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.