Meal Planning Monday: inexpensive meals ideas. I have been away for a long time and my meal planning has suffered. It has been a trying time and I feel with the start of spring I can get back to what I enjoy. I need to make myself happy and I know I will be a better mom and wife for it. I am trying to get back to things I enjoy, blogging being part of my happiness. My little space in the world.
I had a great loss this winter.. actually the lost has been since last July resulting in my fathers passing this past February. I miss him and I will address it at another time. With him being so sick for so long my life was in an emotional limbo and truly super exhausting.
My 1st step back to sharing with my readers is my meal planning.
Meal Planning for a family of 4 ideas what to feed a family that are inexpensive yet homemade:
Sunday: Loaded potato skins
Monday: Shepard’s Pie
Tuesday: Baked chicken, asparagus, rice
Wednesday: Chili
Thursday: Special Meal for my mom
Friday: Pasta with sausage (Kids cooking)
This week I spent $101 on groceries and $20 at the produce store.
I am hopping you have a wonderful week and may life bring you joy.
So this week we are almost back to school.. next week hopeful the mold issue at my sons school we be handled. Last week, I had him help make dinner meat loaf muffin. I think he loved the responsibility of making it on his own. He is 12, heading to 7th grade and is cooking fish for himself everyday at lunch. Frozen tilapia in a frying pan he loves it .. now ifI can get him to add veggies. I buy the flash frozen fish in individual filets at Walmart there is about 20 filets for $20. So when he
This week is a busy week, I am headed to fashion week in NYC.
Monday : Roasted chicken and Mash potatoes Extras potatoes for later the week
Tuesday : easy baked spaghetti in my Ninja Cooker (1 lb of spaghetti , 1 jar of sauce,4 cups of water- cook 20 min in on pot)
American Girl Party Ideas: For my daughters 8th birthday I threw her an American Girl Birthday Party. Here are some of the ideas we used for the perfect tea party . First off we did not call it an “American Girl Party” because not every girl had an American Girl doll. So we called it an Doll party .. bring your own doll. I had extra dolls the girls could borrow for the day.
American Girl Birthday Party Ideas :Prep
I made a few thing and then had some crafts for the girls to do:
I went to the thrift store and purchased a tea set, along with tea pots, and lacy table linens. Super inexpensive ($12 for linens and tea set) and add the real feel to the party cost as much as buying paper stuff and it became a tea set for my daughter. I also purchase real flowers for the center of the table.
I made American Girl Party Hats the pattern is found here at Make it do.com it is a scrapbook paper pompoms and glue, one sheet makes about 4 hats
Cupcakes Stands I followed www.tammymitchellphotography.com to make the mini cupcake stands, the parts were purchased at AC Moore look for the package of disks much cheaper than buying loose 12 cost me under $10:
I also made every doll a dress to wear for the party it was also a American Girl favor. I won lie my fingers did hurt after making such small clothes. I made the pattern myself post coming soon or refer to my free patterns for American Girl Dolls.
Tip: I found an old vintage suitcase to display the dresses. When the girls arrived they could pick a dress for the doll to wear at the party.
Food Ideas for American Girl Doll Party:
Tea sandwiches: Peanut butter and Jelly, ham and cheese, cucumbers and cream cheese- I own the tiered stands if you don’t and what to make them Joy Hope crafts has a great tutorial on how to make a colorful tiered cake stand.
Cup Cakes and mini cup cakes – I bought cup cake wrappers and the mini wraps normally used for candy for the mini doll cupcakes. Wilton makes these and they are super
For tea we used pink lemon aid- in the thrift store pots
American Girl Party Crafts:
We had the girls make a few simple crafts like coffee cups from doll diaries… I went to burger king and got the ketchup holder for your condiments cups. Pipe cleaners are about .69 each. The small dollies I found at the craft store.
We also go the girl a American Girls Cards Historical Craft Pack so they can make cards. I found these at Micheals, Ac Moore or here on Amazon. The cards are a 21 pack of cards for about $12 on amazon so enough for the girls to make 1-2 cards each depending on size of party. Also another great Craft idea is the American Girl Doll Picture Frame with a little mod podge, American girl catalog, and in expensive wooden frame. Take a picture of the girl with her doll at the party and send it in the thank you note.
It was a super fun day for all the girls. American Girl Party was a hit. We start out making some crafts, because the dolls need a cup to drink. Them girls were super quiet once they started the tea party polite pass in the “tea ” to each other. Very Adult. Then they went and played with their dolls in a large group.
Next week is Cinco De Mayo. Such a fun way to share the Mexican culture with your family. As you know every Friday is Taco night for my family. We make hard and soft taco once a week, I usually make rice, re fried beans w/ cheese, guacamole, and taco meat. So when I was asked to do this sponsored post about Coke Rewards Cinco De May, I was like sure, great ideas for the whole family to enjoy the fun Mexican Holiday.
So I was planning to show beautiful pictures of the awesome Mango Tomatillo Guacamole the recipe was created by celeb chef from Ingrid Hoffman’s new cookbook called “Latin D’Lite ” Yea the best laid plans of mice and men. I purchased the ingredients Avocado, Mango, and Tomatilla. Note to self, bring recipe with you when you go to the store. All day I thought about this amazing guac. My avocado are ripe, the mango ready to be cut.
So I went in the kitchen ready to create Ingrids yummy Guacamole, my mango .. was gone. I blame my husbands morning mad scientist kale smoothies. My Tomatilla – yea I should have asked, I bought organic brown tomatoes, tasty but not a Tomatillo. Then the finally straw in my broken Guacamole , I cut in to my avocados — yea they went to the dark side.. you know brown and sick yellow. Sadden but not defeated.
So I quickly ran to the store with my Daughter in tow, to replace the missing ingredients. I had a craving for this Guac like a pregnant women in search of ice cream at midnight. Refusing to give up on my dreams of Ingrid Hoffmans green creamy goodness.
I went to “that store” where they give samples, you know the one, with the super nice people who wear Hawaiian shirts. My daughter dragging me toward the sample counter or as I call it “Guilt Purchase area.”
“Mom can I try” the lady was providing samples of Fennel.
I said a skeptical “Try it” to my daughter. Annoyed about the diversion and watching my phone because I was on Guac Time.
So 3 minutes, later with the unplanned fennel in hand. I move towards produce section of the store, I squeezing the firm mangoes, looking for the ripe one. I found the sweet tropical fruit at the bottom of the stack, not the reddest one but good enough.
Then I looked at the avocados. The Mexican one’s in the green mesh bag were too hard (I purchased them, for next week.) I moved to the single Avocados, you know the ones that charge you $2.50 for a small little thing. I pursued darkest one, that had some give. I found him and his other avocado brother that came on the same truck from Mexico. Excited in the hope that I might have fresh mango Guacamole. The Tomatillo well, (insert sad face) was no where to be found, darn suburban market, I should have went to the Asia market, they have everything (insert smacking of head for bad choice). My brown tomatoes might have to do. After all my items were placed in my reusable bag from a different store, a bell rang (what is with the bell ringing,) I hurried home excited to make Ingrid’s Guacamole.
Ok So arrive home the goal almost in sight … Ingrid Hoffman’s recipe so close I can taste it. I take out the cutting board to slice my green pebbley avocado friend. Yea.. well let say he and his brother is in a brown bag on my counter wait for his premier this weekend. My daughter asking me to cut in to the mango, argh. My dreams of cream goodness with have to wait for another day.
This is what Mango Tomatillo Guacamole look see.. the reason I went through so much trouble.
mango-tomatillo guacamole
Created by Ingrid Hoffman’s in Latin D’Lite cookbook
Makes 2 cups
2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled
2 tomatillos, husked and finely chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and cubed
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 serrano chile, finely chopped (remove seeds before chopping for less heat)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
kosher salt
baked tortilla or pita chips, for serving
1.Mash the avocados in a medium bowl with a fork, leaving them still a bit chunky. Fold in the tomatillos, mango, onion, chile, cilantro, and mint. Add the lemon juice, and gently mix to evenly distribute the ingredients. Season with salt.
2.Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to discourage discoloring, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Serve with the chips for dipping.
Buy avocados 3 days before (if not ripe place in brown paperbag 1 day before)
Get fun Plates and glasses to make it a Festive Mood- I visited the dollar store for mine My lead picture are the great plates I planed to show you food on.
Look for fun fabric and placemats- I found this fun Mexican inspired fabric in my Fabric stash
What to get the kids involved. My Coke rewards has some great ideas. I love this great recycled Coke box Taco holder. You can find it at coke rewards
Hang some fun Mexican inspired signs, Coke Rewards has some great ones.
Have fun cooking Cinco De Mayo is a day to celebrate.
St Patricks Day Cookies: Chocolate Leprechaun Hats using a chocolate marshmallow and sugar cookie. Cute little treat for the family on St. Patricks day. Easy to make. They are also a no bake cookie. Here is how.
Dip the end Marshmallow in to chocolate a place in the center of the cookie this fused the marshmallow with the cookie
Allow the chocolate marshmallow cookie to cool in the fridge for 10 minute till set
Roll the hat on the side in the chocolate till covered. I use a spoon carefully Place on wax paper to cool or place in fridge..away from blower to avoid bubbles
When cook decorate with band and clover- I used glitter icing for my black it did not dry so I would use the same Betty Crocker icing for both the black and white.
You can buy little bags to protect the Chocolate Leprechaun Hats
You could also do Easter bonnets and use pastel chocolates.
Water as I diet and get healthy, water has been vital to making my weight loss quest successful. So I have been developing new ways to flavor water. DIY flavor water. My kids also could not wait to try the DIY flavored water as well.
Here are some homemade flavored water ideas.
Melon
Strawberries with lemons
Mint
Cucumbers (try mixing with melon)
Apples
Peaches
Berries
Bell of Hot pepper/with red pepper flakes
Cinnamon sticks
Cilantro or basil with cherry tomatoes
A drop of hot sauce
Try these flavors with your water, it will add a fancy fun element to the same old, plain everyday water.
chill the water in the fridge
then add ice before serving
wow guest by having a pretty way to serve flavored water in vintage glasses and pitches.