Ash of All Trades

Ralphs Strawberries @ .99/lb (8 Hours Thurs Only) - Great Price New York Steak @ 3.99/lb - Great Price Jennio Turkey (all varieties) BOGO* - Stock Up Price Hass Avocado @ .68 - Great Price for this time of year. Ralphs Frozen Veggies @ .88 - Great Price (coupons online) Rice A Roni/Pasta Roni @ .79 - Stock Up Price (must buy 10 part. items) Diced Tomatoes (Delmonte and S&W) @ .69 - Stock Up Price (must buy 10 part. items) Ronzoni Pasta @ .49 - Stock Up Price and could be FREE with coupons Van De Kamps Bread @ 1.00 - Great Price Cauliflower @ .99/lb - Good Price Kiwi @ .33 - Good Price Green Onions @ .50 - Great Price Albertsons Albertsons Drumsticks/Fryers/Thighs @ .77/lb - Great Price Navel Oranges @ .49/lb - Stock Up Price Kiwi @ .25/each - Excellent Price Hormel Pepperoni @ 2.99 - Great Price (could be coupons out) Ronzoni Pasta (all varieties) @ 1.00 - Stock Up Price (with coupons .50) Sauve Deoderant @ 1.69 - Stock Up Price with Coupons Kraft Dressing @ 1.4

One of our criteria when house hunting was a pantry - perferably walk in - but definately a pantry and not just cabinets!   Then trying to organize the pantry I could not think of a way to explain what I wanted to the Hubs so I told him we needed a doohicky!  Well I meant a hook but of course I didnt want just a hook but a basket and multi hook combo!  Enter the doohicky: Somewhere to hang all of our aprons (can you tell we love to cook!) and store our cooking mixes/marinades.  Yep I do buy convenience things sometimes - mostly in the form of cake mixes or in this case marinades and seasoning packets.  Making Mongolian Beef from a packet is much much easier than from scratch and awesome on those days when we won't be home until right before dinner time! Life is simple my friends - give me a pantry doohicky and I will be giddy every time I get my apron or make up a marinade - wahoooooo! Thanks for reading, Ash of All Trades 

A craft Big C did all on her own (well with adult supervision but no adult intervention)! We took a wood fram from Michaels ($1), Some leftover paint from the Big C in the bathroom, Flowers from the gardland in Big C's room, 2 wood bows from who knows when and a bit of glue.  Add a 3 year old and voila: She did not want to paint the edges of the frame (hend the wood bottom) and she doesn't want to use it as a frame right now - she said maybe when she gets her pictures taken again she will put one of her and Little C. It took a lot of talking down for my perfectionist self to not help her but she did this whole project on her own even picking out the frame and decorations to the clean up!  I love it: $1 and an hour of determination for a masterpiece! Enjoy, Ash of All Trades

This was a great week for sales folks! And since I didn't have time to photograph my Ralphs or Albertson's Trips - here is a photo of my jam packed pantry (ok there are a few empty spots but this food would last us at least 3 months if we decided to do a pantry challenge): Ralphs: 2 Knudson Sour Creams;  3 Kool Aid Mixes; 4 Rice A Roni Boxes; 2 Lays Potato Chips; 6 Cans of S&W Diced Tomatoes; 6 Boxes Smart Taste Pasta; 4 Boxes Ronzoni Spaghetti; 1 Pound Strawberries; 2.5 Pounds Chuck Steak; and GASP NOT GROCERY: 2 11" Ceramic Pots All For: $37.83 With a Savings of :   $54.53 % Savings: 59% Albertsons: 4 Boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios; 2 Boxes Cinnamon Toast Crunch For: $7.28 Savings: 16.66 % Savings: 69.6% Stater Brothers: Loaf of Bread, Cottage Cheese, Orange Juice, Dozen Large Eggs, Cool Whip x 4, Frozen Corn x 2, Ronzoni Healthy Harvest x 4, Jello x 4, Tomato Sauce x 6, Tomato Paste x 2, Hot Dogs x 3, 3lbs Cuties. Total: 30.99 Saved: 26.41 % Savings: 46%

Here's to another week! Breakfast Monday: Cereal, Peanut Butter, Strawberries Tuesday: Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Pears Wednesday: Muffins and Smoothies Thursday:  Eggs, Toast, Fruit Friday:  Pancakes, Baby Oranges, Eggs Saturday: Out For Caylee's Birthday! Sunday : Cereal, Oranges, Peanut Butter   Lunches: Monday: Leftover Veggie Soup & Quesadillas Tuesday:   Leftover Pasta, Breadsticks, Peas Wednesday: Black Bean Burritos Thursday: Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Grapes, Cheez Its   Friday: Something Meatless At Grandmas! Saturday : Mac N Cheese with Hot Dogs, Blueberries, Sunday: Fried Bologna Sandwiches, Bananas, Chips & Dip Dinners: Monday: Tomato Pesto, Breadsticks, Cauliflower Tuesday: Moroccan Chicken, White Rice, Peas Wednesday:   Sausage & Pasta Stew, Bread, Salad Thursday: Beef Tacos, Corn, Spanish Rice Friday: Out to Eat! Saturday: Sausage Hoagies, BBQ Potato Packets, Salad Sunday: Balti Chicken, Basmati Rice, Naan Baking: Homemade

The concept behind this book is brilliant and I only wish I had thought of it before Mr. Maguire!  A great book with lots of twists and returning characters I could not put it down.  It did have nice clean breaks though for when I had to put it down to um care for my kiddos and things!  In all actuality this actually took me two weeks to finish but the plot was always on my mind.  This is a definite must read if you loved fairy tales growing up or if you just need a break from every day life (nothing in this book is ordinary).  An adult fairy tale that will make you feel like a kid again but in an adult way?!?  Maguire did an amazing job of connecting me with each and every character  and ofkeeping my feelings and emotions in tune with the book during the entire 400+ pages. Great great novel!  Can't wait to see the show - yep - ahhhhhhhhhh - I get to see Wicked - in Orange County! - Thank you Hubs! Happy Reading, As of All Trades P.S. He has other books - I am in heaven!

Ralphs: Must buy any 10 participating items to get below price: Rice A Roni @ .79 - Good Price Honey Bunches of Oats @ 1.99 Great Price Wheat Thins/Triscuits @ 1.99 Great Price with Coupon Ronzoni Pasta @ .49 - AWESOME STOCK UP PRICE S&W or DelMonte Canned Tomatoes @ .69  Great Price Ritz @ 2.49 Good Price Better with Coupon ~~~~~~ Not Part of the Buy 10: Lemons @ .50 Great Price! Organic Apples @ .99/lb Great Price! Organic Green Onions @ .99 Great Price! Sour Cream @ $2 - Great Price with Coupon Only Lays Potato Chips @ 1.99 Great Price with Coupon Albertsons: Cantaloupe @ .29/lb Great Price Honey Nut Cheerios @ 1.88 - STOCK UP WITH COUPONS Cinnamon Toast Crunch @  1.88 STOCK UP WITH COUPONS Pepsi Products @ .89 - Good Price Chicken Breasts (3# or more) @ 1.77 STOCK  UP AND FREEZE BUY 10 AND SAVE: Imperial Spread @ .49 - STOCK UP AND FREEZE (if you use margarine) Bulls Eye BBQ @ .99 - STOCK UP Jello @ .79 - GREAT PRICE Stater Brothers: Grapes @ .99/lb - A

Here are our grocery trips for this week! Ralphs: Gallon Whole Milk; Mountain High Organic Whole Milk Yogurt Franks Hot Sauce; Ralphs Diced Chilis;  Ralphs Mandarin Oranges;  Donettes for Mops;  Donettes for Girls;  Yoplait Yogurt;  Baking Potatoes;  Kiwi x 3;  Grapes;  Celery;  Cauliflower;  White Onion;  Bananas;  Cabbage; Carrots;  Chicken Breast; Chicken Thighs & Legs;  Stew Meat;  London Broil;  Raisinets x 2. Total Spent: 48.27 Total Saved: 30.11 38.4% Savings Albertsons: Canned Olives x 2;  Onion Soup/Dip Mix x 2; Canned Green Beans x 4; Syrup; Corned Beef Brisket; Nectarines x 2;  Pears x 3;  Plums x 5;  Baguette Total Spent: 26.57  Total Saved: 19.78 42.9% Total Savings Happy Wednesday, Ash of All Trades

Happy St. Patricks Weeks to you all - for those of you without kids or with kids to little you will soon realize that when there is a holiday it lasts at least a week in the way of crafts and explanations go! We have three crafts and a science experiment planned for this week (wish us luck)! After explaining what leprechauns are (to a 3 almost 4 year old) we made this craft.  And unfortunately I deleted half of the pictures of us making it on accident so all you have is the completed project! The idea came from here:  http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Paper-Plate-Leprechaun.html We painted the rim of a paper plate orange. Cut out the hat and eyes from paper. Big C drew the nose and mouth and cut them out! Cut the edge of the plate to look like hair. Glued everything together! (Oh we also had a yarn piece to the back so we can hang it as a decoration for years to come)! Just because it is so cute here is what else the girls have been up to: A pillow pet cage out of Lego'

Here's to another week! Breakfast Monday: Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Plums Tuesday: French Toast, Nectarines Wednesday: Smoothies, Eggs, Toast Thursday: Cereal, Grapes, Peanut Butter on a Spoon Friday:  Omelets, Nectarines, Toast Saturday: Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Sausage, Oranges Sunday : Cereal, Oranges Lunches: Monday: Crackers, Cheese, Grapes, Lunch Meat Tuesday:  Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Necatrines Wednesday: Quesadillas, Grapes, Thursday: Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Fruit Friday: Egg Salad, Grapes Saturday : Leftovers Sunday: Hot Dogs, Chips, Fruit Dinners: Monday: Whole Chicken Soup, Garlic Bread Tuesday: Taco Salad Wednesday: Chicken Tacos, Beans, Rice Thursday: Corned Beef & Cabbage Friday: Mexican Veggie Soup & Cheese Flautas Saturday: Japanese Pork Chops, White Rice, Stir Fry Veggies Sunday: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Corn Bon Appetit, Ash of All Trades

So I have been trying to finish decorating the girls bathroom and only have one project left but I don't have any clue when we will get to it so I am going to share what we have! Oh the joys of having two girls! Pink Butterfly & Ladybug Bathroom Accessories:   Bow Holder (handmade out of a store bought frame): Butterfly Accessory: Towels & Frame: Big C over the toilet:   To make the Big C I bought a large paper maiche C and painted it purple.  It took 3 coats of paint (I used regular ole craft paint) and a lot of drying time. After it was dry I attached this hanging doohicky: Then hammered a nail in the wall and attached it! Simple and cost less than $10. Voila, Ash of All Trades

Ralphs : Foster Farms Chicken Legs Bone In @ .99/lb.  Pretty good for Foster Farms. Green Seedless Grapes @ .88/lb - AWESOME PRICE Brocoli or Cauliflower @ .88/lb - GREAT PRICE Ralphs Butter @ 2.50 - GREAT PRICE Wild Pacific Salmon (Frozen) @ 3.99/lb GOOD PRICE Kiwi @ 3 for $1 = GREAT PRICE Navel Oranges = GREAT PRICE Albertsons: Green Seedless Grape @ .99/lb - GREAT PRICE Albertsons Whole Fryer Chicken @ .67/lb = GREAT PRICE Tilapia Fillets @ 3.99/lb - GREAT PRICE Snack Mania- Select Chips @ $2 (when you buy 4) GREAT with Coupons 50% of Corned Beef = Could be Good Navel Oranges @ .99/lb = Good Price Langers Juice Cocktail @ $2 = GOOD PRICE Albertsons Dry Onion Soup Mix @ $1 = GREAT PRICE Birdseye Steamfresh @ $1 = GREAT PRICE with Coupons Stater Brothers: Bulls Eye BBQ Sauce @ .99 = GREAT PRICE Minute Maid Drinks @ .99 = GREAT PRICE Colgate Toothpaste @ .99 = STOCK UP with Coupons 7Up Varieties @ .75 = GREAT PRICE Doritos @ 1.50 = GREAT PRICE Green Cabbage

Whew - I feel like I haven't blogged in forever - man oh man did I get hit with June Gloom early or what.  Last week I was just exhausted (well honestly even into this week).  But starting yesterday I am on a roll Spring is here and it is time to get projects completed!  My Meal Plan for this week: Breakfasts: Monday: Pancakes, cantaloupe, Smoothies Tuesday: Cereal and Apples Wednesday: Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Oranges Thursday: Eggs, Toast, Cantaloupe Friday: Muffins, Juice, Applesauce Saturday: French Toast, Smoothies, Sausage Sunday: Cereal and Oranges Lunches: Monday:  Peanut Butter, Fruit, Crackers Tuesday:  Turkey Leg @ Disneyland! Wednesday: Quesadillas, Carrots, Juice Thursday:  Leftovers & Fruit Friday: Tuna Sandwiches, Crackers, Cheese, Apples Saturday: Hot Dogs, Chips, Cantaloupe Sunday: Burritos, Corn, Grapes Dinners:  Monday: Chicken Potato Lemon Bake, Peas Tuesday: Beef Tacos, Spanish Rice, Corn Wednesday: Spaghetti and Salad Thursday

Here is another garden update: Lettuce 10 and 3/8 Ounces   Parsley & 1 Lone Cayenne Pepper 2 and 1/8 Ounces Cauliflower & Broccoli 6 and 3/4 Ounces Total of: 1.2 Pounds of Produce! Thanks for reading, Ash of All Trades

This week we celebrated my birthday! (Which one I won't share ... hehe)!  Since the Hubs is the absolute best ever he ALWAYS takes the day off for my birthday!  Some years we lazily stay home and relax and some days we enjoy a special outing in celebration.  Well this year folks I was determined to introduce the Cs to the snow!  Well I was determined a little before Christmas but as the days have worn on I just gave up on getting out there so to my surprise The Hubs kept prodding me to go and yesterday we decided at about 9:30 am to head to the mountains - eeeek how unplanned and how totally not me! But alas we got bundled up: Drove In the Car (lots of winding roads): And started to see snow! Heaven at last: We had a blast Big C wouldn't stand still long enough for a pic and Little C gladly ate handful after handful of delicious white ice: The Hubs made a huge snowman: The ride home was peacefully quiet: Snow angels for more for fun: And we very much enjoyed our s

Many of you have been waiting for our kale chip update - my sincerest apologies (you will see what kept me busy tomorrow).  But here is the kale we cut from the garden: 6 1/4 Ounces of Kale! The recipe we used (thank you Jen!): http://www.foodnetwork.com /recipes/melissa-darabian/ crispy-kale-chips-recipe/i ndex.html We Tore them Up: Placed them on a cookie sheet and drizzled olive oil and sea salt on them: Bake them per the recipe above and voila! Now I do think I over cooked them a tad (hence the browning in the picture above) and that I should have tore them into slightly bigger pieces but I always think there is some way to improve a recipe. The most important thing is I thought they were pretty good (not a huge kale fan) but Little C and the Hubs LOVED them.  Like gobbled them up and asked for more...so this afternoon we will be making more! Enjoy, Ash of All Trades