Changes

• hot dogs, homemade scratch mac and cheese (white sauce, with cheese added, pasta), peas.
• Ham and and cheese quiche. (using sliced deli ham, provolone cheese).
• BBQ pork chops, long grain rice, peas.
• Home made pizza (cheese for the kids, tomato slices for us). I would make my own crust in the ABM, grate the cheese in my blender, and use canned tomatoes for topping. I have three jars of spaghetti sauce in the freezer with 1/4 cup in each. 
• Dirty rice (using a small amount of ground beef or ground turkey), peas

• Scrambled eggs, hash browns

• Spaghetti and sauce, meat balls with ground turkey, spices, egg, homemade breadcrumbs, veggies
• Home made waffles with syrup.
• Two nights of left overs.
• crock pot chicken thighs, carrots, celery,onion, long grain rice
• dirty rice (with chicken), broccoli.
• left over chicken thighs, egg noodles, veggies 
• Canned soup and sandwiches, veggies

Things are tight right now. My gas light is on, my husband's gas light is close to being on. My daughter's new tuition payments start next week. She will need books. The holidays are coming and it will be a very small and practical Christmas. I have overtime all though the holidays with 4 (12 hour) shifts a week until New Year's. I work Thanksgiving, and New Year's, and am off Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. 

The new and updated menu is not fantastic  but I do have everything I need for the next seven days. We will have having the quiche I posted for tonight. I get paid tomorrow, and need to work on my budget this morning. 

I have a running list of stuff we need at the store. I'm running out of milk, have no flour, no potatoes, limited bar soap (we are using the small pieces that are usually left over, since there are three of them, and one full bar left in the shower. We are turning over the shampoo bottles to make sure we get the last drops out. We had the heat on 66, but it's drafty in the house, and chilly even with hoodies and socks, and blankets on the sofa. It's been turned up to 68. 

Menu Planning

Menu Planning

• hot dogs, homemade scratch mac and cheese (white sauce, with cheese added, pasta), peas.
• Ham and and cheese quiche. (using sliced deli ham, provolone cheese).
• BBQ pork chops, long grain rice, peas.
• Home made waffles with syrup.
• Home made pizza (cheese for the kids, tomato slices for us). I would make my own crust in the ABM, grate the cheese in my blender, and use canned tomatoes for topping. I have three jars of spaghetti sauce in the freezer with 1/4 cup in each. 
• Dirty rice (using a small amount of ground beef or ground turkey), peas
• Spaghetti and home made veggie spaghetti sauce, dinner rolls with the ABM. 
• Scrambled eggs, hash browns
• Two nights of left overs.

We are using some of the left overs for lunch time for DH and myself while I am off work. I go back to work Thursday night. My vacation is almost over. 

We are having a quiche for dinner. I found a recipe on allrecipies.com and it seems very easy to accomplish. It gets rid of some lurking ham slices, hash browns,  and provolone cheese. I'm hoping it's a hit for all of us. 

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 1 (9 inch) pieChange Servings

• 3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• seasoning salt to taste
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 1/4 cup chopped onion

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Press hash browns onto the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie dish. Drizzle with melted butter, and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until beginning to brown.
3. In a small bowl, combine ham, onion and shredded cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and a little seasoning salt. When crust is ready, spread ham mixture on the bottom, then cover with egg mixture.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until filling is puffed and golden brown.

Pantry Listings

Pantry Listings

I also have a spice rack filled with various items. 

Pantry:
1 container of olive oil
1/2 small container of veggie oil**
three packets of cinnamon oatmeal
half a container of whole oats**
salt**
baking powder**
brown sugar**
powdered sugar
bread crumbs

some honey
2 various cans of tomatoes
hot chocolate
popcorn kernels**

pancake syrup

tea bags
three jars of spaghetti sauce
two cans of veggie stock
1 jar peanut butter**
10 lb spaghetti
four lb of sugar
1 package of taco shells


1 packages of "dirty rice"
one opened bag of long grain rice
egg noodles
tomato soup
progresso soup
pinto beans
dry milk
yeast

Left overs:

long grain white rice

Fruit Bowl:
2 lb  onions
6  carrots
1 head of garlic
a very small amount of celery

Open Condiments:
Ketchup**
mustard**
Italian dressing**
grape jelly
mayo
strawberry jelly

honey mustard

Fridge Items:
provalone cheese

eggs

one gallon of milk

2 lb butter
half loaf of bread
three small containers of cinnamon butter
half a pound of ham
Coke Cola

Freezer offerings:
2 whole turkeys
shredded hash browns**
two packages chicken thighs

1 lb sliced ham
1 lb  ground turkey
one whole chicken (0.95 cents a lb),
tortilla shells
open package of onion rings
loaf of bread
popsicles

Frozen Veggies:
2 lb broccoli

2 lb carrots

2 lb corn

2 lb green beans

2 lb squash
 half lb peas

Hidden Suprises:
lots of chicken stock

2 containers of chicken soup (home made)

chicken noodle broth (left overs, didn't get used.
beef stew
taco meat
and a few other things I didn't label. 

Change of plans

• hot dogs, homemade scratch mac and cheese (white sauce, with cheese added, pasta), peas.
• Ham and and cheese quiche. (using sliced deli ham, provolone cheese).
• BBQ pork chops, long grain rice, peas.
• Home made waffles with syrup.
• Home made pizza (cheese for the kids, tomato slices for us). I would make my own crust in the ABM, grate the cheese in my blender, and use canned tomatoes for topping. I have three jars of spaghetti sauce in the freezer with 1/4 cup in each. 
• Dirty rice (using a small amount of ground beef or ground turkey), peas
• Spaghetti and home made veggie spaghetti sauce, dinner rolls with the ABM. 
• Scrambled eggs, hash browns
• Two nights of left overs.

We are using some of the left overs for lunch time for DH and myself while I am off work. I go back to work Thursday night. My vacation is almost over. 

I'm thinking today will be spaghetti with a small salad (using left over tomato, onion, basil, lettuce, grated provolone cheese). I have lots of pasta in the pantry, and some spaghetti sauce that needs to be used in the fridge. Iam out of flour, so I can't make dinner rolls in the ABM. It won't be homemade spaghetti sauce, since I have jar stuff that needs to go. I can steam some veggies to go with this, as I have a freezer full of them. 


EDIT!!!

Since I was looking through the pantry and fridge fro things that need to be used. I've changed my menu for today. I'm going to make tacos instead. I have that pork that needs to be used. I'm going to sice that into small pieces, add some ground turkey, and taco seasoning. I've enough lettuce and tomato/onion/basil/garlic for topping, and we will have the left over rice to go with it. 

That's dinner folks. 

Menu Planning

• hot dogs, homemade scratch mac and cheese (white sauce, with cheese added, pasta), peas.
• Ham and and cheese quiche. (using sliced deli ham, provolone cheese).
• BBQ pork chops, long grain rice, peas.
• Home made waffles with syrup.
• Home made pizza (cheese for the kids, tomato slices for us). I would make my own crust in the ABM, grate the cheese in my blender, and use canned tomatoes for topping. I have three jars of spaghetti sauce in the freezer with 1/4 cup in each. 
• Dirty rice (using a small amount of ground beef or ground turkey), peas
• Spaghetti and home made veggie spaghetti sauce, dinner rolls with the ABM. 
• Scrambled eggs, hash browns
• Two nights of left overs.

We are using some of the left overs for lunch time for DH and myself while I am off work. I go back to work Thursday night. My vacation is almost over. 

I'm thinking today will be spaghetti with a small salad (using left over tomato, onion, basil, lettuce, grated provolone cheese). I have lots of pasta in the pantry, and some spaghetti sauce that needs to be used in the fridge. Iam out of flour, so I can't make dinner rolls in the ABM. It won't be homemade spaghetti sauce, since I have jar stuff that needs to go. I can steam some veggies to go with this, as I have a freezer full of them. 

Monthly Grocery Totals

Total after coupons 29.78
Total for Target 20.33.
Total paid 51.92 

My usual amount for groceries, food, toiletries  HBA, pet food costs are 300 dollars a month. This amount doesn't include lunches for the kids at school. They do buy lunch and it's costly. 

For the month of November I have 300 dollars, and have spent a total of 102.0 3. I'm hoping to come in under budget and put the left overs into my Savings account. 

I do need flour and milk as of this morning. 

Pantry Listings

I also have a spice rack filled with various items. 

Pantry:
1 container of olive oil
1/2 small container of veggie oil**
three packets of cinnamon oatmeal
half a container of whole oats**
salt**
baking powder**
brown sugar**
powdered sugar
bread crumbs
one small container of applesauce
some honey
2 various cans of tomatoes
hot chocolate
popcorn kernels**

pancake syrup

tea bags
three jars of spaghetti sauce
two cans of veggie stock
1 jar peanut butter**
10 lb spaghetti
four lb of sugar
2 packages of taco shells
one packet of taco seasoning
one box of cereal
2 packages of "dirty rice"
one opened bag of long grain rice
egg noodles
tomato soup
progresso soup
pinto beans
dry milk
yeast

Left overs:

chopped tomato/onion/basil
Small amount of lettuce
Small amount of tomato soup
three hotdogs
three hot dog buns
2 small pieces of pork chops in BBQ sauce
chicken noodle broth
long grain white rice

Fruit Bowl:
2 lb  onions
6  carrots
1 head of garlic
a very small amount of celery

1/4 head of lettuce

Open Condiments:
Ketchup**
mustard**
Italian dressing**
grape jelly
mayo
strawberry jelly

honey mustard

Fridge Items:
provalone cheese

eggs

one gallon of milk

2 lb butter
half loaf of bread
three small containers of cinnamon butter
half a pound of ham
Coke Cola

Freezer offerings:
2 whole turkeys
shredded hash browns**
two packages chicken thighs
1 lb ground beef
1 lb sliced ham
2 lb  ground turkey
one whole chicken (0.95 cents a lb),
tortilla shells
open package of onion rings
loaf of bread
popsicles

Frozen Veggies:
2 lb broccoli

2 lb carrots

2 lb corn

2 lb green beans

2 lb squash
 half lb peas

Hidden Suprises:
lots of chicken stock

2 containers of chicken soup (home made)

chicken noodle broth (left overs, didn't get used.
beef stew
taco meat
and a few other things I didn't label. 

Menu Planning

• hot dogs, homemade scratch mac and cheese (white sauce, with cheese added, pasta), peas.
• Ham and and cheese quiche. (using sliced deli ham, provolone cheese).
• BBQ pork chops, long grain rice, peas.
• Home made waffles with syrup.
• Home made pizza (cheese for the kids, tomato slices for us). I would make my own crust in the ABM, grate the cheese in my blender, and use canned tomatoes for topping. I have three jars of spaghetti sauce in the freezer with 1/4 cup in each. 
• Dirty rice (using a small amount of ground beef or ground turkey), peas
• Spaghetti and home made veggie spaghetti sauce, dinner rolls with the ABM. 
• Scrambled eggs, hash browns
• Two nights of left overs.

I took out the last pack of pork chops we had in the freezer  It's 1.49 lb marked down, and a little over two pounds. These will be cut small, seasoned with some BBQ sauce (lurking, almost gone), and served with some left overs that are in the fridge. We have all sorts of things that can go with it. Home made mac and cheese, various soups (maybe for the kids), peas.

Grocery Shopping

OK, so I broke down this morning and went to the grocery store.

I box of Trix cereal 2.00
1 24 ct generic tylenol 4.99
1 generic head and shoulders 6.49
2 36 ct pads for the girls 6.99, 6.99
2 Gilette deoderants for dh and son 5.79, 5.79

Total at CVS prior to coupons 39.04
Coupons 4.99, 2.00, 2.00, 0.75, 1.00
Total after coupons 29.78

I stopped at Target for turkeys.
Two cans of progresso soup on clearance 1.05, 1.05
one whole turkey 0.79 lb for total 9.42.
Another turkey for 79 cents a pound 9.31

Total for Target 20.33.
After 50 cents in soup coupons.


I went to MArtin's. An over priced grocery store that caters to higher incomes.
2 cake mixes 1.25 each
two packages of egg noodles 1.25 each
6 cans of progresso soup 1.25 each
1 20 pack of Coke Cola 5.99
10 various pasta 0.75 each
I 32 oz peanut butter 3.79
3 glass jars of generic spaghetti sauce 1.49 each
one package of chicken thighs 0.99 lb, 4.75 cost
another package of chicken thighs 0.99 lb 4.62 total costs
10  1 pound bags of various frozen veggies (corn, peas, beans, carrots, squash, brocolli) 1.00 each
one gallon of milk 3.35
One loaf of sandwich bread 1.25

Total at Martin's prior to coupons 79.31
Total coupons 27.39
Total paid 51.92 


This is not what we are eating the rest of the month. It's a bunch of loss leaders I bought, because we were running out of various items. It's not a total pantry inventory. There are still lots that we need, but will get them after I pay the bills on Thursday.

Dinner

• hot dogs, homemade scratch mac and cheese (white sauce, with cheese added, pasta), peas.
• Ham and and cheese quiche. (using sliced deli ham, provolone cheese).
• BBQ pork chops, long grain rice, peas.
• Home made waffles with syrup.
• Home made pizza (cheese for the kids, tomato slices for us). I would make my own crust in the ABM, grate the cheese in my blender, and use canned tomatoes for topping. I have three jars of spaghetti sauce in the freezer with 1/4 cup in each. 
• Dirty rice (using a small amount of ground beef or ground turkey), peas
• Spaghetti and home made veggie spaghetti sauce, dinner rolls with the ABM. 
• Scrambled eggs, hash browns
• Two nights of left overs.

I made two home made pizzas for dinner, along with a few cans of chicken noodle or tomato soup, kids choice, along with hot cocoa. 

The pizza crust was in my ABM machine, the last of the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, oil, water and 90 minutes later, a beautiful dough ball formed. I opened a can of garlic tomatoes and chopped them up. I cut up a whole onion. I took the three jars of spaghetti sauce (1/4 full each) and scraped the last of the sauce out for the pizzas. I grated provolone cheese (about 1/4 lb total), added some garlic, onion powders, basil and parsley and topped the pizzas. 

We are using lurking items, and recycling bucket in the kitchen, and the two metal ones out on the deck show it's working. This keeps my budget intact. We had one slice of each pizza left, and two bowls of soup. All left overs were placed in the fridge. 

Thinking that tomorrow will be all left overs. There's quite a bit in the fridge that needs to go. 

Meal Planning

• hot dogs, homemade scratch mac and cheese (white sauce, with cheese added, pasta), peas.
• Ham and and cheese quiche. (using sliced deli ham, provolone cheese).
• BBQ pork chops, long grain rice, peas.
• Home made waffles with syrup.
• Home made pizza (cheese for the kids, tomato slices for us). I would make my own crust in the ABM, grate the cheese in my blender, and use canned tomatoes for topping. I have three jars of spaghetti sauce in the freezer with 1/4 cup in each. 
• Dirty rice (using a small amount of ground beef or ground turkey), peas
• Spaghetti and home made veggie spaghetti sauce, dinner rolls with the ABM. 
• Scrambled eggs, hash browns
• Two nights of left overs.

I don't have much in the way of veggies or fruit. I have three bananas, and two open bags of frozen peas, about 1 lb of fresh carrots, onion,  and some celery. I do have three cans of tomatoes that I'm going to use for home made pizza. I do have a running grocery list that I'm working hard to stay out of the stores. 

While the menu planning is working out, I'm just not used to it. I do like the fact that I can just choose a meal and know that I have everything to make it. I do have to incorporate some items that need to be used up, or some left overs that can be placed into other meals. I find that eventually my freezer is going to be full of "hidden surprises", which means that come December, we will have to have a big thaw out session.