I just found some recipes on the Betty Crocker web site. I get e mails. It so a good resource for recipes. Some of them are not on a thrifty budget, but substitutions and some scratch work can make them work. I always splurge and get REAL PARMESAN CHEESE, OR I SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER HARD CHEESE.Grocery Outlet is a good source for different, variety cheeses. The prices are sometimes lower, but surely comparable to other stores. I almost always get coffee there. Their veggies are not always the best. Sometimes frozen foods Re really good. Be sure to check pull dates.
Chicken Parmesan is a good dish to use the chicken breasts that I de boned. Also there is a recipe that ads an a'grautin potato box with parm, cooked chicken cubes, and green beans. I have green beans that I got for .33 at Winco. A gratin potatoes are .75 at ALBERTSONS, ( I think) check the last post! This could easily be a less than three dollar dinner.
If you find the staples in your dinners at a low cost, you can afford small splurges like real Parmesan cheese.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share and join the blog
Jane.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
The ads for 8/28
It's that time of the week again. Groceries on the cheap is based on buying your food at rock bottom prices and eating it when the prices are high . Buy vegetables and fruit that is in season. It will taste better, and be cheaper too. You are not,spending any more money, because you are paying 1/2 price for your food, you just buy in quantity when it is cheap. It's not about hoarding. It's about buying in quantity while it is cheap and buying enough to last you until it goes on sale again. You are buying staple items that your family uses a lot of. This is not unlike what our grandmothers did canning for the winter on the farm.
Pick one meat a week that is low priced and buy enough to batch cook portions to serve a meal a week for a month.
Rotate each week till you have a variety of meals.
The buys
SAFEWAYS
Corn 6/2
Hillshire farms smoked sausage 1.99
5 dollar Friday
Starkest tuna 5/5
ALBERTSONS
Mega 10 sale
Scalloped potatoes .75
Cheerios 1.49
Fiber one bars
Old El Paso tacos
( note there are some coupons out there. )
QFC
Grill pack chicken .99
Tomatoes .99
4 day sale. FSSM
Peaches .99
Hebrew national franks 2/6
Butter 2.00
Strawberries 2/5
Radishes, green onions 2/1
TOP
Ground beef 20 percent 2.47
Chicken of the sea .88
Pears .99
15 percent ground beef 2/6
There are not a lot of good buys this week. That is not unusual for a holiday weekend. It is also not unusual for the retailers to put hot dogs on sale, but not the buns. You can get around that by making pigs in blankets with bisquick or putting the hot dogs on Mac and cheese.
Be sure to cross off anything you don't want or need and anything that is cheaper elsewhere. Pick the best two stores. Plan your trip to make best use of your gas. Be sure to check the blog for last weeks Fred Meyers ad. I suspect that QFC and Fred Meyer are going to be the best prices. Especially because cheese is cheap at Fred Meyer on a coupon.
Chicken has been on sale for .99 a pound for grill packs. I have been deboneing the breasts and cooking off the rest of the pack for shredded chicken and stock. I had jalapeño Mac and cheese with pulled chicken last week. It was really good. Pulled chicken sandwiches, tacos, Cesar salad? It's easy and almost cooks itself.
Radishes are .50. They are really good roasted with root vegetables.
The first of each month I usually do a series on the basics of groceries on the cheap. If you are new to the blog, either look at back posts, or I will post sometime this weekend.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Pick one meat a week that is low priced and buy enough to batch cook portions to serve a meal a week for a month.
Rotate each week till you have a variety of meals.
The buys
SAFEWAYS
Corn 6/2
Hillshire farms smoked sausage 1.99
5 dollar Friday
Starkest tuna 5/5
ALBERTSONS
Mega 10 sale
Scalloped potatoes .75
Cheerios 1.49
Fiber one bars
Old El Paso tacos
( note there are some coupons out there. )
QFC
Grill pack chicken .99
Tomatoes .99
4 day sale. FSSM
Peaches .99
Hebrew national franks 2/6
Butter 2.00
Strawberries 2/5
Radishes, green onions 2/1
TOP
Ground beef 20 percent 2.47
Chicken of the sea .88
Pears .99
15 percent ground beef 2/6
There are not a lot of good buys this week. That is not unusual for a holiday weekend. It is also not unusual for the retailers to put hot dogs on sale, but not the buns. You can get around that by making pigs in blankets with bisquick or putting the hot dogs on Mac and cheese.
Be sure to cross off anything you don't want or need and anything that is cheaper elsewhere. Pick the best two stores. Plan your trip to make best use of your gas. Be sure to check the blog for last weeks Fred Meyers ad. I suspect that QFC and Fred Meyer are going to be the best prices. Especially because cheese is cheap at Fred Meyer on a coupon.
Chicken has been on sale for .99 a pound for grill packs. I have been deboneing the breasts and cooking off the rest of the pack for shredded chicken and stock. I had jalapeño Mac and cheese with pulled chicken last week. It was really good. Pulled chicken sandwiches, tacos, Cesar salad? It's easy and almost cooks itself.
Radishes are .50. They are really good roasted with root vegetables.
The first of each month I usually do a series on the basics of groceries on the cheap. If you are new to the blog, either look at back posts, or I will post sometime this weekend.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Taco Tuesday
It's our happy hour group tonight.we are having all you can eat tacos. At five bucks a person, it's really an inexpensive way to go out with friends. While I am still 1/2 of the regular price for groceries. Going out is part of our entertainment budget. We don't spend a lot going out.
Yesterday I put the rest of the London broil in the crockpot. I found a recipe with cream of mushroom soup, water, Italian seasoning and garlic. 6-7 hours.
chilies Rellenos hot dish
1 can green chillies
1/4 pound jack cheese
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp ba Pow
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups pasta sauce
Ripe olives
1) cut open chilies. Take out seeds, stuff with small cubes of jack cheese.
2) place in single layer in greased baking pan.
3) best eggs, until thick and foamy. Add milk, flour and ba pow., beating until smooth.
4) pour over chilies.
5) sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
6) bake at 375. For 30 minutes or until set.
7) heat pasta sauce. Sprinkle sliced black olives if desired. Serve with pasta sauce to drizzle.
Notes
ALBERTSOMS had chillies for .50. You could also use fresh cooked chillies.
Cheese is really cheap this week with on ad coupon at Fred Meyers. I would substitute the past a sauce for salsa.
Reserve part of the can of olives for a pizza later in the week. that would make this a really inexpensive dish.
Serve with tortilla chips.
In this age of drought driven prices, economical meals take on a new look. They can still be tasty and interesting with a little effort.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Yesterday I put the rest of the London broil in the crockpot. I found a recipe with cream of mushroom soup, water, Italian seasoning and garlic. 6-7 hours.
chilies Rellenos hot dish
1 can green chillies
1/4 pound jack cheese
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp ba Pow
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups pasta sauce
Ripe olives
1) cut open chilies. Take out seeds, stuff with small cubes of jack cheese.
2) place in single layer in greased baking pan.
3) best eggs, until thick and foamy. Add milk, flour and ba pow., beating until smooth.
4) pour over chilies.
5) sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
6) bake at 375. For 30 minutes or until set.
7) heat pasta sauce. Sprinkle sliced black olives if desired. Serve with pasta sauce to drizzle.
Notes
ALBERTSOMS had chillies for .50. You could also use fresh cooked chillies.
Cheese is really cheap this week with on ad coupon at Fred Meyers. I would substitute the past a sauce for salsa.
Reserve part of the can of olives for a pizza later in the week. that would make this a really inexpensive dish.
Serve with tortilla chips.
In this age of drought driven prices, economical meals take on a new look. They can still be tasty and interesting with a little effort.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday madness
I thought we would talk about cooking for two. We have four people at home now, bit only two and a half of us eat meat. ( my granddaughter eats chicken).
Meat Loaf
2 eggs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt, pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 pound ground beef
Mix together. Do not over mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Can use the same recipe for meatballs.
Yesterday I cooked shredded chicken. I bought another grill pack at Fred Meyers yesterday. Most was 5 bucks and change. I will debone the breasts and freeze them between wax paper. That gives me four plus the tenderloins.
I took the rest, added the bones from the breasts, and added them to water in my stock pot. I added a couple of garlic cloves and a small onion, salt and pepper. I brought them up to a boil, turned it down to simmer, and let it go until the chicken was tender enough to be shredded. I let it cool and shredded it. Then I strained the broth and put it into my lock and lock egg saver. When they were frozen, I popped them out with a spoon and put them in a freezer bag.
I got 4 cup portions and a quart of stock. Enough for 4 meals and soup for a cost of 5.00!
Chicken Crepes
Crepes
1 egg
1/2 cup of 1/2 and 1/2
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup flour
Place all ingredients in a blender and process 5 seconds. Or beat egg, add cream, and add flour until smooth.
Cover and chill two hours or make immediately.
Cook in a small crepe pan that has been oiled . ( both sides.)
make Cream sauce.
Make roux of 2 T butter and 2T flour. Mix in 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 T cream, 1 T wine and 1-2 T parm or other hard cheese.
Filling
1/2 cup cooked meat
1/4'cup chopped cook veggies of choice
Combine with just enough cream sauce to hold together.
Make creeps, fill with filling and roll up. Place in shallow baking pan. Add 2T cream to remaining cream sauce.
pour over Crepes. Sprinkle with parm. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
This seems like it takes a long time. A good way to make an elegant dinner with leftovers. It can be done ahead of time and refridgerated overnight or made early in the morning or afternoon .
And baked off at dinner time. Add a Cesar salad.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Meat Loaf
2 eggs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt, pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 pound ground beef
Mix together. Do not over mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Can use the same recipe for meatballs.
Yesterday I cooked shredded chicken. I bought another grill pack at Fred Meyers yesterday. Most was 5 bucks and change. I will debone the breasts and freeze them between wax paper. That gives me four plus the tenderloins.
I took the rest, added the bones from the breasts, and added them to water in my stock pot. I added a couple of garlic cloves and a small onion, salt and pepper. I brought them up to a boil, turned it down to simmer, and let it go until the chicken was tender enough to be shredded. I let it cool and shredded it. Then I strained the broth and put it into my lock and lock egg saver. When they were frozen, I popped them out with a spoon and put them in a freezer bag.
I got 4 cup portions and a quart of stock. Enough for 4 meals and soup for a cost of 5.00!
Chicken Crepes
Crepes
1 egg
1/2 cup of 1/2 and 1/2
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup flour
Place all ingredients in a blender and process 5 seconds. Or beat egg, add cream, and add flour until smooth.
Cover and chill two hours or make immediately.
Cook in a small crepe pan that has been oiled . ( both sides.)
make Cream sauce.
Make roux of 2 T butter and 2T flour. Mix in 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 T cream, 1 T wine and 1-2 T parm or other hard cheese.
Filling
1/2 cup cooked meat
1/4'cup chopped cook veggies of choice
Combine with just enough cream sauce to hold together.
Make creeps, fill with filling and roll up. Place in shallow baking pan. Add 2T cream to remaining cream sauce.
pour over Crepes. Sprinkle with parm. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
This seems like it takes a long time. A good way to make an elegant dinner with leftovers. It can be done ahead of time and refridgerated overnight or made early in the morning or afternoon .
And baked off at dinner time. Add a Cesar salad.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Sunday Meal Plans
Good Morning. I have already done a shopping blog for today because I got the paper early. I cooked several hours yesterday, but got meat for 5 meals for 5 bucks. Only three of is eat meat, but still for a family of four there is easily 4 meals there with one being soup. I froze my chicken stock on my plastic egg cartons. I will pop them put and do it again with the stock I had left. I don't have ice cube trays anymore, that was my husbands idea!
I bought two batch cooking meats this week. ALBERTSONS and Fred Meyers both have foster Farms chicken grill packs for .99 a pound. My trouble with Fred Meyers is that I have been twice, once I was overcharged and they didn't have what was on ad in stock both times. in my eyes, they are not reliable. It is in the next town, so I don't want to drive there to find that they are yet , again out of stock.
Meals
I have developed an matrix for meal planning. I want to offer my family a variety of protein sources.
2 beef
2 chicken or pork
2 vegetarian
1 fish or shellfish
Beef and fish are getting expensive. By using a matrix, the expense is offset by the chicken and vegetarian meals. Ypu can make chicken be as expensive or more expensive than beef, but watching sales and cooking it yourself gives you a better price and you know where your chicken comes from .
1) lomdon broil, baked potato, green salad
2) meatballs, spaghetti , bread sticks, salad.
3) Mac and cheese with chicken shreds, peas and carrots.
4) Smoked sausage, potato salad, coleslaw. Fruit.
5) Vegetable lasagna , green salad, French bread
6) bean and rice burritos , lettuce and tomatoes, fruit desert cup
7) white fish , cheesey potatoes, corn on the cob, salad
Lomdon broil was 3.00 a pound at safeways. chicken was .99 at albertsons. Ground beef was 2.79 at Costco in bulk for 9 percent. Smoked sausage was 1.39 with sales and coupons. Fish was frozen at Costco. Corn on thncob continues to be .30 each. lasagna noodles were 1.40 at big lots. Salad was a dollar at safeways. French bread was 1.89 for six at the bakery outlet. Mixed vegetables are at the dollar store.
I spent 1.5 hours shopping this week. If you have to go a town away to get good prices, make it worth your while and stock up on things that will keep and that you use frequently. You are not driving all over town to save .15.
I am still looking for free or almost free laundry detergent. I finally found chillies for .50. It will happen,it's all a matter of time. Until then, I will use Costco.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
I bought two batch cooking meats this week. ALBERTSONS and Fred Meyers both have foster Farms chicken grill packs for .99 a pound. My trouble with Fred Meyers is that I have been twice, once I was overcharged and they didn't have what was on ad in stock both times. in my eyes, they are not reliable. It is in the next town, so I don't want to drive there to find that they are yet , again out of stock.
Meals
I have developed an matrix for meal planning. I want to offer my family a variety of protein sources.
2 beef
2 chicken or pork
2 vegetarian
1 fish or shellfish
Beef and fish are getting expensive. By using a matrix, the expense is offset by the chicken and vegetarian meals. Ypu can make chicken be as expensive or more expensive than beef, but watching sales and cooking it yourself gives you a better price and you know where your chicken comes from .
1) lomdon broil, baked potato, green salad
2) meatballs, spaghetti , bread sticks, salad.
3) Mac and cheese with chicken shreds, peas and carrots.
4) Smoked sausage, potato salad, coleslaw. Fruit.
5) Vegetable lasagna , green salad, French bread
6) bean and rice burritos , lettuce and tomatoes, fruit desert cup
7) white fish , cheesey potatoes, corn on the cob, salad
Lomdon broil was 3.00 a pound at safeways. chicken was .99 at albertsons. Ground beef was 2.79 at Costco in bulk for 9 percent. Smoked sausage was 1.39 with sales and coupons. Fish was frozen at Costco. Corn on thncob continues to be .30 each. lasagna noodles were 1.40 at big lots. Salad was a dollar at safeways. French bread was 1.89 for six at the bakery outlet. Mixed vegetables are at the dollar store.
I spent 1.5 hours shopping this week. If you have to go a town away to get good prices, make it worth your while and stock up on things that will keep and that you use frequently. You are not driving all over town to save .15.
I am still looking for free or almost free laundry detergent. I finally found chillies for .50. It will happen,it's all a matter of time. Until then, I will use Costco.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Sunny Sunday
My husband had to go to the dollar store for a sunflower seeds run, so he picked up the Sunday paper for me. I was cooling banana blueberry breads and pulling chicken. I already deboned chicken breasts.
Fred Meyer posts their ads Ono Sunday to run until Saturday.
TOMMORROW s prices
Corn is 10/3.00
Zucchini .88
Hebrew national 2/6
Black olives .99@@@
Sour cream .99@@@
Apples, new crop. .88
Grill pack .99
Tillamook ice cream 2/6 @@@
Cheese 2/9 @@@@*** worth the trip
Lettuce .88
Cucumbers, green peppers 2/1
Peaches or nectarines 1.28
Rite Aid
Heinz pickles, old El Paso taco shells kit 2/5' then a 1.00 up reward. Makes them 2/4. There is a coupon for .60 off three. Old el paso products.
Kellogg's cereals, BOGO. There is a dollar off three coupon on coupons.com
Case of water, 2.99 with a dollar up reward makes it 1.99 if you buy water.
Check coupon connections for match ups on Sunday.
Next time...meal plans.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Fred Meyer posts their ads Ono Sunday to run until Saturday.
TOMMORROW s prices
Corn is 10/3.00
Zucchini .88
Hebrew national 2/6
Black olives .99@@@
Sour cream .99@@@
Apples, new crop. .88
Grill pack .99
Tillamook ice cream 2/6 @@@
Cheese 2/9 @@@@*** worth the trip
Lettuce .88
Cucumbers, green peppers 2/1
Peaches or nectarines 1.28
Rite Aid
Heinz pickles, old El Paso taco shells kit 2/5' then a 1.00 up reward. Makes them 2/4. There is a coupon for .60 off three. Old el paso products.
Kellogg's cereals, BOGO. There is a dollar off three coupon on coupons.com
Case of water, 2.99 with a dollar up reward makes it 1.99 if you buy water.
Check coupon connections for match ups on Sunday.
Next time...meal plans.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Suddenly Saturday
It's Saturday. I did a whirlwind grocery trip yesterday. I hit two stoees in two cities on an hour and a half including travel time, tagging along the granddaughter.
I got in on two marathon meat buys, and did a mega deal at ALBERTSONS. Their mega deals do not require you to buy a bulk amount. I finally got peppers for .50. Chicken was a buck, and SAFEWAYS had London broil for 3.00. I am trying a new brand of ice cream and some fruits and vegetables were reasonable.
A friend of mine sent me a link to a Pinterest post. It was from 2011. The lady, based on the grocery chain in the pictures, is in Pennsylvania. was getting marked down meat for really cheap packages. I have not seen those prices for years. I suspect that drought prices have kicked on and she isn't getting these prices now. She did, however, stretch her taco meat with onion and grated carrot. She, also, marinated her chicken and cooked it on batches ans made shaved chicken. She said she got her recipes from, " Don't panic, dinner is in the freezer. I bought that book. It is really good recipes and they are tailored to a wide variety of families. The recipes are broken down to several serving sizes. I had jalapeño Mac and cheese with shredded chicken at hey hour last week. It was really good. Last night we had BBQ spareribs, corn on the cob, and green salad. The tomatoes are turning red finally in the garden.
I am becoming aware that prices vary from store to store, but also from state to state. I, also, opened a can of worms on another site when I said that making your own laundry detergent wasn't a money saver. other places in the country, ingredients for laundry detergent are plentiful and cheaper. Not in beautiful down town Edmonds! It's really easy to find an oil painting or a hundred dollar t shirt, a five dollar cup of coffee, or a stockbroker, but not ingredients for laundry detergent.
My daughter wanted to try it. We went to three towns, it cost 14.95, and a lot of hard work to make enough detergent for 240 loads. Costco sells a bucket for 15.00 to make 240 loads. I use 1/2 of the amount, so I get 480 loads. 240 loads is enough to last my daughter a year. Costco's gets the clothes cleaner, doesn't gunk up the washer and is a lot easier. If I am going to that much trouble, I can save more momey roasting my own chicken. LOL. I will watch coupons, supposedly, you can get it for almost free. I did it on dishwasher soap, I'll try for laundry soap too.
I'm getting into the busiest time of the year for the business, but will still batch cook today.
The bottom line is no matter where you live, you will find your rock bottom prices on the foods you use often. Buy ar rock bottom, and eat at full price. If you stock wisely, you won't have to buy the item again until it hits rock bottom again. Different stores have different business plans. Volume stores make their money selling lots of an item.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
I got in on two marathon meat buys, and did a mega deal at ALBERTSONS. Their mega deals do not require you to buy a bulk amount. I finally got peppers for .50. Chicken was a buck, and SAFEWAYS had London broil for 3.00. I am trying a new brand of ice cream and some fruits and vegetables were reasonable.
A friend of mine sent me a link to a Pinterest post. It was from 2011. The lady, based on the grocery chain in the pictures, is in Pennsylvania. was getting marked down meat for really cheap packages. I have not seen those prices for years. I suspect that drought prices have kicked on and she isn't getting these prices now. She did, however, stretch her taco meat with onion and grated carrot. She, also, marinated her chicken and cooked it on batches ans made shaved chicken. She said she got her recipes from, " Don't panic, dinner is in the freezer. I bought that book. It is really good recipes and they are tailored to a wide variety of families. The recipes are broken down to several serving sizes. I had jalapeño Mac and cheese with shredded chicken at hey hour last week. It was really good. Last night we had BBQ spareribs, corn on the cob, and green salad. The tomatoes are turning red finally in the garden.
I am becoming aware that prices vary from store to store, but also from state to state. I, also, opened a can of worms on another site when I said that making your own laundry detergent wasn't a money saver. other places in the country, ingredients for laundry detergent are plentiful and cheaper. Not in beautiful down town Edmonds! It's really easy to find an oil painting or a hundred dollar t shirt, a five dollar cup of coffee, or a stockbroker, but not ingredients for laundry detergent.
My daughter wanted to try it. We went to three towns, it cost 14.95, and a lot of hard work to make enough detergent for 240 loads. Costco sells a bucket for 15.00 to make 240 loads. I use 1/2 of the amount, so I get 480 loads. 240 loads is enough to last my daughter a year. Costco's gets the clothes cleaner, doesn't gunk up the washer and is a lot easier. If I am going to that much trouble, I can save more momey roasting my own chicken. LOL. I will watch coupons, supposedly, you can get it for almost free. I did it on dishwasher soap, I'll try for laundry soap too.
I'm getting into the busiest time of the year for the business, but will still batch cook today.
The bottom line is no matter where you live, you will find your rock bottom prices on the foods you use often. Buy ar rock bottom, and eat at full price. If you stock wisely, you won't have to buy the item again until it hits rock bottom again. Different stores have different business plans. Volume stores make their money selling lots of an item.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Friday, August 23, 2013
Finally Friday
It's Friday, especially a good day because I had to work a double shift yesterday. LOL
he Betty Crocker e mail yesterday had a wonderful raspberry cake in the crockpot. A little tedious because of separating eggs and several steps,but it looks really good for a end of the summer BBQ.
SAFEWAYS has a meat sale. The price is right on the edge of 5 dollar dinners, but a taste of roast beef is good treat in this point in time. Roast is the same price as 20 percent hamburger.
Ground turkey is 5.00 as well as Johnsonville brats.
ALBERTSONS has foster Farms grill packs for .99, 15 percent hamburger for 2.49.
The grill packs are fresh. They have leg quarters and a 1/2 of a breast. You could debone the breast and cook off the leg quarters and portion them out. I would prefer a whole chicken, but if you are looking for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, that is about as cheap as you can get them. The stock meat item this week is definitely grill packs.
Boning a chicken breast is as simple as running a share knife along the bone. I am sure that there are videos on how to do it on U tube. It saves a lot of money.
My girlfriend sent me a Pinterest article on marathon cooking. The lady was talking about what she cooked and froze and what she portion controlled and put on the freezer to cook later. She also cooks ground meat and chicken. Pork is usually frozen raw. I do freeze sausage crumbles. She posted really really good buys on meat, like .50 cents a package good. I don't know where she lives, but I haven't seen that good of a deal since top used to put all their on the edge meat in a bin and froze it. To was wrapped in freezer wrap. I used to get hamburger for 3/1.00. That was a good twenty years ago!
I have discovered that tastes and prices fluctuate between parts of the country. I have heard that vegetables are cheaper in the mid west. Coffee and butter are not?
I can only post in the perspective of the pacific north west. Many ideas work everywhere. Prices vary, but so does the amount of food stamps. It is based on the COL index and the USDA statistics, and the size and ages and sex of your family members.
What you get from this blog is my perspective, you need to take from it what works for you.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share and follow.
Jane
he Betty Crocker e mail yesterday had a wonderful raspberry cake in the crockpot. A little tedious because of separating eggs and several steps,but it looks really good for a end of the summer BBQ.
SAFEWAYS has a meat sale. The price is right on the edge of 5 dollar dinners, but a taste of roast beef is good treat in this point in time. Roast is the same price as 20 percent hamburger.
Ground turkey is 5.00 as well as Johnsonville brats.
ALBERTSONS has foster Farms grill packs for .99, 15 percent hamburger for 2.49.
The grill packs are fresh. They have leg quarters and a 1/2 of a breast. You could debone the breast and cook off the leg quarters and portion them out. I would prefer a whole chicken, but if you are looking for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, that is about as cheap as you can get them. The stock meat item this week is definitely grill packs.
Boning a chicken breast is as simple as running a share knife along the bone. I am sure that there are videos on how to do it on U tube. It saves a lot of money.
My girlfriend sent me a Pinterest article on marathon cooking. The lady was talking about what she cooked and froze and what she portion controlled and put on the freezer to cook later. She also cooks ground meat and chicken. Pork is usually frozen raw. I do freeze sausage crumbles. She posted really really good buys on meat, like .50 cents a package good. I don't know where she lives, but I haven't seen that good of a deal since top used to put all their on the edge meat in a bin and froze it. To was wrapped in freezer wrap. I used to get hamburger for 3/1.00. That was a good twenty years ago!
I have discovered that tastes and prices fluctuate between parts of the country. I have heard that vegetables are cheaper in the mid west. Coffee and butter are not?
I can only post in the perspective of the pacific north west. Many ideas work everywhere. Prices vary, but so does the amount of food stamps. It is based on the COL index and the USDA statistics, and the size and ages and sex of your family members.
What you get from this blog is my perspective, you need to take from it what works for you.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share and follow.
Jane
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Funny thing.....
Funny thing, you open this post up and you get a blank page. It has nothing on it. Zilch, nada, a white screen.
LOL
I think that a trick to making good food from scratch is having the right tools. Unlike food that is a never ending expenditure, good tools are bought once and kept a lifetime if you buy quality. It is a gradual process. Remember, it doesn't have to happen one day. Hit a few estate sales and moving sales. We have an aging population and people move into assisted living. This doesn't mean you have to fill your kitchen. There are a few tools that can make your kitchen life easy.
10 things I can't live without in the kitchen
1) a good paring knife that fits YOUR hand comfortably.
2) a good butcher knife
3) a meat grinder. --either a metal one like our grandmothers used, or an attach,emt to a kitchen aid mixer.
4) a micro plane.
5) a good graduated set of mixing bowls
6) a good colander, my go to one is a stainless steel one that has a handle on it.
7) a slow cooker.
8) a food processor.
9) a meat thermometer that has a probe. The probe goes on your meat, and the base unit stays outside the oven.
10) a few good pans: large and small frying pans, stockpot, and a 3-4 quart steamer pot.
This list doesn't include the small everyday tools like can opener, spatulas, potato peeler etc; but , rather, the things that you buy once in your lifetime. If you take care of the,they will last you your lifetime.
I did have to replace my food processor, because the plastic cover broke and there were no replacement parts.someone called that planned obsolete.
A couple of good knives that balance in YOUR hand are essential. The wrong knife can cause you to cut yourself.
A meat grinder will save the cost of it many times over. The kind our grandmothers used are an inexpensive investment. In fact, my husband sold one the other day to a sausage maker.He said he couldn't get the right kind of a chop with the big industrial ones.
A micro plane grates cheese really fine for melting and grates Parmesan cheese-- or other hard cheeses.
Fresh hard cheese is a much better alternative to buying it on a box that probably has chemicals to keep it from clumping.
Mixing bowls and a good colander is a no Brainer. Using the colander to defat your meat is a good idea. When making any baked bakery product, you need to mix your wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. And gently fold together. AT least,that works best with quick breads and pancakes etc. you don't want to develop the gluten and make it tough.
The slow cooker can be your best friend in the kitchen. You can make everything from appetizers to desert on it and pretty much load it and forget it. There is something very therapeutic about coming home from a hard day and having
Dinner done !
A good food processor is indispensable in the kitchen. Grate your own cheese, make pizza crust, breadcrumbs, chop meat, throw together a cake or brownies, chop veggies for salsa. The list could go on and on. It saves time and money.
I can't live without a probe thermometer. I wish I could find a better quality one than the one I have. It takes almost no time to put a chicken or roast on the oven and program the thermometer and walk away to do other thongs around the house. It buzzes at you when it's done and continues to take the temperature of the food you are cooking.
I usually back it up with an instant read thermometer.
It goes without saying, that a few good pans will service you well. Besides thenobvious, A large frying pan and a large stockpot will make stock and help you to batch cook. A steamer pot does veggies and and more.
Investing in a few good tools can set you up for a lifetime. It doesn't have to happen overnight;one thing at a time.
My sister told me one time that she couldn't afford to buy a K-Mart dress. It took me a while to understand such a profound statement. I was 20 at the time. You are much better off buying quality and buying classic styles that will last. I guess she was saying less is more.
Thanks for stopping by.
Please share and follow.
Jane
LOL
I think that a trick to making good food from scratch is having the right tools. Unlike food that is a never ending expenditure, good tools are bought once and kept a lifetime if you buy quality. It is a gradual process. Remember, it doesn't have to happen one day. Hit a few estate sales and moving sales. We have an aging population and people move into assisted living. This doesn't mean you have to fill your kitchen. There are a few tools that can make your kitchen life easy.
10 things I can't live without in the kitchen
1) a good paring knife that fits YOUR hand comfortably.
2) a good butcher knife
3) a meat grinder. --either a metal one like our grandmothers used, or an attach,emt to a kitchen aid mixer.
4) a micro plane.
5) a good graduated set of mixing bowls
6) a good colander, my go to one is a stainless steel one that has a handle on it.
7) a slow cooker.
8) a food processor.
9) a meat thermometer that has a probe. The probe goes on your meat, and the base unit stays outside the oven.
10) a few good pans: large and small frying pans, stockpot, and a 3-4 quart steamer pot.
This list doesn't include the small everyday tools like can opener, spatulas, potato peeler etc; but , rather, the things that you buy once in your lifetime. If you take care of the,they will last you your lifetime.
I did have to replace my food processor, because the plastic cover broke and there were no replacement parts.someone called that planned obsolete.
A couple of good knives that balance in YOUR hand are essential. The wrong knife can cause you to cut yourself.
A meat grinder will save the cost of it many times over. The kind our grandmothers used are an inexpensive investment. In fact, my husband sold one the other day to a sausage maker.He said he couldn't get the right kind of a chop with the big industrial ones.
A micro plane grates cheese really fine for melting and grates Parmesan cheese-- or other hard cheeses.
Fresh hard cheese is a much better alternative to buying it on a box that probably has chemicals to keep it from clumping.
Mixing bowls and a good colander is a no Brainer. Using the colander to defat your meat is a good idea. When making any baked bakery product, you need to mix your wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. And gently fold together. AT least,that works best with quick breads and pancakes etc. you don't want to develop the gluten and make it tough.
The slow cooker can be your best friend in the kitchen. You can make everything from appetizers to desert on it and pretty much load it and forget it. There is something very therapeutic about coming home from a hard day and having
Dinner done !
A good food processor is indispensable in the kitchen. Grate your own cheese, make pizza crust, breadcrumbs, chop meat, throw together a cake or brownies, chop veggies for salsa. The list could go on and on. It saves time and money.
I can't live without a probe thermometer. I wish I could find a better quality one than the one I have. It takes almost no time to put a chicken or roast on the oven and program the thermometer and walk away to do other thongs around the house. It buzzes at you when it's done and continues to take the temperature of the food you are cooking.
I usually back it up with an instant read thermometer.
It goes without saying, that a few good pans will service you well. Besides thenobvious, A large frying pan and a large stockpot will make stock and help you to batch cook. A steamer pot does veggies and and more.
Investing in a few good tools can set you up for a lifetime. It doesn't have to happen overnight;one thing at a time.
My sister told me one time that she couldn't afford to buy a K-Mart dress. It took me a while to understand such a profound statement. I was 20 at the time. You are much better off buying quality and buying classic styles that will last. I guess she was saying less is more.
Thanks for stopping by.
Please share and follow.
Jane
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Wednesday. The ads
IGA
Cheese 3.99@@@
Beef chuck 3.99
ALBERTSONS
strawberries 2/3
Blues 2/4
Foster farms grill pack .99
15 percent hamburger 2.49
BOGO meat.....no prices
20/10.00
Yoplait
Chilies
Enchaladas sauce
Sardines
Sour cream
10/10
Nome of the products are a big bargain unless you van pair them with a coupon. Snack pack puffing has a 45 cent coupon out there. Check coupon connections.
Carrots 2/1.00
Zucchini. 1.00
TOP
Green beans 1.00
Tillamook yogurt 10/5
Celery .57
Raspberries 5.00
QFC
Blues 3.99
Apples 1.29
Crest 1.00
SAFEWAYS
London broil
Pork loin chops
Sirloin tip
2.99
Grapes 1.99
Coleslaw, spinach 10/10
Corn 3-1
5 dollar Friday
Sub sandwich 5.00
Blues or raspberroes2/5
Cod 5.00
That's about it. there is a marked increase in prices.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share, follow
Jane
Cheese 3.99@@@
Beef chuck 3.99
ALBERTSONS
strawberries 2/3
Blues 2/4
Foster farms grill pack .99
15 percent hamburger 2.49
BOGO meat.....no prices
20/10.00
Yoplait
Chilies
Enchaladas sauce
Sardines
Sour cream
10/10
Nome of the products are a big bargain unless you van pair them with a coupon. Snack pack puffing has a 45 cent coupon out there. Check coupon connections.
Carrots 2/1.00
Zucchini. 1.00
TOP
Green beans 1.00
Tillamook yogurt 10/5
Celery .57
Raspberries 5.00
QFC
Blues 3.99
Apples 1.29
Crest 1.00
SAFEWAYS
London broil
Pork loin chops
Sirloin tip
2.99
Grapes 1.99
Coleslaw, spinach 10/10
Corn 3-1
5 dollar Friday
Sub sandwich 5.00
Blues or raspberroes2/5
Cod 5.00
That's about it. there is a marked increase in prices.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share, follow
Jane
Tuesday
Yesterday we had errands to run up north. we stopped at Rite aid and for their 10/10 with a 2 dollar up reward.
I had coupons. I wound up paying 5.55 and getting tuna and sardines.
Pork Quesadillas
1-2 pound pork ( ground)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Avocado
1jalapeno pepper
8 corn tortillas
Oil
1) Cook meat with onion until meat is no longer pink. Drain , transferring to a bowl.
2) mix remaining ingredients ( except the tortillas and oil) together and fold into meat.
3) spread 4 tortillas with mixture. Top with remaining tortillas.
4) brush tortillas with oil until tortillas are browned and cheese has melted.
Notes:
Corn tortillas were 74 for 2.00 at Big Lots.
I think I would cook the meat, onion, and jalapeño . Place the cooked meat on the tortillas, add the cheese to them, and place the tops on and grill. Mix the sour cream with the avocado for a dip, or serve them with avocado slices and sour cream for a garnish.
Somehow, the sour cream and avocado don't sound yummy heated to me.
I could have used the leftover pork chopped up small for these. You could also use chopped up chicken too.
Avacados can be pricy, but sometimes they go on sale. You can afford the avocados on sale, because the recipe only calls for. 1/2 pound of meat. The meat is augmented with cheese. 1 cup of grated cheese is 4 ounces of cheese, I am still getting cheese for 2.50 a pound, or .62.
Serve tortillas with fruit. If I was having this for dinner, I think I would addnspanish rice or a tomato soup.
Keeping your eyes open where ever you go can net you a bargain that stretches your grocery dollar.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
I had coupons. I wound up paying 5.55 and getting tuna and sardines.
Pork Quesadillas
1-2 pound pork ( ground)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Avocado
1jalapeno pepper
8 corn tortillas
Oil
1) Cook meat with onion until meat is no longer pink. Drain , transferring to a bowl.
2) mix remaining ingredients ( except the tortillas and oil) together and fold into meat.
3) spread 4 tortillas with mixture. Top with remaining tortillas.
4) brush tortillas with oil until tortillas are browned and cheese has melted.
Notes:
Corn tortillas were 74 for 2.00 at Big Lots.
I think I would cook the meat, onion, and jalapeño . Place the cooked meat on the tortillas, add the cheese to them, and place the tops on and grill. Mix the sour cream with the avocado for a dip, or serve them with avocado slices and sour cream for a garnish.
Somehow, the sour cream and avocado don't sound yummy heated to me.
I could have used the leftover pork chopped up small for these. You could also use chopped up chicken too.
Avacados can be pricy, but sometimes they go on sale. You can afford the avocados on sale, because the recipe only calls for. 1/2 pound of meat. The meat is augmented with cheese. 1 cup of grated cheese is 4 ounces of cheese, I am still getting cheese for 2.50 a pound, or .62.
Serve tortillas with fruit. If I was having this for dinner, I think I would addnspanish rice or a tomato soup.
Keeping your eyes open where ever you go can net you a bargain that stretches your grocery dollar.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Monday, August 19, 2013
What to do with what you got!
" I'm stuck." ...our granddaughters favorite expression this weekend. Really, I would love to hear a comment as to what you would like to read about. I, rambling on lately. LOL
My pet peeves: picky eaters and people telling me what not to eat every other day. My doctor told me to drink four cups of coffee a day to help the liver. There is an article in the women's day that suggests you drink three cups a day to keep from having diabetes. I cut my consumption to one a day for some reason, I or get. Now, there is a story out there that if you drink four cups a day it will kill you. ???? I'm going with my doctor. I haven't got up to four a day, taking it slow so I don't have the headaches I got going off it. LOL
Meals....put matrix is
2 beef
2 pork or chicken
2 vegetarian
1 fish
This is a compromise to suit my family. Your matrix is probably different.
I got spare ribs for dinner last night. At 2 dollars a pound, it was an expensive dinner. Had I been feeding four people, I would probably have had enough left for some soup. That's two dinners for 8 dollars. The rib dinner with half a corn and a salad, would be close to five dollars. I would add vegetables and beans and make a second dinner with a salad and roll. Another five dollar dinner. But, I would have prefered to have BBQ pork sandwiches and French fries and vegetable sticks.
1) spareribs, corn on the cob, salad 5.00
2) BBQ pork sandwiches , French fries , veggie sticks. 6.50
3) enchiladas , salad
4) spaghetti and meatballs, green salad 4.50
5) Mac and cheese , peas and carrots.
6) vegetable bean soup , rolls
7) tuna melt , salad, ( use buns from the BBQ pork sandwiches.)
Bumble tuna is .80 at rite aid on a mega 10 event. There is a coupon out there.
Corn was 3/1 last week at Freddie's. brown ans serve bread sticks were 1.89 a bag.
Peas and carrots are 1.00 at the dollar store. Corn tortillas are cheap at Costco.
I pay less than a buck. I try for coupons to make them closer to .50.
If you buy your food when it is at it's cheapest price, you can effectively make dinners for an average of 5.00.
I know there are people with six digit incomes that can't relate to stockpiling. I loved it when a lady on the today show said ( paraphrasing) if you can't understand it, you ain't been broke enough!
My husband and I are facing the possibility of loosing our supplementary income. We have four mouths to feed. I am overstocked for a reason.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share and click the follow button.
Jane
My pet peeves: picky eaters and people telling me what not to eat every other day. My doctor told me to drink four cups of coffee a day to help the liver. There is an article in the women's day that suggests you drink three cups a day to keep from having diabetes. I cut my consumption to one a day for some reason, I or get. Now, there is a story out there that if you drink four cups a day it will kill you. ???? I'm going with my doctor. I haven't got up to four a day, taking it slow so I don't have the headaches I got going off it. LOL
Meals....put matrix is
2 beef
2 pork or chicken
2 vegetarian
1 fish
This is a compromise to suit my family. Your matrix is probably different.
I got spare ribs for dinner last night. At 2 dollars a pound, it was an expensive dinner. Had I been feeding four people, I would probably have had enough left for some soup. That's two dinners for 8 dollars. The rib dinner with half a corn and a salad, would be close to five dollars. I would add vegetables and beans and make a second dinner with a salad and roll. Another five dollar dinner. But, I would have prefered to have BBQ pork sandwiches and French fries and vegetable sticks.
1) spareribs, corn on the cob, salad 5.00
2) BBQ pork sandwiches , French fries , veggie sticks. 6.50
3) enchiladas , salad
4) spaghetti and meatballs, green salad 4.50
5) Mac and cheese , peas and carrots.
6) vegetable bean soup , rolls
7) tuna melt , salad, ( use buns from the BBQ pork sandwiches.)
Bumble tuna is .80 at rite aid on a mega 10 event. There is a coupon out there.
Corn was 3/1 last week at Freddie's. brown ans serve bread sticks were 1.89 a bag.
Peas and carrots are 1.00 at the dollar store. Corn tortillas are cheap at Costco.
I pay less than a buck. I try for coupons to make them closer to .50.
If you buy your food when it is at it's cheapest price, you can effectively make dinners for an average of 5.00.
I know there are people with six digit incomes that can't relate to stockpiling. I loved it when a lady on the today show said ( paraphrasing) if you can't understand it, you ain't been broke enough!
My husband and I are facing the possibility of loosing our supplementary income. We have four mouths to feed. I am overstocked for a reason.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share and click the follow button.
Jane
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Sweet Sunday, part 2
I did go to the dollar store and get a newspaper ,and I got dial hypoallergenic soap, six bars for a buck with a coupon. There were a few recipe starters that weren't tomato.
The paper netted more. I got six cans of beans for .50 a piece with in ad coupon. And butter for 1.70. I got spareribs for 1.97 a pound. Strawberries were 2/3., but true to Fred Meyers reputation, ther weren't any. There was no hamburger the last time I went for it either. And there was one package of ribs out.
Crayons crayons were .50 still so I got another 4--the limit. That's almost enough for my daughters class to get one each. She will have to go on her lunch break and get the rest. Kids clothes are 50 percent off the last price. Some of the, are pretty tacky ( girls anyway ) but some are ok.
Rite aid ad
10/10 sale with a two dollar up reward.
Note. Easy Mac, Kraft Mac and cheese, pudding, sardines and bumble bee tuna. I would only use the bumble bee tuna and pudding for the baby.
As promised, a recipe.
Beans we're.50 this week at Fred Meyers.
Turkey ( or chicken) Cassoulet
2 slices bacon
olive oil
Butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup broth
3 carrots, sliced
Six ounce tomato paste
1 cup water
Thyme
Pepper
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained.
1 cup poultry, cooked and chopped.
Bread crumbs
Parm cheese
1) cook bacon. Remove from pan and drain. Add olive oil and butter to pan.
Cook onion and garlic in the same pan until crisp tender.
2) add broth, tomato pâste, water and spices. Cook until vegetables are tender.
3) stir in beans and meat.
4) pour into baking dish
5) in small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, parm cheese and butter.
6) sprinkle on top of dish.
7) bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
The paper netted more. I got six cans of beans for .50 a piece with in ad coupon. And butter for 1.70. I got spareribs for 1.97 a pound. Strawberries were 2/3., but true to Fred Meyers reputation, ther weren't any. There was no hamburger the last time I went for it either. And there was one package of ribs out.
Crayons crayons were .50 still so I got another 4--the limit. That's almost enough for my daughters class to get one each. She will have to go on her lunch break and get the rest. Kids clothes are 50 percent off the last price. Some of the, are pretty tacky ( girls anyway ) but some are ok.
Rite aid ad
10/10 sale with a two dollar up reward.
Note. Easy Mac, Kraft Mac and cheese, pudding, sardines and bumble bee tuna. I would only use the bumble bee tuna and pudding for the baby.
As promised, a recipe.
Beans we're.50 this week at Fred Meyers.
Turkey ( or chicken) Cassoulet
2 slices bacon
olive oil
Butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup broth
3 carrots, sliced
Six ounce tomato paste
1 cup water
Thyme
Pepper
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained.
1 cup poultry, cooked and chopped.
Bread crumbs
Parm cheese
1) cook bacon. Remove from pan and drain. Add olive oil and butter to pan.
Cook onion and garlic in the same pan until crisp tender.
2) add broth, tomato pâste, water and spices. Cook until vegetables are tender.
3) stir in beans and meat.
4) pour into baking dish
5) in small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, parm cheese and butter.
6) sprinkle on top of dish.
7) bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Sweet Sunday
Sunday.. Me will go get the newspaper from the dollar store, it's close by on the highway. Dial soap has a coupon , so it is .50 for three bars, of they carry it. I'll look, it would be another thing for the women's shelter basket. My friend brought me a basket with tissues etc in it for the shelter.. I'll add my stuff to it.
yesterday, we had enchaladas for dinner. I made two batches, some with real meat and some with fake meat.I left the hot stuff out of the sauce to accommodate the baby. She wouldn't eat it anyway, next time , I will add the chili powder and the cayenne. LOL. live and learn. my picky husband ate every last bit! It's harder to make a scratch dimmer when you have to accommodate picky eaters, it's much better to teach them to eat everything in the first place. Children learn by example, I am afraid my granddaughter is picky because her mother is vegetarian. My daughter ate everything until she became of age and decided she would be a vegetarian.
.
He picked up the corn tortillas . I keep flour ones on hand, but don't usually use corn ones. I can see a kidney bean added to the mix. Especially with the vegetarian one, I topped them with sauce and three different kinds of cheese ( using up some bits ).
I think we will have a big chicken salad for tonight with French bread.
I still want to photo journal a weeks worth of dinners. We eat pretty normal for 1/2 of the thrifty stats.
grocery shopping was quick this week. I went to QFC to get my meds. There was nothing I wanted to buy. They had some nice orchids for 12.99, but I passed. I'm trying so save money to cover the doughnut hole.
Fred Meyer had better buys and I could go to rite aid for ice cream. I am sitting at 75.00 a week this month.
I have not made up for the extra I spent in June and July. We still, based on the amount of stock we have, are sitting at 1/2 of USDA stats, based on actual food eaten. I have stocked the freezer, and the pantry.
I have banana bread to make, clothes do fold and meds to dispense into my weekly box and I can't think of anything to
Say, I'll be back later with a recipe.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
yesterday, we had enchaladas for dinner. I made two batches, some with real meat and some with fake meat.I left the hot stuff out of the sauce to accommodate the baby. She wouldn't eat it anyway, next time , I will add the chili powder and the cayenne. LOL. live and learn. my picky husband ate every last bit! It's harder to make a scratch dimmer when you have to accommodate picky eaters, it's much better to teach them to eat everything in the first place. Children learn by example, I am afraid my granddaughter is picky because her mother is vegetarian. My daughter ate everything until she became of age and decided she would be a vegetarian.
.
He picked up the corn tortillas . I keep flour ones on hand, but don't usually use corn ones. I can see a kidney bean added to the mix. Especially with the vegetarian one, I topped them with sauce and three different kinds of cheese ( using up some bits ).
I think we will have a big chicken salad for tonight with French bread.
I still want to photo journal a weeks worth of dinners. We eat pretty normal for 1/2 of the thrifty stats.
grocery shopping was quick this week. I went to QFC to get my meds. There was nothing I wanted to buy. They had some nice orchids for 12.99, but I passed. I'm trying so save money to cover the doughnut hole.
Fred Meyer had better buys and I could go to rite aid for ice cream. I am sitting at 75.00 a week this month.
I have not made up for the extra I spent in June and July. We still, based on the amount of stock we have, are sitting at 1/2 of USDA stats, based on actual food eaten. I have stocked the freezer, and the pantry.
I have banana bread to make, clothes do fold and meds to dispense into my weekly box and I can't think of anything to
Say, I'll be back later with a recipe.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Friday, August 16, 2013
Suddenly Saturday
After my husband had his discussions with the boat mechanic, and we played musical printers we went grocery shopping. I managed to get a lot of cleaning done. My old heavy reliable printer gave up after twenty years. I'm sad because they don't make them like that anymore. It goes to the recycle place tomorrow
I chose Fred Meyers because they had the best deals on local produce. I really don't need a whole lot of other foods.
I purchased a 4.00 bag of ham cubes. I can get at least three, maybe four meals out of the bag. That makes for really,cheap meals.
Veggies were cheap, as well as Nalleys chili with an in ad coupon.
The meat was not cheap. They had the instant mashed potatoes that I like in several new yummy flavors. Smoked bacon flavored sounded very good. They were a buck. Last check was 1.59. I have got them for as cheap as .80.
Corn was 3/1.00 and peaches and nectarines were less than a dollar.
Rite aid was on the way home. Ice cream was 2/6 with a two dollar up reward. That makes it two dollars a carton. They had not changed out the signs . The signs didnt match the ad. Don't hesitate to ask if that happens. They have to honor the ad. They , also have to honor the sign that they left . I just didn't want to buy four ice creams. The freezer is too full. All in all, I spent 44.00.
Last night we had egg omelettes and a fruit cup of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and peaches. Breakfast for dinner is a good way to cut your meat consumption. Eggs were 1.25 a dozen today.
Making a little meat stretch your meal helps keep your 5 dollar budget.
Please share and click the follower button!
Thanks for stopping by
Jane
I chose Fred Meyers because they had the best deals on local produce. I really don't need a whole lot of other foods.
I purchased a 4.00 bag of ham cubes. I can get at least three, maybe four meals out of the bag. That makes for really,cheap meals.
Veggies were cheap, as well as Nalleys chili with an in ad coupon.
The meat was not cheap. They had the instant mashed potatoes that I like in several new yummy flavors. Smoked bacon flavored sounded very good. They were a buck. Last check was 1.59. I have got them for as cheap as .80.
Corn was 3/1.00 and peaches and nectarines were less than a dollar.
Rite aid was on the way home. Ice cream was 2/6 with a two dollar up reward. That makes it two dollars a carton. They had not changed out the signs . The signs didnt match the ad. Don't hesitate to ask if that happens. They have to honor the ad. They , also have to honor the sign that they left . I just didn't want to buy four ice creams. The freezer is too full. All in all, I spent 44.00.
Last night we had egg omelettes and a fruit cup of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and peaches. Breakfast for dinner is a good way to cut your meat consumption. Eggs were 1.25 a dozen today.
Making a little meat stretch your meal helps keep your 5 dollar budget.
Please share and click the follower button!
Thanks for stopping by
Jane
Finally Friday
We eat a lot of tex mex at our house, it's cheap, it's vegetarian and semi vegetarian friendly, and most of the time it is quick-- all attributes of a happy meal at this house.
Turkey Enchiladas
8 ounces ground turkey
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 onion
4 tsp minced garlic
2 T flour
Dash salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1-4 ounce Can diced green chilies, undrained
1-8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 T tomato paste
1 T chili powder
8 corn tortillas
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese
1) Brown meat. Remove meat from pan. Defat. Do not wash skillet.
2) In same skillet add oil and butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.
3) add flour, salt and pepper and cook until bubbly.
4) ( roux) add broth and stir until mixture thickens.
5) add chillies and tomato products and simmer until flavors blend , a put 10 minutes.
6) add 1/2 cup of sauce to the cooked meat.
7) stir in most of the cheese ( reserve some for the top)
8) dip corn tortillas into the sauce. Fill the tortilla, roll and place seam side down in 9X13 pan.
9) cover tortillas with cheese.
10) bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until heated through.
Notes
Chilies are expensive, but I have found them as low as .50.
They are a believable expense because the turkey is so inexpensive. I find it for 3/5. Half of 1.67 is only .84.
I still have cheese for 2.50. I am still finding sales for 2.50 .
one and a half cups is 6 ounces or .94. Tomato sauce was .25 at ALBERTSONS. Tomato paste is .40 at Costco. 1/2'can is .20. Total of 2.73 plus onion and tortillas. I don't usually buy corn tortillas, I know they are at big lots often as well as grocery outlet. There is a large Mexican section at grocery outlet. My educated guess is that this recipe is under 5.00.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Turkey Enchiladas
8 ounces ground turkey
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 onion
4 tsp minced garlic
2 T flour
Dash salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1-4 ounce Can diced green chilies, undrained
1-8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 T tomato paste
1 T chili powder
8 corn tortillas
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese
1) Brown meat. Remove meat from pan. Defat. Do not wash skillet.
2) In same skillet add oil and butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.
3) add flour, salt and pepper and cook until bubbly.
4) ( roux) add broth and stir until mixture thickens.
5) add chillies and tomato products and simmer until flavors blend , a put 10 minutes.
6) add 1/2 cup of sauce to the cooked meat.
7) stir in most of the cheese ( reserve some for the top)
8) dip corn tortillas into the sauce. Fill the tortilla, roll and place seam side down in 9X13 pan.
9) cover tortillas with cheese.
10) bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until heated through.
Notes
Chilies are expensive, but I have found them as low as .50.
They are a believable expense because the turkey is so inexpensive. I find it for 3/5. Half of 1.67 is only .84.
I still have cheese for 2.50. I am still finding sales for 2.50 .
one and a half cups is 6 ounces or .94. Tomato sauce was .25 at ALBERTSONS. Tomato paste is .40 at Costco. 1/2'can is .20. Total of 2.73 plus onion and tortillas. I don't usually buy corn tortillas, I know they are at big lots often as well as grocery outlet. There is a large Mexican section at grocery outlet. My educated guess is that this recipe is under 5.00.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Notes on Thursday
Hamburger is 2.99 for low fat at ALBERTSOMS with a coupon in ad. I Sometimes get it as cheap or a little cheaper at business Costco. I can't believe that back to school stuff is here. It's August and the stores and my suppliers are showing fall and thanksgiving merchandise. I still want to enjoy summer! LOL. We are having an unusual summer this year, it is actually hot! It isn't really the season for hamburger, unless you make taco salad or nachos. There are some meats on BOGO, but they don't have a base price, so I can't tell if they are inexpensive enough or not.
Ice cream is 2/6 at rite aid with a two dollar up reward. That makes it 2.00 a carton. That's about as cheap as I have seen it.
Fruits and veggies remain relatively inexpensive, so take advantage of them as well as a good cheese sale. The dairy prices and meat prices are continuing to rise and the projections are for them to rise more. People with six digit incomes will be able to adapt easier than those of us that don't. Your best hedge is to stockpile what you can. There is no help for milk, but grated cheese freezes and adapting recipes and your menus to include more of the cheaper meats or more vegetarian meals will get you through. As predicted,ready made meat is cheaper than scratch at the moment. I think they call that rolling with the punches. The USDA projects higher prices into 2014.
It seems like Fred Meyer has the best prices on vegetables this week. Other than hamburger, I am not seeing any other definitive meat prices. Last week, with coupons, smoked sausage was 1.33. That's why it pays to stock and not just buy one meal at a time. Take advantage of the weather and low vegetable prices and make chefs,Cobb, taco, or Cesar salads. The Betty Crocker web site has a really good salad with orzo and beans and a little meat.
Add a piece of brown and serve bread and you have a really good meal for hot weather. We got a huge bag of brown and serve bread sticks for less than two dollars last week.
With careful strategies,taking advantage of sales, you can eat well with five dollar dinners.
These days, with the Internet there are plenty of recipes to choose from. If a recipe calls for an expensive ingredient, figure a substitution.
Thanks for stopping by.
Please share
Jane
Ice cream is 2/6 at rite aid with a two dollar up reward. That makes it 2.00 a carton. That's about as cheap as I have seen it.
Fruits and veggies remain relatively inexpensive, so take advantage of them as well as a good cheese sale. The dairy prices and meat prices are continuing to rise and the projections are for them to rise more. People with six digit incomes will be able to adapt easier than those of us that don't. Your best hedge is to stockpile what you can. There is no help for milk, but grated cheese freezes and adapting recipes and your menus to include more of the cheaper meats or more vegetarian meals will get you through. As predicted,ready made meat is cheaper than scratch at the moment. I think they call that rolling with the punches. The USDA projects higher prices into 2014.
It seems like Fred Meyer has the best prices on vegetables this week. Other than hamburger, I am not seeing any other definitive meat prices. Last week, with coupons, smoked sausage was 1.33. That's why it pays to stock and not just buy one meal at a time. Take advantage of the weather and low vegetable prices and make chefs,Cobb, taco, or Cesar salads. The Betty Crocker web site has a really good salad with orzo and beans and a little meat.
Add a piece of brown and serve bread and you have a really good meal for hot weather. We got a huge bag of brown and serve bread sticks for less than two dollars last week.
With careful strategies,taking advantage of sales, you can eat well with five dollar dinners.
These days, with the Internet there are plenty of recipes to choose from. If a recipe calls for an expensive ingredient, figure a substitution.
Thanks for stopping by.
Please share
Jane
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
The ads 8/14/13
Posting the ads.
QFC
Roma's, jalapeño peppers .99
Strawberries 2/4
Raspberries/blackberries 2/5
Blues 2.99 pt.
Chuck roast 2.99
Milk 2/3
Eggs 2/3
Kroger ice cream 2/5
Grapes 1.48
Hillshire farms lunch meat 2.99 - digital coupon for .50******+ see note
Plums 1.49
ALBERTSOMS
Grapes .99
BOGO
London broil
Petite sirloin
Eye of the round
Boneless pork chops
There is no original price listed, so I don't know if this is a bargain or not.
Pitted olives 1.00
7 percent ground beef 2.99@
Milk 1.79 @
SAFEWAYS
Nectorenes or peaches .99
Corn 3/1
Beef chuck 2.49
Sirloin 2.99
Pears . 99
Grapes 1.67
Pork loin chops 1.97
Mix or match
Buy 10. Nets .80
HUNTS pasta sauce
Snack pack
Refried beans
Ketchup
Carrots .79@
Tillamook 2.99 @
Grapes 2.00
Peppers, cukes 2/1
IGA
London broil 3.49
Corn 10/2.98
Kraft singles 1.99@
Notes @ means an in flyer coupon.
Some of these things have coupons out there; check couponconnections.com
Note there is an electronic coupon at QFC for Hillshire farms lunch meat. If you have a paper coupon for more momey you are better off not using a electronic one. You cannot stack electronic coupons.
That's about all I see. The only stock items I see are the .80 things at TOP.
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY
please share
Jane
QFC
Roma's, jalapeño peppers .99
Strawberries 2/4
Raspberries/blackberries 2/5
Blues 2.99 pt.
Chuck roast 2.99
Milk 2/3
Eggs 2/3
Kroger ice cream 2/5
Grapes 1.48
Hillshire farms lunch meat 2.99 - digital coupon for .50******+ see note
Plums 1.49
ALBERTSOMS
Grapes .99
BOGO
London broil
Petite sirloin
Eye of the round
Boneless pork chops
There is no original price listed, so I don't know if this is a bargain or not.
Pitted olives 1.00
7 percent ground beef 2.99@
Milk 1.79 @
SAFEWAYS
Nectorenes or peaches .99
Corn 3/1
Beef chuck 2.49
Sirloin 2.99
Pears . 99
Grapes 1.67
Pork loin chops 1.97
Mix or match
Buy 10. Nets .80
HUNTS pasta sauce
Snack pack
Refried beans
Ketchup
Carrots .79@
Tillamook 2.99 @
Grapes 2.00
Peppers, cukes 2/1
IGA
London broil 3.49
Corn 10/2.98
Kraft singles 1.99@
Notes @ means an in flyer coupon.
Some of these things have coupons out there; check couponconnections.com
Note there is an electronic coupon at QFC for Hillshire farms lunch meat. If you have a paper coupon for more momey you are better off not using a electronic one. You cannot stack electronic coupons.
That's about all I see. The only stock items I see are the .80 things at TOP.
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY
please share
Jane
Terrific Tuesday
Tuesdays are always terrific because I don't have to cook. Actually I like the cooking, it's the cleanup that I don't like. I would rather be playing with my granddaughter. Tuesdays we go to happy hour with friends. It is an inexpensive way to go to dinner with friends. Often times we get dinner for 5 bucks..all you can eat tacos, stuffed chicken with asparagus, super nachos. Things are usually 1/2 price. Walking out under twenty dollars is really,nice, and it is nice visiting with friends, We usually do a house happy hour once in a while.
Last night we had nachos. We do a lot of Mexican because I can cook once for everybody and can adapt for the vegetarians and semi vegetarians.
One quick note, dryers ice cream is on sale 2/6 dollars with a two dollar up reward at rite aid. That makes it two dollars a carton. Dryers is supposed to be more natural than some of the others. Some ice cream has a lot of air whipped into it.
Yesterday we went to the dollar store and I picked up the paper. Be sure to look to see if there is an insert in it.
The recipe starter is down to fire roasted tomato. I haven't cost that out yet.
J
Fred Meyers has a different ad schedule and the ads don't come in the mail. Sirloin steaks are 3.49. Because of the portions, they are still probavly a big treat for a thrifty budget. It still will work of you have several inexpensive meals like on yesterday's blog. Note the small print, you have to buy a mega package. You could make a meal of beef stroganoff , or cut some of it in small cubes and make vegetable soup to stretch it. The lean beef is 3.88, it is much cheaper at the business Costco. Last time I was there, it was about a dollar a pound cheaper. I have some things that I always get there. Salt and other staples are much cheaper and they last forever. I buy them once and can forget them on my list for a long time. It is also a good thing to get with several other families and make a grocery list to split. Beans in very large bags are much cheaper too. I bought split peas, but so,e lady was buying garbanzo beans one time. I think that it was fifty pounds, you really would need to split with a lot of families. My daughter and I made hummus. It was really good, and really inexpensive. There is a good dinner salad on Betty Crocker this week. It's free to sign up and you get many new recipes
Peaches or nectarines are .97.
1/2 gallons of milk are .99@
,pan bread is 2/3@,
Dryers ice cream is 2.99****note that is almost a dollar more than rite aid,
Corn is 3/1
Cottage cheese is 3/5
Cheese is 4.99, no limit
N ally's chili is .89 @ limit 6
Eggs 4/5. Limit 4. Note you don't have to buy four. Check pull dates
Blackberries2/5
Celery .69
Green onions, radishes 3/1
Spinach .89
Cukes 2-1
Mini carrots , 2#, 2/4
Zucchini .88
Note: watch the register or at least check the receipt before you leave the store. Last time I was charged 1.29 a pound for .69 a pound zucchini. It was too far to go back for the less than a pound of zucchini that I purchased. But, still,I don't like to be over charged. Mistakes happen. Someti,es I haven't picked ip the right item, or the shelf has become untidy and the right item is not under the right tag, but you want the sale prices.
Be sure to check couponconnections to see if there are any match ups. A few,clicks of the mouse can result in several dollars off your food bill.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Last night we had nachos. We do a lot of Mexican because I can cook once for everybody and can adapt for the vegetarians and semi vegetarians.
One quick note, dryers ice cream is on sale 2/6 dollars with a two dollar up reward at rite aid. That makes it two dollars a carton. Dryers is supposed to be more natural than some of the others. Some ice cream has a lot of air whipped into it.
Yesterday we went to the dollar store and I picked up the paper. Be sure to look to see if there is an insert in it.
The recipe starter is down to fire roasted tomato. I haven't cost that out yet.
J
Fred Meyers has a different ad schedule and the ads don't come in the mail. Sirloin steaks are 3.49. Because of the portions, they are still probavly a big treat for a thrifty budget. It still will work of you have several inexpensive meals like on yesterday's blog. Note the small print, you have to buy a mega package. You could make a meal of beef stroganoff , or cut some of it in small cubes and make vegetable soup to stretch it. The lean beef is 3.88, it is much cheaper at the business Costco. Last time I was there, it was about a dollar a pound cheaper. I have some things that I always get there. Salt and other staples are much cheaper and they last forever. I buy them once and can forget them on my list for a long time. It is also a good thing to get with several other families and make a grocery list to split. Beans in very large bags are much cheaper too. I bought split peas, but so,e lady was buying garbanzo beans one time. I think that it was fifty pounds, you really would need to split with a lot of families. My daughter and I made hummus. It was really good, and really inexpensive. There is a good dinner salad on Betty Crocker this week. It's free to sign up and you get many new recipes
Peaches or nectarines are .97.
1/2 gallons of milk are .99@
,pan bread is 2/3@,
Dryers ice cream is 2.99****note that is almost a dollar more than rite aid,
Corn is 3/1
Cottage cheese is 3/5
Cheese is 4.99, no limit
N ally's chili is .89 @ limit 6
Eggs 4/5. Limit 4. Note you don't have to buy four. Check pull dates
Blackberries2/5
Celery .69
Green onions, radishes 3/1
Spinach .89
Cukes 2-1
Mini carrots , 2#, 2/4
Zucchini .88
Note: watch the register or at least check the receipt before you leave the store. Last time I was charged 1.29 a pound for .69 a pound zucchini. It was too far to go back for the less than a pound of zucchini that I purchased. But, still,I don't like to be over charged. Mistakes happen. Someti,es I haven't picked ip the right item, or the shelf has become untidy and the right item is not under the right tag, but you want the sale prices.
Be sure to check couponconnections to see if there are any match ups. A few,clicks of the mouse can result in several dollars off your food bill.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share
Jane
Monday, August 12, 2013
What to do with what you got!
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/braised-sausage-and-beans/c12e7ee6-b058-4a6a-98c7-7ac5d401506c
Recipe for a braised sausage and beans. . Betty Crocker is a good source for new dinners. Some of them you will need to adapt to keep them in your budget.
I use bisquick all the time and Betty Crocker cake mixes. I usually get cake mixes for free or almost free. You can base your price on the fact that a cup of flour costs .075 a cup. I get Betty Crocker instant mashed potatoes, but prefer a different brand. I get them when they are cheap usually at Winco. Winco sometimes sends 10.00 coupons; they don't have sales. Everything is a lower price already. Still, sometimes their prices are more than a sale price at another store. You have to know your prices.
Smoked sausage is 1.33 at ALBERTSONS with a coupon. Beans are .50 with a coupon. Of you were lucky enough to get a printable coupon when they were available, they would have been free.
I would use my own chicken broth or better than boullion and my own carrots. 1.33 for sausage, 1.00 for beans, .50 worth of carrots equals 2.83. Plus staples. You are still well under five dollars. Add a baguette and it totals 3.13. I don't count anything that is less than 2T in my calculations, but this meal is well under your five dollar benchmark. The key, as you probably have seen, is to buy in bulk and watch for sales. The savings are remarkable.
Beans are 1.50. Getting them for .50 is a dollar savings, all those dollars add up. They make a big difference in the amount of food you can buy.
K
That brings me to another observation. If you are not going to use a printable, don't print it. You are using your ink and paper, and they only allow so many printings. If you are not going to use it or share it, leave it for the next person. It goes along with the common courtesy of not clearing the shelf. I only clear the shelf of there are only six or so left. Be sure to check for dented cans in that case. Often if they are the last cans, that's why they are left. ...just a heads up.
We go to the bakery outlet once every six to eight weeks. Last time I had plenty of sandwich type bread still in the freezer. I got a large package of brown and serve baguettes, another large sized package of brown and serve bread sticks, a bag of frosted animal cookies for grand baby, a package of peanut butter cookies, two packages of English muffins. They gave us another package of English muffins, and a package of hoggie rolls. All for 11.00.
The brown and serve baguettes were .36 each. French bread at the grocers is well over a buck.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share and push the follow button.
Jane
Recipe for a braised sausage and beans. . Betty Crocker is a good source for new dinners. Some of them you will need to adapt to keep them in your budget.
I use bisquick all the time and Betty Crocker cake mixes. I usually get cake mixes for free or almost free. You can base your price on the fact that a cup of flour costs .075 a cup. I get Betty Crocker instant mashed potatoes, but prefer a different brand. I get them when they are cheap usually at Winco. Winco sometimes sends 10.00 coupons; they don't have sales. Everything is a lower price already. Still, sometimes their prices are more than a sale price at another store. You have to know your prices.
Smoked sausage is 1.33 at ALBERTSONS with a coupon. Beans are .50 with a coupon. Of you were lucky enough to get a printable coupon when they were available, they would have been free.
I would use my own chicken broth or better than boullion and my own carrots. 1.33 for sausage, 1.00 for beans, .50 worth of carrots equals 2.83. Plus staples. You are still well under five dollars. Add a baguette and it totals 3.13. I don't count anything that is less than 2T in my calculations, but this meal is well under your five dollar benchmark. The key, as you probably have seen, is to buy in bulk and watch for sales. The savings are remarkable.
Beans are 1.50. Getting them for .50 is a dollar savings, all those dollars add up. They make a big difference in the amount of food you can buy.
K
That brings me to another observation. If you are not going to use a printable, don't print it. You are using your ink and paper, and they only allow so many printings. If you are not going to use it or share it, leave it for the next person. It goes along with the common courtesy of not clearing the shelf. I only clear the shelf of there are only six or so left. Be sure to check for dented cans in that case. Often if they are the last cans, that's why they are left. ...just a heads up.
We go to the bakery outlet once every six to eight weeks. Last time I had plenty of sandwich type bread still in the freezer. I got a large package of brown and serve baguettes, another large sized package of brown and serve bread sticks, a bag of frosted animal cookies for grand baby, a package of peanut butter cookies, two packages of English muffins. They gave us another package of English muffins, and a package of hoggie rolls. All for 11.00.
The brown and serve baguettes were .36 each. French bread at the grocers is well over a buck.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share and push the follow button.
Jane
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