Cheap and Easy, Edition #3 Sausage Spinach Soup

Logo Credit: Nate Williams

THE BIG REVEAL. So this week's recipe is soup. I make soup A LOT, I've even called Sunday's "Souper Sunday". My PREFERRED way to make soup is without the purchase of broth, I love making it myself in my slow cooker with leftovers. Preferred, but not always POSSIBLE. So real quick once again, the ingredients:

1lb Sausages. That's all I put, but the BEAUTY of this recipe is it will be to taste, you grab your FAVE flavor and go nuts

1 Onion

3 cups Spinach, sounds like a lot, but uncooked it's REALLY not

3 boxes of chicken broth

2 cups small pasta

To reduce clean up (You're liking this recipe already aren't you) get out your large soup pot and use in place of frying pan to cook sausages. I prefer to cook the sausages FIRST because you'll need to cut them up later, and I personally find I can cut the meat better after it's cooked because it's more firm. After they're cooked, do just that, cut up the sausage into smaller pieces ( quartered my sausage and then sliced em). Set those to the side and get the broth in the pot, bring it to a boil.

Meanwhile chop up that onion...please don't cry!

Once you're boiling, add EVERYTHING into the pot. It's done when your pasta is cooked, your onions are transparent and your spinach is wilted!

Total Cost for this recipe: 11.24

Cost per serving @ 6 servings: 1.87

Operation Christmas Preparation

So I don't typically do pieces like this on my K100 blog, but I have more followers on this one. I typically stick to my "blog features" on this account and post randomness on my personal blog. This is one that COULD potentially benefit people though. I was on the phone with my uncle last night and well my uncle is where I get my "Christmas freak"ness from. We were talking about how we typically don't get stressed about Christmas...yes I said the C word in January. My uncle is more of a pro than I am, I'm still a rookie. If you find yourself always stressed at Christmas and rushed, well consider this your crash course on how to...not...

When should you start planning for the next Christmas? December 27th...seriously. Hit those Boxing day sales...At the boxing day sales this year, I got my mother in-law DONE, my father in-law started, about 8 other people on my list started, AND a little something for BOTH my brother and his GF. I have 2 people on my list I have absolutely nothing for still and that's my husband and his brother...

Ok SO we missed the boxing day sales...no big deal...just because they were there doesn't mean you WOULD find something, it's just a good place to start. ACTUALLY the first place to start, is a list. Who will you be buying for this year? And assume this list will LIKELY get longer, but they'll be more of your last min giftee's.

Here is your goal. Every month during the year, you either finish some one on your list, or have set amount you will save per month for shopping (pay in cash not credit). Why I keep the option of saving instead of shopping, is because we all have those people who we can't buy for until MUCH closer to the big day. So I save $ instead so then I have no worries about affording it later. You're also going to find stuff at the odd time where you'll just think "wow that would be great for..." Get it! and save it for Christmas! ONE other thing to think about THIS time of the year, is when the day planners are on clearance grab one (unless you have one already)! This will come in handy for the next part.

September, time to step it up. Reassess that list of people. Has anyone been added...or taken off (It happens). Start brainstorming who you have left, and ideas for them. You also need to make another list, a "To Do" list.

Your to do list should have LITERALLY EVERYTHING you have to do before Christmas. We're talking wrapping, decorating, baking, visiting, your traditions you have...EVERYTHING! On that list, check stuff you can do sooner rather than later...like do you make your own cards? you could start on them pretty early, when it comes to craft stuff, christmas comes early. OR could you start wrapping early? I think my uncle ACTUALLY keeps his wrapping paper handy ALL year, and just wraps as soon as he has a gift. HERE is where that day planner will come in handy. I suggest using a pencil. Start planning out what you have to get done. I say in pencil...because it may have to change, so give yourself a bit of wiggle room and start budgeting your time. Another KEY thing to do, is make a tentative menu. What are you having from Christmas Eve right through to Boxing day! You'll be coming back to that list sooner than you think so get ready.

Beginning of November is when Christmas throws up in EVERY store. Prepare yourself, because THIS is when I start to consider it crunch time! REALLY! Time to have a look at that shopping list again. My Goal is typically to have ALL my gift shopping done by the 15th (it's my goal...I've never done it yet). I have done a blog on my personal blog about last min christmas shopping, but it's also true for Christmas shopping in general, you can check that one out here http://creativerockerchick.blogspot.com/2011/12/last-min-christmas-shopping-101.html

Another thing to start in November? Grocery shopping...well some of it. Don't go out and get your broccoli now (if you have broccoli) but if you have something that is no perishable, like say canned corn, or stuffing mix (yeah we often do stove top), or something frozen if you have the room...maybe not the turkey if space is limited. But stuff like that, pick them up randomly on your typical grocery trip. This way you spread the expense and that's less to worry about later.

And I think that's it. Like my uncle said, it comes the same time EVERY year. Don't let it creep up on you. :)

Cheap and Easy, Edition #3 Ingredients

Logo credit: Nate Williams

Alrighty it's FRIDAY! AND I'm apparently a slack ass! I know it's REALLY late coming but your ingredient list for this week's "Cheap and easy" recipe. SO since I made you WAIT so long, I'll dive right into this week's ingredients:

1lb Sausages- 3.99 @super Store

1 Onion

Spinach- LARGE tubs (it keeps longer in these) 3.99 @ Superstore

2 boxes Chicken Broth- No name is 1.79per box @ Superstore

Pasta- Got the small soup stuff for 2.17

That's all she wrote, guess what it's not a bake! The recipe pops up Tuesday! I'll be cooking it over the weekend!

The Anti-Bully Blog Series Edition #19

Logo Credit: Nate Williams

Well last week’s edition basically beat out this post. I had gone INTO the week with EVERY intention of talking about this but it turned out that there was a more moressing situation that was REAL and close to home. THOUGH this is said to be based off a true story I went with the story of the girl in Hampton. I hadn’t REALLY gotten wind of her story but I wanted to cover it RIGHT away in the blog. So this one took the back burner but I still wanted to talk about it, also considering SOME similarities. So 2 weekends ago, I was flipping through the channels on TV there was LITTERALLY NOTHING on TV. I was looking and looking and came across a movie…called Girl Fight. So I thought this was that badass boxing movie that came out back in 2000. It wasn’t. It was a TV movie from 2011, starring Jodelle Ferland, best known for her role in Eclipse as Bree.

What happened in the movie was she played a 16 year old girl named Haley who was an AWESOME student, and wanted to experience the “in crowd”. She Successfully does and enters into the inner circle. However in the past she’d posted on her FB (I think) that the girls were obnoxious. When the group gets wind of this, not only do the plot revenge, decided to video tape it and post it on youtube. The Girls beat the crap out of her, all the time video taping it, calling her a whore, and hospitalized her. I’m not going to lie, the scene where they DO beat her up is REALLY Graphic, I had to step away from the movie for a bit because I was seriously disturbed by it ( I get REALLY into movies I can’t help it). I did go back though and it showed Haley suddenly plummeting into a very dark and depressing place, while her parents do their best to protect her as the video goes Viral. I don’t want to go TOO far into telling you all the details about it, because I want you to watch it. I want a LOT of people to watch it, Because it’s based on true events. SO I had to walk away because it was hard to watch…but out there, there is a girl who was a REAL victim in this…

I say I found it disturbing, but I would LOVE to see Schools play this for their students. I remember in High School (my high school in NS) the RCMP came in and did a presentation on why you shouldn’t do drugs. That got dark, they brought in a used body bag (or so they claimed) that they said they’d RECENTLY used for a teenager who’d OD’ed. They ALSO showed us parts of Requiem for a Dream. THAT is a dark movie about people whose lives are ruined as they sink deeper into their addictions. If my high school can get away with that, what stops schools from showing Girl Fight? If parents are against their kids seeing it, then they can send in a note to excuse them from the showing. I SERIOUSLY think it’s a good movie for kids to see, to see how bad it can get, and what happens when this goes on. I’ll also point out your kids have likely watched worse than that without you knowing.

Cheap and Easy- Chicken Au Gratin Bake

Logo credit: Nate Williams

Ok so, let me tell you about my little adventure with this recipe (If you don’t want to know the story, scroll down to ingredients and get started). I got the idea from a FB friend who posted a pic of their dinner one night, THAT along with a recent segment on Rachael Ray. IN this segment (if you want to check it out it was on her Trash to Treasure episode) She had a restaurant owner who said “food it so expensive to not use up as much as you can of it”. He would take leftover bits and turn them into signature dishes, and ONE that stood out to me was an Au Gratin that he made with Potato Peels. SO I took the two ideas and SHA SHA! Chicken Au Gratin Bake! Ok, no, it wasn't that smooth. I made it there Friday night, and it was good, but not the consistency I was looking for...SO I made it again and nailed it. THIS also confirms that it's an affordable recipe, I made it twice! So here's your ingredients WITH measurements this time:

1 lb Boneless skinless Chicken breasts

2 cups potato skins OR Potatoes cut with a peeler

1 pk frozen spinach (or sub in your fave frozen veg)

2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup

Milk (Half a can)

1/2 an Onion

1 cup (Or more) Shredded Cheese

First thing is first, after you have your potatoes set, make sure you leave them in water up until you're ready to use them, or they'll turn brown (if they start to turn brown they'll actually change back when you get them into the water). ALSO the way I'm going to instruct this you'll find the potatoes are still a little crunchy. If that doesn't work for you, boil them a LITTLE bit before hand, just be careful not to do it TOO much because you're not going to mashed potatoes here (OR you actually COULD do mashed potatoes, that might be kind of cool with this recipe).

Pre heat the oven to about 350

Grease a casserole dish, and lay out the potatoes to line the bottom of the dish

Cube up the chicken and lay it out OVER the potatoes

Drain the spinach WELL . As a Rachael Ray fan I know SHE Instructs to wring it out in a clean kitchen towel the PROBLEM there is it will make your Kitchen towel NASTY. SO what I do is I put the spinach in my Strainer and put paper towel OVER the Spinach and kind of knead it into the spinach (not mixing in). It will squeeze the water out the bottom AND you'll absorb some through the top (this could take a bit of paper towel but will save your kitchen towels). After you've drained it spread it out over the chicken and Potatoes (It should spread fairly easily now that it's well drained)

In a large bowl mix together the soup, and Milk. Chop up the onion and add it to the soup. I add onion because one of the BIG influences on my cooking growing up, and still today, is my Nanny. This woman could seriously cook up some onion and eat it as a snack...BUT she has always said that Onion adds A LOT of flavor to a dish, and I found it to be true.

Pour the soup mixture over the rest of the stuff in the casserole dish. Bake for about 20 min, or until soup has thickened well.

Top the mixture with your cheese (this is why I said or more, if you want it CRAZY cheesy). Crank the oven up to broiler and let the cheese melt/brown, about 5-10 min (keep an eye on it).

and TA DA! You gots supper!

Serves 6

Total cost of the recipe=5.93 (Not including milk)

Cost per serving= .99 cents...YEAH!

So yeah there you have it. I'm SERIOUSLY trying to not do a bake next week, but we'll see! I DO have a recipe in my head, and it's seriously my FAVORITE meal ever, and it doesn't cost much really to create, but it's following the similar formula we've got going here thus far, so I MAY wait on that one (but it will SO be coming eventually).

Also if you ever read this and are all, she's got some weird dialog going on here for a recipe. WHY? Because legit when I'm typing I'm pretending that I'm hosting my cooking TV show...don't act like you've NEVER done it in your kitchen!

Cheap and Easy, Edition #2 Ingredients

Logo credit Nate Williams

So last week I was nervous with the new feature on my blog, and TOTALLY had a safety net because well, I needed the first to be a success…I hope it was…THIS week I’m taking inspiration from a post one of my listeners on FB (Thank SO much Angele) AND from a recent segment I saw on the Rachael Ray Show. Last week on the show she did a Trash to Treasures Episode, and I got a GREAT Idea from it! SO here are your Ingredients:

Boneless skinless Chicken Breasts- 2/lb @ No Frills

Potato Skins (yes skins) OR Potatoes- 2.50 @ Super store

Frozen Spinach (or sub in another frozen veg)-1@ No Frills

Cream of Mushroom Soup (I forgot to pick up so hubby has to go grab for me)-.59 @ Super Store

Milk

Onion

Cheese- 3.99 @ Super store

So because I've NEVER made this before I'm not 100% sure on how much you'll need of EACH item right now. However most are REALLY good prices so you may wanna grab a few anyway (Mostly in THIS the chicken Breasts and Soup). SO yes I said potato SKINS. If you're having mashed potatoes in the next couple days instead of throwing out the peel, stick em in a bowl with some water to keep them. If not, you can just peel the crap out of a potato (My husband is on peel duty today while I'm working). No Frills has a sale on on frozen Veg right now so I grabbed a FEW and you DON'T have to do spinach, in case you have picky eaters on your hands. ACTUALLY if you have the left over broccoli from last week's recipe, that would TOTALLY work. Well that's all for notes, the new recipe comes out Tuesday!

The Anti-Bully Blog Series Edition #18

Logo credit Nate Williams

Ok, I’m not even sure where to begin on this week’s anti-bully blog. Leading up to it, I’ve been saying I know EXACTLY what I’m doing to be talking about, some of you may be aware as well. Recently there was a REALLY publicized incident, and it happened LOCALLY. The majority of the headlines we see regarding bullying aren’t in our own backyard. Is that what it takes for us to realize how VERY important a topic this is? If so, it’s hit home folks…I hate to tell you. Some people are reading this saying, bullying happens every day, these people would be right. This one has made headlines, but I bet it’s NOT the first incident this girl went through. Enough of me being criptic, if you REALLY don’t know what I’m talking about, odds are you’re getting annoyed. Last Friday, a local grade 6 girl was cornered in a bathroom by 2 other students, one held her head back, while the other cut her hair. I’m SO ready to verbally lash out in anger with profanities, but I don’t see the good in it. Instead, while this story turns my stomach, I’m trying to take a step back and have a look at the situation. These girls PHYSICALLY FORCED this girl into this. I’ve YET to hear what ANYONE is doing to handle the girls, but I hope it’s something that will get the point across that it’s BEYOND wrong what they did.

For the girl who had this DONE to her, can you EVEN IMAGINE?! How SCARED she had to be. Like I really want to hug this Kid and tell her it’s going to be ok. Thing is, she’s in grade 6. I remember grade 6, it was a rough one! I remember this was the age where I was starting to be aware of my appearance and self conscious. What’s worse, is a girls hair is a BIG DEAL! Before a girl first juts her tummy out and grabs it thinking she’s fat (I’m sorry ladies, we ALL did it, if it was true or not) she wants her hair to be pretty. Speaking personally I’m a drastic person when it comes to my hair. When I get bored, it’s dyed, or lopped off. But at HER age? I never would have DREAMED of it. At that age, my hair I guess a source of my power, when I think about it. What’s worse is she continues to be the victim…I’m sure by now, her parents have done what they could to make the evidence of what happened as invisible as possible, but she’s got a drastic change to her look, and goes to class each day with everyone knowing WHY! I’m trying to get off the topic of the girls who did it but what the HELL was going through their heads? What would have JUSTIFIED these actions? REALLY! I would like to sit them down and ask them that…”Why did you think this was ok”?!

SO since I’ve had to walk away from writing this post SEVERAL time already because I’m flat out getting REALLY angry with the whole situation, I want to mention this! Coming up this weekend, on Saturday there will be an Anti-Bully Rally and Fundraiser Called Love is Louder. I PERSONALLY hope to make it out (If my car permits). It’s at the Town of Hampton Pavilion from 11-1, with motivational speakers, a Poem reading, martial arts demo, music, and they’re releasing a dove as a symbol of peace. I write this blog because it’s something I believe in, bullying is NOT ok EVER! So I do encourage EVERYONE to get out there this weekend!

Remember if you’d like to contribute to the Anti-bully Blog series you can FB me or e-mail me nancy.wood@mbsradio.com

Cheap and Easy- Greek Tuna Bake

Logo credit Nate Williams

SO apparently we’re supposed to eat seafood like 2 times a week. Some fish you can get enough to feed the fam for like $5, and sometimes lower. I also scoop up shrimp EVERY time I see it on sale (last week No frills had peeled and cooked shrimp for less the $5…jackpot). The recipe I’m featuring THIS week? Tuna! Canned Tuna, boo ya! So here’s the ingredient list again:

• · 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

• · 2 cans tuna

• · 1 cup milk

• · 3/4 cup rice 2.87

• · 1/2 cup each, chopped celery and red onion

• · 1 tbsp lemon juice

• · 1 tps oregano

• · 1½ cups small broccoli florets

• · 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

• · 1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled light Feta cheese

• · pepper

Pre Heat the oven to 400

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT the last 4. Once you have mixed them well gently stir in Broccoli and tomatoes. Top with Feta and Pepper

Cook for 35min and let stand for 5 serves 4

REALLY easy !

the total cost to make this recipe=8.97

Cost per serving=2.23

One thing I better mention to avoid any issues, this isn't my recipe (I wish) it's a modified Campbell's recipe. If you would like to see the original, google the title of this recipe and it will pop up. There weren't A LOT of modifications, just cost effective ones, and typically speaking, Campbell's isn't too bad to begin with.

Cheap and Easy, Edition #1 Ingredients

Logo credit Nate Williams

Ok well for my FIRST recipe for “Cheap and Easy” I’ll be doing a greek tuna bake. I’m revealing the ingredients today so that if you want to make it yourself, you can go and pick up the ingredients so you’re set to go AND you can grab some of the deals that are on RIGHT NOW! I went grocery shopping this morning…and go me…left my receipts at home…SO since I’m sitting in the studio right now, and I PROMISED I’d post today, like my father before me I will NOT break a promise. So while I KNOW the ingredients are correct, I’m doing my best to remember prices. SO here are your ingredients :

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 Cans of Tuna (flaked is best)

1 Cup of Milk (whatever you have on hand)

¾ cup Rice

½ cup each Celery and Red onion

1tsp Lemon Juice

1tsp Oregano

1&1/2 cup Broccoli

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes

½ cup Feta cheese

Black Pepper

Ok, lets break it down. The cream of mushroom soup, you can get for less than a buck, I got no name brand at No Frills today for like 79 cents. If you MUST use name brand, it’s a buck there too. The canned tuna, IF you HAVE TO HAVE brand name Chunk Clover Leaf is 88 cents at giant tiger right now. If to you tuna is tuna, Walmart has it for less at their regular price. Milk, I’m not counting in the price, why? Because for starters most people have it on hand, and secondly it’s almost IMPOSSIBLE to price since different sizes are different prices. I buy it in bags and when I actually DO the recipe I will factor it in. With Milk unless some one has a bangin sale on, it’s pretty standard pricing across the board. Rice, again odds are you have it on hand. I WILL be adding it in on the price here, it’s a kitchen staple in MY house anyway. I get a family sized box either when I see it on sale, or when I’m at the bottom of my box. A large box is about $5, and will last you LONG after this recipe. If you’re CRAZY STRAPPED for cash, I might go for like a rice “Sidekick” or something. Pick one that you think would go well with a greek flavor. Short term it’s cost effective (not so much long term) and it would be a kind of cool way to change up the flavor a bit (I’m thinking next time I make this I’ll have to do it that way now for something different). The Celery and Red onion. The MOST expensive I’ve EVER seen celery, $2, and I think it may be less at on the vine (sorry it was already in my fridge) SAME story for red onion (I hit the jackpot one time I bought a bag of onions and there was a random red one…I felt the need to share that). Another option use regular onion (a lot of times you can get 2lb bags for the price of a red onion). This WILL make the onion flavor a little stronger, Red Onions are more mild, my husband is NOT a fan of onions, but he WILL eat red onions, or Green. Lemon Juice, this is again ALWAYS in my fridge, so I already have it BUT I DID happen to see Lemon juice for less than $2 at On the vine today. Oregano, ok I cheated here. The ORIGINAL recipe asks for fresh, if you go fresh it’s 1 TABLESPOON instead of 1tsp of the dry. I’ve literally ALWAYS used dry for this recipe, and it turns out fine. I don’t want to bring in the price for it on the ACTUAL recipe, because it will be damn near impossible AND it’s a versatile spice so I would HOPE people already have it. IF you don’t I say hit up the bulk barn, you get to pick your price that way, OR you can get it in a bag for around $2. Broccoli, Ok I cheated! I have a 2 person household, and therefore wasted food is an issue and happens EASILY in my house. SO I bought Frozen @ Walmart (I actually got it on my way in to work today because I forgot it ) it was about $3 and it won’t ALL get used in this recipe. Cherry Tomatoes, I cheated again, I got grape (because I have yet to discover the difference) and they’re 2/5 at On the Vine. Feta, cheese will GENERALLY be the most expensive part of a recipe for you and it’s no exception here. HOWEVER, it’s on sale for $4 @ Superstore right now. Pepper? 100% refuse to add this for you! If you have NO OTHER spices in your house you have Salt and Pepper! SO the tally of your shopping trip MAXIMUM :

About $25

Before you say “Nancy you’re full of crap, this isn’t cheap”! This is the ingredients, and they will ALL last you longer than this recipe except the soup and tuna. Not to mention I lied, I added the milk in, and assumed you bought $6 bags! AND I put the $5 box of rice in (there are several ways to cut corners here). It’s LEGIT if you have NOTHING in your house except the pepper…NOW if I don’t factor in the ingredients I called staples or I cut corners ( like subbing in regular onion for red) The MINIMUM cost will be:

About $12…Still hate me?

Also what I actually spent today (because I had some of it already) 14.69, that’s without cutting corners.

This is ALSO the ingredient list, not the recipe yet! THAT comes Tuesday! I’ll be making THIS recipe when I get home tonight! YES….at midnight….don’t you make supper when you get home from work? Also, if you know of better prices than the ones I listed here, please post to share the wealth… that works because it would be a savings! I’ll post the recipe Tuesday! J

The Anti-Bully Blog Series Edition #17

Logo Credit To Nate Williams

Ok, I’m doing a rant post for the Anti-Bully Blog today! One that REALLY bugs me, and the fact that I bring it up ALL the time bugs my husband, so it’s your turn. There is something prompting it to be honest. I CONSTANTLY see it on FB, but I had a straw that broke the camel’s back. When people use the word “gay” in a negative context. Sounds like a small thing? Why because it’s done EVERY DAY! It’s so common, you may not even realize when you see it, or when you say it! The #1 most POPULAR Youtuber Ray William Johnson? One of his well known lines is “Fake and Gay”. In the case of “the straw that broke the camel’s back”, the person asked me a question ( won’t say the name because I ALWAYS keep any name confidential unless given permission and I didn’t seek it in this case). I told them the answer and their response was “Gay”, to which my response was “I FREAKIN hate that”! Now this person, not sure she even realized what she did, but I explained “You just used the word Gay in a negative sense, like it’s a bad thing”. This was a young person, and unfortunately they’re some of the WORST offenders, but in their case, I’m not sure they even realize how hurtful what they say is. I’m not about to act holier than thou and claim I was never guilty of it as a kid, but as an adult, I’m more aware of it.

You may be saying, “Nancy, what does that have to do with Bullying”? PLENTY! There’s a REALLY high number of Homosexual, Bisexual, and transgendered kids who are bullied EVER day, they’re a FAR more common target. I used to know the numbers, I don’t anymore unfortunately but it’s the truth of the matter. In the digital age, you may post something on your FB, and some one comments “Gay”. I want you to think of your best friend, your VERY best friend, the one you’d give a kidney to if they needed it (keeping in mind that procedure is harder on the donor than the recipient). If they told you tomorrow, they were gay, would that change anything? I SO hope your answer was “no” (if it was I don’t know that this person is qualified for this example). So assuming it was “No”, imagine that they saw that on your FB. When some one is gay, and not out, there’s a MAJOR internal struggle. Their BIGGEST fear is rejection! They’re scared to tell ANYONE, but the best friend? That’s likely going to be the FIRST person they feel ok telling. For example, a girl I went to High School with, apparently ALL her friends knew she was gay before her family was. She was SO scared of her dad’s reaction; she had the same friends wait outside her house in case things went bad. I haven’t stressed on a LOT of bullying about sexuality, because it’s something I have VERY strong feelings on, and I wanted to do it justice. I know there are homophobic people out there, which is sad. What’s WORSE though, are how many Sheep there are who just go along with it, even if they really DON’T have an issue with some one’s sexuality. HIGH SCHOOL was probably the WORST place I saw this.

A Guy I was tight with (to the extent he’s marrying one of my best friends this summer) his best friend was gay. We were in a class together, and he and I ended up being friends too. The issue was the REST of the class, and I LITERALLY mean EVERYONE ELSE would harass him. He literally dealt with this on a daily basis. This guy IS a good guy, a little eccentric at times, but a REALLY great guy. And like 27 people shunned him because he’s gay. Am I the ONLY person who realizes how pathetic that is?! My challenge to you, if you’ve used this word in this context, try and eliminate it from your vocab…unless it’s in the proper context of course. MY new thing I’m going to do when people use it in the context I’m bitching about, I’m going to reply, “It’s SO STRAIGHT that you would respond like that”. People don’t use Straight in a negative context, so I’m trying to level the playing field here…What? Feel free to join me on that one too.

Remember if you’ve got something you think you could contribute to the Anti-Bully Blog, AWESOME, get a hold of me! Via FB or e-mail! nancy.wood@mbsradio.com everyone has a story!

Cheap and Easy

Logo Credit Nate Williams

Time for me to come clean…I haven’t been completely faithful to my blog…there IS another! Yes it’s true, I have 2 blog accounts. This is my “Work” one (so named simply because it’s got the k100 in the title) But I also have a personal one, it’s called creative rocker. Why? Because Domestic Rocker was taken (yup shout out to one of my fave bloggers). The other account, I basically say whatever I want. I can drop Eff Bombs there should I choose (though I’m not sure I ever have). This one is more professional I guess. However THIS blog may as well be changed to “The Anti-Bully Blog”, because that’s all I post on here. Is that a bad thing? NO! by NO means! I’m still VERY passionate about the project, and will continue to do so. I’ve regulated that project though and now release ONE post per week. SO I knew this blog could have more posts, but they all look like crap in comparison to the topic of GREAT importance that is the Anti-Bully blog. Until now. Last week (Friday I believe) I got into a topic of conversation on the k100 fan page, asking what people thought of a diet guru trying to push the government to start grading kids on their body weight. I KNEW going into it, I could get some heated responses…but it really didn’t get as OVERLY heated as I expect, but there WAS a debate out of it. It branched out into a discussion of eating healthy on a REALLY tight budget! THIS is a topic of conversation I’m WAY into. I’m a total foodie, I LOVE Rachael Ray (I’m little and loud like her too), and JUST like her, I LOVE to cook….but not so much on the baking. Which is good, means my mother in-law can still spoil her baby boy with HER baking. THAT combined with my love (ok my need) to save money. I’ve even started couponing. I got started there a couple months ago and got turned to some great sites and such for that (extreme couponing Canada and Rothesay coupon mom are 2 places I find myself turning to constantly).

So, I love food, I love cooking, I prefer to eat healthy (I’m not gonna lie, I dig my junk too) and I like saving money ANY way I can. All that chucked in the food processor with the topic there on the k page…hmmm, maybe I have a new project idea!

Well I think it’s obvious, I’ve decided, yes there WILL be a new project. Each week I’ll be posting a new cheap and easy recipe here on my blog! I’ll call it…YUP Cheap and Easy (I love that I get to be a little bad with the title too). SO Tuesdays I’ll be posting a “Cheap and Easy” Recipe. My PLAN is to try them out over the weekend, so I can give it it’s PROPER tryout, not just posting one with NO idea what I’m talking about. Due to my PERSONAL food Allergies (sorry I have QUITE a few) I’ll probably alter some of them. AND FINALLY I’ll release it Tuesday BECAUSE I plan to post with the ingredients, where to get the most bang for your buck. THIS is why I picked Tuesday for the release date. Tuesday is the BEST day simply because you have all your updated flyers and deals and such that day. I WAS going to post a recipe with TODAY’S post because I made soup over the weekend ( stew meat @ 3.29/lb) but I kind of forgot to write down what I was doing…so…fail! SO this weekend I’ll be trying out my FIRST recipe for the project! So wanted to give the HEADS UP on what’s coming soon to my K100 blog. If you want to check out my PERSONAL blog, I post THAT one on my PERSONAL Nancy Wood Fan page! Thanks for the inspiration guys! ALSO Keep your eyes peeled for the Anti-Bully Blog, coming brand new tomorrow!

This blog has been used for the Anti-Bully Blog Series alone for SO long, tomorrow, I make a BIG announcement, what's joining the Fam! It's coming!

The Anti-Bully Blog Series Edition #16, in loving memory of my father

Logo Credit to Nate Williams

Coming into this blog post I knew only one thing, that it was going to be dedicated in memory of my father. I HAVE done an in memory post for my father recently on my personal blog, but my dad was a BIG fan of the Anti-Bully Blog series. I REALLY wasn’t aware he even read it until I visited him one day and he brought up all the posts I’d done up until that point. To all the Anti-bullies to date, my dad thought it was pretty amazing that you shared your stories. I wasn’t sure if I was going to do a typical post and dedicate it in memory, or talk about my dad…I only like as I’m typing this decided the way to go is dad.

Since I’ve started this series (almost a year ago) I’ve had a LOT of people come up to me and tell me how great it was I’m doing this. It was mentioned to me at my WEDDING ok? I do it because I myself am an anti-bully. I hate bullying, I may have lost listeners in the past because they post something on FB and I flat out call them out on what they’re saying. I’m not in the business of losing listeners, I’m of course constantly looking for them. But if I went along with what they said or did, I’d be a HUGE hypocrite. Not to say I’m perfect. I always think back to the second or third piece I ever featured where the Anti-Bully told me at one point or another we’re all a bully, if we mean to or not. I’m aware of an incident where I was. I’m friends again with this person and they even did a piece for the blog. I ALSO told them they could 100% mention when I did that, but they chose to focus on the positive parts of our relationship. I’m kind of getting off topic though, I’m a passionate Anti-bully because I was taught to be, by my dad. There are several things I’ve learned from my father, but he made sure I understood the golden rule, and that I was no better than anyone, and that no one was better than me. We’re all equal. I believe this whole heartedly. So if I REALLY believe this, how could I not be an anti-bully?

Some other things I picked up from my father? My attitude, and back bone. Both Burned him from time to time but dad ALWAYS used to tell this one story about me, when I was bullied. I was 6 and on my way home from school 4 or 5 boys from my class were pushing me into the wall and not letting me go home. When finally I DID get in the door of my house I BURST out crying. Dad asked me what happened, I told him, and he asked why I was crying now? I told him “I wasn’t going to let them see me cry”. I struggled in grade 6, because I wasn’t one of the “cool” girls. I wanted to be SO desperately. Dad explained to me it was because I was always the friend to the kids who needed friends…the ones who were bullied. Dad had taught me to be like this young too. There was a girl in my class who no one played with, and she’d yell hello to me on the playground all the time. My dad was VERY involved with my school when I was a kid and would NOT let me be rude and ignore her. I can’t really remember if I ever tried to be or not…I was like 5…but I know I became friends with her and dad would take me over to her house for playdates from time to time. I specifically remember him doing this to my brother too when he was 5 and a little girl had a crush on him. Dad would NOT TOLERATE us being mean to others for no reason. I stress the no reason because he never expected us to be a doormat either, and to stand up for ourselves, and in time, our friends.

The majority of the story is from when I was quite young because he taught me to be an Anti-bully when I WAS very young. So I dedicate this piece in memory of my Father, an Enforcer of Anti-bully Behavior!