Monday madness

It's Monday again, funny how that works, another week looms.  I have been spending my free time watching blogs about cheap food.  there are not many about good food, cheap.  It is frustrating seeing all the cut your grocery bill in half, when I already do that without coupons.  Either Washington state is a lot more rigid on their coupon policies, or they have all changed because people were taking advantage.  Clearing the shelves without regard to other shoppers is rude.
None  the less, these women are getting 15000 hits a day.  I was excited to get 10000 in a year ! LOL
I don't know how to reach more people.  I am trying to take a practical approach to this.


Onward, my focus this month is going to be to add a few coupons on top of good sales to kick up the savings a notch.  Another challenge is to see how low I can get the basic hie gene necessities, since SNAP only covers food.  I have got toothpaste for as low as free.  on to deodorant, toilet paper, and soap.

Progresso recipe starters are 2/1.00 at the dollar store.  There are .50 coupons, but they don't work at the dollar store...darn.   I have used the cheese one, it was pretty good,  I added more cheese to bow ties and peas.  it was a very quick meal when things went  a rie at our house.  Having some items that save the day is important, it is better than the drive through or ordering pizza.  I also have the challenge of cooking with one pot at a time I'm a two foot square kitchen on the boat.  Drastic times call for drastic measures.  I cook normal foods on the boat, many go out for dinner every night.  Some convenience saves my day and a lot of money.

Betty Crocker has some really good recipes this week.  Check out their website. I will try the beer bread!   Beer bread pizza sounds really good too.  If you don't like alcohol, you can always use no alcoholic beer.  There are a lot of other really good recipes too.

When I shopped, I mostly bought fruits and vegetables.  We are paring down our stock of meat.  Yesterday, we went to a BBQ, so I didn't cook.   Have three more days left to cook.  I did the math, one day we go to Happy Hour with friends, two days I work the late shift.

1. Hot dogs, corn on the cob, mixed berry fruit cup
2. Chicken and sausage couscous
3. Pasta skillet

Chicken and sausage couscous 

1/4 pound chicken pieces, cooked

6 ounces fully cooked sausage , cut into bite sized pieces

2 stalks celery, cut into small chunks

2 carrots, cut into slices

1-1/3 cups chicken broth

1 cup couscous

1/2 red pepper, sliced

1 cup chicken broth

1T cornstarch

Place sausage in skillet with a little oil.  Brown meats about 5 minutes.  

Add carrots and celery to skillet, cover and cook until soft 3-5 minutes

Cook couscous,  bring 1-1/3 cups broth to a boil.  Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat.  

Let stand. 

Add chicken and red pepper to skillet.  Stir fry until red pepper is soft.  

Mix remaining chicken stock with cornstarch.  Add to skillet.  Stir fry until  sauce is thick.  

Serve meat and veggies over couscous.  

Pasta skillet

1 cup seashell pasta.  ( cooked and drained)

3/4 pound ground meat, cooked

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup beef stock

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp garlic 

1 cup frozen green beans

2 ounces feta cheese ( if desired)

Add all Ingredients to a skillet, except pasta.  Cook until  frozen beans are done.  

Add pasta to skillet and stir.  

Garnish with feta if desired.  

Notes:  meat was cooked ahead when it was on sale for 2.99 a pound.  Pasta was .50 a pound.  

Tomatoes are .67 when TOP has them on sale. 

Feta  cheese is often cheap at grocery outlet.  last time I got it with sundried tomatoes.  

 Thanks for stopping by

Jane

PLEASE share.  

What's wrong with this picture?

not to be critical, but this gal doesn't have a clue.

Meal Plans

Hot Dogs
Pasta
Pizza
breakfast
Steak um sandwiches

I'm over budget, I spent 51.00

grocery Trip
Watermelon, cut into cubes in a plastic container
Tomatoes on the vine
24 bottles of water
12 cans of ginger ale
16 steak umps
2 baby cans of kitty food
White bread
8 rolls of paper towels
1/2 gal milk
ready made chicken breast strips
Ready made sliced apples in a bag
1 dozen eggs
Head of lettuce
2 - 8 ea tubes of  drink gushers
2 ears of corn
16 bottles of Gatorade

I'll let you You imagine what they are going to eat, I'll bet they will be well hydrated!


Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Saturday

First a little housekeeping.  Dollar store dinners was a challenge.  I have eaten the potatoes and the frozen veggies from the dollar store.  They are good.  A lot of the dry goods are the same brands that are at the regular chain stores.  Some are cheaper, some are not.  I have not eaten the meat or fish from the dollar store, so I can't offer an opinion.  of course, the dollar store does not have perishables( fresh fruits and vegetables).  I don't think I would use the dollar store as my main food store.  LOL  This  was an experiment .  I always get French fries and pepperoni from the dollar store and their mixed veggies are good.  The same brand is 1.25 elsewhere.

The dollar store has a variety of things that are necessity items, but cheaper.  It's like what we called the dime store when I was a kid.  We had Woolworth's and Sprouse Ritz. I probably spelling it wrong.  Then came the 88 cent store.  A product of inflation, we have the dollar store.  The dollar store accepts coupons.  Because everything is a dollar, if you can do a match up with the correct sizes, some things can be free or near free.  You  cannot extreme coupon at the dollar store, they will only take four coupons at a time, it is my understanding. but, FREE is a  VERY nice word to the budgeter.  I got toothpaste for free, and I got sandwich bags for 1/2 price.  our granddaughter is small and she brings lunch to "school".  The quart bags we were sending in her lunch were too wasteful.
While, it isn't a food item, (SNAP doesn't pay for personal hygiene necessities. )If you can get them for free it is best.  I have purchased toothpaste for free or near free.  I am next going to tackle deodorant and toilet paper.  Watch for coupons and sales or the dollar store, and try to match them up.  This state doesn't allow overages and double coupons for what I can tell, so it might be a challenge. If someone finds it, please let the rest of us know.  There is a comment section below.


If you have the luxury of a variety of stores to shop at, then why not take advantage of that.
I wouldn't  recommend driving miles and miles, but planning your trips to group other errands works.
I stock, I don't buy 1 thing a week.  That being said, I would not stock anything that I haven't had before or that I didn't have storage for.

It's  a trade off, you find storage someplace in your house.  My dad always built a storage room in the basement in every house we ever lived in.  the trade off is that you  never have to run to the store or borrow from the neighbor something because you are in the middle of cooking dinner  and don't have something.  And, more to the point, you never have nothing on the house to eat and you are prepared for an emergency...be it you're too sick to get to the store, or an act of God has made the store inaccessible.

Last  night we had bean and rice burritos with leftover pork tenderloin.  That way, I could make some with meat, and some without.  That was three days on a pork tenderloin.  The tenderloin costs 7.50 divided by three makes 2.50 per meal for meat.

1. Pork tenderloin with potatoes and vegetable.  
2. BBQ pork sandwiches, German potato salad
3. Burritos

To  make five dollar meals, you have to average two to three dollars a meal.  If you hit the three dollar mark often, you are restricted to the starch and veggie for the meal.  You need to get in at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day.  We often use fruit as a desert.  Sliced bananas or strawberries with chocolate topping is a favorite.  As is bananas with butterscotch.  Or strawberries with cream.  I make a banana bread from Betty Crocker on line, that has oatmeal, bananas and blueberries in it.  It is really fast, easy, and inexpensive.  Bananas  are cheapest at Costco.  Do not buy organic bananas.  All bananas are organic and it is a rip off in my opinion.  I have heard experts say the same thing.  

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane

Dollar store dinners

Now, after I got a tube of toothpaste from the dollar store for free, I have purchased nine toothpastes for a total of two dollars.  All of them are either Colgate or Crest.

I went virtual shopping via my notepad.  I forgot to bring my electronics, so I did it the old fashioned way.  It was my challenge to make a good meal from the dollar store for my five dollar criteria.

I found

1. Meatballs, ziti, pasta sauce, and mixed California vegetables.  --5 bucks. (Two pkgs meatballs)
2. Chicken strips, French fries, regular mixed vegetables,  - 4 bucks ( using a pound of strips
3. Tilapia,  sweet potatoes, corn, and red peppers.  5 bucks (a pound of fish)(rice*) 
4. Bean and rice burritos with cheese.  ( beans and rice scratch 1 lb for a buck each) tortillas 1.00. Cheese 1.00, salsa .  5.00.  * enough rice for the fish dinner. 

. Four dinners for 19.00 with beans and salsa left over.

I found (some items are cheaper on sale elsewhere) but, my criteria was a meal from the dollar store.  I did not include normal staples like butter, catsup, etc.

Chicken breast strips 8 ounces

7 ounces of meatballs

4 ounces of tilapia

16 ounces Calif  blend veggies

Brocolli

Peas

Mixed veggies

French fries

Onion rings

Sweet potatoes, corn and red pepper medley

Sargento cheese

Mashed potatoes

Uncle Ben's  rice blends

Noodles

Ziti

Elbow Mac

Raw rice
Raw beans

Zatarans

Tortillas 

Pasta sauce

And some other  mixes I wouldn't buy, personal preference

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Getting started

I thought I would write about getting started.  Most of us don't have a lot of excess money hanging  around.

The term stockpiling conjures up the image of hoarding food all over the house.  Actually, stockpiling is buying your food at the lowest price and buying enough of it to cover yourself until you can find it at a rock bottom price again.  I try for a six month supply.  By the time it goes on sale again, I still have some and can add enough to fill myself in.

I only stockpile the foods on my most frequently used list.  My stock list .  Most people have  10-15 items  they use frequently.  You track these prices for the lowest price.

If you cut out the pop, and junk food and start buying one thing at a time, the next week, buy another thing on sale. Or on sale cheap with a coupon.  This snowballs and soon you only have to buy perishables until a sale comes along.  You will find you are spending far less than you did before and still have a pantry full of food.

Today I went to QFC and bought perishables that pretty much were on sale.  I bought 2 pounds of butter, 1.97 cent berries, apples, etc.  I bought a 1.00 crest toothpaste, because with a coupon, I got 2 free.  That's three tubes of toothpaste for a buck.  That averages me 8 toothpastes for 2 dollars total.

Tommorrow,  I will hit SAFEWAYS.  they have mayo for 2.22. Just 4 you.  I am at the end of my bottle, so I will replace the pantry one.  I always keep ONE of catsup, mustard, and mayo  type of thing so I can't run out in the middle of dinner.  Otherwise, of I use something weekly, I keep 24.  If I use something monthly, I keep 4-6.  Sales run an 8-12 week cycle.  If you watch for coupons for the things you buy and track the sales prices, you will see a pattern and take advantage of the rock bottom price.

Think about it, if you are playing the stock market, you want to buy low and sell high.  You are buying at rock bottom, and eating at high prices.  Adding the perishables at lowest market prices and you have a winning ticket! LOL

This week there is not a lot of things to stock on. Butter can be frozen and it is 2  bucks at QFC.  The toothpaste at QFC with a coupon is a stocker.

Last two weeks were better weeks to stock.  Top had beans and tomatoes for .67.  ALBERTSONS had pasta and cake mixes for .49.  With coupons, I  got two cake mixes for an  average of .07 cents.

Thanks for stopping by,

Please share

Jane

Safeway I missed

SAFEWAYS has a dairy thing.  Buy 15.00 worth of dairy items on their list and get 5 bucks off.  That's 33 percent.  Be careful of  the brick cheese it's 5 bucks for ONE pound.  There are other buys though.

Terrific Thursday

Since I have been stuck in bed some of the time these last  two days, I have been reading and watching every thing I could on saving money at the grocery store.  After our housing costs and transportation and medical, food is the most expensive thing that we buy.

I thought what one woman said on the TODAY show was very telling.  She said, if you don't think that saving money at the grocery store is important, you ain't been broke enough,  That is paraphrasing, but the message is there.  Most of us don't waste food, but, why waste money?  if you pay 1.00 for something you can get for .50.  You have wasted .50.  On the time thing, if you can make more money elsewhere, go for it.  But there have been times that I have save the equivalent of 212.00 an hour.  Nobody ever paid me 212.00 an hour! I am semi retired.  I don't want to go to work anymore than I am already.  If I had children, I probably wouldn't want to spend any more time away from them.  They can learn cutting skills, math skills.  And if they reap some of the savings in the form of a new pair of shoes they want or a vacation they normally couldn't take, they will see the merits of their  effort.  A lesson well learned.

 Have heard a lot of things that I can believe are true, but one thing that resonates through.  If you are happy about a product, e mail them, sometimes they will send you coupons.  if you are unhappy about a product, e mail them, they will send you coupons.   Emailed a company because I got a box of cookies that had no cookies in 1/2 of it.  They sent me a coupon for four boxes of cookies free.  I did the same with a can of  green beans that was not full.  I called them.  they would rather give you product than loose your loyalty.  I am not brand loyal.  if I know a brand is not good quality, I will not buy it, but among the brands that are good, I'll buy the cheapest one at the time I need it.

Off the soapbox. LOL



Eating on the cheap doesn't have to mean you are not going to eat well. Looking at upscale eating establishments menus can give you all kinds of ideas for new dishes.  Many are on line.

Stuff a chicken breast, add mushrooms to a gravy, stuff salmon.  it's their trick to make it look like you are eating a large portion of protein, when in realty, you have a 3 or 4 ounce portion.

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Toothpaste coupon alert

QFC has crest toothpaste for a buck.  In the red plum flyer that came in the mail with the ads, there is a coupon  for  2 dollars off of three tubes.  That makes three tubes of toothpaste for a buck.
I know the extreme componers pay zero, But, I Have only made that happen once.  That would make my average of 8 tubes .25 each.  I think that it is a pretty good price for a no  double coupon state .

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Wednesday

It's Wednesday and I don't have to go to work thanks to my husband who volunteered to work all day.  The fact that the construction project down there is in full swing might have something to do with it and the fact that the doctor said that I should not lift anything over 15 pounds and rest.

On to the subject at hand...

Today I am going to clean the vegetable drawer and make salads.  I have a pork tenderloin to roast off this morning so that I can have dinners together all week.  Yesterday I  made a slow cooker of soup so that dinner was ready when I got home from the hospital.  Planning ahead makes it easier to
 Manage dinner in hectic times.

Planning my grocery trip is  next of the agenda.  It is a small one because we don't need much and there are not many stock items if we did  need them.  If I didn't have stock on hand, I would go to the bakery outlet and WinCo.  The only match ups coupon wise that I found is I have two dollar coupons for Pizzeria Pizza , that makes them 3.00.  A good lunch or fall back on meal.  Hillshire Farm lunch meat is 5.99 less discount for SAFEWAYS just 4 you is 3.99.  I have a coupon for .55 off.  Making itm3.44.  That still makes it 3.44 a pound.  I have not checked if you can  stack these coupons.

I have spinach...there is a recipe on Betty Crocker  for Mac and cheese with spinach and bacon.
Corn on the cob is cheap and in season,  It will make a good addition to my pork and meat.
ALBERTSOMS has eggs for .88, a good time to make a quiche or Italian pie.  breakfast for dinner.  Yoplait is .50 at ALBERTSONS.  Remember, just because they suggest you buy a large quantity, doesn't mean you have to buy that many to get the price.  That is a ploy to get you to buy zillions of the product.  It's only necessary when you see buy 10 , or Buy 5 mega vents.

Beef chuck roast is 2.99 a pound, a good time to make hamburger.

Formula for dinners. Ours  may be different from yours.  I try to maintain a variety of meats /proteins to keep everybody happy and healthy.

2 beef
2 pork or chicken
2 vegetarian
1 fish or shellfish.

1. Pork tenderloin , corn on the cob, spinach salad 
2. Chicken pot pie, strawberry shortcake
3. Bow Ties mac n cheese with bacon and spinach
4. Breakfast for dinner 
5. Salmon, rice, salad
6. Hamburgers, salads
7. Tacos, refried beans 

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane 

4+1=5. Four people, one meal, five bucks

Better, Cheaper, faster

Next time, I am going to challenge myself to make a dinner from the dollar store!!!

the ads

SAFEWAYS

TOP SIRLOIN OR SIRLOIN TIP B1G1
Pizza 2/10. Di jiorno
Grapes 1.99
Peppers 2/1
Corn 5/2

ALBERTSONS

Eggs . 88
Pizza single serve 4/888. Do jiorno
Yo plait 20/10
Garden salads . 88
Pic sweet vegetables,1.25**
Hills hire farms lunch meatn5.99
Lettuce .99
Brocoli or caulk .99
Oscarnmayer meats 1.99
Strawberries 2.49

TOP
SPINACH.79
Blues 4.79
Milkn2.50@@
Butter 2.50@@
Grapes2.00

 QFC
Johnsonville brats 3.99
Broccoli or caulk .99
Dijourno 4.99
Rasp or blues 1.97
Cheese 4.99
Oscar Mayer lunch met 2/6
Celery 10/10

IGA

Blues 3.98
Butter 1.98
Eggs .88
Mayo .98
HORMEL turkey ham.99
Yo plait 10/5



Notes. The same,frozen veggies are a buck,at the dollar,store.
Note there are the same items on sale for different prices.

Be sure to mark off anything that is cheaper elsewhere, and anything you don't need.
It's not a food week to stock up.  It's a good week to get your necessities and save for another week.
This works if you have built a stock.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane

Terrific Tuesday

Yesterday was an alternative shopping day.  We went to goodwill where I picked up a cute shortfall for granddaughter.  Mom doesn't think it was so cute.  And a couple of books for her.  

QFC netted food for the boat stock at a 64 percent savings.  We watched as 32.00 went down to 12.50.  On to big lots for my husband to get hot pickles.  And the dollar store where I netted 80 percent off.  Pepperoni was buy 1, get one with a coupon.  7 dollars worth of pepperoni was a buck.  Steam vegetables were a buck, 3 dollars at the Q.  Lemonade was a buck but I can't remember how much it is at QFC.

All together less than twenty dollars!  Good prices paired with good coupons.  Big Lots does not take SNAP.  A

On another note, I went over budget this week, but stocked some staples and the boat.  I am taking care of some health issues this week, and don't expect to shop next week at all to compensate.  I should finish the month ok. 

One of my friends brought me the coupons from her Sunday paper.  I pulled everything I thought I might use.  A lot of it was for stuff I don't buy.  I am rapidly seeing where you never should have to pay for toothpaste .  It is really easy to find coupons for .75 and a dollar.  The dollar store takes coupons, the Big Lots doesn't.  I am told that Grocery Outlet doesn't either.  I suspect that  Winco doesn't either.  

A lot of newspaper coupons are for non food items.  I have been averaging six bucks a shopping trip, and while six bucks are definitely worth it, I am not going to spend a lot of time on this endevour.  

Back to basics.  There are still a lot of meals that can come in at five dollars.  When I price  a meal, I don't count anything less than 2T.  I count everything that is real food in my total budget.  

Breakfast for dinner is a good way to make a quick cheap meal.  What kid wouldn't like chocolate waffles and turkey bacon and a yogurt and fruit parfait for dinner.  Plenty of protein, fruit and a carb or two and dairy.  

Pizza and green salad is another kid favorite.  

Tacos, refried beans, and salsa rice is another.  ...beans were .80 at big lots .  Salsa was a buck at QFC with a coupon.  There are also la Victoria coupons for tortillas on line.

Chicken and noodles and Mac and cheese are more kid friendly meals well under five dollars.  Frozen veggies are always a buck at the dollars store.  DUH.  And they were a buck at QFC this week.  

Meat balls can be made from ground beef, or from a mixture of meats,  done ahead, and frozen.  Walnut sized ones thaw quickly and can be made into a variety if dishes

• Meat ball subs
• Meat balls and spaghetti
• Meat balls with white gravy over rice
• Meat balls with brown gravy over noodles or mashed potatoes
• Meatball soup

Does anyone have any other ideas for meatballs?

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane 

4+1=5. Four People, one meal, five bucks

Better, cheaper, faster

Drought and prices.

Last years drought has only just begun to effect food prices, mostly beef and dairy.  It will continue to effect us through 2013.  I am seeing cheese prices double what it was last year.  I have a stock in the freezer of grated cheese.  I have better luck freezing grated cheese.
Corn should remain seasonally cheap, buy field corn is expensive, driving up the cost of meat.  ( feed) .  I am stocking accordingly when I find staples cheap.  I want to maintain my 70.00 a week a long as I can.

Beef has doubled already.  I suspect we will find that pork follows.
I also suspect that like our grandmothers before us, we will adapt to meet our needs!  Red velvet cake was an invention out of necessity during WW2.

Just an update.  My info is from the USDA..

thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane

Foil packets

This is the second time I have done this blog today.  The first one fell apart!  LOL
So much for doing a blog at three in the am.

I have done blogs on foil packets before.  The kids love them,  they are like camping out;and moms like them because there are no dishes.  They are a good way to do dinner ahead and not have to cook in a hot kitchen.  They can be cooked in a oven or on the BBQ.  You can use up leftovers and tailor each persons packet to their taste.

I'll try to cut and paste a previous post.


Veggie Chicken Packet.
uses bone in chicken breast. Sometimes I have purchased them for 1.25 a pound.

For EACH packet

2 T instant rice
1chicken breast 1/4, or about 4 punches. ( the size of the palm of your hand.
1/ cup sliced carrot
2onion slices, separate into rings
1/4 cup peppers, sliced thin.
1 T water
1 T w sauce
2tsp soy sauce
1 T butter

Place rice in the center of a 14 inch square piece of foil
Top with chicken and veggies
Mix liquids together
Pour over chicken.
I would cup the edges of the foil first.
Dot with butter.
Fold foil around chicken and seal.
Place n baking pan and bake at 350 for 65-75 minutes or until chicken is done.
Open foil carefully, there will be steam!!!


I know the purists would say that I am filling the landfill, you can use used foil.

It would be a good recipe for a busy day. Even a older child or a culinary challenged spouse could put the packets on pan and get them started in the oven. LOL

You could also use already cooked chicken and shorten the time. Yhen you would just worry about how long the rice and veggies would take to cook. It would really be fast if you used leftover rice, maybe even finely chop the pepper in with it. I have a thing about white food. It needs colour. LOL

There is an earlier post on foil packets. It's a good thing to do when you are working late and you can fix them ahead for someone else to shove in the oven. Kids like the packets...it's like camping.

There are a lot of foil packet meals on the Betty Crocker website that are updated with more
sophisticated flavors.


Basically you take a 12 in square piece of foil ( or splice two smaller ones together) and layer

Starch
Meat
Veggies
A gravy or some kind of liquid.

Wrap the foil around the dinner and seal.  Make individual packets.  The foil becomes your dish.
Bake at 350 to 400 until done.



I started this blog to help people cook good nutritious meals on a tight budget. it came to my attention that some people on SNAP were running out of money before they ran out of month. we eat on about 1/2 of the USDA statistics for a thrifty plan. It is doable. no, we are not on SNAP. In the process, I have learned that other people that want to get out of the kitchen faster because they have busy lives and people that like trying a new recipe like it as well. It can't help anyone if they are not motivated to try. Not having food in the house at the end of the month should be motivation enough. It doesn't make your child or children feel secure when they know the cupboards are empty.

thanks for stopping by

Please share. Comment!?!

Jane

Sunday

Sunday already.Yesterday I went to Costco wholesale to get a few staples that I get once every year or more.  I buy salt in 25 pound bags.  It's 4 bucks and lasts us forever.  ( my daughter makes paint for the preschoolers.  ). I usually use sea salt for cooking, but use regular salt for baking.

I researched some Couponing  web sites , some of them are actually practical combining sale
Prices  with coupons for actual food instead of ready made stuff and a zillion cleaners I don't use.
I'm not paying for coupons, and I am not spending a lot of time looking for them.  I want my prep for shopping to be less than a half hour.

on to recipes

Pork Diane

Sauce
1 T water
1 T white wine
W sauce ( a splash)
1 tsp lemon juice
1tsp Dijon mustard

Mix sauce ingredients together.

Pour over cooked pork roast or chops.  Garnish with chives or parsley.

Note if I didn't  have wine, I would use apple juice or more water.


Asian Pork Wraps

7 inch flour tortillas

3Tcold water
2T soy sauce
1T corn starch
1tsp sugar
1/4 tsp minced garlic

3/4 pound pork loin or tenderloin
Cooking oil

3 cups coleslaw mix ( cabbage with carrot )


Warm tortillas in foil in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes
Mix sauce ingredients together.

Cut pork slices into thin strips.

Stir fry pork in cooking oil until no longer pink.
Set to side of pan.  Put sauce in center of pan and cook until thick and bubbly .  Cook 2 minutes longer.  Add cabbage mixture and stir to coat with sauce.

Place pork mixture on the middle of each tortilla and wrap like a cone.   (Wider at one end than the other.



NOTES
Pork tenderloin was 3.19 at Costco wholesale.  Grated cheese was 2.54 a pound.  I have seen cheese for 4.00 a pound lately.

My granddaughter saw the watermelons at Costco and declared that they were an apple.   If it is round and edible , it's an apple!! LOL

Brown and serve baguettes were like .73 each.  French bread is getting pricy.  I keep them on the fridge, they last a long time along with the flour tortillas.

I also got coffee syrup ,    Italian sodas are one of the only treats that I can have as a diabetic.  Sugar free syrup, water and milk.


That's about it...enjoy!  

thanks for stopping by
Please share

Jane

Suddenly Saturday

It's Saturday already and May is history.  I haven't depleted the stock that much.  I'll try again in June.
I really haven't bought meat in weeks, but have stocked a few things that were super rock bottom prices.  Limited myself to five each.

I deleted a post with the hopes that I could slow down the spam I am getting.  It didn't work. The Winco vs Costco post is gone.

On to the purpose of this blog.  I have just posted the monthly blogs this month on the basics.  the shopping part is there.  The cooking from scratch is a learned talent that if you don't already have it, it happens one recipe at a time.   There are a lot of no brainier recipes out there that are simple and fast.  We all live in a busy world, if you have children it is usually more busy this time of the year with  school ending for the summer.

There are a few inexpensive tools that make life easier.  I love my microwave pasta cooker.  It is about ten dollars.  You can make pasta in the microwave by putting the correct amount of water in this plastic oval bowl with your pasta, putting the bowl in the microwave, and turning the microwave on.  Then you can go about and make your sauce, salad and bread.  It drains with the aid of the lid.  one bowl to wash.

The next indispensable things  in our house is the slow cooker, the food processor, and the microwave.

I have been finding slow cooker recipes on the Betty crocker web site. Many of them look and sound really good.  Www.bettycrocker.com/ recipes

When I get home from the grocery stores, I keep track of my spending on a spread sheet.

Week 1        SAFEWAYS.      ALBERTSONS.     Winco.               Total
Week 2

If you don't have a computer, it is easy to do with a piece of lined paper, a straight edge, and a calculator.

You can get the gist of it.  Then I can add the total of the weeks and divide the total by four to get my average amount spent per week.  I'm still sitting about 70.00 a week, and have built a good stock.  This week I spent 50.00 and at least twenty of it was stock.

Making a meal plan is one of the best ways to keep on track.  It's too easy to fall off the meal train if you don't have a plan.  You don't have to necessarily eat a particular meal a particular day, but have a list of seven meals as a guide to follow.
Develop your own formula.  In our house it is

2 beef
2 pork or chicken
2 vegetarian
1 fish or shellfish

1. I'm diabetic and eat just about everything, my daughter is vegetarian, my husband only wants to ear meat, and my granddaughter is semi/ vegetarian.  It all works.  Specialty diets don't have to derail your budget.  

Look in your fridge and make a note of what needs to be eaten.  Can you make something with it?  Banana bread, waffles, salad?  Pasta sauce?  
Look at the ads and see what looks good that is on sale cheap.
Incorporate what you have with what is on sale and pencil in a plan.  All you have to do is list 7 main dishes.  Most people know what to add to them and pair the same thing every time.
how classic in this country is spaghetti with red sauce , green salad, and French bread.
I buy baguettes at Costco, brown and serve they price out at about .95.

I have sausage crumbles, hot dogs, pepperoni, eggs, chicken parts and bones, meatballs, shrimp,
Vegetable pasta sauce, cheese, taco meat, pork roast slices off the top of my head.

1. Hot dogs , German potato salad, carrot and celery sticks
2. Pork slices, stuffing, broccoli salad 
3. Chicken pot pie, turtle pudding 
4. Tacos, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream
5. Spaghetti with veggie sauce, salad, bread
6. Roasted red pepper and tomato  soup with blue cheese and basil soup, cheese, crackers
7. Salmon, green beans, baked potatoes. 

This makes for a balanced variety of foods. 

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane

Analysis of couponing

Happy weekend!

I have done the extreme coupon thing-- 6 coupons in one transaction.  I took all the .50 off each item Buy Five at QFC and  found every coupon I could find. And, I found a coupon that made the crest toothpaste free.  

Most coupons are for things I wouldn't buy.  Some of these things I wouldn't buy if they weren't soo cheap!  

HORMEL chili 1.29. Less QFC discount .50 makes .79 less .55 on two coupon nets .52.

La Victoria salsa is 1.99 less QFC discount .50 is 1.49 less 1.00 on 2 is 1.00

Dingy Moore dinners 1.99 less QFC .50 is 1.49 less 1.00 makes it .49.  

Bacon bits are 1.99, less QFC .50 is 1.49 less 1.00 made them 1.00

I got chilies for .79. , a bargain to fill on to ten.  

I would have normally bought the chilies when I find them on sale as well as the salsa and the chili.  

I don't think I would ever buy the dinners, too expensive, but I like a lunch on the shelf for those hectic days and the size is perfect for my granddaughters lunch when they were fifty cents.  Add a fruit cup and she has a good lunch..I haven't figured out the bacon price, but I probably wouldn't buy them again either

.  They will come on handy on the boat.  We have a very small old but comfortable boat.  I have no stove and the kitchen is two feet square. I still manage to make the same dinners as I make at home, but I have an electric frypan, and a electric saucepan to do it with  and I have to use one at a time. I have thermos bowls to keep things hot.  I am a real fan of BBQ and one pot meals! lol

As far as coupons go, I think I will stick to things I would normally by, which probably will be few and far between. I have enough toothpaste to last me the year., I paid a buck total.    If I can find healthy cold cereal near free like the coupon ladies say, I will get some for summer.  I don't want to coupon unless I can make it worth my while.. Like in ten minutes or less.   I can make more money cooking from scratch and stocking at rock bottom prices.  Speaking of rock bottom prices---Beans and vegetables are 15/10 again at TOP.  That makes the, .67 .  That's stock up time.  I found veggies for .59  at  BARTELLS, ,but you can't count  on reaching sales of the same food product at Bartells.    This is a good time to stock up.  Beans are a good staple, full of fiber and protein.

I am running out of things to talk about.  I would appreciate any suggestions you may have.  There is a comment section below.  

Thanks for stopping by

Please share 

Jane

4+1=5

Better, cheaper, faster

Shopping trip.

After  the excitement of a car wreck between a little old lady and a school bus, and the grocery store being robbed of 300 dollars worth of cosmetics.  I didn't know that  QFC had 300 dollars worth of cosmetics.!  Anyway, after all of that, I went shopping before I went to work.  

I used all the sales I could find as long as it was things that we could use.  I got crest toothpaste for FREE .  I got HORMEL items mostly for a sale price along with coupons.  I got  shelf ready meals for my granddaughter.  I picked veggies and rice for fifty cents.  I got two loan mashed potatoes on the shelf for .42 a package.  I got milk for a buck a 1/2 gallon.  

Fresh fruits were a good price and frozen veggies were a buck.  I was trying to keep the budget down so that I could start using from the stock on hand.  

I wound up saving 65 percent.  I saved more than I spent!   I'm happy in a state that won't let you get overages!!   I am not going to spend a lot of time clipping coupons and I refuse to pay for them.  I Did want to  experiment to see how well I could extreme coupon.  

The next experiment is to see which is the least expensive...sliced black olives or the whole ones in the can.  If anyone knows, I wouldn't mind a bit if you commented back about your findings! 

LOL.  

The  bottom line was 30.01.

Thanks for stopping by

Please share

Jane

The ads

TOP

10/10

• Olives, regular and sliced
• English muffins
• Carrots
• Roma tomatoes

Strawberries  2.49

Bloes 2.79

Zucchini 1.00

Head lettuce 1.00

ALBERTSONS

country ribs 1.59

Grapes 1.28

Chuck roast 2.99

Milk 2.59

Butter 2/5

Sour cream 2/3
Strawberries 2/5
Apples 1.00
Radishes , onions 2/1

Mix and match 5

Dreyers 1.99
Bars and drumsticks

Chicken of the sea tuna .47 l@@@
Ground beef 7 percent 2.99 limit 10 @@@

QFC

Blues 3.88

10/10
Buns
Pasta
Carrots
Frozen veggies

Buy 5
HORMEL cooked entrees

BUY 5
Stag chili nets 69
HORMEL chili 79
Chicken chunks .79
Chilies 79
Bacon bits  1.49. Ck for a coupon
salsa 1.49
Hormel completes...Normally I wouldn't buy, but with coupon they are .49/ a very cheap lunch. 

Be sure to get on the coupon web sites. Www.coupons.com. .  I got coupons that stack with the .50 off multiple group sale.  They total 4.55 and save 9.55.  For ten products.  Or you spend 12.16 minus
4.55 is 7.61. Total Retail is 17.10/  Final cost is 7.61.  A savings of 55 per cent.

SAFEWAYS

cherries 2.99
Corn 6/2

Five dollar Friday
Sub sandwich
3lb strawberries
Milk 2.79
Sargento cheese buy 2, get 1 free.  Ck for a coupon

London broil, 2.99
Loin pork chops 2.99

Blues or raspberries 2.99

Coupons. SAFEWAYS,  ( I don't know if you can stack these coupons

Salsa 1.49

That's about all.

I am not sure about some coupon policies, ill have to investigate.  There are coupons out there for some of these items.  I get the coupons today, maybe.

Looks like QFC is at the top of my list this time .Maybe ALBERTSONS.  .

Thanks for stopping by
Please share

Jane

4+1=5
Better, cheaper, faster

Better, cheaper, faster

Recipe of the equivalent of a can of cream of xxx soup

2 cups powdered nonfat milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup instant vegetable boullion
Any spices you like...a couple of teaspoons TOTAL

Store basic recipe in air tight container.

To substitute for one can of condensed soup: Combine 1/3 cup dry mix with 1-1/4 cups cold water in saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened. Add to your recipe as you would one can of soup.

Cream soups are getting higher and higher in price.  I can remember when they were a quarter, now they are as much as 1.25.  Dry milk is more expensive than liquid milk, but I found it cheaper at Winco and I didn't check Winco bulk section.

Earlier posts have...

• Taco seasoning
• Baking nix
• Rice mix
• Salad dressings
• And many many more.   

The Internet is a good resource for finding the equivalent of many ready made foods from scratch.  

Thanks for stopping by

Jane

Chapter 3...Cooking From Scratch

Most times using a mix or buying ready made foods will derail your budget.  If you want to know if it is worth your while to make something from scratch, do the math.

• Price the lowest price for the ready made item
• Cost out the ingredients for the scratch version, don't include less than 2T oil or spices etc. 
• find the difference in price.  If the ready made is lower STOP
• If the ready made is higher, time yourself while making the scratch version.  
• Divide the portion of an hour time you spent by the amount of savings.  
• How much are you making an hour for your time?  

The last time my daughter and I checked it was 212.00 an hour for lemon pound cake.  And that was not what it would be when I found ingredients lower.  A pound cake would be 1.76 instead of 2.50 a slice.  20.00 a loaf.  

Making things from scratch does not have to mean taking a lot of time.  Many times it takes the same amount of time.  I only count actual cooking, not passive cooking.  Passive cooking lets you so other tasks while you let the dish cook.  

Pudding comes to mind.  It takes just about the same amount of time to cook pudding from scratch and you can control the ingredients.  hamburger meal mixes take the same amount of time than cooking it from scratch.  I have a no Brainer pasta recipe that is as cheap and actually takes less time.  

Your slow cooker and food processor can be your best friend here.  There is something very satisfying about coming home from work after a long day and smelling dinner cooked!  Many tasks can be performed quickly.  There is a recipe for easy pizza crust on an earlier blog.  

There are many mix recipes on earlier blogs.  Mixes are expensive and easily made from scratch in a short amount of time.  If you make something like tacos frequently, make a batch.  

There are several cooking styles for lack of a better word, that help you get out of the kitchen and make it easier to scratch cook.  

1. Prep and forget it.  Use your slow cooker or oven to put your ingredients together and go do something else.  
2. Prep ahead of time.  I usually cook my meats when I have a relaxing time, not after a long day at work.  That way I can defat my ground meat and portion control it.   You can  make meatloaf, meatballs, crumbles,and taco meat.   Make  a roast and serve roast for dinner that night and slice it thin for sandwiches.  Portion control it in meal sized bags and freeze.  both pork and beef roast works here, 
3. Stair step.  Cook double of something and use part if it for another meal.  Rice for under meatballs or sweat and sour chicken.  
4. Roast a chicken and cut it into 2 breasts, the dark meat and the bones.  The dark meat  can go into a Mexican dish or casserole, the bones can be soup, the breast meat can be a Sunday chicken dinner or chicken pot pie.  Deli chicken is twice the cost of raw chicken at a target price.  NEVER buy a chicken that is under three pounds.  That is the break even point for the ratio between bone and meat.  More is better.  Roasting your own chicken is easy, quick, and gives you more chicken for your money.  
5. Fast cooking, like chips, hamburgers and hot dogs.  I only buy Hebrew national or Nathan's hot dogs.  This is a case where cheaper is not better.  in the summertime when it is hot at dinner time in our kitchen, I make a salad bar ahead of time and we add a entre that can be BBQd. .  

Thanks for stopping by.  

If you have questions, please feel free to comment. Getting feedback just makes my day! LOL

Please share 

Jane