This Week In My Home

I plan a Freezer Challenge:





Two good reasons for this challenge: I have found my freezers are all three packed to the gills.  That means I need to use some of what is in them.  I hope to clear out some old things in there as well, provided I have time this week.  I might end up making freezer meals from a few of the items but I need to have a few of those on hand anyway.

I am also hoping to pick up one or two or three turkeys while the prices are so very low.  I cannot beat these prices at all, haven't seen anything like them in years upon years and it seems to me that turkeys (which keep frozen up to a year) are space worthy and very budget friendly.


I plan a Thanksgiving dinner for John and I:

We're simple folks and that is all there is to it.  Our menu seldom varies and the reason for that is my husband leans strong on tradition when it comes to his Thanksgiving meal.  He wants what he wants and turkey sandwiches to follow up with.  Normally for the two of us I purchase a breast only but with the excellent prices on whole turkeys and John's love of stuffing, which works best in a whole bird, this was the better option this year.

Turkey
Stuffing
Gravy
Green Bean Casserole
Broccoli or Brussels Sprouts in Cheese Sauce
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow Topping
Cranberry sauce and Cranberry Relish
Pumpkin Pie

I have all but the canned fried onions on hand.  I thought I'd just make my own onion rings.  It takes next to no time and can be done ahead since I will be putting them in the bean casserole to bake anyway.  I plan to 'work ahead' this weekend, since our dinner will be either Wednesday or Friday depending upon John's preference.  The turkey has been thawing in the fridge since Wedneday when I bought it.  I'll bake the sweet potato, make my onion rings and make my Pumpkin Pie today.  I plan to get my stuffing breads crumbled and onions and celery chopped.  I have broth thawing for gravy and stuffing.  

We determined we'd stick with our traditional holiday breakfast of  canned cinnamon rolls with a less fatty side and we'll have that on the proper day itself.  We'll at least have that much of a tradition for the day proper.

I plan meals for the rest of the week:




Thanksgiving Leftovers
It's a given we'll have leftovers and at this moment I'm planning to serve those for dinner next Saturday.  I'll add a salad if need be and a fruit based dessert (baked apples or pears).

On my own

Salisbury Steaks
Mashed Potatoes (extra for later in week)
Green Peas with Mushrooms (extra for later in week)
Salad with Beets, onions, Boiled Egg

Turkey Fried Rice
Steamed Broccoli
Ambrosia

Hamburger Shepherd's Pie
Salad
Mixed Fruit Cups

on my own
Family dinner?  Waiting to see how this cold chooses to go.  There will be food enough here to eat if I can't go and I am okay with that.


I plan the rest of my week:

These in addition to the usual rounds of housekeeping, laundry, meals, etc.


Pick up a prescription and while I'm in the area go to Aldi for the coming pay period's supply of fresh dairy, bread and produce.  Visit a third store to pick up the free with member's card items.  

Get Sunday paper and plan CVS shopping for this week.  Usually their Black Friday sales are decent and pretty much ignored by shoppers in general.

Work on clearing some stuff out of the freezers and using what I can to make a dish or entree for future meals either this week or a freezer meal. Fridge freezer is done.  I managed to get MORE into it, lol.  Yea me.

Hair appointment for me. 

Get bills tended to and ready to go out.

Hair cut appointment for John which we'll combine with picking up his check.  Pay bills, mail Christmas cards that are ready to go.

Order John's gift items.

Entertain visitors...day of visit still to be determined.

8 comments:

A Woman that Fears the Lord said...

Your post has motivated me to do a Freezer Challenge, too! I need to make some room in my freezers! Thanks for the ideas! Have a lovely Thanksgiving.

Mimi said...

Nice work Terri! I love using up bits and pieces. It's so very rewarding, I think. Your Thanksgiving dinner sounds luscious, and I think we'll be having one as a salute to our American friends this weekend. We love turkey breast too as there is only three of us at home, but I'll keep my eyes peeled, as yes, there's so much meat in a Turkey! Love, Mimi xxx

Lana said...

We need to eat out our freezers a bit, too. I need to get through this week of family in from out of town and too much to get done before I can work on that.

I have a detailed list to get done everyday this week and then it will all be over before I know it!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Crystal H. in Nevada said...

Happy Thanksgiving Week!
This has been a rough few months for me. Lost my dad the end of Sept. and almost no money coming in the last two months. Thank goodness the pantry and freezer was stocked up. Got to use up so much stuff with only buying loss leaders and a few necessities here and there. Going to someone's house for Thanksgiving and don't really want to but they are my mother in law's friends and she's 80 and my husband is her only living child / relative so that's that.
This is a bitter sweet holiday for me since I have spent Thanksgiving with my mom and dad the last 4 years and now dad is gone. His birthday is two days after thanksgiving so we are having Dad'sgiving on Sunday just me and my husband and my grown son who will miss Thanksgiving day due to work. Hopefully this will be a sweet memory and tribute to my dad who loved Thanksgiving. Just wish we had enough people for the annual quarter poker game. But most of the family is out of state in Oregon. Oh well, dad will be there in spirit. Glad I have a 10 lb turkey in the freezer I got on sale in Dec. last year. Needed to use it up!
Take care and have a great holiday.

Lana said...

I am sorry about your Dad, Crystal. H. It is okay to be weepy this year and BooHoo to people who don't get it!

Lana said...

For anyone needing to stock up on canned veggies, Dollar General has Libby's 3/$1 through Wednesday. Hopefully the coupon will pop up on these.

Tammy said...

I usually do a freezer/pantry challenge for the month of January, and we're planning on it again this year. I have most of the month before my surgery on the 22nd, so much of it will be used to prepare ahead for those first few weeks after.
Turkey prices have been nowhere near as good here as you got. We purchased one bird fresh, and cooked the two from last year. There is enough turkey for a "few" sandwiches. :) Jess will be gifted another one at Christmas, so we're not looking to buy any more until next year. Oh, and we have a breast in the freezer, too.
I do feel blessed to have such bounty.

Karla said...

My husband had determined we were going to do a smoothie cleanse for Thanksgiving since it was just the two of us (girls went to Texas to visit family with grandparents and we couldn't go). Then on Wednesday night (Thanksgiving Eve) he changed his mind. LOL

Thankfully I already had cranberries in the freezer, fresh green beans and just had to get a small turkey breast, 1 large sweet potato and the bread cubes for the dressing. I would normally have made my dressing and pie homemade but no time for that so I bought a frozen pumpkin pie. It all turned out lovely.