Good Eats

First thing is my baby girl is 1 month already and cuter than ever. To see a full update check out her 1 month post on my other blog!

So while i have been on maternity leave i have had some time to actually cook food! I don't usually cook but we are low on money and needed efficient ways to grocery shop, save money and have meals for 15 days! So i researched recipes that had similar ingredients and used what we already had and then cooked for 2 days! They all turned out REALLY good. i didn't take pictures of them but i am going to link to where i got the recipes (credit where credit is due) and give them all my reviews. A side note: they are all SUPER easy as i have NO skill level in the kitchen. Also i kinda improvised and added/subtracted whatever i had or didn't have for all of these and they all still turned out, so the recipe is not a super strict one.

1. i made Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread! It was SO GOOD and i give it 2 thumbs up! Kel ate as much as he could. It was really easy and we used a different wing sauce (one kel preferred) and we had chicken left over so i made buffalo chicken to go on a panini (we have a panini maker and a quesadilla make so it worked well.) I actually don't like super spicy food and Kel does, but this was perfect for both of us. It has enough ranch and cheese to make me happy and he like the baked in flavor of the spicy chicken.
2. then i had a ton of apples about to go bad to i went apple recipe nuts. i made Apple Egg Rolls and they were good. i would have baked them a bit longer or even thrown the in hot oil to make them crispier, but now i know for next time. also learning how to roll egg rolls is not easy, only one actually looked good, but again something to practice. the Lemon juice: ingenious! it adds some tartness that makes the apples taste fresher and is something i will add to every apple pie recipe from now on. not too much lemon juice but definitely some. These would be awesome for a party with finger foods! Thumbs up!
3. next i made my own creation. I took a pizza dough and lined a muffin tin with it. then i created my own apple pie mix (no measurements but sugar, brown sugar, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice all mixed) into it and covered it with a crust (stick of butter melted with oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon stirred until oatmeal well coated) and baked until the crust is golden and cooked! TWO THUMB WAY UP! i was so proud i did this with no recipe, no measurements and before i had seen something like this on pinterest (i swear, i got my own idea first). I am not very creative in the kitchen but this was a turning point.

meanwhile i was doing all this cooking i needed a snack to i whipped out some pepperoni and cresent rolls and mozzarella cheese, baked them and dipped them in pizza sauce for a munchy snack! Ashamed to say i ate all but 2! That was all for day 1 of cooking, but successful!


The next day here is what i made:

1.  steamed carrots: we had carrots and since i have an all purpose cooker and was already going to make noodles i just threw the carrots on top and let them steam!
2. Buffalo Chicken Pasta: AMAZING! i was going to double this and freeze some but remember that is serves 4-6 and Kel and i are only two people so i actually cut this a bit. I baked the chicken first (healthier) with some Italian seasonings and left the extra chicken cut up for a nice salad and paninis for lunch all week! The pasta turned out great. Not a very good freezer meal unless you like spicy. Spicy foods get SPICIER with time and we left ours sit overnight and BOY WAS IT HOT! but the pasta had tons of time to absorb the sauce so the texture was awesome. I had to add ranch to it and down milk with it, but Kel LOVED it! Two Thumbs UP!We used spaghetti noodles, but i think shells or penne would be best. 
3. Tacos! no recipe just meat and taco seasoning with some green onions for more flavor then build your own!
4. Meat Thing (literlaly no clue what to call it)! Kel and i had some old chuck steaks from the 1/4 cow we got previously and it's not too good with much and super hard to cook. So i found this recipe and thought it'd try it. We couldn't however find the onion soup mix so i googled onion soup mix and picked the one i had all the seasonings for and threw it in the crock pot! then i made rice and served it over rice and OH MY GOODNESS MELT IN YOUR MOUTH SO GOOD! if i had three thumbs I'd put them ALL up! looks gross but is so creamy and good! and the easiest of them all. Kel and i are literally fighting over who gets the leftovers. and with such a crappy cut of meat- deal. so cheap to get the bad cuts from a store and it's SO GOOD and SO SIMPLE here! If everyone who reads this only tries one recipe try this one! and it's so easy you should have time to try another one too!
5. Next was my own creation (but i know lots of people who make this) Pizza Pasta! It's SO SO SO easy and very few ingredients: 
• Pasta
• 1 can pizza sauce (large can)
• pepperoni (would be good with sausage added in or any of your favorite pizza toppings for more flavor)
• mozzerella cheese. 

• Make noodles, mix everything together, top with layer of cheese and pepperoni (toppings) sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until cheese is melted all the way through. Again the noodles absorb the sauce giving a great texture and it really does have a pizza taste for any picky eaters but it looks like spaghetti and is a different way to eat an old favorite. 
• Also i have in the past used small glass bowls and made a couple "individual pizzas" for different people with their own toppings. easy way to have everyone make their own but all you have to do is cook pasta and throw the sauce on it beforehand.

 So it was an eventful and delicious day! we have enough for leftovers and meals for about a week and a half. all of these can be doubled and put in the freezer (note the spicy food clause: it gets spicier but in the freezer it halts until it thaws). Since the pasta recipes call for them to be baked later again it works really well to freeze. also get a panini maker, i am not a sandwich person, but i LOVE hot sandwiches (chicken, cheese bread and some sort or seasons- ranch or itialian dressings are my fav- 2 minutes on the panini and YUMMY) . These aren't the healthiest recipes, but the are good, easy and in moderation not bad. plus they can all be modified for health and if you (or your kids) are picky about veggies like me adding a veggy into any of these would not kill the flavor, just add to it, and it would disguise the veggies.

I am proud of my cooking now and all these recipes i looked up (i cheated, i "pinned" them) made a grocery list (it was all under $75 including the meat) and made it! Hope you all enjoy these too!

Patience...

Tonight is cecelia's first night in her own room and crib. For the first time ever tonight she had a meltdown. After a 5oz bottle she cried for 30 minutes! I know for most people thats nothing but cecelia has always been super chill and my internal alert says something is wrong. Her temp was great and after breastfeeding her she ate and seemed fine... until another 30 minutes of rocking went and no sleepy baby. Since she was already out of whack we decided to try her in her crib. She stopped fussing but is still playing around quietly. I am a bit nervous and exasperated. We will have to wait and see how tonight goes. I am just glad it was a night kel is home with me to help and support me!

randomness!

Things are going great around here. Cecelia is in a routine and it's great, i can now plan things around nap times and feedings! Honestly i have never been happier! She is almost one month (one month post will be coming when she hits it with official updates) and Kel and I are doing great. We are super excited to have his birthday this month and our anniversary next month, then it starts the holiday season!

Honestly i have never really like the holidays. I LOVE Halloween, but after that i feel like things are too stressful and overwhelming, so i kinda shut down around the holidays. This year however i am actually ready and excited for the holidays to start, but not for obvious reasons.

1. decorating our house! sure we don't even have pictures hung on the wall (working on it) or many things to decorate with, but i am SLOWLY crafting and adding things to decorate for fall/Halloween and building and arsenal for thanksgiving and Christmas. i can't wait for our house to be looking festive and homey!
2. It's Cecelia's first everything! i have to have the camera charged and ready! she's still going to be so little that all the outfits and accessories are WAY TO STINKING CUTE! But she will be big enough by then to play around with!
3. I have two major excuses to do/not do whatever floats my boat this season. Work basically has guaranteed that i will be working ON thanksgiving and Christmas and the surrounding days, which is OK with me (even before they pay my husband and I holiday pay on those days). The people at work need to celebrate and be with people who love them as much as anyone else. I can celebrate with extended family on different weekends/day and spread it out as much as possible. this relives stress because it's not just ONE day to look forward to, i have so many different days set up to celebrate with everyone individually that's it's honestly the best of both worlds. and with Cecelia i have a reason to say "no thank you" to parties and such and to just stay home and enjoy my little family as much as possible! But i also know i have baby sitters ready and willing if Kel and I do need a night away and want to relax and party with friends! 
4. i wont be sick this year like i was last year. honestly first trimester over the holidays is NO FUN! i barely ate anything last year and couldn't travel or move without getting sick, so this year i have a ton to make up for!

So really, i cna't wait to see what the holidays bring! i already have 8 different "my first christmas" outfits for Cecelia (all gifts and hand-me-downs), four more and she officially can be a part of the 12 days of Christmas!

On a final note before i post a bunch more baby pictures: i am almost ready to go back to work. Other than the separation anxiety (it's getting better) i have leaving Cecelia i am physically getting through the day on minimal caffeine (by minimal i mean LESS than before i was pregnant, more than when i was pregnant, and enough it doesn't affect Cecelia through my milk)  and naps! i am actually getting things done most days out of the week around the house and keeping physically active. Next week i plan on adding in light workouts (not released from the doctor yet, but i need to at least start walking and getting into an exercise routine) and even more activities. I go back in 2 weeks exactly. The recommended maternity leave for a c-section is 8 weeks after delivery, and work would allow that if i asked for it. However doctor said as long as i am feeling up for it and watch myself (lifting restrictions, etc) back at work i can go back whenever i am ready. The checkbook was ready last week (unpaid maternity leave= desperate checkbook), physically i am almost ready, and baby is doing SO great that she is ready for her REAL routine (not this fake one where i am around all day every day). as much as i love being with my baby all day, i am going stir crazy and miss everyone at work so much that it's insane. I am ready mentally to go back, but i definitely will enjoy my last 13 days at home!

ok: enough babble: it's picture time!

 love this outfit!

 playing with mommy!

another favorite outfit (sidenote: look how big she is getting-yet still so itty bitty)

 such an adorable face (yes i am biased)

 holding onto her cousin... while they make teh same face!

her big cousin Anna wanted to hold her!  Cecelia's such a doll about letting Anna poke and hold and jostle her!

 mommy with Cecelia!

 lifting her head up! such a strong little thing!

Keeping up

So things around here have been crazy! Kel got over 16 extra hours of overtime at work this week and its all overnights. 6 days in a row i have been on my own for nights and most of the days while kel tries to sleep. Poor guy has a hard time sleeping when all he wants to do is be with baby Cecelia. I am very proud that i have managed 6 days and nights on my own.  I know for women this is no big deal everyday, but after two weeks of recovering from the c section its so nice to finally feel like me again. I even managed to clean the house and keep up with projects and chores (mostly). Sorry about all the bragging, i just haven't functioned this well since last november!

On a different note Cecelia is doing PERFECT according to the doctor. She ia 80th percentile in height and 60th on weight. She came home from the hospital weighing 7lbs 11oz and now she is 8lbs 11oz. The do you was so excited she has already gained that much, it means she is eating great (i could have told you that) and she ia happy and so healthy. And she has been taking 2 bottles a day with no problems or confusion, as long as she gets her food!

I am hoping to post her newborn pictures soon, i need to order them first! Its on my to do list!