$7 for Easter and "Tell the Story" Easter Cookies...

I planned Easter dinner sometime back and bought a leg of lamb when it was on sale. Lamb seemed to be fitting for Easter ;-)

For a little fun, the kids will hide-n-seek eggs in the house while the last of the cooking is done and dinner is being served. (As a matter of fact, they will hide and seek them for days!) I bought two packs of eggs for $2 each.

To make the table look cute, I bought dessert/snack plates for $2 and a bright green table cover for $1. (I often let them draw on these table covers while waiting on food.)

After dinner, we always take time to read through the Easter story from the Bible. Before bed we have always read an Easter storybook that was a present for Easter, many years ago.

Easter is more frugal at my house than it used to be, but it helps keep the focus on the right things!

*******************************************************

EASTER COOKIES-

A TRULY SPECIAL WAY TO CELEBRATE EASTER WITH YOUR CHILDREN

(this was given to me many years ago by a friend, its not original;)

You need:

1 c whole pecans

1 t vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 c sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon

tape

Bible

Preheat oven to 300.

Place pecans in sipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3

-

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 t vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that Jesus was thirsty while on the cross and He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11

-

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27

-

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16

-

Beat the egg whites on high speed with a mixer for approx. 12 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity of God's eyes, towards those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

-

Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60

-

Put the cookie sheet in the preheated oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

-

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

-

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

******************************************************

A fun and frugal Easter, Works for Me Wednesday!

Ok- WHY is there an army guy in the sink?

This Gratituesday, I'm grateful for: army guys in the sink!

This past weekend, my younger three children became quiet, so I stepped out of my dwelling (the kitchen) to see what they were up to. There they sat, so cute, on the couch whispering and giggling low and curled up with their notebooks! (Not enough school work guys?)

I wondered about the whispering and giggling but its not uncommon for them to sit and write stories and cut up about them.

I walked to the bathroom to find this:
Yeah, an army guy. Not that they are uncommon here, just that they are normally in the toy-box and not the bathroom sink, ya know?
"Ok, kids, WHY is the army guy in the sink?"
"Oh, we forgot about him."
"You forgot him? Well, why was he there in the first place?"
"Well, he got a little wet." (laughing)
"A little we huh? What- were you guys trying to baptize him or something?" (I question, thinking I'm the creative cute one.)
"Well, as a matter of fact...Joe the preacher (another army guy, uhmm chaplain?), was the preacher and Harvey (this army guy) wasn't saved...he had been out drinking root beer, and Joe went after him and told him he had to get saved and get baptized so he dunked him in the sink. Then he decided he wanted to swim around for a little while."
"Ohhhhh, ooookaaaayyyy."
******
Kids have a way of making you SO thankful for army guys in the sink, don't they?
...the story went on but I'm afraid the rest mandates the patience that only their own mother has ears for ;-).... like how Harvey can now smell sin!
-Too funny!-

Menu Plan....

My Menu Plan Monday, centers around feeding 8, three meals a day!
I will be planning for my once-a-month shopping trip this week, and working
my way through the remnants in the freezer! That's always a fun adventure
that challenges me to be creative with what I have on hand. ;-)

SATURDAY:
-Butterscotch Breakfast Cookies, milk
-out to eat yah!
-Oven Fried Chicken, lima beans, corn on the cob
Snacks: Nutty Peanut Butter Granola, Brandy's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, juiced citrus fruits
SUNDAY:
-Peanut Butter Granola and milk
-Veggie plate lunch, cookies
-Baked Turkey Breast, potato salad, Kiwi-blueberry Kefir Smoothie
Snacks: popcorn with butter, bread and butter
MONDAY:
-English Wheat Muffins with turkey ham, homemade pear preserves
-Turkey Dressing Casserole, leftover potato salad, steamed broccoli
-BBQ Buffalo Meatballs, triple bean salad, corn salsa
Snacks: carrots and veggie dip, Loaded Freezer Cookies
TUESDAY:
-Coconut Millet
-Chicken Salad on toasted Breakfast Spelt Bread, homemade pickles, Mango-peach smoothie
-Roast, carrots, lima beans, cornbread
Snacks: baked apples, fruit salad, popcorn
WEDNESDAY:
-kids choice/ peanut butter granola
- Freezer Breakfast Casserole, brown rice, fruit salad
-Chicken Fajitas on flatbread
Snacks: Stuffed Celery, popcorn
THURSDAY:
-homemade whole wheat waffles
-Enchilada Bake, brown rice, refried beans
-Chicken Loaf, pasta salad, leftover chickpeas
Snacks: crunchy chickpeas, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from the freezer
FRIDAY:
-leftover waffles
-Creamy Chicken and Noodles, shoepeg corn, broccoli normandy
-Homemade Pizza
Snacks: Chocolate Kefir Shakes, Beef Jerky

Run from Giant Despair and Doubting Castle, keep Hopeful, remember the Promise!

The enemy, who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us has a great weapon. So great a weapon that the 2nd best-selling book of all-time mentions it; Pilgrim's Progress.

The weapon?

Its the ugly Giant Despair!
He's so ugly- and cruel- and scary!
And he's so wicked and mean!
He will hand you a rope, poison, and a dagger and tell you how much better things will be, if you will just use them!

He will drag you to Doubting Castle and shackle you in a prison, and make you want to die. He will drag you through all the bad things in your life- and in everyone else's. He'll make you believe that your prayers only go as high as the floor. He may keep you from food and drink, or keep you from seeing the lovely light of day. He will make you believe that there will never be better days in your future and the misery that you now abide in, will be your permanent stay.

And if you think the ole Giant is something, you must meet the wife! Oh she is a terror! In fact, she's the Queen of Terror and Fear! She has a murderous heart that is very deceitful and evil. She will do all she can to ensure torturous imaginations! You know, the kind that keep you awake and far from peace, rest, and safety!

Now the mystery- Christian sat there- tormented by Giant Despair and his wicked Wife, with a great Promise in his pocket, the whole time! What made him forget it? What kept him from thinking of it when he needed it most?

I suppose it is the power of Despair. It can blind you and confuse you.

Its so important to constantly remind yourself that the Promise is right there- right at your heart- all the time. Listen to Hopeful: *Then said HOPEFUL, "That’s good news; good brother, pluck it out of thy bosom, and try."*

Don't let him beat you! You have a key! A precious Promise! But don't be defeated, don't give up, for even our Lord felt this heavy creature too. Remember; “My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?” As He cried to His Father, so can we cry to Him!

*'I will never leave you, nor forsake you,'
*For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to be, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
*"But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil."
*Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
*Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

...Giant DESPAIR, who despises the King of the Celestial Country, and seeks to destroy his holy pilgrims." Many, therefore, that followed after, read what was written, and escaped the danger. This done, they sang as follows:
"Out of the way we went; and then we found
What ‘t was to tread upon forbidden ground:
And let them that come after have a care,
Lest heedlessness makes them, as we to fare;
Lest they, for trespassing, his prisoners are,
Whose castle’s ‘Doubting’ and whose name’s DESPAIR."

Another love- kamut- What a Flour!

Recently, I was blessed with a gift of kamut! Oh what a beautiful grain this is! Its light, very easy to work, and has a very mild flavor- sure to be a winner with even the pickiest of eaters! I made a batch of English Muffins with it...
Then some Chocolate Chip-Sweet Potato Muffins....

They loved the English Muffins sooo much that they begged me to make more...so a double batch I made!

And you wouldn't believe how grumpy a few of them were to discover this morning- that they were all gone!

I don't know about you- but to me- that's a great compliment!!

;-)

Braided Swiss Bread...

I love "egg doughs"! Milk and eggs, in one dough, makes for a delightfully rich bread!

We had these loaves at lunch with Brandy's Butternut Squash Soup, then ate the leftovers as a snack with butter and honey. The kids BEGGED me to make a bunch of these loaves; they loved them! -They are especially good when hot, straight from the oven!The dough is so soft, its almost hard to braid them!

You may want to keep your hands dusted with flour, as a little flour on the dough will help keep the strands separated.


This recipe makes 2 nice and plump loaves!

2 1/2 cups warm milk (whole milk is best)

*opt add 1/4 cup powdered milk as well

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup fat (rendered beef fat, lard, or butter)

1 egg

2 3/4 t salt

1 T yeast

*Mix well.*

Gradually blend in flour;

4 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups plain flour

*This dough is sticky and should remain soft. Be careful not to add too much flour.

Knead well, until dough is smooth.

Let rise until doubled. Punch down.

**

Divide in half for two loaves.

Take each half, and divide into thirds. Roll the three parts into strands about 15 inches long.

Braid, pinching the strands together at the ends. Tuck ends under to fit into well-buttered bread pans. Allow to rise until doubled.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 22 minutes.

Cool for five minutes before slicing.

***

-I like to butter my loaves when they have about five minutes left to bake. These loaves also look very nice with an egg wash.-

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Homemade bread- Works for Me Wednesday!

It's SO nice to be back to normal this week!

Ever have one of those weeks? Yeah, one of those where everything just either has to stand still OR get turned upside down?!?!

Last week, was one of those...

Monday- youngest wakes up with swollen cheek after being on antibiotics several days for a tooth. -sigh-

Monday afternoon- running a fever and couldn't keep medicine down. The dentist sent us to the E.R. for IV antibiotics..... -sigh-sigh-

Tuesday, the swelling had spread to the eye- back to E.R. and more antibiotics. -sigh- sigh-sigh-

Wednesday- visit with the oral surgeon. -sigh-sigh-sigh-sigh-

Friday- oral surgery to remove the tooth and drain the infection.-gasp!-

Friday afternoon, a pale but very happy and active little boy, who would tire quickly, but was much better. So much better! -relief-

Today- a small battle with what looks to be thrush from all the antibiotics ('magine that!), but a little boy who looks and feels soooooooooooo much better than one week ago! -gratitude-

I'm thankful for a normal week this week- and for God blessing with a speedy recovery!

And for prayers of friends who care, and other sweet acts of kindness last week.

...I'm also thankful to have plenty of yogurt and kefir on hand- and would welcome any advice about the yeast issue :-), never had this problem with a bigger kid! -sigh- ;-)

For more Gratituesday fun- visit Heavenly Homemakers!

From Kitchen to the Garden- and back!

,

A treat my family loves is garlic tops, straight from the garden!

I usually have a couple of bulbs of garlic on hand at all times and a few years ago, I learned that I could separate them up, plant them (with the points up), and up would come beautiful green shoots, sorta like green onions.

Now, you can leave them be and let them grow into bulbs of course, but my family loves to eat the tops! I use them over salads, baked potatoes, on sandwiches, and other foods that you would use sliced green onions on.

My family also loves to munch on them while they are in the garden. They will pick several garlic tops and a romaine leaf and make "sandwiches" while they weed! ;-)

Garlic is so good for you and a cinch to grow!

From the kitchen, to the garden, and back- with rewards!

*

A great way to multiply your kitchen resources!!

Brandy shared with me how she plants her regular pickling dill seeds for dill and her coriander for cilantro!!

Anyone else have ideas for multiplying your kitchen resources??

**

For more Kitchen Tip Tuesdays, visit Tammy's Recipes!!

Menu Plan.....

I took some time over the weekend to make up yogurt, muffins, and some other goodies for this week- now with my Menu Plan Monday, I'm ready to go! Happy eating!

SATURDAY:
-eggs, applesauce, blueberry-raspberry yogurt smoothie
-Chili from the crock, 10 grain muffins
-Creamy Chicken Spaghetti, Mapled Sweet Potatoes, Black-eyed peas in ham broth, Buttermilk cornbread
Snacks: cranberries, 10grain muffins, PB&MMToast
SUNDAY:
-eggs and English Kamut Muffins, blueberry-kiwi yogurt smoothie
-Chili-cheese fries, cole slaw, 10-grain muffins
-Monkey Meat on Flatbread, slaw
Snacks: Kefir Vanilla Shakes, homemade coconut milk, fresh coconut
MONDAY:
-English Kamut (or wheat) Muffins, eggs, homemade jellies, orange juice
-Spinach Quiche, Creamed Asparagus, buttered corn, grapefruit
-Oven Fried Chicken Breasts, mashed potatoes, green beans
Snacks: carrots and cottage cheese dip, red pears, popcorn
TUESDAY:
-10-Grain muffins (by request), applesauce
-Whole Grain Pizza, No-Bake Cookies
-Salmon I'm Afraid So, green peas, Quick Bread Sticks
Snacks: Homemade blueberry yogurt, dried cranberries, Sweet Potato Muffins
WEDNESDAY:
-Fried Turkey Ham and Eggs
- A Fun and Forkless Meal, cookies
- Lil Roasted Chickens and veggies, broccoli, Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
Snacks: Cocoa Zucchini Muffins (made with butter not marg), apples
THURSDAY:
-soaked oatmeal with homemade sweetened coconut flakes, yogurt-blueberry-cherry smoothies
-Shredded Chicken Sandwiches, 3 bean salad, purple kraut
- Buffalo meat patties, whole grain mac and cheese, steamed squash
Snacks: breakfast bread with butter and honey, pear preserves, popcorn
FRIDAY:
- kids choice
-Chicken Hollandaise, green beans, purple kraut
-Roast Beef slices on homemade buns, carrot sticks, butter peas
Snacks: Whole Wheat Blueberry Cake, apples

Cranberry Gelatin Squares...

This could be done with any juice. I used a no sugar added cranberry juice blend, adding a little honey for sweetness. I like to use gelatin in snacks since it is a source of protein and its a good place to get in an extra fruit serving! ;-)

Stir in a saucepan:

2 cups cranberry juice

4 envelopes of plain, unflavored gelatin

Once gelatin dissolves, heat until almost boiling.

Remove from heat and add;

2 cups cold cranberry juice

juice of one orange

1/4 cup honey

2/3 cup dried cranberries *opt.

Pour in a 9x13.

Chill well until set.

Cut into squares and serve.

*Best when chilled overnight.

Flowers for less?

Brandy has put up a new tab called Growing Flowers for Less!
Her thumbs must be as green as spring grass!

Last year, someone gave me some Iris bulbs which I was tickled to get. Seems someone was taking them out and wanted to plant something different and they couldn't use all of them- yah!

A couple of years ago, a neighbor thinned out her Tiger Lilies and gave me bunches of those. What a blessing!

Last year, I planted one Lilac Bush under my bedroom window. My hopes are that it will someday grow big and bloom and I can open my window to its perfume!

This year, I planted a small Lavender plant by the entrance into our garden. It already smells like heaven- but- you have to squat to smell it! I sure hope it grows big and tall!

Anyone else frugally working flowers into your yard and gardens?

Giant Peanut Butter Spelt Cookies...

These cookies got two thumbs up from everyone today! They're yummy and an attractive cookie as well- and the smell when they're baking will tempt ANY peanut butter lover! (Have I told you how I love peanut butter and how I used to take pb sandwiches to school almost every day?)

Mix:

1 stick of melted, melted

1 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup cane sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1/4 cup water

Once blended well, mix in order;

1/2 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

2 1/2 cups fresh ground spelt flour

Roll into walnut-sized balls, place on buttered baking sheet.

Press down with a floured fork.

Bake at 375 for 14 minutes, just until the edges brown lightly.

Cool 1 to 2 minutes, remove to baker's rack to cool completely.

Makes approx. 3 dozen large cookies.

MENU:

This Menu Plan Monday will include these cookies: And Oh! so much more! Here's what we'll eat this week!

(Just in case you're new to my blog - and you're wondering about my menus, I have six kids who are home schooled- which means that all 8 of us eat at home, every day;-)

SATURDAY:
-5 grain cereal
- Beef-n-Leeks Stew, Toasted sourdough bread with raw cheese
-eggs, onions, peppers, cheese wraps with clementines, ice cream
Snacks: Strawberry-kiwi yogurt smoothies, dried cranberries, veggies with hummus

SUNDAY:
-kids choice
-Lamb Chops, mashed potatoes, pineapple chutney, green peas
-ground beef fajita-tacos (lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese), blue chips and salsa, Giant Peanut Butter Spelt Cookies
Snacks: apples, soaked spelt tortillas with peanut butter

MONDAY:
-egg-n-cheese wraps
-tuna salad on toasted sourdough bread, cole slaw, Cranberry Jello Squares
-white beans, cornbread, green onions, sauteed zucchini
Snacks: Honey Milk Balls, fresh pineapple, cookies

TUESDAY:
-soaked oats
-Chicken Loaf, baked beans (from leftover white beans), sliced cukes
- Roast, potatoes, carrots, cornbread
Snacks:bananas, homemade pickles, sourdough cinnamon toast

WEDNESDAY:
-grits
- Homemade Pizza, fruit salad
-Lil' Roasted Chickens and veggies, quick rolls
Snacks: Kefir shakes, Raisin Bread

THURSDAY:
-kids choice
-Baked Chicken Cheddar Pasta, sweet potatoes, lima beans
-Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, Creamed Asparagus, kraut
Snacks: carob candy, Nutty Maple Granola, apples

FRIDAY:
-Coconut Rice with mango peach smoothie
-BBQ chicken breasts, potatoes, green beans
-Liver-n-onions, biscuits, gravy, applesauce
Snacks: Cream Cheese Braid, Blender Lemonade

Let me tell you about a GREAT giveaway...

You can win a batter bowl, a box of Bisquick, a spatula, and a cast iron flat skillet!
WOW!
Sound cool to you? Me too!
Click here to enter- hurry, ends on the fifteenth!

My Favorite Whole Grain Pizza Dough...

2 1/4 cup warm water

2 T yeast

1 T cane sugar

Dissolve.

Beat in;

1/2 cup olive oil

2 t salt

7 cups fresh spelt or wheat flour

Knead until smooth and elastic.

Knead in;

2 t dried basil

2 t dried oregano

Place dough in an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled.

Punch down and divide into thirds.*

Stretch and pat out dough on well-greased pans.

Top as desired and bake at 425 for approx. 20 minutes.

*Makes 3 large pizzas, like shown.

Yeast-free Sourdough Culture- FREE!

I can't believe I finally got a pretty loaf of sourdough bread, with no added yeast! It turned out very pretty and the best part- the starter culture was free! I sent off for the culture several weeks ago and within a couple of days- I had beautiful bread!

To get the free culture, all you need to do is send a S.A.S.E. to Carl's-Friends!

Instructions are free to print on that site as well, once you receive your dried culture.

The above was made using the Alaskan Sourdough recipe, but subbing the original 3 cups of flour for wheat and the other unbleached.

So easy! And so frugal since it required NO yeast!

******

For more frugal tips and recipes, visit Frugal Fridays!

Turning your gardens yet?

I let my oldest go over our garden several times today while the rest of us spread some "winter compost" from our compost 'bucket' (trash can). Our neighbors also gave us their mulched leaves so we worked them into the ground too. I once knew some folks who would spread their garden with all the leaves they could find and then burn it, every year. I always thought that must be the secret to their great corn? They had the sweetest corn that I've ever eaten and it was always nice juicy! ...Gina, from HomeJoys, shares a tip on her blog where they line the rows with grass clippings to keep down weeds. We did that last year, and if you use enough, it works like a charm!

Anyone else know any easy and frugal garden tips?

Food Savers and Tips

A few more notes on Food Savers:

I've posted a couple of times about these machines and how much I've enjoyed mine ;-).

I thought of a couple of more notes about keeping them frugal:

1) do a little research before you buy on the various name brands, some have poor ratings

2) consider ebay, some get them for gifts and don't use them and others buy them and stick them in the cabinet for years and sell them for $15

3)the biggy: BAGS!

-You can wash them out. Vinegar and baking soda go a long way for hard to remove odors, etc.

-ANY brand will work! Buy the cheapest!

-Consider buying in bulk from ebay or AmazonFoodSaver T010-00151-001 3 pack 8" x 22' Roll
for your best deals.

-Work out a system on bagging things where you waste the least during sealing. Also, sometimes the seals can be pulled back open, so always test it so you don't have to cut off some of the bag.

Anyone else have more tips? Would love to hear them!

Be sure to visit Tammy's for more Kitchen Tips!

Some of what stirred in my kitchen over the weekend...

Drying kefir grains:Peach Cobbler from Nourishing Traditions before baking:
After baking:.......out of this world yummy!

Soaking white beans, soaking peanuts, and chicken broth for the freezer.

Look how milky the chicken broth looks, so good!

Fried chicken legs:

And more fried chicken legs:

(fried in a mix of home-rendered lard and beef fat)

There's been a few other wacky things that stirred in my kitchen over the weekend, like kefir-peach smoothies. I almost didn't get that one down them, the kefir was strong.

I also got my sourdough culture from Friends of Carl and I'm trying to get it up and wild! ;-)

Saturday was a baking day. I baked 2 loaves of breakfast bread, muffins, and some oat bars.

(Looks like rain is coming this week, so there'll be lots more time for baking.)

Anyone else stay home cooking this weekend?

Menu Plan!

I am so ready to go this week! I have my Once-A-Month-Shopping trip over with and my wheat buckets are full! What more could a girl ask for? Thanks to Menu Plan Monday- for helping me keep organized!



SATURDAY:
-kids choice
-BBQ sandwiches, cole slaw, raw veggies, Oh My Stars Cookie Bars
-Fried Chicken Breasts, mashed potatoes with cultured cream, cornbread, Lemon Poppy-seed Muffins
Snacks: blueberries, chocolates

SUNDAY:
-toasted Breakfast Bread, eggs, homemade applesauce, sliced oranges
-Boston Roast, beets, onions-n-green beans, small salad, Peach Cobbler (from NT, yummy!)
-Fried Chicken Legs, mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, spelt biscuits
Snacks: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, blueberries and dried apricots, kefir-peach smoothies

MONDAY:
-millet, sliced oranges
-Chicken Loaf, mustard potatoes, salad, raw veggies
-White Chicken Chili, green onions, cornbread
Snacks: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, boiled eggs, raw veggies

TUESDAY:
-oatmeal, eggs, blueberries
-tuna salad on homemade pita bread, Sweet Potato Fries, raw veggies
-Shrimp, potato wedges, salad, brussel sprouts
Snacks: kiwi, popcorn, orange slices, Almond Cookies from NT

WEDNESDAY:
-kids choice
-Roast Beef on homemade buns, raw veggies
-Homemade Pizza, salad
Snacks: blueberry-peach smoothie, juice from the juicer, boiled eggs

THURSDAY:
-breakfast burritos, sliced oranges
-Leek Soup, Quick Rolls, chopped liver on rice crackers
-Chicken and Dumplings, mashed potatoes, kale greens
Snacks: veggies and hummus, Lavender Smoothies

FRIDAY:
-kids choice
-leftover chicken and dumplings, salad, green peas
-Hamburger patties, green salad, potato fries, Creamed Asparagus
Snacks: popcorn balls, juice from the juicer, peanut cookies from NT

Pulling off another Once-a-Month-Shopping ...wanna see?

This shopping trip took me about an hour one afternoon, and several hours the following day.

I stopped by Kroger the first evening, picking up beef fat, coconut oil, and some other wacky things that I can't get at other stores. ...One fancy find was little lamb chops! I was like a kid in a candy store!

The real hard work began when I got home though! The first night, I rendered fat and got several containers. If you remember, here while back, I rendered lard. I love my lard, but the lard is more prominent so I like to have the beef fat around too. ....But anyway, I was happy to have that job done so I could do more bulk shopping and storage the next day, so it worked out very good to break the trip up.

I went first to pick up a LARGE quantity of meat at Leo's. Its our local 'hometown' market. Fryer chicken breasts and roasts were the sale items this week so I bought 40 lbs of chicken and about 20+ pounds of the roast.

Wanna see what I did with all of that?

Below is 2 bowls of ground chicken with all the ingredients to make chicken loaf. I stirred them all up and I will show you how I freeze them below.

I usually have the butcher do different things with the roasts but I was thinking we'd eat them all as "roasts" but once I got them all home, I realized that I had more than I thought. So, I got out the handy dandy Kitchen Aid and ground up some!
See? Ground beef! Fresh- no fillers- just meat!

I 'flash froze' these patties then bagged them all up with my Food Saver.

And with some of the ground meat, I made a beef meatloaf BUT this meatloaf has more than meats the eye! I also ground up 1/2 a pound of chicken liver in this ;-)! Shhhhhh! I added extra seasonings, and hopefully no one will notice!

Some of the meat, I chopped up for stew.

This one, I decided to slice up to make 'roast beef' sandwiches, sorta like these.

(Again, I could have had the butcher do this ...sigh..)

I put almost half the chicken on to boil. Both of these pots have fryer breasts in them, and will then be used with the bones to simmer for 1 to 2 days for broth.

Below is an interesting picture, huh? Well, when I tell you what's in the pot, you'll think I did this on purpose to "hide" what's in the pot! But it was actually steam from the chicken that caused my lens to fog ;-). Oh- what's in the pot? The rest of the chicken liver- sauteing in a little seasoned lamb fat. (Its really good this way.) I chopped this up and froze it in portions that I will later sneak into other dishes. SHHHHH!

To freeze the chicken and beef meat loaves, I lined my baking dish with plastic wrap, sprayed, and put the meat in so as to mold it.

Then I wrapped the plastic around it.

That made it easy to seal in a Food Saver bag quickly and also to have a shape that can be easily transferred to the baking dish when I decide to cook it.

When the chicken was done, I shredded it all up and portioned it out into freezer bags. Some will be used for casseroles and other dishes, but some already has been 'spoken for' to use to make shredded chicken sandwiches, a family favorite. They also begged for chicken and dumplings but I told them I bought whole chickens for that! (Nothing like using the broth as your base and using meat from the whole chicken- yummy!)

I also bought lots of other fresh and frozen goodies, like scallops and shrimp, and blueberries, and lima beans- speaking of lima beans- my kids can't seem to understand why kids on tv hate them so much- go figure!

:-)

Frugal tip: buy meat when its on sale and you have extra to spend!

A frugal tip for OAM shopping...

I love to shop once a month! With six kids with bottom-less bellies- its just a HUGE relief to know there's food here! ..Not to mention it saves me money!

I've written under my grocery tab about my shopping and 'how to', but I wanted to share about a tool that helps me and saves me money!

Yeah, the

FoodSaver® Vac 550

When I get my fresh meats home, I often don't have time to re-wrap so I will stick them in a Food Saver bag and seal them up. If I buy a large quantity of ground beef or chicken, then I will section the meat up into meal size portions and seal them up.

I still use Ziploc bags for foods that I know will be eaten pretty soon, but for the foods that may be in there for weeks, or longer, then the Food Saver truly saves the day!

Last month, I had fresh celery with crisp leaves for weeks, all zipped up in a Food Saver bag.

Another handy thing is, leftovers! If I just have a little of this and a little of that, I save it and it becomes a meal for someone who might not have been home at meal time or if I have to run somewhere and dh has the roam of the castle, he can still eat like a king! ;-)

These are also very useful for OAMC!

Once the bags are sealed and frozen, they can be reheated any number of ways. You can drop them in boiling water, microwave, or drop them in hot water to thaw enough to slip into a pot.

I also reuse my bags, scrubbing them out with a little vinegar and/or baking soda to make sure all odors from previous foods are gone!

You can also seal other forms of bags back together with them. I found some mixed organic veggies on clearance and kept them fresh longer by resealing the bag every time it was opened. It only takes just a sec to seal- easy peasy!

For more money saving tips and recipes, visit Frugal Fridays!

Whole Wheat Monkey Bread....

Do you like monkey bread? We love monkey bread! It doesn't have the fat and sugar as say- cake- or deep-fried donuts- but its a nice sweet treat, that's very good from fresh ground wheat!

I used this recipe for the dough, but only made half of it- cuz I KNEW who would eat ALL the leftovers ;-)

These were easy to whip up while waiting on supper to cook. And while everyone was eating supper, these were baking in the oven!

Just roll up the dough, dip in butter, roll in cinnamon sugar mix, toss in buttered baking dish and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Oh and- monkey bread is great for breakfast, don't you think?

Local sales this week...

Leo's Spring Street Market:
split fryers .99
bottom round roast 1.99
potatoes 1.99 10lbs
strawberries 1.99 16 oz
5lb grapefruit 1.99
3lb onions 1.29
eggs 1.29
flour and cornmeal 1.69

Aldi:
grapefruit .25 each
red and green grapes .99
bananas ,39
pineapple .99
scallops 6.99
mussels 2.99
salmon & flounder 3.99
whiting 24 oz 3.49

Hill's IGA:
10lbs ground beef 13.90
bone in turkey breast 1.29
potatoes 5 (10lb bags) for $10
carrots 10lbs for 10
mushrooms 10 (8oz pkgs) for 10
naval orgs. 20 for 10
yellow onions 10 (3lb bags) for 10
strawberries 5 (1lb pkgs) for 10
apples 10lbs for 10

Kroger:
fish 2.5 lbs 9.99
eggs 4/5
cheese 8oz 2/3
perdue oven roaster .99
frozen sockeye salmon 6.99 lb
idaho potatoes 10lbs 2.28
8lb naval oranges 3.99
red grapefruit .64 each
green peppers .68 each
6oz blueberries 2/5
pre-cut 12oz veggies 2/4
whole mushrooms 16oz 2.48
salad blends 12 oz 1.99
organic mangoes 4/5
organic carrots .98
organic salad blends 2/7

Food Lion
whole fryers .89
shrimp and scallops b1g1f 5.99 and 7.99
coke products 3/9
zukes and yellow squash 1.29
kiwi 2/1

Every once in a while, I do something really nerdy..

Ok, so I do something nerdy more than every once in a while- but sometimes my family notices! ;-)

See- this time- I bought what was packaged as a "lamb breast". I had never bought this cut of lamb before and all I could think was "chicken breast" and "turkey breast" and well- a lot of meat!

Well, this was NOT lots of meat! Nope, it was actually just RIBS! With a whole lot of fat- see what I rendered from it?

Ok- so that might be nerdy too but no one noticed that, so I'm clear on that one!

I ended up boiling the meat, uh, ribs, then skimming the fat, picking the meat from the ribs, and using it and the broth to make stew. It was sooooooooo yummy! I love lamb! ..even if I'm too nerdy to always know what cuts to buy!

We Made Some Fun Treats Today- Pop Tart Style Pastries

These got two thumbs up all the way around the table!

They were filled with homemade apple butter ( a gift

from a friend)!

They were even better when fully cooled, as a snack!

Do you have "kitchen toys"?

Oh I have blenders- and food processors- and mixers and I'm sure you do too- but I also have POTC toys in my kitchen!

Yep, these guys were given to me by my kids to "brave the haunted and weird shores" of the kitchen! ..well, they didn't play with them anymore. ;-)

What's cute is my youngest sometimes will come and ask to borrow my toys! Pretty cool, huh? He has to borrow my toys!