Homemade Fruit Cups-A cheaper, healthier option for packed lunches

24 hours never seems enough time to get everything done in a day. I guess maybe if we choose to stay awake for all 24 maybe we could complete the to do list, but something tells me that wouldn't be a great idea. Because of the time constraints of life we often find ourselves purchasing things that make our life a little easier.  For example, when you make packed lunches individually wrapped items probably tops the list when it comes to trying to save time and effort.  But the problem with those items is you end up paying sometimes up to double the amount then if you were to package it yourself.  So I challenged myself to overcome this problem and find new ways to deal with it. One item that had become a staple in our packed lunches was small fruit cups, now fruit cup on top of being expensive for what you get are also not very good for you.  So I purchased some small plastic containers and began creating my own fruit cups.

The great thing is you can add what ever fruit is on sale and pre-design it to your tastes.  I usually prepare it on Sunday because I find that the rest of the week is too chaotic. I purchase the items and then set up two cutting boards, one for me and one for my husband.  We either setup in front of the tv or just sit together at the dinning room table.  Have the two of us tacked the fruit helps the task go by faster and to be honest I enjoy my husband and I's fruit cutting time together. Sometimes life can get so busy that you don't find the time to slow down and just do something together. I then fill my small containers with the salad and store them in the fridge.  Then when it comes time to fill lunch boxes I am able to just grab a pre-made salad and focus on other tasks.  I know it has helped make my life easier and I love that it is a much healthier and cheaper option for us. 

Each fruit salad has been different depending on what I find on sale, this is my recipe for my fruit cups.  Enjoy!!

Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble

I think everyone needs a little sweet in their life. Obviously we never want to overindulge ourselves but I find if I never allow myself a little treat every now and then I am more likely to overdue it when I do eat sweets.  So I decided to cook up one of my husband's favorite desserts for our special treat, Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble.  Not only does it taste amazing, it such a very easy dessert to make. And if you have never tried Rhubarb I want to encourage you to be adventurous and try something new.

BBQ Chicken with a Spicy, Sesame Asian glaze- An Asian twist to an American summer tradition

There is something about the smell of charcoal burning on a warm day that floods my head with happy memories of long Summer days as a child. There is something communal about a BBQ, more often then cooking in the kitchen people tend to hang out around the grill.  And for me there you just can't get better flavor in your meat then when you grill it.  Everyone seems to have their own standard to grilling meat, their own secret recipe that makes it turn out just right.  But for me I just can't be pleased with one recipe I love experimenting way too much.  So in preparation for a good-bye party for some friends I decided to throw in an Asian twist to my BBQ.

Small changes can mean big savings

At some point most of us have all come to a place where we found ourselves needing to watch our spending.  So we find little tricks to help us trim the fat off our budget.  Have you ever stopped to think about how much those tricks help you save?  You might surprise yourself as to how much you are helping yourself out in the long run.  What may seem like only fifty cents in savings can end up being so much more at the end of the year.

This year I aggressively took on our grocery budget to try and reduce what felt had become a very unnecessarily large spending hole for us.  While there were some big changes I made there were smaller changes that had just as big of an impact.  One of the big budget killers that I started to notice was buying drinks.  You don't really think about it because it doesn't seem like much; buying a drink at the gas station for a road trip or Chris buying a drink at work, but I think if I actually figured out the total cost it would be embarrassing.  I think if people actually sat themselves down and totaled it up they would find that the few dollars here and few dollars there adds up to a whole lot more then they bargained for.  So one of my small change was to start making our own take away drinks.

The buying in bulk risk

We have all experienced it some time or another.  You walk in to your grocery store and they are having a great sale on meat and you think to yourself 'that is a great deal, I better stock up'.  What better way to save money then buying in bulk, right?  While it is true that buying your meat in bulk can be a huge relief to the budget, but it is best to be done with some forethought.  Because in the same way that it can be a money saving option it can quickly become a costly one. 

When you are buying meat in bulk there are two things to consider.  One, are you cooking for a large group of people, if so you may need to use up all of the meat you are purchasing.  And two, if you aren't going to be cooking up all of the meat at once how much you will use now and how much you should freeze.  A bit mistake I use to make was buying meat and when I got home I would put the entire package in the freezer.  But the problem is once you defrost the meat it really isn't the best idea to then refreeze it.  So you end up having to use up the entire amount.

I wasted so much food cooking it all up and feeding only two people.  So I came up with a method that for me has saved me money and I am pretty sure if do the same for you.

What's in a name

For those of you following my blog you may have noticed some big changes. As time has gone on I have begun to realize the importance in a name in a blog. The name is the first thing people see, your first impression. Sometimes it is humor based and other times sometimes just matter of fact. Either way it brings a sense of clarification for the reader.
So what does this mean for my blog. Well clarity and focus for start, going to a more focus goal of sharing my love for cooking to help inspire, especially for those that struggle when it comes to cooking. I want to bring my readers along in the journey of creative budgeting to help make it so simple that it becomes second nature. Because once it becomes second nature we no longer have to focus and worrying about it, and instead can devote our time to creating mouthwatering delights to share.

Thai tofu curry

So I attempted to make my tofu curry last week and after a few frustrating disasters with ingredients it was put off for a later date. And to be honest that was the best thing that could have happened. While I was waiting for my plane this weekend, I surprised my dad for his 50th birthday, I occupied myself reading several blogs about tofu and curry and happened upon Melissa Ray Davis', How to Cook Tofu Like the Pros: Dry-fry and Marinate Method on Hub Pages.  I was so excited to read her post because tofu has always been the hardest thing for me to master. My first few attempts turned out so bad my husband described it by saying it was like he had just bit into a dish sponge.  Not something a cook ever wants their food described as. Melissa walks through the process of making perfect tofu and I can't wait to try it on even more dishes in the future.

The best part about this experience is the fact that my husband doesn't normally like Thai curries. Having grown up only eating Indian curries he struggled getting use to a curry that was slightly sweet. I can safely say that this was the first Thai curry that he not only liked but asked for seconds. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Thai tofu curry