So, last year I started this blog as a means of documenting my new year's resolution to try at least one new recipe every week. When deciding on a name for my blog, I purposely didn't make it something about food because I thought I may want to experiment with something other than food one day. Good thing I'm always one step ahead of myself (insert laughter here, especially if you know me).
This year may not hold experiments in the truest sense of the word, but I plan to do a couple things I've done in the past. Only this time it's gonna be hard-core. Two words: Couponing. Etsy.
COUPONS: I've cut coupons for a long time. I did it pretty hard-core for about a year. And then... there was pregnancy. I felt so sick and tired all day long for about 20 weeks. Then it was just morning sickness. Now I have some energy and I have a pretty big goal in mind: BUY A HOUSE. You see, come April there will be 5 of us in a 2 bedroom condo. Most of you out there are gasping. Those of you who are urbanites or have larger families are saying, "So what?" As with anyone, there are a lot of factors to where you live and why you live there. But here's our bottom line: we can and we want to so we will. How long it takes us to get what we want (in this case) is mostly in our hands.
To me, coupons are free money. If someone handed you a wad of $1 bills, would you take it? I know, I know... you have to buy certain things and whatnot, but I'm ok with that (as long as we will actually use it or can give it away). I just went through some old coupons from months ago and probably saw at least $50 in coupons that had expired that I actually purchased in the last couple of months. Blurg! So frustrating! But we move on and do better.
Along with the clipping of the coupons is the deal hunting. There are many, many, many women out there with blogs posting the coupon match-ups and hot deals for the week. This makes couponing much easier, faster and now totally worth the money saved. I'm not going to be one of those women. I plan to share super awesome shopping trips with you, and maybe a deal or two I know is too good to pass up. I'll share the websites I visit to help me with my deal hunting and match-ups. Maybe it will encourage you to try it out. Maybe you'll just be excited for me. Maybe you'll encourage me to continue in my craziness :). Whatever the case, that's my plan. Hard-core couponing.
ETSY: Did you know I have an Etsy shop? www.beadonastring.etsy.com I've re-opened my shop and every tiny bit of profit from the shop goes toward that down payment for our future home. I've had the shop since 2009. Closed down for a year or so and now it's back up and running. I plan to do a little bit every day or two to make new items, photograph them, get them in the shop and (fingers crossed) send them out to customers. This is really where I need encouragement! Most of my success with my jewelry business has been at home parties and craft shows, but 3 kids and a husband who works midnights and is doing Grad school full time make it difficult to do much of that.
I'll share some of my new creations with you. Provide photos. Maybe even a tutorial or two for the extra crafty. I'll probably even share some non-jewelry related things I make (let's just say Pinterest has taken a hold of me and I've found so many things I'd like to try).
There it is, folks. All the things I'd like to experiment with this year and what I'll be sharing. Of course, I'll still share recipes. Hope you enjoy and are encouraged to experiment with something, too!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Awesome Beef Stew for Beef Stew Haters - Slow Cooker
I will begin with this:
I HATE BEEF STEW
I don't know what it is. I don't really like beef unless it's steak that has been grilled (mouth watering at the thought). So beef in beef broth with potatoes and carrots and onion soup mix doesn't appeal to me. Of course, it's one of my husband's favorite things since it includes beef and potatoes. Anyway, on a Saturday afternoon he has a vision of having our friends over after church for beef stew with tiny potatoes. (BTW - If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, they sell teeny tiny potatoes and it's SO worth the trip to the store to get them... sold in a 1 lb bag and no cutting of potatoes required - leave skins on... awesome!). Of course, I think to myself, gross. Beef stew. Maybe I'll just eat a little of it and eat a lot of salad or something. Then I decide to search for beef stew on the ever-handy allrecipes.com and came across this:
Kyle's Favorite Beef Stew
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kyles-favorite-beef-stew/detail.aspx
The recipe had a lot of reviews with a lot of stars, so I read through the ingredients and saw Worcestershire sauce and wine. I think to myself: Yes. This will make it all better. And the inclusion of mushrooms. Cooked in the wine. Then it goes in the crock pot. Yes. This is the one.
I did a few things differently right off the bat: I used whatever red wine we had in the house and open (it may have actually been a bottle of 2 buck Chuck Merlot :). I used 3 cups of beef broth instead of 2 cups of water and only 1 packet of onion soup mix. I used baby carrots and teeny tiny potatoes with the skins on for ease of preparation. I cooked all the beef, onions, garlic and mushrooms as directed the night before and put them in a container together and refrigerated them overnight. I don't believe this had any adverse affects, but I haven't had it any other way, so I can't comment at this time. The next morning I put all the refrigerated ingredients in the crock pot along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley and pepper and cooked it on high for 4 hours. Then came the cornstarch thickening thing at the end, which I did as directed.
The result: AWESOME
The use of Worcestershire sauce and wine makes all the difference in this recipe. When I was preparing the beef, my house smelled like we had sat down to a steak dinner with red wine flowing. When we got home from church the house smelled awesome again. Everyone seemed to enjoy the stew and the extra punch of flavor. My husband had leftovers the next day and the stew was still awesome. I believe he called it the best thing ever put on a plate. I don't know about that, but I can tell this recipe will be made over and over again.
NEXT TIME: I'll probably cut the onions a little smaller. They're just too big to eat when only quartered. I'd like to try it when I have time to cook it the full 8 hours and not prepare and refrigerate ingredients overnight to see if there is a difference.
I HATE BEEF STEW
I don't know what it is. I don't really like beef unless it's steak that has been grilled (mouth watering at the thought). So beef in beef broth with potatoes and carrots and onion soup mix doesn't appeal to me. Of course, it's one of my husband's favorite things since it includes beef and potatoes. Anyway, on a Saturday afternoon he has a vision of having our friends over after church for beef stew with tiny potatoes. (BTW - If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, they sell teeny tiny potatoes and it's SO worth the trip to the store to get them... sold in a 1 lb bag and no cutting of potatoes required - leave skins on... awesome!). Of course, I think to myself, gross. Beef stew. Maybe I'll just eat a little of it and eat a lot of salad or something. Then I decide to search for beef stew on the ever-handy allrecipes.com and came across this:
Kyle's Favorite Beef Stew
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kyles-favorite-beef-stew/detail.aspx
The recipe had a lot of reviews with a lot of stars, so I read through the ingredients and saw Worcestershire sauce and wine. I think to myself: Yes. This will make it all better. And the inclusion of mushrooms. Cooked in the wine. Then it goes in the crock pot. Yes. This is the one.
I did a few things differently right off the bat: I used whatever red wine we had in the house and open (it may have actually been a bottle of 2 buck Chuck Merlot :). I used 3 cups of beef broth instead of 2 cups of water and only 1 packet of onion soup mix. I used baby carrots and teeny tiny potatoes with the skins on for ease of preparation. I cooked all the beef, onions, garlic and mushrooms as directed the night before and put them in a container together and refrigerated them overnight. I don't believe this had any adverse affects, but I haven't had it any other way, so I can't comment at this time. The next morning I put all the refrigerated ingredients in the crock pot along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley and pepper and cooked it on high for 4 hours. Then came the cornstarch thickening thing at the end, which I did as directed.
The result: AWESOME
The use of Worcestershire sauce and wine makes all the difference in this recipe. When I was preparing the beef, my house smelled like we had sat down to a steak dinner with red wine flowing. When we got home from church the house smelled awesome again. Everyone seemed to enjoy the stew and the extra punch of flavor. My husband had leftovers the next day and the stew was still awesome. I believe he called it the best thing ever put on a plate. I don't know about that, but I can tell this recipe will be made over and over again.
NEXT TIME: I'll probably cut the onions a little smaller. They're just too big to eat when only quartered. I'd like to try it when I have time to cook it the full 8 hours and not prepare and refrigerate ingredients overnight to see if there is a difference.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Hot Chocolate with Splenda
So, gestational diabetes has reared its low-carb head in my life again. Frustrating. Sugar-less. Difficult around the holidays!
I love chocolate and baby, it's cold outside. Naturally, hot chocolate would be on the menu. I decided to try making my own with Splenda, and you'd never know the difference!
This is the recipe on the container of Hershey's Cocoa (you know, the unsweetened powder you know you tried as a kid because you thought it would taste like chocolate) with 2 T Splenda substituted for 2 T sugar. That amount of Splenda is a "free food" so you don't have to count those carbs, but you do have to count the carbs in your milk.
"Perfectly Chocolate" Hot Cocoa with Splenda
2 T Splenda
2T Hershey's Cocoa
Dash salt
1 cup milk
1/4 t vanilla extract
1. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in large mug.
2. Heat milk in microwave at HIGH (100%) 1-1/2 min or until hot.
3. Gradually add milk to cocoa mixture; stir well. Stir in vanilla.
NOTE: You really need to add the milk to the dry ingredients in your large mug. If you don't you'll be eating your cocoa.
I love chocolate and baby, it's cold outside. Naturally, hot chocolate would be on the menu. I decided to try making my own with Splenda, and you'd never know the difference!
This is the recipe on the container of Hershey's Cocoa (you know, the unsweetened powder you know you tried as a kid because you thought it would taste like chocolate) with 2 T Splenda substituted for 2 T sugar. That amount of Splenda is a "free food" so you don't have to count those carbs, but you do have to count the carbs in your milk.
"Perfectly Chocolate" Hot Cocoa with Splenda
2 T Splenda
2T Hershey's Cocoa
Dash salt
1 cup milk
1/4 t vanilla extract
1. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in large mug.
2. Heat milk in microwave at HIGH (100%) 1-1/2 min or until hot.
3. Gradually add milk to cocoa mixture; stir well. Stir in vanilla.
NOTE: You really need to add the milk to the dry ingredients in your large mug. If you don't you'll be eating your cocoa.
Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
Ever go to Red Lobster just for the biscuits? You know you have. You could make them at home if you follow this recipe, but you will have to clean up after yourself.
http://www.saltnturmeric.com/2008/11/cheesy-garlic-biscuits.html
http://www.saltnturmeric.com/2008/11/cheesy-garlic-biscuits.html
Ham and Potato Soup
If you'll be having leftovers from a Christmas ham, this is a great creamy soup to make. I substituted chicken broth for some of the water and didn't use the bullion. It was great, thick and abundant!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/delicious-ham-and-potato-soup/detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/delicious-ham-and-potato-soup/detail.aspx
Peppermint Bark
So easy, so pretty, so yummy. Fast enough for a last minute addition to your holiday party or to give as a gift!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/holiday-peppermint-bark/detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/holiday-peppermint-bark/detail.aspx
Sausage Dip
This is once again a find from allrecipes.com and it's called Kevin's Sausage Dip. I don't know who Kevin is, but the dip is AWESOME. So good that during my test run of it for a Christmas party my husband asked if I was going to make a whole big crock pot full of this goodness. That seemed like a bit much for 6 adults, but it turns out we could have had a whole crock pot full and there would have been no leftovers. WOW. During the party, one of the other husbands said this needs to be at every holiday, Super Bowl and gathering we have... that's gonna be a lot of dip!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kevins-sausage-dip/detail.aspx
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kevins-sausage-dip/detail.aspx
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