“She lost herself, a little, in that darkness bu “She lost herself, a little, in that darkness but returned with stars beneath her skin.” Blake Auden
If I hang it, will it come? If only it was that ea If I hang it, will it come? If only it was that easy. Our area is in a serious drought with severe water restrictions and although I don’t love rainy days (my youngest does!), I don’t know that I’ve ever wanted it to rain as badly as I do now. I’ve wanted a rain catcher for YEARS, but it’s challenging to find the right design at the right price. Those things are 💰! Finally snagged this pretty one at 75% off a few weeks ago, and now I can’t wait to see it in action. Let’s go, Mother Nature, let’s gooooo!
A high school freshman and a college junior. I don A high school freshman and a college junior. I don’t even know how this happened, but here we are. I love watching their relationship evolve as they get older. When I told him I was going to her cheer showcase today, he asked if he could come right away. And afterwards, she offered to buy him lunch if he drove her to Panera. Don’t get me wrong, they bicker and yell shut up just like any other good sibling pair do, but they look out for each other and show up for each other too, and I love to see it. 🥰
Sometimes you get excited about a meal you’re ma Sometimes you get excited about a meal you’re making and it just falls flat. Not the meal, really, the experience. I used to make this recipe on the regular way back when I used to entertain a lot. It’s such a celebration of summer flavors with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil … you add hot pasta to that and mix with chopped up Brie and olive oil and dinner is done. Good stuff, flavorful and easy. I made it last night and the kids panned it. Can’t win them all, but don’t let that stop you from making it (swipe left for the recipe from Silver Palate cookbook).
To be honest, I didn’t love any of the doormats To be honest, I didn’t love any of the doormats at Hobby Lobby, but it was hard to resist the 75% off price tag. You can’t beat it for five bucks, and it turned out to be just the bit of extra sunshine I needed. Sometimes you don’t know what you need and it finds you anyway. 💛
Having Leo is like the newborn stage all over agai Having Leo is like the newborn stage all over again. He falls asleep on top of me and then I feel bad waking him up if I have to get up. 😂
My oldest is working today at a food truck festiva My oldest is working today at a food truck festival that a friend runs so we popped in for a quick visit to support both of them, and of course we can’t leave without the amazing Crab Poutine Fries from @angry_archies! The @justjerseyfest is on Main Street in Chester until 7 pm - stop by and strap a feed bag on! Bring a blanket and listen to the live music while you’re there - it’s perfect festival weather. ☀️
Happy Friday, friends, cheers to the weekend! See Happy Friday, friends, cheers to the weekend! See also: I was influenced by an IG ad and I’m ok with that. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

On Budgets and Menu Planning {and Recipe: Parmesan Chicken and Biscuit Pie}

March 22, 2012 · Narrative

Parmesan Biscuit and Chicken Casserole
So it seems that just when you think your mother can’t be right about one more thing, she really can be.  I am terrible when it comes to finances.  Always have been.  My sister was the super-saver.  I was the teen begging for a ride to the mall to spend a crisp $5 bill burning a hole in my pocket.  Although that temptation has long since subsided, I’m always a work in progress.

My mom suggested keeping track of where I spent every dollar (from a Starbucks run to a newspaper to paying an insurance bill) for a month.  I really just did it to reinforce the fact that I knew where I was spending money.

And, of course, I didn’t.  Not completely anyway.  For the entire month of January, I kept careful track in a little notebook I carried everywhere with me.  At the end of the month, I gave her my notes and she plugged the numbers into different categories (food, entertainment, medical, clothes, utilities, etc.).  In a glance I could instantly see how much I was spending and on what.  Some totals (food, for example) downright shocked me.  Others I had a firm handle on (more like the fixed expenses).

I was spending way too much on food.  Even rationalizing that that amount included everything from cleaning supplies and health and beauty aids, right down to cat and dog food … it was still way too much.  Even given the fact that I cook so much (and a lot of it is for freelance work).  Still.way.too.much.

The other thing that glared at me as I looked at the numbers?  If you look down the food column (which also indicates what stores the money was spent at), it showed $15 here, $3 there and oh $2.67.  There were maybe 20-25 entries for the month.  Running into the store every time I need something causes extra time, gas, and energy.  Seeing how many stops I (unknowingly) make during the course of a week (or the month) was another eye-opener for me.  Especially at what gas costs these days.  And as for extra time?  I don’t have much of it, and if I have extra time, I’d much rather spend it doing something fun with the kids, family, or friends.  Not making three trips to the grocery store in one week, you know?

So for February, I started to make little changes.  I planned menus.  For every week.  I shopped twice during the month at Shop Rite (online, see more on that below) and got nearly everything I needed.  But more importantly perhaps, I allowed for flexibility.  I might not have the exact dish on the exact night I schedule it for, but I had a plan and the ingredients, so I was ready.  I also built in nights for leftovers, foraging in the freezer, and using already-purchased pantry items.  To further grab hold of what was going on in my kitchen.

And then I went one step further.

I ordered all our grocery needs online.  There are a bunch of grocery stores that do it (including Stop ‘n Shop, Shop Rite, and Fresh Direct).  As an aside, I’m totally jealous of those of you who have Fresh Direct.  It’s gotten closer to us as a delivery zone (my mom loves it and uses it, as does my sister), but so far, they don’t deliver to our town.  Each place has pros and cons.  I use Shop Rite because I think their sales are better.  Every other Friday, I placed my order to cover what I would need for the next two weeks.  Then I supplemented it by one weekly stop at the store to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables because a) that stuff isn’t going to last two weeks and b) some of it I want to see and feel.  And then one trip every two weeks to Costco.  Because some of their items are cheaper.

So instead of making 3-4 trips a week, I was now down to six trips a month.  All told.

I honestly couldn’t wait for the end of the month (February) to see the effect this planning had on our food totals.  Ready?…

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Malted Milk Ball Cupcakes

April 23, 2009 · Narrative

Malted Milk Ball Cupcakes
Today an old acquaintance from high school mentioned cupcakes, and I immediately perked up. Not just at the mere mention of cupcakes, but she went on to tell me about a store that’s about 30 minutes from here that is a “sprinkle selection paradise.” A store specializing in everything a baker or candymaker would need?  Dangerous waters for me indeed. Every time I go to a food store, I always take a quick peek at their baking aisle to see if there are any special sprinkles or odd items I might not find elsewhere. And now to find out that there’s an entire store dedicated to such things? Mark my words, I’ll be making a trip there very soon.

Now speaking of cupcakes, I’ve got another one to introduce you to … Malted Milk Ball Cupcakes. This is the second recipe I’ve tried from Anne Byrn’s book, Cupcakes!, and although I loved the Orange Marmalade Ricotta cupcakes I made a few weeks back, one bite into this one, and those memories were quickly erased. OMG good. Know this: I’m very careful with deeming a finished recipe OMG-worthy.  If there’s too many, you might not trust me, you know?  And I want you to trust me.  At least when it comes to food.  Out of the nearly thousand recipes I’ve written about here, the list of OMG recipes is still quite short, so you know I take it seriously.

I had to ration myself one of these little malted milk ball babies a day, and quickly gave away half the batch to resist any further temptation. Like Anne’s other recipes, this one is quick and easy and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already. The addition of the sour cream makes these cupcakes crazymoist, and I daresay this might be my new go-to recipe when it comes to needing to make cupcakes.

Her recipes tend to be a bit lengthy, but only in the wordy sense, not in time expended.  She just goes into a little more detail than most when it comes to the recipes’ instructions, so while it may look long, I promise you, it’s worth it to jump in.  Honestly, it didn’t take more than 10-15 minutes to get the cupcakes in the oven, and that seems about perfect when the results are this good.  I mean, seriously, did you see that picture? Dig in!

…

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Orange Marmalade Ricotta Cupcakes

March 29, 2009 · Narrative

Orange Marmalade Ricotta Cupcake

My mom has been working her way through a cupcake cookbook recently.  Two recipes down, and so far I haven’t had the chance to taste any yet.  She was killing me; she knows how much I like cupcakes!  I asked which cookbook it was and when she told me it was Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor, I went online to order a copy for myself.  As soon as I saw the cover, I stopped for a second.  I could swear I have that book somewhere.  I searched through all my cookbook shelves, one title at a time.  Nothing.  So either I’m losing my mind, I lost the book during the move, or I just remember seeing the cover online, perhaps from looking at Anne’s other books, and never actually purchased it.  After making sure I really didn’t have it, I ordered it.  You know how I am with cupcakes.  I couldn’t not order it, right? 

I had to go to Nick‘s school for a function last week, and I thought that would be the perfect opportunity to try out my first recipe from the cookbook.  I chose a recipe that my mom had already made, the Orange Marmalade Ricotta Cupcakes with Marmalade Buttercream Frosting.  She raved about it when she made it, so it seemed only right to start there, especially since I had all the ingredients on hand already.

Because Anne is “doctoring” a cake mix, you get to skip all those pesky steps of measuring flour, baking soda, baking powder and what have you.  In just a few minutes, the batter was in the oven, peacefully doing its thing.  Once they come out, you brush them with a marmalade glaze and then after they’ve cooled, you slather marmalade-enhanced buttercream frosting over the tops.

Some of us couldn’t wait that long.  Madeline is becoming quite the cupcake aficionado like the rest of us and as soon as she saw the rows of cupcakes sitting on the counter, she started shrieking for one.  She has inherited my mom’s sweet tooth, no doubt, and nothing was going to stand in her way.  She pushed the stepstool over to the counter and started climbing up to reach them.  I rescued the batch and started peeling off the liner of one of the frosting-free ones for her.

Hands down, these have got to be the moistest cupcakes I have ever had or made to date.  They are to-die-for moist.  The buttercream frosting was good, though I added a bit more sugar because I like mine a little stiffer (a la Billy’s Bakery).  With this being my first introduction to the Cupcakes! cookbook, I think we might be in a little trouble here.

*Besides being a popular cookbook author, Anne Byrn is also a contributor to Cottage Living magazine, among other places.  When I saw some of her recipes up on the MyRecipes site (part of the Cooking Light family), that reminded me that I’m a little tardy in telling you of some of my recent articles over there.  You can check out a favorite salad,  this piece on cooking classes, a delicious homemade pizza, chocolate covered pretzel rods, and … well, there’s plenty more, but that should keep you busy for now.  :)

…

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“She lost herself, a little, in that darkness bu “She lost herself, a little, in that darkness but returned with stars beneath her skin.” Blake Auden
If I hang it, will it come? If only it was that ea If I hang it, will it come? If only it was that easy. Our area is in a serious drought with severe water restrictions and although I don’t love rainy days (my youngest does!), I don’t know that I’ve ever wanted it to rain as badly as I do now. I’ve wanted a rain catcher for YEARS, but it’s challenging to find the right design at the right price. Those things are 💰! Finally snagged this pretty one at 75% off a few weeks ago, and now I can’t wait to see it in action. Let’s go, Mother Nature, let’s gooooo!
A high school freshman and a college junior. I don A high school freshman and a college junior. I don’t even know how this happened, but here we are. I love watching their relationship evolve as they get older. When I told him I was going to her cheer showcase today, he asked if he could come right away. And afterwards, she offered to buy him lunch if he drove her to Panera. Don’t get me wrong, they bicker and yell shut up just like any other good sibling pair do, but they look out for each other and show up for each other too, and I love to see it. 🥰
Sometimes you get excited about a meal you’re ma Sometimes you get excited about a meal you’re making and it just falls flat. Not the meal, really, the experience. I used to make this recipe on the regular way back when I used to entertain a lot. It’s such a celebration of summer flavors with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil … you add hot pasta to that and mix with chopped up Brie and olive oil and dinner is done. Good stuff, flavorful and easy. I made it last night and the kids panned it. Can’t win them all, but don’t let that stop you from making it (swipe left for the recipe from Silver Palate cookbook).

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“She lost herself, a little, in that darkness bu “She lost herself, a little, in that darkness but returned with stars beneath her skin.” Blake Auden
If I hang it, will it come? If only it was that ea If I hang it, will it come? If only it was that easy. Our area is in a serious drought with severe water restrictions and although I don’t love rainy days (my youngest does!), I don’t know that I’ve ever wanted it to rain as badly as I do now. I’ve wanted a rain catcher for YEARS, but it’s challenging to find the right design at the right price. Those things are 💰! Finally snagged this pretty one at 75% off a few weeks ago, and now I can’t wait to see it in action. Let’s go, Mother Nature, let’s gooooo!
A high school freshman and a college junior. I don A high school freshman and a college junior. I don’t even know how this happened, but here we are. I love watching their relationship evolve as they get older. When I told him I was going to her cheer showcase today, he asked if he could come right away. And afterwards, she offered to buy him lunch if he drove her to Panera. Don’t get me wrong, they bicker and yell shut up just like any other good sibling pair do, but they look out for each other and show up for each other too, and I love to see it. 🥰
Sometimes you get excited about a meal you’re ma Sometimes you get excited about a meal you’re making and it just falls flat. Not the meal, really, the experience. I used to make this recipe on the regular way back when I used to entertain a lot. It’s such a celebration of summer flavors with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil … you add hot pasta to that and mix with chopped up Brie and olive oil and dinner is done. Good stuff, flavorful and easy. I made it last night and the kids panned it. Can’t win them all, but don’t let that stop you from making it (swipe left for the recipe from Silver Palate cookbook).
To be honest, I didn’t love any of the doormats To be honest, I didn’t love any of the doormats at Hobby Lobby, but it was hard to resist the 75% off price tag. You can’t beat it for five bucks, and it turned out to be just the bit of extra sunshine I needed. Sometimes you don’t know what you need and it finds you anyway. 💛
Having Leo is like the newborn stage all over agai Having Leo is like the newborn stage all over again. He falls asleep on top of me and then I feel bad waking him up if I have to get up. 😂
My oldest is working today at a food truck festiva My oldest is working today at a food truck festival that a friend runs so we popped in for a quick visit to support both of them, and of course we can’t leave without the amazing Crab Poutine Fries from @angry_archies! The @justjerseyfest is on Main Street in Chester until 7 pm - stop by and strap a feed bag on! Bring a blanket and listen to the live music while you’re there - it’s perfect festival weather. ☀️
Happy Friday, friends, cheers to the weekend! See Happy Friday, friends, cheers to the weekend! See also: I was influenced by an IG ad and I’m ok with that. ✨

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