A Cheap Thrown Together Dinner

Tonight I made the most DELICIOUSLY easy thrown together meal. With leftover spaghetti noodles, some seasoning, and some almost freezer burned chicken breast, I was able to create a truly delicious meal. This is for 2 people.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
Spaghetti noodles--no real necessary amount. Just enough for 2 people.
Citrus grill seasoning
garlic powder
butter

I usually don't cook with butter... but I was out of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and Pam just won't work. It would leave the noodles too dry.

Here is how I made it.
*if you do not have left over noodles... boil noodles until they are al dente--NOT MUSHY! Nothing worse than a mushy noodle. HAHAHA
Step 1:
I don't thaw out the chicken. From frozen I place two chicken breasts into a skillet and fill with enough water to cover half of the chicken breasts. I usually add about a cup or two.

I got this from Sams Club. It's 4
 bucks for a HUGE container. 

Step 2:
Generously sprinkle it with garlic powder (my favorite seasoning to cook with), and Citrus Grill seasoning. You want to use enough to cover the chicken. Citrus grill seasoning is a great flavor that isn't too over-powering.

Step 3:
Cook until the eternal temp reaches 160-170. Cut the chicken into small strips or pieces. I usually say a half a chicken nugget size. =)

Step 4:
Put back into skillet and add 2 tbsp of butter. I usually start out with 1 tbsp and add another if it still seems too dry.

This is a SMALL portion. I forgot to
 take a pic and stared eating too soon!

Step 5:
In the same skillet add heated leftover spaghetti noodles and toss together.

This meal is now my favorite food. I would typically only eat whole wheat pasta and use EVOO--I am allergic to butter. For some reason my butt gets bigger when I eat it. Imagine that.

The Awkwardness of Some Explanations

Some of you may have heard that we have a resident creeper. While I normally could care less about what you do that makes you happy... I do draw the line in some instances.

Look close... the panties are on the STEERING WHEEL!!!

A little while back ilinnuc posted on Facebook a story about seeing a man sniffing women's underwear while going beyhunting. What he neglected to mention was the very awkward conversation I was forced to have with my small one, lil'innuc. How do you explain that a grown man enjoys the delicacy of dirty undies? Ilinnuc was quick to point out that this guy didn't look like the type to get these undies willingly from a woman. Which means what, I ask all of you? It means he went and stole them from some poor woman, who is now frantically searching for her black and hot pink lace bra and underwear. Ew.

The conversation with lil'innuc went something like this:

Lil'innuc: "What is he doing?"
Ilinnuc: "BWAHAHAHA!"
Momma-nuc: "Oh my god!"
Lil'innuc: "What is he doing?!"
Ilinnuc: "BWAHAHAHA!"
Momma-nuc: "Nothing! Just look the other way!"
Lil'innuc: "But what is he doing!?"
Ilinnuc: "I'm gonna pee! BWAHAHAHA!"
Momma-nuc: "Oh God!"
Ilinnuc: "Speed up I need a picture!"

It went like that for nearly 5 minutes! It was like this guy was determined to show my kids just what he was up to! Ugh. Lil'innuc knew he was weird. I think he has this extra sensory perception skill where he can spot a creeper a mile away.

I wish I could tell you that I did a great job explaining it... But honestly? All I said was, "He had some laundry he just forgot to clean. So he decided to air it out on the steering wheel... To make sure it was better, you know cleaner he had to smell it." Ilinnuc promptly died laughing... But it was a good enough excuse for lil'innuc because he followed it up with, "Can I get a Beyblade if they have a new one?" Which I said,"Of course!"

Moral of the story... If your gonna smell women's underwear... Do it in private.

IT WORKED! A great homemade laundy detergent!

Yesterday I blogged about my attempt at preparing homemade laundry detergent. I have seen several variations online and I think I found one that is pretty amazing. I was skeptical, I must admit. The idea that this little amount of ingredients would render the same quality of detergent as store brands had me raising an eyebrow. Well... I am a convert! Thanks to the amazing talents of MiMi-nuc (my mother and ilinnuc's grandmother) we were able to create something that smells amazing... and totally works!

Here is how we did it!

Ingredients:
20 Mule Borax
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
Fells Naptha
Ivory Soap

Tools
2 large boilers
5 Gallon Bucket with lid
large plastic spoon for stirring
*optional: Power Drill and large mixer attachment

Step 1:

Place 4 Cups of water in a boiler along with the shredded or grated Fels Naptha and Ivory soap.  Heat contents over low-medium heat until soap has melted. It should have a custard like appearance.

Step 2:
Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full with hot water. My water doesn't heat up enough so I bring it almost to a boil on my stove top and add it to the bucket.


Step 3:
Pour the melted soap mixture into the 5 gallon bucket.



Step 4:
Add 1/2 cup of Borax and 1 cup of washing soda to the water and melted soap mixture.
                                                      Step 5:
Thoroughly mix the concoction. I used a power drill and mixing attachment I had. I just refinished my bathroom and used it to mix up the grout. =)

Step 6:
Fill the bucket with hot water until the bucket is full. Cover with the lid and... walk away. It will take 24 hours to set up.
Step 7: 
After 24 hours fill a container half full with the detergent and half full with hot water, and SHAKE! You must shake the detergent before every use.

Tip:
I used an old detergent container I had. I waited to make this until I was almost out of detergent. It works PERFECTLY!

The detergent has a lemon scent that smells clean and wonderful. If you like you can add 20-25 drops of essential oil into the mixture after you add the melted soap. Scents I recommend are lavender, orange or peppermint. Peppermint is a strong essential oil so only 15 or so drops are needed.

Cost breakdown:
Fels Naptha: $0.97
Ivory Soap (3 pack): $1.33
Borax: $3.39
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda: $2.98
5 Gallon Bucket with lid from Lowes: $4.32

Each batch costs roughly $1.60. It makes with is 10 Gallons of detergent. I don't think that sounds TOO bad!!! =)

Homemade Laundry detergent

Today I tried to make homemade laundry soap. For 10 gallons of detergent the cost is roughly $1.50. Compared to what gallons of detergent cost today--$8-15/ unit... I think the savings is pretty awesome. Pictures and recipes coming tomorrow!

Desperation

Today, iLiNnUc and I went to Walmart. He had hopes of finding the elusive Hades Kerbecs and I had to purchase material for my homemade laundry detergent. As we walk through the electric sliding doors my Momma-nuc ears perked. Glancing to the right I noticed a small child at tail end of his hiccuping sobs. Not too far down on the other end, I see an adult male whom I presume to be his father... in handcuffs.

The mom in me screamed with anger. How dare they arrest a father in front of his small child! The officer must be single without children of his own. I kept thinking to myself, "They should move the child into an office with a pen and paper so he could color while dealing with the very uncomfortable situation that was his father."

There was nothing I could do... so I walked on.

While in the toiletry section I eavesdrop--you would too--on two Walmart employees. Here is the story:

The man pretended to buy groceries... scanned them, then placed them in the plastic bags Walmart provides. When the payment option arose... he walked away. After being stopped by security, the man began stammering something about how he thought his credit card went through and and he was just in a hurry. They accepted the excuse and promptly asked him for payment... which he supplied with the use of a fake check.

What is sad, is what was in his cart: rice, beans, toilet paper, milk... essential items that most of us take for granted. He didn't have beer, or electronics, junk food. He had items that his family would need.

If it wasn't for the fake check... my heart would have broken in two. I would have begged the officers to allow me to pay for his purchases. I remember being in the same spot when I was a kid... needing toilet paper and hoping the toilet paper fairy would bring some. My mom always managed--how she did it, I will never know. The momma in me was ANGRY. In this mans darkest moment, the shear act of desperation alone, should have invoked some compassion from Walmart's security team. Instead of a memory of his father in handcuffs... he should have had a small memory of something happening but not really understanding what. That is an adult issue that should have never tainted a child's eyes.

Whether you are sympathetic or not... It shows you where society is right now. Desperate people do very desperate things. Hug your family and appreciate what you have.

This has been another daily dose!

A Sad Moment

The other day I was reading some comments on my son's YouTube channel. I do that sometimes. He is such a hardworking kid and has so much fun and has made a lot of friends from all over the world. It's really an amazing thing. It lets me get a glimpse into what kids are thinking these days.

Every so often you sign out of YouTube with a large exasperated sigh, while pinching the bridge of your nose with your thumb and index finger. Sometimes, kids are down right ugly. You have to remind yourself that they are kids and are trying to decide where they want to go in life. Do they want to be nasty little jerks? Are they having problems at home and need a venue for all that frustration? Did they learn a new word and are trying it out? You know. Typical kid stuff. However, sometimes kids say things that just break your heart.

Following Christmas, my son held a contest.  You are to submit a video response about what Christmas looks like in your house. It didn't have to be long, or totally amazing. It just had to be something. While reading the comments I came across a sad story that just really angered me. A 17 year old boy was told by his father that he didn't get Christmas because he was too old. Too old for Christmas?

Now I understand parents scaling back on gifts the older they get, but to get nothing? That is saddening. It made me think of the times my son came to me telling me what his friends' parents had said to their children. He hears quite often kids telling him that their parents say to grow up. Beyblades, my son's hobby and what the majority of his channel is about, are for babies. I know parents who thumbed their noses at me for continuing to buy him toys-in a round about way saying... grow up. Well let me tell you... that is, for lack of a better word, STUPID.

Kids are kids. They have their entire lives ahead of them. They have years and years of dealing with adult problems to look forward to. They have decades to look forward to paying bills, having children, mortgages, illnesses, and other things that currently plague me. Why would I want my kid to not be a kid?

I admit outright that I am a gamer. I enjoy an hour or two of Dead Space. I grew up on 8bit Mario and Nintendo. I remember getting my first one and thinking Zelda was the shiz... I remember moving up to a Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64... Sega was awesome because I got Sonic the Hedgehog. When PlayStation came out I bought it along with the rest of them. Handheld games left me completely in awe. It was so cool that I could play a game while at the grocery store with my mom.

I also admit... I love Beyblades. Not just for what they are, but what they represent. As crazy as it sounds there is this community out there. A band of kids that have come together based on the love of Beyblades. What is so wrong with this? Why are parents so quick to force their kids to grow up?

To the kid who didn't get a Christmas... I'm sorry that happened. Hopefully when you are an adult you can remember what if felt like and you don't make the same mistake.

If growing up means giving up what makes you happy? I never want to grow up.

And this has been... Your daily dose! =)

Look for iLiNnUc'S contest here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIcpkliTbA4&feature=channel_video_title

Bitty-nuc's new outfit!

I am over the Glee Fiasco

I am a true supported of the arts. I love, love, love music. I initially loved the idea of Glee... I felt it was this generations, Kids Incorporated. You remember! I know you are singing the theme song... However after the Christmas special I was left shaking my head and wondering what the writers were thinking.

If you haven't seen Glee... DON'T CONTINUE READING! IT WILL SPOIL IT!

The entire episode wraps up in a soup kitchen with the kids deciding they made a mistake by not helping out when they were asked to...

Then they begin handing out spaghetti dinners...

And singing.

Here is where it went wrong... They began to sing, "Do they know it's Christmas." I think the song is an amazingly beautiful one. The message is gorgeous. I love it. The problem I have is with the venue. I was raised rather poor. I remember food pantries and angel trees and what not. I can tell you the last thing I want to think about while eating a free meal because my family is struggling... is that song. It's depressing. I would want my kids to forget about where they are... have fun... lighthearted... you know? Out of everything they had in their repertoire... they chose that one? Ugh.

XFactor... OMG! VAGINAS!

Okay, So here are my thoughts on X Factor:

I guess if you have a vagina, X-factor is interested in exposing it to the world. While it should have been about the winner... I was shocked by the number of stripper moves, and crotch shots. Seriously?! It was 7-8 o'clock at night. I am so glad I didn't allow my 5 year old niece to watch it. I know 50 Cent is amazing. I love Pit Bull and Ne-Yo... But OMG! The number of vagina gyrations was enough to shield my eyes and seriously question the progress women have made in the last 30 years. Those dancers are worth more than a pair of Lucite heels. Such a disappointing night. I am however, very happy for the winner. She deserved it. Total rock star!