It's official, I cannot bake. I really can't. I borrowed this awesome recipe book from the library (which now I cannot wait to return) and saw a recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies. I already had all of the ingredients in the house - which is so unlike me, so I thought I'd give it a go and make them for when my hubby and little dude wanted a snack. BIG mistake.
They came out less like chewy chocolate chip cookies and more like salty cakes that weren't cooked in the middle. The question is, how on earth did I manage to screw it up so badly? It seemed like a fool-proof recipe. Obviously the writer never accounted for this idiot.
So, I think it's safe to say that I shall be sticking with my Betty Crocker packets where you just add an egg and some water for now until my baking ego has sufficiently recovered from this disaster.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Etsy
I have recently discovered a fabulous website: Etsy.com. The only problem is, I want to purchase everything I see!
I am a huge fan of homemade items, for several reasons. Mainly because the items are one of a kind, but also because I feel like I'm supporting those out there trying to make a living making their products with love and feeling.
So, I bought the little chick (for when she eventually decides to put in an appearance) some onesies that have been decorated especially, some birthday and valentines gifts for friends and family and a necklace. My best purchase is a bag of handmade fish shapes with numbers on them to help the Dude learn to count. It's his favorite toy when he's not playing with Thomas! But more than purchasing the products, I love browsing and adding shops to my favorites. I love looking at items and thinking 'Wouldn't that be an awesome birthday gift for ...'
So if you get a chance, have a little look on Etsy.
I am a huge fan of homemade items, for several reasons. Mainly because the items are one of a kind, but also because I feel like I'm supporting those out there trying to make a living making their products with love and feeling.
So, I bought the little chick (for when she eventually decides to put in an appearance) some onesies that have been decorated especially, some birthday and valentines gifts for friends and family and a necklace. My best purchase is a bag of handmade fish shapes with numbers on them to help the Dude learn to count. It's his favorite toy when he's not playing with Thomas! But more than purchasing the products, I love browsing and adding shops to my favorites. I love looking at items and thinking 'Wouldn't that be an awesome birthday gift for ...'
So if you get a chance, have a little look on Etsy.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Philadelphia cream cheese
I love cream cheese. It doesn't last more than 5 minutes in this house. The Dude loves it too, especially on bagels.
He doesn't eat meat though. Well actually that's not true - he mostly doesn't eat meat. Occasionally he'll eat a chicken nugget or two. So imagine my surprise when he ate the meat sauce on his pasta at dinner! The solution - I mixed in cream cheese as I was cooking the sauce.
It was a recipe I found on Rachael Ray's website. Brown off the ground beef, stir in tomato sauce such as Ragu (I made my own) and melt in half a block of cream cheese before stirring in pasta. Top with Parmesan if desired. It was yummy and the best part of it is that it took 15 minutes to make!
So there you have it folks, if in doubt add cream cheese.
He doesn't eat meat though. Well actually that's not true - he mostly doesn't eat meat. Occasionally he'll eat a chicken nugget or two. So imagine my surprise when he ate the meat sauce on his pasta at dinner! The solution - I mixed in cream cheese as I was cooking the sauce.
It was a recipe I found on Rachael Ray's website. Brown off the ground beef, stir in tomato sauce such as Ragu (I made my own) and melt in half a block of cream cheese before stirring in pasta. Top with Parmesan if desired. It was yummy and the best part of it is that it took 15 minutes to make!
So there you have it folks, if in doubt add cream cheese.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
BJs Wholesale Club
I really don't like grocery shopping. I love food, but buying it can be a nightmare. So when we finally ran out of food in the pantry yesterday, I had to really psyche myself up to go out to BJs and do a food shop.
However, what we bought really made my day. A 3lb pork tenderloin that will last us two dinners and my hubby's lunch on Monday only cost $14. I usually spend that on way less at my regular grocery store. The meat is in the slow cooker as we speak, marinading in root beer (I found an awesome recipe on-line yesterday for pulled pork) ready to be shredded, mixed with BBQ sauce and put in sandwiches, served with home made mashed potatoes and veggies. Mmmm. I'm so hungry!
Then we bought 2lbs of stewing steak. That went in the crock pot last night and made an awesome casserole, which is now living in the freezer ready for when the baby arrives. That little lot came to roughly $12 and again will get us through two meals. What a bargin!
Lastly, 2lbs of ground beef will make enough spaghetti bolognaise to sink a battleship.
Being frugal is definitely the way to go, especially in the current economic climate. But it doesn't mean that your family meals have to suffer. If you have enough space in your freezer, there are plenty of yummy recipes out there for make-ahead meals that you can freeze until you need them. (Which in my case is most of the time!)
If you have a wholesale club in your area such as BJs or Costco that you can join, it's definitely an investment worth making. And they sell more than just mammoth amounts of meat! We buy all of our diapers, wipes, cleaning products and toiletries in the large quantities, because in the long-run, it saves us money. (And we even get coupons in the mail!)
However, what we bought really made my day. A 3lb pork tenderloin that will last us two dinners and my hubby's lunch on Monday only cost $14. I usually spend that on way less at my regular grocery store. The meat is in the slow cooker as we speak, marinading in root beer (I found an awesome recipe on-line yesterday for pulled pork) ready to be shredded, mixed with BBQ sauce and put in sandwiches, served with home made mashed potatoes and veggies. Mmmm. I'm so hungry!
Then we bought 2lbs of stewing steak. That went in the crock pot last night and made an awesome casserole, which is now living in the freezer ready for when the baby arrives. That little lot came to roughly $12 and again will get us through two meals. What a bargin!
Lastly, 2lbs of ground beef will make enough spaghetti bolognaise to sink a battleship.
Being frugal is definitely the way to go, especially in the current economic climate. But it doesn't mean that your family meals have to suffer. If you have enough space in your freezer, there are plenty of yummy recipes out there for make-ahead meals that you can freeze until you need them. (Which in my case is most of the time!)
If you have a wholesale club in your area such as BJs or Costco that you can join, it's definitely an investment worth making. And they sell more than just mammoth amounts of meat! We buy all of our diapers, wipes, cleaning products and toiletries in the large quantities, because in the long-run, it saves us money. (And we even get coupons in the mail!)
Friday, January 1, 2010
Nesting and pregnancy
I feel as though I have neglected this blog over the last few weeks. The truth is I haven't been able to do anything worth blogging about! Not surprisingly, I went into preterm labor and have ended up on bed rest. Which to most people would probably sound like heaven, but I have a nesting instinct so powerful that I'm going out of my mind, and worse still, I can't satisfy it. My husband has been nesting for me.
The pantry has been re-arranged, the house scrubbed from top to bottom and the closets tidied. Dinners have been cooked and laundry has been done, but I am ashamed to say not by me. And he's done a better job of it.
Still, by the end I'll have a beautiful baby girl as well as my handsome little dude and my family will be subjected to my somewhat chaotic housekeeping methods once more. I just hope it's sooner rather than later, I'm going out of my mind.
The pantry has been re-arranged, the house scrubbed from top to bottom and the closets tidied. Dinners have been cooked and laundry has been done, but I am ashamed to say not by me. And he's done a better job of it.
Still, by the end I'll have a beautiful baby girl as well as my handsome little dude and my family will be subjected to my somewhat chaotic housekeeping methods once more. I just hope it's sooner rather than later, I'm going out of my mind.
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