Mariannes Motifs

Money Money Money Money

Money - its grat to have some, sucks to not have enough, and it can't buy you love.  I am trying to cook healthy dinners to save money but it seems crazy when I went grocery shopping and it came out to over $200.

Of course I haven't been grocery shopping in over 2 weeks and we were out of a LOT of stuff.  With 4 people in the house we can go through a bunch of groceries, that's for sure.

Short of resorting to credit card factoring to get things done, I am trying to do a lot of cooking out of the stuff we already have in the freezer and pantry.  Most of the stuff I bought was fresh ingredients to go with things we already have.  I also got country style ribs that hubster does a fantastic job of cooking in the crock pot with barbeque sauce.  I also plan to make more lunches to take to work, which also can save quite a bit of money.

Cheap Exercise

Now that its winter, folks are looking for cheap and indoor ways to excercise. 

 

1.  Use the tools you already have.  Buy an active title for your gaming system, like zumba for playstation or Your Shape Fitness for Xbox Kinect.

 

2.  Set your DVR to record excercise shows playing on TV.  Try Bodies in Motion with exercise guru Gilad Janklowicz.

 

3.  Record videos on MTV (or your favorite station) and then play them when you do your treadmill or exercise bike workout.

 

4.  Blast music and dance around the house with a feather duster.

 

 

Hubster Got a New Job!

The husbster got a new job!  I am so excited! Pumped up more than a goulds pump. We went out today and got him some new work clothes and shoes.  It's always fun to get ready for a new job. 

The kids are all signed up for daycare starting Monday. (We have to run around a bit with the forms on Monday morning.)

Yesterday I had a huge headache but today I feel better.  I made ziti with meat sauce and cheese on top.  It was really good.

Easy Cherry Cake with Cherry Pie Filling

Easy Cherry Cake Recipe - Recipe for Cake with Cherry Pie Filling

I happened to have some cake mix and some cherry pie filling so this cake is now in the oven. I did it in the springform pan with the bundt top and did it in three layers - cake mix, pie filling, cake mix with a little swirling action.

It smells really good. The springform pan leaked a bit though... Not really the right type of cake batter for a springform. I put it on a cookie tray in the oven so it's ok being a little leaky, I hope.

Dear Mom - I need one of these here Bundt Pans

I need a bundt pan.  Hint hint.

Baked Potatoes in 20 minutes!

via kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com

Today hubster made chili. I decided to try making baked potatoes in the microwave and then finish them in the oven. The above linked blog had some great instructions. Baked potatoes with cheese and sour cream and a side of chili - yummy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Y'all!

Today's fun with the new oven was Toll House cookies.  I used the classic recipe but I used Giridelli milk chocolate chips.  Yummy!

 

The new oven's Convection bake setting in addition to using parchment paper made for the most even cooking cookies and no cleanup.  I am so in love with my new oven.  (Which by the way is a Kenmore Gas range with true convention.)

Beer Can Chicken, Y'all!

Now that I have a fancy schmancy new convection oven I have been dying to make some "Beer Can Chicken."

First got an all natural no hormone chicken from Publix - their GreenWise brand. I got some Shiner Bock beer.  (It came in a 6 pack box of the right size cans.  Since we don't really tend to drink a lot of beer I didn't want to get a big 12 or 24 pack and I wanted to try something new.  You have to drink 1/2 the can - (It's in the recipe, I had to do it!) so its good to get a beer you will like.  Shiner Bock seems to be a sort of halfway beetween an ale and a dark beer.  It has a light taste, but you can taste the hops and yeast.  Very nice.

I have a cheapie beer can chicken cooker thingy I got from Big Lots last year.  It basically helps hold up the can - nothing fancy.  I put it all in another oven proof pan so I could use the drippings to make gravy. Oh god that was some good gravy.

I washed and dried the bird, then I rubbed a mix of kosher salt, Hungarian paprika, garlic powder, and different kinds of fresh ground pepper all over it.  I set the oven to convection bake at 425 and when it came up to temperature I put in the chicken with a meat thermometer in it.  I like having the meat thermometer because it takes the guesswork out of when your bird is done.  A meat thermomter is a cheap item that is useful over and over and doesn't take up much space in your drawer.

In my new oven, the chicken cooked in just over an hour.  It came out so yummy!  I made a simple gravy with the pan dripping - just adding some corn starch, a buillion/seasoning packet from Trader Joes, and some water. Easy peasy.  I served up this lovely tender chicken with rice and green beans.

New Years Eve Brisket

For New Years Eve I cooked up some of the famous "My Mother's Brisket."  That's the name of the Epicurious recipe, not my mother's actual recipe.  (Although me and my mom do both make it this way!)  I made about 5 pounds of brisket and it was pretty much all gone the next day.  I pretty much follow the recipe but after I brown the meat and do the onions I then cook it in the slow cooker instead of the oven.  Since my oven was broken at the time that was handy.

Spiffing Up for the New Year

This is the time of year we all start thinking about organizing stuff.   Between the sale at the Container Store, and all the plastic tubs on sale at Target and Home Depot, I know I am not the only one.

I would like to get my carpets cleaned this year.  They've been in 2 years and between the flea issue and other dog related crisises they need it.  Has anyone ever tries Zero Rez?  I got this recommendation of for a carpet cleaner in Cary, NC if anyone there is looking - carpet cleaning cary nc.

I'm getting a new stove delivered tomorrow - YAY!  Our oven door has been broken for awhile and the rest of the oven decided to break, too so its time.  I am so excited.  I want to go and pick up a chicken and make beer can chicken in my new convection oven.