Budget menus for the week

Striped Delight

2011-12-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

I made this dessert up for the Relief Society Christmas Party that Susie planned. I put the crushed candy cane on it before I put it in the refrigerator. The condensation that occurs when a wrapped dessert is in the fridge with candy cane on top is not a good mix. It was fine for the dinner but it got really gooey the next day. So when I made it for Christmas, I left the candy cane in a dish for those who wanted it and they could spoon it on their own dessert square. I quite enjoyed mine without the peppermint flavor the second time I made it.

Striped Delight
C. Smart

35 OREO chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. cold milk
1 tub (12 oz.) COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed, divided
3-1/4 Cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O chocolate Flavor instant pudding & pie filling

Mix crushed cookes and butter in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Refrigerate 10 min. Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Gently stir in 1-1/4 Cups of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Pour 3-1/4 cups milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whish 2 min. or until well blended. Pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 5 min. or until thickened. Drop remaining whipped topping by spoonfuls over pudding layer; spread to evenly cover pudding. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Cut into 24 squares. Sore leftover dessert in refrigerator. Crush 2-3 candy canes to serve on top.

Sweet Salad Dressing

2011-12-28T12:46:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from the hubs. He had to halve it so that it didn't make a quart at a time. I've been making salad with chopped romaine, sweet candies pecans, sliced scallions and feta crumbles and putting this on top and it's so good. Would be good with blue cheese crumbles instead of feta. I've been told that this tastes just like the Brianna's brand red wine vinegar salad dressing but it is much more cost effective. The hubs bought a gallon of the the red wine vinegar at a restaurant warehouse store, most probably Smart & Final. He probably spent less on the gallong of vinegar than one bottle of Brianna's would be. So try it, it's really good.

Sweet Salad Dressing

1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. red wine vinegar
1 C. vegetable oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder or to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Other herbs if desired or use 1/2 tsp. of garlic herb seasoning and omit garlic powder, salt and pepper and herbs.

Put sugar and vinegar in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake them together until emulsified. If it's cold from the fridge it stays mixed together longer.

Christmas

2011-12-27T20:02:00.000-08:00

Susie gave me the link to a blog and I just checked it out. http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/ This woman sounds perfect. I have to admit that I may have growled when I read about her perfect Christmas. We decorated our tree on the 23rd. We got it on the 12th. It was the Monday night it poured rain and it took a few days for it to dry out. I never got the little village out. I wrapped presents, mostly stuffing things into bags at 11p.m. on Christmas Eve. I lost the Gift Cards for our gifts and found them Christmas day while cleaning out my purse and waiting for Matt to call. I snagged the very last bag of hash browns for cheesy potatoes at Bashas on Friday evening for our Christmas dinner. There was a terrible juice mishap that soggied up some of our appetizers before Christmas dinner. I forgot to chill the "Princess" water until Christmas morning (our daughter only drinks bottled water, so therefore, we now call it "Princess" water). Our Christmas was not as well executed as yourhomebasedmom's, but it was great none the less. We got to talk to our son in Honduras for 70 glorious minutes. Here is how it worked. He called after what seemed like an eternity after the planned noon phone call. It was maybe closer to 1p.m. They had gone to lunch and walked the 15 minute walk home. He said that he could talk for five minutes and then he would have to hang up and call again. He could talk for five more minutes and then would have to hang up and then he could talk for an hour. An hour and ten minutes has never gone by so fast for me before. He sounds great and seems happy. He is outside San Pedro Sula in a town called Jerusalen. By Planeta, which is by LaLima. La Lima is the only one of those other than San Pedro Sula that I can find on a map. He has a companion from Costa Rica now who is 28 yrs. old (big age span....a 19 yr. old greenie and a 28 yr. old with one month left) and whose total English consists of "What's up dude?" Then Matt gave us his 19 yr. old cook's name and my daughter is now friends with her on Facebook. Still unbelievable to me the connections that Facebook can render. We will only be able to communicate with her using Google translate. So my none bean loving son in the U.S. loves beans in Honduras. He loves Baleadas, which are like a taco on a flour tortilla, with scrambled eggs and beans and a crema or soft cheese or sour cream like thing on it. He told me that name but I have forgotten it. I will have to google lest I guess and say something embarrassing. We also learned that he ate two pounds of M&M's that I sent him in about two hours. The celebration for Christmas in their town or in Honduras was on the 24th. He said that the 25th was like an ordinary day. On the 24th there were fireworks and tamales fed to them at every appointment that they went to. We had a great visit with him and the blessings of his serving a mission are apparent every day.

So this season I have discovered some amazing new recipes which I will share with you tomorrow and I plan on checking the new grocery ads tomorrow and hope to make a budget menu out of them. Hope that you all had a Merry Christmas.

Another candy coupon

2011-10-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

go to http://http://www.coupons.com/ to get a $1.50 off of one Mars candy bag. I was only able to print off one. Use it with the store coupon at Walgreen's and get 1 bag for .49.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Oct. 26-Nov.1

2011-10-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've crunched and crunched these numbers to get to where I'm at. I can't for the life of me figure out why it's so high this week because there aren't any eggs and there are no frills. I think it's the few prepared items....they really drive the budget up, so replace as you will. And I didn't have a sale price on milk so it's probably twice the price of what you can find it for. I had intended also on using the moonlight madness at Fry's prices but didn't get this done in time to do that. Frankly I am getting a little frustrated by all of the sales within an ad week, how can one keep it all straight. One sale is on 3-9p.m. on Thurs. Another has items that you can get at that sale price only on Fri.-Mon. Another store offers sale items on for one day on occasion and other sale within a sale prices offer a special price only if a purchase of $25 or more is met. Other sales within the sales, buy 10 items or 8 items of certain items to be able to get the sale price. One slip in counting and it's all confusion and chaos with those deals at checkout with the cashier going through my 3 foot long register tape scrutinizing every purchase and counting repeatedly and I'm paying for my groceries and then walking back in the store to get 8 more things to add up to my 10 b/c I didn't count right and the cashier talks me into getting 8 more things that I don't need to get the sale price. I sometimes don't make out ahead on some of those buy 8 or buy 10 deals. Like my friend Mindy from http://50dollarstockpile.blogspot.com/ says, you have to howl at the moon walking backwards....or something to that effect, to get the sale price. It's actually kind of funny the things these grocers have us doing. Okay, not so funny.

Having vented, some things good this week but not on the grocery list are Saltines at Fry's for 10/$10, Bar S bacon, $1.97 (but only Fri. thru Mon., grrrrr.), and boneless pork loin for $1.97 lb., all at Fry's. And Sprouts has pineapple for .97 each.

$76.85

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal, raspberries
2-Oatmeal, orange juice
3-Oatmeal, orange juice
4-Oatmeal, bananas
5-Oatmeal, orange juice
6-Oatmeal, orange juice
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Lunchmeat sandwich, apple
2-PB&J sandwich, orange
3-Lunchmeat sandwich, apple
4-PB&J sandwich, orange
5-Lunchmeat sandwich, apple
6-Hot dog
7-Pizza

Dinner
1-Pizza, salad
2-Fish tacos
3-Macaroni & Cheese, steamed broccoli, garlic knots
4-Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
5-Chunky soup over mashed potatoes, salad
6-Spaghetti with sauce, Texas toast and sauteed zucchini
7-chicken, frozen veg. of choice, baked potato

Grocery List:
Bashas'
Sanderson Farms chicken breasts or 1/4's, .97 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.91
Fisher boy seafood, $1.99 with coupon from back of single ad
New York Texas Toast or Garlic Knots, 2/$3, with coupon, buy 2
Mission tortilla, 2/$3, buy 1
Buy 10
1-Food Club cheese, $1.29
2-Food Club cheese, $1.29
3-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
4-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
5-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
6-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
7-Shamrock Farms sour cream, .99
8-Campbell's Chunky soup, $1.29
9-Campbell's Chunky soup, $1.29
10-Wishbone dressing
$27.00

Fry's
Raspberries, 10/$10, buy 1
Barilla Pasta, 10/$10, buy 1
Hunt's sauce or Kroger Value sauce, $1
Bananas, .57 lb, buy 3 lbs.
Apples, .99 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.96
Milk, $3.49 gal., buy 2 at $6.98
KV orange juice, $1.32, buy 2, frozen
KV hot dogs, .99
KV buns, .99
Potatoes, 5#, $2.89
KV mac & chees, .42, buy 2
KV frozen vegs., $1
KV bread, .99, buy 4 at $3.96
KV Peanut butter, $1.99
KV turkey or ham lunchmeat, $3.49
Campbell's tomato soup, $1, buy 2
$39.83

Sprouts
Oranges, .77 lb, buy 4 lbs. at $3.08
Broccoli, .77 lb. buy 2 lbs.
Italian squash, .77 lb.
Romaine, .97
Oats, .69 lb., buy 6 lbs., probably need less
tomatoes, .97 lb, buy 3 lbs.
$13.41

Items not on list:
jelly
condiments for hot dogs
spices/herbs
eggs
flour
sugar
oil
leavenings
mayo
salsa

Halloween candy coo

2011-10-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

I know that I spelled coo wrong. I scored a great deal on Hershey's snack size bars today at Walgreen's. Use Walgreen's store coupon and the Hershey's bags are $1.99. Go to http://hip2save.com/2011/10/hot-11-hersheys-snack-size-candy-bags-coupon-only-0-99-at-walgreens.html and you can print off TWO coupons for a dollar off of Hershey's candy. Use that at Walgreen's with the other coupon and you can get a bag of snack sized Hersheys for .99. So go stock up for Halloween or parties or Trunk or Treat gatherings this weekend. I didn't have any problems with them taking my printed coupons and I know my friend didn't have any problems either. The site allows you to print off two coupons. I'm repeating myself. Thanks to Emily M. for that deal of deals via her mother.

Also I wanted to mention that Mindy has started doing "The $50 Stockpile" blog again. Very informative and always entertaining. Her blog is a cross between SisterSavings and an Irma Bombeck column. Check it out at http://50dollarstockpile.blogspot.com/

So I unintentionally have not blogged for awhile. I goofed on the last post I did and posted it to the YW's cooking blog in our ward. OOPS, and I don't know how I did it. Embarrassing. I've also been writing more detailed letters to my son, who is finally in Honduras, arriving on Sept. 19. He is doing well, adapting to eating Baleadas and Tajatas (egg and bean tacos and fried bananas). Poor baby has a someone who cooks and does his laundry for him. I'm sure that's as deluxe as it gets, though. He can now speak Spanish but can't understand anyone there because of the rapidity and a pronounced slur in their speech. LOL. It will come with time there and he knows that. So far he's having a great mission experience.

Well, the good news is that I have a menu worked up with the sales for this week, the bad news is that I haven't figured the figures yet, but I will tomorrow and post it as soon as I can.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 5

2011-09-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

If you wanted to have fish tacos instead of leftovers one night, buy the Gorton's Fish for $4.99 and some McCormick's taco seasoning to spice up some sour cream for fish tacos. Food Club ice cream also at Bashas' for $2.50. I like to stockpile the pork loins when they get to $1.88 lb. I slice them up and they make the best chops that way. I like to cook pork roasts also. In fact a great pork roast just screams "fall" to me.

In Bashas' ad it says that they are making all coupons valued under $1 to $1.00 this week. Not sure when that offer expires. There are some Planters Peanut butter coupons from one of the weeks of coupons from the newpaper and it makes the Peanut butter .99.
Check www.pinchingyourpennies.com for other great deals and coupon match ups this week.

$79.14

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
2-French toast
3-Cold cereal, milk, apple juice
4-Oatmeal, strawberries
5-Cold cereal, milk, apple juice
6-Oatmeal
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, plums
2-PB&J sandwich, orange
3-Tuna sandwich, apple, carrots/celery sticks
4-PB&J sandwich, orange
5-Pasta Salad, apple, carrots/celery sticks (pasta, olives, leftover chicken, onion)
6-Pizza, pudding cup
7-Hog dog, grapes

Dinner
1-Chicken Sour cream enchiladas, green salad, Spanish Rice (see recipe under chicken)
2-Pork chops, mashed potatoes, frozen veg. of choice (cut pork loin into two pieces, cut one into chops, the other into strips or cubes for sweet and sour pork)
3-Spaghetti, sauce, salad, garlic bread or plain french bread
4-Grilled Sirloin steak, cut into slices, baked potato, frozen veg. of choice
5-Mac & cheese, frozen veg. of choice
6-Sweet and sour pork loin over rice (see recipe under chicken for sweet and sour chicken)
7-Leftovers

Albertson's
Red grapes, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
French bread, .99, buy 2
Red Baron Pizza, $2.99
Kraft mac & cheese, 2/$1, buy 2
Handi snacks, 2/$1, buy 1
Albertson's frozen vegs., 10/$10, buy 3
$10.51

Bashas'
Bashas' milk, .88 per half gallon, limit 4, buy 4 at $3.52
Strawberries, .98
Boneless beef top Sirloin, $2.97 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $5.94
Food Club Pasta, $1, buy 2, one for spaghetti and one for pasta salad
S&W tomatoes, $1, buy 1
Early Californiz Olives, 2/$3, buy 1
$16.63

Fry's
Tomatoes, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Chicken of the Sea tuna, .69, buy 2
Plums, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Navel oranges, .88 lb., buy 4 lbs.
Boneless half Pork loin, $1.88 lb, buy 4 lbs.
Kroger sour cream, 4/$5, buy 1
Foster Farms chicken, .98 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.94
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
Kroger Value bread, .99, buy 4 loaves at $3.96
Kroger orange juice, $1.32
Kroger Value hot dogs, .99
Kroger Value hot dog buns, .99
Flour tortillas, $2.49
carrots, 1 lb., .69
Kroger Rice, $1.46
Potatoes, 5 lbs., $2.89
Eggs, $1.99
Kroger Value Apple juice, $1.67
Fry's cream of chicken soup, $1.29
Kroger Value Spaghetti sauce, .99
Kroger Value cheese, $1.49
$46.99

Sprouts
Onions, .49 lb.
Cucumbers, .49
Radishes, .49
celery, .88
romaine, .88
Oats, .89, buy 2 lbs.
$5.01

Items not on grocery list:
Jelly
butter
Mayo
herbs and spices
syrup or powdered sugar for the french toast
salad dressing
ketchup
soy sauce
sugar
vinegar

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Sept. 21-Sept. 27

2011-09-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

Some good buys this week. If I were going to stockpile chickens this week, I would go to Bashas' several times and buy the Sanderson Farms Whole chicken fryers at .67 lb. There is a limit of 2 per visit. Also on Fri., Sat. and Sun., the Bashas' sandwich bread is .99 loaf. Red Baron pizza for $2.88 per pizza. Nothing beats a Red Baron Pizza on a Sunday night or when you don't know what else to do for dinner.

If you want to add apple juice for some mornings, Albertson's apple juice or apple cider for $1.48 at Albertson's. I wouldn't stockpile now, it will probably go much cheaper closer to Halloween.

You could keep the budget in the 70's if you omit the thick cut bacon from Bashas'.

$82.46

Breakfast
1-Breakfast taco, orange juice (flour tortilla, eggs and some bacon crumbles)
2-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
3-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
4-Oatmeal, orange juice
5-Cold cereal, milk
6-Oatmeal, orange juice
7-French toast

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, grapes
2-PB&J sandwich, orange
3-Tuna sandwich, apple, carrot sticks
4-Cottage cheese, cantaloupe chunks
5-Ham sandwich, apple
6-Pizza, soda, cantaloupe chunks
7-Lunchmeat sandwich, grapes, carrot sticks

Dinner
1-French bread pizza, green salad, deviled eggs
2-Ham fried rice, egg rolls (use some ham lunchmeat)
3-Potatoes and sausage skillet, steamed carrots
4-Roasted chicken, green beans, green salad
5-Hot dog, buns, potato salad
6-Soup, garlic cheese toast
7-Favorite chicken rice (chicken risotto), broccoli, french bread. See recipes under chicken

Groceries
Albertson's:
Cantaloupe, .88
Hunt's pasta sauce, .88
Hillshire Farm smoked sausage, $3.98
Mission Flour tortillas, 2/$3, buy 1
French bread, .98, buy 2
Carrots, 2 lb. bag, .88
Red new potatoes, .88 lb., buy 3 lbs.
$12.72

Bashas':
Bashas' eggs, Fri., Sat. & Sun. only, .88, limit 2, buy 2
Bashas' sandwich bread, .99, limit 3, buy 3
Whole chicken, .67 lb., limit 2, buy 4 lbs.
green grapes, .88 lbs., limit 5 lbs., buy 3 lbs.
Gala apples, .88 lbs, limit 5 lbs., buy 3 lbs.
Red Baron Pizza, $2.88
Tai Pei egg rolls, $4.99
Bashas' cottage cheese, $2.39
Progresso soup, $1, buy 3
Starkist tuna, .69, buy 2
Thick slice bacon from the meat counter, $3.49 lb.
$30.63

Fry's:
Kroger cheese, $2.99
Green onions, 2/$1, buy 1 at .50
Radishes, 2/$1, buy 1 at .50
cucumbers, .59
mushrooms, 2/$3, buy 1 at $1.50
Bar S Franks, 10/$10
Kroger Value buns, .99
Kroger Value Peanut butter, $1.99
Fry's chicken broth, .99, buy 2
Kroger rice, $1.79
Kroger Orange juice, $1.32, buy 2 at $2.64
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
Big K soda, .69
Kroger Value Ham lunchmeat, $3.97
Milk, I've allowed for $2.50, buy 2 gallons at $5.00
$29.52

Sprouts:
Roma tomatoes, .88 lb.
Bell Peppers, 3/$1, buy 1 at .33
Iceberg lettuce, .88
Green beans, .88 lb.
Broccoli, .88 lb.
oranges, .99 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.96
Oats, .89 lb., buy 2 lbs.
$9.59

Items not on grocery list:
Mayonnaise
butter or margerine
oil
flour
sugar
spices and herbs
jelly
condiments for hot dogs

Menu with what on sale for the week of Sept. 14-Sept. 20

2011-09-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

In some ways the ads are a little lackluster again this week but in another way there are some good deals to be gotten this week. If you sit down with the 3 major store ads, Albertson's, Bashas' and Fry's, you can come up with a plan to stockpile what is good this week to use in future weeks. I may go to Albertson's and/or Bashas' and buy 10 lbs. of ground chuck for $20 to fry up and freeze in meal portions for spaghetti sauce and taco meat. I may buy some raspberries to make some berry pancake syrup out of. Fry's had canned fruit for a good price but it was on a buy 10 deal, so you'd have to buy other stuff on the deal to make ten, or buy ten fruit cans. Mayonnaise was also a pretty good buy for Kraft at Fry's on the buy ten deal.

$77.18

Breakfast
1-Egg biscuit, orange juice
2-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
3-Cold cereal, milk, banana slices, orange juice
4-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
5-Cold cereal, milk, raspberries, orange juice
6-Egg Biscuits, peaches
7-Orange rolls

Lunch
1-Ham sandwich, strawberries
2-PB&J sandwich, apple
3-Ham sandwich, orange
4-PB&J sandwich, apple
5-Ham sandwich, banana
6-Pasta salad, orange
7-Soup with croutons, any leftovers

Dinner
1-Spaghetti, salad, garlic toasted french bread
2-Tacos, Spanish rice
3-Tuna melt on french bread, applesauce
4-Chicken Caesar salad, make croutons from leftover french bread or garlic toast
5-Hamburger Helper, frozen veg. of choice
6-Chicken enchiladas, frozen veg. of choice
7-Cheese and bacon omelett, frozen veg. of choice

Snacks/dessert:
Popcorn
Tortilla chips
mini muffins made out of cake mix ( mini cupcakes without frosting)

Groceries:
Albertson's
Strawberries, .99
Albertson's milk, $1.57, buy 2 at $3.14
Albertson's eggs, .99, buy 2 at $1.98
French bread, .99, buy 2
Albertson's salad dressing, $1
Mott's applesauce, $1
Mi Ranchito tortilla chips, $1
Jolly Time microwave popcorn, $1
La Victoria Enchilada sauce, $1
Boneless skinless chicken, $1.77 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.31
Buy 8 deal
1-Hamburger Helper, .99
2-Betty Crocker cake mix, .99
3-Pillsbury Grands! .99
4-Pillsbury Grands!.99
5-Pillsbury Orange rolls, $1.49
6-Green Giant steamers, .99
7-Old El Paso taco shells, .99
8-Old El Paso Spanish rice mix, .99
$16.82

Bashas'
Ground chuck, $1.99 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.97
Bananas, .39 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $1.17
Hormel bacon, $2.99
Barilla Pasta, 10/$10, buy 1 for the spaghetti dinner
Hunt's Pasta sauce, 10/$10, buy 1
Suddenly Salad, 10/$10, buy 1
Flav R Pac vegs., 5/$5, buy 2
Campbell's soup, 10/$10, buy 2
American Chef turkey or ham lunchmeat, 2/$5, buy 1 at $2.50
$19.63

Fry's
Driscoll raspberries, .97
Kroger Value bread, .99, buy 4 at $3.96
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
Kroger Value orange juice, $1.32, buy 2 at $2.64
Tuna, I've allowed for .79, buy 2
Kroger Value cheese, $1.49, buy 3
Mission soft taco sized tortillas, 2/$3, buy 1 at $1.50 (these are for the enchiladas)
Kroger Value Peanut butter, $1.99
$20.50

Sprouts
Oranges, .88 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.52 (you need 8 oranges)
Gala apples, .88 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.64 (you need 8 apples)
Red or green bell peppers, 3/$1, buy 1 at .33
Roma tomatoes, .88 lb.
White Peaches, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.76
Romaine, .99, buy 2
$10.23

Items not on grocery list:
jelly
mayonnaise
herbs and spices
frosting if you wish for the mini cupcakes. Or put some peanut butter on them
butter
Parmesan for the caesar salad
condiments

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Sept. 7-Sept. 13

2011-09-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Produce prices are pretty good this week, but still nothing really jumped out at me this week. If I were going to stockpile $50 worth of items this week, I don't know what it would be. Maybe 10 lbs. of oats at Sprouts for .69/lb. Maybe some Campbell's soups, although I think that they may go for sale cheaper as we go deeper into fall. You could buy the Raspberries at Albertson's for .99 and make some freezer jam if you wanted to. We love our Raspberry freezer jam over here. There is a limit of buying four containers at once. If you wanted to buy some Bar S franks and freeze them, that might be a good move and I might consider buying extras of apples and oranges to have in the fruit bin for next week.

$78.96

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, cantaloupe chunks, orange juice
2-Oatmeal, OJ
3-Cold cereal, milk, bananas, OJ
4-French toast, OJ You may want to use the leftover stale french bread
5-Oatmeal
6-Cold cereal, milk
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, apple
2-Turkey sandwich, orange
3-PB&J sandwich, cantaloupe chunks
4-Turkey sandwich, apple
5-Turkey sandwich, orange
6-Campbell's soup, grapes, crackers
7-Campbell's soup, peach, crackers

Dinner
1-Potato soup, french bread, cheese for topping
2-Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, broccoli, carrot sticks and pepper strips with Ranch dressing for dipping
3-Chicken nuggets, baked potato, frozen veg. of choice. You may need to buy another loaf of bread for the bread crumbs for the nuggets if you don't have any or use the leftover french bread and pulse in your food processor or blender
4-Spaghetti, salad, french bread
5-Hot dog, frozen vegetable of choice
6-Chicken stir fry using zucchini, broccoli, onions, pepper strips, mushrooms, chicken.
7-Tuna noodle casserole, frozen vegetable of choice. For the casserole, pasta, tuna, cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup

Dessert:
Raspberry Peach Crisp, recipe on my recipe list under desserts

Groceries
Albertson's:
Raspberries, .99 ea
Albertson's gallon milk, $1.57, buy 3 at $4.71
Campbell's soups, $1, buy 4 at $4
Iceberg, .69
French bread, .99, buy 2 at $1.98
Albertson's peanut butter, $1.77
Bar S franks, 10/$10, buy 1
$15.14

Bashas':
Grapes, .88 lb., buy one
Gala apples, .88 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.64
Boneless skinless chicken $1.77 lb., buy 3 At $5.31
Chicken of the Sea Tuna, .69,
Food Club snack crackers, 2/$3, buy one at $1.50
$11.02

Fry's:
Oranges, .88 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.52
Broccoli, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.76
Cantaloupe, .77
KV orange juice, $1.32, buy 2 at $2.64
Bar S Bacon, $2.99
Bananas, .57 lb., buy 2 at $1.14
KV bread, .99, buy 4 at $3.96
Eggs, $1.99
KV Turkey, $3.49
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
Potatoes, 5# bag, $2.89
Onions, .78 lb., buy 1 lbs. worth, probably 2 onions
Vegetable or chicken broth (for the potato soup), .99 Fry's brand, buy 2 at $1.98
KV frozen vegs., buy 3 at 10/$10, so $3
KV cheese, $1.49
Barilla pasta, $1.38
Fry's spaghetti, .99
Fry's cream of mushroom soup, $1.29
carrots, .69
KV margerine, .67
KV spaghetti sauce, .99
KV hot dog buns, .99
$43.28

Sprouts:
Peaches, .67 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $2.68
Roma tomatoes, .67 lb., buy 3 lbs at $2.01
White mushroom, .88
zucchini, .88 lb.
Oats, .69 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.07
Bell peppers, 3/$1
$9.52

Items not on grocery list:
jelly
flour
sugar
brown sugar
syrup
bread crumbs if you don't want to make your own
hot dog condiments
Mayonnaise
garlic
ginger
soy sauce or teriyaki or hoisin, whatever you like in your stir fry

Week #3-Feeding your family of five on $75.84

2011-09-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

Almost $10 over week #1 and #2 but you can cut out the bag cereal and milk and add more oats or you can add Ramen noodles at 5/$1 instead of a couple of PB&J lunches which would omit one peanut butter jar at $1.99. You can also mix and match with the other weeks to get something you like and that fits into your weekly food budget.

$75.84

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
2-Oatmeal
3-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
4-Oatmeal
5-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
6-Oatmeal, orange juice
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, carrots/celery sticks
2-PB&J sandwich, orange sections
3-PB&J sandwich, apple wedges
4-PB&J sandwich, celery sticks
5-PB&J sandwich, orange sections
6-PB&J sandwich, apple wedges
7-PB&J sandwich

Dinner
1-Homemade Pizza Total=$4.49
Ingredients: Flour, yeast, water, salt and oil for the dough. Use a bread dough recipe for crust. Spaghetti sauce and cheese to top. I've allowed for two packages of mozzarella.

2-Chicken and homemade Rice A Roni, vegetable of choice Total=$4.75
Ingredients: Cooked chicken, orzo or spaghetti bits, rice, chicken broth, some onion and garlic if desired. I couldn't find the recipe that I was looking for on this one so I think that we can work it out on our own. Cook the chicken and pull the meat off of the bone, some for this meal and the rest for the Cobb Salad meal. Take a small amount of the orzo or the spaghetti bits (like maybe 1/4 C. or less) and sautee in a little veg oil in a pot until a golden or light brown. The browner it gets, the more flavor it will have but don't burn it. Add the rice and onion. Add enough chicken stock to whatever ratio of rice you add. Maybe you'll need a tad more for the pasta, I'm not sure. So if you have 2 C. of rice, add 4 C. of chicken broth, with maybe a tad water, bring to a boil and cover and simmer for 20 minutes until rice and orzo are done. Be sure to check and add more water if needed. Add the chicken at the end.

3-Ham hock and lentils, french bread Total=$4.97
Ingredients: Ham hock. They come in a package of 3 in my Fry's store. I think you'll only need one, so freeze the rest and then next time you make this you will not have this added expense. Lentils, onion, chopped celery, some chopped carrots, water. Recipe on my recipe list under pork and/or crockpot.

4-Cheese crisps Total=$5.47
Ingredients: Cheese, burrito sized flour tortillas

5-Rice stuffed Bell Peppers, canned vegetable of choice Total=$4.00
Ingredients: Rice, onion, garlic if desired, tomato sauce, 3 bell peppers cut in half vertically.

6-Cobb Salad Total=$5.41
Ingredients: Romaine, 2-3 chopped hard boiled eggs, grated cheddar cheese, bottled dressing of choice, cooked chicken (use half in salad, the other half in the chicken rice).

7-Egg/cheese tacos Total=$5.97
Ingredients: Burrito sized flour tortillas, scrambled eggs, shredded cheddar.

Grocery List (Based on Kroger (Fry's) prices)
Bread
French bread, $1.29
Kroger Value bread, .99/loaf, buy 4 at $3.96
$5.25

Frozen
Kroger Orange juice, $1.32, buy 2 at $2.64
$2.64

Bulk
Oats, .89 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.78 (Sprouts price)
$1.78

Dry-Packaged
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
Kroger Flour, $2.04
Yeast, I've allowed for $1.99, you'll have some leftover
Kroger Rice, $1.46
Barilla Orzo, $1.29
Kroger Lentils, $1.59
$11.76

Canned-bottled
Kroger Value spaghetti sauce, .99
Fry's vegetables, .50, buy 2 at $1.00
Fry's chicken broth, .99, buy 2
Kroger Value tomato sauce, .34, buy 2 at .68
Kroger dressing, $1.49
Kroger Value Peanut butter, $1.99, buy 3 at $5.97
Kroger Value grape jelly, $1.67
$13.78

Dairy
Eggs, $1.99 (you can usually find them on sale during the week for less)
Milk, $3.49 (same with milk, there will be a sale somewhere to bring your food costs down)
$8.97

Wall Deli
Kroger Value shredded Mozzarella cheese, $1.49, buy 2 at $2.98
Kroger Value shredded cheddar cheese, $1.49, buy 4 at $5.96
$8.94

International/Hispanic
Fry's burrito sized flour tortilla, $2.49, buy 2 at $4.58
$4.58

Meat
Ham hock, $3.49 for 3
Chicken, based on a sale price of .69 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.07
$5.56

Produce
Onions, .78 lb., buy 2 at aprox. .78 lb.
Carrots, 1 lb., .69
Celery $1.18
Green peppers, 2/$1, buy 3 at $1.50 (based on sale price)
Garlic, .59
Romaine, .99
Apples, $1.49 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $2.98
Oranges, $1.29 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $3.87
$12.58

Items not on grocery list
butter
oil
Those two items should carry over from week $1

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 6

2011-09-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

Not really the stock pile week that I had hoped for with a week preceding a 3 day weekend. However, there are a few things on my list that I could put stars by to stockpile.

At Fry's, Dreyer's ice cream for $2.88, Oreos for $2.50, Hunt's ketchup for $1.25, Kraft Mayo for $3.69.

At Bashas', Bashas' brand drinking water for $1.88, Gatorade for .67, Campbell's Pork and Beans, 3/$1, Bar S meat franks, .99, La Victoria enchilada sauce or salsa, 2/$4. The price for the water is only good until Monday.

At Albertson's, green grapes, .69. Some people like to get them at cheap prices and freeze them. You have to eat them frozen though, so that plan only works if you like them frozen.

$66.42

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, OJ
2-Oatmeal, OJ
3-Cold cereal, milk
4-Oatmeal, OJ
5-Cold cereal, milk, OJ
6-Oatmeal
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, grapes, carrots
2-Turkey sandwich, cantaloupe chunks, celery
3-Pasta Salad
4-PB&J sandwich, crackers
5-Turkey Sandwich, orange
6-Ramen noodles, carrots, celery
7-Ramen, grapes, leftovers

Dinner
1-Hot dogs, Chips, Pork and Beans, Pepsi
2-Pasta salad. Scallions, tomatoes, turkey cubes, a few steamed gr. beans, a few vegs from the frozen vegs pkg., pasta in ranch or italian dressing
3-Chicken, corn on the cob, watermelon
4-Chicken enchiladas, salad
5-Mac & Cheese, steamed broccoli
6-Italian sausage, onions and peppers, steamed green beans
7-Spaghetti Alfredo, frozen vegs.

Dessert:
Ice cream

Groceries:
Albertson's
Green grapes, .69 lb., buy 2 lbs.
$1.38

Bashas'
Corn, 7 for .98, this price is only good until Monday.
Head lettuce, .49
Split chicken breats/leg 1/4's, .97 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.88
Cantaloupe, .75
Mission tortillas, 2/$3, buy 1
La Victoria enchilada sauce, 2/$4, buy 1
Campbell's Pork and Beans, 3/$1, buy 2 at .66
Bar S meat franks, .99
$11.25

Fry's
Wheat Thins, $1.88
Kroger ice cream, $1.97 (or you can buy Blue Bunny ice cream at Bashas' with coupon for $1.88, $10 min. purchase and coupon)
Kroger salad dressing, $1.39
Ragu Pasta sauce, $1.58
American Beauty Pasta, 10/$10, buy 2, one for Spaghetti Alfredo and one for Pasta Salad
Kroger chips, 5/$5, buy 1
Pepsi, .86
Kroger froz. vegs., 10/$10
Oranges, $1.29 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Broccoli crown, 10/$10, buy 1 lb.
Kroger Value mac & cheese, .42, buy 2
Johnsonville Italian sausage, $3.99
Kroger Value Peanut butter, I've allowed for $1.99
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.99
Milk, I've allowed for $2.50, buy 2
Ramen noodles, I've allowed for 5/$1, buy 5
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39, buy 1
Kroger Value cheese, $1.49
Kroger Value orange juice, $1.32, buy 2
Kroger Value turkey lunchmeat, $3.49
Kroger Value bread, .99, buy 4 at $3.96

Sprouts
Whole watermelon, $1.49
Red or green bell peppers, 3/$1, buy 1 at .33
Green onions, .49
tomatoes, .88 lb., buy 1 lb.
Onions, .49 lb., buy 1 at aprox. .25
Baby carrots, .88
celery, .88
Green beans, .88 lb.
Oats, .89 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.67
$8.75

Items not on grocery list:
butter
oil
sugar
flour
condiments for hot dog dinner
spices and herbs
jelly
ketchup
brown sugar if you decide to make the Pork and Beans into baked beans

Labor Day Party Menu

2011-09-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

Labor Day BBQ Menu
Feed aproximately 12-16
$17.32

Hot dogs
Buns
carrots/celery with ranch dip
Chips and dip
watermelon wedges
Baked Beans
Brownies
Pepsi or Pepsi products

Sprouts
watermelon, $1.49
Baby carrots, .88
Celery, .88
$3.25

Fry's
Kroger Ranch dressing, $1.39
Kroger chips, 5/$5, buy 1
Kroger dip, $1.50
Kroger Valu buns, .99, buy 2
Pepsi, .86, buy 2
$7.56

Bashas'
Campbell's Pork and Beans, 3/$1, buy 6
Bar S meat franks, .99, buy 2
Betty Crocker brownie mix, 4/$5, buy 2
$6.48

Only items not on grocery list are condiments for the hot dogs and ketchup and brown sugar to make baked beans.

Lentils

2011-09-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

Lentils
Got this from some food site, now don't remember which one

1 meaty ham bone or use salt pork
6 C. water
1 1/2 C. lentils
2 C. sliced carrots
1 C. chopped celery
1 C. chopped onion
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf

Prepare lentils per package instructions and put all ingredients into the crockpot. I think that I would do low 6-8 hrs. or hight aprox. 4 hours.

Week #2 Menu-Feeding your family of five on $66.78

2011-08-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

Breakfast
1-Cold Cereal, milk and orange juice
2-Oatmeal
3-Cold Cereal, milk and orange juice
4-Oatmeal
5-Cold Cereal, milk and orange juice
6-Oatmeal
7-Cold Cereal, milk

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, carrots
2-PB&J sandwich, orange sections
3-PB&J sandwich, apple wedges
4-PB&J sandwich, carrot sticks
5-PB&J sandwich, orange sections
6-PB&J sandwich, apple wedges
7-PB&J sandwich

Dinner
1-Vegetarian chili Total=$3.49
Ingredients: 1/2 pack dry pinto beans, soaked and cooked. 1 can of tomatoes, 2 cans of tomato sauce, onions, 1 pack chili seasoning mix
2-Pasta Salad Total=$2.62
Ingredients: 1 pack of pasta cooked and drained, diced tomato, sliced scallion, lemon juice and some oil for the dressing
3-Spaghetti and green salad Total=$4.96
Ingredients: 1 pack of spaghetti, 1 can of sauce, lettuce, tomato, scallion, dressing
4-Hamburgers Total=$4.97
Ingredients: 2 lbs. of hamburger, 1 pack of buns
5-Bean Burritos Total=$3.04
Ingredients: Pinto beans soaked and cooked, flour tortillas. Make the pintos into refried beans.
6-Meatloaf, baked potato/butter, vegetable Total=$7.47
Ingredients: 2 lbs. hamburger, egg, onion, a couple of pieces of the heels (bread) soaked in milk, salt and pepper, seasoning as you like, potatos, frozen veg of choice
7-Meat gravy over mashed potatoes, Total=$4.77
Ingredients: Hamburger, at least 1 lb. crumbled and cooked, add 1 can cream of mushroom soup with some water, heat. 1/2 bag of potatoes, cooked, mashed, milk added and seasoned.

Groceries
Produce
tomatoes, .99 lb., buy 1 lb.
scallions, .59 bunch
lemon, .50, buy one
Romaine, .99, buy 2
Potatoes, 5 lb., $2.89, buy 1
onion, .78 lb., buy one at .39
carrots, .69
apples, $1.49 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $2.98
oranges, $1.29 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $3.87
$13.98

Meat
Hamburger, $1.99 lb. for 5 lbs. or more
$9.95

Dairy
Eggs, $1.99
milk, $3.49 gal, buy 2
$8.97

Bread
Kroger Value Hamburger buns, .99
Kroger Value bread, .99, buy 4 loaves at $3.96
$4.95

Frozen
Kroger frozen vegs., 10/$10, buy 1 at $1
KV orange juice, $1.32, buy 2 at $2.64
$3.64

Canned/bottled
Kroger Value tomatoes, .69
Kroger Value tomato sauce, .34, buy 2
KV spaghetti sauce, .99
Kroger salad dressing, $1.49
Kroger cream of mushroom soup, $1.29
$5.14

Package/dry
Kroger pinto beans, $1.49
Kroger chili seasoning, .99
Barilla Pasta, $1.38
KV Spaghetti, .99
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
KV peanut butter, $1.99, buy 3
KV grape jelly, $1.67
$15.88

International
Fry's burrito size flour tortillas, $2.49
$2.49

Bulk
Oats, .89, buy 2 lbs., based on "sprouts" price
$1.78

Items not on list
Hot dog condiments
Margerine
Mayonnaise
oil
butter
should carry over from last week

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Aug. 25-Aug. 31

2011-08-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

So last week before I started working up the eating cheap menus, I went to Fry's and did a walk thru, pricing items that I hadn't priced before or those that I hadn't priced in awhile and prices have gone up a little. This week's menu is going to reflect that. The good news is that while expanding my knowledge of prices and using the generic store brands that the weekly budget menus can go down even more. This week there are some good produce prices and combine that with some good generic store brands and you can do quite well this week. As far as the $50 stockpile targets this week, I'm not sure. I kept meaning to price out the BOGOF roasts at Bashas but never did. If those work out to be below $2/lb., then I would buy a couple to get four total. I would then cut one or two into stew meat and freeze everything into family meal portions.

$69.52

Breakfast
1-cold cereal, milk, Sunny D juice
2-French toast
3-Cold cereal, milk, Sunny D
4-Cold cereal, milk, Sunny D
5-Cinnamon toast
6-Cold cereal, milk, apple juice
7-Cold cereal, milk, apple juice

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, orange, Cheez-its crackers
2-PB&J sandwich, orange, carrots
3-Tuna sandwich, Plum
4-PB&J sandwich, peach, carrots
5-PB&J sandwich, orange, Cheez-its crackers
6-Chicken noodle soup, Cheez-its crackers
7-Spaghettios

Dinner
1-Pizza, Green salad with strawberries and sweet vinaigrette
2-Grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup
3-Pancakes
4-Hot dog, pepper strips/cucumber spears, potato salad
5-Mac & cheese, frozen veg of choice, sweet corn on the cob, french bread
6-Chicken, broccoli and brown rice
7-Cobb salad with leftover chicken and hard cooked eggs, garlic toast.

Desserts
brownies

Groceries
Albertson's:
Campbells chicken noodle or tomato soup, 2/$1 with coupon, buy 4
boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.67 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.01
Sweet corn, 6/$1, buy 6
Albertson's apple juice, $1.49 with coupon
Albertson's large eggs, .88, buy 2
French bread, .99, buy 2
$13.24

Bashas'
Valu Pancake mix, $1.67

Fry's
Fry's milk, .88 for 1/2 gal., buy 4 at $3.52
Bumble bee tuna, .69, buy 2
cucumbers, 3/$1, buy 3
mini carrots, 10/$10
Kroger Value hot dogs, .99 or buy the Bar S at Albertson's for $1
KV buns, .99
KV bread, .99, buy 4 at $3.96
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
KV frozen vegetables, 10/$10, buy 1
KV mac & cheese, .42, buy 2
Potatoes, 5 lb. bag, $2.98
Mayonnaise, I've allowed for $2.99
Scallions, .59

Buy 10 deal
1-Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, $2.49
2-Betty Crocker brownie mix, .99
3-Red Baron Pizza, $2.99
4-Red Baron Pizza, $2.99
5-Cheez-its, $2.26
6-Sunny D, .99
7-Sunny D, .99
8-spaghettios, .49
9-spaghettios, .49
10-Kroger singles cheese, $1.49
$42.79

Sprouts
Strawberries, .97
Bell Peppers, 3/$1, buy 3
White peaches, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Plums, .77 lb, buy 3 lbs.
Oranges, 2 lbs/$1, buy 6 lbs. at $3
Romaine, .77, buy 2
Broccoli, .77 lb.
Brown Rice, .69 lb, buy 1 lb.
$11.82

Items not on grocery list
Jelly
butter
spices and herbs
syrup
hot dog condiments

Week #1 Menu-Feeding your family of five on $66.97

2011-08-26T22:21:00.000-07:00

Something a little different than what I normally do. And I am still planning on doing an Arizona ad post this week, but this is something that I hope anyone in the U.S. can use. I got my prices from my nearby Fry's store, which is a Kroger store, so that may help some people. I had originally wanted to do this for $40 for the week but I don't think it's do-able anymore unless you are fine with eating beans for every dinner meal. I plan on doing a week #2 and week #3 so that someone could mix and match if they'd like to. Week #1 has some items in it that you won't need to buy every week, like Mayonnaise and veg. oil. Somtimes the items listed go on sale for half the price of what I have down, it's up to you to keep your eyes open for the best possible price for an item and if you do find it, it could drop the total of the week down quite a bit. I put milk prices down at full price but most weeks you can find milk somewhere for at least a dollar a gallon cheaper than what I have listed. So you absolutely can do better each than the total that I have listed if you are "on top of it" just a little. Meat prices are the only sale prices that I have down. Everything else is what Fry's (Kroger) had at regular price on mostly the Kroger "Value" brand. Hot dog condiments were not added into the grocery list.

For week #1 of the "Eating Cheap" Menu

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal
2-Cold cereal, milk and orange juice
3-Oatmeal, orange juice
4-Cold cereal, milk and orange juice
5-Oatmeal
6-Cold cereal, milk and orange juice
7-Oatmeal, orange juice
Total=$14.79
If you want to make this less, omit the cold cereal and milk and add more oats to the list. Your total would then be $3.56

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, carrots/celery sticks
2-Ham sandwich, orange sections
3-PB&J sandwich, apple wedges
4-Ham sandwich, celery sticks
Save some ham lunchmeat for the Fried Ham Rice dinner
5-PB&J sandwich, orange sections
6-PB&J sandwich, celery sticks
7-PB&J sandwich, apple wedges
Total=#20.64

Dinner
1-Hot dog Total=$1.98
Ingredients: 1 pkg. of Kroger "Value" brand hot dogs and 1 pkg. of KV hot dog buns
2-Mac&Cheese and frozen veg. Total=$1.84
Ingredients: 2 pkgs. of KV mac & cheese mix and 1 pkg. of KV frozen vegs.
3-French bread pizza Total=$3.77
Ingredients: 1 loaf of french bread split in half on the horizontal. KV spag. sauce and KV mozzarella cheese. If you like a lot of cheese, you may want to buy another mozzarella pkg. at $1.49 added to your total.
4-Chicken, rice and broccoli Total=$3.76
Ingredients: One aprox. 3 lb. chicken on sale for .69 lb. ($2.07). Use a third to a half of the bag of rice depending on how much you need and 1 lb. of fresh broccoli. Cook chicken and add other ingredients for a casserole or eat separately. Add a can of cream of chicken soup at an added cost of $1.29 for Kroger brand cream of chicken if you want to. Keep some cooked chicken out for the Chicken Caesar Salad dinner.
5-Ham Fried Rice Total=$2.98
Ingredients: Use aprox. 3 C. of rice as needed for your family. Cook, then cool. Use sliced scallions, some chopped ham lunchmeat and a couple of scrambled eggs. Season with garlic powder and soy sauce. Add some frozen peas or whatever other veg. you'd rather.
6-Chicken Caesar Salad Total=$2.48
Use a head of romaine and leftover chicken from the Chicken, rice and broccoli dinner. Toss with Caesar salad dressing. Or use Ranch dressing if you don't care for Caesar. Use the heels of the sandwich bread if you want to make croutons for the Caesar salad. Cube them up, add some veg. oil, salt and pepper and bake at 350 for about ten minutes or to desired toastiness.
7-Cheese Omelett and muffins Total=$4.07
Ingredients: 8-10 eggs to make omeletts and a pkg. of cheddar cheese. The muffin pkg. makes 5 muffins. If you want more than that, buy another muffin mix at .59.
Total=$20.88

Groceries
Based on Kroger prices

Produce
Broccoli, .96 lb., buy 1 lb.
Scallions, .59
Romaine, .99, buy one
Carrots, .69 for 1 lb. bag
Apples, $1.49 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $2.98
Oranges, $1.29 lb. buy 3 lbs. at $3.87
$10.08

Meat
Chicken, 3 lbs. at .69 lb., total $2.07
$2.07

Dairy
Eggs, $1.99
Milk, $3.49 gallon, buy 2
Kroger Value margerine, .67
$9.64

Wall Deli
Kroger Value Franks, .99
Kroger Value shredded cheddar, $1.49
Kroger Value shredded mozzarella, $1.49
Kroger Value ham lunchmeat, 16 slice, $3.49

Frozen
Kroger Value frozen vegetables, 10/$10, buy one peas and buy another your choice, buy 2 total
Kroger Value orange juice frozen concentrate, $1.32, buy 2 at $2.65

Canned/Bottled
Kroger Value spaghetti sauce, .99
Kroger cream of chicken soup, optional, $1.29
Kroger Caesar dressing, $1.49
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.99, buy 2 at $3.98
Mayonnaise, $2.99
Kroger Veg. oil, $2.79
KV grape jelly, $1.67
$15.20

Dry/packaged
Kroger Value Mac & Cheese, .42, buy 2 at .84
Kroger Value long grain rice, 2 lbs., $1.46
Kroger Bag Cereal, $3.39 (28 servings)
Kroger Value muffin mix, .59 (5 servings)
$6.28

International
Soy sauce, I've allowed for $2.50
Tampico powdered garlic, .88 the kind in the bag in the Hispanic section
$3.38

Bulk
Oats, .89 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.78 (26 servings), based on "Sprouts" bulk price

Bread
Kroger Value hot dog buns, .99
French Bread, $1.29
Kroger Value Bread, .99, buy 4 loaves (will give you 72 slices, not counting the heels, use the heels for croutons for the Caesar Salad) (each loaf has 18 slices, you will need 70 slices if you make 5 sandwiches for 7 days)
$6.24
total $66.97

How to feed a family of five on $300/month

2011-08-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

In answer to a comment that I received, I decided to address the question, "How can I feed my family of five on $300/month? While it may be difficult, I don't think that this would be impossible. And I would welcome any and all comments of things that have worked or not worked for you in trying to feed your family on a limited food budget per month.

1-Shop the sales and use coupons. Shopping the adds is easy enough, for meats and produce I only buy what is on the first page (meat) and the last page (fruits/vegs) for that week. Using coupons can save you a ton of money. When my children were little I would spend $200/week, yes, you read that right, per week at the grocery store b/c I had no idea how much could be saved shopping ads only and using coupons. When I started using coupons I immediately started saving $300/month on groceries. I joined a coupon subscription service in Phoenix area called "couponsense". The idea is to buy multiple Sunday papers which have the coupon booklets in them each week and then to match up the ad with the coupon to get rock bottom prices on items and only buy those items when you have a coupon and a sale price. I no longer do couponsense but not b/c I don't like it. I still think it's wonderful. There is a free website that I like called, http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/ Optimum savings by using coupons depends on your area and the couponing policies of the stores that you shop. Arizona stores mostly double coupon values so it's a great place to coupon. If you can't afford to buy multiple Sunday papers, ask your friends for the coupons that they don't use. There are also various online printable coupons that you can get. I have a teacher friend that would get the 4th grades Sunday newspaper each Monday after they had done their current events. Ask around, sometimes nursing homes or hotels get newspapers, so ask if you can have the coupons out of them afterwards.

2-Cut out prepared and packaged foods. Buy beans, potatoes or potato flakes, rice, macaroni, flour and oats in bulk. Preparing simple foods will save you lots of money and when you learn how to do it won't necessarily take more time. Beans and lentils do great in the crockpot. I've also heard that oatmeal does great in the crockpot or I use the microwave for a single serving of oats. If you want to bake your own bread, there are recipes that are time efficient. Lentils are satisfying and fill the belly and are cheap. There is a website called Hillbilly Housewife. I haven't looked on it in awhile, it's on my favorites. She says that you can feed your family on $40/week. They eat more beans in a week than I can though. Eggs used to be a cheap staple for the week, but you can still usually find them on sale at one store in the area for under $1 each week.

3-Plant a garden if you can. or even one item you use a lot of like Basil, zucchini or tomatoes or lettuce, plant them in a tub.

4-Practice the $50 Stockpile. My friend Mindy had a blog a couple of years ago called the $50 Stockpile. The premise was that you only had to spend $50 per week on groceries. You would stockpile what was on sale for that week and then once your pantry and freezer were full, then you used what you had on hand, buying only $50 of produce or meat each week. I wish she still did it b/c her ideas were fabulous. But anyone can do it. For instance when tuna is on sale for .50/can and if your family likes tuna, then you would buy 10 cans of tuna for $5. Let's say this same week that hamburger is on sale for a family pack that is aprox. $10 and has 5-6 lbs. in it. You'll take it home and package it up into 4 or 5 meal portions and freeze or cook and freeze. Or instead of hamburger you will buy 15 lbs. worth of whole chickens b/c they are .69/lb. Cook them up and shred the meat or freeze them raw. So far we've spent $15. Let's say that canned vegs are on sale for .50/can or canned beans are the same price. Buy $5 worth of those. Now we've spent $20. If pasta is on sale buy $10 worth of that. And if pasta sauce is on sale or tomatoes, buy $10 worth of that. maybe spend the last $10 on oats or pancake mix if those are on sale. The next week do the same thing with different items and before long you will have built up your pantry and will not have to spend any more than $50/week on groceries.

5-Plan 3 or more vegetarian night meals per week. Cutting out the meat really cuts the price of your weekly food budget.

6-Shop seasonally. I only buy mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard(with a coupon is dirt cheap) during a week preceding a big BBQ weekend when sale prices for those items and coupons are their best. I try to buy all of the flour, powdered sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, chocolate chips and cocoa that I need for the whole year during November and December. I buy salsa the week of Cinco de Mayo when it is super cheap, I buy canned chili and hot dogs the week of Super bowl weekend. I buy expensive cuts of meat only the week of Valentines day and Christmas when they are half the price of what they normally run. I buy peanut butter when school starts b/c it's super cheap then.

7-Join a produce or food co-op in your area. Lots of people swear by this. However, it only works if your family will eat most anything b/c you get what they decide to give you each week. I never thought this would work that well for us, but for some people it works out great. It's like $15 for a big basket of fruits/veggies. Google food co-ops in your area.

8-Portion control. I've fed two hungry teens, I know how hard this can be. But there has to be boundaries if there is a limit on the food budget. I fried up two lbs. of bacon one night thinking that after our BLT's that I could wrap up the remaining bacon to use for breakfast the next day. It was all eaten and I only got 2 or 3 pieces of it. I also know it's hard when you are expected to bring snacks to sports teams, provide goodies that have to be store bought for school parties. Lots of snack items have corresponding coupons and go on sale often. My son was embarrassed at the thought one year when I threatened to send in obviously Christmas wrapped candy in for the classroom Valentine's Party. I had gotten the bags of chocolate candy for something insane like .15 per bag the day after Christmas with some killer coupons.

9-Use your freezer. Even if all you have is the one connected to your fridge, maximize your stockpiling power by using your freezer wisely. I was watching an antiques show the other day where they showed a fridge from the 30's or 40's that only had a freezer big enough to hold 2 ice trays. Growing up we had an old "extra" fridge that was like that that we put sodas and extra eggs or butter in.

10-Get to know your ads each week and what prices are in your area for items you normally buy. Make your own "never pay more than" list on items you buy regularly. My rule of thumb here for myself is that I usually do not pay more than $2/lb. for hamburger. Most of the time the sale price now is $1.88/lb. here, sometimes it will go down to $1.67/lb. Mostly I do not pay more than $2/lb. for any meats unless we are splurging for the ocassional steak. Boneless skinless chicken breasts usually run $1.67/lb. on sale here. Whole chickens are .69/lb. on sale. For fruits and vegs., the fresh ones, I don't like to pay more than $1 per lb. Less, of course is better. Right now is a great time to stock up on some vegs that you can freeze. Onions and peppers are on sale for cheap right now so if you like them frozen (I don't care for their texture all that much after freezing) to use in cooking, get a bunch, chop them up and freeze them in portions you can manage for dinner.

Please, share your ideas on living through a recession!

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Aug. 3-Aug. 9

2011-08-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

So I added everything up and came up with a good number first try. I'm sure while writing it on here that it will change a few times, it usually does.

For some reason I can't respond to comments this week, go figure. So here's a shout out to Helen in Mesa, hope you and family are well.

A few things that didn't make it into the final cut but are great deals this week that you may want to consider.

From Fry's, Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream at 2/$5, Farmer John breakfast sausage, 4/$5, Hamburger, Tuna, or Chicken Helper for .97. You may want to switch out the Baked Potato or Chili night for Hamburger Helper instead. Or how would it be to put a Stroganoff Hamburger helper on the baked potato? Might be good. Might be too weird. You decide.

Bashas' has canned Food Club fruit for 10/$10. Also at Bashas', Jose Ole taquitos for $3.99. Great for lunch or quick dinner. Marachan Yakisoba for .69. These are microwable dry meals that you add water to. My kids love these and they would make a great lunch to take to the office. Some people think they're gross, but the picky kid of mine liked them. At .69 you wouldn't be out much to try one, then you could go back and pick up more if you liked them. There are also usually corresponding coupons to these that make them cheap, cheap, cheap. So check your file of Sunday coupons if you save them.

Great deals at Albertson's on Pillsbury cake mixes and Ocean Spray Cranberry juice. They are both on the buy 8 deal. If you can afford to stock up on cake mixes, providing you use them, it will really be to your advantage. I plan on buying 8 or 16 cake mixes to store for the year. We make b-day cakes, cobbler, cupcakes, microwave single serve do it yourself warm delight fudge cakes and you can make cookies and homemade oreos (the cakesters kind) out of cake mixes so 16 is not too many for us to have on hand. Although with the eating machine gone, cake consumption will go down, I'm sure. Ocean Spray is almost always $2.99 or more. So at $1.49 it is half price. Generic doesn't usually go that cheap. I will buy 8 or more of those also if they let me. Here we go.

$80.05

Breakfast
1-Pancakes, syrup, Cranberry juice
2-Cold cereal, milk, Cranberry juice
3-Eggs, toast
4-Cold cereal, milk, juice
5-Cold cereal, milk
6-Cinnamon toast, juice
7-Pancakes, syrup,

Lunch
1-Ramen noodles, carrots
2-PB&J sandwich, grapes, Kool Aid
3-Lunch meat sandwich, banana, Wheat thins, Kool Aid
4-PB&J sandwich, orange, Wheat thins,
5-Lunch meat sandwich, kiwi slices, carrots
6-PB&J sandwich, wheat thins, cantaloupe chunks
7-Velveeta mac & cheese dinner

Dinner
1-Baked chicken, frozen veg., green salad
2-Meat loaf, mashed potatoes/butter, corn niblets or corn on the cob
3-Vegetable lasagna, green salad. Use sauteed mushrooms, leftover corn if any, leftover vegs from dinner #1 if any, some sauteed onion and red pepper. Use Ragu Alfredo sauce, lasagna noodles and cheese.
4-Ramen noodles
5-Chicken Enchiladas or Chicken Enchilada casserole, frozen vegetable. Make a sauce by using a can of cream of chicken soup, some sour cream, some green enchilada sauce and a little milk to thin it out. Can use a little sauteed onion. If you don't want to use cream of chicken soup, make a roux and a white sauce using milk or chicken broth to make the sauce, then add the sour cream and enchilada sauce to it when cooled.
6-Chili. Garlic toast if there is enough bread. I have not put down for a chili seasoning packet on the grocery list. So either season yourself or buy one.
7-Baked Potato. Top with leftover chili if there is any leftover. Also serve leftover casserole or lasagna if there is any left.

Dessert:
Cake

Groceries:
Albertson's
Buy 8 deal
1-Kelloggs cereal, $1.99
2-Kelloggs cereal, $1.99
3-Velveeta dinner, .99
4-Pillsbury cake mix, .69
5-Pillsbury frosting, .99
6-Planters Peanut butter, .99
7-Ocean Spray Cranberry juice, $1.49
8-Wheat thins, $1.99

Maruchan Ramen, 6/$1, buy 6
Kool Aid, 6/$1, buy 6
Milk, $1.57, buy 2
sweet corn, 6/$1, buy 6
Kiwi, 3/$1, buy 3
Potatoes, 10# bag, $3.79
Shamrock Farms sour cream, $1.79
$24.02

Bashas'
Red grapes, .77 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $1.54
Boneless skinless chicken breasts, $1.67 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.01
Ground round, $1.97 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $7.88
Tillamook cheese, $1.77 If you like a lot of cheese on your veg. lasagna and enchilada casserole and/or want cheese on your chili, or your baked potato, you may want to get another package of cheese
Food Club beans, .69, buy 2
Food Club pancake mix, 2/$4, buy 1
S&W tomatoes, 10/$10, buy 2
Old Orchard frozen juice, 2/$3, buy 1
Bananas, .57 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.14
Mushrooms, $1.49 ea
cucumbers, .49 ea, buy 2
Food Club lasagna noodles, I've allowed for $1.99
Enchilada sauce, I've allowed for $1.69 Buy the green kind would be a great way to use up your Taco bell little packets of taco sauce if you didn't want to buy enchilada sauce, you could use red if you wanted to.
Cream of Chicken soup, I've allowed for $1.99
$32.36

Fry's
Fry's large eggs, .88 ea
Cantaloupe, .67
Kroger lunchmeat, $3.79
Ragu Pasta sauce, $1.58 ea
Mission tortillas, $2.19
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Onion, $1 lb.
Red bell peppers, .88 ea
Green Giant Valley steamers, 2/$3
$17.51

Sprouts
Romaine, .88, buy 2
Baby carrots, .88
Roma tomatoes, .88 lb.
Oranges, .88 lb., buy 3 lbs.

Items not on grocery list:
butter
Mayonnaise
flour
sugar
salt and pepper
herbs and spices
chili seasoning packet
Pancake syrup
Jelly or jam

Menu with what's on sale for the week of July 27-Aug. 2

2011-07-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

Wow, going to be into August by the end of this sales week. I could have tweaked this week down under $80 but I thought, let's keep the bacon..... and I would have added the Rainier cherries at Bashas' for $2.99/.lb b/c you know how I feel about them. I kept them off to save costs but I totally understand if you switch them for something else on the menu. One thing that I wanted to mention, the buy 4 GM cereals and get 2 gals. of milk freeat Fry's, it's a good deal but you could get four GM cereals at Albertson's for $7.08 and then buy 2 gals. of milk at Bashas' for $3.18 equaling $10.26. So for .26 more than the Fry's deal. If you do the Fry's deal, you could do some cereal, some granola bars. Whatever makes you happy.

$82.19

Breakfast
1-cold cereal, milk, banana
2-Eggs, sausage
3-Cold cereal, milk, blueberries
4-Cold cereal, milk
5-Cold cereal, milk
6-Blueberry pancakes (from scratch, google pancakes)
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-Bologna sandwich, carrots
2-PB&J sandwich, orange
3-Bologna sandwich, grapes
4-Pasta salad, peach (add some leftover chicken meat if desired. Use ranch dressing or Italian dressing or use vinegar and oil)
5-cottage cheese, fruit (canned)
6-Hot dog, bun, cantaloupe chunks
7-tuna sandwich, carrots

Dinner
1-Spaghetti, zucchini
2-Hamburger, bun, soda
3-Sweet and Sour chicken thighs, rice (see recipe under chicken for sweet and sour chicken. Use whole pieces instead of boneless chunks)
4-Grilled cheese sandwich
5-Salad, mangos
6-Ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli (for the gravy, you can do one of two methods, make a roux with flour and butter and add a can of beef broth to make a gravy or thin down a can of cream of mushroom soup with water to desired thickness, add some garlic powder and some worchestershire to taste and add to the cooked ground beef. Add some cooked onion if you'd like)
7-BLT's

Groceries:
Albertson's
Sanderson Farms chicken, .88, buy 5 lbs. at $4.40 (freeze eccess for next week or use leftovers for a sandwich night)
Smucker's strawberry jam, $1.49
American Beauty pasta, .77, buy 2 packages, one for spaghetti night, one for pasta salad
Bar S jumbo meat franks, 4/$5
Bar S meat bologna, 4/$5
Dole Pineapple, 4/$5, for use in the sweet and sour if desired
Iceberg, .96
Yellow or white onions, .59 lb., buy one, for use in the sweet and sour if desired
green onions, 2/$1, buy 1
radishes, 2/$1, buy 1
cantaloupe, .69
ground beef, $1.99 lb. with purchase of 5 lbs. or more, $9.95
Ken's salad dressing, .99
*GM cereal, for $1.77 if you don't do the Fry's deal
$27.11

Bashas'
Calif. peaches, .47 lb. buy 5 lbs at $2.35
Barilla pasta, 10/$10, buy 1
Daisy cottage cheese, $1.99
Fiesta soda, .79
Bananas, .57 lb., buy 2 lbs.
green peppers, 2/$1, buy one at .50 for use in the sweet and sour if desired
Rice, I've allowed for $2.00
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.79
Potatoes, I've allowed for $4.00
$18.55

Fry's
green grapes, .88 lb.
Fry's sandwich bread, .88, buy 4 at $3.52
Kroger fruit, .88
Navel oranges, .88 lb. buy 2 lbs.
Bar S bacon, $1.98
Buy 4 GM cereal deal, get 2 gals. free milk, $10.00
Kroger cheese, $1.99
Bumble Bee tuna, .79
Fry's buns, 2/$3, buy one hamburger package and one hot dog package
mini carrots, .88
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.50
Kroger Pasta sauce, 4/$5, buy 1
$28.43

Sprouts
Blueberries, .77lb., buy 2 lbs.
roma tomatoes, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
cucumbers, 2/$1, buy 1
red mangos, 3/$1, buy 3
zucchini, .88 lb., buy 2
broccoli, .88 lb., buy 2
$8.10

Items not on list:
butter
mayonnaise
condiments for hamburgers and the hot dogs
sugar
flour
oil
herbs/spices
leavenings for the pancakes
vinegar
soy sauce
ketchup for the sweet and sour sauce
corn starch to thicken the sweet and sour sauce
Pancake syrup

Menu with what's on sale for the week of July 20-July 26

2011-07-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Got Sonny boy on that plane on Wednesday. Seems quiet without him here. Went over $80 again this week but you could totally get it down under that if you omitted the cherries this week. But I love the cherries this time of year, so I wouldn't if it were me. I bought some tasty Rainier cherries at Fry's yesterday and ate a whole pound by myself. Love those things.

$82.11

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, Sunny Delite
2-Egg muffin
3-Oatmeal, grapefruit half
4-Cold cereal, milk, Sunny D
5-French toast, bacon
6-Toast, Sunny D
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Bologna sandwich, apple
2-Grilled cheese sandwich, Pringles
3-Tuna sandwich, blueberries/strawberries
4-Bologna sandwich, peach
5-Leftover fried chicken, Pringles, Pudding
6-Tomato or chicken noodle soup, cherries
7-Mac & Cheese

Dinner
1-Pork chops, mango salsa (mangoes, diced, onions, cilantro), canned veg.
2-Seafood salad and crackers, green salad
3-Fried chicken thighs, french fries, canned veg.
4-Taco soup with grated cheese, sour cream and french bread (make the soup vegetarian or have the butcher grind some of the steak into hamburger to cook and add to or add some leftover chicken or pork to it.) Recipe on side under soups.
5-Steak and zucchini teriyaki kabobs, rice. Recipe on side under beef.
6-Pizza
7-Stuffed green bell peppers, jello, canned veg, leftover french bread made into garlic toast. cook rice in the tomatoes/juice with some powdered garlic and onion and add to the half pepper and bake. Could add some grated cheese on top if you still have some.

Grocery list
Albertson's:
Peaches, .68 lb. buy 3 lbs. at $2.04
Albertson's mac&cheese, 2/$1, buy 2
Albertson's gelatin, 2/$1, buy 1
Kraft handi snacks, 2/$1, .50
S&W black beans, 2/$1, buy 1
Albertson' chicken noodle or tomato soup, 2/$1, buy 2
Chicken of the Sea Albacore tuna, 2/$1, buy1
Blue Ribbon long grain rice, 2/$1, buy 1
Albertson's diced tomatoes, 2/$1, buy 3
Kelloggs cereals, 2/$5, buy 1
French bread, .99
cilantro, 3/$1, buy 1 at .33
Albertson canned vegs., 2/$1, buy 4, make one corn for the taco soup
tomato sauce, I've allowed for .50 ea., buy 2 (8 oz. size or one 16 oz. size)
$14.86

Bashas'
California strawberries, .88
Tyson bacon, $2.88
Food Club crackers, 2/$4, buy 1
Bashas' sour cream, $1.39
Cherries, $2.99
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.79
Taco seasoning, I've allowed for $1

Pick 5 for $19.95
1-Seafood salad
2-Colby cheese
3-Sirloin steak
4-Boneless sirloin pork chops
5-chicken thighs
$32.88

Fry's
Fry's milk, $1.57, buy 2 at $3.14
tomatoes on the vine, .88 lb.
Walla walla sweet onions, .88 lb.
Romaine, .88
Kroger canned vegs are the same price if you choose to buy them here instead of Albertsons
Yellow squash or zucchini, $1.28 lb.
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 at $3.52

Buy 10 deal
1-Kraft salad dressing, $1.49
2-Tombstone Pizza, $2.79
3-Kraft mayonnaise, $2.49
4-Sunny Delite, .99
5-Sunny Delite, .99
6-Pringles, .79
7-Pringles, .79
8-Thomas English muffins, $1.99
9-Ore Ida french fries, $2.29
10-Oscar mayer bologna, $2.29
$27.48

Sprouts
Mangos, 3/$1, buy 3
Grapefruit, 3/$1, buy 2 at .66
Cucumbers, 3/$1, buy 1 at .33
Green bell peppers, 3/$1, buy 2 at .66
Blueberries, 2/$3, buy 1
Fuji apples, .97 lb, buy 2 lbs.
Oats, I've allowed for .79 lb., buy 1 lb.
$6.89

Items not on the grocery list:
butter
flour
sugar
oil
herbs/spices
salt/pepper
brown sugar
soy sauce
molasses
garlic

Lemon Pull Aparts

2011-07-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

Lemon Pull-Aparts

Rhodes Bread Blog

http://www.rhodesbread.com/blog/blog/lemon-pull-aparts

12 rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

zest from 2 whole lemons

1/2 C. sugar

1/4 C. butter, melted

Citrus Glaze:

1 C. powdered sugar

1 T. butter, melted

2 T. fresh lemon juice

Mix lemon zest with sugar. Cut rolls in half and place in a 12-inch sprayed deep dish pizza pan or 9x13-inch sprayed baking pan. Drizzle 1/4 C. melted butter over rolls. sprinkle with lemon zest/sugar mixture, reserving 1/2 of mixture to sprinkle on just before baking. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap. Sprinkle on remaining mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F 20-25 minutes. Remove immediately from pan and place on cooling rack. Combine glaze ingredients and mix well. Drizzle over pull-aparts.

Three Meat Pasta

2011-07-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

Three Meat Pasta
Paula Deen, Food Network

1 lb. angel hair pasta
2 C. cooked chicken, off the bone
2 C. cooked sausage, like Keilbasa, cut 1/2 inch thick into coins
2 C. cooked ham, cubed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
16 oz. cottage cheese
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 C. hot water
1-2C. Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large paot, boil salted water for angel hair pasta. When cooked, drain and set aside. In a large bowl mix together the chicken, sausage, ham, onions, cheddar cheese and cottage cheese. In a separate small pot, dissolve bouiloon cubes with hot water and pour over the meat and pasta. pour mixture into a 9x12x2 inch greased baking dish and top with the parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-35 min. or until the bubbling around the edges.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of July 13-July 19

2011-07-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

$79.97

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, Sunny D punch
2-Cinnamon rolls, juice
3-French toast, peaches
4-Cold cereal, milk, juice
5-Cold cereal, milk, juice
6-Eggs, toast, juice
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, carrots, cherries
2-Pizza
3-Meat loaf sandwich, watermelon wedge
4-Pasta salad, strawberries
5-Lunch meat sandwich, watermelon wedge
6-Egg salad sandwich, banana
7-Mac & cheese, peaches

Dinner
1-Chicken Stir fry, Rice A Roni fried rice
2-Meat Loaf, Mac & Cheese, steamed broccoli
3-Bacon, Lettuce and tomato sandwiches
4-Chicken, Rice A Roni, zucchini
5-Hamburgers on buns, potato salad
6-Cobb salad with leftover chicken and leftover bacon crumbles
7-Chicken spaghetti, french bread, salad (use Paula Deen's recipe for 3 meat pasta and just use chicken in it)

Dessert or Breakfast
Lemon Pull Aparts, see http://www.rhodesbread.com/blog/blog/lemon-pull-aparts

Albertson's
Reser's potato salad, .99 lb.
French bread, .99
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, $1.67 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $6.68
Albertson's sour cream, $1
Albertson's pasta, $1
Cinnamon rolls, $1
Malt O Meal cereal, $1, buy 3
Flav R Pac veg stir fry, $1
Old Orchard frozen juice, $1
Albertsons cottage cheese, $1.79
Broccoli, $1 lb.
Zucchini, $1 lb.
$20.45

Bashas'
Ground chuck, $1.89 lb., Fri, Sta and Sun. only, aprox. $8
Calif. yellow peaches, .69 lb, buy 4 lbs. at $2.76
Red or green bell pepper, 3/$1, buy 1
Tomatoes, .77 lb, Fri, Sat. and Sun. only
Bashas' large eggs, .99, limit 2
Food Club cheese, 3/$5, $1.67
Food Club mac & cheese, 2/$1, buy 3
Chicken of the Sea tuna, 2/$1, buy 1
Better Crocker Suddenly Salad, 2/$3, buy 1
Icebery, .99
Bananas, .55 lb., buy 2
Cucmbers, 2/$1, buy 1
Milk, I've allowed for $2.50, buy 2
$26.60

Fry's
NW cherries, $1.29 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Mini carrots, .88
Green onions, 2/$1, buy 1
radishes, 2/$1, buy 1
Romaine, .96 ea
Walla Walla sweet onions, .96 lb.
Mini watermelon, 2/$5
lemons, 3/$1(only buy lemons if you intend on making the Lemon Pull Aparts
Strawberries, $1.98 ea
Bar S bacon or Oscar Mayer turkey bacon, $2.99
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4, evaluate if a 5th loaf is needed
Hamburger buns, I've allowed for $1.50

Buy 10 deal
1-Sunny D, .99
2-Rice A Roni, oriental flavor, .56
3-Rice A Roni, oriental flavor, .56
4-Rice A Roni, any flavor, .56
5-Rice A Roni, any flavor, .56
6-Rice A Roni, any flavor, .56
7-Kraft salad dressing, $1.49
8-Tombstone pizza, $2.79
9-Kraft Mayonnaise, $2.49
10-Oscar Mayer lunch meat, $2.49
$16.41

Items not on grocery list:
flour
sugar
yeast
oil
herbs/spices
salt and pepper
butter
condiments for hamburgers
bullion cubes
Parmesan

Menu with what's on sale for the week of July 6-July 12

2011-07-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

Another week. And yet again a lot of sales this week, most stores having their own version of the buy 10, or buy 8 themed sales. Made making the budget menu this week a tad tricky but I think that I tweaked it enough that it works. At least I hope that I didn't leave a major ingredient out. You had better check it twice or you just may end up some night making Pasta Primavera without the pasta. HA!

Trying to get "sonny boy" ready for the Missionary Training Center in a week and a half, YIKES, and then Honduras, so I am a bit frazzled. Trying to keep up life as we know it and get in everything I want to do before his two years away and am getting a wee bit anxious. I'll be fine.

I went a little over $80 again this week. You can shave off what you'd like to. Some can't be in keeping with the "8 item deal" or "10 item deal". I did originally have the Albertson's deal and went waaaaaaaayyyyyy over budget, but there are some good items at Albertson's that you may not want to miss out on this week. You could save money by not having tacos and not buying taco shells but having taco salad again this week.

$82.77

I hate it when I keep pushing the shift button waiting for it to "enter" or space down.

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, apple juice
2-Egg biscuit, chocolate milk
3-Cold cereal, milk, peach
4-Toaster pastries, apple juice
5-Yogurt, banana
6-Cold cereal, milk
7-Egg biscuit, apple juice

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, apple, pudding cup
2-Pizz, soda
3-PB&J sandwich, orange
4-PB&J sandwich, pudding cup
5-Cottage cheese and canned fruit, pudding cup
6-Ramen noodles, apple
7-Ramen noodles

Dinner
1-spinach Strawberry Salad with sweet vinaigrette
2-Chicken thighs, scalloped potatoes, steamed broccoli
3-Hamburger skillet, salad
4-Pasta Primavera with mushrooms, asparagus and Alfredo style Ragu sauce. Use leftoever broccoli if there is any. You could even use any leftover spinach if you wanted to make it spinach-y.
5-Crockpot Swiss Steak with rice and salad. Put seasoned browned round steak pieces into the crock with a can of diced tomatoes, some seasonings such as oregano or basil, salt and pepper and garlic. Cook for 2-3 hours on high depending on how hot your crock pot cooks. Mine runs hot and cooks fast
6-Tacos and ranch beans. Salsa and tortilla chips.
7-Hot Pockets

Desserts:
Blue bunny or Polar treats ice cream

Albertson's
Blue Bunny ice cream or Polar Treats, 10/$10, buy 1
Top Ramen noodles, 5/$1
Albertson's diced tomatoes, 5/$3, buy one at .60
Ranch Style beans, .79
Iceberg lettuce, 2/$1
$4.39

Bashas'
Strawberries, .75
Asparagus, $1.97
Yellow onions, .49 lb.
cucumbers, .33 ea
Lawry's seasoning packets, .59, buy one taco seasoning
Bananas, .55 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Eggs, $1.79
Taco shells or tortillas, I've allowed for $3.00
Pasta, I've allowed for $1.00
Boneless round steak, $1.79 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $3.58
Ground chuck, $1.89 lb., aproximately $8

Buy 8 deal
1-food Club apple juice, $1.49
2-Food Club apple juice, $1.49
3-Food Club butter, $2.49
4-Fiesta soda, .49
5-Fiesta soda, .49
6-Food Club canned fruit, .69
7-Food Club Skillet Classics, .89
8-Food Club Potato Classics, .69

1-Food Club pudding cups, .49
2-Food Club pudding cups, .49
3-Food Club pudding cups, .49
4-Food Club Instant rice, $1.49
5-Food Club salad dressing, $1.49
6-Food Club Peanut butter, $1.49
7-Food Club Salsa, $1.19
8-food club toaster pastries, .99
$39.44

Fry's
Yellow peaches, .47 lb., buy 2 lbs. at .94
Kraft or Sargentos cheese, $1.99
Kroeger yogurt, 3/$1, buy 4 at $1.33
Fry's milk, .75, buy 3 at $2.25
Mt. Dairy Chocolate milk, .75, buy 1, limit 4 milks total
Chicken drum or thighs, .88 lb., buy 3 at $2.64
Broccoli, .77 lb.
Oranges, .77 lb, buy 2 at $1.54
tomatoes, .77 lb.
mushrooms, 2/$3, buy 1
Mi Ranchito tortilla chips, .99
Kroger cottage cheese, 2/$4, buy1
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 3 at $3.52. Evaluate whether or not you'll need a 4th loaf.

Buy 10 deal
1-Totinos pizza, .99
2-Totinos pizza, .99
3-Totinos pizza, .99
4-Pillsbury grands! biscuits, .99
5-Pillsbury grands! biscuits, .99
6-Ragu Alfredo sauce, $1.28
7-Hot Pockets, $1.69
8-Hot Pockets, $1.69
9-General Mills cereal, $2.19
10-General Mills cereal, $2.19
$35.98

Sprouts
Bunch Spinach, .99, buy 2
Fuji apples, .99 lb., buy 2
$3.96

Items not on grocery list:
sour cream
Mayonnaise
flour
sugar
oil
herbs/spices
vinegar

Strawberries Romanov

2011-07-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

With Strawberries and sour cream both on sale this week, this would be a good thing to have for a lazy Sunday afternoon snack or for a Fourth of July party. If you've never tried this before, give it a try. My picky kid has loved it since he was little. It is quite simply, whole washed and dried strawberries. Place the sour cream in a bowl and put some brown sugar in another bowl. You take a strawberry, dip in in the sour cream and then in the brown sugar and then eat. Yum!

Menu with what's on sale for the week of June 29-July 5

2011-06-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Lots of bang for your buck this week. And I didn't mean that to be a play on words for Fourth of July weekend. Just a happy coincidence. If I had to tell you only one store to go to this week, I couldn't because both Bashas' and Fry's are offering some killer deals this week. Plums are on sale if you like plums, for 77 lb. at Fry's. Hebrew national beef franks at Fry's for $1.99, Bush's grillin beans for $1.67 at Fry's, Kroger Value sugar for $1.99 if you're planning on baking cookies at Fry's as well. Cool whip topping at Albertson's for .75 and Kraft Mayonnaise for $2.99 at Albertson's and Loin back ribs for buy 1, get 2 free which usually run $5.99 lb. So in terms of "racks", i don't know what all of that means, the ribs are at Albertson's, by the way. If you wanted to do BBQ ribs on the leftover night, you totally could. When I find out how much the 3 packs of ribs will run you, I will let you know. Bashas' bottles of water cases are on sale for $1.99 this week on Fri., Sat., Sun. and Mon. only. If your mornings are rushed and crazy, you might want to make the muffins the night before while making dinner and then put them away so that no one eats them before breakfast. You could do the same for the egg biscuits. Either make the eggs and biscuits and put them away separately to reheat and assemble in the morning or assemble the night before and reheat briefly in the microwave in the morning. Or you could make the biscuits the night before, then make the eggs in the microwave that morning. I put one egg in a microwave safe cereal bowl, then microwave for 30 secs., put in for a tinch longer if needed, then put it on the muffin or biscuit. It comes out like a little omelett if you don't scramble it.

$76.12

Breakfast
1-Egg/cheese biscuit, Tang
2-Cold cereal, milk, Tang
3-Muffins, Tang
4-Cold cereal, milk, bananas, Tang
5-Egg/cheese biscuit
6-Cold cereal, milk
7-Muffins

Lunch
1-Chef Boy R Dee Ravioli or pasta, orange
2-Bologna sandwich, watermelon wedge
3-Bologna sandwich, strawberries, Country Time Lemonade
4-Chicken sandwich from leftover chicken, watermelon wedge
5-Bologna sandwich, Potato chips, peach
6-Pasta Salad, mango chunks, Country Time Lemonade
7-Hamburgers, buns, Fritos or cheetos, orange

Dinner
1-Hamburgers, buns, Potato chips, dip made from sour cream and garlic salt and a little dehydrated onion or chives if you have it, add a little water if you want it creamier. Or use ranch dressing. Pasta salad, Country Time Lemonade
2-Vegetable Lasagna, made with Ragu Alfredo sauce, boiled lasagna noodles, sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli or zucchini, cheese on top.
3-Hot dogs, buns, Pork and Beans or baked beans, Country Time Lemonade
4-BBQ chicken tenders or boneless/skinless breasts, Green salad, corn on the cob, Country Time Lemonade
5-Pizza, jello, soda
6-Taco salad with sour cream and salsa, taco seasoned ground beef and grated cheese
7-Leftovers

Dessert:
Watermelon
Brownies
Ice Cream

Groceries
Albertson's
Jello gelatin, .75
Bologna, 10/$10, buy 2
Albertson's milk, $1.79, buy 2, limit 2 at $3.58
Van Cmps beans, 2/$1, buy 1
$6.33

Bashas':
Ground beef, $1.87 lb., with 5# or more purchase, 5# for $9.35 on Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon. only
Lay's Potato Chips, $1.77, Fri., Sat., Sun. and Mon. only
Dreyers ice cream, 2/$5, buy 1, Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon. only
Sweet corn, .19 ea, buy 4 at .76
Whole seedless watermelon, .15 lb., buy 10# at $1.50
Bananas, .47 lb., buy 3 lbs.
Betty Crocker Brownie mix, 2/$3.00, buy 1
Romaine, .99
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.39 a dozen, buy 2 doz.
Food Club Lasagna noodles, $1.99
Bashas' Hot dog buns, 4/$5, buy 1 at $1.25
Bashas' Hamburger buns, 4/$5, buy 2
Bashas' sour cream, $1.88
Food Club salsa, $1.99
$32.17

Fry's
Buy 10 deal
1-Ragu alfredo sauce, $1.28
2-Fritos or Cheetos, $1.69
3-Ceneral Mills cereal, $2.19
4-General Mills cereal, $2.19
5-General Mills cereal, $2.19
6-Pillsbury Grands, .99
7-Pillsbury Grands, .99
8-Betty Crocker brownie mix, $1.69
9-Betty crocker muffin mix, $1.69
10-Betty Crocker muffin mix, $1.69
1-Country Crock margerine, $2.39
2-Kraft BBQ sauce, .69
3-Kool-Aid, Country Time lemonade , .99
4-Tang, .99
5-Chef Boy R dee ravioli, .69
6-Chef Boy R Dee ravioli, .69
7-Oscar Mayer weiners, $1.49
8-Totinos Pizza, .99
9-Totinos Pizza, .99
10-Totinos Pizza, .99

Strawberries, .77
Mangoes, 3/$1, buy 3
Roma tomatoes, .77 lb.
Peaches, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Coke, .89
Kroger salad dressing, .99
Kroger cheese, 2/$3, buy 2
Kroger Value boneless/skinless chicken breasts/tenderloins, $1.67 lb, buy 3 lbs.
Suddenly Salad, 2/$3, buy 2
Cucumbers, 2/$1, buy 1
White mushrooms, 2/$3
navel oranges, 4# bag, 2/$5, buy 1
Bread, .88, buy 3
Broccoli or zucchini for the vegetable lasagna, I've allowed for $2.00 lb, buy 1 lb.
Taco seasoning, I've allowed for .99
$37.62

Items not listed:
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Ketchup
Relish
onions
flour
sugar
oil
herbs and spices
salt and pepper

4th of July BBQ for $30

2011-06-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Or there abouts. Feed 15 people for aproximately $30.

Menu

Hamburgers
Buns
Corn on the cob
Watermelon wedges
Potato Chips
Lemonade
Brownies ala mode
$27.47

Add a strawberry Jello/Whipped cream salad for $3.02
for a total of $30.49

Strawberry Jello/Whipped cream salad
Sliced strawberries (Fry's, .77)
Jello, 6 oz. (Albertson's, .75)
1 1/2 C. hot water
Cool whip, two tubs (Albertson's, .75 ea, $1.50 total)
2 C. vanilla ice cream (Dreyer's ice cream, already have some for brownies ala mode, Basha's, 2/$2.50)

Add hot water to Jello and mix until dissolved. Add 2 C. of vanilla ice cream and stir. Fold in or gently whisk in the Cool Whip after the water has cooled down. Add strawberries, chill for 3-4 hrs. Keep inside or on ice in this heat.

Groceries:
Gr. beef, $1.87 for 5# purchase. $9.35 for 5#. Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon. only, Bashas'
Hamburger buns, 4/$5, buy 2 at $2.50, Bashas'
Sweet corn, .19 ea, buy 15 for a total of $2.85, Bashas'
Watermelon, .15 lb., buy 10# for a total of $1.50, Bashas'
Lay's potato chips, $1.77, Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon. only, Bashas'
Country Time Lemonade, $1.50, Bashas'
Betty Crocker brownie mix, $1.50, Bashas'
Dreyers ice cream, 2/$5, buy 2, Bashas'

If you choose to make the Strawberry Jello Salad:
Strawberries, .77, Fry's or .89 at Bashas' Fri., Sat., Sun., or Mon. only if you don't want to make a trip to Fry's just for strawberries, add .12 to your total
Strawberry Jello, .75, Albertson's
Cool Whip, .75, buy 2, Albertson's
Ice cream, use 2 cups out of the ice cream that you got for the brownies ala mode

Items not on the grocery list:
hamburger condiments and lettuce and tomatoes for the hamburgers

What are you planning on for dinner for the Fourth?

Menu with what's on sale for the week of June 22-June 28

2011-06-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

Really great prices on some fruits and vegetables this week. I didn't notice any ads for milk except at Albertson's and it wasn't all that great so unless I get out to the store(s) soon and get a price for you, the milk price is just a guesstimate. If you want to add ice cream to the list, Albertson's has Polar Treats Ice Cream or Sherbet for $1.99. Also, if you didn't want to have baked potatoes with leftover taco soup over them one night, add a Kielbasa at Fry's for $3 and have fried potatoes with sausage or Kielbasa chunks or coins. A little bit of onion added to that....mmmmmmm, mmmmm good. I had blueberries on the list originally to have fresh blueberry pancakes but had to cut costs somewhere. I think that Food Club pancake mix might come with a blueberry pancake mix option but if you want the fresh berries, the best price for blueberris this week was at Bashas' for $1.87. If you want to add gelatin to a meal or pudding for a dessert, Albertson's had Jell-O brand for 4/$5 this week. I don't like Tuna casserole but if you do, then this week would be a good week to have it when both pasta and tuna are on sale at Bashas' for .50. Food Club potato chips are also a great price at Bashas' this week at $1.69 but I had to drop them to keep costs down. Bush's Grillin Beans, 3/$5 if you wanted another accompaniament to the Hamburger meal.

$79.66

Breakfast
1-Pancakes
2-Cold cereal/milk, bananas
3-French toast
4-Cold cereal/milk
5-Pancakes, juice
6-Cold cereal/milk, juice
7-Cold cereal/milk

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, peach, peanut butter cookies
2-PB&J sandwich, cantaloupe chunks
3-Tuna sandwich, apple
4-Lunchmeat sandwich, orange
5-PB&J sandwich, Plum
6-Tuna sandwich, cucumber slices
7-Macaroni and cheese

Dinner
1-Pizza, salad, soda
2-Baked chicken breast with a slice of ham and some grated cheese broiled on top, leftover salad, mashed potatoes with butter, vegetable
3-Spaghetti and meatballs, vegetable
4-Chicken stir fry with onions, peppers, zucchini and leftover vegetables if desired
5-Taco soup with tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese as toppings. See recipe under soup
6-Hamburgers with buns, sliced tomatoes, condiments, potato salad, cantaloupe chunks
7-Baked potatoes with leftover taco soup over them

Desserts:
Homemade peanut butter cookies
Peach/Raspberry crisp

Groceries:
Albertson's
Albertson's cereal with coup from ad, .99, buy 3 at $2.97
Albertson's peanut butter with coupon from ad, .99, limit two, buy 1
Doritos Tortilla chips, $1.88 each, with coup from ad, limit 2, buy 1
Albertson's Macaroni and Cheese, .39 ea with coup from ad, limit 4, buy 2
Albertson's hamburger buns, .77 ea
Chicken breast, $1.67 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.01
Albertson's sour cream, 4/$5
Russet Potatoes, 10# bag, $3.99
$17.64

Bashas'
Ground round, $1.87 lb. in value pack, assuming it's 5 lbs. it will be $9.35
Food Club canned vegetables, 2/$1, buy 3 at $1.50. One needs to be corn for the Taco soup, the other two can be your choice to accompany other meals
Food Club tomatoes, 2/$1, buy 2
Food Club pasta, 2/$1, buy 1
chicken of the Sea tuna, 2/$1, buy 4 cans
Fiesta soda, .69
Food Club Pancake mix, $1.99
Food Club syrup, $1.99
Hunt's pasta sauce, .99
Bush's beans, .69 I like black beans in the Taco soup but it's up to you
Red Baron Pizza, 3/$10, buy 1
Old Orchard frozen concentrate juice, 3/$5, buy 1
Romaine, .97
Bananas, .47 lb, buy 2 lbs. at .94
$27.60

Fry's
Raspberries, .98 ea
Kroger cheese, 2/$3, buy 1
Kroger butter, 2/$5, buy 1
land O'Frost lunch meat, 2/$5, make it ham if you want to top the chicken breast meal with ham and cheese.
Kroger Value Bread, .88, buy 4
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.69, 1 doz
Milk, I've allowed for $2.50, buy 2 at $5
Taco seasoning, I've allowed for .99, buy 1
Tomato sauce, 8 oz. cans, I've allowed for .50 ea, buy 2 at $1
$19.68

Sprouts
Peaches, .49 lb, buy 5 lbs. at $2.45
Roma tomatoes, .49, buy 2 lbs.
Red Bell Peppers, .49 ea
Cucumbers, .49 ea, buy 2
Onions, .49 lb.
Cantaloupe, .77 ea
Celery, .77 ea
Zucchini, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Oranges, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Fuji apples, .99 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.97
Plums, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.76
$14.74

Items not on list:
Mayonnaise
sugar
brown sugar
flour
oats
spices/dried herbs
salt and pepper
jelly
leavenings, such as baking powder, baking soda, yeast, etc.
condiments for the hamburgers, such as ketchup, mustard, relish
salad dressings
oil or olive oil
vinegar
bread crumbs, make them from the Kroger Value bread
ice cream if you want it over your warm peach raspberry crisp, yum

Cherry Cobbler

2011-06-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that I took back home with me from Idaho a week ago. I just made it today, it's so yummy. Would be great to make for Father's day.

Cherry Cobbler
from Becky and Mike who got it from Nora

2 cans of cherry pie filling
1 yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter or margerine

Empty the cherry pie filling into a 9x13 baking dish. Microwave the butter in a big bowl until melted. Add the cake mix and mix well. Add the crumb mixture to the top of the cherries. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 until bubbly and golden or light brown.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of June 15-June 21

2011-06-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well, finally, back to it. We were in Idaho the beginning of June and then when I got back I didn't have the Wednesday ads.

A few things. I came out at $82.04 this week. You can get it down to $80.16 if you omit buying the Wheat thins. Fry's has Keebler Chips Deluxe cookies for $2.69 and Safeway has Oreos for $1.99 if you wanted a sweet treat to put in the lunches this week. I allowed over $5 for pork chops for one night. If you wanted to instead buy the Foster Farms mini or regular corn dogs at Fry's, for $4.99 you could. Just depends on rather your family would like corn dogs or pork chops better. You can also make the menu cheaper by omitting the almonds in the strawberry Almond salad. Or you may already have cashews, pecans or almonds at home that you can use.

So with that said/written, here we go.

I realized after doing this that I had used the Sprouts ad for the week before. So if this goofed anyone up, I sincerely apologize. The old list had watermelon on it, the new one doesn't. I am fixing it now.

$82.04

Breakfast
1-Breakfast tacos with tortillas, sausage links crumbled up, eggs, a little cheese
2-Cold cereal, milk, banana
3-Yogurt, blueberries
4-Cold cereal, milk, cantaloupe chunks
5-Egg muffin
6-Cold cereal, milk
7-Eggs, bacon, toast

Lunch
1-Ham sandwich, apple
2-PB&J sandwich, orange, wheat thins
3-Ham sandwich
4-PB&J sandwich, grapes
5-Grilled ham and cheese sandwich, cantaloupe chunks
6-Cottage cheese and apricots, wheat thins
7-Pizza, red pepper strips and cucumber slices, 7-Up

Dinner
1-Strawberry Almond Salad with a sweet vinaigrette(add poppy seeds if you like and have them), french bread and butter
2-Spaghetti with red sauce or Spaghetti Alfredo, sauteed zucchini
3-Chicken thighs, frozen vegetable of choice, deviled eggs, corn on the cob
4-Pasta salad using red pepper, leftover vegs., olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice. French bread or garlic toast.
5-Pork chops (or corn dogs), applesauce, frozen vegetable of choice
6-Chicken Caesar salad using leftover chicken, leftover french bread made into croutons(dice bread, toss with some olive oil on a sheet pan and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, watch closely), caesar dressing and parmesan cheese
7-Leftovers

Dessert
Strawberries over yellow cake

Groceries:
Albertsons
7-Up, .77 with coupon from paper
Albertsons eggs, .77 with coupon from paper, limit two, buy 2
Kelloggs cereal, $1.88
American Beauty Pasta, .99, buy 2, one for spaghetti or fettucini and another for pasta salad
Ragu sauce, red or alfredo, .99
Cantaloupe, .88 with coupon from paper
Albertsons margerine, $1
Albertsons lowfat yogurt, 2/$4, buy 1
Albertsons chredded cheese, $1.99
Bar S deli style ham, $3.49
Farmer John sausage links, 4/$5, buy 1
Leaf lettuce, green leaf or romaine, .99, buy 2, one for caesar salad, so buy a romaine
Pork chops, $1.88 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.64
$25.39

Bashas
Chicken thighs, .87 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.61
Red seedless grapes, .69 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.38
Apricots, .95 lb.
Farmland bacon, 2/$5, buy 1 lb.
Betty crocker cake mix, .99
Mott's applesauce, $1.79
Bashas cottage cheese, $1.99
Bananas, .55 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Sweet corn, 2/$1, buy 4 ears
$17.33

Fry's
Fry's milk, 1/2 gallon, .88, buy 4, limit 4
Wheat thins, $1.88
Kroger frozen Vegetables, .97, buy 2
Red Baron Pizza, $3.49
French bread, 2/$3, buy 2
Fry's flour tortillas, 3/$5, buy 1 at $1.66
Almonds, I've allowed for $3
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.50
Caesar dressing, I've allowed for $2.99
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 loaves at $3.52
$26.50

Sprouts
Blueberries, $1.47
Strawberries, 1.99, buy 2 (evaluate your needs, you may need to buy 3 cartons of strawberries at 1.99 more)
cucumbers, .49
Red bell peppers, .49
Italian squash, .77 lb. (zucchini)
vin ripe tomatoes, .77 lb.
Braeburn apples, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs.
navel oranges, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Oats, .79 lb., buy 1 lb.
$12.76

Items not on grocery list
Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
jelly
spices/herbs
salt and pepper
veg or olive oil
vinegar
lemon juice
parmesan cheese
mustard
sugar
flour

Feta Spinach stuffed Flank Steak

2011-05-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

We love this. Not sure exactly how to describe the fileting of the flank steak without pictures. Maybe I will have to buy one and make it for dinner this week to show you. Butterflying the meat is a little tricky and you need to be extremely careful. If you bought a thin enough flank steak, the butterflying step could be omitted. You may be able to only need one flank steak for 4 people but we love it so much that we need two. Leftovers get put away and get snacked on for breakfast and lunch, and never seem to make it to the next dinner.

Feta and Spinach stuffed Flank Steak

2 flank steaks, reasonably thick.
fresh baby spinach leaves
crumbled feta
olive oil
salt and pepper

First of all I take the flank steak and position it in front of me on a cutting board so the the grain of the meat is verticle in front of me. I then make a slit with a sharp knife in the middle going from top to bottom and not slicing through the meat to the board. Then I make cuts to open up the left side of the meat, you are butterflying it open. I then do the same with the right side until I have three times as much space covered on the board than when I started. If you have a few holes, it's okay, this is incredibly forgiving, just smush it all together so that the holes aren't obvious. Salt and pepper, add a couple of hand fulls of spinch, had a liberal coating of cheese and then roll up, jelly roll style being sure that the grain runs long so that when you cut the meat that you are cutting against the grain and not with it. Sprinkle with olive oil, more salt and pepper. Cook at 350 and check at 30 minutes. It's done when the meat has started to get a gorgeous light but brown crust on it. You want it to be pink inside. Let the meat rest for about ten minutes, then slice against the grain. If you want, you can serve a beef gravy on top.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Apr. 27-May 3

2011-05-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've been a little overwhelmed mentally and physically lately. So, sorry, I've not been attending to the blog the way that I should. It is late in the shopping week for a post, but better late than never?

$77.69

Breakfast
1-Bagels/cream cheese
2-Breakfast tacos with chorizo and eggs
3-Oatmeal
4-French toast with crusty french bread, strawberries and bacon
5-Egg Mc Muffin, banana
6-Oatmeal
7-Cinnamon rolls, cantaloupe chunks

Lunch
1-Ham sandwich, carrots
2-PB&J sandwich, orange
3-Ham sandwich, apple wedges
4-PB&J sandwich, grapes
5-Ham sandwich, cantaloups chunks
6-Lettuce salad with hard boiled eggs and bacon crumbles or with leftover taco meat.
7-Suddenly Salad pasta salad

Dinner
1-Hamburgers, potato salad
2-Chicken, Rice A Roni, cauliflower
3-Chicken enchiladas, green salad, watermelon chunks
4-Meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed zucchini coins
5-Tacos, spanish rice
6-Leftovers
7-Stuffed pepper halves with Rice A Roni, cucumber wedges, applesauce and french bread

Groceries:
Albertson's
Fresh express salad, $1
4 count cinnamon rolls, $1
Suddenly Salad past salad mix, $1
Hamburger rolls, $1
Don Pancho tortilla, $1, you may need two packs, I don't know how many are in one
large cantaloupe, $1 ea
Pork chorizo, $1
Smithfield bacon, $3.99
Old El Paso taco easoning, .69
Old El Paso taco shells, $1, buy 1
Old El Paso enchilada sauce, 2/$3 buy 1
Old El Paso Spanish Rice mix, $1
Old El Paso taco shells, $1
Albertson's eggs, with coupon, .88, limit 2, buy 2
Ground chuck with 5 lbs. purchase, $2.19 lb., buy 5 lbs.
Iceberg, .49 ea, with coup
French bread, .99 with coupon, limit 2, buy 2
$37.06

Bashas'
Strawberries, .95, buy 2
Chicken, .69 lb., value pack, 5 lbs. would be $3.45
green bell peppers, 2/$1, buy 2
American Chef lunchmeat, 2/$5, buy 1
Rice A Roni, 10/$10, buy 2
Bashas English muffins, $1.99
Mott's apple sauce, 2/$4, buy 1
Oats, $1.79
Watermelon, .17 lb., aprox. $1
Bananas, .49 lb, buy 2 lbs.
onions, .69 lb., buy 1
$19.08

Fry's
Taking all competitor's coups, use fresh and Easy coup if you have $30 worth of stuff, also there is an Albertson's $10 off of $100

Naval oranges, 3 lbs./.99
Red grapes, .79 lb, buy 2 lbs.
Kroger bagels, 10/$10, buy 1
Kroger cream cheese, 10/$10, buy 1
Kroger cheese, $3.29
Red Potatoes, 2 lbs./.99, buy 4 lbs. at $1.98
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Kroger Value Peanut butter, $1.49
$14.85

Sprouts
Cucumber, .49 ea
green onions, .49 ea
Italian squash, .77 lb.
carrots, .99
Cauliflower, .99 lb, buy 2 lbs.
Gala apples, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs.
$6.70

Items not on grocery lists:
Mayonnaise
sour cream
salad dressing
oil
sugar
flour
butter
herbs/spices
MILK
Jelly
hamburger condiments

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Mar. 30-April 5

2011-04-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Not sure why it's running all together, I tried to fix it once, I will try tomorrow. I will also post the Younker's dressing tomorrow.Kind of a whirlwind week for me, the kind that you think will start and end out one way but then takes a u-turn and turns out a totally different way. It's all good, though. Oh, and by the way, Happy April Fool's day. I had a baby on this day many years ago. No one believed the husband when he called to give the news. I had wanted to post some killer post about FREE FOOD at the grocery stores....like everything in the aisles for FREE, but I ran out of time this morning in preparing for my day. We love April Fool's day here in this house, it is always joyous b/c it is a family b-day day. Lots of possibilities this week and good buys on things that I didn't post b/c the $ ran out before I could. If you didn't want to make the White chicken chili, you could scrap some of those ingredients and make the "Favorite Chicken" of Sooz's in the chicken recipe section. You will need rice, chicken, scallions, mushrooms, chicken broth and cheese for that dish. You may already have enough rice in your pantry from past weeks. A Caesar salad or Chicken Caesar salad would totally work with Cheese Omelets on Egg night if that sounds better to you, but you will have to adjust your budget for it. Again this week, milk is not listed, except for Safeway and I think that was a pretty good price at $1.79 for Dairy Glen. I don't have milk on the grocery list b/c I didn't have anything from Safeway posted this week. You should be able to find a brand of milk for $1.99 or $2.39 at either Fry's or Bashas'. When I venture out to the grocery store this week, I will update this. On one of the nights I suggested that you grill pineapple if you wanted to. This could be a killer dessert if vanilla ice cream were added to the finished product. Bashas' has Food Club Supreme ice cream for 3/$10, so $3.33/half gallon. Fry's has Kroger Value Apple Juice Cocktail for $1.29. I took it off of the menu draft b/c I went over. The same with the Food Club Pancake mix for $2 from Bashas'. I added one more can of beans than you needed this week to the buy 8 Albertson's deal b/c they were the cheapest thing on the list and I could get the 8 without breaking the budget. If Life or Captain Crunch cereals are not your thing, add some oats at Sprouts to your shopping list, but then you'll have to adjust your buy 8 deal at Albies. Sorry, I hope all of this doesn't make your head spin. Anyway, enjoy. I'd love to hear how you re-vamp the menus to fit your family's weekly dinner menu. I'd love to hear how you make a dollar or a dime stretccccccchhhhhhhh to the utmost. $79.08 Breakfast 1-Cold cereal, milk 2-Egg biscuit 3-Cold cereal, milk 4-Breakfast taco of scrambled egg and cheese wrapped in a tortilla 5-Cold cereal, milk 6-Cold cereal, milk 7-Eggs, toast Lunch 1-PB&J sandwich, grapes 2-Tuna sandwich, orange 3-Cottage cheese and peaches 4-PB&J sandwich, trail mix 5-PB&J sandwich, cheez-it crackers 6-Cheese toast, grapes 7-Tuna sandwich, apple Dinner 1-Pizza, salad of lettuce and orange and grapefruit supremes or sections with Younker's dressing, see recipe on right under dressing. 2-Bean and cheese enchiladas, shredded lettuce salad 3-Grilled or fried pork chops, sauteed zucchini, baked yams, grilled pineapple Use half of the pork loin for chops, the other half for sweet pork salads or burritos 4-White chicken chili, see recipe at right side under chicken. 5-Cheese omelet, steamed or roasted asparagus 6-Sweet pork salad. Cook pork in the crockpot with salsa and brown sugar, serve with tortillas, shredded lettuce, salsa, cheese, sour cream, black beans and rice. Check out http://www.suite101.com/content/pulled-or-shredded-sweet-pork-a53784 or http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2007/11/jared-and-i-love-cafe-rio.html 7-Mac and Cheese, steamed broccoli Groceries: Albertson's Boneless pork loin, $1.77 lb., buy aprox. 4 lbs. at $7.08 Chicken breasts, $1.77 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $3.54 Save $$ and buy a whole chicken at Bashas' for .79 lb. Cook and debone meat from the bird Albertson's cottage cheese, $2.29 Buy 8 deal 1-Albertson's large eggs, .88 2-Albertson's large eggs 3-Kraft deluxe dinner, $1.49 4-Rosarita beans, $1.49 5-Planters trail mix, $1.49 6-Albertson's bread, .99 7-Albertson's Bread, .99 8-Albertson's Bread, .99 1-S&W beans, white, .59 2-S&W beans, white, .59 3-S&W beans, white, .59 4-S&W benas, white, .59 5-S&W beans, black, .59 6-S&W beans, black, .59 7-Life cereal, $1.99 8-Captain Crunch cereal, $1.99 $28.49 Bashas' Tillamook cheese, 3/$5, buy 3 Red Baron Pizza, $2.99 Buy the whole fryer here at .79 lb. if you want to save money Grapes, .74 lb. Iceberg lettuce, .97, buy 2 onions, .67 lb. It says that you need two for the chili, you may want some for the sweet pork, you'll need some grated for the Younker's dressing $11.34 Fry's Mission tortillas, 2/$3, buy 2 Cheez-it crackers, $1.88 Chicken of the Sea tuna, 2/.98, buy 2 Pillsbury Grands!, .98 Las Palmas enchilada sauce, $1.88 La Victoria salsa, $1.88, buy 2 Fry's brand canned peaches, .98 Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.50 Chicken broth, 2 cans, I've allowed for $1.29 ea Sour cream, buy three pints, I've allowed for $1.50 for each one White corn, I've allowed for .89, you need 2 cans, use yellow if white is too expensive diced green chilis, buy 2 cans, I've allowed for .59 ea $25.00 Sprouts Pineapple, .99 ea Navel oranges, .49, buy 7 lbs. at $3.43 Red grapefruit, .49 ea, buy 2 at .98 Broccoli, .99, buy 2 lbs. at $1.98 Zucchini, .99, buy 2 lbs. at $1.98 Organic yams, .99 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $1.98 Gala apples, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.98 $13.32 Items not on grocery list: Mayo butter flour sugar herbs and spices oil vinegar MILK ice cream salad dressing

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Mar. 23-Mar. 29

2011-03-24T22:20:00.000-07:00

If you'd rather do chili dogs one night or one day for lunch, buy a can of Hormel chili at Albertson's for $1.25, a pack of buns at Fry's for .99 and a package of Bar S meat franks at Bashas for .99. Milk, milk, milk? Where is the cheap milk this week? As a result of not knowing, I don't have it listed on a grocery list. When I find out, I'll post. I'm assuming that this week most people have kids home on Spring Break, so lunch menus are not as portable this week. You can adapt to fit your family better. Bashas has some great "Day only" specials this week. To get the crusty bread for .98 that I have listed on one of the dinner menus, you will have to get it on Tuesday. Also not on the menu or grocery list, but Asparagus for .99 lb. on Sunday, limit 5 lbs. Not sure if Asparagus freezes well or if it goes to mush. I would guess it goes to mush. And fresh ground chuck, limit 2, for $1.99 lb. on Sat. And killer price for cake mix, Pillsbury cake mix, .59, limit 4 on Monday only. Dulcinea mini seedless watermelons, 2/$4 at Safeway. I had them originally on the menu but took it off b/c the total exceeded $80. Also ground turkey at Safeway, Jenni O ground turkey, Fri.-Mon., Buy One, get one free at $6.29 a package. So if you wanted to switch out the two packs of ground turkey for the 5 # of ground chuck, you could. You would have less meat for the turkey burgers on the lunch menu, but it's your call. You would be getting less quantity but you would be saving $3 or so. Fry's had Tilapia for $3.99 lb. I think that's a good price for Tilapia. Bashas has Smucker's grape jelly for $1.69. If the corn muffin Jiffy mix is also included in the sale at Bashas, you might want to add one of those for enchilada night, it's an option. Not sure why I can't single space the entries that I made this morning but the entries last night are single spaced, so sorry for the inconvenience and if this makes for an 8 page list. The grand total is....
$77.16
Use a Fresh & Easy coupon at Fry's and the total is
$72.16

Breakfast
1-Yogurt, muffins
2-Eggs, bacon, toast
3-cold cereal, hard boiled egg
4-Breakfast tacos
5-Toast
6-Bagels, cream cheese
7-Cold cereal

Lunch
1-Hamburgers
2-Ramen noodles, carrots
3-Pasta salad, Use green onion, lightly steamed broccoli and/or carrots, some tomato if you still have some, with olive oil and lemon juice, or use Kroger salad dressing, either Italian or ranch. strawberries
4-Bologna sandwich, crackers, apple
5-Bologna sandwich, orange
6-Pizza, carrots
7-Ramen noodles

Dinner
1-Fish Tacos, cheese, sour cream, lettuce to accompany
2-Chicken, Rice A Roni, green salad
3-Grilled cheese sandwich, applesauce
4-Hamburger Stroganoff, see recipe under ground beef, either over noodles or mashed potatoes, canned veg.
5-Chicken Enchiladas, salad
6-Polish sausage or keilbasa with pan fried potatoes, some onion for flavor, canned veg., crusty bread
7-Mac & cheese, canned veg.

Dessert:
Ice cream

Grocery List:

Abertson's:

Ground chuck, 5# or more, $1.99 lb., $9.95 for 5#

Chicken drumsticks or thighs, .88 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.52

Albertson's cheese, $1.99

Herdez tortillas, Buy one, get one free, I've allowed, $2.50, buy two packages

Hillshire Farm Polish sausage or Kielbasa, 2/$6, buy 1

Las Palmas enchilada sauce, 2/$4, buy 1

Albertsons sour cream, $1.29

$24.25

Bashas'

Apples, .87 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.74

Strawberries, .97 ea

Bashas large eggs, .88, limit 2, buy 2

Food Club ice cream, $1.99

Bashas also has ground chuck for $1.99 lb. on Saturday ONLY, limit 2 packs.

Idaho potatoes, 5# bag, .97 ea.

Farmland Bacon, $2.99

Bar S Bologna, .99

Jiffy muffin mix, 2/$1, buy 1 at .50

Food Club canned vegetables, 2/$1, buy 3 cans

Food Club mac & cheese mix, 2/$1, buy 2

Maruchan Ramen noodles, .18, buy 4

Motts applesauce, 4/$5, buy 1

Lemons, 3/$1, buy one at .33 It's used in the hamburger stroganoff recipe

Basha's crusty bread, .98 on Tues. only

$18.68

Fry's

Buy ten deal

1-Tombstone Pizz, $2.49

2-Van de Camps fish, $2.99

3-Kraft Salad dressing, $1.49

4-Kraft American singles cheese, $1.49

5-American Beauty Pasta, .49 For pasta salad

6-American Beauty Pasta, .49For Hamburger Stroganoff night

7-Rice A Roni, .79

8-rice A Roni, .79

9-Dannon yogurt, $1.49

10-Ritz/wheat thins crackers, $1.99

Tomatoes on the vine, .99 lb.

General Mills cereal, $1.88

Kroger Bagels, .99

Kroger cream cheese, .99 This is a good price to get a few cream cheeses ahead. They last, unopened in the fridge for six months or longer. Great to have on hand for cheesecake pie if you need an easy company dessert.

Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4, you may be able to get away with less this week

English cucumber, .99

Lettuce, I've allowed $2.00

Hamburger buns, .99

$25.86 Use the $5 off of a $25 purchase from Fresh & Easy's Wed. paper insert, and the total is $20.86

Safeway

White mushrooms, .99

Fri.-Mon., oranges, .39 lb., buy 5 lbs. at $1.95

Broccoli, .99 lb.

Baby carrots, .99

$4.92

Sprouts

Onions, .49 lb.

Green onions, .49 For the salads or garnish for the chicken enchiladas

Radishes, .49

Broccoli is also .99 lb. here so if you want to buy it here, go ahead

$2.46

Items not on grocery list:

butter

mayonnaise

herbs and spices

MILK

sugar

flour

olive oil

veg. oil

condiments for hamburgers

Maple Salmon

2011-03-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

Maple Salmon

1/4 C. maple syrup
2 T. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. salmon

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.

Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and mariate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Budget menu with what's on sale for the week of Mar. 16-Mar. 22

2011-03-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

If you want to try the salmon recipe below, then Albertson's has Atlantic farm raised salmon for $6.99/lb. this week. I also want to post a recipe that I found for maple glazed salmon.

Total $79.48
If you use the $5 off of $25 purchase coupon that Fresh and Easy had in Wed. paper at Fry's, then it will be:
$74.48

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal, juice
2-Oatmeal, juice
3-Cinnamon Toast
4-Eggs, bacon, toast
5-Oatmeal, Cantaloupe chunks
6-Oatmeal, juice
7-French toast, juice

Lunch
1-Bologna sandwich, clementine, celery sticks
2-Tuna sandwich, grapes, crackers
3-Bologna sandwich, crackers, Capri Sun
4-Tuna sandwich, clementine, Capri Sun
5-Egg salad sandwich, apple, celery
6-Leftover Minestrone, grilled cheese sandwich
7-Macaroni and cheese

Dinner
1-Minestrone soup
2-Fish sticks, roasted yam fries, vegetable
3-Hot dogs, Coke
4-Chicken with Philadelphia cooking creme sauce and pasta, green salad. Use some steamed asparagus chunks, sauteed mushrooms, red pepper dices and onion dices sauteed til soft if desired.
5-Fried Rice with cooked diced bacon, egg if desired, some green onion, leftover mushrooms or vegs, if desired. Egg rolls.
6-Salad with baked chicken slices or shreds, hard boiled eggs, tomato, cooked bacon if any is left, some steamed asparagus if any left.
7-Leftovers

Albertson's
Spinach, $1 ea
Yams, $1 lb., buy 3 lbs.
$4.00

Bashas
Chicken breasts, .88 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.64
Fresh green beans, buy 1/2 to full lb. at .99 lb.
Red or green grapes, .74 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Bumble Bee tuna, .49, buy 4
Bush's beans, .49, buy 2 I would only use one can of beans in the minestrone if I were in the mood to add beans, so adapt it for your family.
Tyson Bacon, 2.99
Green onions, .59 each
Yellow onions, .69 lb.
Milk, I've allowed $2.99/gallon, buy 2 gallons
red pepper, .79 ea
Mushrooms, .99 ea
Asparagus, $1.88 lb.
$21.98

Fry's
Fry's accepting competitor's coupons, use Fresh & Easy $5 off $25 purchase, found in Wed. paper
Buy 10 deal
1-Capri Suns juice, $1.49
2-Birdseye vegs, $1.49
3-Coke, .79
4-Coke, .79
5-Annies Mac&Cheese, .49
6-Annies Mac&Cheese
7-Van de Kamps fish, $2.99
8-Sunny D juice, .89
9-Sunny D juice
10-Ritz or wheat thins, $1.99
1-Del Monte tomatoes, .69
2-American Beauty pasta, .49 (make one shell pasta, the other a fettucini possibly)
3-American Beauty pasta
4-Kraft singles, $1.49
5-Country Crock spread, $1.29
6-Chungs egg rolls, $2.49
7-Philadelphia cooking creme, $1.99
8-Kraft Mayo, $2.49
9-Oscar Mayer bologna, $1.99
10-Oscar Mayer franks, $1.99

Cantaloupe, .99 ea
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Eggs, I've allowed $1.59, buy 2
Vegetable broth, .99/can, buy 2 cans
lettuce, I've allowed $1.50
Rice, I've allowed, $2.99
zucchini, I've allowed .99 for one
Hot dog buns, I've allowed $1.50
$44.35
$39.35 with F&E coup

Sprouts
Clementines, 3# bag for $1.88
Apples, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Roma tomatoes, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs.
bulk oats, .69 lb, buy 4 lbs.
celery, .99 ea
$9.15

Items not on list:
flour
sugar
pickle relish
olive or veg. oil
salad dressing
syrup or powdered sugar for french toast
spices and herbs
cinnamon
hot dog condiments
soy sauce

Baked Salmon

2011-03-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

I found this today while looking for a recipe for Salmon that the husband could use for a catering tonight. He brought some home and while I am not a huge fish loving person, I thought that this was really good. Costco sells a frozen Basil/Pesto Tilapia that is yummy, my kids beg me to get it. I think that this marinade is close to that taste and that it would be good on tilapia or other fish that you like as well as the Salmon.

Baked Salmon II
from Allrecipes.com

2 cloves garlic, minced
6 T. light olive oil
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
2 (6 ounce) fillets salmon

In a medium bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic, light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass baking dish, and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator about 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade, and seal. Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

Drumroll please.............

2011-03-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

The mail finally came on Friday at 5:30p.m. and we were all beside ourselves. My son is going to the .........................................Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Mar. 9-Mar. 15

2011-03-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

I want so desperately to get this budget menu for the week out on Wednesday this week. We are speculating that sonny boy will get his mission call on Thursday of this week, as in TOMORROW. I know that doing a budget menu after that will be futile. I am expecting to be a mush of excitement, hysteria and nerves, all rolled together in one.

After just looking at the ads briefly this a.m., I concluded that if you could only make it to one store this week, then that store should be Bashas'. At least for produce. Safeway and Albies come in a close second. Safeway for their broccoli, 2 lbs./$1 and whole chicken for .89 lb. Albertson's for their ground beef at $1.77/lb. and their brand canned tuna at .50 can and Jennie O turkey breast at $4.99/lb. If you hate salmon patties, as do I, then use the rest of the hamburger for hamburger patties and either eat them plain or buy some buns to go with it. Omit the crusty bread if you opt for hamburger buns.

Today starts the Lenten season which means a few things in the grocery world. It means that good prices on canned tuna and fresh fish, peanut butter and mac & cheese mixes and sometimes even Mayo and prepared tartar sauces will prevale in the next 40 days. It might be a good time to stock up on canned seafood. I usually have a couple of meatless menus per week so that shouldn't be a problem if you are observing Lent.

Not to be a gloom and doom girl but I have been thinking lately that it is a good time to take inventory of my pantry and food storage and add to it accordingly. And by add to it, I mean, get it complete by the end of the month. Overwhelming thought but I need to just suck it up and do it. With gas prices soaring upward and talk of skyrocketing food prices in the near future due to crop failures, I can't help but think that I will be needing to depend on my pantry and my food storage soon. Might be a good time to add some extra canned goods, flour and sugar (or mixes if you don't bake from scratch. You might want to get some bread mixes. If you couldn't buy bread at the store, what would you do?), toilet paper and other neccesities to your cabinets.

$77.57

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, cantaloupe chunks
2-Oatmeal
3-Cold cereal, milk
4-Oatmeal, strawberries
5-Cold cereal, milk
6-Toast, grapefruit
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-Turkey sandwich, apple, hard boiled egg
2-PB&J sandwich, Strawberries
3-Chicken salad sandwich, orange
4-Turkey sandwich, grapes
5-Tuna sandwich, apple, carrots
6-PB&J sandwich, orange
7-Tuna sandwich, grapes, carrots

Dinner
1-Roast chicken, rice, Broccoli salad (right side, under salads)
2-Spaghetti, sauce, crusty bread
3-Gorton's fish, tator tots, vegetable
4-Chili
5-Corned beef/cabbage/bacon, Irish soda bread(both recipes on right side under corned beef)
6-Salmon Patties, vegetables, crusty bread
7-Bashas cheese pizza

Albertsons
Albertson's chunk light tuna, 2/$1, buy 3
General Mills cinnamon toast crunch or other select cereals, $1.49 ea when you use coupon in Wed. ad, buy 3 at $4.47
Ground beef, $1.77 lb. in 3# chub at $5.31
Large cantaloup, $1 ea
Demings skinless and boneless canned Pink Salmon, .99, buy 2
Jennio O Blue Ribbon turkey breast, $4.99 lb., buy 1 lb.
or if you'd rather, Kretschmar Ham
$18.75

Bashas'
Bar A Bacon, $1.99
Food Club cheese, 2/$3, $1.50
Bashas 16 inch Pizza, $4.99
Crusty bread, $1.29, buy 2
Food Club pasta, .89
Food Club oats, .99
Strawberries, $1.19, first 4, buy 1
Oranges, .49 lb., buy 3 at $1.47
Texas grapefruit, .49 ea, buy 2
Food Club tator tots, I've allowed, $2.99
Chili seasoning pouch, I've allowed, $1.00
Rice, I've allowed $1.99
Eggs, I've allowed, $1.39
$27.93

Fry's
Red seedless grapes, .75 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.25
Kroger mini carrots, .88 ea
Fry's milk, 50% off, I think it's $1.74, buy 2 at $3.48
Gortons fish, $3.99
Canned corned beef, I've allowed for $2.99
Cabbage, 4 lbs./$1
If you wanted to make Colcannon for St. Patrick's Day dinner, then add to the total, $2.50 for a bag of red potatoes at Fry's. The recipe for Colcannon is at the right under Corned beef.
Fry's or Kroger tomatoes or beans, 5/$3, buy 2 tomatoes and 2 beans
Kroger spaghetti sauce, $1.19
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.49
$23.19

Safeway
Sanderson Farms whole chicken, .89 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.56
Broccoli, 2 lbs./41
Gala apples, .88 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.64
$7.20

Items not on grocery list:
butter
jelly
sugar
flour
leavenings like baking soda or baking powder
herbs and spices
ingredients for soda bread
Mayo or Miracle whip for dressing for broccoli salad
vinegar
oil
cracker or bread crumbs for the salmon patties
onion, if desired for salmon patties

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Mar.2-Mar. 8

2011-03-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

If you want to shave more money off of this menu, for the chicken night buy the thighs, drums or leg quarters at Albertson's for .88 lb. It may end up costing more in the long run though, as you have to buy a family pack. I haven't checked Albies yet as to pricing this week. Albies also had "Hawaii's Own" juice concentrate for $1. I had a wonderful menu my first draft but the total was over $90, so I had to re-vamp it. This is what I came up with. Have a good week.

$78.43

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal
2-Egg biscuit
3-Waffles
4-Blueberry pancakes
5-Egg, bacon and cheese taco. Use a couple of slices left over from the bacon sandwiches and crumble them in the eggs. Put egg, cheese and bacon into a flour tortilla and roll up. This can be done the night before and parked in the fridge in plastic wrap, then reheated in the microwave. Great breakfast for in the car, if needed.
6-Pancakes
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, apple
2-Lunchmeat sandwich, orange
3-PB&J sandwich, grapes
4-PB&J sandwich, apple
5-Cottage cheese with fruit (canned peaches, pears or fruit cocktail)
6-Leftovers, grapes and hard boiled eggs
7-Totinos pizza

Dinner
1-Swiss steak (browned round steak with herbs like basil or oregano, whatever you like and can of tomatoes and half of a chopped onion in crockpot), deviled eggs, red potatoes
2-Bacon sandwich
3-Taco soup, see recipe on right side under soups. Avocado slices, tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese as toppings. Have butcher grind up one pound of round steak into hamburger He'll do it if you don't ask him close to closing time or after the equipment has been cleaned.
4-Stuffed peppers, stuff with Rice A Roni made up, steamed broccoli. If you would like to add spicy or mild dinner sausage (without the casings) to the rice mixture in the peppers, buy Kroger dinner sausage at Fry's for $3.50 extra.
5-Fish tacos, cucumber spears or coins
6-Chicken breasts cooked then stuffed with ham and cheese, sauteed mushrooms on top, frozen vegs and Pasta roni
7-Refried Bean and cheese burrito

Albertsons
Albertsons lg. eggs, .88, buy 2, limit 2
Albertsons milk, .78 for 1/2 gal., limit 4, buy 4 at $3.12
Rice A Roni, .79, limit 4, buy 2 at $1.58
Pasta Roni, .79, limit 4, buy 2 at $1.58
Bar S Bacon, $2.99
Mi Ranchitos tortilla chips, 10/$10, buy 1 at $1
Rosarita beans, $1.69
Albertsons cereal, $1.67
$15.39

Bashas
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, $1.67, buy 2 lbs. at $3.34
Apples, .87 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.61
Green or red grapes, .77 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.31
California navel oranges, .47 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $1.88
Yellow onions, .47 ea, buy 1
Boneless round steak, $1.77 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.31
Hillshire Farm lunch meat Ham, , 3/$10, buy 1 at $3.33
Krusteaz pancake mix, $1.99
Shamrock Farms sour cream, $1.69
Hass avocados, 2/$1
Broccoli, .87 lb.
Shamrock Farms cottage cheese, $2.49
Del Monte fruit, $1.39, buy one Peaches, pears or fruit cocktail
$28.68

Fry's
Kroger cheese, save 50%, I haven't checked it out yet but figure it's close to $1.60/pkg. Buy 2
Mushrooms, 2/$3, buy one at $1.50
Fry's or Kroger tomatoes or beans, 5/$3, buy 3 tomatoes, one Black or pinto beans, four cans total at $2.40
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, $1.37, buy 1
Pillsbury biscuits, 4/$5, buy 1
Gorton's fish sticks or filets, $3.99
Kroger waffles, .99, buy 1
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 at $3.52
Kroger Value peanut butter, I've allowed for $1.49
Totinos Party Pizza, 10/$10, buy 3
Flour tortillas, I've allowed for $2.99
Tomato sauce, 2 (8 oz.), I've allowed for .80
Taco seasoning mix, I've allowed for $1.00
Del Monte vegetable, .79, buy one can of corn for the taco soup
$28.28

Sprouts
Oats, .79 lb.
Blueberries, .99, buy 1
Red, gold or orange bell peppers, .77 ea., buy 2
Cucumbers, .69
red potatoes, .69 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.07
$6.08

Items not on grocery list:
Butter
flour
sugar
jelly
pancake syrup
mayonnaise
herbs and spices
cilantro, .49 at Sprouts
Cantaloupe, .99 at Safeway
Harvest Provisions ham or cold cuts, $6.49 lb. at Bashas
lettuce for fish tacos if desired
tomatoes for bacon sandwiches if desired
Kroger dinner sausage, 2/$7 at Fry's if desired for stuffed peppers

The making of a Budget Menu

2011-03-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

For those of you who want to do your own thing, here are some pointers. When I get the ads on Wednesday morning, I peruse them as soon as I get everyone to where they need to be, to see what is good, what is killer prices for the week and to see what we need from the sales. When I get some time, I then go back with pen and paper and write down the best sale prices. I jot down only the meat sales on the front pages of the ads, and even then sometimes they are not really smokin deals. Like this past week, Fry's had pork loin for buy one, get one free. Sounds great, huh? When I checked it out at Fry's each pork loin was averaging $31. So not so great, if buying two that's about $15 per loin when the week before I got a decent pork loin that fed us for 4 dinners, for $7. So, I jot down the things we like, the things that are great prices for that week and then I look at ingredients and think what could be made for breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the week out of those ingredients. For fresh fruit, anything a dollar or under is good. Really great when oranges or apples are .49 lb. Same for fresh vegetables. Anything a dollar or under. Really great when broccoli is .69 lb. Eating vegetarian for a couple of night meals is a great way to keep food costs down. Like macaroni and cheese or meatless spaghetti or a pasta salad or big cobb salad. Stocking up on hamburger, pork loin and chicken when they are killer prices and freezing them is a great way to save money as well. You spend more the weeks that they are on sale but then other weeks you are not buying meat at all. If you can keep away from grocery store bakery items and make your own, other than bread, then you can save a lot of $ also.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Feb. 23-Mar. 1

2011-02-24T21:20:00.000-08:00

Such an up and down week. Do you ever have those? I have a mystery, energy zapping illness(taking antibiotics, I will be 100% soon) and I can be fine one minute and the next reduced to tears. Also the baby boy turned his mission papers into SLC on Wed. Even as we speak someone is throwing a dart to a map of the world to determine his fate. Just kidding, that's not how they do it. So, this morning, as I'm sitting in the church parking lot watching the kids go to their cars after Seminary, I almost burst into tears again. Not sure why or how or whatever. Maybe this is just how it's going to roll for awhile. So, the good news is that you can get the total down this week if you want to omit the Sunny D juice for $1 at Albertson's. Also, see my post several down for how to get a coupon that you can use at Fry's to save you $10. I had to bump the total up over $81 when I realized that I only had 1 doz. eggs listed and no way were you going to make muffins, cookies and have egg muffins and eggs with just 1 doz. eggs. Have a great week.

$82.04

Breakfast
1-Muffins, yogurt
2-Egg biscuit, Sunny D juice
3-Grapefruit half, toast
4-Oatmeal
5-Muffins, yogurt, strawberries
6-Oatmeal
7-Eggs, sausage, toast

Lunch
1-Bologna sandwich, orange
2-Tuna sandwich, apple
3-Bologna sandwich, carrots, cheetos
4-Tuna sandwich, apple
5-Tuna sandwich, cookie
6-Macaroni and cheese
7-Hot Pockets, Coke or Sprite

Dinner
1-Crockpot lasagna (recipe on right side), green salad, baguette
2-Macaroni and cheese with hot dog coins, canned vegetable
3-Chunky soup, garlic toast with leftover baguette
4-Beef chunks and mushrooms (Beef Burgundy, recipe on right side) over mashed potatoes, biscuit. Or make your favorite stew recipe over mashed potatoes. Just use a little diced onion for flavor instead of spending more on frozen whole onions.
5-Oven fried chicken (recipe on right side under chicken), canned vegetable, cabbage/ramen salad (recipe on right side)
6-Pasta salad using tomato, broccoli, olives, olive oil and lemon juice, and basil with leftover chicken in it. Or use a creamy ranch dressing or mayonnaise instead.
7-Banquet TV dinners.

Dessert:

cookies

Albertsons
Sunny D, $1
Maruchan Ramen noodles, 6/$1, buy one at .17
Bumble Bee tuna, .69, buy 3
Fresh broccoli crowns, $1 lb.
Romaine, $1
$5.24

Bashas

Cross rib roast, $1.98 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $7.92. You'll need to ask for about a lb. and a half of the roast to be ground into ground beef. The grocer will do it, if you are not shopping at night and asking him to do it after the equipment is cleaned. You might be able to get by with less than 4 lbs. of meat. You know what your family needs and you can see how they have it packaged.

Driscoll's strawberries, $1.49, actually Fry's has them for $1.25, a little cheaper

Gala or red apples, .79 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.16

Mushrooms, .99

Brown onions, .49 lb.

Idaho potatoes, 5# bag, .99

Libby's vegetables, 20/$10, buy 2 cans

Bar S meat franks, .88

Bar S bologna, .88

Food Club cheese, $2.77, cheese for lasagna

Barilla pasta, 10/$10, buy one

Bashas chicken, .87 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.48

Lasagna noodles, I've allowed for $1.99

Bashas cottage cheese, $1.39

tomatos, I've allowed for $2.00 lb.

Olives, I've allowed for $1.50

$31.93

Fry's

My total came to $44.08, a little short to use the Fresh and Easy $50 coupon, so you may want to buy some of the things that are not on sale at Bashas at Fry's to get it to $50 and then save $10. Or used the $3 off Fresh and Easy coupon. Every little bit helps.

Fry's milk, $1.59, buy 2 at $3.18

Pink navel oranges, .75 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3

Green cabbage, 2lbs./$1

Kroger mini carrots, .99

Texas grapefruit, 2/$1
LaBrea baguette, .99

Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 at $3.52

Beef broth, I've allowed for .89

Eggs, $1.39, buy 2

Buy 10 deal

1-Pillsbury Grands, .99

2-Pillsbury Grands, .99

3-Yoplait yogurt, $3.69

4-Banquet Brown & Serve sausage, .58

5-Banquet Brown & Serve sausage, .58

6-Hot Pockets, $1.69

7-Hot Pockets, $1.69

8-Betty Crocker muffin mix, $1.69

9-Kraft Macaroni and cheese, $3.19

10-Ragu spaghetti sauce, $1.28

1-Banquet dinners, .58

2-Banquet dinners, .58

3-Banquet dinners, .58

4-Banquet dinners, .58

5-Betty Crocker cookie mix, $1.69

6-Betty Crocker muffin mix, $1.69

7-Chunky soup, .99

8-Chunky soup, .99

9-Cheetos, $1.69

10-Coke or Sprite, .99

$44.08

Sprouts

Oats, .79 lb.

Items not on the grocery list:

Flour

sugar

butter

mayonnaise

salad dressing

whole little onions

Parmesan cheese

bread crumbs

ranch dressing

veg oil

vinegar

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

2011-02-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
By Todd Wilbur, Recipe #77585
Recipezaar

Serves 8
3 T. olive oil
1 cup minced white onion (about 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup frozen cut italian green beans
1/4 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
4 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth (do not use chicken broth)
2 (15 oz.) cans red kidney beans, drainged ( I don't use this)
2 (15 oz.) cans samll white beans or great northern beans, drained (I only use one can)
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups hot water
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup small shell pasta

Heat 3 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 min. or until onions begin to turn translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients except the spinach and pasta, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the spinach and pasta and continue to simmer for 20 minutes longer.

$10 off at Fry's

2011-02-23T08:48:00.000-08:00

Fry's is accepting competitor's coupons this week. In today's paper there is a coupon for $3 off of a $30 or more purchase for Fresh and Easy. I checked my email and I had an ad from Fresh and Easy with a printable coupon on it for $10 off of a $50 or more purchase, that can be used at Fry's this week. If you don't get these coupons through the internet, because this is a good one if you are planning on spending $50 at Fry's, I can forward the email to you through Fresh and Easy. Just leave your first name and email address in the comments under this post. The coupon is good until March 7. I don't know how long Fry's is accepting competitor's coupons, maybe just this week.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Feb. 16-Feb. 22

2011-02-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

You might be able to play around with the Fry's grocery list and get it down to only ten deal items and be able to save more $ this week. I was getting frustrated trying to make it all work and I know that there is a ton of food not being used. Like the bag of potatoes is only used for one meal, so you will have those left, and you will most probably have chicken left that you can use for sandwiches or throw into the Chunky soup if you get a chicken variety. I thought that coleslaw would be good to top the BBQ pork sandwiches or use as a side but ran out of $ for cabbage. So if you think that is a good idea, you can swap out something else or go over budget by a buck or two. The buy ten deals at Fry's, they really lock you into buying a lot with those. You will probably have yogurt to go with a lunch or as a snack also. Instead of leftovers one night, if you needed another entree, add a Food Club pasta to your list at .89 from Bashas and swap out a buy ten item at Fry's for Ragu, $1.28 and you have spaghetti one night. My husband never gets tired of spaghetti. I do. Also, check prices on cereal at the grocery store. I did the buy four Kellogg's cereals deal and get a juice, sausage and eggs free. You may be able to do better buying cheaper cereal and then buying your eggs, juice and sausage in addition.

$79.04

Breakfast
1-Muffins, yogurt, juice
2-cold cereal, milk
3-cold cereal, milk
4-cold cereal, milk
5-Egg and cheese biscuit
6-Eggs, sausage, toast

Lunch
1-Lunch meat sandwich, cheetos
2-Lunch meat sandwich, grapes
3-Lunch meat sandwich, carrot sticks
4-Lunch meat sandwich, apple
5-Cottage cheese and blueberries
6-Ravioli
7-Chunky soup

Dinner
1-Roasted chicken, roasted or mashed potatoes, carrots
2-Hot dog
3-Panfried Pork chops, steamed broccoli, green salad. Cut half of the pork loin into chops and use the other half to make BBQ pork.
4-Chunky soup, biscuit
5-BBQ pork on baguette slices
6-Quiche with bacon and cheese. Pineapple, orange, banana salad.
7-Leftovers

Dessert:
Brownies or cookies from a box

Grocery List:
Bashas
Whole chicken, .69 lb., limit 5 lbs. Buy 3 lbs. at $2.07
Dole Pineapple, .39 lb., limit 5 lbs. Buy 3 lbs. at $1.17
Bashas large eggs, .99 (you should have 2 doz. eggs when you leave the grocery store)
Bananas, .59 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $1.77
Baguette, .79 Buy hamburger buns if you prefer softer bread with your BBQ pork
Farmland Bacon, $2.99

Purchase 4 Kellogg's cereals, 2/$5, so $10
Get for free: 1 doz. Bashas eggs
64 oz. Langer's juice
8 oz. Farmer John links

$21.65

Fry's
1/2 Pork loin, $1.88 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $7.52
Seedless grapes, .88 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $1.76
Kroger shredded or bar cheese, $1.48
Fry's half gal milk, .78, limit 4, buy 4 Lemonade and choc. milk also .78
Hot dog buns, I've allowed for $1.50
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Broccoli, .99 lb.
Romaine, .99

10 items
1-Cheetos, $1.69
2-Chef Boy R Dee Ravioli, .69
3-Chef Boy R Dee Ravioli
4-Chunky soup, .99
5-Chunky soup
6-Chunky soup
7-Chunky soup
8-chunky soup
9-Oscar Mayer lunch meat, $2.49
10-Oscar Mayer lunch meat
1-Betty Crocker brownie or cookie, $1.69
2-Betty Crocker muffin, $1.69
3-Pillsbury Grands, .99
4-Pillsbury Grands
5-Pillsbury Grands
6-Best Foods Mayonnaise, $2.89
7-Oscar mayer meat franks, $2.19
8-Yoplait yogurt, $3.69
9-Kraft BBQ sauce, .69
10-Ravioli, .69 I added another can of ravioli because it was cheap. If you don't need it, buy something else
$50.38

Sprouts
Blueberries, .99
Apples, .88 lb, buy 3 lbs. at $2.64
Organic carrots, 1 lb., .88
Organic potatoes, 5lb. bag, $2.50
$7.01

Items not on grocery list
butter
sugar
flour
salt
herbs and spices
pie crust

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Feb. 9-Feb. 15

2011-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

$78.51

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal
2-Egg in the hole
3-Oatmeal
4-toast
5-Oatmeal
6-French toast with blackberries, use leftover stale baguette if any left
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, orange
2-PB&J sandwich, carrots
3-Tuna sandwich, orange
4-PB&J sandwich, carrots
5-Chicken wrap
6-Egg salad sandwich
7-Tuna sandwich, cookie

Dinner
1-Fish tacos, rice a roni mix
2-Pork chops, couscous, veg, salad
3-Salad with cold pork and baguette
4-Grilled cheese sandwich, tomato or chicken noodle soup
5-Spaghetti with cheese sauce, vegetable
6-Banquet pot pie
7-Chicken enchiladas, salad, cornbread. Make a white sauce out of flour, butter and either milk or the chikcen liquid from the bottom of the pan used to cook the chicken. Or if you had chicken noodle soup for one night, strain out the noodles and use the rest of the chicken soup broth, if you have any, as the liquid in the white sauce for the chicken enchiladas. Put a little green salsa in the sauce, then build with chicken dices and cheese and pour sauce over top, top with cheese and bake until hot.

Dessert:
Strawberries, dipped in sour cream, then in brown sugar, Valentine's dessert
Cookies

Albertson's
Ragu cheesy sauce, .99
Albertson's tuna, .59, buy 3
Banquet pot pies, .79, buy 4
Strawberries, $1.77, buy 1
$7.69

Bashas'
Boneless pork chops, $1.97 lb, buy 3 lbs. at $5.91
Dole Classic salad, .77, buy 3 at $2.31
Bashas sandwich bread, .99, buy 3 at $2.97
Krusteaz cookie, cornbread, brownie mix, 2/$3, buy one cookie, one cornbread
Flav R Pac Vegs, 5/$5, buy 2
Food Club butter, 2/$5, buy 1
Daisy sour cream, .99, buy 2, for enchiladas and tacos and strawberries
Mini peeled carrots, .99
Campbell's Family size chicken noodle or tomato soup, 2/$3, buy 1
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.69/doz., buy 2
$26.54

Fry's
Chicken, $1.77 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.31
Fy's milk, $1.59, buy 2 at $3.18
Kraft Shredded or bar cheese, 3/$5, buy 3
Gorton's fish, $3.99
Baguette, 2/$3, buy 1
Herdez or LaVictoria Salsa, $1.88
Mission soft taco tortillas, $1.88, buy 2
Welch's jelly, $1.88
Kroger Value Peanut butter, $1.49
Navel oranges, $4.99 ea for 5# bag
Blueberries or blackberries, 2/$5, buy 1
Near East Rice or couscous, 2/$4
Rice A Roni/Pasta Roni., .88
Fry's spaghetti, I've allowed .88
$41.12

Sprouts
Oats, .79, buy 4 lbs.
$3.16

Items not on grocery list:
Mayonnaise
syrup
brown sugar
sugar
flour
pickle relish
herbs and spices
Olive Oil

Saving money by menu planning

2011-02-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of different aspects to saving money with the food we eat. Buying items you use only when they are on sale and stockpiling them, using coupons, ad-matching at Wal-Mart. Menu planning is something not everyone consciously chooses to do to reduce the outgoing flow of cash from one's wallet. Because we are a regular American family with family members coming and going all at different times and meal time can be a state of confusion, if I fail to plan ahead for dinner we end up in the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant. For us that cost is aproximately $20 every time we do so. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but always around that number. So if you figure doing that once a week for four times a month, that is $80 per month spent on eating fast food. That is money for a week's worth of groceries! Consumed just in four meals! It's groceries for 21 meals eaten at home. Yearly it would be $960. Or 12 weeks worth of groceries! If you eat out once a week at a casual dining place you may be spending $50 per meal for your family. That is $200 per month or broken down into groceries/week, it's 2 and a 1/2 weeks worth of groceries or 52 meals eaten at home. Yearly it would be $2400. Or 30 weeks worth of groceries! Over a half of a year's worth of groceries for your family. How much does your family spend on out of home dining each week?

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Feb. 2-Feb. 8

2011-02-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

I am so confused right now, I hope that I got all of the numbers right below. There were no milk prices in the ads that I could see this week and I haven't been to Bashas or Fry's yet this week, well, I guess I was at Bashas yesterday but didn't price milk. I've allowed for $5 to be spent on milk in the totals. The menu looks a lot like last week's menu. A lot of the same items are on sale. Feel free to move lunch to dinner and visa versa, whatever you need to do to make it work.

$83.33
-$5.00 from $5 off of $25 coup from Fresh & Easy. Fry's taking competitor's coupons still
$78.33 TOTAL

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk
2-Oatmeal, apple juice
3-Oatmeal, apple juice
4-Cold cereal
5-Muffins
6-Oatmeal
7-French toast

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, goldfish, orange
2-Tuna sandwich, apple, chex mix
3-PB&J sandwich, orange
4-Chicken/avocado wrap, bugles or chex mix
5-PB&J sandwich, apple
6-Hot Pockets
7-Pizza, carrots

Dinner
1-Dinty Moore Stew, garlic toast
2-Cheese omelet, muffins
3-Chicken, Uncle Ben's rice mix, zucchini. Use some leftover chicken in wraps for tomorrow
4-Mac & cheese, jello, vegetable
5-Hot dog, bun and chips
6-Soup, garlic toast, salad
7-Chef's salad with hard boiled eggs, cooked chicken strips or dices, leftover vegs, cheese toast

Dessert:
Ice cream
pudding

Groceries
Bashas
Chicken breasts, or leg 1/4's, .97 lb. It saya a family pack, I figured it out for 7 lbs. at $6.79
Hass avocados, 4/$1
tomatoes on vine, .99 lb.
Bashas hot do/hamb. buns, $1.29, use the coup from last Sundays newspaper and it's .99
Starkist tuna, .69, buy 1
Apples, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Milk ???????, I've allowed for $2.50/gal., buy 2 at $5

Fry's
Use the $5 off $25 purchase from Fresh & easy coupon when you go
1-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
2-Kellogg's cereal, $1.97
3-Kellogg's cereal, $1.97
4-Hot Pockets, $1.49
5-Hot Pockets, $1.49
6-Kraft Mac & cheese, .49
7-Kraft Mac & cheese, .49
8-Jello, .75
9-Jello pudding, .75
10-Gold fish, .99

1-Uncle Ben's rice mix, .99
2-Uncle Ben's rice mis, .99
3-Krusteaz muffin, $1.99
4-Krusteaz muffin, $1.99
5-Chex mix, $1.49
6-Bugles or chex mix, $1.49
7-Mott's apple juice, $1.49
8-Dinty Moore stew, .99
9-Dinty Moore stew, .99
10-Dinty Moore stew, .99

1-Birdseye vegetables, $1.49
2-Dreyers ice cream, $2.47
3-Progresso soup, .99
4-Progresso soup, .99
5-Progresso soup, .99
6-Hebrew National hot dogs, $2.49
7-Garlic toast, $1.99
8-Garlic toast, $1.99
9-Pepsi, .89
10-Pepsi, .89

Kroger mini carrots, $1
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 ?
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.99/doz., buy 2
Cheese, 50% off, I've allowed for $1.99
Flour tortillas, I've allowed for $2.99
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.50

Sprouts
Cucumber, .49
Radishes, .49
zucchini, .88 lb.
oranges, .49 lb., buy 4 lbs. (aprox. 7-8 oranges depending on size)
green leaf lettuce, .99, buy 2
Oatmeal, .79 lb., buy 2 lbs.

Items not on grocery list
butter
flour
sugar
herbs and spices
mayonnaise
jelly
syrup
condiment for hot dogs, ie., ketchup, mustard, pickle relish
oil
salad dressing
salt & pepper

Super Bowl Party

2011-02-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

Menu for 6-8 people

Hot dogs and buns
Pizza
Green salad with croutons and dressing
Tortilla chips
Guacamole
Salsa
Potato Chips
Pepsi or Pepsi products
Cake

Total $37.05 If you use the $5 off $25 purchase Fresh & Easy coupon at Fry's, minus $5 to take it down to $32.05 and if you use 3 Wholly Guacamole coupons found in the SmartSource of 1/23/11, if you got multiple papers, it will take the total down to $29.05

Fry's
Buy 10 deal
1-Pepsi, .89
2-Pepsi, .89
3-Pepsi, .89
4-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
5-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
6-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
7-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
8-Ken's Salad Dressing, $1.49
9-Hebrew National beef franks, $2.49
10-Hebrew National beef franks, $2.49

Lay's potato chips, $1.77
Dole Salad, $1, buy 2
Wholly Guacamole, $1, buy 2, use coupon from SS 1/23
Wholly Salsa, $1, buy 1, use coupon from SS 1/23
Doritos tortilla chips, $1.99, buy 2

Bashas
Bashas hot dog buns, $1.29
there is a coupons from Sunday's paper for hot dog buns, limit one at .99, so two total, only one will be .99
Duncan Hines cake mix, $1.25
Duncan Hines frosting, $1.79
Mrs. Cubbison's croutons, .99 with coupon from Sunday's paper

If you wanted to supplement the menu with a pasta salad, buy Food Club pasta for .89 with coupon from Sunday's paper, buy some frozen or fresh vegetables to put in it with a lemon and oil and garlic vinaigrette.

Or an Alternate Menu
Lasagna
Green salad

Go to Smart and Final using the coupon in their ad and buy the Party size Stouffer's lasagna for $7.99. It says it will feed 12. Not sure if that's true but that's what it says

Get a couple of the bags of the Dole Premium salad at Fry's and spend $2-$3

So Total is $10.99 for dinner for 6-8 people. Add garlic bread for another $4-$5

Super Duper Bowl Snacks

2011-02-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

I've just been thinking:

Get a cheap pizza, the Red Barons at Fry's this week on the 10 item deal are cheap and if you're not having pizza for the main dish, then cut a pizza in little snack sized squares for one of the appetizers.

Use the egg roll idea in the appetizer section of the recipe list but instead of using cabbage and whatever, fill a crescent roll rectangle, or smaller, with shredded or diced meats and cheese. Add Bar B Q sauce if you're feeling wacky. Seal up. Bake to package instructions. You could also do cooked taco meat. Pepperoni, cheese and pizza sauce. Or go oriental and with chicken or pork and hosein sauce. Or corned beef and sauteed cabbage/carrot mix. Or pastrami and some saurkraut that the moisture has been taken out of.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Jan. 26-Feb. 1

2011-01-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

$80.73-use a $5 off $25 purchase from Fresh & Easy flier at Fry's and only spend $75.73

Breakfast
1-Eggs, toast, bacon
2-Pancakes, juice
3-Cinnamon rolls
4-Oatmeal
5-Grapefruit halves, toast
6-Oatmeal
7-Pancakes, cocoa

Lunch
1-Lunchmeat sandwich, grapes
2-PB&J sandwich, cheetos
3-Lunchmeat sandwich, orange, cookie
4-PB&J sandwich, cheetos
5-PB&J sandwich, fritos
6-Ramen noodles
7-Hot pockets

Dinner
1-Taco soup topped with sour cream, cheese, fritos
2-Hot Pockets
3-Pizza, salad
4-Baked chicken, rice, asparagus
5-chili dogs
6-Mac & Cheese, salad, crescent rolls
7-Roast, carrots, mashed potatoes

Dessert
ice cream
cookies

Albertsons
Albertson's lg. eggs, .89 with coup from Wed. paper
Ken's salad dressing, .99 with coup
Cheetos, $1.49 with coup
Fritos, $1.49 with coup
Ramen noodles, 6/$1
carrots, 2/$3, buy 1
3 loaves of sandwich bread, .88 with coup

Bashas
Bashas milk, $1.67, buy2
Asparagus, .99 lb.
Cross rib roast, $1.97 lb., buy 3 lbs.
Roma tomatoes, .88 lb.
Food Club cheese, 2/$3, buy 1
Hillshire Farm lunch meat, 2/$5, buy 1
Nestle hot cocoa mix, 4/$5, buy 1
Food Club crescents, 2/$3, buy1
Food Club cinnamon rolls, 2/$3, buy1
Romaine, .99
Tyson bacon, $2.99
Food Club butter, $2.88
Back beans, I've allowed for .99
Potatoes, I've allowed for $2.50
taco seasoning, I've allowed for .99

Fry's
Use $5 off $25 purchase Fresh & Easy coup, Fry's accepting competitor's coups this week
Buy 10
1-Del Monte vegs, .49, buy corn
2-Hunt's tomatoes, .49
3-Hunt's tomatoes, .49
4-Hunt's tomato sauce, .49
5-Hunt's tomato sauce, .49
6-Dreyers ice cream, $1.97
7-Red Baron Pizza, $2.99
8-Uncle Ben's rice, .99
9-Uncle Ben's rice, .99
10-Bar S meat franks, .89
1-Kraft Mac & Cheese, .49
2-Kraft Mac & Cheese, .49
3-Hot Pockets, $1.49
4-Hot Pockets, $1.49
5-Hot Pockets, $1.49
6-Hot Pockets, $1.49
7-Hormel chili, .79
8-Krusteaz pancake mix, $1.49
9-Krusteaz cookie mix, $1.49
10-Mott's apple juice, $1.49

Frying chicken, .57 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $1.71
Ground beef, 3 lb. chub, $1.77, 3 lbs. $5.31
Red grapes, .97, buy 2 lbs.
Kroger sour cream, 10/$10
hot dog buns, I've allowed for $1.50
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.50
Oranges, $1 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Grapefruit, 2/$1, buy 1

Sprouts
Oats, .79 lb., buy 2 lbs.

Items not on grocery list:
jelly
mayo
flour
sugar

Idaho Spuds

2011-01-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

These came in the mail yesterday and every creature at my house is happy.Even the little dog, who once was naughty and ate 8 of these in one afternoon. We counted wrappers in the backyard.

Chocolate marshmallowy goodness enrobed in chocolate with a coconut covering. We start hiding these in various spots in the freezer when only ten or so are left. I may try using the foodsaver if I can borrow the jar attachment from someone and put some of these in a canning jar.

Vegan Brownies

2011-01-26T15:49:00.000-08:00

Some of you may be thinking "EWWWWWWW...Vegan...." right now. My daughter made these today because she has a friend who is a vegan, and I was pleasantly surprised. They are really fudgey and good. They are everything a regular brownie is, minus the eggs. Yum. This would also be a great recipe to keep in your food storage files.

Vegan Brownies
from Allrecipes.com

2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 C. white sugar
3/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 C. water
1 C. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Pour in water, vegetable oil and vanilla, mix until well blended. Spread evenly in a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Egg rolls

2011-01-25T13:19:00.000-08:00

Egg Rolls I made egg rolls last night for dinner out of the Pillsbury crescent rolls. They were lacking something, either they needed more garlic salt or some ginger or soy sauce, I don't know. I'm not gonna lie, they were a little weird. But in a, "I am so going to make them again" kind of way.
My daughter liked them. I liked them. I don't think the male folk in the family did. Here's what I did:

I sauteed off a bag of cabbage and carrot cole slaw in butter and olive oil, sprinkled with Lawry's garlic salt and added some sliced scallions and shallot. I would have used some bean sprouts but couldn't find any fresh in the grocery store. For one tube of crescent rolls, you will probably only need a half of a package of slaw. Less if you're using bean sprouts. When soft I then let the cabbage cool completely. On the second try at this, I put some uncooked sliced scallions on before bakingI unrolled the crescent rolls and separated them into the rectangle shape and pressed the other perforations together. I put some chopped cooked shrimp on the rectange, then the cooked cabbage and rolled them up lengthwise and sealed the edges and the ends with my fingers. I baked them according to the crescent roll baking instructions. Made a nice side to our basil Tilapia and ham fried rice.

When I make them next time I will season the shrimp, or whatever protein I use, and the cabbage more with salt or soy sauce or ginger. The crescent roll is so bland and thicker than a normal egg roll wrap that the flavor of the egg roll needs to come from within.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Jan. 19-Jan. 25

2011-01-23T20:44:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that this is already the last week of January? At least I got my new curtains hemmed this weekend. The ones I've had since November and have been up and covering the floor at least by 4 inches and the dogs have been laying on them. They thought that they were Queens(well they do anyway) or something laying on soft silky fabric.

$74.82

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, cranberry juice
2-Oatmeal, blackberries, hot chocolate
3-Oatmeal, blueberries
4-Cinnamon rolls, grapfruit halves
5-Pancakes, hot chocolate
6-Cold cereal, milk
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, apple, fritos
2-PB&J sandwich, carrots, orange
3-Chicken salad sandwich (don't use all of the chicken from #2 dinner in the enchiladas), carrots
4-Tuna sandwich, hard boiled egg
5-Egg salad sandwich, apple
6-Salad
7-Chicken and avocado wraps

Dinner
1-Pasta, sauce, green salad
2-Chicken enchiladas, tortilla chips and salsa
3-Fish, roasted red potatoes, steamed or roasted broccoli
4-Bean/cheese burrito
5-Soup, cornbread OR cheese toast
6-Chicken, potato salad, frozen vegs., and applesauce
7-Leftovers

Albertson's
Albertson's cereals, $1, buy3
Chicken, $1.77 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $7.08
Reser's Potato salad, $1 lb.
Albertson's salsa, $1
Mi Ranchito tortilla chips, $1
LaVictoria enchilada sauce, $1, buy 2
Albertson's applesauce, $1.29
Albertson's mayonnaise, $2.49
Apples, $1 lb., buy 4 lbs.
Red Potatoes, $1 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Progresso vegetable classics soups, $1, buy 3 cans

Bashas'
Broccoli, .59 lb.
Bashas' milk, $1.67, buy 2
Blueberries, 2/$3, buy 1
Langer's cranberry juice cocktail, .99 on Mon. only
Aunt Jemima pancake mix, 2/$4, buy 1
Marie Calendar's cornbread mix, 2/$4, buy 1
Mini carrots, .99
Haas avocados, 2/$1
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.99

Fry's
Mission flour tortillas, .99, buy 3
Rosarita refried beans, .99, buy 2
Hunt's spaghetti sauce, .99
Barilla pasta, .99
Starkist tuna, .49, buy 2
Kraft shredded cheese, $1.88, buy 2
Nestle hot cocoa mix, .99
fritos, $1.77
Kroger frozen vegs., .97
Kroger cinnamon rolls, 10/$10, buy 1
Van de Kamps fish filets, $3.49
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 at $3.52
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.50

Sprouts
Blackberries, .99
Grapefruit, .49 each, buy 2
Navel oranges, .49 lb., buy 4 lbs.
Cucumbers, .49 each
Tomatoes, .77 lb.
Romaine, .88
Oatmeal, .79 lb., buy 2 lbs.

Items not on grocery list:
syrup
jelly
herbs and spices
pickle relish
butter
flour
sugar
olive oil or veg. oil

Frozen whipped cream

2011-01-19T20:32:00.000-08:00

I realize that white on white isn't the best for photos.

Just a quick tidbit. My mom used to freeze heavy cream in the carton and she also used to freeze whipped cream in spoonfuls and take them out to defrost and use later. So I couldn't remember if I'd done it before and had a boatload of whipped cream leftover from one of hubby's caterings. So I put a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet and put dollops of cream on it and then froze them. When they were solid (overnight) I then peeled them off of the parchment or waxed paper and put them in a ziplock bag.

I've been taking them out and putting them in a bowl and defrosting either in the microwave or just on the counter and then using them in my hot chocolate or homemade warm delights. Works great. Leave it frozen on the warm delight and it kind of tastes like ice cream.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Jan. 12-Jan. 18

2011-01-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

Check out http://preparedness365.blogspot.com/ this week, she used one of my ideas.

Great deals on prepared foods this past week at Bashas. What normally comes to $80, this week is $66. Great week to add to your stock of Ramen noodles or Rice A Roni. This past week I learned how to use a Foodsaver with the jar attachments to save things like chocolate chips, m & m's, marshmallows, cake and brownie mixes, nuts, choc. covered craisin, dried fruits in jars so that their shelf life is more like 5 years or more instead of 1 year. I also bought some fruit snacks and fruit bars to try out in the jars. Anyway, I'm thinking at .49 a box, that Rice A Roni would work great in the jars also. And you maybe could try putting the Ramen Noodles in the Foodsaver bags.

I've been in a funk today. And if you're wondering, my Christmas tree is still up. Anyway, hope that this week's menu appeals to you.

$69.65

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal, blueberries and juice
2-Eggs, toast
3-Egg in a hole
4-Oatmeal, juice
5-Toast or cinnamon toast, juice
6-Oatmeal
7-Quiche

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, hard boiled egg, cheetos
2-Pasta salad, clementine
3-Tuna sandwich, fritos, pudding cup
4-PB&J sandwich, cheetos, clementine
5-PB&J sandwich, clementine
6-Ramen noodles
7-Ramen noodles

Dinner
1-chicken, Rice A Roni, vegetables, deviled eggs, biscuits
2-Chili dogs, vegetables
3-Spaghetti, vegetables, leftover hot dog buns turned into garlic toast or garlic/cheese toast
4-Pizza, salad with avocado and tomato, 7-up
5-Pork loin, Rice A Roni, vegetables
6-Pasta salad with cold pork, biscuits
7-Chili and saltines, or top chili with leftover cheese and fritos

Dessert:
brownies

Groceries
Fry's:
Clementines, $2.77, buy 2 bags at $5.54
Boneless Pork loin, $1.97 lb, guessimating that 4 lbs. and that would be $7.88
Maruchan Ramen, .12, buy 4
Fry's med. eggs, 30 count. $2.49
Kroger p-nut butter, $1.25
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4 at $3.52
Roma tomatoes, $1 lb., buy 3 lbs.
Duncan Hines cake mix or brownie mix, 10/$10
Hebrew National beef Franks, $2.99
Kroger shredded cheese, $2.99
Foster Farms chicken, buy one get one free, Guestimating that at $1.59 x 4 is $6.36 and you'll get 2 chickens

Sprouts
Oats, .79 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.58

Bashas'
Buy 10 deal
1-Barilla Pasta, .69
2-Barilla Pasta
3-7-Up, .79
4-Del Monte sauce, .69
5-Del Monte sauce
6-Old Orchard juice, .69
7-Old Orchard juice, .69
8-Old Orchard juice, .69
9-Totinos pizza, .69
10-Totinos pizza, .69

1-Totinos pizza, .69
2-Totinos pizza, .69
3-Green Giant vegs., .69
4-Green Giant vegs.
5-Green Giant vegs.
6-Green Giant vegs.
7-Bumble Bee tuna, .49
8-Bumble Bee tuna
9-Bumble Bee tuna
10-Old Orchard juice, .69

1-Rice A Roni, .49
2-Rice A Roni
3-Rice A Roni
4-Rice A Roni
5-Fritos, $1.49
6-Dennisons chili, .69
7-Dennisons chili
8-Dennisons chili
9-Dennisons chili
10-cheetos, $1.49

Pillsbury Grands! biscuits, 10/$10
Fresh blueberries, .99
Hass avocados, 4/$1
Food Club pudding, .88
Food Club saltines, $1.29
Bashas hot dog buns, 4/$5, buy one
Broccoli, .99 lb.
Romaine, .99

Items not on grocery list
butter
mayo
pickle relish
milk
flour
sugar
frosting
olive oil and vinegar, and/or lemon juice or italian dressing for pasta salad
herbs and spices
salad dressings
jelly

Peach and Raspberry Crisp

2011-01-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

Peach and Raspberry Crisp
from Ina Garten
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/peach-and-raspberry-crisp-recipe/index.html

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Dec. 28-Jan. 4

2011-01-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

$76.45

Breakfast

1-Eggs, sausage, toast, orange juice
2-Oatmeal, blueberries
3-Oatmeal, apple juice
4-Oatmeal, orange juice
5-Bagel, cream cheese
6-Oatmeal, hot chocolate
7-Cinnamon rolls, hot chocolate

Lunch

1-Tuna sandwich, brownie
2-PB&J sandwich, wheat thins
3-Tuna sandwich, pudding cup, orange
4-PB&J sandwich, brownie, orange
5-Tuna sandwich, carrpts
6-Mac & cheese
7-Bean burrito

Dinner

1-Mac & cheese, carrots, pineapple chunks
2-Pizza, salad
3-Vegetable lasagna, salad, baguette. Make the lasagne with a white sauce, sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, steamed broccoli, sauteed onions and cheese with layers of lasagna pasta. Bake at 350
4-Bean and cheese burritos
5-Baked chicken breast, broccoli and biscuits
6-Spaghetti, salad and baguette
7-Shredded beef tacos. Small taco tortillas, cheese, lettuce, olive, tomatoes. Cooked roast in Pace salsa in crockpot all day long.

Dessert:
Ice cream
brownies

Safeway
Round roast, 1.99 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $3.98
Dreyers ice cream, $2.28

Albertsons
wheat thins, $1.88
Albertson's apple juice, .99 with coupon from Wed. paper
Donald Duck o j, .99 with coupon from Wed. paper
Hunt's spaghetti sauce, .77 with coupon
Albertson mac & cheese, .39, with coupon, buy 4 at $1.56
Albertsons pasta, .77 with coupon
mini carrots, .88 with coupon, buy 2
Albertson's bread, limit 2, buy 2, .67 with coupon
Herdez soft taco size tortillas, 10/$10, buy one
bagette, 1.19, buy 2
Bumble Bee tuna, .69, buy 3
Albertson's lasagna noodles, 10/$10, buy 1
mushrooms, 2/$3, buy 1
broccoli, .99 lb., buy 2 lbs.

Bashas'
Bashas' milk, .79 for 1/2 gallon, buy 4, limit 4 $3.16
Dole Pineapple, .88 ea
Roma tomatoes, 2 lbs/$1, buy 2 lbs.
Dole garden salad, .77, buy 3
Red Baron Pizza, 2.88
Sargento cheese, $1.99, buy 2
Pillsbury brownie mix, 2/$3, buy 1
Mission tortillas, 2/$3, buy one
Pace salsa, 2/$4, buy 1
Food Club olives, .99
McCormick taco seasoning 3/$2, buy one
Fiesta refried beans, .69, buy 3
Italian squash, .99 lb., buy 1/2 lb. at .49
Eggs, I've allowed $1.99/dozen

Sprouts
Oats, .69/lb., buy 4 lbs. at $2.76

Fry's
Chicken breast, $1.77 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $3.54
Blueberries, $1
Kroger cream cheese, .99
Kroger bagels, .99
Hunt's snack pack pudding, 10/$10
Pillsubry Grands! biscuits, $1.88
Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, $1.88
Nestle hot cocoa, 10/$10, buy 1
Farmer John pork links, 10/$10, buy 1
Navel oranges, $1/lb., buy 3 lbs.
sweet onion, $1 lb., buy 1/2 lb. at .50
Peanut butter, Kroger Value, $1.50
Jelly, I've allowed $2.00
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 2

Items not listed:
flour and butter for white sauce
Mayonnaise
salad dressings
butter
spices/herbs

The party's over

2011-01-02T19:30:00.001-08:00

Chili pepper lights and an angel who's about to swan dive off of the top of the tree. The tree is still up, can't bear to take it down yet.

Chop Salad

2011-01-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

My kids tease me that half of the photos on my camera are of food. They are embarrassed to show their friends pictures off of my camera. It is what it is.

I don't know what this salad is called. Sooz got the recipe off of the "Two Peas and a Pot" blog and she used it for the Relief Society Christmas dinner this past December. I made it for her that night. The poor woman was in charge of food that night and also had a daughter getting married in two weeks so she was right on the edge of somethin. I also did a trial run of the salad a week before to see how much we would need to have for that night. It is really yummy. Very colorful. Very garlicy. Or as Emeril would say, "Gaaaaahlic". Very tasty salad.

For the first time I made this salad, the trial run, I used craisins because I didn't have golden raisins. Or any raisins for that matter. I had thrown out the rock hard raisins after I had exhanged them for chocolate chips in the cup that my son was using as a finals studying motivator. That's what you see in the above fuzzy shot. Craisins. I also used lemon juice concentrate for the dressing. It worked fine, just use a little less, because it's well, it's concentrated.

Chop Salad
from Two Peas and a Pot

Chopped butter lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped avocado
Sliced or diced red onion
Toasted almonds
golden raisins

Dressing:
1/4 C. cider vinegar
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. Olive Oil
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Plan on about 6-7 servings per head of butter lettuce. My daughter and I could each eat half a head of salad, but for the dinner, I planned on about 7 servings per head and it turned out about right.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-11-20T22:26:00.000-08:00

Now I wish that I had taken a picture. What began as a way to use up the gorgeous mushrooms the husb. bought at Costco a few days ago before they went slimey turned into a victorious end to the experiment. I wanted to use them for dinner and as we were having potato soup for dinner, sauteed mushrooms didn't seem like they were a suitable accompiament. I couldn't find any sausage in the freezer that wasn't freezer burned, so I switched out hamburger. I decided to use Stove Top stuffing, the pork flavor for the stuffing part.

Stuffed Mushrooms

20-24 or so large button mushrooms
2 T. minced onion
1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix
1/2 lb. sausage or ground beef, browned
garlic powder or garlic salt or fresh garlic
Olive Oil

Pull the stems out of the mushrooms. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or rinse quickly and absorb the water with a paper towel, and set them in an 8x8 pyrex pan. Drizzle some olive oil on them. Chop the mushroom stems up finely. Saute the onion in some olive oil, add the mushroom stems and cook until soft. Add some water to the fry pan, maybe 3/4C.-1 C., add the stuffing mix and stir until the stuffing is a nice consistency, adding more water if you need it. Add the sausage or ground beef and some garlic powder or garlic salt to taste. The mushrooms will give off water when they cook in the oven, so the stuffing can be a little dry before you add them to the mushrooms as it will absorb some mushroom liquid while cooking. It needs to be wet enough to stick to the mushroom however. Stuff the mushrooms, drizzle more olive oil over the tops, cook at 350 for about 20 minutes. It could have been less, I didn't keep track.

Cranberry Slush

2010-11-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

Quick Recipe
Cranberry Slush
from Jane Maynard from the blog, This week for dinner

4 cans whole berry cranberry sauce
3 quarts cranberry juice
2 quarts ginger ale

Run 4 cans of cranberry sauce through a collander or sieve. Add 2 quarts of juice. Freeze. When ready to serve, mash up frozn cranberry mix with 1 quart of cranberry juice and 2 quarts of ginger ale.

In a comment post, Jane said that she believed that this would serve 25 six oz. servings.

Apple sausage bread dressing

2010-11-19T08:13:00.000-08:00

Apple Sausage bread dressing or stuffing

1 lb. of breakfast sausage or italian sweet sausage, cooked and crumbled
2-3 shallots or a half onion, finely diced
2-3 ribs of celery, diced
2-3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 stick butter
Aproximately 2 cans of vegetable or chicken broth
Sage, if desired
Aproximately 2 boxes of Mrs. Cubbinson's seasoned breadcrumbs or cubes
salt and pepper
melted butter or olive oil

Put the bread cubes in a bowl. You decide by how many people you are having if you use one or two boxes. We like it leftover so I use two boxes. Put the butter or margerine in a skillet and sautee the celery, onion and apple until soft. Pour the vegetables on top on the bread cubes. Add a can of broth and let it sit for a few minutes. Stir to absorb the liquid into the dried bread cubes. Add more broth or water for desired consistency. Put into a greased casserole dish. Top with a little melted butter or some olive oil. Bake, uncovered aproximately 30 minutes at 350 until golden on top.

NOTE: This year, 2010, I was lazy and didn't peel, core and dice apples so I took my kitchen shears and cut up my dried food storage apples, then rehydrated them with hot water for 15 minutes. No one knew the difference in the stuffing.

My family likes it this way, however you could add:
sauteed mushrooms
dried cranberries
cooked diced giblets, ew
wild rice mix, like Uncle Ben's or Rice A Roni
diced cooked bacon or panceta
raisins or other dried fruit like apricots
egg, as a binder
turkey stock from cooking the neck and giblets instead of canned broth

Cranberry fizz

2010-11-19T05:34:00.000-08:00

Or as Sooz and her family call it, "Cran-Up". A nice punch to have around the holidays is quite simply, Cranberry juice cocktail with sprite, 7-Up or another brand of lemon-lime soda added to it. Variations could be Raspberry Cranberry juice cocktail or my current favorite, Pomegranate Cranberry juice coctail. Throw in a splash of orange juice if you'd like. You can float some raspberries or cranberries in the pitcher or punch bowl if you'd like to make it look pretty.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream

2010-11-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Gingersnap Ice Cream
by Pam Anderson, USA Weekend, Nov. 14, 2010

1 can (15 oz.) 100% pure pumpkin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 quart preminum vanilla ice cream
16 gingersnap cookies, coarsely crumbled

Heat pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a medium saucepan, stirring to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. Trasfer to shallow pan; freeze to cool quickly. Soften ice cream (15 seconds to 30 seconds on high power in the microwave). Turn into a large bowl; stir in pumpking puree until nearly incorporated. Crumble 16 gingersnaps into ice cream and continue to fold until incorporated. Freeze until ready to serve. NOTE: The ice cream that I normally buy is not a full quart any more.

Leftovers Post

2010-11-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

I know, like the cart before the horse but this will allow you to buy what you need for the leftovers meals while you are buying for the Thanksgiving dinner. There were some great ideas in the USA Weekend magazine yesterday for ideas of what to do with leftovers.

Turkey soup, of course
Turkey pot pie, make up a bechamel sauce ahead of time, add your meat and vegetables to it, heat and put a baked round of puff pastry on top of it
Turkey sliders
Cranberry scones or muffins
Cranberry pancakes
Cranberry cream cheese for toast or sweet breads or bagels.
Pumpkin pie milkshakes. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

My own idea, to make up pie pastry ahead of time for your Thanksgiving pies will also work for the leftovers, in using the pie pastry for turkey pot pie. Just make up or buy extra crusts when you are planning on or making pies.

Turkey and dumplings
turkey/cranberry sandwich with a spread of cream cheese.

And if you cannot take another bite of Thanksgiving food, freeze it and it will taste so good in two weeks when you have a busy day of shopping and haven't planned dinner.

Pens and Corn Cob Pen Photo

2010-11-14T20:36:00.001-08:00

You'll want to scroll down and click to get to the post that I just recently added pen pictures to, named "Life". Written about a week ago. The hubs and children are making these. Left is a corn cob pen. There are photos of a blue corn cob pen and some wooden pens in the "Life" post. When I went on my recipe copying and writing rampage, it pushed it down to the next page.

Twice-Baked Maple-Pecan Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

Twice-Baked Maple-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
from Soozy

Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes (4 lb0, scrubbed
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or pancake syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
3 Tbsp pecans, toasted and chopped
Garnish: snipped chives or slice scallions

Preparation
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Prick each potato once with a fork. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet 45-55 minutes until soft. 2. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop insides into a medium bowl. Mash with next 4 ingredients until smooth. Spoon back into skin. 3. To serve: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment: coat foil with nonstick spray. Place stuffed potatoes on sheet; sprinkle with bacon and pecans. Bake uncovered 15 minutes or until hot. Garnish. Planning Tip: Pecans can be toasted and chopped up to 1 week ahead. Bag; store at room temperature. Prepare potatoes through Step 2 up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate covered. Bring to room temperature before reheating (Step 3).

Corn Pudding

2010-11-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

Corn Pudding
from Soozy

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 can whole kernal corn
1 can creamstyle corn
2 eggs beaten
1 cup cream
1 stick butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together (including corn liquid). Put in an 8x8 pan and bake for 1 hr. at 350 degrees F.

I usually double this and put in a 13x9 pan. You can also add diced green chilies if you'd like.

Butternut Squash soup

2010-11-14T16:44:00.001-08:00

Butternut Squash Soup
Roast the dices of Butternut Squash at 400 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes
After roasting the squash, put some of the squash into the blender with some chicken broth or vegetable broth and puree being careful not to explode or implode the contents. Don't ask me why I know that this can happen. Luckily it didn't hit the ceiling and the dogs aproved of the flavor as they were licking it off of the floor. Sometimes if you take the plastic handle thingy out of the top and put a thick thickness of paper toweling on top while you whir, it helps. When I made this, I sauteed some diced shallots and ginger first in olive oil and then added it to the mixture to puree. Or add some ground ginger. Be careful with the ginger, I added a small amount, and the heat was intense, it was fine for me, but the flavor intensified the next day also. Puree with broth until desired thickness. Add salt and pepper to taste unless you salt and peppered the squash when you roasted it.

For added richness, add some cream, if you want, although I think that I am a purest when it comes to butternut squash soup. I am quite happy with the uncreamed version.

Eat and enjoy. My family said, "EW, squash soup!" So I got to eat it all by myself and was very happy with my predicament.

Roasted Butternut squash

2010-11-14T16:27:00.001-08:00

Roasted Butternut squash
Turn oven on to 400 Degrees FCut in half carefully, don't lose a digit. Cut off the stem end and the bottom end so that you have a steady squash for peeling and slicing. You really do need to be careful here, the squash is quite hard to cut and peel, and you could quite easily lose control. Don't have any small children at the counter when you do this.Peel carefully, I use a Chef's knife. The big intimidating one. You could try using a peeler, but I'm not that patient.DicePut on a sheet pan and drizzle with Olive oil, then add salt and pepper. Don't look at my gross/grody baking sheet. That's why I usually do fuzzy close-ups. Gorgeous color. Toss the dices around so that all are coated in the Olive Oil and are seasoned nicely. Roast at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.

It comes out all carmelly, sweet and delish. Yum. My favorite new thing to do.

Thanksgiving menu

2010-11-11T07:45:00.001-08:00

I know, I know that I have been such a slacker lately. So many other things that won't wait have required my attention.

I have been thinking this morning about Thanksgiving and what I will do and some easy ideas that would make someone's dinner table look sensational but require a minimum of effort. I will include them in separate posts so that they can go into the recipe list.

I think that we will have our standard T-giving menu:

Appetizers-Spinach dip from Knorr vegetable soup mix, with french bread chunks, Vegetable or olive/pickle tray. Assorted Juices and soda as everyone assembles together. Ooooooo, and also have to have those Lil smokies. Wouldn't be quite the same without Lil Smokies.

Turkey, possibly a small ham also

Apple, sausage and sage dressing-I cook it separate from the bird so therefore it's called dressing. Something has always freaked me out about putting it in the turkey, plus I like the dressing crusty and crunchy on the top.

Maple pecan yams

Mashed potatoes/gravy-lately I used bottled gravy, don't hate me for this.

Potato salad-HUH? When I ask the family two weeks before t-giving what they want for turkey day, the Hubs alwasy responds with "POTATO SALAD". His mom always served Potato Salad for Thanksgiving. So while it sounds like, to me anyway, that it belongs more on a summer picnic menu, we have potato salad. Except for a couple of years when I was too lazy to make it and one year when I forgot to get it out from the fridge put it on the table.

Homemade cranberry relish/sauce-this is fantastic, just follow the recipe on the package of whole cranberries and you can make it a couple of days ahead. It's easy peezy.

Either that Green Pistachio salad, the fluffy kind with cool whip and pineapple in it or that Pretzel Strawberry salad. Both seem more like dessert than a salad, but, oh well.

Some kind of green vegetable. Which in my family means green beans unless you count the spinach from the appetizer.

Rolls. Sometimes I make homemade and freeze them a couple of weeks ahead. Sometimes I use Pillsbury tube crescent rolls, sometimes I buy them from the bakery at the grocery store.

Pumpkin pie, mincemeat pie and apple pie with whipped cream. Last year, I think for Christmas dinner, I had put a disk of homemade pie crust in the freezer when I had made the pies for Thanksgiving because it was leftover. So I pulled out that pie crust and let it defrost in the fridge, then made a pumpkin pie using it. It worked out great. So make your pie crusts now and freeze them for the day that you make pies or the day of Thanksgiving. Or I make turnovers using the leftover crust. Cherry filling, jam, apple pie filling, mincemeat, all yummy wrapped in pie crust, sprinkled with sugar, with a few tiny slits on top and baked to golder perfection and yumminess.

And I love to have little dishes of nuts and M&Ms throughout the house. With dogs and little kids, they have to be hidden or put up high now.

So now, there you have it. Now I will tell you what I have been doing this past week and this week to prepare for this. The grocery deals are smokin in Nov. You need to get on it. With last week's and this week's Mega 10 sale at Fry's I have been stocking up on baking items, cream soups, chunky soups, canned chili, broths, pumpkin, stuffing mixes, gravy, choc. chips, flour and sugar that I will use throughout the coming year. Take a few minutes to go to http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/ and get your coupons together and organize your list. Seriously, every time that I have gone to Fry's the past couple of days, I have saved over $70. For example, 7-Up and A&W root beer are .40 this week with a coupon and with buying ten Mega 10 products. We will either use it for Thanksgiving, or the kids are always asked to bring soda to a party or two around the holidays, or we will give them away as the neighborhood or friend's gifts.

I have also been using the really good buys, like .50 cookie mixes and .75 Stove top stuffings and .75 gravies to contribute to the school's Feed a Family for Thanksgiving drive. It feels good to help plus at these prices I can contribute double or triple or quadruple what I could have for the original prices. Gathering cheap canned goods for the little kids to help you deliver at a food bank is an excellent way to open up a conversation of how blessed we are to live in this country, how there are so many people who need help in the world, other countries standards of living and to discuss gratitude and thankfulness for what we have.

Bashas' and another store have Gold Medal flour for .99 this week. Bashas' price is just for the weekend, so read your ads! Fry's had toothbrushes for .89 last week and with the Colgate coupon doubled they were free. I need to see if the same is true this week. Would make for a very economicle stocking stuffer for Christmas. Also check the coupons for make up for your big girls for stocking stuffers. Or sometimes things like grooming supplies are dirt cheap if they are on sale with a coupon.

Now is also the time to polish the silver, wiped out the good goblets if they haven't been used in awhile and wipe off the china. Also if you're planning activities for visiting children or table favors or special table decorations, get them done now. Also buy any pans, candles or extras that you need now.

So what is your standard t-giving menu? What are YOU planning?

Energy Audits

2010-10-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

Just a shout out for my cousin's boy, Mark, who recently started a home energy audit business. He's a good guy. If you're interested in having Mark do an energy audit of your home contact him at www.consultethos.com or check out his blog at www.consultethos.blogspot.com . He is licensed in Arizona and Utah to do these audits. Check out www.energysavers.gov/ for energy saving tips.

Here's to...

2010-10-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

Licks on the chin from my puppy, warm cookies or muffins just out of the oven, homemade cards, being saved by a friend, friends helping and volunteering because you procrastinated for whatever reason...thank you, you know who you are. Here's to hugs from a child, hugs from a "not so little anymore" child, lunch being brought unexpectedly by my hubs, my best friend. Here's to being able to make and eat soup in the fall without sweating your brains out, to warm, out of the dryer clothes that warm your outsides, here's to thoughts that warm your soul. Here's to love and goods times and here's even to the not-so-good-times that make us stronger. Here's to the promise of a new day! I will get the new budget menu out tonight or tomorrow, promise.

Life

2010-10-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

So, trying to get out the door this morning at 6:07 for Seminary when my daughter finally remembers that she needed a current event for a class at school today. She goes on the computer and of course, it's slow or freezing up or whatever. Murphy's Law, the computer never works when you really need it right now. She gets frustrated and says something in an agitated manner and I say something snarky about waiting until two minutes before we had to leave to do homework. All the while this is happening, I am bringing the newspaper into the house. She says something dramatically to the effect of, "Fine, I just won't do it, I just won't do it!" I say, "Go do it, I'll wait, it's fine." Then I ask, "I can come home and look it up while you're in Seminary, just tell me what you need." She replies, "No, I just won't do it, it's fine, let's go." Then, the old double "DUH" happens. I had just brought in the newspaper. THE NEWSPAPER. Remember those? So I grab the paper, grab some scissors, and viola, we're in business. Feeling stupid, but in business. She cuts out an article while I'm driving and she gets to Seminary in time. It wouldn't be fun I guess if we didn't have drama once in a while when getting ready for school/Seminary.

Other things going on around the house. The hubs has decided that he needs a new hobby and has taken up mini lathe turning of pens. You buy the "blanks" at the Rockler wood store or you can make your own blanks out of scrap wood. So far he has made a pen out of tulip wood, and one out of walnut. And the coolest material by far he's done, a pen out of a corn cob. Yes, you heard me right. You can buy the corn cob blanks at Rockler. They're treated with something to stabilize them so that they don't disintergrate when they are on the lathe. Also, you can buy acrilic blanks, or blanks with coffee beans, or spaghetti or wheat in them. When he gets the corn cob pen finished, I will post a picture. Blue corn cob Closer look at blue corn cob penYellow corn cob penCloser view of the yellow corn cob pen, but sorry, it's fuzzy. Tulip wood pen Walnut wood pen

Also my little dog is going blind in one eye. I feel like a dog nurse lately meeting scheduled medicine giving. I have pill dispensing and eye drop giving to a dog down to a science. I slip it underneath an animal cracker bit and she scarfs it down. The pills, I mean, not the eye drops. Cream cheese, chicken, peanut butter also work really well. Again for the pills, not the drops. I can just hear someone reading this saying, "No wonder she has an eye problem with all of that peanut butter in her eye." Ha.

On to putting the groceries away and then working on the budget menu.

If you don't think....

2010-10-19T22:12:00.000-07:00

That it pays to buy groceries on sale, let me tell that it does. I just went to Bashas' before the sale this week ended to get a few things that I couldn't this morning because they were doing some work in the store. I bought 10 packs of bacon and 10 boxes of pasta for $25-something. I SAVED, let me repeat, that I SAVED $52! Can you believe that? Always buy on sale if you can.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Oct. 13-Oct. 19

2010-10-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

$77.08

Breakfast
1-Pop tarts, Juice
2-Yogurt, toast
3-Cold cereal, milk
4-Pancakes
5-Muffins, yogurt, raspberries
6-Cinnamon rolls
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-Bologna sandwich, doritos chips
2-PB&J sandwich, grapes
3-turkey sandwich, strawberries
4-PB&J sandwich, cheetos
5-Turkey sandwich, nutri grain bars, bugles
6-Tomato soup, cheetos
7-Hot pockets, coke

Dinner
1-Mac & Cheese, crescents, asparagus either steamed or roasted
2-Cheese omelett, salad
3-Spaghetti, garlic toast, salad
4-Hot dogs, buns, carrot sticks, baked beans
5-Chicken and dumplings
6-Bacon and tomato sandwiches
7-Leftovers

Desserts
Dreyer's ice cream
Cookies

Albertson's
Buy 8 deal
1-Shake n pour pancake batter, .99
2-Betty Crocker cookie pouch, .99
3-Betty Crocker muffin mix, $1.99
4-Pillsbury crescent rolls, $1.49
5-Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, $1.49
6-Cinnamon toast crunch or another kind of cereal, $1.49
7-Progresso chicken broth, $1.49
8-Bugles, $1.49

Albertson's 1/2 gallon milk, .88, buy 4 at $3.52
Raspberries, .88
Bar S jumbo meat franks, .88
Carrots, $1/2# bag
Chicken, .88 lb, fam pack, I've allowed for $9.00

Bashas'
10 item deal
1-Hunts Pasta sauce, .69
2-Barilla pasta, .69
3-Sunny D, .69
4-Tillamook cheese, $1.29
5-Tillamook cheese, $1.29
6-Cheetos, $1.59
7-Tyson bacon, $1.99
8-Tyson bacon, $1.99
9-Nutri grain bars, $1.99
10-Hot dog buns, nature's Own, $1.29

Red seedless grapes, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Red bell pepper, .99, buy one

Fry's
Baguette, .75
Private Selection mesquite smoked turkey, $4.25 lb., buy one lb.
Fry's large eggs, .84, buy 2
Kroger yogurt, 3/$1, buy 9
Bush's baked beans, 10/$10, buy one
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Buy 10 deal
1-Dreyers ice cream, $2.77
2-Coke, .79
3-Coke, .79
4-Kelloggs Poptarts, $1.49
5-Oscar Mayer bologna, $1.49
6-Hot pockets, $1.49
7-Hot pockets, $1.49
8-Kraft Mac & cheese, .49
9-Kraft Mac & cheese, .49
10-Doritos chips, $2.49

Safeway
Campbell's tomato soup, 2/$1, buy 2 cans

Sprouts
Strawberries, .97
Cucumber, .49
Asparagus, $1.49 lb.
Sweet onions, .77 lb.
Romaine lettuce, .77
Cluster tomatoes, .88 lb., buy one lb.

Items not on list:
flour, for dumplings
sugar
syrup
peanut butter
jelly
butter
spices, herbs
mayonnaise
mustard

Make-A-Mix

2010-10-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have never heard of the Make-A-Mix cookbooks, let me tell you, that they have been around since 1978. I remember hearing about it about a year or two later and loving my paperback copy which I still have. I only mention all of this because I was able to see a demonstration by two of the authors, Karine Eliason and Nevada Harward, this past Tuesday. Their presentation focused on the importance of family meal time in a structured way, around the dinner table. If you find that you don't have time to cook each night you might want to check out their books, which give ideas for saving money and time with mixes that you make yourself at home on a day when you have time to cook. I wanted to put a picture of the books somewhere on this post but for fear of breaking copyright laws if you want to see them, then go here:

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Mix-KarineEliason/dp/0762426020#reader_076426020

Also check out their website with the link on my Favorites blog list or at:

http://www.make-a-mix.com/ Some great ideas for Halloween on there.

Homemade doughnuts

2010-10-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

This recipe is brilliant. Brilliant, I say. I was strolling over at "$5 dinners" and found this
http://www.5dollardinners.com/2010/10/angies-home-donuts.html
I am loving the convenience lately anyway of refrigerated biscuit dough in the tubes. When I made the Monkey Bread I was pleasantly surprised at how it tasted like a yeast dough when cooked in that way. I hope to try this soon and get a few photos of my own up with this post.

Perfect for fall weather and Halloween time, can you imagine a cup of hot spiced cider with this, or a even a cold glass of apple juice, oh yeah. This is the simple recipe in my own words:

Angie's Homemade Donuts
from the blog, "$5 dinners"

2 tubes of refrigerated biscuits
oil for frying
sugar for coating afterwards Line up the biscuits, use a pop bottle cap to cut out the center.Fry doughnuts and centers in hot oil, being careful not to start a fire or splash wicked hot grease on yourself. When golden brown on both sides, transfer to a paper towel lined plate, and while still hot put in a brown grocery bag with sugar and/or sugar and cinnamon and shake until coated. Or, if you would prefer to frost or glaze your donuts, omit the sugar coating step and make a simple glaze.Above photo shows a plain glaze made out of powdered sugar, vanilla, water and a touch of butter. I think that I would have to make a chocolate glaze to top mine though. With sprinkles on top.
Above, chocolate glaze, no sprinkles. These turned out small because they were from the smaller biscuits. We liked them a lot. They taste different than a bakery donut, but we liked them enough to do it again. They fry up quick, it maybe took me 30 minutes from start to finish. That included making two different kinds of glazes and glazing them. And watching part of "the Price is Right"!

Bruschetta

2010-10-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

Few things get scarfed down in this house with the same intensity as this and a loaf of good french bread toasted to perfection do.

Bruschetta
from Sue S.

3 T. Basalmic vinegar

5 Roma tomatoes

2 T. finely chopped fresh basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 T. chopped garlic, or to taste (I use garlic salt or powder)

1 T. Olive Oil

Mix together everything, then drizzle the olive oil over all and toss.

Slice french bread, brush or drizzle with olive oil, and then put under the broiler to toast. Put a spoonful of mix on the bread and eat. Yummy!

Menu for the week with what's on sale for Sept. 29-Oct. 5

2010-10-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

$83.93

Breakfast
1-Pancakes, syrup, apple juice
2-Cold cereal, milk
3-Cold cereal, milk, banana slices
4-Panckaes, syrup
5-Creme Brule French toast. See recipe at cloud on right under eggs or breakfast. Use a french bread for this.
6-Cold cereal, milk
7-Pancake, syrup

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, granola bar, mini carrots
2-PB&J sandwich, pudding cup
3-Bagel with cream cheese, apple
4-PB&J, granola bar
5-Pasta salad, grapes, crackers
6-Chicken Noodle soup, apple, crackers
7-Tomato soup, crackers

Dinner
1-Banquet Meat Pie, salad
2-Taco soup, see recipe at cloud on right under soups. Tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese as toppers. Use garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper as the seasoning instead of buying a packet of taco seasoning.
3-Fish filets, frozen vegetable
4-Pasta salad, french bread. Pasta, Kroger ranch or italian dressing, zucchini dices, blanched broccoli.
5-Ground beef and bean burritos. Use garlic salt and chili powder as seasoning. You might want to add an extra package of cheese onto your grocery list at $1.25 per package.
6-Vegetable lasagne, salad. Use some of the blanched zucchini and broccoli and red pepper and onion. Make a while sauce and layer vegetables and lasagne noodles together and top with cheese.
7-Macaroni and cheese, fresh green beans, hot dogs either whole or cut into coins, french bread. Leftover vegetables if any.

Albertson's
French bread, .99, buy 2
Iceberg lettuce, .49, buy 2
Smucker's grape jelly, $1.29
Zucchini, $1 lb., buy .50 worth
Santitas tortilla chips, $1.77
Albertson's frozen vegetables, 10/$10, buy 1 or add a dollar to the total and buy 2 if you need to
Ground beef, $1.97 with 5 lb. minimum, 5 lbs. at $9.85

Bashas'
Gala apples, 2 lbs./$1, limit 6 lbs. Buy 6 lbs. at $3.00
Bashas' milk, $1.68, limit 2, buy 2
Seedless grapes, .79 lb, buy 2 lbs.
Red bell pepper, .99
Del Monte vegetables, 2/$1, buy 1, buy corn
Del Monte tomat sauce, 2/$1, buy 1
Buy 2 cans of tomatoes, I've allowed for $1/can, buy 2 fifteen oz. cans at $2
Buy 5 Promotion
1-Aunt Jemima pancake mix, $1.59
2-Aunt Jemima pancake syrup, $1.59
3-Life cereal, $1.59
4-Life cereal, $1.59
5-Quaker granola bars, $1.59

Half and Half, $1.99
Onions, 2#/$1, buy one at .50
Fresh green beans, .99 lb.
Hunt's snack pack pudding, 10/$10, buy 1
Campbell's chicken noodle soup and tomato soup, buy two of each at $2.00
Kraft mac & cheese, 5/$4, buy 2
Triscuit or wheat thins crackers, 2/$4, use coupon from the ad and get a dollar off, so 2 for $3
Banquet pot pies, .44, buy 4 at $2.64
Dole bananas, .48 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $1.44
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.39/doz., buy 2 doz.
Lasagne noodles, I've allowed for $1.99

Fry's
Langer's apple juice, .99
Barilla Pasta, 10/$10, buy 1
Kroger salad dressing, 10/$10
Kroger bar or shredded cheese, 4/$5, buy 1
Kroger mini carrots, 10/$10, buy 1
Gorton's fish, 2/$7, buy 1
Kroger sour cream, $1
Broccoli or cauliflower, 10/$10, buy 1 lb. of brocc.
Bar S franks, 10/$10
Bush's beans, 10/$10, buy 2
Kroger cream cheese, 10/$10, buy 1
Kroger bagels, 10/$10, buy 1
Pillsbury brownie mix, 10/$10, buy 1
Kroger value bread, .88, buy 2
Kroger value peanut butter, $1.50
Four tortillas, I've allowed for $1.99

Items not on the grocery list:
Mayo
herbs, spices
sugar
brown sugar
taco seasoning packet
butter
fresh tomatoes

Creme Brule French Toast

2010-09-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

For a brunch, holiday or if you're LDS, a Conference morning breakfast. My friend Tanya gave us this recipe and I have not tried it yet. NOTE: Obviously, since I have a picture of it now, I have tried it since I first wrote this. I found it easy and my family thought it was delicious. It's going in the file and will be used for special occassions.

Creme Brule French Toast
From my friend Tanya

1/2 C. unsalted butter
1 C. packed brown sugar
2 T. corn syrup
Bread, sliced to cover butter mixture (5-6 slices)
5 large eggs
1 1/2 C half and half
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

In a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Pour into a 9x13 glass baking dish. Arrange bread pieces on top. Beat eggs, half and half, vanilla and salt. Pour egg mixture over the bread. Cover and chill overnight in refrigerator. The next morning, bake uncovered @ 350 degrees for 34-40 minutes.

Golden brown and yummy---enjoy.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Sept. 22-Sept. 28

2010-09-24T22:52:00.000-07:00

Some really great deals going on this week and one I stumbled onto for Barilla pasta. Buy four and get a catalina coupon at the register good for $2 off on 3 piccolini pasta boxes. Buy four more and use the coupon and then get another coupon b/c you bought 4 more and keep on going back for pasta at .50/box b/c it's on sale for $1/box. This was at Fry's. Also at Fry's at the newly remodeled store on Tatum/Shea, Starkist Albacore tuna for .50/can. Raspberries for $1 a box, limit 4 at Fry's. I am seriously thinking about making a couple of more batches of freezer jam to use for neighbor/friend's gifts at Christmas. It would be already done, all I would have to do is reach into my freezer when I am ready to take them a goodie. Or I may dip marshmallows in chocolate and pack them into a clear bag. Can't decide. 90 days, 13 hrs., and 45 minutes til Christmas, in case you were wondering. Last year what I tried to do was to buy a couple of gifts every week starting with the first week of September so that it wasn't so overwhelming to me when Thanksgiving was over with and the Christmas frenzy hit. I haven't started yet, but need to get on it.

$75.83

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, banana
2-Yogurt/toast, hard boiled egg
3-Cold cereal, milk, peaches
4-Cold cereal, milk
5-Cold cereal, milk
6-Oatmeal, raspberries
7-Cold cereal, milk

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, carrots
2-Lunchmeat sandwich, grapes, crackers
3-Bagel with cream cheese, grapes
4-Tuna sandwich, apple wedges
5-PB&J sandwich, orange
6-Ramen noodles, apple wedges
7-Ramen noodles, crackers

Dinner
1-Spaghetti, french bread stick, salad
2-Favorite chicken, see chicken on recipe cloud, canned vegetable
3-Tacos
4-Fish, baked potato/butter, canned vegetable
5-Salad, cheese toast on french bread stick slices
6-Chunky soup(Beef, most likely, or some kind of chicken flavor if you'd like) over mashed potatoes
7-Breakfast for dinner, scrambled eggs and toast. Hash browns if any potatos are left. Or Fry's Mac & Cheese for $1 for 2 boxes.

Dessert:
Peach/Raspberry Crisp, see Pies/Crisps on recipe cloud
Brownies

Albertsons:
Buy 8
1-Albertson's bread, .89
2-Albertson's bread, .89
3-Albertson's bread, .89
4-Albertson's cereal, .99
5-Albertson's cereal, .99
6-Albertson's cereal, .99
7-Long grain rice, .99
8-Classico pasta sauce, $1.79

Albertson's butter, 99
Green grapes, .77 lb., buy 2
Mini carrots, .77
Land O Frost shaved deli lunchmeat, $1.99
Albertson's Taco shells, 10/$10, buy 1
Maruchan Ramen noodles, 6/$1, buy 6
Radish or green onions, 3/$1, buy one green onion bunch at .33

Bashas'
Milk, .88 1/2 gallon, buy 4 at $3.52
Bashas large eggs, .77 dozen on Monday only, buy 2
Chompies bagels, $1.99
Philadelphia cream cheese, $1.99
5 lb. bag russet potatoes, .77
Split chicken breasts, .97 lb., buy 6 at $5.82
Dole garden salad, .77, buy 3 at $2.31
Food Club yogurt, 10/$4, buy 4 at $1.60
French stick bread, $1.49, buy 2 at $2.98
Dole bananas, .48 lb., buy 5 lbs. at $2.40
80% lean ground beef at $1.48 lb. in 3# chub at $4.44

Fry's
Raspberries, $1, buy 2
Yellow peaches, .59 lb, buy 3 at $1.77
Kroger tuna, 20/$10, buy 2 at $1.00
Pillsbury brownie mix, 10/$10, buy 1
Gorton's fish fillets, 2/$7, buy 1 at $3.50
Apples, $1 lb., buy 3 lbs.
Fry's spaghetti, .88
Kroger Value peanut butter, $1.49
Fry's chicken broth, .89, 2 cans, check recipe for sure that it's 2 cans, if not add .89 onto total
Kraft cheese, $1.67, buy 2
Campbell's Chunky soup, 10/$10, buy 2 cans
Fry's mac & cheese, .50, buy 2 at $1 if you opt for mac & cheese on #7 instead of eggs/toast

Safeway
Navel oranges, .88 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.64, Sat., Sun. and Monday only
Mushrooms, .99
Safeway canned vegetables, .79, buy 2 cans
Ritz crackers, $1.88, Sat., Sun., and Mon. only

Sprouts
Oats, .79 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $1.58

Items not on list
jelly
flour
sugar
brown sugar
spices, herbs
Mayonnaise
salad dressings
tartar sauce
sour cream
Mayonnaise
taco sauce or salsa
tomatoes

Another Monkey Bread Recipe

2010-09-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

So how many monkeys does it take to make Monkey Bread?

Monkey Bread
from Sooz

24 Frozen Rhodes balls
1/2 small box butterscotch pudding mix (not instant)
1/2 C. magarine
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1-Place dough balls in unbuttered bundt pan. (I cut them into quarters) (So I assume that they are thawed then)

2-Sprinkle pudding over the dough

3-Melt margaine and brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour over top. Leave overnight. (Not sure if you would leave it on the counter or in the fridge overnight, I'll have to ask Sooz.) Bake 350 for 20-30 minutes. Invert to cool.

Rasberry Jam

2010-09-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

Loving the Raspberries. I made two batches of Raspberry Jam two weeks ago. I just use the recipe for freezer jam contained in either the Sure-Jell package or the Kroger brand pectin. The Kroger brand is about half the price. Anyway, Albertson's has raspberries on sale again this week so I want to get more and make more freezer jam. Aren't they beautiful? Probably don't look as ripe as they should be to those of you who have your own raspberry bushes.I seive at least half of the pulp to avoid so many seeds.

Monkey bread

2010-09-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

I wasn't fast enough to get a photo of this before it began to be eaten. I made this this morning. So good. And I used cheap Bashas' Food Club brand tube biscuits at .66 each. Worked out marvelous. The husband got this recipe from our friend Tom. It is now afternoon and all of the Monkey bread is gonzo. Tom says that making the cream cheese icing below and putting some on top of the bread while it is still warm is yummy, and then making sure you have some for dipping is necessary. I didn't know cream cheese icing was an option when I made this so we had it without. I think that we consumed enough calories without it.
Monkey Bread
from Tom H.
who got it from http://www.famousfrenchdesserts.com/

for 8 people
4 tubes Biscuits (refridgerated)
3/4 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C additional granulated sugar
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. evaporated milk
1 C. butter
1.5 C. chopped pecans (I made it without nuts)
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut biscuits into quarters. The biscuits I used were small so I cut them into thirds.. Combine 3/4 C. white sugar with the cinnamon. Roll each biscuit quater in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. In a cake pan or baking dish, (I used two bread pans), layer the biscuits and the pecans. In a saucepan, slowly bring milk, remaining 3/4 C. white sugar, brown sugar, and butter to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour over biscuits in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until it is cooked to your liking! Flip pan over onto a serving dish and serve right away! Voila!

Variations:

Chopped almonds instead
Layer apple chunks and walnuts with biscuits
Layer biscuits with strawberry jam and fresh strawberry slices, omit cinnamon
Apricot jam
Raspberry jam and mixed berries

Icing
1/2 pound cream cheese (8 oz.)
1/2 pound butter (1 C.)
1 pound powdered sugar (4 C.)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
t tsp. lemon juice

Allow cream cheese and butter to get to room temperature. Beat butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl with a mixer. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Mix for 12 minutes. Do not mix less than that. When almost done, add in the extract and lemon juice.

Menus with what's on sale for the week of Sept. 7-Sept. 14

2010-09-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

$78.04

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk and juice
2-Instant oatmeal, juice
3-Cold cereal, banana
4-French toast, juice
5-Instant oatmeal, peaches
6-Cold cereal, milk, juice
7-Eggs, toast

Lunch
1-Bologna sandwich, banana
2-PB&J sandwich, grapes
3-Bologna sandwich, cheez its crackers, orange
4-PB&J sandwich, cottage cheese
5-Spaghetti salad(leftover spaghetti noodles, tomatoes, onion, leftover vegs, vinegar and oil and italian herbs), green salad
6-Soup, apple wedges
7-Soup, oranges sections

Dinner
1-Turkey burgers, potato salad
2-Spaghetti Alfredo, salad
3-London broil, baked potato, green beans
4-Chicken thighs, brown rice, broccoli
5-Taco soup, salad, biscuits. Tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream as toppers. See Taco soup recipe under soups in recipe section
6-Chicken salad, cantaloupe wedges. See recipe for chicken salad under Polynesian chicken salad in recipes section. Leave out mandarin oranges. Add scallions and celery to grocery list and total if desired.
7-Leftovers

Dessert:
Root beer floats
Ice cream

Albertson's:
Albertson's sandwich bread, .77 each with coupon, limit 2, buy 2 at $1.54
Iceberg lettuce, .47 each with coupon, limit 2, buy 2 at .94
Ground turkey, $1.99 for 1# with coupon limit 2, buy 1
Albertson's milk, $1.67, limit 2, buy 2 at $3.34
Campbell's soup, $1, buy 4 at $4
Seedless grapes, .79 lb, buy 2 at $1.58
Chicken thighs, .79 lb, buy 3 lbs. at $2.37
American beauty pasta, $1
Bar S Junbo franks, $1
Bar S bologna, $1
Albertson's sour cream, $1
Malt O Meal cereals, $1, buy 4
Albertson's instant oatmeal packs, $1
Albertson's cheese, 2 lbs., $4.99
Onions, $1 lb., I've allowed for 1 lb., buy 1 onion

Bashas'
Food Club canned biscuits, .66
Cheez its snacks, $1.88
Challenge butter, $1.98
Libby's Vegetables, 10/$5, buy 1 can corn at .50
Food Club Peanut butter, 2/$3, buy 1
Food Club grape jelly, 2/$3, buy 1
Lawry's taco seasoning, 2/$1, buy 1 at .50
Fiesta tortilla chips, .99
Shamrock Farms cottage cheese, $1.99
Old Orchard juice blends, 4/$5, buy 1 at $1.25
Dole bananas, .48 lbs, limit 6 lbs., buy 6 lbs. at $2.88
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.39, buy 2 doz.

Fry's
Gala apples, 2 lbs/$1, buy 4 lbs.
Kroger ice cream, $1.77
Kroger cranberry juice, $1.98
Hunt's tomatoes, .89, buy 3 cans, puree one in the blender to use as tomato sauce
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 2, you may be able to get by with one loaf
Hamburger buns, I've allowed for $1.50

Safeway
Rancher's Reserve boneless london broil, $1.99 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.97. Have one lb. ground into hamburger for the Taco soup
Ragu sauce. Buy alfredo if you'd like. .99
A&W root beer, .77. Monday only
Yoplait yogurt, .50. Buy one vanilla for the chicken salad recipe

Sprouts
Peaches, .49, buy 5 lbs. at $2.45
Cantaloupe, .77 each
Green beans, .88 bls, buy 2 lbs.
Broccoli crowns, .88 lb.
5# bag russet potatoes, .88 each
Vine ripe tomatoes, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Brown rice, .69 lb., buy 1 lb.

Items not on grocery list:
Mayo
mustard
flour
sugar
spices
salad dressing
celery
scallions
mandarin oranges
syrup or powdered sugar

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Sept. 1-Sept. 7

2010-09-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

$73.05

Breakfast
1-Pancakes, cranberry juice
2-Oatmeal
3-French toast, bacon
4-Waffles, cranberry juice
5-Oatmeal
6-Corn griddle cakes
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, crackers, banana, Kool Aid
2-Suddenly Salad, crackers, Kool Aid
3-PB&J sandwich, potato chips, grapes
4-PB&J sandwich, potato chips, carrots
5-PB&J sandwich, grapes
6-Hot dog, banana
7-Suddenly salad, watermelon

Dinner
1-Hamburgers with buns, potato salad, corn on the cob, Big K soda
2-Hot dog on bun, pork and beans, watermelon
3-Pasta Alfredo, salad, garlic baquette
4-Chicken, broccoli and rice
5-Salad, baguette, raspberries
6-Sloppy joes, potato chips, cole slaw. See ground beef under recipes for how I make Sloppy Joes
7-Leftovers

Dessert
Peanut butter cookies
Brownies
Grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream(add .98 to the grocery total and buy the pineapple at Fresh & Easy)
Ice cream

Albertson's
Broccoli or cauliflower, 2 lbs./$1, buy 2 lbs.
Albertson's buns, .88, buy 2 hamburger and 2 hot dog
Baby red potatoes, $2.99 each
Fresh express cole slaw, 2/$3, buy 1

Bashas'
Campbell's pork and beans, 3/$1, buy 3
Kraft Mayonnaise, $2.99
Bar S meat franks with shocker coupon and min. $10 purchase, .47, limit 2, buy 2
Blue Bunny ice cream, $1.67 with shocker coupon and min. $10 purchase, limit 1, buy 1
Corn, 6/$1, buy 6
Jiffy corn muffin mix, 2/$1, buy one at .50
Krusteaz Pancake mix, $1.99
Food Club butter, $2.49
Dole bananas, .48 lb., buy 8 lbs.
Watermelon, .15 lb., buy 10 lbs. at $1.50
Eggs, I allowed for $1.39 doz., buy 2 doz.
Milk, I allowed for $2 gal., buy 2 at $4

Fry's
Ocean Spray Cranberry juice cocktail, $1.88
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, $1.77 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $3.54
Farmer John bacon, $1.77
Organic red seedless grapes, .77 lb., buy 3 lbs.
Dole Salad, $1 each, buy 2
Lay's Potato chips, $1.77, buy 2
Kroger Peanut butter, 10/$10, buy 2
Ragu alfredo sauce, $1.67
Pillsbury brownie mix, 10/$10, buy 1
Suddenly Salad, $1.47, buy 2
Big K soda, .69
Kool Aid, 10/$1, buy 10
Rice, I've allowed for $2.99
Kroger mini carrots, $1
LaBrea baguette, .99, buy 2
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Fry's pasta, .88
sweet onion, $1 lb.

Sprouts
Ground beef, $1.99 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $7.96
Oats, .69 lb., buy 3 lbs.
Raspberries, .97, buy 2

Fresh and Easy
If you wish to have grilled pineapple buy Del Monte Pineapple at .98 extra to grocery total

Items not on list:
sugar
oil
vinegar
salad dressings
ketchup
brown sugar
worcestershire

What to have for Labor Day

2010-09-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

I've looked through the new ads for this week briefly while waiting for someone this morning. This is typically a good week to shop for and stockpile condiments and hot dogs and meat.

I was trying to think what would sound good for our evening meal on Labor Day. Sadly, seems like we are never together at once lately for meals. Or we are coming and going so the table never gets set. It's a shame.

I always gravitate to burgers, hot dogs or brats, potato salad and beans for summer holiday meals. I should be more creative, but I'm not. Or maybe it's just that I choose to not mess with perfection.

I am feeling like I need banana cupcakes today so I will excuse myself shortly to go make these:

Now for some ideas for the Labor Day Menu using what's on sale this week:

Fry's is still taking competitor's coupons so take advantage of the Fresh & Easy coupons for $3 off of a $30 purchase or $5 off of a $50 purchase when buying groceries this week or for your Labor Day BBQ

Fry's:

Organic red grapes, .77 lb.=chilled on ice, nothing better to refresh yourself when you're out in the sun at a swim meet or little league practice or soccer game. Or freeze them for a frozen treat.

Pork Loin Back ribs, $1.97 lb.=BBQ ribs

Boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.77 lb.=BBQ chicken

Farmer John Bacon, $1.77 each.=baked beans, jalepeno poppers, hearty breakfast

Hebrew national beef franks, $1.97 each=hot dogs

Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and Van Camp's pork and beans, .97=baked beans

Dreyer's ice cream, $1.99=brownies ala mode, ice cream sundae bar, root beer floats, strawberry or chocolate shakes

Lay's Potato chips, $1.77=once described by my friend Margie as "the world's most perfect food." Best eaten from the bag, on the way home from the grocery store. Or serve with dip.

Kroger dip, 10/$10

Pillsbury brownie mix, 10/$10=brownies ala mode, brownie blizzard

Keebler Fudge shoppe cookies, $1.66=S'mores

Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad, $1.47

Fresh and Easy:

Mixed grill Pack, $5.99=sausage, hamburger, chicken

Boneless New York Steak family Pack, $4.99 lb.

Pure water, in multiples of 2, 2/$5 for 24 pack

Del Monte gold pineapple, .98=grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream, fruit skewers/kabobs

Bashas':

Food Club cheese, .99=Cheeseburgers, potato skins

Campbell's pork and beans, 3/$1=baked beans

Split chicken breasts, .98 lb.=BBQ chicken

Colorado Olathe Corn, 6/$1, limit 12=grilled corn with chili butter or lime. Butter or Parmesan. Cheddar corn chowder.

Rib Eye steak, $3.98 lb.=grilled steak with a compound herb butter put on top to serve or seasoned with steak seasoning and grilled to perfection

Bar S Meat franks, with Shocker coupon at $10 additional purchase, .47=hot dogs

Lay's potato chips, $1.77

Arrowhead water, $2.88

Blue Bunny ice cream with shocker coupon, $1.67

Watermelon, .15 lb.

Dole bananas, .48 lb.=banana cupcakes, banana splits, banana cream pie, chocolate covered frozen bananas

Sprouts:

Raspberries, .97=berry salad, raspberries sprinkled around decadent frosted brownies or atop a chocolate cake, raspberry ice cream, raspberry freezer jam on cheesecake pie, raspberry shortcake, Peach/Raspberry Crisp, yum

Extra lean ground beef, $1.99 lb.=hamburgers, tacos

Safeway:

Fresh King Salmon Fillets, $6.99 lb.=grilled or baked salmon

Sweet Large red lion nectarines, .99 lb.=nectarine tart

Albertson's:

Pork loin baby back ribs, buy 1, get 2 free with in-store coupon, limit 1 reward per transaction=BBQ ribs

Whole seedless watermelon, $1.88 each, limit 2=ice cold refreshing watermelon wedges, or melon salad

Lay's potato chips or Wheat thins or Pace salsa, 3/$5=appetizers while grilling

Albertson's buns, .88=Hamburgers or Hot dogs

Hebrew National hot dogs, $1.97=hot dogs

Gourmet baby red potatoes, 1.5 lb. bag, $2.99 each=roasted red garlic potatoes, potato salad

Fry's Grand re-opening on Tatum/shea

Fry's milk, $1.59 gal., limit 2

Fry's large eggs, .59, limit 2=deviled eggs

menu for the week with what's on sale, 25 Aug. to 31 Aug.

2010-08-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Forgive me, I've had a time converting back to school in session for the kids. And the week before I spent the week doing jury duty and making cookies for my son's Eagle Court of Honor. If you are a family of two, there are some things that you can't cut down on with this grocery list, but the good news is that it may last you for two weeks instead of one. Just change about the dinner ideas a little, freeze the leftover spaghetti and pot roast and you are good to go.

Here it is:
$76.25

Breakfast
1-Yogurt, toast, juice
2-Oatmeal, raspberries
3-Oatmeal
4-Oatmeal, peaches
5-Eggs, toast, sausage
6-Oatmeal, yogurt
7-French toast

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, orange sections
2-Bologna sandwich, crackers
3-PB&J sandwich, crackers, lemonade
4-PB&J sandwich, strawberries
5-Bologna sandwich, snack pack pudding cup
6-Ramen Noodles, goldfish crackers
7-Ramen noodles, carrots if any are left

Dinner
1-Chicken tacos, cheese, sour cream, taco sauce, lettuce if desired
2-Banquet meat pies, have allowed for four
3-Spaghetti and salad
4-Polynesian chicken salad, cantaloupe wedge and roll
see recipe under "salads" at side
5-Mac & cheese with hot dog coins, roll
6-Pot Roast, mashed potatoes, baby carrots, steamed broccoli
7-Leftovers, soda pop

Dessert and snacks
Yellow cake plain or with strawberries and whipped cream
Brownies
Strawberries and cream
Popcorn

Albertson's
boneless skinless chicken breasts, 4 lbs. aprox. $7
Albertson's lg. egg, .79 with coup from ad, limit 2, buy 2
Russet potatoes, 10# bag, $1.99 with coup from ad
Maruchan ramen, .10 with coup from ad, limit 24, buy 4 at .40
Kraft Mac & cheese, .69 with coup from ad, limit 4, buy 2
Armour sizle and serve sausage, .88 with coup from ad, limit 4, buy 1
Bar S jumbo meat franks, .77
Raspberries, .99
Bar S Bologna, .97
Banquet Pot Pies, .69, buy 4 at $2.76
Triscuits or wheat thins crackers, $1.99
mini carrots, $1

Bashas'
Chuck roast, $1.77 lb, buy 3 lbs. at $5.31
Strawberries, .99, buy 2
Whipped cream in a can, $1.99
Betty Crocker brownie mix, $1
Food Club popcorn, $1
Bashas milk, 1/2 gal, 10/$10, buy 4 at $4
Del Monte spaghetti sauce, $1
Dole pineapple, $1
dole mandarin oranges, $1
Old Orchard juice, $1
Pepsi, .89
Dinner rolls, 12 count, $1.99

Fry's
Kroger sour cream, $1
Kroger lemonade, $1
Kroger Peanut butter, 10/$10, buy 1
Kroger grape jelly, 10/$10, buy 1
Fry's sandwich bread, 10/$10, buy 3
Sanck Pack pudding, 10/$10, buy 1
Goldfish crackers, 10/$10, buy 1
Kroger salad dressing 10/$10, buy 1
Ortega taco shells, $1.49
Ortega taco sauce, $1.49
Kroger shredded cheese, 2/$3
Nabisco snack crackers, $1.99
green onions, 2/$1, buy 1

Safeway
Lucerne yogurt, 10/$4, buy 10, buy one vanilla flavored for the chicken salad
Betty Crocker cake mix, .99
Safeway Pasta, .89

Sprouts
Cantaloupe, 3/$1, buy 1
Peaches, .88 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $1.76
Roma tomatoes, .88 lb.
Valencia oranges, .88 lb., buy 4 lbs at $3.52
Cauliflower or broccoli, .88 lb.
Oats, .69 lb, buy 4 lbs. at $2.76
Lettuce, I've allowed for $1

Items not on the grocery list:
Mayonnaise
mustard
herbs, spices
sugar
oil
butter

Edible transfers

2010-08-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

It's really blurry. But it's the Boy Scout logo on an edible transfer. I just had to share this with you. I made sugar cookies for my son's Eagle Court of Honor and put these transfers on some of the cookies. It's the first time that I'd ever worked with this before. They peeled off like a sticker and then I put them on the newly frosted cookie and they kind of become one with the frosting and melt into it. the cookies looked great but unfortunately I didn't take a picture of one before they all got eaten.

What's for dinner?

2010-08-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

I have no idea what to do for dinner tonight. We've eaten stuffed pork chops all week long that were leftover from Sunday's dinner. Also keilbasa with Rice A Roni and meat loaf. And Shepherd's Pie. And a big green salad last night with nothing eggciting but hard boiled eggs on it and for the adventurous among us, dried cranberries and onion/raspberry vinaigrette. Nothing sounds good to me today. The family would probably be happy with Pizza tonight but the wicked truth is, and call me crazy, I get tired of pizza. I would not fare well being a teen in this day and age. Seems like that is the menu for every party. I guess that I could go to Fry's and buy 4 lunchables and 4 Powerades on the "8" sale and call it dinner for a grand total of $3.88. I could. I probably won't though. What are you planning for dinner?

Menu with what's on sale for the week of 11 Aug. to 17 Aug.

2010-08-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Busy week with getting back into the swing of school. Also a few disappointments from last week have been wiped away by a really good surprise this week. Funny how you can struggle with something thinking it is a good thing and when it just doesn't work out and something else slides into place almost effortlessly...life is funny.

So...food sales this week. Fry's has a really good buy 8 items sale, get $4 off this week. If you have kids in swim or football or cross country, go get some Powerade for .38 each this week to have on hand for buddy bags or for dehydration prevention. I'm not sure how many 8's you can do in one transaction. I did two today.

$72.81

Breakfast
1-Breakfast tacos. Flour tortillas with scrambled egg, cheese, cooked crumble sausage.
2-Banana Pancakes, Sunny D
3-Oatmeal
4-Peaches, yogurt
5-Pancakes, syrup, Sunny D
6-Oatmeal
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-PB&J sandwich, carrots and celery, Capri Sun drink
2-PB&J sandwich, grapes, Capri Sun drink
3-Lunchmeat sandwich, grapes
4-PB&J sandwich, carrots, apple
5-Lunchmeat sandwich, carrots, fruit bowl
6-PB&J sandwich, wheat thins, yogurt
7-Egg salad sandwich, wheat thins, whatever fruit is leftover

Dinner
1-Eggplant/Zucchini parmesan, green salad. See recipe at side under "Vegetarian". Use a can of stewed tomatoes blended in the blender with herbs for the marinara or buy a jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce and add the price into the total. If you don't buy the stewed tomatoes, then adjust the "8" list
2-Tacos, watermelon
3-London Broil, corn on the cob
4-Chicken, grilled or baked, mashed potatoes, chilled canned peaches
5-Chicken noodle soup made with carrots, celery, canned broth, some onion, pasta/macaroni and leftover chicken from idea #4
6-Green salad with cumcumber, tomatoes, leftover steak or chicken if there is any, hardboiled egg wedges, Kaiser rolls
7-Breakfast for dinner, Waffles, syrup and sausage links, Sunny D

Albertson's
London Broil, $1.97 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $3.94
Seedless grapes, .77 lb. buy 2 lbs. at $1.54
Albertson's large eggs, .88, buy 2 doz.
Farmer John breakfast links, 10/$10, buy 2
Don Pancho tortillas, 10/$10, buy 1
La Moderna pasta, 5/$1, buy 1 at .20
Kaiser Rolls, $1.99, 6 count

Bashas'
Bashas' milk, $1.67 gal, buy 2 at $3.34
Chicken drums, thighs, leg 1/4's, .77 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.31
California peaches, .59 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $1.77
Tillamook cheese, $1.77, buy 2 pkgs., make one mozzarella for the Eggplant/Zucchini Parmesan
Food Club lunch meat, $2.99
Krusteaz Pancake mix, 2/$4, buy 1
Food Club syrup, 2/$4, buy 1
Dole bananas, .48 lbs, buy 5 lbs. at $2.40
Celery, .99 each
Taco seasoning, I've allowed for $1.00

Fry's
Buy "8" list
1-Del Monte sliced peaches, .79
2-Del Monte stewed or diced tomatoes, .79 (whir in the blender and add italian herbs to it)
3-Betty crocker Pouch Potatoes, .49
4-Betty Crocker Pouch Potatoes, .49
5-Sunny D
6-Sunny D
7-Capri Sun drinks, $1.27
8-Old El Paso taco shells, .99

Super lean ground beef, $1.77 lb. in 2 lb. chub, $3.54
Mini watermelon, $1
Kroger yogurt, .40, buy 8, $3.20
Kroger fruit bowls, $1.67
Chicken broth, I'ved allowed .99, buy 4
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Onion, I've allowed $1
Cottage cheese, I've allowed $1.50 (in place of ricotta for the Zucchini/Eggplant Parmesan

Safeway
Wheat thins, 2/$4, buy 1
Zucchini, .99 lb.

Sprouts
Cucumbers, .49 each
Sweet corn, 4/$1, buy 4
Fuji apples, .88 lb., buy 3 at $2.64
Iceberg lettuce, .88 each, buy 2 at $1.76
Baby carrots, .88
Roma tomatoes, .69 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $1.76
Eggplant, .88 each
Oats, 2 lbs./$1, buy 4 lbs. at $2.00

Items not on grocery list:
Butter
Mayo
Parmesan
oil
salad dressing
herbs and seasonings
Italian herbs
fresh herbs
pickle relish

Summer Punch Slush

2010-08-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

Also known as the Wedding reception punch, this slush is wonderful in the hot summer days in Phoenix or...anywhere. So refreshing and cool. I myself, have made this for a couple of weddings, and it's always a hit. It's still blistering hot out, 114 this afternoon at 4:50p.m., so make this for your family, they will love you for it.

Summer Punch Slush
from Margie M.

One 12 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
One 12 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring
2 teaspoons almond flavoring (I have made this without the almond flavoring and we still liked it a lot)
20 cups water

Mix well to dissolve sugar. Freeze in one large tupperware-type container or in several gallon size zip-lock baggies placed in the large Tupperware container. Set out about an hour before serving to partially thaw. Smash it up and add a cold 7-Up type pop to make into a smooth slush. I use a potato masher to smash it up smooth.

Have one or two 2-liter bottles of ice-cold pop on hand. You probably won't use but one.

Summer Punch
Makes one gallon

This is the same punch but in unfrozen state and without the fizz of the pop. Or you could add some pop if you wanted to.

1 small can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 small can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 teasponn vanilla flavoring

Mix well to dissolve sugar. Pour into a gallon container and fill to top with water. Refrigerate until well chilled so the flavors blend. Shake or stir before pouring.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of 4 Aug. to 10 Aug.

2010-08-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

OK, so a little late again. There have been some good deals to be had this week so I hope that you are reading your grocery ads. I got a pork loin at Bashas' on Sat. for around $13 and am going this morning for the .99 Cranberry juice. In a couple of weeks when it gets closer to the national norm of school opening, there will be good prices on peanut butter, granola bars, canned soup.

$79.23

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal, apple juice
2-Brakfast taco with tortilla, eggs, cheese, sausage
3-Oatmeal, banana
4-Oatmeal, fresh pineapple chunks
5-Oatmeal
6-French toast
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Bologna sandwich, brownie
2-PB&J sandwich, cantaloupe chunks
3-Ramen noodles, brownie
4-PB&J sandwich, strawberries
5-Bologna sandwich, watermelon chunks
6-Ramen noodles
7-Chicken wrap, pepper strips

Dinner
1-Spaghetti Alfredo, green salad, crusty bread
2-Marinated Top sirloin on the grill. Corn on the cob, steamed broccoli
3-Hamburger stroganoff, applesauce. See recipes under ground beef for Hamburger Strogonoff recipe
4-Taco soup. If leftover corn on the cob, strip the niblets off of the cob and use that in the soup. See recipes under soup for recipe for Taco soup. Sour cream, shredded cheese as toppers.
5-Hot dogs with buns, potato salad
6-Chicken Polynesian salad with cantaloupe wedges. See recipe under Salads.
7-Cheese Omelets, crusty bread

Desserts:
Banana cupcakes
Brownies

Grocery list:
Albertson's
Sweet corn, 5/$1, buy 5
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, $1.67 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $5.01
Bar S franks, 10/$10, buy 1
Bar S bologna, 10/$10, buy 1
Don Pancho tortillas, 10/$10, buy 1
English cucumbers, 10/$10, buy 1
Tillamook cheese, $3.99 with coupon from Wed. ad
Pillsbury brownie, .88 with coupon from Wed. ad
Dole Pineapple, .87 with coupon from Wed. ad
Resers Potato salad, .99 lb with coupon from Wed. ad

Bashas'
Red or green grapes, .77 lb, buy 2 lbs.
Bashas milk, $1.67 gal., $3.34
Mini watermelon, $1.99
Ragu Pasta sauce, .99
Food Club pasta, .99
Food Club applesauce, 2/$3
Bashas sour cream, $1.29, buy 2
Dole bananas, .48 lb., buy 10 lbs.
Green bell peppers, 2/$1, buy 1
Eggs, I've allowed for $1.29/doz., buy 2
Top Sirloin, $1.99 lb., buy 2 lbs. at $3.98
Cream cheese, I've allowed for .99

Fry's
Del Monte gold pineapple, $1
Maruchan Ramen noodles, 6/$1
Fry's vegetables, 5/$3, buy one can of corn at .60. Don't buy corn if you plan to use the leftover corn on the cob for the taco soup
Fry's tomato sauce, 2/.88, buy 2
Fry's canned tomatoes, .77, buy 2
Fry's black beans, .77, buy 1
Langer's apple juice, .99
Kroger Value Peanut butter, $1.49
Kroger Value bread, .88, buy 4
Hot dog buns, I've allowed for $1.50
Vanilla yogurt, .75
Onion, I've allowed for $1
Mushrooms, I've allowed for $2
noodles, I've allowed for $2
scallions, I've allowed for .50

Safeway
Ground beef, $1.29 lb., min. 5lb. purchase, $6.45

Sprouts
Strawberries, .88
Jumbo cantaloupe, .88
Broccoli crowns, .88 lb., buy 2
Romaine lettuce, .88
French bread, $1.29, buy 2
Oats, .69 lb., buy 4 lbs.

Items not on grocery list:
condiments
mayo
parsley
mandarin oranges
butter
leavenings
flour
oil
powdered sugar
sugar
molasses
wine

Banana Cupcakes

2010-08-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Every time I say "Banana Cupcakes" in my head the lyrics to that "Makin Banana Pancakes" song that my daughter loves rattles around in my head for about five minutes before they leave again. If you ever crave banana bread, these cupcakes are for you. I made these Saturday night. I also made more yesterday after church. Very easy recipe that is goof proof. I also made these without eggs using an egg substitute and they turned out fine. I have to tell you that I am a mix girl. Used to be that making cakes and muffins from scratch didn't work well for me. I don't think that my baking skills have drastically improved, I think that you need the right recipe. The frosting recipe with this calls for 2 T. of molasses. I thought that sounded like too much for my taste, so I only put 1 T. in and that was plenty for me. If you don't like a burnt sugar taste, or the deep taste of molasses, leave it out, these will be great with a cream cheese frosting. I would leave out the milk possibly if leaving out the molasses. Or use vanilla or buttercream frosting. Or eat them without frosting.

Gina's Banana Cupcakes
recipe courtesy of The Neelys
from Downhome Cookin with the Neelys

Ingredients
Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, (reserve some for garnish) I left out the nuts altogether

Molasses Frosting:
2 tablespoons whole milk (I used skim)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons molasses (I used 1 tablespoon)
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 (12 cup) muffin pan with paper cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the butter and the sugar. Beat with a hand-eld mixer until combined. Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Incorporate the dry mixture and wet mixtures together until thoroughly combined. (I, however, dumped in the wet ingredients with the leavenings, mixed them, then dumped in the flour and mixed) Add the banans and walnuts, being careful not to over mix. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 way full. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops turn golden-brown and when a toothpick, inserted in the middle of the cupcake, comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and let cool before frosting.

Frosting:
In a large bowl, add the butter and cream cheese. Beat together until incorporated. Add the molasses and mix well. Stir in the vanilla extract, milk and powdered sugar.

Heavily frost the cupcakes and garnish with reserved shopped walnuts.

The egg substitute I used was:
2 T. water, 1 T. veg. oil, 1/2 tsp. baking powder for each egg called for.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins

2010-08-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

These are so good. I even used an egg substitute (1 T. oil, 2 T. water, 1/2 tsp. baking powder) and they were great, maybe not as light or tender if a real egg had been used but they were wonderful.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
from Cindy B.

1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C. milk
1/2 C. canned pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 chocolate chips

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottom of muffin pans or use paper liners. Mix all ingredients just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle sugar on top of batter. Bake about 18-20 minutes for full size muffins, or 10-12 minutes for mini muffins.

Cheap movies

2010-08-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

The most exciting part about the trip to Idaho was going to the cheap movies. My niece took Sonny boy and my daughter to see the fourth Shrek movie the last night we were there. My kids are old but they were excited to get away from the parents and oldie moldies so they jumped at the chance to go see Shrek with my 20 something niece. Turns out that they have this great movie theater in Boise. I don't even know the name of it. They show movies that have been around for a little while. You can buy a ticket, and get your choice of two concession items like a medium drink and a small popcorn for $4. Wow. We need one of those here, don't we?