Wrapping Up Christmas

Christmas has come and gone and what do you know?  I don't really have any pictures.  I'm awful with taking photos, but I swear I'm going to try to do better in 2011.


Before 2011, though, I'd like to tell you about my amazing Christmas.  


1st- We had Christmas with my mom's side of the family.  Every year we get together and celebrate and eat and are merry.  It's one of my favorite things.  And while this year I didn't have any gifts there, it was a lot of fun seeing so many of my family members and teaching my cousin to knit (in front of everyone... yikes).  Mom was wearing her new scarf that I had made her, and I got to show off my awesomeness.  I'm thinking about making several items and then starting up an Etsy shop.  We'll see.


2nd- My wonderful friends got together for a Christmas party!  It was wonderful.  I got to see so many friends, some that came all the way from the west coast!  We had a secret santa, and I have to say the gift I made was well loved.  I was given a book (big surprise there.  I love me some books).  We ate.  We drank.  We were most definitely merry.  Mike was given a gift card.  That just makes him happy.  And he played video games and made friends.  By the end of the night, he and his drunken buddies declared that there was exactly 1 black man in the room (there were in fact 2 bi-racial gentlemen including Mike).  It was entertaining.


3rd- I had a FIVE DAY WEEKEND!!!!  That's cinco dias my friend.  That's a lot.  I spent them well.  I helped my buddy prepare for the party, cleaned my house (and I mean super cleaned), enjoyed Christmas (after finishing the decorations and wrapping) and really just relaxed!!!!  It was amazing.


4th- Have I mentioned the cookies yet?  NO???  Ok, so I like to bake.  And I have to admit- I got some skills.  So every Christmas I try to make some sweets for Mike to take to work, and my work, and my brothers, and Mike's parents.  I really wanted to make quite as many as I wanted, but I got to bake the Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodles, Peanut Butter cookies, Sugar cutouts, and Gingerbread Men.  While I didn't quite like all of my recipes, the ones that came out I attached the links for the recipes.  I need to find better ones for the chocolate chip and snickerdoodles.  But the sugar cookies?  The gingerbread men?  A-FREAKIN-MAZING!  LOVED THEM!!!  I froze some of the sugar cookie dough.  Never using another recipe for those.


And while I didn't get to them by Christmas I still plan on baking the pumpkin cookies sometime soon.  WARNING- I haven't tried the recipe yet.


5th- Christmas day was... ok.  Mike worked that morning, so I got up and made him Mike's parents came down for lunch and then we had dinner with the family I babysit for.  They are wonderful, and the father cooked his mother's recipe for pork loin.  The meal was Puerto Rican, and it was delicious!!!!!  And they really are a fun group.  We played games until the kids were falling asleep, and then finally left ourselves.


6th- Dec 26 we had our own Christmas dinner since we had eaten with friends on Christmas day.  I made a delicious glazed ham with mashed potatoes, dumplings, green beans, and rolls.  Someone requested the recipe for the ham. The link can be found here.  I did tweak it to my needs- my ham was only 3 lbs., but I used 10 oz of juice, most of a pineapple, and 3/4 cup of brown sugar.  This way I had more glaze.  :)  It was spectacular.


And then finally on Dec 27 I got to have dinner with my mom and brothers and their respective girlfriends (and my nephew).  We met half way at the Fuji Steakhouse.  It was delicious!  And we got to exchange gifts.  My brother was completely surprised that I could knit.  I was a little peeved, but oh well.  His girlfriend wants the same scarf I made for mom!  :)


So there was the rundown of my Christmas.   It was rather calm this year, but it's mainly because my nephew no longer believes in Santa, and my grandpa wasn't here this year.  Mike worked on Christmas as well.  It was nice, though.  It was our first real Christmas.  We were poor in college, and then last year we bought a house, so we didn't really do gifts.  But this year, we have beautiful decorations and a lovely house to decorate, and thankfully lots of people to celebrate with.


And really, that last part?  Right there?  Yeah, that's really what it's all about.  The family and the friends to share it all with.


Happy Holidays, everyone!

Menu Monday- Crunch week

Can you believe it's already Dec. 13?

I was doing so well this year, and now I feel lik I've fallen behind!  I can't believe it's already Dec. 13!!!!

Shopping- almost done, thankfully.  I still have to buy a few things, but I'm going out tomorrow with a friend to do just that, so hopefully I can check that off my list!

Baking- I have 4 batches of cookies on my table, 3 batches of dough in the fridge, and 3 more batches to make!  Plus the 2 batches of fudge.  I have a lot left!  And then to divide it all up.  I hope I have enough- I had to cut down on the snickerdoodles because I ran out of flour and cinnamon.  Crazy.

Homemade crafts/gifts- I still have 1 to finish and 1 to start AND finish!  This is where it's really getting down to the wire.  I'm a littler worried here.

Christmas cards- I still have TWENTY to finish!  That can probably be finished Wednesday, though, and I'm not mailing most of them, so I should be ok there.

Oh, wait, I'm supposed to have a menu? Yeah... a menu.  It's crunch week.  It's really a good thing I freezer cook!!!!

Lunch- soup and sandwiches all week!!!!  This has become a fave.

Monday- Baked Potato Soup and salad
Tuesday- More baked potato soup and salad
Wednesday- Pineapple pork chops with rice and veggies
Thursday- Taco Melts
Friday- Maple Glazed Chicken with rice and veggies
Breakfast Saturday- Oatmeal
Dinner Saturday- Beef stroganoff with veggies and rolls
Breakfast Sunday- Waffles and smoothies!
Dinner Sunday- Christmas dinner with my family.  I can't believe it's already here.  I'm making Mashed Potatoes and possibly Apple dumplings if they ask for them.  If they don't I'm sure Mike will.  He asked for his own batch for Christmas.  I think he might want some.  LoL.

I love the Christmas season!  Maybe I'll get some Christmas photos taken soon and post them for you to see.  Including pictures of "the white death" (We don't like snow here in Cincy.)

Post edit- I forgot to link up!  Here you go.  I also forgot last week...

Menu Monday- Freezer cooking!

This is the start of a wonderful relationship.  I love freezer cooking.  I went to the grocery on Saturday for a whole month!  I thought the lady at Meijer was going to blow a gasket or something!

It was fun though, and pushing the cart was a workout.  I had all my groceries, plus all the stuff for my Christmas baking, plus supplies to make a Christmas gift.  Which I will begin posting information on great gift ideas here soon.  I promise.  **NOTE** I don't want to post a lot of ideas on here now because I don't want certain people guessing what they will be getting!  That would just be silly.

Some of them I think I can post, though.  A few, at least.

Anyways, where was I?  Oh, Menu Monday.

Monday- Spaghetti with green beans, corn, and rolls
Tuesday- Leftover spaghetti
Wednesday- Dinner out (I'm Christmas shopping)
Thursday- Tuna Noodle Casserole
Friday- More casserole, cuz it's big.
Saturday breakfast- Oatmeal
Saturday dinner- Maple Glazed Chicken with rice and carrots
Sunday breakfast- Waffles and smoothies
Sunday dinner- Chicken Tortellini with broccoli and corn

Brown bag- Chicken Pot Pie
Breakfast all week- Muffins, bacon and egg whites

Enjoy your week, folks!

Oh the Turkey

When I was little and my grandma lived within yelling distance, we would always eat Thanksgiving dinner at her house.  And all day long, while cooking this delicious turkey (it really was amazing), she would call it "turkey lurkey".

I swear, it's been in my head all freakin' week.  "Turkey Lurkey".  I think it has something to do with the chick who claimed the sky was falling.  (I'm not joking, it was this tiny little "I Can Read" book from my childhood about a chick baking bread and the sky falling)

Anyways, there I was about a week ago facing the prospect of cooking a turkey.  A 12 lbs turkey that my husband received from his previous employer for free.  A turkey that would have to travel 1 1/2 hours to it's final destination before being consumed by 4 strapping young men, a growing 9 year old (also boy), and 3 girls who could have starved wilst we were eaten out of the house.

I was nervous.

So I looked online and found an amazing recipe.

And then I prepped.  I bought the turkey (for $0.68).  I bought the supplies.  I figured out a way to get him into the fridge to wait its fate for 6 days.  Saturday rolled around and I even brined the turkey.  I had difficulties finding all the parts that I was supposed to pull out (never did find those giblets.  I don't think I even want to know what "giblets" are!).  I miraculously fit the turkey into a stock pot with the brine.  That never fit in my fridge.  Thankfully it was cold outside, so poor old turkey slept in the garage while drowning in brine.

And then Sunday came along (I ate thanksgiving twice.  Sunday was my day with my brothers and mom).  I got up, I reviewed the recipe.  I pulled the turkey out of the brine and cleaned it up.  I proceeded to force myself NOT to cry when I noticed I had broken the poor thing's wing.  I scratched my head about where those stupid giblets were.  I texted my mom.  I called my mom.  I gave up.  I chopped vegetables and stuffed the turkey in ways that'll give me nightmares.  I again forced myself NOT to cry at the mere thought.  I placed the turkey in the pan and shoved it in the oven.  At this point I have drowned the bird, tortured the bird, attempted to give it hypothermia (hyper?  hypo?), and then shoved it into a burning hell.  I drank a glass of wine.  At 10:30 am.

The veggies inside burned.  I don't know why.  I had to keep shoveling them out because they were black and I didn't want my turkey tasting like burnt.  I'm worried at this point.

At 3/4 the way through cooking I flip it over.  Do you know how to flip a 12 lbs dead bird that's too hot to touch in a PAN that's too hot to touch?  Neither do I.  But I had those turkey turner thingies.  So I did my best and eventually succeeded. 

And then 4 hours into cooking, we should have left 30 minutes ago, and this damn bird is still not done.  I really want to cry.  What the hell, bird?  I'm calling my mom.  I'm stewing and scratching and pacing.  I realize "Oh... I should have put it in a bag.  Maybe the one I bought specifically for this occasion."  Oh well.  I cover it with foil. 

And finally it finishes.  That popper thingy pops out.  I do a happy dance.  I'm still worried, though, because before we wrap it to leave I pull out MORE burnt vegetables.

But no turning back at this point- 1 1/2 hours to drive and we're running very late.  Off we go.

We were starving, and driving for 1 1/2 hours with a cooked turkey is absolute torture.  TORTURE.

Finally we get there, and my brother takes another 30 minutes to arrive, and eventually we can eat.  My brother goes to carve the turkey.  And finds the giblets (in a bag, thankfully).  Good grief.  I looked everywhere in that damn bird, and he finds them in minutes.  Who puts them in the neck????

So we eat.  And it tastes delicious!!!!  I wanted to dance it was so good.  In your face, father! (No, he wasn't there, but he's always said I couldn't cook... I would love to shove my turkey in his face and then rub in some salt with "didn't your wife burn her sweet potatoes this year???")  I'm so mean.

What a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We really had a great time.  We played games and Mike had fun with Dallas, and Romeo was as happy as a clam (my brother snuck him turkey).  It really was something to treasure.

And then we came home to dishes.  A pile so high we didn't even have clean silverware.  It was bad.

But in all the mess, while washing the turkey turner thingies, I noticed... One had lost it's rubber prong cover.  Hmmm.... It was there when I turned the turkey... I sure hope no one ate it!!!!!

And THAT my friends, is how you cook a turkey.  Can't wait to do it again next year.

Menu Monday- Freezer Cooking Round 2

And couponing round 1.

So, in recap, the freezer cooking worked SWELL!  So I thought I'd give it a go again, only this time for 3 weeks (to close out the month).

So, step 1- I decided to try couponing as well.

It was a miserable failure.  For various reasons-
#1- I don't have newspapers.  Only the circulars they deliver every now and then.
#2- I dropped a few of my coupons in store... Oops.
#3- My printer decided to turn satanic and spew out 200 pages of coupons, wasing tons of ink and paper.  Along with time and dignity... How does that look when I tell husband I'm trying to save money?  Oh and the coupons... They were repeats.  A lot of them.
#4- I gotta learn my grocery stores.

Step 2- buy groceries.  MISERABLE FAILURE

I went to 4 stores.  FOUR.  That is like... way too many, people.  I first went to Aldi.  I've heard raves.  I was disappointed.  I think it might just be my aldi, though, so I'll probably research and try again.  They barely had anything.  I spent $14.  I then went to Meijer.  Again, raves on prices.  And cheap chicken.  I was actually able to buy most of the items I needed.  And in truth, I think I saved money merely because of Meijer.  But either I don't know the store well (I don't) or they just suck sometimes because they didn't have some certain items I needed.  Like egg whites.  Or Bob Evans Mac N Cheese.  And Green Peppers (who sells produce without green peppers?  Maybe I missed them somewhere).  So the remaining 2 stores (walmart and kroger) were my solution to the missing items.

It was a frustrating day, but I will improve.  And if I had more than 3 coupons I probably would have saved more.  In the end I was still over budget, but by way less than normal.

So step 3- Prepare.  I passed this with flying colors.

I made a list of all the food that needed to be made.  I marked off items that had to be made fresh the day of.  I then made 4 lists of what needed to be done- prep work, cooking (stove top), baking (oven), and assembly.  In each one I numbered them in a reasonable order.  Then, I took my 4 lists, and combined them into 1 big list in a numbered order.  I tried to guestimate how much time each would take and lay out a plan that wouldn't overwhelm me at some points but leave me waiting on a timer at others.

Step 4- execute.  And execute I did.  It was smooth, easy, and QUICK!  3 hours for 3 weeks (not counting thanksgiving!).

Menu:
Monday- Maple Glazed Chicken with rice, carrots, and green beans
Tuesday- Spaghetti with rolls, corn, and peas
Wednesday- Leftover spaghetti
Thursday- Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, and Green beans with a mushroom gravy
Friday- Leftover pork chops
Saturday breakfast- Cinnamon Rolls, Eggs, Fruit smoothies
Saturday- Leftover pork chops (we love this meal.  It's our fave).
Sunday breakfast- Biscuits, eggs, sausage (or bacon)
Sunday dinner- Pot Roast, Potatoes, Carrots

AND I'm linking up here.  Sorry this post is so long!

Food in a Box becomes a Healthy Meal

So remember my awesome menu a few weeks back?


I said I was making Chicken Alfredo.

Yum yum. 

BUT I slightly didn't tell the truth- it's from a box.

This box, actually.

Yeah.  We eat processed food in our house.  Not often.  But we do.  It's easy.  It's cheap (IT'S CHEAP- THIS IS THE BIG ARGUMENT FOR IT'S CASE).  But you know, it gets kind of bland sometimes.

So I took a few extra ingredients. 

See?  Yes- they are cans, jars, bags, and boxes.  We use jarred mushrooms and canned veggies a lot.  Although, frozen veggies aren't really that bad.  So sometimes we use them too.

Would you believe it?  It was amazing.  A-MAY-ZING!

Don't believe me?  Check it out yourself.

See?  Oh me oh my was it scrumptious!  And balanced.  It had lots of color and all kinds of flavor.

Wanna know what I did?  I sauteed some mushrooms while cooking up my chicken (I use boneless skinless chicken breasts, if you were curious).  I then strained the chicken and combined it with the mushrooms, then the water and milk and packet of spices, and then the noodles.  I then microwaved a bag of steamfresh broccoli.  I took the left over peas from the chicken pot pie, and a can of carrots (I only used about 1/2 the can.  Maybe a little more).  I added the peas and carrots, and then about half of the bag of broccoli to the sauce mix.  Finish out the directions on the box and voile!

Oh how delicious it was, and it has given me an inspiration to repeat with other things as well.  Eventually.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of my all time favorite dishes- it's a great comfort food, it's extremely easy to make, and EVERYONE loves it!

I got the original recipe from Paula Deen (Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie).  But then I made adjustments to it for my own preferences.  Feel free to do the same.

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs (1 regular-sized package) of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
Canned veggies (just drain and rinse off)
-Corn (only use about 1/2 the can)
-Peas (also use only 1/2 the can)
-Carrots
-Potatoes (diced)
-Green beans
Regular sized can of Cream of Chicken
1 cup Chicken broth
1 1/2 cups bisquick (or similar product)
1 cup milk
Large casserole dish

1.  Preheat the oven to 450*
2.  Cook the chicken so that it is mostly cooked through (or more, but it's not necessary).  Drain off the grease and layer in the bottom of the casserole dish
3.  Mix the veggies (after draining and rinsing) together.  Pour evenly over the chicken in the casserole dish.
4.  Mix the chicken broth with the cream of chicken soup.  Pour evenly over the chicken and veggies in the casserole dish.
5.  Mix the milk and bisquick together.  I like to pour this evenly over the casserole dish, but leave room on the edges because it expands.
6.  Place in the oven and bake for 35 - 45 minutes.  Mine is usually done in the 35 minutes, but my oven is amazingly accurate.
7.  Sit back and relax!  Let it cool before eating.  It gets really hot.

This is also one of my favorite meals for lunch ideas because it's nice and big, which is easy to split up for 5 lunches.  I also use it for any sort of "cook for others" events, such as new neighbors or deaths.  It's a great comfort food for just about everyone.