Category Archives: cooking

Spicy Sloppy Joes

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A little of the same old same old is just fine for me. It becomes comforting to go back to childhood favorites and share them with your kids. Sloppy joes are the ultimate in comfort food but I needed a bit more this go around! These were spicy but I went back for seconds because I so enjoyed the flavor. If you don’t like messing with the classics these probably are not for you. But if you like throwing caution to the wind and piling on the chillies …welcome!

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One can Rotel, drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef over medium heat. While browning mix all ingredients in bowl except Rotel.

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Drain ground beef and rinse. Add Rotel and cook 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over you favorite hamburger buns. This was enough to feed myself and my little one with a serving left over but you could always double the recipe.

I loved this recipe and it’s frugal cant beat that!

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This Week’s Menu

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I’m so excited about this week’s menu!

Dinners:

Baked chicken sandwiches
Taco salad
Homemade pizza
Crock pot BBQ wings over biscuits
Salad, cottage cheese and fruit
Fruit pancakes
Tuna casserole

Lunches:

Left over baked chicken in salads and sandwiches
2 x lunches out
Burritos and rice

Breakfasts:

Oatmeal done 7 ways!

Snacks:

Red velvet cake
Homemade granola
Fruit parfaits

Frozen Hot Chocolate

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An inspiring sale lead me to this delicious concoction! A short while ago I found Instant Hot Chocolate Packages on sale for $.25 a box! Granted the store was severely overstocked from the holidays still and looking to purge, that did not stop my elation. I bought 4 boxes for $1.00 and they are set to expire after next season. So…score!

However, today while cleaning the pantry they eyed me temptingly. “I would love one of those frozen right now!” Here is what I came up with:

Frozen Hot Chocolate items

any type of semi sweet chocolate

instant cocoa mix

milk

ice

-Melt chocolate on lower setting until fully melted.

-Stir in instant cocoa and allow to cool.

-Slowly add milk until smooth.

-Place in blender with ice and added milk. Blend until smooth. ( make sure to fully blend ice)

Can be eaten now or for a truly tasty treat poor in mugs and place in freezer for an hour. Enjoy!

 

 

Fourth of July Pretzel Snacks

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Today was a great day of getting out of the house. We had a play date that ended in melt down city so when we came off to bed little one went to bed. I had an unusual amount of energy today though so decided to tackle this simple “recipe”.

Pretzel sticks Ingredients:

- Pretzel Rods

- White chocolate mmmm

- sprinkles

That is it yay.

You will also need wax paper and a baking sheet to set them on to chill.

1. Melt Chocolate in microwave 30 seconds for each square. Stir to smooth consistency.

2. Lick spoon.

3. Dip pretzel sticks in chocolate and let drip excess.

4. Sprinkle with super festive colors.

5. Lay on wax lined baking sheet and let harden in fridge. 30 minutes.

After they are hardened you can decorate. I used saran wrap and ribbon so they were easy to hand out.
Total time spent dipping, sprinkling, chilling and decorating about 2 hours. Total money spent around $9.00.

Potato Crisps

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My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and during the summer we adore grilling out. Here is a simple way to change up your typical potato options. Instead of mashed or baked try crisped!

For two people:

Three medium sized baking potatoes

Oil

Season-I used season salt and black pepper but also love sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder

Slice potatoes thinly. My husband and I differ here. I like mine a little thicker so I use varying cuts.

 

Drop potato slices one at a time, so they do not stick, in batches into preheated oil over medium high heat. Mmm love that sizzle sound…

Cook for 1-2 minutes flip and cook until browned.

Yummy! Remove each from oil and let dry on paper towels. Season and allow some to make it to the table. We had these with  grilled tenderloin and corn on the cob and it was a delicious summer treat.

Present!

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So I know I haven’t made much of an effort to update lately and that is changing, promise. Life has been so full and busy lately that I have set my priorities in line and everything else falls by the way side. As of late I have not made myself a priority. I haven’t had time. There are new baby appointments and older baby appointments and things to cook, people to comfort, sun to soak and laughs to good to miss for me to sit and just be. But I will say now that I have just sat and relaxed…ahhhh. That is better.

Father’s Day passed without a word from One Loved American Girl! I apologize Dads. Happy belated Father’s Day. It takes an amazing person to lead a family!

This past month we have set some pretty life altering goals. God has blessed us greatly and in order to bless others we have to be great stewards of ALL our resources. After all you can not give out what you yourself do not have. To begin we decided to implement greater savings tools to help stretch the dollars further. We pray to make a greater difference in the lives of others by first creating a difference in our home. I have to admit it is not always easy walking the tight road and we sometimes fumble but the end reward will be worth it.

Our little one is growing steady and my heart bounds with all the stories I wait to read. Hopefully they will one day carry these stories around as unrelentingly as I did some years ago.

The list of things I hope to accomplish this week is long so here goes!

1. Perfect a dessert. I have no idea how I have managed to skim through life this far without having a go to up my sleeve. Leaning towards Red Velvet Cake mmmmm…

2. Have a yard sale. This is quite the underground activity I must say. I never knew!

3. Find a used book store. I very much miss such a place.

4. Start up my quilt again. It is nagging me from the hall closet. Time I answered.

5. Make hand print art with the little one for family.

Happy goal achieving this week. I hope to be busy!

Roast Chicken Repurposed Ten Ways

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Mmm…how I craved one tonight! I bought a small five pound bird for a small price and am already considering all the things I can make with the leftovers. As I stated in my guest post on moneysavingmom.com I love cooking chicken. It can be repurposed so many ways. Here are my top ten.
1. Sliced Chicken and gravy. This was one of my Mother’s third day leftover favorites. After serving the Chicken for two days she would often whip up her favorite gravy with flour, chicken stock and butter in a skillet on the stove. She would then simmer the meat for a few minutes to repurpose it into a whole new meal!
2. Chicken salad sandwich. There are a million go to varieties of this meal. My preferred having low fat mayo, diced red grapes and celery on a whole wheat roll.
3. Chicken soup. After picking all meat off the bone you can add noodles, a variety of vegetables and the chicken to stock you easily have a kitchen go to!
4. Chicken tacos. After having made these using a variety of spices I discovered my husbands favorite using McCormick’s spicy taco packets and very small pieces of diced chicken breasts.
5. Chicken fajitas. Again these can be made simply with a pre made spice packet in you grocery aisle and a few other ingredients.
6. Chicken and dumplings. Left over roast chicken is perfect for this recipe!
7. Chicken and enchiladas. Also a great use for leftovers for here.
8. Classic chicken sandwich. I love shaved chicken breast, mayo, tomato and lettuce on wheat bread. The real reason my “eating for two” self roasted a chicken tonight. Amazing!!
9. Chopped chicken salad. Veggies get a protein kick with this addition.
10. A chicken casserole. With the meat already made you can easily whip one up in less than 30 minutes in one pan. An ideal meal.

By buying a whole chicken instead of breasts you can save up to 50% off. With a little creativity and a few on hand ingredients you can serve the cooked meat many different ways before you family tires of frugality. What are your favorite ways to repurpose a chicken?

Things ARE Returning to Normal

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The husband is back from far away ville (for now). My little ones Birthday party went off without a hitch and our family has since left. The home is turned upside down from unending commotion but we enjoyed ourselves. Now back to real life. After the unending family time with my husband I am sad to return to routine. It is always “feast or famine” when it comes to time together, just like the civilian world I am sure, though our “famines” are quite a bit different.

This past bit we were able to hear the new little one’s heartbeat. It sounded strong! The baby also sounded very active. I could hear him or her swishing about as we listened. Such a blessing to have been able to hear the little one growing inside me. I feel renewed even through this worsening morning sickness and what I fear may be strep throat. Eep!

 

But onto the week ahead and my lingering goals!

I have decided after taking stock of my pantry that I could be making so many of the things I normally purchase. My goals this week will reflect a new sense of wanted domestic goodness.

Home Goals:

1. Go through pantry and outline things to make by hand.

2. Spend 2 hours “freezer cooking”.  My new devotion to weekly meal preparation!

3. Menu plan for the weeks ahead.

4. Have a baking session to replace at least 3 pantry staples with from scratch options.

Family Goals:

5. Start on my husband’s requested blanket

6. Mail Grandparents Birthday pictures

Mothering Goals:

7. Attempt to wean, again.

8. Find a Mommy and Me class locally.

Self Goals:

9. Read “Life on Planet Mom”

10. Make an Ultra Sound appointment!

 

Dyed Easter Eggs Sugar Cookies

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I saw an adorable idea in one of my magazines to make these cookies. The recipe called for Betty Crocker instant cookies mix. I didn’t have any so made them using the recipe found in my Better Homes and Garden Anyone Can Cook Cookbook.

Sugar Cookies:

2/3 Cup butter softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

Also require food coloring and extra flour for rolling dough

Mix butter, sugar, baking powder and salt together with blender on medium until combined Beat in egg, milk and vanilla, scraping sides occasionally. Mix in flour slowly. If you have trouble using the blender to mix all the flour finish mixing with a wooden spoon. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

When I took it out of the fridge I formed it into a circle to divide into three parts.I then dyed each part a different color by placing the separate parts in separate bowls and stirring until desired color was reached. Then roll out each color as a rope a distance from each other dough. Use rolling pin to flatten dough together.

Use cookies cutter or plastic cup to make egg shapes. Bake for 7-8 minutes until browned.

I have already received raves about them. Tip: The dough with make thick colors unless you roll it out long ways more. I do not have the counter space for much dough work but could have halfed the dough for each color to give me more even coloring. But alas “cook and learn”.

Happy Easter cooking all!

 

Fun Kid’s Treat

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Jello! Who doesn’t love it? Ok I know there are some out there who do not understand a love affair with a food lacking all nutritional content. Still how can you deny it’s fun?

I saw recently a fun idea in many places, not sure where it originated, of making Jello shots in an orange. Hmmm… I eliminated the alcohol idea and thought that was a really cute and creative way to make it for kids. Here is how I did it…

First gutted two oranges, one box of Jello is enough for three oranges though, by cutting them in half and spooning out the insides:Next I whipped up some of my favorite Jello and filled the oranges and placed in the fridge. Tip: it will spill so maybe better to put in the fridge first and the ladle out Jello:After it hardened I attempted to cut the oranges but did not get great results:So I stuck them in the freezer for a bit and went back to slicing:They came out looking delicious! I hope to find a better way to cut them without the freezer but couldn’t manage to. What a perfect kids treat and don’t worry nothing went to waste mmmm…orange!

Update: I wouldn’t suggest freezing. The Jello does not hold up well when defrosting. So if anyone has suggestions I’m open :)