This Week on the Dining Table

Hey!
I am back!!!
Now to your regularly scheduled programming.

The  "#1 Son and his GF have gone home already" Edition.......

 

 The visit was great but way too short.

 

Here is my list of meals for the second half of June that were left going into last week----

1.  French Bread Pizza, Salad
2.  Pork Chops, Sautéed Cabbage, Macaroni Salad(leftover)
3.  BLT Sandwiches or Cheesesteaks-Diner's Choice
4.  Dinner out with #1Son
5.  Lasagna, Salad
6.  London Broil, Fettuccine w/Sauce, Sugar Snap Peas
7.  Wild Card meal-not planned

And here is what we ate last week that was on this list.......

4.  Dinner out with #1Son
7.  Wild Card meal-not planned

2 out of 7......lolz

Here is what we had for dinner last week.....

Monday--Leftovers
Tuesday--Subway sandwiches(#1 Son arrived)
Wednesday--#1 Son Birthday dinner out at Hibachi Restaurant
Thursday--Went to microbrewery for Lunch, Dinner at home was snacks/chips/fruit
Friday--Burgers, COC, Baked Beans
Saturday--Fajitas at son's request
Sunday--Leftovers and Fend for Yourself

Let's just say there was a lot of adult beverages consumed last week after Tuesday and not a lot of thought given to cooking meals.  8-))

As predicted more food buying was done last week.  We went to Wegman's on Wednesday so #1 Son could check out the BEER and I ended up buying food.....strawberries(didn't have any fresh fruit left in the house), reduced today 90% lean ground beef, lunchmeat and cheese, fresh corn, mushrooms(for the fajitas #1 Son requested), hummus(a huge vat of that), pretzel chips, blue tortilla chips, coleslaw mix(to make cole slaw for the barbecue I saved for #1 Son) and 2 small pints of ice cream(which didn't get eaten last week).
While there I also saw and bought 2 kinds/brands of root beer(my vice), Stouffer's spinach soufflés (I haven't seen for years around here!), and a huge bag of frozen breaded chicken strips for #2 Son. $86.73 later we left that store.

Hubs also spent $11.94 at the local market to get the rest of the ingredients so I could make Fajitas on Saturday.  He did NOT shop around and get the best prices so that is what it is and I am embracing that spending.

While we were in Berwick we stopped at the Surplus Outlet(it's a discounted grocery store-the kind that has deals like almost expired foods, dented cans, crushed boxes, overruns, old packaging, etc.)and another $67.73 flew out of my wallet, and pushed my monthly food/toiletries spending over $400.
Crap.

Oh well.
It's all good though since I was prepared for that, we had extra mouths to feed, some of it will carry forward and be used in July, plus that best thing is--I had the cash to pay for it all.  ;-)

At least it wasn't $500+ in food spending, right?

We had a bit of food waste last week.  Had to throw out some of that #10 can of baked beans I bought for the graduation party.  We ate on them until we just couldn't anymore and a hefty portion went bad.  Lesson learned.....

Going into this week, in leftovers we have.........Fajitas filling(for 1 or 2 tortillas), 1 ear of COC, 3 helpings of Cole Slaw, a whole package of 90% lean Ground Beef, Spaghetti w/Sausage and Meatballs.

Here is the plan, going back to a weekly one for at least this week......

1.  Fish, Coleslaw, Rutabaga
2.  Pork Chops, Squash Casserole
3.  BLT Sandwiches or Cheesesteaks-Diner's Choice
4.  Tacos
5.  Lasagna, Salad
6.  Leftovers
7.  Leftovers

This plan will use up all the leftovers(hopefully)except for the ear of corn.  I'll strip that ear and either throw the corn into the taco filling or use it in making a pot of Clam Chowder but not this week.

This uses up all but the French bread pizza and London Broil w/Fettuccine meals I planned for June.
Those 2 will carry over into July, later in that month.
 

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 that week?

Do you plan your meals & then grocery shop OR do you grocery shop and figure out meals using what you buy OR is it a combination of both?

 

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Well THAT Was Easy, Let's Eat Leftovers!" Edition.......

 

 

I saw this apron on vacation in World Market.  That's a fun store to poke around in so why don't they have any of them here?
Oh right.....where I live isn't fun....lol

Here is what was planned last week--

Sunday--Burger on fresh rolls w/tomato, Potato Salad
Monday--Meatloaf, Green Beans(freezer), Rutabaga
Tuesday--Salmon(freezer), Carrots, Coleslaw(make my own)
Wednesday--Lasagna, Salad
Thursday--Fajitas
Friday--Pork Chop(freezer), Sauted Cabbage, leftover Potato Salad
Saturday--Leftovers

And here is what got cooked last week---

Sunday--Burger on fresh rolls w/tomato, Potato Salad
Monday--Meatloaf, Green Beans(freezer)
Tuesday--Lasagna, Salad
Wednesday--Leftovers
Thursday--Salmon(freezer), Rutabaga, Coleslaw(make my own)
Friday--Fajitas(chicken in freezer)
Saturday--Leftovers

Meals got moved around to different days and the Pork Chops didn't happen so that gets moved to this week.

 

As for the food spending update.....I spent a total of $89.54 on $145.28 reg. retail on groceries last week at Weis(PMITA)Markets.  Saved 38% over regular retail in all. This was my first food spending for May.  April's food spending topped out at $470.57 if you are interested.   8-(
 

 

Going into the new week, here are the leftovers we have......3 servings of lasagna(and I even made a SMALL pan this time!), some meatloaf and some fajita fixings.

 

Here is this week's meal plan----

Sunday--Leftovers
Monday--Bratwursts on rolls, baked beans, leftover potato salad
Tuesday--leftover Fajitas
Wednesday--Pork Chop(freezer), Sauted Cabbage, fried apples
Thursday--Leftover Lasagna, Green Beans
Friday--Tacos
Saturday--Leftovers or Fish

 

For snacks there are assorted baked goods(Danish, donuts, muffins, bagels)from #2 Son's job and fruit.

What I need to purchase for this menu?.......since most of it's leftover foods from last week, not much.
I've got some long in the tooth apples to use up so I'll make fried apples to go with the pork.
I need some fresh fruit so I'll probably pick up a watermelon and strawberries(my favorites since nobody else around here eats much fruit).
If we finish up ALL the leftovers by Saturday I have battered fish and frozen veggies I can pull out of the freezer instead.

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

 

Sluggy

Meal Planning January Week 3, Food Spending Week 2

Well we had a rare FOOD WASTE situation last week.
Since I started being vigilant about FW a couple of years ago, this doesn't happen often.

I finally got the freezer defrosted and found a baggie of pork barbecue.....the real smoked stuff from this past Summer.  I had a small amount(3 sandwiches worth of meat?)but in the freezer for #1 Son to have when he came home.  Well, we couldn't find it when he was home at Christmas....figures, right? lol
It was a tad freezer burned when I dug it out and I couldn't give it to the dogs because it was sauced up North Carolina style(vinegar and hot sauce) and yah, I'm not chancing that running through the dogs gastrointestinal tracts, if you know what I mean. ;-)
So I had to throw out barbecue.....
Ugh!
I should have to turn in my Southerner badge for that.

                    (Not what I threw out.)

Onward to the Meal Plan!

Here is what actually got served last week....

Sunday--Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes, Carrots

Monday--Chinese take-out(again!), teen had Taco Bell

Tuesday--Salmon, Potato Salad, Green Beans

Wednesday--Leftovers

Thursday--Lasagna(from freezer)

Friday--Leftovers or Fend For Yourself Night

Saturday--Roast Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Onions, Carrots

I served about half of the meals I had planned, due to picking up some good deals at the store, and I had to take a pan of lasagna out of the freezer when I defrosted it, so that has to be used.  The meals that didn't get served get moved to next week.

The food spending last week?

Well I made up for spending nothing the first week in January!
In the end, I spent $148.95 of my $400 food budget in Week 2, plus I have a $10 Catalina to use in the next 2 weeks.

I got the freezer defrosted so I had room for some .78¢ lb. Roasters, $3 bacon and $2.28 lb. Ground Beef.  Then I went to Weis and hit on some meat reductions--like 2 Roaster Chicken Breasts at .99¢ lb., almost 3lbs. of Italian Sausage for $1.44 lb. and 4 small Pork Roasts for $1.55 lb.  These Pork Roasts are 2lb. each and perfect for popping into the crockpot for making Pulled Pork Sandwiches.  Each one cost me about $3 and should make enough for 1 meal of sammies. I grabbed 2 dozen cheap eggs and some fresh fruit and veg too.
There was also a Catalina Deal at Weis which included pet food so I picked up Dog Kibble too as we were low.

As for leftovers rolling into this week--Lasagna, 1 helping of Cabbage, Chicken, Roasted Pots/Onions/Carrots Mix.

***********************

Here is what is getting served this week.....

Sunday--Steak, Asparagus, Potatoes & Onions

Monday--Leftovers

Tuesday--Rigatoni w/Meat Sauce, Brussel Sprouts, Rolls(made into Garlic bread)

Wednesday--Beef Tips in Gravy over Noodles, Asparagus

Thursday--Leftovers

Friday--Chicken Pot Pie

Saturday--Leftovers-if not enough then Cheese Steaks

I cooked enough steak on Sunday so we can have Beef Tips on Wednesday.  Daughter bought enough Asparagus for 2 meals. The Chicken dinner from last Saturday evening gets recreated into a Pot Pie on Friday.  If enough people can't find a leftover to eat on Saturday then I'll make the Cheese Steaks.....if not, the Cheese Steaks get put off until the following week's menu.

I have a container of homemade bechamel sauce left that has to get used, so on Monday evening I'll make a small pan of Mac and Cheese to augment that Leftovers night.

Needed at the store to serve this lot?

Daughter bought Asparagus and I bought Roasting Chicken and a bag of Carrots last week and we're using up bits and pieces of veggies so we don't need anything else this week to do this menu.

Last week's stocking up went much higher than the $50 I aimed for, as noted above.

I'll be going to my 2 grocery stores this week to note prices for the new Price Book but I hope to not have to buy but a few fresh produce items.

What's on your menu for the week?  Any good deals in the grocers this week?
Did you have any food waste this week?

Sluggy

Using Up Leftovers Makes Me Happy.....Really Happy!

Around Chez Sluggy we are all about using up leftovers and not having food waste.
We take this mission seriously.....really, we do!

Like the other day.......
I was attempting to clean out the little freezer over the fridge.
And I found some old sherbet in there.....

This was a holdover from early Summer, might have been Spring actually if I think about it.

So what do you do with a big clump of Pina Colada Sherbet that has freezer burn and it's November and you just don't need to cool off from the heat anymore?


Well if you are me, you add this.....

Then you add some pineapple juice and some ice cubes in a blender too until it looks like this....

Somehow drinking this frozen pina colada in November somehow doesn't seem as wrong as eating sherbet in November.

Now I can truly say that Avoiding food waste makes me happy!

Sluggy