From the Grocery List to the Dinner Table

I saved $88.10 or 31% on my groceries this week by shopping the sales and using coupons. For meals I bought:

Shore Lunch, so hubby could finally make the fish that's been in our freezer since vacation in July
Beef stew meat at $3.69/lb. and beef stew seasoning packets at $0.25 each
To make Creamy Baked Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts ($4.94) and thighs ($3.49), can of cream of chicken soup, Swiss cheese, stuffing mix
Kielbasa and Potatoes O'Brien
Pizza dough mix, pepperoni (on sale for $1.99), mozzarella cheese for homemade pizza and a 2 liter of A & W root beer to go with it
The other meals for the week (chicken wings and sides, enchiladas, minestrone soup) I already have the ingredients in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer.

I also bought:
For breakfast--
Raisin Bran Crunch 3/$8-$1/2 coupon=$2.17 each
Mini Wheats 4/$10, get free gallon of milk wyb 4 (store coupon), used $1.50 off fruit wyb 2 boxes. Since I buy milk and fruit anyway, it was like getting four boxes of cereal for $2.80, or $0.70 each.


Sugardale bacon $3.99-$0.55 coupon=$3.44
Pillsbury cinnamon rolls $1.99-$1/2 coupon=$1.49 each
Eggo waffles $1.66, used coupon for $2 off milk wyb 2 Eggo. I would have bought milk anyway, so the waffles ended up being $0.66 each
Bagels

For lunch--
6 pk. unsweetened applesauce cups
Sun Chips
Sara Lee thin buns $2.99-$0.55 coupon=$2.44
Whole wheat bread $2.49-$0.55 coupons=$1.94 each
Tuna
Kettle chips
Ramen noodles
Deli turkey and ham

Snacks--
Raisins
M & M's (plain and peanut butter) $2.49 each-$1/2 coupon=$1.99 each
Sunflower seeds
Vista chocolate chip cookies
Planters Big Nut Bars $2.50-$1 coupons=$1.50 each
Almonds
Kashi pita chips $3.29-$1.50 coupon=$1.79
Kashi pumpkin spice crunchy granola bars $3.33-$1.50 coupon=$1.83 (These were really good! I normally don't like crunchy granola bars, but these had good flavor.)
Kashi honey sesame crackers $3.29-$1 coupon=$2.29
Saltines
Graham crackers
Pillsbury Sweet Moments $2.49-$1 and $1.10 coupons=$1.44 each

Produce--
Acorn squash
Dole salad mix
Bananas
Sweet potatoes
Organic carrots
Oranges
Pears
Apples
Potatoes
Avocado

Dairy--
Eggs
Milk
Shredded cheese
Butter
Block cheese
Orange juice
Pillsbury crescent rolls $1.99-$1/2 coupon=$1.49 each
Pillsbury biscuits $1.67-$1/2 coupon=$1.17 each
Parmesan cheese
Cottage cheese
Creamer
Yogurt

For the pantry/freezer--
Bulk coffee
Riceland brown rice $1.66-$0.50 coupon=$1.16
Refried beans
Black beans
Sugar
Frozen peas

Non-food--
Hefty One Zips bags 2/$4-$1/2 coupon=$1.50 each
Coffee filters

My kids built a fort out of boxed goods before I put all the groceries away.

Menu Plan Monday 66

Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday--Grilled chicken wings, baked beans, salad
Monday--Beef stew
Tuesday--Creamy baked chicken breasts, baked potatoes, veggie
Wednesday--Enchiladas (didn't make last week)
Thursday--Kielbasa, Potatoes O'Brien, veggie
Friday--Pizza
Saturday--Minestrone soup, Tuscan bread
We got a bunch of apples from a friend, so I'll make an apple crisp this week, slice some up for the freezer, and make applesauce.

From the Grocery List to the Dinner Table

After I make note of what's on sale at Super One, I decide what meals to make. This week I planned to make:
Pork roast ($1.89/lb.) made in the crock pot with sauerkraut, baked potatoes and cooked carrots
Chicken Enchiladas with shredded chicken from the freezer. I bought tortillas at $0.99 each, shredded cheddar cheese and a can of cream of chicken soup. I had salsa already in the pantry.
Chili made with hamburger from the freezer, beans in the pantry, and corn from the freezer. We had corn muffins with the chili, made from ingredients in the pantry--I use the recipe on the corn meal container.
Parmesan drumsticks made with chicken from the freezer, Bear Creek pasta side (new product was on sale for $2.49, used $1 coupon making it $1.49), and a vegetable blend from the freezer.
Chicken dinner made with ingredients from the freezer and pantry.
Minestrone soup made with pantry ingredients, with Tuscan bread my husband got from Great Harvest
Frozen pizza with wings (2/$5 for the wings)
Not for this week, but I bought a turkey breast for $0.89/lb. to put in the freezer for Sunday dinner sometime in the future.

Other items that I bought this week--
For breakfast
Honey Bunches of Oats 2/$5, coupon for $1 off fruit wyb 2 boxes, $2.00 each (since I would have bought fruit anyway)
Life cereal $2.49
Kellogg's Raisin Bran 5/$11, used $1/2 coupon $1.70 each
Quaker instant oatmeal $2.49
Quaker Oats $1.99
Bulk coffee

For lunch
Minute Maid 100% juice boxes $2.99-$1 coupon=$1.99
Flavorite applesauce $2.49
Campbell's Chunky Soup $1.49-$1/4 coupon=$1.24 each. I remember when these used to go on sale for 10/$10, and I used coupons on top of that often making them $0.50 each.
Sunbelt granola bars $1.66
Jennie-O turkey burgers $5.99
Wheat kaiser rolls (for the turkey burgers) $2.59
Whole wheat bread
Tortilla chips
Broccoli salad from the deli
Honey ham from the deli

Produce
Peaches $1.47/lb.
Dole celery $0.66
Bananas
Mini sweet peppers
Organic carrots
Strawberries
Gala apples
Organic broccoli

Dairy
Frigo shredded Parmesan cheese $1.66 (for the minstrone soup)
Coffeemate creamer $0.99 each
Stonyfield organic yogurt $4.39-$1 coupon=$3.39
Old Home cottage cheese $1.99
Westfield Farms butter $2.49
Tru Moo chocolate milk $2.99 (does not have high fructose corn syrup in it)
Eggs
Block cheese
Orange juice
Milk

Snacks
Kashi pita crisps $3.29-$1.50 coupon=$1.79
Vista oyster crackers $1.00

For the pantry
Ronzoni pasta $1
Hunts tomatoes $1
Betty Crocker Fun Da Middles cupcake mix 2/$5-$0.75 coupon=$1.75
Crisco oil $2.99
Champion raisins $2.99
Ortega enchilada sauce $1.25
Wing seasoning $1.00
Pizza sauce $1.50
Aunt Jemima syrup $2.49
Par Excellence white rice $0.77
Smucker's low sugar strawberry jam $2.77-$0.55 coupon =$2.22
Aunt Jemima pancake mix $1.99
Country Time lemonade $2.49

Non-food
Softsoap liquid soap $1.25
Glad cling wrap $2.00
Paper plates, 100 count $0.99
Pull Ups $11.59, used FREE coupon from playing the Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards games
Angel Soft toilet paper $6.46, used $0.50 coupon=$5.96
Legal size security envelopes, $1.59

This week I saved 33% or $101.39 by shopping the sales and using coupons.

Use It Up Tip: Cheesy Chili Rice

I do my best to use up leftovers, but sometimes leftovers aren't appetizing after a couple days. I had in my menu plan to make a hamburger rice dish this week, but hadn't decided exactly what. Then I saw the leftover chili and I came up with a great idea for using it up.
I cooked rice--6 servings. I didn't have enough brown rice left, so I mixed brown and white and cooked it for about 25 minutes. I layered 1/2 the rice, 1/2 the chili, and some American cheese slices followed by the rest of the rice, chili and some cheddar cheese. Then I baked it about 20 minutes or so, and supper was ready. Quick, easy and cheap, and it tasted good, too.

Pumpkin Bars

Nothing says fall like baking with pumpkin! Pumpkin bars have been a family favorite for as long as I can remember--the mild pumpkin flavor with the cinnamon spice, and then the cream cheese frosting, they're soooo good. The recipe is from my mom.

4 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour

Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes in a 10 x 15 pan.

Frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 T. butter, softened
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. milk

Mix with electric mixer until smooth. Add a little more milk if needed.

Menu Plan Monday 65

Looks like a pretty normal week ahead. Not a lot going on, which is nice sometimes. Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday--Chili and corn muffins
Monday--Pork roast, baked potatoes, carrots
Tuesday--Hamburger/rice dish
Wednesday--Parmesan drumsticks (did not make these last week), pasta side, veggie
Thursday--Enchiladas
Friday--Pizza
Saturday--TBD
I think I'll make some pumpkin bars sometime this week, too.

Menu Plan Monday 64

School is in full swing now, so it's back to a more structured routine around here, including written-out meal plans. Here's what we're eating this week:
Sunday--Tacos (chicken or ground turkey), fruit salad
Monday--Chicken, baked potatoes, veggie
Tuesday--Chicken and rice, veggie
Wednesday--Potato soup with ham
Thursday--Parmesan drumsticks, mashed potatoes, veggie
Friday--Pizza
Saturday--TBD
It looks like we're eating a lot of chicken this week. I'm not grocery shopping until later in the week, so I'm working with what's in the freezer!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

I had some zucchini from my mom and blueberries in the freezer, so I decided to make this Blueberry Zucchini Bread from allrecipes.com.

A certain four-year-old in this house likes to sample baked goods when they're fresh out of the oven.

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries (I used frozen)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans. (I don't have mini loaf pans, so I used one bread pan and also made a dozen muffins.)
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.