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?

Week #3 Better Late Than Never

That is just the kind of 2 weeks it has been. Every time I sat down to put out last weeks menu 10,000 other things would pop up. Don't you just love that. I do, the kind of things that pop up are my son asking me to play cards. My daughters wanting to talk about boys and friends. A girlfriend who just needs you to lend your ears. The moments that fulfill each day are usually the ones I do not plan

As My Nana Always Said...

This Blog thing is defiantly harder than it seems. Okay maybe Nana didn't say it like that but it was something she certainly imparted on us. It was more like "If it's easy, it's not worth doing". So even though its quite late here is Week #3.

This Week We Purchased The Following: 

10# Chicken Breast, Shrimp, 4#'s Bacon, fruit: apples, 
oranges, bananasraspberries, blackberries, blueberries,
 yogurt (starter)4 Dozen eggs, milk, coffee,  
4#'s Butter, Cleaning Supplies, Zucchini, Broccoli, 10#'s Potatoes, 
Basil, Tomato Juice, and condiments.

 The total spent was $93.74

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

Came close but snuck in under the bar.

Breakfast Options For The Week

• Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Biscuits (double up and FZ half)

• Blueberry Muffins (Make & FZ - Still have Banana Nut too)
• Eggs (scrambled & Poached), Toast or Biscuits (Make & FZ)
• Fruit Breakfast Bars
• Fruit & Yogurt
• Bagels & cream cheese

Doubled the muffin recipes and froze half.

Doubled the Breakfast Bars - they make great snacks too.

Multi purpose Biscuits - Make and FZ means ready to go.

MYO Yogurt in the crock pot, another way to save $$$.

Monday:

Lunch - Poor Boy Sandwich - (Tomato and cheese)

Dinner - Greek Style Grilled Chicken, Roasted Garlic Potatoes, Sweet Candied Carrots

Tuesday:

Lunch - Salad with LO Chicken, Cheddar Cheese, and Hard Boiled Eggs

Dinner - French Toast and Bacon (use up what's left in the FZ)

***Our Kids love Breakfast For Dinner Surprise Night

Wednesday: 

Lunch - Egg Salad Sandwich

Dinner - Hibachi Steakhouse Meal - Family Favorite

Thursday: 

Lunch - Curried Egg Salad Wrap

Dinner - Bacon Corn Chowder, Biscuits

Friday:

Lunch - Tomato Basil Salad

Dinner - Taco Pasta

Saturday:

Lunch - LO Taco Pasta

Dinner - Baked Ham with Pineapple, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Yeast Rolls

Sunday:

Lunch: Hawaiian Sandwich

Dinner: Dinner At Friends House 

Snacks:

• Oranges, Bananas, Apples
• Popcorn
• Carmel Apple Dip (LO)
• Fruit Bars
• Muffins

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 11:5-8 (NIV)

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[a] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

Week #2 Starting Out With A Bang

Yea, Buddy

The holiday season is over, the decorations are packed away, and the house is finally back in semi-order. This is exactly how I feel. In fact I could easily hibernate till' Easter. But, something about the year beginning puts a little bee in my bonnet to want to clean every nook and cranny of my home.

Before Looking Ahead

I find it funny how quickly people make new years resolutions. I used to do that as well. Then I realized I can't decide where to go next if I don't know where I've been. This year I'm going to take a little time to reflect. 

Just One Day At A Time

There are always things I can do to improve myself. If I made a list I might have to contact a publisher for novel rights. But when I look at myself just for today it's a smaller piece I can swallow. 

Kinda like the difference between diving into Dontes' Inferno and catching up on Facebook posts. When I wake up each day or before I go to bed each night, I can ask myself one simple question. 

What can/did I do today to be a better me?

This Week We Purchased The Following: 

General Grocery buy week. 2#'s ground turkey, milk, sugar,

cabbage, mushrooms , 10#'s potatoes, onions yellow/red, 

apples, oranges, bananas, kitchen supplies, bathroom supplies.

 The total spent was $63.74

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

Rocked it this week

Better Than Starbucks and at $0.47 a serving!

Breakfast Options For The Week

• MYO Instant Oatmeal 

        **still have plenty of peaches-n-cream & banana nut

• Banana Nut Muffins (FZ)
• Cinnamon Raisin French Toast (FZ)
• Blueberry Pancakes (FZ)
• Fruit & Yogurt
• Bagels & cream cheese

Only had to make the bagels this time.

I am testing out a MYO yogurt recipe but 

since I haven't seen how it turns out yet I'm

hesitant to encourage others to try it as well.

Monday:

Lunch - Tuna Salad Wraps

Dinner - Cabbage Chicken Saute, rice

Tuesday:

Lunch - Egg Salad Sandwiches (18 variations)

Dinner - New England Chop Suey, Garlic Parmasian Knots

Wednesday: 

Lunch - LO Chop Suey

Dinner - Chicken-N-Veg Stew, Cornbread (MYO JIFFY)

Thursday: 

Lunch - LO Stew OR PB&J

Dinner - Potato Perogie, Side Salad

**I use real potatoes usually LO mashed

Friday:

Lunch - Crab & Swiss Stuffed Mushrooms with Salad

Dinner - Hot & Spicy Grilled Pork Chops, Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli

Saturday:

Lunch - $0.50 Soup & LO Cornbread

Dinner - Honey Sesame Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes, Side Salad

**we don't use beer and it still turns out great

Sunday:

Lunch: Tomato Basil Pasta and Quck Marinara

Dinner: Dinner At Friends House 

Snacks:

• Oranges, Bananas, Apples
• Popcorn
• Carmel Apple Dip (I use the crockpot version - you'll be amazed!)
• Chewy Granola Bars
• Muffins

Drinks:

• Coffee and Hot Tea
• Better Than Starbucks Frappuccinos
• 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.)

Ephesians 4:22-24

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.