I was reading on a Frugal website about a 20 dollar grocery list( listing the meal and maybe even the recipe).. and what would yours be, assuming you have a well stocked pantry how would you feed your family for a week on 20 bucks? The responses were really eye opening to how our area, really isn't that hard on us compared to some places like California or an area that doesn't accept coupons. Alot of the people were literally eating ground hamburger meals for 4 out of the 5 days...My boys would freak out on me if I attempted that- I on the other hand adore Hamburger Helper and don't even get me started on Tuna Helper- mmmmm Tuna noodle casserole *swoon*. But my boys?? They will not touch a casserole, it is a mortal sin for me to attempt to make a casserole, so what's a Mom to do? I make stews and soups.. they are like liquid casseroles- and they eat them up! Plus, they are frugal. You can use just about anything in a soup or stew. Beans, veggies, chicken, sausage, hamburger, it is all fair game..if you have ample seasonings- you will make a killer dinner.
My boys favorite soup/stew is my Ham PotPie recipe.. they adore it- Max tries to ask for it for his Birthday Meal- mmm his Birthday is in June and there is no way I am boiling a huge stockpot full of soup on the stove...
I have my Menu plan- since my pantry is so well stocked, I really only needed Bread and Milk this month for all the meals I had picked out. I still went to the store- I used coupons, to replenish some of my stockpile, look for good deals on meat, ect. I have said it before, I will say it again- there is nothing wrong with buying something with a date of use by that says tomorrow- put it in the freezer! Every time I hit the Weis Market, I check the part of the meat dept. where they put all that stuff. It makes no sense not to put it in the freezer, as long as you are following the guide lines of freezing meat, you are in the clear!
I cleaned this weekend- I had too there was no way around it.. the entry way~ I like to say entry way, like I have one.. the entrance into the kitchen is what I should really say, was a mess.. salt, dirt, boots to the point of me wanting to move rather than clean it. I think I came up with a semi soultion until winter is over- I can throw the rug into the washer and use bleach, to get any stains out. Plus there is a place for the shoes and a rug to soak up the snow.
I also cleaned the boys shower~ I make no bones about it- I keep that spray stuff next to the tub for them to spray everyday, but that only keeps half the soapscrum away.. I use a brillo pad, I don't mess around, as far as I am concerned a brillo pad can clean anything, and it is like survival of the fittest, if it doesn't make it thru a brillo pad cleaning- it isn't worth keeping- not like I can get rid of the shower... but at least I can pull the curtian if something goes wrong!!!
I am hoping this coming week Brian and I can start on the Pantry Project! He keeps saying it won't take that long, and I suppose I trust that- but now I wanna do it... and get it done. To me- making a pantry is way more creative and satisfying than cleaning the Kitchen Table off.
Today is a pork roast and homemade sauerkraut in the crockpot.. I made Meatloaf and Mashed potatoes last night for dinner and pretty much doubled the potatoes so that we would have them tonight. The roast is huge and compliments of my friend Penny who got a pig butchered this summer, and insisted she wouldn't use all the roasts she got. I wasn't about to turn it down. We make sauerkraut every fall with my in-laws, my Father in Law.. aka Pap said about 5 yrs ago "Someone needs to learn to make this so they can learn the tradition" of course ~ Brian and I wanted to learn! We even have the kids help/watch each year. Connor usually adds the salt to the enormous crock and Max has helped stomp it down with the wooden stomper..let me tell you - there is nothing better than homemade sauerkraut.
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