What's For Dinner??

I try my hardest to feed my family on a budget,

sort of,

we have a budget,

but I really have NO idea how to use it!

I have the nifty Quicken software

and I have put what we normally spend on groceries

under the grocery category.

Then what? 

I have no idea of knowing how much groceries are

going to actually cost when I check out

at the store.

I usually stay within a certain range.

But how in the world am I supposed to know how

much I am actually going to spend

until I am there?

I am sure there are ways to do this,

but I already spend about 6 hours (at least)

on the entire shopping experience:

menu planning

list making

actual shopping

post shopping prep:

fresh greens

snack packs

I already carry around a big ole binder with me

do I really need/want to add a calculator into the mix?

And walk around the store with a calculator

adding things up as I go?

Not really!

When we lived in NC, I could budget by doing my

shopping on-line first.

I would make my list,

then I would sit with my coupon binder

and do my menu planning based on what

was on sale that week.

Then I printed it off

took it into the store and did my shopping.

I knew EXACTLY how much I was going to spend.

Now - not so much...

due to this monopoly that this ONE grocery store has down

here and they have mega stores here.

I have had to change things a bit.

I could do our menu more simply,

more processed foods,

more cheaply 

and

more bland...

BUT - 

I choose to be a little creative.

This past shopping experience 

I shopped for:

Taco Salad with homemade tortilla bowls (see below)

Sausage & Kale Pasta (we love!!)

Mel's Sweet & Sour Chicken*

Mel's Stuffed Manicotti*
Burgers
Stroganoff
Kielbasa, Mashed Potatoes and Cabbage
Mel's Beef with Broccoli*

(we have not tried the ones with the * beside them -
I will let you know what we think)

these will hopefully produce enough leftovers

to cover a couple of dinners too...

However,

as these kids get bigger, 

they are definitely eating more.

Every once in a while I will get a glimpse
into our future...
and there will be no leftovers
when I thought there should be PLENTY leftover!!

Side note on the Sausage & Kale Pasta -
this is a HUGE hit in our house!  HUGE!
So much so that apparently daddy and I are
now fighting over the leftovers!
There was 1 serving left,
I was so looking forward to those for lunch
the next day.
Things were crazy and I didn't get around to making
daddy's lunch for him.
So he made it himself and took MY leftovers
Yes, MY!  (haha)
What a disappointment when I went to the
fridge at lunchtime the next day
and couldn't find them.
I already use an entire box of pasta,
and entire bunch of kale
and a pound of sausage.
I don't think I have a big enough pot
to double this recipe!

So far this week we have tried two new things:

Homemade tortilla shell bowls
and
Scratch made blueberry muffins

Homemade tortilla bowls

They were ADORABLE,

but kinda hard to eat

for everyone!

I popped the corn tortillas in the microwave
to soften them up and make them pliable.
Then pressed them in between an upside down muffin pan.

Bake at 325° for about 10 minutes (check often though)

And this is what you get.

Unfortunately while Mr. T was trying to figure out 

exactly how he was supposed to eat this thing...

he dumped the entire contents of his bowl

in his lap!

 That morning I decided to try some homemade
blueberry muffins, with whole blueberries.
These were VERY time consuming and somewhat
labor intensive.
But I really like them!
So did J,
the rest of the family, not so much.
I did not use the sugar topping it recommended.

But they looked pretty!

Mel's Best Blueberry Muffins