Friday, December 31, 2010

New Years

Do you make New Years Resolutions?? Are you making any this year? As the husband and I were talking about this we decided that we NEVER stick to a New Year's resolution anyway so why make one. So this year we decided to make a set of goals that we want to work on through out that year. These goals are a bit more attainable then the resolutions we've set in the past.

I will not share Jeff's because they are personal and maybe he doesn't want the whole world (or the 2 of you who read this) to know his goals for himself. I made 2 sets of goals. Personal and Financial

1. Patience!
2. Eating healthier as a family (as in less eating out more cooking)
3. Cook my way through at least 1 cookbook this year
4. Being more active. (working out at least 3 times per week)
5. Run/walk in the 5k in July.
6. Less Internet/me time, and more family activities
7. Work on my relationship with God/Family/Friends

Financial:
1. No credit card debt.
2. Pay off our vehicles
3. Less "wild hair in my butt" spending sprees

Obviously some of these are more long term, but it gives me something to work towards instead of say this is exactly what I'm doing!

Make sure to comment on what your goals for 2011 are! :)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Master Jeff




I'm so very proud of my amazing husband. He graduated this past weekend with his Masters in Education! He can now be a principle! He is so excited to finally be finished and be able to do what he has always dreamed of doing! :)


Dogs and Best Friends



It's been a while since I posted. I did find a picture I wanted to show off though! Madisyn is SCARED of any type of animal. We decided it was time to get a dog so she could get used to it! Here she is 6 months later (and many tears later) with her new best friend!

Monday, December 13, 2010

Menu


My menu this week was even easier then last week if you can believe it! My amazing husband graduates on Friday with his Master's in Administration!!! We are SOOO proud of him, but that also means a little more eating out too!

Monday: Nachos I found in a biggest loser cookbook (recipe to come)

Tuesday: Shepard's Pie (freezer)

Wednesday: WW Chicken burrito soup

Thursday: Left Overs

Friday: Eat out (GRADUATION DAY)

Saturday and Sunday: Jeff and I are going on a little vacation for his present, so we are off to the casino's and will be eating prime rib and crab! :)

Monday, December 6, 2010

Menu Planning

This week was very easy to menu plan. We have a lot of different activities going on, so it was easy to fill in the blanks!

Monday: Pizza night on homemade wheat dough

Tuesday: We are going to a concert so we are eating at Chili's

Wednesday: Chicken

Thursday: Chili Feed (fundraiser for school)

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Meatballs

Sunday: Christmas party for work

There ya have it. Pretty simple. Lunches will be leftovers and other hodge podge stuff we have around :)

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

KIKU

As promised more on our trip to Illinois. Now, being from a small, okay tiny, town we have yet to experience a Japanese restaurant. We had the pleasure of going to Kiku's in Naperville, Ill. This was quite the experience to say the least. The big fire at the beginning scared the crap out of my 2 year old, but she was also freakishly good at using chopsticks.

We all ordered basically the same thing we had chicken/salmon and our friends had chicken/steak. The kiddo's all had Pirates chicken. They all loved it. They soaked in every minute! They watched very intently and I have to admit that it was the best my kids had eaten for a LONG time. We decided whenever we wanted them to eat, we would start letting them help us cook. Which I realize we should usually let them help in someway, but I do NOT like messes so it had always been hard for me to let them help. I am getting better though!

All in all it was a fantastic experience and I will definitely be trying that again! :)
M was seriously amazing at using her chopsticks!

J had a hard time at first, but once he got the kid ones he rocked them! :)

Monday, November 29, 2010

Recipe of the Week

Healthy Chicken PotPie
This is a recipe I found a few years ago when I was doing weight watchers. It is an awesome alternative to the normal fat packed food. This is a perfect comfort food! I had actually forgotten about how delicious this was until yesterday. I cooked this for lunch and new right away that this would be my recipe of the week!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup reduced fat Bisquick ( I use the one in the white box the Heart smart one)
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1/4 cup egg substitute
  • 2 cups frozen mixed veggies, thawed (any style)
  • 2 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped
  • 2 cans Campbell's fat- free cream of mushroom ( I used 1 can of the mushroom and 1 can of the chicken)
  • Cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  • Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with Pam
  • Mix together vegetables, chicken and soup
  • Pour into prepared pan
  • In another bowl, mix Bisquick, milk and egg
  • Pour dough mix over the top of chicken mixture
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden


Sunday, November 28, 2010

Shopping at Safeway


So in the spirit of only spending $25 a week this month on groceries, I thought I would post my trips. Here is my first one from Safeway. Hopefully this will be my only trip this week!

Total BEFORE coupons and discounts: 26.05
Total AFTER coupons and discount : 11.43

Total Saved: 14.62

I had a coupon for the toothpaste and it was marked down to 99 cents, therefore it was FREE

The cereal was on sale for 1.49, plus I had coupons for $1 off.
Plus, not pictured is the milk! :) I forgot it. Oops.

If anything, I will be going back for more cereal because it's on sale for between .50-1.00 a box and my stock pile is pretty much out!

What's cookin' this week?


Hey all! We are finally back from Chicago, but spend some MUCH needed time with some awesome friends. I have some really exciting posts (well, for me anyway) coming up soon! We ate at an awesome restaurant called KiKu's so I have so awesome things to show you from that!

Now this menu plan is a little different. We have our final weigh in on Wednesday for biggest loser and Jeff is determined so the meals until the will be ridiculously healthy then we are going to just be using up what we have. I'm going to spend then next 20-30 days eating the rest of our frozen meals, pantry stuff, and our quarter cow we recently got.

Monday: Steak, mixed veggies, and scallop potatoes

Tuesday: Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Wednesday: Italian Tortellini soup (freezer)

Thursday: Lasagna (freezer)

Friday: Pork Chops (not sure how yet though b/c I have a few new recipes to try)

Saturday: Left Overs

Sunday: Chimichanga's (freezer)

So all in all my grocery bill this week should be $20 or less. I do need milk, zucchini, tortellini, bread, cereal, eggs, and some fruit! We are pretty bare since we have been gone for a week.
My goal is to spend no more then $25 a week this month! Lets see how we do! :)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

ALDI'S

As many of you know I spend the last week with some good friends down in Illinois. I have been a huge blog follower and coupon-er lately. I realize how lame this is about to sound, but when we got their my friend asked which grocery store I wanted to go to. I of course did not bring coupons so just said "whatever is cheapest."

Now, don't get me wrong I have heard of Aldi's thank to lifeasmom, but had never been or see one. It was definitely an experience. First you have to "pay" a quarter for your cart. You get it back, BUT only if you put it back. I agree that every store should have these, because who really wants to be out that quarter. It adds up right?

Then, once we got in it seemed like a normal grocery store. No. The brands were all brands I had never heard of so of course I thought does it taste the same? I was assured most did and Jen pointed me in the directions of things she said tasted the same. Much cheaper though even without coupons.

Once we got to the checkout stand I got the whole grab any empty boxes! Our cashier checked us out and just put all our groceries in a cart. What?! Yep you guessed it, no bags! So we scooted over and put all our groceries into boxes. My friend said "this is why the groceries are so cheap though." Gotcha!

All in all it was a good experience, I do wish we had an Aldi's around Chadron for the simple fact that it is different and much cheaper with most things.

Update:


A little Biggest Loser RBC style update! Everyone is doing fabulous! December 1 is our last weigh in. I can definitely say that I did not win however, I can also say that I have lost almost 15 pounds! My amazing hubby has lost 20!

This was definitely a good experience for both of us. I really feel like we didn't just change our eating habits but our lifestyle! We make healthier and SMALLER choices when deciding what we put in our mouths. My example is the for the last 2 1/2 weeks I have not had a pop! I did break down and had one yesterday and a half of one today. Not completely happy that I did choose to have one, but now I know that getting back on track won't be that hard. I have always called myself a popaholic and was afraid I wouldn't be able to quit again! Not so hard, at least it doesn't feel like it will be!

So all in all Biggest Loser definitely a success. Whats next?? I'm planning another team Biggest Loser with all kinds of challenges and workouts as a team. Stay Tuned! :)

Recipe of the Week

Okay so first, a little apology! I have been the worst blogger lately. I have been extremely busy getting ready for the holidays and our fun family trip! :) Tonight, I ate Culver's for the first time (yes, I live a sheltered life) and it was amazing! BBQ Pork sandwich. I have a feeling that I will trying a few new places in the next week and am so exited. Usually when I pick places or new foods they suck. However, I have had a pretty good run lately! More on that later. I promise to be a better blogger from now on! :)

On to the recipe... This my friends is a go to recipe and one that I get to cook for some close friends this week. I'm actually hungry thinking about it.
CHICKEN PARMESAN

chicken breasts
bread crumbs
parmesan
salt and pepper
mozz cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce
spaghetti
noodles

Mix bread crumbs with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Roll chicken breast in mixture and bake in oven at 350 degrees until
fully cooked (20-30 minutes). (Optional: Once chicken is cooked,
sprinkle cheese on top of chicken and put back in oven until melted) I did do this and it was good!

While chicken is baking, boil spaghetti, drain. Add sauce (and any other
spices or vegetable additions you might want).

Serve chicken breast on top of spaghetti.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Love is kind...

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgive you. -Ephesians 4:32Last week we talked about being patient, this week we talk about kindness. One way to describe kindness comes from the Love Dare " If patience is how love reacts in order to minimize a negative circumstance, kindness is how love acts to maximize a positive circumstance."

Willingness, helpfulness, initiative, and gentleness are four main ingredients to kindness. Trying to be cautious of how you treat your spouse, being helpful in ways such as doing housework, being willing to do that housework, and taking the first step instead of waiting to be prompted are a few examples of these ingredients.

Whether you have been married 1 month or 50 years, you did not marry your spouse with the intent to become harsh and lose that motivation to demonstrate the love you feel. Right? I have said before that love is a choice. Love is not necessarily based on how you feel. Love is showing kindness even when your spouse may not be. Love IS kindness.



Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Recipe of the Week


DEEP DISH PIZZA CASSEROLE

1 pound ground round
1 15oz. can chunky Italian-style tomato sauce
cooking spray
1 10 oz. can refrigerated pizza crust dough
6 1oz. slices part-skim mozzarella cheese --divided

Cook meat in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until brown. Add tomato sauce, and cook until heated. While meat cooks, oat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Unroll pizza crust dough, and press into bottom and halfway up sides of dish. Line bottom of pizza crust with 3 slices of cheese. Top with meat mixture. Bake, uncovered at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Top with remaining 3 slices of cheese and bake 5 additional minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melts. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTES: You can add spinach, red peppers, and/or mushrooms to this recipe as well.

Meal Swap Guide



Many of you know that I have put together a meal swap. This is an awesome way to try new recipes and enjoy some friend time. We have been doing this for about 6 months now. There are some months that we love every thing and there are some food that we aren't so fond of. You just have to be open to new ideas!

If any of you freezer cook you may want to try this. I personally found that taking an entire day to cook and have meals froze for the month was to much. This way I cook the SAME meal only time 6. The longest I have had to work on a meal swap was about 2 hours. It is not difficult at all!


Tips & Warnings

*Six members is a good number for the first round that you try this. Remember,each member needs to cook enough full meals for every other member.

*Choose a date for the actual meal exchange that is at least 4 weeks out to allow members to wait for the best price on their ingredients.

*Disposable trays are the best way to package your meal. Otherwise you may never get your casserole dish back. (Who has 6 casserole dishes, anyway?)

*On the day of the swap, it is helpful to bring a cooler to store your meals for the ride home.

*Consider hosting a recipe "preview": ask everyone to bring a snack-sized, ready to eat sample of their meal for a luncheon get together with the participants the day you exchange meals. (Our group has each member choose 3 recipes, then we all vote on what one we would like to try and that's the one they cook)

*People who have unique tastes or are "picky" may not be the best candidates for this idea. People who are open to trying new things will be more satisfied with a meal exchange.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Recipe Of The Week



This week's recipe is Banana Split Pie. This is a very simple recipe and dessert! It is low in fat/calories and no one will ever know that you are indulging on something that is actually good for you. I do not have a picture this week, because we gobbled every last bit of this up for dessert!

Banana Split Pie
A classic favorite that's completely guilt-free.

Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients

* 12 graham cracker squares
* 1 medium banana
* 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
* 1 small box low-calorie vanilla pudding (prepared per package instructions)
* 1 cup fat-free whipped cream

Instructions

1. Place crackers in bottom of pie plate
2. Layer remaining ingredients in order listed
3. Place in refrigerator until pudding sets

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Love is Patient


I am sure many of you have heard of the Love Dare. What is it and how can it really help me? Well, I'm going to be posting at least once a week on what I have learned. I am going to put these dares in to practice in my own life.

Most of you know I have a hard time letting go. I am a guarded person and don't let many people in. I tend to not love or let myself be loved by many people. Instead I turn to anger or judgment. I pick at relationships until they fall apart.

I have been trying to lead more with my heart and choose to love rather then letting anger lead me. I have a responsibility to protect and guide my heart, not just protect it.

This week I'm working on Patience. This is something that I have very little of. I tend, to jump to conclusions and not think things through. The verse that I have been coming back to over the last few days has really spoke to me. It is short and to the point. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. " (Ephesians 4:2)

In the book I've been reading it says "Love will inspire you to become a patient person. When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation. You are slow to anger. You choose to have a long fuse instead of a quick temper. Rather then being restless and demanding, love helps you settle down and begin extending mercy to those around you." *Love Dare*

I know that nobody likes to be around an impatient person, you feel like you are always walking on pins and needles waiting to be judged. Being impatient is something that not only annoys others, but let me know you, it bothers that person too. I don't like to be impatient. Sometimes it blows up from out of nowhere. The majority of the time, I do blow up in anger mostly. I can tell you it is almost always regrettable.

Proverbs 14:29 "He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly"

Thessalonians 5:15 "See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another"

The last thing that really has been poking at me in this first chapter was when it talked about can your husband know that cheering for the last of a sports game won't invite a loud-mouthed laundry list of ways he could be better spending his time! This was a HUGE stab at me! I am always telling Jeff, you could be doing this or that instead of wasting your time watching that stupid game. Then I turn and look at myself, would I rather be doing those things then shopping, or blogging??? I should not judge him for something when I do the exact same thing on a Tuesday night watching one of my shows.

Some of you may be wondering, why are you putting this out there? I'm telling everyone how impatient and angry I am, so I have others to hold me accountable. I am trying to be more patient, but I am human. I have faults I am not perfect by any means. I am however, not afraid to admit that either.

Now, I do have to tell you since my husband NEVER reads my blog, I think it is good for me to use this to get my progress out there. It's like I have a million (okay maybe 1 or 2) people out there that I am confiding in.

I want to leave you with one last verse:
James 1:19 - "Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger."

A HUGE thank you to my sources for this post. The Bible, The Love Dare

Holiday Challenge #1


I am participating in Hip2Save's holiday challenges. This week’s challenge focuses on preparing breakfast foods (i.e. breads, muffins, and pancakes) that can be placed in your freezer and used at a later time. I'm love to cook, but am not much of a baker, so this one was interested for me. I still was not 100% satisfied with how it turned out, but this kids LOVED it! :)

Collin did 3 different recipes. Now, we did not have to use her recipes however I did use the ones she found for the blueberry muffins and zucchini pumpkin bread. I will post all the recipes I used.

I made a mixture of blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes, apple and blueberry muffins, 3 mini-loaves of pumpkin zucchini bread, and I also made 12 mini pizza kits to freeze for later. I made 6 whole wheat and 6 white.

I also had an adorable helper! She LOVED cooking!



The recipes are:

1. Zucchini Pumpkin Bread

2. Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

3. Apple Cinnamon Muffins


The next portion is some freezer cooking tips. I did get these all from Collin over at Hip2Save!

Need some tips on freezing bread, muffins and pancakes? Check out these tips and tricks below…

* Allow breads to cool completely before placing them in the freezer.

* Be sure to press out as much excess air from the bag.

* If you are planning to leave your bread in the freezer longer than a month or two, wrap the bread in heavy duty aluminum and then place it in a plastic bag (you can then leave the bread in the freezer for up to 4 months).

* When you are ready to use the bread, take it out of the freezer and allow it to thaw on the counter at room temperature (this usually takes about 3 hours).

* Stack pancakes between sheets of wax paper and slide them all into a plastic bag for freezing (consider using an old bread/bagel bag versus a new Ziploc bag). Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use them, take them directly from the freezer to a preheated oven and bake 2-3 minutes.

* Place trays of muffins in the freezer until firm and then transfer them to a Ziploc bag for freezing. Muffins can be stored in the freezer from 6 to 12 months. Muffin batter can be frozen right in the tins for up to 3 weeks for later baking.

* Consider flash freezing muffins (i.e. place individual muffins on a tray in the freezer, freeze them until they are firm and then store them in more space-efficient freezer bag).

* Always label bags with the date.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Walmart Trip

I still have to admit, I am NOT a fan of using coupons at Walmart. They are NOT very friendly about you using them, and they try to make up excuses why you can't! My total today should have been 53.00 I watched as the guy "scanned" all of the coupons then told me my total 51.00. HE only scanned 2 coupons!!!!!! So I politely pointed this out, and he called over the up front manager, and then 1/2 hour later they figured out and scanned all the coupons! My total was $33 and some cents!

Again, for those just learning to coupon make sure you are watching when the cashier "scans" them to make sure they are being scanned! Secondly, do not be afraid to speak up and let them know they are not scanning! I had over 17.00 in coupons and was not going to pay for that 17.00! Mostly because 3 of the items were things I wouldn't normally buy however I had a coupon for a FREE one! (I'm a brand snob) Anyway, my trip ended up being a success!

ALSO, if you want a free movie rental from redbox tonight text TREAT to 727272. TODAY ONLY!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

RECIPE OF THE WEEK


GARDEN QUICHE

1 chopped zucchini
1c. diced tomatoes
1/2c. diced onions
1/3c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1c. Heart Smart Bisquick
3. large eggs
1 1/2c. FF milk (fat free)
1/2t. salt
1/2t. pepper

Spray a 9 inch pie dish and sprinkle chopped veggies into bottom to form 1st layer. Combine cheese, Bisquick, eggs, milk, and salt and pepper. Slowly pour over veggies. Bake 30 minutes at 400. Divide into 6 servings. 3Pt's each!




A few notes: There are only tomatoes on half, Jeff and I are not fans, but the kids LOVE them! :) I have onions on my side but not the kids'! :) We are a difficult family! :) This recipe actually said to serve with a spinach salad on the side. I am NOT a fan of spinach, so we did Canadian Bacon. We each had 2 slices for 1 points. You have to buy the kind that is already cooked you just heat up! Otherwise you may want to check the points value!

Weight Loss update!



As I promised NO pictures, but little updates! Doing well, in the eating healthy department, just need to stay on track with the workouts! :) I am in week 3 of the c25k program, and it's not bad. Today will be day #1! Yes, I still have to go do it! I had a bunch of errands to run this morning and now can go workout before cooking lunch for the husband and going to get my kiddo's from preschool!

I have lost a total of 7.6 pounds so far, and am pretty impressed with that! It is not exactly where I want it, but it's a work in progress!

Eating is going good, Jeff and I have a new goal of eating out only once per MONTH until we go visit some good friends in Illinois. We are going to save all that money to use there, which should end up being a lot (you all know how much we eat out!) so that should help in the eating healthier end of it! :)

It's still a work in progress, but we are getting there! :)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

What are you going to do with all that ground turkey?

From my purchase below you can see that I am now stocked up on ground turkey! What are you going to do with all that you might ask. Well, I am going to use 3 pounds to make turkey burgers for the freezer. Then I researched online and found 2 recipes that look fabulous. The first being Turkey Tacos, these are low in fast and BIG in taste, so I'm really excited to try them! The second is Turkey Chili Pie. THis one is a combination of a soup/casserole idea. It will have the same ingredients as chili, however, it will be made in a casserole dish!

I am excited to try these out this week, and hope one of them become my new recipe of the week! :) Will report back later!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Safeway trip!

It has been far to long since I posted a see me shop! :)I decided to go today to see what deals they had and this is what I came away with.



4 cans of progresso soup
3 boxes of Hamburger Helper (usually not a fan, but they were 20 cents each and they had some yummy chicken ones I wanted to try)
1 loaf of bread
2 boxes of Scalloped Potatoes
4 1.25pound packages of ground turkey
1 box of granola bars

Now, I left my purse with the receipt in it at my husbands school, however I spent roughly 11.00 on all this, PLUS I received a Catalina for $1.50 off my next chicken or hamburger purchase!!! Making the total after Catalina's just over $9.00~

To some of you that may seem like a lot however, the ground Turkey alone was originally 4.99 and I got them for 1.99! Not bad!!!! Some have coupons on them as well, making them only .99 cents! I only got 1 peelie, but was still happy to be saving an extra dollar! :)

Plus for those of you who are locals, I had been noticing in some bigger blogs that Safeway had coupon books around the store and that I should be watching for them. I spent about 20 minutes wondering the store looking for them, and finally I asked the cashier. He said you have to ask for them!!!! So, I also received a coupon booklet with over $70 worth of savings!!!! I was pretty pumped!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Emergency Phone Numbers

Sometimes we forget who we can call when we need help! NO I'm not talking about ghost-busters either! :)This was an e-mail forwarded to me from a very good friend. It was to good not to post as a story!

Emergency Phone Numbers:

When in sorrow................................................call John 14
When men fail you.............................................call Psalm 27
If you want to be fruitful....................................call John 15
When you have sinned..........................................call Psalm 51
When you worry................................................call Matthew 6:19-34
When you are in danger........................................call Psalm 91
When God seems far away.......................................call Psalm139
When your faith needs stirring................................call Hebrews 11
When you are lonely and fearful...............................call Psalm 23
When you grow bitter and critical.............................call I Corinthians 13
For Paul's secret to happiness................................call Colossians 3: 12-17
For understanding of Christianity.............................call II Corinthians 5:15-19
When you feel down and out....................................call Romans 8:31
When you want peace and rest..................................call Matthew 11:25-30
When the world seems bigger than God..........................call Psalm 90
When you want Christian assurance.............................call Romans 8:1-30
When you leave home for labor or travel.......................call Psalm 121
When your prayers grow narrow or selfish......................call Psalm 67
For a great invention/opportunity.............................call Isaiah 55
When you want courage for a task..............................call Joshua 1
For how to get along with fellow men..........................call Romans 12
When you think of investments and returns.....................call Mark 10
If you are depressed..........................................call Psalms 27
If your pocketbook is empty...................................call Psalm 37
If you are losing confidence in people........................call I Corinthians 13
If people seem unkind.........................................call John 15
If discouraged about your work................................call Psalm 126
If you find the world growing small and yourself great........call Psalm 19

Alternate Numbers:
For dealing with fear....................................call Psalm 34:7
For Security.............................................call Psalm 121:3
For Assurance............................................call Mark 8:35
For Reassurance..........................................call Psalm 145:18

Emergency Numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is necessary. All lines to Heaven are open 24 hours a day! Feed your faith, and doubt will starve to death!

Recipe of the Week!


CHICKEN TERIYAKI WITH MIXED VEGGIES (6 servings at 5 points each)
Ingredients:
1 1/2lbs. boneless/skinless Chicken Breasts(cubed) (I did then whole)
2 tsp. minced garlic (I used 2 fresh cloves)
4 Med green onions chopped
3 T. Teriyaki sauce
3/4c. Fat free Chicken broth
1 package of mixed veggies (caulif, carrots, and broccoli)
3c. cooked brown rice

Heat a large sprayed skillet over med heat; add garlic and brown chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add green onions and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add broth and teriyaki sauce; simmer 5 minutes until chicken is done and sauce is slightly reduced. Divide into 6 servings and serve each over 1/2c. rice and 1 c. mixed veggies.

SIDE DISH:
Apple/Cranberry Salad: (6 servings @ 2pts. each)
4 med. apples chopped or diced
1/2c. dried cranberries
2T. chopped walnuts
6oz fat free vanilla yogurt

Toss all ingredients together and divide into 6 servings!

The kids gobbled up the salad, and even liked the chicken! :) I was incredibly impressed with this recipe and will be adding it into our monthly rotation! :)

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Monday Menu Plan (On Sunday) :)



Monday - Fiesta Chicken Soup with Cheese Ques.

Tuesday - Salsa Pork Chops with Broccoli, Carrots, and Cauliflower

Wednesday - Chicken Pot Pie (Freezer meal)

Thursday - Crock Pot Sloppy Joe's

Friday - Dorito Casserole (Freezer Meal)

Saturday - Left Overs

Sunday - Its Mexican meal I cannot pronounce let alone spell!! (freezer meal)

This week, I decided to incorporate the few meals we did not use last week from E-mealz, then add in some from the freezer swap! :) I decided I did not want to have to grocery shop at all this week!!! :) We will see how that works out. I did print off this weeks menu from e-mealz that way I would have something to go off of next week! :)

The Biggest Loser!

Hello all!! Sorry I have been so MIA the last week or so. I have been extremely busy getting things ready for the new year of MOPS and various other around the house things!

I have recently started a Biggest Loser Competition at our church! We are in week 4 and everyone is doing fabulous!!! Together we have lost a total of about 32% of our weight!

Now as most of you know I like to win at things. I was second place the first 2 weeks (my husband was in first) so you can imagine I tried that much harder to beat him!:) Now, this week I can tell you I'm down to 4th place! That in itself it a huge slap in the face! :) I like to win, however, I'm mostly doing this for the fun aspect. Seriously though who wouldn't want to win $150 for losing weight????

Anyway, I have been doing various workouts such as the Couch to 5K, and Jillian Michael's 30 day shred! They are both great workouts and I love them! However, I am not following them how you are suppose to! So, I am going to publicly go through the 30 shred! Now, I know everyone does weigh loss blogs, and talks about losing weight! I'm not going to write everyday how my work out was because lets face it that is boring! BUT, I am going to keep you updated weekly with how things are going and where I am at! :)

I can tell you I have done level 2 twice and there may or may not have been some cursing at the tv, but I'm going to start over at level 1 tomorrow and do it for 30 full days! :)

For those of you who are looking for a workout I do highly recommend this 30 day shred. My biggest thing was only wanted to workout for about 30 minutes! These workouts are only 20 minutes! Yes, it's hard, but ONLY 20 minutes! That is alot easier to get motivated for then 40-60 minutes! :)

Enough talk! I will sign off with this! I am not going to be posting pictures and measurements because really who wants to see that?? (NOT ME!) I will keep you updated on the progress though! :) Thanks All!: )

Sunday, September 19, 2010

E-MEALZ



So I had a friend recommend I take a look at this website. I am currently competing in the "biggest loser" and have been following a "point" system. This site allows you to customize your meals. I chose the Points from Walmart. This means that every week I will receive a weeks worth of meals from Walmart with points value's attached! Below I attached a small note from their site!

"e-mealz meal plans...

...are written and created by REAL moms with REAL families
...are balanced and family friendly
...are as easy as possible, but delicious and kid tested!
...consist of favorite recipes collected from hundreds of moms
...come with an organized, aisle by aisle grocery list
...are for 4 to 6 people
...are based on the current week sales at your grocery
...are priced at approximately $75 per week
...Two person plans average $35 total per week"

Now, I printed off last weeks and this weeks menu, to work on for my Monday Menu Plan and There was only 2 meals that I was not really all that interested in trying (1 being fish!!)so I was pleasantly surprise!

I'm so excited to try this, tomorrow is my grocery shopping day for the week, and I am pleased to say it took me all of 15 minutes to get my menu and grocery list made! Normally this would have taken a good hour or two! ALSO, another amazing thing is they go off of the deals/roll backs from Walmart so not only do you have your menu done, you are SAVING money too!! Plus if you have coupons for the items you are saving even more! :)

I will update you more each week, and share 1 amazing recipe a week!! I don't want to give it away as I truly believe EVERYONE should subscribe! It's only $15 every 3 months! That only 1.25 a week to have everything done for you!! A MAJOR bonus in my book and totally worth every cent! :)

To check this out or try it simply go"E-MEALZ EASY AND DELICIOUS DINNER RECIPES">HERE

Sunday, September 12, 2010

This weeks experiment...



I am having an open house later this week, and have been working on finding healthy, but fabulous recipes or things to have for snacks! Here is what I will be trying...

Veggie Pot Stickers

Veggie spinach Dip

Tunisian Spiced Raisin Hummus

Fresh Lime Salsa

Of course there will be veggies and chips to dip! :)

I will be trying each of these out throughout the week to decide if they are good! Has anyone ever tried any of these? If you want to be my guinea pig and try one let me know and I will post the recipe!

Do you have any fun recipes to share?? Be sure to post them in the comments section!

Friday, September 10, 2010

CHICKEN BURRITO SOUP

Weight Watchers Chicken Burrito Soup
A tasty low point way to stay warm and get your veggies in.
Nutrition Facts: 3 WW Points, Calories 262, Fat 2g, Protein 20g, Carbohydrates 41g, Sodium 452mg, Calcium 60mg, Fiber 5g

Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients

* 2 cups fat-free chicken broth
* 1 cup water
* 2 tsp. taco seasoning
* 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
* 1 tsp. parsley flakes
* 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
* 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 5 oz. diced cooked chicken breast
* 1- 8 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 cup stewed tomatoes, coarsely chopped and undrained
* 1 1/2 oz. uncooked noodles

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth, water, taco seasoning, garlic, and parsley flakes
2. Add corn, red and green peppers, onion, chicken, kidney beans, and undrained tomatoes
3. Mix well to combine
4. Bring mixture to a boil
5. Stir in uncooked noodles
6. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until vegetables and noodles are tender, stirring occasionally

I honestly used EVERY ingredient in this!!!! It was Delicious! The kids wanted seconds and even thirds! We ended up eating the whole pan!!! Weight Watcher recipes are actually made so you have no leftovers. I would suggest making a double batch and having left overs! :)

I didn't get a picture before we ate it all, but it was great. Jeff does not like onions and he said he could even taste them!!!!If you want to check out similar recipes like this go HERE!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Helping Mom's cope with loss

I was reading another blog tonight when I came across the title "helping those deal with pregnancy loss."

I constantly wonder why God would put you through these types of things. Why is it, that a child is suppose to be a miracle of God, yet he lets those few slip through the crack?? Now, I am telling you from experience with losing a child that it is NOT easy to go through. It is not easy to lose a child then realize that at this point in your life you have a lot of pregnant people in your life.

I always thought, this would be something you grieve then get over. I can tell you it is not. I had this, to be blunt, crappy experience in January, and thought I was over it. I have had many very close people to me lose babies whether they were just a few weeks or 26 weeks and having a still born.

I think my biggest mistake was holding in how I felt. I had 2 very close friends who were pregnant at the time, and I was scared to tell them I was sad, or upset. I felt like I would be ruining it for them. I never did talk about it with either of them. I guess to this day I don't know if it was out of fear for how they would feel, or how it would make me feel to admit that I was sad that I couldn't be pregnant with them. Almost as though I would eventually get left out because my babies were grown up and I didn't have any their age. I still have feelings of hurt, anger, and resentment for everything I went through then. I can honestly tell you I didn't think it would be that hard.

When my due date came and went and only 1 of my friends called me to see how I was doing I was hurt, to say the least. This particular friend lives far away and we actually hadn't talked for awhile. I think that probably was the worst, that no one remembered.

Another thing that hurts it when people say "so when are you gonna have another one." These people I either don't really know or at the time don't feel like going into it. If God wants me to have another baby it will happen, if he doesn't then I won't. God knows his plans for me, and he knows how many kids I will have. I don't know if I will have another baby, but for now I have 2 amazing children that I am blessed with.

One verse that got me through this was Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I went back and forth with this verse. First I thought yeah right, if you didn't want to harm me then why did you put me through this. The other was well at least I have hope and a future to look forward to.

In this blog she talks about things that you should definitely NOT say! I can tell you I was told at least 2 of these and all I wanted to do was scream at the person saying it! I highly recommend reading it. Just go HERE to see it.

I'm going to end with this. Don’t think there is a “right way” to console a grieving friend. You know your friend and the things that help ease the pain a little bit. I can tell you the one thing I wanted from my friends was, do you want to talk about it?

Saturday, September 4, 2010

ACTUALLY DELICIOUS TURKEY BURGERS

The recipe for this week is Turkey Burgers!! As most of you know, Jeff and I are competing in the biggest loser RBC style. We have been finding some really amazing healthy recipes!!!

This week, I found a recipe on www.dietsinreview.com/recipes and was a little hesitant to make it!!! I finally gave it a try tonight. It tricks you at first, because when making them its very gooey. We cooked it on the grill, but first laid down tin foil. After flipping them once all the good crust came off, so after both sides cooked we put it on the grill to let it crisp up a little. We used 2 pieces of Sara Lee 45 calorie bread, so it was a very "cheap" recipe as far as calories go.

For our side we did spaghetti squash from our garden! FABULOUS! If you have never tried this I highly recommend it! We cut ours length wise and baked them on 375 for about and hour. I seasoned it with garlic and onion powder along with paprika!

We also had a cucumber and tomato salad. Jeff and I are not tomato fans but the kids love them!! So, we made that for the kids and we just ate the cucumber! :)

Okay, on to the recipe!

Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers
Enjoy the grill in a leaner way by cooking with turkey.
Nutrition Facts: 208 Calories, 11g Fat, 84mg Cholesterol, 308mg Sodium, 2g Carbs, .3g Fiber, .3g Sugar, 21g Protein



Yield: 12 burgers
Ingredients

* 3 lbs. ground turkey
* 1/4 C. seasoned bread crumbs
* 1/4 C. finely diced onion
* 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
* 1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
* 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, onion, egg whites, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper
2. Form into 12 patties
3. Cook the patties on the grill, or in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.


* We only used 1 pound of Turkey and cut everything else in half. Next time I will make the full amount and freeze half! :) Also, the kids LOVED this!

Friday, September 3, 2010

31 GIVEAWAY!



NEW THIRTY ONE GIVEAWAY!!! I'M GOING TO BE DOING A GIVEAWAY! A LITTLE EARLY, BUT WANT TO GET YOU ALL AS EXCITED AS I AM ABOUT THE PRODUCT! YOU GET THE PRODUCT OF YOUR CHOICE UP TO $25!!!! BELOW ARE SOME WAYS TO WIN!

How to win:

1. Go to www.mythirtyone.com/32467 and look through the catalog! Leave a comment in the comment section telling me which item is your favorite! (1 entry)

2. Book and have a qualifying party in the next 60 days! (25 entry)

3. Follow my blog! (1 entry)

Other ways to win:

1. Become a consultant through me. (50 entries)

2. Book and have a party of $1,000 or more in the next 90 days. (100 entries)

3. Order $200 worth of product! :) (200 entries)

4. Book and have a qualifying party in the next 30 days!!!! (1 entry per dollar sold.. ie: $232 = 232 entries, $1000.00 = 1,000 entries)

YOU CAN ENTER ONCE A DAY PER OPTION!! THE MORE THINGS YOU DO THE MORE ENTRIES YOU GET! :)













Monday, August 30, 2010

CAKE DECORATING


I like to toy around with making cakes! This is a VERY new and fun hobby of mine. I have been asked a few times to make cakes for friends birthdays, open houses, ect!!! I just thought I'd show a couple of the cakes I've done. I never thought to take pictures of any of my cakes before my kids! :) So here are 2 fun birthday ones!

The first one was a lightning Mcqueen cake! Jared adored this, but I was sad to see it get eaten! The second was a princess cake for my baby girl! Who, of course, is a princess!
Enjoy!