Frugal Finds Friday: Saving/Repurposing Tomato Juice

I started making my own salsa a few months ago, with each batch taking 1 large can of drained whole tomatoes.  Being the frugal person I am, I couldn't just toss that free tomato juice down the drain!  So, I save it.  I measure it out; each can holds about 1 cup.  I pour the tomato juice into a zip-lock bag or a ball freezer jar, label, and wait until I need it for something.  I've drank the juice, as you would V8, very tasty.  I've also added it to beef stew, chili, vegetable soup, and cooked ground beef in it.  It gives these meals a little punch of extra flavor!

What interesting things do you save from the trash and give new life to?

 Linked to Homemade Mondays!

ALDI Deals, Starting 05/15/2013

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

• Weds. 05/15 ONLY: Fresh Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts Jumbo Pk $1.69/lb
• Vine Tomatoes 24 oz pkg $1.29 ea
• Iceberg Lettuce $0.79 ea
• Sweet Corn 4 pk $1.69 ea
• Blackberries 6 oz pkg $1.19 ea
• Strawberries 1 lb pkg $1.59 ea
• Pineapple $1.59 ea
• Sundae Shoppe Red, White, and Blue Pops 16-1.75 oz pops $1.89 ea
• JIF To-Go Creamy Peanut Butter 8-1.5 oz cups $2.29 ea
• Belmont Ice Cream Peach Cobbler or Peanut Butter S'mores 48 oz $2.89 ea
• Season's Choice Waffle Fries 22 oz $1.79 ea
• Season's Choice Broccoli Cuts 16 oz $0.85 ea
• Baker's Corner Beer Bread Cajun or Bacon Cheddar 16 oz $1.79 ea
• Countryside Creamery Tastes Like Butter Spray 8 oz $1.49 ea
• Simply Nature Vegetable Chips 7.5 oz $2.99 ea
• Happy Harvest Canned Sauerkraut 14.5 oz $0.65 ea
• Sealtite Meals on the Go (BPA Free) $4.99/set 
• Adventureridge Pocket Knife or Camping Cutlery $3.49 ea
• Adventureridge Foldable Hammock with Stand $49.99 ea
• Adventureridge Self-Inflating Pillow $4.99 ea
• Adventureridge Self-Inflating Sleeping Mat $19.99 ea
• Little Tikes Picnic Table and Umbrella $59.99 ea
• Little Tikes Spiralin' Seas Water Park Water Table $29.99 ea
• 6" Vegetable to Herb Assorted Varieties $2.49 ea

For more information about shopping at ALDI, visit their Homepage!

Tempt your Tummy Tuesday: Cheesy Baked Pork Chops

These cheesy baked pork chops are super simple, and are something a little different to have for dinner.  This recipe only requires a few ingredients, and can be ready in as little as 20 minutes depending on the size of your pork chops.  Here's what you'll need:

• Pork Chops, boneless or bone-in, your choice
• Seasoning (I use a homemade seasoning blend, but regular seasoning salt works just fine too)
• Sour Cream (about 1 tsp per pork chop)
• Shredded Cheese (I have used both the Mexican Blend and Mild Cheddar, both very yummy!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place pork chops in foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Cover each pork chop with about 1 tsp sour cream.
3. Sprinkle each pork chop with Seasoning.
4. Sprinkle a good-sized pinch of cheese over each pork chop.
5. Bake pork chops in preheated oven 15-35 minutes depending on thickness/bone.  My bone-in ones a on the thinner side, but with the bone, they still take about 30 minutes, just an fyi).  These are delicious served with salad and rice or buttered noodles, or even baked potatoes and steamed broccoli.  In other words, they are totally yummy, and you should make them for dinner, like, tonight :-)

Linked to Homemade Mondays, Works for Me Wednesday, One Project at a Time, the Natural Living Link-up, Make Your Own Monday, and Tempt my Tummy Tuesday!

Menu Plan Monday: 05/13/2013

This week Joe and I are getting ready for another event here at the museum, we are going to work at Joe's grandfather's house one day, and bring up a few things to sell this weekend, hopefully.  I also have some mending to do, and a little cleaning as well.  Here's what's on the menu for this week...

Breakfasts: Waffles, or Cold Cereal, or Smoothies

Lunches: Leftovers, Sandwiches, and/or Salads

Dinners: (all served with salad or a steamed vegetable)

Sunday - Take-out :-)

Monday - Grilled Chicken Salads

Tuesday - Working at Joe's Grandfather's, we'll probably go to Apple Bee's with him for Dinner

Wednesday - Chili/Taco Salads

Thursday - Chicken Fajitas, with Mexican Rice

Friday - Cheese-steak, Mushroom, and Onion Sandwiches with Baked French Fries

Saturday - Homemade Pizza

Extras: Some kind of homemade cookie, TBA.

For more AWESOME Menu Plans, visit Org Junkie!

Sunday's CVS Trip

Sunday, after I got off work, Joe and I stopped into CVS to pick up a couple of deals for this week.  Here's what we ended up with...

2 Medium 10% Bonus bags PB M&M's $4.19 ea - $1.69 ea Sale - $2/2 CVS Coupon - $1.50/2 MC = 2/$1.50
1 bag Combos $2.57 - $1.08 Sale = $1.49
1-24 ct Zzzquil $9.99 - $0.20 Sale - $1/1 MC - $3/$8 Sleep Aid CVS Coupon - $2 ECB's = $3.79
+ $0.25 Tax
- $6 ECB's used to Pay
Total OOP: $3.03, Earned $2 ECB's for next week!

Linked to Simply CVS!

Sunday's Giant Trip

Also, after work Sunday evening, Joe and I stopped into Giant to pick up a few deals, since we didn't really need anything this week.  I will have to stop out later in the week for salad veggies, but for now, we're good.  Here's what we ended up with...

4 loaves Oat Nut Bread $4.29 ea - $1.29 ea Sale - $1/2 MC x 2 = 4/$10

2 bags Florida Crystals Raw Sugar $2.99 ea - $0.55/1 MC Doubled to $1.10 x 2 = $1.89 ea or 2/$3.78

2 pkgs Pamper's Wipes $2.39 ea - $0.39 ea Sale - $0.50/1 MC Doubled to $1 x 2 = 2/$2

4 boxes Green Giant Frozen Vegetables $2 ea - $0.75 ea Sale - $1/3 MC (peelie) = 4/$4

1 pint Gelato $4.99 - $1.49 Sale - $1/1 MC = $2.50

+ $0.18 Tax

- $0.15 Reusable Bag Credit 

Total OOP: $40.91 - $18.78 Sales and Coupons = $22.31 oop!

Weekly Spending Report: 05/05-11/2013

This week I tried to stay out of the stores, and only buy things that we needed.  I did do a little stocking up, but I tried to keep it to a minimum.  Here's how this week went...

• Tuesday's CVS Trip: $22.76 oop, Earned $6 ECB's
• Tuesday's ALDI Trip (1 pkg Strawberry Sugar Wafers, 2 tubs Sour Cream, and 1 pouch Trail Mix): $4.36 oop
• Wednesday's Giant Trip: $45.84 oop

• Saturday's Dollar Tree Trip (2 cards and 1 bag of Chips): $2.59 oop
• Saturday's Rite-Aid Trip (2 Newspapers): $4.24 oop

Total OOP: $79.79 - $6 Earned Rewards = Net OOP: $73.79

 Linked to Couponaholic! 

ALDI Deals, Starting 05/08/2013

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

• Wednesday 05/08 ONLY: Cattlemen's Ranch Fresh Filet of Beef Original or Teriyaki 16 oz $5.99 ea
• Beaumont Single Serve Coffee Cups Assorted Varieties 4.02-5.08 oz $5.79 ea
• Millville Blueberry Frosted Shredded Wheat 16 oz $1.99 ea
• Millville Apple Rounds Cereal 12.2 oz $1.69 ea
• Millville Raspberry Fruit and Grain Bars 8 ct OR Fiber Now Bars Caramel or Mocha 5 ct $1.89 ea
• Simply Nature Gluten Free Pancakes Buttermilk or Blueberry 12 oz $2.89 ea
• Navel Oranges 4 lb bag $1.79 ea
• Strawberries 1 lb $1.49 ea
• Pineapple $1.59 ea
• Bananas $0.44/lb
• Kiwi 4 pk $0.89 ea
• Mangoes $0.69 ea
• Sealtite 24 pc Durable Food Storage Set $8.99 ea
• Huntington Home Full/Queen or King Quilt Set $44.99 ea
• Huntington Home King or Queen Embroidered Microfiber Sheet Set $16.99 ea
• Huntington Home jumbo Density Pillow 20x28" Medium, Firm, or Extra Firm $4.99 ea 
• Adventure Ridge Foldable Shopping Basket $8.99 ea
• Gardenline Flex Tub $4.99 ea
• Gardenline 5" Ceramic Planters $2.29 ea
• 10" Flowering Hanging Baskets $5.99 ea
• Annual Flats 6 pk $3.99 ea

For more information about ALDI, visit their Homepage!

Tuesday's CVS Trip

Joe and I stopped into CVS on Tuesday and were able to stock up on a lot of great deals, including snacks, and cereal.  We also were finally able to pick up some probiotics which we have been in need of but waiting for a good enough sale.  Here's what we ended up with...

• 3 boxes Special K Cereal $3.99 ea - $0.99 ea Sale - $3 ECB's wyb 3 - $1/3 MC = 3/$5
• 5 bags Gardetto's Snack Mix $2 ea on Sale - $0.50/2 MC x 2 - $3 ECB's wyb $10 = 5/$6
• 2-100 ct CVS Brand Probiotics $9.99 ea - BOGO Free Sale = 2/$9.99
• 1 Physician's Formula Correction Powder $13.99 - $6 Sale - $7/1 CVS Coupon = $0.99
• 1 box Kleenex Tissues + Lotion $1.77 - $0.78 Sale - $0.25/1 CVS Coupon = $0.74
• 2 Snicker's Bars (not pictured - For Joe) $1.19 ea - $0.94 BOGO$0.25 Sale = 2/$1.44

+ $0.60 Tax
- $8 ECB's used to Pay
Total OOP: $22.76, Earned $6 ECB's for next week!

Linked to Simply CVS!

Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday: White Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 One of my favorite uses for too-ripe bananas has always been banana bread.  However, there was a spurt a few years ago when I was making it like every other week.  SO, to spice things up a little bit, I decided to swap the nuts in the recipe for white chocolate chips.  The results, totally dreamy!

 Ingredients:

• 2-3 large ripe Bananas
• 1/3 c Margarine or Butter
• 2/3 c Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 c Flour (unbleached or all purpose or even whole wheat, or a combination of these)
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 c Buttermilk (which I never have, so I mix a good-sized tbsp sour cream, with some milk together to make 1/2 c)
• 1/2 bag White Chocolate Morsels (approx. 1 c)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Puree Bananas.  Add butter, sugar, buttermilk (or sour cream mixture) and eggs.  Mix together until well blended.
3. Separately combine flour, with baking powder and soda.  Add this to the banana mixture a third at a time until all is well blended.
4. Stir in white chocolate morsels.
5. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake 40-55 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown and cooked through.  (I pour 1/2 the batter into two Pyrex loaf pans, which yields a flatter loaf, but bakes quicker, and gives me one for now, and one for the freezer for later)
6. Cool completely on wire rack.
7. Serve bread with a glass of milk and try not to eat the whole loaf all by yourself :-)

Linked to One Project at a Time, Make Your Own Monday, The Creative Spark, Natural Living Link-up, and Homemade Mondays!