Jun 3, 2013 |
It’s been a few months since I’ve written a Meal Plan post. Based on the success of my recent monthly WinCo trips, I’ve had enough foods in the freezer and pantry to not have to buy too much. So I’ve been winging it; making what I can find. Occasionally, I’ve put together some meals like this hearty chicken and pasta dinner.
Chicken & Pasta
I always keep frozen salmon filets in the freezer. Last month, I bought a 5 lb. bag of chicken breasts (admittedly not from WinCo). Sure, it cost nearly $17, but with 20 breasts, that’s less than $1/piece.
So my Plan for June is to eat more chicken. I don’t have an entire month of menus planned out. But I have my Aroma Rice Cooker. And I have a plan.
Again with the savings I find at WinCo, I’ll supplement what I already have and make some wonderful meals. My goal is to make some scrumptious dishes without having to cook too much in the summer heat. Some of the meals I’ll make more than once because they’re easy and delicious.
Not only do I want to save money, I want to eat better. My eczema has been rapidly improving as I now have prescription-strength ointment and have been eating less fast foods which, I’ve discovered, can significantly induce a flare up. So, for the health of my body and my wallet, June will be a Home-Cooked Meal Month.
Here’s my tentative meal plan (each meal is followed by how many days we can eat from one preparation by how many times I’ll make it for a total amount of dinner days):
- Chicken and Pasta (as pictured above), 2 x 2 = 4
- Steamed Chicken and Rice, 1 x 4 = 4
- Slow Cooker Chicken & Kraut, 3 x 2 = 6
- Steamed Salmon and Rice, 1 x 4 = 4
- Spaghetti with sauce and garlic toast, 2 x 2 = 4
- Baked Frittata (usually a weekend meal for brunch as well), 2 x 2 = 4
That leaves four days with no menu plan. We like to keep a few “open” days on the calendar. We’ll eat at least twice at my Mom’s house, or order a pizza on Pay Day, or just not feel like eating. I know, pizza. But it’s not regular fast food. And if I only eat it once a month, I should be okay…
With this great plan, I already have the main components. My grocery list is just the sauerkraut, cream of chicken soups, and frittata ingredients. I’ll include a cheap dessert like Jell-O and Cool Whip, pudding, or a few of Dot’s favorite cookies. We always keep ice cream in the freezer; especially in the summer.
It’s my goal to spend less than $100 this month, including the cat food, litter, and household needs. At a regular grocery store this would be nearly impossible. But, as I so often like to say, “WinCo Wins!”
*Cheater Meal: We did treat ourselves to Red Robin yesterday since I won a gift card from work.
Ava-Cobb-O Salad at Red Robin
Note, I ate the A-va-Cobb-O and Chicken salad.
So, as I also like to say, “Happy Eating!”
What’s on your plate?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
WinCo Wins
WinCo Wins: Lunch for a Dollar!
My Bento Box: Part I
How To Eat For Free And Have Fun Doing It (Or, How Printing Coupons Gave Me a Really Great Weekend!)
My February Meal Plan
Mar 17, 2013 |
My birthday is coming up soon. Tuesday to be exact. You’re wishing me a Happy Birthday right now, aren’t you? Sure you are, I can tell. Thank you!
It’s off to a great start. And I’m going to share some of my secrets to a successful birthday with you. How do you like them apples?
How Do You Like Them Apples?!
Let’s face it: Birthday is a bit of a misnomer. What we all really like is a Birthmonth. Am I right? Y’all don’t wake up on midnight of your special day and say, “Wow. Today’s my birthday.” And then 24 hours later think, “I did not see that coming.” Not at all. If you’re an inkling at all like me or my daughter, you start thinking about it a wee bit in advance.
There’s some planning involved. Some surprises. Mostly, just some great go-with-the-flow adventuring.
It starts with a small time investment and some printer ink. Visit your favorite restaurant sites online and see if they have any eClub offers. Many will give you either a completely free or free-with-purchase coupon just for signing up. You might also get a second coupon to be used during the month of your birthday. Just a few of my favorites are Del Taco, Carino’s and Panera Bread.
On Friday, Dot visited me at work during lunch time. We went to the local Del Taco and got two free chicken soft tacos. I have a second coupon to use next week, good for one free premium shake. No purchase necessary on either coupon. I did, however, indulge in a small fries. $1.72 is a nice price for lunch, don’tcha think?
Saturday morning we woke up early. I had a $5 reward certificate from Best Buy that expires in three days. Lucky for me, they have a good selection of cheap CDs. Unlucky for me, they were one penny short of what I needed to spend in order to use the certificate. So I had to add to my purchase. What on earth does This Girl find at Best Buy? A pack of pens, of course! Oh, darn. (You can hear the sarcasm, right? Okay. Just checking.)
Then we crossed the street to enjoy a behind-the-scenes Grand Opening of our new Macy’s store. Trust me, we need this store here in the desert. Just the right touch of snobbery to get people out of their jeans and flip-flops. Yeah. This is a good thing. A better thing? Coupons! Macy’s doesn’t open to the public until Wednesday, but many charity organizations in the area sold $5 tickets. All proceeds were kept by the charities. A ticket was three-part: The first got you in the door, the second got you an entry for a $500 gift card drawing (No. We didn’t win. But thank you for asking.), and the last got you discounts at checkout.
For the regular price of one piece of clothing, I picked up a nice blouse for myself, and two tops for Dot.
Dot’s Tops
It’s like my top paid for itself. Happy Birthday to Me. Guess what I’m wearing on Tuesday!
The crowds were excessive, of course, and standing in line was nearly like doing so on Black Friday. But we managed. We also built up an appetite so I took Mutti and Dot to Carino’s where I had a St. Patrick’s Weekend coupon: wear green and get a free pizza.
Pizza for St. Patrick
They start each table with free bread and dipping oil. We ordered a plate of fried Mozzarella and beverages. They even threw in a free chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert!
Warm Chocolate Cake. Cold Vanilla Ice Cream. ‘Nuff said.
Are they awesome or what? It was so much food, we took some home. Not bad for $25, including tip.
Then we decided a movie was the ticket! Dot treated us to LINCOLN at the dollar theater. We were so stuffed from lunch that it didn’t even cross our mind to get popcorn or a soda. But if it had, we belong to the theater’s Rewards club so every time we go, we get free snacks with purchase.
After the movies, I decided since we were so close, I needed to use my Staples certificates. Do you have a Staples office supply store near you? Did you know they pay you for turning in your empty ink cartridges and buying product at their store? It’s awesome. I tend to save up my cartridges and turn them in only once or twice a year so I get all my rewards at once instead of little by little. For Saturday’s indulgence, I used my certificate to buy a colorful insulated lunch tote. I treated myself to an insulated tumbler. Less than $8.00. I’m okay with the cost. It’ll last. And who doesn’t love drinking out of a fun cup?
By this time, it had been about four hours since we last ate. Panera Bread was calling our name. Let me check… yup. There’s a coupon for that. Just for signing up, I got a free pastry. Pastry? More like a meal! I’m not selfish. I bought Dot a blueberry bagel. Mom wanted to get her own, so I let her. We both spent just over $2.00.
Cinnamon Roll from Panera Bread
But what’s a pastry without a drink? Oh, look! Just down the street is a Juice It Up! and I happen to have a BOGO. That’s “Buy-One-Get-One” in Couponeze. These are a little pricey, but so worth it. $5.49 gave Dot her large Seabreeze Squeeze and I picked up a free Pineapple Punch.
Juice It Up! BOGO
Then we went home to enjoy our day’s spoils and watch Celtic Thunder on DVD. Hey, it’s a weekend full o’ the Irish, y’know? And seriously. Who doesn’t love some mighty fine singing (I’m also partial to the good looking men in suits…. Oh, Man Store, please deliver!).
That ends the day, but not the celebration! In my bag, I still have coupons for free, no-strings-attached:
- Rooty Tooty Fresh n’ Fruity Breakfasts from IHOP (two coupons: one for joining, one for the month of my birthday).
- One free burger (up to $10 value) from Red Robin. [Shout out to Penny for telling me about this!]
- Two free desserts from Carrow’s. One for joining, one for my birthday.
I’ve had a Starbuck’s Gold Rewards for a few years (this doesn’t surprise you, does it?). On my birthday, I’ll get a free drink. Any drink or food item. Now that’s golden!
I’ve also heard that I just need to show my ID at Jack in the Box for a free Chocolate Cake or New York Style Cheesecake. The tough part will be deciding which one to choose.
Aside from all this great food, I’m especially excited to be a member of OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware). I actually love to spend my lunches there (that’s another post altogether). They gifted me a $5 certificate for my birthday, and $10 off any $30 purchase for taking a short survey. That’s going to be $35 worth of gardening beauty for only $20. I’m thinking a windchime and a birdhouse. Or a tree to transplant. Or a few potted herbs. Or flowers. Or cacti. Or a yard flag. Or… whatever else I can find for that amount.
I love these coupons not just for saving money. Let’s face it, y’all know I’m not the richest woman on the block. So saving money goes without saying. But I also love these coupons for two more reasons. The first is, they give me the opportunity to spend quality time with my family. We couldn’t have afforded a $40 pizza lunch. But $20 plus tip? Not a problem. And I’m not going to eat a Rooty Tooty alone. Nope. I can share the bill with Dot and Mutti on that. A simple breakfast for each of us. A cup of coffee. Nothing fancy. But definitely fulfilling. And OSH? That’s the second reason I love coupons. They offer possibility. Promise. Planning. All of the above.
If couponing makes me look like someone who’s counting her pennies… Well, guess what. I’m all in.
Pre-Birthday Spoils
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Clipping Coupons
Clipping Coupons, Part II
Jan 28, 2013 |
On the heels of a somewhat-successful January Meal Plan, I’m keeping with the motion and starting to plot out my Meal Plan for next month.
This one will be different. I don’t have a $100 gift card to shop at WinCo. But because I was unable to keep to January’s plan in its entirety, I still have plenty of food in my pantry and freezer.
*Here’s where I give a HUGE shout-out to my Mom who’s let us eat much of her food because, well, we’re pretty much living with her until the new furnace unit is installed. And let’s face it… I’m not keen on staying in a cold house even with the cat wrapped around my head at night.
Pillow Thief
For starters, I have a list of meals to make, but I’m not putting them on a schedule. Considering the difficulties in the last two weeks, it’s easier sometimes to have a selection available without an actual Plan.
With that in mind, my February Meals planned consist, so far, of the following:
Ratatouille
- Slow Cooker Ratatouille, 3 days
Veggie Pizza
- Ratatouille Pizza, 2 days
Ratatouille Frittata
- Ratatouille Frittata, 2 days
Bowl of Chili
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili, 3 days
- Texas Hash, 4 days
That takes care of half the month.
I always keep frozen chicken and salmon filets. I have three favorite ways cooking each of these: citrus baked, breaded, and blackened. That’s six different meals right there, and if only half offer leftovers, that’s three more meals.
There’s a happy chance we’ll be eating at Mom’s at least twice a week. Okay, more than a chance. We get together even if it’s just for toast and peanut butter. So there’s that.
There’s still plenty for lunches and breakfasts, too. The only foods I should have to buy in February are milk, eggs, and cat food for the fur-family. Which, if you ask me, is a really great savings!
And that is my UnPlanned February Meal Plan.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Help me to reach my funding goal before February 1st!
Just click on the photo below and click “BACK THIS PROJECT” to pre-order YOUR copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, Second Edition!
Jan 27, 2013 |
I write this with a downcast keyboard.
I have failed my January Meal Plan. I cheated. I strayed. And I failed.
But not completely. And, looking at making lemonade out of these lemons… now I have that much more in my freezer to get us through the month of February. So, you know… there’s that.
Fresh!
In a nutshell, my Meal Plan was waylaid by a broken furnace, leftovers at Mom’s, and a funeral. With all of these happenings I had little need to keep up with my Meal Plan.
Twice more I found myself at a local drive-thru, but I made better choices than I used to. For instance, instead of a full meal, I ordered the cheaper cheeseburger and instead of a soda I took an iced tea or smoothie. I needed something warm to offset the chill in the air.
I did make my Slow Cooker Turkey Chili on the 16th and that’s held us for a few days. There’s even some left, still, for February’s freezer selection.
Bowl of Chili
In the midst of a colder house and little motivation, we opted for the ease of one of our “extra” meals. My favorite stand-by, La Choy Chow Mein.
January Extras
And a few days later on the 22nd, I brought home a treat: a DiGiorno’s self-rising frozen pizza. Hey. It was the last episode of my beloved FLASHPOINT. I needed something special for the occasion. I also came home that evening to a very sick Dot.
What with the cold house (again) and the inclement weather and the back-and-forth of staying intermittently at Mom’s house… my poor Dot ended up with a virus. The good news is that while she was down for the count, it was a short count. 24 hours later she was ready for the world again.
A new furnace has been ordered, which conversely adds to my stress level because… well, did you know furnace units are expensive? Like I wasn’t having enough problems with the budget… At least I’ll be warm in my worries. But because in SoCal, furnace units either go on the roof or on the side of the house it can’t be installed until the current round of winter rains stop. Which should be in another 2 or 3 days.
In the meantime, have I mentioned how I love living so close to my Mom? Yup. We’ve invaded her home, her kitchen, her life.
She has the most amazing tea shelf. Today’s all about the chamomile.
Cozy Chamomile
So if you’ll excuse me now… I have some popcorn to eat and a movie to watch. Oh, and some new recipes to write.
Possible 2nd Edition Additions
Happy Eating!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Help me to reach my funding goal before February 1st!
Just click on the photo below and click “BACK THIS PROJECT” to pre-order YOUR copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, Second Edition!
Jan 16, 2013 |
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
I love chili. I especially love chili when I can just put it in the Slow Cooker and come home to a wonderfully aromatic kitchen. Sometimes, I prefer overnight cooking. Talk about your sweet dreams! Let’s face it, a Cooking Girl’s favorite perfume is onion, right?
My Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is an extremely easy, inexpensive combination of meat, canned goods and a chopped onion. It’s also one of my favorite recipes, and the reason I included it in The Unemployment Cookbook.
For less than $10, this fills my 4-quart Slow Cooker and offers up bowlful after bowlful of hearty, hot, and healthy eating.
Bowlful of Goodness
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lbs. ground turkey
- 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 can white or Great Northern beans, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1 can kidney or chili beans, with liquid
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 can crushed or diced tomatoes, with puree
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- Seasonings (1/2 TBS chili powder, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp paprika, salt and pepper to taste)
DIRECTIONS:
- Put 2 lbs of ground turkey in the bottom of the Slow Cooker. Break apart.
- Separately, mix together the canned goods and chopped onion.
- Separately, mix together the seasonings.
- Add 1/2 seasonings mix to the canned goods mixture.
- Top ground beef with canned goods mixture.
- Top with remaining seasonings.
- Cook on low for 6 – 8 hours, or on high for 3 hours.
The best part is that you can change this recipe anyway your taste buds want. For a meatier dish, change the kidney beans to a can of chili with beans and meat. Or add diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic and onion. Through in a packet of taco seasoning mix. Omit the corn or replace with a can of mixed veggies.
However you like your chili, let the Slow Cooker do the cooking for you. You’ll have more time with your family, your favorite book, or just your favorite chair.
As always… Happy Eating!
Bowl of Chili
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Help me to reach my funding goal before February 1st!
Just click on the photo below and click “BACK THIS PROJECT” to pre-order YOUR copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, Second Edition!
