We're Still Crocking! Time for Pizza Soup and Cheesey Breadsticks

Pizza soup was one of those interesting recipes that I wasn’t entirely sure how it was going to turn out.  I personally thought it sounded a little strange, but I figured since I was committing to the rest of the recipes, that I had to make this one too.  Really, the only thing I changed from the original recipe (posted here) was I added more Italian sausage to make the soup a little heartier. 

It really does taste like pizza, a supreme pizza to be exact.  I was a little thrown off about the texture at first.  Pepperoni is a soup is kind of weird, especially when the soup tastes like pizza without the crust.  I totally recommend serving this with some cheesy breadsticks.  They pair quite nicely. 

Pizza Soup

1 14oz jar of pizza sauce

3 empty jars of water

1 green pepper, diced

½ red onion, diced

1c baby portabellas, sliced

1c grape tomatoes, quartered

4 cooked Italian sausages, diced

1c sliced peperoni, quartered

1/2tsp dried basil

1tbsp dried oregano

Optional:  Pasta

Divide all ingredients between 2 gallon sized freezer bags.  Lay flat when freezing.  This creates a thinner bag, making it easier to fit in most freezers.  If you decide to add pasta, do not add it to the soup until it is cooked. 

Cook in crock pot for 4-6 hours.

EASY Cheesy Breadsticks

1 pre-made pizza crust

1tbsp olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp dried basil (more or less depending on your preference)

¼ tsp dried oregano (more or less depending on your preference)

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Brush olive oil on crust.  Sprinkle on garlic and herbs.  Top with cheese, and bake for approximately 10 minutes.  Cut into wedges or stick shapes. 

EASY Cinnamon Roll Wafles

I was flipping through Facebook last night and I saw a couple posts about various life hacks.  Life hacks are suppose to be things you can do, make, or use to make everyday tasks a bit easier.  I've seen a few floating around that I waned to try, but I saw one for Cinnamon Roll Waffles yesterday.  I had all the supplies on hand, so I decided to give I a try. 

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Here's what you need:
1 can refrigerated cinnamon rolls
waffle iron
cooking spray

Spray waffle iron to prevent sticking.  Preheat your iron.  Place 4 rolls on your waffle iron (depending on size and shape, and if you have a double iron you may be able to fit more).  Cool for approximately 2-5 minutes.  Be sure to follow the cooking recommendations of your waffle iron. 


I found I needed to push the top of the waffle iron down because the cinnamon rolls wanted to rise as they were cooking.  I cooked all 8 rolls in under 10 minutes.  I never would have though to use my waffle iron to make these.

My four year old is a picky eater.  Normally he wouldn't eat a cinnamon roll, but he ate two!  My two year old couldn't eat them fast enough.  This mommy loves this idea, and I will definitely be picking up 2 cans the next time I plan on making them. 

Crock Pot San Francisco Pork Chops

I think I need to do these freezer cooking and crock pot challenges more often.  The amount of time I've saved myself over the last couple weeks has been amazing.  I love it!

Last night we decide to try out the San Francisco Pork Chops recipe from Crock Pot Meals for a Month.  My house smelled amazing while it was cooking, and the pork chops tasted just as good as they smelled.  This recipe really didn't need much of a change from the original.  I opted not to sear the meat prior to placing in the crock pot since I froze everything together. This will be a recipe that I make again. 




San Francisco Pork Chops, Mixed Veggies, Whole Grain
Wild Rice, and Tapioca Pudding
 

Slow Cooker San Francisco Pork Chops

4 pork chops, bone out and thick cut (about 1in quick)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4c reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/4c chicken broth

2tbsp brown sugar

1/4tsp red pepper flakes

1tbsp cornstarch

1tbsp cold water

Place all ingredients minus the cornstarch and water into a gallon size freezer bag.

To cook, place ingredients (minus the cornstarch and water) in a crock pot and cook for 5-8hrs.  Once pork is cooked, remove from crock pot and transfer to a plate.  Whisk together cornstarch and water, and then stir it into the cooking liquid in the crock pot.  Return pork to crock pot and continue cooking for 30 minutes. 

***Mixing the cornstarch and cold water together creates a slurry which is used as a thickening agent for the sauce.  It is important to wait until everything is cooked prior to adding this.  The longer it cooks once it has been added, the thicker the sauce will become, and if added too early the sauce may become too thick. 

Need an Easy and Tasty Dip?

Who doesn't love nutella?  I swear one of the main ingredients has to be crack or something.  I couldn't get enough of it when I was pregnant with my 3rd.  Don't judge, but I ate it by the spoonful directly from the tub. 

I can no longer find the original blog I first discovered this super tasty nutella dip, but I'll share with you my version. 

Nutella Dip

1c Nutella (I like to add an extra 1/2c sometimes)
1c Vanilla Yogurt
1/2c Cool Whip

Mix all ingredients well.  Garnish with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips.

This dip is great for fruits, pretzels, cookies, and even great as filling for crepes. 

I warn you, this dip will be much loved by everyone who tries it.  It is one of my favorite go to dips. 

Crocking Continues... This Time Its Chicken and Spinach

I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but I finally found a recipe from Crock Pot Meals for a Month that I really didn't like at all.  I'm not even going to post a pic of it because I had to doctor the original recipe so much that it ended up being something completely different. Instead, I've decided to re-work the recipe to create something that has a bit more flavor.  In my opinion the original recipe was far too bland and watery to really be able to enjoy any of the actual flavors from the ingredients themselves. 

Below is my alternative version of the original recipe.  This is what I will make the next time I plan some freezer cooking. 

Chicken & Spinach

Split this recipe between 2 gallon sized freezer bags.

6 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

2 jars pasta sauce (one per bag)

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

1 sm container of baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, minced 

2tsp Cajun seasoning

1tbsp dried basil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional: rice or pasta

The Month of Crocking Continues with Chicken Curry

It's been a few days into this Crock Pot Meals for a Month challenge that I started, but I can already tell you that I am loving how easy dinner has been for us.  I will pull out whichever meal we want out of the freeze and put it in the fridge the night before we plan on having it.  I'll put it into the crock pot around lunch time, and right around five or so hours later dinner is ready.  Its been a great time saver.  I will admit that Monday night we totally cheated and ordered pizza, but it was one of those days that we were out and about most of the afternoon. 

Chicken Curry

(divide this recipe between two gallon sized freezer bags)

Ingredients

3tbs all-purpose flour

4tbs curry powder

2tsp ground cumin

2lbs chicken

2c sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used 1 large sweet potato per bag)

2c baby carrots

1 mango, peeled and chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1c chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Optional:  raisins, peanuts, cashews…  to use as a garnish

Cook for 4-6 hours on low.  Once the chicken was cooked, I decided to use two forks to shred the chicken.  If you wish to thicken your curry, you can make a cornstarch slurry from 1tbs cornstarch and 1tbs cold water.  Whish the two together, and then stir it into the curry 30 minutes prior to serving. 

Make sure to taste and season your curry with salt and pepper prior to serving.  I found it to taste rather bland, but a little bit of salt and pepper greatly improved the flavoring.  I did not add the raisins, peanuts, or cashews because my kids do not like them. Overall my family really enjoy this recipe, and I’m glad they do because we have leftover to eat tonight, and an additional bag in the freezer.

Quite Possibly the BEST Cookies Ever!

Yesterday I was trying to find something to do with my kiddos.  My 2 year old daughter was running around the kitchen asking for cookies, so I thought it might be fun to attempt to make some cookies with my kids.  My son decided he'd rather go play with his Legos, and my daughter got scared by the hand mixer.  Within the first five minutes it was just me and the baby left to do all the work. 

I really want to make some sort of oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.  I turned to pinterest to find something.  This is what I found:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
The recipe looked awesome, so I thought I'd give it a try.  I did make a couple small changes to the ingredients when I made them.  I felt there was far too much sugar in the original recipe, so I opted to reduce the amount of both the brown and white sugars by 1/4c each.  I used dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.  I did not have any coco powder or peanuts on hand, so I left those out.  I also made a note about creaming the sugars and butters together for at least 10 minutes.  It results in a fluffy, creamy mixture, and really adds to the final product.  Below are the ingredients and instructions that I changed.  To see the original recipe click on the link above. 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 350*F

Ingredients

1c (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4c granulated sugar

3/4c brown sugar

3/4c peanut butter

2 lrg eggs, remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to using

1tsp vanilla

2c all-purpose flour

2tsp baking powder

1pkg dark chocolate chips

1 1/2c quick-cooking rolled oats

1. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars, and peanut butter together for approximately 10 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, and then add vanilla, mixing until smooth.  Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. 
2. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture, ensuring to mix well after each addition.  Once mixed, add dark chocolate chips and oatmeal.  Stir well.
4. Drop dough in rounded 2-tablespoon portions, 3 inches apart, onto a greased cookie sheet, or use cooking parchment to line the cookie sheet.  Use a fork to flatten the dough into  2 1/2-inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick.
5. Bake at 350*F for approximately 12 to 14 minutes until cookies are golden.  Cookies may feel under cooked, but let them rest of the cookie sheet for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.  Carry over cooking from the heat of the pan will finish the baking process. 
6. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.  Once cookies are cooled.  Store in an air tight container. 

My batch yielded 40 cookies, but I did make a couple pans on the larger side.  You could easily yield 4 dozen (48) cookies from this recipe.  They are very addicting, so be cautious when enjoying this recipe.

Crockpot Meals for a Month.... Let the Crocking begin!



Everything was split between two freezers. 

If you read my previous post, I am trying out something I saw floating around facebook.  I am trying out a month of crockpot meals.  My meals are prepped and frozen, check out it out!  Seriously, make sure you have a lot of room in your freezer(s).  I  once all the recipes were made, I had 14 gallon sized freezer bags and one crockpot full of food. 

I found another blog on Pinterest that had a shopping list prepared for all the recipes.  It was a great starting point, but as I was putting everything together, I notice it was missing a couple items.  I decided to put together my own list of items, following the original recipes posted here.

Meat:

·        4-6lbs Pork Shoulder

·        8-10lbs Chicken

·        1 pkg Peperoni

·        2 pieces Italian Sausage

·        4 Pork Chops (thick cut)

·        4lbs Stew Meat

·        1lb Ground Beef or Turkey

Canned Goods:

·        15oz Diced Pineapple

·        2 15oz cans Stewed Tomatoes

·        1 bottle BBQ Sauce

·        2 jars Pasta Sauce

·        2 cans Chicken Broth

·        1 bottle Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce

·        2 cans Dark Red Kidney Beans

·        2 cans Pinto Beans

·        2 cans Corn

·        1 lrg can Petite Diced Tomatoe

·        1 15 oz can Tomato Sauce

·        1 jar Pizza Sauce

Produce

·        3 Green Peppers

·        1 bag of Onions

·        1 sm Red Onion

·        3 Zucchini

·        1 Yellow Squash

·        2 packages of Baby Portabellas, Sliced

·        1 bag Frozen Spinach

·        1 container Grape Tomatoes

·        2 Sweet Potatoes

·        2 bags Baby Carrots

·        1 Mango

·        1 bag Frozen Broccoli

·        1 bag Celery

·        1 bag Red Potatoes

·        Garlic

Dairy:

·        Butter

·        1pkg Cream Cheese

·        Optional: Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese

Mis.:

·        Chicken Bouillon

·        Salt

·        Pepper

·        Cajun Seasoning

·        Dried Basil

·        Dried Oregano

·        Red Pepper Flakes

·        Curry Powder

·        Cumin

·        Parsley

·        1pkg Taco Seasoning

·        1pkg Ranch Dressing Mix

·        Olive Oil

·        Brown Sugar

·        Quick Cooking Tapioca

·        1pkg Dried Lima Beans

·        Lemon Juice

·        Gallon Size Freezer Bags

·        Optional: pasta, rice, raisins/peanuts/ cashews

The list is close to the original, but I added a couple items that were missing or that I found I was short on.  I also tried to organize it a bit more to make it easier while grocery shopping. 

Lazy Day Stew

Tonight I decided to start our month of Crockpot meals off with Lazy Day Stew. 

4lbs of Stew Meat
4c of Red Potatoes, chopped
10oz pkg of dried Lima Beans
4tsp quick-cooking Tapioca
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 15oz can of Tomato Sauce
2tbs Brown Sugar
4c Baby Carrots
2 Onions, chopped
2c Celery, chopped
2c Water

Divide all ingredients between 2 gallon sized freezer bags. 

Defrost in fridge.  Dump bag into crock pot, and cook for 4-6 hrs. 

**On the original blog post, the author omitted lima beans, and he tapioca.  Lima beans help make the dish more filling.  The tapioca is used as a thickening agent, and if you prefer a thinner broth stew, leave this step out.

I used all ingredients listed in the recipe, and it turned out amazing. It is super filling, and very tasty.  The family loved it, and we have plenty of leftovers for another meal or two from just 1 freezer bag.  Overall, I'd say that this recipe was a success! 

Crockpot Meals for a Month?

I'm sure you've seen it floating around Facebook, or maybe a friend has it pinned on Pinterest.  Crockpot meals for a month.  If you haven't seen it, you can check it out here.  Its basically freezer cooking.  You prep and freeze a bunch of meals in order to save yourself time.  This particular one I've seen being shared by everyone I know claims you can do it for under $75.  I decided to accept the challenge. 

I coupon. I price match.  I search fliers to compare prices, and I rely on various coupon blogs to find unadvertised deals and various deal scenarios.  I like to think I'm pretty good at it.  Now, I had several of the seasonings needs for these recipes on hand.  I went with store brand items for a majority of the non-perishable goods.  I divided my shopping between Target and Walmart, using coupons, the Target Cartwheel app, and used my Red card to save an additional 5% off my order.  I have no clue how they did this for $75.  The meat alone came to almost that much.  Now it could be that grocery costs are just slightly more expensive here in Wisconsin, but I'm thinking that maybe they missed something along the way.  If you plan on doing this yourself, go with a higher estimate.  If you are not couponing, and you don't have any of the supplies at home, expect to spend a lot more.  I can't say exactly how much I spent because I was shopping for other items, but I'd say I spent at least $125 on the ingredients for this challenge.
How did it turn out?  Well, you will have to check back later to find out.  :-)  I did have of my prep work last night, and I'll be doing the rest this morning.  You will spend 3+ hours preparing these recipes.  Also, make sure you have adequate freezer space before you attempt this. 

I will update again later with pics, and I will share my thoughts on each recipe as we try them. 

My All Time FAVORITE Cleaner

My middle child is potty training, and as you can imagine it can be a messy process.  Pee stinks!  It's the middle of winter, you have the heat on, and its too cold to open the window and air out the house.  If your house is carpeted like mine is, you know it just holds in smells.  Shampooing it every time your little potty trainer has an accident is one way to clean it, but if you don't own a carpet cleaner, or if you get sick of dragging out the shampooer multiple times in one day, there is an easier way to deal with potty training messes. Its a magic spray!

Ok, so its not really "magic", but it really helps to clean and neutralize odors.  Best part, you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen to make this wonderful spray.  If you don't, well, the ingredients are VERY affordable. 

Here's what you need:

• An Empty Spray Bottle
• White Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Water

Instructions:

1. Pour 1 parts baking soda and 2 parts vinegar into a spray bottle, making sure to only fill the bottle no more than 1/3 of the way.  It is important not to fill it more than that.  Mixing the two together produces a chemical reaction that causes the solution to fizz and bubble, which could result in a mess.  To be safe, to this step over the sink just in case.
2. Add 1 part water to this solution and swirl.  Shaking may cause more fizzing. 
3. Screw on the spray nozzle, and you are good to go.

If your little one has an accident, use a paper towel to absorb as much of the pee as possible.  Spray the area with the magic solution and blot with a clean paper towel.  That's it!  Use more or less water to adjust the dilution of the solution.  White vinegar is a great odor fighter, and it also helps to kill bacteria.  This solution is non-toxic, so its safe to use around children.  Its an easy way to clean a mess without having to drag the carpet cleaner out every five minutes. 

This solution can also be used for other stinky messes (like when your child brings home a stomach bug and doesn't quite make it to the bathroom in time). 

I love using vinegar to clean my house.  In addition to making my magic spray, here are a few other ways I use vinegar to clean around my home.

Laundry:
Adding 1/2 to 3/4 c. of white vinegar can help get rid of smells and brighten whites.

Dishwasher:
Place 1 c. white vinegar in a dishwasher safe cup on the top rack of your dishwasher.  Wash on the hottest setting.  This helps to clean your dishwasher.  You can sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom for an added boost.

Drains:
Make a solution of baking soda and vinegar, and dump it down your drain.  Cover the drain with a cup or something similar.  Wait 30 minutes, then rinse with hot water.

My house may smell like an Easter egg on occasion, but using vinegar and baking soda is a safe and affordable option for cleaning. 

It's some AMAZING Taco Dip!

Looking for a quick and easy dip for your next get together?  Let me introduce you to one of my favorite recipes. 

Taco Dip:

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 16oz container of sour cream
1 packet of taco seasoning (or try a homemade taco seasoning like this here)
shredded lettuce
tomatoes, diced
Mexican blend cheese, shredded
4 green onions, slices
Optional:  black olives, jalapeños, or any other veggie you'd like to add


 Mix the cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning with a hand mixer on medium speed.  Spread dip on a platter, and layer cheese, lettuce, tomato, green onions, and any other veggies on top.  Serve with tortilla chips. 

New Year... New Start!

I have been terrible keeping up with this blog, but my goal this year is to work harder at keeping this blog going.  I need to motivate myself to get back on a better budget.  I plan on working on my meal planning, making more meals for my family from scratch, and I plan on using more coupons so I can save as much money as possible.  :-)

Influenster...Have You Tried it Yet?

Have you heard about influenster? 

Influenster is a free-to-join community of trendsetters, social media masterminds, and educated consumers who live to give opinions of products and experiences.
The Influenster site is a hub where members meet to learn about new products from our favorite brands as well as review the products they already use in their day-to-day lives!
Influenster invites its most active members to participate in exclusive VoxBox programs where members receive complimentary products to test and review. 

I recently received Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum. 

The Meaningful Beauty Crème de Serum takes a triple approach to combating the signs of aging with three powerful anti-aging ingredients: superantioxidant melon complex, anti-aging peptides and hyaluronic acid. Combining the power of a serum with the rich, moisturizing effects of a crème, this crème de la crème treatment is designed to help protect, increase hydration and prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Available as part of the Meaningful Beauty New Advanced Anti-Aging System.
• Combines the best properties of a serum (concentration and potency) with the best properties of a cream (rich, moisturizing texture).
• Formulated to help to visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and leave skin soft and more supple.
• Designed to help promote a smoother, more even toned, radiant complexion.

I loved how soft it made my skin.  It was light weight, and didn't make my skin feel greasy after using it.  I felt that it helped provide moisture, and helped prevent the normal dryness I experience during the winter months.  Overall I thought it was a great product, but I was not impressed with the scent.  It had a chemical like smell.  I would have preferred a light fresh scent or no scent at all.  I feel like the scent will be a huge determining factor in whether or not I purchase this product in the future.