tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61738404284987757912011-11-27T19:52:27.453-05:00Just another girl in the world trying to balance work, home, romance and good health all while saving money and saving the planet. No wonder I'm sleepy by 8 PM.Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.comBlogger1971100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-38501184962624892422010-06-21T11:56:00.001-04:002010-06-21T11:56:59.676-04:00

I was on vacation last week so I wasn’t able to do a recap. In short, Doreen was voted off which I saw coming from a mile away.Last night found our finalists without Bobby Flay which I found highly enjoyable as I am not a fan. (Apparently neither is my hubby since he quipped during the first episode “I hope they send the redheaded guy home!”) Stepping in as Bobby’s replacement was Guy Fieri. The

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-79345535395538768702010-06-19T10:36:00.003-04:002010-06-19T10:46:18.075-04:00

I've decided to start posting an occasional review of local eateries in my area. I'm starting with one of my favorites: Jadeli.If you are traveling through Richmond, you might not notice Jadeli. It's tucked away in a tiny shopping center on the EKU By-pass next to a nail salon. You should definitely find it though because they offer one of the best sandwiches around. They are also locally owned

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-5733747330266367892010-06-19T10:29:00.002-04:002010-06-19T10:36:05.298-04:00

I'm back in town after a few nights in the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee area. I absolutely love that place. It's flashy, tacky, overpriced and in my eyes, a little slice of heaven. We vacationed there when I was a kid, Hubby and I got married there, and because of these wonderful memories, it's sort of my "happy place". I did a lot of outlet mail shopping (Eddie Bauer jeans for $9.99!), ate a lot of

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-90637038142481584122010-06-10T21:28:00.004-04:002010-06-10T21:35:42.701-04:00

I may have said it once but let me say it again, Kraft First Taste is awesome!You can sign up here on their website and you'll be elgible to get a "first taste" of new products from Kraft. I've been a member for about a year and I have tried free Velveeta Mac and Cheese, free Digiorno 200 Calorie pizza, free Philly Minis cream cheese, just to name a few. This week I received an awesome load of

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-71457296128028977852010-06-08T12:06:00.000-04:002010-06-08T12:07:29.329-04:00

I need to take some pictures so that I can share my humble little herb garden with you. This is, I think, the third summer that I’ve had a small herb garden. A few years ago, we remodeled our deck somewhat and ended up some scrap pieces of treated lumber. I fashioned them into a little raised bed and voila! The herb garden was born. Chives come back each year with no coaxing or effort on my part.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-79958457306857682482010-06-07T12:57:00.000-04:002010-06-07T16:00:15.730-04:00

Season 6 of Next Food Network Star kicked off last night with a two hour premiere. The Food Network had been counting down the hours all day long via a running clock in the top right hand corner of the screen. I admit I bought into the hype and was downright giddy by the time 9pm eastern rolled around.This year’s show takes place in Los Angeles. We meet the finalists one by one as they roll into

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-3231841931334635812010-06-03T12:27:00.000-04:002010-06-03T12:28:04.952-04:00

A few weeks ago, my hubby watched Paula Deen with me and this sugar cream pie caught his eye. I also thought it looked simple and yummy so I decided to try it. I usually read the reviews before I try a Food Network recipe. To say the reviews of this are mixed would be an understatement. People seemed to be either raving about the pie or slamming it. One of the great controversies was whether or

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-12526246408325963082010-06-01T12:34:00.000-04:002010-06-01T12:35:04.531-04:00

I love weekends and long weekends are even more to love. I started mine a bit early by taking the afternoon off from work. I hit the Memorial Day sale at Kohl’s armed with an extra 15% off coupon. I picked up several things then went home to pamper myself for my girls night out to the movies. I am a Sex and the City junkie so I was very excited for the opening of the second movie. It didn’t

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-35356861002936491392010-05-27T21:32:00.003-04:002010-05-27T21:35:20.363-04:00

It seems to me that my hubby's Men's Health magazine has better recipes than my Women's Health. His most recent issue has this yummy recipe that I made tonight. I love salmon but am always a little clueless about what to do with seafood-the drawbacks of living in a landlocked state I guess. This one is a keeper! Honey Mustard Salmon with Roasted Asparagus1 Tbsp unsalted butter1 Tbsp brown sugar2

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-59900256833925526762010-05-26T16:01:00.002-04:002010-05-26T16:08:07.759-04:00

Last week, Meijer opened in my town. Yay!Our grocery choices are Kroger, Wal-Mart and EW James. I shop at Kroger because I hate Wal-Mart and I've just never tried EW James. It replaced Winn Dixie which I never cared for so maybe I've unfairly ignored it. People were anxious for the new store to open and the crowds have been fierce. What has surprised me is how negative some people have been

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-10395971760806256202010-05-24T17:24:00.000-04:002010-05-24T17:24:00.161-04:00

I’ve really struggled with eating well the past two weeks. I’ve maintained my weight loss; I’m hovering around my goal of a 16lb drop at about the 15.2 mark. But I’ve not been eating the kind of healthy whole foods that I want to eat. I’ve realized that if I don’t plan out meals, buy the groceries for said meals and prepare them that I am destined to not fare well. And it’s really hard to do

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-59175563484906373592010-05-12T12:01:00.002-04:002010-05-12T12:03:46.903-04:00

This past weekend, I took a little weekend trip with my mom and aunt to Shaker Village. You can find out more about it here. Shaker Village is one of those places that are very close by yet I’d never been there. (It’s strange how we’ll drive three or four states away for a vacation when there are so many interesting places in the back door, isn’t it?) The Shakers lived a simple life. They worked

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-23687115617353276032010-05-09T18:12:00.002-04:002010-05-09T18:22:36.675-04:00

Today, I had $17 in coupons at Kroger. Thanks to some super Kroger coupons, I got FREE Ruffles potato chips and FREE Redi-Whip. Ruffles are a staple of my hubby's diet and I'm planning to make this yummy low calorie mousse this week. The best deal though was on Old Spice Body Wash. Kroger had it on sale 2 for $7. I had a "buy one get one free" coupon from the P&G insert and a Kroger coupon for a

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-57016098018476351742010-05-03T16:38:00.003-04:002010-05-03T16:39:46.363-04:00

The past two weekends have been wet ones for us. Last weekend, we had thunderstorms and tornado possibilities. This past weekend, it was flash floods.We were fortunate. While the water was all around us, it never got close enough to get inside our home or in the crawlspace. Others have not been so lucky. One person in our county died and there is countless damage. This is the entrance to our

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-38551487719444779402010-04-29T13:08:00.004-04:002010-04-29T13:13:59.504-04:00

Do you ever play Coupon Fairy?A coupon fairy is someone who leaves unwanted coupons behind for others, usually placing the coupon beside the item in a store. I'd read of such beings and occasionally saw a stray coupon on a shelf but never got rewarded by one until today.I was buying Cheer detergent which I seem to never have coupons for when lo and behold, there lay a coupon for $1 on the shelf

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-85135924606796411372010-04-20T21:28:00.002-04:002010-04-20T21:30:10.096-04:00

I have a fairly healthy stack of unread books on my bookshelf.I have downloaded books on my Kindle (free ones). So what did I do today?I went to the public library and left with two books.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-73939857146714296722010-04-18T18:44:00.007-04:002010-04-18T19:15:24.451-04:00

Pinto beans are a staple food in many parts of Appalachia. (In my neck of the woods, they are "soup beans" and not "pinto beans", by the way.) Beans have suddenly become hip during recession times because they are a cheap source of protein. Many people are intimidated to cook dry beans from scratch but they really are better for you as canned beans tend to be high in sodium. Dried beans are also

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-66606276394258396972010-04-18T18:22:00.003-04:002010-04-18T18:31:16.136-04:00

Sometimes I see things that I'd like to own but then I convince myself that I don't really need them. Case in point, a very nice Food Network coffee mug at Kohls. I love coffee mugs and I love Food Network so this was an item that really appealed to me. However, with a $9.99 price tag, it was also an item that I could pass up. I have too many coffee cups already and really how much more stuff can

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-88453716105003428662010-04-15T07:52:00.000-04:002010-04-15T10:53:47.952-04:00

As promised, today is my big reveal of how I did with my goal to lose 15 pounds by April 15th.Drum roll please…..As of this morning, I’ve lost 13 pounds! So, I came up 2 pounds short. I’m a little disappointed but not shocked. When my weight started coming down, my clothes starting fitting better and I started feeling better, I slacked off a little on counting calories. I’m still determined

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-63364041822998331282010-04-14T19:17:00.006-04:002010-04-14T19:23:46.365-04:00

When I grocery shop after work, I'm generally tired, hungry and not in a great mood. This leads me to the temptation that is some sort of prepared deli item or frozen item. Or even worse, a drive-thru trip. Since 2010 has been my year of healthy eating, I'm trying to break that trend. So instead of giving in to some sort of goody, tonight I came home and made this:It was nothing fancy. Just

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-52256845471435872392010-04-13T12:33:00.003-04:002010-04-13T12:38:41.328-04:00

I'm on my lunch break enjoying my second FREE Subway sandwich in four days. How did I do this?In our goody bag at the 5K Saturday, there was a coupon good for one free 6 inch sub at any Subway in town. It was good for that day only. Hubby was golfing and we were grilling out later so I didn't exactly have lunch plans. I happily picked up my free sub.Then lo and behold, I won a $5 Subway card from

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-3375912081604962542010-04-12T07:48:00.000-04:002010-04-12T10:49:09.860-04:00

I had a totally new experience on Good Friday. I tried Indian food for the first time. Ethnic food was a rare thing when I was growing up. It still boggles my mind that my hometown now has both a Chinese and a Mexican eatery. Where was that when I was kid? The town where I live now is slightly more diverse. We have several Chinese places, a couple of Mexican places (my favorite!), Thai, Japanese

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-52992221880121975652010-04-11T19:25:00.002-04:002010-04-11T19:32:07.169-04:00

The past two weekends have been gorgeous here in Kentucky!Last weekend (Easter weekend), my hubby and I visited his family in eastern Kentucky. My parents came too and it was wonderful to have everyone together. We rode ATVs up in the mountains, grilled burgers and hot dogs, ate too much candy and just enjoyed being together. I came to work on Monday refreshed and relaxed after a good dose of

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-53254197168297048342010-03-28T09:15:00.002-04:002010-03-28T09:26:07.520-04:00

Have you been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution? A friend told me about it and I watched Friday's episode. I don't watch anything on ABC so I hadn't seen any promos for the show. But when I found out that the premise is that the British chef is trying to introduce healthy living to Huntington, West Virginia, I was all about it. Huntington is one of the unhealthiest cities in the country and

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-69915165418933424172010-03-25T19:07:00.002-04:002010-03-25T19:12:58.815-04:00

I really can't think of any particular reason that I haven't blogged lately. Except maybe that I am lazy. Let me catch you up on what's been going on with me...I'm still committed to my healthy lifestyle and have now lost 11 pounds.I made my first trip to a Whole Foods store. LOVED it! I so wish my town had one.Discovered a wonderful cupcake shop that makes heavenly little cupcakes. Thankfully,

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-65569330970426081852010-03-13T18:28:00.002-05:002010-03-13T18:34:38.749-05:00

Thursday morning I got up at my normal going-to-work time, had a cup of coffee and a bagel then launched into my kitchen cleaning. I cleaned and dusted my ceiling fan, washed the curtains on the kitchen window and the patio doors, cleaned off the top of the fridge, scrubbed all appliances, wiped down the cabinets with Murphy's Oil Soap, cleaned off the counters and threw away any crap that seemed

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-63088639091406773732010-03-09T16:24:00.000-05:002010-03-09T16:25:30.574-05:00

Are there people in your life who are never happy with anything? I have someone in my life like that, a friend whom I’ll call Tess. Tess is never happy with her life although I could go on for hours about her many blessings. She doesn’t see them though; she only sees the things that she doesn’t have. It makes me sad.People like Tess who find their happiness in materialistic things will never be

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-51571911273854067552010-03-08T16:37:00.000-05:002010-03-08T16:37:00.198-05:00

As I mentioned briefly yesterday, my kitchen is the top priority for my spring cleaning efforts. It seems like every room has gotten a little bit of a makeover in the past couple of years except the kitchen. It desperately needs to be painted but alas, I do not plan to do that right now. I do plan to give it one heck of a cleaning using the guide I posted yesterday. My main objectives are to 1)

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-42022135565531388712010-03-07T14:11:00.002-05:002010-03-07T14:17:42.422-05:00

Although I'm feeling MUCH better today than I was this time last week, I still wonder if I'm ill. Why? Because I'm EXCITED about spring cleaning. In fact, I'm taking a couple of days off this week exclusively to spring clean. It's spring break at the university where I work and even though we don't get the week off, it's a good time for me to take off. The beautiful weather of the past few days

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-59152819321044819642010-03-03T07:51:00.000-05:002010-03-03T11:52:55.890-05:00

Years ago, I had an accounting professor who used the concept of “seed corn” to help us understand investments. Seed corn, for you non-farmers, is the corn you use to plant more corn. He compared to the money you invest in your business. If you start spending the money that you need to run the business on other things, you are effectively taking money out of the business and are “eating your seed

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-13739716689273895942010-02-27T08:18:00.000-05:002010-02-27T08:18:00.207-05:00

I try to eat as many whole grains as possible but I don't have much experience in making homemade baked goods using whole wheat flour. My mom has been experimenting with whole wheat flour and shared some with me. When I saw this recipe in All You, I decided to try it. The muffins were good but a little dry which can be expected since there is very little fat in them. But they were good with my

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-90462289974491227842010-02-26T05:18:00.000-05:002010-02-26T05:18:00.379-05:00

I stumbled across a copy of Eating Well magazine during my recent doctor's visit. I'd never heard of the mag but it had some good looking food in it. I checked out their website and found this recipe for broccoli cheese chowder. I love a good broccoli cheese soup and was skeptical that a healthy version would be good. I was very surprised by how tasty this soup is. It has that delicious rich

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-29550520915857791612010-02-25T01:09:00.000-05:002010-02-25T13:11:02.411-05:00

Wow, what a cheesey post title. Mmmmm.....cheese...I mentioned in an earlier post that I recommitted myself to a healthier lifestyle on January 1. As we near the end of February, I’m pleased to report that I have stuck with my commitment and have an 8.8 pound weight loss to show for it!I’m very happy with my progression. I didn’t really set a timeline for myself but after a week or two I started

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-57748116366367995392010-02-19T12:29:00.000-05:002010-02-19T13:30:22.615-05:00

My mother has been telling me for years that medical care has gotten very impersonal. I’m a believer.Yesterday, it was time for an annual exam (ladies, you know where I’m going here). The automated voice who called to remind me of my appointment asked that I arrive 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork. And wouldn’t you know, it was the same paperwork that I’ve filled out at this office for the

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-42988873969485385882010-02-17T18:26:00.002-05:002010-02-17T18:40:39.675-05:00

Say it ain't so, BK Joe! According to today's USA Today article (found here), Burger King will discontinue its current BK Joe coffee line and begin serving the Starbucks owned Seattle's Best. The reasons are cut and dry: sales are slow in today's economy and BK is doing its best to draw as many customers as possible away from their biggest breakfast rival, McDonald's.The thing is, I hate

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-57014341065716557612010-02-15T06:00:00.002-05:002010-02-15T11:07:34.589-05:00

I've seen Chocolate Lava Cakes (also known as Molten Chocolate Cakes) in several magazines but never tried them. I decided to take the plunge this year for Valentine's Day. I just googled "Chocolate Molten Cakes for Two" and found this recipe. It's super easy and the cakes are oh-so-good. They look very fancy and would make an impressive dessert for guests. You can buy mixes now for lava cake but

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-55600703381277483632010-02-14T19:50:00.002-05:002010-02-14T20:00:24.346-05:00

Today was a good day. The sun was shining beautifully when I woke up, and even though another winter storm is moving, for a little while it looked almost spring-like. Hubby and I had brunch with two other couples which was terrific. On our way home, we decided to stop at Lowes. We love Lowes. And right now, spring fever has hit the store. Seeds, flower pots, patio furniture are everywhere. We

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-76823744146963640762010-02-12T07:21:00.000-05:002010-02-12T12:22:02.170-05:00

I’ve been through many more Valentine’s Days as a single woman than I have as part of a couple. Let me tell you, it kind of sucks. Valentine’s Day is about love and the color red (which I don’t like), candy and flowers and (mysteriously) heart shaped pizza. It’s commercial and loud and a bit sickening even if you are in love. My hubby and I usually buy each other gifts for Valentine’s Day. This

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-25379675356447439932010-02-11T15:09:00.001-05:002010-02-11T15:09:46.504-05:00

"I have a life that most would love to have, but sometimes I still wake up fighting mad."-Tim McGraw "The Cowboy In Me" I woke up crabby today. I don't know why. I didn't eat enough yesterday. I missed my workout. I was going to have to go in late to work because I had to wait for the utility guy to come install a new thermostat (our previous "new" one was recalled). I hate waiting on people. I

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-3580692350674859212010-02-08T17:29:00.000-05:002010-02-08T17:29:00.318-05:00

I downloaded Michael Pollan’s Food Rules for my Kindle at a price of $5. For the same amount of money, I could have a) Bought two packages of organic vegetables, b) Bought two cups of my beloved Oikos Greek Yogurt (also organic) or c) Bought an entire meal at Taco Bell.Pollan is riding a wave of popularity these days thanks to an appearance on Oprah where he enlightened the Mighty O and her

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-14147995193548797552010-02-07T08:04:00.002-05:002010-02-07T08:11:14.595-05:00

I grew up in a family where the Daytona 500 was THE sporting event of the year. I married a NFL fan and now Super Bowl has become a holiday of sorts. We don't have room to host a huge party so we usually only have a handful of people over for the game. Every year, I start making wild plans about the array of food that I'll serve. And every year, Mother Nature rears her head and makes that "Wa-haa

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-2502736563216332692010-02-05T04:02:00.000-05:002010-02-05T16:04:13.692-05:00

I love to blog. This is to date, the third blog I have started. Some of you have been with me through each of them and I thank you for that. I started this particular blog because I was so impressed with some of the cooking and homemaking blogs that I read. I wanted to show a different perspective. I don’t feel that I’ve done that. I feel like I’ve tried to blog something that I’m not. So I’m

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-64140550202267427682010-02-01T07:00:00.001-05:002010-02-01T07:00:01.333-05:00

This recipe ran in the November issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray. It caught my eye because I love Tex-Mex type foods. Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Bake1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 chicken cutlets (about 1 pound) Salt and pepper 1 1/2 cups store-bought salsa verde 3/4 cup ricotta cheese 4 large flour tortillas, cut into wedges 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 3 cups baby spinach (about 1/4

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-76877142424408383422010-01-31T08:56:00.002-05:002010-01-31T09:06:18.407-05:00

I started off the new year with a renewed commitment to eat healthier. Last year, I experimented with becoming a vegetarian and while that didn't work out in the end, it did make me evaluate some of my food choices. I began 2010 with a mindset that I would reduce the amount of processed food in our diets (yes, my poor Hubby is feeling the residual effects here) and limit fast food. Today, makes

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-73055123734360502892010-01-30T10:50:00.003-05:002010-01-30T10:53:16.414-05:00

Super Bowl is next weekend! I haven't figured out my menu yet but I think this year will include more healthy options and less of me using the game as an excuse to eat junk food. Most stores are running deals this week on party staples like chips, dip, frozen pizza, etc. so check store ads for the best prices. More of my Super Bowl party tips can be found here.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-40512626111272837502010-01-28T09:57:00.000-05:002010-01-28T09:58:01.508-05:00

I’d heard a lot of good things about All You magazine since I started following money saving blogs. Many shoppers swore by the awesome coupons in each issue. I had never picked one up because I already subscribe to a couple of magazines and I hate paying the newsstand price. A couple of months ago though the son of one of my friends was selling magazine subscriptions for his school. I wanted to

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-54767099804933026712010-01-12T12:41:00.000-05:002010-01-12T12:42:23.525-05:00

Growing up, we didn’t dine out very much. We lived in a rural area and going out to eat was 20 or 25 minute trip. On the weekends, we might eat out but even then it wasn’t a regular thing. My mom prepared something every night when she got home from work. When I was a teenager, I would help out and get dinner started for her. It was just the way it was.When I moved to a more populated area, I was

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-49655092025717460142009-12-28T09:08:00.000-05:002009-12-28T09:08:00.538-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! This was a great one for me. I was able to spend time with loved ones, ate tons of delicious food (still nibbling on leftover sweets, I confess), and am still enjoying an extended break from work. What more could a woman ask for? For the first time this year, I gave homemade gifts to two friends. Every year I read or hear people saying "Homemade gifts

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-85884202169232518022009-12-21T09:35:00.001-05:002009-12-21T09:37:56.866-05:00

I will admit when it comes to baking bread that with the exception of cornbread, I believe a suitable replacement can be found in the grocery aisles. I figure as long as Pillsbury makes biscuits in a can there is no reason for me to whip some out from scratch. Hubby prefers canned biscuits over the much better frozen ones. However, as I’ve gotten older, the lure of baking has drawn me in and I’

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-38974802942793615182009-12-17T18:37:00.000-05:002009-12-17T18:38:13.035-05:00

The Christmas spirit has hit me big time this year. I’m not sure what caused it. I’m totally not myself this year. Oh, I always like putting up a Christmas tree and maybe baking some cookies-I’m not a total Scrooge-but this year I’ve been on Christmas overdrive. Normally, I just try to hunker down and survive the holidays but this year I’ve embraced the season. I’ve decorated my office. I made a

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-54393049687784931822009-11-20T12:32:00.003-05:002009-11-20T12:36:39.245-05:00

Until the holidays are over, your mailbox and your inbox are probably going to fill with coupons. Every store will be having their BIGGEST sale EVER!!!!!! on a weekly basis with extra coupons just for YOU!!! By all means, use what you can and will but don't forget to share the coupon wealth with others. A co-worker of mine was recently taking donations of $10 JC Penney coupons that were making

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-19094767899173060492009-11-05T16:58:00.000-05:002009-11-05T16:59:12.367-05:00

I briefly alluded in an earlier post that I am exploring vegetarianism. It’s hard. In the last few years, my meat consumption has gone way down in part because my husband doesn’t eat a lot of meat. It’s not much fun to fry up a pork chop and eat it alone. I’ve never been a big beef eater either aside from the occasional hamburger and a steak here and there. Because of this, I thought I could

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-77769932873451800132009-11-02T09:32:00.000-05:002009-11-02T09:33:07.296-05:00

Fall is my favorite season. I love the colorful leaves, the mild temperatures, football and hot chocolate on a cool evening. This past Friday was possibly the perfect fall day. The sun was shining brightly, temperature was in the low 70s and a persistent wind was blowing leaves everywhere. Wonderful! So it seemed sad to me to hear from a co-worker that her neighbor used this perfect weather to

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-52856996661740947852009-09-24T20:32:00.003-04:002009-09-24T20:35:57.147-04:00

Growing up, my mom made this chili recipe. It was tasty but I really prefer a more "soupy" chili with beans that you can load down with cheese and crackers. This chili works great as a hot dog topper or in a taco salad or nachos.My famously picky husband loves this chili. And since he does not eat burgers or dogs on the grill, I have to make a pot wheneve we have a cookout because he won't eat

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-5555568382042735402009-09-15T12:49:00.003-04:002009-09-15T12:50:57.812-04:00

Patrick Swayze was my first and biggest celebrity crush. My walls were covered with posters of him when I was a teenager. I watched Dirty Dancing obsessively and it will forever be my favorite movie. I have always said that I will never think any other creature could be as gorgeous as him.Thanks for the memories, Patrick. May you rest in peace.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-4873566633538266942009-09-09T07:13:00.001-04:002009-09-09T15:15:38.319-04:00

I’ve been on the Fly Lady plan for a little over a week now and I’m seeing some improvements. As I wrote earlier, I’m modifying the plan to fit my life so I’m not following every single directive. We had company for the weekend so that was extra incentive for me to get my rear in gear and get the house in order.Fly Lady talks a lot about baby steps and that’s the steps I’m taking. I’m very proud

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-15299611608554657652009-09-04T08:34:00.003-04:002009-09-04T08:42:43.210-04:00

I'm sharing this recipe as part of Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap. Please check out this great blog! It's Labor Day weekend and time for one more cookout to close out summer. I wanted to share a new side dish that I tried for my Memorial Day weekend cookout that was a big hit. It's called Ramen Noodle slaw. It's tasty and lighter than traditional slaw. It also does not contain mayo so you

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-6430744870431712512009-09-02T18:21:00.003-04:002009-09-02T18:27:10.502-04:00

Saturday was one of those days when I should have gone to the grocery story but really wanted to stretch it out another day. Using what I had on hand, I could still make Hubby's favorite meal: pinto beans, fried potatoes and corn bread. My sweet tooth was a callin' so I tried to think of things I could make with very few ingredients. That's when it hit me: flourless peanut butter cookies.The

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-21081571079762982162009-09-01T07:42:00.000-04:002009-09-01T14:43:48.580-04:00

Yesterday was my first day of trying to reclaim my house-Fly Lady style. One thing you should know is that if you sign up for Fly Lady’s help, you will get a lot of emails. A LOT of emails. One that I received yesterday was about what Fly Lady calls the Home Blessing Hour. Basically, it’s seven chores that you should do weekly that should take about an hour. If you don’t want to spend an hour

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-51818404911899835852009-08-30T11:56:00.000-04:002009-08-31T11:58:40.737-04:00

The disorder in my house is killing me. I have decided to do something about it. I’m starting the Fly Lady program. (You can read about Fly Lady here or here). I visited her website in the past and did complete her first task which is shining your sink. Let me tell you, it is well worth your time to follow her tips for a shiny sink. But that’s kind of where I quit. I’m not a great housekeeper.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-27871300645524141482009-08-17T18:04:00.000-04:002009-08-17T18:04:00.301-04:00

I’m not exactly the world’s biggest movie fan. My rating system starts with whether or not I remained awake for the duration of the film. And since my husband and I very rarely want to see the same movie, I’m not exactly a regular at the box office. But sometimes I do see a trailer that I really want to go see and I’ll drag along a girlfriend or my mom. I usually always stay awake at the cinema

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-84338233922729023482009-08-04T20:35:00.003-04:002009-08-04T20:42:57.953-04:00

Flavor of Kentucky has a blog post today about the increased popularity of Hamburger Helper during these tough economic times. I confess I used to love Hamburger Helper. It was one of the first "meals" I ever made growing up. When I was a teenager, I would make a box of this, heat up some rolls and maybe nuke some frozen peas and have dinner ready for my mom when she got home from work. (Dad

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-17381028932679821092009-08-02T20:22:00.002-04:002009-08-02T20:27:00.102-04:00

A couple of weekends ago, I watched Devin Alexander on FitTV do a recipe makeover of our grandma's zucchini cake. I'd never had zucchini cake although my mother makes zucchini bread often especially in summer. I tried this recipe last weekend and really liked it. It's a also a good way to sneak some veggies in to your diet! You need: Butter-flavored cooking spray1/2 cup fat-free milk1/2 teaspoon

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-37653795954345692512009-07-31T17:51:00.004-04:002009-07-31T18:05:34.861-04:00

I really like Kohl's department store. I admit I have neglected it lately for the greener pasture of my town's new shopping center but I fell in love with it again a couple of weeks ago when my mom and I paid a rather long visit. A highlight of that trip was a pair of $6 Chaps dress pants for yours truly. So, when a 15% off coupon arrived in my inbox today along with news of a huge sale I had to

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-7449171083394947932009-07-21T17:00:00.000-04:002009-07-21T17:00:00.297-04:00

Last week, I ended up with leftover ground beef and decided tacos would be good. I thought to myself, better add taco seasoning to the grocery list. But then I thought, why? I have chili powder and cumin and really what else could be in there. So I surfed the web for a while and came up with several variations of a taco mix. I adapted it to fit what I had on hand and came up with this:Taco

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-65265351994564532742009-06-22T21:39:00.006-04:002009-06-22T21:51:03.622-04:00

For the past year or so, I've been seeing and hearing a lot about Greek yogurt. Supposedly, it's healthier, tastier and just all around awesome to those who like it. To those who don't (like The Pasta Queen) it is comparable to diaper cream.I took the plunge and tried a cup today. I'm trying to eat better and I've been following a meal plan that suggested Greek yogurt for breakfast. I was

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-68921481272140233732009-06-11T05:03:00.000-04:002009-06-11T05:03:01.435-04:00

I've never been a big fan of Sandra Lee and her Semi-Homemade Show. The tablescapes and the cocktails are just a little too much for me. But I watched an episode of a new show she's currently got going on Food Network and was pleasantly surprised. It's called Money Saving Meals. I was really intrigued by the black bean burgers and tried them the next day. They are actually very good. You have to

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-81342589167871845092009-06-10T18:12:00.003-04:002009-06-10T18:15:29.762-04:00

No, this isn't some sort of self-help mantra. I really did win something! Thanks to Janelle over at At Home With My Monkeys, I won this book. How cool is that?? Be sure to check out Janelle's blog.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-3323112119138743792009-06-07T10:54:00.003-04:002009-06-07T13:56:03.487-04:00

My husband and I began a tradition last year of hosting a "summer kick-off" cookout/party for our friends. This year we decided to invite over 30 people and kick it up a notch. When 22 of them rsvp'd that they'd be attending, I started to think "Wow! That's going to be a lot of food." Luckily, we had enough food because we actually had 25 in attendance. We even ended up with leftovers to munch on

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-34173765686693979802009-06-04T21:25:00.004-04:002009-06-05T08:19:07.270-04:00

For this week's recipe swap hosted by Grocery Cart Challenge, I'm offering a repeat recipe. It's a repeat in two ways actually. First, I posted it on my blog last year. Two, once again it's a Patti LaBelle recipe from Patti LaBelle's Lite Cusine. I'm not repeating because I'm lazy but rather because I've been making this recipe lately as a cool summer treat and it rocks! Also, I received

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-37357300901607575492009-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:002009-06-02T00:00:01.741-04:00

If you're bored, you could always read my article on gardening on a budget.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-11454733213291157082009-06-01T22:07:00.002-04:002009-06-01T22:12:14.064-04:00

I'm starting a spreadsheet to keep up with my coupon savings. I can't help it. I'm an accountant. It's not enough for me to think I'm saving money with coupons. I have to KNOW how much money I'm saving. I'm sort of addicted to spreadsheets, I guess. I keep one of our bills each month so that I remember to pay them and since I pay them online to record all of the reference/confirmation numbers and

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-41528738283550038222009-05-22T12:16:00.003-04:002009-05-22T12:20:23.079-04:00

I tried this great recipe last week and I thought I'd share it in today's recipe swap hosted by Grocery Cart Challenge. It's from Patti LaBelle's Lite Cuisine cookbook. I've had the book for a while and honestly haven't tried many recipes. What I have tried though have been wonderful and this one is no exception. Try it! And be sure to check out Grocery Cart Challenge for my recipes today!

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-35087278248114109682009-05-21T21:13:00.000-04:002009-05-21T21:13:00.832-04:00

Easy Mac probably isn’t the most nutritious lunch going but it isn’t half bad either. One cup has 220 calories and 4 grams of fat. You can add to the nutritional benefits and make it more filling by adding in one can of DRAINED tuna. The tuna adds 125 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 27 grams of protein. Plus, you get heart healthy omega-3. Try it!

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-33332349498222144372009-05-21T19:00:00.002-04:002009-05-21T19:00:02.163-04:00

I love Spring!!!I decided this weekend that every gardener needs...a litter box! I happened to have a clean litter box in the back of my car Sunday when I was flower shopping. It made the perfect tray to hold my new purchases upright while bringing them home. Then afterwards I carried what I hadn't yet planted into the garage in the box and gave them a good watering without the water running all

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-88768420804303054272009-05-21T07:40:00.000-04:002009-05-21T11:41:17.558-04:00

One of the challenges I face in eating healthier is that there aren’t a lot of vegetables that I like. Actually, I guess I like a fair amount of vegetables, it’s just the style of preparing them that I prefer isn’t so healthy. Broccoli is so much better with cheese, and zucchini and okra are definitely tastier fried at least to this Southern girl. I’m always on the lookout for a way to include

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-21482273658596500342009-04-20T07:00:00.001-04:002009-04-20T12:32:40.609-04:00

My husband loves spaghetti. To be honest, I've gotten a little tired of it. But since he is so picky, I do make spaghetti once or twice a month using his special recipe. A few months ago, I came up with a great idea. Why not make lasagna with some of the sauce? Here's what I do. Spray a loaf pan with oil.Ladle a hearty helping of meat sause into pan. Spread a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese on one

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-49140898968979756862009-04-14T07:30:00.001-04:002009-04-14T12:16:21.506-04:00

I saw this recipe in Southern Living and had it on my mental list to try. I ended up making my own shortened down version.I used:2 small cans of Swanson canned chicken breast1 can of reduced fat cream of chicken soup1 can of Rotel tomatoestortilla chipsshredded Mexican blend cheeseI preheated the oven to 400. Sprayed a casserole dish with oil. Crumbled up tortilla chips to cover the bottom of the

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-36391187493105984002009-04-01T15:42:00.002-04:002009-04-01T15:44:46.944-04:00

"To housekeep, one had to plan ahead and carry items of motley nature around in the mind and at the same time preside, as mother had, at the table, just as if everything, from the liver and bacon, to the succotash, to the French toast and strawberry jam, had not been matters of forethought and speculation"-Fannie Hurst

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-36965929254848823382009-03-02T06:30:00.000-05:002009-03-02T12:04:17.012-05:00

I'm still here (waving my hand)!Work has been hectic. Grad school has been hectic. But I'm hoping there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I'll soon be back to blogging more. I assure you I'm still cookin', still shopping for the best deals and still waiting for Spring!

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-28919624361971774632009-02-16T06:49:00.000-05:002009-02-16T10:52:51.061-05:00

How was your Valentine's Day? Mine was pretty sweet. We always have a candlelight dinner at home. This was our fourth Valentine's Day together and we've stuck with tradition each year and had steak. I followed my own advice for a great steak which you can read here. Instead of using a grill pan, I seared the steaks in a piping hot cast iron skillet then popped them into a hot oven to finish

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-57948800390057254702009-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:002009-02-13T11:58:54.726-05:00

My hubby has started eating chicken!! Ok, small bites of chicken. Actually, like, one tender. But still, I'm thrilled. To encourage this, I drug out a recipe for Cabo Chicken marinade that was featured this summer in Good Housekeeping. It was a celebrity recipe offered up by LeeAnn Rimes. It is very good if you like grilled chicken. I made it earlier in the week on my grill pan and thought I

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-28479009696559672432009-02-11T00:07:00.000-05:002009-02-11T12:16:49.000-05:00

I love Reubens. The sandwich you know, not guys named Reuben. There are a couple of local places here that make terrific ones. Reubens are not the healthiest snack to munch on so when I decided to make a home version I looked for ways to slim it up. I thought substituting turkey for corned beef would be a healthy switch. It was my understanding that this would make the sandwich a Rachel. However,

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-37477051783156626372009-02-09T06:36:00.000-05:002009-02-09T11:37:49.264-05:00

If you like to clip coupons, Ebay Selling Coach has a great giveaway going on. Enter it here. I love coupons but confess that at the end of last year I had slacked off on using them. I’m back in gear with it this year and have been averaging about $5 a week in savings. I don’t suppose that’s earth shattering but I think it’s pretty good. I also think there seems to be more coupons available than

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-77159340465570568142009-02-05T07:00:00.000-05:002009-02-05T09:10:48.321-05:00

Unless you have been completely buried under ice with no communication with the outside world, you are probably aware that Kentucky got hit with a massive ice storm. Our county was one of the harder hit areas. We woke up last Tuesday morning to an ice covered world. The university where we work went on a delay schedule and then shortly after decided to close. It would remain closed all week. That

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-29537180491812007992009-01-26T20:21:00.002-05:002009-01-26T20:27:10.253-05:00

I'm ready for spring. When the front of my house looks like this.... And my mailbox looks like this....I'm ready for sunshine and short sleeves and potting soil and spring showers and May flowers and all of that. For cookouts and golf outings and an evening cup of coffee on the deck. Instead, we're getting ready for a winter storm. And I had French toast for supper because the constant jokes

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-77539350621502578042009-01-24T17:39:00.002-05:002009-01-24T17:47:55.935-05:00

Last weekend, we dashed into JC Penney for a quick look around. The clearance racks were pretty full and I snagged some long leather gloves for $13 and a pair of Isotoner houseshoes for $12. Today, I went armed with $100 of birthday money from my parents. I expected to get maybe an outfit. Instead, I came out with two pairs of dress pants, two blouses and a long sweater coat for $66 (including

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-7048715612339454362009-01-23T07:52:00.002-05:002009-01-23T09:01:31.926-05:00

For today's recipe swap hosted by Grocery Cart Challenge, I want to share a recipe that I tried over the weekend from Everyday With Rachael Ray's February issue. Sometimes, I read a recipe, see something that looks daunting and flip the page. That was my initial reaction to this recipe. But my husband really likes manicotti, so I thought I would give it a try even though the notion of making

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-31115609823824325022009-01-21T20:24:00.004-05:002009-01-21T20:32:13.939-05:00

I was psyched to see recipes for Skillet Pizzas in February's issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray because I'm always looking for reasons to use my cast iron skillets AND I really need to experiment with my new mixer. Since my efforts to make bread tanked, I was nervous but determined to make a decent pizza crust. This recipe didn't disappoint. Skillet Pizza Dough3/4 cup lukewarm water 1 tablespoon

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-78043922094548746362009-01-21T07:15:00.001-05:002009-01-21T12:31:31.026-05:00

Monday with temps in the teens, I made this soup. Only this time I substituted a can of fat free refried beans for the pinto beans. I didn't take a picture but the results were pretty close. The refried bean version was a tad thicker so it was more of a "stoupy" consistency which was good. It didn't seem as spicy though so I wonder if the extra starch absorbed some of the Rotel's heat. Anyway, it

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-15512197943072234492009-01-18T17:50:00.003-05:002009-01-18T18:00:11.287-05:00

Textbook prices are insane. I try not to complain because I only buy one book per semester and my tuition is paid by my employer so I feel I have no room to gripe. But taking two classes this semester doubled my book bill. And January is a tough month because we're rebounding from Christmas purchases and we have car insurance and car taxes due. With those things in mind, I was a little blue to

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-15277470388314512222009-01-17T19:28:00.001-05:002009-01-17T19:30:13.409-05:00

I have some articles up over at ehow.com if you'd like to check them out.How to Make Sweet TeaHow To Date A Co-workerI'm well versed in both topics!

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-46661713607783995312009-01-14T07:45:00.001-05:002009-01-14T16:51:14.215-05:00

My husband bought me a beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer for Christmas. Similar to this one, except mine is black:He was very excited about it and I was too. He couldn't wait for me to mix a cake with it. Unfortunately, I was sick with a stomach bug when he gave it to me so it was a few days before I felt like baking a cake with it. I did finally throw together a boxed cake mix (shame on me I know) and

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-73725742642432672242009-01-10T12:51:00.002-05:002009-01-10T13:01:34.935-05:00

Kroger had some good deals this week that featured some items I need for my renewed commitment for eating better and that I had coupons for. Here's some of the deals I got:Powerade Sports drinkI bought: 2 bottlesReg price: $1.29Sale price: $1.00Coupons: 40 cents off (I had two)Final price: After Kroger doubled the coupons, 20 cents eachPure Protein protein barsI bought: 3 barsReg price: $1.69Sale

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-15270727143798299672009-01-09T12:44:00.000-05:002009-01-10T12:50:27.168-05:00

I'm sharing this recipe as part of the Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap. Check it out here and prepare for your tummy to growl :) I love dips. This recipe was given to me by my friend Anita. She and I can put away a LOT of this dip. I plan to make it for Super Bowl this year. I saw it recently in a church cookbook called "Ugly Dip". How insulting! Mexican Corn and Black Bean Dip2 8oz bags of

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-75960433151634820272009-01-07T21:22:00.002-05:002009-01-07T21:27:34.760-05:00

I'm sort of hooked on spinach right now. I've been trying to eat healthier and it's hard for me to come up with a lot of veggies that I like. And let's face it, when you are trying to eat healthier veggies are pretty key to your plan no matter what it is. I have always liked spinach so I bought a bag this past week at Kroger. The brand name of it was Peak (it was the same price as the Kroger

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-25074411700155471392009-01-07T16:35:00.002-05:002009-01-07T16:40:35.900-05:00

Goody's Family Clothing is closing its stores. The holiday boom wasn't enough to keep it going even after they shutdown many stores in the fall. It makes me sad. I hadn't shopped there in years but our town had just opened a brand new store. It seemed so odd that as other stores were shutting down, we got a new one. So, it's the first failed store of our new shopping development. A new

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-89175559493487170192009-01-04T20:02:00.002-05:002009-01-04T20:08:04.453-05:00

Tomorrow, it's back to work for me. Boo! I know that I should not complain because one, I'm very fortunate to have a job in this crappy economy and two, I'm very fortunate to get such a long holiday break. But still, over two weeks of sleeping in, wearing pjs til noon and going shopping in the middle of the day is a hard habit to break. I didn't really make any resolutions this year. Well that's

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-46308073925434771432009-01-02T17:01:00.003-05:002009-01-02T17:10:48.906-05:00

I'm sharing this recipe as part of the Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap. Check it out all the great recipes over there! Broccoli Casserole is one of my favorite side dishes during the holiday season. I'm not sure why we only make it for the holidays but you know how it is. Some things are just tradition. I've seen several variations of this dish, some involving creamy soups and mayonaise.

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6173840428498775791.post-79277197239586595472009-01-01T20:50:00.003-05:002009-01-01T20:58:09.747-05:00

Kroger has some good deals this week. Check their website to see what your local store has to offer. Deals in my area include:Butterball Turkey Bacon or Smoked Sausage 2 for $5. Get a $1 coupon here. Yoplait Yogurt 20 for $10. Get a coupon to save 50 cents when you buy 6 at coupons.comOcean Spray Juice is $2.18. Save $1 with coupon from coupons.com. NOTE: The coupon is for the "light" or "diet"

Mindahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09252340715814976097noreply@blogger.com0