Our trip to Big Lots and Trader Joes

Yesterday my daughter and I stumbled upon the Big Lots 20 percent sale. One day only everything was twenty percent off.

Larry the cable guy garlic beer bread was .80.
Bumble Bee crab was 1.40
Sauerkraut was 1.60
White tea 1.60
Diced tomatoes .48 vs 1.29

You have to watch pull dates, but most of them were as far out as the other stores.

We then went to trader joes. I found good strawberries for 2.50 and a large basil plant for 5.00. There were a few prices that were as cheap as other stores. I saw a lot of organic and a lot of speciality vegetarian foods.


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Main dishes with ground meats

Ground meat used to be only beef. We had ground round, the best grade, and ground chuck. I can remember paying .88 a pound for ground chuck. Now they have ground chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, and bison. We have tried bison ( it's supposed to be less fat than beef) and liked it. I like ground lamb, but my husband doesn't. I , personally think that ground chicken is hard to cook. The texture is different than beef. I haven't tried ground turkey. I think that you could substitute other ground meats that simulate the texture of the ground beef.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

1.5 pounds potatoes , cut into chunks (or use instant mashed)

1 onion, chopped
2cloves garlic
1T oil

1 pound ground beef ( or use already cooked hamburger)
1 T flour
1/2cup beef stock
Salt and pepper
3 T vinegar
2tsp W sauce


2 T butter
1 T milk

1) boil potatoes until tender

2)fry onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking 1 minute
more . Add the ground meat and cook until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.
Stir flour into meat. Add beef stock slowly to thicken. Add salt, pepper, vinegar and w sauce.

Pour into 1.5 quart casserole.
Make mashed potatoes ( potatoes should be dense )
Spread over meat.
Brush with melted butter.
Bake at 400 degrees until top is golden.

Notes: I would use the hamburger crumbles I made last week and instant mashed potatoes to get out of the kitchen fast. I got instant mashed for .50 not long ago. That is more than the .21 that raw potatoes would cost but that's .29 cents for ten minutes work is 1.80 an hour. I can handle that. LOL.

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More oldies

LIMGUINE WITH ZUCCHINI CLAM SAUCE

12 ounces linguini

Olive oil
2 medium zucchini
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 cans minced clams
Salt, red pepper

1) cook pasta

2) sauté zucchini in some olive oil.


3) Stir in remaining ingredients including clams and juice.

4) turn heat down to a simmer and simmer 3 minutes.

Toss sauce with drained pasta and garnish with parsley.

I would serve this with garlic bread and a salad.

NOTE

Clams are on sale at BARTELLS sometimes. Pasta has remained a bargain at .88 to a dollar a pound.

Let's review the food pyramid. I haven't for a long time. It doesn't seem to be kind to dieters or diabetics however. It probably is what teens and active children need for fuel and growing bodies. Most of us on diets and those of us that are diabetic can't have 11 servimgs of bread or grain.

Bread and grains 6-11 servings
Veggies 3-5. Fruit 2-4
Dairy 2-3. Meat 2-3
Fats, sugar sparingly.

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More from 1970s personal cookbook

Sausage chili bake

3/4 pound smoked sausage cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 small onion, chopped
1tsp garlic salt
1-2 T chili powder
1can diced tomatoes, undrained
1can kidney beams, umdrained

2cups Bisquick
1/2cup cornmeal
1cup cornmeal
2eggs

1) cook sausage and onion in skillet for 4-5 minutes
Spoon into ungreased 9x3 pan . Stir in chili powder, garlic, tomatoes AMD beans.

2) in medium bowl, mix bisquit ingredients. Spread over meat mixture.

Bake at 350 35- 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.


Taco beef bake with cheddar biscuit topping

1poumd hamburger
Taco seasoning
1cup salsa
2 cups frozen corn

2cups Bisquick
1 cup shredded cheese
2/3 cup milk.

1) brown meat. (or use already defatted meat) add corn, salsa and taco seasoning.
Heat to boiling. Pour into 8x8 pan.

2) stir together in bowl, Bisquick, cheese, and milk. Drop by spoonfuls onto meat mixture. (12)

3) bake uncovered 20-25 minutes until topping is golden brown. 6 one cup servimgs.


NOTES. These are adapted from Bisquick recipes. Sausage was 3/10 at QFC last week. It is sometimes cheaper at the grocery outlet. You can make your own salsa or substitute diced tomatoes,onion and peppers. Taco seasoning recipe is on a previous post.

I'm thinking the cheddar Bisquick topping would be good on a lot of thimgs.

That's all for today.

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Jane

Better, cheaper and faster than hamburger box mix and meals from the adds

I talked about no brainer pasta a few days ago. Here it is. TADA!
It's not the most sophisticated dish In the world, but a teen can easily handle it. They may need some help with the oven.

1-27.5 ounce can of pasta sauce
Water
1 pound of DRY pasta.
8 ounces (two cups) Grated cheese
Leftover meat

1) put dry pasta in 9x13 pan
2) mix together 1 can of pasta sauce and 1 can of water. You should have 7 cups.
3) pour over pasta and stir.
4) cover with foil and bake at 425 for 45 minutes.


5) uncover, Put cheese and any leftover meat on top.cook an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

NOTE. The reason why this is faster, is that you can take the five minutes to get it in the oven and then walk away to get something else done. No watched pot here.
You have enough time to make a salad and set the table and still check the mail. LOL

You can pair the pasta with the cheese and the sauce variety. Wagon wheel pasta with cheddar and regular sauce and hamburger crumbles makes cheeseburger macaroni.
A Italian spiced sauce with a white cheese and pepperoni makes pizza pasta. Use your imagination.

Cost: pasta .88, sauce .80, cheese 1.00. 2.68
This makes a 9x13 pan. Serves 6 .45 a serving

Hamburger mix is 2.33 serves 5 or .47 a serving

Meal plans

1) no brainer pasta
2) chicken thighs ( see older post)
3) Roast chicken dinner
4) salmon
5) Mac and cheese
6) tortilla soup
7) meatballs with cream sauce and noodles

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Jane

Ps. The picture shows the dish with hamburger crumbles and a vegetarian alternative. It needs to be stirred to look more appetizing. You could put a little parm on top!

The scoop on cheap groceries.

I have been reading a lot of articles on the Internet lately. they talk about 10 or 15
Dollars per person per week. Most if them talk about foods most of us have never tasted. My stats are based on about half of the USDA stats for a family of four-- 2 adults and two school aged children. I try to take a middle of the road approach. What I would describe as normal food, with a realistic approach to fat and salt intake with a limited amount of ready made foods.

I hav heard everything from top ramen, boxed Mac and cheese, tofu, and eating five days a week for free at work.Also I heard .28 cent a pound chicken parts and cheap hot dogs.

65.00 a week is not much more than the 15 dollars a person, and I think that I am pretty realistic in my meal plans.

We are not having steak and lobster, but we are not having cheap hot dogs and mystery chicken parts.

Groceries on the cheap has to be sustainable. Your nutrition has to be there too.

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Jane

This weeks adds

Before I go through the adds for the week,I thought I would talk about what to do with the hamburger I "put up " over the week end. I baked-off the meatloaf and we had it with baked acorn squash that I got last week and a salad. The rest we had n the next day. The meat balls were frozen in meal sized bags. They can become meat ball subs, spaghetti and meatballs, meatballs in cream gravy over noodles or in brown gravy over rice. Tacos are tacos. LOL. Crumbles can go in a casserole or spaghetti sauce or on a pizza.

Now, the adds:

QFC

20 Percent hamburger 2.66-- NOT. We paid 2.50 for 9 percent last week.

Chicken .88
English cukes 1.00
Pasta 1.00


TOP

Sirloin roast B1G1 nets 3.25. - used to be 2.25 cents this summer.
Coupons
2 off meat
2off produce
Butter 1.99
Cheese 3.99

Pasta 1.00 hagan brand
Potatoes 10 pounds for 2.00
Mayo 1.99
Gala apples 5 lbs 5.00

SAFEWAYS

Pork roast 1.49
Grapes 1.28
Milk 2.69


5 buck Friday

Brats , Safeways brand
Naval oranges 5/5. Lbs
Tuna 5/5
Boston cream cake

JFU
Potatoes 5 lbs .69

ALBERTSONS

Chicken thighs .99
Potatoes 5 lbs 1.49
Hunts pasta sauce .80
Strawberries 2.00
Squash .99
Chicken sausage 3.00
Fryers 1.39
Good hamburger 3.99

That's all. I have purposely added some comparison prices to this list. You need to cross off the items that are higher priced elsewhere. cross off anything that you don't need or want. Pasta sauce is about as cheap as you are going to get it. I have a recipe for what my nephew calls no brainer pasta.

I am not seeing salad fixings in the adds. The cheapest lettuces are usually iceberg and romaine. Probably at Costco. Sometimes the grocery outlet.
Cucumbers are a buck. My mother used to soak them in vinegar and salt and pepper. These are good with nasturtium vinegar.

Chicken thigh recipes are posted last month.

My mother used to fix carrot and raisin salad ( didn't go over to good with my nephews)
Apple and celery with walnuts , cottage cheese with pears, there is always sliced tomatoes with motts cheese and basil. I use dried basil if I don't have fresh. I planted some basil on the back porch. This is a good salad if you need to boost the protein level of a meal.

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Let's talk pasta !

The chew is starting a new trend to call Monday meatless Monday.


Pasta is still a real bargain at .88 to a dollar a pound. It has an eight to ten year shelf life. I keep a bin( lock and lock) full of elbow macaroni and a box each of several other shapes. A lot of recipes can be adapted to another pasta shape.

Angel hair pasta with broccoli

3 large broccoli stalks.
3/4 of a pound of angel hair pasta.
6 T butter
1/3 cup water
2cups cream
Nutmeg


2cups parm

1) Trim rough parts of the stalks. Peel stalks. Reserve broccoli tops for garnish. Finely chop remaining broccoli. Set aside.

2) cook pasta.

3) cook broccoli in melted butter. Add water. Cover and cook until broccoli is cooked.
Remove the flowerettes and return pan to heat.

4) Add cream and nutmeg to broccoli in pan. Add pasta. Toss with some of the parm.
Top with more parm and reserved flowerettes.

NOTE: I use a hard cheese from Costco as a sub for parm. Sometimes I get parmesan from grocery outlet.

EARS ( pasta ) with cheddar sauce.

1 pound ears
1.5 cups milk
1.5 cups cream
8 ounces ( two cups )cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces (one cup) jack cheese
4 ounces ham cubes
Salt, pepper, bread crumbs

1) cook pasta.
2) in pan, bring milk and cream to simmer. Add cheeses and ham. Stir until cheese is melted.
Salt and pepper.
3) drain pasta and put into 9x13 pan. Mix cheese sauce and pasta. Spread in pan. Top with breadcrumbs. ( mix breadcrumbs, parm and parsley. )

4) bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.


Notes:
Breadcrumbs can easily be made from scratch. Put your bread heels into the oven to dry. When you have enough, grate with a box grater, or whirl in the food processor.

Ham cubes are inexpensive at grocery outlet some times. I get several meals out of a package usually. You can put them in an omlette or on a pizza, or in a salad.

This can be made cheaper and with less fat, if you use milk only.

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The rest of the story

I thought I would embellish on yesterday's post.

Meal plans are a quick jot of the main dish in this house. I usually have a good idea what I am going to serve with the main dish.

I try to do balance them by using this formula:

2 beef
2 pork or chicken
2 vegetarian
1 fish

You can use a different configuration to suit your family's tastes. The two vegetarian
Ones help to balance a higher cost of meat.

By stocking your staples, you almost never get stuck paying full price for them. I use a guideline of keeping about 24 of something that I use once a week, or 6 or so of
Something I use once a month. Things like mustard, mayo, artichoke hearts I keep one ahead so I don't have to make a special trip if I run out. Basically, when something is on sale for the rock bottom price, you buy 1) as many as you can afford to buy. 2) as many as the store will let you buy, or 3) as many as you need to reach your target goal for the product -- whichever comes first.

In the long run, after you get set up, you will find you probably spend less time shopping and cooking than you did before. If you spend more time on the front end of the meal to the table train, and less time on the back end, you will be money ahead. Basically, you get "paid" for shopping wisely, but you dont get paid for cooking.

On the subject of ready mades, sometimes salsa is cheaper ready made when tomatoes are not in season. You can also make salsa out of diced tomatoes. Tortillas are not worth making from scratch. Mashed potatoes when you can get them for 50 cents, are sometimes cheaper than scratch. I recenrly got sweet potato fries for .20 cents a pound and sweet potato in a box for .35 a meal. Pudding cups, fruit cups, boxed juice drinks, hamburger meal boxes, are not cheaper. Pudding takes no longer to make from scratch than it does from a mix. Read the ingredients on the package. They have to list them in order of volume. Fruit cups ready made, have 16 grams of sugar in them. The juice boxes I checked had 16 grams as well. That's thirty two grams of refined sugar. My carb max for a meal is 45 grams according to my dietitian. I wouldn't want it to be used on sugar syrup instead of good food. When cake mix or brownie mix is a buck, I think that they are worth it. I keep a few on hand. Base it on the amount of times you reach for them. I like an emergency stash in case I am getting company.

Stocking food at the lowest price gives you a sense of empowerment that you beat the stats; and a sense of security that you always have food in the house in the event of an emergency, be it unexpected company, sickness,or an act of God-- like snow!

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Basics of 1/2 price grocery shopping.

It's that time of the month. I thought I would go over the basics of 1/2 price shopping. We have all had times in our life when we have had to stretch a buck.
If that is you now, this blog is for you. If not, people enjoy the time saving tips and the recipes. It is my hope that I can help people.

The USDA puts out guidelines for food budgets . The last stats I can find was from 2009.
food has gone up since then and with the drought, I suspect it will go up more.

Food on the cheap takes a three pronged approach. Planning and organizing, shopping wisely, and cooking from scratch.

First: Collect your own group of recipes that use inexpensive sources of protein that your family will eat. Start with seven and go from there. It helps to have 14 so that you don't burn out on a particular dish. Daycare guidelines suggest a two week cycle.

List the staples you use frequently. Keep a log, either in a spiral notebook that you can take with you to the store, or a spreadsheet. Note the item,the size of the package, how much you paid, where and when. For us it is Diced tomatoes, refried beans, beans, mashed potatoes, pasta sauce, pasta, a few canned vegetables ( green beans and corn), tuna and salmon.

Plan a weeks meals after you get home from the grocery store from your stock and your new purchases. Use the most perishable foods first. One of the fastest ways to go off your budget is to not have a plan. If you have to answer the "what's for dinner?" question after a long, hard day it is too easy to reply with " take out".



Second: make best use of the grocery adds. I want to save as much as I spend at the grocery store. I take a piece of paper out of the computer waste basket, divide the clean side into quarters. Top each quarter with the name of the grocery store. Now go through the ad and put down anything that is really cheap that you can make a meal out of and the price. Use your notebook to record the cheapest price if it is one of your staples. By now, I have the prices in my head.
When you are done, cross off anything you already have enough of and anything that is a lower price somewhere else. Now pick the two stores that have the best prices that week. Go there, buy what's on your list, anything that you have to have and get in and out of the store. The more time you spend in the store, the more you are going to spend.

Plan your trip so that you drive the least amount. I plan a tight circle adding the dollar store and the pharmacy if needed.

The object is to never pay full price for anything. I have a guideline of 4 + 1 = 5.
Four people, one meal, FIVE bucks. That's for dinner. Lunch is leftovers, or a sandwich and fruit or veggie sticks. Breakfast is oatmeal or whole wheat toast and fruit or yogurt.

I try to use 1.00 a pound for veggies and fruit, and 2-2.50 a pound for meat for a guide line.

Third: Cook from scratch. Another way to de rail your budget is to buy pre packaged, pre made foods. a few of them are cheaper than scratch, but not many. Do the math.
hamburger meal boxes are about the most expensive thing in the grocery store, pound for pound.

There are ways to make meal prep fast from scratch.

1) cook ground meat soon after you get home or the next day. Defat it, package it in meal sized portions, label and freeze. If you freeze it flat in plastic bags, it will take up less room in the freezer. Buying it in bulk makes for the cheapest price and let's you portion control your meat so there is no waste. Works for ground turkey, beef, and sausage. Costco has Jimmy Dean at the moment for 6.89 for three pounds.

2) roast off a chicken, roast beef, or pork roast ahead of time and package it in meal sized portions. Slice roast thin for sandwiches and bag. I use the food saver bags for this so I can thaw it fast under cold water.

3) use your slow cooker and your pressure cooker if you have one. If you don't have a slow cooker, get one. If you are short on money, look at estate and garage sales and put the word out to friends and family.

I have several meals in my freezer that I can make in 20 minutes or less. Tacos, refried beans, roast beef a jus sandwiches and green salad, Super baked potatoes,
BBQ pork sandwiches and salad. Healthier fast food without the fast food price!

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Slow cooker recipes by request

I have comments that people want slow cooker recipes.

SLOPPY JOES

1 pound ground beef,defatted
1onion, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
2T chili sauce
1 T. W sauce
1T mustard
1 T vinegar
1Tsugar

Buns

Combine all ingredients in the slowcooker. Cook on low 4 a 5 hours.

Good hamburger is 2.50 cents a pound ar Safeways ( net). It is buy 1, Get 1.
I will make meatloaf, taco meat, meatballs and beef crumbles. The meatloaf will be cooked in a meatloaf pan so that the fat drains as it cooks, I will defat the tacos and the crumbles. I cook meatballs on a 1/4 sheet pan with a rack above it so that the fat drains. I am already using low fat hamburger. It should be fairly healthy; defatting low far hamburger makes less than boneless skinless chicken breast.

Vinegar is about two bucks a gallon at Costco. It lasts a long time and you can use it for cleaning as well. Nasturshim vinegar is really good. It has a peppery taste.

Chili sauce is at the dollar store, I believe.

Hamburger buns are sometimes free at the bakery outlet if you buy the months bread products. Stick to the bread products, the other products often are not a bargain.

I either get ketchup at the dollar store, or when it is a dollar om sale.


MEXICAN SOUP

2 - 15 oz cans of black beans, undrained
2 cans diced tomatoes, Mexican flavored if possible.
1cup salsa
chopped jalapeño peppers, chopped to taste
1 can tomato sauce ( or tomato paste and water to equal the 14 ounces.


Chicken cubes, cooked, grated cheese, tortilla chips

1) dump first five ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 8 hours.
2) turn cooker to high and add cooked chicken. Cook until chicken is warm. Do not over- stir so that your chicken gets stringy.Top with grated cheese and tortilla chips.


Note:

Roast off a chicken when you get it for a buck a pound. You should never buy a whole chicken that is less than 3 pounds. More like 4 or 5 is better. Under that you are paying for too much bone, and not enough meat.Have one " Sunday dinner" from the chicken breast. Cut off the wings, legs, and thighs for another meal.Cut chunks out of whatever is left from the breast. You can use them for chicken tetrezini, pot pie, soup, pizza, or tacos.

Tortilla chips are on sale often, or you can fry them on a little oil or brush them in oil and bake them.Check the food network for directions.

I am using pickled jalapeños at the moment. I am still trying to come up with chillies that are under 1.29 a four ounce can. It is one of those things that you can splurge on and make two meals out of it I suppose. For now, I am substituting until I find a solution.

SLOW COOKER BEEF SANDWICHES

2-3 pound of chuck roast or steak. Cubed.
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1can cola

1) dump meat and mix and cola in slow cooker.
2) cook on low 8-10 hours.
3) shred meat with a fork.
4) serve on buns.

NOTE: onion soup mix recipe is on a current post.
You could also put carrots and potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker before you layer the other ingredients and use it as a stew.serve with a crusty bread.
I have been putting butter, micro-planed hard cheese and parsley on French bread and heating it wrapped in foil in the oven.

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More mix recipes.

You could spend a lot of money on those mix packages. At a dollar a piece, do the
math. You are paying a lot of money per pound for something you probably already have in your cabinet. Spices are all over for a buck. They are also cheaper at costco and you could share with a friend if the quqnity is too much. Business Costco caters to restraunts. For four dollars I have enough basil for a lifetime. Spices loose their strength over time. None the less, makimg your own saves a lot of money and you don't get preservatives and can adjust the recipe accordingly.

ONION SOUP MIX.

3/4 cup dried minced onion
1/3cup beef flavored instant bouillon
4tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp sugar

5 T equals an 1.5 ounce package.

Onion soup mix is just under ten dollars a pound for beef broth, onion and sugar!


SALT FREE HERB MIX

3 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley
1 tsp each of basil, thyme, pepper



TACO SEASONING MIX

1/2 cup plus 2 T chili powder
2/3 cup paprika
1/2 cup plus 1T cumin
1/3 cup onion powder
1/3 cup garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp red pepper
1 T red pepper flakes

Mix together. Store in container with a tight fitting lid. Store in a cool dry place for six months.

Use 2heaping tablespoons per pound of meat.


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Quick Main Dishes

We are heading into what for many families is the busiest time of the year. The kids are back in school, the adults groups are starting up again, and the holidays are upon us. I thought I would scour the many cookbooks I have and adjust some recipes to
be better, cheaper, faster.

Beef Satay

2 cloves garlic
1 large onion, quartered
2T ground cumin
1T sugar
2T olive oil

1 pound lean boneless sirloin.

salt


Cut beef into 1 inch cubes.

In a blender combine:
garlic
onion
cumin
sugar
oil

Whirl until smooth and place in large bowl.
Marinate beef cubes in bowl.

Thread meat on skewers.

Grill skewers on lightly oiled grill and cook 5-7 minutes until done to your liking.

Serve over red onions and sliced cucumbers with rice.

Beef Stirfry

2 large oranges
3T sherry
3T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch

1 pound bonless beef
Slice thinly across the grain into 1/4 inch slices.
2 T ginger

1.4 cups bean sprouts
1.5 cups chinese pea pods, cleaned.

1) Zest one orange. Squeeze juice from both oranges . Measure juice and supplement with water if necessary to make 3/4 cup. Add sauce ingredients .

2) Stir-fry beef until browned. Transfer meat to a bowl.

3) Pour orange juice mixture into pan. Deglaze pan. Add bean sprouts and pea pods and cook until pea pods are crisp-tender. Add beef and bring up to temperature.

Serve over rice.

NOTE: sirloin was on sale at Safeways last week.

Shrimp Fajitas

Make Salsa:
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
1/2 cup minced onion
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
salt, red pepper
parsley or cilantro, chopped.

Mix together, cover, and set aside.


Make Marinade :

2 green onions
3T lime juice
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each of cumin, ciili powder,
salt, red pepper

Marinate 1 pound of shrimp that has been cleaned ( remove shells and tails. ) about 5 minutes.
Stir fry shrimp in marinade until shrimp is done.

Heat flour tortillas . Lightly brush with hot water. Stack, wrap in foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

Assembly:

Place shrimp over the center of the warmed tortilla. Add salsa and sour cream.
Roll.

NOTES: Shrimp is less than five dollars a pound at Safeways with JFU. If tomatoes aren't in season, use canned chopped tomatoes, well drained. Adjust seasonings to
your heat preference. Taco shells are cheapest at Costco. I store them in the fridge and they last a long time. Lime juice is cheapest in the bottle.

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PS. I made this for family . I would serve it with rice. I would also add lettuce and cheese and cut the shrimp in half. A double batch did not feed 5 adults. I think a
Single batch would of augmented with rice and lettuce. This would also work for a lettuce wrap.

SURPRISE. This weeks adds

First...there was a coupon booklet with the adds. I saw a lot of pet food, make up, and bathtubs. There was a coupon for cold cereal, and one for corn oil.
I think that's why I am not a coupon clipper except for store coupons.

Safeways

Good hamburger is B1G1. They are not telling how much it costs. It os valy pack, so batch cooking would be in order.

Gala apples are 1.00
Cabbage .69

FIVE DOLLAR FRIDAYS
Shrimp
Ribs
Cheese cake
Shredded cheese
Salmon

Coupons
Frozen veggies 1.29 a pound
Betty crocker cake mix .99

Jfu

Raspberries 2.99


Top

Coupons

Eggs .99
Salad 1.00

Meat:
Fryer legs 1.00
Country ribs or sirloin chops 2.00


QFC

Pasta 1.00

Cream cheese1.00
Oranges.99
Pears .99
Broccoli .99
Corn 2/88

Sausage 3/10

ALBERTSONS
Tangerines .88


That's all there is. That's one of the reasons why it is wise to stock. I don't have to go shop this week. We are sustainable for a while.

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Blog for September 25

I just got home from high tea with my girlfriends. I think that desert is on order.

I think this is like the recipe that we made when I was a kid. Have been looking for it for years. We called it cowboy pudding cake.

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2tsp soda
1/4tsp salt
1/2cup buttermilk
2 T butter, melted
1/2cup raisins
1/4cup nuts
1/4cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cup hot water ( 130'degrees)

Heat oven to 350 degrees

In large bowl, mix dry ingredients
Stir in buttermilk and butter.
Stir in raisins and nuts
Spread in ungreased 8 or 9 inch square pan

In small bowl, mix brown sugar and hot water. Pour over batter.
Bake 45-55 min or until top is brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Serve with ice cream.

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Jane

Roast Chicken with a dry rub.

I know, chicken again? Chicken remains the lowest priced meat in the meat case. I can still find it for a buck a pound for the good stuff. You need to buy a chicken that is over three pounds in order to get your best value. It has to do with the ratio of chicken to bone.

Directions:

Please remember to prep a chicken on a cutting board away from raw fruits and veggies.

Rinse chicken with cold water. Scrape out the cavity with a spoon. Rinse with cold water. Sprinkle cavity with salt.

Stuff cavity with anything you have around--a lemon, an orange, an onion, an apple .

Rub skin with olive oil.

Grease rack of roasting pan.

Rub dry rub or paste over chicken. Place chicken on roasting pan.

NOTE:

If you don't have a roasting pan, you can put root vegetables on the bottom of a bakimg pan and make it work.


Dry Rubs

Grind or pulverize seasonings with a bottle bottom in a shallow bowl.

CARRIBBESN

1/2 tsp each of
Onion powder
Thyme
Allspice

1/4 each
Ginger,
Cayenne pepper
Nutmeg
Salt


MEDITERRANEAN

1/2 tsp each
Parsley
Sage
Rosemary
Garlic powder


Pastes

1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1 T flour, 1/2tsp salt. Add seasonings.

GREEK

1/2cup mint
1 T lemon juice
2tsp garlic
1/2tsp oregano
Pepper

MEXICAN

1/2 cup cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
2tsp chili powder
2tsp minced garlic

TO ROAST BIRD

PLACE BIRD IN LOWEST RACK OF THE OVEN. ROAST AT 375 degrees for about 20 minutes a pound. I insert an oven safe meat thermometer and set it to well done chicken.
Chicken should be 170 degrees. The leg should pull away from the breast and yje juices should run clear.


Thanks for stopping by

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Jane

Check this Out !

Yesterday, We were on our way to the bread outlet. I needed some French bread for a group. We were passimg the business Costco, so we went in to look. If I could get the bread there, it would save time and gas.


They had the bread for the same price as the bread store. They, however did not have regular bread for the same price, so it doesn't eliminate our once a month bread run.

But it brought to mind that not everyone knows that anyone can go to the business Costco and they have all kinds of things that the regular Costco doesn't.

I buy sugar free coffee syrup far cheaper than the grocery store. Cornmeal was half the price of the grocery store. They have a jus mix cheaper and more selection of spices.

Bulk beans are far cheaper and they have more variety. I would probably get with a few friends and split a bag--twenty pounds of beans is a LOT of beans. LOL

Good hamburger has always been cheaper in rolls.
Cornstarch and salt are really cheap in bulk they don't go bad and I haven't had to buy them for years.

Blue cheese was 17.00 and change for 5 pounds. It is 12.00 for two cups at TOP.
We, however didn't think that we could use 5 pounds of blue cheese crumbles.

Not everythimg is bigger portions, but a lot is.

They are not open the same hours as regular Costco, and not open on Sunday.

It's one of those places that I hit about twice a year and stock up on things like coffee syrup that I don't buy often.


It also works well if you have to feed a crowd for some reason. You can buy large packages and things that are semi prepared, and when you have the daunting task of cooking for twenty it is probably worth the little extra money. Do the math, if it is something that you use often for your family and find out if it can be used up fast enough and is it cheaper than buying it and prepping it yourself.

If you live near a Costco wholesale, it might be worth an exploration trip. The gas, by the way, was eleven cents a gallon cheaper the day we went.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share with a friend.

Jane

More crockpot..it's fall here

It's fall here..right on time!LOL

For some reason, fall is a time when our focus turns from BBQ and outdoors to home and
Hearth. Fall signals warm soup, and comfort foods. In the Pacific Northwest, ot gets colder and the rains come. We get busy with kids in school and our winter activities.
It is crock pot weather.

RED PASTA SAUCE

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 pound of ground chicken, turkey, pork, or sausage.
1 can diced tomatoes ( 14.5 oz)
1can tomato sauce ( or tomato paste and water to make 12/3 cups )
1/2 of a chopped onion
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1heaping T of Italian seasoning
1/2 cup wine
1/2 tsp garlic , minced.

Brown meats and defat.
Place all ingredients in the Slow cooker and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

Notes

I usually have meat already cooked And defatted. It is easier to do batches of it When you get home from shopping or the next day. Label and freeze in meal sized portions.
Be sure to date them.

To defat any ground meat, fry the meat to 175 degrees ( no longer pink). Drain into colander in the sink or over a large bowl. Boil water on the stove, and place colander in the sink and pour boiling water over it. It is supposed to reduce the fat in hamburger by 17 percent and make it have less fat than a boneless, skinless chicken breast.

I generally cook meat in batches-- not at dinner time. I either refrigerate it if we are eating it in the next two days, or I label and freeze meal sized portions. This eliminates waste, and it gives you a head start on dinner. It is less stressful for me to either put something in the crockpot in the morning or have meat already cooked in the freezer. Cooked ground meat thaws quickly and gives you a head start on dinner and you are more likely to defat it if you aren't coming with growling mouths to feed! LOL

If you are in a hurry in the morning, get your veggies chopped the night before and put in the fridge. Dump everything in the crockpot and turn it on before you leave the house.

Using the crockpot when you entertain takes the stress out because you are not trying to do everything at the last minute.

I have a microwave pasta cooker. They are really cheap and they make for set it and forget it pasta. No watching the pot to boil, no stirring, and one pot, not a pot, a colander and a bowl.

Salad these days pretty much makes itself. They scientifically tested the question of to wash or not to wash salad from a bag. The washed salad had more germs than the unwashed salad.

I buy brown and serve baguettes from Costco or the bread outlet.

Remember, if you spend more time on the front end of the meal train, and less time on the back end of it, you are money ahead. You get "paid" handsomely for shopping wisely, no one pays you for cooking. As long as your family has good nutritious food you have succeeded and have dome it for half price!


Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog, my object is to help people stretch their food dollar if they need or want to

Jane

Time to break out the crockpot

One of the best investments I have ever made in the kitchen is the crockpot. You can get them for as little as 25.00 and the smell of cooked dinner when you walk into the house after a long day makes it totally worth it.

The crockpot cookbook is another good investment. It is full of good recipes from main dishes to deserts.


VEGETARIAN BAKED BEANS

1lb dried navy beans
6 cups water
1small onion, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
1tsp dry mustard
2 T dark molasses
1tsp salt

1) soak beans in water overnight in stockpot. Cook for 1.5 hours or until dome. ( or use canned beans that have been drained and rinsed. -- probably two cans

2) mix together all ingredients. Cook om low 10-12 hours


HERB STUFFING

1/2 cup butter
1large onion, chopped
3 celery ribs chopped
1 T poultry seasoning. ( parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme) -- sounds like a song LOL
Salt, pepper
1 loaf stale sourdough bread, Cut into 1 inch cubes.
1 1-2 -2 cups chicken broth ( ornusenvegetable broth)

1) sauté veggies in butter until soft. Take off the heat and add herbs.
( use fresh if you have them in your garden)

2) place bread cubes in bowl and add onion mixture. Moisten with broth.

3) place mixture in GREASED slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook for 3-4 hours more.

Thanks for stopping by.

I am looking for a pulled pork recipe in the slow cooker.

Please share this blog.

Jane

Meal plans from the adds 9/20

Safeways has an electronic coupon that goes om your Safeways card. It is worth your time to set it up.

3 dollars off 15 dollars worth of produce.This works on the sale produce too that is an additional twenty percent.
Brownie mix .99
Coffee 6.99
Pasta .67 limit 3
Regular sale mashed potatoes are a buck

Meal plans from the adds

1) sirloin tips over rice, green salad
2) salmon , rice pilaf, green beans
3) Dagwood sandwich, veggie sticks
4) roast beef, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies, green salad
5) cheeseburgers, fries, veggie sticks
6) Mac and cheese, fruit salad
7) chicken thighs, ( see recipes last weeks posts)

These meals are based on what I got from WinCo, and Safeways and Top. Albertsoms also has a lot mostly what I have already stocked.

Sirloin tips are from steak at S for 2.99, make enough ric to make pilaf the next day.
Dagwood sandwiches a Friday special at . Use it soon or the breadn gets soggy.

The roast beef is from top. Roast off one, have roast beef for dinner and after it cools off, slice it thin in meal sized portions for a jus sandwiches and freeze in sealable bags. Grind the other for hamburgers.

I got chicken thighs ar WinCo. They are also a buck at Albertsoms.

There are a few plans that are over five bucks, but the mac and cheese and chicken thighs should bring the average down to five bucks .

Thanks for stopping by

Please share with a friend

Jane

This weeks adds

I purchased the Woman's Day magazine savings issue (ithas a pizza on the front).
I didn't see much that I didn't already know. They talked about pairing coupons with sales. The problemihavewith that is my bare bones budget does not cover a lot of ready made things or non essentials.

The other thing that they covered was economical meals that do double duty. I call that stair stepping --making double of a meat or ingredient to get a head start on a meal later in the week. This too takes planning.

Half priced food does take some work. After you get set up it should take you about the same rime or less time than before. Basically, you trade a dozen trips to the grocery store or a marathon of time at Costco and the stress of what's for dinner every night for One trip to two stores and an organized meal plan for the week. An hour of prep when you find time shortly after you shop, saves about four hours of time during the week.

Enough soapbox

Albertsons

Chicken thighs. .99
Apples .88
Grapes 1.99
Corn 2/1.00
Mayo 2.99

QFC
Raspberries 1.00
Strawberries 1.99
Pasta 1.00

TOP
Bottom round roast B1G1. Nets 2.75
Pork loin 1.69
Apples .99
Milk 1.99 coupon
Canned beans and tomatoes 15/10.00
Pasta and olives 10/10

Safeways
Chuck Steak, sirloin steak 2.99
Grapes 1.28
Grands biscuits 1.00 coupon
Eggs 1.49cupon
Chili 1.00

5 buck Fridays

Sub sandwich
Cookies

JFU
PASTA .67
brownie mix .99
2lbs tater tots 1.89

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane

Winco trip and Costco

WE just got back from our once a month trip to Winco and Costco.

Costco had boxed tomato/roasted red pepper soup for 11.79.; brown and serve baggettes .89 each.


Winco

red peppers .78
diced ham 3.58
1.25 pounds salmon 6.98
Chicken thighs 1.18 a lb, skinless

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

I bought the womans day cut your grocery bill mag. ...tommorrow.

Recipes for ready made mixes

Through the years I have collected recipes for ready made mixes. There is also a book that was put out by HB books. I don't know if it is still in print or if you can get it at a used book store or garage sale.

Some things like BBQ sauce might be cheaper to buy if you find it on a good sale. I got BBQ sauce for 50 cents a couple of weeks ago at QFC.

Rice Seasoning Mix
6 T onion flakes
6 T parsley flakes
4.5 tsp garlic powder
.75 tsp EACH of cumin and pepper

For each cup of long grain rice, add 1/3 cup seasoning mix and cook according to directions on rice.

Basic BBQ Sauce

8 ounces of tomato sauce
1/4 cup EACH of ketchup, vinegar, water
2 T brown sugar
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T w sauce
Salt, pepper

Combine ingredients. Bring to boil, simmer for 15 minutes. Store in sterilized jar for up to 2 weeks.

Personally, it is more cost effective to get it on sale. Any price that is less than a buck is probably cheaper.

White Sauce Mix

1 1/3 cups dry milk
1cup flour
2tsp salt
1tsp pepper

Place 1.5 T and 1/2 cup of mix in saucepan.
Blend in 2cups water, or chicken broth.
Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Turn down heat and simmer
until thickened about 3-5 minutes. Makes 2 cups.


I have not tried this, but it is a low fat way to make a white sauce.

For cheese sauce: prepare white sauce and add 2tsp Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, 1
Cup shredded cheese. Whisk until cheese melts.

Salsa

1clove garlic
1pound plum tomatoes, diced, but not peeled
1/2small onion
1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, minced
1T lime juice
Salt

For HOT version: add 1 clove garlic, 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce, and 1T chopped jalapeño peppers.

NOTE: The cost effectivness of this would depend on if you can get plum tomatoes cheap enough. They are often in bags at Grocery Outlet. Lime and lemon juice is cheaper if you buy it in the bottle.

Meat Sauce

2T olive oil
1large onion, chopped
2large cloves garlic
1poumd ground beef
2 - 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
2 T Italian seasoning
Pepper

in a Dutch oven, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add meat and cook until no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an hour.

let cool. Makes 2quarts, refrigerate three days, or freeZenup to 3 months.
NOTE: I would precook my ground beef and defat it. Then, as soon as your onions and garlic were soft, you could dump everything else in and let it go. This also sounds like a good recipe that you could dump in a crock pot as soon as the vegetables were cooked.

This is about the same cost as Hunts Pasta Sauce if you get it for .78 a can.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog, you never know who you will be helping.

Jane

Fall is coming?

I decided that I would talk about two recipes that I foumd in my compilation if recipes
Personal book. Most of these are clipping from who knows where. Both recipes are good jumping off points. You can adjust them to suit your needs and what you have in your pantry and refrigerator or pantry.

Harvest pie

1 - 9 inch pie crust

FILLIMG

6 cups sliced fresh fruit , mixed. ( Use whatever sounds good to you. Apple, pear, cranberry,blueberry ? )

Dried raisins or cranberries, or blueberries or cherries.

Cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

TOPPIMG

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts ( walnuts, pecans ). If you don't have nuts, use regular oatmeal -not imstant

1/4 cup EACH of cold butter and brown sugar.


PLACE PIE CRUST IN PIE TIN

TOSS FILLING INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A LARGE BOWL. FILL CRUST.

MIX TOPPING INGREDIENTS IN BOWL. TOP PIE.
BAKE IN 400 degree oven, loosely over with foil for 1 hour. uncover and bake 10 minutes more.


Note: I got pears and apples for .75 and .78 cents recently. Don't overlook pears that are not all the same size. Sometimes theybare a lot cheaper and when you cut them up for a pie or fruit cup, no one can tell the difference.

When I was single my mother had a neighbor that would let his apples fall to the
ground. With his permission, I would pick them up. After I got my child to bed, I would make applesauce.

CHEESE ENCHILADAS

8 WARMED CORN TORTILLAS- about 5-6 inches around

3 cups assorted cheese ( Mexican blend, cheddar, jack, pepper jack )use what you have.
A good way to use up your bits. 12ounces)

Mix together:
1/2 cup sour cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, chopped jalapeños to taste.

Mix sour cream mixture with cheeses.
Put filling down the center of the tortillas. Roll.
Put seam side down in baking pan. Top with sauce. Bakeat 350for about 25 minutes or until bubbly.

SAUCE
use salsa or make sauce from a can of diced tomatoes that you have drained off part of the liquid, chopped onion and taco seasoning. you can add hot peppers if you like.

Notes

You can add leftover chicken, pork, or beef shredded. Pickled jalapeños can be used in any recipe that calls for chilies. Drain them, chop them. If you want some of them pickle taste off,put them in a colander before chopping them and run water over them. Drain well and chop. This is the cheapest alternative to diced in a can I can find. I got a gallon of pickled peppers for 5 bucks at grocery outlet. We shared them with a friend.

If anyone out there is of Latino heritage and knows how their grandmother made them from scratch, please leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog
Jane

Easy chicken pot pie

I know that I am on a chicken kick. I have been trying to cook chicken so that it is tasty for years. My husbands main problem with chicken is that it is bland. The reality is that chicken os still one of the most inexpensive meats that you can buy now.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie ( Bisquick )

1 pkg frozen mixed veggies, ( I use peas and carrots)
1 cup cooked diced chicken
1can cream of mushroom soup

1cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1egg

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Mix veggies, chicken and soup in greased 2 quart casserole
Stir remaining ingredients together. spread on top of chicken mixture
bake 30 minutes or until dough is cooked.

CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

Sauté In olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms
1/2 a red pepper, chopped
1/2cup onion, chopped
Garlic

Add
3cups COOKED CHICKEN, in cubes
Cook until chicken is heated through.

Keep warm

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine until done and drain ( 8 ounces)

Combine 1/2 cup of cream, 1/2cup butter In small saucepan. Heat on medium heat until butter is melted.

Add 1/2cup grated parm, 2T parsley, salt and pepper.

Toss chicken mixture and cream mixture with noodles.

Note. You could use reduced fat sour cream instead of cream and butter mixture. Or make a white sauce with a combo of olive oil and butter and milk and home made chicken broth.


Thanks for stopping by

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Jane

A can of fish

Canned fish can sometimes be a lifesaver. An easy dinner that can be pulled from the pantry. Look for sales. Be mindful that canned meat and fish has a shorter shelf life than veggies.

Salmon Noodle Ring.

2 cups, cooked noodles

Make sauce from :
2T butter, melted
1T flour
1cup milk

Add 2cups flakes salmon.


1 cup breadcrumbs

Alternate noodles, salmon mixture, and breadcrumbs in a well greased ring mold.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Unmold salmon ring and fill the hole with cooked frozen peas and carrots.

I would bet you can substitute tuna for the salmon.


SALMON PATTIES

1- 1pound can of salmon
1 beaten egg
3 slces bread crumbled
1medium onion, chopped
1/4 tsp W sauce
1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce
Salt, pepper
1cup shredded cheese

Drain and flake salmon
Add remaining ingredients. Shape into patties.
Brown on both sides in hot oil until warmed through.


Thanks for stopping by

Please share on Facebook.

Jane

Meals from the adds

I ran into some recipes from my original 1970 cookbook.

Cheesy Mac Chili

1poind ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2cups tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup elbow macaroni
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1can kidney beans

Cheese

1) brown beef and onions
2) stir in remaining ingredients RXCEPT beans and cheese.
3) simmer 20 to 30 minutes.
4) stir in beans.
5) simmer until beans are warm.
Serve wit) cheese on top


Note you could get away with using 3/4 of a pound of ground beef. You could if your family will not squawk, use turkey instead.



MEALS



1) pork chops with stuffing, mixed lettuce salad
2) Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, waldorf salad
3) BBQ chicken legs and thighs , oven fries, coleslaw
4) chili Mac, beer bread
5) Tuna casserole with peas, cheese biscuits
6) ham and cheese quiche, mixed greens with blueberries and raspberry vinaigrette
7) Pizza, green salad


Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Ps. Beans are . 79 at QFC
Pizza is free at Safeways JFU

CHICKEN

It used to be that chicken wings were cheap. Not Any more since wings became a popular football snack. Now, the cheapest part of the chicken is the legs and thighs.

In the seventies, I made cannelloni with chicken backs and mushrooms. Backs were ten cents a pound and I was desperate. It was an arduous task that I will probably never do again. They,however tasted good.

2.5 pounds ( 8 total) of chicken thighs, legs, or a combination. Skin removed.

Mix
2T flour, salt and pepper. Coat chicken in flour.
With a small amount of oil in a Dutch oven, brown the chicken. Start with the meaty side down. Cook 5 minutes.
Leave in pan.

This is your base. Add the version of choice.

1) Thai. 14 ounces coconut milk, 1 1/2 tsp curry powder, quartered red potatoes, salt.
Add ingredients and simmer until potatoes are done. 15 minutes. Add about a bag of broccoli and cook an additional 12 minutes. Test chicken to see that it is done.


2) white wine. Add 1 cup wine, 1 cup water, potatoes, carrots, and Italian seasoning.
Cook until veggies are done and chicken is cooked.


3) Moroccan. Add 1 cup chopped onion, 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and cumin. Cook a minute or so. Add 4 cups sliced zucchini and 1 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes, DRAINED and a cup and a half of chicken broth. Simmer 30 minutes. Add 10 ounces of couscous. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Notes. I might opt to make the cous cous or quinoa with the liquid from the tomatoes and water according to the directions on the cous cous or quinoa separately.

4) Tuscan. Add 1cup chicken broth, 2.5 cups carrot pieces, 1T garlic minced. 1tsp Italian herbs. Cover, simmer 15 minutes. Stir in 2 cans of a white bean. Cover, cook another 10 minutes until carrotts are tender.

5) arroz con pollo. Add 1-3/4 cup water, bring to a boil. Stir in 8 ounces of rice. Reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes. Add frozen green peas and cook an additional 5minutes covered.

Note. I might cook chicken until done, or remove from pan and finish cooking in the oven at about 350 degrees. Then cook the rice and peas and add the chicken back to the pan.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog on your Facebook.

Jane

This weeks adds

This weeks adds

QFC

Produce that is .99

Grapes
Romas
Broccoli

Buy 10, save. 5

Om lunch meat
Triscut
Butter
Franz bread
Cheerios
BBQ sauce


Chili 1.00
Corn 2/.88


TOP

Lean ground beef
Pork chops
London broil
All 2.77 a pound

2lbs carrots 1.00
Celery .57 lb
Cauliflower .89

SAFEWAYS

Pork loin 1.69
Fryers .89
Sirloin tip 2.49
Tomatoes .99
Lettuce .99
Milk 2.59

5buck Friday

Cake
Oranges
Shrimp
French fries 5

Artichoke hearts b1g1. Net 1.50
Onions .99

ALBERTSOMS

Thurs only. Rage .88 limit 2
Cantaloupe . 99
corn 2/1.00

That's about it.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Main dishes

Finding recipes that use inexpensive sources of protein that your family will eat is one way to cut your food bill.

Bean Counters Chowder ( can be vegetarian )
1/2 cup chopped onion
2cloves garlic, minced
1T olive oil
1medium tomato
1 quart of chicken stock (or veggie stock)
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp basil, oregano
Celery leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cans beans, great northern, pinto
1cup uncooked elbow macaroni
Parsley

In a saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add tomato and simmer 5 minutes. Add broth, water, and seasonings.
Bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add beans and macaroni, return to a boil.

Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with parsley. 2 quarts .

Notes:

If tomatoes are not in season, use diced tomatoes. Drain, reserving juice and reduce the chicken stock to compensate.

Top soup with grated parm or other hard cheese.

Serve with a crusty bread and a salad or fruit cup.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog.

Jane

Let's talk about salad dressing

I belong to a group that sometimes has a potluck salad dinner. It works really easy, no real organization needed. If someone gets sick a key part of the dinner is not missing. One person bri gs a punch, one a roll and butter, one desert, and the rest of us bring a salad. Yum.

Ready made salad was .79 cents at Safeways last week, and it was twenty percent off that with JFU. That's .63 cents.

Salad dressing was recently a buck at Albertsons, and there was a coupon on the Sunday paper, that if you were lucky enough to find made it free.

That being said, that salad dressing was a regular price of about four dollars.
If you don't find a super sale, scratch would probably be cheaper.

Zippy tomato dressing

2/3 cup vinegar
2/3cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste
2T vegetable oil
2 T chopped green onion
2T parsley
2tsp sugar
1tsp dried basil
1/2tsp dry thyme
1/2tsp lemon juice
1/4tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper

BLEND TOGETHER AND STORE IN A JAR WITH A TIGHT FITTING LID

BASIC VINAIGRETTE

3T vinegar
1/2tsp dry mustard
Salt
Pepper
8 T olive oil

Mix everything but the oil in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil slowly to incorporate it into the dressing.

Or
Place all imgredients I'm a blender and whirl

Note
You can substitute

lemon juice for the vinegar
Dijon mustard for the dry mustard
Vegetable oil for the olive oil

You can add

Garlic
Shallots
Basil

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Jane

Meat after the drought

I can still find some cheap meats that are not full of fat.They are not as cheap as they were, but with some adaptations , theynwill still work.
Jimmy Dean sausage is 3/6.89 at Costco. Defat it and use it as flavoring.
Chicken is up to 1.39 or so. It's still a good bargain. You can still get three meals from a 4.5-5 pound chicken. I got boneless spareribs for 1.50 a pound last week and steak for 2.88 this week. Good for stir fry.

Pork chops with pear chutney, adapted from food channel cb.

Pear chutney
1T onion that has been put over a microplane.
2T vinegar
2T brown sugar
1T butter
1inch piece of peeled ginger, cut into coins.
Cinnamon, salt, pepper
3pears, peeled, cores, and cut into chunks
2T dried cranberries
Chopped cilantro ( or parsley)

Mix together. I would pour the vinegar over the pears to keep them from discoloring.

Brown thin pork chops that have been salt and peppered. Cook until done. Serve with sauce

Chicken in a pot

Cook carrots, onion and lemon zest in olive oil in stockpot. Add chicken broth and chicken parts. Being to a boil and simmer until chicken is done


Notes: sometimes a little splurge makes a big difference. Youncan buy a little bit of ginger, it's sold by the pound. If a recipe calls for somethimg like cilantro, either make several meals that use it, or use parsley imstead and make pesto with the leftovers. LemoN zest can be cut from a lemon and plan to make fish that week, or freeze lemon juice.

Thanks for stopping by

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Jane

The nuts and bolts revisited

For people reading this blog recently, it is about grocery shopping and feeding your family on the cheap.

It takes a three pronged approach. Shop wisely, plan and organize, and cook from scratch.

Step one: Develop your own recipe book using sources of protein that are the least expensive. This is getting harder because of the drought making meat prices skyrocket.

Step Two: Never pay full price. Unless you have a photographic memory, you need a small spiral notebook, or a spread sheet of the foods that are your staples: What they are, what size package they come in, and how much you paid, when , and where.
For us it is diced tomatoes, canned beans, some canned veggies, refried beans, instant mashed potatoes, and pasta and pasta sauce.

Find the lowest price, and when it goes on sale for the lowest price buy as many as your budget will allow, as many as the store will let you buy, or as many as you can safely use before they expire. If it is something that I use once a week, I keep a supply of 24. If I only use it once a month, I keep 5 or 6. Pasta has a eight year shelf life. I just keep by bin full.

Each week I survey the adds. I take a sheet of computer paper from the waste basket, and divide it into four. Mark each quadrant with the name of the store. We are fortunate to have all four stores within a four mile radius and I can hit more than one in a shopping trip without back tracking. we also have dollar stores and the bank on the way.

Write down on each store's section, what is on sale cheap that you can use to make dinner, or that you need to stock. Now cross off anything that is higher priced elsewhere and anything that you already have enough of. You can now assess which two stores that you are going to visit. Stick to your list. Get in and get out. the longer you are in a store, the more you are going to spend.

Step three:

Cook from scratch. There are a few ready mades that are cheaper than making them from scratch. A few things are just too much bother to make. I take time into consideration. Figure your savings and divide it by your time spent cooking it from scratch. Sometimes I make 32.00 an hour.
We talk about techniques to get you out of the kitchen fast. IF you can set it and forget it and then go on to do laundry etc. You haven't spent much time in the kitchen.

Remember if you spend more time on the front end of the "Get a meal on the Table" train, and less time on the back end, you will be better off. Noone is "paying you to cook, but you are being "paid" well for shopping wisely. Half of the USDA 2009 stats for a family of four is about 75.00 a week. If you spend an extra hour shopping, you have made 75.00 an hour. Not to Shabby.

Thats pretty much the sumation of it all. The added bonus of stocking is that you never have to worry about getting to the store because you are out of food. You are prepared for a disaster. That can be that you are to sick with the flu to go to the store, or its snowing and you can't get to the store.

To the minimalists out there, if you can afford to buy your groceries from the whole paycheck store and burn seventy five dollars a week and feel good about it, then go for it, IT"S YOUR MONEY!

For the rest of us, that extra money might mean you can afford orthadontics or a college fund for the kids, a much needed vacation, or just have a piece of mind knowing that you have some more money in the bank.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share with a friend.

Jane

Meals from adds

There are still a few meat buys , not as good as before. Fruits and veggies are still reasonable.The best way to cope with rising meat costs is to eat less meals that have the meat as the main ya-da on the plate and use recipes that have less meat added to another protein source.


1) chili, beer bread, veggie sticks

2) meat loaf, baked potatoes, acorn squash

3) quiche, field green salad with strawberries and vinaigrette.

4) chicken orzo salad , French bread. ( I made itnthe other night, my daughter and I decided that it needed pesto or some chopped herbs.

5) pizza, green salad

6) tacos, refried beans

7) shrimp stir dry, rice

Note. : shrimp is often on Safeways 5 dollar Friday. Last week I got it for less with JFU. Peaches are a buck several places. Acorn squash is .79, beer bread is a bucket the dollar store, pizza is five bucks at Safeways . Steak is 2.88, makes good fat content hamburger cheap and you know what is in it.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

This weeks adds

Just as we could have expected, meat has taken a big jump.
There are a lot of buy ten and get fifty centsoff sales, but it is hard to find products that are not high priced ready-made garbage.


QFC

Franz bread 1.99 (almost as cheap as outlet 3/5.89)
Butter 1.99
Triscuit crackers 1.49
Sour cream 1.49

Peaches.99
Raspberries 1.99
Corn 2/88

TOP

Cross rib roast 2.69
Canned veggies 15/10.00. Coupon
Milk 2.50 a gallon . Coupon
Eggs. 18 / 1.99

Grapes 2.00
gala apples 1.59

SAFEWAYS
Gala apples 1.69
Peaches .99
Bigi meat. No prices
Yoplait 10/ 5.00

5 BUCK FRIDAY
Pizza
Cookies

JFU
Strawberries 1.99
Skippy 1.89

ALBERTSONS
Green beans 1.49
Grapes 1.99
Gala apples .78
Pasta .88
Pasta sauce .88
Lean ground beef 3.49
Sirloin steak 2.88
.50 off ten
Mashed potatoes .49
Cheerios 1.99
Brownie mix .99

Acorn squash .79


That's about it. Albertsoms is the spoiler here, then QFC

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Jane

Grilled chicken salad ..yum

Here is the recipe that I found at the hair cutting place.




GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

8 ounces orzo
8 ounces green beans, fresh
Olive oil
2large somewhat firm peaches
8 to 12 ounces of chicken breast strips
4 ounces feta cheese


Cook orzo in stockpot. Add green beans during last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Drain but do not rinse. Toss with olive oil.

Grill quartered peaches and chicken breast pieces.
Toss gently with olive oil and place on top of the orzo.
Sprinkle feta over top

Notes.

Sometimes all pasta is on sale. Orzo is a rice shaped pasta that can be used in soups.
Buy it when it is on cheap because pasta has a long shelf life.

Peaches and green beans are in season. Nectarines would also work and are a bit firmer.


Salt, pepper, garlic , rosemary?

Thanks for stopping by

Grocery adds are late because of the holiday.
Please share the blog

Jane

Coupons

Someone told me that the Sunday paper had a coupon for a dollar off the salad dressing that was on sale at Albertsoms last week. Had they told me I would have passed it on.
That's what the comment section is for. I don't get the paper and ro buy the paper just for the coupon would not have been cost effective. That was still a really good price.

I have had people pass coupons to me while I was in a store that they weren't going to use. Random act of kindness. I have done it too. It just made my day!!!

On to a series of designer food recipes adjusted to be on the cheap. The book is making it easy from the food network. I got it used. Try 1/2 price books if you want
It.

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic and garlic


2 T olive oil
Salt, pepper
2 chicken breast, boned and cut in half.
2 T EACH of flour and butter
5 cloves garlic , smashed
Rosemary
1/2cup balsamic vinegar
1 2/3 cup chicken broth


In frypan, brown the chicken in the oil on both sides. Place chicken in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees 12-15 minutes until chicken tests done.

Mix the flour and butter to form a paste.

Add the rosemary and garlic to the frypan and toast slightly.
Stir on vinegar, deglazing the pan. Cook about one minute.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Whisk in butter mixture.
Simmer 1minute.

Serve sauce over chicken.

Serve with oven roasted root veggies


Notes

Balsamic vinegar is a splurge. Sometimes you can get it at the dollar store. Make your own chicken broth and freeze it. Pit it in old fashioned ice cube trays. Then pop out into a zip lock.

Use any root veggies that are in season. Cut into uniform sizes, toss with olive oil and rosemary and roast in the oven. Any degree from 350 to 400 degrees works. I usually let the meat I am cooking dictate the temp. this makes best use of the oven .


We knew it was fall when my mother made meatloaf, baked potatoes and acorn squash for dinner. She made it all in the oven. She would bring the squash down to my dads workshop and put it in the vice to cut it in half lengthwise. Then filled it with butter and brown sugar. these days if you poke it with a fork several times, you can microwave it for 2 or 3 minutes and soften it enough to cut it in half.

Meals that are entirely cooked at one rime in the oven saves power and makes for easier cleanup too.


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Jane

Pork medallions with apple horseradish sauce

Another recipe from food nw cb, adjusted to be in the cheap.

I still have pork medallions in the freezer from when pork loin was two dollars a pound.

Panko bread crumbs can be made by using French bread, hotdog or hamburger buns, a good way to use the extra hamburger bun from getting hebrew national hot dogs.

Applesauce can be made from small apples on sale.

Pork medallions with apple horseradish sauce.


2 large eggs, beaten

1cup bread crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper and dried thyme


Dredge pork medallions 1/2 to 1 in thick in egg and then bread crumbs

Fry pork in oil until both sides are brown. Place in a bakimg pan and continue cooking at 350 until pork tests done.

Sauce:

1 cup apple sauce
1/4cup sour cream
3 - 4 Tbls horseradish, drained well. ( place in sieve and squeeze out the juice.
Salt


Serve with baked potato and a green salad.


Thanks for sropping by

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Jane

Tortilla soup

Adapted fom Make it easy cook book, food network.

Sauté in olive oil until tender

1 medium chopped onion
2cloves garlic or 1/2 tspn garlic powder
1T chili powder
Salt and pepper.


Add 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, simmer 10 minutes

Add
1cup corn and cook 5 minutes more.

Remove from heat, and add

1ripe tomato, chopped
1cup shredded cooked chicken

Garnish with cilantro, lime juice and tortilla chips


NOTE

Imstead of a fresh tomato if tomatoes are not in season, reduce chicken stock by the 16
Ounces that are in a diced tomato can. I got diced tomatoes with lime for 60 cents at big lots.

Tortilla chips can be made by trying flour or corn tortillas and draining on a paper towel or brown bag.

Use frozen corn, canned corn, or microwave a fresh corn cob when it is in season and cut it off the cob. Leftover corn?


Thanks for sropping by


Jane

Adjusting recipes

There are a lot of restraunt dishes and high end popular dishes than can be made on the cheap without sacrificing taste. Sometimes one high end ingredient splurge can make a real difference; or substitute a cheaper ingredient that is a close match. Arugula on a sandwich can become spinach. Ask yourself, what can I use instead. Celery can substitute for fennel.

Capers can last a long time in the fridge and a little bit goes a long ways.
Bottled lemon juice is a lot cheaper than squeezing your own juice.

Artichoke, potato and chorizo tortilla

Artichokes are cheaper at big lots , chorizo at grocery outlet. Sometimes it is frozen. You can make it vegetarian by getting soy chorizo at Trader Joe's.

3 ounces chorizo, or other sausage
1medium potato diced
12 ounces artichoke hearts, marinated, rinsed and drained.
Salt
Oregano
8 eggs
1cup cheese, grated
1red pepper, sauté in olive oil.


Use an oven proof fry pan

Cook 3 ounces of chorizo until done. Remove from pan. Cook 1 medium potato diced, artichokes, Salt and oregano until potato is done. add sausage.
Whisk eggs with salt and pepper.

Take the skillet off the heat . Add the eggs and stir until eggs begin to set.
Top with cheese and red peppers.

Put the skillet under the broiler for two minutes or until the eggs are set.

Slide the tortilla onto a cutting board and slice into wedges.


Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Chicken pesto pannini

I am watching food network,. They had chicken pesto panini on semi homemade. What a wonderful idea.

My cheap version of chicken pesto panini

Rustic French bread

Pesto (see older blog)
Sliced chicken breast
Mayo
Spinach
Sliced white cheese
Sliced tomato, seeded

Cut French bread in half

Spread each side with pesto and mayo.
Layer white cheese on each side.
Layer spinach on one side, tomato on the other
Spread both sides of chicken breast with pesto and place in middle of sandwich.
Close sandwich.

Toast on both sides.

Grill with a weight on one side at a time, or use a grill press or stovetop grill.


Thanks for stopping by


Jane

Please share

Meals from the adds

I'm running late this morning, so this will be quick! LOL

Meals from this weeks adds. Last days of summer

I'm finding lots of meats this week albeit not as cheap as they have been in the past.

Good hot dogs are on sale everywhere, my best guess is because of the holiday.
I, however, haven't seen buns cheap? Corn on the cob is really cheap at QFC.

1) Brats, oven roasted potatoes or corn on the cob, roasted peppers, coleslaw

2). Hot dogs and buns, potato salad, veggie sticks, apple pie

3)Quiche , mixed greens with rasp. Vinaigrette and strawberries, Youhert and granola parfait.

4). BBQ spareribs, potato salad, green salad, coleslaw, French bread.

5). Steak salad, French bread

6). Tuna melts, French fries , salad

7). stir fry shrimp, rice,

Meat prices are creeping up, especially chicken and beef.Buying Sirloin roast at 2.75 a pound is a good way to Hedge yourself. By buying two and grinding your hamburger you can save yourself a bundle. It turns out to be really lean hamburger and far less than the 4 plus dollars a pound for the good stuff.

Thanks for stopping by today,

Jane

Grocery Adds for August 29th

Grocery Adds for August 29th.

It doesn't seem like summer should be over. Lets hope for a great September.


Safeways:
JFu
Lucerne Ice Cream 1.99
Kraft Singles 1.79
Gala Apples 3/2.99
Hamburber buns .99
salad blends 1.00


corn 3/1.00
80 per cent hamburger 2.49
Hebrew National 2.99

5 dollar Fridays
Boston Cream Cake 5.00

Chicken leg quarters .79
Milk .99 Coupon


Albertsons


Berries 2.99
Hillshire Farm sausage BIGI Identical only 2/5.99

TOP

Sirloin Tip Roast BIGI 2.75
Country Style Ribs BIGI 1.50
Medium cheddar cheese 3.99 Coupon
Milk 2.50
Hebrew National 2.50* Thurs-Sun only
London Broil 3.00
Zucchini 1.00


QFC

Corn 10/3.00
Strawberries 1.99
Hebrew Nationals 3.00
cottage cheese 1.00

Remember to strike through everything that is more expensive elsewhere and cross off anything that you don't need or use.

Pick two stores.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

MY 100th Blog

This is my 100 th blog. Thank you for stopping by.

Just a couple of notes:

Salad dressing is a dollar at Albertsoms...even the fancy ones.
Betty Crocker instant sweet potatoes are .79 at grocery outlet. I think that BC has discontinued them, and they are really good and easy to make. Probably at that price, cheaper than from scratch. One package has two three servings pouches. It has a short pull date, don't get overstocked.

Now is generally the time that can goods go on sale, about the time of the new canning season. I haven't seen that happening.

We went to the fresh food market ( by the old k mart). Some of the veggies and fruit were cheaper, and some not. Celery was cheaper, as well as red peppers and green peppers. Odd sixes pears were79 cents a pound.

Cheese is at Costco now in 2.5 pound bricks at less than two dollars a pound.

Remember, to stay at a 1/2 price pace, set goals for the cost of certain things. I want a dollar a pound for veggies and fruit.I want two fifty a pound for meat, and two dollars a pound for cheese. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I have to average to make it. fresh veggies are harder to stick to your guns on. One year I was waiting for strawberries to go down in price...we didn't get strawberries that year! LOL
Corn is up again this year, but cherries are down. You just have to be flexible.

Night before last we had brats, oven roasted red potatoes, roasted red and green peppers, coleslaw and French bread with parm cheese and parsley.

The brats were on five dollar Friday, there were ten big brats, enough for two " typical" families. Red potatoes were .40 cents a pound. Peppers were1.00 for both, the coleslaw was .80. And the bread was .60. For a total of 5.50 a meal.

Brats and coleslaw were from Safeways. the bread was from the bakery outlet, the peppers were from the grocery outlet. I got red potatoes from WinCo for two dollars for five pounds.

By careful shopping and averaging your meals, you can eat five dollar meals and still have a more expensive cut of meat every so often. Most of the time our kids would have rather had pizza, tacos, Dagwood sandwiches, or a casserole.
Cooking what the kids like, providing that they like a variety of foods, just makes life easier. We did interject a new veggie or dish ever so often so that they were introduced to a variety of foods.

I used to have a weekly calendar with large journalimg blocks next to each day on my computer. I would fill in the meals when I got home from the grocery store. It enabled me to let the kids know what was off limits for snacking because it was part of dinner.One week my son wrangled an invitation to dinner at the neighbor kids house. He had done so because he didn't like what was on Wednesdays dinner menu. I cranked out the menus with no intension of sticking to a rigid schedule. He missed the Dagwood sandwich night! LOL

Most of the time, the shows that talk about ten and twenty dollar dinners, have some good information on them. I find that their prices don't march the prices in the pacific northwest. I can get most of the ingredients cheaper; a few are more expensive here.

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Next time, the grocery ads.

1/2 Price Food Budget, Really ?

In case you just dropped in, this blog is about eating on the cheap. I want to save 1/2 on food. I try for the savings amount on the bottom of my slip to be at least as much as I spent. My budget is half of the USDA stats.

I can make five dollar dinners based on a "typical" family of two parents and two school age children. I attempt to keep a middle of the road attitude on fat and sugar.

In order to meet this criteria, I don't buy many ready made foods. Picky eaters are not part of my plan. Allowing a child to be a picky eater is doing them a dis-service. It's not giving them the opportunity to try new foods and enjoy natures bounty. There are children that are allergic to some foods, and that you have to deal with. Don't make a rod for your or their future spouses back by allowing a picky eater to be picky. Keep trying to introduce foods to them. Some of what I wasn't fond of as a child, I actually like now.

Staying on a 1/2 price budget in these times of meat prices rising weekly, will take a good amount of flexibility. You have to learn to roll with the grocery ads. Taking advantage of what's in season and what you can find that is on a special price.
Buying in bulk lowers your price and gives you more variety. If you divide the meat into family sized portions, you can freeze them and pull a variety of meats from the freezer.

I suspect that we will eat a few more vegetarian meals and more fish.

There are a few principles that allow you to meet the 1/2 price criteria.

1) never pay full price for food. Develop a spread sheet or a small spiral notebook to keep track of prices of the things you buy often. For is, that would be canned beans, tomatoes, pasta, tuna, refried beans, pasta sauce, instant mashed potatoes.
When they get to the rock bottom price, I buy as many as the store will let me, as many as I need to restock my shelf, or as many as I can afford. If it is something that h I use once a week I keep about a six months supply. If I use it once a month I keep 4 or 5. If it is something like mustard, mayo or salad dressing, I keep one ahead. Going to the store to buy two days worth of food at a time is the worst thing you canDo for your budget. You pay full price and are subjected to impulse buys.
You need to go to more than one store a week and get in and get out. pretty much stick to your list. The more time you spend in a store, the more you spend.

2) Plan. Sit down after you finish putting away the groceries and crank out seven main dishes from what's in the freezer and refer and what you just bought. If you have to think of the answer to the " What's for dinner? " question after a long day, it's a sure way to fall into the let's order pizza trap.

3). Learn to cook from scratch quickly. Buying ready made food is almost always a budget buster. Ditto single serving packages. There are lots of techniques that get you done fast. Spend more time on the front side of the DINNER ON THE TABLE TRAIN and less on back end. You get paid for shopping, you do not get paid cooking.

4) develop your own recipe book of entrees that your family will eat that use low cost sources of protein. Chicken, pork, tuna, beans, cheese, some beef, some shellfish
And fish.

One of the ways that I save time on scratch cooking is to cook bulk meat shortly after I bring it home. I portion control it and put it on labeled freezer bags.

Roast chicken can be split into two breast portions or a breast portion and cubes.
And thigh and leg portions. Make stock from the bones.

Hamburger purchased or ground at home in bulk can be made into a meatloaf, taco meat, meatballs or Salisbury steak, or hamburger patties, or crumbles.

Pork loin can be roasted and sliced thin for BBQ sandwiches or sliced thicker dor reheated roast. It can be cubed and slow cooked for stew or tips over rice.

Sirloin roast can be roasted , having roast beef dinner one day and the rest sliced thin for a jus sandwiches. It can be ground raw for hamburger with less fat and cheaper than ground 7 percent hamburger.

Cooking a bulk batch of meat uses less power, takes almost no more time, and you only have to do the dishes once. LOL

I usually try to tell you the good buys at the grocery stores based on our newspaper adds, and what you can do with them. I try to find recipes that take advantage of low cost ingredients that taste good and slip in a few techniques along the way.

Thanks for stopping by, please share this blog spot.

Jane

Stretching the meat dollar

Anyone that has ever grocery shopped knows that protein is your most expensive food
Group. Even the vegetarians pay dearly for their soy meat want a be 's.

The drought only promises that it will be more costly.

MOCK TENDERLOINS

3/4 lb ground beef
1cup cooked rice
1/2 cup minced onion
1T. W sauce
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients. Shape into patties. Wrap with bacon. Secure with toothpick.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until meat tests done.


Eggplant Parmesean

1 small eggplant, about 3/4 of a pound

Salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs
Vegetable oil
2cups pasta sauce
4 ounces white cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese


1) peel and slice eggplant 1/4 inch thick

2) sprinkle both sides with salt and let stand 30 minutes

3) rince and pat dry


4) bread eggplant with egg wash and then breadcrumbs and fry until golden in batches.
Drain on paper towels

Heat pasta sauce in pan on stove

Layer in 9x 9 pan

Eggplant, sauce, motte and parm. Repeat layers

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes



Thanks stopping by

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Jane

The cheaper better for you alternative.

I ran into a young mother recently that was servimg her children hamburger helper, a store bought fruit cup and a box drink for dinner. This turned out to be more than ten dollars for dinner.

What could she have done instead with little or no extra effort.

1) make hamburger patties with the hamburger.
2) substitute American cheese slices instead of the milk used in the hamburger helper.
3) substitute herbal ice tea for the juice box.
4) use the money spent on the juice box for hamburger buns. ( sometimes they are free at the bread outlet)
5) instead of the fruit cup full of more syrup than fruit. Make a mixed berry cup.

More nutrition, less money a winning combo; and less time than the hamburger helper.


Thanks for stopping by


Jane

Ps. I just bought black raspberry herbal tea for 6 cents a bag. That's .18 for a pitcher of ice tea Box drinks were on SALE at albertsons for .30 cents each. 1.20 for four of them. And the boxed stuff has 16 grams of carbs ( sugar).

Odds and ends

This is about odds and ends of observations this week.

Many of the retro recipes I have " dug up" have more fat than we are used to in this age of healthy cooking. While it is a good thing to eat healthy, I think you can go overboard and fall into a tasteless food trap. As in anything, moderation is the key. My nutritionist told me that a skim of butter on my toast was better than a spread. The more dense the "butter" is, the worse it is for you.

Many of the recipes that call for butter can have olive oil instead. That doesn't work for baking, but we eat actual desert rarely in this house. Fruit or ice cream is more the norm. There are low fat and sugar ice creams out there that are really fairly good.

One restaurant we went to lately served balsamic vinegar and olive oil instead of butter for French bread.

When I make meal plans, I try to balance more fatty meals with less fatty ones. Using a smaller portion of fatty meats is another trick.

If you defat hamburger crumbles before you make taco meat, or meat for a casserole or pasta sauce, it can have less fat than a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water. It is easier to stay on a diet if you don't think that you are being deprived.

We eat far more meat in this country than other countries. Cutting down on portions is a good way to save the health and the budget.

A four ounce portion is adequate. If you have growing ACTIVE children, they are ok to carb up, they burn them off. A couch potato, not so much LOL.

It will be interesting to see what effect the drought has on our food prices.
Like our grandmothers during the great depression and the second world war, I suspect we will adjust and come out victorious.

One of the main rules of keeping on a strict food budget is to find dinners that your family loves and plan . Plans can be flexible, but you have to have a plan.

This blog is based on less that 1992 stats for grocery shopping budget...the thrifty plan. It s all about careful shopping, using up what you buy, and not paying full price.

If you spend more time on the front end and less time on the back end of the MEAL
ON THE TABLE train , you will be better off.

You get "paid" for shopping wisely, No one pays you for cooking.

More recipes tomorrow, I promise LOL

Thanks for stopping by

Jane


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Meals from the shopping trip

Safeways was the store of choice this week. I'll fill in at grocery outlet tomorrow.

Meals from the specials

1)baked salmon, corn on the cob, Waldorf lettuce salad w balsamic vinaigrette.

2) stuffed zucchini with shrimp. Green salad

3) red potatoes, brats, peppers crusty bread

4) hamburgers, fries, coleslaw

5) Mac and cheese, broccoli

6) pesto salad, green salad, sliced London broil

7) quiche, spinach salad, rolls


Note:

London broil from last week.
Brats, salmon and shrimp on 5 dollar Fridays, shrimp additional percent off on. Just for u. Coleslaw, spinach, fruit on sale and 3 dollars off 15 just for you includes 3 for a dollar corn on the cob.

Thanks for stopping by
Please share this blog.

Jane