August Menu

Two years ago a great friend told me about E-Mealz.  For just $5 a month, they provide all your supper menu planning.  It's a total steal!!  They have so many types of meals to choose from.  When I was a subscriber, they didn't have near as many as they have added recently.  They give you easy to follow recipes that are not too time consuming and a grocery list based on the sales of the week from particular grocery stores.  It couldn't be easier.  It's endorsed by Dave Ramsey and the 2 sisters who started the company are both believers.

Although I quit subscribing, I still read their blog regularly!  We quit subscribing when our garden came in strong and we had just butchered 75 chickens.  It was important that we use the food we had on hand from our farm and cut back on additional spending to keep up with the weekly menus.  I highly recommend it though.

I first started out using their Aldi menu because it was the cheapest, but as good as the meals were, I realized that the nutritional value was not up to what we desired.  I switched to the Point System for Walmart and enjoyed the lower fat/calorie foods but didn't like purchasing fat free processed items.  Then we tried the Low Carb Walmart plan which the recipes were great, but we missed our carbs.  :)  I have a friend who has done the Publix menu for years and says it is wonderful.  They recently added a more whole foods approach and another one which is more natural foods and less processed things - shopping the outside of the grocery store.  If I were to subscribe again, that is probably the route we would go.  All in all, I highly recommend it!!

So this month, I am re-using some E-mealz plans that I printed when we subscribed and put into a notebook.  They are the Point System meals.  I planned out 2 weeks and then will do a mid-month shopping again for the next 2 weeks.

1.  Sweet and Spicy BBQ chicken with corn and garlic carrots
2.  Garlic Meatloaf with broccoli and applesauce
3.  Pork Tenderloin with yellow rice and green beans
4.  Lemon Pepper Catfish with baked beans and slaw
5.  Ham and Spinach Couscous with lemon broccoli
6.  Carribean Shrimp and Rice with salad
7.  Tuna Macaroni with Spinach greens and cantaloupe
8.  Spicy Baked Tilapia with squash
9.  Smoky Tomato Soup with grilled swiss toast, apples and grapes
10.  Potato and Sausage Dinner with carrots
11.  Braised Steak and veggies with broccoli
12.  Moroccan Chicken with Pasta and salad
13.  Chicken rolls Cordon Bleu with sweet peas and mushrooms
14.  Baked French Toast with bacon and eggs

Coupons and Deals

I can't believe it's been 10 days since my last post.  I haven't been near as consistent with this blog this summer as I intended.  I also envision my summers being filled with empty time to get things done, but it never seems to go that way.  I haven't been couponing really at all with a week of VBS and company but have focused more on buying school supplies for my 4 school kids.

Today I hit Walgreens and CVS and got a few things.  I didn't photograph it all because I'd already put half of it away.

At Walgreens I got a Gillete Venus razor for $8.99, used a $4 off coupon and got $4 back in RR so the razor cost me 99 cents.  Stayfree was on sale this week at both Walgreens and CVS for $2 a bag and this Sunday's paper had a $2 off coupon so they were free.  CVS was out of them so I bought them at Walgreens.  I also purchased 3 subject notebooks for 79 cents, 5 subject notebooks for $1.49, Expo markers pack of 2 for 99 cents, mini composition notebooks 5 for $1 using the in ad coupon and erasers for 29 cents using the in ad coupon.  Dividers were only 39 cents, Sharpies were 39 cents, and Walgreens brand storage bags of all sizes 5 for $5.

CVS had Starbucks Refresher canned drinks $1.50 each and $3 ECB when you buy 2 so they were both free.  I enjoyed one as part of my snack.  Advil was $2.99 with $1 ECB and I used a $1 coupon making it only 99 cents.  Since my son just got contacts, making 2 of us in the house who needs solution, I got a twin pack of Complete Solution and after ECB it was only about $7.  Centrum vitamins were $9.99 a box with $4 ECB when you buy 2.  I had a $5 off coupon for each box making it $3 a box.  When I walked in the CVS and scanned my card at the coupon scanner, I got a coupon that said $5 off any vitamin purchase.  That made each of my Centrum vitamins 50 cents each!  I also bought Kleenex for 88 cents a box and a 16 pack of Bounty paper towels for $8.99 (the kids needed them for school).

I ran by Kroger to get some dog food and toilet paper and saw they had what looked like ground beef for $1.99 a pound.  I bought 3 packs but they rang up at $8.99 each.  I told the clerk and she corrected it, telling me I would get 1 free since they didn't ring up correctly.  I realized while I was watching the screen that they weren't ground beef after all but ground buffalo meat.  The Fish Sticks are in for a treat!  Buffalo Burgers!  I also bought all the filler paper that they need for school for 75 cents a pack...the cheapest I have seen yet.


Anyone else doing any back to school sale shopping?

Tincture 101

 I've already told you that I tend to be an herbal nut.  I started researching herbs 10 years ago and have loved using them ever since.  When I first started using herbs, I didn't even know what a tincture was, but this post is Tincture Making 101.  It's really easy to do and a great way to get the nutrients of herbs without much trouble or cost.

My Man has a stressful job.  When his job is busy and his mind in cranking with numbers, appointments, schedules and punch lists, he has trouble settling down at night no matter how exhausted he might be.  I started making a sleeping tincture years ago because drinking a cup of hot sleepy time tea didn't suit him well.

I purchased my herbs from the Bulk Herb Store and still have found that their prices are the best hands down.  You can find their button on my family blog if you want to see what they have.  You can also do a search on their site to find helpful tips and articles for using herbs.  It's a great resource.  I purchase the sleepy time mixture of herbs from them that makes a great tasting tea also.

A tincture is a concentrated liquid form of herbal medicine.  They can be made with consumable alcohol or vegetable glycerin.  I like to use a mixture of both.  

Alcohol is the most effective way to draw out the important properties of herbs and it has a long shelf life.  Fill a quart jar one-third to half full of herbs.  Add about 1/2 cup of very hot water.  Fill to the top with vodka (It's cheap and odorless).  Store for 3 weeks in a cool, dry place (I use my pantry) and shake daily.  Vinegar can be used instead of alcohol but doesn't draw out the herbal properties as well.

Glycerin has a sweet taste and is an alcohol-free alternative without affecting blood-sugar levels.  I get mine by the gallon from Azure Standard whom is now delivering by truck to the middle TN area.  It is much cheaper than buying from your local pharmacy, even when I had to pay shipping costs. 

I place my herbs in the crock pot just to cover the bottom.  Add about 1 cup of boiling or hot water.  Fill the crock pot half full of glycerin and set on the lowest setting for 3 days.  My low setting gets it too hot so I just place it on warm and that works much better.

When they are both ready, strain using a t-shirt or cheesecloth.  Mix the products together and store in a dark bottle.  I like to use medicine bottles.  My pharmacy usually gives them to me free.  Store in a cool, dry place.

My son keeps a bottle by his bedside and so does My Man.  The dose is 1-2 tsp., but a swig works well too. 

Sleepy Time has passionflower that calms a busy mind.  It has chamomile that calms, relaxes and has a sweet, mellow flavor.  Oatstraw relaxes the muscles.  Peppermint or spearmint adds flavor, aids in digestion and relaxes muscles.  If you don't like the taste of the tincture, like one of my Fish Sticks, add it to a glass of milk or a cup of water to dilute it more.  It's great for the whole family!

Special Dessert

 Look what I made for Independence Day!  It was so delicious.  I found the recipe here at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures.  Each layer had to set for 1-2 hours so I just set my timer to help me stay on track and get it done.  It was very easy and the middle, white layer will surprise you with it's ingredients.  It was the mystery that none of my family could guess.  I highly recommend it.  I bet you could change up the colors of jello and fruit to match to go with any special occasion.

Easy Cobbler

I have a feeling that this cobbler recipe might be known by most every cook around, so I hesitated posting it.  If this recipe is old hat to you, then move to dusting your house.  :)

We've got tons of blackberries growing this year and aside from freezing them for later use, cobblers are a great way to gobble them up.  Sometimes the Fish Sticks love to eat them in a bowl, covered in raw cream, sprinkled with a sweetener.  I discovered just this month that vanilla coffee creamer is awesome too on blackberries.

So in case you don't have a good cobbler recipe, let me tell you my fail-proof, easy recipe.  This can be used with just about any fruit/berries you like or a combination of 2.  I'm sure there are clear measurements on the web but I will just tell you what I do.

Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray.  Cover the bottom with berries (probably about 4 cups).  Sprinkle a yellow cake mix on top and drizzle one stick of butter over the cake mix (1/2 cup).  Bake for 30-45 minutes on 350.  About 10 minutes before done, cut through with a knife to help the butter saturate the cake mix.  Adding chopped pecans is yummy too.  Of course serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Refrigerator Pickles

 We have cucumbers out the ears.  I don't know why I continue to plant too many cucumbers but it happened once again.  I thought I planted half what I did last year, but my crop must have doubled itself.  Last year we tried selling them in front of our house.  After they didn't go fast enough, we tried giving them away.  Still not enough takers.

Grandma gave me a great recipe for pickles and I don't have to can them.  I still have lots of jars from last  year so this was the perfect recipe for us.  A little bit sour.  A little bit sweet.  And very simple to make.

Refrigerator Pickles

Slice 8 qts. of cucumbers thinly (8 cups).  Thinly slice 1 onion.  Sprinkle with 4 Tb. canning salt and stir well.  (I didn't have canning salt and used sea salt instead).  Let sit 2 hours.  Boil 2 cups vinegar and dissolve 2 cups sugar in vinegar.  Let cool.  Pour over cucumbers and store in refrigerator.

 These keep in the fridge for a few months and are so good, refreshing and crispy.

July Menu Plan

Happy Independence Day to all of you.  I didn't coupon last week.  We had company in town.  I doubt I will be able to this week either since we are out of town.  Hope I'm not missing too many great deals.  They will have to wait.

I didn't post a menu plan for the month either.  The reason for that is because I don't really have one for this month.  Our garden is pouring in vegetables and my freezer has a few cuts of meat so we plan on living off the land for the most part.  We will probably have a few breakfast meals with our eggs.  Most meals will be a combination of green beans, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, melons, blackberries, peaches, squash and zucchini.  Have I made any of you hungry?  It's what summers look like for us.  Lots of work.  Lots of yummy, delicious, home-grown foods.  So far it's been a good year for us if the heat can lay off a bit and the rain can come more frequently.

If you have never gardened, I just want to encourage you to give it a try.  Tomatoes just taste better when you got to see them turn red yourself on the plant!  How's your garden growing this summer?