Menu Plan Monday

Sunday Night--chicken fried rice, stir fried veggies
Monday Night--Breakfast for dinner, muffins, eggs, sausage, pears
Tuesday Night--Beef stroganoff over rice, broccoli
Wednesday Night--creamy crock pot chicken, rice, veggie
Thursday Night--spaghetti, broccoli or green beans
Friday Night--black bean burritos, spanish rice
Saturday Night--pizza
Sunday--sausage and cheese omelets, fruit

Breakfast--yogurt and granola, peanut butter toast, eggs
Lunch--PB&J, ham sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, leftovers

snacks--triscuits/carrots and hummus

I am still couponing and planning those meals. In fact, the night's plan is to sit down in front of the television to watch Season Five of Lost while I cut and sort coupons. I have to in order to stick to the budget, especially since I know meal planning and couponing will soon be put on the back burner. I hope to still plan something after John is born, but I am realistic enough to know that it will be a very simple meal plan until our life settles into some sort of schedule.

I would love some reader feedback on how you handled meal planning with a newborn!! Any good ideas for maintaining my sanity and the budget?

As always, Organizing Junkie is the place to go for all things meal planning.

I wanted to come back and add the recipe for "Creamy Slow-Cooker Chicken." It is a Southern Living Recipe, though I can't remember which month it came from. In fact, I might have copied it down from mom's 2009 Southern Living cookbook. Anyway, here it is.

6 boneless chicken breasts (2.5 lb)
2 t salt
2 T oil
1 can cream of mushroom
1 (8 oz) pack of cream cheese
1 envelope of Italian dressing mix

sprinkle chicken with salt
cook chicken in batches in hot oil in large skillet until browned on both sides
Transfer to 5 qt. slow cooker, reserve drippings in skillet
Add soup, cream cheese, and Italian dressing mix to hot drippings in skillet.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth
Pour mixture over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for four hours.
Stir before serving.

Okay, because I want to use what ingredients I have on hand, I am actually making a few adjustments. We'll see how it tastes in the end. I am using chicken thighs from the freezer, and I don't have the Italian dressing mix, so I will probably use French onion mix. I think everything else will stay the same. I am going to serve it with rice and a green vegetable--either broccoli or green beans.

Chicken and rice

Tonight I planned to cook chicken and rice in the crock pot, but, alas, I forgot to defrost the chicken, so we have moved to plan B. Though I am not yet sure what plan B is ;) I have a box of macaroni and cheese in the pantry--that might be coming out.

I have now added Chicken and Rice to Monday night's dinner menu, and this time I will be sure to take the chicken out of the freezer.

In the mean time, per Amanda's request, I will share this extremely easy dinner recipe that is a staple around our house.

I use split chicken breasts, since they are always on sale at .99 lb. You can also use boneless, skinless breasts, or whatever you have on hand. I have also used chicken leg quarters when that was what I had in the freezer.

When using chicken that is not boneless, skinless, I like to brown the chicken in a skillet first. I just think it does better. This is not necessary with the boneless, skinless kind. After I brown the chicken, I put a cup of rice in the crock pot, followed by 3 cans of whatever "cream of" soup you have in the pantry--chicken, mushroom, or celery--it all works. I then place the chicken on top of the soup and rice mixture, and I add a can of chicken broth. I then turn it on low, and I let it cook all day. The chicken most often turns out very tender, falling off the bone. It's so yummy and so easy.

I just add a green vegetable as a side, and dinner is on the table!

By the way, Ada recommends this for dinner...

Provision and this week's menu (a rather random post, I suppose)

I often feel a bit crazy for making the decision to stay at home with Ada rather than work. Not because I don't see the importance of being at home with Ada, and not even because I think that working would be so fulfilling and fun (I am not that naive, I promise), but because it seems like such a simple way to add some money to the ever tightening budget.

Just yesterday on the way to church, as Scott and I discussed lunch options, money being the deciding factor, I looked at him and said, "Am I crazy for staying at home, am I?" and I really meant it. I needed some confirmation. He quickly confirmed that, no, I am right where I am supposed to be, and I trust his affirmation as the leader of our family.

Just when I begin to wonder if we are not making the wisest decision regarding our family and our finances, God reminds me that he will provide. And, he has. Over and over and over.

This month it seems that our income is needed everywhere but in our checking account. Do you know what I mean? There are, of course, bills to pay, and there is that little thing called a mortgage. But those are the constants. This month we also had a root canal and Ada's birthday and car tags and leftover car troubles and the list could go on and on and on. (By the way, I am very thankful that here in the south, Labor Day does not mean fall weather, simply because Ada's wardrobe isn't ready for that.)

But on top of all of the extras that are asking our money to stretch and stretch and stretch, there is a little thing that I am learning about called coupon overage, and it is really helping us out this month.

Let me tell you about my grocery trip on Saturday. I was quite excited.

Here is what I bought at Publix

1 deli sandwich (Scott was hungry for lunch) 2.50
Arnold Whole Grain Bread BOGO 1.85
1 carton of blueberries 2.00
1 pack of Hormel bacon 3.00
Cottonelle Aloe and E toilet paper, 6 pack 3.99
-.50 off Aloe and E mnfctr (equals 2.99 for 6 pack)
1 bag of baking potatoes 1.99
4 packs of Knorr sides .74 each
-2 .60 off two Knorr sides mnfctr coupons (equals .44 each pack)
4 bottles of Sundown Folic Acid 3.79 each
2 bottles of Sundown Vitamin D 2.99 each
-3 6.00 off two Sundown Vitamins Publix coupons
-3 5.00 off two Sundown Vitamins mnfctr coupons (equals Free +++++)
1 box of Splenda packets 2.59
1 box of Orville Redenbacher popcorn BOGO 2.45
-.60 off Orville popcorn mnfctr coupon (equals 1.85 for box of popcorn)
1 carton of eggs 1.29
1 pack of Italian Sausage 2.00
4 packs of Cover Girl powder puffs 2.49
-4 2.00 off Cover Girl store coupon
-2 2.50 off Cover Girl mnfctr coupon (equals free ++++)

total before coupons and sales=76.66
total after coupons and sale=11.85!!!

thank you, overage!!!

So, I went back today, and things didn't go quite as well

Here is what I bought

1/2 gallon of milk 1.79
1 big box of Huggies size 5 19.99
-3.00 Publix coupon
-1.50 man. coupon (= 15.49)
Kleenex Cottonelle Aloe & E 6 pack=2.99
-1.00 off Cottonelle man. coupon (=1.99)
2 Cover Girl eye shadows 2.99 each
-2 2.00 off Cover Girl Publix coupon
-1 2.50 off 2 Cover Girl items man. coupon (= free ++++)
Baked Cheetos 100 calorie packs 2.00
1 Sundown Vitamin D 2.99
1 Sundown Vitamin A 3.29
-6.00 off 2 Sundown Vitamin Publix coupon
-5.00 off 2 Sundown Vitamin man. coupon (= free ++++)

total before sales and coupons=43.67
total after sales and coupons=19.67

Really, I was hoping for a lower total today, and I should have bought more items to produce overage in order to lower the total, but you live and learn, right? Still, I am thankful for 31.52 as my grocery total when the budget is 100.00 a week. That is money saved, ya'll, and that is what we need this month, more than most months even.

So, what will we be eating this week based on the purchases above and my stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer?

Sunday night= homemade waffles and bacon
Monday night=sausage and potatoes italiano, broccoli, bread
Tuesday night=spaghetti, bread, green beans
Wednesday night=Chicken and rice in the crockpot, broccoli, bread
Thursday night=lasagna, veggie, bread
Friday=frozen pizza

Lunches=hummus and triscuits, ham sandwiches, PB & J, fruit, leftovers
Breakfast=yogurt and granola, eggs, peanut butter toast
snacks=yogurt, fruit

for more menu ideas, check out Organizing Junkie.

Tackling Kroger

Yesterday instead of our usual library trip, Ada and I decided to head to Kroger to stock up on meat for the next few weeks. I was feeling good, was showered, had eaten breakfast, had my list and coupons, and we were ready. So we pull into the parking lot, find our spot, and all of a sudden I am violently ill. Luckily I have a very messy car, so there was a leftover Sonic bag to quickly grab. So there we sat, me sick and Ada crying in her car seat, saying, "all done, Mommy, all done." I think it scares her when I get sick. The worst part was that there was a poor older women loading her car with groceries right next to me. At one point we made eye contact as I got sick. I felt so bad that she was having to witness that.

I was not to be deterred however. Once I knew my body was through getting sick, I gathered my strength, my list, and Ada, and into Kroger we went. I laughed at myself because just when I am feeling energized and not so pregnant, my body reminds me that I am not even through with first trimester yet.

But, we made it through the rest of the grocery shop uneventfully, and Ada even cooperated once she got her free balloon. Here are the numbers.

2 4 packs of Dannon Activia
1/2 lb Boars Head honey maple chicken
4 packs of Tyson split chicken breast
2 packs of Kroger bacon (BOGO + coupon)
4 cases of Diet Coke
1 carton of eggs (on sale for .59!!!)
and I forgot to buy strawberries and the ground turkey (thanks for the tip, Bethany!!!), so we will probably have to go back today.

I spent 30.15
I saved 32.18

But my fridge is good and stocked with meat for the next few weeks. It will make for some low numbers during the next few grocery shops.

And by the way, last night's "chicken pot pie" meal was a huge hit with everyone, and it was super easy.

Here is the recipe

Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients:

About a cup of pre-cooked diced chicken breast (I used cooked chicken from my freezer, leftover from the rotisserie chickens I bought last week)
1 tsp butter, margarine or olive oil
1 medium onion-chopped
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
Bag of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, etc…)
1 boiled egg -chopped (optional--I did not use)
1 -2 tsp. Tarragon (I did not add this)
salt and pepper to taste
1 box refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts are in each box)
Saute the onion in the butter until translucent

Directions:

Add all other ingredients (except crusts) and cook until the veggies are heated and no longer frozen (approx. 5 minutes)
Place one pie crust in your pie plate (press to the sides of the pie plate leaving the top hanging over the edge of the pie plate)
Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
Top with the second crust and press the two pie crust edges together
Use a fork to make a few air holes in the top crust.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes (or until top crust is nice and golden)

We all had seconds, and there are leftovers for lunch today. This will be something I make again and again. So easy, so good.

Here is where I got the recipe.

I need your help

I am feeling so very organized this morning. Last night, all of sudden, I decided that I must take inventory of what I have in my freezer, pantry, and spice cabinet. Poor Scott got dragged into the project, but he was a trooper, and he wrote everything down as I called it out. I really think this is going to make meal planning and stock piling more efficient. For example, I found out that I still have three packs of boneless, skinless, chicken breasts in the freezer, and I thought that I was out of them. This is great news because there are three different families who I will be delivering meals to over the next few weeks, and I am thinking I will do chicken tetrazzini because I have most of the ingredients on hand. Yea. Anyway...all of this to say, that I also realized that I still have two lbs of ground chicken in my freezer. It was marked down very low one day at Kroger, so I bought it, but I have never cooked with ground chicken. Can you help me?

What should I use this for? What do I do with it? I need recipes, ideas, anything. Please, help me. You all really came through when I asked about pork tenderloin, and now we are major pork tenderloin eaters around here. We love it!! Please, turn us into ground chicken eaters, or at least eaters of what is in our freezer. I will be forever grateful;)

And just to keep my family interested, here is a picture of Ada:) She is really into feeding herself these days, and she really wants to use a spoon, so mealtime is usually a battle and always messy.

Conquering my fear of chicken leg quarters

I have always been rather squeamish when it comes to raw meat, and chicken especially makes me squirm. Therefore, in the past I chose to only cook boneless, skinless chicken. My mom would always tell me that she wished we (my sister and I) would learn to cook chicken that was still on the bone because it was so much more flavorful. Well, thanks to my new hobby/obsession of finding the lowest prices possible at the grocery store, I ventured out of my comfort zone and bought chicken leg quarters at Publix. At .59 lb, I decided it was worth a shot.

After much discussion with my mother both over the phone and through e-mail, and after googling baked chicken quarters, this is what I did-- I rinsed the chicken off, I placed it in a baking dish, and I poured marinade over it (that I bought for a few cents at Publix, BOGO). I let it sit all day, so that it would really soak up the flavor. I told my mom that I wanted the outside to be crispy, so I put the chicken in the oven for an hour on 350 (I think? mom correct me on this, if I am wrong), and then for the last 30 minutes (?) I turned it up to 425 (?). Really, mom, if you reading, tell me if this is right. It was a hit!! We all loved it. So, I headed back to Publix to buy some more since it was such a great deal.

The second time I cooked the chicken, I used my friend Tutti's method. I browned the chicken on both sides in a bit of olive oil. Then I put one cup of raw rice in the crock pot, I layered the browned chicken on top, and I poured two cups of chicken broth over all of it. I cooked it in the crock pot for four hours on high, and it was oh-so-yummy. The chicken was falling off of the bone, and the rice was very creamy and flavorful. I added some broccoli, and it made for a very easy, nutritious meal.

And to answer your question, Amy, split chicken breasts are still on the bone and the skin is still on. It's cheaper than buying the boneless, skinless, and it really is more flavorful. I baked the chicken breasts, then I took the chicken off the bone, and I used it to make chicken tacos, but it would have been good as is.

A beneficial side effect of the couponing obsession, is that I am learning to cook new things. It is pushing us out of our dinner comfort zone, and the results have been good so far.

Quick and easy recipe

I said that I would be back yesterday with recipes, but, of course, that never happened. So, here I am, with the recipe for tonight's dinner. This is courtesy of Lindsey Slagley. A while back I asked readers to share easy, inexpensive recipes, and I received a wealth of easy dinners to fix for the family.

Creamy Pork Chops or Beef Tips

Boneless pork chops/beef stew meat (we are using pork chops bought on sale at Publix)
Lay meat in the bottom of crockpot (love crockpot meals that can be assembled while Ada is napping!!)
Pour one can of cream of mushroom into the pot (2 cans for more gravy) and then splash the inside of the can with water and add that to the pot (1/4 of the can)
add one envelope of dry onion soup mix

cook on high 3-4 hours
serve over rice or pasta (we are using rice that I already had in the pantry), and I am opening up a can of peas to add some green to the meal.

I will add that I used very thin pork chops, so I probably should have cooked it on low, so use your own judgement based on the thickness of your meat.

Recipe Question...

I know (because I have seen them) that are websites out there where I can plug in the ingredients I have on hand, and out pops a recipe. I don't just mean a recipe that uses those ingredients. I am looking for a site that tells me what I can making using only those ingredients. Make sense? Anyone know what I am talking about? I need some guidance.

Question--Needing Feedback

Does Pork Tenderloin freeze well?

It is on sell B1G1 at Kroger this week, and I would like to buy two, if they freeze well.

And while I'm getting feedback...I have never cooked Pork Tenderloin before. Any advice? Recipes?

What goes well with Pork Tenderloin?

An Easy Comfort Food Recipe

Back before I was couponing and meal planning and all of that, I was struggling to get into a routine of cooking meals each week. When Scott and I first got married we lived in a tiny apartment that contained a miniature kitchen. Really, it was miniature. So if I cooked a big meal (in my mini size oven) I often had to wash big dishes in the bath tub, which was disgusting to me, so we ate out a lot. Plus we had no central heat and air, so in the summer if we cooked anything, our entire apartment quickly felt like the inside of an oven. Again, we ate out a lot. This was during our two income life.

After we found out that Ada was on the way, we moved to a bigger apartment in Vinings, with a real sized kitchen that had a normal sized sink, and even, a dishwasher!!! Not to mention that we were trying to save every penny of my income that we could to prepare for Ada's arrival. So...I went on a quest to learn how to menu plan and to stop eating out. To get started, I joined a service called e-mealz. When using e-mealz, I was given a menu each week with a grocery list and a price break down. It didn't save me as much money as I hoped for, but it did establish a habit of menu planning and grocery shopping for the entire week, and I am so thankful for that habit now!! And it built my spice cabinet substantially. Plus, in the process, I found several recipes that are sure to be favorites for the rest of our lives.

One such recipe is Tender Beef Pot Pie. To me, this recipe is the ultimate comfort food. And with the weather turning cooler--the high in the 50s tomorrow!!--I am contemplating adding it to the menu next week. Here it is, super easy, super good.

1 lb stew meat--slow cooked
18 oz jar prepared beef gravy
1 t minced garlic
1/4 t dried basil
29 oz can mixed vegetables (or I am sure you could use frozen)
2 refrigerated pie crusts (or make your own, of course)

Mix meat, gravy, garlic, and basil in a baking dish. Cover and cook @ 200 for 6-8 hours.
Fold in veggies.
Line one pie plate with one pie crust
Pour mixture into pie crust
Top with other crust
Pinch crusts together
Cut vents and cover edges of crust with foil
Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes

So easy. So good. So warm and comforting.

For more meat and potato type recipes, check out Life As Mom (one of my favorite blogs).

Another Friday afternoon, Another menu

It's Sunday night at the Moore house, the clothes are folded (see post below), and I am blogging for the second time tonight because it's time to post the week's menu. To find more menus and recipes or to join in on the fun of menu plan Monday (on Sunday night), check out Organizing Junkie.

Actual Blog Post starts now...

It's 10:36 am on Friday morning, and Ada is already down for a nap. The fussiness started early today, so who knows what the afternoon will be like. I'll just deal with it then. For now, little Ada is fast asleep in her bed and all is right with the world. It's hard being 14 months--it can wear a girl out.

Okay...new budget plan. I am going to take two separate grocery trips. The first one will be only food and necessities. Then, if there is any budget money left, I will take a second trip for stock up items. I think I am spending WAY too much on stock up items. Even at rock bottom prices, if it causes me to go over budget, it's not saving us money. I'll let you know how that goes. The goal for the week--keep it under 75.00. We'll see what happens.

Last week's goal--more veggies. We ate more veggies, we really did. Mainly we ate veggies when we ate cheesy vegetable chowder, which we all loved and had plenty left over. It was a little more work than expected, but it tasted great. Less fast food than the week before. Progress was made.

Here's this week's menu

Friday night--Ada, whatever. Yogurt, PB & J, whatever she will eat. Scott and I will eat Chili's chips and salsa and queso after Ada goes to bed and maybe watch a movie. Or better yet, The Office on dvd, A very cheap, "at home" date, if you will. I don't believe in cooking on Friday nights:)

Saturday--begins with an 8 am tutoring session (yikes!!), then we are working a booth at a Halloween Carnival (it's a church thing), and then we plan to go eat dinner with couple friends from Atlanta. They are coming here. We are eating at Shane's. I have set aside 25.00 to cover Friday and Saturday night. This is not included in the 75.00

Sunday--lunch will be pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Dinner will be whatever.

Monday--Spaghetti, salad, bread

Tuesday--Brown Rice and veggie stir fry

Wednesday--sausage and potato soup (this is from last week's menu), biscuits or cornbread

Thursday--leftovers or pasta with tomatoes

Breakfast--south beach bars, grits, eggs, nutri grain waffles

Lunch--leftovers from dinner, PB & J, lean cuisine pizzas (sale + coupons, according to Grocery Game)

so the grocery list

pot roast

potatoes

carrots

ground beef

salad

dinner bread

south beach bars

7 lean cuisine pizzas (rock bottom prices according to Grocery Game)

sandwich bread

milk

diet coke

chips

nutri grain waffles

snacks???

in our pantry/fridge we already have plenty of pasta, spaghetti sauce, makings for stir fry, juice, canned tomatoes, peanut butter, jelly, makings for sausage and potato soup, eggs, grits

surely to goodness, this will be less than 75.00. I will let you know. I know you are all on the edge of your seats just waiting to hear:)

Okay, the results are in--our total at Kroger came to 65 ish. I don't have the receipt in front of me. I thought it was going to be less than 60, so I decided to examine the receipt when I got home. And there I found a 6.00 bag of cheese instead of the 1.25 bag of cheese I expected. My sweet hubby decided to go grocery shopping with Ada and me on Friday night. He picked up the bag of cheese. He picked up the 25 oz bag of cheese rather than the 8 oz bag of cheese. Needless to say, the cheese was returned to Kroger. And the total came in at 60ish. Yea!! Good thing because we spent more than expected on food this weekend outside of the grocery trip. However, with everything added up I did not go over budget of 100 a week including grocery store, dinners out, diet coke runs etc. The goal is not spend any more money before Friday.

Recipe and dinner update

It was a good weekend as far as food goes (and company--great company). My dad took all of us to lunch at the Olive Garden after church on Sunday, which was such a treat, and then Ann fixed the lasagna Sunday night, which we ate left over last night. Plus Saturday night Ann and I ate Chili's chips and salsa and queso (to go) for dinner after the kids were in bed, so there was food in abundance all weekend. All this to say, it lead to food in abundance this week, so my menu is being tweaked a bit. Last night was leftover lasagna, and today, Scott and I are full from lunch, so we may be having a grab whatever you can find kind of dinner. The cheesy vegetable chowder is being pushed to Wednesday night, with leftovers Thursday night. What does this mean--less groceries to buy next week. Hallelujah.

Now, I wanted to post my pasta recipe that is oh so easy and oh so good. Plus, I just refrigerate the leftovers, and it tastes great cold the next day. Scott was working from home today, so we ate it hot for lunch.

I use Barilla pasta plus. The plus being added protein and fiber. And it's whole grain pasta. It's good stuff, and it is really not any more expensive than the normal pasta.

Okay, so I boil the whole box of pasta.

In the mean time, I mix together two cans of diced tomatoes with basil and garlic, 1/4 c. of balsamic vinaigrette, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese (however much you want. We include a lot), Italian spices, and whatever other spices you might want to add. Once the pasta is done, I just add it to the tomato mixture, and toss it all together. I serve immediately.

I serve it with some kind of bread, and, of course, for dinner a nice salad would be a great addition.

It is very good and very filling. Hence the reason Scott and I aren't hungry for dinner tonight.

For more recipes, check out Blessed with Grace.

Menu Planning Monday on a Friday afternoon

As always, I am actually typing this on Friday with plans to post on Sunday. It has become my Friday routine. It's how I figure out the details of my Friday afternoon Kroger trip. Ada is asleep, my coupons have been clipped and examined, the store circulars perused, and I am ready to make the week's menu. Remember the focus this week is simple--no McDonald's and at least one or two veggies. I am trying to be realistic about what I can actually accomplish. If this time next Friday we have all had at least one something healthy, well then it's a better week than last.
Okay, it is now 9:43 on Friday night. Ada is once again asleep, Scott is playing x-box, and I am finally getting back to the task at hand--cutting the grocery bill one week at a time. This week I am trying something new--The Grocery Game. For now, I have joined with only Kroger's list, but I am contemplating adding the CVS list as well because these are the two main stores I frequent. I planned to make a switch to Publix, but when I went for the first time last week I found out that the Publix nearest me is closing. Sad, sad day. Anyway...I will report back about the Grocery Game after tomorrow's Kroger trip. I have high hopes of all the money I will save.(see previous post for savings)

And here it is, this week's menu.

Friday night--Scott requested that we go to Fuddrucker's for a burger, and I heartily agreed. It is a rare day that Scott suggests we eat out, so I jumped on board the second he mentioned it. The price was a little steep considering we didn't split, but hopefully the numbers will all work out anyway.

Saturday--the fam. is coming into town. Ann and the cousins will be joining us in the morning and my parents will be joining us late tomorrow after the Auburn game. It's a big weekend for us because Ada will be baptized on Sunday. More on that later, though. As for dinner, well I don't know for sure yet. I'll get back to you.

Sunday--Ann and mom will be cooking Sunday lunch for everyone. I think lasagna is on the menu. I anticipate Sunday's dinner being a grab whatever you can find kind of thing. I imagine we will be quite full from lunch.

Monday--everyone returns home, and it's back to the normal day to day. Here is where the real menu begins. New recipe tonight from Southern Living, Cheesy Vegetable Chowder. I am counting on leftovers out of this one. I will most likely make some biscuits to go with the chowder.

Tuesday--leftovers or a Macaroni Grill boxed meal kit. I have a coupon, and it's at its lowest price at Kroger. I hope it's good. We will eat broccoli as a side.

Wednesday--Another Southern Living soup recipe, Easy Potato Sausage Soup. Again, I will most likely make some cornbread to eat with this.

Thursday--leftovers or possibly Wendy's value menu chili. It's tutoring/discipleship night, and I have to cook something SUPER easy. Thursdays look like this. Scott barely makes it home in time for me to get out the door and to tutoring by 5:00. I then make it back to my house at the same time as the women coming for discipleship, so dinner needs to be something we can all do on our own. We are still figuring this out.

And that concludes the dinners for the week.

Lunches--pasta salad (added protein pasta), lean pockets (sale + coupons), canned progresso and campbell's soup (lots and lots and lots of coupons for this)

breakfast--peanut butter toast, yogurt, grits, eggs

snacks--multi-grain cheerios (Ada), stove popped popcorn (me!!),

Here is where you will find other yummy menus for the week.

Wonderful, Wonderful Wednesday

I am nearing the end of my carless week, and it hasn't been nearly as bad as expected. I will back tomorrow to tell you all the things I have learned about myself and saving money during my time at home.

Before that, though, I have to tell you about my unexpected treat in the middle of the week. As you know if you have been reading my blog for a while, I LOVE fountain diet coke. I like diet coke out of a can, but there is something about diet coke from a fountain that just makes my life complete. I love it. And normally Ada and I go to Sonic happy hour everyday when she wakes up from her nap for an 86 cent large diet coke. I look forward to it all day. Obviously we did not go to Sonic this week, and I was having fountain diet coke withdrawals. Not to mention that I am drastically cutting down on my diet coke consumption, so we really didn't have any in the house either. Pair all of this with yet another door to door guy trying to sale me a vacuum (he somehow manipulated himself into my house and stayed for over an hour--I promise, I don't know how he got in) and I was in desperate need of something last night.

Well, in addition to all of the above, we were out of milk. And Ada really doesn't go to bed without her milk. So...when Scott got home from work, he loaded Ada and me into his car--our first time in a car since Sunday!!!--and we went through the McDonald's drive through to purchase two milks and a large diet coke. My hero hubby. All paid for with gathered change. It made my day. In fact, it made my entire week. And it was just what I needed to get me through the Wednesday hump.

To top it ALL off, we had a wonderful dinner waiting on us when we got back to the house--16 bean soup that had been simmering all day in the crock pot. Ya'll, it was so yummy. We all three agreed. Ada ate her weight in beans last night, I think. She loved it. We loved it. And it was actually gray and cool outside. Perfect bean soup weather. Remember, I got this idea from Crockpot 365--please check out this blog!!!

Here is what I did.

I bought a bag of 16 bean soup from the bean aisle at Kroger, for less than 2.00. I dumped that bag into the crockpot yesterday morning. I added a packet of french onion soup mix, and a handful of onions from a bag in the freezer. I then covered the beans in water. At this point I was racking my brain because I knew that ham was supposed to go into bean soup, but I didn't have any. What I did have, however, was some uncooked bacon in the fridge that needed to be used. I cut up three large pieces of uncooked bacon and dumped them in the soup, and I let it cook on low all day. I checked it periodically, and when the water was soaked up, I just added more. The soup was very creamy and full of flavor. And oh so cheap. Right now we are contemplating eating it every week. I am sure we will rethink that, though.

Seriously, you need to try this recipe. And for more crockpot cooking, check out Slow Cooker Thursdays.

My favorite easy winter recipe and a tale of how low I will go to save a buck

Let's start with the recipe so that I can save myself humiliation for a little longer.

Taco Soup or Santa Fe Soup, whichever you prefer. This is a common recipe that I am sure many of you already make, but I LOVE it when it is cold outside and there is football on tv and a fire in the fireplace. So cozy. Plus it makes a huge batch and freezes well. It doesn't get much better than that.

2 lbs ground beef
2 cans stewed tomatoes
2 cans pinto beans
1 can ro-tel tomatoes
2 cans shoe peg corn
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

Cook ground beef. Dump all ingredients in a large pot or crock pot, and cook until heated through. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and corn chips (I prefer fritos scoops--yum, yum).

Just typing this recipe makes me want to cook this soup, and it's hot outside!!

For more slow cooker recipes, check out Diary of a SAHM.

And here is the sad, sad tale of frugal little me trying to save a few pennies.

I am fairly new to the whole couponing thing, and I have read in multiple places that to get lots of coupons, I need to go to the local recycling center. In my mind, I think I pictured nice stacks of newspapers ready to be recycled, you know something, well, dignified. So earlier this week, I googled Henry County recycling center, I got directions, and off Ada and I go, happy as can be, with visions of lots and lots of saved money in my future. Turns out, the recycling center is just a row of big dumpsters, and to retrieve these wonderful coupons, I have to dig into the dumpster in hopes of finding what I am looking for. So the first day I go, I get out of the car, leave it running with Ada still buckled in, and I grab what I can reach. I get home, and I have nothing good. All of the coupons that I did manage to find were expired months ago. Defeat.

Well, I decide to give it another go, and Ada and I headed back to the recycling center today. When we pulled up, there were several men a few dumpsters down, most likely bringing things to recycle. I briefly debated if I should leave, rather than "dumpster dive" in front of these men, but I decided to swallow my pride, and I got out of the car ready to find some great coupons. Again, I walked away with NOTHING. Has anyone else used the recycling center as a place for free coupons. Am I doing this wrong? I am not ready to give up, but I can only dig through that dumpster so many times with nothing to show for it before I say forget it.

This Week's Menu

It's menu planning Monday again, and things are looking much better this week than last week. I already have chicken baking for my two Southern Living recipes that I plan to eat AND freeze. I can't wait. Southern Living never lets me down. And it's a great day for cooking because Scott is home to keep Ada out from under my feet. There is just something about a hot oven that attracts little hands. So here it is, the menu for the week...

Breakfast--waffles, eggs, yogurt, and/or south beach bars (10 grams of protein per bar!! Remember, I have to eat lots of protein to keep my blood sugar steady)

Lunch--lean cuisine pizzas (also loaded with protein), pb & j, fruit, and/or stove popped popcorn.

Dinner--

1. Chicken Tetrazzini (eat half/freeze half), divine muffins, lima beans

2. Leftovers

3. Crunchy chicken and rice casserole, broccoli

4. Leftovers

5. New pasta recipe from Southern Living Quick and Easy cookbook

6. Frozen Pizza

7. Scott and I will split dinner out


pasta recipe--


12 ounces uncooked ziti (I am using Barilla plus, which has 17 g of protein per serving!!! This makes up for lack of meat/beans in the meal. Plus it's multigrain)

2 (14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, basil, and olive oil

1/2 c. chopped black olives (I omit this)

1/3 c. diced red onions

1/4 c. balsamic vinaigrette

1 (8 oz) block of mozzarella cheese, diced

1/2 c. grated parmesan

1/2 tsp. pepper


cook pasta according to package directions, including salt; drain

meanwhile, combine tomatoes and next 3 ingredients

add pasta, cheese, and pepper; toss gently. Serve Immediately. Yields: 5 servings

Easy, easy pot roast

It is recipe swap day over at Life As Mom, and I have decided to participate for the first time.

Last week when Scott's parents were here, I wanted to make a good, home cooked meal for them, but I needed something easy because most of my time was already accounted for with all of the party preparation and such. I looked through the pantry to see what I had on hand, and I found the following recipe on the back of a lipton onion soup packet. It was delicious, and oh so easy. It seems more appropriate for fall, though, when the leaves are turning, the air is cool, and all you want at the end of the day is a warm and cozy meal.

3- to 3-1/2- lb. boneless beef pot roast (rump, chuck or round)

1 envelope Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion Soup Mix

2-1/2 cups water

4 medium all-purpose potatoes (about 2 lbs.), cut into 1-inch pieces

4 carrots, sliced

2 to 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1. Brown roast in Dutch oven or 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat. Add Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion Soup Mix blended with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, turning roast occasionally, 2 hours.
2. Add vegetables and cook an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables and roast are tender; remove roast and vegetables.
3. For gravy, blend remaining 1/2 cup water with flour; stir into Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

SLOW COOKER METHOD: Add vegetables, then roast in slow cooker. Add Soup Mix blended with 2 cups water. Cook covered on LOW 8 to 10 hours or HIGH 4 to 6 hours or until roast is tender. Remove roast and vegetables to serving platter. Blend remaining 1/2 cup water with flour and stir into juices in slow cooker. Cook covered on HIGH 15 minutes or until thickened.

Things I did differently--I added an entire container of beef broth in addition to lots of water. As I was cooking, the roast seemed to be getting dry, so I just kept adding beef broth and water.

Take note of slow cooker method. I first browned the roast on all sides on top of the stove. Then I put the vegetables in the crock pot, followed by the roast, and finally, I added the soup mix. At that point I poured about half of the beef broth in. Then, as it cooked, I added broth and water periodically.

It really tasted good, and the roast was very tender. Really, this is a meal that I will do again and again, I think.

Okay, I am adding to this post. In addition to the pot roast, I made what my family calls divine muffins (Southern Living cook book calls them quick biscuits). They really are more muffin than biscuit, but they are, literally, melt in your mouth good. Warning, there is not one iota of healthy to them, but for a special occasion, that's okay.

Again, an easy, easy recipe.

2 1/4 c. biscuit mix
1 (8 oz) container of sour cream
1/2 c. butter, melted

combine all ingredients, stirring well
drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls into an ungreased muffin pan
Bake at 375 for 15-17 minutes or until golden. Be careful, they burn easily.

yield: one dozen.

Happy cooking, everyone!!

A few things to discuss

I am LOVING all of the recipes. Please, please, please keep sending them. I am writing them all on recipe cards with the name of the person who sent the recipe, and I will let you know as I try each one. The best part is they are all so doable. I have so many cook books that call for a million ingredients in each recipe, and I just never use them. It's just not practical. But ya'll have provided many nights of easy, good eating. Thanks so much.

Second of all...do you remember how I mentioned at the beginning of the half-marathon training, that I always have knee trouble when I run for any extended period of time? Well, the knee trouble showed up yesterday. I am moving up to 2.25 miles this week--it's a slow process, okay, and for me, 2.25 miles is a lot ;)--but anyway, about 2 seconds after I was out the door, my knee started doing its thing. It was the worst run in the history of runs, but somehow I knew that if I didn't finish, it would be the end of my training. And I have to run this half-marathon. I really have to. So, I struggled through the run, at such a slow pace that Ada could have crawled beside me, but I finished it without technically walking. However, I know that the time has come for new shoes, or it will be the end of the half-marathon for me. And, surprisingly, Scott agreed, and this Friday we are off to Atlanta for the night to buy some new running shoes. I am so excited. There is a store within walking distance of our first apartment that specializes in running shoes, so they can do that whole thing where they watch me run and then tell me what I need. I am hoping they will have lots of good advice for my knee trouble. Plus, Ada has never been to midtown, and 9 months seems as good a time as any to take her. I think we are going to end the night with dinner at CPK. We got a coupon when we were there for our anniversary, and it expires soon, so we have to use it, right?

Finally, stay tuned because I will be updating the blog heading soon. I just feel like it needs to be more creative, so you should see a new look for the blog in the next few days. We'll see.

Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Calling All Readers

Okay, I have seen this done before, and now I am joining in. I would really LOVE to know who reads my blog other than my regular commenters--though I so appreciate my regulars--and to encourage commenters I have a plan.

We all love an easy recipe, right? I know that I am constantly looking for new, simple recipes that are easy on the grocery budget. So, here's the plan, if you are a regular reader, or just happen to stop by once in a blue moon, please leave a favorite recipe in the comment section. This will be fun. Any dinner ideas will be appreciated; you don't have to leave an elaborate recipe. In fact, I don't really do elaborate recipes. There just isn't time.

Come on, it will be fun. I promise.

I'll start.

This is a recipe that Scott and I both love, but it is in no way healthy. But it tastes good, and it is super easy!

Chicken Puffs

4 oz cream cheese
12 oz canned chicken, drained
2 T melted butter
2 T milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t onion powder
2 cans crescent rolls

Mix all ingredients. Separate rolls into 8 rectangles. Spoon 1/2 c. mixture into center. Pull 4 corners together and seal. Brush the top with melted butter. Bake on cookie sheet @ 350 for 20-25 minutes until bread is browned.

The actual recipe actually calls for one can of crescent rolls, but I have found that the recipe makes more than enough filling for one can, so I suggest buying two. If you are opposed to canned chicken, I would buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store rather than having to cook and shred your own chicken. It tastes just as good--sometimes better-- than making your own.