From Storage Bin to Garden Box

This past week while perusing on Walmart and Target's websites for affordable garden gear, I came across a few garden boxes. What a cool idea!

Unfortunately, with our money-saving minds in full-gear, spending $150-$200 on a decorative garden box wasn't really on the top of our necessary spendings list.

So we decided to get crafty.

We have an old wooden storage box that sits in the living room. It currently serves as a place for shoes to sit on, garden tools to reside in, odds 'n ends... you get the picture. So we decided with a little TLC, it would make the perfect garden box.

It just needed to be cleaned out...

Stained...

Lined with a tarp so the box wouldn't mold...

And filled with a little potting soil and mulch...

Tada! Our very own garden box. All for a total of $44!

$15 stain
$3 mulch
$6 soil
$20 plants

Working Woman's Survival Kit

We are getting into the busy season at work, meaning long days and weeks filled with running around all day and into the night. In order to maintain appearances (and scents) I have put together a working woman's survival kit:

Contents Include: Bobby Pins, Nail Files, Statin Guard, Lint Roller, Hair Gel, hair Spray, Deodorant and Mouth Wash.

I am set for the season.

Since work is picking up and there is less time (and energy) for cooking upon arriving home, this week is dedicated to quick and easy recipes. Stay tuned!

Cream of Mushroom Round Roast

This is usually one of Mike's favorite things to cook (as are most beef products!) however, he had to work late tonight so I took on the challenge of turning a typical weekday recipe into something a little better.

The last time we made this we discussed trying to add something different. Beef roast is a pretty easy, basic dish (which is why we love it for a tired Tuesday night). So we decided to put Cream of Mushroom Soup in the baking pan...

It worked.

This was the most flavorful, moist roast we have ever tasted.
See for yourself!

1 2 lb beef eye of round roast
1 12 ounce can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 cup water
1 tbsp Montreal steak seasoning
1 tbsp emerills essence
1 tbsp evoo
Dash salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
On a baking pan mix water and cream of mushroom soup
Baste roast with evoo and season with remaining ingredients
Place pan on a cooling rack on top of the baking pan, fat side up

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes then reduce heat and bake for 2 hours at 225, or until roast reaches 130 degrees

Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers

One of my favorite recipes to make for our friends and family are our Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers. They're quick and easy and full of flavor!

16 oz lean ground beef
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup chopped canned jalapenos
1/4 cup shredded Monterey jack/cheddar cheese
2 tbsps A1 steak sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1 tap garlic powder
1 tbsp Montreal steak seasoning
Dash salt and pepper

Combine the above ingredients in a medium mixing bowl
Form into medium sized burgers, pat together tight

Grill to taste!

Optional Toppings:
Lettuce, tomato, onion, reduced fat provolone, reduced fat mayo, ketchup, brown mustard

We served with a side of Yellow Zucchini Chips!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortelloni

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package cheese tortelloni
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup northern lite Italian dressing
1 tbsp emerils essence
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp pepper and salt
1/4 cup diced white onion
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese

In a slow cooker combine chicken broth, dressing, essence, garlic powder,  red pepper flakes and salt and pepper

Add Chicken and onion

Cook on low for 4 hours

Add tortelloni, spinach, mushroom and tomato

Cook for another hour or until tortelloni are done

Top with mozzarella !

Garlic Parmesan Wings

1 bag of Tyson frozen chicken wings, unseasoned
1 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
2 tbsps garlic salt
2 tbsps fresh ground pepper

Place frozen wings in a large saucepan filled 3/4 of the way with water
Bring water to a boil and allow wings to cook in boiling water for 15 minutes

While wings are boiling, set oven to broil
Dump the pot contents into a strainer

On a greased cookie sheet, place wings and broil for 8 minutes

Take wings out of the oven and turn over
Broil for 8 more minutes

In a large mixing bowl (with a lid if available) combine dry ingredients

Toss wings in the bowl until covered on all sides

Serve! 

 If you want another sauce option, Ott's Buffalo is the best!

*Serves 3-4

Full of Flavor Crock Pot Turkey Meatballs

Cooking Time 8 hours  (4-5 on high)
Serving Size: 4-6
Makes 12 Meatballs

1 15 oz package of ground turkey
1 lb ground turkey sausage
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps red pepper flakes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 jar heart healthy tomato sauce
1 tbsp evoo
dash salt and pepper
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

In a large mixing bowl combine the above ingredients.

Place a tablespoon of evoo on the bottom of the slow cooker, and 2 cups of tomato sauce. Place half the meatballs in the slow cooker and cover with another cup of tomato sauce. Repeat with remaining meatballs and another cup of sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4-5. 

We like to serve the meatballs on toasted french bread with a little olive oil and garlic, top with Parmesan cheese!

Homemade Guacamole

Guacamole is one of our favorite snacks! We eat it with carrots, chips, on quesedillas... McKinley will just sit there and eat it plain - and why not? All those healthy fats are so good for her growing body. To make this recipe toddler-friendly just eliminate the cayenne pepper from the recipe. This recipe is a favorite among our friends and family. In fact, my family asks Mike - the originator of the recipe - to make this for pretty much any family gathering. It's just that good!

GUACAMOLE

5 Avocados
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro (you can use freeze dried but fresh is better!)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
dash salt and pepper

*A ripe avocado will give to slight pressure. It shouldn't feel mushy or very soft. The skin should be firm and the fruit should feel heavy fot its size.

Hold the a vocado firmly in your hand and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut through the skin and flesh all the way to the pit. Scoop out the pit, then the remaining insides.

Mix the avocado and additional ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

Serve with your choice of tortilla chips! OR - for a twist, put it on an egg roll wrapper and lightly pan fry it for a different twist on an appetizer.

Honey Roasted Pork Tenderloin

1.5 pound pork tenderloin
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp evoo
1 tbsp McCormick's Smokehouse Mmaple seasoning

4 red potatoes
Dash kosher salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine olive oil and honey in a small bowl, warm to soften
Baste pork tenserloin with half the olive oil and honey,  season both sides with smokehouse maple
Place on rack on baking pan

Quarter chop red potatoes baste with olive oil and honey and season with salt and pepper

Add potatoes to pan for the second hour ( Pork will take about 2 hours)  

Cook pork to 160 degrees 

Serve and enjoy!

Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Chicken

2 Chicken breasts
1 tbsp evoo
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup chopped mushroom
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup cooked white rice
Dash salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat on large grill pan
Butterfly chicken breasts and season both sides with Italian seasoning, garlic powder and ground pepper

Brown both sides of chicken, about 3 minutes per side

Place chicken on greased baking pan 

Sauternes spinach and mushrooms in grill pan (add a little olive oil if necessary) 

Put half the spinach and mushrooms in open side of chicken, top with half the mozzarella and close with a toothpick
Cook for 20 minutes
Cover top of chicken with remaining.mozzarella, cook for 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted
Serve over rice with remaining spinach and mushrooms

Yellow Submarines

It's Grill Season!

It's March, 70 degrees outside, and Mike is inspired...let's grill!

Yellow Submarines

2 Large Yellow Squash

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced tomato

1 diced jalapeno pepper

1/2 diced red potato

2 slices diced bacon 

1/4 cup shredded colby/monterey jack cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tspExtra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) - optional

(Mike made this, and he uses real bacon, not turkey bacon, (what I typically use as a lighter/healthier option). But, if he's cookin',  I'm not complainin'!

• Cut the tops off of both Yellow Squash (as Mike says, "convertible" the boats)
• Scoop out the insides and dice
• Place diced squash, onion, tomato, jalapeno, potato, and bacon into a medium sized mixing bowl
• Season ingredients with EVOO, salt and pepper and mix 
• Place ingredients into hollowed out Squash

•  Wrap in tin foil, poke a couple holes so the steam can escape

• Grill on medium heat for 30 minutes
•  Unwrap and top with shredded cheese, then proceed to grill for 10 minutes 

Pairs well with Bacon Wrapped Pork Filets!