Daily Activities and Italian Pasta Salad

Thanksgiving week is here! It is a busy week for us, but mostly because my last semester is wrapping up and we are moving in 2.5 weeks. Last week I managed to read the entire book, An Amish Holiday by Cynthia Keller, procrastination at it's best. The book was really a very inspiring and interesting story. It helped me to better see the value the simpler things in life, just in time for Thanksgiving!

If you are looking for a recipe to make before or after Thanksgiving, this is one of my favorite pasta salads to make. We eat it for dinner, but it would also be perfect as a side for a party.

Recipe:

• 12 oz shell pasta
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1-28 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 5 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 package italian dressing mix
• 1 tsp dried oregano 
• 1 tsp dried basil 
• 1 tsp dried parsley 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper 

Directions:

• Cook pasta according to directions and run under cold water until cool
• Transfer to large bowl
• Add in peppers, tomatoes and cheese to bowl
• In a separate small bowl mix spices, oil and vinegar together
• Pour over ingredients in the larger bowl
• Mix together, cover and chill for a few hours
• Enjoy!

Now I will leave you with some 3-year-old photography skills:

Stone Turtle (side angle)

Artwork and Towel

Garlic and Tomato Pasta

I came up with this recipe after seeing some pasta on TV, that I wanted to replicate. I pretty much just used ingredients I already had around the house and it turned out great!

Recipe: 

• 12 oz penne pasta
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1, 15 oz can died tomatoes
• 1, 6 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• Shredded parmesan for sprinkling

Directions:

• Cook pasta according to directions
• In large pot or deep skillet add olive oil, garlic, pepper and onion- cook over med heat until veggies are tender
• Add in all other ingredients except parmesan and pasta, stir to make a sauce
• Add in pasta and cook until heated through
• Serve and sprinkle parmesan on top!

Budget Grocery Shopping

I am personally interested to know about other family's grocery shopping habits. How much do they spend? What do they typically buy? Sometimes I am astounded at what I see in other people's carts for a variety of different reasons. So I thought I'd share my family's grocery shopping habits, because maybe YOU'D be interested, the same way I am.

We are a family of 3 and spend about $55 every week on groceries and toiletry items. Sometimes a little more and occasionally a little less. I generally don't do coupons, except for the ones that are located directly on the item. We eat mostly generic foods, and not that many prepackaged things. We eat meat, but try to do at least 1 meal per week with no meat. I plan out all dinners for the week prior to going shopping.

The prepackaged stuff I do splurge on includes:

• Crackers
• Cereal 
• Granola Bars
• Baby carrots (I can't stand cutting carrots)

Otherwise my typical grocery trip includes the following:1 tub plain yogurt, 3 kinds of meat (ground beef, ground turkey, some kind of chicken- 1 of which usually comes from our freezer), Peanut butter, Block of cheddar cheese, Jelly, 1 jug of juice, Gallon 2% milk, unsalted butter, Dozen eggs, Pasta, Rice, Fruits and Veggies (what ever is on sale), Canned beans or dried beans, Frozen veggies (green beans and broccoli)

For toiletry items I also buy generic brand, and we usually use suave shampoo/conditioner. There are other different items that get added per week.

To sum up, here are the points I try to remember when grocery shopping (they make my life a whole lot easier):

• One: Don't shop when hungry. When you do (because we all do) go during a time when they give out free samples, then politely decline when asked to purchase the item

• Two: Make a week long list of dinners BEFORE you go grocery shopping. This way you don't miss anything for the week, and your dinners are set. This helps me to feel on top of at least one thing during the week, and I am not scrambling to get dinner on the table.

• Three: Be thoughtful when creating your dinner list. I try to plan out quick meals for days that I know I won't be home until late. This helps the week go smoothly.

• Four: Buy generic, just about everything! It saves tons of money. 

• Five: Now this one may be controversial, but don't use coupons unless they are taped to the item at the store. From my experience most of the items that coupons can be used for at the grocery store are garbage anyway, and couponing takes precious time away from your life!

How do you do your grocery shopping? Do you have any tips?

Dinner Menu Week 2

Day 1: Lemon Chicken and Salad

Day 2: Caribbean Jerk Chicken, Bread and Cheesy Broccoli

Day 3: Turkey and Veggies

Day 4: Quiche

Day 5: Quesadillas (combine left over Turkey and Veggies with cheddar cheese and grill between tortillas)

Day 6: Breakfast for dinner
Day 7: Leftovers/eat out

Turkey and Veggies

Here is a recipe that my sister-in-law gave me. However, I am not sure where she originally got it from.  So if you happen to know, I will gladly credit that person.

Recipe:

• 2 lbs of ground turkey
• 2-6 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 cups of salsa
• 2 cups julienned red pepper 
• Minced cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 4 cups julienned zucchini
• 2 cups frozen corn 
• 2 cans green chilies 
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Brown rice to serve over

Directions:

• Cook turkey, onions and garlic in stock-pot over med heat, until meat is no longer pink. 
• Drain fat out. Add zucchini, salsa, corn, red pepper & chilies. 
• Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender. 
• Stir in seasonings and serve over brown rice. 

Quiche

Makes 2 Quiches

Recipe:

• 16 oz of frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
• 1 lb cooked sausage chopped (or mushrooms chopped)
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese 
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• tbsp olive oil
• Ingredients for this pie crust

Directions:

• Combine ingredients as pie crust directions list
• Roll 2 crusts out into pie pans 
• Add olive oil, onion and garlic to a pan and cook over med heat until onion is translucent
• Then add sausage and spinach to pan and stir frequently until heated through
• Divide mixture evenly into 2 parts and pour into the 2 pie crusts
• Mix in 1 cup of cheese per pie pan
• Whisk 6 eggs together and add salt and pepper to taste
• Pour half of egg mixture over each pie mixture
• Cook at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes 

Green Beans and Onions

This recipe serves 4

Recipe:

• 1 onion sliced into strips
• 8 oz frozen green beans
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tbsp butter

Directions:

• Heat butter and oil in pan over medium heat
• Add in rest of ingredients
• Stir occasionally 
• Cook until onions are translucent and slightly crispy and green beans are tender
• Enjoy!

Mama Leigh Diet Philosophy 101

Before I get started with planning out weekly menus, I want to let you know where I stand with this whole diet thing. So here it goes:

Rule #1: A dessert a day, keeps the doctor away.

Ha! Well, I don't know if I truly believe that, but my family does eat about a dessert a day, so my menus will include some desserts.

I have read just about just about every diet out there, not limited to, but including: gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, low-fat and the paleo diet. Now every time I look these diets, I have myself convinced that my family and I need to change our ways and start eating like that! But unfortunately they are all conflicting, you should eat tons of meat, you shouldn't eat any meat, you should avoid fats, you should eat tons of fats because thats what our ancestors did.... Its exhausting and impossible to keep up with it all.

So here is what Mama Leigh says:

 You and your family should eat food, real food! This means avoid bizarre food-like things that were created in a lab (aka Margarine), eat as many veggies as you want, don't over do it with massive amounts of meat, bread, juice, sugar or dairy. Ya know, feed your family food! Unless of course your family has specific dietary needs for medical reasons, then follow those.

Rule # 2: Have your children ask before they get any snack, except for veggies!