Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Product Review - Sea Cuisine Pub Style Cod

Sea Cuisine Cod
A new fish product that we tried is the Sea Cuisine Pub Style Cod.  As any of my blog readers know, we eat a lot of Tilapia in this house.  My local wholesale club recently started carrying this Cod and we decided to give it a try.


I was really hesitant to try this because any other brand of pub style cod (fish & chips style) that I have tried before has always been bad, really bad.  But, we like the 2 types of tilapia that this company sells so I decided to make some tarter sauce and try out this cod!  See my tilapia review here.


I am very happy to report that this cod is great!  It cooks in 22 minutes and it is the closest to real pub style fish.  I would still take some fish and chips from a nice Irish or English Pub over something from my oven if given the chance.  But, as the likelihood of me getting out to an authentic pub for dinner is at about 0.00005%, having something like this at home every once and awhile makes for a nice dinner.

I believe that it was $14.99 for 6 servings.  The servings are 2 of the pieces as shown on the cookie sheet.

DISCLOSURE
I was not compensated for my opinion or post. 
All of the opinions expressed above are my own.

Cod - Ready To Bake

Monday, November 25, 2013

Saving Money at Target

Target REDcard 5% Off
Another way we save some money is by using the
Target REDcard to save 5% off of our purchases at Target.  You can also get free shipping on items purchased from Target.com.  I have yet to utilize the second perk.  But, I may be using it this holiday season in order to get my shopping done on time.

I love to shop at Target.  I think it is my favorite big box store in the area.  I had read blog posts about saving 5% off of my purchases for years.  The store clerks often mentioned the REDcard as well.  The issue was that I utilize a bank that did not offer real live checks with their checking accounts.  In order to get a REDcard, you HAVE to bring a real live check into the store and get it voided as part of the application process.  I emailed and called my bank asking for a work around.  The only option was a bank information sheet with an example check on the paper that included my account and routing numbers.  However, Target declined this form of a check and I was not able to get my REDcard.

I lived in my sad little world of paying full price at Target until the magical day came when my bank decided to offer real live checks to it's customers!  I signed up for my 50 free checks and happily waited for them to arrive.  Finally, they came in the mail.  I grabbed the first check and headed off to Target.  I opened my REDcard and I have been saving 5% ever since!

I received my REDcard right at the same time that my Target upgraded to a Super Target with a grocery store inside with fresh produce, meat and bakery items.  Since this time I have started shopping at Target a lot more.  With the bonus of being able to get the grocery items that we need, I can buzz into Target to get whatever I need and save time by also getting the grocery items, too.

A really rough estimate of my family's savings at Target with the REDcard would be:
A trip to Target every 2 weeks costing at least $75 is equal to 26 Target trips a year.  The 26 trips cost at least $1,950 per year.  Buy paying for those trips with a Target REDcard, I would save 5% of the $1,950 or $97.50.  In addition, I usually spend at least $200 on birthdays and at least $500 on Christmas at Target.  Another 5% off of that $700 in spending is another $35 in savings which brings my total Target savings to $132.50 per year.

I hope that this helps your family save some money.  Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Also, check out my first article about how we save some money at Cumberland Farms here.

Disclosure
I haven't been compensated by Target for my post.  I just like to find ways to save money so I can spend some money on purses, kid toys and occasionally getting my nails done.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Weekly Dinner Menu - November 24, 2013

Monday -   Beef with BBQ (leftover from the freezer), corn and mashed potatoes.  I was picturing a Shepherd's Pie type of meal but I am not sure I will have time to layer it and bake it since it's a Monday night.  But, you never know when inspiration may strike!


Tuesday -  Easy Pasta: Tortellini in Chicken Broth with celery and veggies.

 
Wednesday -    Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a veggie.  I hope to post a My Husband Cooks post after this meal.

 
Thursday -  HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING
 

Friday -  Turkey leftovers, yum yum!
 
 
Saturday -    Tilapia with some kind of baked potato sides (maybe those Pioneer Woman smashed potatoes) and carrots.

 
Sunday -    6 Can Chicken tortilla Soup (2 cans chicken broth, 1 can corn, 1 can of Rotelle, 1 can of black beans and 1 can of chicken).  Serve with tortilla chips.

 
If you haven't had a chance to check out the About Section of the Weekly Menu, please check out now for info on sides & veggies.

 
 

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Buying a Wii U This Winter?


Wii U Bundle With Mario and Luigi
I like to feel like I am getting something
of value for my money.  I am guessing that most of us feel the same way.  When we occasionally splurge on something, I want to get the most bang for my buck.  Trying to avoid impulse purchases and taking the time to look for the best deals can often save us some money.

The item in question for this post is the Wii-U.  I think it looked like a lot of fun and it had some games with my favorite video game characters, Mario and Luigi.  There is also a Zelda game that I have my eyes on.  Not to mention, I LOVED the option of being able to play games on the hand held unit while other family members did something else with the TV.  I can only watch the Cars movie so many times without passing out from boredom.

The black Wii U unit comes with 32Gb of memory.  I knew we wanted that size.  I looked around at the basic price of the unit and then the different bundles that are available.  Did we want just the unit alone?  Did we want the Zelda bundle?  The Zombie bundle?  The Super Mario Brothers bundle?  The original bundle with Nintendo Land?

After checking the bundles out online and in the real stores, I went with the Super Mario Bros. Bundle from Best Buy.  It was $299.  I felt like this was a decent price considering that I wanted the unit, the Super Mario Bros. U game and the Super Luigi U game as well. 

The Zelda game costs about $49 from what I have seen.  The Mario game is about $45 and the Luigi game is about $30.  I also have my eye on the Zombie game ZombiU.  This game has had a recent price drop because it was over $40 at Best Buy but is now on Amazon for only $22.  It has been out for a while so it was due for a drop, in my opinion.  For some off reason, the ZombiU bundle was over $400.  I couldn't find any reason to justify THAT price.

That just leaves the original bundle that comes with Nintendo Land.  As this is the game that most Wii U owners will have, I felt that it was a complete waste of cash to get this game in the bundle ($299).  This game will flood the marketplace and is available used now for $13-$15.  I expect that price to drop significantly in January after everyone gets Wii U for the holidays, plays Nintendo Land, gets bored with it, wants better games and sell Nintendo Land in order to finance the purchase of better games.  I will probably buy it in January or rent it somewhere to see if it is even worth owning.  I think that my kids may enjoy playing it, though. 

I could have purchased the Zelda bundle for $299 as well.  But, since I also wanted Mario &  Luigi this would have been more expensive in the long run.  The Zelda bundle plus the 2 games would have cost $299 +$45 + $30 = $374.  But buying the Mario & Luigi bundle, and then buying Zelda alone, I spent $299 + $49 = $348.  This leave enough in the budget to also buy ZombiU now that it costs $22

My master plan is to wait on Zelda though.  The next game will probably be the recently reduced ZombiU.  Once these games are played out, then hopefully we can get the Zelda game when it's price drops down below the current $49 or so.

Also, I was really happy to buy this bundle at a real b&m store.  I hardly ever buy the consumer protection plans that are offered with many electronic purchases.  But, since this gaming system comes with a separate hand held unit, I could foresee some future damage being done.  I spent the $70 on a 2 year protection plan at Best Buy for this purchase.  If I feel like we need it, I will extend for another 2 years before this one expires.  With small kids in the house and some crazy animals as well, I feel like this protection plan may earn it's keep!


















Disclosure
I haven't been compensated by Best Buy, Nintendo, Mario nor Luigi for my post.  I just like to find ways to save money so I can spend some money on my pets, kids and hubby.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Weekly TV Update - November 20, 2013

Shannon's current TV lineup:
The Goldberg's

  1. Boardwalk Empire (Sunday)
  2. Bones (Monday)
  3. Sleepy Hollow (Monday)
  4. 2 Broke Girls (Monday)
  5. Hostages (Monday)
  6. The Blacklist (Monday)
  7. Revenge (Sunday)
  8. Homeland (Sunday)
  9. The Goldberg's (Monday)
  10. Revolution (Wednesday)
  11. Nashville (Wednesday)
  12. The Michael J. Fox Show (Thursday)
  13. The Vampire Diaries (Thursday)
  14. The Originals (Tuesdays)
  15. Hart of Dixie (Monday)
  16. The Walking Dead (Sunday)
  17. The Talking Dead (Sunday)
  18. Arrow (Wednesday)
  19. How I Met Your Mother (Monday)
  20. Mike & Molly (Monday)
  21. Dracula (Friday)
  22. The Carrie Diaries (Friday)
  23. Grimm (Friday)
  24. The Crazy Ones
  25. Sons of Anarchy (Tuesday)
  26. Drop Dead Diva (Sunday)
  27. The Witches of East End (Sunday)
  28. American Horror Story: Coven (Wednesday)
  29. Giuliana & Bill - now airing on E! (Tuesday)
  30. The Tomorrow People (Wednesday)
  31. Keeping Up With the Kardashians (Sunday)
 Other Info:

Entering the last year of the series - How I Met Your Mother (ends May/June 2014)
 
Coming soon:
The Following - Due back in January 2014
  
And finally, my comments:
  • Bones & How I Met Your Mother - I have decided to let these episodes pile up on my DVR.  During last year's winter hiatus I watched them all and that was a fun treat.
  • Boardwalk Empire -    on DVR.
  • The Originals -   We got to see Tyler.  The big cross over.  Yadda-Yadda.
  • Vampire Diaries -  Poor mortal Katherine!  Just Kidding!  She is still so entertaining.  I actually like her story line with the professor doc, too,  Maybe he can help her.  I am so bored by the Bonny is dead story line so hopefully now that she straddles two words, we can have a break from her death.  Nina D did a great job as all 3 characters.  She is really believable especially for such a young actor. How many episodes before Elena & Stefan are making out??  I won't miss Crazy, Crazier and Silas at all.  Did anyone else get to see the State Farm Scooby Doo & The Gang commercial during this show?  Awesome!
  • Nashville -  OK the good news is that I did not miss an episode last week!  Onto this week: Maddy & Deacon - it's about time!  Whoa, Juliette, everyone is hot for some Juliette!
  • The Goldberg's - I loved the story of how the new neighbor's mom and the Goldberg Mom went from enemies to besties!
  • Revolution -  Oh traitorous Dad!  Such heart break all around on that note.  Poor Aaron.  They must save him & Caroline (is that her name? Clara?).
  • Arrow - I watched this and then really couldn't even remember why they were in Russia.
  • Michael J. Fox -  Snooze, Snooze, liked girls night with the Auntie, liked the Back to The Future jokes.  OK, this show lives another week!
  • Dracula -  Good episode!  I liked the vampire friend drama and all of the hub bub about the engagement party.
  • The Carrie Diaries -  So cute!  But, that little boy is a monster.
  • Grimm -  Good - I liked this episode and am looking forward to more Grimm!
  • The Walking Dead - We all wanted to know what The Governor has been up to all this time.  Now we do know and boy is it a shock!  I never expected him to gain a new family.  The ending was great!  I can't wait to see what his former cronies have to say to The Gov when and if they help him and Penny 2.o out of the hole.
  • Revenge - on DVR.
  • Homeland - Saul is going to get Brody?
  • 2 Broke Girls -  So funny!  I say that ever week.  The one armed cleaning lady was a pretty silly but entertaining segment.  Watching Max in pastry school will be fun!
  • Sleepy Hollow -  Still loving this show but I have yet to watch the newest episode.
  • Hostages -   on DVR
  • The Blacklist -   on DVR
  • Hart of Dixie -  on DVR
  • Mike & Molly - on DVR

PS
If you wonder what is up with my photo choices... I choose my favorite episode of the week and pull up a picture from that show and post it with my column.

 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Hello Kitty Has THE Life:

We joke a lot about the nice lives that our animals lead.  But, our cat Hello Kitty really takes the cake in the relaxation department as evidenced by this picture of her in our son's bed:


Lounge Kitty

Monday, November 18, 2013

Saving Money on Gas at Cumberland Farms

Cumbies SmartPay Card
There is a debit card that you can get from Cumberland Farms that will enable you to save $0.10 per gallon of gas. 

Most people from New England will recognize the Cumberland Farms chain of gas and convenience stores.  We often bought gas and other convenience items here before we had the SmartPay card.  Once we realized that Cumbies often has the cheapest price on gas in our part of town, we decided to get the SmartPay card and save an additional $0.10 per gallon.

You have to go inside and get a SmartPay card from the store.  There is no cost for this card.  Take it home and log into the website and link this card to your checking account.  Then, the next time you go to Cumberland Farms to fill up your gas tank, you will get the member price on gas which is $0.10 per gallon less than the regular or non-member price.

You can also use this card to pay for your other purchases inside the store.  Certain exceptions do apply though.  you can not pay for lottery tickets with this card as they have a cash for lottery ticket policy (at least in our area).

The card is protected by a pin.  I keep it right behind my regular debit card so that I don't lose or misplace it.

If 2 drivers utilize the savings on this card over the course of a year a lot of money can be saved. 

Here is an example of what we save at our house:
Driver #1
40 gallons of gas per week times 52 weeks per year = 2,080 gallons of gas per year.  Saving $0.10 per gallon on each of these 2,080 gallons saves Driver #1 $208.00 per year.

Driver #2
30 gallons of gas per week times 52 weeks per year = 1,560 gallons of gas per year.  Saving $0.10 per gallon on each of these 1,560 gallons saves Driver #2 $156.00 per year.

Together, our household saves $364.00 in gas by using the Cumbies SmartPay card.  Hopefully you don't drive as much as we do!

If you have any questions or need any help, just post here or email me and I will help you.

Disclosure
I haven't been compensated by Cumberland Farms for my post.  I just like to find ways to save money so I can spend some money on vacations and baking supplies and Kindle books.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Weekly Dinner Menu - November 17, 2013

Weekly Menu November 18, 2013
Monday -   Crock-pot:  Pineapple Glazed Ham from Six Sisters with beans and a veggie.

Tuesday -   Crockpot: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo from Six Sisters over egg noodles or linguini.
 
Wednesday -    leftovers

 
Thursday -  An Easy Frozen Pasta like Shells, Tortellini or Manicotti.  Serve with some bread and a side salad.
 

Friday -  Tilapia with green beans & garlic and scalloped potatoes.
 
 
Saturday -    French Stuffed Potatoes from my Monthly Challenge (To Cook From My Cookbooks).  Serve with carrots or broccoli.  (OK - I STILL haven't managed to make this).

 
Sunday -    From this PIN, Oven Roasted Kielbasa, Potatoes And Veggies

 
If you haven't had a chance to check out the About Section of the Weekly Menu, please check out now for info on sides & veggies.

 
 

Friday, November 15, 2013

Fun Places To Go - Roger Williams Zoo, Providence, RI

Elephants Waiting For Baths
The Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI is a fun place to visit.  This is true even in the winter.  We went in February 2013.  However, I do recommend that you make a warm(er) weather visit!

The Zoo is small enough that you can easily navigate through it.  There is only 1 entrance and 1 exit.  You enter the zoo and then go through the zoo in a circle like direction.  Then, you exit the zoo through the same spot.  It is large enough that you feel like you get your money's worth from the visit. 

Parking is free at this zoo.  There is even a small Dunkin' Donuts inside, across from the elephants.  There are lots of gift shops.  Most are very small but my favorite is large(r) and it is located after the snack/restaurant area.  I have found some great books and items here.  They have a ton of adorable stuffed animals.  Some are very realistic while others are made to be cute and cuddly.

Highlights of the zoo are the zebras, elephants, seals and giraffes.  Also, there is a great outdoor playground that stays open all year long.  We timed our visit just right and we were able to see the elephants get a bath indoors.
Outdoor Playground & Treehouse











Thursday, November 14, 2013

Weekly TV Update - November 13, 2013


Elena, Katherine and now the 3rd character

Shannon's current TV lineup:

  1. Boardwalk Empire (Sunday)
  2. Bones (Monday)
  3. Sleepy Hollow (Monday)
  4. 2 Broke Girls (Monday)
  5. Hostages (Monday)
  6. The Blacklist (Monday)
  7. Revenge (Sunday)
  8. Homeland (Sunday)
  9. The Goldberg's (Monday)
  10. Revolution (Wednesday)
  11. Nashville (Wednesday)
  12. The Michael J. Fox Show (Thursday)
  13. The Vampire Diaries (Thursday)
  14. The Originals (Tuesdays)
  15. Hart of Dixie (Monday)
  16. The Walking Dead (Sunday)
  17. The Talking Dead (Sunday)
  18. Arrow (Wednesday)
  19. How I Met Your Mother (Monday)
  20. Mike & Molly (Monday)
  21. Dracula (Friday)
  22. The Carrie Diaries (Friday)
  23. Grimm (Friday)
  24. The Crazy Ones
  25. Sons of Anarchy (Tuesday)
  26. Drop Dead Diva (Sunday)
  27. The Witches of East End (Sunday)
  28. American Horror Story: Coven (Wednesday)
  29. Giuliana & Bill - now airing on E! (Tuesday)
  30. The Tomorrow People (Wednesday)
  31. Keeping Up With the Kardashians (Sunday)
 Other Info:

Entering the last year of the series - How I Met Your Mother (ends May/June 2014)
 
Coming soon:
The Following - Due back in January 2014
  
And finally, my comments:
  • Sleepy Hollow - This is such a good show.  Glad we got to see some of the Mason mythology.
  • Bones - I have decided to let these episodes pile up on my DVR since I am on the fence about this show.  During last year's winter hiatus I watched them all and that was a fun treat.
  • Boardwalk Empire -  It's still on the DVR.
  • The Originals -  This was a decent Claus episode!
  • 2 Broke Girls -  So so so funny!
  • Vampire Diaries -  Stuck on the cabin with Stefan and Tessa.  I felt for Elena when that happened!  I LOVED how calm Stefan was when we kept telling Elena that she really shouldn't have come through the door.
  • Hostages -  on DVR (or, did this not come on this week?  I have to check.)
  • The Blacklist -  on DVR
  • Revolution -   on DVR (I have 1.5 episodes to watch!  strange considering that it is one of my favorites).
  • Nashville - I didn't get an episode of Nashville.  I think it was a week off for them.  I hope so, anyway.
  • Michael J. Fox - Nobody likes bed bugs!  How sweet was it's that Michael's sister had those Parkinson's books in her place.
  • Hart of Dixie - on DVR
  • The Walking Dead -   Carol!  Were art thou?  The gang was much too busy this week.  I just know that Daryl will track her down next week.
  • Homeland -  Really enjoying this but you really have to pay attention to all of the characters and plot twists.  I will have more to say next week.
  • Arrow -  I still enjoy this show and I like most of the story lines.  I really want to see what happens with Mama Queen.  But, please, LESS ISLAND!  I need a break from all the flash backs.  Yes, there is an island but, we don't need to see Lost 2.0.
  • Revenge -   on DVR
  • Dracula -  This show is getting better!  I really like the love triangle of the Assistant, Dracula and Dr Miss.  Interesting that Dr Miss's blond friend is into her.
  • The Carrie Diaries - Such a cute show!  Glad that Carrie will be back in Castlebury with her Dad and Sis for a while.  I have had enough Carrie and Sebastian on again, off again.  So, let's take a break from that plot line.
  • Grimm - I liked the episode and like more of Monroe's story.

 

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Weekly Dinner Menu - November 10, 2013

Monday -  Leftover Crock-pot Ham & Potato Casserole, that I made in this post.  (This recipe got bumped to Sunday last week).


Tuesday -  Tilapia or Cod. 

 
Wednesday -   An Easy Frozen Pasta Like Shells, Tortellini or Manicotti.  Serve with some bread and a side salad.

 
Thursday -  French Stuffed Potatoes from my Monthly Challenge (To Cook From My Cookbooks).  Serve with carrots or broccoli.  We didn't make this last week as we ended up with too much food.
 

Friday - leftovers
 
 
Saturday -   Breakfast For Dinner: French Toast Sticks and Diced Fruit.

 
Sunday -   Oven Roasted Sausage, Potatoes and Vegetables.

 
If you haven't had a chance to check out the About Section of the Weekly Menu, please check out now for info on sides & veggies.

 
 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Product Review: Spritz Gift Wrap


Sptitz Gift Wrapping Paper
I like to keep some gift wrap on hand so that I am ready to give a gift when the occasion arises.  Usually, I need wrapping paper that appeals to kids.  But, on this particular occasion, I had some adult gifts to prep.  While shopping at Target, I spotted this cute, trendy wrapping paper made by Spritz.  I believe it was $3.99 a roll. 


Gift After Wrapping
The paper was thick enough that I didn't get any additional tears when cutting the wrapping paper.  It was easy to match up the patterns when applying the tape.  My only complaint is that there was not a grid on the non-decorated side of the wrapping paper.  I think with bold patterns such as these, a grid would have been useful.

I stacked the individual components of this gift on top of one another.  I like the overall effect!

Disclosure:
I think that I have mentioned this a few times but, I have not been paid or otherwise compensated for my opinions in this post or in any of my other posts.  If the day comes when I am paid or otherwise compensated for my time and/or opinions I will disclose that at the bottom or the top of the post.


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Weekly TV Update - November 6, 2013

Shannon's current TV lineup:
Homeland

  1. Boardwalk Empire (Sunday)
  2. Bones (Monday)
  3. Sleepy Hollow (Monday)
  4. 2 Broke Girls (Monday)
  5. Hostages (Monday)
  6. The Blacklist (Monday)
  7. Revenge (Sunday)
  8. Homeland (Sunday)
  9. The Goldberg's (Monday)
  10. Revolution (Wednesday)
  11. Nashville (Wednesday)
  12. The Michael J. Fox Show (Thursday)
  13. The Vampire Diaries (Thursday)
  14. The Originals (Tuesdays)
  15. Hart of Dixie (Monday)
  16. The Walking Dead (Sunday)
  17. The Talking Dead (Sunday)
  18. Arrow (Wednesday)
  19. How I Met Your Mother (Monday)
  20. Mike & Molly (Monday)
  21. Dracula (Friday)
  22. The Carrie Diaries (Friday)
  23. Grimm (Friday)
  24. The Crazy Ones
  25. Sons of Anarchy (Tuesday)
  26. Drop Dead Diva (Sunday)
  27. The Witches of East End (Sunday)
  28. American Horror Story: Coven (Wednesday)
  29. Giuliana & Bill - now airing on E! (Tuesday)
  30. The Tomorrow People (Wednesday)
  31. Keeping Up With the Kardashians (Sunday)
 Other Info:

Entering the last year of the series - How I Met Your Mother (ends May/June 2014)
 
Coming soon:
The Following - Due back in January 2014
  
And finally, my comments:
  • Sleepy Hollow -  It's back - yippy!!  I just love this show and it's mythology.
  • Bones - I have decided to let these episodes pile up on my DVR since I am on the fence about this show.  During last year's winter hiatus I watched them all and that was a fun treat.
  • Boardwalk Empire - on DVR
  • The Originals -  Good episode!  Now that the last elder witch is gone, I am interested to see the dynamic within the witch coven.  We all knew that Rebecca wasn't really leaving.
  • 2 Broke Girls - So funny! Han's mom was great!  too bad about the divorce but maybe we will get to see her again!
  • Vampire Diaries -  Just an OK episode.  Do we think that the blond guy professor is a guardian to his younger brother?  They look a lot alike to me.
  • Hostages - on DVR
  • The Blacklist -  on DVR
  • Revolution -  LOVE this show!  I suspected the Dad but was sad to have it confirmed.
  • Nashville - Getting better!  I can't wait to see Teddy's face when he realizes that there is no baby and he got duped by Peggy.  Scarlett and her ex, Avery!  Wow!  He does seem to b a lot better of a person now.
  • Michael J. Fox - Pretty funny but I wouldn't want to vacation with those crazies!
  • Sons of Anarchy - What a snooze fest.
  • Hart of Dixie - on DVR
  • The Walking Dead -  Bye, Bye Carol!  Of course, I think we will see her again.  Maybe, when Daryl hunts her down to say "Don't leave me - let's get it on".
  • Homeland - Awesome!  It seems really weird to not see Brody.  But, I really like see Claire Danes in this show.  She is always hatching some secret plan.  I am in the minority of the world when I mention that I like Dana.  I don't blame her for changing her name or for moving on with her life.  But, I hope that she circles back to spend time with the mom and the bro.
  • Arrow - Just an OK episode.  My husband actually tuned it to watch this episode with me and he was horrified that I watch this.  I have really had enough Island flash backs.  I am looking forward to Laurel and her dad having a family reunion.
  • Revenge -  on DVR
  • Dracula - OK why wasn't this episode the first episode of the season?  I think that would have been a much better move.  I am still not in love with this show.  However, episode #2 kept me much more engaged and I am looking forward to Friday's episode.
  • The Carrie Diaries - Such a cute show!  To off set some of the dark dramas that I watch, I keep some of these cute, fun and Gilmore-Girls Zombies out of the main character line up on this show and then I will enjoy it a lot more than when Nick was a Zombie.

Shows that may not make the cut:

You may have noticed that I finally reduced my show watching!  It was over due.  My DVRs were smoking from all the hard work recording shows.  Some of these shows I really love and will definitely catch in the future whether it be on Netflix, Amazon or on DVDs during the summer.  But, for now I have a more reasonable TV load.  I still have to cut a few more but I haven't decided which shows to cut, yet.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Pork Chop and Hash Brown Casserole

The Other Ingredients
The Potato Mixture
Yes, I have a slight Six Sister's Stuff obsession.
But, they share good, easy eats.  So, what's a busy mom to do except make some of their recipes for dinner!

I was reading my blogs and I saw this recipe for a Pork Chop and Hash Brown Casserole.

This recipe will feed up to 6 people.  It directly correlates to the number of boneless pork chops that you have.  If you have 5 chops, like I had, don't try to feed 6 people.  I was worried about cooking with Cream of Celery soup.  I am not opposed to the "cream of" soups.  I am just not the biggest fan of celery flavored foods and I seldom eat cooked celery.  I am happy to report that the Cream of Celery works great in this dish.  I loved it.  I added the dried onions because my husband and I love cooked onions.  If your family doesn't skip them.  Don't skip the French Fried onions, though.  Nom Nom Nom.

All you need is:
4-6 boneless pork chops
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
Seasoned salt, to taste
1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
Before Cooking in the Oven
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 Tbs. dried onions
1 (32 ounce) bag frozen hash brown potatoes
1+ cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
6 oz. French's French Fried onions, divided



Here are my instructions:
  • The toughest part of this recipe is when you have to stir all of the other ingredients into the hash brown potatoes!  32 ounces makes for a lot of potatoes!
  • Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick spray like Pam.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Then, brown the pork chops in a skillet using the vegetable oil.  Once browned, sprinkle them with seasoned salt and pepper.
  • In a BIG bowl, pour the hash browns in and break them up with a wooden spoon. 
  • In another bowl, mix the cream of celery soup, the sour cream, the onions, milk, pepper, butter, garlic powder, 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the fried onions.
  • Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and top with the pork.
  • Bake this uncovered for 40 minutes.
  • Remove the casserole from the oven and top with the remaining 1/2 of the cheese and the fried onions.  Cook for just another 5 minutes then it's ready to eat.





  • Monday, November 4, 2013

    Product Review - Fruit Squeeze Pouches

    Buddy Fruits: all flavors are yummy
    The results are in!  We love smashed, squished up fruit in a pouch that we can eat on the run without a spoon.  By we, I mean me and my two 4-year-olds.  We usually have 2 snacks a day.  My kids are usually very hungry when snack times roll around at 10am and 3pm.  I give them some kind of kid carb-y snack.  Then, a fruit.  I seldom say no to a fruit when they are hungry.  We eat fresh fruit, canned fruit, fruit cups and fruit pouches.  Frozen fruit has not been a hit.

    DelMonte and Dole pouches are yucky
    We have recently begun experimenting with the different brands of fruit pouches.  All of the Buddy Fruits are delish!  Smooth, tasty, wholesome.  Not nasty, at all.  The 3 of us like all the flavors that are available at our BJ's:  Apple & Strawberry, Mango Passion & Banana and Apple & Multifruit.  I wish they had all the flavors (I'm talking to you Apple & Banana and Apple Cinnamon).

    At BJs Wholesale Club, our local shopping-in-bulk store, they recently started carrying the DelMonte Fruit Pouches and the Dole Fruit Pouches.  I bought one box of each because the per unit cost was lower.  I thought to myself "oh good, I can save $1 or so".  This was not smart.  Both brands are disgusting and overly sweet.  It feels like jelly in your mouth when you eat a pouch.
    GoGo Squeeze Apple Sauce Pouches are delish!

    Another brand that we really like are the GoGo Squeez pouches.  This was the first brand we ever bought.  We have been eating this brand of pouches for 3 years or so.  They never disappoint!  It tastes like smooth apple sauce combined with another real fruit.

    The flavor selection is always apple with another flavor or just plain applesauce.  My very favorite is the apple strawberry.  All of the other flavors are fine though:  apple cinnamon, apple banana and apple apple.

    The final item that we bought was the GoGo Squeeze Fast Fruit.  I actually bought these for myself because the pouches are a larger portion size.  I tried apple blueberry pomegranate flavored pouch.  It was a great size for an adult's fruit snack.  Combined with a handful of  nuts and this would be a great afternoon snack. 

    We have not tried the fruit & milk combos or the veggie pouches yet.  My kids used to be amazing fruit and veggie eaters.  Throughout the past 6 months, though, they have really started being picky in the veggie department.  I should pick up some veggie pouches and see if I can get the kiddos to eat those.

    
    Disclosure:
    I think that I have mentioned this a few times but, I have not been paid or otherwise compensated for my opinions in this post or in any of my other posts.  If the day comes when I am paid or otherwise compensated for my time and/or opinions I will disclose that at the bottom or the top of the post.

    Sunday, November 3, 2013

    Weekly Dinner Menu - November 3, 2013

    Weekly Dinner Menu
    Monday -   Crock-pot Ham & Potato Casserole, that I made in this post. 

    Tuesday -   leftovers
     
    Wednesday -  Tilapia or Cod.  side dishes are TBD after grocery store trip.
     
    Thursday - An Easy Frozen Pasta Like Shells, Tortellini or Manicotti.  Serve with some bread and a side salad.

    Friday -   French Stuffed Potatoes from my Monthly Challenge (To Cook From My Cookbooks).  Serve with carrots or broccoli.
     
     
    Saturday -  leftovers
     
    Sunday -    5 Can Chili from Pinterest with DIY Taco Seasoning.  Add cheese, sour cream, corn chips and so on.
     
    If you haven't had a chance to check out the About Section of the Weekly Menu, please check out now for info on sides & veggies.

    Just in case you were wondering about what I ended up making last Sunday, I decided to make my Italian Sausage and Bean Bake.  I haven't made this since 2010!

    Friday, November 1, 2013

    Tackling My Fear of Making Cookies - The Dough

    Egg & Vanilla
    I really enjoy baking.  I like to make bars, brownies, cakes and cupcakes.  I like to make cute little food presentations and snacks.  Dip some Oreo's in candy melts?  I'm game.  But, I have always been a terrible cookie baker.

    I don't really know what it is that I do wrong.  They sometimes taste bad, spread too much, burn, under-cook or just don't look presentable.  I have received suggestions like add baking soda, decrease baking powder, make sure the pan is cold, don't pre-heat the oven, use Parchment paper and so on!  Nothing has really improved my cookie skills.
    
    Sugar Cookie Dry Mix
    With that all being said, I have some time on my hands and I am going to tackle my cookie fears!  I just need 1 or 2 recipes that I can go to when cookies need to be made.

    One of my favorite cookie blogs is The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle.  I decided to read all of her tips and FAQ.  Then, I followed her instructions for basic sugar cookies.  I would love to be able to frost these sugar cookies like a champ.  But, first I have to bake them and have them taste good.

    I read all of the FAQs and the blog posts pertaining to basic sugar cookies.  I chose vanilla as my flavor.  I learned a new technique that involved a rolling pin and 2 dowels.  Using this method to roll out the dough allowed me to get more uniformly sized cookies.

    I used a small spatula to transfer the cookies to the parchment paper.  This worked well.  I may try the offset spatula next time, as well.

    This recipe made cookies that cut and transferred well.  But, I had to add a lot of flour in order to roll out the dough without it sticking to the rolling pin.  So, the cookies tasted a little gross because of too much flour.  They are the right consistency for frosted sugar cookies.

    My decorating adventures will be part 2 of this series.