A Penny Saved

Crockpot Black Beans

2010-04-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

I love black beans. My absolute favorite meal is black bean enchiladas. So, needless to say I buy a lot of canned black beans. Until now...

I was perusing the blogs of others who do once a month cooking and stumbled across an entry on freezing beans. This person prepared beans in her crockpot, bagged them and put them in the freezer. So, I decided to try this out. I wanted to compare cost and quality.

Every now and then I can find canned black beans at the grocery salvage store for 3/$1. Now, I have to admit it has been a long time since I have seen that price. The last time we went to the salvage store the beans were $0.79 (about what I would pay at Walmart). So, can making my own beans be cheaper? I picked up a 2# bag of dried black beans at Walmart for $1.72. Monday night I washed and cleaned the beans, covered them with water and let them soak. Tuesday morning I rinsed the beans and added more water and turned on the crockpot before I left for work. When I got home that afternoon, I had a pot of cooked beans. They were very tasty!!. I divided them into 2 cup portions (which is a bit more than a normal can). I was able to get 6 nice size portions to use later. That's $0.27 a portion, which is definitely cheaper in the long run.

Five of the portions are in the freezer and one will be used tonight in an enchilada dish. I am really excited that this is so easy. I will definitely be cooking my own beans from now on and saving money (which always makes me smile).

Have a great week.

Once-A-Month Cooking for April

2010-04-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

So, we ran out of freezer meals in the middle of March. What a difference that made in my grocery budget for the month. We totally busted that budget. We ate out more. It was just shameful. I don't really want to think about it. So, Bridget and I chose March 29th as the April OAMC day. We made our list and met at the Super Walmart in Hattiesburg the day before. Oh what fun we had shopping. Tyler, her 1 year old is a great shopper, but even he thought this was too long of a shopping trip. My total was $228 (not bad for a months worth of dinners).

Sunday night, I cleaned the kitchen really well and assembled all of my pantry ingredients. Monday morning arrived and we started processing the veggies. Doesn't it all look so pretty?

This round we had to buy rotisserie chickens. I was not looking forward to tearing those things apart. Thankfully, our friend Theresa came by to see this craziness and was kind enough to take care of 6 chickens.

We cooked and assembled all day. At the end, Bridget had 36 meals to take home and I had 25 in my freezer. It was exhausting, but so worth it in the long run.

And the kitchen was clean at the end of the day...

Menu Planning Monday (March 22nd)

2010-03-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't been the best home economist lately. We have eaten out more this month than the past 12 months combined (maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but that's how it feels). Last week was Spring Break in our home, so we were out of town a few days. When we got home, I just didn't feel like cooking. But, all that laziness has past and now I am back in the correct frame of mind.

I was looking at the new Kraft magazine and found several recipes I would love to try. Some are on the menu for this week...

Monday: Spaghetti alla Ceci (cooking from the pantry tonight)

Tuesday: Salsa Chicken Tostados (from the new Kraft magazine)

Wednesday: Stuffed Pasta Shells (meal I didn't cook last week)

Thursday: Burgers and chips

Friday: Soup from the freezer

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Omelets

Have a great week...

Gotta love that CVS!!

2010-03-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

I have been shopping at CVS on and off for the past 9 months and I have to say I love that place. I haven't really found any great deals the past few weeks, but today was great.

Here's the breakdown:

Gillette Deodorants 2 x 2.75 = 5.50 - 4.00 cpn = 1.50 for 2 and I got back $2 in ECBs

Gillette Bodywash 4.99 - 4.99 cpn (buy deodorant and get body wash free) = FREE!! (I had another one of the coupons but left it at home. Oh well, maybe I can find a great deal to use it with next week.)

Pantene 2 for 6.97 - 3.oo cpn = 3.97 for 2 and I got back $2 in ECBs

CVS Toothbrushes 3 for 6.97 - 1 cpn from the price checker thing in the store = 3 for 5.97 (I picked these up for boxes our church is sending to the troops in Iraq.)

CVS Papertowels 1.29 - 1 cpn from price checker thing in the store = 0.29

Head and Shoulders Shampoo 4.99 - 1 cpn = 3.99 plus I got back $2 in ECBs.

Dawn for 0.97 - 0.25 cpn for 0.72

That's a total of 31.68 - 15.24 cpns and 5.00 in ECBs from previous trip = $13.52 w/ taxes out of pocket plus I got back $6 in ECBs.

Not bad for a quick stop by the drugstore. My favorite part of this was the Gillette products. I was able to use the $4/2 cpn on the deodorant and still get the bodywash for free. I wasn't sure if could actually do this so I contacted Tiffany at My Litter. She assured me that this was OK. Thanks for the reassurance Tiffany. By the way, check out Tiffany's blog (link in the sidebar). She has wonderful information and great stories all the time.

Menu Planning Monday (March 8th)

2010-03-08T12:06:00.000-08:00

I have run out of steam this week. I have no motivation to cook. I think I need a break. Fortunately, my boys have ideas of what I can cook. Isn't that sweet of them? Also, our Spring Break is next week, so maybe I can recharge my home ec. batteries then.

So, for this week:

Monday: Poached Eggs and Hash (I saw this on Sandra Lee's show and it looked yummy. Also, I have duck eggs that I wanted to try, so thought this would be a good recipe.)

Tuesday: Artichoke and Spinach Tortellini

Wednesday: Stuffed Pasta Shells

Thursday: Sliders and chips

Friday: We are eating at a local hamburger joint called Lau Tori's. Our younger son loves this place, but the parents are so keen. It is very greasy. Funny story though, when Nicholas suggested it he said, "Let's go to Sakura." That is the best sushi restaurant around. Neither of the boys like sushi though. Patrick was quick to correct Nicholas on his choice of restaurants.

Saturday: Party

Sunday: Leaving town for a few days.

Menu Planning Monday (March 1st)

2010-03-01T06:12:00.000-08:00

What a weekend!! We are still in the process of totally rearranging our house. All of the furniture is moved and now it is time to clean up what looks like the path of a tornado through my house. The downstairs is pretty much clean. Our bedroom still has a few piles of things to sort. The upstairs is an different story. I have piles of crafts and papers all down the hall and in the guest bedroom. But at least the end is in sight and my house will be free of clutter once I am finished.

Yesterday, I had a Southern Living at Home party at my house. It was a lot of fun and the food was great. My friends and family seemed to have a great time.

So, on the menu this week:

Monday: Sausage-stuffed French Bread and Bean soup (I have leftovers from yesterday's party)

Tuesday: Ham Pot Pie

Wednesday: Chicken to Go, Salad

Thursday: Corn & Crap Soup

Friday: Lamb Chops, Rice, Beans

Saturday: Steak, Baked Potato

Sunday: Bacon and Eggs

Menu Planning Monday (February 22nd)

2010-02-22T05:41:00.000-08:00

Well, my older son is now officially 15 years old. We had his birthday celebration yesterday at my parents home. I can't believe he is 15!! After the cake and ice cream, he had to be in Hattiesburg at 4:40 to leave for the Beta Convention. He will be gone for the next two days. It feels weird. This is his first extended trip without me as a chaperone. He was so excited. Fortunately, he did call me last night after they arrived at the hotel and were settled. I hope he has a wonderful time.

Now, for food things. Last week's menu was so-so. Hobbie had hip surgery on Wednesday, so that led to some changes in the menu. We did order pizza Saturday night, but otherwise we made do with what was in the freezer.

This week, the menu looks very yummy. We are close to the bottom of our freezer meals, but I put some of our favorites towards the bottom of the list so we would not feel like we were missing anything.

Monday: Southwest Chicken

Tuesday: Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

Wednesday: Hamburger Quiche

Thursday: Red Mesa Tacos

Friday: Lamb, Rice, Butter beans

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Breakfast Casserole

I am also hosting a Southern Living at Home Party on Sunday afternoon. It should be a lot of fun.

Have a great week.

Menu Planning Monday (February 15th)

2010-02-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Last week was wonderful. I had a great birthday and ate cake all week long. My nephew's birthday was on the 12th, so we had even more cake on Sunday for his party. Well, today is my son's 15th birthday. We are going out to eat tonight, but I will have cake for him most of the week, too.

We are also finishing up the remodel of what will be our new bedroom. Previously it was my craft room. Well, in January a pipe burst and flooded part of the room. So we decided to move my craft room upstairs and remodel this room for us. The carpet was installed today and I just need to finish painting the trim. We should be moved in tomorrow.

So, without further ado...

Monday: Eating out for Patrick's birthday

Tuesday: Pork Fried Rice, Egg Rolls

Wednesday: Roasted Vegetable Ratatoille

Thursday: Uptown Joes

Friday: Grilled Cheese and Vegetable Soup

Saturday: Not sure since we will have Patrick's birthday celebration

Sunday: Pancakes and bacon

Have a great week. For more menu ideas visit Organizing Junkie.

Menu Planning Monday (February 8th)

2010-02-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Well, this week should be very exciting. My birthday is on Tuesday. I have requested a blueberry filled King cake from Paul's Pastry Shoppe. If you are from the Gulf Coast area, particularly MS and LA, you probably know what I'm talking about. These cakes are wonderful.

The plan for the next three weeks is to use up all of the food in the freezer. I am hoping to have another OAMC day in March and restock the freezer.

So, without further ado...

Monday: Ham Pot Pie, Banana pudding

Tuesday: Chicken w/ Pistachio Rice, King Cake

Wednesday: Minestrone Soup, Homemade Bread, King Cake

Thursday: Spinach and Artichoke Tortellini, Chocolate Cake

Friday: Hamburgers and Fries, Chocolate Cake

Saturday: Stitching day at Lisha's. The boys will have sandwiches.

Sunday: Breakfast Casserole

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Abundance!!!

2010-02-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

I am very fortunate in that I have the best job ever. I teach at a local university and I have a flexible schedule. Wednesday mornings I usually spend some extra time at home taking care of the house. Today I made an inventory of my freezer. I knew that I had several meals from my last OAMC day, but after actually listing everything in the freezer I was pleasantly surprised. We have enough food in the freezer to cook for the rest of February and the first week in March. This will actually purge all of our stores, but that can be a good thing. Next month we will be receiving a large supply of beef and lamb (my family has a farm). I also plan on doing my next OAMC during Spring Break. To make the day even better, I went grocery shopping for the week and only spent $32 (plus I got a free 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk). I think this new method of planning and cooking ahead is really working out for my family.

Menu Planning Monday (February 1st)

2010-01-31T06:53:00.001-08:00

I made a big shopping trip on Thursday and stocked up on lots of snack items and breakfast foods. Since I have a freezer practically full of entrees I wasn't worried about dinner. But this month I am going to attempt to have some type of dessert with each of our meals. I have noticed that if I offer the boys a sweet item after dinner, they don't snack later in the evenings.

Monday: Spicy Korean Pork BBQ (OAMC), Corn on the Cob, Rice Krispies Treats

Tuesday: Penne in Cream Sauce w/ Sausage (OAMC), Salad, Garlic Bread, Crescent Chocolate Treats (this is just a crescent roll with a chocolate candy stuffed inside and baked, very yummy)

Wednesday: Red Mesa Tacos (OAMC), Spanish Rice, Flan (recipe from a low carb cookbook)

Thursday: Peperoncini Roast (OAMC), Roasted potatoes, Green Beans, Ice Cream

Friday: Stuffed Pasta Shells (OAMC), Salad, Ice Cream

Saturday: Leftovers or sandwiches

Sunday: Breakfast Burritos, fruit salad

Big grocery shopping day today!

2010-01-28T19:10:00.000-08:00

Earlier in January, Bridget (my younger sister) and I spent a day cooking and putting two weeks of meals in our freezers. We actually stretched our menus and were able to get more than just 14 meals, more like 21 or 25. Since I still had meals left over from our December OAMC day, I haven't used many of these new meals. That's great though. I have enough food in the freezer to carry us through most of February. So today I decided to do a huge grocery shopping trip to stock up on everything else we needed. I mainly bought food for breakfast, snacks, and lunches, as well as cleaning and pet supplies. My grand total was $239. That's a bit more than half of our February grocery budget. If all goes according to plan though this should be enough food to last for two full weeks. I have to admit, I hid some of the snacks. Otherwise the boys would eat them all over the weekend. I also bought a lot of baking supplies to make other snack foods through out the month. I'll keep you posted on my progress through the month and see if we stay under budget. (Keep your fingers crossed...)

Menu Planning Monday (January 25th)

2010-01-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I managed to almost stay on budget this month. I went over $3.05. Of course, I will probably add a bit more to that tomorrow since I need to pick up milk and bread. Next month should be better since I have enough food in the freezer to last almost the whole month. That just leaves me buying food for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Patrick and I both have birthdays in February, so we will have some special cakes to purchase, but it should still be a cheap month, grocery-wise.

This past week was pretty calm. We enjoyed most of the meals I had planned. I did pick up hamburgers one night because I had a long day at work, but otherwise, I cooked at home. The funny thing about that special "burger night", about 30 minutes after Patrick and Nicholas finished eating their burgers and fries one of them asked me what was for dinner!

So, what's on the menu for this week...

Monday: Adobe Chicken, warm tortillas, chocolate cake (Once A Month Cooking meal)

Tuesday: Taco Soup (I have the browned meat in the freezer from our last OAMC day, so this should be a very quick prep, plus it clears out several cans from the pantry)

Wednesday: Spinach and Cheese Quiche (OAMC)

Thursday: Uptown Joes (OAMC)

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Baked Eggs

Hope everyone has a great week and thanks for stopping by!!

Pork Fried Rice

2010-01-20T07:37:00.001-08:00

I love fried rice, but my version was never as tasty as the rice at my favorite restaurant. About two years ago Hobbie, the boys, and I went on weekend trip to Birmingham, AL. We ate at this hibachi place and the cook explained how he made his fried rice. I paid close attention. The "secret" was peanut sauce. I found some at the grocery store and have used it in my fried rice ever since. It taste so good. This particular batch of fried rice is one of my "clean out the fridge" versions. We had some pork loin leftover one night, so I cut it up and put it in the freezer. One batch of that leftover pork was used in this recipe, along with the last little handful of frozen corn hidden in the freezer as well as some shelled edamame, celery, onion, and carrots. It was a big hit with the boys and we actually had enough left over for my and Hobbie's lunch the next day. Not bad for "scraps".

Menu Planning Monday (January 18th)

2010-01-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

Well, it's back to work for me this week. I have thoroughly enjoyed my very long vacation and look forward to this Spring semester. I have a lot of research to catch up on and two classes to teach, so I will be busy. Since the boys are older, I will be staying at work longer each day instead of trying to be home before them. They are old enough to hang out at the house for an hour on their own, plus they even like the little bit of freedom. What they don't know is that their dad and I think they need to learn to cook this year and that their responsibilities will also increase. It will be good for them (that's what my parents always said to me).

Last week was a bit disorganized for menu planning. I had a plan, but we reworked it quite a bit. But, we did eat at home as planned. I am also trying to stay within our $400 grocery budget this month. Bridget, my younger sister, and I decided to do a OAMC day and that used half of my budget. We also spent an afternoon making waffles. I made 5 different batches of waffles. Well if you have boys, you know how long that will last. We now have one batch in the freezer. Fortunately, our local grocery store had some really great deals this week. I was able to buy all of our groceries for the week for just $43. Not bad considering that included 3 gallons of milk. I have just over $30 for the last week of January, so it will be a challenge, but I think I can do it.

Now for this week's menu:

Monday: Pork Fried Rice

Tuesday: Artichoke & Spinach Tortellini, homemade bread

Wednesday: Tacos

Thursday: Lamb Chops, Zucchini, Tomatoes

Friday: Vegetable Soup w/ rice

Saturday: Black beans and rice

Sunday: Breakfast Casserole

For more menu plans and great organizing advice, check out Organizing Junkie.

January Once A Month Cooking...

2010-01-13T18:35:00.000-08:00

Monday, Bridget and I completed our second round of OAMC. Since we both had meals in the freezer from the last round, we decided to try a 2 week round this time. We had a lot of fun. The meals seemed to be very yummy. We actually had to cook more this time, but it was not too bad. Instead of a 12 hour day, we only spent 8 hours in the kitchen. Some of the recipes were quite large, so we split them. With the meals already in the freezer and the supplies I have in the pantry, I have enough for 30 days of home cooking. The bill for all of this was $212. I have $73 left in my grocery budget for the month. Ramey's has milk priced at $2.50/ gal this Friday, so I think I will buy three to help stretch the budget a bit.

Tuesday, I went over the Bridget's and we made several batches of waffles to put in the freezer. I made plain, chocolate chip, apple and cinnamon, blueberry, and orange and pecan. They were are yummy. When I got home though, I found a burst water pipe in our back room. Fortunately, the damage was isolated to one room and we didn't lose that much. The plumber and cleaners are coming in tomorrow morning to take care of everything. While I was dealing with all of that though, Nicholas and Theron (my nephew) helped themselves to several of the waffles as snacks.

Menu Planning Monday (January 11th)

2010-01-11T05:48:00.000-08:00

Today is the next installment of my sister and my Once-a-Month Cooking project. At the end of November, we spent all day cooking enough food to stock our freezers for the month of December. I was so pleased with this system. Dinners were yummy, the kitchen stayed clean, and everyone was happy. I was able to quickly prepare dinners each night. We also hosted several get togethers at our house. These were relatively stress free since I had easy meals to serve. So we are trying a two-week cycle today. After cooking today's menu, I will have 28 days of food in my freezer. We are also cooking and freezing several batches of waffles. If you haven't tried this, it really works.

Monday: Sloppy Joes (OAMC meal from November)

Tuesday: Orange Glazed Pork Chops with Butternut Risotto

Wednesday: Tacos

Thursday: Spinach and Artichoke Tortellini (Rachael Ray recipe)

Friday: Stuffed Pasta Shells

Saturday: Pork Fried Rice

Sunday: Ham Cheese Omelets

Have a great week and check out Organizing Junkie for other menu ideas.

Hamburger Quiche (from Once a Month Cooking Family Favorites)

2010-01-04T16:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had the Hamburger Quiche from Once A Month Cooking Family Favorites. I pulled the bag of filling out of the freezer this morning and after it thawed, I just poured it into two pie crust. After baking for 45 minutes, we had a wonderful meal. Actually, neither Hobbie and I thought it was that great at first. Once it cooled down a bit though it was really tasty. We have a second quiche for tomorrow. Fresh tomatoes would be great for a side dish, but it is January and the tomatoes are that great anyway.

I didn't make the pudding cakes tonight since we are still eating the last of the chess squares. Maybe I will make them tomorrow.

Have a great day...

Menu Planning Monday (January 4th)

2010-01-04T05:47:00.000-08:00

A whole new year!!! I am so excited. My New Year's resolution for 2010 is to be HAPPY! Like my mother, I often worry too much about EVERYTHING and miss enjoying the moment. Not this year. I will enjoy life!! That includes not fretting about what might happen when I try and new recipe. I'm just going to go for it. I often forgo making certain recipes because of the chance I will mess it up, or it will cause a big mess in the kitchen, or someone else had a bad experience. This year, I am just going to get over it and make those recipes. Yesterday, I made a big pot of homemade bean soup. It was excellent. Yes, it took all day to cook, but I wasn't in the kitchen the whole time. Other than remembering that I had a pot on the stove, it was actually very easy.

So, this year is off to a nice start and I hope to try lots of new recipes.

As for this week's menu, we have just a few things left in the freezer from my OAMC day, so I will use some of those items and try some new recipes also...

Monday: Hamburger Quiche, Orange pudding cake (Sandra Lee's recipe)

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Minestrone Soup, Homemade Bread

Thursday: Beef Stew

Friday: Sloppy Joes

Saturday: Butternut Risotto

Sunday: Eggs and Bacon

Check out more menu ideas at Organizing Junkie.

Hope you have a great week and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Cooking from the Pantry Challenge

2009-12-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

Money Saving Mom and Fish Mama have decided to do a pantry challenge for the month of January. Cook only from your pantry and freezer for the whole month and only buy dairy and produce from the store. Unfortunately, I won't be joining the challenge since I did this back in the summer. Someone in our lives made a huge impact on me about "excess" and I decided to really meet my 2009 New Year's Resolution of reduce, reuse, and recycle. I made an inventory of my pantry, fridge and freezer and decided to cook from those supplies. Well, I did and now I only buy things that I know I will use in a week or month. No major stockpiles anymore. So, we wouldn't make it through a month. I do have two weeks of meals in my freezer still from our OAMC event at the end of November. We plan on doing a two week cooking day on Jan. 11th to complete the month.

I think the challenge is a great idea. It allowed me to see just how much I had in the "stock". More importantly I realized how lucky we are that even when I didn't think there was anything to cook, with a little bit of ingenuity I could always come up with a meal from the pantry.

Good luck to all of you that are joining the challenge. It should be a lot of fun, I will definitely be following your progress for ideas.

Menu Planning Monday (December 28th)

2009-12-27T20:41:00.000-08:00

Yet another week of freezer meals. I am honestly, but happily, surprised that the meals have lasted this long. I have enough to carry us through the first 10 days of 2010. And, the best part is that we have really enjoyed the meals. We had the Sloppy Joes tonight and they were the best I have ever had.

So...

Monday: Saucy Burritos, Spanish Rice

Tuesday: Santa Fe Chicken

Wednesday: Hamburger Quiche

Thursday: Pizza

Friday: Dinner at my parents

Saturday: Pork Chops with Orange Sauce

Sunday: Waffles

Check out Organizing Junkie for other menu plans...

Menu Planning Monday (December 20th)

2009-12-22T14:49:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has all of their holiday shopping completed and can enjoy the next few days. I finished my gift shopping last week. Yesterday, I decided to stock up on some of the regulars so I could avoid the stores for the next week or so.

We are still cooking out of the freezer. There are enough meals left to carry us through the second week in January. I talked to my sister today, and we decided to just do a two week cycle for January.

So, this week's menu...

Monday: Zanzibar Chicken (From Once A Month Cooking Family Favorites), Jasmine rice, Garlic zucchini (Very yummy meal even if the chicken wasn't pretty to look at)

Tuesday: Stuffed pasta shells, rolls, grape tomatoes and ranch dressing

Wednesday: Lemon Chicken, rice pilaf, English peas

Thursday: I cook soup for the family every Christmas Eve. We will have two of my favorite Rachel Ray recipes: Corn, Black Bean and Chicken Stoup and Smokey Black Bean and Rice Stoup. Other family members are bringing lots of snacks to go along with the soups. Should be a fun evening.

Friday: Merry Christmas!! We will be at my parents' for dinner. I will prepare the ham, but my mom cooks everything else.

Saturday: Sloppy Joes

Sunday: Eggs and Bacon

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas week!!

Menu Planning Monday (early)

2009-12-12T06:48:00.001-08:00

Well, having all of these meals in the freezer is wonderful. We have enjoyed pretty much everything. I was also able to take a casserole to the departmental Christmas party (no stress involved). It was really yummy.

Hobbie is out of town until Tuesday, so the boys planned the menu by picking things from the list of freezer meals:

Monday: I am taking the boys Christmas shopping. They each need to buy their 4 cousins presents and also something for their Dad. I promised we could eat at their favorite Mexican restaurant.

Tuesday: Our 19th anniversary. Hobbie will be home today, so I am picking him up at the airport and we are going out for our anniversary.

Wednesday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

Thursday: Beef Stroganoff, Green Beans

Friday: This is the first day of our three day stitching "retreat". I am hosting tonight, so we will have Chicken enchiladas, Black bean enchiladas, Spanish rice, Theresa's guacamole, and whatever else the ladies bring.

Saturday: I will be at the my friend's house stitching, so the boys will either have Sloppy Joes or order pizza.

Sunday: This is the last day of our stitching "retreat" so if I am home in time, I will make Breakfast Casserole. If not, the boys will most likely have eggs and bacon.

Hope everyone has a great week. Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans.

Menu Planning Monday

2009-12-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

With all the meals in the freezer for this month, menu planning is quite easy. Usually, if I ask the boys or Hobbie what they want for the week I get "Whatever" or "That thing you make with chicken". Not very helpful. So, I have a list of all the freezer meals and I let them pick from the "menu". Much better.

Another benefit from the OAMC is how clean the kitchen is every day. Since I am not getting out all of the normal cooking utensils and just one or two dishes to prepare the meal, clean up is very easy. Love that.

So, our menu for this week is:

Monday: Nan's Indonesian Pork Loin, Steamed Broccoli, Glazed Carrots

Tuesday: Sweet & Sour Chicken with Jasmine Rice

Wednesday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

Thursday: Pork Chops in Orange Sauce, Green Beans

Friday: Sloppy Joes with Fries

Saturday: Leftovers or sandwiches

Sunday: Waffles

For other weekly menus, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie

First try at Once-A-Month Cooking

2009-12-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

My younger sister and I decided to give this OAMC thing a try. I bought the book and compiled our grocery list. We got up early Sunday morning and met at the local Walmart to buy all of our groceries. Now, we did things a little differently than the book suggested and decided that we would each buy the complete list so that we would both have a month's worth of meals at the end of this crazy project. I was surprised at the total for my all of these groceries. Including things like cereal, bread, milk, and other items we needed at the house, my total was $268. Bridget's was a bit cheaper because she didn't buy extras.

We started with a nice clean kitchen. I started cooking chicken at 8:30 a.m. Bridget showed up with all of her groceries around 9:30. We chopped and chopped and chopped veggies.

Finally we started assembling our meals. I was surprised at how easy most of this was. We were able to each put together more than 23 meals. Since she has little ones, Bridget split some meals.

We finally bagged up the last of the meals at 9:00 that night. I was exhausted, but we had such a great time. Last night we ate the first of our freezer meals and it was great. I think Bridget and I may do this on a regular basis.

Menu Planning Monday (November 9th)

2009-11-09T06:10:00.000-08:00

We are continuing on the "cooking from the pantry/freezer" theme. At this point, though, we are truly down to the bear minimum and it looks like I will make a run to the grocery salvage store next week. We have one really great grocery salvage store about 45 minutes away. I can always find great deals on canned beans and veggies as well as paper products.

But for this week, here's the plan (warning: I allowed the boys to plan this week's menu):

Monday: Hawiian Burgers, Oven Fries (A local grocery had pineapple slices for $0.99/can. With double coupons, I was able to get these for free.)

Tuesday: Park City Cashew Chicken w/ rice (Rachel Ray recipe)

Wednesday: Hamburgers (I know, but my family is having the kids' fall pictures made at my parents and that is what my Dad wants to cook.)

Thursday: Black Bean and Corn Soup (Rachael Ray recipe)

Friday: Tacos w/mango salsa

Saturday: Lasagna, Garlic Bread, Salad

Sunday: Breakfast Casserole

Menu Planning Monday (November 2nd)

2009-11-02T04:55:00.001-08:00

So, it is the beginning of another week and time to plan the menu. Fortunately, things are slowing down considerably here. Football season is over, so the band is also wrapping up the marching season. We have one final contest to attend this Saturday and the kids will be finished. The semester is also winding down for me, so I have lots of papers to grade and a few lectures left to fine tune, but, honestly, things will be pretty much done before Thanksgiving. Also, I have just two chapters left to "check" for the textbook and that huge project will be done. I am excited that the holiday season will be more relaxed this year.

I am still trying to plan our menu based on food that I have in the pantry or freezer. I was so impressed with how well I did last month on our grocery budget I want to repeat it.

Monday: Beef Kabobs w/ yogurt sauce (Rachael Ray recipe)
Tuesday: Chicken Satay Noodle Soup (Rachel Ray recipe)
Wednesday: Cornmeal-crusted Flounder w/ Spicy Pink Beans and Rice Pilaf (Didn't get around to cooking this last week.)
Thursday: Dinner at my parents' house.
Friday: Maybe lasagna from the freezer or just sandwiches, not sure
Saturday: Pizza for Hobbie and Nicholas. Patrick and I will be at the band contest.
Sunday: Waffles and bacon

Menu Planning Monday (October 26th)

2009-10-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

This week is based almost completely on what we have in the freezer and pantry. I spent less than $60 this week on groceries and some of that was for Nicholas birthday party yesterday.

Monday: Chicken and rice, green beans

Tuesday: Moroccan lamb stew with couscous (another Rachael Ray recipe)

Wednesday: Pork fried rice

Thursday: Cornmeal crusted flounder and spicy pink beans (Robin Miller recipe)

Friday: Hot dogs (It's our last football game of the season!!!)

Saturday: Pizza

Sunday: Breakfast casserole

Monthly Grocery Budget

2009-10-26T05:25:00.000-07:00

This month we budgeted $475 for groceries, including food, household cleaners, shampoos, toothpaste, etc. I really paid attention to the sales flyers and what we already had in the pantry when planning my menu, so I was able to cut our grocery expenses down considerable. I usually spend well over $100 a week, but this month I have $50 left over. I am very excited about that.

This next month, I have reduced the grocery budget to just $400. That's just $100 a week. Even though Thanksgiving is this month, I feel very confident that this will be more than enough. We have plenty of beef and lamb in the freezer. Also, my younger sister and I are planning a major cooking day this month to stock our freezers. I purchased the Once-A-Month Cooking cookbook and I am downloading recipes from the Once-A-Month cooking web page. This will be very helpful during the holidays.

OK, now for the bad news. We totally busted the rest of our budget this month. We had two unexpected purchases that ate up most of our available savings. First, a very close friend passed away suddenly. We had to travel to Houston, TX, for the weekend to attend her memorial service. So, we had the added expense of gas, hotel, and food. Then, Hobbie had to get new glasses. Since he needed bifocals, these glasses were more pricey than normal. In addition to these two events, mailing expenses this month for the textbook chapters was triple what I normally spend in a single month. AND, Nicholas's birthday is this month. We had budgeted for his present and party and everything was fine until Hobbie and Nicholas went to the store to pick out the pinata for the party. He picked the biggest pinata, which was fine. The cost wasn't too bad. It was the candy. I thought everyone knew that you don't buy bagged candy at a party store when Walmart has aisles full of cheap candy right now. Well, apparently, Hobbie didn't know this and since it was easier to just buy the candy at the party store, he paid well over double the cost.

But, at least we are fortunate to have great jobs. Though we did go over the budget in some areas, we had the money available and weren't suffering. My spending patterns have changed a lot over the past few months mainly because of something my husband's nephew said. He grew up in a horrible situation and has turned out to be a great person. He was talking about how his wife will look in the pantry some days and say, "There's just nothing in here to eat." His response was, "There's plenty to eat!" I guess if you have experienced opening cabinets and actually seeing only empty shelves your perspective is very different from those of us who have never had that experience. So, whenever I have that urge to think that it would be easier to go buy something that I want instead of using what I already have available, I think of two little boys that are home alone and have nothing to eat. It really does make you stop and be thankful for having so very much.

Menu Planning Monday (October 19th)

2009-10-19T06:39:00.001-07:00

Wow!! October is flying by. This month has been very stressful for me. We are in the last phase of the textbook revision, so it seems like I have a deadline everyday. I buckled down last week and worked through everything I had on my desk and was able to actually beat one of those deadlines. Of course, the next day I received a huge box of pages that need to be reviewed by Wednesday. The end is so near...

We are also recovering from the trip to Houston for our friend's memorial service. Just the thought of losing her still makes me upset. The trip was stressful, but the unexpected cost has really put pressure on our budget. I don't mean to sound petty, but unfortunately it is reality. I could have sent a card, but Lisa was very special to me and Hobbie and we wanted to be there for her husband.

Another budget buster this month is that my husband is getting older. He had to get bifocals this week. I had no idea that his eyesight was really getting worse, but he insisted that he needed to get them checked this month. Of course, bifocals are expensive. I am just happy that we have an emergency fund to cover these cost. But, my personality is such that it stresses me out when the money in the emergency fund dips below a certain amount.

Fortunately, I have really been saving on the food lately and that part of the budget may actually be in the black at the end of the month. I am still cooking from the pantry primarily and just filling in with the few ingredients that are missing.

So, this week...

Monday: Tacos and corn on the cob

Tuesday: Black beans and yellow rice

Wednesday: Spaghetti alla ceci (Rachael Ray), salad, garlic bread

Thursday: Hamburgers and fries

Friday: (Last away game of the season!!!) Grilled cheese sandwiches

Saturday: (State Band Competition) Stuffed baked potatoes (if we make it home in time)

Sunday: Breakfast casserole

Check out Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas...

Menu Planning Monday (October 12th)

2009-10-13T04:03:00.000-07:00

Last week went fairly well. I didn't cook my Thursday meal because we took the boys out for Subway and a bit of shopping.

This week is a fairly easy one for me. I was able to buy all of our groceries for the week for less than $60. That is great for our family. I am hoping to do a big day of cooking next Wednesday, so our grocery bill next week will be more.

So, this week's menu:

Monday: Falafel burgers with cucumbers and tomato (This is a Rachael Ray recipe. Hobbie really enjoyed it, but the rest of us preferred the salad on the pita. It was a cheap meal though.)

Tuesday: Corn and crab chowder (I found a great deal on potatoes this week and since I have all of the other ingredients, this was an easy pick.)

Wednesday: Lasagna, salad, garlic bread (This has been on the menu for several weeks and I will finally get to it this week.)

Thursday: Black bean enchiladas (My favorite!)

Friday: Hot dogs and chips

Saturday: Craft night with the girls, so whatever they serve. The guys will have leftovers or frozen pizza.

Sunday: Breakfast for dinner

Menu Planning Monday (October 5th)

2009-10-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Last week's menu was pretty nice. I cooked my very first lamb dish. It was tasty, but I need to work on my technique a bit more. The Hoppin' John stew was very good and very easy.

This next week is pretty easy. Hobbie and I will be out of town for the weekend and we are going to my parents' for dinner on Wednesday, so I only have to cook a few nights.

Monday: Gyros (using some ground lamb from the freezer) This meal is a bit more expensive than I would like. I had to buy tahini and greek yogurt, both of which are a bit pricey for our area. I was able to find a small container of the yogurt for a pretty reasonable price though.

Tuesday: Taco soup (crockpot meal)

Wednesday: Dinner at the parents'

Thursday: Blackbean enchiladas

Friday: Out of town

Saturday: Out of town

Sunday: Breakfast casserole

Check out Organizing Junkie for more menu plans.

Menu Planning Monday (September 28th)

2009-09-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Whoops, I missed the post on Monday. I have been sick the past few days and really haven't been in the mood to update my blog. I am still not feeling 100%, but have a bit more energy today.

I realize how fortunate we are to be part of a "farming family". My parents have been farmers for most of their lives. Though they no longer farm at the commercial level, they maintain quite a big farm to supply the family with food. My dad raises beef and lamb. We also have chickens and ducks. So, I have my own nice supply of most meats and eggs.

The lamb is a new addition to the farm this year. Growing up, we never had lamb. I think the first time I tasted lamb was a few years ago in Dubuque, IA. But, I have about 15 lbs of lamb meat in my freezer, so I have been collecting lamb recipes. This week, I tried a olive and spiced rubbed leg of lamb. It was actually pretty good. The meat was very tasty, even though the oven smoked like crazy and set off the smoke alarm. Both boys liked it very much. So, I will be adding a lamb dish to our menus every so often.

Here's the menu for this week:

Monday: Olive and spice rubbed leg of lamb, couscous, roasted asparagus
Tuesday: Black bean stuffed bell peppers (These are wonderful)
Wednesday: Dinner at the parents
Thursday: Hoppin' John Chowder (crockpot meal) and corn muffins
Friday: Homecoming night at the High School, so I will be working the concession stand
Saturday: Not sure. We will be attending my 20 year HS reunion
Sunday: Waffles and bacon After reading several of the blogs, I decided to try freezing waffles instead of buying Eggos. I bought a great waffle iron and it has actually worked out great. The waffles are perfect toasted.

Menu Planning Monday (September 21st)

2009-09-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

I am hoping that this week's menu will have enough leftovers that Hobbie and I can both take some to work for lunch each day. Our boys are big eaters, so most nights there are no leftovers.

Monday: Chicken and Rice, zucchinni, homemade pickles. When we lived in Houston, during graduate school, we were broke. One of the classic meals for us was Dirty Rice, green beans, and homemade pickles. The main reason this became a classic is that each time we visited my parents, we would stock up on hamburger meat (my parents raise their own beef). Also, during the summers, I would visit home and help can green beans and pickles so we would have a nice supply for the rest of the year. So, all I had to actually pay for was the dirty rice mix.

Tuesday: Ham and Bean Stew (crockpot meal), corn muffins. I picked up several boxes of corn muffin mix for really cheap a couple of weeks ago. The boys love these things.

Wednesday: Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie (recipe from the Kraft magazine)

Thursday: Roast, rice, green beans

Friday: Grilled cheese sandwiches. Football game tonight, so we have to eat quickly.

Saturday: Not sure since everyone will be gone but me. The girls will be visiting for a day of stitching. We just might order pizza...

Sunday: Bacon and eggs

Menu Planning Monday (September 14th)

2009-09-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

I made a menu on Saturday, changed it on Sunday, and changed it again this morning. I am starting a new research project at work (in addition to my teaching and textbook writing) so things are a bit crazy right now. Luckily, this menu planning does make life a little easier.

Monday: Hawaiian Ham Burgers (e-mealz) The boys absolutely love these. In addition to ground beef, these burgers contain honey ham, maple syrup, steak seasoning, hot sauce, and dry mustard. Then they are topped with melted mozzarella and grilled pineapple. YUMMY!!! I should have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow for Hobbie, my sister and me.

Tuesday: Saucy Dogs (e-mealz) This is one for the boys. Hobbie does not like hot dogs, but I am going to hang out with the girls tomorrow.

Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Thursday: Black Beans & Coconut Rice. I saw this on someone's blog and thought it sounded wonderful. I love coconut rice and I love black beans, so I should love them together, right?

Friday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches before the game. Hobbie and I will be working the concession stand...

Saturday: Taco Soup

Sunday: Waffles and Bacon

Groceries are so expensive!!!

2009-09-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

I have always been a coupon clipper. Hobbie and I were pretty young when we got married; he was 22 and I was 19. I was still working on my B.S. degree at the time and he worked. When I graduated, we moved from Mississippi to Texas so I could work on my Ph.D. and he could work on his B.S. We didn't have a lot of money, obviously, so I clipped coupons and watch the sales. In Houston, we could go to several grocery stores that doubled and tripled coupons. Even with the addition of our first son, I could buy a week's worth of groceries for $3o then.

Now, things are a lot different. We are back in Mississippi, have two boys that eat ALOT, and the selection of grocery stores is much smaller. None of the stores in our area double coupons. We have the Walmart Supercenter. I try to do some of my shopping at the smaller grocery stores just to support these smaller businesses, but they are so much more expensive. Usually, I go to the other stores to buy the specials. I still use coupons. I actually saved over $20 today at Wal-mart, but it is surprising how much it costs to feed these boys. I try to budget about $100 a week. This week I have already gone over that by $25.

So, I am looking for ways to reduce our grocery spending. Fortunately, I have found some great ideas from other bloggers. I don't buy granola bars anymore. I found a recipe online and make them from scratch. It is an investment at first, but it seems to be cheaper in the long run and Nicholas thinks the homemade ones taste a lot better.

Last week, I bought a waffle iron. I have read several blogs where they make big batches of waffles and freeze them. I buy at least two boxes of Eggos a week. I figure that I can make my own and save a bit of money.

Finally, I plan to cook several meals to freeze in individual containers. Hobbie and I can take these to work instead of eating out or buying convenience foods. The boys like to eat in the school lunchroom, but I have convinced Nicholas to take his lunch 2-3 times a week. Patrick isn't quite on board with this idea yet. (I think it has something to do with the fact that he is in the 9th grade and doesn't think it would be cool to carry any kind of lunch box. I am still looking for a teenage appropriate lunch bag.)

Menu Planning Monday (September 7th)

2009-09-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's not Monday, but I have a bit of time this morning, so I am posting early.

The past two weeks have been very hectic. Classes started at the university where I teach, so
I have been really busy getting those classes off the ground. I also had to take a trip to Dubuque to meet with the other authors and editors of the textbooks. To top that off, I have been sick for about 10 days. Today, thankfully, I actually feel pretty good.

My menu planning hasn't been the best the past couple of weeks either. We haven't eaten out, but I also didn't cook as much as normal. That should change this week though since things have settled down a bit.

So, for the next week...

Monday: Burgers at my parents' house. My dad grills the best burgers!!!
Tuesday: Bean and Ham Soup (crock pot meal)
Wednesday: Chicken and Bacon Pasta, Strawberry Salad (e-mealz)
Thursday: Artichoke and Cheese Quiche We all love this dish and it is so easy.
Friday: Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Fruit Salad, Chips (Got to go to an away game to see Patrick and the band march tonight)
Saturday: Hawaiian Burgers and fries (e-mealz)
Sunday: Eggs and Bacon

Menu Planning Monday (August 24th)

2009-08-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

This week will be a short one menu-wise. I am going out of town for a business trip and the boys will be staying with my parents. She is one of those grandma's that will spoil them excessively, cooking whatever they want, even if that entails cooking two or three different meals. She just loves her grandsons.

This month was not that great for grocery budgeting. We went over our budget by $80. I had planned to only spend $400 this month, but that just didn't work. After cleaning out my refrigerator and changing my approach to buying perishable items (not stocking up but only buying what I need for the week) next month's budget should be better.

So, for this week:

Monday: Chicken Puffs, Green beans, Orange Jell-o dessert
Tuesday: Crock-pot meal: Southwest Corn and Potato Chowder (recipe from the Southern
Living Slow Cooker Meals cookbook)
Wednesday: Eating at my parents (Nicholas has guitar lessons at the church, so my mom cooks dinner for us on Wednesday nights now. She is a wonderful woman.)

Menu Planning Monday (August 17th)

2009-08-17T11:33:00.001-07:00

Last week's menu was quite successful. We happened to be at my parents' house Wednesday night and they fed us. I cleaned out my fridge Saturday morning and it is so nice and shiny. I have come to the conclusion that I don't need to "stock" the fridge like my mom did when we were younger. She did have 5 or more kids to feed and that required a lot more groceries. We only have two boys, and though they can eat a lot, I don't need to stuff the fridge full. So, starting this weekend, I will only buy items that we need and restock the basic necessities (milk, butter, mayo, etc.). Since the boys are in school, I don't need to have 3-4 packages of sandwich meat each week either. Hobbie and I take leftovers to work for lunch, so I need to make enough each night for lunches the next day. If the boys decide to take their lunch, they actually prefer peanut butter sandwiches over sandwich meat.

This week's menu is very easy for me. My classes start Thursday, so I will be pretty busy this week.

Monday: Red Enchiladas and Spanish Rice (e-mealz)
Tuesday: Digiorno Pizzas (I promised the boys)
Wednesday: Chicken Tortellini Soup (e-mealz) If we eat at my parents' again this week, I will cook this on Saturday
Thursday: Lasagna
Friday: Sandwiches and Chips (First Friday night football game of the year, so we will be busy)
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Egg&Bacon Burritos, Home Fries (e-mealz)

Should be an easy week and the boys will be happy.

For more menu ideas check out I'm an Organizing Junkie

Menu Planning Monday (August 10th)

2009-08-10T04:56:00.000-07:00

Last week's menu was a big success. I still didn't get to the Crab Stuffed Flounder. That day I happened to stop by my parents' home and Mom had made chicken pot pie. I love her chicken pot pie, so I ditched the fish recipe again.

So, this week's menu is based mainly on what's in the pantry and freezer. I have tried to stick to our grocery budget each month and seem to be a little bit off. This week, I was able to buy most of the groceries and still have $14 left over, so we are going to work with what we have...

Monday: Black & Red Bean Stew (Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals), Tortilla chips, Mango and Strawberry salad

Tuesday: Cheesy Ranch Chicken Tenders, English Peas, Tomatoes (e-mealz)

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Green Beans

Thursday: Black Bean Enchiladas, Spanish Rice (my absolute favorite meal)

Friday: Fish and Chips

Saturday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, Garlic Bread

Sunday: Eggs and Bacon

Pretty easy meal prep for me this week and should have enough leftovers for Hobbie's lunch the next day.

CVS Savings...

2009-08-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

I got up early Monday morning and headed to town for my weekly shopping. I stopped by CVS first since there were some pretty good deals. I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I was so tired from our trip to Birmingham, I was just happy that the store wasn't busy. Here's my list of purchases:

1st Purchase:
Tylenol (36 ct) $4 -$2 coupon = $2
Benadryl $5 - $1 coupon = $4
Listerine $3 - $0.50 coupon = $2.50
Smooth Away $9.99 - $1 coupon = $8.99

After coupons and ECB I payed about $13 oop.

2nd purchase:

Softsoap Body wash $4.49 - $2 coupon

I paid about $3 oop.

The great thing is that I walked away with $9 ECB for my next purchase. I am so happy that I found out about the CVS Extra Care card. I have really been able to save quite a bit this summer.

Menu Planning Monday (August 3rd)

2009-08-05T05:21:00.001-07:00

I'm a bit late posting this, but this week is off to a good start menu-wise. Last April I signed up for e-Mealz. I actually like the idea. I have 3 months worth of menus and recipes to try. We have enjoyed almost all of the recipes I have tried and have found some "regulars". I decided not to renew since I have a nice collection of these plans, but may consider signing up during the last three months of the year for some more variety.

Monday: Chicken Puffs, Green Beans, Mandarin Orange Salad (very 70s meal from e-mealz, Nicholas really enjoyed this one and there were no leftovers)

Tuesday: Meatball Subs, Fresh Veggies and Dip (easy and yummy meal from e-mealz, I served baby carrots, celery, and yellow pear tomatoes since that is what I had in the fridge. The boys actually ate all of there veggies. What a surprise!)

Wednesday: Jambalaya Stuffed Chicken (another e-mealz that I tried back in the spring, it was a big hit with the boys)

Thursday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (After the first day of school, I figured a kid-favorite meal would be nice)

Friday: Crab-Stuffed Flounder (I know, this has been on the menu for weeks, but I still haven't had the chance to try it.)

Saturday: Pizza Night (picked up two Digiorno pizzas when I did the weekly grocery shopping, I will also pick up some diet sodas since these don't last long enough during the week)

Sunday: Breakfast Casserole (another e-mealz recipe, again the boys loved this one and it is really easy)

Menu Planning Monday (July 27th)

2009-07-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

What a week! Patrick was at band camp every morning by 7 a.m. Fortunately, they only practiced until 11:30. But, he volunteered to help at Vacation Bible School this week also. He had to be at church by 6 p.m. most days (Tues and Thurs was band practice though). Despite all of the running around, I stuck to the menu this week, except Friday. Hobbie and I were home alone Friday, so we just had grilled cheese sandwiches.

This week is just as hectic. It is the last week of the summer semester, so I have exams to administer and grade and averages to calculate. The textbook work is slow this week, fortunately, so I have a bit of a break there. Patrick has band camp all day every day this week, so he will be tired. Nicholas is enjoying his last few days of freedom before the new school year starts. I think I will take him shopping Wednesday for school supplies and a bit of mother-son time.

Well, since it is the last week of the month, the menu is very basic. I am mostly cooking out of the freezer and pantry. I only have $10 and a refund check for $2.50 left in the grocery envelope, but there's not a lot that I need to pick up. And, Corner Market is giving away a free gallon of milk and box of Frosted Flakes with a $10 purchase, so that helps out a lot.

Anyway, here's the weekly menu:

Monday: Tacos (using a Taco Bell kit I got really cheap with a coupon and of course since my parents raise beef cattle, the ground beef is almost free (I pay for the processing when they have take one to the butcher))

Tuesday: Spaghetti alla Ceci, Garlic Bread, Salad (Rachael Ray again. Nicholas loves this vegetarian spaghetti and I pick up the chickpeas at the salvage grocery store really cheap)

Wednesday: Eggplant and Tomato Pasta (Veggies are from the garden. This is such a yummy dish)

Thursday: Pork 'n' Sausage Jambalaya, Corn Muffins (e-mealz)

Friday: Fajitas, Spanish Rice (Flank steaks from the freezer)

Saturday: Off to Birmingham, AL for some rest and relaxation

Sunday: Still in Birmingham!

For more menu ideas check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Planning Monday (July 20th)

2009-07-20T05:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I forgot to post my menu for last week, but I did have one and we followed it almost to the T. We were at the beach Monday, so we ate out (the first time for the whole family this summer). Burger King prices are a bit ridiculous compared to McDonald's. This has been a great exercise for me to realize how much money we wasted eating out. Total for the day: $36 (that could buy a week's worth of groceries).

Anyway, I made some of the boys' favorites this past week (lasagna, chicken and rice, pancake dinner). I also made a wonderful artichoke and parmesan quiche that everyone loved. I even made the pie crust from scratch using a recipe from the Farm Chicks cookbook. Will definitely cook that one again.

A couple of weeks ago I did an extensive inventory of our pantry and decided to plan our menus around what we have on hand. My stockpile is not that great, so I can't make a week's worth of meals strictly from the pantry, but I have been able to reduce our grocery bill significantly.

Here's our plan for the week:

Monday: Stuffed Hamburgers (my mom's recipe) and green beans (canned by my mom)

Tuesday: Black Bean Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Avocado (my absolute favorite meal)

Wednesday: Stuffed Pasta Shells, Tomatoes from the garden, Garlic Bread (using up the bread in the freezer)

Thursday: Chicken with Spinach and White Beans (Rachael Ray recipe the boys love)

Friday: Crab Stuffed Flounder and Rice Pilaf

Saturday: Grilled Steak, Corn on the Cob, Tomato and Cucumber Salad (everything is homegrown including the beef)

Sunday: Canadian Benny's (Rachael Ray recipe that I love)

Check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more great menus.

CVS Savings...

2009-07-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

I am new to the whole CVS deal seeking craze. After reading several blogs and seeing what wonderful deals were available, I decided to sign up. I was able to complete a very good transaction this week. Everything picture above cost me $0.76 after coupons and ECBs. And, I received $6.50 ECBs to boot. What a nice deal!!!

Weekly Menu (July 6th - 13th)

2009-07-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

It rained last night!!! What a wonderful sound! It has been so long since we have had rain here in south Mississippi. My garden is very happy, but it may have been too little too late. My tomatoes have been fine, but the peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, cantaloupe, and everything else weren't looking so great yesterday before the rain.

Last week's menu went pretty well. I loved the artichoke and parmesan quiche. Very easy recipe my mom cut out of a magazine for me. Also, the Black-Bean Stuffed Peppers were excellent (another recipe my mom just knew I would like).

I have cleaned and organized my freezer this week and also organized the pantry. My husband and kids aren't getting the idea that I am not going to replenish the "standard fare" in our kitchen until we eat some of the things that have been in the pantry for a while. I didn't do a major grocery shopping this week. Our local grocery store ran a wonderful ad for Friday and I did stock up on hotdogs again (two growing boys can go through these quickly). Otherwise, I just picked up milk, fruit and a few items I needed for this week's menu:

Monday: Hawiian Hamburgers (e-mealz recipe, the boys absolutely love these)

Tuesday: Chicken Quesadillas, corn on the cob (e-mealz recipe)

Wednesday: Apple Butter Chicken, Coconut Rice, Green Beans (e-mealz recipe)

Thursday: Eggplant and Tomato Pasta (Meant to cook this last week, but with the dry weather I didn't have any eggplants. Fortunately, between my garden and my mom's I was able to harvest enough for this week)

Friday: Tacos

Saturday: Crab-Stuffed Flounder (I saw a version of this on Drive-Ins, Diners and Dives. Since I have flounder fillets in the freezer I thought I would give it a try.)

Sunday: Breakfast casserole

Check out other menu plans at I'm an Organizing Junkie

Menu Planning Monday (June 29th)

2009-06-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

It's a new week and time for a new menu plan. Friday was a major grocery shopping day for me. I have never been one that can buy two weeks worth of groceries at one time. I guess since we have lived on such tight budgets most of our marriage, I just feel anxious spending that much money at one time. Well, I decided that I really needed to stock up since Patrick and Nicholas are eating everything in the house. So, I made out my grocery list and estimated that it would cost me about $300. I went by the bank and got the cash and headed to the Super Walmart. I was so excited to find the organic chicken that I always buy reduced. I bought 12 packs and put them in the freezer. Since we have chicken about once a week, that should last us for 3 months. When it was all said and done, I spent $286 and saved $24 using my coupons. Not bad.

The menu for this week:

Monday: Burgers and veggies from the garden

Tuesday: Smoky Orange Chicken (e-mealz), green beans and potatoes

Wednesday: Artichoke, Ham and Parmesan Quiche, Fruit

Thursday: Eggplant and Tomato Pasta (veggies fresh from the garden)

Friday: Black Bean Stuffed Peppers (peppers from the garden)

Saturday: Burgers at the Clarks'

Sunday: Saucy Hot Dogs (e-mealz) Nicholas is the cook tonight.

Have a great week!

Weekly Menu (June 22nd - June 28th)

2009-06-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

My boys are eating EVERYTHING in the house. Yesterday, I told them they could have a can of ravioli. They each ate one can. I know they are growing boys, but where do they put the food? This week I am cooking several dishes that have substantial left overs (hopefully).

Monday: Taco Burgers with fresh corn

Tuesday: Spaghetti alla Ceci (Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals)

Wednesday: Eggplant Parmesan Ravioli using lots of fresh veggies from the garden (Rachael Ray Magazine)

Thursday: Pork Chops, Green Beans and Corn on the Cob

Friday: Roasted Veggie Soup over Brown Rice (Robin Miller Freezer Recipe)

Saturday: Canadian Benny's (Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals)

Sunday: Leftovers...

Can you tell that I love Rachael Ray recipes?

Weekly Menu (June 15th - 21st)

2009-06-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

To try to save money, I am cooking at home this month as much as possible. So far, we have eaten dinner at home every night. I signed up for e-Mealz after Dave Ramsey endorsed it on his radio show. I like it, but after 7 weeks, the meals are repeating. I wanted to get some new easy recipe ideas and I have accomplished that. I probably will not renew my subscription after the three months are completed.

Also, I found this really great website I'm an Organizing Junkie. She has lots of great tips for saving money and also posts her weekly menu and links to hundreds of other bloggers weekly menus. Great source of ideas when you just can't think of things to cook...

Here's the weekly menu in our house:

Monday: Hawaiian Hamburgers (e-mealz) and fries The boys love these. I love the pineapple on top. Fortunately I am from a farming family and I don't buy beef.

Tuesday: Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic breadsticks Nicholas's favorite!

Wednesday: Tacos (I was able to use the $1 coupon on the Taco Bell dinner kit. I don't usually buy the dinner kits, but I thought I would try it for $0.92)

Thursday: Smoky Black Bean and Rice Soup (Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals) During Spring Break I spent all day cooking and putting food in the freezer. This is the last batch of this soup. Very yummy!

Friday: Steak Dinner (Fund Raiser at the church)

Saturday: Tex-Mex Shrimp and Corn (Rachael Ray Magazine) We have shrimp in the freezer and all the veggies will come from either my garden or my parents' garden. This is a completely new recipe for me. It sounds very good.

Sunday: Baked Eggs and Sliced Tomatoes If we have leftovers, I will probably skip this meal, but I do love these eggs.

We usually don't eat this much beef in one week, but I let the boys pick the meals. I try to have at least one vegetarian meal a week, which the Black Bean soup would almost qualify (it has a little bit of bacon in it).

2009 Financial Goals

2009-06-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

We have sort of been on the Dave Ramsey plan for a few years, but just not with the "gazelle-intensity" he suggests. My husband and I both work and have great salaries, but we really want to get completely out of debt. We were married young, so we have a lot of "stupid tax" on our plates. This year, we set several goals:

1. Pay off at least three of our existing debts. (33% complete)
2. Save up enough cash for Christmas. (We have been really good about this for the past 4 years.)
3. Reduce our spending on "extras". (I love to cross stitch, so this goal has been very hard for me this year.)
4. Complete all of our home repairs so we can put the house on the market some time this year.

We have a monthly budget, which is still a work in progress. Also, we both changed jobs this year and we are still adjusting to the changes in salary and benefits. I think we have just about figured it out...

So far this year, we have paid off one of our debts (hospital bill for Hobbie's hip surgery).