Dry Rub Grill Recipe

June 25, 2012 by 5 Comments
Here’s a good dry rub recipe, I’ve used it on tons of grilling food and love it. Simple, easy, but not the best picture though, sorry about that, I can’t make ribs look good. LOL

This is a super simple, super easy never fail dry rub recipe that I was given years ago. I add and subtract ingredients though just to change things up now and again. Perfect for summer and even better perfect for Father’s day! I have used this on all kinds of meat though I don’t like it on fish. We used this on spare ribs this past [Read more…]

Filed Under: food, recipes Tagged With:

Roasted Vegetable Burritos Recipe

May 28, 2012 by 4 Comments

There’s a funny story behind this recipe as the two people who inspired me to try Tofu a few months back happen to be Sam (the one and only), and Grace over at Blessed Elements. They bombarded my facebook wall (happily greeted by myself) and I honestly don’t remember how tofu even came up in discussion. They intrigued me, so it started the hunt for recipes. Since then I have tried several recipes with the not so favorite ingredient and happen to really enjoy it. This recipe is made with Sam and Grace in mind because if it weren’t for their conversation I never would have even tried tofu! Big thanks to them for bringing a new ingredient into my kitchen experiments!

My kids do enjoy this meal, though they make me pile on more cheese. Who can blame them? Cheese , you just can’t go wrong with it!

Roasted Vegetable Burritos

Ingredients
8-10 large whole wheat or white flour tortillas *You can use small ones if you have it on hand)
8 ounces firm tofu cut up into

Filed Under: cooking, food

Guerilla Gardening: The Urban Farmer’s Guide to Saving Grocery Money

May 23, 2012 by 4 Comments
Guest Post by Thomas Doane
Last year, changes in the economy hit my family pretty hard. My hours were cut at work, and I found myself unable to afford necessities like food and toiletries. In desperation, I turned to gardening and couponing, and I haven’t looked back. By investing time each week cultivating my vegetable plants and some smart shopping at the grocery store, I’m able to save my family thousands of dollars every year.
Planting and Growing an Urban Garden
Getting creative in the garden has helped me save money each week. My family loves fresh produce like tomatoes and salads, and I enjoy working outside. With more free time after my hours got cut, I turned to gardening as a way to cut our food expenses and cultivate a hobby.
We don’t have much space in our urban yard, but I was able to grow tomatoes, onions, garlic and basil bushes last year. This year, I plan to add lettuce, peppers and chives. Primarily, I used a small space in my apartment’s courtyard. I don’t have personal outdoor space, but my landlord agreed to allow me to plant in the communal space. Greenhouse plants can be expensive, so I purchased only the larger plants like tomato bushes that would have taken too long to grow from seed. I purchased affordable organic seed packets to grow herbs. With regular watering and attention, the plants flourished and provided us with tasty produce all season.
You don’t need a huge back yard in order to grow a prolific garden. My neighbors started a roof top garden, and friends across town grow herbs in their home. Both of these options help families save money and grow fresh produce in limited space.
Clipping and Using Coupons

I started my couponing venture with the Sunday newspaper. Every week, coupon fliers offer savings [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, food

Orhard Bars- Great for Summer Travel

May 17, 2012 by 2 Comments

We are constantly on the go around here, and having great travel snacks are a must. I know that for most families, having foods that travel well (whether you are going to baseball practice, Boise, or Bolivia) really simplifies your day. Nothing crimps movement like whiny, hungry kids! These are all natural and are a great choice if you have a child with allergies in your home, too- they are vegan AND gluten free.

Liberty Orchards just added two new flavors to the popular Orchard Bar lineup: Cherry Almond Crunch and Banana Mango & Macadamia. The all-natural, vegan and gluten free bars are loaded with nuts and fruit, sunflower and flax seeds. The result is a delicious burst of flavor rich in antioxidants (vitamins A & C), low in sodium, high [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, food, travel

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins Recipe

May 16, 2012 by 9 Comments

I got this recipe from a friend who says it’s the only way her kid will ever eat oatmeal! I love those recipes where you sneak in something healthy and kids don’t know about it. The kids are too busy marveling at the bursting blueberries in the muffin they will never even question about oatmeal. Besides the bursting flavor I love how little sugar it uses – only one third of a cup! My family enjoys this as a breakfast on the go,an afternoon snack or even a sweet dessert throughout the summer. Easy, delicious, quick, what more can you ask for?

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cups oats
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 ( my oven runs hot, so 375 works perfectly for these muffins, adjust the time) Grease muffins cups or line your muffin pan with liners.
Toss the oats and flour together. Add in the sugar baking powder and salt. In another bowl combine the wet ingredients , leave out the berries [Read more…]
Filed Under: food, recipes

Birthday Party Food Ideas to Please Kids and Adults

May 16, 2012 by 9 Comments

When it comes to throwing a birthday party for your kids, you may be keen to change
it up a bit this year when it comes to the food selection. Sure pizza is easy. So are hot
dogs and hamburgers. Throw in some chips, soda, and a cake and you’re good to go,
right? But kids and parents alike can get bored with the same old stuff. And if you’ve
followed current events at all, you may be aware that childhood obesity is a major issue
at the moment, reportedly affecting one in three children in this country. So filling your
kids and their friends with sugars and fats simply may not be part of your agenda moving
forward. And any parents that join you in the festivities will no doubt appreciate having
healthy options on hand. So here are just a few party food ideas that are sure to please
everyone.

Let’s start with the notion of a main dish. Unless you want kids spreading germs and
racking up the calorie count as they graze through a spread of artificial foods like chips
and candy, you should probably limit them to eating at certain times during the party
rather than having tons of food sitting out for the duration. Of course, you could set out
plenty of fruits and veggies without worry since these items provide for a healthy snack
regardless of how much kids ingest. At the very least it’s better than cookies or candy if
you want to provide snacks for the kids. But when it comes to the entrée you’ll probably
want something that is equal parts delicious and nutritious. So what can you offer that is
healthy, easy, and appealing to both kids and adults?

For one thing, you could make pizza or burgers. Wait…what? Didn’t we just agree
that these foods [Read more…]

Filed Under: food, kids

Simply Juice- Review #SimplyOJ

May 14, 2012 by 9 Comments

Juice is something we all take for granted as a natural, fruit filled drink, which is healthy and good for you. Unfortunately, this might not always be the truth. Unless of course, you are thinking about “Simply” juices. Simply juices are made up of all natural ingredients and use only not from concentrate juices. This is quite rare in the current market- so take note.

Simply didn’t stop at orange juice, now they are releasing cranberry juice and flavored lemonades, like mango and raspberry. Little Man’s favorite is Raspberry and the big [Read more…]

Filed Under: food, giveaway, review

Hot Roast Beef Melt

May 10, 2012 by 6 Comments
With Mother’s Day this weekend I wanted to come up with something really great for you ladies. It wasn’t easy though. It was a toss up on something sweet or a special dinner which got me thinking – I always end up cooking one way or another on that day, so what’s a Mom to do on her own special day? Cook something that requires very little work , that’s what! I came up with a two version meal, you can either serve hot with sides as a full rounded meal or cut the trimmings and make it a fun lunch which is what I did. Wanted fun, melt in your mouth taste that didn’t require much of my time. Here is what I came up with-

A Hot Roast Beef Melt, which was made from a pot roast dinner.

It’s a party in your mouth kind of sandwich !
Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Ingredients
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of chopped bell peppers , either green or red even both if your feeling up to it!
6 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 -2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless shoulder pot roast
Directions-
Coat a slow cooker (about 4 quart size) with cooking spray. Place your mushroom and bell peppers in a coated slow cooker. Combine the ketchup, water, Worcestershire , pepper and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine. Using a medium sized skillet heat about a tablespoon oil and you’ll want to brown each side of the pot roast. Once it’s [Read more…]
Filed Under: food, recipes