Thanksgiving is on its way... so are LEFTOVERS!

Everybody loves getting together with family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. The food is always fantastic and there are always yummy leftovers! Do you get tired of turkey sandwiches... I know I do. Here are a few quick ideas to do with those leftovers that will hopefully leave you satisfied and not too tired of the turkey season.

With the leftover bones/meat/ carcass

Take the entire leftover turkey and put it in a plastic ziplock while cleaning up the rest of the holiday dishes. Sometime in the near future we will take that turkey out the bag.

 TURKEY STEW

Ingredients

Turkey Carcass

Cut up half a bag of baby Carrots

2 or 3 cans of Corn

Slice 3 celery

1 can of peas ( not my favorite so I opt to leave these out)

Spices that suit your taste

Pepper

Salt ( I use sea salt, I find the taste to be more pleasant)

1. Place entire turkey, bones and all, into a massive pot and cover with water. Place a lid on and put on low for an entire day. You can season the water with salt and pepper. Let it boil until the bones are clean and some will be floating.

2. After an entire day strain the items in the pot, but save the water ( it will be used as a broth later)

3. Carefully remove all the bones ( there are little ones so be sure to pick those out!) 

4. Put the meat that you pull off the bones and place the meat back into the pot with the homemade broth.

5. Cut up carrots, celery,peas, corn, and whatver spices suit your taste

6. Add some sort of noodle, I usually choose to use a barley noodle that is found in the italian section.

7. Cook until the vegetables are tender and then serve! This is a great way to reuse the turkey and it makes sure nothing goes to waste. IT can be frozen and served at a later date.

This is a meal that everyone enjoys and I get compliments on it each year. I loved it when my mom made it and now it is a tradition in my own home :) I hope you enjoy it as well. ** you don't have to use all the meat from the turkey, the larger leftovers I use for sandwiches and the next dish as well **

CRESENT ROLL TURKEY MASHUPS

Ingredients

Cresent Rolls

Leftover turkey

Leftover mashed potatoes

Leftover gravy

Leftover corn or vegetable if you choose

1. Unroll cresent rolls

2. place a small piece of turkey, a dollop of mashed potatoes, and a little gravy ( I also put corn in this as well but it is not a necessity)

3. Fold edges over and pinch till it is sealed

4. Bake according to cresent roll instructions

5. Serve hot... it is sort of like a thanksgiving small hot pocket bite! These are bite size and so it would take a few to make a meal for a person but they really are yummmmmy!

The wonders of a crock pot... and white chicken chili

I have found a new love for my crockpot. Man that little thing does EVERYTHING! Including saving money.  My 6quart crock pot cost me $16 bucks at Walmart. I really try not to shop at Walmart but sometimes it is a necessity. I have learned a few things through trial and error with this little thing. Here are just a few reasons why a crock pot will save you money and maybe I can make a convert out of you!

1. It saves energy, saved energy means saved money! Supposedly since they are only about 100 watts, if you use it once a week for 8 hours it only costs you 20 cents! SO BUST OUT THOSE CROCK POTS!

2. You can buy more inexpensive cuts of meat. The more tender the meat the more expensive it is, a stew meat vs. fillet mignon! A crock pot since it is cooked so slowly and at a low temp it makes tough meats tender :)

3. Time is worth a lot in my opinion. Since I work full time and have school to take care of, throwing everything in the crock pot in the morning and having an amazing home cooked meal by evening = priceless to me!

4. Dining out? Geesh, learning from experience this can really break the bank...and your budget! I used www.mint.com to help keep track of how much I was spending and where my money was going. This is a free site and comparing a month of eating out vs. cooking in has saved me almost $200 bucks in a month. THAT IS JUST ONE MONTH!

so... tricks from today
* use www.mint.com to keep track of how much you are spending and where
* cook at home to save mulah
* Crock pot = MAJOR SAVINGS!

My homecooked crock pot meal today

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
prep time : 10 minutes
cook time: 8 hours
ingredients:
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken
2 cans great northern beans or navy beans
1 can of hominy corn
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can chopped green chilies
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
1/2 c sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place chicken in a slow cooker ( I browned my chicken beforehand since I got a late start today and need it to be done in 6 hours, not 8) DO NOT USE FROZEN CHICKEN... I have read it is not good for you.
2. Top the chicken with beans and then corn
3. In a medium bowl combine the taco seasoning, chilies, condensed soup, and chicken broth. Pour this mixture over top of the ingredients that are already in the crock.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
5. Before serving, pull apart chicken so it is somewhat shredded, then stir in the sour cream while it is still pipping hot.
6. ENJOY!

for those of you that are new to the crock pot experience usually they only have two settings, LOW and HIGH. Also once you put the lid on....LEAVE IT. Everytime you open the lid you need to extend the cooking time by 30 minutes.... trust me... let the crock do its job so you can get onto other things :)

**UPDATE**
Okay. So. Chili is done... and well. here are a few alterations I would make to the recipe. The original recipe has turned our fairly bland... hard to believe right? I would double the green chilies and I would either add another half packet of taco seasoning or add a TON of hot sauce. 

For those of you that know me know I do NOT like spicy things. So when I say its bland.... it most definitely is. I am saying that after the 8 hour cook time, after pulling chicken apart and adding sour cream, taste your meal.... if it is bland like mine turned out rummage through your cabinets and find either pepper, hot sauce, salt, ANYTHING and add it to it. Let is simmer for another 30 minutes or so then it should be ready to serve others :)

This has turned out to be a hit at the house, it is so easy to refrigerate and reheat... definitely one I will make again (with a few alterations)




Nutritional Facts for Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Serving Size: 1 (354 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 302.5

Calories from Fat 72 23%
Total Fat 8.0 g 12%
Saturated Fat 2.9 g 14%
Cholesterol 56.0 mg 18%
Sodium 996.5 mg 41%
Total Carbohydrate 32.4 g 10%
Dietary Fiber 8.2 g 32%
Sugars 3.4 g 13%
Protein 25.4 g 50%

Netflix

Michael ( my live in boyfriend) and I upon moving in together made the joint decision to not purchase cable or satellite. Many of our shows are available on hulu.com or on netflix.com. One easy way to save money this month, go in on a netflix account with either a friend or family member. If you already own an xbox ( which most households do at this point, or a ps3) you can use the account on more than one device. So netflix can be used on your xbox at home, as well as at your parents house, friends house, or neighbor. Split the bill each month and it will equate to just $4 a month! Or if you split it three ways, which is entirely possible, it is only $2.67 per household.

Living without cable is an adjustment that one gets used to fairly quickly. Since neither Micheal nor I are home very often this really has never posed much of a problem. Also having a nerd in our home doesn't hurt either. If there is a movie we want to watch we can usually find it online and watch it on our computer that is hooked up to our television.

Savings each month = absolutely free.....that is because Michael's dad is generous to let us use his netflix account for free, what an awesome man! But seriously you can be saving $4 at least per month which adds up to $48 savings per year... if you were paying full price it is almost $100 a year!  That is a nice meal out with your loved one... or a hefty bar tab.

Happy savings folks!

Yes! I wear used clothes

Used clothing or gently used clothing has taught me a few things about people. SO many of my friends balk at the idea of wearing used clothes. I have found that this is a way to keep my wardrobe updated and new without breaking the bank. With such treasure troves as Plato's Closet and many vintage shops here in Columbia it is possible to get a new dress for every outing, wedding, and everyday each day of the week! With these stores I have made it a habit of never buying anything over $10 for a new look.

I have found amazing items such as scarves ( which are always in, spring, summer, fall, or winter), dresses, jeans, sweaters, sweatshirts, and occasionally a t-shirt. I am not much of a t-shirt wearer but many of my readers may be. Why spend $20+ on an item I can spend $5 on? Those little savings add way way up. Plus... I dare you to pick out what clothes I bought full price and what ones I bought on the cheap..... Try me... If you think you can do it I will grant you access to my closet for you to give it your best go. Oh....and I have two closets to the price of half of one of yours :)