I love food.  I really love Curry Noodle Soup!
I made it today for lunch.  I had to make Brown Beans for those who do not love Curry Noodle Soup!  So I currently have two pots simmering on the stove.  It is an eclectic mix for sure!

Here is the Recipe:
Curry Noodle Soup
2 Tablespoon Olive oil
1/2 of an Onion
3 garlic cloves
1/2 lb of diced chicken or diced pork tenderloin, or ground pork
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
6 cups chicken broth
2 cans coconut milk
1 large can of bamboo
1 stalk of lemongrass
1 package rice noodles
Peanut butter, limes, cilantro

In a soup pot add olive oil.  Turn the heat to medium high.  Chop onion pretty finely and add to oil.  Turn heat down to medium.  Cook onions until mostly translucent.  Mince garlic cloves. Add garlic to onion and cook a minute or so until tender and fragrant.  Add meat and cook until done.  Add curry and stir well.  Add fish sauce and soy sauce.  Add chicken broth and coconut milk.  Stir well.  Slice or shred the bamboo if needed.  Add bamboo and lemongrass to the pot.  Bring back to a boil, turn down heat, and let simmer.

Cook the rice noodles as directed.  Keep in a separate dish from soup.

To serve:
Put noodles in a bowl.  Ladle soup over noodles.  Top with a spoonful of peanut butter, some lime juice and some cilantro. 

DO NOT EAT the lemon grass.  It adds tons of flavor, but you can not eat it in this form.

It does not get much better than this.  I promise.  Please keep in mind that all my measurements are approximate.  I basically just go around the pot a time or two with the oil, fish sauce, and soy sauce.  The amount of curry paste depends on the brand you buy.  The curry paste from the jar that you get at kroger is not all that hot.  I like hot.  I used a LOT in my soup.  I suggest starting small and adding more when the soup is simmering if you want it hotter.  It is easier to add heat than to take it out. 
You can get the fish sauce from an asian market.  The lemongrass can be found at an asian market or farmers market.  I have found everything else at Wal-Mart and Kroger.

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Go here for a Free $10 Pillsbury coupon booklet.
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Here in West Tennessee, we don't often get a lot of snow.  So, when it is forecasted, people tend to get a little crazy.  The local weather guy may as well just tell everyone to go buy all the bread and milk they can find.  I have never really understood this.  If you get a lot of snow and ice, we have, in the past, lost electricity.  Do people put all the milk they bought up outside at that point?  Exactly is done with all the bread and milk?  I have come up with a few ideas:

1. Mix it together in a glass and eat it with a spoon.  I used to see my grandfather do something very similar to this with cornbread.  It was also on Old Yeller. 
2. Make Bread Pudding.  Cube the bread, mix it with some brown sugar, cinnamon, add a couple of beaten eggs, and some of your milk.  Bake at 350 until browned and not soupy. 
3. Make Gravy on Toast.  Toast the bread, make milk gravy:  Melt a couple tablespoons of butter or shortening in a skillet, add a couple tablespoons of flour.  Cook and stir it around for a minute or so.  Add milk, maybe a couple of cups.  Stir constantly until thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  (I like a lot.)  If you want, you can add browned sausage or hamburger.  We used to do this when I was little. 
4. Freeze the Bread and the Milk for later.
5. Eat lots of cereal and sandwiches.  This is what I did yesterday.  We had cereal again today. 

I hope that if you were one of the ones that cleared Wal-Mart of the bread and milk, I have helped you find a use for it. 
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I got this message from a friend today:

Was reading your blog and thought I would tell you about a cheap fave recipe for us. Two or three frozen chicken breast, can of corn, can of black beans, jar of salsa. Throw all in crock pot on low for 8 hrs. During last hour throw in pkg. of cream cheese. SOOOO good. Eat over rice, or with torillas or torilla chips. I throw in rotel for extra kick.

I have all this stuff right here!  Yay  for not having to go to the stupid grocery store!  This sounds like what we are having Sunday after church!  Thanks Trish!!

Ok so this month I have spent $313.00 on groceries.  Far above my original $40/week plan.  But, in all fairness, it is my husbands fault!  He bought stuff.  So if I go back and add up the things I bought, $160 of it was mine.  Upon reviewing the receipts, $130 was on actual food. So, I only went over ten bucks.  :D

 

I have cooked a LOT this month.  I have not had anytime to blog my recipes or menus between homeschooling and cooking.  I have not really prepared many convenience foods at all.  My husband is thrilled.

The simplest recipes tended to be the tastiest, reminding me that you don’t need a ton of different ingredients to make something wonderful.

One thing that my family loved was Bratwurst and Potatoes.  Here is the recipe:

2 tablespoons of oil
1 large onion, sliced thin
4 pounds of potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 or 2 packs of bratwurst, sliced

Heat oil, layer in potatoes, onions, and bratwurst in large skillet.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook over medium heat.  Flip potatoes occasionally.  Cook until potatoes are tender and browned. 

This was AWESOME! 

I am going back through my menus and promise to post a few more of the creative recipes I made.  Kim helped me a lot.  If you need to know what to do with a handful of odd ingredients, she is the one to talk to.

Spiral Cut Ham 1.38/lb

Best Choice Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Tenders 3 pound Bag 3.99

Post cereals- Honeycomb, Cinnamon Honeycomb, Golden Crisp, Alphabits, Cocoa Pebbles, & Raisin Bran 1.99

Big Value 15lb Red Potatoes 2.98

Beef shoulder roast 1.99/lb

Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables 99 Cents

Kraft American Singles 1.50

Oscar Mayer Variety Lunchmeat 2.50

Oscar Mayer Lunchmeat 16 oz 2.99

Oscar Mayer Luncheable 4.5 ounce 1.00

Kraft Bagelfuls 2.00

Kraft 2% Chunk Cheese 1.50

Kraft Shredded Cheese 1.50

Banquet Family Entrees 2.29

Velveeta 2lb Cheese 3.99

Rice – A – Roni 1.00

Gatorade 32 ounce 1.00

Cheese Nips 1.09

Hefty Foam Plates 50 count 1.99

Franks Red Hot Sauce 1.99

Hunts Ketchup 99 cents

Head of Lettuce 88 cents

Roma Tomatoes 88 cents/lb

Sweetie sweet yellow onions 68 cents/lb

California 4lb bag seedless navel oranges 2.99

 

Best Choice Items

Corn, Green Beans, & Peas 44 cents

Vegetable oil 1.99

Pasta/Rice a roni 1.00

Kentucky Legend Boneless Ham 2.49/lb

20 lbs potatoes 2.99

Carolina Pride hot dogs 1.00

Peter Pan PB 1.50
1/10 SS 50/2
Final Price = $1.00 Each

Nabisco Saltines 1.50
12/13 SS 1.00/2
Final Price $1.00 Each

Dawn Dish Liquid 1.00
12/27 PG $0.25/1
Final Price = 50 Cents

Kraft Singles 1.79
12/06 SS 50/1
Final Price = 79 cents each

Birdseye Steamfresh vegetables & rice 1.00
01/10 SS $0.35/1
Final price = 30 Cents

This Kim here.  As you may or may not know, I can’t imagine a day where Jessica would be out the bed with a sudden need to blog.  I’ve gotta do it so I can go back to sleep!

Actual Blog Title:

Making your meals appealing to the eye.I live in a house full of 5 grown and growing little men.  They can be hard to please at times.  I don’t worry over it.  If they eat the do, and if they do not, then no snacks.  When I do worry is when they aren’t eating the things that I know they love.  Case in point:  My wonderful, everyone loves it, Banana Nut Bread, but I noticed that no one was eating it.  I decided to pretty it up.  I now  put it on a cake stand, slice one or two slices to arrange on top.  That little trick, did the trick!  I can see why.  They are guys, they want to grab something and go.  I made it so they simply can’t walk by it without feeling the invitation to lift the dome and pick up a pre-sliced piece.  Laugh if you will, but it works for me.

  I have this red plate. I've owned it for many years.   We use it for all special things that occur in our family.  Our sweet middle child is always the one to remind me that an event worthy of the red plate has occurred.  After the recent light bulb moment with the cake stand, I had another idea.  

When baking cookies make a mountain of layers on the “you are special” plate.  They loved it.  I told them they were all special that day simply because they are loved.

I have many thoughts, opinions on making meals fun and practical all the while remembering that presentation matters, even at home, where it all begins!  Let us know if you are interested!

Pepsi or Mountain Dew 4/$12

Fresh Ground Chuck $1.98 /lb

Bone in half pork loin $1.68/lb

Washington Gold or Red Delicious Apples 88 cents/lb

Williams Sausage 3lb box $5.99

Kroger peanut butter – sold by the case - $12 – works out to be $1.00 a jar :)

Libby’s Vienna Sausage 24pk case - $10

Kroger 6 Roll Pack - $4 – 67 cents a roll!

Did you know that you can go to Baskin Robbins’ website and sign up to receive a free scoop of ice cream and $3 off an ice cream cake on your birthday?  Just click on the birthday club and you can enter all your family members.

Split Chicken Breasts 79 cents/lb
Bone in sirloin pork chops 99 cents/lb
15 lbs russet potatoes 2.98
Chicken of the Sea Tuna 59 cents limit 2
Dozen eggs 1.19

Shedd's Spread Country Crock, 45 oz, 2.50
Use $0.50/1 printable found HERE
Final price is 1.50

Corn King 4lb Boneless Ham 5.29

Best Choice Items On Sale
Sugar 1.69
Flour 1.29
Cream of Mushroom, Celery, & Chicken Soup 44 cents
Diced tomatoes 48 cents
Corn, Peas, Green Beans 44 cents
Shredded Cheese 1.29


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Here are the deals for January 6 – 12.

Bryan Juicy Jumbos 1.69
$1/2 12/13 RP
1.19 Each!

Bryan Bologna 1.29
$1/2 12/13 RP
79 cents Each!

John Morrel Bacon 1.49

TN Pride Sausage and Gravy .99
$1/1 12/13 RP
Free after coupon!

3 lbs Yellow Onions 1.50

Bar S Jumbo Franks 1.29
Print Coupon here for $1/2
79 cents Each!

Yoplait Yogurt 10/$5
$0.40/6 1/03 RP
37 cents each!

Grands Biscuits  99 cents
$0.30/2 1/03 GM
69 cents each!

Chicken thighs or Drumsticks 99 cents/pound

Ground Beef 1.49/pound

5 oz Chicken of the Sea Tuna 79 cents

Green Giant Steamers 1.50
$0.40/1 1/03 SS
80 Cents each!

York Photo is offering prints for only 4 cents each.  It is now time to get all those Christmas pictures processed!  Use the coupon code FORFOUR to score this great deal.  I have had them process prints before and they do a great job!  Their photo mugs also look really nice. 

Go HERE to get a free coupon book from ConAgra foods.  :)

The link is acting weird, so copy and paste this into your browser.
http://startsampling.com/sm/101044/captureAddress.iphtml?item=101044&source=

Did I get your attention?  Good.  Now let me tell you what I mean!  Don’t make a menu and then shop around that menu.  You will spend more money in groceries following that plan. 

Plan to shop around what you need for your pantry.  Last year I made a pantry list.  I planned all my shopping trips around what I was lacking in my pantry.  Then I made my menus around what I had in my pantry and freezer.  I have saved a ton of money planning my meals this way.

The pantry was a bit costly to fill but I was able to do it all at once.  I know though, that if you are already struggling it will not be possible for you to fill your pantry list in one trip.  So this is what you do:

1.  Make up a list of items that you regularly cook with.  I also include canned meats like tuna and chicken.

2.  Set a food budget if you have not already. 

3.  Look at your sale ads.  Are any of these on sale?  If so, put those items on your grocery list of things to buy.

4.  Add the meat that is on sale to your grocery list.  Only buy the meats that are on sale.  NEVER pay full price for meat unless you are in a position of desperately wanting a cheeseburger and find that you have run out of ground beef LOL…. 

5.  Now look at your grocery list and what you already have, and make your menu! 

6.  At this point, I go back to the grocery list and add the ingredients I don’t have.  But this should only be a few things.  Try to not let this add a great deal to your list. 

Every time you have unused grocery money, use it to buy the items on your pantry list.  After a few weeks of doing this, you will find you have started quite the stockpile and may even be able to just buy for your pantry and the meats on sale. 

So lets pretend that I have $50 this week for groceries.  What am I going to buy?  Let’s look to see what is on sale at Kroger.  I am not going to use any coupons in this example, and I am going to only go to just one store.  My list would include something like this: 

Boston Butt $10 – 10 lbs

English Roast $10 – 5 lbs

Cabbage $3 – 9 lbs  (This can be cooked and frozen.)

6 Jiffy Cornmeal mix (Don’t you just love that stuff?) $2

2 1lb bags Kroger Black eyed peas  1.76

3 John Morrell Bologna 3.00

3 John Morrell Wieners  3.00

1 Loaf of Bread 88 cents (Value Brand)

1 pack of hot dog buns 88 cents (Value Brand)

So far, with tax, I am at $37.89.   I now have $12.11 left.

In my pantry I already have a couple cans of diced tomatoes, a few potatoes, and an onion. Way back in the back of the cabinet I notice a small amount of instant brown rice left.  I also have a couple of wayward cans of mixed veggies and a small can of chili.  I have 4 eggs in the fridge, and half a container of milk.

I am going to rethink the roasts.  I can chop it very finely, think mince, and use it as a substitute for ground beef, I can do the same for the pork.  My menu may be looking like this:  Pulled pork, Savory Pork and Cabbage with Corn bread, Cabbage Rolls made with a pound of the beef, Black eyed peas with corn bread, Hot dogs with Chili, Mexican Casserole (Beef, tomato sauce or salsa topped with prepare cornmeal mix and cheese),  Pork “chops” made from cuts of the pork roast.

I know I need to add cheese, milk, eggs, & oatmeal.  That very well may take the $12.11 I have left.  If not then I may grab another sale item.

I will have oatmeal for our breakfasts and maybe some fried bologna and eggs.  For lunches we can have leftovers, hot dogs, and bologna sandwiches.  I will fill in the meals and lunches with the potatoes and wayward cans of veggies. 

I will be left with cabbage (cooked and frozen in the freezer), 5 or so pounds of boston butt, 2 pounds of beef roast, 3 boxes of cornmeal mix, and 1 bag of black eyed peas.  That is what I will start with next week. 

Is it 4 star meals?  No, but no one will be hungry!  And as you continue to build your stockpile you will have a bigger variety of things to choose from.