Blueberry Crumble Bars

Blueberry time is here! I had several containers full in my fridge and they needed a new way to make it into our bellies. Tonight we tried this recipe and we are big fans already.

Blueberry Crumble Bars

Ingredients:
CRUST
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
a pinch of cinnamon
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

BERRY MIX
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tsp cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and cinnamon. 
3. In separate bowl beat egg and vanilla. Combine with crust mixture and cut in shortening with a knife or pastry cutter. Dough will be crumbly.
4. Pat half of the crust mix into prepared pan.
5. In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Could be served with ice cream, or whipped cream. Also can be prepared with any berries. Very yummy! 

*note: original recipe found on allrecipes.com . I have adapted it based on reviews and personal taste. 

Bulk buying: yes or no?

I am all about saving a penny and having lots of food/stuff on hand. But beware of bulk purchases they are not always the best deal.

My fav bulk items from Sam's and other stores: *note: I love Costco, but the closest one is 45mins away.

• Member's Mark Baby Wipes- awesome deal on wipes and they are a good product. I highly recommend them for everyone, not just families with a diapered child. Wipes are amazing for cleaning sticky fingers, faces, steering wheels, spills on clothes, carpets, furniture.....everything!
• Krustez Pancake Mix- best deal on quick and easy, just add water pancake/waffle mix. Much better deal than buying those small boxes at the grocery store.
• Mrs. Buttersworth Syrup- At Sam's you get two large bottles. I keep a small bottle in the cupboards that we refill regularly. *note- we like the fake buttery taste, instead of the real deal maple syrup.
• Eggs- Usually are a better deal in the giant packs instead of just a dozen. 
• Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon- You get 3 packs in the box. It is not greasy like real bacon, but just as tasty and way cheaper. 
• Member's Mark Toilet Paper- BEST DEAL AROUND! Seriously, people give your bum a break from using awful toilet paper just cause you think you're saving a buck. You're not saving anything! You get 45 rolls of soft, sturdy 2ply paper. 3 squares of this are all that is needed to keep you fresh and clean. Leave the "prison paper" on the shelves and switch to this. Your buns will thank you. 
• Member's Mark Bottled Water- 40 bottles for $3.98. Ten cents a bottle.
• Target Diapers, BIG BOX- I am a huge fan of Target's polka dot diapers. They are a great value and hold it all in. I don't usually put them on my newborns, just because their bums require a little something extra. But once a size 2 they become, it is Up & Up (Target brand) diapers all the way. 

Tip: When shopping at a bulk store watch for sales and in-store coupons they feature. I have gotten amazing deals on kids' bag drinks, Ocean Spray Craisins, and a variety of other items that are not usually a guaranteed better deal in bulk. 

Bulk Items you want to be sure to price check:

• Bulk cereal- We are starting our summer of pantry living with 44 boxes of cereal, so you know we eat A LOT! But you should wait to buy most cereals until they are on sale and be sure to check their "price per ounce/pound". That number is featured on the side of the price tag on the store shelf. Many times the largest boxes are not the lowest price per pound. Also our grocery stores feature different cereal brands every week. There is always something on sale and frequently there are coupons to increase those savings. 
• Laundry Soap
• Shampoo
• Multi-packs of Deodorant
• Zipper Bags
• Tin Foil, Plastic Wrap
• Bread
• Cheese
• Lunch meat
• Fruit Rolls Ups, Fruit Snacks
• The list goes on.......

Here's the rules.

1. Know what your family likes to eat, and what prices are typical. That way when an item is on sale you can tell whether you are actually saving money. 
2. Clip your coupons regularly and keep them in an easy access location in case you find an unexpected sale.  
3. When you find a legitimate great sale STOCK UP! That cereal your kids love is on sale for $1.44, awesome. Don't buy 2, buy 4. When pasta goes on sale for $0.44, great! Don't buy 4, buy 10. 
4. Check best buy dates on really great deals. I once found Rice Krispies on sale for $0.10 a box. No joke. Well they expired that week. Thankfully there isn't much to go bad in that cereal. So I bought a ton and we made Rice Krispie treats for every occasion in the next month or so. But you don't want a cart full of refrigerator rolls that will expire in a week unless you plan on cooking them all up soon. They won't last. 
5. Take your own reusable bags. My grocery stores gives me $0.05 for each one. Its not much but its worth the extra savings. 
6. Always check the "price per pound/ounce" on the shelf sticker. That will help you know what the true comparable price is for all the different sized items to choose from. 

Happy Shopping!

Shred your meat....trust me.

Summer is too hot for the oven. I try to avoid it if I can. Also I'd rather spend my days at the beach and not in the kitchen. Here's a tip, shred your meat. But I've gotten ahead of myself.

Step 1: Pull out crock pot. Stop moaning, this is simple.

Step 2: Take 1 large chicken breast from the freezer and place in crock pot. (I buy the large packs of fresh chicken breasts at Sam's, usually about $1.88 lb. I bag each large breast in a separate freezer bag.)

Step 3: Add minced garlic (from jar in fridge) and pre-cut onions (from ziplock baggie in freezer) *when chopping onions I chop more than I need and throw the extra in a bag in the freezer. I keep adding to this bag each time I feel the need to chop a fresh onion and I'm set when it is time for a quick prep meal.

Step 4: Pour on the flavor and be generous about it. The following is a list of my fav easy additions:

• BBQ sauce
• Ranch dressing, Italian dressing, cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder
• cilantro, salsa
• sesame ginger marinade
• seriously, the possibilities are endless......

Step 5: VERY IMPORTANT! Plug in crock pot and turn it on and set lid in place! You laugh, but it has happened to the best of us. Then pick one-

• Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours ( I prefer high for 5 hours)
• Cook on LOW for 8 hours

Step 6: Enjoy your day and forget about dinner.

Step 7: After your fun day return to your kitchen and the yummy smells it beholds.

Step 8: Prepare your side dishes. Remember these are what will fill your family's belly. Be generous with the veggies and the starches. The following are a list of my favs:

• White rice, spanish rice or fried rice
• Egg noodles or pasta
• salad (so many options here!)
• quesadillas
• black beans and corn

Step 9: Remove crock pot lid and grab 2 forks. Most likely the meat will shred with little effort. Your newly shredded meat will now begin to absorb the additional juices and sauce in the pot. Allow to sit for a few minutes while you plate the side dishes.

Step 10: Place a scoop of shredded chicken on top of ___________(insert side dish here) or inside a tortilla or bun. Remember the meat is meant to be an accent to your meal, not your main staple. The sides are truly what is meant to fill your belly. The meat provides the flavor.

Step 11: Enjoy your food and be amazed at how far shredded meat will stretch.


*note: I usually do this with chicken because it s the least expensive. Similar things can be done with beef and pork. Cook times may vary.

7-Up Biscuits are awesome!

Here's a rockin' 4 ingredient recipe that my family loves. They are soft and moist like a KFC biscuit. I don't make it too often just cause I worry about the calorie intake, but I've tried to improve that as well. And we don't drink tons of soda so I keep a few cans of lemon-lime soda in my pantry just for this recipe.

7 Up Biscuits


4 cups Bisquick
1 cup sour cream
1 cup 7-up
1/2 cup melted butter (to reduce caloric intake I tried it with 1/4 cup melted butter)

Heat oven to 425 degrees

Mix bisquick, sour cream and 7 up. Dough will be very soft.

Some recipes expect you to roll them out. Not really possible. Just allow them to be drop biscuits.

Melt butter in bottom  9x13 casserole dish. Using two spoons drop large spoonfuls of batter on top of melted butter and bake for 12-15 minutes or until brown, Yields about 15.

DELICIOUS! 

If you choose to use the full stick of butter they taste prebuttered.

ignore the empty space we had to taste test them :)

Enjoy!

Pantry Living Part 2 Starts NOW!

First, this happened....

...which meant it was time for this again!

Here's the deal. My rockin' hubby is a very talented special ed teacher. He works hard in school from Sept until end of June; 10 months of hard earned pay checks. During July and August he does summer school enrichment programs, but its not equal to his 10 month salary. This is my way to help our family survive the awesome summer months. I DO NOT GROCERY SHOP!
Here are my rules to follow:

1. No non-perishable food purchases
2. No meat
3. No paper goods
4. No toiletries and household cleaners (this includes diapers and wipes)
5. Cash only for family outings and excursions
6.  If I choose to splurge on a non-perishable food item (candy bar, bag of chips etc) I must use cash.

Allowable purchases with a credit card or cash:

1. Fresh veggies and fruit
2. Milk and dairy products
3. Eggs
4. Bread

I had an awesome experience last summer with this experiment. I discovered what foods we can't get enough of (peanut butter) and what foods we don't really eat that much(bbq sauce). I got clever with my meal prep and  was sure to go through our food storage preventing out of date items. I learned to gauge my wants vs my needs. I learned our parents are a valuable resource when I find myself in a bind. And this would never be possible without storage space and an extra fridge and freezer.

So let's get this party started and start living simply and efficiently. Pantry Living for the summer is a lovely life!

Best Bread Machine Recipe Ever

It is easy.
It has 7 ingredients.
It is delish.

Take bread machine bowl with paddle inserted. Fill it with following ingredients.
-1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
-1.5 Tablespoons white sugar
-1 Tablespoon Honey
-1 package bread machine yeast or regular yeast (if you have the jar it is 2-1/4 tsp equal a package)
-1/4 cup softened butter
-1 teaspoon salt
-3 cups flour(sifted or not doesn't seem to matter)

Return bread machine bowl to bread machine.
Close lid.
My settings are: Basic or White Bread, 1.5lb, crust color light

In 3 hours and 18 minutes I have a perfect loaf of bread. It is delectable!

I also use this recipe for rolls. Only small difference are My settings: DOUGH. Remove after timer goes (mine is finished in about 1 hour and 38 mins).
Dump dough on lightly floured cutting board.
Use either pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut small stripes and then section it again.
Immediately place cut portions onto ungreased cookie sheet or glass pan.
 Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 mins. yields 12 rolls.

Only other variation I've tried to original recipe on setting: RAPID BAKE.
In 1 hour 18 mins, I have a smaller more dense loaf. It is still delicious, just doesn't rise like the original.
My 5 yr old prefers this loaf.

Happy Bread Baking!

Pantry Living Lessons Learned

 It is over! I am through, for now.

Pantry Living Before

Pantry Living After

I began with 31 unopened boxes of cereal.
I ended with  4 unopened boxes of cereal.

I had the pleasure of grocery shopping with just the baby. I spent an hour going aisle by aisle picking and choosing things we may need, things that we might like. It was nice. I may have gone a bit overboard with on sale cereals though. I bought 13 boxes :)

Anyway, I've learned much during this experiment. Here are a few:

1. I can't do it alone. Without the help of my mom and dad I would've struggled tons. They are so good to me. 
2. My husband and children are super supportive. My family rocks! David even helped with the cooking. He makes amazing crepes, homemade pancakes, stuffed manicotti, and pizza.
3. We don't eat as much BBQ sauce as I thought. 
4. We eat oodles and gobs of peanut butter. 
5. We eat approx 3 boxes of cereal a week. 
6. We eat more canned green beans than canned corn. 
7. Keeping extra loaves of bread in the freezer is a must for us. 
8. Sam's has the best and cheapest toilet paper. And it lasted all summer! 
9. We  make a lot of pancakes and syrup...I think in efforts to use less cereal.
10. If you cheat a rule once (which I did) its so tempting to cheat again (which I did NOT). Hold strong to your principles.
11. WANTS vs NEEDS This is the ultimate lesson for me. If we didn't have it I had to figure out a way to make it work. Most of the time I could do it. This lesson was demonstrated best with my goal of Cash Only, and credit cards just for gas and perishable foods.
12. I am a good shopper and saver. During the winter and spring months I was able to put away cash here and there for my summer spending. Yesterday I pulled out the last $20 from it. I believe I started in June with about $400. Yeah, I'm that good.
13. SUCCESS! I label the experiment a success. I loved it so much I may make it a summer tradition. Its a great way to work through food storage to ensure no food is being left too long on the shelf as well as to test our preparedness and resourcefulness. I would love to compare my current results with future results. If Max eats 2 bowls of cereal now....how much will he eat at age 15????

Thanks for following my progress! May this inspire you to be prepared, test your limits, and pinch your pennies! Happy Pantry Living!