Wednesday, February 13, 2013
St. Valentine's
Here is what i made for son 1's class. So cute! Son 2 didn't want them for his......
Monday, February 4, 2013
January 22nd to the end...
I cannot tell a lie. This was by far my poorest performance in the Eat at Home Challenge and I'm very disappointed in myself. It's not even that we ended up eating out it's that I forgot to take pictures of my meals (more often than not), I didn't find time to try new recipes as I normally do during challenge month, I didn't blog often enough and we ate an awful lot of leftovers from the freezer which were often too repetitive or too boring to mention.
I do have a few things to report in the last week though...one night Paul cooked butter chicken sausage from our local market with sautéed shrimp, saag (a curried spinach dish) and pickled mango chutney.
Another night I made a pork & broccoli stir fry plus I've recently discovered a love for home made cooked oatmeal. This had apples in it with a blueberry syrup drizzled over top...YUM!
Though we didn't exactly end the month with a bang, we did start February off well by contributing home made treats on Superbowl Sunday. We made a cooked tex mex dip (1lb ground beef browned with 1 packet taco seasoning and 7.5 oz of tomato sauce, 1 can refried beans, 500ml sour cream and 200g shredded Kraft Habanero cheese). Layer in a 12x8" flat dish in the order above and cook at 325 until bubbly. Eat with tortilla chips!
I also made a flourless chocolate torte with white chocolate raspberry buttercream and dark chocolate ganache since one of Paul's friends is gluten intolerant. Lastly, I made a giant chocolate chip cookie and decorated it with PC Dark Chocolate Sundae Sauce using a piping bag.
Hooray! I finally did some creative cooking/baking. Too bad it was in the wrong month!
I do have a few things to report in the last week though...one night Paul cooked butter chicken sausage from our local market with sautéed shrimp, saag (a curried spinach dish) and pickled mango chutney.
Another night I made a pork & broccoli stir fry plus I've recently discovered a love for home made cooked oatmeal. This had apples in it with a blueberry syrup drizzled over top...YUM!
Though we didn't exactly end the month with a bang, we did start February off well by contributing home made treats on Superbowl Sunday. We made a cooked tex mex dip (1lb ground beef browned with 1 packet taco seasoning and 7.5 oz of tomato sauce, 1 can refried beans, 500ml sour cream and 200g shredded Kraft Habanero cheese). Layer in a 12x8" flat dish in the order above and cook at 325 until bubbly. Eat with tortilla chips!
I also made a flourless chocolate torte with white chocolate raspberry buttercream and dark chocolate ganache since one of Paul's friends is gluten intolerant. Lastly, I made a giant chocolate chip cookie and decorated it with PC Dark Chocolate Sundae Sauce using a piping bag.
Hooray! I finally did some creative cooking/baking. Too bad it was in the wrong month!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
RoundUp: Park Household
Well on the first day of Feburary we did eat out. Nathan went to his coveted Tim Hortons and had a donut. He was so happy and it was so delicious.
All in all we did fairly well. With two incidences through the month. The first was when I went to the movies and had popcorn. Movie popcorn is irresistible. And then this week I had to go to Medicine Hat for a student and stay over night. Well I ate out then too. Darryl suggested I get a frozen dinner or cook something in the coffee maker, but I enjoyed a delicious dinner out.
Thanks everyone for participating and for lots of new good ideas and recipes. It was a hard month, but if I remember correctly it usually is. But it does get me in the routine of planning ahead. Having snacks in the car is important as well as bring snacks where ever we go. It probably where we spend most of our eating out money. When we aren't prepared but hungry. Not very often do we "plan" to eat out. It happens more out of hunger and necessity.
One interesting thing of note is Darryl and I use Mint. It's an online/app money management system. I LOVE it! Keeps all your banking together and helps you manage a budget. When we first signed up it looked at average spending and set a budget for us. If you are looking for a new way to manage your money I highly recommend it. One of the interesting things about it is that our budget for Coffee Shops (which includes my Davids Tea) is 120$, Fast Food is 140 and Restaurants is 120$. So in total last month we saved: $380. That's huge. And I did spend 39$ extra on groceries but still that's lots of money saved.
Jenn
All in all we did fairly well. With two incidences through the month. The first was when I went to the movies and had popcorn. Movie popcorn is irresistible. And then this week I had to go to Medicine Hat for a student and stay over night. Well I ate out then too. Darryl suggested I get a frozen dinner or cook something in the coffee maker, but I enjoyed a delicious dinner out.
Thanks everyone for participating and for lots of new good ideas and recipes. It was a hard month, but if I remember correctly it usually is. But it does get me in the routine of planning ahead. Having snacks in the car is important as well as bring snacks where ever we go. It probably where we spend most of our eating out money. When we aren't prepared but hungry. Not very often do we "plan" to eat out. It happens more out of hunger and necessity.
One interesting thing of note is Darryl and I use Mint. It's an online/app money management system. I LOVE it! Keeps all your banking together and helps you manage a budget. When we first signed up it looked at average spending and set a budget for us. If you are looking for a new way to manage your money I highly recommend it. One of the interesting things about it is that our budget for Coffee Shops (which includes my Davids Tea) is 120$, Fast Food is 140 and Restaurants is 120$. So in total last month we saved: $380. That's huge. And I did spend 39$ extra on groceries but still that's lots of money saved.
Jenn
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Yum, cookies
I might have forgot a photo for Monday and Tuesday's dinners but I didn't forget to take one of my yummy cookies that son 2 helped me make. One of my favs. Soft pumpkin spice with icing ( creamcheese of course). Ignore my work papers in the background.
Monday Jan. 28 & Tuesday Jan. 29
Monday we had homemade Lasagna. I make a mean lasagna. Just out of my head now because I make it so often. Son 1 especially likes lasagna. Son 2 tolerates it. He likes the smell more than that actual dish.
Tuesday was a rushed kind of night. I had leftovers from Monday, Son 1 didn't have leftover because he has it already in his lunch. For them I made rigatoni pasta. Son 1 has red sauce just "slopped" on top and not mixed in and son 2 has butter with parmesan cheese. If it's not made like how Lesley used to make it then look out! BH isn't home this week so that's why I made the lasagna. His diet doesn't allow him that kind of a dish, too bad for him......
Sorry no photo, I forgot.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Day 29 at Chateau Beck
Tonights dinner was Hamburger Soup. It was sooooo good! Just what we needed on such a cold, cold day!
Park Household 24-28
We are in the homestrech people!! I already have Friday planned as a night to eat out!! I'll have to see if the kids have some where they would like to go. I wonder if Nathan will pick Tim Hortons. =)
Day 24 I think I had something wonderful planned, but didn't feel like it so instead we made nachos. Which is always a good standby. As long as we have sour cream around.
Day 25: I worked so it was perogies for the boys (not my favorite) and leftover roast beef for me.
Day 26: Now that I think back to it I'm not really sure we had dinner on Saturday. Lucas had some at a birthday party. And when Nathan and I got to the birthday party we got a cupcake, so maybe that was our dinner.... not very healthy I know. That night we also had a bunch of girls from the eat at home challenge over for a movie night. We made popcorn in the popcorn maker and Lesley brought buffalo chicken dip (yummy) and I made the cream cheese/caramel/skor dip with apples.
Day 27: Darryl made a delicious steak dinner and we had a bunch of people over. It was Dad's belated birthday celebration. I tried to make the "pinned" roast brocolli with it, but Costco didn't have brocolli (not shocked, stupid Costco) so we had brocollini, it wasn't as good as I was hoping, but I'll have to try it with real brocolli next time.
Day 28: Mondays have started to become a gong show for us. I teach a class till 5, then get home and Lucas has karate at 6. So we need to have something made when we get home. Thank god for slow cookers!! Yesterday morning I smorgy-d a recipe that I have done before. It was 2 chicken breasts, half a container of cream cheese (leftover from movie night) corn (leftover from steak night) 3/4c salsa and some black beans. Let it cook on low all day. When we got home we shredded the meat and then put it in wraps. Nathan preferred it with nacho chips. It was delicious and fast and easy.
Jenn
Day 24 I think I had something wonderful planned, but didn't feel like it so instead we made nachos. Which is always a good standby. As long as we have sour cream around.
Day 25: I worked so it was perogies for the boys (not my favorite) and leftover roast beef for me.
Day 26: Now that I think back to it I'm not really sure we had dinner on Saturday. Lucas had some at a birthday party. And when Nathan and I got to the birthday party we got a cupcake, so maybe that was our dinner.... not very healthy I know. That night we also had a bunch of girls from the eat at home challenge over for a movie night. We made popcorn in the popcorn maker and Lesley brought buffalo chicken dip (yummy) and I made the cream cheese/caramel/skor dip with apples.
Day 27: Darryl made a delicious steak dinner and we had a bunch of people over. It was Dad's belated birthday celebration. I tried to make the "pinned" roast brocolli with it, but Costco didn't have brocolli (not shocked, stupid Costco) so we had brocollini, it wasn't as good as I was hoping, but I'll have to try it with real brocolli next time.
Jenn
Monday, January 28, 2013
Day 26, 27, 28 at Chateau Beck
Saturday was going to make me or break me and I MADE IT!
I was going shopping with Kathryn at the mall and it would have been easy to eat at the food court but we stuck to the challenge and came home for some frozen pizza and wings that Aaron had made.
Sunday night we had Aaron's mom and brother over for a roast chicken dinner which was as good as always, we bought two chickens at Walmart for $16 and they were really good. Moist, flavorful and the homemade stuffing was good the second and third helping.
Tonights dinner:
Chicken and Bacon Sacchini with Rose Sauce and caesar salad. This is a really quick meal, its the fresh Olivieri pasta that takes 3 minutes to cook once the water is boiling. Maybe not the most healthy but everyone likes it.
I was going shopping with Kathryn at the mall and it would have been easy to eat at the food court but we stuck to the challenge and came home for some frozen pizza and wings that Aaron had made.
Sunday night we had Aaron's mom and brother over for a roast chicken dinner which was as good as always, we bought two chickens at Walmart for $16 and they were really good. Moist, flavorful and the homemade stuffing was good the second and third helping.
Tonights dinner:
Chicken and Bacon Sacchini with Rose Sauce and caesar salad. This is a really quick meal, its the fresh Olivieri pasta that takes 3 minutes to cook once the water is boiling. Maybe not the most healthy but everyone likes it.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Day 25 at Chateau Beck
Day 24 Chateau Beck
I had big plans on making Tamara's zuchinni/tomato chicken and pasta dish and then realized I forgot to buy the Rose sauce.
Plan B was shake and bake chicken breasts with Four Cheese Rice a Roni (no one liked it), corn and diced beets. I am the only person in the family that likes beets, so I usually have leftovers the next day for my lunch.
Plan B was shake and bake chicken breasts with Four Cheese Rice a Roni (no one liked it), corn and diced beets. I am the only person in the family that likes beets, so I usually have leftovers the next day for my lunch.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Park House: 19, 20 and 21
I always find the mid point of the Eat at Home challenge the most challenging. I miss the convenience of eating out and miss my Wendy's and Edo and some of the other fast food we do. On Sunday we went to the Southland Leisure Centre and we were all starving when we left. I did bring some snacks, although the kids eating two granola bars is not the most healthy either.
Jan :19 I worked, so the boys had their favorite Mom's gone dinner. Salmon, with fettuccine Alfredo and peas. I had some of the leftover roast beef. The people at work were ordering Vietanemese, which I really enjoy, but I was good and ate my roast beef.
January 20th: Last night we had ham, scallop potatoes and peas. We make our own scallop potatoes and use a mix of mushroom soup, cheese and sour cream and milk. Auntie Karen joined us and she enjoyed it as well.
January 21st: Tonight we had another Rachael Ray recipe, which meets my goals for 3 of those recipes this week. Tonight was Italian Sub Stoup. Stoup is somewhere between soup and stew. I was FANTASTIC. Darryl and I really enjoyed it. But Lucas was not so fond of it. I think I'll try it again in a month or two and see if he changes his mind. The only change I made was instead of green peppers and arugula I used spinach.
January 22: Made the dumplings that Lori suggested.
January 23: Breakfast for dinner.
Home Stretch...
Jenn
Jan :19 I worked, so the boys had their favorite Mom's gone dinner. Salmon, with fettuccine Alfredo and peas. I had some of the leftover roast beef. The people at work were ordering Vietanemese, which I really enjoy, but I was good and ate my roast beef.
January 20th: Last night we had ham, scallop potatoes and peas. We make our own scallop potatoes and use a mix of mushroom soup, cheese and sour cream and milk. Auntie Karen joined us and she enjoyed it as well.
January 21st: Tonight we had another Rachael Ray recipe, which meets my goals for 3 of those recipes this week. Tonight was Italian Sub Stoup. Stoup is somewhere between soup and stew. I was FANTASTIC. Darryl and I really enjoyed it. But Lucas was not so fond of it. I think I'll try it again in a month or two and see if he changes his mind. The only change I made was instead of green peppers and arugula I used spinach.
January 22: Made the dumplings that Lori suggested.
January 23: Breakfast for dinner.
Home Stretch...
Jenn
Day 22, 23 at Chateau Beck
Last night was leftover night! Beef on a bun with some chicken chow mein on the side :o)
Tonight Aaron started back at his university night classes so the boys and I had an old family favourite. Lipton's Chicken Noodle Soup with eggs. So, when the soup is at a rolling boil I whisk up two eggs in a bowl and pour it in. It adds some "bulk" to the soup and takes on the soup flavour.
We'll be dining at Bolero Friday, Feb 1st! Something to look forward to, but the kids don't even seem to care much. I struggle with the lack of Tim Horton's. It's just a nice treat after skating, swimming, a lazy Sunday afternoon......
Tonight Aaron started back at his university night classes so the boys and I had an old family favourite. Lipton's Chicken Noodle Soup with eggs. So, when the soup is at a rolling boil I whisk up two eggs in a bowl and pour it in. It adds some "bulk" to the soup and takes on the soup flavour.
We'll be dining at Bolero Friday, Feb 1st! Something to look forward to, but the kids don't even seem to care much. I struggle with the lack of Tim Horton's. It's just a nice treat after skating, swimming, a lazy Sunday afternoon......
Last night
Very healthy! Tator tots, green beans, and cucumbers. Son 2 had chicken fingers too and son 1 wanted his in a wrap aka McDonald's style.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Days 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
We haven't thrown in the towel but I've been awful at keeping up with the posting!!!
Day 21 is Chicken Chow Mein
Day 20 was Shredded Beef on a Bun with Quinoa/Cranberry/Orange/Pecan salad
Day 19 was BBQ hamburger and caesar salad
Day 18 was Breakfast for supper
Day 17 was Steak dinner with baked potatoes and salad
Day 16 was leftovers
Day 20 was Shredded Beef on a Bun with Quinoa/Cranberry/Orange/Pecan salad
Day 19 was BBQ hamburger and caesar salad
Day 18 was Breakfast for supper
Day 17 was Steak dinner with baked potatoes and salad
Day 16 was leftovers
January 17-21st/13
Ack! Just when I was in a roll, I end up falling behind again!
January 17th to 19th were all boring leftover days. Leftover RiceARoni, more leftover RiceARoni and last but not least...you can fill in the rest! Don't get me wrong, I love that meal and it's SO cheap when you realize how many portions it makes.
January 20th...we were invited to Paul's parent's house for a late lunch/early dinner. We had finger foods...homemade sushi, chicken fingers, wheat berry salad and sausage rolls. Yum!
Later in the evening, we fired up our Whirly-Pop popcorn popper (from Lee Valley Tools $28.50) and made 3 batches of popcorn with special kernels we bought at the market. One was dill, one was Parmesan & herbs and the other was marshmallow caramel corn.
Tonight (Jan 21st), as with other Mondays I had a quick dinner before going to pick Paul up from the university. Just some chicken, rice & green beans. The rice and chicken were pre-cooked and frozen in portions for quick meals.
Until next time....
Lori
January 17th to 19th were all boring leftover days. Leftover RiceARoni, more leftover RiceARoni and last but not least...you can fill in the rest! Don't get me wrong, I love that meal and it's SO cheap when you realize how many portions it makes.
January 20th...we were invited to Paul's parent's house for a late lunch/early dinner. We had finger foods...homemade sushi, chicken fingers, wheat berry salad and sausage rolls. Yum!
Later in the evening, we fired up our Whirly-Pop popcorn popper (from Lee Valley Tools $28.50) and made 3 batches of popcorn with special kernels we bought at the market. One was dill, one was Parmesan & herbs and the other was marshmallow caramel corn.
Tonight (Jan 21st), as with other Mondays I had a quick dinner before going to pick Paul up from the university. Just some chicken, rice & green beans. The rice and chicken were pre-cooked and frozen in portions for quick meals.
Until next time....
Lori
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Happy Birthday Brother Bear
So it was Lexxs' first birthday (whelp) not ready for my baby to be a year but what can you do? Anyways, it's not really dinner related but it is all made at home from scratch so I thought I'd post. Sister had a hand in many of the yummy treats also that I did take pictures of but they are on my camera not my phone. She made a cheese ball igloo and olive penguins, she made Rice Krispie sushi (so kewl) and I made chicken spicy cheese dip from Lesley, the best dip ever and everyone loved it! I guess it is kinda dinner related because that's what I'm eating for supper. So here is a picture of his cake and my goofy Bakers Helper!
Park Household: Days 16,17,18
Hi Everyone,
Lucas is enjoying this eat at home challenge. The other day he was the one to remind me to take a picture of dinner. Plus it means we get to do one of his favorite things: Stay home. =) Although I'm sure he will be happy for some Edo Japan when Feburary comes.
January 16: Tonight we had Lucas's favorite pizza. It's delicious, but it's a bit small, so we (Darryl and I) always have a big salad with it. But is delicious!
January 17: Thursday was homemade chicken fingers. Not homemade fries and homemade brocolli. Darryl and I were shocked as Lucas ate his broccoli, no complaining! Or no eat the smallest tiniest bites ever. The boys also loved the homemade chicken fingers. About a year ago someone introduced us to panko bread crumbs so we used those and it makes the chicken fingers extra crispy.
January 18: Last night I tried another Rachel Ray Recipe: Florentine Meatballs. She puts a cheese sauce on them, but I put ours in spagetti and meatball. It's ground chicken with spinach, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, pepper and parm cheese. They were very flavorful. Next time I might try them with ground beef.
It's been great to see what everyone else has been making for dinners. My family is going to love the variety I'm learning.
Jenn
Lucas is enjoying this eat at home challenge. The other day he was the one to remind me to take a picture of dinner. Plus it means we get to do one of his favorite things: Stay home. =) Although I'm sure he will be happy for some Edo Japan when Feburary comes.
January 16: Tonight we had Lucas's favorite pizza. It's delicious, but it's a bit small, so we (Darryl and I) always have a big salad with it. But is delicious!
Jenn
Friday, January 18, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Wednesday, January 16th/13
Mackenzie was working from home today so I charged her with the task of figuring out what we should have for dinner. She chose a family favourite (compliments of Jenn)...Spanish RiceARoni nachos.
Paul added some garlic butter sautéed carrots & spinach. Yum!!
Paul added some garlic butter sautéed carrots & spinach. Yum!!
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