Forever In The Kitchen

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

2012-02-07T15:49:00.000-06:00

We absolutely love spaghetti at our house. My oldest asks for it for lunch several times a week. My youngest wants to eat her "loodles." ;) They all love it covered in parmesan cheese. I used to be a Prego gal. You know, open the jar, pour the sauce, heat and eat. Easy Peasy! But one day I had a craving for spaghetti but had no sauce so I decided to try my hand at homemade. Once my husband tasted it he said, "Now that you know how to make it from scratch, don't EVER buy pre-made stuff again!"

I made it last night and over dinner we were discussing cost and health and such. I wouldn't say this recipe is any cheaper than store bought sauce, especially since you can find it in my area for around $1.00/jar on sale. I figured my cost to be about $2.00 meatless or $3.50 once I added some sausage. It is, in my opinion, worth a few cents more and a few more minutes of my time to know exactly what's in it and what I'm feeding my family.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

24 oz tomato sauce

1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp oil

1/2 an onion, diced

2-4 cloves garlic

1 tsp cumin

Italian seasoning

oregano

s&p to taste

1. Start by adding your oil of choice to a pot along with your onion and minced garlic. Add salt to this to help the onions sweat. Saute until the onions start to get soft. Breathe deep, enjoy...

2. Now add your tomato sauce and tomatoes. Now my reasoning for getting whole tomatoes is Martha Stewart's fault. She said that if you buy whole tomatoes you know you are getting good ones because you can see them for yourself. If you get chopped or diced then they could possibly be the leftovers or pieces that weren't good enough for the cans of whole tomatoes. So, get you some whole tomatoes and chop them up. If you don't like chunky sauce you can omit these or you can add another can if you like it very chunky.

3. Next comes your seasonings. You probably noticed that I didn't give measurements. That's because I almost never measure seasonings unless I'm baking. Add the seasoning based on your taste buds. Add a little, let it simmer, taste, then add more if you think you need it. Play around with it and tailor it to fit your family. We like it a little strong so I put probably 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning and maybe 1/2 tbsp of oregano.

4. Let the sauce simmer at least 30 minutes so the flavors can marry. A few hours is really best though to get deep flavor. Spoon sauce onto your favorite pasta and ENJOY!!

How do you like your pasta? Lots of sauce, chunky or smooth?

I finally got my kids to eat fish!!

2012-02-02T20:43:00.000-06:00

My oldest, she'll pretty much eat anything weird. Raw onions? Check. Black olives? Check. Broccoli? Check. However she doesn't like cheese or carrots. Strange I know. All my other kids like the normal kid food and don't hate their veggies, but fish? Not so much. (Unless deep fried or in stick form of course.) So when we were given a catch of about 50 fresh Sand Bass I knew I had to find a way to get them to eat it. My husband and I like fish, but 25 each? Ummm, no.

Enter Uncle Chris' Steak Seasoning. I don't know exactly what they put in this stuff but my kids love it. I'm pretty sure it's ~~crack~~ magic dust or something because we're all hooked. It is the best stuff on fish, steaks, baked chicken, you name it!! Go out and get you some today! Go on, you know you want to!

What is your go to seasoning for picky eaters?

I was not compensated for this post in any way. I just love this stuff and think you will too.

Easy Homemade Donuts

2011-10-28T12:53:00.001-05:00

I have to start off by saying that I don't recommend making these donuts often. They are so GOOD but I'm sure so BAD for your waistline! I think I have made them twice this year. They are always a real treat! Super easy, super tasty, super happy family! :)

Also, I'm not sure what's going on with my pictures. They were the right direction on my computer but when I uploaded them they turned. I decided to share them anyways. You will just have to turn your head sideways. Sorry... ;)

Easy Homemade Donuts

A few cans of biscuits

Oil for frying

Cinnamon/Sugar mix

Start by cutting your biscuits into quarters. A pizza cutter makes quick work of this.

Gently place your biscuit pieces into about an inch of hot oil. They will quickly start to puff up. Once the first side cooks they will start to float and you can use a slotted spoon to help them turn so the other side will cook.

When they are the color you want them, remove them to your cinnamon sugar mixture. Give them a toss and make sure they are generously coated.

Put them on a paper bag or a tray lined with paper towels just to absorb any excess grease.

Finally, try to keep sneaky little fingers out of them so you will have some left to put on a pretty plate to serve.

Happy Cooking!!

Strawberry Slushy

2011-05-24T13:57:00.001-05:00

Strawberry Slushy

This is my first attempt at an actual slushy. We usually just do some form of smoothie with milk and/or yogurt. However, I was tired of the heaviness of a smoothie but still wanted something cold and refreshing so I made a slushy. Strawberry slushy to be exact as I found them on sale for $0.99/lb!!! I bought 4 pounds! ;)

Strawberry Slushy

1 tray of ice

1 cup of water

1 cup of fruit juice (I used black cherry)

1 lb. of strawberries, sliced

sugar* (amount depends on the sweetness of your berries and juice)

Place all ingredients in the blender in the order listed. Blend until desired consistency. Garnish with a big fat juicy strawberry and a smile! :)

Happy Cooking!!

*I used white sugar but thought afterward how brown sugar would have given it a nice depth of flavor. If you try it that way and like it let me know!

This post is linked to~

A Little News

2011-05-16T09:50:00.001-05:00

I wanted to let you all know that I started another blog. I was thinking about this one, Forever In The Kitchen, and how most of what I was posting here was about my life and kids and faith and not so much about the kitchen. Because of that I started For His Glory, a blog about striving to do ALL for the glory of God. For His Glory will be more about my journey with God, my journey homeschooling, and my journey as a wife and mother. I will continue posting my recipes and kitchen happenings here, but I would love for you to join me over there as well.

Be Blessed!!

Spicy Pinto Beans

2011-04-18T12:50:00.002-05:00

Spicy Pinto Beans

Beans. A cheap, filling, healthy meal option. If you're looking to save money, serve beans. If you're looking to add fiber, serve beans. If you're looking to propel yourself to the moon, serve beans and have 3 or 4 helpings...lol!

I will give you the short version of how I cook beans. I know some people swear that you have to soak them overnight or at least a few hours but I have never, not once, soaked my beans. I start by sorting through them just to make sure there aren't any small rocks or dirt clumps. Then I give them a good rinse in the colander. I put them in a large stockpot, fill it with water, and add my seasonings. I usually use salt, pepper, garlic salt, cumin, steak seasoning, and soy sauce. Bring them to a boil, reduce the temp just a bit, cover and cook 2-4 hours. You will want to test them around 2 hours but they could take up to 4. Easy peasy right?

When your beans are just about done brown up 1/2-1 lb. of ground beef along with 1/2-1 whole diced onion and 2-3 (depending on how hot you want it) diced jalapenos, seeds and stem removed. When the beans are finished and the beef is cooked through start adding beans to the beef pan until you have the bean/beef ratio that looks good to you.

This is a great recipe to stretch the ground beef if you only have a bit. It's also good for the meat and potatoes men. They get some meat and some starch in one bowl.

In my kitchen I like to serve it with tortillas or corn chips. If you have kids that might not want to eat japs and onions then tell them they are eating beetles (beans) with bug wings (onions) and grasshoppers (japs). It's a fun way to get my girls to eat.

Happy Cooking!!

You might also like these other easy recipes~

This post is linked to~

Tuesday's Tip~Keep Your Dishwasher Empty

2011-04-12T07:12:00.004-05:00

What I'm about to tell you has completely changed my kitchen. Now I know that it might seem obvious to a lot of you and some of you will be thinking, DUH ASHLEY! but I'm going to share anyways.

I used to be a load it/unload it once a day kinda gal. I would typically empty it close to supper time and re-load then simply because I didn't have enough room to do any food prep. Some days the dishes would be clean in the morning and I would actually empty it then but not load it until later so the dirties sat out all day. I finally had a revelation!

Empty it WHENEVER it's clean. Whenever! If that means I empty it 4 times a day then so be it. If it's empty then that means I can put the dirties in and the kitchen stays cleaner. If it's empty then that means the kids can put their dirties in after a meal. (Don't laugh so hard! I hear you!) If it's empty then that means that I will have the clean dishes I need to cook in/with and serve on.

Some days I run it twice because we are a big family and that what it takes. I don't have a schedule for it like always run it after dinner. It just does its job when it needs to be done.

Ahhh...a clean kitchen!

This post is linked to~

De-Grease Your Pepperoni

2011-04-05T14:12:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you but I LOVE me some pepperoni! I can eat it straight out of the bag and it's my favorite topping on pizza.

I have been making homemade pizza a lot here lately. It's much cheaper than ordering out and generally healthier. However, I just couldn't get past the grease factor of the pepperoni. I mean, who wants a pool of orange grease drenching their food? Or that lovely trail it leaves from your hand to your elbow? NO THANKS! So, let's degrease!

Start by laying two paper towels down on a plate then line up your yummy pepperonis like so.

Continue on alternating pepperoni and two paper towels until you have laid out what you need for your meal.

Place these in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds. Let them sit while you get out the rest of your pizza ingredients then heat for another 30 seconds. Sauce up your pizza dough then give them another go. They should be good and degreased after about 2-3 minutes.

This is what the top paper towel will look like.

Peel back that first layer to reveal all that greasiness! BLAH! Just imagine all the fat and grease that is going into the trash and not onto your hips!

ENJOY!!

Other posts you might enjoy~

This post is linked to the following~

Wednesday's Word~Psalm 116:5

2011-02-23T06:15:00.002-06:00

How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!

~ Psalm 116:5, NLT

Wednesday's Word~Psalm 139:17-18

2011-02-23T06:08:00.000-06:00

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

~ Psalm 139:17-18, NLT

Monday's Menu

2011-02-21T10:19:00.000-06:00

Good Monday morning to you! I hope this day finds you well and that you are looking forward to a blessed week!

Having a menu ready to go on Monday always makes my week a little easier. If you don't currently menu plan I would encourage you to do so. It really takes a lot of stress away that so easily comes around at about 5:00 every day. You don't have to know what you are having for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each specific day. Usually it's enough stress reliever to just have a list of possible meals to glance at in the morning. Then you can take the meat out of the freezer and have a better grip on dinner.

Here's what's on the list for us this week~

Breakfasts~cereal, waffles, oatmeal, burritos, boiled eggs

Lunches~ sandwiches, spaghetti, bean burritos, leftovers

Dinner~

hamburger gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans
beef and potato spring rolls, rice, salad (this will be an experiment. I will be sure to share the recipe if it turns out well.)
roasted chicken breast, sauteed veggies, mashed potatoes
chicken and rice soup
chicken nuggets, green beans with squash, rice pilaf
seared pork chops, sauteed mushrooms, mac & cheese
beef stew, cornbread

What about you? Do you menu plan?

This post is linked to~

Menu Plan Monday's

Tasty Veggies

2011-02-19T06:02:00.008-06:00

Looking to add a little kick to the same ole veggies? Try these two on for size.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

This is simply your basic mashed potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese melted on top. You can either put them in an oven save pan and melt the cheese that way or just turn the stove down to low and put a lid on it.

Spicy Squash and Zucchini

This one is a very simple favorite in our house. Just dice squash and zucchini and saute them in about 2 tsp. of olive oil. While they are cooking add some spicy seasoning. This time I used salt, pepper, and a seasoning my dad brought me from Louisiana called Slap Yo Mamma. Yes, that's really what it's called. It's spicy and flavorful and really good on veggies. Greek seasoning is also very good on these veggies.

I know meat usually takes center stage at dinner time but with these two simple sides you have an easy way to make veggies shine as well.

Happy Cooking!!

Crock Pot Hawaiian Pork

2011-02-18T12:42:00.002-06:00

Crock Pot Hawaiian Pork 2-3 lbs pork chops salt and pepper 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tbsp. apple juice 3 tbsp. honey 2 tbsp. soy sauce 2 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1/4 tsp. ginger 1 tbsp. cornstarch 1. Sear your chops. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sear those babies in a hot skillet. It always adds great flavor if you will sear your meat first. 2. While your chops are getting a tan, turn your crock pot on high and add everything but cornstarch. Mix it up well. Once your pork is brown on both sides add it to the crock pot. 3. Cook on high for 2-3 hours. Remember that you already started the cooking process in the skillet so they aren't going to need as much time in the crock pot. 4. Once your pork is done take it out of the crock and pour all the juices into a saucepan. Mix your cornstarch with about 1/3 cup of water. Add that to the juices and turn up the heat. Let the mixture come to a low boil and let simmer until it has thickened. Put the meat and sauce back in the crock pot together to keep warm until you are ready to serve. I served this over white rice. Brown would be better but hubby doesn't like it. I've gotten him switched to wheat bread but he still doesn't like brown rice. Baby steps. ;) Happy Cooking!! This post is linked to~ Tasty Tuesday Tempt My Tummy Tuesday Ultimate Recipe Swap

Thursday's Thought

2011-02-17T07:27:00.001-06:00

It is nice to be important but it is more important to be nice. ~GirlyGirl10
(ok, so I'm sure she didn't come up with this. However, she doesn't remember where she heard it and I had never heard it before she said it so today she gets the credit.)

Wednesday's Word~John 14:8

2011-02-16T07:54:00.001-06:00

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. ~John 14:8

Money Saving Monday #2 (on Tuesday)

2011-02-15T16:08:00.002-06:00

I am so sorry I am a day late with this! We took a trip out of town yesterday so I wasn't able to get it up. At any rate, here are your 3 new Money Saving Tips for the week.

1. I know I'll probably have a split group with this one but here goes anyways...If it's yellow, let it mellow. You all know what I mean. We have 6 people in our house. That's a lot of bladders. If we flushed a couple gallons of water down every time one of the little ones went to pee we just might drain our aquifer. No kidding! Instead, we put our toilet paper in the trash and let the yellow mellow.

2. Clean with vinegar. I mix up half water half white vinegar and use that in place of all purpose cleaner that I would find at the store. It's much cheaper and there's no harsh chemicals to breathe in. I have been very pleased with how well this mixture cleans.

3. Charge your cell phone in your car. If you have a car charger for your cell phone then make sure you plug it in every time you go somewhere. That way you are using your car battery (which was being used anyways) and not the electricity in your home. This also ensures that you have at least some charge if something was to happen and you got stranded somewhere and needed to call for help.

There you have it. Money Saving Monday. Come back next week for 3 more easy ways to save. This series will continue until,well, until I run out of ideas. I hope you found at least one you can use today.

Money Saving Monday #1

This post is linked to~

Thursday's Thought

2011-02-10T06:47:00.000-06:00

The best way to learn is to teach. ~Author Unknown

Wanna Come Play In The Snow?

2011-02-09T12:29:00.000-06:00

This was the view from my front porch this morning. We got about 5-6 inches during the night. Pretty and powdery and sparkly. My girls are getting ready to go out and play in it for a bit. Fun Fun!!

Wednesday's Word~1 Kings 8:23

2011-02-09T07:53:00.000-06:00

"O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below-you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way." ~1 Kings 8:23

Gratituesday~Free Homeschool Material

2011-02-08T05:12:00.002-06:00

Just because it says free does not mean it's not good. I finally learned (why did it have to take so long??) that if I give up and ask God for help then he will come through! Here are some of the things I have found to use to help me teach my girls that don't even come close to breaking the bank.

Joy of FiveJ's offered this awesome download to teach your kids values. We were needing a change in our Bible time and this is it.
After searching and searching and praying for a math curriculum that was affordable and still good I found this! Mathematics Enhancement Programme is a God send and has worked wonderfully for us so far. All for the cost of paper and ink! Whoot!
Yet another curriculum for free (or almost), Ambleside Online is wonderfully rich. It contains material that challenges my girls but still holds their interest. I am so grateful I found this!
Science (or the lack thereof) was a major issue in this house. That was until I found Mr. Q! He offers his first science pack for FREE! Again, just the cost of ink and paper and we have an entire year of science. So far the girls love it! (and mom does too!)
My kids are half Hispanic so I feel it's important for them to learn Spanish as well as English. I was going to include the link here but the program we're using is offered through our old library and you have to have a card number to sign up. I would suggest looking at your own library website to see if they offer foreign languages courses. The one we use is powered by Mango Languages.
The best resource of all is the Bible. Get you one or two different versions and read it to your kids. Great teachings from the Great Teacher!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Money Saving Monday

2011-02-07T15:41:00.001-06:00

This week I am starting a new series of posts titled Money Saving Mondays. During this series I will be sharing 3 simple ways each week to save a little money. All of these tips will be very easy to apply and require almost no effort. My hope is that you take something away each week that you can use in your own home to not only save you money but maybe save a little of the earth's resources as well.

1. Don't use the light in the bathroom. This tip applies only to those with a window or skylight in the bathroom. If you do, open up the curtains or blinds and let the sunlight do it's thing. I'm not recommending this if your are putting on your makeup, but I'm sure there will be enough light for you to do your business without needing a light bulb.

2. If you have the option, turn off the heat dry cycle on your dishwasher. You can always dry them by hand, or open the dishwasher and pull the racks out and let them air dry overnight.

3. Put an extra blanket on your bed. I know this is old news but it bears repeating. One or even two extra blankets can provide enough extra insulation for you to be able to turn your thermostat down a few degrees.

There you have it. Money Saving Monday. Come back next week for 3 more easy ways to save. This series will continue until,well, until I run out of ideas. I hope you found at least one you can use today.

Be Blessed!!

This post is linked to~

Monday's Menu

2011-02-07T15:07:00.000-06:00

This week I'm trying to NOT go to the grocery store. I worked my menu out based on what we already have on hand. A few of the things are easy and maybe not so good for us but hey, everyone needs a break right?

Breakfast~cereal, oatmeal, or eggs

Lunch~chicken quesadillas, sandwiches (ham or tuna), leftovers

Dinner~

baked chicken, sauteed squash and zucchini, mashed potatoes
deer stew, cornbread
carnitas, rice
chicken alfredo, salad
bbq pork sandwiches, chips, carrots/dip

This post is linked to~

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday's Prayer

2011-02-06T07:31:00.001-06:00

Sweet Jesus, I thank you for this day. I thank you for your love. I thank you for your death. I thank you for your life.

Lord I love you and I feel really blessed in this season of my life right now. I feel blessed with the shelter you've provided for us and with the food you've graciously given us. I am so undeserving of any of it. Thank you God for taking such good care of me and my family.

Father I ask that you make yourself real to each and every person reading this prayer right now. Reach down into their soul and pull on their heartstrings. Draw them near to you and surround them with your love and peace. I plead the Blood of Jesus over every person that visits my blog and I pray a hedge of protection around them as well. Lord please let them be blessed and encouraged when they visit Forever In The Kitchen. Please use this blog as a tool to further your Kingdom.

I ask all these things in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Saturday's Steal

2011-02-05T05:42:00.001-06:00

My local grocery store is running a promotion where you earn stickers for every $10 you spend. Thanks to my family's healthy appetites and my parent's donations I was able to snag this beauty for FREE! (the pan, not the girl...lol) (although she is a beauty, don't you think? toothless grin and all?)

It's a grill pan that rings up as $89.99 regular price!! Shocking isn't it? You can pick your jaw up off the floor now. It is a very good pan but 90 bucks? Thank the good Lord for promotions like this!

Just so you know, I didn't actually steal anything. Saturday's Steal is all about deals I get for free, honestly, after coupons or reward programs.

Science Fun

2011-02-04T08:12:00.000-06:00

Science is so fun when you pray and listen and use what God finds for you!

Even the little one was getting in on the action. :)

School at home that everyone loves...that's definitely a Finer Thing!

This post is linked to~

Finer Things Friday