august

august will always be a special month for me & hubby. it is our birth month. we are a very simple couple though. we do not exchange gifts anymore or celebrate with a party.

having avery gave us a new perspective in our lives. we learned more about ourselves. she brought out the best in us. she is our precious little miracle from God.

simply put...

we are very blessed and thankful that we were born.

we were born for each other...to find each other.

we were born to care,

to love & to be responsible

for another wonderful being.

and this always leads me back to my life long mantra

"there is always a reason for everything."

cooking for two

my in-laws visited alaska in july & brought back some fresh salmon. i love, love salmon! i can eat it everyday & won't miss beef/pork/chicken. {is it obvious that i am a seafood lover?} on the other hand, hubby does not like salmon. so luckily, my baked salmon was enjoyed by our little one & myself.

1. thinly slice one lemon into circles & squeeze all over the salmon.

2. place the lemon in a baking pan & layer the salmon on top.

3. season with salt, pepper, garlic powder & drizzle with olive oil.

4. bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes at 350F.

ta-da! last minute, i added cherry tomatoes.

i usually eat couscous with fish. this whole salmon was my lunch for three straight days!

{no water = no plates because the plumber was working on our water pump}

baked tomatoes

tomatoes...fresh from the vine. it's taking over our whole garden.

but i'm not panicking!

last year, i have efficiently & effectively used/saved/stored most of the tomatoes in our garden. i'm doing the same thing this year & ill share it in the next couple of weeks.

for now, we are simply enjoying baked cherry tomatoes everyday.

{i can't remember eating this much fresh tomatoes in my life}.

cut tomatoes in half & line in a baking sheet.

bake in a preheated oven at 450F for 10-15 minutes. {broiling is another option}

viola! baking makes it sweeter & it just melts in your mouth. yum-o!

perfect side dish, snack, salad...the possibilities are endless.

applesauce pancakes

pancakes! pancakes! who doesn't love pancakes? everybody does...including our little girl. pancake mixes are inexpensive {& unhealthy}. however, i want her to eat tasty & nutritious pancakes!

since avery started eating solids, the wholesome baby food website became my bible. thank goodness, she's not a picky eater at all. this is where i found the easy & amazing recipe for applesauce pancakes.

ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup skim milk
1 beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups applesauce

1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl.

2. Combine butter, milk and egg. Stir into dry ingredients.

3. Add vanilla and applesauce. Beat well. {for thinner batter, add more milk}

4. Pour batter into a non stick pan about 4 inches in diameter. {once you see bubbles, pancake can be flipped over}

5. Serve with warm maple syrup & top with fruits like strawberries & blueberries.

an eye for bargain (8)

oh my goodness! we have been busy the last two weeks - visiting friends & family, birthdays, baptism & traveling. {exhausting but fun of course} now im back and very ready to find more bargains!

MACY'S had a sale yesterday {thanks to my friend yumsy for updating me}. i snatched a pair of black alfani wedges for $17.25 after 75% off.

this junior summer shorts was 50% off for $9.99 {i have 2 pairs that i bought last june. its very comfy.}

girl's hello kitty rompers for only $2.98 after 40% off.

and girl's bathing suit for $2.98 after 40% off.

TARGET released a lot of good coupons at the start of this month. i was most excited with the coupons for women's & kid's apparel. i headed to the store right away & scoured the clearance section.

*2 wet ones - $0.79 each [after $0.50 tpc]

*3 10-pack papermate pens - free [after $1 tpc]

*cherokee denim shorts for kids - $2.90 each [after $2 tpc]

*mossimo denim shorts for kids - $1.24 each [after $2 tpc]

*oshkosh denim shorts for kids - $2.98 [after $2 tpc]

*mossimo women's skinny denim jeans - free [after $5 tpc]

*mossimo women's skinny denim pants - $2.48 [after $5 tpc]

*mossimo women's skinny cargo pants - $0.48 [after $5 tpc]

*mossimo women's shorts - i paid $4.48 & $1.48 [after $3 tpc]

*4 mossimo women's rompers - $7.48 [after $3 tpc]

turned out to be a perfect birthday gift for my friends.

note: "tpc" - target printable coupon from target.com

an eye for bargain (7)

my shopping trip this week included walmart. {i haven't gone there in awhile because target has been my new favorite.} i have a bunch of printable coupons & unfortunately target didn't have the products. so i was so happy to find them all at walmart.

~ 9 boxes nexcare bandages = free [$1/1 mic]

~ 4 reach floss = free [$1/1 pc with 12 cents overage]

~ 5 packs rayovac batteries in different sizes = free [$1/1 pc with 3 cents overage]

i found this v-neck tee for toddlers in the clearance rack for a dollar.

these girl's summer dresses were also on clearance for $3 each.

i didn't find much at target. it was suppose to be the toy clearance sale this week. i must have missed it & everybody {but me} got the good deals.

got this girl capris pants on clearance for $1.75.

these are the freebies i got from target:

~ 2 reach floss = free [$1/1 pc with 11 cents overage]
~ 2 scotch magic tape = free [$1/1 mic]
i took a quick detour to oakwood mall & found some nice clearance items in the stores.

jc penny ~ girl's shoes for $3.57

old navy ~ girl's jelly sandals $2.99 each

old navy ~ printed tie-shoulder tiered sundress for $5.47

and macy's must have "restocked" their clearance racks. i thought i won't find any nice & cheap dresses. but i was wrong!

girl's junior dress ~ $4.97

girl's toddler dress ~ $7.97

girl's toddler summer dress ~ $4.97

girl's swimsuits ~ $4.97 each

summer will be over soon {and i don't want to think about it}. the only thing im looking forward to is more summer clearance!

cooking for two

my other reason for loving & appreciating summer - fresh produce! we started our very own garden in 2007. it is a lot of work {especially for hubby-tilling & weeding}. we planted late this year - june. but once the growing season starts, there is no stopping.

i don't have enough tomatoes for spaghetti.

so last night, i made taco salad.

divide the soft tacos into wedges & microwave for one minute. turn all the wedges & microwave for another minute. the tacos should be crispy. {heat more if its still soft & watch closely to make sure they don't burn}.

in a skillet, brown ground beef & taco seasoning {oops! forgot to add this with the ingredients}. mix onions, garlic, bell pepper & tomatoes. cook for 5 minutes.

to assemble,
layer plate with salad greens & tacos

add cooked ground beef & veggies. sprinkle with cheese and top with a dollop of sour cream.

there you have it...one easy dinner to prepare!