Shelftember

As has become tradition the last few years, each September I join with Jordan Page and many others to participate in Shelftember. Shopping with a limited grocery budget, more shelf cooking, saving money.

The question for me this year was:

Kristin, can you celebrate September holidays AND follow A Season of Family Meal Plans AND still do Shelftember?

The answer:

Yes. Yes, I can. And I did. The whole point of shelf cooking is using what you have which is what Shelftember is also about. Start with what you have. Those cookbooks give ideas for substitutes and I can change things around to have it work for me.

For example, September 2 was Blueberry Popsicle Day. We didn't have blueberry popsicles. We pulled blueberries out of the freezer to have with dinner (with yogurt) then had Otter Pops after dinner. Blueberries and popsicles. We like creativity in celebrating. Shelf cooking is the same way.

The meal for that day in A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 3, was Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken and Crispy Italian Potatoes. We had meat from a Costco rotisserie chicken that we got a few days before (no need to cook our own), used russet potatoes instead of red potatoes, and rounded out the meal by making garlic bread out of a homemade baguette that had been sitting in the fridge for a while, cutting up apples, and having that yogurt and blueberries I mentioned earlier. 

Jet was once again my kitchen helper. He liked shaking up the bag in order to season the potatoes.

Success. I did this all month long, getting things like produce and milk from the store, but saving a lot of money because I also stuck to my list. My mantra going through the store: Not on the list. Not gonna get it.

I absolutely skipped out on things I normally would have gotten. I did have to buy a 25 pound bag of flour toward the end because we were making so much bread, rolls, buns, cookies, brownies, instead of buying them. A 25 pound bag of flour doesn't cost too much, though, so we still saved money.

I really do like participating in Shelftember every year.

On a different note, September 2 was also Labor Day so I made sure to grab a selfie with the American flag which has also become tradition.

Celebrating in Unusual Ways

Nichole was scheduled to move into her apartment on August 31. That happened to be National Trail Mix Day and I happened to be sick, so Jeremy once again took care of things. My hero.

He drove her down so she could drop stuff off then come back home. 

Jeremy came into our room where I was lying down and gave me flowers and a card. It was not a "Get Well" card. It was a "Happy Trail Mix Day" card. He and all the kids had signed it. He had to put the flowers in a vase from me, though, because I didn't feel up to getting up.

I absolutely love my family and their creativity.

 

While I was sick, Jet came to me and put his hands on my eyes and said, "Close your eyes and go to sleep," then he sang, "Rockabye Baby," to me. What a cutie.

Jr.'s Birthday

We celebrated Jr.'s birthday in August.

He of course got video game time without having to do chores (he still had to do homework).

Whoever put the candles on the cake, used seven candles to make the 1 in the 10s place and ten candles to make the 7 in the 1s place. Ha Ha Ha. 

Someone joked about turning the fan on. It wasn't even in the room, thankfully.

Jr. was very pleased with his present, a cordless controller that he could use on computer games.

Bonding Time

Jet: Can you draw Daddy?

Daddy: Sure.

Jet: I destroy Daddy.

If You Give Nichole a Medium...

She will create a beautiful new painting...

 

In VR.

What?

And she won't be distracted by the faces you make behind her.

Farm Country

One day, Jeremy took Nichole and Jet to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point so I could get some things done at home. I really appreciate him.

They had a good time.

At one point, after feeding a goat, Jet laughed/giggled and said, "That was terrifying."

So You Want to Know Even More About August, Huh?

August 19 was International Bow Day. Jet and I did some coloring on a Minnie's Bow-Toons coloring page. We may have watched a little bit of the cartoon later (I can't remember).

Ah, bonding time.

It was also National Potato Day. Continuing with using A Season of Family Meal Plans by Jordan Page, I learned how to make "baked" potatoes in the Instant Pot. I like doing it that way. Along with the potatoes we had Sheet Pan Bell Pepper Chicken but I cooked it on the stove instead of in the oven. I can do that. I'm a shelf cooker.

It was also Mr. Snuffleupagus' Birthday. Our kids don't know who Mr. Snuffleupagus is. They didn't grow up with Sesame Street. Jeremy and I had to explain to them who he is.

August 20 was National Lemonade Day (it used to be in May). We made a pitcher of lemonade to go with our Tex-Mex Bowls (using leftover fajita filling) and spanish rice. I made Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 3. The recipe in there is simpler than the recipe I've used in the past to make cilantro lime dressing. I liked it better after it had been refrigerated for at least a day. Mmmm.

Jet was my little kitchen helper again. He decided to help spin lettuce this time. He didn't bother waiting for me to cut it up first. That's fine. I'm so glad he likes to help me make food. I hope it continues.

August 22 was Be an Angel Day. Dinner was angel hair pasta (of course) with leftovers. Jet was an angel and ate better than any of the other kids when it came to dinner. He got first choice of cupcakes for dessert.

After dinner, Nichole and I went to a Relief Society activity, a sourdough class. It was cool to again see a demonstration but it reminded me that I am not in the season of my life to make sourdough. It is a long complicated process. I did enjoy the samples and socializing, though. I do like to eat sourdough. I just can't commit to it right now.

August 23 was National Cuban Sandwich Day. I tried out some new techniques with cooking (I am constantly learning) and made Cuban Sandwiches (even if they weren't authentic).

August 24 was National Waffle Day. We made a whole bunch of waffles with the intent to freeze some of them for easy breakfasts. Ha. They didn't last long enough to be frozen. 

That day, Nichole, Jeremy, and I went on a UCB field trip to Jordanelle Reservoir- Rock Cliff area. That felt good.

Jeremy also decided to try out a new look that day. Look closely.

August 26 was National Toilet Paper Day. I used some to wipe up tears while I was crying.

August 27 was Banana Lovers Day. After our Cajun Green Beans & Pork Bites and roasted potatoes (both from that same cookbook listed above), we had Frozen Banana Bites (also from that same cookbook). 

August 28 was National Bow Tie Day. We had bowtie pasta along with macaroni with our dinner. We also had Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps, apples, and carrots.

Fajita Poetry

From an Instagram post-

In honor of Bad Poetry Day and National Fajita Day, both on August 18, I present to you:

 

Ode to a Fajita by Kristin Telford

 

Your colors brown and green.

Your taste a spicy blend of seasonings. Oh, the seasonings. That cumin, chili powder, and all the rest.

I must eat you. I must eat. I must. I.

Fajita.

Here's a bonus poem written by my husband: 

Ode to Sleeping on the Couch

Your hair cascades down your scalp like a mudslide.

Your eyes glitter like the shiny underside of a soda can.

Your nose sits in the middle of your face pointing outward

Your lips are soft like two moist slugs

Your chin sits forward from your face like a comfortable porch swing.

Brothers

 

Twisters

We saw that the movie, Twisters, was playing at our local theater so Jeremy and I decided to watch it on the big screen. We of course rewatched the original Twister movie before going to watch this one. 

It just so happened that there was another big storm the day we went to see the new movie. How appropriate, right? No tornadoes in our area, though.

However, when we got out of the theater, it was much calmer. Phew.

I did like the new movie. I will definitely watch it again when it comes to DVD. Like the first one, you do have to "suspend your disbelief." It's not meant to be completely believable. It's meant to be exciting. Remember the "cows" in the first movie? I will let my older children watch this one, too.