...I wasn't sure just how this week would go. John said Friday afternoon, after our wonderful ride up northwest of us, that his throat felt a bit scratchy. Allergies or cold, he was not well despite his continual upbeat attitude and words of healing accomplished. Saturday afternoon I had a tooth start to ache and it kept it up all through the day, through the night and then suddenly went away as quickly as it had appeared and ached all day Monday. I had a swollen cheek to show for it. However, between the two of us, we decided to stay home from church on Sunday and we pretty much lolled about on Monday. It wasn't a fun way to spend the little time off he had. Nevertheless, we had last Friday and it was a good day, a grand day.
If a week is what you make it, then I was determined to make something of this one despite not feeling well for the first few days. In the end, I accomplished some tasks, though not all the heavy duty stuff I'd anticipated doing. I had some leisure time. I made meals. It was a week.
If a week is what you make it, then I was determined to make something of this one despite not feeling well for the first few days. In the end, I accomplished some tasks, though not all the heavy duty stuff I'd anticipated doing. I had some leisure time. I made meals. It was a week.
...I worked:
As I said we were home all day Sunday and Monday and we mostly lolled.
I won't count in the routine housework that got done this week. There was nothing special, except cleaning out the fridge while it was at that 'almost empty' stage.
I did decide this week was a good time to sort out my inspiration notebook. A lot of paper went into the trash with that task.
I also sat down with the recipe notebook and put everything in order, dated new recipes I haven't yet attempted. I want to make it really nice, like the one Rhonda did...Sure would save all that flipping to find the Tried and True recipes which tend to get buried in the 'I mean to try that one someday' recipes. I was so busy sorting at this time I didn't try to make mine pretty but I will be working on that over the next couple of months.
I haven't quite finished my lists of yet, but as I worked through my old inspiration pages I copied out the inexpensive meal ideas and Daniel Fast menus that we'd used that worked so well for us this past January. I want to go ahead and have a listing of foods made out by the time the January fast time comes along because it was a challenge to find recipes on the fly last year. I'm also making up a list of inexpensive meals that we really like to eat. Why am I doing this? I've noticed a tendency to eat meals that are cost heavy in a lump and then I serve a bunch of inexpensive meals in a lump and then we swing back to pricier ones. I want to begin to better balance our weekly menus. My goal: 1 meatless (except during the Daniel fast days when they will all be meatless), 1 soup, 1 tuna (about the only fish I can get John to eat), 1 big meat meal (roast or whole chicken that sort of thing) and two or three leftover makeover meals from the big meat meal. I think this would prove to be a better balance of inexpensive and pricey meals for us and give us plenty of variety, as well.
I spent the bulk of one day going to work with John for a meeting. From there we headed to purchase groceries. In the POURING rain. As temperatures dropped. I was so wet and cold and over it by the end but grocery shopping got DONE.
I shopped a second day, this time for the best low cost breasts and ground meat I can buy. Came home and divided and packaged meat for freezer. So far I've bought all but the turkey for our thanksgiving meal. We'll need dairy and produce and likely bread before the month is done with but I think I can manage three weeks before another shopping trip is needed. It's my intent to shop one more time, this time picking up free items and buying that turkey. Just to know it's in the freezer will be one great tension reducer for me. I can manage all sorts of side dishes and stuffing and such with what I have on hand but you can't cook a turkey if you haven't got a turkey!
As I said we were home all day Sunday and Monday and we mostly lolled.
I won't count in the routine housework that got done this week. There was nothing special, except cleaning out the fridge while it was at that 'almost empty' stage.
I did decide this week was a good time to sort out my inspiration notebook. A lot of paper went into the trash with that task.
I also sat down with the recipe notebook and put everything in order, dated new recipes I haven't yet attempted. I want to make it really nice, like the one Rhonda did...Sure would save all that flipping to find the Tried and True recipes which tend to get buried in the 'I mean to try that one someday' recipes. I was so busy sorting at this time I didn't try to make mine pretty but I will be working on that over the next couple of months.
I haven't quite finished my lists of yet, but as I worked through my old inspiration pages I copied out the inexpensive meal ideas and Daniel Fast menus that we'd used that worked so well for us this past January. I want to go ahead and have a listing of foods made out by the time the January fast time comes along because it was a challenge to find recipes on the fly last year. I'm also making up a list of inexpensive meals that we really like to eat. Why am I doing this? I've noticed a tendency to eat meals that are cost heavy in a lump and then I serve a bunch of inexpensive meals in a lump and then we swing back to pricier ones. I want to begin to better balance our weekly menus. My goal: 1 meatless (except during the Daniel fast days when they will all be meatless), 1 soup, 1 tuna (about the only fish I can get John to eat), 1 big meat meal (roast or whole chicken that sort of thing) and two or three leftover makeover meals from the big meat meal. I think this would prove to be a better balance of inexpensive and pricey meals for us and give us plenty of variety, as well.
I spent the bulk of one day going to work with John for a meeting. From there we headed to purchase groceries. In the POURING rain. As temperatures dropped. I was so wet and cold and over it by the end but grocery shopping got DONE.
I shopped a second day, this time for the best low cost breasts and ground meat I can buy. Came home and divided and packaged meat for freezer. So far I've bought all but the turkey for our thanksgiving meal. We'll need dairy and produce and likely bread before the month is done with but I think I can manage three weeks before another shopping trip is needed. It's my intent to shop one more time, this time picking up free items and buying that turkey. Just to know it's in the freezer will be one great tension reducer for me. I can manage all sorts of side dishes and stuffing and such with what I have on hand but you can't cook a turkey if you haven't got a turkey!
...I planned and cooked meals:
Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad
Leftovers day. Leftovers from breakfast through dinner. I cleared out the fridge without apologies. We ate them all.
BBQ Chicken sandwiches, French Fries, Bread and Butter Pickles
on my own xs 2. One day of leftovers, one day was chicken pot stickers and egg rolls from that upscale market where I buy meat.
Tortilla Towers (used leftover chili and corn tortillas), whole kernel corn, Salad, Peach upside down cake...that's what you make when you discover you have NO pineapple on the pantry shelf.
We ate out. Cheeseburgers. Again. Not an option I asked for but what I got. At least it wasn't expensive.
Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad
Leftovers day. Leftovers from breakfast through dinner. I cleared out the fridge without apologies. We ate them all.
BBQ Chicken sandwiches, French Fries, Bread and Butter Pickles
on my own xs 2. One day of leftovers, one day was chicken pot stickers and egg rolls from that upscale market where I buy meat.
Tortilla Towers (used leftover chili and corn tortillas), whole kernel corn, Salad, Peach upside down cake...that's what you make when you discover you have NO pineapple on the pantry shelf.
We ate out. Cheeseburgers. Again. Not an option I asked for but what I got. At least it wasn't expensive.
...I saved money:
After reading Dawn's blog, I hurried off to find the coke bottle caps I'd been saving. I lacked 1 making the 10 required but remembered John had bought a Coke that was in the fridge. I opened the bottle (it was already opened!) and copied down the code. It took just a few minutes and I earned a $5 Amazon gift card code.
Picked up a bag of discounted Masa Harina. I've been reluctant to buy a 5 pound bag which is all I ever see. This bag was $1.45 and weighed in at about 1.5 pounds. I want to try my hand at homemade cornmeal tortillas.
Put the apple fritters in the freezer. We always buy six but we don't need to eat six of them, so I always freeze the extras.
John asked me specifically to caramelize onions to go with our steaks. I cooked three which was a little too much. I also baked all of the russet potatoes he'd bought (4). I took the leftover onions, shredded cheese and a few other ingredients to make twice stuffed potatoes. These freeze well and I will get 4 servings from the two leftover potatoes.
Sunday we cleared the fridge of leftovers. We had breakfast and dinner leftovers so very little more than reheating food for me. I enjoyed that 'time off'. I also appreciated not having food spoil.
Made Shredded BBQ chicken from the leftover BBQ'd breast. I kept it simple today as I wasn't feeling well. The one breast made enough for three sandwiches. I didn't bake end of last week and hadn't felt like baking on Monday. I pulled the last of the gingerbread from the freezer and served that as dessert.
How I didn't save money this week: I failed to use the cauliflower. When I cleaned the fridge I discovered it was rotten right through the center. Also tossed a bag of those mini color bell peppers. I don't know why I buy those. Yes, I do...because they cost less than the big peppers. However, I much prefer the bigger peppers for ease of cutting and seeding and chopping. And it's no savings at all if they go to waste, is it?
I've heeded John's request to buy meats at Aldi and overall I find them quite good and tender...but I can't escape the fact that even at the new price of $2.99 a pound (it was $1.99/pound) the ground beef and chicken breasts (and occasionally boneless chicken thighs) at The Fresh Market are the BEST priced items for our budget. The chicken is all carrageenan free. I average $3.99 pound for the breasts without carrageenan at Aldi when I can find them and $4.99/pound for lean ground beef. Much as I love Aldi there's no point in spending considerably more for an item that can be found as good or better quality at a lesser price elsewhere and is a reliable source, which Aldi is not.
Went to do bulk of grocery shopping today with John at Aldi. It was a little more than I've spent in the past but less than I normally spend for a full month of food. I didn't buy my Thanksgiving turkey. I plan to pick that up first part of next week at Kroger. Went to The Fresh Market and got chicken breasts and ground beef and put those in meal sized packets in the freezer.
Mixed up a marinade and poured over my roast I am having for dinner tomorrow. I'd meant to buy a packet...I did! Mama used to use when we were growing up and it was so good. But I just plain forgot because I NEVER look at packets anymore, figuring I know how to make all the stuff that comes in them. And so I came home, remembered I'd forgotten to look for my packet and found a recipe online. I mixed it up and the roast is sitting in it now.
Washed and cut grapes into serving portions. All those loose ones at the bottom of the bag were carefully gone over and I tossed the split and squishy ones. The nice firm ones went into a separate container that I'll top with cottage cheese for John's work lunch on Monday.
I looked at everything today at The Fresh Market. It's so vastly more upscale than anything I'm used to especially since my main grocery is Aldi and while I love Aldi it is not pretty. I spent about what I normally spend at the fancy market and at first felt a little guilty but I said to myself, "All that shopping at Aldi saves a lot of money...so let yourself have a little fun in this place." Am I going to pay $5 for a premium brand single serve chocolate bar. Nope, nope, nope. But I did indulge in a few ounces of a really good coffee we like. Enough to make a pot for breakfast two mornings. And I bought my lunch in the store for about what fast food would cost only this tasted sooooo much better than fast food. No guilt. It's that balance thing. I save in one place so I can splurge a little in another.
Katie gave me four heavy feather pillows in two different sizes. I sat down last night and found a slipcover for one of them and ordered four Christmas covers in my color scheme. Splurgey? Not at all. The set of four cost about a $1 each...
Sorted out the table linens this morning. I have a bunch of napkins to put in heavy cleaning soak that I'll mix up over Sunday and let them sit for a day.
I nearly didn't do it, but I went through that small stack of magazines I'd said I'd toss and then...I tossed them. They really were in terrible shape and as I watched a spew of brittle bits of paper waft across the table and onto the floor I knew it was time to let them go.
Planned out my weekend menu. The youngest son and Bess and the boys will be here briefly on Saturday. They're making big plans...I can't share just quite yet but I'm all excited. The little boys will be with me for a bit that day. I figured having a meal plan and some prep done was better than trying to cook dinner and babysit, too. While at the market today I bought a deli roasted chicken. I mean to put in the crockpot on high when I get up Sunday morning, then turn it to keep warm when we leave. I'll cook sides before we go to church. Then when we come home, dinner is ready. I am assuming we will need some rest after having the boys on Saturday, even if they are good little boys.
Homemaking Executive Decision got made this morning. I love the color of our coverlet on our bed. It is however, a queen sized coverlet on a queen sized bed and when you put two queen sized people in said bed that cover barely covers one and covers all of the other person. In the past I'd always had a king sized spread on our bed and I decided after waking this morning shivering and then waking and finding that I'd been covered by the blanket that was on the bed and the other half had taken all the coverlet and sheet which I know was not quite enough for his cold blooded self, that just possibly, at least for winter I might consider buying a king sized spread once more. I can currently get one the same color (or very near) and I think while it's available it's the time to order it, don't you? No more shivery nights for anyone.
My mind is running along the lines of changing a thing or two. Some things need to be changed because they've gotten terribly worn and torn or are wearing out. Some because they just don't suit me anymore. I could get spendy really quickly, but I've decided to make out a list and work away at my list a bit at a time. With a list, I'll remember, if I'm tempted by an impulse item, that that money might go towards one of the needed items. So list making shall commence. I don't want a whole lot really but I do want to be mindful of making my money give me a BANG instead of a whimper and sniffle as it slinks away.
Put the apple fritters in the freezer. We always buy six but we don't need to eat six of them, so I always freeze the extras.
John asked me specifically to caramelize onions to go with our steaks. I cooked three which was a little too much. I also baked all of the russet potatoes he'd bought (4). I took the leftover onions, shredded cheese and a few other ingredients to make twice stuffed potatoes. These freeze well and I will get 4 servings from the two leftover potatoes.
Sunday we cleared the fridge of leftovers. We had breakfast and dinner leftovers so very little more than reheating food for me. I enjoyed that 'time off'. I also appreciated not having food spoil.
Made Shredded BBQ chicken from the leftover BBQ'd breast. I kept it simple today as I wasn't feeling well. The one breast made enough for three sandwiches. I didn't bake end of last week and hadn't felt like baking on Monday. I pulled the last of the gingerbread from the freezer and served that as dessert.
How I didn't save money this week: I failed to use the cauliflower. When I cleaned the fridge I discovered it was rotten right through the center. Also tossed a bag of those mini color bell peppers. I don't know why I buy those. Yes, I do...because they cost less than the big peppers. However, I much prefer the bigger peppers for ease of cutting and seeding and chopping. And it's no savings at all if they go to waste, is it?
I've heeded John's request to buy meats at Aldi and overall I find them quite good and tender...but I can't escape the fact that even at the new price of $2.99 a pound (it was $1.99/pound) the ground beef and chicken breasts (and occasionally boneless chicken thighs) at The Fresh Market are the BEST priced items for our budget. The chicken is all carrageenan free. I average $3.99 pound for the breasts without carrageenan at Aldi when I can find them and $4.99/pound for lean ground beef. Much as I love Aldi there's no point in spending considerably more for an item that can be found as good or better quality at a lesser price elsewhere and is a reliable source, which Aldi is not.
Went to do bulk of grocery shopping today with John at Aldi. It was a little more than I've spent in the past but less than I normally spend for a full month of food. I didn't buy my Thanksgiving turkey. I plan to pick that up first part of next week at Kroger. Went to The Fresh Market and got chicken breasts and ground beef and put those in meal sized packets in the freezer.
Mixed up a marinade and poured over my roast I am having for dinner tomorrow. I'd meant to buy a packet...I did! Mama used to use when we were growing up and it was so good. But I just plain forgot because I NEVER look at packets anymore, figuring I know how to make all the stuff that comes in them. And so I came home, remembered I'd forgotten to look for my packet and found a recipe online. I mixed it up and the roast is sitting in it now.
Washed and cut grapes into serving portions. All those loose ones at the bottom of the bag were carefully gone over and I tossed the split and squishy ones. The nice firm ones went into a separate container that I'll top with cottage cheese for John's work lunch on Monday.
I looked at everything today at The Fresh Market. It's so vastly more upscale than anything I'm used to especially since my main grocery is Aldi and while I love Aldi it is not pretty. I spent about what I normally spend at the fancy market and at first felt a little guilty but I said to myself, "All that shopping at Aldi saves a lot of money...so let yourself have a little fun in this place." Am I going to pay $5 for a premium brand single serve chocolate bar. Nope, nope, nope. But I did indulge in a few ounces of a really good coffee we like. Enough to make a pot for breakfast two mornings. And I bought my lunch in the store for about what fast food would cost only this tasted sooooo much better than fast food. No guilt. It's that balance thing. I save in one place so I can splurge a little in another.
Katie gave me four heavy feather pillows in two different sizes. I sat down last night and found a slipcover for one of them and ordered four Christmas covers in my color scheme. Splurgey? Not at all. The set of four cost about a $1 each...
Sorted out the table linens this morning. I have a bunch of napkins to put in heavy cleaning soak that I'll mix up over Sunday and let them sit for a day.
I nearly didn't do it, but I went through that small stack of magazines I'd said I'd toss and then...I tossed them. They really were in terrible shape and as I watched a spew of brittle bits of paper waft across the table and onto the floor I knew it was time to let them go.
Planned out my weekend menu. The youngest son and Bess and the boys will be here briefly on Saturday. They're making big plans...I can't share just quite yet but I'm all excited. The little boys will be with me for a bit that day. I figured having a meal plan and some prep done was better than trying to cook dinner and babysit, too. While at the market today I bought a deli roasted chicken. I mean to put in the crockpot on high when I get up Sunday morning, then turn it to keep warm when we leave. I'll cook sides before we go to church. Then when we come home, dinner is ready. I am assuming we will need some rest after having the boys on Saturday, even if they are good little boys.
Homemaking Executive Decision got made this morning. I love the color of our coverlet on our bed. It is however, a queen sized coverlet on a queen sized bed and when you put two queen sized people in said bed that cover barely covers one and covers all of the other person. In the past I'd always had a king sized spread on our bed and I decided after waking this morning shivering and then waking and finding that I'd been covered by the blanket that was on the bed and the other half had taken all the coverlet and sheet which I know was not quite enough for his cold blooded self, that just possibly, at least for winter I might consider buying a king sized spread once more. I can currently get one the same color (or very near) and I think while it's available it's the time to order it, don't you? No more shivery nights for anyone.
My mind is running along the lines of changing a thing or two. Some things need to be changed because they've gotten terribly worn and torn or are wearing out. Some because they just don't suit me anymore. I could get spendy really quickly, but I've decided to make out a list and work away at my list a bit at a time. With a list, I'll remember, if I'm tempted by an impulse item, that that money might go towards one of the needed items. So list making shall commence. I don't want a whole lot really but I do want to be mindful of making my money give me a BANG instead of a whimper and sniffle as it slinks away.
...I had my leisure:
I started a review book, but it didn't feel like a must read at all. Lia Huber's Nourished about her journey as a Christian and her career in food. It's a cookbook like My Berlin Kitchen where there is a lot of narrative and then a recipe or two at the end of the chapters. I picked up Here Comes The Sun! by Emilie Loring as my next read.
It's not exactly leisure but I have been taking advantage of my new phone, unlimited data and a blue tooth speaker I picked up at Target to listen to music. I start the morning with praise and worship songs that wow me, then I'll flip over to whatever strikes my fancy. Astrid Gilberto for instance, or Xavier Cugat or Sierra Hall, America...I'm wide open for music. My taste ranges far and wide. I've really enjoyed having more music in my life and I find it's relaxing even if I am working.
Despite my love of music and my relaxing as I work with it, I'm mindful of my head's need for quiet at times, too. If I can't escape the noise inside the house, I'll slip out to the porch or the yard for a few minutes and just let that sort of quiet seep into me.
I worked several Sudoku puzzles. I find them very relaxing and challenging. I usually can finish one in a few hours of time (I do the challenge puzzles) so it's something I can pick up and put down to come back to.
I read my November issues of vintage magazines. I am seriously considering getting a few more issues since I have so few. I am also very short of December issues. I think I have just four. I've been to look but nothing caught my eye as far as meeting my price and shipping cost lines.
I made time to watch "Hazel", Pioneer Woman and The Kitchen this week.
4 comments:
We got the turkey today and it feels good to know it is tucked up in the freezer! It was a deal at .39 a pound and my favorite brand. Cinnamon rolls went into the freezer for Thanksgiving Day breakfast today, too. The liner of my 4 qt crock pot cracked and I have really been missing my little crock pot so I ordered a new one with Swagbucks gift cards on Amazon. Disability was extended through November this week so we know we can live for another month. It is supposed to be crazy cold this weekend so I see a lot of staying home with my bestie and hot drinks and our beloved Clemson Tigers game on the telly. Life is good.
I had the same longing as you. I was tired of my bedspread and wanted something that rather represented "winter" as well as a new one for next spring. So I let go of some funds and ordered a couple of coverlets and also new throw pillows for the couch. The winter coverlet was faux patchwork and the one for spring had a colorful aquatic theme. I live in an area where there is little difference in the seasons so one has to create it artificially.
And beautiful linens are my passion. I always make sure my old things, which are not old at all, go to a person who needs them or to my local thrift shop.
Isn't the house you pictured so cute!! :-)
Years ago my sister printed off her favorite recipes for me. She used a small picture album. Each page of it had pockets that just fit a small recipe card. She included some of our mother's recipes in it for me too.
I looked at Rhonda's. Now that is so nice. ! I really need to do something with my recipes. I have some in a recipe box and some just about. I did put a sticky note cellophane in too on the first page of my basic cookbooks. I listed every recipe I used it it the kids would remember. The kids know of this. I hope to get things together to make a recipe book like Rhonda's for them. I hope to put personal information to as many recipes as I can. ..While I can still remember them. :) If I start soon hopefully I will have them done by next December.
I think being gifted a loved ones recipes is such a personal thing. I have my mother's and my sister has my Grandmothers etc. Thankfully they did actually write down some of their recipes.
The spread that looked so good with my bedroom curtains bit the dust a few years ago. I just bought a new one last night. I hope it looks as good as I hoped it would.
We are still learning and adjusting our shopping with Aldi. So far so good but we are learning to stock up when they do have the meats we use often on sale and go before they run out of it. There might be several weeks of nothing on a good sale. Since we seldom shop unless it is a money savings we keep an eye on several other grocery stores and what they have for lost leaders each week. That is so basic I think all of us do that. One international store, Ralf's{Kroger} a local big grocery store, and Sprouts. Sometimes one other. Thankfully they don't all have the best of the best sales the same week!! Lately none have had much but with our pantries we do just fine and wait it out. :) You just play the game and try to win as many times was you can. :-))
Do you freeze some grapes for little grape pop-cycles to snack on? I have noticed they don't last forever and start to get sticky but will last several months. We had oatmeal cookies for desert tonight. We are finally getting cool weather. Making the cookies ignited my wish to bake more..and the cooler weather I am sure, helped that feeling along too!!
I bought a few books in late summer to save as a gift to myself to have to read on winter nights. Maybe I can eat a few goodies I bake when I open that first book !
I noticed Aldi had a vacuum sealing device in their ad this week. Has any one tried one? I have used a Food Saver for years and years. When one went out I got the cheapest basic one they make. It is usually $79 at Target. On sale off and on. Works great for all I need and does have the port so you can use the jar attachment if you get one too. I was wondering if the Aldi one compares to this basic one. By the time I go if my Aldi got any at all they probably will have sold out of them..but I will check. I am curious. Sarah
Many years ago I started copying tried and true, we really like this recipe onto file cards and keep them in a file box. I know these are all really good ones. I also put the names of friends and familythat I get recipes from. A trip down memory lane when i cook.I also mark recipes in my recipe books when I try new ones. Ones I want to try go into a notebook. When I had my knee replacement I figured out to fold blankets so I had mine and he had his. They overlapped but if they got pulled it worked very well. No injured knee from a blanket being pulled across it, aand it was easy to throw off without freezing gramps. Gramma D
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