Monday Madness

I can't  believe it is Monday.  It seems like I just posted  a Monday madness , don't know where the week went.  We had chicken tacos last night.  I have been working in my studio a lot lately.  It's crunch time.  I usually have more done by now....just messing around.  tacos, refried beans, and rice is a good quick meal.  I used a pound of shredded chicken and put the sauce mix from the kit in water and reduced it and added the chicken. I would have used scratch, but I got taco kits at Rite aid with rite aid bucks and a coupon for the same as buying the shells.  With care, I have rolled over the rite aid bucks for several months now.  I will go for better than free toothpaste today or tomorrow.  I took about twenty of them to the women's shelter Friday.  I'll start another batch.  My husband is jokingly calling me the toothpaste fairy.  Ha ha

Retailers have studied ways to get you to spend money. They have studied human behavior and use the norm for their own benefit.  If you want to stretch your buck and not fall into their plan to spend a lot of money, you need to shop with a definite plan and be strong and stick to it. By shopping wisely, you can live better ; make the most of what you do have.  There is a certain sense of security in knowing if something happens, you still can feed your family.

Sending you free money is one way, or a coupon to give you a dollar amount off a certain bottom line on your receipt.  I spent a little amount the previous week, so that I could spend more this week.  I matched the things in the ad that I could use over a period of weeks and use the 10.00 off cart coupon, specials, store coupons and manufacturers coupons.  The bottom line is I got a 61 percent discount.  I bought some ready mades, but they were cheaper than making them from scratch.  I have another coupon, they expire October  15.   I'll watch for another good week to match up.  In the mean time, I got the equivalent of 10 almost dinners for 46.89.  I bought a few things because I was hosting a party, and some fruit pops that I got for a little more than a buck for six for the baby and she is teething. But,  had I bought potatoes and veggies with the rest, I would have had all the ingredients.  I have them, because I stock.

If I had got the same coupon from a department store, I would have passed.

I purchased three pounds plus of chick steak.  I intend to cut it up and make stew meat out of it.  I'll cook it in the crock pot and break it done onto family sized portions.  I can make soup or stew, or serve it over rice or mashed potatoes.  I could do the same with home made meat balls.  When you make soup in the slow cooker and use precooked meat, just make the soup without the meat,mand add it the last half hour to 45 minutes to heat through, or heat it in the microwave and put it in the soup.  Recooking  meat in the crock pot will either make it fall apart or make it tough!

When I get grill packs for a dollar, I debone the chicken breasts.  I use the bones to add to the pot that I cook the legs and thighs to shred the chicken and make stock.  That makes chicken breasts about as cheap as you are going to get them.  Deboneing a chicken breast is easy.  There are videos on the Internet.  Basicly, you just run your knife along the large bone and pull away the meat as you go.  Slowly and carefully.

Citrus Chicken

4 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 t butter

1 small lime~ wash the lime! zest 1 teaspoon on peel.  Squeeze 2 tables juice.
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 crushed red pepper flakes ( optional)

1 orange

1) rinse chicken and par dry.
2) cook chicken in a skillet with the butter and garlic, about 8-10 minutes, turning over mid way through your time.the chicken  should be tender and the juices should run clear.
3) in small bowl, combine remaining ingredients EXCEPT the orange.
4) peel and slice the orange, cut the slices into quarters, saving any juice.
5) add juices to the skillet and place orange slices on top of the chicken.
6) reduce heat, and cover.  Simmer 2 minutes until the sauce is heated through.

I would serve with rice and a salad or brocolli.

Notes: chicken is a buck when you get it on sale.  De inning your chicken saves a ton of money.  Oranges were a buck a pound last week.  This should be a quick meal.  Start the rice cooking while you make the chicken.  Zap a veggie while you are plateing the food.

Thanks for stopping by

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Jane