tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49214683977069643772024-02-20T14:57:27.530-05:00Homeward HeartsLife happenings of an elementary school teacher turned stay at home mom. The journey of focusing our family on our home culture and having an eternal perspective.Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-6367018070986654872014-01-08T16:30:00.001-05:002014-01-08T16:30:17.909-05:00Distraction FreeThis week I have embarked on an adventure of not using my phone so much. I must admit that I [was] addicted to my phone. Not addicted like I couldn't breath without it in my hand, but addicted in the sense that it was truly a habit to have it in my hand. There was a time when someone asked me why I didn't have an iPhone. I used to not want one, because I disliked the idea of being connected all the time. Then I got talked into one at the Verizon store in 2011 and have been connected ever since. <div><br></div><div>At first, my intentions were good. I'm a teacher at heart and a lover of learning. Now that I had this great device, there were no more "I dont know's". I've become on expert on many topics that interest me. Then it was Facebook, Instagram, email, texting, etc. All have good intentions of being able to keep up with friends no matter the distance, which is appealing to me, since I have friends all across the nation. But, ultimately, those things can become distractions from real life. I would never say that my addiction to my phone was serious. In fact, I have made jokes about other people who are <i>obviously</i> so much more addicted than me. <i>*please hear the self-denial*</i></div><div><br></div><div>The past few months, I began to realize that sometimes knowledge isn't a good thing. If searching for new information takes away from the moment I am in with my family, it isn't good or helpful. If keeping up with a friend on Facebook becomes more interesting than playing with my son, it isn't okay or justifiable. </div><div><br></div><div>So this Sunday night, I made a few promises to myself:</div><div>A promise that the first thing I reach for in the morning will be my Bible instead of my phone.</div><div>A promise that I wouldn't miss another moment of my son's childhood that I don't have to.</div><div>A promise that nothing on my phone would consume my time.</div><div>A promise that I would leave my phone in another room while my son is awake and/or my husband is home.</div><div><br></div><div>It's only Wednesday, it's been just 3 days. I've had more fun with my son than I ever have before. I've had greater clarity while reading God's Word than ever before. I've enjoyed more exciting and intriguing conversations with my husband than we have had in months. I have truly rested when I've had the time and I have been so much more productive during the day than normal.</div><div><br></div><div>It was time for me to stop making excuses, to stop justifying a distracted life. It was time for me to start living in the moment again. Jesus has blessed me so much, so much that sometimes it's overwhelming. I never want to take the blessings for granted.</div><div><br></div><div><i>Hebrews 12:2 We must focus our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. </i></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-67145836809292911092013-10-24T09:48:00.000-04:002013-10-24T09:48:07.086-04:00There isn't Room.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">When I was pregnant with Hatcher, I was blissfully awaiting my little guy's arrival making sure his nursery was perfect, interviewing pediatricians, learning all the tricks to the perfect swaddle, preparing for the perfect birth experience (that I was sure would happen before his due date) and preparing his cloth diaper stash. When his due date came and went, I was somewhat let down, but was still preparing and counted it as extra time to make sure that we were "ready". I quickly learned that all the plans that I made and stressed over were mostly out the window from the night that my water broke on...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You see,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">* I said I would never have a c section and I did. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">* I said that I would never let Hatcher sleep in the bed with us, and he slept with us the second night home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">* I said I would transition Hatcher to his crib by two months and he didn't fully transition to the crib until much later than that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">* I said I would never feed my baby anything other than homemade, organic baby food, and now Hatcher chows down on Gerber non-organic fruit and yogurt pouches daily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">* I said that I would never allow my child to watch TV before age 2, and now Saturday mornings, Hatcher enjoys watching Sports Center with his dad while I drink a whole cup of hot coffee (my fellow mamas know what a treat <i>THAT</i> is). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The list could go on and on....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As Dan and I talk now about "plans" for what we think may happen when Hatcher is 3, 4, 8, 12, 16 years old and for our future children, we <i>always </i>laugh. We know what happened to our plans from when we were just preparing for Hatcher. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Was it wrong to make plans? Was it a waste of time to prepare for our child like we did? </span></b></div>
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was not wrong to make plans. It showed that we were trying to prepare
and do our part for the blessing of a child that we were about to
receive. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One thing that I have learned is that we can make plans all we want, but Jesus gets the final say. If we did not make any plans, <i>that</i> would have been foolish. What would have been wrong though, is if we didn't allow God to direct our steps even if he directed our steps<i> away</i> from our plans. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The examples I gave are simple examples and seemingly not really life-altering decisions. But something I learned about myself was that the decisions we had discussed before Hatcher arrived were often rooted in <i>fear</i>. Fear that something would affect Hatcher for the rest of his life, fear that something would cause Hatcher to get sick, fear that other moms would think badly of me, fear that I wouldn't be a good mom...</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fear. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.<span class="p">"</span><br />2 Timothy 1:7 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As much as I would have liked to have said, "I've prayed about these decisions that I made about how we would "raise" our baby", I couldn't say that. I made the decisions <i>out of fear</i> and what research said was <i>best</i>. I didn't consult God even one time and while it may seem trivial to pray about whether or not Hatcher should sleep on his back or stomach, God <i>is</i> concerned with every detail of our lives no matter how small it may seem and does not want us to live in fear. He wants us to live in His power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I said "raise" our baby in the last paragraph, because when I was pregnant, I considered the decisions I made to be the <i>utmost</i> important decisions and if I did those things right, then I would be doing a good job at "raising" our children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Then God spoke to my heart in a way that I won't forget. When Hatcher and our future children are adults, they will <b>not</b> go around asking their friends...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"Did your mom let you eat non-organic food?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"Did your parents let you watch TV before your were 2?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"Did your mom formula feed or breast feed you?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"Were you born via csection , a natural non-medicated birth, or did your mom get an epidural?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">No one will be able to look at them and tell if they were put to sleep on their back or their stomach or if they ever slept in the bed with their parents on those nights that they just wouldn't go to sleep any other way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">However, their friends <b>will</b> look at them and know that they are full of integrity and compassion. They will know that they love Jesus and live to serve Him. They will know that they love others unconditionally and that they want to glorify God in all they do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That is what <b><i>raising</i></b> a child is about. Those decisions that I researched until my eyes hurt are so trivial. It is good to research and know information, but its also important not to live thinking that these decisions will make or break who <i>you</i> are as a parent. It's important to follow God's promptings. If I'm truly pursing God and working towards teaching my babies about Him (Hatcher and future children), I won't have a fear of trivial things that won't matter in 20 years, but I will have a reverence for what God can do in a child to grow him into a great man of God. You see, I was so focused on the less important decisions, that I wasn't focused at all on the decisions of how I would teach my kids about Jesus and if my life and Dan's would truly reflect Jesus' character (<i>or fear</i>) and be an example they should imitate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Of course it is important to plan. It is important to make decisions. But, every child is <i>different</i>. Every mother and father is <i>different</i>. And God prompts<i> different</i> people to do <i>different</i> things. Every parent will parent <i>differently</i>- and we all have <b>something to learn </b>from one another. But, the thing that is the same, is that we should all be so focused on living a Godly life and teaching our children about Him and His character, that all those other decisions will be easy to make. They'll be easy because we are living in God's will. And the amazing thing about following His promptings... is that he ALWAYS works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). So if we make a right decision, He will use it for good. If we make a wrong decision, He will work <b>GOOD</b> through it. He's a BIG God. He's in control and so much bigger than all those little decisions. He will guide our steps and use all the faith we have in Him during those decision making times to grow our children into an army for Jesus for the next generation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />So, moms, don't focus too long on unimportant things and <i>most importantly</i>, don't judge or look down on other moms who don't make the same decision as you. Those things are so small. Encourage other mothers so that they can more effectively point their children to Jesus too. You can't effectively minister to someone or be a friend to someone that you are condemning in your heart. When we judge other mothers and fathers, we aren't leaving room for the character of Jesus to shine through us (Romans 8:1). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Set your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and the rest will fall into place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> He is the <b>perfect parent</b> after all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There isn't room for fear and faith in Jesus in our hearts at the same time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There isn't room for our self centered plans that we don't want to give up and God's plans in our hearts at the same time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There isn't room for </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">condemnation for others and Jesus' love and compassion in our hearts at the same time. <br />There isn't room for striving to be a perfect parent according to what research says and striving to be a Christ-Centered parent at the same time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There isn't room. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Scripture from this post: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text 2Tim-1-7" id="en-NASB-29817">For God has not given us a spirit of<sup> </sup>timidity, but of power and love and<sup> </sup>self discipline.</span>" 2 Timothy 1:7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Rom-8-28" id="en-NASB-28145">And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to <i>His</i> purpose." </span>Romans 8:28 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Rom-8-1"><span class="chapternum"></span>"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.</span> <span class="text Rom-8-2" id="en-NASB-28119">For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." </span>Romans 8:1-2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="text Heb-12-1">"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,</span> <span class="text Heb-12-2" id="en-NASB-30215">fixing our eyes on Jesus, the<sup> </sup>author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." </span>Hebrews 12:1-2 </span></div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-79950387872749604742013-10-02T16:06:00.002-04:002013-10-02T16:06:49.771-04:00A Week of Turkey<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Last week, I shared our plan to eat off of a <a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2013/09/pork-its-whats-for-dinner.html" target="_blank">Boston butt cut of pork</a> all week. It turned out so great and was so inexpensive. I had our <a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2013/09/october-meal-planning.html" target="_blank">whole month of meals planned for October</a>, but I had to make a few changes after finding some great deals at the grocery store. This week I found a great deal on turkeys. A whole turkey was 1.09 per pound. Even though turkey may be a little more per pound than a chicken, I feel like there is more edible meat per pound on a turkey. So, as I type, there is a turkey cooking away in our oven. A whole bird of any kind is often intimidating to some people. Don't be afraid! It's super easy and saves you money and keeps you away from other more processed meats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u><b>Crock-Pot Method</b></u>: A turkey won't fit in a crock pot, but a chicken will. This is the super easy method. Just unwrap the chicken from the packaging, wash it off, take the giblets out of the chicken, and place in the crock pot. Sprinkle heavily on both sides with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 2 hours on high, flip the chicken, and cook for 2 more hours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><u>Oven Method</u></b>: This is the typical way to cook a turkey or chicken. Use a roasting rack (where the bird is not sitting in its juice). Unwrap the chicken or turkey from its packaging, wash it off, removes the giblets, and place on roasting rack. Sometimes a turkey, especially around Thanksgiving, will come "trussed". Trussing a turkey (or chicken) just means tying the legs together so that they are close to the body of the bird. It makes sure the dark meat cooks at the same rate. So if your turkey or chicken isn't already trussed, do that before baking. Sprinkle heavily with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cover in aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes per pound on 350 degrees. I always find that on top of the 20 minutes per pound that I need to add about 20 more minutes. I usually take the foil off during those 20 minutes so that the skin gets crispy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMY9tXRrTPjR0Mj_r5KmSZBeCx0jQU8PTMQifk4JFa5XsNAfQcJU5W4gZ-A0dPQaA6yufODLet4wp4FR9VHVAM_AiBcziN6726A-H2zd7fYejiPCPCgRP-Rw73kZzoTylvY7ixHuyilQ/s1600/turkey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMY9tXRrTPjR0Mj_r5KmSZBeCx0jQU8PTMQifk4JFa5XsNAfQcJU5W4gZ-A0dPQaA6yufODLet4wp4FR9VHVAM_AiBcziN6726A-H2zd7fYejiPCPCgRP-Rw73kZzoTylvY7ixHuyilQ/s320/turkey.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With either method, you definitely need to allow the bird to "rest" for about 20-30 minutes. This allows it to cool a little and ensures that it is moist when you start cutting into it. If you skip this step, when you cut into it, a lot of the juices will just run out. Also, you can customize your seasonings and even stuff some lemons or onions inside the chicken or turkey. If I'm cooking for the whole week, I just keep the seasonings simple so that the flavors will go with every meal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Since its Wednesday, and I'm just getting started for our meals, we'll be eating turkey into the weekend! I made chili on Monday night and we've been eating off of that so far this week (YUM- perfect fall treat!). My hubby has been having a very stressful week at work so I want to make him something special for tonight. He loves Thanksgiving type meals, so I'm making turkey and gravy, healthy sweet potato casserole (sans all the butter and sugar), and some roasted vegetables. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnWpsSS81kCeJJy4Q28UPyEO608Ds-9mf2D9AsH6VF5-qvzBc73E0xsHkbXJOiFAWYAPi8YkUOeghS-93bZuwNiGLI20QCpYvv9ooOu1BsF36ZErwlkclyP4LfzKEfvVpVxpfQGtfXGQ/s1600/soup.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnWpsSS81kCeJJy4Q28UPyEO608Ds-9mf2D9AsH6VF5-qvzBc73E0xsHkbXJOiFAWYAPi8YkUOeghS-93bZuwNiGLI20QCpYvv9ooOu1BsF36ZErwlkclyP4LfzKEfvVpVxpfQGtfXGQ/s320/soup.png" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A Week of Turkey:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u>Wednesday</u>: Turkey, sweet potatoes, and roasted green beans</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u>Thursday</u>: We'll enjoy leftovers from Wednesday</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u>Friday</u>: Soup and Salad with Turkey Noodle Soup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u>Saturday</u>: Turkey Enchilada Casserole</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u>Sunday</u>: Turkey, Black Bean, and Spinach Quesadillas</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, even though I had to rework our monthly meal calendar. The great deal that I found on turkey helped us plan for some extremely yummy suppers this week and saved us some money! </span></div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-82899643750068977022013-09-30T10:47:00.002-04:002013-09-30T10:47:23.590-04:00October Meal Planning <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A few months ago, I shared the<a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2013/02/meal-planning-part-i.html" target="_blank"> basics to meal planning</a>. Since February, we have been planning our meals for the <i>whole month</i> and only shopping <b>TWICE a month</b>! It has completely changed our grocery budget and keeps us accountable for keeping to our list and not making impulse purchases. Even when impulse purchases are small at the grocery store, those little $4-$5 purchases really add up over time. It's also such a relief to only have to shop twice. I personally hate grocery shopping and even more so now with a little one. So this keeps our shopping trips to an absolute minimum. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here is our calendar for October!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I didn't plan the last week quite yet since we have extra time in October it seems. My meals are very simple and extremely inexpensive this month. We have a savings goal that we are trying to meet, and I'm keeping groceries on the simple side. I also started color coding the weeks that I shop for together. This helps me to coordinate protein choices. An example, for the burgers and chili in the first purple week, I can buy ground meat in bulk. I listed out special events and our church bible study group, because I don't have to cook those nights! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's amazing what this simple planning step has done for our budget, but its not only good for our wallet. It has also been really great for our health. Used to, if I didn't know what to cook or feel like it, we'd often just run out and pick up fast food. Now if I know I will be tired by evening, I usually put something in the crockpot for supper around lunch time. If the meal that is planned for that night isn't crockpot friendly, I just switch it with one that is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Have you tried meal-planning yet?</span></div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-31538528522696056692013-09-25T11:06:00.000-04:002013-09-30T10:50:47.740-04:00Decisions, Decisions<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I had no idea when we had a baby how many decisions we'd have to make and how much judgement would come with certain decisions. It's been a learning process for me. And I've learned that I have to make decisions that I'm at peace with, are research based, and above all follow God's promptings. I've leaned on His guidance for help in making many decisions, <i>but not enough</i>. And I can tell that when I ask for His input, I'm so much more peaceful about the outcome of the decision, no matter <i>what</i> others have to say about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One thing that God has been working on me with is our lifestyle. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As
I have gotten older, and having quite a few [too many] family members with
diabetes, I've researched ways to help keep our family healthy and
disease free.</span> Let me first say that I'm not into <b>fear-driven "research"</b>. I read <i>peer-reviewed actual</i> research. I say <i>peer-reviewed</i>, because if it isn't peer-reviewed, then it isn't research-<u> it's someone's opinion</u>. I say<i> actual</i>, because there are a lot of articles out there that make claims that are not research based in the slightest</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">.
You can't believe everything on the internet, in fact, you probably
can't believe most of it. I'm not into fear-mongering, because as a
family, we <b>do not make decisions out of fear</b>. We make decisions in general <u>based on knowledge and the guidance of Jesus</u>. I believe that God wants to be involved in all areas of our lives, and how we treat our bodies is not out of that realm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Ok, off of my soap box.</i> ;)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We've made some changes to our lifestyle habits slowly over time. We've now gotten to a good place where we feel like we're doing a decent job. There is always room for improvement. I wanted to share what we do as of right now. We've developed a few rules for our home. This is what we feel comfortable with and what works for <i>us</i>. We are not health nuts, we're just leaning more towards eating whole foods. We still enjoy dessert, carbs, and fat on a pretty regular basis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b>Everything in moderation, right?!</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>1.</b> <b>Processed, packaged foods can contain 5 or less ingredients.</b> If there is something that we want that has more than 5 ingredients, we try to make it homemade (i.e. bread). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>2.</b> <b>We do not eat lunch/deli meat.</b> I make a whole chicken or turkey and we eat sandwiches with the meat from that each week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>3</b>. <b>We drink full-fat milk, eat full-fat cheese, and use real butter</b>. Research is showing that full-fat dairy is more nutritious than low or no fat. Besides real butter is much more delicious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>4.</b> <b>We are careful about our meat consumption.</b> After reading some about how chickens are raised, its made me weary of eating too much. We can't always afford organic chicken. But, turkey doesn't have hormones added to it, so we eat a lot of turkey. It tastes basically the same, without all the added hormones. You also get more meat pound for pound out of a turkey than you get from a chicken, so its a better buy. We also limit our intake of ground meat to once or twice a week, because of the fillers that are used in it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>5.</b> <b>We eat unbleached flour and unrefined sugar. </b>This doesn't mean that we don't eat wheat or sugar, we just try to use the less-processed versions of them and we make a lot of things homemade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>6</b>.<b> Eat lots of whole vegetables and fruits.</b> We buy conventional veggies and fruits from the Clean 15, and we try to buy organic or local (local isn't always organic, but its usually better than big-crops) from the dirty dozen. If we can't find it or afford it, I wash them in a <a href="http://goodgreenhabits.com/wash-your-fruits-veggies-with-vinegar/" target="_blank">vinegar bath</a>. We try to eat a vegetable and/or a fruit with every meal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>7. Water, water, water.</b> Water is really a cure-all for me. It's amazing how good I feel if I'm hydrated with plain water rather than tea, soda, coffee, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>8</b>. <b>Exercise</b>. And what water doesn't cure... exercise will! I don't think that exercise can make up for a bad diet, but I do think that exercise can help undo a lot. Our diet isn't perfect by any means, but moving our bodies on a regular basis helps to condition our bodies. Like Newton's 1st Law... an object in motion tends to stay in motion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Above I mentioned these are our "home" rules. These are our rules for home, where we do the cooking. If we are out at another person's home or at a restaurant, we eat what is available. We eat out about once a week, so when we do get the treat, I plan to enjoy myself. And we would never allow these habits to get in the way of a friendship and fellowship. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As I talk to other people about their exercise and eating habits, I've found that everyone is at their own place in the journey. It's much like our Christian walk with Jesus. And that's okay. Everyone is different, everyone has different priorities, and everyone has different convictions. These are ours. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is just a step in the right direction for us to being better stewards of our bodies (<a href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Corinthians%206.19%E2%80%9320" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 6:19-20</a>) and to help raise children that value eating well and nutritiously. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Do you have house rules? Do you have any habits for eating at home to be more healthy?</span></div>
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Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-53326214701611312902013-09-25T10:10:00.000-04:002013-09-25T10:10:04.285-04:00Pork... its what's for dinner!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Its no secret that Dan and I are big money savers. When we have extra money, it almost always goes to savings. Being a stay at home mom now, we're very careful and very thoughtful with our money for those<i> just in case</i> days... like recently, when I had to get a pricey repair done to my car. We love to save money in many ways and one thing that we like to do is to put money into savings in "even" amounts. So when we put money into savings, we typically only do it in multiples of $25 or $50. Just an OCD tick of my husband's, but it <b><i>really</i></b> helps us. We have <b>no issue</b> with rounding the amount<b> up</b> and making it without extra until payday. Dan challenged me a few months ago to only spend $30 for one week's worth of groceries so that we could put an <i>even </i>amount of money into savings. It was a challenge, but I made it work, and it was really satisfying knowing that I could do it and that we got to save a bigger chunk of money because of it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Taking into account, I always try to keep my pantry and refrigerator stocked with things we use on a regular basis. I always have things like chicken stock, noodles, spices, rice, tortillas, etc. Since I make sure we always have extras of those on hand, I don't have to buy them every week. So, my trick for a cheap week's worth of groceries... buy whatever big piece of meat is on sale. Browse the meat section. Don't look at things that are already cut for you (i.e. chicken breasts are way more expensive than a whole chicken) Check out the chicken, turkey, pork, and beef. This particular week I found a killer deal on a huge boston butt. I have found really good deals on beef roasts and flank steak before too. If there aren't any really great deals, a whole chicken or turkey is a great choice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, that boston butt. I found it on sale. It was $10 and it was really LARGE. I cooked it in the crockpot on low for 8-9 hours with plenty of salt and pepper on a Sunday. When it was done, I shredded it up and put it all away in the fridge. It was ready for the whole week! Now, I knew we couldn't eat just plain pork every night... so I got inventive. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-RURfW7WEcR29-_NoNdrtl5Trgis6DP2NXeyzhJw1jI2hLagXJRDG4JDjLAFe5WTnhrr2uaYEgl3lZ-Dugm4CFZTwT-0XMNJrrUVP7LEerXFJMv_FNn4YBZM8wZvA9Gabtg_l8_p_Ts/s1600/image+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-RURfW7WEcR29-_NoNdrtl5Trgis6DP2NXeyzhJw1jI2hLagXJRDG4JDjLAFe5WTnhrr2uaYEgl3lZ-Dugm4CFZTwT-0XMNJrrUVP7LEerXFJMv_FNn4YBZM8wZvA9Gabtg_l8_p_Ts/s320/image+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With one crockpot of pork...we had:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*Night 1: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, side of vegetables </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*Night 2: Pulled Pork served on rice/quinoa, side of vegetables</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*Night 3: "Pot Roast" with carrots, potatoes, and greenbeans (I made it on the stove top in my dutch oven. It took about 30 minutes and I put the pork in at the last minute since it was already cooked).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*Night 4: Asian Noodle pork soup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*Night 5: Pork Tacos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Most of the recipes are self explanatory, I'll share the recipe sometime soon for the soup! We were so full every night and the pork was great all week. We loved being able to save the extra money and if you had visited our home for supper... you would have never known! I try to do this every other week now. Not only does it help us save money, but it makes cooking every night a breeze and keeps us from going out for dinner on busy evenings. It also makes me try different types of meat. If somethings on sale, I'll give it a try. Next week, I'm doing the same with a turkey! </span></div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-28411069969258922392013-09-17T15:35:00.003-04:002013-09-17T15:35:53.525-04:00Jumping back in...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well, time has escaped me once again. My little boy has kept me busier than I ever imagined. He's such a delight and a joy to have in our home. He just keeps me very busy these days- especially with crawling! Goodness is he into everything!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8mukG5755NeoDoP7tbDJ_FUM9gsmi3qFWInvpF7RmyJpc2TZKnZPEhJWCmC2Yo9LjyaiTtkgEJ0SOVuTxeXODNuO9Boh1V4waJRSaTCA8G2S0xEFMGj9tK4dT4xlVDzZzvtJjMzBr7c/s1600/IMG_6682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8mukG5755NeoDoP7tbDJ_FUM9gsmi3qFWInvpF7RmyJpc2TZKnZPEhJWCmC2Yo9LjyaiTtkgEJ0SOVuTxeXODNuO9Boh1V4waJRSaTCA8G2S0xEFMGj9tK4dT4xlVDzZzvtJjMzBr7c/s320/IMG_6682.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm also changing up the blog a little bit. Since becoming a stay at home mom, some of my priorities have changed a little bit and I want to share things here that are important to me now and things that I'm learning. The blog will continue to have recipes and money saving ideas, but will now also have fitness/diet/exercise tips and advice, DIY projects, and parenting discussions. These past 8 months have been a blur, but God has been teaching, molding, and growing me in ways I could not have imagined before. I'm working towards becoming a better steward of my health and body, our money, and of our time at home together. I want to share all that God's been and is continuing to teach me on this journey!</span></div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-43003065131769466422013-03-15T06:00:00.000-04:002013-03-15T06:00:06.808-04:00Date Night: Grown up Fort<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Since Dan and I have been together, date night has been very important to us. It's been a time where we can catch up on what's happening in our lives and just spend time together. Now that we have a son, we aren't able to go out alone every week like we used to. Typically Fridays were our date nights. Now we have date night at home on most Fridays after the little one goes to bed for the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Think back to your childhood. Do you remember going around your house and gathering up sheets, blankets, and random pieces of furniture to use to build a FORT? Of course you do! Well this week for a date night at home, get back in touch with your inner-child and build a grown up fort! Gather up your sheets, blankets, and pillows. Build your fort using whatever furniture you have. If you have a futon mattress or air mattress put that inside. Bake cookies or brownies, grab your favorite drinks, and climb inside your fort with your sweetie! We laughed and chatted for a while about our week and then grabbed our iPad and watched recorded episodes of our favorite TV shows that we missed all week. One piece of advice- if you have a little one, make sure to gather everything you need before you put him/her to sleep so that you don't have to tromp all around the house and possibly wake him/her up.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zt4nsES31LvhyuvrPjEPrHTEiHOTTMFRZGF8EoxlNN9UeAJZOkxpLoU2cHxAy5SnwKJb_QfjfgeWElNvKia6ZF7CEuTVsNRA5t-d8wVXMqyBPi8VanTir0zu5bTHsWQqYsQKEXBsmac/s1600/tent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zt4nsES31LvhyuvrPjEPrHTEiHOTTMFRZGF8EoxlNN9UeAJZOkxpLoU2cHxAy5SnwKJb_QfjfgeWElNvKia6ZF7CEuTVsNRA5t-d8wVXMqyBPi8VanTir0zu5bTHsWQqYsQKEXBsmac/s320/tent.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">We used our mantle and the couches as anchors to make our fort as big as possible.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_9Sn8ugnDi3zW7yT1qa1pMdREz1K4qt6EKHx9bR9mSSRkwh3d7DSrGFsqhJQKMXqSgmJ9vLgQCMs5rt0vlO8V9VjMlHInZjXj_V4nTctFwdiYd7zck0yNiZDzJL9iSOEYSVtGC7RW_8/s1600/tent2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_9Sn8ugnDi3zW7yT1qa1pMdREz1K4qt6EKHx9bR9mSSRkwh3d7DSrGFsqhJQKMXqSgmJ9vLgQCMs5rt0vlO8V9VjMlHInZjXj_V4nTctFwdiYd7zck0yNiZDzJL9iSOEYSVtGC7RW_8/s320/tent2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Inside our fort enjoying cookies and milk.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This date night was inspired by my sister in law. She is currently in medical school and spends a lot of time studying and going to class. She and her husband built a fort to unwind one night and they had a blast. Building a fort may seem silly to you, because it is! But being silly together is fun! We had a blast and got to just enjoy each other's company for hours.</span></div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-50692379734069573892013-03-04T06:00:00.000-05:002013-03-04T06:00:07.194-05:00March Meal Calendar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">March is here! March is one of my favorite months. I'm still really enjoying planning our meals for the month and shopping just twice a month. Instead of doing seperate posts I am going to share our monthly meal calendar at the beginning of each month and any special plans I have to save money for the month. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcf1VnKoVLUEZCr6D6gk8Oml4wrop3viIESW8U1XBDzR_DmrVbfrYXilXNFnIcbNvjQVcM2-34V9HB87dTUaLldjvBGXAA9nJaA4rt5wLMy_PxEqKE6KygQIt6RLhPQwjI4e7B4f-GoM/s1600/march+meals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcf1VnKoVLUEZCr6D6gk8Oml4wrop3viIESW8U1XBDzR_DmrVbfrYXilXNFnIcbNvjQVcM2-34V9HB87dTUaLldjvBGXAA9nJaA4rt5wLMy_PxEqKE6KygQIt6RLhPQwjI4e7B4f-GoM/s640/march+meals.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We always have some favorites that are rotated and used every month. You'll always see tacos, chili, and asian stir fry. We love these meals and they are very easy! I also color code the calendars so that I know the main protein for each meal. This helps with planning to shop so I know how much of each meat I need that time around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This month I am going to purchase a large package of chicken and a large package of pork at Sam's Club. I'll get whatever cut of pork is the best prices, but it's usually bone-in pork chops, which we love! The chicken will last for the month and the pork will likely last into April. This will make my grocery bill a little more on the front end, but much less towards the end of the month. I am also shopping at Aldi for most things and couponing some at Food Lion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I worked in some new meals this month. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Pesto Pasta</strong> is one of our favorites. I use <a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2011/08/lemon-pesto.html" target="_blank">pesto that I freeze</a> as the sauce and throw in vegetables and parmasan cheese. <strong>Balsamic Chicken wraps</strong> are just grilled chicken breasts that I marinate in balsamic vinegar and honey and then we eat them on a wrap with lettuce. <strong>Lemon Chicken pasta</strong> is grilled chicken marinated in olive oil and lemon zest served on pasta with asparagus, broccoli, spinach, parmasan cheese, and a homemade lemon vinegarette (<em>I'll be sharing this recipe soon</em>). For <strong>Grilled Pork Chops</strong>, I usually marinate them in some type of seasoning and/or vinegarette and then we grill them! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One thing that I am most excited about this month is all the fresh vegetables that will be back in season at the grocery store. Asparagus is one of my favorites! It's really only good in the spring, so we'll probably be eating it with lots of meals this month! </span></div>
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Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-16771235151564065462013-03-01T06:00:00.001-05:002013-03-01T06:00:04.203-05:00Spring Cleaning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh Spring. I love Spring. I love the flowers starting to bloom and the warm air. I love being able to go on walks without having to bundle up and I love the longer amounts of sunlight. I do <strong>not</strong> love spring cleaning. Spring is just around the corner and I admit that I have never done a <em>great</em> job of spring cleaning. Typically it hit during a very busy time at work and I would spend a Saturday cleaning as much as possible, but never really did a thorough job. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This year I want to do a very deep cleaning of the house for Spring. The task seemed daunting when I started to think of every thing that needed to be done and because I knew there were things that I wasn't even thinking of. So I started searching for lists online of things that needed to be done to get our house in order. I found a great list on the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/267295/spring-cleaning-checklist" target="_blank">Martha Stewart</a> website. It breaks it down by whole-house tasks and then room-by-room. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvoiAvj3Wxpz6dDF_UZB7tQ8REPf73tkk0-bW1ONxGju6NKv6gnpsXJK7pUUkm1yeYcqd-2rAWLnH5Xrb5A4w0vvk-XGaMlKG4f-9PY2ShVjFXy27xHTjyAZWVgqc1Wdmi8tZX3NXggI/s1600/spring+cleaning+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvoiAvj3Wxpz6dDF_UZB7tQ8REPf73tkk0-bW1ONxGju6NKv6gnpsXJK7pUUkm1yeYcqd-2rAWLnH5Xrb5A4w0vvk-XGaMlKG4f-9PY2ShVjFXy27xHTjyAZWVgqc1Wdmi8tZX3NXggI/s640/spring+cleaning+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoTKl-BCXxy_Aqcx58A0vlvksUFGH_iXUpK9VbveKMvccvf9suU3bW988IoIsYeAk6NV-ah99PRnpLneaDsj1yHtIQ2HavpFXZa_kkkAFh9BrGw0yFWWGRu3w2M61nol_7-tf0eONZ7U/s1600/spring+cleaning+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoTKl-BCXxy_Aqcx58A0vlvksUFGH_iXUpK9VbveKMvccvf9suU3bW988IoIsYeAk6NV-ah99PRnpLneaDsj1yHtIQ2HavpFXZa_kkkAFh9BrGw0yFWWGRu3w2M61nol_7-tf0eONZ7U/s640/spring+cleaning+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With a baby in the house, I knew that it will be impossible to do a whole day of cleaning, and I knew I wouldn't want to either. Spring Cleaning wouldn't be so bad if it was split up over several days. The lists that I found from Martha Stewart helped remind me of things that needed to be done that I don't normally think of. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15tn4dOV_tIYKVSo_sX9kT4vS0SBstqjda1hqtRJ_McufbTAhHbZecSIx3436PzVkVH-iwg8SGED39i_-Ao2cwZY70TO8cM5z3RUvxCzWyVQ8JWar2C4A0YY_3YT8JcZ2-F62nsylbaI/s1600/spring+cleaning+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15tn4dOV_tIYKVSo_sX9kT4vS0SBstqjda1hqtRJ_McufbTAhHbZecSIx3436PzVkVH-iwg8SGED39i_-Ao2cwZY70TO8cM5z3RUvxCzWyVQ8JWar2C4A0YY_3YT8JcZ2-F62nsylbaI/s640/spring+cleaning+3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NHBkyq8s9CNFi2dc9sL_ymSiK1QN5uSefzCOCadp436jLXB3sbus5J0G_f-RIyjTPplE9k2OXkUZLeI0tkl56RzsYGPd7M356Pe0j6YOPcreO4ifNjjdY_sDSFcUrOzDmnOKbEmv6ko/s1600/spring+cleaning+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NHBkyq8s9CNFi2dc9sL_ymSiK1QN5uSefzCOCadp436jLXB3sbus5J0G_f-RIyjTPplE9k2OXkUZLeI0tkl56RzsYGPd7M356Pe0j6YOPcreO4ifNjjdY_sDSFcUrOzDmnOKbEmv6ko/s640/spring+cleaning+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So, I love a good to-do list/plan! I used the lists to decide what needed to be done in our house and then made a calendar to get it done over several weeks instead of one weekend. Here's what I came up with:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0CTxMFda26tCxNZVoKEenhudqgLPOP3NeAHaE72jFV8KckZRrpfHYTfuFH0TThgJ4HJjGMm9DAiMUiCvATlJhYa_a-iRiEigbki5LVZmCpt36DZWLaQWMRf8LhKhyDY1jo2ZUneYXyU/s640/blogger-image-292072804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0CTxMFda26tCxNZVoKEenhudqgLPOP3NeAHaE72jFV8KckZRrpfHYTfuFH0TThgJ4HJjGMm9DAiMUiCvATlJhYa_a-iRiEigbki5LVZmCpt36DZWLaQWMRf8LhKhyDY1jo2ZUneYXyU/s640/blogger-image-292072804.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I didn't plan anything for Sundays so that we have a whole day for family time. For Saturdays, I planned simple tasks that I also needed Dan's help for. He is home on Saturdays so he will be able to help with moving furniture, climbing ladders, etc. on those days. Having a plan helps spring cleaning not seem so daunting. I left the last week blank so that I could add tasks that I forgot about. I've already added that I need to vacuum and clean the couches and each bathroom needs a good scrub. By the end of the month, our house will be completely cleaned and ready for the new season! I do hope to work some garage organization into there too! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How do you manage spring cleaning?</span> </div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-58404133673239505062013-02-27T06:00:00.000-05:002013-02-27T06:00:04.891-05:00Meal Planning Part 3<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is part 3 of my series on meal planning. Last time I shared two weeks worth of meals, recipes, and a shopping list. This time I'm going to share two more weeks! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the last part of February, here's what we've had:</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Week 3</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 1/2: Taco Soup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 3/4: Baked Ziti</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 5/6: Baked Chicken and Veggies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Week 4</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 1/2: Asian Stir Fry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 3/4: Red Beans and Rice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 5/6: Taco Night</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Like I mentioned before, I have a lot of things that I keep on hand. Some things that I did not have to buy this time because I already had them were rice, tortillas, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, jar of minced garlic, cajun seasoning, chicken, spices, and veggies (The chicken, tortillas, and veggies, I bought the previous week). </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shopping List</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cost: Approximately $40</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 lb. ground beef/turkey</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 cans black beans</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 cans diced tomatoes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 can dark kidney beans</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 can light kidney beans</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 bell pepper</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 onion</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 jar of salsa </span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 package taco seasoning </span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 small container part skim ricotta cheese</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 jar spaghetti sauce</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ziti pasta</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 bag shredded cheese of your choice (used for ziti and taco's)</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Vegetables of your choice</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Soy sauce and Rice wine vinegar</span></div>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frozen corn</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Recipes</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Taco Night</strong>: You can find this in my <a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2013/02/meal-planning-part-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2 post</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Baked Ziti</strong>: I use the same process for baked spaghetti found on the <a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2013/02/meal-planning-part-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2 post</a>, except in between the layers I add a layer of ricotta cheese. This recipe is very versatile and you can add in vegetables, your favorite pasta and sauce, and made totally different meals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Baked Chicken and Veggies</strong>: This is one of Dan's favorites. He works out a lot and craves healthy foods [I know, weird! :)]. I place two-three chicken breasts in a small casserole dish and coat with 1 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or a favorite vinegarette bottled dressing), salt and pepper, and 1 tsp. garlic. Then throw in vegetables of your choice. I ususally put in frozen broccoli, frozen green beans, and some fresh carrots. Bake at 350 until chicken is cooked through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Asian Stir Fry</strong>: Dice 2-3 chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Cut vegetables that you want to use (my favorites are broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, and corn) into small pieces. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 c. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp. garlic, and some hot sauce. Start with a large skillet with some olive oil on medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in vegetables and sauce. Cook until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Red Beans and Rice</strong>: This is one of our vegetarian favorites although sometimes I add smoked sausage. I don't claim to know anything about cajun/Louisana cooking or that this is even cajun at all. It would probably be a disgrace down there, but we like it! Saute 1 bell pepper, 1 onion, and 1 tsp. of garlic in a skillet with olive oil until tender. Add in 1 can of diced tomatoes, 2 cans of kidney beans, 2 tbsp. of cajun seasoning, and 1/2 cup of water. Let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve over brown rice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Taco Soup</strong>: In a crock pot combine 1 lb. ground meat, 1 can of black beans, 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 cup of frozen corn, 1 cup of water, and 1 package of taco seasoning. Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This month we spent $150 on groceries total! Using this meal calendar, planning for breakfasts and lunches, shopping only twice, and not going out to eat really made it easy to save lots of money. Next month, I'll share our meal calendar and shopping lists again! </span></div>
Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-43014037510776303032013-02-25T06:00:00.000-05:002013-02-25T06:00:01.600-05:00Meal Planning Part 2<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Week 1-2 of Meal Planning</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2013/02/meal-planning-part-i.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last time</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I started talking about how I've started planning our meals for the whole month. Now I'm going to share two week's worth of meals, recipes, and a shopping list! I have a good collection of about 12 recipes that are my "go-to's". They are easy, inexpensive, and our family loves them. For February, I planned lots of meals like this because I'm still getting used to mommy-hood. Also, as mentioned in my last post, I cook enough at once so that we can eat that for supper two nights! If you're family doesn't do leftovers, you'll have to add in some extra meals. </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Week 1</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 1/2: Baked Spaghetti</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 3/4: Taco Night</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 5/6: BBQ Chicken and vegetables</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Week 2</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 1/2: Chili with cornbread</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 3/4: Stir Fry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Day 5/6: Taco Night</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the 7th day of each week, we either did a special date night at home with steak that we already had in the freezer or ate a </span></em><a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2012/08/freezer-meals-part-iii-suppers.html" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">freezer meal</span></em></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em> that I had made before our son arrived! Those have been so nice to have.</em> </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shopping list for this round</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cost: Approximately $45 (I shopped at Aldi for the majority of the list)</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 lbs. ground turkey (use whatever ground meat you like/that's on sale) </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 bag of frozen chicken breasts or chicken breasts in bulk (you wont need it all this time, but will use it for the next half of the month)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 package of smoked sausage</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Spaghetti Noodles</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 cup package of shredded cheddar cheese or block of cheddar to shred yourself </span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frozen vegetables of your choice (broccoli and green beans are our favorite)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 2 cans of chili beans</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 package of chili seasoning</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ingredients for cornbread (I have these on hand) or a package of box cornbread mix</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 cans of diced tomatoes</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 bell pepper</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 onions</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 packages of taco seasoning</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 large jar of your favorite salsa</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tortillas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 can of black beans</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Recipes</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I apologize for not having pictures. Meal time isn't what it used to be with a newborn! I will try by best to have some next time! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Baked Spaghetti</strong>: Cook noodles and brown 1 lb. ground turkey. Once turkey is completely cooked, stir in jar of spaghetti sauce and a can of diced tomatoes. Make alternating layers of noodles and meat in a 9 x 13 dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes! Steam broccoli or have a salad on the side. This meal is also HUGE. So we sometimes eat it for 3 nights and/or have lunches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Taco Night</strong>: This is possibly our favorite meal to have! It's so easy! Cook chicken breasts (I usually do 2-3 depending on size) in the slow cooker with 1/2 the jar of salsa, taco seasoning, and black beans for 2 hours or until chicken is done. Take the chicken out and shred with two forks. Put back in the slow cooker and stir together add 1 cup of shredded cheese before serving. Serve on tortillas with your favorite toppings. We sometimes put the mixture inside of a tortilla and grill/cook in a pan for a quesadilla instead! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>BBQ Chicken</strong>: Another family favorite... cook chicken breasts in slow cooker with 1 bottle of BBQ Sauce. Take chicken out and shred. Serve with vegetables and rice or on a bun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Chili</strong>: Dice and saute 1/2bell pepper and 1 onion. Brown 1 lb. ground turkey in a soup pot. Add 2 can of diced tomatoes, 2 cans of chili beans (don't drain!), and package of chili seasoning. Let simmer for 30 minutes. This can also be cooked in a slow cooker. Top with cheese and serve with cornbread!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Stir Fry</strong>: Cut smoked sausage into bit sized pieces. Slice 1/2 bell pepper and 1 onion. Saute sausage, pepper, and onion until the sausage browns. I serve this with brown rice. Sometimes I also add some kidney beans and Cajun seasoning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The shopping list is the <strong>BASICS</strong> for the suppers. I always have a few things on hand that I can throw together like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, frozen vegetables of all kinds, flour and cornmeal for breads, seasonings and spices. These things help me make meals more flavorful and filling. </span></div>
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Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-49401329249463048392013-02-22T13:31:00.001-05:002013-02-22T13:31:23.896-05:00Meal Planning Part I<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A lot has happened in the past few months. We are now a family of 4 (kitty included!). Our son was born January 4. He is seven weeks old today. You can read more about him <a href="http://hazlettblessings.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. These have been the BEST seven weeks of my life! We've been blessed that I have been able to stay home and be a mommy. It was (and still is) a step of faith. In order to make it work, we've made drastic changes to our budget and have cut back a lot. I haven't missed a thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">One thing that has really helped us stay on budget is planning our meals. I used to do this before the pregnancy cravings kicked in! However, we didn't always stick to it. Now we have to stick to it and I can't believe how much money we've saved. It also takes the stress of trying to figure out what to make each night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How to plan meals:</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1. <strong>Get organized</strong>. I use a calendar on the computer and just input what we're having each night. I'm a huge fan of cooking ONCE and eating TWICE, so I plan a meal for every other night. I make enough for the next night too. It's awesome and I'm so glad to have a hubby that loves leftovers. I hang the calendar on the refrigerator so it's there when I need it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2. <strong>Limit shopping</strong>. I plan meals for the whole month and shop only<em> twice</em> a month. This is also a big money saver. I ONLY go to the store twice a month, no exceptions. All of those little trips were really adding up for us. And since I really hate grocery shopping, this was actually welcomed by me. I was inspired by a friend who shops for the whole month at once. I may try this one day, but it involves lots of freezing (for milk, cheese, sandwich meat, etc. or else they will go bad). I'm not quite there yet! You don't have to freeze anything if you shop every two weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">3. <strong>Have a theme</strong>. Plan meals that use the same proteins and ingredients so you can buy in bulk or family size to save money. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">4. <strong>Don't forget your breakfast, lunch, and snack needs</strong>. I don't plan these meals. We normally eat the same things for breakfast and lunch everyday: some sort of eggs and an english muffin for breakfast and some sort of sandwich and raw veggie for lunch. I just make sure to buy plenty of these things so that we have them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">5. <strong>Plan for special nights</strong>. Having a baby in the middle of flu season has been quite scary for me. I have been a little over protective of him, not wanting to take him out in fear that he'll get sick. Now that he's 7 weeks old and I'm breast feeding (YAY for immunity!), I have eased up a bit and we've been venturing out some. For this month I planned home date nights, which were usually a special meal and included some sort of dessert. Part of the budget cuts we made were some date nights, so I'm planning more special nights for home. Things to consider for out-of-the-ordinary nights: home date nights, family or friends coming over, if you'll be taking a dish to a party, special weekend breakfasts, birthdays, etc. Think of EVERYTHING so you don't have to go back to the store.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtNlpCJGNbXUMnEgRXZWxSFvzRMNz5lmDcyw9hx2R-bggS74I988Os6uOp7OJxyr1wCcmvbzlsrY6aGYPEBZbGQL272d8ZjAX6adzGOD6oMSjoNMNNQs0ODnxHukHUCTlqCYNuPqD1KU/s1600/calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtNlpCJGNbXUMnEgRXZWxSFvzRMNz5lmDcyw9hx2R-bggS74I988Os6uOp7OJxyr1wCcmvbzlsrY6aGYPEBZbGQL272d8ZjAX6adzGOD6oMSjoNMNNQs0ODnxHukHUCTlqCYNuPqD1KU/s320/calendar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Over the next few posts I am going to share with you some example weeks from our calendar. For February, since I am still getting acclamated to being a mom, I made sure that all of our meals were super easy and fast or for the slow cooker. Check back in a few days for a week's worth of planned meals and recipes! </span></div>
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Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-32010311635878617862012-08-16T06:00:00.000-04:002012-08-16T06:00:09.811-04:00Freezer Meals- Part III {Suppers}<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is Part III to my freezer meal plan. In case you missed </span><a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2012/08/freezer-meals-part-i.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Part I</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and </span><a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2012/08/freezer-meals-part-ii-breakfastlunch.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Part II</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, you can read those now!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For all of the supper recipes, I used chicken tenders purchased from Sam's Club. I bought two large trays of chicken, and it was about 15-16 pounds total. I divided that evenly between all the freezer meals. For the suppers, you need gallon sized zip top bags. These meals were made for 2 people, but normally we have leftovers for lunch the following day. If your family is bigger, you may want to add more chicken and more vegetables. And as mentioned before, I used all chicken because I don't plan on eating these every night. If you want to eat your freezer meals every night, you may want to use different proteins. You can substitute pork chops, pork tenderloins, turkey tenderloins, or steak!</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Supper Freezer Meals Shopping List</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chicken tenders or breasts (15-16 pounds)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">red pepper flakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">chili powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">paprika</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">thyme</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ground ginger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">jar of minced garlic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">olive oil </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">honey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">balsamic vinegar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 cans of orange juice concentrate</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">large bag of carrots</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4-5 bell peppers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">green onions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4-5 onions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4-5 limes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">soy sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">peanut butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">dijon mustard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 large container of chicken or vegetable broth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">BBQ sauce (I used 2 bulk sized bottles)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had a lot of the seasonings on hand, so I didn't have to purchase them. My total cost for the suppers was <strong><u>$75.27 = 3.01 per meal</u></strong>! Also, I used the Once a Month Mom website for my inspiration for some of these recipes. For the suppers, set out all of your gallon size bags, fold the top down, and divide your chicken evenly among them. Then add the ingredients below into each bag...</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Honey Glazed Chicken (5 meals)</span></u></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To be served with rice or on pasta</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tsp. red pepper flake</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tsp. chili powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tsp. paprika</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 garlic clove</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 honey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tbsp. chicken broth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 chopped carrots</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Peanut Chicken (4 meals)</span></u></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To be served with rice</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 onion, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 bell pepper, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3/4 c. chicken broth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 tbsp. peanut butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 tsp. lime zest </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tbsp. lime juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tbsp. soy sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 tbsp. ginger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 cloves garlic, chopped</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">BBQ Chicken (6 meals)</span></u></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To be served with rice or on buns, after it is done cooking, shred the chicken</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 onion, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">BBQ sauce, enough to cover chicken</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Orange Chicken (4 meals)</span></u></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To be served with rice</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 large carrots, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 bell peppers, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 cloves of garlic, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tsp. ginger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">6-8 oz. of orange juice concentrate</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 green onions</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Balsamic Chicken (6 meals)</span></u></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To be served with pasta </span></em></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chicken</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 c. balsamic vinegar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tbsp. dijon mustard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 tbsp. fresh thyme</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/4 c. olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">...After adding all the ingredients to the bags, zip the top up and use your hands to massage the ingredients into the meat and mix them all together. It's important that all the components are mixed well. Depending on your ingredients, you may notice that you need a little more liquid to cover the meat. If that happens, mix in a little extra broth or extra ingredients. Label each bag with the type of meal it is. Lay flat (to maximize freezer space) to freeze. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To cook your meal, simply take your meal from the freezer and add all the contents to your slow cooker. Cook for 2-3 hours on high. Cook some easy rice, pasta, or extra vegetables to enjoy with your meal. These meals were relatively easy to put together and took about 2 hours! And they are delicious! It is definitely worth our money to have these stocked in the freezer. We don't go out anymore, except on date night, and these are the perfect meals to enjoy on nights that I am just exhausted! </span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-41435222178181970392012-08-13T06:00:00.000-04:002012-08-13T06:00:12.540-04:00Freezer Meals- Part II {Breakfast/Lunch}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last time I shared with you <a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2012/08/freezer-meals-part-i.html" target="_blank">my freezer meal plan</a>. We all have those nights that we just do not feel like cooking supper. We also all have those mornings where we just don't know what to eat for breakfast or what to take to work for lunch (at least I sure do). This post is dedicated to my freezer burritos! They are simple to make and are really filling for those busy mornings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For breakfasts/lunches, I used two different burrito fillers. These can be mixed up however you like. You can add or take away any ingredient that you like or dislike. There is a lot of versatility with these. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u><strong>Shopping list for breakfasts/lunches</strong></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">40 tortillas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 dozen eggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">30 oz. black beans</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">green onions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 large jar of your favorite salsa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">cheddar cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">bacon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">frozen shredded hashbrowns</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">My total cost: $21.52 = about 54 cents per meal! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><u>Mexican Burritos (20 burritos)</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>This recipe is from </em><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/225672631298502425/" target="_blank"><em>here</em></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Scramble 1 dozen eggs, add 30 oz. cooked black beans and chopped green onions. Lay out 20 tortillas. Add shredded cheddar, salsa, and then the egg and bean mixture. Fold the tortillas into burritos and wrap in foil/wax paper. When reheating, remove wrapping and heat in microwave for 2 minutes on defrost and 1 minute on high.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><u>Egg Burritos (20 burritos)</u> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Cook center cut bacon (less fat than normal and alot better tasting than turkey), crumble, and set aside. Cook frozen hashbrowns until browned and set aside. Scramble 1 dozen eggs. Lay out 20 tortillas. Add shredded cheddar, salsa (if you like), the eggs, bacon crumbles, and hashbrowns. Fold the tortillas into burritos and wrap in foil/wax paper. When reheating, remove wrapping and heat in microwave for 2 minutes on defrost and 1 minute on high.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You can't beat 54 cents per meal! And these are so much more filling than cereal! I cooked these on the same thing that I did the suppers, but none of the ingredients are overlapping, so you could definitely cook just the burritos one afternoon and have 40 breakfasts or lunches to enjoy all month! </span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-2234368404011250442012-08-11T06:00:00.000-04:002012-08-11T06:00:07.946-04:00Freezer Meals- Part I<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I love cooking. And I one of my favorite things is to cook a big meal for my husband and watch him enjoy it. However, with school starting back up and this pregnancy well under way, I can see some exhausted days in my future. Normally on days that I just don't feel like cooking, Dan and I normally head out to grab something to eat. Dan is a champ at choosing healthy choices when we go out, me... not so much! In an effort to save some money and to be healthier on those tired nights, I decided to stock our freezer with some meals that can be cooked easily in the crockpot! Which by the way, we just got a new chest freezer and I love it! Our regular freezer was busting at the seams with vegetables and fruit from the garden, so I needed some extra space. Now with all this extra space, I could also make a lot of freezer meals.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLhVxctrwYANgg15O-2e2xC3zUYp6o4HNmZAPlR_VItDT6ysbRca7HQtfCcb-N6KXuu5YpPhImwIwHRbon97yAJ0vfy3vvRVVpqrxWKRMxlloHQ4L8AOxBl5D4PElSC0Oia7FAvngHLs/s1600/549515_586954197776_310237643_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLhVxctrwYANgg15O-2e2xC3zUYp6o4HNmZAPlR_VItDT6ysbRca7HQtfCcb-N6KXuu5YpPhImwIwHRbon97yAJ0vfy3vvRVVpqrxWKRMxlloHQ4L8AOxBl5D4PElSC0Oia7FAvngHLs/s320/549515_586954197776_310237643_n.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My new freezer! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now, freezer meals have been quite a trend on Pinterest. I'm not sure how many people actually make them, but a lot of people pin them. I enjoying reading through them, but never found one that seemed to work for me. I didn't like the idea of cooking all the food before hand, it seemed like too much of a cooking marathon. I ran across </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/225672631298502425/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">this plan</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and I liked the premise (cheap and more than just suppers). I also used </span><a href="http://onceamonthmom.com/101-summer-freezer-meals/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Once-a-Month Mom</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> for some inspiration for recipes. I decided to stick with one type of meat, since we would only be eating the meals on nights when we were busy/tired and not every night. If you want to make your own freezer meals and plan to eat them every night, you would probably want to mix up your protein so it doesn't get boring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My Freezer Meal plan will make <u>25 suppers and 40 breakfasts or lunches</u>. The best part is, for everything, it only was only <u>$96.79</u> (I got everything I could at Aldi's, the meat at Sam's Club, and the rest at Walmart). So, if we don't go out to eat a few times on those exhausted evenings, the meals will pay for themselves! The meals are stored, uncooked, and are to be cooked in the crockpot. They can be served with rice, beans, quinoa, or on a bun (the total cost included enough rice, beans, and quinoa to go with all the meals!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Over the next few days, I'll share my freezer meal plan recipes and some tips on preparation!</span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-82054455083072770602012-08-09T06:00:00.000-04:002012-08-09T16:33:20.554-04:00Money Saving Tips<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With a baby on the way, I've been in money saving mode! I've always been a bargain hunter. I hate paying full price for things and I can't justify spending a lot of money on groceries. Here are a few tips to save money in the kitchen! Also, in the next week, I'll be sharing some of my freezer meals and a lot of these tips were used in the making of those. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. <strong>Canned beans vs. Dried beans</strong>. Do not let canned beans fool you. Sure, they look cheap because they are normally less than $1 a can. However, if you buy a bag of dried beans, it contains enough beans to fill about 8 cans and normally costs about $1.50. Now, I know how long it takes to cook dried beans. So to get to get the good deal and to have the convenience, buy a bag of dried beans and cook them all at once. Take the beans and divide them into portions that are right for you and put into small freezer bags. Then freeze them! They keep the same texture, no thawing needed, and its budget friendly! This can also be used with rice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. <strong>Pre-Shredded cheese vs. a Block of cheese</strong>. This is the same idea as the beans. It is much cheaper to buy your cheese in the block and shred it yourself! Also, doing this will save you some of the preservatives and "anti-clumping agents" the companies put into the pre-shredded cheese. If you want the convenience of pre-shredded cheese, shred the block of cheese all at once and store in a large zip top bag. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. <strong>Check out discount grocery stores</strong>. There are some great discount grocery stores popping up in our area. We recently got an Aldi. It is amazing! I can't do all of my shopping there, but I have found amazing deals on things like tortillas, milk, sandwich meat, cereal, etc. We are paying about $100 less on groceries per month now-- and I was only shopping at Walmart/Sam's Club before!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4. <strong>Homemade Cleaning Supplies</strong>. It's no secret that laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, and other cleaning supplies are very expensive. They are also full of chemicals (and water!). One thing that I've started doing is making my own! It takes a little money to get started (about $30-40), but is so worth it. </span><a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> has great recipes for all sorts of homemade supplies! They've all been great too. When you're looking at her recipes, make sure that there isn't an update to it! She updates the recipes from time to time to make them better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5. <strong>Buy in bulk</strong>. Don't go crazy and buy everything in bulk, but things that you use a lot of are smart to buy in bulk. We have a membership to a bulk store and love it. However, sometimes things are more expensive there. You just have to watch the prices. We buy all of our meats (HUGE savings-- if this was all we bought there, our membership would still be worth it), some cleaning supplies, fruit, almonds, peanut butter, and protein powder. I calculated that we save about $50 on those items alone. And those things are things we use all the time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">These are a few of my money saving tips. I hope that you find these useful. Do you have any money-saving strategies that you live by?</span><br />
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<br />Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-75046531880434639862012-07-23T22:20:00.004-04:002012-07-23T22:23:04.038-04:00Summer + Kabobs<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, I have officially been gone since February! I am not exactly sure where the past 6 months have gone. From February until May, I was consumed with graduate school and <strong>graduated in May</strong>! I'm still pretty stoked about that. From May until June, I was finishing up the school year. And since then I've been traveling the country! What a summer it's been. We've been to Louisiana, Alabama, Philadelphia, California, Delaware, the Florida Keys, and Ft. Lauderdale! Somewhere in there, I also found out that <strong>I am pregnant</strong>! I am about 18 weeks along now and we are so excited for our first baby to arrive in December! It's been a crazy summer, but so much fun! It's been great having all this time with my husband. He starts a new job this week and we've been so blessed to have so much time together this summer. I'm going to miss him when he starts. I apologize for being gone, but I'm so excited to share some new recipes with you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With summer in full force, the heat is also in full force. We have been trying to do whatever we can to keep the air conditioning from overworking itself. One thing that really helps is to use the grill instead of the stove and oven. It keeps the heat outside instead of in the kitchen! Some of the most versatile things that I have really grown to love are kabobs. They are so easy and you can really tailor them to what you like. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For these kabobs, you'll need: 2-3 chicken breasts, red and green bell peppers, zucchini squash. For the marinade, you'll need: honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, 1 lemon, salt and pepper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. In a medium bowl, mix 2 tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. vinegar, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. lemon zest, the juice of the lemon (remember to zest before you cut!), and 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Whisk together well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Chop vegetables and meat making sure that all of your pieces are relatively the same size. This is important so that everything cooks evenly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I chose to use peppers and zucchini because it's what I had from my garden. Onions, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, and peaches are also very good on kabobs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Mix your vegetables and meat into the marinade. Obviously, the longer that you let it marinade, the more flavor the food will have. I suggest letting it sit in the marinade in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. (If you're using fish as your protein, and citrus in the marinade, you shouldn't marinade for more than 10-15 minutes, or the fish will cook-- also known in Hispanic food as ceviche!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4. Place your meat and veggies/fruits on the skewers. I have metal skewers that can be washed and reused. If you are using wooden skewers, you'll want to soak them in water for about 20 minutes before using. That will keep them from burning. Either type of skewer is just fine. When adding the meat and produce, place them closely together so that they barely touching each other. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4. Grill on a hot grill, about 400 degrees. Cook on each side for about 5 minutes or until the meat is done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Remove from grill and enjoy! You can enjoy kabobs by themselves, but if you need something else, they are also good served with rice, quinoa, or another grain. When I made these kabobs, we enjoyed them over a salad. It was delicious! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u>More ideas for kabobs</u>: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">chicken + pineapple and broccoli + citrus marinade</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">steak + tomatoes and mushrooms + Worcestershire sauce marinade</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">shrimp kabobs + squash and peppers + spicy marinade </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u>Basic tips</u>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The basic components of a kabob are a meat, vegetables, fruits, and usually a marinade or dry spices. I do not recommend having more than one type of meat on one kabob, because different meats have different cooking time. If you want steak and chicken, just put them on two separate skewers and it will be fine. Also, a part of any marinade should include some form of oil so that the kabob does not stick to the grill. If you're using dry spices, you should spray the grill with some type of non-stick spray.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hope that you're staying cool this summer and that you enjoy these kabobs! They are so easy, quick, and helps you keep your house cool during these hot days! </span></div>
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<br /></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-46489253258322263882011-12-30T11:55:00.000-05:002011-12-30T11:55:16.645-05:00Roasted Tomato and Spinach Pasta<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In my last </span><a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2011/12/easy-entertaining-part-iii-traditions.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">post</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, I shared the idea of making a simple meal for holiday parties. I suggested a big pasta dish as something easy to make for a crowd. This year, we hosted a Christmas party for our small group bible study. I decided to make pasta because it is easy to make and most everyone likes it. The great thing about making pasta is you can put almost anything together and have a great dish that is nutritious and beautiful. Now, before I share the recipe, let me apologize. I made this dish for a crowd and completely forgot to take a final picture. So you'll just have to try the recipe to see it for yourself! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u>For this recipe you'll need</u>:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 box of bow tie pasta</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5 cooked slices of center cut bacon, save the pan you cook it in and do not wash</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">8 oz. Parmesan cheese</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 pint of cherry tomatoes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 cup of raw spinach</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 chicken breast</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 c. balsamic vinegar</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 lemon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 tbsp. olive oil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Prepare ingredients:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Roast tomatoes using this </span><a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/search/label/Tomatoes" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">blog post</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. Marinate chicken breasts in balsamic vinegar for at least 20 minutes. You can do this while your bacon and tomatoes are cooking. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Cook pasta according to instructions on box, drain and sit aside. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Grill or bake chicken until cooked thoroughly. Slice.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To make pasta:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Drain all but about 1 tbsp. of the bacon drippings. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil in pan with bacon drippings. Heat over medium heat.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Add in cooked pasta, roasted tomatoes, spinach, and sliced chicken. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Shred cheese over pasta.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJ7nAX2Q_ZIXylYr6NbLsLA3yL0at8VI6IYFCn5Fv31YIHMmNkoGU6AAqt7YZUVBSYl1CP6fGHLMwUR_qYDEZ-I5pnJV7JkoR2u2IFcJI08XWVRL4Vkqkn8O4ZSMgIvPf3r-YR76occ0/s1600/DSC07260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJ7nAX2Q_ZIXylYr6NbLsLA3yL0at8VI6IYFCn5Fv31YIHMmNkoGU6AAqt7YZUVBSYl1CP6fGHLMwUR_qYDEZ-I5pnJV7JkoR2u2IFcJI08XWVRL4Vkqkn8O4ZSMgIvPf3r-YR76occ0/s320/DSC07260.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4. Juice lemon over pasta and toss together until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted. This is the only picture I got of this meal! You can see here that you just put everything together... and mix! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Add chopped bacon when you are ready to serve. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This recipe will serve 10-12 people. And the great thing about this, is you can substitute different vegetables and proteins depending on your tastes and what you have on hand. This would be equally delicious made with sausage instead of chicken or broccoli instead of spinach. Hope you enjoy! </span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-47555535275865888862011-12-27T11:11:00.002-05:002011-12-30T11:17:02.763-05:00Easy Entertaining Part III: Traditions<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm all about traditions. I always remember special dates and the ways that we celebrate each year. We have traditions for the whole year, but there are some very special ones that I look forward to during December. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">We stuff each other's stockings with lots of sweet, small gifts and open them on Christmas Eve. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">We go to my grandmother's home on Christmas Eve for time with family. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">We have my buttermilk pancakes with homemade blueberry syrup for breakfast on Christmas morning. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">We get a new special ornament for our tree every year.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">We spend time praying for the upcoming year on New Year's Eve at midnight.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, some traditions during this month get to be very task-oriented and involve lots of prep time; i.e. cooking huge, elaborate meals for Christmas, baking tons of goodies for neighbors and friends, etc. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your holiday traditions and time with family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>1. Cook a different meal, and by different, I mean <em>simple</em>.</strong> For the most part, the tradition of a holiday meal isn't the food (<em>except collard greens and black eyed peas on New Year's Day here in the South!</em>). The tradition of the holiday meal is normally to spend time with family and friends. This year, I hosted Christmas with Dan's family and my family. I had been very sick all week and didn't have the time or energy to prepare for my normal holiday meal. So, instead, we had a pot of turkey noodle soup and a pot of chili beans! The turkey was leftover from the traditional Christmas meal at my grandmother's the night before and my mom brought the chili beans. My mother-in-law and I made some cornbread and a loaf of homemade bread to go with it. It was perfect. While the bread was baking and the soups were simmering, we opened gifts, talked, drank hot tea, and just enjoyed each others company. It was one of the most relaxing get-togethers I've ever hosted. Other meal ideas: lasagna, a big pasta dish (I did this for a Christmas party this year and was a huge hit! Will share a recipe in the coming days), vegetable beef soup, pork tenderloin (it only takes about 25 minutes to cook) along with 2-3 vegetables, or a finger food party. If having a <em>traditional</em> holiday supper is a must, you can also make it a pot-luck. We do this with my grandmother, and it always turns out fantastic. Each family brings two to three dishes to share.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>2. Do a Secret Santa gift exchange.</strong> I love giving gifts and one of my favorite things is to watch people open gifts that I buy them. However, as you get older, families get bigger, and more and more gifts have to be bought. I know, for myself, this year I had a really hard time telling people what I wanted for Christmas, simply because I have so much already. Sometimes when you have to buy for lots of people, it almost makes it impersonal if you're rushed to find gifts. This year, with Dan's family we did Secret Santa! I'm going to be honest, at first, I did not think that I would like it. BUT, I ended up loving it! We used <a href="http://www.elfster.com/">Elfster</a> to exchange names since we live far apart. It's a great website where you can make a wishlist, ask your Secret Santa anonymous questions, and communicate with the whole group. It was so nice being able to focus on shopping for that one person and get him/her that <em>perfect</em> gift. You can also do a gift exchange where every one who comes to the get-together brings a gift, and then draw numbers and play a game to see who gets which gift. It takes a lot of stress out of finding perfect gifts for everyone and makes it a lot more personal. If distance separates your family, you can open gifts on Skype! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>3. Make fudge.</strong> Every year, I like to make goodies for friends. I normally include lots of beautiful cookies and treats. This year, I decided that I wasn't going to make all that. It was time consuming and people get enough of that kind of stuff from every where else. I decided to make fudge<strong> </strong>instead. It is super simple and when put in a pretty celephane bag with a ribbon, looks incredibly cute! The recipe is simple and took me about 20 minutes and I had lots of fudge cooling in my refrigerator. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>4. Sponsor a family in need.</strong> Most of us are very, very blessed. I work with an organization called <a href="http://www.hopematch.org/">HopeMatch</a> where we match people in need with people who want to give during the holidays. I read through many stories this year that got referred to us. Christmas isn't fun and lighthearted for everyone and this is a wonderful way to make a difference. If your family is a family that already has every thing, sponsor a family in lieu of buying gifts. We've made it our tradition to sponsor at least one family every year. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Traditions are very fun and make the holidays special. As our lives grow and change, sometimes a few of our traditions need to do the same. These tips can help you make your traditions fit your lifestyle better or inspire you to make new ones. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">PS: This <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/peanut-butter-fudge-recipe/index.html">Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe</a> is delicious and SUPER easy! </span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-24144705194606490292011-12-20T21:07:00.001-05:002011-12-20T21:08:43.208-05:00Easy Entertaining Part II: Baked Brie<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In my [<em>short</em>] experience in hosting parties and family holiday get-togethers, I've learned that appetizers are normally the last thing on my mind. I somehow always overlook them until the last minute. It's not always necessary, but it seems like every time I'm cooking a big meal, I'm running a few minutes late, and it would work perfectly to have one or two small appetizers to have my guests enjoy while I'm finishing the main course. Last year, I tried baked brie for the first time. This summer, I was hosting a dinner party for our small-group with church. Appetizers were <em>not</em> at the back of my mind for once, I decided to try making brie as one. It was such a huge hit and everyone devoured it in minutes. Now, this has become my go-to appetizer and I serve it at most of the parties and get-togethers I host. It's super easy and can be your go-to appetizer too. It is the perfect food to take to a party or to serve at your own home. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u>For Baked Brie you will need</u>: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 sheet of thawed puff pastry (found in the freezer section)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">8 oz. package of brie cheese</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">drizzle of honey</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">fruit slices, crackers, and/or bread for serving along side the brie</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8TqWyWqJBc690uiVTi1kx1XdglbgFr5zTyLdV6YihgglDUnJQZDmx4W4PXMliCX-lygdbY_b02AkSJHDHihdPfAH0xoGaJun0l7rVFShnhhLxUs-HJBXTBBaPcCNrES0aIAzy6KW6kw/s1600/DSC07256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8TqWyWqJBc690uiVTi1kx1XdglbgFr5zTyLdV6YihgglDUnJQZDmx4W4PXMliCX-lygdbY_b02AkSJHDHihdPfAH0xoGaJun0l7rVFShnhhLxUs-HJBXTBBaPcCNrES0aIAzy6KW6kw/s320/DSC07256.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Brie is found with the speciality cheeses at regular grocery stores. It normally comes in a little box and is wrapped inside. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNDXEWkGiq7VB-u_78c3EKQWHx65iKaMZJ401tBU0kiOBb8yWgKAD2ln7eU9pD4F-qHSHqJttaBeDU1MDPi6b-HrApFdg6DDFwXs7ZbKQLv7D5aTEb9Y65H24eGvKZh5WufAJp0gWZ8k/s1600/DSC07257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNDXEWkGiq7VB-u_78c3EKQWHx65iKaMZJ401tBU0kiOBb8yWgKAD2ln7eU9pD4F-qHSHqJttaBeDU1MDPi6b-HrApFdg6DDFwXs7ZbKQLv7D5aTEb9Y65H24eGvKZh5WufAJp0gWZ8k/s320/DSC07257.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For the easy part, take your puff pastry sheet and wrapped the brie as neatly and tightly as you can. There is no need to tear off the extra dough. Place in a greased baking pan with sides (just in case some cheese oozes out, it would end up in the bottom of your oven). Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7ZLueR_TO7tpFMZgo9WugGxDdgjEuUi-S-bTJk2KshdtCTLCx2da6HivqfbSmJflXjIyvkP2onLIkgXIBtrtVle8FTu3gm3wI7WHxQaNZQ8-J8ZbIUyWKgE3AoAFKErTy9PoQQQ1sTM/s1600/DSC07259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7ZLueR_TO7tpFMZgo9WugGxDdgjEuUi-S-bTJk2KshdtCTLCx2da6HivqfbSmJflXjIyvkP2onLIkgXIBtrtVle8FTu3gm3wI7WHxQaNZQ8-J8ZbIUyWKgE3AoAFKErTy9PoQQQ1sTM/s320/DSC07259.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Remove the baked brie from the oven and immediately drizzle 1-2 tbsp. of honey over the top. I've raved about </span><a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/search/label/Breakfast"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Savannah Bee Company honey before</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, and this is another one of my favorite ways to use it. I chose the winter white honey since this was for a Christmas party! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCwhbpdz2aCFFnkrENcBAmvsLo21f2ouCJ2e6DhHPI1vTCAFlcjimkmCtkkH9Z4z8pu2optIRGGYy-bcBS-yKXxqYzGksPqxmxhTj9dUiGT7XUF8MyuF3MnguYlvL_7iK-hfGR-Odm2M/s1600/DSC07261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCwhbpdz2aCFFnkrENcBAmvsLo21f2ouCJ2e6DhHPI1vTCAFlcjimkmCtkkH9Z4z8pu2optIRGGYy-bcBS-yKXxqYzGksPqxmxhTj9dUiGT7XUF8MyuF3MnguYlvL_7iK-hfGR-Odm2M/s320/DSC07261.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Place the cheese on a large serving board with lots of sides to enjoy the brie on. The best choices that I've found are pears, apples, blueberries, water crackers, and pita chips. Of course, you can enjoy this on whatever you like. Also serve with a small butter knife to cut into the pastry. It is warm, gooey, slightly sweet deliciousness inside! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> This Christmas and New Year's, if you're hosting a party or need to take something to a party, this is a simple and wonderful appetizer that everyone is sure to love. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-40102843551047660112011-12-17T16:31:00.002-05:002011-12-17T16:53:23.059-05:00Easy Entertaining Part I: The Perfect Pie Crust<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The 2011 holiday season is now in full swing! It is amazing how quickly it has passed already. I love Christmas (maybe a little too much) and like to enjoy it as long as possible. We put our tree up in early November and can hardly believe that I'm just 2 weeks away from having to take it down. As we all know, with the holidays come parties and family get-togethers. Over the next few days, I'm going to share a few posts about easy dishes to cook and ways to make your parties and get-togethers go smoothly and easy. A quick disclaimer: the next few posts will <strong>not </strong>stick to my normal theme of <em>healthy eating</em>! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The first post is all about how to make a perfect pie crust. Most people have a favorite pie recipe that they like to make. It is the perfect dessert to take to a party or serve at your own family's get-together. I'm not going to try to sway your opinion on the best pie. I am going to share with you how to make your pie even better. This pie crust is so easy and so much more delicious than a store bought one. I've found that people don't normally have a problem making a pie crust, it's the rolling it out, getting it in the pan, and baking it that is difficult. I always use the </span><a href="http://www.crisco.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=1242"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Crisco brand recipe</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> for pie crusts. It's really flaky and delicious so I'm not going to reinvent the wheel with this one. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The perfect pie crust: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Crisco pie crust dough prepared and formed into a ball (link above)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A large, clean workspace (granite counters or a large cutting board work great!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rolling pin</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Spatula or another utensil that is very thin (I use a pie server)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pie cooking dish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Uncooked beans</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Aluminum foil </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Extra flour</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Prepare the pie crust according to Crisco's recipe. Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow the dough to chill in the freezer for about 30 minutes. You can also do this a few days ahead of time and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. While the dough is cooling down, place your cutting board, rolling pin, and thin utensil in the freezer as well. You want as much of your equipment as possible to be very cold. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BYSF5cPAal2Hyj_ReSuvPDPeGBijNozmXlina4-Sc2q3MDWYsGoy1oHnRH-7CGcPNDIn9WMqXTahnhrpTJE2veMJTMk-Ncik99qGTbtGDDhPRFKppaFm0BqZskvKjBbeGhUuNOvrnuI/s1600/DSC07231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BYSF5cPAal2Hyj_ReSuvPDPeGBijNozmXlina4-Sc2q3MDWYsGoy1oHnRH-7CGcPNDIn9WMqXTahnhrpTJE2veMJTMk-Ncik99qGTbtGDDhPRFKppaFm0BqZskvKjBbeGhUuNOvrnuI/s320/DSC07231.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 3. The key to keeping the dough from sticking is to have a small layer of flour between the dough and your working surface. Place about 3 tbsp. of flour on your board/counter and then your ball of dough. Cover any area of your working space that the dough might touch with flour. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfRsyFSXX6B_uuxCS-OgGwEd91G2REKmIbF0YpHiPDOskX-cyuH9SxfEn48zCD-4kFCSc7s5ixyzuA857igqCRQUFu44wC3caH2U1bcVrwsq8L21mGx2X76M8xBwujpNtO-1NDcqujwU/s1600/DSC07232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfRsyFSXX6B_uuxCS-OgGwEd91G2REKmIbF0YpHiPDOskX-cyuH9SxfEn48zCD-4kFCSc7s5ixyzuA857igqCRQUFu44wC3caH2U1bcVrwsq8L21mGx2X76M8xBwujpNtO-1NDcqujwU/s320/DSC07232.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 4. Spread some flour on your rolling pin and use it to begin to roll out your dough. Start from the center and roll outwards pressing firmly. Always come back to the center to roll out. If the rolling pin begins to stick, dust it with some more flour. Using your pie dish to measure, roll until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick and where you have enough to go 2-3 inches past your circular pie dish. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChgXr8hIRD7sgmLAvhAB0QYRohGGNASg1m3uwqAGJzS2ktsYm9GNM9k8b0xvCyb-sj25pOlcWGIznNt-e0Hr48-0ANVLt2rA7OtsTcFXiVmfXlLCZO4_BNwIyOHaUi8xnve8sKKroJbM/s1600/DSC07233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChgXr8hIRD7sgmLAvhAB0QYRohGGNASg1m3uwqAGJzS2ktsYm9GNM9k8b0xvCyb-sj25pOlcWGIznNt-e0Hr48-0ANVLt2rA7OtsTcFXiVmfXlLCZO4_BNwIyOHaUi8xnve8sKKroJbM/s320/DSC07233.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 5. Now begins the transfer of the dough into your pie dish. Carefully begin lifting up. Begin to gently roll the doll onto the rolling pin. Use a spatula to carefully unstick any parts that may stick. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJ2PTg9N0T6B2l0VWGocM4RWryCrKW90kp5GufKE3y2qhyOVDXXRR5Jd2gtAz-0wMIOqpmcVl4rO1XdnkP8iuclnpkjSJ1PuLN778iINScsIWc_6hHzmD2p6IVYyYIbmRwiHAPArPgkQ/s1600/DSC07234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJ2PTg9N0T6B2l0VWGocM4RWryCrKW90kp5GufKE3y2qhyOVDXXRR5Jd2gtAz-0wMIOqpmcVl4rO1XdnkP8iuclnpkjSJ1PuLN778iINScsIWc_6hHzmD2p6IVYyYIbmRwiHAPArPgkQ/s320/DSC07234.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 6. Roll the dough completely up on the the rolling pin. Set it on the pie dish and unroll onto it. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkavw6fWs_8zP4XYhESfRjnlN363W6tF8V1tOwqTPna7KRmK-NDKedtS_mZpM6_C99GEYeeZ1ta2m37cN9vYY6KXGaf-UNldNpXVvKXGHMgpSthZyWhGBqDwrHcv3PiLGPQmJt1StTmrU/s1600/DSC07235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkavw6fWs_8zP4XYhESfRjnlN363W6tF8V1tOwqTPna7KRmK-NDKedtS_mZpM6_C99GEYeeZ1ta2m37cN9vYY6KXGaf-UNldNpXVvKXGHMgpSthZyWhGBqDwrHcv3PiLGPQmJt1StTmrU/s320/DSC07235.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 7. Use your hands (if it begins to stick, put a little flour on your hands) to press the crust down into the pan. Here, you can use two fingers to form a nice rim. I had something else in mind for this one. You'll see below. If your pie crust doesn't need to be cooked before you add the filling (usually fruit pies do not), you are done! Add your filling and bake according to your recipe. If your pie crust needs to be cooked before the filling is added or if you just want to ensure that the crust is not mushy, continue with this recipe. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DA4s3yxzZ3I20o2c4iHwDqufq8HNbftmR0qThHUFytCEZIzQ9PYi3nX_bTvq7YWCeENv3qN_FZNJhZhh-UDkc_K0-O_onjPqK0FHISob-zDYysfB0kutTRCMIb1W_UgMv_OYxBJJFCM/s1600/DSC07236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DA4s3yxzZ3I20o2c4iHwDqufq8HNbftmR0qThHUFytCEZIzQ9PYi3nX_bTvq7YWCeENv3qN_FZNJhZhh-UDkc_K0-O_onjPqK0FHISob-zDYysfB0kutTRCMIb1W_UgMv_OYxBJJFCM/s320/DSC07236.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 8. Place a layer of aluminum foil on top of the pie crust and then a layer of the uncooked beans. Make sure the beans cover the entire bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until the crust is beginning to brown. It will continue to cook once you add the filling and bake again. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrNIaqTtJi9s4hPxd48r9myTOtLJTBPhbW353Ieukjnb9XRYM-U6gsQhG-W8ED9r5ShP3xHzegsFc1ouSXu0kD9FBpJq-VytBFvV8Gfpz_SulyWIBbhyphenhyphencZz1SluOEh5iZE1o2yICYkmY/s1600/DSC07240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrNIaqTtJi9s4hPxd48r9myTOtLJTBPhbW353Ieukjnb9XRYM-U6gsQhG-W8ED9r5ShP3xHzegsFc1ouSXu0kD9FBpJq-VytBFvV8Gfpz_SulyWIBbhyphenhyphencZz1SluOEh5iZE1o2yICYkmY/s320/DSC07240.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">9. Instead of a normal rim, I added leaves to this pecan pumpkin pie. Using some left over dough, I cut out the leaves and added them to the pie as the pecan filling was cooking. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Now, if you don't have a favorite pie recipe, this <a href="http://southernfood.about.com/od/pumpkinpies/r/blbb524.htm">Pumpkin Pecan Pie</a> is my absolute favorite during the holidays. I also substitute sweet potato pie sometimes in this recipe. Also, another easy way to jazz up a regular pie crust for extra flavor is to add about 2 teaspoons of the spices or chopped nuts from your pie recipe. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">This recipe will make your regular pie recipes a little more special. </span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-60304578393408704342011-12-05T06:00:00.038-05:002011-12-05T06:00:16.359-05:00Pulled Pork<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've recently been introduced to </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pinterest</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. It's a really fun website where you can <em>pin</em> things you like to different boards. Most of the time, I'm looking at recipes! I love so many of the ideas that I come across. Recently, I came across one for a pulled pork recipe. T</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">he recipe sounded delicious and I wanted to try it. However, it was pretty fatty (because of the pork butt) and I wanted to make it my own. You can read the original recipe <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/225672631297401671/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I substituted a pork tenderloin which is a very healthy cut of meat. I also substituted a diet Cheerwine to make it distinctively Southern. It turned out to be really delicious! Here is my own healthy twist on this recipe. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>What you need to make this recipe</strong>:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 can of Diet Cheerwine</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tbsp. Lawry's Seasoning</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Pork Tenderloin</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9EqDsGqpmr3q_W3IkByJmZnhM4w0VOuoWa2f0hO-1b0rJqCuLlouR6cg23n2VavOfZUX6XlmkZBgaR0lW0rcCALnmou25HNDJCD9wywQ69ylByWjrs-z_4Lxv0Fubl3hK7pPvSJ731o/s1600/DSC07241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9EqDsGqpmr3q_W3IkByJmZnhM4w0VOuoWa2f0hO-1b0rJqCuLlouR6cg23n2VavOfZUX6XlmkZBgaR0lW0rcCALnmou25HNDJCD9wywQ69ylByWjrs-z_4Lxv0Fubl3hK7pPvSJ731o/s320/DSC07241.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Remove the tenderloin from package and pat dry. Cover with the Lawry's seasoning. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2. Put the seasoned tenderloin, can of soda, and the bottle of BBQ sauce in your slow cooker. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3. Cook on high for 2 hours.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZbNvGUK7e1XzLlmjFs3tVziaPxg9_doCjfhdpvls_hEBGbCoLExuKLUTfSpcfVJ3dtk7-vjfaInMuuag8Cbx3V4ey71n_EenhHQUtocG01Ltd3S0a4jndW0KCLLjWA3omevqhp6MWao/s1600/DSC07242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZbNvGUK7e1XzLlmjFs3tVziaPxg9_doCjfhdpvls_hEBGbCoLExuKLUTfSpcfVJ3dtk7-vjfaInMuuag8Cbx3V4ey71n_EenhHQUtocG01Ltd3S0a4jndW0KCLLjWA3omevqhp6MWao/s320/DSC07242.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 4. Remove tenderloin from slow cooker and use two forks to shred pork. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZYL_jQ7HpAALWsGRVmg_jGqXMFXcS7-uaIVSIY_8duseXlVIVeXhpgd_x7YU9xBd5cuO5gr2pTFtCeo0dVBi9Il2QLCt9Mq4NWVM-zDUd7dHo_Zqu0NllYJA-pkzhAYRXfpbc5dTGlE/s1600/DSC07244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZYL_jQ7HpAALWsGRVmg_jGqXMFXcS7-uaIVSIY_8duseXlVIVeXhpgd_x7YU9xBd5cuO5gr2pTFtCeo0dVBi9Il2QLCt9Mq4NWVM-zDUd7dHo_Zqu0NllYJA-pkzhAYRXfpbc5dTGlE/s320/DSC07244.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5. Serve over rice or on a bun! Enjoy! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not only is this recipe really delicious and healthy, this meal is also so easy since its made in a crock pot. It was definitely a hit in our house! </span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-8653115140845251122011-12-01T06:00:00.004-05:002011-12-04T19:45:52.977-05:00Vegetarian Tacos<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">I've shared before that Dan and I try to enjoy 1-2 vegetarian meals a week to help keep our grocery budget down and for health purposes. When I first suggested this idea, I wish you could have seen the look on my husband's face! He could eat meat with every meal and the thought of<em> not</em> having a meat with supper was especially appalling. I've come up with a few meals now that he loves and they have no meat at all. <a href="http://thehazletthome.blogspot.com/2011/08/tomato-basil-pasta.html">Here</a> is one that I posted earlier in the summer. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">Tacos have always been a favorite in our house. We normally eat them about once a week. They are so easy and quick. These vegetarian tacos are even quicker than normal tacos and equally delicious. This recipe serves about 4 people. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
What you'll need:</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">2 cans of black beans</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">1 1/2 cans corn or 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn (in the summer, I use 2 ears of fresh)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">1 can diced tomatoes with chili peppers</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">1 package of taco seasoning</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">toppings for tacos: cheese, lettuce, sour cream, cabbage- whatever you like</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">hard or soft taco shells</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">Here is the EASY part: </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">1. Drain the beans and corn from the liquid in the can, and put in a medium pot. Add the tomatoes and taco seasoning. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes on medium high heat, stirring every few minutes.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmMBD7cQxXjKT2rGgdw-0xqxMduXvbr9EIk9VL4fPxwiTWYEEMClLKIpjeoiv0yVeSouzg16aAUYHQHUiSlhyphenhyphenxDZjGq7xKXpDJ3_O2Ruo49RRQpXfp9SG9tGscaKm50pkh5Z7WaU4Q6o/s1600/photo+1%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmMBD7cQxXjKT2rGgdw-0xqxMduXvbr9EIk9VL4fPxwiTWYEEMClLKIpjeoiv0yVeSouzg16aAUYHQHUiSlhyphenhyphenxDZjGq7xKXpDJ3_O2Ruo49RRQpXfp9SG9tGscaKm50pkh5Z7WaU4Q6o/s320/photo+1%25286%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">2. Put mixture in the tortillas, add the toppings you like, and enjoy! </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-yE65avDL33SXaq47ZM86EM1yLy6wI4EcdSNC6qjPpptna2DK3wCkpQy9uyed8zToAXuxDzumsH9m34hgYQMrVqUQKr_Z5m3PLyYJxIvKihJw3-QJdg5PQP5-m-wXrnwCCJ6YWFmUJM/s1600/photo+2%25284%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-yE65avDL33SXaq47ZM86EM1yLy6wI4EcdSNC6qjPpptna2DK3wCkpQy9uyed8zToAXuxDzumsH9m34hgYQMrVqUQKr_Z5m3PLyYJxIvKihJw3-QJdg5PQP5-m-wXrnwCCJ6YWFmUJM/s320/photo+2%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">It doesn't get much easier or healthier than that! You can also take the mixture and add cheese and make quesadillas with it. It is also delicious. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">We enjoy this meal now once a week, at least. My husband, who used to think he could never eat a vegetarian meal, always asks me to make this recipe. :)</div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4921468397706964377.post-65276316189612760182011-11-28T06:00:00.002-05:002011-12-04T19:43:29.176-05:00Crockpot Lasagna<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I love a good a slow cooker recipe. It is so nice to be able to throw everything in a pot, let it cook for a few hours, and then enjoy supper! I've always made a lot of soups and desserts in the crockpot, but I was looking to make something different. A few years ago, a friend of mine said that she cooked spaghetti in her slow cooker, so I got the idea to make lasagna in the crockpot. It turned out very well and since then, I think I've mastered it and made it about as healthy (and economical) as lasagna can get (minus whole-wheat noodles- can't find lasagna ones ANYWHERE!). </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKop38HIGzfIY61KUBHlG1UCdlmgWQBtsaCCRCBZIKkt6nzxAUVUmlNgISPpU3mPfEu4auliFsmkTR7YWKrhqCg6MKbY6hjM-3Zug3zVGUdAxJNS1vp3m3hv0626SsBFtNfr78Bpx1sI/s1600/cooking+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKop38HIGzfIY61KUBHlG1UCdlmgWQBtsaCCRCBZIKkt6nzxAUVUmlNgISPpU3mPfEu4auliFsmkTR7YWKrhqCg6MKbY6hjM-3Zug3zVGUdAxJNS1vp3m3hv0626SsBFtNfr78Bpx1sI/s320/cooking+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">What you'll need:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1.25 lbs. lean (Italian, if you can find it) ground turkey </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 box of oven-ready lasagna noodles</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese made with 2%</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 15 oz. container of part-skim ricotta cheese</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 c. of shredded Parmesan cheese</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 tbsp. Italian seasoning</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Salt and Pepper</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
This recipe will serve 5-6 people. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosLreASVAf_h4Q_HuzVcanCaLghRV7H3eMFeygqj1o0ulsB0IhyphenhyphenWmejDt8CVf4M63qUfgeSMZ6vYvc9B1InI2WwiEWFz0v9QalpI2EKU-DupsWru0OeWpfsyh1UypHjuDiVW5xK0hrME/s1600/cooking+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosLreASVAf_h4Q_HuzVcanCaLghRV7H3eMFeygqj1o0ulsB0IhyphenhyphenWmejDt8CVf4M63qUfgeSMZ6vYvc9B1InI2WwiEWFz0v9QalpI2EKU-DupsWru0OeWpfsyh1UypHjuDiVW5xK0hrME/s320/cooking+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1. Begin by browning meat over medium-high heat in a pan on the stove. While that is cooking, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, 1 1/4 c. mozzarella, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, 2 tsp. of Italian seasoning, and a dash of salt and pepper. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS26fmGtpvLPqQ6SyonxPQphZBrKXzcfwxzqGSk1t9NLmy5QY19Z-8ssgUVIcYtK_hs2VyWkWS4jwPz73TfdgUiNrvx6-M2cZe1I-3yzg69yzT5VS_jFdPnC3QDx9ueD_SIQZrmDJOp9Q/s1600/cooking+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS26fmGtpvLPqQ6SyonxPQphZBrKXzcfwxzqGSk1t9NLmy5QY19Z-8ssgUVIcYtK_hs2VyWkWS4jwPz73TfdgUiNrvx6-M2cZe1I-3yzg69yzT5VS_jFdPnC3QDx9ueD_SIQZrmDJOp9Q/s320/cooking+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2. Once turkey is done cooking, drain away extra liquid. Add in the jar of tomato sauce, reserving about 1/3 c. for the top of the lasagna. Stir together. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiNNYoLaJVRkjajEEWdz1ipbjgTfIWj46bdQPKdAWRX4P-61HzaYbJJGdkg9wu4UTwbQ40R8JdU20Tcvz6ZPcWzz9hZxCwhn3xRJXrIgI4o0453-R_lNca0NZgEyw7tZ-x1gPd2392Mk/s1600/cooking+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiNNYoLaJVRkjajEEWdz1ipbjgTfIWj46bdQPKdAWRX4P-61HzaYbJJGdkg9wu4UTwbQ40R8JdU20Tcvz6ZPcWzz9hZxCwhn3xRJXrIgI4o0453-R_lNca0NZgEyw7tZ-x1gPd2392Mk/s320/cooking+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">3. Get your crockpot and bowl of cheese near the stove for easy assembly. Start by spraying your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Add in a tiny amount of the meat and sauce mixture to the bottom, just enough to keep the noodles from burning. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">4. Begin adding the layers. Start with the noodles. Break the lasagna noodles so that they fit as well as possible in the bottom. The next layer is the meat. Add meat and spread out. Then follow with the ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of the Italian seasoning. You want to keep your layers relatively thin so that the lasagna doesn't fall apart when you put it on a plate. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtR5WUQ_c9pkKETMaRcL2NFBFAunnwIOBlxdK4dIZ7keLIufJZZo92ryxC_6ef3iRhD5wz8h0Zc220GQlWFDsZt_hVfX0Z-yLw2dnL0iFgDRqM-6kG6thkblJHcZYbVLLNC6RXuxo6OwU/s1600/cooking+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtR5WUQ_c9pkKETMaRcL2NFBFAunnwIOBlxdK4dIZ7keLIufJZZo92ryxC_6ef3iRhD5wz8h0Zc220GQlWFDsZt_hVfX0Z-yLw2dnL0iFgDRqM-6kG6thkblJHcZYbVLLNC6RXuxo6OwU/s320/cooking+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">5. After the cheese, start again with the noodles. Continue with this until you've created 3 full layers. The 3 full layers should hold all of your meat and sauce mixture and all of the ricotta mixture.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdV2ENTJxN-L4cWN1IE8pwf-sYAV0N0fBTsJZA9gHAwdv_91RUhjnVuLd0ke9j1ex94J2JUha37UwXF-SR9iH2JG3i1L42bKygoM7t7OLIiNQ6R_8k8iDrlpRG7L8LFbixm7NUbdrTig/s1600/cooking+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdV2ENTJxN-L4cWN1IE8pwf-sYAV0N0fBTsJZA9gHAwdv_91RUhjnVuLd0ke9j1ex94J2JUha37UwXF-SR9iH2JG3i1L42bKygoM7t7OLIiNQ6R_8k8iDrlpRG7L8LFbixm7NUbdrTig/s320/cooking+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">6. Top the last layer with one last layer of noodles. Then add the reserved tomato sauce, the rest of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and one last sprinkle of italian seasoning (in that order) to make a cheesy topping. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">7. Cook on high for 1 1/2-2 hours or on low for 3-4 hours. </span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc4iCh3Hx4KvJWF1qBGmtKXbkahASdNWxEQPW_sb-V4UZtMaDeeOl6WMH3UwS7sR-oV3ohp-8h3l7gzhUO0jnw9RaZp5T34sWv3U1FbwziLysYJpSJbEx0b2VriKxWyYgtod8o2K1dE8/s1600/cooking+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAc4iCh3Hx4KvJWF1qBGmtKXbkahASdNWxEQPW_sb-V4UZtMaDeeOl6WMH3UwS7sR-oV3ohp-8h3l7gzhUO0jnw9RaZp5T34sWv3U1FbwziLysYJpSJbEx0b2VriKxWyYgtod8o2K1dE8/s320/cooking+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Cooking in the crockpot always helps me de-stress and relax. I stood in the kitchen for only about 15 minutes making this meal. I hope that you enjoy a night of (almost) no cooking and this lasagna! </span></div>Jada Hazletthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13168524358845017942noreply@blogger.com1