Freezing Broth

 

 

I had a carton of beef broth that I got on sale that had an expiry that was creeping up on me. 

I didn't have a current use for it, so into the freezer it went!

 

All you have to do is pop the broth into a freezer safe bag (I highly recommend labeling it with type and date). Throw it in the freezer and let completely thaw before using for a recipe.

Banana Oat Muffins

These muffins are great for busy mornings!

They are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast item!

 

Ingredients;

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 cup of oats

1/2 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 tsp of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

3/4 cup of milk

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

1 cup of mashed banana

Steps for Success;

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl ; flour, oats, sugar, powder, soda, and salt.

In a seperate bowl, beat egg lightly.

Stir in milk, oil, and vanilla extract.

Add mashed bananas and combine well.

Fold dry mixture into wet mixture completely.

Make sure to scrap the sides of the bowl while combining.

Pour evenly into lined cupcake tray.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen.

 

February 2014 Week #4

Links;

Pasta Bake Recipe

Chicken Parm Recipe

 

 Lookout for; 

Recipe for homemade hamburger buns

Puppies!

We are extremely proud to introduce..

Our puppies! 

Molly & Oscar are parents! 

Oscar Jr ~ boy

Mocha ~ girl

Vanilla-Thunder ~ girl 

hehe. 

(yes, we gave them silly names!)

On February 9th (my birthday!), we helped miss Molly birth her three little puppies. 

It was an interesting experience to say the least, especially since we didn't plan on breeding her with Oscar, or at all. 

We had planning for them to be fixed, but everything with Josh's health happened very fast and took priority. 

Molly and Oscar spent the 4 months we were in Toronto with my parents, and apparently they weren't completely supervised. 

But, there was nothing we could do about it, so we did our research to become prepared. 

It was an amazing experience to see, and obviously the puppies are adorable. 

We will be seeking good homes for these little ones when it is time, and we all will be extremely sad when they go. 

We are looking forward to spending the next weeks watching these puppies grow and bonding with them. 

Scented Salts

Here's a very simple DIY for scented salt bags for your dresser drawers!

All You Need; 

Epsom Salts 

Essential Oil Scent of Your Choosing

Little See Through Bags 

Use 1/4 of salts per little bag you make.

Whisk with a few drops of essential oil until it is as strong as you would prefer. 

 

Place in little bags and pop in your drawer! 

Smells great every time you open it up!

 

 

Parmesan Asparagus

This is one of or all time favorite side dishes! 

We make it so often its ridiculous!

All You Need;

Asparagus 

Olive Oil 

Salt & Pepper

Parmesan Cheese 

 

Place asparagus (fresh or frozen) in a sauce pan with 2tbl olive oil and 1tbl of water. 

Saute on medium heat until soft. 

Push asparagus to one side of the pan and sprinkle a generous tablespoon of parmesan cheese on top. 

Stir to combine. 

Serve with favorite meal! 

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day Lovelies! 

I hope your day is filled with; 

Have a GREAT day!

Cupcakes for Your Valentine

Sweet tooth!

Today I made cupcakes for my sisters kindergarten class. 

They turned out so cute I just couldn't not share them with all of you! 

I used boxed cake mix (sue me), and premade icing that I coloured with food colouring. 

I baked the cupcakes in plain white liners, then when I placed them in the clear cup I put a decorated liner on the bottom of the cup.

I iced the tops with a pretty pink icing and stuck a cute little glittered heart in each one. 

 

I wrapped each cupcakes cup in a clear plastic treat bag and tied with a pretty ribbon. 

I added tags saying who they were from and curled the ribbons. 

 

 

 

Adorable!! 

 

Enjoy your Valentines Day everyone!

 

 

Febraury Meal Plan ~ Week 2

Here's the menu plan for week 2!

There's some overlap from last week with the homemade pizza, but its one of our all time favorite meals and there are endless possibilities on how to make it! 

Monday - Tomato Macaroni Soup & Grilled Cheese - Recipe to be posted

Tuesday - No recipe 

Wednesday - Nachos with Spicy Chicken

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/02/spicy-chicken-nachos.html

using homemade taco seasoning; 

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/12/make-your-own-taco-seasoning.html

Thursday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches & Fries & Salad - Recipe to be Posted 

Friday - Ham, Scallops, & Vegetable 

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/02/baked-ham-glaze.html

Saturday - Homemade Pizza & Garlic Bread

http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/pizza-garlic-sticks-at-home.html

Sunday - Leftovers

 

February Meal Plan Week 1

Here's our simple meal plan for our first week back from Toronto! 

We didn't try any new recipes this week just to keep everything simple while we get the millions of bags unpack and get our house back in order. 

New recipes will start next week, and boy am I super excited for it! 

:) 

Links to recipes for this week; 

Chicken Alfredo;  http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/easy-mushroom-fettuccine-alfredo.html

Homemade Pizza; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/pizza-garlic-sticks-at-home.html

Beef Tacos; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/12/make-your-own-taco-seasoning.html

Crockpot Minestrone Soup; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/04/crock-pot-soup.html

Chicken Parm; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2013/02/chicken-parm-recipe.html

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/sweet-potato-black-bean-chili.html

Homemade Meat Loaf; http://frugalandthrifty4.blogspot.ca/2012/11/homemade-meat-loaf.html

Stay Tuned!

PLEASE

be patient while I work on making some changes and improvements to 

Frugal & Thrifty! 

 

The blog will still be functional during this time, but since we are moving things around, some links may appear to be broken in the process. 

 

Check back daily! 

~ 

 

KISSES! 

~K

Welcome February

February is here already! 

2014 is flying by! 

This month I am going to focus on;

~ weekly meal plans

~ new recipes 

~ simple, inexpensive hacks to make your home look amazing!

~ a new birthday cake recipe for my birthday

~ Valentines day crafts with kids

STAY TUNED! 

February is my all time favorite month and I am beyond excited to spend it with all of you!

 

Valentines Vanilla Heart Cookies

These are the perfect Valentines Day cookie. 

They are not regular sugar cookies. 

They are vanilla cookies. 

And they are absolutely delicious!

Ingredients Needed ; 

~ 1 1/2 Cups Flour 

~ 3/4 Cup Butter (not margarine), cut up into little pieces

 ~ 1 Cup Sugar

~ 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 

~ 1 Egg (not pictured .. opps)

What To Do ; 

~ Sift flour into a large bowl.

~ Add butter and crumble into flour until you get the texture of bread crumbs 

~ Add sugar, vanilla, and egg

~ Stir well 

~ NOTE ~ the dough will appear crumbly (have faith) 

~ Take about half the dough in your hands and pack it into a large ball 

~ Roll out on lightly floured surface (only roll half the dough at a time)

~ Don't roll too thin or the cookies will burn 

~ Use cookie cutter then transfer shapes onto a large cookie sheet 

~ Leave some space between each cookie on the sheet - these cookies spread a little bit, but they don't lose their shape 

~ Bake in a preheated oven of 350 degree for 10 - 12 minutes until golden

Before Baking

After Baking ~ On Cooling Rack 

~ Transfer to wire rack for cool immediately 

~ Do not decorate cookies until completely cooled, as tempting as it is 

~ Decorate in any way you wish 

All Decorated!

NOTE ; 

                      I only baked half of the batch of cookies. I froze the other half in a freezer safe bag to be baked on another date.

Happy Heart Day!

<3 

Hope you are spending this lovely day with the people who mean the most to you. 

Even if they know you love and car for them, remember everyone likes to hear it once and awhile!

Today is a great day to remember those who are there for us every day in our lives. The ones we lean on when times get tough. The ones who will stand by our sides through thick and thin. The ones who genuinely love us back. 

~

Give hugs, kisses, and love today to those who need and deserve it. 

"If you only have one smile in you, give it to the people you love."

- Maya Angelou 

"The Eskimos had 52 words for snow because it was so important to them: there ought to be as many for love" 

- Margaret Atwood

"So, fall asleep love, loved by me ... for I know love, loved by thee."

- Robert Browning 

Pancake Day!

I hope you didn't forget about pancake Tuesday, (like I almost did!). 

We love pancakes in our household, and this is just another excuse for us to eat them. 

I love my pancakes plain with syrup on top, where J prefers them with butterscotch chips and syrup. 

We even make little pancakes as a treat for the puppies! They just love them! 

 

How do you like your pancakes?

Lemme know! :D  

Love Songs Playlist

I have decided that with Valentine's Day fast approaching, I would compile a list of my all time favorite love songs to share with all of you! 

My Heart Will Go On ~ Celine Dion 

"Love can touch us one time
And last for a lifetime
And never let go till we're gone"

Crazy in Love ~ Beyonce ft Jay-z

"Got me hoping you page me right now your kiss's
Got me hoping you save me right now"

You Are So Beautiful ~ Joe Crocker 

 "You're everything I hope for
You're everything I need"

You and Me ~ Lifehouse 

"And it's you and me and all other people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you"

My Girl ~ Temptations 

 "I don't need no money, fortune, or fame.
I've got all the riches baby one man can claim"

I Will Always Love You ~ Whitney Houston

"I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this I wish you love"

Wonderwall ~ Oasis 

 "Because maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all, you're my wonderwall"

Time After Time ~ Cyndi Lauper 

 "If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time"

Hey There Delilah ~ Plain White T's

 "If every simple song I wrote to you Would take your breath away, I'd write it all Even more in love with me you'd fall, we'd have it all"

Chasing Cars ~ Snow Patrol 

 "If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

Maybe I'm Amazed ~ Paul McCartney 

"Babe I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman

Who could ever help me
Baby wont you help to me understand"

Eternal Flame ~ The Bangles 

"I believe it's meant to be, darling
I watch you when you are sleeping
You belong with me"

This I Promise You ~ N*Sync 

 "When I hear you call
Without you in my life baby
I just wouldn't be living at all..."

Only You ~ Ashanti 

 "Boy you stay inside my mind ain't no denyin' that
And only you could do them things that got me comin' back"

My Boo ~ Usher & Alicia Keys 

 "It started when we were younger
You were mine my boo"

Underneath It All ~ No Doubt 

 "You're really lovely
Underneath it all
You want to love me
Underneath it all"

We Belong Together ~ Mariah Carey 

 "Who else am I gon' lean on When times get rough? Who's gonna talk to me on the phone Till the sun comes up?"

Thank You ~ Dido 

"And I want to thank you for giving me
The best day of my life
Ohh, just to be with you is having
The best day of my life"

Hero ~ Enrique Iglesias

 "Would you dance, if I asked you to dance? Would you run, and never look back? Would you cry, if you saw me crying? And would you save my soul, tonight?"

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing ~ Aerosmith 

"Lying close to you feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming"

Crazy For You ~ Madonna 

 "It's all brand new, I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true
I'm crazy, crazy for you"

You and I ~ Lady Gaga 

 "It's been two years since I let you go,
I couldn't listen to a joke or rock 'n roll
Muscle cars drove a truck right through my heart"

I'll Be ~ Edwin McClain 

"And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
And you're my survival, you're my living proof
My love is alive, and not dead"

Fix You ~ Cold Play 

  "Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you"

Upcoming Posts For February 2013

Recipes;

• Chicken Parmesan 
• Chili 
• Honey Sesame Chicken 
• Buffalo Chicken Wraps 
• Panzerottis 
• Creamy Garlic Pasta 
• Sweet Baby Rays Crock Pot Chicken 
• Beef and Broccoli 
• Quiche 
• Tortilla Pizzas