Terrible Two's?

I could really use some advice from other mamas of little ones. My daughter is two and a half and is usually pretty well-behaved. She eats well most of the time, and is happy to read books, play with her kitchen or toys, etc.

But for the past week or two, she has been very difficult. She refuses to eat almost everything we put in front of her, even her favorite foods. She is also very whiny and has tantrum after tantrum all day long. Hubby and I are so frustrated by this!

She is getting plenty of sleep and not showing any signs of illness, so I don't think those are the culprits. Does anyone have any ideas of why she has suddenly turned into a very difficult child and how to get her back to normal?

Thrifty Thursday - Garage Sales

I guess technically this is a way to make money, not save money, but it's all the same to me.

This past weekend we had a garage sale. We weren't sure we had enough to make a sale out of, so my mother-in-law was kind enough to donate some items she no longer needed to help fil out our sale. I placed a couple of free ads on craigslist, and hubby put 10 signs in strategic locations. Then we got up at the crakc of dawn and waited to see what would happen. We were blessed with LOTS of traffic, and sold almost everything! We made almost $200, which comes in so handy this month as we had an unexpected car repair bill.

So if you're short on cash this month or just looking to make some fun money, look around your house. You'd be surprised how many things you don't even use anymore - why not let them make you some money?

Make This Monday: Cappelini Pomodoro

I had a chance to get a case of tomatoes for just $9, so I have been busy making spaghetti sauces to put away in the freezer. One of the easiest sauces to make is a pomodoro sauce. This tastes similar to a sauce they use at the Olive Garden, and it freezes well. Enjoy!

4 tomatoes, finely diced or pureed
1 tbl. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbl. fresh basil, chopped
salt and black pepper to taste

Saute garlic in olive oil for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook until tender. Add basil and cook for 2 minutes. Serve over angel hair pasta.

Make This Monday - Spinach Dip

Let me say I am not a huge fan of spinach, and up until I made this I had never met a spinach dip that I liked. But this one is different than most, and I fell in love.

1 1/2 bunches fresh spinach, washed
3 Tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup half and half
2 cups shredded italian blend cheese
1 cup shredded mozzerella
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter and add spinach, garlic, and wine. Cook 2-3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serve with tortilla cips, wheat crackers, or veggies.

Thrifty Thursday - Food Co-ops

I try to feed my family as many fruits and veggies as possible. Hubby is a bit resistant ot the vegetables, but we go through fruit at an amazing speed in this house. I could easily spend upwards of $30 a week on produce at the grocery store.

Then my mom sent me a link about a local produce co-op. They have diferent pick-up sites around town. Basically you order a basket every other week, and it is filled with fruits and veggies. You don't get to choose what you recieve, but we are generally happy with the contents. The best part is it only costs $15 and although we usually run out of fruit a few days early, the veggies last us the whole two weeks. They usually offer bread as well, and occasionally other things like olive oil and spices.

Go online and search - there may be a food co-op in your area and they can save you a bundle.

Works for Me - Costco Pizza

Yesterday I came down with a yucky cold. I am so miserable it is hard enough just to care for myself and my daughter, much less do any cleaning or cooking. So tonight hubby will be stopping to pick up one of the best quick and cheap dinner standbys I have found - a pizza from Costco.

Their pizzas are huge - 18" for only $10! You're not going to beat that at any of the major chains. And the quality is surprisingly good- not too thick, not too thin, and plenty of cheese. The topping choices are limited to cheese, pepperoni, or veggie but the convenience and the price are well worth it. So if you have a Costco membership and havent tried their pizza yet, give it a try for dinner this week.

Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer!

Make This Monday - Linguine with Broccoli

This dish is easy to make and full of vitamins and fiber. Also a good way to get some veggies into your kids.

8 oz cooked whole wheat linguine
3/4 cup cooked broccoli florets
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients and serve.