Menu Plan 12/27/10

I'm not making a structured plan this week, since it is my vacation week and we will spend some time with family.

I do plan to make this appetizer for the first time for our New Year's Eve party.  I like bruschetta, and I like feta cheese, and this looks like a comination of the two.  Of course, I have to mess with it: I want to use my own Greek seasoning mix since the one from the store contains MSG.  I just have to find a homemade Greek seasoning mix recipe that looks suitable...

My husband gave me some Larabars.  Why haven't I tried these before?  And why didn't I invent them?!  Seriously, the ONLY things in them are fruit and nuts.  Finally, a packaged snack I can feel good about.

I also want to try this pasta recipe.  I am almost certain someone made it for me after my little girl was born.  I've always wanted to duplicate it, but never knew how.

Ok, we'll be eating whatever we can find around here this week, which is lots of random leftovers...  Major grocery shopping planned for the end of the week.

Cranberry Recipes

If you remember, I bought 5 bags of cranberries for 10 cents apiece on clearance at Aldi after Thanksgiving.  I am loving cranberries right now.  Here is a recipe I have made twice now, adapted from this Rasberry or Blueberry Lemon Muffin Recipe.  It uses half of a bag of cranberries.  I have no pictures because we eat them so fast!

Cranberry Vanilla Muffins

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup half and half (I've used cream or whole milk just fine.)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries

Combine dry ingredients.
Combine eggs, cream, extract.
Melt coconut oil and add to we ingredients while stirring.
Stir wet mixture into dry mixture until just moistened.
Carefully fold in berries.
Spoon into muffin pan - I use silicone, but if you don't, you may need to use paper liners.
Bake @ 400 for 18-20 minutes.  (Less for silicone pan, more like 16.)
Makes 18 muffins.

Another recipe that I still hope to try is this Pumpkin Cranberry Bread.  Holy sugar!  Look at that flour to sugar ratio.  No wonder it gets rave reviews :)

By the way, the third and final Crafty Christmas Project is already wrapped, but you can find a photo of a smaller version of it here.  It is the pillowcase dress.  (Just google for directions.  There are lots out there.)

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good-night! :)  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Crafty Christmas Project #2: Fabric Covered Bulletin Board

Or Art Board or Cork Board.  Whatever you want to call it.

I am all about gifts being practical for kids.  At least some of the gifts.

We don't have much wall space at all in our kitchen.  We don't have an office.  We don't have a mudroom.  We don't have very much wallspace in the hallways, either.  So, the little wallspace we have, I don't want crammed full.  Having some clear space on a wall is calming to me.  And the fridge can only handle so much, too (I only allow the sides to have things on them.)

So.  My daughter needs some place to display her artwork.  Because I think that having a place to show it off gives kids some incentive to do quality work (that is the 1st grade teacher in me coming out I guess.)

So.  I made this Christmas present to go on my daughter's wall in her bedroom.  It was easy.

(Oops!  I just realized it is upside-down in the picture.  Sorry!)

1. Iron and starch the fabric.
2. Use a combination of duck tape and hot glue to attach it to the back side of the corkboard.

It's the same method I used to make this easy and cheap wall art for my little boy's nursery.

I will have to take another picture once it is hanging in place on the wall and put to proper use.  I hope she likes it!

Groceries Today and Family Food Favorites

I took a trip to the local grocery store today.  I enjoyed that so much more than going to the big box store.  In my town, those are the only two options.  There are many more choices if you take a ten, twenty, or thirty minute drive down the highway, but I wasn't in the mood.

I like going to the grocery store that employs people I know.  Where locals have lunch meetings at the deli.  Then, I start to think, why don't I go here more often?  Oh, yeah.  The selection is standard American fare.  Any other offerrings cost an arm and a leg.  Which, sometimes, makes things refreshingly simple, in a limited-options-makes-things-easier sort of way.  But that's not always what I am looking for.  But, today, that was what I was looking for.  Standard American fare and a pleasant shopping experience.

So here's what I bought for $23:
5 lbs. of California clementines
4 lb. bag of C&H sugar
(I really wanted to wait until I go to Costco to get some Sugar in the Raw, but I wanted some sugar for the next few days, and I don't think I will be there until a week or more.)
2 bags of fresh rolls from the bakery*
3 bags of Thomas English muffins
1 can of store brand pumpkin
2 bags of store brand red hots*
2 boxes cherry Jello*
2 jars store brand apple sauce*

*Taking to family Christmas dinner: Red Hot Applesauce Jello and rolls

I went to the store only knowing that the clementines were on sale.  It turns out, almost everything else was, too.  So on my receipt it says I saved $16.  That makes me happy.

Ok, so the recipe above is a requested family favorite on my husband's side...

What are we having this Christmas weekend from my family's side?

Taylor's Pork Roll!

OK, probably no one knows what this is, unless you are from Philadelphia or New Jersey.  And, if you know what it is, you know that it is something that is totally uncharacteristic of me to eat.  BUT.  My grandma always brought some Pork Roll and Tastykakes with her when she and my grandpa came for the holidays.  I found a unique deli near my workplace that sells porkroll by the pound, and I buy some once in a while around the holidays.  I like it on sandwiches, with eggs, or on sandwiches with eggs.  It smells so good frying up!  Just like breakfast at my grandma's house.

Homemade Colored Sugar Sprinkles

In a pinch for sprinkles when making these shortbread cookies last week, I followed this recipe for some homemade colored sugar.  It is so easy: 1/4 cup sugar + 5 drops food coloring.  Stir.  Then, shake.  And you're set!

I don't think the color is quite as vibrant as buying some premade, but for costing just pennies, it is great.  I will probably be making colored sugar sprinkles like this again!

Crafty Christmas Project #1: Beaded Jewelry

I like to handmake a few Christmas gifts for my kids, while they are young enough not to care :)  But unlike the Halloween ballet slippers, I am only attempting these projects right now if they are fairly quick, cute, and useful.

Showcasing Crafty Christmas Project #1: beaded neclace and bracelet for my daughter.

Ha.  You can hardly call this crafty.  Even 3 year olds string beads!  Although I'd like to think I am advanced because this requires a little bit more of the fine motor skills since the string and holes are on the small side...  Right?

I got these colored wooden beads for $2 when they were 50% off at Hobby Lobby.  I probably have about 1/3 of the bag leftover still.  I already had stretchy jewelry elastic that I used for the string.  You could use regular string or lanyard cord if you don't care if it is stretchy or not.

So, the whole project cost me about $1.50 out of pocket, and I made the necklace and bracelet while watching a quarter of a football game this afternoon.

What do you think?  They look like cute stocking stuffers to me!  I hope my little girl likes them!

Menu Plan 12/20/10

Last week I spent some money at Walmart, Costco, and Whole Foods (for some de-licious pears), and on farm milk to bring the total on the grocery bill for the month up to $353 out of $400.

I am going to try to avoid the store as much as possible this week.  Maybe just one trip to Costco.

Here's what is on the menu for the coming week....

Breakfasts:
Baked Soaked Oatmeal
Cereal with Milk
Breakfast Casserole
Cranberry Muffins - might try a new recipe...
Bananas or Juice

Lunches:
Homemade Hummus and Pita Chips
PB&J Sandwiches
Leftovers
Carrots
Fruit

Dinners:
Monday - Three Cheese-Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce, Green Beans
Tuesday - Leftovers or Sherried Tomato Soup
Wednesday - Chimichangas, Corn (didn't get to it last week)
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Pizza (crust recipe)
Saturday - Chili* & Cornbread
Sunday - ??

*Not my all-time favorite chili recipe, but my favorite one that the kids can handle eating ;)

Some meals might get rearranged this week... we'll see how it goes.

Groceries Last Week

Nothing exciting to report...

Target: $5 on peanut butter and unsweetened applesauce while I was there gift-shopping for the Angel Tree

Aldi: $34 (I wish I had a picture!)  Once again, I couldn't resist the 3 lb. bags of fruit for $1.29 - got apples and oranges.  My little boy was sick, and so I went to get some saltines and juice and picked up other odds and ends for my mulitple extra cooking projects this month while there.  By the way, I forgot to mention that last weekend, after Thanksgiving, they had the fresh cranberries on clearance for 10 cents (10 CENTS!) a bag, so I bought 5 for the freezer.  I think they are back up to normal price, now, though.

$10 on milk from the farm.

$15 at Price Chopper (saved $19 by shopping store specials, not using any coupons)  Some stuff for cooking projects and other odds and ends to get by.

Total for December so far: have spent $283 out of $400

Menu Plan 12/14/10

This past weekend I made two double batches of these Mom's Mint Christmas Brownies for my neighborhood cookie exchange.  They are the best when chilled!  (They contain very little flour, so I wonder if you could try to substitute a non-wheat flour, if needed...?)  PS - They also won the "Best All-Around Cookie" ribbon :)  Also made some of these Easy Shortbread Cookies for the church's children's program.  (These contain little sugar and no egg, so would be great for anyone with egg allergies.)

Breakfasts:
Feeling uninspired due to all the other baking going on...
Cereal with Milk
or maybe Baked Soaked Oatmeal with Milk
Oranges or Orange Juice

Lunches:
Homemade Hummus and Pita Chips
or PB&J Sandwiches
Carrots with Ranch
Cheese
Crispy Almonds
Pears, Bananas

Dinners:
Monday - Spaghetti Pie (doubled), Broccoli
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Beef Chimichangas, Sweet Corn
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Out to Eat
Saturday - Fish Sticks, Peas
Sunday - Chicken Pot Pie

Make for Parties:
Spinach Balls

Meal for Friend:
I am going in together on this with another friend who is providing the BBQ Brisket and Cheesy Potatoes.  I am making some easy Creamy Crockpot Corn and Swiss Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Take to church:
Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake, Sliced Oranges

Have a great week!

Coffee?

Coffee has been on my mind ever since I read this post called 30 Reasons to Quit Coffee by Cheeseslave.  If you are a daily coffee drinker, you may not want to read it.  Or maybe you do.

I am not a habitual coffee drinker.  But I could easily become one if I am not careful.  It is in my genes :)

Lately, probably due to the cold weather, I have been having a cup of coffee every week or so, always with milk and sugar.  I have always felt guilty about the sugar part, but now that's not my only concern.  Reading the post by Cheeseslave has scared me away from that slippery slope of habitual coffee drinking I was getting close to sliding down.  Thank you, Cheeseslave.  Her list contains a lot of information that pertains to caffeine in general, not just coffee.  Stuff I probably had an inkling about, just didn't want to face.

What's ironic is I started writing this post over the weekend, and on Monday, I read two more blog posts on coffee, one in favor of, and one against. I am surrounded by coffee drinkers in real life; most of those who are near and dear to me are coffee drinkers. One even makes a living via coffee. So I really don't know what I think. I just know that for me personally, coffee could become an addictive "drug", and I don't want to put myself in a position to become addicted.

Will I still drink coffee?  Yes.  I will just be even more careful to treat it as a special treat, just like a decadent chocolate dessert.

My husband?  He doesn't get a racing heart, sleep problems, or the craving to chug as much as he can (unlike myself).  He will probably still drink it nearly every day.  There are worse things.  In fact, according to this WebMD article, it may make him the healthier one....

Thoughts?

Christmas Cookies Book & Recipe

My 3 year old and I enjoy this book very much.

There is a recipe at the end.

It looked easy.  So, I was impulsive, and we gave it a try over the weekend.  It was easy.  The cookies were simple, no fancy tastes, but good!

I wanted to try a glaze recipe that I had received a few years ago.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. warm water (more if needed)

Mix together and spread over cookies while warm.

I let me daughter choose the colors: we had blue cookies with pink sprinkles.

I liked the glaze and would make it again for myself.  It was a bit tart, which I enjoy.  My daughter is eating the cookies without complaining.  But, my husband turned his nose up at it, because if it were up to him, a thick layer of cream cheese frosting would be the only frosting allowed in the universe.  (With this glaze, be ready for a non-traditional taste is all I'm saying.)

Enjoy!

Fresh Sugar Lemon is the Winner

Let me start by saying I am not a perfume person.

If I had a signature scent it would a Bath and Body Works lotion dating back to high school.  I don't think they make it anymore, and it has been a few years since I have worn it.  I still love the smell, but seriously... high school.  Plus, as you know, now I like to go for natural ingredients.

Well, I wanted some perfume to have to wear once in awhile.  Something light and clean and feminine that does not make me feel sick after wearing it for a few minutes.  Warm scents are too strong for me.

I remembered a couple reviews from the Pioneer Woman's Home and Garden channel.

Pacifica Perfumes
They have them at Whole Foods.  I went and tried them out, along with some other perfume-type items nearby on the shelf.  I coudn't find any that I liked on myself long-term.  They all seemd too "warm" for me, or else smelled like a guy.

Fresh Sugar Lemon
I liked the name.  I liked that the perfume seemed unique.  I read the amazing reviews on Amazon and Sephora.  Seemed up my alley scent-wise.  Drawback: safety of fragrance ingredients is unknown.  Wth - I decided to go to the store and give it a try.  Result?  I love the smell.  (Remember: I love tartness and lemonade!)  It is addictive.  So, now I own it.  The only thing I don't like is that the scent does not last very long for me.  Maybe it would last longer in the summer.  Or maybe I should just put more on.  Next time you see me, you might smell my cloud of perfume first ;)

Menu Plan 12/6/10

Well, it looks like it is going to be another month of lots of extra cooking!  I'm counting 7 events for which I am making something.  3 work related parties (taking sides), 1 neighborhood party (cookies), 2 things for church (cookies), and 1 meal for a friend who had a baby.  I am looking forward to it all... but I better get crackin'!

Here's what is planned for this week.

Breakfasts:
Cheerios or Kashi Autumn Wheat with Milk
Eggs and Toast
Some kind of Muffins
Orange Juice
Bananas

Lunches:
Homemade Hummus with Pita Chips
or PB&J Sandwiches
Cottage Cheese or String Cheese
Carrot Sticks with Ranch
Crispy Almonds
Fruit

Dinners:
Monday - Sundried Tomato Pizza, Salad
Tuesday - Dinner with Friends
Wednesday - Steak Sandwiches, Green Beans
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Spicy Bean Soup & Cheese Quesadillas
Saturday - Quick & Easy Alfredo over Pasta, Broccoli
Sunday - Easy Beef BBQ* on Rolls, Mixed Veggies

*Recipe is at the bottom of that menu plan.  My kids love this.

Happy cooking and baking! :)

Grocery Update

I said I wouldn't be mad if we went a little bit over the grocery budget for November since there were so many odd, extra expenses in there ($20 on wipes?)... we ended up $15 over and I'm OK with that.

Now, on to December!

This past week was a big stock up week...$16 at Aldi, $16 at Target on diapers, $33 at Whole Foods (some bulk bin purchases such as beans, cornmeal, also a sack of flour, chapstick - which my daughter already lost!, lotion, steak, potatoes), $9 on milk and eggs from the farm, ....and $114 at Costco.

The only new-to-me item on my Costco list was a big glass jar of sundried tomatoes.  I don't really know what I am going to do with them yet, I just wanted to have some tomatoes on hand and I didn't want the nearly $3/lb regular (I can't really say fresh because they've probably been shipped across the country) tomatoes.

I wasn't planning on any more grocery stops, but then I saw the new ads on Wednesday.  I can't resist 99 cent half-gallons of orange juice.  I love orange juice.  We don't usually have it on a regular basis, because it is expensive and we can go through it like water and that much can't be healthy.  But when it is a good price, I like to buy it.  I figure the extra vitamin C might be helpful this time of year.  So, two stores were having specials, with a limit of two, so I got two at each, plus some other odds and ends that were either on sale, or are things that I can't get Aldi.  I spent $25 between these two stores, plus $6 for the glue to hopefully repair our now-completely-broken pantry door.

Deals: $.99 OJ, $.99 Ragu sauce, $1.99 cottage cheese, free pasta (with purchase of 2 Ragu)

I know this whole thing sounds like a lot of shopping, and I guess it is, especially if you look at how much I spent.  Sometimes this much shopping doesn't work for me.  I coudn't do this every week.  But at the beginning of the month, it is helpful for my sanity to get pretty well set up for the month.

Total: $219 out of $400

Did you buy anything new or fun this week?