Stitch Fix

It has been quite awhile since I have done a blog post.  I thought I would do a blog post with all of my thoughts regarding my recent Stitch Fix experience.  I have been seeing so many Facebook posts about Stitch Fix, and I wanted to see what all of the hype was about.

For those of you who have never heard of Stitch Fix, here is my definition of it in a nutshell:  Stitch Fix is a service in which you have a personal stylist.  You fill out a very, very detailed style profile about yourself, and based upon your likes and dislikes, body shape, and if you choose Pinterest board, your personal stylist sends you a box with five items in it.  You can keep and pay for any items in the box or you can send them back.  There is a $20 styling fee, which can go towards an item in the box, however if you decide not to keep any of the items, it is non-refundable.
If you want to see what it is all about, copy and post the below link...
https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4842300

Sometimes I feel like my dressing/style gets in a funk, and I thought this would be a fun way to mix it up a bit.  It is important that you keep in mind that the goal is to get some great pieces to add to your wardrobe - it is seldom that you receive your first box and absolutely love every piece.  Some things that I love about the Stitch Fix process:

1.  You can decide if you want this to be a reoccurring subscription (you get a "fix" every month, every two months, or every three months) OR you can decide that you do not want this to be a reoccurring subscription (you can just go in and pick an available date that you want your first "fix" to arrive and then decide in the future if you want to do it again).
2.  The very detailed style profile that you fill out.  It might seem a little daunting, but it is worth it.  There are even questions about how much shoulder, cleavage, etc... you like to flaunt.  While that might be an odd question, I would rather it be asked and be happy with the items that I receive than be unpleasantly surprised.
3.  The ability to link a Pinterest board to Stitch Fix.  This was huge.  I was able to go and pin outfits I liked and then in the comments for each pin, I could be very specific about what it was that I liked.  I even pinned three pictures of myself.  I pinned a picture of me dressed up for Easter Sunday last year, a picture of me going out for my husband's work's Christmas dinner, and a picture of me out at a park.  I wanted my stylist to have a good sense of me. In case you are curious what to put on your Pinterest Board, here is mine...
https://www.pinterest.com/kimberleepowell/stitch-fix-inspiration-board/
4.  The ability to leave a note to your stylist.  I was able to leave a note about my style to my stylist.  I let her know that I am a full time stay at home mom, who is chasing a 2-year old around.  The clothing that I wear needs to be practical and something that I can get up and down in over and over again throughout the day.  I also made a request.  I requested that there might be a Maxi Skirt and/or cropped pair of pants in the box.  I have read quite a few reviews where the customer requested an outfit for a specific occasion.  How convenient is that ?!?
5.  You get three days.  You get three days to try on every item that you receive in your box.  You can pair the items with things you already own and decide which items you really want to keep.  Whatever you don't want to keep you return in the included prepaid mailing bag.  If you decide to keep all five items, you will get 25% off your total purchase.
6.  Feedback.  You can give specific feedback about each of the items you receive - why you like it or specifically why you do not.  This feedback will help your stylist with your future "fixes" if you decide to have any.
7.  You receive a handy dandy little card with clothing combinations for each item you receive with great ideas of how to best wear the item. Here is one of mine.

Here are some pictures of the items that I have received...

This gray shirt was super soft, but it wasn't in the budget for the month, so I sent it back.  I did make sure to leave feedback that I did love the shirt, but it wasn't in the budget so that my stylist would know that she got the style part right.

The cropped jeans were everything that I wanted in a pair of cropped jeans.  I mentioned to my stylist in the note that I left before I received my Stitch Fix that I didn't want any jeans with holes in them.  I know for some that seems silly, but in this household we are good about naturally getting holes in our jeans.  I was thrilled with these, and I kept them.

The dark jean jacket was cute, but I already have something similar, which fits me better, so I sent it back.

So, the orange shirt was a much brighter shade of orange than what I would normally wear or want to wear.  I wasn't a big fan of the tie front bottom.  I would also have to wear a tank underneath this one to really feel comfortable in it.  Needless to say, it too went back.

The navy and gray maxi skirt will get much use.  I love it.  I wore it on Easter, which worked out great because what I originally was planning on wearing wasn't going to work with the rainy weather. The maxi skirt really fit the bill.  I think there will be more maxi skirts in my future.

Overall, I really enjoyed my Stitch Fix experience, and I plan on having more "fixes" in the future.  If you haven't checked them out, feel free to copy and paste the below link and see what all of the hype is about.

https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/4842300

The "Due Date" vs the "Birth Date"

So, I haven't posted in a very long time -sorry.  Before I forget all of the details leading up to the birth of Julia, I thought that I would do a blog post.  If you aren't into reading about another person's birth story, please feel free to stop reading right now.  So, why am I writing this today?  Well, today is Miss Julia's 1st birthday.  Time has truly flown by, and it amazes me that she at one time fit and grew over the course of nine months (give or take) in my belly.  In the midst of cleaning up from her Classic Winnie the Pooh 1st Birthday, I am going down memory lane and remembering all that led up to her birth.  By the way, I will try to do a post on her 1st Birthday Party shortly...

Let's start at the beginning of the end of my pregnancy.  On January 10th, 2013 Jordan and I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at one of my favorite (now non - existent) restaurants; Restaurant AVA.  The waiter couldn't believe that my due date was the very next day and that we were actually out eating.  Jordan and I knew that the chances of Miss Julia arriving on her due date were slim to nothing, especially since our goal was to have this birth all natural, which mean no inducing.  Needless to say, January 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th rolled around, with no action.  I was feeling quite comfortable for being that far along.  I wasn't too concerned about being past my due date.  I had taken some fabulous Bradley classes and learned that the average 1st time mom is pregnant 8 days past her due date, and that the average 1st time mom was in labor for 17 hours.  To be honest, I was not wanting to speed up the whole 17 hours of labor.  While I was excited about eventually meeting Julia, I wasn't so up on the whole birth part.

Let me stop right here for a sec and answer a question that I have gotten in the past.  If I am not up on the whole pain of labor for 17 hours, why not use a hospital with pain meds?  That is a great question.  I will be the first to tell you that I don't like pain, and I will also be the first to tell you that I don't like the idea of staying at a hospital with sick people.  I also know that sometimes when you add in pain meds, you can actually slow the birth process down.  It can also be harder push and to know when to push if you are on pain meds.  While this isn't the case with all births involving pain meds, I know it is with some.  Jordan and I talked about it, and we both decided that it would be nice to be able to be home sooner than later.  I knew that I would be more comfortable recovering from the birth in my own home, my own bed, etc...  For these reasons we decided to have a baby at the Allen Birthing Center and to trust my body to know when it was time to have a baby.

Back to the story...  The evening of Wednesday, January 16th rolled around, and I had 6 hours of back labor.  It started around 8:30pm.  We truly thought "this" could be "it."  Because my contractions were not at consistent intervals, we stayed put for the evening.  We knew that the next day I would have an appointment at the birthing center.  At the appointment we were told that I was at a 4 and 80% effaced.  We were given the option to take measures to speed the process along and actually have Miss Julia that day.  Jordan and I were both exhausted and I felt as though I had no energy to labor.  We decided to go home that evening and let my body decide when Julia was to be born.

Jordan stayed home from work that Thursday and Friday, and I caught up on some sleep knowing that I wouldn't have many more days of a full nights rest once Miss Julia made her grand entrance.  Saturday rolled around, and I went and had a manicure, and then Jordan and I met up with his parents for an early celebration lunch for Jordan's birthday on the 22nd.  We had a relaxing evening at home.

7:30am on Sunday, January 20th my labor really started. There wasn't a buildup because the labor that I had the previous Wednesday night was the buildup.  I went from nothing to my contractions lasting a minute and being five minutes apart.  Jordan called my doula and let her know and she encouraged us to call the midwife to see what she suggested.  My doula was pretty sure that the midwife was going to want us to head to the birthing center and not wait around.  Sure enough, the midwife jumped in the the shower changed into her scrubs and called Jordan as she was leaving and had him load me in the car.  I know that at this point my brain wasn't working.  I was actually very frustrated and was nervous about going to the birthing center because I was afraid that I wasn't far enough along and that they would send me home.  It was like I had forgotten that I had already progressed on the previous Wednesday.  Needless to say, I wasn't the easiest person to convince to get into the car... Jordan had a time of it.

We pulled up to the birthing center, and my doula met us at the car and helped me get inside.  I was checked upon arriving - I was a 7 1/2, so I was staying put.  We went upstairs to the birthing suite.  Candles were lit, lights were dimmed, and relaxing music was played.  I labored on a birthing ball for a bit.  Jordan and Shannon (my doula) applied lots of pressure on my lower back, and Jordan made sure that I was getting plenty of apple juice, yogurt, apple sauce, etc... (Yes, at a birthing center or home birth, you eat food as you labor because you need energy to birth a baby.)  After awhile, I moved into a birthing pool/tub.  I wanted to relax if at all possible in the water.  As soon as I hit the water, I entered transition.  If you know anything about birth, this is the part for many that can be very hard and painful.  It was definitely very painful for me. Jordan would say that transition was when he would have gladly taken me to the hospital;  for him it was very scary.  Luckily we had a great doula, midwife, and birthing assistants.  Their calm demeanor really encouraged him.

When the birthing assistant suggested I could push whenever I felt ready, I thought she was crazy.  I knew that statistically I should be in labor for at least 17 hours.  It was no where near 17 hours at that point.  She checked me in order to reassure me that I could push when I felt ready.  I was a 9 or 9 1/2. When transition ended, I got up out of the tub and moved to the bed.  Twenty minutes later give or take a few, and Julia made  her grand entrance at 12:26pm.

So today, I celebrate not only Julia's birthday, but also my "birth date," which was not on my due date.  In a matter of seconds, I went from being a wife to being a wife and a mother.  We went from two to three.  Our lives are very richly blessed.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel...

This blog post is not intended to make you think that I dislike being a mom, but rather to support those that have or are going through the questioning as to whether or not there is a light at the end of the tunnel when is comes to raising little ones.

My sweet Julia just turned 7 months (as of August 20th), and to tell you the truth up until two weeks ago I would be lying to you if I said "I love motherhood."  This doesn't mean that there weren't moments during her first six month of life that I didn't love, I mean who can resist her smile and giggles :)  But truly, up till about two weeks ago, her temperament was soooo unpredictable.  For the most part, she was semi-happy or screaming (no, I don't think that she had colic, I think that she is/was a baby...).  Those of you who know me and her, are probably sitting there aghast - "How can Kimberlee say such things?!?!"  I remember speaking to a dear friend in years past, and her describing this same thing.  She mentioned that she wouldn't mind skipping the first few to six months and moving right into the fun times.  I think what happened (at least with Jordan and me) is Julia was very busy growing and it wore her out and the only way she could express herself was to scream.  I mean, she started army crawling two-three months ago and then all she focused on was how to crawl.  She started crawling a few weeks ago and is now pulling up on anything that she thinks is stable.  Not to mention, right now she is cutting two teeth.  That is A LOT for one little body to take.  So, why am I writing this?  It isn't to complain, I promise.  Instead for two reasons:

1.  For those of you with little ones.  It will get better.  I know that you hear this all the time from people and you also here that time flies and you are sick of hearing these things and probably want to step on the toes of those that tell you this stuff.  But, they are not lying... Time does fly, I was looking at Julia sitting up and playing with a teether and I pulled open a video on my iPad of her just maybe three days old.  In this video, she was as stable as a rag doll and needed me for everything.  She still needs me for almost everything but what a difference today is compared to January 20th, 2013 (when she was born).  It will get better... when you are in the midst of the screaming call someone... find someone that will just listen.  I remember expressing frustration to someone during this time, and they didn't realize that I was just venting and they actually somewhat chided me for the way I was feeling.  If you are the person that someone is speaking to, don't chide them unless you think that they would harm their little one.

2.  I am writing this because one day IF Jordan and I decide to add to our family through birthing a baby, I have a feeling my brain (what is left of it that is) will not remember any of this, at least not to the extent that I do today.  I will need to read back on some of these thoughts and remind myself that it will eventually get better.

So, there is a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.  I am getting to see rays of it daily with Miss Julia. She is very smart.  She smiles so much and loves getting kisses.  She is even trying to kiss others.  We have fun playing a rendition of "peek-a-boo." She sits at the dinner table with us every evening and is trying new foods (whatever we are eating).  Some of the things she has tried includes: buttered dill carrots, pasta, pizza crust, green beans, artichokes, etc...  I have a horrible feeling that she will be walking before I am ready. My favorite time of the day is first thing in the morning with her.  I am blessed with an amazing husband that does her evening and morning feedings and gives me a break.  After her morning feedings, Jordan comes downstairs with her and sits with her on the couch, while I load or unload a dishwasher and get my coffee ready (MUST HAVE TWO CUPS to get through the day!!).  What I love about this time, is watching her with her daddy.  She snuggles up to him - she puts her head on his chest and has her little arms wrapped around him, and she just lays there contently for 15+ minutes.  I need to get a picture sometime (Jordan would kill me - he is in boxers and a T-Shirt).  

I will end with some fun photos of Miss Julia.

Adoption Funds Needed!!

I am sure that the title of this post really grabbed your attention.  I am sure that you are sitting there thinking, "Didn't they just have a little one... are they now adopting??"  Well, to answer your question, at this moment in time, Jordan and I are not adopting.  Instead, I am advocating (which is a nice way to put "begging") for you to help out a friend of mine that is more like an extra sister to me.  This post will not begin to do justice to how amazing this family is - I hope that you read on and truly consider helping them.

Meet the Adams' Family

Rebecca and her husband, Luke are in the process of adopting two beautiful girls.  To tell you the journey that the two of them have been through in the past, would bring many of you to tears (both joy and sadness). They have been married for a little over eight years.  After three miscarriages, they were blessed in 2008 with the birth of one of the smartest little boys I have ever met - Micah.  When Micah was almost four months old, Rebecca was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.  She underwent chemo, surgery, radiation, and Herceptin (a breast cancer drug).  She went through all of these things with the amazing, never-ending support of her husband.  Because of the treatments that she underwent, the chances of her being about to be pregnant again were slim to nothing.  After much prayer and time to absorb this new information, they decided to adopt.  On August 18th, 2011 they brought home a sweet, very energetic little boy named Levi.  Levi's story and and how he became part of the Adams' family truly has God's handwriting all over it.  So, skip a few years, and you are here.  Rebecca and Luke are now in the process of adopting two more children... that are 11 and 16 years old.

Meet Stella

Meet Lily

I know that many people are probably wondering why they aren't looking at adopting younger children.  They are adopting older children because when children in the country that they are adopting from hit 16 years of age, they are "aged out" of the system.  So, what does that mean?  It means that if you are 16 years old and you aren't adopted, you really don't have much to celebrate on your birthday because you are "sent packing" with the clothes on your back.  That is it - no financial aide for these kiddos.  The saddest thing is that about 60% of the girls turn to prostitution to make money when they are thrown out.  Rebecca and Luke feel called by God to adopt Stella and Lily.

This adoption is a blessing and a curse.  They are adopting from a country that is pretty speedy with the process.  The blessing is that they will have their girls pretty quickly - we are talking 5-7 months.  The curse is that there is less time to raise funds for this.  So, I am asking you to consider helping them out.  There are sooo many ways that you can help the.

The first way and one of the most important things that you can do for them is to pray for them and this journey that they are going on.  Pray that God blesses them with the funds needed.  Pray that the transition the two girls will be making when they move to this country are seamless.  Pray for patience for Luke and Rebecca as they quickly add two more people to their home in the near future. Pray that these two girls see the love that God has for them through Rebecca and Luke.

Secondly, you can give your money to them.  I am going to be very blunt about this.  They have a bunch of fundraisers below which I will highlight, in which companies are giving them part of the funds from your purchases.  Yes, it all adds up, and I will tell you right now that Luke and Rebecca are two of the most gracious people and appreciate every single penny.  BUT, if you have the funds and can actually just write a check - that money will go 100% towards their adoption.  You can mail them a check directly (email me and I will send you their address) or you can contribute through Reese's Rainbow (the link is on the upper left of their blog page beccaleigh80.blogspot.com).  If you go through Reese's Rainbow, you will get a receipt for your taxes next year.  It is costing them over $26,000.00 for the two girls, so every little bit helps.  Think about it, if you cut a weekly Starbucks run, you could donate $18.40 (if you get the grande caramel macchiato with extra caramel like me).

The other options are the actual fundraisers they have going on.
If you shop with Amazon, use the below link to do your shopping and they will receive 4-6% of your purchase.
http://www.amazon.com/ref=as_li_tf_sw?&linkCode=wsw&tag=helpithehelpl-20


They are also selling bracelets made in Haiti here.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.147280045457681.1073741828.131818133670539&type=1


All commissions from her Usborne Books business is supporting this process as well.  If you need any great children's books for your kids or a gift for a birthday party, they have great stuff.
https://w3768.myubam.com/


This month she is also doing a Thirty-One Online show.
https://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/eventhome.aspx?eventId=E3432979&from=DIRECTLINK&verify=true

So, that is my super long post about some amazing people.  My next post will be more light-hearted :)

Yummy Grownup Mac 'N Cheese

I feel like this week I have finally recouped from Jordan's and my trip to North Carolina, which I will be doing a post about this weekend.  This week, I tried a new recipe out of a cookbook that Jordan and I received for our 9 year anniversary from his parents.  We received the fabulous cookbook and a gift card to Central Market, which was absolutely perfect for us.  The cookbook is "What's for Dinner" by Curtis Stone.  Jordan and I really enjoyed watching all of the reruns of "Take Home Chef" on Netflix (if you haven't seen these and you like cooking shows, make sure that you check them out).  Of course the chef on this show is Curtis Stone; so, when we received this cookbook we were super excited.

All of that being said, his recipes are somewhat labor intensive if you are juggling an almost 6 month old.  They are super yummy recipes though...  As you can imagine, I did some of the cooking and prep work during various naptimes.  Below is the recipe.  Also below the recipe, I put some fun finds while out today.  I hope that you enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Pasta Bake with White Cheddar

Ingredients:

6 TB olive oil, plus more for the baking dish

1 head of cauliflower (about 2 lbs), cored and cut into large bite-size florets

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

18 oz (about 8 cups) broccoli florets

1 1/2 cup (about 5 oz) penne

4 oz pancetta, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 TB finely chopped fresh thyme

1 TB all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (5 oz)

1 cup very coarse fresh multigrain bread crumbs (I cheated and used basic bread crumbs in a canister)

Directions:

1.  Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to  400F.  Lightly oil your baking dish.

2.  On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 TB of the olive oil to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread evenly on the baking sheet.  On a second baking sheet, repeat with the broccoli florets and 2 more TB of the olive oil.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Stir each sheet of vegetables and switch the positions of the baking sheets from top to bottom.  Bake for about 10 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tinged with brown.  Set aside.  (Leave the oven on.)

3.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the penne and cook, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, for about 7 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite.  Drain the pasta.

4.  Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat.  Add 1 TB of the olive oil and the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until the pancetta is browned and crisp.  Add the onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, or until the onions are tender and slightly browned.  Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture, then stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, or until it is very pale golden brown.

5.  Gradually stir in the milk and cream.  Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, or until the sauce is lightly thickened and has no raw flour taste.  Remove from heat, add the cheddar cheese, and stir until melted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6.Add the vegetables and penne to the cheese sauce and fold together.  Spread evenly in the baking dish.  In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs and the remaining 1 TB olive oil to coat, then sprinkle over the vegetable mixture (I just sprinkled with the breadcrumbs from a can).  Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden.  Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Now on to some good deals...

Today, Julia and I made a trip to Target and to the Dollar Tree (they are right next to each other in the same shopping center).  Below are some of the goodies that we purchased.

Target

Planters Nut-rition peanut butter is B1G1 free.  Right now it is $3.29.  There was a coupon recently for $1.00 off of two Planters products, but when I got to Target there was even a better deal on the peanut butter itself.  There was a coupon on the peanut butter for $1.50 off when you buy two.  So, I bought 4 peanut butters for $0.90 each.  Jordan eats peanut butter and honey sandwiches almost everyday for lunch, which makes this a FABULOUS deal.  Plus the flavors sound like fun ... Berry Nut and Cinnamon Raisin Granola Crunch.

As many of you know, I am a Pampered Chef Consultant, and this is the time of year when I purchase items like pens for my cooking shows (people always walk away with my pens).  Bic 10 count pens were $1.47 each.  I bought 4 packs with two coupons for $1.50 off of two packs, which makes each pack $0.72.

Dollar Tree 

Did you know that the Dollar Tree accepts coupons?!?

I purchased 2 boxes of Lugi's Frozed Italian Ice Cups for $1.00 each.  I had 1 coupon for $1.00 off two boxes.  So, I paid $0.50 per box.  Nice deal for this warm time of year.

I purchased two boxes of Hefty Slider bags for $1.00 each.  I had 1 coupon for $1.00 off two boxes of Hefty Slider Bags.  So, I paid $0.50 per box.

On a side note, the Dollar Tree has fabulous gift bags and tissue paper in bulk :)

Homemade Vegetable Broth - YUMMY!

This week, I ventured into making "Homemade Vegetable Broth."  I can't take credit for the original recipe.  I did find it off of Pinterest, and I made a few adjustments to fit my taste.  I have included the link to the original recipe at the bottom of this page.

Making the Vegetable Broth wasn't a random idea that I had.  I have actually been planning it for a bit, I just never got around to it.  I even had in my freezer, a freezer bag full of random vegetable pieces (you know the stalk of the broccoli, ends of the onion, tougher part of the celery, etc...) - anytime I would make something with vegetables I would just throw the ends into this bag.  One day, Jordan and I want a compost for our backyard to use on our vegetable garden, until then, I was trying to utilize and save scraps for a broth "one day."

So, when I decided to make my super easy crock pot Roast (Wedge 1-2 onions, peel and chunk up some carrots, chunk up some celery and wedge some red/new potatoes. Put all veggies on bottom of crock pot.  Place 1.5-2lb roast on top.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add 1 can beef broth and 1 can of cream of mushroom soup.  Cook for 8-10 hours), I decided that the broth would be easy to pull together that day as well.  I knew that I would have more veggie peelings and I also knew that I wouldn't have to do much with the roast.  

Side Note: Miss Julia didn't nap after her first feeding (usually we eat, play hard and then nap), but she was literally falling asleep as I was doing her second feeding.  All of that being said, I had a good 2.5+ hours to do all of the above.  Yes, it can be done w/o a sleeping child, but boy it helps when she is out :)

So back to the recipe...

In a stockpot bring 2TB extra virgin olive oil to heat. Add 2 sliced onions, 2 roughly chopped carrots, & 2 ribs of celery roughly chopped. Saute 3-5 minutes until the onions just start to become transparent.

Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and sweat for 30 minutes or until onions caramelize and turn a nice golden brown.  I actually would stir this occasionally...

Add 3 quarts of water (12 cups) and all of the random vegetable pieces/peelings that you have accumulated. Cover lower the heat and simmer for 1.5-2 hours.  I was stirring this occasionally as well... mainly, I was scraping the bottom of the stockpot to get all of browned pieces to loosen and combine.

Turn off the heat and then add your herbs.  I added some spicy oregano and bay leaves.  AND, for me MOST IMPORTANTLY.... SALT!!  I know, crazy, but the recipe didn't call for any and I tasted and tasted this and I wasn't happy.  I added salt and WOW what a difference.

Once cooled, strain the stock from the vegetables, making sure to compress the vegetables to get every ounce of stock out of them.

I then divided it among some freezer containers.  I was able to get 3 portions of 3 cups each out of this
recipe.

What do you like to do with broth/stock?  Jordan and I use it in soups, risotto, in replace of water when making rice, etc...

Here is the link to the original recipe.
http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2013/03/rich-and-flavorful-homemade-vegetable-broth-recipe/

Frugal Finds and a Fabulous Recipe...

As you can tell from previous posts, I really love a great deal.  So today, Miss Julia and I went to Wal-Mart on search for some great deals.  One important rule that I always follow, "If I am not going to use it, then no matter if it is even FREE, then it isn't a great deal."  That being said, I purchased a few things that were not on sale because they were items that I was out of.  Some of my hot deals are below...

2 Simply Lemonades ($2.00 each)
2 Coupons for $0.75 each
Total $2.50

4 packs Kraft 3-pack String Cheese ($1.00 each)
2 Coupons for $0.75 off of 2
Total $2.50

2 pkgs Pull-Ups Big-Kid Flushable Wipes ($1.64 each)
1 Coupon for $1.00 off
1 Coupon for $1.25 off
Total $1.03

2 lbs Strawberries ($1.98 per lb)
Price matched with Aldi's for $0.99 per lb

I am thinking that will be making some strawberry muffins with 1 lb  and then dehydrating the other 1 lb for a quick snack.

Julia had fun on this trip.  This was her first time to ride in a cart.

Now, the below is a frequented recipe in my house.  "Country Chicken Pot Pie" is one of those recipes that even tastes better the next day microwaved.  What I love about this recipe is the fact that one batch makes two pot pies, and I frequently double it (just as simple to double as to make one batch), which makes enough for four pot pies.  Tonight we will have one pot pie for dinner but there will be three other bagged pot pie fillings in the freezer.  I will say that this recipe does take a little prep work but it is sooo worth the effort.  I did most of the prep work while Julia was napping.  The below recipe is for one batch.  The pictures that I will be showing you are of the double batch.

Country Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup butter/margarine, melted
1/2 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup evaporated milk
4 cups cooked and chopped chicken
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (we use green beans)
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 total pie crusts; folded type like Pillsbury (You will only need 2 per pie)

Assembly Directions:
Saute onions, celery and carrots in butter in a large skillet over medium heat until tender.  Add flour and stir until smooth (really it is a little lumpy).  Cook one minute, stirring constantly.  Add chicken broth, and evaporated milk.  Cook stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in chicken, peas, salt and pepper.

Freezing Directions:
Cool and divide filling in half.  Place in one-gallon freezer bags.  Seal, label and freeze.  Keep frozen pie crusts on hand in their original packaging.

Serving Directions:
Thaw filling.  Bring pie crusts to room temperature.  Shape bottom pie crusts.  Add filling.  Cover with top crust.  Pinch edges of the two crusts together and then flute or crimp.  Make a few slits in the top crust for the steam to escape.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Then bake covered with foil for 30 more minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yes, those are onion goggles that you see.  I purchased them awhile back from Sur la Table.

What is it about melted butter and veggies that makes you go "YUM!"

Complete! Now all that is left is to bag it up, cool it down and freeze it.  Enjoy!