Good morning all! Its Friday! What a week its been. Its the week after Christmas, Christmas was Sunday. Tuesday Carson had testing, Wednesday I had a scheduled appointment with Case Management for Caleb, Carson and Connor but she is awesome and allowed us to reschedule so we could go to a play date. Thursday Caleb, Cody and Carson had counseling down in Livermore Falls, in 45 min. increments X3! That was horrible and I will not do it again! The younger ones got bored fast and we got spoke to about the noise twice! ugh! Then we came home from that and almost immediately had an appointment with Assistance Plus, Carson's BHP supervisor. Then today Friday, I have an 11:45 with the case manager I rescheduled for our Wednesday playdate! Its so much! but I wouldn't know what to change or give up. Obviously I will not schedulue 3 appointments back to back, I was thinking I would get them out of the way with, but other than that not sure what to give up! I really do need case Management to help in getting my children the services they need, and Carson's BHP is worth her weight in gold! She has been so amazing! Counseling could of waited till next week when there in school, but i thought where Christmas can accentuate there dissabilities, I would have them go. Carson's eval was necessary, although we now know he IS NOT on the Autism spectrum, we are not any further in the process than when we started in October! and have another appointment schudled for January 16th, hopefully will have an idea of diagnosis and treatment at that time!
So its been a little busy around here!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Budget Friendly Recipes...
Easy crock pot Chili:
This recipe is great for a busy night, put it in the crock pot in the morning on low and it will be ready to go for supper! You do not need a crock pot for this recipe, if your not in a hurry just put all ingredients in a pot and cook till desired doneness! (the chili seasoning melds better into the Chili the longer it cooks)
Meat: Anything you have. I have used hamburg, sausage and ground turkey. You can also combine them. Approx. 1 1/2 lbs. Depends on how meaty you want it!
2 big cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans of kidney beans or any you have to use up.
Chili Powder, as much as you like
Salt and Pepper
We put shredded Cheddar cheese on the top of it!
Brown the meat and drain any fat. Put in crock pot, add all the other ingredients, mix and put crock pot on low.
Delicious corn bread:
Mix in a bowl:
2 1/2 cups flour, I usually use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups corn meal
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp. salt
In a separate bowl mix:
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup veg. or canola oil
2 eggs, beaten (i usually beat them in the bowl first and add the other wet ingredients, as not to dirty another dish!)
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix, don't over mix. Then the secret ingredient. Fold in a whole can of cream corn!
Pore into a greased 9X13 pan and cook for 25 min. at 400*F
This whole meal cost around 15.00 and the next day we have the left over chili over tortilla chips with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.
YUM!
Quick and easy Pumpkin muffins:
Mix in one bowl:
1 cup of a solid fat such as butter, margarine or Crisco (I get the best results from Crisco)
2 cups sugar
Cream together then add:
3 eggs mix then add:
1 can of pumpkin
In another bowl mix together and whisk or sift:
4 cups of flour, I usually do 1/2 whole wheat flour.
4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. You can add anything you want such as Chocolate chips (my kids fave!), raisins, nuts or mix of each! I've also added chopped apples!
Cook at 350 for 15-20 minutes, depending on size of your muffins. You can also make it into quick bread, just keep and eye out for doneness.
Healthy easy homemade pancakes:
In a bowl beat up 2 eggs, then add:
2 cups milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
In another bowl mix and sift or whisk (i always just whisk)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white (I use unbleached) flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp. of baking powder
1 tsp of salt
Mix the dry ingredients with the wet and whisk just till combined.
You can add anything you like. Such as:
Blueberries
Strawberries
Mini Chocolate chips
Raspberries
Mashed bananas
Flax seed
Wheat germ
chopped apples (I add a pink of cinnamon also)
The possibilities are endless!
Easy Cheese Raviolis:
1 pkg. of cheese raviolis
1 can Hunts Spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese
Mix the raviolis and sauce in a casserole dish (no need to cook them first, although you could if you wanted) and top with he Parmesan cheese and bake about 30 min. at 350.
I served these with Brussel sprouts and homemade garlic toast.
Easy inexpensive Garlic Toast:
Anything you have for leftover bread, such as sandwich bread, hamburger rolls, hot dog rolls, bagels, english muffins ect.
Margarine or butter (softened)
Garlic Powder (as much as you like for flavor)
Salt, couple pinches
Mix the butter with Garlic Powder and salt in a dish. Spread on your choice of bread and broil for just a few minutes. (watch closely, you don't want it to burn).
hint: you could use Garlic Salt if that's all you have, I do not because I find it to salty!
Quick, easy and cheap American Chop Suey:
1 lb of Hamburg
1 onion
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 cans of tomato soup
Salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like.
Fry the hamburg and onion, drain off fat, and add all other ingredients. Mix with aprox. 2 cups (before cooking) of macaroni, or other noodles you have.
This recipe makes enough to feed my family of 8 of a cost of about 6.50!!!!! I serve it with green beans and buttered bread. And its one of the few meals my whole family loves!
Quick and easy Reduced Fat Strawberry muffins:
I 1/2 pint Apple Butter or the equivalent apple sauce (If using apple sauce you will need to add about 1/2-3/4 cup of sugar)
2 eggs
1 Tsp vanilla
Mix this till blended.
add:
1 container of frozen strawberries, about 2 cups
Mix and then add:
2 cups flour ( I use 1/2 whole wheat/white)
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix till combined. cook at 350 for about 12 min.
ENJOY!
Easy Muffins:
1 cup of a solid fat, such as Crisco, margarine or butter. I almost always use butter.
2 cups sugar
Cream together, then add:
4 eggs (you can get away with 3)
2 tsp. of vanilla
Beat to combine, then add one of the following:
Bananas (6 crushed)
or 2 cups the following:
Apple Sauce
Pear Sauce
Crushed Strawberries
Pumpkin or squash puree
Then add:
4 cups flour
4tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
and 1/2 to 1 tsp. any spices you like. such as cinn, all spice, ginger, nutmeg ect.
Bake at 350 for about 12 min, watch different ingredients cause different cooking times. This recipe makes at least 24 muffins. You can scale it down by 1/2 if you don't need that many.
Note: You can also add any extras. Such as diced apples, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, nuts, ect. Just fold them into the finished recipe.
This recipe is great for a busy night, put it in the crock pot in the morning on low and it will be ready to go for supper! You do not need a crock pot for this recipe, if your not in a hurry just put all ingredients in a pot and cook till desired doneness! (the chili seasoning melds better into the Chili the longer it cooks)
Meat: Anything you have. I have used hamburg, sausage and ground turkey. You can also combine them. Approx. 1 1/2 lbs. Depends on how meaty you want it!
2 big cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans of kidney beans or any you have to use up.
Chili Powder, as much as you like
Salt and Pepper
We put shredded Cheddar cheese on the top of it!
Brown the meat and drain any fat. Put in crock pot, add all the other ingredients, mix and put crock pot on low.
Delicious corn bread:
Mix in a bowl:
2 1/2 cups flour, I usually use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups corn meal
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp. salt
In a separate bowl mix:
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup veg. or canola oil
2 eggs, beaten (i usually beat them in the bowl first and add the other wet ingredients, as not to dirty another dish!)
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix, don't over mix. Then the secret ingredient. Fold in a whole can of cream corn!
Pore into a greased 9X13 pan and cook for 25 min. at 400*F
This whole meal cost around 15.00 and the next day we have the left over chili over tortilla chips with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.
YUM!
Quick and easy Pumpkin muffins:
Mix in one bowl:
1 cup of a solid fat such as butter, margarine or Crisco (I get the best results from Crisco)
2 cups sugar
Cream together then add:
3 eggs mix then add:
1 can of pumpkin
In another bowl mix together and whisk or sift:
4 cups of flour, I usually do 1/2 whole wheat flour.
4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. You can add anything you want such as Chocolate chips (my kids fave!), raisins, nuts or mix of each! I've also added chopped apples!
Cook at 350 for 15-20 minutes, depending on size of your muffins. You can also make it into quick bread, just keep and eye out for doneness.
Healthy easy homemade pancakes:
In a bowl beat up 2 eggs, then add:
2 cups milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
In another bowl mix and sift or whisk (i always just whisk)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white (I use unbleached) flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp. of baking powder
1 tsp of salt
Mix the dry ingredients with the wet and whisk just till combined.
You can add anything you like. Such as:
Blueberries
Strawberries
Mini Chocolate chips
Raspberries
Mashed bananas
Flax seed
Wheat germ
chopped apples (I add a pink of cinnamon also)
The possibilities are endless!
Easy Cheese Raviolis:
1 pkg. of cheese raviolis
1 can Hunts Spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese
Mix the raviolis and sauce in a casserole dish (no need to cook them first, although you could if you wanted) and top with he Parmesan cheese and bake about 30 min. at 350.
I served these with Brussel sprouts and homemade garlic toast.
Easy inexpensive Garlic Toast:
Anything you have for leftover bread, such as sandwich bread, hamburger rolls, hot dog rolls, bagels, english muffins ect.
Margarine or butter (softened)
Garlic Powder (as much as you like for flavor)
Salt, couple pinches
Mix the butter with Garlic Powder and salt in a dish. Spread on your choice of bread and broil for just a few minutes. (watch closely, you don't want it to burn).
hint: you could use Garlic Salt if that's all you have, I do not because I find it to salty!
Quick, easy and cheap American Chop Suey:
1 lb of Hamburg
1 onion
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 cans of tomato soup
Salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like.
Fry the hamburg and onion, drain off fat, and add all other ingredients. Mix with aprox. 2 cups (before cooking) of macaroni, or other noodles you have.
This recipe makes enough to feed my family of 8 of a cost of about 6.50!!!!! I serve it with green beans and buttered bread. And its one of the few meals my whole family loves!
Quick and easy Reduced Fat Strawberry muffins:
I 1/2 pint Apple Butter or the equivalent apple sauce (If using apple sauce you will need to add about 1/2-3/4 cup of sugar)
2 eggs
1 Tsp vanilla
Mix this till blended.
add:
1 container of frozen strawberries, about 2 cups
Mix and then add:
2 cups flour ( I use 1/2 whole wheat/white)
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix till combined. cook at 350 for about 12 min.
ENJOY!
Easy Muffins:
1 cup of a solid fat, such as Crisco, margarine or butter. I almost always use butter.
2 cups sugar
Cream together, then add:
4 eggs (you can get away with 3)
2 tsp. of vanilla
Beat to combine, then add one of the following:
Bananas (6 crushed)
or 2 cups the following:
Apple Sauce
Pear Sauce
Crushed Strawberries
Pumpkin or squash puree
Then add:
4 cups flour
4tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
and 1/2 to 1 tsp. any spices you like. such as cinn, all spice, ginger, nutmeg ect.
Bake at 350 for about 12 min, watch different ingredients cause different cooking times. This recipe makes at least 24 muffins. You can scale it down by 1/2 if you don't need that many.
Note: You can also add any extras. Such as diced apples, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, nuts, ect. Just fold them into the finished recipe.
Waste not want not!
I remember hearing this as kid! My grandparents, who were raised through the depression, saved everything! I know I can not save everything nor would I want too! However it is time that we start paying attention to how much we waste. Not just my family of 8 but us as a Country. We are very wasteful.
We have no dishwasher, so supper dishes can be a little ridiculous. LOL! So I started buying paper plates and cups a while ago, but there is so much trash after supper? Also cleaning up the table after supper made me realize how much food we waste!
I had the kids come back and finish there milk, and the babies never touched there Chili so I put it in a to go (reusable) container for Terry to take for lunch.
If the milk has sat out to long I use it to make Pancakes or muffins. I keep a jar (that I've recycled) in the fridge and keep filling it till I have enough milk to make pancakes.
I also am going to start with smaller portions at meal time. Its healthier and they can always have more if there still hungry.
I'm going to put together a list of inexpensive, time saving recipes soon. Last night we had Chili which was delicious but didn't hold a candle to the rockin' awesome corn bread i made! I'll tell my awesome cost friendly secret in my next blog!
Wishing everyone happy savings!
We have no dishwasher, so supper dishes can be a little ridiculous. LOL! So I started buying paper plates and cups a while ago, but there is so much trash after supper? Also cleaning up the table after supper made me realize how much food we waste!
I had the kids come back and finish there milk, and the babies never touched there Chili so I put it in a to go (reusable) container for Terry to take for lunch.
If the milk has sat out to long I use it to make Pancakes or muffins. I keep a jar (that I've recycled) in the fridge and keep filling it till I have enough milk to make pancakes.
I also am going to start with smaller portions at meal time. Its healthier and they can always have more if there still hungry.
I'm going to put together a list of inexpensive, time saving recipes soon. Last night we had Chili which was delicious but didn't hold a candle to the rockin' awesome corn bread i made! I'll tell my awesome cost friendly secret in my next blog!
Wishing everyone happy savings!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Bring on 2012!!!!
I am so ready for 2012! It has been a a very sad, stressful 2011! I am really looking forward to my new ventures! One being consistently living a more frugal lifestyle, saving more, spending less, and hopefully discovering new and exciting ways to save money! My family of 8 currently lives in a small 1,900 square foot home with one toilet! We need a bigger house! It isn't ever going to happen if I can not find a way to save more money and pay off some current debt!
Roughly translated: momma needs to get organized! I am thinking of trying mint.com for budget software, I'll let everyone know how i like it!
The real unfortunate part of saving money and spending less, is I have to give up some things I really enjoy! Like my keurig, Internet on my cell phone, eating out, anything convenient, Dunkin Donuts coffee, ect.
I have struggled in the past with "sticking to it!" so I am truly hoping to give it all Ive got this time around! There has never been a better time to jump in feet first! The economy is horrible right now! Families like Terry and mine are truly stuck in the lower middle class muddle!
A few more days before the hammer comes down on the new year, but I have already started my slow recovery process! Now to make some hard decisions.
Happy 2012 to everyone and hope everyone had a great Christmas!
Roughly translated: momma needs to get organized! I am thinking of trying mint.com for budget software, I'll let everyone know how i like it!
The real unfortunate part of saving money and spending less, is I have to give up some things I really enjoy! Like my keurig, Internet on my cell phone, eating out, anything convenient, Dunkin Donuts coffee, ect.
I have struggled in the past with "sticking to it!" so I am truly hoping to give it all Ive got this time around! There has never been a better time to jump in feet first! The economy is horrible right now! Families like Terry and mine are truly stuck in the lower middle class muddle!
A few more days before the hammer comes down on the new year, but I have already started my slow recovery process! Now to make some hard decisions.
Happy 2012 to everyone and hope everyone had a great Christmas!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Three days till Christmas!!!! YIKES!
Wow! I just realized how close Christmas is! I have 3 days, including today to get EVERYTHING done! This happens every year and every year things always eventually get done, so I' dont know why I panic the way I do! Although I do not want a repeat of last year when I was driving to moms at 11pm on Chritmas Eve to get wrapping paper and then wrapping till 2am!
I got a total of 3 presants wrapped last night before I ran out of tape! I am hoping my babysitter is available to watch the little ones today so i can get more done! I can not get anything done with them here!
I wish I had more help some days, like someone to offer to help with them, but it is what it is. I need to figure it out, if it was'nt $60 a day for childcare, I would use my babysitter more often! It really does get done, somehow! I've gotten quite creative before!
I've got to finish up my shopping today! Do the sock stuff! and hopfully finish wrapping!
Merry Christmas everyone!
I got a total of 3 presants wrapped last night before I ran out of tape! I am hoping my babysitter is available to watch the little ones today so i can get more done! I can not get anything done with them here!
I wish I had more help some days, like someone to offer to help with them, but it is what it is. I need to figure it out, if it was'nt $60 a day for childcare, I would use my babysitter more often! It really does get done, somehow! I've gotten quite creative before!
I've got to finish up my shopping today! Do the sock stuff! and hopfully finish wrapping!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Playing with Layout and Design!
I am trying to make my blog look more pretty! I really really (I know, youve heard it a 100 times!) going to try and blog more after the Holidays! I really really want to! I love sharing about my crazy life! I also hope to start including money saving tips, recipes and tips on raising a large family in this economy! Who knows maybe i will even learn something! (I hope so! LOL)
Happy Holidays all!
Happy Holidays all!
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