Recipe Analyzer

Hello again!  Just another quick post here.  The Pot Roast recipe will be coming tonight or tomorrow, promise!  I just wanted to share a little tool I found that can make calorie counting a little easier for you.  Since I like to cook from scratch, not everything is easily measurable without a lot of math.  We learned from my coupon post that math isn't always my strong point.  I've started using my calorie counter app on my phone again which is very accurate when it comes to foods with barcodes on them, but I couldn't find a way to measure the soup I made this weekend so I was inspired to Google for a solution.

I found a great recipe analyzer here.  You list the ingredients and the amount of each you're using.  You can leave out spices and things like that.  It will flag each ingredient whether it recognizes it or not with red, yellow or green flags, so you can change how they are named until it figures it out.  I tested it with my Chicken and Brown Rice Soup recipe as compared to the nutritional info given on the Whole foods website and it was pretty accurate!  Only a little off but I was fine with just a few points here and there.  Then I needed to convert from grams to ounces, then ounces to cups to figure out how much a serving is.  Google has a calculator function that is very helpful with that.

Hopefully with this tool I can now cook with more accurate measurements and give nutritional info for my recipes!

2 Recommended Slow Cooker Magazines!

Hello Readers!  Just a quick post for the morning.  My hubby's chosen recipe of Pot Roast with Fruit and Chipotle sauce is already in the slow cooker, roasting for 10 hours or so.  Expect a blog post either tonight or tomorrow!  He chose the recipe from one of 2 really awesome slow cooker magazines I just bought.  I'm usually not one to buy food magazines since I'll normally only find one or two recipes I'm interested in, but both of these are FULL of easy and very tasty looking slow cooker recipes!

The larger magazine, Essential Slow Cooker, was $9.99, and the Prevention Guide Slow Cooker was $4.99.  I happened to be waiting for prescriptions at CVS and found them while perusing the other magazines, but you can probably pick them up just about anywhere.  As I said, I normally wouldn't spend $15, but since I want to try just about every recipe in these books, it was definitely worth it for over 200 recipes!

Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

Here's a great easy recipe I based off a recipe I found on the Whole Foods website.  It's easy to prep and fast to cook.  We had it for dinner tonight and it was hubby approved.  It's also very light and low calorie.  Also, don't be confused by the tags for this soup.  A couple easy changes will make this a vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken broth, (or vegetable broth for vegetarian) divided

1 medium onion, chopped 

3 medium carrots, chopped 

2 stalks celery, chopped 

2 cups water 

1 cup long grain brown rice 

½ lb chicken breast, diced into 1/2 inch cubes (tofu or quartered button mushrooms for vegetarian) 

1 bay leaf 

1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves thinly sliced 

salt and pepper to taste 

oregano to taste 

Method:

In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring ½ cup broth to a simmer. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally. Add remaining broth, water, rice, chicken and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 35 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. Remove bay leaf and stir in kale. Continue cooking just until kale is wilted and tender.

The Verdict:

As I said above, this was hubby approved and very easy to make.  It made a pretty decent amount so we should get a few days of meals out of it.  You can also make 2 easy changes to make this a vegetarian meal.  The original recipe didn't call for the salt, pepper, or oregano.  I added the oregano, but I would like a little more flavor, so I will add a tiny bit of salt and some pepper next time.  Over all, it was very tasty and light and I look forward to the left overs!

Click here to download the PDF page for this recipe!

My New Adventures in Couponing

This blog is not just about cooking, but making your home.  Saving money is part of running a home, and we all like to save money where we can, right?  I have been using coupons for a while now on things here and there, but thanks to tips from friends and meeting a well known "Extreme" Couponer, I'm finally learning and understanding how to use them to their maximum potential, getting things for nearly, or completely free!  I will be up front and tell you that it's not easy or quick, but if you put in the work, it definitely pays off.

I recently met Kathy Spencer of Boxford, MA, the creator of the website How to Shop for Free, and writer of a book of the same name.  She was a guest on a show at my work, and she gets so much for free, that she is more than stockpiled at home, and is able to donate to food pantries and other charities.  I plan to buy her book on my Nook next week, and I highly recommend it to you and I also recommend signing up on her website.  I've also signed up on Coupon Mom so I can use both to my advantage in my search for deals.

The best stores to search for deals are the ones that offer incentives and rewards, like CVS and Rite Aid, and Walgreens.  If you haven't already, sign up for CVS Extra Care, and Rite Aid Wellness+, and get the rewards cards, and sign the cards up on the store's websites.  Also, you can sign up through the Rite Aid website for Rite Aid Single Check Rebates.  Certain items have rebates, you can enter your receipt information, and once it processes, you can cut a check!  You can also get deals at Target, Walmart, and the grocery store with a little more work.

Part of the work is getting the circulars in the paper or online, and going through them.  Coupon Mom and How to Shop for Free do this for you and will list out the deals of the week, in conjunction with the coupons that are online, as well as in the Sunday paper inserts.  You also have to find a way to come across multiple coupon inserts or this won't work to it's full potential.  I have an alliance with a board member at work who gives his coupon inserts to me when he's done, and he barely clips any of them so it works out in my favor to load up.  I'm also thinking of reaching out to people in my apartment complex. You can also print out up to 2 of each coupon per computer from the coupon printing websites, so if you have multiple computers between home and work, go for it!

I'm not going to get into too much more detail in this post, otherwise it will be a novel!  I will try to provide posts with tips along with my usual recipes, and show any deals that I get.  I will try to shop earlier in the week as time goes on so you can take advantage of the deals too!  You don't get everything for free right away, but once you add in the rewards and things, you will start to see it snowball.  I will keep tabs on my rolling total as well.

So without further ado, here is my pile for this week!

From left to right: 4 bags of Chex Mix, 2 packs of Goodnights, 4 boxes of pasta, 4 tubes of toothpaste, 2 Almay eyeliners, 3 boxes of Gain dryer sheets, 1 bottle of spray butter, 4 bottles of Suave body wash, and 1 bottle of Dove body wash.  My grand total for all of this between Target, Market Basket (grocery store), CVS, and Rite Aid was $81.54.  The end total spent after manufacturer coupons, store incentives and rewards, used and unused (but they still count toward the end total), and rebates, $26.36.  That's a savings of $54.58!  If I look at my receipts, that's like paying only for my Target bill (pre-coupons), and getting the rest free!  I will break everything down for you by store.  The totals don't include tax.

Market Basket (grocery store)
4 boxes of Ronzoni Garden Delight Pasta, $1 each, with 4 $1 off coupons = FREE!
2 boxes of Swanson Chicken Broth (not pictured) $2.39 ea, with $1 off 2 coupon = 3.78
Original Merch Total: $7.98
MFR(manufacturer) Coupons Total = $4.00
Out of Pocket Expense = 3.78

Target
3 boxes of Gain dryer sheets, $4.34 ea ($13.02), with 3 $3 off coupons = 4.02
4 bottles of Suave body wash, $1.84 ea ($7.36), with 4 $1 off coupons = 3.36
1 bottle of Dove body wash, $5.84, with $1 off 1 coupon = 4.84
Original Merch Total: $26.22
MFR Coupons Total: $14.00
Out of Pocket expense: $12.22
That's like paying only for the dryer sheets, plus a few cents and getting the rest free!

Rite Aid (two separate trips)
2 tubes of Colgate Toothpaste, $3.50 each, with 2 $1 off coupons = 5.00
4 bags of Chex Mix, 2 for $3, with 1 $1 off 2 coupon = 5.00
2 Almay Eyeliners, 40% off on sale, $4.49 each, with 2 $1 coupons = 6.98
Merch Total: $21.98
+UP dollars earned for toothpaste purchase: $7.00
+UP dollars earned for Chex Mix purchase: $4.00
Rite Aid Single Check Rebates on Eyeliners: $4.00 ($2 each, limit 2)
Original Merch Total: $21.98
MFR Coupons Total: $5.00
+UP and Rebate Total: $15.00
Out of Pocket expense : $1.98
That's like paying for only one bag of the Chex Mix at the sale price, plus a few cents and getting the rest free!

CVS (two separate trips)
2 tubes of Colgate toothpaste, $3.79 each with 2 $1 off coupons = 5.58
2 packs of Huggies Goodnights, 2 for $17.98, with 2 $1.50 off coupons = 14.98
Extra Care Bucks (ECB's) earned for toothpaste purchase: $7.58
ECB's earned for diaper purchase: $4.00
Original Merch Total: $25.56
MFR Coupons Total: $5.00
ECB's Total: $11.58
Out of Pocket Expense: $8.98
That's like paying for one pack of the Goodnights at the sale price and getting the rest free!

The butter was free with a Buy one get one Free coupon that I used at Hannaford during my weekly grocery trip.  I didn't count Hannaford toward my couponing, but I counted the butter as part of my freebies :)  I suppose it would actually throw off the math a little, but let's pretend it doesn't because I don't feel like trying to recalculate all over again for a second time!

Grand Merchandise Total: $81.54
MFR Coupon Total: $28.00
Rewards Total (extra dollars and rebates): $26.58
Current Out of Pocket Expense: $36.96
Grand End Total: $26.96!

I have $10 in unused rewards and rebates to come, but they contribute to my rolling total. Hopefully I can earn rebates and extra dollars back over time to make that total go down. I will also earn some extra dollars back from CVS every quarter, so the more I spend there, the more I will earn! I hope to learn more as I get to read Kathy's book as well.

I know it's a lot to read and take in, but it is work to do this.  Like I said, it's not all free at first, you have to get into it, but as time goes on, the numbers should eventually even out!  I started an excel workbook with tabs for each store, and an over all tab to log it all so I can track my progress.  I will be sure to keep sharing as I learn more and give tips and deals through out the weeks to come!

Homemade Banana Ice Cream

Since I have been lacking in posts lately, I thought I would put this one up that has been sitting in my arsenal for a couple weeks.

This is a very simple recipe that was posted by a friend of mine on Facebook.  I decided to try it, and it is actually pretty tasty!

I'm not going to make an ingredient list, since the only and obvious ingredient is a few ripe bananas!

Peel the bananas.  Cut them into small pieces and freeze for a few hours on a plate. Put into food processor or blender and blend.  At first it will look crumbly.  Stop the blender when needed, and scrape them back down.  Keep blending, and the mixture will eventually turn creamy.  Scoop out and serve.

Recommendations:

No modifications, this one is pretty easy.  I have made it twice so far, and the bananas can definitely be frozen up to a few hours.  I only did it about two hours last time, and the mix was a teeny bit frothy, but still very tasty.  If you freeze the end result in an airtight container, it will get harder like regular ice cream.  Otherwise its more like a soft serve. You can also add things like a little bit of peanut butter or some honey as recommended on the original post after the mix turns creamy in the blender, and blend again to mix.  I added a little bit of honey and some cocoa powder.  Top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

The Verdict:

We enjoy this recipe.  It's a great light and low cal dessert.  I'm going to try making a lot and freezing next time to see how the texture is.  Hopefully it will make a great summer treat, especially for the kids!

New Blog Improvements!

Hello Readers!

I know I have been lacking in the recipe posting, but I've been working on a lot of improvements for the website as you may have noticed.

I added a Facebook fan page, which you can find the link to at the top right corner of the blog.  Please "Like" it if you want to follow through Facebook!  I make sure to post all new posts on the page so it's always up to date.  Also, don't forget to follow the blog through Google or another blog reader.  I love seeing my list of followers grow!

The latest addition is the downloadable recipe pages.  They are the same pages that I use in my homemade recipe book.  Once I make a recipe that we like, I put it in the book, and now I'm going to share them!  They are the recipe as I make it with my modifications, but you can alway make it your own, and I encourage that!  You can find the link for each recipe at the bottom of each post, or go to the new recipe index tab at the top of the blog.  It is in alphabetical order to make finding the pages a little easier.  The pages are all in PDF format.  I figured that would be easiest and most compatible for everyone.

I also added My Favorite Websites page which can also be found on a tab at the top of the blog home page.  I only have a few at the moment, but I will add more.  I will be sharing sites where I get recipes from, the makers of my favorite kitchen items, and much more!

I hope to soon add a fun "About Me" page too!

Thanks for reading and following the blog, I'm really enjoying the feedback I'm getting!  I promise I will get back to posting more recipes very soon!

~Heather~

Dad's Jambalaya!

This recipe comes to you courtesy of my Dad, Phil Morris.  He's made it many times and I finally got him to give it to me so I could share it on my blog.  It's a delicious, easy, and quick one pot, stovetop recipe.  There weren't exact measurements on most of the ingredients, so bear with me, I'm guessing.  This will give you a chance to eye it yourself and put in the amounts you want!

Ingredients:

1 lb or so Chicken breasts or tenders diced into small pieces

1 package Andouille Sausage (or Kielbasa, a cheaper alternative)

1 Large or 2 Medium Green Bell Peppers

1 Medium-Large Onion

2 cups chopped Celery

Fresh Garlic (optional)

28 oz. can Diced Tomatoes with the juice

2 32 oz. cartons Chicken Stock

1- 1.5 cups Long Grain White Rice (not instant)

Tobasco/Hot Sauce to taste

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

Olive Oil

1-2 dried Bay Leaves

Cajun or Creole seasoning

Preparation and Cooking:

Dice the chicken (raw) and slice up the sausage or kielbasa.  Put in a large mixing bowl and coat well and evenly with the cajun or creole seasoning.  Set aside.  Chop up the peppers, onion, celery.  Mince garlic if you're using it.  Heat the oil on medium in the stock pot.  Add the vegetables and simmer until they are tender, and the onions are transparent.  Add tomatoes with their juice.  Add in Tobasco and Worcestershire sauces, bay leaves, and rice and stir.  Slowly add the broth a bit at a time, allowing it to warm in the pot each time.  Bring the soup mix to a simmer, then add the meat.  Bring back to a simmer and cook until the meat and rice are done.  Remove Bay leaves if you can find them.

My Recommendations:

I don't really have any changes for this one.  I don't feel I used enough of the meat so I'll definitely use more next time.  I only used one pepper, and I should have used the second one I bought.  I also used a bit more than one cup of rice, because as usual, I felt like 1 cup wasn't enough, and I wanted to get rid of the few remnants in the bag that I had.  It came out a little thick but it's still tasty.  I'd rather fill it out with more veggies and meat, so I'll plan accordingly next time.  My Dad recommended buying chicken tenders because they cut up a lot quicker than trying to dice raw chicken breasts.  I will fully agree with him on that one, and will now use tenders in any recipe I do involving diced chicken.  You can also add shrimp to the recipe if you like, probably in place of the chicken.  I don't like seafood, so there won't be any shrimp in my recipe.


As I said above, the recipe usually calls for Andouille sausage, which is usually more expensive.  I found Johnsonville's New Orleans Spicy Andouille Sausage for a good price.  You can also use your  choice of kielbasa if you like.  I also used Zatarain's Creole Seasoning in place of the Cajun mix my Dad usually uses, because I ran out of our favorite Bayou Cajun that we had.  I couldn't find Cajun at the grocery store I was in, and the Creole was actually fairly cheap and perfect for this recipe.

The Verdict:

The Hubby loved this recipe when he had it at my Dad's house, so there was no question he would like it when I made it.  He did give me his approval anyway, so that makes me happy.  This one makes a lot and my Dad says it freezes well too.  It's also a one pot recipe, so it's fast and easy.  The veggies and meat take a little prep work, but that's about it.

Click here to download a printable page for this recipe! (PDF)

Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Soup

This is another one I threw together in the slow cooker.  The amounts are approximate, and can be modified for preference.  Unfortunately the only picture of it I have at the moment is pre-cooked, but it still looks pretty tasty and colorful!

Ingredients:

8 cups beef stock or broth

2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cups potatoes, diced

2 cups cut up carrots or baby carrots

2 cupsFrozen cut green beans

2 cups Frozen peas

Montreal Steak Seasoning (optional)

Preparation and Cooking:

Put all ingredients in the slow cooker, mix, and top with a few shakes of Montreal Steak seasoning for a little kick and flavor.  You can also get it in a spicy variety.  Set on low for 8 hours or high for 4.  This could also be cooked on the stove in a stock pot, simmering on medium until the meat is cooked through.

The Verdict:

This was a great soup.  It is fairly easy to make.  This recipe made a lot so it can be cut back if you need less.  It was very tasty and is pretty healthy and light with all the veggies.

Baked Pork Chops & Gravy

Since discovering the enjoyment of cooking, we've fallen into the tradition of me cooking a Sunday dinner.  I made this last weekend for my husband and my family when we went for a visit.  It's another from Campbell's Kitchen.  This easy recipe is one of my favorites because it's inexpensive, and quick to make.  This recipe is for 6 pork chops, but you can add more or less ingredients as necessary if you decide to make more.

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons water

6 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing, crushed

1 jar (10 1/2 ounces) Turkey Gravy

Preparation and Cooking:

Beat the egg and water in a shallow dish with a fork or whisk. Coat the pork with the flour.  Use more than the 2 tablespoons if you need. Dip the floured pork into the egg mixture. Coat with the stuffing. Place the pork onto a baking sheet.  Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.  Heat the gravy on the stove or in the microwave, and serve with the meal to top the pork chops.

The Verdict:

I have no changes as far as the recipe goes.  I serve this meal with fresh steamed green beans, Savory Herb stuffing, and occasionally, mashed potatoes.  The gravy can serve a double purpose if you serve the potatoes.  I figured out the timing, and you can usually get the stuffing and beans done while the pork chops are in the oven, and everything will finish together.  If you make mashed potatoes too, you can usually get those done in the 20 minute time frame as well.  It is extremely filling when served with all of the sides, but the meal is always a hit.

Click here to download a printable recipe book page! (PDF)

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Here is another recipe I got from the Whole Foods website many months ago.  I finally decided to try it.  Once again it was rave reviews all around.  I love it, and my husband and coworkers did too!  It's also one of a very few vegetarian recipes I have, which I'd like to find more of.  Here it is on the stove, still cooking in my new stock pot.  I don't have a picture of the finished product, I forgot!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

1 medium yellow onion, chopped 

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 

1/4 cup tomato paste 

1/4 cup chopped parsley 

1 tablespoon chopped basil 

2 large stalks of celery, sliced 

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 

1 dried bay leaf 

1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with their liquid 

1 cup canned chickpeas, drained 

1 cup dried fusilli (rotini) pasta 

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or white beans, drained 

Salt and pepper to taste 

3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional for topping soup when serving)

Preparation and Cooking:

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until translucent. Add broth, tomato paste, parsley, basil, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and tomatoes with their juice and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add chickpeas, pasta, and beans and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

My Recommendations:

The recipe originally called for cabbage, but hubby and I aren't fans so I left it out.  I also didn't read once again, and just used the whole can of chickpeas but it actually worked out because I made a little bit more than the recipe calls for.  The only size containers of broth I could find at the store were 32 oz each.  They were really low on broth that day.  I didn't feel like having left over veggie broth that would just sit in the fridge and go bad,  so I used it all.  It was only an extra 2 cups of broth.  I just added in a little more of each of the veggies.  Of course, being part Sicilian, I didn't think 1 cup of dry noodles was enough.  I was wrong.  I went overboard and put way too many in and it soaked up a lot of the broth.  It was still good, but next time I make this, I will stick to the recipe on the noodle amount!  I also used whole grain rotini.  I couldn't tell the difference.  It tasted great!  Other than that, I just had a little fun with spices from the spice rack, tossing in a little Oregano, Basil, and whatever else smelled like it would go well!

The Verdict:

All around good reviews.  I'll definitely be making it again, with less pasta so it's more soupy.  It's a very filling and tasty soup!  This recipe makes a lot, and I'm sure it would be great for freezing as well.

Click here to download this recipe page!