This Week on the Dining Table

The "Birthday Cake" Edition.........

Thursday was Daughter's birthday and she couldn't decide what type of cake she wanted.  I had some boxes of pistachio pudding mix lingering in the pantry as well as a bag of coconut so I went online and found a recipe that would use both up......a Watergate Cake.

It's named after a pudding dessert that Kraft came up with in the 1970's to promote their new pistachio pudding mix product.  That "Watergate Salad" called for pineapple, the pudding, nuts, mini-marshmallows and Cool Whip(another Kraft product).  Originally named Pistachio Pineapple Delight, a Chicago food editor renamed it Watergate Salad to drum up interest in the recipe when his/her newspaper reprinted it.....this was during the Watergate scandal of 1972.
The Watergate Cake evolved from that Watergate Salad.

Daughter said it looked good so I was given the "green" light to make this.  It was a hit and I got to move two lurkers out of the pantry....win/win for me! ;-)

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

2. Monday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries

3. Tuesday--Chicken Alfredo w/Mushrooms

4. Wednesday--Leftover Buffet

5. Thursday--Beef Stew, Biscuits

6. Friday--Pizza, Salad
7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

2. Monday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries

3. Tuesday--Chicken Alfredo w/Mushrooms

4. Wednesday--Pizza, Salad

5. Thursday--Chicken Parm, Mushroom and Green Bean Risotto 

6. Friday--Garlic Shrimp Pasta & Veggies
7. Saturday--Leftovers

Last week saw 6 nights of home cooked dinners, 1 nights of leftovers/fend for yourself, 0 night of Eating Out/Take-Out. 
The Stew didn't happen(again)because I got a deal on some frozen veggie meals with pasta and we had that instead.  Then there wasn't as many leftovers as I thought so I made pizza.

 A couple of grocery trips.....1 trip to Weis($42.03)and a trip to the Grocery Surplus Outlet($68.80)brought the weekly food spending to $110.83 and brought the December monthly total to $210.89 so far.
I wasn't planning on the Surplus Outlet last week but we were in that town so it happened and I have no regrets as we won't get over there until Spring again.  I got some really good deals I'll talk about later this week.

I have 14 days left in my shopping month for December.  Half a month to go and I am on track to spend $400 this month on food.  I wanted to have a low spend this month but it might not work out that way.  Such is life.....

My savings percentage last week was 55.46%(without Rite-Aid trips)and December's monthly savings total comes to 60.17%(w/out R-A)so far.  

Leftovers going into this week....a little bit of taco meat and some Baked Beans.  I didn't make large amounts for last week's dinners so not much leftovers.

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

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

This week will see 6 new meals cooked, 0 nights of leftovers/FFY, 0 nights of Take-Out/Eating Out.

What needs buying for this menu? Roma Tomatoes for BLTs and salads(bought on Sat.), fresh carrots to roast.

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  

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Buried No More" Edition--

Before 11 days ago.......

After this morning........

What a difference a week+ makes.  Yesterday Hubs and I went out to run errands and it was 56 degrees when we got home.  The day before on Saturday it hit 63F, 1 degree short of the record for that date.
It's suppose to "dip" into the 40s this week and hit into the 50's again next weekend.  This a big time CRAZY hot for February here!!  We'll all be sick by March I suspect.

Moving on......

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week--

1. Sunday--Breakfast for Dinner

2. Monday--Kielbasa on Rolls, leftover Halushki

3. Tuesday--Salmon, Asparagus, Rice of some kind

4. Wednesday--Leftover Mushroom/Rice Soup or Chicken & Dumplings

5. Thursday--Shrimp Scampi w/Linguine, Caesar Salad *

6. Friday--Spinach Salad, Pork Tenderloin

7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Breakfast for Dinner

2. Monday--Kielbasa on Rolls, leftover Halushki

3. Tuesday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself

4. Wednesday--Dinner Out for VD

5. Thursday--Steak, Baked Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus

6. Friday--Pizza

7. Saturday--Leftover Chicken N' Dumplings

Some things got served as planned, some things didn't happen or didn't get bought(like fresh spinach for Spinach Salad).

6 meals cooked at home, 2 of them a night of leftovers or Fend For Yourself, and 1 night of eating-out.

As for the grocery spending.....1 trip to Weis brought the food spending last week to $28.68 and brought my February food spending total to $221.31 for the month.  There are 8 days left in the month.
I will most likely stay under $300 for groceries in February.

My savings percentages last week was 62%.  

Leftovers going into this week.......Mushroom soup, Chicken and Dumplings.  Not much in the way of leftovers and these will probably get used up for lunches.

The Shrimp Scampi w/Linguine & Pork Tenderloin moves to this week.

Here is this week's "food plan"....
* Denotes "complicated" meals

1. Sunday--Pork Tenderloin Roast, Mixed Veggies, Corn Casserole

2. Monday--Shrimp Scampi w/Linquine, Salad *

3. Tuesday--Burgers or Sloppy Joes on Rolls, Macaroni Salad, Broccoli

4. Wednesday--Salmon, Cole Slaw, Squash

5. Thursday--Cheese Lasagna, Caesar Salad

6. Friday--Leftovers

7. Saturday--Leftovers or Cheese Ravioli w/Salad if no leftovers

This week will see 6 new meals cooked, 0 nights of Take-Out/Eating-Out and 2 nights of Leftovers.

What I need to buy for this menu?  Maybe some mac salad(if I don't make it myself) and milk.  I've got everything else already in the house.

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

Food Spending NOVEMBER Week 4, Meal Planning DECEMBER Week 1

Just looking at this picture makes my taste buds tingle with delight!

This is the Holy Grail of Soups for me.

And I can't find a restaurant that serves it that is any closer than 2.5 hours away from where I live.

Yet another reason to detest living here......

Some day I'll talk about how I obsess over this soup.

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And here is what actually got served last week....

Sunday--Tacos

Monday--Leftovers

Tuesday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Green Beans

Wednesday--Chicken and Dumplings

Thursday--Pork Chops with Apricot Glaze, Mashed Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes, Beets

Friday--Pizza, Salad

Saturday--Leftovers

Yes, we pretty much ate every meal I planned but we may not have had them on the designated day.

So sue me.

The food spending last week was 1 trip to Price Chopper that cost me $32.39 for $68.35 reg. retail worth of goods. 

Some of these were really good deals.  There was a $5 off when you spend $20 on PC house brands and I got 2 dozen eggs, 4lbs. butter, 2 cartons OJ, 2 bottles of Tartar Sauce and 3 rolls of 'whack' biscuits

for $13.47.  The juice and eggs were on sale and I had .55¢/1 Qs for the butter(making each lb. $1.74 in addition to the $5 off $20 Q).

The yogurts all had instant dairy discount stickers on them so the Chobanis were .24¢ ea. and the quart of Mountain High left the store with me and PC paid me .26¢ to take it home!

Now THAT'S my kind of shopping. 8-)

Even the frozen pizzas were a deal.  We are in love with these Freschetta Sea Salt and Olive Oil pizzas.  I'd rather had a homemade pizza but for some reason we can't get enough of this frozen one.  They must put crack in it or something. ;-)

PC had them for $4.99 and I had .75¢/1 Qs and my PC now doubles FULLY up to .99¢, so they doubled to $1.50, making my pizzas $3.49 each!

I finished November spending $368.57 of our $400 food budget.

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Going into this week, I have leftover Taco Beef(a little bit), some meatballs, some stuffing.  I also have a large container of ricotta cheese that needs using.  I had hoped to make cannoli but I don't think that will be happening.  I'll need to find a recipe for something else or make more stuffed shells to put into the freezer for later.

This week's menu....

Sunday--Everyone was sick but Hubs, he had soup and sammie

Monday--Lasagna Casserole, Salad

Tuesday--Chicken and Gravy over Fried Stuffing, Cali blend Veggies

Wednesday--Rigatoni and Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad

Thursday--Tuna Sub Sandwiches

Friday--Going Out for Dinner....woohoo!

Saturday--Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner

This week I need to use up the stuffing or throw it into the freezer.  I'll pan saute some chicken breast, then put a crust on slices of stuffing and place the chicken and gravy over that on Tuesday. Getting inventive here!lol 

I'll break up the meatballs and use the taco beef for my meat sauce on Wednesday.

What I need to buy for this menu?

Salad Greens.  Everything else is on hand.

I'll be doing some shopping ahead this week....bagels, clementines, green chiles, cream cheese, sour cream, pasta, more OJ, some canned pumpkin(since it's on sale now), some cheese, etc.

I spent $35 already on Monday and plan on spending another $60 or so more this week.  I'm trying to keep it under $100 total for the week.

What are your menu plans for this week?

Sluggy

Food spending OCTOBER Week 4, Meal Planning Week 4+ & NOVEMBER Week 1

When a weather emergency happens, we frugal, stockpiling mavens don't need to run to the stinkin' store for water, milk, bread and batteries!

We have the essentials in our stockpile already!  We are magnificent role models for society during emergency situations!

Having taken care of the basics, we can then concentrate on running to the liquor store and the snack food aisle of the grocery store.

Priorities people.....priorities!!

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Since Hubs and I were down at the shore celebrating our 30th Anniversary, I have no CLUE what meals at home consisted of last week!  I left the almost 20 yr. old and 16.5 yr. old with many food options(most requiring little if any cooking), but other than some Ramen noodles they don't seem to have eaten anything!lol

Daughter got chinese take-out 1 night and #2 Son went and mooched off his friends and their family at least 1 night.

Oh, I forgot that 2 pizzas ARE MIA from the freezer.......of course they are! lolz

As for food spending......Hubs and I had a room with a kitchenette so we did do some food shopping on vacation.

We had breakfast in the room all but 1 day.

We had dinner in the room 1 night and we skipped lunch a few days and had toast or fruit in the room to get us through to dinner.  I spent $37.30 on groceries consumed last week.

We spent $24.94 on country ham to bring home for later(can't get it here).

Then we we got home, I went crazy Saturday at the grocery store and spent $109.81.  The local Shursave affiliate store is doing their Thanksgiving promotion(Spend $XXX, get a $XX gift certificate Deal)for the next 3 weeks.  I am using this time to stock up on sale items that are mostly nonperishable(canned/boxed/paper products/etc.).  Things I would need to buy anyway, so why not buy them in these 3 weeks and get credit toward the gift certificate.  

Since changing my shopping habits about 4 years ago, I haven't spent enough toward this Promotion to actually earn a gift certificate except for last year.  I may have a shot at a $15 certificate this year.  There is also a Baking Goods Catalina promo running concurrently with the Thanksgiving Promo....Spend $30 on select items and Earn a $10 Cat Q.  These baking promo items double dip with the Thanksgiving Promo.

So if you add up Week 2's spending of $52.68(which I didn't report last Monday), the $37.30 I spend for groceries on vacation, the $24.94 on ham we hauled home and the $109.81 from Saturday, that makes $224.73 used for 2 weeks worth of food spending.

Added to the $247.63 from the first 2 weeks of October and my grocery bill for October to this point is $472.36.

Over again this month by $72.36.

If I were to take out the money I give Daughter to buy convenience foods for lunches at work/school and the non-perishables I bought on Saturday to get the Thanksgiving Reward, I would have been under or on budget for the month.

Oh well.....there is always next month, right? ;-)

At least going over doesn't mean we go into debt to eat here.  While I don't have to keep under to stay solvent with the finances I still like to keep my thumb on the food spending.  If I ignore it and just spend whatever/whenever, the bottom line gets out of hand real fast!

Next month I plan to keep my $400 budget and PLEASE come here and wag your finger at me about that!  I am serious people!!

I still need to purchase about $200 for the Thanksgiving Promotion so half my Nov. budget will go for that.....buying items that will be needed for the month and/or good to have in the stockpile.  Another piece of my budget will go to Daughter for her lunches for work/school.  

As for Turkey Day, the only items I need to purchase for the Thanksgiving meal are whipped cream(for pies), celery, rutabaga and a turkey.  I have everything else--for stuffing, for making rolls, for pies, for cranberry sauce, for 3-4 veggie dishes.  I even have a few cans of GRAVY from last year.....yes Judy, I said GRAVY!!!lolz 

 I don't plan on stepping foot into Weis(Pound Me In The Ass)Markets in November so no GRAVY SCAVENGER HUNT this year for me!  More on the 2011 Great Gravy Saga HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.  

If Weis does that Gravy Deal again and I start to waiver, please come here and tie me to my chair! ;-)

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This week's menu.....taking power failure possibility into account.....

Sunday--Pot Roast, Carrots, Potatoes, Mushrooms, Onions

Monday--Sloppy Joe on Onion Rolls, Corn(can cook ahead Monday a.m.and reheat on grill burner should power go out later in day)

Tuesday--Grilled Steak(planning on no power), Kraft, Salad, Ice Cream LOL

Wednesday--Marinated Chicken Breast on grill(planning on no power), grilled Potatoes, thawing frozen Veggies will be heated on grill

Thursday--Beef Stew(from leftover Pot Roast-made on grill burner if no power), Homemade bread(if the power is back up)or store bought bread here(in no power)

Friday--Salmon, Rice, Broccoli (if power is up)--if no power, whatever is in fridge that has to be eaten

Saturday--Leftovers or TBA if still without power

 

What I need to buy this week to serve this menu?.....Not a single thing.  Ok, maybe some salad.

So what are you cooking at your house this week?
If you are in the path of the Sandy, do you have a contingency plan for meals?

Sluggy