Pearled Barley with veggies and sweet potatoes with parmensan cheese

Cook 1/4 of cup pearled barley in 1 cup of water 12-13 minutes, meanwhile while the barley is cooking heat up veggies in dry saute pan for a 5-6 minutes over medium heat or until just tender (poke them with a fork and then give a little bit). Then cook sweet potato (first poke holes all over the sweet potato) for 7 minutes it should be still little firm, peel off the skin and chop into small cubes. Put sweet potatoes on the bottom the bowl then then veggies and then cooked barley. Put a 1 tbsp of Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

Lemon-honey glazed pork chops

Take two lemons zest them then juice them (tip: put lemon in microwave for 15 seconds- you will get more juice out the lemon) then put 1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar with the lemon juice, add 1 1/2 tsps of lime juice and two tablespoons of honey. Put two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet heat up for 1 minute and add some the lemon-honey mixture to the skillet. Add 4 thin boneless skinless pork chops to the heated skillet and cook for five minutes. Turn and cook for another 15 minutes turning a couple of times. Then spoon the leftover glaze onto cooked pork chops and enjoy!

As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!

A

Avocado,Tomato,Cheese sandwich

Take two slices of whole wheat bread and spread some avocado onto one slice with a little bit of light mayo. Add few slices of tomato to the other slice and add little bit of black pepper and add a slice of cheddar cheese or pepper jack. Combine both slices together and enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken Stir-Fry

Cut up a pkg of boneless skinless chicken tenders in to medium sized chunks add extra spicy Mrs.Dash, garlic powder, black pepper, Lemon Pepper Mrs. Dash, Red pepper flakes cook until done.  Take the chicken out and add the bell peppers and red onion and cook for 15-16 minutes add the chicken back in and keep warm. Now to make the pasta, boil a big pot of water and add angel hair and cook for 5 minutes, drain and add to the chicken and veggies. Finally add a one pkg of mozzarella cheese and pkg of thawed frozen peas to it. Enjoy!

Add a roll and nice salad and your meal is complete!

What you'll need for this recipe:

3 bell-peppers (red, yellow, orange)

half of red onion (diced)

one pkg boneless skinless chicken tenders

Pkg of mozzarella cheese

pkg of peas

everything but the kitchen sink egg dish

This dish is has a little bit of everything. First thing take a  package ham (Lunchmeat) cut into strips and then cut into the strips in cubes and brown in the skillet for 10 minutes. Then dump 10 oz pkg of spinach into the same skillet and cook until wilted. Break 15 eggs into a big bowl and add 1/4 cup whole milk and wisk them really well into frothy. Add them to the skillet and cook until no longer runny and then add 1 pkg of sharp shredded cheddar cheese to the ham, spinach, egg mixture and let it cook until melted. Also you can add a pkg of thawed and cooked bell peppers and onions to the mixture as well. Now add some hashbrown patties to the meal and it's complete!

Ways to organize your bathroom stuff

Bathroom organization

This is a good tip to de clutter your bathroom and organize it.  Go to your local dollar store and buy plastic bathroom caddies and put your mostly used products in the caddy. They usually have four sections so it’s a good way to keep your products close and use them whenever you need them.

Another way to keep your bathroom organized is to a get a bigger basket to organize your cleaning products and they will be right there when you clean your bathroom. This way will keep your bathroom neat and organized. Thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time! 

Cat information

 This is a post of cat food, treats, and cat litter recommendations.

This just my personal opinions I don’t own cat food brands or treats, or cat litter, all rights go to the companies. The main food I have been feeding my cat since she was a kitten is Friskies Indoor Delights. But she does eat other brands to like Meow mix hairball formula, it helps manage her hairballs. Also Luvsome Natural Formula she really likes and eats it occasionally. Also these are some treats I like to feed her every once in a while. First would be Meow Mix brushing bites chicken flavor she really loves them and helps take care of her teeth. Next would be Also Fancy feast duo treats natural Rotisserie chicken flavor. Finally I feed temptations cat treats chicken flavor and turkey flavor. Friskies Party Mix Naturals she loves them and meows for more of them.

Now for the litter I used Okocat cat natural wood litter clumping and also Okocat super soft clumping wood litter. It is good as it absorbs odors and it clumps really well. I highly recommend it; it is a wonderful cat litter.  Thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time! 

Rainy Day Fun

Things to do on a rainy day or night

If it is raining outside and you can’t go anywhere;  Here some activities you can do on a rainy day.

 One activity you can do is trivia about you and your partner its fun and it’s a good way to get to know your partner or learn more about someone that you already know. This activity is great for couples also.  You can offer prizes, such as:  whoever knows more about the other person.

Another activity to do is board games like monopoly, trouble, game of life and yahtzee. You can play individually or into teams, also couples can be a team and play against other couples for little friendly competition.

Another fun activity is movies, pick a really cheesy or bad movie and watch it. Then when it’s over act out your favorite parts, you will get a few laughs. Movies can be individually or solo, also well for couples to!

Invite some friends over to have snacks or pizza and just chill out.

Also a fun activity to do is make your own characters and act out what they do!  Its fun and you can make up your own show to! These are just a few activities you can do on a rainy day to make a fun way to entertain yourself or friends!

Thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time! 

Cold and Flu help and tips

Cold and Flu Staples

When cold and flu season hit these some of the foods and items you should keep stocked up. Also some tips to help with a cold or flu to help make you feel better a little bit faster.

This a way to help heal a sore throat faster:

Take some hot water and some salt mix together and gargle it (Don’t swallow it, salt water doesn’t taste good) It help soothe your sore throat and help it heal faster. Now to open a clogged up nose take a small sauce pan and fill with warm water and add 3-4 drops of eucalyptus oil and breathe in the steam. It will help open up your nose and take some pressure away in your head if you have a head ache. Also tea is a good way to help your throat to, drink whatever tea you like. Also you can add some honey and little bit lemon juice to it will taste good and feel good on your throat to!

Now some foods to have stock up when you have a cold or the flu is Jell-O, Puddings, Instant Mashed potatoes, Mac and Cheese, and Soups.

Also another thing to have plenty of when you have a cold or flu is tissues. Make sure they soft and have a pillow like texture it will make your nose feel a lot better. Remember to drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest that is the best way to get rid of a cold or flu.

Vinegar and Baking Soda Uses

Vinegar is a really good cleaner to have around it has a couple of uses. Here are some of the uses: It can be a natural cleaner to, take one cup of white vinegar and microwave it for two to three minutes it loosen up most of gunk in your microwave. Now take it out and scrub. You made need some soap and water to scrub off the rest of the gunk off. Another way to use vinegar is to clean your windows fill small spray bottle with white vinegar and spray the window use soft cloth to clean your window and then dry it with a paper towel it will leave them sparkling!  

Here’s a way to use vinegar and baking soda in the kitchen to help clean your pots and pans.  Take 3/4 cup of white vinegar and sprinkle some baking soda in heavily soiled pot or pan and turn on the stove to low heat let it start simmer for 10 minutes after the  ten minutes is up pour out the solution and scrub it with scratch-free sponge and it will make cleaning dishes a lot easier.

Now this good way to use baking soda also it’s natural teeth whitener. Take a little bit baking soda and sprinkle some on your tooth paste it will whiten your teeth good and use this tip for a week. Another way to use baking soda is to clean your shower. Take small amount of baking soda and add a little bit water to it; to make it a paste. Use an old toothbrush to scrub in hard to reach places after your done scrubbing rinse it with hot water and will help clean your shower and help get rid of mold to.  

Chore Planning

Planning Chores

Everyone hates chores, but you can get through them by spacing them out by days.

For instance, the way I do my chores is as follows:

Monday’s- I devote to vacuuming my whole house

Tuesday’s- I devote to cleaning one bathroom really well; I may also do all mopping.

Wednesday’s- I devote to what I call garbage/recycle day, I empty all the garbage/ recycle in the house, garage, ect. Then I go ahead and roll the cans out since our pickup is on Thursday’s.

Thursday’s I devote to my inventory, Couponing, grocery list. I also clean the main bathroom.

Friday’s- Of course is devoted to grocery shopping as I may go to two different stores.  Whew!

Every other Friday I have a treat night so I don’t have to cook.

So there you have it, usually my weekends are free except for normal everyday chores, or if I see the floors look bad, I may do a quick mop job or a quick vacuuming.

I sure hope this helps with anyone who is reading this.

As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!

Make grocery shopping easier

Grocery Shopping Made Easier

                                          

Step One- Inventory

First step to good grocery trip is inventory to see what your low or out of. Inventory should be once a week before you go grocery shopping.

Usually Inventory takes about 1 to 1 hour a half hour depending on what you need to stock up and buy for the week or every two weeks. Look in your pantry’s, your refrigerator, your freezer to see what you would need to buy and how much of it. It’s very important to keep up your inventory in the freezer, pantries and refrigerator so you constant know to buy those items every week.

It will help plan future meals and in the long run it will help save you money!  So when you see a good sale, be sure to take advantage of it! 

Step Two- Make up a Grocery List

                                                                                

The way I make a grocery list is by different categories and putting them under that category. Sometimes I have to add new categories or take one away depending what it is.  I make my grocery template in excel so I can edit it or change it depending on what week it is; or if I don’t need that certain category. Some of the different categories are: Bread, baking and dry, Dairy/Cold those are just few of them. Everyone’s grocery template is different so customize on what you get and need. Also I put a little * or - by what I still need or if the store didn’t have it in stock.

 I have a notes section at the bottom of my template to remind me to do stuff or get something at the end of grocery shopping trip. That’s how I do my grocery list. 

There will a second part to grocery shopping made easier Step List so stay tuned!

Step 3- Coupons & Savings/ Sales & Cycles

Couponing is a great way to save money on your grocery bill, although time consuming, it will be worth it.

I usually have help with this, my friend does all the online digital Couponing and I do the paper coupons from manufactures and grocery ads.

It is a good idea to compare your grocery store ads with other stores, some have free Friday download, and others have $5.00 Friday’s.

Grocery stores also have cycles, so when something is a really good deal, stock up for future meals if possible. Bread is a good thing to stock up on as it freezes well.

Ground beef and chicken are other good things to stock up on when on sale.

My web-site

Please check out my new web-site. I think you will really enjoy it.
https://cookingchick2002.wixsite.com/acooks

Inexpensive cat toys

Here are few inexpensive cat toy ideas:


Old Shoe laces are a cheap toy for kitties to play with.

Yarn is also another good toy (cheap to) (Red yarn preferably)

empty paper towel roll

Cardboard boxes

dollar cat toys 


Those just a few ideas their is more to come!

As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!

A

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Take two cans 10 oz chunk chicken and saute it with 1 tsp of fresh garlic (from a jar) with 2 tbsp of oil olive for five to six minutes. Cook pasta to package direction use whole box of bowtie pasta (farfalle pasta). Then add 1 pkg of broccoli cuts and cook until just tender and then add 1 pkg peas thawed, add one can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano. While that cooking mix up 1 can of cream of mushroom soup with 1/2 cup of warm water set aside. Add pasta to chicken and vegetable mixture add soup. Then top it with 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and let it melt. Sprinkle it with some dried parsley.

Sides to go with this meal a nice salad and some breadsticks. 



What you will need for this recipe:

two cans of chunk chicken 10oz (well drained)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

Hunt's diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano

1 pkg Broccoli Cuts

1 pkg of peas thawed

1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

Springtime Salads

Spring time is coming soon. Salads are a good quick meal to go to when it's to warm to cook. You could do a yummy Italian salad with orange cherry tomatoes and sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Spring Mix with bell peppers, cubed pepper jack cheese with sliver almonds. Also you can do multiple types dressings or use what you have on hand. Salads can make a quick and easy lunch to. Also a yummy grilled chicken salad to, with spring mix and roasted almonds and Parmesan cheese with ranch dressing and your done!. As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!

A

BBQ Chicken with instant mashed potatoes and roasted aparagus

Spray indoor grill with cooking spray and let it preheat and then put the chicken on the grill and cook it for 13-15 minutes. Seven minutes one side and then flip it over and cook for another eight minutes on the other side. Then finally brush the BBQ sauce over each chicken breast. Then serve with instant mashed potatoes and roasted aparagus......Preheat oven to 425 degrees and marinade the aparagus with olive oil, salt, pepper. Spread them out over a large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray and roast them for 15 minutes. 

As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time! 

A

Post Update

I will be doing one post a week, except on holidays I will including a extra for the holiday.

Be Lookout for my VALENTINE'S DAY post!

As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!

Deluxe Chicken Sandwiches

Preheat oven 400 degrees and then take a small cookie sheet and put six frozen chicken patties on them and cook them 20 minutes. (Used Tyson Chicken patties) Normal Hamburger buns are used for these sandwiches. But I used ciabatta buns for these sandwiches.

Then prepare all the toppings, slice up two big tomatoes as thin you can them.  You can use fresh lettuce but I like to use shreds for these sandwiches. Then you can add whatever cheese you like, pepper jack is really good on this sandwich. Mayo, mustard and ketchup go on the sandwich to. (Optional) Pickle slices or peppercini's, also cooked pre-cooked bacon to.

Sides to have with this meal are onion rings, chips, or mac salad.

As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!

A

Homemade Egg Sandwich

Take an English muffin and slice it in half and put them in the toaster and lightly toast them. 

Then in small skillet crack one egg or egg white, into a bowl and mix really well with salt and pepper. Then put in the skillet and cook till all solid.

 Cook six slices of Pre-cooked bacon for 40 seconds rotating halfway through cooking time. 

Then take toasted English muffin and put the egg on the bottom half then three slices of bacon and then top it with the cheese of your choice and wrap it in some aluminum foil and eat on the go! 

Mini sloppy joes

Take 1 pound of ground beef and cook it till it's all brown and no longer pink. Then take one can of manwich sauce and pour it all over the ground beef and mix it in really well let it cook for five minutes. After it's all cooked put it on mini crestscant rolls. (Optional) you can add a slice of your favorite cheese on top the sloppy joe mixture.

As always thanks for looking at my blog and I will see you next time!

--- A

Chili Casserole

This is a dish is delicious and easy to make. Also this recipe came from Woman's World Magazine. Thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time. 

A

 

 

Pita Breakfast Sandwich

This is a dish I came with up by using pita pockets this a new way to do a breakfast sandwich. 


Take two eggs crack them into a bowl with a little 2% milk and whisk them together really well, add salt and pepper. Cook the eggs until all solid, add what ever type sliced cheese you like to the eggs. You add spinach, bell peppers, cooked bacon to it. Also you can add whatever toppings you like to your eggs. Put eggs into pita pocket and enjoy! you can also do this egg whites to if you like to do so. 


As always thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!


What you need for this recipe: 

Two eggs or egg whites

Any kind of sliced cheese 

Cooked bellpeppers

Pre-cooked bacon 

Fresh Spinach 

Other Toppings 

Smore's

Take one graham cracker break in half add 1/4 of a chocolate bar and two marshmellows on top then add other half of the graham cracker on top. Then microwave it for 10 seconds and enjoy! 

This part is totally optional:
Add another layer of graham cracker, chocolate and two marshmellows for a double smore! 

Thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time!


A

Homemade Pancakes

Take 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and mix in 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder then six tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt then crack in two eggs and add 1 an half tablespoons of vegetable oil then add one cup of 2% milk and mix well. Depending on the size of your pancakes cook them anywhere from 3- 4 1/2 minutes for the few few pancakes. You may make some that don't make it to plate.....lol that's okay. So once first few are done reduce cooking time by one minute. You can add chocolate chips to the cooking pancakes or blueberries. Top with honey or maple syrup. This batch makes typically six medium pancakes depending on how much batter you use in each one. Which is one and quarter scoops per pancake. 

Serve with scrambled eggs or the eggs of your choice, bacon or breakfast sausage. Grits or toast! With a nice glass of orange juice or milk.

Thanks for looking at my blog and see you next time! 

A