Chicken sausage penne with grape tomato and asparagus

I found this in an old weight watchers cookbook the ultimate chicken cookbook at the library. I got two pictures confused and made something yummy!

I’m Italian-American so I will still eat reg white pasta that’s why I love WW so much. You can use wheat pasta but this was really good and 8sp.

• Servings: 5
• Time: 30 mins
• Difficulty: easy
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3/4 pound penne

5 chicken sausage, Italian flavor or one package.

Pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half

3 cloves of garlic

tablespoon of oil

10 stalks of asparagus, cut on bias

Pasta water

Salt and pepper

Basil leaves

Directions:

Fill big pot with water add big pinch of salt on high heat.

Cut sausage on bias. In a large non stick skillet brown the sausage all sides, set aside.

In pan add oil, garlic, sautée until brown, add tomatos. Let them get nice and hot, Press down with back of spoon. Salt and pepper.

Add penne to boiling water.

Cook until Al dente about 10 minutes but check it, it will continue in sauce.

When the pasta is almost done spoon a big ladle of pasta water in skillet and stir with tomatoes making a sauce.

When pasta is done add to skillet, add asparagus it’s not going to cook but get warm and stay crunchy! Add sausage, stir, add basil leaves and enjoy!

I measured 1 cup of pasta and veggies and gave myself a full sausage amount for 8 freestyle smart points .

Adapted from The ultimate chicken cookbook, by weight watchers. I found it on amazon too.

How I’m saving money on groceries

I’m so done giving grocery stores all our money!

Two years ago my husband’s job changed how he made commission we found ourselves making less than we were used to so I went on a strict budget. I found Funcheaporfree.com and really connected with her style. We set aside grocery money and miscellaneous fun money but food shopping accounted for so much of our budget it was eating at our fun money. Then my husband lost his job last year and we had to figure it out even more! Now he’s back at work, from home! It’s been a dream of ours and now I’m getting back into my budget plan. I am so done with giving the stores all our money so this is what I’ve been doing.

1. Meal plan! This has been the best way to stay on track. I plan out a week or two of dinners including eating quick freezer meals or going to someone’s house. I don’t have to stick to it perfectly though, if some ingredients will spoil soon I’ll use those up first with that meal. Some days if I’m too tired I’ll do a freezer meal (Trader Joe’s orange chicken, I love you). I know the meals I’m able to make with the ingredients I have and I go from there.

2. Shop your kitchen first. I can host a fancy dinner party in an hour with the amount of food I have in my freezer and pantry. I start meal planning with things I know I already have, if fresh food will spoil soon I’ll use those in my meal plans before even going to the store. Maybe I have all but a few ingredients for something that just cut down my food bill for that meal!

3. Stick to the list. No impulse buys! I came from the school of thought to always have the “sofritto” on hand, in Italian that’s the carrot, celery and onion, just in case there’s ever a time I want to make soup. I don’t make soup often so a lot of the times my carrots and celery were going bad before I ever used them. Garlic gets used up so that’s a pantry staple still. If I stick with my meal plan I’m only buying food I plan on using so hopefully nothing will spoil before I can get to it. If you always impulse buy snacks just put it on the list and account for it!

3. Stocking up. When things are on sale we always feel like we should stock up on it and even though that’s a good thing to do sometimes that was making me go over budget because I was spending too much on one thing and I still needed other things. So now if I see something on sale I’ll stock up but it has to stay within my $100 a week budget.

4. Be flexible! For our budget right now it’s $100 for our family of four per week. One of our favorite things to do as a family though is to go grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s, since it’s a little further we always feel like we should spend more to get our favorites that only they have, like the orange chicken. Last week to get us to the weekend when we would all go shopping together I only spent $30 at my local store so I would have $170 to shop at Trader Joe’s. We ended up spending some of that at Costco because the deals were better for what was on my list. Spending less one week and combining the weeks budget let us still enjoy something we do as a family.

There’s more to this being flexible when it comes to kids! We call it the kid tax, it’s hard to say no when they pick out something they love to eat especially if it’s healthy. Being flexible with what I am deciding on to let them decide while we’re there. Still, I try not to go with them every week.

So that’s it. This week I’m trying to shop my kitchen for full meals to use up things that have been in my pantry and might be expiring soon. I’m enjoying the challenge!

French 75

This is another favorite gin drink of mine. I enjoy drinks with sweetness, not over the top sweetness but just enough to keep it smooth.

A quick google search told me it was created in Paris in 1915 at the New York Bar, now Harry’s New York Bar. An American star jockey with a partner that already owned a Manhattan bar, dismantled that bar and sent it to Paris. Hence the name. I love learning strange tidbits.

I went for an extra dry Champagne here, the bottle was like $6! It’s being added to something so it doesn’t have to be amazing. When shopping for the sparkling wine the term “brut” means sugar content. I enjoy wine very dry but for sparkling wine I need a little sweetness, extra dry is the next in line so still not “sweet” I enjoy it more.

Now for the drink. I add a little more sweetness than most recipes and like most things the brand of gin here will make all the difference. The ice is also important because as you shake it melts just enough to become an ingredient and bring the whole drink together.

• Servings: 2
• Time: 5 mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

4 tablespoons Gin

5 tablespoons simple syrup *recipe follows

1 lemon, juiced at least 3 tablespoons

Ice enough to fill your shaker

Sparkling wine; Champagne, Prosecco.

1. Chill Champagne. If desired, rim 2 champagne flutes with sugar by running a lemon wedge around the edge and dipping in a small plate of granulated sugar.

2. In a cocktail shaker add first four ingredients. Shake for a thirty seconds to a minute until the shaker gets really cold and frosted.

3. Pour into 2 flutes, carefully add Champagne to top. Garnish with lemon twist.

*Simple syrup

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Directions: in a small sauce pan add water and sugar, high heat until it boils then on low until the sugar dissolves, it will turn clear. Chill completely.

Best stain remover for whites

My new obsession is white t-shirts and my old obsession is tomato sauce. I love when favorites collide, like when the Yankees are on Seinfeld, but not when tomato meets white t-shirt.

For most stains a simple spray with Oxy stain remover does the trick but when it’s especially tomato-y this is the only thing that works for me. Strangely enough it’s usually fresh tomato that does it, you know the best juicy burger with a big slice of tomato, those stains.

This is my plan b never my first step as I’m a lazy laundress but even for me this is easy.

• Simply sprinkle some baking soda on the stain then pour white vinegar over it a 1/4 tsp at a time, it will bubble and be really satisfying. Keep doing it until a nice paste is on the stain. Add more baking soda if needed.

Bubble action

• Let sit over night then wash normally. I always do it alone just to make sure I’m not wasting a step. I don’t dry until I’m certain the stain is completely gone, sometimes I’ve had to do this process twice.

That’s it. Easy.

Italian Gin Fizz

A Gin Fizz is at its basis the combination of acidity and carbonation. This one is served on the rocks as opposed to up with an egg white. Although that too is one of my favorite drinks.

• Servings: 2
• Time: 5 mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

1 12oz bottle of gassosa *(I use Foxon Park)

1 Meyer lemon or regular

3 oz gin *(I use Uncle Val’s)

Ice

Fill 2 highball or white wine glasses with ice. Divide gin between glasses 1 1/2 oz each. Juice lemon, divide juice between glasses. Pour half the gassosa in each glass. Use a straw to stir. Enjoy!

*Notes: any natural soda will work here, look for ones sweetened with real sugar. Use your favorite gin the lightness of the soda really highlights the gin here.

January. One of my favorite months.

I used to just get through this month then it dawned on me the best way to make something go faster is to really enjoy it. It works with vacations why not January! So at first I started faking it but now I find myself really looking forward to it. The feeling of taking down all the decorations and everything looking empty and fresh that’s kind of the feeling January gives me. It makes sense that the Pottery Barn catalog comes with natural colors after months before being so festive and full of color. I find great inspiration in that. I use taking down the decorations as a starting off point and this is the time I “spring clean” we’re stuck inside anyway.

If you do your spring cleaning in January, guess what you don’t have to do in the spring. Anything. Michael Scott.

This month also gives us in the northeast more sun, everyday starts getting longer and brighter. The sun is also low in the sky and since the leaves have fallen and usually there’s snow on the ground, my home is never as bright as it is in the winter. And let’s not forget citrus! Obviously I’m a big fan of citrus (lemons) and they’re in season now. Meyer lemons are one of my favorite things and lately they’re easier to find than past years.

This month I’ll be sharing some of my favorite gin Recipes, some home related posts and I’ll be starting a favorites post. This year my baby cousin is getting married! I love the wedding planning process so I’ll be sharing some insights on that with you too. Stay tuned. 😀

English Toffee

Get this stuff away from me! Seriously, I couldn’t stop eating it so I put it in a tin and put that in another room. All it did was make me have to keep going into the other room. I have to make Anthony hide it because it’s for Christmas Eve!

This is the recipe that made me want to start a blog. Seven years ago I followed this recipe and I burned it. When I tried again I adjusted the heat and it came out perfect. I felt like that was worth sharing it’s just taken awhile!

One of the comments on the original recipe says English toffee doesn’t have chocolate and nuts because you would only put chocolate and nuts if your toffee was bad. Well I didn’t put them on one batch and it’s amazing!

• Servings: 10-12
• Time: 25mins
• Difficulty: easy-ish
• Print

190g (14 tablespoons) butter

200g (1 cup) sugar

25g (2 tablespoons) water

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1/4 cup nuts (I used pignoli but almonds are the best)

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1. Add parchment paper to a half sheet pan and set aside.

2. Add everything to a small/medium heavy bottom sauce pan.

3. With heat on medium with a wooden spoon stir and melt mixture, don’t go far but you don’t have to constantly.

4. After the butter melts and the mixture becomes smooth add a candy thermometer. Cook and stir, again not continuously but with some energy now. Until mixture reaches 285°-300° this takes some time and just before it will go slightly grainy and then it changes color and smooths out again.

5. Pour on prepared sheet pan with a silicon spatula, spread it not quite 3/4 over the sheet pan, let cool 30 seconds then sprinkle with chocolate chips if using. Let chocolate chips sit for a full minute to melt and run an offset spatula over them to coat the toffee evenly. Sprinkle with nuts if using.

6. Let cool completely then break apart with hands, air tight container this will keep until the last of it is gone!

Adapted from

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/english-toffee-recipe-1947108

Christmas Morning Overnight French toast

Open a few presents, pop this in the oven, open a few more then eat!

Seriously who wants to think about cooking Christmas morning? We stay home, I’m in PJs I love knowing this is ready to go! Sometimes I make caramel sauce or a fancy Bobby Flay maple syrup other times it’s just plain maple syrup from the fridge.

Overnight French toast

• Servings: 6-8
• Time: 10 mins prep 45 mins cook inactive time 8-24 hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

•  4 tablespoon melted butter (I use salted for everything)
•  3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1/2 cup pecans chopped
•  3/4 loaf of challah bread or panettone (I make homemade) cut into 1 1/2 inch slices
•  6 eggs
•  1 cup whole milk
•  1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 400° add butter in 9×13 pan let melt, remove from oven, add brown sugar, whisk. Add chopped pecans.

2. In bowl whisk eggs, milk and vanilla.

3. Line up bread slices in pan over butter sugar but mixture.

4. Pour egg mixture over bread, push down with whisk.

5. Cover and refrigerate until morning.

6. Bake 375° for 45 minutes until brown and puffed.

Note: I’ve made it 2 days in advance of baking and it was perfect.

Adapted from https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/overnight-french-toast-casserole/

DIY Birthday Cake Topper Christmas Ornament

  This is a super easy craft even for people like me whose desire to be crafty outweighs my ability. I can’t sew although I try. I’ve watched a bunch of Christmas bow videos but just can’t get them perfect. So this is easy!
I bought the unfinished numbers at Michael’s. Used acrylic paint (the 5 got a glitter pen as a top coat). 
For the cake topper I used good old Elmers glue to attach a kitchen wooden skewer, I wanted it to be removed easily for phase 2, the ornament. 

 
Use something (I used garlic!) to support the skewer so it dries flat. After this dried I added more glue on top of so the glue encased the skewer. 
After the parties I popped off the skewer. It took off the paint a little bit it’s on the back so that was OK. 

  
For the ornament I used a hot glue gun to attach the twine, I want this to last. Wood glue would work too. 

And that’s it! A memory on our tree from the years birthdays and in a few years we’ll have a number tree! 

  
  

Our Friendsgiving with Thanksgiving Tips

 We recently had a Friendsgiving, it was lovely! I was able to plan, prep and cook an entire Thanksgiving meal without missing the parade or not being able to fully enjoy a holiday with my small children. We go to my family’s for Thanksgiving so I don’t have to miss out on those things but I do miss out on the smells and memories in our own home, this way we have both. Here’s my party decor and prep.
I already hosted Thanksgiving this year so here’s some tips!   

Food

The turkey. I bought a frozen one from WholeFoods. I felt better about it then a fresh one from a regular store. I messed up and didn’t take my turkey out of the freezer soon enough so I couldn’t brine it. Also didn’t get the brine bucket so I couldn’t brine it anyway since it wouldn’t fit in anything! Still it was the best turkey I’ve ever eaten! I used Gordon Ramsey’s recipe. His idea of letting the turkey sit for over two hours after it cooked was great! Watch his video! It allowed me the extra time in the kitchen without having to worry about what the turkey was doing. It was still warm and easier to carve and I was able to make my gravy before my guess even got there! And the flavor!! And moist!! 
So my turkey tips. 

3 lbs more then the total you’ll be serving. We had 8 and my turkey was 11 lbs. Leftovers are important and we had just enough.  Take it out of the freezer extra days in advance. It can stay in the refrigerator a couple of days after it’s thawed. Better to thaw early. If you plan on brining make sure you have a big enough pot bucket or bag. Let it rest after cooking at least two hours. Carve before your guests get there and make your gravy, keep it warm in a sauce pan. 

I made stuffing, sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, and homemade biscuits. 

I made a loaf of bread for the stuffing a week before and put it in the freezer. And then two days before I made the stuffing and it stayed unbaked in the fridge. Same with the two casseroles. The day before I made my biscuits but didn’t bake them until that day. That was a mistake I should’ve made the dough and bake that day also. 
The morning of I peeled and cut my potatoes. Those stayed in the refrigerator until I was ready to boil them. I used my Dutch oven which retains heat very well so even though I made my potatoes about half an hour before our guests got there they stayed nice and warm for dinner. The brussels sprouts were made the day of too. 

When the turkey came out of the oven that’s when I had some extra time I watched a show with Anthony but next time that’s when I’ll make my biscuits. An hour before our guests were to arrive I boiled my potatoes and made my brussels sprouts. As they were cooking I put the side dishes in the oven and I carved the turkey and made my gravy. I have a small 1950s oven works great it’s just small. So I had a problem fitting all four side dishes in at one time. I could have put them all in foil pans because I know I can fit four of those but I picked all my special dishes so I was OK with waiting the extra 20 minutes to let the last one heat up. Although it stressed me out it didn’t really take that much longer. And then I baked my biscuits. Which didn’t rise that’s why next time I’m going to make the dough the same day! Still tasted good though! 
The appetizer was really simple, I made cheese crackers early in the week served with olives and carrot sticks. Easy since we were going to be eating so much at dinner! If I had a bigger crowd and had more time between guests arriving and serving dinner I would have asked for another appetizer when someone offered something to bring. 
Dessert was 3 pies, pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie and apple crack pie. My friend brought the pumpkin and chocolate. So yummy! I ate those leftovers all myself! 

Decor 

I set my table that morning although I wish I did it the night before. One of my favorite stores had “thankful” salad plates on sale for $4 each. Times 8 people, I already have the salad plates, so for $4 I bought a metallic sharpie and made my own. My handwriting is almost childlike so it added a sweet touch! Also let my five year old write some. I baked them in the oven so they were waterproof. And I had Thanksgiving salad plates for four dollars total! The next thing I got was a table runner I already had but under it Kraft wrapping paper from the dollar store. It has a design so I just turned it over. I used it as the place cards by using the metallic sharpie again. Regular white plates from Bed Bath Beyond the catering packs I’ve had. Also where the salad plates came from. The napkins are dish towels from Ikea! 79 cents each and I love the style. I wash and fold those a week before so they were all set. Copper spray paint on votives I had, white mini pumpkins, leaves from outside and a bunch of flowers from Trader Joes for $6 in a painted mason jar finished the look! And it was on a budget! 
Serving

Serving and finally sitting down to eat is always tricky! Remember how my pretty dishes didn’t fit in the oven? Well they didn’t fit on my buffet either! So a few dishes had to go on the table which is fine but I had to scramble to find pot holders. I also planned for us to pass all the dishes while we were sitting and then we would put them on the buffet right behind me. But they were too hot so we ended up having to do buffet style. I wish I  planned better for that part. It all worked out though and we all had a nice time! 
Final thoughts

It definitely causes stress but it really doesn’t need to! All the food will be done eventually, everyone will eat and be happy. It’s really about being with your family and friends, celebrating and being thankful! 
Happy Thanksgiving!