Going Green Gardening Ideas When it comes to gardening, I consider myself a motivated amateur. Although I grew up in a somewhat rural area and put in a large garden every summer with my dad, I am by no means an expert on the topic. Each year, my husband and I make new mistakes, learn new tricks, and experiment with new plants. It's a fun process, especially when you get to eat the results. I am convinced that there are few things as satisfying as growing and eating your own food. There's just something about tucking a tiny seed or small start into the soil and watching it grow into food you can set on the dinner table. Maybe I have led a sheltered Keep Reading
Rhubarb Cobbler
Rhubarb Cobbler Ingredients 3/4 c. sugar 2 T. cornstarch 4 c. rhubarb, chopped 1 T. water 1 T. butter, diced 1 c. flour 1 T. sugar 1 1/2 t. baking powder 1/4 t. salt 1/4 c. butter 1/4 c. milk 1 egg, beaten 2 T. sugar Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9" square baking dish. In a saucepan, mix 3/4 c. sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the rhubarb and water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Dot with butter. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, 1 T. sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, mix the milk and egg. Add Keep Reading
Frugal Recipes: Gooble-It-Up Granola
If you're looking for ways to use all the super-cheap oatmeal we scored a few weeks ago, try this granola recipe out: Gobble-It-Up Granola Ingredients 8 cups rolled oats (not instant) 1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 ½ cups natural wheat germ ¾ cup roasted/ not salted sunflower nuts ½ cup other chopped nuts (I like to use dry roasted almonds, pecans or walnuts) ½ cup sunflower or canola oil ¾ cup honey 2 cups raisins ½ cup dried fruit chopped (or Craisins, raisins, etc) Pour oats through nuts in a large bowl. Heat oil, honey and vanilla in a small saucepan till bubbly. Pour liquid over dry mixture and mix thoroughly. Divide the Keep Reading
Menu Plan Monday
It's Monday already? How did that happen? Thankfully, my freezer, fridge and pantries are pretty well stocked so I made a list of all the veggies, fruits and meat I have on hand and was able to make a menu plan without the need to run to the store today. Monday: homemade pizza w/ground beef, spinach, mozzarella, olives, etc.Tuesday: Crockpot Egg, Feta, & Mushroom Casserole plus spinach (breakfast for dinner!)Wednesday: Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder, Awesome & Easy Creamy Corn Casserole saladThursday: dinner at friendsFriday: Out of Town at my sister's (hope she feeds us!)Saturday: Beef Stroganoff over brown rice, Keep Reading
Menu Plan Monday
Did the beginning of the week sneak up on you and you haven't menu planned yet? If not, don't despair! Treat this week as your menu planning idea week and start gathering some recipes that sound good, then begin to make a list of ingredients you'll need and you will be ready for next week's Menu Plan Monday. Now that I have been back on the wagon for the last 3 weeks, the chore of menu planning has been cut down to minutes and setting recipes aside for the next week. It makes life so much less stressful when 6pm rolls around.MY PLAN:Monday: Turkey Croquettes (cooked a turkey last week, need to use it up!)Tuesday: Cashew Tuna (didn't make it last Keep Reading
Menu Plan Monday
Yes, twice in a row now I have a menu planned for the week! Last week went so much smoother with my menu planned ahead of time and I loved having my meal prepared by noon and in the crockpot. Now I am going to try to get back to having my grocery shopping done on either Friday or Saturday as well. That's my goal anyway!Monday: Cashew Tuna Skillet (friend's recipe, thanks Sheri!), spinach salad w/feta & applesTuesday: Tortellini Spinach Soup, Homemade Italian breadsticksWednesday: Slow Cooker Orange Chicken, (I didn't need it last week but really want to make it), over rice, with steamed broccoliThursday: Chicken Enchilada's (sister's recipe!), Keep Reading
Menu Plan Monday
I'm BACK!!! Finally, I have a menu planned before the week begins and I also have all my ingredients as well. Boy does it feel great to be prepared:) Now that my husband is home during the week I am needing to menu plan. When it was just the little boys and I, I could get away with serving ground beef with beans and rice every night, but I am thinking that my husband will want something more than that. So it's back to menu planning for me.Sunday: Beef short ribs in the crockpot w/BBQ sauce, crispy potato wedges, fruitMonday: Crockpot Chile Verde, (this is totally different than chili, with an "i")Tuesday: Clean Out the Pantry Crockpot Chili - Keep Reading