Vinegar to relieve Sunburns and so much more!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE vinegar! I love it on my foods, and I love to find many other uses for such a wonderful, yet natural product. I recently got a bad, horrible, sunburn and was told to use vinegar on it. I was skeptical it would burn and make me cry , so I decided to give it a try. So a friend said to use white vinegar, but I was out and had red wine vinegar only. So I put some in a bowl and used a cotton ball to wipe it on. It does not sting, and after just one good application the burn and the color was already starting to calm down. By the third application the white in my skin was starting to appear slowly through the burn.You can do this every hour or morning and night, just give it a try! So trust me this wonderful and cheap solution works wonders.

Other uses for vinegar I do around the house include adding it to the wash instead of fabric softener, drink a capful to relieve heartburn, add with baking soda in stainless steal sinks to clean and shine them up. My favorite way to use it, is to put 1/2 cup in a coffee cup and cook it for 5 minutes in the microwave and after that take a clean cloth and just wipe, it pulls everything up out of the microwave and deodorizes it as well. No more stuck on food! Miracle I tell you! I also use a large soup pot with 8 cups of water and 1/4 cup vinegar, boil for fifteen minutes and it will deodorize the kitchen or spaces its around. Vinegar is such a wonderful product, please give it a try!

One last tidbit I saw on Dr. Oz is that by drinking a tablespoon of vinegar before eating a high starchy meal will help your blood sugar from spiking terribly bad, great thought if your diabetic or trying to lose weight!

MeatBall Submarines

Meatball Submarines and Salad dressed with Italian Dressing

So if you notice I make a lot of meatballs. My kids LOVE LOVE LOVE meatballs. They are easy to make, cheap to make and so versatile. There really isn't a flavor profile it can't match with. So here is a super simple recipe for Meatball submarines.

Meatball Sandwiches

1/2 pound ground beef (93 lean I use)

1/2 pound ground turkey breast

2 eggs

1/2 cup breadcrumbs ( I used Standish Farms Sourdough bread to make the bread crumbs)

1/4 cup milk

salt

pepper

2T Lipton Soup dry mix

2T. A-1

Mix it all up and and form meatballs about a tablespoon in size. Place in a 375 oven for 25 minutes and set aside. In the meantime open a jar of marinara, or make your own, and place meatballs in the sauce to simmer and soak up flavors for at least 10 minutes; longer if desired. Open up a hoagie bun and toast it then lay 4 meatballs on, shredded Mozzarella and sprinkle of Parmesan and place in oven for a few seconds to melt cheese and then enjoy! I paired my sandwich with a salad dressed with Olive Garden Italian Dressing! Super Yum!

Meal Planning On a Budget!!

So if you are like me your money seems to go quick with children's needs. Well many of you don't know that I am trying to become debt free. So budgeting to me is EXTREMELY important. My hubby refers to me as a tightwad. I always tell him, you will thank me later. Well 4 years later 15k down in debt and finishing up the last of my bills we finally see the light. My oldest was in and out the doctor with croup and pneumonia as a child and those bills were a heavy burden; but like her pneumonia, it's almost a thing of the past:):) So every week I make a meal plan, cut coupons, if any, and make my 125 stretch as far as I can. This week I came in right on budget. This covers breakfasts, lunches and dinners for 7 days. We don't eat out, it's a waste to me when I could pay off  bills with that 20-50 dollars. I said I was cheap didn't I? I don't own a credit card, that's how cheap I am! Interest paying is not my thing. If you can't pay for it in cash, then you probably don't need it. Wants and NEEDS are 2 different things. That's where people have trouble. So on that note! Have a great weekend and below is my menu to help give you ideas.

Breakfasts

(2)Oatmeal in the crock pot with fruit and milk

(2)Life cereal and bananas

Eggs Bacon and Wonder Bread Kids bread Toast (brunch)

Omelets and Wonder Bread Kids Bread Toast(brunch

Boiled Eggs and Peanut Butter Wonder Bread Kids Bread Toasted

Lunch

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

Peanut Butter Sandwiches and bananas

Egg salad Sandwich and Chips

Quesadillas and fruit

Chili

2 Brunches

Dinner

Meatball Marinara Sub with salad

New York Steaks with Corn and potatoes

Chili with fruit cup

Chicken Bacon grilled Sandwich with Oven fries and salad

Chicken Breast stuffed with stuffing with mashed potatoes and green beans

Double Decker Tacos with Fajita Rice

Steak and Vegetable Kabobs over Rice

Swedish Meatball Dinner

Swedish MeatBalls

Such a simple yet crowd pleasing meal this truly is. So here it goes! I made Swedish meatballs in a brown gravy with whole wheat egg noodles and green beans drained and sauteed in a little butter on medium high heat.

Swedish Meatballs

1/2-1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground turkey (optional)(makes a super lean and tender meatball tho)

1/2 cup of dried bread broken down in a plastic bag with a soup(beat it gently or bag will break)

1/4 cup milk

2T. ketchup

1T. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 packet of Lipton onion soup

1/2T. black pepper

2 eggs

Mix together well... if it seems dry add in more milk to hydrate it... but you want it to be somewhat firm to roll balls. So roll balls of 1T. of meat and place on cookie sheet. They should not be touching and bake 375 for 25- 30 minutes... when browned pull out and set aside. In the meantime make the gravy using 3 packets of brown gravy mix and make accordingly to packet directions. When thickened to desired preference add in a half cup sour cream. Reduce heat to low and whisk until smooth.... once smooth add in meatballs and let simmer 5-10 minutes or longer if desired; It wont hurt anything. Once ready, serve over al dente egg noodles and along with your sauteed green beans. Yummy! Comfort food 101:)

Dinner Plate Special!

Many parents I have talked to say getting their kids to eat is a chore or not a problem. Above is a picture of what a dinner plate should resemble...except the vegetables can be cut in half and replaced by fruit. Kids mirror our behaviors, we all know that, and if you eat something or reject something your child is most likely going to do the same. In my house my kids eat sauerkraut, broccoli, raw spinach, cabbage etc. I have learned to make it and introduce it in different forms, cooked, raw, sauced. I also make it a point to always put it on my kids plates regardless if they like it or not. The child's taste buds change and develop as they get older, so by reintroducing it to them, they might develop to like the vegetable or tolerate it with time. I always tell me kids if they don't like it try one bite and I will leave you alone. It works and it has been successful in 2 of my 3 kids love of veggies. In fact they eat them first and many times ask for seconds!

Second part of this topic is to talk about meals. You all know I plan meals, clip coupons and shop for every meal in my house from Breakfast, Lunch, Snack and Dinner. It's a rare occasion we even get fast food. So I always ask input from my children on dinner ideas. My youngest always wants Mexican so I can guarantee those night she is going to eat her weight in food, my sons is Pizza and my oldest is hot dogs. But they do like other foods too. So asking them input on a menu ensures they are going to feel in control and eat more than if they had no input. I also let kids help prepare the salad and veggies and they eat more too because they helped make it. A Sense of pride goes a long way at meal time, Trust me!

Third and last topic, the plate above is like a golden rule in my house. Silly rule to some but a rule I even grew up with at home. I CANNOT stress the importance of feeding your kids with nutritious meals. Your their parents/guardians and they trust that you are teaching them and taking care of them. So if you wouldn't tell your kids 2+2 is 5, then you shouldn't short change your kids on a healthy meal. Canned veggies, frozen/fresh veggies don't cost that much more or they even cost less than sides and proteins. If you served a healthy meal with all the groups you will eat less, and spend less on your food bill. If a 50 cent apple or orange can fill you up cheaper than a couple cheeseburgers from a fast food joint, the same goes with meals. So eat wholesome, nutritious meals and you will have a happy healthy family, belly and wallet. :)



Little cash for a little effort

Need some extra cash? No gimmicks, not a quick rich scams here! I do surveys and product testing to earn extra cash. I was able to make almost 300 this month between surveys and product testing... not bad right?? Yes it can get boring, but some surveys pay decently and product testing is a fun way to get your input out there to the company and try new products before buying them. This month alone I have tested 5 products from 5 different top companies. So my advice if you need to make some cash and have patience, then give it a try. Surveyhead, mindfiield, toluna, swagbucks, and oneopinion paid off nicely this month. Links can be found on survey tab above. Thanks again for listening to me rant and have a super night!

Buffalo Chicken Sammy!

Simple and delicious dinner ..
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
marinate thin pieces of chicken breast in 1/2 cup of Italian dressing for an hour or so...then grill up. Once fully cooked, top with cheese ... In a bowl melt a tienie bit of butter and Franks hot sauce together... Dip chicken breast in it place on bun. Then top chicken with crisp bacon, then smear ranch on a toasted cornmeal bun(I used Dutch Hearth) top the chicken and bacon with lettuce and tomato....enjoy!
Roasted Potatoes
4 russets cut in wedges
4 T canola or olive oil
Salt,pepper and Montreal steak seasoning blend
Preheat oven 400... Mix all ingredients above and place on cookie sheet... Bake until brown...roughly 30~45 minutes... Enjoy!

Taco Salad Saturday

Taco Salad

Tonight was another birthday in my house!!! My oldest turned 7 and decided on the good ole indulgent taco salad as her birthday meal. So here it is Brooklynn style:)

Brown 1 pound of ground beef add in a packet of taco seasoning, then add in a can of drained kidney beans light or dark; doesn't matter. After the beef is completely browned beans are heated and it smells good, then start assembling. Place tortilla chips down, we did half Doritos and half plain as our base, then meat mixture, cheese, lettuce and veggies and then our famous taco dressing. Enjoy!

Taco Dressing

1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch

1/2 cup Medium Pace Salsa

1 dollop of sour cream

Mix and enjoy!!!

Random Thought

Happy Friday the 13th!!!

Okay so rather than post a crazy weird post I am going to post my lunch! Grilled Ham and Cheese on my favorite wholesome bread Natures Pride. I also had Campbells tomato soup to dip my sammy in....so here is my random thought of the day! Have a great day!

Melts in your mouth like buddar chicken!

Beer Can Chicken

So simple way to make a chicken as good as a store bought rotisserie.... Turn your BBQ on high on outside burners...2 middle should be off or on very low to prevent flare ups.... Let it heat up...In the meantime clean and pat dry your chicken and  oil it and season it according to liking... the oil is going to help create that beautiful brown crust...If you don't eat the skin then don't worry about the calories...If you eat the skin well a little oil isn't going to phase your system then. Take a large beer can 16 ounce I used and dumped half of the beer out...you wont taste the beer so don't fret it...but if all else dump the beer out and add herbs and chicken broth in the can.  Then place beer can on grill place chicken over the beer can like you see and I use the top rack to lean chicken on and rest the wings ...it looks funny but the taste in phenomenal! I let it cook for an hour at 450-500. My BBQ has a built in thermometer. When the thickest part of chicken (thigh area and breast I read) reads 170-180 I pull chicken off and rest 10 minutes on a big plate. After resting if you pull wing it should just separate from joint easily..another way you know chicken is done... and pull leg and the leg and thigh should just come off carcass easily with a slight pull. Then cut breast off and serve. Be great way to have a chicken mashed potato meal in the summer without heating the house. Enjoy!

Freelance Jobs

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                           My Elance Profile https://www.elance.com/s/ewingold18/?rid=1UFDH

I Hope everyone  had a wonderful 4th of July. I know my family did and we have peeling sunburns to prove we did! I don't know about all of you but it seems to me that the dollar hasn't been stretching as far as it used to. I have been on a mission to spend no more than 125 on groceries every week. This week I did great at 119. I have been logging coupons I use under the Cheapies with Coupons tab. I see so many coupons out there and lets be honest...unless you use them don't bother buying the product, the whole part is to save some money..not spend more. I also would like to thank everyone for buying and supporting Hostess Brands/Sweetheart Bakery. Without everyones support my father and hubby would not have jobs. Also the family, friends and all others serving in the military and protecting our country!!!Keep your eye out this week for some fun posts!!!