Cinnamon Honey Almond Spread

While I was at Whole Foods the other day, I was trying to find a decent almond butter that wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg. No such luck. So, I decided to make my own, which meant I got to control the flavor and ingredients while saving money. The cheapest almond butter I saw there was $13 for a jar. I made two jars for the price of a bag of almonds (just under $12) and some stuff I already had in my kitchen. In about half an hour, I had my own delicious almond spread that I can't wait to use in as many ways as possible!

INGREDIENTS

(this recipe is done per cup-to make enough to fill a medium mason jar, you're going to want to double the recipe below)
1 cup almonds
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1-1 1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
almond milk (this get drizzled in, so there's not an exact measurement)

EQUIPMENT

baking sheet
food processor
rubber tipped spatula
mason jar (or any jar with a lid)

DIRECTIONS
Start by preheating your oven to 350F and spreading the almonds out evenly on the baking sheet.
Bake for 3-5 minutes. You don't need the almonds to be super toasted, you're basically just "waking them up."
Place the almonds, cinnamon, salt, honey, and vanilla in your food processor and puree for about five minutes, stopping to scrape the sides with your spatula once or twice.
The mixture will be grainy at first, and almost powder-like. Don't worry, this is normal.
Scrape the sides of the food processor again and then turn it back on.
Slowly drizzle in the almond milk, about a tbs at a time, until the mixture is spreadable without being runny. Make sure to add the almond milk very slowly to avoid making the mixture too runny.
Store the spread in a mason jar and refrigerate in between uses.

What would you pair with almond butter besides cinnamon honey?

Until next time...
Stay Stellar,
Paige Elise

Southwestern Frittata

Last night my boyfriend and I were looking through a cookbook I received from a friend for Christmas (Thanks Bernadette!) and came across a recipe for a tomato and asparagus frittata. Since our weather is still transitioning into spring here, our fruit and vegetable selection is really hit or miss right now, so we decided to use the instructions, but with whatever veggies we could find at the store that didn't look questionable. We decided to go with a Southwest theme and it was so good Bart is already on his second helping and asked if I could make it again soon.

I was only able to get one picture of it because we wanted to eat it before it got cold-and eggs can get cold pretty fast, but you can still see the veggies poking through and the yummy, bubbly cheese on top-and that's all that matters, right?

INGREDIENTS
*8 large eggs
*4 oz pepperjack cheese
*1 yellow onion
*2 green peppers
*4 tomatoes (I used Roma-if you use a larger tomato, use 2-3 instead)
*1 medium can of corn
*1 medium can of black beans
*salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and paprika
INSTRUCTIONS

*Start by preheating your oven to 350F and cutting the veggies. You'll want the onions to be smaller and the peppers and tomatoes to be medium sized.
*Once the veggies are cut, melt 2-3 tbs of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the onions and spices in. I didn't measure the spices at all, so you'll just want to add them to taste.
*While the onions are caramelizing, rinse the corn and black beans so they don't add unnecessary starch to the frittata.
*When the onions are about halfway caramelized, add the green peppers in. Sautee for about five minutes and shred the cheese while you stir occasionally.
*Crack the eggs into a large bowl with 1/4 cup water and half of the shredded cheese. Beat until fluffy.
*Add the corn, black beans, and tomatoes into the skillet and cook for about a minute before pouring the eggs over the top. Make sure the eggs evenly coat the veggies. It's ok if a little bit pokes out of the top, but you want them to at least be mostly covered.
*Cover the skillet and cook for ten minutes or until the eggs are fluffy and cooked all the way through.
*Top with the remaining cheese and bake in the oven for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
*Serve immediately with avocado, sour cream, and/or salsa.

This was honestly one of the easiest dishes I've made in awhile and definitely the tastiest dinner we've had in weeks.

Let me know if you make this and if you used any substitutions or add ons!

Until next time...

Stay Stellar,
Paige Elise

Mini Frittatas

I'm a big fan of anything that I can make ahead and freeze for busy days and these mini breakfast frittatas are perfect to pop in the microwave on a busy morning.

One of the things I love about making these is that you can essentially add anything you want to them, which makes them great for using up stuff that's nearing it's expiration date. I chose to keep this batch very basic, but by all means, substitute stuff to your liking and add in any extras that you'd normally have inside an omelette, because these are basically little omelette muffins.

INGREDIENTS
1 dozen large eggs
8 oz cheddar cheese
1 lb ground breakfast sausage
1/2-1 onion (depending on how much you like onion)
1 green pepper
1 bunch chives
milk
salt, pepper, and any other spices you like


Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and preparing your muffin tins. I used silicon baking cups, but if you don't have those you can spray some nonstick spray in the tins. I haven't done this with paper liners before, so I'm not sure how they'd hold up in the freezer to be honest.

Brown the sausage (or your choice of meat) in a skillet with salt, pepper, and any other spices you like. While the meat is cooking, dice up 1/2-1 onion, a green pepper, and any other veggies you want to add in. Once it's done, drain the majority of the fat and set the meat aside in a bowl to slightly cool because you don't want it to be screaming hot when you add it to the eggs. Toss the veggies into the skillet and caramelize.

While the onions are cooking, crack the eggs into a mixer (or a bowl if you don't have a mixer) and mix with some milk. I never measure, but if I had to guess I use about half a cup. Just add it until the eggs are a pale yellow without looking too milky.

Chop up your chives while the onions are caramelizing and the eggs and milk are mixing. Spice the egg and milk mixture and add in the cheese. Once the cheese is fully incorporated, add in the meat and all of the veggies.

When the mixture is ready, fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full with the mixture. Make sure to get egg in every tin, because it will try and sink to the bottom of the bowl. You will more than likely have to bake multiple rounds of the frittatas.

Bake each tin until the tops are golden brown and bubbly-about 20-25 minutes. If you are choosing to store them in the freezer, a freezer safe gallon bag with the date you made them written on it is the easiest way to go.

When you take them out of the freezer to reheat, place them on a plate with a paper towel on top to keep the moisture in. It should only take about 30 seconds for each frittata.

And that's it! The last time I made these, they didn't even make it to the freezer and were gone within 24 hours because the people I live with couldn't stop popping them into their mouth. I took that as a sign that they had to be shared with the world.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe and until next time...
Stay Stellar,
Paige Elise

Hearty Beef, Corn, & Potato Soup

The first time I made this soup, I was low on cash and needed to make something that would fill my boyfriend up and actually taste good. I rummaged through the kitchen, pulled out hearty ingredients and decided I wanted to turn it all into a soup. The only thing I needed was chicken broth, so I had sent my boyfriend to the store to get that while I got the rest of the soup ready. Needless to say, it was a hit as I'm still making it a year later.

This soup is perfect for these chilly months, because it's like a hug in a bowl that leaves you feeling satisfied and all of the ingredients are easy to find year-round.

(click to view the picture larger)

I never said it was a pretty soup, but it tastes pretty good if that counts!

Did I mention this is super inexpensive to make? I made a pot that made about ten bowls for less than $15! Let's get on with the instructions, shall we?

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef
1/2 an onion
3-4 russet potatoes
2 boxes chicken broth or stock
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 large can of corn
salt, pepper, & any other spices you like

Start by getting a large pot of water (with some salt) on the stove over high heat. Next, brown the ground beef in a skillet with salt, pepper, and any other spices you have on hand. I used an herb blend from a local spice shop, but anything that you normally like with these flavor profiles will work just fine.

While the water is boiling and the beef is browning, dice up half an onion and cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces. You can choose to peel the potatoes if you'd like, but I always keep them on.

Once the water is boiling, place the potatoes in. When the ground beef is browned, put it to the side in a bowl and drain the majority of the fat out of the skillet. After this, caramelize the onions in the same skillet.

When the potatoes are about 1/2-3/4 done, drain the water and replace with the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Add in the ground beef, onion, and season to taste. Cook until the potatoes are fully cooked through. Once the potatoes are cooked thouroughly, add the corn and cook and additional five minutes. This will ensure that the corn does not because mushy, which has happened to me before when I've added canned corn into a soup too early.

That's literally it! The hardest part of making this soup is trying not to cry while cutting the onions ;)

I hope you all enjoyed this recipe and until next time...
Stay Stellar,
Paige Elise

My Money Saving Tips for 2014

One of the most common New Year's Resolutions is to be "better" with money. I grew up in a house where thrift stores were cooler than the mall, farmer's markets were more fun (and less expensive for the most part) than the grocery store, and DIY was a bonding experience, so I thought I might be able to help out with a list of things I do to save money for those of you who are looking to save money this year. I've categorized the tips to make it more reader friendly.

(image courtesy of Google)

General
*Set a goal. Whether it's starting a savings fund, paying off a debt, or saving up for something on the pricier side, having an incentive will l make saving money more fun and give you that extra push.
*Get a piggy bank/start a change jar. When I was younger, I saved money for a piggy bank for about a year. I cashed it in right before my family took a trip to Germany and had almost $100 in it. Now I always keep a change jar and cash it in when it's full.
*Track your spending. I like to keep track of my receipts to see how much I spend every month. This helps me see if there's any area that I can cut costs on the next month.
*Stock up after holidays. The day after Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. all of the decorations, wrapping paper, cards, etc. go on sale. If you have the space to store it, get a plastic tub and store stuff that you know you'll be able to use next year and you can usually save at least 50% on most items.

Food/Groceries
*Go generic when you can. I know that some brands actually do taste better than the generic ones, but things like pasta, flour, sugar, etc. usually taste the same (sometimes even better) than name brands. You'll usually save at least 50 cents per item, which doesn't sound like much, but it adds up quicker than you think.
*Don't buy bottled water. Not only is it bad for your wallet, it's bad for the environment. Instead of spending $5+ on a case of water every week or so, buy a $5-10 reusable water bottle. It takes up less room in your kitchen as well!
*Cut down on eating out. I know it's convenient to swing by McDonald's when you don't feel like cooking and that it's nice to go out to eat when you're catching up with friends, but try limiting it. I wasted so much money on eating out my first two years of college, and now I'm saving tons of money by eating in the majority of the time (and it's healthier too!).
*Same goes for coffee. If you're like me, you love getting foo foo drinks at your local coffee shop, but they're really not that hard to make at home, and you'll save more money than you think by the end of the year if you cut down on trips to Starbucks, Caribou, etc.
*Don't pay for convenience. I'm guilty of doing this a lot, but I try to avoid buying things like preshredded cheese or precut lettuce unless they're on sale. A lot of the time you're paying anywhere from $1-3 more for semi-prepared products than you do for the ones that would only take about 5-10 minutes to prepare yourself. Again, it doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up.
*Check for sales. My boyfriend works at our local grocery store, so he always bring me home a copy of their weekly ads when they come out so I can plan our groceries around it. I know I said to buy generic, but if you check the sales, sometimes name brand items are actually cheaper when they're on sale. For example: I usually use generic canned tomatoes for my homemade spaghetti sauce, but Hunt's brand tomatoes were on sale this past week for less than the generic brands.
*Use coupons, but only when you actually need the item. I'm not saying you have to become an extreme couponer (I'm not by any means)but if I see an a coupon for something that I was already going to buy, you better believe I'm going to cut it out to save myself 50 cents. Do NOT buy something just because you'll "save" money by buying it if you're not going to actually use it.
*Buy in bulk (or semi-bulk). I've been known (much to my roommates' dismay) to stock up when something goes on sale. Hy-Vee (our local grocery store) had a sale on canned corn and canned green beans for 38 cents a can, so I bought twelve cans. They also have a frequent sale where they pick a brand of pasta that's ten for $10, and if we're running low, I buy all ten.
*Use what you have. Like I said, I do tend to buy in semi-bulk, but I make sure to plan around that. I love a good sale, but it's a waste of money if you don't actually use the stuff you have. The cans of corn I bought that went on sale were put into every pot of soup I made until they were gone and the green beans were tossed with herbs and spiced and added to the side of a meal about once a week until they were gone.
*Pack your lunch. I used to work retail and would buy lunch almost everyday instead of making it. Now that I work at a daycare and would have to drive somewhere to buy lunch, I just pack lunch everyday and I'm saving $20-30 a week just by doing that. That's over $1,000 a year.
*Drink more water. I'll admit that I'm a huge fan of coffee, pop, juice, etc., but all of those can get pricey if you add them up-and water is essentially free. I almost always have pop or juice in the house, but one of my goals for 2014 is to cut down how much of it my boyfriend and I go through.

Clothing
*Go thrift shopping. If you're not already a fan of thrift shopping, the thought of wearing someone else's clothes might weird you out, but there's this awesome invention called the washing machine that'll help with that.
*Shop sales. I honestly can't remember the last time I bought a piece of "just because" (not staple items) that wasn't on sale. If it's not on sale right now, it will be eventually.
*Shop quality. I do believe in spending money on good quality items, because they'll last longer than cheaply made clothes, so you'll end up saving money in the long run. This includes jeans, socks, underwear, basic shoes, and any other items that you consider to be staple items.
*DIY. That skirt you love shrunk in the dryer and now it's too short? Sew some lace to the bottom to add length and make it feel like a new skirt! You never wear that shirt anymore, but can't bring yourself to donate it to Goodwill? Get a pair of scissors and get to work making it unique! All clothing problems can be solved with a quick search on Pinterest or Google.
*Only buy what you need. That top might be super cute, but if you don't think you'll wear it a lot, you probably shouldn't buy it.

Home
*DIY/thrift shop. In case you couldn't tell, I'm a huge fan of DIY projects. My mom and I have bought most of our wooden furniture from thrift stores and refinished it ourselves. My roommates mom went thrift shopping for me (they live near a bunch of cool thrift stores) and got me a desk with a HUGE mirror, a funky chair for my desk, a huge set of dressers, a super sturdy bookshelf, a side table, and a cool mushroom stool for $70. SEVENTY DOLLARS. They even painted everything with a grey primer for me so that I could paint/collage/etc. whatever I wanted onto everything. They literally found everything I'd need for my room aside from a bed for $70. Normally that would cost hundreds/thousands of dollars depending on your taste, and I get compliments on my furniture all the time.
*Plan ahead. My boyfriend and I currently live with my two best friends, which means we share appliances until we all move out in July. So, I made a list of all the appliances we'll need to buy when we move out so that I can buy them as I see them on sale for the next six months instead of having to buy everything at once (and more than likely at full price) and I'm just storing them in my closet until we move.
*Recycle. Obviously it's good to recycle in general, but my boyfriend and I have a trash bag that sits on a hook above our trash can (it's in a closet so it doesn't make our kitchen look trashy [pun intended]) that we put all of our cans and bottles in as we drink them. He works in Wine and Spirits, so he tries a lot of the beers and other drinks so he can better recommend products to customers who need help picking stuff out. We just wait until the bag is full and then bring it in right before we go grocery shopping. It's not inconvenient because it's right above the trash can anyways and it only takes about five minutes to recycle all the cans and bottles and we end up getting like $5 each time (which we just put towards groceries). Before we started doing this, I thought it would be super inconvenient, but it's not at all. We usually do this about once a month (sometimes more if we have guests over for drinks) and make about $5 each time, which ends up being $60+ at the end of the year.

Entertainment
*Sign up for Netflix. You'll be able to watch tons of tv shows and movies (current, classic, and underground) without having to pay $20+ every time you want to see something you haven't seen yet. They don't have EVERYTHING, but they definitely have an awesome selection.
*Have a board game night. I do this every month or so and the only money I spend is about $5 to buy whatever ingredients I don't already have for whatever cupcakes I decide to make that night. We always have a great time with our friends and it's way cheaper than going out to the bars, the movies, to eat, etc.
*Get creative with your date nights (or even just hanging out with your friends). Dinner and a movie can be expensive, and you don't want to get sick of doing the same thing every time you go out. Check out your area to see what cool things are going on that are cheap/free.
*DIY. You guess it, another excuse for me to tell you to craft! One of my favorite things to do with my spare time is craft. It's really fun, and you can set your own budget. I get most of my materials on sale or from thrift shops, so most of my projects cost $10 or less and keep me entertained for hours. Plus, it feels amazing to finish a project!
*Volunteer. Do you like animals? See if your local shelter needs some extra help. Like making others happy? See if a local hospital needs volunteers. You can basically find a place that needs some extra help for almost anything you're interested in.
*Garden. If you have the time, space, and appropriate weather, you can have a lot of fun gardening. My mother always gardened growing up. Our backyard was always filled with flowers and herbs (which she used in cooking) and she even kept an aloe plant for sunburns.
*Read a book. I get most of my books from thrift stores, and normally don't pay more than $1 for them. Even if you don't get get a book that cheap, reading is awesome.

Bills
*Unplug/turn off electronics that you aren't using. If you unplug your hairdryer, lamps, phone chargers, etc. when you're not using them, not only are you helping the environment, you're helping your wallet. It doesn't seem like it would make a huge difference, but it really does. Same goes for turning off your lights, tv, computer, etc. when you're not using them.
*Don't waste water. I know taking a long shower can be nice and relaxing, but do you really need to take an hour long shower everyday? Also remember to turn off the faucet while you're brushing your teeth or not using it. Basically only use as much as you need.
*Sign up for fuel-saver. If you live near a Hy-Vee grocery store, sign up for their fuel saver program. Every week they have different items on sale that earn you money towards gas. They have stuff that you might not need (like random pastries), but they also add things like eggs, pasta, bread, etc. that are probably on your grocery list anyways. My boyfriend and I will usually save at least 10 cents per gallon with each shopping trip, and we only buy things that were already on our list! By the time he gets gas, he usually saves anywhere from $5-20 and like I said, we only buy stuff that we were going to get anyways.


So there's all of my money saving tips for you guys! Even if you don't use all of them, hopefully there's something in there that you can use. Don't forget to share your favorite tips!

Stay Stellar,
Paige Elise