Monday, September 8, 2008

Menu Plan Monday 09/08/07 to 09/14/08


I'm sorry I've disappeared, but I hope to start posting on a daily basis now that I'm settling in to this pregnancy thing a little and life is slowing down some. So far, so good! No morning sickness as of yet, but I have had quite a bit of dizziness, my breasts are huge and sore, and I've had some food aversions, but today was my first serious craving! I wanted sour cream & onion potato chips like it was going out of style! Luckily, my wonderful husband was good enough to stop and bring some home on his way home from work! I'm 8 weeks along and did I mention I'm showing already? It's insane! Of course, many people have said we're having twins, but we will know for sure next week at our first doctor's appointment when they do the ultrasound. If it's twins, well...I'm sure it'll be the thud heard around the world as my husband and I both will pass out from shock!

Let's get back on track! I did a little shopping this past week and even today at Publix, and a little bit at Winn-Dixie, but I was mostly stocked up on everything except for some meat. I think I'm pretty much sticking to Publix from now on for meat because it upsets me that all of Winn-Dixie's BOGO meat deals are outrageously expensive most of the time. I can get a better deal at Publix most of the time paying for both packs and not getting it BOGO! For example, one of the packs of chicken that was BOGO this week at WD was about $14. That was about 3 lbs of meat. So you pay about $14 for 6 lbs of chicken. Most of the WD chcicken I've gotten has quite a bit of gristle on it, too. Publix has a sale every 8 weeks or so where it's $1.99 lb for chicken breasts. I ususally buy about 15 packs at that time to take me through until the next sale and stock my deep freezer. Even if we did the 6 lbs comparison it still works out cheaper at Publix and they usually have a lot less gristle. I just like Publix so much better, too. With coupons and stacking their store coupons with manufacturer coupons, they are cheaper than other grocery stores most of the time. Plus, they are much cleaner and so much friendlier than any of my other grocery stores in the neighborhood! I just can't wait until the end of this month when I finally get an Aldi's nearby!

Now on to the menu!

Monday: Chicken and Dumplings. This is a variation on my mother-in-law's recipe and since she doesn't write things down and I subscribe to the Rachael-Ray-school-of-eyeballing, I have no recipe for you guys. Sorry! I used a pack of chicken left from the last Publix sale, organic chicken broth on sale at Big Lots and a can of crescent rolls I cut up and rolled out into dumpling form as I am lazy today. Hey, I'm pregnant! I'm allowed!

Tuesday: Baked Ziti with meat sauce. This will be using 1 lb of the ground chuck on sale for $1.97 at Publix this week in a meat sauce using Muir Glen organic fire-roasted tomatoes I have gotten for FREE at Publix with coupons. The shredded cheese I will use in the yummy pasta is also from Publix and was free with coupon again at Publix! We'll have this with some frozen garlic bread from the deep freezer...not a clue where I got it.

Wednesday: Tacos night! Not that I didn't already have a gazillion Old El Paso taco kits from the last BOGO sales, but who can resist cheap, cheap, CHEAP dinner kits BOGO with coupons? So yeah, I picked up a couple more from you guessed it...Publix!

Thursday: Marlboro Man's Second Favorite Sandwich. Okay, so I found this website and I absolutely love it. I harbor a secret dream to live in the country growing my own fruit and veggies, getting fresh eggs form my own hens, riding my horse down to my local general store for some flour and generally being a total country girl. Of course, in realit I can't stand being outside for more than a few minutes because of the icky bugs and the heat, love riding horses, but can't fathom grooming them myself, and the garden? Uh yeah, you have seen there are dirt, worms, and bugs of all varieties involved in that activity, right? So I love living vicariously through others! I just love the Pioneer Woman's site and she has lots of yummy recipes! You can check her out here. We'll be having this artery-clogger of a sandwich with a salad...you know, to cancel out the calories!

Friday: Spanish Burgers with Manchego and Chorizo Hash Browns. This is a Rachael Ray recipe that is really yummy! Well...I don't know that yet, beacause we haven't exactly had it before, but darn it, it looks good! Again, I'll be using ground chuck from the Publix sale and the rest of the ingredients will be from things I already have from the pantry and freezer.

Saturday: Leftover night! We should have plenty by then. It will be quick and easy to reheat some Baked Ziti, leftover taco meat and fresh tortillas, extra chicken and dumplings...it will be a nice little smorgasbord!

Sunday: Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich. Yup, you guessed it! It's from that website again. Serioously, check it out. She has some great recipes. We've tried a few already, but I can't wait to try this one! I think even my husband will be drooling over this one! The cubed steak will actually be from Winn-Dixie. yes, I know, you can all pick your jaws up off the ground. I didn't say Publix was cheaper ALL the time now, did I? We'll probably serve these with some potato chips.

Oooh, those Sour Cream and Onion chips are sure sounding good again right about now...


Check out more great menu's and wonderful organizational pics at: http://orgjunkie.com/

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