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!  

Meal Planning Made Simple #2

So now that you have set up your binder...what's next?  Meal planning alone is not enough when it comes to working within a budget.  What I mean is, if you plan to eat lobster tails on Thursday night, you're not going to be able to stay within a $50.00/ week budget.  

So after you set up your binder, start looking for budget friendly recipes.  If your weekly grocery budget is $50.00 a week, then you should look for ingredients that fall into those guidelines.  I like to look for recipes that include chicken, pork, or ground beef.  I will also cook with turkey (if I can find a good sale) and ground pork.  Last week I made a dish with turkey sausage and my family hardly knew the difference.  I also look for recipes that are 10 ingredients or less (5 is best!) to help me stay within my budget.  I love finding a recipe that I can change to accommodate whatever I have in the house too. Be open to new ideas and try new things.  I wasn't eager to try ground pork at first (my parents didn't use it growing up) and I was totally against ground turkey too, but now, whenever I have a recipe that calls for ground beef, I easily substitute ground pork and my family would never be able to tell the difference.  

Surf the web or go to the library.  I love the library!  You can take out a new copy of  "Taste of Home" magazine at the library for free and you usually get 3 weeks with it.  That is plenty of time to take down the recipes.  You can also access thousands of recipes online.  Take a few minutes with Google and you can usually find recipes tasty budget friendly recipes (don't forget to check out my growing recipe index!)  

Be willing to go vegetarian for a few meals.  Meatless meals are healthy and usually cost a bit less per serving.  While they are in season, veggies like zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant are good meat substitutes.  They can be grilled and roasted and added to pasta for a very fresh and flavorful dish.  Farmers markets usually have these vegetables on hand during the summer months for a very reasonable cost.

Breakfast for dinner is a great option for families on a budget.  I like to look for recipes that we can make inexpensively like Quiche and baked breakfast casseroles.  Ingredients for these hearty meals are often very inexpensive and we can feed everyone for under $1.00 per person.  My family loves breakfast food like pancakes, waffles, and omelets too!  Breakfast night in our house usually happens semi-monthly.  

Living within a tight budget does not mean that you can't eat well, it just means making changes to your current habits to live within your means.  Be open minded and the ideas will come!  

Strawberry Picking

     It's June!  Thank the good Lord because after the winter we had, and the very long spring, I was a little worried that the weather wouldn't cooperate and we wouldn't get to go strawberry picking!  
     I just love fresh picked strawberries, especially on a day like today.  They will be nice and warm from the sun and so sweet on our lips,  I'm sure that Adam will eat more than he will pick himself, but he's three, so that is to be expected.  
    My family loves strawberries, so already I have taken an order from my husband to not only make strawberry shortcake cupcakes, but also to make jam this year.  I haven't had time to make jam in the last two years, so I am really looking forward to jam this year.  What goes into making a great jam?  Good ingredients like fresh picked fruit, sugar, pectin, and a little butter (to keep the foaming down and to add a shine).  It only takes about two hours to make jam from start to finish, so that is on my list for this afternoon.       You can make jam with already picked berries from the grocery store, but you need a lot of them, so they are not only a lot more expensive, and they come from California so they aren't fresh.  I prefer to pick my berries rather than have the farm pick them because they are cheaper that way.  Last year, the cost per pound was $2.15 a pound.  That is really reasonable and for just about 4 pounds of berries, I can make 10-12 jars of jam.  My hope is to double that this year so that we have enough to get us through most of the school year next year.  I am also planning to make raspberry and peach jam when those fruits come into season so we should have plenty.  

     I have my own strawberry patch, but I don't have enough plants to make jam yet, so I am going to add about ten more plants to my patch this year and then next year I will have enough berries right here at home and I won't have to go picking somewhere else.  I am blessed to live in an area where there are a lot of farms, so anything that I don't grow myself, I can easily access without having to spend too much money, and I am supporting local growers and their families.  
   We love Chase Farms, in Perinton NY, but if you Google U-pick strawberries in your area, a list of farms will pop up and you can go to the farm that is closest to you.  They all work about the same way, they give you a container, you fill it up, and then they weigh it.  If they are like Chase's, they probably won't take credit and debit cards, so have your cash ready when you get there.  

We are off to the berry patch!  Have a blessed day!

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Plan ahead...they need to be cooked individually.  

Fresh tortillas are really easy to make, but a bit time consuming.  Often times what I will do is make them on a weekend day when I have a little extra time and store them in the fridge until I am ready to use them.  This recipe make 24 5/6 inch tortillas, I usually make half the recipe and still get about 10-12.  

Homemade Flour Tortillas (makes 24)

4 cups of flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp shortening
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups water

Combine the salt, flour, and baking powder.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender.  Add the water and stir until combined and dough comes together.  On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic.  Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces, roll them into a ball.  With the rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is thin.  Heat a heavy skillet (dutch oven or cast iron work best), cook each tortilla individually for about 2-3 minutes per side or until it is lightly brown.  Serve immediately or allow to cool and store in an airtight bag in the fridge for up to 7 days.  

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce

These chicken enchiladas are a family favorite in our house!  Not a single one of my kids turns it away.  It makes a lot which is nice for families the size as ours, but you can make 1/2 the recipe for a smaller family or better yet, make the whole batch and freeze a meal for later!

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce  (Serves 10)

1 boneless skinless chicken breast (cooked in the crock-pot and shredded.  Making the Most of the Meat...) 

1 4 oz can of green chilies

1 cup sour cream

2 cups chicken breast

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

10 flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)

Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup meat and sprinkle with cheese.  Roll them up and lay them seam side down in a prepared 9 X 13 baking dish.  In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, cooking for two minutes, stirring continuously, gradually add the chicken broth and stir until the liquid is smooth.  Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the sour cream and green chilies.  Stir until well combined.  Pour over the prepared tortillas and then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.  Bake at 350 until heated through and the cheese is completely melted and brown.  Approximately 25 minutes.  

Serve with rice or salad.  

Making the Most of the Meat on Hand

Sometimes even I can't believe what can be done with just one boneless chicken breast!  The other day I had chicken enchiladas on the menu; it makes a ton and there are always leftovers for lunch.  I can make this meal really inexpensively because I can make my own flour tortillas and I only need one chicken breast to fill 10 shells!  They have plenty of meat and cheese in them and I always serve them with Mexican rice so no one walks away from the table hungry!  
     Here is my tip for stretching that chicken breast (believe it or not I had enough left over to make chicken salad for TJ's lunch the next day!).  I used my crock-pot and a little bit of chicken broth.  In the morning, I put the chicken breast in my crock-pot with about 1/3 of a cup of chicken broth.  I turned it on low.  At 4 o'clock the chicken was done.  I shredded it and kept it in the crock-pot while I made the tortillas.  The slow cooking of the crock-pot added a lot of moisture to the chicken and it shreds so easily!  Not a single bite of chicken was missed!  The enchiladas were amazing as usual and I was able to feed my family a really great, filling meal, for a very low cost.

Here is how the numbers worked out

1/2 pound Chicken Breast $0.99
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese $1.85
Tortillas approx $0.49
1 can green chilies (GV $0.88)
1 cup sour cream $0.65
2 cups Chicken Broth $0.69

Yellow Rice- $0.99

Total: 6.54

We had 3 leftover which I fed to my sister and father for lunch the following day so it ended up being $0.72 per person!  (I will post the recipe in a separate post)  

Stretching what you have in the house is one of the most important aspects of living on such a tight budget.  There is no room for waste in our house, so I try to make the most of what I can out of 1 pound of meat or less.  This way nothing ends up in the trash.

Have a wonderful and blessed Father's day today!

Father's Day

     As you know, tomorrow is Father's Day and we definitely celebrate in our house.  My husband has decided that he would like to take the kids to the spray-ground at Geneva State Park tomorrow which is one of our favorite places to go.  This park is a huge bang for its buck!  With an admission cost of just $7.00 per car, we can get in to the park for just over $1 each!  The spray-ground is large and beautiful!  It has a lot to offer, and when the kids are done splashing in the water, there is a beautiful playground there.  There is also a beach and grills with picnic tables if you choose to cook while you're there.
     The kids would like to treat TJ to McDonald's tomorrow (that is their surprise for him).  Not the most nutritious choice, but the kids were really excited about this idea so I thought we should go for it!   We very rarely eat out as a family so this will be a rare treat in our house.  I got TJ a very simple gift and we will be making him a card (the handmade ones are so precious!)
    While we are at the park tomorrow, we will be having a very simple lunch, PB& J sandwiches, cheese crackers, and applesauce.  This will help us to save money and we can eat at our own pace.
     For dinner, TJ has decided that he would like to have grilled chicken sandwiches, salad, and for dessert, blueberry pie (his favorite!)
     Celebrating this special day with my husband is going to be amazing and we aren't going to have to break our budget to do it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Father's day! 

Shopping at Aldi

I have been shopping at Aldi since I got married in 2000.  At the time, there were only two stores in our area, one in Canandaigua and one in Henrietta.  Since TJ and I lived in Farmington at the time, we did most of our shopping at the Canandaigua location.  At first, shopping at Aldi, seemed a little too good to be true.  For just the two of us, my shopping bill was usually around $50.00 a week (I could do it for a lot less now that I meal plan) but at the time, that seemed like a great deal!

     Over the years, I have strayed away to shop at other retailers like Walmart and Wegman's, but I always go back to Aldi.  When I realized that we were going to have to shop differently in order for me to remain home with my children, I immediately got out my Aldi canvas bags and took a trip back.  

    Aldi is not like a typical grocery store.  First of all, they don't take credit. which is a good thing for me because I am terrible with a credit card!  They do not sell any tobacco or alcohol (which is fine by us too!), they don't bag your groceries for you, and you have to put in a quarter to get a cart (you get it back when you return the cart to the front of the store.) 

    But it is worth it when you are saving almost 40% on groceries!  Here is an example of what I mean, Walmart is currently selling its brand of butter for $3.48/ lb, I get it at Aldi for $2.36/ lb.  Wegman's 20 oz white bread is currently $0.99/ loaf, the white bread at Aldi sells for $0.89.  And that is not all, Aldi has a wide variety of items that sell for less that Wegman's and Walmart and the quality is great, things like oatmeal, nuts, flour tortillas, cheese, and yogurt.  

     I wanted to share this with you so that you might go in and give Aldi a try.  Part of living on a budget means making some choices about how you want to spend your money, in our house we are not brand loyal.  I feel that most generic products are equal to their name brand counterparts and therefore we eat all generic foods.  Aldi carries its own label and therefore, you can only find a name brand there if they are running a limited offer.  We have become very fond of many of the products that Aldi offers and we have never felt that we were missing out on anything by shopping there.  

    This week, shopping at Aldi, I was able to shop for my household of 7 for just $54.00!  This was the only shopping trip that I took this week (other than the vacation shopping I did at Big Lots.)  We are eating healthy, hearty, delicious meals by shopping there.  If I hadn't changed my grocery shopping habits, I would probably have to go back to work and that is out of the question right now.  I hope that you will take a trip to Aldi to see what they have to offer your family.

Blessings to All!

Change of Plans...

     So yesterday I was all set to make my pie and do some baking...and then my husband took the day off from work.  He has been especially busy lately and needed a little break so we took a day off together (which means that very little of what I had planned to do yesterday actually got done.)  It is extremely rare for him to take time off so I was really excited to spend some time with him.  We went out looking for a couple of new doors for our house at the Habitat for Humanity Resell store in Rochester, they didn't have what we were looking for, but that is a great place to find things for your house at a really good price (again, keeping it out of landfills).  Just last month we had found a beautiful, oak door, brand new for just $150!  We bought that, but now we need a new storm door and we are also looking for a new door for our garage as well.   Home improvements can be so expensive...that is why we have to look for the deals, so that we can have a beautiful home without spending an arm and a leg.  
    After that we decided to go and see if we could get a battery replaced in my iPhone.  I have a 3 s, 16 GB iPhone that I love, unfortunately the battery is shot.  In order to use the phone, it has to be plugged into a wall at all times (not so convenient when I am not at home or in the car...)  So off we went to the mall.  There are several kiosks at the mall that repair iPhone's but of course, as my luck would have it, they won't fix the 3 s because the technology is too old.  I think the technology is just fine, but I guess because people today are always looking for the next best thing, the things that we have now don't last as long as they should.  We were told by one kiosk that we can get an iPhone 4 for $50.00, this of course, seems too good to be true...but we are checking it out anyway because if I can get a new phone for the cost to replace the battery in the old phone, why not take the plunge.  It was a rather disappointing trip to the mall, but we did run into two people that we knew and we were there without children, so I can't say it was a wasted trip!  
    Then we had a gift card to Panera Bread so we had a lovely lunch on the patio just the two of us, which never happens, for just $1.56!  Overall, since we spent the entire afternoon together, I didn't bake a pie.  We didn't miss it though, we got to spend a very relaxing day together, and we didn't have to break the bank to enjoy it!

My Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I have been making chocolate chip cookies this way for years.  I made some changes to the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag so that they are softer, meatier cookies.  I hope that you enjoy them as much as we do!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Makes 3 doz)

Preheat oven to 350

1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs (Room Temp)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

With a mixer, beat the butter and shortening together until smooth and shiny, about 2 minutes.  Add the sugar, beat until smooth.  Add the brown sugar and continue to beat until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition.  Add the baking soda, salt, and vanilla and beat well, scrapping the sides of the bowl.  Add the flour, one cup at a time, and beat until just combined.  Add the chocolate chips and the nuts and stir by hand.  Drop by the spoonful onto a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until brown (for a softer cookie, bake until just slightly brown around the edges.) Remove from the oven and immediately move to a cooling rack.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container.  

***If you are freezing your dough, freeze in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 months.***

Baking on a Rainy Day

     I love to bake, in fact, I have been baking since I was about 10 years old.  My grandmother on my father's side was a baker too.  She made cookies and froze them so that when company stopped over, she would have cookies available for them.  She was a true 1950's housewife.  My grandfather was a teacher in Livonia NY when my dad was growing up, eventually he would become the principal of the high school there, and my grandmother stayed home, kept house, and raised four children.  I always wanted to be just like her, she wore an apron, she made cookies, she cooked and cleaned, and she was my hero.  I was only 10 when she passed away, but I still remember her, and how her house smelled of burnt toast and coffee in the morning (my grandfather liked burnt toast.) It is crazy the things you remember as a child.
    My mother's mom was a teacher too.  She was the high school librarian in Livonia, so the two families knew each other well.  My mother was not a baker.  She baked occasionally, like if we wanted to bake something together she would, but my mother was not a big fan of cooking or baking.  She took after her own mother, who wasn't really much of a baker either.  Neither woman was particularly bad at it, it just wasn't something that they personally enjoyed.  So from as early as I can remember, whenever anyone in our family wanted something baked, they always turned to me.  I didn't mind, I loved baking and I still do.
     I bake whenever I have the opportunity.   I love the smell of fresh baked bread, cookies, cupcakes, or pie.  I love feeling the dough in my hands and creating something that people are going to eat and enjoy.  Since my children were born, we have only purchased one birthday cake (I was pregnant and we had the party at Chuck E Cheese), all of the others have been made and decorated by my two hands.  I love providing that for my family, it saves us a TON of money on party supplies and I have the satisfaction of seeing how excited they are when they see their cake.
     So when I woke up this morning and it was raining and the air has a nice soft chill to it, I immediately thought about baking something.  But what?  Yesterday I made these super delicious Spice Cake Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Icing, and they are still looking at me from inside the cake container, begging me to eat just one...but I digress.

     So that brings me back to what I should make today, I did promise the "cookie monster" in our house (my husband) that I would make chocolate chip cookies this week, so I could follow through on that promise and make those, but what else?  I could make the hamburger rolls that we need for the pulled pork dinner I have planned this week, but we aren't eating that until Saturday so I wouldn't want to make them so early in the week.  I know, I can make a pie.  Today the weather is perfect for making a pie...it is cool outside so the dough will be happy and I have all of the ingredients to make a cherry pie in the house.  That's it, we can have a beautiful cherry pie for dessert tonight.
      One of the things that I love most about living on such a tight budget is that I have the opportunity to make a lot of our food from scratch.  I have learned to keep my house supplied with eggs, sugar, butter, and flour so that I can make delicious treats for my family with fresh ingredients, whenever I have the time.  I know that baking seems like a lot of work, but it doesn't have to be, simply make the dough ahead (when you have the time) and freeze it; both cookies and pies can be made ahead, frozen and then baked later.  Baking isn't for everyone, but if you like to bake, take some time and make something.  It looks like a great day to create something really yummy!

Easy Homemade Brownies

If you like chocolate as much as I do, you will love this brownie recipe.  I keep all of these ingredients in my pantry so I can make brownies whenever I want without having to go to the store.  These brownies cost me about $0.60 to make from scratch.

Easy Brownies (Serves 9)

1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped nut (optional)

Grease a 8 x 8 glass baking dish and preheat the oven to 350.

In a large bowl or mixer, combine the oil and the sugar, beating well.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat on medium until soft and smooth, then add the vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.  Add to the liquid ingredients a little at a time and then beat on medium until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in nuts by hand and then pour into prepared dish.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes outs with a few crumbs on it (be careful not to over bake) .  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  

***Optional*** Once completely cooled, spread chocolate fudge icing on top before serving.

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches (Buffalo Style)

I made these one day when I really wanted some chicken wings (but didn't want to pay for them!)  I pulled one boneless chicken breast out of my freezer and it easily fed all of us with leftovers!  I would serve these with my homemade hamburger rolls and some coleslaw.  

This is a crock pot meal so feel free to set it up in the morning and walk away from it.  This is a perfect meal for one of those nights when you can't make dinner (soccer or baseball night in this house).

Pulled Chicken (Buffalo Style) (Serves 6)

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (you can use thigh meat as well)
1/3 cup of hot sauce 
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1 cup chicken broth

Place the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot.  In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, chicken broth, and dressing mix.  Pour over the chicken.  Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 6 hours.  Shred the chicken to absorb sauce and serve.  

Recipe Review #2

So tonight was another test night here in our house, and I have to say, this meal was great too!  I am going to call it Poor Man's Stew, and once you see the ingredients you'll know why.  

First of all, I think that the more skillet meals I can find, the better!  One pan to clean works out very well, especially since my live in dishwasher (my dad) is moving out in two weeks.  

This recipe came from an old Quick Cooking magazine Jan/Feb 2005.  The original recipe calls for a frozen vegetable medley (Beef Stew), but I had all of those ingredients on hand separately so I used what I had.  I am writing this recipe according to what I did.  

Poor Man's Stew (Serves 6)

1 pound smoked sausage (we used turkey)
1 tbsp veg oil
2 cups of cubed potatoes
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 can beef broth
2 tbsp onion soup mix
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
2 small bay leaves

In a large skillet, cook the sausage until brown.  Remove sausage from the pan and add the veggies.  Saute for 5 minutes and then add the broth, onion soup, and bay leaves, bring to a boil.  Turn to a simmer, cover and allow to cook until the veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove the cover and take the bay leaves out of the skillet.  Mix the cornstarch and water together and slowly add to the skillet and stir until combined and the sauce is thick, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage back to the pan and serve.   

The only thing that could have made this recipe better is my homemade buttermilk biscuits!  

All of my kids except for 1 ate this, and my eldest son had 3 helpings!  

Here is how the numbers worked out:
Smoked Sausage $1.99 (on sale at Aldi)
Potatoes (approx $0.16 each) $0.32
Celery $0.30 (approx)
Carrots $0.33 (approx)
Broth $0.79
Onion Soup $.25 (approx)

The total is approximately $0.66 a serving!  Amazing meal for such a great price!  This will be great new addition to our meal plan!

Shopping for Vacation on a Budget

     This year we are heading out on our first summer vacation in two years, needless to say, we are super excited!  We are going to Virginia Beach in just a few short weeks, so while the kids are in school still, I am planning and shopping for our trip!  
     10 hours in the car with four kids can be a bit overwhelming, and since we don't want to stop that frequently, it is my job to make sure that everyone has what they need.  We don't generally allow any eating in the car, but for long trips such as this, it cannot be helped.  To avoid stopping and eating along the way, we will be eating both breakfast and lunch in the car on the way down.  In order for meals to run smoothly in the car, with four kids, I have to plan really simple, mess-free, food options.  This might seem hard, but really, it is very easy to do! 
   The first thing that I do is plan what we will eat, then I will shop and try to find the items I want for the best price.  On the list, Go Go Squeeze.  If you have not tried these amazing snacks, you must, but they can be expensive and I'm on a tight budget, so I look for them at Big Lots.  Sure enough, today, Big Lots had several varieties of the healthy, mess-free applesauce 4 packs for just $1.25!  I grabbed six.  That is 24 Go Go Squeezes for our trip for just $7.50!  
   Big Lots had a lot of great items today for our trip.  In addition to the Go Go Squeeze, I also got a 2 pound bag of pretzels for just $2.20.  I will divide that into "kid sized" portions and hand them out as we go.  
   I picked up a 34 oz can of peanuts for just $5.00, my husband loves peanuts!  I will portion those out as well.  
   I grabbed a box of Honey Nut Scooters (cheerios) for $1.50 to take along, they had Musselman's Applesauce cups, 18 for $4.00 so I grabbed those, and two boxes of Wheatables crackers for $1.20 each.  Altogether the total was $22.60!  
     Shopping trip #1 is done.  I will be going out a few more times over the next few weeks looking for more deals, but for today I'm so excited that I was able to stock up for such a great price!   

***Today's shopping trip was done at the Big Lots on Fairport Rd, in Fairport NY***

It was an awesome day at Big Lots today!

Recipe Review #1

Periodically I will be testing new budget friendly recipes and then posting the results.  We are not foodies in our house, but if it is something that we end up really liking than I'm happy to send the recipe on to other families to try.  This recipe came to me from the Jul/Aug 2005 edition of Taste of Home magazine.  I altered the recipe a bit based on our tastes and the size of our family.

Baked Spaghetti Casserole (Serves 12)   

1 1/2 pounds of angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion chopped
1 1/2 jars of traditional spaghetti sauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
3 tbsp butter melted
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (small curd)
8 oz mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, cook the beef with the onion until the beef is brown and the onion is tender.  Add the spaghetti sauce.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs, Parmesan, and butter.  Add the cooked spaghetti and mix until it is well coated in egg mixture.  Pour half of the pasta into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Spread the 3/4 of a cup of cottage cheese on the spaghetti, spread 1/2 of the meat sauce over the cottage cheese and then sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella over the sauce.  Repeat the layer.  Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes uncovered, take the foil off and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

Here's how it added up...

Meat $2.69 (73% lean, browned and drained well)
Sauce $1.49
Cottage Cheese $1.77
Mozzarella $1.99
Parmesan $0.59
Eggs $0.28 ( I got my eggs last week at Save-a-Lot for $1.49 a dozen)
Spaghetti $1.49

This works out to be $0.86 per serving!  

My kids LOVED this recipe, all four (including my picky one) ate two helpings!

This recipe will definitely be going on our meal plan regularly.  

Simple Fried Rice

This recipe is one that we have come to rely on, if I cook it without meat, it makes a fabulous side dish or lunch.  If I choose to add the meat, it is an awesome, quick dinner that my family loves!  

Simple Fried Rice (Serves 4)

1 1/2 cups rice, cooked

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil (optional)

1 egg, partially scrambled

1/2 pound of cooked, cubed, chicken or pork (Optional)

1 tbsp oil

In a large skillet, cook the veggies in the oil until just tender.  Add the rice, egg, soy sauce, chicken or pork, and sesame oil and cook until heated through.  Approximately 20 minutes.  

Lost Meal Plan...

     I know that Sunday's can be a really busy day at the grocery store so I usually try to go on a weekday when the stores are a little less crowded so that I don't feel so rushed.  But yesterday I had to go to the grocery store because this week was starting to fill up (end of school year activities) and I didn't want to wait and then have to run out multiple times (because then I would spend more money...), so I packed up Grace and Adam and we went to Aldi.  A typical day at Aldi is kind of crazy to begin with, they don't have a "traditional" store set up so finding things can sometimes be a chore (especially if it is a limited edition item), but a Sunday in Aldi is somewhat insane.  The small store is crowded with people, children, and lots of shopping carts.  Sometimes it is hard for me to keep my head above water while I'm in there (especially when I have all four of my children with me!)  
     Yesterday was no exception.  The place was mobbed and so I took my detailed list and meal plan in with me so that I could remain focused.  Thankfully, my friend Jen went along to grocery shop for her family (she is trying out some of my meal planning tips) so she took my daughter with her so that I only had to contend with Adam (who is amazing in a store!) while I was shopping.  We made our way quickly through the store and I was checking things off of my list easily.  Thank goodness I had my list because I would have lost my mind otherwise.  The people were not overly pushy or rude, it was just so busy and I was tired, so I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for the crowd.  I was done first, so I went through the checkout and bagged my items while Jen finished her shopping.  I had my notebook on the bottom of the cart and a really nice lady reminded me to take my notebook so that I wouldn't accidentally leave it there (I would be lost without it!) so I said a grateful, "thank you", and shoved my notebook into one of my bags. Jen was just entering the checkout, so I decided to take my groceries out to the car while she was finishing up.  
    Then I hear those familiar words that we (as mom's) love to hear (not!) "I have to go potty."  Of course you do, I thought to myself.  In the last six years since my oldest has been potty trained, I have never been able to go anywhere without hearing those words.  So I put out things in the car and then we made our way back into the store so that Adam could use the restroom.  Jen was bagging her groceries so I asked Grace if she had to go too, and she nodded so I took them both (might as well get everyone out of the way, right?)  The bathroom was occupied so we waited while Jen packed her things.  Grace decided she was thirsty so she went to the drinking fountain and proceeded to get water down the front of her shirt, the bathroom never became available, and the kids were starting to scream "I have to go potty!!" as loud as they could (so then I feel everyone watching me).  Jen packed up the last of her items into her cart and I finally convinced my kids that they could hold it until we got to Walmart for our last 2 items and we hurried out to the car.  
     By the time we got to Walmart, my kids had totally forgotten that they even had to go potty (go figure) and I didn't get a shopping cart (because I only needed 2 things), we went to the deli and got our free cookies and then Jen asked me to help her find Quinoa for a recipe that she was making, and while we were looking, my two kids decided it was a good time to have a race up and down the aisle.  Now on a weekday, this wouldn't have been a problem, but because it was Sunday, it was pretty busy, so I was getting a little frazzled.  Needless to say, by the time we left the store, I was more than a little tired.  When I got home I unpacked all of my bags and reached for my notebook to check it and make sure I hadn't missed anything on my list, and when I did, I realized that my completed meal plan for the week was missing!  What was I going to do?  I had such a nice plan for week and now I would have to try to remember everything from the top of my head, and after the day I had, that wasn't going to be easy to do.  
     But then a miracle happened...my husband made dinner, a complete dinner was ready and on the table when I got home from shopping!  We sat down to dinner as a family, a nice quiet Sunday dinner, and I was able to relax.  I put my shopping woes aside and after all of the kids had a bath, I sat down with them and watched a movie.  It was a very nice, relaxing evening with my family.  
   I am not too worried that I lost my meal plan, at least I know that there is food in my house to prepare!  I know it will come back to me and I learned that I need to relax more and have faith!  Everything works out in the end!

Stopping the Cereal "Bleed"

How do I stretch 2- 8 oz yogurts and feed four kids?

When I realized that we were going through 4 gallons of milk and 4 boxes of cereal a week in our grocery budget, I knew that I had to put a stop to the cereal "bleed" in our house.  My four children were eating a box of cereal every two days!  It was out of control!  When I did the math and realized that we were eating through $20.00 a week to feed four kids cereal, I knew that I could make healthier choices for our kids and save money at the same time.  

Making a change from cereal to oatmeal was easy.  My kids love oatmeal and I can serve it many different ways (check out my oatmeal cup recipe!), but we also needed other alternative breakfast options to not only save money, but to give my kids the variety they deserve.  

I came up with yogurt.  It is a healthy alternative that offers them more than a simple glass of milk.  But yogurt can be expensive, and even at $0.39 a cup, I have four kids so those costs add up quickly.  So now I stretch the yogurt.  I have it on the menu once or twice a week, I serve it with 1/3 cup of homemade granola, a glass of milk, and a banana.  They love the crunch of the granola and each child gets a half a yogurt instead of a whole.  This allows me to offer it more than once a week and all of my kids get a healthy breakfast!

It may not seem like enough food, but once I put the yogurt and the granola together, I realized that it was the perfect serving size.

In addition to serving yogurt, I also make a double batch of pancakes on the weekend and reheat them on a busy morning, and occasionally I will make the kids a cheese omelet or scrambled eggs for breakfast as well.  All of these alternatives help us to cut down our cereal purchases to just one box a week!  We still go through 3 gallons of milk a week, but just shaving 1 gallon from the budget saves me almost $3.00 a week which I can then spend on more fresh produce.  

Little changes can make a big difference when you are living on a budget!