Think It Thursday: Freezer Meals

I've recently been considering preparing some freezer meals, because let's face it, life gets hectic. I may not work outside of the home, but if you want to get technical, I do 20+ jobs a day. So when we have a day of errands, the last thing I want to do when I get home & settled is stand in the kitchen & make dinner. And let's admit, a full freezer is a major accomplishment. Especially on a meager grocery budget.

Now I pretty much have breakfast covered. I always have extra pancakes, french toast, waffles & slices of quiche in my freezer. But I do have to try out these Breakfast Burritos. 

For lunch I'm thinking "uncrustable" style PB&J sammies & small pizza crusts. (I need to think of a few more kid friendly options here.)

Then there's dinner. The mecca of freezer cooking. I already freeze leftover soups & single serve lasagna pieces. Which I thought was a good start. Especially since I thought that all of your food was cooked prior to the freezing stage. I was wrong (in case you didn't know.) I found a couple blogs with what looks like some awesome recipes.

•Six Sisters' Stuff

• Once a Month Mom 

But don't forget dessert! Or snacks. Or side dishes. One of these weekends I'm going to have to whip up a few...or more. Besides, it's a great excuse to stock up on a good sale! *wink*

Have you ever tried freezer meals? 

Work It Wednesday: Whole Living

When you hear the phrase "work it", you generally think fitness or beauty, right? But how about a little more, like a healthy lifestyle?

I recently discovered Whole Living & let me tell you, I'm workin' it! Really, they cover everything. Amazing recipes, beauty tips, green living, stress relief, cardio & even money matters (to name some.)

All brought to you by Martha Stewart (WWMD-What Would Martha Do...now we know.) And after you register for your weekly Whole Living newsletter, you can also opt in for other Martha newsletters.

So check it out, then you can work it on a whole new level!

 

Tasty Tuesday: Cincinnati Style Chili

I love spaghetti. Probably more so than I should. But after a while, it all starts to taste the same to me.

That's when I make Cincinnati Style Chili. I use my current fave chili recipe (thank you Pioneer Woman), shredded cheddar & diced red onion on top. of course any chili recipe will do. 

*Note: Other great toppers include diced peppers, sour cream, shredded pepper jack & hot sauce.

Enjoy!

Messy Monday: How to Clean Your Microwave

Here's a great tip to clean a microwave in a matter of minutes/ All you need is some vinegar, a mug & some extract. (I used maple extract because that's what I had the most of.)

Just pour a splash or two of vinegar in your mug, microwave for 3 min. & wipe clean with a damp cloth. Just be careful with the vinegar fumes possibly "burning" your eyes. If need be, wait a min. or 2 before wiping.

Top, before. Bottom, after.

Now I bet you're wondering how bad your kitchen will smell like vinegar. That's where the extract comes in. Using the same mug, dump the vinegar & rinse it out. Add about a tsp. of extract (whichever kind you want to use) & microwave for 30 sec. You can even leave the mug to sit on your counter for a day or two until all of the extract is dissolved. 

Beautiful Incentives: Gfreely Giveaway

By now you all know, I'm a fan of Beautiful Incentives. I find reviews about products that I'm actually interested in. And of course a giveaway is always the icing on the (gluten free) cake. 

See, I'm even writing gluten free references. My not so subtle way to really convince myself to try it out. Although a Gfreely box would probably convince me better. You'll have to check out the review to find out why.

Now that you're craving a bite of those gluten free goodies, be sure you enter the amazing giveaway below. Hosted by none other than Beautiful Incentives of course. (Don't forget to head on over to facebook & say thanks for this great giveaway.)

Good Luck!

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Light It Up Blue for National Autism Awareness!

Today was National Autism Awareness Day!

I found a great site to learn more about Autism, http://www.autismspeaks.org/.

Did you wear any blue to show support?

Beautiful Incentives: Healthy Surprise Giveaway!

So I have to admit, I've been considering going gluten-free. At least in small steps. But when you're on a budget to feed a family of 5, there's only so many products you can try at a time. At that rate, I might make the full conversion by 2033

Luckily for me, I found the greatest thing over at Beautiful Incentives!

Healthy surprise is a monthly subscription box full of gluten-free & vegan goodies. Do you know what that means? I can start my gluten-free sampling to find out what products I love & which I don't at a fraction of the cost & be done much sooner than 20 years. Perfect! (Be sure you read the full review here.)

But of course, the always wonderful Brie, is having a giveaway too!  Just be sure you head on over to facebook & say thanks for another awesome giveaway.

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