• 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: Liege Waffles (Gaufre de Liege)

    My cousin Renelle made these waffles a few weekends ago and they are AMAZING!!!!  You don’t even need to put syrup on the waffles!  I ate mine with blueberries on top.  Later that weekend I had them just plain and they were sweet and tasty. You may want to make these the night before if you are planning on an an early breakfast otherwise they would make a great brunch since the dough has to rise.  They are just as delicious reheated as well.  Renelle made deep Belgian waffles for everyone, thanks Renelle for sharing such an awesome recipe with us!!!

     

     

    Liege Waffles:

    Sponge –

    • 4 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
    • 1 1/3 cups warm Milk
    • 1 3/4 cups Flour
    • 1 tablespoon granulated Sugar
    • 1 Egg, lightly beaten

    Batter –

    • 9 tablespoons unsalted Butter (room temperature)
    • 1/4 cup Flour
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • Pinch of Salt
    • 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
    • 3/4 cup Pearl Sugar
    • Extra Flour (for sprinkling)

    Directions

    Sponge –

    1. In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over the milk.  Add 1 tablespoon of flour and sugar; set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
    2. Sift remaining flour into a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in center and add yeast mixture and egg.  Stir well to make a smooth batter.
    3. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside in a warm place and let rise until doubled or tripled in bulk, about 2 hours.

    Batter –

    1. Place butter, flour, vanilla, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and pearl sugar into a bowl and work with back of a wooden spoon to form a paste.
    2. Work butter mixture into a sponge mixture until well combined.  Cover, and set aside for 10 minutes
    3. With floured hands, shape dough into 10 balls.  Flatten one slightly and dust it with flour.  If dough seems too wet to handle, just pour the batter directly onto the waffle iron.
    4. Heat a waffle iron until medium hot.  Place a flattened ball in the middle of the iron; close top.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  If waffle iron is too hot, sugar will burn.  Continue baking until all the waffles are done.  Waffles may be kept warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

    Yields:  10 Waffles

    Photo by EvinDC