Brown-Baggin' It

I am so excited to report that I managed to bring my lunch to work EVERY day for the ENTIRE month of August!  My running tally for the year so far is 128 lunches.  I can't imagine how much money we've saved and how much weight I haven't put on because of this. 

That's all. 

Cheers.  :)

Breakfast Fail

I was feeling ambitious this morning (plus we were out of yogurt for smoothies), so I tried to make myself an omelet for breakfast. I've never tried it before and I found instructions in our copy of "Be Thrifty". I thought I was doing OK until the eggs were almost done. Somehow I got to the point that I couldn't get the uncooked eggs on top to drain under the fluffy cooked eggs. I think they cooked enough that they weren't runny enough to slide underneath, but they weren't cooked enough to not be a little runny. (Wow, that sentence is pretty craptacular) Nevertheless, I carried on and added my cheese, green peppers, and onions to the middle, folded it over, and slid it onto my plate. It looked great. In my haste to sample my concoction I forgot to take a picture. I was hoping that the slightly runny eggs would continue to cook a little bit and solidify. Sadly that wasn't the case. Plus my green peppers and onions were frozen and I didn't have them over the heat long enough to warm up. So my lovely looking omelet was filled with slightly runny eggs in the center and cold veggies. Next time I will try it with just two eggs and I'll find a way to warm up the veggies before I add them. I think having three eggs made the omelet too thick for the top to cook before the bottom started to burn. Or it was just my sloppy technique since this was my first attempt. Hopefully round two will go my way.

Pan-Roasted Chicken w Lemon Garlic veggies

We have another winner!!  The Kendi Haus has been on quite a streak when it comes to finding good recipes for dinner.  Kevin has gotten so good at cooking, I can honestly say I don't really miss eating out.  :) 

Last night was Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon Garlic green beans and potatoes from Real Simple, found here.  I chose this recipe because everything is made in one pan.  I thought it would be nice to pull the entire meal out of the oven in one shot.  We ended up using regular potatoes instead of red because that is what we had.  The green beans ended up getting a lot of lemon taste so next time, we will either use less lemons in the pan or try and put the potatoes between the lemons and beans.  All in all, this is a keeper!  Cheers!

Stats:
Cost:  less than $5
Servings:  4 (because that's what fit nicely in our dish)
Leftovers:  yes
Time:  1.75 hours

Pantry Pests and Pitty Pat's

So, this past weekend didn't exactly go according to the original plan.  We had an un-announced visit from a group that we didn't even know existed...

Allow me to introduce you to our house "guests", the pantry moth.  It seems that we have had the joyous occasion of rather several births in our pantry.  After noticing more than a few moths camped out on the ceiling, Kevin googled them and found out what they were and how to get rid of them.  And its neither fun, nor easy.  So Saturday was spend with vinegar and washcloths wiping down the entire pantry and checking every piece of food stored there.  One of my biggest pet peeves is waste.  Food, electricity, water, paper, you name it, I HATE wasting it.  So, when we started throwing away perfectly good pasta and walnuts, I was pretty pissed at our new "friends" at that point.  But, things could be worse, and after a $7 trap, a hunting kitty and some paper towels, the situation seems to be under control...unless we missed someone...

On a happier note, we finally cashed in my birthday coupon to go to Pitty Pat's Porch in Downtown Atlanta.  It's a Gone with the Wind themed restaurant and that just happens to be my favorite movie of all time.  Scarlett O'Hara is my hero.  And OMG, the food.  It. Was. Ah-MAZING!  By far the best fried chicken I have ever had (and I know that's blasphemy since I was raised on Frankenmuth fried chicken...)

Cheers!




Scarlett greets you when you walk in

This is Aunt Pitty Pat!



Kevin starts with an "Ankle Breaker"...



while I have a "Scarlett's Passion".




Appetizers:  Gumbo and Pecan Crusted Catfish




Kevin got the fried chicken.  Best. Chicken. EVER.



I got the 12 Oaks BBQ ribs (with a little JD in the sauce).  Notice the biscuits and cornbread in the background...



***Note***
      Everything about our dinner was budget savvy.  I bought a coupon for $45 on Travelzoo that got us $104 worth of food from Pitty Pat's (which we didn't even meet after 2 cocktails, 2 apps, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and a Sweet Tea), parking was free (Aunt Pitty validates) and my new dress was $17 from Target (it looks better in sunlight...)!

Best Baked Ziti Ever

I don't generally like to toot my own horn, but I'm not ashamed to say that I make some of the best baked ziti ever. It's my go-to meal for special occassions and Sunday dinner. It's probably the only dish I can make without looking at the recipe cards. I start by making a batch of homemade marinara. While the marinara is simmering I boil the noodles and cut/grate the cheese. Usually the noodles and marinara are done at just about the same time as I finish with the cheese. I mix together the ingredients, transfer to a baking dish, top with a layer of cheese, and stick it in the oven. Half an hour later we have a bubbling mass of cheesy goodness topped with a golden-brown layer of more cheesy goodness. Yum! Oh, and the leftovers are great for taunting your co-workers at lunch the next day.

It pairs great with a Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. This was the first meal I cooked in my new kitchen in Lansing. After spending a year without a functional kitchen I needed to celebrate with my favorite meal and one of my favorite wines - a 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon from McKenzie-Mueller. My brother and I discovered McKenzie-Mueller when I was visiting him in San Francisco several years ago. We were driving around hitting up some wineries in Napa Valley and stumbled on them after getting a recommendation from another winery. They aren't usually open for tastings, but it was the 4th of July so they had special hours. The owner spent a lot of time with us explaining all of the wines and letting us taste just about everything they make.

Stats:
Cost: $7
Servings: 6-8
Leftovers: Yes
Time: 60 min

6/12/10

Our wedding was one of the most fun, happiest, most exhausting days of my life.  It was a year (lifetime) in the making, with meaning behind every detail...

Cheers!

 

 

Dinner and a Movie

Kendi Haus friday nights are always very low key.  We usually curl up to a Netflix movie or long over due TV episodes.  Yesterday, fish and Red Tails.  Cheers!

Garlicky Grilled Tilapia with coucous

The recipe is courtesy of Real Simple and can be found here.  It is a really easy fish recipe that is sooo good!  Highly recommended!

Stats:

Cost:  $4

Servings:  2

Leftovers:  no

Time:  30 min

I love WWII movies.  I think everyone has a period in history they would love to visit and mine is 1940's America.  I believe that this generation is the greatest generation of Americans since the Revolutionaries (and probably the greatest the nation will ever see...).  Give me a good WWII movie any day.  And this one was pretty good.  :)

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A B A

We finally got around to setting up the gaming area in the bonus room. We decided that we didn't really want the video games hooked up to the TV in the living room, so everything has been sitting in boxes waiting for me to hook it up. I haven't hooked up the N-64, but the Wii and old school Nintendo are ready for action. I've been taking trips down memory lane with games of Tetris and Contra.

August Cold

I don't get sick that often.  But when I do, it usually puts me on my butt.  Thus my current situation: camped out in bed, pretty much for the entire evening, alternating between unconsciousness and delusional.  I knew I was in trouble last night when I lost the ability to breathe out of my left nostril.  I woke up this morning with so much pressure in my head, I'm surprised I didn't float around the room.  Who gets a head cold in August?!  This girl.  And instead of staying home and sleeping it off (which my body was BEGGING me to do), I sucked it up and went to work.  I'm the employee that always feels guilty about calling in, even though I truly am sick and need to stay home.

Cue my fabulous husband.  Kevin had chicken noodle soup and a Reese's cup waiting for me when I walked in the door.  After sleeping until 6, I had dinner curled up in bed and now it's off to take a shot of NyQuil and pass out.  

Cheers!

Chicken Noodle soup in bed.  Doesn't get any better than that!

be thrifty.

My mom sent us this book yesterday.  My mom has spent my entire life teaching me how to be thrifty, economical and most of all resourceful and creative.  I mean, this is the women who used to make her own Barbie clothes when she was a kid.  For the past few years, I have forgotten (or ignored) most of her teachings.  But times change, and situations happen that force us to go back to our roots and my roots are deeply planted in survival.  And survival these days goes hand-in-hand with economics.  So I give you this great resource, courtesy of my mom.

Cheers!

Farmer's Market

My FAVORITE place to shop for groceries is the Dekalb Farmer's Market.  For one thing, it's HUGE!  They're more like a super market.  Besides the fresh fruits and veggies, they have a deli, fish and meats, a dairy section, fresh flowers, a bakery and a very large wine and dried goods section.  But my favorite thing...the spices!!  The deals are redic.  I will never buy spices from a store again.  Kevin laughs at me because I get so excited when we run out of a spice.  What can I say?  I love a deal.  :)

Cheers!



Kevin heading toward the back, to the beer and wine.  :)





This is the spice wall.  You can't see it in the pic, but I'm pointing out the price.  $0.41 for this container of mustard seed!



(Cheap) Date Night

This past week, the Haus of Kendi has been finding cheap ways to entertain ourselves that don't involve movies or TV.  A recent trip to the dollar store resulted in this scene for almost a week straight...

The hardest puzzle the dollar store had to offer.  We finished it on Friday night.  I can't remember the last time I sat down and did a puzzle but I will definitely be going back for more. 

Cheers!

Summer Ravioli

Over here in the Kendi Haus, Kevin and I have a system for meals.  He enjoys cooking them, I enjoy eating them.  I am very fortunate to have a husband that is a really good cook.  Lately, we have established a pattern of me finding recipes to try, and Kevin trying them.  So far, it has worked out pretty well with a bunch of new dishes to add into dinner rotation.  Here was a keeper that we tried last night.

Summer Ravioli (originally found here) with our modifications:

1 package frozen ravioli
1 large, ripe tomato, washed, stem removed, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
¼ cup Italian parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons sweet butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup water
½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat to boiling, 5-6 quarts of water salted with kosher salt. Drop in the fresh pasta, being careful to separate the ravioli. Cook 4-5 minutes until al dente.
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan, add the cooked ravioli, tomato pieces and garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper. Toss and stir 5 minutes.
3. Raise the heat, add ¼ cup water. Simmer and reduce the sauce.
4. Serve on a plate, topped with a sprinkle of Italian parsley and grated cheese.

We changed the recipe on accident (note the use of pasta water in the original), but it still came out great.  Next time we try it, we'll cut back on the butter to make it a little bit healthier.  We try to only have one pasta dish a week, and this one is filling and gives you good left-overs for lunch (a must for any Kendi meal).  Highly recommended.

Cheers!

Stats
cost:  less than $6
servings:  4
leftovers:  yes
time:  35 minutes

DIY Laundry Soap

In an effort to save money (we have big dreams over here in the Kendi Haus), we have started making our own cleaning supplies.  Since I have become obsessed with Pinterest, like every female in America, I've found a lot of good ideas on how to clean just about anything in your house with basically vinegar, baking soda and borax.  When I mentioned it to my mom, she responded with, "I make my own..."

Since my mom hates the Internet, I knew she wasn't on Pinterest.  I was shocked to find out that she had beat me to this without the use of technology.  Turns out, women have been cleaning like this for decades.  I'm just late to the game.

Here is my mom's recipe for laundry soap (which she has been using successfully on her clothes for months):

3 cups Arm & Hammer Super Washing Baking Soda

3 cups Borax

1 cup Fels-Naptha soap (one bar equals one cup)

Shred the entire bar of Fels-Naptha soap.  Mix with the baking soda and borax.  Add 1/4 cup per load of laundry.  Use 1/2 cup for a large load.

While this recipe works fine for her, I upped the ante by adding more stuff to my laundry soap (I like my clothes SUPER clean).  I found a recipe that a lot of people were using through Pinterest here.   It is similar to my mom's recipe but there is a whole lot more of it, and it has Oxy-Clean in it, which I like for extra clean.  :)

Total cost for DIY Laundry soap = $18.15 (+ $10 for the container)

A bulk container of Tide costs about that much and you get 60-80 loads out of it.  The DIY batch gets about triple that amount.  I don't intend on buying laundry soap until sometime next year...

Cheers!

**Update**
       We have been using this laundry soap for a couple weeks and it seems to work just fine.  We have done sheets and slept on them and clothes.  But the biggest test was Kevin's biking shorts and shirt.  They came out smelling clean and fresh!  We have a winner!

**Update** 
        It is 10/29/13 and Kevin used the last of this batch of laundry soap.  I'd say that's $20 well spent.  Over a year supply!

Origin Story

All superheroes have an origin story.  You know, how they came to be who they are.  Superman's planet blew up and his parents sent him to Earth where some nice farmers raised him.  Batman went all dark knight vigilante after his parents were murdered.  Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive spider...you get the idea.

Haus of Kendi isn't about superheroes.  Its just about two people in love trying to conquer the everyday struggles of today.  We are the average American couple.  We work, we fight, we dream.  Not necessarily in that order.  We have our good days and our bad days.  We hope that you enjoy hearing both because both are real.  Every couple will have things to overcome and joy to share.  We hope that by sharing these things, it might give other couples ideas, inspiration or just the sense that there are crazier people out there...

But I digress.  I was talking about superheros and origins.  Well, we're not superheros but we do have an origin story.  My name is Mandi and my husband is Kevin.  We meet at a New Year's Eve party in 2007.  We did the long distance thing for almost a year before I left the ATL and moved to Michigan to be with Kevin.  After living in sin for seven months, Kevin proposed on May 21, 2009.  Wedding preparations commenced and we said "I do" on June 12, 2010 in Grand Rapids, MI in a unique and over-the-top fashion.  Hey, go big or go home, right?

After some time apart and in Nashville, we moved back to the ATL.  This is the part of the story that is the Haus of Kendi.  Cheers.

(Oh!  I guess I should explain the origin of the name, Haus of Kendi.  Our first Christmas together, my mom gave us a couple present.  Following the tabloid trend of giving celebrity couples one name, she christened us "Kendi'.  Since both Kevin and I are German (him more than me, clearly, Schwemmin?!), the use of haus was just obvious.  And it sounds like a fashion label, which I love.  Bonus!)