Oh man have I ever been bad... it has been almost 6 months since I last wrote a blog entry. That's not to say I haven't been cooking, shopping or making cute things at home, I just have been super busy. But I am back as life is starting to settle down for the fall and winter months. We have some exciting news which was posted on Facebook on Monday, we are expecting number two and really excited about this little peanut to join our family around the beginning of April.
Today I decided to rant about two products that quite honestly why on earth do we spend the excessive amount of money on products that don't overly satisfy us.
The first product is Pampers... yes the diapers that are on so many commercials and advertised everywhere as the diapers parents prefer. Well not this very unsatisfied mother, actually it is quite irritating that you spend sometimes up to $50.00 for this box of diapers and you have to change your childs sheets every night and strip them down because they are soaking wet! This name brand prides them self and has even named their one brand "Baby Dry" and says how awesome they are. I have been disappointed every time I have tried Pampers and I have officially given up on giving them chances. Actually it's not just them but Huggies as well, so I will tell you the two best brands that I swear by and are HALF the price are Mom 2 Mom that you can get at Safeway and the Presidents Choice name brand diapers at any Loblaws store. I just paid $17.99 for 110 pack of size 5 diapers and Olivia hasn't had a bursting diaper when she wakes up. That to me is worth my sanity.
The second product it Oxy Clean, this product has been okay. But there are just some tough stains that it seemed to never get out, whether it was Olivia's stains or even yellowing in the armpits from Matt and I's clothing. It just never got it out. One time I soaked one of Olivia's onsies that she covered in something for two days and you know what it didn't take out the stain. So I tried it again and again nothing, I was frustrated because Oxy Clean isn't cheap, well thanks to good ol Pintrest someone posted a DIY oxy clean which is just hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. So I said why not give it a shot and tried it out on some of Olivias clothing that I gave the sentencing of having to throw out. Not that hopeful I went about making the paste version and you know what... IT WORKED!! So I took a bunch of clothing that I had some unforgiving stains and some of Matt's church shirts that the collars and arm pits were getting gross and they all look brand new now! The best part is, is that it is pennies to make what you need and if I get snowed in and need to do laundry and have stains no worries because it is all in my house!
So those are a few things! Here is the link to the blog I got the DIY oxy clean from!
http://myamericanconfessions.blogspot.ca/2012/06/wednesday-diy-oxyclean-at-home.html?m=1
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Saturday, 4 May 2013
Quinoa Experiment
I decided to experiment with Quinoa this week so I made a loaded Quinoa mac and cheese.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup of uncooked Quinoa
1/4 Cup Velveeta Cheese cut up into cubes
1/4 Cup Ricotta
1/2 Cup Broccoli
1/4 Cup Red Peppers
1/4 Cup Old Cheddar Cheese
1 Tsp Butter
1 Garlic Clove
1 Egg
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cook Quinoa accordingly to the package directions. While Quinoa is cooking preheat oven to 350F.
2. Start cooking the cheese sauce, in a small sauce pan melt the Velveeta cheese and the Ricotta cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Once melted and bubbly then remove from heat.
3. Cut vegetables into small pieces and mince the garlic. in a small sauce pan melt the butter till bubbly then add the garlic and and veggies and saute for a few minutes.
4. When quinoa is done cooking add the egg, cheese sauce and veggies. Mix well and then add to a small pirex dish or casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on top to coat it and then place in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes to 30 minutes, until top is cooked and bubbly.
*Note: This serves two people and has a calorie content of 466 calories per serving. You can add other veggies as well. I did this recipe because I wanted a healthier option then a regular mac and cheese with noodles, the same size serving would have a calorie content of about 1100 calories. This recipe is packed full of way more nutrients and are not "empty" calories.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup of uncooked Quinoa
1/4 Cup Velveeta Cheese cut up into cubes
1/4 Cup Ricotta
1/2 Cup Broccoli
1/4 Cup Red Peppers
1/4 Cup Old Cheddar Cheese
1 Tsp Butter
1 Garlic Clove
1 Egg
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cook Quinoa accordingly to the package directions. While Quinoa is cooking preheat oven to 350F.
2. Start cooking the cheese sauce, in a small sauce pan melt the Velveeta cheese and the Ricotta cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Once melted and bubbly then remove from heat.
3. Cut vegetables into small pieces and mince the garlic. in a small sauce pan melt the butter till bubbly then add the garlic and and veggies and saute for a few minutes.
4. When quinoa is done cooking add the egg, cheese sauce and veggies. Mix well and then add to a small pirex dish or casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on top to coat it and then place in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes to 30 minutes, until top is cooked and bubbly.
*Note: This serves two people and has a calorie content of 466 calories per serving. You can add other veggies as well. I did this recipe because I wanted a healthier option then a regular mac and cheese with noodles, the same size serving would have a calorie content of about 1100 calories. This recipe is packed full of way more nutrients and are not "empty" calories.
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
So Much Better Making It Yourself!
So I absolutely LOVE the Cajun Chicken Cheddar Sandwich at Earls but I mean I can't go there once a month to eat it, its expensive and well I don't have time for that! So I tend to try and copycat dishes I like and see how it turns out, well and this one is a winner winner chicken dinner... literally! So here is my take on this delectable sandwich.
Copycat Earls Cajun Chicken Cheddar Sandwich:
Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts (Slice them in half fat wise to get thinner pieces)
4 Tblsps of Cajun Spice
1 Tblsp of Olive Oil
2 Large Slices of Old Cheddar Cheese (the older and more intense flavour the better)
2 Ciabetta buns or Kaiser Rolls
Toppings for your sandwich
Directions:
1) Take your two chicken breast and cut them fat wise so that they are not so thick. Coat your chicken pieces with Cajun spice, set aside.
2) Heat your skillet to a medium heat setting and then add olive oil, warm the olive oil and then place your Cajun coated chicken pieces to the hot pan. Cook each side till the spices are blackened (if not quite cooked through yet just add a lid on the skillet and cook through.)
3) Place slices of cheese on top of the chicken in the skillet place lid on top and cook till the cheese has melted.
4) Fix your buns up with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and place chicken slices on the bun and then serve and enjoy!
Copycat Earls Cajun Chicken Cheddar Sandwich:
Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts (Slice them in half fat wise to get thinner pieces)
4 Tblsps of Cajun Spice
1 Tblsp of Olive Oil
2 Large Slices of Old Cheddar Cheese (the older and more intense flavour the better)
2 Ciabetta buns or Kaiser Rolls
Toppings for your sandwich
Directions:
1) Take your two chicken breast and cut them fat wise so that they are not so thick. Coat your chicken pieces with Cajun spice, set aside.
2) Heat your skillet to a medium heat setting and then add olive oil, warm the olive oil and then place your Cajun coated chicken pieces to the hot pan. Cook each side till the spices are blackened (if not quite cooked through yet just add a lid on the skillet and cook through.)
3) Place slices of cheese on top of the chicken in the skillet place lid on top and cook till the cheese has melted.
4) Fix your buns up with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and place chicken slices on the bun and then serve and enjoy!
*Note: I like to add ketchup to mine also a perfect side is sweet potatoes fries, also you can coat the chicken with as much or as little spice as you like. I like it spicier so I add lots :)
Monday, 11 February 2013
Crispy and salty but not bad for you... it's a miracle!
So I have started changing some things diet wise and after Valentines Day I will be cutting out sugar again but this time for longer than a week. After Christmas I cut it out for 1 week and lost 2 pounds in just a week! I was good this last Christmas with the sweets but I still felt nasty, and again I am starting to just get that urge to cleanse myself again. We don't eat that much sugar or bad foods but with diabetes in my family I feel I need to be extra careful, also I don't want to get bigger with each kid I have so in between my goal is to be a hot Mom!! So today I made two healthy but awesome alternatives for snacks, I made baked Kale and Garlic Lemon Hummus:
Baked Kale:
Ingredients:
1 Bunch of Kale
1-2 Tblsps of Olive Oil
Salt
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300F. Cut out the centre stem part of the kale and then cut them or tear them into chip size pieces, do not cut them too small because they shrink down when they are baking. After cutting rinse the kale and use a salad spinner to dry the kale. To make sure it is completely dry place on a dish towel and let sit for 5 minutes.
2) Add kale and 1 Tblsp of olive oil to a large ziploc bag a massage the kale to coat it with the olive oil, if you need more olive oil add so all of the kale has an even coat on it.
3) Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat, lay kale on the tray so that it is only one layer. Sprinkle with salt, if you like it saltier you can add whatever floats your boat.
4) Bake for 20 mins, but make sure to check on it through out that time because you don't want to over cook it. Once the kale appears to be dried up then let it cool completely. This can be stored for up to two days in a ziploc bag.
*Note: If you have any other spices that you would like to add go ahead and experiment! Also I am telling you right now it won't last the 2 days, it's that good.
Garlic Lemon Hummus:
Ingredients:
1 Large can of Chick Peas
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
2-4 Garlic Cloves
2 Tablsps of Lemon Juice
1 Tablsp of Peanut Butter
Dash of Salt and Pepper
Directions:
1) Open can of chick peas and drain all the juice into a strainer, save some juice for later, rinse and remove all shells.
2) In a small sauce pan add chick peas and fill with water so that they are covered. Bring to a simmer and cook them so they are soft, about 10 mins.
3) Once cooked drain and put in a food processor add all the other ingredients plus some of the reserved juice. Just add a bit of juice at a time till it is silky smooth.
4) When done blending place in a bowl and refrigerate or eat right away. Serve with pita bread, veggies or anything else you would like to dip into it.
*Note: I use peanut butter because I don't know anyone who actually has Tahini paste and so you want that bit of nutty flavour and so peanut butter works great. Also if you like it more garlicy or lemony just add more to suit your tastes. I like more garlic hence the up to 4 cloves.
Baked Kale:
Ingredients:
1 Bunch of Kale
1-2 Tblsps of Olive Oil
Salt
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300F. Cut out the centre stem part of the kale and then cut them or tear them into chip size pieces, do not cut them too small because they shrink down when they are baking. After cutting rinse the kale and use a salad spinner to dry the kale. To make sure it is completely dry place on a dish towel and let sit for 5 minutes.
2) Add kale and 1 Tblsp of olive oil to a large ziploc bag a massage the kale to coat it with the olive oil, if you need more olive oil add so all of the kale has an even coat on it.
3) Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat, lay kale on the tray so that it is only one layer. Sprinkle with salt, if you like it saltier you can add whatever floats your boat.
4) Bake for 20 mins, but make sure to check on it through out that time because you don't want to over cook it. Once the kale appears to be dried up then let it cool completely. This can be stored for up to two days in a ziploc bag.
*Note: If you have any other spices that you would like to add go ahead and experiment! Also I am telling you right now it won't last the 2 days, it's that good.
Garlic Lemon Hummus:
Ingredients:
1 Large can of Chick Peas
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
2-4 Garlic Cloves
2 Tablsps of Lemon Juice
1 Tablsp of Peanut Butter
Dash of Salt and Pepper
Directions:
1) Open can of chick peas and drain all the juice into a strainer, save some juice for later, rinse and remove all shells.
2) In a small sauce pan add chick peas and fill with water so that they are covered. Bring to a simmer and cook them so they are soft, about 10 mins.
3) Once cooked drain and put in a food processor add all the other ingredients plus some of the reserved juice. Just add a bit of juice at a time till it is silky smooth.
4) When done blending place in a bowl and refrigerate or eat right away. Serve with pita bread, veggies or anything else you would like to dip into it.
*Note: I use peanut butter because I don't know anyone who actually has Tahini paste and so you want that bit of nutty flavour and so peanut butter works great. Also if you like it more garlicy or lemony just add more to suit your tastes. I like more garlic hence the up to 4 cloves.
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Name brand versus non name brand
This is an on going thing in today's society whether it is clothing, food or baby products. Pretty much anything that you can buy can be branded with so many different names, honestly there are products that people swear by and they are the name brand ones, but I have to say don't be close minded because a certain product is a no name product. You might be extremely surprised and find that it works better for you and is significantly cheaper. In this post I wanted to share a bit of what I have discovered in this on going battle of the brands and which brands I have tried and have failed or have been successful.
Diapers:
Okay so many people that I know swear by Huggies and Pampers and I have tried them but I have to say that I don't like them. Olivia has had leaks in those brands and they don't hold up for the night. It made me a little annoyed when she was first born because they are so expensive!! I tried a few different kinds, I tried Costco's Kirkland diapers and they were not too bad but Olivia had a few BAD poopy diaper blow outs, one in which it went all down her Daddies arms and legs! So I figured I would look around again, one day at Safeway I noticed a brand that was a fraction of the cost of all the other diapers with the name Mom to Mom. Now this brand is specific for Safeway and is only sold there, I was a little sceptical at first so I just bought a small package, but I LOVE them now and they are the only kind I buy. A added bonus is they go on sale once a month and when they do a box of 96 goes on sale for $10.99 originally $21.99. So if you buy two boxes you pay for the same price as one and it is half the price of Huggies and Pampers.
Soup:
Okay this one yes you can get the no name brand stuff for so cheap but this is one I can't do, I have tried but the no name brand stuff is AWFUL, like barf awful. I swear by Campbells soup products, they can be a bit pricey, but again if you wait for a sale you can get a slamming deal and stock up. Once a month at Safeway a flat of 12 goes on sale for $5.99, when that happens I stock up because again it is half price.
Butter:
Butter is amazing and we don't use margarine in our house because it doesn't melt at room temperature and it just tastes gross. But butter is much more expensive than its flavourless nasty competitor. But if you price it out right you can find butter for a pretty decent price, Superstore for example has butter with their actual No Name brand and it is only $2.50 for a pound, Costco has name brand butter for around $3.50. I naturally went for the cheaper of them and I actually love the flavour of the butter and my wallet loves it too!
Babies Formula:
This one again is one of those name brand battles because so many Mom's I know swear by Similac. Olivia was a breastfed baby from day one but I have recently had to start weaning her because, well, she bit me and pulled so yeah you can imagine that I would start cutting her off. I don't need to lose a nipple! I had tried one kind of Similac months ago because we would give her formula when we had to go out or when she was being babysat, but it just bummed her up and the poor girl had such a rough go with it. Recently I tried WalMarts Parents First Choice Calcium fortified 6-18 months formula, it has been so good for her and hasn't caused any problems and for a majour bonus it only is $15.00 for a 900 Gram container. Similac can cost up to $45.00 for the same size!!
All in all you find what works for you and if you are what they call a name brand snob you might have tried other things and it not work. But if it's because you think it is lesser quality I just encourage you to try and you might like the other brands better and they won't hit your wallet as hard.
Also whenever it comes to shopping look around for prices and the best deals. One thing I notice is certain things go on sale the same time every month and if you track it then you can better budget your groceries and other house hold expenses. But more on that another day!
Happy budgeting and planning :)
Diapers:
Okay so many people that I know swear by Huggies and Pampers and I have tried them but I have to say that I don't like them. Olivia has had leaks in those brands and they don't hold up for the night. It made me a little annoyed when she was first born because they are so expensive!! I tried a few different kinds, I tried Costco's Kirkland diapers and they were not too bad but Olivia had a few BAD poopy diaper blow outs, one in which it went all down her Daddies arms and legs! So I figured I would look around again, one day at Safeway I noticed a brand that was a fraction of the cost of all the other diapers with the name Mom to Mom. Now this brand is specific for Safeway and is only sold there, I was a little sceptical at first so I just bought a small package, but I LOVE them now and they are the only kind I buy. A added bonus is they go on sale once a month and when they do a box of 96 goes on sale for $10.99 originally $21.99. So if you buy two boxes you pay for the same price as one and it is half the price of Huggies and Pampers.
Soup:
Okay this one yes you can get the no name brand stuff for so cheap but this is one I can't do, I have tried but the no name brand stuff is AWFUL, like barf awful. I swear by Campbells soup products, they can be a bit pricey, but again if you wait for a sale you can get a slamming deal and stock up. Once a month at Safeway a flat of 12 goes on sale for $5.99, when that happens I stock up because again it is half price.
Butter:
Butter is amazing and we don't use margarine in our house because it doesn't melt at room temperature and it just tastes gross. But butter is much more expensive than its flavourless nasty competitor. But if you price it out right you can find butter for a pretty decent price, Superstore for example has butter with their actual No Name brand and it is only $2.50 for a pound, Costco has name brand butter for around $3.50. I naturally went for the cheaper of them and I actually love the flavour of the butter and my wallet loves it too!
Babies Formula:
This one again is one of those name brand battles because so many Mom's I know swear by Similac. Olivia was a breastfed baby from day one but I have recently had to start weaning her because, well, she bit me and pulled so yeah you can imagine that I would start cutting her off. I don't need to lose a nipple! I had tried one kind of Similac months ago because we would give her formula when we had to go out or when she was being babysat, but it just bummed her up and the poor girl had such a rough go with it. Recently I tried WalMarts Parents First Choice Calcium fortified 6-18 months formula, it has been so good for her and hasn't caused any problems and for a majour bonus it only is $15.00 for a 900 Gram container. Similac can cost up to $45.00 for the same size!!
All in all you find what works for you and if you are what they call a name brand snob you might have tried other things and it not work. But if it's because you think it is lesser quality I just encourage you to try and you might like the other brands better and they won't hit your wallet as hard.
Also whenever it comes to shopping look around for prices and the best deals. One thing I notice is certain things go on sale the same time every month and if you track it then you can better budget your groceries and other house hold expenses. But more on that another day!
Happy budgeting and planning :)
Thursday, 10 January 2013
A little something to go on the side!
So I decided to make these parmesan encrusted potatoes, they were pretty good! Next time I will have to use smaller potatoes so they are crispier and have more of the coating!
Ingredients:
1) Pre Heat oven to 400F, scrubbed potaotes and then cut them in half.
2) Melt butter in a 9 by 13 inch pyrex glass pan. Then sprinkle all the spices and cheese on top of the butter.
3) Place potatoes cut side down on the butter, cheese and spice mixture. Place in the oven and cook for 45 mins.
*Note: These were so good and a great side to any dish!
Ingredients:
- 6 small Red Potatoes
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 Cup of Butter
- 2 Tblsps of Parsley Flakes
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp of Salt
1) Pre Heat oven to 400F, scrubbed potaotes and then cut them in half.
2) Melt butter in a 9 by 13 inch pyrex glass pan. Then sprinkle all the spices and cheese on top of the butter.
3) Place potatoes cut side down on the butter, cheese and spice mixture. Place in the oven and cook for 45 mins.
*Note: These were so good and a great side to any dish!
A cupcake made for the God's
Today is boxing day and we are hosting a dinner party for the family. I wanted to make an amazing dessert or cupcake so I decided to do a cupcake, but not just any cupcake, a Ferrero Rochet cupcake! I saw it on Pintrest but didn't really find a recipe I liked so I just used a family heirloom recipe and made up my own icing and they turned out great.
For the cake recipe I used my Great Grandma Skamahorn's chocolate cake recipe which is like 100 years old.
Chocolate cake:
Ingredients:
For the cake recipe I used my Great Grandma Skamahorn's chocolate cake recipe which is like 100 years old.
Chocolate cake:
Ingredients:
- 3 Cups of Flour
- 2 Cups of Sugar
- 2 tsps of Baking Powder
- 2 tsps of Baking Soda
- 1/2 Cup of Cocoa
- 3/4 Cup of Butter
- 2 Cups of Hot Water
- 2 tsps of Vanilla
- 3 Tblsp of Vinegar
1) Pre heat oven to 350F. Stir together the first 5 ingredients
2) Melt the butter and water together, let cool, add vinegar and vanilla.
3) Put eggs on top of dry ingredients, then add liquid ingredients and stir.
4) Place in a cake pan, but I put it in 24 muffin tins that were lined.
5) Bake for 25 mins or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Chocolate Nutella Butter Cream Icing:
Ingredients:
- 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tblsp of Shortening
- 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tblsp of Butter
- 1/4 Cup of Nutella
- 2-3 Cups of Icing Sugar
- 1 Tblsp of Milk
2) Add milk and then icing sugar, if you want the icing to be stiffer add more icing sugar and if you want it runnier don't add as much.
Then pipe the icing on the completely cooled cupcakes, then top them with a Ferrero Rochet and then enjoy!
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