Oink, Oink! Pork Rub and Roasted Pork Loin

I was a little late and last minute in pulling together my Christmas gifts last year, as usual. (I remember one year having to knit while Yaya wrapped my gifts because I was so far behind on making my gifts.) I had the ideas in my head of what I wanted to give, but it's so difficult to get everything I need together. It took me forever to find the mason jars I wanted to use, and then when I did find them the store only had one box and I needed three. I looked everywhere for large scrapbooking letters, the sticky ones, but when I couldn't find them I had to go with iron-on letters for fabric which didn't work nearly as well and probably cost a lot more. I spent a week looking for plain white coffee mugs too. Three days before Christmas we found one but I needed two. I wound up with the one white mug and a black one that I prayed would work for my purposes.

Menu for 2/20/15-2/26/15

This has been a really fun week so far. First it sleeted all day Monday and Aaron got to come home from work at noon. Tuesday it looked like a forest of glass outside with everything glazed in ice. Then Wednesday it snowed all day. Granted, a whole day of snow in Tennessee looks more like an inch or so on the ground, but it's still beautiful and exciting and Aaron gets another day off today!

The new clues for the mystery afghans were revealed on Tuesday and I'm super excited about how this crochet afghan is going to look. I'm not a huge fan of granny squares but they've now added a cross to the squares in a contrasting color that makes it look kind of fancy. It's growing on me. The new knitting clue is smaller than the last and goes so quickly that I finished all four pieces in just a couple of hours.

Turkey Lasagna

It's a Valentine's Day tradition for Aaron and I to have lasagna for dinner. It's the meal I made for our first Valentine's Day together, and our second, and a handful in between as well. It's one of my favorite meals to make for special occasions because the layers are impressive but the process (while time consuming and messy) is very simple.

Basic Marinara Sauce

For spaghetti I almost always use Yaya's spaghetti sauce. It's hearty, meaty, and perfectly seasoned. But when a recipe calls for spaghetti sauce I like to use something a little more simple.

My Favorite Turkey Burgers

So it's over a month since Christmas and I'm still loving my new George Foreman grill. I've been grabbing any opportunity to use it, and that includes making lots of burgers!

Menu for 2/13/15-2/19/15

Valentine's Day is just a couple of days away and Aaron's birthday is coming up the week after that. I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed. I've been trying to think of something to give Aaron for Valentine's Day that he would actually use, but I'm kind of drawing a blank. When he wants something he usually just goes ahead and gets it, which is normally fine, but between like Thanksgiving and March it makes things difficult for me. It's especially difficult right now because I have to come up with two gifts instead of just one. I sometimes feel jealous of him because at least he gets an extra three months to find me a birthday gift after Valentine's Day, but then I remember that my birthday sometimes falls on Mother's Day and that has to be difficult for him too.

Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

I always learn something when I try a new cookie recipe. For instance, with this recipe I learned that caramel squares do not melt and spread when wrapped in a ball of cookie dough. The cookie dough spreads as it cooks and the square of caramel remains in the center of a large cookie, chewy and delicious but not exactly evenly distributed.

Broccoli with Garlic and Soy Sauce

It's probably pretty obvious if you read my menu plans that broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables. I've never been a fan of cheese sauce on vegetables. Well, if you asked my elementary school self she'd probably tell you a different story, but let's be safe and say that since I started driving I haven't been fond of it. The one exception is when Yaya makes broccoli and melts American cheese slices on top, but really I just like the taste of the broccoli and I feel the cheese flavor overpowers it.

Cheeseburger Soup

Though I've eaten it many times, I don't often cook cheeseburger soup. Usually Yaya makes it as it's one of my brother's favorite meals. The last time she made it Aaron came to dinner with me and he liked the soup so much that I think he would have licked the bowl if we hadn't been at Yaya's house.

Menu for 2/6/15-2/12/15

Well, Bailey had her yearly checkup with the neurosurgeon this week and he said everything still looks good which is great news! There's no evidence of shunt malfunction and she still has plenty of tubing to accommodate growth. She doesn't have to go back for another year. Nana and I took lunch to Yaya at the school to celebrate.

Wishlist Wednesday February 2015

I realized at the start of the new year that I'm way far behind on trying out all of these wishes. I have a stack of post-it notes full of things to try. Some of them might eventually make it to the wish come true list, but now it's time to add a few new wishes to the list. This month I've included a few things that are Valentine's Day themed and also a couple of things I'm hoping to try for Aaron's birthday which is just around the corner.

A Wish for a Happy Birthday:

Dr. Pepper Cupcakes from BS' in the Kitchen

I have seen pins for Dr. Pepper cakes in the past but this is the first one I've seen that included a recipe. I guess the general idea is that you replace the water in the chocolate cake mix with Dr. Pepper, but this also includes a recipe for a Dr. Pepper reduction that you use to make Dr. Pepper buttercream frosting! It sounds a bit complicated (well, lots of ingredients in tiny amounts for all the flavors in Dr. Pepper) but it might just be worth a shot for Aaron. The man can drink more Dr. Pepper than anyone I've ever seen! And while I haven't been too keen on Dr. Pepper ever since I was pregnant with Bailey, I don't think it would bother me in a cake.

Seasoned Oven-Baked Brown Rice

During the SNAP challenge I shared with you my favorite way to cook brown rice. It is still my favorite way to cook brown rice, but I have jazzed it up a bit in this recipe. I've made it twice for Nana and twice it has disappeared! This is my new favorite rice to serve as a side dish.

Cranberry and Brown Sugar Oatmeal

When I was young Admiral would occasionally make us raisin oatmeal sweetened with brown sugar. I learned from him that the trick to great raisin (or cranberry) oatmeal is to add the raisins (or cranberries) to the water at the very beginning. that way they plump up as they soak and come to a boil. And BONUS: They slightly sweeten the water so that you need less sugar!

Nana's Creamed Potatoes (Update)

That's right! Updated with better photos and easier to follow instructions!

When I first posted this recipe I was quite new to blogging. My photography skills have since improved and to be totally honest I've kind of perfected this recipe. I still think this is one of those dishes where you're better off going by feel and taste than following a recipe, but I've tried my best to get some more accurate measurements for you.

Menu for 1/30/15-2/5/15

I want to start off by saying I've been reading up a storm lately. I always say I devour books and the past few weeks I've been really proving it. I finished Jim Butcher's The Furies of Calderon and then talked to my brother's girlfriend about some of the books she enjoys. She recommended the Legend series by Marie Lu and I went through two books (Legend and Prodigy) in just 5 days. There's another book left in the trilogy but I'm saving it. It's like when I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and flew through it in two days. I was devastated because it was over and I wished I had more to read. I saved Mockingjay for months because I didn't want it to end yet and I knew if I started it I wouldn't be able to put it down.

Oven Roasted Chicken

I have roasted exactly three birds in my entire life. The first was when Annie of Annie's Eats first posted her roasted chicken tutorial. I shredded the meat and used it to make two casseroles and a bowl of chicken salad. It was good, but a bit bland and not my best work.

Menu for 1/23/15-1/29/15

I was going over the sales ad for last week when I noticed that it's been almost a month since chicken was on sale. Italian sausage, ground beef, pork loin, even ground turkey have all been on sale but not chicken. I was disappointed because we eat more chicken than any other meat. I've been trying to plan the menu around the lack of chicken but it was becoming difficult until I remembered that I have a ton of meat stored in the freezer.

Fluffy Rosemary Garlic Knots

Finally another bread recipe! I had gotten out of the habit of making bread for awhile. It used to be relaxing but then it became a bit of a chore and would wear me out. It's time consuming, takes up the entire counter, and if I don't get started early enough we wind up waiting for the bread to bake while dinner gets cold.

Menu for 1/16/15-1/22/15

This week hasn't been busy but it's sure felt like it. I've been at home three days in a row, never leaving the house but still feel like I haven't rested. One night of good sleep leads into three nights of insomnia and then I'm exhausted all day long. Eventually I'll learn how to sleep right.

Lazy Alfredo Sauce

I have several Alfredo sauce recipes and most of them could be classified as lazy, but this one is really the easiest one I've ever tried. I have a one recipe where you cream together softened butter and Parmesan cheese with a mixer and add cream that I thought was as simple as it could get. Then I came across this recipe which is basically the same except there's no need to waste your time with the bowl and the mixer.

Menu for 1/9/15-1/15/15

It's so weird not to start with Monday on my menu. I keep forgetting it starts on Friday now.

We have an exciting week planned. We're actually getting a babysitter (well, Admiral and CJ will be watching Bailey) so we can go on a double date with my brother and his girlfriend. Senator gave Aaron a game for Christmas that we haven't had a chance to play yet. I have no idea what kind of game it is so I'm interested to try it out!

Wishlist Wednesday January 2015

Brrrr! It's freezing and of course that makes me crave hot soup and warm blankets so this wishlist will have a huge list of soups I want to try and some knitting patterns to keep me warm (and to keep away the cabin fever if I happen to get snowed in). There's a little surprise at the end too! Let's get started!

A Wish for a Warm, Full Belly:

Southwest Seafood Chowder from Food and Wine

Halibut and shrimp make up the seafood portion of this amazing sounding chowder. I might leave out the clams but every other ingredient has my mouth watering, from the ancho chiles to the fennel seeds but especially those shrimp! Chowder is my favorite kind of soup. Chowder is so hearty and filling that (contrary to Aaron's belief) it can be a meal by itself. One of these days I'm definitely going to try this recipe!

Grilled Pineapple and Pepper Jack Turkey Burgers

What a way to start off the year! My first new recipe was a huge hit. Well, it was a huge hit with Bailey and myself. I don't think Aaron really likes turkey burgers.

These were the juiciest turkey burgers I've ever made at home. It seems like turkey, the low-fat meat that it is, just gets incredibly dry on me again and again, but these burgers are special. Seasoned with soy sauce and thyme and topped with melted pepper jack cheese and a slice of fresh grilled pineapple there's no lack of flavor and a little drizzle or spray of olive oil before they go on the grill keeps them from drying out as they cook. I didn't have much in the way of toppings tonight but I don't think they need them. I might add some romaine lettuce leaves and a bit of mayo (or miracle whip in my case) but really the flavors are already there, the rest is just icing on the cake.

Menu for 1/5/15-1/8/15

I thought now would be a good time to change the meal planning schedule since it's the beginning of the year. Sometime last year Kroger changed their sales ads, running them Wednesday-Tuesday rather than Sunday-Saturday. And sometime around October I went from planning an entire month of meals in one day to going week by week based more on what was on sale. I still put together a list of meals that I want to include for the month, but now I wait until the ad comes out to decide what we'll be eating that week.

Are New Year's Resolutions Cliche?

Did you make any resolutions for the new year? I've made a couple. For one, I'm giving up soda... again. I do this every few years and usually it lasts about six months or so. I'm not addicted to soda or anything, it's just so much more convenient sometimes. I mean, water would be convenient (and I love water) but I really prefer it filtered and extremely cold. I'm the crazy woman who always orders extra ice with my water at restaurants.

A Few of My Favorites: 2014

Welcome to 2015 everyone! I'm excited for this year but the end of 2014 has been so busy I've barely had a chance to enjoy it. So I wanted to take a look back at a few favorite meals from the past year. I figure since I did 6 reader favorites, I'll do 6 of my favorites. I'm only including 2014 for this post but you can see my favorites from 2013 here.

Let's get to it!

1) Island Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is quickly making its way to the top of my favorite proteins list. It's so easy to make, so tender, so juicy, so flavorful... I could go on and on. This tenderloin in particular has tons of flavor. There's a spice rub (that includes cinnamon, I mean, come on, how often do you get to use cinnamon on meat?) and then a brown sugar/hot sauce/garlic glaze that is just out of this world, and the whole thing only takes about 30-45 minutes to get on the table. It goes with everything. I love it with seasoned rice and fresh steamed veggies but it also pairs well with heavier sides like mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. And bonus! The leftovers are incredible, especially when topping a salad.

Reader Favorites from 2014

One of the reasons I love writing this blog is seeing what the readers go for. Sometimes I'm surprised to see a recipe fall flat when I was so excited about trying it, but more often I'm blown away by the response to a recipe that I tried on a whim or one that I've been making for years and it never occurred to me that everyone else has not. Last year a couple of my favorites wound up on the reader favorites list which pleased me because I felt like I was on track.

I think last year I listed the top 6 posts. This year I'm going to do things a little differently. With almost two years of blogging under my belt I wanted to include the top 6 recipes from this year along with the top 6 over the past two years. So, what say we start with this year's reader favorites?

1) Baked Ziti

This is by far the number one viewed post overall. I'm positive that's because it's from the Pioneer Woman and, like myself, people simply trust anything she does. This mixture of meaty sauce, creamy, melty cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta is the ideal dish for feeding a large family. It makes a ton of food (I've fed 8 with leftovers with this recipe) and is absolutely delicious to boot! It's just as good as leftovers as it is fresh out of the oven and I could eat the sauce as a soup, it's so good.

Menu for 12/29/14-1/4/15

My holiday season has not quite died down yet. I've been asked to make another batch of tea cakes for a family member and I'll be dropping them off on Wednesday. In addition, my big gift from Yaya, a new dryer that we desperately needed, will be delivered on Wednesday as well.

Bailey's 4th Christmas

Do you feel neglected? Because I feel like I've been neglecting you. It wasn't intentional, I promise. I've just been so incredibly swamped with Christmas stuff.

I've been crafting and baking and visiting friends and family. Down time has been completely nonexistent.

Yaya's Chicken and Veggie Spaghetti Pie

Of all the things my mom cooks this is by far one of my favorite recipes. I have asked for this as my birthday dinner more than once. Even though it's the same recipe mine never tastes quite like Yaya's but isn't that typical? I mean, I use her spaghetti sauce recipe and mine never tastes like hers and I use Nana's lasagna recipe and it tastes totally different.

Menu for 12/15/14-12/21/14

Man, it's been a crazy busy weekend of baking! I got to try a new frosting technique Monday night. I made us some chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting and made them look kind of like starlight mints.

Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup

It's cold, y'all! At 11:30 at night it's 26 degrees outside. And I live in Tennessee! I don't mind the cold, I actually prefer it to the heat, especially the muggy, humid heat we get here. Bailey doesn't seem to mind the cold either but we have two cars with the heat somewhat on the fritz. Aaron's truck has no heat at all and mine only has defrost or it blows at your feet. I guess that's better than last year when the defrost didn't work but it makes it hard to take Bailey anywhere when she can't wear a coat in the car and it takes forever (and a ton of gas) for the car to warm up.

Menu for 12/8/14-12/14/14

Bailey and me with Senator on Christmas morning 2011.

Well I was going to share a couple of cute pictures I took during our day out with Nana on Friday but Bailey has taken off with my phone and won't let me have it back even long enough to transfer them to my computer. So instead I'm going to do a little flashback post.

Root Beer Barbecue Chicken

I have a few barbecue recipes that I've picked up over the past three or four years. I make some darn good pulled pork and I have a nice spicy crock pot barbecue chicken recipe but both of those take all day to make and sometimes I just don't have the time to wait around. This is particularly true on days when I completely forget what's on the menu and remember too late to spend 8 hours roasting a pork shoulder in the oven or even 4 hours slow cooking some chicken in the crock pot. Who wants to wait until midnight to eat dinner, right?

Wishlist Wednesday December 2014

The Christmas season is upon us and I've rounded up some of the best ways to make your Christmas as merry as possible. This month I've included several crafts and DIY gifts, a couple of drinks to keep you warm, a few cookie recipes, and more.

I think I'll start with the drinks.

A Wish for a Warm Belly:

Crock Pot Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate from The Frugal Girls

Salted caramel and chocolate long ago surpassed peanut butter and chocolate for my favorite flavor combination. The salt brings out the buttery flavor of the caramel and makes it taste even more rich. I also love that this is made in the crock pot, a huge warm pot of love for your friends and family. This would be perfect to serve on Christmas morning or at a party.

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie

The past two years I've had the pleasure of making the pies for our Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe isn't a secret. In fact it's on the side of every can of Libby's pumpkin puree. It is, however, the best pumpkin pie I've ever had. And, as I said, pumpkin pie is my all-time favorite holiday pie. Yes, I do love pecan pie, but pumpkin is where it's at!

Menu for 12/1/14-12/7/14

Oh, my gosh! Can you believe it's already December? I'm amazed. These last couple of months have gone by so quickly that I've hardly had time to do anything at all. I haven't done any Christmas shopping or even made a list for Yaya. I actually had to sit down yesterday to make December's menu, something I normally would have done at least two weeks ago. I have got to get my act together.

Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

Years ago my Grandmother used to make sweet potato pudding that was like heaven on a plate and even though I have her recipe (in her handwriting) I can't make it like she did. Either the recipe is wrong or the directions are wrong or I'm not reading it right. I'm not sure what the problem is but mine always turns out soupy. I've tried everything from adding extra eggs to doubling the cooking time and it's still just not good. Even Admiral (who has probably made it dozens of times) can't get it to come out right.

Menu for 11/24/14-11/30/14

I've been a bit busy the past week trying to plan our Thanksgiving out so I'm going to get right to the menu again. I'm including my entire Thanksgiving menu and it includes a few new recipes so hopefully in the coming weeks I'll be able to get a few of them up in case anyone want's to use them for Christmas.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana (copycat)

When Aaron and I first met we ate out often. We frequented Applebee's, Chili's, Ruby Tuesday's, and one of my favorites, Olive Garden. Aaron's order was predictable. Almost everywhere we went he ordered chicken tenders and fries, but at Olive Garden that was not an option. He doesn't like salad (or anything in it except for croutons) and he's not a fan of minestrone or pasta y fagioli, but one night he tried their other soup (I know they have chicken gnocchi soup now but at the time they did not), the Zuppa Toscana.

Menu for 11/17/14-11/23/14

Well we have had a fantastic week but the highlight of the week was Dixie Stampede's Christmas show with Aunt Shelia this afternoon. Bailey sat between me and Aaron and watched the animals run around. There were horses and pigs and goats and chickens and sheep and camels... Bailey loved it! She ate most of my chicken, a whole cheese biscuit, and some corn on the cob.

Skillet Chicken and Gravy

One of the first things I ever learned to cook was skillet chicken. There are dozens of ways you can make it. When I was in 4th or 5th grade I started out making it with some "Tiger Seasoning" (at the time it was called "Praise Allah" I think) and testing various other spices on it. I probably went through my parents' entire spice rack experimenting. I liked to use cooking wine to deglaze the pan and then cook down some peppercorns in the gravy.

Menu for 11/10/14-11/16/14

Time is just flying and I'm feeling incredibly stressed about it. I can't seem to get my time management under control. Part of the problem could be Bailey's transition from her crib to her big girl bed. It's difficult to convince her to go to sleep without lying in bed with her and waiting for her to fall asleep but then I get sleepy in the dark room with the noise machine pumping out the sounds of ocean waves. Not to mention that her room has the most comfortable temperature in the house. I tend to fall asleep waiting for her to do the same and then before I know it it's the middle of the night and I'm still too sleepy to get up and do anything useful.

Wishlist Wednesday November 2014

This month the wishlist is going to be all about Thanksgiving. I'm including a turkey recipe, plenty of side dishes and desserts, and a few decorating ideas. Hopefully if you haven't already planned your Thanksgiving down to the last detail some of these wishes will inspire you.

In case you didn't know, I've never hosted Thanksgiving dinner. My family has set plans. Plans that haven't been changed in years. We have lunch at Nana's at 1:00 on Thanksgiving. For years Aaron and I would split up for the day to cover both families. Since we had Bailey we've been attempting to make it to both family meals, but that's difficult when Nana wants to eat at 1:00 and then his family makes reservations at a restaurant an hour away at 3:00.

Menu for 11/3/14-11/9/14

Sorry to have been neglecting the blog the past couple of weeks but I was so busy working on Bailey's birthday party that I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough at night to type.

I pulled an all-nighter the night before her party to finish the cake.

Menu for 10/27/14-11/2/14

Okay, so I know I'm a little behind this week but I promise there's a good reason. I'm also going to cut this post a bit short but again, good reason.

Bailey is turning 3 this weekend and I have been working super hard on her birthday party. Bailey's Birthday Bash will be Sunday and the only thing on my mind this week should be getting decorations and food and making the cake (and somehow finding a picture of Tinkerbell that will fit on her cake) and all the little details that go into making her birthday super special. Unfortunately we have hit an unexpected speed bump.

Perfect Pie Crust

This recipe is a warm-up for an upcoming post, apple pie. I've made the pie crust multiple times for different pie recipes. I've used it for chicken pot pie, cherry pie, blueberry pie, and apple pie and it always comes out perfectly flaky. It's not too sweet for a savory pie and just sweet enough for desserts. I'm sure it would also work for pumpkin pie or pecan pie come Thanksgiving. Of course coming from Annie's Eats it's a recipe that couldn't possibly fail.

Menu for 10/20/14-10/26/14

After fighting a horrible migraine all day I am finally feeling well enough to get some things done. Since I got Bailey down I've been trying to clean up the house, mostly the kitchen which was a mess, and getting some stuff packed to visit with Nana tomorrow.

Last Monday when we visited Nana Bailey just couldn't get enough snuggling with Nana.

Halloween Fun

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Okay so every holiday is one of my favorites. What can I say? I like to celebrate! But seriously it is one of my favorites because I have tons of creative ideas for decorations, food, crafts, costumes... you get the picture.

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

I had never been a huge fan of meatballs until about 4 years ago. I'm not particularly fond of ground beef except in chili or hamburgers, I've always loathed meatloaf, and the thought of eating reheated leftover meatballs used to turn my stomach. Of course all of this was before I tried the mozzarella stuffed meatballs from Annie's Eats. They made me rethink my whole outlook on meatballs which is why I finally decided to try these.

Menu for 10/13/14-10/19/14

Oh, the rain! I think it has rained all week and we're looking at plenty more rain the coming week. Tuesday it's supposed to rain all day long.

Of course that didn't stop Bailey from having tons of fun. We had some family visiting from out of town and finally got to meet the latest addition to the family, my cousin's 2 month old boy. He is just precious, slept almost the whole time we were at Nana's.

Baked Ravioli

If you're looking for a quick, simple dinner this is it! The whole thing comes together in about ten minutes and then just needs a bit of time in the oven.

Crispy Cheddar Baked Chicken

I've been taking a lot more short cuts on my cooking the past few weeks. I'm using more packaged and canned foods and I've even resorted to fast food several times just because I didn't feel like cooking. I don't know if it's just being extra tired or not in the mood but I think I may have finally broken out of the funk I've been in.

Menu for 10/6/14-10/12/14

I have had a great week. Among other things I found Bailey's birthday gift, or at least part of it (my friend does amazing things with polymer clay and made her a Tinkerbell charm that we're going to hang in a shadowbox on her wall) and I had one incredibly successful new recipe. Our first box from graze.com came in this week and 3/4 of the snacks were absolutely delicious! Bailey devoured the jelly doughnut mix, I finished off the herby bread basket almost as quickly, and the flapjacks which I was unsure about when I saw them were surprisingly delectable. They look like those chewy granola bars but they're not really chewy so much as like a flourless oatmeal cookie held together by honey. I was very impressed. The only snack I didn't care for was the jalapeno fiesta but that's because I'm not fond of spicy peanuts.

Monday night I made an amazing apple pie.

Wishlist Wednesday October 2014

This month includes several sewing patterns that I can't wait to try, a couple of adult beverages, plenty of comforting, fall foods, and a couple of odds and ends that I couldn't help but throw in. This is what I'm wishing for this month.

I'll start with the sewing.

A Wish to be More Eco-Friendly:

DIY Unpaper Towels from A Blossoming Life

I've been thinking of doing this for awhile now. I don't use too many paper towels but Aaron does. This would increase the weekly laundry but they're pretty, softer than paper towels, and sturdier for clean-up jobs too. They're small so the materials wouldn't cost much and they look like they'd be a nice, easy project. I could probably make a whole roll of them in a week of nap times. I bet they make great gifts too.

Peanut Chicken Stir Fry

I don't get to eat enough stir fry. I miss working down the street from a small Chinese restaurant where I could just drive down and pick up lunch once a week. I miss fried rice and saucy chicken and vegetables and since I don't get to make it often at home I have to compromise and make it for Yaya and Nana for our Monday night dinners.

Menu for 9/29/14-10/4/14

I kind of took this week off. I didn't cook, we ate out almost every night. That meant I didn't have to clean the kitchen except to wash a few glasses and plates from lunch. It was a nice, relaxing week of playing with Bailey and having family time in the evenings. I really enjoyed it.

I read a lot. I finished at least one book and I'm halfway through another. I'm still working on the Dresden Files series and I'm loving it! There's just so much action and of course I'm fascinated by the magic and the monsters.

I spent at least one nap time working on this new crochet pattern.

Skillet Pork Chops

This is a go-to meal for me when I need to make a quick substitution to my regular menu. On those days when I'm unexpectedly busy or just too tired to stand in the kitchen for an hour to cook dinner this is what I make.

Menu for 9/22/14-9/28/14

Since I have posted something every day for the past week I'm going to keep this short. No pictures, no update on how our week was, just the menu.

So here it is.

SNAP Challenge: Day 7

Another day of eggs for breakfast. We had some toast with it this morning, finishing off the loaf of bread and Bailey had some yogurt. Lunch was cheeseburgers using the last of the ground chuck. I made 3 (1/3 lb) burgers and since we only had 2 buns left Bailey ate her burger without a bun. We had some Doritos with the burgers and Bailey got some raspberries.

Dinner was crock pot chicken taco rice bowls at Admiral's house. I added an extra can of black beans to make it go further and used the last of the chicken in it. I had to buy another bag of rice yesterday to go with dinner tonight but that's only $1.00 so I'm still within budget.

SNAP Challenge: Day 6

After a busy day with Aaron home all day it's clear that I would not make it on SNAP benefits alone. I read an article (and don't ask me where because I can't remember) that said that most fights between couples were caused by hunger... or hanger as they called it. Apparently when someone's hunger reaches a certain point they become angry, causing them to lash out at anyone in the vicinity who irritates them. In couples it's generally the partner who takes the brunt of the frustration.

SNAP Challenge: Day 5

I feel like I'm really kicking butt at this challenge. Bailey and I both had breakfast and lunch today. She had some yogurt and I shared a bowl of cereal with her. (You know how it is with kids, you can't have anything to yourself.) At lunch she munched on some frozen peas and cheese cubes and ate the last hot dog. I finished off the chili with a tiny bit of rice and then had a peanut butter sandwich to go with it.

We had sloppy joes for dinner with some Doritos and everyone seemed full enough. I'm really proud of how well we've been doing this week. I added up all the food we have left for the next two days and it seems like we'll be okay as long as no one has a growth spurt or an empty day.

SNAP Challenge: Day 4

Man, I love chili dogs. We don't have hot dogs often, for a couple of reasons. One being that they're not particularly healthy but more importantly because they're kind of expensive. We don't eat the cheap hot dogs, the ones made with chicken, pork, and beef that remind you why you don't want to know how hot dogs are made. I only buy all beef hot dogs and they can be pricey, especially when you're used to getting by on $2-3 worth of protein per meal for a family of three.

SNAP Challenge: Day 3

This has been the easiest day of the challenge by far. First off, we woke up really late today, much later than I had intended but since we didn't have plans it wasn't a problem. But since it was so late we weren't really in the mood for breakfast.

SNAP Challenge: Day 2

Today was a little better than yesterday. I wasn't as hungry between lunch and dinner but I think Bailey might have been. We had some cereal for breakfast, about twice as much as yesterday because Bailey kept asking for more.

For lunch Bailey had a bowl of rice, some cheese cubes, and we broke out the Doritos. I had a peanut butter sandwich.

Perfect Brown Rice in the Oven

I'll admit I make some of the worst rice you've ever eaten. It comes out too sticky and starchy or it doesn't cook through and turns out crunchy or it runs out of liquid and sticks and burns on the bottom of the pot. I know the directions say you should cover it and not stir it but I worry that it will stick so I take the lid off and then the steam escapes and the liquid all evaporates too fast and I can't seem to get the stove temperature right so if I leave the lid on tight the water boils over... it's really just a horrible mess.

SNAP Challenge: Day 1

Day 1 went surprisingly well. Bailey and I shared some cereal for breakfast, I had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and she had some raspberries and cheese cubes. Dinner with Yaya, Nana, and Senator was broccoli casserole with some chicken added in. I did find myself pretty hungry between lunch and dinner and resorted to snacking on some of the rice for the casserole. I've realized that I will probably need to cook some more rice to serve as snacks for the week. All of my meat except for a pound of the ground beef is spoken for so maybe I'll make some kind of beef and rice mixture.

Menu for 9/15/14-9/21/14

The SNAP challenge starts... well, about 45 minutes ago. I've spent three weeks preparing for this and so long as I don't have to run back to the store for anything I'm set. I did my shopping on Friday. My budget was $94.50 and I spent $89.55 leaving me only $4.95 for an emergency. Thankfully I think I've got everything I'll need.

Island Pork Tenderloin

Every few months my dad and I collaborate on dinner. Usually I'll take care of the meat and he will handle vegetables and sides. A couple of weeks ago we had decided on pork for dinner and I found this delightful recipe on Pinterest that I wanted to try.

Menu for 9/8/14-9/14/14

I have a recipe that I'm dying to share with you and I will just as soon as I get a new waffle iron.

A few weeks ago my brother texted me asking, "Are apple fritter waffles a thing?" So I hit Pinterest to find a recipe and Monday night we had apple fritter waffles.

Pizza Lasagna Roll-ups

Finally! After over two weeks without posting a recipe I'm back on track.

I've been trying to make this recipe for several weeks. It kept getting pushed back because I either wasn't in the mood to cook it or Aaron wasn't in the mood to eat it.

If you've never made lasagna roll-ups now is the time to try them.

Wishlist Wednesday September 2014

Is it fall yet? Can it be? Can we just say it's fall and cancel the hot weather and get back to comfy outdoor temperatures and sweaters and my cute fingerless gloves that I love so much?

I'm ready for fall and I think this month's Wishlist will prove it.

A Wish for Something Pumpkin:

Mini Pumpkin Sticky Buns from Iowa Girl Eats

It's been almost a year since I first saw this post on Kristin's blog and these sticky buns haven't left my mind since. These little delights are made with pumpkin butter and crescent rolls (well, the crescent sheets) making them super simple to make even at the last minute. I say that because I'm always remembering that we have nothing for dessert as I'm serving dinner. I promise you these are in my near future!

Menu for 9/1/14-9/7/14

What a great long weekend. We've spent time with family and relaxed together. It's been so nice to have Aaron home an extra day.