Oven roasted vegetables - easy and delicious

Have you tried oven roasting vegetables?  I know it is summer and turning on the oven sounds too hot, but these are a no-tend side dish. Once you put them in to cook, leave them alone and come back in 30 minutes and your side dish will be done.

Going in the oven.....

I usually line the baking tray with foil for easier clean up but it is not essential. 

Spread a small amount of oil on the foil - for one big zucchini, a quarter of a red diced onion and 1 potato, I used 1 heaped up teaspoon of coconut oil- any oil you like to cook with would work. 

 Just cut your vegetables into bite size-ish pieces. Those potatoes are in thin wedges, long but not really thick. 

Put the vegetables on the tray and toss them around to get the oil spread around.  

Season with salt and pepper as desired and then just bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 30 minutes.  You can stir them halfway through but it is not necessary. 

Coming out of the oven.....

Squash and zucchini bake up with some caramelization. Potatoes are almost like fried fries.

Broccoli and cauliflower get crispy. 

This has become our favorite way to cook vegetables, especially when my husband cooks the main course outside on the grill and I have prepared a tossed salad earlier in the day. 

Frugal Friday

My first big job today was cooking 8 pounds of ground sirloin into chili and taco filling,

After cooking, it all went into the freezer in meal size containers. Having entrees that just need heated up really is convenient on busy days - and frugal as it prevents the need for a meal out by necessity.

I have used this taco seasoning for years. I usually double or triple it and keep it in a quart jar.

This is my chili recipe- I follow the spices but the other ingredients are flexible. I don't usually add the celery or bell pepper, I used tomato sauce and tomatoes with green chilies instead of the tomato juice and I used home cooked pintos instead of canned beans.

Both of the above recipes are from AllRecipes.com 

Made 2 pitchers of unsweetened ice tea- I think besides water, tea is the lowest cost of all beverages

We change the filter in our central air unit once a month. Apparently our size is not common and Walmart only has our size filters in the expensive version,

So I looked on Amazon and found a case of 12 for about $14.  I ordered them  Wednesday evening and they were delivered this morning. 

Like most days, I try to earn points on Swagbucks. Mostly I get them by running autoplay videos on my Kindle Fire. 

I mowed our yard with our electric lawn mower.  We have had the Neuton electric mower for 4 summers and it is so convenient, easy to use and quiet. My neighbor 2 doors down stopped today to ask about it.   

Did some quick sewing alterations on 2 grands swimsuits to make the waists smaller. 

Today is also laundry day- some of the laundry is air drying on hangers in doorways.

supper will be oven roasted zucchini from our daughter in laws garden and homemade roma
sauce over pasta. 

The grands did get to swim twice yesterday- once in the morning when it was barely warm and again after naps when it was hot.  They had just the best time! The 2 older ones that talk must of said "this is so much fun" and "this pool is awesome" and "thank you buying this pool" about 100 times. 

The cake baking and cake eating were a hit too!   I think there will lots more swimming and cooking with the grands this summer.

linking up with Terri's Hearts in Service Frugal Friday 

Waiting for the sun to shine.....

We are in a drought and the rain we getting today is needed, but we are hoping the sun will come out soon.  The new pool is ready and this weather is kinking up the swimming plans.........

Lunch and snacks are ready and waiting in the fridge. Yesterday's shopping netted some very nice fruit.

I made up a small batch of homemade cake mix so the grands can stir up and bake their own tiny bundt cake - we got the little pans from my mom and the tiny whisks are from an Amish store in Branson, MO. 

         

2 of the grands are here, dressed in swim trunks and really hoping the sun is shining soon!

But whatever the weather brings, we have fun!  

Wednesday........

Melanie said she likes to read posts about everyday things so I think she will like this one.....

She has a really sweet blog 

http://comfyhouse.blogspot.com and she writes about busyness at home, thrifting, family - a lot like I do.   

Comfy House

My husband requested striped Jello. I used 4 boxes of sugar free.

Just make one batch at a time and pour into containers, chill until set up and then make another batch. Just keep adding layers until the containers are full.

I think these are peach, lemon, orange and strawberry. It looks more impressive if the flavors are different colors but I just used what was in the pantry. 

He will like these, especially on days when he spends a lot of time in the heat

I left home before 8 this morning, I tried to do my shopping and errands before it got too hot. 

I took a big ice chest and put the perishables in it as I made different stops.  It was especially nice when I got home, I knew all the groceries were fine and I was able to sit for a bit and eat lunch and not rush putting the groceries away. 

I think I will take that ice chest and the milk jug full of frozen water every time I shop this summer. 

Shopping - I bought about everything on my list except for window cleaner.  I have not been happy with the homemade cleaners I have tried in the past but the book I am reading - see the previous post- has inspired me to try again.  I'll let you know how it goes.

My last stop was the nail salon- I got a pale pink for summer. 

My son was in town, bringing a trial exhibit he built to his brother. I was happy he has time to come visit me too. 

Supper was homemade pizza and a big salad.

Grandchildren will be here tomorrow and I think they will be so excited to play in this pool from Aldi.

Grandpa blew it up this evening with an air compressor and put enough water in it to keep it from blowing away.  There is a water spray that hangs down from the rainbow and it will get more water as the children play.

How was your Wednesday?

What I'm doing this week

The pattern blocks found at a yard sale are for children but I've been enjoying them too.  It is relaxing fitting the shapes together, kind of like quilt making.

Our $5 bucket contained 2 kinds of pattern blocks, the shapes and colors are the same but the ones in the bucket are wood and the ones on the table are plastic.

Thanks to Tammy and Pam, I found some free printable sheets for the grand children.  Thank you both!

Reading - the devotions book was from a church rummage sale and I won the "all you need is less" book from a blog giveaway.

To do list and bills to pay- I've been busy all morning but with other random things and have not crossed a single thing off of today's list, yet, but I plan to! 

I am sad and disturbed about what is going on in the Middle East and the Central American children immigrating alone 

I have no answers and no blame - I don't want to talk politics either, that gets too ugly

But I am so thankful to live in the USA.  So, I decked out the dining room with some our patriotic things...

I found the window bunting at a thrift store for $1.50.  My mom made the little quilt by the door and the doilies. I made or probably thrifted the rest.

A very simple arrangement- just little flags in a jar.

Also on to do list is a trip to the post office to mail a letter and 2 small packages off. 

Supper will be stuffed Bell Peppers and a green salad.

What is going on in your home?