I love the Kitchen!

I always knew I loved to cook, but I've come to realize just how much this past week. I only have a few precious hours in the evening between work and bed, and I seem to be spending it all in the kitchen. (Carson has night classes for the next two weeks so he just gets to enjoy the food when he gets home) The suitcases still need to be unpacked, or more like the explosion around them needs to be put away, and I have some organizing that needs to be done in the office. Despite all this I have spent so much time in the kitchen. I have cooked chicken and made chicken broth (which lead to making chicken salad), cinnamon swirl bread (in our new bread maker), apple sauce, some wonderful scones (takes me back to my days in England) and homemade pretzels, which we used to make grilled cheese pretzels. Carson finally had to stop me this morning because we had too much to eat and I think he was a little bit tired of doing the dishes.

Cooking and baking is interesting on a tight budget but with the great deals I'm able to find it makes it pretty manageable. Our Bloom grocery store had triple coupons again this weekend so Carson and I (who will get up at whatever time to get a good deal) went before we had to be at work at 8am. We weren't the only ones though. There were ladies all over that store with huge coupon binders that even overwhelmed me. So I bet you'll never guess how much we got everything below for:




$2.24!! Without coupons this purchase would have been $30!


And as promised, here are picture from the competition that Carson went to for our trip home to Orlando.


And the next few days will be very nice and relaxing. Carson is helping out for an international packaging conference in Greenville and the department has offered everyone their own hotel room at the Westin in downtown Greenville. He will be very busy but I'm tagging along and taking a good book! Woot!