FOOD and a visit

I have been very into making super yummy food on the CHEAP lately.  Yes ME!  I love, love, LOVE my slow cooker, and have been making even more super delicious meals.  I also recently got the book "Wildly Affordable Organic: by Linda Watson (she is from Raleigh).  Her book is all about buying in season foods, and making everything by hand (something I know Laurie and Eileen do all the time, but not so for me).  The best part was her very efficient bread recipes, no kneading required, and only 5 minutes of dirty hands at a time (essential for me, I never know what will happen 10 minutes from now, so having my hands covered in dough has got to be limited).

In the last 2 weeks, I have made 3 loaves of homemade wheat bread, pizza dough, summer bean and corn salad, a quart of outrageously yummy strawberry ice cream, a quart of strawberry banana ice cream.  I also have pizza dough in the freezer and more bread in the fridge.

From my slow cooker, I have made chicken curry, which delighted both hubbers and my mom (nary a piece went in the trash), rotisserie chicken (I made this today, and my husband gave me the best compliment ever without realizing it, he said it was better than any roasted chicken he has made.  WOW, I LOVE his chicken!).  I was planing on saving the broth from the rotisserie I just made to then made chicken noodle soup, but as I stared as the seasoned stock, I just figured I would make it over night tonight and have it all done in the morning!  I cut up a potato, 1 celery stick, 1 carrot, half an onion and BLAMO!  Homemade chicken soup DONE while I sleep (I'll add 2 handfuls of pasta and a bunch of spinach in the morning, and it will be done by the time I finish my coffee)!  I've made black beans which were then used to make chicken and bean enchiladas, and chick peas, which hubbers then made hummus (oh so garlicky!).  The Baked Bean soup I made last night was SO good, JEANNE ate a whole serving!  The recipe said it made 6 servings, but I have NONE left!  It didn't last 24 hours in this house!

Do you feel short on time?  Do you wish you could eat clean more often? Do you want to eat food with less fat but LOTS of taste? Are you sick of coming home from a long day knowing its either take out or more time on your feet cooking?  You need a slow cooker.  I spend about 15 minutes each weekend looking for 3-5 recipes I want to make that week.  I will spend anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes preparing (chopping or measuring spices) in the morning (while drinking my coffee).  That's it.  Dinner is made.  Hubbers gets to hang out with his family, I make dinner, I save money, I make YUMMY food!

Here are 3 books that will satisfy any.  Low cost, low fat, low meat, LOTS of meat, cheesy, dairy free, gluten free, low points (weight watchers).
Male it Fast Cook it slow
MORE make it fast cook it slow
The Indian slow cooker make your OWN fantastic Indian food without all the butter or ghee and loads of taste!  I make something from the cook book every week, it has never let us down!

OK, end food rant.

Jeanne and Loki had a visitor last week.  Their Grandmother Ardith came to meet them for the first time.  Jeanne really liked meeting Ardith, and I am really glad she came.  I will upload pictures once we get them off out camera.  It was funny to see where hubbers got his sense of humor from.  Thank you for coming to meet Jeanne and Loki Ardith, it was very nice having you here!

Stay well all!