If you recall, here is what I planned on the fly to eat last week....
SUNDAY--Ravioli, Garden Salad
MONDAY--leftover Pork Loin slices, Fried Yellow Squash, Mashed Potatoes
*Then things got rejiggered with the additional of the Nephew at meals.*
TUESAY--Rueben Sandwiches
WEDNESDAY--Chicken Fajitas
THURSDAY--Chicken Cheese Broccoli Rice Casserole
FRIDAY--Boston Baked Beans, Cornbread, Pickles
SATURDAY--Leftovers
This plan happened until Friday.
I didn't get the beans soaking in time so I substituted some good old "Breakfast for Dinner".....Buckwheat Pancakes and Bacon. No one was interested in a fruit side dish, so I saved it for Saturday.
The Nephew got packed up and returned on Saturday. Not before a big long talk about Senior year and what he needs to do to get on the ball about college. Hopefully he'll get his head out of Jersey Shore and his social life drama.
Since then we've been spending actual money all willy-nilly around here! This is so strange since we never spend money on stuff anymore, just food and experiences.
My knees has been acting up so Hubs went out Sat. without me and bought socks and shoes for work.
Yes, I let him pick them out alone.
I was cautiously optimistic we wouldn't A-overspend and B-he'd come home with lime green Converse sneakers and rainbow striped toe shoes. This would be a bad thing since he is NOT a professional Rodeo Clown....
He done good and toted home a pair of black loafers, 4 pairs of black sox and 4 pairs of muted dark
heather-toned sox in earth shades.
And he only spent $50.99 and he got $10 in Kohl's cash that I can use to get Daughter or #2 Son something this weekend for school duds.
Then Monday was the convergence of 3 deals aligning for me that made me part with some moola.
My favorite bras at Just My Size go on sale 2 x a year for half-price
On Monday they offered a one day deal to take an additional 25% off your total order, even sale items.
And if you spent $70 the shipping was free.
I hadn't bought myself a bra in over a year.
Hubs needed new boxers and undershirts.
I got to $70 easily even with all my purchases being on sale(the Hubs stuff was BOGO50% too + 25% off of that price).
Jackpot!
Hubs and I will be good for unmentionables for another year or so.
Then I had to order #1 Son's books for his upcoming semester.
The college bookstore changed the website/process a bit from last winter so I only ordered the books they had in stock that were used. If we can't get them used, I'll just let #1 Son pick them up new in person at the bookstore once he gets back to college.
I was only able to order half of his books used. Getting used textbooks, it came to $271.25. But we still run the risk of the bookstore sending us new books because of the stupid way they set up the ordering process online....so we could be on the hook for $397.45 + shipping instead! Even though I stated I ONLY want USED books.
Ugh.
If you end up having to get new on the other 6 books, that's $165 + more(1 book isn't in stock yet and has no price indicated).
If we end up with all new books, it comes to $562.45 + the one book we can't price out yet.
I will refrain from going off on a "textbook rip-off" rant at this time. 8-(
I wish Hubs and #1 Son would let me rent textbooks again but after our CHEGG fiasco 1st semester of his freshman year, renting is NOT an option no matter what I say.
His school's bookstore is looking into offering book rentals through them either next semester or next fall. I might have a chance convincing them to do that deal. ;-)
I am just beginning to check on options for Daughter. I was hoping her school would go digital books before the upcoming semester so we could entertain the possibility of a Kindle purchase and renting ebooks for it...IF that was the least expensive option. I don't like the idea of pushing using another electronic device unless it's cost effective.
I also bought some items on Target.com recently and they arrived last week.
They offered Free Shipping on purchases of $50+.
I found a tabletop ironing board(for Daughter's dorm room), 2 purses(for me who hasn't had a new purse in 5 years) and 4 pair of designer rainboots. Everything was on clearance....the boots were $7.48 a pr! I'll give Daughter one pair and tuck another back for Xmas. I can also take any of this and return it to the local Target for a refund. Since I didn't pay shipping to begin with, that's a great deal.
If the bookstore ships us the used textbooks, I'll be $398.68 poorer after all this shopping.
As for this week's Meal Plan.....
I got the smoker out again on Sunday and smoked up one of those London Broils I got at Weis Markets 2 weeks ago on a BOGO sale.
I served Creamed Spinach with it(and my homemade pickles).
Here's a photo to make you drool....
And here's a close-up.
See that awesome smoke ring?
Some of us ate it straight and some made sandwiches on Steak Rolls.
Monday's dinner was Chicken Breast Patties pan sauted crispy with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese melted on top....a stove top Chicken Parmesan.
No heating up the house with running the oven.
Hubs and I put it on Kaiser rolls for yummy chicken parm sammiches.
The rest of this week.....in no particular order, depending on what I 'feel' like making each night.
* Leftovers, Pasta Salad
* Quiche Lorraine, Green Salad
* Tuna Noodle Casserole
* Leftovers Again
And on Saturday Hubs is off for a Chess Tournament so I'll get Chinese for lunch for #2 Son and I and we'll just raid the fridge/freezer for something for dinner.
I'll need more milk for #2 Son. I also need a bit of swiss cheese and maybe I'll buy a cheat crust for the quiche since pie crust is on sale this week. I need to pick up some fruit and veggies. I'll hit the local farm tomorrow I think.
And here is what the garden is giving up lately......
Yes, it's ArmaCUKEgedon!!!
After the rain on Saturday, these bad boys went from baby dill sized to GIGANTOR "you could hollow these out and paddle about the lake in them" size!
This is what is left this morning after BIL took one and Hubs took 4 to work.
I am scared to even go look outside.
The cukes will be crawling up on the deck and knocking on the door soon.
Seriously.
I need to find some cheap lamb(cheap-hahaha) and make some Gyros.
*Hey! Inspiration just hit....I'll get some pitas and make the smoked London Broil leftovers into some ersatz Beef Gyros.
Genius!....well maybe for a lazy woman......
In other garden news--I am not-so-patiently waiting and eying the 4 tomatoes that are turning red.
One is bound to hit "critical mass red" any day now.
I'm off to defrost a lb. of bacon in anticipation.....
What's happening in your garden and in your wallet lately?
Sluggy
SUNDAY--Ravioli, Garden Salad
MONDAY--leftover Pork Loin slices, Fried Yellow Squash, Mashed Potatoes
*Then things got rejiggered with the additional of the Nephew at meals.*
TUESAY--Rueben Sandwiches
WEDNESDAY--Chicken Fajitas
THURSDAY--Chicken Cheese Broccoli Rice Casserole
FRIDAY--Boston Baked Beans, Cornbread, Pickles
SATURDAY--Leftovers
This plan happened until Friday.
I didn't get the beans soaking in time so I substituted some good old "Breakfast for Dinner".....Buckwheat Pancakes and Bacon. No one was interested in a fruit side dish, so I saved it for Saturday.
The Nephew got packed up and returned on Saturday. Not before a big long talk about Senior year and what he needs to do to get on the ball about college. Hopefully he'll get his head out of Jersey Shore and his social life drama.
Since then we've been spending actual money all willy-nilly around here! This is so strange since we never spend money on stuff anymore, just food and experiences.
My knees has been acting up so Hubs went out Sat. without me and bought socks and shoes for work.
Yes, I let him pick them out alone.
I was cautiously optimistic we wouldn't A-overspend and B-he'd come home with lime green Converse sneakers and rainbow striped toe shoes. This would be a bad thing since he is NOT a professional Rodeo Clown....
He done good and toted home a pair of black loafers, 4 pairs of black sox and 4 pairs of muted dark
heather-toned sox in earth shades.
And he only spent $50.99 and he got $10 in Kohl's cash that I can use to get Daughter or #2 Son something this weekend for school duds.
Then Monday was the convergence of 3 deals aligning for me that made me part with some moola.
My favorite bras at Just My Size go on sale 2 x a year for half-price
On Monday they offered a one day deal to take an additional 25% off your total order, even sale items.
And if you spent $70 the shipping was free.
I hadn't bought myself a bra in over a year.
Hubs needed new boxers and undershirts.
I got to $70 easily even with all my purchases being on sale(the Hubs stuff was BOGO50% too + 25% off of that price).
Jackpot!
Hubs and I will be good for unmentionables for another year or so.
Then I had to order #1 Son's books for his upcoming semester.
The college bookstore changed the website/process a bit from last winter so I only ordered the books they had in stock that were used. If we can't get them used, I'll just let #1 Son pick them up new in person at the bookstore once he gets back to college.
I was only able to order half of his books used. Getting used textbooks, it came to $271.25. But we still run the risk of the bookstore sending us new books because of the stupid way they set up the ordering process online....so we could be on the hook for $397.45 + shipping instead! Even though I stated I ONLY want USED books.
Ugh.
If you end up having to get new on the other 6 books, that's $165 + more(1 book isn't in stock yet and has no price indicated).
If we end up with all new books, it comes to $562.45 + the one book we can't price out yet.
I will refrain from going off on a "textbook rip-off" rant at this time. 8-(
I wish Hubs and #1 Son would let me rent textbooks again but after our CHEGG fiasco 1st semester of his freshman year, renting is NOT an option no matter what I say.
His school's bookstore is looking into offering book rentals through them either next semester or next fall. I might have a chance convincing them to do that deal. ;-)
I am just beginning to check on options for Daughter. I was hoping her school would go digital books before the upcoming semester so we could entertain the possibility of a Kindle purchase and renting ebooks for it...IF that was the least expensive option. I don't like the idea of pushing using another electronic device unless it's cost effective.
I also bought some items on Target.com recently and they arrived last week.
They offered Free Shipping on purchases of $50+.
I found a tabletop ironing board(for Daughter's dorm room), 2 purses(for me who hasn't had a new purse in 5 years) and 4 pair of designer rainboots. Everything was on clearance....the boots were $7.48 a pr! I'll give Daughter one pair and tuck another back for Xmas. I can also take any of this and return it to the local Target for a refund. Since I didn't pay shipping to begin with, that's a great deal.
If the bookstore ships us the used textbooks, I'll be $398.68 poorer after all this shopping.
As for this week's Meal Plan.....
I got the smoker out again on Sunday and smoked up one of those London Broils I got at Weis Markets 2 weeks ago on a BOGO sale.
I served Creamed Spinach with it(and my homemade pickles).
Here's a photo to make you drool....
And here's a close-up.
See that awesome smoke ring?
Some of us ate it straight and some made sandwiches on Steak Rolls.
Monday's dinner was Chicken Breast Patties pan sauted crispy with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese melted on top....a stove top Chicken Parmesan.
No heating up the house with running the oven.
Hubs and I put it on Kaiser rolls for yummy chicken parm sammiches.
The rest of this week.....in no particular order, depending on what I 'feel' like making each night.
* Leftovers, Pasta Salad
* Quiche Lorraine, Green Salad
* Tuna Noodle Casserole
* Leftovers Again
And on Saturday Hubs is off for a Chess Tournament so I'll get Chinese for lunch for #2 Son and I and we'll just raid the fridge/freezer for something for dinner.
I'll need more milk for #2 Son. I also need a bit of swiss cheese and maybe I'll buy a cheat crust for the quiche since pie crust is on sale this week. I need to pick up some fruit and veggies. I'll hit the local farm tomorrow I think.
And here is what the garden is giving up lately......
Yes, it's ArmaCUKEgedon!!!
After the rain on Saturday, these bad boys went from baby dill sized to GIGANTOR "you could hollow these out and paddle about the lake in them" size!
This is what is left this morning after BIL took one and Hubs took 4 to work.
I am scared to even go look outside.
The cukes will be crawling up on the deck and knocking on the door soon.
Seriously.
I need to find some cheap lamb(cheap-hahaha) and make some Gyros.
*Hey! Inspiration just hit....I'll get some pitas and make the smoked London Broil leftovers into some ersatz Beef Gyros.
Genius!....well maybe for a lazy woman......
In other garden news--I am not-so-patiently waiting and eying the 4 tomatoes that are turning red.
One is bound to hit "critical mass red" any day now.
I'm off to defrost a lb. of bacon in anticipation.....
What's happening in your garden and in your wallet lately?
Sluggy
You and I are in the same crazy place! We are trying to "gather" everything that Anna needs and keep it reasonably cheap. And still get everything else done and still save money.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
And your meat looks tasty!
SonyaAnn--The books are the killer for me. I can get notebooks, pens, etc. for next to nothing, right?
ReplyDeleteAnd only you would comment on my meat.....lolol
Slugmama, Thanks for reminding me to buy bacon today...now on my list. I remember all the college textbook years--17 yrs in all. I found a text book from 1975 that I paid $1.25 (one dollar and twenty-five cents) for and remember wishing they had a cheaper one that was not falling apart. Yes, they would sell falling-apart books back then...ahhh, the good old days! Did you see all the school supplies and the prices I paid?
ReplyDeleteI was doing pretty well with my deck container tomatoes until either the squirrels or a particularly nasty hard rain clobbered my plants and broke off big stems that would've had little 'materlets on them very soon :( It was a sad day. On the upside, my one little $2 basil plant has kept on leafing for me all summer, and I might actually get a sprout or two off my squirrel-eaten brussels sprout plants!
ReplyDeleteI think next summer, I may have to go back to a bigger garden... maybe. I haven't done the half pvc pipes on the side of the shed idea yet, because theoretically XH may either take the shed or sell it, and so I'm busy trying to pretend it doesn't take up more than half of our back yard. LOL!
Watch out for those cukes!!!
Would you mind posting your recipe for your cuke sauce for the Gyros? I can't find a good one.
ReplyDeleteAnd CVS update. I asked one of my fav cashiers about using the $4 off $20 and the $3 off $15 garnier in one transaction. She said it wasn't a prob. So I ran the deal and it beeped. She put it through so I guess I can't really answer that question. It might be one of those things that's up to the cashier. Bet that didn't help one bit!
Sluggy, your london broil looks so delish! I am drooling here.
ReplyDeleteIt is too hot to go anywhere here, so we have not been spending much money. Yeah for us.
That smoked meat looks awesome!
ReplyDeletePractical P--I saw your school supplies post. You did very well! So did you get that free gift card you spent by just turning in ink cartridges?
ReplyDeletePretty--I hope you do get to enjoy some of your garden delights! We've had tons of rabbits in the yard this year but besides the green beans, they haven't touched anything else. They have feasted on my hostas tho....grrrr.
SonyaAnn--I've emailed you my sauce recipe. Thanks for the info on the 2 $x off $XX CVS Qs. I love that you got to use both!
Frances--Yah for not spending, boo on the extreme heat y'all are having. Will it ever end??
I haven't felt like doing anything besides internet surfing, blogging, eating and going in the pool.
My meat is almost as good as SonyaAnn's meat...lol
Precious--Thanks! I am loving using my little smoker. One of the best xmas presents I ever got....
Write something about meat. Well anything will do but meat would be nice.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the recipe!!!!