My Weekly Grocery Trip & Breakdown on Costs

 

Here is this weeks grocery trip. I got everything but the buttermilk.

 

Hamburger Meat - 3lbs. $16 (OUCH! it ended up being $3.28 a lb.)

Orange Juice- 1 gallon $4

Milk 1 gallon- @3.50

Chicken Breasts 6 lbs.$13

Oranges - 5 lbs. $6 (OUCH!)

Eggs- 2 18 pks.- $4.80

1 head of Lettuce- $2

Mushrooms 1 lb. - $2.50

2 Cheese Salsas- $5

Tortillas- $3

Tomatos-2 $1.09

 

Not pictured is 3 loaves of bread and 1 12 pk, of Hamburger buns.

$4

 

Total- $65 (rounded  up)

 

The meat was not listed on things needed. It was however a good *stock up* price. I really don't see hamburger meat getting much cheaper at a sale price anytime soon.

 

I already have most of next weeks item for the menu. That's a good thing. I'll wait and see what is on sale next week and stock accordingly.

 

Trying to stay on track!

 

Blessings,

 

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Week Menu- (December 30th- January 15th)

 

 

It's been almost a month since I last posted. Now that Christmas is over its time to get back to the budget. I did go over the weekly grocery budget by about $60 for the month of December. Not good I know. It was Christmas though and I enjoy making *extras* for my family and my extended family.

 

Now with that confession made, its time to get back to business!

 

Here's the dinner menu plan for the next 2 weeks. It only includes dinners. Lunches and breakfasts are standard fare around here.

 

T- (30th)- Hamburgers & Homemade Ranch Fries

W- (31st)- Chicken Dumplings & Veggies

T-( 1st)- Reruns

F- (2nd)- Tacos

S-(3rd)- Homemade Lasagna & Salad

S- (4th)- Reruns

M- (5th)- Pancakes & Bacon

T- (6th)- Turkey, Stuffing & Veggies

 

W- (7th)- Reruns

T- (8th)- Onion Joes & Fries

F- (9th)- Soup & Sandwiches

S- (10th)- Homemade Pizza & Salad

S- (11th)- Reruns

M- (12th)- Dutch Potato Soup & Cheddar Cheese Cornbread

T- (13th)- Reruns

W- (14th)- Parmesan Chicken & Rice & Gravy/ Mashed Taters & Veggie

T- (15th)- Reruns

 

Here is what I will need to buy to complete the menu:

 

lettuce- 2 heads

tomato- 2 large

Hamburger Buns- 2 pks.

Bread- 2 weeks worth

Milk- 2 gallons

Eggs- 2 18 pks.

Chips- varies weekly

Chicken Breasts- 6 lbs.

mushrooms- 1 lb.

Orange Juice- 2 gallons

Oranges (looking for a good sale)

Salsa- 2 large jars

Tortilla Chips

Buttermilk

 

 

Cost  (about) $73 for 2 weeks or $37 for 1 week.

 

That leaves me with about $40 for 2 weeks. I'll use that to stock up on whatever sales the stores have coming up. LORD willin' that is.

 

I'm considering adding another $20 to my weekly menu so I can get more fresh fruit & juice. Making my weekly budget $80 a week instead of $60. I can afford to for now (thank you LORD!)

 

I guess I'll Just take it one week at a time and see if I can S_T_R_ E_T_C_H that $60 further.

 

Have a blessed week in Sweet JESUS!

 

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Apple Goodie (Autumn Goodness at its Best!)

 

 

Hubby and I picked up a bushel of Granny Smith apples 2 months ago on the way back from the mountains. We paid $ 15 for the

 lot.

 

A good deal indeed.

 

My favorite dessert to make with them is called Apple Goody .I got the recipe from a Mennonite cookbook. It uses basic pantry staples along with the apples.

 

Here's the recipe:

 

Topping- 1 cup oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup soft butter

2 tsp. cinnamon

 

 

Here are all of the dry topping ingredients together.

 

 

butter added

 

 

Use a fork or pastry cutter and cut butter in until the mixture is crumbly.

 

 

All mixed. Now set aside.

 

 

Now take 1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

8 medium Granny Smith apples

 

Mix together well and set aside. This will be added to the apples after they are peeled, cored and sliced.

 

 

This is what I use to peel, core, and slice my apples with. I LOVE this little time saver. It makes  getting the apples ready so much easier and helps a lot if you have arthritic hands.

 

 

Put the whole apple onto the prongs.

 

 

Turn the crank and watch that apple get peeled, cored and sliced at the same time. It takes less than 5 minutes to take care of 8 apples.

 

 

Ready to be cut.

 

 

This is what the apple looks like before you take it off the slicer.

 

 

All peeled and ready to be sliced.

 

 

Slicing the apples.

 

 

Put the apples into a large bowl.

 

 

Add the sugar mixture to the apples.

 

 

Mix well.

 

 

Place the apple sugar mixture to a well greased 13x9 inch pan.

 

 

Pour the topping mixture over the apples.

 

 

 

Ready to go into the oven @ 350* for 40- minutes. When you can cut the apples easily and they are soft, it is done.

 

 

Smells so good!

 

 

HOT from the oven!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Four Cheese Lasagna (Cost Breakdown)

 

Here is a recipe for a homemade lasagna with ALOT of cheese that I make regularly for about $12. It uses about 3 lbs. of cheese. It lasts us 2-3 nights and makes 1 large with meat and 1 smaller one without the meat.

 

 

1 lb. sausage with Italian seasoning and garlic added to it. Cook until completely done.

 

 

 

Drain.

 

 

Add to a bowl.

 

 

Pour 1 large jar of your favorite sauce into the sausage.

 

 

Mix together.

 

 

4 cheeses-

 

Mozzarella

Provolone

Swiss

Havarti

 

 

Cook 1 lb. of lasagna (about 15 minutes or until it can be cut easily.

 

 

Drain.

 

 

Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan and cover the bottom with some of the sauce mixture.

 

 

Add lasagna (1st layer)

 

 

Put sauce onto it.

 

 

Add first layer of cheese.

 

 

Repeat sauce and noodle and add a 2nd layer of cheese.

 

 

Add a final layer of noodles, sauce and the last of the cheese.

 

 

Side view uncooked.

 

 

Bake @ 375* for 35-40 minutes. YUMMY and CHEESEY!

 

 

 

Both lasagnas ready to eat.

 

 

Fresh from the oven.

 

 

 Look at all that bubbly cheese!

 

Cost breakdown-

 

Cheese slices were $1.50 per pack 4 pks.

Shredded cheese was $1.25 for 8 oz. 1 lb. total

Lasagna noodles .65 for a pound

sausage 1 lb. $.99

2 jars of spaghetti sauce $2.20

 

 Total Cost- $12.34

2 lasagnas

 

All the cheese was bought on sale as was the sausage and the lasagna with a coupon.

 

The cheese would be $3 per pk. normally.

Sausage is normally $2 lb.

Lasagna is normally $2 lb.

Sauce is usually $2.50 per jar

 

Without coupons and sales the price would have been $21

The price is almost cut in half.

 

Having a list of foods we eat regularly and the ingredients that go with them allows me to *stock* up when those ingredients go on sale.

 

That CUTS the price dramatically,

 

What's for dinner at your house?

 

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My $60 Weekly Grocery Budget (November 27-December the 3rd)

Here are the groceries I bought today, I stayed on budget spending $35xx out of my $60 budget. I have $24xx left. I went to Harris Teeter and Wal Mart. They are both right together so I wasn't wasting gas running around.

 

I went to Wal Mart to get the AJAX laundry detergent because I had a $2 Q for it making it only .50 for 39 loads (great deal.) Today was the last day I could use it. I printed it a month ago and almost forgot it. I also got the sour cream and potato chips from Wal Mart.

 

Below is my receipt for Wal Mart. LOVE that $2 off coupon!

 

 

Here's what I got at Harris Teeter-

 

2 lbs. carrots -.99

1 Sweet Onion .89

1 gallon of Milk- $2.47

2 lbs. Ground Chuck 80 % -$5.97

2 loaves of bread -$1.94

2 doz. eggs -$1.98

3 Crisco Sticks (Used a .35 Q that doubled) .90

3 XTRA laundry detergents (50 loads) Used 3 $1 Q's -$3.00

(2)- 4 packs of batteries $2.98 - Used 2 $1.50 coupons

1 box of Little Debbie Christmas Snack Cakes (treat for my Daughter)- $1.67

 

 

 

Total Cost before sales and coupons $52.36

After Coupons & Sales $23.89

 

Very Blessed!

 

Have a blessed day in Sweet JESUS!

 

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

 

 

 

 

 

 



Left Over Turkey? Try This Easy Recipe

 

Left over turkey (or chicken) shredded

Taco Seasoning (I use SAM's Club brand)

Olive Oil

Garlic Powder

 

 

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with the olive oil. Heat slowly. You can also use vegetable oil but the olive oil adds a better flavor and seems less greasy.

 

 

Add shredded turkey (chicken)

 

 

Pour the taco seasons and garlic on the turkey.

 

 

 

Mix in well until thoroughly heated and covered. The amount you add will depend on your taste buds. More for spicy, less for a milder flavor.

 

 

All done!

 

 

Yummy!

 

 

Put into a soft or hard taco shell. Add lettuce, cheese, sour cream. Whatever your taste buds desire!

 

 

Roll up and enjoy!

 

Amanda

Matthew 6:33