when it rains it pours and floods

the weather suits my mood and emotions at this point. A great sunny day would be wasted for sure.

We thought we were making the turn to see the light at the end of the tunnel in our finances...what we got was a total cave in.Hubby agreed to see a financial lawyer over it. I hate losing everything we have worked for during the last twenty years but I can't handle the stress of bad choices.

SO the grocery budget will take the hit again along with some other things.

Hopefully the internet won't be one the things to take the hit.

I'll keep you updated

menu plan Monday

check out the banner and the blogger I got it from. Her addy is on the banner

Menu for this week is( please note veggies can change by what needs used up in refrigerator or garden. Right now the lettuces are going crazy)

MONDAY
marinated flank steak( hopefully it will be cooked on grill)
mac and cheese
mixed veggies

TUESDAY
ratatouille
butter noodles
smoked sausage

WEDNESDAY
marinated chicken breasts(grilled if possible)
rice
what ever fresh veggie that needs ate

THURSDAY
stuffed shells with red sauce
crab cakes
salad from the garden

FRIDAY
shredded chicken sandwich
mac salad
crudite and dip

SATURDAY
pork chops and gravy
mashed potatoes
okra mixed with tomatoes
spinach

SUNDAY Fathers Day
ribeye
baked potato
salad from garden
AL Lane Cake (Yankie version)

I am back

worn out and frazzled but at least here for a week or so LOL.

Here is a pic of my son's kitties that I was babysitting while moving him while he was out of state. Cuddles in the black cat and he definitely likes to cuddle. Bailey is the gray cat.She is a cat for sure LOL

Now that I am back here I've started the deep cleaning of our own place.Not as bad as I thought it would be since I missed my regular spring cleaning but still in need of a good scrub. In the midst of it all I am also moving the pantry items around and checking out what needs used up. I need to start making desserts before it over runs all the pantry.

Dinners have been what ever needs used up as I go. Last night was chicken satay made with coconut milk, turmeric,cumin and coriander for the marinade along with avocado salad (lettuce in garden is over running us).

Tonight is going to be soft tacos, refried beans and more lettuce.

have a great day, got to go finish scrubbing the kitchen cabinet doors.

away from internet

due to going to my son's while he is out of state I won't have access to internet.

Not only is he depriving me(LOL) of internet since he took his laptop and I can't connect to his provider...I am cleaning his new apt, packing his old apt, moving him, unpacking him and cleaning his old apt all while he is gone.

do you know how tempting makes it to hide things from him????

More to his fear, I will move things in, things that are his that his sister and I have stored for him for over 7 yrs. ...His fear is well founded !!!!!!!

I'll be back on the last weekend of the month.

take care and Blessed Be

Book Review You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be

You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be by Max Lucado

When I opened the package and took out this book, I thought…hummm, small and short, won’t be much here. I totally forgot that good things come in small packages and many times they are packed full. Full of the knowledge of the life God wants each and everyone of us to live.

Max Lucado lets you know that God has a plan that was tailor made just for you and you alone. He doesn’t just ask you “what is your gift” but offers the way of finding out what your gift is if you don’t already know. How many of us do know?

I will read this book several times over, knowing each time I will find another gift that will help me get back to being everything that God wants me to be.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be

You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be by Max Lucado

When I opened the package and took out this book, I thought…hummm, small and short, won’t be much here. I totally forgot that good things come in small packages and many times they are packed full. Full of the knowledge of the life God wants each and everyone of us to live.

Max Lucado lets you know that God has a plan that was tailor made just for you and you alone. He doesn’t just ask you “what is your gift” but offers the way of finding out what your gift is if you don’t already know. How many of us do know?

I will read this book several times over, knowing each time I will find another gift that will help me get back to being everything that God wants me to be.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Mothers Day

May your MOTHER'S DAY be BLESSED

wheither you had children or not, if the child is by blood or love

if you teach or preach

BLESSED BE

Plan B By Pete Wilson book reveiw

Plan B What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?
By Pete Wilson

If you are lost, drifting, or know for sure where you are going, this book is one you NEED to read. Pete Wilson is down to earth in relating every day reality with Christianity.

I felt as if I was sitting around drinking coffee with an old friend with no secrets between us. A friendship with no judgment, no criticism and total acceptance of all my strengths and flaws.

I’ve been off Plan A for years and know for sure I would have made better choices with my reactions and actions when Plan B came along if I would have had this book.
I am sure this book in on my list to buy for others for Christmas.

I just can't say enough about this book except for you to go buy it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Sunday..day of rest and prepping for the week

Sunday is the day I try to rest and prep some for the coming week.

Tomorrow I will be going to the grocery store with my youngest and two of her children.

So I have the menu planned for the next 11 days I am actually here.I have the grocery list for those meals and coupons to match.

I am winging the 15 meals I will put in the freezer for hubby while I am gone to babysit "grandkids" for my son while his is out of state for classes contected with work.Grandkids being his cats.I know most think a guy having cats is weird.It was the better choice for him since he wanted to come home to some thing since he wasn't coming home to some one.He works two jobs and many times is gone for 12-16 hrs a day 7 days a week on top of living in apartments. Dogs need interaction, dogs need outdoor time and he wasn't going to be there to do that.When he needs a doggy fix he comes home and visits his dog,Cookie, we have.

SOOOO I have a to do list for before I go and one for while I am there which includes me packing up his apartment,moving him to his new apartment and unpacking him and then cleaning the old apartment WHILE he is gone.

AND while doing that amongst my own work for myself. I am to fix meals for HIS freezer.The cats just aren't willing to start dinner for him (snicker)and he is tired of crock pot cooking for one even though he also packs his lunch from it. Fast food wore out quickly.He likes his vegetables and he likes variaty and he has a strict budget.

Tonight is chicken stirfry...uses up the veggies that need used up and is a good dish to make extra to freeze for hubby.

Have a great day

Blessed be

White bread

this is the recipe for the bread I made when the kids were growing up.

some notes to be added to it,

lukewarm is close to the temperature of the inside of your wrist.

it says shortening but in this house that can be anything from lard,bacon grease,butter or crisco(few and far between)

I've lowered the sugar to 1/4 cup or even switched it to splenda using their guidelines but I wouldn't go less than 1/4 cup.

flour...I use bread flour for a heavier loaf(filled the bottomless pits up better) to all-purpose flour (for hubby and me). I've also used less than 7 cups to make the dough and a few times more than 8. Flour depends on moisture in the air etc when it comes to amounts you will add.

figure 10 minutes for kneading and I have used a rolling pin to "beat" the dough instead of just kneading it.

you can freeze this dough when you get it to the point of putting it in the pan to raise. Just shove it in the freezer in loaves.When you are ready for it, thaw in greased loaf pan and let rise then bake as you would if it hadn't been frozen.


WHITE BREAD


½ CUP LUKEWARM (105-110 DEGREES) WATER

1 TABLESPOON OF YEAST (OR 1 PACKAGE)

1 TEASPOON OF SUGAR

2 CUPS OF LUKEWARM (105-110 DEGREES) WATER

½ TEASPOON SALT

1/3 CUP SUGAR

2 TABLESPOONS SHORTENING

7-8 CUPS OF FLOUR

IN A MEASURING CUP, DISSOLVE YEAST AND TEASPOON OF SUGAR INTO ½ CUP WATER, LET IT REST 5 MINUTES.

IN A LARGE CONTAINER, MIX THE 2 CUPS OF WATER WITH THE SALT, 1/3 CUP SUGAR AND SHORTENING.

ADD YEAST MIXTURE TO LARGE CONTAINER

GRADUALLY ADD FLOUR.

KNEAD UNTIL SMOOTH AND ELASTIC.

PLACE INTO GREASED BOWL (CONTAINER), COVER AND SET IN WARM PLACE (OUT OF DRAFTS) TO RISE UNTIL DOUBLE.

PUNCH DOWN AND FLIP OVER.

LET RISE AGAIN.

PUT IN 2 LARGE BREAD PANS OR 3 MEDIUM BREAD PANS THAT HAVE BEEN GREASED

LET RISE UNTIL DOUBLE AGAIN

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 MINUTES.

ME ME ME

It's Wednesday. This is the day I try to take time for myself...you know the woman...no not the wife, the mother, the daughter, the friend ,the employer, the employee or what ever...time for the woman, me, myself and I.

OF COURSE I still have to do the laundry, cook the dinner, do my work (which isn't making a dime at the moment)wheither or not the "woman" is screaming for chinese take out or dinner at a real Italian restuarant, a new pleasure romantic book she hasn't read fifty million times already, a manicure and pedicure that she isn't giving to herself, flowers, candles and old soft rock music. Just naming a few there.

I want to curl in bed with junk food, good movies and a good book( so much for that because I have to wear 2 different pairs of glasses to do that)

I want to soak in a BIG bathtub that doesn't have doors on the tub.

I want I want I want...

why does that remind me of a whiney child??? LOL

so instead since I will be at the computer for most of the day. I decided to use the laptop. I can move it around the house and at least sit in the sun and pretend it is warm out.

So do something for your self that will make you smile today...have a ME DAY

Blessed Be

taxes and food

Spring has sprung and right along with it the pollen. But still I can look at the blooms of flowers and know that with in a few weeks I will be planting containers of veggies

tax day will be here in a couple days.We had to file for an extension as a few pieces of important papers didn't get to us since we moved.I guess calling and telling them your new addy doesn't count as changing the address.

SO in that process knowing that we are going to be owing big time for the first time ever(I am not worried since pop already had to go this route and can hold our hands) and add on top of it other debts from our medical proceedures required by our ins but not paid in full for ( I think if it's required it should be pd for in full and not by my health fund) and back debt on the house we lost in foreclosure.Sore subject and not one I am getting into today.

money is going to be very tight.We don't qualify for bankruptcy under the new rules in OH and I am not really wanting to do a chapter 13 slow pay BUT I have pulled their figures for the budget they put you on to live on for the Ch 13.

I plan on Hubby working 40 hrs, he would be one of the last to be laid off if the plant shut down and he has a month's worth of vacation we can use for cash instead of time off if needed.BUt I am not working. Between clients moving, economy and my heart failure, work is pretty much not there.

Some areas we are doing great in, others I just wonder where the figures came from and then others I wonder where in the world I went to.

IN the kitchen I can cut costs so that is where I went to.Hubby watches Food Network, wants to try a recipe, I go for it.After all I am a Personal Chef. I think of some ingredients I want to mix up with some different spices, I go for it.After all I am a Personal Chef.That would be excusable but the reason I took the course thru USPCA to be a Personal Chef was to justify the spice and conditments in my pantry to begin with.

A few weeks ago I inventoried all the freezers( got rid of one deep freezer) and condensed down any thing that there was two of in the refrigerators( we have 2 and the landlord has one).When I get back to the house( I am out of state for 3 wks) I will inventory the pantry.I plan to use everything up and start fresh with the new harvest that will be coming in this summer.

The GOvt allownece for food in a ch 13 of our area is $537.00/month for 2

that is $17.70 /day for 2

breaks down to $8.85/ day for 1

breaks down to $2.95/meal for 1

It's going to be an interesting couple of yrs in my kitchen.

go out and enjoy the weather,

Blessed Be

A CENTURY TURNS

A CENTURY TURNS New Hopes, New Fears by Dr. William J. Bennett

In A CENTURY TURNS Dr.William Bennett, using his skills as an author, historian and educator has given a breath of life to the shaping history of 1988 with George H.W. Bush to 2008 to the election of Barack Obama. A CENTURY TURNS shows just how far we have traveled in the last 20 yrs.

Where and who we are stands on where and who we were and it gives us the bases of where we go and who we become. History is that bases BUT most times it is as dry as dust and boring to those of us that aren’t historians and history teachers like my own brother. Stating that, A CENTURY TURNS is a breath of life in history. Dr. Bennett’s personal thoughts, feelings and memories combined with the facts of the times were a joy to read.

I wished I had A CENTURY TURNS available when I was in school and again when I was home schooling my own children. I’ll be buying a copy for my brother for his birthday.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

rain on the way and today's meals

Rain is coming YEAHHHHHH.It will knock down some of the pollen and I won't have to shower and change clothes every time I've been outside for any length of time.I actually had a green cast to my hair yesterday from the pollen...yuck.

today for lunch I am having homemade beef and vegetable soup that I brought with me along with a ham sandwich. Tonight though I will be cooking chicken breasts,whole grain medley and asparagus. Not sure what spices I will use on the chicken since I have a really good selection on my herbs and spices with me.What ever it will be throwed in an electric skillet to cook.I have enough chicken to make 2-3 meals total. I'll marinate some of them with Italian salad dressing and cook them in the crock pot tomorrow. If any isn't eaten then they will go into wraps. pitas or on salads.

Have a blessed day, stay safe

Blessed be

and time flies

when you over load yourself ( or the boss does) with things that have a deadline.

At the moment I can take a breath...maybe two...oops overload is right there again.

Sitting in GA in a motel room, looking at my nice red car that appears green now that it is covered with pollen...YUCK

I am looking at attending 2 wedding receptions, 2 baby showers and 1 wedding anniversary with talk of an engagement party with in the next 3 wks right along with my deadline for the revision of my fiction book and my reveiw that is due for another book.

Dinner still must be served as none of us is rich nor do we prefer eating out anyways.

SO tonight is smoked sausage. kraut and leftover mashed potatoes I brought with me. Canteloupe for dessert, maybe some cheese and crackers for an appetizer, depends on how hungry we are.Simple, quick and not drive thru food.

Take a break and take a breath( try to avoid the pollen )

Blessed be

recipe for son in law

yesterday while my youngest and her hubby was here , he asked for my recipe for antipasta. I've gave to them a couple times but it keeps getting lost.

I never seem to make enough of it for family dinners and when I do thinking I will have some left for hubby and me, the kids walk out with it.

so here it is to share with you

quick and easy antipasta

in a medium bowl, place 2 jars of whole mushrooms ( drained) 1can of whole black olives(drained) 1 pint of cherry tomatoes( rinsed well and drained) 1 small onion cut in small dices, 1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic, and enough pepperoni( or salami) to suit yourself. I use pepperoni stick and chunk it to bite sizes, a friend of mine uses presliced pepperoni. What ever you chose. I then dump a bottle of Italian salad dressing on it ( or make my own dressing with basmatic vinegar, olive oil and my own Italian herbs and spices)

The family prefers I just leave it in the bowl but when I serve it when working as a personal chef, I place 1/2 cup full ( drained) on a bed of good lettuce and place a couple tablespoons of the dressing in a small cup on the side.

Enjoy

blessed be

Has it been that long??

It's been busy here, one crisis after another for almost a solid week. Things seem to settle down a bit. Chaos will start reining with several grand kids in ball and me going south for 2-3 wks for work.

MEAN TIME It's St Paddy's day...sigh...only one day and so many recipes. I did decide to slowly( since I don't use the crock pot that much) roast my corned beef as I will use the left overs for Reuben's. I'll fry potatoes and onions together and fry a very small cabbage.I think I will make scones instead of soda bread and I haven't decided over dessert.I did put a couple Samuel Adams Irish Red beers in the frig.We probably won't drink them but they are there if we want them LOL

Both hubby and I are in a group that is trying to lose some weight and/or inches. As I no longer have any shorts left from last yr.I would like to buy smaller size than last yr instead of larger when I go shopping at the local Goodwill.I might go with summer dresses instead, something to think about.

Have a Blessed day

menu for the week of March 7th - 13th

Sundays I spend writing up what I did during the week, write up what I need to get done the coming week.Make sure my daily and week list reflect what is going on. Note which zone(www.flylady.net) I am in and basicly get myself ready to handle with coming week without losing my head or creating more chaos for myself.

Since the trash cans go to the curb on Sunday night for Monday pick up. Sunday is also my day to clean out the frigs, straighten up freezers and the pantry.I write this week's dinners on the white board beside my Flylady calendar in the hall way (it's right by the bathroom).

This week I decided to have the following. I haven't worked out bfasts or lunches or snack even though doc is breathing fire about my lousy eating habits.

These weeks dinners are

Sunday(tonight): pork pot stickers with dipping sauce,Teriyaki beef with assorted veggies stir fry with fried rice

Monday : pot roast with mushroom gravy, parsnip and potato mash, baby carrots, veggie salad

Tuesday: chicken, mushroom and spinach alfredo lasagna,citrus spinach salad and hot bread

Wednesday (which is ME DAY) : leftover pot roast and arugula panini, salad of pineapple and winter greens with a warm roasted chile-cocnut dressing, oven baked french fries.

Thursday : codfish in ginger soy cream,stuffed roasted eggplant rolls,leftover parsnip-potato mash made into patties.

Friday ( our grandson's 13th bday party of pizza for dinner) lunch will be cheddar biscuits with ham,stuffed baby peppers and a salad ( hubby doesn't work Fridays as his work week start Sunday night)

Saturday: baja style fish tacos, homemade refried beans with cheese, spanish rice, salsa and tortilla chips and chocoflan for dessert.

maybe I can work on bfast,lunch and snacks after I get tonights dinner done...no promises

Blessed be

still hard but getting thru

It's still hard to be without Tashy. Still wake up in the middle of the night crying for her, over her, missing her bulk and warmth against me.She was my cuddler.I look inside my heart and know I placed hers above my own with letting her go.

Each day the memories are a little( okay, very little but I was a widow so I understand the cycles of grief) easier to handle.

Cookie our other dog was really struggling.She has always been part of the "pack" and being alone wasn't working for her.

SOOO

I went to the shelter and found Sam .He is 4-6 yrs old and a sheltie.He has a bum leg/shoulder but that is okay with us. I have CP and hubby has issues walking too, so he fits right in since Cookie has seizures.

In some areas he slide right in, (didn't take long to remember where the treat cabinet is or when treats are given LOL).Other hand, he doesn't want to go out, I have to either carry him or take him by his collar even though we can tell he was an inside dog. Food is not safe left sitting anywhere he can get in including when I am carrying in the groceries( my other dogs never messed with the groceries)Lost steak this week.MY lesson learned.

He is a couch potato or a recliner guy take your pick. He is friendly but not a cuddler and prefers the couch to sleep on.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend

Blessed Be

In loving memory of Tashla Marie( Tashy)

at 2:30 this morning our lab ( named LaTasha Rene by our youngest, Tashala Marie by me ,aka Tashy, Tash, Beached whale, horse, snowdog,and snowangel)that would have been 11 on March 15th that has hip dysplasia fell while getting off the trunk that she used for a step to get off and on our bed.Her hind legs completely gave out on her and she didn't recover. I watched her for 2 hrs crawl thru the house from the bedroom to the kitchen door to go out.Hubby carried her back in when he got home from work this morning.

Her health had been deteratting as it was, potty accidents, ear infections one after another etc.We had already talked of letting her go the last time her legs gave out on her but she recovered with a limp but she did recover.This time she couldn't even stand after several hours.

Those that know me, know Tashy (along with Cookie) are more like my four legged children than just a dog. Tashy spent a lot of time helping me get up when I could not stand, lent a shoulder for me to weep on, put up with me cuddling her even when she really wanted to be left alone to sleep.

I get thru this day with memories along with the heart break. Of our last night together with her sleeping beside me with her head on my shoulder.Not something she usually did, that would have been her using my feet as a pillow and not tolerating me tossing and turning "her Pillow"

Cookie who will be 10 on April 15th has seizures so we also know our time is limited and precious with her.

I can picture Tashy now in heaven , and for the first time being able to run and jump like she could never do , not even as a puppy, in this life..Ten bucks says she still won't retrieve or fetch.

Blessed Be Tashy I love you I always will love you and miss you

catch up

Finally was well enough to go to store. Took 4 trips and 3 days but everything is stocked up again. Now if we can get the veggies ate before they go bad( I'll blanch and freeze them first)If there is room in freezer LOL

In celebration of me going to the store, of me being well enough to go to the store and the day AFTER our anniversary we had ribs from the local butcher shop that smokes ribs on Fri( they do other things M- TH)That feed us Friday and Sat since neither of us was home for lunch those days.

Sunday I made Anne Burrell's (food network) excellent meatballs to add to my own homemade red sauce.I don't really care that much for meatballs, Mama Marie's in Covington GA and my daughter Kate's is about the only ones I like( I don't even like my own).THESE are EXCELLENT.I did add more garlic to the recipe after tasting the taste pattie. I ate 6( maybe more) before I got them in the sauce and then 5 more on my plate and then 3 more while ridding up the table and kitchen even after hubby took my plate away because I was making myself sick BUT made myself sick sick sick anyways and it was worth every bite.Reminded of the commerical of "the best _______ I ever ate" and Neely says he ate and he ate and he ate...yeah that was me. I snuck two out of freezer the next day and nuked them YUMMMMMM.

Monday I had a procedure so I bought a fried chicken from Wal Mart for my lunch to go with the apple and unsweet tea I had. Good thing because the Hawaiian pulled pork in the crock pot was not done after 8 hrs like the recipe said it would be so we had the chicken for dinner also. Took the pork 11 hrs, made that note on the recipe because it was good pulled pork. I fixed it this morning for sandwiches for my bfast and hubby's dinner ( he works 3rd so bfast is actually his dinner)

cleaned up the kitchen, packages leftovers for the freezer, caught the laundry up, now it's time to loom until I leave for the doctor's to find out what is going on with this nasty cough I've had for 6 wks that comes and goes.I would like to take a deep breath WITHOUT hacking up the lungs when I do.

until the next time

Blessed Be

snow and sick...sick of snow also

Tashy our snow dog that we bribe to come in.She makes my joints ache let alone her own.We don't let her stay out long since she is so old and disabled as it is.

Cookie our house"cat" dog, the one we bribe to go out.She is old too but acts like she is 2 or 3

back yard that hubby snow blowed to get the dogs to use the yard to potty in instead of the drive way right at the kitchen door

the ice sicle that I watch grow daily while I sit on the couch sick with a head and chest cold. Wouldn't be surprised to see it reach the ground.

and that is how it's been since I got back from GA on Friday.I haven't made it to the store between me being sick and the weather. Glad I had a full pantry even though now we are out of fresh veggies ( except for a few carrots left)and fruit.I did have hubby pick up milk after his class on Friday since he got in before I did

today I feel better, not well, but could do things...right ...like do too much and collapse tomorrow and get even sicker than I have been. Old enough to know it, BUTTTT thankfully the weather is keeping me house bound or I would go anyways.

I have a really good menu for the next 4-6 wks and I want to pick up the groceries for it and get started on it...not eat leftover casseroles out of the freezer or hodge podge meals out of the pantry. I don't want my green veggie to be okra( sorry to my loved ones that love it).

I don't think I've had fresh brocolli in 3 wks...whine whine whine. LOL. Definately spoiled about not eating in season.Need to work on that, veggies and fruit in season cost a lot less.

well Time for next round of meds...

be careful, be safe, be blessed

on deadline and still have to cook

I am on deadline on a revision of a fiction novel I wrote back in Nov. Now deadline is April 1st but I know me.Worse I know revision is 10 times harder than the first draft.

I am also over due on finishing the afghans I made for Christmas last yr.The grandkids got theirs but I am still working on the adults. SO I am hauling butt trying to do that while working in GA.

My group here in GA have gotten together to work out a program to help people adjust to having less money for groceries than they normally have.

I went to Krogers and Walmart( as when you are broke you have to pretty much do one stop shopping) and priced out a weeks worth ( 7 bfast, 7 lunches and 7 dinners) for one person with only $20 for groceries for that week( paper goods and cleaning products not included).

Krogers had better sales ( reality is you have to use the sales to do this) than Walmart and they also had a better choice of smaller items.( something I noticed between here and Sidney/Urbana OH area ).I came in at $19.58.

Yes you have to cook and you have to plan ahead. You have to not waste, those veggies need washed before you peel them because you are going to make veggie broth with those peelings for a meal on down the line and that chicken carcuss( or just bones) are going to make broth also. That pinto bean soup is 3 meals so you have to portion it out so you don't eat 2 meals in one.

I did compromise and buy Bisquick. You can make pancakes, biscuits , dumplings and pie crust .

I would have bought flour, yeast,baking powder, baking soda, corn starch and cream of tartar instead to make bread and noodles etc but it wouldnt' fit in the $20.

Still with everything I have going on, even though I am giving a "food" allowence while here in Ga. I cook in my motel room. Electric skillet and crock pot does just fine. I use my steel bowl for washing dishes etc. As I sit here I know that I have a pot of soup (canned broth from home, chicken from leftover rotissere chicken, diced carrot and celery , sliced mushrooms, a can of Italian flavored diced tomatoes and a can of black beans in the crock pot. A "sandwich" of Italian slipper bread( also made at home and brought) spread with pesto, sliced left over chicken, roasted red bellpeppers, provolone cheese and lettuce is waiting to be cut and ate.I also know the leftover soup will have rice added to half of it for the next round of soup. the other half will get ramen noodles broke up in it.

so until the next time

have a great day,

blessed be

last day of Jan Eat from the Pantry challenge

Tonight is also take the trash can to the curb so I cleaned out refrigerators and am very proud to answer not one bite of food went in the trash. I have ended up with about 1/2 cup of cooked spinach in the taco casserole along with the last of the taco meat, last of the hamburger, last of the salsa con queso, the last of the stale tortilla chips along with the last of the sliced black olives. I will top it with the last of the salad, last of the tomatoes and last of the salsa....but not the last of the sour cream. Might add more cheese, have taco cheese and con queso cheese in frig

Since I will be gone for 2 wks starting Tuesday, I made dinners for the freezer for hubby, there is some lunches for him to pack for work the first week I am gone.The following week he will be at classes for work on first so will just buy it.

I've already decided that we will eat from the pantry again in Feb so I am taking my notes of what is in the pantry and what I will need to buy.

lesson learned this month: it does not help to stock up on something, then put it in a spot you don't normally use to store it.. I doubled the month non-food items by putting the first buy in the garage and then forgetting that it was there. I know make notes that I post in my control journal( http://www.flylady.net/) which is where I am building my pantry list very slowly LOL

until we meet again

blessed be

eating from the pantry

I am worried...we ate mostly from the pantry.Did eat out a few times, examples like when son re-enlisted, my bday ..more of a celebration than "oh I don't want to cook thing."

I do have empty spots in the pantry and freezers. The two refrigerators are full but that is because the 3rd refrigerator died and I had to quickly shove condiments in to the other two.

I guess I should first say that my groceries is food, non food( dog items, paper products, meds etc) and eating out including that cup of coffee at the gas station ...

STILL we spent $786.02.That was AFTER the savings of $102.52.Hubby just shrugged and said "you saved over 10 % and your goal was 5%...I'm more like "have I lost my every loving mind!!!!"

Granted my fool proof savings plan was not in affect.Namely my youngest that can make you justify spending money on better t paper than the cheap stuff didn't go with me.

I kept the receipts for the whole month to see what I bought and where I can cut because that is just way over the budget.

Twice I bought non-food for a total of $488.67. Except for toilet paper we are set for the coming month. I make my own laundry soap for my HE washer.Have for over a yr and I use white vinegar for fabirc softener. Still buy cheap dryer sheets for when I use the dryer. Part of the reason I love 50 degree and warmer weather is I can use the clothes line.Give me a Monday morning that is decent and I am happy with hanging out the laundry...I side track. I made a list of what I bought and then removed what was really not needed and wouldn't affect our lives.Namely I elimated some of the dog treats...they get carrots now instead of a certain treat and I break biscuits, dentals etc in half so everything will last twice as long should cut that bill in half. I also have started using purple rags from http://www.flylady.net/ really thought I was going back wards there. I use one for windows and mirrors,one for bathroom and one for the kitchen cleaning , throwed them in the wash with throw rugs.I have noticed the paper towels that used to not last a week are now still hanging around for 3 wks or more. There is no lint on the mirrors and windows and I am a wash the windows weekly freak.In the old house I washed the windows inside and out every week since they tilt in.

Eating out was $125.72 that included feeding our son.That is about double with our normal eating out.I have already planned a nice meal for Valentines day and our anniversary.

Foodwise was on budget..$293.15.I planned for $300 for the month.NOW add this in to that amt.I bought meat for Feb because it was on sale and it was just too good of a price to ignore. ( I did get it with youngest's blessing) That meat cost $111.65 OF the $293.15.Meaning I spent $181.50 for food for this month alone not including the eating out amt.

non-food is definately on the radar to be cut down

best get back to the pasta sauce making and I roasted a turkey last night for dinner so I need to debone it and make broth from the carcuss .

Blessed be

home canning

Yes I can year around. Fruits and veggies in season are no brainers of canning. I don't can much meat beyond my mock mince.

BUTTTT

regularly I can broth and pasta sauce.

Yesterday I made beef broth, chicken broth and veggie broth AND pasta sauce with meat and veggies and pasta sauce plain.I processed the quarts last night after a dinner of corned beef hash and french toast ( used up the last of the store bought bread). Tonight after dinner I will can the pints before going on to making more veggie broth. Still trying to catch up with that from Tday and Christmas.Have 5 gal bags of veggie peels still in freezer.

on top of this I am putting an extra cooked dinner in freezer for hubby to eat while I am south working for 2 wks....

on top of trying to catch up some what on the never ending to do list....

have a blessed day

thinking of spring

Feb is just next week...

TO some Groundhog's day on Feb 2nd foretells of the spring to come

For Celtic or Pagans ,Feb 1st is Imbolic or Oimelc festival to celebrate Brigid who started out as a Celtic goddess and later became revered as a Christian saint.

This festival was replaced by the Catholic church with Candlemas that is held Feb 2nd

To gardners, this is the time to think of what to plant in the garden, seeds to start now, what worked and what didn't.

For me, it's a time to start the spring cleaning. I start with decluttering the month of Feb and then the actually scrubbing of walls and floors in March and then in April change out the heavy drapes/curtians and bedding for warmer weather items and pray I don't freeze in bed due to a cold snap here in OH.

With where we are renting any gardening will have to be done in containers so I will start looking at what containers I can use, what I have and what I need.Seeds I have LOL though I imagine I will do a walk thru the seed catalogs any ways.

Have a blessed day

my money saving at the grocery store and home

check out http://www.lifeasmom.com/

I take my youngest. Really.Even though she is my baby ( who is an adult that has worked full time, been laid off and buried one of her own children) she is my baby.

We started going to the store together when she totaled her car. Funny how you learn things about your kids.

Coupons are required and if you don't have any you get the lecture.

If it's not on the list you don't buy it.You have to give her your list unless you have proven you can stay to the list...and on budget.( she prefers you to bring cash or a debit card)

If you list buy 2 then you better have a really really good reason for buying 3 and just being on sale is NOT enough.

name brand does NOT go in the cart unless there is NO store brand of that item.I told her that her dad didn't want the store brand fritos because they were greasy.She called him and told him to put them on paper towels, nuke in microwave for about 10 sec and then blot with another paper towel.Now if I am going to the store with her( she does have a car again) he will stop and do the "chip shopping" .LOL

I drink coke classic in a plastic or glass bottle.Any soda pop in a can( or any Pepsi) will trigger my acid reflux and I prefer coke classic.Her answer was to not buy ANY. Hubby gets it with the chip run along with his Vernors ginger soda.It's not like we drink a 12 pk a week...maybe a 12 pk a month if that.Don't think of buying water unless she's tasted your water and agrees it is nasty.

She doesn't buy paper plates( she is 25 yrs old with a family of 6), she washes dishes after every meal( no dishwasher).She doesn't buy paper napkins.( face cloths stand in line of napkins)She doesn't buy paper towels( will use them if given to her) has rags for that.She doesn't buy tissues,cheap toilet paper will do. If I hadn't been there ( hee hee) when she was born I would swear she wasn't mine

Her brother ( okay he is my son SMILE) is single, not married and has not lived with anyone beyond barricks. He doesn't buy paper plates( I thought it was required of single guys),he doesn't buy paper napkins( uses cloth ones like his mom), doesn't buy paper towels often( when he has none he lays his cooked bacon on a cooling rack and lets the grease drip into a meat platter, then scraps the grease into a bowl for using to fry his eggs or potatoes in later), doesn't buy tissues BUT does buy a really good toilet paper because he doesn't want to blow his nose on cardboard.

I wonder where their habits came from.

I used cloth napkins when they were growing up instead of paper napkins. Still do that most the time unless I get given paper napkins.I am still using up the paper napkins that someone gave me for Tday dinner. My kids blame my mother for me having paper napkins and paper towels.Yes I grew up with that right along with the box of tissues so I guess they blame her for that one also.

BUT I make my own laundry soap, fabric softener, shower cleaner, use windshield fluid for window cleaner, baking soda for scouring powder, vinegar,baking soda, and boiling water to keep drains cleared,a damp rag to dust with ( furniture oil once a month)laundry soap to scrub the carpets and I have been known to take the bottom off the empty box of tissues and put a roll of good toilet paper in it with the cardboard tube removed beside my bed.

I've also been known to add a scoop of coffee grounds to the old batch to make a second pot of coffee.BUT hey, I'm not as bad as Grandpa and do it until half the pot is actually grounds instead of coffee.

Have a blessed day

To do list

I could not function without my to do list. I would walk around wondering what in the world I should be doing and what I was missing.



on the other hand, not knowing might be bliss because looking at today's to do list I can already tell you that it's going to have things bumped to tomorrow and the next day and the day after etc.



Just when I think I am going to catch up, be able to do the daily items and add some me time or another project I would really like to do....the list grows until it's beyond finishing for the day, week, month..okay possible year.



at least dinner is coming from the pantry.I do have beef bones in the oven roasting to simmer later to make broth.I prefer to roast them first. I have a pot of veggie peelings simmering to make veggie broth. My surveys are done, my emails checked including facebook( another new thing) and I have the bills paid for the month.Positive positive positive.



on to the next to do ...SMILE EVERYONE



blessed be

what I do in the kitchen

at one time or another I will hear about some comment my kids and grandkids will say about me....good, bad and the ugly.

the kitchen ones usually make me laugh...

best dinner meals they had as kids...beef and veggie soup with home made bread.Beef and noodles over mashed potatoes and home made bread.Chicken( sometimes it was turkey) and noodles over mashed potatoes and home made bread.Home made chicken( sometimes turkey) noodle soup and home made bread.Pancakes or waffles for dinner. Let me tell you I wished I had a camara to take the picture of their faces when I told them these were the meals where I was scrapping the barrel to feed them and any of the half of dozen kids that was their friends that sat down to the table. I was a widow, worked for myself doing odd jobs so I could be home when the kids went to school and got home.I didn't get any kind of assistance.If I could get a turkey for the price of two whole chickens or less.I got the turkey. Beef for noodles and soup was from the beef roast I tried to have once every 4-6 wks when it would come on sale( still will do this if you watch the prices of it) Flour...noodles, home made bread,pancakes and waffles. Biggest lecture the kids will get is not keeping basic food in the house for this reason.If you have to chose between soda pop and flour and eggs, the flour and eggs had better win.

I don't throw veggie or fruit peelings away( wash all fruits and veggies first including the skin of your onions) I put them in a gal. freezer bag and freeze them until I have a full bag and make broth with them.

I home can my broths or freeze them, mostly can them since it keeps me from having to think about thawing it to begin with.

I keep around 1 cup of potato water from boiling potatoes in the frig ( sometimes 2 if I know I am making gravy a couple times that week) for gravies.Helps thicken it.Bread and gravy will keep hunger away

I don't throw away bones of any kind until they have been simmered to remove any last bit of meat falls off and I have a decent broth. I've even had my kids ( including my son in law that tried to snatch his mother's turkey carcuss at Tday) give me poultry carcusses to make broth with. I usually give back half of what ever I get off it.Easy enough for me to deal with, throw it in the roaster, cover it with cold water and bring to a simmer.Let simmer until the meat falls off bone.Cool, remove bones, separate meat and then strain broth.Rumor is I'll have a heart attack if I see you throw your carcuss away... I usually stop that from happening before it gets to the trash can.

I throw odds and ends of bread in freezer to make bread crumbs.I gather cracker curmbs,chip crumbs, cereal crumbs and stale tortilla chips also. We don't eat enough cookies but when the kids were little I kept those also to sprinkle over yogurt for snacks

Odds and ends of pasta, rice etc goes into casseroles or soups.

I'll make soup from anything, hobo soup( different cans of food), crisper drawer soup, leftover soup, there is nothing left in the house to eat soup LOL.

I get meat marked down, cut it into the size I am going to use, trim it( trimmings go into broth making) and I try to get enough to pieces for stir fries since it doesn't take much meat for that.

if the cupboards are bare, call mom is the motto I think my kids have.I've even had one ex son in law's girlfriend call me and ask what to fix with what was left in the cupboards that she thought was bare.He gave her my number. Funny how they seem to think the cupboard is bare when it's isn't yet there. No , they might not want to eat what is there but let's get with reality.Think Great Depression or pioneer days where what ever they had had to make it until the garden came on or they were able to get enough money to go to town that was 5 days away one way.

Even with all this there are still times food will get away from me and I have to pitch it. I lecture myself worse than I lecture the kids.They think this is funny...that's okay, the grandkids will be up there in a couple years and start having their own families and I'll hear the very same words out of MY kids' mouths.

Nothing like hearing your mother come out of your mouth SMILE

Blessed be

Day 19th Eat from Pantry challenge

so far so good though we did eat out the 18th since it was my bday. Picked up some meat, okay picked up some roasts that was on sale to have roasts,noodles, soups from for next month as we go into another eat from the Pantry thru Feb.

Mostly right now eating the leftovers that has been shoved in the freezers or throwing together casseroles from the canned goods mixed with either pasta or rice.

dealing with being sick, just finally recovering and still getting extremely tired and starting new physical therapy on top of it.

BUT even with all that the only time we ate out was my bday SMILE

now if I can catch up on blogging, emails, surveys and the home blessing

blessed be

Day 14 and 15 Eat from the Pantry challenge

ick...uck...icky uck ...sigh.Wished I could get over this what ever I have.

am eating from the pantry though instead of going out for Chinese and spreading my germs.

Day 14 of Eat from the Pantry, hubby ate leftover meatloaf and I had leftover pizza.

Day 15 of Eat from the Pantry, hubby is eating chili as I write this and I had scrambled eggs

going back to drinking my ginger tea and hoping to get the headache to ease before it goes to full blown migrain.

Blessed be

works for me Wed

this is kind of a two fold because it connects to Eat from the Pantry challenge.

first off the food in the pics above was over flow from Tday dinner that wasn't used due to a couple families calling the day before saying they wouldn't be here. It has been eaten.Nothing went to waste.

Today or tomorrow, depending on how well I feel later today since I've been sick I will straighten the pantry, refrigerators and freezers up again and do a new menu from the pantry.

I'll probably have more empty spaces when I straighten it up.

have a blessed day

day 13 of pantry challenge( catch up

Eating from the Pantry is working for me YEAH...especially with being down sick

I've been using my coupon tracker to also keep track of any money we spend on food wheither or not we actually pay for it. I know myself well enough to know if one of the kids didn't pay for it, we most likely would have

One day 11 of the challenge I wrote we would have meatloaf etc. didn't happen. By time I got here from Columbus it was too late put bake a meatloaf so I fried up the hamburger( rinsed with hot water) and mixed it with the last box of mac and cheese for a casserole with some veggies.Normally I would have picked up something or ordered a pizza and chef salad for us.

Day 12 of challenge we had leftovers out of the freezer.I had therapy at dinner time so it worked good.

Today( day 13) we are actually having the meat loaf with roasted root veggies and custard pie all from the pantry. I am also making mock mousse for hubby to pack in his lunch instead of buying yogurt for him

Blessed be

Day 11 Eat from the pantry challenge

I never seem to be able to work a menu at home. For work as a Personal Chef, absolutely can do it and stay with it and come in at budget if not under budget. At home, my inner child runs the kitchen LOL

Sunday Day 10 of the Eat from the Pantry challenge we ate out for lunch. For dinner we had left over potato soup that I added a can of corn to to make it into "corn chowder".We went to see our one son re-enlist, he's working on being a lifer, (that's 20 yrs military talk) and he is working on being a civilan working for the military for life also ( 30 yrs).We took him out to eat for lunch at the local chinese buffet.Costs us $35 with tip. I took it out of the $40 left from the grocery budget.Usually I would take it out of the entertainment budget but there is ZERO in that budget this month. So we only have $5 for groceries until the 3rd on next month.

Day 11 of challenge.Today I am taking the youngest over to Columbus to get her driver's lisence back( YEAH) so my day is pretty much shot.She is an hour away from me and it's 1 1/2 hrs from her one way to get to Columbus.I hope there isn't a long wait for her to get thru it.I am making meatloaf, roasted root veggies with oranges and custard pie for dinner.

Eat from the Pantry challenge catch up

This is a "catch-up" from the last few days since I've been down sick.

Day 6th of challenge Wed we had stuffed pasta shells with homemade red sauce with tons of veggies in the sauce.Used up several items out of pantry and frig.

Day 7 Thursday we have enchiladas from the pantry,freezer and frig.

Day 8. I had soup and grilled cheese for lunch since I was sick but hubby brought home subs ( our youngest bought them for us) for dinner.

Day 9 which is today ,we will have leftover enchiladas for lunch and loaded potato soup and grilled cheese and peppers for dinner.Hubby bought me lemon lime soda so that's $1.50 out of the $41.56 we have left for the month for food. That's okay, it really doesn't look like we will need anything except milk before the 3rd of next month anyways.

have a blessed day

Hello, I am awake. LOL I have been on the couch sick for the last few days.Couldn't even focus to be on the computer or hardly read.Two of the things that tells hubby just how sick I am along with sleeping every time he turned around.

The house has went south in a handbasket.

Except for last night, we have eaten from the pantry the whole time. Yesterday since I was sick, Hubby after working the night shift, got to take the youngest to get her wisdom teeth cut out( her hubby couldn't take her due to work), by time they drove 3 hrs to get there, spent 2 hrs getting them out and drove 3 hrs back, then hubby had to "sit " with her until her hubby got home from work.She bought us subs to eat when he got home.

We lost the refrigerator in the garage the other day.Luckliy I caught it and got the stuff out of the freezer into the old deep freezer that is suppose to be going to my oldest daughter.I still have stuff in the refrigerator part but am focused on getting what is in the house used up so we can bring it in.Loading everything up with veggies so we don't lose them.Now if I can figure out what to do with all the cream cheese and sour cream.

Have a blessed day.

Works For me Wed

http://www.thecouponproject.com/the_coupon_project/2010/01/free-downloadable-2010-savings-tracker.html

this is a coupon tracker.Since I don't use coupons normally and don't get the local newspaper.When I decided to try saving with coupons this year I wanted to make sure they were actually saving me MORE than I was spending buying the newspaper and spending on ink and paper to download and print. Just this month I covered all those expenses and I've only went once to the store.I shop for non-food once a month and major food shopping once a month also.

ALSO what works for me is the calendar that Marla sells over at www.flylady.net. I have used this several years now and my eldest is also using it for her family of 9.

Since we are expecting 3-6 inches of snow tomorrow I am going to go look at the menu and make sure that food is in the house and not out in the garage freezer or frig.

What works for you??

Blessed Be

day 5 Eating from the Pantry

Last night we ended up having tacos.I wanted something spicy to help clear sinus and ears.We had everything so we still ate from the pantry.

Today we have ate from the frig and tonight I will make pork and veggie stir fry using the last of the pork tenderloin from New Year's Day. Everything from the pantry again.Just going to find a recipe for ginger sauce to use with it.

I have chosen to NOT shove any leftovers in to the freezers. I think we could eat a month on those that have been shoved in the freezers right now.

Meantime while fighting my own ear/sinus issues. Our older dog,Tashy, had to have a bruise drained on her ear and get ear drops due to her ear infection. Been nice if she would have been scratching or had stinky ears so I would have known she had an ear infection. She thinked her ear on something and the bruise didn't dissolve on it's own so the vet drained it.She goes back in a week to get stitches removed.

we still don't have Hubby's truck back, been at mechanics since Oct 9th>hubby's 51st bday gift from his truck was the transmisson going out and having a area of rust( that wasn't seen without removing the bed or going under the truck) that was about to let his bed fall off. Sigh.

Right now I am going back to making veggie broth from my peelings I've been saving in the freezer ( recipe from Gayle over at http://www.grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/) and checking what is next on my to do list.

Blessed be

Day 3 and 4 of Eating From the Pantry

Day 3 and day 4 of Eating From the Pantry.

Yesterday I went grocery shopping with my youngest and her hubby( and their youngest). She's good about making sure I stay on track with my groceries. They did buy us a frozen dinner for last night's supper since I was late getting back because we had to wait 2 hrs to get a prescrition for their daughter.Everything else came from the pantry.

It did mess up the menu I made but I can redo that today.

I did buy for most the month of produce.Most of that was root veggies and squash that will hold pretty much for the month when stored correctly.( I miss the root cellar)

Meantime I am now on meds for the ear and sinus issue which is making me blurry eyed and sleepy.SO I am trying to get computer work done real fast LOL

Blessed Be

3rd pantry and stretching it

This is the pantry cabinet or wardrobe depending on whom is

talking . I store mostly oils and vinegars and extra drinks in the top and most of my home canned goods in the bottom.

I can remember at one time having 1000 qrts and 500 pints of home canned food in my pantry besides anything else.Something I plan to get back to even if I have to buy it from the local farmers' market

This afternoon for lunch we had some Savorings mini bread bowl appetizers that was in the freezer, cheese stuffed mini sweet peppers and

I made pot stickers. I sliced the torn wrappers to fry later to drop

in soups. Used the extra filling from the peppers and the extra filling from the pot stickers to fill more wrappers to freeze for other meals. Probably got one meal if I don't serve anything else.

I thought it's not just about eating out of the pantry. Even though we have plenty and aren't about to go hungry. It's about making the pantry last.

my heritage showed that with making the garden feed the family until the garden produced enough to feed the family again.

It's about not wasting the blessing of food ( YES BREN I DO LISTEN)

when others go hungry or just simple starve to death.

My way of thinking has people calling or emailing me asking

what they can fix to eat when they "think" they have nothing

right along with my kids doing it. Even though they tease me about

stocking up, when times are hard they know we can put food on their

tables in needed. OR better yet tell them how to take that flour and 2

eggs and make noodles to go with the potatoes they do have. Soup out

of what ever veggies are in the frig or freezer along with some broth .

Now if I can get them in the habit of NOT throwing away their

poultry carcuss, beef bones and veggie peelings so they can

make broth ...sigh...

Blessed be

Eat From the Pantry Challenge Day 2

Day 2 of Eat From the Pantry challenge.

We had leftovers from the pork tenderloin and roasted fresh
pineapple so I diced it up to put in a stir fry later this week.

We also had leftovers from the krat and pork so I shredded
the pork into the bottom of my crock pot , layered the krat over it, mixed up some homemade 1,000 Island dressing ( we don't use
it so I mix it as needed) and layered it over the krat and shoved
it in the refrigerator for today's dinner. Today I will reheat that casserole in the crock and then layer swiss cheese over it.Haven't decided if we will put it over the left over mashed potatoes or on sub buns that are in the refrigerator.

Bfast was on our own.

lunch will be pot stickers and some other appetizers that in the freezers.

Another day of eating from the pantry !!!!

2nd set of pantry pics...herbs and spice closet

Next set of pictures of my pantry.This is the hall closet that is really meant to hold the bathroom towels and such. I turned it into my spice and herb closet. I have over 100 spices and herbs.Yes I use them. I used them BEFORE I became a Personal Chef.I have to organize this closet about every 2 wks otherwise it looks like these pictures. My house ins company just "loved" me when our house burnt( we are living in a small rental right now) and they had to replace each and every one of them. I will warn you to NOT store spice and herbs around heat sources, it's like a bomb when they catch fire( good example throw a bit( less than 1/2 tsp) of black pepper on your stove burner and watch it dance)

tv room pantry

Since I have taken the EAT FROM YOUR PANTRY challenge , I decided to start posting my pantry... okay , this is only part of my pantry.This is my small bookcases and in the closet of the tv room.

I grew up with stocking for the yr since most the food came from the garden we raised.I have pretty much kept this up most of my life.Only now days it's mostly boughten goods instead of my own canned food( dreaming of being back in country with full garden) I've not adjusted to the fact I can be at a grocery store in 10 min. I do buy most of everything when it is one sale. Canned veggies and canned fruit go down in price when it's their peak season. I only buy apples and bananas thru the winter and use the canned and frozen in off season times.

Frugal Fridays

This a first for me ...

so my financial goals for this year are

# 1 pay all bills on time( no late fees saves money and builds credit score)

#2 increase my income. Hubby is holding at 40 hrs and that covers the household bills but leaves nothing for gas,food, meds, etc .Mine this last yr has been very low.

#3 pay off at least 1/4th of the back debt.We didn't get in this mess over night, we can't get out of it over night either.I want to be debt free in 4 yrs and have the rental sold within 2 ( our tenants are going to try to buy it this yr)

#4 rebuild savings.

#5 Hold retirement fund steady.

Happy New Year's Day.

Day 1 of Eat From the Pantry Challenge

bfast: eggs, bacon, home fries, toast, OJ

lunch: grilled cheese with baby bell peppers, Italian wedding soup, water

dinner: Krat with pork, Pork Tenderloin, and mashed potatoes.Ice Cream between snickerdoodle cookies, milk for me and coffee for hubby

Eat From the Pantry Challenge

With coffee in hand at 4 am as I tried to pry my eyelids open, I read this challenge. Followed a couple blogs and decided this was my ticket for the new year.


Check these sites out and read all about it.

At Thanksgiving my kids were thunking me over how big my pantry is in this very small house, that I could feed them and their kids( not hardly as it would be 22 of them) and us for a year.


Even though I got my "stock- up"( a nice way of saying pack rat of food) ways from my parents, they mentioned I should use up what is available. I grew up where the garden was the main source of veggies thru the year.So a years worth of food is what I am use to seeing and having. In these times , going to the store is now a habit I am trying to break and eat from my pantry.


What didn't help was I told my oldest daughter I would give her my old freezer since it would be empty by Thanksgiving since I got a new one.I reloaded the freezer . Okay it was filled with veggie broth using the recipe Gayle Bryant published over at http://www.grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/ and turkey broth from all the turkeys we deep fried and roasted including the carcuss that was my older daughter's and the 2 hams I was given for Christmas from friends.I didn't have room for any of it in the new deep freezer or the freezers to the 3 refrigerators. I did say pack rat correct????


SO my goals for Jan. is to

#1 to not throw food away due to being too old, not ate or what ever reason I can make up

#2 Only buy dairy and fresh produce for the month

#3 only shop twice for food items

#4 to clear out the old freezer to give to my daughter as promised

# 5 to shop once for non food items( our biggest costs so far)


I will start putting pics up of my pantry.Remember pack rat


If you are going to take this challenge go over to http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/12/eat-from-the-pantry-challenge-my-goals-and-plans-and-come-link-up-yours-too.htmland read all about it and link up with her.

Blessed be

new to blogging

making a MckLinky work..I think LOL

one of the things of starting a blog for the first time is trying to figure out all the new gadgets and things you can work with.Especially for those like me that aren't into the computer, internet world that much to begin with.

so in my head...I've put this as I would when starting to make a new recipe...a bit of this and a bit of that and taste and see or taste and throw out

so please be patient with me as I work this out

Blessed be