This week has been an exercise in cleaning out the pantry and freezer.
Last night (Thursday) I cooked a fish feast from the freezer. Seasoned french fries from the freezer; fried/baked clams; baked breaded cod filets; and, shrimp cocktail (from pre-cooked, frozen shrimp). Added green beans and corn from the freezer.
My favorite cocktail sauce:
1/2 c. ketchup (Heinz only)
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tsp. sweet pickle relish
1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Serve with 1 dozen pre-cooked shrimp sprinkled with fresh lemon juice.
This time I used Meyer lemons that I found at Wal-Mart. Meyer lemons are a little bit sweeter and have a very fine rind...good for zest. Florida and Mexico lemons have a thicker, tougher rind that has a bitter taste in the zest.
Tonight is my favorite menu night. Son-in-law JE is cooking. Menu is baked chicken fillets with Picante sauce; refried beans with cheese and JE's extra yummy guacamole and chips. JE toasts the tortilla chips in the oven with extra salt.
Watching Neil Cavuto talking about the rising prices of Super Bowl party supplies. G-d bless marketing...only marketing could sell the wings of chickens and mesquite wood.
RR...I have to go to your email everytime I want to sign in to this blog. Apparently, I can't find it any other way.
Husband and I went to Sam's today on the way into D.C. Bought paper towels and toilet tissue for "the Studio". Also, finally gave in and bought a Keurig coffee maker. Tested it this afternoon. Very nice and I'm wondering why did I wait so long to get one?
Vannyokie
Friday, February 3, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
"Lettuce" Start the Week Off Right....
So this morning I put together some meals for Pete and I to have during the week. Although he works nights Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Chloe will be home then so I'm still planning meals for two.
In preparation of not only dinners, but also lunches for me to take to work, I have prepared the stalk (?) of romaine lettuce. A friend at work shared a healthy time-saving tip so I tried it today. After washing and spinning in the salad spinner, I cut up the entire stalk (is that what you call it? or is it a head of romaine??) and placed in a plastic container lined with a paper towel.... Topped it with another paper towel then put the lid on it and placed it in the fridge. My friend tells me this cuts down on dinner prep time in the evenings for her, and it also gets the lunch salad ready quickly. I think it will be encouraging me to eat more veggies :)
Tomorrow we will have Chicken Casserole (your family's fav) and english peas, salad, and dinner roll.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Weekly Menus
RM and I sit down to discuss a six week menu plan, usually on Friday or Sunday
when we have more time. We have six sheets and write sticky notes for each day
with a menu on the sticky note. We have a few extra menus on sticky notes that
we can use if we need a change. Once the six weeks are planned, we don't have to
change much. We have a basic menu...family favorites...meat loaf, chicken
casserole, etc. because the kids are not at the experimental stage yet.
By shopping for a planned menu and re-using the menus on a rotating six week schedule, we can buy enough to stock the pantry and carry us through some "lean" weeks.
We shop together most of the time. We have been shopping once a week lately because of the fresh items. We make a list for the things we need for the upcoming week menu. Then we try to stick to the list. I'm bad about seeing something on the shelf and just putting it in the cart.
We also buy for the freezer. Especially vegetables, butter, fish sticks, salmon and stew meat. Then we cook fresh hamburger meat and measure it out into 1 lb. packages to use for taco casserole or spaghetti sauce.
We use coupons. RM is the coupon genius. We organized the coupons in a loose-leaf binder using baseball card plastic sleeves. We lined the pages lined by aisles at the Commissary and we have a special section for Target only coupons. RM keeps track of the double coupon days and we try to buy some of our staple items with coupons that can be doubled.
By shopping for a planned menu and re-using the menus on a rotating six week schedule, we can buy enough to stock the pantry and carry us through some "lean" weeks.
We shop together most of the time. We have been shopping once a week lately because of the fresh items. We make a list for the things we need for the upcoming week menu. Then we try to stick to the list. I'm bad about seeing something on the shelf and just putting it in the cart.
We also buy for the freezer. Especially vegetables, butter, fish sticks, salmon and stew meat. Then we cook fresh hamburger meat and measure it out into 1 lb. packages to use for taco casserole or spaghetti sauce.
We use coupons. RM is the coupon genius. We organized the coupons in a loose-leaf binder using baseball card plastic sleeves. We lined the pages lined by aisles at the Commissary and we have a special section for Target only coupons. RM keeps track of the double coupon days and we try to buy some of our staple items with coupons that can be doubled.
Weekly Menus
We usually (Bubbe and RM) review the weekly menu on Sunday and make a grocery list. We have a template of 6 weeks worth of menus. There are 6 of us in the family...four adults and two children. Shopping can over lap and we can buy ahead when we find bargains.
This week we did a lot of substitution. Planning around days when son-in-law JE is home; using a turkey from the freezer instead of the daily meal plan; putting off leftovers to another day.
The weekly rotating menu is the best way to plan shopping, contain costs and use pantry items. And, it is supposed to keep me from shopping "from the hip"...just throwing anything into the cart that looks good to me.
Did you know that the shopping cart was invented in Oklahoma? Google Sylvan Goldman or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvan_Goldman
To make a six week menu plan:
six sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper each printed with the week number and spaces for seven days
sticky notes; place a completed sticky note under each day of the week
On the sticky notes start writing some of your favorite meals. A favorite here is meatlof, green beans and mashed potatoes. Add some menus that can be grilled outside. (these are the days we change around to accomodate the weather and when JE is home...he is the world's best salmon griller).
Look for meals you would like to try and add one a week. If it's a winner, keep the sticky note...if not, send it to the trash. We like Tex-Mex food, in short supply in Stafford, VA., asian food and lots of Salmon. When the children are a little older, we will start experimenting with new receipes.
This week we did a lot of substitution. Planning around days when son-in-law JE is home; using a turkey from the freezer instead of the daily meal plan; putting off leftovers to another day.
The weekly rotating menu is the best way to plan shopping, contain costs and use pantry items. And, it is supposed to keep me from shopping "from the hip"...just throwing anything into the cart that looks good to me.
Did you know that the shopping cart was invented in Oklahoma? Google Sylvan Goldman or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvan_Goldman
To make a six week menu plan:
six sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper each printed with the week number and spaces for seven days
sticky notes; place a completed sticky note under each day of the week
On the sticky notes start writing some of your favorite meals. A favorite here is meatlof, green beans and mashed potatoes. Add some menus that can be grilled outside. (these are the days we change around to accomodate the weather and when JE is home...he is the world's best salmon griller).
Look for meals you would like to try and add one a week. If it's a winner, keep the sticky note...if not, send it to the trash. We like Tex-Mex food, in short supply in Stafford, VA., asian food and lots of Salmon. When the children are a little older, we will start experimenting with new receipes.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
American History
My American History project began two and a half years ago while we were still living in Oklahoma.
I decided to read one or two books about each U.S. President.
Of course, once I started with the Founding Fathers, I read more than one book about Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and John Quincy Adams. I consider John Quincy Adams one of the founders.
The last three books I've read were about Harry Truman. So I'm up to President number 34 now.
The Truman book by David McCullough "Truman" is excellent. Also, I read "A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel" by Allis and Ronald Rodosh and "Harry S. Truman" by Robert Dallek.
The Dallek book is part of a series "The American Presidents Series". The books in this series are small, fast reading, to the point and on a middle school/adult reading level. I'm buying this set mostly for CR's benefit. I think she will be ready to read them next year.
Now that we live in Stafford (about 45 miles outside of Washington, D.C.) we have many opportunities to visit historical sites.
I decided to read one or two books about each U.S. President.
Of course, once I started with the Founding Fathers, I read more than one book about Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and John Quincy Adams. I consider John Quincy Adams one of the founders.
The last three books I've read were about Harry Truman. So I'm up to President number 34 now.
The Truman book by David McCullough "Truman" is excellent. Also, I read "A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel" by Allis and Ronald Rodosh and "Harry S. Truman" by Robert Dallek.
The Dallek book is part of a series "The American Presidents Series". The books in this series are small, fast reading, to the point and on a middle school/adult reading level. I'm buying this set mostly for CR's benefit. I think she will be ready to read them next year.
Now that we live in Stafford (about 45 miles outside of Washington, D.C.) we have many opportunities to visit historical sites.
True confessions
Wednesday morning in Stafford, Virginia
Tuesday night's menu was leftovers. I pulled the cold Turkey from the fridge. I removed the meat from its baked bones. Daughter RM and I looked down at the waiting meal. We cooked meat sauce and spaghetti.
We had a fresh pound of hamburger in the refrigerator and a jar of sauce in the pantry. When we buy hamburger, we buy the larger packages and divide them up into 2 pounds for meatloaf and one pound for other uses. We cook several pounds of hamburger, drain and freeze in one pound packages for use when we don't have a fresh package in the fridge. The pre-cooked and frozen ground meat works great for enchiladas, spaghetti sauce, tacos, etc. It thaws fast and can be added in small frozen bits to hot sauce or layerd on the casserole and then baked.
Tonight we have chicken casserole...the grandchildren's favorite. This is an old receipe from the back of a minute rice box. A cup of minute rice, a can of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup sour cream, a can of chicken and the juice; top with crushed ritz crackers and drizzle with melted butter. Bake about 25min in 350 oven.
Tuesday night's menu was leftovers. I pulled the cold Turkey from the fridge. I removed the meat from its baked bones. Daughter RM and I looked down at the waiting meal. We cooked meat sauce and spaghetti.
We had a fresh pound of hamburger in the refrigerator and a jar of sauce in the pantry. When we buy hamburger, we buy the larger packages and divide them up into 2 pounds for meatloaf and one pound for other uses. We cook several pounds of hamburger, drain and freeze in one pound packages for use when we don't have a fresh package in the fridge. The pre-cooked and frozen ground meat works great for enchiladas, spaghetti sauce, tacos, etc. It thaws fast and can be added in small frozen bits to hot sauce or layerd on the casserole and then baked.
Tonight we have chicken casserole...the grandchildren's favorite. This is an old receipe from the back of a minute rice box. A cup of minute rice, a can of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup sour cream, a can of chicken and the juice; top with crushed ritz crackers and drizzle with melted butter. Bake about 25min in 350 oven.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday Night in Oklahoma
....so Peter i
s cooking tonight....sauerkraut and polish sausage....he is, after all, polish. looks pretty good, don't you think, dad?
We are also having garlic toast and apple crisp for dessert. YUM.
I know you would like it, Vanny :)
so I've been informed dinner is ready. More later.
xoxo
s cooking tonight....sauerkraut and polish sausage....he is, after all, polish. looks pretty good, don't you think, dad?We are also having garlic toast and apple crisp for dessert. YUM.
I know you would like it, Vanny :)
so I've been informed dinner is ready. More later.
xoxo
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