Some new recipes

First off, I would like to say hi to all of my newest followers over the last week.  I am so excited to be growing, and am almost half way to my 100 point of holding a giveaway.  Please continue to spread the word about my blog,and I know we will be there soon!

A few months ago, mom gave me a stack of kraft magazines she had sitting around.  I tore out all the recipes, which was a TON, and each week as I make my grocery list, I have been making different recipes from the magazines.  Some have been a huge hit, some a major flop!! I am only keeping the ones we like, and figured I would share them with you all as well.  Over the next week, I will give a new recipe each day.  They are all kraft recipes, but some have been changed very slightly by me!! Also, all my recipes are pretty inexpensive to make, and usually make enough for more than one meal. 

Todays recipe is Steak and Potato Stir Fry.  This was kinda like a really hearty stew! We all, even my two year old really enjoyed it, and it was very easy!

Ingredients:
serlion steak cut into thin strips
1 TBSP oil
2 cup potatoes cubed
2 cup carrots chopped
1/4 cup water
2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cup onions
1/4 balsalmic vinaugarette

cook meat in oil until brown..  set aside and add potatoes and carrots to water in skillet and boil and then  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
stir in onions and mushrooms dressing and meat. 
cook for about 5 more minutes or until everything is warm and consistent temp.

This was definately very loved, and can't wait to make it again! Hope you enjoy it as well

Most amazing dairy free ice cream recipe

Its hard to find ice cream for someone who can't eat dairy.  Its hard to find a lot of things they can eat!  I have a refreshing home made ice cream recipe that is SO good.  Its coconut milk ice cream.  Its extremely easy, and really good.  Apparently this is a very common Thai treat, and I can't help but think it is absolutely amazing.  Its not very sweet, but if you serve it with a banana, it gives it the absolute perfect taste!

MIx 1/2 cup sugar with 3/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil, and stir til sugar dissolves.  Let cool, mix with 3 cups coconut milk, and put in ice cream maker. 

Thats all there is to it.  You can add a bit of vanilla for a little extra added flavor.  It doesn't have a strong coconut taste at all either.  My mom can't stand coconut, and still really liked it!!

Really cool website I found

Do you hate grocery shopping? Do you always have a hard time coming up with new things to cook? I know I do.  I found a really cool website, and its free! Its called tastyplanner.com.  It has tons of recipies, and you can add them to your "weekly planner".  Then when you are done, click get grocery list, and boom, it creates a grocery list from your recipes that you chose! Its really cool, and I've been using it for about 2 weeks now, and my entire family, including my toddler has LOVED all the new things I have been cooking. 

Fun New Blog to Follow

My mom has entered the world of blogging as well!!! Her blog is chatterfromtexas.blogspot.com.  She has a lot of really great recipes, and also does a lot of promoting for our etsy shop as well!!!  Please take a minute, stop by and check it out, and follow her as well if you get a minute :). 

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening, I will add some new stuff soon! *after I quit procrastinating haha*

Get Healthy Challenge

After watching a show on TV the other day, *I honestly can not remember the name*, I realized how terrible the food people in America are eating really is.  I can not even really go to the grocery store any more without feeling sick to my stomach.  I have decided that even though it means more work for me, I am cutting out as much processed food as I possibly can.  I mean really, have you gone to the store and seen how many items have hugh fructose corn syrup in them?? Next time you are there, try it.  See if you can find something that DOESN'T have it.  Yeah yeah yeah, they say its fine "in moderation", and maybe in moderation it is.  But people don't realize that there is no "moderation" when it comes to high fructose corn syrup because it is in almost everything we buy.  No wonder so many people have cancer and diabetes.  We are all being lied to and fed crap. 

So I am going to start making all of our snacks for myself, my children, and my husband.  I plan on each week after going to the store on sunday evening, preparing 6 different snacks for the week.  I am really bad about having easy to grab foods in the house, and being a breastfeeding mom of a almost 2 yr old, its REALLY hard to keep weight on, because well, I forget to eat.  Ive even gotten to where I am 5-10 lbs less than I was before I was pregnant. And being 5'2", being barely over 100 lbs is not necessarily a good thing.

ALso, all of my recipes will be budget friendly.  We do not have a high grocery budget, so that is going to be a huge consideration for me.  I am also going to start using everything I have stocked up in my pantry, and have had for ages, and then I will spend a few weeks basically starting fresh with all new items!!!!!

My first snack, even though its not necessarily the cheapest, but is very very heart healthy is to always have walnuts, and grapes on hand.  Grapes are pretty cheap right now, at less than 2$ a lb. Walnuts on the other hand are about $6 a lb.  So, for about 8$ a week, maybe a little less, we always have that to nibble on between meals.  Not to mention grapes and walnuts both help with elasticity with the artery walls in your heart.  So, for one snack, I guess I will splurge!!!!!!

Also, on top of my list, is drinking more water.  I have always had a problem with drinking enough water.  A lot of days I don't drink any at all.  I have a couple of reuable water bottles I am rotating in the fridge so its always cold.  My goal is to drink between 64-80 oz of water each day.

Quick and easy rice krispy treats

My oldest daughter had a friend over tonight, and so I had them make themselves some rice krispys treats.  This is super quick and easy and fun to make :) I remember making these with my grandmother when I was a kid

First get about 1-2 tbsp of butter.  Put in about 1 bag of marshmellows and microwave for 25-30 seconds at a time until they are all soft and melted.

Pour in cereal, and stir until it is the consistency you are wanting.  Put in a pan and and flatten them down, and then put them in the fridge to set for a little while!!

Thats all there is to it.  These are so good, and they always disappear very quickly, especially with teens in the house.