Let me start off by showing you a picture of the zucchini on steroids. I compared it to a normal fork. Huge, right?! I don't even think this picture shows you justice. Why did I take the picture from the top? I should have come at it from the front so you could see how thick it was...well...I feel silly. You are just going to have to trust me. It's big.
Moving on.
Moving on.
I work full time outside of the house. My days off from that job are Sunday and Monday. This particular Monday I had big plans to stay at home and cook/bake! So, I put on my apron and tennis shoes and started my day! Lately when I'm on my feet all day, "barefoot and in the kitchen" my feet HURT! So I decided I'd prevent that by wearing my tennis shoes and it really did help!!
I cut up green peppers - for my oldest's daughter's school snack, for soup (see below), and for my freezer.
I boiled 12 ears of fresh corn, and cut it off the cob! I put some in my soup (oooh! It's amazing soup...keep reading!) and put some in the freezer for a rainy day!
Wait...why do they say to put your money away for a rainy day? Or put "this" away for a rainy day? Is it just me or do you feel like doing NOTHING on a rainy day but stay inside and read/watch a movie? I don't say, "Oh my gosh! It's raining! Quick - go grab that $50 I put aside for today! Let's go shopping!!" or "Yes! Now I get to eat that pie I made 3 months ago that I was saving for when it rained!" No. We don't. Now maybe I should go over to Barnes and Noble book store so when the cashier lady says, "oooh! Going to do some reading today?" I can say, "No! Actually I'm not. I'm saving it for a rainy day!" Because THAT'S what people do on a rainy day!!
Well, because who cares about what I was really writing about, I decided to google this so it doesn't bug me all night. According to the Social Security Website the phrase "save it for a rainy day" was coined because,
" Our expression "saving for a rainy day" recalls the times when families stored wood in the shed and food in the cellar and pantry for seasons when it was difficult or impossible to go out to fetch them." Ok...THIS too makes sense. But saving money...I don't know...can anyone else make sense of this? But, since I'm writing this alone, and don't have you guys to converse with - on to my original subject.
I baked 42 carrot/zucchini muffins! (See the recipe on my "Zucchini" post!) The kids had some for an after school snack, breakfast the next day & again - more for my freezer!
I cut up green peppers - for my oldest's daughter's school snack, for soup (see below), and for my freezer.
I boiled 12 ears of fresh corn, and cut it off the cob! I put some in my soup (oooh! It's amazing soup...keep reading!) and put some in the freezer for a rainy day!
Wait...why do they say to put your money away for a rainy day? Or put "this" away for a rainy day? Is it just me or do you feel like doing NOTHING on a rainy day but stay inside and read/watch a movie? I don't say, "Oh my gosh! It's raining! Quick - go grab that $50 I put aside for today! Let's go shopping!!" or "Yes! Now I get to eat that pie I made 3 months ago that I was saving for when it rained!" No. We don't. Now maybe I should go over to Barnes and Noble book store so when the cashier lady says, "oooh! Going to do some reading today?" I can say, "No! Actually I'm not. I'm saving it for a rainy day!" Because THAT'S what people do on a rainy day!!
Well, because who cares about what I was really writing about, I decided to google this so it doesn't bug me all night. According to the Social Security Website the phrase "save it for a rainy day" was coined because,
" Our expression "saving for a rainy day" recalls the times when families stored wood in the shed and food in the cellar and pantry for seasons when it was difficult or impossible to go out to fetch them." Ok...THIS too makes sense. But saving money...I don't know...can anyone else make sense of this? But, since I'm writing this alone, and don't have you guys to converse with - on to my original subject.
I baked 42 carrot/zucchini muffins! (See the recipe on my "Zucchini" post!) The kids had some for an after school snack, breakfast the next day & again - more for my freezer!
Next, I made "the soup!" Now, I'm able to put it in quotation marks and build it up because it is my second soup I've ever made! Yup- two soups. I'm new to soup making culinary-ness! (new word..just don't google it)
I cooked dry beans for the first time! Has anyone else NEVER done this before? I had to Google "how to cook dry beans" but it worked! And guess what...I put some in my soup!! Am I properly building the anticipation for my soup recipe? ...or did I lose you already with the "save it for a rainy day" paragraphs? Well, hello to those STILL reading! Thanks for staying tuned!!
This soup is a TACO SOUP. And it's meat free, which makes it cheaper!
I cooked dry beans for the first time! Has anyone else NEVER done this before? I had to Google "how to cook dry beans" but it worked! And guess what...I put some in my soup!! Am I properly building the anticipation for my soup recipe? ...or did I lose you already with the "save it for a rainy day" paragraphs? Well, hello to those STILL reading! Thanks for staying tuned!!
This soup is a TACO SOUP. And it's meat free, which makes it cheaper!
So, here's the recipe for this Taco Soup that even my kids loved!!
1 14.5 oz can corn (I used fresh corn instead, but I don't know how much I used)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, including liquid (I used 2-3 whole fresh tomatoes)
1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked black beans (I used small red kidney beans)
2 cups chicken stock, or 2 cups water plus 2 tsp chicken bullion (I used 6 c I think? It was two big tall boxes of chicken stock)
taco seasoning to taste
1 tsp dried onions (Oh- 1 tsp? Whoops. I used about 1 Tbsp of onion flakes)
(I also had a 1/2 jar of salsa I thew in there, along with a 1/2 jar of Queso)
(I added 1 cup rice too)
Optional toppings:
cheddar cheese
black olives
sour cream
tortilla chips
chives for garnish
Heat all ingredients through.
Serve by itself, or if you have it, top with cheddar cheese, black olives, sour cream, and tortilla chips. In place of tortilla chips, you can use homemade or store bought tortillas cut into strips.
So basically, throw it all in a pot, heat and stir!
Then, I decided to end my awesome cooking day with some banana bread! I had 3 bananas that were ready to be made into bread! Do you do that? Buy a bunch of bananas, eat one, and the rest go bad? LOL! It happens a lot at my house! But, luckily I was in a baking mood. Well, let's be honest, I actually WASN'T anymore at this point because it was after dinner and I was worn out from the day. But, I decided it would be a great thing to make and put in the freezer while I'm at it.
So, I quickly through all the ingredients together - wet and dry alike. (I just didn't care to separate them into two bowls and then mix together. LOL!) I settled on the couch with the kiddos to watch some TV. About an hour later, the kids said, "Mom! What is that good smell?" I said, "Oh! It's banana bread!" "BANANA BREAD!! I forgot to set a timer!"
1 14.5 oz can corn (I used fresh corn instead, but I don't know how much I used)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, including liquid (I used 2-3 whole fresh tomatoes)
1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked black beans (I used small red kidney beans)
2 cups chicken stock, or 2 cups water plus 2 tsp chicken bullion (I used 6 c I think? It was two big tall boxes of chicken stock)
taco seasoning to taste
1 tsp dried onions (Oh- 1 tsp? Whoops. I used about 1 Tbsp of onion flakes)
(I also had a 1/2 jar of salsa I thew in there, along with a 1/2 jar of Queso)
(I added 1 cup rice too)
Optional toppings:
cheddar cheese
black olives
sour cream
tortilla chips
chives for garnish
Heat all ingredients through.
Serve by itself, or if you have it, top with cheddar cheese, black olives, sour cream, and tortilla chips. In place of tortilla chips, you can use homemade or store bought tortillas cut into strips.
So basically, throw it all in a pot, heat and stir!
Then, I decided to end my awesome cooking day with some banana bread! I had 3 bananas that were ready to be made into bread! Do you do that? Buy a bunch of bananas, eat one, and the rest go bad? LOL! It happens a lot at my house! But, luckily I was in a baking mood. Well, let's be honest, I actually WASN'T anymore at this point because it was after dinner and I was worn out from the day. But, I decided it would be a great thing to make and put in the freezer while I'm at it.
So, I quickly through all the ingredients together - wet and dry alike. (I just didn't care to separate them into two bowls and then mix together. LOL!) I settled on the couch with the kiddos to watch some TV. About an hour later, the kids said, "Mom! What is that good smell?" I said, "Oh! It's banana bread!" "BANANA BREAD!! I forgot to set a timer!"
The kids rushed after me into the kitchen, I pulled it out of the oven and just laughed! I said, "I burnt it!!"
The kids said, "Mom! We love burnt banana bread!" (honestly they thought they were still hungry and wanted a bed time snack to stall them from going to bed right then...)
I put them to bed, and they ate it for breakfast and said, "Mom! This burnt banana bread is SO good! Can you make us burnt pancakes tomorrow??"
"uh....ok....? am I good at burning food usually? Is that what you think of my cooking?" LOL!
Just another day in paradise at my house! <3
The kids said, "Mom! We love burnt banana bread!" (honestly they thought they were still hungry and wanted a bed time snack to stall them from going to bed right then...)
I put them to bed, and they ate it for breakfast and said, "Mom! This burnt banana bread is SO good! Can you make us burnt pancakes tomorrow??"
"uh....ok....? am I good at burning food usually? Is that what you think of my cooking?" LOL!
Just another day in paradise at my house! <3