Thursday, February 10, 2011

Time to start No Spend Month!! FEB 14th-March 13th.

This will be the second time I have ever attempted the No spend month!! Last year, I did it in July and did pretty well. We ended up using a bunch of money in the beginning and then towards the end of the month we barely used any. I think we ended up with $17.44

This year, because we rarely go out. I am devoting the whole month to eating at home, eating what we have.  So Im not counting a total for bills, gas, etc. It will solely be on items we consume.

I am setting this months budget to $150.00! for a family of 4.
These were last years details
Details:
a total budget of $250 to spend on anything we would buy for ourselves this month.

Included:

•Groceries & eating out
•Gas
•Clothing
•Household items
•Entertainment











I borrowed a lot of books from the library. Which I am excited to do again. And I also finished a lot of projects that I had started. I think that month is when I realized how much I love to sew. And after that I started my business.  Because it is already February 10th, I will start this promptly Monday morning :) Feburary 14th-March 13th.

Chinese New Year

2011 is the year  of the Rabbit!! In honor of the  New Year, we threw a party! Lots of food, friends and fun!!

Instead of emailing recipes  to each person, I  am posting them here so everone can have them!! If you arent interested in Chinese Food, skip this posting!! ENJOY!!!



Kung Pao Chicken


1 lb. chicken, cubed
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsps soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine *rice wine*
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsps vegetable oil
8-12 dried red chili pepppers
5 slices of ginger
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup peanuts or cashews, roasted and unsalted
2 stalks green onions, diced
sauce
2 tbsps soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black vinegar
2 tbsps water
1/2 tsp cornstarch
Mix together in a small bowl.
Make the kung pao chicken: Mix the chicken with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing cooking sherry, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil Let sit for 30 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok, sauté pan, or large frying pan on high heat. When the oil is hot, Add the chicken and stir-fry until half-cooked. Remove the chicken the from pan to a bowl. Heat the remaining cooking oil in the same pan on high heat. Toss in the ginger, garlic, and red peppers, stirring until the oil is fragrant. Add the chicken, and nuts and stir for a few turns. Pour in the sauce and continue to stir-fry until the chicken is coated and cooked. Add the green onions, stir, and serve hot.



Teriyaki Sauce

1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Cold Water
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c soy sauce
1/4 c cider vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground  ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and black pepper in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, stir...  Combine cornstarch and water. When sauce is boiling, add the cornstarch mix and stir until sauce is thickened.  You can keep this in the fridge for up to 10 days. Or saute some chicken and add teriyaki! YUM!!



Beef and Broccoli

1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 lb flank steak
5 tbsp oil
1/4 c onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 c carrot strips
2 cups broccoli
1/2 c beef broth

IN a bowl, combine first two ingredients.  Add beef to coat. Fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion and garlic. Stir Fry for about 2 minutes. Remove into a large bowl. Add mushrooms and saute for a few minutes.  Remove into the bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil and saute broccoli and carrots. About 2 minutes. Remove and put into the bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil and add beef. stir fry for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add broth  and bring to a boil. THis gives it a nice sauce. Constantly stir so it doesnt burn. Add the veggies and cook for another minute and serve immediately!