Here is a yummy idea if you want something cool and refreshing for the summer.

If you are not familiar with agua fresca it is a delicious and totally guilt free summer beverage. You can adapt this in all sorts of ways to accommodate your tastes and it comes together really quickly.

My kids love when I make this and they think they are getting a special treat when this is actually really healthy.

So agua fresca is not a smoothie- it is closer to a flavored water.  It is really light and is perfect on nice summer evening or with spicy foods. I make this for my girls all the time when the adults are having margaritas or when we have Mexican food.

You can use any fruit you have on hand- usually the fruits with a lot of water work best like cantaloupe and watermelon.  My very favorite way to make agua fresca is with pineapple but you can really use almost anything- strawberries, raspberries, peaches, honeydew…. and you can even jazz it up a little more by adding rum or sparkling water.

You can serve this over ice- I try to serve it really well chilled and I skip the ice.

 

Watermelon Agua Fresca

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Recipe type: Beverage

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Chopped watermelon- 4 Cups
• Cold Water- 1 1/2 Cups
• Fresh Lime Juice- 2 tablespoons (I like it limey so I double that)
• Agave- 1-2 tablespoons (You can use sugar or honey as a substitute)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. I like a nice smooth drink so strain the juice into a pitcher. There is a foamy melon mixture that winds up on top of the strainer (my kids love this part)- just keep pushing it through the strainer with a spatula.
3. Serve well chilled.

2.2.1

See? Easy peasy! A great way to use up an abundance of fruit you might have during summer!

Does anyone else make agua fresca? I’d love to hear what kind of twist you put on this drink.

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This is my absolute favorite time of year because we get the delicious fresh, sweet corn in season and even better it is so incredibly cheap!  Ears of corn just dropped to $.20 each in my area and I could seriously eat corn each and every night through summer.

So if you are looking for a way to jazz up dinner I wanted to share my version of Mexican Grilled Corn.

You can buy this from street vendors all over Mexico and it is really some of the best tasting street food I have ever had.  I have seen lots of variations on Mexican Street Corn but this is just my super simple way to throw it together in just a few minutes.

Recipe: Mexican Grilled Corn

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Recipe type: Side Dish

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Cortija cheese (or substitute queso fresco cheese)
• Mexican Crema or Mayonnaise (to lighten this up use sour cream or plain greek yogurt instead)
• Garlic Salt
• Chili Powder
• Fresh Lime Wedges
• 4 ears of sweet corn

Instructions

1. Grill your corn or boil it until tender. While the corn is still warm, slather on mayo. Roughly chop your queso fresco or cortija cheese and roll the corn in the cheese. Sprinkle with garlic salt and chili powder.
2. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze just before eating. Don’t be stingy with the lime because it really adds a zip to this corn.

2.2.1

 

 

So you can seriously substitute whatever you have on hand in this recipe.  The mayo sounds a little frightening but just trust me here and give it a try.

The cortija or queso fresco can be found in the deli cheese area or some stores might have a Mexican foods section.  I find the cortija to  be slightly saltier so that one is a better choice if you want to use sour cream or greek yogurt.

If you can’t find these cheeses you can also use grated Parmesan.  I used Mama Garlic which you can find at Target and all sorts of stores but you can also just use Garlic Salt or if you have fresh cilantro on hand chop that up.

If you prefer not to eat the corn on the cob, just grill it up and slice the strips of corn off the cob into a bowl.  Mix all the ingredients in with your warm corn and it will still be delicious.

And one last tip is to make sure to get the fresh limes.  It really adds a lot to the dish and I use 2 wedges for one ear of corn.

 

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I made a big batch of this soup for my lunch this week and thought I’d mention it to you guys as well.

This is a much lighter version of a broccoli cheese soup so it is perfect for summertime. This does not have canned cheese soup, cream etc… in it so it is not a super thick and creamy soup.

I prefer this recipe in the summertime and even better you can make it in the crockpot! I usually do a big batch of this once a month or so and keep it in the fridge for fast lunch or dinners.

This particular batch I just literally put together in about 5 minutes at lunchtime and turned the crockpot on and viola!  Dinner was waiting for me when I got home.

Recipe: Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

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Recipe type: Soup, Entree

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 4 hours

Total time: 4 hours 10 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 20 oz of frozen broccoli
• 2 Cups Milk
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 3 cups of shredded cheese (this is your preference, I like Jack and Cheddar cheese but just cheddar would be great as well)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 qt Vegetable Broth

Instructions

1. Add the chopped onion, milk, broth and broccoli to the crock pot. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook on high for about 3.5 hours or on low for about 6.5-7 hours.
3. About 10 minutes before the soup is finished cooking add the shredded cheeses.
4. Once the soup is done take the immersion blender or regular blender and puree until creamy.
5. Top with cheddar cheese or I like croutons for a little crunch.

2.2.1

 

 

I am a vegetarian and the rest of the family eats meat so quick dishes like this that I can make ahead are a lifesaver on busy nights.

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I made something a little different today and thought I would share the recipe since it was so simple and turned out really well.

I was making my children apple and cheddar sandwiches today and decided to try and do a little grown-up twist for mine.

I had some raisin bread on hand and slathered one side with butter and the other side with fig preserves.  I thinly sliced up a few green apples and layered those on top of the jam.

Then I added a few slices of brie cheese on top of the apples.  I am a vegetarian so that was it for me but you could also add a slice of prosciutto for an extra kick.

I just grilled it up for a few seconds on the stove and voila!

A little twist on a plain grilled cheese.  This would be a great breakfast sandwich when you are craving something sweet.

(My children did take a few bites and both of them loved the fig, raisin bread and apples but they avoided the brie.)

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I get asked every so often what kinds of things I make since I am a vegetarian.  Here is a little twist on a grilled cheese that is a little lighter and is incredibly simple to put together.

I make this sandwich quite often- it is very filling and really delicious. You can make this on sliced sourdough as a lighter lunch or make it on a sliced baguette for a more filling dinner.  I have had this for breakfast too with scrambled eggs.

To make the sandwich, just preheat the oven to 350°.
Place grape tomatoes on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with Olive Oil and season with salt and pepper. (I use an herb sea salt mix)

Bake for about 25 minutes until the tomatoes start to pop.
I usually toast the bread for the last 5-7 minutes by just plopping it right on the same baking sheet.
Remove from oven and add the tomatoes to your sliced bread.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese is all nice and melted.

And there you have an incredibly simple twist on a grilled cheese sandwich.

My family is having chicken for dinner tonight and I just made these to have with salad and corn on the cob.

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I made this chicken dish tonight that everyone seemed to enjoy so I thought I’d post the recipe.  If you are looking for a little inspiration for something different this was really easy to put together.

I just started by seasoning and then browning a boneless chicken breast.  While that was underway, I rolled out a thawed puff pastry sheet and cut it into about a 12 inch square.

I added a thick slice of cheddar cheese and topped that with two slices of ham.

Next plop that chicken breast right on top and if you are feeling extra decadent, add one more slice of cheese. You might want to give the chicken a few minutes to cool.

Lightly whisk an egg with a little water and brush it onto the seams.  Fold up the pastry into a little bundle and flip the seam side down.

Brush a little more egg wash onto the top and bake for about 20 min at 400°.

Viola!  Now as you guys know I don’t eat chicken myself but things got quiet when I served this chicken which is always a good sign.  My husband said it was delicious but he wanted a little more cheese (so that second slice is what I will do next time and I will probably pound out the chicken breast to make it a little thinner.)

My girls ate most of the chicken too which is just shy of a miracle in this house.

And I had a tiny bit of scrap pastry leftover that I turned into something delicious for little old me.  I’ll post that recipe tomorrow!

 

Recipe: Cheddar Chicken Puff Pastry

Print

Recipe type: Entree, Chicken

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• (4) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• Cheddar Cheese
• Sliced Ham
• Puff Pastry
• Egg

Instructions

1. Start by seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper
2. Lightly brown the chicken breast in a saute pan
3. Thaw and roll out the puff pastry into 12-14 inch squares
4. Place a thick slice of the cheese you prefer onto the center of the square (I used cheddar but Gruyere would also be good)
5. Add two slices of ham on top of the cheese
6. Place the browned chicken breast on top
7. Lightly wisk an egg and water and brush onto the edges of the pastry
8. Fold into a little square bundle and place the seam side down
9. Lightly brush the egg mixture onto the top of the bundle
10. Bake about 20 minutes at 400°.
11. Serve immediately.

2.2.1

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Here is what I have planned for this week. I am including the recipe links for those of you looking for new ideas.

The menu plan is so easy now thanks to pinterest so lots of these recipes are located there!  In case you can’t tell, I stocked up on chicken this week at the grocery store.

Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts from Dashing Dish and green salad

Southwest Chicken Wraps from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and corn

Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes from Real Simple

Mini Cauliflower Pizza Bites from Dashing Dish and green salad

Greek Orzo Pasta with cucumber salad (my own recipe)

Grilled Salmon and Rice

And I am going to make this Fresh Fruit Cake from Design Sponge Yum!

**You can also download the free menu planning worksheet here.

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Here is my shopping trip for the week:

Sprouts $34.77

Spinach Feta Focaccia Bread $3.99
French Rolls $2.99
Half and Half $1.49
Organic Milk $5.59
2 Bags Frozen Onions $1.99- got 20% off for frozen foods sale = $1.59 each
Cauliflower $1.55
5lbs Clementines $2.99- used $.55 coupon= $2.44
Watermelon $6.04 (that is really, really expensive but my kids wanted watermelon sooo badly.  ;)  They ate that whole thing in 2 days.)
Organic Heirloom Tomatoes $2.99
Organic 3pk Romaine Lettuce $.99
4 Mangoes $.88 each

Target Trip #1

I actually made 2 Target trips last week because I needed cold medication halfway through the week. It worked out because those new coupons came out midweek making that cereal deal even better.

Pretzel Crisps $1.99- used $1 coupon= $.99
8 Boxes Crunchy Nut Cereal $2.75- Used (2) $4/4 cereal coupons + (2) $1/3 Target cereal coupons
2 boxes NutriGrain bars $2.50- Used $1/2 coupon + $1/2 Target coupon
My subtotal after coupons was $15.99 but I had the $5 gift card from the last cereal transaction

So I paid $10.99 and got back $10 in gift cards!

Target Trip #2 $2.80

And today I stopped back by the check prices and got the following:

2 Market Pantry Whole Wheat Pasta $.98- Used $1/2 coupon= $.48
2 Market Pantry Pasta Sauce $1.00- Used $1/2 coupon= $.50
Pretzel Crisps $1.99- used $1 coupon= $.99
2 Archer Farms Whole Wheat bread $2.50- used $1.2 Target coupon= $2 each
Irish Cheddar Cheese $3.99
6 cans of Market Pantry Soup $.64- used (2) $1/3 coupons= .31 each

Subtotal was $12.80 and I used those $10 gift cards

Now most of the Target stuff is actually for a food drive at school. I just set aside $10 in total to see how much I could get. I still have two weeks to pick a few things up here and there and I will post what I came up with for the $10 once I am done.

So the grand total was $48.56.

And here is the menu plan for the week:

• Aged Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup with french bread
• Steak Bites and Salad
• Baked Chicken Parmesan  and leftover salad
• Grilled Tilapia with mango and rice
• Chicken Taco Rice (from Simple & Delicious magazine)
• Grilled Heirloom Tomato Pizza

I also made up a big batch of iced coffee this weekend.  

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Here is the shopping trip for this week:

Target
Eggos $2.00
2 Raisin Bran $2.75- used (2) $.70 coupons
2 Crunchy Nut $2.75- Used (2) $.70 coupons and a $1 Target coupon
2 cans Muir Glen $1.32 each- used $1/2 coupon= $.82
Starbucks $7.99- used $1 Target mobile coupon and used $1.50 coupon= $5.49
Simply Orange $3.49- used $1 Target coupon and $1 coupon= $1.49

Paid $17.82 and have $5 gift card for next time.

Raleys $19.53

Organic Apple Juice $2.50
Bundt cake- free with store coupon
Tortilla Chips $1.39
2 Hormel lunchmeat $2.49- used (2) $.50 coupons= $1.99
2 strawberries $1.99 each
2 Alexia Potatoes $2.50- used (2) $1.25 coupons= $1.25
Eggplant $1.49
Tomato $1.88
Onion $.93

Oh and those free cookies from CVS

Plus I hit Sprouts for mangoes, broccoli, apples and mushrooms.  The total was $10.

So that doesn’t look like much but we stocked up on chicken a few weeks ago and on pork last week and then I still have some beef and fish in the freezer.  So there wasn’t much that we needed this week.

And here is the menu plan for the week:

Monday: BBQ Chicken and Organic Corn

Tuesday: Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

Wednesday: Dinner Out

Thursday: Chicken Parmesan and Salad

Friday: Eggplant Sandwiches and salad

Saturday: Fiesta Chicken and Rice

Sunday: Mushroom and Manchego Paninis and broccoli

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You can click below to see how the weekly shopping went for me.

Raley’s $32.53

Organic Milk $5.98
2lbs carrots- free with store coupon
cream cheese- free with store coupon
French Bread $1.88
Purple Cauliflower $2.00 (I thought my girls would like this)
Machego Cheese $5.99 (boo!)
Clementines $2.99- used $.35 coupon= $2.64
Fresh Pork Chops $15.57 – used $5 off a $15 pork purchase coupon*
Organic Salad Mix $1.49
2 pints of tomatoes .99 each
*The coupon didn’t work at checkout and I had to get a refund at customer service.

I hopped over to Safeway just because I wanted to take advantage of that rebate offer for the free items. I normally wouldn’t have bought some of these items but since they were free after rebate I just couldn’t pass it up.

Fundamiddles Cupcakes $3.99- used $.50 coupon= $3.49
Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks $1.99- used $.50 coupon= $1.49
Cheerios Dulce con Leche $2.99
Multigrain Cheerios $2.99
Nature Valley Protein Bars $3.00- used $.50 coupon= $2.50
2 Lucerne Cheese $5.23 (these are $5.99 but I have a Just 4 U price of $5.23)
Totinos Pizza Stuffers $3.49- used $.50 coupon= $2.99
Yoplait Greek Parfaits $2.50
Yoplait Greek Yogurt $2.50
2 Farmland Bacon $5.49
Total $37.40 but I get $26.94 back in a rebate so the total is $10.46

And I wouldn’t have gone to Target except I was collecting prices for the blog so here are a few things I grabbed:

2 Welch’s Fruit Fizz $2.99- free with coupons
Up & Up mouthwash $2.29- used $1 coupon= $1.29
Organic Eggs $3.84
Ortega Taco Sauce $1.61
Ortega Seasoning $.62- used $1/2 coupon (from a magazine)
2 Schick Razors $9.49- used $5.50 in coupons and got back a $5 gift card= $2.98

Final Price: $9.34

So if you figure the rebate will go back into our bank account, the grand total was $52.33. That wasn’t quite enough for the week as I wasn’t able to get much produce.  The organic produce is just so much more expensive at my normal grocery stores so I will have to swing back over to Sprouts to get mushrooms, celery, apples and tomatoes.  I am guessing that will be about $8 or so.

The nice thing is we are REALLY stocked up on pork chops for a few months.  Since the price was so good this week I got a bunch of packages and they all went into Ziploc bags and into the freezer.

{MENU PLAN}

Steak, salad, cauliflower
Roasted tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons
Tomato pesto paninis and salad
Garlic and Brown Sugar Chicken with broccoli
Ranch Chicken Lasagna and salad
Chicken Fajitas

If you want more recipe ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest. I seem to have a theme of cheese and sweets going right now but I am looking all the time for easy and healthy ideas.

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Urg- this was one of those weeks that I made a few stops which I try hard not to do and everything just added up so fast.  Fortuntately all the stores are very close together so it is pretty quick to hit them all on my way home.

Here is my shopping trip for this week plus the menu plan:

Safeway: $22.53

3 Lucerne Sliced Cheese $1.99each
Fresh Express Salad Mix $2.50 (this was free with a Just 4 U Coupon)= Free
2 Powerade $.69 each
1 Vitaminwater $1.00- used $.75 catalina coupon from prior trip= $.25
Open Nature Hamburger Buns $1.99
3 Fage Greek Yogurt $1.00 each
Organic Orange Juice $2.99
French Bread $1.99
Lucerne Half and Half $1.20 (personal price from Just 4 U)
Hormel Lunch Meat $2.49- used $.50/1 coupon= $1.99 (not pictured)
3 Buddig lunch meat $.59 each (not pictured)
Total $22.53
*The Buddig and the drinks went to some homeless kids in front of the store.

I meant to get some Just 4 U deals as well but somehow nothing was working for me so I scratched it all and I will have to go back another day to try again.

Sprouts: $40.55
3 pints blueberries $.99 each
3 lbs of Strawberries $1.50 each
Wyman’s Frozen Raspberries $2.00
(3) Van’s organic waffles on clearance $2.29- used (2) $1/1 Van’s coupons= $4.87 for all 3
Organic Celery $1.99
Cherries $2.95
5lbs Clementines $3.99
Eggplant $.88
Organic Carrots $1.69
Organic Tomatoes $1.99
Bananas $2.15
Raw Almonds $3.59
Chicken Breast-2 packages $11.49 total (almost 6 lbs)
Total was $45.06. I used a Sprouts gift card that was 10% off awhile back so I figure I really spent $40.55.

I went to check deals for the blog today otherwise I wouldn’t have made this trip to Target.

Target $21.19

(2) Evaporated Milk on clearance $.61 each
2 Boca Burgers $2.99- used $1/2 coupon= $2.49 each
Haribo Gummies $1.00- used $.30 coupon= $.70
Au Jus $.99
Salsa $1.99
Bagels $1.24
International Delight Creamer $1.79- used $.75 coupon= $1.04
(2) Laughing Cow Cheese $2.79- used $1/2 coupon= $2.29 each
Organic Eggs $3.84 (Target is the cheapest I can find for organic eggs and they have not had them in stock for weeks so this was exciting to me.)

I made this stop on Friday- I actually wouldn’t have gone to Raley’s this week except they have a post office inside and we had packages to send off anyway.

Raley’s $13.64
Organic Milk $5.98
Raley’s Parmesan Cheese $3.99- free with coupon= Free
Sans Sucre Baking Mix $4.79- free with coupon= free
Oranges $2.78 (we already ate most of them)
Organic Potatoes $2.50
2 Hormel Pepperoni at $1.19- used $.50/2 coupon= $1.88 (not pictured)
Popchips $1.50- used $1 coupon= $.50

Embarrassingly, my husband seems to have already eaten the pepperoni. I almost never buy it and there is a $1/2 coupon in the 1/15 SS so I will probably grab another few packs for $.69 each. That is a great deal.

The grand total was $97.  I try to spend $50 per week on groceries but the last 3 weeks I have not spent the entire $50 so I did have about $25 extra in the budget.

I am going to see how things go but we might need to bump our budget up again to maybe $60.  I am noticing a lot of price increases on things we regularly buy (like the organic milk and organic eggs have gone up).  My girls are going through a growth spurt right now and eating a TON all the sudden.  They will easily eat one pint of blueberries with oatmeal in the morning and then 1 lb of strawberries will be just one afternoon snack between the three of us… so we’ll see how it goes for the next 2 weeks and decide.

And last but not least, here is the menu plan for the week:

Chicken with Pepperoni Marinara Sauce and Spinach Salad

California Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

Smoked Paprika Chicken and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Grilled Steak Salad

Crispy Chimichangas

BBQ Chicken Calzones with Grilled Broccoli

Eggplant Parm with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes 

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Here is my shopping trip for the week. Just the basics because I am going through an early spring cleaning phase right now and systematically cleaning and purging every room in the house.

Anyhow, here is my trip for the week:

Staples:

Bic Markers $1.00- used $1 coupon= $.07 for tax

Target:

French’s Fried Onions $1.92- used $.30 coupon= $1.62
Archer Farms Turkey $6.49
Taster’s Choice Instant Coffee $1.29- used $1 coupon from a sample= $.29
Bagels $1.29
Market Pantry Sliced Cheese $2.49
Kraft Cheese $2.59
Oregon Chai $2.91- used $1 coupon= $1.91
Chobani Yogurt $1- used $.30 coupon= $.70
2 Enchilada sauce $.99= $1.98
Total: $19.36

Sprouts:

Organic Milk $5.79
Feta Cheese $4.99
Diced Onions $1.79
3 lbs Strawberries $1.50 each
2 pints Blueberries $1.50 each
3 Cucumbers $.33 each
Organic Spinach $3.49
Organic 3lb apples $3.99
Organic Tomato $1.41
Shallot $.15
3 packages Mushrooms $.99 each
2lbs bananas $1.34

used $5 off $30 purchase from the front of my ad
Paid $29.42- since I have a gift card I purchased from Sprouts for 10% off, I figure I really spent $26.48

So the total this week was $45.91. I didn’t use a lot of coupons but I just bought the things we needed. Last week there was a good deal on chicken so we have plenty of that in the freezer.  The cheese was way over priced but we needed it and the feta looked too good to pass up.  I will probably make a feta and cucumber salad for lunch this week.

I do plan to go back to Target on Thursday for the toy clearance so I will be getting a few more of the coupon deals- (like the Kashi cereal) then.

Here is the menu plan:

• Skillet Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Salad
• Chicken Tamale Pie
• Mushroom Lasagna
• Split Pea Soup and Salad
• Slow Cooked Turkey, mashed potatoes and salad
• Turkey and Havarti Paninis with Sweet Potato Fries

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Here is the menu plan for the week. I have to say I am thoroughly unmotivated this week so I planned some of my husband’s favorites (meaning he will cook dinner).

• Tacos
• Braised Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apples
• Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs, pasta and eggplant plus these parmesan rolls
• Martha Stewart’s Mac and Cheese + Salad
• Steak Salad
• Chicken Fajitas
• Steak and mashed potatoes and leftover spinach salad

Plus the girls and I are going to make homemade applesauce plus a chocolate cake with zucchini.

And then here is my shopping trip:

Safeway: $25.40

2 liters Arrowhead $1- used $1 coupon= Free
2 Golden Grain pasta $.89- used $1/2 coupon= $.39 each
Organic Broth $1.99
2 Honest Tea $.89- used $1/2 coupon hanging on the bottle= $.39
Powerade $.59
2 Mission Artisan Tortillas $1.49- used $1 coupons= $.49
1 Safeway Olives $.89
1 Open Nature Sour Cream $1.49- used $1 coupon= $.49
4 bricks of 32oz cheese $5.00- used (2) $.55 coupons= $4.45

That cheese was such a good price I got a few weeks worth.  (See the coupon matchups for Safeway here.)

Target $6.91

3 packets of Shout Wipes $.67- used (3) $.55/1 coupons from 9/25 SS= $.12 each
Panko Crumbs $1.89- used $1 coupon (no longer available)= $.89
Archer Farms Bread $2.99- used free coupon= free
Hormel Lunchmeat $2.33- used $.50 coupon= $1.83
4 Taco Seasoning $.71- used (4) $.50/1 coupon from 9/18 SS= $.21
Cascade Dish soap $.97- used $1 coupon from 8/28 P&G= Free
Aquafresh Toothpaste $1
Simply Orange Juice $2.99- used $1 coupon (no longer available)= $1.99

Sprouts: $25.43

Organic Milk $5.49
Eggs $2.39
Zucchini $.73
Organic Apples $2.97
Carrots $1.49
6 Kiwi $1.00
Sweet Potato $1.26
Fontina Cheese $5.43
2 Brown Cow Yogurt $.89- Used Buy One Get One Free= $.89/2
Chocolate Covered Peanuts $1.99
Frontera Chips $1.79

So the total this week was $57.74 which is not bad at all considering all that cheese!

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Here is the plan for this week:

Roasted Chicken and Parmesan and Lemon peas
Cucumber and Orzo pasta
Cauliflower Gratin and salad + leftover chicken
Enchilada Casserole
Beef Stew
Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Bacon, tomato and parmesan pasta

Plus I am making baked oatmeal with fruit and carrot, apple, raisin muffins for breakfast in the morning.

And here is the shopping trip for the week.

SPROUTS $38.05

Organic Milk $5.49
8 Cascadian Farms Frozen Veggies $1.50- used (4) $1/2 coupons= $1 each
1 Santa Cruz Organic Jelly $2.50- used $.75/1 coupon from a coupon booklet= $1.75
Applegate Organic Bacon $4.99- used $1 coupon from a coupon booklet= $3.99
Beef stew meat $3.09
Organic Grapes $3.21
5lbs organic potatoes $3.99
Baby Carrots $.88
Organic Pears $1.21
3 Cucumbers $2.31
Apples $1.56
4lbs oranges $2.99
Organic salad mix $2.99- used $1 Earthbound farms coupon= $1.99
Watermelon $2.59

Used $5 off coupon from the ad this week.

TARGET $4.95

Raisins $1.84
Knorr Bouillon $1.12
Simply OJ $2.99- used $1 coupon= $1.99

RITE AID $.33

3 JR Watkins Hand Soap and Lotion $1.50- used (3) $1.50 coupons I got from a tearpad several months ago= Free except tax!

So grand total is $43.33.  I forgot buttermilk and bananas this week so I will make a quick stop sometime this week.

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Here is the menu plan for the week:

Oven Fried Chicken with Carrot Orzo pasta
Spaghetti with eggplant
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Flatbread Pizzas
Spanish Tortillas with salad
Chicken and Rice Bake

And then one night we have leftovers and one night we are using the gift card from Chili’s.  And here is the shopping for this week:

I forgot to cancel the Farm Produce box deliveries so I got an extra box this week.  We got figs, squash, hierloom tomatoes, eggplant, lettuce, grapes and some other things for $31.  I really don’t think the value is worth it for us so I am for sure cancelling it.

I also got a few things at Target- sorry this photo is so terrible I was rushing yesterday.

4 Mott’s Natural Applesauce packs $1.67- used $2/2 coupons = .67 each
2 Simply lemonade for $2.29- used $1/1 coupons= $1.29
Simply Orange Juice $2.99- used $1/1 coupon= $1.99
Organic eggs $3.79
Carrots $1.19
2 Newman’s Own Organic Pasta Sauce $1.89- used $1/2 coupon= $1.39
2 Starbucks coffee at $8.89- used (2) $1.50 coupons and got back a $5 gift card
3 Kashi Cereal $2.99- used (3) $2 coupons + $1/3 Target coupon= $.66 each
Corn Meal $1.89
Olives $1.17
Diced Tomatoes .68
Salsa $1.89

So the total was $32.40. I broke up my transactions to use the $5 gift card.

Oh and I got the free Newton’s Thins at CVS.

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And here is the menu plan for the week. The one thing with getting the organic produce deliveries is that you have to be flexible with your menu which can be tough for me.

But here is what I have planned:

• Roasted summer squash and chicken
• Chicken with apples and raisins and couscous
• Spinach and Artichoke pizza (the kids will have red pepper instead of artichoke and I sort of hide all the veg under the cheese layer)
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches and broiled heirloom tomatoes with asiago cheese
• Steak Fajitas with corn and black beans
• Pesto Chicken Salad

And there you have it.  We will probably have leftover squash so I am going to try and make a casserole for the freezer.

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Here is the plan for the week. I fell off my menu planning wagon the last two weeks because it has been HOT as all get out here. A little secret is that I tend to be less than delightful when it is hot. Our kitchen somehow turns into a sauna so for the sake of the rest of the family I just avoid it at all costs.

Fortunately my husband has a better temperament than I do and he muddled along with what we had on hand.

So anyway, here is the plan for this week now that I am back in the saddle:

• Grilled Chicken and Corn Salad with Spinach from Real Simple
• Caprese Sandwiches with Salad
• Homemade Popcorn Chicken (also from Real Simple and I hope this works out. The girls love chicken nuggets and I only give them Morningstar nuggets.)
• Crispy Lemon Tilapia and Orzo pasta
• BLT with a Twist and roasted tomatoes
• Tomato and Rosemary Pork Chops from Taste of Home June and July

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Here is the plan for this week!

• Chicken Bundles and Steamed Broccoli
• Teriyaki Chicken and Brown Rice and leftover broccoli
• Shish-kabobs on the grill with steak and peppers and onions and grilled corn on the cob
• Greek Pita Salad
• Green Salad and Tomato and Mozzarella Tart (from Real Simple July)
• Crock Pot Pork Chops and Apples + leftover salad
• Tuscan Chicken with White Beans

It is super hot here so almost all this is crock pot recipes.  I got the recipes from three cookbooks this one (the name is really offensive but I have to say there are great recipes), Everything Healthy Slow Cooker cookbook, and Don’t Panic Dinner’s in the Freezer.

I just bought chicken and steak last week and the pork chops are in the freezer from the week before.  I made the chicken bundles last week from the freezer cookbook so those just get defrosted and baked.  I am trying to do at least one freezer meal a week (with the recipe doubled or tripled) so I can have at least one meal each week that is already prepared to save some time during the week.

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Here is my plan for this week:

• Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya (sent in by a reader)
• Chicken and Creamy Cauliflower
• Parmesan Risotto and Salad
• Enchiladas
• Grilled Tillapia and Salad
• Shepard’s Pie

Most of these recipes are from a new cookbook I just got, Slow Cooker Revolution. So far I have found a ton of good stuff in this cookbook.

I also made this 30 minute strawberry jam today.  I tried it with mixed berry frozen fruits and it seems more dessert-y to me.  If you want something yummy to put on grilled fruit, pancakes or ice cream this was incredibly fast to make.  I still have those Fig Newton cookies so I will probably have it with those.

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Here is the plan for this week:

• Roasted Red Potatoes, Grilled Corn and Salad
• Tex Mex Fajitas
• Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
• Steak and Roasted Tomatoes
• Leek and Mushroom Pesto Pizza (the girls will have cheese and a little broccoli instead)
• Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Corn
• Panera Bread style Broccoli and Cheese Soup

So nothing too exciting planned for this week.  I wanted to take advantage of the .99 organic broccoli this week and .20 corn, so you can see I used those items in a few meals.  For those of you that don’t do regular menu plans, this is a great way to plan ahead and really cut back on what you spend at the grocery store.  You can see how I go about menu planning here.

I try to spend $50 per week on groceries for our family.  You can find some tips on how to determine a grocery budget here.

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Salad and Roasted Tomato Feta Scones (my girls won’t eat those scones but I plan to save them for breakfast)

Chicken Parmesan and leftover salad

Homemade Fish Sticks and Broccoli

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (my 3yo hates mushrooms so I am thinking I will just do corn for her or maybe leftovers) and steak

Shell Pasta with Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce from Jaime Oliver Food Revolution book

Burgers (from Jaime Oliver’s book) and Sweet Potato fries

This week my husband won’t be as thrilled with the menu but we just got back from a trip to the south where we ate a lot of not so great stuff (hello Paula Deen’s restaurant… hello praline candy in Savannah…hello croissant at the airport…) so I am going to try to make things a little lighter this week.

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I just bought the new Jaime Oliver cookbook and almost all of these recipes are from his book.  The photos leave something to be desired but the recipes all look good to me.  I found a lot of comfort foods that have a healthier spin.  Like the potato salad below is made with chives and yogurt rather than mayo.

Also he does this interesting thing where he gives very simple recipes- like the carrot salad and then tells you how to jazz it up even more.  I thought that was a good idea to adjust a recipe depending on how much time you have.

• Macaroni and Cauliflower Cheese Bake
• Burgers and Homemade Baby Potato Salad
• Carrot Salad and Cuban Style Pork Shoulder
• Cauliflower Cheese Soup and foccacia
• Roasted Chicken and Corn on the Cob
• Spinach Salad with strawberries

I am also making these Strawberry scones.

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Here is the plan for this week.  I spent a lot of time this weekend going through our pantry, freezer and fridge to clean things out.  I really want to just work through what we have right now so I can start fresh for spring- especially with the proteins in the freezer right now.  So odd the things you wind up with tons of- for us I have several packages of tortillas in the freezer and sweet potato fries to use up.

MONDAY: Chicken Fajitas with rice

TUESDAY: Crock Pot Pulled Pork with Carrots

WEDNESDAY: Tacos

THURSDAY: Grilled Sausages and Corn and salad

FRIDAY: Chicken Tenders and Roasted Potatoes

SATURDAY: Grilled Steak and Salad and sweet potato fries

SUNDAY:  Spicy Fish Tacos (hold the spice for the little people)

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Here is the plan for this week:

• Hot Turkey Sandwiches and Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
• Chicken Pita with Tzatziki
• Glazed Pork Roast with Carrots
• Turkey Meatloaf with leftover mashed potatoes and salad
• Calzones
• Farro Salad with mozzarella and tomatoes

And for dessert this week No Bake Nutter Butter pie.

We’ll see how the Farro goes over this week.  This is the first time I have made it and that recipe says it is a good one for those new to Farro.  The girls like Ranch dressing so we shall see how the Tzatziki goes over.

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Here is the plan for this week!  The weather is beautiful here so I am trying to get shifted into spring/summer recipes!  This is my final hurrah with some heavier winter meals.

• Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers
• Chicken Tacos
• Grilled Turkey Burger with Red pepper mayo and Sweet Potato Fries
• Salad with big cheese twists (from Williams Sonoma Kids cookbook)- probably leftover chicken on this too
• Crock Pot Beef Roast and Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower
• Grilled Sausage and Salad

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Here is my plan for the week- I just got the new issue of Taste of Home magazine and there are so many good recipes this month!

• Pork Loin and Cheese Topped salad (from Taste of Home)
• Slow Cooked Carnitas (from Taste of Home)
• Artichoke Mushroom Lasagna (from Taste of Home)
• Grilled Chicken and Roasted Honey Gold Potatoes
• Turkey Pasta Bake
• Greek Pizza (pepperoni and mushrooms for my husband and the girls)

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Here is the plan for this week!

• Stuffed Caprese Chicken and Salad
• Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
• Farfalle with pesto and goat cheese (the girls will have Mac and Cheese with a little squash and tomatoes)
• Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes/Cauliflower
• Taco Casserole
• Turkey Burgers with Mushrooms and Sweet Potato Fries

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Here is the plan for this week- these are just the inspiration recipes and I usually customize them to make them my own.

• Parmesan Chicken and Salad
• Spinach Artichoke Pizza (the girls get cheese and tomatoes and red pepper pizzas)
• Tacos (aka Dad’s turn to cook!)
• Ricotta and Veggie Sandwiches
• Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole
• Mexican Beef and Rice
• I am going to get Chili’s one night for take out (my husband’s favorite).

And I think I will make banana pudding this week for dessert.  Yummy!

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Here is the plan for this week:

Cauliflower- Carrot Soup with Goat Cheese is what I making for my lunch this week.

Dinners:

• Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mushroom Sandwiches (I will serve this like a sandwich).  The girls will probably have something like ricotta and dried apricot sandwiches instead.
• Honey Mustard Chicken and Rice
• Chicken Brushetta Pasta
• Mushroom and Swiss Cheese Burgers with Roasted Potatoes
• Whole Grain Waffles with Cheddar and Maple Apple Sauce and Sausage (everyone here likes Morningstar sausage patties) from Rachael Ray April issue
• Croque Monsieur Sandwiches
• Roasted Beet Salad and Grilled Steak

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Here is the plan for this week:

MONDAY: Heuvos Rancheros and mangoes

TUESDAY: Spinach- Artichoke Pizza

WEDNESDAY: Stuffed Parmesan Tomatoes and Burgers

THURSDAY:  Carrot Soup and Salad with Parmesan Ciabatta Bread

FRIDAY: Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

SATURDAY:  Pasta and salad

SUNDAY:  Leftover Chicken and Cauliflower

Plus I am making these Strawberry tarlets this week.  Yummy!

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We didn’t really need anything this week but I grabbed a few things when I was checking deals out for the blog this weekend.   Every so often I like to have clean out the pantry weeks and I just sort of piece meals together from what I want to use up.

So here is what I did:

SAFEWAY: $21.96

2 Pepperidge Farms Cookies $1.88- used (2) $1 coupons= .88 each
Newman’s Own Lemonade $1.99- used $1 coupon= .99
2 Milk $5.98
Athenos Yogurt $.99-used $1 coupon= Free
Foster Farms BB Chicken Bites- Free with store coupon (forgot to put this in the picture)
2 Hormel Pork Tenderloin $9.99/2- Used $1 coupon= $8.99
Grapes $4.24
4 Cucumbers $2.00
Potato $1.19
I bought the $9.99 flowers- used a $3 coupon and I also used a $10 catalina. I got another $10 cat back.

TARGET: $8.22

2 bags Popchips $2.50- used Buy One Get One Free coupon= $1.25 each
2 Minute Maid OJ $2.24- used Buy One Get One Free coupon= $1.12 each
2 Boca burgers $2.74- used $2/2 target coupon and $1/2 printable= $2.48 (forgot to put those in the pic)
4 Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Cereal $2.50- Used (2) BOGO Target coupons and Used (4) $1/1 coupons= .25 per box

RITE AID: $2.00

2 Colgate Total $3.50- used $1.50 in coupons, got $7 in +Up Rewards
Arizona Iced Tea $.67
2 Twin Packs of Arrid $3 each- got back $4 in +Up= $1 per pack

I paid about $2 or so cash and the rest was +Up Rewards. I have $3.50 in +Up left for next time.

CVS: $4.41

3 Rubbermaid Water Bottles $3.33 each
3 Vitaminwater $1- used BOGO coupon (took off $1.79)- got $1 ECB
Paid $6 in ECB

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Here is the plan for the week.  This week is just beautiful here in California so I decided to make simple stuff so I can spend more time outdoors with my girls.

MONDAY: Chicken and mushrooms with leftover mashed potatoes

TUESDAY: Meatball Heros with Caprese Salad

WEDNESDAY: Greek Orzo salad

THURSDAY: Cheddar Rice Casserole with Broccoli and Salad

FRIDAY: Chicken and Tomato Clafoutis with Salad

SATURDAY: Chicken Enchiladas with Santa Fe Cooking Creme

SUNDAY: Butternut Squash Risotto

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Here is the plan for this week!

~MONDAY~
Tray Baked Chicken with Sweet Potatoes (this I tore out of last week’s Parade but it is from Jaime’s America, Easy Twists on American Classics)

~TUESDAY~
Crunchy Onion Chicken and Green Beans

~WEDNESDAY~
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes, Salad and any leftover chicken (from Taste of Home magazine)

~THURSDAY~
Slow Cooker Beef Stew (from Taste of Home magazine)

~FRIDAY~
Tomato Herb Foccacia and Salad (from Taste of Home magazine)

~SATURDAY~
Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cauliflower

~SUNDAY~
Blue Cheese Burgers and Roasted Tomatoes

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Here is the plan for this week:

MONDAY:  Lemon Chicken and lemon parsley baby carrots (chicken is from Double Delicious)

TUESDAY: Greek salad (and any leftover chicken)

WEDNESDAY: Potato and Leek Pizza (from Pioneer Woman  Cooks)- hopefully I can still find leeks

THURSDAY:   Baked Ziti from Double Delicious

FRIDAY: Hamburgers with cauliflower gratin

SATURDAY: Meatballs with couscous

SUNDAY: Mushrooms and melted fontina (from Martha Stewart Living) and salad

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Here is the menu plan for the week:

MONDAY: Sausage and Pepper Heros (using smoked sausage and red peppers and sandwich thins and provolone cheese), corn

TUESDAY:  Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Salad (Family Circle Feb)

WEDNESDAY: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Cucumber Salad

THURSDAY: Asiago “Tater Tots” and Italian Trattoria Burger (I modify this quite a bit but that frico adds so much to a burger)

FRIDAY:  Caprese Salad with Grilled Chicken

SATURDAY: Tacos

SUNDAY: Vegetable Stromboli (Parents Magazine Dec/Jan)

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Here is the menu for the week and stay tuned for my shopping trip to see if I can do it on $50 this week.

MONDAY: Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie (from Family Circle Feb)- this is a lighter version using broth, chicken, carrots, mushrooms, celery, potatoes.

TUESDAY: Angel Pasta (from Midwest Living Jan/Feb)- chicken breast, mushrooms, mushroom soup, chive flavored cream cheese, angel hair pasta

WEDNESDAY: Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes (from Rachael Ray Feb)- honey potatoes cooked with broccoli, jack cheese, and sour cream with salad

THURSDAY: Lemon-Artichoke Risotto (from Rachael Ray Feb)- artichokes, broth, parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts and lemon

FRIDAY: Blue Cheese Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

SATURDAY: Pumpkin Soup

SUNDAY: Pesto Pasta (from Rachael Ray Feb) grape tomatoes, pesto cashews, parmesan cheese and mozzarella

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Alrighty here is my menu plan for the week. I still have to go to Safeway and get a few more ingredients but here goes:

MONDAY: Meatball Subs with Sweet Potato Fries

TUESDAY: Pork Teriyaki (Family Circle Magazine, Jan pg 133) and Brown Rice with sauteed veg

WEDNESDAY: Salad with white bean and red pepper crostinis (All You Jan pg 45)- my husband will probably have steak too

THURSDAY:  Hoe Down BBQ Chuck Roast with Roasted Honey Potatoes and carrots

FRIDAY: Crispy Parmesan Chicken (Cooking Light July, pg 168) and Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

SATURDAY: Italian Pasta with Smoked Sausage and Salad

SUNDAY: Enchiladas

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Here is the menu for the week:

MONDAY: Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli and Pork Chops

TUESDAY: Broccoli and Chicken Casserole

WEDNESDAY: Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches and Honey Gold potatoes

THURSDAY: Steak and roasted grape tomatoes (skipping the pasta on this)

FRIDAY: Wellzones and roasted cauliflower

SATURDAY:

~Christmas Dinner~
Appetizer: Cauliflower Deviled Eggs, Gougeres, Dry Salami, Olives and Cheese (my free Kerrygold Cheese!)
Meal: Prime Rib
Orange Baked Ham
Creamy Goat Cheese Salad
Green Beans
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Dessert: Tartufo
Bourbon Walnut Tart

SUNDAY: leftovers

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So we are starting renovations in our kitchen tomorrow and the laundry room is officially serving as the kitchen for at least a week.  So I won’t really be cooking anything and I decided the easiest route to take was with the crock pot.   I bought the crockpot liners that you throw away so hopefully this all works out.

My family has yet to meet a frozen microwave meal they will actually eat so here is the plan:

MONDAY:   Salad, Chicken Tortilla Soup and French Bread (leftovers basically to empty the fridge)

TUESDAY: Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

WEDNESDAY: Slow Cooker Cheesesteak Sandwiches

THURSDAY: BBQ Chicken and Spinach salad

FRIDAY: Slow Cooker Pepper Pork Chops and frozen veggies

and I am planning on 2 nights of takeout.

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Nobody panic it is actually Tuesday.  I am a teensy behind- but wanted to get the menu plan posted for the week.  I am trying a bunch of recipes from my new Double Delicious cookbook this week.

Here is the plan:

MONDAY: Roasted Chicken, Buttermilk Chive Mashed Potatoes (this was in this month’s Family Circle), Salad

TUESDAY: Orange Glazed Pork with Broccoli and Rice (from Double Delicious)

WEDNESDAY: Chicken and Biscuits (from Double Delicious except I am cheating and using canned biscuits)

THURSDAY: Crockpot Lasagna with Spinach and Salad

FRIDAY: Creamy Chicken and Cauliflower Gratin (from Double Delicious)

SATURDAY: Taco Salad

SUNDAY: Butternut Squash Soup and French Bread

I made the Banana Chocolate Tarts from Double Delicious.  They are little hand pies with chocolate chips and bananas.  I thought they were delicious- a little dry from whole wheat flour- but I will for sure play with other ingredients in this recipe.

I also made her Maple Spice Muffins this week which turned out pretty well.  A teeny dry from the whole wheat flour but I will make those again for sure.   They are very filling for a super fast breakfast.

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Here is the menu plan for the week.

MONDAY: Caprese Spaghetti (just mozzarella and fresh tomatoes with pasta noodles)

TUESDAY:   Roasted Chicken with red potatoes (I am just doing the Idahoan potatoes- shhh…)

WEDNESDAY: Carrot Soup

THURSDAY: London Broil and Butternut Squash (I am going to lighten this recipe up)

FRIDAY:  Open faced eggplant sandwiches

SATURDAY: Salad with Herbed Monkey Bread (using up those free biscuits from Safeway!)

SUNDAY: Roasted Butternut Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

Well it is warm here but you can tell by the menu that I am ready for winter!

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The menu plan this week is basically get ‘er done.  We are leaving for San Fransisco at the crack of dawn on Friday and I just have a jam packed week.  So this is my fast food plan for the week.

MONDAY: Hummus Pizza (I got red pepper Hummus and I am using red peppers instead of tomatoes)

TUESDAY: Mushroom & swiss burgers with salad

WEDNESDAY: Macaroni and cheese with cauliflower (I got the fancy homestyle mac that was .99 at Walgreens and I just steam and puree cauliflower and mix it in with the mac before baking) then I put some steamed pieces on the side too.

THURSDAY: Steak Fajitas with peppers and onions (this is just a frozen bagged mix so almost no effort required)

I also am making my favorite broccoli soup for lunches this week with focaccia bread.

And I am extremely pleased with myself because I bought a Groupon for a fancy market in SF for $60 that was priced at $30.  So that will be probably dinner and breakfast for us.  And we also bought tickets on Groupon to see Rascal Flatts for just $38 while we are there!  yeah!

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Here is the plan for this week. We have had a lot of leftovers lately, so I decided to only plan 6 meals a week and the last night will be something creative with what is left in the fridge.

MONDAY: Green Salad with apricot filone crostini and fig goat cheese (my husband will probably have chicken breast too)

TUESDAY: Mushroom, Roast Beef and Provolone Patty Melts with sweet potato fries

WEDNESDAY: Roasted chicken with carrots and potatoes

THURSDAY: Chicken Breasts with French Pan Sauce and Steamed Broccoli

FRIDAY: Pumpkin Polenta with Turkey Breast and salad

SATURDAY: Braised Pork Shoulder with green beans

and then for dessert- Banana Rum Sundaes!  The recipe is from Taste of Home magazine:

In a large skillet melt 3tbl butter over med/low.  Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar and a dash of nutmeg.  Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup golden raisins (I am using regular ones), 4 sliced bananas, 1/4 cup rum, and 2 tbl sliced and toasted almonds.

Cook over medium heat for 3-4 min, stirring gently, until bananas are glazed and slightly soft,  Serve with ice cream.  Yummy!

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Here is the plan for the week:

MONDAY: Baked Potato Soup, Salad

TUESDAY: Pork Roast with Apples (slow cooker recipe from Woman’s Day- October)

WEDNESDAY: Beef Roast with Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

THURSDAY: Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart with Green Salad (this is a delicious recipe and I add a tiny bit of herbed cream cheese as well.  I cheat and use pie crust so it is extremely fast.)

FRIDAY: Grilled Steak with Sweet Corn (I bought 10 ears a few weeks ago and grilled them and then cut off the corn and froze it so we have about 3 meals worth in the freezer that just needs to be heated up)

SATURDAY: Sun Dried Tomato and Feta Chicken Penne Pasta and Salad (we got free samples of a seasoning packet for this on our paper today. Looks good!)

SUNDAY: Homemade calzones

AND- for dessert Blackberry Cobbler.  Yummy!

I also made a big batch of egg sandwiches for quick breakfast this week ( they just go in the freezer and then I micro for a minute and they are ready)- which we will have with melon.  (Just cut up the melon we had delivered last week).

I also have leftover potato soup for lunch and I made a few black bean and whole grain rice burritos.  I make the rice in advance and prep the beans.  Then I can just warm them up with a little cheese and lunch is 60 seconds away.

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Here is the plan for this week. I have had a lot of questions about how I plan my shopping trips and how I get a week of meals from my trips, so I will have a 2 part vlog coming your way soon.

In the meantime, here is the plan for this week:

MONDAY: Roasted Chicken and Parmesan couscous

TUESDAY: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

WEDNESDAY: Spaghetti with Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese

THURSDAY: Southern Tomato Pie and Cucumber Salad

FRIDAY: Taco Salad

SATURDAY: Spicy Chicken Tortilla Skillet

SUNDAY: Steak Fajitas with Mexican Rice

I was short on time this week, so nothing terribly exciting.  I am also going to make a blackberry cobbler.  Yum!

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Here is the menu plan for this week:

MONDAY: Steak with caesar salad

TUESDAY: Cauliflower- Cheddar Soup

WEDNESDAY: Roasted Chicken with Creamed peas and crispy shallots

THURSDAY: Scrambled Egg Turnovers with roasted tomatoes

FRIDAY: Dinner out (using my free Red Robin gift card)

SATURDAY: Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers with Green Salad

SUNDAY:  Wellzones with cheese sauce

So that is this week!

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Mission Tortillas challenged me to create a quick and easy meal for less than $10. In our family, we use tortillas almost more than we use bread. I consider tortillas to be the easiest way to pull together a very quick meal.

One thing I make frequently are egg burritos. These are a great way to get a fast and very filling breakfast (and you can take them to go!) Even better- it is a great way to use up any leftovers you might have from the night before.

One of my favorite recipes is for a Greek Breakfast Burrito. You can add any ingredients that you might have on hand- but this is the breakdown of what I used:

**Eggs (one dozen) $1.29
**Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil $2.50 (this is significantly less expensive when purchased in bulk jars from discount clubs)
**Feta Cheese $1.50 per package on sale
**Mission Tortillas $1.50 per package on sale

I start by scrambling the eggs- when they are about halfway cooked I add the chopped up sun dried tomatoes. You can also season with salt and pepper.

Once they are cooked, I serve on a Mission tortilla and top with feta cheese.

This can be ready in just minutes and then wrapped like a burrito in foil and taken to go!

Some other ideas to use up those leftover dinner items:

:: Roasted Chicken, Spinach and Cream Cheese
:: Spanish Rice, salsa and eggs
:: Roasted potatoes, Eggs and cheese

And you can toss in a variety of veggies depending on what you have on hand.

You can take the Mission Menus Challenge as well.  Just enter your recipe by August 9th into their contest to win prizes and even a dream kitchen renovation.  You can check out Missionmenus.com for more recipe ideas.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Mission Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Here the menu plan for the week.

MONDAY: We had appliances delivered today-(4 hours late)- and I couldn’t use the kitchen most of the night so I would up getting unexpected take out.

TUESDAY:  Chicken and Squash and Brown Rice Casserole

WEDNESDAY: Goat Cheese Empanadas and salad

THURSDAY: Broccoli Cheddar Soup

FRIDAY: Summertime Chicken and Orzo Pasta

SATURDAY:  BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes

SUNDAY: Roasted Pork Shoulder and Creamed Corn

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Here is the menu plan for the week!  It is hoootttt here so I am enjoying having my husband grill as much as possible.

MONDAY: BLTs with Caprese salad

TUESDAY: Carne Asada Tacos

WEDNESDAY: Roasted Chicken and Asparagus

THURSDAY: Broccoli Cheese Soup with french bread

FRIDAY: Burgers with sweet pepper mayo and grilled red peppers

SATURDAY: Cheese Stuffed Meatballs and spaghetti and tossed salad

SUNDAY: Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops with steamed broccoli with parmesan

And I will make blackberry cobbler- I usually make the cookie dough and keep it in the freezer.  I skip her recipe and just make an oatmeal cookie dough that I can crumble on top of frozen fruit straight from the freezer. You can have these ready in minutes.

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This week I thought I’d just post the menu for our 4th of July party.  We have a lot of leftovers so I will probably just pull some things together this week to use everything up.

Here is what I served- and here was my shopping trip.  We had 10 people over and I used some things from the pantry/freezer and spent $61 on the rest.  I try to stay as close to my budget as I can when I entertain- without looking like a total cheapskate.

Bocconcini and Cherry Tomato (I used herb sea salt on top and I skipped the basil)

Pizza Dip with Sliced French Bread (Oh my was this good!  I will put the recipe in the comments)

Sliced watermelon, grapes and cherries

Chips and Wholly Queso

Watermelon Margaritas (I will definitely make these again!)

Mango Lemonade for the kiddos

Steak and Chicken skewers (my husband made a marinade of BBQ Sauce and A-1 Sauce) with grilled peppers, mushrooms, beefsteak tomatoes

Grilled Corn on the Cob with butter and grated parmesan cheese

Frozen Key Lime Pie

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

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