Feed the Freezer!

 Chicken Dorito Casserole: Its what is for dinner.

A 9x13 for us, an 8x11 for the freezer, and a 9x13 of the spicier version for Patrick’s lunches this week. All done from start to finish in 1.5 hours, with 30 minutes spent waiting for the chicken to cook, and 30 minutes in the oven, so only about 30 minutes of active work.

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#FeedingTeenagers

#ManCrewHouse

#BulkCooking

#FeedingTheFreezer

Cast Iron Recipe #1: Dutch Apple Baby

 I challenged myself to make 26 new recipes this year out of the cast iron cookbook Jodi gave me for Christmas, and the Tasty cookbook from the sister gift exchange. They will all be titled Cast Iron Recipe and a number so I can track them throughout the year. 

When I was last in IL, Laura Hepker took me to Walker Bros and introduced me to a Dutch Baby. This variation looked so beautiful in the cookbook that I had to try it out. I made it for our weekly Sunday breakfast together with the gang, and they gobbled it up so fast that I barely got a picture of a small piece before it was all gone. LOL! I guess that means it was a hit. 

#1 is in the books, or more appropriately, in our bellies and I'm going to call it a victory. All that's left is the dishes. 😊 

Here is the piece I managed to snap a pic of...

And here is what it looked like in the cookbook. 

No Spend January and Pantry Challenge: Day 28

 Day 28 of No Spend January and Pantry Challenge are in the books.

What’s the word, Jonah?

I spent no money today, frivolous or otherwise. Yes!

Meals were a chocolate croissant, protein shake, and steak with Alfredo noodles. Yum~O!

#PantryChallenge

#NoSpendJanuary

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#ManCrewHouse

No Spend January and Pantry Challenge: Day 26

 Day 26 of No Spend January and Pantry Challenge: who is still hanging in there?

I spent money today on the grandbabies’ birthdays and sent along a little treat for Valentine’s Day, because it makes more sense to send one package than 3. But since all of those expenses are planned and saved for, they don’t count against me.

Food was tasty leftovers today, every single meal.

B- Chocolate croissant from our Sunday smorgasbord

L- Homemade pizza from Sunday night movies

D- Leftover smoked sausage from Saturday’s mac and cheese, plus mashed potatoes and green beans from yesterday, although we were all a little sad that there weren’t any more baked chicken legs.

#NotBadForLeftovers

#inthekitchenwithkristy

#nospendjanuary

#pantrychallenge

#ManCrewHouse

PS. The cutting and laminating project is finally almost done! Woot!

Happy at Home on a Sweet Saturday

 Happy Saturday, friends!

I am looking forward to a weekend of going nowhere and just being busy at home.

Up first: the housekeeping trifecta...dishes, laundry, and cleaning bathrooms. After that, more cutting and laminating for work. I’m planning to binge Sweet Magnolias on Netflix.

How are you staying busy at home this weekend?

#HappyAtHome

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#NorwexForTheWin

#ManCrewHouse

#BlessThisMess

#HomeBlessing

Update:

Bathrooms clean

#1  #2  #3 in-progress

Tile swept/cobwebs down 

Upgrade PattyCakes’ car insurance 

Dishes done and away 

Delicate/Mask load washed and hanging to dry 

Call Chili’s to let them know about the missing tortillas from last night’s order  *I even scored some free gift certificates, even though I said it wasn’t necessary. Woot!

Pay City bill 

Send Venmo requests to my people for our shared (fleet-sized) vehicle policy 

Carefully read insurance claim emails regarding Dastroyah’s missing cycle. 

Clear off the dining room table and reorganize the card game drawer 

Peek in the freezer and do a quick mental meal plan for next week:

M-Chicken and Alfredo noodles with broccoli

T- Taco Pile Ups with refried beans and rice

W- Garlic Butter Steaks with baked potatoes and green beans

Th- Leftovers

F- Veg tray, chips and salsa, plus cheese abs crackers

S-DT cooks (tbd)

S-Pizza with the gang 

Phew!

I’m going to finish that last bathroom and settle in for some laminating work and Netflix.

Clean the 3rd bathroom 

Finish soaking Norwex and start them on a hot load in the washer 

Re-clean kitchen and do dishes after early dinner 

Brew tea 

Try to figure out game expansion with DT and determine that it is out of my range for today 

Water plants 

Clean out critter cages 

Sweep laundry/storage room and clean off top of dryer 

Finally get to cutting and laminating, woot! 

No Spend January and Pantry Challenge Day 20 and Verse Of The Day

 No Spend January and Pantry Challenge Day 20 Check-In: wave a hand if you are still playing along!

I spent no frivolous money today, but I did spend money to send my darling daughter-in-love a birthday gift.

Today’s meals were:

B- peanut butter on warm cinnamon swirl bread.

L- chicken fajitas over rice (leftovers from last night)

D: Tacos

#PantryChallenge

#NoSpendJanuary

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#ManCrewHouse

Pantry Challenge and No Spend January Day 18

 Day 18 Check in:

I did well today, no frivolous spending for me!

I spent the day cutting and laminating sight words. The WHOLE day. Like 11 hours.

I had French toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast, fast food for lunch courtesy of Ricky who was working on a car project with Dan, and red beans and rice for dinner courtesy of the crock pot. I did get to have a nice visit with Ricky while he was over, and I even got to play with Judah for a while, whom I haven't seen in eleventy billion years, it seems.

#NoSpendJanuary

#PantryChallenge

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#ManCrewHouse

Day 11 of the Pantry Challenge: How are ya?

 No Spend January and the Annual Pantry Challenge are approaching the midway point. How are you and your supplies holding up?

No Spend January: I spent no money today, even though I was really tempted. Woot!

Meals today were:

B-Choc Chip Banana Bread

L- Choc Protein Shake

D- Egg Salad Sandwich and brown rice (leftovers) Dan ate tamales, and Derek ate pumpkin waffles smeared with peanut butter.

In related news, we ran out of eggs yesterday and finally used the last of the milk today. Also, within the week, we will be out of butter. Thankfully, with the tamale purchases money refilling my pantry budget, I can pick up those things on my way home tomorrow.

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#PantryChallenge

#NoSpendJanuary

#ManCrewHouse

Pantry Challenge and No Spend January Day 10

 Pantry Challenge and No Spend January Day 10, how did you fare today?

I spent no money, woot! AND, a sweet friend bought 2 dozen tamales, thus replenishing some of my grocery funds for the rest of the month.

Over the weekend, Makenzie and I produced 10.5 dozen green chile chicken tamales and 2 dozen green chile and cheese tamales.

Our meals today were super tasty, too!

B- Pumpkin bread, chocolate chip banana bread, and pumpkin waffles (we will all be thin in no time, LOL)

L- tamales, of course

D- English muffin pizzas with more tamales.

Take that, Pantry Challenge!

#PantryChallenge

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#NoSpendJanuary

#ManCrewHouse

Labor Saving Devices, You Say?

    This morning, two of my favorite small appliances are working side by side. One is full of ten pounds of chicken, Hatch green chile, garlic, onions, and spices preparing for the tamale-making party this afternoon. The other is warming ten pounds of wax, so when my tired body brings my ruined hands home this evening (this workweek was all about shuffling paperwork and my hands are showing their unhappiness about this) I can treat them to a spa treatment.

‘Tis a charmed life I lead, with this small army of electric and mechanical helpers at my side.

Pantry Challenge Day 8: Is that a fail??

 Pantry Challenge and No Spend January Day 8:

Friends, I bought $21 of chicken breasts today. Oops.

But, I got invited to a tamale-making party and one does not simply say NO to that kind of invite. #YesAndAmen

Pantry Challenge meals today were:

B- Granola bars

L- Protein Shake

Snack- Graham Crackers with frosting

D- potluck meal at a memorial service: salad, egg salad sammies, veggie tray, enchiladas, potato salad, and pistachio something.

#InTheKitchenWithKristy

#PantryChallenge

#NoSpendJanuary

#ManCrewHouse

Pantry Challenge and No Spend January Day 7

 

Day 7: We are a full week into this excitement. How's everyone doing? 

I managed not to spend any money today aside from tithing to my church, and that is non-negotiable. 

Our Pantry Challenge Meals were as follows:

B: Maple Sausage patty on a croissant, and an over-easy egg.
L: Chocolate Protein Shake
D: Crock Pot Beef Stew plus Beer bread that I pulled from the freezer. 

#Winning