Menu Plan Monday 6/15

Spaghetti and Penne with zucchini and garlic bread
Grilled Chicken with rice and chopped salad
Tacos and corn bread
Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni and White Garlic Chicken)
House Autry Fried Chicken with Mac and Cheese
Fried Rice with egg rolls and pot stickers, and edamame
Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries

We are really getting into a groove with the food schedule this month.  I had Pasta with zucchini chips and garlic bread on Monday.  Tuesday was Grilled Chicken with white rice and grilled pineapple.  Wednesday was Chicken Bacon Ranch and Potatoes.  It was the first time that I made it and I think that it was good but my husband wasn't a big fan because I think that I under seasoned the meat.  Thursday was a Pepperoni and White Pizza with half grilled chicken. We had friends come over after a graduation car parade so I didn't realize how late it was and we ended up having leftovers because there was an entire pan of pizza knuckles that I made the previous night.  Saturday was Chicken Enchiladas from the freezer.  Sunday was Chicken Wraps with homemade fries.  I only crossed off one dinner and replaced it with leftovers so I think that it was a big win.  This week looks very similar and I am going to get ready for my big shopping trip to get most of the groceries we need for the next month to get us through.

Christmas at Harrington's Book Review

I grabbed another book off the shelf to read and found another Christmas book so I decided to check it out.  Who doesn't love a good Christmas book?  Also, I had recently read another book by this author so I was interested in seeing what was going to happen in this book.  Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson was a book that I didn't know what to expect but I was ready to check it out.

Christmas is approaching, and Lena Markham finds herself penniless, friendless, and nearly hopeless. She is trying to restart her life after false accusations landed her in prison, but job opportunities are practically nonexistent. When a secondhand red coat unexpectedly lands her a job as Mrs. Santa at a department store, Lena finally thinks her luck is changing. But can she keep her past a secret?

This tender story about fresh starts will charm readers as all of Melody Carlson's Christmas offerings do. Full of redemption and true holiday spirit, Christmas at Harrington's will be readers' newest Christmas tradition.

Lena starts the story getting on the bus to start her life over after serving jail time for a crime she didn't commit.  It seemed like it might be a really heavy book which isn't what I thought it was going to be after looking at the Christmas cover.  Although it quickly turned into a feel good story about the goodness that people show.  Lena is going to a new town and starting over and a person at the prison helped her get a job and a place to stay.  Lena is riding on a bus to get to her new home and ends up sitting next to a very nice lady who shares the food that she has because Lena didn't have any dinner with her.  Her new friend also volunteers to drive her to where she is staying but Lena says that she is going to get breakfast first at the dinner so she passes.  She finds out that the dinner is hiring but since she has a job and no waitressing experience, she passes.  She goes to the place to stay and really starts to feel lonely because it is very different then being in prison.  Although she meets her neighbor who is out of work and tells her to go to the dinner so Lena ends up watching her young daughter while she is at work.  The next morning, she goes to where she is supposed to report for work and they aren't hiring and she doesn't have a position.  Lena is starting to think that things are going to work out but you need to pick up the book and find out what happens next.  I thought this was a cute Christmas story which is exactly what I needed during this time because it shows the goodness in people.   I hope that you check out this book and others by this author and enjoy them as much as I have.

Menu Plan Monday 6/8

Spaghetti and Penne with zucchini and garlic bread
Grilled Chicken with rice and chopped salad
Chicken, Bacon, Ranch with Potatoes
Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni and Buffalo Chicken or White Pizza)
Chicken tacos or Enchiladas with corn bread
Meatball Subs with tater tots
Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries

Last week was actually ate most everything according to plan with Pasta with zucchini and garlic bread on Monday.  Grilled Chicken with rice and chopped salad and corn on the cob was Tuesday.  Wednesday was Trader Joes Mini Tacos with homemade rice a roni which my husband didn't like and cornbread. Thursday was Homemade Pizza and we did pepperoni and garlic chicken pizza and pizza knuckles (like my son's favorite restaurant) and chopped salad.  Friday we did Spicy Honey Mustard Chicken with mac and cheese and corn on the cob.  Saturday I did Fried Rice, Pot Stickers and Edamame but I skipped the egg rolls because I was late starting dinner.  Sunday was my son's favorite dinner so we had Chicken Wraps and homemade fries. 

Ready to start on another week with most of the things in the house already.  I am hoping to make it the whole week without going to the store.  I have already had one trip to the store this month where I had to hit three stores to get everything that was on my list.  Shopping is way more exhausting and expensive then it used to be so I am hoping to go until the milk runs out again.  Summer shopping in a mask might be the end of me!!  How is shopping going for you?

Gilding the Lily Book Review

This book was an older book which I could tell from the cover and the price on the front saying it originally cost $1.95.  I was interested to see how old that was going to be.  I went on Amazon and it said 1801....ummm, no it is not that old.  I guess they are selling it for like $1000 on Amazon so I might have to look into a great sale with this one.  I went on Good Reads and found that it was released in 1985.  I also found the picture of the cover there so that I could share it with you.  Gilding The Lily (Silhouette Romance) by Emilie Richards (1985-11-01) was the next book in the pile for me to read so I decided to check it out.

Lesley Belmont has always held back- from success, from men, from love.  But now she has a chance for her first solo interview, and she was determined to give it her all.  She planned to have Travis Hagen, America's premier cartoonist, tell her everything there was to know about being a comic-strip artist.  From day one Travis thwarted her plans and scrambled her carefully ordered emotions.  How could an interview go so wrong?  One look, one kiss and Lesley knew she was a goner.  Travis wanted her, and he let her know it.  And that was no laughing matter.

Lesley was living a life that was only focused on work.  She was working all day and trying to make the most out of her life without love.  She was becoming very successful and was working on a project about comic strips and the history of the comic strips.  Her boss told her that he set up an interview with an artist so that she could interview him and get more information on the way that they were created and the history behind the art.  Little did she know that she was walking into a set up and the artist, Travis, didn't know that she was coming.  She drove all the way through the countryside to find his small out of the way house and was excited for the interview.  You need to pick up the book to find out what happens.  Things quickly turn around for her and she realizes things that change her whole life.  I thought it was a good book and it totally could have happened now with a few updates.  I was entertained and wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.  I hope that you check out this book but from the looks of it, not through Amazon.

Always A Cowboy Book Review

I am doing my best to grab books off the shelf at home but it is so hard without the library to get me the other books in the series.  I decided to read Always a Cowboy (The Carsons of Mustang Creek) by Linda Lael to see if I would like the other books in the series even though this was the second in the series.  It turns out it was a a good book and I reserved the other two at the library.  I am hopeful for getting the books before I reach my limit for reserving books which I am super close to already.  The library announced that they will open in June to get reserved books so as long as I can return my books, I can get all my new ones too.  I will be set for a little bit.

He's the middle of the three Carson brothers and is as stubborn as they come—and he won't thank a beautiful stranger for getting in his way! 

Drake Carson is the quintessential cowboy. In charge of the family ranch, he knows the realities of this life, its pleasures and heartbreaks. Lately, managing the wild stallions on his property is wearing him down. When an interfering so-called expert arrives and starts offering her opinion, Drake is wary, but he can't deny the longing—and the challenge—she stirs in him. 

Luce Hale is researching how wild horses interact with ranch animals—and with ranchers. The Carson matriarch invites her to stay with the family, which guarantees frequent encounters with Drake, her ruggedly handsome and decidedly unwelcoming son. Luce and Drake are at odds from the very beginning, especially when it comes to the rogue stallion who's stealing the ranch mares. But when Drake believes Luce is in danger, that changes everything—for both of them.

Drake takes care of the family farm and loves everything about farming.  He spends his whole life from morning to night taking care of the ranch.  Family is everything to him and he lives at the family house where his brothers and mother live.  He takes a break in working to eat dinner with the family before going back out to work at night to check on all the animals.  Luce was invited to the property to research the wild horses by Drake's mom but no one ever told him. He found her on his land and was trying to run her off until she explains that she was invited.  She is staying at the family house and working on her wild horse project but working with Drake sometimes as well.  It had a lot of twists that I didn't see coming but it was well worth picking up the book.  I thought it was a great book and I was super excited to reserve the other books in the series at the library.  Now I just have to hope that they get all the books transferred so that I can pick them up next week.  Currently 17 of my 50 books on reserve are in at the library already so I know that I will have something to read to keep me busy.  I am ready to do some more reading!!  I miss my library!!

May Month End Budget and Eating Out

I can't believe how quickly the month goes by but here is another month where I was trying to limit our trips to the store during this stay at home order.  I am trying to adjust to the new normal by not exposing my family to germs as much because we are still on the rise here.  We have decided to not doing any eating out so we are adding that to our normal $160 grocery budget and that moves it up to $200 budget for the month.  Sadly, other then cooking at home and using what we have, there aren't a lot of ways to save money now.

The first time out was Target, Harris Teeter and then Wegman's so it was one store to the next and got a few things at each with the things we were missing and things that were on sale.  The next time out was getting chicken on sale on the next day so I actually did two transaction because I went to the car and said this is silly, I should get more and I went back in and did.  My third splurge trip out of the house was to Trader Joe's which was a little silly but I had a gift card and we love the potstickers and edamame when we are having fried rice so I grabbed those things and a few others with our gift card and only spent a few dollars.  The fourth trip out of the house was two Harris Teeters in a row.  The fifth trip was my big stock up at Lidl and Aldi across the street from each other.  The sixth outing was Giant and Harris Teeter.  I was disappointed that I went to so many stores but it is still less then I normally do so at least I am partially there on planning.  Hope that I get a little better in the coming months.  Fingers crossed!!

Target $1.65

I used the rest of my gift card from my husband's work and then I also got another one with points so that I didn't have to spend a lot of money.  I got a bunch of things that I could with the gift cards.  The coconut was for me to make my granola and it was on sale for the same as Harris Teeter but I could use my gift card.  I got Cheez-Its because my son really wanted some even though they were crazy priced.  I also got him the granola bars that he loves and there was a coupon for them so they were the same price as they would be at Harris Teeter but I got to use the gift card.  We were out of the Gerber Bananas so I grabbed 6.

Harris Teeter $12.58

I was at the store to get chicken and they were out.  Luckily they had some of the other things that we "needed".  I got four gallons of ice cream and three yogurts.  The ice cream was super picked over but they had ones that we liked and I was super excited.  I got some Kool Aid which has been a favorite drink while everyone has been stuck at home.  I got the Fudge Stripe Cookies that were free with the coupon.  I got another shortening because I used up one so this is my backup.  There are two pictures because the refrigerated things went in first and the other stuff did not.

Wegman's $23.69

I went to the store to get meat and there was none there.  I got two bags of bread flour because we are close to out and I didn't want to run out.  I also got a bag of vital wheat gluten which I haven't had in awhile but it was $6.49 which is crazy high priced but everything else was sold out.  There was on box of Big Chewy bars on clearance so I grabbed that for $1.97.  We needed mac and cheese but there was a limit of 2 so I decided to get the case because the pricing works out about the same and I only bought one box and got 12.  I grabbed white rice because they haven't had it at Aldi in a long time so I got it before we ran out.  This was a beautiful picture in the garage where I unloaded all the groceries so you get to see the bikes in the background.

Harris Teeter $31.21 and $24.13

I went to the store to get the chicken that was on sale for $1.79.  I bought three packs.  I found a bag of potatoes which they were out at the other Harris Teeter.  There were out of peas and we are running low so I got corn even though we have corn already in the freezer.  I got a few Kool Aid packets.  I used my last coupon to get another yogurt.  My husband likes gum when mowing the yard so he wanted it because he was out.  The best deal was the Hormel snack packages because they were a penny money maker each.  I used the cheese on sandwiches and more.  The crackers went into the cupboard because we didn't eat them all.  I used the turkey on my husband sandwiches and the salami I cut and fried to have on salads.   On my way to the car, I called my husband and he talked me into getting three more packages of chicken so I decided to go back in and get three more packs (and there were no limits and they were a great price).

Trader Joes $3.11

I had a gift card that I wanted to use up for Trader Joe's and I had a few things in mind to use so I decided to go first thing in the morning and grab them as quickly as I could to stock up on more fun things that we haven't had in awhile including the edamame, potstickers and chicken and beef mini tacos.  We also needed blue cheese which we normally get at Trader Joes because it the most flavorful blue cheese!! Bonus of Dunkers which my husband asked for which were $4.99 each so I won't be agreeing to that anytime soon!!

Harris Teeter $25.61

I went to get a few things but mainly the ice cream special which they had no ice cream.  I got lettuce and potatoes because they are cheaper price here then Aldi or Lidl.  I got two ears of corn because I was excited that it was in season but they were $0.33 each so I didn't get a bunch.  I got another bag of chicken because it was on sale for $1.79 per pound but I had bought 25 pounds last time.  I decided to cut up what I needed for the meals for the week and then boil the rest and shred to make enchiladas.  I got some frozen peas because there was finally stock of frozen veggies which was good because we were almost all out.  I also got to use a coupon to get some Rice Krispies to make some treats later and it made the box cheaper then Aldi and Lidl.

Harris Teeter $4.04

This was my second Harris Teeter in the day to get ice cream.  They didn't have the flavor that I wanted to get but I decided to get the flavor my son would still enjoy.  They only had two cookies and cream so I got those and took a picture in the checkout lane.

Lidl $57.53

I went a little crazy and got a ton of things on my list.  I was most excited about the large blocks of cheese because we have been enjoying them.  They only had one block of mozzarella so I grabbed it just in case they didn't have any at Aldi.  I got lunch meat because it has lasted longer then the lunch meat we used to get from Aldi and it was cheaper.  I got provolone cheese because it was on sale for $1 even though I don't have a plan for it.  I got celery because it looked good and I didn't know if Aldi would have any.  I got two packages of bacon that were on sale because we wanted to have some this month.  I got one whole chicken and cooked it up shortly after for a yummy dinner and used the leftover meat for fried rice and pizza and still had more to put in the freezer.  I tested a smaller bottle of their ketchup last month and we liked it so I got the bigger bottle.  I got one package of Kool Aid because my husband wanted Grape even though it was twice as expensive at Harris Teeter but I didn't know when I went there.  There was a sale on ice pops which I almost bought at Harris Teeter but thought I could find cheaper and got them for $1.79 instead of $2.50.  I got three bags of marshmallows to make some Rice Krispy treats with the cereal from HT.  I got one more tortilla chip and two pretzels because they were on sale for $1.  I also got my son a package of double stuff sandwich cookies and boxed brownies for two of our treats this month.  I got my husband hot dog rolls and Lidl Cran-Grape.  My most expensive purchase was the 4 cases of soda but they were $2.75 which was actually cheaper then HT so I was excited and they have tons in stock.

My disappointing purchase was the corn because we had some right away which was fine but I got 10 and the rest was going bad so I cut it off and used the parts that were still good in other meals.

Aldi $45.50

I checked off everything off my list that I got at Lidl and went across the street to Aldi to get the rest of the things that we needed.  It is always hard to know what store is going to have things and what stores might not.  I had to get chips at Aldi because Lidl was totally out of Ranch and Nacho cheese which were top of our list.  I got two jars of salsa because the boys said that they liked Aldi better.  I got a container of mustard because there was none in the pantry and my husband has been using it on soft pretzels so even though I can't tell what is in the one we have, I know it is going to run out soon.  We have never tried Aldi ketchup but we liked the Lidl ketchup that we tried so we are going to try this one and have a taste test.  I also got another garlic salt as backup because we just opened the last one in the cupboard.  I also got a lot of cold food there since it was my second stop before heading home.  I got ice cream, two tubs of margarine, four packages of stick margarine, two eggs, two blocks of mozzarella cheese and milk.  I also got three packages of pepperoni because my husband and son ate all the pepperoni that we had last month.  They also had a few sales I was looking for like zucchini for $1.49 and  strawberries for $1.19. I grabbed one more bag of my son's favorite Chicken fries even though we have a few bags because I just don't want to ever run out and not be able to get them.

Giant $6.25

I saw the weekend deals at Giant which included corn on the cob which were 10 for $2 and I got 10 but totally didn't take a picture right away so we already ate a bunch.  This corn was way better then anything else that we had enjoyed so far!!  The other weekend deal was Cheez Its for $1.99 per box.  I printed out four coupons for the Cheez Its so they were $0.99 per box.  There was also a freebie on my account for yogurt so I got that too.

Harris Teeter $13.43

I went to the store to get the rest of the soda for the family since there were limited flavors at Lidl when I got the other four cases.  They were totally out of Diet Coke so I was excited that I bought that at Lidl and kind of wish that I bought more but I bought 2 Cherry Coke and 2 Grape Fanta.  I also wanted to get the free oat milk because it saved me a few times last month when baking bread so that I didn't use the milk that my son drinks.  I also got two salsas because they were on sale and I had a coupon so they were $1 each.  I can use them in cooking if the boys don't prefer them because they were the restaurant style which we haven't had before.

Total Retail $512.02

Total Savings $263.29

Total Rebates $0.50

Total OOP $248.23

I was over my new adjusted budget by $48.23 and I knew it although I was really under budget ($90) for last month.  I knew that getting so little was going to catch up with me and it did.  I got what we needed and still shopped the best that I could.  I know that we actually have food this month that will get us all the way through next month.  I have a meal plan in place and I hope that I will be able to keep out of the store. 

However, I did got out to the store 6 times this month which was a little more then needed since we made it with three times last month.  The hard part is stopping me from shopping sales because I have done it for so long and trying to stock up on things at a low price.  I would like to say that I will try harder next month but I guess we will have to wait and see.  I am not sure what the right balance is to get the things that our family wants and needs and balancing the budget.

I know that we have a lot more creative times ahead with summer coming since it is so hard to cook and bake in the hot summer months.  We are also running low on all our baking supplies with only three bags of sugar and three bags of flour in the stockpile.  I also only have the two bags of bread flour and very few chocolate chips and I just opened my last honey. 

My husband likes to point out that with no hair cuts for the boys, no filling up on gas since March, all camps and classes cancelled, and everything else shut down that we are really totally saving money.  But those are different budget items that don't normally affect the budget but it kind of does now when I go and by soda and double stuff sandwich cookies because I want my son to have something fun to eat since I have to tell him vacation and camp is cancelled.  I have a feeling that is going to come in handy soon when I have to get more things next month #QuarantineBudget!! 

How have you guys been dealing with everything?

Eating Out 

We haven't spent anything on eating out this month because we decided as a family that it was safest and easiest if we stayed at home as much as possible so eating out budget was $0.

Menu Plan Monday 6/1

Spaghetti with floured zucchini and Penne with garlic bread
Grilled Chicken with pineapples and Corn on the Cob
Mini Tacos with rice and corn bread
Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni and Buffalo Chicken) and Pizza Knuckles
Spicy Honey Mustard Chicken with Mac and Cheese and corn on the cob
Fried Rice with egg rolls and pot stickers, and edamame

Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries

Last week went mostly according to plan. On Monday, we did Pasta with sliced sausage, fried zucchini and garlic bread. I was going to do a different sauce and planned on a different floured zucchini to go with the pasta but the breaded zucchini and it was amazing!  On Tuesday, had Simple Fried Rice with pea and pan fried dumplings and edamame.  On Wednesday, we had Grilled Worchestershire Chicken with white rice and corn on the cob.  Having the corn on the cob has been amazing and my favorite part of summer!  Thursday was pizza night and I set an alarm on my phone to make the pizza dough which was my son's advice so that I didn't mess up pizza night again.  We really needed to eat leftovers one night because my husband has been going to work and not eating any leftovers for lunches which has really made a back up on the leftover situation. I was thinking about changing Friday's meal which I did. I had a lot of the things in the fridge for chicken enchiladas so I decided to make them for Saturday.  Sunday we had my son's favorite meal of Chicken Fries for him and Chicken Wraps for us with homemade fries and corn on the cob. 

I can't believe how quickly the weeks go by but we have a bunch of meals and I have done okay for getting the things that we needed.  I did forget to write pineapple on my list to get at the store.  I have been enjoying them on the grill with chicken meals but I am the only one that likes them.  I realized that I have some frozen pineapple so I will be putting them on the grill Tuesday.  Hoping that I will be ready for less shopping trips in the coming months but only time will tell.  How have you been doing with your shopping and all this time at home?