• Recipe: Seasoned Pumpkin Seeds

    Fresh pumpkin seeds.

    I shared this recipe last year and since it was a big hit I am re-posting it again this year.  Jake made some amazing roasted pumpkin seeds during our time carving the pumpkins.  Here is a super easy and great recipe for roasting pumpkins seeds:

    • 2 c pumpkin seeds
    • 2 T butter
    • Sprinkle Seasoned Salt (or substitute a 1/2 package ranch package mix)

    Rinse the pumpkin seeds.  Saute pumpkin seeds in the butter for about 5 minutes (until they start to turn brown).  Sprinkle the Seasoned Salt or Ranch Mix on the  seeds.  Spread seeds into a shallow baking pan and baked at 250 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until crispy.  Stirring every 10 minutes.

    We made half with the sprinkled Seasoned Salt and half with the Hidden Valley Ranch Dill Seasoning mix this year.  Delicious snacks for the whole family!

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    School is continuing at full throttle and we are finding ways to stay busy, ha!   I was able to get some great items on clearance and stock up on some lunch box items.  Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries from Aldi's and Walgreens
    Aldi Groceries:
    • $48.39 at Aldi’s for 4 boxes Macaroni & Cheese, 1 bag Cinnamon Bagels, 2 boxes Moo Tube Yogurts, 1 box refrigerator Pie Crusts, 4 bags Cheese Sticks, 2 boxes Seasoned Potatoes, 1 three pound bag Chicken, 1 bag White Tortilla Chips, 1 bag Sugar Wafers, 1 bag Cheddar Nuggets, 1 box Oatmeal, 2 packs Taco Seasoning, 1 box Butter, 2 blocks Cheddar Cheese, 4 boxes Vanilla Pudding, 1 container Light Sour Cream, 1 bag Granulated Sugar, 2 Blueberry Pancake Mixes, 5 boxes Tropical Fruit Rolls, 1 bag Carrots, and 2 containers fresh Mushrooms (I was able to get several of these items marked down at Ali’s, which is rare for me, yay!)

    Walgreen Groceries:

    • $1.21 at Walmart for 4 boxes Baking Soda, 3 bags Disney Car Marshmallows, 1 two liter Lemon Lime and 2 gallons Milk (the Baking Soda & Milk was on sale and the Marshmallows & Lemon Lime was on clearance.  I used a couple Register Rewards towards the purchase.)

    This week I spent $49.60 on groceries.  Even though I was only a little over on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on several items.     Thankfully I had extra in the grocery wallet to cover the expense.  I hope that next week is an even better week and we can come under budget for the week.

    It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

  • Family Recipe: Grandma’s Stuffed Pork Chops

    Jake’s Grandma Marge is a wonderful cook and she has an amazing recipe for pork chops & stuffing.  I am not a huge pork chops fan but these are really delicious.  She is a great cook and the pork chops are awesome.

    Grandma’s Pork Chops & Stuffing:

    • 4 Pork Chops (about 1 lb)
    • 3 cups Bread Crumbs
    • 2 Tablespoon chopped Onion
    • 1/4 cup melted Butter or Margarine
    • 1/4 cup Water
    • 1/4 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
    • 1 can (10 1/2 oz) condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
    • 1/3 cup Water

    Brown chops on both side, place in a shallow baking dish.  Lightly mix together bread cubes, onion, butter, 1/4 cup water, and poultry seasoning.  Place a mound of stuffing on each pork chop.  Blend soup and 1/3 cup water; pour over.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.

    Photo by Dan Perry

  • Recipe: Peanut Butter and Candy Cane Cookie Cups

    These are super easy and add fun to the any meal or snack.  We made these during our Christmas Baking Day.  I remember first making these yummy treat when I was in high school.  It is one of the easy recipes that I continue doing because they are such a hit with family and friends. It is basically a sugar cookie dough baked in a mini muffin pan with a Peanut Butter Cup or Candy Cane Kiss added at the end once it has started to cool.

    Peanut Butter & Candy Cane Cookie Cups

    • 1 package (18 ounces) refrigerator Sugar Cookie Dough OR here is our recipe for Sugar Cookie Dough if you want to make it from scratch.
    • All Purpose Flour (optional)
    • 12 unwrapped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
    • 12 unwrapped Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses

    1.  Preheat oven to 350° F.

    2.  Grease 24 (1 inch) mini muffin cups or you can put them directly into a greased mini muffin pan.

    3.  Make Sugar Cookie Dough according to directions or if you have purchased it from the store unwrap it.  Sprinkle the dough with a little flour to minimize sticking (if necessary).

    4.  Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to drop about 1 rounded tablespoon into each of the 24 mini muffin cups.

    5.  Bake at 350° F for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven. Let cool for about 5 minutes.  If you do not let it cool long enough the Peanut Butter Cups and Candy Cane Kisses will melt completely, you want them to remain recognizable. Press the 12 unwrapped Reese’s Peanut Cups and 12 unwrapped Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses into the mini sugar cookies.  You should have half Peanut Butter and half Candy Cane.  Let cool for an additional 5 to 10 minutes then gently remove them from the pan and place on a decorative dish or wrap in a pretty bag to give to family and friends.

  • Recipe: Homemade Naan Bread

    We brought dinner to a couple church events this week and decided to do an Indian theme.  We had Biryani, Rice, and Naan but couldn’t find Samosa’s since our favorite Indian store had closed two weeks ago (owners retired).

    Here is a great homemade Naan recipe my cousin shared with me.  We love eating it  with Indian food or plain.

    • 1 – .25 oz package active dry yeast
    • 1 cup warm water
    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 3 tablespoons milk
    • 1 egg, beaten
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 4 1/2 cups bread flour (you can use either white or whole wheat)
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
    • 1/4 cup melted butter
    1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand about 10 minutes.
    2. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.
    3. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
    4. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth, then set aside. (Let dough rise for 1 hour, it should double in volume).
    5. Punch down dough and knead in garlic (if you chose to use it).
    6. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball.  Roll into ball shapes and place on a tray then cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in size (about 30 minutes).
    7. While dough is rising the 2nd time, preheat grill to high heat.  (you can use a griddle if you prefer too).
    8. Roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle and lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes (or until puffy and lightly browned).
    9. Brush uncooked side with butter and flip over. Brush cooked side with butter and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes.
    10. Remove from grill and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

    Serve the Naan with an Indian dish or really any other meal.   A light bread with great flavor.  It is similar to a pita for those who have not tried Naan.  Enjoy!