I'm Still Here

Happy New Year everyone! I hope your holiday week was a good one. Mine was good, but incredibily busy. Hence the lack of posting. We have family here this weekend too.

Posting and "What was for dinner?" will be back to normal next week, but I did want to drop in here quick to wish you a Happy New Year. Have a great weekend!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas.

Image Credit: Lucy Learns

So easy. . .

That even a six year old can do it . . . 

And a four year old . . .

And even a two year old.

The ten year old can also, but he was busy with another project while we made these chocolate covered pretzels for Christmas. 

Free Health and Beauty at CVS

If you aren't neck deep in Christmas baking or Christmas wrapping, and you have the energy to go shopping, CVS is having a two day sale (today and tomorrow only) featuring a lot of freebies (free after you get your extra bucks that is.) Coupons can also be found for many of these items turning them into money makers for you.

Personally, I have no intention of leaving the house with the kids to go shopping this week. Luckily I have a wonderful husband who also loves to bargain shop! So tonight I am making a list and matching it with coupons to send with him tomorrow morning. A couple of highlights from my list. Free Listerine mouthwash. Money maker (with coupon) on Zantac 150, Free Halls Natural cough drops, and Gillette Fusion razor cartridges (spend $15 get $5 ECB paired with coupons to get free shampoo and body wash!)

Check out the Hot Coupon World CVS page for a complete listing of the deals and where to find coupons to match. Remember many of these free deals are only good for two days! 

Seeing in the dark?

Jenn is having a super cool give away; Night Vision Goggles! Head over there quickly though this is a one day event. Entries will be taken until 10:00 tonight! Good luck to you!

Frugal Upstate: Giveaway! Eyeclops Night Vision Goggles.

What was for dinner? #3

What a crazy week! Full of scheduled activities and unexpected (some of which were unwelcome) surprises. It made for "interesting" meals this week. 

Saturday

We had a 4-H community Christmas dinner. I took a crock pot of green beans, cranberry sauce, and a plate of cookies. Apparently there was a miscommunication, and we had at least double the green beans we needed. I returned home with a crock pot of green beans, a bit of cranberry sauce, an empty cookie tray, and a gallon bag of leftover turkey.

Sunday

Turkey noodle soup, biscuits, cranberry sauce, and green beans. 

Monday

Kellen (10) had a band concert. He needed to be there at 6:00 and Tim was going there straight from work. Right about the time I needed to start dinner Lydia (6) walks into the kitchen, "Mommy, I just threw up." 

My dinner cooking time turned into settling a sick child, cleaning up her mess, and scrambling to find a way to get Kellen there. Those who went to the concert had peanut butter and jelly on their way out the door. Those (who were eating) that stayed home had turkey sandwiches.

Tuesday

We had a homeschool co-op meeting. We were having a science fair and a dinner. I was organizing the dinner.  We took pepper jam over cream cheese with crackers and carrot and celery sticks with dip. 

Lydia was feeling better, but still not 100%. My mom was able to watch her in the morning. By lunch time Lydia felt well enough that they joined us for the co-op dinner. The juggling this day was caused by the weather. 

It had been wet and Monday night it turned cold and snowed. Tuesday morning was full of watching the weather, the news and the school closings (We cancel co-op when the county closes the schools.) while answering emails and phone calls about people coming or not coming to co-op because of the weather. 

In the end the roads were fine, and we did have our meeting. It was well after three before we got home. With the craziness of the previous days, a simple dinner was all I had the energy for. Dinner Tuesday was hot turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes, and you guessed it, green beans. 

Wednesday

Ginger garlic stir fry and rice.

Stir fry around here is made with whatever we happen to have. This week it included venison(harvested here), carrots and celery (leftover from co-op,)  cabbage, fresh ginger and garlic. It turned out really well. 

Thursday

Salmon patties, garlic redskins, and green beans. (Yes the beans are almost gone, and yes the family is starting to cringe a little when they see them.)

Friday

Quite honestly I am not sure. Vivian (2) was up multiple times last night, and I haven't had enough coffee yet to make my brain fully functional. Judging by the leftovers in my refrigerator turkey pot pie looks like a good bet, or perhaps turkey vegetable soup. 

Please use Mr. Linky if you'd like to share "What was for dinner?" in your house this week. 

Canning Stew Meat

Stew meat is made from the tougher cuts of meat and from pieces of meat that are trimmed from the better cuts of meat. Canning stew meat makes this meat tender, and creates a ready to go start for quick and easy meals like beef and noodles or beef stew.

Canning the meat is simple. Cut the meat into bite sized pieces trimming the fat off. Put the meat into clean hot jars. Leave one inch head space. No need to add any liquid. The meat will create its own broth during processing.

Place lids and rings on the jar. Process in a pressure caner at 11 pounds pressure. Pints need to process for 75 minutes and 90 minutes for quarts.

No need to slow cook or simmer these tough cuts of meat in your recipes now. They come out of the jar tender and delicious. Add to cooked vegetables, noodles or rice for an quick dinner.

Works for Me Wednesday