Monday, December 31, 2012

Weekly Menus of the past.....

Okay - I have to be honest...making myself sit down and do this menu is horrible. My girls are constantly interrupting me, and if I try to do it when they are asleep - I lose stamina and fall asleep myself or start reading a new smut book then its all over!

So - for the new year - I am going to try and blog on Sunday what we have eaten that past week. I won't be doing the entire week - but I will be posting recipes that I used that were a hit with everyone. I hate posting a recipe that I haven't tried because they can turn out horrible...like the cheeseburger noodle dish that I made...yuck, yuck, yuck! So - never fear...I will post good food - just a week after we have eaten it! I hope you all have good food for the next couple of days! I will be with my parents and kiddies, since the Hubbs has to work! 

New Year!

The New Year is upon us and I once again wonder if I should make a resolution. How many people actually follow through with them? I try to make at least one and stick to it. However, my foggy no-sleep mommy brain can't remember what I decided on for 2012. Maybe I should write it down? Mmmm...I would probably just end up losing it anyway, or Bella would eat it.

I did make some good changes in 2012. Due to having extremely high blood pressure, due to a pint size human being that would love to still be in my uterus, I started eating right and dropped 30 pounds along with the BP pills. I have relaxed somewhat about worrying about money. Hubbs would say - yeah, f***ing right. But I think I am better about it. Wait - I was just redoing our budget this morning. Maybe that one isn't true :/ I did learn how to cook this year. I have made some absolutely DELISH dishes. I have become obsessed with Pinterst.....(maybe that should be one resolution for next year...give that up? NEVER!)

I have maintained a whole year with seeing one of my good friends at least once a month. I know that sounds lame, but time really does fly. Especially with those people that are close to you and love you. You know those people that you can go without seeing for months and then just pick back up one day. I want to see those people more often. Yeah - that's a good resolution.

Now, let me talk about the of my girls' resolutions. Yes - they will have them. I am going to make them. Isabella's first and biggest resolution is to sleep through the ENTIRE night. I mean the entire. No waking up to be rocked, fed, or to talk to me. That chick is going to sleep through the entire night if it kills me. Oh, wait - it is. Slowly. One sleepless night at a time. Lilliana is going to stop being a B.R.A.T, the entire time of the terrible 2's will not be horrible. We will not have any more throw downs about leaving some place or other people leaving where we are. Oh, we should add that she's not going to throw shit when she's mad either. That girl has got a badddd temper! Oh, weeeee!

Well - I am sure I could think of a ton that I will never stick to or forget within the first couple of weeks.  Are you making any? Do you stick to them? What ever you do this new year, I hope that it's a good one and that your family has good health! Happy New Years and drink responsibly!!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

It pains me to let them leave....

I usually bake 2-3 times a week. We don't always eat everything I bake. Often, we taste a couple of cookies or a cupcake or 2, or 3....but we often sample things. I say 'we' but I am talking about ME! The Hubbs would be down to eating whatever I made and however much I made of it. I have such a horrible sweet tooth that I often crave different things throughout the week. 

So, I have adopted my husband co-workers and feed them often. They are the best guinea pigs ever. If they don't like something they don't eat it and if they do, they tell him to have me make it more often. It's the most honest test kitchen ever. I don't see them, they don't see me. And let's face it....Hubbs has eaten all of the shit that I have burnt, even asking for seconds because he knows how emotional I am...so this way no hurt; no fowl!

So, to show my appreciation and test some new things out, I made them a cookie bar for the holidays. Today the Hubbs took gooey brownie cookies, the perfect chocolate chip cookies, no-bake cookies, cupcakes (Lilli wanted them yesterday...so I just sent the rest with him), and chocolate chip cream cheese cookies. Now, these last cookies are the best damn things I have eaten in a while. Which is saying a lot because I eat lots and often. 

Mmmmmmm

These things are so friggin' easy to make and taste just like a danish. I had one when they were fresh out of the oven so it was warm and OH MY good! It physically pained me to send them with him. I am thinking that I will get a thumbs up for them for sure. The last cookies that I sent in (a variety) the most talked about were brown sugar cookies. I can't even bring myself to talk about them because I literally ate every single one I had left. I shared one with Bella. One. What a stellar mom! I may be able to blog about them one day....maybe. 

Recipe:
CHOCOLATE CHIP CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
Ingredients
  • 1 can seamless crescent rolls
  • 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
How to Make
  1. With your hand mixer, beat sugar, cream cheese and vanilla together until smooth in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Unroll the crescent roll sheet. Stretch dough out slightly. It should be in the shape of a rectangle.
  3. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the crescent sheet, leaving a gap at the edge about 1/2 inch.
  4. Sprinkle your chocolate chips on top of cream cheese.
  5. Roll the crescent sheet up tightly and wrap in cling wrap.
  6. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  7. When chilled preheat oven to 350°.
  8. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  9. Slice the crescent roll into 1/4" slices. Bake on prepared cookie sheet for 12 -14 minutes until crescent roll appears golden brown.
  10. Transfer to wire rack.
  11. Eat warm or room temperature.

I found this recipe on....PINTREST! Gotta love Pintrest!
Check out pictures here.


Everyone talks about the great things....

Kids are great. They change so many things in your life. They bring such happiness and sleep deprivation into your life it's INCREDIBLE! I can't remember the last time I slept a solid 7 fraking hours....really?! How much sleep does a person actually need to function? I know that the "experts" suggest 8+ hours...but I have been functioning on much less for a while now and I think they may be wrong.

Here's a typical sleepless night in this house. Of course, this sleepless night is brought just to me - not to my snoring bear of a husband who goes lights out the minute his head hits the pillow - the asshole. So, the girls are usually in bed around 8 - 8:30. That's if I can get Bella is stay up that late. Homegirl usually starts falling apart around 6:30 and is trying to sleep anywhere she can lay her head around 7.

There are a couple of wake ups with Lilli. She is in this night terror stage. It SUCKS. She wakes up screaming, sitting up, and completely out of it. I go in there reposition her, give her blankie, and go back to bed. This happens at least once a night.The first time I am up, is the easiest time to fall back asleep. The third and four time - mmm...not so much!

Bella of course is up at least 2 times a night. She usually needs to be rocked back asleep - which totally combats everything I stand by in parenting. This chick is breaking all my rules! {Prime example - The minute Lilli turned 1 the bottle was whisked away without a problem. Isabella is 13 months and she's not giving up the bottle anytime soon.....I see a toddler taking away bottles from new babies in her future.}Most the time I warm a bottle up, yes I said warm and shove it in her mouth and hum her back to sleep. In my mind I know that I am starting HORRIBLE habits, but she is still so small. (that's my conscious talking) She's so small - she still needs to be cuddled. She's got me wrapped. Wrapped so tight - sometimes I don't care if I ever get anymore sleep. S.o.m.e.t.i.m.e.s.

What's even nicer is the fact that they give me about 40-50 minutes between each time they both wake up. It's like they are playing a game. Turds. Once 4 am hits - if either one of them wake up, I am done for. There is no hope of sleeping. What's there to do at 4 am you ask? Watch infomercials, stalk people on Facebook, and read mommy-porn books. Of course, if my eyes aren't too puffy and I can shuffle around I do the dishes and once in a blue moon (since it's still out at that time) I do some laundry.

I would totally lay in bed and act like I was sleeping but there is this man in my bed. This man that can sleep through a hurricane. A man that can sleep 10 hours and wake up yawning and saying he's still tired. A man that hasn't seen a night wake up in over a year and a half. A man that snores so loud, he often rivals the big ass semis that go over the speed bump on Vreeland. A man that I often tug on his pillow and to no avail still snores loudly. It's funny, because it starts out as a semi-loud breathing, then switches to a wheeze/snort, then to full blown out snoring. I have seriously thought about putting my pillow over his face and seeing what happens. I have "accidentally" kicked him. (Which is SO not possible since we have a California King) I do the body flop. Yes, ladies you know this maneuver. Where you flop your body from side-to-side or front-to-back, while huffing and puffing. Any way - this man that I love more then any man in the world....he's the reason why I don't lay there and act like I am sleeping. It's pointless and I just get pissed that he is sleeping and I am not. I could seriously write about my murderous thoughts everyday with his happy-sleeping ass. (Whom is STILL sleeping....we have been up for 2 hours and he's still sleeping!!!)

If it's not the snoring bear - it's the freaking leprechaun in my head that decided it would be a great idea to play the same song over and over again. A song that I usually hate. One that the radio has played out so bad that you start to hate it. That song. And all the sudden, I know every single word. Like I need to be on the game show, "Don't Forget the Lyrics" because I would be the fraking champ. The champ of the world. If it's not a song that the leprechaun is dancing to it's bringing up all the things that I need to get done. Discussing ways to get certain things paid off. Then he tries to hash out what we should do with our tax return. This guy is a dick. He is probably the worse thing to deal with when I can't sleep. He's even worse then the bear laying next to me.

I would just really like to get some real insight on to when to actually expect them to sleep through the night. I know there will be an occasional wake up here and there. However, at what age do they sleep a solid 9 hours during normal times. No more going to bed at 7pm or waking up at 5am. I think I am probably screwed to hope for any more sleep then 5 straight hours. Once they are sleeping through the night - then I will have to worry about them being on the phone at night or sneaking out of the house. Parenting changes your whole life....everyone talks about the great things. Seeing them discover new things, walking for the first time, saying their first words. NO ONE tells you that you will be doing it on 4 hours of sleeping looking like death warmed over!

I do have to share this little eye perk up tip. No - it's not prep-H. Bare Minerals makes this thing called Fully Rested. It's an under-the-eye powder that makes you look like an actual human being. No more zombie face! I have tried a few things. The Garnier thing with the rollie ball. Stuff with caffeine. But this powder works great. I had a bag-less face for the girls' birthday parties last month. Now, that's saying something.

So - if you don't have children, sleep now. Sleep while you can. Sleep until noon on the weekends. Cherish every moment of sleep. Because once they are here. They.are.here. For real.
If you do have children, when does this end? Am I just wishful thinking that before they hit their teens that I may get a night of sleep? How the hell do I get my body to know when to go back to sleep? Damn body!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Weekly Menu #2 & #3

Hey all! Sorry I forgot to post the weekly menu Saturday night...it's the holidays and it's kinda hectic...ya know! So here is what we will be having for dinner for the next 2 weeks. I hope that it inspires you and helps plan your meals and lighten your grocery bill total! Most of these I am going off of my own whatcha-got-in-your-fridge recipes so use what you got...and twerk things for your own taste buds!
*Before you continue, I want to let you know that I do not post the entire recipe on my posts because of a few reasons:
1. My Weekly Menus would be hella long...like hella!
2. They are not always my original recipes
3. The people that took the time to post their recipe out into cyberspace deserves the credit!*

Sunday - Roast in the Crockpot


Ingredients: 
  • 2-3 lb roast
  • 1 cup of beef broth
  • 1 jar of beef gravy
  • 1/2 bag of baby carrots
  • 3-4 potatoes peeled, and cut into 1/4ths
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic

Place all the ingredients in the crockpot, turn on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.This is the basic recipe that I use for putting a roast in the crockpot and leaving it all day. Some times I throw some worcestershire saucein there. I try to not salt the meat too much because, although it takes great...it gets me all swollen :/ I didn't put potatoes in this time...we had it over rice!


Monday - Pepperoni Pizza 


Ingredients:
  • 1 refrigerated pizza crust
  • 2 cups of shredded mozerella cheese
  • 1 cup of pizza sauce
  • pepperoni - or toppings of your choice



I am using up the leftovers from last week's pepperoni pull. I have to say...Hormel pepperonis are AWESOME! You can vary this recipe depending on if you love extra sauce, cheese, or toppings. This is a quick and easy meal that everyone loves. Plus - you get to use left overs so this should be minimal cost wise!


Tuesday - Crockpot chicken and rice

Ingredients:
  • 3 frozen chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp. of minced garlic (yes, we love garlic in this house)
  • salt and peper to taste 
  • 2 cups of chicken broth
  • water to cover the chicken
  • 1 jar of chicken gravy
  • 2 cups of rice
Now - I use my crockpots entirely too much...I am trying to get the Hubbs to buy me and pressure cooker/crockpot but he isn't crazy about the idea. Throw in everything (except gravy and rice) and let it cook for 3-4 hours on high or 7-8 on low. Make sure that you don't let it go too long...or you will get dry chicken...which I do entirely too much! I usually shred the chicken and leave out bowls of rice, gravy and chicken so we can put how much we like on our own serving! There is lots of chicken left over from this...which will serve as chicken for chicken tacos later in the week! If you want to freeze it that would be a great idea too.


Wednesday - Chicken Noodle soup
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 of medium onion, chopped
  • 1 bag of egg noodles (you can use either medium or wide)
  • 2 cans of cooked chunk chicken breast (I like the Tyson brand), strained
  • 1 can of sliced carrots, strained
  • Water
  • Chicken Bouillon cubes
  • Parsley Flakes


This is really good and easy to make. I am going to use 2 chicken breasts from our freezer that I will sauté with some salt and pepper in 1 tblsp. of EVOO. The first time I made this I used left over roasted chicken. It was great and it warmed us all up! You can find the recipe here.


Thursday - Turkey Dinner


Ingredients:
  • 1 turkey breast (I found it in the frozen section with all the other full-sized turkeys)
  • - 1 stick of margarine
  • - 1/2 tbsp salt 
  • - 1/2 tbsp pepper  
  • - 1 tbsp Garlic Powder  
  • - 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning  

A friend of mine made this for Thanksgiving. The entire recipe is here. I realize that if you are going to have turkey for Christmas then this would not be ideal to do this week. However, we have tamales and posole for Christmas so we can eat this this week. I will be using left overs for Turkey Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits. We are going to have mashed potatoes and stuffing with it.


Friday- Cinnamon Waffles & Bacon

Ingredients:
  • 1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
  • waffle maker
  • bacon
This is super simple. These are tasty and they always disappear quickly! You can find the steps here.




Saturday - Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • juice from 2 limes
  • 1/2 cup of cilantro 
  • 1 packet of taco seasoning
  • 1 teas. dried onions
  • 1/2 cup of water


We have tacos all the time. The girls love tortillas and so do I. I will be using the left over chicken from the chicken and rice on Tuesday. I am going to put the cooked chicken a pan with all the ingredients and simmer for about 10-12 minutes. If you do not have any chicken left over. Follow the recipe here.

Sunday - Family Date Night! On the eve of all the holiday madness, we will be spending some down time together and have someone else cook for the evening. I hope that all of you have one day a week that you eat out. It gives you time to focus on your family and maybe you can even eat your food while it's still hot. (We all know, the minute you became a mom your dinner is ALWAYS cold!)

Monday - Christmas Eve...we will be celebrating with my dad's side of the family and then mexican food with my in-laws....I hope you are getting your fill and thinking of recipes to use your left overs if you are cooking!

Tuesday - Christmas...
I am making Christmas Breakfast for my parents. Every year we have them come over and open presents with the girls and have breakfast together. In rest of the day is for the Hubbs family.  Here is what I will be making....









Ingredients:
1 loaf sourdough bread (I used Pepperidge Farm)
8 eggs
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

I made something similar to this on Thanksgiving. It was so yummy. It had blueberries and the Hubbs wasn't too fond of it - so I am just making a plain ole' kind! You can find the recipe here. Don't you just love Pintrest?!


Wednesday - Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Crust



Ingredients:

For the filling:
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 3 1/2 cups low sodium turkey or chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups roast turkey (or chicken) meat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby peas, thawed

For the biscuit crust:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
I made this a couple of days after Thanksgiving and it was AH-mazing. I tried to eat the entire things by myself. I would highly recommend making this! I may even one day try chicken in it :)
The entire recipe is here.

Thursday -Healthy Chicken Parmesan Wraps

Ingredients:
  • 1 cooked chicken breast, cut into strips
  • 1/4 cup marinara or spaghetti sauce
  • 1/8 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/8 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1/8 tsp Italian spice blend
  • 1 large low carb or whole grain wrap
  • Optional: 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves

After eating all the food that we will eat over next weekend I am going to try and fit something yummy and healthy into our schedule! This looks good. I have never made it so, if you decide to make this let me know what you think of it! Find the entire recipe here.


Friday - Chicken Cordon Blue Pasta









Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. Pasta (I used penne-you could use any fun shaped pasta)
  • 1 cup Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed
  • 1 cup Ham, cooked and cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups Milk
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
  • 2 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion
  • 2 cups Swiss Cheese, shredded
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 cup Panko Crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Butter, melted 
Now, if you have left over ham from Christmas...this would be perfect! I am excited about this recipe because it looks like it can clog an artery in about 3 minutes. I do love me some cream sauce and Panko crumbs!! I hope that you get to make this it is YUM-O! The entire recipe is here.

Saturday -  Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread
Ingredients:
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 pizza dough (I used store bought and let it sit out for about 20 minutes)
  • 8 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese 
  • 3 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of Franks Wing Sauce
  • 1/3 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing
Yes - we are having this again. I am a little obsessed with this...and I have frozen left over buffalo chicken from the sandwiches I made a couple of weeks ago. I am going to use less Franks sauce in the sauce/ranch sauce you put on the bread since the chicken is already flavored with Franks. But I am hopeful that it will be just as yummy as the first time!
I found this at pincookie.com. You can find the entire recipe here.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Different in so many ways....

A child will eat when they get hungry right? That's what I have been chanting in my head over and over for the past couple of days. My 2 year old won't eat anything. She hasn't shown any signs of being sick. No belly aches, excess pooping, or extra sleeping. I am pretty sure that she is living off of milk, m&ms, and an occasional cracker.

We have tried everything the past couple of days to get her to eat. We have played the airplane game and cooked all her favorites, still nothing. I don't get it. I often wonder if it's just the fact that she is drinking so much milk. The girls go through 4 gallons of milk a week. No, I'm not kidding. I honestly thought that wouldn't happen until they were much older. The fact that they both just drink milk or water is probably part of the milk issue. Isabella will drink juice, in fact she eats and drinks EVERYTHING. There isn't a thing that has passed that girls lips that she just doesn't absolutely love.

It has always amazed me how children from the same gene pool can be so different. This quandary grows more now that I have my own children. They for the most part complete opposites. Isabella loves to cuddle. I will hold her in my arms until she leaves for college, and I am pretty sure that even when she comes back on break - she will be on my lap again! Lilliana hates to be held on to. If she could have it her way she would do the 3 second hug to everyone and then go on her way exploring where she is at. Bella feels that sleep is a novel idea. It's only necessary for minimal amounts of sleep here and there. Lilli is the best sleeper in the universe! She sleeps 12-13 hours each night and takes a 2 hour nap each day. Bella loves animals - ALL animals. Lilli can take or leave our dog. She hates cat and squirrels. These are just a few of their differences. Ones that you can notice when you spend some time around them.

However, it is their differences that make them so special in their own right. It would be boring if they were both the same right? I would always know what to expect. I love that Lilli is obsessed with Dora & Diego. She loves the iPad and has ALWAYS played on her own. She has trouble sharing, but I am hoping that improves with time. Isabella is very independent and only speaks when necessary. I wish that she would speak more - I know that she will start using more language when she wants to and is ready to. It's the sped teacher in me that worries and checks them over with the "list" of what they should be doing by now, to make sure they are hitting those milestones. Which I find funny, since I know in my mind - that every child has their own learning curve.

With how different my girls are - they do have some similarities. One being the love that they have for one another. I am so excited to see them grow and learn from each other. I know there were be times that they are being hateful to each other, but in the end - they are still sisters. They will be there for one another their whole entire lives. I am so happy - now that I haven't been pregnant for 2 consecutive years that we have them both.

Many people have criticized me for having my children so close and still wanting to have more. I have been told to let my body rest, blamed for my preclampsia, and tons of other things that people feel should be stated. However, this is our life - our family. We will add to as we like. We will have 15 kids if we want, all one after another. Children are an amazing gift. The biggest miracles in this world. The love that we get from them and the love that we have for each other because of them is unexplainable. So, before you comment on how someone else lives or how many children they have or don't have. Realize, that they have their own lives and live it how they feel they should. Don't judge, and try to hold your tongue. Just think, before you speak!

Friday, December 14, 2012

WHY dear Lord?

As I sit here watching my girls play, I wonder how such senseless things can happen. The minute I heard about the tragedy in Newton, CT, my heart broke. As the day went on and the reports rolled in and announced that out of the 28 that were dead - 20 were students - mostly a kindergarten class, my heart absolutely shattered. Those poor babies. How frightened they must have been. I cannot even fathom......

I have been a mess all day. Calling my mom and crying to her as I held my babies tight and kissed them. The thought has seriously passed my mind to home school. I know that is fear talking - but I thought about it. (If we can afford it - it might just happen.)

Then I looked at the final recap on foxnews.com  and they have that his mom (the teacher) was already killed at his house. Then WHY in the world did he go to that school and kill those innocent children and staff members? WHY dear Lord? Why did it happen? I am sure that is a question that almost everyone in the world is asking themselves.

I often complain of not getting enough sleep, dealing with screaming kids all day, and my loathing of cleaning. Well - let me tell you. This put my woes in place. Nothing could be as tragic as losing one or both of our children.

I pray that everyone that has lost someone today in CT. is surrounded by people who will support them no matter what. I hope that in days, months, years to come they will be able to look back on their child's and loved ones lives and know what amazing, beautiful people they were. That not only did they make a difference in their own lives, but made me think about things differently. My heart bleeds for those parents. I weep for those dreams and little lives lost that will never happen.

6 staff members lost their lives protecting the children that they taught. How courageous of them. I don't know how they put their own lives before others. The teachers that shoved their students into closets and bathrooms - you saved their lives. I can't imagine the thoughts that went through their heads.

And the kids that died today. Oh, most of them kindergarteners. Just starting out in school. Learning your numbers and ABCs. How much of your lives you had left! You, little ones, will not be forgotten. Each and everyone of you will be thought about often and by many. May you be at the right hand of God and feel comfort in him. You sweet, sweet innocent children. May the Lord bless your souls.

20 kids didn't come home from school today.

As we often say when something tragic happens, hug your loved ones tonight and be thankful for each day that you have with them. May God bless the families and people affected by this horrendous tragedy that happened today.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Week Menu #1

As promised, the weekly menu has been added to Embrace Your Muffintop. I hope that you can gain some ideas to spice up your weekly dinners or put a new spin on your old recipes! 

Sunday - Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches












Ingredients: 

  • 24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 16 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce (I used Frank's) 
The original recipe is for lettuce wraps, which sounds super yummy! However, the Hubbs isn't too crazy about that idea. I picked up some hamburger buns. We are going to use them twice this week! Super save! Thanks to the great mind behind Skinnytaste.com!

You can find the recipe here.


Monday - Cheeseburger Pasta












Ingredients:
  • 1 pd. of pasta cooked - penne or similar
  • 1 pd. of ground beef
  • 3/4 cup of milk
  • 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
  • 2 cups of cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp. of pepper
  •  1/2 tsp. of salt
  • 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
I have some shredded cheese that I bought last week that is a mix of cheese and I am going to substitute that for the cheddar cheese. Always make use of what you have in your pantry and fridge. Special thanks to BudgetSavvyDiva.com for this easy inexpensive dish!
You can find the entire recipe here.


Tuesday - Pepperoni Pizza Pull












Ingredients:
  • 1 package of sliced pepperoni, chopped
  • 1 cup of shredded mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup of grated parmesan 
  • 1 - 11 oz. package of (12) of refrigerated breadsticks
  • 1 cup of pizza sauce, warmed
This looks super yummy and easy. I will absolutely blog about how it is. It might become a bi-weekly throw together meal. This is from the people at recipe.com. This is one of my go-to websites. They have tons, and I mean tons of different recipes for anything you might want to try. 
You can find the entire recipe here.


Wednesday - Waffles and Sausage












Ingredients:
  • 1 package of Jimmy Dean sausage (or your favorite breakfast meat)
For the Waffles:
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups of milk
  • 1/2 veg. oil
  • 1 tbsp. white sugar
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. of salt
  • 1/2 tsp. of vanilla
  • chocolate chips (optional)
  • blueberries (optional)
The girls love breakfast foods. We have this dinner once a week. Each week I switch up the main dish. Sometimes I will make pancakes or french toast. This is a cheap, cheap, cheap meal. I usually make it on nights that the Hubbs will be late for dinner. I use the same recipe from allrecipes.com for our waffles. They come out fluffy and perfect each time. You can find the entire recipe here.


Thursday - Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread












Ingredients:
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 pizza dough (I used store bought and let it sit out for about 20 minutes)
  • 8 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese 
  • 3 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of Franks Wing Sauce
  • 1/3 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing
Now, this is one dinner that we have had before. It is DELISH! I was worried that it was going to be spicy, but it had just the right about of bite that I love. It doesn't burn your mouth or leave you draining your water glass. We have this about 2 times a month. It's a easy and quick dinner that the whole family loves. I found this at pincookie.com. You can find the entire recipe here.


Friday - Philly Cheese Sloppy Joes









Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 softball-sized onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons steak sauce, such as A-1
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 4 dinner rolls
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup provolone, shredded
I love love love Philly Cheese Steaks. This is a nice twist using an type of meat that is not as expensive as steak. I will be leaving the green pepper and onion in big chunks. The Hubbs doesn't like eating either one of these veggies, but likes the taste. What can I say? He's a weirdo! This recipe is from the fabulous site atasteofhomecooking.com. You can find the entire recipe here.


Saturday -
Family Date Night! We go out once a week. Depending on how our budget is looking we may go to a fast food joint or to a sit-down restaurant. We have been taking the girls out to eat since they were born. Bella was at IHOP when she was 8 days old. It's important to me that they know how to act in a public place and that they observe others using good table manners. 

I hope that you find some inspiration and motivation to try something new this week. In the future I plan to have the price of each dish to go along with the recipe. Being a one-income family I know the importance of keeping things savvy and using things I buy more then once in a week, if possible. I hope your dinners are exceptional and try something that's out of the norm. You might just love it!