Monday, January 12, 2015

Menu Plan Change Up

After all that planning and prepping I was ready to have a nice home cooked meal. However the end of my day did not go as planned, I never defrosted anything, and I was feeling GRUMPY. The end result did not result in take-out ( I am so proud). The kids ate raviolis because they just could not wait until after 7:00 to eat. We ate eggs. I made some adjustments to the menu. We were going to eat eggs later in the week, but now we won't. I do have something in the fridge that I can cook tomorrow.
I think the best thing about not eating out is that I actually still have money left in my account. That may sound ridiculous, but I am always out of money by the time I get paid, and I really should not be.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Planned, Prepped, and Prepared .

Whew! What a whirlwind of a weekend. I can't believe that I will be throwing back coffee in just seven hours.
My current food plan is try to go as long as we can without doing big shops. I stocked up at two stores over the weekend with a huge focus on sale items. I also participated in a meal prep with my mother and sister. We got together and created about sixteen meals a piece. There is great variety, and I plan on getting through the rest of the month with these meals and a few simple things thrown in the mix.
The total cost of my two store trips and the meal prep was $320. Part of that was a Christmas gift for my parents from me and my sister.  So I really only spend $280 on our groceries. We have a lot of stock in the house. All I should have to do for the next two weekends is do a quick stop for fresh fruit, milk, and probably bread by the end of the month. Right now we have tons of bread, cereal.  Bottom line is that I could probably make it through the month without going over $450 because I have to consider the $100 I spent last week. So right now I am at $380. Maybe I can get through without spending more than another $70.00.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Back at work and crazy taco soup

We went back to work today. It actually feels good to get back into it. Getting there and teaching is much better than thinking about getting there and teaching. I tried a few new routines today that I hope will make the year continue smoothly. I felt a little bossy, but I think it is good to start the new year with some good structure and specific rules while continuing to be nurturing and supportive. It is a tough balance, but both are so important.

I have really been doing well with dinner. I made repurposed last week's taco meat into a cheesy enchilada casserole for Saturday, which was loved by everyone. Last night I put together my own version (whatever I had on hand) of spaghetti pie. I made mine in a deep square dish using frozen precooked ground beef and a jar of sauce. I also added the last of the shredded cheese and sour cream. This dish was also very popular. Tonight's dinner is a gamble. Simmering on the stove is Whatever I had Left Taco Soup. I know that soup is a great way to use up leftovers, and I was dying to try taco soup. However, I am the only one who likes beans. Here is how I created this crazy soup

About 2 cups preseasoned cooked ground beef from freezer (with onion and garlic)

About 2 cups of water

1 can diced tomatoes

1 bag frozen corn

3 ounces tomato paste

1 package onion soup mix (not something I buy often but I happened to have it on hand)

2 1/2 large tortillas sliced up

I threw the ground beef in a pot with a cup of water. Once the ground beef defrosted I added the tomatoes and corn. I added more water, the onion soup mix, and tomato paste. Once it simmered a bit I tossed the tortillas into the soup. It is on the stove. I used the rest of my shredded cheese and sour cream last night. I diced three cheese sticks to toss on top of it. I hope it goes over well enough.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year to you and yours! It is resolution time. The statistics on people following through on their resolutions are pretty grim. That is why I joined a gym mid December so I could make a positive change but not call it a resolution.

My true resolution for 2015, besides being more appreciative and less grumpy ( I hope the gym helps with that) is getting a handle on money and becoming a saver. I have talked so much about not spending, but really it is about saving. Money is freedom. Knowing that you have some money to fall back on and not live check to check is a life style goal for us as a family. Last night we did not even order out on New Year's Eve. I made sweet and sour chicken and we ate together with the kids. Later the two of us watched a movie. Now we did watch a new movie that we had to buy for $15.00, but now we own it. It is still out in theaters, and it was cool to watch it from home while eating our own homemade nachos. Not a bad amount of money spent for New Year's Eve.

I was scouring the ads for good deals to get the most out of my shopping money. I have some extra bucks and CVS has some great deals this week, so I am going to hit CVS with my coupons and extra bucks and try to stock up on some things that we need for very little money.

Today we are going to take the kids skating because they will be taking some skating lessons and have never been on skates. I have not been on skates in almost 30 years. I am very afraid.