A Challenge to My Kitchen Week #3: Chicken Quesadillas

This week's new recipe isn't completely new, but different than I would normally make it.  Using grocery items I got with coupons and sales, this whole meal was pretty cheap to make.

I also got to use the new griddle I got for Christmas.  I just got it out of the box this weekend and have already used it twice.  I don't know why it took so long to open.  Sometimes I procrastinate.  Anyway, to make the chicken quesadillas, I used flour tortillas (sprayed with cooking spray so they wouldn't stick to the griddle) and filled them with southwestern style chicken breast strips, shredded cheese, and diced green peppers.

Then just top it with another cooking-sprayed flour tortilla and flip when the first side is brown.  Just be careful not to spray the counter with the chicken and cheese filling...it might if you flip too fast.  You know, not that I know from experience, I'm just saying, be careful.

I also threw together some Spanish rice to go with the chicken quesadillas.  I just made the quick cooking rice following the instructions on the box, added some left over corn, salsa, salt, and pepper.  A quick and easy side that Chris and Elliott both scarfed down rather quickly. 

Yummy, cheap, and easy...a definite dinner winner (oh, how I love to rhyme).



a project with Elliott

I'm still working on my nursery redo and one thing I finished this weekend was a painting project with Ellie. 

I bought a canvas and some paints recently at The Flower Factory for super cheap.  First, I made an H with painter's tape.

I then let Elliott go wild with some paints.  She did one layer...

we let it dry and then she did a second layer the next day.

I hadn't planned on allowing brown on the painting, but that is the only color Ellie seems to like.  Literally, every time we color she searches for the brown crayon. Last week in her Sunday school class she colored a whole picture brown.  She loves brown so it ended up, unfortunately, on the painting. 

After the second layer dried, I peeled the painter's tape off and hung it up above Harper's crib.  It's a part of a collage of pictures frames (that I got at IKEA) and other artwork, but I haven't filled all of the frames yet.  I already like how it turned out (even without pictures, hmmm), it was super-easy, and Elliott loves that she painted it and it's hanging up in Harper's room.

 

invitations: done

Ellie turns two next month (tear...) and I finally got her birthday party invitations done tonight.

We're doing a circus theme this year complete with a clown.  For invitation inspiration, I searched "circus ticket" online and used Publisher to create them.  They didn't take very long at all and I wish I had done them sooner so they could have been in the mail a couple days ago. 

Ellie and I got them addressed tonight after dinner.  She kept talking about her birthday party and sending people the invites in the mail.  I thought it was so cute...until she said started heading to the door because she was "going to her birthday party."  Yikes, maybe I needed to explain that one a little better.

  Chris and Ellie are heading to the post office tomorrow to mail them...one step closer to party time!

nursery remix

    Baby #2 will be here in about nine weeks and while I have no desire to redo the nursery, we have been moving things around and changing the decor so that Harper doesn't get everything second hand (since the majority of her clothes, shoes, toys, etc. are originally Elliott's).  While I'm sure she'll one day spend hours in therapy covering her issues with second hand stuff, for now we're starting her off with a somewhat-new nursery. 

    Actually, the only thing that is left over from Elliott's days in the nursery is the changing table since my first born demolished the crib and I don't think it would be safe to put another child in it.  Also, we aren't repainting because, while I used to love painting rooms, now it just seems like too much work.  We added a rocker which Elliott never had and we bought a set of drawers from IKEA to put next to it. 
   I had a lamp, but bought a new lampshade and did a quick hot glue gun project with some pink ribbon to add a little more color to the whiteness.  While I'm not a big fan of an all-pink room for girls, I don't want it to be too unisex that it's not girly.  I also had a vintage mirror sitting in the basement that I stole from my mom that went about the rocker.  Here's how it turned out... 

   I'll share the rest of the nursery later.  I'm working on a picture display that I think is going to turn out awesome and I even had Ellie make something for the room.  Stay tuned!

a milestone

Yesterday was Chris' six month anniversary of being clean and sober. 

Congrats Christopher and keep up the good work!

A Challenge to My Kitchen Week 2: Chicken and Dumplings

This week's recipe (chicken and dumplings) was something I found on a website I love to visit multiple times a day, Passionate Penny Pincher.  I don't find it as cluttered or time-consuming as some of the other sites I go to and I get what I need quickly. 

I put this recipe in the Crock Pot in less than five minutes (which was good considering I didn't give myself any extra time that morning and would have been late to school if it took any longer...oops).  Literally, you just dump everything in and go.  I had almost everything on hand which was nice because I had already done most of my grocery shopping for the week; all I had to do was buy some chicken.  

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
(I varied my recipe slightly from the linked one so use whichever one you like.)

Ingredients:
-1 pound chicken tenderloins (or breasts or strips, etc.) cut into 1-inch square bites
-2 cans cream of chicken soup (one of my cans was the low sodium one and next time I would use both low sodium, it was a little salty)
-1 can chicken broth ( I realized at the last minute that I didn't have any chicken broth so I just used water)
-1 can water
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/4 tsp. pepper (I added more because I like a lot of pepper)
-1 onion
-2 cans of biscuits cut in into 1-2 inch square bites (the original recipe called for something like Grands! Biscuits but I used two cans of crescent rolls because I had those on hand.)

Directions:
1. Put chicken, soup, broth, water, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and the onion in the Crock Pot.
2. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
3. Two hours before suppertime, add quartered biscuits to the pot.  Gently stir in biscuits so they are covered.
4. Cook two more hours on low.
5. Eat!

It doesn't look really special or appetizing since it's not colorful or anything, but it was good.  When I mentioned earlier in the week I was going to make this, Chris informed me that he wasn't a big fan of chicken and dumplings.  But then he ate two servings for dinner and just had the leftovers for lunch today.  I'd hate to see how much he eats of something he actually likes. 

On the original recipe, the lady said it tasted exactly like the chicken and dumplings from Cracker Barrell, but since I've never had those, I don't know what she's talking about.  But I do know it was good, everyone ate it (Ellie called it her "soup") and I'll be making it again.  

A proud week in coupon-ing

   This week was pretty productive in terms of saving money and getting lots of stuff.  That just sounds exciting as I type it.  I have become super-obsessed with the matching ads to coupons thing and have been spending way too much time on the internet hunting down coupons and good deals.  But it's fun and I can't stop.

   First up is my Kroger purchase from Wednesday.  Now there is a really long story and lots of chaos that goes with this, but I'm going to spare you the details and just get to the deals.  But let's just say, I was almost to the point where this stuff wasn't worth the deals I was getting.  It was bad.

   All of this for forty cents.  No, really, I paid .40 for all of this stuff.  Now before you get too excited and think I'm the best couponer of all time I have to confess how I did it.  I had a Kroger coupon for a $25 gift card if you transferred a perscription.  I transferred my prenatal vitamins and earned $25 in free groceries.  Then I used matched sales with coupons, eCoupons loaded onto my Plus Card and with Kroger's amazing double coupon deal, I only paid .40 for all of this.  Again, a good deal, actually, great deal, but the chaos that came with the downloading of $25 to my Kroger Plus cards and paying was almost not worth it.  Almost.
   Then today after school I ran to Walgreens to get these amazing deals before they expire tomorrow.

I don't normally list the prices out, but this is worth the time.

2 packages of StayFree pads = $1.24 each

3 boxes of Kleenex = $.89 each

2 boxes of Fiber One bars = $1.75 each

2 pack of Reach toothbrushes = $.49

1 package of Reach floss = free with $.01 overage

1 bottle of Listerine = $.99

2 bottles of Johnson's baby lotion = $3.51 each

4 pack C Energizer batteries = $4.99

Triaminic = $1.99

Total out of pocket: $25.94 (with tax)

Savings: $41.33

   This was a pretty exciting week for me (how lame is that??).  What I'm working on now is not spending all my grocery money the weekend I get it, but only buying what I need and what is a great deal so that I can still buy things on the off-weeks (I get my grocery money every two weeks on my pay day).  This might be a little harder to do because my philosophy has always been to spend what I have.  And now I want to work on spending what I need to and keeping the rest for later.  Although last week I did keep $2 back in my grocery money envelope which is more than I've ever done before.  So I've already been successful.  Go me.

May I Suggest...

I've been catching up on my reading lately and get such a kick out of this lady that I thought I needed to spread the love and let everyone else know they should read her. 

Jen Lancaster.

Her blog is here and you can get a taste of her for free before throwing down the $14 for each of the following books that I demand you buy immediately.

First up, Bitter is the New Black, Lancaster's first memoir about losing her job, apartment, and all her money but finding her true calling.  Oh, and she is bitter.  And she cusses. A lot.  I like her.

Next up is Bright Lights, Big Ass about city dwelling and all her crazy neighbors (but none are as crazy as her, go figure).  I enjoyed reading these stories while snug in my safe bed in my non-city dwelling.  It made me feel smug and superior.

 

These last two I'm pushing were some of my Christmas presents from my parents.  My mom expressed desire to borrow them when I was done because hearing my explanation piqued her interests.  Bad idea.  My mom couldn't get through Julie and Julia (the book about the cooking people) because of the language and I couldn't find that many curse words in it.  She would literally die while reading this.  And if my childhood is any indication, she'd probably come over to my house and wash my mouth out with soap for reading these books.  I give you Such a Pretty Fat...

While Lancaster drops the F bomb without regard, she can not and will not talk about anything sexual.  She even spells it out instead of just writing the word (example: S-E-X instead of sex).  So my mom would like that part.  In high school my friends and I would moon my mom just to hear her scream.  That reminds me how fun that was...might start that game up again.

Finally, Pretty in Plaid about her fashion choices from childhood until now.  While I grew up in the generation after Lancaster and am not drawn to Lacoste shirts like she is, I enjoy her stories.  Especially the ones from Girl Scouts because I thought I was the worst Girl Scout of all time.  I was wrong.

 

I can, with total confidence, recommend those books to you.  You will not be disappointed.  She does have one more book out (My Fair Lazy) but I haven't read it yet so I cannot give my professional opinion at this time.  It could be a dud...you never know. 

Okay, now go and buy the books.  All of them. 

A Challenge to my Kitchen

This is not a new year's resolution.  I repeat, this is not a new year's resolution.  I don't do those (see here for the story), but I do think changing things up can't be bad every once in a while.  So here's my goal for, um, the month? 2011?  I don't know how long; ideally, the whole year (or longer), but I don't like to fail so I'm not making any promises (good idea, right??). 

2011 is going to be the year of the new recipe.  At least once a week I'm vowing to try a new recipe.  I have tons of cookbooks that don't get regular use and I'm always coming across yummy-sounding recipes on blogs.  Plus, I keep getting more cookbooks for Christmas (I got two this year) or I buy them (a lot of the time; I even collect vintage ones).  And with trying to lower my grocery budget, cooking more at home and being aware of what I'm going to make for the week will help the process. 

Technically, I just came up with this idea last night, but this past week we did try a new recipe, so I'm going to start with that.  I got a new, larger Crock Pot for Christmas and with it I got this book:

The idea behind the new Crock Pot is that our family is getting bigger and the small one wasn't cutting it anymore and also, Chris is home two days a week with Ellie and he should be able to get something going in the slow cooker so dinner isn't so time-consuming for me. 

I bought a two pound shoulder roast at the grocery store and then Chris found a recipe he wanted to try.  He said "Beef with Apples and Sweet Potatoes" (page 64) sounded like something his Grandma Graham would have made and he also thought with the apples and sweet potatoes that it would be a sweet dish.  Personally, it sounded gross and I didn't want him to make it, but we're just starting the process of him making dinner and I didn't want to shoot him down on the first try...we'll save that for later.

From now on I'd like to take pictures of the new recipes when they're done, but since I'm doing this one in hindsight you'll just have to take my word for it that it didn't look good at the end.  The apples turned to mush and the only identifiable part left was the peels.  It was all too brown for me and I'm not really a fan of canned sweet potatoes.  But Chris liked it (Elliott just ate the beef) and that's all that matters for the first try.  I don't think we'll make it again though...and we didn't save the leftovers.  It wasn't a sweet dish (obviously) but Chris expected it to be sweet and sugar-y (gross!) and was disappointed when it wasn't. 

Next up, chicken and dumplings in the Crock Pot.  All my recipes won't be in the Crock Pot, but it's new and I want to break it in. 

I stress old people out.

Yesterday I was reading on some different couponing/thrifty blogs about setting a new grocery budget for 2011.  Currently, our budget is $150 every two weeks for groceries and household items.  For the most part I stay within this budget.  I occasionally go over, but it's mostly due to Sam's Club (it's never my fault...). 

But reading other people's budgets that are waayy lower than mine, I got inspired.  First, I'm getting a lot more comfortable with the whole coupon-sales-ads-hunt thing and have even been impressing myself with the money I've been saving.  Second, I am always looking for ways to trim our budget.  There was one blogger who feeds her family of five for $50-$60 a week...that's pretty intense!

So I'm starting with baby steps and dropping the budget to $125.  Now that makes me a little nervous since I'm going to start buying formula again in less than three months and I'll be buying diapers again. 

Gulp.

But everything I've read says I can do it, I just have to dedicate the time (it is somewhat time-consuming).  I've become obsessed with coupons recently and saving money so I think I can do it.  It's sort of a challenge that I don't want to pass up.

Here's what I did today at CVS:

Purchase #1: three 12-packs of Pepsi products @ 3/$10. 

Total out of pocket: $10.70

Earned $4 ExtraCare Bucks for the purchase and

.50 for my "fall quarter earnings."

Purchase #2: two Colgate toothpastes and one Colgate toothbrush.

On sale for $2.99 a piece and I had a coupon for each one also and then I used my $4.50 ExtraCare Bucks from the first purchase.

Total out of pocket: $2.78

Earned $3 ExtraCare Bucks for this purchase.

Purchase #3: one package of Huggies Little Snugglers for newborns.

I had a manufacture's coupon for $2.50 off and I used the $3 ExtraCare Bucks earned from my second purchase.

Total out of pocket: $4.12

Earned $1 ExtraCare Buck.

Purchase #4: three boxes of Kleenex.

I had a coupon and used the $1 ExtraCare Bucks I earned from my third purchase.

Total out of pocket: $1.32

Grand total for all of the above: $18.92

Total amount saved: $27.20

Beast.  Six months ago I would have said you're crazy if you told me to go buy this stuff at the drug store because their prices are so much more expensive, but using their ads and coupons/deals, it is worth the extra trip.

Although I always seem to get an old person who is spending their retirement years working the cash register and it gives them a heart attack when I do multiple purchases and use tons of coupons.  The lady today did not smile once even though I was super-friendly (not my nature at all).  I'm sure they're starting to recognize me and dread me coming to their register.  Oh well.

new year's plans

I don't do resolutions.  I can't remember ever doing them, but I do like to set some goals and make plans for the new year...it's my way of resolving to do new/different things without make resolutions.  Sneaky.

1.  Make more time for friends.  I made this a goal last year also and kept it up until August when too many things started happening at once and the "make-time-for-friends" goal got taken off the calendar.  So I'm starting this one again.  I've already got my monthly dinner dates with two friends scheduled for the next few months (until March anyway, and then we'll have to do some readjusting for Baby Harper's arrival).

2.  Be more financially responsible.  Last January I finally set up the automatic deposit of money to our savings account every two weeks.  That's been consistent and good.  We're saving more and preparing more for the unexpected.  I've been working on my coupon-ing skills and saving money at the grocery store (and it's actually kind of fun--shhh).  We're hoping to get our car paid off early (by August) and we have one credit card that needs to be gone ASAP.  I want to be more financially responsible in general, but specifically so that in August when Chris quits work, our finances will be in better shape and we won't be completely broke with two kids (gulp).

3.  Work on my marriage.  2010 was quite the year to say the least.  At times I didn't think fixing things was possible (or that I really wanted to).  But through the struggles in our marriage and the struggles of those around us (my friends, my sister, etc.), I have a new resolve to make things better.  Not that things are bad right now, we're actually doing really well, but I don't want to be comfortable with the stage we're in now or to forget the chaos that comes with lies, secrets, and a loss of focus on God.  I want to blame Chris for all the stuff that happened last year, but I have things I need to work on as well.  And not just to better us (even though that's great) but to ensure that my daughters grow up in a safe, happy, God-following environment where they can do nothing but succeed.

4.  Get involved.  We've been trying to find out niche at church for the past couple of months; going to The Dwelling, randomly volunteering at LifeBridge, but haven't found where we fit.  This time last year we joined a small group and while the people were amazing, they were all 30+ years our seniors and we weren't in the same season of life.  And when things blew up in July we stopped going.  I don't know where we're supposed to be, but we need to be somewhere.

5.  Move.  Now this goal came about last summer and then I found out I was pregnant and had to put it off for nine (or so) months.  I would like to be in better shape, but I need a specific something to work toward to keep me on track and focused.  So after Harper is born and I get the okay from the doctor, I'm going to start training for a half triathlon.  Running, swimming, and biking.  Right now I'm looking forward to it and think it will be fun (and a lot of work), but we'll see how my attitude changes in a couple months when I actually have to do it (oh, and I have to go buy a bike).  I'm going to do it one way or another, but my attitude while doing it?  That's a current unknown.

       

a Christmas recap

Last year I made the comment that we had eight different Christmases and I would not be doing that again this year.  I specifically remember warning people not to be pissed if we cut back in 2010.  Except that when it came down to it, what events are you supposed to skip?  We look forward to them all and like spending time with family (for the most part, anyway).  So this year we had not eight, but nine Christmases and it was more chaotic than ever.  Maybe next year when we have two babes to cart around as opposed to one we'll cut back.  Maybe.

Christmas #1: Great Aunt Sue's house in Morristown. (12/18)

Christmas #2: The Graham house (santa stopped by early because this was the only morning we were going to be able to open presents and not be rushed to go somewhere else). (12/22)

Christmas #3: Our house, Grandpa Graham and family. (12/22)

Christmas #4: at Steak-n-Shake (ha!) with Jessica and Spencer (12/23)

Christmas #5: Keaton's in Morristown (12/24)

Christmas #6: Christmas morning at my parents' house (12/25)

Christmas #7: Ritter's in Morristown (12/25)

Christmas #8: Mawmaw Graham and family at our house. (12/25)

Christmas #9: Hamilton's house in Ohio. (12/26)

The end.  Whew.  Hope your Christmas season was blessed!