A Meatloaf Recipe That Made Me Love Meatloaf...

Just the sound of "meatloaf" sounds unappetizing to me. The actual dish has always been unappetizing as well. Every time I've ever had meatloaf it's either been sloppy and greasy, or super dry. My husband however, loves meatloaf. I set out years ago to try to find the perfect "loaf" recipe and while I never came to find just one that I liked, I adapted the parts I liked to make our own. And now guess what... I LOVE, yes you saw that right, LOVE meatloaf! So here is the recipe in case you are looking for one to try. 😉

Easy Meatloaf 

(Preheat Oven to 350)
1 lb 90% lean ground beef
1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup finely diced onions
1/2 cup of milk
1 large egg
2 T Ketchup
1 T Worcestershire sauce
a pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Glaze: 
1/4 C ketchup 
2 T brown sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 T red wine vinegar

- combine all ingredients except the glaze ingredients to create a well mixed meat mixture. 
- Add the meat to a loaf pan or to a muffin pan (we do this a lot so everyone gets their own mini meatloaf, it cooks faster as well). Pat to create an even layer. 
- In a small bowl combine glaze ingredients. Once combined, spoon the glaze ingredients over the meatloaf. 
- bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 50-55 minutes, or in a muffin pan for 30-35 minutes. 
- Let cool for 5mins then serve. 

Another Family Favorite

There are certain meals that become family favorites and this happens to be one of them, BBQ Cheddar Bacon Chicken. I got the idea and inspiration for this meal when I was eating at one of the local restaurants here. It also includes a recipe for a simple and flavorful BBQ sauce. So here goes, let me know if you try it and if you enjoyed it!

BBQ Cheddar Bacon Chicken

Ingredients:

Homemade BBQ Sauce (recipe at the bottom)
1 lb of Chicken Breast or 2 large chicken breasts
4 slices of bacon
salt
pepper
4 slices of cheddar or shredded cheddar cheese

***Begin by cooking 4 slices or so of bacon (we love Simple Truth Uncured Bacon) in an iron skillet

Preheat oven to 375. When the bacon is done leave just enough grease in the pan to keep your chicken from sticking and add a little extra flavor to your chicken. Butterfly or cut each chicken breast in half and lightly salt and pepper each side. Next, put them in the pan to begin cooking. Let it cook for 4 mins without disturbing it, then flip and cook for 4 more minutes. Next, put the whole pan in oven and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. While it's cooking prepare your BBQ sauce (recipe at the bottom). Pull chicken out and top by layering with BBQ sauce, bacon, then cheddar cheese. Turn the oven on broil and pop the skillet back in the oven for until the cheese begins to bubble. Remove and enjoy!

Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup of ketchup (our favorite is Simple Truth Organic)
1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/8 cup of brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
A couple of light squeezes of lemon
cracked pepper to taste
pinch of kosher salt
pinch garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer, stirring often for 10-15 mins or until all ingredients are combined. Enjoy!

Delicious Simple Hamburger Buns

I love to cook and I find it comes in super handy when you have a family of our size. Being a family of 7, and a range of ages from 34 down to 9 months old, I have found that cooking from scratch makes it the easiest way to cater to everyone. Our family loves a good grilled burger but when we were buying buns I often found wasted food, and didn't care for the fact that the buns were often bland unless I paid quite a bit for them. A few years ago I began my search for a bun recipe and found one that's super simple, however, I have tweaked it to be just how we like it. The best part is I can make them exactly the size our family needs them (which is usually several different sizes depending on the kid). These buns are delicious, easy, and have a super moist and soft texture. Here's the recipe, let me know what you think!

Simple Hamburger Buns

1 C plus 2 TBS of very warm water (make sure it's not hot, but very warm)
2 T Dry Active Yeast
1/3 C Coconut oil (make sure it's in a liquid state)
1/4 C Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 C All Purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in the warm water then lightly stir the oil and sugar (make sure not to over stir and kill your yeast). Let the mixture stand 3-5 minutes so yeast is well activated. You may notice some neat little chemical reactions with the activated yeast.
Next, stir in the egg, salt, and 2 cups of flour until everything is well combined. Add a little more flour until it forms a sticky ball of dough. Next turn out the dough onto a floured surface (I knead on parchment paper for easy cleanup). Knead the dough incorporating more flour as need to make a nice elastic dough.
Now divide the dough into 8-12 balls and place them on a baking sheet a few inches apart. I usually form my dough into thick circles rather than balls, making sure they are smooth. Cover and let them rise for 10-15 minutes. While they are rising set the oven to 425 F.
Bake for 8 minutes then place a small amount of butter on each roll/bun and place back in the oven for an additional 2-4 minutes, or until a golden brown.
Once finished let them cool on the counter, cut, and enjoy.

Let me know if you try them!

Tuscan Potato Soup- A Large Family Favorite

On a cold night, what could be more comforting than a big hearty bowl of delicious soup!?
This soup has become a family favorite around here and is sure to please your crowd. I did a vlog on YouTube showing just how easy it is and I doubled the recipe. The doubled recipe made a ton and we had some great leftovers for lunches the next two days!

Tuscan Potato Soup

1 lb of breakfast sausage (spicy would be great in this but not with young children)
1/2 of a red onion, diced
2 pieces of bacon, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 quart of chicken broth or 1 quart of water and 3 cubes of bouillon
1 1/2 pounds of potatoes (red or russet style work best) cut into large chunks
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 bunch of kale, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

On medium high heat brown sausage. Once browned, drain and put aside in a separate bowl. Next, add onion and bacon, cooking for about 2 minutes before adding the garlic cooking for another 2 minutes or so. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are able to be pierced with a fork. Next, stir in heavy cream, kale, salt, and pepper. Let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as our family does!

Basic Large Family Meat Sauce

Basic Large Family Meat Sauce

1lb ground beef or turkey

1lb sausage (Italian or breakfast style)

1/2 C onion diced

2 minced cloves of garlic

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes

2 small cans of tomato paste

1 15oz can of tomato sauce

1/2 cup water 

2 T sugar

2 tsp Italian seasoning 

1/2 tsp fennel

Sprinkling of parsley

Easy Scratch Made Biscuits

This Saturday was a lazy family day... finally! Being very pregnant with baby number 5 and having just bought a house that has needed a lot of work in April, a lazy Saturday was welcome. For breakfast we decided to do some delicious biscuits and gravy. It's definitely a favorite around here but not something we make very often because let's face it, it's not the healthiest of choices. Thankfully after years, yes, I said years, I mastered biscuits. 

Baking comes much easier to me now but it hasn't always and biscuits are something you have to really get right for them to be warm, fluffy, and delicious southern style. The way I make them is super simple. I get asked often how, so here is my easy to follow recipe. 

Easy Scratch Made Biscuits

2 cups of self-rising flour (I am a flour snob, I use King Arthur Flour)

1/4 tsp of baking soda

1/2 cup of chilled butter cut into tiny cubes

1 cup of milk (you may use buttermilk)

I use my KitchenAid stand mixer for the whole process. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease 2 round cake pans (or whatever you choose) with butter. Mix the flour and baking soda on the lowest speed until combined. Next, add the tiny cubes of butter and mix until combined and you have a coarse texture. Last add 1 cup of milk and mix until your dough pulls away from the sides and is incorporated into a sticky ball. If it's too sticky add a little more flour, if it's like normal bread dough and no stickiness add just a splash more of milk. Once the right texture is achieved, press the dough to about 1/2 to 1/3 inch thickness onto a lightly floured surface then cut out biscuits and put them barely touching in the cake pans. Bake for 10mins or until done (watch them, your oven may be done quicker). Let them cool for about 5mins in the pans then enjoy! 

We made these a few months ago, if you've never had a fried egg on a sausage biscuit, do it! YUM! 

Meal Plan for January 29-February 4

Do you get excited about trying new recipes? This week we are trying a new recipe for baked chicken chimichangas and I'm super excited! I also used my new Pullman Bread pan for the first time and I'm in love! A Pullman pan is a special bread pan with a lid that is designed to bake bread to look and have the texture of store bought bread without the weird mystery ingredients and preservatives. We made our first batch of bread yesterday and we absolutely LOVED it! No more bread from the store for us! I will be sure and do a post specifically about it soon! Here is our meal plan for the week.  I spent a total of $89.71 this week. Have a wonderful week! 

Breakfast: (in no particular order)

Granola bar (Sunday morning quick grab)

Vanilla yogurt with fresh fruit (repeat)

Cinnamon toast with eggs (repeat)

Breakfast "hash"

Old Fashion Oats with pure maple syrup as sweetener

Lunches: (in no particular order)

Toasted Turkey with Cheese, banana (Sunday lunch)

PB&J's, fresh veggies and fruit (repeat)

Boiled egg, cheese, fresh veggies, and seed crackers

Tortilla pizza and fruit

Salads with "fixings" 

Snacks:

Granola bars

Popcorn

Nuts with raisins

Apples and peanut butter

Dinners:

Sunday:

Baked Chicken Chimichangas, cilantro lime rice, and fresh guacamole with Beanitos 

Monday:

Potato Soup (we're omitting the heavy cream) and salad

Tuesday:

Quick Baked Chicken with Veggies and Wild Rice

Wednesday:

Chili served with fresh veggies and homemade ranch dip

Thursday:

Baked Potatoes with toppings including leftover chili served with a side steamed broccoli

Friday:

Spicy Chicken stir-fry with rice

Saturday: 

Leftovers night

20 Minute Roasted Chicken and Veggies and Dec. 30-Jan. 6 meal plan

Who doesn't love a delicious, healthy dinner that only takes 20 minutes to make!? All plates were empty in this house after this meal that will remain in our meal rotation from now on. It was so simple and so flavorful! Before we get to the meal, I will give a run-down of our meal plan for the next week and our grocery trip today.

Our family is a family of 6; the hubby, me, three constantly hungry boys, and our little princess. When I sat down to plan our menu, I planned all meals and snacks for the next week, along with 3 freezer meals.

Breakfasts (in no particular order)
Sausage Balls (making a double batch to freeze for another morning's breakfast later this month)
Eggs, yogurt, and fruit (Repeat meal) (Will need to buy all ingredients)
Pancakes and fruit (I already have our favorite Birch Benders pancake mix on hand)
Homemade Blueberry Muffins (I already have all baking needs on hand, I only need the blueberries)
Breakfast "hash" (Will use leftover hash to make breakfast burritos to freeze for another breakfast)
Homemade Brown Sugar Oatmeal with fruit (Already have the oats on hand)

Lunches
Sandwiches most days but rotating turkey and ham with pb&j along with raw carrots and broccoli and some fruit (will need to purchase all ingredients but PB and J)
Leftovers some days

Dinners
Roasted Chicken and Veggies (Will need to buy meat and all veggies, I have rice on hand)
Tacos (Will need to buy meat, tortillas, and all 'fixings')
Taco Salads (Will use leftover taco meat, will need to purchase salad ingredients)
Chicken Fried Rice (Will need to purchase eggs, frozen peas and carrots, and onions, everything else on hand)
Chili Petros (Will need to purchase meat, bell peppers, onions, and corn chips, everything else on hand)
Homemade Lasagna (Make in two pans, freeze one for a meal later in the month) (need to purchase all ingredients)(Serve with salad)
Leftover night

Snacks (all are options and they can choose what they would like)
Apples with Peanut Butter (need to purchase apples)
Granola Bars (purchase this time)
Organic Fruit snacks (need to purchase)
Almonds (already have)

*Also need to purchase milk, oregano, ended up purchasing a bag of organic cheetos and daddy's favorite cereal as treats

I was really shocked at the outcome of our shopping trip, especially since we were buying multiple rolls of natural sausage, 3 lbs of beef, 3 lbs of chicken breast, and sweet Italian Sausage... I thought for sure we would be at $200 or so... I was wrong and pleasantly surprised when my total was only $131.80! That's with mostly organic products with fresh fruits, veggies, and other items to make "whole food" meals. And don't forget the freezer meals!


So now for delicious meal from tonight! This meal came up on my Pinterest feed from GimmeDelicious but I added garlic which I think enhanced the flavor even more and next time we will omit the cherry tomatoes and add a little more broccoli.

20 Minute Roasted Chicken and Veggies

2 Chicken Breasts
1 cup chopped Bell Pepper (I used green)
1/2 of a chopped onion
1 zucchini chopped
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes ( I will omit this next time, we're not a fan of the texture)
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
1 tsp Italian Seasoning 
Paprika sprinkled lightly on top

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Chop all veggies into chunks and put in a glass pyrex dish. Next, cube the chicken and combine raw chicken with raw veggies by stirring into the pyrex dish.

2. Stir in olive oil making sure it gets to all ingredients in the dish. In a separate small bowl, mix together all spices then sprinkle over the chicken and veggie mixture, stirring to combine. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

3. Roast in a 500 degree oven for 15 mins. ENJOY!!!

We served ours with a side of wild rice and it was a hit!

Chicken Fried Rice

Looking for a meal that's easy to pull together and satisfies the craving for Asian food? Chicken Fried Rice is an easy dish to throw together and in reality is very cheap to make, especially for a large amount of people!

This recipe satisfied everyone's hunger and there were leftovers even after we had seconds! Since we are doing a budget challenge I decided to work this one in. I had some carrots I bought from SAM's, chicken thighs I bought on sale from Food City, rice I bought from TJ's, and eggs and onions we already had. Total, based on the ratios of everything used (we still have a lot left of each ingredient), this meal cost less than $6 for six people to have for dinner. 

Chicken Fried Rice:

1 pound of chicken, cooked and shredded (chicken thighs were so tender and worked great!)

3 cups of cooked brown jasmine rice (or whatever rice you have on hand)

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 cup of fresh diced carrots (I boiled mine just until they started to soften just a little)

1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas

2-3 T Soy sauce or alternative such as Liquid Aminos 

2 eggs

(optional) add chopped green onions on top at the end

1. Cook and shred or dice chicken. (I cooked mine in a baking dish in the oven with a soy sauce and honey mixture on top. While I cooked my chicken I was cooking my rice, my particular type of rice takes 35 minutes to cook)

2. Preheat a large skillet or wok on medium heat. Pour a bit of olive oil in the bottom to begin heating. Once oil is heated add onion, peas, and carrots, frying until tender. 

3. Push vegetable mixture to one side of the pan. On the other side scramble 2 eggs. Once you have finished cooking, mix with vegetables. 

4. Next, add rice and chicken and pour soy sauce on top. Stir and continue frying until heated thoroughly and well combined. 

5. Add chopped green onions if you like and enjoy!

July- Week 2 Meal Plan and Why I don't Coupon Anymore

Today we are kicking off the second week of our July budget challenge. This past week was full of store visits and mainly contained purchases of household staple items such as toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. This ate up $96.97 of our $175 grocery budget for the month. Looking at those numbers and the fact that I spent another $19.34 at Food City day before yesterday, I'm getting kind of nervous about what is left in our grocery budget for the month. Right now I have $58.69 left for the rest of the month. I'm still determined to find a way to make this work. Before when I used to coupon I could have easily done it, however, having four very young children now, I honestly don't have the time to devote to it. This leads me to why I don't coupon anymore...

In the past few years we have also made many changes to how we eat. We eat mainly fresh fruits and veggies, very little processed foods, as organic and non-gmo as possible, plant based and green cleaners, and safer toothpastes, shampoos, and soaps. I cook most things from scratch so that I know what my family is eating. Most of the things we purchase don't have coupons, so that, plus the time issue is why I don't coupon anymore. I do access and use Target's Cartwheel app for some items, but otherwise, I'm couponless.

Now, onto this week's meal plan:

Saturday, July 9:

Breakfast- Egg Sandwiches
Lunch- Annie's Mac and Cheese and Applesauce
Dinner- Chicken Fried Rice (recipe to follow)

Sunday, July 10:

Breakfast- (church)
Lunch- After Church dinner
Dinner- Beef Cabbage Soup

Monday, July 11:

Breakfast- Oatmeal and fruit (blackberries growing in the woods beside the house)
Lunch- Peanut Butter wraps, carrot sticks and cucumbers out of the garden
Dinner- Leftover Beef Cabbage Soup

Tuesday, July 12:

Breakfast- eggs and toast
Lunch- Tortilla pizzas
Dinner- Black Bean and Chicken Quesadillas 

Wednesday, July 13:

Breakfast- Quick Potato Hash (Recipe to follow)
Lunch- Chicken salads
Dinner- Deer Burgers

Thursday, July 14:

Breakfast- Pancakes from fresh ground wheat
Lunch- Leftover burgers
Dinner- Pinto beans, potatoes, and green beans from the garden

Friday, July 15:

Breakfast- Oatmeal and fruit
Lunch- PB&J
Dinner- Leftovers

Saturday, July 16:

Breakfast- eggs and toast
Lunch- Any leftovers or PB&J
Dinner- Spaghetti (using frozen sauce from last week, recipe to follow)

Hope you guys have a fabulous week!

Blessings

Megan

Budget Challenge- Recap of Week 1

This week has gone pretty well. We actually got to save a couple of meals when we participated in community events that offered free snacks or food for July 4th. 

Many meals on our plan for this week used ingredients that had been sitting in the pantry or freezer for quite some time. However, we started the month by running out of many things such as; toothpaste, pull-ups, storage bags, and dishwasher tabs. There have been many store runs but hopefully the rest of the month require that. Here is the rundown of how much was spent;

Trader Joes: $39.36

Local veggie/fruit market: $10.38

My TJ's and market run

Sam's: $10.67

Starbuck's: about $4 (I can't remember the total)

Target: $20.75

Cookout restaurant: $11.81 (This one killed me.... one of my little ones had a doctor's appointment today and it                                 ended up taking 2 hours!)

Total: $96.97!!! Yikes! I still think we can do it, and we will! 

I will be posting my Week 2 meal plan tomorrow! 

July-Week 1 Meal Plan

Today kicked off the budget challenge! I spent some time thinking about how to utilize what we have for our upcoming meals. Clearly, I need to make a run to the store for fruits, veggies, and a few other items. Thankfully we have wild blackberries that grow next to the house so the kids and I picked some last night and used them to make our first meal this morning (be sure to check out the link for the recipe, it was delicious!).

Friday, July 1:
Breakfast- Streusel Berry Muffins (I made them exactly as written except without nuts)
Lunch- (pool day) Hard boiled eggs, chips and salsa, cherries
Snack- raspberries
Dinner- Deer Chili

Saturday, July 2:
Breakfast- Breakfast burritos
Lunch- Tuna melts
Dinner- Grilled Chicken

Sunday, July 3:
Breakfast- Banana (breakfast at church)
Lunch- Grilled Chicken salads
Dinner- Pork Tenderloin

Monday, July 4:
Breakfast- Sausage Biscuits
Lunch- Sandwiches
Dinner- Cookout with Jon's parents

Tuesday, July 5:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and Fruit
Lunch- Sandwiches
Dinner- Spaghetti and Salad

Wednesday, July 6:
Breakfast- Eggs and Fruit
Lunch- Quesadillas
Dinner- Leftovers

Thursday, July 7:
Breakfast- Sausage Biscuits
Lunch- sandwiches
Dinner- Spicy Chicken Lo Mein 

Friday, July 8:
Breakfast- Pancakes with Strawberry sauce
Lunch- Hard boiled eggs, cheese, fruit, and carrot sticks
Dinner- Pizza night (gf for Asher)

Full Pantry Inventory and Asian Inspired Baked Chicken

The whole purpose of this challenge is to use what is already sitting in our pantry/freezer/fridge in order to save as much as possible on groceries and reset my whole budgeting mindset. As I made my inventory list I realized just how ridiculous it was that we have so much and yet I feel like we have nothing to eat!

Before we go any further I want to explain why I made this list and why I encourage you to do the same. Number one, it is absolutely eye opening. I'm assuming most Americans are like me and have several things that sit and don't get eaten. And the same reaction I have, "there's nothing to eat." Number two, it is going to be a great way to see what you have so you can build meals off of your existing supply. I could probably list more reasons but let's get started! 

Be sure and hang on till the bottom of the post so you don't miss out on a new dinner we had this evening.

Pantry Inventory List:

Freezer items:

Deer meat: 11 pounds of ground, 1 back strap, 2 chops, 2 steaks

Sausage: frozen sausage patties, 1 lb cooked ground sausage

1 pork tenderloin

Fridge:

1/2 jar of pizza sauce

peach preserves

2 dozen eggs

1/2 gallon of milk

Cheese: 1 bag sharp cheddar, 1 bag mozzarella, 6 slices of cheddar, 1/4 container parmesan cheese, pepper jack 

1/2 jar of strawberry jam

1/2 carton of chicken broth

various condiments

2 sticks of butter

1 quart buttermilk

creamer

1 jar organic applesauce

bbq sauce

2 peppers

1/2 purple onion

celery

4 lemons

bag of cherries

1 lime

1 small container of raspberries

Cabinets:

Old fashioned oats

Pasta- udon noodles, 2 boxes spaghetti noodles, 1/2 bag of brown rice pasta

4 boxes of Annie's Organic Mac and Cheese

3 jars of Strawberry Sauce

3 jars of Strawberry Jam

4 jars of salsa

1 jar of peanut butter

1 can of enchilada sauce

2 cans of tuna

1 can organic coconut milk

Beans: 1 bag of pintos, 2 cans garbanzo beans, 3 cans kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 2 cans great northern beans

1/2 bag tortilla chips

2 large cans whole tomatoes

3 cans tomato paste

1 small can tomato sauce

2 cans diced tomatoes 

1 small can whole tomatoes

3 cans beef broth

1 jar organic applesauce

1 jar apple butter

1 jar pickles

4 jars pizza sauce

1/2 box cereal
small bag of russet potatoes

We also have a backyard garden with produce coming in at times.

I also have various baking goods, herbs, spices, and wheat which can be ground for flour.

Household goods are running low, I will need pull-ups, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, etc soon. 

There is the complete pantry inventory. My next step will be tonight to plan meals. I will be posting my meal plan tomorrow. If you are joining us on the challenge try to plan at least a week of meals with what you have already.

Now for the meal we had tonight... This meal was less than $4 to feed our whole family of 6 and the kids were practically licking their plates when they finished! 

I had gotten a 2 lb pack of chicken legs that were marked down for $1.99. These were the brand that our store sells that is antibiotic free and humanely raised so it was a great deal! Here is what I did with them and it will definitely be a keeper of a meal! 

Asian Inspired Baked Chicken

preheat oven to 350

ingredients: 

2 lbs chicken legs (this would be great on other cuts as well)

1 1/2 T olive oil

1/2 C soy sauce or alternative

1 1/2 T ketchup

3/4 C honey

2 cloves minced cloves of garlic

Lay chicken in a pyrex style baking dish. Mix all ingredients well, whisking with a fork and pour it over the chicken. 

Bake for 45mins to an hour or until sauce is coating well. 

Enjoy! :) 

Our sides with this were green beans out of our garden and carrots that were boiled for 5mins, drained, then cooked for 5-10 mins until tender in some of the sauce poured over the chicken (they were so delicious!). 

Getting Ready for the July 2016 Budget Challenge

Two more days folks and we kick off the "Grocery Budget Challenge!" It's not too late to join! Make sure to read the rules in my previous post.

After careful consideration, I have chosen what my family's budget will be for July, remember, you decide what fits your own family. In the first challenge, four years ago, I chose $100. At the time we were a family of 4 (2 adults, 1 toddler, 1 baby) and I knew it would stretch us. Fast forward 4 years and we are now a family of 6 (2 adults, 3 kids, and 1 toddler). We are definitely going to need a bit more than $100 for all food and household/personal goods. I still want to really challenge myself so I am putting us at $175. 

I already know there are several things we will have to purchase including; toilet paper, diapers, sleep pull-ups, and toothpaste so $175 will definitely be a challenge. 

Here are some things you can do to get ready;

*Be brainstorming on some cheap meals you already know and have on hand. 

*Make sure you've talked to your family and gotten them on board! 

*Tonight or tomorrow, try to do a pantry inventory... You can look at my post from 4 years ago as an example here. I will post mine for the July 2016 challenge tomorrow! 

I'm excited, and can't wait to share with you guys and see what you guys can share with me! Who knows, there may even be a guest post or two! (wink, wink)

Have a great night! 

Blessings! 

A New Budget Challenge

Okay, so it's been four years since I did the $100 grocery challenge. It was a challenge to force me to budget closely and wisely. Not only did the challenge include food, but also any household type items we may need. (You can read about it here)

I don't know about you, but I'm in need of a budget reset. I have things in my cabinets that need to be used and are never in my meal plan. So, I challenge you to join me! Let's get talking on social media about how your budget is going each day. Let's offer ideas for meals and savings that we use on the journey. It's so important to be good stewards of the money we have no matter how much or how little that may be. The Lord is so good to provide for us, let's use this challenge as a way to really focus in on using it wisely so that we can use the "extra" to bless others.

Here are the rules of the game....

1. The challenge will start on July 1, 2016 and will end
2. You may use anything from your pantry or freezer that was already bought. (I will do a blog post about ideas on how to do a pantry/cabinet inventory)
3. Use nothing but CASH (yep, you read that right... there is a specific purpose for this).
4. Your budget must include food, household goods, toiletries, diapers/wipes, etc.
And last but not least.....
5. SET YOUR BUDGET AND STICK TO IT!!!

I'm not going to tell you what to set your budget at. That all depends on your family, your income, your dynamic. I am currently going back and forth on two different numbers for myself and will decide this week what my budget will be. I will try to do several posts leading up to the challenge's beginning. Whatever your budget is, I challenge you to really choose a number that won't be easy for you. This is meant to really test you and teach you of what you are capable of by being good stewards and being intentional with life's blessings.

I hope you will join me! :)

Blessings!

Eggplant Parmesan

It's summertime and that means we have access to delicious, fresh grown produce. Whether we grow it ourselves in our backyard garden, or we visit a farm or community market, we LOVE to take advantage of the fresh goodies that God provides for us!

On our visit to the Mennonite Farm Market this past weekend I couldn't pass up their delicious eggplant. Eggplant parmesan is something I love but have never personally made for our family. I gathered several recipes through friends and pinterest, took a little from each, and bam, a delicious dinner! And, while eggplant parmesan is traditionally a vegetarian dish, I have also included our family's delicious meat sauce recipe. I already had some made and frozen in the freezer, it was the perfect complement!

After dinner, the results are in, 5 out of 6 loved it! The 6th one liked the noodles and sauce, but he still ate all the eggplant even though he didn't care for it. Here is the recipe, enjoy and let me know how you like it!


Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant (I used two small/medium sized)
1-1 1/2 Cups of Italian Bread Crumbs
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
olive oil, you will use minimal amounts to lightly pan-fry your eggplant
Sauce, can be marinara, spaghetti style, or meat sauce (I used my sauce recipe also posted below)
2 cups Mozzarella 
1 cup shredded parmesan
Italian seasoning to sprinkle on top, or fresh basil chopped and sprinkled on top

Preheat your oven to 375

When beginning the recipe, slice your eggplant across (not lengthwise) to make 1/2 round pieces. Dry the moisture off with a paper towel if they have excess moisture to them. 

Beat together your eggs and your milk until combined in a bowl and pour your italian breadcrumbs onto a plate. Completely submerge each piece of eggplant into the wet mixture then roll around and completely coat them in the breadcrumbs. 

(After coating)

After all pieces have been coated, heat a skillet over medium high heat with enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan so that you are able to lightly fry a few pieces at a time. While the pan is heating, quickly take a 13x9 baking dish and fill the bottom with about a cup of sauce. 

Fry each piece of eggplant until both sides are a golden brown. After frying, place half of the pieces in a layer in the baking dish. Spread another thin layer of sauce over the top. Sprinkle half of the parmesan and half of your mozzarella. Then repeat with another layer following the same method. Then top with a sprinkling of herbs, I used italian seasoning this time. 

Place uncovered in the oven to bake about 20mins (I turned the broiler on for the last minute or two in order to get a little browning to the cheese). 

(fresh out of the oven)

Meat Sauce:

1 lb ground sausage (sweet italian is best)
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (28oz can) crushed tomatoes
2 (6oz cans) tomato paste
2 (6.5oz cans) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 T sugar
2 tsps Italian Seasoning
1 T salt

In a large pot or dutch oven, brown sausage and beef, throw in garlic and onions halfway through browning. When meats are browned, add in all other ingredients and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs, covered. Make sure to stir throughout cooking process. 

Strawberry "Crepes"

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it instantly grabbed my attention. Not only is this a great quick breakfast, but it was also healthy and most of all, good! The mixture seems like it would be great even for a healthy waffle alternative, which I may try next time. I really enjoy great, new breakfast recipes. I tend to get stuck in a rut of always eating the same things for breakfast so it's nice to have something new! Enjoy!

Strawberry "Crepes"

2/3 cup oats
2 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 banana
1/2 cup of almond, regular, or cashew milk
8 strawberries, sliced
(optional: raw honey and plain greek yogurt)

Blend oats in a food processor or blender until it turns into flour consistency. Next add in eggs, cinnamon, banana, and milk. Pulse until blended.
Lightly spray a non-stick pan with olive oil and warm on medium heat. Pour a small tortilla size amount into the pan, begin slowly tilting the pan in order for batter to spread into a larger, yet thinner crepe. Let cook until it begins to bubble, at this point carefully turn your crepe with a spatula. Set on a plate when done and continue cooking until all batter is finished. You should end up with 6 crepes.
Now, spread a layer of strawberries in the middle and roll up. A serving is 3 of them. As an option you can do like I did and finish it off with a plop of greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

Mango Ginger Chicken Stir fry

This dish is something I made up completely on the fly but it has legit Asian dish flavor to it. It's super yummy!

Mango Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
1 T coconut oil
2 cups of fresh cut broccoli
2 cups cubed chicken breast already cooked
1/4 cup sliced onion
5 mushrooms cut (however you like, I did mine in big slices)
2 T liquid aminos (can use soy sauce)
2-3 T mango ginger vinaigrette (I got mine from the refrigerated dressing found in the salad aisle, it has limited ingredients)
1/4 cup water
Chia seeds (for sprinkling and added healthy carbs and benefits)

Heat coconut oil in a wok or skillet. Once oil has melted add broccoli, chicken, and onion. Stir fry until onions and broccoli begin to cook. Next, add mushrooms, liquid aminos, vinaigrette, and water stir continuously (watch the consistency, if it starts to stick add a little more water). Once onions and broccoli become tender crisp sprinkle the stir fry with chia seeds and stir to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Serve and enjoy! :)

Chia seed "pudding"- great healthy alternative to satisfy a sweet craving!

This is a fabulous healthy treat that will satisfy your craving for something sweet. Chia seeds are a superfood and in my opinion are super cool. This recipe is a base, you can eat it plain or dress it up with the fruit of your choice for added flavor and benefits. I've tried it a few different ways; plain, with clementines, and with blueberries and all were good. It has a neat texture that reminds me of tapioca.

Chia Seed "pudding"

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup milk of your choice (I've used regular milk, almond, and coconut and they all work great)
2 T of Agave nectar
(Add a fruit of your choice if you like)

Mix chia seeds, milk, and agave in a food storage container with a lid. Let it sit overnight for about 10 hrs. Open and enjoy! :) Add fruit if you would like!

Thai Chicken Stir Fry (Noodle-less Pad Thai)

This meal is sooo delicious and healthy! It's basically Pad Thai without the noodles.  I found this recipe on pinterest but made a few adjustments. 

Clean Eating Thai Chicken Stir Fry

1 lb chicken breast cut into chunks
2 T Coconut oil
1 clove of garlic minced
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 limes
2 T liquid aminos (if you don't have this you can use regular soy sauce)
2 T apple cider vinegar
12oz package of Broccoli slaw with cabbage and carrots
1 T PB2 powder
cilantro and chopped green onions for garnish

Use a wok (or regular skillet), heat on medium until hot. Add coconut oil and garlic cooking for one minute then add chicken. After a couple of minutes add just a splash of coconut milk, cook until outer layer of the chicken is almost done. Next add liquid aminos, the juice of 1 1/2 limes (save the other half to cut for garnish), and vinegar, cook until chicken is completely done. Next, add the package of broccoli slaw and the rest of the coconut milk. Cook, while stirring frequently, until the slaw has cooked down to a tender yet firm state. Mix in the PB2 powder, garnish, and serve. If you would like to add more PB2 to taste you can.
Enjoy! (I know I did!)

Starting to look yummy! (Not done cooking yet)