Meal Plan for the Week

     This week the weather is going to be cool and wet, so when I was planning our menu for the week, that was definitely a consideration.  Cool weather makes me think of fall (wait a second, not so fast...the summers not over yet!) and I love cooking in the fall.  Right now I am picturing my family apple picking and making applesauce...which is always a blast!  But I digress, the cool wet weather is calling to me and so the menu is reflective of that for sure.  
     This weeks menu consists of Hamburgers, Chili, Roasted Chicken, Spaghetti, and since we are camping this weekend, Italian Sausage.  I have many of the core ingredients for these meals in the house already, so there wasn't much to buy when I went to the grocery store.  
     When we went to the store this week, my little angels had returned, and for being so good in the store, I splurged and bought some ice cream treats.  I also found some of my favorite snacks, Veggie Sticks, so I had to have some of those.  Overall, I went a little over budget (again), but I did buy some more things to bulk up my pantry since school is going to be starting for me really soon, and I need the pantry to be well stocked with ingredients for quick meals.  
     Tonight is a yummy roast chicken dinner, and we haven't had one in a while so I am really looking forward to it!  I have potatoes and fresh green beans and I am making my buttermilk biscuits too.  I think that I'll make dessert too, a fresh blueberry pie sounds like the perfect end to a great meal (plus it's TJ's favorite!)  

What's for dinner in your house this week?  

Yummy Banana (Nut) Pancakes

Extra ripe bananas are not usually available in our house because my kids usually gobble up all of the bananas before they ripen, but this morning I have quite a few.  When I have ripe bananas I usually make an oatmeal bake, but since we just had one last week, I decided to make something different.  Using bananas in pancake batter can be tricky because bananas can make the batter dense and the outcome can be heavy, dense pancakes that no one wants to eat.  But this recipe is easy and tastes delicious!  My kids love them and always ask for seconds.  It also makes enough pancakes that I can usually freeze some for another breakfast later.

I hope you enjoy!

Banana Pancakes- (Makes 24 cakes)

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry.  On a pre-heated 325 degree griddle, cook the pancakes until bubbly, flip the cakes over and cook until brown and steam is lifting from the pancakes.  Serve immediately.  

**To freeze the pancakes, lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze.  After they are frozen, move them to a freezer bag.  To reheat in the microwave, place a single layer of pancakes on a plate and microwave for 1 minute for each pancake.  You can also reheat them in the toaster.  

This is a great breakfast choice for those rushed school day mornings!

Blueberry Pancakes

My sister just recently gave us three huge bags of frozen blueberries, which is awesome because my kids love them!  Unfortunately, they aren't very good by themselves because many of them were picked early and are very tart which means that cooking them is the best way to go.

This morning for breakfast, I was thinking about what I was going to make since I don't want to eat through all of the cereal in our house, Ryan mentioned that he wanted blueberry pancakes.  Easy enough!  I set out to make them.

Making pancakes from scratch is really economical, fast, and they taste far better than any box mix you can buy!  You can add whatever you want to your own pancakes too...often times I will use bananas or applesauce in our pancakes for something different and they are always a huge hit!

Blueberry Pancakes (Makes 12 cakes)

Follow the recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

to this add 1-2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries.  

Enjoy!

Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

     What child on the planet doesn't eat pizza?  I know that there isn't a single child in my house that would pass up the opportunity to eat pizza!  So for lunch last week, after we had been out all morning running errands, I told the kids that I would make pizza grilled cheese for lunch.  They were so excited!  

     Grilled cheese sandwiches are so versatile!  You can fix them with virtually any type of cheese, you can fill them with all sorts of yummy options (my favorites are ham and tomato!), and they are really fast to make!

     Our pizza grilled cheese sandwiches had shredded Italian cheese blend, basil bruschetta,  and black olives in them (all of which I had already in the house).  I served them with a little ranch dressing on the side for dipping.  The kids gobbled them up!  

You start with buttered bread and a hot skillet (I use a 16 inch electric skillet) 

Then you add your sauce

Cheese of your choice

Then your toppings

Add your second slice of bread and grilled until golden brown on both sides

Yum Yum!

What is your favorite type of Grilled Cheese?

Shopping in a Club Store

     For the last few years, TJ and I have been club members at BJ's.  We have a Sam's club close by and soon there will be a Costco as well.  These club stores offer more "family" or "bulk" packages for what they consider to be a discount from other retailers.  I love going to BJ's!  There is something about walking up and down the aisle in what looks like a warehouse and then finding a great deal!  But you have to be careful in a store like this, especially if you are on a tight budget.  Sometimes what seems like a great deal is actually going to cost more than if you shopped elsewhere.  So here are some tips to help you save money in a club store to help you stick to your budget.
     1.) Use coupons if you can.  BJ's is awesome because not only do they accept manufacturers coupons but you can use them at the same time you use a BJ's coupon.  For example, if you have a pampers coupon for saving $2 on a case, and BJ's has a coupon to save $4 on a case, you will get $6 off of the case of diapers.  BJ's also has a coupon book you get in the mail, but if you want more than one coupon, you can go to the service desk and they give you another book!  I was able to get a 32 pack of Yo plait Go-Gurts for $4.99 this week, and I have two more coupons so I can buy two more before school starts!  
     2.) Watch the unit price!  This is really important because often times you can find a better deal at Walmart, Wegman's, or Aldi.  Club stores are really good at packaging items so that it looks like you're getting the best deal in town.  A 36 pack of Scott's tissue for $27.00 might seem like a great deal but if you work out the math, that is $.75 a roll (still a good price) but at Walmart right now I can get a 27 roll pack for 15.00 which makes them $.55 a roll.  If you pay attention to the unit pricing (no matter what store you're in) it helps to keep you from spending more when you think you're spending less.
     3.) Only purchase what you plan to eat, or what your family will consume.  That jar of mayonnaise for $6.99 might be a great deal, but not if you're throwing it away.   If the items aren't wrapped for individual use, you have to use it all before it goes bad, rancid, or stale.  I have a big family so this is never an issue in our house, but if you are shopping for a family of four, you'll want to be mindful of what your family will actually eat.

This week at BJ's I used coupons and got some great deals!  Here they are:

A 48 oz can of Folders Original Coffee- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
Two 48 oz jars of Skippy Peanut butter and Two 32 oz jars of Welch's grape jelly- Retails for  $13.48, I got them all for $9.99
A 32 count box of Yo plait Go-Gurts- retails for $6.99, I got it for $4.99
A 125 oz bottle of Cascade Complete Dishwasher liquid- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
A 133 oz bottle of Gain Original Fabric Softener- Retails for $9.99, I got it for $7.99
I bought 2 gallons of milk at $2.49 each (cheaper than anywhere else!)
I got an 8 pack of Puffs Tissues (school supplies)- retails for $11.99, I paid $8.99

Altogether my purchase was $53.  The good thing is that many of these items will last for months in our house so if I stretch that cost out, I saved a lot of money!  

What are some of your best club store purchases?  

Keeping it Simple

     I can't believe that August is here and in just a few weeks school will be starting!  I'm tired, and a little bit overwhelmed with the amount of work that I want to accomplish around here before my semester starts, so I am keeping things simple this week!  

     This is the last week for soccer, TJ and I have nothing else planned for the week, so it should be an easy week to plan.  Last week we didn't eat any of the meals I had planned.  This happens occasionally when things pop up or I'm not feeling well (which was the case last week).  This is going to make dinner planning easier this week because I still have all of those ingredients in the house.  Grace has been begging for tacos, so for dinner tonight we are going to have that.  I still have the ingredients for the Salisbury steaks, the Turkey dinner, and I have plenty of sausage and chicken so this week I won't have to purchase any meat (if I don't want to).  Additionally, many of my garden veggies are ready to be harvested so I won't have to purchase any green peppers, or yellow squash this week.  I'll hit the local farm stands for most of my veggies because they are not only really inexpensive, but they taste so much better than anything you can buy in a store!  

 Here is the menu for this week:

Tonight- Tacos

Tuesday- Mixed Grill

Wednesday- Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

Thursday- Salisbury Steaks

Friday- Deep Dish Pizza

Saturday- Turkey dinner (with stuffing)

For breakfast this week:

Today- Cereal

Tuesday- Banana Baked Oatmeal

Wednesday-Yogurt, Granola

Thursday- Cereal

Friday- Blueberry Pancakes, sausage

Saturday- Egg Sandwiches

Lunches- 

Today- Macaroni & Cheese

Tuesday- PB&J sandwiches, pretzels

Wednesday-Ham Sandwiches, cottage cheese

Thursday-PB& J or Ham Sandwiches, yogurt

Friday- Hot dogs, tator tots, applesauce

Saturday- Ham Sandwiches, or leftover pizza (if there is any)

Snacks- Cheese crackers, applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, carrots, pretzels, animal crackers, or homemade granola bars.

Here is the grocery list for the week:  Hopefully I can stick to the list and keep my costs low!

Lettuce

Tomato

Cheddar Cheese

Zucchini

Mushrooms

Fresh Broccoli

Real bacon bits

Pepperoni

Mozzarella Cheese

Butter

Yogurt (Vanilla)

Bread

Ham (Deli)

Cottage Cheese

Hard Taco shells

Cheese crackers

Carrots

Bananas

Animal Crackers

Busy Busy Busy

     It is unbelievable to me that there is only one month left of summer vacation!  I am sitting here thinking about how I want to proceed with my blog and what new features that I want to add because my school semester starts in just a few weeks and when it does, I may not be able to post articles as often as I would like too.  I have already found it difficult to get on some days to write (and this is my passion) with four kids and a lot on my plate already!  But don't worry, I will try to work harder to post, even if I have to do it after the kids go to bed.  
    This week I have been incredibly busy working on preparations for our garage sale.  It is so freeing to get rid of all of the extra clutter and clothes that have sort of, well, overtaken our life and home.  Yesterday, I went down into the basement and pulled out all of the boys old clothes looking for clothes for Adam and realized that I had two full, extra large totes of clothing that he just recently outgrew...that was a waste of storage space because I never needed them and didn't even know they were down there!  So I washed them all and took them out for the garage sale and now a whole wall in the basement is cleared out and empty.  
     Toys are another problem area in our house.  With my father recently moving into his own house, we now have a new play room in our basement.  I have to admit that once it is out of sight, it is out of mind...but when I was down there yesterday and looked around at the mess, I decided that there was an opportunity to get rid of more stuff.  Today we will be going through the toys and getting rid of some of those too.  When they don't play with them, it is time to get rid of them!  
     So why take the time to have a garage sale?  I know a lot of people who think that hosting a garage sale is too much work and effort, but I really love seeing our things go to people who need it or want it more than we do.  I also like having the extra cash in my pocket so that our family can go out to a movie, dinner, or whatever other fun thing the kids are interested in doing.  I could donate everything to Goodwill, and believe me, they get a lot of donations from us every year, but I like having a garage sale.  I love seeing people and generally just being out of the house for a day!  
     Some tips for a successful garage sale (just in case you want to host one too)
1.)   Make sure your items are clean and in good repair.  There is nothing worse that having a pile of dirty items (especially clothes) to look through.  Everything should smell relatively good and there shouldn't be a lot of dust or dirt on any items.  
2.)  Everything should be clearly priced.  People don't like to try and guess what you want for an item, make sure you have a price on everything and if you don't, have a sign posted with prices on it (I do this for clothes because it is impossible to price everything.) 
3.)  Try not to over price your items.  This is a garage sale, which means that people don't want to pay what you paid for it, even if it still has its tag on it and you never used it.  I usually don't price anything more than a third of what I paid for it, so if I paid $10 for something than I won't charge more than $3 for it.  If it is a high end item, than I will price it accordingly, but remember, it's used no matter what so it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.  
4.) If you are trying to make money and you are hosting a garage sale with other people, try not to shop through their items (if you can help it).  The purpose is to get rid of clutter, not to add it back with items that were on you're friends tables.  (I already bought something that I didn't really need, but loved, so I know how hard this is to do!)  

Do you have any garage sale tips or ideas to share?  
     

When You Overspend

Unfortunately, this weeks grocery shopping trip didn't go as I had planned.  When I go over budget, I always feel like I failed.  My goal is to shop within my $75 a week model, and since I meal plan so carefully and I know how much most of the items on my list cost, this isn't usually hard to do.  In this case, there were outside reasons why I went over budget.  

1.) My husband and all of my children went with me on this trip.  It is not unusual for all of my kids to accompany me on a shopping trip.  Usually they are really good about listening and staying close to the cart.  They even help me out by looking for items on my list or keeping Adam, my three year old, occupied.  But this shopping trip was different.  They were loud, running all over the place, touching things, and overall not acting appropriately in the store.  When my kids are acting this way, it can be really difficult for me to focus on the job at hand, plus my husband was there so when the kids asked for a watermelon (that wasn't on the list) or when he decided that he wanted to make a relatively expensive breakfast the following day, items were added to the cart that I had not included in my budget dollars for the week.  

2.) I was shopping for my father as he just bought a new house.  I was getting a few things for him that I thought he would like to have in his new house, a box of cereal, some tuna fish, mayonnaise and other little items.  These were not in my budgeted dollars but I subtracted them from my total since I had them budgeted from a different source.  

Overall we went $60.00 over budget...which for me is really hard to swallow.  I know that there will be times when I go over budget, and I have to work at reminding myself that every now and then, it's okay, as long as I resolve to keep a tighter budget going forward.  I am happy that my husband was able to enjoy his yummy breakfast on Sunday and since he works so hard for our family, I can't be mad at him.  I am looking forward to the challenge of next week keeping the budget to $65.00 in an effort to make up for some of the money already spent.  For now, I just have to remember not to be so hard on myself, these times are sure to pop-up now and then!  

My Meal Plan for July 19th

     I was thinking this morning about my meal plan for next week and realized that I have never shared a full meal plan with you, or the template that I made to help you start meal planning.              Meal planning for me has to be a quick process since I generally don't have a lot of time to devote to it.  I sit down with my binder and my family calendar and away I go.  Next week is a pretty quiet week, we only have soccer 2 nights, so I won't have to worry about a lot about cooking ahead because I will be home to make dinner.  Next weekend we are going camping, so I will have to plan for that...but that shouldn't be difficult since we cook very simple meals when we are camping.

      The first thing that I do is print out the meal plan template.  My friend Maura has it posted on her blog and the link is http://happydealhappyday.com/5-tips-feed-family-7-75-week.  I wrote an article for her and she graciously shared the template with everyone.  You can print it right from there (then take a look around, she has an awesome blog and she can help you save $$ too!)
     The second thing that I do is check my freezer, pantry and fridge to see what I have on hand to start with.  This week I have three packs of hamburger, two packs of chicken and some breakfast sausage for meat.  What do I mean by packs?  When I purchase meat, I usually buy a family pack which I break-up into smaller "packs" that I use for multiple meals.  Ground beef is usually packed in approximately 1 pound packages, and I have chicken thighs that I usually pack in pairs.  So that translates to 3 pounds of ground beef and six chicken thighs.  I know that I am going to need more meat than that for the week.  I may be interested in searching for something like a steak or pork steaks for the grill.  I don't have very much in my refrigerator right now, but I have two gallons of milk, a pound of butter, a pound of american cheese, and about a half a pound of shredded cheddar.  I also have some celery, baby carrots, and potatoes; all of which will need to be used up so that nothing goes to waste.  In my pantry, I have some spaghetti sauce, rice, couscous, egg noodles, and cream of chicken soup.  I don't need to purchase any cereal or oatmeal this week so I am pretty much set for breakfast, aside from needing some eggs.
     Now that I know what is in my house, I am going to sit down and start my menu for next week.  I was going to make a chicken pot pie this week, and ended up making baked chicken instead, so I still have all of the ingredients for the pie.  I know that will be on my menu for next week.  I will make that on a day that I have extra time to prepare it, probably on Sunday.  Monday and Wednesday are soccer nights so I will need something really quick and easy.  Monday night is going to be goulash and Wednesday night is going to be chicken salad sandwiches, salad, and fruit.  Tuesday night is my dads birthday, so I will probably make the steak that night, he likes baked potatoes and if I can find it, corn on the cob.  Thursday night I would like to make a tator-tot casserole (my kids have never had that before) and Friday night we will be camping so I think it will be hot dogs and macaroni salad.  Saturday night we will have Italian sausage and a garden salad.      
     Next I think about breakfast, lunch, and snacks.  For breakfast I will have cereal, oatmeal, and eggs on hand.  Those items are very versatile, so I can make things like baked oatmeal, pancakes, omelets, and french toast.  For lunches, I always have peanut butter & jelly, grilled cheese, hot dogs, deli ham and whatever leftovers that I have in the fridge from the previous nights dinner.   Thankfully I still have tons of snacks left from our vacation so I have not needed to purchase anything for snacks since June.  

So there it is, my meal plan for the week.  What is on your menu this week?

Homemade Mini Doughnuts

     My goodness, the days are truly flying by this summer!  These busy days have been filled with cooking, cleaning, soccer, and dentist appointments...now it is time for a break and what could be better than baking something yummy and spending time with my kids.
     This morning, I only have two of my kids with me (the other two are at a friends house for a sleep over), so I asked Grace what she wanted for breakfast and she said doughnuts.  Doughnuts were not on my breakfast meal plan this week, but that didn't stop me.  Luckily, I have a great doughnut recipe that is quick and easy and I have all of the ingredients in the house to make them. These doughnuts cost about $1.00 to make, and you get 24, which makes them very economical.

I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Mini Doughnuts (makes 24)

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking powder

A pinch of nutmeg (optional)

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup milk

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add the egg and beat until soft and smooth.  Add the vanilla, baking powder, and nutmeg and beat until well combined, scrapping the sides of the bowl.  Alternately add the milk and the flour, ending with flour, until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.  The batter will be thick.  Lightly spray two 12 mini doughnut pans, or a 24 mini muffin pan with cooking spray.  Using a piping bag, fill each doughnut up 1/2 way.  Bake at 325 for 12 minutes or until very lightly brown.  Partially cool, then use the topping options below.  

Toppings:

1.) Melt 1/4 cup of butter and let it rest until it reaches room temperature.  In a flat bowl, combine 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Roll the doughnuts in the melted butter, then immediately coat in the sugar mixture.  Enjoy!

2.) Place 1/4 of confectionery sugar in a gallon size storage bag.  One at a time, shake the doughnuts in the sugar until coated.  Yum!

 

Simple Chocolate Cake/ Cupcakes (Dairy and Egg Free!)

This recipe is well known in our family, it has been passed down by several generations and I am pleased to share it here for your family to enjoy!  My nephew is allergic to eggs so this is the cake recipe that I use to make all of his cupcakes and birthday cakes.  It is a simple cake that can either be served frosted (see my butter cream frosting recipe) or dusted with powdered sugar.  

Enjoy!

3 Hole Cake (serves 12) 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of water

Original Recipe:  In a prepared square 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish, combine all of the dry ingredients.  Mix well, checking the corners to make sure the ingredients are combined evenly.  Form 3 holes in the dry batter, pour the oil in one hole, the vinegar in another, and the vanilla in the last.  Add the water and using a fork, mix all of the wet and dry ingredients together.  Again, making sure that all of the dry ingredients in the corners are properly mixed in.  The batter will bubble a bit as the baking soda and vinegar react.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting or dusting the cake.  

I usually combine all of my ingredients in my mixer and then pour it into the prepared dish, or I line a cupcake pan with paper liners and make cupcakes.  For cupcakes, bake at 350 degrees for about 19 minutes (or until the cakes spring back when touched)  no longer than 22 minutes.  They will become hard and chewy if left in the oven too long.

Homemade Baked Beans

I love baked beans, especially in the summer!  I will eat them hot or cold (believe me, cold beans are awesome!)  This year, I was noticing how one small can of baked beans wasn't enough for our family anymore and the large cans had gone up in price so I made the decision to make them myself.  I am so glad I did!  My beans are cheaper than what I could buy in the store and they taste so much better!  No more store bought baked beans for this chick!  

So here is my recipe: 

Baked Beans (Serves 6) 

3 cans of cooked Navy or Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup of maple syrup or pancake syrup

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup BBQ sauce (optional if you like sweeter baked beans)

2 tbsp minced onion or 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp real bacon bits (usually found with the salad dressings)

Combine all ingredients in a 5 qt crockpot.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until sauce reaches desired consistency.  

Enjoy!  

Birthday Party Plans

    I can't believe that my Grace is turning six this year! I feel like it was just yesterday that we were having her, and now she is a sassy, smart, beautiful child with so much to offer this world!  Every birthday in this house is important, especially for the kids.  They love their birthdays because we make them really special, while trying to stay within our budget.   My budget for birthday parties is usually around $125.00 and that includes their gift.  This is not hard to accomplish, especially with the internet and sites like Pinterest.  So here is the plan for Grace's birthday party this year:

     We are having her party at the Spray Ground at Seneca Lake State Park in Geneva.  It is only $7.00 per car to get into the park and they have a lot of space for us to set up our canopy and lots of picnic tables and grills so we don't have to rent a pavilion. This year we are serving hot dogs, chips, macaroni salad, and baked beans.  My sister is bringing a watermelon and my other friends have offered to bring things too, so our meal is going to cost around $25.00.  That is going to feed about 30 people.  Although it seems impossible, it's not, and here is how I am going to spend my budgeted dollars: 

I am shopping at Aldi and the following are prices that I know in my head for the items I am looking to buy, some of them might be off by a small amount if anything that I have listed has gone up or down in price.

Hot Dogs: 24 count $2.99 (I need 2) $5.98
Buns: 8 count $0.89 (I need 5)          $4.45
Ketchup: $1.49
Mustard: $.89
Relish: $1.29
Elbow Macaroni: 2 lbs for $1.69
Eggs: $1.55
Celery: $1.19
Chips: $1.49 (I need 2) $2.98
Dip: $1.19 (I need 2) $2.38
Beans (Great Northern) $0.59 (I need 5 cans) $2.95 

This totals $26.84

Luckily I have some of the ingredients for these dishes on hand in my house, those items include: Mayonnaise, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vinegar for the salad and the beans.  I have some ketchup and mustard too, but I like to have a fresh bottle when we have a party to ensure that we don't run out.  

For drinks we are having lemonade and water.  I buy the lemonade powder and mix it into a large 2 gallon drink cooler, there will also be a drink cooler full of water as well.  Cost will be around $5.00

I will have to purchase plates, napkins, and cups for the party.  I only do the "theme" plates for cake so everything else is just a generic paper product.  My cost for those will be around $10.00.  

Now for the cake...or cupcakes in this instance.  I love to bake (if you haven't read that already) so I make all of our birthday cakes/cupcakes, whatever the kids ask for really.  For a picnic like this, cupcakes are the best option because they are easy to keep cool and hand out. Unfortunately because it is July and this is a picnic party, there won't be any ice cream to serve. My cost for these will be about $5.00.  

Party games are not on the agenda for this party because we are going to be at a beach/ water park.  

     The total cost of this party is going to be about $50.00 for food and drink.  I won't purchase a lot of decorations because it will be hard to keep them in place.  I may get a few balloons to hang around the canopy.  So the only thing left is her gift...which I try to keep under $30.00.  I am really hoping that this party will come in around $90.00.  That is way under budget, which is okay since we went slightly over budget on vacation.  

Birthday parties can be really expensive but with planning and budgeting they don't have to be!  

Have a blessed day!

Vacation on a Budget

     Oh my goodness, we are so excited to take our vacation this year!  We have not taken a vacation in two years and we all needed it!  Taking four children, no matter how old they are, on a vacation can seem very daunting.  Not only is it more difficult to find hotel rooms that accommodate your large family, but activities and food with a large family can be very expensive.  Luckily, we have a plan.
     First and foremost, we usually find a room with a kitchenette or full kitchen in it.  The challenge this year...there are no rooms like that available where we are going. (insert frown face here!)  We are not letting that get us down!  Our hotel has a completely free, hot, continental breakfast everyday.  There, one meal down, two more to go...for lunch we are packing plenty of bread, peanut butter & Jelly, and cold cuts.  We also have a ton of snack items that we are taking along from Go Go squeezes to peanuts.  So that just leaves dinner.  Eating out to dinner every night is not something that I am looking forward to, I mean, I am trying to feed our family of six on just $75/week, but I just know that next week it is not an option, we have to eat out.  Here is what I don't want...McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, etc. But with a large family, I am realistic...I know that we will be that a few times while on the trip.  My budget for our meals is $40.00 a day.  That is roughly $6.00 per person, that doesn't seem like much but with a three year old who can usually share with one of us, it is completely doable.  Most of the time, TJ and I order water.  That is the key to keeping your bill as low as you can.  We order water for the kids as well, then if their meal comes with a drink, we try to get them milk or some other low sugar option.  
     Secondly we planned a very simple and easy going trip to the beach.  We are not interested in spending a lot of money on useless gift shop items, so shopping is not on the list at all.  We planned to go to the beach, play in the sand, and then head back to the hotel for the pool.  My kids are used to vacationing this way so they don't complain.  We do not do expensive amusement parks or other attractions because that is outside of our budget, so we look for free activities for the kids like playgrounds, museums, etc.  
     Lastly, we take a vacation to relax and unwind, so it was important to us that we didn't rush around, we simply went to the beach.   
     On vacation we tried to be careful, but we did go over budget.  We averaged about $50.00/ day.  That adds up!  We were gone for 7 nights and spent over $325 on just food for the week!  On the bright side, our room was only $605.00 for the week, gas was a little less than $250.00, and odds and ends for the trip were about $200.00.  Therefore, our trip in total was about $1300.00.  That sounds like a lot of money and when you live on one income it is, but since we didn't vacation last year at all and we are a family of six, vacationing for 8 days for $220/ person is really very reasonable.  
     When you are vacationing, you can keep your costs low by planning everything out.  Again, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.  Carefully look for activities that are free or cost next to nothing.  Set the tone for the trip so that your children understand how things are going to go right from the start.  Then go and relax, enjoy your children/ family and have a great time!  

Daddy and kids enjoying the hotel pool!  

    

Homemade Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns

You can substitute a cup or two of whole wheat flour for a wheat roll.

These buns are super easy to make!  I can usually whip up a batch in just under an hour and a half, which is amazing since I don't have a ton of spare time!  I have tried many recipes over the last few months and this one is by far the best.

I hope you enjoy! 

Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns (Makes 12)

1 cup of warm milk

1/2 cup of warm water

1/4 cup melted butter

1 egg

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4+ cups of flour

2 tsp active dry yeast (or a packet)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, water, butter, sugar, yeast, and 1 1/2 cups of flour.  Stir well until combined, and then allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Add the egg and the salt, mixing well.  Add the rest of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough is formed.  Knead, adding extra flour as needed, until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic.  (approx. 5 minutes with stand mixer, 8 minutes by hand)  Form a round ball and then cut in 1/2.  Cut each 1/2 into 2 equal pieces, the cut those into 3 equal pieces each.  Roll into balls an place on a baking sheet lined with greased parchment paper.  Pat the dough down with your fingertips into 3/4 inch discs.  Place in a warm spot and allow to rise about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.  Whip up 1 egg with a tablespoon of water and gently brush on the top.  Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds (optional) and bake for 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven or until the tops are golden brown.  

For Hot Dog Rolls, simply form each 1/3 into a log and allow to rise.  They have the same rising and baking time.  

I use this recipe for pulled "meat" sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and last night we ate them with yummy turkey salad!  

The Last Day of School

      Today is the last day of school for my kids.  What this means is that from now until September, I am going to have to entertain four children under the age of 9, everyday, on a very tight budget.  Because we are a one income family, I don't have much money to spend on extras, so I have to be creative in finding fun things for my children to do.  I thought I would share with you some of the activities that we do that are either free or at the very least, only a few dollars per child.  
     1.) Check out the local library- Our library has an awesome summer program.  The kids can attend a story and craft session that is totally free.  They also have live magic shows, animal shows, pajama parties, and movies on site; all of which are completely free.  I just look at the schedule and off we go.  The library is our favorite place in the summer.  They have a great children's library and toys, it is air conditioned, and they have computers there too!  Check out your local libraries website for more information on what they have available.  
     2.) Spray Grounds and Playgrounds- There are at least two spray grounds, and a dozen playgrounds that are close to our house and completely free.  Look online and check out what might be available in your area.  
     3.) Go to the Beach- Luckily, I live in an area where there is no shortage of beaches.  We live in the finger lakes, and along Lake Ontario, so usually within 20 miles we have a beach available.  Some of the parks have a fee to get in (usually less than $10/ car) which makes this a very inexpensive trip.  I always pack food and drinks and we stay all day.  We get the most for our money this way.  Check the weather and lake conditions online before you head out though, I have driven to Honeoye Lake several times in the last few years, only to find the beach closed.      4.) Have a summer party- This is always a fun choice for the kids.  I have a lot of friends with children around the ages of my own.  We simply get together for a play-date that we call a "party".  To make this an inexpensive day, we get out the sprinkler or hose, sidewalk chalk, and most recently a kick ball, and let the kids go.  Usually for food, each mom brings something along to share, like cheese crackers, hot dogs, pretzels, or whatever they have in the house.  The kids drink water, eat lunch, and the moms sit around and chat.  What could be better?
     5.)  Arts, Crafts, Coloring, and Writing time-  This is something that we do in the afternoon after lunch.  It allows the kids to wind down a bit and be creative without the distractions of the T.V. or video games.  We also play our board games during this time.  Quiet time is very important for both adults and children, it helps the kids to calm down and when they are calm and quiet, mom is calm too!  It is a win-win!

     These are just a few things that we over the summer to avoid summer boredom (it's bound to happen, even with a full day of activities planned).  Please take some time and share what you do with your kids over the summer.  I am always looking for new and exciting ways to help my kids enjoy their summer vacation, without breaking my bank!  

Playgrounds are a great place to meet up with friends!

BBQ Turkey Sandwiches

     Today I had a great friend and her two daughters over for lunch.  It was sort of spur of the moment, and since I wasn't planning on her coming when I made my grocery list for the week, I didn't have anything special planned for lunch today.  As I got out of bed this morning, I thought about everything that I had available in my house (that wasn't spoken for) that I could make for lunch today.  I came up with BBQ turkey sandwiches.  We had turkey at a friends house on Saturday and she graciously sent all of the leftovers home with us.  I used one turkey thigh, a leg, and the meat from both wings and threw it into my crockpot (without the bones).  I turned it on and let it simmer.  I made a batch of my homemade hamburger buns and a quick Mac salad, and poof, there was lunch!  It was perfect and the best use of the food that I had in the house.  We were also able to have leftover blueberry shortcake from our church picnic, so there was nothing to waste.  
     We could easily have hopped into the car and made our way over to a restaurant to eat, but with our vacation next week, I am not willing to spend a penny outside of the budget.  So here is the recipe I used today.  

I hope you Enjoy! 

BBQ Turkey Sandwiches (Serves 8)

3 cups of leftover turkey, chicken, pork, or beef

1 cup of water or chicken broth

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 1/4 cup prepared BBQ sauce

Place the meat, water and bouillon cube into the crockpot, turn on high for one hour, then turn to low.  Cook for 3-4 hours.  Shred the meat with a fork and add the BBQ sauce.  Cook for 15 minutes or until sauce is heated through.

Serve on warm rolls or floured tortillas

Fly Trap Update

     So last week I went on a fly killing spree!  They are really bad this year, but most of them are outside, thankfully!  I set the traps and I am not very happy to report that one of them is missing and the other one has no flies in it.  This is a very disappointing setback for sure, but I am undeterred!  I will kill those flies one way or another!  
     This morning, after doing some research, I have placed another trap.  This one uses an old soda bottle with some old, rotting fruit in the bottom.  I put it together and have placed it around the flies habitat (my garbage cans) to test it.    
     I will keep everyone posted on the progress!  In addition to setting the traps, I have also moved the garbage cans again( (further away toward the road), and after the garbage picks up tomorrow I will be attempting to clean them (GROSS! but necessary).   
     The goal is to get rid of these little buggers without spending any money as well as to keep pesticides out of the picture (to keep my family safe). 

If you have any other "green" ideas that have worked for you, please post a comment!  I could use all of the help that I can get!

Happy fly hunting!  

Banana Baked Oatmeal

Believe it or not, it is almost 11 o'clock at night and I have breakfast already set up to go into the oven in the morning!  We have a very busy day tomorrow, our church is having a picnic and I am in charge of it so that  means there won't be much time to get everyone ready in the morning.  On a busy morning like that, I like to have breakfast already planned so that I don't have to worry about figuring out what we are eating and then trying to make it in a time crunch.  Baked oatmeal is so easy and my entire family loves it!  This time I used up some old bananas that I had sitting around so that they wouldn't be wasted (there is nothing worse than throwing produce away!)  

It smells so good!  

Banana Baked Oatmeal (Serves 6)

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 medium bananas mashed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans/walnuts (optional)

In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.  In a medium bowl, whip together all of the wet ingredients.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients and then pour into a greased 11 x 7 inch casserole dish.  Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until golden.  

Yummy breakfast just needs to be baked in the morning!

Strawberry Shortcake

This is the best strawberry shortcake that I have ever made...it is so light, fluffy and moist!  

Strawberry Shortcake (serves 9)

4 cups of washed, chopped strawberries
1/4 cup of sugar
**************************************************
1/4 cup of shortening
2/3 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup milk

In a large bowl, using a mixer, blend the shortening and sugar until whipped and smooth.  Add the egg and the extracts and whip until well blended.  Add the salt and baking powder, scrapping the sides as you mix.  Intermittently add the flour and the milk (ending with the flour) and mix until the batter is relatively lump free.  Pour into a greased 9 x 9 baking dish (I used 11 x 7 because it was all I had) and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool, cut and serve with berries and fresh whipped cream.   

Happy strawberry season!!

Strawberry Update

     So on Monday , Adam and I went to the berry patch and we picked over 10 pounds of strawberries!  I was amazed at how well my 3 year old behaved in the field.  He just stood right next to me and watched me pick, until he told me that he had to go potty, (always right!).  There are temporary facilities at the farm, which Adam refuses to use, so I had to hurry and pick the berries as quickly as I could so that we could make it home in time (we still had to pay and wait for the wagon), otherwise I probably would have picked more.  
     Thank goodness we don't live very far from the farm, and because I was allowing Adam to munch on the berries while we waited, it kept his mind off of the restroom and we made it home without incidence.  That afternoon, I made dinner and prepped some berries for strawberry shortcake (because fresh berries make the best strawberry shortcake ever!)  
     After dinner, we ate the best strawberry shortcake I have ever made!  It was a cake, not a biscuit, so it was moist and it soaked up all of the berry juice. Of course, I served it with whipped cream and it was delicious!
     On Tuesday, I knew that I had to get going on the jam if I was going to make it without losing any berries to spoilage.  Fresh berries don't last as long as the ones that we can purchase from the store, they have to be used pretty much immediately.  So I didn't have time to waste.  Tuesday morning, while I was getting my older children ready for the bus, I was also preparing my jam jars, lids, and rings, along with setting the kettle of water on the stove to boil.  It was going to be a hot day and I wanted to get the first batch done as early as I could.  
     After the kids were off to school, I started my first batch.  I carefully prepared the sugar, the pectin, the lemon juice and the berries and away I went.  I have a Blue Book from Ball that I used for the recipe, it was so easy!  
     By 10 am, I had 10 glistening jars of strawberry jam.  I took a break to run some errands, but was back in front of my stove by 2.  I was able to process all of the berries into jam and in total I got 18 (8 oz) jars and 3 1/2 (16 oz jars).  The 1/2 jar went straight into the refrigerator, the rest is now sitting on our shelf.  I have plans to give some away as gifts, but the rest will be stored to use throughout the school year next year. I am so excited because when I calculated the cost of all of the materials, I realized that I only spent about $1.00 a jar!  Good food at a low price, it was definitely worth the effort!  

The Recipe I used for the jam:

2 quarts strawberries, washed, stemmed, and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
6 cups of sugar
1 box of powdered pectin
1/4 cup of water


In a large pot, (I used a four quart dutch oven) combine the berries, lemon juice, water, and pectin, over medium-high heat, stir the mixture until it is brought to a boil.  Add the sugar, one cup at a time until the sugar is dissolved.  Bring to a second boil, stirring consistently.  Boil for at least 1 minute (I boiled for 5 minutes to ensure proper jelling.) Remove from heat and allow to sit for a few minutes, stirring to distribute the fruit properly.  Pour into heated, prepared jars.  Place lids and rings on the jars and place in boiling water (the water must cover the jars by at least 2 inches). for 15 minutes.  Carefully remove the jars from the boiling water and allow to rest on the counter.  The jam will jell as it cools, once cooled, removed the metal rings and store in cool/ dry conditions until ready to use.  

***You must sanitize your jars, lids, and rings to prevent bacteria growth.  This is an important step in ensuring the safety of the product.  Before storing, make sure that all of the lids are indented and properly secured.***

Homemade Buttercream Frosting

This is the recipe that my mother always used whenever she made cookies or cakes that called for frosting.  It is a perfect, all purpose frosting that can make anything, from a simple sugar cookie, to the most elaborate cake look and taste amazing!  

Homemade Buttercream Icing (Yield 2-3 cups)

1 stick of butter (softened)

1/2 cup of shortening

3-4 cups of confectionery sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-4 tbsp of milk

Blend the shortening and the butter together until smooth.  Add the vanilla and mix until combined.  Add the confectionery sugar, one cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl with each addition.  Gradually add milk to the mixture until you reach your desired consistency.  Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

Making these yummy cupcakes from scratch is so easy!  I love this recipe and have made it several times.  The original recipe came from Sallysbakingaddiction.com.  (I love this website and visit it often looking for baking recipes, it is one of my absolute favorites!  If you have time, check it out.)  I made a couple of changes to this recipe and they are amazing!  I can guarantee that you have most of these ingredients on hand already, which makes them super cheap to make!   These are awesome for a child's birthday party, lots of bright colors and a soft, moist, cake!  

Enjoy!  

Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes (Makes 18)

Prepare two 12 cup muffin tins with 18 paper wrappers (I prefer Wilton)

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt (1/2 tsp if you are using unsalted butter)

1/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup small Wilton Nonpareils (I use rainbow, but you could use any color combo that you want) 

In your mixer, blend the sugar and the butter together until well combined.  Whip for two minutes to add some air.  Add the egg and beat well.  Add the vanilla and the sour cream and mix for another two minutes, add the baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  Beat really well, scrapping the sides to be sure that everything is distributed properly.  Intermittently add the milk and the flour, ending with the flour, until all is combined.  Mix on low-med until the batter is relatively lump free.  By hand, stir in the nonpareils, folding them in carefully, to keep the colors from spreading out in the batter.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill your prepared muffin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the top springs back or a toothpick comes out clean.   

Cool completely and then frost with your favorite icing.  (See my Butter-cream frosting recipe)

Homemade Fly Traps

Okay, so summer is here and you can definitely tell by the flies that are buzzing inside and outside of my house.  All I have to say is Yuck!!  I want to get rid of the problem as quickly as I can, and I don't want to spend anything to do it!  So I started researching how to rid our house of the flies without having to go to the store and I was able to make everything with materials that I already had in the house.   I watched this really cool You-tube video and read about a dozen blog articles today and as a result I came up with my own concoction for two fly traps that I set outside and one trap that I set up in my kitchen.  

I took an old milk jug and filled it a 1/3 of the way with warm water.  I added about a tablespoon of Green Apple Dawn dish soup (but any green apple scented soap will work), a 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 cup of Apple Cider vinegar and an old banana peel (any old fruit or meat scrap will work to attract the flies).  Now I am attempting this both ways to see which way works best, 

The first option is to hang an open jug in a tree (I used a basketball hoop because it is close to the source of my problem; the garbage cans) or simply place where you are having the problem (this kills mosquitoes too!) 

The other option is to close the jug and cut holes around it, and place that where you seem to be having the issue.  

I set both of these traps because I am curious as to which one will work best.  I know that these jugs are not the prettiest to look at, but in my opinion, the flies are worse, so I hung one up in my drive-way.   

Now on to those pesky fruit flies that are taking over my kitchen.  I have small kids, so it is pretty obvious that we eat a lot of fruit, especially bananas.  Did you know that you can actually bring fruit flies home from the store?  Yuck!  Last year I set this trap and it works really well, so this year I set it again.  You take a small dish or canning jar...fill it with water, three tbsp of apple cider vinegar ( I am using raspberry because that is what I have in the house) and a tsp of dish soap.  Place where you keep your fruits and veggies.  It won't take long for your trap to fill up with these pesky little bugs!  Dump and refill every few days.  

The trick to keeping the flies at bay is to keep a clean house, inside and out.  Pick up after yourself and your children, sweep and vacuum your floors, wipe your counters down and clean your garbage can regularly.  In the yard, pick up after your dog and keep your garbage cans as far away from your house as you can.  The flies are particularly bad this year and if you live by a farm (which I do) it can be difficult to keep up with the flies.  So I am really hoping that by taking these steps I am eliminating the problem (to the best of my ability)

I will keep you posted on the results and when I have them, I will post the link the the video I watched.  

I will also post some pictures as soon as my phone charges (always when I need it, right!)  

Have a fly free day!