Cheese, glorious cheese

Once again I was privy to the word of mouth sale at my local cheese factory, Rumiano Cheese Company. I got 8 pounds of cheese for $8. Yep, you read that right $8. So yummy!! I picked up 2 - 2 pound packages of jack already sliced, 4-4oz of Motz, 6-4 oz sliced Colby jack, 2-4 oz of sliced Swiss and 4 of medium cheddar. Grilled cheese is so on the menu especially since I have sourdough french bread for $1 a loaf at the dollar tree and it usually has about 30 slices. My neighbor called us at 7 am to tell us today was the day so before 10 am after my first shift I was there!!! I am so glad. They do this once every 3 months so the next one should be towards the middle of July which will come in handy because that is when all the kids and grandkids will be home from school for summer and feeding everybody gets so expensive (like I need to tell y'all that, right?? ha ha)

Another dinner for under $5 for 4

I know y'all do this but I haven't in awhile and had forgotten how good and cheap it is. Yep, basic BBQ chicken in the crock served over white rice and broccoli.
I used 2 boneless, skinless breasts from a bag $6 for 6 nice pieces so $1 each, right?? and then 1/2 a bottle of BBQ sauce they were $1 so 1/2 is 50 cents, I shook in about 1T honey, 1t dried onions, 1t chopped garlic so for the meat $2.75.
The rice was 2.50 for 25 1/2 C servings. making it 10 cents per 1/2 cup serving. We used 2 C so 40 cents plus maybe 10 cents for the butter and salt I added in to cook so that is 50 cents for the rice.
Then the broccoli was $1.15 for 2 smaller heads. another 10 cents for the oil and salts in the steaming water. So $1.25 for the steamed broccoli.
Totals, $2.75 meat, 50 cents for rice and $1.25 for broccoli so $4.50 for all and all my guys loved it and asked for it again AND, it was easy!!!
We also had a 2 liter soda with dinner which was 90 cents for soda and taxes and CRV and I made a chocolate chip cookie pie for about $2.10 so actually need to add in another $3

I've linked this with Pennywise Platter on 6/10/10 it looks fun there.

Taa Daa!!! I have an oven!!!

Hi gals, it's been almost a week since I've been here. My life has been hectic. On Saturday my little baby turned 12 when i say little baby I mean my one that was born at 1 1/2 pounds 13 inches long. Yep, he was that little!!! He now is about 5'6" 145# not so little anymore!!!
Another great thing that happened was I got an oven. It has been close to a year since our oven went out. I changed many things, used my roaster, became friendly with my crock pot, made a cake in my breadmaker and fully utilized my 2 working stove burners. Sometimes doing all simultaneously LOL Well, now many nights will be some type of oven baked one dish casserole hope they love em"
I did go shopping this weekend also and spent about $110 for the next 2 weeks and more. I hope to have another $100 in 2 weeks because the kids will be home from school for a week the 3rd week of this month. I also need to work on my menu plan. I always struggle with this issues the first week f the month and we tend to eat out a bit more. I know this and am working on reigning this in to only 3 times a month. Hubs has a different perspective LOL
Thanks GCC for hosting this linky

Successful dinner-recreating LO's with pantry staples

Well, we had a successful creative dinner tonight and I am pleased. In fact DH took his plate into his room and I have not heard from him for almost 5 minutes. such sweet silence LOL

I made a Pasta e Fagioli, so simple, in the CP, using frozen LO spaght sauce-maybe 2 cups.

Cut up 1/2 big onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 celery stalks, and a dozen or so baby carrots, cut all veggies similar size. Brown up 1/4# ground sausage in 2T EVOO then add veggies and soften a few minutes, pour into crock then add frozen sauce, also add 4 C water and 3 beef bouillon cubes along with pepper, garlic and onion powder, and italian seasoning. cook on low a few hours, add in 1 can white beans along with 1 good T worschteshire and maybe some more seasonings. cook another hour or so. finally add in 2/3 C ditalini pasta cook at most a half hour.

Serve with garlic bread for dipping and green salad. This was a crowd pleaser all my kids ate it!!!

Also, I have linked this with Dining withh Debbies Crockpot Wednesday So, Enjoy!!!

Cheese, Cheese, wonderful cheese

Thanks to my sage neighbor- Becky (of the infamous Will and Becky) -who has her fingers in every pie here in our little town d' Podunk, told me that Rumiano Cheese was having a word only back door sale of their cheeses for $1 a pound various varieties. I got about 4 pounds of different cheeses such as Colby-jack, provolone slices, American slices, and good ol motz. While there I asked how often they did this and how I would know they said about every three months and to keep my ear to the pavement to hear about it as there is no schedule. So, I will. I will also be researching allrecipes to find some scrumptious meals that use provolone.This one sounds good, don't ya think?? I can also tell lasagna is going to be on our menu again in Feb so, if you read this and live close by - GO!!!

And next time I will be better prepared and bring about $15 and STOCK UP!!! Today I only spent $4. Hopefully, a wisely spent $4.

BTW::She is the great neighbor that gives me her Sac Bee coupons every Sunday. So once again, thanks Beck!!!

Lastly, I have linked this post to the following bloge : Grocery Cart Challenge,

Shopping for this week (and next)

Well, we made our car purchase so that took up almost all the tax money (well, that and 3 years of payments that were more than I wanted-for this car DH has to and I do mean HAS to quit smoking - there is no other way!!!)with the rest we got $28 in gas, $35 in fast food on 2 trips, and $28 on groceries also in 2 trips

!st grocery trip - DH went to WM and got some junk food $8

Trip #2 we got milk, cereal, bread, salami, chips, yogurts, cheese - this was kind of the last run of the month for breakfast and lunch stuff. spent $20

Fast Food was #1 for me and DH on our way to work the other morning $7 spent at McD's and #2 was $21 taking all 4 of us out to BK while we drove the new to us car.

I can tell by my buyers remorse frustration I need to find some biblical passage. Do you have any to suggest?

This post is being linked with the following blogs:: Grocery Cart Challenge

Pantry Suprise

While digging through the pantry, which yes, I can see through to the back of them, I discovered a box of Quaker Oatmeal Pancake mix that I had gotten at Grocery Outlet about 3 months ago for about a dollar. We tried it and it was good but...well, so here sits a box of pancake mix that needs to be used so I created this::

2 1/3 C pancake mix
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
2/3 C milk - well, 1/3C milk, 1/3C water - ran out of milk
1/3 C Molasses
1/3 C sour cream (light)
1 egg
good dash of vanilla - loves me the vanilla LOL
Topping ingredients listed below

Mix dry together in larger bowl - put aside about 1/2 C, whisk wet in medium bowl, pour wet into dry, mix together

Put into 8X8 or so size pan these ingredients probably too small for a 9 X 13 but a bundt?? I may try that next time! (That's for you Gina-my friend) And in a bundt, I would put the topping (listed below) in first then the cake mix on top.Yum!!

Mix together set aside dry ingredients with 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/4 C butter (and nuts??) crumble over tops of cake.
Cook 350 a good 30 minutes. Let sugar cool on top then enjoy, it's crumbly at first then soft and spongy a day later.

My boys asked for seconds - they had a 1/8 size piece for their after school snack with some hot cocoa - it was really raining today yet Hubs and I walked to get taxes done. We get a small return, Yippee!!More money for the car down payment savings. Walking to work in the rain stinks!! Silver Lining:: I have a job to walk to, I can walk to my job, My job is close enough to walk to - take your pick I know I am blessed!!

As usual, I have this linked to the Panty Challenge I love reading what everybody is doing with their challenges.

Please help alter recipe for pantry challenges

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pork-Chop-Soup/Detail.aspx

I have most all these items and this sounds good but, I have no potatoes. However I do have pasta so I am thinking I add maybe 1 1/2 cups noodles when I add in the broccoli in at last 10 minutes of cooking to replace potatoes? Here's where I'm stuck do you thik 1 1/2 cup noodles is about volume equivelent as 3 chopped potatoes? Please reply Thank You

Also, No broth but I do have bouillon so I will add 3 cups water to 3 cubes to equal broth needed. However, I may put in 2 chicken and 1 beef give it a heartier flavor or never know 2 beef and 1 chicken???

Lastly, to alter this to crockpotting I will start the meat around noon, add other veggies in at 2 then noodles at 4:45 broccoli at 5 and in bowls by 5:15 served with some nice brown and serve dinner rolls for dipping - yummy this sounds good, I just want to make sure my alterations will be OK.

Also, I will be linking this to life as mom and money saving mom and any other pantry challenge links in search of ideas and/or confirmation that I am headed in the right direction.

Menu Plan Monday

This is one of my weeks with no shopping, no money = no shopping but really, we did BIG shopping last week at the Shopping Olympics so for 2 weeks we are eating out of our freezer/pantry.

Also last week, I created the menu plan for the remainder of the month from what we got while shopping, and what we already have, so these are "what's for dinner".

• ham and eggs on toast, fruit/yogurt smoothie Sat 1-23-10
• chicken tacos, fixins, fruit slices Wed 1-20-10
• Chili cheese dogs, mixed fruit Sun 1-24-10
• tamale pie, green salad Thur 1-21-10
• SOS, steamed carrots Sun 1-17-10
• beans and rice, apple slices Fri 1-22-10
• pork chop noodle soup and biscuits Tue 1-19-10
• chicken stuffing casserole, green beans Mon 1-18-10

These are in no particular order (the blue date is tentative) and can be changed or altered at any time for any reason. However with this being one of our pantry weeks most things will be pretty close to what is scheduled. I will be adding and changing this post during the week while I use the items.

Go here to read about why my Hubby is my hero. It's cute!! Also, please go here to help me with pantry challenge recipe alterations.

I have (or will when available) link this post to the following blogs click on the link for all the other exciting posts that they are offering:: Grocery Cart Challenge, MPM at OrgJunkie, Saving our cents, Money Saving Moms,

Shopping Olympics have come and gone for the month of January

Well, It is done. My $250 is spent!! This included lunch at Sani Food deli for $6 (Congrats Ella she and her hubs are expecting after a few years trying) and JIB dinner for $6 also $15 for gas to get to and from Willows to Chico. It was my first experience truly using coupons. Found some great deals,(Yo-Plus yogurt 4 pack was $1.38 had $1 off so 38 cents) trying some new products (JIF crunchy - WinCo out of smooth - had $1 off and we need pb) total coupons saved $6. Well, I guess 6 is the number of the day hahaha

We learned that Grocery Outlet does not accept manufacturer coupons. that was disappointing.(I returned the items - lol) however, when we went to WinCo the items that I did not get at GO were even cheaper at WinCo so I actually saved even more money.

My tally breakdown for this week is:::::::::::::Drum roll please

Sani Food:::$27.60 all food - $21.33 MEAT,misc & 2-99 cent choc chips
Local Food for More but they can have good sales so I appreciate them, oh yeah and the staff is so friendly and the meat guy is cute and funny hahaha-tell em' Julie sent ya

Dollar Tree:::$16.41 - $11 food, $5.41 misc (cleaning items)

Grocery Outlet:::$36.98 - $22.39 food, $14.59 misc (cat food $10)

WinCo:::$132.61 - $127.37 food, $5.25 misc (detergent, incense, dog biscuits)

So I am trying to do this coupon thing, trying to plan better for my family, Focus Julie Focus!!!, all attention is on the prize, when low and behold here comes my boss doing her shopping. (She's so provisional, she brings her own bags, lol)

My Golden Ticket of coupons that I got last week was 75 cents off McCormicks spice, well, I got to use it on a big bottle of Real Vanilla extract - YIPPEE!! One of my frugal budget consessions has been to buy imitation extracts and off brand seasonings so this is such a fun luxery.

There are a few things that I would like from the store (Fresh milk and produce) but if I can't get there we'll be OK!! (Canned fruit and condensed to reconstitute)

Please go here to read and post about this weeks shopping experiences over at GCC.

Now to go complete my menus for the rest of the month and more.....

Doing the coupon thing this morning.

Thanks to all the advice and the gift of the Sunday coupons from my neighbors Sac Bee, I am going to give couponing a serious try. I have them organized per my WinCo aisles.
So, to decide which coupons to pick:: I usually only get the coupons that are for 1 product. For example, we had a choice for $1 off 1 or $3 off 2. I know the $3/2 is a better deal as far as discount but I don't need that 2nd product it tends to create clutter in my house. We do not have a lot of storage, or rather I should say, we are not using our storage wisely.
For food items I tried a few name brand products like Fiber 1 cottage cheese, well, I know that the store brand is cheaper but it is $1 off so that will make it the same as the store brand so why not try it??
Loved the face lift in a box coupon $5 off. I did cut it out because I might find that on sale then I won't feel so bad spending money just on myself hehehe - silly mom guilt
Well, my golden ticket coupon this week in the MANY that I saw was 75 cents off a McCormick's seasonings. I am going through my seasonings as we speak deciding what extravagant one I should get. I love seasonings!!!
So I will be using these coupons some this next week at WM then my big grocery shopping with payday on the 9th. and yes, this time I will be taking and posting pics
Silly sidenote::I was wondering if cutting coupons was the reason my mom gave us when they locked the bedroom door on Sunday mornings?? Just a thought

Shopping for this week $40

Oops, I got it all put away before I thought to take a pic so this week I will just write but I will be working on getting pics for next weeks big shopping. Today, we went to 3 stores 1st:: Dollar Tree, 2nd:: WinCo, & 3rd::Hostess Outlet

Dollar Tree:::batteries, ritz(2/$1), bologna(2/$1), french bread(2/$1), candy, mustard, clippers&baked beans, it was $11.25 total

WinCo::::meat $9, apples, banans, salad mix, cucumber,grape tomatoes$5, milk,marj, cheese, sour cream $5, fresh salsa $1.78, mayo, gravy pkt, brownie mix, bread $6 it ws $26.83 total

Yes, We had a few dollars left over so we stopped at the Hostess Outlet Store and each of us got a special treat choice in the 5 for $3.89 bins and I got 4 for $1 single cupcakes for desert tomorrow at lunch. Shopping for this week is done and rather thorough. DH an I got the extra little cupcakes that we split last midnight. so yummy!!

Fun experience, I was at the Dollar Tree in Chico today and a fellow savy, frugal,shopping lady, notices my list and we started talking about the Pantry Challenge she is following it also this month. We had a quick talk about what to do with excess noodles and tomato soup. Nice to know I'm not alone on the West Coast with this project. hahaha So if you read this you will know it is me..... Julie

PS:: OK trying to do this...to see other grocery shopping experiences go here

PSS::I am still working on learning links and will be trying some ideas out to see if I can follow directions. haven't had luck yet.....J

Menu Plan Monday - Welcome 2010 with weekly Pantry Challenge Meanderings

Hi all, How is your new year starting out? Are you still working on your new goals? I am getting my menu ready for next week and I have a few things that are regular menu items but they may have a few glitches with alternate ingredients exchanged. For instance, I swore I got 3 cans of Rotel last shopping trip but what got home were 3 cans of Italian flavored tomatoes well, anyway, they must are what we have so my menu may have a Guido marries Juanita flavor.

While starting to get my pantry more organized I found over 10 cans of off brand tomato soup. Not my fav for sure but DH acquired them and since we are using what we have well, they must get used. So I ask the following question

Do any of you have ideas for condensed tomato soup and pasta?What would you do with these? Please, oh please leave a comment!!

My menu is looking like what is listed below with my usual disclaimer, I an alter at anytime for any reason yet, limited quantity means limited choices therefore less alterations.....

Mon::hamburger patty, Alfredo noodle, fruit slices

Papa Murphy's pizza - DH paid from small paycheck
Tue::chicken noodle and gravy with steamed carrots

Burger King - Dollar menu I had side salad w/nuggets
Wed::CP Mexican pork, rice and tropical fruit salad

spaghetti, peas, DH cooked forgot garlic bread
Thur:: spaghetti, peas, garlic bread

mexican pork tacos, lettuce/tomato
Fri::beans and rice, orange slices

ham and eggs on toast with fruit slices
Sat:: fast food and shopping day then soup and sammys

expect as planned
Sun::CP roast, potatoes, veggies - been on menu plan for 3 weeks lol

expect as planned or some type of CP meal

For more menu plans here or go to http://www.orgjunkie.com/ - still working on my linking skills Instead of the big bulky link I want to be able to use the words without the www stuff Thanks.....Julie

::::::::::Pantry Challenge Meanderings::::::::::2nd, 3rd& 4th thoughts

Wow, with this menu planned I just realized that I will be doing my WinCo shopping this next weekend. I am afraid if I do not do it when I get food money then I will nickle and dime it at my local Food for more store. Thus, I am thinking that I can actually reduce my original plan of $40 for the next 2 weeks shopping to $25 this week total.Edit:: went grocery shopping for this week and well, it was $40!! there were some expenses that I forgot to calculate see next blog... Again, My biggest goal is to keep DH out of the fast food drive thru at 9 pm for "just a hamburger and soda." This expense costs us maybe $30 a week lol but that is $120 a month and that could be half a used car payment, right?? Now, If I could only get him to quit smoking hehehe

So far I have failed at keeping DH out of the drive thru when HE gets a check...We ate out both Monday and Tuesday--pizza, $15 for take and bake (and cookies) and $10 for burgers and fries (and my salad and nuggets lol) I will not give up and it will be easier as all bills are paid with $8 leftover. I hope I get my paycheck on the 10th but IDK since time card was turned in later because of holidays so we may only have the $8 for groceries. That would cover 2 gallons milk, a pound of margarine, and a few apples.

Hello all

Hi fellow blogspotters I have been lurking for awhile and have finally decided to try out the blog thing. I am here to get meal ideas, budgeting tips, and housekeeping skills. Maybe also keep up on some keyboarding skills since I am mainly a stay at home mom with nothing to do except my 2 hour a day job.