Theme for Week April 26 - 30th

The theme for this week will be:

ALL ALDI RECIPES

Everyday, I am going to make a recipe that I purchased all the ingredients from Aldi...check back to check it out.

No Dining April

Sorry that I have been behind on my No Dining April posts.  Things have been crazy this past week.  I can report that we probably only spent about 8 dollars this week on dining out.  I think that it is excellent for us when we used to spend so much.  Between Jay eating out for lunch and the occasional stopping while Bryn and I were out, it can get a little expensive.  This week I am going to try to make it with absolutely NO EATING OUT.

Webelo camping

This weekend I am camping with the webelos that my son is in. I am surprised that Ryan is actually having fun. It is usually him that doesn't want to do anything. He did tell me that is so fun. Even after he got put in timeout for putting stuff in the fire.

Location:Adventure Bound Trail,Rixeyville,United States

Day 17 of No Dining April

No Dining out today…just lots of errands and grocery shopping…oh and of course, homework…

Day 16 of No Dining April

Well, today Bryn and I did eat out.  It was too bad though, just $10.  We went into Fredericksburg to go to the mall and go to BJ’s.  There was no way she was going to wait until we got back at 2:30 to eat lunch.  We also had lunch with Jay’s mom.  It was a good day.  I was able to get some errands done and pick up a bunch of stuff we needed at BJ’s.  It is crazy how much paper products a family of 5 goes through…plus I stocked up on diapers and wipes…only to be told that I should have got Bryn some pull ups too.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (Bread Machine)

2/3 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup bread flour

1 3/8 whole wheat flour

1 1/4 tsp dry active yeast

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1.  Place ingredients, in order listed, in bread pan fitted with kneading paddle.  Select dough/pizza dough cycle.  when completed, deflate dough and use to make your favorite pizza.

Day 14 of No Dining

No dining out today.  It was close though.  I went out to run some errands and really wanted to stop and get Brynlee and me something for lunch.  But, I used my willpower and made lunch at home.

There was no dining out today. I think so far we have been doing pretty good this month. We just ate dinner before are busy Mondays.

Location:Day 12 of no dining April.

Lelli Kelly Toddler/Little Kid Floreal Hi Sneaker – 72% off

Amazon.com has these cute Lelli Kelly Toddler/Little Kid Floreal Hi Sneaker.

Shipping is $8.98 but if you use the code APRILFUL at checkout, a $5 Savings will be deducted.

 

Don’t forget, using Swag Bucks is a great to earn Amazon gift cards to help the cost of great deals!

Creamy Italian Crock-Pot Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 envelope Italian salad dressing

1/4 cup water

1 package (8oz) cream cheese

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

hot cooked noodles or rice (I used angel hair)

1.  Cut the chicken into medium size chunks and place in slow cooker. 

2.  Combine salad dressing mix and water – pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

3.  In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and soup until well blended.

4.  Pour mix over chicken.

5. Cook 1 hour longer or until juices run clear

6.  Serve over rice or noodles.

 

Evan loved this so much that we have already had it twice since I made it the first time.  This is a great meal to make when you have company coming over.

Impossibly Easy Chicken and Broccoli Pie

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cooked cut up chicken

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup Bisquick Mix

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 eggs

1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch pie plate.  Sprinkle broccoli, 1 cup of the cheese, the chicken and onion in the pie plate.

2.  Stir Bisquick Mix, milk, salt, pepper and eggs until blended.  Pour into pie plate.

3.  Bake at 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or just until cheese is melted.  Cool 5 minutes.

Beef and Rice Burrito Filling

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

1 1/2 cup cooked rice, white or brown

1 15oz can crushed tomatoes

2 tsp chili powders

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir to combine.  Cool completely and store in refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

2.  Spoon (thawed) filling down the center of a tortilla.  Top with shredded cheese.  Roll up and repeat, using 8 to 10 tortillas total.  Place rolled tortillas in a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until heated through.

Saving on Groceries

There are 6 easy steps that one must follow in order to save money on groceries:

1.  Meal Plan – Make your menus and then your grocery list by stores.  Stick to your list and only buy what you need.

2.  Know Your Stores – Make a  list of all the stores you frequent and list the items you purchase there.

3.  Get Smart – Know how grocery stores work.  Sale items are usually put on the end of the aisles.  Check the lower shelves, they then to be where the cheaper items are as opposed to eye level.

4.  Get Organized – Gather all coupons and know where the sales are before you hit the door.

5.  Go Alone – When possible, do not shop with spouse or kids.  They will pester you to buying things that are not on your list.  Plus it makes the trip faster.

6.  Go On a Full Stomach – Never shop hungry.  You will buy more than you need.

Day 11 of No Dining April

Yesterday, we didn't go anywhere so there was no dining out.  We just stayed at home and did stuff around the house.  Brynlee did go to a birthday party but it was across the street so there was no chance of having a temptation.  She had fun though.  It is nice for her to get to socialize with other kids that are closer to her age instead of just being around her brothers all the time.

Super Shepherd’s Pie

2 large potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cubed

1 pound ground round

1 packet Sloppy Joe Mix

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas and carrots

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 can corn, drained

1.  Heat broiler.  In a saucepan, combine potatoes with salted water to cover.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat and cook 13 minutes or until softened.  Drain.

2.  Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, cook ground mean over high heat until browned.  Drain.  Add Sloppy Joe Mix, tomato sauce, frozen vegetables, and the water.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes.

3.  In a medium bowl, mash cooked potatoes with milk, butter, and salt.  Stir in corn.  Place mashed in a resealable plastic bag with a large star tip.  Divide meat mixture among 6 1-cup ramekins and pipe potatoes on top.  Place ramekins on baking pan and broil 5 minutes.

Day 9 and 10 of No Dining April

Day 9 was fine.  It was my typical Friday.  It is my grocery shopping day.  Brynlee and I were able to get up, go shopping, and be home in time for lunch.

Day 10 was a bust.  This morning, we went hiking with the Cub Scouts.  It took longer that we thought so we didnt pack a lunch with us.  We had to stop and eat somewhere because I was starting to feel funky.  I had only a waffle and half before we left this morning and that just doesnt work for us big girls...

Day 8 of No Dining April

Today was easy.  Brynlee and I didn't go anywhere so there was no temptation to eat out.  We just had some chicken nuggets and I worked on school work.  I have so much to do this weekend that I tried to get it all done today…and only got one class done :(

Day 6 and 7 of No Dining April

Yesterday, I did break down and spend $4.  Brynlee and I had to run to Fredericksburg to get something for scouts.  By the time we did that and ran some errands, it was close to 1.  I knew when we got home, she would need to go straight to take a nap.

Today though, no money spent on eating out.  Bryn and I went out earlier and ran two errands.  We were able to get back in time for Brynlee to have lunch, and take a nap.

Day 5 of no dining April

Today was easy. We actually ran out to do errands without going out to ear. I was so proud of us.

Day 4 of No Dining April

Today was a very easy day especially since we didn't go anywhere.  I did an Easter lunch/dinner that I was told was the best that I have ever done.  The menu this year was:

Deviled Eggs

Green Bean Casserole

Mac and Cheese Casserole – I just refer to it as Mac and Cheese

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Spiral Ham (Just like the one from Christmas that I know everyone loved)

Rolls

Cheesecake

Crockpot Banana Bread

It was great…and we know what we will be eating for the next two days..

6 Years Ago

6 years ago today, Jay and I got married.  It is hard to believe it has been that long.  It sure doesnt feel that way.  I know that compared to some people’s marriages, 6 years is nothing.  Then again, in this day, 6 years is equivalent to 15, I would say.  No one really truly values being married.  They do it as a spur of the moment thought, only to think that if it doesnt work out, so what….they can always get a divorce.  I know for a fact that there are people my age that have been married…3 or 4 times already.  Myself, I am married for the first time…and the last….

Day 3 of No Dining April

Well, today, we did have a slip up.  We had to go to Fredericksburg to run some errands.  So because it was around 10:30 by the time we got there and we didn't head back home until 3, we did stop and having lunch.  Since Culpeper doesn't have a Sonic and it was such a nice day, we decided to do that.  I plan on doing everything in my power to make sure that we cut our dining out bill this month.

Well today has been rough. We did not eat out today but we did stop and get drinks today during errands. We will work on it again tomorrow n

Location:No dining April day 2

No dining April - day one

Today was pretty easy. The kids and I said home most of the day (except for a quick wal-mart run). So we did all our meals at home. My husband did spend one dollar today to get him a drink. All in all that is pretty good considering it is usually coffee and then mcdonalds. So how did everyone else do?

French Dip in the Crockpot

This is a super easy crockpot meal that is great for a super fast meal.

This can easily be put together in the morning and be ready to go by dinner time.

4 lbs of some type of roast meat (rump roast, chuck roast, etc)

1 can (1o.5oz) beef broth

1 can (10.5oz) French onion soup mix

1 bottle or can (12oz) beer (or equal amount of water or broth)

French rolls or other crusty rolls

sliced cheese (such as Swiss or Provolone)

Place your roast in the crockpot and pour the broth, French onion soup, and beer on top.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.  About 30 minutes before eating, take out the meat and shred.  Place meat back into the juices and stir to flavor all the meat.  Split your rolls and top with sliced cheese.  Bake at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes or until rolls are nice and toasty.  Top rolls with shredded meat and add a cup of au jus on the side to dip your sandwich in…

YUMMY!

Thrift shopping

Once again I got a good deal thrift store shopping. I hit my favorite store where I found these adidas. They are mens but they did fit. They were brand new and since wednesdays are 50% off day, I got them for $5.


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Blogging from my phone

So I decided to try this app where I could blog from my phone. I am hoping that it will work like I want it to. It will be much easier to keep updated if I can do it on the go.



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Share Your Casserole Recipes

If you are participating in No Dining April, we should share great casserole recipes.  Dining at home doesn't have to be the same boring stuff over and over again.