I have come to the conclusion that if you try really hard you can feed a family of 5 for pretty inexpensively. I have made quite a few dinners this week under $7 per meal - COMPLETE meal, as in all 5 had plenty to eat and Dave has lunch tomorrow.
I got a good deal on chicken legs - .69# so I pulled those out of the freezer and marinated them in apple cider vinegar, oil, 2 eggs, and seasonings (appr. 5#). I actually cooked it last night and left it to marinate over night. Perfect because with a late lunch today we needed it done quickly. It was on the grill 10 minutes and DONE.
I bought red potatoes - 5# for 2.50. We used just over half of them. I sliced them in the food processor and put a serving on foil (5) added chopped onions, dabs of butter, a little shredded cheddar, salt and freshly ground pepper. Folded that up and put them on the top shelf of the grill for around 20 - 30 minutes.
Then I sliced up tomatoes- the seconds I bought at less than $.50#, used approximately 1#.
Lunch cost us approximately $6 if you figure in odd change for the products I already had in my cabinet.
I know some can't get different things quite as cheap but if I just went to the nearest grocery store I couldn't either. I found other options which is how I am able to get these prices.
My challenge (from my other blog) is see where you can cut costs. First do a breakdown of what a meal is costing you then see if you can cut it and still eat well.
I paid approximately
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
A "Food" Day
It's been a while since I had a food day. Today I was kind of forced into it. Thankfully I was in the mood for it though. I had gotten a box of early apples the other week and they are starting to go bad.
Plus I asked the guy at Amish stand if they had any tomato seconds and he said he was selling them $10 a box. You probably imagine bumped and rotting tomatoes but these are mostly in great shape. They just are small or got picked a day early, maybe have a few bruises or just imperfect. I love them. We weighed our box ad it was 25+ pounds.
To top it off I pulled a 10# bag of chicken legs out of the freezer and had to cook those. It was $.69# one time and Dave forgot to ask if it should be frozen as is or separated and so the result was a 10# bag of frozen chicken.
I made:
1 pre-sliced, sweetened pie filling - you put foil then wrap down in a pie plate, pile the apples, cinnamon and sugar in, wrap it, lift it out of the pie plate,stick it in a ziploc bag and freeze it. When you want a pie you pull it out, sprinkle a little sugar in the bottom crust, pop the frozen apples in, sprinkle a little flour, dot it with some butter, add a splash of milk and vanilla and bake as normal, adding appr. 10 minutes to your baking time. Easy and still great tasting.
OR you can put it in a pan, sprinkle a mixture of butter, oats and sugar on top and have super easy apple crisp in no time.
I blended 1/3 of the tomatoes with 4 large cans of tomatoes I had, onion, broccoli, garlic, and green pepper, threw in some spices and cooked it down for a few hours. That made enough sauce for tonight's pizza, 1 single sauce for Dave for lunch sometime(with pasta), and 3 family meals.
While that was cooking we tried our new ice cream maker - a sweet deal at Target for $6 (thanks so much for picking that up for me, Shannon). YUM!!!
As for the chicken, I tried something new. Instead of cooking it down in a pan with lots of water I put 2/3 the legs in the crock pot with just 1-2 cups of water and cooked it on high a few hours. It took less time than I thought it would considering they were still partially frozen. That made enough for a rich broth and chicken for 2 soups. I threw the rest of it in a pan with homemade marinade and boiled until just cooked through, That will go on the grill for lunch tomorrow.
Thankfully Dave made the pizza - whole wheat crust with sauce, cheese, and veggies loaded on it. One also had those Tyson ready to eat grilled chicken strips on it that I got for .90 the other week.
My husband was an awesome dishwasher and there are only a few dishes left from that day!!!
Good night.....ok, ok, and big balls if you watch that show (Wipeout)you know what I mean!!
Plus I asked the guy at Amish stand if they had any tomato seconds and he said he was selling them $10 a box. You probably imagine bumped and rotting tomatoes but these are mostly in great shape. They just are small or got picked a day early, maybe have a few bruises or just imperfect. I love them. We weighed our box ad it was 25+ pounds.
To top it off I pulled a 10# bag of chicken legs out of the freezer and had to cook those. It was $.69# one time and Dave forgot to ask if it should be frozen as is or separated and so the result was a 10# bag of frozen chicken.
I made:
1 pre-sliced, sweetened pie filling - you put foil then wrap down in a pie plate, pile the apples, cinnamon and sugar in, wrap it, lift it out of the pie plate,stick it in a ziploc bag and freeze it. When you want a pie you pull it out, sprinkle a little sugar in the bottom crust, pop the frozen apples in, sprinkle a little flour, dot it with some butter, add a splash of milk and vanilla and bake as normal, adding appr. 10 minutes to your baking time. Easy and still great tasting.
OR you can put it in a pan, sprinkle a mixture of butter, oats and sugar on top and have super easy apple crisp in no time.
I blended 1/3 of the tomatoes with 4 large cans of tomatoes I had, onion, broccoli, garlic, and green pepper, threw in some spices and cooked it down for a few hours. That made enough sauce for tonight's pizza, 1 single sauce for Dave for lunch sometime(with pasta), and 3 family meals.
While that was cooking we tried our new ice cream maker - a sweet deal at Target for $6 (thanks so much for picking that up for me, Shannon). YUM!!!
As for the chicken, I tried something new. Instead of cooking it down in a pan with lots of water I put 2/3 the legs in the crock pot with just 1-2 cups of water and cooked it on high a few hours. It took less time than I thought it would considering they were still partially frozen. That made enough for a rich broth and chicken for 2 soups. I threw the rest of it in a pan with homemade marinade and boiled until just cooked through, That will go on the grill for lunch tomorrow.
Thankfully Dave made the pizza - whole wheat crust with sauce, cheese, and veggies loaded on it. One also had those Tyson ready to eat grilled chicken strips on it that I got for .90 the other week.
My husband was an awesome dishwasher and there are only a few dishes left from that day!!!
Good night.....ok, ok, and big balls if you watch that show (Wipeout)you know what I mean!!
Friday, July 29, 2011
The easiest waffles ever!
We love homemade waffles in our house. My husband actually likes to make the waffles. I guess somehow "fancy breakfast" turned into his thing - well, pancakes and waffles anyway. He does scrabbled eggs sometimes too.
I found this recipe on Hallee the Homemaker's website a few months ago. - Sue's Oatmeal Blender Waffles
Since then we have made them several times. It's so nice because you can easily do the second part in the AM while the waffle iron heats up. If you plan to make these make sure you realize you start it the night before!!! The first time I made them I didn't have buttermilk or any other alternative so I used coconut milk. I can say that they were some of the best waffles I ever had and "felt" a bit healthier than your ordinary white flour waffle. They practically melt in your mouth.
The second time we made them with homemade buttermilk. They were still really good but not quite as rich and melty.
The 3rd and 4th times we tried pancakes. Time number one they were super flat but still melt in your mouth. The second time they were nicely puffed and so delicious. Oops, guess something went wrong with the baking soda the other time. New baking soda did the trick.
We absolutely LOVE this recipe and since I buy oats by the 50# I always have plenty of them. You definitely need to try them.
We also skip the store bought syrup and make our own. While waffles are cooking we put brown sugar(soon I will experiment with raw sugar), a bit of water and vanilla or some other flavoring in it in a pan on the stove. I bring it to a boil for a minute or so and then turn it off to sit. So good and much cheaper then pancake syrup. Last time I added fresh blueberries to it and cooked it over medium for a while to help soften up the berries before I brought it to a boil to thicken it quicker. Our "homemade syrup" takes about 10 minutes to make.
I found this recipe on Hallee the Homemaker's website a few months ago. - Sue's Oatmeal Blender Waffles
Since then we have made them several times. It's so nice because you can easily do the second part in the AM while the waffle iron heats up. If you plan to make these make sure you realize you start it the night before!!! The first time I made them I didn't have buttermilk or any other alternative so I used coconut milk. I can say that they were some of the best waffles I ever had and "felt" a bit healthier than your ordinary white flour waffle. They practically melt in your mouth.
The second time we made them with homemade buttermilk. They were still really good but not quite as rich and melty.
The 3rd and 4th times we tried pancakes. Time number one they were super flat but still melt in your mouth. The second time they were nicely puffed and so delicious. Oops, guess something went wrong with the baking soda the other time. New baking soda did the trick.
We absolutely LOVE this recipe and since I buy oats by the 50# I always have plenty of them. You definitely need to try them.
We also skip the store bought syrup and make our own. While waffles are cooking we put brown sugar(soon I will experiment with raw sugar), a bit of water and vanilla or some other flavoring in it in a pan on the stove. I bring it to a boil for a minute or so and then turn it off to sit. So good and much cheaper then pancake syrup. Last time I added fresh blueberries to it and cooked it over medium for a while to help soften up the berries before I brought it to a boil to thicken it quicker. Our "homemade syrup" takes about 10 minutes to make.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Super Mom
I was chatting with a mom yesterday and it really made me think of some things. We were talking about kids and home and guilt. Guilt? Yeah no, not me!!! If you are a mom almost every single one of you know what that word GUILT does to you. I bet most of you could give me a list of things you feel guilty about right off the top of your head - from the way you parented 1 child, versus the way you parent the youngest, things you have said, done, you name it, we moms have this great relationship with guilt.
Oh, and to top it all off we HAVE to have it all together. I mean, of course every one else around us does.
I never bought into "looking perfect". If you think I do then you need a reality check. I'm not - nowhere near it!!! Really wish you could see my house right now!! Oh wait, no, I really don't. I really try hard to keep it real. Maybe I don't always look perfect and awesome but that's ok. There are enough perfect and awesome people out there. Sometimes I need to know there's a mom out there who struggles just like I do. It can be hard to find them sometimes. When it is it makes life even more daunting.
So here's the deal, I don't have it all together. Every day I choose what's going to get left undone, well, I don't think "Well, today I'm not going to get the dishes done." But I know that realistically speaking I am not going to get the dishes done, the bedroom and bathroom cleaned, that stack of ironing, coupons, blogging, kids loved, living room cleaned, kitchen cleaned, dishes done, and breakfast, lunch, AND a gourmet dinner on the table. Oh yes, can't forget my phone calls - Ki needs that dentist appointment still, 2 months later and I need to verify a cleaning job for tomorrow since, well, apparently that mom doesn't have it all together - how dare she - and may forget.
Here's the reality, we can't get it all done. Wait, well, we can, but at the expense of what? I personally feel that in the course of a day kids come first. If dinner isn't on time but you invested in the life of a child that desperately just needed mommy, that's ok. The house might be a disaster but those appointments were made even though you DID have to lock yourself in the bathroom for a place quiet enough to make them.
All you can do is take one day at a time and if you believe in God's grace, take it and hold on for dear life. Sometimes that's all you got.
I do have good news for you. Someday your house will be all together. Dinner will be on the table on time, the bathroom mirror will sparkle at the same time and the bedroom looks like a catalog page. AND you will look all put together, well rested when you sit down to eat that well balanced gourmet dinner. Um, someday when the kids are grown. So stop, take the guilt, and don't buy in to it. Your kids will never know that the first 5 years of their life each was raised just a little differently UNLESS YOU TELL THEM. They don't need to know until they are moms, just trying to do it all and not feel guilty. Then they'll get it.
Just be a mom, a wife, a lawyer, house cleaner, dr., be whatever job you are and leave the guilt at the door. We don't have time for it. Our bodies don't have time for it, and our houses most definitely don't have time for it.
Now go pull something out of the freezer to make for dinner. Take a few minutes to throw it all in the crock pot and you have one less thing to worry about.
Dinner ideas for the guilty mom:
**Spaghetti with meat sauce - box of pasta, jar of sauce, and browned beef or
sausage add a fresh veggie (doesn't even have to be cooked since you keep the
maximum nutrients) Future tip - when you have time cook up burger, sausage ahead
and freeze it proportioned. Grab a bag and dump it, frozen, into the crock pot
with sauce.)
**Roast with root veggies - throw a pork, whole chicken or beef roast in the crock
pot with a chopped onion, little flour, salt, pepper (plus I use chili powder,
diced garlic/garlic powder, parsley fresh or dry, red pepper flakes, rosemary for
chicken, you name it) cubed up potatoes, carrots and or celery
**Tuna noodle casserole - add some frozen peas or broccoli and you have your
protein, starch AND veggie all in one
**Throw chicken and potato packets on the grill (potato packets - 1" cubed potatoes
slices of onion, a dab of butter, salt and pepper folded up in a foil packet
Most of all, just have a blessed day being you. Leave the cape in a drawer.
Oh, and to top it all off we HAVE to have it all together. I mean, of course every one else around us does.
I never bought into "looking perfect". If you think I do then you need a reality check. I'm not - nowhere near it!!! Really wish you could see my house right now!! Oh wait, no, I really don't. I really try hard to keep it real. Maybe I don't always look perfect and awesome but that's ok. There are enough perfect and awesome people out there. Sometimes I need to know there's a mom out there who struggles just like I do. It can be hard to find them sometimes. When it is it makes life even more daunting.
So here's the deal, I don't have it all together. Every day I choose what's going to get left undone, well, I don't think "Well, today I'm not going to get the dishes done." But I know that realistically speaking I am not going to get the dishes done, the bedroom and bathroom cleaned, that stack of ironing, coupons, blogging, kids loved, living room cleaned, kitchen cleaned, dishes done, and breakfast, lunch, AND a gourmet dinner on the table. Oh yes, can't forget my phone calls - Ki needs that dentist appointment still, 2 months later and I need to verify a cleaning job for tomorrow since, well, apparently that mom doesn't have it all together - how dare she - and may forget.
Here's the reality, we can't get it all done. Wait, well, we can, but at the expense of what? I personally feel that in the course of a day kids come first. If dinner isn't on time but you invested in the life of a child that desperately just needed mommy, that's ok. The house might be a disaster but those appointments were made even though you DID have to lock yourself in the bathroom for a place quiet enough to make them.
All you can do is take one day at a time and if you believe in God's grace, take it and hold on for dear life. Sometimes that's all you got.
I do have good news for you. Someday your house will be all together. Dinner will be on the table on time, the bathroom mirror will sparkle at the same time and the bedroom looks like a catalog page. AND you will look all put together, well rested when you sit down to eat that well balanced gourmet dinner. Um, someday when the kids are grown. So stop, take the guilt, and don't buy in to it. Your kids will never know that the first 5 years of their life each was raised just a little differently UNLESS YOU TELL THEM. They don't need to know until they are moms, just trying to do it all and not feel guilty. Then they'll get it.
Just be a mom, a wife, a lawyer, house cleaner, dr., be whatever job you are and leave the guilt at the door. We don't have time for it. Our bodies don't have time for it, and our houses most definitely don't have time for it.
Now go pull something out of the freezer to make for dinner. Take a few minutes to throw it all in the crock pot and you have one less thing to worry about.
Dinner ideas for the guilty mom:
**Spaghetti with meat sauce - box of pasta, jar of sauce, and browned beef or
sausage add a fresh veggie (doesn't even have to be cooked since you keep the
maximum nutrients) Future tip - when you have time cook up burger, sausage ahead
and freeze it proportioned. Grab a bag and dump it, frozen, into the crock pot
with sauce.)
**Roast with root veggies - throw a pork, whole chicken or beef roast in the crock
pot with a chopped onion, little flour, salt, pepper (plus I use chili powder,
diced garlic/garlic powder, parsley fresh or dry, red pepper flakes, rosemary for
chicken, you name it) cubed up potatoes, carrots and or celery
**Tuna noodle casserole - add some frozen peas or broccoli and you have your
protein, starch AND veggie all in one
**Throw chicken and potato packets on the grill (potato packets - 1" cubed potatoes
slices of onion, a dab of butter, salt and pepper folded up in a foil packet
Most of all, just have a blessed day being you. Leave the cape in a drawer.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Some Rambling Morning
What is the most awesome thing about living 1 mile from a Dunkin Donuts? You can leave to get a coffee and be back in 7 minutes when it all works right. Our intersection is near a light and I have to turn left to get to the light. It can take 10 minutes occasionally but not in the early morning. :) Providing the light is green, there is no train, the is no line of traffic trying to turn left at the intersection(have to cross that one too), there is no line in DD's AND the cashier isn't half asleep, you get a miracle and have the light for your left turn back home turn green just as you come out the parking lot (MIRACLE!!!!), and you don't have that guy going 5 mile an hour down the road, you can totally do it. Dave had 4 minutes until he had to leave. He was even so kind as to start my computer for me AND tell me where a clean dish rag is(I need to buy more) "IF I decide I want to do dishes." Maybe, just maybe I can do that. If I can get the kitchen cooled down.
In other random news it appears that this NON morning person is cursed with getting up at 5 AM every morning. It's an interesting thing getting up in the dark in the summertime and not something I really cared to know about on a first name basis. Coffee!!! Thank you God for yummy blueberry coffee and a DD's that has Decaf made even in the morning hours. No cracks about Decaf please. It makes me sad I can't have regular coffee. You know how much I miss out on???
Making a nice little push on my surveys these days. More on that on my other blog later. Mornings are a great time for me. I need to grab a pen and paper and start writing again. The plus to early morning is the kids aren't up.....oh never mind, there's a child. Well, it WAS fun while it lasted. Have a good day, and drink your water. It's going to be another humid day.
In other random news it appears that this NON morning person is cursed with getting up at 5 AM every morning. It's an interesting thing getting up in the dark in the summertime and not something I really cared to know about on a first name basis. Coffee!!! Thank you God for yummy blueberry coffee and a DD's that has Decaf made even in the morning hours. No cracks about Decaf please. It makes me sad I can't have regular coffee. You know how much I miss out on???
Making a nice little push on my surveys these days. More on that on my other blog later. Mornings are a great time for me. I need to grab a pen and paper and start writing again. The plus to early morning is the kids aren't up.....oh never mind, there's a child. Well, it WAS fun while it lasted. Have a good day, and drink your water. It's going to be another humid day.
Monday, July 18, 2011
In the mood to cook?
Make it work for you!! You know that tomorrow or the next day you won't feel like it so plan ahead.
I really feel like cooking today. I have time and I know I will have time to make meals the rest of the week since I will be home (potentially) all but Tuesday.
We picked up a bulk order of pork yesterday and the lady we ordered from was kind enough to offer us bags of bones. She said some people use them for their dogs and I, well, I will use them for soup. I started cooking one bag down last night and Dave finished it off (THANK YOU!!) Today I packaged and froze it for soup broth.
We are having chicken spiedies sans the roll for dinner tonight. Yes, I know, too much of the world has no idea what that is. Google it - or if you have Swagbucks toolbar maybe you can get some points for it. Last time I froze chicken breast I was lazy. I just shoved the whole package in the freezer. I know, horrible. Anyway, because of that I had to thaw way more chicken then I wanted to use. I cut enough chicken breasts in half length wise to marinate for the grill tonight. I will also throw some thin sliced green squash on with a bit of olive oil, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
Next I cut some up in cubes to marinate and put in the oven. Those ones will be frozen for another meal after they are cooked.
The rest of it (yes, there was more-I bought the family pack) I cut into cubes and put in the oven with mushroom soup. I am making rice now so I can mix it with the chicken and freeze it in a throw away pan for next Wednesday's dinner - chicken and rice.
I also pulled apple/sugar/cinnamon mixture out of the freezer and put that in a pan, topped it with blueberries and candied ginger, then sprinkled a mixture of butter, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon over top for tonight's dinner. I want to spoil my man. He totally deserves it. I will let you know how that dessert turns out.
I am also going to make sauce today because Dave has been wanting hot sausage and sauce over pasta. That will be easy to throw in the crock pot Thursday to go along with the homemade pasta I am making today. On second thought I will make the sauce and pasta on Wednesday or Thursday. My kitchen is already a mess from what I made so far. Even easier for you is to just buy a box of pasta. Super easy dinner if you pre-make the sausage and sauce then throw it in the freezer for another day or even just toss it in that morning. You don't even have to cut up the sausage if don't want to. If you freeze it all do you pull it out and stick it in the crock pot for the day, come home, cook the pasta and a veggie and you are set. One of the best things I have found if I want fresh veggies quick is Ziplocs Zip and Steam bags.You have fresh steamed broccoli in minutes.
The most important thing? Don't over achieve. Make it manage-able. If you start a million things you will be worn out and grumpy. That serves no one, least of all yourself. for today I am happy I got what I did done. I know it will make my life easier whether I am working or preparing my house for a move.
I really feel like cooking today. I have time and I know I will have time to make meals the rest of the week since I will be home (potentially) all but Tuesday.
We picked up a bulk order of pork yesterday and the lady we ordered from was kind enough to offer us bags of bones. She said some people use them for their dogs and I, well, I will use them for soup. I started cooking one bag down last night and Dave finished it off (THANK YOU!!) Today I packaged and froze it for soup broth.
We are having chicken spiedies sans the roll for dinner tonight. Yes, I know, too much of the world has no idea what that is. Google it - or if you have Swagbucks toolbar maybe you can get some points for it. Last time I froze chicken breast I was lazy. I just shoved the whole package in the freezer. I know, horrible. Anyway, because of that I had to thaw way more chicken then I wanted to use. I cut enough chicken breasts in half length wise to marinate for the grill tonight. I will also throw some thin sliced green squash on with a bit of olive oil, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
Next I cut some up in cubes to marinate and put in the oven. Those ones will be frozen for another meal after they are cooked.
The rest of it (yes, there was more-I bought the family pack) I cut into cubes and put in the oven with mushroom soup. I am making rice now so I can mix it with the chicken and freeze it in a throw away pan for next Wednesday's dinner - chicken and rice.
I also pulled apple/sugar/cinnamon mixture out of the freezer and put that in a pan, topped it with blueberries and candied ginger, then sprinkled a mixture of butter, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon over top for tonight's dinner. I want to spoil my man. He totally deserves it. I will let you know how that dessert turns out.
I am also going to make sauce today because Dave has been wanting hot sausage and sauce over pasta. That will be easy to throw in the crock pot Thursday to go along with the homemade pasta I am making today. On second thought I will make the sauce and pasta on Wednesday or Thursday. My kitchen is already a mess from what I made so far. Even easier for you is to just buy a box of pasta. Super easy dinner if you pre-make the sausage and sauce then throw it in the freezer for another day or even just toss it in that morning. You don't even have to cut up the sausage if don't want to. If you freeze it all do you pull it out and stick it in the crock pot for the day, come home, cook the pasta and a veggie and you are set. One of the best things I have found if I want fresh veggies quick is Ziplocs Zip and Steam bags.You have fresh steamed broccoli in minutes.
The most important thing? Don't over achieve. Make it manage-able. If you start a million things you will be worn out and grumpy. That serves no one, least of all yourself. for today I am happy I got what I did done. I know it will make my life easier whether I am working or preparing my house for a move.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Food.....and Haystacks
I do love food. Maybe that's why the majority of things I blog about over here (opposed to my deal blog) are food related.
Today I have venison chops thawed in the fridge so I am going to crust them with cocoa and chili powder and grill them.
I was thinking of doing a pork roast because I forgot about the chops so I am going to make pineapple mango salsa today to put with the pork roast that I will slow cook tomorrow.
I am also going to make homemade salsa(if I have enough tomatoes) for haystacks on Sunday. haystacks - food, not actual hay. They are really super easy!!!
Cook hamburger and rice per their instructions (separate, not together).
Grate cheese - cheddar is best.
Dice onions and tomatoes (separate)
Chop lettuce.
Crush Nacho Doritos (or the generic equivalent)
Grab some salsa
Ok, so you can layer it anyway you like but here is what I do on individual plates so if someone doesn't want onions they don't have to have them.
A spoonful of beef, a sprinkle of cheese, a layer of rice, a sprinkle of cheese, lettuce tomatoes, onion, salsa and a generous sprinkle of salsa.
I have to thank the Mennonite church for 1 thing. This is a meal we "learned" shortly after my family joined it from a family we were friends with.
Today I have venison chops thawed in the fridge so I am going to crust them with cocoa and chili powder and grill them.
I was thinking of doing a pork roast because I forgot about the chops so I am going to make pineapple mango salsa today to put with the pork roast that I will slow cook tomorrow.
I am also going to make homemade salsa(if I have enough tomatoes) for haystacks on Sunday. haystacks - food, not actual hay. They are really super easy!!!
Cook hamburger and rice per their instructions (separate, not together).
Grate cheese - cheddar is best.
Dice onions and tomatoes (separate)
Chop lettuce.
Crush Nacho Doritos (or the generic equivalent)
Grab some salsa
Ok, so you can layer it anyway you like but here is what I do on individual plates so if someone doesn't want onions they don't have to have them.
A spoonful of beef, a sprinkle of cheese, a layer of rice, a sprinkle of cheese, lettuce tomatoes, onion, salsa and a generous sprinkle of salsa.
I have to thank the Mennonite church for 1 thing. This is a meal we "learned" shortly after my family joined it from a family we were friends with.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Blueberries!!!
I really wish I could find a place fairly local that had "Pick Your own" blueberries for great prices. That is one of the few things I miss about Vermont. They had a PYO 10 minutes form my house that was 1.50 a pound. With that in my mind I went web surfing. The cheapest I found was 2.75!!!!!!! And that was if you got more then 20 pounds. Ok, I have picked berries for 2 hours before with one other adult - we netted 6. Um, seriously, who has time to pick that many berries without keeling over?
I got a great deal at the grocery store the last 2 weeks. Too bad they limited how many you could buy without a million trips to the grocery!
So far I have made Blueberry Buckle (recipe below), plan to freeze some for winter muffins and smoothies, and I want to make blueberry jam.
So, blueberry buckle. Can I just say YUM????!!!!
Blueberry Buckle, taken from Blue Ribbon Recipes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp. (I use salted and skip the salt below)
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used brown sugar)
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (not me)
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups blueberries - um no, try 4 cups!!! Less is pointless
Preheat oven to 375. Grease/Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan. IF YOU USE THE LEMON SAUCE PART OF THE RECIPE DO NOT USE A GLASS BAKING DISH!!!! It cannot handle being under the broiler.
In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and milk and beat well. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture and stir (I used my stand mixer on a lower speed) and stir to combine. Fold in blueberries (Do NOT use a mixer, use a spoon or spatula unless you want very blue batter and very little juicy berries.)
Next, make the topping and press over top of batter.
Topping:
Combine the following ingredients until crumbly. (Mine ended up gooey but still worked)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg (I skipped)
Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out cleanly. I usually set the time for 15 less minutes and check them. Generally it takes 10 minutes less in my oven but this one took the whole 45 minutes and then some.
They have a sauce they put on top but my husband isn't always huge into lemony things so I did something else. Their recipe for lemon sauce -
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 eggs beaten
Grated zest and juice from 1 large lemon
Preheat broiler. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, water, and eggs. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and zest. Pour as much of the lemon sauce as possible over the baked cake. Broil until bubbly and golden. Serve with remaining sauce.
As I said, I skipped the lemon sauce. Instead I made honey orange whipped cream.
I poured heavy whipping cream in a bowl, drizzled in a teaspoon of honey and then squeezed approximately 1/4 of an orange's juice into the bowl as I beat the whipping cream. It ended up so yummy. I wasn't sure how the citrus would react with the cream so I undercut the orange. Next time I will make it a bit stronger.
It was a HUGE hit!!!
I got a great deal at the grocery store the last 2 weeks. Too bad they limited how many you could buy without a million trips to the grocery!
So far I have made Blueberry Buckle (recipe below), plan to freeze some for winter muffins and smoothies, and I want to make blueberry jam.
So, blueberry buckle. Can I just say YUM????!!!!
Blueberry Buckle, taken from Blue Ribbon Recipes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp. (I use salted and skip the salt below)
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used brown sugar)
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (not me)
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups blueberries - um no, try 4 cups!!! Less is pointless
Preheat oven to 375. Grease/Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan. IF YOU USE THE LEMON SAUCE PART OF THE RECIPE DO NOT USE A GLASS BAKING DISH!!!! It cannot handle being under the broiler.
In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and milk and beat well. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture and stir (I used my stand mixer on a lower speed) and stir to combine. Fold in blueberries (Do NOT use a mixer, use a spoon or spatula unless you want very blue batter and very little juicy berries.)
Next, make the topping and press over top of batter.
Topping:
Combine the following ingredients until crumbly. (Mine ended up gooey but still worked)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg (I skipped)
Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out cleanly. I usually set the time for 15 less minutes and check them. Generally it takes 10 minutes less in my oven but this one took the whole 45 minutes and then some.
They have a sauce they put on top but my husband isn't always huge into lemony things so I did something else. Their recipe for lemon sauce -
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 eggs beaten
Grated zest and juice from 1 large lemon
Preheat broiler. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, water, and eggs. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and zest. Pour as much of the lemon sauce as possible over the baked cake. Broil until bubbly and golden. Serve with remaining sauce.
As I said, I skipped the lemon sauce. Instead I made honey orange whipped cream.
I poured heavy whipping cream in a bowl, drizzled in a teaspoon of honey and then squeezed approximately 1/4 of an orange's juice into the bowl as I beat the whipping cream. It ended up so yummy. I wasn't sure how the citrus would react with the cream so I undercut the orange. Next time I will make it a bit stronger.
It was a HUGE hit!!!
Friday, July 1, 2011
It's a prairie dog, a gopher, a groundhog
Me: Kieran, would you like to water the plants?
Kieran: Oh yes. SO Kieran goes out to water plants. He comes running in 5 seconds later.
Kieran: I'm scared because there's a groundhog out there. He might pop out at me." Me: He won't pop out at you.
Kieran goes out, comes back in. "Mommy, but there's a prairie dog out there. He might get me."
Me: We don't have prairie dogs.
Kieran: I mean, I mean, a gopher. The gopher might get me. He might pop out of his hole and bite me.
Me: We don't have gophers.
Kieran: I mean the groundhog. The ground hog might come after me.
Me: Kieran, the groundhog will run screaming away from you.
Kieran: You mean groundhogs run AND scream?
Me: Kieran, never mind. Just go back to bed.
Last time I let him get up to water plants!!! For the record, the sun still hasn't set and it's 8 PM.
Kieran: Oh yes. SO Kieran goes out to water plants. He comes running in 5 seconds later.
Kieran: I'm scared because there's a groundhog out there. He might pop out at me." Me: He won't pop out at you.
Kieran goes out, comes back in. "Mommy, but there's a prairie dog out there. He might get me."
Me: We don't have prairie dogs.
Kieran: I mean, I mean, a gopher. The gopher might get me. He might pop out of his hole and bite me.
Me: We don't have gophers.
Kieran: I mean the groundhog. The ground hog might come after me.
Me: Kieran, the groundhog will run screaming away from you.
Kieran: You mean groundhogs run AND scream?
Me: Kieran, never mind. Just go back to bed.
Last time I let him get up to water plants!!! For the record, the sun still hasn't set and it's 8 PM.
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