Just a little bit scattered

So this past week has been strange. Our new fall schedule is starting, so we are adding BSF on Tuesday mornings (provided there is room in the children's class for Miss Pear - Please Lord!) and play group on Mondays so that we can meet more people in our new city. We are almost decided on our new church home, so we will be meeting with the pastor with our questions and will see.

So I don't really know what I am doing right now, my schedules are not really working because there is new stuff thrown in all over the place. And we are back to teething 2 year molars (top ones this time). So I am working on new schedules for us so that I have some kind of guide so theoretically everything gets done.

We are trying to figure it out, but this week has been a wash on almost everything, and it will not settle down until October 2 - I will be taking a bloggy break the last week of September, and it appears that I might be a bit sporadic between now and then while I get this all figured out.

I just keep reminding myself that the Lord is going to get me through this and straightened out again, He always does! And He is faithful, it is not like He is going to suddenly abandon me now!

So tell me, PLEASE, how do you get it all done?

View in my Kitchen Part 2

So today's task was to can pears for the first time. All by myself.

We got the pears at a farmer's market on Saturday, and they are HUGE! I could only fit one per pint! (yes, even after cutting them in quarters!) So I have 10 lovely pints sitting on my counter. And the sound of the jars sealing makes me smile.

It was a fair bit of work, but I just kept thinking about how much this was going to bless my family, and it encouraged me to keep going!

Pears are on sale here this week - 3 lbs for $0.99! So I am going to pick up so more pears to can, and some pears to make pear butter. The plan will be to do this Saturday morning so that a little sweet girl will have her daddy to play with whilst I am canning away!

WFMW - Plan to be sick

Well, I was going to say nothing, that I have officially run out of creative ideas. But then inspiration struck. Really, right upside the head!

Plan to be sick.

We all know cold and flu season is right around the corner, and we all have nights we sleep horribly and feel like zombies the next day. We moms have weeks of sick children, and sometimes even husbands!

This is going to happen eventually, and cold and flu season is on the horizon, so start planning for it:

1. Check your medicine cabinet and throw out everything that is expired.
2. Make a list of everything you need and start watching for sales and coupons.
3. Create a reading stash for all who need it - 1 or 2 books each will do it.
4. For little ones consider having a DVD or surprise of some sort tucked away.
5. Have some quick meals in the freezer or ingredients for a super quick meal in the pantry (and make a list.)
6. While you are in your pantry, check to see what you need - favorite canned soups? juices? crackers? Add it to the list to watch for sales!
   

So what did I forget?

Amy Wilhoite

I have been reading Brandon and Amy's blog for a long time, long before I even considered blogging myself, and it broke my heart to read of this young wife and mother battling leukemia. I have been praying for just as long, asking the Lord to have mercy on this young wife and mom, on this young family. It broke my heart to read that she passed away today.

She endured her entire sickness with her eyes on the Lord, and was such an encouragement to me, such an example of faith. No matter how she suffered, how things looked from an earthly perspective, her posts focused on the Lord, and her situation with a focus on His perspective of them.

And in his sad announcement, her husband, Brandon, exhibits that same strong faith in the Lord.

Sometimes the little things in life get us down, and we are reminded in the sovereignty of our Lord, and that perspective check changes everything.

View in my Kitchen

My kitchen looks well loved at the moment. But all the dishes are running through the dishwasher, and the fruits of my labor are lined up neatly on the counter - 9 and a half pints of million dollar relish.

While this may not seem like a big deal when so many skilled women are canning quart after quart of gardeny goodness, I did not grow up with canning or even gardening. This is my very first attempt at relish, and all the jars sealed but one stubborn little one that I stuck in the fridge, hoping that it will relent.

So after our naps I will wash the floor, and again rejoice in the site of my 9 pint jars and one little jar of relish.

Next year I hope to grow my own cucumbers for relish and pickles (next years "first"), but this year our canning cucumbers were purchased from a local farmers market.

Menu Plan Monday - September 8-15

The heat wave broke, and now it is time to get serious about getting caught up on my baking, and doing a very small amount of canning - Million Dollar Relish, and one batch of pears.

Saturday

Breakfast - Overnight French Toast
Lunch - Pizza Rolls
Supper - Out

Sunday

Breakfast - Toast (Rye or Cinnamon Swirl) and cereal
Lunch - Taco Chili
Supper - Italian Sausage and Tomato Pasta

Monday

Breakfast** - Toast and cereal
Lunch - Chili Leftovers
Supper - Lemon Garlic Chicken (Slow Cooker) and Rice

Tuesday

Breakfast - Granola and Yogurt
Lunch - Chicken Salad sandwiches
Supper - Taco Pie and coleslaw (Taco Pie Recipe to be posted this week)

Wednesday

Breakfast - Cereal
Lunch - Ssandwiches
Supper - Stromboni and coleslaw


Thursday

Breakfast - Granola and Yogurt
Lunch - stromboni leftovers
Supper - Chicken and Stuffing (Slow cooker) and broccoli

Friday

Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - sandwiches
Supper - BBQ Burgers

Saturday

Breakfast - Pancakes
Lunch - Still thinking....
Supper - Chicken Fried Rice

Breads
3 Flour Bread~
Winnipeg Rye Bread (recipe is getting close, just a bit more tweaking!)
Oatmeal Bread ~


Cookies
Mrs. U's gingersnaps
Chocolate Crinkles
Lemon Cookies
Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin
Granola Chips
Fruit Cocktail Cookies

Loaves and Muffins
Tropical Muffins
Banana Berry Muffins
Berry Oat Muffins
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Other
Million Dollar Relish
Can Pears
Brownies
Granola
Granola Bars

~ from the More with Less Cookbook (can be found on my sidebar if you want to check it out) I am trying to cook through this cookbook a bit, so I am trying to make one thing a week from it.
** During the week it is just Miss Pear and I for lunch, so we eat some strange lunches....

FIF - Zesty Ziti

When you need a quick meal with an Italian flair, might I recommend:

Zesty Ziti
Quick and delicious

1 lb Italian sausage cut into about quarter to half inch pieces (or bought without casings,
in which case it can just be scramble fried)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
28 oz (1 large jar, two standard jars) of pasta sauce
4 1/2 cups hot cooked ziti (tube shaped pasta)

Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

In a medium skillet cook sausage, onion and pepper until sausage is cooked. Pour off fat.

Add pasta sauce. Heat to a boil.

Then either serve over ziti topped with parmesan cheese. Or mix all together, put in casserole, sprinkle mozzarella cheese and a bit of parmesan cheese over top and bake at 350F until cheese is melted.

We always use the oven version, but when it is hot or time is short, you can easily skip that step!

Happy Friday!

P.S. If I am a little bit invisible for the next few days with comments and email please bear with me, my wrist is acting up in this heat change, and typing is very difficult. If I rest it should be better quickly, but then I just have to be careful to avoid over doing it!

Frugal Friday - New Savings Forums

For a while now I have been relying on Families.com for my savings tips and information, checking their sites for:

CVS
Walgreens
Vons/Pavilions

But I was recently introduced to Hot Coupon World, and am finding much more information on their pages, so I check their pages for:
CVS
Walgreens
Vons/Pavilions
Ralph's
Albertsons (Western Region)

I am finding lots of information there that I would not have noticed otherwise, and people seem more willing to share what they did to get the deals! Of course, these forums are only as good as the information shared, so be sure to share your findings too!

Blogger is not letting me put the link in the picture, so you can find Crystal here.

Slow Cooker Thursday - Honey Mustard Chicken

I have been renewed in my devotion to my slow cooker with the heat wave that hit southern California this past week and a half. It helps that we have the new All Clad Deluxe slow cooker that gives off a lot less heat than the average slow cooker! It was actually better to use our slow cooker than an electric frying pan! (And the BBQ was in full blazing sun for supper, so that was out too!) It has definitely been a wonderful investment for us, especially after I burned out two before this one, we are hoping that this one will be able to keep up!

This heat has shown me that I need to have an list of slow cooker recipes that I can go to again and again, especially when it is too hot to think or peruse recipe books because nothing sounds good! I am certain this will also help us on errand say!

So from now until next spring the plan is to use the slow cooker at least once a week, and half of that time be trying something new so that I have a good stock of reliable recipes!

On Monday I made Honey Mustard Chicken and it is definitely a keeper!

Honey Mustard Chicken

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup honey
1/4 cup yellow mustard (kind you put on hot dogs)
1/4 cup dijon mustard (can substitute yellow mustard, but is better if you don't!)
1 tsp - 2 tbsp curry powder depending on your tastes!
6-8 chicken breasts or equivalent chicken pieces

Place chicken in slow cooker, mix all other ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. (If chicken is frozen cook for 6-7 hours, and if you use chicken with the bone in adjust accordingly!)

Excellent served with rice and veggies or a salad.

In hot weather, cool the chicken, dice it, and serve over a salad. Chicken is also wonderful in chicken salad or as sliced chicken for sandwiches and wraps.

To Freeze
Cook the chicken, cool, slice or chop, put quantities you want in a freezer bag, spoon some extra marinade over top, and then freeze using the Zip Top Bag Method!


Next up in the series, apparently in no particular order:
- Planning your shopping, prep and cooking
- Storing your meals revisited and revised
- Keeping track of what is in your freezer and what is the oldest
- Freezer lunch stash complete with ideas
- Freezer breakfast stash complete with ideas
- Recipes I used in my marathon cook that have not yet been posted
- What little I know about having a group of friends who share freezer meals
- Books and resources I love
- Successfully freezing cookies and baking
- Answers to questions you post for me or email to me (email button is in my profile).


Previously in the series:
Introduction to the series
Why Freezer Meals?
My Usual Method
Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pesto Butter and Chicken Cordon Blue
Chicken Enchiladas
Kitchen Day - Tortilla Soup and Enchiladas (How To)
Blessing of Freezer Meals
Lazy Lasagna - A Freezer Meal
Sauce for Freezer Meatballs
Pineapple Tuna Cracker Snack
Freezer Cooking with Limited Space
Orange Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Orange-Apricot Glazed Pork Chops
Converting your Casserole Recipes to Freezer Recipes
Converting your Meat Recipes to Freezer Meals
Triple Chocolate Cookies
Bacon-Macaroni Bake
Once A Month Freezer Cooking Simply Explained
Planning Your Freezer Cooking Shopping Session
Zip Top Bag Method
Italian Sausage and Tomato Sauce
Menu Planning
Freezer Cooking Online Resources
Asian Beef Kabobs

WFMW - Aveeno and All Free and Clear

In the quest to save money on our grocery/household budget most of my brand loyalty has been slowly beat out of me. I still have brand preference, but will devotedly shop the sales. except for TWO brands.

Miss Pear has eczema. And allergies. There is only one brand of baby/child skin care product that I can daily without a problem, and that is Aveeno. They even have an Eczema Care Line! They are kind enough to still issue coupons even though their brand is well established, and there are good sales at least once a season to stock up with. If that was not enough to delight me, theirs is the only suntan lotion that does not make me feel icky the whole time I am wearing it, it soaks in just like a good lotion, and works wonderfully! Is it more expensive, yes! Is it worth every penny, ABSOLUTELY! Aveeno has helped cure the worst cases of eczema and dry skin plus gently cleans our daughter without drying out her skin and then protects us from the sun without making us feel like we need an immediate shower (was that suntan lotion or just moisturizer?)

I am also incredibly loyal to All Free and Clear. Again, this is the only product I can use on our clothes without my daughter getting eczema. Our pediatrician said that most children do not need the special baby detergent, just rinse twice. But if your child has eczema, sensitive skin, or either runs in the family, then it is worth getting this. Our clothes always smell very clean, but not fragranced, something we love, and it is just a great all around detergent! All Free and Clear is also nice enough to issue coupons and sponsor sales regularly, so even on a tight budget this is affordable! Plus they have the small and mighty formula - extra concentrated so that you can buy a smaller bottle and it will go 3x as far, so you are being good the environment as well!

I could not do without Aveeno or All Free and Clear because both Work for me!

P.S. I am not sure if it is brand loyalty, probably, but there is a Supermarket Savings 101 class that I cannot say enough about or recommend highly enough - I blogged about it here and here. Money very well spent that you will easily earn back in savings!

Supermarket Savings Even without Coupons

While I already posted about this class when I first heard the tremendous price it was going to be offered for, I wanted to finish my thoughts on it with a kind of part 2!

As many of you know, my family lives in Canada. Actually Mr. Pear and I met in Canada and moved down here after we were married. Since then I have been talking to family and friends up there and usually the topic of the cost of groceries comes up, and we all lament it. One thing I often hear from my friends is that it is easier for me to save money living in California because we get coupons in the mail and the papers. I always try to protest that the coupons are not my key savings, they are the icing on the cake, that my key savings come from savvy planning and shopping, and no one believes me! Except Crystal, because she teaches how to do it with great skill in her Supermarket Savings 101.

In this class she walks you right through the thought process, the planning process, and then the actual shopping. Crystal also provides 6 ebooks as part of the class that helped me tremendously! Couponing is talked about, but is focused on only in the last portion. So if you don't have coupons in your area, but still want to learn to save money in your groceries, I highly recommend this class.

One great shopping trip that I was able to put together while I was taking the class was the shopping trip where I spent $33.89 on $115.16 in groceries, savings of 71%. However, $66.31 of those savings are directly attributed to store promotions and sales (one or two flier coupons were part of that)! Clipped coupons from the newspaper and other sources were only $14.95 and most of those were doubled.

So while coupons help you save that bit more, it is the planning and shopping the sales that make the biggest difference, and Crystal will definitely get you headed in the right direction, as well as give you the confidence that you can do this, and you will keep getting better at it as you practice! I just did not want anyone to think that this was all about couponing, and if you did not have coupons you could not learn lots. This class is mostly focused on the planning stages (including menu and shopping) as that is where you can get the most savings, plan well, and stick to the plan! And Crystal definitely makes you feel like you can easily start saving your family money!

Dishes With Miss Pear

It seems like some days it is hard to get everything done, but if I can start the day with an empty sink I feel much better.

To do that I let Miss Pear (27 months) help me. I pull up her stool to the rinse side of the sink and she "helps" me. She repeatedly rinses measuring cups, we count, we ask and answer questions, and we sing and learn together.

Sure, water ends up in more places, and things take longer, but we sure have fun!

Oh, and I tie a tea towel around her as her "apron" to help her get not quite so wet! (Think damp as opposed to soaked!)

It may not be the most creative kitchen tip, but it does help me get my dishes done!

Secrets to Supermarket Savings

Crystal over at Biblical Womanhood offered a wonderful class for about the last three weeks, it was her introduction of her Supermarket Savings 101, and I was one of the women who took the introductory class.

Even though I have been making a weekly menu for more than 8 years, shopping to a list, and trying to get the sales, I learned so much! It had a tremendous impact on my menu planning and shopping! There is a quote from me on the class page under my real first name that says how much more confident I am in my shopping abilities now that I have taken this class!

It is not a difficult class as Crystal makes it SO easy to get the basics down, and feel very confident that you are going to do a great job and continually be getting better at this!

The class is filled with audio and written lessons from Crystal, wonderful examples and very helpful e-books.

I cannot recommend the class highly enough. Today (Monday) the class is priced at $5.97, and it will increase in price $3 each day until it reaches it's regular price of $17.97. At either price it is a steal!

For complete information on the class Click Here!

Menu Plan Monday - September 3

Oh, the long weekend! I love it! Although this is officially the shake and bake weekend too.

I blogged about my menu planning methods here for those of you interested!

And there is a great new class about Supermarket Savings! I blogged about it, but suffice to say, it is fabulous and taught by an expert who is offering it on special this week!

Saturday

Breakfast - Rye Bread Toast and Cereal
Lunch - Pizza Rolls
Supper - Salsa Chicken (slow cooker) with rice and salad

Sunday

Breakfast - Toast (Rye or Cinnamon Swirl) and cereal
Lunch - Sandwiches
Supper - Honey Mustard Chicken (slow cooker), rice and veg
(I will post the Honey Mustard Chicken recipe for Slow Cooker Thursday)

Monday

Breakfast** - Toast and cereal
Lunch - BBQ hamburgers
Supper - Housewarming Party at friends house

Tuesday

Breakfast - Granola and Yogurt
Lunch - sandwiches
Supper - Italian Turkey Noodle Skillet

Wednesday

Breakfast - Cereal
Lunch - Italian Noodle Leftovers
Supper - Rice and Cheese with Tomato ~


Thursday

Breakfast - Granola and Yogurt
Lunch - sandwiches
Supper - Slow Cooker Roast Beef, onion, carrots

Friday

Breakfast - cereal
Lunch - Beef Salad
Supper - Meatloaf and veggie rice

Saturday

Breakfast - Overnight French Toast
Lunch - Meatloaf sandwiches
Supper - BBQ Burgers

Breads
3 Flour Bread~
Winnipeg Rye Bread (finally tracked down the cracked rye, this recipe is so good, just a bit of tweaking required!)
Oatmeal Bread ~


Cookies
Mrs. U's gingersnaps
Chocolate Crinkles
Lemon Cookies
Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin

Loaves and Muffins
Tropical Muffins
Banana Berry Muffins
Berry Oat Muffins
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Other
Brownies
English Muffins~
Granola
Granola Bars

~ from the More with Less Cookbook (can be found on my sidebar if you want to check it out) I am trying to cook through this cookbook a bit, so I am trying to make one thing a week from it.
** During the week it is just Miss Pear and I for lunch, so we eat some strange lunches....

Officially the Shake and Bake Weekend

It is 11:14 AM here. The current temperature is 106F but it feels like 110F. While this is very hot, keep in mind that our hottest point of the day is usually around 3-4PM. Definitely a baking kind of day.

At around 10:30 we felt an earthquake - a 4.7 about 10 miles away. Before you freak out for us (and we appreciate your concern), all that happened is we heard a rumble, and then the house jolted once. There have been aftershocks, but nothing we have felt, we can just see it on the siesmic activity maps.

So it is officially the shake and bake weekend. We are using our slow cooker for all our suppers because it is the coolest way to cook! (It is even to hot to be outside BBQing!)

Happy Shake and Bake Long Weekend to you!