Menu Monday

Quiche, fruit salad

Italian cabbage casserole, garlic bread

Tacos, rice, beans

Chicken stir-fry, rice

Homemade pizza, salad

Chicken noodle soup, salad, berry crumble

 

This is the plan anyway.  There are 2 end of the year parties this week so we will see.

 

 

Purina One Cat Food & product testing

I have joined an online product testing company.  So every now and then I will have a product review on here.  The products I will test are free to me and I'm not paid any actual money. It is fun for us to get in a new box and see what's in it.  My reviews will always be honest if we like the products or not. I figure it's ok to post this here because by doing so I get bonus points and getting free stuff is definatly budget friendly.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

First blogging review:  Purina One Cat Food

I have fed my cats 9 lives for years because it keeps them healthy looking and it is one of the few they would eat. (picky babies)   Now I'm down to one cat and she was the more picky one.  So when I received the cat food to test I figured it was not going to get eaten.  Well, she really likes it.  It is a little more expensive than the other brand I normally buy but other than that it gets a good review.  Would I buy a bag? Yes I would.

@purinaONEcats

@Influenster

#ONEswitch

Budget friendly meals - Butterbeans

The butterbean aka dried lima beans is a  Southern classic that often gets overlooked.  Butterbeans can be cooked any way you like and many people have many twists on their favorite recipes.  I'm going to share with you my favorite way to cook butterbeans. We are having them for dinner tonight with some hot water cornbread. 

Put 1 lb. of butterbeans in a pressure cooker.  (I am using the small ones but any size is ok.)
Add in 8 cups water, 1 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
About an hour before serving turn pressure on for 20 minutes.
Check for doneness.  If not done yet turn back on for about 5 minutes. (They do not take as long as some other beans.)
When done add in 1/4 cup of butter.
Stir & serve!

You can also do this on the stove top or crockpot. Just adjust cooking times.

Stovetop- approximately 1 hour, if soaked before
Crockpot- approximately 5 hours

Butterbeans make a great main dish or side dish.  Left-overs freeze well and they also taste even better the next day for lunch.

Enjoy!

Whole wheat blueberry pancakes

Makes about 6 medium sized pancakes.

1 egg
1 c. milk
1/8 c. coconut oil

1 c. freshly ground whole wheat flour (or could use white)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

blueberries

Whisk wet ingredients together & then whisk in the dry until no lumps.

Cook on griddle and dot with blueberries.

Flip and when done enjoy!

This recipe can easily be doubled if you need more pancakes for your family.

My Version of Taco Soup

My crock pot is a kitchen tool I really wouldn't want to be without. On days where we plan on being busy it is so nice to come home to a nice, hot meal simmering away.  Another plus is if I'm out later than dinner time the members of my family that are home can go ahead and eat if they want to.

This recipe could easily be cooked on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker.  I just usually make it in the crock pot.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or pork (your preference)
2 c. cooked black beans
1 cup corn
2 c. tomato sauce
1 c. diced tomatoes w/green chili's (or just use plain diced tomatoes if you're not into spicy)
2 T. taco type seasoning
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder (or could use 1/3 cup chopped onion)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Brown your meat & drain off any fat.  Then pour everything else into the crockpot.  Add in just enough water to where everything is just covered.  Cook on low for about 7 hours or high for about 4.

You can serve this as is or you can pour some over some tortilla or frito chips. Then sprinkle on a little shredded cheese.

This is so easy & you can adapt pretty much any of the ingredients to suit your taste.

This makes about 7 good sized bowls.

A Short Word:

The Good Old Days:

 

God says:

  To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

      ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

It's all right to remember and treasure things from the past,

but God always wants us to enjoy each new day and live it to the fullest,

with gratitude.

What's up doc?

My daughter & my son's girlfriend hard at work peeling away!

Do carrots really help you to see better?
Sure they do.  Have you ever seen a bunny wearing glasses?
My son used to love that joke.

We finally got some rain last week so we went out, in the rain, and pulled up all of the carrots that were left in the garden.
Carrots are mostly tops so with the tops we had 2 laundry baskets full of carrots.

Sunday after church we sat out on the porch and cut off all of the tops & ends.

Then brought them in for a through washing & peeled them.

After we set all of the small ones in a pile and cut the others into coins.

The stove was busy.  Some of the carrots here waiting to be blanched and some tomato sauce cooking on the left.
 

Blanched them for about 3 minutes and then allowed them to drain & cool.

Then we packed them up in freezer bags & in the freezer they went.

We ended up with 10 bags full.

So now we've got plenty of squash & carrots put up!

I really appreciated the help I got from the family or I'd have been at this all day. With everyone helping it took us about 2 hours from start to finish.

As for all the green tops & peels they didn't go to waste. The chickens loved them.

Thanks y'all!

(You can easily can carrots, I just personally don't like the texture of a canned carrot)