Menu Plan Monday - 01/07/2013

This is the second week in our pantry challenge, and things are going great.  We are using up lots of little bits out of the freezers, and the pantry, plus eating some good meals!  Here's what's on the menu this week...

Breakfasts: Cold or Hot Cereals, or Sausage Patty Sandwiches

Lunches: Leftovers, Sandwiches, or Canned Soup with Crackers and Cheese

Dinners:

Sunday - Taco Salad made with Leftover Chili

Monday - Leftover Hamburger Helper

Tuesday - Pasta Bake with Leftover Frozen Pasta and Garlic Bread with a Vegetable

Wednesday - Ham and Cheese Omelets with Toast

Thursday - Fresh Take Chicken Breasts with Rice and a Vegetable

Friday - Homemade Foccacia Pizza

Saturday - Beef and Broccoli Freezer Meal with Rice

Extras: Homemade White Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report January 1-5, 2012

With the pantry challenge in full swing, I tried really hard to stay out of the stores, and when I did go, it was only for the 'essentials' (= things I needed to make the items in the freezer into meals, and things I needed to keep my husband from having a fit).  Here's what I ended up with...

• Wednesday's ALDI Trip (1 doz eggs, 2 tubs Sour Cream, 1 bag Limes): $4.76 oop
• Saturday's Giant Trip: $55.38 oop

• Saturday's Rite Aid Trip: $19.58 oop (includes some Christmas presents, not pictured), Earned $2 UP+Rewards

Total OOP: $79.72, definitely a little high, but since I haven't really been to the store in couple weeks, not too shabby.  What I purchased should last us a little while, even though we have already almost knocked out an entire 1/2 gallon of milk, yikes!  But I am using up a lot of things from the freezer, which is the real goal!

Pantry Challenge Update - Week #1

Jessica over at Good Cheap Eats is running a pantry challenge this month, and I'm in!  Here's how it's been going so far...

Day 1:  New Year's day we decided to have some family over for dinner.  My dad, sister, niece, and her boyfriend came over and we had a lovely dinner together, and played a couple games of Uno afterwards.  Joe and I had a blast!  We ended the evening with some homemade apple crumb pie and vanilla bean ice cream.
B - Waffles
L - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
D - Crock Pot Pork Roast with Baked Potatoes and Sauerkraut, Homemade Apple Crumb Pie and Vanilla Ice Cream

Day 2:  Wednesday was a simpler day, Joe and I worked on some projects around the house, but mostly I was still trying to deal with a horrible head cold.  Meals were simple.

B - Waffles

L - Leftover Pork Sandwiches

D - Subs, Out -- Totally Yucky!

Day 3:  Thursday was more the same; rest, recuperating, and knocking out some small projects.  I used up the leftover baked potatoes from New Year's for lunch.

B - Waffles

L - Fried (sliced leftover Baked) Potatoes with Onion, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon (leftover in the freezer from Christmas), and Toast

D - Leftover Pork Sandwiches with Baked French Fries

Day 4: Friday Joe had a meeting to go to, and I was feeling much better!  So, I got quite a few little projects done, as well as got the house tidied up a little bit.  

B - Cream of Wheat for me and Sausage Patty Sandwiches for Joe

L - Snacks

D - Quesadillas

Day 5:  Today Joe and I finally had to go the grocery store, we were out of milk.  I picked up a few other essentials things that we were out of, like PB, since I hadn't been to the store in a few weeks.  We also stopped into Rite-Aid to use my UP+Rewards before they expired.  It was a good day!
B - BK, out - Yummy!
L - Hamburger Helper (trying to get those used up)
D - Crock Pot Chili

All  in all it's been a good week, and I have already cleaned a good bit out of the cupboards and freezer!  Hopefully next week will be even better!

Link Up at Good Cheap Eats and see how others are doing!

Resolutions for 2013!

After the hellacious year 2012, I can only pray that 2013 is better.  Don't get me wrong, 2012 had good times - we did several flea markets, and made double what we usually make at them, we spent a lot of time with family, and Joe and I got pregnant.  However, I think that the bad times far outweighed any happiness that I felt - in July, after weeks in the hospital, my mom died, and then in December at 10 weeks, Joe and I found out that our baby had no heartbeat.  2012 is a year that I cannot wait to move on from to say the least.  I have set some goals for this year, and I am very determined to meet them all, so I kept them vague and simple.  Some may think that that is cheating, I'm calling it being realistic ;-)  I only set 5, here they are...

1. Get healthy and lose weight.  So far I have lost 20 lbs, I am hoping to lose a LOT more.
2. Simplify and organize my life and my home.  I have started with paperwork, and I am plugging along with that.
3. Create more earned income.  We plan to do 12 flea markets this year, as well as start selling on ebay, etc.
4. Spend more time with friends and family.  After losing my mom, I want to make sure I make plenty of happy memories with the rest of my family and our friends.
5. Have a baby/get pregnant.  It's time, and we are ready to start trying again, so hopefully everything will work out this time.

For more 2013 goals and resolutions, visit Simply Rebekah!

Frugal Finds Friday: Homemade Laundry Detergent

Something new I am starting on this blog is a Frugal Finds Friday post each week.  This post may include a great deal from the week, or a recipe or tip that pays homage to frugality.  I will also include a link up for others to share their finds.  Post #1 in a recipe that I have come to love for homemade laundry detergent.

 You cannot get a simpler recipe than this:
1 C Borax +
1 C Washing Soda +
1 bar Soap (I use Ivory), finely grated =

Homemade Laundry Detergent.  I use 1 scoop per load.  The scoop I use is the size of a coffee scoop; it's out of an old Oxi Clean Container, and has been re-purposed.  The detergent doesn't get real sudsy, but our clothes are clean and smell fresh.

Linking up to Homemade Mondays!
Linking up to Works for Me Wednesday!

How about everyone else, what frugal finds have you?
 

Joining in the Pantry Challenge!

 

I have decided to join Jessica as she does a pantry challenge for the month of January.  Money is tight around here this month every year, since my seasonal job ends, and doesn't restart until April, so I think that using up what we have in our freezers and pantry will stretch that money much farther.  My goals are simple for this month...

1. Clean out our freezers/pantry, by using up what we have and not buying more.
2. Only purchasing essentials from the store to make what we have into meals. (ie. milk, eggs)
3. Only eat out 4-5 times this month, basically once a week.

And that's it.  Just keeping it simple, and setting myself up for success, I hope :-)

Who's with me; anyone up for a pantry challenge?

Menu Plan Monday: 11/19/2012

This week is going to be filled with good food to eat, family, and shopping - my three favorite things!!  There's a lot of prep work and cleaning to be done, so I kept the menu simple this week...

Breakfasts: Cold or Hot Cereals, PB Toast

Lunches: Leftovers, Sandwiches, Canned Soup with Crackers and Cheese

Dinners:

Sunday - Leftover Taco Salad

Monday - Birthday Dinner at a Friend's house!

Tuesday - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, with Canned Soup and Crackers

Wednesday - Macaroni and Cheese with Hotdogs

Thursday - Thanksgiving Dinner at our house with Family!

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Turkey Salad Sandwiches with Chips

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Weekly Spending Report: 11/11-17/2012!

This week involved a LOT of spending, but I am finding that when you don't go every week, and scout the deals, that tends to happen when you finally go shopping.  So, without further ado, the shopping totals...

• Thursday's Shopper's Trip (1 bag lettuce shreds): $1.50 oop
• Friday's ALDI Trip: $34.22 oop

• Friday's Giant Trip: $74.68 - $27.60 Savings and Coupons = $47.59 oop

• Friday's Wal-mart Trip (TP and other essentials): $27.27 oop
• Friday's Kohl's Trip (2 x-mas gifts for my sister): $5.40 oop (used a $10 off coupon, and saved $25.50)
• Friday's Thrift Store Trip (1 x-mas gift necklace for me, and 2 gift pouches): $5.30 oop

Total OOP: $121.28, Not great, but not bad either since I am making the Thanksgiving dinner this year, and this is the first real shopping I've done all month.  After next week, I reel it in the last week.

ALDI Deals, Starting 11/14/2012!

Here are some of the deals this week at ALDI...

• Various Appleton Farms Hams $0.99-$1.49/lb
• Sweet Potatoes 3 lb bag $1.19
• Celery $0.89 ea
• Russet Potatoes 10 lb bag $1.99 ea
• Cranberries 12 oz $0.99 ea
• Onions 3 lb bag $0.79 ea
• Pineapple $1.89 ea
• Countryside Creamery Butter unsalted or regular 16 oz $1.99 ea
• Bakehouse Creations Crescent Rolls 8 oz $0.99 ea
• Happy Farms or Fit and Active Cream Cheese 8 oz $0.99 ea
• Baker's Corner Canned Pumpkin 15 oz $0.99 ea
• Bake House Creations Pie Crusts 15 oz $1.99 ea
• Friendly Farms Whipped Dairy Topping 6.5 oz $1.49 ea
• Baker's Corner Morsels Butterscotch, White, Milk, or Semi Sweet Chocolate 11-12 oz $1.29 ea
• Happy Farms Cheese Blocks 8 oz $1.49 ea
• Baker's Corner Graham Cracker Pie Crust 6 oz $0.99 ea
• Sweet Harvest Cranberry Sauce Whole Berried or Jellied 14 oz $0.89 ea

For more information about ALDI, visit their Homepage!

Menu Plan Monday 11/05/2012

Things have been crazy around here, but with the beginning of November, we are in for a quiet month here at the museum.  I hope that our social calender can quiet down as well.  I have a LOT of projects planned for the month of November, I just have to stay home and get them knocked out before the holidays!  Here's what cookin' at the Rogers' house this week...

Breakfasts: Cold or Hot Cereal, Fruit, Yogurt and Granola, PB Toast

Lunches: Leftovers, Grilled Cheese/Tuna/PBJ Sandwiches with Chips, and Fruit, Canned Soup with Crackers and Cheese

Dinners:

Sunday - 5 Guys Burgers and Fries

Monday - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Canned Soup

Tuesday - Pork Roast with Sauerkraut and Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday - Chicken Tenders on Garden Salads

Thursday - Working @ Joe's Grandfather's house, Chili's with him for dinner :-)

Friday - Homemade Pizza with Carrots and Dip

Saturday - Family Birthday Party!

Extras: Homemade Apple Crisp Pie!

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!