Menu Plan Monday

I have to admit to spontaneously starting a low carb/no sugar diet last week and when a girl is SO used to carbs in her diet then, well, it takes some serious rethinking of the menu plan. My kids are still eating carbs because they like them and carbs are CHEAP. But last week my personal menu ended up being very different from the kids. I didn't make an extra shopping trip, I just ate from what I had on hand. But seriously....I ate almost the same thing everyday and it was getting a little old. This week I searched for something to disguise my boring low-carb menu and I'm hoping the variety will keep me satisfied.

And I'm doing everything within my will power to not eat the crusts from their plate in a rabid attempt to comfort myself with bread. Because bread and I have been best friends for a LONG time and I'm having a really hard time letting our friendship go. (sniff, sniff) I tend to be a very loyal friend.

So when you follow the dinner links your going to see a low carb theme going on. I won't be eating all of those breakfasts. While my kids are digging into their french toast or smoothies I'll be munching on my hard boiled egg with sad puppy dog eyes, trying to control the drool. But the dinners are all adjustable to fit my diet.

And seriously....I lost 5 lbs in one week of white knuckle will power so I'm not giving up yet.

Here is what's on the menu this week...


Breakfasts

Mushroom and Cheddar Omelets
Berry Banana Smoothie and bagels
Oatmeal with apples and brown sugar
French Toast with syrup
Leftover French Toast (busy morning)
Low Carb Pancakes (interesting ingredients...Hmmm)
Intentionally Leftover Pancakes and French Toast from freezer
Dinners

Chicken, Mushroom and Broccoli Alfredo
Crock Pot Roast, Mock Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad, Lemon Cheesecake Bars
French Dip Sandwiches (made w/ leftover roast) and veggie tray
Homemade Cheese Burgers, tater tots, green salad
Crockpot Roast Chicken, Spinach Salad, Cinnamon Custard
Southwest Chicken Soup with sour cream and taco chips
Leftover Buffet aka "day off from cooking"

For more great menu plans go visit Organizing Junkie.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

It's getting close to St. Paddy's day and I really look forward to having corned beef. (I can skip the cabbage...blech.) So this is a link to our tried and true recipe. We use a high quality beer for this and it comes out tender and flavorful PLUS it's a no brainer recipe because you do it in the crock pot. I love those kind.

Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share?

Please include a link to your post, not your homepage and please link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge from your post.

Lookee What I Made - Homemade Soap

Last October I got this great notion in my head to make homemade soap for Christmas presents. I found what looked like an easy crockpot soap-making tutorial and went out and bought all the ingredients. But honestly....the lye and the chemical process freaked me out. So it all just sat there for months.

Until....

A friend decided to teach me how to do it. So last night, with the help of my friends Stephanie and Mandy I actually made homemade soap. It's a Castille soap (olive oil) with goats milk, honey and oatmeal. It smells like a yummy oatmeal cookie and I'm so proud of myself. And the funny thing, my kids are begging to wash with it because it smells so good. We're going to be the cleanest family EVER until the newness wears off.

As soon as I've done a few more batches and feel a little more experienced I'll put up a picture tutorial so you can give it a try at home.

Don't Throw Broccoli Stems Away!

In our house we eat lots of broccoli. When we aren't growing it, we're buying it at the grocery store. My only problem is the stalks. NOBODY likes the stalks so those usually get thrown in the compost bin. But here's a new idea for you.

You know those expensive bags of broccoli slaw you can get at the grocery store? Why not make your own. Now when I'm using broccoli I take the stems and run them through my food processor to make my own homemade slaw. Then I use it in whatever recipe calls for store bought broccoli slaw and I've essentially made an extra meal out of something that I would have just thrown away.

It can be used in Teriyaki Pasta , Homemade Broccoli Slaw or even Mu Shu Chicken.

So think twice before you throw those stems away.

For more Works For Me Wednesday tips go HERE.

GCC Shopping Round Up

It was one stop shopping for me today. I had very little time to get a bunch of things done this morning PLUS I shopped hungry. Pure torture! Let's see how I did.

Bleach $.98
Milk $2.33
2 bags tilapia fillets $5.56
Bacon $2.44
Parmesan $2.23
Whipping Cream $2.78
4 cans albacore tuna $4.72
Butter $1.98
5 dozen eggs $6.62
Vinegar $2.44
marshmallows $.88
2 lbs cheddar $4.47
tortilla chips $1.68
tomatoes $1.43
bulk wheat bran $.06
2 containers of mushrooms $3.56
bananas $1.48
mayo $1.98
broccoli $1.19
leaf lettuce $1.48
spinach $1.78
cauliflower $1.98
cream cheese $.98
2 lbs smoked turkey deli meat (w/ coupon) $6.26 (not pictured)

Grand Total $61.29

Would you like to share a super deal, details of your shopping trip or a great coupon? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's cooking at my house this week...

Breakfast

Oatmeal with raisins
Veggie Omelets
French Toast
Bacon, eggs, toast
Yogurt Parfaits
Pancakes
Leftover pancakes or waffles from the freezer
Dinner

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia, Steamed Broccoli
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Buttery Rolls
Tuna Melts, fruit
Spaghetti, green beans
Taco Salads
Homemade chicken, veggie and noodle soup, cheese toast
Leftover Buffet

For more menu plans go HERE.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

The house is in a flurry here. Tomorrow starts the first day of our homeschool co-op where we have to get up at the crack of dawn and be out of the house. I'm packing lunches, setting out clothes, making sure four kids are bathed, getting my stuff organized and generally running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. (What a mental picture, huh?) So no recipe from me tonight. I'll be relying on all of you to fill our need for fresh recipe ideas.

If you'd like to share a recipe please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Frugal Cookbooks and Getting Books Cheap

Sometimes my menu's bore even me. I get in a rut and that's when it's time to go digging for some new cookbooks. There are great frugal ways to shop for new books.

• Check them out at the library first. That way you can give them a test drive before you commit to adding them to your home library.

• Next, I try finding them on paperbackswap.com. This is a free book swapping site that I use when I've found a book that I really want but don't want to spend the money on. You can click on the link above to find out more.

• If I've exhausted all those options then I'll give in a purchase it online.

So here are some great cookbooks I've come across lately to end my meal boredom. I'll be using some of the recipes in my menu plans over the next few weeks.


Clara's Kitchen is an amazing little book written by Clara Cannucciari. She is a woman in her 90's who lived through the depression and knows how to make a meal for a large family out of next to nothing. Her book is full of great tips as well as amazingly frugal and healthy recipes. It's a fast, light and humorous read.


Not Just Beans...50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites by Tawra Jean Kellam is another book just packed with great recipes with little tidbits and tricks tucked in between. This book covers everything from spice mixes, kid friendly casseroles, dressings, desserts, substitutions and tons of other stuff. It seriously does NOT leave out a thing.


Ciao Italia...Five Ingredient Favorites by Mary Ann Esposito is a pasta lovers dream. She covers way more than pasta and the title is true to it's word. All the recipes have just five ingredients. I love simple stuff like that.


Jamie's Food Revolution...Rediscover How To Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals by Jamie Oliver. This book is all about teaching people how to cook from scratch. There are some great comfort meals in here as well as some impressive frou-frou meals. But cooking from scratch is the way to be frugal so if you're looking for a primer or some really creative recipes this is a great book.

For more WFMW tips go HERE.

GCC Shopping Round Up

I got free stuff this week! Love it when that works out. In December, I managed to get a $15 gift card to a grocery store. The drawback was that it was a store in Portland, Oregon...an hour from where I live. I've been carrying it around all this time, waiting for a day when I knew I would be driving there so I wouldn't spend un-needed gas money on a special trip. And a few days ago, when we took a field trip to the museum in Portland, I finally got to use it.

Save-a-Lot FREE!

1 bottle of oil
5 packs of TP
1 bag mini Reese's that didn't make it home for the picture

Grocery Outlet

3 boxes mac and cheese $1
1 jar green olives $1.49
1 large can peaches $.99
1 large can diced tomatoes $.99

Franz Bread Store

1 bag bagels
3 loaves English muffin bread
1 pack rolls
1 bag of Hoagies
1 bag hamburger buns
1 FREE bag of Texas Toast $9.71

Win-co

2 boxes light bulbs $3.64
jumbo pack burger $6.65
jumbo pack chicken $7.48
gallon milk $1.98 (not pictured)
2 toothbrushes $1.87
2 tubs cottage cheese $2.76
fresh mushrooms $1.98
2 zucchini $.69
1lb broccoli $.89
yogurt $1.68
3 lbs bananas $1.56
3 cans albacore $3.54
OJ $.98
Corn tortillas $1.48
Tater tots $2.17

Grand Total $53.53

Would like to tell us about your shopping trip, a great coupon or a super deal you found? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Menu Plan Monday

The elk chili we tried last week was amazing. For my first foray into cooking wild meat, I was sold. So if you're looking for a good recipe for elk burger you might want to give it a try.

I have some leftover BBQ meatballs from our Superbowl party that I put into the freezer. They will find themselves creatively used in our menu this week.

I get lots of questions about the amounts of fruits and vegetables we eat because I don't always include them in my menu plans. I've been lazy in posting anything but the main dish. We eat lots of fresh, frozen, dried and home canned fruits and veggies so I've made an effort this week to show them so you can see where they are being served. Lot's of times I sneak them into recipes when I'm cooking. During the summers when garden veggies are in abundance I usually grate them up and store them in bags in my freezers. It's amazing how grated carrot or grated zucchini disappears into a nice thick spaghetti sauce or a soup. And I don't always note how I slip them in, but they are there.

Breakfast

Pea-nutty Apple Toast
Cottage Cheese and peaches
Poached eggs, turkey bacon, OJ
Raspberry Banana Smoothies, Bagels
Oatmeal with Raisins
Pancakes
Breakfast Leftovers
Dinners

Chicken Tortilla Soup, rolls, green salad
Sloppy Joes, Tater Tots, home canned applesauce
Italian Tuna Panini, pickles, home canned pears
Kids are gone....No cooking
BBQ meatballs subs, fruit and veggie tray
Spaghetti, home canned green beans
Dinner Leftovers Buffet

For more great menu ideas go check out Menu Plan Monday HERE.

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

Valentines day is this Sunday and I really like to cook and create fun treats to celebrate. Baking your valentines goodies is so much of a money saver compared to store bought, ready made stuff. And homemade crafts with the kids can make great memories. So here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing...and maybe your taste buds too.

Valentine Cookie Pops

Chocolate Covered Strawberries (these look complicated but they are SO easy)


Dutch Baby with red berries on top


Crayon Heart Craft

Love Beads

Frugal Valentine Heart Wall Hanging ( I really liked this and it wouldn't cost very much to make)


Have a wonderful time this Valentines Day showing the people in your life that you love them.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

A Chance To Win

My friend Sharon at Simply Canning is having a Spread The Word Birthday Bash where you can win a $20 Amazon gift card. Go check out the details HERE and enter to win!

Freezing Onions

I went by my favorite dumpster today, the one outside my favorite grocery liquidator where they put the produce that looks a little shelf worn, and found a box full of onions, green chili's, a few oranges and an english cucumber. (I don't have to actually dig out of the dumpster. They are nice enough to set the box BESIDE the dumpster.) The only thing that didn't make the cut was the cucumber which ended up in my compost.


The oranges got combined with some apples to make fresh juice; extra vitamin C for my croupy kids, my allergy ridden kid and my other kid with a swollen, itchy watery eye and congestion. (No one person can be sick at a time around here.)


The onions were my favorite find though. I use lots of them in cooking but I hate whipping out my food processor every time to chop them up. So I put on my kids swimming goggles (so my eyes wouldn't sting) and processed all those onions at once. Each onion went into a bag for the freezer. Next time I need a whole onion in a recipe all I have to do is run to the freezer and pull out one bag. I won't even thaw it, I'll just add it to my recipe.


The green chili's mean no more high-priced 4 oz cans of diced green chilies when I'm making Mexican food. Those will get diced and frozen too to save me time and money in the long run.

To read more WFMW ideas go HERE.

GCC Shopping Round Up

I made it to all three of my normal stores this week but ended up going over budget a bit. Here's what I brought home. ***I'm having a hard time getting my pictures to upload to blogger. I'll try again later today.

S & S Liquidators

5 tomatoes $1.00
2 cans diced tomatoes $.78
2 bags mini marshmallows $.98

Grocery Outlet

12 double rolls TP $6.99

Win-Co

gallon milk $1.98
butter tub $1.98
2 boxes of margarine $1.36
whipping cream $1.38
5 dozen eggs $7.53
Salsa $4.48
yogurt $1.78
bulk granola $1.23
turkey bacon $1.98
frozen raspberries $2.68
deli ham $3.68
olives $1.58
pork and beans $1.18
vanilla $1.13
oil $2.34
onions $1.28
bulk garlic salt $.50
bulk dried strawberries $3.25
2 lbs Monterrey jack cheese $5.85
bulk yeast $3.46
bulk taco seasoning $1.46
cream cheese $.98
bananas $2.58
sugar $5.79

Grand Total $71.19

Do you have a shopping trip, great coupon, or super sale you'd like to share? Please link directly to your blog post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge from your post.

Menu Plan Monday

You might remember that a few weeks ago a hunter friend gave me some salmon and elk burger. I'll be using the last of the salmon this week and whipping out the elk burger to see how we like it. I don't come from a hunting family so sometimes it grosses me out to eat anything other than chicken, beef or fish. I know, it's all in my head. But doesn't all meat in it's original form come on a Styrofoam container with plastic wrap around it? No? Dang.

OH! And don't forget that this Tuesday from 6am to 2pm, Denny's is giving away FREE grand slam's. You can check it out HERE. I gave them a call to make sure it wasn't buy one get one free and they said nope. It's actually just FREE FREE FREE! My favorite.

Breakfast

Oatmeal
Denny's FREE Grand Slam
Caramel Apple Oven Pancake
Breakfast Parfaits
Scrambled Eggs, Toast, Bacon
Waffles
Leftover freezer waffles

Dinners

Taco Bake topped with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, salsa
Grilled Ham, Cheese and Tomato sandwiches with apples
Elk Meat Chili with Sweet Cornbread
Baked Salmon, green salad, garlic bread
Birthday Party Night
Leftover Buffet
Eating out for Valentines Day

For more great menu plans go HERE.

Homemade Clorox Wipes

Dannele wrote in and wanted to know if I had a recipe for homemade Clorox wipes. So here's how to make your own for WAY cheaper than store bought.

Homemade Clorox Wipes

1/2 roll extra strong paper towels
2 and 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup bleach

Cut paper towels in half with serrated or electric knife.Place cut side down in airtight container. Boil water, add bleach, pour over paper towels. Remove wet cardboard tube. To use, pull out wipes one at a time from center. Store in a recycled clorox wipe canister or a small plastic tub with a lid.

If you don't want to use bleach you can use this recipe....

Natural Disinfectant Wipes

1 cup witch hazel
1 teaspoon tea tree oil or peppermint oil (natural disinfectant)
1/2 cup water

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

Superbowl Sunday can't come soon enough in this house. The older my boys get the more I realize that to them, this is a major holiday. And like any major holiday, food holds a special part in all the memory making. We'll be hanging out with family this sunday and enjoying all kinds of yummy treats like BBQ meatballs, shrimp dipped in cocktail sauce, all things Coke and one of our favorites; chips and homemade salsa.

Here's our super cheap recipe for homemade salsa. It's a step way above the jars you'll find at the supermarket PLUS you can control the salt and the heat. Your family will love it.

Frugal Homemade Salsa

1 1/2 cans canned tomatoes with juice
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 dashes Tabasco sauce

Process in food processor or blender for just a few seconds for chunky salsa or a bit longer for a smoother texture. Serve in a bowl on the center of a platter with tortilla chips.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

GCC Shopping Round Up

With three boys in the house, the upcoming Superbowl rivals Christmas in anticipation. We added a few celebratory purchases to our grocery shopping today. Can you see what they are?

S & S Liquidators

8 kiwi $1.00
Paper napkins $1.49
4 apples $1.00
3 boxes of crackers $2.07
English cucumber $1.00
2 cans chili $1.38
Curlz rock $5.99 (crazy cheap, it's normal $16!)

Win-co

gallon milk $1.98
2.6 lbs bananas $1.51
2 lbs sharp cheddar $5.82
4 lbs yogurt $4.56
1.36 lbs bulk macaroni $1.01
whole olives $1.58
top ramen $3.98
spinach $1.28
yellow, red, green peppers $2.04
Tortillas $2.82
frozen strawberries $1.68
Herbal tea $2.19
1.35 lbs cashews $3.87
tomatoes $.61
2 12-packs Coke $5.96
sliced olives $.95
2 lbs medium cheddar $3.98
Deodorant $2.47
TP $2.98

Grand Total $65.20

Would you like to share your shopping trip, a good deal or a coupon success story? Please link directly to your post, not your homepage, and please include a link back to The Grocery Cart Challenge from the body of your post.