I tried a new recipe yesterday, and the 1-year-old loves it!
cooked broccoli (about a cup)
Shredded cheddar cheese
5 eggs plus 5 egg yolks
3/4 cup of milk
salt & pepper
Mix the eggs and yolks, milk and salt & pepper. Cut the broccoli into small pieces. Spray a 24-hole mini-muffin tin with cooking spray or butter the cups. Put broccoli into the muffin cups. Put cheese on top of broccoli. Pour egg mixture over top. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes until brown and puffy.
I cheated a bit. Instead of separating the eggs, I just used 8 whole eggs. This made them more like scrambled egg than quiche, but they were still good.
These are great for breakfast or lunch and for kids and adults. I can see my husband eating them on the way to work. Serve with banana slices or apple sauce and you get all of the food groups. Next time I may try ham, onions and peppers.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Clean-out-the-pantry chicken soup
I have been in a soup mood all week. It is finally starting to get cooler in the Carolinas and there is no better cold-weather food than soup.
My cousin's wife has a really great recipe for Creamy Chicken Soup. I never have all of the ingredients for it, but I use it as inspiration for one of my own creations.After cleaning out the pantry yesterday, I discovered that I have a lot of canned vegetables that need to be eaten. I also had a bunch of celery in the fridge that was starting to turn soft. The two-year-old enjoys helping out in the kitchen, so this was fun for her.
This is how we did it:
First, I thawed a couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced them into strips and put them in a pot of boiling water with slices of the celery and some pepper. It only took about 10 minutes for the chicken to cook.
While the chicken was cooking, I opened cans of sliced carrots, peas and whole kernel corn and drained them in the colander. I rinsed them well to remove the salt. Three or four cans of Veg-All or mixed vegetables works really well if you don't have the cans of vegetables I used. Then I dumped some leftover lima beans from yesterday's lunch into the colander. I removed the chicken and celery from the water, poured the broth into a large bowl, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. I added the celery from the broth to the colander when the chicken finished cooking.
I put the pot back on the stove (didn't wash it from cooking the chicken) and turned the burner on to medium heat. Then I melted half a stick of butter in the pot. Next I added a cup of all-purpose flour (can use 1/2 cup of self-rising flour), about 3 cups of broth, 2 half-sized cans of evaporated milk, and about 2 cups of milk to the pot and used a whisk to mix it all up. Then I added the chicken and drained veggies and let it all simmer for about 15 minutes until the soup got thicker.
The soup was delicious, and I was able to freeze some broth and extra pieces of cooked chicken for later. It took less than half an hour and was very cheap because it was all stuff I had in the pantry or freezer. The pantry is a bit lighter now. It made enough of soup to feed my family two or three meals. The one-year-old loved it!
My cousin's wife has a really great recipe for Creamy Chicken Soup. I never have all of the ingredients for it, but I use it as inspiration for one of my own creations.After cleaning out the pantry yesterday, I discovered that I have a lot of canned vegetables that need to be eaten. I also had a bunch of celery in the fridge that was starting to turn soft. The two-year-old enjoys helping out in the kitchen, so this was fun for her.
This is how we did it:
First, I thawed a couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced them into strips and put them in a pot of boiling water with slices of the celery and some pepper. It only took about 10 minutes for the chicken to cook.
While the chicken was cooking, I opened cans of sliced carrots, peas and whole kernel corn and drained them in the colander. I rinsed them well to remove the salt. Three or four cans of Veg-All or mixed vegetables works really well if you don't have the cans of vegetables I used. Then I dumped some leftover lima beans from yesterday's lunch into the colander. I removed the chicken and celery from the water, poured the broth into a large bowl, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. I added the celery from the broth to the colander when the chicken finished cooking.
I put the pot back on the stove (didn't wash it from cooking the chicken) and turned the burner on to medium heat. Then I melted half a stick of butter in the pot. Next I added a cup of all-purpose flour (can use 1/2 cup of self-rising flour), about 3 cups of broth, 2 half-sized cans of evaporated milk, and about 2 cups of milk to the pot and used a whisk to mix it all up. Then I added the chicken and drained veggies and let it all simmer for about 15 minutes until the soup got thicker.
The soup was delicious, and I was able to freeze some broth and extra pieces of cooked chicken for later. It took less than half an hour and was very cheap because it was all stuff I had in the pantry or freezer. The pantry is a bit lighter now. It made enough of soup to feed my family two or three meals. The one-year-old loved it!
 | ||
| She was as excited about making the soup as she was about eating it. |
 |
| Used a slotted spoon to serve just the solid parts to the one-year-old. |
Monday, October 18, 2010
Dora soup!
About once each week or every other week, my girls get a special treat for lunch. Our local Walmart has Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup with Dora pasta shapes for $1 (they also sell Disney pricess soup, Cars, Toy Story, etc.). The Dora characters are the attraction, it's definitely not the flavor or nutritional content.
I can't in good conscience feed my kids canned soup. After several internet searches, I can't find Dora pasta or anything similar that is affordable. Canned soups are generally full of salt, chicken scraps and very few vegetable pieces. So we have to alter it a bit...
First, I drain most of the salty liquid out of the soup. I don't worry about a few drops, as the liquid provides flavor. Then I add a few pieces of our frozen chicken pieces (see previous blog post), some frozen corn, peas and carrots. I add a little water to get it back to the consistency of soup. Then I put it all in the microwave for a minute and we enjoy Dora soup.
I can't in good conscience feed my kids canned soup. After several internet searches, I can't find Dora pasta or anything similar that is affordable. Canned soups are generally full of salt, chicken scraps and very few vegetable pieces. So we have to alter it a bit...
First, I drain most of the salty liquid out of the soup. I don't worry about a few drops, as the liquid provides flavor. Then I add a few pieces of our frozen chicken pieces (see previous blog post), some frozen corn, peas and carrots. I add a little water to get it back to the consistency of soup. Then I put it all in the microwave for a minute and we enjoy Dora soup.
Toddler food - lunch and dinner
I remember freaking out when my oldest outgrew baby food. I had NO IDEA what I would feed her. At the time, she was in daycare, so she ate the baby food we provided. Being new to parenthood, I was amazed when she started eating real food from the daycare kitchen with the rest of the older kids. It never occurred to me that someone so young could eat real food.
My second daughter was never in daycare; one of us has always stayed home with her. This child has never eaten store-bought baby food, and on the rare occasion when we tried to feed it to her (while traveling), she didn't like it. When she was a baby, we pureed whatever we ate.
Now we have it down pat. The kids eat what we eat, and we eat healthier and cheaper than we ever have.
How do we do it? Frozen vegetables are our friends! Walmart has the cheapest frozen vegetables, and their Great Value brand is just as good as any. I usually stock up once every couple of weeks on broccoli, carrots & peas, plain peas, edamame, lima beans, corn and various "stir fry" mixes. It only takes about 3 minutes in the microwave to cook most of the veggies, and each bag will last us for several meals.
Occasionally we find fresh vegetables as cheap as frozen. For instance, we can get a 5 pound bag of fresh carrots at Sam's Club for less than $3. I'll cook a big batch of sliced carrots and freeze them into smaller portions.
We usually keep cooked frozen chicken cubes, frozen fish filets, or frozen pork BBQ for the protein portion of our meals. The chicken is our girls' favorite; I boil boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut them into small cubes and freeze them in ice cube trays before transferring to larger freezer bags for storage. I save the broth to make soups later. We also use plain, low-fat yogurt as a meat substitute for lunch.
For lunch, we make meals with one meat/protein, 2 vegetables or a mix of veggies, and fruit for dessert. The fruit is usually applesauce or frozen blueberries, but we will also use fresh seasonal fruit and canned peaches and pears.
For dinner, we usually have a meat dish (my husband requires meat for dinner) - usually meatloaf, grilled pork, chicken or steak, spaghetti with meat sauce, baked fish, or some other meat recipe. Then we add a fresh mix salad or veggies on the side. My 2 year old has always liked salad; we cut the spinach into tiny pieces and let her dip it in dressing.
I used to dread meal planning, but now it's a piece of cake.
My second daughter was never in daycare; one of us has always stayed home with her. This child has never eaten store-bought baby food, and on the rare occasion when we tried to feed it to her (while traveling), she didn't like it. When she was a baby, we pureed whatever we ate.
Now we have it down pat. The kids eat what we eat, and we eat healthier and cheaper than we ever have.
How do we do it? Frozen vegetables are our friends! Walmart has the cheapest frozen vegetables, and their Great Value brand is just as good as any. I usually stock up once every couple of weeks on broccoli, carrots & peas, plain peas, edamame, lima beans, corn and various "stir fry" mixes. It only takes about 3 minutes in the microwave to cook most of the veggies, and each bag will last us for several meals.
Occasionally we find fresh vegetables as cheap as frozen. For instance, we can get a 5 pound bag of fresh carrots at Sam's Club for less than $3. I'll cook a big batch of sliced carrots and freeze them into smaller portions.
We usually keep cooked frozen chicken cubes, frozen fish filets, or frozen pork BBQ for the protein portion of our meals. The chicken is our girls' favorite; I boil boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut them into small cubes and freeze them in ice cube trays before transferring to larger freezer bags for storage. I save the broth to make soups later. We also use plain, low-fat yogurt as a meat substitute for lunch.
For lunch, we make meals with one meat/protein, 2 vegetables or a mix of veggies, and fruit for dessert. The fruit is usually applesauce or frozen blueberries, but we will also use fresh seasonal fruit and canned peaches and pears.
For dinner, we usually have a meat dish (my husband requires meat for dinner) - usually meatloaf, grilled pork, chicken or steak, spaghetti with meat sauce, baked fish, or some other meat recipe. Then we add a fresh mix salad or veggies on the side. My 2 year old has always liked salad; we cut the spinach into tiny pieces and let her dip it in dressing.
I used to dread meal planning, but now it's a piece of cake.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Market Research to earn extra money
About a year ago, a friend told me about making extra money through Market Research. Companies pay market research firms to conduct surveys and focus groups when they need to know how customers feel about their products and services.
Here in Charlotte, there are several companies that will pay you to give your opinion. For example, I have done surveys and focus groups for 20/20 (http://www.2020research.com/) and AOC Research (http://www.aocresearch.com/), and I have made several hundred dollars so far.
To get started, Google "Market research" and "Your city's name". You will need to set up a profile with each company. They will contact you when they have a new study to see if you qualify. Then you show up, answer the questions and get paid either in cash or VISA gift cards.
Sometimes you may get called several times in a week, but other times may be slow and you may not hear from the companies for months. Some studies pay $100 for an hour, while others pay $30 for a taste test. Sometimes you may be asked to go shopping or to have someone come into your home and watch you cook a meal. It all depends on the subject matter.
If you are opinionated and would like to earn a little extra cash every now and then, you should definitely look into this!
Here in Charlotte, there are several companies that will pay you to give your opinion. For example, I have done surveys and focus groups for 20/20 (http://www.2020research.com/) and AOC Research (http://www.aocresearch.com/), and I have made several hundred dollars so far.
To get started, Google "Market research" and "Your city's name". You will need to set up a profile with each company. They will contact you when they have a new study to see if you qualify. Then you show up, answer the questions and get paid either in cash or VISA gift cards.
Sometimes you may get called several times in a week, but other times may be slow and you may not hear from the companies for months. Some studies pay $100 for an hour, while others pay $30 for a taste test. Sometimes you may be asked to go shopping or to have someone come into your home and watch you cook a meal. It all depends on the subject matter.
If you are opinionated and would like to earn a little extra cash every now and then, you should definitely look into this!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Selecting New Sheets
About a month ago, both sets of our sheets developed rips in the fitted sheet. I saw this coming - they are several years old and had been getting very thin to the point of developing small holes - it was only a matter of time until they completely fell apart. I just didn't expect it to happen within a couple of weeks of each other!
The plan was to continue to use the remaining set of sheets until I could find new sheets, but I ran out of time since the last set ripped so soon. So I needed sheets in a hurry...
Coming from a textile background, I fully understand that quality sheets are not determined by thread count. Usually anything over a 400 thread count is not worth the money. That's right, high thread count numbers are a ripoff. When you see a 1,000 thread count sheet, what you don't see is how they arrive at that number. Usually the higher thread count sheets (500's or higher) are 200-300's with a multiple-ply thread. The marketing geniuses also don't tell you how many chemicals are used to make sheets feel soft or that Egyptian Cotton is the equivalent of Pima Cotton grown in Egypt but with a higher price tag. I won't explain it all here, but if you are interested, just Google it. Or you could just take my word for it because I used to sell sheets for a living. :)
My price point is $40 for a queen-size set of sheets. I like solid Ivory colored ones because there are usually fewer dyes and chemicals and it matches my bedroom. Only 100% cotton will do in our house since my husband prefers soft sheets.
I was in a hurry since I had no sheets to fit the bed. The girls and I went to Marshall's because we were there anyway and we didn't have time to go anywhere else. We found a nice set of Ralph Lauren Dunham 300 TC Sateen sheets. I wasn't thrilled, but it was the best set I saw there and it was priced at $39.99. The set included a flat sheet, an extra deep fitted sheet and 2 pillowcases. They weren't perfect, but they washed well and we slept pretty good in them. Rating: B, because they were 300's, sateen sheets typically aren't as durable and the color wasn't exactly what I was looking for.
The next week I bought our second set of sheets at Sam's Club. They had the Christy 450 Ultimate Sheets for the same price as the 300's at Marshall's. The bonus about this set is that it includes 2 extra pillowcases! These sheets totally kick booty - I give them a grade A+++. They are comfortable and soft and we slept well on them. This is clearly the best buy of the two products, and I plan to buy another in a few months. For $40, you just can't beat this set of sheets.
If you are in the market for sheets, don't waste your hard-earned money on the junk the marketing folks are trying to sell... don't fall for the high thread count trap! You can find an excellent set of queen-size sheets for $40.
The plan was to continue to use the remaining set of sheets until I could find new sheets, but I ran out of time since the last set ripped so soon. So I needed sheets in a hurry...
Coming from a textile background, I fully understand that quality sheets are not determined by thread count. Usually anything over a 400 thread count is not worth the money. That's right, high thread count numbers are a ripoff. When you see a 1,000 thread count sheet, what you don't see is how they arrive at that number. Usually the higher thread count sheets (500's or higher) are 200-300's with a multiple-ply thread. The marketing geniuses also don't tell you how many chemicals are used to make sheets feel soft or that Egyptian Cotton is the equivalent of Pima Cotton grown in Egypt but with a higher price tag. I won't explain it all here, but if you are interested, just Google it. Or you could just take my word for it because I used to sell sheets for a living. :)
My price point is $40 for a queen-size set of sheets. I like solid Ivory colored ones because there are usually fewer dyes and chemicals and it matches my bedroom. Only 100% cotton will do in our house since my husband prefers soft sheets.
I was in a hurry since I had no sheets to fit the bed. The girls and I went to Marshall's because we were there anyway and we didn't have time to go anywhere else. We found a nice set of Ralph Lauren Dunham 300 TC Sateen sheets. I wasn't thrilled, but it was the best set I saw there and it was priced at $39.99. The set included a flat sheet, an extra deep fitted sheet and 2 pillowcases. They weren't perfect, but they washed well and we slept pretty good in them. Rating: B, because they were 300's, sateen sheets typically aren't as durable and the color wasn't exactly what I was looking for.
The next week I bought our second set of sheets at Sam's Club. They had the Christy 450 Ultimate Sheets for the same price as the 300's at Marshall's. The bonus about this set is that it includes 2 extra pillowcases! These sheets totally kick booty - I give them a grade A+++. They are comfortable and soft and we slept well on them. This is clearly the best buy of the two products, and I plan to buy another in a few months. For $40, you just can't beat this set of sheets.
If you are in the market for sheets, don't waste your hard-earned money on the junk the marketing folks are trying to sell... don't fall for the high thread count trap! You can find an excellent set of queen-size sheets for $40.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Lemon Chicken with Veggies
A cousin was looking for recipes today, so I found this old favorite. It's an inexpensive, one-dish meal that tastes delicious and has a beautiful presentation. The best part is easy clean-up:: you just need a chopping board and knife, a bowl for the veggies, a baking pan and a small bowl for mixing the sauce.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (put them in a plastic bag and pound each one flat so that the breast is an even thickness and it cooks more evenly - i do this whenever I cook chicken breasts.)
3 potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
2 bell peppers (red is better, but green works fine and they are usually cheaper) - cut into 1-inch pieces
red onion cut into 1/2 inch slices, wedges or cubes
can of mushrooms (or a basket of fresh ones if you have them) - drained
mix this together to make the sauce:
1/4 c olive oil
1/8 c lemon juice
1 tsp of garlic powder or 4 minced garlic cloves (whatever you have)
3 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (I grind mine in a peppermill, but use whatever you have)
Arrange the chicken on a big pan - I use a 13 X 18 X 1 baking pan - just make sure it's not a pizza pan because you don't want the juices to run off. If you have to use a 13 X 9 baking dish, it may take a little longer for the chicken to cook, but it's still good.
Brush the chicken with some sauce. Then pour the rest of the sauce in with the veggies and toss to coat them. Then put the veggies in the pan around the chicken. Bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes until the chicken is 165 degrees at the thickest part. Baste it with the juice in the pan after 20-25 minutes. Reheats well the next day. You can prepare it and put it in the fridge ahead of time so all you have to do is pop it in the oven when you are ready.
It's an inexpensive recipe - I get my olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, potatoes and onions at Sams, and Walmart chicken breasts are really cheap if you buy a big pack and divide it and freeze what you don't use. I use Walmart brand mushrooms and lemon juice.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (put them in a plastic bag and pound each one flat so that the breast is an even thickness and it cooks more evenly - i do this whenever I cook chicken breasts.)
3 potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
2 bell peppers (red is better, but green works fine and they are usually cheaper) - cut into 1-inch pieces
red onion cut into 1/2 inch slices, wedges or cubes
can of mushrooms (or a basket of fresh ones if you have them) - drained
mix this together to make the sauce:
1/4 c olive oil
1/8 c lemon juice
1 tsp of garlic powder or 4 minced garlic cloves (whatever you have)
3 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (I grind mine in a peppermill, but use whatever you have)
Arrange the chicken on a big pan - I use a 13 X 18 X 1 baking pan - just make sure it's not a pizza pan because you don't want the juices to run off. If you have to use a 13 X 9 baking dish, it may take a little longer for the chicken to cook, but it's still good.
Brush the chicken with some sauce. Then pour the rest of the sauce in with the veggies and toss to coat them. Then put the veggies in the pan around the chicken. Bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes until the chicken is 165 degrees at the thickest part. Baste it with the juice in the pan after 20-25 minutes. Reheats well the next day. You can prepare it and put it in the fridge ahead of time so all you have to do is pop it in the oven when you are ready.
It's an inexpensive recipe - I get my olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, potatoes and onions at Sams, and Walmart chicken breasts are really cheap if you buy a big pack and divide it and freeze what you don't use. I use Walmart brand mushrooms and lemon juice.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Repurposing things around the house
When I buy furniture or any expensive item for the home, I try to think about where else in the house I can use the item.
For example, when we decorated our nursery, we bought a small neutral-colored recliner instead of a rocker and matching ottoman. The plan is to put it in the family room when it is no longer needed in the nursery. We use the armchairs from our dining room set as chairs in the guest room and master bedroom - and they look like they were bought specifically for that purpose.
We also look at our available inventory of stuff in the attic or around the house before we shop for an item. I have a large mirror in our living room that will eventually be used as a mirror in our daughter's bedroom or in the kids' bathroom. We had an old chest of drawers in the garage that we painted and is now being used in my 2-year-old's room.
Often we forget about using things we already own when decorating. If they can't be used "as is", consider refinishing them. Paint is a cheap way to transform a piece of furniture or a room.
My most recent repurposed item was a black and white photo of a cafe in France that my husband had in his old house before we were married. It sat in the attic for the past 5 years because it didn't go with any of the decor in the new house. I recently remodeled our laundry room and joked about decorating it since I spend so much time in there. Then I ran across the old framed photo in the attic while looking for something else and decided it was the perfect touch for my laundry room. Now it reminds me of the vacations that we will take again someday when we are finished paying for children! :)
For example, when we decorated our nursery, we bought a small neutral-colored recliner instead of a rocker and matching ottoman. The plan is to put it in the family room when it is no longer needed in the nursery. We use the armchairs from our dining room set as chairs in the guest room and master bedroom - and they look like they were bought specifically for that purpose.
We also look at our available inventory of stuff in the attic or around the house before we shop for an item. I have a large mirror in our living room that will eventually be used as a mirror in our daughter's bedroom or in the kids' bathroom. We had an old chest of drawers in the garage that we painted and is now being used in my 2-year-old's room.
Often we forget about using things we already own when decorating. If they can't be used "as is", consider refinishing them. Paint is a cheap way to transform a piece of furniture or a room.
My most recent repurposed item was a black and white photo of a cafe in France that my husband had in his old house before we were married. It sat in the attic for the past 5 years because it didn't go with any of the decor in the new house. I recently remodeled our laundry room and joked about decorating it since I spend so much time in there. Then I ran across the old framed photo in the attic while looking for something else and decided it was the perfect touch for my laundry room. Now it reminds me of the vacations that we will take again someday when we are finished paying for children! :)
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