Dinner, Lately: Volume 1

Okay, these don't LOOK all that appetizing, because I wasn't actually planning on putting these photos on the blog.. but what's a post without photos? Trust me there are some YUM options here. (Top: chicken marsala, left: shrimp and zucchini skillet, right: firecracker shrimp)

I saw a blogger start this series of posts on her blog and I absolutely love it. I don't know if I'm nosy, lack creativity, just plain hate picking what to make for dinner every night, or all of the above. But I do know that I enjoy seeing a peek into another gal's meal planing.
One tip I do have if you also hate meal planning (especially if you're husband also refuses to give ideas...) is to pick 3 separate proteins and then pick a meal using each of them. That definitely helps add variety. I also have whole lists of food we like to eat that I pick from. It helps for sure!

1. Grilled Hamburgers with Homemade Beer Battered Onion Rings.
This was a lot of work, so it was a Saturday afternoon meal. I wouldn't recommend this unless you have company. 2 onions is a LOT more than 6 servings, whatever the recipe said.
Onion Ring Recipe

2. Firecracker Shrimp
This is a favorite appetizer (also called bang bang shrimp) of ours from a couple local restaurants. I had to play with the ratios a bit to get the flavor I wanted, and I totally added sugar. It just needed it, in my opinion. I also used popcorn shrimp from the store and used my air fryer instead of frying my own.
Recipe

3. Pioneer Woman's Pan Fried Pork Chops.
The most flavorful chop you can imagine. I love this meal for easy cleanup and its overall quickness from start to finish. I use her cookbook, but this one was on the web!
Recipe

4. Chicken Fried Chicken w/ mashed potatoes and pan gravy
This is one of my most ordered meals at a restaurant, so I thought it was high time I made them at home. GOSH these were heavenly and SO unhealthy! lol! They reheated amazingly in my air fryer
Recipe

5. Creamy Shrimp and Zucchini Skillet
THIS IS HEAVENLY. When I made this, my kitchen smelled like Olive Garden, and I can say I loved this recipe way more than anything I've had at that restaurant. So delicious and decadent while also being filled with veggies. I roasted my own red pepper with my broiler and did add a little sweet blush boxed wine that I had in the fridge when it said to deglaze the pan with wine. Probably not the wine she had in mind, but it was so awesome. I will be adding this into our rotation, because it was so quick and simple, but absolutely divine. My husband thought this one was a winner as well!
Recipe

6. Chicken Marsala + Butter Parsley Noodles
This is for sure a favorite recipe as well. I've made it twice and both times turned out absolutely fabulous. My toddler ate and ate and ate this meal. Kid approved!

The Recipe I used is not online, but for sure get this cookbook if you need a new one, it's my fav.

-Looking to the future, I'm planning on french dip sandwiches, carrot ginger soup, biscuits and gravy, and working on the perfect at home cooked steak. I heard rumor there is a fantastic Gordon Ramsey YouTube out there on this, so I will be doing some research!
Hope this helped!

xoxo, Love.Haight

Tuesday Tip- A Cheap and Easy Meal Rotation Option

I have found that planning my weekly meals has definitely saved me a lot of money over the years because I waste a lot less food, and I don't buy things I don't need as often. (Oreos still make it into the cart more often than I care to admit! ;)

One of the most cost effective things to buy once or twice a month for my weekly meal rotation is a rotisserie chicken. For a small family like mine (my husband, me, and one toddler) a $7 rotisserie chicken will provide the protein for 2 meals AND create a chicken broth to use as a base for a soup. (Which A. will make your soup tastes better and B. saves you $1 to $2 when you don't have to buy a box of chicken stock!)


Here are a few easy ideas of how to use your rotisserie chicken up before making your stock!

1. Put over a salad.
2. As is with a vegetable side or mashed potatoes.
3. Sheet pan nachos! (Cover a pan with chips then rotisserie chicken, black beans, corn, jalapenos, and cheese! Bake until everything is melty and warm!)
4. Chicken Alfredo. (Make your favorite noodles, THIS alfredo sauce, and then throw in some chicken and frozen broccoli if you want!)
5. Chicken Salad sandwiches. (Shredded chicken, mayo/miracle whip, granny smith apple, celery, grapes etc. Serve over bread or crackers!)
6. Chicken noodle soup - yum.

Once your done with the chicken, throw the carcass into a pot with water and boil into a stock. Then use that stock in soups or sauces that call for it. My favorite is this carrot and ginger soup!

xoxo, Love.Haight

Friday Five: 8.24

One of my favorite bloggers does Friday Fives, and I wanted in on that today. I love just sharing random useful bits of information that make people's lives better or things that just provide a smile. So here we go!

1.  Recipes I'm LOVING

Copycat Applebee's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Guys... this is SO GOOD. I've had it a lot from the restaurant and can honestly say this basically tastes EXACTLY LIKE IT. My husband and I loved going to Applebee's and splitting this with the 2 for $20, and then a couple months ago, our location just suddenly closed. All the Tears. But now with this recipe, I can at least enjoy this appetizer. Now if I could just find a copycat recipe for their Honey Pepper Chicken 4 cheese Mac.
Here you go: RECIPE

So cheesy and delcious!

Cafeteria Lincoln Logs

If you've never had one of these peanut butter/chocolate/coffee desserts you are MISSING out people. They are an all time favorite. Just try it and thank me later.
Here you go: RECIPE

You won't regret these... well maybe the scale will once you eat them all. Ha!

*Healthier* 2 Ingredient Pumpkin Cake

Yesterday I wanted something sweet and so I was looking through my pantry. I came up with a can of pumpkin and a boxed cake mix. So I googled those ingredients together, and low and behold a recipe popped up with JUST THOSE INGREDIENTS! What?! Score. So I immediately tried it. And within about half an hour, I had a delicious cake that tasted like fall. YES! And without eggs and oil, it's actually a fairly healthy option when you're craving cake. You're welcome! Techincally mine had 3 ingredients, because I only had yellow cake mix so I added a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to my recipe, but a spice cake base won't need that. This is for sure what I'm making when my kid comes home one day and goes, I need to bring a dessert to ____ tomorrow.
Here you go: RECIPE

Fall in a cake

2. My Current Favorite Pieces from ShopLoveHaight 

I absolutely love my little boutique. I have had such a great response from people about what I carry. Here's a few of my favorite things- and you can buy them directly from this page! Pretty neat huh? :)

3. What I'm Reading

I am trying to become more intentional about reading. I can't even believe I'm saying this... I once wrote a Facebook status that made fun of people who had to make resolutions to read more. I used to say that was like breathing... Well, the joke's on me, because now I'm the busy mama, boutique owner, housewife, blogger that doesn't read.

I've gotten back into requesting from Net Galley and so I'm currently in the middle of a new book by Tatiana de Rosnay. She wrote Sarah's Key, which was excellent. I'm a chapter or two in as of last night and I'm laughing because while I'm enjoying the writing, I don't actually even know what the premise of the book is yet. Anyway, it's called The Rain Watcher, and they're currently in Paris, so what's not to love?
Here's a post of all my summer reads and my recommendations!

4. Vivian's 7 Month Birthday

I just recently rounded up some of my favorite items we had for her HERE.
I can't believe she is closer to her 1st birthday than she is to her birth day if you get what I'm saying. She is sitting up unassisted (albeit a bit wobbly) babbling like crazy, rolling all over the place, grabbing everything she can get her hands on, sleeping in her own room, eating solids, and has completely stolen our hearts.

I loved this cute little outfit I got her for $3 at Target. Rose gold stars?! Totally my thing.

5. My Most Useful Bullet Journaling Pages 

I am absolutely loving my bullet journal. Every morning with my coffee I get up and write down what needs to get done. Whether it's shipping out orders or creating style boxes for my amazing girls in my Facebook Group (Check it out HERE) or just things I need to do around the house,  my bullet journal is keeping me organized!

So I'm loving my weekly spreads, my cleaning schedule, my weight loss page, and reading my Bible verses that I put on my monthly spreads. Those can be seen on my Instagram!
All my pages can be seen in a post HERE.

That's all for today!
xoxo, Love.Haight

Cafeteria Lincoln Logs (AKA Reese’s Bars)

I recently went through my recipes to send one to my engaged cousin. I stumbled upon an old childhood favorite from the cafeteria ladies in my small town, USA school. My brilliant mother had the foresight to ask the head lunch-lady for the recipe.

I was hosting book club, and thought it would be the perfect treat. I excitedly text the girls that I was making Lincoln Logs- the mind numbingly delicious treat I used to scrape my pennies together until I had the required .75 cents to buy one in middle school.... and *crickets*

They didn't even know what I was talking about. "Is that like French toast and sausage?" one asked.
"I thought it was raisins on a peanut butter coated celery stick!" texted another.

Oh my stars. I was about to blow their minds.

At the end of book club night they decided they should be called Reese's bars, thanks to the delicious peanut butter and chocolate combo. Do you, people; Reese's Bars is an apt name.

As for me, I will keep calling them Lincoln logs and will taste a little bit of my perfect childhood with every bite. So brew yourself a cup of coffee (you'll need some for the recipe) and get baking!

Bar:

Ingredients:
1 cup Margarine/Butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 2/3 cup oatmeal

Method:
1. Cream butter and sugars together
2. Add peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla
3. Add all dry ingredients
4. Spread onto a 15 1/2 x 11 sprayed cookie/jelly pan
5. Spread dough to within 1" of the edge
6. Bake 8-10 min @ 350 degrees
Do not overbake- bars will look slightly underdone.
7. Cool and frost

Before Oven:

Baked:

Frosting:

Ingredients:
1/2 package of powder sugar
2 Tbs margarine/butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients
2. Then add hot coffee (or hot water- but I recommend the coffee) to the mixture until it is a spreadable consistency

Eat and Enjoy!

xoxo,
LoveHaight

Shrimp Alfredo: Feel like You're Eating Out when You're Really In

A step by step photo guide to making this meal happen!

 The first thing you need to look at is THIS RECIPE to make the alfredo. It is amazing. It is below, but please know that it is NOT my recipe, it comes from HERE                               

 Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese 

Instructions

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt butter. Add garlic, cream, pepper, and salt.
2. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 8 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and slowly add cheese.
4. Return to stove on low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Love.Haight Additional tips:

Use real cheese! Not that pre-grated crap from a baggy. 

Use real garlic... and buy a mincer. Do NOT waste your time cutting with a knife. Just sayin'

Don't skimp on cream if you want a truly delicious dinner

INVITE FRIENDS OVER- I don't like how this reheats. It will easily serve 4 people.

 Real cheese- not That pre-grated crap in the bag.

Grate it into a measuring cup

Slowly add it to your mix (butter/cream/etc)

 Cook the linguini/spaghetti/noodles according to the box directions!

 While those noodles are cooking you need to start the alfredo sauce and fry up the shrimp.

 Use olive oil in the bottom of a pan and let it heat up.

 Rinse the frozen shrimp under water until they are no longer frozen together.

 Add 2 ingredients - Salt and Pepper

 I like them well seasoned... obviously. haha!

 At this point, you should have everything simmering away on the stove. It takes focus to have everything going at once, so don't try and multi-task.

 Now dump the shrimp into the cream...

 Dish up the noodles.

Add the shrimp....

Serve up!!

 Enjoy!

 This truly is fantastic, and I hope you invite friends over to WOW them!

Favorite kitchen tools pictured above:
Tongs:



Fiesta Pans:


xoxo,

When You're Craving All the Things

You know those comfort foods that you want to reach for when things get crazy? When you can't even decide if you want brownies, cookies, or cookie dough? I've got the perfect recipe for you to make. It's an amazing combination of all those things.

These delicious sandwich desserts are a brownie cookie outer shell, with a fake (eggless) cookie dough filling. I found these a couple years ago on Pinterest. The original recipe is from Heaven to 350. Definitely go check out her post for more information.

You'll need:

For the Cookies:

•  2 eggs
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For the Filling:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 13 oz container marshmallow creme (This is really the secret ingredient!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Read more: http://www.heatovento350.com/2011/04/brownie-cookie-dough-sandwiches.html#ixzz4B353f1hu

Step 1: Create the Brownie Cookies

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and then the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. 
3. Combine the salt, cocoa, flour, baking powder and baking soda and gradually stir into the creamed mixture.
4. Shape dough into similar sized balls (to make better sandwiches) and place on a baking sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass.
   

1. Bake 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are puffy and the tops are cracked. You want to make sure that the cookies are still soft. Allow cookies to cool completely. (Before assembling into sandwiches)

Step 2: Create the Filling

Cream the butter until fluffy (you may want to use an electric mixer.) Add sugar and beat well. Slowly add the flour and beat until it's all incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and beat until mixture is smooth. Add the mini chocolate chips last.

Step 3: Assemble the Cookies

Match up the cookies in pairs as close in size as you can.
Scoop a good amount into each sandwich.

Step 4: Eat and Enjoy

These are truly delicious (but not the healthiest option!) so go ahead and share these with friends and family! They will love your forever!

We Didn't Eat Out for a Month- Here's What Happened

My husband and I didn't go out to eat for the entire month of April. I thought it might be helpful for you all for me to share my experience. There were some things I expected to happen (and some I didn't) and the results might surprise you as much as they did me! Without further ado- the post!

Things I Expected to Happen

1. I thought we would save money

This is an obvious one, and one that we were most curious about. One day I hope to stay home with our future babies, and when that time comes I would be doing more cooking at home. We were wondering how much money that would save us.

2. I thought I would lose weight 

Everyone always talks about the amount of calories we all eat when we go out- especially mindlessly: the rolls, the unlimited chips and salsa, etc. I figured there was no way my cooking would be as unhealthy.

3. I thought I would miss eating out

I looooove eating out. I really thought I would crave it a lot and end up cheating. Initially we set a once a week cheat meal. 

4. I thought I would struggle with time management making meals

I am getting my master's and had classes Tuesday and Thursday night for 3 hours each, plus homework, plus my full time job, plus this blog. Where would I find the time to cook and meal plan?

5. I thought our love life might be negatively impacted without date night

Date nights our important way for me to spend time with my husband. I love asking him silly questions and making him open up about things when we go out to eat. I didn't want to lose that time.

The Results

1. We saved money

It's a bit strange sharing our credit card spending online, and I'm sure some people are going to be judgey about it, but if people are really going to see the difference, they'll have to see the trends. This is all the statements for 2016. The last one, is 95 percent of April, and the amount is a staggering amount lower. Even though we spent more on groceries, those trips to the store didn't add up to the amount we ever spent at restaurants. 

 

 

My husband said that another reason we spent less was because since we weren't going out to eat, we also weren't going out doing other things that would cost us money. To be fair, we also didn't travel or make any large purchases or do house renovations. 

2. I did not lose weight

I was so surprised that my weight stayed steady. I really thought I would drop 3-5 pounds by not eating out all month because of the amount that we did eat out. This taught me that perhaps my portions are the problem and the snacking- not the meals. However, I will say that I think I "looked better" even though my weight hadn't changed.

3. I did not really miss eating out!

I totally thought I would crave all my favorites! But the truth is, I rarely craved it, and even now that it's over I'm not craving. Perhaps it really is an addiction and I've somewhat broken it. I wrote this post May 12th and I've only gone out once since this "ended." We do have plans to eat out this weekend though for my hubby's birthday!

4. Time management got much easier.

I learned how to plan ahead, and my grocery list making became much more important. I threw away/wasted less food, which is really great! My husband got into cooking too- he made dinner Tuesday nights when I had class from 4-7. That was a shock!

5. My husband and I actually got closer

Making dinner together and spending time together actually made me feel closer to my husband. We made grocery lists together and grocery shopped together. I loved it. When he helped out and made dinners on Tuesdays I just loved him even more!

Overall, I'm thrilled with the results of our no eat out month. I think we learned skills that will help us in the future with saving money and managing our household! 

I hope this post encourages you in some way, or was helpful to you deciding whether you should give your household this same challenge! 

Thanks for stopping by!