Fresh Vegetable & Pasta Soup
Recently I put together a soup with some items I had already in the refrigerator. We were going out of town and I needed to use up some of the fresh vegetables already in the fridge. This was super easy and everyone enjoyed it.
Fresh Vegetable & Pasta Soup
- 1 carton Tomato Juice
- 1 small Zucchini
- 1 small Summer Squash
- 2 medium Carrots
- 1 cup sliced Mushrooms
- 2 cups Elbow Noodles
Add all the items to the crockpot. Stir until it is mixed together and put the crockpot on low for 6 hours.
What To Do With 25 Pounds of Fresh Organic Carrots
A few months ago I found this 25 pound bag of Fresh Organic Carrots marked down to $2.99 at our local Ingles store. Yippee!!! I checked to make sure all the carrots looked fresh and good. I was super excited because our family loves carrots, these looked great, and having a big bag could be beneficial for several recipes over the next few of months. We counted the carrots and if I remember correctly there were 76 large (some very large) full size carrots in this bag.
What did we do with all the carrots?
- Eat It – we ate them raw, in salads, dishes, cooked, and a variety of other great ways (our kids love munching on raw carrots or really anything with carrots in it)
- Share It – we gave several bags of carrots away to friends and family to use in their cooking too.
- Feed It – since we have goats they enjoyed a lot of delicious carrot treats over the next few months.
A bowl of fresh sliced carrots
How did we store all the carrots?
After scrubbing, washing, and drying the carrots we did a number of different things with them:
- Dehydrated Carrots – we sliced up a dehydrator full of carrots to use in soups, stews, and as treats for the goats. The goats LOVE crunchy dehydrated carrots as a snack!
- Frozen Carrots – some of the carrots we sliced up or shredded then put into Ziploc bags in the deep freezer to use for future recipes.
- Fresh Carrots – we used some right away for various recipes, ate raw carrots, and stored them in the refrigerator. We put the carrots in a drawer with other vegetables and our BluApple to help keep them fresh longer.
Tray full of sliced carrots ready to be dehydrated
Dehydrating 5 trays of sliced carrots – these are very good in soups and the goats love these as a special treat!
The carrots were still really fresh and I didn’t have to throw any out. These carrots lasted for several months frozen and dehydrated. Even though it is a lot of work when you get a big bag (25 pounds) up front the benefits will last a long time so it can be really worth it.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of February 1 – 7, 2012
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Boston Round Roast – $2.99 lb
London Broil – $3.49 lb
Beef Sirloin Tips – $2.99 lb
Family Pack Cube Steak – $3.49 lb
Family Pack Stew Meat – $2.99 lb
Family Pack Chicken Wings – $1.59 lb
Butterball Turkey Bacon (6 oz) – $1.00
$0.55/1 coupon from insert 1/14 Smart Source (Expires 2/26/12)
$0.45 each after couponBoston Butt Roast – $1.69 lb
Family Pack Chicken Drumsticks or Thigh – $0.99 lb
Chicken Leg Quarters (10 pounds) – $6.89
Carolina Ground Turkey (12 oz) – $1.00
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
Oscar Mayer Wieners (16 oz) – $1.00
Oscar Mayer Bologna (12 oz) – $1.00
Oscar Mayer Lunchables (4 oz) – $1.00
Banquet Dinners, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Pillsbury Grand Biscuits (16 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.40/2 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (3/3/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 1/8 General Mills (Expires 3/31/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 11/13 General Mills (Expires 2/4/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 12/4 Smart Source (Expires 2/25/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 12/4 Smart Source (Expires 2/15/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
As low as $0.67 each after couponBuyers Best Crinkle Cut French Fries (32 oz) – $1.00
Save A Lot Today Chicken Strips or Meatballs (7 to 9 oz) – $1.00
Banquet Brown ‘n Serve Sausage Links, Maple or Original (6 oz) – $1.00
Budding Deli Cuts (Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Roast Beef) 3 to 4 oz – $1.00
Hormel Pepperoni or Hard Salami (3.5 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 1/15 Smart Source (Expires 3/15/12)
Use $0.55/2 printable coupon from Hormel
As low as $0.50 each after couponHinsdalel Corn Dogs (3 count) – $1.00
Fisher Boy Fish Sticks (6 oz) – $1.00
Fisher Boy Shrimp Poppers (4 oz) – $1.00
Tortino’s Pizza Rolls, Pepperoni or Cheese (15 count) – $1.00
Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza, Pepperoni or Supreme (9 to 10 oz) – $1.00
Produce
Oranges (4 pounds) – $2.99
Potatoes (10 pounds) – $2.99
Mini Carrots – $1.00
Head Lettuce – $1.00
Tomatoes (3 pack) – $1.00
Russet Potatoes (5 pounds) – $1.99
Onions (3 pounds) – $1.29
Red or Yellow Peppers – $1.00
Avocados – $1.00
Yellow Onions (3 pounds) – $1.00
Grocery
Betty Crocker Hamburger or Chicken Helper, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups, Assorted Varieties (8 oz) – $1.00
Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta, Assorted Varieties (14 to 15 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.50/4 coupon from 1/1 Smart Source (2/5/12)
$0.88 each after couponDiane’s Garden Tomatoes, Whole, Petite or Crushed (28 oz) – $1.00
Nissan Souper Meals, Assorted Varieties (4.3 oz) – $1.00
Hormel Micro Cups, Assorted Varieties (7.5 oz) – $1.00
Wylwood Cut Green Beans or Whole Kernel Corn (28 to 29 oz) – $1.00
Progresso Vegetable Classic Soups, Assorted Varieties (19 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 2/4/12)
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 1/8 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
$0.75 each after couponLay’s Stax, Assorted Varieties (5.5 to 5.75 oz) – $1.00
Bud’s Best Bite Size Cookies, Assorted Varieties (6 oz) – $1.00
Knorr Sides, Assorted Varieties (4 to 7 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 1/29 Red Plum (Expires 2/26/12)
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 1/29 Red Plum (Expires 2/26/12)
As low as $0.67 each after couponChicken of the Sea White Tuna (5 oz) – $1.00
Kraft Mac & Cheese, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Hawaiian Punch, Assorted Varieties (32 oz) – $1.00
Malt O Meal Cereal (10 to 12 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 printable coupon from Malt O Meal
$0.67 each after couponBetty Crocker Flavored Mashed Potatoes (4 to 6 oz) – $1.00
Kool Aid Bursts (40.5 oz) – $1.00
Red Gold Ketchup (36 oz) – $1.00
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
School is continuing at full throttle and we are finding ways to stay busy, ha! I was able to get some great items on clearance and stock up on some lunch box items. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Aldi's and Walgreens Aldi Groceries:- $48.39 at Aldi’s for 4 boxes Macaroni & Cheese, 1 bag Cinnamon Bagels, 2 boxes Moo Tube Yogurts, 1 box refrigerator Pie Crusts, 4 bags Cheese Sticks, 2 boxes Seasoned Potatoes, 1 three pound bag Chicken, 1 bag White Tortilla Chips, 1 bag Sugar Wafers, 1 bag Cheddar Nuggets, 1 box Oatmeal, 2 packs Taco Seasoning, 1 box Butter, 2 blocks Cheddar Cheese, 4 boxes Vanilla Pudding, 1 container Light Sour Cream, 1 bag Granulated Sugar, 2 Blueberry Pancake Mixes, 5 boxes Tropical Fruit Rolls, 1 bag Carrots, and 2 containers fresh Mushrooms (I was able to get several of these items marked down at Ali’s, which is rare for me, yay!)
Walgreen Groceries:
- $1.21 at Walmart for 4 boxes Baking Soda, 3 bags Disney Car Marshmallows, 1 two liter Lemon Lime and 2 gallons Milk (the Baking Soda & Milk was on sale and the Marshmallows & Lemon Lime was on clearance. I used a couple Register Rewards towards the purchase.)
This week I spent $49.60 on groceries. Even though I was only a little over on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on several items. Thankfully I had extra in the grocery wallet to cover the expense. I hope that next week is an even better week and we can come under budget for the week.
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.
Recipe: Veggie Beef Soup
We made this soup recently when friends came over. I was trying to use up some fresh vegetables that we had in our refrigerator and came up with this recipe. It was super easy and tasted delicious. We have been trying out a variety of different soup recipes during the cooler winter months. All of us have enjoyed the leftovers too! The items that we put in the Veggie Beef Soup were ones we had on hand. Feel free to add more or substitute with the veggies that you have in your refrigerator. Today is a snowy day in SC so we are loving the warm meals. The kids have been in and out playing in the snow today.Veggie Beef Soup
- 1 pound Beef Stew Meat
- 1 cup potatoes (cut into 1/2 inch)
- 1 cup carrots (cut into 1/4 inch pieces)
- 1 can stewed Tomatoes
- 1 can Beef Broth
- 1 cup frozen Green Beans
- 1/2 cup Snap Peas
- 1/2 cup Onion (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon of McCormick Grill Mates 25% Less Sodium Montreal Steak
Put all ingredients in the crock pot turn it on low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. If you want a slightly thicker soup you can add a tablespoon of sifted flour.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of December 12, 2010 – January 1, 2011
Here are this weeks deals at Save A Lot. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies – $2.59
Use $1/2 coupon from 12/5 Red Plum (Expires 1/22/11)
Use $0.75/2 printable coupon from Red Plum
As low as $2.09 each with couponAssorted Pork Chops – $1.99 per lb
Pork Loinback Ribs – $2.99 per lb
Pork Spare Ribs – $1.69
Sugardale Sliced Bacon – $1.99
Frozen Cooked Shrimp – $9.99
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
Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese – $0.89
Use $0.55/1 coupon from Kraft Food & Family (Expires 12/31/10)
Use $1/3 coupon from Holiday Cravings Kraft Foods Booklet (Expires 1/2/11)
As low as $0.34 each after coupon.Bright & Early Breakfast Drink – $0.79
Kraft Chunk Cheese (10 oz) – $1.79
Use $1/2 printable coupon from Kraft
$1.29 each after couponCreamy Whip Whipped Topping – $0.99
Household
Wrightware Foam Plates – $0.99
Axis Liquid Bleach – $0.99
Produce
Mini Carrots – $0.79
Grocery
Ritz Crackers – $1.79
Use $1.50/1 printable coupon from Kraft
Use $1/2 coupon from Kraft tear pad in stores (Expires 12/31/10)
As low as $0.29 each after couponLibby’s Pineapple – $0.99
Maruchan Ramen Cups – $0.33
Baymist Cranberry Juice Cocktail – $1.99
Enhance Coffee Creamer – $1.49
Ginger Evans Graham Cracker Crust – $1.29
O’ Day’s Mac & Cheese – $0.33
Senora Verde Tortilla Chips – $0.99
Ginger Evans Frosting – $1.25
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix – $0.39
Ginger Evans Cake Mix – $0.89
Shelby’s Grove Applesauce – $0.99
Portmann’s Cocktail Sauce – $1.29
Theodoro Plain or Cinnamon Raisin Bagels – $1.39
Senora Verde Dice Tomatoes with Green Chiles – $0.63
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.
