Meal Plan Monday.....June 15th Edition

Well if you are a regular reader of my blog,you know already that last week's meal plan was a disaster because, well.....there WAS NO MEAL PLAN!lol

The relatives are all gone finally.
2 of the 3 kids are gone as of this morning too.
I am slowly picking up the pieces today(of laundry, of used glasses and plates, of trash left behind, of dog bedding due to a sick dog who's having a hard time getting outside in time-if you know what I mean!ick, & of shopping bags from shopping I did over the last few days that I haven't had a chance to put away).

So no Meal Plan and I had to wing it last week. Except for shelling out $44+ at the grocery store last Monday morning(for ingredients Sis-in-law needed to make Pasta Salad she wanted to make for the Graduation Cook-Out Lunch)& the $60+ trip to Bob Evans for dinner hubby decided we needed Wed. night, I did ok feeding all the crew on mostly what I had on hand. My brain is so fried though, that I can't recall most of what I made for dinner last week!lol

I do recall the Steak Enchiladas I threw together on Friday.
We invited BIL & the Nephew over for our Mexican Fiesta night since nephew LOVES all Mexican Food.
I had 2 packages of stew beef in the freezer I wanted to use up as part of my Cleaning out the Freezer Challenge. I put that into the crockpot along with a roughly chopped large onion and a baggy full of red bell peper strips I froze last fall from the farm stand. I cooked that until the beef was pretty tender(about 4 hours on high), then I took it out to cool and sliced/tore the stew pieces into smaller pieces for the enchilada filling. Put it back into the crockpot with mexican spices like cumin, garlic, chili powder, paprika, etc.(You could just use a packet of premixed taco or fajita seasoning instead.) I let that simmer while I opened the refried beans(pantry stockpile), grated the jack & cheddar cheeses and thawed out the tortillas(all stockpiled in the freezer). I also made enchilada sauce(from stockpiled tomato puree).
I smeared some refrieds on the tortilla, put on 2 big spoonfuls of the seasoned beef and then a handful of cheese. Roll it up and put into the casserole pan. Cover with Enchilada Sauce and grated Cheeses. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 min. or so. While the Enchiladas baked, I made the Knorr Mexican Rice side dish(also from stockpile)in a pan on the stovetop & heated up the Green Giant Corn(stockpile again).

The FOOD WASTE report....the doggies had nice leftovers added to their kibble almost every night. Just the dribs & drabs of leftovers nobody wanted to eat.
Hubby is the cause of half a watermelon going bad. After it was cut up, we had half left. So I told him to put it into the cooler on the back deck as we had no room in the fridge(we had ice and drinks in there for the Cook-Out). So 2 days later I was looking for the watermelon to serve it.
Nope, not in the cooler. I figured one of the masses of people wandering in and out of the house this past week had eaten it.
On Friday, I happened to open the OTHER COOLER SITTING ON THE DECK THAT WE HADN'T BEEN USING.
Guess what was in there?
Yep.....

So now I have a formerly luscious melon rotting away in my compost pile while I ask myself, "Why would someone put a half a watermelon in a hot cooler with no ice?"
A hubby not thinking and just doing what he's told, that's who.


Back to the Menu....
We are down to 3 people this week, so I am taking it easy & making it simple. Lots of quick stuff and things I can use up from the freezer/stockpile.

Here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week.

SUNDAY-Steak Quesadilla(from leftover Steak Enchilada filling), Salad

MONDAY-Pizza, Salad

TUESDAY-Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Applesauce

WEDNESDAY-Tuna w/Noodles in Alfredo Sauce, Peas

THURSDAY-Rigatoni w/Spaghetti Sauce, Salad

FRIDAY-Grilled Fish, Baby Mixed Veggies on Grill w/Mrs. Dash's

SATURDAY-Grilled Italian marinated Chicken, Rice w/Mushrooms, Grilled Summer Veggie Mix

SUNDAY-Dinner Out/Kid to Camp

DESSERTS FOR THE WEEK-Brownies, Fresh Fruit Salad

All I need for this Menu are some Hot Dog Rolls and some fresh veggies(after I see what is still usable from the $44 Pasta Salad trip veggies). Everything else on the list is in the stockpile or freezer.
Hopefully, I can refrain from making too much of anything, since I am not use to feeding ONLY 3 people at a meal.

Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday. Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's Website.

Sluggy

FREE Men's Shampoo & Body Wash at Weis

ALMOST FREEBIE ALERT!

If you live in the WEIS MARKETS/Mr.Z's Grocery Market Area, you need to read this post.
There is a potential freebie available to you until this Sales Ad Week ends on Wednesday night, June 17th.

Weis is running a special on these two products-GILLETTE Shampoo & GILLETTE Body Wash. Here's what they look like.
The sale price this week is $3.50 each. When you buy 1 of each & use your Weis Club Card, you will get an instant $5 OFF your bill, making them $1.00 each.
Good deal, no?

Well if you got last Sunday's newspaper insert coupons with the $1/1 Gillette Body Wash and the $1/1 Gillette Shampoo Coupons, you can use those coupons as well, and get the 'Poo and B-Wash for F-R-E-E!!
Ok, this is PA, so you will have to pay tax of .10¢ on each pair you buy.

Not quite free, but for .05¢ each, it's worth hauling your keester up to a Weis Market to get them.
Might I add that these free toiletries would make a fine centerpiece for a Father's Day Gift Basket present for the Dear Ol' Dad in your life. I'll be getting some for my Hubby Hunny and also some to send to #1 son in the fall at college.

Forgive my brief online appearance today.
The computing machine started giving me problems(see virus)yesterday so I haven't even been online between that, more relative hauling around and feeding, and getting 2 of the 3 kids ready to leave for camp on Monday. Add in a sick dog and some other drama, that I'll chat about later when things calm down here, and it's been mayhem without the merriment.

But I just had to jump on after reinstalling the OS, etc. to clue the local area readers in on this Almost FREEBIE Deal at Weis Markets.

Off to see if I can print up a KMart $5/$50 Q and hit 'the Mart' once before the day is out.

Sluggy

Where'd Sluggy go? Too Much Life/No Time to Blog

I realize I have been MIA online lately. Sorry if I haven't been around much to entertain ya'll but "Life Happened" this week.

At least I've been MIA for mostly good reasons.

Monday I threw a lunch party for #1 son's graduation with all the relatives that could make it to PA.....that would be all of hubby's siblings & the nephew. Entertaining and cooking up a storm, a quick change of clothes afterwards & then it was off to the Arena for "the walking".

The ceremony was short and sweet surprisingly.

And the rain held off afterwards to take a few pictures outside.

And hubby happened to time driving by the big electronic sign at the Arena on the way home, at just the right moment for me to snap this photo.
Afterwards was some cake back at the house for all, and the opening of some envelopes of cards with cash for the graduate.

Then he was off to the Senior Class Party at the High School. They have a "Lock-In". It's a chaperoned all-night party for the seniors....our school districts answer to keeping the kids off the roads and off the alcohol & drugs for the night. #1 son dragged his carcass home at 6am amid a raging thuderstorm/lightning storm. He pronounced the party amazing and proceeded to fall into his bed for the next 6 hours.

So excuse me if Meal Planning Monday didn't happen here. Between Monday's festivities and having a relative staying with us for the whole week and school letting out today for the other kids, plus daughter got some of her braces off today which meant TWO trips to the Orthodontist today, I've been "winging it" in every way!lol

I've also got RRs expiring today!, IP & ManU Qs expiring today & I need to hit the local grocery store specials tonight as they also expire today.

And to top that all off.....DOUBLE COUPONS again at K-MART!

What's a Coupon Goddess to do??lol

I had wanted to take a donation up to the Food Bank and the free Medical Clinic this week, but that won't be happening because there just isn't enough time in my week.

And for those of you who enjoy my "humourous" life, there is yet another "drama" in the works as I type. All I can say now is, "WHY ME!?!?"

More on that later as the story develops....

So what is everyone else up to this week?

Sluggy

A Purex Product Review & Where to Buy it Cheaper this Week

WARNING!**High scarcasm content ahead**
I'm just in one of those moods today...
I have a feeling this will be the very last time anyone wants ME to review their product. ;-)



If you've been awake when perusing my blog, you may have noticed the above logo on the right side bar.


About a month ago, I got a surprise package in the mail from Purex. Seems I was 'selected' to test a new laundry product they have just released. The accompanying cover letter said that I was 1 of ONLY 200 people selected to receive this advance sample of their new laundry product. Having been 'Around the Block', as the euphomism goes, a few hundred times, you can call me skeptical about believing anything a company's marketing dept. tells me. ;-)
1 of 200 out of a Gazillion people?


Yah.
Sure.



Anyway, I have a secret 'code' to access a 'secret part of the Purex website', and was encouraged, after trying the product, to go there & upload a video of me using the product(LOLOL)& leave my thoughts on the product there. I am guessing by 'my thoughts', they meant, to leave them glowing praise that they can then use, without compensating me for my product endorsement, to sell other folks their newfangled detergent. I was also highly encouraged to blog about this product on my website/blog and use their graphics.


Well Purex, if you are watching(and somehow I know you are!), consider this my blog about your new Laundry Product.



This new product(now called PUREX 3-IN-1) is basically a sheet, like a fabric softener sheet you put in your dryer with your load of laundry. But this sheet gets put into your Washer because it's impregnated with Laundry Detergent! Yes, somebody in marketing at Purex got paid an obscene amount of money to come up with this little idea.
More power to that little marketing drone, I say!


You put the sheet in the washer with your dirty clothes & then when you transfer your clothes to your dryer(unless you don't feel like killing the planet some more and hang your clothes outside to dry), you also transfer that little sheet into the dryer too.


Why?
Because there is a separate little strip on it that contains fabric softener & an anti-cling agent. So it breaks down the fibers of your material in your clothing and wears it out faster while depositing harmful chemicals on your clothes(er, I mean, it softens your clothing)& it keeps static from building up in your load of clothes when the dryer overdries them.



It's a complete laundry system that anyone with a full fledged lobotomy could use. Put the sheet thingy in with the clothes and don't remove it until you are done and fold the clothes.....or wad the clothes, depending on whether you put away the laundry or your teenage son does.lol



Ok-here's my Review.


Easy? Yes, very.



How did it perform? It got everything clean & then wore the fibers down nicely in the dryer, er....softened the feel of the clothes. No static to be found as well.



Comments?
1. The sheet is loosely spun fiber of some kind, so it has lots of holes in it, where they shoot the laundry detergent into it. There is no coating or anything covering the sheet, so the sheet is sticky to the touch. They must put something in the detergent to harden it so it doesn't drip out of the sheet. It's like when you spill laundry detergent down the side of the bottle and after a few days, it hardens but if you touch it, it is sticky and viscose and gets on your hands and you feel like you need to wash them. It is not a pleasant feel. When you touch this sheet thingy to put it into the washer, you will experience that same feeling.



2. You will notice, when your clothes come out of the dryer especially, that there is an almost overpowering Laundry Detergent SCENT. The smell is VERY strong! If you like the smell of laundry detergent, this is the product for you!lol I don't know if they make an unscented version, but they REALLY NEED TO. I don't want my clothes smelling like some laboratory chemist's idea of what clean should smell like. Clean doesn't have a smell. Things should smell like what they are.



3. I am NOT the world's biggest Crunchy Earth Protecting Mama but I do have my own standards of what I feel is acceptable practices of Human Comfort vs. Destroying the Planet.
I don't like to make trash when it can be avoided. Ok, so most (liquid, at least)laundry detergent comes in plastic bottles. Plastic is bad for the planet, yadda, yadda..... You can recycle plastic bottles.
The containers these sheets come in is also plastic and I'm assuming recyclable.
But.....you ALSO have this plastic fiber sheet to throw away when you're done with your load of clothes. And I haven't a clue on how I am suppose to dispose of this thing now, that won't cause polar bears to drown or rainforest birds to keel over dead.
A new product that is worse for the Environment is not an improvement.....even if you require less brain cells to use it.











With all that said, starting Sunday at Wags, they are running a special on this new PUREX LAUNDRY DETERGENT 3-IN-1 SHEETS PRODUCT. It will be on sale for $5.99 a box. There will be a $2 Register Reward with purchase.
You can go HERE & print a $1/1 Coupon for this product and get it for $4.99, making it $2.99 after the $2 RR Out of Pocket.

And if you aren't satisfied with this product go Here to print a form to submit for a refund on your purchase price.

Don't let my experience stop you from going to Walgreen's to buy it and giving it a try.
I'd love to hear what you think of this product after you've used it.
Really.
I would!
Right after I go and fill the tank on my Hummer.....


Sluggy

Oh my! This can't be! My Confession.

Ok I am back and avoiding working on the pile still left on the dining room table.
I am soooo good at avoiding doing what I don't want to do.lolol

I have a confession to make.

The menu I came up with this week is all foodstuffs I have in the house. Meaning I did NOT have to go into a grocery store this week to buy ANYTHING for this week's meals!

Great huh?

I have been exactly 2 places this week:

Walgreen's to roll some Register Rewards & Rite-Aid to pick up #1 son's prescription. We were almost out of milk the day I picked up the prescription so I bought milk at Rite-Aid. I know, it's too high there compared to the grocery store but I paid it so I didn't have to go into the grocery store.

I've spent $1.79 on groceries this week(that jug of milk).
For me, that is awesome!


But even so, there is a dark side lurking and I must confess it.

My confession is this.......not going to the grocery store is driving me nuts!!!!!!!

I am obssessing about grocery shopping.

I can't stop thinking about going to buy groceries.

Something is seriously wrong with me folks.



Hi, I'm Sluggy.....and I am a grocery-aholic.



I haven't printed any coupons.

I only bought 1 newspaper last week because the actual Qs in it were lame and very few to boot.

I am JONESING about shopping for spaghetti sauce and pasta and bread and squash and blueberries.....



But I don't need anything.

And I have-I just counted them-FORTY BOTTLES of BBQ SAUCE!

Unless you run a Rib Joint, who needs 40 Bottle of BBQ Sauce?

Really!?!?



How did I get this many without even noticing?

It must be because I've been flinging bags of stuff from grocery shopping trips into the garage or onto the dining room table and NOT visually seeing it ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE!
Had I seen, let's say 20 bottles, I might have mentally made a note that we have ENOUGH already & I should Just Say No to BBQ SAUCE Now!

But I didn't....
And I haven't.

Ok, so the Catalina Deal(buy 6, Get $3 Cat)at various stores I went to helped fuel this SAUCE BUYING FRENZY but even so.....



I'll pawn some off on various relatives this weekend when they come for the graduation and I'll be doing ALOT of dishes incorporating BBQ Sauce this summer I guess.....meats, vegetables, beans....

I wonder how bbq sauce would taste on salad?lolol

Ok, I think I have succeeded in talking myself down from the ledge of a full-blown unnecessary shopping trip now.
Back to the dining room.

Sluggy-all sauced up & fed up with her shopping habits