Favorite Tuna Pasta

Tonight we had my favorite tuna pasta for dinner. Officially called "Spaghetti with Spicy White Tuna Sauce." This is easy, fast and really can be made VERY cheaply (or more expansively if you like)

1 7-oz can tuna-I've used fancy Italian tuna in oil that was $9 and canned albacore that was $1.50. Tonight we used my aunt's own canned tuna from the pacific northwest so it was free.
Olive Oil
1-2TBSP Butter
1/3 Cup minced onion
3 Anchovy fillets (we omitted tonight because we didn't have any, it was still good)
2 garlic cloves
Chopped red chili pepper or hot pepper flakes to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
2Tbsp fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dry)
1TBSP Butter
1 lb spaghetti

Drain tuna and chop fine.

Heat oil and butter. (The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup of oil. We use a lot less but let me tell you, it is AWESOME with 1/3 cup oil. )Add onions and cook until golden (4-5 min). Add anchovies and garlic, stir for 1 min. Add tuna and stir well. Add wine and cook until almost reduced. Add parsley and season with salt and chili pepper. Stir butter into sauce and turn off heat.

Cook pasta and reserve 1/2 C cooking water. Add it to the sauce and turn heat to medium. Drain pasta. Add sauce and toss well.

I serve this with grated cheese although real Italian cooks will tell you not to serve grated cheese with fish.

This is so so so good. I swear you can't taste the anchovy at all. Tonight we added capers because we had them. This is cheap and almost any day of the week we have the stuff in the house to make this pasta.

Nature Hike In The Back Yard!

Yesterday, after our 2nd picnic in the backyard we still had some time to kill before nap so Mommy came up with the game "Nature Hike."

The object of the game is to walk around the yard and collect as many different pieces of nature as you can. Of course, each time you find something you need to bring it back to the blanket immediately (thus a lot of kid-tiring back and forth running exercise!) You could omit that step if you aren't trying to exhaust your child.
When we were done we had pine cones, rocks, sticks, bark, flowers, dried leaves, fresh leaves, grass, black walnuts and god knows what else. We looked at it all and sorted it and played with it. I tried to think of some craft to do with it, but really, the act of collecting, touching and discussing it all was enough!

Lunch Box Lesson-Ruben Casserole

Another way we save money is by my husband taking his lunch to work
every day. He really has no choice as he teaches Middle School and the only other alternative is school lunch. However, this is great for our wallet. When I worked I would routinely drop $8-$13 on lunch whenever I went out which was 2-3 times a week. (and I'm cheap!)

He usually takes leftovers. Since he cooks 95% of the dinners around here, he usually makes his own lunch (Ok, I DO pack it, get off my back....) Anyway, today I made his lunch and made one of his favorite things-Ruben Casserole!

This is so easy and cheap and he loves it.

-Take one small corned beef and cook it in a crock pot all day on low. Cooking it consists of putting in the crock pot with the enclosed spice packet and covering with water. Easy Easy!!
(Aldi had some for $1.69 lb last year in March. I stocked up on small ones) You don't need to use the most expensive corned beef in the store. Go for the lower priced one. You're just going to be shredding it anyway and you can get rid of the fat then)

-When corned beef is cooked shred it and divide into separate lunch containers.

-Top with sauerkraut

-Top that with Swiss cheese.

That's it. Heat and eat! I package homemade Thousand Island dressing in a different container so he can put it on after heating.

Since I like to cook in bulk, I usually make the corned beef and make up a bunch of these lunches and freeze them. Then when we don't have any leftovers I can just pull one of these out and whip up some dressing for the side.

Today's corned beef was very small and it only made 2 lunches. The price breakdown was as follows:

Corned Beef $3
Sauerkraut $.69
Cheese $ 1.19 (I literally got 5 pieces of Swiss from the deli for this)
Dressing-I had everything to make this (and you probably do to) so I'm calling this free!
Total was $4.88, or $2.44 per lunch! And this is a big and filling lunch!

*Note, that is not my husband's lunch box but if he carried one, that would be the one!!!

Morning Glories

I know I should really post this in the spring. (And I will at least bring up this and the Hydrangea post come spring) but really, you have to see these NOW!!! Take a gander at these beautiful morning glories. GROWN FROM SEED!

It's really easy. When the weather is warm enough and if you have something these can climb, plant your seeds and water! They will grow and climb and tangle and slither up your support. (You can even use a string if you want to) Come this time of year they are just exploding with beautiful color and leaves. I planted so many that they actually toppled the support and are laying on the driveway now.

This was cheap! I used 1/2 of a mixed pack that I had in the shed. (probably about $1.99 for 50 seeds) and then I used seeds I bought on eBay. (You don't need to get that fancy though) The variety is called President Tyler and I got 10 seeds for $2. At first I didn't think they were any different than the garden variety mixed pack. AND THEN.... Yesterday I went out in the garden and saw THIS..........
My goodness is this pretty!!! The whole thing was done for $4 but you could just as easily cut that in half with a normal pack of seeds that you pick up in the spring. Also, I'm going to wait until the President Tylers dry so that I can harvest the seeds and have FREE plants next year!

And yes Stephanie, even a moron could grow these!

The Good Food Fight!

My newest product review is not a product at all, but a website started by General Mills, called Eat Better America.

The website is free and was designed to provide useful recipes, nutrition, and fitness advice for an overall healthier lifestyle.

The site was launched last year, but was recently redesigned to include a few new features. One of the most popular new items is an online game called the “Good Food Fight.” The game is designed to raise awareness of the types of healthy recipes featured on Eat Better America. It is HYSTERICAL! I mean really funny. You can choose your food of choice, choose your opponent and then start flingin' Each food gives a satisfying splat when thrown and looks really great when you get hit! (*Note-You need to grab the food from the picture at the top left in order to throw it. )

The site is also quite nice with a lot of recipes that look easy, good and are good for you.

Go on... Try the game... You'll love it!

Bake Something!

Things were getting a little dicey around here this afternoon. My girl was climbing the walls and so were her Daddy and I. She had already been to the park, woke up early from her nap and it was HOURS before dinner or bedtime! We try hard not to let her watch to much tv, and let me tell you, today would have been an easy day to relent on this.

Enter one jumbo canister of Oatmeal! My girl and I mixed up a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She wore her apron from Kristin and Michael. It took a much longer time than if I did it myself (which was actually good because it kept her busy) It was much more messy (which made me mop the floor later!) and she loved it! We measured and mixed and poured and tasted the dough. She also played in the sink during cleanup time.

Later she got to have one of "her" cookies for dessert after dinner.

We have new neighbors that moved in today and we decided that we will bring these over to them tomorrow!

Special Olympics Celebration

My friend Deanna works in a human services organization that specializes in the needs of developmentally disabled adults. Recently, one of their clients was chosen to go to the 2007 Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China. This past Friday, the agency threw a wonderful celebration for this young man complete with marching band, antique cars, Air Force Color Guard, speeches from state and local politicians, treats and a balloon launch! Deanna and I took both of our girls to enjoy the festivities.

My girl had never seen a marching band before so this was very cool and exciting to her. (of course I think she also liked the cheese danish just as well....) It was a wonderful celebration and I was very glad to be a part of it. Niam was funny, excited, and just plain inspirational. It's not every day that you get to witness one of someones greatest moments!

And that is a pleasure no amount of money can buy!