Annual Budget Countdown

Last week I shopped 3 times. Once to Kroger and 2 times to Walgreens. Here is the damage breakdown:

Walgreens First Trip:
Spent: $6.85 oop (out of pocket)
Saved: $25 PLUS got back $10 in RR

Walgreens Trip #2
Spent: $0 but got back an additional $3*
Saved: hard to say Plus $2 RR

*How did I get paid $3 you ask? I'm still a little confused myself, BUT here is what happened. I shopped at the Walgreens in my parent's hometown because I was anxious to do the Dove trial size deodorant deal because they were out at our Walgreens. Well, first let me say I was extremely sad to find out that this particular Walgreens did not accept Printables (let's all say a brief word of thanks that our Walgreens does- at least now). So I already was forced to put back the Sambucal and Excedrin I was planning on getting. Then I proudly presented my 4 Dove Deodorants and my 4 Dove bar soaps with respective coupons and paid my $6.41 oop (also picked up the FREE Ritz crackers and more toothpaste) and waited in anticipation for my $10 RR to print. Welllll, No Such RR printed, instead I got a lousy $2 RR.

I tried to "nicely" explain that all across our Great Nation women were receiving a $10 RR for purchasing 8 Dove products- my speech got me no where but a very nice Manager was called to the scene. After repeating my speech to him, and once again getting me NO closer to that $10 RR, I surrendered and "nicely" asked to return all 8 Dove products. Well some where in the confusion, the Manager handed me back a little over $9 for my return, even though I had only spent $6.41 oop. I tried to give back the $2 RR but he said to keep it (I think he was relieved to see me go and was thrilled to learn I was not local!). Sooooo, it ended up being a profitable trip after all.

This week I also received a $19.98 check from Walgreens for my January Rebates (I guess I forgot to mark "gift card" when I entered all my receipts on the ES rebate form)

Kroger:
Spent: $103.95 for 52 items
Saved: $71.85

Total Weekly Spent: $110.80 - $22.98 from rebate check and Walgreens fiasco
Total Saved: at least $96.85

Year to Date:
Total Spent: $1030.94
Total Saved: $767.61
Total Left: $3969.06

Still $70.94 over budget for year! Ahhhhhhh!

Deal Alert- Target

Target has some new printable coupons available. Go here to print. The great thing about Target Printables is that you can print as many as you want.

I am most excited about the Motts Apple Sauce coupon for $1 off 1
Scenario:
I have not confirmed the price at our Target but most Targets have Motts Apple Sauce priced at $1.77
Use $1 off 1 target printable AND $0.55 off 1 from here
Final Price: $0.22 after both coupons

$1 off 1 Pepperidge Farm Crackers coupon is still available until 3/14
There is a rumor floating the internet that the whole grain variety are on sale for $1 which would make those fish FREE. Let us know if this is true at our Target!

Gillete Shampoos, Conditioners, and Body Washes are supposedly on sale for $2
Use $2 off 1 from 3/1 PG
Final Price: FREE

Deal Alert- Kroger

This week Kroger continues it's "Buy 10 Participating Items Get $5 Off" event with mostly new items. Remember you must buy a combination of 10 participating items to get the $5 discount up to 3 times. To get the most out of these type of events be very careful to get exactly 10 or 20 or 30 items. Click here to see a complete list of participating items.

Lean Cuisine Entrees on sale $1.99 or $1.49 with Buy 10 Event
There has been several different catalinas print for lean cuisines ($1.50 off 8 or $1 of 2)
There was also a $2 off 3 Kroger mailer coupon
Final Price: Varies but even without a coupon $1.49 is not a bad price for Lean Cuisines

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks on sale for $1.99 or $1.49 with Buy 10 Event
Use $0.50 off 2 from 3/8 SS AND $0.75 off 2 from CF (make sure to load your kroger card)
If Stickerz are included there is a $0.50 off 1 in 2/1 SS
Final Price: $0.62 each with both coupons and buy 10 event ($0.11 each with 2 stickerz coupons and CF coupon)
Please Note I pass this deal on not as your nutritionist but as your designated deal finder!

Betty Crocker Potatoes on sale $1.49 or $0.99 with Buy 10 Event
Use this $0.40 off 1 (says do not double) AND $0.35 off 1 from SC loadable coupon
Final Price: $0.24

Carefree Liners on sale for $2.50 or $2 with Buy 10 Event
Use this $1.50 off 1
Final Price: $0.50

Dole Fruit Cups on sale $2 or $1.50 with Buy 10 Event
Use $0.75 off 2 from 1/11 SS
Final Price: $1.13 each with coupon and 10 Event

Nature Valley Granola Bars at $2.49 or $1.99 with Buy 10 Events
Tons of $0.50 to $0.60 off coupons in lots of different inserts as well as recent printables
Final Price: $0.80 to $1 with coupon and 10 Event

Purex Detergent at $2.99 or $2.49 with Buy 10 Event
Use $0.35 off 1 from 3/8 SS or $0.75 off 1 from Kroger Home Mailer
Final Price: $2.29 with coupon and 10 Event

There are lots of other participating items in this "Buy 10 Event." The above were just some of my favorites

More Great Deals:

White Seedless Grapes on sale $0.99/lb

Green Bell Peppers on sale $0.79 each
(Lots of my recipes call for bell peppers)

Boneless Chuck Pot Roast on sale $1.97/lb
(Roast is on my menu next week)

Receive $25 Free Groceries, (when you transfer your prescription to kroger we'll credit $25 to your kroger plus card. ask your pharmacist for details. limit (1) one per household. not valid with transfer from another kroger store or kroger owned pharmacy. not valid with any other offer. not valid for items or services paid for in whole or part by medicare, medicaid or any other federal health care program. offer expires march 31.)

Coupon Reminder

I just wanted to remind you to hop on over to kroger.com to load your kroger card with the latest coupons from CellFire (CF), ShortCuts (SC) and Proctor and Gamble (ePG).

My favorites were from cellfire. Here is a taste of what is available:
Cheerios $0.55 off 1
Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste $1.50 off 1
Cottonelle Toilet Paper $0.25 off 1
Fiber One Cereals $0.75 off 1
Huggies Diapers $3 off 2
Yoplait Kids Yogurt $0.80 off 2

Remember your loadable coupons DO NOT Double But you can combine these with your paper coupons.

Deal Alert- Walgreens

This week I am going to start incorporating more of the coupon lingo you learned about last week from our Couponing 101 class. Go here for a reminder.

The following are my favorite deals with thanks to the Thrifty Mama and Money Saving Mom

Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste priced at $3.49
Use $1 off 1 from here or $1.50 off 1 from March All You Magazine AND $2.50 off 1 from ES
Final Price: FREE after both coupons

Garnier Fuctis Hair Care on sale $2.99
Use $1 off 1 from 2/8 RP or 3/8 RP AND $2 off 1 from ES
Final Price: FREE

Smart Balance Butter Spread on sale for b1g1 Free or 2 for $2.99
Use $1 off 2 from 2/1 RP
Final Price: $0.99 each

Glade Scented Oil Sense and Spray Starter Kit and/or Glade Lasting Impressions at $7.99
Use $4 off 1 from 2/8 SS (both Sense and Spray and Lasting Impressions have $4 off 1 coupon)
AND $4 off 1 from ES (pg 29)
Final Price: FREE

Lysol Disinfecting Wipes on sale for 2 for $4
Use 2 $1 for 1 from 2/1 SS
Final Price: $1 each

Register Reward Deals RR

Right Guard or Dry Idea Deodorant for $2.99, Get back $2 RR wyb 1
Final Price: $0.99 after RR

Gillete Fusion Gamer at $8.99, Get back $4 RR wyb 1
Use $4 off 1 from 2/8 PG
Final Price: $0.99 after coupon and RR

AND the MOTHER OF ALL DEALS
(I hope you have printed off your $5 off 1 Huggies coupons from the coupon.com sidebar. By now you could have 4 $5 for 1 coupons because the coupon reset this week!)

Buy $25 o Participating Kimberly Clark Products*, Get back $10 RR

*Huggies Jumbo Packs of Diapers or Training Pants at $10
Huggies Baby Wipes at $6
Kotex at 2 for $6
Scott or Cottonelle $7
Poise of Depends at $12
Klennex facial care at 3 for $4

Scenarios:
Buy 3 jumbo packs of Huggies for $30
Use 3 $5 off 1 coupons (from coupon.com sidebar)
Final Price: $5 for 3 PACKAGES after coupons and RR

Buy 2 packs of Huggies and 1 package of Wipes for $26
Use 3 $5 off 1 coupons
Final Price: $1 for 2 packages of diapers and 1 wipes after coupons and RR

March Easy Saver Deals

Revlon Emery Boards priced around $1.59
Use $1 off 1 from 2/8 SS AND $1 off 1 from ES
Final Price: FREE after both coupons

Colgate Total Toothpaste 4 oz priced between $2.99 - $3.49
Use $1 off 1 from 2/22 SS or $1.50 off from recent mailer AND $2.50 off 1 from ES
Final Price: FREE after both coupons

Sambucol priced around $12.99

Use $4 off 1 here AND $10 off 1 from ES

Final Price: FREE after both coupons (I don't think you get overages except on rebate and RR items)

March FREE after Rebate ES Deals

Advanced Memory Formula 45 count soft gels for $19.99
Final Price: FREE after rebate

Axe Hair Care $5.99
Final Price: FREE after rebate

Wal-Zyr 24 allergy relief 5 count $3.99
Final Price: FREE after rebate

Extra Strength Headache Relief 20 count gel for $2.99
Final Price: FREE after rebate

Thrifty Thursday

Well I had fully intended on publishing the next lesson in our DRS Couponing 101 series, (I even started it) but this weeks deal alerts took a lot longer then I had anticipated. So with the time now reading 12:54 AM on my computer I have decided to fight my DRS, go against "the Plan," and call it a night. I hope you understand.

Just think- now you have something to look forward too for next week. DRS Couponing 101- Coupon Matching! It's going to be good! Try not to lose sleep while waiting in anticipation. I lose enough sleep for all of us!

In the meantime- tell me about the latest deals you have snagged around town.

Crockpot Rotisserie-Style Chicken- Verdict

Well it is official, 2 different families have confirmed it was well worth the effort to make the chicken. I was excited to see how much white meat my bird had. Very tasty!

Confessions

There are a few things I must get off my chest:

1. My house is a wreck, Cohen has managed to drop bits and pieces of tonight's dinner throughout our house, I have not touched a zone, laundry is piling up, toys and clothes destined for this weekend's consignment sale are scattered throughout my office/dinning room, and I feel quite confident there are toothpaste stains in both bathroom sinks-although this has not been confirmed.
2. I had slice and bake cookies tonight as I watched the American Idol results show.
3. I am wearing pajamas that have ice skating penguins on them- lucky husband!

Thank you I feel better.

Product of the Week

Today I salute Thomas Light Multi-Grain English Muffins. I love bread, always have always will. There is absolutely nothing wrong with bread BUT some breads are better for you then others. Thomas Light Multi-Grain English Muffins are a great choice because not only are they only 100 Calories they also pack in 8g of Fiber in 1 muffin. Make yourself an egg white sandwich with one of these muffins add a glass of milk and maybe even 1/2 of a banana and you have got yourself a winner of a breakfast.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1 Muffin

Meal Plan: 100 Calories and 1 starch

Wellness Wednesday

I am very saddened by the news I must share with you today. But as your Registered Dietitian I feel it is my responsibility to pass on all relevant breaking Nutrition related news. Well actually, the news I have to pass on is NOT so late breaking, it actually was published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association in July 2008. Unfortunately, my copy of that particular Journal issue was filed neatly away with all my other unopened journals. (There- I admit it, I don't read my professional journals!! Every year "Read 1 Journal article a month" gets put on my New Year's resolution list; but let's face it when I have a split second to sit and actually read an article I would much rather look at the pictures in Better Homes and Gardens then read about "Negative Association between Tofu Intake and Anemia in Jiangsu China" (actual article, no offense to Zumin, Shi- I'm sure it is a fascinating read)) Anyways.... I might still be in the dark about the issue to which this long introductory paragraph is about, had not my dear friend sent me an email.

OK NIKI ENOUGH ALL READY!- WHAT IS THE NEWS?

Ok, Ok here it is....... You know how every week I put at least 1 fish recipe on the weekly menu in an effort to help us meet the American Heart Association's recommendation to eat at least 2 servings of fish/week for heart health. And if you have paid any attention at all to my recipes you would know that my fish of choice is usually Tilapia. Well it turns out all fish are not created equal and some fish could actually be doing more harm than good!!! And guess what fish is getting the most attention for it's potential harmful effects? That's right- TILAPIA! specifically farm raised tilapia.

I didn't believe it myself when my friend sent me a link to a recent story she had seen on our local news. You can go here to watch it for yourself.

Refusing to believe my beloved fish was out to get me, I started researching. Boy was I surprised that the study the MD referred to was straight out of my own National Association's journal. After dusting off my copy, I read the article word for word and here is what I learned:

Farm Raised Tilapia's Omega 6 content greatly exceeds it's amount of Omega 3s creating an unfavorable Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio. Got it?!? Of course not, unless you have a degree in nutrition you are probably still confused. Lucky for us I do have such a degree so let me further break it down for you.

There are two essential fatty acids: Omega 3 (DHA and EPA) and Omega 6 (aracidonic acid and linoleic acid). Both are essential for normal body function and both have been shown to have heart health benefits. However too much Omega 6, especially in conjunction with low intakes of Omega 3 fatty acids, have been shown to cause an inflammatory response. In other words- not good.

The problem with farm raised tilapia is that the Omega 6 fatty acids way out number the amount of heart healthy Omega 3s. In other words, If the whole reason we are told to eat at least 2 servings of fish a week is to increase our Omega 3 intake thus lowering our risk for heart disease- farm raised Tilapia might not be the best choice.

Which fish scored the best: Salmon and Farmed Trout. These 2 had the highest concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids and very low amounts of Omega 6.

Bottom line:
Q. Do you need to go get your stomach pumped because of the tilapia fish tacos you had for lunch?
A. Absolutely Not.

Q. Will I stop cooking with tilapia?
A. No. It is still a very lean meat choice and provides other valuable nutrients. I am simply going to limit my tilapia recipes to 1 or 2 a month and purposefully increase our Salmon and Trout intake.

If you have any specific questions regarding this topic please feel free to leave a comment.

And now for that chicken

Well tonight I skinned the chickens! Let me just tell you... I came real close to becoming vegetarian. GROSS!! The experience did give me a great idea, however, that could potentially save our tax payers tens of dollars. While scooping out the chicken's innards I was reminded of the time we dissected the frog in my high school biology class. Just imagine the money our schools could save if instead of frogs students could be responsible for bringing their own $0.97/lb. chicken from Kroger. I couldn't tell you exactly what I pulled out but I feel confident it would have made for a very interesting biology lesson. Much more applicable then a frog. I think I'll call Obama.

Anyways... It took me 7 min to skin the first chicken and about 10 for the second (by the second I was so grossed out I had to keep stopping to wash my hands). I really wish this had been a more enjoyable experience because I am loving the idea of this rotisserie chicken. I'll let you know if it was worth the effort tomorrow night!

Below is before and after pictures. I took pictures of the innards but I decided it was way to graphic for this family friendly blog.

PS That is onion stuffed up the poor bird.

Greek Chicken Pasta- Verdicts in!

I don't have the final verdict from the other family I cook for, but we at the Thompson Family gave it 1.5 thumbs up and a nice round of applause- not a standing ovation but a respectable clap. I will definitely be serving this again, I just won't be in a huge hurry to put it back on the menu. It has a very light taste and I'm more of a hot and spicy kind of girl so I think that is the only reason it didn't get the full second thumb. I also think it would be great with mushrooms. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Deal Alert

Thanks Jennifer for alerting me to this deal!

March 12 -15th you can use this 30% off coupon multiple times at Gap, Banana Republic, and/or Old Navy as well as the outlet stores. Not only can you feel great about your savings you can also feel good knowing that 5% of your purchase will go toward Teach for America.

Sounds like a good time to stock up on the kids summer time clothes. Also sounds like a good time to take a trip to Branson to hit the outlets!

Zone 5- Laundry Room, Car, Outside

Day 1- Tuesday

• Wipe down Washer and Dryer
• Organize Laundry cabinets
• Sort through and toss all out of date medications

Day 2- Wednesday

• Clean Laundry Floors
• Clean behind washer and dryer (odd months only)
• Clean out Lint trap (even months only)
• Clean Trash Can

Day 3- Thursday

• Clean out all of car clutter
• Vacuum inside of car
• Clean carseats
• Wipe dust off dashboard and paneling
• Wash car

Day 4- Friday

• Organize garage closet
• Organize tools and tool bench
• Organize right side of garage (odd months)
• Organize left side of garage (even months)
• Sweep out garage

Day 5- Saturday

• Clean up flowerbeds
• Change wreath on door
• Sweep Porch

Tidy Tuesday

It's Tidy Tuesday time!...... Every time I write that, I do so to the tune of "It's Howdy Doody Time." I honestly have no idea how I know the theme music to the Howdy Doody Show; I really don't think I ever watched it- I'm pretty sure the puppet would have scared me. (What's my deal with 1950s television, anyways?- someone should really study me.) Anyways.... you can hear "It's Howdy Doody Time" by turning up your volume and clicking here.

Fast Forward to 2009... Let's clean that lint!!! That's right, it's time to clean out that lint tray in the dryer again. Can't wait to find out how much lint can accumulate in 1 months time. If your new to DRS you can check out my previous battle with the lint here then here. You should really check it out- fascinating read.

Spring is in the air- have you been tackling any spring cleaning chores. If so tell Mr. Linky.

A day at the Zoo

Well we didn't fight the crowd on FREE Admission Weekend at the zoo last Saturday BUT we did go to the zoo today compliments of "Hannah's Heart," a preschool ministry at our church.

What a great day for the zoo! Awesome weather and we practically had the place to ourselves. Colby was NOT excited about our outing because last time he went "his feet hurt." What kind of kid doesn't want to go to the park, AND how can a 4 year old remember that his feet hurt LAST spring- were talking 2008? Cohen, on the other hand, loooooves animals so I couldn't wait to see the zoo though his eyes. He didn't disappoint. His little pointy finger talked a mile a minute (explanation- he STILL doesn't talk but points at everything) and he had a smile that stretched ear to ear.

Colby was most anxious to revisit the BIG turtle but unfortunately we were told he wouldn't be making his appearance for a couple more weeks. Bummer! I had really wanted Colby to get to see that turtle, so I got really excited when, across the way, I saw a couple of little turtles hanging out near the monkey cage. In my most excited voice I told Colby "Look turtles! Hurry, Let's go to the other side of the cage to get a closer look!!" I guess my excitement was contagious because at that time several kids rushed over to where I was pointing and shouting "turtle." You can imagine how embarrassed I was when Colby got to the "turtles" first and said "Hey! Those aren't turtles." Yep, not only were they NOT turtles they weren't even real! They were 3 statues of FROGS! Oh well....

After just watching "Madagascar- Escape to Africa," I tell you, I was completely fascinated by the giraffes and zebras. I could have watched them all day. God got really creative when he designed that giraffe. And that gorilla! What a beast!

It was a good day had by all- including Colby! He was already talking about going back to the zoo on our way home. Below you will see just a couple of my snapshots from the zoo.

Cohen loved the animals. Can you see his little cheek bones raised from his big smile.

The above, is a picture of a porcupine. I had no idea they were that big!

There are those funny giraffes. Is that not wild how they have to spread their feet so far to get their neck to reach the grass.


Elephant

Mealtime Monday- accountability

Here's Mr. Linky. Tell us what your having for dinner this week.

Deal Alert

Be sure to visit the coupon.com DRS sidebar. Amazingly they have reset the Huggies $5 off 1 coupon so print yourself 2 more and get ready for a mighty cheap diaper deal coming your way on Thrifty Thursday


I think Kroger is going to have a deal on Nature Valley and Fiber One bars this coming week so be sure to print those off too.

The Free Monday rental redbox code is: F3T9L6

Remember this code is good until midnight tonight. Add you must return your rental by 9pm on Tuesday or you will be charged $1 each additional night.

Breakfast Casserole

It's baaaack! The other family I cook for requested Breakfast Casserole to be included in the March meals; I aim to please- so here it is again.

Modified Breakfast Casserole

• 12 slices of whole wheat bread (I will use Natures Own Double Fiber Bread)
• 3 TBS Lite Butter
• 3 cups skim milk
• 1.5 cups Egg Substitute
• 1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese
• 1 Package of Jimmy Deans Reduced Fat Sausage
• 1 Green Pepper (this was not part of the original recipe)

(this time I used a can of green chilies instead of the green pepper)

Spray 9x13 cooking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cut crusts off bread, butter the bread and slice into 9-inch cubes*. Place in pan. Place cheese on top of bread. Brown sausage. Whip eggs and milk together then mix with browned sausage. Pour the meat mixture over bread and cheese. Cut green pepper into rings and place on top of casserole. Put in refrigerator overnight. Take out of refrigerator 30 min prior to cooking. Bake 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

*Last time I made this recipe I thought I might like it better if I toasted the bread, so I did this time.

Nutrition Information for my ingredients:

Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe

Meal Plan: Calories: 380, 3 meats, 1 starch, 1/2 milk, 1/2 vegetable (that is a stretch) 2 fats

I will serve this with a fruit salad and a glass of milk.

Black Bean Burgers

You know how much I love Morning Star's Spicy Black Bean Burgers right? You also know that those little burgers can be quite expensive for this ole' tight wad, right? Well... I might have just found a recipe that offers me the same great taste and nutrition of Morning Star burgers at a fraction of the cost. I do emphasize the word "might" because I have never attempted to make my own garden burgers. They looked pretty yummy as I prepped them, but I'll let you know how they go over with the fam.

Go here for the recipe.

Black Bean Burgers

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe
Meal Plan: 198 Calories, 1.5 meat, 2 starches

I am going to serve this on a whole wheat bun with typical hamburger fixens. I will also serve with a tomato salad. (Cherry Tomatoes, cut up Mozzarella String Cheese, marinated in Low Fat Italian Dressing)

Crockpot Rotisserie-Style Chicken

So last week I introduced a recipe from the blog crockpot365. And guess what crockpot lady left me a comment!! You know how much I loooove comments and so imagine my excitement when a real celebrity left me a comment (she has been on Good Morning America- so that's famous in my book). Anyways... this week I bring you another recipe sponsored by crockpot lady. I am pretty pumped about this recipe because I love the taste of rotisserie chicken but don't want to go out and purchase a rotisserie. Plus I was able to snag a whole chicken for around 3 bucks last week at Kroger so talk about a cheap meal.

Go here for the recipe

Rotisserie-Style Chicken

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 4 oz serving of chicken (without skin)
Meal Plan: ~150 to 230 Calories (depends on white vs dark meat chicken); 4 lean meats if white meat only, or 4 meats, 1.5 fat if dark meat only

I am going to serve this with baked potatoes and green beans.

PS Turns out Crockpot Lady has DRS too. Check out her new blog Totally Together. I knew we could be friends.

Greek Chicken Pasta

Boy, this one looks yummy! It is a new recipe to me so I'll have to let you know how it turns out. As I was prepping this dish I thought to myself "this would make a great cold pasta salad to serve in the summer." I'll have to remember that.

Go here for the recipe.

Greek Chicken Pasta
I used low fat Tomato Basil Feta instead of regular Feta.

Nutrition Information (with low fat feta)
Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
Meal Plan: 400 Calories, 3 meat, 3 starches, 1 vegetable

I am going to serve this with a side salad.

Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This week I brought back the fish tacos from January's Menu minus the jicama. It's not that I didn't like the jicamia, I just thought I might like black beans more and for a lot less $$. Once again, you can find the link to the recipe at allrecipes.com

Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

The only change I made to the recipe was I substituted black beans for the jicamia, Mission Carb Balance Tortillas for the corn tortillas and omitted the cilantro (I just don't like cilantro).


Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
Meal Plan: Calories: 370, 4 meats, 2.5 starch

I am going to serve this with a side salad. Yummy!

Mealtime Monday

Alright, here is the low down on my prep night. It took me 1 hour and 7 minutes to complete the following:

• 2 fish taco recipes complete with black bean corn salsa
• 2 breakfast casseroles
• 2 Greek chicken sauces
• black bean burgers for 2 families
• boiled chicken*

*The boiled chicken is actually for one of next weeks meals, but while I had the chicken out I thought I would just go ahead and throw it in a pot of boiling water.

Sooooo if you count up my meals you'll see that I only prepped for 4 meals. Now don't panic; I fully intend to feed my family a 5th meal- I simply forgot to thaw my whole chicken fryer. It is safely defrosting in my fridge as I write, so it should be ready for prep on Tuesday night. My bet is that it will take me the full 23 minutes to skin 2 chickens so that will put me right at my 1 hour 30 minute time budget. (Really looking forward to de-skinning that chicken- major sarcasm there!)

Please note- I have not prepared any of my side dishes yet.

Here are my recommendations for final meal prep and food storage

Monday- Breakfast Casserole. This dish was fully prepped Sunday night and stored in fridge "overnight" as recipe directs. I will take casserole out of fridge 30 minutes prior to baking (per recipe instructions). While baking I will prepare our fruit salad.

Tuesday- Greek Chicken Pasta. I have prepped all but the pasta. The chicken, artichoke, feta sauce is being stored in my fridge. On Tuesday night while the pasta is cooking, I will toss the chicken sauce in a skillet and briefly warm. I will then stir in the pasta and serve.

Wednesday- Rotisserie-Style Chicken. Tuesday night I will skin chicken, add spices and place in crockpot. Wednesday morning I will plug in crockpot and cook all day on low. If I can fit my foil wrapped bake potatoes in the crockpot I will cook them with the chicken.

Thursday- Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa. I sprinkled the recommended spices on the frozen fish and then placed the fish back into the freezer. I stored the black bean salsa in fridge. Wednesday I will transfer fish from freezer to fridge to thaw. Thursday night I will either bake or grill fish.

Friday- Parents Night Out at Church- aka DATE NIGHT!!!

Saturday- leftovers or out

Sunday- Black Bean Burgers. I am taking a risk here, but I have frozen my black bean burger patties. I am slightly nervous about the freeze second to the egg substitute ingredient- but feel fairly certain it will all be ok. I'll let you know. Sunday morning I will transfer to fridge and then grill after church. Cross your fingers.

Missed ya!

Ok I'm back! And ready to start a new week complete with nutritious meals, tidy house, fit body, great deals, happy family, and daily alone time with God- move over Donna Reed here I come...............

Just a quick peak into the exciting week scheduled here at DRS:

Monday- I am going to introduce a yummy rotisserie chicken recipe that doesn't require a rotisserie

Tuesday- It's car zone time again. Yippie always a fun time! (Please read with sarcasm)

Wednesday- Hmm... Not real sure yet. Anyone got any ideas or a product they would like to share with me?

Thursday- Get ready to stock up on some really cheap diapers. In the meantime go here to sign up for Quizno's club and get a coupon for a free sammie (I highly recommend the "Turkey Sonoma" sammie- yummy!)

Friday- More St. Patrick's day crafts.

And throughout the week let's work on modeling a "hope filled" life. I'd love to hear your stories!!

Sonday Sunday- Scripture Accountability

Just in case you want to tell us about the scripture you are hiding in your heart this week- here's a Mr. Linky.

Sonday Sunday

In 1 Peter we are told to:

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 3:15

Now the obvious lesson from this verse is that we need to "be prepared to give an answer"- but what sticks out to me is the part about "the reason for the hope that you have." It can be scary or intimidating to just walk up to someone and strike up a "Jesus Saves" conversation but imagine how much easier it would be if someone actually opened the door of conversation by asking "Why do you have so much hope?" What a challenge. I want to live such a hope filled life that others can't help but ask "What's your secret? What is the source of your HOPE?"

Application:
I think the best way to start living a life that reflects HOPE is to start focusing on His Hope. Therefore, this week when I am tempted to get down about our current economy or when I start to worry about my children or when I am about to complain about my workload, I ask that the Lord remind me of His gift of guaranteed HOPE. When reminded of this HOPE I betcha my negativity, worrying, and complaining will quickly be replaced with happiness, peace, and contentment. Virtues that are sure to stand out in such a dark world. Let the witnessing begin.

Scrapbook Saturday

Hi DRSers. This is going to be a slow post weekend because we are out of town, visiting my parents. My Dad turned 59 this week. WOW! I brought my camera with me so I could get a picture of my dear OLD Dad but wouldn't you know it my camera battery is dead. Hope ya'll have a restful weekend, a great time with your families, and that you all are enjoying this beautiful weather. What a great weekend for FREE admission to the Little Rock Zoo!

Craft Time

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner- March 17th. So I thought it might be fun to focus our next couple of craft times around that theme. Today we are going to make rainbow streamers. To be honest, I picked this craft because it looked easy, it won't take a lot of time, and I had all the needed materials. (I actually don't have "streamers" but will make do with either tissue paper or scrapbook paper. You can go here for the step by step directions. Maybe next week we will make a pot of gold.

Devotional Time

Today I think it is high time the boys and I take a look at "The Lord's Prayer." (Luke 11: 1-4) Although I appreciate the fact that Colby always insists on saying our before meal prayers; he has gotten into a bad "habit" of saying the same prayer meal after meal after meal. And it is not so much WHAT he is saying but HOW he is saying it.

"Dear Jesus, Thank you for Mommy, Thank you for Daddy, Thank you for You- Amen"

Sweet? Yes, But what you can't see from the written words above is that he says them as fast as he can, usually in between bites of food. I have even heard him say this prayer in route from the living room to the kitchen table so that the second he is seated at the table he can start eating. Hardly reverent, hardly sincere. Not to mention the fact that he NEVER remembers to thank Jesus for his little brother.

Now, I have to admit that often my mealtime prayers are more "habitual" then heartfelt so today's lesson will be great for me too.

For Cohen, we are going to practice bowing our head when we pray. It would be great if I could also teach him to say "Amen"..... but that would require talking.

Familytime Friday

TGIF! It's Familytime Friday- boy have I been slacking in this area the last few weeks. Today, I fear, will be no better because we are packing up for a weekend trip. But what's the best way to ensure something happens.... plan it! So that is what I'm going to do. Coming soon my "plan" for Devotional Time, Learning Time, and Craft Time.

I'd love your ideas for "times" with your family.

Let me set the record straight!!!

Ok here's the 411. I do NOT have a STD!!!

I'm sorry to be so blunt, and it is probably socially unacceptable to write STD on a family friendly blog, BUT I felt I needed to set the record straight. Here's the story....

So today I am meeting with a teenager for nutrition counseling and I was trying my best to be "cool" and get on her level and everything. So when she started complaining about the acne on her face and neck I told her "I totally knew what she was talking about." I said "Even at 30 (yes there it is for the world to see, I AM THIRTY) I still have breakouts." I then added, "especially on my chin and around my mouth." To which she said "Oh-That's bad! People probably think you have an STD or something." WHAT!!! I was fully aware that the bags under my eyes clearly marked me as a DRS sufferer BUT I had no idea that an occasional zit could potentially flag me as an STD carrier. Now I am totally self-conscious, and therefore, have taken the liberty to use this blog to set the record straight. (Plus I need accountability to get an appointment with a dermatologist- and a recommendation for a good concealer)

Now to those of you that really know me the idea of me having a STD is absolutely ludicrous. And for the rest of you- look forward to February 2010 when I kick off a series that chronicles my love life from birth to present. Not only will my story clear up any pimple misconceptions it will show you what a miracle it is that I have any "children" at all.

And now back to our regular DRS topics...

PS If a pimple between the eyebrows indicates a drug addiction- I don't have that either.

Annual Budget Countdown

Last week I went to Kroger 2 times and Walgreens 1 time. Here is what I spent

Walgreens:
Total Spent: $12.67
Total Saved $12.66 + I did get back a $6RR and will submit for a $4 rebate
(So just for the record I spent $2.67 and saved $22.66 but I will not count those savings at this time in my annual budget!)

Kroger Trip #1
Total Spent: $88.14 for 47 items
Total Saved: $32.43

Kroger Trip #2
Total Spent: $13.46 for 8 items
Total Saved: $8.88

Weekly Total:
Total Spent: $114.27 Ridiculous!
Total Saved: $53.97
Total Spent for Year: $943.12
Total Saved for Year: $670.76
Total Left for Year: $4056.88

I am addicted to sales! I must stop spending! There... I feel better now that I admitted I have a problem. I can do better now.... right?

Deal Alert- Kroger

This week Kroger is having another "Buy 10 Participating Items Get $5 Off" event. Below are my favorite deals of the week. To get the most out of these type of events be very careful to get exactly 10 or 20 or 30 items. Click here to see a complete list of participating items.

Lean Cuisine Entrees on sale $1.99 or $1.49 with Buy 10 Event
There has been several different catalinas print for lean cuisines ($1.50 off 8 or $1 of 2)
There was also a $2 off 3 Kroger mailer coupon
Final Price: Varies but even without a coupon $1.49 is not a bad price for Lean Cuisines

Pepperidge Farm Breads on sale $1.99 or $1.49 with Buy 10 Event
Use $0.40 off 1 from 1/18 SS
Final Price: $0.69 with Buy 10 Event

That is all I am personally interested in with "the event" But there is some other good deals...

Quaker Simple Harvest or Instant Oatmeal on sale $1.50 each when you buy 2 (must buy 2 to get the deal)
Use $1.35 off 2 from 1/4 SS or $1 off 2 from 2/8 RP or use one of several printables that were available
Final Price: $0.83 to $1 each when you buy 2

Sanderson Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken on sale $1.79 per lb.
Time to stock up again!

Black Seedless Grapes on sale $0.99 per lb

Dannon Activia on sale $2
Use $1 off 1 from 1/11 SS
Final Price: $1

Kellogg's Pop Tarts on sale 3 for $5 or 1.66 ea
Supposedly some of the whole grain poptarts have $1 off 1 peelies on the package
Final Price: $0.66 each

Hormel Seasoned Pork Fillets or Tenderloins (found by the butcher station) on sale $4.99
Use $1 off 1 from 2/8 SS
Final Price: $3.99
This is a great deal and can be used to make the pork tenderloin dish I made this week!

Williams and John Morrell sausage is on sale so I'm going to pick up a reduced fat variety for the breakfast casserole his month

There is some other good meat sales going on so be sure to check out the Kroger weekly ad.

Deal Alert

The Little Rock Zoo is FREE! this Saturday, March 7th from 9am to 5pm!

I took this deal alert off my sweet neighbor's blog- she's got one of those cute blogs complete with music I was telling you about last weekend. Thanks Becke'

Deal Alert- Walgreens

A new month means a NEW EasySaver Catalog (ES). Make sure to pick yours up next time your in Walgreens. And remember the unconfirmed rumor is we are on our last days of the EasySaver Rebate program so enjoy it now!!

The following are my favorite deals with thanks to The Thrifty Mama and Money Saving Mom!

Colgate Total Toothpaste 4 oz priced between $2.99 - $3.49

Use $1 off 1 from 2/22 SS or $1.50 off from recent mailer AND $2.50 off 1 from ES (EasySaver catalog)
Final Price: FREE to almost free after both coupons

Nabisco Ritz Crackers 4-8oz on sale buy 1 get 1 FREE or 2 for $1.99

Use $2 off 2 from 1/25 SS

Final Price: FREE for 2 boxes!

*My recipes often call for Ritz crackers

Fiber One Bars on sale $1.99

Use $0.50 off 1 from 1/25 SS or use$1.35 off 1 here

Final Price: $0.64 or $1.49

Reach Toothbrush on sale $0.99 with Walgreens flyer coupon

Use $1 off 1 from 2/8 RP

Final Price: FREE

Revlon Emery Boards priced around $1.59

Use $1 off 1 from 2/8 SS AND $1 off 1 from ES

Final Price: FREE after both coupons

Sambucol priced around $12.99

Use $4 off 1 here AND $10 off 1 from ES

Final Price: FREE after both coupons (I don't think you get overages except on rebate and RR items)

Walgreens Brand Jumbo Diapers or Training Pants on sale 2 for $9

Final Price: $4.50 per pack

Register Rewards (RR)

Buy 1 Blink Tears Eye Drops 0.33-0.5 oz. at $7.99, Get $7.99 RR
Use $1.50 off 1 here

Final Price: FREE plus$1.50 in overages after coupon and RR

Buy 1 Colgate Max Fresh or Max White Toothpaste at $3.49, Get $3.49 RR

Use $0.75 off 1 from 2/22 SS

Final Price: Free plus $0.75 in overage after coupon and RR

Buy 1 Vaseline Intensive Care Rescue Lotion at $2.69; Get $2 in RR

Use $1.50 off 1 from 1/18 RP

Final Price: Free plus $0.81 in overage after coupon and RR

Dove Bath Bar Soaps on sale for $0.99 with Walgreens flyer coupon, Buy 8 get $10 RR

Final Price: FREE plus $2 in overage after RR

Dove trial size Deodarants for $0.99, Buy 8 get $10 RR

Use $1.50 off 2 coupons from 1/18 RP

Final Price: FREE plus $2 in overage with no additional coupons and up to $8.08 in overage if you have 4 coupons and RR!!!!

From what I understand the two dove deals can be combined so you could get a mixture of soaps and deoderants

March FREE After ES Rebate Products

No additional coupons for these products so far. As of right now I don't think I will be getting any of these unless Walgreens offers a $10 off $50 purchase coupon (which they have YET to do this year)

Advanced Memory Formula 45 count soft gels for $19.99

Final Price: FREE after rebate

Axe Hair Care $5.99

Final Price: FREE after rebate

Wal-Zyr 24 allergy relief 5 count $3.99

Final Price: FREE after rebate

Extra Strength Headache Relief 20 count gel for $2.99

Final Price: FREE after rebate

DRS Couponing 101- common coupon lingo

So today I am going to catch you up to speed on some common abbreviations and lingo used in the coupon world- yes it is a whole other language. From now on I am going to put "bilingual" on all my resumes.


In respect to all the coupon newbies I have kept my coupon language to a minimum to this point on DRS. BUT I would like to start incorporating more of it into my Thrifty Thursday posts to help save on time when writing up your deal alerts. My goal is to eventually have the lingo available on the side bar for quick reference whenever I get that new fancy blog design I was telling you about last weekend. A girl can dream!


So here it is-in no particular order:


SS: SmartSource Insert


RP: RedPlum Insert


PG: Proctor & Gamble Insert


PGE: Proctor & Gamble Esaver Kroger loadable coupons

SC: ShortCuts Kroger loadable coupons


CF: Cell Fire Kroger loadable coupons


BOGO or B1G1: Buy 1 Get 1 Free


WAGS: Walgreens coupon found in the weekly flyer


ES: Walgreens EasySaver Catalog


CAT: Catalina


COP: Coupon on Package


B: Blinkie


IP: Internet Printable


OOP: Out of Pocket


RR: Register Reward


FAR: Free after Rebate


MIR: Mail in Rebate


MFR: Manufacturer

Thrifty Thursday

It's that time again... Thrifty Thursday!!! Woo Hoo!

How is everyone doing out there? Any one finding any great deals? Is anyone finding these deal alerts helpful? I would looooove your input, comments, or stories. I get lonely sometimes when I'm the only one posting. Sorry.... no more pity parties.

Seriously, there are some AWESOME deals this week at Walgreens. So you will definitely want to check back for that deal alert. There is also another exciting lesson posting in our DRS Couponing 101 series coming up next hour.

Have a Terrific Thrifty Thursday- Ta Ta for now! (what a dork!)

Deal Alert

Your gonna want to take advantage of this offer! Betty Crocker is offering a free sample of their Warm Delights. I signed up for this last year and LOVED IT! Think Chili's Chocolate Molten cake with only 150 Calories!!! Yeah I am serious- it's that good! Go here to sign up.

Product of the Week

Well, Tambrey told me they were good, so when Morning Star products went nearly half off last week at Kroger I decided to give the Corn Dogs a try. To be honest, I bought the corn dogs for the boys, I thought "here is a way to give my boys good nutrition under the guise of a classic "kid food." I warmed one up for lunch the next day, placed a squirt of mustard right beside it, and proudly presented it with a handful of grapes to my 4 year old son. While I had pictured Colby getting really excited about the "fun" lunch I proudly served him complete with a "Hooray" and "Thanks Mom- Your the Best!!;" what I got was a shoulders slumped "I don't like corn dogs." (please read with a whine). What!?!?! What kid doesn't like corn dogs? AND Where had my child eaten a corn dog before that he knew "he didn't like corn dogs"?

So now I have an uneaten vegetable stick masquerading as a corn dog sitting warmly on a plate with no kid to eat it. I look over at my next born... Will he eat the corn dog? Probably not, but I give it a try. I cut 1/2 the dog off the stick and cut it up into choke proof sizes for my 17 month old and then sit and wait........ Corn Dog goes into the mouth... wait, wait, wait,.... Corn dog comes out of the mouth. Now What?

You should know I am NOT a hot dog kind of girl. Never was after some kid told me how and from what hot dogs were made. But, even at a sale price of $2.50 per box with only 4 in a package these fancy dogs were quite expensive. So after reading the ingredient list to confirm there was absolutely NO hint of mystery meat- I dipped that dog in mustard and gave it a try. Wow! I liked it, I REALLY liked it. Before I knew it my half of the dog was gone and I started eating the bite size pieces off my son's highchair tray. At only 150 Calories I seriously thought about going for a second but decided to hold off. I made it until 10:30am the next day, when I decided I couldn't wait another minute for another bite of the delectable corn wrapped dog and had it for a snack.

I am also proud to announce that Cohen (the baby) gave the corn dog another try yesterday and know he too shares my love of the "Vegy" corn dog!!!

Now, before you all rush out to buy this product, I feel I must warn you of 2 things. First, please note, I have not had a "real" corn dog in probably 20+ years so I have no idea how the Morning Star variety compares to the real thing; in other words- you might not share my enthusiasm. Secondly, they might not be available at our Kroger because last night I rushed out and bought the last of the corn dogs before the "Morning Star" sale ended- sorry!

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 corn dog

Meal Plan: 150 Calories, 1 meat, 1.5 starches

Wellness Wednesday

In honor of National Nutrition Month (you did have your calenders marked, didn't you?) I though it might be nice to reacquaint ourselves with the mascot of the nutrition world "The Food Guide Pyramid." As many of you already know, the pyramid received a face lift in 2005 and now has vertical lines running up the pyramid to distinguish between food groups vs. the old horizontal lines.

The new and improved pyramid continues to emphasize the importance of balance, variety, and portion control but now recognizes that in nutrition "One Size Does Not Fit All." To reflect this new attitude the pyramid is now called "MyPyramid" and comes complete with an interactive website designed to help users individualize the pyramid to reflect their personal dietary and weight management goals. The website offers a personalized "MyPyramid Tracker" where you can enter your daily food intake to evaluate how your food choices match up with the recommended guidelines. It also has MyPyramid tools for children and pregnant and breastfeeding women. Check it out at mypyramid.gov.

Slow Blog Day

Sorry so few posts today. I had one of those super busy days but I got nothing done kind of days. I searched the Internet over looking for a fabulous deal alert for you but was unable to find anything applicable to our area. I did work on our Thrifty Thursday Deals for Walgreens today- it's gonna be good! Lots of Freebies! Well I hope everyone had a great Tuesday. I still have not done my zone work or bedtime routine so I'm gonna get off this thing and get busy- Night!

Zone 4- Office and Playroom

Day 1- Tuesday

• Dust Playroom Furniture
• Sanitize Toys
• Clean Playroom Windows and Fan

Day 2- Wednesday

• Organize Craft Closet
• Playroom Baseboards and Floors
• Office Baseboards and Floors

Day 3 - Thursday

• Dust office Furniture
• Organize Desk
• Organize Cedar Chest

Day 4- Friday

• Clean Office Window
• Organize Coupon Center
• Organize Window Seat

Day 5- Saturday

• Dust Computer and other Electronics
• Sort Magazines and File
• Organize and Update all Files

Tidy Tuesday

Well we are back to the dreaded PLAYROOM for clean up this week. Right now my consignment clothes/toys are spread out all over my office, so I think I am actually more nervous about the office part of this zone this month. Anyone up for zone accountability this week?

Spinach Calzones- verdicts in

We loved them!! Colby even loved them and didn't seem to notice the green stuff (spinach). Cohen threw his off his highchair- oh well... More for me!!!!

Going to bed now- no really, I am!

March thus far

So it has been 2.. no make that 3 days since I posted my new goals for the month on Super Saturday. Let's see how I'm doing....

• Meal Prep- done
• Tidy Tuesday- N/A yet
• AM routine- nope
• afternoon routine- nope
• PM routine- no *
• Wellness Wednesday- Well I did make that back appointment. BUT by the looks of the post time for this message it is clear I did not make my bedtime*
• Thrifty Thursday- I used my FREE rental code for redbox to get Colby a movie for rest time
• Familytime- We did do learning and devotional time today. Devotional time ended with one child crying and the other in time out.
• Quiet Time- Yes
• Project of the Month- I priced 10 items for consignment (my goal is 10 items a day)

*I must confess the reason I am not in bed at a decent hour AND the reason I'm going to bed with an untidy kitchen and untidy.... well everything else is because I started watching "The Bachelor- Final Rose Ceremony."- Pure TRASH!!! Now let me say, this was the first and only episode I watched all season and I was still sucked in. Not only did I watch the sappy "final rose ceremony" I even tuned into the "After the Final Rose Show." "What a world we live in" is all I can say!! Sad. The only good that came from me watching that show was that it reminded me that I had NOT had my daily time with the Lord. Thus the "yes" next to Quiet Time.

Please excuse my bragging!

I have two things I am very proud to tell you.

#1 Today I fulfilled my January Goal to call and make an appointment with a back doctor!!!!! I have suffered with mid to upper back pain for over 10 years and no ONE or no THING has been able to help me; so I am not getting my hopes up. BUT at least I finally followed through with my goal and now maybe my Mom will stop asking "Did you call and make an appointment today?" (I know your just concerned Mom- thanks)

AND

#2 This one is HUGE! Last week on Biggest Loser the contestants had to do "Up Downs*" for their physical challenge. The first contestant to reach 100 Up Downs won.... well, I can't remember exactly what they won but anyways... Ever since I watched that episode I have wondered "Could I do 100 Up Downs?" Well...... Tonight I challenged my husband to see who could do the most Up Downs. I never really thought he would play with me (you see, he is a lot cooler then me) BUT he did. And guess who one???...................... ME! Woo Hoo! That's Right! DH did 101 and yours truly did 110! Anyone up for breaking my record?! Double Dog Dare You! Sorry I'm a little annoying when I win!

*Up Downs- From a standing position drop to your belly (belly must touch the ground) and then stand back up and touch the rope (or in our case we touched the chain on the living room fan). Do that over and over and over.....

You all asked for it!

Well, technically just one person asked to see my picture..... but she practically begged ;) Well here at DRS, I aim to please, so Amy here is my couch dirt!!!

Deal Alert

Go here to print coupons for Seventh Generation products including a $2 off 1 coupon for any Seventh Generation baby product. I'm thinking FREE to nearly free baby wipes!

Mealtime Monday- accountability

What are you serving this week around your table?

Deal Alert

The Free Monday rental redbox code is: MS72K3

Remember this code is good until midnight tonight. And you must return your rental in one day or you will be charged $1/each additional night.

Chili

Nothing extraordinary about the chili I'm making. Just following the recipe on the back on the McCormick or Williams Chili Seasoning. I do add a can of spicy V8 just to spice it up a bit.

Chili

1 pkg on favorite chili seasoning
1 lb of extra lean ground beef
2 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce or 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (I went ahead and used 1 of each)
1 can kidney or pinto beans (I used 2 cans Kroger Chili beans- I love beans)
1 6oz can Spicy V8 (optional)

Brown Beef, drain fat, then add all the other ingredients to a pot. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe (how I made it)
Meal Plan: 226 Calories, 2.5 meats, 1 starch, 2 vegetables
What great nutrition!

I won't lie I will be serving this with 2% cheese and FRITOS!
32 Fritos = 160 Calories, 1 starch, 2 Fats!

Spinach Calzones

I thought this looked like a yummy vegy dish this week. You could easily add chicken to it if you wanted some meat. Of course Donna would have made her own bread dough BUT for time sake this Donna wannabe stuck with frozen dough (wish it could have been whole wheat- but oh well). I am hoping this recipe is a winner- it sure sounds good and it just might be a way to get some spinach down my boys!

Spinach Calzones

Go here for the recipe.
I lightened the recipe by using part skim ricotta cheese, only 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Nutrition Information (for modified recipe)
Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
Meal Plan: ~350 Calories, 2.5 meats, 2 starches, 1 vegetable, 1.5 fats
(nutrition information for modified recipe is my best estimate)

I am going to serve this with marinara sauce and a side salad

Crockpot Pork Pineapple Tenderloin

I found a new website (thanks Jenny's Blog) that is an awesome resource for crockpot recipes. It's called A Year of CrockPotting. The creator of this blog challenged herself to use her crockpot every day in the year 2008. From what I gather she must have someone in her family with a gluten allergy because most, if not all, of her recipes are gluten free. She has a very entertaining blog- I think we could be friends in real life. I don't know she is probably way cooler then me! Anyways... this crockpot recipe was found on her blog. This will be my first time to prepare the dish so as always- I'll let you know how it goes.

Pork Pineapple Tenderloin

Go here to see the recipe.

I did choose to use canned pineapple over frozen
(Dole pineapple on sale at Kroger this week)
I also only used a 1.75lb pork tenderloin

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 4 oz of pork (1/7th of all the fixens and sauce)
Meal Plan: 215 Calories, 4 lean meats, 1/2 fruit

I am going to serve this with rice and might add another vegetable from my stockpile.

Chicken Quesadillas

This is a fun recipe for quesadillas that uses chickpeas as a base. For those of you new to chickpeas they are also know as Garbanzo beans. Add those beans to high fiber tortillas and you've got one fiber packed meal. Bowels beware! (sorry I just mentioned bowels on the same post as your recipe!)

Chicken Quesadillas

1 cup canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and mashed
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 large clove of garlic, minced
8 7" flour tortillas (high fiber)
2 tsp vegetable oil (I'll just use Pam)
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup each finely chopped red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and green onions
1 Tbs chopped cilantro (optional)
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 400

Combine mashed chickpeas, 2 Tbs sour cream, 2 Tbs salsa, and garlic in a small bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

Brush one side of each tortilla with oil (or spray with Pam). Arrange 4 tortillas, oil-side down, on a baking sheet. Spread 1/4th chickpea mixture over each tortilla, leaving a 1/2" border.

Combine shredded chicken, red pepper, green pepper, green onions, and cilantro in a small bowl. Spread 1/4th chicken mixture over chickpeas, followed by 1/4th cheese. Cover with remaining tortillas, oil-side up.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until tortillas are a light golden brown. Remove from oven. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting (this is important, otherwise tortillas will slide apart). Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges. Serve with remaining sour cream and salsa.
Makes 24 wedges.

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 wedge (1/24th of recipe)
Meal Plan: 65 Calories, 1/2 meat, 1/2 starch

This recipe was found in a really cute cook book called "Looney Spoons" by Janet an Greta Podleski

PS To make the chicken I used for this recipe, I put chicken breasts in crockpot with 1 can rotel and cooked on high until done (about 3-4 hours) or could cook on low all day.

Salmon-Potato Cakes

This is a recipe that is compliments of Better Homes and Gardens. What a tasty way to have Salmon. I did use the frozen Salmon fillets for this recipe but for a cheaper meal I'm sure canned salmon would work fine. Although it has been awhile, I have fixed these before and can confirm they are gooood!

Salmon- Potato Cakes

Go here for the recipe.
To lighten up this meal I used microwaved mashed potatoes (from box) with no added margarine. I also found a bottle of light Honey Mustard dressing.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe (nutrition info for salmon cakes only)
Meal Plan: 395 Calories, 3 meats, 2 starches, 2 fats

I am going to serve this with a side salad (as recipe states)

Mealtime Mondays

Ok, once again I didn't quite make my 1 hour 30 minute goal for all meal preparation. Nope- it took me 1 hour 37 minutes. Darn! And no drama to blame the overage on this week. But everything looks pretty yummy so I am sure it will be worth the extra 7 minutes. The following describes the prep steps I took and how I plan to store each meal until final preparations:

Monday Night: Spinach Calzones. I am most anxious to try these and I am not sure how the bread dough would do for an extended time in fridge sooo I am going to eat these tonight. I prepared up until the baking step and stored in fridge until time to bake.

Tuesday Night: Chicken Quesadillas. The quesadillas were fully prepared, wrapped in foil, then stored in the fridge. I will just throw the quesadillas wrapped in foil in the oven Tuesday night.

Wednesday Night: Crockpot Pork Pineapple Tenderloin. I prepared Pork in a freeze ziplock bag. I dumped all ingredients except the peppers and pineapple into bag to let pork marinate. (My pork was actually still frozen so it will have from Sunday night until Wednesday morning to defrost in marinade in the fridge). I went ahead and chopped peppers but I chose not to add to marinade. I stored both pork and peppers in fridge. Wednesday morning I will dump contents of pork bag into crockpot followed by the can of drained pineapples and peppers. Cook on low all day.

Thursday: Salmon-Potato Cakes. I formed my salmon patties and then placed them in a freezer safe dish in the freezer. I will try my best to remember to transfer patties to fridge Thursday morning to begin thawing. Thursday night I will just spray my electric griddle down with Pam and sizzle these cakes up!

Friday - Saturday: Out of Town

Sunday- After browning beef, I dumped all ingredients into a freezer safe ziplock and stuck it in the freezer. I am going to try to remember to get chili out of freezer Friday to let thaw in fridge over weekend. Sunday I will put chili in crockpot before church and then come home to a nice bowl of hot chili!

Me vs Couch

Well tonight I finally got around to decrumbing the couch. Disgusting! You know I am dying to show you the picture I took, BUT in fear you are getting sick of seeing my dust, clutter, lint, etc. I have decided to spare you (however, if just one person requests to see the picture I am sooo posting it). The most unusual thing I found hidden in the couch crevices was a packet of apple cider. I also found a picture of DH grandparents (frame and all), scooby band aid, several pens, shorts, the battery cover to the remote, a sucker stick, and crumbs of everything from cereal and granola bars to raisens and popcorn. Where was all the money that I was suppose to find? Don't all couches have hidden money? Anyways.... The worst part of the experience was that I caught Cohen eating the crumbs. GROOOOOSSSS!!! Why should we get a dog when we have a 17 month old.

Sonday Sunday- Scripture Accountability

Here's your Mr. Linky for those that want to share their verse of the week.

Sonday Sunday

Last week I got sick. I felt like my throat was closing in, I totally lost my voice, and my eyes were a lovely shade of red but I kept right on trucking. That is until my body just wouldn't go another minute. At that point I was forced to crawl into bed and just sleep. When I awoke from this "unplanned" slumber I could not find the motivation to climb out of bed so I picked up my bible from the nightstand. I had no destination in mind so I just let the pages fall where they may. God is sooo Good! Guess where I landed?.... Psalms 127 Read this:

It's useless to rise early and go to bed late,

and work your worried fingers to the bone.

Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves!

Psalms 127: 2 (The Message)

I shut my bible and lay there in awe. In that moment I realized that He had brought REST to me when I wasn't willing to get it for myself. I had pushed myself to the limit but He, in his infinite wisdom, had a plan to force me to stop and REST. And ultimately my rest led to spending a little more time with HIM. I love that!