I’m taking a walk in someone else’s shoes for a week. I’m going to attempt to feed my family off of $18 a day. Which is the basic food stamp allowance. I consider myself pretty damn thrifty when it comes to feeding my family and $18 a day seems like a lot more than I spend. Roughly it’s about $500 a month. Here are the Rules: Hunger Challenge rules:

• Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner spending only $7 per day. ($18 for a family of 3)
• Salt and pepper don’t count but all other seasonings, cooking oils, condiments, snacks, drinks, and everything else do.
• Don’t use food you already own.
• Don’t accept food from family, friends, coworkers and others. Not even the free samples from Costco!
• Try to include fresh produce and healthy protein each day.
• Keep track of expenses, food choices, etc. and share your experiences on United Way of King County’s blog.

I have to cheat a little bit or rather, bend the rules. I bought a half of cow a couple months ago which is residing in my freezer. So when I go to cook my beef dish the ground beef is going to be coming from freezer, not the store. But I will calculate the current ground beef price at QFC. So a little bending. Also it says that I have to buy all new dried spices and herbs. Not happening. My husband already threatened legal separation if I brought home one more spice/herb. Winco has bulk spices, so I just bought a little bulk bag of pizza seasoning for 58cents.  Well, anyway, enough with that. I’ll go over more if and when it comes up.  Also my husband is not big on joining in this little challenge so we are pretending he is involved. He usually just has coffee for breakfast and then Taco bell for lunch. But sake of this we are just pretending that I am making him lunch, he is eating breakfast, etc.

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I am addicted to the Real Houswives of New Jersey. I admit it. I never watched any of the other housewives, granted I gave them all a chance. But never really made it past the first or second episode. I hate the pretentious, entitled attitudes of them all. Atlanta was to ghetto for me. I couldnt relate to anything and they mildly scared me. The ladies of New York, obsessed with self promotion and social climbing drove me insane the two or three episodes I watched. Everyone I know seems to be addicted to the Housewives franchises, especially my gay friends, I never got it, until now.

The ladies of New Jersey set the bar high for the upcoming Chicago and Washington D.C Housewives that are in production now. Unlike the previous housewives, the NJ ladies actually do run a household, love their children, have their own careers (well, some of them) and do a lot of charitable work. Like anything I get addicted to, I obsess. I havent bought my plane ticket to NJ yet, but I’m close.

An overview of the cast; Jaqueline, a smart, honest, loving and loveable girl who is more concerned with whats right than appeasing anyone. She seems like the type that would give you the shirt off her back if you wanted or needed it. Dina the Diva. She likes things perfect and her way. There is nothing wrong with that, she is still loving and her daughter is hilarious. They should really get their own show. Caroline, Dina’s sister and ultimately the ‘matriach’ of the group. She is fiesty and for the most  part seems to be suspicious of everything and everyone. And rightfully so especially when there is the matter of Danielle. Who is an absolute psycho. A self absorbed toxic woman who can do no wrong in her own eyes. She is disrespectful and intolerant of pretty much anyone except herself. I pray for this woman. Her kids are suprisingly well adjusted and smart. I don’t think that’s a reflection of Danielle’s parenting skills, I think it’s a reflection of her lack thereof. Fight or Flight response. The thing that broke my heart was listening to her kids talk about all the other men she brought around that are no longer in the picture. And here is a tip for Danielle - True Love is not contingent on the size of his bank account. Then there is Teresa. Wow. She is hilarious and obviously loves her children more than life itself. I thought her husband was a total D-bag until he laid it out just how much he adores and respects her for raising his 3 beautiful children. It was one of the most sincere and sensitive moments I have ever witnessed. Then of course, when Teresa flipped over the table how he shuttled her off and instead of getting mad, he comforted and calmed her down.

And just so it’s known, if I stuck out an olive branch of peace to someone and they disrespected me in the 5,000 ways Danielle did, in front of everyone like that… Lets just say that Danielle was lucky it was Teresa and not me.

I am so excited for next season and I hope they all sign on to do another one. This time longer than six episodes.. Can’t wait for the reunion show next week.

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My sister makes truffles and cheesecakes which are tasty little morsels of heaven in your mouth. She’s a baker, I’m not. So everytime she asks me to do a favor - like pick up the chocolate at the wholesalers - I jump on that train in the hopes of getting some free goods. Everyone likes getting good stuff for free right?

That’s what I thought! So for the next week only - For every 4oz tin you buy get a free 2.5 oz tin of your choice of Evan’s Cajun Fire, Megs Mediteranean Mix, Bread Dipping Fire or Skinny Salt.  

At checkout, in the notes section just list what you would like. If you do not put anything - don’t worry, I’ll send you one of my favorites!

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