bones, grits, & footstools

Well, this past week was full of thrifty finds. As the mother of 2 toddlers, I have to get creative in the kitchen. Thankfully, my kids aren't picky eaters, but they do have their preferences. My son LOVES grits - a good old southern boy. Grits are inexpensive, quick cooking, and full of iron so I love to incorporate them into everyday meals. My kids also like roasted chicken, as do the hubby and I, so when the Purdue whole fryers go on sell at Kroger for $0.77/ lb I generously stock the freezer. So my thrifty recipes last week include a chicken, the leftover chicken and its bones, and gritz.  Good stuff.....we'll get to the footstools later.

Recipe #1: Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken

- Thaw the bird in the fridge the night before

- drizzle the bird with a tbsp of oil

- rub the bird down with about 2 tbsp of lemon pepper seasoning (Big Lots $1 for 2.75 oz)

-  Place breast side down( tip from Mellisa D'Arabian to keep the breast moist) in a 400F oven for 15m. 

- Flip the bird and cook until juice runs clear ( about 30m)

Serve with steamed broccoli and whole wheat rolls.

Recipe #2: Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Take the left over bird and place in crockpot and cover with about 10 c of water

- Simmer on High for 4-6 hours

- Strain the liquid into a separate container and remove any remaining tender meat from the bird.

- Return stock and "salvaged" meat to the crock pot.

- Whisk in 1/2 block of cream cheese, 1c buffalo sauce, 1c cheddar cheese shreds or processed, 2 tbsp ranch dressing, 1 finely chopped onion, 3 finely chopped celery stalks, 1tsp garlic powder, and 1 can of yellow corn.

- Let simmer on low for another hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with crushed corn chips.

Eat

Recipe#3: Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Grits Casserole

-Add enough grits to the left over soup to create the correct grits/liquid cooking ratio (look on the grits bag). I think I added 2 cups of grits to about 6 cups of soup.  

- Add 1 egg.

- Place in a 9x13 casserole dish and sprinkle top with cheese shreds.

- Place in a 375F oven and bake for 30-35m until bubbly. 

Serve with pan fried garlic seasoned tilapia - YUM!

That's what we ate last week. Now, on to the footstool. My son is really into trains, specifically Thomas the tank engine. He enjoys recreating the scenes from his Thomas books and DVD's during playtime. His toy engines take a beating as they "fall from the cliff into the rushing river" or "pull large freight cars full of bricks" across the living room floor... I mean "the island of Sodor, a world of wonder." He's so darn cute that I can't help but to indulge him in his love for trains. However, I'll break the bank buying up all of the original Thomas and friends pre-packaged buildings, tunnels, tracks, and embellishments.  Recently, during a trip to the dollar tree, I picked up a few plastic footstools for the kids to use in the bathroom or to assist my daughter in climbing onto her big brother's new toddler bed. These little footstools were a great value, but they became a real money saver when my son begin to use them as "train tunnels!" $2 bought him hours of dramatic scenarios for his tank engines. Going under the tunnels, falling off the tunnels, doubling the tunnels as caves...mountains...docks...endless possibilities from the mind of a 3 year old. My favorite part? The part where my son  uses his creativity to assign a new use to a plain old footstool. That's my boy... a thrifty genius.

A Thrifty History

Living thrifty is a skill that i have learned over time and esteem more highly than the next paycheck. As a teenager i loved shopping goodwill, salvation army, and other local thrift stores to find that perfect old man sweater or the finest red metal futon around at a price only a seventeen year old BBQ restaurant cashier could afford. As i journeyed through art school, i used my thrifty skills to channel by creativity on a budget. Searching for art supplies at 50% discount prices, buying used text books online, and creating unique sculptural pieces from scrap wood marked my college experience.  I applied for every scholarship available and even managed to study abroad in France for 4 weeks for a $1000 ( BTW- this included travel, room, board, tuition, and spending money). Not too shabby.

Now as a stay-at home mom and super wife :), my resourceful living is one of my greatest assets. Living thrifty challenges my creativity, maximizes our family's resources and makes everyday living a cheap thrill. We live abundantly and healthfully on a $250 monthly grocery budget for our family of four which includes food, toiletries, and paper products. I purchase seasonal fruits and veggies, fresh frozen veggies, and healthy whole grain staples like brown rice, dry beans, and whole wheat pasta. No cheap processed pre-packaged food in this house! Buying overly processed "pretend" food only increases medical bills and decrease s quality of life down the road. Never compromising on value and quality, always shopping seasonal, sales, and closeout. We entertain family and friends frequently and always have left overs that we use for lunches or convert into another meal completely (i.e. a soggy spinach dip bread bowl can be converted into a delicious spinach and sausage stuffing).

All this to say living thrifty is awesome. It frees up money for that summer trip to the beach, or that new mountain bike accessory. Most importantly, it frees up money for the Kingdom of God. I really believe the desire and ability to live resourcefully comes from God himself. Less money on groceries and clothing means more money to provide for the needs of broken people.  When we give, God is faithful to provide for the needs of His joyful giver. My family and I are committed to living a thrifty lifestyle so that we can advance the love and truth of Jesus to the ends of the earth with the resources we have been given. The funny thing is  that it's a very abundant way to live. I never lack things that I need. Where your treasure it there your heart will be also. My heart is His and giving into His kingdom of love and light satisfies the desires of my heart.   We have a good thing going.

Jesus was a pretty thrifty guy - always finding a creative way to use the supply at hand. Peter's boat as a stage, a boys lunch to feed the masses from which he saved 12 baskets of left overs, common water for a wine miracle, the people, environment, and circumstances around him to tell relevant parables about the Kingdom of God. His own perfect life and blood for the spirits and souls of men. Thrifty man/God Jesus: My hero.