Chicken Avocado Burgers

Chicken Avocado Burgers

1 pound ground chicken
1 large almost ripe avocado- chop into chunks.
salt and pepper to taste.

Toss chunks of avocado, bread crumbs.
Blend mixture into ground chicken. (Careful, don't mush the avocado.)
Makes 4-5 patties.
Cook indoors or out!

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Easy recipe and an all time favorite

1 package of cooked pasta, drained (I prefer shells)
1  1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup of ricotta or sour cream. (if you use ricotta and 1/4 cup.)
2-3 eggs
8 oz of shredded cheese.
salt and pepper to taste.
I add garlic and chives, it's really good!

Mix all together, be sure you mixture is creamy.
Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Dump all ingredients into dish.
Bake at 350 for 20 mins.

Projects this week!!!

This week I'll be making a fitted towels for the pool chair, kids hooded towel/cover up for the pool, and a fitted table cloth for my dining room table!! Also a hooded towel for a newborn! Here's the color pallet line up...

New project

Starting my next project!! 

Golden Wontons

Golden Wontons

1.5  packs of cream cheese, best if close to room temp.
1  8oz pack of imitation crab meat, real crap, shrimp, lobster
1 pack of wonton wrappers (usually in the produce section)
salt to taste
2-3 eggs white- for egg wash
*you can add sliced spinach leaves
** Since you'll be frying theses, oil and pan/pot.

Shred/chop your meat. You need it small, not too chunky.
Blend cheese and meat together well.
(I put the cheese mixture in a gallon size Ziploc, and cut the tip off a
corner and squeeze desired among onto each square, for convenience.)
Lay out wonton squares and place about a 1.5 tsp of the cheese mixture into each square.
(try not to over fill)
Brush egg wash around all 4 sides of wonton square.
Now you can get fancy with how you fold as long as there's egg wash to bind together sides.
I just fold corner to corner, however you wish.
Now, fry theses babies up until Golden brown.

Pool Side Caddy

Pool side caddy!

Just lay over the seat of the chair! It has 4-6 pockets on each side.
As shown, pink - terry cloth, and multi-color chevron is water proof. Measures 38x16.
If you're, interested please contact me at craftyzabe@gmail.com. Only $25.
I'd show a picture with the pool chair, but it's only 45 degrees outside, sorry! :)

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 bell peppers (save tops)
1 onion, chopped
8 mushrooms chopped
4 bell pepper tops, chopped
1.5 chicken breast
1 tb minced garlic (or tsp powder)
8 slices of any white cheese, 4 sliced thin, 4 sliced thicker. (I prefer smoked gouda)
Seasoning... fajita, southwest, chicken rub, whatever you'd like.

Pre-heat oven @ 350
Boil chicken breast until cooked, Season the water with whatever you're using on the veggies.
Sauté veggies in olive oil, set aside.
Place 1 thin slice of cheese into each pepper. (press firmly, but gently)
Once chicken is done, chop up into small pieces. (it should be tender enough to were it almost falls apart with a knife.)
Place chicken with veggies, sauté for 1-2 mins.
Pack chicken mixture into each pepper.
Once filled, place the thicker slices of cheese onto each pepper.
Cook in oven for 15-20 mins
 
 
 

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash

Super easy!!
Pre-heat oven @ 350.

Cut spaghetti squash in half. (if you only want to cook 1/2 plastic wrap the other 1/2)
Scoop out seeds, Similar to a pumpkin.
Place in a oven pan, upside down(skin side up) with about 1 inch of water.
Cook for 50 mins. any longer and it becomes a little mushy.
The top of the skin should be able to move when pushed on.
Once done, take two forks and pull away from skin until hollow.

Season anyway you want.

 

Steak salad!!

Homemade Cleaner

I'm attempting this homemade cleaner. Via Pinterest:

Orange slices

Lemon slices

Equal parts vinegar and water to cover.

I'll post results in a week. Personally I'm a little skeptical, but we shall see! 

Grocery store and budget tips!

I dread doing both of these, with a passion, but we have to eat and we have to stay on budget! 

So, every 2 weeks I sit down and make a meal plan:

16 days worth of meals- dinner and sides, breakfast, lunch. 

I write down everything that's involved in the meal. 

Then I make my list, for food. 

Group by section 

Then I make my non-food list, ex: paper towels, laundry soap... Etc

Again group like items. 

One example of cutting costs: 

1 chicken breast feeds 2 people, cut in half and beat with a meat mallet. Not only are you cutting down serving size, it actually helps with cooking evenly. 

Ground meats products, they come square, place into a freezer bag, flatten out meat. This provides quick thaw and easy flat storage.

While you're placing stuff into freezer label what dinner it is. ( I do this for the hubby, less confusion for us when it comes to "what's for dinner."

Pre-making meals:

When I get home from the store I place all veggies/fruits in water with apple cider vinegar, allowing them to wash.( this way veggies are grab and go from fridge.) 

I usually precut veggies and fruit according to each meal and place in freezer with a label, again to avoid confusion. 

Meat:

I pre-wash and cut/separate each meal, season, pack in freezer bag and label. 

If you've gotten this far you probably think I'm crazy! Ha!! This whole process doesn't take that long, honestly! And think about all the time you're going to save at meal time, especially if you're not getting home till after 5,6,7,8...whatever time!? 

I can make almost any meal in 30 mins, start to finish! 

Granted there are something you just can't freeze. I usually make those meals first, then move on to my pre-prep freezer meals. 

I can say that since I started doing this I have cut our grocery bill way below half. Perfect example, Friday I bought 16dinner+ breakfast+ lunch for only $138.00. 

I don't over buy, I try to not let things hi go waste, and I never(not anymore), but frozen meals from the store. 

Well I hope this is helpful!! 

Dino beanie crochet

Football baby cocoon.

Crockpot Low Country Boil

Crockpot Low Country Boil

Ingredients

3 quarts cold water
1/4 cup Old Bay

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 onion, diced
1 head garlic, halved (or tb of minced garlic)
6 small red potatoes cut in halves
2 ears corn, shucked, each cut into 3-4 pieces
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1 1/2-inch slices
1 pound medium shrimp, in the shell, deveined

Directions
In crockpot combine the water, Old Bay seasoning, salt,  onion, garlic and potatoes. Cook on low heat until the potatoes are tender with a knife, 4-6 hours.
Add the corn and sausage to the crock pot and simmer, 1-2 more hours.
Add the shrimp and simmer until opaque, 20 to 30 minutes more. Taste broth, salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

If you want to add more of any, go for it. My family likes shrimp, so I used 2 pounds.