Menu Plan 8/31

Yikes. I made a meal plan last week. Didn't even post it. My shoulder has made sitting at my notebook tough to do for long periods of time. Especially after a long day at work. So I completely skipped last week. I think that's the first time in 9 months. I still had a plan that I followed. I also had a great shopping week. Stockpiling really lets you just buy the best buys for the week, along with any fresh food needs. My spend for the week was around $40. Today I spent $21 between Walgreens and Bag n Save. Got $5 RR to boot. I plan to make a Target trip this week, and then we'll just see what's on sale come Wednesday's grocery ads. Tonight I had hubby grill the 3lbs of chicken breasts I got for $4, and I put them all in the freezer for future meals.

The menu this week is fairly simple. Using the fresh produce in my garden, as well as preserving as much of it as I can, which has been a challenge with the aforementioned shoulder, but I'm making the best of it. 7 dinners for 4, clocking in at just under $30.

Monday 8/31

Meatless Monday

Angel hair with spinach, feta and sundried tomatoes $2.50

Pasta .50, spinach $1.50, feta .50, tomatoes .00 (homegrown and dried)

Tomato and white bean salad with basil .50

$3.00

Tuesday 9/1

Grilled pork tenderloin $4.00

Cheesy mashed potatoes 1.00

Steamed Broccoli w/ lemon vinaigrette .75

$5.75

Wednesday 9/2

Spaghetti with Italian sausage and homemade sauce $2.50

Salad $1.00

$3.50

Thursday 9/3

Asian Roll Lettuce Wraps $3.50

Pineapple .65

$4.15

Friday 9/4

Cheeseburgers $3.50

Bbq beans .25

Tomato and corn salad $1.00

$4.75

Saturday 9/5

Chicken and black bean quesadillas $2.75

Fresh salsa .50

Apple slices .50

$3.75

Sunday 9/6

Italian beef sandwiches $4.00

Tater tots .75

$4.75

Tomato and White Bean Salad

Healthy. Inexpensive. Easy. And a great way to use your garden veggies.

2 cups of cooked white beans, or 1 can, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
3T fresh basil, chopped
1/2 t garlic powder
3T olive oil
2T lemon juice
rind from one lemon
2T balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

In medium bowl, add all ingredients to basil. In small bowl, whisk garlic powder, oil, juice, rind and vinegar. Add to salad, stir to combine, add salt and pepper to taste. Chill until ready to serve. Great leftovers, if you have any. I sometimes make double just so I have some for easy lunches in the fridge.

Catch Up

Wow. I really can't believe how the weeks are flying right now, and having a bum shoulder is not helping the situation. I haven't been posting as much, because it hurts to even sit at the computer for very long. I am feeling better than I was, though, so hopefully I'll be back at em very soon.

R started school with a half day on Tuesday. I really like his new teacher and I'm excited about 2nd grade for him. I think it's going to be a good year for learning, but also for making friends, which hasn't been his strong point. He's been out all weekend playing with the neighbor kids, which is great. I'm excited to see them bond. That can only help him build skills to make friends at school as well. His birthday is coming up and we're inviting the entire class, so I hope that will also help.

The garden is in perpetual harvest mode right now, and that's not been easy with the shoulder. With 13 tomato plants going crazy, there's been a LOT to preserve! Today I'm currently canning 7 pints of salsa. I've been dehydrating, roasting, freezing, you name it. My cucumbers have made lovely pickles. I hope to make relish soon.

I have to get the menu plan ready for the week. I usually have it written by Thursday or Friday. Not so lucky this week. :)

Menu Plan Monday Week of August 16th

Sunday 8/16

Grilled chicken $1.75

Noodles .50

Asparagus $1.00

Tomato slices .00

$3.25

Monday 8/17

BLTs $2.00

Potato salad $1.25

Sliced apples .50

$3.75

Tuesday 8/18

Beef fajitas $4.30

Sirloin $2.60, peppers in garden .00, onion .30, tortillas .65, lettuce .25, cheese .50

Fresh salsa with garden veggies .00

Refried beans .50

$4.80

Wednesday 8/19

Grilled pork chops $2.50

Grilled potato packets .75

Bbq beans .75

$4.00

Thursday 8/20

Chicken alfredo pasta $2.75

Broccoli .75

Tomato and basil salad .00

$3.50

Friday 8/21

Pizza Joes $2.00

Cucumber and tomato salad .00

Green bean fries $2.50

$4.50

Saturday 8/22

Grilled pork steaks $2.50

Baked potatoes .75

Salad $1.00

$4.25

Sunday 8/23

Angel hair pasta with roasted tomatoes, herbs and asiago cheese $1.00

Salad $1.00

$2.00

Working Wounded

Sore shoulder or no, we will start drowning in vegetables if I don't do something. So working slowly today. These cucumbers slices are soaking in ice water to help their crispness before they become cold packed dills and cold packed bread and butter pickles. I still haven't done a full can on the pickles. I'm almost afraid to because I like the crunch from the cold packed ones so much. Afraid the canning process will make them mushy. Guess I'll get brave eventually.

I still have 3 large bags of cucumbers in the fridge even after slicing 56 of them up. Crazy.

Next will be the 5 bags of roma tomatoes begging to be peeled, diced and canned or frozen or made into yummy sauce or salsa.