Robocalls, a Pantry Project and Roasted Cauliflower

            Okay- so 2 days in a row now we have had a 2 hour delay.. I am literally up earlier when there is a 2 hour delay than when it is a normal school day, the auto call happens around 5:30 am. I am not complaining .. We have Dish Network which means- no channel 4, for all you local people who realize that this is the best way to find out if there is no school or a delay.   

             Now I hear that there is to be snow Thursday night into Friday.. ughhhh how did we go from no snow to now there is all this ugly January snow all around us messing with our schedules!?

              Alright- enough complaining!... Dinner last night consisted of pretty much 2 new recipes.

              I don't know about you people- but I am horrible about making sure I use and make use of all my veggies I buy in the winter. It irritates me to no end to have to throw food out, to help me with not doing this I bought Rubbermaid's produce saver containers this summer when I found coupons. Okay - I have the containers- now... let try to use them, DUH...I washed my lettuce( I buy the romaine- cheaper by the lb and lasts way longer than the bagged), carrots( I buy the regular carrots and chop them it is cheaper than the baby carrots and they don't get slimey), cauliflower, celery, cilantro and scallions. I cut everything up and tried to fit it all in the containers... wow- did that feel good! I know I am nuts- but this way, I can find my veggies and they are clean and ready to cook with, and they will not be wasted. Not to mention- today's lunch of salad for Brian and I was sooo easy to throw together in a container!

             Alright- there is my ADD kicking in- or as Max says " Mom you have ' oh look a chicken disorder'" I was getting ready to tell you I made 2 new recipes.

             I used the newly cut up cauliflower( Brian's fav veggie which I never buy cause it is so expensive, but it was on sale for 2 bucks) to make Roasted Cauliflower.

Roasted Cauliflower

Cut up cauliflower

Olive Oil

Salt/Pepper

Parm Cheese

In a bowl or resealable baggie put the cauliflower, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix it all up so it gets all over the veggie. The amounts- you can adjust to your liking. I used 3 cups chopped cauliflower, 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and about 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil. Bake at 450 for 25 min. Pull out of the oven, and put shredded Parm over the cauliflower and broil for 2 min.

Verdicts? Me, Brian and Max really liked. Connor faught his way thru it, not liking it at all - but then again the only veggie he will eat is cooked carrots. 

             I also made Ground Chicken burgers... which they all ate up and loved, Brian said it had a weird taste.. a good weird taste though lol.

I bought the Chicken burgers from Weis cause they were on sale for 99 cents for 4 of them.

I also made chicken flavored noodles - the boxed kind I keep on hand that I buy with coupons- the Knorr kind- which the kids love.

              Now I know what you are all thinking-" Wait- didn't this woman post a menu plan? That isn't what was on the menu plan!!" I make my menu plan with great intentions of following it- sometimes I don't but the best thing about having a menu plan, is that you have something to fall back on, for nights that you do not feel like improvising, or nights you think eating out would be easier. You have a meal.. right infront of you planned out- that you have all the ingredients for.

A Project!!

              Anyone who knows Brian and me, knows we need projects- especially around the house. When I posted about the leak in the closet in the family room in our basement, I had looked at it- and thought- this could be a pantry. Brian mentioned cleaning it out and painting it. I have always wanted a pantry, I love to look at all the neat organized pretty pictures all over the kitchen blogs of walk in pantry's. I talked to Brian, he was all for it... I am going to post before, during and after pics for everyone to travel the journey of a Frugal Pantry Creation! We already discussed that we are not purchasing anything - this won't be nearly as hard for Brian as it will for me- but I need to just look around, I have plenty of organizational holders, baskets and what not for the floor and shelves that Brian is going to install... I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Hopefully in the next few weeks, nothing major needs repaired in the house and we can get this pantry project started!!!
- Although that sure is a heck of a lot of wires to cover and not to mention the yukky lookin walls and the ceiling needs hidden or something I suppose Brian will know what to do hahahah!
We plan on adding lots more shelves to hold all the canned goods we do, as well as the ones I get from the store. I am also hoping I can store some of the less used but still needed mini appliances I keep in the cupboards, like the mini dip crockpots and vintage cakesaver tins...