Happy Birthday, Life. Family. Love.!

Can you believe it? Yep, my baby is now 1 year old! Geez, that went by fast. Honestly, I never imagined in a million years (or especially just one) that this blog would become not only an integral part of my life, but yours as well. This little baby of mine has blossomed into a beautiful part of my life, one that I look forward to each and every day.  Thank you SO much for coming on this amazing journey with me. Thank you for believing in me and my blog that went from one viewer (me) to over half a million (567,257 to be exact) page views in just 12 months.  Thanks for growing with me, learning with me, and supporting me along the way. Thanks for e-mailing, commenting, conversing, and coming back day after day. You guys are such rock stars! 

Mackenzie's Turkey Pepperoni Bites

My daughter, Mackenzie, absolutely loves to cook and bake. Sister child would be in the kitchen every waking hour of the day if she could. I have no idea where she gets it from. One day while looking for a snack, she made up this recipe and it's been one of her favorites ever since. It's simple, kid friendly, healthy, and quick. We love to eat it with a side of carrots or fruit. P.S. They'll never know it's good for them. ;)

What you'll need:

15 slices turkey pepperoni 

1 laughing cow light cheese wedge, (we like swiss and garden veggie)

Preparation:

Spread a small amount of laughing cow light cheese wedge onto pepperoni. Fold in half and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Nutrition info is based on 1 serving.

Calories: 96      Fat: 6        Protein: 10         Carbs: 1          Fiber: 0          Sugar: 1

*Calories calculated using My Fitness Pal. Nutritional values may vary based on varied brands or amounts. 

Homemade Bisquick

If there's one food item in particular that I'm known for, it's my pancakes. People love them, and I'm pretty sure my husband proposed to me based solely on my pancake preparation skills. ;) I'm always complimented on how thick, fluffy and perfectly round they are. I beam with pride. But I have a secret....there isn't one. I use Bisquick. So what makes my Bisquick pancakes any different than everyone else's? Well, if I told you it wouldn't make mine so special would it? BUT, what I do have for you, my lovely readers, is exactly what you asked for: more frugal living tips. So here ya go: a recipe for Homemade Bisquick! The best part? It measures cup for cup to boxed Bisquick, and since most people don't have a box of Bisquick just sittin' around, I'm going to provide you with the measurements to go along with it. I hope you enjoy!

What you'll need:

10 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups shortening

1/3 cups baking powder

1/4 cups sugar

4 tsp. salt

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except shortening. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Makes 12 1/2 cups. 

Store-bought Bisquick: $6.38

Homemade Bisquick: $2.80

Total Savings: $3.58 or 44%!

Homemade Bisquick Measurements 

Pancakes                                                             Waffles 

2 cups homemade mix                                           2 cups homemade mix

1 cup milk                                                             1 1/3 cups milk

2 eggs                                                                   1 egg

Yield: about 14 pancakes                                      2 tbsp. vegetable oil

                                                                             Yield: About 12 (4-inch) waffles

Bisquick

2 cups homemade mix

1/2 cup milk 

Yield: 10

 Recipe adapted from cooks.com. Measurement info adapted from bisquick.com 

Slimmed Down Cheesy Mexican Rice

Remember awhile back when I posted that absolutely amaaaazing recipe for The Pioneer Woman's Mexican Rice Casserole? It was soooo freakin' good, man. Now that my family and I are making a transition into health, I thought it fitting to create a slimmed down version of this Mexican must-have that is so incredibly delish. Now, you might notice that there's an ingredient in my version of this recipe that seems....well, a little out of place. See, what had happened was, I was cookin' up the rice, jammin' to some tunes, singin' at the top of my lungs when I grabbed for the cumin. I just needed to add a little sprinkle more. I opened it, shook it onto the rice and noticed there was quite a bit more in the pan then I intended. I looked down at the cumin in my hand and realized............it wasn't cumin after all. No, it was an imposter! It was...cinnamon!? My stress level went through the roof as I realized I'd used my very last bag of brown rice....so I had to make a decision. Either dump the whole thing (since the entire batch was covered), or mix it in and hope for the best. I chose the latter, and to my surprise...it was excellent. In fact, it let the other spices shine and really added that extra something to the dish. I can't wait to hear how you like it.

What You'll Need:
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (I used minute rice microwaveable bags)
7 1/2 oz petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can diced green chiles, undrained
1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
small pinch tumeric (less than 1/8 tsp)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation:
In a medium skillet over medium heat, mix cooked rice, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and vegetable broth, stirring constantly until all liquid is absorbed. Add black pepper,cumin, garlic powder and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Mix in 1/4 cup of cheese, stirring until melted. Turn heat to low and top with remaining cheese. Cover and let sit until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

*Click below to PRINT this recipe!*
Printable Version

Nutrition information:
Slimmed Down Cheesy Mexican Rice 
(calculations based on 4 servings)
Calories: 189    Fat: 6g    Protein: 9g    Carbs: 24g    Fiber: 2g     Sugar: 13g

Regular Mexican Rice Casserole
(calculations based on 6 servings, as this recipe makes more)
Calories: 265      Fat: 9g      Protein: 11g    Carbs: 37g    Fiber: 2g    Sugar: 6g

*Calories calculated using My Fitness Pal. Nutritional values may vary based on varied brands or amounts.

Tip: This recipe goes great with Slimmed Down Sour Cream Enchiladas!

Slimmed Down Sour Cream Enchiladas

Awhile back, I posted a recipe for one of my all time favorite dishes, Sour Cream Enchiladas.  As much as I love the dish...that's how much my hips don't. So I decided to try a healthier version. I substituted the flour tortillas for whole wheat, the ground beef for lean ground turkey, used low sodium taco seasoning, used less cheese etc. The difference? I couldn't even taste it! It was still oh-so-amazing, which was a very unexpected surprise. I did use regular cheese, because...well, I love regular cheese. It melts better than reduced fat or fat free, but you're more than welcome to substitute if you'd like. The moral of the story? You don't always have to sacrifice taste for health!

What you'll need:

1 pound of 95% lean ground turkey

8 burrito size whole wheat tortillas

1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning, or homemade taco seasoning

1 small onion, chopped

8 oz. light sour cream

1/2-1 small can green chiles (undrained)

1 small can sliced black olives (drained)

1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1 can 98 % fat free cream of chicken soup

1 cups cheddar cheese (may used reduced fat if your prefer)

Preparation:

In a large skillet, brown ground turkey with onion - drain if needed. Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Set meat aside. In a medium sauce pan, add sour cream, green chiles, creamed soups and 1/2 cup cheese, melting just until thinned and warm. Evenly cover bottom of a greased 9x13 casserole dish with a thin layer of sauce. Tear four tortillas into quarters. Lay tortilla pieces in bottom of pan, covering all surface area. Evenly spoon half of the taco meat onto the tortilla layer. Pour half of the sauce mixture on top of meat, spreading out evenly. Repeat each layer, beginning with tortillas and ending with sauce. Top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese and black olives. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until enchiladas are bubbly and cheese is melted and golden.

*Click below for a printable version of this recipe!*

Printable Version 

Nutrition Information:

Slimmed Down Sour Cream Enchiladas 

Serves 6-8 (calculations based on 8 servings)

Calories: 306    Fat: 15g      Protein: 21g       Carbs: 33g       Fiber: 4g     Sugar: 4g

Regular Sour Cream Enchiladas

Serves 6-8 (calculations based on 8 servings)

Calories: 418    Fat: 18g      Protein: 22g         Carbs: 36g       Fiber: 4g    Sugar: 4g

*Calories calculated using My Fitness Pal. Nutritional values may vary based on varied brands or amounts.

Tip: This recipe goes great with Slimmed Down Cheesy Mexican Rice!