Dangerous

This is what happens when you let a teenager take over the kitchen

and cook anything he can get his grubby little hands on….

An Angel food cake that stuck to the pan, deflated and fell to pieces!

It still tasted good though :)

And this is what happens when a large part of the country is dealing with devastating weather…..

You see weird clouds and snap pictures of it

because that is what everyone else is doing!

Nothing happened here in Florida.

It just caught my attention just as the sun when down the other night.

My phone doesn’t do it justice though,

because the sky was very orange and pink for a while.

I am praying for all of the families affected by these horrendous storms that lost lives and homes

I am so scatter brained lately.

This is wall art in our town displaying my scatteredness….

Which explains my ability to make up words like scatteredness!

I haven’t really cooked, which has me all moody and emotional about staying fit and healthy.

I haven’t been able to run going on my second week now, which just adds fuel to the fire.

My husband says “LIG” it! HA ~ Let it go!

I think I will.

Until I think about it again and the cycle repeats itself.

More recipes next week when I reinvent myself and start a new day!

I have a huge “I wanna try this one” pile.

I might pull one or two out of the hat if I can muster up the ability to chop some veggies and edit some photos.

Have a great rest of the week.

Who’s there?

 
This is as random as snow in May but do you ever wonder what you dog (if you even have a dog?) does on the other side of the door just before you walk in?
Well if my dog thinks he is hearing the garage open when my husband comes home, he couldn’t get his nose any closer to the door if he wanted to!
 
I apologize that the picture is grainy and he is just about to turn around and catch me in the act so its blurry too and I took in on my phone which adds an even bigger problem! But you get the picture right?
lol, picture! sometimes I cwack myself up!
This was a day where he “thought” daddy was coming in and it just never happened :(
 
So he just laid there feeling defeated and exhausted from the potential excitement!
Thank you for all of the new follows I will be returning the love and following you all back ;-)!

In the spotlight!

I am so excited to share with you guys that tomorrow I will be featured on a blog hop! Woohoo! The weekly Welcome Wednesday blog hop that I follow is hosted by Take it from me. Its a fun mommy blog that shares great tips, deals and has great giveaways. Joining a blog hop is a fun way to find new blogs and make new blog friends!

If you are stopping by for the first time, I am SO excited you are here. I hope you really enjoy my recipe and motivational posts and tips on saving money! I hope you come back to find more great things in the future.

Menu Monday

For the first time in forever, I didn’t cook a holiday meal on a holiday (gasp!). We had Chinese food for lunch/dinner. After a long day at church we decided to go out and let someone else clean up the mess, HA! I know it wasn’t the most traditional or healthiest of choices but hey, it happens!

So here is what I plan for the rest of my, again busy as ever, week. I also might be rolling over some meals I haven’t cooked yet.

Monday – Tacos ~ 2pts

Tuesday – Citrus Tilapia with Asparagus ~ 0pts

Wednesday – Chicken Pitas with Tzatziki ( I will have to add this one when I get the recipe) ~ not sure on points because I don’t have the full recipe yet

Thursday – Either Vegetable Lasagna or a Frozen Lasgana, either way we are having lasagna! with a nice side salad. ~ This is unknown too but will add points when I know.

Friday – Pizza Night or Leftovers whichever works out ~ 4pts for 1 thin crust slice of cheese pizza

Saturday – Either a birthday party to attend or a fish fry with company!

Not the healthiest of weeks but they come around from time to time. The main goal is to stick to healthy foods the majority of the week. Makin a curve in the road a time or two is no reason to fall off of the wagon. Stay in the driver’s seat and you will get there soon enough.

**I’ve had a few people ask about my point system. Keep in mind that is is NOT the current weight watchers point scale. It is similar to the new points plus but is the system that I was tested with. The points are similar but not the same so if you are using the Points Plus system you might have to readjust your numbers.

Have a great week everyone!

Fun Weekend Dish ~ Lemon Herb Zucchini Fettuccini

I made this dish last week and I just might make it again tomorrow!

I’m suppose to grill burgers but I don’t want my veggies to go bad or lose $5 because the price is sky high on them right now so I think I just might switch it up.

It doesn’t hurt that this meal is oh so yummy either.

To make your own you will need to gather the following:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
2 T Red Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
1/2 lb angel hair pasta (I opted to use these instead of fettuccini noodles)
2 medium zucchini
1 C shredded parmesan cheese (I used a three cheese because that is all I had in the fridge!)
5-6 cloves garlic
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

(Printable Recipe link)

Marinate your chicken in a zip lock bag with juice of one lemon, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar.

Start your pasta according to the directions on the box

Slice your zucchini length wise, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Next, mince your garlic cloves and place them in a small sauce pan on the stove with 1/4 C olive oil over low-med heat. You will want this to slowly warm to release the flavors of the garlic, not over cook it. Set aside when done.

You can remove your chicken from the bag and either begin cooking it on the stove or if your in the mood, grill it, cooking until they are done. If you grill it then grill your zucchini as well. Otherwise cook your zucchini in a separate skillet with a touch of olive oil until its tender and a little brown on both sides.

I didn’t do this part because, well because I’ve never ‘”zested” anything but you are suppose to zest both lemons.

Juice the last lemon and set aside.

When your pasta is done, drain immediately.

Chop your chicken and zucchini into chunks as they finish.

The last step is the most important!

Add your chicken, zucchini, olive oil and garlic mixture, cheese, lemon juice, herbs, and lemon zest all to the pasta and mix it all together with a pair of tongs!

Top it off with additional cheese if you like.

Dig in and enjoy

I found this recipe from the blog On my menu.

Hoppy Wednesday!

Welcome to blog hopping Wednesday. If you are joining me for the first time, welcome and I hope you return!

Thank you to those ever faithful readers, I look forward to your comments :)

If you would like to know more about a blog hop or would like to join this one, click here or on the image above.

Have a great week ~ its almost over!

Cabbage Patch

When I was a kid, I would gag at the smell of greens or cabbage being cooked in my great grandmothers house. I could smell it in the driveway and would just turn around and go back home. Now don’t get me wrong I love my BeBe’s cooking and would give my left arm and right hook to have her smell up the kitchen today with those greens and she could definitely throw down on fried chicken!

I don’t know about any of you but my taste buds and food cravings have drastically changed with age.

Do our bodies start craving healthier food as we get older or do we just know its better for us? hmmm… question of the day!

Anyway, I began a love/love relationship with cabbage and given my past, one might find that odd!

I started craving it about two thanksgivings ago. In my husbands family, they cook greens at every large family gathering and since I don’t eat those I thought I would give cabbage a try. I was singing on the mountain!

It is very easy to make and you can spin it to be quite healthy.

(Printable Version click here)

You will need:

• 1 descent size head of green cabbage
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• Water
• Salt and pepper to taste

**Unhealthy version is to also add a spoonful of bacon grease and salted pork pieces for that extra southern flavor!

Directions:

1.  Gather a large skillet that has a lid to cover it and fill the bottom of the pan with water just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

2.  Chop up your Bell pepper and onion into chunks.

They don’t have to be nice and pretty but you can make them appealable if you like.

3.  In your skillet with water, add bell pepper, onion, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

If you are in the need for comfort food this is where you would add the bacon grease and salted pork pieces.

4.  While the water is boiling chop up your cabbage into eatable pieces.

Like the size of wheat thin crackers or maybe a little larger.

5.  Next add the cabbage to the skillet of boiling water and cover.

Turn the heat down to medium low and let this simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

You will want the cabbage to still have some umpf to to and not be totally limp.

I usually make this with a holiday meal but I made it Sunday with Savory Herb Chicken in the crock pot and it was a perfect combination.

Enjoy!

Monday meal plan

Happy Week everyone! I have a busy week again so I am cooking some things that are easy to eat as leftovers. I didn’t really do too much cooking last week and I do have a few of the recipes that I will rollover in a few weeks so look out for those.

Sunday – Savory Herb Chicken (in the slow cooker), cabbage - 0pts

Monday – Leftovers

Tuesday – Stoffers Lasagna (I know, I’m sorry, I don’t really like frozen foods either!), corn and salad

Wednesday – Leftovers

Thursday – Tacos - 2pts

Friday – Pizza Night ~ 4pts for 1 thin crust cheese slice

Saturday – Grilled Burgers, Onion roasted potatoes – 2pts if you use regular sliced cheese, fat free mayo and reduced calorie bread :0)

Have a good Monday!

Updates

 

I am always looking for new ways to uplift and motivate you guys, as well as myself! I found this really cool website called Wellsphere.
I love the widgets they have available to add to your blog.

I picked:
Wellternatives and Wellevation!

Because we all go out to eat and
we all need a motivating thought throughout the day :)
You will now see these displayed on the right side of my blog. I hope you find them useful and motivating.

Enchiladas ~ Two ways, both mmm good!

I try to break the trend in my house sometimes from mexican food, but it just always creeps its way back into my menu life! Instead of fighting this battle weekly, I look for variations of the same type of meals. For instance, Enchiladas. I’m sure there are numerous ways in the recipe world to make these but I have two that have made the top 250 list of mexican items in my house!
Beef Enchiladas

AND

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

The Beef Enchilada dish is an original recipe that I made adjustments to so that I could have a healthy meal.
The Creamy Chicken Enchilada dish was already adjusted to be healthy.
I can’t decide. They are both delish. I love the creaminess of the chicken version and the corn tortilla texture of the other.
Print out your own recipe below, give both a try and share what you think!
Beef Enchilada Recipe (my adjustments) and original recipe found here – fyi I used canned enchilada sauce also. The recipe gives you an option to make your own.
Creamy Chicken Enchilada Recipe

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!

Whew, I just did an amazing week of blog hopping last week with the Ultimate Blog hopping party and it was so much fun! For all of you that joined me either blogger, facebook, or twitter ~ THANK YOU (I am still working on following you all back, ha)! If you are back to the regular tuning in and are just joining me through Welcome Wednesday, I’m so glad you’ve found me! I hope you come back to visit again.

Click here to join in on the blog hop and find more interesting blogs!

I am so excited I have a success story from on of my clients that I can’t wait to tell you all about! Stay tuned.

Weekly Menu Monday ~ but on Tuesday :)

Yeah, yeah I know. I’m late and terrible lately with making great posts. I will get back to normal (at least this is what I tell myself eva-re day!)

So now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, this is what I’ve already cooked and what I plan on cooking for the rest of the week. AND I can tell you that Sunday’s recipe was Oh so yummy and I am looking forward to Wednesday’s meal! Have a fun week and enjoy some new menu items!

Sunday – Lemon Herb Zucchini Fettuccini ~ 5 points if you use regular pasta

Monday – Creamy Chicken Enchiladas ~ 4 points for one enchilada

Tuesday – Fend for yourself night :( ~ I have to work late so the guys are on their own!

Wednesday – Asian grilled Chicken with Onion Roasted Potatoes ~ 0 points

Thursday – Lasagna, corn and salad (because I am super busy this week, I am relying on some of my stockpile frozen prepackaged meals, ha!) ~ I’m not sure of points on this one

Friday – Pizza Night ~ 4 points for one thin slice of cheese pizza

Saturday – Sweet and Tangy Citrus Fish with Butter sauce asparagus – 0 points

Marinated Garlic and Lime Pork chops

One of the recipes I had on the menu this week that I’ve actually cooked is Marinated Garlic and Lime pork chops. They turned out very well. I grilled them outside and I think that added a bigger flavor to them.

You will need:

• 4 (6 oz) lean boneless pork chops
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 lime, juice of (I used lime juice because there wasn’t a lime in sit at any store I went to!)
• lime zest (didn’t have this either which probably would’ve made a big difference)
• salt and fresh pepper

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients into a bowl.
2. Dip each pork chop in the mixture, covering both sides. Once you’ve “dipped” all pork chops, place them in a large bowl to marinate for about 20 minutes. Just about the time your grill is ready. Oh, I forgot to mention to get your grill ready. So go do that now, hehe.
3. Cook them on the grill for about 20 minutes or until done. You can use the broiler if you choose to, it was just nice outside and I wanted to cook on the grill.
4. Serve them to your hungry family!

Grilling takes a lot out of a girl, so I gave in to temptation…..

and had a few of these!

While they were cooking I started working on the Asparagus. I just love this stuff.

Again, I like to cook mine on the stove top but the original recipe calls for roasting it in the oven.

You choose.

I’m sure they are both just as tasty.

I also made Cilantro Lime Rice which is so addicting it should not be aloud!

 

To get the original Marinated Garlic and Lime Pork chops recipe, click here.

To get the original Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic butter sauce recipe, click here.

Click here for the Cilantro Lime Rice recipe.

Enjoy!

Things that keep me from blogging

1. An infected computer

2. My to do list runith over

3. Giving up a Saturday to do yard work

4. Not cooking on my stove for two weeks

5. A DVR full of the latest and greatest episodes of reality tv

6. Tornado warnings and cows flying

7. Lack of sleep ~ that’s why I saw cows flying!

8. No trips to the stores

Needless to say I haven’t been very successful this week. I also am making a change to my meal plan if you were following it.

I cooked Tacos last night because of #8!

I am cooking a different recipe tonight I found on Skinny Taste, Baked chicken with Dijon and Lime.

I have all of these ingredients at my house and I don’t need to run to the store!

Click here if you would like to print one out for yourself and tomorrow I will post the pork chop recipe, mmmm!

May tomorrow be a more productive day!

Meal Plan Monday ~ a little late

I don’t know why I am having such a hard time getting back into the swing of things after my vacation TWO weeks ago, geez! You’d think I  would be back on track! I made a menu plan last week but we had really strong storms here in Florida and I only cooked one night. So I am trying this week to behave myself and follow the rules, haha! So, even though I already had dinner and most of you probably have too, this is what I cooked tonight and what I plan on having the rest of the week.

Monday – Garlic Lime pork chops, cilantro lime rice, roasted asparagus with balsamic butter sauce ~ 3pts

Tuesday – Sweet and spicy citrus fish with Roasted Broccoli and crushed garlic ~ 0pts

Wednesday – Lemon Herb Zucchini Fettuccini – points will vary depending on the type of noodles you use

Thursday – Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Veggies ~ 0pts

Friday – Pizza Night ~ 4pts for thin cheese slice

Saturday – Taco Night ~ 2pts for two tacos with cheese

Most of my recipes this week come from www.skinnytaste.com! Her recipes are amazing. I put a few variations in mine after I cook them the first time but pretty much you can follow the recipe and it will be a hit everytime!

Enjoy your week!

Is it extreme to coupon?

There is a new show out that exaggerates couponing and in my opinion, takes it to a whole different playing field. I really don’t agree with the direction the show is going and I am an avid couponer. I saw the show back in the winter when they aired the pilot show and I didn’t like it then either.

I already get a few angry faces when I stand in line with all of my coupons and this will just justify it more in their mind that I am crazy for doing what I do.

I didn’t start couponing to be extreme or for the thrills, I did it to save my family money. It did become addicting and I do not shop without coupons now but it was a total saving grace to have the know how on using coupons a few years ago. I just now have gotten to the point of constant stockpiling and am seeing true benefits of savings on my groceries. I get to enjoy a few extra dollars saved which was the ultimate goal.

Along the process I’ve learned how to stick with foods I need to stay healthy so that I’m not wasting my money on processed or unhealthy foods. On occasion though,  I do by things that are not needed but if I can get those items for FREE and either keep the guys happy or donate them to my local food bank or our church food drive, then that is what I do. I don’t keep 20 bottles of something in my house just to save a dollar or two.

For all of the people that are on the show, they may have different agendas for why they coupon. I personally get frustrated with other people that coupon for the thrill and take all of certain items off of the shelf just because they know how to get them for free! Did they ever think ~ what if I needed that item that week too? To me that is just inconsiderate but I can’t complain too much because I understand their madness. I just wish they would leave some for the next couponing sister!

A lot of people ask how am I able to do it. I have a very organized system that I use for my coupons which helps the process not seem so chaotic and overwhelming because it can be.

My process goes something like this:

I make a weekly meal plan

I make a list

I pull out coupons I need

I go shop! :) It really doesn’t take that much time at ALL!

  

I use the binder system for coupons I print out on the computer and ones I find in magazines and in the store

I keep my weekly inserts in a drawer organized by month.

I only clip those when they are needed.

Another question I get asked is “Where in the world do you find all of those coupons?”

Newspaper inserts

Magazines

And numerous websites. Here is small list of my favorites!

Target.com

Smartsource.com

Redplum.com

coupons.com

allyou.com

cookingwithkraft.com

printablecouponsanddeals.com

The secret is knowing how to make it all work for you!

I hope this helps out some newbie's to the coupon world.

I would be glad to answer whatever questions you have.

Shot me an email or leave a savvy savings comment :)

Have an awesome day!