Easy eating lately

*it was overcast when I took these photos!

Even though I am not publishing menus anymore, I am still feeding myself at home.  I'm still not all that jazzed about cooking, but I know that it is the best way for me to get the nutrition I need and not spend a fortune.  This particular week, I spent $80 for the next two weeks.  On grocery days, I start out by cleaning the inside of the fridge to freshen it up.

Then I might start a crockpot to make dinner easy.  (today it was some ribs I had in the freezer) I hit some markdowns at HEB and used my partner card (Son #2 works in their bakery).  I think I did fairly well and I have a collection of things to pull out for dinners and lunches.

I bought a package of 5 lemon pepper chicken quarters for $3.89 total out of pocket.  They went right into the oven as soon as I got home.  Once they cooled, I was able to shred the meat into 5 ziploc bags for a total of 78 cents a portion.  The bones went right into a small pot on the stove to simmer for stock.

I poured it into small jars, just right for one person.

While the chicken was cooking I made taco meat with lean ground turkey I got for $5.39 total.  Not as great a deal as the chicken, but with my own seasonings and a little time, it ended up being 4 freezer portions at $1.35 each.  Once it is cooled, I portion it out and place all the small bags into big freezer ziploc and I can easily grab one to add to a salad or other meal.  Taco meat is good in quesadillas or heated up over a baked sweet potato.  A very easy way to feed myself when I don't feel like cooking.

I also snagged a package of chuck for $3.94 and that got divided up and frozen.  These baskets in my freezer aren't Pinterest-worthy, but they help organize the cooked items from the uncooked.  I label the bags so I can see what I might be getting low on.  And I usually look at the menus the night before, so I can toss something into the fridge to thaw.  All told, I spent $13.22 and got 13 portions of protein.

Once I had the meats sorted, I pulled out some things from  the fridge and freezer to make breakfast tacos for work days.  I had 8 tortillas leftover from a week or so ago, so I combined them with 8 breakfast links, 8 eggs, and a sliced red bell pepper.  I roll each one in a foil sheet and store them in a gallon size freezer ziploc.  Then on work mornings, I will toss one into the oven on low while I get ready for work.  The taco usually stays warm in my tote bag until I eat, around 8 a.m.  I usually alternate tacos with oatmeal so I don't eat the same breakfast all three days.

The rest of that dozen of eggs went onto the stove for boiled eggs to keep in the fridge. These are good for a protein snack or to slice into a salad.

I also loaded up my fruit bowl and keep it front and center in my kitchen to encourage me to eat more fruit.  I quit buying waffles, so I eat granola and yogurt during the week for breakfast (or a small bit of leftover dinner with a fried egg!)  Lately I am leaning into sardines once a week, lots of salads with added protein, or a sandwich for lunch.  In this way, I can keep the eating out down to once a week.  What are some routines you use to help feed yourself?  I'm all ears!

Gina

5 thing Friday - lunch with a friend, treats, bench, thrifting, slow living

Last week I went to a tasting class at Total Wine.  These are generally pretty fun.  You get to try new things and enjoy a charcuterie with like-minded folk.

My favorite thing was the spiced gingerbread cordial - so good!

I bought some for a friend who is coming to lunch today, and I decorated it with a package tie-on version of a clothespin snowflake like I made a couple of  Christmases ago.  This one has vintage and antique buttons.  I will fix Parmesan Chicken and Caesar salad for our lunch.

Using up the other half of a frozen pie crust, I made Walnut Pie for two (well, for one - but I can freeze it in portions for a treat)  The recipe had been in my card box for years.

I sprinkled a bit of sugar on the walnuts I piled on top.  It turned out like a chewy walnut blondie.

These little dishes handle cooking for one or two perfectly!  I would say the pie was "OK".  But it was fun to just go through the box and make something I had always meant to try.

I spied, with my little eye, this picnic bench alongside a neighbor's curb.  (I suspect the husband has passed and the wife and adult son are slowing clearing things out of the garage.  So relatable.)

It was in rough shape, but I gave it a scrub with some sudsy warm water and found a place for it to live in my garage.  I had a plan!

Now ALL of my plants can sit right here and get sun and fresh air a couple times a week while the weather holds.  What's weird is that I thinking that's just what I needed - then it appeared!

I thrifted some things this week - out of boredom - but it was a fun activity.  I got more (new) puzzles to work on, 

Some ornaments and a giant pinecone (all 50% off, making them 1 or 2 dollars each), 

3 tops,

and two books.  I was intentional about what I bought, but this will be my last thrifting trip of the year.  I have been living slowly this week - reading, working my puzzle, and crafting.  Also walking, going to bed early, light cooking...it feels like a mini vacation!

Happy Weekend - less than a week until Christmas!

Gina 

A fun thing to do - Austin Creative Reuse

Years ago I helped one of my teens set up a volunteer shift at this thrifty creative place in Austin:

But can you believe I had never gone to it myself?  That's odd to me as I love places like Hob Lob, JoAnn, Michael's...and at thrift stores I always gravitate to any crafty sections that might have notions or supplies or fabric.

I stepped into the store and was immediately mesmerized.  Its like a garage sale in a highly creative and organized place!  And they were doing a pretty good business in the middle of the day.

I spent most of my time in the sewing section going through crochet doilies, cross stitch kits, buttons.  But they had sections full of holiday things, school supplies, doll accessories, jewelry, yarn.  So much stuff - like a candy store for crafters.

And I ended up with some things I had been thinking about for Christmas crafts.  Three large plastic ornaments to fill were 25 cents each, two bags of clothes pins for $1, a small doily for $1, and a big ziploc of buttons for $2 that included many antique ones made of shell.  Cheap thrills!

When I got home I filled the ornaments with bits and bobs of crochet edging my mother had made long ago, before she lost her sight.  It will be a safe place to store them and a pretty feminine touch to my bedroom tree this Christmas.  And I think I will make snowflakes with the clothespins to tie on gifts.  Have you thought about Christmas crafting lately?

Gina

5 thing Friday - Easter, chairs, sleep clothes, garbage disposal, journal

Easter was the quiet affair I knew it would be.  I made myself a lunch of rotisserie chicken, green beans, and half a baked potato with cheese and butter.  My work friends left me candy treats.  We weren't all that busy at work. Heard from ONE of my four peeps and that was after I pushed out a group message.

So there's really no reason to fuss over Easter anymore, right?

I've been wanting a much simpler look for my home - hence all of the purging and organizing.  All things I was not allowed to do when Mark was here* because he could not bear to part with anything and moving it all into the garage was a no-go as it was already full.  One of the changes is getting rid of these black and white mid-century modern chairs.  I had them re-covered, for years worked around them, found them difficult to decorate with.  Plus, they are not all that comfy to sit in after 70+ years.  I'm sure they need new foam in the seat cushions.  Also? They were the cat's favorite place to vomit.  And brilliant Me had picked a dry clean only fabric.

Lately, one of them had been in the bedroom, the other in the office.  Moving them leaves empty spaces and full possibility!  I had been looking for an upholstered chair for awhile until I hit upon the idea of getting a much simpler chair:

I found what I wanted at Home Depot, and we will just call this my Mother's Day gift to myself.  I only need it to sit and sip coffee in the morning.  Maybe to slip on shoes.  Fill a space with boho vibe.

The black and whites went to live in the garage until Bubbie moves.  Then if he doesn't want them, I will sell them.  I found a very nice 100% cotton sheet at the thrift store for two bucks to cover them with.  

Also while out thrifting, I found a black tee shirt dress.  Then I popped into Wal-Mart for some cotton men's sleep shorts and tees so I don't bake like a potato at night.  Its impossible to sleep when you are over-heating and kicking the covers off alllll night long.

The garbage disposal conked out, so I crawled up under the sink to take a picture of it and look up the file for it in the garage - turns out that Mark installed it in 2004.  So I guess we got our money's worth!  Its a little more complicated a DIY than I am willing to tackle. Don't try to talk me out of replacing it - someone has already tried.  It would be just as expensive to have the plumber re-work the sink drain and I use this every day.  So I ordered one, along with that chair, and next week I will get 'er installed.

I got another freebie blank notebook from Shutterfly as I am almost done filling up the previous one. Even with using it as a gratitude journal, turns out I had a lot to say - who knew?

Gina

*Not to complain so much about Mark, but he was a stick in the mud when it came to getting rid of things, and did not appreciate my efforts to control the chaos!  But would I prefer to have him back vs. a clean garage? Always yes.

5 thing Friday - Christmas decorating, tennies, coffee station, thrifting, church

 I couldn't decide where to hang the mirrored ball, so I just ordered a clear plexiglass stand for it and plopped it onto the mantel display, like a giant ornament.  I have been on the look out for mini mirror balls to add to this vignette.

But mostly, I am done decorating my home.  I will show all of it next week.  I managed to only purchase a few things: A piece of art for the front room, an ornament for my skinny tree, some lights for the patio, a throw for the front room.  A lot of it will stay out past Christmas.

Back in June, I ordered these tennies on the recommendation of another blogger who loves this brand.  I also ordered a pair of Brooks, as suggested by the podiatrist.  The Brooks won out -  I barely wore these - so I am selling them on Ebay.  When they sell I may buy another pair of Brooks - I love how they feel and my feet are worth it!

On Wednesday I ventured over to World Market to buy some Torani syrups, and lo and behold, they were 20% off.  So, using a Chinese lacquered tray gifted by my mother years ago, I made a coffee station with my tiny coffee pot and syrups.  I am trying to break the creamer habit, and a splash of one of these might do the trick. Plus they are good in a diet coke!

A local thrift store has moved to my part of town and I stopped in to have a look see.  I found a sweater, summer top, two paperbacks, bag of ornaments, pretty dish, bag of green excelsior, and the button art.  Mostly of the things I bought were $3 each and some were "on sale".

The buttons were removed from the ca. 2013 art and added to my growing collection.  Some of them look vintage - well worth the $3.  Look at the tiny ones!

We are being encouraged at work to bring an ornament for the hospital "legacy tree" with our names and department noted on it.  One of these will work nicely - also $3 for the bag.

This year I will be off work M-F of Christmas week!  I am going to find a church that has Christmas Eve services and take myself in person.  And I was originally looking for an Episcopal church, then realized that I can basically choose whatever church I want.  Mark was the one who decided we were going to raise our family in the Episcopal church, and though I agreed to it, I know now that I can choose to go somewhere else if I please.  Call it another epiphany.

Gina

5 thing Friday - beer, Ebay, wrapping supplies, dinner, thrifting

One day last week, I stopped into The Burnet Go-To for old time's sake. Why not reclaim this place for myself?  The 512 Pecan Porter was delightful.  I might need to go back there today.  So much for resolutions.

Previously it was known as the Growler Room.  Mark and I spent many an afternoon there, drinking a pint and playing cards.  The owner sold it, then applied for a job there.  Ha!

Its much lighter and brighter than this photo shows.  The barkeep was very friendly and the place was an oasis of calm during the day.  I shall be back.

I listed 14 things to sell after cleaning out my jewelry chest.  My tastes have changed and I want life to be a bit simpler.  Here are the listed items, waiting for their new home, packing supplies at the ready.  James Avery is a popular pick on Ebay.

I felt a little sad with each item listed.  Not because I wanted to hold on to them, as objects.  But because its one more step in a different direction, one more change, another reminder that life is different.  And I know that more jewelry does not make you happy, even if you love shiny things.

While I was digging around for padded envelopes I went through some Christmas bows and bags to cull through.  Will anything in this house escape my purging and organizing? 

This is not a healthy dinner.

But I'm not about to throw food away that I have already purchased, so its going to get cooked and enjoyed.  This was a hamburger "steak" with onions and poblanos, seasoned pintos on the side.  Pass the ketchup.

A little treasure, this switch cover found at Goodwill as I was looking for books.

I found said books, along with the cover and a new Tervis with lid - total of $14.

These no-sweat tumblers are perfect - I use them mostly at work and on my nightstand. 

Its like a little mini painting in the bookcase!  Me like.

Happy Weekend!

Gina

5 thing Friday - eating out, puzzle, gifts, repurposing, apple crumble

I have a plan to take myself to eat out once a week, and I'm doing it on one of my days off so I can get out and explore new places.  One day just before Christmas I treated myself to Pad Thai at a restaurant I haven't been to in years.  For some reason, I entered through the bar and was seated in there vs. the restaurant.  I was the only patron and the place smelled funky, but I was served the best Pad Thai I think I have ever had and the service was great.

Just goes to show that you can't always judge a restaurant by the bar area, I guess! Or your memories, really...

Because the next place I ate was another Chinese restaurant I also hadn't been to in years.  However, they offered take-out only and the food was very marginal, so now I can cross that one off my list of places to ever go back to...

All of Christmas got put up and I moved the puzzle back to the dining table to continue working on it.  Scout gave me another puzzle for Christmas so I need to finish this one!

I left a bunch of wintery decor up, like pinecones and greenery - I like the way they look in January, post-Christmas.  I also have been pulling out various things given to me by my mother over the years like this sweet lidded dish.  I think this was from Spain?  Not sure, but I love it and there's the knowledge that these things are the last of the gifts she'll ever give me.  Same with anything from Mark, like jewelry.  Its such a weird feeling - both of them were generous to me.

The Girl crocheted me a cactus and I LOVE IT.   

New uses for old things: the bread bowl turned potpourri bowl is now a fruit bowl.

And this lid-less vintage glass candy jar is now my tissues holder.

Frugal me made mini apple crumble desserts using three sad apples and some butter added to pantry items like oats, brown sugar, and spices.  They were enjoyed with vanilla bean ice cream and were delightful.

Happy Weekend!

Gina