So, I got all our meals taken care of on Saturday for this coming week. I did lots of freezer meals and meal prep so hopefully things will go well in the food department. Mark and I are trying not to eat out for a couple of months so we can do some other things financially and since food is my responsibility around here I am well, trying. Cooking every meal from scratch is hard when you are in the car most of the day, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. It is just figuring out what works best for you.
My other main responsibility around here is mothering and school. Which right now involves my van -a lot. This week alone is Scouts, three co-op classes, a school meeting, piano lessons, youth choir, youth small groups, and a big grocery trip on Friday. And then you have the actual teaching and child-follow through and its 4:30 before you know it and everyone is saying, "I'm hungry, what's for supper?"
I wanted to share this recipe for you because it is so easy and sooooo good. They are pretty also-would be sweet for Valentine's Day or a girl's baby shower.
Cherry Fluff Cups
(totally made up this name bc I don't know the real name or where I got the recipe from. I made a double batch Saturday for us to have throughout this week)
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can condensed milk
1 container whipped topping
Mix it all together and it turns a pretty pink color. Freeze in cupcake liners or a regular baking pan until frozen. That's it! So yummy!
Abbie and I also said that you could probably do blueberry pie filling if it was a shower for a boy. And I'm thinking that peach would be delicious also.
Off to Algebra! What are you doing today?
Showing posts with label Domesticity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Domesticity. Show all posts
Monday, February 10, 2014
Monday, December 30, 2013
Planning Up A Storm....
Today I will be pursuing these sites, along with cookbooks galore, to work on getting back into my freezer and crockpot cooking.
I am on a mission because this is one thing I can do to maintain the grocery budget and provide healthy filling meals for the Vortexes that I call The Three Eating Machines around here.
Here's some blogs I'll be checking out today.
FreezerFriendz
The Freezer Chicks
Twin City Supper Swappers
Southern Living Freezer Cooking
What A Crock!
A Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Adventures
What are you going to be doing today? Oh, and I'll also be looking for the present I bought myself for Christmas- a new Leslie Sansone walking dvd-so I can get back to being a Walking Wendy. I purchased it, bought it home, put it up to wrap later, and I cannot remember where I put it. Please tell me I am not the only one who does things like this??????
I am on a mission because this is one thing I can do to maintain the grocery budget and provide healthy filling meals for the Vortexes that I call The Three Eating Machines around here.
Here's some blogs I'll be checking out today.
FreezerFriendz
The Freezer Chicks
Twin City Supper Swappers
Southern Living Freezer Cooking
What A Crock!
A Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Adventures
What are you going to be doing today? Oh, and I'll also be looking for the present I bought myself for Christmas- a new Leslie Sansone walking dvd-so I can get back to being a Walking Wendy. I purchased it, bought it home, put it up to wrap later, and I cannot remember where I put it. Please tell me I am not the only one who does things like this??????
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Things I've Learned About Freezer Cooking...
**** I am reposting this today in an effort to spur myself on towards love and good deeds and getting back into the freezer cooking habit :)
I am so not the expert in anything domestic. Believe me, I can make three leaps forward in the kitchen (like the freezer cooking thing) and all the other things take two steps backwards. But, I am loving the freezer cooking idea, have been able to implement it into our family's lives for several months now, and am finally seeing the results time-wise and financially. So, if you are thinking about doing it here are some suggestions from the trenches. I am learning something new every time I do a session.
*Make sure the kitchen is cleaned and the dishwasher is empty BEFORE you begin. Take the trash out (or get one of your little domestic servants to do it). Don't think, "I will just clean as I go." You won't. You will be too busy juggling recipes and the stove. Empty the dishwasher and the sink and then get to work. As you finish with something you can just put it into the dishwasher. It is such a nice feeling to shut the door and turn it on and be able to leave the kitchen knowing all that food is cooked AND the kitchen is clean.
*Let the food cool before you put it in the freezer.
*Let the food cool before you pour it in the bag. At least a little bit. Fingers burn when you are filling the bags and removing the air from the bag.it I know.
*You can use a straw to pull the air out of your freezer bag. I have done the straw thing before, but my hands work just as well. You just have to go slow.
*Write everything on the front of the bag or the top of the casserole. I know I'm not going to look that recipe back up again to find the directions and I would hate to ruin something I worked so hard for.
*Let your crockpot do the work-beans, crockpot meals, meats. Seriously, I am in DEEP LIKE with my crockpot.
*Write the portion size on the bag-such as 1 or 2 cup -diced onions. I have found if I don't label I tend to stand and stare and try to figure out what it is and then I just put it back into the freezer. Until the next time I stand and stare.
*Keep a running list of what is in your deep freeze. I have so many different plans and schemes in my head all the time and I tend to forget what exactly I put in there and what exactly I thought about putting in there.
*The absolute easiest way to freezer cook is to double whatever you are already cooking. I did this last night with Chicken Pot Pie. We had one for supper and one for the freezer.
Start small-I learned this from Money Saving Mom and from experience. It all adds up very quickly. You do not have to do 30 meals in one day. I'm not against that, but right now I don't have the time or the resources to do it.
Do you have any hints I need to know about? Please share!
Today I am linking up at
I am so not the expert in anything domestic. Believe me, I can make three leaps forward in the kitchen (like the freezer cooking thing) and all the other things take two steps backwards. But, I am loving the freezer cooking idea, have been able to implement it into our family's lives for several months now, and am finally seeing the results time-wise and financially. So, if you are thinking about doing it here are some suggestions from the trenches. I am learning something new every time I do a session.
*Make sure the kitchen is cleaned and the dishwasher is empty BEFORE you begin. Take the trash out (or get one of your little domestic servants to do it). Don't think, "I will just clean as I go." You won't. You will be too busy juggling recipes and the stove. Empty the dishwasher and the sink and then get to work. As you finish with something you can just put it into the dishwasher. It is such a nice feeling to shut the door and turn it on and be able to leave the kitchen knowing all that food is cooked AND the kitchen is clean.
*Let the food cool before you put it in the freezer.
*Let the food cool before you pour it in the bag. At least a little bit. Fingers burn when you are filling the bags and removing the air from the bag.it I know.
*You can use a straw to pull the air out of your freezer bag. I have done the straw thing before, but my hands work just as well. You just have to go slow.
*Write everything on the front of the bag or the top of the casserole. I know I'm not going to look that recipe back up again to find the directions and I would hate to ruin something I worked so hard for.
*Let your crockpot do the work-beans, crockpot meals, meats. Seriously, I am in DEEP LIKE with my crockpot.
*Write the portion size on the bag-such as 1 or 2 cup -diced onions. I have found if I don't label I tend to stand and stare and try to figure out what it is and then I just put it back into the freezer. Until the next time I stand and stare.
*Keep a running list of what is in your deep freeze. I have so many different plans and schemes in my head all the time and I tend to forget what exactly I put in there and what exactly I thought about putting in there.
*The absolute easiest way to freezer cook is to double whatever you are already cooking. I did this last night with Chicken Pot Pie. We had one for supper and one for the freezer.
Start small-I learned this from Money Saving Mom and from experience. It all adds up very quickly. You do not have to do 30 meals in one day. I'm not against that, but right now I don't have the time or the resources to do it.
Do you have any hints I need to know about? Please share!
Today I am linking up at
Friday, September 27, 2013
Dear Sweet LoraLee....
Some of you may remember that I like to name my appliances. I want to keep them happy and healthy, as they are my servant girls, and who wants to to have a mean uptight servant girl around the house all day long? I want my servant girls to enjoy life at the Chaos de Clark Casa and laugh and sprint around and say, "How may I serve you today Mistress Clark?"
Well, LoraLee, the dear sweet dishwasher that has been serving my family has been in full blown rebellion for a couple of days now. She has become picky and dare I say a little lazy. Maybe even high maintenance.
Mark said there are three kinds of women: Low maintenance, high maintenance, and bat-house crazy.
Loralee has been on the high maintenance end for a week now. I have three human dishwashers so its been okay, but I honestly spent an hour of my life the other day trying to convince LoraLee that all was right in her world and she really needed to work. I have to say I know more about the inner workings of LoraLee than I have ever wanted to know. To get her to work you had to get the exact amount of dishwasher liquid in the little cups, you had to turn the cups a certain way, (and she was very picky about this), and then you had to lock her up and turn her knob with your tongue held in just the right position, and then if everything else was lined up with the universe her little light would come on and she was start chugging away. I resorted to prayer over LoraLee, but she held fast to her rebellion.
I decided LoraLee needed a break. I gave her a week off because all girls need a vacation now and then. I thought that Loralee just needed some downtime as she might be showing her age like her mistress and her turn-around time is slower. Oh, she was as good as the song says, "As good once as she ever was", but recovery takes a lot longer these days. I have noticed myself that just one day out of my routine now takes at least two days to recover from. Loralee and I just needed a break, that's all.
The kids and I washed the dishes and as we weren't home more than two hours straight all week it really wasn't that much of an inconvenience.
But this morning I decided to try her up again. I talked sweetly to her. I did everything just right.
And I had a moment of joy when her little light came on.
And then it went off just as fast.
And I decided that Loralee had indeed given up the ghost. I am going to let her rest in peace now.
Because I sure don't need a bat-house crazy LoraLee dishwasher setting the house on fire.
RIP LoraLee.
The kids will miss you as they have now been promoted to Top Dishwashers in the Clark Household.
Well, LoraLee, the dear sweet dishwasher that has been serving my family has been in full blown rebellion for a couple of days now. She has become picky and dare I say a little lazy. Maybe even high maintenance.
Mark said there are three kinds of women: Low maintenance, high maintenance, and bat-house crazy.
Loralee has been on the high maintenance end for a week now. I have three human dishwashers so its been okay, but I honestly spent an hour of my life the other day trying to convince LoraLee that all was right in her world and she really needed to work. I have to say I know more about the inner workings of LoraLee than I have ever wanted to know. To get her to work you had to get the exact amount of dishwasher liquid in the little cups, you had to turn the cups a certain way, (and she was very picky about this), and then you had to lock her up and turn her knob with your tongue held in just the right position, and then if everything else was lined up with the universe her little light would come on and she was start chugging away. I resorted to prayer over LoraLee, but she held fast to her rebellion.
I decided LoraLee needed a break. I gave her a week off because all girls need a vacation now and then. I thought that Loralee just needed some downtime as she might be showing her age like her mistress and her turn-around time is slower. Oh, she was as good as the song says, "As good once as she ever was", but recovery takes a lot longer these days. I have noticed myself that just one day out of my routine now takes at least two days to recover from. Loralee and I just needed a break, that's all.
The kids and I washed the dishes and as we weren't home more than two hours straight all week it really wasn't that much of an inconvenience.
But this morning I decided to try her up again. I talked sweetly to her. I did everything just right.
And I had a moment of joy when her little light came on.
And then it went off just as fast.
And I decided that Loralee had indeed given up the ghost. I am going to let her rest in peace now.
Because I sure don't need a bat-house crazy LoraLee dishwasher setting the house on fire.
RIP LoraLee.
The kids will miss you as they have now been promoted to Top Dishwashers in the Clark Household.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Summer Time Nothings That Are Everything....
Now that all my chicks are home and all the summer camps are over, I feel like I can relax. It was just go go, and then go some more.
Or it was "the person who does this job is not home, and therefore I must do their job and mine, and Oh My Stinkin Goodness, it is hot, and why are we doing this garden and having all these animals anyway?"
Not that I would ever think that way of course. :)
The past four mornings have been spent in the garden battling morning glories and grass. And sticker bush weeds. Last night we also worked and finally got it all done. All rows are clean and pretty and I tried to take a picture and the battery died. We even got the tomato stakes up. This weekend when Mark is home we can put up the wire for the beans and then we can just watch it grow. And hopefully the kids can start their hoe one row a day routine and that will help keep things up.
Yeti is growing. And ya'll, he is the sweetest dog. He is learning his name and the word, "No," and is generally nice to have around. He seems to be a happy calm dog. He is starting to notice the goats and thinks it is great fun to stand at the gate and bark at them. Open the gate though and he gets a little less fierce. He is very afraid of the cats and I know I shouldn't laugh at him, but it is so cute. If a cat crosses his path he will NOT keep walking. We have to pick him up and carry him.
The gardenia bush is in full bloom and the smell is divine.
Matt has the new goat gate up and it is working terrifically.
The berries are starting to ripen and today will be blueberry and blackberry jam day.
I am enjoying these days with no school, well except for Tyler, who has to finish his curriculum for the year. I'll be ordering soon for next year and hope to be able to start some work back the 2cd or 3rd week of July.
I love these days of doing everyday things. They are all adding up to the Big Everythings that really matter.
Or it was "the person who does this job is not home, and therefore I must do their job and mine, and Oh My Stinkin Goodness, it is hot, and why are we doing this garden and having all these animals anyway?"
Not that I would ever think that way of course. :)
The past four mornings have been spent in the garden battling morning glories and grass. And sticker bush weeds. Last night we also worked and finally got it all done. All rows are clean and pretty and I tried to take a picture and the battery died. We even got the tomato stakes up. This weekend when Mark is home we can put up the wire for the beans and then we can just watch it grow. And hopefully the kids can start their hoe one row a day routine and that will help keep things up.
The gardenia bush is in full bloom and the smell is divine.
Matt has the new goat gate up and it is working terrifically.
The berries are starting to ripen and today will be blueberry and blackberry jam day.
I am enjoying these days with no school, well except for Tyler, who has to finish his curriculum for the year. I'll be ordering soon for next year and hope to be able to start some work back the 2cd or 3rd week of July.
I love these days of doing everyday things. They are all adding up to the Big Everythings that really matter.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Monday Morning This & That....
~You know how you see these homesteading blogs and the women are out in their garden or barn and they are wearing long flowing skirts and have eggs gathered in their aprons? And her hair is so neat and pretty, and she isn't sweating? And her muck boots aren't covered in mud? And a monsoon hasn't come? And her husband and big boys aren't at summer Scout camp? And the two male goats won't cooperate and walk through the monsoon to get put into the warm nice barn where they can actually be completely out of the rain? And one stubborn old goat that weighs 150 lbs gets snippy and tries to bite you as you are pulling on his collar? And the female goats are screaming because they have some sense and actually want to get out of the rain, but you can't move them until you move the males, because BAM!-you have goat babies made in a split second, and "WHY WON'T THE DUMB GOATS MOVE?????" And she is soaking wet inside and out because of the rain and the humidity? And then the gate latch thing her son constructed decides to not work only because it is pouring down rain and the female goats are jumping all up on her and trying to knock her down because they want in out of the rain so bad?
Guess what I did between 4:00 and 5:00 pm yesterday during a monsoon?
~The man of the place and my big boys are gone all week. And the above was just the first afternoon. Maybe all the things that could go wrong went wrong in one afternoon and it will be smooth sailing from her on out. A MamaHen can hope, right?
~Other than wrestling the goats I have plans to visit Rebekah and her new sweeties, read some books, and read some books. If I have extra time I am going to read some more books. We signed up for the Reading Program at the library and one of the children's prizes was a mustache necklace which apparently MUST BE HAD by Abbie and James is coveting the dinosaur fossil egg thing so we checked out lots of books and hopefully they will want to be reading this week also. Routine house maintenance will be done, but other than that this MamaHen is on vacation. As much as you can be on vacation while fixing the meals, and taking care of the animals, and carting children to piano practice, and carting little girls around as they spend the night with each other, and oh, I still haven't done those Heritage Girls forms, and oh, I still need to finalize my curriculum list, and oh well. Seriously though, we are looking for it to be a much more relaxing week and I am so glad.
~So, what are your plans for this week? Hopefully they don't involve a biting goat....
Guess what I did between 4:00 and 5:00 pm yesterday during a monsoon?
~The man of the place and my big boys are gone all week. And the above was just the first afternoon. Maybe all the things that could go wrong went wrong in one afternoon and it will be smooth sailing from her on out. A MamaHen can hope, right?
~Other than wrestling the goats I have plans to visit Rebekah and her new sweeties, read some books, and read some books. If I have extra time I am going to read some more books. We signed up for the Reading Program at the library and one of the children's prizes was a mustache necklace which apparently MUST BE HAD by Abbie and James is coveting the dinosaur fossil egg thing so we checked out lots of books and hopefully they will want to be reading this week also. Routine house maintenance will be done, but other than that this MamaHen is on vacation. As much as you can be on vacation while fixing the meals, and taking care of the animals, and carting children to piano practice, and carting little girls around as they spend the night with each other, and oh, I still haven't done those Heritage Girls forms, and oh, I still need to finalize my curriculum list, and oh well. Seriously though, we are looking for it to be a much more relaxing week and I am so glad.
~So, what are your plans for this week? Hopefully they don't involve a biting goat....
Thursday, May 16, 2013
At Home Happiness....
The first "hanging out" of the year. Happy Happy!
Matt and I spent the afternoon transplanting tomatoes from their small containers to their larger ones. Today we start hardening them off and getting them ready to move to the garden. Happy Happy!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Freezer Friday...
I got a little more done this week than last.
2 bags sloppy joes
2 bags cooked beef with chopped onions
2 sweet potato casseroles
I made all of these when I was making the first ones for meals. I love only having a messy kitchen once and getting several meals or sides out of it.
I had planned on doubling my chicken pot pie recipe on Tuesday night. But when I got it all mixed I realized there was just enough for one pie. I make it without a recipe so it is hard to gauge how much is enough and how much is too much.
This is the best sloppy joe recipe. So easy and I love just strolling by the sloppy joe sauce cans at the store and knowing I don't have to buy them.
Yummy Delicious Sloppy Joes:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
(This makes enough for 1 lb ground beef).
It is so simple to mix up and then put on your cooked beef.
We are having mac and cheese for lunch and I hope to make up a couple of extra for the freezer.
2 bags sloppy joes
2 bags cooked beef with chopped onions
2 sweet potato casseroles
I made all of these when I was making the first ones for meals. I love only having a messy kitchen once and getting several meals or sides out of it.
I had planned on doubling my chicken pot pie recipe on Tuesday night. But when I got it all mixed I realized there was just enough for one pie. I make it without a recipe so it is hard to gauge how much is enough and how much is too much.
This is the best sloppy joe recipe. So easy and I love just strolling by the sloppy joe sauce cans at the store and knowing I don't have to buy them.
Yummy Delicious Sloppy Joes:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
(This makes enough for 1 lb ground beef).
It is so simple to mix up and then put on your cooked beef.
We are having mac and cheese for lunch and I hope to make up a couple of extra for the freezer.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Freezer Friday....Chicken Report....
Today was chicken day here at Old Clark Acres. Chicken-as in cooked yummy delicous chicken.
I made two bags of Brown Sugar Chicken (this is from the Crockin Girls Cookbook) and I want to be fair to them so I'm not going to put the recipe. You might can find it on their site though.
I had plans to make two chicken pot pies, one for tonight and one for the freezer, but I realized I only had enough chicken for one pot pie. It was leftover from something else. And the pie crust recipe that was supposed to make six crusts only made two really big ones. So one pot pie it was.
I also made a double batch of Cream of Chicken Soup dry mix, taco seasoning, and this new-to-me Ranch Dressing mix.
I am excited to see how it tastes on our salad tomorrow night.
I am still processing that it is the first of March. It is almost strawberry time! And then planting the garden time, and then oh me, it all starts to run together in a haze of gardening, canning, and freezing. I am greatly disliking these cold temps and I can't believe I am saying this, but am looking forward to the warmer weather. Ya'll remind me of that in July.
Anyone do any stocking up this week?
Friday, February 1, 2013
Homemaking Is Not For The Faint Of Heart....
~This morning I had to do one of my very least favorite home chores. It rivals scrubbing around the bottom of the toilet for me-I had to clean out the gunk from the dishwasher paddles (?). Nothing was getting cleaned in the dishwasher and this morning I found out why. Someone had put a plastic straw in there that apparently had gotten shredded somehow and was sticking in all the little holes where water comes out and then food gunk had accumulated around it all and I thought I was going to be sick. If ya'll were here you have Blessed My Heart and either looked on me with pity at the job I was having to do or looked at me with pity because it got that nasty in the first place. Anyway you look at it a Bless Your Heart would have been appropriate.
~ I am going this afternoon to get my new driver's licence . I came out with my hair fixed and full makeup and Matt looked at me and said, "What's going on? Did something happen?" Ha, ha. Now I have about 2 hours to decide what to say when they ask me if anything has changed on my license. I mean besides my hair color and my weight its all the same. I don't think I should have to worry with that, do you? Oh, and I think I may have gotten shorter. But I'm still basically the same as I was last time around-12 years and two babies ago.
~Mark, aka Sweet Hubby, said that he was having a lot of trouble leaving a comment on my blog. He said he was having to go through some email verification thing and then get a confirmation sent to him and I'm not really sure what is going on. So, could someone leave me a comment letting me know if you have to do anything weird to leave a comment here. There should be no word verification (cause I HATE them, I can't see those little numbers), and you should not have to register to leave one either. So, if someone would let me know that would be great.
Maybe leave me a comment advising me about my dilemma about the license.... :)
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Errand Day Bingo....
After lunch today is our big errand day. We have haircuts to get, goat feed to purchase, tennis shoes to procure because my children just keep getting bigger and bigger and and they won't stop even though I told them too, and groceries to buy to keep the children growing at light speed.
Things are much much easier to handle on errand day than when I had a 4, 2, and a newborn. Those were the days when I would get up at 4 AM and go buy groceries before the kids woke up and Mark left for work. Those were the days when if the above scenario could not be arranged I end up laying on the couch when Mark came home utterly exhausted from trying to pick up some diapers and milk. And they were good kids! There were just more kids than mom and they had lots more energy than I did!
But, going out with young teens, a pre-teen, and a six year old has its own challenges. Such as, "The Challenge of the Mouth."
They can talk now and have no problem letting you know their thoughts about the whole process. Whereas you could bribe them before with the prospect of a box of popsicles if they were good, now-not so much.
So, just to make it a little more fun here's a game for us to play...
How many times between the hours of 1 and 4 PM do you think I will hear?
I have to go to the bathroom!
He/She touched me or is looking at me!
How much longer????
Can we buy/get this?
You owe me $5 so let's just get this and make it even. (The product they are wanting is at least double that in price)
Can you just drop me off at the house?
Mom-just go to the free money machine and get some bucks! (James believes the atm is a free money machine and I just haven't had it in me to try to explain the whole thing to him)
How come he/she always gets to sit in the front?
Can I push the buggy? (Even though they know this is my job exclusively)
And how many times will I say?
Someone grab James' hand!
James! Stop and look both ways! Why isn't someone grabbing his hand???? Can't all of you see my hands are full!!!!!
No, maybe next payday.
I'll think about it (and I won't think about it again)
That's enough!
No more talking! We are in a talk-free zone until we pull into the driveway!
Please! We all have to do this today, so let's just try to be nice to each other!
Look at what you are teaching James!
Oh, I forgot (insert various items)... run over to aisle seven and pick up the peanut butter. Child comes back with numerous items, but no peanut butter.
If you don't hold on to the side of this buggy it is going to be bad when we get home.
No, the big kids don't have to hold on to the side of the buggy because I need them to run to aisle seven to get....
And who wants to guess how long it takes me to unload 20 bags of groceries only to look around and wonder what we are going to have for supper?
Am I forgetting anything?
Things are much much easier to handle on errand day than when I had a 4, 2, and a newborn. Those were the days when I would get up at 4 AM and go buy groceries before the kids woke up and Mark left for work. Those were the days when if the above scenario could not be arranged I end up laying on the couch when Mark came home utterly exhausted from trying to pick up some diapers and milk. And they were good kids! There were just more kids than mom and they had lots more energy than I did!
But, going out with young teens, a pre-teen, and a six year old has its own challenges. Such as, "The Challenge of the Mouth."
They can talk now and have no problem letting you know their thoughts about the whole process. Whereas you could bribe them before with the prospect of a box of popsicles if they were good, now-not so much.
So, just to make it a little more fun here's a game for us to play...
How many times between the hours of 1 and 4 PM do you think I will hear?
I have to go to the bathroom!
He/She touched me or is looking at me!
How much longer????
Can we buy/get this?
You owe me $5 so let's just get this and make it even. (The product they are wanting is at least double that in price)
Can you just drop me off at the house?
Mom-just go to the free money machine and get some bucks! (James believes the atm is a free money machine and I just haven't had it in me to try to explain the whole thing to him)
How come he/she always gets to sit in the front?
Can I push the buggy? (Even though they know this is my job exclusively)
And how many times will I say?
Someone grab James' hand!
James! Stop and look both ways! Why isn't someone grabbing his hand???? Can't all of you see my hands are full!!!!!
No, maybe next payday.
I'll think about it (and I won't think about it again)
That's enough!
No more talking! We are in a talk-free zone until we pull into the driveway!
Please! We all have to do this today, so let's just try to be nice to each other!
Look at what you are teaching James!
Oh, I forgot (insert various items)... run over to aisle seven and pick up the peanut butter. Child comes back with numerous items, but no peanut butter.
If you don't hold on to the side of this buggy it is going to be bad when we get home.
No, the big kids don't have to hold on to the side of the buggy because I need them to run to aisle seven to get....
And who wants to guess how long it takes me to unload 20 bags of groceries only to look around and wonder what we are going to have for supper?
Am I forgetting anything?
Friday, January 25, 2013
Yummy Cobbler and Freezer Friday....
You know what I am learning over and over again? Fourteen and thirteen year old boys eat. A lot. And growing eleven year old girls can give them a run for their money.
A soft taco for lunch just isn't going to cut it like it used to.
So, I have been thinking of ways to fill these tummies without going broke.
Enter The Cobbler.
I call it The Cobbler because you can make it with any fruit you have. Well, almost any fruit. I dont' think Banana Cobbler would be very good.
I take frozen fruit from this summer-peaches, blueberries, and blackberries and I just thaw and throw into a baking dish. Add the juice and all because that is what makes it super yummy when it cooks. You can sprinkle a little sugar on top of the fruit if you want.
Then mix up these three ingredients in a separate bowl:
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk (I make up instant milk and use it for this-can't tell the difference)
Mix well and then pour over the fruit. Bake until done-I think it takes about 30 minutes. I just watch it until it looks brown on top, but remember-you don't want it to get too dry or all the yummy juice will evaporate.
When I make it for my bunch I double everything and put it in a 9 x 13 dish.
Not much freezer cooking has happened this week. I did make Mac and Cheese Casserole for lunch yesterday and made two for the freezer while I was at it. I think that was it.
I have been saving our veggie leftovers this week and tomorrow I am making veggie-roast beef soup. I have half a shredded cooked roast I froze awhile back and I'll pull it all out tonight along with the tomatoes and tomorrow we will have soup and cornbread for supper. :)
A soft taco for lunch just isn't going to cut it like it used to.
So, I have been thinking of ways to fill these tummies without going broke.
Enter The Cobbler.
I call it The Cobbler because you can make it with any fruit you have. Well, almost any fruit. I dont' think Banana Cobbler would be very good.
I take frozen fruit from this summer-peaches, blueberries, and blackberries and I just thaw and throw into a baking dish. Add the juice and all because that is what makes it super yummy when it cooks. You can sprinkle a little sugar on top of the fruit if you want.
Then mix up these three ingredients in a separate bowl:
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk (I make up instant milk and use it for this-can't tell the difference)
Mix well and then pour over the fruit. Bake until done-I think it takes about 30 minutes. I just watch it until it looks brown on top, but remember-you don't want it to get too dry or all the yummy juice will evaporate.
When I make it for my bunch I double everything and put it in a 9 x 13 dish.
Not much freezer cooking has happened this week. I did make Mac and Cheese Casserole for lunch yesterday and made two for the freezer while I was at it. I think that was it.
I have been saving our veggie leftovers this week and tomorrow I am making veggie-roast beef soup. I have half a shredded cooked roast I froze awhile back and I'll pull it all out tonight along with the tomatoes and tomorrow we will have soup and cornbread for supper. :)
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Ta-Da!....
Guess what?
I completed a domestic project.
I am the queen of having an idea and starting it. I get these crazy ideas to paint a room or learn to sew (cause of all the free time I have, you know?) and after a couple of days things just sorta never happen. But man, if I had some drones to execute all the ideas I come up with...
Anyway, I had this huge blank wall behind our couch. It has been like that since we moved in seven years ago. I tried a couple of different pictures, but nothing worked because the space was so big. So, I would sit and stare at the blank wall.
Well, I finally decided to do something about it, oh, about three months ago. And now it is done. Only three months, you say... Remember, I've got four kiddos here with me ALL DAY long. Crowd control is priority around here, not interior decorating.
Anyway, on someone's blog a long time, (I think it was Nester, but I can't be positive) I saw a coffee filter wreath and I knew that was going to be my starting point. The idea was to fill the space with things I love and things that are cheap. I made the wreath! I made a craft that looks good! Woo-Hoo!
I couldn't find any light brown coffee filters like I wanted so I actually dyed the white filters with tea. Yes, I did. And then I laid them out to dry and it took much longer than I thought it would. Strange. Some of them even got a little musty, I would have to say.
Anyways... I took a Styrofoam wreath and then just proceeded to bend the filters like I wanted and pinned them in place with stick pins. I thought about hot gluing them, but that would have involved finding the glue gun and then finding the glue sticks, and I would still be staring at the blank wall today. Actually I am glad I did it with pins because I could then take them out and rearrange them like I wanted.
I would have liked for it to be a little darker for this wall, so I plan to make another one and put this one in our bedroom. I bought the frames at the thrift store and was gifted the crosses. The wagon picture came from the thrift store. The framed quilt piece was from a quilt my great-grandmother made. It was falling to pieces so I salvaged a piece with no tears or rips and framed it. The children are courtesy of Mark and I, thank you very much.
And yes, I am well aware the items on the wall are crooked. Everything in my house is. This house is very old and it is saggy in a little places. I can straighten a picture one day and then next morning it is crooked again. There is actually a place in the house where Mark and I can stand and I am almost as tall as he is. We call it our smooching spot.
There are still a few little things I want to add to it. My mom had some wooden butterflies that used to hang in her kitchen. I am on the lookout for something like that to add to the top.
This is an old post that I am putting in The Farmhouse Style Blog Hop today. Thanks Green Eggs and Goats!
I still love my coffee filter wreath and am trying to figure out exactly where I want it since the painting fiasco. Fiasco in that the walls are painted, but I still haven't hung anything on the walls. Well, I did try to hang a cute little coat holder thingy and it kept falling and scraped the new paint. So it is back in the pile of things to hang later....
Friday, January 4, 2013
Friday Linky-Loos...
Okay-all my grand plans for cleaning and organizing and giveaways-down the drain.
That is the short story-there are many long stories that led up to the short story, but basically it all ended after several converstations with Mark about some anxieties I was having and then reading this.
I had to be reminded of what I love to tell others-do what has to be done and all the other will fall into place. Or not get done at all. Food, clothes, school. Those are my things. Everyone has to eat. Mark has to have clean ironed clothes to wear to work each day. The children have to be schooled.
Now, there are 10,000 other things that need to be done. But not necessarily today. And Mark reminded me of something else that I tend to lose sight of-the children are part of the family-they are not guests of honor here. They can get up and work just like he and I do every day. And that work is good for them. And good for their future employers and families. And for their family today.
So-go read this.
And take a deep breath. And just do the next thing.
I'll still have the little giveaway next week sometime. And probably by then be back on track and moving along with my house plans. Or maybe not. :)
That is the short story-there are many long stories that led up to the short story, but basically it all ended after several converstations with Mark about some anxieties I was having and then reading this.
I had to be reminded of what I love to tell others-do what has to be done and all the other will fall into place. Or not get done at all. Food, clothes, school. Those are my things. Everyone has to eat. Mark has to have clean ironed clothes to wear to work each day. The children have to be schooled.
Now, there are 10,000 other things that need to be done. But not necessarily today. And Mark reminded me of something else that I tend to lose sight of-the children are part of the family-they are not guests of honor here. They can get up and work just like he and I do every day. And that work is good for them. And good for their future employers and families. And for their family today.
So-go read this.
And take a deep breath. And just do the next thing.
I'll still have the little giveaway next week sometime. And probably by then be back on track and moving along with my house plans. Or maybe not. :)
Monday, November 12, 2012
Reasons I Love To Freezer Cook...
Since last June I have been on a mission to learn about freezer cooking. I wanted to see if it would work for my family and if it was really worth the time commitment. I had been reading about it for what seemed like forever and I decided to take the plunge to try it out.
I have found I really really really like it. It works for us and I have found I really enjoy it for several reasons. I thought I would share them here.
In no particular order:
1. All the cleanup is done when you are done. If I can be disciplined and actually clean as I go (load the dishwasher or hand wash as needed), then all I have to do is return everything to the pantry or fridge and then wipe down the counters. I love turning on the dishwasher knowing that part is done.
2. A real sense of accomplishment. So much of what we do as moms is never really done. I can leave the kitchen and know that I did something good for my family.
3. I don't have to think as much-about supper that is. I can look on my fridge and see my freezer list and know what is there.
4. I get to think more-about things I like to think about. I actually enjoy searching for recipes and planning and organizing how I will do my cooking times. I enjoy looking through the pantry and seeing what I can come up with and how to stretch it into several meals. It makes me happy. Don't know why, but it does.
6. It saves money. I have not done the calculations to see just how much, but I know it has. Shopping at ALDI ,doubling meals, cooking in bulk, and making two, or even three meals, out of one leftover meal is really starting to add up. It's taken several months of doing this, but I feel like things are much more manageable now as far as groceries go. I go with a plan and most times we are spending less than the grocery budget allows. Which is good because gas keeps going up and Mark has to drive a long way to work.
I am working diligently for the next three weeks to stock my pantry and my freezer and I have a grand plan in mind. I am doing it for all the reasons above, but also for two other reasons.
One, last year our Christmas season was so rushed and by the time it was over I was so glad. I am bound and determined it will not be that way this year. Having meals in the freezer and pantry for December will help so much with that. Its just a little thing, but in my mind its pretty big.
And two, I am hoping that I can take a big portion of the grocery money saved for December and buy Christmas presents. Don't worry, the kiddos will be getting presents regardless, this is just a personal goal of mine. We are having a very low-key Christmas as far a presents are concerned and the kids know this. I want to focus on the thing they would LOVE to get, not a whole bunch of stuff they don't want or need. I have gone crazy the past two years trying to find the perfect gift for so and so and now I don't even remember what those things were.
So, for the next three weeks I am going to be doing a little each day to make this goal possible. Now, as the children like to pray, "Please let no one get sick or seriously injured." :)
Today I am linking up at Homestead Revival's Barn Hop.
Be sure to visit Growing Home for more homemaking ideas too.
I am also linking up at Raising Homemakers.
Do any of you freezer cook? Hints, tips, suggestions, pretty please????
I have found I really really really like it. It works for us and I have found I really enjoy it for several reasons. I thought I would share them here.
In no particular order:
1. All the cleanup is done when you are done. If I can be disciplined and actually clean as I go (load the dishwasher or hand wash as needed), then all I have to do is return everything to the pantry or fridge and then wipe down the counters. I love turning on the dishwasher knowing that part is done.
2. A real sense of accomplishment. So much of what we do as moms is never really done. I can leave the kitchen and know that I did something good for my family.
3. I don't have to think as much-about supper that is. I can look on my fridge and see my freezer list and know what is there.
4. I get to think more-about things I like to think about. I actually enjoy searching for recipes and planning and organizing how I will do my cooking times. I enjoy looking through the pantry and seeing what I can come up with and how to stretch it into several meals. It makes me happy. Don't know why, but it does.
6. It saves money. I have not done the calculations to see just how much, but I know it has. Shopping at ALDI ,doubling meals, cooking in bulk, and making two, or even three meals, out of one leftover meal is really starting to add up. It's taken several months of doing this, but I feel like things are much more manageable now as far as groceries go. I go with a plan and most times we are spending less than the grocery budget allows. Which is good because gas keeps going up and Mark has to drive a long way to work.
I am working diligently for the next three weeks to stock my pantry and my freezer and I have a grand plan in mind. I am doing it for all the reasons above, but also for two other reasons.
One, last year our Christmas season was so rushed and by the time it was over I was so glad. I am bound and determined it will not be that way this year. Having meals in the freezer and pantry for December will help so much with that. Its just a little thing, but in my mind its pretty big.
And two, I am hoping that I can take a big portion of the grocery money saved for December and buy Christmas presents. Don't worry, the kiddos will be getting presents regardless, this is just a personal goal of mine. We are having a very low-key Christmas as far a presents are concerned and the kids know this. I want to focus on the thing they would LOVE to get, not a whole bunch of stuff they don't want or need. I have gone crazy the past two years trying to find the perfect gift for so and so and now I don't even remember what those things were.
So, for the next three weeks I am going to be doing a little each day to make this goal possible. Now, as the children like to pray, "Please let no one get sick or seriously injured." :)
Today I am linking up at Homestead Revival's Barn Hop.
Be sure to visit Growing Home for more homemaking ideas too.
I am also linking up at Raising Homemakers.
Do any of you freezer cook? Hints, tips, suggestions, pretty please????
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Well Duh????
Do ya'll remember when everyone was going around rolling their eyes and saying, "Well Duh???"
I hated it then and I hate it now, but a just a little while ago I had a true "Duh" moment.
I have always bought bread crumbs from the store. I mean, they are cheap and already seasoned, and I like the round containers they come in. Don't laugh-the shape and size of the container can sway my purchasing big time.
Anyway, I knew that people made their own bread crumbs, but for some reason I did not think I could. I had this vision of having a big ole wet mushed up bread mess when I was done.
This morning I was up at 4: stinkin 30 because James has a fever and woke me up so I could share in his suffering and after I got him settled back on the couch and asleep I was pursuing blog-land. And I came across this post and went "Duh?"
I can do that.
It just so happens that I had two halfway empty loaves of wheat bread that the boys had brought home from a Scout trip. I would have normally just feed it to the chickens, because as much as I want to I just cannot eat whole wheat sandwich bread. Freshly baked whole wheat bread-yes mam, pass the butter, but sandwich bread, no thank you.
I spent approximately 10 minutes this afternoon making bread crumbs and now I have five 2-cup bags in my freezer. It was so easy and there was no mess at all.
I found that three pieces of bread equals approximately 2 cups of crumbs. I packaged mine in sandwich bags (2 cups each) and then put them all into a freezer bag. I didn't know if I would be able to just scoop out the amount would need so I played it safe on this first round. I can just take out one baggie, let it defrost, and won't have to defrost the whole bag.
So, have you been smart and been making bread crumbs all along? If you want to try it is easy-peasy or I wouldn't be able to do it!
Today I am linking up at Farm Girl Friday.
I hated it then and I hate it now, but a just a little while ago I had a true "Duh" moment.
I have always bought bread crumbs from the store. I mean, they are cheap and already seasoned, and I like the round containers they come in. Don't laugh-the shape and size of the container can sway my purchasing big time.
Anyway, I knew that people made their own bread crumbs, but for some reason I did not think I could. I had this vision of having a big ole wet mushed up bread mess when I was done.
This morning I was up at 4: stinkin 30 because James has a fever and woke me up so I could share in his suffering and after I got him settled back on the couch and asleep I was pursuing blog-land. And I came across this post and went "Duh?"
I can do that.
It just so happens that I had two halfway empty loaves of wheat bread that the boys had brought home from a Scout trip. I would have normally just feed it to the chickens, because as much as I want to I just cannot eat whole wheat sandwich bread. Freshly baked whole wheat bread-yes mam, pass the butter, but sandwich bread, no thank you.
I found that three pieces of bread equals approximately 2 cups of crumbs. I packaged mine in sandwich bags (2 cups each) and then put them all into a freezer bag. I didn't know if I would be able to just scoop out the amount would need so I played it safe on this first round. I can just take out one baggie, let it defrost, and won't have to defrost the whole bag.
So, have you been smart and been making bread crumbs all along? If you want to try it is easy-peasy or I wouldn't be able to do it!
Today I am linking up at Farm Girl Friday.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Freezer Friday....
ALDI had their butter on sale for $1.89 a pound so I stocked up for this recipe and some for the freezer. They also had cream cheese for 99 cents a block so I got several of those. I like ALDI in that it has helped me stay in my grocery budget and since shopping there I have learned to cook so much more from scratch.
We grow our own corn, but I like to save it to eat as well, straight yummy delicious corn, so I bought cans of it. I thought about using my cornbread mix in place of the Jiffy corn mixes and I might do that next time, but they boxes were 49 cents at ALDI so I stocked up. I checked and they were 79 cents at the Dollar Store and 59 cents at Walmart. Oh my goodness, I am becoming a grocery geek. I'll stop now.
Monday, October 29, 2012
A Little Meltdown....
Last week I dealt with some sickness all week and on top of that we had school, a field trip, an allergist's visit, which was really a consult which said to come back in two weeks and spend $50 more dollars, a spend the night, a Fall Festival that has turned into Fall Festival Week and a myriad of other this and thats which left me Saturday morning in meltdown cry mode when I could not find the shirt that Abbie needed for her dress up and beg for candy at Tanneyhill time. By the way, I had to pay $9 to get in and we didn't even get out of the car it was so crowded. That did not help my feelings on top of the meltdown. Mark says I really just need to let it go... Oh, and church and another fall festival and again, I wonder why I do this to myself and then I go to bed and here it is Monday morning and I am bound and determined to stay home this week and get some things done.
School is our priority. Has to be done, no excuses. And it will be. And this week it is going to be done well, by cracky.
Then laundry and ironing. Monday is ironing day. No excuses. Believe me, it will be better for everyone if the ironing gets done all on one day.
Then, the Great Clothes Switchout and making a list of who needs what. Cause they keep growing. And growing. And throwing the temper-tantrum in Abbie's room Saturday morning revealed that I got to get busy in that closet.
And I suppose I will cook some meals here and there. And pay some bills as payday is this week. Oh, and groceries. And I have this grand scheme in my head to do some garden research to see how we can better implement year-round gardening. And I want to make these cute little pumpkin letter cards for James and oh my goodness, it is almost November and I remember making the cutest little feather headdresses and Pilgrim hats for the big kids when they were James' age...
Or I could just go back to Pinterest and look at all the people who have already done all this things.
Hmmm.....
 |
| Thank you Aunt Sister Jill for the poodle skirt. She was adorable. |
 |
| A mighty Ninga was he. |
 |
| Friends before we left for the non-happening Fall Festival at Tanneyhill. We did go for frozen yogurt to try to make it up to them and then Kelli and I left the kids with Mark and went out for an early Mexican supper. It was hard work deciding not to do the festival and deal with the fall-out, you know????? Thank you Mark! |
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Freezer Friday...
Okra-does it ever stop?
No! Thank goodness, because I just learned how to cook it correctly this week. My mother-in-law came down and taught me and I feel like I have learned something very important. Here in Alabama okra is abundant and grows very well. And it bears for a long long time.
So I have been cutting and freezing okra this week. I cut it and then freeze it on a cookie sheet and then package it.
I wanted to take this summer and really begin to learn about food prep and food storage-especially my freezer and ways to make it work for our family. I am still learning by reading other's blogs, but also just by thinking through what I have and how to make the most of it.
For example-my goal is that no food goes to waste around here. I am tired of cleaning out the fridge and having to throw food away. That is just wasting Mark's hard-earned money and my work. I have so far to go in this, but this week I really noticed a difference in my thinking.
I had one piece of small steak that was left over from Labor Day. I had okra, leftover green beans, and just enough peas to not be able to do a whole side dish with. So, I cut the steak into very very small pieces and divided it into three gallon-size freezer bags. I then divided the peas, green beans, and okra into the bags to make veggie soup mix. I wrote on the bag to add tomatoes, corn, and pasta and there you have three meals for my family made out of leftovers.
Another example, I had some leftover rice. Not really enough to use for another meal, but too much to add to the chicken scrap bucket. So, today I am making a chicken-rice soup in the crockpot with two left-over chicken breasts and carrots and celery. I have used carrots and celery this summer more than I ever have because I found you can get them at ALDI for 69 cents a bunch.
At ALDI yesterday they had chicken fried rice packets for 99 cents a piece. I bought three and am going to add some leftover pork I had instead of the chicken. I could not buy the rice, the carrots, and the english peas for 99 cents so I just bought the packets.
So, I want to encourage you to just think. I have wasted so much food before. It makes me cringe. If anyone else was wasting that much money at work they would get fired. I don't think there is any danger of getting fired around here, but I want to do better.
What creative things do you do in the kitchen to not waste food or all your hard work?
Today I am linking up at Laura's.
No! Thank goodness, because I just learned how to cook it correctly this week. My mother-in-law came down and taught me and I feel like I have learned something very important. Here in Alabama okra is abundant and grows very well. And it bears for a long long time.
So I have been cutting and freezing okra this week. I cut it and then freeze it on a cookie sheet and then package it.
I wanted to take this summer and really begin to learn about food prep and food storage-especially my freezer and ways to make it work for our family. I am still learning by reading other's blogs, but also just by thinking through what I have and how to make the most of it.
For example-my goal is that no food goes to waste around here. I am tired of cleaning out the fridge and having to throw food away. That is just wasting Mark's hard-earned money and my work. I have so far to go in this, but this week I really noticed a difference in my thinking.
I had one piece of small steak that was left over from Labor Day. I had okra, leftover green beans, and just enough peas to not be able to do a whole side dish with. So, I cut the steak into very very small pieces and divided it into three gallon-size freezer bags. I then divided the peas, green beans, and okra into the bags to make veggie soup mix. I wrote on the bag to add tomatoes, corn, and pasta and there you have three meals for my family made out of leftovers.
Another example, I had some leftover rice. Not really enough to use for another meal, but too much to add to the chicken scrap bucket. So, today I am making a chicken-rice soup in the crockpot with two left-over chicken breasts and carrots and celery. I have used carrots and celery this summer more than I ever have because I found you can get them at ALDI for 69 cents a bunch.
At ALDI yesterday they had chicken fried rice packets for 99 cents a piece. I bought three and am going to add some leftover pork I had instead of the chicken. I could not buy the rice, the carrots, and the english peas for 99 cents so I just bought the packets.
So, I want to encourage you to just think. I have wasted so much food before. It makes me cringe. If anyone else was wasting that much money at work they would get fired. I don't think there is any danger of getting fired around here, but I want to do better.
What creative things do you do in the kitchen to not waste food or all your hard work?
Today I am linking up at Laura's.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Freezer Friday....
This week was a little out of the ordinary for me in that I was out of the house two days from 7 to 6. I was able to keep my friends little toddler while she is at summer camp with the girls.
So, a lot did not get done in the house this week, but I amazed as I look around that things are not too crazy. Yesterday I got caught up on the laundry and was able to freeze eight quarts of tomatoes that were gifted to me. I need to go pick our tomatoes, but it is really really wet out there. And its nice and cool inside and its hot and humid outside. And I might be a little on the "oh well" side of things this morning.
I was able to put some meal preps in the freezer as I just doubled some meals and used my crockpot for some other things.
This week:
2 bags of cooked spanish rice
4 bags of black beans (I cooked them in the crockpot)
3 bags of taco seasoned beef
2 bags of sloppy joe beef
and
2 bags of plain cooked beef.
If I get up the gumption I will make a bunch of breakfast burritos this afternoon. Hmmmm....
So, a lot did not get done in the house this week, but I amazed as I look around that things are not too crazy. Yesterday I got caught up on the laundry and was able to freeze eight quarts of tomatoes that were gifted to me. I need to go pick our tomatoes, but it is really really wet out there. And its nice and cool inside and its hot and humid outside. And I might be a little on the "oh well" side of things this morning.
I was able to put some meal preps in the freezer as I just doubled some meals and used my crockpot for some other things.
This week:
2 bags of cooked spanish rice
4 bags of black beans (I cooked them in the crockpot)
3 bags of taco seasoned beef
2 bags of sloppy joe beef
and
2 bags of plain cooked beef.
If I get up the gumption I will make a bunch of breakfast burritos this afternoon. Hmmmm....
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