I feel like it has been forever since I have baked/cooked. I guess I am trying to make up for it this weekend. Here's what has been made so far:
2 batches of BBQ Meatballs (one pan last night for dinner, and one pan frozen for a friend)
2 batches of Homemade Granola (for breakfast this week)
1 No-Peel Apple Cake for church gathering (except I used frozen apples from my husband's grandma which were already peeled)
My daughter and I have also been eating lots of Spinach Veggie Wraps (spinach, tomato, mozzerrella, & avocado - warmed through)
Tomorrow: a fresh, crisp salad for a Super Bowl party (lettuce, spinach, tomato, cheese, avocado) I feel the need for something green, I guess.
Ooh, and now I need to look for a cake to make for dinner with friends tonight...
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Menu Planning for Us
It is all about balance.
In order to keep costs in check:
In order to keep costs in check:
- I try to balance more expensive with less expensive meals in the same week.
- I try to balance labor intensive meals with some non-labor intensive meals.
I can't balance it all, all the time, but these are some goals for which I strive.
Go here to read about my grocery shopping tactics (and how they have evolved over the years).
Go here for more Frugal Friday tips.
Grocery Shopping Strategy
For your reading pleasure, here are the stages of grocery shopping that I have been through:
1. Newly married, yet already strict budgeters, my husband and I would go to the closest grocery store together late on a weeknight and stock up for the month. We bought lots of convenience foods since we were both packing our lunches and working a lot of hours. I'd say we ate "balanced" meals, with fruits and veggies, but we didn't really care how much processed food we ate along with them. We occasionally went back to get a few more things during the month, but the end of the months were always lean times because we refused to go overbudget. :) We didn't pay any attention to sales except for some impulse buys while we were at the store - you know, those end-of-the-aisle chip and pop displays!
2. We got our house and started dividing up the chores more. Grocery shopping became mine, and I didn't mind at all. I would shop the sale ads a couple times a month and sometimes put a list of meals we could make on the side of the fridge to cross off as we went.
3. I started shopping at Aldi, and was blown away by how much we could get for our money. I think we even lowered our grocery budget at this point from $200/month, to $180/month, including toiletries and cleaning supplies. We still ate some convenience foods at this point (ie. pop-tarts, boxed cereal, boxed dinners).
4. I started learning what all the additives/preservatives/chemicals in processed food could be doing to my body while I was wanting to get pregnant and having hormone imbalances. I started eliminating these things where I could and trying to stick more to whole foods. I started cooking more from scratch.
5. Then, I was pregnant and basically ate whatever sounded good at the time. I was doing good just to keep something down.
6. I had my daughter, was nursing her, and no longer had as much disposable income. I learned about moneysavingmom.com and tried the couponing/Walgreens/CVS thing for two months. Decided it was not worth my time in the long run - I could do satisfactorily without it, lower my stress, and eat healthier.
7. Our daughter started solids and we decided it was worth it to up our food budget to $300/month in order to afford more fresh foods and also to accomodate for the rising food prices.
8. Started my blog and have been continually learning (mostly from other blogs) about cooking from scratch and using whole foods over the past 10 months or so. Still trying to stick to the $300 budget. Usually do, but not always. It seems the summer is harder because we want more fresh, local produce, which is not necessarily cheaper. And we want more meat to grill, so it doesn't go as far in casseroles and stuff.
Where I shop:
local grocery stores for sales
Costco
Aldi, when all else fails
local produce in summer
My main help: knowing what a good price is for an item.
If it is not a good price, I don't buy it, unless I really need it and want to save a trip to another store. For example, I paid $2 more for tomatoes today at Costco. But it was worth it to me so that I didn't have to stop at another store with my tired daughter. But I could not afford to use that rationale on all the items I purchased.
Here's what I bought:
toilet paper (maybe not the cheapest, but buying it twice a year?, can't beat that)
bread
flatbread wraps
avocados
tomatoes
fresh spinach
bananas
frozen vegetables
mozzerella cheese block
milk
yogurt (more pricey, but organic)
oatmeal
brown sugar
The other night at the local grocery store I bought:
ground beef
chicken breasts
apples
oranges
blueberries
lettuce
butter
peanut butter
pasta sauce
all on sale
Basically, I have certain items that I always need. (Bread, milk, cheese, eggs, oatmeal, fruit, meat, pasta, veggies, etc.) I know where the best prices are for those items. That's where I buy them unless there is a sale at another store. *And best price, doesn't always mean "cheapest" price to me. It means biggest nutritional bang for the buck. When I need whole-wheat bread, I buy the Costco kind, which has brown sugar, but no hfcs (high fructose corn syrup). I will pay 30 cents a loaf more for that.*
Then, there are other items that I like (avocados, Izze, etc.), but don't always buy. I wait for sales on those items.
Ok, not to make you think we are health nuts and eat a perfect diet. I bought frozen burritos last week. We enjoy dessert and snack foods once in a while. My husband likes Kool-Aid and soft drinks in the summer, especially when he has been working outside all day. But we try not to purchase the ready-made stuff on a regular basis. It is for treats. But do you know what? After we eat something like that, we feel gross, and want to get back to our healthier diet.
I am slowly eliminating ingredients from our foods. I think we are doing pretty well with the msg and partially-hydrogenated oils thing. Trying to stick to whole foods helps tremendously with those. Still need to watch the condiments. Just became enlightened on oils in cooking in this past year. Sometimes doing well with that, sometimes not. I am just now really paying attention to hfcs carefully and trying not to buy any new foods with it. We still have regular sugar in our foods at this point.
Why bother, why care about all this? We can tell a difference in how we feel. (I've had the health problems that can be affected by this sort of thing. Maybe that's why I care more than someone who eats whatever they want and is still in perfect health.) I like that we know what we are eating. Plus, I think it actually allows us to buy more food for our money!
Does anyone out there think I cook all the time? I don't. Just look at some of our menus. One of the bonuses about cooking from scratch is it seems to make larger batches of stuff. So, we often have "planned" leftovers. I also try to have easy stuff that does not require daily cooking for breakfast or lunch. So I don't feel like I am cooking any more than before, when we ate more convenience foods.
Finding what works for us seems to be continually changing as our lives change. But making frugal choices with our budget and trying to eat nutrionally rich, wholesome foods is a journey that we plan to stay travelling on, as long as we are able.
I think I just had word vomit; I guess it has been too long since I last blogged :) Sorry for the long-winded preachiness.
1. Newly married, yet already strict budgeters, my husband and I would go to the closest grocery store together late on a weeknight and stock up for the month. We bought lots of convenience foods since we were both packing our lunches and working a lot of hours. I'd say we ate "balanced" meals, with fruits and veggies, but we didn't really care how much processed food we ate along with them. We occasionally went back to get a few more things during the month, but the end of the months were always lean times because we refused to go overbudget. :) We didn't pay any attention to sales except for some impulse buys while we were at the store - you know, those end-of-the-aisle chip and pop displays!
2. We got our house and started dividing up the chores more. Grocery shopping became mine, and I didn't mind at all. I would shop the sale ads a couple times a month and sometimes put a list of meals we could make on the side of the fridge to cross off as we went.
3. I started shopping at Aldi, and was blown away by how much we could get for our money. I think we even lowered our grocery budget at this point from $200/month, to $180/month, including toiletries and cleaning supplies. We still ate some convenience foods at this point (ie. pop-tarts, boxed cereal, boxed dinners).
4. I started learning what all the additives/preservatives/chemicals in processed food could be doing to my body while I was wanting to get pregnant and having hormone imbalances. I started eliminating these things where I could and trying to stick more to whole foods. I started cooking more from scratch.
5. Then, I was pregnant and basically ate whatever sounded good at the time. I was doing good just to keep something down.
6. I had my daughter, was nursing her, and no longer had as much disposable income. I learned about moneysavingmom.com and tried the couponing/Walgreens/CVS thing for two months. Decided it was not worth my time in the long run - I could do satisfactorily without it, lower my stress, and eat healthier.
7. Our daughter started solids and we decided it was worth it to up our food budget to $300/month in order to afford more fresh foods and also to accomodate for the rising food prices.
8. Started my blog and have been continually learning (mostly from other blogs) about cooking from scratch and using whole foods over the past 10 months or so. Still trying to stick to the $300 budget. Usually do, but not always. It seems the summer is harder because we want more fresh, local produce, which is not necessarily cheaper. And we want more meat to grill, so it doesn't go as far in casseroles and stuff.
Where I shop:
local grocery stores for sales
Costco
Aldi, when all else fails
local produce in summer
My main help: knowing what a good price is for an item.
If it is not a good price, I don't buy it, unless I really need it and want to save a trip to another store. For example, I paid $2 more for tomatoes today at Costco. But it was worth it to me so that I didn't have to stop at another store with my tired daughter. But I could not afford to use that rationale on all the items I purchased.
Here's what I bought:
toilet paper (maybe not the cheapest, but buying it twice a year?, can't beat that)
bread
flatbread wraps
avocados
tomatoes
fresh spinach
bananas
frozen vegetables
mozzerella cheese block
milk
yogurt (more pricey, but organic)
oatmeal
brown sugar
The other night at the local grocery store I bought:
ground beef
chicken breasts
apples
oranges
blueberries
lettuce
butter
peanut butter
pasta sauce
all on sale
Basically, I have certain items that I always need. (Bread, milk, cheese, eggs, oatmeal, fruit, meat, pasta, veggies, etc.) I know where the best prices are for those items. That's where I buy them unless there is a sale at another store. *And best price, doesn't always mean "cheapest" price to me. It means biggest nutritional bang for the buck. When I need whole-wheat bread, I buy the Costco kind, which has brown sugar, but no hfcs (high fructose corn syrup). I will pay 30 cents a loaf more for that.*
Then, there are other items that I like (avocados, Izze, etc.), but don't always buy. I wait for sales on those items.
Ok, not to make you think we are health nuts and eat a perfect diet. I bought frozen burritos last week. We enjoy dessert and snack foods once in a while. My husband likes Kool-Aid and soft drinks in the summer, especially when he has been working outside all day. But we try not to purchase the ready-made stuff on a regular basis. It is for treats. But do you know what? After we eat something like that, we feel gross, and want to get back to our healthier diet.
I am slowly eliminating ingredients from our foods. I think we are doing pretty well with the msg and partially-hydrogenated oils thing. Trying to stick to whole foods helps tremendously with those. Still need to watch the condiments. Just became enlightened on oils in cooking in this past year. Sometimes doing well with that, sometimes not. I am just now really paying attention to hfcs carefully and trying not to buy any new foods with it. We still have regular sugar in our foods at this point.
Why bother, why care about all this? We can tell a difference in how we feel. (I've had the health problems that can be affected by this sort of thing. Maybe that's why I care more than someone who eats whatever they want and is still in perfect health.) I like that we know what we are eating. Plus, I think it actually allows us to buy more food for our money!
Does anyone out there think I cook all the time? I don't. Just look at some of our menus. One of the bonuses about cooking from scratch is it seems to make larger batches of stuff. So, we often have "planned" leftovers. I also try to have easy stuff that does not require daily cooking for breakfast or lunch. So I don't feel like I am cooking any more than before, when we ate more convenience foods.
Finding what works for us seems to be continually changing as our lives change. But making frugal choices with our budget and trying to eat nutrionally rich, wholesome foods is a journey that we plan to stay travelling on, as long as we are able.
I think I just had word vomit; I guess it has been too long since I last blogged :) Sorry for the long-winded preachiness.
Finally... Back
We are back at home, at last. This past week we babysat for some kids while the parents went on vacation. So it was a busy week, but fun, because they are great kids.
On a more sombering note, we have also been overwhelmed with the news of our friends Joel and Jess, and their baby girl Cora. Please keep them in your prayers if you feel so inclined.
It is catch-up-on-laundry-time here at home.
I also went to Costco today. I am still loving that store. I like that they have organic versions of many things for what I think are decent prices. I read lots of labels today, looking to avoid high-fructose corn syrup. I didn't linger too long though, since my daughter needed a nap.
I also was thinking about grocery budgets as I shopped since people were talking about that this morning at work. Do you know what your monthly budget is? Are you pleased with it? Are you pleased with how your family is eating on that budget? I have changed a lot how I shop in the past years. And I am pleased with the changes so far, I think. Maybe I'll share that philosophical saga soon.
Happy Thursday, everyone.
...off (and excited) to get back in the groove...
On a more sombering note, we have also been overwhelmed with the news of our friends Joel and Jess, and their baby girl Cora. Please keep them in your prayers if you feel so inclined.
It is catch-up-on-laundry-time here at home.
I also went to Costco today. I am still loving that store. I like that they have organic versions of many things for what I think are decent prices. I read lots of labels today, looking to avoid high-fructose corn syrup. I didn't linger too long though, since my daughter needed a nap.
I also was thinking about grocery budgets as I shopped since people were talking about that this morning at work. Do you know what your monthly budget is? Are you pleased with it? Are you pleased with how your family is eating on that budget? I have changed a lot how I shop in the past years. And I am pleased with the changes so far, I think. Maybe I'll share that philosophical saga soon.
Happy Thursday, everyone.
...off (and excited) to get back in the groove...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sporadic
As I mentioned before, we've been in and out of routine the month of January. I may or may not be able to post much over the next week, but February is looking much better! Thanks for your patience with me.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Modified & Late Menu Plan 1/19/09
Ok, so it has been busy around here. January has been a month of being in and out of routine... and, it isn't over yet. I am going to wait until the new grocery ads come out to go shopping for the second half of the week.
Breakfasts:
Grape Nuts or Oatmeal with Milk
Juice
Lunches:
Burritos or PB&J Sandwiches
Chips & Salsa
Yogurt
Fruit
Dinners:
Monday - Italian Macaroni and Cheese, Steamed Broccoli
Tuesday - Ravioli with Sauce, Veggies
Wednesday - Baked Chicken Sandwich (I definitely prefer it with this bread.), Veggies
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - ?
Saturday - ?
Sunday - ?
Fruit-Filled Oatmeal Bars
I tried a new recipe last week from my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. They looked easy and pretty low-sugar. The commentary called them "treasured lunch box treats." I am pleased with how they turned out!
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 recipe filling (I chose the apple-cinnamon filling, see below.)
Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives (I used my hands), cut in butter till the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture.
2. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9x2 inch baking pan. Spread with desired filling. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till the top is golden. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 25 bars.
Apple-Cinnamon Filling: Peel, core, and chop 2 medium apples (about 10 ounces). In a medium saucepan combine apples, 2 Tablespoons water, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a dash of ground cloves. Bring apple mixture to a boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or till apples are tender. (I then pureed the mixture with my handblender.)
Visit Tammy's Recipes for more kitchen tips!
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 recipe filling (I chose the apple-cinnamon filling, see below.)
Directions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives (I used my hands), cut in butter till the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture.
2. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9x2 inch baking pan. Spread with desired filling. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till the top is golden. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 25 bars.
Apple-Cinnamon Filling: Peel, core, and chop 2 medium apples (about 10 ounces). In a medium saucepan combine apples, 2 Tablespoons water, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a dash of ground cloves. Bring apple mixture to a boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or till apples are tender. (I then pureed the mixture with my handblender.)
Visit Tammy's Recipes for more kitchen tips!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Baby Wipes Recipe
Thanks to my gal Morgan who after jumping into cloth diapering with both feet (and loving it!) started her own blog and pointed me toward this new baby wipes recipe source.
Ok, this is gross, but a few months ago, my daughter was getting diaper rashes that turned into yeast infections on the skin. This happened like twice in one month. A few days with Lotrimin and disposables would clear it up, but I wanted to get back to my cloth diapers! I did three things:
1. Switched laundry detergents and started using the Charlie's Soap laundry powder.
2. Switched over to BumGenius one-size pocket diapers, which I had been planning on doing anyways.
3. Switched my cloth baby wipes recipe to a combo of the Anti-Fungal Baby Wipes and Simple Anti-Fungal Wipes recipes.
No problems with diaper rashes ever since!
Here's the recipe I concocted:
1 cup of water, boiled and cooled
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon EO All-Purpose Soap or Dr. Bronner's liquid soap
Mix and pour over 2 dozen flannel wipes in a wipes container.
You can cut double this recipe if needed, depending on the thickness of your wipes.
I came up with this because I knew I wanted soap or baby wash in the mix to help clean well. I also wanted the vinegar and the essentail oils for the anti-fungal purposes. But, I didn't have any essential oils, so I decided to experiment with what I had on hand. I had been hoarding this soap ever since last summer, not wanting to waste it by using it as everyday hand soap. It already contained the essential oils in it, so I killed two birds with one stone. Maybe by the time I need more of it, it will go on sale again! :)
Works for me!
Ok, this is gross, but a few months ago, my daughter was getting diaper rashes that turned into yeast infections on the skin. This happened like twice in one month. A few days with Lotrimin and disposables would clear it up, but I wanted to get back to my cloth diapers! I did three things:
1. Switched laundry detergents and started using the Charlie's Soap laundry powder.
2. Switched over to BumGenius one-size pocket diapers, which I had been planning on doing anyways.
3. Switched my cloth baby wipes recipe to a combo of the Anti-Fungal Baby Wipes and Simple Anti-Fungal Wipes recipes.
No problems with diaper rashes ever since!
Here's the recipe I concocted:
1 cup of water, boiled and cooled
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon EO All-Purpose Soap or Dr. Bronner's liquid soap
Mix and pour over 2 dozen flannel wipes in a wipes container.
You can cut double this recipe if needed, depending on the thickness of your wipes.
I came up with this because I knew I wanted soap or baby wash in the mix to help clean well. I also wanted the vinegar and the essentail oils for the anti-fungal purposes. But, I didn't have any essential oils, so I decided to experiment with what I had on hand. I had been hoarding this soap ever since last summer, not wanting to waste it by using it as everyday hand soap. It already contained the essential oils in it, so I killed two birds with one stone. Maybe by the time I need more of it, it will go on sale again! :)
Works for me!
Now I Remember...
...why I don't enjoy shopping at Wal-Mart.
I went there yesterday for the first time in months. We needed some toiletries, anti-perspirant to be specific. I am particular about brand and the kind I like never goes on sale. So it is usually cheapest at Wal-Mart. Plus I had to get an odd mix of groceries for this weekend. Plus it was frigid outside, my daughter was tired, and I wanted to get home as quickly as possible. So I was suckered into one-stop shopping at the most convenient place. Ugh. After months/years of shopping sales and Aldi's rock-bottom prices, I just hate paying full price for anything. I almost refused to get a couple things on my list, but gave in, not wanting to make more work for myself later.
Let's just say I don't miss shopping at Wal-Mart.
Um, and I need to make time to bake some more of my own bread. I was determined to find a wheat loaf without high-fructose corn syrup in it. I nearly choked paying $3 for it. Man, I'm cheap...
I went there yesterday for the first time in months. We needed some toiletries, anti-perspirant to be specific. I am particular about brand and the kind I like never goes on sale. So it is usually cheapest at Wal-Mart. Plus I had to get an odd mix of groceries for this weekend. Plus it was frigid outside, my daughter was tired, and I wanted to get home as quickly as possible. So I was suckered into one-stop shopping at the most convenient place. Ugh. After months/years of shopping sales and Aldi's rock-bottom prices, I just hate paying full price for anything. I almost refused to get a couple things on my list, but gave in, not wanting to make more work for myself later.
Let's just say I don't miss shopping at Wal-Mart.
Um, and I need to make time to bake some more of my own bread. I was determined to find a wheat loaf without high-fructose corn syrup in it. I nearly choked paying $3 for it. Man, I'm cheap...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Charlie's Soap
Can I tell you how much I love Charlie's Soap?
This past fall, after over a year of cloth diapering, I became discontent with my laundry detergent. I had used a variety of kinds: Method Free and Clear, Tide Free and Clear, and then a Kirkland's (Costco) "environmentally friendly" variety. I think the last one is what made me unhappy. I noticed my daughter getting more frequent diaper rashes as well as the fact that some of my good BumGeniuses weren't acting so waterproof anymore. I went back to the Tide, but that didn't help. I figured I needed to get rid of the buildup.
Since I was wanting to use fewer prefolds and get more BumGenius pocket diapers, and didn't want to face the same problems again, I decided I needed a new detergent altogether: one that actually followed all the specifications from BumGenius: no enzymes, no brighteners, and no added scents or coloring. No extra anything! I read all about the homemade detergents, but just didn't want to add anything else to my workload, especially not knowing the effect it would have on the diapers. Also, since I have a HE washing machine, I really wanted to be sure that what I used would not harm my pride and joy machine.
Then I remembered a friend who had tried Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder. She was still loving it. So I started reading about it on their website, and basically loved everything I read about it. I was sold. I found a distributor, and as a bonus, discovered a new cloth diapering/natural parenting source, too!
When I received my order, I was a little shocked at how small the bag of laundry detergent powder was! However, that was over two months ago. I have been using it for ALL our laundry ever since, and there is still half of it left! (I decided to simplify and use Charlie's Soap for all our laundry in order to keep any residue from other detergents out of the washer.)
The only drawback that I can think of is that now I am more wary of using cloth diapers on trips where I have to wash them in other people's machines. Now that we have switched over completely to BumGenius pocket diapers for my daughter for daytime use (and still use double stuffed Mommy's Touch or triple stuffed Happy Heiny's for night), I don't want to risk washing them in another person's machine that might have detergent or fabric softener residue in it. (I sound like a laundry snob now, I know.) But if necessary, I could just wash a couple of loads of clothes in the washer first, using Charlie's Soap, and that would maybe help clear out the residue before I wash the diapers. I have yet to try that, though.
So, all this to say, I am so happy I tried Charlie's Soap. If you are unsure whether you are using the right detergent for you cloth diapers, or simply want a practical, all-around laundry detergent, check out Charlie's Soap! I love it!
PS - I also altered my baby wipes recipe to an antifungal recipe. Since switching to Charlie's Soap and my new wipes recipe, the diaper rashes have stayed far away! I'll share that recipe as well, soon!
Check out the Green Baby Guide for more valuable tips!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Basic Child's Apron
Oops! Time got away from me on Friday, so I will share this now. Here is the final product of my Thursday night project: a birthday gift I sewed for our sweet 3 year old friend, made with fabric already in the closet. Cost: less than and hour of my time! What do you think?
(Thanks, Mod Girl, for the inspiraton.)
Menu Plan 1/12/09
Breakfasts:
Cereal or Oatmeal with Milk
Smoothies
Bagels and Yogurt
Fruit
Lunches:
Burritos
Salad
Dinners:
Monday - Pasta with Meat Sauce, Broccoli
Tuesday - Leftovers or Pizza Pockets and Salad
Wednesday - Sweet and Sour Chicken over Rice
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Out
Saturday - Tacos (seasoning)
Sunday - Lasagna
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Bar-b-que Sauce for Ham
Whew! It has been a busy week trying to get back into the routine of things. Tomorrow I'll share the project I worked on tonight. But for now, here is a recipe, as promised.
First, know that I hardly ever buy deli meat. The "processedness" of it grosses me out. And, when I compare the cost per pound, I figure I might as well be buying steak. Second, I hardly ever buy any form of ham. So consider this a double rarity that I bought shaved deli ham this past week. It could have something to do with the fact that my husband likes it, it was on sale for $2.50/lb., and I was tired of chicken breasts and ground beef (our usual meats).
This is not the healthest, but it is tasty for a quick weekday dinner: hot barbeque ham sandwiches. It is a recipe from my mom that I remember from my childhood.
The sauce:
1/4 cup butter
2 T. vinegar
2 T. chili sauce (or extra ketchup and relish)
4 t. ketchup
1 t. worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. sugar
1 t. minced onion
2 t. minced parsley
1 cup boiling water
Feel free to tweak as desired!
Heat thoroughly in a sauce pan. Place about 1 lb. of shaved ham in the sauce and simmer. Remove ham and serve on buns or bread as desired.
This past week, we put the ham on pieces of Italian bread (open faced) and broiled them.
First, know that I hardly ever buy deli meat. The "processedness" of it grosses me out. And, when I compare the cost per pound, I figure I might as well be buying steak. Second, I hardly ever buy any form of ham. So consider this a double rarity that I bought shaved deli ham this past week. It could have something to do with the fact that my husband likes it, it was on sale for $2.50/lb., and I was tired of chicken breasts and ground beef (our usual meats).
This is not the healthest, but it is tasty for a quick weekday dinner: hot barbeque ham sandwiches. It is a recipe from my mom that I remember from my childhood.
The sauce:
1/4 cup butter
2 T. vinegar
2 T. chili sauce (or extra ketchup and relish)
4 t. ketchup
1 t. worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. sugar
1 t. minced onion
2 t. minced parsley
1 cup boiling water
Feel free to tweak as desired!
Heat thoroughly in a sauce pan. Place about 1 lb. of shaved ham in the sauce and simmer. Remove ham and serve on buns or bread as desired.
This past week, we put the ham on pieces of Italian bread (open faced) and broiled them.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Save Handmade
Are you still unaware about the new CPSC testing regulations on children's goods that are about to go into effect? Although the intentions of the regulations are good, they could have disastrous effects, and desperately need reformed. Read here for more.
Spinach Veggie Wraps
I thought this might be a good time to re-share this meal that I originally posted last June... Enjoy!
Spinach Veggie Wraps – from Jason’s Deli
This is one vegetarian item from a restaurant that I actually prefer over non-vegetarian items. (I am not a vegetarian.) I order it every time. It is not expensive at the restaurant, but here is the recipe in case you want to make it yourself.
Ingredients:
Spinach (whatever style you prefer)
Mushroom slices
Fresh avocado slices
Pico de gallo
Sprouts
Monterey jack or asiago cheese
Spinach tortilla wrap
Directions:
Wrap the ingredients in the tortilla and heat through so cheese is melted and wrap is warm. Serve with salsa.
At Jason’s Deli they serve it with a side of fresh fruit w/dip. A yummy, light and healthy lunch!
Visit Tammy's Recipes for more kitchen tips!
Spinach Veggie Wraps – from Jason’s Deli
This is one vegetarian item from a restaurant that I actually prefer over non-vegetarian items. (I am not a vegetarian.) I order it every time. It is not expensive at the restaurant, but here is the recipe in case you want to make it yourself.
Ingredients:
Spinach (whatever style you prefer)
Mushroom slices
Fresh avocado slices
Pico de gallo
Sprouts
Monterey jack or asiago cheese
Spinach tortilla wrap
Directions:
Wrap the ingredients in the tortilla and heat through so cheese is melted and wrap is warm. Serve with salsa.
At Jason’s Deli they serve it with a side of fresh fruit w/dip. A yummy, light and healthy lunch!
Visit Tammy's Recipes for more kitchen tips!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Menu Plan 1/5/08
Breakfasts:
Oatmeal or Cereal
Milk
Smoothies
Lunches:
Leftovers or Sandwiches
Carrots
Yogurt
Fruit
Dinners:
Monday - BBQ Ham Sandwiches (recipe to come), Applesauce
Tuesday - Leftover Baked Ziti*, Vegetables, Bread
Wednesday- Macaroni and Cheese, Vegetables, Apples
Thursday - Beef and Noodles, Vegetables, Oranges
Friday - Sandwiches, Cottage Cheese, Fruit
Saturday - Family Gathering
Sunday - Pizza
*This makes a lot and is great for company!
Visit the Organizing Junkie for more menus!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Welcome, 2009!
Happy new year, everyone. We are recovering from the holiday celebrations here. And they still aren't over, yet! We have one more gathering next weekend. It has all been a good time so far, though. No complaints. However, I may have to stay away from the topic of food for awhile, since there has been just way too much holiday cooking enjoyed lately. My husband and I agree, we feel the need to "cleanse" our house, our life, our digestive systems. Do you know the feeling?
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