Use it up, wear it out, and be creative!

I would like to start off saying that being productive is such a great feeling to me. The challenge is programming your mind to be resourceful every day. I would compare it to setting an alarm clock every night because that is a responsibility that we each must make. It is a sign of immaturity to buy things any moment we desire it. Self control is not always easy but it has its rewards. Our family saved 100-150 dollars last month because we chose to.
We live in a society that promotes that everyone should want; in reality everyone should need less. I honestly, prefer to have less in my life because it teaches you to be thankful. The life of simplicity is so releasing. As a mom, I do not need anymore “things” to bound my time. Get creative! Find ways of re-using, re-purposing and reap true fulfillment. In doing this, it teaches you to become selfless. Not only that, but I want my children to grow up cherishing the things God has blessed us with. I want going out to eat to not merely be a regular every day errand but a special time to share with my family. There were many times in the past where I felt as though Christmas had began to lose its meaning. I watched my four- year old tear into one present after the next as if it was just the every year routine. This broke my heart because I realized her wonder and joy no longer shined as before. Honestly, I questioned myself for a long time wondering if I had been the catalyst. It made sense…all those years I had been so distracted with what everyone wanted for Christmas that I never took the time to ask myself,”What do they need?” This year my husband and I decided that we are only buying the kids one gift each. I want to teach them to be responsible, mature, thankful, creative and most of all happy!

Tip#2 Re-use glass and plastic food containers after they are empty for storage.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

I quit my job at around eight months pregnant with our son, Zion Matthew. I made the decision to stay home with both the kids. I just love being a mommy its the best job in the world! Daycare is so expensive and quite honestly I want to raise my own kids. Being that my husband is the only one working at this time, we both agreed to go back to the basics. I recently started couponing and spying out what goes on sale. This has become my new favorite hobby. I base our weekly meals on specials at the store. Yes, I have become the crazy coupon lady but that is ok with me because I am saving money. I am not saying that we haven’t had to make sacrifices..for example, eating out, buying name brand Starbucks coffee or going to the movies has become a “special treat.” I believe it can make you appreciate things alot more than you normally would. Sometimes, the hubby and I will have a movie ” date-nite” after the kids have went to bed. We will basically camp out on the couch with our favorite ” movie-time” snacks and rent a movie from Netflix…its oh so nice! If we decide to go out to eat one week then I usually have a coupon for the restaurant we are going to. My next plan to save money is to get my sewing machine fixed so that I can start making clothes for the kids as they continue to grow. The older I’m getting the more practical I’m becoming. These days its so expensive to just live especially for families that is why saving is so important to us. The month of April’s challenge is to see how much we can save. Every week that I go to the store I’m going to record the amount spent as well as the amount saved and see how it equals out in the end. The budget for groceries is $100-150 every two weeks. I will allow you to follow me on this saving frenzy adventure sharing tips and ideas for dinner along the way;)

Tip # 1
Buy a three ring binder and fill with plastic business card dividers to help keep the coupons nice. I would suggest getting dividers to separate the category of coupons as well to keep it organized for example: frozen grocery, dry grocery, misc. ect.

Life as an existing mother

If I was given a few words to describe motherhood, these would be the lines I chose to say.

A fulfillment that has no expiration date.

Exhaustion becomes the pillows best-friend.

A special kind of gratitude that sticks like glue.

A selfless love that never stops expanding in its depths.

Teaching your children through example; not merely words alone.

Listening to your child with not only your ears but your heart as well.

Uplifting your children with encouraging words.

Challenging yourself to see the world through your child’s’ eyes.

Learning to discipline with an open-mind.

Choosing to be the parent they need on a daily basis.

Creating moments that turn into memories which forever engrave themselves into your child’s heart.

Our bundle of joy has arrived!

Zion Matthew was born on Friday, January 25th. We feel so blessed to have such an amazing blessing in our lives’ It is incredible that you can develop such an instant love for someone that you just met but it comes naturally. As soon as he was born there was such a powerful wave of emotions that arose in the room. Matthew and I realized we would be holding our son for the very first time. There is no words that could ever describe how wonderful an experience like that is.
We are grateful to God for giving us such a precious gift from above.

May your Christmas be filled with lots of sweetness!!!

Every year around Christmas it tends to get a little crazy because of all the family we visit during the holidays. Between my in-laws and both sets of parents to whom re-married it stays busy. This year, I decided to skip out on the shopping scene and whip up some homemade goodies. I have spent the last two days working on white fudge, chocolate fudge, caramel toffee bites, sweet potato bread, and chocolate walnut brownies. Being the cook, I had to sample to make sure the candies/bread met the required yummy factor. I am happy to say the task was accomplished. I like making homemade gifts because they are always going to require more of your time which in turn teaches you patience as well as love. Sometimes, its good for us to just slow down and savor the season. So, this year be creative and soak up the merry that truly comes from giving unto others.

I finished my second semester of culinary school.

I achieved my goal of finishing culinary school this semester. I finished right at eight months pregnant which was a tight fit. I will be honest, this semester was a tough one because I was full-time and the classes were a bit challenging. My final exam was given last Friday in Food Production II. The class was given a mystery basket, a sheet of paper to write a menu, and an hour to finish the meal. These are a few of the mystery ingredients that were in my basket, a large carrot, three eggs, flour, chicken, and fresh spinach. I decided to utilize my ingredients and make a pan fried chicken over a bed of creamed spinach with roasted carrots. I had a few points taken off my practical exam because I did not have a starch on my plate, otherwise, I did a good job!
Here is a recent pic of the baby belly:

The Great Greek Project

My English Composition I: Culinary class was asked to write an essay about a favorite personal recipe.
Here is mine:
The Great Greek Project
I like creating unique recipes that tell a story within themselves, and these Greek tacos do just that. Just so happens, Greek Food is one of my favorite cuisines to eat. This is not a family recipe that was passed down to me, this is simply just a recipe I have perfected through time and experimentation.
The history of this recipe began while hosting an ethnic food night at my house two years ago. I have always had a deep interest in the cultures and traditions of other countries. The theme for this particular night was Greek food. So I began sifting through pages of my Taste of Home Cookbook, in search of finding the perfect Greek recipe. I came across a recipe for Greek tacos that teased my senses enough to urge me to try it out. Let me just say, it was near perfect but needed an extra zing to it.
I began experimenting with different ingredients until I felt the recipe had reached its full potential. The changes made to the recipe we’re subtle yet significant. For instance, I thought a tangy Greek sauce would pair perfectly with these tacos. My imagination began to spin as the process of what ingredients should be added or edited from the recipe. As a cook, you must be knowledgeable about the flavors of many different foods and how they pair with each other. This is where you could say, the recipe evolved.
 
1 pound of ground beef
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes.
3 teaspoons of Cavender’s Greek Seasoning
1 cup of Greek Yogurt ( plain)
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 cup of minced cucumber
2 cups of whole leaf baby spinach
1 can (10 ounces) ripe olives, minced and drained
1 package (16 oz) of yellow corn tortillas.
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1 cup of chopped red onion

The recipe begins by gathering two medium -sized skillets. One of these will be used for the taco meat and the other for frying the taco shells. Begin by browning the hamburger meat over medium heat in skillet until no longer pink; drain. Second, you will stir in the one can of diced tomatoes, minced garlic, and two teaspoons of Greek seasoning. Make sure you bring all these ingredients to a slight boil. Reduce the heat on the stove for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. You can proceed to add the whole leaf baby spinach, as well as the minced black olives to the skillet. Let this cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally. You may need to turn the heat on a low simmer to keep the taco meat warm.
You will now need to heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil over medium in a separate skillet. Add your tortillas, gently flipping them with tongs until golden brown on both sides. Spoon about 1/3 cup of your taco meat into shell and set on paper towel above plate to degrease. Follow this procedure for however many tacos you will be preparing.
Meanwhile, gather ingredients for the sauce which are: one cup of Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of minced cucumber, one teaspoon of Cavender’s Greek Seasoning, and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Add all of these ingredients together in a small mixing bowl, incorporating them evenly with a large spoon or paddle. You may adjust the sauce by adding or editing to your taste. Spoon about one teaspoon of this mixture into your tacos and enjoy!