3wiveslives

Sunday, April 17, 2011

First Coupon Outing

Lately I've been wanting to get into couponing, not because of the TV show that just came out, but because I like the thrill of getting things for a cheap price!! :) Today hubby and I went around to a few different stores. These are the best deals we got!
Got all of these goodies for a grand total of $5.22!!! How you might ask? First, from the help of my new favorite website www.hip2save.com  and from the sunday paper and about an hour of coupon clipping! 
Here's the break down: Oxi Clean BOGO free!  Nivea body wash for him and her were FREE!!! With a $3 coupon and on sale at walmart for $3! The Air wick was BOGO free! The baby wipees were $1! And for the dog treats, I bought the large bag for $2 and got the small one free :) 

Notice how many times I said FREE!?? I'm gonna do this again in a few days, and see how well I do!

-Jen

Saturday, April 16, 2011

I'm Engaged!! :)

Just wanted to keep our blog followers up to date with all that is happening! 
I'm soon to be a "wifey"! 


Read our AMAZING proposal story here:

Barbecue Stir-Fry with Asian Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue Stir-Fry
prep: 12 min
cook: 6 min

Use one extra-large bag of rice to get 3 cups of cooked rice.

Chicken breast ( as much as you need )
2 Teaspoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 head bok choy, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 7 cups)
1/2 (8 ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 cup packaged shredded carrots
3/4 cup ASIAN BARBECUE SAUCE (see recipe below)
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until hot; add oil. Cook chicken until lightly brown. Add bok choy, mushrooms, and carrots to pan; stir fry 2 minutes. Add barbecue sauce and stir fry for 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.


Asian Barbecue Sauce
prep: 1 min
cook: 9 min

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons hot chili sauce with garlic (such as A Taste of Thai)
2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)
1 teaspoon groung ginger

Heat sesame oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 2 min or until tender. Add vinegar and remaining ingredients; combine with a whisk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes.


Bok Choy
Great success!
Stu and I really enjoyed this meal. The Asian Barbecue Sauce turned out really good, in fact, we used it to top off a few other dished that we made. It has a very interesting taste to it and took some getting used to at first. :)            

The bok choy was a new one for me. I had no idea what it was or what it looked like. I googled it before I left to the grocery store. This is what it looks like and it was delicious!! It is great in salads and is very refreshing to eat.    

Enjoy! 
♥ BFehr


Friday, April 15, 2011

Day 1


so the hubby has said that we need some "new meal" ideas so i decided to check out the internet and see what i could find...boy was it a SUCCESS! i found myself 16 weeks worth of dinner meals, can you believe that?! that's 112 different meals! anyways, i started with something that i had never cooked before and honestly was a little nervous but it turned out so good! i did not make the sweet potatoes, instead i made a chicken pasta, but still included it below =)


Pork Chops with Apples Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork loin chops (¾ inch thick and 7 ounces each)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 large green apple, cut into thin wedges
1 large red apple, cut into thin wedges
2 Tablespoons honey mustard
1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, brown pork chops in oil on each side.
2. Season with salt and pepper; remove and keep warm.
3. In the same skillet, sauté onions and apple wedges until crisp-tender.
4. Combine mustard and brown sugar; brush over chops.
5. Return to the skillet; cook for 4 minutes or until meat juices run clear.

Candied Sweet Potatoes Ingredients:
1 can (40 ounces) sweet potatoes, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
2 cups miniature marshmallows (optional topping)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sweet potato pieces into a lightly buttered 2 quart baking dish.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour evenly over the sweet potatoes.
3. Bake 40 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
4. If you are using the miniature marshmallows as topping, remove the casserole from oven and stir gently to coat potatoes in syrup; then top with the marshmallows.
5. Bake, uncovered, additional 7 to 10 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

this is the apples and onion mixture frying in the pan AFTER i browned the pork loin. if there isn't enough left over onion add just a little bit but the flavor from frying the meat really adds to the taste


after brushing on the mustard/brown sugar mix, fry the pork loin one more time

there ya go!!! absolutely delicious! 

~joanna~

Living Room table Re-Do!

So, this post is long over due! I've been working on this baby for a week. Half way through, we had a falling out and I gave up for a few days because I was a little too frustrated to finish! I got it for $4 at Goodwill a few months ago...finally got around to getting it done! Anyway, here's the pictures...

BEFORE

AFTER



-Jen

Sunday, April 10, 2011

$1 Thrift Store Tray

I got this tray from the Goodwill 50% off day for just $1! I have about 4 trays, but knew that I could do something with it. Since we're always losing the remote for the TV, I decided to use it for that. To hold our controllers and some coasters that will sit on our new side table (will post pics of that tomorrow). I used mod podge, and some scrapbook paper that I had on hand already. This was so easy and took all of 10 minutes to do! :)

--Jen

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Easy Spring-y Pineapple Cake

This is the easiest cake I have ever made! Seriously. It took 3 ingredients and about fifteen minutes!! I got this recipe from my mom and she got it from a magazine, we can't find it anywhere though! Its light and perfect for when your grandparents are coming for dinner! ;)

Ingredients:
Angel Food Cake
1 20oz. can of Crushed Pineapple
1 1/2 cups of Cool Whip
1 3.4oz Vanilla Instant pudding (Jello)
Directions:
Cut your angel food cake in three sections. So you can fill them with the pineapple mixture.

Mix can of crushed pineapple with package of vanilla jello. Once that's mixed in, fold in the cool whip.

Start with your bottom layer and start to evenly put on mixture, do this with both layers. With the rest, put it on top. Place in the fridge to cool for an hour or so and ENJOY!


--Jen

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Chocolate Cake (Crock-Pot)

I bought a slow cooker cook book and found a recipe for baking a cake in a crock-pot and wanted to try it...

Ingredients:
1 package (about 18 oz.) chocolate cake mix
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup water
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 package (4-serving size) instant chocolate pudding and pie filling mix


1. Coat Crock-Pot slow cooker with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Transfer to Crock-Pot slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook * the recipe book had a cook time conflict *
          - in the instructions it said cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.
          - at the top of the page it said cook time: 3 to 4 hours LOW and 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours on HIGH
I tried it on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours and ended up having to keep checking on it after my 4 hours mark was up, because the center was still not done all the way. After a little additional time to let the cake bake I cut into it. The center was very moist and delicious but the sides were a little bit crisp.






I topped it with french vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup! The cake was good, but we had to work our way around the hard outside edges. It was a good learning experiment, but my advice would be to leave the baking to the oven. :)



BFehr

Saturday, March 12, 2011

for those we love

my mother and grandmother share the same birthday, march 3, 1943 and 1963. these women have been such a blessing and a gift to me...

~through the laughter and the tears, the lessons and the teachings, the arguments and the agreeing, my mother has never left my side. we don't always understand each other, in fact a lot ;), but differences are just ways to learn about the amazing characteristics that each person is built with!~ 

~my grandmother is nothing short of amazing! the woman has more spunk and energy than i do at times! her pure heart and funny comments really keep me on my toes...she's been there to rock me to sleep as a child and she has always been here to listen to me as an adult. what more could anyone want?~

i decided to make these wonderful women their own personal birthday cards and i had a blast doing it! being the first time i've ventured out of the "scrap-booking realm" i felt that these turned out to be a real treat...


~Mom's Card~


~Grama's Card~


although it's a little past due, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mom and Grama!!! You two are beautiful women inside and out and i am truly blessed to have such enriching individuals in my life <3

jo

something fun =)

i enjoy being creative these days with food and decided to try something a little bit more challenging...STUFFED SHELLS with marinara sauce!! i was a little nervous but once i got to mixing, the masterpiece was coming together. the recipe is simple and easy to follow and super good in the end!

ingredients:
*jumbo pasta shells (i made about 7 stuffed shells and that was enough)
*1 tsp of salt
*1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
*2 large eggs
*1 c grated Parmesan cheese
*2 c grated mozzarella cheese
*2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or mint (or 2 tsp dried)
*1 (26 oz) jar Italian pasta sauce

directions:
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees while bringing a large pot of water to boil. add 1 tsp salt and pasta shells to the boiling water. boil the shells for about 5 min. only so that they still feel firm (this will assist in the stuffing process). once they are finished run them unto cool water and allow to sit while you make the stuffing.

2. in a large bowl stir together: a) the ricotta cheese, b) eggs, c) Parmesan cheese, d) mozzarella cheese and e) parsley or mint. pour about 1 c of pasta sauce into the casserole dish you plan on using to give the bottom some flavor and prevent the stuffed shells from sticking. 


3. now for the fun part!!! take a spoon and begin to stuff the shells with the mix. place in the casserole dish side by side and spoon the remaining pasta sauce on top of the stuffed shells and bake uncovered for about 30 min. you can freeze some of these and cook again at a different time.
enjoy!! 

jo

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

First furniture re-do

This is the first furniture re-do that I have done that I've actually taken the time to sand, prime and to seal! :) A couple weeks ago I found a link for a free paint sample from Valspar called Sassy Green, so that's the color I used. The hubby used the electric sander and sanded it down for me...and I got started! You can get your free sample here.

BEFORE:
B

AFTER:

--Jen

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients 
1/2 of 16oz package linguine
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 can Campbell's®  Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan chees


10 Easy Steps
1. Prepare the linguine according to the package direction
2. Add the broccoli in the last 4 min. of cooking
3. Drain linguine and broccoli
4. Return pasta to saucepan
5. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat
6. Add the chicken and cook for 10 min. or until well browned (stir often)
7. Stir in soup, milk, black pepper, cheese and linguine w/ broccoli into the skillet
8. Cook and stir until chicken is completely cooked
9. Add additional cheese if desired
10. Serve :) 


BFehr

Sunday, February 27, 2011

{Taco Soup}

This has got to be one of my favorite soups EVER! I had it the first time I went to visit Corey's family in Utah and his grandma Hilton made it for us while we were there :) So I have to give credit to her!!
This makes a TON of soup...enough to have leftovers for a few days...and is super easy! 


Recipe:
1 pound lean ground beef
2 cans cream of potato soup
3 cans kidney beans
2 can beef broth
1-16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning
Any veggies you choose!



In a large pan, cook meat thoroughly. Add all ingredients and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Serve with tortilla chips, grated cheese, and sour cream! DELICIOUS! 


--Jen

Saturday, February 26, 2011

the leftovers




We made breakfast out of our birthday leftovers and it was delicious! We topped the fruit salad pudding with granola and used the BBQ ribs to create a fantastic breakfast burrito. :)


The burritos were great. We cooked some scrambled eggs and warmed the leftover meat over the stove in the same skillet on Medium heat. Warmed a tortilla with melted cheese and added the eggs and meat with some fresh green spinach leaves.


*Add salsa if you like...it's pretty delicious. 




BFehr


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

the birthday boy


Stu's Birthday - February 9th

I woke up that morning and made my sweet birthday boy blueberry pancakes for breakfast. :)

yummy!!

Then, I immediately started preparing for tonights dinner. The original guest list was 2, just him and I. And then we thought we should invite Stu's flying buddy Jeremy over... but Dan and his wife are in town to so we should invite them too... this process continued until about mid-morning when Stu told me to expect like 10 people! I certainly did not plan for 10! So I had a little bit of a freak-out moment, going "I don't have enough meat!" -- "I don't have enough sweet potatoes!". To help easy my mind the birthday boy took me grocery shopping again.... -- in trying to plan for this little shindig I had managed to take trips to the grocery store everyday for the last 4 days making sure I was fully prepared, and still he throws me a curve-ball-change-of-plans! I was planning to make mashed sweet potatoes with all the buttery and cinnamon goodness whipped up inside the dish, but Stu informs me, that same day, that he wants baked sweet potatoes, not mashed. Another swift alteration needed to be made, but I continued to move diligently, because I wanted everything to be just the way he likes it for his birthday.

do I look frazzled?

Just to make things a bit more interesting/entertaining/chaotic the kitchen in his apartment on base is a joke. It is seriously the size of the playhouse kitchen set I had when I was a toddler. So I have limited space for everything. Oh and did I mention we don't have a oven. Which is an obstacle I knew ahead of time and was prepared to work around, but with more people I needed more space. In an attempt to help fix this new dilemma, Stu asked Jeremy if we could cook and have the party at his place. Jeremy kindly agreed and said that we were more than welcome to do whatever we needed over at his place. Jeremy is also living on base, but his family visits him on the weekends so he has a much nicer and much bigger living arrangements. The best part though...is that for the last week or so Jeremy has been staying in a Best Western in town because the running water doesn't work in his base housing. Awesome. He assured me that the oven and electric and everything works but I just can't wash anything or use the bathroom. :) ha!

I had started cooking my BBQ ribs in the slow-cooker at Stu's apartment around 9 a.m. and after finding out that Stu was requesting baked potatoes I had to flip the script on that recipe a little bit too. I washed the potatoes. Instead of using all the ingredients I had bought to mix into the (mashed) potatoes, I mixed them separately to make a delicious sweet and cinnamon butter, which had to let set and cool after I mixed it. Because we had to run to the grocery store and get more meat I had to quickly cook more ribs on a skillet and toss them in with my already slow-cooking ribs in the Crock-Pot. We had enough meat to feed a small village!

So after shopping for last minute necessities and transporting my entire kitchen to Jeremy's kitchen, I was ready to get this show on the road!

Now at Jeremy's, it was about 4 p.m., I started immediately on my sweet potatoes. I coated them in Virgin Olive Oil, wrapped my cooking sheet in tin foil and popped them into the oven right away! These sweet potatoes were HUGE, I'm talking potatoes on steroids! We had six potatoes total and decided to cut them in half before serving. With the potatoes getting all warm and delicious in the oven I moved on to my fruit salad. This was the fruit salad of all fruit salads! At Stu's request this fruit salad was comprised of apples, bananas, kiwi, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, mangos, blueberries, and mandarin oranges, served tossed in a strawberry pudding! It was delicious and I made a ton of it!


Delicious fruit salad!



this cinnamon butter looks questionable but it was so good on the potatoes!!

Things got a little frantic when I looked at the clock and it was 5:30. People are coming over at 6:00 and in a tizzy to get everything going I haven't even started getting ready! Thankfully I had showered earlier that morning, but I was still in sweats and my hair look like a hot mess!

I popped a couple bags of frozen veggie steamers in the microwave and let those heat up, while I quickly tried to tame my mane, fix my face, and dress myself. While getting ready I continued to check on my sweet potatoes and they were still hard. I started to panic because guest would be showing up any minute! I realized this was a desperate moment and I need a lifeline, so I called my mom. She told me that they just need a little more time in the oven and I should probably crank up the heat. I also cut them in half at this time to make sure the middle of the potatoes were getting cooked throughly. I shoved those potatoes back in the oven and threw my steamed vegetables into a serving bowl. Everything was coming together.

the potatoes were perfection when took them out of the oven

steamed broccoli and cheese

At Stu's request, I wore my hair up, because he thinks I look cute with my hair up. :)


the happy couple

People started walking through the door at 6ish and my potatoes were getting soft. It was great timing. Everyone sat around the living room and visited with each other for a little while. During this time I had to spread some garlic butter over my texas toast and warm those up in the oven. It only took a few minutes for the bread to golden and everything was ready to serve!

AMAZING!

Stu and his Air Force buddies

It was my first attempt cooking for a big group and everything was wonderful!


the man I love

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Boyfriend!
I love you!

BFehr


(click read more to see recipes)





Thursday, February 17, 2011

it's always fun to wake up and begin the day with a hearty meal! you never know what the day will bring, what kind of obstacles you'll face, or if you'll even have time for lunch! on top of that, what better excuse could one have to enjoy each other's company than to prepare food?! =)

1. First cut some potatoes into whatever size suits you, add oil to the frying pan and let it heat up in the mean time
2. Add the potatoes to the frying pan and allow them to sit for 5-10 minute intervals while flipping and stirring around
3. Once golden brown remove from the pan and set them in a bowl with a napkin to soak up the grease





these were fairly simple...already prepped and ready just need to be laid out on the pan!



cleaned as we went...


and had a blast while doing it!!!