Meal Plan for Week of May 31

Monday (Memorial Day)- Cookout at my house 🙂 My part is Grilled Steaks, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Zucchini,Pepper and Onions, and Hummus with Whole Oat Bread

Tuesday-Cut Up Leftover Steak and Chicken turned into Fajitas,Leftover Green Beans, Leftover Zucchini,Pepper and Onions (Leftover Hummus went into a Wrap today fro Mr. Frugalista’s Lunch)

Wednesday-Crockpot Split Chicken Breast,Steamed Broccoli and Rolls (leftover Chicken will be frozen for Chicken Pot Pie later)

Thursday-Pinto Beans and Hushpupppies (leftover Beans will be made into Refried Beans because Little Dude has been asking for “Smooshed Beans”)

Friday-Turkey Burgers on the Grill with Corn on the Cob

Saturday-Grilled Chicken, Zucchini,Green Beans

Sunday-Baked Potato Bar (Chili,Cheese,Sour Cream,Butter etc…)

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Little Frugalista

In Honor of The Memorial Day Cookout

If you are like me you have meat thawing in the fridge right now to cookout for Memorial Day. I love the taste of Marinated Meat but hate the fact that most store bought Marinades have MSG,High Fructose Corn Syrup and a Whole Slew of other preservatives. Here is a great Marinade Website that has TONS of Marinades you can make from scratch to avoid the additives mentioned above. Don’t let that description throw you because they are EASY EASY EASY

Nikibone Marinades

Toilet Clean Up Tip

I can not think of much that I hate worse then cleaning toilets. Maybe it stems from the fact that I have a huge phobia of germs. Whatever the reason I absolutely hate it.

I find toilet brushes to be especially disgusting and when little Miss was really young I stopped using them in favor of the toilet wands that use disposable heads.

 I was terrified she was going to pick up that nasty toilet brush and either play in the little puddle that hung around in the toilet brush holder or was going to  get ahold of the brush and drag the germy thing through our house.

The only thing that I hated almost as much as the toilet brush was how much the refills for the Scrubbing Bubble Toilet Wand were. I had to fight myself to purchase them every time we ran out because my conscience would scream at me for buying something disposable when I could be using something that was reusable. Anyway enough about my neurosis and onto the solution I came up with…..

The head of the Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Wand is like a claw that opens to place the refills in it to use.

Instead of using the refills I refill them with Flushable Store Brand Wipes.

They work just as good, if not better. Take 3 or 4 wipes, wad them up together and hook them onto the Wand where the refills would go. If the toilet is especially bad you can use a little Comet or Baking Soda with the Wipes.

This is a HUGE money saver because 180 wipes are around $4 at Walmart. So you can get 60 uses out of the pack if you use 3 wipes per time. Compare that to the Scrubbing Bubbles Refills which are around $4 for 12 pads.

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Little Frugalista

Meal Plan for Week of May 24th and a Small Grocery Brag

I was running behind this week and didn’t make it to the store until Monday. My brag is that this week I was able to buy groceries for the whole week which includes all Breakfast,Lunches and Dinners for $80 and that even included a few cleaning supplies! My goal is usually around $100-$120. That was even without using coupons or doing comparison ads. Cooking from scratch and Recreating Leftovers really does make a difference in your food budget and your health.

Ok enough bragging on my mad shopping/cooking skills and onto the Meal Plan of the Week :-D….

Monday-Spaghetti with Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Garlic Bread

Tuesday-Hobo Dinner with Potatoes,Onions and Fresh Corn on the Cob (they had the Corn for .19 an ear at Walmart on Monday)

Wednesday-Crockpot Split Chicken Breast,Green Beans and Rolls

Thursday-Chicken and Dumplings, Green Beans and Mixed Veggies

Friday-Breakfast (Shredded Wheat Pancakes, Bacon,Scrambled Eggs,Omletes with Veggies and Biscuits)

Saturday-Going to a Graduation Party

Sunday-Baked Potato Bar(a post to come on this later),Hummus with Veggies and Homemade Bread

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Little Frugalista

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

I have yet to find a Store Bought Spaghetti Sauce that doesn’t contain High Fructose Corn Syrup in it. So as I result I just make ours from scratch.

Here is my recipe. There is room to tweak it to your tastes 😉

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

2 TBSP Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion Chopped

1 TBSP Garlic Powder

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

1 Can Tomato Sauce (29 ounces)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 packet of Truvia (Stevia) or 1 tsp of Sugar

1 lb Cooked Ground Beef or Ground Turkey

-Place Olive Oil in your skillet (I use my iron skillet) and heat up on medium heat.

-Place Chopped Onion and Garlic Powder in the Olive Oil and cook until the onions are translucent

-Stir in Basil and Oregano. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes.

-Pour in Tomato Sauce and stir

-Next add salt and Truvia (or sugar). Stir very well.

-Add in your cooked ground beef (or ground turkey)

-Cover and cook for 30 minutes (plenty enough time to prepare your noodles)

*Notes:

-Mr. Little Frugalista likes his Spaghetti a little more “zippy” so I add 2 TBSP of my Homemade Taco Seasoning.

-This can also be made with ground Venison and in fact the pictures shown are 1/2 Rocky Ground Beef and 1/2 Venison. I cooked a 2 lb batch of 1/2 and 1/2 last week for Mexican Dinner night and froze the other half to serve with Spaghetti today.

-Various things can be stirred into the sauce to increase the nutrients in it. Various veggies you have on hand  can be chopped and placed in the sauce just as I did with our Super Easy Stromboli or you could puree veggies like carrots and add them to the sauce. Just be creative with what you have on hand 😉

-Cooking acidic things in an iron skillet, like spaghetti sauce, is very beneficial to our bodies because the acid in the food helps to leach the iron out for us to ingest. Just check out the subject on Columbia University\’s Go Ask Alice

-I use Whole Wheat Noodles with this sauce because they are better for you and you can’t taste the difference when they are covered in sauce.

Lastly wanted to add that Spaghetti makes a great next day lunch on the go 🙂

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Little Frugalista

Homemade Overnight Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

I said in my meal plan for this week that I would share this new recipe if it was any good. Let me tell you it is FANTASTIC!

I prepared this in on Saturday night for us to eat Sunday after church so I used a Crockpot. I am told you can put all of these things in a pot on the stove and cook it quick if you like.

Homemade Overnight Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

1 can  Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can Chicken Broth

2 Carrots Diced

2 Celery Stalks Diced

1/2 of a Medium Onion Diced

Whole Wheat No Yolks Noodles

2 soup cans worth of water

Leftover Chicken (had it leftover from when we had Split Chicken Breast for Dinner)

1 TBSP Garlic Salt

-Place all ingredients except the noodles in the Crock of your Crockpot and turn Heat on High.

-Cook overnight.

-In the Morning Boil the amount of noodles you want to add and throw them in the Crock before you leave for church or about 4 hours before you intend to eat and reduce heat to Warm or Low

And that’s it 🙂 Super simple right? VERY tasty though!

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Little Frugalista

Free Book for Kids at Borders

I was very excited last week to find out that our Borders was participating in this.  My computer is not hooked up to a printer so I was equally excited to find out that they had the forms in the store.

You do not have to purchase the 10 books your child reads at Borders. They also told me they would count 10 books I read to Little Dude as he isn’t old enough to read yet (though he is getting there)…..

If you’re 12 or under, you’re in!
• read 10 books—any ones you like* • list the books on this form
• bring your completed form to a Borders, Borders Express, or
Waldenbooks store and choose your FREE BOOK**
*No purchase necessary.
**Form must be completed and brought to any Borders, Borders Express, or Waldenbooks store by 8/26/10 to redeem coupon. Offer valid
in-store only. Valid only on selected titles.
Choose from any of these great titles:

Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary ISBN 0380709597
Miss Daisy is Crazy! by Dan Gutman ISBN 0060507004
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown ISBN 0060097914
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary ISBN 0380709589
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan ISBN 0142417440
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen ISBN 0440419395
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth
George Speare ISBN 0440495962
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes ISBN 0440442508
The River by Gary Paulsen ISBN 0440407532
Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann
M. Martin ISBN 0545174759

Print out your form HERE!

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Little Frugalista

Marquee Free Kids Summer Movie Series

Our local Marquee Cinemas participates in a free Kids Summer Movie Series. You show up for the movie at 9:30 am and get in for free. I’m really excited about this years series because there are quite a few movies my kids haven’t seen:)

Being the cheap mom I am I always throw snacks and drinks into my bag for the kids to eat while watching the movie 😉 I always buy special snacks that I keep hidden until movie morning so that the kids are excited about their snacks and don’t drive me crazy begging for concessions which costs an arm and a leg.

Check HERE to see if a town near you is offering this program. If they aren’t on the list or isn’t a Marquee Cinema it’s possible your theatre may still offer a Kids Movie Series and it wouldn’t hurt to call to ask.

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Little Frugalista

Healthy Lowfat Hummus

Healthy Lowfat Hummus (Recipe Courtesy of the Hillbilly Housewife)

• 15 oz can of chickpeas, well drained
• 1/4 cup fresh tap water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
• 2 tablespoons tahini or peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Open up the chickpeas. Rinse then under running water and drain well. Place them in a blender jar. Add the remaining ingredients. Process at high speed for 2 minutes. You will need to turn the blender off and stir the contents every few seconds or so. When the mixture is quite smooth it is done. Scrape the hummus into a resealable container. Chill until serving time.

To divide it equally for serving I cut it into 4 sections. Each section is 1 serving or approximately 1/3-cup. Serve with fresh vegetables or crackers for dipping.

Makes 4 servings.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 191 Calories; 6g Fat (28.2% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 283mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Fat.

Considering the above recipe, now would be a great time to share my blender tip….

If you are going to blend something small you can take off the canister on your blender and screw on a regular mouth Mason Jar. All I could find for this picture was a small Mason Jar but it works also with big Mason Jars as long as they have regular mouths (not Wide Mouths).

You obviously are going to have to turn the base upside down to place the Mason Jar on and take it off to keep the contents from spilling.

You can then store the contents, Hummus in this case, in the jar. One less thing to clean 😉

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Little Frugalista

Shredded Wheat Recipes

Quiltie bought 3 boxes of Kashi brand Shredded Wheat to discover that it really didn’t have much taste. So via Quiltie I inherited 3 boxes of Kashi Brand Shredded Wheat 😀 

 

Being one not to let things go to waste I went in search of recipes to use the contents of the box in  different ways. The following recipes are what I came up with. I will keep you posted on what happens as I try them….

BLUEBERRY SHREDDED-WHEAT MUFFINS

1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. sugar 3 tsp. baking powder 1 1/4 tsp. salt 1 c. crushed shredded wheat 1 egg, slightly beaten 3/4 c. milk 1/3 c. vegetable oil 1/2 c. blueberries 1 tbsp. lemon juice Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in cereal. Add egg, milk, and oil. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in blueberries and lemon juice. Fill greased 2 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees until done and browned, 18-20 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.

SHREDDED WHEAT PANCAKES
2 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 c. milk 1 1/2 c. pancake mix 3 c. crushed biscuits Combine eggs and milk. Beat in pancake mix. Stir in shredded wheat. Let stand 10 minutes. Cook on griddle until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup.

  

Homemade Pancake Mix (to use with the Recipe Above/Prepare just to the “To Make Pancakes or Waffles” ) 

HOMEMADE PANCAKE MIX

10 c. all-purpose flour (3 lbs.) 2 1/2 c. instant nonfat dry milk 1/2 c. sugar 1/4 c. baking power 2 tbsp. salt Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together to blend well. Put in a large airtight container. Label. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 to 8 months. Makes about 13 cups of pancake mix. This mix works for both waffles and pancakes. TO MAKE PANCAKES OR WAFFLES: 2 c. homemade pancake mix 1 c. water 1 egg 2 tbsp. oil (waffles – 3 tbsp.) Beat smooth with a wire whisk or fork. This makes eight (4 inch) pancakes or four large waffles. To make pecan waffles, sprinkle chopped pecans on the batter just before closing the waffle iron. For strawberry waffles, top hot waffle with fresh or thawed frozen strawberries and whipped cream.

  

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Little Frugalista