Willow The Whisk

A few weeks ago, I read about a couple who decided to try to eat all their meals on $1 a day each and blog about it. I was enthralled by their blog and quickly began thinking about how much I spend on food.



I am pretty thrifty with the grocery bill and I more often eat at home than go out to dinner BUT I know that I could do better. They included a recipe for refried beans made in the crock pot. This intrigued me and I decided to give their recipe a try but with a few adjustments. This couple is vegan and I'm a carnivore. I knew the beans would need some animal fat and meat to make me happy.




Refried Beans
makes 8 servings

1 cup dry pinto beans (.54 cents)
1 cup black beans (.86 cents)
3 cloves garlic (.12 cents)
1 tsp. chili flakes (.08 cents)
salt to taste (.04 cents)
2 oz salted pork ($.49)
3 cups water (free!)
3 cups chicken broth ($1.20)

1. Rinse the pinto beans and soak them overnight. Rinse well.
2. In a crock pot, add pinto beans, 3 cups water, 3 cups chicken broth, garlic, chili, salt and salted pork.
3. Cook on high heat for approximately 8 hours.
4. When beans are very soft, pour off water as necessary to drain beans.
5. Use a potato masher to mash beans to desired consistency.

Cost:
Whole batch: $3.33
Serving: $0.42

While my recipe is a bit more costly than the original one, it is quite tasty and still really cheap!

1pm eastern is the time when I will find out where I will be living and working for the next 3 years while I do my residency. I found out on Monday that I have been matched, now I just have to wait for a few more short hours until I find out where to.

I feel a little sick, a little worried, a little anxious, a little excited. It's the not knowing, I'm sure of that.

I think this photo sums up exactly how I am feeling right now. I'm sure I will be smiling later.

The next few days are very busy ones for me.

Wednesday is, of course, St Patrick's Day. I already have the t-shirt all lined up! (It really is NOT the most flattering photo of me)



I will let you know if it works!

The big day of the week is going to be Thursday - Match Day! Thursday is the day I find out where I will doing my residency. I am hoping to either stay here or to go on to Houston, I shall soon find out! Crazy work hours ahead, no matter where I go.

One more thing!

I am looking to cook more food from scratch; do you have any idea's of any cookery books I might find useful to get me going? I'm not really a huge dessert fan, more of a entree and main course girl. I am also a novice in the kitchen, so any ideas for books will be great! Thank you.

Yesterday was the first evening I have had at home for a little while. While that may sound as though I am a total social butterfly, sadly I am not! I am madly trying to study but I find that I can't do it if I'm on my own. A group of us have formed a study group so that we can motivate each other. That was what we told each other it would do, anyway. In reality we seem to spend most of the evenings we get together at each others homes sitting around gossiping and eating rubbish food. It is actually pretty good fun, but it isn't helping us get any work done!

I decided that there really is only so studying much a girl can do before she needs a break. For me that means that I usually last 20 minutes before I get bored. I woke up yesterday morning and decided that enough was enough! I was going to take the entire day off, devil that I am.

I made pancakes for breakfast.


I then took Sam out for one of the longest walks I think he has ever been on before deciding that I had to go shopping with my friend, Amy. I'm not really a great lover of clothes shopping but I did myself proud yesterday. Two dresses, one skirt and two pairs of shoes later, I was done. I seem to get to a certain point when I have just had enough of shopping and I just want to go home; I don't know if this is just me? It was a great day though and really lovely to spend some time with Amy.

I would love to say that I had a lovely, healthy dinner, but I didn't. Amy and I ended up with pizza. I was going to make it myself but I'm not the number one pizza maker the world has ever known, so we decided to order one instead. I think making the pancakes was enough for me for one day! I am trying to make myself feel a little bit better about it by telling you that I did take Sam out for another really long walk, but I don't think that even all that walking has stopped me from putting on some weight!


In summary, yesterday was just a run-of-mill day, but it was one that I really needed. It does us good to have a break from the same old routine, don't you think?

I had a few idea's about what to post as my second blog, but I have decided to introduce you to the boy in my life: Sam.

Sam is my nearly two year old chocolate labrador. I have to tell you that I love him to pieces, even though he is totally mad and silly. He loves eating, goofing around on the beach and making new human friends while out on his walks. Sam especially loves being chased around the yard while he has your bra clamped firmly in between his teeth: he is a terror for stealing underwear. To Sam, the tug of war we have when I am trying to get back which ever item of underwear he has managed to escape with is the most fun on earth! He always wins.

Now of course I have to say this, but Sam is pretty darn cute! How could you not fall in love with this?





This was Sam's first time on the beach. Being a typical lab, he adores water. The beach is probably his most favorite place in the world.





I don't want to bore you, so this is my last photo! This is Sam today with his friend Sasha.

I feel as though I have just started a new job and am introducing myself to everyone!

''My name is Emma. I am a student. I am 29 years old, indeed I shall be 30 in just a few days time. I live in New Orleans. I love anything to do with food, especially the eating part. I have no idea why I set up a blog, although I do have a couple of friends who have told me that there are some great food groups and bloggers on here. I will have to go find them! I love dogs: I have a chocolate labrador who goes by the name of Sam. He never answers to it, so I don't think that is his name at all. ''

That is all I can think of. Hopefully you will be able to get to know me better the more I blog.