31 December 2012

BUTTLOAD

Dig this bad boy.  Been playing around with pork butt steaks, shoulder butts, and any variation that I can buy for under two bucks.  And today, I landed me a big ol' buttload.

So far I've made butt steaks with fried eggs and breakfast potatoes.  Pork and beans and butt soup.  The soup was my favorite, so far.  I'll take pictures when I make it next time and post the steps.

Meanwhile, I'm off to my Cinderella shift, but thankfully, we close at eight.  And tomorrow, I get to play with all this meat.  That's right, break out the FoodSaver, it's party time.

Cheers and boogie boogie.




30 December 2012

Today's Bake

I wish you could smell our kitchen.  Cheese, onions, roasted potatoes and roasted corn.  Absolute heaven. 

Up next, smoked ham with a real maple, brown sugar and butter sauce.  So frickin' good.  And I'm not a big ham fan.

Then after that, it's off to my Cinderella shift at work.  There's four in the lineup this week, but the good news is, none of them followup with an early morning open shift.

And when I get grumpy at work today, I'll just think about tomorrow's bake.  What shall it be?  What shall it be? 

Until then, stay safe and eat well.

I made six personal sized potato bake bowls. 



What Shall I Bake Today?

That's the question I woke asking myself this morning.

How 'bout some cheesey bread?  Maybe a nice onion roll that I can shmear cream cheese on later.  Haven't had those little chocolate cookies in awhile - those don't sound bad.

Or maybe I'll opt to make a potato, onion, corn and cheese bowl bake, with a side of brown sugar maple ham.

So many choices, and only one tiny oven.

29 December 2012

Mister Egg & Lady Cinnamon


Now ... I bring you Mister Egg and Lady Cinnamon.  Overall, wee bit too much crust and not enough innards, making the cinnamon egg dipped breads a tad dry.

That being said, the flavor was very good and I can see where I want to go with the second draft.

I love that.

Sliced (no Mister Egg)
Dipped in Mister Egg
With a Bit of Icing Sugar
and Served with Real Maple




28 December 2012

Crank-Be-Gone

I'm not cranky anymore (see last post).

And dig my mini cinnamon breads.  They're on the rise a wee bit more, before I pop those babies in the oven. 

Excited to slice them open and see the swirly part.  And then dip the pieces into egg and then toss those suckers on the griddle.  Breakfast at 10ish, so don't be late.

Cheers and boogie boogie.

Raw, shaped, and almost ready for baking.

I'm Cranky

Been a long shift at the pizza shoppe.  The girl that did the Cinderella shift last night missed lots of stuff, and set me WAY behind, before I even started.   So I was a bit agravated and cranky.

I hate being cranky.

Thankfully now I'm home.  And the oven is preheating while I type.  Soon to make toasted garlic bread shmeared with butter, garlic, good cheese, salt and parsley.

As for the chicken knees, as Tim calls them (see last post), those are done.  All I gotta do now is make cheese sauce.

Then after supper, it's time to get to that cinnamon bread so we can enjoy it for tomorrow morning's French toast, with GOOD bacon and homemade breakfast potatoes.

Nothing like baking to let go of the day's crap.

You Boogerbutts have a good night. 

Guess What I'm Eating?

A homemade everything roll with maple sausage and smoked provolone.  So frickin' good.  Then tonight for supper it's brown organic orzo with a chicken-kneeeee cheesey rosemary wonderfulness with a side of homemade garlic bread.  Yum yum.

Meanwhile, I gotta go to work.  Although my first day back yesterday wasn't so bad because I've been baking and that's my bliss, which really helped balance out the day job stuff.

And, and, and, no Cinderella shift for me tonight.  Noppers, I'll be home in time to eat at the table with Poopyhead.

Life is good.

27 December 2012

I Don't Wanna go to Work

After having a few days off in a row, I don't want to go back.  Noppers.  Not even a wee bit.  I'd rather stay home and write bakes and then put them in the oven.  But I gotta go, so I might as well quit my griping.

Meanwhile, here's how overage works.  Overage is when an item is less than the value of the coupon.  In this case, floss at 97 cents, with a coupon valued at a buck.

Wally World pays overage which means they will either cash out the three cents and pay me or, if there's other items on the belt, apply that three cents to the rest of my order.

You'll see here that at the end of my receipt, the total was negative 6 cents.  But since my tape had a 6 cents tax, the overage covered it, making the entire transaction free.

And that's how we stockpile.

Stay warm and eat well.



26 December 2012

Fresh from the Oven

Instead of cinnamon bread, I went with chocolate and oatmeal balls.  This is not the greatest picture but since most of the cookies are in our bellies, it will have to do.

I wrote the formula using packets of mega fiber instant oats because I got a buttload on special.  Next batch, a wee bit more turbinado sugar. 

And for tomorrow's bake, it's either cinnamon or garlic bread.  Or maybe both.  Meanwhile, I'm off to coupon before bed.

Until next post, cheers and boogie boogie.

I'll Betcha a Bucket of Snowflakes

Lots and lots of snow today, so much so that they closed the main road and I'm not going into work.  That means I get to stay home and bake.  And I'll betcha a bucket of snowflakes I'm gonna bake something nummy.

Yesterday it was homemade sub rolls, and the day before that, tiny bunns filled with meats and cheeses.  Today it's either cinnamon bread for French toast or meringue cookies.

That's about all from me.  Stay warm and boogie boogie.

23 December 2012

Staycation .... Almost

Saturday I got called in, then after Tim snow-blowed the drive, I got a call back saying I didn't need to come in, but how about Sunday and I could have all Monday and Tuesday off.  Plus pick the hours I wanted to work on Sunday.

Pick my own hours? That's okay with me.

Plus work has been going better, or rather my attitude toward it.  Meanwhile, we're making good headway on redoing the bedroom.  Yesterday we got new closet doors, paint, supplies, and blinds.

All it cost me ... one homemade apple pie.

Life is good.

And now, I'm off to play with raw pizza dough - my most favorite shift.  Then to the market for some apples, and home to lock ourselves in for the duration of our staycation.

22 December 2012

It's Snowing on My Blog

Check it out, it's snowing on my blog and outside my window.  How 'bout that.

I got the snowflake idea from Dezmond.  Please check out his blog.  I like his set up.  I can easily find everything.

As for my setup, I had a blue background to show off my flakes but didn't like it with the food shots.  So I'm still tinkering.  Tinker.  Tinker.

But first, I'm gonna see if I can drag Tim to the paint store.  I might have to bribe him with some homemade goodies.

Meanwhile, here's an old old shot I took of a scary snow tree.  Happy Winter (or Summer depending).

Cheers and boogie boogie.






21 December 2012

Lost My Boot

Woohoo, we finally have snow.  And what pretty snow it is.  Meanwhile, I can't find my left boot.  It's gone missing.  I think Bug took it.

And in other news, those stuffed dough balls I made a few days back ... well, I'm happy to report that the plain ones have a shelf life of 48 hours.  They weren't as fresh, of course, but they were still good after two days and for that I am happy.

And in other, other news, it's the Winter Solstice (or Summer), and that means I look back at the last three months, and set myself one new goal in celebration of the Solstice - to be completed in the next three months.  And I get one gift.  I'm going for a pastry cutter, the rolly kind.

That's about it, here.  Off to a Cinderella shift later, followed by an entire Saturday off.  WooFrickin'Hoo.

I'm one happy camper.

PS: Today I'm shooting for my fourth good day at work.

20 December 2012

Dare I Say ...

That I had fun at work yesterday and I'm looking forward to going in again this morning.  Yeppers.  It's true.  I had fun.

And today I start early, which I love.  And I get to play with raw pizza dough, which I also love.  Then after work we'll both be  home together for a homemade supper, followed by chores.

Maybe the chores won't be as fun as playing with raw dough, but we're coming up on changing the bedroom all about, including possibly a new paint job, so woohoo.

Very excited.  Can't wait for that.

Car is about warmed up, time for me to head out.  No Spider-Man red shirt today.  Going with Adidas and a black babuska with big white polka dots.

It's gonna be another good day.

18 December 2012

13 BALLS

Check out my little dough balls.  Just made them.  Still rising.  Soon to be stuffed with all kinds of goodies.  Like onion and cheese.  Or pepperoni, onion, garlic and cheese.

The combinations are endless.  I love baking!

And since my dough yielded thirteen 50g balls, I might even do a few organic cinnamon sugar yummies as well.  Then we'll gobble 'em up.  Because that's what we do.

Num, num, num.

17 December 2012

Kicked the Pumpkin

I'm off to my Cinderella shift and thankfully I'm doing better. 

My goal for the last week and a half has been to go in, get my job done, and not take any of it home with me.  As in, don't feel like this is the only thing I'll be doing for the rest of my life - making subs and topping par-baked pizzas, and not baking/writing food.

It's not that I'm not thankful for the full-time hours, it's just that I know I have more talent than just doing that forever.

And, so far so good, because I'm looking into baking classes, writing more food at home and as a bonus, getting most of my baked good ingredients for stock-up prices.

As in low, low, low.  I love that.

Meanwhile, it's time for me put on my Spider-Man red shirt and get to work.  It's a fun little thing, to be able to wear super hero red shirts.  Then tomorrow night, I get to be home in time to have supper with Poopyhead.

I love that, as well.

PS: Anyone looking for a place to get coupons, click printable coupons.  To me, it's a better page because it still retains the easy to use page numbers and zip code change.

PPS: I don't recommend clicking the double underlined stuff. 

Puppies Almost FOR SALE

I don't have a blog today, but wanted to say howdy just the same.

Working the Cinderella shift tonight which means I've got plenty of time to clip coupons this morning.  Or maybe I'll just snuggle on the couch for a quick little nappy nap, since the pups were awake most of the night.

They do that again tonight and tomorrow morning, I offer them to the first bidder.

That's all from me.  Cheers and boogie boogie.

12 December 2012

Not My Culinary Dream

Headed out soon for another Cinderella shift.  But at least I don't have to open real early tomorrow.  They just changed my hours so that I'm not on a continuous six day close open loop.  Which was sucking the ever frickin' life out of me.

Kind of like a slow death. 

And overall, I'm still bummed that I mostly make subs and top par-baked pizzas.  Though I do get to do some prep, like dice tomatoes - which I find medicinal.  And I like when I get to work the ovens because it's like a big fun puzzle.  

That being said, yesterday the highlight of my day was changing the prep list (white board), to Christmas colors.

But the good news is, I'm writing up a wicked storm in my own kitchen.  Since my last post I've written many many more formulas for baked goodies.  I know some just bake for the holidays, but for me, it's a year-round thing. 

And lastly, even though I haven't been active in Blogger, I saw today that I'm still getting hits.  Here's the top five.

When Snowman Sneeze
When Bananas go Bad
No Ughs for Me
Christmas Candy Corn
and ...
Boobs

That's all from here.  You Boogerbutts eat well & stay safe.

21 November 2012

No Ughs for Me

My TIMBITS experiment failed but instead, we got these groovy little chocolate cookies.  I've since tested them three times, with consistent results.  It's not what I planned to bake, but that's okay.  I love when mistakes like this happen.   I call them, Movie Night Cookies and I will include them in my collection.

I took pictures of the new cookies but my food close-up skills with my new Nikon d5100 sucks monkey balls.

Yesterday I bought York Peppermint Patties to use in baking.  Tim loves Yorks and I love him, so Yorks it is.  Then I got Andes Candies.  I've never baked with Yorks or Andes, but I'm excited to experiment.

Meanwhile, tonight's another Cinderella shift.  I'd say ugh, but I am feeling better about them, so no ughs for me.

Catch you Boogerbutts next time.  Boogie, boogie.

18 November 2012

TIMBITS

Even though I was super duper pooped most of the day, I still managed to get a big-ass pot of chicken soup made, and now I'm about to make my own version of TIMBITS.  Those are little round doughnuts from Tim Horton's.

Only I don't want to pay Tim Horton's prices, so I'm going to give it a go here in my own little kitchen.

As for yesterday we ate at a new place, hit Barnes for a bit and then got a few freebies at Wegmans. 

And now, it's time to put away all the good soup I made and get cracking on my next baking challenge.

PS:  For those who remember, I never did make that baking contest deadline.  But that's okay, I learned a few good things and I don't feel bad about missing it.

That's all from me.  Cheers and boogie boogie.

17 November 2012

Guess What?

It's 3PM Saturday afternoon, I'm done with work and I don't have to be back again until 4PM on Monday afternoon.

And dig this, I get to spend most of that time with Tim. 

Life is good.

14 November 2012

Lookie What I Made

Six tiny peanut butter chocolate chip scones.  And because I wrote a new formula yesterday, I feel better about my upcoming Cinderella shift tonight.  I'm also happy to report I turned the corner on that whole thing.

And that feels good.

Meanwhile, I had a lot of fun working lab-style in my kitchen.  And while I find benefits of both metric and US standard, for writing new formulas, I stick with metric.  It's just better.

For example, I needed 40ml (milliliters) of almond milk.  Or, about half of a 1/3 of a cup.  For me, it just makes more sense to go with the 40ml instead of mess with filling a 1/3 of a cup, half-way.

Now onto the taste and texture of batch 1.  Since my original formula isn't all that sweet, I went with Ghirardelli milk chocolate chunks.  These are a tad sweeter than the semi-sweets and bigger.  But for sugar, I only went with 15g (about one US TB).  For batch 2, I'll up the sugar a wee bit.

What worked well was adding the peanut butter because it gave the dough an additional moistness and made the scones taste fresh, the next morning.  And the peanut butter flavor worked.  Along with the sugar crystals baked on the top. 

They were yummy.  Up next, something for the pups.

Cheers and boogie boogie.

Draft one.  Six tiny peanut butter & chocolate chip, scones.

12 November 2012

Cinderella Shift

The other night at work, I was on the floor with a broom and dust pan, my apron tucked under my knees and a babuska on my head and I said to my manager, "I feel like Cinderella."

"You look like her," she told me.

I miss my old prep cook job where I always worked with the food.  But it wasn't enough hours to get us a house, and this job is.  Only I don't get to cook all that much, and sometimes that makes me feel sad.  Only I don't want to be sad.

So here's what I'm gonna do.  I'm going to get back to my cookbooks, which lately, I've been way too pooped to do.

Too pooped I tell ya, just too pooped. 

And on that note, it's time to get that babuska on my head and drive my butt to work.  But then tomorrow I have off so who knows ... you might just see a food post.

See you Boogerbutts later.

Signed,
Your Friend,
Cinderella 

09 November 2012

Tim's Magic Pills

Been having way too many headaches lately.  So much so, that I had to dip into Tim's magic migraine pills.  They work great, but they aren't something I want to get use to taking.

I'm not a big pill person.

In other news, I'm having fun with my new Nikon d5100.  Here's a shot of Miss Bug.  If you've gamed with Tim on Google+ or Skype you know she can be a handful.

But what a cute handful she is.

Click to Expand the Cuteness

07 November 2012

My Very First Big Girl Camera

That's right.  Tim's armed me with my very first Nikon d5100, and all I want to do is stay home and snap shots.  All day long.  Of anything.  Of everything. 

This is the best new toy, ever.


31 October 2012

Guess What Tim Got Me for Halloween?

A hand-painted canvas of Wonder Woman (with red boots).  A very cool painting.  I love it.  Best Halloween gift, ever.  Tim gets the Best Husband Award.

When we get our new camera, I'll snap a shot.  Meanwhile, she's next to my coupon desk.

In blogging news, I haven't been reading or writing any.  Hoping to get back into the groove, but in the meanwhile, I wanted to wish you Boogerbutts a Happiest of Halloweens, and a very scary, oogie boogie night.

17 October 2012

I DON'T WANT TO GO TO WORK, TODAY

There isn't even the smallest part of me that wants to leave the house, and go to work.

I just don't wanna.

And I'd sit in the middle of the floor and cry like our littlest pup, Bug does, but I don't think that will work.  Still gotta go.  Still gotta pay bills.  Still gotta save for that house.

The good news is, I get another Saturday off this weekend.  Tim bought a big-ass coupon book filled with local and not-so-far away eateries.  Many we haven't tried.  Most of the coupons are BOGO meals (buy one get one free).  I do like that, and it will be fun to try some new dives.

Meanwhile, time to put on my red shirt and get to work.

So don't want to go.


15 October 2012

Two Years of Blogging

Holy pumpkin heads.  I've been blogging for two years.  Went super fast. 

Thanks to all who visit my little blog.  I appreciate your time, comments and fantastic senses of humor.  You really are the BEST Boogerbutts.

Happy Halloween & a great BIG boogie boogie.











09 October 2012

Building My Stockpile


I'm off from work and building an entire wall-sized stockpile.  The last one I built got parted out to different areas of the house.  But now with more and more good deals coming in, it's time for an official stockpile wall.

By stockpiling cheap and free items now, it ensures we won't pay full price later, when we need it.  I love that.

Love it, love it, love it.

I'm hoping to finish the wall before Poopyhead gets home.  I'd share a picture but I can't since I left the camera out in the rain all night.  Now I'm on the hunt for a new camera.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to supper tonight.  We're having plain yellow fried rice from the local restaurant (my own sucks).  Then I'll add organic carrots and onions to both, and ghost chili peanuts to mine.

So freaking good.

That's about all from me.  You Boogerbutts have a good one.

Cheers and boogie boogie.

26 September 2012

Get Your Halloween Coupons Here

I love Halloween and what better way to celebrate than with a $5 off coupon.  Just spend 15 smackers and get $5 off your purchase.  Links listed below.

Do two separate transactions and walk away with 10 bucks off. 

Last year Tim bought skull dice and a zombie road sign, but that was pre-coupon days.  This year he's going in armed and dangerous.  That's right, I said dangerous.

Enjoy your coupons and boogie boogie.

PS: I do not eat more Rocky Road Klondike bars than Tim does.  He will tell you that I do, but that is a big fat fib.  

Direct Coupon Link: Halloween Coupon
Store Home Page: Spirit Halloween Store
Facebook Page: Spirit Halloween Facebook Page
Halloween Store Locations: Find Store Locations

NOTE:  As of this update, the original coupon has expired and been replaced with a new coupon.  Not sure how long the new one lasts but it's for 20% off costumes.

14 September 2012

Is it Saturday Yet?

Today is day 11 of my run at the pizza shoppe and boy am I excited for Saturday.  I'll have an entire day to do nothing.  Or something.  Or nothing mixed with a little something.

At any rate, I'm ready.

In baking contest news, I'm still plucking away.  Had to take a break from the banana muffins because we could no longer taste them.  But I did start work on entry 2, so we'll see.

In the meanwhile, I have some time before going off to day 11, so I think I'll go coupon, whilst drinking something warm and yummy from my big ass Wonder Woman mug.

You Boogerbutts have a good one.

05 September 2012

One Step Closer to Owning a House

This is my biggest free haul in ONE shopping trip, to date.  $70 in free stuff with a total out of pocket cost of $4.72.  The OOP is a little on the high side but that's the price of forgetting to pack headache medicine in the laptop bag.

Either way, I'm super duper happy because this brings my stockpile to a one year supply.  More money stays in the bank, and we move one step closer to owning a house.

Pretty frickin' cool.


28 August 2012

NetFlix Potato

My kitchen was starting to look more like a mad scientist lab gone wrong, than a proper kitchen.  So I NetFlixed a couple episodes of Hoarders to help get me moving.

Only my plan failed because Miss Wiggy had a better idea.







27 August 2012

I Got to Work the Oven

This past weekend I got to work the oven all by myself and it was kick-ass good fun.  Challenging as well because the head cook (oven worker), has to keep mind on the window (we have a drive up window), register, counter, customers names, cooking times and oversee the line.

I only did it for a bit, but man alive was it frickin' fun.

I loved it.

Loved it, loved it, loved it.

Meanwhile, dig this.  Not only did I get all of the first group for FREE, but the store paid me $1.01 to take each item.  Then ... I used all that overage (along with more coupons), to get the second batch of goodies FREE as well.

I love couponing.  And cooking.