Baking Day Check-In #2

Ok, here's what I've got done....

Two bowls of dough resting for 2 hours.
One bowl of a Yeast Bread recipe that will become French Bread(4 loaves), and the other bowl of Brioche Bread dough.  I doubled the Brioche recipe.  I know the kids will desimate the single recipe batch and I need a batch for the Brioche French Toast with Caramelized Bananas I plan on making for dinner later this week.  I'm sure I'll have to hide that second batch of Brioche.lol

Off to clean up a bit, have some lunch and start on the Scones and Pumpkin Roll.

Sluggy

BAKING DAY has Begun! Come Follow us....

I am taking part in an online BAKING DAY today.  It's being hosted by Money Saving Mom and Life As Mom.  There will be updates today via Twitter... follow at #BakingDay .   I'll be posting updates throughout the day on my baking progress on my blog here and under my Twitter ID slugmama(if you want to follow me on Twitter), so check back frequently.

I had wanted to get an early start but today is ELECTION DAY, so I had to go vote first thing.  Then a quick run to the store for extra flour, as I was lower than I thought on that.  Then one of the doggies decided to get sick all over the den, kitchen and hallway floors....ugh!

I am back from clean-up detail and ready to roll now.....

Got my supplies on deck.....

Got my recipes all set....

I am ready to go!

Here's what's on my agenda today....

Pumpkin Bread(My variation on this recipe)double batch-will freeze half,
Pumpkin Roll(a friend's family recipe),
Scone Nibbles will freeze,
Old Fashioned Bread Pudding,
French Bread (this is similar to the recipe I use),
Brownies(from mix in stockpile)will freeze,
Brioche (This is my 1st time making this.)

The French Bread and Brioche take the longest so I'm starting those first.

I'm off!  Pictures of the progress in a bit when I get a break....

Sluggy

Saturday Shopping....10/31 Deals at Target & Weis

I had coupons that expired on Sat. so I spent Saturday afternoon picking up some deals at Target.

I did the Mr. Clean Deal again....
1 x Mr. Clean Bottle  $2.99
1 x Mr. Clean Sprayer Bottle $2.59
2 x Mr. Clean Magic Eraser $3.44=$6.88
Subtotal...$12.46

Used Coupons--
1 x BOGO Manu Q Mr. Clean Bottle/Spray=$2.59
1 x BOGO Manu Q Magic Eraser=$3.44
1 x Target Q $.75/1 Mr. Clean Bottle=$.75
1 x Target Q $.75/1 Magic Eraser=$.75
1 x Manu Q $.75 Mr. Clean Bottle=$.75
1 x Manu Q $.75 Magic Eraser=$.75
Coupon Total of $9.03
I paid $3.43+.21tax=$3.64 for all 4 Mr. Clean products.

3 x Rimmel Mascara @$2.24=$6.72
Used Coupons--
3 x Rimmel $2/1 Mascara Manu Q=$6.00

I paid $.72+$.05tax=$.77 for 3 Mascaras.

2 x Chex Mix*1 not pictured* @$1.73=$3.46
Used Coupons--
1x $1/2 Target Q Chex Mix=$1.00
1 x $1/2 Manu Q Chex Mix=$1.00
Coupon total of $2.00

I paid $1.46 for 2 Chex Mix bags.

1 x Degree Deo=$3.29
1 x Degree Body Mist=$3.29
Product total of $6.58
Used Coupons--
1 x $3/2 Degree Deo/Mist=$3.00
1 x $1.50/1 Degree Deo=$1.50
1 x $1.50/1 Degree Mist=$1.50
Coupon total of $6.00

I paid $.58 for 2 Degree products.

Then I went to find the Holiday Glade....and they were wiped out of Glass or Tin Candleholders.
Tons of refill packs and candles though.  I couldn't do my planned scenario of 5 holders + 5 refills and use 5 $1.50 off holders + 5 B1G1 Refill free Qs.
So I did this using other coupons....
2 x Glade Refill Packs @$2.50=$5.00
3 x Glade Candles @$2.50=$7.50
Product total of $12.50
Used Coupons--
1 x $3/1 IP Q Glade product=$2.50 adjusted down
1 x $3/2 IP Q Glade products=$3.00
1 x $2/2  Q inside previously bought product Glade products=$2.00
Coupon Total of $7.50 BUT the cashier didn't adjust down the one Q so coupon total was $8.00.
$4.50 total.
And I used the $5 Gift Card from some past Target deal, so this set of Glade was FREE with .50 overage applied to the rest of my order.   Oh, and I got my new $5 Gift Card to roll next time.  ;-)

The rest of the order was non-coupon goods on clearance.....
1 x large Manwich can clearance $2.08
1 x Doggie Rawhides clearance $2.48(marked down from $9.99)
2 x Melitta filters clearance $1.04=$2.08
Subtotal...$6.64+$.28 tax=$6.92


Grand Total for all....$12.86 OOP
And I received $5 Target Gift Card.
Savings of $59.21, makes this order a value of $72.07
Savings of 82.15%

I spent the morning getting grocery deals at Weis.....

3 x Fresh Pet Dog Food(they FINALLY had this in!!!)@$2.19=$6.57
1 x 2.98lbs. large Fresh Breakfast Sausage=$7.42
1 x 7.55lb Whole Eye Round Beef=$39.94**not pictured**
SubTotal  $53.93

Coupons Used
3 x Fresh Pet FREE Manu Q=$6.57
1 x Meat Discount Q on package of Sausages=$3.00 (making this package $4.42 or $1.48lb.)
1 x Meat Discount for buying whole Eye Round Beef=$24.92(making this package $15.02 or $1.99lb.)
Total coupons used...$34.49

$53.93-$34.49=$19.44 OOP

Steak for $1.99lb.....alriiiiight!!!
I may be forced to go back and buy another Whole Eye Round before the sale ends this week.  If you shop at Weis, be sure and look for this Beef deal this week.  They also have boneless leg of lamb for $3.99lb.....a most excellent price for Lamb!  I may have to get a couple of those for the freezer too.

Oh, and I almost forgot about the other thing(s) I picked up at Weis the end of last week.....

You are looking at 28 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks/Roll-ups/Fruit Bites.  The last thing I need is more of these....but Weis insisted I take them!!
Weis has them on sale for $1 a box when you bought multiples of 4.  I had .40¢ Qs that doubled to .80¢.
Plus there was a Catalina deal that when you bought 4 you got a $2.50 OYNO Q.  That Deal ended Oct. 31st. 
When I saw this deal on Thursday, the day the new sale week started, I dug out that big wad of Fruit Snacks Qs and hit the self check-out, buying 4 boxes at a time over the course of 3 days.
Total after coupons, $.80, get $2.50 Cat.
Rinse and repeat.....
Weis paid me $1.70 to take every 4 boxes home.  I made a profit of $11.90 buying all this.

Sluggy

Meal Plan Monday.....November 2nd...Baking Recipes!

Last Week's Menu Postmortem...

We are averaging 5 out of 7 meals going as planned most weeks, it seems, on the menu.  Again, the Tacos and the Ham and Bean Soup didn't happen last week so they once again, carry over to this week.  Such is life with 1 child working and the other one in an active Band program most evenings.  The day falls apart right around 3pm and by 5pm, all bets are off!lolol

Here's what I will be serving our family of 4 this Week....

MONDAY--Tacos(freezer/stockpile-except for the lettuce)
TUESDAY--Date Night...Kids will fend for themselves or have leftovers
WEDNESDAY--Brioche French Toast w/Caramelized Bananas, Bacon and Fresh Fruit Salad
THURSDAY--Ham and Bean Soup(freezer), Cornbread
FRIDAY--Rigatoni with Meat Sauce(freezer/stockpile), Salad
SATURDAY--Italian Chicken(freezer),Baked Sweet Potatoes(Root Cellar), Green Beans(freezer)
SUNDAY--Dublin Coddle **A recipe from my friend McVal over at SEW NOT MY DAY!
SNACKS/DESSERTS--Fresh Fruit and the snacks as listed below.

I am taking part in the Tuesday Baking Day tomorrow.  Here is what I'll be making....
Pumpkin Bread(My variation on this recipe)double batch-will freeze half,
Pumpkin Roll(a friend's family recipe),
Scone Nibbles will freeze,
Old Fashioned Bread Pudding,
French Bread (this is similar to the recipe I use),
Brownies(from mix in stockpile)will freeze,
Brioche (This is my 1st time making this.)

I'll post recipes that aren't online on my blog later in the week or follow along on Twitter tomorrow at #BakingDay or check my blog for updates during the day.

Last week I spent $128.05(approx. $89 of that was food). I laid in some baking goods, an extra 3 dozen eggs, cheap chicken and hit a sale on sausage and a whole beef eye round. 

This week's menu shopping list.....weekly milk purchases, fresh produce(potatoes, carrots, lettuce), fresh fruit(bananas, grapes), some lunchmeat.  Shop-Rite had ground beef at rock bottom prices this week, so I might have to take a trip for that as I'm low. 

Food Waste Report....1 slice of bread at the end of the bag that molded up too badly to salvage any of it.  The rest of the loaf was fine. 8-)

Check out ORGANIZING JUNKIE to see what other Home Cooks are serving this week!

Sluggy

Something to Consider Buying to Use Rite-Aid Gift Certificates

I was just browsing through the Rite-Aid SCR list for November and this one caught my eye.....

Now, I have have $40 in Gift Certificates to use at Rite-Aid(2 x $20 Certs.)meaning I have to actually 'spend' $20 after coupons to use each of these in a transactions. It's hard for me to fathom actually spending that much in a transaction, since I break down my transactions to $20 or $25 BEFORE coupons are added so I can use those $4 or $5 off your $20 or $25 purchase Rite-Aid Qs.

Anyway, these One Planet products carry a SCR all month at Rite-Aid. If you buy 2 you get a $3 SCR and you can do this deal 6 times in November. Depending on what the retail is on these or if they will be on sale one of the weeks in November, this could be a way to spend my Certificates and get some SCR $ back too.
It looks like there is a wide variety of products so I am sure I can find something we can use. Plus they look like they are eco-friendly and the packaging is a bit 'green' as well. I'll have to check the retail on this line the next time I go to Rite-Aid.

Have any of ya'll tried these products or seen them in your store yet?
Let me know if you have tried them, if they are any good.
Do anyone of you have Rite-Aid Gift Certificates/Cards?  Do you have plans on how to spend them?

Just trying to figure out some way to 'roll' these gift certificates. Oh heck, maybe I'll just hang onto them for awhile longer, as they don't expire until Feb. 28, 2010.

Sluggy