Frugal Grocery Shopping

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Frugal grocery shopping sounds easier than it actually is.  Especially if you are like me and don't want to take the time to clip coupons.  It IS possible to be budget-friendly and skip the coupons. There's a little work that goes into it, but it's worth it! Here's how I do it! 

We budget about $300-$320 a month on groceries.  I do a combination of shopping at Costco (for staple items like bread, fruit, sale items, etc) and Safeway, except for big meat trips, which I tend to do at Winco about once every 3 months. That is another added cost but I sometimes don't even have to do it, depending on how awesome the sales are at Safeway (or how lucky I get with the clearance bin!) 

Meal Plan and Make a List

Take note of what you DO have in your pantry and fridge, surf Pinterest (I love Pinterest for this! Follow me here!) and try to double up ingredients.  Say you are having breakfast for dinner one night and you will buy bacon.  Why not have BLT's one night too? Or a pasta dish that you can use leftover bacon in? I know, leftover bacon.. Blasphemy!  I sit down and write out a not-so-organized list of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for 7-10 days at a time. I also try to include whatever Joe is taking for lunch that week, and any baked goods I'll make for snacks and dessert. This is usually what it looks like.

 My grocery list is usually right underneath, and I rip it off before I go to the store.   Meal planning is a huge part of being frugal, I think.  It prevents so many "eh screw it" moments because you aren't sure what to cook. 

Use grocery coupon apps

I usually have this open while I'm meal planning.  I just use the Safeway app.  I really love that there are almost always free offers (who doesn't love free food?!) and it narrows most things down to what my cost will be.  I'm no super mom, and remembering whether 50 cents off that package of cheese is a better deal than the cheese I usually buy just doesn't work for me.  I tend to write on my list next to the item whether there was an electronic coupon on a specific brand so I can accurately compare at the store.  If you aren't sure, just add the coupon to your card anyway.  No big deal if you don't use it, but if you happen to pick up an item it applies to but weren't planning, it's like a bonus. 

Use grocery cash back apps

This usually is best if you check the app before you go grocery shopping (and again I write down on my list which items have big cash back) but it can save you a boatload if you utilize it. I use Checkout51, Ibotta, and ReceiptHog. 

 Checkout51 has generic items- like fruit, milk, eggs.  This means you can buy them at most any store and get cash back for it, regardless of brand.  It's not a lot, but when I stack it with the other cash back apps, I get some pretty good deals.  Plus, it's just a matter of uploading a picture of my receipt and checking off what I bought.  In one month, I've gotten $4.25 back.  

Ibotta has a lot of cash back opportunities, including apparel and home improvement stores.  I don't find that I usually claim a lot of offers, but the bonuses I get are well worth it.  Like this week all I had to do was redeem 3 offers to get an extra 50 cents.  I have a harder time with Ibotta because I'm not always sure what brand I'll buy, and the offers are brand specific.  This is another time I make a note on my list.  My list is usually kind of a mess, but I understand it :)  I've earned over $10 cash back in the last month with this app.  

ReceiptHog is really simple.  Currently I think they only give perks for grocery shopping, but it's pretty broad.  You get coins for your receipts, and feed them to the hog.  1000 coins equals $5.  I get 10-20 coins per receipt, so this is slow going.  However, you get spins on the slot machine each week that you upload a receipt that can earn you extra coins or cash.  And there's no matching offers, you simply take a picture of your receipt and you are done.  After 5 weeks of uploading at least 1 receipt per week, you go "hog wild" and you get more perks.  I'm not there yet but I'll try to update because I have no idea what that gets you! 

There are probably more apps than this, but this is what I personally use to grocery shop.  

Keep your fridge and pantry organized

I cannot stress this one enough.  It's so hard to know what you have if everything is a mess.  I can't tell you how many times I've wasted things, or bought 2 because I didn't know what I already had.  This can cost you a lot of money in the long run.  It can make frugal grocery shopping totally pointless. 

There you have it! That's all I do.  We probably don't save a ton by using the apps, but every little bit helps! 

Easy Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

I don't know how it happens, but we always seem to end up with just a little chicken leftover from one dinner or another.  I always hate to throw it out.  I thought I could use the chicken from earlier in the week (about 1/2 a Cajun seasoned chicken breast) to make some sort of pasta dish.  I'm making Enchilada Pie in a couple of days, so decided I better steer clear of anything Mexican.  Easy Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Pasta is what I came up with, just out of the things in my pantry and freezer! 

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken breast, cooked & cubed (think leftovers, I had about 1 cup) 

8 oz pasta, cooked according to package directions (rigatoni, farafalle, elbow mac.. You choose!)

1-10.75 oz can broccoli cheese soup

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dehydrated onion

1-12 oz bag of frozen broccoli cuts

Directions:

Mix the soup, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, onion, and chicken in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.  Add the broccoli and simmer.  Mix in the pasta and grated cheese until melted.  Eat! Very simple! 

We have put ourselves on a bit of a budget since our air conditioner repair, and so I'm trying really hard to come up with things that are easy to cook, so I will actually do it, and that use up everything.  I'm a huge food hoarder, so we have tons of stuff in our two freezers and our pantry and fridge to use.  My goal is to throw away less food and cook 6 nights out of the week, even if that means just pulling something from the freezer and heating it up.   I've been stock piling frozen meals, although that may just be me nesting :) 

This recipe is particularly nice because I didn't use up any additional meat, just meat that would have gone to waste. We eat meatless one night a week now, unless there's leftovers to incorporate into a dish, like this!  I suppose you could also use canned chicken or rice instead of pasta in this, although my family wouldn't be thrilled with that.   

If you happen to make this, let me know how it turns out! 

Chinese Spaghetti

This is a recipe I got in high school from an awesome teacher- Mrs. Griffis- and I altered some. It's pretty simple and quick to make and is a nice twist on traditional spaghetti.  In fact, chinese spaghetti is nothing like regular spaghetti, except the noodles and ground beef!

Ingredients:

1 pound extra lean ground beef (or turkey if you prefer) 

2 Tablespoons vegetable, peanut, or sesame oil

2 to 3 cups of carrots, julienned (think matchsticks!)

2+1 Tablespoons soy sauce, divided

2+2 teaspoons corn starch, divided

1 teaspoon sugar 

Dash of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, chopped

1 to 2 teasonpoons of Chinese chili garlic sauce (pictured below- the more, the spicier)

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 pound spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

Before you begin gathering your other ingredients, place in a bowl or a ziplock (less clean up) 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons corn starch, sugar, and black pepper.  Crumble the ground beef or turkey into the mixture and mix together.  (if you do this step earlier in the day it's best, but not necessary!) Gather your ingredients, chop/slice your veggies while this sits.  

Mix the chicken broth, 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons corn starch in a small bowl (I just use my 2 cup glass measuring cup).  Set aside.

Brown hamburger or turkey in a large skillet or wok.  Drain and set aside.  In the same pan, add your oil and heat over medium high heat. Add garlic, green onion, chili garlic sauce, ginger, and carrots.  Stir fry 2 to 3 minutes.  You want your carrots tender but not mushy!  Throw the browned hamburger back in the pan with the carrots and seasonings.  Stir fry another minute.  Add chicken broth mixture and stir until it begins to thicken.  Drain your spaghetti and add it to the pan.  Mix well and enjoy! 

I also like to add broccoli to this sometimes, or mushrooms or water chestnuts, or whatever veggie we have on hand.  If there isn't enough sauce for you, you can always increase it.  It's an easy recipe to just play around with.  I sometimes will mix up the ground beef with the marinade and cook ahead of time which cuts out some prep work.  I also "cheat" and buy my carrots already julienned :)  

 If you have trouble finding the chili garlic sauce, this is what it looks like! It lasts forever but I add it to a lot of asian inspired dishes to give it a little kick.  Just remember that a little goes a very long ways! 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I love some good comfort food.  Homemade macaroni and cheese is a go-to for us in the winter months.  Especially if you have leftover ham from the holidays.  Yesterday we had family come to visit and my job was to make mac and cheese (and make my house presentable of course, although that's no fun!) to go with the ham my mom brought. 

This is a recipe I really just pulled out of my you-know-what.  I have had it for so long that I don't even know where it came from, but I think it was from experimenting with beschamel sauces at least 8+ years ago.  Now I pretty much know it by heart.  Also, this is comfort food.. So I wouldn't call it healthy!

Ingredients

8 oz elbow macaroni (or whatever shape you prefer)
1/4 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 to 1/3 cup flour (it isn't an exact science to make a roux!)
3 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
Paprika
Cooking spray
Breadcrumbs  (optional-I don't use them)

First you want to spray a 9x13 inch pain with cooking spray.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Start a pan of water boiling for your pasta.  Cook pasta according to package directions (you can do this while you make the sauce!)

For the cheese sauce go ahead and slap that stick of butter into a medium sized sauce pan (I used my 2 quart) and turn on to medium heat.  Melt it completely.

Next you will want to add the flour, a few tablespoons at a time, to make a roux. Whisk it constantly. After you have added it, cook it over medium low heat for 1-2 minutes, still whisking constantly (it will burn if you stop!) I know, I know.. How the heck are you supposed to keep a close eye on something with a kid at your feet saying "pick me up mama, hold me!"  Lesson learned, make this during nap time or while a very interesting cartoon is on! 

It should look like this now:

Now you will want to add your milk, slowly while whisking.  

Just looks like plain old boring milk now, right? Reduce your heat to low and add all but 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. 

Continue to stir constantly over low to medium heat until cheese has melted.  If you can't get it to melt all the way, that's okay.  Sharp cheddar sometimes is tough!  Just do your best and keep stirring. 

After it's melted, you'll want to turn up the heat a little bit until it thickens.  It should look like this by now:

Set it aside and let it cool a bit.  Meanwhile, pour your cooked & drained pasta into your greased 9x13 baking dish.  Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir to coat.  

Next step is to spread the remaining cheese over the top (and/or your breadcrumbs if you would like) and dust it with paprika. 

Now bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until bubbly! Or you can cover and put in the fridge and bake later, too.  Enjoy! 

 I wish I had a picture of this finished but Dawson decided he had to have some before it even came out of the oven.  After that I completely forgot.  Oh well! Still a great recipe and we ate nearly all of it! Joe is polishing off the leftovers right now :)

Italian Meatball Sub Casserole

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a meatball sub recipe.  The original recipe can be found HERE.

I changed it a little bit, and  this made 2 pie pans to freeze and a loaf pan for dinner tonight. Here's what I came up with! 

Italian Meatball Sub Casserole

1 round loaf of French or sourdough bread, cubed or torn into 1 inch pieces

1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise 

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1- 24 ounce can of pasta sauce

1- 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

2-3 lbs Italian meatballs, thawed (I used about half of a 6 lb costco size bag!)

Nonstick spray (like Pam) 

Spray either a 9x13 or a few pans if you are going to freeze.  Cover the bottom of the pan in cubed bread.  If freezing, put the pans in the freezer to firm up/freeze the bread cubes.  

Mix the cream cheese, yogurt, mayo, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on top of bread. 

Sprinkle a small amount of mozzarella over the top.  

Mix together the pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and meatballs.  Spread a layer over the top of the bread and cheese in the pan(s). 

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top.  

Cover with foil if baking right away.  If freezing, cover with foil and then plastic wrap.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Take off foil & bake an additional 10 minutes.  Serve! 

The only thing I think I'll do different next time is to use the crust pieces of the bread more, and less of the middle because it got a little soggy.  Also, I had to bake it a bit longer because my meatballs were still a little frozen.  So definitely needs to be thawed! It was still delicious.  Even Dawson ate it! 

This was really relatively easy to put together.  It's probably not the healthiest meal, but right now I'm all about easy!  I'm stocking my freezer this week, trying to keep some easy meals for my boys at least when I don't feel well.  Going out multiple times a week is hard on the budget!  

Slow cooker Balsamic Pot Roast

I'm cooking again!! Sort of.  Sometimes.  Putting this into the crockpot took most of my energy for the day but I had a sweet little helper, so I can't complain too much. :)

I got the original recipe off Six Sister's Stuff but altered it slightly.   Their recipe is great, but I am too pregnant/lazy/tired/insert other excuse here, to go to the store when I don't have things.  I compromised.  

My alteration of their recipe:

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast

Ingredients:

Boneless chuck roast, 2-3 pounds

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season roast

3-5 carrots, peeled and cut in thirds (I used even more because we love pot roast carrots!)

3-4 ribs of celery, cut into large chunks

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

1/2 of a 6 oz can tomato paste

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 packet of beef flavoring or 1 cube beef bouillon 

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (I used a cube of fresh frozen)

1 teaspoon dried sage

4 cloves of garlic, minced 

2 cups water

You CAN sear the roast before you put it in your crockpot, but I personally don't.  I know people swear by it tasting better.. But this mama doesn't have that kind of time.  I usually just throw it in frozen or partially thawed.   I also use one of these bags for the crockpot (mine is a 6 quart) so I don't have to do dishes.

Season the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  You could even use something like lawry's for this step.  Throw it in the slow cooker.  Put the celery, carrots, and onion in on top.  Mix the tomato paste, vinegar, beef flavoring, thyme, sage, garlic, and water.  Pour over the top.  

You can either cook it on high for 6 hours (that's what I did) or cook it on low for 9-10 hours.  Since I rarely have it done and on the base before 10am, I usually cook it on high for a few hours and then switch it over to low.  Remember that 1 hour on the high setting equals about 2 on low.  

To make a gravy from the drippings: 

I skimmed about enough fat & juice off the top before removing the meat from my slow cooker to fill my 1 quart sauce pan about 1/3 of the way.  In a small cup I mixed 1/3 cup cold water and 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how thick you want it.. More cornstarch makes it thicker!).  Bring the fat & juice to a boil, then add water/cornstarch mixture.  Bring to a boil again and wait for it to get nice and bubbly and thick.  Done! Super easy.  

Mine looked like this. 

This recipe turned out amazing.  I am not a gravy person (at all) but it was really delicious.  The meat was very tender and the veggies were cooked just right.  I am trying to figure out if I can find a way to freeze it all for newborn mayhem meals :)  I thought there would be plenty of leftovers but the boys gobbled up most everything!  Adding this to the rotation for sure! 

This blog is suffering

It isn't that I haven't had time to blog, I'm just having some issue finding anything besides my hum drum daily life to blog about.  Normally I'm baking, cleaning, cooking, and going on outings with Dawson and I like to write about that but lately I am literally just a lump on the couch.

Cooking is my hobby.  I love to tweak recipes and believe it or not, I kind of like meal planning and grocery shopping.  Some of my favorite posts on this blog are recipes.  I hadn't thought about how little I cooked while pregnant, especially in the first trimester.  I also hadn't realized how much I really enjoy it.  

Right now I can barely look at most food let alone smell it so recipes probably won't be something you see a lot of here for a while.  It kind of makes me sad, but I know during the third trimester I go pretty nuts freezer stocking.  Until then it will probably be just a lot of everyday feelings, obstacles, and pregnancy updates I post about! 

Best steak chili ever!

For Christmas Eve dinner I made chili.  Mostly because I could throw it in the pot and we could eat whenever we would like :) This makes a very large pot, so you may want to cut the recipe in half.  I like to make a big pot and then freeze it for a quick meal!

2 lbs stew meat, cut into bite size chunks

1 lb mild Italian sausage

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced very small

2- 15 oz cans of chili beans in mild spicy sauce- not drained

2 - 15 oz cans red kidney beans, rinsed

2- 28 oz cans diced tomatoes (or 4 -15 oz cans)- with juice

6 oz can of tomato paste

4.5 oz can mild green chiles- drained

12 oz can of beer (whatever is cheap!)

1 cup water

5 beef bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup chili powder

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (think tobasco)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon white sugar

Shredded cheddar, corn chips, or sour cream to garnish (optional)

Crumble Italian sausage into a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Once you have a little grease in the bottom, add the stew meat.  I like to season mine with a little garlic salt but it's optional.  Brown all the meat, then drain the grease.  Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, green chiles, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, water and bouillon.  Add the seasonings to the pot- garlic, chili powder, Worcestershire, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, paprika, and white sugar.   Stir it all up and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.   After 2 hours, adjust seasonings to your taste.  Enjoy! 

I have found that the longer this cooks, the better it tastes.  I usually let it simmer for much of the day before we eat it.  It freezes and reheats very well.  It looks like a ton of ingredients and it is, but it feeds us quite a few times.  I fed 5 adults and a toddler on Christmas Eve and I have about half the pot left to freeze! 

Enchilada Pie

This used to be a favorite around here.  I haven't made it in a really long time!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

15 oz can of tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 cup corn (I use frozen) 

Salt and pepper to taste

3 flour tortillas (burrito size!)

2-3 cups cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend)

Cooking spray

Lettuce, olives, jalapeños, sour cream, or guacamole for toppings

Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet.  Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper.  Add the tomato sauce, water, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, and corn.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, uncovered. 

Tear up the tortillas into about 1 inch pieces (this does not need to be perfect!) and spread them in the bottom of the 8x8 pan.  Add sauce to cover, then cheese.  Layer tortilla, sauce, cheese again and until gone.  

Baked uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly.  Add toppings of your choice and enjoy! 

Holiday baking!

My mom bakes a ton of stuff every year for Christmas and has since I can remember.  I can't think of the holidays and not think of my mom in the kitchen.  Toffee, fudge, cookies.. You name it and my mom has probably made it!  I like to bake but I don't do it to the extreme my mom does (no worries, Mom, I still love that you do it!)

 This year I thought I would make sugar cookies with Dawson.  He loves to be in the kitchen with me.  I maybe have lost my mind because he hasn't been the most pleasant to be around this week, but I thought I would give it a shot.

He operated the lever to lower the bowl on my mixer for me and watched me mix up the dough last night.  Although he was convinced it was salt and butter in the bowl.  Silly boy.  He also licked the beater (I know people say not to do this, but it's kind of tradition around here).  I loved that part for the simple fact that I can remember doing it anytime my mom baked and used the mixer.  It's such a happy memory.

He's kind of wild with the stirring and such now, but messes can be cleaned.  I thought he would get a kick out of the shapes and he did! Seems he is a bit impartial to the Christmas tree cookie cutter.  He wanted to use that one the most.  Thankfully they only had to bake for 7 minutes because he was less than patient for that part.  I couldn't transfer those shapes even half as fast as he was cutting them. 

After his nap, we frosted them.  He picked the colors for the frosting (yellow, pink, and green) and ended up painting on paper with the green when we had frosted all the cookies.  The kid is a serious double dipper though so we had 3 colors.. pretty much all swirled together.  As you can see, it was almost impossible to get a picture of him smiling because (and this is a direct quote) "This frosting is a very big job.  It's hard work, mama." Well, never mind the picture then!

Baking with a 2 year old is a good lesson that you pretty much have zero control.  They are no Martha Stewart cookies but Dawson had such a good time.  He nearly fell down when Joe walked in after work because he was in a rush to tell him he baked cookies.  It was heartwarming and just what I needed after a rough start to the week. 

Meals for the week of 12/9

It's that time again.. I went grocery shopping today.  All by myself.  It was glorious.  I don't remember the last time I enjoyed grocery shopping! As soon as I thought that, I realized how lame it is. I really need to get out more.

Meals this week (and beyond):

Dinners 

Ham and egg cups with hash browns

Tilapia & butter & garlic veggies

Flank steak & sweet potato gnocchi with apples

Spicy mango coconut shrimp, rice, & broccoli

Homemade chicken garlic pizza

Sesame chicken, veggies, & rice

Clam chowder & rolls

Rosemary chicken breast, green beans, & mashed potatoes

Frozen homemade sheppard's pie

Lunch

Chicken salad sandwiches & pear

Pb&j, raisins & pea pods

Crackers & cheese & grapes

Corn dog & yogurt

Leftovers from dinners

Turkey slices, cheese stick, grapes

Macaroni and cheese, pea pods, and applesauce

Apples, cream cheese, and graham crackers

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with cheese

Cereal with strawberries

Yogurt & fruit

Waffle & applesauce

Pancakes and sausage

Smoothies and toast

English muffins with jam 

I don't know if I mentioned this, but we don't grocery shop on much of a schedule.  It tends to be every 10-15 days with a few random trips for whatever staples we run out of.  I try to make the food we have last in the house, although I have been accused of being a food hoarder.  I feel more secure somehow with a full pantry and fridge.  

We had the ham and egg breakfast cups tonight and they were really delicious.  I would like to try them with more toppings.  Tonight we had them with avocado, cheese, and chopped tomatoes.  I did bake mine longer than 15 minutes, closer to 25.  Wonderful idea though, and it will be added to our rotation! 

A spin on a new favorite meal..

I found a recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole on Pinterest a while back.  We tried it as written from organizeyourstuffnow.com and while it was good, and I love the concept, I decided to mix it up a little.  Plus, my husband would probably think I lost my mind if I tried to feed him a casserole with rice (again.)

This is super easy to make and great if you have leftover cooked chicken and/or ham.  It's quick (I put it together in about 20 minutes, including cooking the pasta!) and delicious.. but probably not diet friendly! 

Here's how I made it! 

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta, cooked to package directions

1.5 cups cooked chicken (I used some frozen rotisserie chicken)

1 cup cubed ham, or 6-8 deli slices of ham cut up

6 slices Swiss cheese

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon dehydrated onion

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

1/2 box of instant stuffing (I used 1/2 bag of Mrs. Cubbison's but Stovetop would work too)

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup chicken broth

Spray an 8 by 8 inch pan with cooking spray.  Spread pasta in the bottom of the pan and layer the chicken on top of that.  Next is the Swiss cheese, then ham.  

Mix the soup, onion, garlic powder, milk, and parsley flakes into a bowl and pour over the top of the ham.  Make sure to spread it well and to the sides, you want it to drip down to the bottom while cooking :) 

 Mix up your instant stuffing with the butter and chicken broth just until barely moistened and then spread evenly over the top of the soup mixture.  Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Eat! 

I had to put a foil tent on top after about 15 minutes because the stuffing was browning, so you may want to keep an eye on that.  My family actually liked the crunch to it, but some may not.  

Thanksgiving sure has changed..

Last night Joe and I were talking about Thanksgiving.  I realized I don't have a lot of great memories from Thanksgiving because to me that long weekend meant my friends were going to be gone, and I have never been a huge fan of Thanksgiving type food (including pumpkin pie).  Also, my sister didn't always spend the holiday with us and she is a huge part of my life.

We are spending Thanksgiving tomorrow with my aunt, uncles, and my parents, sister and my cousin.  I'm looking forward to it, but sad that my cousin and her husband and girls won't be with us.  Grandpa also passed away recently, and while he hasn't been with us for Thanksgiving for the last several years, it's still sad he won't be around in general.   My inlaws also don't live nearby anymore and I miss them this time of year especially. 

I'm really saddened by how many people will be working on Thanksgiving day.  It's sad that instead of giving thanks, many will be at work because others will be taking advantage of crazy early holiday sales.  When did this change so drastically? As a kid, I don't remember anything being open for Thanksgiving shopping.  I found myself really annoyed with all the sales ads I got in my email inbox today.  I'm grateful Joe doesn't have a job that requires him to work Thanksgiving day.  

Thanksgiving has never been my favorite holiday but this year I am reminded to hold my family close, enjoy our silly moments together, and cherish the (annoying) phases Dawson is going through.  (Nothing like a 2 year old telling you that you do things 'wrong').   And I'll be grateful that I get to spend it with my best friends too :) 

Last year we were moving into our house on Thanksgiving and it was spent at Shari's with my mom and sister.  I didn't realize how lucky I am to get a real Thanksgiving meal with lots of family until last year when it was purely convenience. (We did have a feast together, just not ON Thanksgiving day)

  I guess you don't know what you've got until it's not there sometimes!  Ah, how things change!

Happy Thanskgiving everyone! Enjoy your day! 

Healthy Blueberry Crunch Muffins

So I said I was making muffins this week and I know it's already Thursday but I finally got around to it!

First off, I discovered chia seeds a few months ago and I am in love.  Omega 3s and protein? Yes please! Plus I can squeeze them into most baked goods without the boys noticing :) They also expand to fill me up so I can eat less and feel just as satisfied.  Chia pudding is another way to eat them and I love that too! For this recipe they added a nice crunch, like poppy seeds.  

Anyway, onto the muffins.  You can find the original recipe here. I did alter her recipe quite a bit but it's the same basic idea.  Oats, Greek yogurt, blueberries.. and some other stuff too :) Dawson assisted me with the stirring.. He is such a big helper! 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup oats 

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted & cooled slightly

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup milk

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

 Cooking spray or baking cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Either spray your muffin pan with cooking spray or line with baking cups. 

Mix the flour, oats, salt, chia seeds, baking powder and soda in a large bowl with a whisk to combine.  In a separate bowl mix together the yogurt, eggs, vanilla, coconut oil, and milk. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until you get everything wet.  Don't over mix!  Fold in the blueberries gently. If using frozen, do not thaw ahead of time! Just throw them in straight from the freezer.  

Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.  Cool and enjoy!

I would highly recommend using cooking spray for this recipe instead of baking cups.  The baking cups work, but when I tried to peel them back they resist coming off the muffin and take some with them! Not a big deal to us but could be frustrating!  These also are not super sweet, just as a heads up! 

Meals for this week (11/18)

  

Everyone that knows me knows I am probably one of the least organized people ever.  My house is almost always cluttered, but clean.  I WANT to be organized, I am just not very good at it.

One thing I do stay organized with are meals for the week (or more.)  Joe gets paid every 2 weeks and since Dawson was born we backed up our once a week shopping to every 2 weeks.  Our budget every two weeks is $150-$175.  I make a list of meals on the back of my grocery list, usually 7-9 dinners and a few easy peasy "uh oh" meals for those days that either get really busy or I forget :) 

This weeks meals look like this

Breakfasts:

Scrambled eggs & fruit

Cereal 

Yogurt and fruit

Homemade Muffins (still to be determined what kind!)

Toast & fruit

Waffles & frozen fruit

Lunch:

Tuna sandwiches & fruit or yogurt

Turkey & cheese sticks with ritz crackers & applesauce

Leftovers from dinner

Mac and cheese with ham & fruit

English muffins (made with various toppings)

Chicken quesadilla & fruit

Dinner:

Chicken burgers & baked beans

Cornbread waffles & chili

Pork tenderloin & apple-filled acorn squash

Crockpot Pepper steak & egg noodles (homemade freezer meal)

Flank steak stir fry

Tacos

Chicken cordon bleu & salad

Pesto Tilapia, pasta or quinoa, & frozen veggies in butter garlic sauce

For breakfast and lunch we seem to "wing it" a lot but I am trying to make that a bit more organized so Dawson will know what to expect.  I recently discovered as we were eating at IHOP that he makes a decision much faster if he has a picture of it to look at.  I may start cutting pictures from magazines to make a visual menu for him.  We shall see :) 

I am getting desperate

First, therapy was canceled but I got my car back! Woohoo! The outcome is a post for another day.. grumble grumble.

I am getting really desperate with Dawson's food choices as of late.  I swore I would never be that mother that makes 300 different dinners, none of which for herself. 

 This is what he ate for lunch.. The picture of nutritious, right?

Peanut butter and saltine crackers

Dinner I feel like I have a decent amount of control over.  Dawson has whatever I make, a vegetable, and sometimes fruit.  If he finishes it or eats at least the majority of what he is given, he can have something like crackers, pirates booty, goldfish, or graham crackers.  He knows he has to at least try everything on his plate but if he doesn't like it, it's okay not to eat it.  If I know we are having something he doesn't like, he usually has a Gerber toddler meal or something equally easy to fix.  

Breakfast and lunch are another story.  He has a snack drawer in the kitchen that has mostly healthy snacks.  He goes to the drawer every morning wanting something out of it.  Only REALLY unhealthy thing in there is unfrosted strawberry pop tarts (I see you judging me! Daddy eats them so of course Dawson wants them too.). Naturally that's what he usually wants.  Probably once a week he gets his way.  I offer to fix him eggs, waffles, pancakes, or toast and he refuses.  Yogurt, bananas, muffins, cereal, and apples are ALWAYS in our house.  Usually he will decide on something and then once he has it he takes two bites and says "Want sumpin else to eat, mommy." If I give in and get him something else, it's like we just rinse and repeat the previous routine.  Lunch is the same.  It usually ends with a very cranky kid and a frustrated mama.  

Short of planning out his breakfast and lunch like I do dinner, I'm not sure what else to do? Does anyone else struggle with this, or is it just me?!