I'm not making a structured plan this week, since it is my vacation week and we will spend some time with family.
I do plan to make this appetizer for the first time for our New Year's Eve party. I like bruschetta, and I like feta cheese, and this looks like a comination of the two. Of course, I have to mess with it: I want to use my own Greek seasoning mix since the one from the store contains MSG. I just have to find a homemade Greek seasoning mix recipe that looks suitable...
My husband gave me some Larabars. Why haven't I tried these before? And why didn't I invent them?! Seriously, the ONLY things in them are fruit and nuts. Finally, a packaged snack I can feel good about.
I also want to try this pasta recipe. I am almost certain someone made it for me after my little girl was born. I've always wanted to duplicate it, but never knew how.
Ok, we'll be eating whatever we can find around here this week, which is lots of random leftovers... Major grocery shopping planned for the end of the week.
If you remember, I bought 5 bags of cranberries for 10 cents apiece on clearance at Aldi after Thanksgiving. I am loving cranberries right now. Here is a recipe I have made twice now, adapted from this Rasberry or Blueberry Lemon Muffin Recipe. It uses half of a bag of cranberries. I have no pictures because we eat them so fast!
Cranberry Vanilla Muffins
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup half and half (I've used cream or whole milk just fine.)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries
Combine dry ingredients.
Combine eggs, cream, extract.
Melt coconut oil and add to we ingredients while stirring.
Stir wet mixture into dry mixture until just moistened.
Carefully fold in berries.
Spoon into muffin pan - I use silicone, but if you don't, you may need to use paper liners.
Bake @ 400 for 18-20 minutes. (Less for silicone pan, more like 16.)
Makes 18 muffins.
Another recipe that I still hope to try is this Pumpkin Cranberry Bread. Holy sugar! Look at that flour to sugar ratio. No wonder it gets rave reviews :)
By the way, the third and final Crafty Christmas Project is already wrapped, but you can find a photo of a smaller version of it here. It is the pillowcase dress. (Just google for directions. There are lots out there.)
Happy Christmas to all and to all a good-night! :) Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Or Art Board or Cork Board. Whatever you want to call it.
I am all about gifts being practical for kids. At least some of the gifts.
We don't have much wall space at all in our kitchen. We don't have an office. We don't have a mudroom. We don't have very much wallspace in the hallways, either. So, the little wallspace we have, I don't want crammed full. Having some clear space on a wall is calming to me. And the fridge can only handle so much, too (I only allow the sides to have things on them.)
So. My daughter needs some place to display her artwork. Because I think that having a place to show it off gives kids some incentive to do quality work (that is the 1st grade teacher in me coming out I guess.)
So. I made this Christmas present to go on my daughter's wall in her bedroom. It was easy.
(Oops! I just realized it is upside-down in the picture. Sorry!)
1. Iron and starch the fabric.
2. Use a combination of duck tape and hot glue to attach it to the back side of the corkboard.
It's the same method I used to make this easy and cheap wall art for my little boy's nursery.
I will have to take another picture once it is hanging in place on the wall and put to proper use. I hope she likes it!
I took a trip to the local grocery store today. I enjoyed that so much more than going to the big box store. In my town, those are the only two options. There are many more choices if you take a ten, twenty, or thirty minute drive down the highway, but I wasn't in the mood.
I like going to the grocery store that employs people I know. Where locals have lunch meetings at the deli. Then, I start to think, why don't I go here more often? Oh, yeah. The selection is standard American fare. Any other offerrings cost an arm and a leg. Which, sometimes, makes things refreshingly simple, in a limited-options-makes-things-easier sort of way. But that's not always what I am looking for. But, today, that was what I was looking for. Standard American fare and a pleasant shopping experience.
So here's what I bought for $23:
5 lbs. of California clementines
4 lb. bag of C&H sugar
(I really wanted to wait until I go to Costco to get some Sugar in the Raw, but I wanted some sugar for the next few days, and I don't think I will be there until a week or more.)
2 bags of fresh rolls from the bakery*
3 bags of Thomas English muffins
1 can of store brand pumpkin
2 bags of store brand red hots*
2 boxes cherry Jello*
2 jars store brand apple sauce*
I went to the store only knowing that the clementines were on sale. It turns out, almost everything else was, too. So on my receipt it says I saved $16. That makes me happy.
Ok, so the recipe above is a requested family favorite on my husband's side...
What are we having this Christmas weekend from my family's side?
OK, probably no one knows what this is, unless you are from Philadelphia or New Jersey. And, if you know what it is, you know that it is something that is totally uncharacteristic of me to eat. BUT. My grandma always brought some Pork Roll and Tastykakes with her when she and my grandpa came for the holidays. I found a unique deli near my workplace that sells porkroll by the pound, and I buy some once in a while around the holidays. I like it on sandwiches, with eggs, or on sandwiches with eggs. It smells so good frying up! Just like breakfast at my grandma's house.
In a pinch for sprinkles when making these shortbread cookies last week, I followed this recipe for some homemade colored sugar. It is so easy: 1/4 cup sugar + 5 drops food coloring. Stir. Then, shake. And you're set!
I don't think the color is quite as vibrant as buying some premade, but for costing just pennies, it is great. I will probably be making colored sugar sprinkles like this again!
I like to handmake a few Christmas gifts for my kids, while they are young enough not to care :) But unlike the Halloween ballet slippers, I am only attempting these projects right now if they are fairly quick, cute, and useful.
Showcasing Crafty Christmas Project #1: beaded neclace and bracelet for my daughter.
Ha. You can hardly call this crafty. Even 3 year olds string beads! Although I'd like to think I am advanced because this requires a little bit more of the fine motor skills since the string and holes are on the small side... Right?
I got these colored wooden beads for $2 when they were 50% off at Hobby Lobby. I probably have about 1/3 of the bag leftover still. I already had stretchy jewelry elastic that I used for the string. You could use regular string or lanyard cord if you don't care if it is stretchy or not.
So, the whole project cost me about $1.50 out of pocket, and I made the necklace and bracelet while watching a quarter of a football game this afternoon.
What do you think? They look like cute stocking stuffers to me! I hope my little girl likes them!
Last week I spent some money at Walmart, Costco, and Whole Foods (for some de-licious pears), and on farm milk to bring the total on the grocery bill for the month up to $353 out of $400.
I am going to try to avoid the store as much as possible this week. Maybe just one trip to Costco.
Here's what is on the menu for the coming week....
Target: $5 on peanut butter and unsweetened applesauce while I was there gift-shopping for the Angel Tree
Aldi: $34 (I wish I had a picture!) Once again, I couldn't resist the 3 lb. bags of fruit for $1.29 - got apples and oranges. My little boy was sick, and so I went to get some saltines and juice and picked up other odds and ends for my mulitple extra cooking projects this month while there. By the way, I forgot to mention that last weekend, after Thanksgiving, they had the fresh cranberries on clearance for 10 cents (10 CENTS!) a bag, so I bought 5 for the freezer. I think they are back up to normal price, now, though.
$10 on milk from the farm.
$15 at Price Chopper (saved $19 by shopping store specials, not using any coupons) Some stuff for cooking projects and other odds and ends to get by.
Total for December so far: have spent $283 out of $400
This past weekend I made two double batches of these Mom's Mint Christmas Brownies for my neighborhood cookie exchange. They are the best when chilled! (They contain very little flour, so I wonder if you could try to substitute a non-wheat flour, if needed...?) PS - They also won the "Best All-Around Cookie" ribbon :) Also made some of these Easy Shortbread Cookies for the church's children's program. (These contain little sugar and no egg, so would be great for anyone with egg allergies.)
Breakfasts:
Feeling uninspired due to all the other baking going on...
Cereal with Milk
or maybe Baked Soaked Oatmeal with Milk
Oranges or Orange Juice
Lunches:
Homemade Hummus and Pita Chips
or PB&J Sandwiches
Carrots with Ranch
Cheese Crispy Almonds
Pears, Bananas
Dinners:
Monday - Spaghetti Pie (doubled), Broccoli
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Beef Chimichangas, Sweet Corn
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Out to Eat
Saturday - Fish Sticks, Peas
Sunday - Chicken Pot Pie
Meal for Friend:
I am going in together on this with another friend who is providing the BBQ Brisket and Cheesy Potatoes. I am making some easy Creamy Crockpot Corn and Swiss Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Coffee has been on my mind ever since I read this post called 30 Reasons to Quit Coffee by Cheeseslave. If you are a daily coffee drinker, you may not want to read it. Or maybe you do.
I am not a habitual coffee drinker. But I could easily become one if I am not careful. It is in my genes :)
Lately, probably due to the cold weather, I have been having a cup of coffee every week or so, always with milk and sugar. I have always felt guilty about the sugar part, but now that's not my only concern. Reading the post by Cheeseslave has scared me away from that slippery slope of habitual coffee drinking I was getting close to sliding down. Thank you, Cheeseslave. Her list contains a lot of information that pertains to caffeine in general, not just coffee. Stuff I probably had an inkling about, just didn't want to face.
What's ironic is I started writing this post over the weekend, and on Monday, I read two more blog posts on coffee, one in favor of, and one against. I am surrounded by coffee drinkers in real life; most of those who are near and dear to me are coffee drinkers. One even makes a living via coffee. So I really don't know what I think. I just know that for me personally, coffee could become an addictive "drug", and I don't want to put myself in a position to become addicted.
Will I still drink coffee? Yes. I will just be even more careful to treat it as a special treat, just like a decadent chocolate dessert.
My husband? He doesn't get a racing heart, sleep problems, or the craving to chug as much as he can (unlike myself). He will probably still drink it nearly every day. There are worse things. In fact, according to this WebMD article, it may make him the healthier one....
It looked easy. So, I was impulsive, and we gave it a try over the weekend. It was easy. The cookies were simple, no fancy tastes, but good!
I wanted to try a glaze recipe that I had received a few years ago.
Lemon Sugar Cookie Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. warm water (more if needed)
Mix together and spread over cookies while warm.
I let me daughter choose the colors: we had blue cookies with pink sprinkles.
I liked the glaze and would make it again for myself. It was a bit tart, which I enjoy. My daughter is eating the cookies without complaining. But, my husband turned his nose up at it, because if it were up to him, a thick layer of cream cheese frosting would be the only frosting allowed in the universe. (With this glaze, be ready for a non-traditional taste is all I'm saying.)
If I had a signature scent it would a Bath and Body Works lotion dating back to high school. I don't think they make it anymore, and it has been a few years since I have worn it. I still love the smell, but seriously... high school. Plus, as you know, now I like to go for natural ingredients.
Well, I wanted some perfume to have to wear once in awhile. Something light and clean and feminine that does not make me feel sick after wearing it for a few minutes. Warm scents are too strong for me.
I remembered a couple reviews from the Pioneer Woman's Home and Garden channel.
Pacifica Perfumes
They have them at Whole Foods. I went and tried them out, along with some other perfume-type items nearby on the shelf. I coudn't find any that I liked on myself long-term. They all seemd too "warm" for me, or else smelled like a guy.
Fresh Sugar Lemon
I liked the name. I liked that the perfume seemed unique. I read the amazing reviews on Amazon and Sephora. Seemed up my alley scent-wise. Drawback: safety of fragrance ingredients is unknown. Wth - I decided to go to the store and give it a try. Result? I love the smell. (Remember: I love tartness and lemonade!) It is addictive. So, now I own it. The only thing I don't like is that the scent does not last very long for me. Maybe it would last longer in the summer. Or maybe I should just put more on. Next time you see me, you might smell my cloud of perfume first ;)
Well, it looks like it is going to be another month of lots of extra cooking! I'm counting 7 events for which I am making something. 3 work related parties (taking sides), 1 neighborhood party (cookies), 2 things for church (cookies), and 1 meal for a friend who had a baby. I am looking forward to it all... but I better get crackin'!
Here's what is planned for this week.
Breakfasts:
Cheerios or Kashi Autumn Wheat with Milk
Eggs and Toast
Some kind of Muffins
Orange Juice
Bananas
Lunches:
Homemade Hummus with Pita Chips
or PB&J Sandwiches
Cottage Cheese or String Cheese
Carrot Sticks with Ranch Crispy Almonds
Fruit
I said I wouldn't be mad if we went a little bit over the grocery budget for November since there were so many odd, extra expenses in there ($20 on wipes?)... we ended up $15 over and I'm OK with that.
Now, on to December!
This past week was a big stock up week...$16 at Aldi, $16 at Target on diapers, $33 at Whole Foods (some bulk bin purchases such as beans, cornmeal, also a sack of flour, chapstick - which my daughter already lost!, lotion, steak, potatoes), $9 on milk and eggs from the farm, ....and $114 at Costco.
The only new-to-me item on my Costco list was a big glass jar of sundried tomatoes. I don't really know what I am going to do with them yet, I just wanted to have some tomatoes on hand and I didn't want the nearly $3/lb regular (I can't really say fresh because they've probably been shipped across the country) tomatoes.
I wasn't planning on any more grocery stops, but then I saw the new ads on Wednesday. I can't resist 99 cent half-gallons of orange juice. I love orange juice. We don't usually have it on a regular basis, because it is expensive and we can go through it like water and that much can't be healthy. But when it is a good price, I like to buy it. I figure the extra vitamin C might be helpful this time of year. So, two stores were having specials, with a limit of two, so I got two at each, plus some other odds and ends that were either on sale, or are things that I can't get Aldi. I spent $25 between these two stores, plus $6 for the glue to hopefully repair our now-completely-broken pantry door.
Deals: $.99 OJ, $.99 Ragu sauce, $1.99 cottage cheese, free pasta (with purchase of 2 Ragu)
I know this whole thing sounds like a lot of shopping, and I guess it is, especially if you look at how much I spent. Sometimes this much shopping doesn't work for me. I coudn't do this every week. But at the beginning of the month, it is helpful for my sanity to get pretty well set up for the month.
I LOVE these dolls from Warm Sugar. I happened upon them by a link from another blog this evening. I have never seen one in person, but still, they are adorable! I love that they are handmade, using many re-puposed and vintage materials. I was into dolls as a child and am hoping my daughter is, too. So far, she seems to be. At 3 years old, I think she might be a little young for these - I'd hate for something to happen to one. But maybe someday I will be able to get her her own!
Who wants to come cook for me this week? I have no idea what to make at this moment. I need to go shopping. But first, I have to make a grocery list, which means it would help to make a menu plan in order to get started. Ok, here we go. Let's see what we come up with...
Breakfasts: Baked Soaked Oatmeal (I am trying to make this at least once a week since it is pretty good for you. I don't add the fruit or raisins and use an 8x8 dish instead of 9x13.) Cranberry Orange Muffins
Eggs and Toast
Cereal and Milk
Bananas
Lunches:
(A little on the dull side, but easy to pack and decent at keeping blood sugar in check for the little ones.)
Sandwiches
Carrots Crispy Almonds
Cheese
Fruit
Dinners:
Monday - Baked Ziti (making to give 1/2 away), Green Beans
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Rice Medley (Didn't have it over the weekend because we had salmon melts, instead.)
Thursday - Leftovers for the fam/Bible Study for me
Friday - Sticky Chicken Taco Salad
Saturday - BBQ Meatballs, Salad, Cheesy Potatoes (experiment with no cream soup)
Ok, I guess that menu came out pretty well after all.
Since December is so busy, I think I need to try to stick to easy (but of course healthy) meals, especially for weeknights. Perhaps some throw-together soups and such? I might need to keep brainstorming some menu ideas for the rest of the month while I'm at it...
That is the plan for tomorrow.
I didn't do any shopping this week, aside from $4 on milk. Didn't do any Black Friday shopping this year! Haven't done anything on my To-Do List yet, either.
First....
Tomorrow is laundry and cleaning day. I'm psyching myself up. Maybe an errand or two, as well. Since it is a holiday weekend and all, maybe I'll let myself drink some coffee to get going.
I like chocolate and mint, so I think I am going to make some of these Christmas Mint Brownies (minus the nuts) in a few weeks for our cookie exchange this year, even though they aren't technically cookies. As long as they taste good, I don't think anyone will mind too much. I hope.
I am not a knitter, and am a little envious of those who are.
Knitters and non-knitters, is anyone making anything fun for Christmas presents this year?
I want to make my daughter a fabric covered bulletin board for her room. Basic.
I also got some small, colored, wooden beads at Hobby Lobby to make her an easy, cute bracelet and necklace.
Nothing that requires an indepth tutorial by any means...
I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving. Anyone cry at any commercials? I won't make fun of you if you did.
With Christmas shopping almost out of the way, my mind goes on to those "when I get free day" tasks, some of which I reserve for doing only once a year. Amid the daily routine of working, cooking, cleaning (ha), laundry (haha), care-taking, etc., I'd like to also...
Send Christmas cards
Work on baby book
Make gifts (a few stocking-stuffers for my daughter)
Order pictures from 2010
Read... for fun (that's my reward for doing the rest of these things)
It helps for me to assign time to work on these things. The alternative is they just don't get done and that is not a good feeling, when reasonably I should be able to find time to do them... They can be special and enjoyable projects.
Organizing my time (when I can) - that's a good thing for me (and my family).
I'm taking a break this week from a pre-planned menu, since more than half of the week is non-typical as far as the daily schedule goes. I didn't buy much new at the stores last week, so we'll try to make our meals using up stuff we have. Here are some of my dinner ideas:
Ravioli with Sauce Rice Medley Beef & Bean Chimichangas
We're supplying the bread on Thursday: PW's Cinnamon Rolls (made at the party last week)
Crescent Rolls (on sale from Costco with coupon)
An unexciting, fill-in-the-gaps week, food shopping wise. A rather intense week, otherwise. Hence the lack of creative posting.
-$15 on milk and eggs from the farm
-$7 at Aldi on bananas, fresh cranberries, pasta, and bread
Ugh, I am disillusioned on bread right now. I can't find one we like for long term. I had a kind we really liked from Costco, but it got stale really fast the last couple times. Maybe I just need to keep switching it up so we don't get sick of one kind. I really like to get bread at either Costco or Aldi since those are the places I shop most often. I know it takes preservatives to keep the bread soft. My husband wants squishy bread. He eats enough easy PB&J sandwiches without complaining that I figure I can at least get him the bread he likes. And he is happy with the 99 cents bread (with HFCS) from Aldi. But what about the rest of us? Maybe when we get a Trader Joes there will be bread I like there... Just a few more months!
-$10 at Walmart on Skippy natural peanut butter, clearanced Italian breads, and stain-fighter spray
I detest going to Walmart. Target is a more pleasant experience, but Walmart is closer, so I occasionally choose it.
$377 out of $400 spent for November, so far.
The December calendar is filling up fast. How are you doing on your Christmas shopping? I am almost done, I think. My goal was to be done by Thanksgiving. Why? Because I do almost all the shopping, all the time, with both my children in tow, often on my way home from work. And doing that in December with the crowds is not fun. They are still at the age where I can buy gifts with them around, get home and hide them, and they forget about them. So that is what I've been doing. Perhaps that's why the last few weeks have seemed so full. Because I really have done all that Christmas shopping in the past month, starting in the last weeks of October. It's not like we go overboard with the gift-giving at all, and it still seems like a lot. There will still be a few giftcards to pick up after Thanksgiving, but I'm hoping that is it!!
I came home today, tired feet, husband not home for dinner, and decided to make:
Sherried Tomato Soup
It was delicious.
Then, after dinner, I made for tomorrow:
A double batch of PW's cinnamon roll dough (for our cinnamon roll making party)
Homemade macaroni and cheese
Ranch dressing
A batch of carrot-chocolate chip cookies
And started soaking oatmeal for breakfast.
I just finished the dishes. Almost.
Now my feet are really sore and I can't even think straight.
Goodnight.
Oh, but there are 2 loads of laundry to fold, first.
Anyone want to take bets on if I will really fold them now?
Maybe I will surprise myself.
PS - I'm pretty sure I am using colons incorrectly, and I don't care right now :)
Also, this is not an example of living simply, exactly. But there is something good and satisfying in it for me. Otherwise, I would not spend my time and energy this way.
Wow, can you believe it is the middle of the month already?
Last week I needed to use up some yogurt, so we made these Yogurt Coffee Cake Muffins (minus the topping) for breakfast a couple days. As far as baking these days, it is mostly for other people. Parties, church functions, work, cookie exchanges. So I am going with conventional ingredients since they are on sale this time of year (white flour, white sugar, refined brown sugar, canola oil, etc.) Just in case you were wondering why you were seeing those conventional items in my shopping trips and wondering if I had completely gone back to my old ways. Nope. As for baking for our household, it is mostly breakfast items, and I am still sticking with the less refined sugars and coconut oil.
Breakfasts: Baked (Soaked) Oatmealminus the fruit and raisins, baked in 8x8 dish
Eggs and Toast
Kashi Autumn Wheat Cereal delicious! with Milk
Muffins
Bananas
Lunches:
Leftovers or Sandwiches
Carrots with Ranchplus dried chives
String Cheese
Apples
I appreciated and enjoyed Sarah's round-up of toys her family likes... especially since she has 5 children and knows what will stand the test of time across the age ranges.
I have shared about a few particular toy items before:
Last year for Christmas we got our daughter (then 2 years old, now 3) this Schwinn Roadster. It did not disappoint! It was a little big and heavy for her at first, but now she has learned to pedal and can manage it just fine. It looks so fun and fast (and very shiny and retro, too) - I wish they made them in my size :) I am hoping for several more years of use out of it for her, and our little boy, too.
This year, I would like to get them a good snow sled or saucer, so I have been scouting things out in this area...
Ok, now to backtrack a little bit. When my daughter was 18 months, I asked co-workers for recommendation on toys for Christmas that would stand the test of time. One suggestion that we listened to was a play shopping cart. I had originally wanted a classic metal or wooden version, but in the end, I am glad we have a plastic Little Tikes one because it has run into the walls many times! My kids both seem to love push toys, so a shopping cart is a good gender neutral one.
A no-brainer item that both my children like is play food! The younger one just likes to take the pieces in and out of bins, while my older one likes to take my order and make me lunch with them. We have a couple differenct sets that people have gotten for us - my favorites are the wooden ones with non-toxic paint. My 3 year old loves the slice-able kind, but we have to watch the little pieces with my 1 year old, so this is a special toy we get out for when she wants to play with it at the kitchen table.
Major nerd alert. You have been warned.
Here we go...
A sample of my personal a-typical dietary evolution:
Switching from skim milk to whole raw milk
Eating more red grassfed meat than white meat
Avoiding vegetable/canola oil in favor of unrefined coconut oil
Shunning HFCS in most situations
Consuming butter, not margarine
Eating cheese in abundance, and eggs, too
Paying NO attention to calories or "points"
In addition to these changes, after having a newborn, I got back on track with a regular workout - either strength training at home, or running or biking.
Ok, I got the results of my health screening this past week.
The good news: In one year, my LDL dropped more than 60 points with no medication.
The bad news: My LDL is still high on the charts.
The bad news: My high cholesterol is hereditary, and has always been high, so there is likely only so much I can do.
The good news: I don't care.
The good news: My HDL rose 20 points!
The good news: My cholesterol ratio is now decently normal.
The good news: My fasting glucose and triglyceride levels are normal.
The good news: My bodyfat percentage is in the healthy range (on the upper end, but still there). My waist circumference is healthy, too.
The good news: My blood pressure is normal. (This improved when I changed jobs when I had kids.)
The good news: I don't have metabolic syndrome.
I am not the picture of perfect health; there are lots of things I can do better. There are lots of things that are already deteriorating and will continue to deteriorate as I age (a little depressing, huh?) Also, I realize that ulitmately, our health and lives are not in our own hands. This stuff just fascinates me at times, so I'm sharing. Humor me.
Back to the cholesterol issue - the main issue of mine...
My curiosity makes me wish I knew whether the majority of my LDL was the fluffy (harmless) kind, or the dense (harmful) kind, but the screening I had didn't test for that.
I think I shared this before, but this video pairing is quick and informative, and worth watching if you have cholesterol concerns, so here it is again. I highly recommend it.
Part I
Part II
What do you think??
Here's what I have to say...
I love you, saturated fat! :)
I will get screened again in the spring. Hoping for good results, again.
I was dragging majorly this morning. Just a long, but OK week. I went grocery shopping among other things with the kids in the rain, and then thankfully managed a short nap this afternoon.
Today we went to Costco and Aldi.
I was so tired when we got home (and everyone was hungry for lunch), so I wasn't motivated to take a bunch of pictures. We mostly got the usual stuff at Costco. The new things were some crescent rolls (<$1/tube with coupon, 4 tubes in the package) to take to Thanksgiving dinner, and some ciabatta bread for with soups this next week.
Costco: $82
As for Aldi, I took a quick picture:
Aldi: $51
I am going to see what their diapers are like on my 15 month old, for when we are out of the house (cloth at home). We've never tried them before. I should have gotten the milk at Costco, but I forgot. It is for some baking projects this week. So are a bunch of other things (butter, brown sugar, cocoa, oil). Right now, butter is cheaper at Aldi than at Costco. They seem to go back and forth. As you may know, I have really been trying to stick with organic fruit and vegetables, but these apples are too good of a price to pass up. Especially since I know the budget will be tight at the end of the month. Three 3 lb. bags for $1.29 each - that's 9 lbs. of fruit for less than $4.
A the beginning of this week, we spent $9 at Whole Foods on organic bartlett pears, $6 at the local grocery store on orange juice (sale) and fruit, and $15 on milk and eggs from the farm.
I am OK with going a little over the grocery budget this month because we are making a lot of food for other people, but I want to do the best we can to stay close to it.
So far, $345 out of $400 spent for the month of November.
Coming soon, I might share my reflections on my recent cholesterol screening... some fascinating weekend reading for ya ;)
I don't have a photo of my shopping for this week. It was a light week, compared to last week.
$10 at Whole Foods on 10 lbs. of organic apples and pears
$9 at Target on odds and ends among other things (peanut butter, baggies, small bottle for dish soap)
$13 on milk, eggs, and yogurt from the farm
$27 at Price Chopper on baking supplies (gonna have a cinnamon roll making party with my Bible Study), frozen veggies, cottage cheese, and toiletries (most everything on sale).
I like wrapping paper. I like using wrapping paper to wrap presents.
Now, sometimes I am feeling thrifty and I like to reuse materials we already have, like brown paper from brown paper bags that have been cut to lay flat. And then I tie up the package with yarn. Hey, "Brown paper packages tied up with string... These are a few of my favorite things!" Sorry, I couldn't resist.
And sometimes, I think of doing things like making some reusable Santa Sacks.
But other times, I am not so thrifty or earth-friendly.
Today, I was at Hobby Lobby today on a work related errand, and I perused the aisle of Christmas wrapping paper. Where have I been? The have the most gorgeous wrapping paper! I wanted some, badly. One $8 roll has 100 square feet of potential. (Call that a $5 roll if you print off one of the 40% off coupons from their website.) They have the most enticing patterns, from playful, to modern, to sophisticated, you name it. All in clean, crisp patterns. Some I wanted for wallpaper! I was kicking myself for already picking up 4 little rolls of wrapping paper from the Target dollar spot a few days ago. One roll from Hobby Lobby would probably take care of everything I need to wrap this Christmas. Seriously, if you like cool patterns, go check it out and get you some.
PS - After I inquired, the random Hobby Lobby worker dude said he thought it would probably go on sale in the next few weeks. I might go back :) Maybe I should have a gift wrapping business...
Quick FYI. I'm doing it again. Starting tomorrow. No desserts or chocolate or anything that I have trouble using self control when eating. For two weeks, at least. Right now, I have a stomach ache from eating candy. And I have a cold. This is not good. I don't like this feeling. My body needs good food, not junk. The end.
PS - I don't want to go wash the dishes in my sink.
I did really well eating "no desserts" the first 3 weeks of October. This past week, not so much. I got past the point of caring. But the thing is, when I was doing well, I felt great and didn't miss them! Woo-hoo! I liked this challenge... so much, that I might resume it indefinitely after this weekend... Am I crazy? Check out this article on Food Addiction.
And, surprise, surprise... the bonus was that I didn't bomb the grocery budget by buying other snacks like I thought I would!
P.S. I made my share of treats... and quickly gave them away!!!
Well, we did it for October. (I think. October is not over quite yet.) Right on the money (ha ha) - when rounded to the nearest dollar. Last week I had $32 left to spend in the grocery budget. Here's where it went:
I spent $2 getting pizza with the kids at Costco for a special lunch one day.
Spent $13 on odds and ends at Aldi.
Spent $7 on milk and small eggs from the farm.
And $10 at Price Chopper on 4 bags of frozen veggies (sale), 3 half gallons of orange juice (sale), bananas, and garbanzo beans.
I am pretty pleased with sticking to the food budget this month. We were over in a few other categories like gifts and entertainment because of some special events.
Today, I decided to go ahead to do some shopping for November at Costco and Aldi.
Costco: $93
milk (for my husband)
bread
organic salad greens
ravioli
bananas
chocolate chips
Tillamook cheddar
2 take and bake pizzas
spaghetti sauce
organic strawberry spread
vanilla extract (for my mom)
wipes
I had coupons for $2 off the chocolate chips, $2 off the spaghetti sauce, $5 off the wipes and and instant $3 off each pizza.
*Gross-out alert*
Sorry to put this in the middle of a food post, but it is about the wipes...
Confession: Although I still love and use our children's cloth diapers, I have not been using cloth wipes lately. There was nothing to make me dissatisfied with them, it is just that now that my son is eating big-people food, I would rather not wash those super sticky, icky dirty diaper wipes in the washing machine. (It can be done, though. I did with my daughter's. I am just being wimpy now.) Although I am still conserving: If a wipe is used but not "dirty" I wash it with the rest of the cloth diapers and then reuse it later as a diaper liner. I just have to make sure it goes in the garage trash when soiled, not try to flush it!
So, I have to say that Huggies wipes are the sturdiest, best wipes I have found. My goal price is less than 2 cents per wipe. Although the grandmas help to keep us well stocked on wipes, I thought it might be smart to get some Huggies wipes at Costco while they are a good price. Then, I don't have to think about wipes for awhile.
This $18 for wipes could technically come from the "healthcare" portion of the budget if we are feeling pinched at the end of the month, but we will count it as groceries for now.
After we carve our jack-o-latern, I think I will try this recipe for crispy (soaked) pumpkin seeds, since we already know we like making roasted almonds this way!
I don't really have a lot to say today. I am home today and working on sewing some ballet slippers for my 3 year old to wear when she dresses up as Angelina Ballerina this weekend. I purchased her leotard and tutu (it was too cheap to pass up) so I figured I would make some part of her costume homemade. I also just made some Ginger Cookies for my husband because I was too tired to make them last night.
While I am attempting to sew away, I thought I would share several posts from around the blogosphere that have caught my attention.
I have a new blog header. It is my favorite of all the ones I have made so far. (There are a few I have really disliked.) I was going for fresh, clean, and yet something that is a bit wintery so it can stay up for awhile.
Anyone tried fermented cod liver oil? I am contemplating trying it, just for the immunity and health boosts it might offer for the season ahead. If I can stomach it. We'll see.
This recipe is one of my husband's favorites. I got it from his mom.
Makes appoximately 2 dozen cookies.
3/4 cup shortening I use half butter and half coconut oil.
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses; can use part honey if desired
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 and 1/4 cups flour
Beat together in order listed. I use a #30 dipper to make dough into balls, but you can also use your hands. Roll in sugar. Flatten slightly. Bake at 325 for 10 to 12 minutes. I accidentally baked at 350 and they turned out fine.
Thank you to my sweet friend for letting me try this out. I am amazed that is SO easy to use! And the bread turns out great!
After a few times of using it, I was set on wanting one, but now I am not sure. The Light Oat Bread that I have been making is delicious, but it doesn't keep for much more than a day. My husband was not a fan of it for sandwiches. And considering how often I make sandwiches for lunches...
I guess the reason I would want to spend the money on one would be if I was convinced it would be healthier than store-bought bread... but I feel like homemade bread would only be significantly healthier than the alternative if I was grinding my own fresh whole-wheat flour or making sprouted or sourdough bread. And I am not ready to commit to doing that. So, I don't think I will invest in one... yet.
What are your thoughts? Do you think I should want one?
It sure is fun to have fresh bread with nearly zero elbow-grease!
The apples and pears were $1/lb. I had $1-off coupons from their in-store flyer (called The Whole Deal) for the peanut butter, cereal, tomatoes, and sauce. Additionally, the lettuces, green pepper, cereal, and meat were on sale. The milk was the cheapest I could find on the shelf just to tide us over a few days. The organic sucanat was actually cheaper in the package than from the bulk bins (the bulk bin was out of stock, so this forced me to look!) The raw honey, which I have yet to try, was just a dollar or two more than the same size of non-raw honey from Costco. Still, $65 total.
Hy-Vee:
Two transactions...
#1 Cereal. Ok, it came out to like 50 cents a box, so I couldn't pass it up. Even though I prefer other things for breakfast now, it is always good to have some cereal around. There was a $10 instant rebate (with store coupon from their sales flyer) if you bought 6 boxes. Then you got a $6 coupon at the register for your next HyVee purchase. So if you figure that is $16 off, they cost about 50 cents each. (Yeah, they were overpriced to begin with, and I didn't have any manufacturer's coupons to apply.)
#2 Pumpkins, canned pumpkin, unbleached flour (for holiday baking), applesauce, ketchup, cake mix (for cookies for party). Sales on the flour (with store coupon from flyer), applesauce, and ketchup.
Total from both transactions at Hy-Vee: $13
Plus, $15 for milk and eggs from the farm.
$32 left for October. Hopefully, we only need dairy and produce next week.
Here are two different house tours that I have been obsessing over lately...
1. Inspired & Inexpensive
Love the colors here, especially the wall colors. I'd like something like those that for my house :)
2. Pure Style Home
(this blog caught my eye since it is nearly named after one of my favorite books - Pure Style Living)
What they have done with this house is amazing. The living room/dining room is a little fancy for my taste, but the rest of the rooms I will take!
I don't think I have the knack for the style that each of these homes portrays, but I wish I did. I love how they look welcoming and pulled together at the same time.
Little Home is a place to learn and share ideas for the good and simple life. I enjoy writing about all things natural, babies & children, cooking, and faith. I hope you'll jump in and have fun! -Emily
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