Monday, May 13, 2013

the basics ...one step at a time

Writing about the basics all at one time doesn't really cover the concept well.  you can 1/2 the average food bill easily without spending hours in the kitchen.  1/2 price groceries takes a 3 pronged approach. :

  1. Planning and organizing
  2. Shopping wisely
  3. Cooking from scratch
Like just about anything one does in life, planning is the first step.  Once your initial planning is done, it takes very little time  to keep up.  .  If you are not the organized type and you hate it, consider finding someone else in the family to do this part.  

First, jot down 7 recipes that incorporate inexpensive sources of protein.  Try for 2-3. Dollars a pound average.  Examples are eggs, cheese, chicken, pork, some beef, fish, tuna, shellfish, beans.  
Then, add to the list until you have 14 meals.  This gives you enough to rotate and have a variety.  
Children usually have their favorites.  It makes life easier if you incorporate them into the plan....unless it is steak and lobster! LOL

Next, list the staples that you use a lot of.  For us that would be diced tomatoes, beans, instant mashed potatoes, refried beans, some soups, some black olives, green beans and corn, and tuna and salmon and pasta and pasta sauce.

Enter the item, the size of the package, the price, where you bought it and the date. You can do this in a small notebook or on a spread sheet.  

Hunts pasta sauce

5/12/13.     ALBERTSONS.       .85
4/30/13.      Winco.                     .78

Pretty soon you will see a pattern.  You want to find the rock bottom price.
I call it my target price.  This doesn't have to be a book LOL.  You should have about 10-15 items on your list.  When you see something on your list at the target price buy:
  • As many as you can afford
  • As many as the store will allow you to buy
  • As many as you need to fill your space.
Whichever comes first.  If I use something once a month, I keep 6.  If I use something once a week. I keep 24.  The object is to never pay full price for anything.  

When the weekly ads come out, take a sheet of computer paper, divide it in four sections.  
Put the name a store on top of each quarter.  Now write down anything on your target list that's a cheap price and anything in the fruit and veggie line or the protein line that is a good price. Now, 
Cross off anything you don't need, and anything that is a lower price elsewhere.  
log really cheap staple prices in your data.  

Now pick the two stores with the best prices for things you need.  Go with your list, the ads, and any coupon you happen on to.  Get in, get your list, and get out.  The more time you spend in a store, the more you will spend.  

Couponconnectioms.com is a website that matches coupons with local store ads.

I don't spend a lot of time on it, but she does the research for you so few minutes can get you free stuff sometimes.  Some store cards now have electronic coupons.  

Next time : stores

Thanks for stopping by 
Jane
Four  plus one equals five
better cheaper faster 
remember you get paid for shopping not for cooking.








Sunday, May 12, 2013

Big buck coffee store alert.

http://picky-palate.com/2012/03/22/starbucks-iced-lemon-pound-cake-copycat-recipe/

my daughter and granddaughter love Starbucks lemon pound cake. 
 It is 2.50 a SLICE.  See above address.  I haven't priced the recipe out, but
my unofficial calculations are that you can make
an entire loaf for the cost of one slice if you do the target price thing.  

Target price has nothing to do with the store with the same name. 

http://www.marthastewart.com/344409/glazed-lemon-pound-cake
Even cheaper.  

We made the wanta be lemon pound cake.  It cost 4.52 for two loaves.  
Assuming 8 slices per loaf at 2.50 a slice total cost is 40.00 for the two loaves.  
Savings 35.48.   It took us 10 minutes to put it through the food processor.  
That's 212.88 cents an hour.  


Happy Mothers Day !!

Happy Mothers Day

My daughter and granddaughter and I went to the zoo.  We packed a snack and water bottles. my daughter has a  pass, my granddaughter is free and I was  1/2 off  because  I am a grandmother.

There was a little girl that had her face painted. My daughter asked how  much it cost......18.00 marked down from 25.00 because of Mothers Day....I told my daughter I could feed us dinner for the entire work week for that!!!?  LOL

Onward....

I still need a couple of things from ALBERTSONS and some vegetable seeds with my rite aid Money.

Zucchini is almost free in the summer around here.  It grows everywhere and prolifically.

Zucchini sausage lasagna.

Make a red  sauce with sausage, garlic, onion, tomato, tomato  paste and Italian herbs.  Use 1 can tomato paste and two 28 ounce cans of tomatoes.  1 pound of cooked sausage.
Slice 3 zucchini lengthwise and cook.  I would put them in a 350 degree oven on a oiled sheet pan until soft.

In a bowl. Combine
1egg
1 pound ricotta cheese or cottage cheese (small curd)
Scant cup of parm cheese


Set aside.

Cook 8 lasagna noodles, drain.

Layer in 9X 13 pan
Red sauce
Noodles
Zucchini
Cheese mixture
Mozzarella

Repeat once

bake at 350 for 55 minutes.
Sprinkle with more mozzarella
Bake an additional 5 min or until cheese is melted.

Let stand  15  minute
Makes 12 servings
NOTES
I would 1/3 the recipe.  .  I might just use zucchini in place of the noodles.
Cottage cheese is a good alternative to ricotta.  I used to threaten spinach, squeeze it dry and add it to the wet cheese.  I, however wasn't using zucchini.  Cottage cheese and sour cream are much cheaper at Costco.  They were a buck at QFC.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share.

Jane
4+ 1 equals 5.
 better cheaper faster
remember , you get paid for shopping not for cooking.
 If  you're short on time spend more time shopping and less time cooking.
Plan your shopping trip.  A few minutes of planning, saves gas and time.








Saturday, May 11, 2013

Shopping

I haven't gone down to look at tapes yet, but. Got everything else on my list done.  I grated a whole brick of cheese today adding some cornstarch to keeo it from clumping.  i havent tried that before.

SAFEWAYS had Tillamook for 3.99.  QFC had buy two sausage and get a biscuit package free.  Also SAFEWAYS had sirloin tips buy 1 , get one.  That makes dinner for three very fast and 4.00.  It used to be 3.50, but prices have risen.  Add a instant mashed potato and a veggie or salad and you have a dinner in five minutes flat for a little over 5.00.  I don't resort to that very  often, but his is a cheap alternative to ordering pizza or fish and chips when time crunched.

The strawberries were yuk at QFC again.  Beautiful at SAFEWAYS.  I didn't get to ALBERTSONS. We didn't need anything from the alternative stores so it wasn't worth the trip for eggs , apples, and muffins.

I found sour cream and cottage cheese for a buck as well as hot dog and hamburger buns.
I wound up spending my entire budget, but better luck next week.  I only bought fresh foods and the tip and sausage, , but I bought lots of fruit and dairy.

Finding things on sale, or finding what was on sale not fit to eat is why I usually do plans after I shop.  Had I only went to one store, I wouldn't have purchased strawberries.

We are still eating well on about 1/2 price.  Last nights dinner  was

Meat 1.80
Buns .50
Strawberries  2.00
Corn .66
4.96

In order to stay on about 70.00 for the typical two adult, two school aged children, dinners should average five dollars.  Breaking it down, your full budget is ten dollars a day.  By using leftovers, or a sandwich or salad for lunch and oatmeal or toast and fruit or youngest and toast for breakfast  you can make this work.

If you are on SNAP, your budget is about twice that.  Remember, though, pricing meals doesn't include the staples of butter, flour olive oil etc.  70.00 is a rock bottom guideline.  USDS STATS ARE BASED ON AGES OF FAMILY MEMBERS - and compensate for typical ages that tend to have hollow legs!  For practicality , I am working on a 2 adult, two school age children model, or three adults.  The stats are on the Internet and are within two months current.  Full  USDA stats are  146.00 a week.

It s a challenge to make it work.  It can be fun to see how creative you can be coming up with fun dinners.

Thanks for stopping by

4+1 =5

Better, cheaper, faster

Jane



Friday, May 10, 2013

Finally Friday

It's Friday and the Mothers Day week end is upon us.  lots of BBQ in the ads, it's going to rain here, but I suspect we will have fun anyway.  Maybe a trip to the zoo.

The vegetable garden gets dug today , so I guess we will be planting in the next few weeks.  
Zucchini grows well here.  Tomatoes are harder some  years, I usually get cherry tomatoes. Mast year we got one tomato!  the most expensive tomato on the planet, I'm sure LOL.  


Zucchini is way to expensive now, unless it is cheaper at the fresh food stand. Summer
Is coming......maybe 

Zucchini Tomato Soup

2 small,zucchini,chopped small.
1/4 cup onion, chopped small
Olive oil

Salt
1 cup spicy v8 juice
1small tomato, cut

Dash of pepper, and basil.  

Cheese and bacon garnish optional. 

Sauté the zucchini and onion in the olive oil .  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook until heated through.  
Garnish.  

I like to serve soup with toasted cheese sandwiches, cheese quesidas. Cheesy bread sticks, or hard crusty bread.  If we have something like this for dinner, I will add a pudding or creme brûlée or another desert that is rich in protein if we don't have cheese with it.  
The grocery outlet has a lot of interesting cheeses, some are inexpensive, some are not.

Pork Loin Roast garlic rub.  
2 WHOLE garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Pinch EACH of  basil and oregano

 Cut the  very top off of the garlic bulb.  Place each garlic bulb on foil drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with basil and oregano.  Bring  the foil up to cover the bulb. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes,  
Cool.  Squeeze garlic pulp out of the garlic.  Add 2 T lemon juice.  

Rub over roast before roasting.  This would probably taste good on chicken as well.  

I have discovered that some basic sauces and rubs, seasoning pairings, are good on many things.  
It makes life simpler.  


Thanks for stopping by

Please share

4+ 1 =5 -- Four people, one meal, 5 bucks .
better cheaper faster
 remember, you get paid for shopping -- not for cooking.
If you spend more time shopping, and less time cooking, your bottom line will be better.  
If you are short on time, spend  more time planning your trip and make the time up being more efficient in the kitchen. 


Jane








Thursday, May 9, 2013

Terrific Thursday

Another beautiful day in the Pacicfic Northwest.  I get to spend the afternoon  looking for a twit that put a 250.00 sonics jacket and walked out of the store last week.  Maybe someone should have thought it was just a little strange to see someone with a leather coat on in 80 degree weather! LOL

Pork Chops with rice.

4 Pork Chops
Salt, pepper
2 T vegetable oil

1 tsp chicken better thang bouillon
2cups hot water

1 cup long grain rice.  Raw
Chopped onion and green pepper
2 tsp  W sauce
1 tsp cumin


in oven proof skillet, brown pork chops that have been salt and peppered about two minutes a side.
Remove from pan and keep warm.  Place better than boullion in water and dissolve.  Deglaze the pan with the chicken "stock". Stir in remaining ingredients.  Place chops over rice.  Cover.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until meat is done and rice is tender.

meals from the ads

Our breakdown is 
2 beef
2 pork or chicken
2 vegetarian
1 fish

  • Pork chops and rice
  • Chicken enchiladas
  • Hamburgers, salads, corn on the cob
  • Spaghetti with meat sauce
  • Egg muffins. Fruit and yogurt parfaits , hash browns 
  • Mac and cheese
  • Mahi mahi , rice, grilled pineapple.  
Notes.  Eggs are a buck at ALBERTSONS and TOP.
Corn on the cob is also on sale.  Muffins at ALBERTSONS.  Mahi mahi is at ALBERTSONS for 3.99.buns are a buck at QFC.  Hash browns are a buck at the dollar store...suh. That was an intelligent post!!!

I am wondering of big lots or the dollar store take coupons.  I found a coupon for a buck off of tissue.  

Thanks for stopping by
4+1equals five
 better cheaper faster
 remember you get paid for shopping , not for cooking

Jane




Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The ads

Wednesday is the day for ads.

On the day 7 front, we went to friends house for dinner, so I have nothing to add to the list for today.

 QFC

Butter 2.00
4 lbs strawberries 6.99
Dryers 2.99
Braille pasta 1.00
Bread, buns 1.00

 
TOP

cheese 4.99/ 2 lbs
Eggs 1.50@@@
Strawberries 2.99@@@
English muffins .99@@@
Chili Nalley .77@@@
Corn .70

ALBERTSONS

 Strawberries 3/3.99
Eggs 1.00
English muffins 2/1.00
Brewers 2/6
7 percent hamburger 3.99
Buy 10/ save (5
Tomatoes .58


 SAFEWAYS

Carn 6/2
Tills mock 3.99*******cheese

5 buck Friday
Salmon
diGior no pizza


Thanks for stopping by

4+ 1equals five
better cheaper faster
 remember you get paid for shopping , not for cooking








Tuesday....

I look at the red plum coupons in the grocery insert.  most of the time they are for expensive stuff that I would never buy in the first place..  A coupon is not a bargain if it is for high  priced ready made stuff.
This is  second time around, the bloody machine erased my blog.

I thought I might be missing something, so I should explore the world of coupons.  If I can't make a legitimate bargain in a short amount of time, it's not worth it.  While spending a little time prepping for your shopping trip is definitely worth while, I am not for spending twenty hours a week and several hundreds dollars on newspapers just to get coupons for something  we are not likely to eat anyway.  it has to be practical.

Now when I can expend the effort of a few mouse clicks and get more than free baby food, I will do it. Even if the food is not appropriate for my grandchild, it can very well go to the food bank on the way home.  I would make that effort if we didn't have a baby at home.  this is America, no child should go hungry....if we can feed the starving......we can surely  feed our own especially if I can do it for more than free.

Ps they had no baby food jars at either rite aid.m I did get pouches also on the rewards.  It mad pouches really cheap.  Not exactly free, but pretty cheap.  The rewards can be used from the 8th to the 21 st. And I got another 1 coupon.

Monday, May 6, 2013

More than free alert

I was playing around on the Internet...have to stay in bed , so I might as well make myself useful.  haha.

Rite Aid has a coupon for baby food......please don't stop reading cause you don't have a baby.    

If you buy six baby food with the coupon, it costs .91 less than the nine dollars you get in store credit.
Essentially, the baby food is FREE.  you are money ahead to give a baby food for a couple of days!
I am positive the food bank would welcome the donation!!!!


I , in the interest of trying to lower food bills any way possible, without taking my entire day up doing it, watched extreme couponing the other night.  It was a gal from Lynnwood.  I am sure they were shopping at the Lynnwood Fred Meyers.  First of all, it sounded to me that she was breaking rules that I understood all coupons to say.  the thing that stood out the most was that they had never tasted couscous and yet she purchased some 134 boxes of it to use in a year.  That's 2.5 boxes a week.
She also bought 93 bottles of hot sauce and 600 candy bars,  Who needs that much hot sauce?  And I'll bet the kids dentist  isn't thrilled with 600 candy bars either!!!!

I found a good website.   coupon connections,com.   She is writing out of Lynnwood and pairs local coupons with local sales.  I wouldn't spend a lot of time on it, but if I had access to the ads and I needed the product, and if it was free or  below my target price, I might be tempted.

The bottom line is it is worth my time if  is it something I need or can give to the food bank.

Jane

Day 5. Sunday

As a caveat ,I just got out of surgery and am still groggy, so this could be interesting.  Early in the day yesterday, I roasted the pork tenderloin.  Last night we ate on the porch.  We had Pork tenderloin, cucumber salad (English) brown rice and strawberries and cream.

It was an interesting day, I got a bunch of work done and finished an order  that I need to get out.  I made up a flyer of the latest perp passing bad plastic to take to the mall.  My husband was driving,when as irony would have it, he got a ticket for  talking on the phone to my daughter in the exact same place as I found the last perp.  We need the day with my husband cutting his finger!

As summer is coming truly it is related to Mr. submitting your instructions or animal the wash them is Steve this is beleaguer it produces a distortion with a pretty great with vinegar peppery taste
So much for dictating while under sedation.

Summer  is coming truly it is. nasturtium vinegar is vinegar was a peppery taste-- very good with salads .  just steep  cleaned  flowers and regular white vinegar . Strain into a pan , preferably non metallic, and bring almost to a boil.,,

Apple and carrot slaw

1/2 cabbage head,shredded
2 large carrots,,shredded
1 medium apple,finely chopped
1/4'cup plus 1Tmayo
Pinch sugar
1 tsp vinegar
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients,  cover and chill

mushroom spinach salad


Spinach,
sliced mushrooms
Red onion rings

Italian dressing

Salads are easy way to diminish the vegetable bin.  you can  use Bitts and snatches  of things to make salads interesting while all the while cleaning salad bin out.

Guess that's all.
Thanks for stopping by
Please share

Remember
4+ one is five
better cheaper faster

Jane













,

List of meals



  1. Tuna casserole
  2. Chicken chimichangas
  3. Leftover chicken chimichangas
  4. Shrimp, brown rice, spinach and artichoke salad
  5. Pork tenderloin, brown rice, cucumber salad,strawberries and cream
  6. Picnic on the deck....strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, carrots, celery, radish, turkey, salami, cheese, crackers.
  7. Cinco de mayo party at friends
  8. Steak, baked potatoes,mixed veggies,green salad
  9. Eggs, hash browns, fruit
  10. Sloppy joes, corn on the cob, strawberries
  11. Sausage quiche with peppers and cheese, fruit salad....added strawberries from last night.  
  12. Hamburgers
  13. Fish and chips
  14. Hamburgers, potato salad,strawberries, 
  15. Eggs with ham, cheese, strawberries, biscuits
  16. Fish and chips
  17. Went to party
  18. Eggs , bacon, fruit, hash browns 
  19. Pizza
  20. Seafood Pasta
  21. Nachos
  22. Whole wheat burritos
  23. Hot dogs, buns, salad, corn on cob. 
  24. Grillers, corn on cob, fruit salad lettuce and tomato
  25. Out to dinner
  26. Brats and beans
  27. Sloppy joes, French fries , salad, strawberry shortcake
  28. Tacos
  29. Chicken Alfredo, mixed veggies, French bread

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Day 4

Last night we had shrimp, spinach salad with artichoke hearts, and brown rice.  The shrimp was cooked using a recipe that was floating on  the Internet yesterday.  It's really simple.

My husband  layered in a baking pan.  Melted  butter, sliced lemons, shrimp and Italian seasoning.m bake at 350 for 15 minutes.   My daughter cooked brown rice and. Spinach salad.  


We went to the grocery store.I  got Free eggs and peas, fresh fruit and veggies and a box of tea.  The only non perishable I got was a pork tenderloin on sale.  I still spent 52.00 ! Between  QFC (Kroger ) and Costco.  

The family set up the deck yesterday.   We are supposed to get our summer this next two weeks, so it is the best place "in" the house to be in the evening besides  the basement.    I have been buying perennials instead of annuals a little at a time, so I am not buying flowers every year.  I did buy the herbs that didn't winter.  

We have potato salad, spinach salad, orzo salad , and fruit.  All I have to cook is the roast.  I will do it in the morning, while it is cool .   We will eat on the salads,, adding new ones as we go along and adding an burger etc through the week.  


Orzo stuffed Tomatoes

1/2 box orzo, cooked and well drained.
4  medium tomatoes, slice off tops and spoon out the seeds and pulp, leaving a shell, reserving pulp.
2 ounces cubed ham
1/2 cup shredded cheese
2 ribs celery.chopped
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2'tsp onion powder
Pepper.
Lettuce leaves

Mix cooked orzo , the pulp from the tomato, chopped and well drained.  And the rest of the ingredients except the tomato.  Place the tomatoes each on a lettuce cup.  Fill the tomatoes with orzo filling.

Notes :  you could microplane a little onion instead of using onion powder.  I would be tempted to add some dill, and or parsley.  maybe as an alternative, drop the cheese and use olive oil or Italian dressing instead of the mayo and sour cream and add some fresh herbs.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

4+ one is five
 better cheaper faster
when you're working the meal train spend more time on the front end the less  time of the back end.  You get paid for shopping, not for cooking.


Jane





















Saturday, May 4, 2013

Suddenly Saturday

it's going to be a great day in the pacific N.W.  I tried to get some of the deck spring cleaned and ready for summer.  Didn't succeed, but maybe my daughter will help me today.  it's going to be nive for the next two weeks, so I would like us to be able to live out there.  it's much cooler in the evenings.

We had leftover chicken chimichangas last night.  My daughter was really late because some mother was really late picking up her child that made my daughter get home at 7:45.   lucky she had packed enough lunch for her daughter to have a good snack.  Her intentions were to go to SAFEWAYS five dollar Fridays, but best laid plans.....

Tuna S.alad

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 T sour cream
4 tsp parsley
12 tsp dill
Pinch thyme
Salt, pepper

2 cans tuna, drained and flaked
4 T minced onion
4 cups baby spinach

Thinly sliced tomatoes for garnish

Mix dressing ingredients.  Mix tuna, and onion.  Serve over spinach with tomatoes as a garnish.
Notes: you could also add sliced celery .  spinach is cheapest at Costco.  Shredded carrots might taste good also.  Maybe some walnuts or cashews.  It needs something to bulk it up.




Broccoli Salad
2cups fresh broccoli florets
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1 green onion, sliced
3 tablespoons raisins
 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

 dressing
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons sugar
 2 teaspoons white vinegar
 combine salad ingredients
 combine dressing ingredients



Toss together.

Green Bean Salad

1cup Fresh green beans slightly blanched ,cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 a medium cucumber sliced
1 small red pepper julienned
1/4 cup sliced onion

Toss together.  Dress with ranch dressing.





Thanks for stopping by
please share
4+ one is five
 better cheaper faster

Jane




















In  a bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients
Stir in tuna and onion
Serve over spinach
Garnish with sliced tomatoes of the side.

Notes:  spinach is cheapest at Costco.  Roma tomatoes are cheapest and you get more flesh and less seeds...more bang for your buck.  I might drizzle them with a little olive oil infused with basil.  fresh basil in in the stores with roots.  You can plant it or keep it on fresh water and it will grow.
I might also add celery , chopped.  Or sliced radishes.

Fruit Salad

4 cups romaine
1 pear, diced
1 cup raspberries
Toasted nuts
Dried cranberries

Toss with raspberry vinaigrette


Broccoli Salad

2 cups broccoli florets
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1green onion chopped
3 T raisins
1 T sunflower seeds.

Dressing

1/3 cup mayo















Friday, May 3, 2013

Finally Friday

This is the first non shopping day. Suits me fine because I am sick. I should be getting some fruits and veggies, but will try tomorrow.

Yeaterday we had chicken chimichangas with lettuce, salsa, sour cream and jalapeño flavored cheese. ( real cheese)

My daughter got a Trader Joes flyer on the mail. Most of it was far too expensive. the Wisconsin blue cheese sounds interesting at 3.29. As well as the Irish cheese for 6.49 a pound. Irish Breakfast tea is 80 bags for 2.99....
Blackberries, 3.29....

As promised, Chocolate Cream Puffs.

1 cup water
6T butter
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs

FILLING
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T cocoa

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once. Stir until a ball forms. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Add eggs in one at a time, beating well after each. Beat until smooth. Grease a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet. Drop batter in mounds on sheet. (6). Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. reduce heat to 350 for another. 30 minutes. remove puffs to a wire rack and I,,editable cut a slit in them for the steam to escape.

For filling. Beat cream. Fold in cocoa and sugar. Beat until soft peaks form. Fill cooled puffs.

Makes 6


Thanks for stopping by

PLEASE share

Jane


Thursday, May 2, 2013

May 1st , Day 1.

Yesterday was the first day of our use up the accumulated stock month. We had tuna noodle casserole and mixed veggies. It will be interesting to see what we have after a month.

It is supposed to be really nice weather in the Pacific Northwest, time to break out the deck furniture and enjoy the sunshine. After all, it might be the last we see....LOL.

Dill Pickle Potato Salad

8 medium sized Potatoes, cooked and chopped. Cool slightly.
6 hard cooked eggs, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
2 medium dill pickles
1-1/2. Cups mayo
1/4 cup dill pickle juice
4 teaspoons mustard
Salt, pepper

Mix together. Chill.

Grilled Shrimp

1-1/2 pounds shrimp, cleaned
1/2 bunch green onion, diced
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 T lemon juice
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic

Place shrimp in a greased grill basket.
grill shrimp over indirect heat for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turns pink.
Refrigerate until chilled.
add dressing ingredients in a large plastic bag. Add shrimp. Chill at least 2 hours.

serves 4

Berry Torte
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar.Add egg. Fold in dry ingredients. Spread in a 9 -10 inch circle on parchment lined
cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire rack and cool.

Filling
Combine
1/4 cup sugar
2tsp confectioners sugar
2tsp cornstarch

Beat 1-1/2 cups whipping cream until soft peak stage.

Assembly

Place cookie crust on a serving plate. Top with 1/2 of the whipped cream and a cup of mixed berries.
Repeat layers twice, ending in berries. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

I have not tested this recipe. You could probably put the filling in a graham cracker crust also, or line a 9x13 pan with a graham cracker crust and fill it. Neater way to take to a picnic!


Next chocolate cream puffs.....

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane









Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Notes

A couple of days ago I took a little trip to the next town ...doing a little snooping to find a perp. No luck.
She is the last one I haven't identified. I really want to get her before she hurts more people.

Anyway, I found a new Grocery store. Walmart Neighborhood Grocery. We went in to chck it out. As a disclaimer I am not particulary fond of Wall mart. I don't like their ways and they cheated me. I really don't appreciate paying for other people's mistakes! LOl

With a open mind, however, we went in to check out the prices. I saw tomatoes for ?78 cents and two hunts pasta sauces for 1.76. Other than that, everything was more expensive than elsewhere.
I did appreciate the fact that the housewares and toys were in the back of the store. Separate from the food.

I did manage to get a romper for my granddaughter and a book for one year olds from the goodwill and a haircut, so all wasn't lost.


Thanks for stopping by


Jane


Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The ads

The ads....on time for a change

TOP

Roma's .77
Sour cream 1.50
Milk 1.99
Coleslaw .77@@@
Blues B1G1
Apples1.00

QFC

Chicken .89
Yoplait .50
Pasta 1.00
Eggs 1.00
Berries 2.99
Corn 2/1.00

SAFEWAYS
Pork shoulder roast 1.29
Oranges 1.00
London broil 2.99
Sausage B1G1

Five dollar Friday

Salsa
Radishes 2/1.00


ALBERTSONS

Chuck roast 2.75
Corn 6/2.00
Hunts pasta sauce . 88
Ketchup .88
Apples .99
Oranges .99
Strawberries 2/5


Guess that's it. I am only buying perishables this week.
So, ALBERTSONS looks good and the salsa at SAFEWAYS.


Thanks for stopping by.

Please share

Jane

4+1=5
Better, cheaper, faster.
you get paid for shopping, not for cooking.



one ingredient visited : Ground meat

I am trying to address one food item per week. This week I picked ground meat. it is one of the most versatile sources of protein around-- ground beef, turkey, chicken, and pork. Mix several together for a tasty meatloaf.

I have a hard time with ground poultry. The consistency isn't right for me....when I tried to sneak ground turkey into the taco meat...my husband squawked before it ever touched his lips. LOL

Hamburgers can take on any number of flavors . Teriyaki, Mexican, chili burgers, sloppy joes,beef and bacon,blue cheese. Italian cheese burgers to name a few.

how about Spanish rice? Meatballs, meatloaf, pasta sauce.

Meatballs go in pasta sauce, in sub sandwiches, in brown gravy over noodles. In cream gravy over rice.

the Internet is full of casserole recipes.


I batch cook and defat hamburger. Meat balls can cook in the oven over a cooling rack on a sheet pan.

Taco meat is easy...taco seasoning is on a previous blog.

Defatted crumbles are a no brainier. Use on pizza. In pasta sauce, as a base for sloppy joes or sheaperds pir or impossible cheeseburger pie.

Meatloaf is a Favorite here.

Four plus one is five.
Better, cheaper, faster
remember, you get paid for shopping, not for cooking.



Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane

Monday, April 29, 2013

Desert ....Yum

if I make desert it is a rare occasion. I usually try to make something nutritious. usually we have ice cream one fruit.

Pudding, creme brûlée and some other deserts are good if your main entre. Doesn't have a lot of protein.

Vanilla Pudding

4T sugar
2 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 egg yolk, beaten
2tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat until thick. Cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Temper the egg yolks into the pudding. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in butter and vanilla. Cool.

Blueberry Peach Muffins

1/4 cup softened butter
1/3 cup sugar
1egg

1-1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp soda
1/2 cup peach yogurt
2/3 cup blueberries
1 tsp grated orange peel

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Combine dry ingredients. Beat dry ingredients into wet batter alternating with the yogurt. Fold in the orange peel and blueberries. Place in muffin tins 3/4 full.
Bake at 375 20-25 minutes or until they test done.
MAKES 8.

Note if you take a little of the flour and dust the blueberries they will more likely to disputes throughout the batter.


Thanks for stopping by

4+1 =5
Better, cheaper, faster
Remember you get paid for shopping, not for cooking.

Jane


Sunday, April 28, 2013

Salads.....

We have had a few nice days, I am looking forward to salad time. ....the yard work, not so much. LOL


Salad Dressing

I'm not so are that this is cheaper than the bottle, but probably healthier and you could use vegetable oil.

1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1-1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
1/ tsp dry mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
1 T parsley

Mix together in a bottle with a tight fitting lid and shake.


Veggies

Carrot
Celery
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Onion
Tomato


Yesterday we had linguine with scallops in a cream sauce with the last of the asparagus.

Today I am cooking a pork roast. I might try the vegetable salad with broccoli instead of cauliflower.


Thanks for stopping by

Please share

4+1 =5
better, Cheaper, Faster
you get paid for shopping, not for cooking.

Jane