Great News, Meal Plans, and More!

If you have been following my blog for awhile, you probably know by now how much I love Aldi.  I have been a loyal Aldi shopper for the last 15 years.  I shop around to find the best price, but by and large, I do the majority of my shopping at Aldi. 

Why do I love Aldi?  I love it because I can get the most bang for my buck there.  I cook primarily from scratch, and so I love the inexpensive prices for all of my staple items.  In addition, you can find many convenience items there as well...all for very low prices.  How do they keep their prices so low, but offer high quality items?  Well, there are a couple of reasons.  First of all, they don't stock shelves the way that a traditional grocery store might.  They open cases and the products are left in their boxes.  This allows Aldi to hire less people for stocking and maintaining their shelves.  In addition, Aldi's asks that you purchase your own bags and bag your own groceries.  Personally, I prefer to bag my own things.  I like to organize my things, and I don't like to pack meat with raw veggies or anything that won't be cooked.  I understand sanitation, while most cashiers just don't pay attention.  Also, Aldi requires that you "rent" a shopping cart for $0.25.  This is a great idea in my opinion.  You have to return the cart to the store to get your "deposit" back.  Aldi then doesn't have to hire an employee to go outside to the parking lot to gather carts and there are always carts available for use when you arrive.  They are all dry because they are housed in an enclosed area.  This is very nice, especially if you have little ones that still ride in a cart. 

But now, there are a few more reasons to love Aldi even more than I already do!  This is my exciting news for the day!  Aldi has recently just started to accept credit cards in addition to accepting debit, cash, and EBT.  Why am I excited about this?  I am on a tight budget right?  Well, we use our credit cards for 90% of our purchases and then pay the balance in full every month.  We do this because we get points for the purchases, which then pays us back in the long run.  This may not be appropriate for all families, and Aldi does accept cash if you prefer, but since we are using our points very wisely (we have a card that pays us in cash for our points), it works well for us.  Now that Aldi accepts credit cards, I can use the points that I earn as "coupon" credit for future purchases there, which is going to save me even more money!

In addition, I mentioned in a previous post that Aldi has focused it's branding on offering healthy, natural products.  It has accomplished this by eliminating artificial colors and sweeteners from all of it's products.  They are also eliminating preservatives, chemicals, and msg.  With a promise to continue offer even more healthy options in the future.  Organic and gluten free options are becoming more available and the price difference is very reasonable.  For example, I can purchase a 32 oz. box of regular chicken broth for $1.39.  The organic version, same size, for $1.79.  This makes purchasing organic more reasonable for those who choose that lifestyle.  They also have a wide variety of fresh fruits and veggies that are locally grown and organic, and in addition, they are offering an entire section of grass-fed meats as well. 

They are also making strides to help our bee populations by eliminating farms that use pesticides that are known to kill bees.  This is huge since bees are ESSENTIAL to our existence on earth! 

Let me just say that I am not being paid by Aldi for anything that I have said.  I truly believe in what they offer and have been feeding my family well by shopping there all of these years. 

My grocery shopping trip this week was actually a combination trip because I never made it to the grocery store last week.  We have basically been living on our pantry and freezer for the last two weeks.  This meant that I had to replenish the meat and the pantry in this trip.  The cost was more as a result.  I don't stress when that happens because it will all average out in the long run.  So here is our meal plan for the week.

School starts again tomorrow!  Yay!  I am so excited because my kids are beginning to drive me crazy.  You know how that can happen right?  It's the middle of winter, we just had a huge snow storm, and everyone has a bit of the cranky pants, get away from me blues!  Needless to say, I am tired of the fighting.  (Now I know how my mother felt when I was a kid fighting with my sisters!)

I am working just a few days this week to ease us back into the routine (that is the beauty of choosing my own schedule.)  So, this week I have some delicious meals on the menu.  While I was at Aldi's yesterday, they had bone-in chicken thighs on sale for $0.49/ pound.  It was a family pack deal which is awesome!  I picked up two.  I also picked up some 73% ground beef for $1.99/ pound.  I realize that the beef isn't as healthy as it could be, but I cook and drain it really well.  I have also heard that some people rinse the beef to make it healthier too.  I haven't tried that, but if you do, let me know how it works because I may be willing to try it too.  So, basically, I planned all of my meals around those two meats. 

Here it is:
Saturday- (last night) We had tacos for dinner when I got home from the store.  I also splurged a bit and we had ice cream sundaes.  (Ethan had a friend over for dinner and it was a nice treat!) 

Sunday- Cereal and bananas
              Ham, Turkey, or PB&J sandwiches, pretzels or chips
              Lemon chicken thighs with potatoes and carrots, green beans, cornbread

Monday- Oatmeal bake with blueberries
                Packed lunches
                Popcorn (snack after school)
                Sloppy Joes, tator tots, and corn

Tuesday- French toast sticks (homemade), bananas
                Packed Lunches
                Animal crackers (snack)
                Chicken and wild rice soup, biscuits

Wednesday- Cereal and bananas
                     Packed lunches
                     Homemade rice crispy treats
                    Garlic and parmesan pasta, tomato,cucumber , and pepper salad (the cucumbers looked terrible!)

Thursday- Cereal and bananas
                  Packed lunches
                  Animal crackers or rice crispy treats
                  Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, peas

Friday-  Breakfast frittata or baked egg casserole
              Packed lunches
              peanut butter crackers (handmade)
              Chicken Noodle casserole

Saturday- Pancakes and sausage
                 Macaroni and Cheese (homemade)
                 Spaghetti and Meatballs, homemade bread

The meals for this week are very inexpensive, however, I have been purchasing more convenient lunch items for kids lunch boxes.  I do that because my husband hates making lunches for the kids and when I am working, he has to work the wheel (so to speak), he prefers to grab and pack.  For their lunches this week, they have yogurt, applesauce cups, and fruit cups.  In addition, my daughter asked for raisins, I grabbed some cheese crackers, and pretzels.  I also had to purchase juice boxes as well.  These conveniences will still cost less than having our kids buy lunch at school, especially because our school lunches cost $2.25 per child this year.  That is a whopping $9.00 every time my kids buy their lunch!  That is just craziness to me. 

Let me break down the cost of our groceries so far this month so that you can see how it has all played out...then we can examine the budget to see where I fall. 

I went grocery shopping on January 26th and spent $130.  Then I shopped on February 14th and spent $60 (I went to Walmart for milk, bread, and a few other items to get through the week).  I went  on February 20th and spent $220.  So here is the weekly break down of $82.00 per week because that covered 5 weeks.  Still under budget for the month.  Yay!  Now that things are going back to normal, I will be shopping week to week again and that will make it easier to keep track. 

Whoa!  I just realized how long this post was!  I hope that you found it informative and helpful!

Now I'm off to make dinner and get the kids ready for school tomorrow!

Blessings to All!

Staying warm and within your budget!

Winter is definitely upon us...in fact, today we are experiencing our first real snow storm of the season.  It is days like this when I really feel like cooking and baking.  I think it's because I know that I'm not going anywhere, I'm not in a rush, and I just love how cozy a nice warm kitchen feels! 

This weekend we had some really cold days and so this Mama was cooking!  I made a delicious traditional lasagna on Saturday, a nice pork roast dinner with mashed potatoes and apricot sauce on Sunday, and for breakfast yesterday I made a delicious stuffed French toast.  My kids were in heaven! 

Here's the back story on this recipe.  About a month ago, TJ and I went to a beautiful bed and breakfast in Lyons called the Peppermint Cottage.  We went with our life-long friends to celebrate a birthday.  We go there every year and it is the perfect place to unwind (they have a hot tub and a beautiful wood burning fireplace).  It is truly one of our favorite places!  On this trip, the owner, Diane, made us a fabulous stuffed French toast.  Let me just add this little plug about how great this place is...Diane stayed up late and made fresh French bread for this recipe.  It's all in the details! 

When I got out of bed yesterday, I had already decided that I was going to make stuffed French toast for breakfast.  I had purchased an extra loaf of French bread the day before for the lasagna, so my plan was to make blueberry stuffed French toast.  A funny thing happened as I was coming down the stairs though...TJ said "I think you should make stuffed French toast today, with bananas."  Okay...now I am a firm believer in coincidence...but really?  The same thought at the same time?  Wow...it was definitely meant to be!  So I made both, blueberry and banana stuffed French toast. 

Buttery goodness! Yummy!

Making this dish was incredibly easy and very economical!  I will break down all of the prices for you so you can see that a restaurant quality meal is definitely doable on a tight budget (insert smiley face here!)

Okay, so here it is...I know these pictures have your mouth watering...so you can serve this for lunch or dinner if you want...just saying, lol!

Stuffed French Toast (Serves 6-8)

1 loaf of traditional French Bread (day old is easier to cut)
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3  cup powdered sugar
2 cut bananas (I used yellow...which is good because they are a bit firmer and easier to stuff)
1/3 cup frozen blueberries (you can use fresh too)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tbsp. half and half
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1.  Cut the ends off of the French bread so that every slice has two flat sides.  Then cut the loaf into 12 slices , about an 1-1 1/2 inches thick.  Cut each slice down the middle, stopping before you cut through (I sliced until about 1/2 inch from the bottom.)

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Mix until smooth. 

3.  Using a knife, spread a thick layer of the cheese in the middle of each slice of prepared bread.  stuff in the fruit.  Go ahead and use your hands...it's easier.  Be careful not to split the bread in half as you're working. 

4.  Add the half and half to the eggs and whisk well.  Then add the cinnamon to eggs. 

5.  In a large skillet, coated with butter, dip the prepared stuffed bread into the eggs on both sides and grill for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until the it is nice and golden brown.  I used my cast iron, which I would totally recommend if you have one...it gives the toast a nice crunchy texture! 

Look at that cheese filling...all ooey and gooey! 

For toppings we sprinkled a little bit of chopped toasted pecans, powdered sugar, and real maple syrup.  Yum Yum!! 

Okay, so let's talk cost per person. 
The most expensive ingredient was the cream cheese.

8 oz. cream cheese- $1.25
French Bread- $1.00 at Walmart
Powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla (about $.35)  total is approximate for the small amounts necessary for this recipe. 
eggs- $.50
half and half $.17
blueberries- $.40 (the whole bag was $2.29 and there is about a 1 pound in the bag.)
Bananas $.20  based on $.39/ pound
Precooked sausage- $2.00 for two packages of 10

For our family of 6, this recipe and breakfast was a total of $0.97 a person.  I served it with orange juice, which we usually only have for a treat, so my kids drank it out of wine flutes...because that is just fancy and fun! 

(I have to give credit to my wonderful and supportive husband, he helped me with the staging of this plate so that I could take these pictures!  Thanks honey!) 

I hope that you enjoy this beautiful breakfast, or lunch, or dessert...whatever you like!

Blessings to All!

Meal Plan and Grocery List for the Week

     Oh my word...February is here!  I can't believe how mild this winter has been.  Not that I'm complaining...I really don't care for snow.  My kids, on the other hand, are bummed because they have only been able to go sledding once this year so far.  Oh well...I am just hoping that with this beautiful weather comes an even more fabulous spring! 
     Today, the sun is shining through my dining room windows, TJ is doing is homework, and I am getting ready to take my daughter to Michael's to find a car for the Pinewood Derby that her girl scout troop is going to participate in.  I am really looking forward to getting out for some reason!  I am also sitting here planning my week of meals.  I have gone back to work three days a week, which is great for our budget, but not so great for my house.  Keeping up with four kids, a husband, and a dog while working is definitely a challenge.  They go through a lot of clothes!  My washer never stops!  But I digress...back to thinking about our meals for this week.
     This is how our week is panning out...tomorrow is Sunday, therefore, we go to church and then Grace has a girl scout meeting at 2.  There is a pot luck after church tomorrow so we won't have to worry about lunch so it is breakfast and dinner, plus whatever I decide to contribute to the pot luck.  Then Monday is a crazy night...Ryan has a cub scout meeting and Ethan is visiting a local boy scout troop.  Tuesday night TJ has a meeting and won't be home for dinner, Wednesday and Thursday are open (for the moment), Friday night is the inspection and impound for the pinewood derby which is next Saturday morning.  So...since I am working on Monday's, Thursday's, and Friday's...I am trying to preplan the prep work for those nights, this way I can still cook from scratch, but it won't take me as long. 
     I am still planning two meatless meals a week.  Last week we had a beautiful eggplant parmesan on Monday night that I served with a salad, and last night I made a delicious veggie pot pie that was full of veggies and we didn't miss the meat one bit!  I think for this week, I am going to make a quiche for dinner one night, full of broccoli, onions, and cheese and for our second meatless meal, I think that I am going to go with a veggie minestrone soup.  If there is one thing that I love to make, its soup!  It is easy, delicious, inexpensive, and I can have it on the table in 30 minutes or less! 
     So here is the plan for the week:
Sunday:  Breakfast- Crockpot egg casserole (the cost of eggs has decreased significantly!)
               Lunch- Pot Luck- I am going to take Swedish meatballs
               Dinner- Roast Pork (I have it in my freezer already, when I bought it, it was $1.99/pound and it is just over 2 pounds.  The roast was a total of $4.23)
                             Twice-Baked potatoes with cauliflower, broccoli, and cheese (this is a house favorite!)
                              Fresh dinner rolls
                              Applesauce
Monday- Breakfast- Cereal, banana
                 Lunches- Packed lunches (Ham or PB&J, pretzels, cheese crackers, homemade trail mix and Juice box.)
                  My lunch is usually 1 Greek yogurt and something crunchy like pretzels.
                 Dinner- Minestrone Soup, homemade bread.
Tuesday- Breakfast- Cheese Omelets, toast
                 Lunches- Packed lunches
                 Dinner- chicken enchiladas, yellow rice
Wednesday- Breakfast- Oatmeal cinnamon muffins, banana or orange
                      Lunch- Packed Lunches
                      Dinner- Broccoli and cheese quiche, salad
Thursday- Breakfast- Leftover quiche or cereal, with fruit
                   Lunch- Packed Lunches
                   Dinner- Mini Meatloaves, au-gratin potatoes, green peas. 
Friday- Breakfast- Cereal, fruit
              Lunches- Packed Lunches
              Dinner- Shrimp Scampi ( I bought the shrimp two weeks ago on sale for $5.98 a pound...they are medium size) with Salad
Saturday- Pinewood Derby Day!
I am providing pancake bites for the snack table at the derby so I have purchase the supplies for those too. 
                  Breakfast- Blueberry Muffins, fruit
                  Lunch- Pizza (We purchase pizza at the pinewood derby)
                  Dinner- beef tips over mashed potatoes (I have two chuck steaks that I bought on sale that I am going to cut and use for this meal.) & Dijon green beans.

Grocery List-
eggs (2 18 packs)    $4.36
bread (3 loaves)      $4.17
milk (3 gallons)       $5.97
butter (2 pounds)    $5.78
deli ham- (1 pound) $4.08
potatoes (5 pounds) $1.99
frozen peas (2 pounds) $1.98
Corn meal (5 pounds)  $2.78
Bananas (5 pounds) $1.95
frozen blueberries $2.99
Vanilla Greek Yogurt (family size) $3.79
1 box dittalini pasta $1.38
1 bag of carrots $0.69
1 celery bunch $1.39
1 pkg. 12 cheese sticks $2.79
1 16 oz. sour cream $1.28
yellow rice -$.98

Total for the week- approximately $48.35

If you notice, there is no meat on this list...I am pretty well stocked at this point.  I also have a pretty stocked pantry so my list is small. 

What's on your menu this week? 





           

New Year's Resolutions

     This year, my New Year's resolution was to get out of bed at 5:30 every school day.  Let me just tell you, I am not a morning person, in fact, I hate mornings.  I always feel like a big bad grumpy bear when I'm getting my family ready for the day.  So, I thought (like a complete moron) that if I got out of bed earlier, then I would be more prepared for the day.  So on the 4th, I was like, you can do this (get up at 5:30), and then the morning came, and it was so dark, and my bed was so warm, and I and slept right through my alarm.  Epic fail!!  Clearly...I have more work to do in that regard.  I am really trying to get up with a spring in my step...I don't want the grumpy bear to be the last person that my kids see before they go to school!  It is definitely not easy to change my ways but I am hopeful that I will conquer this morning thing and we will be a happier, more organized family in the mornings. 
     The second big change that is coming this year is that I am going back to work part-time.  This is going to be extremely difficult!  My family is so used to having me around that I am sure that this is going to be a great adjustment.  Going back to work is going to mean even more planning and organization, especially when it comes to our meals for the week.  I am going to have to be completely on my game. 
     The goal for the blog this year is to make my pictures look perfect!  I know that a great picture is key to helping you to understand how my recipes are supposed to look and taste.  I am doing some research and I hope that my pictures will take less time to upload and they will look as fantastic as they do on the professional blogs out there!  In addition, a post daily would be great too, but realistically, I think a good goal for me would be two posts a week.  Time management is definitely something that I need to work on in 2016! 
     I am going to be posting delicious recipes that are not only budget friendly, but are also healthy.  In my opinion, if you are serving your family a well balanced diet, then you are on your way to keeping your family healthy this year!  Some big changes are coming to our meal plans this year.  The first is that I am now planning two vegetarian meals a week.  This is not only really healthy, but it is a great way to save money.  The second change is that I am adding more seafood to our menu and I plan to serve it at least 2 times a month.  I happen to love a great haddock fillet, but it is definitely hard to convince my children to try it.  My goal is to introduce new seafood options so that my children can form their own opinions about fish.  Scary right!
    Pinterest is my friend and I am on Pinterest every day pinning delicious recipes that I either have tried or really want to try.  In addition, I have board entitled "Blog" and that is where I pin all of the recipes and articles that are related to my blog. I encourage you to check it out when you get a chance.

I am also looking for feedback.  If you could kindly think of some constructive criticism that I can use to improve my blog, please share them with me.  I am not looking for negative feedback...just some ideas or changes that you would like to see on my blog in the future.  I am grateful that you come to visit and I hope that my blog helps you to become better meal planners and cooks this year!

What are some of your New Year's resolutions?  I would be happy to hear what you think about the coming year and some of your ideas!

Blessings to all in 2016!

Check out some of my recipes!  This is a banana chocolate chip muffin that is easy and delicious!

A Homemade Christmas

It's Christmas time!!  I love Christmas and because I have young children, the magic of Christmas is in abundance around our house!  However, the beauty and peace of the season can be lost for a family that is living close to the vest.  Christmas has become so commercialized that the focus of the season is shifted from what matters (the birth of our Savior) to a season of cranky parents looking for the "perfect" gift.  Now, I want to set the record straight...I'm not bitter, I love giving gifts to our children on Christmas morning.  I love to see that look of wonder in their eyes as they gaze at the tree and wonder if Santa is real.  I love to watch them open the gifts and the excitement in their eyes when they get something that they really wanted.  To me, this is a very special time of year, but not only for the gifts that they are receiving, but also in the gifts that we give to others.  This time of year, as beautiful as it is, can also be extremely stressful, especially for families that only have one income.  I can remember, when my boys were really little, my husband and I didn't have much money because I had just left my full time job to stay home, and we only had two gifts under the tree for each child and a few items in their stockings.  My children were unaware of our struggles, and they were grateful for what they had. 

Today, I want to share with you some of the ideas that I have for saving money on gifts around Christmas.  I know how difficult and stressful it can be to make Christmas special for your children when you have so little to spend.  The following ideas are things that I have done in the past or am currently working on this year.  I hope that by sharing these ideas, you will find your Christmas season to be less stressful and that you will find the peace and hope of the season, as it is supposed to be.   

1.  My children only get one gift from Santa every year.  I explained to my children that if Santa carried multiple gifts for everyone on his sleigh, that he would be too heavy to fly and so he brings one gift and the stockings, and that is it.  My children have accepted that, and they only expect one gift from Santa.  Santa listens very carefully to their wish list, and chooses one, very reasonable gift, to give.  Last year my daughter asked for an American Girl doll.  Santa brought her an Our Generation doll from Target, she didn't know the difference.  In addition, Santa never brings a high ticket item for the children.  If we choose to give the kids an expensive gift, then we put our name on the tag. This is important because it sets a reasonable expectation for the children.  They won't expect Santa to bring an expensive gift every year, so if you have a little more to spend this year, you won't feel obligated to spend the same amount next year if your financial circumstances change. 

2.  Set a budget before you shop and look for sales-  This is a very important strategy.  When my children were small, we had a budget set for the them that was reasonable for their age, $30 per child.  I have four children and our total budget for Christmas was just $250, and that included Christmas dinner.  I spent a lot of time researching gifts and purchased everything on sale.  It wasn't hard for me to find at least 3 gifts that would fall into that budget reasonably.  Now that my kids are older, the gifts are more expensive.  Our budget is now $75.00 per child.  Our total budget for Christmas is $500 or less, including our Prime Rib dinner on Christmas day.  This budget has been set for a year and we have been carefully saving since last Christmas.  By setting the budget an entire year in advance, we are able to put aside small amounts of money into a Holiday Club account at our bank throughout the year.  In November, the bank issues us a check for the total amount and we start over again for the next year.  This strategy takes the pressure off of us and we don't have to charge anything to a credit card.  Unfortunately, Black Friday is the best day to find the greatest deals, especially on new toys.  However, most websites offer the same deals as the brick and mortar locations, so if you have to work or you don't want to go out in the crowds, simply go online and make your purchases.  You can usually save on shipping and it comes straight to your door. 

3.  Make your own Christmas gifts.  Pinterest is your friend here!  I have found some really great, homemade Christmas gift ideas on Pinterest!  This year I am making 90% of the gifts for my daughter, my friends children, and my nieces.  I made this apron set for my niece and between fabric and trim, this set cost me about $10 to make.  In addition, I am making some cookie mixes in a jar to give her as well.  She will be getting a very unique gift, made even more special as she creates memories while using it.  Now, if you are really busy, or you don't know how to sew, that is okay!  There are a ton of other things that you can make that aren't time consuming or difficult.  For example, there is an idea for a fort in a bag.  The fort is basically a sheet, you add some clothes pins and other accessories for building, a flash light, and a pack of cards.  This gift is about $10 to make, but wouldn't a little boy just love that!  I will be posting more homemade gift ideas throughout the season, so check back and maybe there will be an idea that is perfect for you! 

In addition to receiving gifts, it is vitally important to give to others as well.  Every year I choose two or three tags from a "giving" tree and my children go with me to choose gifts.  I try to choose children that are around the same age of my own so that the kids can choose something really special.  Our finances dictate our budget for these gifts and I try to choose items that are at least $10.  $30 of our Christmas budget feels like a lot, but it is worth it because my children are learning that Christmas isn't the same for all families, and that while we aren't rich, we have more than enough, and we should be helping others before we help ourselves.  Now this tradition has taken on new meaning as my older children are willing to spend some of their own money on these gifts, making them so much more special. 

Do you have Christmas ideas that you would like to share or a strategy that works for your family?  Please share them with us!  I would love to know how other families celebrate the holidays!

Happy Christmas Season!

Saving on your Thanksgiving feast this year!

                                            

     Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year.  It is full of family gatherings and great food!  But what defines great food?  Here in our house, great food is not defined by which grocery store I shop in, or by expensive ingredients like fresh sage and Brie cheese.  It is defined by how we share it with our closest friends and family. 
     When I was young, my parents had a limited income, and yet every year, we had a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner.  To make it special, my mother would pull out her best china and we would set a beautiful table.  She made a pumpkin pie every year, and sometimes an apple pie, if she had time.  She would also make a Jello mold that would have some sort of fruit cocktail in it.  We loved it!  We had a turkey, stuffing, and potatoes with squash, green beans, and rolls.  This meal was special every year and it didn't come with a table of appetizers, alcoholic beverages, or expensive centerpieces.  What I'm trying to say, is that you don't have to go out of your way (or your budget) to have a beautiful Thanksgiving day, the memories are going to be as special as you make them.  Simple is the key. 
     Today and tomorrow, I am going to give you a rundown of what I am serving for dinner on Thursday.  I will give you recipes and tips for each dish.  I am going to apologize up front because there won't be time for me to take pictures until Thursday when I actually serve the food.  If you have any questions about preparing the turkey, stuffing, or pies, please feel free to leave a comment.  I will try to check back often over the next few days to help out.
    So, here is what I have on the menu and how much I paid for everything.  I have 10 people coming for dinner, so I will break down the cost per person for you as well.  As you know, I try to keep everything at a minimal cost so that we can enjoy a wonderful meal, without breaking our budget!

Turkey- 16 pounds $7.50 (I got a great deal at Wegman's $0.48 per pound with a $25.00 purchase)
Potatoes- 5 lb. bag for $1.49 (white potatoes)
Butternut Squash- 5 lb. (2 large) $.99/ pound, $5.69
Yams- 2 lbs. $.39/pound- $0.78
Apples- 5 lb. Empire apples- $5.99 ( I will only use 7 apples in this bag which is just about 2.5 pounds so the cost is about $2.75)
Frozen green beans- $.99
Heavy cream- 1 qt. $4.99 (I will only use 1 cup to make whipped cream, so that is a total of $1.25)
Butter- 1 lb. (Walmart 2 lb. pack is $5.69 right now) $2.88
Pumpkin puree (I have some frozen in the freezer that I made from a fresh pumpkin, but you can get the puree at Aldi for about $. 89 a can.) 
Flour- 5 lb. bag at Wegman's $1.29
Sugar- 4 lb. bag at Wegman's $1.79
Milk- 1 gallon 2% at Wegman's is $2.18
Stuffing- Arnold seasoned cubed stuffing- $2.50
I roll of pork sausage- Wegman's 2.50
! small bunch of celery- Wegman's $.69
1 bunch of sweet onions- Walmart $2.99
4 cans of chicken broth- Wegman's brand $.50 each- $2.00

The rest of the ingredients I need are in my pantry, these include: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sage seasonings)  I try to keep my costs for Thanksgiving to $40 or less.  It could be cheaper if I left out a few things, but since it is just once a year and I usually serve my in-laws, I splurge a bit.  My total for this year was $39.27.  That is just $3.92 a person.  That, I am grateful to say, is less than what it costs for a six piece chicken nugget happy meal at McDonalds and it includes dessert!

** Something important to remember is that you don't have to purchase the larger container. For example, I purchase a quart of heavy cream.  I know that I'll use that in other recipes this week, but you can purchase it by the half pint and pint for less than what I paid for it.  The same with the apples, if you don't have $5.99 to spend for a 5 lb. bag, you can buy them by the pound.  This time of year you can usually find them for $.99 per pound.  When I did my calculations, I only added in the cost for what I am going to use for Thanksgiving dinner, so if you were to add based on what I spent, the total would be a bit more.  Hope that this isn't too confusing!**

Now I am going to walk you through cooking that big ole' turkey!  It is not nearly as intimidating as it may seem! 

Easy Turkey Cooking Instructions-

We don't fry our turkey for Thanksgiving, I have a counter top oven (that I love!) and it comes out perfectly every time! 

My turkey is 16 pounds, and so the cooking time is approximately 15-20 minutes per pound.  For health and safety reasons I choose not to stuff the bird before cooking.  If you want to stuff it, it will take longer to cook.  Remember, the stuffing and bird have to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be safe.  Don't rely on a pop up turkey timer, especially when you have stuffed the bird first. 

Okay, so what do you do?  First you need to remove the turkey and all of the bags (I know, gross right?) containing the liver, neck, and other internal organs.  Thoroughly rinse the turkey in a clean sink and away from clean dishes (I move my dish drainer and all of my washing utensils before I rinse the turkey to ensure that there isn't any cross contamination.)  Dry the turkey with paper towels as best as you can.  Melt 1/4 cup of butter in  the microwave or on the stove.  Cut up two whole onions and the leaves of 5 stalks of celery.  Stuff the cavity with the onion and celery and sprinkle the inside generously with sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Brush the melted butter on the outside of the bird.  Sprinkle the top with more thyme, salt, and pepper. 

Cover the turkey lightly with foil (This is not necessary if you are roasting on the counter like me)  Cook at 325 degrees for about 15-20 minutes per pound ( for me, this would be about 4 hours.)  30 minutes before the turkey is set to come out, remove the foil and turn up the heat on your oven to 375 degrees.  This will give your turkey that nice golden color and crisp up the skin.  Once your turkey is at the correct temperature (around 160 degrees) pull it from the oven and tent it with foil.  Allow it to rest for about 20 minutes.  It will continue to cook and should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Remember that the cooking time will vary based on the size of the turkey, so please be mindful and if you haven't invested in a meat thermometer, I would recommend getting one today.  It will help to keep you and your family safe.  If you have questions about how to use it, check out some great videos on YouTube...they can show you exactly where to measure the temperature on your turkey.

I hope that you found this post helpful!  If you have any tips or tricks to share about how you prepare your turkey on Thanksgiving, please share them with us!  I am always looking for new ideas!

Blessings to all!

Kim
    
    

Pantry Basics-Freezer and Fridge

Awe...October, rich in beauty.  The sweet smell of pumpkin and cinnamon...the luscious taste of warm coffee on a brisk morning...and the ability to make a warm, comforting meal, without having to leave your home.  Sounds like paradise! 

Over the last few weeks, I have been sharing some of my ideas and tips for starting a pantry.  Once you have established a dry pantry and your spice cupboard, the next step is to have a freezer and refrigerator that are well stocked.  Small or large, the freezer is a must for food storage on a budget.  For the last three years I have been stuck with a small freezer (my large freezer died and we simply didn't have it in the budget for a new one.)  Having a small freezer did not deter me from having it well stocked, but I couldn't purchase those great turkey specials, or partake in a deal at the grocery store, if I didn't have space.  I had to improvise and make do with what I had.  Now, a friend of mine has given me a small stand alone freezer and it is awesome!  I am so grateful that I have the space back, especially since my boys are eating me out of house and home!  If you have a small freezer and refrigerator, don't be discouraged.  You can still "stock up" and have room for weekly purchases such as milk, yogurt, and eggs.  Here are just a few of the ideas that I currently use to keep my freezer and refrigerator stocked and ready.

1.)  Rotate your meat purchases- In order to maintain my budget every week I can't purchase more than one or two family sized meat packages.  So usually in the first week of the month, I will purchase all of my chicken for the month.  This includes one package of boneless skinless chicken thighs and a package of regular chicken thighs.  I may also purchase a family size package of chicken breasts, but not always.  The following week I will purchase a pork loin, pork roast, or pork chops (whatever is on sale).  The following week is ground beef.  The last week of the month I will purchase whatever is on sale, so for example, last month I purchased some Italian sausage, some bratwurst, and some polish sausage for recipes that I intend to make.  Other times this might include a ham, turkey breast, or chuck roast.  My meat purchases cannot exceed $20 per week in my budget.  This is how I keep that cost in check when I'm shopping, and my freezer always has meat in it.  Shopping this way keeps everything rotating in my freezer and I never have more than my freezer holds. 

2.  Vegetables- I always have 2 16oz bags of veggies on hand for each type that my family eats.  For example, I always have 2 broccoli florets, 2 corn, 2 peas, 2 green beans, and 2 mixed veggies in the freezer.  When I use a bag, I know that I need to add a bag to the grocery list.  It is rare that I ever run out, and when I do, I can always grab another variety for dinner.  Sometimes, for special recipes, I may have some peas and carrots in the freezer as well.  As a family, we never eat veggies out of a can.  I prefer the taste and texture of frozen.  If your family does eat canned veggies, make sure that they make it onto your dry pantry list so that you won't run out. 

3.  Cheese & Butter-  Did you know that both cheese and butter can be frozen for later use?   They can, but you should use caution because it won't take long for the cheese to turn rancid once it's out of the freezer and past it's expiration date.  I freeze cheese all of the time!  I just plan to use the package in it's entirety within 5 days of opening, so often times, I will purchase one package of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese every time I shop.  Since my family only eats real butter, I have to be sure that I have enough on hand.  I usually purchase 3 pounds every 2 weeks.  If I am running out of space in my refrigerator, I will throw a pound of butter in the freezer to pull later. 

4. Condiments-  This is a big one, and often a scary one at times.  How long should you keep that open bottle of salad dressing in the fridge?  Well, I have done some research on the subject and my best advise is to throw things out 30 days after opening.  This includes all of my salad dressings.  Why?  Well, most of these items have enough vinegar to keep bacteria away, however, mold can grow on the rim and just inside the bottle top, Yuck!  Making fresh salad dressings is a great way to stay within your budget while also keeping quantities low.  If you aren't able to get through the family sized bottle of ketchup in a months time, purchase a smaller bottle. 

5.)  Sour cream, yogurt, and other dairy purchases-  I always keep sour cream, yogurt, and cottage cheese in my house.  These are "pantry" items for me because we eat them regularly and they never have time to go bad in my fridge once they are open.  My family goes through 3 gallons of milk, one family sized yogurt, and two containers of cottage cheese a week.  When I go shopping, I look at what I have on hand and purchase only what I need.  Paying attention to how quickly your family consumes their favorite cold storage items can be extremely helpful when trying to stick to a budget. 

Other items in my budget are produce, frozen potatoes, and breakfast items. I always have eggs on hand, usually a 18 pack, every week.  I try to keep baby carrots, celery, and apples on hand as well.  When I am running low, I purchase more, so they may or may not be on my shopping list, it just depends on how quickly we consume them.  Other items that I keep in the house are yogurt sticks and cheese sticks.  They go in my children's lunches. 

Rotate, rotate, rotate-  It is so important that you rotate your cold storage items.  Everything in my freezer is clearly labeled with the date that it went in, and I rotate accordingly.  Items don't stay fresh forever.  If you open a container of sour cream, make sure that you have a use for the entire container within a week of opening.  In addition, rotate through your expiration dates and make sure to use up your older items first.  This keeps you from throwing your hard earned money into the garbage.   

Keeping a pantry is essential to living on a budget.  No matter how large or small your pantry is, it is important to only keep items on hand that you know you are going to use.  I just recently went through my cupboard and realized that I had three boxes of Jello in my pantry that had since expired.  I have completely stopped making Jello (for my own reasons), and I simply forgot they were there. 

I hope that my this article is helpful for you and your family!  Do you have any thoughts on keeping a pantry?  If so, please share them with us!  Do you have a favorite pantry meal? 

I am off to make some yummy pot roast for dinner!

Have a blessed day!

Kim

Homemade Pizza Crust

    

Some of my favorite memories as a child were when my father was in the kitchen making a fresh, homemade pizza.  He would make it for football games, slumber parties, and other special occasions around our house.  He was a pro, very meticulous in his work, especially when forming the crust.  He would sprinkle it with oil and oregano and then he would proof it in a partially opened oven.  Then he would add the toppings and we would wait while the pizza baked in our oven...I can still remember our excitement when he told us that it was ready!

     As I became an adult, my husband and I still enjoy a fresh baked pizza.  The kids love it when they can make their own and choose their toppings.  I let them roll out their own dough, dress their pizza with whatever they want, and we still watch the oven door as the dough rises and bakes.  It is a heavenly smell! 
     There are times when we order a pizza and have it delivered, but for the most part, we make our own.  Here is a quick breakdown of what I spend when I make a pizza versus having one delivered. 

1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce per pizza ($.25)
12-16 slices of pepperoni ($.50)
1/2 cup of chopped onions, mushrooms, olives, peppers, or any other pizza topping that you prefer (approximately $.80)
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ($.90) 

Pizza Crust- Makes 2 (12 in.) pizza crusts or 1 (16  in) and a small

1 1/4 cup warm water (tap water...minimal cost)
1 package of active dry yeast (or 2 tsp. yeast) ($.33)
1 tsp. sugar (minimal cost)
2 tbsp. oil (I use canola) ($.15)
1/2 tsp. salt (minimal cost)
3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour ($.60)

Total pizza crust cost is approximately- $1.08 give or take...my breakdown is based on approximations.  There are approximately 10 cups of flour in a 5lb bag and I paid $1.55 at Aldi.  Therefore each cup is about $.15. 

The total cost for one 16 inch round pepperoni pizza is about $2.73.  I usually have to make two pizzas and I always add additional toppings so my total cost when we eat pizza is about $6.00.  If you compare that to the cost of ordering a pizza you are saving a ton of money!  Who says that you can't enjoy delicious, healthy food, on a budget!  No more frozen pizzas for this family! 

Making pizza dough is easy!  Probably the least threatening yeast based dough ever...it is extremely forgiving! 

First-combine the water, sugar, and yeast and let them stand

for about 5 minutes.  Watch the amazing science behind yeast as it begins

to foam and grow!

(This is my son's favorite part!)

When the yeast and water is nice and frothy, combine the flour, oil, and salt into a large bowl.

Add the yeast & water to the four and mix well. 

I use a stand mixer, but my dad did all of this by hand.

 

I knead my dough with a dough hook attachment on my mixer for about 5 minutes on medium speed.  I watch the dough and add a little flour if it seems a little too sticky.

 

If you knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface, this process takes about 8 minutes. 

 

Grease a large bowl and out the pizza dough in it.  Cover with saran wrap and place in a warm area until it is doubled in size, about 30 minutes. 

 

 

 

Roll out into desired shape and size.  I use my hands, but a small rolling pin is okay too.

I sprinkle a little cornmeal on the pan that I am using, in this case I used an air bake cookie sheet.

I brush the edge of the crust with a little oil and sometimes I sprinkle it with garlic salt.  Yum Yum!

 

 

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted. 

 

Delicious, homemade pizza, made in just a little over an hour! 

Isn't that how long it takes for most pizza deliveries? 

 

How do you like your pizza?  Do you have any tricks or tips to share?  We would love to hear from you!

 

 

Pantry Basics- Spices, Packets, and Seasonings


     A good spice rack can take your meals from okay to WOW!  I still don't know what all of the spices on my spice rack can be used for, but I do have some that I use all of the time and couldn't live without! 
     There are common spices, or herbs, that should be in every pantry, and these spices are usually found in many recipes.  Let me be specific about spices, herbs, and seasonings.  A spice or an herb is something that is grown and then dried.  The difference between a spice and an herb is determined by the part of the plant that it comes from.  Okay...I know, I know, not the most exciting post so far...but because we are talking about spices and herbs, I thought you may find it interesting that spices and herbs are not the same thing! 

     So what is the difference?  Although both spices and herbs are part of plants, they are derived from different parts of the plant.  Spices come from the root, stem, or seeds from a plant.  Some examples of spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.  Herbs come from the leaves of the plants.  Some examples of herbs are thyme, basil, oregano, and parsley.  As a root vegetable, onions and garlic would be considered spices when dried.  So if you are asked to use onion or garlic powder then that would be a spice. 

     Alright, so I'm now done with my science lesson for the day!  Spices and herbs are written interchangeably on most recipes so try not to be confused.  So what spices or herbs should you have in your pantry?  Great question!  Take a look at your favorite recipes and determine which spices and herbs are required for them; those are the spices and herbs that you should have in your pantry. 

     Below is the list of spices and herbs that I have in my pantry at all times.  If you are just beginning to cook, these are the ones that you will want to have on hand right away. 

Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Cumin
Chili Powder
Red Pepper Flakes
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Rosemary
Black Pepper


     What about seasonings?  What are those?  So for these, I think about a mix of different herbs and spices that make a seasoning blend.  For example, Italian seasoning, chicken seasoning, and season salts are all seasoning blends.  In addition, a seasoning packet like taco seasoning and chili seasoning are also spice blends. 

     So, what should you have in your pantry?  All of the above...especially if you are just starting out.  Luckily most of these spices and packets can be purchased for less than a dollar and they last a long time if stored properly.  I try to go through my spices and herbs twice a year.  They lose their potency after a while, especially once they're open.  If you notice that the smell or color of your herbs is not as strong as it was when you first got it, then you may want to replace it.  Try not to purchase an herb rack with a lot of spices that you have never heard of before, you probably won't use them, and that is just a waste of your money. 

Do you have spices in your pantry that aren't on this list?  Please share!  We would love to hear your fresh ideas.

I hope that this was helpful!  Next week I'm going to talk about stocking up your fridge and freezer.

Blessings to All!

Kim

Feeding 6 People on Less than $100 a Week.

       

       Shopping for a small or large family can be a very daunting task, especially when you live on only one income.  As our family grew, it became very clear that I needed to be more careful, especially with our spending.   I have to admit that this wasn't easy for me.  I had to learn how to be frugal.  Everything that I do today came from years of research and practice. 
        When we were first married, we were very young, 21 and 22 to be exact.  My husband was successfully managing the front end of a grocery store and I was in college and working for a bank.  Neither of us made over $10/hour at the time and he was the only full time income that we had.  It was clear, right from the beginning of our marriage, that we needed spend carefully.  It was in those early years that I started shopping at Aldi.  I had heard about it from a friend of mine, and since neither of us were brand loyal, TJ and I decided to give it a try.  We were amazed by the prices!  We began shopping there and fell in love with many of their grocery items.  Although I was thrilled at the savings, I have to admit that I was young and impressionable.  People around us, who had never been in an Aldi before, had a lot of opinions about shopping there.  Some people are convinced that if the product doesn't have a name brand on it that it is inferior, or that by shopping at Aldi, I am exposing my family to food that is old and expired.  Well, I am standing here (shouting from the rooftops!) that neither of those assumptions is correct!  The food is delicious and affordable and the food is not expired or old.  No one should feel ashamed for providing their family with healthy food options because of where they shop! 
        Okay, now that I am off of my soap box, I can go on to explain what I really want to share with you...some tips on how to grocery shop on a really tight budget.  Last year around this time, I asked a friend to help me start this blog.  She was already blogging, pretty successfully, and I needed some advice.  When I explained that I could feed my family of 7 (my dad was living with us at the time) on $75 a week, she asked me to write some of my tips in an article that she would put on her blog.  Many of you probably came here using the link that she has on her blog, happydealhappyday.com.  For those of you who read that article, this post might seem a bit repetitive, but I promise, there may be additional information in this post that might be helpful  to you, so please keep reading!
     I am constantly asked how I can manage to buy groceries for our large family on just $75 a week, and I basically follow these guidelines every time I shop.  Let me be honest and let you know that I do not shop for organic foods, and if you are worried about eating organic, then you won't be able to fall below $75 per week.  It's okay...no judgment here.  If you want to buy organic than you should.  You may have to adjust your budget since organics typically cost a little more. 

So here are the top five tips I have for grocery shopping on less than $100 per week.  I hope that you find them helpful!

1.) Meal planning is essential.  I have an entire page on my blog dedicated to meal planning because it is so important to staying within a budget.  I try to plan at least 2 weeks worth of meals before I go to the grocery store and I usually plan for all three meals including two snacks daily for my kids.  I try to pay attention to details when I am creating my grocery list so that no ingredients are forgotten. Keeping the recipes handy is really helpful so that you can easily reference them when creating your list.  Check out my meal planning page for details on how you can start menu planning today!

2.) Be open-minded-  Growing up I was raised on generic brands and so making the switch was easy for me.  I know that some of you are very attached to your brands and that is perfectly okay, however, if you are trying to stay on a tight budget you may want to try a store brand, or better yet, try going to Aldi.  I find that almost every generic option on the market is delicious and has the same or similar ingredients to their name brand counterparts.  Check them out, you may be pleasantly surprised! 

3.)  Cooking from scratch-  okay...it's time to put your Betty Crocker apron on and trust me!  Cooking from scratch is not difficult, although it may seem so.  I love to cook, but I realize that not everyone is like me.  That's why I choose easy, delicious recipes to post.  Many of the recipes I make can be on the table in an hour or less and don't have any weird ingredients in them.  I find that I can make a full dinner for less than $1.00 per person when I am cooking from scratch. 

4.)  Spread out your meat purchases-  This is a great tip if you want to spend less money per week!  I look at the flyers and decide what I want to purchase based on what's on sale.  Then I spread my meat purchases out through the month.  I have a freezer so I always buy meat in bulk or in the Family Pack at Wegman's.  Usually I will purchase chicken during the first week of the month, ground beef the second week, pork on the third week, and miscellaneous meats during the last week.  Those might include a chuck roast, turkey breast, steak, or whatever is on sale.  By doing this, I am not spending more than half of my weekly budget on meat alone! 

5.)    Choose a from a variety of recipes and change it up!  Last year, our family went through a period of time when we were going through 4 boxes of cereal a week.  I realized pretty quickly that not only was this practice unhealthy, but it was terribly expensive!  Even shopping for generic brands, I was spending nearly $10 a week on cereal alone.  Then when you added milk into the equation it was even more!  Now, I look for healthy alternatives.  I make breakfast from scratch at least 4 times per week and the choices include my Banana Oatmeal bake, Oatmeal cups, cream of wheat, and pancakes.  In addition to breakfast, I also change up the snacks in our house.  I make my own trail mix, granola bars, and offer the kids several other healthy options.  By changing it up, we aren't caught up in any "must haves" so if there isn't room in the budget for something, I know that we can make do with other options. 


Long article, but hopefully it's full of great information that you can use to save money when grocery shopping! 

Do you have any money saving tips that you would like to share?  We would be so grateful for you to share them with us! 

Check out my meal planning and recipe pages for more information! 

Have a Blessed Day!


    

Back in the Swing of Things

 School has started and now we are in the full swing of back packs, lunch pails, and homework!  Since Labor day, this house has been had a whirlwind of activity, which I have to admit has been really exciting and fun!  We have four little ones in school as our youngest has started UPK this year, and so this Mama is trying to organize the house and de-clutter while the kiddos are out of the house, which hasn't left much time for my blog...but today I am back and I have some great stuff to talk about! 
    School can really knock you off of your rocker!  My kids have a strict schedule now that school is back in session and I am working tirelessly to keep them on track with homework, reading assignments, and of course their extra curricular activities.  Then, somehow in between all of that, I have to try to remember when they had their last bath (which is a task in and of itself!)  Crazy town is what has happened in our quiet house!  Now that the dust is settling a bit, I am really excited to get back to work! 
     As many of you know, I work very hard to meal plan, and usually I can plan a great menu in just a few minutes, but this week, with the weather going from cooler to hot, I struggled to figure out what I wanted to make.  So, essentially, I went grocery shopping with only a few meals in mind.  Thankfully, I have enough food in the pantry that I am able to put meals together without too much of an issue.  After my shopping trip, I thought about my pantry and decided this would be a great time to start a new weekly series!  So be on the look out for my Pantry Basics series!  These articles will be essential if you are just starting out on your meal planning journey.  I have to admit that it took me years to get my pantry to a place where I can pull easy meals out of it without much thought.  My hope and prayer for you is that, with these tips and strategies, it won't take you long to get on the road to a well stocked and  functional pantry. 
    Anyone with a cupboard can have a pantry so please don't be discouraged if you don't have a dedicated pantry.  To be honest, I only have two cupboards that I use to store food.  If your storage space is limited, that's okay! You can still have a functional pantry. 


 Getting Started! 
Getting started doesn't have to be expensive.  In fact, my biggest piece of advice in this project is to write a list of really quick, go to meals, that you or your family eat on a regular basis.  Out of those meals, write down the dry or canned ingredients.  For my family these meals include spaghetti, chicken and wild rice soup, and tacos.  My pantry is never without spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, angel hair pasta, wild rice, cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, taco shells, or taco seasoning (I make my own now and its amazing!)   

Step 1-
      If you need to start small, I recommend developing a list of 2-5 meals that you or the family eats all of the time.  I could give you a list of what I have in my pantry but if your family is vegetarian, then what I have in my pantry would be completely wrong for you.  So start there.  Once you have a list of meals in place, write down all of the dry or canned ingredients that you would need to make all of those meals.  What do I mean by dry ingredients? After all, cheese is dry right?  By dry ingredients, I am talking about all of the those that are not in a can or a bottle that do not require refrigeration.  For example, boxes of pasta would be a dry ingredient.  Other examples might be rice, seasoning packets, spices, flour, sugar, and cereal(s) like oatmeal. 
     The next step is to write down all of the canned or bottled items you may need to make those recipes.  In my pantry those items would be any canned tomato product, chicken broth (I make my own but I always keep canned chicken broth on hand too), chili beans, and cream of mushroom soup (I am working my way to making it from scratch, I'll keep you posted!) 

     To keep up with my pantry, I always purchase at least one of each of the items above when I go to the grocery store.  It's just part of my weekly budget and since I don't want to appear on the next episode of "Hoarders" I always do a spot check of my pantry when I am meal planning.  If I have a ton of chili beans in my pantry, I know that I should make chili sometime during that week.  The spot check also lets me know what items I need to "stock" up on.  For example, this week, I used several cans of cream of mushroom soup.  I like to have at least 4 on hand per week, which means I keep 8 on hand because I shop every two weeks, and since I only have 4 left, I put four cans on my shopping list.  I may not even use them, but if I need to drop a quick casserole in the oven this week, I know that I have them to fall back on. 

Now that you have determined what should be in your pantry you need to decide how many of those items you need to keep on hand based on your shopping schedule.  If you shop weekly, then you may only need to keep 1-2 like items in your pantry at a time (this saves space for those of you who don't have much).  If you like to shop bi-weekly or monthly, then you will need to have more.  Determining how much of an item you need on hand can be done with trial and error.  I would recommend a three month trial period to start.  If you never used that can of spaghetti sauce, then you should only have to keep one on hand, but if you purchased 5-10 of any one item during the trial period, then you know that you should keep at least 8 on hand in the pantry.  Make sense?  If not, that's okay!  It's early and I am multitasking, LOL.  If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask! 

Do you have a well stocked pantry and have an idea to share?  We would love to hear it!  What do you keep in your pantry?

***Stay tuned!  Next week: Spices and Seasoning Packets.  What to keep, what to get rid of, and how long they stay fresh in the pantry.***

Check me out on Pinterest!  My Mama's Cheap!  Even if I am not posting on here every day, I'm pinning stuff daily!  Check out some of the recipes that I'm pinning and let us know how they worked out for you and your family! 

Ranch Pork Roast and Homemade Corn Bread Muffins

Oh my word!  Let me just tell you that yesterday was my first real Sunday dinner in FOREVER!  We had my sister and her family over and well, I meant to take pictures of this fabulous meal, but alas...I got caught up in my beautiful little niece and so I didn't get a chance to take any pictures (enter sad face here!)  But oh!  The goodness!  So good, in fact, that we ate it all!  Every last bite of the 2 1/2 pound pork roast was eaten!  This meal is definitely going to go on the rotation. 

Thankfully, I have pictures of the corn bread...oh the cornbread...so moist and flavorful!  I know your mouth is watering as I am describing these little yellow pillows of goodness!  When the butter melted, and we ate these little beauties, they were so soft and sweet.  They were an absolutely perfect compliment to the pork roast! 

I have to tell you that I did alter what I was supposed to serve yesterday, just slightly.  I made a beautiful apple pie for dessert and so I omitted the applesauce from the menu and added broccoli. (Some of my guests were not thrilled by eating glazed carrots, which by the way, were gobbled up!)  I basically had a few mashed potatoes left when the entire meal was complete. 

So, here is a rundown for you so that you have a complete picture of how it all played out...
There were 10 people eating this beautiful Sunday dinner, four adults and six children.  All of my kids ate their carrots, mashed potatoes and broccoli.  Two of my kids decided that they liked the pork, but they didn't want to eat their entire portion and the other two ate all of it.  My six year old niece ate her entire dinner (but only ate the carrots to be polite) and my one year old niece ate the cornbread (I remember those days well!) 

So, how much did it cost me to feed 10 people this delightful dinner? 

Pork Roast ($2.49/lb.) $6.22
Creamed soups for recipe $1.58 + the ranch packet $0.49
Potatoes ($2.99/ 10 lb.) 2 lb. @ $0.58 plus milk and butter $0.40 for a total of $0.98
Baby Carrots $0.69/ bag
Steamed Broccoli $1.19/ bag
Cornbread Muffins (from scratch) approximately $1.25 for 15 muffins
Apple Pie (also from scratch) $2.99 for the apples and then crust is approximately $1.25 for a total of $3.24

Overall cost for the entire meal was $15.64.  What!  Is that true?  Did I make a beautiful meal with dessert for just $1.56 per person?  I think I did!  How amazing is that? 

Below is the recipe for the pork...next time I will take pictures, I promise!  You will want to add this to your monthly menu (and if your family is smaller, there should definitely be leftovers!)

Ranch Pork Roast (in the crock pot)

1 2-2 1/2 lb. boneless pork loin roast (or boneless chops)
1 pkg. ranch salad dressing mix (dry)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
A splash of water or chicken broth to thin out the sauce.

Place the pork roast in the bottom of a 5-6 qt. crock pot.  Combine the soups, salad dressing, and water.  Pour over the top.  Turn to low and cook for 6-8 hours. (mine cooked for 7 hours and was perfect!)  If you can, turn the roast over half way through cooking.  (No biggie if you have to work and you can't do this step.) 

***This is a salty recipe so you don't need to salt the meat at all before cooking, but I would definitely add pepper to taste***

Yummy Cornbread Muffins-
I have been making cornbread from scratch for years...it is cheaper and tastier than the little blue boxes that they sell in the store.  When my sister saw me making them from scratch she said that she doesn't make cornbread (who knows why...she likes it) and added that if she did, she would just buy the little boxes.  I made a comment about preservatives that she didn't like that much, but that is how I see it these days...anyhow...my point is that during dinner, her husband made the comment that she needed this cornbread recipe! 

1. Line 2 (12 cup) muffin pans with 15 paper cups.
2. Preheat oven to 400

Ingredients-
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
4 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup milk

Directions-
1.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. (I really do dump all of the ingredients in at once and then mix with a whisk.)  Mix well until all ingredients are combined and the batter is thick and smooth. 

2.  Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill all of the muffin cups 3/4 of the way.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until the muffins have a slightly golden edge.  Serve warm. 

My kids love these the next day with a little bit of jam on them! 

Yummy! 

I know, now you have to go and get the ingredients for this fabulous meal and make it for yourself, I promise you won't be sorry! 

Blessings to All!