Weekly Menu and Shopping Trip

Well, this summer seems to be flying by and I have been behind the eight ball which is completely normal for me.  I am always behind, especially when the kids are home...four little people can definitely derail my plans very easily. 

 

So, now that we are back from our vacation, and everything is slowing down as we get ready to start school, I can get back to the things that I love to do!

I have to be honest, I have not been doing much meal planning and my grocery bill has been paying the price.  I am guilty of eating out because of my lack of planning, and that is something that I hate doing because I can't stand it when my kids eat food filled with chemicals and preservatives. 

What can I say, I was tired! 

It feels good to be back to my old self again! 

In the last few days, I have spent time on Pinterest.  I am learning new tips and researching new meal ideas.  I have also been following some blogs and reading about other frugal families.  

I have so many ideas to share with you!  I can't wait to get started!   

 For my first real post of the year, I have decided to give you a run down of our meal plan for the week and my trip to the grocery store. 

 

Here's a little run down of our week...

Tuesday (tonight)- my husband is at a meeting for church so its just me and the kiddos.  No big deal!  The kids love pizza so for tonight, it's homemade pizza. 

 

Wednesday- Chicken Enchiladas. (Check out my great recipe!)

 

 Thursday- My dad is coming for dinner and I had a steak in the freezer, so that is the plan for dinner.  Steak, corn on the cob, potato salad, and rolls. 

 

Friday- It's the first night of camping and with setting up the camper and camp site there won't be time for an elaborate dinner.  We are serving hot dogs, potato chips, and watermelon. 

 

Saturday- 2nd night of camping- We are going to have a nice simple dinner of Italian sausage with peppers and onions, macaroni salad, and more corn on the cob (tis the season!) 

 

Sunday- We're back home so I have planned a spinach and artichoke macaroni & cheese.  I can set this up on Friday before we leave and it will just need to go in the oven when we get back on Sunday.  It will be great!

 

Monday- I have someone coming over to the house to show me some new cleaning products and I don't want to be cooking while she's here, so I am using my crock pot and making my family their first pot roast of the year! (Chuck roast has been very expensive and now it's on sale for $4.69 a pound at Wegman's when you purchase a family pack.)  To go with the pot roast, we are also having mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade dinner rolls. 

 

Tuesday- Crock Pot Meal #2 for the week.  Thank you Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes for your recipe idea!  I am going to make your Chicken and Dumplings with my own homemade biscuits.  I am serving it with Sweet potatoes and peas.  I can't wait to try it!

 

Wednesday- Crockpot Meal #3 for the week with a creamy ranch pork roast, roasted potatoes and broccoli.  I am making my homemade cornbread as a side. 

 

Thursday- We are taking dinner to a friends house.  Tonight it is going to be BBQ chicken thighs and drumsticks, twice baked potatoes, and a cucumber and tomato salad. 

 

Friday- It's my birthday and honestly after a two weeks of cooking I am sure I will be ready for a night on the town with my family. 

 

Grocery List for the week:

5# bag of potatoes (2.49 @ Wegman's)

Frozen cut green beans, broccoli florets, spinach, and peas ($0.99 each)

grape tomatoes (2 pounds for $3.99 @ Wegman's)

cucumbers (3 pk. for $3.49)

green peppers (6 pk. for $3.99)

Corn on the Cob (fresh from the farm stand)

bananas   ($0.49 per pound @ Wegman's)                                                                            

watermelon (In season)

peaches (In season) ($3.99 for a qt. @ Wegman's)

Apples (8 pounds for $6.99 @ Wegman's)

5# bag of flour ($1.55 @ Aldi)

4# bag of sugar ($2.15 @ Aldi)

1 family pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts ($1.99/ pound @ Wegman's FP)

1 family pack of mild Italian sausage ($2.79/ pound @ Wegman's FP)

1 family pack of chuck roast ($4.69/ pound @ Wegman's FP)

1 pound of bacon ($2.99/ pound @ Aldi)

3 boxes of frozen cooked breakfast sausage ($1.09 ea. @ Aldi)

1 block of white cheddar cheese ($1.59 @ Aldi)

1 block of Monterey Jack Cheese ($1.59 @ Aldi)

1 pound of mozzarella cheese (shredded) ($2.99 @ Aldi)

1 pound of mild cheddar cheese (shredded) ($2.99 @ Aldi)

1 package 16 slice American cheese slices ($1.79 @ Aldi)

3 Gallons of milk ($2.18 each @ Wegman's)

3 pounds of butter ($2.89 each @ Aldi)

1 tub of whipped butter (for camping) ($1.99 @ Aldi)

1 qt. half and half ($1.89 @ Aldi)

2 bottles of Italian Sweet Cream coffee creamer ($2.19 ea. @ Aldi)

4 boxes of cereal ($1.59-$2.29 ea. @ Aldi)

2 18 packs of eggs ($7.99 for 2 pk. @ Wegman's)

1 pound of ham (deli) ($4.99/ pound @ Wegman's)

1 pound of turkey (deli) ($5.49/ pound @ Wegman's)

1 pound of shell pasta ($1.19 ea. @ Wegman's)

4 cans of navy beans (pot luck church picnic) ($0.99 ea. @ Wegman's)

1 bottle pure maple syrup (for baked beans) ($4.99 @ Aldi)

1 package of real bacon bits (for baked beans) ($1.29 @ Aldi)

3 sweet potatoes ($1.49/ pound @ Wegman's)

Chips (for camping) (3 bags for $1.19 ea. @ Aldi)

Chocolate bars (camping) (6 pk. for $3,49 @ Wegman's)

marshmallows (camping) ($0.99 ea. @ Wegman's)

1 large can of coffee ($5.49 @ Aldi)

1 small bag of French Vanilla ground coffee (a weakness of mine!) ($4.99 @ Aldi)

flour tortillas  ($2.49 for FP @ Wegman's)

ranch seasoning packet ($0.59 @ Aldi)

2 loaves of 12 grain bread ($0.89 ea. on sale at Aldi today only!)

2 loaves of whole grain white bread ($0.99 ea. @ Aldi)

1 loaf of rye bread ($1.49 ea. @ Aldi)

pepperoni ($1.99 ea. @ Aldi)

 

What I have in the house already-                            Breakfast for the week-

1 jar of artichoke hearts                                            Cereal

chicken drumsticks and thighs                             egg, sausage, & cheese burritos

2 pound pork roast                                                    Oatmeal bakes

hot dogs                                                                    pancakes

hot dog rolls                                                              fruit

celery                     

corn meal                                                                 Lunches-

onions                                                                      P,B, &J sandwiches

yellow rice                                                                ham and turkey sandwiches

sour cream                                                               grilled cheese sandwiches

                                                                                 fruit                                                                                   leftovers

What I spent- $96.65 @ Aldi

                      $ 122.24 @ Wegman's

                         $218.89

                                                                               Snacks-

                                                                                 Apples, bananas, peaches

                                                                                 Applesauce

                                                                                 Graham Crackers w/ PB

                                                                                 Cheese Crackers

                                                                                 Cheese Sticks

                                                                                  chocolate animal crackers

 

Although it seems as though I have gone over my budget of $100/ week, I actually spent less.  The family packs of meat that I purchased are going to last about 3 weeks.  Therefore, I can split their cost by 1/3.  In addition, I purchased a few items that were not on the list, but I knew that I was running low on.  An example would be the tub of shortening that I bought.  Overall, the total was approximately $189.89.  When divided by 2, I came in under budget at $94.94 per week.  I consider that a success! 

 

Please feel free to share your menu for the week.  I would love to know more about you, your budget, and your tips and ideas for saving money! 

 

Blessings to All!

Kim

 

 

 

 



Hamburger and Hot Dog Rolls (Updated)

 

 

There are few things in life that are more relaxing than making your own bread.  Coming to this conclusion didn't happen for me until the winter of 2014.  Up until that point, I was afraid to make bread.  Can you believe that?  I was afraid of baking something!  You know, working with yeast can be very intimidating, and for me it was a matter of being afraid that my bread wouldn't rise and it would turn out like a brick.  Boy was I wrong!  I learned very quickly that working with yeast wasn't hard at all.  In fact, for the last 12 years I have been making my own pizza dough, and guess what, I used yeast to make it (and I wasn't afraid of that!) 

 

I definitely had to get over myself!  So I started making loafs of beautiful bread!  I experimented with several recipes before falling on those that I am using today.  Every time I make bread (of any kind), my children watch or participate in the process.  This time, my son Ethan was there watching me.  At 10, he is really excited to learn how to cook and bake and I am working on teaching him.  It is a bit of a struggle for me because I am a complete control freak in the kitchen!  I am learning to let go and let him try.  Today, he just watched me, but next time he will be right in there getting his hands dirty! 

 

These buns are delicious!  I have posted an all white flour version of the recipe on the blog in the past, so if you want to skip the whole wheat flour, feel free to check that one out!  We ate them on pulled pork sandwiches and grilled sausage this week and they were delicious both days!  The recipe makes 12 rolls. 

 

 

 

 

The ingredients for this recipe are in the photo above.  You will need water, salt, milk, butter, yeast, an egg, and flour.  I used a combination of whole wheat and white flour for this recipe.

 

 

I used my Kitchen Aid mixer, but if you don't have one, that's okay!  This recipe comes together beautifully by hand as well. 

 

 

Once the dough is kneaded, you will cut it in equal pieces.  First it will be cut in half, then those halves are cut in half, and then each quarter will be cut into 3 equal pieces.  Then, you should have 12 equal pieces that you will roll up to make into the buns. 

 

 

Once the dough is rolled, you will place it on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper.  Gently press them down and place them in a warm location for about 45 minutes.  The buns will double in size. 

Brush the tops with an egg glaze and sprinkle them with sesame seeds. 

They will bake for about 18 minutes in a 400 degree oven until golden brown. 

 

 

The end result is this beautiful, fluffy hamburger bun!

 

Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns (Makes 12 buns)

 

2 tsps. active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

1/4 cup butter (melted)

1 tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 egg

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups all purpose flour

 

Directions:

Combine the warm milk, water, butter, yeast, sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour to a large mixing bowl.  Allow to rest for ten minutes.  You will see the batter froth as the yeast begins to work. 

 

Add the egg and the salt and mix well.  Add the flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, and mix on low until all of the flour is added.  Add more flour, a tbsp. at a time if dough is sticky.  Knead for 5 minutes if using a stand mixer with a dough hook, or 8-10 minutes by hand.  When the dough is elastic and bounces back when pressed, it is ready.  Shape into a ball and put it in a greased bowl.  Cover the bowl with a greased piece of saran wrap.  Place the bowl in a warm place (I use my oven with the light on and it works great!) for about an hour until the dough is double its size. 

 

Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface.  Cut the dough in half. Cut each half into 2 pieces.  You will have a total of 4 pieces.  Then divide each piece into 3 equal pieces.  You should have 12 equal pieces. 

 

Roll each piece into a ball and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Slightly flatten each ball and then put them back into a warm place while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

 

Gently brush the tops of the buns with an egg wash and sprinkle them with sesame seeds. 

 

Bake the buns for 15-18 minutes or until they are golden brown. 

 

Serve warm or allow to cool completely and store them in an airtight container.  They will be good for up to 5 days. 

 

I am so happy that I took the plunge and started baking bread!  There is nothing better than a fresh roll warm right out of the oven! 

 

 

What is your favorite bread to bake?  Is there anything that you are afraid to bake or make?  Please share your stories with us!

 

 

 

 



Back to the Blog!

WOW!  That is all I really have to say after almost an entire year off from the blog.  As many of you may know, I was enrolled in school and unfortunately, this Mama couldn't multitask.  I have recently graduated with a degree in Childhood Education and I am ready to start blogging again! 

As it goes, many things have changed this year.  My father has found a house and moved so I have one less mouth to feed and I am not a student any more so I have a little more free time.  The kids are all a year older and that means that their appetites have grown, so our budget has gone up a bit.  I try to stay below $85.00 per week but if I go up to $100 I try not to stress. 

Some things have remained the same though, I still shop at Aldi, Wegman's, and occasionally Walmart.  I try to stay away from Walmart if I can, but the convenience of having one only a few miles from my door is too hard to pass up when I am out of milk or dog food. 

This year on the blog I am going to spend more time focusing on my grocery store tips, recipes, and budgeting information.  Although the other subjects (frugal living and crafts) are interesting to me, I don't feel as though I have enough expertise to continue blogging about them. 

What I hope you will get from this blog going forward are easy, family friendly recipes that will fit into any budget.  In addition, I will be focusing on ways to cook all of your food from scratch, using as many fresh and natural ingredients as I can.  Finally, I will be sharing tips on how to remain on budget and offer your family the best food that you can afford. 

I would love to hear comments from you as well!  If you have tried something and it doesn't work out, please let me know.  It can be hard to give all of the little details of recipe preparation in writing. In addition, if you have something that you do that you would like to share, we would love to have it!  I could always use new ideas and recipes to try!   I would still like to encourage only family friendly comments if you choose to leave one. 

Thank you for stopping by My Mamas Cheap! 

Blessings to all!

Kim

Meal Plan for the Week

     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?  

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!

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!