March 2014 – The Adventures of a Calamari Queen

Food This Week!

Some of the food we had this last week:

Ravioli (trader joe's) in sage butter — Ravioli (trader joe’s) in sage butter

scramble eggs, strawberry in balsamic glaze,OJ (breakfast for hubs) — scrambled eggs, strawberry in balsamic glaze,OJ (breakfast for hubs)

moscato wine,grilled asparagus,mashed potatoes

spaghetti and meatballs,garlic bread,salad (all from trader joe's — spaghetti and meatballs,garlic bread,salad (all from trader joe’s)

We ate out also this week: RAM and Genki sushi

RAMS vanilla milkshake (i didn't like this, i will not order this again) — RAMS vanilla milkshake (I didn’t like this and will not order it again)

This week, I shopped at Fred Meyer and Trader Joe’s. I really enjoy looking at people’s grocery hauls. I’m curious about what other people are buying and eating (it might be weird to some). I do like it when some bloggers give product reviews, share their meal plans and how they save when they do their groceries. I rarely coupon now a days, most of the coupons available right now are not what I want my family to eat. I do try to provide healthy and whole foods for us to consume. I’m still using meat from our freezer so I didn’t buy any this week (except for some meatballs). I really like Trader Joe’s meatballs, they are flavorful and perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. Happy Shopping and Savings friends!

Trader Joe's: Paid $19.65 — Trader Joe’s: Paid $19.65

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake!

We had this cheesecake when we had St. Patricks day dinner with our friends and my goodness this was so decadent! I’m not really into baking and measuring so the Hubs did most of the “work” making this dessert. We found this recipe on food.com and it got good reviews so hubs was convinced right away! I like the Baileys part:) This was even good the next day,we gave a piece to my MIL and she really liked it too, because she requested that for her birthday this coming June. We’ll have to make this for her! I really liked the flavor but it was too dense for me (I like my cheesecake creamy and fluffy!). Based on our family and friend’s reactions Hubs will probably make this again and this recipe is a keeper.

creamcheese and other yumminess! — cream cheese and other yumminess!

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (www.food.com)

Ingredients:

Crust
1/2 cup toasted pecans, cooled and crushed
2 cups chocolate Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
Filling
2 1/4 lbs cream cheese, at room temp
1 2/3 cups sugar
5 eggs, at room temp
1 cup Baileys Original Irish Cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Coffee Cream Topping
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
chocolate curls or Skor English toffee bit, for decoration on top

Directions:

Crust:.
Mix all ingredients.
Press into a 10″ spring form pan and up the sides one inch.
Bake at 325 for 7-10 minute.

Filling:.
Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth.
Beat sugar in gradually, and then add eggs one at a time.
Blend in Bailey’s and vanilla.
Sprinkle half of chocolate chips over crust.
Spoon in filling.
Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.
Bake at 325 degrees approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until puffed, springy in center and golden brown.

Place a pan of water on bottom rack of oven while baking to keep it moist. Cool cake completely.

Coffee Cream Topping:

Beat all ingredients and spread over cooled cake.

Top with chocolate curls or Skor bits.

*NOTE: Be sure to make and refrigerate at least one day before serving.

Food This Week!

Here we go, Food we ate for the last 2 weeks (I wasn’t able to post last week)..

pizza,chicken wings,salad (we invited my inlaws for dinner)

corned beef (dinner at my In laws for St.Patricks)

potatoes and cabbages (perfect together with the corned beef)

We went out/ate out couple of times too:

Snoqualmie Casino "Fall Buffet" — Snoqualmie Casino “Fall Buffet”

King Crab leg galore! — King Crab legs galore!

Jimmy John's sandwich (so fresh,we love it) — Jimmy John’s sandwich (so fresh,we love it)

Take out from Agave Cosina restaurant! steak nachos is our fave lately

Grocery Haul/Savings!

This is my Grocery Haul this week! I shopped at Fred Meyer(Kroger affiliate) and Trader Joe’s. We still have milk and bread from last week, so I didn’t buy any this week. Most of the items are on sale and I only used 1 coupon (for the eggs). We try to eat organic meat, milk, and eggs, but for baking I use non-organic eggs.

all produces were organic(all sale);Paid $15.80

Trader Joe's Haul! Paid $10.58 — Trader Joe’s Haul! Paid $10.58

I hope you’re having a great friday evening friends! Hubs and I are watching Sherlock ( british series).

Hits Deep Tour!

Last month, The Hits Deep Tour with Toby Mac and friends visited Seattle and I just had to watch it! Toby Mac is one of my favorite Christian singers and I love most of his songs (steal my show, speak life, lose my soul, city on our knees to name a few). Matt Maher (another fave of mine),Matthew West, Brandon Heath, and Mandisa were also there to perform. It was such a great event. A night full of worship and fun! It was such a blessing to hear my favorite Christian music live and see the artists perform. Thank you Lord for that wonderful experience:)

Savings!

This is my grocery haul this week. I got lucky this time because most of what I wanted to buy had marked prices. Even the cashier said that “you sure are in the right morning to shop!”. My favorite find was the steaks, which we already ate last night and were delicious! I’m always on the look out for natural/organic meat and chicken because they’re really pricey and if my store has it on reduced price I will most likely put it in my cart. Second favorite was the organic bread,they’re normally $3.49 for a loaf so I got excited to see that they’re reduced too (they are now in our freezer). I shop at Fred Meyer because it’s so close to my gym. I usually shop on Monday morning when it’s not crowded and less people are in the checkout area.

I paid $56 for this haul (regular price:$83)

After pic of the steaks!My hubs prepared this last night! — After pic of the steaks with blue cheese!My hubs prepared this last night!

my fave lately,roasted broccoli (i splurged and bought organic)

AFter my Fred Meyer trip, I stopped at Walgreens to pick up pineapple juice(they're onsale this week 2/$4.). I paid $13 for this. The soap and sweetener will be ship to the PI. — After my Fred Meyer trip, I stopped at Walgreens to pick up pineapple juice(they’re onsale this week 2/$4.). I paid $13 for this. The soap and sweetener will be shipped to the PI.

Hope you had a good Thursday family and friends! Happy shopping and savings:)

Food This Week!

Here’s what we ate this week:

pork belly in tomato sauce with potatoes and carrots

flatbread pizza (sausage,olives,artichoke)

Souffle Pancakes:I put nutella and banana,hubs had apple sauce and cinnamon

left overs for sunday dinner (aside from the salad)

I hope you get to eat some yummy food this week!

Savings!

I shopped at 4 stores this week, Grocery Outlet, Walgreens, Bartells, and Fred Meyer. I didn’t drive all over the place because 3 stores are in the same area. I wasn’t able to take pictures of my Fred Meyer haul because most of the items were produce and milk, which I put right away. My favorite haul this week was Grocery Outlet’s because I didn’t use any coupons and still saved.

Bartells:after coupon I paid $13 ( I had BOGO coupons for the nutella,they're onsale for $3) — Bartells:after coupon I paid $13 ( I had BOGO coupons for the nutella,they’re onsale for $3)

My furry son Riley in the picture is not very happy when I told him that he can’t have nutella because his Vet forbid him to eat chocolate!

Walgreens: After coupons and sale I paid $11

Food This Week!

It’s been a long week for us, both the hubs and I are sick this week and we are still recovering from this cold or whatever it is that hit our home. I cannot wait to be healthy again and have a good night’s sleep. Anyways, here’s what we ate this week: