A Better Breakfast: Kale & Mushroom Saute'

Vegetables for breakfast?  Why not?

I recently posted my Orange & Bok Choy Smoothie recipe, where I mentioned how hubs & I got our healthy act together & dropped a ton of weight.  I studied up on nutrition when I was in college and knew what it meant to be healthy, but didn't do a good job following & living what I knew.  Kind of hard to do when your loved one is not supportive and will end up spending money not in the budget on greasy burgers & fries in lieu of eating what you worked so hard to make.

A little over a year ago, hubs finally got on board and committed to changing his heating habits.  Halleluia!  I never thought that I would see the day arrive.  And I had to commit myself as well.  And the kids!  Even they made the transition.

The biggest challenge, for me, was breakfast.  I was used to cold cereal & milk day in & day out.  Hubs and I decided that we would initially switch to 1-2 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit, then later add 1 serving of protein or dairy.

Vegetables for breakfast?  I balked at the idea.  I couldn't do it.  I literally couldn't do it.  So I had to psyche myself into it.  I spent about 2 weeks eating just a banana first thing in the morning, then waiting 1-2 hours and eating my vegetable as a mid-morning snack.  Before long, I was able to progress and eat my vegetables early in the morning before heading out to work.

Kale has become one of our staple breakfast items.  It is easy to prepare and the health benefits are awesome.  Loaded with iron, antioxidants, vitamin K, kale is low in calories & high in fiber.  Hubs and I love it--yes even hubs loves it!--and so without further ado, here is the recipe. :)

Kale & Mushroom Saute'

Ingredients:
3-4 fronds fresh kale
2-3 fresh white button mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks geen onion, diced
1/8-1/4 tsp soy sauce (I'm guessing here since I usually do 2-3 "splashes" straigh from the bottle)
pepper, to taste

Directions:
Rinse kale leaves.  Remove leaves from stems, discarding stems (we feed them to our chickens!).  Place kale, sliced mushrooms & diced green onion in skillet over medium heat.  Stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes or until kale and mushrooms are tender.  Stir in soy sauce and season with a little pepper.

Interested in more kale recipes?  Consider purchasing Fifty Shades of Kale: 50 Fresh and Satisfying Recipes That Are Bound to Please, just $9.78 for a used copy at Amazon.com!

Wok's for Dinner: Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

We really enjoyed this meal.  Not only was it quite out of the ordinary, it was quick and simple to prepare and was a great way to eat a couple of our favorites, sausage & acorn squash.  And the sausage came out of the oven looking like a muffin, making a great conversation starter. :)

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
salt & pepper
12 oz ground turkey sausage
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/3 cup breadcrumbs

Directions:
Cut squash in half lengthwise.  Remove & discard seeds (we feed these to the chickens).  Place squash cut-side up on a baking pan; sprinkle with salt & pepper.  In a large bowl, combine sausage & remaining ingredients.  I started off using a spoon to mix everything together but ended up using my hands.  Spoon sausage mixture into squash halves.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Snapfish: All The Prints You Want Just 1 Cent Each!

This hot deal is here for a limited time!  Visit Snapfish here and buy as many 4x6 prints as you like for a penny each!  Use coupon code UNLIMITED when you check out.

A Better Breakfast: Orange & Bok Choy Smoothie

I started making smoothies for breakfast a little over a year ago to give the family something that was not only different but nutritious and delicious.  Hubs and I have tried to be very conscious about what we eat as well as what we serve to the children--ingredients, portion sizes, food combinations, etc.  We have our moments and indulge in food that is sinfully delicious, I must admit.

But, overall the changes we made a little over a year ago have improved our health as well as our appearance.  Hubs lost about 60 pounds, and I lost 45.  I'm quite self-conscious when it comes to my weight, so I don't speak much about it and what I did to lose it.  I'd rather ignore the fact that I have a weight problem.  But I will try to post recipes & small tips here & there on occasion.  Maybe it will help me become more comfortable talking about it...

At the very least, keep in mind a few tips when I post a recipe:  for meat, I trim the fat & serve small portion sizes; we use fat free sour cream/cream of mushroom/chicken soup; and in lieu of mayonnaise we use plain nonfat Greek yogurt.  I'll try to be more specific when I posts my recipes here on out =).

Orange & Bok Choy Smoothie

Ingredients:
2-3 stalks bok choy, fronds/leaves removed & discarded (we feed these to our chickens--they love them!)
1 navel orange, peeled (unlike bok choy fronds, our chickens do NOT like orange peels, so these get turned into compost)
6 oz vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup 100% apple juice

Directions:
Cut bok choy stalks into 1-2 inch-size pieces.  Separate orange wedges.  Place all ingredients into a blender (I use a Magic Bullet that hubs bought me last year -- love it!).  Blend until all ingredients are chopped & liquified & mixed together well.  This takes probably 5 seconds with the Magic Bullet.

If you want to add a little color to your smoothie, throw in 2-3 blackberries or raspberries. :)

TruMoo Milk: The Verdict

I recently posted that I was participating in a BzzCampaign for TruMoo milk and how skeptical I was about the value of the product.  I finally used the coupon that BzzAgent sent me and picked up a free gallon of TruMoo.  The store didn't have the new limited edition Halloween Vanilla milk flavor, so I opted for the traditional chocolate milk variety.

You got it -- free!  (One of the perks of being a BzzAgent!)

Ok, perhaps not completely free.  Just one of the non-perks of having a state food sales tax!

The verdict?  The kids were not only ecstatic about the fact that I bought TruMoo, they were in heaven with the taste.  My son doesn't usually drink milk, regardless of the flavor, and even he chugged back a tall glass.  The three of them finished off half the jug of milk within minutes.  My oldest daughter kept going on & on about how much she loved TruMoo.  She is a huge chocolate milk lover, so I wasn't surprised by her reaction.  My son's reaction definitely surprised me.  And even the littlest one surprised me by chugging down her chocolate milk in minutes versus hours.

And yes, even I indulged in a glass.  It is creamy and smooth and the perfect balance of chocolatey sweet goodness.

OK, I loved it.  It was so convenient to just pour it into a glass and drink it.  No need to stir in chocolate syrup and worry if I put in too much / too little.  I thought it might not be sweet enough.  Or chocolatey enough.  I was wrong.  It was the perfect balance.

Now comes the hard part.  Once this gallon is emptied, do I buy more in the future?

I bought this gallon on the 5th, and its "best by" date is 10/9, so 4 days to enjoy the best of its flavor.  I prefer to buy milk with a much longer window.  But given that 1/2 of it was gone so soon after getting home, it's likely to be completely gone in the next day or two.  So the date is a moot point.

Our grocery budget is REALLY tight. I was fortunate enough to get this gallon for free, but the regular price is $4.99.  That is really way out of our budget.  TruMoo offers a coupon when you register for updates and notifications when coupons are available.   That is a huge plus in my book.  I don't know if / how often TruMoo goes on sale, but if that were to happen combined with a coupon, then perhaps it would be worth purchasing, assuming the price were right (it would have to be around $3 or less for a gallon).

So I registered myself for updates & coupons.  I'll keep my eye open for coupons and match them up when the store puts TruMoo on sale, assuming it gets put on sale.  I don't anticipate buying it regularly.  At the very least, it would be a nice treat for the kids and healthier than cakes or cookies.

Wok's For Dinner: Pork & Egg Noodle Skillet

This was delicious.  And quick and easy to make.  And DELICIOUS.  It was completely out of the ordinary from what I usually make when it comes to pork, which is exactly what I was trying to achieve.  Did I say it was delicious?  It was so good!  Hubs was very complimentary of the meal.  Come to think of it, he's been complimentary of nearly every meal that I've made the past week or so.  (Recipes to come!)

Pork & Egg Noodle Skillet

Ingredients:
6 oz egg noodles
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sliced frozen or fresh mushrooms
1 med. bell pepper, diced
1 med. onion, diced
1/2 lb diced pork chops (you can use a full pound if you prefer)
1/2 cup milk
1 pkg (3oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 jar (4oz) sliced pimientos
1 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Saute' mushrooms, bell pepper, onion and diced pork in skillet, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat, cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted & blended well into mixture.  When noodles have finished cooking, drain well and stir into pork mixture.  Serve once heated through.

A Better Breakfast: Zucchini Cranberry Orange Muffins

I love making a "real" breakfast for the family, especially on the weekend but tire of the usual pancakes & eggs, so I'm always on the hunt for something new & different.  I used to make Orange Cranberry muffins at a job I held many moons & years ago, and ever since then have had the occasional craving for one but haven't found a good enough recipe to satisfy such craving.

This morning, I decided to combine the best of 3 different recipes that I have, and this what I came up with.

Crunchy topping...sweet & tart tasting...moist & crumbly...these are amazing!!!!

Zucchini Cranberry Orange Muffins

Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1/8 tsp walnut extract
1 Tbsp chopped pecans
6 Tbsp flour
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup frozen cranberries
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Add 12 muffin cup liners to muffin pan or prepare muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray in lieu of muffin cups.

First create crumb topping by mixing together brown sugar, 2 Tbsp butter, walnut extract, 1 Tbsp chopped pecans, and 6 Tbsp flour in a small bowl until pea-sized crumbs form.  Set aside.

Beat 1 cup sugar with 4 Tbsp butter in large bowl until well-combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.  In a medium bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Blend flour mixture into sugar mixture until just moist, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Fold in zucchini, frozen cranberries, orange zest and pecans.  Spoon into muffin pan until each cup is nearly full.  Top with crumb topping, gently pressing topping down into muffin batter with your hand to keep the topping from falling off during baking.

Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Wok's For Dinner: Kielbasa & Pineapple Kabobs

On Sundays, I like to keep dinner simple and easy to prepare, whether it's a one-pot meal, something cooked in the crock-pot, or a meal like what we had tonight, kabobs!

I love the taste of grilled pineapple and had a fresh one in the fridge that needed to be used.  Our grill is currently on the fritz, but I figured that the broiler would be a perfect substitute.  Add some kielbasa, bell pepper, and a sweet & tangy sauce...voila!  Delicious dinner is served!

Kielbasa & Pineapple Kabobs

Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 red bell pepper, cut in chunks
1 kielbasa or polish sausage, sliced
1 fresh pineapple, cut in chunks

Directions:
Preheat broiler in oven.

Combine brown sugar, apple juice, cider vinegar, garlic & onion powders, orange zest & corn starch into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until thick.

Meanwhile, thread bell pepper, sausage and pineapple onto skewers.  Place kabobs on foil-lined baking sheet.  Place baking sheet about 6 inches from broiler elements; broil for about 5 minutes.  Remove from oven; brush kabobs with sauce.  Turn kabobs over & brush with sauce again.  Place baking sheet back into oven and broil another 5 minutes.

Check Those Store Receipts for Accuracy #3

This post isn't as much about checking your receipt as it is checking your change after purchasing.  Let's face it - it happens.  We get short-changed, over-changed, and on the rare occasion, wrong-currency-changed.

That's what happened to me at two different stores a week ago -- I received currency from two separate countries.  What an odd occurrence!

A penny from the Bahamas, and a penny from Canada.

I return change/bills when I'm given back too much change.  Under normal circumstances, I correct the cashier when I'm not given enough change, but I happen to collect coins & bills from other countries, so these two pennies are keepers.  Both pennies are not valid U.S. currency, so it wouldn't do me any good to try to pass them off at the next store anyhow!

The penny from the Bahamas was particularly interesting - it has a starfish on the "heads" side!

How about you?  What other-country currency have you received?

Check Those Store Receipts For Accuracy #2

Yesterday, I mentioned how I check my store receipts for accuracy, and at one store, I've been overcharged 4 of the last 8 shopping trips.

The most recent mishap involved milk not ringing up at the advertised price.  It wasn't small change either, a difference of $1.42 per gallon, or $2.84 + NC 2% food sales tax.  That kind of overcharge hurts when you're on as tight a budget as we are!

I received an email about my e-vic savings for the sales period.  The sale on milk really stood out.  The advertised price was $2.57/gal.  (Please pardon the reddish-pink coloring on the screen shot above.  My printer was running out of ink!)  Note that it says "save at least $0.92 ea" next to the milk jug picture above.  This means the regular price per gallon was $3.49 -- I'll explain in further detail below why this is important to note.

The amount that I was charged was $3.99/gal -- not the sale price and not the regular price according to the e-vic savings email I received!

I took my receipt and e-vic savings email to Customer Service.  The CS Manager initially refunded me the $0.92/ea savings off the e-vic price vs. regular price that was on the e-vic savings email.  I kindly pointed out to her that I was charged $3.99 per gallon, not $3.49.  This time, she took a closer look at the receipt and agreed that I was due a slightly larger refund.

So, yes, it does pay to check your receipts.  Electronic systems save time & uncomplicate the process, but they are not fail-proof!

Free Sample Lance Crackers Xtrafulls!!

Sorry, no more samples available!  This was a hot item that sold out quickly!!

Visit Walmart here to score a free sample of Lance Crackers XtraFulls!

Visit Lance Snacks to learn more about Lance XtraFulls Toasty Crackers.

Check Those Store Receipts For Accuracy #1

I've gotten into the habit of double-checking my store receipts, especially the grocery stores, after getting home & putting away my purchases.  I've been burned one too many times, usually NOT in my favor.  Whether I'm short-changed or realize I got to much change, an item's price rings up too high/too low, I always take the error back to the store for correction.

I've really taken a close look at all store each receipts the past 8 weeks ever since a new grocery store opened up in town.  I have shopped at this store 8 times over the 8-week period.  Of those 8 shopping trips, I've been overcharged 4 times, paying about $15 too much in total, which Customer Service refunded to me when I brought the issue to their attention.

This past Saturday, another grocery store inadvertently overcharged me for an item, which I discovered after getting home & checking my receipt.

The sale price of a 10-lb bag of potatoes was $3.29.

Unfortunately, the amount that I was charged was $3.99 (that's before the 2% food sales tax charged in my state).

I took the receipt & sales ad back to the store a few days later when I knew that I would be in the area.  It was only a refund of $0.71, so I wasn't in a big hurry to rush down there & spend gas unnecessary.  Thankfully, the store manager kindly & quickly refunded me the difference.

How about you?  Do you check your receipts? :)

TruMoo Milk: Vanilla in Halloween Orange & Goosebumps Sweepstakes!

I have really, sadly, neglected the Balancing Act Basics blog for far too long.  I don't think I had a single post in 2012, and this is the first post for 2013. Not such a good a job playing the balancing act!  Sheesh!!  Work & family kept me waaayyyyy busy.  I finally said "enough is enough."  It was time to put family first.  So I resigned from my position -- extremely difficult to do given how much I loved my job -- and I am now a stay-at-home mom.  Yay!  The kids are loving it, and I am too.  Still busy, but a different kind of busy, a very good kind of busy. :)

I reactivated my BzzAgent account, which also had been neglected, and was quickly awarded a BzzCampaign.  This particular campaign was for TruMoo milk.  I was particularly excited to accept this campaign.  My kids LOVE chocolate milk and have begged & begged me to buy them TruMoo.  But I have refused to do so for a couple reasons:

1) I buy milk and chocolate syrup.  It's as simple as mixing the two into a cup with a spoon and, voila!, chocolate milk.  Why buy premade chocolate milk?

2) I did not see the value of buying premade chocolate milk, feeling that its extra cost would not pay for itself.

But perhaps there are benefits of buying TruMoo that are worth taking a closer look at.  After all, it's premade chocolate milk, thus saving the time of having to find the chocolate syrup, find a spoon, pouring syrup into cup & potentially putting in too much/too little, and stirring the syrup with a spoon.  Unlike most milk, TruMoo is free of artificial growth hormones.  Plus, it contains no high fructose corn syrup, as is found in most chocolate syrup brands.  So it has its health benefits.

I'm still skeptical, but I am definitely willing to give TruMoo a try, especially knowing how happy it will make my kids.

This afternoon, my TruMoo BzzCampaign materials arrived - yay!  The packet contained several coupons -- one coupon was for a free 1/2 gallon or larger of TruMoo, which I will use.  The remaining coupons (LOTS of them!) are for $0.75 off a 1/2 gallon or larger of TruMoo, which I am happy to give out to family & friends.

Oh, and as a result of this TruMoo BzzCampaign, I learned that TruMoo has a new flavor available this Halloween, Vanilla in Halloween Orange!  I don't very often see vanilla flavoring, and never have I found it in orange, so that would be a real treat for the kids this Halloween (a healthy treat, to boot!).  

Let me know if you are interested in one of the coupons mentioned above (excluding the FREE coupon, that's mine!).  Coupons are first come, first served.

Additionally, for each TruMoo 1/2 gallon or larger that you buy, you can visit TruMoo's Goosebumps Sweepstakes website to enter a code found on the inside cap of specially marked Halloween edition TruMoo for a chance to win a trip to Hollywood for a behind-the-scenes tour of Fox Studios and visit old town Pasadena for a special effects experience!  And when you sign up, you can also get a $2 coupon for any Goosebumps DVD (I loved reading Goosebumps books as a teen.  Who knew there are now DVDs??? :) )

Finally, if you try TruMoo, like it, and want to buy more, then register for a TruMoo account to receive notifications when coupons are available.  

Whew, I did it!  My first post of 2013!  I can't promise that I'll post daily, at least not now.  But I do promise to do a little better to keep you informed as I play the Balancing Act game. :)

The Quake

Yes, I did feel the 5.8 earthquake that struck the Eastern seaboard this afternoon. I was at work discussing a safety program with a coworker. She noticed the shaking before I did (I guess it's cause I was talking). It was definitely an eerie sensation feeling the building shake. The wheels of my chair were just barely rocking side to side, and the blinds of my window were swinging.

Anyhow, we are all alive and well and thankful.

Wok's For Dinner: Taco Salad

This meal was sooo good. I love a good salad, and had been in the mood for a taco salad for several weeks. I had a coupon for Texas Toast Tortilla Strips (next to the croutons at the grocery store) and finally found a store that sells them. I knew that the tortilla strips would make a perfect topping to a taco salad, and I was finally able to use them tonight. Yummy!

Taco Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 med. green bell pepper, diced

1 med. red bell pepper, diced

1/2 med. onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced (seeds removed, of course, unless you like the heat!)

1 pkg taco seasoning

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 can pinto beans, drained

shredded or torn lettuce leaves (I just used a bag of garden salad)

Texas Toast Chily Lime Tortilla Strips

shredded cheese

cherry tomatoes, diced

salad dressing (I used sweet vidalia onion; hubs used ranch)

sour cream

Directions:

Brown ground turkey, bell peppers, onion & jalapeno in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir occasionally until meat is no longer pink. Reduce heat, then stir in taco seasoning and chicken broth. Stir in pinto beans. Let simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place lettuce on plate. Top with meat mixture, tortilla strips, cheese, tomatoes, some salad dressing, and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Conversations With Children: The Nap

"Mommy, I fell asleep at Summer camp today."

"You did? How did you manage to do that?" (This is, after all, the YMCA Traditional Summer Camp, nonstop fun & entertainment.)

"We were playing a game and you had to lay on the floor and the person who was the stillest was the winner and that's when I fell asleep."

He didn't win, but I'll bet he was the stillest. Gotta love it!

Spectacular Sides: Cucumber & Onion Salad

So both our dryer and vacuum fried recently. I've turned our bathroom into a clothes line, hanging the clothes in there to dry. Fortunately, a friend has offered us a vacuum of hers, and we purchased a washer/dryer combo set today which we can pick up later this week. It's a matter of limping along for a few more days while we wait on everything. It's not too fun living without major appliances, believe you me. Maybe this is a way to prepare us for this years' hurricane season...?

Anyways...

This recipe came from my mother-in-law and is a favorite of my husband. I'll promise you'll love it, too. Even me, and I don't care for raw onion. There are no standard measurements to the ingredients--it all depend on how much you want to make. So I'll describe as est I can how much to make for 4 adults. Measurements are approximate and will mostly depend on your personal taste.

Cucumber Onion Salad

Ingredients:

3 medium cucumbers

1 medium onion

water

salt

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4-1/2 cup white distilled vinegar

1 tsp dried dill

Directions:

Day 1) Peel & slice cucumbers. Peel onion, cut in half, then cut both halves into thin slices. Place cucumber and onion slices in a large bowl; cover with water. Stir in lots of salt to make the water salty. No set amount of salt, maybe 1 Tbsp. I always just shake in a lot from the salt canister, then taste a small amount of the salt water to make sure it tastes salty enough. Allow the cucumbers & onions to sit in the salt water bath overnight. Day 2) Drain the salt water and rinse the cucumbers & onions thoroughly. The salt water cures the cucumbers & onions but is not parts of the actual salad ingredients, so make sure to rinse well. Put sour cream into a medium bowl. Stir in enough vinegar to thin out the sour cream so that it's liquidy instead of creamy, but not too liquidy...makes perfect sense, right? Stir dill into sour cream mixture. Add more dill if you feel like it needs it. Pour over cucumbers & onions, then stir mixture. Chill in refrigerator then serve and enjoy.

Conversations With Children: The Ride Back

Overheard at dinner this evening:

"I had lots of fun at the water park today. I farted on the bus the whole way back. It was disgusting!!"

Gotta love it!

Conversations With Children: The Wild West

Overheard at dinner this evening:

"When I grow up, I want to live in the Wild West in Texas so I can be a cowboy and ride horses and shoot bad guys."

Gotta love it!!

Spectacular Sides: Garlic Mashed Potatoes

So I returned to work this week after a very nice maternity leave. Our baby girl is absolutely adorable & we are so blessed. I am definitely worn out. She is sleeping through the night on most nights, but it's taking some time for me to get used to waking up (and staying up) early. Tonight's meal was the first real meal since I went back to work. And this side dish is sooooo good! I got lots of compliments from hubs.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 medium potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and quartered

4 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cool water. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil, stirring occasionally, about 20-25 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain. Place in large mixing bowl and add butter, garlic powder, parsley, salt & pepper. Beat with mixers until potatoes are nice & creamy and ingredients are mixed in well. Add milk and mix in until incorporated. Serve with a little dollop of butter on top.

Jennie-O Surprise

I thought when my husband opened that package of turkey burgers and I saw the long, ver-dark-brown hair strand that, perhaps, I might get a coupon as a sort of peace offering. Yeah, that's right. A long strand of hair. Longer than any strand of hair on any family member in our house. Definitely didn't match our hair color. And in the raw meat of a turkey burger I had bought.

So I contacted Jenni-O about their sanitation issue. Customer service immediately responded to my concern and emailed me back. Then this showed up in the mail:

They mailed me two coupons AND a check to reimburse me for the cost of the turkey burgers. Wow!

Thank you, Jenni-O, for going above & beyond to ensure my satisfaction as a customer!!

Wok's For Dinner: Cilantro Lime Chicken

I got the original recipe for this scrumptious meal from my friend Melissa at Melissa's Bargains a couple years ago. It's a great way to use up the last of a bag of tortilla chips, which always seem to go stale really fast in my house. Here is my version.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp lime juice (I was out of limes & used lemon juice instead)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp dried cilantro

4 b/s chicken breasts

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

1 medium tomato, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterrey-Jack cheese

Directions:

Combine lime juice, oil, honey & cilantro. Dip chicken in lime juice mixture then coat with crushed chips. Place in ungreased baking dish. Sprinkle tomato & bell pepper over the top. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear. Sprinkle cheese over the top, return to oven & bake 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve & enjoy!

If freezing: Place chicken in a freezer bag and cover with lime mixture before sealing and freezing. Thaw in refrigerator. The chicken will marinate in the lime mixture. You can then finish preparing the meal as directed once you're ready. :D

Spectacular Sides: Cheesy Corn Bake

This side dish is great for feeding a several people. It makes quite a lot! I like the taste and the texture, and my kids really ate it up well, too!

Cheesy Corn Bake

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup flour

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

4 eggs

1 can cream-style corn

1 can corn kernels, drained

1 Tbsp prepared mustard

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Directions:

Using nonstick cooking spray, grease a 2-3 quart baking dish. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in flour, salt & pepper until combined. Reduce heat to medium-low, then slowly stir in milk with a whisk. Continue cooking, stirring, until thick & bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat eggs with a fork. Stir in cream-style corn and corn kernels, mustard, and 1 cup breadcrumbs. Combine the cheese mixture with the corn mixture and pour into prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp butter and toss with 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over casserole. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Wok's For Dinner: Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad

I've been in quite a "salad" kind of mood lately. We have had a tossed salad several times the past couple weeks, and I've been drooling at the thought of more & more types of salads that I can make. That & fresh fruits & veggies. It's been super hot lately, so the last thing I want to eat is a super hot & heavy type meal. This particular salad is one of my husband's favorite meals that I make. Paired up with some watermelon, it makes for a nice, refreshing dinner.

Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1/3 lb cooked chicken, shredded

8 oz pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 pkg Ranch dressing mix

1/2-1 cup Ranch salad dressing (according to your taste)

1 Tbsp dill weed

ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Chill in refrigerator for one hour. Serve & enjoy.

Wok's For Dinner: Spaghetti Carbonara

Yes, it is me, and I--finally!--am posting a recipe. I've been on maternity leave for over 6 weeks now. You'd think that I would have had plenty of free time to get caught up on projects & the like, but that is definitely not the case. I'm as busy as when I was working, if not more! But I am definitely enjoying it. A few more days to go, and I'll be back at work doing the daily grind.

This particular recipe is one that I make about once a year. It is an easy way to use up leftover ham. In fact, that's what I did. I made a spiral-sliced ham in December 2010 and froze the leftovers, dividing them into several portions for future meals and also for lunch-meat for my husband's sandwiches.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients:

1 lb spaghetti

3 Tbsp butter

6 oz diced ham

3 eggs

1 cup milk

2/3 cup grated Parmesan

salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 Tbsp dried or 2 Tbsp fresh parsley

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet; add ham. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned. In a bowl, beat the eggs and milk. Reduce burner heat to low and gently stir in egg mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken but not scramble, about 5 minutes. Stir in grated Parmesan. Season with salt & pepper; stir in parsley. Drain the pasta thoroughly and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over pasta, then toss to combine. Serve immediately.

If freezing: I would not recommend freezing the dish after preparing it; however, you can use cooked ham that you stored in the freezer.

Alive & Well...and still pregnant

Yes, I know, it would seem as though I have completely abandoned the blog. And that's pretty much what happened. Not by choice, more by design. Too many work hours during the day that keep me busy, busy, busy, and not much personal time when I get home in the evenings. *sigh*

I am on maternity leave as of this week. We will be welcoming our 3rd child in a week & a half, that is, assuming she comes on her due date. I'm definitely excited but DEFINITELY cannot wait for her to come!

Sorry I am keeping this short. I am super worn out from some nesting that I've been dealing with the past couple days since the doctor released me from work. Trying to get all the last minute details finalized is wearing me out, not to mention my super swollen feet. :)