Eating Through the Pantry and Freezer

My Pantry Right Now

We have had some challenging times in our family over the past month, with my husband struggling with depression again. Other than when we've been on vacation, last week was the first week I didn't put together a menu plan. It felt very strange! I also noticed our grocery bill has been rather high the last couple months and decided it was time to try to save some money. I found a blog post with some great ideas for making some good meals while using up the things in your pantry and freezer. I'm hoping to do this for the next few weeks, that's how much stuff we've got! See this post: Eating Through the Pantry

My plan is to buy only our essentials (milk, juice, eggs, cheese, bread, cereal and produce) with a goal of saving $100 each week. It'll be great if I can get a full three weeks out of it and save $300. My husband is in a union job and for those following the news in Wisconsin, the governor has ended collective bargaining (except for wages) which means a large hit to our family paycheck every month. This will be a great way to cut on our expenses and add to our savings account.

Has anyone else done this before and have insight to share?

Thanks for visiting!

Rib Marinade in the Slow Cooker

I have been playing around with a few different BBQ recipes to get the right flavor and texture for when I make ribs. Here is my "home made" recipe based on what has worked. I use either boneless pork or beef ribs and make them in the slow cooker. You can always add more water or beef broth as needed to cover up your meat.

Place meat in slow cooker and pour the following on top:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1 cup beef stock
1 T minced garlic
2T honey
2 T sugar
2 T Worcestershire
2 T olive oil
2 T favorite BBQ sauce

Once the ribs are done (about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high), remove them. Spoon some of the sauce into a pan. Add a tablespoon or two of corn starch and heat on medium for 5 to 7 minutes. Use this for a wonderful gravy!

ENJOY!!

Menu Plan Monday 8/1/11

I have been enjoying a full summer with not much time to post new recipes here :o(
I cannot believe it is already August 1st!!! I do hope to do more individual recipe posts in the fall!

I love participating in Menu Plan Monday and putting together a menu every week. It has been a great way to try a variety of new recipes and to see what others are making. I receive so much payback from being organized in my grocery shopping and knowing what I'll be cooking during the week. It also makes it easy to shift the meals to a different night if something comes up.

Click here to see what others are making this week!

Monday
Lasagna Mac (with frozen corn added to original recipe)

Tuesday
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Five-Bean Salad (this is pretty much a do-over from last week)

Wednesday
Shepherd's Pie (from Nicko's Kitchen)

Thursday
Picnic (burgers and hot dogs)

Friday
Tuna Alfredo with Broccoli

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Always my night off!


Thanks for visiting!

Menu Plan Monday 7/25/11

I have been enjoying a full summer with not much time to post here on my recipe blog :o(
I hope to do more individual recipe posts in the fall!

I love participating in Menu Plan Monday and putting together a menu every week. It has been a great way to try a variety of new recipes and to see what others are making. I receive so much payback from being organized in my grocery shopping and knowing what I'll be cooking during the week. It also makes it easy to shift the meals to a different night if something comes up.

Click here to see what others are making this week!

Monday
Zippy Beef and Ziti Skillet and Corn Spoon Bread (bread recipe to come)

Tuesday
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs over Rice with Five-Bean Salad

Wednesday
Out to Dinner for our 9-Yr Anniversary!

Thursday
Tasty Beef and Bean Burritos

Friday
Korean-Style Chicken Noodle Bowls and Steamed Broccoli

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Always my night off!


Thanks for visiting!

Menu Plan Monday 7/18/11

I enjoy putting together a menu every week and using the ingredient list to do my grocery shopping. In fact, I've been doing this so long that I think I'd be lost at the grocery store without it! I love how I don't have to think about what I'm making and I can shift the meals around too if another night of the week works better. I also like to link up and get some new ideas too.

Click here to see what others are making this week!

Monday
Leftovers

Tuesday
Toasted Chicken Sandwiches with Tomato and Spinach

Wednesday
Chop Suey

Thursday
Savory Sausage Rice with Green Beans

Friday
Reuben Wraps

Saturday
Pizza

Sunday
Always my night off!


Thanks for visiting!

Menu Plan Monday 6/20/11

I enjoy putting together a menu every week and using the ingredient list to do my grocery shopping. In fact, I've been doing this so long that I think I'd be lost at the grocery store without it! I love how I don't have to think about what I'm making and I can shift the meals around too if another night of the week works better. I also like to link up and get some new ideas too.

Click here to see what others are making this week!

Monday
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Barbecue Ribs with Baked Potato and Peas (carried over since I didn't make it last week!)

Tuesday
Deluxe Mac and Cheese with Broccoli (new recipe to post)


Wednesday
Crock Pot Ratatouille with French Bread (carried over since I didn't make it last week!)

Thursday
Chicken Reuben Casserole with Au-Gratin Potatoes and Corn (new recipe to post)

Friday
Beef and Macaroni Layered Casserole with Cottage Cheese and House Salad (new recipe to post)

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Always my night off!


Thanks for visiting!

Menu Plan Monday 6/13/11

I must be getting a bit tired of my recipes since this week 4 out of 5 of my cooking nights I'm trying new ones! A couple are just a variation on what are my usuals (like changing up my spaghetti dish and trying a new rib recipe). Hope you enjoy a great week of eating!

Click here to see what others are making this week!

Monday
Fried Egg Sandwiches with Fruit Salad

Tuesday
Cheesy Penne with Broccoli (with the addition of chicken)

Wednesday
Crock Pot Ratatouille with French Bread

Thursday
Spasagna (Spaghetti Lasagna) with Corn

Friday
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Barbecue Ribs with Baked Potato and Green Beans

Saturday
Out to Dinner for Date Night

Sunday
Always my night off!


Thanks for visiting!