This Week In My Home: Looking Well to the Ways of This Household



Hello there...I have quite the challenge before me this week.  I haven't properly shopped for groceries in two pay periods.  It wasn't meant to be a pantry challenge month but it turned into one.  I had that big unplanned family gathering one weekend that I knew recquired extra cash so I saved a good portion of that pay period's grocery funds.  Then we went off to visit another portion of our family last week during the time I'd have shopped for groceries.  I figured I'd take time out this past week to run to the grocery but hadn't counted on being sidelined...or spending the last of my funds on cold meds either.

So as of right now the items that top my list are GONE: onions, potatoes, celery, cabbage, fruits, catsup.  I can't name the last time I ran out of catsup!  Paper towel (not a great tragedy as we seldom use these.  The roll we just finished up had been in the paper holder for nearly two months).  Q-tips, all sizes of storage bags, applesauce, white rice, dried minced onion... Oh the list is long and it's short pay period coming this week, so I'll have to trim it down.  I'd thought to ask John for extra money which we'd have to take from our savings but in the end I decided no.  I purchased the mandatory 'affordable' healthcare that I couldn't afford and need to figure out where that monthly amount is coming from.  I don't need to 'borrow' to buy extra groceries.  I will likely end up cutting down on groceries yet again in order to help thing along.  And here I'd thought I was doing so good to finally crunch it down to $350 a month, (which includes our good meat purchases).  No need like 'must' is there, to make you work a bit harder and pinch a bit tighter?



So planning meals is definitely on my list this week and keeping my eye on the budget even more than usual. Not a lot of last week's plans got put into place so you might see a repeat...if I think I want them or have the ingredients to prepare this week.   I'll start this week's meal plan with today's meal.  We indulged in KFC yesterday as our valentine to ourselves.  I planned to pay for it from my allowance, but John refused and said it would come from checking.  I'm not counting it as grocery funds since it was a 'gift' to us.  John's working today but I cooked for myself.  I have one other day this week when he is working as well, so a short meal plan of just four or five menus.

Kid's Favorite Casserole, Pineapple Slices
This was made up of substitutes today.  My last onion had a big bad spot on it.  I was able to salvage just enough of it towards the root end to season the meat with.  The meat was ground chuck that was leftover mid-week which I'd meant to use up right away, only what started out as a mild cold suddenly became a rather nasty chest cold.  I used french cut canned green beans (original recipe calls for kitchen cut) and I had no potatoes so topped with  tater tots instead of the usual mashed potatoes.  Textures changed this dish entirely but the flavor was still good and yummy.  Although I had only about 1/3 of a pound of ground beef and used just 1/2 can each of the green beans and tomato soup the recipe called for, there was enough to serve two generously.  I'm full and there are leftovers...will keep in mind this even more frugal version of the original recipe.

Baked Turkey Breast, Stuffing, Squash Casserole, Green Peas
I am struggling to think of meals I can make the first part of this week that don't call for any onion at all, lol.  I've always relied heavily on that root vegetable as seasoning and this having to think about it is hard.  The stuffing is boxed mix which needs to  used prior to Passover (April) and the Squash Casserole will be made with frozen cooked squash (onion already in it) and topped with crackers which also need to be used before Passover.  I may add a green salad, simply for the benefit of having one.  The bulk of this roast will be sliced for sandwiches and part of it refrozen.

Spaghetti and Meatballs, Italian Cut Green Beans, Salad, Garlic Bread
I'll use canned sauce and pre-made frozen meatballs (I seasoned them with a bit of onion) for the main dish.

Leftovers Day
I have two leftovers in the fridge at the moment and I'm sure there will be more two days into the week ahead.  I expect we will get out to do our shopping finally and I'll need all the thought and creative thinking and entertainment funds this week to acomplish it all.  No need to eat out when we've food right here at home.

Bbq Chuck Roast, Corn on Cob, Butter Beans and Carrot Raisin Salad
I bought a big bag of carrots with the plan of making a carrot cake...which I've yet to get made.  Good thing as Carrot Raisin Salad is a nice side dish when a raw vegetable salad is wanted but ingredients are otherwise lacking.  The rest of the vegetables are from the freezer.

In My Home This Week:




I won't even bother to review what I didn't do this past week.  What is needed this week:
Finish the living room bookshelves (I said last week I had two shelves.  I should have said two bookcases to go.  

Pantry/Freezer Inventory

Grocery shopping/Errands

Flea Market to do booth work.  I am so woefully behind on this!  I'm just trusting it is God's timing as when I first set out to go to the booth the owner was ill and the store was closed, then we were out of town, and finally I've been ailing.  Fingers crossed that this week will at least see me in with a few fresh items!

And there I shall leave it.  Anything else is gravy, that something extra that isn't really planned but just may be added at the last minute if time permits.

9 comments:

Back Porch Writer said...

Just stopping by to see how you saved this week. I always get inspired when I read your blog! You all have a great week!

annie said...

Hope by now you're on the mend!
Incredible what you can come up with if you have to! Blessings!

Rhonda said...

No onion? I have a hard time cooking without it too.
I do have a huge SAMs size container of dried onions that I use in a pinch. Nina just asked me to share a jar with her and if you lived closer, I would share some with you. Mine are not those tiny flakes but bigger onion pieces, and are really pretty good. Nina likes them as she doesn't like to peel and chop fresh onions.

Unknown said...

I think I put onion in almost every main dish I make! Just thinking about not having one almost makes me shudder!:) I'm hoping you and John are feeling much better this week. I love to see what is on your menu each week... helps me make up my mind as to what to make as well!

Kathy said...

Hope you are feeling better each day. Sorry about the affordable care coverage...insurance gets more and more expensive.
I've been in a bit of a grumpy funk today, and I pray it passes soon. I need to be more thankful of my many blessings, but life isn't fair, and sometimes I have a pity party :(

Anonymous said...

When we get our taxes back, if I do not find a food dehydrator at a thrift store or Peaches to Beaches, I may seriously have to purchase a smaller one at retail. I keep thinking or so many things I waste that I could dehydrate to use later.
Hope everyone has a good week.

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

Oh isn't that aggravating to have an onion turn out to be half rotted. I use onions in most of my cooking, so I keep some in the freezer. Whenever I need just a tiny little bit of onion for something, I chop the whole thing up and put what's left in the freezer in case of an "onion emergency". I also get aggravated when I come up short on potatoes because some have hidden rotten spots deep inside, but look fine on the outside.

I am behind on reading blogs. I hope you are feeling better. I was having some health problems for quite a few days. Today was the first time I have felt good in more than two weeks. I will go back and look at some of your older posts.

I am fed up with most things medical this week. I've had the same primary care doc for years now, but last week when I needed to be seen they couldn't fit me in until Feb 23. I had to pay more to go to an Urgent Care instead. Now that I am finally feeling better, I am hot under the collar about that. The Urgent care doctor thought I was having an allergic reaction to a Blood pressure med that the primary had prescribed and Urgent took me off of it.
I guess in light of that, I had better quit letting myself be hot under the collar about anything.

Anonymous said...

Love the new look/picture.

Vicki in UT said...

I use a lot of onions, too, but I also keep dehydrated onions around for when I am in a hurry or run out of fresh. My family actually prefers the dehydrated; I think because they are not as obvious when they eat the dish. My oldest daughter would always sit and pick out every piece of onion from her plate.

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