In need of some comfort.....

Food, that is! I had my interview today and I felt a little unsure when It was all over. I had zero motivation to cook dinner tonight due to an overwhelming feeling of blah-ness.

My mom usually makes me feel better, but since I'm 29 and not 9, I decided I needed to put my big girl britches on and make something delicious for dinner. I've been craving Chicken and Rice Casserole, a dish my mom used to make when I was a kid. I thought if I made it, I could simulate a good hug it out moment with my mom.

Of course I was lacking a few ingredients, but as you know from my previous post, that wasn't going to stop me. I subbed in onion powder because my onion looked like a science experiment and left out celery because I was out of that too. So here's what I used:

• 2 chicken breasts cut in to strips and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups flour seasoned with paprika, salt, and pepper
• 2 eggs
• About 4 tbsp Butter
• 1ish cups Carrots, quartered
• 1/2 cup celery ( I left this out because it wasn't in my fridge!)
• 1/2 an onion diced (I subbed in some onion powder since my onion was out of commission)
• 1.5 cups rice
• Cumin to taste
• 1.5 cups chicken broth

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, beat two eggs.  In another dish, mix flour and seasonings together.  Next, dredge the chicken strips in the egg and then through the season flour.  Place chicken strips in a preheated (medium-high heat) skillet with a few tablespoons of melted butter.  Brown the chicken and then set aside on a small plate.

Once all chicken is browned, add a few more tablespoons of butter to the skillet and then add in the veggies to saute together.  After about 4ish minutes, add the rice to the skillet and brown for about 3 or 4 minutes.

After the rice is browned, transfer to a baking dish and add the chicken broth.  Place the browned chicken strips on top.

Pop it in the oven for about 40ish minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.  If the rice seems a little crispy on top, just add a bit more broth and let it stand for a few minutes before serving.

 

 This really hit the spot and made me feel a little better about my day.  The best part is that Samantha and Grant enjoyed it too!  

It is like the universe heard my plea!

I have an interview for my potential dream job on Monday! It is funny; I was talking to my good friend and old advisor pal, Erin, a few days ago and told her that if I didn't hear anything this week that I was giving up hope. I applied for the job over 3 weeks ago. It was a pleasant surprise when I got the call this afternoon!

The best part: neither of my children made a peep during the 8 minute phone conversation. This is monumental, people! I'm really hoping this is a start to a really good thing!!!!!

Stay-at-Home Mom Blues

Most days in the Perry Household go pretty smoothly.  Then there are days like today....today I am writing this very blog post twice.  Why? Because my two year old figured out how to unsave 8 paragraphs of thoughtful writing.  Days like today make me wish with all my might that I had a quiet office where I could retreat from my stay-at-home mom life.  A place where I had complete control over my work. A place where productivity wasn't based on the whim of a two small children. A place where lunch breaks were real.  A place where tangible evidence of a job well done actually existed.  A place where restroom breaks meant complete alone time. 

I didn't fully comprehend the impact of my decision to stay home with my children.  I am career driven, I rely on external reward, not necessarily from another person, but from completing tasks and seeing the immediate benefits of my hard work. Full time motherhood does not afford that opportunity.  I'm not complaining, per se, just trying to figure out how I got from where I was to where I am.  The grass is not always greener.  I am not sure that I am cut out for this job, not because it isn't challenging, but maybe because it is too challenging.  That's right folks, I am lazy. 

To say that the domestic domain isn't something that comes naturally to me is an understatement.   I have been at home for 13 months now (but really, whose counting, right?) and I just, in the past week, developed a cleaning routine. Wanna know how?  A chore chart.  That's right, a freaking chore chart.  This 29 year old adult needs a chore chart to motivate herself.  BUT, it is working.  I've even found time to do things for myself during the day, like couponing (cue eye rolling), knitting a beautiful baby blanket, and even starting this blog (cue eye rolling once again). 

When I talk with my friends who don't have children, I must seem super boring.  There used to be a time where my most interesting stories involved copious amounts of alcohol, cute boys, and shopping excursions.  Now my stories revolve around whether or not Samantha is pooping or eating. I will say, however, they do still include cute boys, but one is a 2.5 year old and the other is my wonderful husband.  I remember when my biggest decisions were where to meet up with friends for drinks and where we would be indulging in fourth meal.  Now fourth meal is what we lovingly call Samantha's last bottle of the day.  I remember laughing with my best friend until I peed my pants. Nowadays, I pee my pants any time I cough or sneeze.  Ahhh, the joys of motherhood.  Life has definitely changed for this lady.

I guess this lifestyle is all about balance.  I am learning that slowly.  I wish I could have come to this conclusion faster.  My days at home are numbered, so I am resolving to make the best of them while they last.  Our children grow too fast and our selves can be lost too easily.  I'm trying to get back to that place that I used to be before...hilariously funny and unbreakably happy. 

I am thankful that I've had this time at home with my children.  It has taught me a lot about myself.  Self awareness is quite possibly the best tool to carry in your metaphorical tool belt, parent or not.  Knowing your own limitations is the only way to become better at what you do.   I hope 2012 brings me my dream job, but for now, I'm going to be the best I can be at the job I have...being SUPER MOM.  I just wish I could find the super powers and the parenting manual that were supposed to come upon Grant's arrival. Until then, I'll fake it until I make it.

Couponing: Building Meals from Your Pantry NOT a Grocery List

Couponing is a crazy process that requires loads of patience.  I was introduced to couponing a few years ago and found myself addicted to saving, but spending more than I ever was before.  It was impossible to plan meals, find coupons to go with my shopping list and actually SAVE money! I decided to take a break from it because I obviously wasn't getting it.

When my husband and I found out we were going to be parents for the second time, our lives changed in many ways.  The main change was my shift from being a working mom to being a stay at home mom.  I calculated that my take home pay after childcare expenses would be about $500 a month...I could make that working part time if it became necessary.

With this change came a renewed interest in couponing.  I had time to perfect the science behind my shopping so that I was actually saving money.  This opportunity for trial and error shopping and saving caused an epiphany that would lead to a future full of savings: to save using coupons you must buy what's on sale and make meals from your pantry stockpile!

This isn't easy at first. You will spend a lot of time at various stores hunting good deals.  You may initially see small savings; 10% here, 30% there.  But, eventually, once you have stockpiled ( and I by no means mean HOARDED) you will find yourself spending less and saving more.   On average I save about 50 to 60 percent.  I very rarely spend more than $30 on a grocery shopping trip and I almost never make a list.
This means you have to be creative when it comes to meal planning. We've had lots of great meals with this new way of grocery shopping.  If we are missing a few ingredients for a recipe, I simply search my pantry for suitable substitutes and play it by ear.  This works for me because I feel like I have a bit of an inner chef trapped deep down inside of me.

The best part, about cooking from my pantry is that pretty much every ingredient was purchased with a coupon! The meals that I make probably cost 50-60% less than what another person would have paid for the ingredients.  Saving tastes A-MAZING!