Week #42 Buttered Up

Try as I might, it's never quite the same.

Whether it's grilled cheese or thanksgiving turkey, doesn't everyone have a recipe that "mom" just makes better? True as can be, when it comes to canning, no one makes it like my Nana. Pickled relish, beets, applesauce, and my personal favorite apple butter. I've tried others, award winners even, but none compare.

I Just Wanna Know How To Make It

THERE ARE NO RECIPES

Nana has been making her delicacies for so long she just adds a bag of this and a handful of that. There may be one other small problem. She makes batches like she's doom's day prepping. I only want a few jars for the season. The last time I signed up to learn how to make pickled relish it was an eight day process that produced 30 plus jars of finished product.

I Want Apple butter!

Not to mention I still had two large bags of apples that needed to be used and fast. So I googled and pintrest'ed. In the end I opted for a recipe I found on a lovely blog that had one ingredient that cinched it. Cinnamon red hots. Nana's "secret" ingredient.
 I remember the little candies would only show up once a year. They magically disappeared and apple butter would appear in it's place.  After 18 hours of simmering, I ended up with four glorious jars of my very own Apple Butter.

This Week We Purchased The Following: 

Elbow macaroni, whole chicken, milk, flour, ketchup, 
oil, mayo, hot sauce, steak sauce, shrimp, broccoli, cucumber,
cream cheese, butter, corn flakes, cheddar, mushrooms, ice cream,
bread, eggs, cranberry sauce, cream of celery soup, 
green onions, radishes

The total spent was $65.11

Our allotted budget is $130 but the goal is to stay under $100

We were getting pretty low on basic condiments. Still managed to 
stay under the mark. Putting the difference away for future restock needs.

Breakfast Options For The Week

Cereal/Oatmeal 

Morning Sunrise

Egg over easy with fresh sliced garden tomato & slice of cheese

Blueberry Scones 

Toast & Apple butter 

Bagels 

Fruit & Yogurt

It's another rainy weekend but the only baking
I plan on doing is some quicky scones and an 
angel food cake. Looks like I might have to 
curl up on the couch and read.

Monday:

Lunch - Black Bean Smothered Sweet Potatoes 

Dinner - Fall-apart Chicken, Macaroni Salad 

Tuesday:

Lunch - Chicken Salad Wraps (use LO)

Dinner - Pork Loin, Mashed (Sweet) Potatoes, Pickled Beets

Wednesday:

Lunch - Hot Cranberry Tuna Sandwich 

Dinner - Grilled Honey Chiptole Shrimp, Baked (Sweet) Potato, Salad 

Thursday: 

Lunch - Curried Egg Salad Wrap

Dinner - Buffalo Chicken Bites, Salad

Friday:

Lunch - Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken

Dinner - Sloppy Joe's, Salad

Saturday:

Lunch - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Dinner - Sweet & Sour Kielbasa & Salad

Sunday:

Lunch: Crescent Pizza Bites 

Dinner: Missional Group - Pick a Snack - Angel Food Cake

Snacks:

• Apple Granola Bars  
• Cinnamon Apple Cherry Cheeseball w/Sliced Apples
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Honey Granola Crunch Bars  
• Angel Food Cake 
• Popcorn

Drinks:

• Coffee and Hot Tea
• Water - that's a biggie here
• Hot Chocolate
• MYO Arizona Green Tea 
• MYO Lemonade Concentrate 

I Don't Leave Home Without It

I generally plan on Wed when I have 30 minutes before mass chaos begins.

I shop on Fri so our family menus (posted on the fridge) run from Fri to Thur.

How do I keep it all straight without pulling my hair out? I use Pepperplate.   

This site/App keeps all my recipes, super easy to upload from other sites, 

my shopping list which automatically uploads, my weekly/monthly planner, 

AAAND  (with best infomercial voice I can muster)   So Much More! 
(Nope I didn't get paid to say that either.)

1 Corinthians 11:2

Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

Week #41 Try, Try Again

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Boy this blogging thing is no joke. I hit a bit of a hiatus early this year. Often life happens, and family is first for this ol'gal. But, I'm back and ready to share with vigor once again.  

Collecting God's bounty has been a family tradition for generations.

This is a picture of my mother. If it wasn't for the date stamp I would have sworn this was a picture of my daughter. Spitt'n image, down to the nose crinkle.  One thing I am grateful I have learned from Nana is how to recognize the bounty of the land. She taught me that provision is all round us, all we have to do is to collect it. That is true for so much more than food.

Literally

I haven't been apple picking since I was a girl. I tried to persuade my husband and teenage daughters to participate to no avail. After a couple of weeks of planting seeds all seemed fruitless. Than I woke one fated Saturday morning and had an epiphany, I don't have to take everyone along with me. My little fella was all to excited to go on the adventure with me and we had a glorious fall day. We picked a 1/2 bushel of various green apples, a 1/2 bushel of various red apples and a peck just for Nana & Papa.
That's a bushel and a peck!
Now, what are we going to do with all these apples!

Fall ='s APPLES!

Just for fun, and cause I had a rainy day with no solid plans, I tried my had at applesauce, apple "skin" jelly, baked apple donuts, and an apple beef stew. 

The sauce is fab but the jelly quickly turned into hard candy the instant I poured it in into the jars.

The snack and stew went over well but I still have 2/3eds of my apples. 

I'm gonna need to get creative here folks.

This Week We Purchased The Following: 

milk, cool whip, balsamic vinegar, gallon Ziploc bags, sour cream,
2lb onions, pepperoni, black beans, yellow cake mix, green peppers, 
granola, frozen corn, tomatoes, cream cheese

The total spent was $28.11

Our allotted budget is $130 but the goal is to stay under $100

How did that happen you ask? I played "Old Mother Hubbard's Cupboard"

Knowing what you have on hand and not blindly purchasing at the store
is a big budget lifesaver!

Breakfast Options For The Week

Cereal/Oatmeal 

Bacon Egg & Cheese Biscuits (use left over biscuits from Mon)

Apple Sausage Breakfast Casserole 

South of the Border Donuts 

Easy Apple Fritters

Fruit & Yogurt

It just so happens to be a rainy weekend
here with no big plans, so I thought I'd find
some ways to use up all these apples.
More cooking then usual for me.

Monday:

Lunch - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Dinner - Crock-Pot Boston Butt Shoulder for Pulled Pork,
Gravy, Side Salad, Biscuits

Tuesday:

Lunch - BBQ Pork Sandwiches (use LO)

Dinner - Grilled Chicken Chiptole Sandwiches, Side Salad

Wednesday:

Lunch - Mini Pizza Bites

Dinner - Pork Pot Pie 

(just like Chicken but use LO)

                                (also I make the filling and pour it over biscuits - quick n easy)

Thursday: 

Lunch - Egg Salad Wraps

Dinner - California Halibut Bake, Side Salad

Friday:

Lunch - Egg Drop Soup OR PB &J

Dinner - Marinated Beef Kabobs, Au Gratin Taters (with sweet potatoes), Side Salad

Saturday:

Lunch - Fabo Pizza, Pizza Dough

Dinner - Chicken Chiptole Bites, Sweet Potato Wedges, Steamed Broccoli

Sunday:

Lunch: Fridge Dive

Dinner: Missional Group - Pick a Snack - I'm thinking Cheese Ball

Snacks:

• Apple Granola Bars  
• Cinnamon Apple Cherry Cheeseball w/Sliced Apples
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Honey Granola Crunch Bars  
• Apple Pie  
• Apple Crisp & Vanilla Ice Cream
• Popcorn

Drinks:

• Coffee and Hot Tea
• Water - that's a biggie here
• Hot Chocolate
• Apple Cider (Hot or Cold - Yum)
• MYO Arizona Green Tea 
• MYO Lemonade Concentrate 

I Don't Leave Home Without It

I generally plan on Wed when I have 30 minutes before mass chaos begins.

I shop on Fri so our family menus (posted on the fridge) run from Fri to Thur.

How do I keep it all straight without pulling my hair out? I use Pepperplate.   

This site/App keeps all my recipes, super easy to upload from other sites, 

my shopping list which automatically uploads, my weekly/monthly planner, 

AAAND  (with best infomercial voice I can muster)   So Much More! 
(Nope I didn't get paid to say that either.)

Romans 8:26

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Week #5 Pasta-riffic

Doing New Things

Isn't Nana a beautiful lady?

I always thought as a young kid that she looked Italian. 

It certainly was not her cooking that misguided me. 

Nana is amazing at many culinary practices but Italian is not her strong suit.

Yep, Yep, Yep

I can't say no to carbs. Love um', I  do. In moderation ofcouse…sometimes.

Now for those of us on a New Years health kick, paleo, whole 30, diet of choice, keep in mind all the

amazing substitutes to good ol' traditional pasta. 

You can use spaghetti squash, rice noodles, zucchini noodles, exedra exedra.

Malta-wah?

Maltagliati literally means "badly made".  

I have been trying for months to perfect a MYO pasta recipe with no avail! I just can't seem to get the hang of it.

Luckily for me, my 16yr old is a pasta savant and has saved the day on many occasions.

When I found this recipe I jumped for joy! 

Now I don't have to worry about wasting a batch of dough when my noodles don't turn out picture perfect.

I'll just chop up the dough and wa-lah we are having Maltagliati!

This Week We Purchased The Following: 

5# Chicken leg quarters,  5# Ground Turkey, 3 dozen eggs, 3 LB's Bacon

Tomatoes, Broccoli, Onion,  Peas, Spinach

 Peaches, Pineapple, Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Mangoes Bananas, 
Cheese - Cheddar, Cottage, Parmesan, Butter, Buttermilk, Milk

TP, Dog food, Diced tomatoes, Cream of Ck soup

 The total spent was $76.18

Our allotted budget is $130 but the goal is to stay under $100

Breakfast Options For The Week

• English Muffins  
• Bacon Egg & Cheese Burritos (make and FZ)
• Fruit & Yogurt
• Bagels & Cream Cheese (FZ)
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins 
• Copycat Burger King French Toast Sticks (FZ)

Alright, I only have to make the
english muffins and burritos. Both
are super easy.

Monday:

Lunch - BLT & Potato salad (LO)

Dinner - Spinach Stuffed Manicotti (make 2 batches freeze 1)

Tuesday:

Lunch - LO Manicotti OR Hawaiian Chicken Salad & Potato Salad (LO)

Dinner - Honey Ginger Dump Chicken, Rice

Wednesday:

Lunch - Poor Boy Sandwich

Dinner - Maltagliati with Peas, Onions & Bacon 

Thursday: 

Lunch - Veggie Quiche

Dinner - Beef & Broccoli Casserole (but with Turkey)

Friday:

Lunch - Egg Drop Soup OR PB &J

Dinner - MYO Shake-N-Bake Pork Chops, Lemon Dill Rice, Roasted Asparagus

Saturday:

Lunch - Pizza Pasta (Try Try Again)

Dinner - Fridge Dive - eat up those leftovers or package individual servings and freeze for quick meals)

Sunday: SUPERBOWL

Lunch: White Chicken Chili, {Copycat Ruby Tuesday} & MYO Jiffy Cornbread

Dinner: Dinner At Friends House 

Snacks:

• Pineapple, Mango, Cantaloupe Mix
• Popcorn
• Muffins
• Fruit & Yogurt
• Funnel Cakes 

Drinks:

• Coffee and Hot Tea
• Water - that's a biggie here
• Cocoa Mix 
• MYO Arizona Green Tea 
• MYO Lemonade Concentrate 

I Don't Leave Home Without It

I generally plan on Wed when I have 30 minutes  before mass chaos begins.

I shop on Fri so our family menus (posted on the fridge) run from Fri to Thur.

How do I keep it all straight without pulling my hair out? I use Pepperplate.   

This site/App keeps all my recipes, super easy to upload from other sites, 

my shopping list which automatically uploads, my weekly/monthly planner, 

AAAND  (with best infomercial voice I can muster)   So Much More! (Nope I 

didn't get paid to say that either.)

Ecclesiastes 1:9

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Week #4

The Good Ol' Days

Having spent so much time with my Nana, I inherited a few perspectives. 

One is to use what you have. 

Coming up in the 30's and 40's gave my grandparents the application of provision. 

Being thankful for what the Lord has provided, their needs namely. 

Wants, were frivolous and unnecessary.

I have many fond memories of watching my Papa till and prep the garden. Toil, tend and harvest. My Nana diligently canning and freezing. These were necessities for them and so they became a part of their lives. They are well into their 70's now and continue to cultivate and stock pile.

Although I haven't learned, yet, how to mass produce my own food in the same manner, I have begun to find ways, small as they are, to provide for my family using the provisions I have been given.

Old Wisdom

START WHERE YOU ARE...

I totally did not get to where I am in my grocery budget overnight. I remember a day where we were spending well over $250 every week and that didn't even count the eating out we were doing. Where did I start. I started with what I knew. 

Take a look at your spending on food for the last few months. 

Now a little math.

If your looking at three months divide by 12, if one month divide by 4. This will give  you a general idea of what your spending on food each week.

USE WHAT YOU HAVE…

Step two, seriously look at what you have on hand right now. In the fridge, freezer, and pantry.

Brain Storm… Pintrest… Google…

If you have enough on hand to make 2 or 3 quickie meals that's $20-30 less dollars you're going to spend at the store this week. 

DO WHAT YOU CAN...

Now give yourself a little challenge. If you spend any less then what you spent last week or month your on the right path.

Maybe you try to eat out just one less night this week.

Maybe you decide to make your breakfast instead of buying convenience foods.

Perhaps your goal is to prep lunch to cut down on grab n' go food on the run.

Meets New Wisdom

 The total spent was $67.84

Our allotted budget is $130 but the goal is to stay under $100

We did it again, what a way to start the year!

Now I'm gonna put the other  $32.16 into an

envelope. Just ask for the difference in cash

when the sweet young cashier asks you if 

you'd like cash back.
NOW HOARD IT AWAY AND WATCH OUT FOR THOSE HOLES IN YOUR POCKET!

Breakfast Options For The Week

• Egg-N-A-Hole
• Bagels and Cream Cheese (almost gone)
• Blueberry Muffins 
• Copy Cat Burger King French Toast Sticks (FZ for later)
• Banana Walnut Instant Oatmeal (Plenty Left)
• Crumb Coffee Cake
• Veggie Frittata

Breakfast is the most important 

part of the day right?  Make it 

easy on yourself and your kids.

Monday:

Lunch - Pizza, Copycat Bobli Pizza Crust

Dinner - Grilled Steak, Baked Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus

Tuesday:

Lunch - Tuna Salad Wraps

Dinner - Winter Lentil Soup

Wednesday: 

Lunch - Salad and LO Baked Potatoes

Dinner - Pot Roast

Thursday: 

Lunch - LO Soup

Dinner - Hand Held Meat Pies

Friday:

Lunch - Salad with Hard Boiled Egg

Dinner - Ocean Wiggle

Saturday:

Lunch - Salad or Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Dinner - Cauliflower Snob

Sunday:

Lunch: Worlds Best Potato Salad, BLT

Dinner: At Friends House

Snacks:

• Oranges, Bananas, Apples
• Popcorn
• 100 Calorie Snacks *Great Ideas for simple handy snacks
• Meringue Kisses
• MYO Yogurt

Drinks:

• Coffee and Hot Tea
• Cocoa Mix
• Water - that's a biggie here
• MYO Arizona Green Tea
• MYO Lemonade Concentrate

I Don't Leave Home Without It

I generally plan on Wed when I have 30 minutes  before mass chaos begins.

I shop on Fri so our family menus (posted on the fridge) run from Fri to Thur.

How do I keep it all straight without pulling my hair out? I use Pepperplate.   

This site/App keeps all my recipes, super easy to upload from other sites, 

my shopping list which automatically uploads, my weekly/monthly planner, 

AAAND  (with best infomercial voice I can muster)   So Much More! (Nope I 

didn't get paid to say that either.)

Luke 12: 22-26

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or

about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[b]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?