Our Frugal and Domestic Lives

My Grocery Shopping/Spending

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 13:19:00 +0000

Ok, I guess I will share my grocery spending with you all. This month I have started a diet, well it's not really a diet... it's a lifestyle change. I have been eating real foods, but I really want to trim down a little bit and just real food wasn't quite doing it.

I know you want to know what I have started - Trim Healthy Mama! If you haven't heard of this yet, then you are not on this planet. It is really big right now and a wonderful lifestyle change. It's not just another diet fad, it is learning how to separate carbs and fats to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.

Enough of that for now, I will make a separate post about that later on.

Normally, I do my grocery shopping once a month, but I wanted to try Trim Healthy Mama for a week to see how it goes. My budget for the entire month is $200 - hope we can do it! :) Some of these items are for the entire month of August.

I had to run to three different stores to shop the best prices.

Here is what I bought yesterday:

(1) 16 oz Daisy Light Sour Cream - $1.89
(1) 15 oz Wegman's Brand Skim Ricotta - $1.99
(1) Pint Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream - $3.99
(1) Ezekiel Sprouted Tortillas - $3.29
(1) Ezekiel Sprouted Flax Bread - $3.99
(1) Wegman's Organic Diced Tomatoes - $1.89
(1) 32 oz Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar - $5.99
(1) Applegate Natural Pepperoni - $4.99
(1) 8 oz Kerrygold Unsalted Butter - $2.69
(1) 2 lb Organic Strawberries - $6.99
(1) Bunch Organic Tuscan Kale - $2.99
(1) Organic Zucchini - $0.91
(1) Organic Green Bell Pepper - $0.74 **Cashier rang this up non-organic and I didn't catch it**
(1) Ginger Slices - $2.25 **Lovely Husband said he wanted them so bad, ughh...**
(1) 1 lb. + Organic Chia Seeds - $8.57
(1) Cantaloupe - $1.98
(1) Sweet Potato - $0.65
(1) Jalapeno - $0.09
(1) 1 lb. Dry Black Beans - $1.72
(1) Dozen Omega 3 Eggs - $2.68
(1) 16 oz Frozen Broccoli/Cauliflower Mix - $1.47
(3) 16 oz Frozen Cauliflower - $1.38 each
(1) 2 lb Block White Cheddar Cheese -$6.99
(4) 16 oz Egg Whites - $7.99
(1) 16 oz Organic 50/50 Salad Mix - $4.49
(1) 3 lbs Almonds - $12.99
(1) 2 lbs Daisy Cottage Cheese - $3.99
(1) 14 pack of Sponges - $9.99

Total cost: $109.57 without tax ($112.73 with tax)

Eeek.... I am already more than halfway through the budget!!

Vegetable Curry with Couscous

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 23:39:00 +0000

If you have never had curry before you have to try this! We had it for dinner and oh my goodness, it was delicious. Both of us even have lunch for tomorrow - yay. :)

Did I mention it was a very quick and easy meal to put together. Oh, yes it is.

It is yummy.

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips (you can use any color you would like)
1/4 cup of chicken stock
1 tbsp curry power
1 bag (lb) of frozen broccoli and cauliflower
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp salt

Directions

Heat oil over medium heat and cook bell pepper until tender.
Stir in curry powder, broth, salt, and vegetables. Heat to boiling and boil for 4-5 minutes stirring frequently.
Stir in raisins and serve over couscous.

Meal Planning: Knowing What You Have On Hand (Inventory)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:59:00 +0000

If you are already not familiar with meal planning, then you need to start getting to know it. Making a budget work without a meal plan is not going to happen! I have tried it and I failed miserably.

I do major grocery shopping once a month, and I spend half of a week before my shopping trip carefully making my meal plan and going over it a couple of times. I love to re-check things to make sure everything is correct. I do my minor grocery shopping once a week to replace produce and things that might get used up fairly quickly. After my meal plan is created, I start making my grocery lists. I never shop at one store because I want to get the lowest price. I will create a separate list for each store.

It might seem like a really long process, but it really isn't. I actually enjoy it. Does that sound weird?

Before you sit down and start making a meal plan, you will have to do some organizational prep work. You need to take an inventory of everything you have on hand.

Taking an inventory is usually making a list of all the basics that you currently have in your kitchen. That means spices, flour, sugar, meats, oils, cheese, milk, butter, etc. Some of these basic items may not have to get replaced every month and some will.

It is time to go take inventory now. :) Bring a pad and a pen with you in your kitchen and write down all the major staples that you have. While you are at it, write down all the things you need to use up. It may be a couple packages of ground beef, a piece of fish, an egg, or anything. I have a package of ground beef and a boston butt that really needs to get used up. What do you have? Hopefully, you have taken inventory!

That wasn't so scary, was it? Knowing your inventory before creating a meal place is crucial. It really lets you know what you need to use up.

Making A Realistic Budget

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 15:01:00 +0000

Budgeting for every family is different. We have tried many different types of budgeting and only one has really worked for us - cash system/envelope.

With the cash system you can see how much you have and only that amount. Once it is gone, it's gone.

When you use your debit card you say, "Well, I just need a gallon of milk, that isn't much." Those little purchases really add up during the month. That was something I did in the past - not anymore!

Before you start a budget, talk to your spouse. That is key. Even though Clay (hubby) doesn't have anything to do with the budget money, he still likes to know what is going on. We always have those types of talks at night when we are laying down. I am positive we aren't the only ones, right?!

Having a budget on a real food diet is a must! Another important thing about a real food diet is making almost all of your food from scratch. Saves the budget and weird chemical ingredients.

Some just buy prepackaged items that are organic and they make a a huge dent on their budget and wallets. Also, purchasing prepackaged organic items do not mean you are completely avoiding strange ingredients. Some even have ingredients you cannot pronounce. Gross.

Having a budget and sticking to it is vital for a real food, clean diet.

Have a quick look into what our budget looks like.

We have many different categories within our cash system/envelope: fall/winter preserving, spring garden supplies, food, gas, and bulk.

The fall/winter preserving, spring garden supplies, and bulk are funds we contribute to each month. Each month depending on each paycheck, I decide how much will go into each fund.

An example of how we use the funds from fall/winter preserving are...if strawberries go on sale for a great price, then I will buy 50 pounds or more. At that price that would destroy my regular grocery budget because I am buying to preserve.

Which ever way works for your family is great - just stick with it!

How do you budget?

Clean Homemade Crock Pot Pizza Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 14:19:00 +0000

Mmm, I am a saucy kind of gal, are you? Extra sauce the better!

Have you ever noticed that most people eat pizza on Fridays? They usually take out the phone and call some major pizza chain and it makes a HUGE dent in your pocket. Not cheap, not good.

I love to make extra sauce to freeze - makes pizza making a breeze.

Organic pizza sauce in a jar can be a little pricey. Have you ever looked at the ingredients in a non-organic jar of pizza sauce? Man, those ingredients are scary. Very scary. Have no idea what the heck they are, but I am putting them into my body. No thanks. :) Sorry, rant.

Ingredients

1, 15 oz can of tomato sauce (organic preferred, if you can)
4, 6oz cans of tomato paste (organic preferred, if you can)
1 cup of water
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 tbsp raw honey
1/3 cup of fresh basil, chopped
3 tbsp Italian seasoning

Directions

Toss everything into the crock pot.
Mix everything together and cook for 4 hours.
Stir occasionally.

When my Husband came home yesterday, he immediately went to the crock pot and said that looks amazing. Of course, he had to taste it. Like always... :)

Easy, right? If you want you can freeze the rest in individual bags.

Clean Pizza Dough

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 13:53:00 +0000

Yesterday, I was craving pizza so badly! When you walk out our house you will find a Domino's and a Pizza Hut within 2 blocks!!! Not good at all when you just craving pizza like crazy...all those crappy, non-food ingredients. Gross.

Why choose either of those pizza companies when you can make your own homemade, real food pizza dough for pennies. Yes, pennies. :)

Did I mention it is so easy to make? Well it is. Yes!

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups of white whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast (one small package - if you buy yeast that way)
1 tbsp coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 1/4 cup of water

Directions

In a separate small bowl mix the yeast, water, and coconut palm sugar together and let it sit for 10 minutes (until it starts to get foamy).
In another bowl mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour the wet yeast mixture together.
Stir everything together and knead the dough for 3 minutes.
Cover and let the dough sit until it rises, roughly 30 minutes. I put it in the oven.
Divide the dough into two portions and freeze if you are not making a pan pizza - like I was.
Roll out the dough to fit in the pan.
Bake pan for 5 minutes at 450 degrees.
Add clean homemade pizza sauce and toppings.
Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.
Slice and serve!

HOW TO: Can Chicken Stock

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 14:29:00 +0000

There is something about things being homemade - the taste is so much better and you know you took the time to make it. You appreciate it more. You can catch up here on how to make chicken stock from a whole chicken.

Have you looked at the prices of organic chicken stock lately? It is not cheap at all. Why not make your own, if you can?

Out of one medium chicken I canned 7 pints. That is about 7 different meals for my family! Awesome. :)

Pssst, hey, it's organic too!

As always, sterilize your jars, lids, and bands. (Oops, I misspelled sterilize in the photo - sorry!!)

I always heat anything up that I am putting in glass jars because I am so afraid of breakage. Before you ladle the chicken stock into the jars you can heat it up.

For step by step picture instructions you can catch up on this post.

Pressure can the chicken stock for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure. After the 90 minutes wait until the canner completely cools.

That's it! Very easy for frugal, organic chicken stock!

Canning Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 14:22:00 +0000

I recently found an amazing deal on potatoes, of course, I grabbed 15 pounds (that was the limit). I love to can fresh produce/veggies that I grow or either I find a great deal on.

Having all ready cooked potatoes makes it so easy in the winter for an easy dish or just to throw in a quick pot of soup. Yum.

When you can potatoes you have to use a pressure canner because they are in the low acid category.

Disclaimer: If you have never used your pressure canner before, then please read your manual. :)

I start off by sterilizing my jars, lids, and rings in a pot. In another big pot I have water boiling - prevents the jars from cracking. Hot and cold does not mix with glass jars.

While everything is sterilizing, I start peeling the skins off the potatoes and giving them a good wash. Washing them prevents dirt in the jars.

After the potatoes have been washed, then cut up the potatoes. It doesn't really matter what size they are as along as they fit in the jar. I cut them up in medium size cubes.

Before your jars start to actual boil, remove one jar at a time and put 1 tsp of salt in the jar. Pack your potatoes in the jar tight.

Ladle in the hot water and leave 3/4 inch of headspace.

Wipe the top of the jars with a clean towel. If you leave anything on the rims, then it will not seal properly.

Place lids and bands on the jar.

Place jar in the pressure canner and start on the next. Follow the steps above until all jars are packed and ready to go!

Turn the burner on high and put the lid on. When in doubt, look at your manual.

Remember to not put the weight on until the pressure canner starts to build pressure - roughly 5 minutes. When you see steam starting to come out, then it is okay to put the weight on.

The pressure will then start to build up. When the little thing on the side pops out, then your pressure gauge will start to move.

When your pressure gauge reaches 10 pounds, then it is safe to start your timer for 40 minutes. Make sure you stay in the kitchen and watch the gauge because it will move. When it starts to go passed 10 pounds, then turn the burner down. Try and keep it between 10-12 pounds.

When the 40 minutes are up, then turn off the burner and let the pressure canner cool down by itself.

Wasn't that easy?

What are some things you are canner up this year?

Clean Eating Turkey White Lasagna

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 13:39:00 +0000

Lately, I have been craving lasagna so badly! Boy...this was delicious. The only thing that was missing was the non-clean items. :)

Trust me, you have to make this. Oh my word.. Remember to let it sit in the pan for a little bit - it broke apart on me because I couldn't wait to dig in.

Click HERE to find the recipe. Sometimes I change up the ingredients in recipes, but this one I have to give her credit. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

By the way, you will have loads of leftovers if you are just a couple. Yes! :)

Spicy Clean Shrimp Patties

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:07:00 +0000

With living on the east coast you usually love all kinds of seafood. I know we do! When I was living in Maryland as a small child I loved to have crabs and crab cakes. Oh my word....

Buying a bushel of crabs can leave a pretty big dent on the checkbook, of course, that is not frugal. I know I can get a pretty good deal every now and then on shrimp, so we can shrimp patties. :)

They are delicious with a little bit of a kick.

Ingredients

1 medium sized jalapeno, minced (for spicy, leave in the seeds)
1 pound of shrimp, peeled
dash of salt
dash of pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp cilantro
2 tbsp whole-wheat breadcrumbs
6 lime wedges of topping (optional)

Directions

Peel the shrimp and dry off with a paper towel or towel.
Place the shrimp in a food processor as well as the jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Form 6 shrimp patties and place on wax or parchment paper. Makes it easier to slide off.
Add shrimp to a cast iron grill pan or a large pan.
Cook each side for 4-5 minutes. You will see nice grill marks.
Serve with lime wedge.

Adding An Extra To The Family: Lucky

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Over the weekend, Clay and I found a stray cat that had a litter outside. All together there were 5 kittens. The kitties were not doing good at all, so we decided to take one in. We thought an appropriate name would be Lucky.

Oh he is so Lucky.

He loves to take plenty of naps and play hard.

Lucky just woke up from a nap and boy he wanted to play!

Isn't he a cutie? Not sure how old he is exactly, but we will find out from the vet soon. If I would have to guess, I would say around a month old.

He has pretty sharp teeth.

I am sure you guys will be seeing a lot more of Lucky from now on! :)

Having a baby kitten is almost like having a newborn around.

Clean Eating Weekly Menu Plan: July 1-7th

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 13:38:00 +0000

Hey there! Welcome to our first clean eating {real wholesome food} menu plan! Clay and I have decided that we want to completely eliminate all non-clean foods from our diet. Not only would we love to loose some pounds, but we want to be healthier.

We are no longer doing our once a month shopping. We are having to go once a week because all of the foods we eat do not have a long shelf life.

As always it is done on a very frugal budget!

Stay on the lookout for the recipes during the week!

Menu Plan: July 1-7th

Monday, July 1st - Jalapeno Shrimp Cakes with Veggies on side {Recipe HERE}

Tuesday, July 2nd - Turkey and Broccoli White Lasagna

Wednesday, July 3rd - Spinach and lettuce salad with oranges. Fresh herb vinaigrette

Thursday, July 4th - Happy fourth of July! We left this day open.

Friday, July 5th - Veggie and Steak foil packets

Saturday, July 6th - Sausages with peppers. Fruit on the side

Sunday, July 7th - Chicken Fried Rice

Print Menu Plan and Shopping List HERE

Our Journey of Clean Eating (Amazon Order)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 12:45:00 +0000

When I hear a knock on the door and I greet my UPS man, boy, I am one happy girl. I love to receive packages! Don't we all? I love packages that are great for you as well. :) I think I may be a tad bit strange..haha.

One thing you do not see in this picture is a pressure cooker/canner. I already have one, but I wanted a better one. By the way, I got an awesome deal on this stuff!!

When I went to go check-out on Amazon I received an offer to sign-up for an amazon credit card with rewards. Usually I say no to these types of things. If we got approved then we would receive a $50 gift card. Oh yeah...I am in now! :)

Here is the breakdown:

Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous, 16-Ounce(Pack of4) - $11.57

Coffee Bean Direct Sencha Green Loose Leaf Tea, 2 Pound Bag - $21.03

Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce, 15-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12) - $20.88

Bob's Red Mill Pastry Flour Whole Wheat, 5-Pound (Pack of 4) - $13.91

Presto 1755 16-Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker/Canner - $69.00

Total: $136.39 -$70 gift cards ($20 previous gift card in the account)
Final Price: $66.39!!! The price we paid was lower than the actual canner by itself!!!!!

Our Journey of Eating Clean (Shopping Phase)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 13:07:00 +0000

My husband and I have always had a pretty good diet. We do not buy any processed foods/snacks well because they are just loaded of crap and are pretty pricey.

I never finished planning the last week for the menu so we can try and focus on switching our pantry to a clean pantry. I have done a lot of research and some people just throw out all of their "dirty" food, but I cannot see myself throwing out food. We can been trying to finish it all up and have a clean, fresh start in July.

Our grocery budget in the past has been $166 and this month we changed it to $300. I say $300 because we really wanted to stock up on a lot of the clean basic and next month we will not have to do that. After this month our budget will go down to $200.

Some say you cannot have a clean, organic lifestyle on a budget...I will show you how you can!

So let's start this journey together and become healthier! :)

Yesterday the hubbs and I went grocery shopping. I will give you the breakdown as well. We went to BJS (like Costco), Wegmans (like Whole Foods), and Walmart.

Boy... we got a lot of stuff! The photo above doesn't even begin to describe how much stuff we purchased. I always like to put the perishable items in the fridge pronto.

BJS

At BJS we stocked up on a lot of grapefruits, apples, organic pure maple syrup, agave, organic spinach, organic romaine lettuce, kale, almonds, honey, vanilla extract, olive oil, salmon fillets, whole chickens, and peppers (boy he can go through a jar of those in a day!).

We really did a lot of stuff there and bought a lot of things in bulk.

Total: $136.25 (wow)

Wegmans

We purchased organic hemp protein powder, organic tomato paste, molasses, organic salsa, white whole wheat flour, and organic flaxseeds.

I love this store! Some of the products are so neat looking! Dork moment..haha! :)

Total: $29.30

Walmart

Some people hate to shop at Walmart because of the views and so on, but on a budget we have to shop there for some things. They even have some organic items! YAY!

We bought a lot of things: tuna, plastic baggies, toilet paper, quick oats, lemons, vinegar, red wine vinegar, unsweetened applesauce, low sodium soy sauce, raisins, almond milk, clean butter, stir-fry veggies, jalapenos, garlic, and more!

Sometimes the receipt is hard to read because they don't spell everything out!

Total: $50.62

We also have a order from Amazon coming pretty soon. When it arrives I will show you all when we purchased. I got a great,great deal on it!!!

Final Total: $216.17 ($5.48 is tax)

Growing Your Own Food - 6/20 Garden Tally

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 13:08:00 +0000

This year is my first year having a garden because we just bought our house back in April. Putting in the garden was one of the very first things we completed. Nothing is more of a downer than missing the garden season!

This year I do not have many goals with the garden because I am still learning the ropes. Boy those birds are little evil stinkers!!

Here is what I have harvested so far this year:

Swiss Chard - 2 ounces

I have had one heck of a time trying to fight with the birds. Every time the Swiss really started to grow the birds attacked it.

Spinach - 1.65 ounces

Same thing above as the Swiss... darn birds!

Menu Plan Recipe: Southwest Fettuccine Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 12:57:00 +0000

One day out of the week I try to plan a vegetarian meal so we do not use as much meat. I think it really saves on meat a lot throughout the month. Of course I wish we could do more, but my lovely husband has to have his meat. You know how men can be. :)

Overall this dish is so easy to make and you can put anything you have on hand in it. My kinda dishes!

This recipe is on meal plan week 3 for Thursday, June 20th. Click HERE to check it out.

Ingredients

8 oz fettuccine noodles

1 cup of salsa

1/3 cup of frozen corn

1-15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup of water

2 tbsp hot sauce

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, for garnish

Swiss Chard, chopped (check out my garden harvest)

Directions

Cook and drain fettuccine noodles.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a saucepan except the cilantro. Cook over medium heat for 4-6 minutes.

Divide fettuccine into bowls and top with 3/4 cup of the sauce mixture.

Garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy!!

Menu Plan Recipe: Chicken Fried Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:21:00 +0000

I have to say I have never met someone who does not like chicken fried rice. Or anything kind of fried rice. It has so many flavors and just full of deliciousness.

The only thing is the "real" fried rice you get from Chinese places are probably not the best for you. My husband and I both love it so much!

To save you some time you can always make a whole chicken ahead of time and shred the meat. Makes dinner easy.

This recipe is on meal plan week 3 for Tuesday, June 18th. Click HERE to check it out.

Ingredients
2 cups of cooked rice (a day old rice is the best because it isn't sticky)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
3 tbsp soy sauce
dash of pepper
1 cup of broccoli

Directions
Heat a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.
Add rice, chicken, broccoli and cook until everything is heated.
Move rice mixture to one side of the pan and add 1 tbsp of olive oil and cook the eggs. Stir constantly.
Stir eggs into rice mixture. Stir in soy sauce and pepper.
Enjoy!

Menu Plan Recipe: Chicken Taquitos

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Taquitos are usually very slim, but these are a nice size. One of these filled me up! Boy they are delicious though.

Not too hard to make if you cook a whole chicken a couple days before. Easy as pie.

This recipe is on meal plan week 3 for Monday, June 17th. Click HERE to check it out.

Ingredients

8 package of cream cheese, 8 oz

2 cups of cooked chicken

1 cup of shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

1 cup of fresh of frozen spinach

1/2 cup of salsa

1/3 cup of sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

10 tortillas (homemade tortilla recipe here)
olive oil for frying

Directions

In a large mixing bowl mix together the cream cheese, chicken, cheese, spinach, salsa, sour cream, salt, and pepper.

Add mixture into one tortilla at a time and spoon in the mixture shaped like a log.

Roll up and with steam side down place into a frying pan.

Brown each side.

Strain on paper towels to remove excess grease.

Enjoy!

Homemade Wheat Tortillas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:14:00 +0000

First let me say this... once you go homemade you will not go back to the store bought ones. Oh my goodness! These bad boys are amazing right off the pan. So tasty!

They are not hard to make and have so much flavor.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of white whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup of oil (I used olive oil)

Easy right? :)

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together in a mixer (a hand or stand mixer works just fine).

Flour the counter top pretty good so the dough doesn't stick to it.

Roll out the dough into a log shape and slice 10 pieces.

Roll each piece into a little ball and flatten with your hand and let rest for about 30 minutes. I used a floured cookie sheet.

After 30 minutes are up, then roll each piece into a tortilla shape and put onto a large frying pan or griddle.

Flip over after a few seconds because you do not want them to get hard.

Enjoy!

Weekly Menu Plan - Week 3 {June 17 - 23}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Hi there lovelies! Welcome to our third menu plan! The menu will always consist of real food and no processed junk!

I try and follow this menu plan as close as I can. A lot of times things come up and I have to rearrange something.

I typically sit down one day and focus on the monthly menu instead of doing it week to week. For some that can be quite challenging with time so I will also break the menu plans into weekly and monthly. :)

Stay on the lookout for the recipes during the week!

Menu Plan Week 1 {June 17 - 23}

Monday, June 17^th – Chicken Taquitos {Recipe here}

Tuesday, June 18^th – Chicken Fried Rice {Recipe here}

Wednesday, June 19^th – Chicken & Broccoli Noodle Casserole {Ate dinner at in-laws}

Thursday, June 20^th – South-West Fettuccine Bowl {Recipe here}

Friday, June 21st – Chicken Fajitas

Saturday, June 22nd – Beef Enchiladas

Sunday, June 23rd – Ramen Stir-Fry

Print Menu Plan and Shopping List HERE

Check out the other menu plans HERE

Homemade Chicken Stock

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:00 +0000

Whenever whole chickens are on sale I go crazy. Not only are whole chickens yummy, but they are extremely frugal as well. You can always get a crazy amount of chicken, but you get to make homemade stock with the "trash" parts. Or should I say... the "gold" parts! :)

If you have never done it before - it's ok, it's really easy.

Ingredients
Chicken Bones (check out how I cooked the whole chicken HERE)
celery, chopped
carrots, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp pepper

With the ingredients you can just throw in whatever you might have in your fridge. It is usually items you make a nice soup with.

Directions
Put all of the chicken bones (after the chicken has been completely picked off) and put in the crock pot.
Add about 20 cups of water (try and fill near the top, if you can)
Add in your fridge veggies.
Add in the bay leaves and pepper.
I cook it for a nice 10 hours in the crock pot.
Allow the pot to cool and strain the bones and veggies.

You can freeze chicken bone for up to 1 year and let sit in the fridge for about 3 days.

Recipe: Whole Chicken {Crock Pot} - The Best Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:43:00 +0000

Investing in a crock pot using our wedding funds was the best idea ever! Everything tastes great in the crock pot no matter what it is. The long, slow cooking is the best.

Yum.

I have always roasted my whole chickens in the oven, but not anymore baby! Those bad boys are going straight to the crock pot.

The best part of cooking a whole chicken is you get to make homemade stock. Nothing beats homemade. :)

Ingredients

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp pepper (I eyeball it)

1 large chicken, thawed and ready to be cooked

When your chicken is done cooking you can either shred it or eat it by itself. The flavors are just that darn good.

Directions

In a small bowl combine all the spices.

Remove and giblets from inside the chicken and dispose of them.

Rub the spices all over that bad boy.

Cook on low for 8 hours. No need to add any water or anything like that.

Remember to save the bones and skin so you can make stock. I will post that by tomorrow.

Menu Plan Recipe: Cheddar Chicken and Rice Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Typically when you hear of Chicken and Rice Bake you usually assume it is cream of something in it. All the ingredients in that cream of something contains so many chemicals and we just want real food.

Plain and simple. Just a quick heads up this is some good comfort food. :)

This recipe is on meal plan week 2 for Monday, June 12th. Click HERE to check it out.

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp pepper (I usually just eyeball it)

1 tsp salt

3 cups of chicken stock

3 cups of milk

1 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded

3 cups of cooked chicken, either shredded or cubed (shredded chicken recipe here)

1 1/2 cups of long-grain rice

parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add in garlic, pepper, and salt.

Add flour and mix well.

Stir in chicken stock and milk and turn heat to medium heat. Cook like a roux.

Add 1 cup of shredded cheese and whisk as it simmers.

Add rice and lower heat to medium low.

Cook until the rice is tender...about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add chicken to the rice mixture and pour into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese and garnish with parsley on top.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Dig in and enjoy! :)

Menu Plan Recipe: Turkey Stuffed Peppers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:38:00 +0000

Boy..oh boy.. these bad boys were absolutely delicious. To cut back on the calories I used ground turkey, however, you can use ground beef if you prefer to.

Right on to the fabulously recipe.

This recipe is on meal plan week 2 for Monday, June 10. Click HERE to check it out.

Ingredients

1/2 pound of ground turkey

1 cup of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large tomato, diced

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (add more if you would like more of a kick)

2 green peppers

1/3 cup of water

shredded cheese

1 garlic clove

Directions

In a large skillet, brown the turkey and season with salt.

Add garlic, black beans, cilantro, cumin, and diced tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut peppers lengthwise, removing stem and seeds.

Place peppers in an oven-proof dish and fill each pepper with 1/2 cup of turkey mixture.

Pour 1/3 cup of water on the bottom of the dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes or until peppers are soft.

Add cheese and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

If you have extra turkey mixture just pop it into a freezer container and save for a quick and easy meal! :)

Weekly Menu Plan - Week 2 {June 10 - 16}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:16:00 +0000

Hi there lovelies! Welcome to our second menu plan! The menu will always consist of real food and no processed junk!

I typically sit down one day and focus on the monthly menu instead of doing it week to week. For some that can be quite challenging with time so I will also break the menu plans into weekly and monthly. :)

Stay on the lookout for the recipes during the week!

Menu Plan Week 1 {June 10 - 16}

Monday, June 10^th – Stuffed Peppers {Recipe HERE}

Tuesday, June 11^th – General Tsos Chicken

Wednesday, June 12^th – Cheddar Chicken and Rice Bake {Recipe HERE}

Thursday, June 13^th – Ramen Stir-Fry

Friday, June 14^th – Grilled Chicken Salad

Saturday, June 15^th – Grilled Sausages and Peppers

Sunday, June 16^th – Nothing planned. Father’s day

Print Menu Plan and Shopping List HERE

Check out the other menu plans HERE