Family Fridays ~ Farmers Market

I absolutely love farmers markets! If you don't go or haven't been, I can boldly say your missin out! Here are a few reasons I love supporting local buying:

• Your cutting out the middle man and getting FRESH picks




• Your supporting local or/and small businesses (they need our support during this economic time)




• You can find great unique stuff you can't find in stores




• You can sample everything!




• The freshair :)




• Most farmers markets are pet friendly as well

The best resource I found to find farmers markets is this nifty map

Review and Giveaway ~ Right on the Money

You know that Pat Robertson is a world-famous televangelist, but did you know that he's also an expert in financial matters? In his weekly broadcast segment, "Money Monday", Dr. Robertson answers viewers' questions about all things financial. His deep knowledge of finance, based on sound economic - and Biblical - principles, has made him a "go to" resource for hundreds of thousands of CBN viewers.Now he has written a book that is accessible to everyone and provides answers people desperately need in today's tough times.

Among the topics he addresses are how to:

• Create a healthy financial plan


• Devise spending strategies tohelp you live within your budget


• Identify areas where your money can grow


• Build a nestegg


• Maximize your tax savings


• Cut costs


• Diminish your debt


• Invest wisely


• Make prudent financial decisions


• Plan for the future


• Enjoy peace of mind and God's financial protection

RIGHT ON THE MONEY also includes a financial glossary, worksheets and a special section of the most frequently asked questions & answers about keeping what you have and growing your personal net worth.

Visit http://www.patrobertson.com/ and http://www.cbn.com/

*I thought this book was good for basic financial information. I disagreed with his view on debt, but otherthan that I thought his advice was very helpful. If you would like a chance to WIN this book, leave a comment here with your e-mail address. This book can only be shipped to US and Canada and NO PO Box.

For more reveiws on this book see these blogs:


Wendy's Minding Spot

Mom Saves Money

Frugal Plus

GAhome2mom

Thank You Valerie at Hachette Book Group

This giveaway will end June 10, 2009! Thanks for entering and Good Luck!

Tuesday's Tip ~ Storing fish and seafood

How to Store fish and seafood

It really is best to cook fresh fish the same day you buy it. However, if you are not able to and need to store it for a day (it should not be stored longer) here is how to do it.

Fill a baking dish with ice cubes. Cover the ice with plastic wrap. Place fish on top of plastic wrap. This is a great way to keep it very cold without freezing it or getting water logged. You'll also want to put another layer of plastic wrap on top. Chill in the fridge.

If you are storing mussels and clams, place them in a colander with ice. Put the colander in a bowl so the excess water can drain off. DO NOT wrap with plastic wrap. Mussels and clams are still alive and need to breath. If any have opened before you cook them, toss em. If any do not open after cooking, toss em.

Meal Plan Monday ~ meal plan 6

Happy Memorial Day!

I hope you all have a great day relaxing and remembering. My wonderful husband spent 8 years in the Navy, is now in the reserves, but plans to return back active in a couple years. My father and both my grandfathers were vets as well. So this day holds meaning to me. I want my children to grow up knowing the true meaning behind Memorial Day, a day to remember those who died in serving our country. I also love that this day marks the beginning of summer. It is in our nature to remember death but celebrate new life. God simply reminds us of this with nature! I have yet to meet someone who doesn't love the first flower of spring after a cold winter. :)

MEAL PLAN 6

BBQ chicken (can freeze then thaw and reheat on a griddle pan or grill)

Lemon chicken with artichokes. (we love love love this dish.....we were excited to have this and I forgot to take a pic....so these are the leftovers for Rob's lunch..ha ha) This dish only takes 30 min!!!!

For more meal planning ideas: Meal Planning Monday

Family Friday ~ Baseball

Baseball, a truly American sport, has become a favorite of our family too. We've watched both pro and minor leagues. Both are entertaining in their own way. Our favorite stadium so far is definitely Petco Park in San Diego. It is awesome. If you get the chance, GO! If not, I hope you go out and root, root, root for your home team. One of my husbands summer dreams is to take our son across country and see as many baseball games and stadiums they can. I love it. It'll be a couple years before Caleb is ready for something like that, but can you imagine the memories made on that trip! So, if your pinchin your pennies this year and can't afford a vacation, check out your local baseball teams.

www.mlb.com
www.minorleaguebaseball.com

Berry Breakfast Cookies

I took these cookies to a playdate this morning and came home with just the plate. Tells me these are worth posting about! When I first saw this recipe it called for canned fruit cocktail (yuck....JMO).....so I tweaked it and this was the result. Keep in mind......this is a breakfast cookie.....it does not have much sugar in it....don't expect it to compare to your grandma's chocolate chip cookies. :)

3/4 cup strawberries cut into bitesize pieces
1/4 cup blackberries cut into bitesize pieces
4oz yogurt (I used blueberry...this about 6 Tbl)
1 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup bisquick heart smart baking mix
3/4 cup milk
3 Tbl no calorie sweetner (I use Truvia but splenda would work too or regular sugar)
3 Tbl brown sugar (not packed)
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3 Tbl unsalted
dash of salt

Preheat oven 425. Pat fruit dry and mix with yogurt. Set aside. Combine oats, bisquick, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Melt butter in microwave and add to dry mix. Mix well. Add milk and stir until mixed thoroughly. Fold fruit into the batter. Let dough sit for 5 minutes. (so the oats can soak up some wet). Portion with a 1/4 cup measurer. Bake 11-13 minutes or until tops are slightly firm and edges begin to brown. Let cool slightly. Enjoy! (makes 2 dozen)

Tuesday's Tip

How to make pineapple rings with fresh pineapple:

Flip an empty 2-liter soda bottle upside down, aligning its top on the pineapple core. Push and twist the bottle. There ya go....perfect fresh pineapple rings!

Make a difference Mondays

The power of volunteering or serving is close to unmatched! If you already volunteer you know exacting what I'm talking about.....if you don't......try it. You'll quickly realize and look for ways to get plugged into your community or church. It is an incredible feeling knowing you are apart of making a difference in someones life. Every Monday I'll be blogging about making a difference and hopefully give you ideas and inspiration. Today, (yes I know it's tuesay...ha ha) I'm highlighting Milestone: A CureSearch Walk to Conquer Kids' Cancer. Our friends learned in the last few month that their 6 year old has cancer. WOW......can you imagine??? For more info and specific prayer requests check out thier facebook group, Praying for Katie Leach.

What is the MileStones Walk to Conquer Kids' Cancer?
MileStones - The CureSearch Walk to Conquer Kids' Cancer is a pledge walk that unites people in the fight to reach the day when every child with cancer can be guaranteed a cure. Its goals are to increase awareness of childhood cancer and the critical need for research and to raise the revenue needed to support the Children's Oncology Group’s (COG) collaborative research network at work in member institutions from coast to coast.All proceeds will go to CureSearch to support lifesaving research conducted by the COG, the world’s largest pediatric cancer research organization.

Why is a Cure for Childhood Cancer So Important?
Every school day 46 young people or two classrooms of students are diagnosed with cancer in this country and more than 40,000 young people are currently in treatment. Once considered nearly incurable, through research, 78% of patients overall survive today. Despite this amazing progress, cancer still claims the lives of one in four infants, children, and young adults diagnosed.

Here are the upcoming walks: E-mail me if you would like to support or make a donation to the group I'm walking with, Hugs for Bugs. (Katiebug is her nickname)

2009 Upcoming Walks:
Colorado - Denver
Delaware - Wilmington
Dist. of Columbia - Washington
Illinois - Chicago
Iowa - Des Moines
Michigan - Portage
Michigan - Southeast
Nebraska - Omaha
North Carolina - Charlotte
Ohio - Cleveland
Texas - Austin
Virginia - Norfolk

see Milestone

Meal Plan Monday

Yes, I know, it's not Monday. Yesterday turned out to be a little busier than I expected. Next week, I'll make sure to have this done actually on Monday. lol. :)

This week I created a meal plan with my friend, Robin, in mind. She and her husband work funky hours and just want to spend time together and with thier son when not working. But like all of us, we want our families to eat good food not to mention save money on eating out. So, I tried to put myself in her shoes......so I'm thinking easy meals, cooking once and using leftovers in another meal, freezing....stuff like that. Here is what I came up with:

Meal Plan 5

This week, I started something new as well. On this meal plan check out sheet two......yep....you got it.....the grocery list!
My son picking on the quiche on the counter. :)

Chicken and Brocolli quiche. 3 suggestions. Omit the lemon juice, add some hot sauce, and add some cheddar.

This is unbaked in this picture. Just think Arby's hot ham and cheese only this has a yummy buttery sauce!

We should rename this parmesan garlic chicken to "YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS CHICKEN"! It was soooo good! We used the leftovers in the quiche and that was after my husband took some to work, AND I was able to freeze some for the next quiche or quesadilla. :)

Green Shrimp Scampi (we use whole wheat pasta...so ours looks brown) :)

This week freezing instructions:

*Can wrap pork tenderloin in marinade and freeze until ready. thaw completely in fridge before baking. Could also freeze after cooking. Slice and add juice from pan in a freezer bag.

*Can wrap parmesan garlic chicken after cheese coating individually. Just take out as many as you need. Thaw completely in fridge before cooking.

*Can freeze ham and cheese sands after assembled wrapped in foil. No need to thaw before cooking. (this is one of our favorites!!!)

*Yes, you can even freeze quiche! After cooking, cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze. Thaw completely in fridge. Reheat in 325 oven for 20-30 min. Cover loosely with foil if starts to brown.

Dessert this week:

This week I'm making Frozen Lemon Pie (I have an obsession with lemon in the summertime)
3/4 c sugar
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1/2 t salt
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1/2 t lemon zest
1 1/3 c whipping cream
2 egg whites
graham pie crust

In a double broiler, mix sugar, whole egg, yolks, salt, lemon juice, and zest. Over med heat until thick. Remove and cool. Seperatly, beat egg whites until stiff peaks. In a seperate bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into lemon mix. Fold whipping cream into lemon mix. Spread into graham crust. Freeze. Thaw slightly before slicing. YUM! (pictures to come)

More Meal Plans

SONday

We finally started our garden this last week. We planted corn, peppers, tomatoes, onions, beans, peas, and strawberries. Our conversations have revolved so much around plants growing, the importance of the right soil, watering, sunlight and so on. I'm hoping a number of lessons can be taught to my children (almost 3 and almost 4) through gardening, but this week I'm focusing on the good things that can grow inside of us. Peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, love, self-control, faithfulness are considered fruits of the spirit in the Bible. There are about a million crafts to do on this subject. Google fruits of the spirit crafts....you'll see what I mean. I think we'll be starting with kindness and gentleness (my son can be THE bully sometimes). Danielle's Place is one of my favorite sites to get ideas from. Some are free and some are not.....but great for ideas. We'll be going over Galatians 5:22-26 as well as Luke 8:4-15. I hope and pray you are enjoying God's blessings today (they are there, even if you don't think so) :)

Seasonal Saturdays

Every Saturday I'll be blogging about seasonal items and a recipe. (I'm super busy tomorrow, so I'm blogging tonight) :)

Did you know:

Rhubarb is an early sign of spring. It originated in Western China and was prized for its medicinal qualities. The stalk is very tart-the leaves or roots should NEVER be eaten.

Store in the refridgerator in a plastic bag and use within a few days.

My husband LOVES rhubarb strawberry pie......I'm positive I'll be making this soon!

9 inch pie crust

6 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons corn starch

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups rhubarb

2 cups strawberries

2 Tablespoons butter

Mix all dry ingredients together and then mix with rhubarb and strawberries. Place in crust. Put little chunks of butter around on top. Sprinkle a little nutmeg over it. Put on top crust and make a few slits. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Then bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or till done.

Family Fridays

I'll be blogging a new family idea on Fridays!

I recently read that 85% of brain connections were made by experiences after birth. Paediatrician Dr Marguerite Dalton of New Zealand says, “Interaction and engagement with our under 5’s is so important,” she also says, “Parents don’t need to spend a lot of money – getting kids involved in ordinary, every-day tasks, is a great way for them to feel connected, loved and special. Spending time can mean many things, but it does involve doing things together; like reading a book, playing a favorite game, eating, cooking, cleaning up the house, going for a walk or just having a cuddle – it’s only limited by your imagination,”
Starting a family hobby is easy, fun, and can be challenging. Here is an idea to get started....

Homemade Bird Feeder

Thirsty Thursday Banana Smoothie

Everything Thursday I'll be posting a new drink recipe. I hope you enjoy! Today's is Banana Smoothie!

1 med banana, sliced

4 Tbl of vanilla yogurt

2/3 cup milk (if you like thick smoothies, don't add as much)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3-4 ice cubes

Add all into a blender and blend until smooth! You could also add chocolate syrup, peanut butter, berries, ect...

Coupon Giveaway!!

Check out Mom Saves Money and enter to win coupons! Act fast......it ends today!!!

Thanks Nicole!

~Shelby

Baked Penne with sausage, tomatoes, and cheese!

This was super yummy! My husband raved on and on about this one. He asked for seconds and made sure there was enough for his lunch the next day. :) (by the way, this made a ton.....you will have leftovers!) Find this recipe on meal plan 4.

Meal Plan 4

Here's meal plan number 4! Enjoy! This week I focused on freezing alot of items or making ahead. It's nice to have short cuts on those days I just don't feel like cooking much.

Blessings,
Shelby

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=rg6BTzPV1QzV1pqaf65aJ7g&hl=ens.google.com/ccc?key=rg6BTzPV1QzV1pqaf65aJ7g&hl=ens.google.com/ccc?

Smothered Breakfast Burrittos

Meatball Sands

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Congrats Becca!

Becca is the winner of the 1st book giveaway: 20 Surprisingly Simple Rules and Tools for a Great Family! Congrats! E-mail me your address and be on the look-out for your new book!
Shelby

Banana Muffins with cinnamon crumb top

These muffins were AWESOME! We loved them. The top is crunchy and the bottoms were moist! This topping could be used with any muffin! :) Enjoy
Combine 1/3 c melted butter, 3/4 c sugar, 1 egg, 1 t vanilla and 3 bananas mashed one at a time. Slowly add 1 1/2 c flour, 1 t baking soda, 1 t baking powder, and 1/2 t salt. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins. Do not overmix. In a small bowl combine 1/3 c brown sugar, 2 T flour, 1/8 t cinnamon. Cut 1 T cold butter in with a fork until it is pea size. Sprinkle over the muffins. Cook at 375 for about 18-20 mins. They are done when a toothpick or knife comes out clean.

*I used 1 cup white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour instead of just all white flour. Use whatever your family likes.