It started with one, trying her best to make her way out of the bottom drawer. Brother soon had his attention caught and decided to make his way to see what was up. Before long, up popped two little heads seeking their great escape. Only a matter of days before they figure this out, time to move them into their new home.
Archive for November, 2010
The Great Escape
Posted in Uncategorized on November 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »
A Week of Cooking
Posted in Bread and Butter - Frugal on November 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »
So often I just don’t have time to stop and think of what we will be having to eat for meals. I do shop weekly for basics, perishables and coupon sales, but my shopping consists of sales fliers, coupon stacks and stocking up mentality, not purchasing all my weeks meal ingredients at one time. I, as you know, preserve a lot of my foods. Knowing I can feed my family healthy meals and purchase pet items and cleaning supplies for $100 – $150 a month is satisfying and no I don’t feel they are at all missing out by not getting soda, chips and convenience foods, or the runs to fast food joints.
To keep order and organization to this I keep a planner, a three ring binder that holds weekly, bi-weekly and monthly menu plans. I actually set mine up in a bi-weekly fashion with lenience. Shopping list check offs, Grocery list of all items to stock pantry, refrigerator, freezer and more with what I need. Also included are clear pockets to hold coupons. If interested you can find your own calenders to print and use here.
As I just finished next weeks menu, I thought I would share with you how I set up my week(s) of meals. By pre-setting it keeps me from last minute desires to run out and grab something, or fast food nights. As you will see though the week, everything is used up so it’s fresh slate by the time the next week rolls around. Things I can make in bulk are, frozen for the next week, or next month meal menu.
Meal Calender – (My “food week” begins on Saturday)
Saturday – Breakfast
Scrambled eggs with bacon, tomato, cheese, onion. Toast with jam, milk and orange juice
Saturday – 1st snack
Yogurt with pineapple, water
Saturday – lunch
Tuna/Pasta Salad (left-over from day before), homemade apple sauce, milk and water.
Saturday – 2nd snack
Veggie Tray (cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, green peppers, celery prepared and put into a divider serving tray with non-fat dip for week-long serving) and water.
Saturday – Supper
Whole Chicken Roasted, mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole, orange jello with pineapple, milk and water.
Sunday – Breakfast
Deviled eggs, sausage, cinnamon rolls, canned peaches, milk and orange juice.
Sunday – 1st snack
Homemade yogurt with peaches and wheat germ and water.
Sunday – lunch
Sausage and gravy biscuits, apple, milk and water.
Sunday 2nd snack
Veggie Tray & water
Sunday – Supper
Pork Roast, Mashed Potatoes, cooked carrots, apple sauce, milk and water.
Monday – Breakfast
Pancakes with canned peaches and syrup, sausage, milk and orange juice.
Monday – 1st snack
Cottage Cheese & apple sauce. Celery sticks and water
Monday – Lunch
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, tomato slices with pepper and basil, grapes, milk and water.
Monday – 2nd snack
Veggie Tray
Monday – Dinner
BBQ Smoked sausage, baked beans, canned corn, biscuits, canned pears, milk and water.
Tuesday – Breakfast
Oatmeal with raisins, milk and orange juice.
Tuesday – 1st snack
Cottage cheese, canned pears, milk and orange juice.
Tuesday – lunch
Baked beans, biscuits, grapes, cucumber/tomato salad, milk and water.
Tuesday – 2nd snack
Veggie tray.
Tuesday – Supper
Lentil – Rice Medley, broccoli & cheese, thawed blueberries in milk, water.
Wednesday – Breakfast
French toast with blueberry syrup, bacon, milk and orange juice.
Wednesday – 1st snack
Yogurt with blueberries and water
Wednesday – Lunch
Chicken salad sandwich, carrot sticks, grapes, milk and water.
Wednesday – 2nd snack.
Veggie tray
Wednesday – Supper
“Breakfast for Supper Night!” Broccoli, bacon, cheese Quiche, banana, milk and orange juice.
Thursday – breakfast
“banana bread” oatmeal, milk and orange juice.
Thursday – 1st snack
Cottage cheese with strawberry/mango preserves, water
Thursday – Lunch
Homemade bread with gravy and peas, yogurt-strawberry-banana parfait, water
Thursday – 2nd snack
Veggie tray
Thursday – Supper
Chicken soup and salad, fresh rolls and butter, fruit salad, milk and water.
(This is clean the fridge day, remaining fresh vegetables go into a soup, left over fruits go into a salad, fresh is purchased on today’s weekly shopping trip with sales flier in hand. This is also the day I make fresh homemade bread, rolls, etc for week ahead.)
Friday- Breakfast
Pancakes with canned peaches, sausage, milk and orange juice.
Friday – 1st snack
Yogurt with peaches, water
Friday – Lunch
Tuna Sandwich, carrot sticks, apple, milk and water.
Friday – 2nd snack
Veggie Tray
Friday – Supper
Tuna-Pasta Salad, vanilla pudding with peaches, milk and water.
So ask me again if I feel my family is deprived by my keeping to a budget, pre-planning , preserving and making my own foods from scratch and stocking away. My answer…No.
BBQ Pizza
Posted in Main Dishes, Recipes & Preserving on November 1, 2010| Leave a Comment »
It’s quick, simple and the kids love it. To be honest I am rather partial to it myself.
BBQ Pizza
Pizza crust of your choice
BBQ Sauce, your favorite, homemade or what’s on sale that week.
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cilantro and Parsley
Make like you would a traditional pizza.
A Little Slice.... 