Jan 12, 2013 |
This wonderfully simple recipe is salty, crunchy, meaty, and filling.
My Mom’s recipe calls for tuna but since Dot prefers chicken.
Add a dash of salt and pepper when it’s ready… there’s nothing like it!
Potato Chip Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
1 bag (12 oz.) potato chips, crushed
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can Cream of Chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 soup can of milk
1 can (12 oz.) chicken or tuna
Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
It’s that simple, and even more delicious!
~Happy Eating!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
[Like this recipe? Want more like it?
Pre-order your copy of The Unemployment Cookbook here.]
Jan 6, 2013 |
I admit, when I wrote my Meal Plan post, no matter how intensely I want to prove the worth of The Unemployment Cookbook, a tiny part of me thought I’d cave and order a pizza or grab a hamburger for lunch within the first week.
It’s not that I want to deceive anyone. But I like fast food. It doesn’t always agree with me, and I’ve learned to order without onions or special sauce when I need to. Yet now and then, I really enjoy my flame-broiled red meat. And if I found a few extra dollars in my wallet, I’m more likely to enjoy a Starbucks than buy a bag of vegetables.
I’m happy to say, six days into the New Year and new eating plan, I’ve stuck to it. It’s so much more than just satisfying. It’s like acing a test after a year of just homework. Not only have I loved cooking and baking this week. I’ve also enjoyed sharing my savings and recipes with others.
Imagine my surprise on New Year’s Eve when I received a tweet from WinCo Foods: they stumbled across the link to my WinCo Wins post, and thanked me. They thanked me.
I took the nudge and posted the link on their Facebook page. It took just 15 minutes for them to respond by asking if they could share my savings tips with everyone. They actually said, “Would you mind…” As if I could possibly say “no”…
So now, I’m not only accountable to my family for my cooking. I’m accountable to you, my wonderful Blog readers. And WinCo followers. And, yes, to the Cookbook itself.
In keeping with my Plan, I came home on New Year’s Day and put a double batch of Ratatouille in the Slow Cooker.
In the Slow Cooker
It filled the Slow Cooker. So much, that the lid wouldn’t sit flat for the first 20 minutes. But, oh, what a delicious smell! When it was ready, I had the first bowlful.
The aromas, the steam, the flavors… I wish there was internet magic that could let you indulge in this wonderful dish.
Ratatouille
I immediately put half into my freezer for later this month. Then I took half of what was left and put that portion in the fridge. The remainder is what we had for dinner January 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. There was still two servings left! I put those in the freezer for February.
Friday night I topped a frozen pizza crust with a little spaghetti sauce, half of the refrigerated Ratatouille, and the 4-blend shredded cheese.
Veggie Pizza
How hearty and delicious is this?!
The Meal Plan called for us to have Baked Frittata on Saturday morning, that would also provide leftovers for dinner.
Unfortunately, my furnace broke down for the second time since Christmas and I had trouble learning to work the new thermostat. It’s incredibly easy. That was my problem. I’m so used to technical issues and Steps 1 through 3 and whatnot… I couldn’t grasp the idea of “Arrow Up” and “Arrow Down” and nothing else. Well, it took the better part of the morning, but I figured it out and now Bedford Manor is once again cozy and enjoyable.
Yesterday was also a big day for Cheeseheads: the Green Bay Packers were hosting the Minnesota Vikings for the playoffs. Anyone will tell you: I am a huge Cheesehead. I’m from the Midwest, so I love all the teams from Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. But when it came down to it, I had to root for my Packers. So of course we found ourselves at my Mom’s house, enjoying her cable TV and, deliciously, her dinner.
She made Taco Soup. It’s one of the recipes she provided for The Unemployment Cookbook. And can I just say… it was good. Better than good. It. Was. Amazing.
Taco Soup
And don’t you just love her soup bowls? These are so on my Christmas wish list for next year!
After Church this morning we stopped by her house for lunch. Hey… she’s one person with a gallon or more of soup. We’d hate for it to spoil if she couldn’t eat it all. (We’re only thinking of you, Mom…!)
Finally this evening, as Dot was heading out with friends, Mom came over to my house and I repaid her Kitchen Kindness by sharing my Baked Frittata. I just scrambled eight eggs with a little milk, drained the last of the refrigerated Ratatouille, and added about 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese mix. Less than an hour later, we were at the dinner table.
Baked Frittata
The photo doesn’t do it justice. We topped it with a dollop of the spaghetti sauce. After two servings each, there’s still over half of it left. That’s breakfast and lunch for Dot tomorrow, and dinner for the both of us tomorrow night.
According to the Plan, I should have the Turkey Chili in the Slow Cooker right now. But with this wonderful leftover begging to still be enjoyed, I won’t have to make the Chili until Tuesday.
That sets back my Meal Plan by two days. Yet another boon for the savings book. Since half the Ratatouille and spaghetti sauce are now in the freezer, that means I’ve fed my family for five days (I won’t count the one day we spent at Mom’s) for $11.65. And I still have a dozen eggs and half a gallon of milk in the fridge.
Breakfast? Packs of instant oatmeal or a cup of Malt-o-Meal. For lunches, I’ve taken fresh-cut vegetables and Campbell’s Soup at Hand. Dot’s been enjoying small frozen foods we stocked up on: mini corn dogs and personal pizzas. The total cost here isn’t more than $5.00.
That’s not bad for feeding both of us, and sometimes company, for nearly a week. In fact, I think those savings are downright delicious!
How do you save money in your Kitchen?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
[To pre-order your copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, click here.]
Dec 31, 2012 |
I went to Winco this afternoon. Not gonna lie… so very glad my Mom wanted to go shopping, too. This was my first time back since September’s Stalking incident. With my mom and iPhone, today was a much better shopping experience.
Winco Win
I kept to my January Meal Plan. If it wasn’t on the list, it wasn’t in the cart. This was a little tricky, because I only wrote “lunch/bento” on the Grocery List. As you can translate, I wasn’t sure until I arrived at the store exactly what our January lunches would consist of.
The first item I picked up was the Eggplant for my Slow Cooker Ratatouille. It was so big yet inexpensive, I instantly opted to double my meal. I can easily cook twice as much and freeze half of it for later in the month, which means a second Frittata as well. Eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, green pepper, tomatoes and fresh garlic.
Look at the size of that Eggplant!
I had budgeted $10 for one batch; yet will be able to make two for $8.90. Already I saved $3.10, and have extra garlic, onion, and 1/2 green pepper.
For the Ratatouille Pizza, I bought 4-Cheese Spaghetti Sauce and 4-Cheese blend of shredded cheese. While I budgeted $7 for these two items, it cost only $2.89. Bam! $4.11 saved here, folks! And there will be leftover sauce and cheese as well.
Now I’ve got almost all the ingredients for my Baked Frittata (vegetables, cheese). To make sure I had enough, I bought fresh eggs and milk. I planned on $6. I spent $5.75, saving a quarter. Of course, I won’t use all the eggs and milk for Frittata, so a little here goes a long way there!
Frittata Necessities
Then I choose an assortment of beans and vegetables for my Slow Cooker Turkey Chili. I found this great Jennie-O Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey. Can you imagine the flavor that’s going to add?
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Even with the more expensive ground turkey, I saved $1.03 off my proposed $8.
For my Potato Chip Casserole, I didn’t have the Cream soups in my pantry, so I needed to buy those. But the canned chicken was half the expected price, which led me to buy enough for two casseroles. I planned on $5, but spent $9.32 over, for a total of $14.32. For twice the food, $4.66 extra per casserole isn’t bad.
Potato Chip Casserole
I planned to spend just $4 for my Texas Hash, but needed to get a can of tomatoes in addition to the ground beef. The total of $4.92 was less than a dollar more than expected.
Texas Hash
Because the tomatoes also have diced green pepper mixed in, that extra 1/2 green pepper from the Ratatouille will be more than enough.
The breakfast budget was $6.02 less than planned. The oatmeal is less expensive, and I didn’t get any yogurt. For $6.98, these three boxes will give us quite a nutritional start to our days!
Breakfast on a Budget
We still have a few oatmeal packets and Malt-o-Meal at home. These additions, with the extra eggs, should be all the breakfast we need for the month.
Now we come to the lunch selections.
January Lunches
Since Dot’s on winter break, I wanted to give her a variety. She loves the frozen burritos and Dinty Moore Stews, so those were easy choices. Basic peanut butter sandwiches will be complimented with the variety of jams, jellies and preserves already in our pantry.
I love the healthy choices of fresh vegetables, spinach wraps, and yogurt sticks. For those cold days, a cup of soup. And for that little extra touch, a variety of Jell-O.
My $50 lunch budget came to $32.41… a savings of $17.59.
The best part? Treating myself to my favorite fast meal, and another pantry staple.
January Extras
Let’s recap, shall we? I planned 12 dinners, 30 breakfasts, and around 20 lunches for $103. I ended up with over 25 dinners (double the Ratatouille and Potato Chip Casserole, plus extra leftovers), 30+ breakfasts, and at least 20 lunches for $91.78.
Oh, and I saved $0.24 for using my four recyclable, reusable grocery totes… making the grand total $91.54.
Now that’s some tasty savings, dontcha think?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
[To pre-order your copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, click here.]
Dec 29, 2012 |
I received a gift card for Christmas. I’m so very excited. Some people think gift cards are impersonal. I think gift cards are Potential. I plan to use this one for my January grocery budget.
The Unemployment Cookbook by Molly Jo Realy
I’m on a mission to save money and still feed my family well. I’m taking a page from my Cookbook, and starting with the recipe that started it all: Slow Cooker Ratatouille.
For just around $10, I’ll get the vegetables I need. I always keep olive oil and seasonings in the pantry.
Jan. 1: The Ratatouille will feed myself and Dot for two dinners.
Jan. 3: Drain the liquids and put half of the remaining seasoned vegetables on top a pizza crust. I always keep a frozen crust, so I’ll only need sauce and shredded cheese, about $7. This will feed us two dinners.
Jan. 5: Add the rest of the Ratatouille to my Baked Frittata. I usually keep eggs and milk in the house, but when I need to buy them, it costs close to $6 for both. I’ll already have shredded cheese from the pizza. The Frittata will feed us brunch and dinner for Saturday, and breakfast leftovers on Sunday.
Frittata
Jan. 6: My Slow Cooker Turkey Chili. I’ll need to buy just one pound of ground turkey, two cans of beans, and three cans of vegetables, near $8. I keep spices and onions in my pantry. This will feed us for three dinners, and I can take a serving for lunch.
Jan. 9: Potato Chip Casserole. I’ll need to buy the chips and chicken, approximately $5. I always keep milk and cream soups in my fridge and pantry. This goes fast, usually allowing for just one dinner and lunch leftovers.
Jan. 10: Texas Hash. I have all the ingredients except ground beef, average $4.I usually also need a green pepper. But I’ll have an extra pepper from the Ratatouille ingredients. I’ll use my FoodSaver to keep it fresh until I need it. Texas Hash will feed us at least three dinners.
And there I’ve scheduled 12 days of dinners for less than $40.00. Feeding two, sometimes three, adults. That’s less than $1.50 per person per meal.
For breakfasts, one box of Malt-o-Meal ($4), two boxes of instant oatmeal ($2 each), and a few yogurts (10 at $0.50 each). $13 total for a month of breakfasts.
I’m going to try new Bento lunch ideas (send some thoughts my way, Rachel!). Dot is on winter break for the month, so I’ll have some sandwich fixin’s for her, too. Each Bento averages $2. Lunches for the month should run us close to $50.
And that’s my Mojo Meal Plan for the first part of January, and then some. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Mar 10, 2012
Remember the Meal Memo in a Jar that I started on March 1st?
Well, this is my month-long recap. Starting with March 1, I’ll track each and every day what menu we pulled and how it turned out. **EDITOR’S NOTE: A whole month of meal tracking is gonna be pretty wordy, so here’s the first week and a half. I’ll post another update (or two) as we continue.**
OBSERVATIONS: We’re eating so much better! Already from Janice’s suggestions, I’m going to revamp the Memo colors to incorporate one that signifies “More Work Meals”: those that take a bit more to prepare and are perfect for weekends or dinner parties. I also want to include “Dining for One”: those meals when Dot or I are out and the other still needs to eat. These meals will consist of easy things like microwavable TV dinners or frozen pizza. Maybe just Mac-n-Cheese with a side salad. I’m toying with the idea of throwing in two slips for when we eat out, like “Pizza Hut” or “Cheap Take Out”. But I’m worried that if I pull them both in the first week, we won’t have another outing for a month. So maybe that can be another colored memo that we know we only pull one every two weeks or something.
I’m paying attention to all your suggestions and ideas, and I really appreciate your feedback and sharing. In the first day, the Menu post has gained some popularity through Facebook, twitter, BlogHer.com and even Pinterest! That’s kinda cool in my Book.
So. Now for the recap. Ya’ ready? Here’s how the Meal Memo in a Jar worked for us so far in March:
1st: I was so excited to start this new idea! I stayed up til midnight last night writing and planning and photographing and blogging. So when I had the chance this morning, I started to drag Dot into the kitchen to pull the first menu. Halfway there she said, “Oh, I’m going to Grandma’s after school today.” Needless to say, my shoulders slouched. She felt really bad, but I assured her that days like these were really worked into the plan. I just didn’t expect it on Day 1. So here I am home alone at dinner time. And that’s when I figure a “Dinner for One” option will be included next month. Tonight, for me, I guess it’s Clean-Out-The-Fridge time. Yea… (*dripping sarcasm, for sure.)
2nd: This morning Hannah pulled the first menu card! Drumroll… “Steak bites, Baby Potatoes, Salad, *Leftovers”. The steak and potatoes are frozen fresh from Schwan’s. I order from them every so often to stock up my freezer and I’m so glad I did. Instead of making the entire batch and refrigerating leftovers for tomorrow, we opted to make just enough for tonight and put the card back in to draw later this month. Schwan’s foods almost always offer several ways to prepare the food. Tonight we went for the less-mess microwave method. In 10 minutes, we had hot potatoes and meat. I tossed a small salad with torn lettuce, diced tomato, carrots and snap peas. Oh, and I already had garlic toast leftover in the fridge that only took two minutes to warm up. It was a pretty fine meal, if I do say so myself.
3rd: Dot went out with friends so I had more leftovers. Instead of dinner, though, I opted to eat more of this morning’s Breakfast Frittata and hashbrowns. Fantastic and filling!
4th: Today’s Meal Memo called for Texas Hash. This excites me because this is a great recipe, super easy, and it’s included in my Cookbook! I took the last leftover bits of steakbites and potatoes and tossed those with lettuce and diced tomatoes for a great salad; and finished it off with Schwan’s frozen garlic toast. Super easy, super delicious. And so much Hash left over that I’m freezing half of it. We’ll eat leftovers tomorrow, and put the Meal Memo back in the jar. Next time it’s pulled, there’s no prep except to thaw, heat, and eat!
5th: Both Dot and I are pretty tired today. So very thankful for the leftovers in the fridge!
6th: Day 3 of leftovers; we’re finishing up the Texas Hash and the Breakfast Frittata. On a side note, am very happy that the Texas Hash photographed well enough to prob’ly make the cover of the Unemployment Cookbook!
7th: Believe it or not, one last day of leftovers! The frittata’s all gone, there’s a little bit of Texas Hash left… but I’m having a cup of yogurt and two frozen waffles. Yummm! *Full disclosure: After taking Dot to youth group I ran through McDonald’s for a burger and Shamrock Shake. They totally messed up my order and charged my card for someone else’s more expensive order. That’ll teach me to go off track…
8th: Dot’s going to her grandparents after school so I’m relegated to scrounging. I think scrambled eggs and toast are on the menu for me tonight. *Late nite note: I opted for peanut butter and pickle on a toasted English muffin.
9th: Finally got to pull another Meal Memo today! Today’s menu: “Dump” Chili, bread, and Jell-O. I chose strawberry-banana. For the chili, I just mixed two cans of no-bean chili, mixed vegetables, and seasoned diced tomatoes. I had everything prepped within 10 minutes. All I had to buy was some shredded cheese and I chose tortilla chips.
