Welcome back... let's save money.

 I feel like I am so in and out with this blog. I find times where life is less busy and get really excited to write, but then everything rushes in! I am currently still on winter break and therefore in that "less busy" space. (However, the bag of school work, the heap of laundry, and the disorganized closets and pantry beg to differ!)

I always enter the new year with grand plans to eat better, spend less, be healthy... and as with this blog, it falls by the wayside once live gets busy. Its easy to buy "healthy" convenience foods (pre-packaged salad bows, frozen meals, and yes - the occasional school lunch) but they add so much to the grocery bill. I KNOW what I am supposed to eat, I'm not picky (minus artichoke leaves) but I have some family members who are - so I have cookbooks with great sounding recipes, but I have to tweak them or skip them all together due to certain foods. There's also the fact that I plan for one to two weeks at a time, get busy, and don't cook all of the meals. Cans and boxes sit languishing in the pantry, frozen foods sit to get frostbitten, and the fresh veggies get tossed. Such a waste of money and food!

Our household of 5 is now down to 4, with one only eating dinner twice a week- yet I feel like our grocery bill keeps going up, up, up! I will admit that I only know this because the money man tells me so. I will ALSO admit that I am terrible at budgeting, but I am AMAZING at spending. It's a gift! We know our talents in this house and my husband is great at math and money, so he is usually the budget guy. However, I have discovered I CAN actually sit down and look at prices. I CAN plan better to use all of the food we have before we buy more. I CAN be sure the meals we eat are healthy.

So this is my current ADHD hyper-fixation. I spent a few hours planning four weeks last night. I looked at prices, I found unit costs, I looked at left overs and portions. I have our groceries for January (1st-28th) down to about $375. We have an additional cost for the first week due to a taco bar tonight for our New Year's Eve get together - I didn't add that in to the January costs. These amounts also don't include personal care and cleaning items, just food!

The taco bar planning.

I bought a regular notebook from Dollar General. I thought out the taco bar for tonight and later wrote in the cost so I could calculate the actual total of January 1st-7th. The taco bar totaled $35.67 (I didn't add in tax, so that is just stuck on that first week.)

Our first week of January is a total of $110.42. Our usual go-to meals when we are trying to be healthier and cut costs use chicken, turkey, or pork for meats; beans, rice, or whole grain noodles; and veggies (anywhere from canned carrots, to steamed squash, to salads.) I tried to think around those items, but add in some new recipes I have found. I also try to keep a meal meatless each week.

Keep in mind that my meal planning is usually just dinners. I do buy some things for breakfast, but I eat lunch so early at school that I don't usually eat breakfast, I will often have a small snack later in the day when I get home if I am hungry. I have never been a real big early eater. Christopher is home for lunch so he usually hits up left overs or finds something, same with Haley. I pack simple things for school for the two of us that go! Usually a home made "Lunchable" or a PBJ for the kiddo and left overs or such for me. I am the worst when it comes to lunch.

January 1st-7th, 2023

If you feel like reading my chicken scratch...

Sunday: Did I grow up in a western Pennsylvania? Yes, therefore dinner will be pork, sauerkraut, green beans, and mashed potatoes. We aren't a black eyed peas and greens family. This pack comes with two loins, I am going to save the second one for next week!

Monday: Leftovers (of anything... tacos, pork, whatever you can find people. I used to call these "LO / OYO" leftovers and on your own!)

Tuesday: Boneless chicken wings (aka chicken nuggets), potato wedges, celery & carrots. This is adapted from the Instant Loss on a Budget cookbook

Wednesday: You'll notice it says "BTS" here. That's my first day back at school. I always try to note things that may interfere with the usual flow of the week. We are having spaghetti (whole wheat) and meatballs. I am going to make my home made sauce (super easy, tomato puree, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, spices) and I am using frozen meatballs since this is a busy day. We will also have salad and garlic bread.

Thursday: I have clubs on Thursday and Friday after school so I try to plan easy things here. We are dong leftover spaghetti.

Friday: Bean tacos. These are an invention of mine, ridiculously easy and cheap. The idea came to me when my daughters' grandma (my husband's ex wife's mother, who lived with us for a year) told me about her time growing up in Mexico. This is my take on some simple, but filling, foods that she ate. I cook dry pinto beans in the instant pot (1 lb beans, 5 cups of water, better than bullion to taste, 45 min and natural pressure release,) I heat some corn tortillas on the stove, and I crumble some queso fresco. Combine these together for a meal that most of my family loves! There's usually plenty left for lunches or another meal!

Saturday: Chicken Noodle Soup. Probably the bane of my daughters' existence. When I first discovered I could cook I would make a TON of soup. Well, I still do. I cannot cook small amounts of soup, I just don't know how. I boil a whole chicken to make the stock, I add in veggies (what ever I am feeling that day) and then add noodles. I am going to make my family happy by making the viral "Two Ingredient Rolls" which my family has dubbed "Zing Rolls" because of my "2 Ing" shorthand.  I am going to make extra dough to create some bagels for breakfasts the next week. This soup will be eaten on Sunday as left overs and for lunch the next week.

I added in some fruit for the week, a few things for school lunches (I am making an instant pot vegetarian chili for myself and the "Lunchables" for the kiddo,) and I got some fries for Christopher because there's a bunch of broth left from when we made dinner for Christmas (because I can't calculate things!!) and he's going to make poutine for his and Haley's lunches.

When I plan out my meals I try to think of what I already have (I did download the Out of Milk app to try to keep track of what's in my pantry) and what I feel like eating. Again, I get BORED. I have to have variety! I write down the meals and then list out what items I need. As I write them down I added a check to remind myself to check and see if I have that item, these are things I am pretty sure we have. Then I go and "shop" my pantry and fridge to see if I was correct and look for other things that I may have missed. Finally I do my shopping with Walmart pickup. Until the Aldi came, this was usually the cheapest option. It's definitely the easiest for us. Sometimes I need to hit up the Publix for things that Walmart didn't have.

The total for this week was $110.42.

Turkey Swedish Meatballs & Home Made Tortillas/Enchiladas!

     I have been away for a while - and while I do promise to get the Alfredo sauce recipe as well as my meatballs, I have others that I want to share more!

     First are the turkey Swedish meatballs from the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy cookbook. It is a recipe I got from a friend and LOVE!

South Beach Diet - Turkey Swedish Meatballs

Makes 4 servings, 180 calories each
Points Plus Values: 5

Ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup lower-sodium chicken broth *
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream *
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

* at times I have added MORE of this to make more sauce for the meatballs - adjust your PPV accordingly!

I serve this with rice, quinoa and have also used no-yolk egg noodles. I prefer rice!

Finished meatballs, served with spinach!

1. Mix together salt, allspice, and pepper.

2. Add the turkey and mix in the spices - DO NOT OVER MIX! Shape into 1 inch balls - you can make 24, unless you're like me and as you go, they get bigger and bigger!

3. Heat (HEALTHY! Woo Hoo) oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned.

4. Lower heat to medium and cook 3 more minutes, gently shaking pan (this is pretty fun...). Using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a plate.

5. Add broth to the same skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in sour cream and cook 1 minute more. Add meatballs. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Recipe from The South Beach Diet® Quick & Easy Cookbook

Next, is the home made tortilla recipe and enchilada sauce. I do not have PPV or calories for these, but they're MIGHTLY tasty! Making tortillas was a lot easier than I thought!

Tortillas - From All Recipes

Makes 10-12 medium sized tortillas

Ingredients:

3 c All Purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Salt

3/4 c Shortening

3/4 c really hot water (not boiling - but as hot as your can handle it)

1. Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening until crumbly. Add more shortening if needed.

2. Add enough water to make the dough moist.

3. Knead and add more flour if needed.

4. Let the dough sit for at least a half hour. 

5. Create 10-12 balls (combine for a larger tortilla, I combined two in order to make the enchiladas.) Roll the ball on a floured surface until 1/8 inch thick.

6. In a hot cast iron skillet, cook 1-2 minutes or until not doughy. (be sure to flip!)

Ten Minute Enchilada Sauce  from All Recipes

This is MUCH better than store bought! My husband has an aversion to vinegar and since this recipe doesn't use vinegar, he loves it!

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 c vegetable oil

2 tbsp self rising flour

1/4 c chili powder

1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce

1/4 tsp ground cumin (I never realized this was the spice that made things taste "Mexican"!)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion salt

salt to taste

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.

2. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium and cook until lightly brown (this smells great!) stir constantly to avoid burning.

3. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder and onion salt, into the flour and chili powder until smooth.

4. Continue cooking until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

To make my enchiladas:

I took a tortilla and covered both sides with sauce, then placed it in the cast iron skillet and browned each side. I placed chicken in the tortilla with some sauce then folded it over the best I could. I placed the tortilla seam down in a baking dish (sprayed with non-stick spray.) After the dish was full, I topped the whole thing with shredded cheese, covered with foil and placed in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes. We ate this with rice, mexicorn and some sour cream!

Tonite we are having enchiladas again, only with beef! I'm hoping they're going to be fantastic!

Happy eating!

Two-For-One Deal!

     At this time of year, who doesn't love a two-for-one deal? Ha! Well, you're getting one because I was too lazy to post one yesterday (and the power cord of my laptop is temperamental and has chosen not to work for the past few days.) 

     The two recipes tonight are Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole and Weekday Lasagna, both received a thumbs up by my test audience (however, I had to give Christopher the casserole without the broccoli!)

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole - Slow CookerFrom the Fix It And Forget It Big Cookbook - by Phyllis Pellman Good

Makes 8 servings, 200 calories each
Points Plus Values: 4

Ingredients:

1 c long-grain rice, uncooked

3 c water

2 tsp. low sodium chicken bullion granules 

10 3/4 oz can fat-free, low sodium cream of chicken soup
2 c chopped, cooked chicken breast

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion salt

1 c shredded, fat-free cheddar cheese

16 oz bag of frozen broccoli, thawed

I boiled my chicken with garlic and parsley for extra flavor.

1. Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, except the broccoli.

2. One hour before end of cooking time, stir in the broccoli.

3. Cook on high for a total of 3-4 hours, or on low for a total of 6-7 hours.

Tip: If the casserole is too runny as the end of cooking time nears, remove lid from slow cooker for 15 minutes while continuing to cook on high.

Leftovers!

Weekday Lasagna - From the Comfort Food Diet Cookbook
Makes 9 servings, 280 calories each
Points Plus Values: 7

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (I just added onion powder, family not a big fan of onions!)

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 3/4 c water (I forgot to add this, it was perfect without...)

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix *

1 egg, beaten

2 c fat free cottage cheese

2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

* Spaghetti Sauce Mix: I could NOT find this in the store. My mom and I decided that it was probably a mix of spices for sauce, so we figured regular spaghetti sauce spices would be cool, I used:

Oregano, Parsley, Basil, Onion Salt, Garlic Powder

I just added to taste, and I would have used onion powder if I hadn't run out!

     In a large sauce pan, cook the beef and onion over medium  heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water (remember, I forgot this!), tomato paste and spaghetti sauce mix.Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Cheese mixture

meat sauce

     In a small bowl, combine the egg, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups of the meat sauce on the bottom. Layer with three noodles (I thought this was a small amount, but it works!) half of the cottage cheese mixture and half of the meat sauce. Repeat layers.

Almost done with layers!

Ready to go!

     Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Delicious dinner for TWO nights!

I served this with a salad (getting in my 2 tsp of healthy oil!) and a piece of regular wheat bread with butter and garlic powder, toasted in the toaster oven! Yum!

     I hope you all like these recipes, they have been great here at home! 

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

Okay, this is one of my favorite go-to meals. It cooks quick (especially if you don't have to defrost the chicken!) and it is incredibly tasty! Believe me, I worked 10 hours today, got home around 6pm and we are done and the kids are cleaning up now at 7, this meal is quick, and PLUS, you probably have most of the ingredients at home!

A note on chicken: frozen chicken breasts are HUGE! They are more than a good portion of chicken. I will cook two regular breasts and half them before serving, or my favorite option - I buy the bag of frozen chicken breast tenderloins! The family doesn't seem to notice a difference. We all are getting a more reasonable portion and its much easier when you just need a small amount!

Honey Chicken Stir Fry (from Taste of Home, Comfort Food Diet)
Makes 4 servings
1 c. stir fry mixture without rice = 243 calories
Points Plus Values: 6


Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 garlic clove, minced (we buy the "jar o' garlic" at Target, it keeps well in the fridge and is much quicker!)
3 tsp olive oil, divided
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/8 tsp salt (I just shake it in!)
1/8 tsp pepper (same)
1 package (16 oz) frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend (I have used other blends, this may change PPV)
2 tsp corn starch
1 tbsp cold water

Serve over hot cooked rice.

In a large, non stick skillet, stir fry chicken and garlic in 2 tsp oil.

I warm the garlic and oil first.

Cook the chicken until juices run clear!

Add honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is lightly browned. Remove and keep warm.

In the same pan, stir fry the vegetables in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until tender.

Return chicken to the pan and stir to coat. Combine corn starch and water until smooth, gradually stir into chicken mixture.

Bring to a boil, cook and stir (yes, Ive said stir a million times, but it IS STIR fry!) for one minute or until thickened. If you like a thicker sauce, add more corn starch and water mixture, but only a little and wait to see results - the mix needs to boil or get pretty hot before you notice a change! However, depending on the "ice" on your veggies, the sauce may be watery.

YUM! Serve over rice or quinoa! I have used both and both taste great!

I hope you enjoy the stir fry!