Weekly Menu: September 14-20

A day (or two) late but hopefully not a dollar short ...

Monday
Breakfast: Banana Muffins, Milk

Snacks: Available Snacks

Dinner: Eggplant Parmesan, Spinach-Carrot Salad, Fruit, Rice Krispie Treats

Tuesday
Breakfast: Waffles, Juice/Milk

Snack: Available Snacks

Dinner: Taco Baked Potatoes, Salad

Wednesday
Breakfast: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Fruit, Milk

Snack: Apples and Caramel

Dinner: Baked Chicken, Squash, Cucumber Salad, Steamed Broccoli

Thursday
Breakfast: Muffins, Fruit, Milk

Snack: Cheese and Crackers, Grapes

Dinner: Chunky Chicken Soup, Salad, Soda Bread

Friday
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos, Fruit, Juice/Milk

Snack: Baked Pretzels, Juice

Dinner: Fried Rabbit, Mashed Potatoes, Pickled Beets, Carrot-Pineapple Salad

Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes, Sausage & Eggs, Juice/Milk

Snacks: Zuchinni Bread, Milk

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner: Split Pea and Ham Soup, Salad, Rolls

Sunday

Breakfast: Cold Cereal/Granola, Milk

Snack: Available Snacks

Dinner: Sour Cream Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Soutwestern Corn Salad

$75 Challenge Update -- Week 2

Monday I went shopping for some needs for a few of the kids. While at the store, I grabbed 6 ears of corn and a seedless watermelon. A seeded watermelon will go to waste here while a seedless lasts maybe two days. Funny kids! oh yeah, I bought some fresh dill to make some dill pickles with yet more cucumbers from our garden. I had to get more eggs because I guess I underestimated my family. They finished off the 5 dozen in a week. The kids' had a pool party, and I made some more Munchie Mix. They also finished off our huge batch in a week as well - the oinkers!

The Week's Grocery Bill
Fresh Dill - $2.92
Watermelon - $2.88
Corn Ears (6) - $1.25
Cantaloupe - $1.49
Green Peppers(2)- $1.49
Spinach - $1.99
Mushrooms - $1.29
Baking Potatoes (10 lb) - $5.98
Orange Juice Concentrate(2) -$1.98
Apple Juice Concentrate - $.82
Assorted Juice Concentrates (3) - $3.72
Frozen Peas - $.95
Eggs (2 dozen) - $1.96
Mozzarella Cheese - $2.89
Parmesan Cheese - $1.99
Canola Oil - $2.49
Flour (2) - $3.28
Pretzels (2) - $2.58
Saltines - $.89
Lemon-Lime Soda (2 lt) - $.69
TOTAL: $43.91

Total cost of ingredients for second batch of Munchie Mix : $21.74. Overall monthly total is now $158.26. That divides out to $79.13 each week. It's getting closer to my challenge limit. That second batch of Munchie Mix put me over ... Darnit! At least I am better than my usual grocery bill even with it on (twice) ... I've cut my grocery spending in half!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This was a hit with the family and came together quickly and easily. That is three out of three! Dh says it is a keeper. Of course, I doubled the recipe putting it in a 9x13-inch dish. There were not even enough crumbs for a mouse let alone a picture. I served the coffee cake with scrambled eggs, tomato and cheese slices, milk and apple juice.

CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
Cook Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
Topping
•1/2 cup brown sugar
•1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
•1/4 cup butter, room temperature
•1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake
•1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
•2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 egg, beaten
•3/4 cup sugar
•1/3 cup melted butter
•1/2 cup milk
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS
Topping: In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Cake: Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well. Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.

Weekly Menu: September 7-13

The way my week works is that I have a fabulous plan in place. Then life happens. Life seems to happen a lot around here. My fabulous plan gets re-arranged, meals get bumped to the next week or omitted completely. I can take consolance in the fact, that is less shopping for next week. I am already prepared or at least until life happens again and reminds me who really is in charge - and it isn't me!

Monday
Breakfast: Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Scrambled Eggs, Juice/Milk

Snacks: Available Snacks

Dinner: Foil Dinners, Tossed Salad

Tuesday
Breakfast: Muffins, Fruit, Juice/Milk

Snack: Nachos

Dinner: Pizza Rolls, Ceasar Salad, Green Beans

Wednesday
Breakfast: Granola, Milk, Fruit

Snack: Cinnamon Toast, Cantaloupe Cubes

Dinner: Fajitas, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans

Thursday
Breakfast: French Toast, Ham Slices, Fruit, Juice/Milk

Snack: Gelatin with Whipped Topping

Dinner: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Carrot-Pineapple Salad

Friday
Breakfast: Biscuits and Gravy, Fruit, Juice/Milk

Snack: Baked Pretzels

Dinner: White Bean-Spinach Soup, Ceasar Salad, French Bread

Saturday
Breakfast: Pancakes, Sausage & Eggs, Juice/Milk

Snacks: Available Snacks

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner: Eggplant Parmesan, Green Salad, Peas & Carrots

Sunday

Breakfast: Cold Cereal/Granola, Milk

Snack: Available Snacks

Dinner: Baked Potato Bar

$75 Challenge Update

I went shopping last (again!). One child needed a birthday for a friend. Another needed something for school. I ran out of yet something else. While there I bought some more food. My exchange student, Jana, volunteered to make dinner for me. She is not much of a cook, but very helpful and kind. She received a recipe from her mother so wanted to make it for us. I had to buy the ingredients we didn't have (or not enough of). What sane mother would pass up the chance to put her feet up and not cook?!

What I purchased for a total of $5.87:
10 lbs russet potatoes -$2.77
Can of Sauerkraut - $.64
Can of Kidney Beans - $.82
2 lbs Carrots - $1.58

I forgot the canned beets (it had been a very long day by the time I got to the store) so that will up the weekly total as well.

Monthly Grocery Bill Total: $ 92.51

Munchie Mix Recipe

I'm a day late. I could give you the reasons and let you know how my day went yesterday, but that would take up my entire post, and there are others with just as hectic or moreso schedules. Today is promising to be more of the same.

The Trail Mix recipe was a hit. It makes an enormous amount (over a gallon) even by my family's standards. The kids loved it. Allergy-sufferers can pick out the ingredients they cannot eat. Some of my kids will not eat nuts while others will not eat raisins. There doesn't seem to be that problem with the chocolate candies. A person visiting after snack would find bowls or baggies with the remains of unwanted mix parts. When hubby gets home, he finishes off the ones with the nuts left. It all gets eaten. Pizza toppings work the same way in my house. It sounds like an auction at dinner on pizza night.

I found the Trail Mix recipe in an e-mail I received from Taste of Home this month. I tweaked it for my family and to save costs. I used larger packages than called for in the original recipe (i.e. 19 ounce bag of M&Ms instead of 14 ounces). I purchased the raisins in a 25-ounce container and used the leftover for cinnamon-raisin bread for breakfast the next morning. Instead of the mixed nuts called for in the original recipe, I bought the same amount for less money in cashew pieces and unsalted, roasted peanuts. It saved money not to mention cut back the salt. The cashew and peanuts are what gets picked out the nut mix anyway. I deleted the granola (without raisins) called for in the original recipe. It saved money, and I forgot to make some homemade before making this. That saves time too. The mix was still good, and this is what I came up with after all my edits ...

Munchie Mix
Serving size: 3/4 cup

4-1/2 cups nuts (cashews and peanuts used)
1 package (17 ounces) raisins
1 package (19 ounces) peanut M&Ms
1 package (19 ounces) milk chocolate M&Ms
1 package (17 ounces) Honey-Nut Cheerios
1 package (13 ounces) Cheerios

Directions: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in a covered container or large resealable plastic bags. Makes 5+ quarts.

$75 Challenge

I was looking up one thing and just kept clicking links until I ended up here. As I was reading through the blog, I found the $75 Challenge. I was game. I enjoy things like that, the things that bore my hubby to tears to discuss or make my children roll their eyes. I am just waiting until they end up just like me.

A challenge ... hmmm. I like a good challenge especially one involving saving money. Hubby likes saving money too even more when I manage to do it although he claims that I spend money to save money. So back to the challenge and setting my rules for myself...

We are a family of 10 (two adults and 8 children ranging in age from almost two to 17 years old). There are some dietary concerns as the youngest is allergic to dairy, eggs and red dye. The 17 year old (our exchange student) is allergic to chocolate as well as a vegetarian. Food costs alone run about $150 a week not including the raw milk we get from a dairy and our SHARE Foods units we buy once a month. Those two things will run $90-$110 a month. I also participate in a farm co-op where I get fresh produce bi-weekly. I already paid for that back in April. With that as my guideline and basis, I have decided on taking the challenge name at face value. My goal is $75 a week spent on groceries. Of course, I am always free to spend less as I am sure hubby would like to remind me.


WEEK ONE
I started off the week with good intentions. I made a menu for the family, and one where they would not ask if I was cutting back on the budget. (I started on Tuesday as that was the beginning of the month for the challenge.) Weekday lunches are just leftovers or sandwiches as it is just Eric and I at home now school is in session. Available Snacks are ones that I always keep on hand. They include pretzels, animal crackers, fruit, microwave popcorn and leftovers from breakfast/previous snacks (if any).

Tuesday (1st)
Breaskfast: Berry Crumb Bars, Hot Chocolate
Snack: Available Snacks
Dinner: Ziploc Chicken, Fried Potatoes, Baked Beans, Watermelon, Broccoli (had company for dinner)

Wednesday (2nd)
Breakfast: French Toast, Scrambled Eggs with Ham, Bananas, Juice
Snack: Trail Mix
Dinner: Leftovers

Thursday (3rd)
Breakfast: Cinnamon-Raisin Bread, Fruit, Milk/Hot Cocoa
Snack: Cheese Nachos
Dinner: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli, Peaches

Friday (4th)
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos, Fruit, Juice/Milk
Snack: Rice Krispie Treats
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans, Fresh Fruit

Saturday (5th)
Breakfast: Pancakes, Sausage, Juice/Milk
Snacks: Available Snacks
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Homemade Pizza, Ceasar Salad, Breadsticks

Sunday (6th)
Breakfast: Cold Cereal/Granola
Snacks: Available Snacks
Dinner: Grilled Cheese, Tomato Soup, Fresh Fruit and Veggie Tray

So there is the menu for the week. I made my grocery list and did the shopping. How did I fare?

What I bought:
5 dozen eggs - $5.78
Half gallon soy milk (2) - $5.52
Baked Beans (2) - $ 2.44
Tomato Soup (4) - $ 2.40
Mandarin Oranges (15 oz)- $ .72
Roasted Peanuts (16 oz) - $2.68
Canola Oil (3 qt) - $2.84
Raisins (25 oz) - $2.58
Cashews (16 oz) - $4.48
Cheddar Cheese Soup (2) - $2.88
Orange Juice Concentrate (2) - $2.36
Cinnamon - $ .50
Vegetable Broth (5) - $5.00
Pineapple Chunks (20 oz)- $1.08
Cheddar Cheese (2 lb) - $5.98
Broccoli Cuts (1 lb) - $1.87
Apple Juice Concentrate (2) - $2.26
Apple-Cherry Juice Concentrate (2) -$2.54
Wheat Gluten - $1.84
Bananas (5 lbs) - $2.93
Generic Cheerios - $1.84
Generic Honey-Nut Cheerios - $1.98
Generic Rice Krispies - $2.34
Regular M&Ms (19 oz) - $3.98
Peanut M&Ms (19 oz) - $3.98
Tortilla Chips (2) - $4.00
Romaine Lettuce (2 heads) - $3.00
Miniature Marshmallows - $ .92
Total (with tax added): $81.51

I had to make a run to a second store for forgotten tomato paste. I bought 4 12-oz cans for a total of $4.40. That brings the total grocery bill to $85.91.

I have a garden and freezer full of meat (bought a side of beef a couple of months ago). My pantry shelves are kind of sparce of canned goods although I have plenty of spices and herbs as well as the basics like flour, pasta, rice and beans. That is why you will not see certain items plus with what I get at the co-op and SHARE in conjunction with my garden.

The tomato paste was to make pizza sauce (with tomatoes from my garden) for Saturday with extra pints canned for a later). The trail mix recipe makes enough to store half for next week. The eggs and cheese will last into next week. Those items were the higher cost items on my list so I don't expect my grocery to be as high next week. So yes, I spent more than $75 this week, but I am hoping it will average out.

Tomorrow I will post some of the recipes for my menu items ...