DOMESTICATING MYSELF WITH FRUGAL LIVING

Before Friday night, when I took my family and in-laws out to eat because I did not feel like cooking- we had not been out to eat in quite a while. I've been really trying to cook more, buy more produce, and keep up with my kitchen duties. I cannot-and will not-lie to you... Cooking just isn't fun for me! It's very stressful! The dog under my feet, tripping over the car, kicking toys and magnets, little hands pulling food off the counter- onions burning my eyes, the heat, splatter, waiting, tasting.... It's too much!

Now baking: I LOVE to bake-when there isn't a 2 year old running around who thinks the oven-glass door is a mirror for her to sit in front of and watch herself make awesome faces. So baking doesn't actually happen too often, but when it does I enjoy it!

 

Yes, I attempted to do a slow-cooker-week a while back but life got in the way. This week I am serious about it! I made some meatballs last week that we're so delicious, they were immediately requested for this week and claimed as a new favorite dish. That's motivation!

 

I'll figure out dinner first thing in the morning after I take note of the pantry and freezer inventory for my shopping list. After that I will meal plan the rest of the week. Through out the week I'll post my meal plan, ingredients, prep, cook time, and results of the meals.

 

No pizza or perogie dinners (favorite go-to's when we come home late/are tired) this week, ONLY meals that have been slow cooking.

 

 

Send me your favorite recipes to try out! Post them below if you'd like them to be public of private email me!

WEELKY CHALLENGE: WEEK ONE

I'm going to start a challenge segment. These challenges will all be under the same theme: becoming frugal and partially-homemade. We really want a house. Like, badly. The trouble is- we are both clueless about budgeting and saving! I don't know how to cook, he doesn't know how to eat (pizza, perogies, chicken parm. The End.) and we don't know how to stop going out to the store and buying useless crap we do not need! We are both guilty of doing this, and by taking these baby-steps challenges seriously- I hope to implement a new lifestyle for us as a family.

Step One: No Rules.He doesn't like when I put new rules into effect. Which is why, no new rules have ever gone into effect that were directed at us adults. :\ So by labeling them as challenges- he will secretly be supportive instead of combative! Ha!

Step Two: Discipline.

Well, I don't have any of that. By sticking with the challenges, I hope to build patterns and habits, leading me to spend less, save money and time, and learn A TON of new information that otherwise, I'd be blind to.

Step Three: Committing.Committing to the project. A full seven days-no excuses are good enough! No skips-ies, time outs, pauses, or quitting. Each challenge must be met-completely. This is building discipline, by committing no matter what.

Challenge One: Completely Crock Pot

This week, starting Sunday, I will use my crock pot every day.

Usually on the typical weekday morning, I let The Queen wake me up around 8-8:30. I'll give her some milk, we do the whole diaper banter thing, put one of her assorted educational entertaining DVDs on, and I get to making us breakfast. Within this time I could VERY easily get a meal into the crock pot and turn that bad boy on. Why don't I? Because I have nothing prepped or planned. This week, its ON!

Mini-challenge. Learn to use my rice cooker! ;)

Have any simple-mouthed recipes to share? Any challenge ideas that incorporate becoming home-made or frugality?! Let me know- I might just accept that challenge!