Cheaper Per Pound Sausage

If you come across a ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork bargain you might want to consider making your own breakfast or Italian sausage.  It can be cheaper and healthier than what you can buy at the store.

This week I found chicken breast on sale for 99 cents/ pound. After I grind it myself, I am going to make Italian because we recently found a great deal on breakfast.

Homemade Italian Sausage :

2 pounds ground meat

1/4 c red wine

1 T salt

1 T black pepper

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

1 T basil

1 T fennel

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp oregano

1-2 tsp cayenne, depending on how hot you like it

Mix WELl.  Can be frozen in patties.

Breakfast Sausage:

2 pound ground meat

2 tsp safe

1 tsp black pepper

1 T brown sugar

2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp thyme

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp rosemary 

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Mix WELL.  Can be frozen in patties.

Homemade Granola

 We love granola for breakfast or a snack, but I don't love the price or the unpronounceable ingredients.  So, for decades I have made my own.

5 cups oatmeal

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup dry milk powder for protein, optional

2/3 cup honey

3/4 tsp. Cinnamon

Nuts, optional  I rarely use them

1 cup raisins stirred in after cooking

Mix together the oil, brown sugar and honey and heat until the sugar dissolves.  Combine this mixture with the dry ingredients in a large pan so the layer is thin.  Mix well.  Bake at 375 for ten minutes.  Stir and bake for another five.  Stir in raisins and let cool.  Store in an airtight container.   Yum!

2020 Buying ane Eating: September 1-15

 Monthly Allocation:  $329.70

Cushion:  $1123.56

What We Ate:  bean burritos;  chicken divan; chili spaghetti; pork stir fry; BLT; smoked turkey sandwich; Southwestern bean, rice and quinoa; bacon wrapped water chestnut, yogurt, fresh fruit; baked potato bar; French cassoulet; meatloaf, pasta with garlic and cheese baked carrots; cheesy lasagna; chili

What We Bought:

Aldi:  sour cream, cream cheese (2), grapes(1.64#), baguette, bagels (2), sourdough bread, English muffins, pretzels  $15.17

Farmers market:  tomatoes (6), green tomatoes(2), cabbage, hot peppers (quart basket)  $5.25

DiCamillo:  Italian bread. $2.99

Local Discount Grocery:  vanilla wafers, apricots, udon noodles, tabouli, peanut butter chips (2), red quinoa, Freekeh  $9.42

Aldi: sugar, blueberry bagels, everything bagels, sourdough bread, eggs  $8.95

Eating Out:

DiCamillo's for anniversary  $11.29

Blizzard  $5.07 ( We shared.  A once a summer necessity.)

Total Groceries:  $41.78

Total Eating Out:  $16.36

Total for Two Weeks:  $58.14

Allocation Remaining:  $271.56

2020 Meal Plan: September 1-15

 Vegetarian:  bean burritos; Southwestern bean, rice and quinoa; baked potato; cheesy lasagna

Low Meat:  chicken divan; BLT; bacon wrapped water chestnut; French cassoulet; chili; pork stir fry; chili spaghetti

Meat: smoked turkey sandwich; meatloaf

Vegetarian: 4

Low Meat:  7

Meat:  2

Some Other Savings Ideas

 1.  Hang at least some of your laundry to dry.  Years ago I calculated that each load I hung saved me about 50cents and was also better for the environment.  A small savings financially but green and easy.  I use plastic hangers to dry tops and a wooden clothes horse for jeans.  Another added benefit, clothes have been shown to last longer when not dried in the dryer.  Your dryer should even last longer.  Mine actually lasted 40 years!

2.  Purchase some clothing from the used market:  consignment shops, thrift stores, online.  I have found a lot o f outfits with tags still on them!  Again you are helping Mother Earth and your pocketbook.  For the past ten years all of my outer clothing has been used.  I now wear labels I couldn't afford before.

3.  When you are hungry for pizza, tacos, steaks, ribs and such try making them at home.  The savings can be considerable.

4.  If you are a soda drinker, try substituting iced tea.  Easy and inexpensive.  Healthier, too.

5.  Try baking bread, making cookies, baking cakes.  You will be amazed at the lower cost and the better taste.

6.  If you smoke, try cutting your daily consumption to help your health and your budget.

7.  Pack lunches for school and work.  If you are traveling, pack snacks and drinks.  Buying food out can really hurt your budget.

8.  Eat your leftovers for lunch or have a leftovers smorgasbord for dinner ocassionally.  

9.  Learn to make soup.  They are good, cheap and easy.

10.  Eat more vegetarian meals.  Substitute beans for meat in recipes.  Buy a good cookbook and experiment.  I suggest More With Less.  It is older but still good for cutting your budget.  I also have older editions of Betty Crocker and the Joy of Cooking that I use a lot.

2020 Household and Personal Care: August

Personal Care Expenses

Toothpaste $1.06  Dollar Tree

Household Expenses

Green scour pads   $1.06   Dollar Tree

2020 Frugal Things In August

1.  I made vegetarian versions of minestrone and chili.

2.  In some ethnic Indian dishes I substituted beans for the meat component.

3.  Saving the ends of bar soap to make laundry soap for the Anna Shelter.

4.  Paid to have my stand mixer repaired rather than replacing it.  We saved hundreds.

5.  We did our due diligence when we needed to replace our car.  It took time and patience but we found a new to us car that we had the knowledge to recognize as a good deal. We literally saved hundreds.

2020 Buying and Eating: August 16-31

 Remaining Allocation:  $241.09

Cushion:$970.29

What We Ate:  chicken divan and salad; pulled pork, potatoes and salad; General Tao's pork and veg; bleu cheese hamburgers, salad, Alfredo noodles; vegetarian Alfredo  noodles, tomatoes and butter beans; minestrone soup; brats and broccoli salad; Mexican pizza; smoked turkey sandwich and yogurt; fish and hushpuppies with salad; Curried potato; Korean bbq and rice; grilled ham and cheese with lentil soup; grilled venison, zucchini, mashed potatoes

Eating Out:

lunch in Bradford  $4.45

Aunt Cookie's Sub Shop  $10.26

Total:  $14.71

What We Bought:

Aldi:  sourdough bread, cantaloupe, bagels  $5.97

Price Rite:  broccoli, zucchini, salmon (2lb)   $9.37

Cosco:  garlic, kosher salt, salami (2lb)   $19.97

Save a Lot:  onions (3#), onion soup mix bananas (2#)   $3.20

Parkview Supermarket:  green pepper, carrots (4), potatoes (20#), sugar (16#), breakfast sausage (6#)  $21.45

Costco:  Swiss cheese  $13.15

Total Groceries:  $73.11

Two Week Total:  $87.82

Monthly Grand Total:  $187.42

To Cushion:  $153.27

New Cushion Amount:  $1,123.56

2020 Meal Plan: August 16-31

Vegetarian:  vegetarian Alfredo noodles; minestrone soup; Curried potato

Low Meat:  chicken divan; General Tao's pork and vegetables; Mexican salad

Meat:  pulled pork ; bleu cheese hamburgers; brats ; smoked turkey sandwich; fish; Korean bbq; grilled ham and cheese; grilled venison

Vegetarian:  3      Need to cook more.

Low Meat:  4       A few more of these would be good.

Meat:  8     Way too many.  But they tasted good.