Noms

I have 2 recipes to share today! The first one is Parmesan Risotto. I have made this several times and it is seriously so good we could it alone as a meal. I highly recommend it! I do not recall where I got the recipe but here it is:

3 can chicken broth
1 tbs olive oil
1 small minced onion
12oz bag arborio rice
3 tbs butter
2 tbs minced garlic
2/3 cup shredded or grated Parmesan
salt to taste

In large saucepan sauté onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, rice, and stir in 1/2 cup broth. Bring to simmer and add 1/2 cup broth at a time as it is absorbed, stirring frequently. When all broth is absorbed (takes about 20-30 minutes), stir in butter and Parmesan then serve!

The next recipe is one I pulled out of my Woman's Day mag. They are called Raspberry-Pecan Pinwheels. I did half with raspberry jam, and half with grape jelly. They were pretty easy to do and turned out great! I am taking them to a work party tomorrow.

2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 rolled pie crusts
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a clean counter, sprinkle half of the sugar and cinnamon, then unroll one pie crust on top of the mixture and gently press the crust into the sugar. Spread half the jam onto the entire crust with a spoon then sprinkle half of the pecans on the jam. Starting at one end, roll tightly into a log. Repeat this all with the second pie crust. Trim the ends then cut log into 1inch thick slices. Stand them on end (not flat) on the baking sheet 2 inches apart and back until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire rack then serve!

A Craft Show and Potty Training

This has been a busy couple of weeks for the Pierce household! Friday the 16th was my dad's 59th birthday so we took him out to dinner at an Italian restaurant on the north side. We got done eating just in time for me to get called into work. Saturday we did yard work all day, then Sunday the 18th we attended a cookout in Blanchard for my nephew Cameron. Brad had a lot of fun running around outside with the big kids, and we ate a lot of great food.

Last week I worked 6 days totaling about 50 hours, then did an all-day craft show here in Norman on Saturday! The show went great and I made a lot of good sells. My mom came along to be my helper and company for the day and we enjoyed watching all of the customers and visiting with our friends who came to see us! My booth is always decorated in aqua/black, and I also wear those colors to coordinate....so I brought my aqua nail polish and did this during the slow times!

Yesterday we went to a friend's birthday party in Shawnee and Brad got to run around with some more kiddos around his age. Today we've been doing a ton of yard work and getting the closets ready for summer. It is STILL in the 80s here, and will stay that way the rest of week :(

This week I am only working two days so I decided to buckle down on potty training the little one! I did some reading on the internet for tips and talked to friends who have been thru this recently for advice. I started with supplies: potty seat for upstairs AND downstairs, gummy bears for reward, and big boy undies!

I got the potty seat that goes over the regular toilet b/c I don't like the idea of cleaning out a nasty bucket, and so we don't have to transition from the bucket to the big potty. I just need to get him a little stepstool now!

Yesterday when I got him up I put him on the potty then took out a pair of undies and explained to him that these are NOT diapers, they are big-boy undies and that he needs to peepee in the potty! From then on I just kept him in a shirt and undies and put him on the potty about every 30-45min. He didn't have an accident until around 1pm and we were about to head out of town anyways so he got a diaper for the trip.

Today we did the same thing but he has been quicker to pee when sitting on the potty. He even went outside without a diaper (he had pants on) while we did yardwork and didn't have an accident! I did take him in a couple times and he peed as soon as I sat him down. He only had one accident this morning but finished when I put him on the toilet.

In the past he would occasionally tell us when he needed to go, but he hasn't been doing that lately. Hopefully he will just get used to going in the potty and tell us when he gets the urge. My goal right now is to get him to the point of wearing undies all day except for nap time and bed time. Wish us luck!

Food and Family!

Today I tried a new crockpot recipe that I was very excited about! It was crockpot turkey meatballs and sauce! No precooking--it all cooks in the crock! Just perfect for those rushed days when you want a good dinner with no fuss. I tweaked a few things so here it is:

Crockpot Meatballs and Sauce

Sauce:
3 cloves garlic minced and sauteed in olive oil
28oz can crushed tomatoes
3tbs basil
pinch salt

Add all ingredients to crock pot (set on low), then do meatballs:

1/2lb ground turkey
1lb ground beef
1/2c seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4c grated parmesan
2 tbs basil
2 tbs parsley
1 minced garlic clove

Mix all ingredients into bowl, form into approximately 1in balls gently with hands. Drop into sauce and cook on low for 4-6 hours!

I usually use just ground turkey but with things like meatballs and meatloaf the turkey is really too soft to hold together and have a good texture. I always mix in or substitute beef with those. I had some beef leftover from making meatloaf earlier this week so it turned out perfect. You could of course do all beef if you like!

We ate ours over pasta and topped with parmesan. It was delicious! The sauce was really like a good bolognese sauce, not a plain tomato sauce. I recommend it!

The weather here has been in the 80s (YUCK) so today we headed out the park for some first-time kite flying lessons for Brad!

I think Nick had more fun with the kite than Brad did! The string wasn't very long so we may get different one that can go higher.

Brads fish (Spriggs #2) died while we were in Washington but today a coworker's roommate needed to unload a fish so long story short--we now have Spriggs #3! She came with a nice little aquarium that has a light so it will be Brads new night light too.

While we were at the pet store picking up some things for the new addition, I saw this cute bird feeder on sale! It is now hanging in my backyard waiting for some birdies!

Washington Trip Pics!!

I finally have time to sit down and upload some pictures for you! We had the best time in Washington and I only wish we had gone sooner and could have stayed longer. This has to be one of the prettiest states by far!

Our flights were uneventful and my dear mother took us to the airport bright and early last Friday morning. We arrived in Seattle just after noon (Pacific time) and got situated at the hotel after picking up our rental car (Dodge Avenger).

Our layover was in Pheonix, AZ and shortly after leaving from there we flew over the Grand Canyon! It looks just as amazing from 30,000 ft as it does from the ground.

We had some time to kill that evening so we opted to head into downtown Seattle for the Underground Tour.

After that we knew we had to eat the famous Red Mill Burgers! They were some delicious burgers!!

The next day we headed east to see Snoqualmie Falls. It was a beautiful waterfall in a neat little town!

After seeing the falls we headed south on a long drive to Mt. Rainier. The drive there was breathtaking in itself!

It is still the off-season there so the road was only cleared part of the way up the mountain. It was neat seeing the plowed snow on the side of the road gradually get taller and taller until it was over 10feet and you couldn't see past it!

The road ended at a visitor center that was partially buried and only the door was dug out. It was so foggy and snowy that everything blended into each other and we couldn't see much.

^Can you see the snow piled up above the window shutters?

Sunday we headed west for a few stops. The first stop was Aberdeen were Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was from. Nick loves that band so he had to make a mini "pilgrimage" to the memorial site.

A short distance from Aberdeen is a town called Grayland that is right on the Pacific coast. The beach there was AMAZING. We just stood there in awe of the vastness of it.

I have been to several beaches but this is the only one I have ever seen where there are no high-rise buildings in view, nothing on the beach, and the sand seems to go on forever. This view below is with the ocean on the right. See how the sand and water just fade into the foggy sky?

The beach was so flat that when the waves would crash, it would take the water several minutes to reach its peak then several more to finally return to the ocean. I would guess that it was at least a quarter mile from the grass until you reached the water. Breathtaking.

On our way along the coast we passed an abandoned farmhouse/barn on 71 acres for sale. We had to stop and check it out!

Monday morning we headed south initially to see Mt. St. Helen but ended up abandoning that when the clouds and rain did not subside the closer we got. The trip was not wasted though because Nick's aunt and uncle live close to there and we spent the rest of the day with them! They live out in a little country town with beautiful views along the way.

On Tuesday--our last day there--we had a few hours between hotel checkout time and flight time so we headed back into downtown Seattle for some sightseeing!

We parked the car and headed up the to the Columbia Center which is the tallest building in the Pacific Northwest. We were very lucky to have a clear day and had a great view of the skyline from the 73rd floor!

After that I grabbed some Starbucks (cause you know it got started here right??) while we walked to the famous Pikes Market! They are famous for their fish throwing, but it is actually a huge market with everything from magic shops and bakeries to fresh produce and gourmet pasta. We could have spent hours there!

I got some souvenirs for family, and we much on yummy pastries while we walked around. Unfortunately it was too soon until we had to return the car and fly back home...

After our fabulous experience there, Nick and I both feel that Washington could very well be a more appealing place to move than western NY! The cost of living is a bit higher but it would be worth it to have such beauty right at our feet. How neat to have the ocean, Canada, mountains and volcanoes all within a couple hour drive??? I have started doing my research on certain towns, and we look forward to what the future will bring!

Saving Money

These days have taxes on everyone's mind and that got me thinking about the ways that I save my family money all throughout the year! I am going to share that with you so hopefully I can inspire someone else out there. We can all learn from each other! Most of my totals are estimates--on the low side--for an example of what the average household pays.

No cable TV=$50/month ($600+/yr)
No cell phones=$75/month ($900/yr)
No car payments=$200/month ($2400/yr)
Couponing for groceries/toiletries=$200-400/month ($2400-4800/yr)
Cut my husbands hair=$20 every 2 months ($120/yr)
Color my own hair=$50 every 2 months ($300/yr)
Workout at home=$25/month ($300/yr)
File my own taxes=$100/yr
Do our own yardwork=$50/month ($600/yr)

These are just the regular things that came to mind first. Other ways to save money include:

Only eating out once a week
Keeping thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter
Opening windows when warm outside
Only shop for clothes during seasonal sales
Shop for birthday/Christmas presents throughout the year during sales

Some people look at me like I'm crazy when they hear that I don't have a smartphone, or that I don't have cable. So how do I get thru life?? Let me tell you!

I have a prepaid Tracfone that I pay $20 to load 120 minutes on every 3 months, and I use this for when I am on-call at work, and for emergencies. We ditched cable several months back and don't miss it at all! We got a cheap antenna for local channels (in HD!) and a Roku box for streaming shows/movies. We have a Netflix and Hulu account which total $16/month. I started couponing almost one year ago and have learned to find the best deals for things matching coupons and sales. We went from spending about $400/month on generic food/toiletries to maybe $75/month on NAME BRAND food/toiletries!

My journey to frugalness started when I was 16. I got married, moved out, and had no money. Nick and I both worked crappy jobs while I finished high school and went to college. We started out with nothing so anything more than that is like a luxury to us! We both agree that a simple life is the best life and choosing not to "need" all of the latest and greatest has enabled us to do so many other wonderful things!

I hope this inspires someone out there to take control of their life and start working towards where they want to be, instead of where they have to be due to debt! You can do it!

Easy Peasy Chicken Parm!

Let me start by apologizing that there is no picture! I baked this last night and had family over for dinner so I was too distracted to have my camera available.

I found this recipe on my new Roku channel AllRecipes.com and knew instantly I had to try it. It is one of those quick and easy recipes you can throw together with just a few ingredients and no measuring! My fave. So here you go:

2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
approx. 1c spaghetti sauce (your choice)
approx. 1c shredded mozzarella and parmesan
1/2 bag seasoned croutons
olive oil
minced garlic

Preheat to 350. Take a casserole dish that is just big enough for your chicken to cover the bottom and be snug without a lot of room. First drizzle some olive oil on the bottom then sprinkle garlic. Lay chicken on the oil then pour enough sauce over to cover. Sprinkle HALF of both cheeses on sauce, then cover with a layer of croutons. Cover with remaining cheeses and bake for 35-40 minutes!

So very delicious. I made 3 breasts for dinner. Baking them in the sauce makes them oh-so tender! The top layer of cheese and croutons bakes up golden brown and crunchy. You can of course add more/less of any ingredient to suit your taste! Hopefully next time I make it I can take a picture before we eat it ;)

Healthy Living Update

It has been two weeks since I last posted so I thought I would let you all know how my lifestyle improvements have been going!

When I did the 5 day juice fast last month I lost 7lbs. As of right now I have kept 4 of those off! That may not seem like a big deal but my weight has been at a plateau for many years and I really struggle with myself to get those last 10lbs off. I can proudly say that none of it is baby weight though! I lost all of that within a couple of months.

Mainly what I've been doing different is eating more vegetables, salads, fruit, whole grains, and less meat. As for exercise, I found a workout on Pinterest that I have been doing on my days off:

It takes about 30 minutes and gets my heart rate going! The first time I did it left me sore in places I didn't even think I had worked! I like the variety and how it works all major areas of my body with some cardio thrown in. I don't do the head tilt b/c I don't know what that is, and instead of the two sets of 10 crunches I do two sets of 20.

It may not sound like much but a long journey starts with small steps! Being unhealthy doesn't hurt anyone but yourself, and why would you want to hurt yourself? Being a nurse for almost 6 years now has shown me so many people who are literally dying from being simply unhealthy and making bad lifestyle choices. I don't want to be one of them in 20 years!

While we are on the subject of being unhealthy...here are some cuppies I made for Valentine's day!

They have brownie on the bottom and strawberry cake on the top with cream cheese frosting. YUM. Don't worry--I only kept a few for my little fam then took the rest to work!

For Valentine's Day we usually don't do much--I am one of those who feel it is a mostly commercial-centered holiday with no real purpose. We don't go out to eat b/c everyone else is out doing the exact same thing. For the last couple of years we grab a heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's and enjoy a nice quiet evening at home! I got him some chocolates and he got me a gift certificate for a pedicure :)

Here is a small fleece baby blanket that I embroidered for an out-of-state friend:

I don't know if I mentioned before but I bought our tickets to Seattle! We leave in two weeks and I still haven't booked the hotel or rental car yet...yikes! I am definitely doing that this weekend. We are really looking forward to seeing the Pacific NW for the first time and seeing the mountains again. If you have any suggestions for what to see/do in the Seattle/Mt. St. Helens area please let me know!

Experiments in Healthy Eating

Yesterday I tried a couple of new recipes that I have been seeing on Pinterest. I am always up for a new yummy way to cook and enjoy vegetables! I made homemade guacamole (not a new recipe for me, but took a pic anyway)

First new thing was....kale chips!

Rinsed/dried the kale, cute into bite size pieces, sprayed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, then baked at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

They were very crunchy, and just about melted in your mouth. But that is where the positivity ends!! I really did not like the taste--it was like a combination of grass and spinach. My son did like them and ate several.

Next up....sweet potato chips!

I thinly sliced 3 small sweet potatoes, sprayed with olive oil, sprinkled salt, baked at 375 degrees for 10 min then turned the pan around and baked for 10 more minutes.

I really liked these! They tasted great and were mostly crunchy. My silly oven cooks unevenly so some were burned, some were just right. The 3 potatoes didn't make very many chips, but the few that were left did not taste nearly as good today. Definitely need to eat these fresh!

I am glad I finally tried this techniques and was able to share my experiences. I will most likely stick with making baked sweet potato fries instead of chips though! I found a recipe that uses cornmeal to make the fries crunchy, so that will be my next adventure...

It is still in the 50s-70s outside here these days, so yesterday we broke out the charcoal grill and cooked up a bunch of meat to eat on this weekend! I grilled steaks, hotdogs, turkey burgers, and chicken breast. After we ate dinner we roasted some marshmallows too! Yum. Today it rained off and on all day so that was a nice change. One more month until we go to Seattle!