Attack!

Shelby has become such a fun part of our family in the few weeks we have had her. She learns things SO quickly. She's been retrieving a toy since about a week after we got her and when we went to the Fe for Christmas, Dennis was able to pick some duck wings from the breeder, Jeromie. Shelby LOVES them. She retrieves them so naturally! In true Hawg Driver fashion, Shelby's retrieve command is Attack! I imagine that here in a few weeks, she is going to be ready to move on to actual birds. I am not totally excited about that process, but I know that it's essential, so I am going to try and not be too grossed out by it. 

Menu Plan Monday

Welcome to the first Menu Plan Monday of 2017! Like most of the rest of the world, I am looking toward healthier meals to offset our overindulgence over the holidays.

Breakfast

Mixed Berry Green Smoothies

Milk/Juice/Coffee/Spark

Morning Snack

Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies

Lunch

School: Peanut Butter Roll-Up, Strawberries/Blueberries, Grapes, String Cheese, Cucumbers, Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies, Lunch Drink

Weekend: Winter Cobb Salads

Afternoon Snack

Kalamata Olives with Almonds and Cheddar Cubes

Pantry

Dinner

Mon: Honey Ginger Salmon and Acorn Squash

Tue: Salt and Pepper Roasted Drumsticks, and Sweet Potato and Pear Soup

Wed: Leftovers

Thu: Lamb Kofta with Tahini Sauce and Parsley Cauliflower Rice

Fri: Slow Cooker Cilantro-Lime Shredded Chicken, Brown Rice, and Marinated Cucumbers

Sat: French Onion Soup and Leftover Salad with Bread

Sun: Sale Meat and Mixed Greens with Pomegranate, Avocado, Cucumber, and Walnuts

Dessert

Rum Balls

Pioneer Woman's Hoppin' John

Way back when Pioneer Woman was just a blogger, I discovered her recipe for Hoppin' John and fell in love. It is SO much better than the blackeyed peas I had growing up. It has become my go-to way to get my annual dose of New Year's Day luck. Click on the link to be taken to her recipe complete with pictures.

Hoppin' John

SOAK BLACKEYED PEAS FOR AT LEAST 6 HOURS BEFORE COOKING!

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• 2 stalks Celery, Diced
• 4 cups Soaked Black-eyed Peas
• 5 cups Low-sodium (or No-sodium) Chicken Broth
• 1 whole Ham Hock
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
•  Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
•  White Or Brown Rice, For Serving

Heat butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in soaked beans, then add chicken broth, ham hock, salt & pepper, and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the pot for 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes, check the liquid level; if it's too soupy, cook with the lid off for another 15 minutes or so. If it's too thick, splash in a little more broth. 

Stir in vinegar, then taste for seasonings. Add more spice if needed.

Serve over white or brown rice, making sure to get plenty of the cooking liquid spooned over the top. Or, you may mix the bean mixture with the rice before serving. 

Variations: add red bell pepper, canned diced tomatoes, diced jalapenos, diced ham (instead of ham hocks), or sliced bacon (instead of ham hocks). Stir in torn-up kale when 5 minutes of cooking time remain. 

Variation: use canned, drained black-eyed peas if preferred. Just use diced ham instead of ham hock and a little less broth, as peas won't need to cook as long.

Welcome 2017!!!

We rang in 2017 here at home, just the four of us. It was a welcome change after all the traveling. I'm not sure why I didn't manage to get any pictures of Paige or Den. Oh well, Happy New Year from Casa de Haggis!

Wurst Weekend

This weekend Auntie Donna, Grunkle Joe, and crew came up from the Fe to go to WurstFest in New Braunfels. As usual, it was a blast!

We made it just in time to catch the Shiner Hobo Band!

Nothing says WurstFest like crazy hats

The girlies went on a couple of rides

The rest of the day was spent with good food, good beer, and great friends

We ran into Snapper and Sara and Papa Vince and they joined right on in

Mr. President and Mr. Vice

Keith and Bobby

CVS Couponing Trip 3/13

I did a quick trip to CVS today to use some coupons that were about to expire. Here's the breakdown....

Bought Irish Spring Body Wash ($3.99)
Used $1.50 / $4.00 purchase CVS Coupon Machine coupon
Used $1.00/1 Irish Spring printable coupon
Paid $1.49
Received $2 back in Extra Care Bucks, making this a $0.51 MONEY MAKER

Bought 1 each, Sinex and QlearQuil ($7.99 each)
Used $2.00/1 Sinex coupon from the March P&G
Used $2.00/1 QlearQuil coupon from the March P&G
Paid $11.98
Submitted for the $1 Sinex iBotta rebate
Submitted for the $10 MIR from Vicks, making my final price $0.98, or $0.49 each

Pre-Tax Subtotal for this trip - $19.97

After Coupons and Rebates - $0.47

SAVINGS OF 97.6%

Couponing Trip to Wal Mart 3/11

I am still kind of new to couponing at WalMart and thus far I am not overly excited about it. I made a small trip today to pick up a few good deals.

The girlies will be home on Spring Break next week, and since we are staycationing, I decided to pick up some treats to have around the house. I also managed to find some deals on items that were actually on my list, too.  Here's a breakdown of the deals....

Bought 2 Lunchables with 100% Juice ($2.32 each) 

Used (2) $1.00/1 printable coupons

Paid $2.64, or $1.32 each

Bought Dawn Original Dish Soap ($0.97)

Used $0.25/1 printable coupon

Paid $0.72 

Bought Palmolive Original Dish Soap ($0.96)

Used $0.50/1 coupon from the 3/6 Smart Source

Paid $0.46

Bought Vicks ZzzQuil 6 oz. ($4.97)

Used $1.00/1 coupon from the March P&G

Paid $3.97

Submitted for the $5.00 MIR from Vicks, making this a $1.03 Money Maker

Bought (2) Sparkling Ice Sparkling Waters ($1.00)

Used BOGO Free printable coupon

Paid $1.00, or $0.50 each

Bought Seattle's Best Coffee ($5.38)

Used $1.50/1 printable coupon

Paid $3.88

Bought (3) Haribo Sour Gummy Bears ($0.98 each)

Used $1.00/3 coupon from the 3/6 Red Plum

Paid $1.95, or $0.65 each

Bought Betty Crocker Roasted Garlic and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes ($1.00)

Used $0.50/1 printable coupon

Paid $0.50

Submitted for the $0.50 Ibotta rebate, making these FREE

*These are going into our RACAP donation box

Pre-Tax Subtotal for this trip - $22.86

After Coupons and Rebates - $9.61

SAVINGS OF 58%

I am going to make a stop at CVS later this afternoon. I always have awesome couponing trips there, so I'm excited to share what I find.