This Week on the Dining Table

The "Fresh Bread" Edition.........

I made bread on Thursday to go with the Beef Stew that was served.  I usually follow a recipe from my Vincent Price cookbook for French Bread to make bread.  Although a recipe that produces an excellent bread it just makes too, too much(and halving it doesn't work well). 
So I tried a different bread recipe I found online.  This recipe yielded a nice couple of rustic loaves with a very good crust.  Give it a try....you won't be disappointed. ;-)

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Bourbon Sweet Potato Ravioli w/Bechamel Sauce, Tossed Salad

2. Monday--Roasted Chicken w/Veggies

3. Tuesday--BLT Sandwiches

4. Wednesday--Italian Sausage Sandwiches, Potato Salad or ?

5. Thursday--Beef Stew, fresh Bread

6. Friday--Chicken Pot Pie
7. Saturday--Homemade Pizza

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Bourbon Sweet Potato Ravioli w/Bechamel Sauce, Tossed Salad

2. Monday--Roasted Chicken w/Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts

3. Tuesday--BLT Sandwiches

4. Wednesday--Birthday Dinner out for daughter

5. Thursday--Beef Stew, fresh Bread

6. Friday--Chicken Pot Pie(using leftover roast chicken)
7. Saturday--Pizza take-out

Last week saw 5 nights of home cooked dinners, 0 nights of leftovers/fend for yourself, 2 nights of Eating Out/Take-Out. 
I forgot about the Daughter's birthday dinner out on Wed. so the Sausage sandwiches didn't happen.  I also got take-out pizza instead of making it myself on Saturday as I hurt my leg Friday and was trying not to be on it that much at the end of the week.

 A couple of grocery trips.....3 small trips to Weis($19.46/$7.23/$10.42), a trip to Aldi's($24.35)and a couple of things at Boyer's($4.39)brought the weekly food spending to $65.85 and brought the December monthly total to $276.74 so far.

I have 7 days left in my shopping month for December.  I hope at this point to keep it under $300 until we hit the new month/new year.  We'll definitely stay under $400. 8-)

My savings percentage last week was 58.92%(without Rite-Aid trips)and December's monthly savings total comes to 59.88%(w/out R-A)so far.  Getting a free spiral ham with my Weis points went a long way toward keeping our savings rate high last week.

Leftovers going into this week....not much.....3/4 of a chicken pot pie and about half of the bread I made.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--Spinach Salad, Chicken Strips

2. Monday--Xmas eve dinner out

3. Tuesday--Ham, Radicchio/Brussels Sprouts Salad, Mac and Cheese, Rolls, Deviled Eggs

4. Wednesday--Leftovers

5. Thursday--Pizza

6. Friday--?
7. Saturday--?

End of the week is ?s because I don't know how long company is staying and if they want to eat out or what.  I do have plenty of stuff in the freezer and pantry so we don't HAVE TO go out but again, Hubs might want to go out and he's watching me like a hawk so I don't overdo and the leg doesn't heal.

This week will see 3 new meals cooked, 1-? nights of leftovers/FFY, ? nights of Take-Out/Eating Out.
We'll see how this menu turns out come next Monday.

What needs buying for this menu? All I need at this point is some radicchio and fresh Brussels Sprouts plus more milk for daughter's mac and cheese.

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