Menu Plan For Week .. What's For Dinner

Menu plan for the week Wednesday to next Tuesday
Wednesday... Mexican Taco Casserole from new cookbook
Thursday .. Family Style Beef Pizza from new cookbook
Friday ... left over Mexican Taco Casserole ( working this evening will take to warm up at work)
Saturdays... Chicken Enchilda's sister's recipe
Sunday .. dinner out with family ... left overs later in evening if hungry
Monday... String Cheese Spaghetti and Meatballs from new cookbook
Tuesday ... to be decided

What's For Dinner Mexican Layered Casserole Incredibly Easy Weeknight Meals

Dinner from my cookbook ( paid 99 cents for it ) that I bought at the thrift store was fantastic. Probably not real low in calories with the cheese and all but I will make again. Could make a salad to go with it but I did not do that tonight.

Cook book is Favorite Brand Name Incredibly Easy Weeknight Meals.

Tonight we made our first recipe.. Layered Mexican Casserole.

8 ounces of ground beef

1 (12 oz) can of whole kernal corn drained

1 (12 oz ) jar of chunky salsa

1 (2 1/4 oz) can sliced pitted ripe olives drained

1 cup cream style cottage cheese

1 ( 8 oz) carton of dairy sour cream

5 cups of Tortilla chips ( 7 to 8 ounces)

2 cups ( 8 ozs ) shredded Wisconsin Chedder Cheese divided

1/2 cup of chopped Tomato

Brown ground beef in large skillet ; drain.

Add corn and salsa; cook until thoroughly heated. Reserve 2 tablespoons of olives; stir remaining olives into beef mixture.

Combine cottage cheese and sour cream in bowl.

In 2 quart casserole, layer 2 cups chips, half of meat mixture, 3/4 cup of chedder cheese and half of cottage cheese mixture.

Repeat the layers

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

Line edge of casserole with remaining 1 cup of chips; top with tomato, reserved 2 tablespoons of olives and remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

Bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and chips are hot.

makes 4 to 6 servings.

Serve with more chips if desired.

I loved the taste and the texture. Next time will had add a salad. We have enough left over for another meal this week.

Favorite recipe from Wisconsin Milk Marketing Brand.

Building a Cookbook Collection the FRUGAL Way

I love cookbooks, to be honest I love books. Before I semi retired hubby and I owned a used bookstore. I am always on the out look for books at estate sales, thrift stores and garage sales. I buy the ones of interest and resell on the internet to supplement of our income.

Until they sell , the cook books are mine to read and enjoy. I build my collection of cook books as I find ones I want to own either for awhile or for a long time

Some of my favorite cook books are

There is a breakfast recipe in the above cookbook, I have made in the past that is delicious, will have to make again soon.
This oldie but goodie from 1963 has a wonderful recipe for a beef stew and pot roast.

I also have a three ring binder full of recipes I love. Find a recipe you like scan it and put in binder. You can then resell your cookbook and get back some of your money.

This is my idea for enjoying cookbooks the frugal way...

Thanks For Stopping By... Lets Keep Saving Together... Grace

Eating From The Pantry Challenge End Of The Month

Well the month has come to almost an end and eating from the pantry has been a great challenge. My pantry is still full of certain items. I plan to still work at clearing it out over the month of February.

There are items that we will definetly need to buy for the pantry, I like canned vegetables for a quick dinner and I do not have any pasta left except for 1/2 a box of shells.

Unless it is a fantastic price I will avoid buying anything during the month of February that I have plenty of in the cupboards.

I see some things at Krogers in their mega sale that I will purchase but not much. Plan to stock up on the Can't Believe It's Not Butter while I can get it at a good price and I can buy one tidy cat at a fair price.

I have stopped buying diet coke at the store like I did. This is saving me at least $30.00 a month. My goal this year is to drop the extra weight I am carrying. I have decided to join Curves and this savings is almost my monthly membership cost . I am going 3 times a week and am enjoying the ladies and the commitment.

Hope that you have had a great month on using from your pantry. The money I saved from not buying as helped in other areas we needed money for. Sadly my savings has not gone up except for $21.00 that I got in refunds so far this month.

Thanks For Stopping By... Lets Keep Saving Together... Grace

Eating From The Pantry Challenge

Well we are now into the 3rd week of the pantry challenge. We have done fairly good spending less at the grocery store. The money has not gone on to bills or savings though as of yet. The savings has helped us in other areas.

First week I was able to get my husband's suit pants shortened using part of my grocery money and last week I treated my self.

I am doing taxes part time at H R Block and wanted my nails to look nice so I pampered my self and got nails done plus a hair cut.

Looking nice thanks to cutting back at the grocery stores.

Total spent was $19.77 rather than the normal $65.00 a week I budget.

Pantry is getting low on some can goods but still have lots of food in my pantry.

Added up our eating out cost and it was on track. Not less but on track. We save on eating out by eating at places are more frugal, not buying soda out or using coupons to cut the cost.

How are you doing with your grocery budget .. do you see any good deals out there you want to share..



Thanks For Stopping By... Lets Keep Saving Together.. Grace

What's For Dinner ... From the Pantry... Quite Tasty

Tonight was a quick dinner from the pantry and really was tasty. We had 1/2 pound of hamburger that hubby browned up. We prepared a package of Velvetta Macaroni and Cheese and added the hamburger. Pour one can of Rotel Tomatoes and easy quicky spicy macaroni and cheese.





Slowly eating some of our food from the pantry. Feels good to rearrange as we pull out food. Lets me see what I am low on and what I have more than enough of for now.







We have spent very little money this week on groceries. Had 2 quick trips to Walmart, and one trip to Randall's for bread ( not pictured ). Total spent this week was $20.06. I had coupons for the coke, Starkist Tuna and Daisy sour cream.

If you are participating in the pantry challenge are are you and your family doing.

I love looking for ways to saving money on my groceries and eating out. Hope that I can be helping you as I help my household

Thanks For Stopping By... Lets Keep Saving Together... Grace ..

Thrifty Cheapskate's Financial Challenges for 2010

Well it is just about two weeks into 2010. What will be the challenges and goals for this household.
Number 1 challenge is to make enough money for all the outgo in the budget. With our retirement income the basics are pretty much covered. By basics I mean
Rent
Utilities which also includes phone and cable
Life Insurance for both of us
Health Insurance for both of us
Car Insurance
and there is $35.00 left over for every thing else food included.

We have part time work with my nephew and goal is to add another $1200 a month there but that is not guaranteed. Assuming we make that we are still short $1300. Now this covers items like food, gasoline, clothing budget , saving for gifts for birthdays, Christmas, the giving jar ( feeding the hungry) , travel home to Minnesota, additional travel fund , plus $150 a month into our emergency fund , misc doctor bills etc..

Of these amounts emergency fund is number one. We still do not have our $1,000 in place.

Right now it is tax season and we are working with H&R Block part time for the 3rd year. If you are in Texas in the Rosenberg area call the local office 281 342 3344 and ask for either Grace or Lowell. We would love to meet you and help you with your taxes. Please let us know you are one of my readers.

So number 2 challenge is to get our $1,000 emergency fund in place after fulfilling the basics like eating and gas allotment

Number 3 is paying a small loan to family to move to Texas to be near family. Our financial life had gone into the toilet and the answer was to move to Texas, be near family and work part time for my nephew in his business.

Number 4 challenge is to attempt to pay off our car earlier.

What are your goals and challenges this year. I hope that by sharing my financial situation not only am I helping myself by facing my problems, but maybe helping you.

So for now I am working at making enough extra money to balance my budget this month. Every item is listed and prioritized to importance as we make money.

The important thing to remember how fortunate I am and hopefully you are. At least I have some money coming in, I have the opportunity to make extra money, I have a bed to sleep in, a full pantry and family.

We need to think of those who do not have these basic items and pray for them and help as we can by sharing with the food shelves, giving to our church or homeless shelter to feed the hungry and needy.

I was saddened to read in the Houston paper today that " Texas ranks last in feeding the poor the Fed says " Why is that? I have to admit I am ashamed to say I live in Texas today. I hope that that changes and next year the state I am calling home for now is not on the bottom of the list of helping the needy.

But for the Grace of God there go I.

Thanks For Stopping By... Lets Keep Saving Together ... Grace