This week the weather is going to be cool and wet, so when I was planning our menu for the week, that was definitely a consideration. Cool weather makes me think of fall (wait a second, not so fast...the summers not over yet!) and I love cooking in the fall. Right now I am picturing my family apple picking and making applesauce...which is always a blast! But I digress, the cool wet weather is calling to me and so the menu is reflective of that for sure.
This weeks menu consists of Hamburgers, Chili, Roasted Chicken, Spaghetti, and since we are camping this weekend, Italian Sausage. I have many of the core ingredients for these meals in the house already, so there wasn't much to buy when I went to the grocery store.
When we went to the store this week, my little angels had returned, and for being so good in the store, I splurged and bought some ice cream treats. I also found some of my favorite snacks, Veggie Sticks, so I had to have some of those. Overall, I went a little over budget (again), but I did buy some more things to bulk up my pantry since school is going to be starting for me really soon, and I need the pantry to be well stocked with ingredients for quick meals.
Tonight is a yummy roast chicken dinner, and we haven't had one in a while so I am really looking forward to it! I have potatoes and fresh green beans and I am making my buttermilk biscuits too. I think that I'll make dessert too, a fresh blueberry pie sounds like the perfect end to a great meal (plus it's TJ's favorite!)
What's for dinner in your house this week?
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Yummy Banana (Nut) Pancakes
Extra ripe bananas are not usually available in our house because my kids usually gobble up all of the bananas before they ripen, but this morning I have quite a few. When I have ripe bananas I usually make an oatmeal bake, but since we just had one last week, I decided to make something different. Using bananas in pancake batter can be tricky because bananas can make the batter dense and the outcome can be heavy, dense pancakes that no one wants to eat. But this recipe is easy and tastes delicious! My kids love them and always ask for seconds. It also makes enough pancakes that I can usually freeze some for another breakfast later.
I hope you enjoy!
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. On a pre-heated 325 degree griddle, cook the pancakes until bubbly, flip the cakes over and cook until brown and steam is lifting from the pancakes. Serve immediately.
**To freeze the pancakes, lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze. After they are frozen, move them to a freezer bag. To reheat in the microwave, place a single layer of pancakes on a plate and microwave for 1 minute for each pancake. You can also reheat them in the toaster.
This is a great breakfast choice for those rushed school day mornings!
I hope you enjoy!
Banana Pancakes- (Makes 24 cakes)
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. On a pre-heated 325 degree griddle, cook the pancakes until bubbly, flip the cakes over and cook until brown and steam is lifting from the pancakes. Serve immediately.
**To freeze the pancakes, lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze. After they are frozen, move them to a freezer bag. To reheat in the microwave, place a single layer of pancakes on a plate and microwave for 1 minute for each pancake. You can also reheat them in the toaster.
This is a great breakfast choice for those rushed school day mornings!
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Blueberry Pancakes
My sister just recently gave us three huge bags of frozen blueberries, which is awesome because my kids love them! Unfortunately, they aren't very good by themselves because many of them were picked early and are very tart which means that cooking them is the best way to go.
This morning for breakfast, I was thinking about what I was going to make since I don't want to eat through all of the cereal in our house, Ryan mentioned that he wanted blueberry pancakes. Easy enough! I set out to make them.
Making pancakes from scratch is really economical, fast, and they taste far better than any box mix you can buy! You can add whatever you want to your own pancakes too...often times I will use bananas or applesauce in our pancakes for something different and they are always a huge hit!
This morning for breakfast, I was thinking about what I was going to make since I don't want to eat through all of the cereal in our house, Ryan mentioned that he wanted blueberry pancakes. Easy enough! I set out to make them.
Making pancakes from scratch is really economical, fast, and they taste far better than any box mix you can buy! You can add whatever you want to your own pancakes too...often times I will use bananas or applesauce in our pancakes for something different and they are always a huge hit!
Blueberry Pancakes (Makes 12 cakes)
Follow the recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
to this add 1-2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries.
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Enjoy!
Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
What child on the planet doesn't eat pizza? I know that there isn't a single child in my house that would pass up the opportunity to eat pizza! So for lunch last week, after we had been out all morning running errands, I told the kids that I would make pizza grilled cheese for lunch. They were so excited!
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Grilled cheese sandwiches are so versatile! You can fix them with virtually any type of cheese, you can fill them with all sorts of yummy options (my favorites are ham and tomato!), and they are really fast to make!
Our pizza grilled cheese sandwiches had shredded Italian cheese blend, basil bruschetta, and black olives in them (all of which I had already in the house). I served them with a little ranch dressing on the side for dipping. The kids gobbled them up!
You start with buttered bread and a hot skillet (I use a 16 inch electric skillet)
Then you add your sauce
Cheese of your choice
Then your toppings
Add your second slice of bread and grilled until golden brown on both sides
Yum Yum!
What is your favorite type of Grilled Cheese?
Shopping in a Club Store
For the last few years, TJ and I have been club members at BJ's. We have a Sam's club close by and soon there will be a Costco as well. These club stores offer more "family" or "bulk" packages for what they consider to be a discount from other retailers. I love going to BJ's! There is something about walking up and down the aisle in what looks like a warehouse and then finding a great deal! But you have to be careful in a store like this, especially if you are on a tight budget. Sometimes what seems like a great deal is actually going to cost more than if you shopped elsewhere. So here are some tips to help you save money in a club store to help you stick to your budget.
1.) Use coupons if you can. BJ's is awesome because not only do they accept manufacturers coupons but you can use them at the same time you use a BJ's coupon. For example, if you have a pampers coupon for saving $2 on a case, and BJ's has a coupon to save $4 on a case, you will get $6 off of the case of diapers. BJ's also has a coupon book you get in the mail, but if you want more than one coupon, you can go to the service desk and they give you another book! I was able to get a 32 pack of Yo plait Go-Gurts for $4.99 this week, and I have two more coupons so I can buy two more before school starts!
2.) Watch the unit price! This is really important because often times you can find a better deal at Walmart, Wegman's, or Aldi. Club stores are really good at packaging items so that it looks like you're getting the best deal in town. A 36 pack of Scott's tissue for $27.00 might seem like a great deal but if you work out the math, that is $.75 a roll (still a good price) but at Walmart right now I can get a 27 roll pack for 15.00 which makes them $.55 a roll. If you pay attention to the unit pricing (no matter what store you're in) it helps to keep you from spending more when you think you're spending less.
3.) Only purchase what you plan to eat, or what your family will consume. That jar of mayonnaise for $6.99 might be a great deal, but not if you're throwing it away. If the items aren't wrapped for individual use, you have to use it all before it goes bad, rancid, or stale. I have a big family so this is never an issue in our house, but if you are shopping for a family of four, you'll want to be mindful of what your family will actually eat.
This week at BJ's I used coupons and got some great deals! Here they are:
A 48 oz can of Folders Original Coffee- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
Two 48 oz jars of Skippy Peanut butter and Two 32 oz jars of Welch's grape jelly- Retails for $13.48, I got them all for $9.99
A 32 count box of Yo plait Go-Gurts- retails for $6.99, I got it for $4.99
A 125 oz bottle of Cascade Complete Dishwasher liquid- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
A 133 oz bottle of Gain Original Fabric Softener- Retails for $9.99, I got it for $7.99
I bought 2 gallons of milk at $2.49 each (cheaper than anywhere else!)
I got an 8 pack of Puffs Tissues (school supplies)- retails for $11.99, I paid $8.99
Altogether my purchase was $53. The good thing is that many of these items will last for months in our house so if I stretch that cost out, I saved a lot of money!
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What are some of your best club store purchases?
1.) Use coupons if you can. BJ's is awesome because not only do they accept manufacturers coupons but you can use them at the same time you use a BJ's coupon. For example, if you have a pampers coupon for saving $2 on a case, and BJ's has a coupon to save $4 on a case, you will get $6 off of the case of diapers. BJ's also has a coupon book you get in the mail, but if you want more than one coupon, you can go to the service desk and they give you another book! I was able to get a 32 pack of Yo plait Go-Gurts for $4.99 this week, and I have two more coupons so I can buy two more before school starts!
2.) Watch the unit price! This is really important because often times you can find a better deal at Walmart, Wegman's, or Aldi. Club stores are really good at packaging items so that it looks like you're getting the best deal in town. A 36 pack of Scott's tissue for $27.00 might seem like a great deal but if you work out the math, that is $.75 a roll (still a good price) but at Walmart right now I can get a 27 roll pack for 15.00 which makes them $.55 a roll. If you pay attention to the unit pricing (no matter what store you're in) it helps to keep you from spending more when you think you're spending less.
3.) Only purchase what you plan to eat, or what your family will consume. That jar of mayonnaise for $6.99 might be a great deal, but not if you're throwing it away. If the items aren't wrapped for individual use, you have to use it all before it goes bad, rancid, or stale. I have a big family so this is never an issue in our house, but if you are shopping for a family of four, you'll want to be mindful of what your family will actually eat.
This week at BJ's I used coupons and got some great deals! Here they are:
A 48 oz can of Folders Original Coffee- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
Two 48 oz jars of Skippy Peanut butter and Two 32 oz jars of Welch's grape jelly- Retails for $13.48, I got them all for $9.99
A 32 count box of Yo plait Go-Gurts- retails for $6.99, I got it for $4.99
A 125 oz bottle of Cascade Complete Dishwasher liquid- retails for $8.99, I got it for $6.99
A 133 oz bottle of Gain Original Fabric Softener- Retails for $9.99, I got it for $7.99
I bought 2 gallons of milk at $2.49 each (cheaper than anywhere else!)
I got an 8 pack of Puffs Tissues (school supplies)- retails for $11.99, I paid $8.99
Altogether my purchase was $53. The good thing is that many of these items will last for months in our house so if I stretch that cost out, I saved a lot of money!
What are some of your best club store purchases?
Monday, August 4, 2014
Keeping it Simple
I can't believe that August is here and in just a few weeks school will be starting! I'm tired, and a little bit overwhelmed with the amount of work that I want to accomplish around here before my semester starts, so I am keeping things simple this week!
This is the last week for soccer, TJ and I have nothing else planned for the week, so it should be an easy week to plan. Last week we didn't eat any of the meals I had planned. This happens occasionally when things pop up or I'm not feeling well (which was the case last week). This is going to make dinner planning easier this week because I still have all of those ingredients in the house. Grace has been begging for tacos, so for dinner tonight we are going to have that. I still have the ingredients for the Salisbury steaks, the Turkey dinner, and I have plenty of sausage and chicken so this week I won't have to purchase any meat (if I don't want to). Additionally, many of my garden veggies are ready to be harvested so I won't have to purchase any green peppers, or yellow squash this week. I'll hit the local farm stands for most of my veggies because they are not only really inexpensive, but they taste so much better than anything you can buy in a store!
Here is the menu for this week:
Tonight- Tacos
Tuesday- Mixed Grill
Wednesday- Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Thursday- Salisbury Steaks
Friday- Deep Dish Pizza
Saturday- Turkey dinner (with stuffing)
For breakfast this week:
Today- Cereal
Tuesday- Banana Baked Oatmeal
Wednesday-Yogurt, Granola
Thursday- Cereal
Friday- Blueberry Pancakes, sausage
Saturday- Egg Sandwiches
Lunches-
Today- Macaroni & Cheese
Tuesday- PB&J sandwiches, pretzels
Wednesday-Ham Sandwiches, cottage cheese
Thursday-PB& J or Ham Sandwiches, yogurt
Friday- Hot dogs, tator tots, applesauce
Saturday- Ham Sandwiches, or leftover pizza (if there is any)
Snacks- Cheese crackers, applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, carrots, pretzels, animal crackers, or homemade granola bars.
Here is the grocery list for the week: Hopefully I can stick to the list and keep my costs low!
Lettuce
Tomato
Cheddar Cheese
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Fresh Broccoli
Real bacon bits
Pepperoni
Mozzarella Cheese
Butter
Yogurt (Vanilla)
Bread
Ham (Deli)
Cottage Cheese
Hard Taco shells
Cheese crackers
Carrots
Bananas
Animal Crackers
Friday, August 1, 2014
Busy Busy Busy
It is unbelievable to me that there is only one month left of summer vacation! I am sitting here thinking about how I want to proceed with my blog and what new features that I want to add because my school semester starts in just a few weeks and when it does, I may not be able to post articles as often as I would like too. I have already found it difficult to get on some days to write (and this is my passion) with four kids and a lot on my plate already! But don't worry, I will try to work harder to post, even if I have to do it after the kids go to bed.
This week I have been incredibly busy working on preparations for our garage sale. It is so freeing to get rid of all of the extra clutter and clothes that have sort of, well, overtaken our life and home. Yesterday, I went down into the basement and pulled out all of the boys old clothes looking for clothes for Adam and realized that I had two full, extra large totes of clothing that he just recently outgrew...that was a waste of storage space because I never needed them and didn't even know they were down there! So I washed them all and took them out for the garage sale and now a whole wall in the basement is cleared out and empty.
Toys are another problem area in our house. With my father recently moving into his own house, we now have a new play room in our basement. I have to admit that once it is out of sight, it is out of mind...but when I was down there yesterday and looked around at the mess, I decided that there was an opportunity to get rid of more stuff. Today we will be going through the toys and getting rid of some of those too. When they don't play with them, it is time to get rid of them!
So why take the time to have a garage sale? I know a lot of people who think that hosting a garage sale is too much work and effort, but I really love seeing our things go to people who need it or want it more than we do. I also like having the extra cash in my pocket so that our family can go out to a movie, dinner, or whatever other fun thing the kids are interested in doing. I could donate everything to Goodwill, and believe me, they get a lot of donations from us every year, but I like having a garage sale. I love seeing people and generally just being out of the house for a day!
Some tips for a successful garage sale (just in case you want to host one too)
1.) Make sure your items are clean and in good repair. There is nothing worse that having a pile of dirty items (especially clothes) to look through. Everything should smell relatively good and there shouldn't be a lot of dust or dirt on any items.
2.) Everything should be clearly priced. People don't like to try and guess what you want for an item, make sure you have a price on everything and if you don't, have a sign posted with prices on it (I do this for clothes because it is impossible to price everything.)
3.) Try not to over price your items. This is a garage sale, which means that people don't want to pay what you paid for it, even if it still has its tag on it and you never used it. I usually don't price anything more than a third of what I paid for it, so if I paid $10 for something than I won't charge more than $3 for it. If it is a high end item, than I will price it accordingly, but remember, it's used no matter what so it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
4.) If you are trying to make money and you are hosting a garage sale with other people, try not to shop through their items (if you can help it). The purpose is to get rid of clutter, not to add it back with items that were on you're friends tables. (I already bought something that I didn't really need, but loved, so I know how hard this is to do!)
Do you have any garage sale tips or ideas to share?
This week I have been incredibly busy working on preparations for our garage sale. It is so freeing to get rid of all of the extra clutter and clothes that have sort of, well, overtaken our life and home. Yesterday, I went down into the basement and pulled out all of the boys old clothes looking for clothes for Adam and realized that I had two full, extra large totes of clothing that he just recently outgrew...that was a waste of storage space because I never needed them and didn't even know they were down there! So I washed them all and took them out for the garage sale and now a whole wall in the basement is cleared out and empty.
Toys are another problem area in our house. With my father recently moving into his own house, we now have a new play room in our basement. I have to admit that once it is out of sight, it is out of mind...but when I was down there yesterday and looked around at the mess, I decided that there was an opportunity to get rid of more stuff. Today we will be going through the toys and getting rid of some of those too. When they don't play with them, it is time to get rid of them!
So why take the time to have a garage sale? I know a lot of people who think that hosting a garage sale is too much work and effort, but I really love seeing our things go to people who need it or want it more than we do. I also like having the extra cash in my pocket so that our family can go out to a movie, dinner, or whatever other fun thing the kids are interested in doing. I could donate everything to Goodwill, and believe me, they get a lot of donations from us every year, but I like having a garage sale. I love seeing people and generally just being out of the house for a day!
Some tips for a successful garage sale (just in case you want to host one too)
1.) Make sure your items are clean and in good repair. There is nothing worse that having a pile of dirty items (especially clothes) to look through. Everything should smell relatively good and there shouldn't be a lot of dust or dirt on any items.
2.) Everything should be clearly priced. People don't like to try and guess what you want for an item, make sure you have a price on everything and if you don't, have a sign posted with prices on it (I do this for clothes because it is impossible to price everything.)
3.) Try not to over price your items. This is a garage sale, which means that people don't want to pay what you paid for it, even if it still has its tag on it and you never used it. I usually don't price anything more than a third of what I paid for it, so if I paid $10 for something than I won't charge more than $3 for it. If it is a high end item, than I will price it accordingly, but remember, it's used no matter what so it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
4.) If you are trying to make money and you are hosting a garage sale with other people, try not to shop through their items (if you can help it). The purpose is to get rid of clutter, not to add it back with items that were on you're friends tables. (I already bought something that I didn't really need, but loved, so I know how hard this is to do!)
Do you have any garage sale tips or ideas to share?
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