2 New Costco Finds

I was excited to get two new things at Costco yesterday.  I had been hearing about these things, but had yet to find them at one of our local stores until now.

• Nitrate free bacon
• Premade, refrigerated, cook-them-yourself flour tortillas

I really don't know that these items are any better for you than the conventional items, but here are my reasons for trying them:  Nitrates are on lists of food additives to avoid.  These tortillas have 5 ingredients and no hydrogenated oils.  So I feel pretty good about giving these new goodies a shot.

And, sheesh, does anyone else pay 9+% sales tax??

Menu Plan 7/26/10

Breakfasts:
Granola with Milk
Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Fruit

Lunches:
PB&J Sandwiches
Carrots
Yogurt
Fruit

Dinners:
Monday - BLT's
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Fresh Pasta Salad
Thursday - Dinner with friends
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Homemade Crispy Crust Spinach Pizza
Sunday - Omelets and Hash Browns

Happy eating!

Super Savings

I think I scored some good deals at a consignment sale last week. That was the first time I’ve bought anything at one. I had the kids with me – so the little one went in my mei tai carrier (in front) and the bigger one went in the stroller. We went late in the day when it wasn’t crowded, so it wasn’t as stressful as I thought it would be. I had an awesome gift certificate from a blog giveaway to spend. I was looking for winter boots for the kids but didn’t find any. I did find them 3 winter coats (two in different sizes for my daughter and one for my son), snow pants for my daughter, and a cute purple Addidas track suit for my daughter. The total was $24.99 and I had a $25 gift certificate!

Projects

...for my children's bedrooms...

#1 Flag Banner – Check.

Cheap, under $4, total. Clearance scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby cut and sewn to bias tape from Wal-Mart.

#2 Mirror – Help Wanted!

If you have an opinion, please weigh in on what I should do with the $3 rummage sale mirror in my daughter’s room. Here are some pictures of her room.  It is pretty small; I think 10x10 or so.

The room is somewhat cramped right now because the play kitchen and white table (not pictured) are in there. They might go back to the living room or to the basement at some point. The mirror is just hanging in that spot because there was already a nail there, but it can be moved. Should I paint it? Right now the gold does not match any other hardware in the room. And if so, what color?

#3 Chandelier - Help Wanted!

I am thinking of painting and putting the $3 chandelier up in place of the pendant light that is currently hanging from the ceiling in there. Yes or no?  Color?

#4 Painted Letters (to spell my son’s name for his bedroom wall) – My daughter's are pale pink and white, his will be red and white.  My goal is to do this by his birthday, which is coming up soon in August...

Let me know if you have any more fun, easy projects I should try!

Menu Plan 7/19/10

Breakfasts:
Granola with Milk
Fruit

Lunches:
Chicken and Cheese Sandwiches
Yogurt
Carrots
Fruit

Dinners:
Monday - Roasted Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Green Beans
Tuesday - Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup, Salad*
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Mom's Lasagna (with meat this time), Salad, Garlic Bread
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Out to Eat
Sunday - ??

Desserts:
Healthy Strawberry Shortcake
Surprise Cupcakes
(It's my birthday week!)

* I am trying to find things to make that use up my chicken stock.  I have a some in the freezer (from everytime I roast a chicken) and I don't want to throw it out and waste it!  So, I am trying to find uses for it.  Suggestions welcome!

Are you reading this?

Catalog Living

It's fairly new.  Some quick, easy humor for your day.  Every once in awhile it truly makes me laugh out loud.

Mid-week Musings

I guess I may as well accept the fact that I am blogging lightly this summer and stop feeling guilty about it.  There are just too many other things that deserve my time.  When colder weather rolls around, there will likely be more time for the computer.

No menu plan this week.  I have been just emptying the fridge and freezer for awhile.  Didn't really think there were that many feasible meals in there!  And we have been doing some travelling, so that makes things last longer, too.  It is now time to go shopping, though!

Ah, yes. The annual rummage sale at my place of work. For $7, I got a gold edged oval wall mirror ($3), brass chandelier ($3), and like new hardback children's book ($1).  Now, to paint, or not to paint, the mirror?  I'm thinking paint, since the other hardware in my daughter's room is silvery or glass. But I'm not sure.  Color? And the chandelier, also for her room... what color?  I go round and round. Can't decide.  Please help. Especially you people with an eye for that.... Hello, Lori?  Oh, wait, I guess I should share some recent pictures of her room, first.  Except it is too dark for that right now.

I'm hungry!  And there is nothing to snack on as well as nothing for breakfast except fruit.  I think I will make some blueberry muffins, now!

Menu Plan 7/5/10

Happy Independence Day!

Breakfasts:
Granola (new recipe) with Milk
Strawberries

Lunches:
Sandwiches
Yogurt, Cheese
Peaches, Plums

Dinners:
Monday - Salmon Burgers, Peas, Cornbread
Tuesday - BBQ Meatballs, Coleslaw, Cornbread
Wednesday - Dinner at Bible Study; Leftovers for my husband

Thursday - Egg Salad Sandwiches, Salad
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Cookout with Family
Sunday - Leftovers

Snacks:
Popcorn

Dessert:
Frozen Banana Split Bars (new recipe, weekend treat)

Cake Ball Success

I wanted to title this post "Easy Cake Balls" but they weren't really that easy in practice.  A long time ago I had mentioned wanting to make these for a special occasion, perhaps my daughter's birthday.

I looked at lots of pictures of them on Bakerella and decided to do the Red Velvet Cake Balls.  I planned to cover them with pale pink and brown chocolate coating with pink sprinkles.  These would be birthday treats for my daughter to take to her mini day camp to share.

Here's what I learned:
1. It takes a long time to roll the little cake balls in your hands before freezing.
2. Smaller is better, though, because they are easier to cover neatly with the candy coating.
3. You can dye the white chocolate to pink.
4.  If you are using dark cake, use a dark candy coating, though.  It looks much better.
5.  It may have been a good idea to have bought lollipop sticks (which I didn't) to make cake pops.

I tried several methods for covering with  frozen cake balls with the melted candy coating.  What ended up working best for me was to leave the naked cake balls on the cookie sheet. I used a small spoon to spoon some of the melted chocolate on top of one and then carefully spread it down the sides so that all visible surface was covered.  Then, I sprinkled on sprinkles before it cooled.

Repeated a thousand times.

Round 1:

Practice eventually made perfect.  Or at least a little closer to it (and a little further away from disastrous.)

Round 2:

Just kidding, it was fun to make them, even if it did take longer than I had hoped.  I was just glad that by the end, I had some that were presentable and shareable.  Even if it was after dark and I couldn't take good pictures of them.

They are fun to eat, too!