Meal planning time AGAIN!

The past 4 weeks were a challenge, but I stayed under $200 for all groceries. I am doing it again for the next 4 weeks!

I've got the menus planned for the next 31 days. I'm going shopping tomorrow, and I estimate at most to spend $280, about 43¢ per person per meal. We've got a birthday in there and I'm out of everything except green beans and chicken LOL. A lot will depend on what deals I find; the prices I used are going by my price list and by a generous estimate on what I don't have recorded. No kids, just my mom, and she's VERY good at keeping my impulse spending under control! LOL I'm not feeling as confident this trip as last time for some reason, but I'm up for the challenge.

Breakfasts: homemade waffles or pancakes, homemade pancake syrup, oatmeal with fruit, French toast sticks, scrambled egg muffins, poached eggs on toast, Cream of Wheat with fruit, very little cold cereal.

Lunches: sandwiches (tuna, chicken, or egg salad, PB & J), leftovers, soup, salads

Snacks: caramel corn, popcorn, chocolate chip cookies, brown sugar cookies, brownies, homemade popsicles, homemade fudgesicles, homemade sherbet, homemade yogurt/berry parfaits, veggies & dip, fresh fruit

Dinners:

• 7/17 - Hot ham & cheese buns, tomatoes & lettuce for garnish, copycat KFC macaroni salad
• 7/18 - Chicken breasts in lemon cream sauce over egg noodles, green beans, zucchini chocolate cake
• 7/19 - Santa Fe beans & rice, tortilla chips, fruit
• 7/20 - homemade chicken strips, oven fried potatoes, green peas
• 7/21 - Salisbury patties in gravy with mashed poatatoes, green beans
• 7/22 - Taco salad
• 7/23 - Teriyaki chicken, stir fry veggies in sauce, rice
• 7/24 - Baked beans w/smoked sausage, homemade coleslaw
• 7/25 - Spicy roast chicken, lentil confetti salad, frozen cappuccino dessert
• 7/26 - chicken Alfredo, garlic herb bread, green beans
• 7/27 - Turkey burgers, buns, tomatoes & lettuce as garnish, ranch pasta salad, carrot sticks
• 7/28 - Porcupine meatballs, crusty French rolls, tossed salad
• 7/29 - Taco lasagna, corn pudding
• 7/30 - cheesy chicken lasagna, garlic herb bread, tossed salad
• 7/31 - Tator tot casserole, tossed salad
• 8/1 - chicken Jambalaya, tossed salad, lemon streusel bars
• 8/2 - hamburger stroganoff, steamed broccoli mix
• 8/3 - grilled chicken leg 1/4's, potato salad, pea & peanut salad
• 8/4 - Wet burritos (veggies in the burritos)
• 8/5 - chicken stroganoff, crust French rolls, green beans, tossed salad
• 8/6 - Tuna melts, pea salad, pickled beets
• 8/7 - Spaghetti, garlic herb bread, tossed salad
• 8/8 - Chicken Pierre, rice, green beans, blueberries & strawberries over ice cream
• 8/9 - hamburger goulash, tossed salad
• 8/10 BIRTHDAY !!! Pizza, Neopolitan cake & ice cream
• 8/11 Bruschetta chicken, green beans
• 8/12 meatloaf, baked potatoes, green peas
  
• 8/13 oven fried chicken, oven fried potatoes, corn
• 8/14 tuna pasta salad, veggie sticks, maybe corn on the cob (from garden if it's ready)
• 8/15 crockpot ham & potatoes, steamed broccoli mix, Maraschino cherry cake
  
• 8/16 shredded BBQ chicken on buns, shredded carrot salad, beet pickles

Keep in mind that I have salad greens in the garden and will be incorporating salads more than is listed. I also have all the chicken I need in the freezer.

My grocery list:

Produce

• 1 bag cooking onions
• 3 heads lettuce
• 10 to 12 tomatoes for meals & salads
• 3 lb. bag apples
• 9 lbs. bananas
• 1 bunch celery
• 2 green peppers
• 6 lb. carrots
• 1 head cabbage
• 24 - 30 lb. potatoes
• 1 bunch green onion
• 1 lemon

Dairy

• 6 dozen eggs
• 10 gallons milk (son gets them where he works for 2/$4.49)
• 3 pints sour cream
• 1 pint cottage cheese
• 1 container plain yogurt
  
• 6 lb. margarine
• 4 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 8 oz. parmesan cheese
• 24 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 24 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 32 oz. shredded Mexican or taco blend cheese
• 1 pkg. cheese slices

Meat

• 15 lb. ground turkey
• 2 lb. bacon slices
• 1 pkg. ham slices
• 2 lb. pork sausage
• 2 lb. smoked sausage
• 6 oz. pepperoni

Frozen

• 1 bag tator tots
• 1 bag frozen stir fry veggies
• 3 bags frozen broccoli mix
• 4 bags frozen peas
• 8 oz. Cool Whip
• 4 qt. pail vanilla ice cream

Pasta

• 1 box shell macaroni
• 2 box rotini pasta
• 2 bags egg noodles

Canned goods

• 4 15 oz. diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 28 oz. tomato puree
• 6 cans tuna
• 3 cans Rotel tomatoes
• 8 cans corn
• 2 cans refried beans
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• 6 cans tomato soup
• 5 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 8 cans mushrooms
• 1 jar maraschino cherries
• 2 cans black olives
• 1 can crushed pineapple

Dry goods

• 2 boxes graham crackers
• 2 boxes saltine crackers
• 2 boxes instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 lbs. long grain rice
• 1 can baking powder
• 1 container salt
• 1 box raisins
• 2 48 oz. vegetable oil OR 1 gallon
• 2 cans cooking spray
• 1 small jar instant coffee
• 1 box crispy rice cereal
• baking cocoa (buy in bulk)
• cornstarch (buy in bulk)
• unbleached flour (50 lbs. buy in bulk)
• whole wheat flour (3 - 4 lbs., buy in bulk)
• 1 bag popcorn kernels
• 20 lbs. sugar
• 3 2 lb. bags brown sugar
• 2 2 lb. bags powdered sugar
  
• 1 bag chocolate chips

Miscellaneous

• 2 containers mustard
• 3 24 oz. bottles ketchup
• 3 32 oz. jars mayo or Miracle Whip
• 1 jar salsa
• 1 jar minced garlic
• 1 bag marshmallows
• 2 bags tortillas
• 1 bag nacho chips
• 1 bag plain tortilla chips
• 2 28 oz. jars peanut butter

I'll update tomorrow after shopping, and I'll add the recipes I'm going to use that aren't already on here. Wish me luck!

Our Fourth of July menu!

Nothing major this year, just a small cookout with the family. Here's what's on the menu:

Buns, grilled bratwurst, hot dogs with Willie's Dawgs Red Onion Sauce (recipe below), baked beans (recipe below), pea salad (recipe below), peach jello fluff dessert (recipe below.)

Willie's Dawgs Red Onion Sauce:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 onions, sliced

3 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

3/4 c. water

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. hot sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

In a medium-sized pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and cook and onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered. for about 40 minutes. Serve over hot dogs.

Baked Beans

• 1 lb. dry navy beans (I've also used black-eye peas or great northern beans)
• 6 cups water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3/4 c. ketchup
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 3/4 - 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 1 tsp. salt

Soak beans in water overnight in large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer until soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain and discard water. Mix together all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours.

Note: I often soak the beans the day before, cook them and then cook in crock pot overnight.

Note: I sometimes add sliced hot dogs or ham to the mixture. When I do this I reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp.

Pea Salad

• 1 16 oz. pkg frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
• 1 small white or red onion, diced
• 1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except peas in a bowl. Stir in peas. Store in refrigerator

Jello Fluff Dessert

• 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs, you can make your own by crushing graham crackers
• 1 Tbsp. flour
  
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. melted margarine or butter
• 1 large or 2 regular size boxes of Jello gelatin, any flavor
• 1 3/4 c. hot water
• 1 c. sugar
  
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk, very cold (I put mine in the freezer for a couple of hours)

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, flour, 1/2 c. sugar, and melted margarine. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan and bake 8 to 10 minutes at 325°. Let cool. Mix Jello, water, and 1 c. sugar together until dissolved; chill until syrupy. Beat at high speed until frothy. Whip evaporated milk at high speed until light and fluffy like whipped cream. Fold into the Jello mixture. Pour onto graham cracker crust. Sprinkle a few extra graham crumbs on top. Chill until firm. Store in refrigerator.

Frozen kid treats for summer!

Kids are out of school, temps outside are soaring, and they're begging for a frozen treat! Here's a way to provide those without having to run to the store!

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

• chocolate or honey graham crackers
• 1 regular size instant chocolate pudding or other flavor of your choice
• 1 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. peanut butter

Stir together peanut butter and milk until smooth. Add pudding mix and stir 1 minute. Let set for 5 minutes. Spread mixture 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick on graham cracker halves, top with other cracker half. Let freeze on cookie sheet before eating.

KOOL AID SHERBET

• 1 pkt. unsweetened drink mix (like Kool aid)
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3 c. milk

Whisk drink mix, sugar and milk together until drink mix and sugar have dissolved. Pour into 8 x 8 pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for one hour. Scrape into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Pour into freezer container and freeze until solid.





PUDDING POPS

• 1 regular size pkg. instant pudding, mix any flavor
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

Whisk together, pour into popsicle cups and freeze.




FUDGESICLES Warning: contains raw egg, use this recipe at your own discretion. I've never had problems with it.

• 1 c. milk
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. instant chocolate pudding

Mix ingredients thoroughly. Put into popsicle cups and freeze.

POPSICLES

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package unsweetened Kool-Aid powdered drink mix
• 1 (3 ounce) package Jello gelatin (any flavor)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups cold water

Dissolve Jello and sugar in boiling water. Dissolve Kool-Aid in cold water. Pour Kool-Aid and Jello mixture together. Pour into small (3 oz) paper cups, ice cube trays, or pop molds. Freeze until almost firm. Insert popsicle sticks, party picks, etc. and freeze until firm.

Strawberries of summer!

It's strawberry season where we are! YUM! I picked 41 quarts of berries this week alone! What to do with them besides eating fresh and making jam? Here are some of our favorites!



Strawberry Pie

• 3 1/2 c. sliced strawberries, divided
• 1 c. water, divided
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• Baked pie crust of your choice

Simmer 1 cup strawberries with 2/3 c. water. Stir together the remaining 1/3 c. water, sugar, and cornstarch and stir into the simmering strawberries. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minutes. Cool until you can comfortably stick a finger in it. Arrange rest of berries in pie crust and pour the glaze over them. Chill until set. Serve with whipped cream!



Strawberry Bread

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 c. mashed strawberries
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat oil and sugar. Add egg whites and strawberries; beat well. Sift dry ingredients; add to strawberry mixture with vanilla. Mix well. Pour into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Bake in a 350° oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan. Cool well and store overnight before slicing.



Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans

• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 c. pecan halves
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 lb. fresh spinach
• 2 c. thinly sliced celery
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled & halved

Dressing:

• 2/3 c. white vinegar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 c. vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Combine vinegar, sugar, onions, salt and mustard in blender. Cover and process until smooth. Keep blender running and slowly add oil in a small steady stream until thick and smooth. Transfer to a bowl; stir in poppy seeds. Keep chilled.

Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and sugar; stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar turns golden and coats the pecans. Remove pecans with a slotted spoon to an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet. Let cool.

Remove and discard stems from spinach. Wash and pat dry with paper towels. Tear into bite-sized pieces. Combine spinach, celery, and strawberries in a large bowl. Add 1 cup dressing and toss gently. Add candies pecans and toss again. Serve with remaining dressing.



Strawberry Crumble

• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 quarts strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. butter or margarine
• 1 c. rolled oats

Combine 1/2 c. sugar, flour and strawberries, spread in a buttered 9 x 13 baking pan/dish. Combine rest of ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the strawberries. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. GREAT served warm with vanilla ice cream!