Makeovers

During the holidays fancy dips and spreads are often made and not completely consumed.

Below is what I did with two of my frozen leftovers.

.Shrimp Butter and Shrimp Spread became shrimp rice.

Buffalo Wing Dip Became Buffalo Wing Noodles.

I simply heated them with some evaporated milk to thin them and create a sauce which I then mixed with the rice or noodles.

Fast, simple and yummy uses for those Special Party Leftovers.

Beef Stroganoff Soup

A stick to your ribs soup with all the flavor of the famous namesake.

1/2 to 1 pound of browned ground beef
mushrooms and onions, sauteed
2 Tbs. tomato paste
32 ounces beef broth
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Stirred together and heated through

1/2 pint sour cream or Greek yogurt whisked in at the end to make it creamy

Serve over cooked noodles or rice.

Easy Italian Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

25 cent jars of roasted red peppers were to be had at salvage.  I bought two and used half a jar in this recipe.

 If you can't find a deal you can roast your own or substitute fresh red peppers for a similar dish.

This is a one pan dish I would serve to company.

Brown pieces of chicken  in a skillet.  I used breasts and thighs.

Add to the pan chopped roasted red peppers, minced garlic, salt and pepper, Italian herb blend, chicken broth and evaporated milk.  You can adjust quantities to your taste and the amount of chicken you are cooking.

Cover everything and cook until the chicken is done and the sauce has thickened.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with rice or noodles.

Enjoy!

March 1-15 and the Meal Plan

We were still doing low carb for the first week.

Low Meat:  leftover cheeseburger quiche; steak salad; chef salad; broccoli, chicken and cheese casserole; eggplant Parmesan

Regular Meat:  chicken breast with roasted red pepper sauce; Asian marinated pork chops; steak; leftovers; fish for Ash Wednesday (x2); fish for Friday

Soup:  meatless split pea soup ;  bacon lentil soup; Vegetarian vegetable soup

Regular:  7
Low: 5
Soup:3

Regular:7
Low:6
Vegetarian: 2

 We need less regular meat and more vegetarian.  But Low carb always does this.

Buying and Eating: March 1-15

Allocation:  $369.21
Cushion:  $432.70

What We Ate:

Still doing low carb for the first week.
Leftover cheeseburger quiche; chicken breast with creamy roasted red pepper sauce; steak, sauteed mushrooms and onion, asparagus, salad; Asian marinated pork chops, stir fry vegetables and Chinese onion pancake; leftovers; fish and vegetables; steak salad and cheese bread; leftover risk and vegetables; Vegetarian split pea soup; lentil bacon soup, tvp chili, vegetable soup; chef salad; broccoli chicken and cheese casserole; eggplant Parmesan; fish butter beans, spinach, salad

What We Bought:

Aldi:
Stir fry frozen vegetables, asperagus, Romaine lettuce, cheese (2)  $10.45

Sam's Club:  maple syrup,  stuffed olives $18.26

Giant Eagle:  Coke Zero free with coupon

Aldi:  ice cream, yoghurt, saltines  $4.39

Price Rite:  coffee (5), salt cilantro, plum tomatoes, carrots (5#), cantaloupe (2), shredded cheese (3)$20.12

Tops:  eggs (3), cabbage,lettuce$3.91

Vitacost:  instant coconut milk, unsweetened coconut .$ 8.53

Giant Eagle:  frozen vegetables (10) , canned vegetables (11)  $0.39 after a $15 gift card from having a prescription filled was deducted.

Total Groceries:  $66.05


Eating Out:

Mike trivia night  $6


Grand Total:  $72.05

Allotment for the next two weeks:  $297.16

February Household and Personal Care Expenses

Personal care:  8  pack of his soleil razors normally $8.56, free with rebate

Household:  oxiclean laundry detergent (2) .  $2.10

We also purchased 5 bottles of Extra laundry detergent for 99cents each.  These will be donated to the animal shelter.

I find it I keep my eyes open I never have to pay more than 99cents a bottle for laundry detergent.  I have even been able too build stockpile.

February was a much better month budget wise than January.  For that I am thankful.

February's Breakfasts

Most of our  lunches are dinner leftovers.  Very economical.

But breakfasts can become expensive if your go to is cold cereal.  If you buy it at $3.50 a box, with the box giving you ten SMALL servings, your breakfast is thirty five cents per person.

You can eat for five to ten cents with a little forethought.

You can have variety and save at least $100a year \ person towards a vacation or something fun.

To  give you ideas, here are our breakfasts for February:

1.  Homemade Pancakes from the freezer reheated in the toaster
2.  Homemade  Leftover coffee cake
3.  Eggs, and toast,  I found eggs at 89cents \ dozen or 7 cents\ egg
4.  Homemade leftover banana bread
5.  Oatmeal
6.  Blueberry pancakes
7.  French toast
8.  Fried potatoes and eggs using leftover baked potatoes
9.  Homemade blueberry scones
10.  Leftover pancakes
11.  Leftover blueberry scones
12.  Bagels, more expensive at 16 cents ( bought 6 for $1 at bread store) but a nice treat and quick
13.  Homemade cinnamon rolls made the night before
14.  Raisin cinnamon English muffins a great for Valentine's Day at 16 cents each
15.  Leftover cinnamon roll and English muffin
16.  Leftover blueberry scones from the freezer
17.  Grilled pbj
18.  Bagels
19.  Egg sandwich
We started two weeks of Low carb today.  It's protein heavy so costs  will go up
20.  Two fried eggs.  About 15 cents.
21.  Homemade breakfast sausage patties
22.  Protein pancakes using protein powder and cottage cheese, makes lots of leftovers
23.  Sausage egg and cheese omelette
24. Eggs and bacon
25.  Leftover protein pancakes
26. Homemade low carb granola
27.  We skipped breakfast.
28.  Leftover protein pancakes

Frugal Things In February

1.  Getting a second, third and fourth opinion on some chimney work that needs to be done saved us over $1000.

2.  Making the time for a salvage shop.  We needed coffee and I can buy bags of Starbucks there for $2.99.  Quite a savings.

3.  Using gifted Rayban frames ( from my eye surgeon who didn't like them) for my new glasses and comparison shopping for the lenses saved us $350.

4.  We made the effort and took the time to send in a rebate for a med our cats are on.  Result ?  $30.

5.  Using a rebate, we got 14 pounds of cat litter, a $16.99 value, for free.

6.  Using another rebate I got an 8 pack of bic soleil razors for free.  I saved $8.56

7.  Using a coupon, I purchased a $7.84 bag of cat food for free.  I will donate it to the local animal shelter.

February 16-28 and the Menu Plan

We have a week of Low carb represented so we are protein heavy.  But it works for us.


Low Meat:  tortilla pizza, tuna pasta bake (2) potato,sauerkraut and kielbasa casserole (2), eggplant Parmesan with meat sauce (2); Philly cheese steak tortilla pizza; turkey broccoli casserole and green beans

Regular meat:  sliced pork with mustard sauce; Philly cheese steak wrap

Eggs:  eggs Benedict; cheeseburger quiche

Low Meat:  9
Regular Meat:  2
Eggs:  2

Final numbers:
Low Meat:  11
Regular Meat:  2

Things are skewed due to the low carb diet.
But all things considered, I'll take it.

Buying and Eating: February 16-28

$212.68 remaining allocation

What We Ate:  tortilla pizza and chips; tuna pasta bake, butternut squash with cumin, Parmesan wine supper bread; sauerkraut, potato and kielbasa casserole; leftover tuna bake;  leftover sauerkraut,potato and kielbasa casserole; pork with mustard sauce, sauted garlic spinach, salad; eggplant Parmesan with meat sauce,   spaghetti squash, sauted zucchini, garlic cheese tortilla; Philly cheese steak wrap, salad; eggs Benedict and salad; leftover eggplant Parmesan; Philly cheese steak tortilla pizza; turkey broccoli casserole and green beans; cheeseburger quiche


What We Bought:

Aldi:  Roma tomatoes, strawberries blueberries, zucchini  $4.93

Giant Eagle:  Chobani yogurt  Free with coupon

Price Rite:  eggplant, cantaloupe, butter (2). $4.92

Save a Lot:  Brussel sprouts (lb), onions (6 lbs)  $4.97

Aldi:  water, cherries,(2), low carb bars (2 boxes), mozzarella cheese, Swiss cheese, provolone cheese, cottage cheese, feta cheese, bleu cheese, sour cream  $28.62 (a Low carb diet shop)

Price Rite:  canned beans (4), cucumbers (2), green and red pepper Wesson Oil (2gallons)  $8.63

Aldi:  mushrooms (2), whipping cream (2)   $4.88

Total for Groceries:  $56.95

Eating Out:

Lunch with Ginger  $8
Lunch with Joyce $15
Mike lunch $1.63

Total for Eating Out:  $24.63

Grand total for second half of the month:  $81.58

  Totals for the Month:

Groceries:  $157.18
Eating Out:  $44.63
Monthly Grand Total:  $201.81

Amount to Cushion:  $131.10

New cushion amount:  $432.70