food

Summer Fun with Kids at Oggi’s Liberty Station!

Abby H.

OggisGot littles? Trying a fun way to keep them entertained this summer without breaking the banks? Check out these awesome deals from Oggi’s in Liberty Station.

1: Kids eat free all day Wednesday with the purchase of any adult entree.

2: Kids can make their own personal pizza starting at 11:00am. That’s what we did today, and Lil’ Man had a blast. I wish I had gotten photos of the pizza once it was baked, however, he inhaled it.

step11kidszza

The pizza dough is rolled out in the kitchen and brought out with sauce and cheese for the kids to add as much as they want.  Then there is a table of toppings for the kids to choose from (By the time I got over there to take photos, most of the little bowls were empty because all of the kids were having a blast topping their pizzas!). Lil’ Man is a strictly cheese only pizza guy, so we just asked for a little extra cheese.

I sampled some really tasty grown up noms today too. Here were my top three favorites:Marathon-flatbread-2

Marathon Flatbread
Brushed with garlic olive oil, topped with Mozzarella, zucchini, tomato, red onion, artichoke hearts, roasted garlic and drizzled with sweet balsamic glaze.

Mediterranean-SaladMediterranean Delight Salad

Spring mix blend topped with herb marinated all-natural chicken breast, garbanzo beans, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, feta cheese and roasted red peppers, tossed in our homemade lemon and herb Greek dressing finished with oregano.

Oggis-CinnatwistsOggi’s Cinnatwists

Twisted sticks of  pizza dough baked to perfection and dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar, topped with icing and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The Icing isn’t overly sweet either- it reminded me of marscapone cheese! Lil’ Man devoured these too.

For more details on the awesome, kid firendly offers going on at Oggi’s in Liberty Station, visit their website.

The balloon animal guy that comes from 5-8pm on Wednesdays is the best! His name is Tyler and he runs Pretend Inc. Check out his site for just a few photos of his amazing work. He made dinosaurs, puppies, silly snakes, and even a dodo bird for Lil’ Man!

A big thanks to Oggi’s at Liberty Station for hosting us for lunch today!

Crockpot Recipe: Moosie’s Pot Roast!

Abby H.1 Comment

This is a family recipe that’s been around for years. Moosie was a friend of my great-grandmother who lived up in Chicago.

This pot roast recipe is what Moosie served when they had company from out of town.  It’s easy enough to make for your family any night of the week.  The leftovers (if you have any) make a great open faced sandwich.

Moosie’s Pot Roast

Ingredients

  • 1 2-3 lb. pot roast, your favorite cut (I like Chuck Roast)
  • 1 can reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 envelope powdered onion soup mix (I like Lipton’s)

Directions:

  1. Brown the pot roast, place it in the crock pot.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the soups, and pour over the roast.
  3. Place cover on crock pot and cock on low for 6-8 hours.
  4. Before serving, shred the roast with a fork.
  5. If you would like creamier gravy, add 4-6 tablespoons of low fat sour cream 20-30 minutes before serving.

Serves about 6-8. Serve with mashed potatoes  or broccoli.

You can also place 1 whole onion, sliced in the bottom of the crock pot, then the roast, and then poured the gravy sauce overall of it.

Delectable Tuesday: Easy Peasy Black Bean Soup!

Abby H.2 Comments

Hubs loves Black Bean soup.  So based on what we had in the cupboard and fridge, I whipped up a batch. I didn’t have a specific recipe in mind, I just played it by ear and it turned out GREAT!!

Black Bean Soup (makes 6 1-cup servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 15 oz. cans of organic black beans (do not drain)
  • 2 c. salsa of your choice
  • 1 can chicken broth (if you are a vegetarian, use vegetable broth)
  • 1 bunch cilantro (top, leafy part only) chopped
  • 1/4 c. chopped onion (white or purple, whatever you have)
  • 1/4 c. chopped  Fresh Jalapeño Peppers (about 2)
  • dash of hot sauce (your choice, optional)
  • 6 T. plain Greek Yogurt or low fat Sour Cream

Directions:

  1. Combine everything in a large stockpot.
  2. Cook the soup on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Really simmer it gently and allow the flavors to meld.
  3. Ladle into bowls and top each bowl with 1 T. of plain Greek Yogurt or low fat Sour Cream.
  4. Serve with quesadillas and Mexican Cesar Salad.

Mexican Cesar Salad

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 cups of your favorite lettuce/lettuce blend (romaine and bibb is great!)
  • 2 tomatoes cubed/sliced
  • ½ cup purple onion, cut into rings
  • ¼ c ranch dressing
  • ½ c your favorite salsa

Directions:

  1. Combine the salsa and ranch together, chill in fridge 6-8 hours before servings. This allows the flavors to blend.
  2. Toss the veggies in a chilled salad bowl with the dressing.
  3. Top with ¼ c crushed corn chips/tortilla chips for some added crunch!

Serve topped with grilled chicken breasts for an entree or without meat as a side dish.  Serves 3 as an entree, serves 6 as a side dish.

Mixing up hydration with Soda Stream!

Abby H.

Recently, a friend asked me for some non-soda uses for her Soda Stream machine. Since I use ours at least 2 times a week to whip up liter bottles of fizzy water, I figured I’d share some of my concoctions!

Screen Shot 2015-05-31 at 6.58.19 AMThis is the Soda Stream Machine we have.

Here are a few ways to use your Soda Stream besides adding the Soda Stream syrups.

  1. Fill a fancy pitcher with 2-3 cups of chilled, sliced fruit. I like Apples, oranges, lemons, Kiwi, and berries (not necessarily all together). Pour 1 liter of chilled carbonated water from the Soda Stream. It makes the best fruity fizzy water!
  2. Try Torani Syrups in place of Soda Stream syrup.  It comes in tons of flavors, in both regular and sugar free, including fun fruit flavors!
  3. Instead of adding syrup, why not try ice cubes made of fruit juice?  Fill an ice cube tray with orange juice, pomegranate juice, or whatever you have on hand.  Add ice cubes to your carbonated Soda Stream water and enjoy!
  4. If you are looking for a different taste, try the powdered beverage mixes in your carbonated Soda Stream water.  Mix slowly, and carefully, since some of the powders may cause the water to get a little extra fizzy.  I like Crystal Light sticks, Snapple Sticks, and a few store brands that come in cranberry and cran-pear.
  5. Mio or other concentrated liquid beverage mixes are also great in your your carbonated Soda Stream water, and since you control how little or how much you add, your drink can be different each time!
  6. If you are looking to jazz up your beverages, try an Italian Cream Soda.  It’s a pretty easy recipe:

Italian Cream Soda

Ingredients:

  • Ice,
  • 1 ounce syrup,
  • carbonated Soda Stream water (8-12 oz, depending on your glass size),
  • 1 ounce cream,
  • whipped cream (optional, but everyone loves whipped cream).

Directions:

  1.  Scoop ice into glass
  2. Pour your carbonated Soda Stream water over the ice cubes
  3. Pour 1 ounce syrup over the ice and water.  Stir with a stir stick.
  4. Pour 1 ounce of cream over the top- Do not stir.
  5. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

How do you use your Soda Stream Machine?

Greek Yogurt- A great frugal ingredient!

Abby H.1 Comment

IMG_7966I bet a lot of you see the coupons for Greek yogurt and pass it by.  Maybe you’ve sampled it at Costco or the grocery store and were turned off by it’s thick texture or tart taste.

Greek yogurt (or strained yogurt as it is referred to in other parts of the world) has a lot more going for it than the sugary yogurt in the little cup with a french name.

1- It’s got double the protein than regular yogurt.  That means you’ll stay fuller longer.

2- It’s lower in Carbs. That’s because most Greek yogurts don’t contains all kinds of funky sweeteners.

3- It works well in all kinds of recipes in place of sour cream, mayo, and oil. I use it in baked goods instead of the liquid oil or butter.  It adds a richness without adding fat.

4- It makes a killer chip or veggie dip, baked potato topping, or chili topping plain or dressed up with herbs and spices.

Greek Yogurt is a frugal ingredient because it’s so versatile!  You can eat it as is, dress it up with herbs, fruit, granola, or use it in recipes. We buy the large carton of Fage at Costco every few weeks.  It’s the cheapest place in town for us to get Greek Yogurt. If you aren’t a Costco shopper, keep your eyes open for coupons and sales! Here are just a few:

Here is my favorite dip recipe with Greek Yogurt- perfect for sharing at any potluck!  It’s got  thicker texture, and it’s not for a wimpy chip- I dip pita chips and veggies.

Herbed Yogurt cheese dip

Ingredients

  • 2 cups greek yogurt
  • 2 T. chopped shallots
  • 2 T. minced onions
  • 1 T. minced garlic
  • spray release (like Pam)
  • 3 T. herbs of your choice- I like Mural of Flavor from Penzey’s. (You may want more or less)
  • Salt and pepper to taste (I don’t add either)
  • cheese cloth (It’s on the baking aisle at the grocery store)

Directions

  1. Wet the cheesecloth, wring out and stretch over the mouth of a bowl.  Secure with string or a large rubber band.
  2. Gently pour the yogurt over the stretched cheesecloth, and spread evenly over the cheese cloth.  What you are doing is straining out any extra whey (liquid) from the yogurt.  This is cause it to thicken up and make one helluva dip!  You can leave it on the counter for 1-2 hours to drain, as long as the temperature in your house is at or under 75 degrees. (We never turn on the heater at our house, so that’s never a problem).  If you house is warm, you can place the bowl in the fridge.
  3. In the mean time, spray a saucepan with spray release (or you can use a little EVOO if you prefer), and saute the shallots, onions, and garlic over low for 45-50 minutes until they start to caramelize.  Remove from heat, and pour int oa large bowl.  Place in fridge to cool.
  4. After yogurt has drained, scrape the yogurt solids from the cheesecloth into the bowl with the sautéed shallots, onions, and garlic.
  5. Mix well and add herbs.  Place in fridge for a minimum of 1-2 hours before serving.  I make this dip the day before I want to serve it.
  6. Discard the liquid that drained off the yogurt and the used cheesecloth.
  7. Serve the dip with veggies, pita chips, or use it as a topping on your baked potato or chili.

Serves 10-20.

If you like your dips sweet instead of herbs and veggies, you can add a few tablespoons of jelly or jam to strained yogurt and a smidge of cinnamon to make a fruit dip.

 

How do you like to serve Greek Yogurt?

Shopping for real food on a budget!

Abby H.

IMG_3236As you can see from the photo, we buy a lot of fruit.

I bought this fruit late last week, and within 3 days, the raspberries and cantaloupe were GONE.

So why am I sharing this photo of my fruit purchases? To illustrate that you can eat healthy on a budget.

I visited Our local Ralphs, armed with 8 $1/1 Driscoll Coupons (Internet printable coupons from their surveys), a $5/$15 Produce E-coupon on my Ralphs card (like them on Facebook here and you’ll be notified when new produce coupons are added- usually once a month), and a free Muller Yogurt E-coupon (Free Friday Download).

For $4.19 Out of Pocket, I brought home:

8 containers of driscoll’s raspberries
2 bananas
1 mango
1 personal sized watermelon
1 cantaloupe
1 muller yogurt
1 carton coolwhip

The raspberries are $1.28/carton, so after $1/1 Q they are a paltry .28/carton. SCORE. I saved over $50 with my coupons and ralphs club card. UGH. I can’t imagine paying full price for anything.

The only not so “real food” purchase was the whipped topping. I made the Cool whip into Bachelor Mousse (1 small box instant chocolate pudding, 1 1/2 cups milk, whole carton of cool whip, beat together and serve with fruit) and we had it for dessert a few times. It’s quick, easy, and the boys LOVE IT.

So you can do it- keep your eyes open for sales on produce, meat, whole grains, and other stuff your family likes to eat. Don’t forget to take advantage of printable coupons and rebate/money saving apps!

Frugal Cooking: Italian Sausage Casserole!

Abby H.
Tomato Sauce MGD©
Homemade Sauce- Yum!

This is a family favorite, even little man loves it!

You can make as much of it from scratch as you’d like, or if you’re in a hurry, you can use pre-made sausage and sauce.

This recipe is also great because you can make it vegetarian with soy crumbles, or even vegan if you use alt. cheese. Use Gluten Free Pasta and this dish Gluten Free!

This is a great dish to take to potlucks!

Italian Sausage Casserole

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of pasta, your choice, cooked al dente and drained
  • 1 jar of your fav pasta sauce, or 4 cups home made sauce
  • 1 lb bulk Italian sausage, crumbled, cooked and drained (or 1 package soy crumbles) You can use ground beef if you prefer.
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (or 1 cup vegan cheese)

Directions

  1. In a large baking dish, mix the pasta, sauce, and sausage.
  2. Top with cheese.
  3. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melty.
  4. Serve hot with crusty bread and a green salad.

 

Vacations on the Cheap, Part 1 (The budget)

Abby H.
Screen Shot 2015-05-13 at 9.15.38 AM
A shot of us at D-land in September of 2013!

I was cleaning out some files yesterday and I came across some notes from when we planned our family vacation to Disneyland 2 years ago. I know with Summer vacation coming up, a lot of you will be planning trips to The House of Mouse and other locales. Here are a few tips to help you save on your summer fun!

The first part of planning a trip is budget. Where you’ll go, how long you’ll stay, what you’ll do while you’re there, those things are all (sadly) dictated by budget.

When we plan a trip, in order to keep our costs down, I’ve formulate a budget that takes into consideration a few things:

  1. We’re getting a m/hotel room with a kitchenette. That way we can eat some meals in room and save money. The average price per person per meal in most tourist areas is $10.00 plus tax and tip, so just by eating in our room three times we’re saving $90.00 plus tax and tip. The difference in price between a m/hotel room without a kitchen is about $10/day. For us, it’s worth it.
  2. I’ll be using high value and free item coupons for some of the menu items we’ll be eating. I trade coupons online on site like HotCouponWorld, and of course, my local coupon club. (For more info on coupon clubs and online forums, check out this post)
  3. I use as many deals and savings programs to earn gift cards and cash to defray costs. I’m save Swagbucks for a Paypal payout, I save Mypoints points for a gift certificate or a Paypal payout,  And if we happen to eat out, we’ll try to eat at Mogl restaurants to earn a little green back!
  4. I save various gift cards as well to be used on the trip (like the $20 pre-paid Visa Gift Cards I earn from SBKC)

So with our budget in mind, I set to finding a m/hotel that fits our budget and has the amenities we are looking for: swimming pool, complimentary continental breakfast, and free parking.

 

 

In Need? Food Resources in Central and Eastern San Diego

Abby H.6 Comments

DSCN2469Updated: January 2023

With inflation skyrocketing, more of us need help feeding our families nutritious foods. Luckily in San Diego, there are plenty of programs and organizations that can help.

In large metropolitan areas like San Diego County, there are many resources for those who have food insecurity. Some of them require proof of need, proof of residence, or extensive paperwork to qualify. For someone who is embarrassed by food insecurity, these requirements can be a deterrent. Other organizations put a cap on how many times a family can visit.

Here are a few local Central and East San Diego County Area organizations that offer food assistance that do not require any proof of need.

Central San Diego County

Screen Shot 2017-06-01 at 8.09.41 AMThe Cupboard on 54th. Located at Calvary Lutheran Church 3060 54th Street, San Diego, CA 92115.  They are open 3 times a week.

You can get dry goods one time per month and a produce bag is available each day they are open (for a total of three times a week).

This is located at the same location as a free clothing closet. They have clothes for men women and children, as well as shoes and accessories.

Christ Ministry Center 3295 Meade Ave San Diego, CA 92116 has a food bank three days a week. Hours: Mondays 1-3pm, Wednesdays 10am-Noon and 1-3pm, Fridays 10am-Noon and 1-3pm. Park in the rear lot and look for the Good Neighbor Center Food Bank sign. They also have other services for those in need. Check out their website for more information.

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank has neighborhood distribution sites all over San Diego throughout the month. Each time and location is different, but you can expect to go home with a lot of fresh produce! There are no requirements or proof of need (no ID either).  Just bring a few reusable bags or a cart to carry your food home.

East County:

Journey Church in La Mesa has a food bank that distributes food three times per month.

  • 1st Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm
  • 2nd Friday of the month – produce only – at 9 am
  • 3rd Saturday of the month from 8:30 am

unnamed.jpgFaith Chapel in Spring Valley has a great event once a month called Meet the Need. It is on the 1st Sunday of each month.

There is a free lunch starting at 1pm with some fellowship (a great way to meet your neighbors), followed by shopping in their boutique for free clothing and household items, and you will go home with a bag (or two) of free, healthy groceries.

Similarly, Pastor Josiah and his crew have been doing weekly food distributions- Visit their website (address below) and get on their email list to learn more and find out when the next distribution will be- or subscribe to my blog- I post about their distributions in advance!

You can learn more by visiting or contacting Faith Chapel here.  Pastor Josiah and his crew are wonderful people!

For residents of the City of Santee, the Santee Food Bank is available to you once a month. Proof of Santee Residency (like a utility bill) is required, and ID for everyone in the household (ID cards, drivers licenses, school ids, health insurance cards). The Santee Food Bank is open for regular distributions 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday, as well as the first and third Saturday of each month.

The Santee Food Bank also hosts USDA Commodities twice a month. Commodities are available to anyone, regardless of where you live. They are healthy food staples, and frequently consist of Meat, rice, pasta, canned veggies and fruit, cereal, milk, and bread. Items change each time, but there are always lots of healthy options. Commodities hours are the third Tuesday from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Feeding American San Diego has a map on their website of various resources in the San Diego area, many of them require no proof of need or paperwork.

If you are located in Northern San Diego County, here is a post that has options and locations for you.

While not strictly free, Porchlight Community Services (which I wrote about here) frequently has free food distributions. Check their website, or follow them on Facebook for updates and events. 

If you have any food resources to share, please leave a comment!

Review: Nicole’s Natural’s gluten-free waffle and pancake mix!

Abby H.

Lil’ Man loves him some waffles. And pancakes. Pretty much anything hot that he can have slathered in butter.

image001Recently the awesome folks over at Nicole’s Natural’s offered me a canister of their gluten-free waffle and pancake mix to try out. We’re not a GF family due to allergies or sensitivities, but I love trying new products, especially new breakfast products!

IMG_3110What I really liked about these waffles is that despite being Gluten Free, they cook up super crispy. They contain brown rice, corn meal, and GF oatmeal, all of which gives the waffles an amazing texture. Even when I re-heated some the next morning in the toaster oven, they stayed crispy, as if I just made them!

IMG_3111Each 22 ounce canister makes about 8-10 waffles, depending on your waffle iron size and how thick you like your batter.  I got 12 waffles out of the mix, but I added a little extra milk because the batter was a little too thick towards the end of the bowl.

All you add to the mix is water (or milk of your choice), melted butter or coconut oil, and eggs. It’s easy peasy.

Nicole’s Naturals Mix:

  • Is Gluten-, Wheat-, Dairy- and Soy-Free (but definitely not taste-free!)
  • Contains 150 calories per serving
  • Has only one gram of sugar (much less than other mixes that contain upwards of nine grams per serving) and two grams of fiber
  • Is independently tested at less than five parts gluten per million, far below the FDA regulation of 20 parts per million for products labeled gluten-free.

12 waffles is a bit much for the three of us, so after we had eaten, I cut up the remaining waffles into quarters, let them cool and put them into a freezer bag.  The next morning we enjoyed them again after a quick trip through the toaster oven.

IMG_3112 IMG_3113
San Diego Residents can find Nicole’s Natural’s at the following stores:

For those not in the immediate area, you can find this fabu mix online at Amazon or at www.NicolesNaturals.com.

 

I was given a canister of Nicole’s Naturals gluten-free waffle and pancake mix at no charge to facilitate my review, however I was not financially compensated for my review.