Creamy Chicken Rice Soup

Hello one & all...seems that this has become my new "go-to" soup for the season. Super easy and quick; thick and hearty so it "eats like a meal." Plus they all love it...doesn't get any better then that!

Creamy Chicken Rice Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped (made the last batch with a few sprinkles of celery seed...tasted the same!)
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 TBSP Canola oil
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth (or 4 cups broth/bouillon, prepared)
1/3 cup long-grain white rice
3/4 tsp dried basil (I used Italian seasoning...smelled and tasted so wonderful!)
1/4 tsp pepper
3 TBSP flour
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
1 cup cooked, diced chicken

In a saucepan, saute the onion, carrot, and celery in oil until tender. Stir in garlic, broth, rice, and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or till rice is tender.

In a small bowl, combine milk and flour till smooth.; stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or till thickened. Stir in chicken, heat through.

1 cup = 185 calories and 4 gm. fat (when prepared with fat free evaporated milk)

Add bread and butter and/or a salad and it fills and warms. Make and Enjoy!

Blessings, Eve

Beefy Tomato Pasta Soup

Hello one & all...spent the most wonderful Autumn weekend. Saturday I joined my sister and niece for a day at the Buffalo Zoo. We hadn't been in a year and I was amazed at the changes and additions. I spent many a childhood day running around that kiddie hot spot...it always brings back the fondest memories for me. Sunday brought a day of Autumn splendor at the Genesee County Park. Joined by my sister-in-law and her family, we lazed the day away in the surprisingly strong fall sun while the kiddos rode their bicycles and worked hard at conquering the heights of the playground. We had such a great time that I took the children back again yesterday, with bikes on board, for yet another afternoon. It is absolutely beautiful there this time of year and very quiet.

My sister-in-law brought a crock pot of soup on Sunday that warmed us both body and soul and sent me in search of soup recipes both old and new. Came upon this one that I will share and thought it was to be a winner for sure...so glad I was right as the brood was super hungry after yet another day in the fresh air.

Beefy Tomato Pasta Soup

1# ground beef (or venison)
2 medium green peppers, chunked
1 medium onion, chunked
2 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 cups water
2 cans (14 oz.) Italian chunked tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 TBSP brown sugar
2-3 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups uncooked spiral pasta

In a dutch oven or soup kettle, cook meat, green pepper and onion till no longer pink. Drain. Add the rest. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook for slightly longer than recommended time, stirring occasionally. Pasta should be tender but not mushy. Top with Parmesan cheese and croutons if desired. ***This is a wonderful, hearty soup that I served with bread and butter and a side salad.

***Made this with ground beef (my venison is running low!) and home canned herbed tomatoes. If using home canned I recommend that you go a little heavier on the salt. Also, feel free to use regular diced tomatoes and simply up the Italian seasoning.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Easy Bake Oven Recipes

Hello one & all...after a wonderful weekend that included celebrating my husband's birthday, we are back to the daily grind. And that includes entertaining our children. This one is by special request...Easy Bake Oven Recipes. (That you can actually afford and that taste somewhat decent!!! Really!)

Brownies (makes one serving)

2 1/2 TBSP sugar
1/8 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp chocalate syrup
2 TBSP + 1 tsp flour
1 tsp oil

Stir all together until the batter is smooth and chocolate covered. Pour batter into greased and floured pan. Bake 15 min.

Quick Cake

3 TBSP boxed cake mix (or snitch a bit when you make from scratch!)
1 1/4 TBSP water

Start with 1 T water and add as needed to make a traditional cake batter consistency. Grease and flour pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Chocolate Cake

1 cup sugar
3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup shortening

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir with wire whisk until blended. Cut in shorteneing until resmbles coarse meal. Spoom about 1/3 cup mixture into 11 ziploc bags. Use within 12 weeks.

To use:
1 packet cake mix
4 tsp. water

Grease and flour pan. Easy bake for 12 to 13 minutes.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Cream of Tomato Soup with Basil

Hello one & all...been canning up a storm with my "barely noticeable" free time and have a nicely stocked pantry in the basement. Will share the totals at the end of the season. (For my own personal satisfaction, if nothing else!) But for now I am still finishing up and have found myself with a few handfuls of tomatoes straggling in every few days. Not enough to can and I have 5 or so bags put up in the already full freezer. So hubby suggested this soup that I made a few years back and it brought to mind how much we enjoyed it. I will be slipping it into the menu this seek and thought I would share.

Cream of Tomato Soup with Basil

2 cups of cut-up fresh tomatoes, seeded and skinned
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 chopped onion
2 tsp brown sugar

Simmer, covered about 15 minutes. Cool till a manageable temp. and puree in a blender. Simmer again till needed.

Prepare 4 cups white sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp basil, dried or 1 T fresh
1 tsp salt
4 cups milk (dried, reconstituted works fine my notes say...apparently I was short of milk at some point when I made this!)

Gradually add the puree into the white sauce, stirring constantly. Garnish with sour cream if desired.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Canned Apple Pie Filling

Hello one & all...been canning up a storm and this little goodie is on the schedule for this week so I thought that I would share! This recipe is wonderful for pies, crisp and other recipes. I make a pork, stuffing apple casserole that is all the better for a jar of these apples from the basement. My hubby likes it with smoked polish sausage as a breakfast side through the fall and winter. (Plus the added benefit of no corn syrup like the store canned version...another one of my "things!")

Canned Apple Pie Filling

4 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
10 cups water
3 TBSP lemon juice
1 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cook first 5 ingredients until thick and bubbly. Place cold apples in clean, hot jars.

Pour hot syrup over apples, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Seal and process 20 minutes in a hot water canner. This syrup makes enough for about 9 quarts of apples.

Make and Enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Gotta Have a Plan

Hello one & all...been doing a lot of thinking (and let's face it, talking!) about menu planning. Cannot stress enough how much money, time and stress using a menu plan will save you. Different schools of thought on how to best approach a week or month of menus. I have always "shopped" from my freezer for protein and then added on from the store. I have a friend who is coming up with four weeks worth of menus based on her food budget and she plans to rotate these menus each month. (Variations will come based on sale items. For example: turkey breast on sale? Swap for a chicken recipe that week...or for several weeks if you stock up!) I am toying with combining the two. Wouldn't it be grand to simply shop from a master list that has been coupled with a weeks worth of menus? To know that your family enjoys them all and that you can purchase all items at one "discount store" and be done with it? Interested yet?



Not quite far enough in the planning stages to share yet, but I will when the time is right. I do have two weeks of menus for you, though. May give you some ideas...may not.



M- grilled Venison Tenderloin, zucchini sauteed with onions and Italian seasoning, cheesy rice and tomatoes, pickled red cabbage
T- Baked pork chops, stuffing, fried apples & onions, quartered new potatoes (from our garden!) and Parmesan baked tomatoes
W-Sausage, rice and corn, tomato salad, 90 minutes rolls
TH-Spaghetti, garlic bread (one leftover hot dog rolls) and tomatoes with ranch dressing
F-Chuck wagon Chili (see search for recipe), cornbread muffins and apple slices
S-Turkey Breast (in the crock pot), Old fashioned corn pudding (see last post), mashed potatoes and gravy
S-Ramen noodles tossed with turkey and peas (Really! The kiddos love it and the hubby does not mind it...a real winner!)
M-Turkey Barley Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
T-Spanish Rice Enchiladas (this was a crock pot Spanish rice recipe gone bad! Worked great for the enchiladas though...will make it again on purpose...) canned corn
W-Rita's Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers (Search for recipe) and carrots from the garden
TH-Bacon Burgers, FF, baked beans and cucumbers and sour cream dressing
F-Tuna casserole with peas on the side
S-Grilled chicken 1/4's, parsley chunk potatoes, broccoli and cut up tomatoes with ranch
S-Venison roast in the crock pot with mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and applesauce

Blessings, Eve

Old-Fashioned Corn Pudding

Hello one & all...don't let the name throw you. This is absolutely delicious! Sweet, savory side that I served with a turkey breast dinner last night.

Old-Fashioned Corn Pudding

3 TBSP flour
1 cup sugar (will use 2/3 cup next time...a bit too sweet for me!)
2 eggs
15-1/4 oz. can corn
5-oz. can evaporated milk (I used skim milk with perfect results)

Whisk together flour and sugar. Whisk the 2 eggs, milk and sugar. Combine and add corn. Stir well. 2 quart casserole, uncovered. 1 hour at 350. This will easily double...next time I will probably double and decrease the sugar by about 1/3.) So good and very "fallish" (is that a word??)

Make and Enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Remember me?

Hello one & all...long time, no post, huh? Didn't realize exactly how long till I signed on. Wow! The nice weather and the children being home has sent me for a tailspin this year. Seems we are non-stop every day. They have vacation bible school this week. The littlest (2 1/2) is doing wonderfully after hiding behind my shirt for the first half of today's session. By noon one would think that she played there every day! Praise God!!! Momma can use the break and the fellowship and she can use The Word.

Found a nice little freebie to share with you. This is a page on the Usborne Books website (LOVE their books!) that offers up some PDF's of their wonderful doodle pages. Great, detailed coloring pages perfect for older kids and/ or color pencil lovers. The squid is my favorite...print and enjoy! http://www.myubam.com/ecommerce/Doodle.asp?sid=D0036&emkt=199

Blessings, Eve

Freezer Treats!

Hello one & all...spent the afternoon at a friends house. Had a nice lunch and a chat while the children played. They were so quiet and content that I admit (shamefacedly!) that I was mildly surprised to see my 7 yo boy washing hands for lunch...seems I actually forgot he was there! (I know, I know...not something one generally admits but it is kind of funny and quite the compliment to his fine, fine behavior!) Came home and, after refereeing the two older ones (seemed they used up all their goodness at the friend's house), I made freezer treats. Use whatever you like...my littles seem to like yogurt combinations the best. Large tubs of yogurt from Aldi or Walmart (a couple generous spoonfuls), frozen fruit of your choice and enough juice to make the blender blades spin. Viola! Figured ours out to 16 cents each. Full serving of fruit, calcium and NO preservatives.

Make & enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Cheerios Breakfast Cookies

Hello one & all...made these last night after it cooled down a bit. the kiddos had them for breakfast and all gave them two thumbs up!

Cheerios Breakfast Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups oats (old-fashioned or quick)
3 cups cheerios cereal
1/4 - 1/3 cups add-ins...mini chips, diced dried fruit, etc.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat sugar, canola oil, peanut butter, water, vanilla and egg till well blended. (I used a whisk & it worked fine.) Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, oats and add-ins. Very gently fold in Cheerios. Drop the sticky dough onto ungreased cookie sheets by the rounded 1/4 cupful. Flatten and shape dough with fingers to roundish shape.

Bake cookies in preheated oven for 11-14 minutes or till slightly browned on the edges. Cool completely before serving or storing. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc. Can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Makes 20 breakfast sized cookies.

***Nest time I am going to try replacing 1/2 the oil and a bit of the sugar with applesauce. Would make for an even moister texture and less fat. Try a mix of dried fruits and raisins for an extra nutritional punch!

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Best Chicken EVER!!!

Hello one & all...made the best chicken EVER for supper tonight and wanted to share ASAP! (This recipe is adapted from the original on CannyWomen.com)

Crunchy Oven-Fried Chicken

3-4 pounds frying chicken...I used 1/4's and disjointed for drummies and thighs
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2-3 cups crushed corn flakes
2 medium cooking onions, chopped
1/3 cup fresh, chopped parsley - or 2 TBSP dried
1 TBSP dried thyme
2 TBSP dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Melt butter in a 9x13 pan in oven. Meanwhile prepare chicken by dipping in the milk and rolling in the cornflakes. Place in pan skin side down. Combine chopped onions and herbs and top over the chicken with the mixture. Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully flip chicken pieces and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes till tender and juices run clear. Topping will fall off but it's OK...you'll see. Serve chicken with rice or noodles and put some onion mixture on top...This is so, so, so very yummy and will be served again and again in our house! Warning: This is NOT low-fat chicken...tee-hee!

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Toddler Winter Boot Blowout!

Hello one & all...not my usual kind of post but Lands End.com is having a great sale on toddler boots. We bought these same boots for $19.99 (on sale even then!) and they are worth every penny. Easy on & off and super warm. They have toddler sized 12 and 13 for $3.50 and free shipping with code SCHOOLSOUT and PIN#1723. Look under shoes/sale/Snow Flurry. Then click on toddler sizes. (The kid/big kid are on sale as well but at $14.99.) Hope someone can use this info to get a good deal for the upcoming winter (or future winters!) Blessings, Eve

Give gardening a chance!

Hello one & all...been planning and dreaming big dreams for my garden this year. We already added strawberries and there are flowers aplenty (even on our newest plantings) so I am hopeful for a small, yet tasty, first harvest! I am taking a different approach this year and concentrating on a few new items...potatoes and onions will be new items for us. I will definitely go with eggplant as it was outrageous at the farmer's market last year. Tomatoes, peppers (hot and sweet), short row of beans, short row of edible pod peas and carrots. I have a fairly large garden and, once again, a decent segment will be devoted to salads and spinach.

I am most definitely fine-tuning my preservation thoughts and will only freeze and/or can what I am certain will be eaten. (I have a few items still clogging the shelves that simply were not favorites and did not get reached for quite often enough.) No more fancy soups, picklings or sauces here. I figure better to give excess harvest away than waste time, money and energy putting it by and then never eating it...better still for someone else to enjoy it.

Still uncertain whether gardening is worth the effort for you and your family? Check out this article from Mother Earth News. (My new, favorite magazine and e-newsletter!)

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Square-Foot-Gardening-Food.aspx?utm_content=05.12.10+SLCS&utm_campaign=SLCS&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email

Read and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Buffalo Wing Turkey Burgers

Hello one & all...have a new recipe for you. Different and kind of fun! We served these to new friends and they were a hit with children and adults. Don't let the ground turkey scare you off if you are new to this frugal, versatile, healthy alternative to ground red meat. Very flavorful, very moist recipe...buy better ground turkey. The stuff from the discount stores has a "different" texture and taste. Jenny-O is my preferred brand and costs, pound for pound, very close to decent ground beef.

Buffalo Wing Turkey Burgers

For each 4 burgers:

1 pound ground turkey
4 TBSP Parmesan cheese
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, shredded or finely chopped
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder (or 1/2 small onion, finely chopped)

Sauce:
1/2 stick butter
hot pepper sauce
ketchup

Put chopped veggies in a microwave safe bowl and nuke for 2 minutes to slightly soften. Once cooled, mix all ingredients and form 4 patties. Grill 10-15 minutes (till 160 degrees) or till cooked through. Do not overcook.
Cover and set aside. Melt butter in a skillet, add hot sauce and ketchup to taste and desired thickness. Once mixed add burgers. Simmer and coat burgers till most/ all the sauce has been absorbed. (You are trying to infuse the flavor into the burgers.) The original recipe for these called for toasted English muffins, a thick slice of cheddar and some crumbly bleu cheese. I found that these were wonderful simply on the plate with onion, tomato, cheddar and creamy bleu. Delicious! Play around with this to suit your taste...the kids enjoyed them with BBQ sauce. How about sweet and sour to resemble a country sweet wing? LMK if you find any new combos that you liked!

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Super Couponing

Hello one & all...been doing a bit with super couponing. You know- use 4 coupons, get it for free? Well, it's not quite that simple but pretty near. This link will direct you to a wonderful woman that puts deals together for our area. Matches coupons to Internet printable coupons to sales flyer's. She saves ma a TON of money and thought some of you might enjoy dabbling in this money saving area. Enjoy! Blessings, Eve

http://triciasfrugalfinds.com/?p=4288

Is it worth it?

Hello one & all...been a while, I know. Been busy with the little details of life...piano lessons, band concerts, boy scouts, girl scouts, AWANA, art shows, science shows, renaissance fairs. Whew! On top of that we have faced two family medical crises. My father underwent two separate eye surgeries to remove cataracts and then blood clots from inside his right eye. Modern medicine is truly amazing...he can see better out of that eye than before the surgeries! Then my Mom was hospitalized with a lung infection last week. The littlest one and I spent 6 hours in the ER waiting to find out that they were admitting her. (My two year old was an angel!) Scary stuff. Been to see her 5 days out of the 6 that she has been "stuck there." (Running here, running there, running, running everywhere.) Tonight's visit was a true pleasure as she seems more her old self and her chest doesn't pain her quite as badly. The Lord is so very good and we all feel so very blessed to have both Matriarch and Patriarch back in action!!!

Been thinking a lot about the true value of things...I am not a "things" type of person. I don't have those desires to buy big fancy "toys" or to have the latest of this or that. I do get a hankering, though, every single spring for a camper. Not a fancy high-end one. Just a med-sized pop-up to replace the two (yup, we now need two...cheaper than replacing tent #1 with a huge model!) tents that are our current outdoor gear. Then I started thinking along the lines of the greatest Frugalista of all time...Amy from The Tightwad Gazette. She compares relative values something like this. I love to tent camp...my husband and 12 yo daughter- not so much. But I LOVE to tent camp. I am one of those freaks that would canoe out to an island with no toilet and no power for a week of camping (I do not, as yet, own a canoe but I'm trying to make a point here...) My tents cost $27 (love that Cabela's card!) and $35. A decent pop-up camper in so-so condition costs around $2500. Now, would I love camping 42 times MORE if I owned a pop-up versus our tents. Just can't see it given my current over the top (so the hubby says) desire to sleep on the ground. A mattress and metal shell cannot possibly make me enjoy camping 42 times more.

So when considering an upgrade or purchase do the math...I often ask my kids if they enjoy pizzeria pizza 4 times more than homemade. They always answer no.

Blessings, Eve

Au gratin Potatoes

Hello one & all...spent a glorious afternoon at the county park with a number of friends and their families. Decided yesterday that the day was going to be too beautiful to pass on and made a slew of phone calls. 7 adults and more than 15 children aged 7 months to 13 years descended on the local playground. What a wonderful time! Fellowship, healthy play and sunshine. Everyone brought their own lunch and sunscreen and came and went as suited them. I couldn't have asked for a nicer way to spend the afternoon. Mu children asked, on the way home, if we could get everyone together like that every week come summer. Got me to thinking that it might just work to pick a specific weekday...say Wednesdays...and simply pick a new spot each week. Come if you can, skip if you must. Hmmm...looks like I just took on another project!

I am hosting my family for Easter and plan to make Au gratin potatoes. It is my son's favorite dish and so easy...so much better than Betty can ever hope to make!

Au gratin Potatoes

6 TBSP flour
1/2 cup dry milk (optional)
1 tsp onion powder (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups cold milk
4 cups potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
3 TBSP butter

In a quart jar place the flour, dry milk, onion powder (if using instead of onion) and salt and pepper. Close and shake thoroughly. Add cold milk and shake again until all the flour is dissolved. In a greased 3 quart casserole dish layer the potatoes, onions, and cheese dotting each layer with butter. Add the milk- flour mixture. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 4. **I usually double this recipe and make it with the real onion and the addition of dry milk. Adding leftover ham, bacon, even burger is wonderful. Use a 9 x 13 and plan on around 2 hours cooking time.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Coloring Easter Eggs

Hello one & all...spent the weekend preparing for the upcoming holiday. Priced store bought color kits between $.99 and $1.69, depending on what was included. Homemade color is super easy to make and very inexpensive. (Given that you do not buy your liquid food color at a supermarket for $3.00 and up! Yikes...try Save-a-lot and Dollar General type stores for low cost replacements...) Mix 4 oz. of white vinegar and 2 oz. of water. Add 15-20 drops of color and mix. Yup...that simple! Add in eggs and soak till desired shade. This recipe offers great versatility as you can create any colors your children would like. These colors are NOT neon strength but will certainly create pretty, pastel eggs for the basket. Finish with stickers, glue, glitter and sequence for a spectacular display. Happy Easter everyone! Blessings, Eve

Splash Lagoon

Hello one & all...even the most frugal among us needs to splurge every now & then. The hubby and I took the kids on a two day trip to Splash Lagoon earlier this week. Totally worth every penny we paid. (And that was way less than we had anticipated!) Every night at a participating hotel gets you 4 passes (3 and under are free) for the day of arrival and the day of departure till the park closes. In our case, 16 hours of park time. No child I know can use that much water time. They are tired out way before that! All three kids loved it. They have something for everyone...from 2 to 7 to 12. A great time was had by all and we are already planning a return trip next winter. Check it out if you are looking for a getaway. Hint: look to go on "off nights." We went on Sunday evening. Thursday would also be good. The rates are cheaper and the park isn't as crowded. Blessings, Eve

Scrumptious Chicken

Hello one & all...I was asked for this recipe by my daughter's best friend's mother. Seems she had gone home from dinner at our house and asked Mom to make it. I cannot believe that I have not shared this recipe with you all as it is a staple in our home and oh-so easy!

Scrumptious Chicken

4 boneless chicken breast halves, chunked
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use fat-free with success)
8 oz. (1/2 tub) sour cream
1 packet french onion soup mix (or a couple tablespoons powdered beef broth and either real diced onion or dried!)

Mix all the ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. (Larger chunks can take longer cooking times...) Serve over egg noodles or rice. ***Green beans and applesauce are a wonderful addition to this.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Smoke Alarm Batteries

Hello one & all...just a reminder to change your smoke alarm batteries. I have been good about this in the past but skipped a "time change cycle." Found one of my batteries (by the master bedroom) was not even in all the way. The alarm was completely disabled. (I have no idea how long this was like this and have no recollection of why it would have been disengaged.) E-gads! So, don't skip...change your batteries with every time change. Walmart has a 2 pack of heavy duty 9V for 97 cents. Now that's money worth spending...

Blessings, Eve

Rita's Sausage and Potato Skillet

Hello one & all...last Halloween my MIL made a simple and wonderful dish. Thought of it many times since then but this was my first solo attempt. Made it tonight and it was fantastic...and so, so simple.

Rita's Sausage and Potato Skillet

1 pound smoked or polish sausage (I used lite polish)
6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 large sweet peppers, sliced (I used a 1# bag of peppers and onions, frozen)
1 large onion, sliced
2 TBSP butter

In a large fry pan melt butter and add 1/2 cup water. Add potatoes, peppers and onions. Cover and cook till potatoes are HALF tender. (Add more water if needed.) Add the sausage, sliced, and cook till fully tender and hot throughout. Salt and pepper to taste.

I told you...simple. But so very good. I served this with corn and baked beans. Two thumbs up all the way around...

Make and Enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Homemade Bubble Solution

Hello one & all...the wee one wanted to blow bubbles today as it was around 70 degrees in our glass sunroom. (Hip, hip, hooray!) Well, of course, we were out of solution. Found this super easy recipe that does NOT require glycerin. So- super, super inexpensive!

Bubbles

1/4 cup dishwashing detergent
1/2 cup water
1 TBSP sugar

Add detergent to water. Gently add and slowly stir in sugar till dissolved. Make as few suds as possible. ***This solution worked very well. Not sure how it will store but it was a lifesaver today!

Blessings, Eve

Seasoned Oven Potatoe Wedges

Hello one & all...long time no see. Not sure what all happened there. Busy with the house, kids, activities, etc. and suddenly it has been almost two weeks since updating the blog.. Time flies...here is the potato recipe I promised all that time ago! These taste very much like a certain chicken chains signature recipe potatoes...crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. (Low in fat to boot.) So very good...we are sure to have these again and again!

Seasoned Oven Potato Wedges

2# potatoes (4 large)
3 TBSP flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBSP vegetable oil

Heat oven till 450 degrees. Cut potatoes into 8-10 wedges each. (Peel if you like.) Add all seasonings to a plastic bag (a discarded bread bag worked perfectly!) and add potatoes. Toss well to coat potatoes. Place potatoes in a single layer on oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or till browned. Turn potatoes once while cooking. Makes 6 servings.

Make & Enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Sloppy Garden Joes

Hello one & all...made a couple of new recipes last night and they were both well received. Trying to watch my calories more so these are both low-fat and quite healthy. Lots of veggies and lean meat. Here's is the one for the "Joe's." I will post the potato recipe in the next day or so as I just heard my kiddos rising WAY too early!!

Sloppy Garden Joe's

1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 lb. ground turkey
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 ox. can diced tomatoes
1 4 oz. can mushrooms
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pepper to taste
whole wheat bread or buns

Saute' onions, carrot and peppers along with the turkey for 5-10 minutes over medium heat. When meat is no longer pink add tomato sauce, tomatoes, mushrooms, barbecue sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for an additional 3 minutes or so till thickened. Serve on plain or toasted wheat bread. Serves 8

***This recipe truly is enough for the average eating family. I doubled it and some of us will be eating it again for dinner tonight. I used 1/2 turkey and 1/2 venison and I think that the mix of two meats held more flavor than straight turkey would have offered. Try very lean beef and turkey if venison is not on your menu. Toss in any veggies you like. I have a little bit of corn leftover and added that. Served it over home baked wheat bread. Very good and very healthy!

Make & Enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Fruited Cottage Pancakes

Hello one & all...been a busy couple of weeks around here. My two year old has not napped in weeks...since we threw her beloved "baby bink" in the trash. Finally, yesterday, 2 sweet hours! It's amazing what you can accomplish in two whole hours of ALONE!!! Finished decluttering the master bedroom. (I had left my hubby's clothing rack/ chair on his side of the room and took care of it...16 shirts there. Yup, 16!!! Washed, dried and hung. This is the man who says he doesn't have any shirts...could barely fit the clean ones in the closet. Time to sort that out too, I guess!)

Had some cottage cheese that needed using up so I did a recipe search for a new way to use it up. Found several recipes for cottage cheese pancakes and picked this one. I know. I know...sounds weird but they were very good. My picky guy even ate them up and asked for seconds...success!

Fruited Cottage Pancakes

4 eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (I used low fat)
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP butter, melted
1 peach, shredded
1 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
2 TBSP sugar
pinch salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix the moist. Mix the dry separately. Combine, just till moistened. Cook on hot griddle till edges dry and bubbles start to form. Flip.

***I left out the peach as my son has a "fruit thing" but did manage to get him to eat two topped with warm cinnamon applesauce. The second two were served with lite syrup. All in all, much healthier than pancakes with white flour and syrup. Very moist and yummy...

Make & enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Apple Oatmeal Bars

Hello one & all...spent a little time yesterday afternoon making some blueberry jam. Used frozen berries that the children and I picked last summer. Followed the directions for frozen fruit included with the pectin and it seems to have set up nicely. I purchased a large jar of strawberry preserves and when I kept offering it to the littles for sandwiches they kept asking "Is that your jam or from the store?" Needless to say, we will not be buying more store jam! Sharing a recipe for a quick breakfast / snack that can use up those soft apples in the bottom of the drawer. (Finally used the last of our fall apples from my SIL's trees for this recipe...thanks Doreen!)

Apple Oatmeal Bars

1 cup oatmeal (I used regular oats but quick would work fine!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (Yes, you need it all...used 1/4 applesauce and it made for a very messy bar...fine if you want a fork dessert)
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cup chopped apples
1/2 cup sugar

Combine first 5 ingredients with a fork or pastry blender till tiny crumbles. Pat half of mixture into an 8x8 pan. Layer on apples and sugar. Crumble remainder of mi on top. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or till lightly browned.

Make & enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Hello one & all...made a new recipe last night and it was a big, big hit!

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

1 egg and 1 egg white
15 oz. can pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup dry milk
3/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients till smooth. Pour into 9" pie pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 45-55 minutes at 350. Pie is dione when a knife comes out clean 1" from center. (Will still jiggle and will continue to set up while coolin!) This was delic and actually very good for you! Lo-fat  and lo-cal...

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Some Ideas

Hello one & all...just a mish-mash of money saving thoughts. (Gonna let you see just how cheap I can REALLY be!!!)

-Save a bag or two from onions...tie them into knots and use them in place of those plastic scrubbies. If it gets nasty on the first use, you won't feel badly throwing it out!
-Soap is soap...I use the little samples of hotel shampoo that everyone wants to give away (cuz' they take them and then don't bother to use them!) in my liquid handsoap dispensers. Watered down body wash also works great and smells just wonderful...
-Bread closers (the plastic, square ones) work great to scrape baked on pans.
-Save bread crusts in a bag in the freezer...when you have enough dip like french toast and serve with pancake syrup.
-Old Pantyhose, cut into strips, work beautifully to tie up vegetable and perennial plants...it will be spring before you know it!
-Save bar soap ends and put in the toe of a lonely knee high stocking. Tie the open end around a faucet handle and you have homemeade soap on a rope!
-Baby shampoo is super cheap at dollar/ discount stores and can be used for adults if you do not use hairspray. Also works great in those handsoap pumps!

Just some frugal thoughts! Blessings, Eve

Alfredo Sauce

Hello one & all...my littlest is down yet again.  Poor dolly awoke with a monster cold yesterday...quickly ending our date plans and turning the day into one long run of whining and sniffling. Finally got her to sleep on the loveseat and proceeded to work on the master bedroom. Wow.  (Seems I've been more than a little neglectful in there.) Removed a thick layer of dust, put away a mountain of clothing and purged some "never worn" items...feels like a hotel room in there now! Shamed but happy...

One of the things that I wanted to learn at the cooking class I took last week was how to make a good Alfredo Sauce. I've shared the recipe here for you...biggest tip I can share is this: USE FRESH PARMESAN.  You know, the one that looks like fine, shredded cheese in the little tub. Shaker cheese is not the same animal. Trust me...

Alfredo Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream (you can substitute whole milk)
1 clove garlic crushed
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly. Heat through. Serve over hot pasta. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serves 4.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Smothered Steak Strips and another menu...

Hello one & all…two more weeks of menus for you. May see some repeats from the last listing as I jostled things around over the weekend to accommodate an unexpected build-up of leftovers. (That wording doesn’t sound appealing, does it?) We have added AWANA back into our weekly schedule on Wednesday nights so those days warrant an easy cleanup meal…


M- Smothered Steak Strips (recipe to follow!) over brown rice, applesauce, cucumber and carrot slices

T- Echi-ritos made with ground venison and homemade enchilada sauce, corn

W- Spaghetti Alfredo with grilled chicken and broccoli

T- Chili-Mac skillet with carrots

F- Out for a date, I think! Woohoo…first time since August for our anniversary! Think we need to work on that…

S- Eating at my niece’s birthday party…

S- Venison Mustard Steaks, mashed potatoes and corn

M- Meatloaf (venison), rigatonis and veggie

T- Roast chicken, sun-dried tomato instant potatoes (impulse purchase…we’ll see!), veggie, applesauce, 90 minute rolls

W- Pork? Waiting for the sales flier for this evening…hubby requested pork chops

T- Easy Vegetable Bake with diced leftover chicken added and spinach salad

F- Grilled, marinated chicken breasts, golden diced potatoes and veggie

S- Venison Stew with biscuits

Served smothered steak strips on Monday for dinner. We had forgotten how much we loved this recipe and I had forgotten how super easy it is to prepare. (This is a great way to use up a venison roast or steaks that you are unsure how to prepare!) Give it a whirl…bet you love it!

Smothered Steak Strips

1 ½ lb. Round steak, cut into strips (Or venison steaks or roast, stripped)
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 large onion, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
15 oz. Diced tomatoes (or I pint home canned)
1 TBSP molasses (optional)
3 TBSP soy sauce
10 oz frozen green beans or I can

Toss steak strips with flour, salt and pepper. Place in Crockpot. Add onion, tomatoes, cream of mushroom, molasses and soy sauce. Stir and cover. Cook for 8-10 hours on low. Add green beans 30-45 minutes before serving. Great served over rice (brown or white) or egg noodles. Serves 4-6 (really…hubby even had enough left over for lunch! Normally I have to double these recipes to have enough for our family of 5 and lunch for hubby for the next day…)

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Prescription Drug Discount Card

Hello one & all...just a quick thought today. Became aware of a discount prescription card that is free of charge. Seems that it can be used on a wide variety of drugs and can be used in local pharmacies including Walmart. If you and your family lack prescription drug coverage, check it out... http://www.familywize.org/

Blessings, Eve

Momma's Day Out

Hello one & all… had a fun outing today! A friend from church recruited her brother-in-law (a chef from California) to host a cooking class for a small group of ladies. Six women in all. I learned a number of new sauces, techniques and recipes to share with my family. And had a fabulous Beef Wellington to boot!!! My thanks to Lisa for facilitating and organizing such a worthwhile and fun afternoon out with the gals…


We tossed around the idea of rotating a monthly or bi-monthly cooking class. We all have a specialty or a passion that we can share with those around us…I suggested I lead a venison class and received positive responses. My mind is whirling with all the possibilities. What a great, productive way to share time with friends.

You need not be an expert to share what you love…what is YOUR passion? Do you craft? Crochet? Bake a mean angel food cake? Invite some friends, divvy up the ingredient list and put a pot of coffee or tea on to brew. A wonderful afternoon (or evening!) out with friends and giving that brain a workout too. (They say that learning keeps us young!)

Happy Sunday everyone….Blessings, Eve

Budgeting 101

Hello one & all…have been working on the budget for our household for the New Year. Listed ALL expenses and income. Every time I look at the paper I seem to come up with a new, unavoidable, expense to figure in. Chicken feed, dog food, shavings for the coop…all are necessary and must be budgeted for. School lunches, gas for the vehicles, homeowners insurance…the list goes on and on. Strangely enough, the income column stays the same…hmmm.

First list all fixed expenses. Those are the totals that are non-negotiable; mortgage, electric, insurance, etc. When all of your fixed expenses have been accounted for, subtract that total from your income. This leaves you with your “disposable income.” This total represents all the money that you have available for groceries, gas, habits, and spending sprees. Whatever!

When working your numbers jot down EVERY little thing that you regularly need money for. Stop for coffee every morning at the AMPM? Write it in. Have a newspaper subscription? Write it in. Have habits…i.e.; alcohol and/or smokes? Put it in the budget. Put Christmas in there and be prepared come next December! And be HONEST about your totals.

I work my numbers based on 48 weeks pay. This is easier for me as I simply take the hubby’s pay and multiply by 4 to represent the month’s cash. Those extra 4 weeks pay become savings (if all goes well!), unexpected expenses (our chicken waterer needs replacing this week…$30!!) or for a fun treat (dinner out, a movie, etc.) Any overtime, bonuses or money I earn (egg sales, babysitting, cleaning, EBay sales, etc.) gets treated the same way. We have a running, written list of needed items that get listed by priority. When there is money, we buy. If there is no money, we do not buy. (We do carry a credit card or two for times when spending and money available do not equal out…$800 car repairs for instance.) We try very hard to curb our spending impulses. Are we always on budget? No. But more often than not, we are. If I am going to continue to stay at home, we need to be.

When you first work the numbers, it is a little scary. Told my husband last night that we seem financially fine…as long as we never need new underwear or eat more than one meal a day! But it always works out in the end. Keep crunching. Can you cut your cable or satellite expense? Can you decrease your cell phone expense? Call your carrier and have them review your account. You may be able to use a smaller minutes, less expensive plan. Turn off lights, unplug remote controlled devices when not in use, make coffee at home instead of stopping. It all adds up…or subtracts down!

Have a great day…supposed to be a little warmer today! Blessings, Eve

Banana Cake

Hello one & all...spending my day today with Lysol in one hand and bleach in the other. The stomach bug has officially made it through all but 1 member of this household. And I am determined that the Daddy is NOT going to get it! Crazy, awful weekend...around 15 loads of laundry and one cancelled birthday party. My only consolation is that it was for the now 2 year old and she is up for a party ANYTIME, so there was not too much disappointment on her part. Mine and the bigger kids...that's another story. The children are recovering nicely (the two big ones are off to school this morning!) and I am well enough to share a recipe...Banana cake. This cake was a big hit on Thursday for the little one's official birthday. Changed the frosting for you as the peanut butter blend that was recommended did not go over quite as well as the cake...

Banana Cake

2/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used 1 1/4)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup very ripe, mashed bananas
1 cup buttermilk (or sour milk...1 TBSP vinegar, fill to 1 cup with milk)
2 1/4 cups flour (wheat/white blend OK)
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Ina small bowl combine bananas and buttermilk; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with banana mixture to creamed mixture. Begin and end with flour mixture. Beat until well combined.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tests done with a tester or toothpick. Cool cake completely on a cooling rack. Frost when fully cool.

Buttercream Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter or margerine. softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 TBSP milk

Mix powdered sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and 1 TBSP milk. Beat until smooth. If frosting is too stiff, add 1 tsp more milk at a time till desired consistency. Frosts one 9x13 or two 8" cakes. Frosting can be refrigerated for several weeks.

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Couponing!

Hello one & all...as I stated a few weeks back, I am just starting to fully utilize coupons. I am discovering the power of internet, printable coupons and am having a blast!!! I have found that one of the keys is to only purchase items that you would normally buy (unless of course you get items for free or nearly free!) Went to Tops toady and used a fistful of coupons to come home with a ton of groceries for $31.00 and change. (see picture below!)

 Detail is as follows:

2 pack Lever 2000 soap - $2.19 - doubled $1.00 coupon= $0.19!!!
5 pack Kraft Mac & cheese - sale $2.99...a luxury item around here!
4 cans Libby Green Beans 2/$1.00 - 2 @ 50 cent coupons, doubled = free!
9 cans of Progresso soup- sale priced $1.00 each - $1.10 off 3 coupons = $0.67 each (these make a great lunch for kids and hubby!)
Assorted dry beans- black - $1.79, kidney - $1.55, Pinto $1.09
Brown rice - Sale - $1.99
2 loaves Nature's Pride 100% whole wheat sandwich bread - 2 @ $0.75 off doubled = $0.50 per loaf!
Let it Snow popcorn bowl $0.37
2 rolls spiderman/Dora gift wrap $1.25 per roll
Dannon Lite Yogurt After coupons and sale prices $0.23 each
Bison Cottage Cheese B1G1 - 2 @ $0.50 coupons = $0.99 each
2 Crab Meat $1.00 each - $1.00 off coupon (1 free and 1 $1.00)
croutons/stuffing cubes $0.50 clearance
1 Avocado $1.25
Assorted 1/4# from deli for little for lunch, one box Froot Loops type things...(shhhhhh don't tell the big kids) It was her BIRTHDAY for goodness sake!!

Goes to show how a little research and planning can save you big bucks! Blessings, Eve

Back on Track

Hello one & all...despite two of my children having now been down with the stomach bug,  I somehow managed to make my menus for the next two weeks. I am asked to share my menus quite a bit and hope to be better about not only getting back on track and creating them, but also in posting them. Making your menus in advance does save you money...and a lot of stress. I love looking at my menu after dinner and knowing what I am cooking the next day. I know that I have all of the ingredients and I know what meat needs to be thawed. (No more hurried, defrosted rubber meat for dinner!) I plan my menu while looking at the main calender. Quick clean-up meals for Girl Scout night, easy prep or crockpot meals for days with appointments. No need to order a pizza and no need to stress.  Give it a try.  Even just one planned week and see if it doesn't improve your life...

Week 1-
M- Shredded BBQ chicken (loftover, frozen) on hard polls (leftover from burgers the night before), fried potatoes and onions, carrots (from my fabulous barter talked about here.)
T- Broiled Tilapia (from Walmart trip several days ago), garlic butter fettucine, peas and carrots, acorn aquash
W- Egg & veggie scramble, pancakes, homecanned applesauce
T- Hearty Navy Bean Soup, homemade bread, banana cake with peanut butter frosting
F- Spaghetti & meatballs, homemade bread and banana splits (for my youngests birthday party)
S - Black bean and brown rice wraps with canned diced tomatoes, shredded cheese and taco sauce.
S - Chuckwagon Chili (recipe here.), green beans and apple slices
M - Tator Tot casserole (recipe), mixed vegetables and Hot Fudge Cake (recipe) to honor my oldest's birthday!
T - Chicken Tortilla Bake, corn
W - Chili-mac skillet, carrots
T - Smothered venison steak strips over brown rice, cornbread muffins
F - Venison Mustard Steaks, mashed potatoes, corn

My oldest chose for me to make Baked Oatmeal for her birthday breakfast. It is wonderful to make the night before and simply reheat by the bowlful in the morning. Top with butter, brown sugar and milk....Yum!

Baked Oatmeal

1 cup oil (1/2 and 1/2 applesauce is fine!)
1 1/2 cups sugar (I use about 1 cup)
4 eggs
6 cups oats (I always use old fashioned..I am sure quick oats would work as well)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups milk

Combine all ingredients in order listed. Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Can refrigerate overnight before baking. throw some raisins or diced apples for a nice touch!

Make & Enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Easy Snowman Project

Hello one & all...have had my 7 yo home sick for the last two days. Awful stomach bug...poor little guy. Just starting to eat normal after 36 hours of nothing but sips of water. He is on the road to mending, though, and loves to do art projects. Finding something for different age groups is our biggest "art challenge." Here is one that has different levels of input fom the crafter...the almost 2 yo just glued the puffs on ; while the 7 yo colored, puffed and cut. They turned out very cute!

(This site changes daily so if you would like the templates for another day, print them and set aside!)

http://www.childcareland.com/artproject.html

Make and enjoy! Blessings, Eve

Walmart Trip

Hello one & all...the whole family went on a trip to Walmart yesterday searching for boots for my son. Bought a pair a month or so ago and they got left at a BoyScout event after the first wearing.  Never to be seen again...hmmm...makes one question the Scout code, eh? No boots in his size...beginning of January. Only had snow for 3 weeks or so, but almost no boots in the store. Bet I could find a swimsuit though!

Found some interesting prices with someone to take the toddler in hand. (Cannot look around most times.)

Yogurt in the quart tubs, Walmart brand, vanilla and strawberry - $1.72. AND the kids liked it! hooray!!!
Tilapia Filets - individually wrapped, nice big filets. $6.00 for a 2# bag (An occasional fish is really the only time I break my $2.00 per pound rule! This happens to be my 11 yo's favorite meal and her birthday is coming up...)
Frozen veggies - $0.69 per pound. (Never seen them this low.) 

Next time you're there, take a look around the meat and frozen section.  If you find something great drop a comment here for all to see!

Blessings, Eve