. I actually used the Kitchenaid mixer I got a while back to mix these, and while I recommend a mixer for this, it's possible to mix by hand, it will just take longer. Toss the flour and salt in the mixer, and mix just until the salt is mixed throughout the flour. I used half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour, but you could definitely use just all-purpose if that's all you have. Add in the margarine. Another great thing about how I softened it- it still peels right off the wrapper and wax paper. I 'tore' the sheets of margarine into smaller pieces before adding them into the mixer to disperse it more evenly, but I really don't think it was a necessary step. I think that was me being a tad OCD. Mix the flour and butter until it clumps up and looks like bread crumbs. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQkvZqkAubizmu1F66y2M3Bq_Tq-cjPiKU2S4vL910Y9tn8tAYZYKxfowOWkJz3C0Kh4OYrRe1YN0sUOQDEnLVpBpFLHzeNuVBBjX9Gv_R1v2jvzyVuM2m__3y90jvLaOFOI5ThlImiKV/s1600/IMG_4134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQkvZqkAubizmu1F66y2M3Bq_Tq-cjPiKU2S4vL910Y9tn8tAYZYKxfowOWkJz3C0Kh4OYrRe1YN0sUOQDEnLVpBpFLHzeNuVBBjX9Gv_R1v2jvzyVuM2m__3y90jvLaOFOI5ThlImiKV/s1600/IMG_4134.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's where the fun starts- you'll add water just a little at a time until the dough forms a ball. I accidentally added too much and had to add a bit more flour to make up for it, but it probably would have been easier if I didn't add water as quickly as I did. Take that sticky ball of Poptart goodness out of the blender and divide it in two. Roll your first half out to about 1/8" thickness on a well floured surface. Here's where I threw caution to the wind: I just started cutting! I cut the first half into 6 rectangles, and I just eyeballed the size. Take the scraps and set them off to the side, and do the same thing with the other half. With the scraps I had left over, I was able to make a total of 18 rectangles.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5OmT668z2avW0ZqS6alhl5vinyHf5Eti-oxrJtM1syWaaciQeNFW_RkpPR5r9gwjHB-_9hAoawJBYMD4GVnuezQWA8ArYoC9k40N7J3cmMWyLNFvpGcTG_9Z8-O_8sHsnKKWgTAU3dnO/s1600/IMG_4135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5OmT668z2avW0ZqS6alhl5vinyHf5Eti-oxrJtM1syWaaciQeNFW_RkpPR5r9gwjHB-_9hAoawJBYMD4GVnuezQWA8ArYoC9k40N7J3cmMWyLNFvpGcTG_9Z8-O_8sHsnKKWgTAU3dnO/s1600/IMG_4135.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYxWEBWf1-vHYK94J-dibB_7Xp5AvuAkmeS_hY6NCGrnYAwfuuNZMaO0yaNSpIc3NNo2_AfgUVEnrzKBxDBToju6ktCswWJdFE2lzSWRtYdDWUQi1R5K_3SzWrvl7AhD3ccpqCSstir5e/s1600/IMG_4136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYxWEBWf1-vHYK94J-dibB_7Xp5AvuAkmeS_hY6NCGrnYAwfuuNZMaO0yaNSpIc3NNo2_AfgUVEnrzKBxDBToju6ktCswWJdFE2lzSWRtYdDWUQi1R5K_3SzWrvl7AhD3ccpqCSstir5e/s1600/IMG_4136.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The 'guts' of the Poptarts is quick and easy to mix up: brown sugar, cinnamon and flour mixed together in a small bowl. Place half of the rectangles on a lightly greased baking sheet, and spoon a heaping pile on each rectangle. The mixture will cook down, so there's no need to be chintzy here! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrp75n_OyFW1qHDonsxzrWSEY3wWdqrlp6H_F-HcoPacjWzTcLiSWYFmyKzC2-SLrNjAVQa2K-hkBfYuh5HpEzyafmVW-CM93Hgibmus6oWk7SMxxA7MM1aOcupvHhMDPzvMfmt70vVZo/s1600/IMG_4137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrp75n_OyFW1qHDonsxzrWSEY3wWdqrlp6H_F-HcoPacjWzTcLiSWYFmyKzC2-SLrNjAVQa2K-hkBfYuh5HpEzyafmVW-CM93Hgibmus6oWk7SMxxA7MM1aOcupvHhMDPzvMfmt70vVZo/s1600/IMG_4137.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Cy_IU540O51DisleTIUsJ-5_D3upvWxV2rE9MSxBC3DiruhVOmAKlxDXdNHJt69IDSGJU7AwIfnJuL_UW5ckGxWHO4t4de6KLh11w7eCOn9wIvxQlr6UNzCUaAFKNfJdUi8iOuk0cV5C/s1600/IMG_4138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Cy_IU540O51DisleTIUsJ-5_D3upvWxV2rE9MSxBC3DiruhVOmAKlxDXdNHJt69IDSGJU7AwIfnJuL_UW5ckGxWHO4t4de6KLh11w7eCOn9wIvxQlr6UNzCUaAFKNfJdUi8iOuk0cV5C/s1600/IMG_4138.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Before placing the top half of the pastry on, dampen the edges of the rectangles with water. This will help it seal as it cooks so you don't have gooey goodness seeping out onto the pan. Place the other rectangles on top, and use a fork to seal the edges. I learned at this point that this step would have been easier had I used a flat baking sheet with no raised edges- it was tough sealing the edges on the outside of the pan with the edge of the pan in the way! Make sure you poke a hole in the top for the steam to escape and prevent it from bubbling up. I just used the fork for this, and found that they looked mighty tempting like this if you want to forgo the frosting. Pop 'em in the oven and let them cool before frosting! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwZ_7tv4qz2IdgMhsdeHM5OF8rxROqv2foKRjN9cfJu2xp75_300qNuCdTXq4ngPuukpQ3Ixl6hU16aVY3ExT5mBhr2zTfxpDCg6OoREAbNVIA4-YDPNza21p3qoK6uJrr45z-KcT0ySZ/s1600/IMG_4139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwZ_7tv4qz2IdgMhsdeHM5OF8rxROqv2foKRjN9cfJu2xp75_300qNuCdTXq4ngPuukpQ3Ixl6hU16aVY3ExT5mBhr2zTfxpDCg6OoREAbNVIA4-YDPNza21p3qoK6uJrr45z-KcT0ySZ/s1600/IMG_4139.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFdEljOWJLI7tD1v_kQotaqanz7na1fUsvjRXL_Chg2dEhGxTSIeMIqvyOVeGUWuaLgfVUWVASvQGmL8fn_4d_ge6j3-Qma77IXHWLPwgG1JOKMek6BZYVBaEg27fVBkzRDSnREWvO0af/s1600/IMG_4141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFdEljOWJLI7tD1v_kQotaqanz7na1fUsvjRXL_Chg2dEhGxTSIeMIqvyOVeGUWuaLgfVUWVASvQGmL8fn_4d_ge6j3-Qma77IXHWLPwgG1JOKMek6BZYVBaEg27fVBkzRDSnREWvO0af/s1600/IMG_4141.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Hubs and I split one for a taste test before I packed them in sandwich bags, two to a bag, and stuck them on the shelf with the homemade breakfast bars. It was not identical to the store-bought stuff by any means. These taste fresh. They taste homemade. They taste yummy in their own way. And best of all, they don't taste like factory-produced, preservative-filled junk advertised as food! Now that I know these turned out AWESOME, I will be making them again, and I'll be experimenting with jams to make different flavors. I see strawberry and raspberry Poptarts in my family's future... It's still not a breakfast of eggs, ham, whole wheat toast and orange juice each morning, but it's a step in the right direction away from highly processed foods with unknown ingredients and harmful preservatives! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Homemade Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Poptarts</h3>
<h4>
Ingredients:</h4>
<div>
1 cup all purpose flour</div>
<div>
1 cup whole wheat flour</div>
<div>
Dash of salt</div>
<div>
1 cup margarine or butter, softened</div>
<div>
¼ cup water</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Preheat oven to 350°. Mix flour and salt in a stand mixer. Combine flour mixture and margarine until crumbly. Add water slowly until the dough is workable and forms a ball. </div>
<div>
2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Divide dough in half. Roll half onto a floured surface to 1/8” thickness. Cut into rectangles (measure with a ruler for more uniform rectangles). Repeat with other half of dough, and any remaining dough scraps, making sure you have an even number of rectangles.</div>
<div>
3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Place half of the rectangles on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spoon filling onto rectangles in generous amounts. Dampen edges of rectangles with water, and top with remaining rectangles.</div>
<div>
4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Seal edges of the Poptarts with a fork, and pierce holes in the top of each with the fork or with a toothpick. </div>
<div>
5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Spread with Homemade Frosting for Poptarts, below. Add sprinkles if desired.</div>
<div>
6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Store in an airtight container or plastic storage bags at room temperature, or freeze in freezer bags for longer storage.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Ingredients for Filling:</h4>
<div>
½ cup brown sugar (I used homemade brown sugar- it’s easier than you think!)</div>
<div>
1 ½ tsp cinnamon</div>
<div>
4 tsp all purpose flour</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use. Any remaining filling can be stored in a plastic storage bag in a cool, dark cabinet, and should be good until the closest expiration date on the ingredients you used. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Homemade Frosting for Poptarts</h4>
<div>
¾ cup powdered sugar</div>
<div>
3 tsp milk</div>
<div>
½ tsp vanilla extract</div>
<div>
*1/2 tsp cinnamon</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until it reaches a thick but spreadable consistency. Add more milk or powdered sugar for the consistency you want. Use a butter knife or spatula to frost each Poptart. *Add the cinnamon for the frosting to the Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Poptarts. For other flavors of Poptarts, omit the cinnamon. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-17478939012743157872014-02-16T16:53:00.000-06:002014-02-16T16:53:04.757-06:00Herb & Citrus Oven Roasted ChickenI had planned several weeks worth of meals several weeks ago, and since there's been a few nights in there that I haven't had to cook for one reason or another, I still have a few meals in the freezer that I'll be fixing over the next few days. However, I do have to plan some meals again, or once the freezer meals are gone that I fixed a while back the family will be scavenging the kitchen and I'll be pulling my hair out!<br />
<br />
Yesterday I did some grocery shopping to take advantage of some amazing sales and I made a stop at Costco this weekend to restock a few staples, but I didn't do the 'after meal plan' shopping. That's the shopping I need to do after I've planned meals around the items I have and any meats that are on sale, so it's not usually a big trip to the store. So, the first order of business is the meal plan. Right after dinner. Okay, I guess that makes it the second order of business.<br />
<br />
Since I don't have the meal plan ready to share with you just yet, you get to see what tonight's dinner is! Keep in mind, this was part of the last meal plan, and it was semi-prepared several weeks ago and thrown in the freezer so that as it thawed the meat would be marinating and dinner would be uber-yummy. If you know me at all, you know that I am a Pinterest addict. That's where this, and many other meals came from. Georgia over at thecomfortofcooking.com shared this dish back in April of last year, but thanks to the art of sharing on Pinterest, I was lucky enough to come across it!<br />
<br />
I know you're thinking "Come on Shawna, get on with it, get to the recipe already!", so while I'm sure you're already aware I could ramble on and on about this recipe or how I found it (let's be honest, when writing I can ramble about almost anything), let's get to the good stuff!<br />
<br />
I pulled the bag out of the freezer and had it thawing in the fridge so it would be oven ready at dinner time, and it was thawed perfectly when I needed it. I plopped the chicken into the pans, and all the juice that the chicken had been marinating in was poured in with it. I barely got started slicing, and Ray walked into the kitchen and told me how good it smelled... huh? I guess I just wasn't paying attention to it, but he said that just the marinade made the kitchen smell great.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAzZ4T2uQQvX5Ue0jFzmb-cX1Px7LGkF2iO2mZLNxzor8vfuETtz2jwmlIR6aRxckT_lED1etaJTQaZr68xZN8he3372U0u8xr8ahHFwdDkVlpUlttrDqcHnKHA-5fc1QVYrB5jmAaH2i/s1600/IMG_4126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAzZ4T2uQQvX5Ue0jFzmb-cX1Px7LGkF2iO2mZLNxzor8vfuETtz2jwmlIR6aRxckT_lED1etaJTQaZr68xZN8he3372U0u8xr8ahHFwdDkVlpUlttrDqcHnKHA-5fc1QVYrB5jmAaH2i/s1600/IMG_4126.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only five leg quarters, but it stuffed six people!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHz22vT3BRekktapW3CNy5XYp_tf1CisP7L67yrkoFCfiHDPn6s2w9PBds_c1bwSl2Ga9GgeduLroa0yuwg4sCKBeFjfSogAddxe-NTrQvJ-_KzO9Y1yWFZ3MKWIOp2PFs1c5tPuzfoMlQ/s1600/IMG_4127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHz22vT3BRekktapW3CNy5XYp_tf1CisP7L67yrkoFCfiHDPn6s2w9PBds_c1bwSl2Ga9GgeduLroa0yuwg4sCKBeFjfSogAddxe-NTrQvJ-_KzO9Y1yWFZ3MKWIOp2PFs1c5tPuzfoMlQ/s1600/IMG_4127.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be sure to pour all of the marinade over the chicken!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I finished slicing the onion, lemons and oranges and slid the onion slices under the chicken and scattered the slices of lemons and oranges over the chicken. I sprinkled a little more seasoning over everything like the recipe directions called for- although I have to admit, it had a lot of seasonings just from what was in the marinade! I did tweak the amounts for what I was cooking though- the recipe called for one each- onion, lemon and orange. I buy the smaller oranges- cuties or halos- since the family will actually snack on those, so instead of using one, I obviously had to use more. They were so tiny I ended up using six, and I used 2 lemons. The lemon was big enough though, that I didn't feel the need to slice more than one.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3l-1UZisI65NK3WvB1vC3i_7gZBiYcHqsoRrbWuoEYY38-buPMfozq4Q7gTDSmgsd4PbxWxF5g1miciXb0S9z-qDIsI7k8bmVJWPVbidUAaLexQC3gK4cOK4KJwYH8AQn3kjxwRKQ5TE/s1600/IMG_4129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3l-1UZisI65NK3WvB1vC3i_7gZBiYcHqsoRrbWuoEYY38-buPMfozq4Q7gTDSmgsd4PbxWxF5g1miciXb0S9z-qDIsI7k8bmVJWPVbidUAaLexQC3gK4cOK4KJwYH8AQn3kjxwRKQ5TE/s1600/IMG_4129.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not-so-perfectly sliced... but sliced just the same!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It almost seemed like a bit much once I had the chicken covered with lemons and mandarin oranges- I couldn't see much chicken! I was worried it would be too tart or too sweet for chicken, but it worked out great. The chicken was moist, tender, and the flavor turned out to be just right. It had a touch of sweet and a bit of tang to it, but was by far NOT overbearing. Everyone loved it, and I know you will too!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HrjU2HuLONrWWIhC4Y8X1ZsLq8kKCizpsuBx1kzRb_iQVWm8gcckV8JP5JDTjrfc7USDuEDOYvGZsi7QovJPnep6LgoaRhqEDfj1WBlNQXaBsJgctk_PeQFx8r2KhacrY45iySFZA-Ur/s1600/IMG_4130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HrjU2HuLONrWWIhC4Y8X1ZsLq8kKCizpsuBx1kzRb_iQVWm8gcckV8JP5JDTjrfc7USDuEDOYvGZsi7QovJPnep6LgoaRhqEDfj1WBlNQXaBsJgctk_PeQFx8r2KhacrY45iySFZA-Ur/s1600/IMG_4130.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before going in the oven. I didn't get a chance to get the<br />
after picture- everyone was ready to dive in!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For the full recipe, and photos that will make you drool (seriously, her pictures make mine look... well, bad. I think it's partly that she had legs and thighs, whereas I used the full leg quarters, and of course she's more experienced with the camera, and probably with slicing fruits and veggies!). Seriously though folks, go check out Georgia's site, <a href="http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/04/herb-and-citrus-oven-roasted-chicken.html#comment-23885" target="_blank">The Comfort of Cooking</a> for the full, easy-peasy, recipe. You'll thank me later!<br />
<br />
Be sure to let me know how yours turned out!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-17612940537281402142014-02-15T21:00:00.003-06:002014-02-15T21:00:48.552-06:00Stock Up On Savings!My friend Leslie had been posting pictures on facebook recently, bragging about how much she spent on her buys. After seeing the second picture, I had to comment on it. It was amazing how little she spent for what she took home! She told me that she just recently joined a private group on Facebook that shared great buys at Walgreens, and loved saving money on items she had to buy for her family anyway. She invited me to join the group, and while I thought I knew quite a few tricks to save money while shopping, I was learning new stuff from this group right away!<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This group shares tips and tricks like what coupons to stock up on so you can get the biggest bang for your buck while items are on sale, when to buy certain things to ensure you're getting the lowest sale prices, and lots of other tips that I haven't even gotten to. The biggest secret that I learned was that most Walgreens (if not all) actually have their sale items in the computer system on Saturdays- when their advertisement in the newspaper states that the sale runs Sunday through Saturday. This little secret allows super savers like my friend Leslie to take advantage of combining a coupon expiring on Saturday in conjunction with the sale set to start the next day. <Mind blown> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I had to see for myself what I could get out of my coupons set to expire today and the two sales at Walgreens today- the ad ending today and the ad starting tomorrow that was really in the computers today. My first step was to check for myself if what I heard was true. So I called my local Walgreens store and asked if tomorrow's ad prices are in the computer today for me to take advantage of, or if what I heard was just a rumor. The manager informed me that Sunday's ad prices are in fact in the computer system on Saturday. He said in the past the computer was updated early on Saturdays, but it was recently changed and the computers are updated with the new sale prices at 4 PM on Saturday. Score! So I gathered my laptop, my coupon binder (yes, I'm one of <i>those</i> women!), and my notepad and got to work figuring out what sales I wanted to take advantage of. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's the list of what I wanted to get:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Rightguard deodorant</b> (regular price $4.19 each) on sale BOGO, and I had a coupon for $2 off 2= final price of $2.19 for 2.</div>
<div>
<b>Rightguard bodywash</b> (regular price $4.99 each) on sale BOGO, and I had a coupon for B2G1= final price of $4.99 for 3... they were out of Rightguard and the cashier let me get Nivea and honored the coupon since Nivea was the same price of $4.99.</div>
<div>
<b>Tone bodywash</b> (regular price of $4.59) on sale BOGO, and I had a coupon for B2G1= final price of $4.59 for 3... they were also out of Tone and she let me get Caress instead, again because it was the same price of $4.59 each.</div>
<div>
<b>Axe products</b> (regular price $4.99) on sale B1G1 50% (buy one at regular price, get the second half off), and I had 2 coupons- one for $1 off shower gel, one for $2 off deodorant= final price of $4.48 for bodywash and deodorant.</div>
<div>
<b>Nutella</b> (regular price $4.39) on sale for $3.49 and I had a coupon for BOGO= final price of $3.49 for 2.</div>
<div>
<b>Rockstar energy drinks</b> (regular price $2.49) on sale for $1 each, and $1 register reward good on the next purchase. While there was a limit of one register reward, my husband loves these drinks and it's a nice 'special treat' for him to have occasionally, so I bought 6= $6 plus $1 RR.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKqS9KMpxo2BMKXfgvgMraHDXlZJno49pBkrNeSM6BpvvW70edZG-QpyektOKnpoNhyphenhyphenVKD22RhOHYekrRs3TNChixzMjgWyf1pKBnLW8h41dcyN-x5ebhGVGieAep0T_IOXPAtwHhJTR2/s1600/Walgreens+trip+2.15.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKqS9KMpxo2BMKXfgvgMraHDXlZJno49pBkrNeSM6BpvvW70edZG-QpyektOKnpoNhyphenhyphenVKD22RhOHYekrRs3TNChixzMjgWyf1pKBnLW8h41dcyN-x5ebhGVGieAep0T_IOXPAtwHhJTR2/s1600/Walgreens+trip+2.15.14.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My husband put the Rockstars away before any nosy kids<br />could get home and see them. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The total before savings comes to $70.82. I paid $25.74 and saved $45.08, or 64%! Granted, there was tax added on, but I also bought a couple other items at regular price that I was going to buy anyway. If it wasn't for the other items, and the fact that the cashier rang things up differently to accommodate the substitutions I would have taken a picture of the receipt to show you the proof, so you wouldn't have to take my word for it!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While I only documented my trip to Walgreens for you, I also stopped by HyVee and Price Chopper for a couple of sale items. To make my money stretch as far as possible, I make sure I stock up on things when I can get them at a bargain price. My best example from today was canned vegetables: even store brand canned veggies are usually $.89 regular price- HyVee had their store brand canned corn and green beans on sale for $.39, so I stocked up! I bought a dozen cans of green beans and a 18 cans of corn. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know, I know, canned veggies aren't that great for you... I have been trying to get my family accustomed to fresh or at least frozen vegetables and a wider variety, but I still buy canned vegetables for two reasons. First, I have a mid-size deep freezer, only 9 cubic feet, so the freezer space is precious and used for meat as well as a variety of other things. Second, I like to have shelf stable foods as well as perishables. You can call me a prepper if you want- I want to be prepared with food that won't go bad if a winter storm takes out power lines! Now, if the zombie apocalypse started tomorrow it would be a much different story...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So now that you know one of the many ways I stretch each dollar, quarter and penny, it's time for you to share some of your tips! Do you have a favorite store you stick to or do you shop where the best deals are? Are you a 'crazy coupon lady' or do you shop the sales? Do you stock up when you go shopping or do you buy just enough to get you by for a few days? Do you plan meals and stick to your grocery list or do you stop by the store each evening after work panicking about what to feed your family? Does anyone else shop at Walgreens and combine coupons with their sales? I'd love to hear about your experiences!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-74458324760527164672014-02-12T00:44:00.000-06:002014-02-12T00:44:13.490-06:00Shawna's Zucchini BreadThis isn't really the season for zucchinis or for zucchini bread, but I saw Jill of One Good Thing By Jillee mention banana bread and it really got me in the mood for zucchini bread. Not that banana bread isn't amazing and delicious, but I only had two bananas left and they weren't nearly ripe enough, and let's face it: my teenager would eat them before I could make the bread anyway. Luckily for me (and the rest of my sweet-toothed family), I had a TON of zucchini come out of my garden this past year that I couldn't use quick enough, so in my deep freeze I have a bunch of pureed, grated, and cubed zucchini just waiting for the right time to use it. Like right now.<br />
<br />
I'm sure you sweet bread lovers have had or at least heard of zucchini bread before- the basics are the same as quite a few other sweet breads. So what makes this mine? Well, for starters, this is my family's favorite deviation from a recipe I've found (The original recipe for '<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-zucchini-bread/" target="_blank">Mom's Zucchini Bread</a>' can be found on allrecipes.com- this was the closest I could find to an old family recipe that I had used long ago). Secondly, I made several changes to that recipe to make it a little healthier but not so much so that my kids won't eat it.<br />
<br />
For starters, I'd like to mention that my husband said that my website needs to have smell-o-vision. My boys always love the way the house smells when my zucchini bread is baking! And until they have a slice in hand, I'm asked non-stop from the time it goes in the oven "is it done yet?". And heaven help me when it comes out of the oven and is cooling IN the pan! "How 'bout now? Now? NOW?" I do have to admit, though, while I love this bread anytime, it's best straight out of the oven and still warm. Ray and I like a little butter smeared on it and all melty, Codey likes dipping it in his milk like a cookie, and Dakota loves it plain (go figure, picky boy).<br />
<br />
Without further adieu, here's the recipe:<br />
<br />
<h3>
Shawna's Zucchini Bread</h3>
<h4>
Ingredients:</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjRVXOHDxQNVSM28TOeLvVYgrHul0PUnaQgDNtv8kU5SBJ04J59DFh_5EWYg1u375P0wKA-VD5nGwQ8rmmkU9IBcDkNmiE0WYpjGtirGOMTOS7Fu94R-HtNf6cc58hU7nkyRN-4H14eEg/s1600/1+Ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjRVXOHDxQNVSM28TOeLvVYgrHul0PUnaQgDNtv8kU5SBJ04J59DFh_5EWYg1u375P0wKA-VD5nGwQ8rmmkU9IBcDkNmiE0WYpjGtirGOMTOS7Fu94R-HtNf6cc58hU7nkyRN-4H14eEg/s1600/1+Ingredients.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</div>
<div>
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour</div>
<div>
1 teaspoon salt</div>
<div>
1 teaspoon baking soda</div>
<div>
1 teaspoon baking powder</div>
<div>
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon</div>
<div>
3 eggs</div>
<div>
1 cup vegetable oil</div>
<div>
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar</div>
<div>
3 teaspoons vanilla extract</div>
<div>
2 tablespoons milled flax seed</div>
<div>
2 cups pureed zucchini</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Directions:</h4>
<div>
1. Grease two bread pans (you can flour them too, but I never do) and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvnTdmGnFAUKWVQSWggFK5zVmbhm78TlHLmfebigdpjtaIbQIecsjV74egGmkQ9cfgEtmwdSsoN9wFGHX6A2L8Y3hAWLvvabQs5EE4tFqTwJVaY-NtVHtixfAGprVImC6haifo8iJVnKH/s1600/2+Greased+Pans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvnTdmGnFAUKWVQSWggFK5zVmbhm78TlHLmfebigdpjtaIbQIecsjV74egGmkQ9cfgEtmwdSsoN9wFGHX6A2L8Y3hAWLvvabQs5EE4tFqTwJVaY-NtVHtixfAGprVImC6haifo8iJVnKH/s1600/2+Greased+Pans.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my stoneware, just wish I had two!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUiOzkhE1xghBeSF8TCYIchlN9qVpR062wA7k1L_JOuNfX6kC8t1I_-8bcP7zfDsPQoZfa6jvTjD3wNpHPrCMmOENGszaIQp-GlFjmWQu4xmct07d_N1OhJ4nsrgP_imekaWHJWquOFVm/s1600/3+Dry+Ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUiOzkhE1xghBeSF8TCYIchlN9qVpR062wA7k1L_JOuNfX6kC8t1I_-8bcP7zfDsPQoZfa6jvTjD3wNpHPrCMmOENGszaIQp-GlFjmWQu4xmct07d_N1OhJ4nsrgP_imekaWHJWquOFVm/s1600/3+Dry+Ingredients.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and flax seed together in a large bowl. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8DkTuA1PfkkLhXm5ZGsmtQe9GnjyimPgMEMWx1eeiiqzOHgXjlAOHISfJzj0qt-_PPnO-emu0bxMGV4mMOmTY5r7_uj2Gw2CDBPGGBy1L0uR3q5WPeKGjZBtjPhQZjwJjlQAgn8NphIc/s1600/5+Wet+Ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8DkTuA1PfkkLhXm5ZGsmtQe9GnjyimPgMEMWx1eeiiqzOHgXjlAOHISfJzj0qt-_PPnO-emu0bxMGV4mMOmTY5r7_uj2Gw2CDBPGGBy1L0uR3q5WPeKGjZBtjPhQZjwJjlQAgn8NphIc/s1600/5+Wet+Ingredients.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6iDV29cdr2ceE-ujwd3CGNwBH3FouLPUZ6h0pDJ2rQN3O5bwb6ExqqRij5CEx7QRnh2Wu9FIy0uzCCgplYl4E7ieDAp2cZErbrAlg_2tdpcuciG98waGg1l7awg08zjcMKIC8pbcmz3Y/s1600/6+Wet+Ingredients+blended.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6iDV29cdr2ceE-ujwd3CGNwBH3FouLPUZ6h0pDJ2rQN3O5bwb6ExqqRij5CEx7QRnh2Wu9FIy0uzCCgplYl4E7ieDAp2cZErbrAlg_2tdpcuciG98waGg1l7awg08zjcMKIC8pbcmz3Y/s1600/6+Wet+Ingredients+blended.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the zucchini and stir until well combined.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzDUsL2HpCsgu0l9UX93OQAxk3iunMAtMPNsYTcpIXedXWvh-2g2r5qqqti20O4a_wRimpau-qtaJFreEwqvvG03y5AgU0iEabWweYLIfc9vyz_-DRC5lSJFAWWxvWzfa_mVJ94mK2LpG/s1600/7+Dry+and+Wet+mixed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzDUsL2HpCsgu0l9UX93OQAxk3iunMAtMPNsYTcpIXedXWvh-2g2r5qqqti20O4a_wRimpau-qtaJFreEwqvvG03y5AgU0iEabWweYLIfc9vyz_-DRC5lSJFAWWxvWzfa_mVJ94mK2LpG/s1600/7+Dry+and+Wet+mixed.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty dry before adding the zucchini.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTsuB6maS5PJXDZ-aVUvxwPKBix-7nHkwRvoQuQo7ukLeEofRFevpNL9Nm5j5Esbk-PsA_WiwimqblANOjgzSvG0B67xbtcZ7TjIHyy4AURSTAqRSzt91_DCU9bEPwgs-g2EfryufZPqW/s1600/9+Add+Zucchini+to+mix.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTsuB6maS5PJXDZ-aVUvxwPKBix-7nHkwRvoQuQo7ukLeEofRFevpNL9Nm5j5Esbk-PsA_WiwimqblANOjgzSvG0B67xbtcZ7TjIHyy4AURSTAqRSzt91_DCU9bEPwgs-g2EfryufZPqW/s1600/9+Add+Zucchini+to+mix.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make sure you include all the liquid from the zucchini!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOy8cl1dyCSJYgu2ASuzv6QucmkaAqfK-82Nplc93vuYRCHM4mJ_P6JhQKMqOXOhHi279Ix_tzlfqwpy4UD6LpWJhJVCTtSC8QBuO86FoYJx55Ea7oNht70QV1KdVHGYnRnJiw6oyHW-5/s1600/10+Stir+well+to+blend.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOy8cl1dyCSJYgu2ASuzv6QucmkaAqfK-82Nplc93vuYRCHM4mJ_P6JhQKMqOXOhHi279Ix_tzlfqwpy4UD6LpWJhJVCTtSC8QBuO86FoYJx55Ea7oNht70QV1KdVHGYnRnJiw6oyHW-5/s1600/10+Stir+well+to+blend.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once the zucchini is thoroughly mixed into the batter,<br />it should be a uniform consistency and<br />easy to pour.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />5. Pour evenly into the greased bread pans.<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsaM80dMqBIUgn7UU2K2PYERO7TRuh0VTDJ_nlg1oKYEaeirkxYwTzq93h5QYIqtWRHR0hildQOdmtPxOrCU6Z1KKP0y-Durl-sNhScohXpBMCqXGuxLuYQmCee_eDDxh5ee0J6bcW4Bq/s1600/11+Poured+into+pans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsaM80dMqBIUgn7UU2K2PYERO7TRuh0VTDJ_nlg1oKYEaeirkxYwTzq93h5QYIqtWRHR0hildQOdmtPxOrCU6Z1KKP0y-Durl-sNhScohXpBMCqXGuxLuYQmCee_eDDxh5ee0J6bcW4Bq/s1600/11+Poured+into+pans.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go in the oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes (mine take right around 50 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool (or eat it warm!).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4KBktgtITSzRl_d3emSREGJLZ2LRzHgQQzdcozGK_5ypDSnkEu_M0hfPBH79q-qX36Sd23d2qbHh3BjjjpKoTsIllaWJmUTMyufVuAGBiCPeLqRvxltj4j4EeuG-WKnONyHfQOCHqz1D/s1600/IMG_4116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4KBktgtITSzRl_d3emSREGJLZ2LRzHgQQzdcozGK_5ypDSnkEu_M0hfPBH79q-qX36Sd23d2qbHh3BjjjpKoTsIllaWJmUTMyufVuAGBiCPeLqRvxltj4j4EeuG-WKnONyHfQOCHqz1D/s1600/IMG_4116.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooling... and tempting the boys. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Tips:</h4>
<div>
1. You can use 3 cups of all purpose flour and exclude the whole wheat flour if you don't have any.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2. The zucchini can be grated/shredded instead of pureed. I puree it in my Ninja blender for my picky eaters who don't do chunks. At. All.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidn5BNQsrrbmu4oy18qRiws4GoO4Sjs60owB5o7vHpLyQvp7sW10j13JqF1terCZ_KngpdEwXcD9qswtV6NbZUVnRxiyd97IEKEBhS6XZRnwKfuuCdBBzI1BgHgNqK4zH15Hetp1gW5mHL/s1600/8+Pureed+Zucchini.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidn5BNQsrrbmu4oy18qRiws4GoO4Sjs60owB5o7vHpLyQvp7sW10j13JqF1terCZ_KngpdEwXcD9qswtV6NbZUVnRxiyd97IEKEBhS6XZRnwKfuuCdBBzI1BgHgNqK4zH15Hetp1gW5mHL/s1600/8+Pureed+Zucchini.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love my Ninja blender!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3. The milled flax seed is my addition, and can be excluded without affecting the recipe. You can also use the flax seed in place of one or all of the eggs- 1 Tbs of flax seed + 3 Tbs of water replaces one egg in baking recipes. I believe milled flax seed can replace some of the oil as well, although I would recommend against reducing the oil by too much. I simply added the flax seed for the healthy omega-3 fatty acids and added fiber. If you include it, just be sure you're getting the milled flax seed and not whole- the body can't properly digest whole flax seed, so you won't get any of the health benefits. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. Chopped walnuts can be added into the bread (1 cup) or simply sprinkled on top. I'm not a big fan of nuts in breads, and neither are my kids so I rarely include any nuts. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
5. The cooking time will vary depending on a number of factors. I recommend checking it after 40 minutes, but keep in mind that it could take as long as 60 minutes to bake completely.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
6. If you have a stand mixer, by all means use it. I have a Kitchenaid mixer I recently got as a hand-me-down, and forgot to use it for this bread!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
7. Make sure you clean up after yourself when waiting for the bread to bake. If you're anything like me, once the bread is cooled, sliced and in front of you, you will not want to wash dishes!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvTKr0c2cUuCyln6IsfkCPIjWBEEx6-CHLqT__DjZDpz1tYWzscSNXN79xtmLNOL8L-iK7clPmjhuQWX_3jvsCASRU4HBM_YuSpJwpaC-q8H_iwsgca_GSgOBrLmApK2bsg807W4i6NrI/s1600/12+Washed+dishes%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvTKr0c2cUuCyln6IsfkCPIjWBEEx6-CHLqT__DjZDpz1tYWzscSNXN79xtmLNOL8L-iK7clPmjhuQWX_3jvsCASRU4HBM_YuSpJwpaC-q8H_iwsgca_GSgOBrLmApK2bsg807W4i6NrI/s1600/12+Washed+dishes%2521.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dishwasher was full from dinner, and I knew I<br />wouldn't want to tackle these later.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
8. Savor. Every. Single. Bite. It's that good, and if you don't really enjoy that first slice or two, you might regret that third slice. Not because it's not as delicious as the first or second slice, but because you know after somewhere around slice 3 or 4 you start to feel guilty that you won't have as much to enjoy later! I speak from experience here- the three of us have over half a loaf gone, and tomorrow evening the only thing we'll have left will be crumbs. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-jsVW5WDuBIDIIR9m8XCoLq5DqMhz1eBISj4HzYYDq0aMD2XzBXx_9nBEk2oekUAN-cyQM6cSS07Nce7Aa_l4Xo_ytd_qv8HtVILIOIYs8BY-By1pLq57XJucW1Sznxb3b7gsAEzGwLH/s1600/IMG_4119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-jsVW5WDuBIDIIR9m8XCoLq5DqMhz1eBISj4HzYYDq0aMD2XzBXx_9nBEk2oekUAN-cyQM6cSS07Nce7Aa_l4Xo_ytd_qv8HtVILIOIYs8BY-By1pLq57XJucW1Sznxb3b7gsAEzGwLH/s1600/IMG_4119.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note that I had to limit us to 2 slices each...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6QkKbcvpwAjKfy95-ViIZ-Z7eGc1U_1VLCSaiviTdaOXB78tjF7fPATSxhhMv2K4n3EbIw5FnM18hR86hkPS4V-jyeRmlWNUnv229O6NjeO-CWE2FimFTedAG4CJaB29rWnQhEzIO2cc/s1600/IMG_4120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6QkKbcvpwAjKfy95-ViIZ-Z7eGc1U_1VLCSaiviTdaOXB78tjF7fPATSxhhMv2K4n3EbIw5FnM18hR86hkPS4V-jyeRmlWNUnv229O6NjeO-CWE2FimFTedAG4CJaB29rWnQhEzIO2cc/s1600/IMG_4120.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lW0fQDJphs0jKtFuRG2WqXT2OjSG3vlM-BJqwofO7NVYwYpydoA4-_nhvXIijKBTGN5BghzSwk3kiwcfYlYnFf3RfA-CktPekV1IKzRSzQtWNxTzkc_xgEYhrqs-jfrYvCzys_e6hLOu/s1600/IMG_4122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lW0fQDJphs0jKtFuRG2WqXT2OjSG3vlM-BJqwofO7NVYwYpydoA4-_nhvXIijKBTGN5BghzSwk3kiwcfYlYnFf3RfA-CktPekV1IKzRSzQtWNxTzkc_xgEYhrqs-jfrYvCzys_e6hLOu/s1600/IMG_4122.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Codey's the dipper in our family.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So now that you know what to do with it, be sure to grab some zucchini the next time you see it on sale (or sooner if you get a craving!) and make sure you have this recipe available for this summer when you're pulling zucchini from the garden.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Be sure to tell me in the comments below how yours turns out, and don't be stingy, share this with your friends!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-63657009527173770672014-02-08T23:22:00.000-06:002014-02-08T23:22:13.952-06:00Fudgy Homemade Brownies (The Best!)As I was sitting here this evening, I realized why I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing- I had a craving. Which is always horrible when you live in this house, because we rarely have ready-to-go sweets just laying around! That would be my fault- I plan the meals, I do the grocery shopping by myself. Which, to be completely honest, is how I prefer to shop- no one around to keep asking for extras. It's just quite the Debbie Downer when we want to have something sweet- I NEVER buy extras that aren't on my grocery list when I shop alone!<br />
<br />
So what did I do? What any Pinterest addict would do! Search Pinterest for a fairly easy sweet treat that I have all the ingredients for. The first sweet I saw was for brownies, and I knew I had everything for the basic brownie recipe. Sweet Anna's had the perfect recipe to appease my craving: The Best Fudgy Homemade Brownies, From Scratch!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvZE81wfHCgNswca-ZUczu_3G5VNYcMtzLnC-KymLmc-9Dh9A5ART5J_lQ4o9KvaRNkddGGZIQw1IpMEwF4szTGO7-rEL8IjqReyAY993PX56Fa_oVjyV_78S3b2iiySW2h5FWtiLSTTd/s1600/IMG_4088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvZE81wfHCgNswca-ZUczu_3G5VNYcMtzLnC-KymLmc-9Dh9A5ART5J_lQ4o9KvaRNkddGGZIQw1IpMEwF4szTGO7-rEL8IjqReyAY993PX56Fa_oVjyV_78S3b2iiySW2h5FWtiLSTTd/s1600/IMG_4088.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fresh out of the oven</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My youngest had some serious curiosity going on when I announced that I had a sweet tooth and was going to bake something. He guessed cookies. Nope. He guessed a cake. Nope. Even with all the ingredients on the table, he still was clueless. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaHKGZk6T2AWxCLE4X5wlTtvpXaSfHhiznYKxrqJeRXHiJ9ltCByOz8OskAPUHUNt-2OqWRUYA_fJ2fD2u2Qgrz2CgExp9AF1Ct2hC-aU0iC_7FWMXdDyOu6KYf54Xmi8vQbae8sveX8p/s1600/IMG_4070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaHKGZk6T2AWxCLE4X5wlTtvpXaSfHhiznYKxrqJeRXHiJ9ltCByOz8OskAPUHUNt-2OqWRUYA_fJ2fD2u2Qgrz2CgExp9AF1Ct2hC-aU0iC_7FWMXdDyOu6KYf54Xmi8vQbae8sveX8p/s1600/IMG_4070.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The flour and water was missing from this picture. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It was included in the brownies, promise!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Once I shared with him that I was making brownies from scratch, he asked if he could help. Of course he knows that mom goes a little easier on him when he participates and helps me in the kitchen. I love that he wants to help occasionally in the kitchen, but I swear it's only when it's something sweet that he knows he's going to love! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZc_MuAENITRYdyZ0ZYQazOCDHIYQpFFPWikDNuyKdpibMkebUBo4uofn9I-pGNB4F31BOJv-KCxBracXbYtcyB4mtc-5MYu8qYe05bWKwcuBIbSwgro8om5SfasKhN-2dQYFLVPS0s2E/s1600/IMG_4074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZc_MuAENITRYdyZ0ZYQazOCDHIYQpFFPWikDNuyKdpibMkebUBo4uofn9I-pGNB4F31BOJv-KCxBracXbYtcyB4mtc-5MYu8qYe05bWKwcuBIbSwgro8om5SfasKhN-2dQYFLVPS0s2E/s1600/IMG_4074.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Mom, it looks like mud"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJl49-Z5-I6LhGN0E0SqT7IaqsKWnLlt0sDIodUPpoEce9_po_Jaem90CTO1Sh9LAj7dmCvJdqmEoXaZ2JP0cvQJAUA1kWaWipF20h8oX9wG82AuNHkbpYGYZJPevZ426D_xf7wxfYMXh/s1600/IMG_4075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJl49-Z5-I6LhGN0E0SqT7IaqsKWnLlt0sDIodUPpoEce9_po_Jaem90CTO1Sh9LAj7dmCvJdqmEoXaZ2JP0cvQJAUA1kWaWipF20h8oX9wG82AuNHkbpYGYZJPevZ426D_xf7wxfYMXh/s1600/IMG_4075.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Step 2, pouring sugar nice and slow...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Until I told him the slower he pours, the longer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">he has to wait to eat brownies!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZErpIjiTYk2b3PCvNQJsDGasm7ii2pgq5TFvdJhDYrplUPyo0X5G_sUp0vxMMYNWV4nNj8f4lAU0_U1lenUHAtHmZxVUJJbQDmAHKNB7KP3izqJMEXB72h8wWHmaxrYbRAxxFHp2dJThs/s1600/IMG_4076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZErpIjiTYk2b3PCvNQJsDGasm7ii2pgq5TFvdJhDYrplUPyo0X5G_sUp0vxMMYNWV4nNj8f4lAU0_U1lenUHAtHmZxVUJJbQDmAHKNB7KP3izqJMEXB72h8wWHmaxrYbRAxxFHp2dJThs/s1600/IMG_4076.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Let's get 'er done!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaRsBFOAzmE_JhTXfZs6TW_LttKnpRs38HEnIfaOK55kPNGOwqiMAKqEzoTsYClJ1gXGVd18DCk-1kiBuhKJYU7LFkxB8RY67QRV6U_uBCslrEG5K6Dy29btso7EtNtKze-2kI_8GifDt/s1600/IMG_4077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaRsBFOAzmE_JhTXfZs6TW_LttKnpRs38HEnIfaOK55kPNGOwqiMAKqEzoTsYClJ1gXGVd18DCk-1kiBuhKJYU7LFkxB8RY67QRV6U_uBCslrEG5K6Dy29btso7EtNtKze-2kI_8GifDt/s1600/IMG_4077.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTp3wjG0MBAmN0Vty8r8ZEwyRtLG6nzBAFUl-dr1bk0Vd8OKmswEU1ET8BuZEHFtcrd-eZx-_pBiakWuTEKl3cyUnj31Wiv5NsJCylOq9m_B3rusVL-oSdkaIZpzunGc3CjOJPLIxj5qB/s1600/IMG_4078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTp3wjG0MBAmN0Vty8r8ZEwyRtLG6nzBAFUl-dr1bk0Vd8OKmswEU1ET8BuZEHFtcrd-eZx-_pBiakWuTEKl3cyUnj31Wiv5NsJCylOq9m_B3rusVL-oSdkaIZpzunGc3CjOJPLIxj5qB/s1600/IMG_4078.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkmZ5sAPF9rWfY0s3I7gcJa8hqLuW2VRkkFyamWOT8ICxG8VGP5g3WnqGBtOaF6lKYlKT6kFLTYPzufZfGI4J2TcukArhTCRPyqodUXuEPBKYzDGsHO5xkHAlzvVmcP68UTlB-4Ze4ZKj/s1600/IMG_4079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkmZ5sAPF9rWfY0s3I7gcJa8hqLuW2VRkkFyamWOT8ICxG8VGP5g3WnqGBtOaF6lKYlKT6kFLTYPzufZfGI4J2TcukArhTCRPyqodUXuEPBKYzDGsHO5xkHAlzvVmcP68UTlB-4Ze4ZKj/s1600/IMG_4079.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Last addition- flour and chocolate chips!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvd7EgEz5Y9pxA96Saime6pXR-XJayHty0l77o8z2JthEPsFXD-KvbWm41wUWEOW3TFQfby4VwMOhAVYEh9F-jlg-_jHxFR4-Ex3E8Fyg56h1nRcpm5IGO9YJTS-JvXkBbS9_m4e27r76/s1600/IMG_4080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvd7EgEz5Y9pxA96Saime6pXR-XJayHty0l77o8z2JthEPsFXD-KvbWm41wUWEOW3TFQfby4VwMOhAVYEh9F-jlg-_jHxFR4-Ex3E8Fyg56h1nRcpm5IGO9YJTS-JvXkBbS9_m4e27r76/s1600/IMG_4080.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbQiZCUI5S7ekDtR9pBvekp9rF7AIh5nGf5a5UeLj_M5Fufs47i9XvJl8VLHmrWe_j2lFYu4utunJAdvcb8Rt7qIcjlY7AC3gM4ICJAnatbadaqelnL0if9NT5hVJHKwDIX4ix-j0kuJ5/s1600/IMG_4082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbQiZCUI5S7ekDtR9pBvekp9rF7AIh5nGf5a5UeLj_M5Fufs47i9XvJl8VLHmrWe_j2lFYu4utunJAdvcb8Rt7qIcjlY7AC3gM4ICJAnatbadaqelnL0if9NT5hVJHKwDIX4ix-j0kuJ5/s1600/IMG_4082.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW8I3PColxkp6G338LbNtgPoDG8ofyN3IXsNEF-wwGwGzL1Y8DauZCw3EF-Mst83gzWlrCH-jmT-pM6v_VjQ02qwq5c4nf01dlowUpTLdZyzMbvfj95LHATjKHjLzQKTEyUmRZ6LubzDR/s1600/IMG_4083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW8I3PColxkp6G338LbNtgPoDG8ofyN3IXsNEF-wwGwGzL1Y8DauZCw3EF-Mst83gzWlrCH-jmT-pM6v_VjQ02qwq5c4nf01dlowUpTLdZyzMbvfj95LHATjKHjLzQKTEyUmRZ6LubzDR/s1600/IMG_4083.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Starting to look like brownie mix</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0s2P4N5OEAVNWDQ_35TgtraUSZRLCt2sWkuctjLWoIb8qy2xSnNTU7ikXSViIEsU1SCYyPg_Fgr8tq6Xe6Z94RIU7JIrJ31aTrwPNqzTiYs3PSdqaUsilR2dUJlWYE225EOSXKKNzQ5g/s1600/IMG_4085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0s2P4N5OEAVNWDQ_35TgtraUSZRLCt2sWkuctjLWoIb8qy2xSnNTU7ikXSViIEsU1SCYyPg_Fgr8tq6Xe6Z94RIU7JIrJ31aTrwPNqzTiYs3PSdqaUsilR2dUJlWYE225EOSXKKNzQ5g/s1600/IMG_4085.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ready to bake! 35 minutes?!?! That's forever</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in the eyes of an 11 year old!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqnQ-L06xqbpToI36t5WDmKqx2XMLr2OIuh0tWkDpeW8AAH1vqcgT0VfONgJFlXRoBi_oR-HCsUMQsT2IZK69vJu6u7Oyy8a1ctE8ukEv-Zkni40xnhT-93tORUCuG5FPogFgL896vvS8/s1600/IMG_4087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqnQ-L06xqbpToI36t5WDmKqx2XMLr2OIuh0tWkDpeW8AAH1vqcgT0VfONgJFlXRoBi_oR-HCsUMQsT2IZK69vJu6u7Oyy8a1ctE8ukEv-Zkni40xnhT-93tORUCuG5FPogFgL896vvS8/s1600/IMG_4087.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cool moms let their helper lick the bowl. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So while Dakota and I were mixing up the brownies, Dad was playing a video game online with my brother, Chris, who lives next door, and a couple other friends. I learned after the brownies were in the oven that he announced to Chris what Dakota and I were up to. Naturally, Chris said he'd be over when the brownies were done. He was as serious as a heart attack. After 35 minutes, the brownies looked like perfection and came out of the oven to cool off (see the very first picture). It smelled like chocolate had died in our kitchen and we had all gone to chocolate heaven. After 15 minutes of Dakota asking if the brownies were cooled enough, I decided to cut into them.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0TTE0yElbnKQC8agvDYqA9ushk9nYR9hLH8yRMYDdU_hzu6xLPn1bsV73466Q_Xq3CycaP7gR_qtB5GJyUhK4M7RVgnei8Pm2ZIWIgdd60HSIsQyZcYfEVBVnzy9uwqg9WPwN5dxmq07/s1600/IMG_4089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0TTE0yElbnKQC8agvDYqA9ushk9nYR9hLH8yRMYDdU_hzu6xLPn1bsV73466Q_Xq3CycaP7gR_qtB5GJyUhK4M7RVgnei8Pm2ZIWIgdd60HSIsQyZcYfEVBVnzy9uwqg9WPwN5dxmq07/s1600/IMG_4089.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chris was at the door before the knife came out of the pan!</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
Chris has only complained about one or two of my meals that I've prepared, which is a miracle considering he's a fairly picky eater for his age. But his pickiness on top of Dakota's has caused me to alter the meal plans a bit so that they would eat what gets fixed for dinner each night. So for him to say that these were bigger and better than the brownies that come from the boxed mix, it was quite the compliment!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf1DmSVVZpfsBkiv5jij8QVSXAt4bfDppyqF4yyizo4_hXAYL_MEfEovpfMbh2v55PzlMYYyzzsftnGsGwHxyKzMWmrZ20Bdl5wdIbaDOQVU3BW_ZmWplmq90zlDHRxbekMqOJmuna8xS/s1600/IMG_4092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf1DmSVVZpfsBkiv5jij8QVSXAt4bfDppyqF4yyizo4_hXAYL_MEfEovpfMbh2v55PzlMYYyzzsftnGsGwHxyKzMWmrZ20Bdl5wdIbaDOQVU3BW_ZmWplmq90zlDHRxbekMqOJmuna8xS/s1600/IMG_4092.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dakota enjoying his handiwork in the kitchen alongside Dad.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our older son who's still at home, Codey, had spent part of the evening at a friend's house, and had no clue what Dakota and I had been up to. Amazingly, it seems as if every time I bake something new or have a really yummy new dinner that I try out, someone shows up with impeccable timing! As we're all diving into some chocolaty heaven, Codey walked in the front door. First words out of his mouth: "I love coming home to brownies!". </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcPA212l9LP4JDu3UPQ6bxCSPo2RXD4dqDSvjXjmdgKzbyhrpSK1-zTWralRuT3oCd9Lc954VDwDthQOeskzVSa3IRKIFop29Vuf1dYMVZBBWn4r_OyFS2R-bpSCMiVNiGkfRizW_NvtA/s1600/IMG_4094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcPA212l9LP4JDu3UPQ6bxCSPo2RXD4dqDSvjXjmdgKzbyhrpSK1-zTWralRuT3oCd9Lc954VDwDthQOeskzVSa3IRKIFop29Vuf1dYMVZBBWn4r_OyFS2R-bpSCMiVNiGkfRizW_NvtA/s1600/IMG_4094.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Codey dove right into the brownies with everyone else.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Needless to say, I think these brownies were a huge hit! There is still half a pan left, but I guarantee that tomorrow evening after dinner, I'll be surprised to see crumbs in the pan! I gotta admit, this may not be a good indulgence if you're on a diet- there's two cups of granulated sugar and two cups of chocolate chips in them. But if you're not on a diet, this makes an amazing weekend treat for the family that everyone is sure to love!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Be sure to hop on over to <a href="http://sweetannas.com/2013/10/the-best-fudgy-homemade-brownies-from-scratch.html" target="_blank">Sweet Anna's</a> by clicking on the link to get the full recipe, and don't forget to let her know I sent you her way! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sweetannas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/perfect-fudgy-homemade-brownies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://sweetannas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/perfect-fudgy-homemade-brownies.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-91309607978446611842014-02-08T15:25:00.000-06:002014-02-08T15:25:17.561-06:00Why Shop at a Big Box Retailer?<a href="http://www.costco.com/" target="_blank">Costco Wholesale</a>, <a href="http://www.samsclub.com/sams/" target="_blank">Sam's Club</a>, and <a href="http://www.bjs.com/" target="_blank">BJ's Wholesale Club</a>. What do all three of these have in common? They are all membership warehouse stores, and they are growing in popularity every day. While big box stores have been around since the 1970's or 1980's (depending on where you do your research), they have come a long way since the early days. While I don't have an exact number (Wikipedia is not always the most reliable source for up-to-date info), there are well over 100 million members between the three major big box retailers as of the end of January 2014. Does that mean that millions of Americans (as well as citizens of dozens of other countries) simply like purchasing a year's supply of trash bags, toilet paper, salad dressing, and cow-size packages of meat all at once? Yes and no.<br />
<br />
Let me explain. Just like any store, warehouse stores have great deals, and money suckers. You simply have to be aware of prices, knowing both the regular prices on things at the stores you shop at, as well as how to break costs down to a per unit basis. I have shopped at both Costco and Sam's Club, as they are both local, but I don't have experience with BJ's. I'm assuming BJ's also sells grocery items based on what little I know about them but I don't see too many everyday groceries on their website. The great thing about Costco and Sam's is that they break down the cost for you- most price tags show both the total price and the unit price (per pound, per ounce, each, etc).<br />
<br />
Before I go into too much detail comparing unit prices, let's stick to one simple product that can make it worth your while to shop at a warehouse store: Milk. Keep in mind that prices will vary depending on the area of the country you are in, but there is a MAJOR difference in cost between a gallon of 2% milk from Costco and a gallon of 2% milk from Price Chopper or HyVee here in the KC Metro area. I might be off by a bit, but the last I remember my store brand 2% milk at Price Chopper was $4.79. It may have gone up since I bought milk there last. At Costco, I'm only out $2.99. My family goes through between two and four gallons of milk a week depending on recipes and types of breakfasts we eat. Even at just two, I'm spending $5.98 before tax, versus $9.58 at Price Chopper. My weekly savings are $3.60, for a total of $187.20 in savings each year! Given the minimum yearly membership fee at Costco is $55, I'm still saving $132.20, just by getting my milk there instead of at the local grocery store. To me, that alone is worth it!<br />
<br />
I know that the largest group of people are going to say that they don't have a Sam's, Costco or BJ's too close to them. If there is a big box retailer within an hour's drive from your home, depending on how you plan and organize your meals and how much space you have, it can still be worth it to make a monthly trip to stock up on staples. I've heard of people loading their large coolers in the back of their vehicles to ensure meat and other refrigerated items last the long ride home from their monthly (or even every two months) trip to the store. I've also read numerous accounts of people who stock up on milk and other dairy products when they go to the store and freeze most of it and simply let it thaw completely in the fridge for 2-3 days before needing it. Obviously some things don't freeze well, but with a little research you can eat well while saving big bucks!<br />
<br />
Do you do a lot of baking, especially making your own breads? Or make cakes from scratch like I've started doing? A twenty five pound bag of flour at Sam's Club is $6.94. If I remember correctly, a cheap store-brand bag of flour usually runs about $3 when it's not on sale. This doesn't take a math guru to figure out that the flour is cheaper per pound at Sam's Club. How about sugar? Most baked goods also require sugar, and my family drinks Koolaid throughout the year in place of soda, so we go through a LOT of sugar (which is still cheaper than buying soda and store-bought sweet treats). A five pound bag of sugar at Walmart costs $2.68 ($0.536 per pound), compared to $3.98 for a ten pound bag ($0.398 per pound) at Sam's Club... and this two stores are owned by the same company!! I personally prefer to buy the twenty five or fifty pound bags of flour and sugar, but I couldn't find the prices online to compare these sizes, but I can assure you they are even cheaper per pound.<br />
<br />
So maybe you don't do much baking. Not everyone does, and that's okay. Not everyone likes to do as much cooking from scratch, and that's okay too (although I will say the more you can do from scratch, the more you can save, and the better your family will eat). I know just about everyone uses condiments like ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, relish, etc. I'm not going to the trouble of comparing each condiment for you, but Heinz Tomato Ketchup is $3.98 for 64 ounces at Walmart (or 6.2 cents per ounce), compared with three 44 ounce bottles at Sam's Club for $6.23 (4.7 cents per ounce).<br />
<br />
These are just a very small handful of things you can save some major money on by shopping at warehouse stores, and there are numerous things I haven't compared prices on simply because I don't know the price and it's not available on the companies' websites. I use my membership at Costco weekly to grab my milk, but I also purchase the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, certain meats, potatoes, onions, carrots and other produce that will keep longer (since it takes longer to go through!), toilet paper, trash bags, shampoo and conditioner, blade refills for our razors, certain vitamins and OTC medications, condiments, seasonings, cooking oils, eggs, as well as other items. I steer clear of cereal and snack bars, as I buy Malt O Meal brand bags at the grocery store- much cheaper for our cereal eater. There are other items I don't buy because we just don't use them in our house, or I tend to stock up at the grocery store when the sale rolls around that offers stuff super cheap- chunk cheese, bacon and hot dogs fall in this category and get frozen until I need them.<br />
<br />
On that note, there are times that the local grocery stores have items on sale that I normally buy at Costco and it is more cost efficient to shop the sale, even if it is a smaller container. And I'll admit that I take advantage of those sales, especially if I have a coupon I can combine with the sale price! Heck, just recently there was a four dale sale at Price Chopper and a two day sale at HyVee, both with some great buys. I unfortunately missed the two day sale at HyVee, but was able to take advantage of the four day sale at Price Chopper today. There's always a few things in the sale I don't even bother with, as my grocery budget doesn't allow for splurging quite as much as others', but I grabbed a few Totino's pizzas for $.88 each since the kids are going to be out of school this coming week for conferences, and the Birds Eye frozen vegetables were also $.88 each. I wish I still had coupons to combine with the two awesome deals, but you have to admit that it was a sale worth not missing out on.<br />
<br />
I wish I was organized enough that I could show you just how much I save by taking advantage of my favorite big box store! Maybe that will be something I'll have to work on and talk about later. I know the savings I get each time I plan meals and grocery shop are well worth the $55 yearly membership fee. How about you? Do you shop at Costco, Sam's or BJ's? What products do you typically buy in bulk, and which products do you avoid at the warehouse stores? Leave me a comment below to share your bulk shopping tips and tricks!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-87513659226801447642014-02-04T21:00:00.000-06:002014-02-05T00:29:36.199-06:00When life gives you lemons, use them!Is it just me, or does it seem like the weekends never seem to last long enough? Friday afternoon comes, I get home, and make all kinds of plans for the things I want to accomplish over the weekend, and BAM! Monday morning is here. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. It's almost 10 pm on Saturday, and I had a fairly short to-do list made up for today (for me, at least... I'm ambitious). Five things to do today, and I got four of them done. Not horrible, by any means, but I thought for sure that keeping my list so small would make it easier to get it all checked off. And with tomorrow being Superbowl Sunday, I'll be fixing nibblers starting as soon as we get home from church, finishing the laundry that is waiting in the basement, and attempting to get a couple random things done in between.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On a side note, during one of my random tangents of the day, I decided to google the many uses of lemons. Why you ask? Well, I was fixing a marinade for my Citrus Herb Chicken that is going to be dinner sometime this coming up week, and after juicing oranges and lemons, I just couldn't bring myself to throw the remains of the used and abused citrus fruits in the trash can. For the time being, the rinds were thrown in a freezer bag and tossed in the door of the kitchen freezer. I just found so many uses for whole lemons, lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon peel, that I knew I wouldn't be able to decide what to do with the couple of lemons I had used for the marinade within a reasonable amount of time. ...plus it would allow me to decide what to use the rest of the bag of lemons on as well!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We all know that the flavor of lemons mean that they are perfect additions to certain dishes and drinks, and we cannot forget the best thing to do with them- lemonade! And of course, we've all seen the cleaning products at the store with lemon scent and the power of citrus added to give our clean homes a little boost, not to mention a clean smell. But did you know that lemons can be used to clean all by themselves? Or that ingesting lemon juice has a world of health benefits to go with it's yumminess? And I bet a lot of people (like me) didn't know that there are cosmetic uses for lemons as well!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let's start with the obvious- food and drink addition.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1. Fresh squeezed lemonade! I'm not akin to producing my own recipes, but I'm a master at following directions in others' recipes. This <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-lemonade-ever/" target="_blank">recipe</a> from allrecipes.com is so simple anyone can make it, and what better to entice you to give it a try than the name: Best Lemonade Ever. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2. Marinades or added flavor to dishes. My recipe for <a href="http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/04/herb-and-citrus-oven-roasted-chicken.html#comment-23885" target="_blank">Herb and Citrus Oven Roasted Chicken</a> came from thecomfortofcooking.com, but there are many marinades out there that use lemon juice or whole lemons. And if you're a better cook than I am, you can concoct your own original marinade! I'm just not that adventurous... nor am I willing to waste perfectly good food to find out what I already know- I'm not a personal chef and I can't formulate amazing recipes on my own. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3. Garnish. Don't even try to tell me that you've never had a drink that didn't have some kind of fruit on the rim of the glass. It's just un-American to go to a fair or carnival and not grab a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade, and we all know they're garnished with a slice or quarter of a lemon. Okay... so lemons are also garnishes for certain alcoholic beverages too. And don't forget that lemon slices make beautiful garnishes for salads and entrees as well.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. Canning and preserving. While it is always recommended to use the bottled lemon juice when you're canning instead of fresh (the acidity can vary in fresh, whereas the bottled lemon juice is always constant), the acidity in the lemon juice in conjunction with the heat of waterbath canning kills off any bacteria that could cause illness when you eat your preserved goodies later. A little bit of lemon juice can also help lengthen the life and reduce browning in fresh produce that would not typically be preserved by canning or freezing- fresh cut fruits and veggies stay crisp and their original color longer when you squeeze the juice of a lemon over them. Or for lettuce starting to wilt, give it a bath in ice cold water with a bit of lemon juice for about an hour (just dry it completely before using, unless you want a bit of a citrus flavor to your salad!).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So... that's all I got. For the food and drink category, of course. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
How about what those cute little tart bits of heaven do for your health? We all know that any drink with fresh ingredients are better for you than a soda, but did you know that there are numerous health benefits that come with that glass of lemonade or water with a slice of lemon?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
5. Lower your blood pressure. The potassium in lemons can help regulate your blood pressure.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
6. Treat arthritis. Apparently the diuretic properties of lemons helps produce urine, which in turn helps your body flush out toxins and bacteria, easing the symptoms of arthritis.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
7. Prevent kidney stones. Here's those diuretic properties again. Drinking lemonade or a glass of water with some lemon juice not only helps hydrate your body, in turn causing more urination, but it also helps your body produce a chemical that prevents the formation of crystals that could turn into kidney stones.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
8. Nature's antibiotics. Got an infection in your throat? Scratchy throat? Grab a glass of half water, half lemon juice for gargling. Lemon juice can also help ease the symptoms of asthma. Drink two teaspoons before each meal and right before bed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
9. Lighten age spots. Rub some lemon juice on those pesky spots for about fifteen minutes- or use some on a cotton ball to dab the area. Over time it will help lighten the signs that you're not turning 30 for the umpteenth time. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
10. Naturally lighten your hair. You know how lemon juice lightens those age spots? It works on hair too. A one to three ratio of lemon juice to water applied to hair will help give you the sun-kissed hair we all love so much. Oh, you do need to sit in the sun while it dries for it to work best though. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
11. Clean and brighten your finger nails. Squeeze half of a lemon into a cup of warm water, and dip your fingertips in for about five minutes or so. Once you've pushed the cuticles back, rub the lemon peel against your nails. You can also use lemon juice to wash your hands to get rid of odors from garlic or other smelly foods, and lemon juice can help remove stains from your hands caused by berries.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
12. Got bad breath and nowhere near a toothbrush or gum? Swish some fresh lemonade or straight lemon juice around in your mouth- those antibacterial properties will get rid of any germies causing the odor. And swallowing it is actually good for you, unlike commercial mouthwashes. Lemon juice can also help stop bleeding gums and ease the pain from a toothache.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
13. Clean your face with straight lemon juice. Not only does the antibacterial properties of lemons help with blackheads or other issues, but lemon juice will also help rejuvenate your skin, especially if you use it to exfoliate (mix some lemon juice with some sugar for a safe and natural scrub). Wait, did I mention that a lemon exfoliation can be used all over? Just don't use the sugar concoction in your next batch of lemonade. That would be... well, just gross. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
14. Get rid of that pesky dandruff. Use a couple of tablespoons as a scalp massage- go ahead, you know you deserve it. Afterwards, rinse your hair clean with a cup of water with a couple teaspoons of juice mixed in. This can also help regulate the PH of your scalp so that you can have luscious locks to go along with that healthy scalp. Not to mention if you shower in the mornings, the scent can help wake you up as well!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
15. Soothe irritated skin. For dry skin, especially on elbows or knees, make a paste with baking soda and lemon juice to exfoliate the areas and soothe the irritation. Straight lemon juice applied to a rash caused by poison ivy (or poison oak or sumac) will help dry up the oils causing the irritation, lessening your misery. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
16. Get rid of warts. The acidity in lemon juice can dissolve a wart over time. Apply straight lemon juice with a cotton ball daily, and you should see improvements in as little as several days. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
17. Get rid of chills and fevers. This fix will obviously depend on what is the cause of the fever, but I'm assuming that if it is due to a cold or flu, the antibiotic properties of the mighty lemon fight the bug off for you, reducing the need for a fever to kill of the nasties.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
18. Headaches (or hangovers). I've heard of several variations here- lemon juice in water, lemon juice added to cold tea, to hot tea... I don't think it's going to matter a whole lot what you add it to. The lemon is an amazing citrus fruit, and whatever you add it to, not only will you be hydrating your body (and head), but the lemon juice will work it's magic.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
19. Disinfect minor injuries. We're not talking about injuries that require emergency attention here, we're talking small cuts or scrapes that would normally send you running to the medicine cabinet for the hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol (whichever your preference is). Let's say you used up the last of the antiseptics with little Johnny's last scraped knee/elbow/chin/shoulder/insert other body part children tend to injure often... What to do? Head back to the kitchen and the grab the bottle of lemon juice. Or a lemon. Pour a little over the cut or dab some on with a cotton ball/gauze pad.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
20. Keep a sunny attitude. Lemonade and lemon juice added to water can help ward off stress and depression. While there is scientific evidence to back this up, I can't help but think that drinking lemonade or water with lemons makes me think of sunshine and happy times. Is it just me? Or do you feel like you're suddenly a kid on summer break again with a glass of tart but sweet deliciousness to quench your thirst?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
21. Anti-aging and cancer fighter. Remember how I mentioned that lemon juice on the skin can help reduce age spots (number 8)? Well, lemon juice is an antioxidant and is known to reduce the production of free radicals- those little buggers that make your skin age. And since lemon juice is an antioxidant, it can also help ward off toxins in the blood also, thereby reducing the possibility of cancer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
22. Natural vaccine for Diphtheria. Doctors around the world swear by the lemon juice treatment for this disease.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
23.Natural alternative to commercial douches and suppositories. Again, the antiseptic properties prove their worthiness. And it's natural, unlike the commercial products that contain Lord-knows-what.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
24. Did you forget to buy deodorant before the current tube ran out? Swipe a slice of lemon in each underarm. It will not only freshen up any funky odors, but it can ward off the bacteria causing the odor. What's that? It smells good AND gets rid of what causes the funk? That's what I call a win-win!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know that there have got to be many more health benefits to this magnificent fruit, but to keep this post from becoming a book, I feel I have to move on. It doesn't help that I know I'm a rambler at heart, and can go on and on and on and on about one topic. You've got to admit though, it's fascinating to find out just how much one little fruit can accomplish, isn't it??</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Aside from the most common use for lemons, ingesting the juice, pulp, and zest, lemons also have lots of other uses around the home. Lemons and their juice can be used for cleaning in every room of the house, believe it or not.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
25. Clean your garbage disposal. The next time there's a funk emanating from your sink, toss a handful of ice cubes and a couple slices of lemon in the disposal, turn the water on to a slow but steady stream and flip that baby on. The ice cubes safely sharpen the blades of the disposal, while the lemon slice gets rid of any germs causing the odors and smells great while it's killing the cause of the funk. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
26. Deodorize your trash can. Whether you toss everything into one trash can or have separate containers for trash, recycling, and composting, they all eventually end up with something that causes a stink, literally. And lord knows it doesn't help when you get a tear in the bottom of the liner and it leaks into the bottom of the can. Next time this happens, go ahead and clean it out as you normally would (or if you don't ever clean it, at least give it a good wipe out with water and a rag first), and then toss a couple slices of lemon into the bottom of the can before you put a fresh liner in. It can also help to sprinkle a little baking soda in the bottom to absorb any leftover odor before you toss in the lemon slices. Just don't forget to take them out within a few days to a week tops, or else they'll start growing their own funk and causing a stink.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
27. Deodorize your refrigerator. Did you forget about a package of raw hamburger or have something spill in the fridge? Or have any number of things get left in there too long that cause a bad odor? Don't even get me started on fish- it doesn't have to go bad to stink up a fridge... anyhoo, before you go spending the money on that box of baking soda that claims it's for the fridge because it's got the peel-off side and nicely contains the baking soda while deodorizing, grab a lemon. Cut the lemon in half, or in quarters, and place the pieces in various spots in the fridge. Or dampen a cloth, sponge, or cotton balls with lemon juice to place in the icebox. It won't make a powdery mess like the box of baking soda you buy for your baking, and costs considerably less than the fancy unspillable box, but still does the job. Just make sure you get rid of whatever is causing the odor, or it defeats the purpose of the lemon.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
28. Clean and Deodorize your microwave. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a smallish microwavable container and add about a cup of water to it. Microwave on high anywhere from two to ten minutes (my gut says two to three, but I've seen other people mention five to ten... I guess it depends on how stuck on some of the gunk is). Use a dry rag and easily wipe away all the splattered on foods from every nook and cranny inside the microwave. The moisture will loosen the food, and the lemon juice will both work to kill germs and kill any odors from the various foods that have been through the nuker.<br />
<br />
Before I continue this post, I would like to shamefully admit that this post is now written on two separate days. While I had every intention of working on it during the Super Bowl (yeah, right, I should have known better), it didn't happen. Luckily, Tuesday February 4th happens to be a snow day for essentially the entire KC metropolitan area. Wednesday is also a snow day, but that is beside the point. While it's rather late in the day for me to be working on this- or is it?- I feel entitled. I have all the laundry caught up, dusted my bedroom (kids do their own and the boys are in the living room) and made the bed, made and cleaned up dinner, fixed snow ice cream that the family loved, and I've even had some downtime to relax a little as well. Time to get back at it! This post isn't going to write itself!<br />
<br />
29. Freshen your cutting board. A lot of people who have and use cutting boards do one of two things- use a commercial cleaner for their cutting board or simply rinse the wooden board with plain ol' water or toss the plastic/glass cutting boards in with the dishes. While tossing the washable boards in with the other dishes- hand washing in the sink or dishwasher- is perfectly acceptable, just a quick rinse on the wooden cutting board is not the greatest idea. And I'm an offender. Even produce can carry yuckies that don't go away with a quick rinse. Use a half of a lemon and rub it across the entire cutting surface of the board to disinfect it au natural, or use the bottled stuff to wash it down good. Since you don't want to toss a wooden cutting board in with dish soap, this is a great way to know it's clean. Bonus- if you have a plastic cutting board for meats, it can become stained with a lot of use. The lemon juice acts as a natural bleach to help whiten it back up so it not only is de-germified, it actually looks nicer too. This tactic also works on other wooden cooking utensils like spoons or rolling pins.<br />
<br />
30. Eliminate/Prevent fireplace odor. If you are one of those lucky people who have a fireplace, and actually use it, you know that occasionally the fire doesn't always smell as inviting as you want it to. If you notice the wood you are burning isn't as pleasant as you remember, toss some lemon peels onto the fire to spruce up the scent (pun intended). And the lemon peel can be added to the wood before you start the fire so you can avoid any less-than-pleasant smells.<br />
<br />
31. How many other people LOVE the smell of lemon <insert brand name furniture polish> for dusting/polishing your furniture? I do, and for the longest time I swore by a particular brand. But olive oil with a bit of real lemon juice mixed in works just as well. I actually think it made my furniture look nicer, and I think the real wood furniture soaks up the olive oil better than the store bought stuff, and the scent seemed to last longer. I didn't really measure, as I typically don't measure when I try experimenting and can't find an exact recipe to go by, so please don't ask for a ratio of lemon juice to olive oil! I'm sure you're safe going by your personal taste for how much oil you'll need to cover all the furniture and how strong you want the lemon scent to be.<br />
<br />
32. Air freshener- duh! There are actually a couple ways you can use lemon as an air freshener. In the colder, dryer weather, my go-to stunt is to boil a pot of water on the stove. Add a few slices of lemon to the water, and voila! You have more humidity in the air and it smells better (and cleaner!). You can also add other stuff to the mix like vanilla extract or cinnamon. I don't add either for a couple reasons- one, I'm afraid I'd use too much of something and have it overpower the other scents and not smell great, and two, I use cinnamon and vanilla extract enough for cooking, that I see this as wasteful with my baking supplies! I know deep down it's not if it can make my home smell warm and inviting, but I'm weird like that. the second way to freshen the air is to simply place a halved lemon or lemon slices in a small bowl or on a small plate and place it in the room to be freshened- bathrooms, laundry room, mud room, teenage boys' bedrooms, near the litter box... anywhere that needs a pleasant odor to help cover up a funky smell. Keep in mind that you still have to clean those rooms! Another bonus- the small plate with lemon slices also serves as a small decoration.<br />
<br />
33. Remove hard water stains from chrome fixtures and shower doors. Cut a lemon in half and use the halves to rub down the faucets and handles of sinks, tubs, showers, and the shower doors. Depending on how old/bad the hard water stain is, it may take some serious rubbing for a while, but if you do this on a regular basis, it works great to keep the hard water stains at bay. For some of the tougher stains, try making a paste with lemon juice and baking soda to gently scrub away at the hard water stains.<br />
<br />
34. Got rust? I've noticed on some of my cooking utensils (some are cheaper) that they occasionally develop a bit of rust on parts of the handles. It's probably from sitting in the sink too long before going to the dishwasher, or it sits in the dishwasher just <strike>right</strike> wrong and water sits on it too long. Make a paste of one tablespoon of lemon juice to two tablespoons of salt to make a scrub that will get rid of the rust and allow you to feel better about using that utensil to cook dinner again.<br />
<br />
35. Stainless Steel/Copper/Brass cleaner. Again, that lemon juice and salt combination works for cleaning your appliances and fixtures so you don't have to buy an expensive chemical. You'll have to play with the ratio here- you won't want as much salt as you would for the rust remover. Or better yet, replace the salt with gentler baking soda or cream of tartar.<br />
<br />
36. Whiten your laundry. Lemon juice can be used in place of bleach to the wash load to help brighten your colors and whiten your whites, and it can even be used to pretreat and soak stains. Obviously test it on an inconspicuous area to know for sure it won't hurt whatever material is stained, but on cotton it works wonders. I've seen lemon juice remove armpit stains and brighten grungy socks with some soaking time before getting tossed into the washing machine.<br />
<br />
37. Clean and deodorize your humidifier. My husband takes our small humidifier out of our bedroom every couple of weeks or so to take it apart and clean the hard water build up out of it to keep it working great. He doesn't use lemon juice, but if you have stubborn spots, try soaking it in lemon juice, or even a 50/50 mixture with water. I've also heard that if your humidifier is starting to smell off, you can add a few drops of lemon juice in with the water before turning it on.<br />
<br />
38. Bug repellant. Apparently many insects don't like lemons. Spray some lemon juice around areas that ants or other bugs might be coming into your kitchen or place some slices of lemon outside the door and window to the kitchen. Floors mopped with a mixture of a half gallon of water to 1/2 cup of lemon juice will deter flees and roaches.<br />
<br />
39. Boost your dishwasher's power. Instead of using Jet Dry, try placing a couple slices of lemon on the top rack of the dishwasher. Just secure them in place somehow, or they'll end up in the bottom of the dishwasher. You'll love the smell while the dishwasher is running, and love the spotless look of dishes when they come out. Lemon juice can also be added to the dish water if you wash dishes by hand to help cut through grease on dishes.<br />
<br />
40. All purpose cleaner.Use straight lemon juice or dilute it with water to naturally clean all of the surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom. If you use it straight, be sure to rinse with a damp rag to remove any stickiness the lemon juice may leave behind. To give it more umph, add some vinegar to the mixture. The vinegar will boost the cleaning/deodorizing/sanitizing properties, but the lemon will help mask the odor of the vinegar. And the smell of vinegar tends to dissipate quickly and leave the lemon scent behind, so you won't have to suffer through a kitchen smelling like lemony pickles.<br />
<br />
Well, I knew I would have a lot of ideas for using lemons in more than just drinks and cooking, but I also learned a little more about this lovely fruits along the way, thanks to Google! I know I could come up with more uses for them if I really wanted to, and some tips have been somewhat combined, but I think just about everyone could learn at least one or two new things about lemons that you didn't know before. I know I did!<br />
<br />
I apologize for the lack of pictures during this post, but I don't have any pretty pictures of lemons at the ready, and I'm still learning about the proper way to use others' photos and making sure I am doing so correctly and legally. I figure it's better to be safe than sorry, and I knew you'd understand. Especially if you stayed with me despite the lack of photos!<br />
<br />
I would love feedback as I get more posts going, and get back into the swing of things with my blog. I'm hoping to be writing at least two new posts per week, hopefully three or four, depending on the topics and how much I might ramble. Most of my future posts will also include pictures I have personally taken, at least until I understand how to use other pictures without getting myself into any trouble!<br />
<br />
Until next time, don't forget to live today better than yesterday!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-41878458667631364632013-05-04T12:41:00.002-05:002013-05-04T12:41:36.675-05:00Peanut Butter and Honey Granola BarsHappy Saturday everyone! This morning was a huge success for me. I had been searching and searching the web for a quick and easy recipe for homemade granola bars that didn't use any ingredients that were too extravagant, that would be shelf stable, and looked/sounded yummy. I found what I was looking for yesterday! A special thanks goes out to Jaclyn over at <a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/" target="_blank">Cooking Classy</a> for her recipe that she calls Microwave Peanut Butter Granola Bars.<br />
<br />
I regret to inform everyone that I didn't take pictures during the process of putting these together... I'm still getting new to the idea of blogging, and I told hubs afterwards, 'dang, I should have taken pictures!'. I'll try to do better next time so you can see my step-by-step process of my cooking/crafting/diy adventures. But for now, the picture of my finished product will have to suffice:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6FxJGHKHj1HPVSkTlrDhVMMOS0ISkJ-1tc20R6LpDpXXZ7N5cps-a6oJrN6dQCz0mUzZo2yEtQ41KgTb8LqekZgT90suVkQX_FCZrShI_xUIz14OEKrsuBU21ugFZ4JSJ5vimcENjwmD/s1600/May+4+2013+Homemade+Granola+Bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6FxJGHKHj1HPVSkTlrDhVMMOS0ISkJ-1tc20R6LpDpXXZ7N5cps-a6oJrN6dQCz0mUzZo2yEtQ41KgTb8LqekZgT90suVkQX_FCZrShI_xUIz14OEKrsuBU21ugFZ4JSJ5vimcENjwmD/s320/May+4+2013+Homemade+Granola+Bars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
What's left after the taste test</div>
<br />
Yes, I know, this doesn't look like a full pan's worth. It's not. I was so excited to try them, I cut them up and devoured one right away. So did the hubs. We were so pleased with the outcome, we took several bars next door to my mom's house where our two boys had stayed the night- everyone tried one except for the pickiest of the picky eaters- my ten year old. Big brother couldn't believe they were homemade, and everyone loved them and asked me to make them again... and often!<br />
<br />
The original recipe didn't call for the chocolate chips- that was my own idea, but I can't try to claim I'm that genius- I saw plenty of other recipes that call for chocolate or other flavored chips, dried fruit, or peanut butter drizzled over the top. I just thought that a few chips would add a little extra 'sweet' to these bars that already looked delicious. You can leave them plain, add chips, add dried fruit, add nuts, add whatever suits your fancy! I had thought about adding some sunflower seed nuts to this first batch, but decided to keep the creativity to a minimum for my first go-round. Always a good idea with new recipes, in my opinion. That way, if you decide you don't like the recipe, you haven't wasted a perfectly good extra ingredient. Of course, nothing would have been wasted had I added anything else to these- I could tell before I tasted them that I'd love them.<br />
<br />
One great thing about granola bars is the health benefit- you get the fiber you need to start your day, and the peanut butter gives it that protein so you don't have a sugar-crash mid-morning. They're also super easy when you're in a rush in the morning and don't have time to sit down to eat a bowl of oatmeal or the hearty bacon and eggs meal that everyone loves so much but never has time for. And of course, the cost factor is big in my book- everyone can stand to save some money here and there, regardless of your financial situation, but for those of us whose finances are a bit tighter, this is one of those small miracles that can make a big difference! Several bucks to grab a breakfast on the go at the local Quik Trip wasn't a big deal a year or two ago, but these days, I really notice how that $3 here, $4 there really add up. These wonderful bars are a great alternative.<br />
<br />
The two ingredients that give the bars their fiberific bulk are quick oats and puffed rice cereal. Most people will go for the Quaker oats, but I can assure you, you can't tell a difference between name brand and store brand with this recipe. I used the quick oats I bought at Aldi. And for the puffed rice, Jaclyn's recipe (and many other recipes) call for Rice Krispies cereal... I was headed to WalMart this morning with the plan of purchasing Malt O Meal's version... but when I arrived at the cereal aisle, I was pleasantly surprised to see this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSO6-6sFMIE57nGNNlZCxhUVfXG-Sh2BLcYuU214HJiGGc3gFsiedFflnXdoCXSA0ws3RcmkdAis6SzKOwGSUcaL3MONLhW8pRpMzThmq-hUoy-Dk_Hcygs7jB6_-WAUpl6wAvIUQilnA/s1600/Puffed+Rice+Cereal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSO6-6sFMIE57nGNNlZCxhUVfXG-Sh2BLcYuU214HJiGGc3gFsiedFflnXdoCXSA0ws3RcmkdAis6SzKOwGSUcaL3MONLhW8pRpMzThmq-hUoy-Dk_Hcygs7jB6_-WAUpl6wAvIUQilnA/s320/Puffed+Rice+Cereal.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Right next to the Malt O Meal brand cereals, hiding there on the top shelf, was exactly what I needed. Alf's Natural Nutrition Puffed Brown Rice Cereal. Nuthin' but whole brown rice in this bag! No extra ingredients I couldn't pronounce, no preservatives, no sugar, nothing to make my bars less nutritious. Just brown rice It's only a six ounce bag, but six ounces of puffed rice can go a long way, people. The picture is the bag AFTER I used almost two cups in this recipe! And to top it all off, drum roll please.... it was $1! One dollar even, versus the cost of the bag of Malt O Meal, which was over $4... granted, it was a bigger bag, but I only needed enough for my breakfast bars, and there was no one in the family eats this type of cereal as plain cereal, so the Malt O Meal bag would have been $4+ of overkill. I had to explain this to the hubs, too, as I've gotten him accustomed to looking at the cost broken down to the serving size or ounce to find the best deal.<br />
<br />
So that's the bulk of the bars... what's the glue? Peanut butter, honey, and a little bit of brown sugar. There's also an eighth of a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of vanilla extract to add a little more flavor, although I couldn't really taste the vanilla over the peanut butter and honey. That's it. That's all there is to these bars! Mix up your cereals in a mixing bowl- I tossed mine by hand rather than dirty up a spoon for dry ingredients- mix the peanut butter, honey, brown sugar in a microwave safe bowl, nuke for a minute, stir, nuke for another minute, add the vanilla and stir again. Pour the mixture over the dried cereal and stir until the peanut butter mixture has coated all of the cereal, then press into an 8x8 pan lined with aluminum foil.<br />
<br />
Jaclyn mentions to put the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. I simply stuck the pan in the freezer while I cleaned up the kitchen (the dishes from this recipe, plus a few leftover dirty dishes from other people). By the time the dishwasher was full and counters were wiped down, the hubs came in to ask how long they had to cook. I responded by pulling the pan out of the freezer, pulling the foil out of the pan, and whipping out the knife to dig in. Needless to say, he was excited! I didn't keep track of the time, but it didn't take fifteen minutes for me to clean, and they were set up just fine for cutting and <strike>eating</strike> devouring.<br />
<br />
Since I sat down to write this blog, the hubster has reminded me twice to make more of these yummy bars so he can take some to work with him on Monday... I guess he isn't planning on these lasting until then! Be sure to use your imagination... hubs wants some with nutella in place of the peanut butter, some with a variety of dried fruits, and some with the chocolate but with pretzel pieces added into the mix... oh, and I can't forget the almond bark drizzled over the top!<br />
<br />
For the full recipe, hop on over to <a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/04/microwave-chewy-peanut-butter-granola-bars/" target="_blank">Jaclyn's post</a> and be sure to give credit where credit is due! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do, and don't forget to live better today than you did yesterday!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-89154943528082242772013-05-03T16:01:00.000-05:002013-05-03T16:01:33.064-05:00May Seedlings and SnowSo, for the few of my readers who read my initial post so long ago, I'm going to try the whole blogging thing again. What can I say? Life got away from me and I just hadn't attempted to tackle the blog in a while. I've got all kinds of things to write about, I just used the excuse that I had other things to get done to avoid writing my blog. I'm a little ADD like that- I start something, get distracted, start something else, and so on and so on...<br />
<br />
But this time, I've got some pictures that are my current pride, and a couple of pictures that are 'history in the making' from what others are saying. I realize that snow in May is something us here in the KC Metro area couldn't have imagined before yesterday, but it hit us! Luckily for those of us planting gardens, it doesn't look as though the snow and cold weather will last too awful long, but it was enough to prevent me from getting my seedlings planted in the garden that's all dug up, tilled, and even has compost added (thanks to the City of Olathe for the wonderful free compost!), all ready for growing some yummilicious veggies.<br />
<br />
My current project for the day is some homemade <a href="http://www.justapinch.com/recipe/amish-white-bread-by-gail-herbest-gaillee#.UHBOm6Fa_14.pinterest" target="_blank">Amish White Bread</a> for tomorrow's sloppy joe dinner and some <a href="http://wellpreserved.ca/rye-flatbread-recipe-perfect-for-chilli/#more-5791" target="_blank">Rye Flatbread</a> for lunchtime sandwiches for me and the hubs, but it's not the first time I've tackled homemade bread. I've made flatbread on one other occasion, and I've made loaves of white and wheat bread on a number of occasions over the past six months of my stay-at-home mom time. Btw, this is my first try at adding links into the blog- yay for me! Oh, and if you can't tell, these are not my recipes. I steal recipes. Well, more appropriately, I use other people's recipes. And I'm more than happy to share the recipes that work for me, and of course, give credit where credit is due.<br />
<br />
I'll talk more about my homemade breads later, but let me get this train of thought back on track. Seedlings and snow!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoGdcSwg87HsjZ225QslSR9X0qwpNS4vmih5tEMk2wfeLmLsm8imz-3_V3Ra0PtK38ehyZxlIe0a1xqm_9sCrl4mwmNf_IikmK5ZQ61wbedzVtmUGoH9p64j6diQOZbxbZHLD3aZbi1qf/s1600/May+2+2013+Snow+on+Patio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoGdcSwg87HsjZ225QslSR9X0qwpNS4vmih5tEMk2wfeLmLsm8imz-3_V3Ra0PtK38ehyZxlIe0a1xqm_9sCrl4mwmNf_IikmK5ZQ61wbedzVtmUGoH9p64j6diQOZbxbZHLD3aZbi1qf/s1600/May+2+2013+Snow+on+Patio.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This was the first picture I took of yesterday's snow on our back patio. No, we're not sloppy people, the wind blew that chair over, and I wasn't brave enough to step outside to set it back upright until today! We were lucky enough to only get a dusting, and it was already melted by about noon today.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIs0f2f0UF3rC26saZrvvtPjMS2owhVjOGfBwJorxSEheZkEDD5kPFL7B3sGn83hzO-xj6ZMJbjtkH4YosSEXA1EQqMelaC5YhiTJyfnE-mAz8yGpTdsMpqLty3uWXJkgfO_MAcr5ZtoC/s1600/May+2+2013+Snow+in+the+Backyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIs0f2f0UF3rC26saZrvvtPjMS2owhVjOGfBwJorxSEheZkEDD5kPFL7B3sGn83hzO-xj6ZMJbjtkH4YosSEXA1EQqMelaC5YhiTJyfnE-mAz8yGpTdsMpqLty3uWXJkgfO_MAcr5ZtoC/s1600/May+2+2013+Snow+in+the+Backyard.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I decided to take another picture so you could see more of the yard- our neighbor has a small garden started in his half of the yard (we're in a duplex, if you didn't already know or hadn't caught on to that from my non-existing hints). The white square is the blanket covering his baby seedlings that have started sprouting. I hadn't decided to transplant anything to my garden yet- when we heard we were expecting freezing temperatures and possibly snow, I decided to wait a bit longer before taking my babies outside. They are still cluttering up my kitchen.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQlu0WSX-ExCwtOR9Kax1vIFvQJvkuoMUK9EJSpLwwgS6hFgnXQmgbDef2Io-t7L8udutKgk71Izv6xB26EAiY8RYmGQ-lskmloI8_FNKa4b_xLwDBz1hyphenhyphenUoN1EBiF6A7kEu2b8PsgArh/s1600/20130502_162914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQlu0WSX-ExCwtOR9Kax1vIFvQJvkuoMUK9EJSpLwwgS6hFgnXQmgbDef2Io-t7L8udutKgk71Izv6xB26EAiY8RYmGQ-lskmloI8_FNKa4b_xLwDBz1hyphenhyphenUoN1EBiF6A7kEu2b8PsgArh/s1600/20130502_162914.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGG5yAEab2asijPDpWoBaN9n2UFFHmZIoe1STanDJ-lUpCKrY6901tBDV8fbTl9GbsfYAPMACKe_e6ga3dF6qZpMQBdieZHbSTBR8ccNpBOoRqkq6hc19wZQ3kHkk2LSzpyOs-3P2E6OF/s1600/20130502_162927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGG5yAEab2asijPDpWoBaN9n2UFFHmZIoe1STanDJ-lUpCKrY6901tBDV8fbTl9GbsfYAPMACKe_e6ga3dF6qZpMQBdieZHbSTBR8ccNpBOoRqkq6hc19wZQ3kHkk2LSzpyOs-3P2E6OF/s1600/20130502_162927.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIqrBKqfMN-zikwbHStoi-3aS3NdlO19KfTgsR5wB42RrVguZqGXhjqYbsheBXdSbDzjJrxmgxpFq2GDS2BGw6rrlIY0PpQAcGrA8y1jkU0oDJTWF5Fz3MuIasHvLhDl9iB33DE85p5b7/s1600/20130502_162941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIqrBKqfMN-zikwbHStoi-3aS3NdlO19KfTgsR5wB42RrVguZqGXhjqYbsheBXdSbDzjJrxmgxpFq2GDS2BGw6rrlIY0PpQAcGrA8y1jkU0oDJTWF5Fz3MuIasHvLhDl9iB33DE85p5b7/s1600/20130502_162941.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8notuBa6apBKeO4pGgDR7G4pqwthO_W_YUkQyZgoD6I8HC8jJ_aeVcIN8boAp2Qu2kpsrMslHV6fV0txj63rYwMkAb9JdD520NN5JAWcg_CBhbzGHmGpJjH7vcxc8FUk-Voi3RHBiQcXd/s1600/20130502_163016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8notuBa6apBKeO4pGgDR7G4pqwthO_W_YUkQyZgoD6I8HC8jJ_aeVcIN8boAp2Qu2kpsrMslHV6fV0txj63rYwMkAb9JdD520NN5JAWcg_CBhbzGHmGpJjH7vcxc8FUk-Voi3RHBiQcXd/s1600/20130502_163016.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGh5ujqDs_GSdZzvgNMcU9ipOcGNzxa9j-xNLjm3UuT3KZn6WS5A0Kz7ouOH6aQqQuNCU33Cx9H_ICG1BWTyQFUhuWhihyphenhyphenuvaBlLWFJIeRXojG9fQcE6K-GXMdbPIqzpeKJr6Q0JJ8Q1x/s1600/20130502_163049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGh5ujqDs_GSdZzvgNMcU9ipOcGNzxa9j-xNLjm3UuT3KZn6WS5A0Kz7ouOH6aQqQuNCU33Cx9H_ICG1BWTyQFUhuWhihyphenhyphenuvaBlLWFJIeRXojG9fQcE6K-GXMdbPIqzpeKJr6Q0JJ8Q1x/s1600/20130502_163049.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qWTK3yTMr7oOLvOzl97AFI2b5OMc26bu7gJ6BUBHIU3geA0MBYX1b1ZNpzpywYLbg1bBWxWNWgAyOuRviC8jvGHHzAXWag0ahCaHP1LprU5n4owotp-8PxPLR7cP6xqj4jkmbL5mNguK/s1600/20130502_163104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qWTK3yTMr7oOLvOzl97AFI2b5OMc26bu7gJ6BUBHIU3geA0MBYX1b1ZNpzpywYLbg1bBWxWNWgAyOuRviC8jvGHHzAXWag0ahCaHP1LprU5n4owotp-8PxPLR7cP6xqj4jkmbL5mNguK/s1600/20130502_163104.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
These are my babies!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My pictures include beefsteak and cherry tomatoes, jalapeno, serrano, and green bell peppers, and sweet yellow onions in the flats/cardboard box bottoms on the table, and radishes, basil, thyme and dill in the containers. I also have started parsley, cilantro, green onions, carrots, and oregano, but they hadn't germinated by the time I took this pictures yesterday. As of today, though, my green onions, parsley, and cilantro are started to germinate! Whoo-hoo!!! There are teeny-tiny sprouts starting. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I started the tomatoes, peppers and onions in a couple seed starting kits I had purchased at WalMart all the way back in March, thinking I'd be putting them in a garden at the end of April. By early April, they were already getting a bit big for the starter tray, so I made these oh-so-simple newspaper pots that I transplanted them into. They've grown quite a bit since then too! Believe it or not, the bottom leaves were barely above the potting soil when I transplanted them. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When I made my newspaper pots, I decided to take some advice I had seen on numerous different resources and blogs online- I put a tiny bit of epsom salt and some crushed up eggshells I had been saving for this exact purpose in the bottom of the pot on a thin layer of soil. I then added a bit more soil, stirred it up a little, added the seedling, and finished filling to just below the leaves with more potting soil. The epsom salt and eggshells are supposed to help make the plants grow stronger and produce more fruit. The calcium from the eggshells will help keep the tomato peel strong, so you hopefully won't be harvesting any split tomatoes! Fingers crossed!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you're interested in how to make these newspaper pots, visit <a href="http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Backyard-Projects/Small-Garden-Projects/How-to-Plant-Seeds" target="_blank">How To Plant Seeds</a>. This site shows the basic gist of it... but I used an empty tin can (from canned veggies) and half of a newspaper page for the large size pots that I made. Seasoning containers to make newspaper pots will be my choice instead of starter kits next year!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So these are my baby seedlings I'll be transplanting to the garden in about a week or so, pot and all. I have other seeds I'll be sowing directly into the garden- we've always had luck with green beans, cucumbers and zucchini squash, and I'm also trying okra for the first time. If you visit my page, please leave a comment to let me know you were here and how you found me. Since I'm brand new to the blogging world and have lots to learn about advertising my page, I need all the help I can get!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanks for bearing with me on my second blogging experience, and don't forget- live better today than you did yesterday!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7965770245184386655.post-32084001136849294602012-11-30T22:20:00.001-06:002012-11-30T22:20:23.923-06:00Be Patient- The Posts Get Better From Here!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As my first post in the world of blogging, with very little knowledge of the trade, this will be short and sweet. It will also be read by a small few, if any, so I've told myself to not worry too much about how it looks or what it says. The patience is more for me than anyone reading my newborn blog! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For starters, let me tell you a little about myself. I am a mother to two handsome young men whom I am very proud of- my fifteen year old is a sophomore in high school and a star on the school's wrestling team, and my ten year old is in fifth grade and just started playing the trombone in the school band. For the purpose of keeping the peace, I'll admit that our fifteen year old is my step-son. But as the saying goes, love is thicker than blood, and I couldn't love him more. While many women claim their husbands are amazing, mine truly is- he somehow puts up with me and all of my idiosyncrasies! My wonderful husband is a bit of a jack of all trades, quite talented in a handful of areas, is a great father to our boys, and has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen. Some of my future posts may even be about something he's working on, rather than my own projects.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have managed to gain experience in many areas of life, including the wonderful world of groceries, banking, management, the service industry as well as many others, and last but definitely not least, marriage and parenthood. While I hadn't considered myself a homemaker or stay at home mother until recently, both of these jobs have been a part of my life as long as I've been a parent and a wife. As a family, we've experienced good times and bad, financial security and financial insecurity. I've also gotten to experience the <strike>joy</strike> struggles of being a part-time student at the same time as all of the above, so I feel I can relate to just about everyone out there!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My blog title may seem vague, but I have no intention of talking about just one subject throughout my entire blog. You won't see posts about just recipes, parenting tips, finances, gardening or crafts. I'll have posts about all of these topics, and many more. My blog title defines what I believe in- better living for myself and my family, and better living for you. You'll find tips, tricks and projects I've had handed down to me from family and friends or found browsing the web, particularly from my favorite site, Pinterest.com. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you're with me from the start, welcome aboard, and thank you! It will be an adventure for us both, but there should be a lot of learning involved also. Oh, and don't forget to leave comments and feedback!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll see you again soon, and don't forget to live better today than you did yesterday!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03998402978516475885noreply@blogger.com1