Lately, I have been experimenting with making different seasonings, sauces and condiments from scratch rather than buying them from the store. We go through these types of items from the pantry so quickly, it doesn’t make sense to me to buy them at the store when I can make them at home in larger quantities.

The latest homemade seasoning is a Dry Onion Soup Mix. The great thing about making it at home is you can have control over the ingredients. What I love about this seasoning mix is that it’s a versatile dry mix that can be added to soups, potatoes, chili, or sour cream or mayonnaise with spinach for a dip.

 I use the dry onion soup mix to add flavor to my hamburgers all the time.

Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup dried minced onion
• 2 Tablespoons low-sodium beef bouillon powder
• 2 teaspoons onion  powder
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

What recipes do you make with Onion Soup Mix??

When I was working 10 to 12 hour days, I was usually exhausted by the time I walked in the door. Between work, school activities, and household duties, I was glad when I was out of the kitchen and had dinner on the table in 15 minutes. It meant more time with my family. My work schedule has changed quite a bit since then.

I have a bit more flexibility when it comes to making dinner now. If I choose to make a 30 minute meal on a weeknight,  I can without having the fear that I won’t get to spend time with my family and I don’t have to worry the kids won’t be in bed on time. For the nights we have the family activities like our 4-H meetings, I am able to throw a 15-minute meal together and we are to our meetings on time without having to rush through dinner.

This simple meal is one of those quick 15-minute meals that you can make on any weeknight or when you know you have any weeknight activity or meeting. And it’s a great recipe to use leftover rice from a previous meal.

Tex-Mex Skillet

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bulk pork sausage
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 12-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 hot red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup cooked rice

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, cook the sausage till brown. Drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, corn, red pepper, water, chili powder and onion powder. Bring to a boil.
2. Stir in cooked rice into the skillet mixture. Remove from heat. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Note: The red hot pepper adds just a bit of heat to this dish without the seeds but you can substitute a sweet pepper for the red hot pepper if you chose. This recipe can be adjusted to make 6 to 8 servings or another weeknight meal.

Easy enough meal for the family that can use leftover items from the fridge or fresh veggies from the garden to transform this meal into a tasty dish.

There are so many different ingredients to add to a quiche that makes me love them so much. Not to mention the fact that we are overwhelmed with fresh farm eggs from our chickens. You all know we love to serve breakfast for dinner. It’s not only a very budget family meal, it’s a very satisfying meal that’s quick and easy to throw all the ingredients together so you can spend more time with your family.

I have to admit, this was my first time making quiche with tortillas as a base. When I wrote out the meal plan, my intentions were to add some type of meat to the quiche like ham, but when I looked in my fridge, I had so many fresh veggies I omitted the ham and it paid off. We all enjoyed it and had some for breakfast the next morning.

Tomato Basil Garden Quiche

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 6-in. flour tortillas
• 1 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1 bunch (8 to 10) fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 8 eggs
• 1 5-ounce can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Have you made quiche before? What kind is your favorite?

Here are a few best family deals for the new Raley’s ad this week. You can also find these deals available at  Nob Hill and Bel-Air stores.

Coupon Deals

Each week, Raley’s offers electronic coupons (eCoupons) that you print-out from their website once you register. You are even able to stack eCoupons with manufacturer coupons to save even more. When you register, be sure to sign-up for Raley’s weekly email called “Table Talk” to be notified of new coupons.

You can read about Raley’s very generous coupon policy over here. I never have an issue using manufacturer coupons along with their store coupons. If you find a great deal feel free to share it in the comments section.

This week is another great week for family mealtime savings!

Fire up the grill and save! Starting off in the Meat Department with a BOGO SALE! (Buy One Get One FREE.) Buy advertised selected Pork, Beef or Chicken items and get equal or lesser priced item FREE. 

This week, Raley’s is offering  one Raley’s Jumbo Eggs dozen FREE when you spend $20 or more. Limit 1 per eCoupon. Offer valid this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (May 18-20, 2012).

Fresh Meats Coupon

( My second Preferred Department - Raley’s online users are allowed to choose two Preferred Departments. This will show you the best deals available to you. Simply log into your account and choose your preferred departments.)

$5 off Any Fresh Full Circle Natural Beef purchase of $15 or more with eCoupon. Discount taken at register. Limit 1 coupon per customer.

Family Meal Time Deals

Raley’s Fully Cooked Sliced Bacon 2.1 oz. – $3.49 with eCoupon. Limit 4

Johnsonville Better For You Pork & Chicken Mild Italian Sausage or Bratwurst 17.63 oz. – $2.99 with eCoupon. Limit 4

Raley’s Soft Cream Cheese 8 oz. – $1.69 with eCoupon. Limit 4

Extra Grocery Savings

Juicy Cantaloupe – 2 for $5

Large Hot House Tomatoes – $1.49 lb.

Broccoli Crowns – $.99 lb.

Dennison’s Chili with Beans, Ranch Style Beans or Van Camp’s Pork and Beans selected 15 oz. cans – $1 each with store ad coupon. Limit 4 per customer.

Bayview Farms Milk – $2.79 each when you buy 2

Yoplait Yogurt 6 oz. – $.69 each on selected varieties
$.40/6 Yoplait Yogurt Cups

Barilla Pasta 12 oz. selected varieties – 10 for $10
$0.75/2 Barilla Plus pasta 04/22/2012 SS Insert (exp 06/17/2012)
$1/2 Barilla Plus pasta 04/22/2012 SS Insert (exp 06/17/2012)
Final Price: As low as $1.50 each wyb 2

Sweet Red Cherries – $4.99 lb.

Green Bell Peppers – 2 for $1

Nob Hill Trading Co. Cheese Cup 5 oz. assorted varieties – $4.99 to $6.99  BOGO! (Buy One Get One of Equal or Lessor Value FREE)

Honey Maid Nabisco Graham Crackers 12.2 oz. to 14.4 oz. – $2.49
$1/2 Honey Maid Crackers, 8-14.4 oz.
Final Price:  $1.99 each wyb 2

Raley’s Dailies Everyday Items

18-Pack Raley’s Large Eggs – $2.48

Any other great deals you know of at Raley’s this week? Leave a comment and let us know.

Need ideas for your weekly meal plan? It’s time for another weekly menu.  I enjoy menu planning because of  the simplicity it provides for my life. It enables me to decrease my grocery shopping excursions to twice a month and it allows me to  have more free time to focus on my family and home. For ideas in the weekly meal plan, we’ll be focusing on a variety of family meals. You’ll find the recipes on the weekly meal plan also available on my Recipe Index page with a grocery list included.

My Weekly Meal Plan

You probably noticed that I didn’t post my weekly meal plan on Sunday like I usually do, but it was all in hopes that my readers would take the day off from the computer and your weekly meal planning for the day to enjoy being with your family. I hope you had a great day yesterday!

It was a beautiful weekend here in the sierra foothills. My youngest daughter and I had a chance to plant our Mother’s Day rose bushes in the front yard, we added some more of  garden beds for more vegetable planting, made delicious Strawberry Freezer Jam, helped our son finish his state project and spent a wonderful Mother’s Day at the Berry Fest. So it was quite a full weekend.

Look at how huge these strawberries are:

This week, I’m focusing on Faster-Than-Ever Meals and Easy Make-Ahead Recipes. Take a look at this week’s menu, I’m sure you’ll find some great ideas for your family.

My weekly meal plan and shopping list is completed and posted on our fridge:

Breakfasts  Will continue this week to include our Healthy Eating and Living for Families meals. Getting off to a good start with high-quality, low-fat breakfasts. If you’re in a time crunch and you’re morning is a rush, plan your breakfast the night before. These recipe ideas will be posted throughout the week: Breakfast In A Pita,  Scrambled Eggs with Ham and Apple, Whole-grain toast or a bagel with strawberry jam and a piece of fresh fruit, maybe some Whole-Wheat Buttermilk biscuits with nonfat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, or skim milk with fresh fruit.

Lunches are usually a bit more flexible, but this week we’ll start off with a Brie Salad with Breadsticks and Fresh Strawberries, Ham Salad and Fruit Sandwiches and Turkey Sandwiches.

In addition to our weekly menu, we have a baking day on a weekly basis. Every Sunday afternoon, we will rotate through restocking some nutritious snacks and baked goods, such as granola, protein bars, granola bars, muffins, and/or biscuits  for various meals.

Dinner (recipes will post throughout the week)

Sunday: BBQ Hamburgers, Quick Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob

Monday: Quick Ham, Basil and Tomato Quiche

Tuesday: Chicken Strips and Vegetables, Rolls, Apple (The perfect 15-minute Dinner)

Wednesday: Tex-Mex Skillet

Thursday: Beef  Salad Stir-Fry

Friday: Pizza Casserole

Saturday: The kids are camping out in the backyard Saturday, so we’ll be doing Taco Dogs, chips, and a batch of my Peanut Butter Smores

Free Templates

Weekly Meal Plan and Shopping List

What’s cooking at your house this week?

(As part of our Mother’s Day tradition, my youngest daughter and I each planted a rose bush. )

Happy Mother’s Day!

Wondering how to make Homemade Strawberry Jam? Well, every year I find myself wanted to make it but the strawberries never seem to last long enough. Right now is the best time to get strawberries whether it’s from the store or from your local grower’s market and you can usually get them at a reasonable price. Today, I’m going to share with you the simplest way to make Homemade Strawberry Jam or Strawberry Freezer Jam. Takes no time at all to make and the results – fresh tasting jam!

I plan on doing a lot of canning this summer, so I’ll be experimenting with lots of foods. I’m even signed up to take a couple of canning classes at the local hardware store next month to brush up on my skills. Canning can be a lot of fun and it’s something the kids can help you do.

Strawberry jam is actually one of my favorite recipes with strawberries, and one of our kids favorite ways to use the jam is to keep a jar in the refrigerator and use as a strawberry “sauce” over ice cream or pancakes.

Want Chunky Jam? If you prefer chunky jam, just mash the strawberries in the pot with a potato masher  or a mix n’ chop kitchen tool instead of putting in the blender, as seen in the picture above.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Ingredients:

• 8 cups strawberries, pureed (or chunky–your choice!)
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 package Pure Jell fruit pectin
• 3-4 Mason pint size jars

Directions:

1. Wash and prepare Mason jars to store jam in.
2. Next, crush your berries using a potato masher or food processor. If using the food processor, pulse to a fine chop. You want to have bits of fruit. If you don’t have a food processor, you could even use a blender to do the same thing.
3. Measure your sugar into a bowl. Add your 8 cups of crushed berries and mix. Let stand ten minutes stirring occasionally.
4. In a small saucepan, mix the box of sure jell with 3/4 cup cold water.  It will start out a little lumpy, that’s okay.
5. Bring the sure jell mixture/water to a boil and boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat and add to fruit mixture. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy( a few sugar crystal may remain).
7. Pour into prepared containers leaving 1/2 inch at top for expansion during freezing. Cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
8. Jam will keep in freezer for up to six months, or in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Thaw in refrigerator.

Note: I found when making this recipe, using less than 8 cups of strawberry with the amount of sugar used, it tends to be too sugary. Using 8 cups balances out the sugar very well.

Happy Friday! This week just zipped on by! Seems like the busier we are, the faster time goes, one of the reasons why I like to have our weekly family schedule posted on the fridge along with my weekly meal plan ready. Especially with a busy weekend coming up like this one:

Tomorrow is a full day of archery and shooting for the boys, so us girls are heading to Home Depot to use our coupon for BOGO (Buy One Get One) Free Rose bushes. We’ll each pick out a rose bush and plant it somewhere in the front yard in honor of Mother’s Day. Then we’ll plant some more veggies in the garden. I’ve signed up for a few canning classes over the next two months so I’m prepared for those veggies later on. Mother’s Day we’ll be celebrating our first trip to the Berry Festival in Roseville, CA just an hour away. It should be a lot of fun!

Because our family schedules and lives can be hectic, with the next few weekly meal plans, (most likely week after next due to shipping), I’ll be sharing a very special book I just purchased with you, The Hour That Mater The Most: The Surprising Power of the Family Meal. One of my goals here when I created and started Noel’s Kitchen Tips, was to provide you with tips on meal planning that provide quick and easy weeknight recipes for your family that still allow you to stay within a reasonable grocery budget.

It has always been important for our family to cook and share a family meal together at dinner time. Like many of you, we are busy with work and every day happenings in life, especially now that the kids are older and participating in lots of activities. As kids get older, they tend to want to go out with their friends to the movies or simply just hang out, sharing meal times can be a challenge.

The book is written by Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna with Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott. They share how to overcome the time starved, working mom dilemma, secrets of a healthy home, ways to engage your family in meaningful conversation, how to start a fix and freeze club, the heart of great table talk and much more!

Their insights and tips on bringing the family back to the table are common sense ideas that any family can use. From conversation starters to easy make ahead recipes. ( I’m looking forward to reading about  it all.)

For more information, you can also visit their website, The Hour That Matters Most.

Make Time. Make Dinner. Make Memories.

I’ve been wanting to make my own flour tortillas for quite some time but I was afraid they wouldn’t quite turn out. I finally decided to dive right in and give it a try and I was really surprised at how easy they are to make. They may be a little time consuming to make on a weeknight, so I suggest blocking out at least 30 minutes on a weekend just to roll out and cook them. But, it’s well worth it! (I’m going to research and find a tortilla press soon.)

I’ve found a few different recipes that use unbleached flour, grain mill and wheat flour but all I had on hand was all-purpose flour, so the next time I make them, I may just try using one of those ingredients.

The ingredients needed for this are so simple. In fact, you probably already have everything you need: flour, salt, baking powder, canola  or vegetable oil, and water.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Makes: 12 tortillas

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups hot water
• taco seasoning for tortillas

Here are a few best family deals for the new Raley’s ad this week. You can also find these deals available at  Nob Hill and Bel-Air stores.

Coupon Deals

Each week, Raley’s offers electronic coupons (eCoupons) that you print-out from their website once you register. You are even able to stack eCoupons with manufacturer coupons to save even more. When you register, be sure to sign-up for Raley’s weekly email called “Table Talk” to be notified of new coupons.

You can read about Raley’s very generous coupon policy over here. I never have an issue using manufacturer coupons along with their store coupons. If you find a great deal feel free to share it in the comments section.

This week, Raley’s is offering two Reusable Grocery Bags FREE when you spend $20 or more. Limit 1 per eCoupon. Offer valid this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (May 11-13, 2012).

Fresh Meats Coupon

(My second Preferred Department - Raley’s online users are allowed to choose two Preferred Departments. This will show you the best deals available to you. Simply log into your account and choose your preferred departments.)

50% off Raley’s Tonight Entree~selected ready-to-cook varieties. Limit 1 per e-Coupon

Family Meal Time Deals

Sweet White Corn – $.33 each

Oscar Meyer Sliced Bacon – $ 4.99
Raley’s in ad coupon – $3.99, Limit 4
$1/1 Oscar Mayer Butcher Thick Cut Bacon 05/06/2012 SS Insert (exp 06/30/2012)
Final Price : $2.99

Simply Juice – 2 for $6
$1/1 Simply Orange, 59 or 89 fl oz, any variety
Final Price: $2.00 each when you buy two and use two coupons

Foster Farms Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks – $1.99 lb

Extra Grocery Savings

Raley’s Ground Coffee 12 oz. Selected Varieties -$7.99 (Click on the link to read about my Raley’s Mom’s Panel tour to the Rogers Family Coffee Company where Raley’s coffee is roasted.)

General Mills Mix & Match Sale – Buy 10 or more = $1.50 each (single item $2.00) 

StarKist Chunck Light Tuna in water 5 oz. – 10 for $10

Welch’s Juice Cocktail – $2.29
$0.75/1 Welch’s 64 oz Essentials Juice Cocktail or Welch’s 64 oz Light Grape Juice 04/29/2012 RP Insert (exp 06/30/2012)
Final Price: $1.54

Fresh Strawberries 2 lb. Container – $4.99

Sweet Vidalia Onions 2 lb. bag – $1.99

Red Potatoes~ perfect for roasting, boiling, or in salads – $.69 lb.

Living Basil – 2 for $3

Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits – 2 for $4
$0.40/3 Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits 04/01/2012 SS Insert (exp 06/23/2012)
Final Price: $1.80 each when you buy four

Welch’s Juice Cocktail – $2.29
$0.75/1 Welch’s 64 oz Essentials Juice Cocktail or Welch’s 64 oz Light Grape Juice 04/29/2012 RP Insert (exp 06/30/2012)
Final Price: $1.54

Raley’s Dailies Everyday Items

18-Pack Raley’s Large Eggs – $2.48

Sunnyside Farms Yogurt, Selected Varieties 6 oz. – $.50 each when you buy 10 or more

Just For Mother’s Day

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY~ Nob Hill Trading Company Bouquets – $9.88

Nob Hill Trading Company Chocolate Dipped Strawberries 5 oz. 4-count box – $10

Single Serve Desserts – 4 for $10

Any other great deals you know of at Raley’s this week? Leave a comment and let us know.