The Frugal Bunny!

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Up super early this morning playing Mama Bunny!  And was VERY surprised to see Papa Bunny hopping down the stairs to help this year!  ;) 

Bird's Nests!

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Ah, another holiday and another excuse to make yummy treats!  I don't normally go all out with the holiday treats, as I have a little that is just not into the sweets.  *insert a great big ol' sad mama face*  But I have seen this idea for cute little spring treats floating around for the last couple of years and thought we'd give it a go this Easter!  And, what do ya know?  The boy loved it!

Shhh....It's my birthday.....

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......and it's kind of a big one!

Keep Towels 'Laundry Day' Fresh for Weeks!

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There is one thing that probably sets me apart from most 'normal' folks:  I LOVE to do the laundry!  I really do!  I love gathering up all the dirty clothes (from the bathroom floors, the closets, the couches, the car, everywhere but IN the laundry baskets it seems! *sigh*), I love to sort the loads (sheets, blankets, towels, jeans, hubby's CalFire uniforms, separate load for the boy), I love trying out new detergents and fabric softeners, I love the sound of the machines whirring away in the early mornings or on a rainy afternoon, and I love dumping the warm clothes on the couch for my little boy to crawl into like my mom used to when I was small.  And, yes, I even love folding and putting away!

When I first became a Stay-At-Home parent, I found quickly I needed order and routine to not only stay on top of things but to help pass the time in a manageable I-am-not-gonna-go-bonkers kinda way.  So, one of the first tasks I set up a schedule for was the laundry.  I decided that all of the bath towels would be switched out every Sunday night and the loads would be washed every other Monday morning.  But I soon discovered that the towels needed to be washed even more often than that!  It didn't matter if I washed the towels on Monday morning, by Tuesday they still had that sour smell to them!  So frustrating and gross!

I quickly learned that the sour smell is mildew that has built up in the fibers of the towel and needs to be stripped out.  There are lots of ways to achieve this, but I found the most effective way was to use a combination of both Baking Soda and Distilled White Vinegar.  

On the highest water temperature setting, add 1 cup of Distilled White Vinegar and 1 cup of Baking Soda to the washer as it fills.  Add in the towels and no other laundry detergent or softeners!  This is very important as the residue from the softener builds up over time and the towels actually become less effective at drying and airing out.  And then, just to satisfy my need for the towels to have a "Laundry Day" fresh scent, I rewashed the load in cold water with just a small amount of detergent, literally a few drops. 

Dry the towels immediately on high heat in the dryer (without any softening products like dryer sheets) and do not remove until all of the towels are completely dry.  You can also hang them to dry and air out again in bright sunlight to be sure the smell has been taken care of.   

I did notice the sour-smell came back after 4 or 5 days (at least not overnight! LOL) so I used the same method again the next time I washed a load of towels.  After 3 treatments, my towels were super fresh and fluffy again and the 'Laundry Day' fresh scent lasted for over 2 weeks!  

I cannot believe how much this simple fix has reduced my time in the laundry room doing loads of towels!  And how much money it saved me from spending on a whole new set of towels!

It's time for Jell-O Easter molds!

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I'm pretty sure I've seen these in our local grocery store or Target for around $5, but right now you can get a FREE Jell-O Jigglers Easter Egg Mold (reg. $5.45) for ONLY the cost of shipping ($2.95)!  And if you order before 3/18 it will arrive in time for Easter fun!  Can't wait for ours to get here!

Mexican Rice with Corn

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WOOT!  I have just been on a cooking roll this week!  It started with those YUMMY shredded beef tacos that I was trying to imitate from On the Border (and I totally hit those out of the park!) and then I just had to go for the rice too!  My little boy absolutely loves the rice at OTB and can easily devour several servings at a sitting!  He loves it so much that I even had the servers  gather me a price list for the rice and it was not cheap!  Something like $28 for a gallon-sized container?! 

 

So, I asked my readers for a recipe and a friend of mine suggested I try a "fail proof" recipe she swears by.  Well, I tried it.  And about half way through I soon realized the recipe was not "FOOL proof!"  LOL  I spilled more than the required amount of rice in the pan, so I had no idea how much was actually in there.  I didn't have cumin, so I had to substitute a random amount of chili powder.  The onion I bought didn't end up looking so hot after I cut into it, so I didn't have enough of that.  And as I was tasting the rice while it cooked, it just didn't taste like what I was going for......it didn't have that On the Border kick!  So, I ended up doctoring up the flavors just so I wouldn't have to toss out the whole batch and waste it.  I added my go-to ingredient and it was SO good!  I made this again the next day with my own made-up recipe and served a bowl to my biggest critic and asked him what I was dying to know, "Sweetie do you like this 'orange' rice or the 'orange' rice at On the Border better?"  And........he gulped down a HUGE spoonful and looked up at me and squealed, "No Mama!  I LOVE YOUR rice the BEST!  More please!"  And that's all the praise I needed to hear to know my recipe was a success!  ♥

 

 

 

 

 

Mexican Rice with Corn

1 cup uncooked Long-Grain White Rice

(1) 8 oz. can of Tomato Sauce

(1) packet of your favorite Enchilada or Taco seasoning mix

2 cups liquid (either Chicken Broth or Water)

3 tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 cups Whole Kernel Frozen Corn

1. Begin by rinsing the rice in a strainer before cooking. This will rinse off any dusty starch or leftover chaff particles and may prevent the rice from being a clumpy mess.  Set aside to dry a bit.
2. Heat the oil in a 2-qt saucepan over medium heat, then add the rice being careful of any splatters from the wet rice hitting the oil.
3. Stir the rice constantly, until it gets puffed up and golden.   
4. Add 1/2 of the tomato sauce, about 1/2 of the seasoning packet, and the liquid.
5. Bring mixture to a rolling boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover.
6. Cook for approximately 18 - 25 minutes, checking periodically that the rice is not sticking to the pan or burning. 
7. The rice is done when all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.  (*Note: Depending on the rice variety, you may need a little less or a little more water as the rice cooks, so check the package for specific instructions.  I just opened a new brand of rice and learned this the hard way!)
8. You can add small amounts of chicken broth or water if the rice is still too, um, crunchy (?) for your liking.  ;)
9. Mix in the corn and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
10. Cover again for just a few minutes to allow the corn to heat through. (At this point, you could add the rest of the tomato sauce and your rice dish will have a nice creamy texture.  We like it like this!)
11. Remove from heat and serve.

 

 

 

This rice is SO good by itself or when paired with our favorite Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos!

 

NOTE from the gal behind the stove:

Now, I do not ever live under the pretense that I can actually 'cook', but what I strive for (and what I hope all kitchen-haters like me are aiming for) is making tasty meals that my family will enjoy, using recipes that are understandable, simple to put together, and super easy to replicate. I am often modifying recipes I find and basing them on familiar tastes or on the ingredients I have on hand at the time. Not every recipe is a keeper, but that's all a part of the learning curve!

You can also check me out over at The Krazy Coupon Mama on Facebook! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more!

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Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos

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I LOVE going to On the Border to eat!  But, it quickly became that I would always order the same thing!  Now, this may have been because I always had a little one to look after and sitting and browsing the menu options quietly and thoughtfully like my other table mates *sigh* just was not gonna happen!  So, I found something I liked, and just went with it:  3-item combo with shredded beef soft tacos and all rice for the side (and then I'd end up having to give ALL of that rice to the boy!)  Not much of a meal, but truth be told, I would go there everyday and eat it!  LOL 

So, I decided last week to finally try my hand at making shredded beef and it was nearly a huge fail!  (Can't call this one a Pinterest Fail, as I was just going by instinct!  LOL)  But my readers came to the rescue and my dinner was saved!  Turns out Mexican shredded beef is super-easy to make, and if I dare say so myself, what I made was so much better than OTB!  I would still go for the Sopapillas though! 

Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos for the Crock Pot

2 - 3 lbs of Boneless Beef Chuck Roast

(1) 8 oz. can of tomato sauce

(1) packet of your favorite Enchilada or Taco seasoning mix

2 cups water

Salt

Pepper

1. In the crock pot, add the tomato sauce, seasoning packet, and about 1 1/2 cups of water.
2. Rinse the meat with cold water and pat dry.
3. You can cut the meat up into 2-inch cubes, but I prefer to just toss the whole thing in.
4. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
5. Add the meat to the cooker.
6. Cover and set on high.
7. Keep an eye on the meat and check the level of the liquid.  You can add a bit more water as necessary if the level becomes too low or the meat is looking dry.
8. Cook for 8 - 10 hours or until the meat is fork tender and falls apart easily.
9. Serve with flour tortillas or over my yummy Mexican Rice with Corn!  Enjoy!
     

The beef should be fall-apart tender when done.  I was able to gently smash the meat with a fork and it flaked apart nicely!  (And yes, that crock pot needed a good soak and a scrub afterwards!  If you'd like to avoid the hassle of cleaning that bad boy up or don't have a hubby whose willing to scrub like mine is ;) here's a great coupon for the Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners!)

 

I really enjoyed making this meal for my little family.  When I was growing up, I could not have been less interested in what my mother or grandmothers were doing in the kitchen.  And now that they have all passed, I dearly regret with every holiday, birthday, family dinner, or Wednesday that goes by not learning from those beautiful women who raised me.  I make it a point now, whenever I am in the kitchen (no matter how stressed or frustrated I become), to include my little boy in the process.  Hopefully one day he'll remember the recipes that his mama made for him and share them with his family.  ♥ 

NOTE from the gal behind the stove:

Now, I do not ever live under the pretense that I can actually 'cook', but what I strive for (and what I hope all kitchen-haters like me are aiming for) is making tasty meals that my family will enjoy, using recipes that are understandable, simple to put together, and super easy to replicate. I am often modifying recipes I find and basing them on familiar tastes or on the ingredients I have on hand at the time. Not every recipe is a keeper, but that's all a part of the learning curve!