Cheaper than the Dollar Menu

People who say they can't afford to cook at home and instead go order off the dollar menu make me mad.  Now I have eaten my fair share of dollar menu meals so no argument there.  My gripe is when people believe that its cheaper to eat there.  Tonight I made a chicken pasta meal and it was delicious!  And each portion was less than a dollar!  My local Randalls has a clearance section that I adore!  The other day I stocked up on these Kraft Recipe Makers.  Normally they are $2.20 for the box (essentially just the sauce).  Since these were on clearance I paid $1.10 each.  The box doesn't include the pasta or meat, but that's okay because I have a stock pile of both!  This is where couponing and stockpiling can be incredibly helpful.  I never pay more than $1 per box of pasta.  I try to keep my meat costs around $1/lb.  

My cost break-down is as follows-
Sauce $1.20
Chicken 2 lbs @ $1.79= $3.58
Pasta $.80
Total $5.58
6 meals = $.93 per meal

Because I shopped sales and clearance I am able to feed my family delicious, inexpensive and wholesome meals.  No dollar menu tonight!

Monday Meals

I used to know all the good spots to get grocery deals.  I had a routine and I liked it.  Now I am trying to set up a new routine and discover new grocery stores.  In our little town we have a HEB (a grocery store of course).  While its not bad, I am not excited about it.  Yesterday while in the next town over, I stopped at their HEB and was pleasantly surprised.  I went in for some Parmesan cheese so I could make a homemade fettuccine alfredo sauce.  I was only missing the parm cheese, and its a main ingredient.  Wanting to save time and gas, I wanted to get enough food for the week.  We had a pack of 6 chicken breasts for this week that I wanted to base our meals off.  Other than the pasta I had no plans for the rest of the week.  I ended up buying
-3 red onions
-2 avocados
-2 green peppers
-2 jars pizza sauce
-2 big bags of cheese
-2 jars of pickles
-2 packages of pizza mix
-2 jars bread crumbs
-1 jar parm cheese
-1 jar maple syrup
-1 jar salsa
-1 bottle italian dressing
-3 bags of Texas shaped chips
-1 box pancake mix
-2 packages bake at home Ciabatta rolls
all for $45

We cooked up the chicken and shredded it all.  This coming week we will have taco salad with chicken.  Ill make a bbq chicken pizza or two.  We made fettuccine alfredo last night and yum oh yum!  Hubby said the only thing he didn't like was the gritty texture of the Parmesan cheese.  Next time I might try flakes instead of grated but they were way more expensive.  We have plenty left over for lunch and maybe a 3rd meal. 

Update on Life

Wow guys!  Its been a while.  I am sure you all thought I quit blogging, with good reason too.  I didn't!  I only just now got my computer set back up and have access to the internet.  In the past month, hubby and I have moved to Texas.  Why? you ask?  Well Hubby is getting out of the military in Feb. He had enough leave saved up that he could be done working mid Dec and on vacation until the end of Feb.  We debated for a long time if we wanted to stay in Maryland, or move elsewhere.  We realized that without the military pay, we wouldn't be able to keep our mortgage even with both of us working.  And if we couldn't stay on the farm, we knew we didn't want to rent an apartment in town.  While we love Maryland, what was keeping us there other than the military, was the freedom to have the farm. Take that away and we didn't want to stay.  It was incredibly hard saying goodbye to all our friends and "adopted" family there.  Moving to Texas allows us to be a short drive to Hubby's family.  I have extended family in Texas and close relatives in Arkansas.  Its also a shorter plane ride to California! 
  Once we decided to move and told the Army, we figured we would have a month before they came to pack.  Since Hubby is getting out, they will move us to our final destination (as long as its not farther than Houston where he enlisted).  Apparently December is not a popular moving month, so the packers were completely open.  They came less than a week after we got our official orders.  For two weeks after the movers came we were still staying in the house with only an air mattress and our clothes.  I don't recommend that as a long term solution.  Since Hubby and I have two cars, we had to drive separately.  I left early so I could spend some time with my family in Arkansas.  Once in Texas, we found the cutest rental (Ill post pictures once all our boxes are unpacked).  The house was built in 1929 and has been lovingly restored.  Swoon!
  So now I am in the midst of unpacking, decorating, cooking (so thankful to have our pots and pans back!) and taking lots of knitting breaks.  I am not sure of the direction this blog will take.  Since we are renting, we can't tear up the yard to plant a big garden.  We will still be living much the same as before (just with no farm animals for now).  The kitchen is so tiny in this new house that there is no room for a microwave.  So we will be learning to live without one.  One of the biggest money eaters in our budget is going out to eat.  I have barely any willpower and am the first to suggest grabbing a pizza.  This year one of my goals is to cook from scratch at least 5 nights a week.  Ill write a post on my reasoning's for that later.  All that is to say that the blog will be featuring more cooking, frugal living, knitting, living simply and whatever else might come up.  For the time being you wont be seeing chickens or goats although chickens are allowed in our town (just need to work on our landlord...).  I appreciate any one who is still reading.  Thank you for understanding that life happens and not always (or most times) how we plan it!

Baking Bread with Kids

Last week I discovered a bread recipe that claimed to be super easy- Amish White Bread.  I happened to have all the ingredients and set out to make a loaf.  I took all the ingredients to work with me.  While the baby took his morning nap, and the oldest was away at school, the three year old and I got our hands dirty.  J loves to "help".  Sometimes I will fill the sink up with soapy water and give him some plastic dishes to "wash".  I love watching him as he feels so accomplished when he is finished helping.  High fives are dished out all around.  Needless to say, he is an awesome bread making helper.  I would measure the ingredients and he would dump them in the bowl.  Yes, flour ends up on the counter and the floor too but it is worth the extra clean up.  J loved kneading the bread with me.  He helped oil the bread pans too.  This is not something we could have done if the baby wasn't sleeping.  I loved watching the dough rise and eventually turn into bread. We immediately sliced the loaf up and tasted it.  Yum!  The recipe made two loaves so I took one home for Hubby and I and left one for Family Z to enjoy.  I will definitely be repeating this recipe as it was easy and delicious. 
  This morning I sliced off a piece and had toast with jam that my mom and grandma made.  Love!

Healthy Cookies

I was browsing on Pinterest recently (seems to be a reoccurring incident) and Hubby came by.  He noticed a cookie recipe on the page and mentioned he would like to try those.  The recipe used only bananas and oats.  It also mentioned you could add chocolate chips.  So when I was at Safeway this week I picked up some reduced bananas (did you know you can buy "almost mushy" bananas for a discounted price?).  I peeled 4 mushy bananas and mashed them up.  I then added 2 cups oats, 1 cup coconut and 1 cup chocolate chips.  Bake that for 15 minutes in a 350 oven and wa-la! cookies!  healthy cookies at that.  They have a banana-y taste but yet satisfy that "i-need-a-cookie" craving.  Hubby gave them a thumbs up.  We will be making this again for sure.  I might even make them with the kids.  J loves helping in the kitchen and Goober loves bananas.  I would probably leave out the chips for Goober.  I texted my mom and turns out she had already discovered and tried this recipe!  So simple, yummy and (mostly) healthy!

Canning Peaches

On Sunday I was in town running errands and stopped by the local farm market. The day before I had bought some amazingly juicy peaches at Safeway and I wanted to see the prices for local peaches. The local peaches were about $.50 cheaper per pound, and I know exactly where they were picked! Note to self to check farm market first. I was browsing around and found a 1/2 bushel of 2nd grade peaches. A full bushel typically weighs close to 50 pounds. I got over 20 pounds of peaches for...wait for it... $12! Made my little frugal heart skip a beat. Now 2nd grade peaches taste just the same as regular ones. It just means they have some bruises or cuts. Nothing that I can't cut out. Maybe these aren't the best if you want to eat them whole. But they work splendidly for canning and pies!

As soon as I got home I started peeling them. Since they are already 2nd grade I knew I had to do something with them right away before they spoiled. When I had enough peeled, I made two peach pies. One for dessert that night, and one was destined for the freezer. I looked back at my box and it seemed like I had barely touched the pile of peaches. The rest I peeled, sliced and then canned to save for later.

One of my main issues with canning is that as soon as I am done I want to try it, which totally defeats the purpose of canning. Luckily for me, one of the jars looks like it didn't seal correctly. Since I don't want to take any chances, I guess I will eat it now. Oh darn! Twelve dollars turned into two pies, 8 quarts and 1 pint of peaches. Pretty frugal, fun and farm friendly if you ask me!

Keeping Busy in The Kitchen

I have a confession.  My kitchen refuses to stay clean.  We have been maxing out its potential this week.  Hubby has been working a lot of hours which leaves me at home alone.  After the evening chores are done, I love working in the kitchen.  I made another batch of homemade granola, hummus, pesto (with basil from the garden), rhubarb strawberry crisp and a huge batch of sweet cherry jam.  The poor dishwasher is constantly in use.  I try and take to work whatever projects I think are doable for a three year old.  J (the three year old) loves helping to cook and clean up!  I brought all the ingredients to make pesto.  He had such fun washing the basil leaves and dropping them into the food processor.  It is fun to watch his excitement.  Sure, it would be easier and quicker to do it at home by myself, but nothing about my life can be described as quick or easy.  I didn't take the granola to work because it mostly needed supervision in the oven.  But pesto was a perfect project.  The only bummer about pesto is that we eat it so fast...

Using Home Canned Goods in Everyday Life

One of my homestead goals, is to use the items I have canned on a daily basis.  I don't spend hours and hours canning, just to have a museum of canned goods in my house.  I don't want them to just look pretty on the shelf.  No, I want to use them.  I want to fade out buying goods and introduce more and more home made items.  This week I made meatloaf and used the ketchup I made last year from my grandpa's tomatoes.  For dessert I made a strawberry shortcake.  I macerated the berries in orange juice from my Uncle Al's oranges.  Last week I made an apple pie-crisp from the canned apple pie filling where I used apples from my parents, grandparents and neighbors trees.  Living on the opposite coast from my family doesn't provide many opportunities to have people over for dinner. By using items canned from family's produce its second best to having them here.  When I take a bite of apple pie I can remember whose tree the apples came from.  Its like a tribute to those who gave me produce with every bite.  I honestly believe that food made with home canned goods tastes far better than with store bought goods. 
  I have found that you can sneak in home made substitutes easily but intentionally.  I made mashed potatoes using store bought potatoes, but home canned chicken broth.  Yum!  It puts a smile on my face knowing that more and more of what we are eating is home made.  Not only home made, but with home made ingredients. 

Benefits of Nutritional Yeast

Just recently I have been introduced to nutritional yeast. One of the families I nanny for use it on toast for the kids, but call it "cheese". After all, what kid wants to eat something called nutritional yeast over cheese? tricky! My mom is extremely limited on what she can eat and last week tried nutritional yeast in a "macaroni and cheese" meal. She can't have grains, dairy, sugars or meat. So the mac n cheese was good, but nothing like real mac n cheese. Moving on... this morning I decided to try the "cheese" on my toast and all I can say is yum! This stuff is good! Not only does it have a cheesy taste, but it also has many benefits. One serving (I believe is 2 Tablespoons- more than enough for 2 slices of toast) is a complete protein! This is tremendously helpful to my mom who is limited in her protein choices. It is low in both fat and sodium, and a great source of vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamin, as wel as folic acid, selenium, and zinc. Some producers of nutritional yeast offer it fortified with Vitamin B12. It is used by many vegans who are looking for additional protein and vitamins. Nutritional yeast can be found in the bulk section of most health food stores. Luckily we have a plethora of them here in Santa Cruz. Even if nutritional yeast didn't have any benefits, it is tasty enough to hold its own. The fact that it includes multiple benefits makes it extra impressive. If you have never tried nutritional yeast, I recommend you get a small bit to try it. There is nothing scary about it, except the thought of running out!

A girl. A Sewing Machine. An addiction.

This week I have been house sitting.  There is no cable and I am loving it!  It forces me to be productive.  I brought my sewing machine and laptop with me.  While its always strange to be in someone else's house without them there, it also makes things simpler.  My spare time (in between work and caring for the animals) is spent watching a dvd and sewing/knitting.  So far I have made two and a half socks- one complete pair, and I just turned the heel on the first of another pair.  I brought along some veggie fabric, with the thought that I would make reusable paper towels.  The frugality of my project will be saved for another post.  Not only did I make 10 "un-paper" towels, but a whole slew of other items.  I made a matching wet bag to hang on the oven.  This way, I can throw in a wet towel and not have dirty laundry laying in the kitchen.  Then I made 2 sandwich bags- complete with a PUL liner.  PUL fabric (which I used in both the wet bag and the sandwich bags) is a waterproof fabric that can be wiped clean.  So if I pack a PB&J sandwich and jelly gets on the bag, no biggie.  Just wipe it down with a sponge.  Genius!  I happened to find 3 fat quarters in the same fabric, but black and made 3 napkins.  And a ruffle tea towel.  And I am just getting started.  I still have 3 days left of house sitting, and over 2 yards of fabric... Once everything is finished Ill take pictures so you can see just how productive I have been.  Did I mention I made homemade granola?  (You can see in the granola picture, the black veggie fabric napkins).  Yum!  I poured a little organic whipping cream from a local creamery on and oh!  It was heaven in a dish.  I will definitely be making the granola recipe again sometime soon.  However now I am pouring Almond Milk on instead of Cream since I don't need the extra calories.  But it sure was a nice treat!  I think I am addicted to both the granola and sewing...and knitting... If only I got paid to sit home and craft!

Duck Eggs, Cinnamon Chips and mini butter

Mmmm... I was craving something sweet, but not candy. The perfect solution was to make cookies. I got out all the ingredients from the pantry, opened the fridge, and was disappointed to find we had no butter. Fresh eggs? yes. Butter? no. Considering how the closest grocery store is 30 mins away, we ran to 7-11. They sold the cutest butter 1/2 cubes. I decided to use 2 duck eggs in the cookies, along with cinnamon chips and oatmeal. yum!

Welcome Christmas