Random

Just some stuff floating around in my head.

By the way, if you like to see what we eat, go here.  That is where I post that stuff these days.

My recent sewing/craft project: this summer bag made from a clearance pillowcase.  If it gets destroyed from being thrown around this summer, I won't care too much.

Here are Martha's directions for making it.

Some movies I've watched lately that I didn't expect to like, but did:

• Warrior (cliche, but I still liked it once it got past the first few minutes)
• The Rebound (the kids made me laugh out loud)
• Crazy, Stupid, Love (sad, hilarious, hopeful)
• The Vow (expected to hate it because my sister thought it was terrible but I wouldn't go that far... Channing Tatum actually acted in this one instead of just clenching his jaw)

They are not family-friendly, just to warn you.

Do you like the modest, retro swimsuits from modcloth?  Check out this one-piece ....from WALMART. 

Yes, I just said Walmart!  It is not really the right cut for me, I think I would need longer legs to wear it, but it is so cute, so reasonably priced, and gets hundreds of rave reviews!  Too good to not share.  Just in case it is right for someone reading out there.

That's it for now.  Summer's here!

This Week

The results of my grocery shopping today:

Aldi $24

not the mixer :)

Deals: tomatoes, bell peppers, onions

Hy-Vee $34

Deals: bell peppers, lettuce, strawberries, grapes

Some non-paleo splurges for the weekend (eating with friends) include the chips, string cheese, and frozen rolls.  I even bought deli roast beef, which is something I rarely do because it is so expensive (and processed).  I mean seriously, at $6 a pound, I might as well buy steak.  But if I am going to buy deli meat (for convenience sake), we like roast beef :)  The cake mixes were on sale and I can use them when I make treats for church or something.

Other stuff I like:

I want to try this salad dressing.

I like Megan's tip for using a cake pan when traveling with little children.

This rhubarb oatmeal pie looks not-too-complicated for me.

I am going to read this book soon.

Have a good weekend!

The First of June

I haven't shared a grocery store shopping photo in awhile, so here is one, actually two, from my Aldi trip today.

$26 on this-

You see some cottage cheese in there, eh?  I'm cooking for others this weekend and I don't want them to feel punished too much by my food guidelines :)

and $22 on this-

I'm saving my receipt and if it is not worth it, I will return it.  They guarantee their products!

In other news today: I haven't watched much TV in a long time, like months, for a variety of reasons.  But tonight I watched one of my favorites - SYTYCD :)

My Favorite Summer Shoes

I love cute shoes.  Who doesn't?  But for my everyday shoes, when push comes to shove, utility wins out over pure aesthetics.  (I'm on my feet a lot for work.  It's a super casual, jeans and t-shirt work environment.)

Last summer, my go-to footwear were these Reefs.

They were the best $25 I've ever spent on flippy-floppies.  Completely worth it.  Possibly the most comfortable set of footwear I've ever owned.  Why did it take me so long to get some?

A few weeks ago, in my search for some "comfort" summer shoes in the "brown" category, I purchased these Sanuks.

I love that they were made to be worn barefoot, so hopefully they won't get super stinky.  They run big.  I typically wear and 8 and 1/2 for dress shoes, 9 for regular shoes, and 10's for running shoes.  Yes, I have long, skinny feet.  But I wear an 8 in these Sanuks.  So far, I am loving them, and the jury is still out on if they will bypass the thongs for the title of "My Favorite Summer Shoes".  I'll keep you posted.

What are your favorite shoes?  For any reason or season....

Everybody likes a good shoe recommendation.  At least I do!

Ugh! and OUR Paleo Plan

Sooo, I didn't get a picture of my small Costco shopping trip this week.  Sorry! Just Aldi: $33.

We are on track for the grocery budget.  Good thing, because the rest of the budget is totally blown.  Ack!!  I told you spring was expensive around here!  Really.

I cannot believe that once again, Aldi has pineapples and strawberries for $.99.  And sweet potatoes for $.33 a lb.  And celery for $.69.  Aldi and Costco, Costco and Aldi.  Those are our stores lately.

My daughter and I just made and ate ants on a log :)

So.  My husband and I discussed it, and we really like eating the Paleo way.  As long as we can afford it, we are going to continue... with desserts permissible one day of the weekends (made paleo-friendly or at least wheat-free when possible).  When eating out or with friends and family, we will try to eat Paleo, but not to the extent of being a bother when we are house guests.  Unless of course it turns out to be really problematic for us when we do re-introduce grains, legumes, and pasteurized dairy - then of course we will not feel bad having to be stricter with our diets.  I have to say, right now, I am in no hurry to re-introduce them.  Let's keep on rollin'...

I have not been strict with the kids when we've been out of the house.  I let them choose non-paleo food when it is a treat - like a cookie from a friend, samples at Costco, a snack at church, or ice cream that was promised after a successful doctor's appointment, etc.  I have found that they get enough of junk food without me making or buying any!  I am starting to notice the sugar crash an hour later after my daughter eats a purely carb snack and am trying to discuss it with her... how that junky food did not make her feel any better...

I want this book.  I like her blog.  Her "required reading" posts are a great kick in the pants.

By the way, if you are wanting to try eating the Paleo way, and are worried about the expense, think about all the food items that you will not be buying... it really frees up a lot of money.  Shopping is simplified.  We are spending more, but not that much more... just about $100/month more than we were spending eating non-paleo.  We get a lot of benefits for that... The return on the investment is satisfying!

On a different note, I had this idea to do a bunch of links this week to projects that you can make reusing materials and items (in the spirit of Earth Day), but it is not going to happen, so maybe another time :)

Maybe I'll get my craft project done this weekend.  The one that has been sitting in the closet for more than a month...

Hope everyone has a good Easter weekend!

Groceries for Week 3

Here's what I purchased early this past week, using the leftover grocery money from the past two weeks and some entertainment money.

Aldi: $13

Costco: $52

They still had organic Braeburn apples for less than $1/lb. - yay!

OK.  Then, to delve into the week 3 grocery budget, here's what I purchased late this week for the weekend and to start the coming week:

Hy-Vee: $13

A note: Since I can't get all the farm fresh eggs we want (without going to lengths I am not willing to go), I have decided that the remainder of our eggs (after our weekly dozen from the farm) should be omega-3 enriched eggs, as recommended by most Paleo folks.  These are a compromise and are priced between the farm fresh ones which are $3.75 a dozen and the conventional ones which are close to $1 a dozen this time of year.  I went to Hy-Vee for the strawberries ($3.99 for 4 lbs.) and the omega-3 eggs ($1.96 a dozen on sale).  They were out of the eggs, so I talked customer service into substituting another omega-3 variety in their place.  Gotta love Hy-Vee customer service!

Aldi: $34

I am so happy that Aldi sends me their mailers now (no idea why) so I know what the produce specials are.  I think it is weird that the flyers in-store don't show these.  Once again, strawberries and pineapples for $.99!  Plus sweet potatoes 3 lb./$1 and celery $.69.

Price Chopper: $12

A weird assortment, most of it on sale, saved $6 with store specials.

I will probably go to Costco early next week to round things out.  So far, I've spent $59 of this week's $100 budget, but I can throw a little extra in there for my Costco trip since we are having a houseguest and I am spending less at the farm than budgeted for (because of buying less farm eggs than originally planned).

One more week of Paleo style eating... Are you sick of hearing about it yet?

Groceries

After my last shopping post, I went once again to Aldi and spent $4 on produce.  I also got milk and eggs from the farm.

Here are the recent trips.

Yesterday:
Aldi - $35

Today:
Wal-Mart (was there for a curtain rod) - $6

that is some cilantro (yum!) and parsley in the bags

...and Price Chopper - $37 (saved $41 with store specials; vitamins 50% off, antiperspirants $1 or $1.50 each, tomatoes $.99/lb, chicken $1.19/lb.)

Here is my goal.   Not counting farm stuff (beef, some chicken, milk, some eggs), spend $100 (or less) a week.  Our grand monthly total will most very likely be well over our old budget of $400 once that farm stuff is added in.  But, we think it will work out okay, because like I mentioned before, my husband is not spending our money eating out while on the job, which he occasionally used to do (and that adds up fast).  Instead,  he is taking all his food, which he used to try to do, but never did completely.  So, there is some money to work with.  Plus, there is occasionally overflow from other categories, depending on the month.  For example, I am cooking for my Bible study girls next week, so I will move some money from our "entertainment" category for groceries for that.  We'll see how it all shakes out.  Springtime is expensive around here with swimming lessons, graduations, weddings, birthdays, new shoes :), etc. so I can't go too crazy!

Here's the tally for April thus far, not counting the farm stuff:
Week 1 $85
Week 2 $78

I plan to do a smallish Costco trip early next week.  I will use some of the leftover money so far, plus some entertainment money, like I mentioned, and I think that will cover it.

I'm hungry now! :)

Happy April!

Hello, blog.  I've missed you.

I don't have any April Fool's Day pranks for you.

Just some scatter-brained musings.  Because these past few weeks have been a little crazy.  Sometimes I miss the simplicity of winter.  Things are always busier at our house when the weather is warm.  But don't get me wrong, I don't want to trade it :)

I think we are getting into a groove with the Paleo thing.  It took me about 3 days to get into it, to get over cravings and not feel like I was totally dragging.  It took my husband about 5.  My daughter still asks for granola, or a sandwich, or pizza now and then, but I just tell her we don't have any right now, and she gets over it.  It is not as hard as I thought it would be (as long as there is enough food around).  I have been reading some new blogs to go along with this to get inspiration for cooking and such.

I am setting a new (obviously higher) goal for the grocery budget.  But, I think it will all even out when we take into consideration that my husband is now spending very little money (compared to before) on eating out while on the job.

I am tired.  As I mentioned, for no particular reason, these past few weeks have been packed and I have not been getting to bed as early as I need to.  Like I am 2 hours short every night.  And I'm still not getting everything done.  Guess I should work on that this coming week, huh?

Here's something... I had my blood drawn to check my cholesterol, etc. this morning.  Last fall when I had it done, even though my numbers were better than ever, my LDL remained in the high range.  (You can read more about why I was not that worried about it here.)  Well, as of this morning, my LDL is still slightly high, but ALL my numbers (including LDL) are even better than before.  Everything was a PR, so to speak.  (That means personal record for you non-running folks.)  I've had my bloodwork done for the past 7 years, I think.  This new PR is on a diet that includes lots of meat, eggs, nuts, raw whole milk, butter, and coconut oil, folks.  (We have to go get our bloodwork done for a discount on our insurance.)

I also went shopping today at Aldi and Costco.  Here is a picture.  I spent $81 altogether.  A couple pieces of chicken, some apples,  bananas, a bag of carrots, and a container of guac are missing because my husband took them.  I wanted different eggs, but had to go with what Costco had.  Yes, that is 4 lbs. of regular bacon.  No, we will not eat it all in one week.  Good deals on produce at Aldi, once again.  Overall, I was pretty happy with the shopping trip.

I am so thankful for Jillian Michaels.  That sounds silly, but it is true.  She has just about the only workout DVD I can handle doing without hating or being annoyed.  I'm happy to say I've gotten 4 coworkers into doing her workouts, too.  The 30 Day Shred got me through the winter when I couldn't run outside.  I just learned she has a new Shred DVD out.  I will have to remember that for next winter, because in a sense, I think I have worn out the one I have.  I've been getting interested in CrossFit lately.  My husband does their workouts sometimes.  Some I can not even attempt, but I am still interested.

Ok, gotta go.  Thanks for humoring me.  Have a great weekend!  Cloth diaper tip coming sometime soon.  And hopefully a crafty project, too.

Groceries

Aldi ($22) and Costco ($49), pictured together.  Sorry, it was late and I was in a hurry to make dinner.

Strawberries, pineapple, and cantaloupe were $.99 at Aldi.  Got some cheap ground turkey to stretch our grass-fed beef further... Yikes, does that cancel out the benefits of the grass-fed beef?  Also: peas, oranges, bananas, tomatoes, tomato juice (for soup), and canned wild-caught salmon.

At Costco, I was going to get some nitrate-free bacon, but they didn't have any.... Bummer if they don't carry it anymore.  So, I got the not-pictured chicken-apple sausages (msg and nitrate-free), without thinking about the fact that they contain cheese (a Paleo no-no). Oh well, we will be eating them anyways... too much to waste!  Also: more organic apples for about $1/lb., organic salad greens, some almond butter to go with them, and more fruit & nut snack mix for my husband on the go.  Nuts are expensive, sheesh!

Price Chopper ($15)

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.69/lb.  I have missed the ease of cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Well, now I have an excuse to buy them, because I just can't handle doing all our chicken from a whole, pastured chicken!  And, spaghetti squash and sweet potatoes.  Not a great price, but they don't have these at Aldi or Costco.

Sub-total: $86

Plus, I got 10 lbs. of grass-fed ground beef and 2 dozen eggs from the monthly local farm pick-up... $67

And I will spend $20 on milk and eggs from the other farm later this week.  And hopefully, that is IT for March.  Ouch!!!!  $663.  Ouch again!!!!!  I had better get better at this Paleo shopping fast.


On another related note, our sermon at church today was on greed vs. contentment... I obviously don't think striving to be healthy is bad, because we should be good stewards of the life God has blessed us with.  But, I need to make sure that whatever we eat, I recognize that it is God's provision, and to be thankful for it.

Going to watch some b-ball now!

Update and Groceries

For any of you who are interested in how the Paleo lifestyle is going for us after 3 days, here are a few tidbits...

The kids are doing better with it than I thought.  Before starting, I decided that I would let them eat ketchup and other such condiments with their meat, so that helps them with the meat-eating.  Two recipe hits with them have been the paleo pancakes (we tried them on Tuesday) made of almond butter, unsweetened applesauce, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon, and of course the spaghetti (with spaghetti squash).  I used the Pioneer Woman's sauce recipe for that.  It is pretty easy as long as you allow enough time for it to simmer.  The only changes I made include subbing a teaspoon of raw honey for the sugar, and I used some diced tomatoes + juice in place of the 15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, because that's what I had on hand.  It makes a lot of sauce - enough to make 1 lb. of meat last for at least two meals for our family of 4.  And the bonus was that there was enough spaghetti squash leftover to go with it for another meal, too.

Eeeeek!  I am over the food budget, as of course I knew would happen.  Since my last grocery update, I have had 2 orders from the farm (milk and eggs) for a total of $40, a $25 trip to Whole Foods on who knows what, an $89 trip to Costco (purely meat, fish, and produce), the $24 trip to Price Chopper (pictured below)....

(the soap and detergent was per my husband's request... I try to use more eco-friendly stuff on myself and the kids and our clothes)

... and then there was another trip to Costco for $12 because my husband called me from work while I was on my way home and asked me to bring him more food :) so I stopped and got a rotisserie chicken and 5 lbs. of organic apples (took most of the apples home with me).  So, that brings the monthly total up to $450 (past my typical limit of $400), and the month is not over, yet.  Looks like there are some good produce deals at Aldi this week, so I think that is where I will be heading in a few days.

I felt like I almost had grocery shopping down to a science, but now it feels like I have to learn frugality all over again as I try to adapt it to this new lifestyle...

On a different note, one thing I already learned is that this family does not like curry dishes, so I won't be making any of those again anytime in the near future.  I think I am going to give away my jar of curry to a friend at work.

How do we feel?  Hungry :)  We do want to eat frequently, so I very quickly learned to be armed for that, or things get ugly fast.  I have to plan for one or two snacks a day for all of us.  And snack planning takes more prep.  BUT, the desire to overeat is gone.  Ya just don't feel like stuffing yourself with meat, vegetables, fruit, and nuts.

We are eating SO many more fruits and vegetables!  I expected to be grossed out by how much more meat we would be eating (and I even like meat), but I've hardly noticed that.  I am more amazed by how easy it is to eat a ton of produce... and I thought we ate a lot of produce before!

I couldn't do this on my own.  I am so glad my husband is doing it with me.  And there is no way I could do it if there were non-paleo items staring me down in my pantry.  I do miss the cheese.

OK, that is all for now.  Goodnight!

March Groceries, Week 2

Hy-Vee

Peanut Butter was 99 cents/jar, and I am sure we will eat it again someday :)
Grapes 99 cents/lb.
Organic Granny Smith apples 88 cents/lb.
Cabbage 19 cents/lb.
Spent $44

Aldi

Pineapples were 99 cents each
Oranges were $1.49 for 4 lbs.
Avocados were 29 cents each
Spent $21

Price Chopper

Boneless skinless chicken breasts $1.19/lb
Strawberries $1.49/box
Spent $13, saved $25!

I also got 1 gallon milk and 1 dozen eggs from the farm this past week.  Spent $7.  And spent $13 at Target on toilet paper.  I think I somewhat hoard toilet paper.  I like to keep large reserve.

Total so far: $260 spent, out of $400 for March groceries.

March... Groceries

I went to Aldi, Costco, and Whole Foods this week.

I went to Aldi on Monday to get some little things, as well as some items for a meal I am taking to a friend (sour cream, beef, tortillas, choc. chips, corn, cream cheese)  Milk was also included, but not pictured.  There was shortage at the farm this week, so I had to pick some up at the store.  We love those vanilla Italian pizzelle cookies at the top right :) Spent $34.

And then ("And DEN?!"...name that movie), I went to Costco on Tuesday and spent $108.  Could have bought more, but I used restraint.  I had to get the stuff put away right away, so no picture, but here's the list:
bananas
strawberries
organic salad greens
refrigerated uncooked tortillas
fish sticks
frozen organic broccoli
string cheese
block of cheddar
sour cream
butter
organic lemon juice
Sugar in the Raw
organic salsa
raw almonds
ciabatta bread
white wheat sandwich bread

Then I went to Whole Foods today.  It has been awhile since I've been there since they haven't had any produce sales I've been interested in lately.  But now they have organic apples for $1/lb., so it was worth a stop after work.  I also got some mac & cheese for $1/box, some sucanat and organic dry black beans from the bulk bins, and some organic tomato paste (w/ Muir Glen coupon from the store flyer).  Spent $20.

I try to have one or two "convenience/compromise" foods in the pantry or freezer, ready to go for a quick and easy meal if needed (some ideas are nitrate-free hot dogs, frozen ravioli w/ jarred sauce, fish sticks made from wild-caught fish, a healthier boxed mac & cheese, etc.)

Total: $162 out of $400 for March

Last year, I remember going WAY overbudget (by a couple hundred dollars) for the month of March, so we'll see how it goes this year...hopefully better! :)

Groceries

I feel like saying "This week tried to kick my butt, but I fought back and I'm the one still standing."  But then... I know that it is grace that gets me through each day, so I can't really say that.  Thank you to my wonderful husband and friends and children and my God for making my days so sweet when this week could have been rather unsweet.  Ok, enough of the gag-me talk.

What did I buy this week?  I know you are dying to know.  Ha.

Yesterday, I spent $18 at Aldi on odds and ends and lots of bananas and some frozen Chinese food (can't be worse than take-out, right?)  I am taking a break from cooking tonight.  Yippee!

I went to Price Chopper this morning and got the items below for $29.  Saved $34 with store specials.  A chunk of that savings was on the 5 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken which was on sale for $1.29/lb.  I am almost out of our frozen, pastured chicken from the farm, so we can always use this to help fill in until early summer when some more is available.  At that price, it was too good to pass up.  A bunch of these bags of asaigo cheese were with the $.99 packages, so I got one and when it didn't ring up for that price, they still gave it to me when I asked what the correct price was... yay!  And the regular lightbulbs will not be made much longer, so I am picking some up when I can (when they are on sale), because I like them :)

After our weekly milk and eggs, we've spent $244 out of $400 so far for February.  My goal is $350 or less.  Surely we can go one more week on $72!!! (+$34 on our monthly beef order)  I might have to avoid Costco altogether until March, though!

On a different note,  I really like this blog because she is not afraid to admit imperfections... and that daily life can be CRAZY...  It's nice to know we are in this together, just trying to do the best we can with what we have where we are!

Have a great weekend!

Groceries

I went to just Hy-Vee for food this week.  If I could only shop at one store, and it had to always be the same one, I might pick Hy-Vee. Anyways.  Trying to keep it simple and hold off on some Costco purchases so that I only end up going to Costco once this month.

Hy-Vee...Spent $34

Looks like we mostly got produce and bread items, huh?  Still experimenting on the bread purchases.  We liked last week's kind. Deals this time:  $.77/lb. organic pink lady apples.  That is a good price for apples around here, and I don't think I've ever gotten organic apples at that price before.  The Ocean Spray Ruby Red Grapefruit blend is my husband's favorite... at $.99 each I couldn't resist.

But then $15 was spent on this rather unwholesome stuff...

...to make sausage balls for church.  That seems like a lot since the sausages were on sale for $1 each.  The cheese was the kicker, costing almost twice as much as I would normally pay, even though it was on sale.  That I should have gotten at Costco!

We also spent $16 on milk and eggs from the farm, which brings the monthly grocery spending total so far up to $181 out of $400.

Now, to plan some meals for next week...

Unscientific Personal Thoughts on Bread

As I have mentioned before, we like bread.  We like bread that isn't brittle or dry.  We eat bread for sandwiches or toast.  I am not making bread (or buying it from the bakery) each and every day.  (The bakery even claims it should be eaten fresh, not day-old.)  There is a problem.  Bread that "keeps" is typically loaded with preservatives and stuff.

I have always thought wheat bread was healthier, but now my thinking is shifting.  You hear about all the gluten-intolerances?  Kinda like the dairy intolerances?  Some seem to develop with time... One theory is that they develop due to overexposure.  The push for whole-wheat and whole-grain bread has overloaded our bread with extra gluten to keep it soft and squishy, as so many of us like it.  And our bodies can't take it anymore; they are revolting in various formats.

I have minor joint issues that flare up from time to time.  Not enough to interfere with anything, but enough to be extremely annoying for a very short period of time.  I suspect, but do not know, that it they are diet-related.  The symptoms and the duration of them have improved over the past few years since shifting towards a more whole foods diet.  Almost anything can be blamed on gluten issues, so it is something to consider.

Now, in addition to scanning the ingredient labels on bread packages for HFCS, I also look to see if vital wheat gluten is in the top handful of ingredients.  Go ahead and look yourself.  Almost all "appealing" whole wheat bread found in they typical grocery store contains additional gluten as one of it's top ingredients.  My goal is to look for it after the "contains 2% or less of the following" part.

The other slightly unfortunate thing is that nearly all store-bought bread contains soy, in one form or another.  Why do we want soy in our bread?!  Soy jacks with your hormones.  Sheesh.  Anyways, that was a sidenote.  Investigate if you wish.

I know, I know, I should just make my own bread.  Or give it up altogether.  Seriously, it would be good for me to!  I am trying to move our family towards less reliance on grains, but that is slow going.

So, ya wanna know the reason I bought white, non-whole-wheat bread at the store the other day (when I wasn't at Costco to get my typical kind)?  Because the ingredient label read as such: wheat flour, water, buttermilk, sugar, butter, yeast, soybean oil.  I'll take 6 out of 7.  Then came the "contains 2% or less of" part: wheat gluten, barley malt, honey, salt, vinegar, cultured corn solids, cultured wheat flour, yeast extract, soy flour, soy lecithin, whey.  Mosty of those items I know, which is more than I can say for many other breads on the shelf.  Trust me, I checked.  It is higher in calories that other bread, but perhaps that will encourage us to eat less of it!

Obsessive?  Yes.  I just like learning about food.  I just don't always like what I learn :)

Groceries and Menu Plan 2/7/11

Hello and happy February to you... I have returned from a long week of housesitting.  It was nothing to complain about at all, aside from being stuck indoors due to the massive winter storm... The housesitting was actually a very pleasant break from the ordinary routine.  Still, I am glad to be home again and back in my own kitchen, eating my own food.

I am going to try to be underbudget in February.  With it being a shorter month, and considering the fact that we are already almost a week into it, it seems like a reasonable goal right now.  I could use the leftover money for a gallon of coconut oil that will be needed soon...

This past week, I hit up Hy-Vee, Aldi, and Price Chopper.  I think I did pretty well, considering I got the makings for nearly all the dinners for the month, I think... (the necessary chicken and ground beef are already in the freezer).  Phone pics below.

Hy-Vee $49

Deals: organic apples for $1.18/lb (I think this special runs all of February.), green peppers 2/$1, red pepper $.88 each, cottage cheese $.99 each, full fat organic yogurts $2.88 each (all Feb.)

A note on the frozen bread dough and frozen roll dough: I looked at the ingredients.  I know they are not very wholesome.  But, I justified it by thinking that if one item at one or maybe two meals each week contains an item with HFCS, it is probably still healthier than eating out at most places.  These items were on sale and I have been seeing a few recipes I want to try that use them.  So, for fun, I got them.

Notice the white loaf of bread?  Or, I should say, loaf of Country White bread?  I will likely be brain-dumping my thoughts on bread soon.  Stay tuned if you like obsessing over ingredients as I sometimes tend to do.

Aldi $37

Deals: $.29 Avocados!, $.89 grape tomatoes
That's romaine lettuce in the front if you can't tell because of the glare.
The crescent rolls are for an appetizer for this evening... a recipe invention that I will share if it turns out well.

Price Chopper $30 (everything was a store special, saved $15)
No pic!  2 pints of blueberries, 2 lbs. fresh Italian sausage, 2.5 lbs. pork tenderloin, 2 fresh Italian bread loaves, 4 lightbulbs, 4 blocks cream cheese, 2 bags frozen peas.

Total: $116 out of $400 for February.

Will buy milk and eggs this week.

And now on to the menu plan!

Breakfasts:
Baked Soaked Oatmeal
Shredded Wheat with Milk
Eggs and Toast
Cinnamon Rolls (Valentine's Day)
Bananas and/or Blueberries with each day

Lunches:
Leftovers
PB&J Sandwiches
Cottage Cheese or Yogurt
Apples

Dinners:
Monday - Lasagna (semi-new), Salad
Tuesday - OK, my last BS cooking night was postponed, so now I am planning the Sundried Tomato & Brie Pasta with Chicken again, with Green Beans, Bread, and Divine Brownies
Wednesday - Lentil Soup (new), Salad, Garlic Breadsticks
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Shepherd's Pie
Saturday - Pork Stir Fry (new) over Rice
Sunday - Leftovers

Have a great day!

Groceries... & Update

Well, like I said, I am already beyond the food and household budget for the month, so I need to take it easy on the shopping.  We do have plenty to eat, but I went today to get some produce (so uninspiring this time of year) and other things at Aldi.  Spent $35.  FYI baby mamas... Lately, I've been liking Aldi's diapers, as far as disposables go.  They seem generously sized, sturdy, and only 15 cents apiece.  The brownies and candy bars are to see if I can concoct an Aldi version of these brownies for my Bible Study dinner next week.  The disposable pans with lids were clearanced out 2 for $1 so I got a couple packages since I use these throughout the year when making meals for other families.  The tomatoes are already in the freezer.  I like to buy organic dry beans from the bulk bins at Whole Foods, but don't have a trip planned to go there in the near future, so I got a couple cans of beans to make lunch burrito making easier.

Today is a cooking afternoon.  I'm making ground turkey, bean, and rice burritos for lunches, homemade ketchup (since I was at Aldi and they only have ketcup with HFCS and I am feeling motivated, I am making some from tomato paste), and rolls.

Update on the January To-Do List:
•Sort through the entire house and DONATE stuff (especially toys, books, and clothes).
The stuff is sitting in a pile in the basement.  Local friends, let me know if you are looking for baby gear.
•STILL need to sort through and print pictures from 2010.
•STILL need to finish the baby books.
•Purge old paperwork.
•Move home movie clips to online storage.

Allright, now back to the tasks at hand...

Grocery Recap, Menu Plan, and an Aspiration

Guess who's back?  (Back again...)

Smoothies!!

Why oh why does that song get stuck in my head?

Hey, we came in under the grocery budget for December by about $25.  How did that happen?  I am wondering.  Well, it was overshadowed by the appliance repairs.  Even when my husband can fix things, washing machine parts are costly!  And we've decided to fix our microwave while we're at it (even though I haven't missed it and don't want to use it much).

OK, so then I started off the January budget by spending about $230 on Friday between Costco, Aldi, and Wal-Mart.  I had to go to Wal-Mart anyways to get some stuff for my husband's work; that stuff is not included in the total.  It took me forever to get to all three stores because everyone was out shopping on Friday, but it was okay because I was kid-free.  It took me 4 hours, total.  Needless to say, I did not feel like taking pictures when I got home.

But, I think the multiple stores were worth it.  Here's my reasoning:
Probably took me an extra 2 hours to go to 2 more stores in addition to Wal-Mart.  Remember, I was uncommonly kid-free that day.  If I saved $100 (which is totally possible), or even just $50, doing something that had to be done anyways, that is a great  return for 2 hours of work by me.

The best deal was 25 cent clearance cottage cheese at Aldi.  The box at the front was dated Jan 1 (the very next day); hence, the clearance price.  But the box at the back was dated Jan. 10.  So, I dug out 3 cartons of those.  I didn't get a ton, because their cottage cheese it not the best quality (I've found Daisy brand to be the purest as far as conventional store-bought varieties go in terms of ingredients) but we can still enjoy a bit of cottage cheese this week.  And some will be for lasagna next week.

I also was swayed by the marketing in the Costco magazine where they highlighted their canned peaches.  Since it is winter after all, and fresh produce it not at it's peak around here, I decided to try some.  I bought the kind in the glass jars that are in very light syrup.  They are supposed to be very high-quality (fancy grade) and only 5 ingredients (peaches, water, sugar, abscorbic acid, and citric acid).

So, this past weekend, we have had cottage cheese and peaches for lunches.  Along with some pumpkin bread from a neighbor, topped with peanut butter.  Yummy.

Oh, and I spent $5 on a gallon of milk from the farm.

Here is the plan for the coming week.

Breakfasts:
I was bummed that Costco no longer has the Kashi Autumn Wheat cereal I like.
Waffles with Syrup
Granola with Milk (It has been awhile, don't know which recipe I will use this time...)
Smoothies  (Yay!  We have blender after going about a year without one because it broke!  Thanks, sis.)

Lunches:
Sandwiches or Leftovers
Veggie Straws or Carrots with Ranch
Fruit

Dinners:
Monday - Homemade Vegetable Soup, Tuna Melts, Salad
Tuesday - Quesadillas, Salad
Wednesday - Leftover Quick and Easy Alfredo Pasta, Salad
Thursday - Out to Eat
Friday - Dinner with Parents
Saturday - Dinner with Friends
Sunday - Homemade (Thin Crust) Pizza, Salad

Goal for the new year:

• I have no "blog" goals for the new year.  This is just a hobby.  I seriously feel like I gain more than I give in the blog world.  Nonetheless, I sincerely hope you enjoy and keep reading.  Thanks for the encouragement you offer!
• As far a related things go, on the natural foods front... Last year I tried (and have happily continued with) raw milk, pastured eggs and chicken, and 100% grassfed beef for our family.  This year I want to try fermented cod liver oil.  At some point.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend!

Groceries Today and Family Food Favorites

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*

*Taking to family Christmas dinner: Red Hot Applesauce Jello and rolls

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?

Taylor's Pork Roll!

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.

Groceries Last Week

Nothing exciting to report...

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