Happy Feet

Bargain Meal of the Week

Click on the image to go find your Bargain Meal of the Week

Sorry I missed posting this last week. I have been so busy at work and we were getting ready to head to my in-laws for a long weekend (I'll write more about in a future post). It looks like there are some good deals to be had at Hy-Vee this week.

One website I like to find meal ideas on is Once a Month Mom, where Cortney and Tricia post monthly meal plans where the idea is to do all of your cooking in one day, stock your freezer, and voila! you are ready to go. I'm not ambitious enough to cook just once a month, but on the weekends I like to make a meal or two that can go in the freezer. One that I've tried from their site is Mexican "Un"Stuffed Shells which was featured on the March menu. The recipe below makes 4 meals but you can adjust accordingly to fit your needs (I halved it and we ate one and froze the other).

Mexican "Un"Stuffed Shells

Servings: 16

Author/Source: Pamela @ Recipezaar.com #57772

DOUBLED

32 ounces seashell pasta, cooked (any pasta type will work $0.99/14.5oz)

2 pounds ground beef ($2.39/lb or substitute chicken $0.59/lb)

6 Tablespoons taco seasoning (make your own to save money)

1 cup water (free!)

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cups salsa ($4.99/66oz - can probably find a smaller/cheaper quantity at the store)

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded ($1.25)

50.75 ounces tomato sauce ($0.19/8oz)

to taste chili powder

Directions: 1. Add seasoning, water, onion, salsa, 1/2 cup cheese, tomato sauce, and chili powder to 2 pounds cooked ground beef. Mix well.

2. Stir in cooked pasta and portion into 4 8 x 8 baking dishes.

3. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

4. Cover with foil and write the following instructions: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes thawed) or 2 hours (frozen).

Containers Needed: 4 8x8 or 9x9 pans. If you are going to thaw before cooking you can also freeze in Ziploc bags or any Rubbermaid/Tupperware type container and transfer to a baking dish before cooking.

For more Bargain Meal ideas, head over to $5 dinners.

Bargain meal of the week

Click on the image to go find your Bargain Meal of the Week

Quick Tuna Salad
1 (7 ounce) can solid white tuna packed in water, drained ($0.69/5oz)
1/4 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip™) (Hellmann's $2.68/jar or Kraft Ranch $1.88/bottle - even cheaper with the $1/1 kraft coupons)
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, or to taste

Mash tuna together with salad dressing and relish in a small bowl with a fork. Serve.

Now I don't eat tuna or salad that doesn't involve lettuce, but I'm guessing this is served as a sandwich.

Whole grain white ($1.49/20oz package)
Bakery fresh buns ($1.88/8)

For more Bargain Meal ideas, head over to $5 dinners.

Maturing

Bodie has been such a joy to be with lately. I think it seems odd to say that about your child but it has been great. The highlights:



1. Potty training. Going fantastically! On Sunday I "tricked" Bodie when we went swimming at the Y. I didn't bring a diaper for him to put on afterwards, just underwear. He went 2 times on Sunday and didn't have any accidents. He did go A LOT in his diaper at nap and overnight but I felt we (he) was successful enough to wear underwear to school on Monday. When I picked him up that evening he was still wearing the same shorts as in the morning. I assumed he'd just begged them for a diaper, but no, he didn't have any accidents. So since Sunday he has had 1 poo accident on Tuesday and a pee accident today because they left him in underwear for nap. Evidently he stayed dry yesterday during nap so they took the chance today. He also stayed dry last night but we didn't take that same chance tonight. He has yet to poo in the toilet but hopefully that will come.



2. Haircut. Haircuts have been a torturous even for Bodie since his first one almost 2 years ago. A few weeks ago we gave him one and it was great. He voluntarily got in his chair, we didn't have to restrain him, he didn't cry or scream at all.



3. Shower. Bodie has always been afraid of the shower but lately that is all he wants to do. It is nice but also not nice because he showers with me. I would enjoy my few minutes of alone time in the shower but I guess if it keeps him happy I'll let him join me.



He has also been saying some funny things. Last weekend I was giving Barrett some little bits of hamburger and he told me Barrett cannot eat hamburger, he is too little. Also last weekend I was getting the ladder down to change some outdoor light bulbs and he told me I think that is daddy's ladder, I think. Of course since he is potty training he likes talking about the poopy being in his butt and he might have also said shit the other night (another swear word that I'm completely responsible for).



Finally, last weekend I took him shopping to pick out a new pair of sunglasses and whatever underwear he wanted. Before we went shopping he told me he wanted white underwear. I figured that would change once he saw all the choices but it didn't. He picked out whitey tighties. I'm not sure what his excitement with those are (not what his daddy wears) but I'll take it. He also didn't want any character sunglasses, he picked out plain black ones.

Bargain Meal of the Week

Click on the image to go find your Bargain Meal of the Week

Sorry for the lateness this week, work has been super busy and I'm battling some sinus issue thing. Anyway, I think the Hy-vee sales are lacking a little this week, but I think you can do Parmesan Chicken at a good price.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

1 cup corn flakes, crushed ($1.58/box)
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese (Hy-vee brand $2.49/16oz)
1/4 tsp. salt (on hand)
1/8 tsp. pepper (on hand)
1 broiler-fryer chicken (3 lb.), cut up, skinned (use breasts $0.99/lb)
1/4 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise or MIRACLE WHIP Dressing

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix crushed corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Brush chicken with mayo; sprinkle with crumb mixture.
PLACE in 13x9-inch baking dish.
BAKE 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.

For more Bargain Meal ideas, head over to $5 dinners.

9 months

Barrett had his 9 month doctor visit on Friday, and it really didn't go how I had envisioned. For the most part Barrett looks good, but the doctor is concerned about his lack of movement (he isn't crawling, pulling up, or cruising yet). Now I do seem to remember that Bodie wasn't pulling up or cruising at this point, but he was crawling. Barrett has always been very happy just being where you put him. He has never done the whole roll all over the room thing. I remember at his 6 month appointment asking the doctor if it was ok that he didn't roll over more but at that point the doctor wasn't concerned because Barrett has a certain older brother that helps get him what he wants. But I guess now it is becoming an issue. The doctor suggested we really work with him over the next couple weeks and then if he doesn't make any improvements to call and he'll send us to a pediatric physical therapist. He did say it was a good sign that Barrett pushes himself around backwards, so hopefully with some pushing from us he'll start to go forward as well. Also I should say it isn't like he doesn't try to do these things. He tries so hard to crawl. He is immediately up on all fours (for a few weeks now) he just can't get it together to move. Also he tries to pull up, but I think it has to be difficult to pull up when you are sitting on your butt, as opposed to if you crawled to something, got on your knees, and pulled up. So, hopefully if we can get him crawling, the pulling up will come. And he is getting close. He'll pull himself onto his knees, so I hope he figures it out soon.

Stats:

Length: 28.5" 60%

Weight: 19 lb 14 oz 40%*

Head: 18" 60%

* When the doctor saw he was 40% for weight he said "he is supposedly 40%" as if the nusre had mapped it wrong and then kept saying he was just under the 50%. In any event he isn't worried because Barrett looks "very solid".