Ultimate Recipe Swap: Vegetables

I have been slacking. This pregnancy is kicking my butt. I have been so sick, and so sleepy ALL THE TIME! I had a minute that I felt normal, so I thought I would participate in this weeks Ultimate Recipe Swap. This weeks topic.... Vegetables! 

This is something I've been looking more into lately, as my fiance recently became a vegetarian! 

This is my favorite corn recipe. It's so easy, and so quick! 

Baked Corn

2 cans white shoepeg corn, do not drain

1 stick butter, melted

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Jalapenos, chopped, opt. (I usually use 1 tsp. of the juice from a jar of peppers.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into an 8" square baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Don't forget to stop by Life As Mom for more veggie recipes. 

Ultimate Recipe Swap: Root Veggies

This is my kind of recipe swap! We are potato-aholics in my house! We literally eat potatoes with almost every meal. Usually I just mash them with a little sour cream a lot of butter, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I am, however, a huge fan of potato salad, IF the potatoes are properly cooked. I've found that the best way to achieve the perfect doneness is to steam them. Here is my favorite potato salad recipe... 

Baby Red Potato Salad 

4 cups baby red potatoes, cut in small pieces

½ cup green bell pepper, finely diced

¼ cup red onion, finely diced

3 scallions, diced

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise

salt and fresh pepper

Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, approx 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine red onion, green pepper, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and let the flavors marinade while the potatoes cook. Once the potatoes are done and cool, mix into the bowl and add scallions and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tip: i steam the potatoes instead of boiling them. 

Servings: 6 • Size: ¾ cups • Time: 15 minutes • Calories: 108 • Points: 2 ww points

My other favorite way to use root veggies is in a yummy pot roast! Check out my recipe for Balsamic Roast with Potatoes and Carrots. It's super easy and oh so tasty! 

Don't forget to stop by 

 to check out what every one else is cooking! 

Ultimate Recipe Swap: Herbs and Spices

I have two favorite spices that I use all the time! One is Chili Powder. I usually buy the big thing of Tone's Chili Powder from Sam's Club, because so far it has been the best I've tasted. 

My other favorite spice is the All-Purpose Seasoning that is made by Simply Organic. I sprinkle a little of this one on EVERYTHING it seems!


Here is my recipe for Chili Rubbed Pork Chops! It's a favorite around my house. 


Chili Rubbed Pork Chops

1 ½ tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
20 oz lean boneless pork chop, four ½-inch thick chops

Preheat broiler and coat broiler pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, sugar, cumin and garlic powder. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir until paste forms.

Rub paste onto both sides of each pork chop, place on prepared pan and broil 4 minutes on each side until inside is no longer pink.
Serves 4.
WW Points: 4 pt each

I also like to slice potatoes into wedges and toss them into a zip lock bag, along with a bunch of the All Purpose Seasoning and a couple of tablespoons of EVOO. Then bake at 350F for about 30 mins. Makes perfectly seasoned potato wedges! 


Don't forget to stop by Life As Mom to check out all the other yummy recipe for the week! 

Tuesday Blog Hop *Pets*

So this week's blog hop is about pets! This is a hard one for me seeing as I am not a "pet" person. We have 3 cats and a frog, but none of them are mine. I think I have finally convinced the bf to start looking for a dog. We'll see... I thought for this fabulous pet themed blog hop I would first, give you guys some great recipes for animal treats. Then I'll post some pics of the pets around our house! 

Calico Kitty Ribbons

(For Cats)

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons wheat germ

1/4 cup bran flakes

1/4 cup soy flour

1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon bone meal

1/3 cup milk or water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl, one at a time. Use an electric mixer on a high speed, to beat the ingredients together as you add them. Once everything is in the bowl, be sure to mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are completely incorporated and consistent.

The mixture will begin to form a dough. Knead it with your hands, working to mix any ingredients that aren't completely blended in. The dough should be soft. If it is too sticky, flour your hands, or add a bit of extra flour to the dough.

Transfer the dough out to a floured work surface. Flour a rolling pin, and use it to roll the dough out into a very thin sheet, no more than 1/4" thick; thinner if you can do this without tearing the dough.

Prepare a cookie sheet by lightly misting with non-stick cooking spray. Then use a sharp, non-serrated knife to carefully cut the dough into thin strips about 1/2" inch wide. Slice them to be no more than about 7 or 8 inches long. Or make them shorter if you prefer.

Carefully lay the ribbons onto the prepared cooking sheet, arranging them so that they lay flat, do not touch, and are not twisted or tangled in any way. Continue with the remaining dough until you cannot cut any more ribbons.

Place the ribbons into the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the ribbons are lightly toasted. Watch them carefully, as this thin, narrow shape has a tendency to suddenly cook and then burn. When the ribbons are done cooking, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool considerably, or completely, before serving to your pet.

Beef and Veggie Rice Biscuits

(For Dogs)

1 large jar (about 6 ounces) any vegetable and beef baby food

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup uncooked rice

1 package unflavored jello

1 cup powdered dry milk

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/2 teaspoons)

1/3 cup very warm water (110 degrees)

1 egg

1 beef bouillon cube

3/4 cup water

Cook the rice first, or ahead of time, if desired. You may follow the directions on the box, or add the rice to a heavy pot with a lid. Cover the rice with a generous amount of water. Then cover the pot, and bring the water and rice to a boil over high heat. When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium. Let the rice cook for about 5-10 minutes more. Then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is puffed and soft. When it is done, drain the rice well and let it cool completely.

When the rice is considerably cooled, preheat the oven to 300°F. Add the 3/4 cup of water to a small saucepan. Heat it over medium heat until the water just begins to boil. Then turn off the heat. Drop the bouillon cube into the hot water, and stir it until it dissolves.

Add the warm water to a small cup or bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and then stir gently until the yeast is dissolved.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, gelatin powder, and dry milk. Mix well by stirring or sifting together.

Pour the bouillon mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the yeast/water mixture. Then add the baby food, the egg, and 1 cup of the cooked rice. Stir well, by hand, for several minutes, or until all the ingredients are completely incorporated into the mixture. You should have a dough begin to form.

Knead the dough inside the bowl with your hands, working to blend in any remaining ingredients and help make the dough easy to manage. It should be very dry.

Transfer the dough out to a floured surface. Knead a few times, then, with a rolling pin, roll the dough into a sheet about 1/4" thick.

Prepare a cookie or baking sheet by greasing with margarine, oil, or by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Then, using a cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into the desired shapes. Or, you can use a knife to cut the dough into squares or bars. As you cut out each shape, arrange it onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Repeat with the remaining dough, reusing any scraps that form, until you run out of dough and can no longer make any more cut outs. Then once all the dough is arranged onto the cookie sheet, place it into the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the heat when finished baking, and let the biscuits cool completely. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen, depending on size.

Birdie Birthday Cake

(For Birds)

1/2 cup Cheerios® or Kix® cereal (or similar)

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 egg

strawberries, as needed

Add the Cheerios® or Kix® cereal to a large plastic Ziploc® Bag. Then use a rolling pin to crush the cereal into coarse powder. When all the cereal has been reduced to crumbs, pour it into a small mixing bowl.

Add the peanut butter, and egg. Mix well, using an electric blender to thoroughly combine all the ingredients until smooth and consistent.

Transfer the mixture to a very small bowl, such as a cereal or dessert bowl. Make sure you use a microwave safe bowl. Then place the bowl into the microwave and cook it for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the microwave. It will be slightly soft, but if it seems too gooey, place it into the microwave for about 10-20 seconds more.

Carefully remove the cake form the cereal bowl and invert it onto a plate. Check to see the cake is not gooey or watery. If it is, microwave it for another 10-20 seconds.

Place a handful or so of fresh strawberries in an individual sized bowl. Then mash the strawberries into a paste using a large spoon or other utensil. A few chunks are okay.

Frost the cake with the mashed strawberry. Decorate it, if desired, using small pieces of cut fruit, pieces of bird food such as pellets, chopped nuts, etc. Or serve the cake plain. To serve, simply cut off a slice appropriate to your bird’s size. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Makes 1 small cake.

Fruitcake Corn Balls 

(For Mice, Rats, Hamsters, Gerbils, Chinchillas, and similar, small rodents)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup assorted dried fruit pieces

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup any unsweetened fruit juice

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Prepare a cookie or baking sheet by misting it lightly with non-stick cooking spray

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all to the ingredients except for the fruit juice. It the dried fruit pieces you are using are fairly large, you may want to mince them into tiny, very fine pieces before adding them to the mix. Try not to use any piece that is larger than a pea, and much smaller than that is ideal. Use an electric mixer on a high speed to thoroughly combine all of the ingredients until everything is completely consistent and fully incorporated into the mix. Once you have mixed all of these ingredients, you will have a thick, dry, crumbly mixture.

Slowly begin to add the fruit juice to the mixture, about a tablespoon at a time. Make sure the juice is completely blended in before adding more. Only add as much juice as you need to get a firm dough that is not sticky, but is soft enough to be molded easily and it not at all crumbly.

Once the dough is sufficient, begin to shape it by tearing off small pieces and rolling them between your fingers to form small, marble sized balls. As you form each ball, place it gently onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Continue with the rest of the dough until you run out of dough and can no longer make any more balls. Arrange the balls fairly close to one another, as they won’t expand or spread out, but do not crowd them.

Once all the balls have been formed, place them into the preheated oven. Bake the balls for about 45 minutes, then turn off the oven completely, but leave them inside and cool, dry out, and harden until very crunchy. The next morning, or once they are completely cool, remove them from the oven. Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Makes about 4 dozen balls.

Jezebel (she's the mom to the other 2)

Lucifer... he's our good kitty! 

Azrael... as you can see from this pic... she's wild! 

Archimedes... I don't know what to say about this one... she's boring :P 

Tuesday Blog Hop: Serving Others

Today's topic is serving others. I've decided to put my wonderful green spin on it and tell you 25 ways you can help save your planet. What better way to serve people than by making sure they always have a planet to call home!

1. Recycle
2. Turn off unneeded lights in rooms you're not using.
3. Check that your water heater temp is set at 120 F, and wrap it with an insulated blanket. 
4. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every use, so that it uses less energy. 
5. Wash clothes in warm or cold water, instead of hot. 
6. Use the compact fluorescent light bulbs. Not only will they save energy, but they save you money as well.
7. Install weather stripping around doors and windows.
8. Plant trees to shade your home (and only trim them back at much as you HAVE to) 
9. Start buy "green-friendly" household cleaners. 
10. Have your home tested for Radon. 
11. Copy and print on both sides of the paper. 
12. When at all possible, use recycled products.
13. Use a low-flow shower head. 
14. Make a compost pile. 
15. Leave the grass clippings on the yard when you mow, so that they will decompose and return much needed nutrients back into the ground. 
16. Use natural fertilizer and pesticides. 
17. Walk whenever possible. 
18. Hang clothes up to dry instead of turning on the dryer. 
19. Start your own garden.
20. Fix all the water leaks around your home. 
21. Cut back on the plastic bottles.
22. Don't buy products that have a bunch of packaging.
23. Cut meat out of your diet at least once a week. 
24. Buy local foods and support local business'. 
25. Go paperless. Reroute all your bills and bank statements to your email. 

For more tips and info on going green, check out my Go Green page. 

Frugal Friday

 

People spend a lot of time and a lot of money on food!

I used to spend upwards of $400 to feed a family of 4! When the economic downturn happened I had to start finding ways to pinch a few pennies. Groceries seemed to be one of obvious choices for downsizing. I read article after article on how to cut grocery costs, but in the end I just had to find my own way. So, for Frugal Friday I thought I would share my top 10 ways to be frugal at the grocery store. These tips have helped cut my monthly grocery bill from over $400 to under $250! 

#1

Keeping an inventory of what you have

I think the number one thing that has helped me cut costs is keeping a list of what I already have in my fridge, freezer, and pantry. I don't know how many times I would go grocery shopping and not realize that I already had what I was about to buy in my freezer. I have recently discover Springpad. It has an app on it that allows you to keep a running total of everything in your kitchen (You can also use evernote.) It has made keeping up with this a breeze. Keeping a running list will also help you with #2.

#2

Meal Planning

MEAL PLAN! I cannot say this enough. I have friends asking me all the time how I manage to cut costs so much. Meal planning is the answer. Now most people think when I say meal plan, I mean plan out what meals you're eating on what nights. That can be a lot of work, and who knows what they'll be hungry for on specific nights? I sit down at the end of each month and write 1 through however many days are in that month, and then just make a list of different dinners that we will eat. As long as I have enough for every night that month, then I'm good. Then I'll usually do the same for side dishes, breads, breakfasts, and sweets that I want to make that month. Usually I'll post the list in the kitchen, so that the kids can help me pick out what we're going to cook that night. This is also where that list I talked about in #1 comes in handy. Make sure you have it handy when you're doing this. That way you can be sure to use up things you already have on hand. You'll be surprised at how much this will save you. Check out the meal plan templates over at Money Saving Mom and $5 Dinners.

#3

Always have a grocery list

Research shows that 60-70% of what ends up in your grocery cart is unplanned!

Make a grocery list. 

If you've done numbers 1 and 2 then this one should be a cinch! Never, ever go into a grocery store without a list. Statistics show that you, on average will spend $1 for every minute you're in a grocery store... IF you don't have a list. People who have grocery lists made spend significantly lower amounts on money on groceries... It pays to be a little more organized sometimes!  

#4

Check to see what's on sale, and clip coupons

Make sure you're getting the best deal on everything you buy. This tip can be a little time consuming, but in the end it will pay off. Check the circulars of your local grocery stores while your making your meal plan. If chicken breasts are on sale then plan on cooking more chicken that month, instead of paying more for a different meat. BUT, realize that if Aldi's has something for $1.00 and Kroger has it for $1.25, that it might not be be best deal to drive to Aldi's for the $0.25 off if you weren't already going there. I used to shop at 4 different grocery stores, and thought I was getting the best deals. Now I only shop at 2 and I'm spending less money. Also, there are so many places online where you can find coupons. Anymore it seems as if you can go to any company's website and print off coupons for their products. Here is a great guide for starting out in the coupon world, and here are some of my favorite blogs where I get my coupon info...

#5

Watch for manager specials (markdowns)

Shop the markdowns. Remember that expiration dates are a suggestion. Most items have a "best if used" date or a "sell by" date. When an item gets close to these dates stores will mark them down drastically (sometimes up to 75%). I buy a lot of my organic products and meats this way. Product will usually last at least a week, usually even longer than the date on it. 

#6

Don't take the kiddos

This is a hard one sometimes. All of us have had to take out kids to the store with us. The problem with this is that all grocery stores are expecting it. They place all the high priced goodies that children love right where  they can get their hands on it, and honestly, sometimes it's just easier to give in and buy it! That's why it's usually best to not take them, and if you don't have a choice, then keep them in the cart. It usually helps how much they can actually reach, and it is normally high enough to where they can't get to the flashy stuff. 

#7

Premade mixes are not your friend

Cake mixes, cookie mixes, bisquick, ect... sure, they might make things a tad bit easier, but in the end you're just wasting money. You have to make a decision on which is more important... convenience or price. Usually you can make all of those handy little mixes for under half the price (usually more than that) 

Check out this post at Life As Mom for a how-to on making your own mixes.

#8

Don't grab the first thing you see at the store

Stores will try and trick you into buy a more expensive item. They are very tricky in this way. They make sure to put the eye candy and things are more of an impulse buy right at eye level. Also, stay away from end of the aisle displays. Make sure you go ahead and shop for whatever it is IN the aisle, so that you can do a side by side comparison of the other brands. Just because it's on sale does not mean it's a bargain. 

#9

Go to the grocery during off hours and never go hungry

Know your grocery store. Know what the best and worst times to shop are. Usually it's a safe bet that from the time school gets out until about 8pm stores are normally their busiest. Early morning is 9 times out of 10 better. If the store is crowded you will feel rushed and get frustrated. You'll end up just tossing things in the cart to get out of there, instead of bargain shopping. You're also more likely to forget things and less likely to use your coupons. Also, make sure you aren't hungry. If you're hungry you will end up buying the whole store! And finally....

#10

Bulk shop during great sales

If you see that a store is having a fabulous sale on something that your family eats regularly, then stock up! You will save a bunch of money in the end. Meats, cheese, canned goods... these are all good things that if on sale, you should buy more of. Stick it in the freezer and you'll not only guarantee that you'll have enough throughout this month, but maybe over the next couple of months. 

So there we have it. My 10 tips to frugal grocery shopping! 

For more frugal tips, head over to Life As Mom for the Frugal Friday blog hop.

Ultimate Recipe Swap: Flour

 

Today, over at Life As Mom the topic of conversation is FLOUR.

Honestly, baking is just not my thing. I will do it, and sometimes I even enjoy it. Usually though, when I bake, I do it from scratch. I despise boxed mixes even more than baking from scratch! 

So here are a few of my favorite recipes that use FLOUR.

Basic Whole Wheat Pancakes
*Found at Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes*

1 cup whole wheat FLOUR
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup 1% milk
3 large egg whites
2 tsp oil
1 tbsp sugar or honey
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
butter flavor cooking spray

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix well with a spoon until there are no more dry spots. Don't over-mix.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Spray oil to lightly coat and pour ¼ cup of pancake batter. When the pancake starts to bubble, you may add your fruit if you wish. When the bubbles settle and the edges begin to set, flip the pancakes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.

Top with fruit, preserves, honey, or your favorite sugar-free syrup. (extra points)

Servings: 4 * Size: 2 pancakes * Time: 15 minutes * Calories: 294 * Points: 3.5 ww point

Country Butter Biscuits

1/3 c Shortening
2c all purpose FLOUR
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/4 c FIRM butter
about 3/4 c milk

Preheat oven to 450. Combine FLOUR, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut shortening into mixture until it resembles fine crumbs (I use a fork for this). Cut butter into 1/4'' pieces (I cannot stress how important it is to keep the butter chilled and firm for this). Toss with FLOUR mixture (Do not mash them down.) Stir in just enough milk till dough balls up and leaves the sides of the bowl (it usually takes the entire 3/4c plus about another T. for me).

Turn dough onto lightly FLOURed surface. Gently roll to coat. Now here is the trick to getting perfect fluffy, flaky biscuits. You do NOT want to over work the dough. It will make them dry and dense. I usually knead my dough about 10 times. Also, if you will fold the dough, then mash it down instead of kneading it with your fists, it will create the layers.

So fold it over itself and knead about 10 times. Then roll or pat dough out to about 1/2'' thick and cut with floured 3'' cutter. Place 1'' apart on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 mins. Remove immediately and brush tops with melted butter! 

Homemade Samoas (a.k.a. Caramel de-Lites)*Found at Baking Bites*

Cookies
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose FLOUR
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in FLOUR, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra FLOUR if your dough is very sticky.
Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough. Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.
While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.
Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.
Note: These cookies are fairly time consuming to make, but if you take your time and have fun with them, the results will be worth it.  

So head on over to Life As Mom and hop from blog to blog for some new recipes!

Tuesday Blog Hop *Favorite Photos*

 Here are a few of my favorite photos! Hope you enjoy!

 

This pic is of my daughter, Kali. She found a, as she calls them, "wok", and was so excited to show me.

My fiance, Wezul, and my daughter, Kali. This picture completely embodies their relationship! They are so incredibly goofy, especially when there is a camera present!

If the previous picture portrays my fiance and my daughter, then this one is perfect for him and his daughter. He is a naturally goofy person, and usually she just stands there giving him that "what are you doing" look!

This is one of my favorites of my fiance and myself. He was laying on my back and I just randomly snapped a picture!