We really did not need too much this week, just the basics of fruits, veggies, milk, juice and snacks. I was at about $80 but the grocery store was offering $10 off for any order of of $100 or over. So I bought 2 pork roasts ($7 each) that were on special as well as some Italian sausages (pack of 12) that were on special for $6.00. Brought me to $102 less $10, so $92.00 for the week. This also included some hosehold items like dish soap, toilet paper and paper towels. I think we really have this down habit now. There is truly NO PROBLEM in keeping our bills within budget. It is all about choosing and buying the deals and not being in love with something regardless of price. For example today Macintosh apples were $.69/lb and Granny Smith were $1.79. Guess what we bought? Green and Red Peppers were $3.99/lb but greenhouse tomatoes were $$.99/lb. We will have tomato salads this week and no peppers.
Our Sunday dinner was a slow cooked tomato sauce on spaghetti with a deboned chicken stuffed with Italian sausauge. I defrosted a whole chicken on Saturday and deboned it. Stuffed with a mixture of Italian sausage and chopped chicken left over from the deboning. Slow roasted for 3 hours plenty of leftovers for lunch today!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Big Mac
Makes 6 Big Macs
1-1/2 lbs Lean Ground Beef - Make 12 super thin patties
Cheddar Cheese
Buns - Make an extra cut about 1/3" thick on the top portion
Sauce
1/2 Cup Mayo
1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Relish
1 Taplespoon White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Toppings
Thinly Sliced Lettuce
Thinly Sliced Pickles
Finely Chopped Red Onion
To Prepare
The only way to make the burgers thin enough is to roll up 12 balls of equal size and roll out on wax paper or plastic wrap. I put 6 at a time on a sheet of wax paper and then put another sheet on top. With a roller flatten the balls until they are about 1/4" thick. It should be a little wider than your standard bun (burger will shrink a bit in cooking). On a lightly oiled fry pan cook on medium heat about 2 minutes per side. When you flip over the burger add cheese.
While burgers are cooking mix up the sauce ingredients and warm the buns in the oven.
On bottam half of bun add lettuce, onions and a tablespoon of sauce. Add a patty then middle bun. Add another patty, pickles and another tablespoon of sauce and Voila! your homemade Big Mac.
Tell me its not perfect and by the way at $.99/lb we are talking about 6 Big Macs for $1.50 of beef. If you calculate all the ingredients at most $8.00 for the meal. Cheaper and healthier. Served with a side salad instead of fries you cannot go wrong.
VEGGIE VERSION
Makes 8 thin patties
1 Can Chickpeas(can sub lentils, kidney beans etc...)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Flour
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoons Ketchup
1/2 Tablespoon Grainy Mustard
Splash Worcestershire Sauce
Crush all ingredients together to make a coarse paste. Roll out burgers on wax paper with roller. The best way to keep the burgers together when cooking is to put the rolled patties in the fridge for 1/2 an hour to cool. Keeps them firmer and they won't break apart while cooking. Cook on a lightly oiled frypan on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
1-1/2 lbs Lean Ground Beef - Make 12 super thin patties
Cheddar Cheese
Buns - Make an extra cut about 1/3" thick on the top portion
Sauce
1/2 Cup Mayo
1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Relish
1 Taplespoon White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Toppings
Thinly Sliced Lettuce
Thinly Sliced Pickles
Finely Chopped Red Onion
To Prepare
The only way to make the burgers thin enough is to roll up 12 balls of equal size and roll out on wax paper or plastic wrap. I put 6 at a time on a sheet of wax paper and then put another sheet on top. With a roller flatten the balls until they are about 1/4" thick. It should be a little wider than your standard bun (burger will shrink a bit in cooking). On a lightly oiled fry pan cook on medium heat about 2 minutes per side. When you flip over the burger add cheese.
While burgers are cooking mix up the sauce ingredients and warm the buns in the oven.
On bottam half of bun add lettuce, onions and a tablespoon of sauce. Add a patty then middle bun. Add another patty, pickles and another tablespoon of sauce and Voila! your homemade Big Mac.
Tell me its not perfect and by the way at $.99/lb we are talking about 6 Big Macs for $1.50 of beef. If you calculate all the ingredients at most $8.00 for the meal. Cheaper and healthier. Served with a side salad instead of fries you cannot go wrong.
VEGGIE VERSION
Makes 8 thin patties
1 Can Chickpeas(can sub lentils, kidney beans etc...)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Flour
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoons Ketchup
1/2 Tablespoon Grainy Mustard
Splash Worcestershire Sauce
Crush all ingredients together to make a coarse paste. Roll out burgers on wax paper with roller. The best way to keep the burgers together when cooking is to put the rolled patties in the fridge for 1/2 an hour to cool. Keeps them firmer and they won't break apart while cooking. Cook on a lightly oiled frypan on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
Still Alive!
I'm still here! Sorry I haven't been posting this week but have been swamped at work, home, kids etc... and haven't had a chance to sit down. Also with the Olympics going on I have been spending all my free time with the kids cheering on those awesome Canadians! FWIW we are so darn good at moguls and snowboard cross, the boy can't decide what his sport is going to be. Now hockey is starting and I think we're in trouble!
I did my shopping again on Sunday and broke the budget a bit. It came to $125.00 this week but there were some super sales on pork chops and lean ground beef at $.99/lb so stocked up for the month. We won't need to add those to the grocery bills for a few weeks for sure, so I should be able to get back on track.
Last night on the way home I couldn't get the old McDonald's song out of my head, "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun" (showing my age here), and decided to try and make some Big Macs for dinner. I had all the ingredients on hand, and guessed at the sauce and it turned out AMAZING! Blind taste test and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I'll post the recipe, if you like Big Macs, you won't believe how easy and good this is! I even made a chickpea burger version of this for Michele.
With a salad on the side we sat down and watched Canada trounce Norway in hockey and had a great night.
Go Canada!
I did my shopping again on Sunday and broke the budget a bit. It came to $125.00 this week but there were some super sales on pork chops and lean ground beef at $.99/lb so stocked up for the month. We won't need to add those to the grocery bills for a few weeks for sure, so I should be able to get back on track.
Last night on the way home I couldn't get the old McDonald's song out of my head, "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun" (showing my age here), and decided to try and make some Big Macs for dinner. I had all the ingredients on hand, and guessed at the sauce and it turned out AMAZING! Blind taste test and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I'll post the recipe, if you like Big Macs, you won't believe how easy and good this is! I even made a chickpea burger version of this for Michele.
With a salad on the side we sat down and watched Canada trounce Norway in hockey and had a great night.
Go Canada!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Grocery Bill - Sunday February 7, 2010
Week 4 is done and this week came to $99.49. So 4 full weeks of shopping for my family of 4 and we did it for a grand total of $410.72. Slightly over budget but I have to say we ate extremely well, did not miss out one bit and even had a dinner party in there as well. To me it is quite clear that we are able to do this without changing our diet or lifestyle drastically. what it takes is simply smart shopping and avoiding secondary runs to the grocery store. Have a well stocked freezer and pantry and avoid any prepared and junk foods. You have to be willing to cook, you have to be willing to experiment and you have to be willing to eat the meats or veggies that are on sale this week. The well stocked freezer helps alot in this department becuause once you have it filled up it will be on rotation and you really can have everything in there.
I am going to change up the posts a bit becuase I am finding it all a bit repetitive. I will continue to post the grocery bills weekly and then the recipes of merit. But I think the daily menu postings is getting a bit much.
Thanks for keeping up and all your comments and emails are appreciated and encouraged. I would sill love to get more ideas on snacks and any recipe or cost saving ideas are always welcome.
I am going to change up the posts a bit becuase I am finding it all a bit repetitive. I will continue to post the grocery bills weekly and then the recipes of merit. But I think the daily menu postings is getting a bit much.
Thanks for keeping up and all your comments and emails are appreciated and encouraged. I would sill love to get more ideas on snacks and any recipe or cost saving ideas are always welcome.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Thursday's - 2/04/2010 - Menu
Made my absolute favorite simple pasta tonight. A 5 minute fresh, easy version of an Aioli. Extra virgin olive oil, olives, garlic and onions. I add a cut up fresh tomato and some dried herbs. Serve it on a Gemelli type pasta. It doesn't sound like much but the mix of these ingredients is so flavorful you won't believe it. I also made with it a Chicken Parmesean. Was spectacular.
Breakfast
$2.50
Lunch
$2.50
Dinner
Aioli - $3.00
Chicken Parmesean - $3.00
Snacks
Fruit - $.50
Veggies - $.60
Granola Bars - $.50
Today's Total - $12.60
Breakfast
$2.50
Lunch
$2.50
Dinner
Aioli - $3.00
Chicken Parmesean - $3.00
Snacks
Fruit - $.50
Veggies - $.60
Granola Bars - $.50
Today's Total - $12.60
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wednesday's - 2/3/2020 - Menu
No Leftovers last night, had to buy a shish-taouk at the local food court. Added $5.00 to my week. 1st mis-step yet! Kids had soccer tonight and Michele was teaching so did a quick burger with a side of corn, and some of the coleslaw from Monday.
Breakfast
$2.50
Lunch
$7.50
Dinner
Burgers with corn and coleslaw - $5.00
Snacks
Fruit - $.50
Veggies - $.60
Today's Total - $16.10
Breakfast
$2.50
Lunch
$7.50
Dinner
Burgers with corn and coleslaw - $5.00
Snacks
Fruit - $.50
Veggies - $.60
Today's Total - $16.10
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Chicken Fried Rice with Veggies
Easy baby! Even the boy ate it, little skeptical mind you, but ended up enjoying it.
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
1 Medium Onioin, sliced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Lb Frozen Asian Vegetables
2 Cups Cooked Rice
2 Eggs
1 Tablesppon Peanut oil
Soysauce (low sodium preferred)
To Prepare
Heat oil in wok to high, stir fry onions for 2 minutes. Add garlic and chicken and stirfry until done (2-3 Minutes) then remove to plate. Add veggies to wok and stirfry for 3-4 minutes. Add cooked rice and continue to stir for 3 minutes. Push All ingredients to side leaving a clear place in center of wok. Crack to eggs into middle and beat and cook until scrambled. Add chicken back to wok mix all together, add a few squirts of soysauce (to your taste), keep mixing for another minute.
Ready to serve
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
1 Medium Onioin, sliced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Lb Frozen Asian Vegetables
2 Cups Cooked Rice
2 Eggs
1 Tablesppon Peanut oil
Soysauce (low sodium preferred)
To Prepare
Heat oil in wok to high, stir fry onions for 2 minutes. Add garlic and chicken and stirfry until done (2-3 Minutes) then remove to plate. Add veggies to wok and stirfry for 3-4 minutes. Add cooked rice and continue to stir for 3 minutes. Push All ingredients to side leaving a clear place in center of wok. Crack to eggs into middle and beat and cook until scrambled. Add chicken back to wok mix all together, add a few squirts of soysauce (to your taste), keep mixing for another minute.
Ready to serve
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