Saving Green

U may ask why is she posting empty onion bottles? But you may also be asking why do you have them in the first place as they are empty=trash? Well for me that just means they are empty and need to be refilled in my daily world.

At my local 99 cent store is where I purchased this bag of onions to refill the containers

Repurpose Leftovers

I love Naan bread it comes in plain or garlic herb but I only purchase it when it’s on clearance why pay full price when you can just check the day old bread rack? Original price $2.40 paid $1.20 saved $1.20 so I could add the extra money saved into Savings coffee can for future use when needed.

Using up leftover only makes sense to me (why dumb it down the trash?)

When you could be eating this nice tasty pizza for a quick lunch?

Spending Jan 2011

Today I started at the 99 cent store as it is also next to my other favorite store Sprouts where I usual pick up veggies etc. Well I was able to save a lot of money today.

My total spending was $24.00 I purchased a variety of things and I put a back a few as well after thinking things out.

3 packages of diaper wipes

3 bottle of dye free Dish soap

1 bottle of suave shampoo

1 bottle of suave container

2 bottle of Dial Hand soap

2 packages of Bean-o Melting tabs

2 packages of Anti-itch cream



2 package of baby romaine lettuce and 1 bag of spinach




3 bags of roasted almonds these bags are 5.5 oz



2 bottles of Mexican Vanilla
1 package of sliced Crimini mushrooms (never tried these)

Quick Curry Rice

I made this last year lol sounds funny only a few weeks ago... But I was very busy at the time w/ personal family issues that didn't allow me time to post online.

I had been hearing a lot about curry this and curry that well I just wanted to start very small with trying the curry spice and see it is all about.
First what the heck is curry powder Curry powder is a blend of up to 20 different herbs and spices, including the commonly used: cardamom, chiles, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg, pepper, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, saffron, tamarind and turmeric (which gives curry its characteristic golden color). In Indian cooking curry is freshly ground each day (making it far more flavorful and pungent than the mixes sold in the store), and comes in "standard" and "Madras" (hot) versions.

The kind I purchased only listed these ingredients on the label turmeric/black pepper and cumin. Well I used my rice cooker just like I normally would to make white rice but added about ½ tbsp full of turmeric to the water and cooked it

Well it wasn’t bad in taste it was VERY bland…and need a lot of extra help with taste next time I make it I will be adding more garlic and some onions etc.

Spending Jan 2011

Well time to get my Sh*T together yes I know I said that last year but that is my challenge to myself this year. So I am starting with FOOD as it was the best place to start seeing where I could save more GREEN.....

1. I did a complete food inventory of both freezers and all cabinets and create a menu of 20 plus meals Just from what I have on hand.
2. Then pick up needed items for 2+ weeks only fresh items and non-food items (shampoo etc) I currently have milk and bread to use up
   
3. Salad I have decided I need more in my food intake.
   
4. WATCH Spending just because...
5. Set a cash budget of money amount for spending for food or non-food items per 2 weeks $50.00. I will take this money out of my account in cash every pay day in $1.00 bills this will help me not spend as much as I will also only take $20.00 with me at a time.
   
6. Only use dollar bills and all change will go in coffee can.
   
7. Well lets get started shall we.

Menu Jan 1-15

I don't want to get to far ahead of my self right now my family life is crazy for the next 2 months a few changes are I am home alone for 2 months due to a 1972 trailer that doesn't have room to accommodate a wheel chair or a walker my dd who had surgery is recovery at grandma's house where there is A LOT more space to more around. So the currently Food planning etc challenges are as follows.
I work Thu & Fri 12pm-8pm I am work so I need a late lunch & snack then home for dinner and then on Sat & Sun I work 4pm-4 am so I need a dinner and lots of snacks because in 12 hours I get the night time munchies..
On Monday-Wednesday I am running back to grandma's house to visit & Doctor Appointments and errors so my when am I going to be home is all messed up.. This has only been going on a 2 week but seems like YEARS. The first week was just a blur with surgery/hospital stay and trying to work the first weekend after that I was sleep & food deprived so this past week I tried to pull it together & it was worse.. So my plan is to create on Monday a menu for the week or a plan mostly for Thur-Sunday
So bare with my mess for a few weeks..


Jan 2-Homemade Pizza on Naan Bread w/ side salad
Jan 3- Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie w/ salad
Jan 4-Grandma's house Chicken Parmesan
Jan 5-Leftover Southwestern Chicken Pot pie
Jan 6-Neighbor made Homemade Mac & Cheese
Jan 7-Boss bought my lunch Chicken Wrap/Fries/Soda
Jan 8-Leftover from Lunch with DD- Asian Food
Jan 9-Chicken Asian Salad
Jan 10-Chicken & Mushroom Pizza
Jan 11-Meatloaf and Herb Potatoes
Jan 12-Shredded Chicken Enchiladas & Mexican Rice
Jan 13-Leftover Shredded Chicken Enchiladas & Mexican Rice
Jan 14-Leftover Meatloaf and potatoes
Jan 15-Tv dinner & chips and dip

New Year!!!

Ringing in the new year...will post more of my plan....for the upcoming weeks.....

Xmas Lights Around AZ

Day after Xmas

The holiday was festive and interesting.. My Canadian neighbors are home in Peoria for the holiday w/ lots of creative decorating and more holiday spirit then my family. It was fun to watch them get ready for the big day.. Light out side and a big huge tree trimmed beautifully..

I have not been in much of a mood to be online as of late this past week DD had her foot surgery and is slowly recovering after her a few days in the hospital...

For the next 30 day I am doing a budget challenge for myself..I will post more about this later....

Holiday Cookies

They always say don't use newspaper well I am going on the big 40 in a few years and my mom still uses newspaper every year to put the cookies on and we are all here to tell the story..

Pets

Who couldn't fall in love with this face????

This puppy is one of my mom's dogs...Lucky....

Fall Pictures

Tree in the back yard of my neighbor yet and get lots of yellow leaves near my shed....for me to clean up every year. Hard to believe I took a picture (not shown here) on Saturday with a few leaves and Today I have a huge amount leaves fall fast....


This is my Pink rose bush that I don't do anything with and it grows just fine every year....

Message From a Friend

This coming week is National Mental Health Care week.
You can do your part by remembering
to contact at least one unstable person to show you care

Well .. .. . my job is done. Your turn! Please send an encouraging message to a disturbed friend….just as I've done. I don't care if you lick windows or take the special bus.... you hang in there sunshine, you're special.. Every sixty seconds you spend angry, upset or mad, is a full minute of happiness you'll never get back. Today's Message of the Day is: Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we might as well dance

Menu 4 Dec

Wed 1- Potato Soup
Thu 2-Leftover Soup and crackers
Fri 3- Bought a Rice and Cheese burrito for $4
Sat 4-Leftover from Lunch
Sun 5-Chicken Wraps
Mon 6- Turkey taco's Mexican rice and refried beans
Tue 7- Leftovers
Wed-Homemade Pretzels w/ Cheese and pizza sauce
Thur-Baked Chicken Wraps
Fri-Fix it yourself
Sat-Fix it yourself
Sun-Pieces of Chicken/String Cheese/Chips & Salsa
Mon-Leftovers from Lunch out w/ daughter...
Tue-? forgot
Wed-Dinner out w/ grandparents
Thur-Leftover dinner
Fri- Turkey burgers and chips
Sat-Homemade Chicken Pot Pie from freezer
Sun-
Mon-
Tue-
Wed-
Thu-
Fri-
XMAS-

** Note to self make burritos to freeze this week on my days off cheaper & I have all the ingredients...make stuff for dd surgery as well...

Baked Potato Soup

Over the weekend at work a co-worker brought in a huge pot of Ham & Potato Soup however I was unable to try/have it due to being pork free so of coarse I went in search of a small batch that I could make/try for myself. After reading many I decided this was the one to try...Baked Potato Soup
From as usual my fave go to website All Recipes. After reading most of the ingredient I set about to create a great soup. I wanted to added extra veggie as well (to use up my supply of stuff in freezer/Refrieg) I am not picky about having a soup be all about just potatoes.

1 tbsp of garlic
1 tbsp of Yogurt butter
1 tsp of EVOO
3 tsbp of Flour
1 cup of diced carrots
1 cup of celery
2 potatoes diced
1/2 cup of minced green onions
6-8 stems of Asian Basil
3 cups of Chicken broth
1/2 cup of half & half
Pepper

In a small pot I sauteed the butter/evoo/garlic added basil and greens onions mixed well poured 3 tbsp of flour over mixture and cooked a few mins to that I slowly added the chicken broth and whisked well. Allowed to heat well. then poured that into my new 2 quart mini crock-pot I added the nuked diced up carrots- celery-and the hot mixture allowed this to cook for 1 hour.
At quick tasting it was VERY Bland so off I went to making it taste better
This is what I added to my individual bowl

1 cup of shredded cheese
1 more diced potato
LOTS OF PEPPER
2 tbsp of sour cream
More green onions

Verdict: It was pretty good.. It is something I would make again with the extra items plus more of all of them :O)