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Eating at Home

In our society, people have less and less time. They say their is no time to prepare a meal at home for the family because of work, appointments, school, children, and other responsibilities.  Fast food because a quick but expensive answer.  It may be quick but it is far from nutritious.  If you struggle with picky eaters, it may be helpful to make time to prepare meals with your children.  This can help them to explore new foods, and they are more likely to eat things they prepared with their own hands.  It improves self confidence and self esteem!

Get Organized!

Your time is important to you.  Sometimes you may feel like their isn't enough time to do all the things you want to do.  If you allow yourself a reasonable amount of time, and list the goals you want to complete, you can accomplish a lot more than you could before.  Start by making a list of all the things you would like to get done.  Then, by each one, give an estimate of how much time needs to be devoted to each task.  Finally, make a schedule and try your best to stick to it.  Allow time for extras like eating and transit.  If you are having a problem sticking to the schedule, use an alarm or timer to ensure your using your time effectively.  Being organized will increase your sense of efficiency.

Vegetable Container Garden

If you love to cook at home as much as I do,  then you may have noticed the prices of fresh produce has gone up and is continuing to rise.  Sometimes when we are prevented the things we need, we are forced to find other ways of getting them.  This can become frustrating to depend on an economy that is failing.  I decided to take matters into my own hands and start a vegetable garden.  Instead of planting in the soil, which would have caused problems because of the cold weather and constant rain, I started a container garden.  I invested in large pots and nutritious soil and have watched my garden grow vigorously.  Since my plants are in containers, they can be put inside or outside.  When you are buying seeds its best to invest in organic seeds instead of the cheaper seeds you see in your local store.  The cheaper seeds or non-organic seeds are genetically altered.  Organic seeds will guarantee your harvest comes back annually.  There are many books available to help you become a expert container gardener.

Flatbread Pizza

The other night, I had such a craving for pizza.  I had been planning on making a pizza but forgot to purchase the crust and pizza sauce.  I realized I had spaghetti sauce and could attempt to create my own homemade crust, if necessary.  I was too hungry to wait, but I noticed a picture of a pizza on the back of the flat bread on my table, which I grabbed last time I was at the store.  I didn't have a recipe, only a picture, so I went for it.  Apparently, I didn't leave it in the oven long enough so the flat bread became soggy.  Next time, I'll have to cook the bread alone before adding toppings.  I'll keep you posted. The pizza would have been perfect with these toppings: Sauce, cheese, spinach leaves, onion, fresh tomato slices, banana peppers, mushrooms, and onion.  Here is the before and after pictures.

Delicious Meals on a budget

Things are so tight now a days with gas, food, and other prices going up daily.  I would love to go out to eat every night and have my favorite foods, but its just too expensive.  I have a suggestion for those of you who love gourmet as much as me.  Go to your favorite restaurant's website and check out the menu.  Many of them have details about what the ingredients are in their menu items.  Try to make it at home.  You can make a lot more and enjoy it for a little longer.  If that doesn't work, you can always search recipe websites with your favorite knock off recipes.  Most of them are pretty close if not exactly the same as the ones you pay for in your favorite restaurant.

Olive Garden is one of my favorites because I have a fetish for pasta.  I found a recipe for the Zuppa Tuscana soup online and made it at home.  It was everything I remembered it to be!

Job Hunting Alternative

Its important to know what your worth is when looking for a job.  It may seem discouraging because so many have lost their jobs.  You should always have a positive attitude and go for positions that are appealing to you.  Not only is pay important, but taking a position that you will not eventually dread taking.  Think about the things that you enjoy most, and would do without being paid.  Those are the type of positions that give you the feeling of happiness and success.

Looking in the paper may not reap you the rewards or answer you are looking for.  Sometimes you have to think outside the box.  That may mean creating a new position that is not already available.  Think about the things that you have complained about that you wish was available to you, or that would make your life easier.  Chances are their are others that feel the same way.  This can be an opportunity for you to have fun, provide for your family and create a niche that no one else has.  This could lead to big bucks if you stay consistent and do not give up!

Salad Bar

This past weekend I graduated and I was asked what kind of menu I would like for my party.  It took me a while to decide on or two favorites.  Plus, I wanted to keep it as healthy as possible.  I had a flash back of the days my family used to go to 'Ponderosa Steakhouse' when we still had one.  My favorite part was the salad bar.

There were so many different selections to create the perfect salad.  I requested a recreation of the salad bar for my party.  It had romaine lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, onions, peppers, eggs, ham, turkey, broccoli, bacon bits(real), three kinds of cheese, and I'm probably forgetting something. It was absolute heaven! I like to go out to eat to try new foods, but I know I can make it better and cheaper at home.  The second plus is I can have seconds and maybe thirds for the same cost.  I encourage you to try it!