Happy Thanksgiving

Going to keep my post short and sweet. Happy Thanksgiving! We all have so much to be thankful for. I am eternally grateful to my wonderful family. I have a great husband and fantastic children. My life would not complete without those 4 perfect people in my lives.

Today I had lunch with a good friend. It was so nice to get out with an adult, go to a restaurant that does not have crayons on the table and have a nice conversation. We had a lovely time, I can't wait to do it again.

After lunch we went to a little Italian market nearby and bought those fun (and not so frugal)foods that you cannot find at your local grocery store. The store was great. Italian music was playing in the background and the smells, oh the smells. The store smelled like heaven, nothing is better than Italian food. Next on the agenda, a trip to Trader Joes, which is frugal. I stocked up on canned pumpkin (for my son) and other odds and ends that are so much cheaper than the alternative at the grocery store.

Tonights frugal meal is split pea soup in the crock pot and bread. With the holidays quickly approaching, I need to stick to cheap dinners for the family.

It is a cold and windy day here in Wisconsin. Winter is just around the corner.

How to make edible Brussels Sprouts

Tonight for dinner I did the impossible! I made Brussels Sprouts, and I liked them. To get why this is a big deal, one had to understand how much I truly hate Brussels Sprouts. They taste awful, the remind me of little brains and they smell terrible. As one can see, I have a very strong opinion about them. But, our CSA sent them in our last box. Since I do not like to waste food and I believe in frugal living, I was forced to prepare them for tonight's dinner.

This is how I made them. Cut the Sprouts in half, saute them flat side down in oil until they are browned, put them in a baking dish, smother them in balsamic vinegar and bake until blackened. They were delicious, crunchy and tart. I did not detect the taste of sprouts and they smelled like balsamic vinegar, delicious.

Dinner tonight was a nice occasion. We all ate together, at the table. Talked about the day and had many good laughs. My son told us about Super Hero's he is creating based on Pastries. He has hero's based on cupcakes, brownies, croissants, bread, etc. He had so much fun telling about his creations. It was the perfect end to a wonderful day.

S'mores

Tonight, after a very long day of raking, we built a fire outside and made s'mores. What a treat. Eric and I did indulge in such a sweet treat, but we had all the fixins for the kids.

Tonight was one of those perfect fall evenings that I think you find only in the Midwest and Upper East Coast, no offense to the rest of the U.S., I am just biased. Crisp, cool air and the smell of all the burning leaves made it very pleasant. It was a nice, quiet night as a family. We sat on our patio, around the fire pit with our dogs and talked. Can you think of a better way to spend a Saturday night? Now, I blog a little with my tea, getting ready for a bubble bath. I love fall.

Frugal Acts this week

1. I brought my lunch to work

2. Instead of going to the movies, we watched on through Netflix

3. Had several family game nights

4. Used a coupon for tonight's pizzas

5. Bought several Christmas gifts with coupons this week

6. Took advantage on buy one get one free sales at Walgreens and Pick and Save

7. Washed all laundry in cold water

8. Ate a lot of leftovers

9. Shopped my pantry and freezer several times

10. Used several gift cards I accumulated at Target for my daughter's Big Christmas gift while also using a coupon.

Looking for recipes for frugal Meals

As a general rule I try to cook healthy, but frugal meals. My family has a handful of meals that we all really like that are both cheap and good for us. But, we are in a rut. Too much rice, beans, pasta and soup have left me feeling unimaginative and boring when preparing meals for my family. So I am calling out to people to please send suggestions or recipes for simple meals that won't break the bank.

Here is a list of some of our stand by meals:

1. Potato Leek Soup

2. Pasta w/red sauce or sauteed vegetables

3. Various rice and bean recipes

4. Pizza

5. Baked Chicken

6. Vegetable Soup with our left over CSA vegetables

7. Chili

8. Minestrone Soup

As one can see, it is time to liven things up around here. But I am both too busy and tired to start looking for something new. So, I need help.

Happy Birthday Alec!!

Today is my son's birthday. Alec is 12 years old, and he is a great kid. Here is a list of 12 things about my son.

1. He wants to be a writer when he grows up. He talks about being a food critic and writing fiction novels.

2. He watches Top Chef every week without fail. He is the only child I know of who knows who Tom Colicchio is.

3. When he was 3 years old he went through a phase of drawing pictures of Buzz Lightyear. He did not give up until he felt that his final masterpiece was perfect.

4. He plays guitar and saxophone.

5. He is a great soccer player.

6. He has big dreams, he talks about going to Columbia University when he goes to college. This frugal mom better start saving even more.

7. His favorite food is pumpkin. Anything that has pumpkin in it, he will eat.

8. Halloween is his favorite holiday.

9. He has fantastic and loyal friends.

10. He is funny and serious at the same time.

11. He is great company

12. He is loved more than he will ever know.

This morning we started his day off with a breakfast of his choosing. Pumpkin pancakes and bacon were his choice. This time of year, I go through a lot of pumpkin. Family members all pitched in to help pay off a snowboard that he wants. I also bought him a book and chocolate pumpkin truffles. He loved all his gifts. We took him out for Mexican food, gave him cake and did not sing to him because he refused to allow it. I think it was a good day for Alec.

I can't believe he is 12. I am so proud of him and proud to be his mom.