Grocery Lists

So I broke my list up...

First I made a big master list, which not only has what I need, but how it needs to be prepped.  This way after I buy my groceries I can just prep each item once (for example, mince all my garlic at once in stead of for each individual recipe.)

Then I split the list into smaller lists: things I have on hand, things I need to check to see if I have, Grocery Store, Farm Market, Specialty Store (Best Market), Meat.  I am not going to post those (because what do you care where I buy my groceries), but wanted to give you an idea of how to split your lists.

We have a store local to us called Best Market.  I don't go there often, but they do tend to have great prices on meat and produce.  Their produce can be iffy at times and is best used the day it is bought or shortly after.  My favorite thing to go there for, though, is cheese.  They have a very large and very affordable cheese department there and I have never been disappointed with anything I have bought.  I will go there just for my cheese and to price meat.

I keep meat separate because it is typically the most expensive part of the meal and so I do not mind spending a little time price comparing.  I will check a few grocery stores circulars when I go to shop, as well as Best Market and wholesale clubs.  Looking back at my list, I am not using a lot of meat in this menu.  I really didn't do that on purpose, but it really works out for a few reasons.  One being it lowers the investment in the freezer menu.  I don't typically shop for 16 dinners at a time so using things I have on hand and less meat will definitely make it hurt the wallet less.

Master List

Pantry

~Olive Oil: 3 tablespoons

1 28-oz. can of whole tomatoes

~1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

~1 pound Rigatoni

~Vegetable Oil: 1 tablespoon

~Canned Corn, 5 1/2 cups (about 3 cans)**

~1/4 cup Flour

1/4 cup Tomato Paste

~1 Can Vegetable Broth

~1 Can Black Beans

~1 can chickpeas

16 Corn Tortillas

8 cans beef broth

Beef granules: 10 teaspoons

~Cornstarch: 10 tablespoons

Produce

1 Red Onion

~10 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz. Baby Spinach

4 White Onions, chopped

1 Jalapeno, minced

2 Red Bell Peppers, diced

4 White Potatoes, peeled and diced*

1 1/2 pounds Green Beans, ends snipped and cut into 1" pieces (about 6 cups)

3 pounds Plum Tomatoes, cored and halved (about 12)

1/2 pound Carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4" pieces

1 large eggplant

Etc.

1/4 cup Vodka (optional)

Seasoning/Spices

~Oregano: 1/2 teaspoon

~Chili Powder: 1 tablespoon

~Ground Cumin: 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons

Ground Coriander: 1 tablespoon

~Thyme: 1/2 teaspoon

~Curry: 2 teaspoons

Montreal Steak Seasoning: 4 teaspoons

Dairy

Heavy Cream, 1/2 cup

6 oz. Fontina Cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

~Butter, 3 tablespoons 

Milk, 3 cups

Jack Cheese, 3 cups

Meat

10 oz. Chicken Sausage 

4 pounds Ground Beef

8 Chicken Breasts

Freezer

1 Box Frozen Chopped Spinach

~These are things I have on hand.  This only matters when I give my shopping totals.

*I also plan on making a large batch of mashed potatoes to portion and freezer.  This will require additional potatoes, milk and butter.  I will buy a bag of potatoes and be able to use the milk and butter I am purchasing/previously purchased.

**Some recipes called for fresh corn off the cob or frozen corn.  I have a stockpile of canned corn, so that is what I am using.   Plus it is more convenient than cooking and decobbing (new word?) fresh corn. 

Freezer Menu and Recipes

It all began with a pin and a dream....

16 dinners and 3 lunches, recipes all found on Pinterest.

I am not sure how to import a spreadsheet, in fact I don't even have Excel on this computer.  I had written this out in a notebook (I am a notebook queen).  I am going to try to type in my chart as best I can.  The name of the recipe should be the link to the original recipe.  The # of Meals is how many meals I think I can get out of it for my small family of 2 adults and 1 toddler.  To be honest, my daughter and I hardly count as one adult.  Your "mileage" per meal may vary.  The container is what I am planning on putting it in.  More on that later.  Additional instructions is what I will label the container with (in addition to what it is!)

Recipe                         # of Meals             Containers            Additional Instructions

Baked Pasta with                  2                      Aluminum Pan         Do not thaw. Cook covered at

Chicken Sausage                                                                               400 for 90-105 minutes.

                                                                                                            Uncover and top with Fontina 

                                                                                                            & Parmesan cheese.  Bake 20-

                                                                                                            30 minutes till browned.

Taco Filling                             4                      Sm. Freezer Bag      For beef tacos, taco salad, 

                                                                                                             baked potatoes, Taco soup

Vegetable Chowder               2                      Plastic Container      

Vegetable Enchiladas            2                      Aluminum Pan         Do not thaw.  Cook covered @ 

                                                                                                             400 fir 90 minutes till heated

                                                                                                             through.  Bake uncovered for 

                                                                                                             15 to 20 minutes.

Roasted Tomato &                 3*                    Sm. Plastic 

Eggplant Soup                                                 Containers

Hamburger Gravy                2**                  Plastic Container      Serve over mashed potatoes

Shredded Chicken                 4                      Sm. Freezer Bags     See pin: 40 Shredded Chicken

Breasts                                                                                                dinners

*This recipe serves 6 and is right up my alley!  I figure it would make a perfect quick lunch for me.  That is why I am counting it as 3 lunches as opposed to 1/2 dinners.

**I am doubling this recipe in order to make 2 dinners.  It might end up being 3 though.

I'm back... and big freezer plans.

So I am 30 weeks pregnant today!

This is exciting but also slightly terrifying.  We have a lot to do.  We have (barely) began the great bedroom switch up.  I know baby's room does not have to be ready the day he is born, but let's face it, it is definitely easier if it is.  The house needs a big clean (for all the company after) and the toys a big cleaning out (thank goodness the consignment sale is on its way!)  I want to get the car detailed and the new car seat installed.  I need to begin planning a baptism, a sip and see and oh yeah, back to school (and back to work) is in about 2 weeks!  

The good news is we are back from a little vacation and ready to go!  My extended family is all going on a large vacation for the next 9 days or so.  This doesn't sound like good news and I will miss them, but it gives us less to do (because who can say no when mom invites you to dinner!)  and a place to crash if we have a night when the beds are in the kitchen instead of the bedrooms.

I also hope to do a big freezer cooking session.  I spent about an hour and half this morning collecting recipes and making grocery lists.  I am happy to share these you.  I will post back the link once I have typed them.  I plan to make 16 dinners and 3 lunches this weekend.  I want to spread it out a little.  Plan today, shop tomorrow, etc. but we will see how it goes!

Anyone game to take the challenge with me?

ETA:

Freezer Menu and Recipe Links 
Grocery List 
Freezer Containers

Shadow Box Part 2

Made another one!  This is Grace's Memory items from the hospital.

Freezer Challenge...

This week will be a breeze...

We are taking a long weekend, so I wanted to avoid grocery shopping as much as possible this week so the fridge will be nice and empty.

Monday I had a prenatal appointment.  I love my midwife practice.  I would never leave them.  They are 40 minutes from my house.  No big deal when I am going once a year, but now I am up to every 2 weeks.  It's a lot of miles.  One "perk" of traveling so far is there is a Popeye's Chicken and Biscuit nearby.  We love their chicken, and have it when I have an appointment (well, now that my appointments are every 2 weeks, we have it every other appointment.)  So Monday we had "Chicken on the Bone" as Grace calls it!  We took it to my mother's and she had some left over salads.  Easy dinner.

Tuesday was equally as easy... pizza night at my aunt's house.  Can't beat no cooking 2 nights in a row.

I picked a good week to try to empty the freezer a bit.  I was called in to sub for summer school Monday to Thursday this week.  So not having to come home and cook is a treat (especially when I am so out of the groove of getting up early!)  Tonight we are going to have the meatloaf I mixed last week and froze.  I am actually excited about this.  Mashed potatoes and whatever vegetables I have on hand!  Dinner done!

I have done something very unlike me... I haven't really planned my meal plan this week.  I know I have things in my freezer: ravioli, curry chicken, teriyaki chicken, hamburgers, cheesesteaks... I kind of been making a decision in the morning and running with it!  I will be back on track when I return mid-next week.

Oh Em Gee

If you try one recipe from this blog...

It has to be the Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin.  This was the holy grail of pork recipes.  It was moist and tender.  I was afraid of it being too sweet, but it wasn't.  Shockingly, I followed the recipe near exactly.  I was slightly heavy handed with the Cajun seasoning (Actually... I used Creole seasoning... say it with me "it's what I had on hand.")  The slight spice cutting through the sweetness was to die for.  I will make this over and over again.

I served with oven roasted garlic and herb red potatoes (from the farm market), oven roasted corn (throw the whole thing in the oven for an hour at 350... delish) and sauteed Italian eggplant with garlic, tomatoes and onion tossed in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  All in all an awesome meal.

Edited to add a photo:

 And a tip: Make any pan oven-proof by covering the plastic handles with foil!

A lot of changes this week!

So this week got a little crazy...

Monday we napped instead of cooked and Wednesday we too my mom out to dinner so that was two meals off our menu.  So now we were looking at this for the week so far:

Monday: Houlihan's

Tuesday: Enchiladas

Wednesday: Outback

Thursday: Patty Melts

I had taken out Chicken Curry, which was all set in the freezer and Baked Ziti also in the freezer.  Tonight will (finally) be the Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin (that is if I get up soon and take the pork out of my freezer!)  Saturday is the vegan pepper steak, which I may put on hold for another day since I didn't buy the mushrooms.  I didn't want them hanging in the fridge all week for a Saturday dinner, so I figured a quick produce trip was necessary.  I think I may try to cook from the pantry/freezer on Saturday.

So after two dinners out, I decided next week I would challenge myself to cook from the freezer.  This is good for 2 reasons: I clear out space in the freezer (making sure some of the good stuff in there doesn't go to waste!) and it lower the grocery bill (significantly) for the week.  So look forward to that menu soon!

Last night, I almost gave in to ordering a pizza.  Grace went to "school" for a half day.   We send her one half day a week in the summer.  It keeps her in the daycare groove and we found that September was much easier.  I ran errands the whole time, not even stopping back home in the 5 hours.  By the time dinner rolled around, I was tired and hot and had no interested in standing in my un-air conditioned kitchen with the oven/stove on.  Tim, my husband, is no help in motivating me to cook.  He said, "Sit and relax, we will order a pizza."  Jerk.  Just Kidding.  But after going to dinner out two nights this week, I really didn't want to spend $15 on pizza especially when I have 3 pounds of ground beef in the fridge.  So I hurried to get started.

Dinner last night was Patty Melts.  Traditionally, this is a seasoned beef patty (hamburger) on rye bread with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Islands dressing.  Then the whole sandwich is grilled (like a grill cheese) till crispy and gooey.  Yummy yummy yummy!  Well, we do it a little different here, mostly to play with ingredients that we keep on hand.  For example, we are not big bread people.  We buy a loaf of white bread and end up throwing the last few pieces to the birds.  So to buy a loaf of rye bread to use 6 to 8 pieces doesn't make a lot of sense for us.  We just used white bread.  Same thing with Swiss cheese.  I love Swiss cheese on a patty melt, and not on much more.  We had American cheese so that is what we went with.

Ok, three pounds of ground beef is definitely too much for patty melts.  I paid just about $9 for the meat, and I was determine to get at least 3 meals out of it.  I started by chopping and sauteing a Vidala onion in butter to get it to caramelize.  I use Vidala onions for this because of their high sugar content. They are beyond delicious cooked.  In the summer we like to brush chunks of Vidala onion with olive oil and grill them to eat.  Amazing.  Low and slow to caramelize onions, so I got them going first.  Then I chopped some more vegetables.  I decided to take a pound of beef and make a meat loaf.  I can freeze this uncooked and it will be good to go on another night.  I have onions and those beautiful fresh peppers from the farm market.  I chop them up meatloaf size (and cut up another 2 peppers to snack on... they were gone that night!).  Mix my meatloaf (meat, breadcrumb, egg, onions, pepper, ketchup, a bit of Merlot Sauce, salt and pepper).  For my meatloaf, put it in my foil lined pan, wrap it up and stick it in the freezer.  Tomorrow I will pop it out of the dish, throw it in a labeled freezer bag and ta-duh.  Easy dinner another night.  

Moving on, make my patties for the patty melt.  These can be as simple or complex as you want. I toss in a little salt and pepper, some Garlic Garlic (from Tastefully Simple) and a bit of that good old Merlot Sauce.  I mix them in my bowl and then use the side of my hand to score the meat into 4 equal pieces.  I make my patties to look a bit like meat donuts, with a hole in the middle.  This keeps the burger from plumping up too much, the hole will disappear and you don't have to worry about the center being raw.  I throw them in the same pan as the onions, just push the caramelized onions to the side. I get ready to assemble the sandwiches while thinking about the last pound of meat.  Instead of butter, I use mayo to coat the bread.  It grills nicer, its easier to spread and you can't taste it when it done (believe me, Tim would gag if he knew he was eating mayo... he has never caught on.).  Bread in a clean dry pan (mayo side down), caramelized onions,  patty, cheese (I actually melted my cheese onto the patty before hand...) and bread.  I keep the dressing on the side as I am the only one who likes it and I love to dip in it.  Get those bad boys grilling.

One more pound of meat and what to do.  I know, a chili started.  Brown my beef with an onion and some of those yummy peppers.  Another day it will be ready to jump in the crock pot with a few other ingredients and dinner will be good to go.  In fact, with a couple cans  of beans, this could probably be for 2 meals!  

3 pound of meat for $9 and I have the protein for 4 meals.  That helps make up for 2 dinners out! 

I did take pictures, but they are on my phone, which Grace is currently playing with. I will update with pictures later.