I am a NERD.
At least tonight I am.
I am attending a murder mystery Bunco party and I have to dress as a nerd. I am thinking Steve Urkel.
"DID I DO THAT???"
But the rest of the family will be eating here.
What will they eat?
Something elaborate?
No!
Something simple?
YES!
They shall have ... TACOS!
I know that's not great and earth shattering news. Everybody can do tacos.
But my taco meat was cooked and seasoned and in the freezer.
And it was not cooked by me!
It was cooked by one of my fabulous Bulk Cooking Buddies.
When our cooking coincides, we trade out meals. So if she makes six recipes, she makes six of the same for me also. Then we swap. Its a beautiful thing.
One time all the timing worked out and I made 6 recipes, traded with 4 friends and ended up with 24 different entrees!
It was great!
Steps to Forming Bulk Cooking Buddies
1. Find some interested friends.
2. Share lists of food allergies. (VERY VERY IMPORTANT).
3. Set a cooking deadline.
4. Cook and swap.
It's fun to cook together but that can add stress in the beginning.
"OOPS! Did I do that?"
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
The Power Bill is What??????
This winter has been crazy in the state of Alabama. CRAA-AA-AA-ZZ! Since school has started back since Christmas, we have missed six days for snow, been dismissed early for 2 and came in late 3. And they are predicting more "Wintry Mix" tonight. What? This is ALA-Freakin-Bama!
Anyway, what does that have to do with cooking? I'm getting there. I'm getting there.
Our power bill (the house is total electric) was $160 higher in the month of January than in the month of December! WHAT! That's a lot! Or at least in my budget, that's a lot. Something had to be done! Where do I decide to cut the budget?
Food.
How do I do it?
Add bulk cooking of breakfast to my bulk cooking plan.
And serve breakfast for dinner once a week.
Ty loved the first part of that. Not so much the second. He does not like to eat breakfast for dinner. He always complains that it is too sweet. So I set about finding CHEAP, FREEZABLE breakfasts that were not sweet.
I had already hoped to do better this year on serving healthier breakfasts to my kids, particularly Taylor. We have battled some food dye,sugar issues where it comes to Taylor and concentration so changes were being made. But now I took it full scale.
Breakfast Cereal Bars
Pumpkin French Toast.
Gingerbread Oatmeal Squares
Egg Puffs
Hashbrown Casseroles
AND
Baked Oatmeals
Baked Oatmeals you may ask? What is so special about baked oatmeal? Well, for one thing, they can serve as the sweet component to your meal without being overwhelming. They are filling and its pretty cheap.
So far we have tried 3:
Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal
Almond Joy Baked Oatmeal
Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
So its breakfast for dinner night tonight.
I had biscuits and sausage in the freezer. I had hashbrowns in the freezer. But alas! I had no baked oatmeals!
Dinner plan foiled! Except my cabinets are full of ingredients (actually I knew I was out and I got what I needed at the store).
I am going to tell you how I did the Almond Joy tonight (fresh because we had eaten all the ones in the freezer). I poured a 1/2 gallon of plain almond milk into a deep pot. I added 8 cups of quick cooking oats. I cooked it for 5 - 6 minutes. I stirred in a small bag of sliced almonds and a bag of shredded coconut. I poured that into 3 pans (1 regular and 2 disposable for the freezer). DONE.
When tonight's comes out of the oven (350 for 45 minutes), I will sprinkle it with chocolate chips. They will melt and all is right with the world.
And I do not even like oatmeal.
Anyway, what does that have to do with cooking? I'm getting there. I'm getting there.
Our power bill (the house is total electric) was $160 higher in the month of January than in the month of December! WHAT! That's a lot! Or at least in my budget, that's a lot. Something had to be done! Where do I decide to cut the budget?
Food.
How do I do it?
Add bulk cooking of breakfast to my bulk cooking plan.
And serve breakfast for dinner once a week.
Ty loved the first part of that. Not so much the second. He does not like to eat breakfast for dinner. He always complains that it is too sweet. So I set about finding CHEAP, FREEZABLE breakfasts that were not sweet.
I had already hoped to do better this year on serving healthier breakfasts to my kids, particularly Taylor. We have battled some food dye,sugar issues where it comes to Taylor and concentration so changes were being made. But now I took it full scale.
Breakfast Cereal Bars
Pumpkin French Toast.
Gingerbread Oatmeal Squares
Egg Puffs
Hashbrown Casseroles
AND
Baked Oatmeals
Baked Oatmeals you may ask? What is so special about baked oatmeal? Well, for one thing, they can serve as the sweet component to your meal without being overwhelming. They are filling and its pretty cheap.
So far we have tried 3:
Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal
Almond Joy Baked Oatmeal
Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
So its breakfast for dinner night tonight.
I had biscuits and sausage in the freezer. I had hashbrowns in the freezer. But alas! I had no baked oatmeals!
Dinner plan foiled! Except my cabinets are full of ingredients (actually I knew I was out and I got what I needed at the store).
I am going to tell you how I did the Almond Joy tonight (fresh because we had eaten all the ones in the freezer). I poured a 1/2 gallon of plain almond milk into a deep pot. I added 8 cups of quick cooking oats. I cooked it for 5 - 6 minutes. I stirred in a small bag of sliced almonds and a bag of shredded coconut. I poured that into 3 pans (1 regular and 2 disposable for the freezer). DONE.
When tonight's comes out of the oven (350 for 45 minutes), I will sprinkle it with chocolate chips. They will melt and all is right with the world.
And I do not even like oatmeal.
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