So after a few request! I have decided to start this new blog that will hopefully give some helpful hints to be a thriftier you! Lets face it in todays economy thats not a bad thing! =D

I have always LOVED shopping at thrift stores!

1. It saves you money!
2. My kids outgrow thier clothes to fast for me to pay full price!
3. I work hard for my money(well my husband does. I am a stay at home mom! =D) I would rather
    keep that money in my bank account.
4. Name brands for less!! 

Thursday January 31 Thrift shop finds:

The best part.... I spent a Grand total of $28.54 on everything pictured above! And it was all name brand!

I think it is the fun in seeing what treasures I can find!

So to see if I can save even more money I started planning out our menus 2 weeks at a time! So On this blog I will be posting my menus and also the recipes and a total of how much I spent on the groceries!Also I will be posting thrift shop finds with grand totals! Just to show everyone, if I can find good deals so can you!=D Now please keep in mind I am currently living with my mother-in-law due to the death of my much loved Father-in-law. So instead of feeding my normal family of 4, there are 5 of us!

Lets get started!

February's first 2 weeks menu!

                                   *Disclaimer: I do not own any of these recipes or pictures Most recipes were copy and pasted to makes finding them easier on the reader. Enjoy everyone*


Now the recipes:

Feb 2.     Weight Watchers Broc & Cheese Soup
              

           3 (14 1/2 ounce) Fat Free chicken broth
           2 (1 lb) bags frozen broccoli
           1 (10 1/2 ounce) can rotel brand tomatoes and green chilies
           10 ounces Velveeta reduced fat cheese
 

           Directions:
           1. Mix chicken broth, frozen broccoli and tomatoes and chilies together.
           2. Simmer for 25 minutes or until veggies are tender.
           3. Cube Velveeta and put into soup pot.
           4. Simmer just until cheese is melted.
           5. This recipe freezes and refrigerates well. 

 

 

Feb 3.   Crock-Pot Corn & Potato Chowder

           8 ounces (1/2 pound) bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
           2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes (approximately 5 medium sized potatoes), NOT peeled, diced
               in 1/4 inch cubes
           8 cups (about 2 pounds) kernel corn (I used a frozen bag)
           1 medium sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
           6 - 8 garlic cloves, crushed
           1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
           32 ounces (4 cups) fat free chicken stock
           16 ounces (2 cups) half & half
           salt & pepper 

 

1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT half & half in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours.
3. Add half & half or heavy cream and continue cooking, uncovered, for about another 15 minutes, until heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve and enjoy!

 

Feb 4.     Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 

 

                16 oz of Whole Wheat Noodles

                1 Jar of Alfredo Sauce  (whatever you prefer)

                 Grilled Chicken 

 

                Cook Noodles as usual, then strain.  Add Sauce and Chicken.

 

                

                Loaded Cauliflower

                

                 1 cup cooked cauliflower
                 1 teaspoon butter
                 Salt and pepper, to taste
                 1 ounce cheddar cheese, shredded
                 1 tablespoon ranch dressing or sour cream
                 1 strip bacon, crumbled
                 1 teaspoon chives (optional)
             
                 Butter and season the cauliflower. Place in an individual-serving baking dish, then top
                 with  the cheese. Microwave or broil until the cheese is melted. Top with ranch dressing,
                 bacon and chives.

Feb 5.       Crock-Pot Orange Chicken

               

              1.   Boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks (I used about 4)
              2.  1/3 cup flour
              3.  olive oil                 
              4.  1/2 Tbl. salt
              5.  1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
              6.   3 Tbl. ketchup
              7.   6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (throw in microwave for 45 seconds)
              8.   4 Tbl.  brown sugar


               In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and ketchup.  Pour the flour in a 
               small bowl.  Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess. Pour a
               small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken.
              The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot.
              After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot. Then cover the
              Chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.
          
              Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.      
             * I added oriental Ramen Noodles for a side item.

Feb 6.        Crock-Pot BBQ Meatballs

                   1 bag of Meatballs (I used the Great Value Brand)
                   1 jar/bottle favorite BBQ Sauce (I use homemade)

                  Mix Meatballs and BBq sauce in the Crock-Pot and cook on low for 4-6 hrs.

Feb 7.      M husband and I are in the Celebrate Recovery praise band at church, so on Thursdays
                  we eat there. Yay for a night off from Dishes! =D

Feb 8.      Taco Bake with Spanish Rice

                  1 pound ground Turkey

                 1 packet taco seasoning

                 water as called for on back of seasoning packet

                 3 large flour  Whole Wheat tortillas (8-inch size)

                 1/2 cup Mild Salsa Con Queso

                 1 1/2-2 cups shredded 2% Mexican cheese blend

 

                  

                Brown Ground meat with taco seasoning. Once the taco meat is ready, turn off 

          heat and add in 1/2 cup salsa con queso.  Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

          Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

          Layer the bottom of  the pan with a flour tortilla. Add some of the meat mixture and  

          top with shredded Cheese. Keep repeating for 2 more layers,then top with a tortilla.

          Add Shredded cheese onto the top tortilla. Bake for 15-20 mins at 350F Until Cheese

         is melted and edges of tortillas are golden brown.

Feb 9.      Weight Watcher Zucchini Pizza

                  1 large zucchini, cut in fourths length wise
                 4 tablespoons of your favorite low point sauce (I like Eden Organic, which is only 1 point

                    per 1/2 cup)
                 4 tablespoons part skim mozzarella cheese
                 12 turkey pepperonis
                 Salt and pepper
                 Oregano

 

         Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
         Cut the zucchini into fourths lengthwise and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Place

         on a piece of tin foil or small baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.
         Take the zucchini out of the oven and add the 1 tbsp sauce, 1 tbsp cheese, and 3 pepperonis to 

         each zucchini along with any additional toppings your choose.  Return the pizza to the oven 

         and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble on the top. 

 

 

Feb 10.        Crock-Pot Santa Fe Soup 
                 
                  2 chicken breasts, still frozen
                  1 can Rotel tomatoes
                  1 can corn kernels, do not drain
                  1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
                  1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
                  1 T cumin
                  1 T chili powder
                  1 T onion powder
                  1 8-oz pkg.  Fat Free Cream Cheese

                 Put the chicken in the crock pot.  Top with the tomatoes, corn,
                 the drained and rinsed beans ranch dressing, cumin, onion and chili powders,
                 stir to combine then top with the cream cheese. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring
                 one or  twice to blend in the cheese.  Shred the chicken into large pieces

Feb 11.    Mini Chicken Pot Pies

                2 cups of cooked chicken breasts diced
                1 can cream of chicken soup
                1 cup frozen mixed veggies
                1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
                1 teaspoon garlic salt
                2 (10 oz) cans biscuits

                Preheat your oven to 400.
                In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, frozen veggies,
                cheese, herbs and spices.  Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin and place the Pillsbury
                biscuits into each cup, pressing into the bottom and up the sides.  Evenly spoon the pot
                pie mixture into each biscuit cup. Slide into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.
                Check at the 12 minute mark.
                    

Feb 12.      Pizza Quesadillas

                 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

                 6 (7 inch) Whole Wheat flour tortillas
                 8 ounces 2% shredded cheese
                 1/3 cup finely chopped turkey pepperoni
           

                Spread some of pizza sauce on half of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over pizza sauce.

                Top with pepperoni. Fold tortillas in half and press down edges gently.

                In large skillet cook tortillas, 2 or 3 at a time, over medium heat about 4 minutes or

                until cheese melts, turning once.

 

 

Feb 13.      Crock-Pot Potato Soup

 

                   1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns

                   3 14oz. cans of Fat Free chicken broth

                   1 can of cream of chicken soup

                   1/2 cup onion, chopped

                   1/4 tsp. ground pepper

                   1 pkg.  Fat Free cream cheese       
                   In a crock-pot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for
                    6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and
                    keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream , bacon   
                    bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be yummy.thoroughly   
                    melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever 
                    else you think would be yummy.

Feb 14.         Eat at Church Night!! YAY 

            My 2 week grocery shopping grand total was $95.00 for 5 people! That includes lunches and snacks!   Not to bad if you ask me! If you have an Aldi Grocery Store near you I highly recommend checking it out!  I saved so much money by just shopping there (no coupons required). Just be price savvy... I watch prices on things and they have always been equal to the price of Wal-Mart, or 1/2 lower then. and they run great specials all the time!


                   My husband and I will be headed to Snowshoe, WV. this weekend to Snowboard with our Church Youth Group! So no cooking for me! Hope everyone has a blessed weekend! Next two weeks worth of food posted ASAP! Thanks Everyone!