Homemade Bagels

A friend of mine has been talking about making homemade bagels. We don't normally eat bagels, but BigM was watching when I was flipping through a magazine and she saw a picture of a bagel smothered in cream cheese and said, "I want to eat that."

So here you go. (And by you, I mean BigM, and you {reading} get to play along.) I used this recipe as a guideline. I recommend you read the reviews, because I learned a lot from them.

you'll need:

1 c water

1 1/2 t salt

2 T honey

1 1/2 c bread flour

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

2 t yeast

(all ingredients need to be room temp except the water)

how you'll make it:

~fill a glass measuring cup with 1 c water and microwave for 45 seconds

~get out your bread machine and plug it in

~put honey in the bread machine

~add the hottish water

~add the yeast

~let it sit for about 10 minutes

~after 10 minutes, add the remaining ingredients

~turn the bread machine on the dough setting

~watch it for a minute and add a smidge of water as needed until the dough forms a solid ball. (I had to do this so I imagine you might too.)

~wait until the dough cycle runs out

~remove the dough from the bread machine, cut into 12 equal pieces

~shape the pieces into something that looks like a bagel

~cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours

~boil some water (3 q if you like to measure things)

~add the bagel dough to the boiling water, boiling for 30 seconds on each side

~transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet

~bake at 375 degrees for about 20 - 25 mins

~let them cool on a baking rack and enjoy

the verdict:

these are so good, not only will I never buy bagels again, but I will most definitely start eating them!

Homemade Crockpot Granola

I'm about to make this.

Alone. Because the kids would rather watch t.v.

you'll need:

5 c oatmeal

3/4 c honey

3/4 c melted butter

1/2 c chopped almonds

1 c dried fruit (I used tropical)

1/2 c wheat germ

1/2 c flax seed

how you'll make it:

~put everything in the crockpot

~stir it up

~turn crockpot on high, cover and vent lid with something small and wooden, like a chopstick or a kebob skewer. A popcicle stick would work well too.

~stir every 20 - 30 minutes or it will burn (it might start to burn even if you don't stir it every 20 - 30 mins, just check on it frequently)

~cook for about 4 hours, or until you are tired of stirring it

~dump it all onto a parchment lined baking sheet (one with a lip of some sort)

~let it cool

~store in an airtight container

the verdict:

this is delicious. I can't wait to make some more yogurt so I can eat them together. When the rest of my family tries it, I'll let you know what they say about it.

Homemade Granola Bars

LM loves granola bars, almost as much as she loves eggs. Last time they were on sale at Publix, I bought 20 boxes. (I'm not kidding.) They were BOGO and I had some $1 off coupons and some $1/2 coupons, so I really didn't pay very much for them. That was sometime last summer.

We just ran out.

So I decided to try and make my own, since some of my friends were raving about how well theirs had turned out.

I basically used this recipe.

you'll need:

2 c oatmeal
1 c flour
2/3 c chocolate chips
1 1/3 c dried cranberries
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c wheat bran
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 whole egg, beaten
1/2 c honey (I only had 1/3 c, so here's hoping)
1/2 c canola oil
2 t vanilla extract*

*I didn't have any, so I just left it out. I hope it doesn't matter

how you'll make it:

~preheat the oven to 350 degrees
~line a 9 x 13 baking dish with foil, then spray with cooking spray (I don't use it, so I smeared butter on the foil)
~mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl
~mix all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl
~pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well (use you hands, come on, it's fun!)
~press the mixture into the baking dish
~bake for 15 - 20 mins for chewy bars and 20 - 25 mins for crunchy bars.
~let them cool for a few minutes, then cut with a pizza cutter
~let them cool completely, or they will crumble

The Verdict:

Oh my goodness, these are delicious. The rest of my family may not get to eat any of them because LM and I will probably eat the entire batch before the others even knew we made them. I am hooked! I will probably be making these at least once a week for the rest of my life.

Next time I will add ground flax seed, leave out the cinnamon and use the right amount of honey. I will also spread them in a bigger pan, because they are kind of thick.

Up next, crock pot granola.

Menu Plan Monday (on Saturday)

Sunday- steak, roasted potatoes Monday- "Mommy has a meeting, Daddy you're on your own" Tuesday- stromboli, salad Wednesday- Church Supper Thursday- Cranberry Chicken Friday- Sassy's Chili Saturday- ???

Weekly Grocery List

Obviously, I have a lot of catching up to do, but here's my list for this week.

Ingles:

(1) pkg pepperoni
(3) mangoes
(2) breakstone sour cream
1 gal organic skim milk
1/2 gal organic whole milk
(1) Pediasure
(1) bag ground flax seed
(1) container OJ
(1) 24 pk toilet paper
(1) bag chopped onions
bunch of bananas
(1) bag organic apples
lettuce
(2) bags dried fruit
(1) organic orange
(1) starburst gummies*

Spent: $55.59
Saved: $20.22

Mail-in Rebate: $-9.98 for the Pediasure

*I had to bribe LM to go to the grocery store with me. Best $0.78 I ever spent.

Chili Macaroni & Cheese

from More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow (http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com/***)

You'll Need:
1 lb lean ground meat (beef, turkey, venison)
1 onion, finely diced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 15 oz can kidney beans* (do not drain)
2 t chili powder*
1 t ground cumin
2 c elbow macaroni
2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese*

How you'll make it:
~brown the meat & the onion in a large skillet on the stove & drain the fat
~put in the slow cooker, add tomatoes & kidney beans
~stir in the chili powder, cumin, uncooked macaroni & cheese
~cover & cook on low for 4 hours, or until the pasta has reached the desired tenderness

*I'm going to use a can of chili beans because I already have them and I don't already have plain kidney beans- so I will omit the chili powder
**Since LM is allergic to yellow cheese, I'll be using mozzarella. No, it won't taste as good, but I won't be changing a nasty diaper the following day. Totally worth it.
***I tried to find this on the website to link the actual recipe, but failed once again. I'm beginning to wonder if some of the recipes in her new cookbook weren't actually created in 2008 for the blog.

The Verdict:

Okay, I'm not trying to hate on crockpot365, because I too have an unnatural obsession with my crockpot, but well, the nice way of saying it is this did not turn out well, at all. It could be because I put it in the fridge for a few hours. The pasta not only disappeared, but it turned into glue. It tasted fine, but DM asked me if he could have a knife to cut it. BigM ate it and LM did not. (But she rarely eats supper so she's not a good judge.)

My advice to you would be to make this recipe in the oven. Go ahead and cook the noodles and mix the meat, tomatoes, beans and spices together. Grease a baking dish and layer noodles, meat mixture and cheese- repeat until you get to the top, but end with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

I hope you have better luck with this than I did.

Honey Garlic Chicken

from More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow (http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com/*)

You'll Need:

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t dried basil
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c ketchup
1/3 c honey

How you'll make it:
~in a slow cooker, line chicken in the bottom
~in a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, pour over chicken
~cover & cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours

*I tried to find the recipe on the blog to link it, but I failed miserably and quite honestly, have more pressing thing to do. I tried, really I did.

The Verdict:

I am the only one who didn't dislike this meal. I ate it, but I am not picky as long as something doesn't taste gross. BigM said it tasted like cat food (then I wondered how she would know that, seeing as no one we know even has a cat.) I thought it was too sweet and the ketchup was very overpowering.

I still ate the leftovers for lunch the following day.

Menu Plan Monday #4 (on Sunday)

Sunday- Cheese Quesadillas, Refried Beans Monday- Honey Garlic Chicken, Asian Vegetables, Rice Tuesday- Chili Macaroni & Cheese Wednesday- church supper Thursday- something fabulous Friday- Lasagna Saturday- ???

Shopping List Week #3

Or maybe it's week #4. I'll figure that out when I catch up my totals.

Ingles:

(1) pkg whole wheat tortillas
(3) ken's salad dressing- 8 oz
(2) pkg dried plums
(2) tubs Land o Lakes spreadable butter
(4) sorrento string cheese- 12 ct
bananas
(1) pkg Pictsweet Steamers Asian Vegetables

Total Spent: $12.76
Total Saved: $18.34

Starstruck

Oh my goodness, I'm famous!

(click here to see why)

End of Week Finals: 1/15/11

I had to send DM to the store for milk (skim), milk (whole) and eggs. We made so much hot chocolate during the snowstorm that we ran out of milk. We almost never run out of anything around here.

He spent: $13.06

None of it was on sale. They even raised the price on the eggs, they are normally $2.98 and he paid $4.02. I should complain.

Year to date Spent: $104.92
Year to date Saved: $91.95

Menu Plan Monday #3 (on Saturday)

Sunday- Dinner at a fancy restuarant with Lolli Monday- Sassy's Chili Tuesday- fish, broccoli, mashed potatoes Wednesday- church supper Thursday- deer tenderloin, field peas, macaroni & cheese Friday- Honey Garlic Chicken, green peas, rice

Homemade Baby Wipes Solution

I found a great website here (and there are lots of them, so google it!) that gives a million different ways to make homemade baby wipes solution. We cloth diaper, but only recently did I make the switch to reusable cloth wipes. I'm not sure why it took me so long.

I like the one they call Easy Peasy, because it uses stuff I always have on hand.

You'll need:

1 T oil (I use olive)
1 T baby wash
3/4 c water

(don't worry, I have 4 more bottles of Olive Oil in my basement)

How you'll make it:

~mix all ingredients in a container
~shake it

I got this awesomely cute spray bottle at Wal-mart for $0.97 and it fits just perfectly in an old disposable wipes container with my cloth wipes. Couldn't be easier, I tell ya. Having done it both ways, I'll never understand why people don't cloth diaper. I don't judge, but I don't get it.

Yogurt in Review

I finally got my yogurt maker, and don't I just love it!

According to the directions, you'll need:

42 oz milk
6 oz plain yogurt

How you'll make it:
~heat the milk on the stove to boiling (180 degrees) and let it boil for a couple of minutes

~turn off the heat and remove about 1 1/2 - 2 c milk

~let both cool to about 110 degrees
~add yogurt to removed milk and stir until smooth
~add remaining milk and mix well
~pour the mixture into the 7 jars
~start the machine


(I used whole milk the first time, which takes 7 hours. I used skim milk the second time, which takes 10 hours. I'm going to try 2% next, because I loved the texture of the whole, but not the fat content. The skim was a little runny for my taste, so hopefully the 2% will be somewhere in between.)
~when the timer goes off, remove the lid from the yogurt maker and screw the lids on the jars.
~let the jars sit in the refrigerator for 3 hours before you eat it (my end time has been around 9 - 10pm each time, so mine gets to sit for about 8 hours)

~enjoy, cause it's awesome.


get a 32 container's worth of yogurt (and pretend like I bought it) from the 6 jars (have to save the 7th for the next starter) and I was paying about $3 for a container of organic yogurt. A gallon of organic milk is about $6, so I'm probably paying about the same, but there are no extra ingredients, and I can sweeten it with honey rather than sugar. Deal? I don't know, but it sure is fun to make it.

You can do the same thing in your crockpot if you follow this recipe. I haven't tried it, but the comments speak for themselves. All 393 of them. I only read the first 10 or so but I'm sure they are all great.


Please don't tell DM I didn't technically need an actual yogurt machine. He was excited, because I told him I thought it would save us money.

***I've been thinking about this, and on the crockpot365 blog, one of the commenters figured out the cost of Yobaby compared to homemade. That is an huge savings. Something I also want to note is, according to my Eat This, Not That book, one teensy itty bitty 6 oz container of YoBaby yogurt has more sugar than an ice cream bar. I never bought that stuff, but if you do, you're definitely going to come out way ahead if you make your own.

Grocery list Week 2

Here's my grocery list for this week.

Ingles:

(1) can store brand green chilis (for this recipe)
(1) pkg organic chicken thighs
(1) bag organic apples
1/2 lb deli ham
2/3 lb deli cheese

Spent: $17.40
Saved: $4.55

Blah, will do better. I wanted $0.49 bananas, but there was not a single banana in the entire store, so I got apples instead. How weird is that- it's going to snow so people need bananas? Bread and milk, for sure. But bananas?

Trina's Slowcooker Chicken Enchiladas

you'll need:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken
3 T taco seasoning
1 can green chilis
1 8-oz can tomato paste
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1 16-oz can black beans

how you'll make it:
~add ingredients to slowcooker, in order
~cook on low for 7 - 8 hours
~remove chicken & shred
~mash together remaining ingredients, add chicken & mash together
~serve in tortillas* or over salad greens


*We use Crystal's Homemade Tortillas, which can be found here.

Menu Plan Monday #2 (on Saturday)

Sunday- Trina's Slowcooker Chicken Enchiladas with Crystal's Homemade Tortillas Monday- Spaghetti with Grandma Marge's Meatballs Tuesday- Sandwiches Wednesday- Church Supper Thursday- Flounder, Broccoli, Noodles Friday- Steak, Sweet Potato Fries Saturday- ???

End of Week Finals: 1/8/11

The local weather authorities are forecasting 6" of snow on Monday.

I was finishing up a marathon grocery run at Publix, and the bagger struck up a conversation with, "So, you're stocking up for the snow?"

Not exactly, buddy. I told him I normally shop like this, and I really didn't need anything in my cart... that my family could survive for at least 6 weeks without me going to the grocery store if we had to.

There were too many good deals to be had today, I couldn't stop myself from grocery shopping.

Kroger:

(4) boxed Kashi GoLean cereal
Spent: $2.00
Saved: $16.00


Rite-Aid:
(1) Gas X Gas Prevention pills*
(2) bags of Halls cough drops
Spent: $0.00 (gift card)
Saved: $9.97

Publix:
(1) gal organic whole milk
(1) 1/2 gal chocolate soy milk
(2) jars Peter Pan peanut butter
(5) boxes Ronzoni Garden Delight pasta
(2) 64-oz gallons Mott's Apple Juice
(3) boxed Green Giant broccoli
(3) boxed Green Giant spinach
(2) boxes Carnation Instant Breakfast
(2) packs Buitoni ravioli
(2) packages Back to Nature organic granola
(4) 6-pk SunMaid Raisins
(2) Pepperidge Farm Deli Flat Sandwich Rounds
(1) 6 oz container Stoneyfield yogurt
(2) bags organic carrots
Spent: $37.95
Saved: $42.01

Today's total:
Spent: $39.95
Saved: $68.04


Year to date Spent: $91.86
Year to date Saved: $91.95

*I can't think of a single person in my whole entire family who could use the gas prevention pills, but I got paid $1 to buy them, so I had to get them. LM might disagree with me.

(Items listed in purple will be donated to the local food pantry- I paid $0.48 for both jars of peanut butter this week.)

Grocery List Week 1

My first Ingles run went something like this:

(1) pkg sun-dried tomatoes
(2) pkgs organic tortilla chips
(8) cans organic great northern beans
(8) cans organic chili beans
(4) cans organic corn
(1) can organic black beans (they weren't on sale)
(1) pkg organic chicken
(1) pkg organic chuck roast
(1) 5 lb bag organic baking potatoes
(1) bag organic baby carrots
bananas

There was not a fresh organic tomato to be found in the whole store.

total spent: $39.51
total saved: $14.91

I went back to Ingles this week, because I found a couple of coupons for Birdseye Frozen vegetables.

I got:

(3) Birdseye frozen broccoli
(1) Birdseye frozen peas
(6) cans organic corn
(1) 1/2 gal organic fat free milk
bananas

Spent: $12.40
Saved: $8.30

You scream, I scream we all scream for Yogurt

We don't keep ice cream in the house, because LM is allergic. Well, she's not technically allergic, but some milk products upset her tummy, and since I change her diapers, I make the rules about what she can and can't eat.

I just purchased this yogurt maker

from William-Sonoma and the reviews are great. I've been wanting to make my own yogurt for about a year now, but I'm too lazy to have to babysit it like it says here (although http://www.makeyourownyogurt.com/ is an awesome website for tips and how to do it if you don't want to buy the yogurt maker above.)

Unless DM kills me for buying yet another small appliance to make something I can buy at the store, I will be back to report how the yogurt turns out. I may even add my review to the 274 already glowing reports on the William-Sonoma website.

Stay tuned!

My Version of 'Tisha's Potato Soup

I modified this recipe from 'Tisha's Potato Soup. I haven't made her soup yet, but it sounds super yummy so I can't imagine it's anything but delicious. My mom gave me a hambone after Thanksgiving, and I froze it. I've been waiting for organic potatoes to go on sale ever since then. Must be my lucky day or something.

You'll Need:

8 potatoes
1 hambone
Leftover ham slices
A dribble of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
2 T flour
2 c chicken broth
1 c milk
1 c sour cream
salt & pepper

How You'll Make it:

~wrap potatoes in foil and place in slowcooker. Cook on low for 8 hours (do this before you go to bed and they'll be ready in the morning.)
~cut potatoes into bite-size pieces
~in a dutch oven or stock pot, saute onion & garlic in the olive oil
~add red pepper flakes
~add 2 T flour
~add broth, milk & sour cream. Heat through but do not boil.
~add cut potato pieces back in
~add hambone & ham pieces
~salt and pepper to taste
~simmer on low for 45 - 1 hour

The result: I'll let you know on Tuesday. Want to vote if you think my kids will eat it?

'Tisha's Potato Soup

You'll need:

8 Potatoes (I use red skinned)
6 Strips Bacon, Chopped
1 Onion, Chopped
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1/2 t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2T flour
2 C Chicken Broth
1 C Milk
1 C Sour Cream
Salt & Pepper
Shredded Cheese
Green Onions

How You'll Make it:

Bake potatoes in microwave or oven until done. Once baked, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, brown chopped bacon in a soup pot or dutch oven. Remove bacon from pan to drain.
Pour off all but 1 T of drippings. Saute onion and garlic in bacon drippings. Add red pepper flakes. Add flour and let thicken. Add broth, milk, and sour cream. Heat through (do not boil).

Add cut potato pieces back in. Salt and pepper to taste Serve garnished with browned bacon bits, chopped green onions and cheddar cheese.

'Tisha's Verdict: "My four year old went nuts over it!"

Slowcooker Pot Roast

You'll need:

2 - 3 lbs chuck roast
1 can diced tomatoes

How you'll make it:

(you may want to be sitting down, this is really complicated)
~put the meat in the slow cooker
~dump the entire can of tomatoes on top
~turn the slowcooker on low

I have no idea what's the minimum you should cook this, I usually start it before I wake the kids up at 7am and we eat at 5:45 sharp. I bet you could google it. Apparently, I'm the most helpful blogger out there.

The result:
The meat is really tender and juicy. My husband and I love it. Depending on the day, my kids eat it. Sometimes they don't. They are finicky like that, so I don't sweat it.

Menu Plan Monday #1 (on Sunday)

My friend Laura posts her menus on Mondays and I like alliteration, but I'm going to post my menu on Sunday. Sunday: Grilled Chicken Salad Monday: Slowcooker Pot Roast, Mashed Sweet Potatoes Tuesday: My Version of 'Tisha's Potato Soup, Salad Wednesday: Church Supper Thursday: Homemade Pizza (with deer sausage & sundried tomatoes), Salad Friday: Breakfast (scrambled eggs, deer sausage, fruit & muffins) Saturday: ??

Blue in the Face

I hope you weren't holding your breath waiting for me to post my grocery lists in December.

Quite honestly, we are so stocked up I didn't really need to grocery shop all that much in December. Don't tell DM, I am pretty sure I spent 90% of our grocery budget on Christmas Decorations and things for the house (on sale, of course.) He doesn't ask so I don't divulge.

It's 1/1/11 and I am pretty pumped to start tracking my grocery savings again.

One thing you need to know, I'm moving towards buying as much organic as I possibly can so if you're looking for how to cut your grocery budget down, you probably want to visit here instead. I can't begin to describe how much I love this site for grocery deals. I used to scour the grocery ads myself, but Jenny over at SouthernSavers does all the hard work for me. I just have to log onto her site and she even shows me the coupon matches.

So let's make it official:

2011 Spent: $0.00
2011 Saved: $0.00

Check back soon for my Ingles list. Cause that's the only grocery store in town. Try not to be jealous.