Happy Homemaker Monday - 09/14/2015

Happy Monday everyone, welcome to another Happy Homemaker Monday post.

I realize I didn't put one up last week, the Labor Day weekend completely threw me off and I had visitors over too, so yeah, ended up not getting the post up.  Apologies :)

Let's see what we have going on this week, shall we?

On the weather front:
The temperatures cooled down a little, and we're expecting some cloudy skies for the rest of the week.  I'm ok with that, I'm really looking forward to Fall so this will help me get into it.


On my bedside table:
Vicks
TV remote control
Lotion

On my TV:
Oh goodness, Fall is around the corner and all the new shows and return of favorites is inbound.  I've been making a list, huge list I might add, of all that I want to watch.  There are some new ones I've got my eye on.  For now though, this is what is on my DVR list to watch:
Lockup Colorado (I don't know why but I enjoy all these lock up shows)
Behind Bars:  Rookie Year
Beyond Scared Straight
Farmhouse Rules
Who do you think you are?


Favorite Youtube Video last week:
As always, I will be watching a vlog video and find a new favorite vlogger to watch.  Do It on a Dime is quite a fun one to watch, she focuses on DIY, organization and frugal living.


News story that caught my attention:
All the I10 shootings going on back in Phoenix.  What on earth is wrong with people?  And I find myself asking this question multiple times a day, every day.  I am just flabbergasted at the world around me, things are getting out of hand so quickly.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Sausages in Tomato Sauce, Rice
Tuesday - Chicken Strogonoff, Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday -Arroz a Valenciana (Rice with chicken and sausage)
Thursday - Greatgrandma's meatballs, salad
Friday - Breaded Fish Fillets, Rice with Peas
Saturday -Hotdogs with Peppers and tomato sauce
Sunday - Roast Chicken and Potato wedges


New Recipe I tried or want to try:
There are a few new recipes up on the food blog, Portuguese Steak, Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce, Beer Battered Onion Rings,


On my To Do List:
School
Kitchen....unload dishwasher and reload with breakfast dishes.  Sweep, mop.
Bedrooms....make beds, open curtains and blinds, open windows, tidy up.
Bathrooms....clean toilets and sinks.


 
In the craft basket:
Crochet blanket, new fall crochet scarf (will show you today)
 

Looking forward to:
Finding out what is going on with hubby's job.  The company he was working for didn't win the government bid, so a new company is coming in.  We're praying they all get rehired, and should hear something by this week.  Prayers would be appreciated.


What I plan on doing for myself this week:
Crocheting and hopefully watching some movies, there's a few I would like to watch.


Favorite photo:

Lesson learned the past few days:
That we can't control this world we live in, and that we also can't stop living, or even worse, live in fear.  We can be mindful and careful of certain situations, but other than that, all we can really do is pray, continue living in Christ and move forward.  With our current job situation, it's easy to get scared, to question, to worry, but I've learned over the years to stop doing that, and I try to keep myself and my husband on track, reminding him that thinking negatively will only invite negativity to our lives, so we have to stay positive and stay firm in our beliefs. 

 
Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

Weekly Meals in Review - September 7th to 12th

Another week has gone by and lots of yummy meals were enjoyed.  So let's take a look at what I dished up.

If you missed the previews week's reviews, you can find them here:

Weekly Meals in Review - August 24th to 28th
Weekly Meals in Review - August 31st to September 5th


Monday 7th
Barbecue Ribs, Beer Battered Onion Rings, Baked Beans






Tuesday 8th
Costoletas de Cebolada (Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce)


Wednesday 9th
My son and I both started feeling sick, so Chicken Soup it was



Thursday 10th
Ranch Chicken with Buttery Spaghetti (I accidentally deleted my picture, OOPS)

Friday 11th
Hubby brought home Taco Bell for dinner.  Kids and I got Quesaritos and Loaded Potato Grillers, hubby had Taco Supremes


Saturday12th
Bifes a Portugalia (Portuguese Steaks)

{ Grocery Haul }

Hello friends, how is you Saturday going?

I was thinking about my post for today and had a few ideas going, but decided to do a Grocery Haul instead.

Why???

Well I had a few of you message me either on Facebook or email me and ask what my grocery shopping looks like considering I tend to buy for 2 weeks and stay at or under $250, for our family of four.

I don't always buy the exact same thing, especially meat wise because it depends on my menu plan, so it kind of depends on what I'm making, whether it's a family favorite recipe, something simple, or a new recipe I am trying.  New recipes are usually the times my grocery shopping cost is higher, but I still manage to stay right at $250 and that includes toiletries, dog food and cleaning supplies etc.

I know a lot vloggers share their grocery hauls, but I'm not a vlogger and really don't like talking on camera, nor do I plan on following the masses and video recording anything, so pictures it is, but I will tell you what is in each picture and what I bought it for.

The next two weeks it's all about Portuguese food and going back to my roots.  I've been extremely nostalgic and just missing my childhood days and home and family and the foods we used to eat, I think we all go through those times in our lives. 

With that being said, a lot of the meals I'll be making I have not shared before, nor taken pictures, so will be doing all that too, which has me super excited.

Right, so let's get on with it, I will show you what I bought and then I'll show you how much it cost at the end.

Bear in mind that I do my shopping at the base commissary.

Frozen:::::
Two packs of burritos, Beef and Green Chili and Bean and Cheese (my kids and husband enjoy these for a quick lunch)
2 bags of Steamables Mixed Veggies (one will be as a side dish, one will be used in some rice I'm making)
2 Red Baron Pizzas (I keep these in the freezer for weekend lunches)
Pizza Rolls (Kids enjoy these for lunch)
Sausage Biscuits, 20 snack pack (my husband eats these in the morning, he will grab two and go off to work)
2 packs of Maple Bacon (one for a recipe, one for a weekend breakfast)
Ground Beef
Steaks
Chicken Tenders
Chicken Legs
Thick pork chops



Meats::::
Ground Beef, 4 lbs
(Shepherd's Pie, Grandma's Meatballs, Oven Burgers with Peppers and Mozzarella)



Meats::::
Steaks (Portugalia Steaks for dinner)
Chicken Tenders (Chicken Strogonoff)
Thick Pork Chops (Pork with baby potatoes)
Chicken Drumsticks (Roast Chicken and Potato wedges)





Veggies and Fruits::::
Bag of lemons
Bananas, tons of bananas, they were on sale for 59c a pound and my kids are on a banana kick
Peaches
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Tomatoes
Avocados, they were on sale
2 Green peppers



Dairy::::
I bought two gallons of milk yesterday at Walmart, they were on sale for $1.97 so didn't have to buy today
Honey Ham, on sale for $2.50
Cream cheese for bagels
Heavy Cream for a recipe
Pepper Jack, Mozzarella and Provolone Cheeses (Mozzarella is for the hamburger recipe)
Shredded Mexican Style Cheese



Eggs were only $2.69 so I grabbed two, need some for recipes and also for breakfast and desserts



Grabbed a live Basil plant, my other one was all gone and ended up dying not sure why.  This one looks so good and smells amazing.  It was only $2.00





Bakery::::
One loaf of Texas Giant white bread
Philly Steak Subs for Sub sandwiches for a lunch
Hotdog buns for a recipe
Cinnamon Raisin and Original Bagels



Pantry::::
Small bag of flour, didn't need too much
Bag of sugar
Mixed Nuts (snack for me)
Goldfish, two bags (snack for kids)
2 macaroni and cheese boxes, only 90c (lunch for kids, they love this stuff, I don't)
Jalapeno Slices for sub sandwiches
Strawberry Jam



Pantry::::
Penne Rigatoni and Trio Italiano, they were on sale for 69c and I always have pasta in the house for a quick meal, or a salad as a side dish
Ramen noodles (my husband and kids love it as a quick lunch or even a snack)





Pantry and baking::::
Aluminum foil (I go through this stuff like crazy, I use it on my baking sheets to make clean up easier but I also use it in my oven to keep it clean from spills)
Parchment paper
Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice for me
Sweet Peas for a recipe
Tomato puree and sauce
Mushrooms
Black Eyed Peas (tuna salad for the kids and I for lunch)
Nacho cheese (my hubby likes having it on hand for a quick nacho snack)
Kidney Beans for a recipe
Pasta Sauce on sale for 69c (good to have on hand)
Popcorn
Tabasco
Bay Leaves



Rice
Dog Treats
Sandwich bags



The total was $160.57, not bad at all.  Yesterday like I said, I went to Walmart and got toilet paper, 2 gallons of milk, one gallon of chocolate milk, cereal, kleenex, dog treats, female products.  I spent $40.  So I'm still under the $250 budget for these two weeks.



I'm always asked how I manage to do that, and honestly, aside from those lunch items and snacks, I make all our meals from scratch and I menu plan.  I can't even begin to stress enough just how important menu planning is to staying under budget.

Our meals for the next two weeks are as follows......

Breakfast
Oatmeal
Cereal
Scrambled Eggs

Lunch
Sandwiches (PB&J, Ham and Cheese, Subs)
Quesadillas
Soup
Leftovers
Tuna Salad

Dinner
Saturday - Bifes a Portugalia (Portuguese steak, fries and eggs)
Sunday - Salsicha c/ molho de tomate, arroz (Sausage in tomato sauce, rice)
Monday - Strogonoff de Frango, pure de batata (Chicken stroganoff, mashed potatoes)
Tuesday - Arroz a Valenciana (Rice with chicken and sausage)
Wednesday - Almondegas da Bio, Salad (Greatgrandma's meatballs, salad)
Thursday - Filetes panados c/ arroz de ervilhas (Breaded Fish Fillets, Rice with peas)
Friday - Cachorros quentes c/ molho de pimento e tomate (Hotdogs with peppers and tomato sauce)
Saturday - Frango Assado c/ batatas (Roast Chicken and potato wedges)
Sunday - Carne de Porco com batatinhas (Pork with baby potatoes)
Monday - Peru salteado com cogumelos e mozzarella (Turkey with mushrooms and mozzarella)
Tuesday - Hamburgueres no forno c/ queijo e pimento (Oven hamburgers with cheese and peppers)
Wednesday - Roupa Velha (Old clothes, weird name I know but it's basically leftover meat fried with onions and potatoes)
Thursday - Feijoada (Bean stew, rice)

So there you go, I hope you enjoyed my first grocery haul here on the blog, let me know if you would like me to continue doing these. 

I enjoy watching other people's grocery hauls usually to get ideas, or see what they're eating, buying for the money they're spending etc.

I have another post coming up later today, it will be my weekly meals in review, so keep an eye out for that :)

Cooking Thursday - Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever

Good morning everyone.

Well as promised, here I am back with my Cooking Thursday. It actually started as Slow Cooking Thursday many years ago, then I changed it to Cooking Thursday so we could add in any kind of recipe and not just slow cooked.

I've had to take breaks now and then, but for the most part this feature has been ongoing for a while, and now that I'm back on track, it's time to dust it off and get it going again.

If you want to join in, all you have to do is grab the button below and share the recipe on your own blog, then come on back and share your link so we can all go take a look.

Alright, here's my contribution for today.....

Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever

Source: The Pioneer Woman

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
1/2 cup Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla

FOR FROSTING:
1/2 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
1-3/4 stick Butter
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar


Note: Pioneer Woman uses an 18x13 sheet cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

Cut into squares, eat, and totally wig out over the fact that you’ve just made the best chocolate sheet cake. Ever.

Getting back on track!!!

I am sitting here in bed, with Ghost Hunters on the telly and typing up this post.  Lola is laying next to me, Bella is by hubby in the office, Nick is on his laptop and Jasmine is asleep on the couch.

It's a quiet Wednesday night. 

I can't believe it's already Wednesday, I feel like last week I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, preparing for the con and all the kids that were coming over on Thursday.


If you follow me on Instagram then you'll know that I am once again unwell.  You know I totally chalk this up to the craziness I've been under the past few months, I mean the whole year for me has been one of chaos and constant on the go and I'm thinking my body is desperately trying to take a break.

I feel like I'm coming down with a cold, and unfortunately my Nick is already there.  He's had a sore throat for the past 2 days, sneezing and runny nose, and it's all being shared with me.  Ugh!!!




But back to my post title and getting back on track.  As I mentioned in my previous post, it's time for me to get back at it, back to the basics of homemaking and child rearing and all that goodness.

Here's what I'm doing to accomplish that.

**Crochet and Craft Wise**

I pulled out my gorgeous Cath Kidston crochet bag and filled it with some of my cotton yarn.  It gave me the biggest smile to see it full and ready to go.  I have so many projects that I want to crack on with, starting with some mitered dishcloths.

I'm not sure which pattern I'll use yet, I've found a few and it's just a matter of picking out the easiest one.  Listen, I'm all about quick and easy and simple, something that I can work on while watching TV or talking with the family.  I may sell the dishcloths to make some extra money for Christmas, or I may not, I haven't decided yet but I'll see when the time comes.



I also have a lot of scrap yarn that I want to get rid of, so I'm thinking I may get some lap blankets going using different colored yarn, it will be a way to get through my stash but also maybe get a pile of blankets going for gifts.

Feels so good to get back on track and know that I can create whatever I wish without feeling rushed or unable to because I have other things to focus on.

While unpacking some boxes, yes I still have a few left, I also came upon my fabric stash and I have a quilt in the making that I want to finish up, and also found a pattern for a really easy way to throw a quilt together, which I'm going to use for these really pretty fabrics that I have.

**Homemaking**

Before I started feeling sick, I managed to also pull out my Fall Decorations box.  I am hoping that maybe tomorrow I'll feel well enough to start the decorating.  I'm so ready for the season to come around.



I have to concentrate a little more on my home and making it ours.  It's time to finish unpacking all the last few boxes in the garage.

I have the tree stumps outside that I need to sand down and varnish etc, to use as coffee tables for the green living room.  Another project that I can now focus on.


**Cooking and Food Blog**

One more aspect of getting back on track, has to do with my cooking.  I'm so excited to get back to that, I feel like I haven't been able to cook anything properly in so long.

This morning I pulled out my Menu planning book and then started looking for meal inspirations.

I've talked about menu planning at length before, you can read those posts here on the blog:

I want to menu plan but don't know how
Recipes and Grocery Lists
Today flew by and Menu Planning

The past few months have been a little off when it comes to menu planning, I still tried to do it but there was just so much going, always different guests coming by and never a for sure day of anything.  It threw me completely off track and I ended up not sticking to my two week grocery shopping and menu planning that I've been doing forever.

I'm going back to that starting this weekend, so I'm planning for two weeks at a time and grocery shopping accordingly.

I sat this morning and practically every spare moment I had today, jotting down and saving recipes I want to try, we're going to be eating a lot of Portuguese meals, I've just been craving them like crazy.

I have a lot of things I want to get done on my food blog, need a little organizing, some recipes and photos need to be redone and touch ups here and there, so I'm looking forward to getting that done as well.

Oh and by the way, I was planning on sharing my weekly meals in review here on this blog as well, do you think that's a good idea or would you rather I kept it just on the food blog and shared the link here?  I don't know how many of you make it over there, so it might be easier to actually post it here too.  I'm up for suggestions!!!

The first 2 weeks have already been posted over there, you can check them out here, Week 1 and Week 2.

Well my crochet is calling my name so I'm grabbing the hook and casting on. 

Wishing you all a wonderful night.  Oh and I'll be back to my Thursday Cooking feature tomorrow, it's been FOREVER since I've done that :)