Recipe
Fresh & Healthy: Community Supported Agriculture (Week 10 & 11)
It is our tenth and eleventh week receiving fresh produce from our CSA! Our family purchased a half of share and will be receiving fresh produce, local honey, eggs and more for 20 weeks. This week we picked up a full share instead of our usual half share because we were out of town last week. Jake picked up the fresh veggies this week, thanks babe! It was nice to get our basket again this week after being away for a little bit.Week 10 & 11 of Fresh Goodies from our CSA!
Fresh produce from our local farm! Items in our Basket this Week:
- 1 bag Red Okra
- 1 bag Green Okra
- 1 bag Beans
- 3 Cucumbers
- 5 Tomatoes
- 1 container Cherry Tomatoes
- 4 Green Peppers
- 6 Eggplants
- 2 Green Squash
- Dozen Fresh Eggs
I am looking forward to eating these goodies this week! Thanks everyone for the delicious Recipes!!!
To find out how you can be a part of a local CSA check out this post – Fresh & Healthy: Community Supported Farms
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
We were on the road only a couple days during this week! I went over last week so I was trying to keep it within reason this week. It was a tough week to stay under budget because Jake’s birthday was on Tuesday and I am making a couple meals for people in our church who need them. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Ingles Ingles Groceries:
- $18.79 at Ingles for 1 bag Ingles Wavy Chips, 1 Laura Lynn Bread (1 1/2 pound for $0.98), 1 container Stonyfield Strawberry Yogurt (on clearance and great for smoothies), 1 container Daisy Cottage Cheese (on clearance), 1 container Biltmore Onion Dip (on clearance), 1 bag Philsbury Caramel Brownies (on clearance), 1 container Crab, Spinach & Artichoke Dip (on clearance), Sirloin Tip, 1 large bag of Banana’s (on clearance), and 1 three pound bag of Yellow Apples (on clearance). The most expensive part was the meat, it was the only item not on sale or clearance but I picked it up for a special dinner.
Groceries from Dollar Tree and Aldi's Dollar Tree Groceries:
- $0.50 at Dollar Tree for 2 boxes of Honey Oat Rings Cereal on clearance for $0.50 each
Aldi’s Groceries:
- $9.02 at Aldi’s for 2 packages of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 4 cans of Cream of Mushroom, 1 bag of Fresh Spinach and 1 bag of Santa Fe Style Tortilla Strips (on clearance).
Groceries from CVS and BiLo BiLo Groceries:
- $10.98 at BiLo for 2 large cans of Green Beans and 1 five pound bag of Tater Bites.
CVS Groceries:
- $8.02 at CVS for 4 – 12 packs of Mountain Dew (they were on sale for $2.50 each and I found peelies on the packages for $1.00 off 2)
This week I spent $47.31 on groceries. Even though I was over my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on several items on clearance and stay at least somewhat close to the budget. I REALLY hope to have a better week for my next update, it doesn’t sit well with me going over the budgeted amount two weeks in a row. I am happy to stock up but need thumped on the head for going over the budget again this week. We were out of town for a part of this grocery week so it was a little different from our usual events.
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Family Recipe: Roasted Potatoes
We had the privilege of spending some time with Jake’s grandparents recently. One of the recipes Grandma made while we were in Vermont was Roasted Potatoes and it was delicious! You probably have the most if not all the ingredients already in your kitchen for this easy recipe. If you are looking for a way to use up some of those fresh garden potatoes you should try out this recipe.Roasted Potatoes:
- 1 pound small Potatoes (prefer red potatoes but any kind will work)
- 1/2 cup Butter (melted)
- 1 cup grated Cheese (Parmesan Cheese is what Grandma used when she made it)
Wash the potatoes and slice in half. Melt the butter and spread in the 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle grated cheese over the melted butter. Put the potatoes open side down in the dish. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 to 375 degrees.
Photo by Sing A Melodie
Fresh & Healthy: Our Garden – Okra, Green Beans, Summer Squash, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Purple Beans,Tomatoes, Zucchini, Peppers and More!
We are enjoying the fresh vegetables from our garden! This week we were traveling for part of the week. We picked some veggies to take with us on a recent road trip to Charleston and came home with an empty basket. It was nice having the opportunity to share goodies with the people we knew in Charleston.
Here are some of the fresh veggies we were able to eat and share this week:
Fresh Garden Produce Fresh garden produce this week – green peppers, red tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, okra (our first one), cucumbers, banana peppers, purple beans, green beans, and lettuce.
Garden Produce A picked a few tomatoes and strawberries earlier in the week and forgot to take a picture. These were another quick pick on a busy day – okra, strawberry, purple beans, green beans, tomatoes and cucumbers.
We have had a lot of great tomatoes the last couple of weeks. If you are looking for a new recipe to try using fresh tomatoes check out the one that my friend Ashley from Reflecting on the Simple Things in Life posted called “Tomato Pie”!
What are you eating out of your garden this week?
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of July 27 – August 2, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. Save A Lot continued their sale so it is a great time to stock up on several items (no coupons necessary to get the Save A Lot Today prices). Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Fairgrounds Meat Hot Dogs (12 oz) – $0.69
Fresh Chicken Wings – $1.49 per lb
Gwaltney Pork Sausage (12 oz) – $1.00
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Popsicle or Fudgsicles – $1.00
American Basics American Cheese Slices – $1.00
Save A Lot Today Orange Juice – $1.99
Save A Lot Today Party Pizza – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Pizza Rolls – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Imitation Shreds – $1.00
Household
Save A Lot Today Bath Tissue – $0.89
Save A Lot Today Laundry Detergent – $1.99
Produce
Cherries – $1.99 per lb
Salad Mix (12 oz) – $0.99
Idaho Potatoes (5 lb bag) – $1.49
Grocery
Budget Gourmet Fettuccine Alfredo or Mac N Cheese – $0.69
Campbell’s Original O’s (26 oz) – $0.97
Kool Aid – $0.10
Use B2G1F coupon from the July All You Magazine (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.50/5 coupons from Kool Aid Facebook Page
As low as $0.00 each after couponDoritos, Cheetos, Fritos Scoops – $1.00
Nabisco Cheese Nips Snack Crackers – $1.00
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 7/30/11)
$0.50 each after couponSplash Out Gallon Drink (128 oz) – $1.00
Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups – $1.00
Save A Lot Today BBQ Sauce – $0.79
Save A Lot Today Ranch Dressing – $0.89
Save A Lot Today Apple Juice – $1.19
Save A Lot Today Toaster Pastries – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Pancake Mix – $0.49
Save A Lot Today Pancake Syrup – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Mashed Potatoes – $0.79
Save A Lot Today Biscuit Mix – $0.79
Save A Lot Today Brownie Mix – $0.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
We were on the road again this week, it really has been a summer full of adventures and road trips. I didn’t take a lot of time to use coupons since time was tight but was able to score a cluster of clearance items. The bad news is I went over budget this week, the good news is the freezer is restocked with meat, vegetables, and fruit! Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Ingles and BiLo Ingles Groceries:
- $50.34 at Ingles for 5 containers of Strawberries (on clearance for $0.99), 5 containers of Blueberries (on clearance for $0.99), 8 packages of Ground Hamburger (93% lean on clearance), 1 package of Lobster (on clearance), 1 package of Alaskan Salmon (on clearance), 2 heads of Cauliflower (on clearance), 2 bags of Brussel Sprouts (on clearance), 1 bag of Bananas (7 pounds on clearance), 2 bags of Apples (on clearance), 2 containers of Carmel Dip (on clearance), and 3 bottles of fruit drinks (on clearance).
BiLo Groceries:
- $23.87 at BiLo for 1 gallon of Skim Milk, 1 bag of Potatoes (on clearance), 2 bags of Purple Grapes (on clearance), 1 bag of Green Grapes (on clearance), 1 bag of Tomatoes (on clearance), 1 bag of Grapefruit (on clearance), 1 bag of Onions (on clearance), 1 bag of Summer Squash (on clearance), 1 package of Catfish (on clearance), 1 package of Perch (on clearance) and 1 gallon of 2% Milk.
Groceries from CVS, Walgreens, Dollar Tree and Walmart Walgreen Groceries:
- $2.25 at Walgreen’s for 2 Hamburger Helpers and 1 Tuna Helper.
CVS Groceries:
- $1.78 at CVS for 2 two liters of Mountain Dew.
Dollar Tree Groceries:
- $1.01 at Dollar Tree for 1 loaf of Nature’s Own Bread
Walmart Groceries:
- $2.76 at Walmart for 1 loaf of French Bread (on clearance) and 1 loaf Cheese Bread (on clearance).
This week I spent $82.01 on groceries. Even though I was over my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on several items on clearance and bread items to use as we traveled. I really hope to have a better week for my next update. I am happy to stock up but need bumped on the head for going over the budget this week. We were out of town for a part of this grocery week so it was a little different from our usual events.
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Recipes: Fresh Blueberry Goodies
A friend let me come over and pick fresh blueberries last week. Our family has been enjoying delicious blueberry goodies all week. It was great having a chance to catch up with a friend and pick blueberries. I am thankful for the many amazing people in our lives. Thanks Dee for your hospitality and the blueberries!
Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie The Strawberry Blueberry Smoothies have been a huge hit with our family and the girls ask to have one every day for lunch now. Here’s what we put in our smoothie (we have done several other variations throughout the week):
- 1 cup Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 Banana
- 1/2 cup Strawberry Yogurt (any flavor will work, we used Strawberry Cheesecake a couple times too)
- 1/2 cup Skim Milk
Blend everything in a blender until smooth and poor into cups. I poured this amount into three small cups, if you need more double the recipe.
Homemade Ice Cream Topped with Freshly Picked Blueberries We had Homemade Ice Cream and as a special treat we topped it with fresh blueberries. Next time I might put the blueberries in the ice cream from the beginning, I am sure Homemade Blueberry Ice Cream would taste delicious. The fresh blueberries were a perfect topping.
Blueberry Banana Pancakes Our family ate Blueberry Banana Pancakes for dinner this week. I added fresh blueberries to the recipe and more on top. It turned out very tasty. The girls loved the Blueberry Banana Pancakes and had three each.
Fresh Blueberries on my cereal The girls and I were eating Blueberry Pomegranate cereal for breakfast and added fresh blueberries as a special treat. Brina and Karlie thought it was the best cereal they had eaten. Our entire family has been enjoying the fresh blueberries.
Another great blueberry recipe is Blueberry Cobbler. You can make Blueberry Cobbler using this recipe. We have had blueberries on our yogurts and as a snacks. What is your favorite ways to fresh blueberries?
Fresh & Healthy: Our Garden – Green Beans, Summer Squash, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Purple Beans,Tomatoes, Zucchini, Basil and More!
We are loving the fresh vegetables from our garden! This week I only have one picture from the garden because we were traveling for part of the week. The good news is we were able to take some of our goodies from the garden to share with family along the way and we came back to some more fresh ones ready to be picked. Also, while we are gone my brother and his family get to pick any of the produce that is ready for themselves or to give away so I didn’t get pictures of the items they picked while we were out of town.
Here are some of the fresh veggies we were able to eat and share this week:
Fresh produce from the garden. Fresh Summer Squash, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Whole Size Tomatoes, Fresh Leafy Green Lettuce, Purple Beans, Banana Peppers, Strawberries, and Sweet Basil.
Garden veggies Fresh Radish, Green Pepper, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Whole Size Tomatoes, Fresh Leafy Green Lettuce, Purple Beans, Banana Peppers, and Zucchini.
What are you eating out of your garden this week?
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of July 20 – 26, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. Save A Lot is introducing their “Save A Lot Today” brand products this month and continued their sale so it is a great time to stock up on several items (no coupons necessary to get the Save A Lot Today prices). Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Fairgrounds Meat Hot Dogs (12 oz) – $0.69
Fresh Chicken Wings – $1.49 per lb
Gwaltney Pork Sausage (12 oz) – $1.00
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Popsicle or Fudgsicles – $1.00
American Basics American Cheese Slices – $1.00
Save A Lot Today Orange Juice – $1.99
Save A Lot Today Party Pizza – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Pizza Rolls – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Imitation Shreds – $1.00
Household
Save A Lot Today Bath Tissue – $0.89
Save A Lot Today Laundry Detergent – $1.99
Produce
Cherries – $1.99 per lb
Salad Mix (12 oz) – $0.99
Idaho Potatoes (5 lb bag) – $1.49
Grocery
Budget Gourmet Fettuccine Alfredo or Mac N Cheese – $0.69
Campbell’s Original O’s (26 oz) – $0.97
Kool Aid – $0.10
Use B2G1F coupon from the July All You Magazine (Expires 12/31/11)
Use $0.50/5 coupons from Kool Aid Facebook Page
As low as $0.00 each after couponDoritos, Cheetos, Fritos Scoops – $1.00
Nabisco Cheese Nips Snack Crackers – $1.00
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 7/30/11)
$0.50 each after couponSplash Out Gallon Drink (128 oz) – $1.00
Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups – $1.00
Save A Lot Today BBQ Sauce – $0.79
Save A Lot Today Ranch Dressing – $0.89
Save A Lot Today Apple Juice – $1.19
Save A Lot Today Toaster Pastries – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Pancake Mix – $0.49
Save A Lot Today Pancake Syrup – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Mashed Potatoes – $0.79
Save A Lot Today Biscuit Mix – $0.79
Save A Lot Today Brownie Mix – $0.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Fresh & Healthy: Community Supported Agriculture (Week 9)
It is our ninth week receiving fresh produce from our CSA! Our family purchased a half of share and will be receiving fresh produce, local honey, eggs and more for 20 weeks. Jake picked up the fresh veggies this week, it was nice to get our basket this week after being away for a little bit.Week 9 of Fresh Goodies from our CSA!
Fresh goodies from our farm! Items in our Basket this Week:
- 1 bag Red Potatoes
- 2 Green / Yellow Squash
- 1/2 bag Red Okra
- 1/2 bag Green Okra
- 1 bag Green Beans
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 Tomato
- Dozen Fresh Eggs
I am looking forward to eating these goodies this week! Thanks everyone for the delicious Recipes!!!
To find out how you can be a part of a local CSA check out this post – Fresh & Healthy: Community Supported Farms
