Menu Plan Monday 6/7-6/13

Last week's menu plan went pretty smoothly! I did have to get “take out” on Saturday night because we were busy all day and nothing was started in the crockpot. However, we were at my parents’ house unloading some sand on their property and were treated by them to Wendy’s.

For this week’s shopping trip, I stayed under my $100 budget. I purchased milk, eggs, fruit and then some deals that were not easy to pass up.

This week’s menus are cleaning out the freezer and pantry meals! It is the week before payday on the 15^th so it is time to stretch what is on hand rather than do more shopping.

For this week, lunches listed are for the kids and I except for Monday! Unless we are having leftovers, our lunches are served with apple slices or carrot sticks along with fruit juice or water. Hubby usually takes a dinner leftover along with various snacks for his work lunch.

A special thanks to Laura-Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Need help with your menus; go check the over 400 other delicious meal plans that have been linked at Laura-Organizing Junkie’s site or look down in my right sidebar for my menu suggestion lists!

Sunday (6-7)

Breakfast: eggs, sausage or steak, hash browns, and jiffy muffins (boxed)

Lunch: leftovers

Dinner: skillet chicken gravy served with rice and green peas

Snack: snack basket

Monday (6-8)

Breakfast: “your choice”—due to an 8:30 appt

Lunch: sandwiches & chips

Dinner: roasted pork loin served with mashed potatoes & gravy, and corn

Snack: snack basket

Tuesday (6-9)

Breakfast: waffles and sausage

Lunch: spaghetti (leftovers)

Dinner: cube steak or hotdogs served with mac & cheese and green beans

Snack: cookies & milk

Wednesday (6-10)

Breakfast: French Toast (from freezer)

Lunch: sandwiches & chips

Dinner: beef gravy served with egg noodles and green peas

Snack: snack basket

Thursday (6-11)

Breakfast: Pancakes (from freezer)

Lunch: sandwich & chips

Dinner: roasted chicken breasts & drums served with rice & gravy and corn

Snack: snack basket

Friday (6-12)

Breakfast: cereal and toast

Lunch: sandwich & chips

Dinner: ???-- looking for inspiration

Snack: ice cream night

Saturday (6-13)

Breakfast: “Cook’s Choice”

Lunch: ???

Dinner: ???-- looking for inspiration

Snack: snack basket or popcorn

Meijer Deals 6/7-6/13

Just a reminder, that I am using a West Michigan sale ad and my Meijer does NOT double coupons! Also check the THREE pages ofMealbox coupons there are several cpns that match items in this week's ad! The coupons have had a change in wording, they now say, ONE COUPON PER TRANSACTION. NOT TO BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER MEIJER MANUFACTURER DISCOUNT COUPONS. So that means that we can use them with manufactor's cpns!!

Don't Forget to check out my friend, Kate at Cooking During Stolen Moments has posted a few meal ideas based on what is on sale this week, head over and read her meal ideas!!!

PROMOTIONS:
~~FREE MILK: BUY 3 Nabisco Oreos, Fun Stix or Nilla Wafers, Newtons or Cakesters GET Free Meijer Gallon of Milk (Excludes chocolate and Organics)

~~Buy 4 Kellogg's Cereal 8 oz. or larger in a single transaction, Get $3 off instantly at register.


10 for $10 Deal Get the 11th item FREE Mix & Match Sale:

Aquafresh Tartar Control Whitening 6 oz. or Cavity Protection 6.4 oz

Closeup Toothpaste 6 oz.

Glade Aerosol 9 oz. Assorted varieties

Meijer Essentials Napkins 250 ct.

Meijer Premium Dinner Napkins 40 ct.

Meijer All Occasion Napkins 100 ct.

Meijer Plastic Party Plates 15-22 ct., Bowls 24 ct. or Cups 20 ct

Meijer Antiseptic Mouthwash 500 ml.

Meijer Essentials Paper Towels 1 big roll

Meijer Reusable Grocery Bag 1 ct

Meijer Slider Bags Freezer 10-15 ct. or storage 15-20 ct., Reclosable Bags Sandwich or snack 50 ct., Fold Top Sandwich Bags 150 ct.

Meijer Brown Lunch Bags 50 ct

Renuzit Adjustables 7.5 oz. Assorted varieties

Angel Soft Bath Tissue 4 rolls
50/1 cpn 04-19 RP

Armour Lunchmakers 2.6-3.3 oz. pkg. All varieties

Armour Sliced Pepperoni 3 oz. pkg

Aunt Jemima Breakfast Entrées 5.2-6.8 oz. All varieties

Banquet Brown 'N Serve Breakfast Links-7 oz. pkg. Frozen

Banquet Meals-5.75-10.25 oz. Assorted varieties

Ben & Jerry's Cup 3.6 oz

Bumble Bee Chunk White Tuna in Water or Ready to Eat Salad Kits

Bushs Best Variety Beans, Baked Beans or Chili Beans 15-16 oz. can. Select varieties

Del Monte Fruit Naturals 8 oz

Del Monte Tomatoes 14.5 oz. can. Select varieties

Frito Lay Lunch Box 2-5 oz. Select varieties

Gatorade 32 oz. bottle. All varieties

Gerber 2nd Foods 2 pk./3.5 oz.

Glaceau Smart Water Glaceau Smart Water

Green Giant Box or Poly Bag Vegetables 7-12 oz. Assorted varieties

Haagen-Dazs Cup 4 oz

Hunts Snack Pack Puddings or Gels 4/14 oz. All varieties

Jenos Crisp 'n Tasty Pizza

Totino's 15 Ct Pizza Rolls Assorted varieties

Joy Liquid Dish Soap 30 oz. Assorted varieties

Kings Hawaiian Rolls 4 pk
75/1 cpn

Kool Aid Kool Bursts Fruit Drinks 6/6.75 oz. squeeze bottles. All varieties

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner-Premium 7.25-7.3 oz., whole grain 6 oz., shapes 5.5 oz. box

Kraft Easy Mac cups. 2.05 oz. Select varieties
$1/2 cpn

Mangos each

Meijer Applesauce 24-25 oz. jar. Original, cinnamon, unsweetened or chunky

Meijer Cinnamon Rolls

Meijer Jumbo Biscuits

Meijer Frozen Pizza Dough 16 oz

Meijer Ground Turkey Frozen. 16 oz. pkg

Meijer Marshmallows 10-10.5 oz. Regular or miniature

Meijer Microwave Popcorn 3 ct. All varieties

Meijer Organics Whole White or Whole Mini Bella Mushrooms 8 oz pkg

Meijer Pasta Sauce 26 oz. jar. Select varieties

Meijer Premium Chunk White Chicken in Water 5 oz. can

Meijer Soft Cookies 10-11 oz. Select varieties

Meijer Tomato or Vegetable Juice 46 oz. can

Meijer White Hot Dog or White or Seeded Hamburger Buns 8 ct. pkg

Nabisco Barnum's Animals Crackers 2.1 oz. or Go-Paks or Carry Me Packs 1.5-4 oz. Select varieties

Organic Baby-Cut Carrots or Green Onions 1 lb. bag or Green Onions 4.5 oz.

Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mountain Dew or 7-Up 2 Liter Bottle

Popsicle 12 ct

Rice A Roni or Pasta Roni : 3.8-7.2 oz. box or Pasta Roni 4.6-6.2 oz. box. Select varieties.

Starbucks Java Chip Cup Pint

Wishbone Dressing 8 oz. bottle

Wonder Classic White Bread 20 oz. loaf or White Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns 8 ct. pkg

Kens Dressing 8 oz. bottle
$1/2 cpn 05-03 S

Aunt Millies Butter Top White or Wheat Bread or English Muffins 22 oz. loaf or English Muffins 6 ct. pkg
35/1 cpn 05-10 RP

Bar S Jumbo Meat Franks, Chicken Franks or Bologna 16 oz. pkg
$1/2 cpn 05-10 RP

Hunts Ketchup 24 oz. bottle
20/1 cpn 05-10 S

Pillsbury Frosting or Cake Mix-Select varieties
35/1 cpn 05-17 RP(coupon is for reduce sugar variety if included in sale)

Shedds Country Crock Spread 15 oz. tub or 2/7.5 oz. tubs. Assorted varieties
25/1 cpn 05-17 RP

Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta with Meat 7.25-7.5 oz. microwaveable bowl or 14.75-15 oz. can. All varieties
35/3 cpn 05-31 S

Other Grocery Deals:

Blueberries (pint containers) 2/$3

California Peaches or Nectarines 99¢/lb

California Sweet Cherries $2.48/lb

Crystal Light 1.3-3.4 oz. canister. Makes 10-12 quarts. All varieties. ~~ Buy Two, Get Two FREE!
$2/2 cpn

Dole Classic Iceberg Salad 12 oz. pkg. 98¢

Garden Fresh Salsa, Hummus or Chips 10-16 oz. All varieties. ~~ Buy Two, Get One FREE!

Lays Potato Chips 10.5-11 oz. Assorted varieties. ~~ 50% off

Meijer Fresh Grade A Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.99/lb

Meijer Fresh Whole Chicken 98¢/lb

Meijer Gallon Milk All varieties excluding chocolate and Meijer Organic $1.98

Meijer Grade A Large Eggs 98¢

Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs or Variety or Tray Packs Select varieties ~~ 50% off

Marzetti Salad Dressing 2/$5
55/1 cpn 04-05 RP and $1/1 cpn

Johnsonville Smoked Brats or Breakfast Pork Sausage Links or Patties 13.5-16 oz. pkg. All varieties 2/$5
$1/1 cpn 04-05 S2

General Mills Cereal Select varieties. 3/$10
$1/3 cpn 05-03 S

Kraft Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product Singles 14.7-16 oz. pkg. American or 2% American 2/$5
$1/1 cpn 05-17 S1(Coupon is for Deli Deluxe variety if included in sale) and

Nabisco Ritz Crackers13.7-16 oz., Ritz Bits 7.5 oz. or Toasted Chips 8.1 oz. 2/$5
B1G1 cpn 05-17 S1

Athenos Feta 5-6 oz. pkg. All varieties. 2/$5
55/1 cpn 05-31 S

Kelloggs Cereal Select varieties 4/$10
$1/1 cpn 06-07 RP

Other NON-Grocery Deals:

Meijer First Aid Creams and Ointments ~~ Buy One, Get One identical item FREE!

Lysol All Purpose Cleaner, Kitchen Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner or Toilet Bowl Cleaner Assorted varieties. ~~ 50% off
$1/2 cpn 04-26 S

Lysol Disinfectant Spray 19 oz. 2/$8
$1/1 cpn 05-03 S

Lysol Disinfecting Wipes 80 ct. 2/$8
$1/2 cpn 04-26 S

Bic C3 Advance or Soleil Disposable Razor or NEW Bic Bella 4-Blade Disposable Razors 2/$9
$3/1 cpn 05-17 S1

Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil 75 sq. ft., Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil 50 sq. ft. or Heavy Duty Non-Stick 35 sq. ft. $2.29
$1/1 cpn 05-17 S1

Always Jumbo Pack 36-40 ct. $7
$1/2 cpn 06-07 PG

Old Spice Body Wash or Old Spice Red Zone Body Wash 2/$7
50/1 cpn 06-07 PG

Ban Invisible Solid, Clear Gel or Roll-On 2.6 oz., Clear Gel 2.25 oz. or Roll-On 3.5 oz. ~~ Buy One Get One of equal or lesser value FREE!
40/1 cpn 06-07 S

Nature Made Vitamins and Supplements All Varieties ~~ Buy One, Get One identical item FREE!
$1/1 cpn 06-07 S

***Please take the time to check out your local ad, which you can find here!! IF Meijer is not your store of choice, head over to BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering!!

Perennial Plant Exchange

This year I was able to expand my flower gardens for free through a plant exchange that my hubby's co-workers do every year.

How it works is they plan a day in the spring that they bring into work plant clippings or seeds and exchange them for other plants or seeds that others have brought from their gardens. Basically they share the wealth of the plants that they have thinned out or divided or just do not want any more.

This year we trade some daylilies for....

TWO mini Hostas

an Autumn Joy Sedum

this gigantic Hosta!

We also got some shasta daisy seeds so that I can start some more plants.

I love this concept of the plant exchange because I am able to fill in holes in my flower gardens and get some variety of plants rather than just dividing or thinning out the plants to compost them or having to buy new seedlings.

Have you done this concept before with a neighbor or friend?

Weekly Shopping Trip--Savings $58.22

This week, I was just after some of deals along with getting milk, eggs and fresh fruit. There was a few deals with coupons that I just could not pass up.

I was able to stay under my $100 weekly budget goal for this week! I think it is safe to say that doing the pantry challenges over the last couple of months, I have successfully figured out how to cut my weekly grocery budget from $150 to $100 each week! With my family of seven, being heavy meat-eaters and having no garden I do not think I can cut the weekly budget down much more. However, I might be trying to in the next few months to see what I can do to decrease the spending each week.

So here is what I purchased this week for under $100:

Family Fare: (2 trips)

1st trip:

• 2 gallons milk $3.96

Total OOP: $3.96
Total Savings: $2.02
Total without sales & coupons: $5.98

2nd trip:

• 3 lbs stick margarine $2.25
• 3 lbs carrots $2.37
• 4.95 lbs pork loin $7.87 (sliced for pork chops)
• 3.02 lbs chicken drumsticks $2.99
• 2 lbs bacon $4.98
• 3 dozen eggs $2.94
• 2.79 lbs bananas $1.65
• 1 bottle Sunny Delight Smoothie 45¢

Total OOP: $24.94
Total Savings: $19.31
Total without sales & coupons: $44.25


Meijer:

• 4 boxes Jiffy Muffin Mix $3.16
• 3.71 lbs ground round $7.38
• 12 cups yogurt $5.10
• 1 lb strawberries $1.34
• 2 pks mini Warm Delights $2.88
• 1 family pk breaded fish $4.99
• 1 bag Betty Crocker cookie mix $1.17
• 4 tubes Grands Biscuits $4.40
• 2 tubs Edys Dibs $4.00
• 2 boxes Icecream drumsticks $4.00
• 2 boxes Chex Mix bars $3.47
• 4 Tombstone pizzas $11.32
• 3 boxes General Mills cereal $5.00

Total OOP: $58.21
Total Savings: $36.89
Total without sales & coupons: $95.10

Grand Total OOP: $87.11
Grand Total Savings: $58.22
Grand Total without sales & coupons: $145.33

This post is linked at:

• MoneySavingMom's Super Saturday Savings
  
• BeCentsAble's Centsable Savings Stories
• The Grocery Cart Challenge Weekly Shopping
  

Glimpse of my Flower Garden!

Other than having seasonal allergies and dealing with Cottonwood "air floaties" getting stuck to everything, I love this time of year when everything is green and blooming!!

I have a rose bush at the front corner of the house that was left at the house by the previous owners--It is HUGE--like 6 feet tall! and every year we get dozens of roses in two different blooming periods(once late spring/early summer and then late summer/early fall) Here is the first bloom!! It is sooo fragnant!
Here is another bloom on that same rose bush! At last count there was 15 blooms on this one bush!
Here is one of my dianthus plants that I have on my porch in a pot. I planted this last year! It was in the annual section of the greenhouse!! Guess I have a perennial on my hands!
Here is a mini daylily with its first and second bloom of the season! I have two of these plants in my garden and both of them are going to be blooming like crazy this season! The other plant hasn't started blooming yet but there is about 10 shoots with at least 4 buds per shoot on it!
This is newly acquired to my yard! My hubby put this sloped circle in for me this year in a spot in the yard where he could not get grass to grow. It is hard to see in this picture without clicking on it to make it bigger but in the middle there is a Colorado blue spruce seedling. We got that free at one of the local nurseries this year with a coupon that we got after purchasing our Christmas tree there. All the flowers in this area are annuals--zinneas, marigolds, verbanas, and vinca impatients, basically something to fill in the area with color while the pine tree grows. We still need to get some mulch to put in this area so when I water the soil doesn't erode away.

So this is a glimpse of six different areas of flower gardens that is in my yard! I am better at keeping up with flowers than with veggies! Do you have a flower garden? If so, what is in your flower gardens?

BLT Pasta Salad

Summer is just beginning here in the Midwest which means that grilling and no oven meals are the "in thing" to do! One of my favorite no-oven meals are doing up pasta salads to have with grilled meat.

Last year at a wedding I had this type of salad and came home and wanted to tried it out with my crew but didn't have a recipe because I wasn't smart enough to ask the caterer at the wedding for the recipe! I took the time to look online to find something that resembled the salad and I found several so I combined a couple of recipes and came up this recipe that my crew just loves despite the fact that there is chunks of tomatoes in it!

It has become my go to pasta salad for picnics and get togethers because of how easy it is to make up. Here is what I came up with....

BLT PASTA SALAD

1 lb rotini pasta cooked, drained and cooled

1/4 cup Real Bacon bits

1/4 cup Miracle Whip Light

1/4 cup Ranch Salad Dressing

1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped

2-3 leaves of iceberg lettuce, chopped

I cooked, drained and cooled the rotini the night before along with adding in some of the bacon bits and some of the Miracle Whip and Ranch Dressing. Then the following day before I was going to serve it, I chopped the tomatoes, and lettuce. I added more Miracle Whip and Ranch Dressing and Bacon Bits and it was ready to serve!

You might have to play with the measurements for the salad because the only measurements that I know for sure is the rotini pasta and the grape tomatoes. The rest of the ingredients I just put in with the rotini and when it looked good I stopped adding them. I don't like pasta salads dripping with dressing so I made it where the dressing part of the salad was light---just enough to stick the ingredients together. Also, I used grape tomatoes instead of the "sandwich" size tomatoes so that I ended up with more tomato "meat" than tomato seeds.

One of these times that I make it, I will probably get some romaine lettuce or fresh spinach to use in place of the iceberg lettuce! So far the few times that I have made it, I have change things up with different shaped pasta including using tri-color rotini. Also I have used roma tomatoes as well, if you use any other tomatoes besides the grape ones you will want to de-seed the tomatoes! I didn't one of the times I have made it and regretted not doing so!

With this pasta salad you will want to make sure that it is eaten within a day or two after making it because the tomatoes really get mushy after the first 24 hours!

This salad would be a good compliment side with some grilled chicken or a nice juicy grilled burger or steaks for a nice simple summer meal!

This post is linked at:

• Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom!
  
• Recipe Swap at The Grocery Cart Challenge!
  
• Food on Fridays at Ann Kroeker!
  
• Fearless Fridays at Home Ec 101!
  
• Friday Feasts at Mom Trends!
  
• Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!

Chocolate Chip Bread

Looking for something other than chocolate chip cookies??? This quick bread can be a great substitute!! It is very easy to make into loaves or muffins!



Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) chocolate chips(I prefer milk chocolate)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts(optional)

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

COMBINE flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine eggs, milk and vegetable oil in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture; mix just until moistened. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into prepared loaf pans.

BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool on wire racks.

NOTES: If you are looking for even more chocolate flavor, drizzle or spread the cooled loaves with chocolate! Microwave 1/2 cup chocolate chips in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; knead bag to mix. Microwave for an additional 10- to 20-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut a small hole in corner of bag; squeeze to drizzle over bread. If you don't want to use a plastic bag just melt chocolate chips in a bowl and use a knife to spread some melted chocolate on top. Personally, I love to spread the chocolate on top so that when I cut the loaves each slice has an extra kick of chocolate. However, if you are looking for elegant loaves, drizzling is the best option.

This post is linked at:

Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace!

I am Blissfully Domestic at Blissfully Domestic!