Yum! Some Delish Recipes :D

Has anyone noticed I totally blow at catchy titles? Ya, me too 😦 Awe well I am sure it will be okay!
So, I have been the sucktastic queen of the kitchen, as in we have had take out and pizza more times than I care to mention in the last couple weeks. I lost my mojo, couponing, meal planning and cooking just weren’t working for me 😦 Totally a bummer, I think a big part that I became SOO OBSESSED with frugal that I was sad with the lack of really yummy, quality ingredients! Well, Mama got her Mojo back 🙂 Yay buddy!

This week Jay had a play date with a girl who is not big on the eating side of things, so I thought who doesn’t love PIZZA?! So…off I went on a search for a quick and easy dough, I wanted to veer from what is the norm for me and this is what I found on food.com
I added the ingredients from the bottom up and this made 3- 2 people pizzas! So fun, the kids made their own, and soo yummy I topped mine with sweet onions, mex cheese blend (cus that is all I have on hand) and banana peppers

• 2 teaspoons dried granulated yeast
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup water , plus
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. 1
   SOME PIZZA TOPPING IDEAS.
2. 2
   Caramelised onions and roasted garlic.
3. 3
   Mozzarella cheese, Camembert, Romano and Feta (for a really, really cheezy pizza!).
4. 4
   Equal parts of basil pesto and olive oil mixed together with Parmesan or Romano cheese.
5. 5
   Plus some roughly chopped sundried or SEMI-dried tomatoes, sliced black olives and LOTS of grated Mozzarella cheese, salt and lost of freshly ground black pepper!
6. 6
   Cranberry jelly, shredded chicken, sliced Brie!
7. 7
   Mozzarella cheese, shredded chicken and sliced avocado!
8. 8
   Place all the above ingredients in the order I have listed into the bread machine.
9. 9
   Select the dough cycle and press start!
10. 10
    When the dough cycle is complete, take the dough out of the machine and place in well greased bowl, and roll the dough around (in the bowl) thus’coating’ it in oil.
11. 11
    Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1/2 an hour.
12. 12
    Knead the risen dough lightly.
13. 13
    To shape and bake: roll the dough into a circle.
14. 14
    Place on well greased baking tray or pizza pan.
15. 15
    Then add a topping of your choice and bake at 225’C. *I baked at 450
16. 16
    NOTE: for a nice crisp and very thin pizza, bake BEFORE adding the topping AND after!

Last night I opted to continue on my drive out of my comfort zone (IE yummy gourmet-esque foods) and made a Tator Tot Casserole! I am personally opposed to all casseroles because of a horrible Tuna experience over two decades ago, I couldn’t eat lays chips for a long time afterward either :shudder:
But I hopped on Pinterest and let my fingers take me away

 this is what I came up with! Looks totally unhealthy right?!

Believe it or not, it borders on healthy! 

2 cups cream of anything soup with chicken bullion
2 oz velveeta
1 1/2 Cups milk
8-10 Cups broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 bag tater tots, frozen
1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cubes sweet potato/carrot puree
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place soup and milk into a large pot over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in broccoli and puree and cook for 5 additional minutes to soften slightly. Stir in salt, pepper and garlic seasoning. Pour mixture into 11×7 inch baking dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Top evenly with tater tots and cheese; bake for 20 minutes then cover with foil. Bake for an additional 15 minutes with dish covered with foil. Remove from oven and serve.
recipe modified from http://www.meetthedubiens.com 


I haven’t been cooking a ton lately but these two were def successes and with the Alton Brown recipes I have lined up for this upcoming month I am sure that I will have a few super long Wednesday posts 🙂

I had a great post but….

Then I read this  and cried like a baby. So, of course all I can think now is that I miss my daddy and I am so glad Emmy has a great dad

My little girl ❤

Now for some good eaten! I made some tdf Indian food the other night and now you can too!

 Rasa Kayi

4 oz carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1 in pieces

4 oz potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 in pieces

4 oz green beans, scrubbed and cut into 1 in pieces

3 tbsp veggie oil

2 onions diced

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

4 oz cauliflower seperated into florets

1/2 cup coconut milk

Curry Paste like this 

Heat oil in a large pan, add onion, cook until the onion softens. Add the carrots and chili powder, coriander, turmeric and salt to tast. Mix well, lower hear and add the potatoes, cover and cook for 10 minutes

Add the cauliflower and green beans together with the curry paste and mix well. Cook, covered, for another 10-15 minutes 

Remove the pan from the hear and slowly add the cocont milk, stirring to blend well, serve hot.

Poories

1 lb 2 oz chapatti flour or all purpose flour (I used all purpose)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp ghee or oil 

vegetable oil for ddep frying

2 tbsp vegetable oil for rolling

1 tsp carom seeds

1 tsp black onion seeds

Mix together flour, salt, sugar, and seeds in a bowl. Rub in the glee with your fingers until it is thoroughly blended

Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in 1 cup water little by little mixing to make a stiff dough, work the dough well with your hands, then cover for 15 minutes

Divide the dough into 20 pieces and cover once more with the damp cloth. Work one piece at a time, keeping the rest covered

While oil is heating in your wok, roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball: apply a little oil to each ball, using a rolling pin, roll out into a disk about 4 inches in diameter

Deeo fry the breads for 1-2 minutes per side, drain on a paper towel and enjoy 

How Did You Lose The Baby Weight?

I have lost like 15 pounds in the last bit and I get a lot how’d you lose the weight or you look like you have lost weight, whats up?
Well here are two of my favorite secrets :)….
I don’t have the time to hit the gym every day or every week for that matter (as has been proven after two week long rounds of sick kids) so I rock the Pop Pilates and I eat lots and lots of Bon Bons 😀
Okay pick your jaw up off the floor! Yes, I eat Bon Bons and I freakin LOVE them, chocolate and peanut butter…and only 15 calories hellz to the yea!

Sneaky Bon Bon
Ingredients
Topping 3 tbsp sugar

2 orange puree cubes
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup nutella
1/2 old fashioned oats

mix all your ingredients (aside from sugar) together
roll into tsp sized balls
roll balls in sugar
freeze
consume 

Ahh Friday Morning

I love friday something about it is so incredibly refreshing for all that it is and isn’t. Like it is the end of the school week which sends an electric buzz through my house and it isn’t Monday which makes me smile! I am excited for this weekend! We have gymnastics (maybe Brett has been coughing up a storm and while I am certain he is not contagious I am not sure he feels up to it) and Brett has a blood draw, we are taking a trip to the bank (and maybe even the awesome park by the bank). Tomorrow we have pictures with Ania Mikol Photography its a grocery shopping weekend (which means LOTS of new recipes!) My life is all around good and it doesnt hurt one touch that it is Friday! Plus, I made Pancake Muffins for Breakfast…OMFG They were AmaZing and I didn’t eat like 12 of them, only 2 and half the syrup! Want the recipe? How about a recips AND a flour mix that I am in LOVE with? I thought so…

Pancake Muffins
2 cups Krusteez Pancake mix (love it because its egg free 🙂 )
1 1/3 cup water
1-2 cups blueberries
1 brown banana

mix it up baby! Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, preheat oven to 350, spray muffin tin, pour  3/4 full in each tin, bake for 25 ish minutes (check on them though I didn’t time them) remove, let cool and serve with a side of syrup

Flour Mix
1 cup all purpose
1 cup whole wheat
1 cup unsweetened wheat germ

Mix and store, use in place of all purpose flour

frugal….

Okay, when you think about being frugal what do you think of?

I think of Ramen noodles and eggs, I think of kraft mac and cheese and some foods you just don’t want to eat. I think of menu plans, budgets, and misery…is this really what all the rave is about? I mean are you frickin’ serious? It seems so…square, for lack of a better word. Next, I will drive a monotonous mini van, have 2.3 children and have a FUPA…ARE YOU FRICKIN’ SERIOUS? Ya, I wouldn’t want to be that person either!!!

I totally rock my coupon book but I do not have a FUPA or a mini-van, I don’t eat mac + cheese (although I love a designer Macaroni and Cheeses) and I will not cut any of my kids into fractions but I love, love, love menu planning…because I am learning how to make absolutely amazing cuisine, I mean for real I had home made Thai Peanut Curry with rice noodles and Tilapia for dinner Saturday and it cost me like $7 for my ENTIRE family and I am using left overs and making Spring Rolls for dinner, ya beat that!

For anyone wondering if being frugal means being that person, well it doesn’t any more, with the wonders of the Library and Google we really have no reason not to rock the frugal, and while I do budget I know where all my money is at the end of the month, do you?

Awesome Mac and Cheese Muffins

Ingredients
1/4 cup Orange Puree (will be up Wednesday)
2 cups cooked Mac
2 cups shredded yellow cheese
1/2 minced onion sauteed
1 minced bell peppers
1/4 cups butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk

Pre-Heat oven to 350
Saute Onions and peppers
Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl
Put in lined cupcake pan
Sprinkle an additional 1 tbsp of cheese on each muffin
Cook for 21 minutes
When done let cool for 10 minutes
Remove carefully
*Awesome for Freezing for later use*

Calories 155 per muffin

Pregnancy, fish hooks and veggie chili

Sigh- yes, I sigh a lot!
This weekend was the epitome of hell for me
It started well and ended alright but the in-between was well far from a pleasant experience.
Let’s start with saturday…I went to work and it went well! Yay! Until 5 o clock rolled around…Corey starts texting me frantically call me asap, emergency…I call thinking someone fell or something- nope of course it’s more complicated than that (I carpool to work so I only drive halfway)- Brett has a fish hook imbedded in his foot! Fuck me- so I take Beckys car drive to her house grab the truck drive home leave the other two with the neighbors mom- go to the ER have them extract the hook and wait to see if there is a reaction from the tetanus shot…3 hours later we are home! I’m sure the trip will only be about a grand :sigh:…I think my weekend can’t get worse than this…than it does, I head to work Sunday get to work…and a patron of the store asks me…when I’m due! I’m not I just broke into the 130’s and I’m not pregnant I’m losing 😥 sigh so I get off work I go massage Amy…drive pick up the fam in Estes realize I forgot to give Amy her key back drive back to her house drop off the key get home finally…it’s over! Bed!!! Now it’s monday and I have found a fish hook hidden in my boys room and quit my job because I’m honestly next time it will be much worse
So this weekend I have spent a total of $91 in gas, been asked if I’m pregnant and spent 3 hours in the ER…the weeks not off to a much better start oy vey!

The other night we made a yummy veggie chili Our rendition of her recipe! and Rosemary chicken!

Chili
1 can chili beans
1 can kidney bean
1 package chili sauce mix
1 can roasted tomatoes
1/2 onion diced
1 carrot
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 red pepper
2 tbs evoo

Cut/slice/dice veggies and sauté in evoo
Put every thing in a pot and simmer for 30 ish minutes
Eat!

Rosemary Chicken
6 chicken cutlets (or less)
Drizzle of evoo
Sprinkling of Rosemary

Preheat oven to 350
Drizzle evoo on to cutlets sprinkle Rosemary rub in and bake for 20 minutes (or until cooked through!)

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It’s been a long weekend

In a good way! Well mostly…Corey and I got into a fight which sucked but ended well 😉
Actually that something I wanted to write about :eww: Corey and I had lost some of that flame, ya know what I’m talking about right? That feeling, butterflies, kissing and hugging and desire for eachother. We, by all means, have had a rough road and we jumped into all this with two feet. For those of you who don’t know Cj and I met when I was 18 and he was 22, it was a fling (I was engaged) and then feelings started I broke it off with the other guy and we decided at some point a baby would be fun – Jayden was born 2 weeks after I turned 19, we got married 6 weeks before I turned 20, Brett was born 3 weeks before I turned 21 and Emmy was born on my 23rd birthday. Whirlwind – yes, romance – not so much. We have made plenty of mistakes and fallen really well into our roles of mom and dad but neglected lovers. Okay well that’s all leading to…
We made out of hours last night! It was amazing and sensual and touching and feeling! Truly stunning, I’m still feeling butterflies! I wouldn’t call it romance but fun and intimate and giggly- everything out marriage has been missing for so long!! We needed it 🙂 and when we texted this morning it reminded me of how exciting it was the time we talked after our first night together (we made out til 5 am) and I was that excited albeit more rested since we hit the pillows around midnight this time around.
On a less sexy note we went to my mother in laws place yesterday and it was soo fun! It snowed and it was gorgeous (posting pics during nap time) and we got to go for a walk sans kids 🙂 we also made amazing and easy vegetarian lasagna
And of course I’m posting the recipe
Veg lasagna
No boil noodles
Spaghetti sauce
Spinach
Zucchini
Cottage cheese (or ricotta)
Mozzarella
Provolone

Light layer sauce
No bake noodle layer
Sauce
Cheese (all mixed up first)
Spinach
Zucchini
Repeat with sauce on top
Bake for 1:20 minutes at 375
Set on counter for 30 minutes
Enjoy!!!

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

And such is life….

Ah once again I find myself apologies to y’all for my lack of posting…so I am sorry. I was working all weekend and Emmer is having some wicked strange symptoms so off to the doctor we go this afternoon….which I will ofcourse be updating everyone with the outcome this evening I hope it is my just being a nuerotic mama…she has a rare form of the flu 🙂 yay!
Well today I really want to go over our budget with everyone, where it is versus where I would like to see it at I feel like since this is a blog about going from foreclosure to frugal that we should discuss this at least a little bit 🙂 Let me start with I absolutely SUCK with a budget and as such I cut up my cards (debit) last night and trashed them! This is a huge step for me. We will be getting a prepaid debit and loading only enough for gas on it and then automatic payment from the online banking for all the bills and cash for the groceries, I am seriously hoping this will curb the spending. Because quite frankly I blow at the plastic money, I always have! Now give me a thousand dollars cash and I will have 700 at the end of the month LOL…
So here it is (and yes I know its bad)
Ideal Cash Flow Plan
4150 Monthly Income
Charitable Donations 400
Savings 280
Housing 1575
Utilities 400
Food 380
Transportation 600
Debts 400
Medical 115

Reality for this month
4150 Income
Charitable Donations 0
Savings 225
Rent 1575
Utilities 423
Food 700
Transportation 791
Debts 0
Medical 0
Misc 400
Total 4114 35 roll over to groceries for march
Thats PATHETIC!

its the exact same amount of money just distributed in a very ineffective manner 😦
Our goal for March is to pay insurance in full, pay bills (obviously) and rock the savings since we will be getting 500 off rent for three months…end/beg of each month I will be doing this to see how we do 🙂 and let you follow along! Please make your own budget and show me I would love to see what everyone else does 🙂

Now for a YUMMY thrifty treat!
Home Made Falafel
stolen from Epicurious
1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Chopped tomato for garnish
Diced onion for garnish
Diced green bell pepper for garnish
Tahina sauce
Pita bread
print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/My-Favorite-Falafel-231755#ixzz1FJCwVYXg

Marriage and (Grand)Babie

My sons have recently become obsessed with our wedding photos and how daddy was so ‘hamsum’ and how mommy ‘looks like a princess, what happened?’ :they are too young to be asking what happened! Hell I’m too young!!: Well, let me preface this with Jayden my kindergartner thinks ‘getting married’ is the same as sex (or how you get a baby, thanks grandma!). After studying our wedding pics Jayden approaches me with an expression of horror and disgust and asks ‘why did you and dad get married in Church!?’ My response without thinking was ‘because that is where you get married’. A little confused he leaves with an okay…only to return with the question ‘Is that where me and Edie are gonna get married? In a church?’ :Edie is iNgRiDs daughter from Jays previous kindie class: I responded with him I don’t know and texted Ingrid! He then asks if they can name their kids Simba and Mufasa, Edie decided on Limba and Gimba (a boy and a girl) or Bella and Simba (they settled on Bella and Simba). So to recap if you got lost Jayden is planning on getting married to Edie in a church :Jayden is planning on getting a baby in Edies tummy in a Church: Jayden thinks he and his brother and sister were made in a church Jayden and Edie are naming their kids Simba and Bella… I’m old and no longer look like a princess and am also apparently a complete Jezebel!! By the way iNgRiD I am soo excited for our playdate on the 17th, please for both our sakes talk to Edie about protection, bwahahaha or just how to punch my son! Speaking of playdates this is what we will be bringing next week! Pita Pizza Ingredient list Pitas 1 each yellow, red, green pepper slices 2 tablespoons diced asparagus 1/4 red onion sliced 1/4 winter squash diced 1 cup milk 3 tablespoons butter 1 packet alfredo sauce 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons evoo Toppings of choice Sauté all the veggies in balsamic vinegar and a touch of evoo And a wee bit of garlic Take 1/4 of this and put it into a blender or food processor (I used a blender) with the milk and butter, liquify Put the liquid concoction into a small sauce pan with the Alfredo sauce packet Heat and then cool Lightly spread evoo on your pitas to aide in the baking Spread your sauce on the pitas Add topping of choice I did the rest if the veggies, mozzarella and a touch of Brie but Gouda would be tdf also!Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and broil on high for 2 minutes We put ours in the toaster oven for 10 minutes on toast and they turned out perfect!Cut, serve and EAT

Rockstar Review Wednesday

This week I’m reviewing the
Oster Expressbake Bread Maker!
Grade C

Pros makes really good bread dough! Cleans easily

Cons bread comes out looking like this

It takes amazing! But looks like crap and the blade gets stuck in the bottom. It also takes nearly 4 hours to make that bread

Let me say- before I took my happy self to Wal Mart this past Sunday I researched lots and lots of bread makers! I visited my local goodwill hoping to find a breadmaker (unfortunately to no avail!). The Oster Expressbake got like 4/5 star reviews so I figured it would be a good purchase, especially considering I make soo much bread in a week! I was sadly mistaken! Even though the dough is decent and once baked the bread is yummy! The bread is absolutely horrid looking and the blade is always baked into the bread, and it over heats after one loaf 😦
I don’t advise purchasing the Oster Expressbake…in fact mine will be going back to walmart this weekend 😦

-Samantha