Monday, May 25, 2020

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Tasty Treat" Edition..........


I felt like making my world famous carrot cake this past weekend since I had all the ingredients needed.  It's my variation of a recipe I cut off the bag of Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour bag years ago.
I don't add the oil and sub apple sauce for that fully.  I also add more fruit/veg including raisins. It turned out so good and moist it doesn't need any frosting!
I know it doesn't look impressive and ignore that piece missing on the back end corner.  Somebody needs to taste test it and make sure the family doesn't get poisoned, right? ;-)

I still have a huge amount of carrots(had to buy a 5 lb. bag and don't feel like roasted carrots with the temps here now so does anyone have any carrot recipes(something for hot weather like a carrot salad)they can share?  Let me know. 8-)

Moving On....
Onward to the meal planning-

This is what was planned.........
1. Sunday--Fend for Yourself
2. Monday--Beef and Broccoli, Rice
3. Tuesday--Stuffed Shells, Salad
4. Wednesday--Chicken Pot Pie
5. Thursday--Leftovers or FFY
6. Friday--Breakfast for Dinner
7. Saturday--Rigatoni  w/Meat Sauce, Squash and Onions

And this is what really happened........
Here is this week's "food plan".....
1. Sunday--Fend for Yourself
2. Monday--Beef and Broccoli, Rice
3. Tuesday--Stuffed Shells, Salad
4. Wednesday--Chicken Pot Pie
5. Thursday--Lobster, Corn on Cob
6. Friday-Fend For Yourself(FFY)(I had leftover lobster)
7. Saturday--Breakfast for Dinner

Last week saw 5 nights of home cooked dinners, 2 nights of leftovers/FFY, and 0 night of Take-Out.
The only thing that didn't happen was the Rigatoni with Meat Sauce and Salad because, well.....Lobsters for $5.77 lb.!
Rigatoni moves to this week.

What got put into the freezer last week....
* 2 lbs. ground turkey breast
*  5 lbs. of ground beef

What got taken out of the freezer and used.....
* 1+ lb. bottom round roast
* 1 lb. shredded mozzarella
* 2 pie crusts
* 1/2 bag mixed Veggies
* 1 roll of Sausage

We used up that quart of liquid whole eggs I got for .50¢ this week.  If I can get that again at that price I will get more and put some in the freezer.
I used 1/2 of that leftover ham steak in the eggs I cooked for Breakfast for Dinner.  

2 trips to Weis(PMITA)Markets and Hubs' trip to Price Chopper had me spending $140.61 total this past week and brings my May Total spending on food to $447.04.
I spent more than that but those groceries purchased for the cook-out today will be tallied up under the Eating Out/Take-Out category.

I doubt I'll shop any more in May at this point and we are over $400.  Considering "things" lately $50 over budget is a-ok in my book.

I am at $17.75 earned in Ibotta rebates in May after Friday's trip to Weis. I really didn't think I'd even hit that this month since I didn't shop at qualifying stores until I hit Weis last week.

My savings percentage last week was 33.56%(without Rite-Aid trips)for May and the monthly savings total comes in at 39.54%(w/out R-A).  

I have 6 more food shopping/spending days in May.

Leftovers going into this week........1/2 ham steak(which will probably go to the dogs' dinners), quiche,stuffed shells(4 after I gave a bunch to the nephew/brother in-law too), beef and broccoli w/rice, 1/2 of a large chicken pot pie.
And we had no food waste.....yay!

Here is this week's "food plan".....
1. Sunday--Pork Tenderloin Sammies, Squash and Onions
2. Monday--Cook-out:dogs, burgers, salads, beans
3. Tuesday--FFY
4. Wednesday--Leftover Cook-out Foods
5. Thursday--Pizza take-out, Salad
6. Friday--Beef Stroganoff, Rice, Green Beans
7. Saturday--Rigatoni w/Meat Sauce, Salad

What needs buying for this menu? Mushrooms.  The only place they aren't too much $$ is Aldi so I'll need to hit Aldi this week when I go out on Tuesday.  Will probably pick up some fruit there too to get us to the end of May so I'll be spending a tad more

What's left on my master list of meals we can make from what's here...........

*Shrimp Tempura
*Kielbasa sandwiches
*Tuna Casserole
*Chili Dogs, Beans
*Roasted Chicken
*Chicken and Dumplings
*Shrimp Ravioli
*Cheese Ravioli
*Hungarian Goulash
*Spaghetti and Meatballs
*Haddock Fish Dinner  new
*Chicken Tenders  new
* Rigatoni w/Meat Sauce new

We're suppose to get cold weather next Sun. and Mon. so maybe I'll squeeze Chicken and Dumpling and Goulash from my list into next week's menu.  It's getting to the time of year where I want to limit running the oven so more stove top, crock pot or cold meals need to happen.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?  

Sluggy

13 comments:

  1. For carrots, if you have an air fryer - this recipe sounds wonderful and easy (haven't tried it yet): if interested search Carrot Bacon recipe by Tabitha Brown.

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  2. Traditional South African carrot salad we love to eat at BBQs or just anytime during summer

    Grated carrots (I just throw mine into the blender to shred/crush)
    1 Can pineapple (crushed or tidbits) including juice (liquid)
    Raisins (optional)

    Mix everything together & chill.

    We love carrots! We also cook our carrots on the stovetop. Just carrots, water, salt & stick cinnamon. Once cooked, drain water, remove cinnamon stick & add a little butter. Sometimes I add a can of peas too.

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  3. I love love love carrot cake. In fact now I want to make one :) I usually put in lots of raisins and top it with cream cheese icing (which is a food group of its own). Yum

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  4. Since carrots are abundant and still in expensive, we're eating a ton. I love them to snack with hummus and even ranch dip, yes, not healthy but tasty and crunchy and better for me than ranch flavored potato chips. For meals, we've been steaming them. I do love a roasted carrot, but steamed with a touch of garlic and course salt-still pretty tasty. I see began crock pot recipes on Youtube that load shredded carrots for chili and curries in place of meat. I know you don't like curry, but chili perhaps? Extra carroty coleslaw would help use them up for cold stuff, or to bulk up tuna for sandwiches or with pasta salad.

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  5. Daryl the dog loves carrot coins so we always have some sliced up for him. He’s not the brightest boy and believes they are treats.

    Pot pie and pasta salad are the current lunch and dinner options. I’ll make veggie burrito filling as soon as those options are running low.

    Jen G.

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  6. I love that you are willing to offer yourself as the official taster of cake instead of putting the whole family at risk of poison. Do you have a relative in your tree who was a court food taster?

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    Replies
    1. Haven't found one yet but that far back my family members would have been the ones they were protecting from poison. ;-)

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  7. My mother used to finely shred equal amounts of carrots and medium cheddar cheese, mix together with mayo and S & P. This has always been one of my adult son's favorite salads.

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  8. I had two great-aunts who helped out with cakes too. They did not cut bites to test the cake for others, but they did "even up" around the edges of cakes! My sister and I use to think that they were sooo funny with the "evening up" habit. Now, my sister and I are the greats in the family and we carry on the family tradition of "evening up" the cakes in our family! Penny S.

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  9. The Aldi ad that will be out Wednesday has chicken tenderloins for $1.99/lb.

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  10. Carrot juice is lovely when chilled or mixed with other juices. Grate and add to burgers, sandwiches, rolls. A fresh salad platter with some dip will use up heaos of carrots.

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  11. The carrot cake looks delicious!
    Great deal on the lobster.

    ReplyDelete

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