WIS, WWA | a peachy week
What I Spent
I didn't do much shopping this week!
- $20 at Target
- $5 at Harris Teeter
- $11 at the liquor store for bourbon for a recipe
- $8 at the produce stand for peaches
So, that's a total of $44.
And as you will see below, I decided to get some takeout with $40 of my extra grocery money, so we'll bump my total up to $84.
July Spending
Week 1: $157
Week 2: $183
Week 3: $157
Week 4: $84
What We Ate
Saturday
Mr. FG and I used our discounted sandwich meal voucher and the girls fended for themselves.
Sunday
Breakfast for dinner: I made waffles topped with peaches, with bacon on the side.
Monday
I grabbed a container of this pulled pork from the freezer and we ate it on buns, with a peach and blueberry fruit salad on the side.
(Why yes, we DO have a peach theme going on this week!)
Tuesday
I tried a new recipe from Cook's Country for bourbon chicken over rice.
Verdict: we all thought this was good, except next time I will stick with my usual low-sodium soy sauce because the regular was too salty!
The recipe did make more than this; I just forgot to take a photo until after we'd dished up
I cut up raw fruits (yes, peaches) and veggies for us to eat on the side.
Wednesday
I made these chipotle chicken kebabs with the dipping sauce, plus sweet potato fries (a frozen bag from Aldi) and some raw produce.
Thursday
As I was writing this post, I realized that I was quite under budget for the week.
And I also realized that I failed to plan for a quick and easy dinner after Zoe's 6:00-7:00 dance class.
So, I decided to press the easy button and use some of my grocery money to pick up takeout on the way home.
Friday
Our high is only in the low 80s today! So, I can either make pizza in the oven, or I can grill some pizzas without melting.
It's a day with options. Woohoo!
Saturday: Steaks, the back legs from one of the meat rabbits that got out and the dogs got (the rest of the meat wasn't good for eating--too damaged from the dogs), boiled potatoes, frozen peas, carrot sticks
Sunday: Scrambled eggs and cheese in corn tortillas, frozen peas, vanilla ice cream with chocolate shell (PSA: homemade chocolate shell is just chocolate chips and coconut oil melted in the microwave)
Monday: Pressure canned bull with barbecue sauce, garlic bread, carrot sticks with ranch dip
Tuesday: Sausage-y meatloaf, leftover potatoes, roasted carrots, frozen peas
Wednesday: Creamy green chile bull soup--not because it's soup weather, but because I had stock and other things to use up that lent themselves to soup--plus cheese and some bread and the apricot jam I had made earlier in the day
Thursday: Leftover meatloaf, leftover potatoes, cucumbers with salt and vinegar, roasted carrrots
Tonight: I took out stew meat and have half a jar of rooster stock still to use. I'm sure inspiration will strike at some point today. 🙂
@kristin @ going country,
I have a question regarding the meat you produce. How does bull meat differ from standard beef? Does the sex of the animal affect the flavor?
@kristin @ going country,
I never think to put chocolate shell on ice cream. That's a great idea! My kids would love it. Thanks for the PSA!
@Bee, Depends. We didn't "produce" the bull so much as just butcher it (it was our neighbor's bull that broke its leg), so it wasn't ideal butchering conditions. Despite it being a mature male, it is not strongly flavored. Really tough, though, since we couldn't butcher it properly and hang it and all. That's why I pressure canned it. Now, the bull elk my son shot a couple of years ago WAS very strongly flavored. Musky and, well, male tasting. Because it was a full-grown male in full rut. Would not recommend. That one couldn't be hung either (it had to be butchered right away in the field and it was too hot), which didn't help. We ate it, but it was a challenge.
@kristin @ going country, Oh, and the rams and roosters we butcher don't seem to be strongly flavored, either. So I guess it's just the wild animals in mating season. Although I only have one example of that to judge against.
@Ruth T, You're welcome! My kids love it, too.
@kristin @ going country, Bear meat during mating season cured me of ever eating bear again; I don't know what pure testosterone tastes like but I would guess a lot like the bear meat. I did all the usual--soaked a roast in vinegar. Tried soaking a roast in beer and another one in full fat milk. Only using it in chili with strong spices...finally decided life was too short to bother trying to make it palatable so the dogs got it. They eat anything.
@Lindsey, Yeah, that was the elk. If it hadn't been my son's first big kill, I might not have powered through it. But he was so proud, and we definitely believe in eating what we kill, so I made it through. I didn't enjoy it, though. Some of it may have found its way to the dogs . . .
I've been switching over from mandarins and grapes to peaches because NOW IS THE TIME. Ha! Peaches are so good. Here's what we ate:
Monday - Roasted some potatoes, added shrimp the last few minutes, dressed the rest of the spinach salad with purple onion, tomato, and Green Goddess dressing (this was reaalllly good)
Tuesday - Tilapia with homemade marinara sauce and added Indian spices which was also verry good!, mustard greens
Wednesday - Taco Salads with ground turkey (roasted corn, tomatoes, avocado, purple onion, and some crushed tortilla chips)
Thursday - BBQ Pork Chop in my tiny crock pot, pintos, yellow squash
Friday - Going to make some sort of mushroom and cheese grilled chicken breast, rice, and honey carrots
Saturday - TBD {Mexican breakfast out, beer at a brewery, dinner is grilled sausages and Caesar salads}
Sunday - Not cooking lunch or dinner so its TBD, save for a couple of eggs for breakfast
Yesterday: after working all day, navigating Austin traffic to the grocery store, finding my way around the the store's massive remodeling, I have decided: tho I enjoy cooking and getting creative in the kitchen, I am in serious need of a break and will exercise my right to take-out more often! Also, I'm going to start sending Hubby to the store with the list, which I know will be interesting, but I need a helper!
Our weekends have been taken over with family dinners and I'm not mad about it!
Saturday-Attended a going away party at a hibachi restaurant
Sunday: In-laws treated us to a lovely Greek dinner
Monday: Salmon, cucumber-tomato-chickpea salad
Tuesday: Frito pie w/broccoli
Wednesday: Broccoli quiche, falafel and tomato-cucumber salad
Thursday: Pork roast, mashed potatoes, kraut and broccoli
Friday: Family birthday dinner at a chain seafood restaurant (using discounted gift cards from Sam's club!)
Our kitchen renovation has begun! So we are without a stove. We got a good amount of takeout last weekend for hubby's birthday Sunday and had leftovers for few days. Then Wednesday I cooked an instant pot meal I call Greek harvest bowls. It's ground lamb, onion and Trader Joe's harvest grain blend, and I usually use spinach but I used kale instead to use up the bunch from our produce box. Usually I add feta too but we only have a little mini fridge right now so I didn't buy any. Still good without it. I have a few instant pot and crock pot meals I intend to make over the next couple weeks while they finish the kitchen. Wish me luck!
Thursday: steak for husband, turkey burger for me (homemade potato salad and coleslaw on the side)
Wed: grilled chicken (lemon, oregano, garlic) with salad and sweet potatoes
Tuesday: quesadillas with chili beans and Spanish rice
Monday: We grilled chicken on the BBQ (have enough for weeks!), with coleslaw and sweet potatoes
One "trick" I do to save time and money is that I make large quantities of interesting sides that we eat all week, supplemented by smoothies and salads so we don't get bored. Like, I'll cook a vat of chili, brown rice, coleslaw, veggie pasta salad, roasted potatoes, etc. and then I'll use them, in new and different ways-- freezing left-overs.
We are having some work done on the house so the kitchen and components are inaccessible. We kept it as frugal and healthful as possible, but it is what it is.
Next we, I’ll blessedly be back to regular eating at home.
Saturday: Pizza zucchini boats
Sunday: We took watermelon, grapes, and drinks to a potluck
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Pork roast, corn on the cob, green beans
Wednesday: Chicken broccoli alfredo and ice cream cake (my little boy turned 5!!)
Thursday: Real life here... The afternoon wasn't going great so the kids had granola bars and go-gurts on the way to swim lessons and a box of raisins on the way home. Balanced meal, right? All 3 of them are taking swim lessons but they are at 5:30, 6, and 6:30 - a little tricky for dinner! After the kids went to bed my husband grilled a couple of brats and I made a quesadilla with some leftover taco meat.
Friday: I'm going to grill chicken thighs and we'll have a bunch of veggies - we currently have green beans, zucchini/summer squash, corn on the cob, and a little asparagus. I'll probably pick 3 veggies to make since I only have 1 chicken thigh per person.
@Ruth T, I forgot about zucchini boats as a meal! Thanks for the reminder.
We are in camping in Northern MI. We brought my own tomatoes and basil and Peach Truck peaches and have picked 9 pounds of cherries and 6 pounds of blueberries. So-fruit and veggies all day long and last night we grilled fresh caught whitefish. It doesn’t get much better!
@Debbie H.,
Oh my goodness! You're right - doesn't get much better! I love eating whitefish when we go to the U.P. I've heard amazing things about the Peach Truck peaches but haven't tried them yet. Maybe next summer! I hope you have a great camping trip!
@Ruth T, Thank you and yes-get the peaches!
Yum for summer peaches! Have you tried grilled peaches? I'm pretty sure ATK has something in their files for you. And with vanilla ice cream or a sauce using some of that bourbon....delicious!
Not so much a menu, but a request for advice. How do you successful slice a peach?! Every time I've tried, I've ended up with a handful of peach mush and a puddle of peach juice all over...well everything! Tried googling an answer, but ended up with the same results! Aarrggghh!
@Kt, it might depend on the kind of peach you get. Free-stone peaches are easier to slice, especially if you are cutting them up for pies or to freeze. Here's a link that may be helpful. https://thepeachtruck.com/blogs/blog/types-of-peaches
@Kris, wow! That article is amazing! Unfortunately can't get Peach Truck peaches here in CA but at least I'm more informed about what I do buy! Thanks for sharing.
@Kris, thank you!!!
Peaches are a later-summer thing in Michigan but we are smack dab in the middle of blueberry season and we finished the last of our sweet cherries (and froze sour cherries) this past week. My husband judges how far along the summer is by the fresh fruit that's available. 🙂 I can never decide which fruit is my favorite. Usually whatever is currently ripe gets my vote.
WIS $33 CSA produce delivery
WWA
On Friday, we smoked an eye of round with carne asada style marinade, so ate that in various forms until is was gone.
Saturday: Eye of Round steak, masked potatoes and peas, some vegetable that I can’t recall.
Sunday: Leftover Homemade Pizza
Monday: Vegetable forward ramen (we skipped the pork)
Tuesday: Fajita Wrap: chopped eye of round, plenty veggies, yogurt and Zhug. https://cookieandkate.com/zhoug-sauce-recipe
Wednesday: Fajita Wrap: chopped eye of round, plenty veggies, yogurt and salsa verde. We got tomatillos in the Farm box, so I made a similar version using the boiled method. So easy! https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tomatillo_salsa_verde/
Thursday: Wild Salmon (frozen from Costco), corn on the cob and almond green beans. We don’t really like green beans, and this one of the only ways we like to eat them https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pan-garlicky-green-beans-with-slivered-almonds/
Friday: Ethiopian berbere red lentils, Ethiopian collard greens, and Indian Eggplant https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/80686/indian-eggplant-bhurtha/. Will serve over quinoa or in a wrap.
WWS: $51; WWA: TL/DR: A week of uninspired cooking
Sat: hamburgers, potato salad, roasted broccoli
Sun: salad and toast
Mon: Creole shrimp over rice; steamed broccoli
Tues: tuna on hot dog roll (for me); tofu stir fry for him
Wed: hot dogs, [leftover] potato salad, salad
Thur: out for sushi (celebration meal for paying off mortgage)
Fri: Peruvian chicken with aji amarillo sauce, quinoa, grilled cauliflower
Way to bury the lede! You paid your mortgage off; congratulations!!!
Sunday: Leftovers of sorrel soup and salmon, plus I made tabbouleh from the leftover herbs in the fridge
Monday: Chicken paprikash and freezer-section french fries. A new recipe for me, and not one I'd make again. Next time, I'd use the same flavors but just roast the chicken. Easier and faster!
Tuesday: I worked from home, so I made chicken broth and we had it with wontons that I'd made and frozen a few months ago.
Wednesday: Chicken noodle soup, with the leftover chicken from Monday.
Thursday: Takeout night! Shawarma for my husband and falafel for me.
Friday: Depends on how early I get home, but I have over a kilo of ground beef waiting to be made into bolognese for the freezer. Likely with a simple lettuce-y salad.
S: Stuffed pepper skillet
M: I went out with friends, so they had leftovers
T: White beans and mushrooms with marinara
W: Grilled Greek summer salad from Jeff Mauro's new cookbook. It was so good! Definitely going into the rotation
R: Slow cooker Mexican street corn soup. Toddler got hit with a stomach bug, so she had bread and Pedialyte for dinner 🙁
F/S: Leftovers
Saturday - steak, twice baked potatoes, sugar snap peas
Sunday - baked ziti
Monday - ground beef tacos, rice
Tuesday - Summer sweet corn salad
Wednesday - leftovers, with steamed broccoli and biscuits
Thursday - sesame chicken over rice
Friday - creamy lemon Parmesan chicken, zucchini, biscuits
Happy Friday!
First week of cutting carbs! I can do this!!
Monday: taco salad with all the toppings except corn chips.
Tuesday:pork chops with mushroom sauce, cauliflower with cheese, fresh green beans with bacon
Wednesday: turkey wing, leftover green beans
Thursday: baked chicken, zucchini Parmesan, garlic new potatoes for my mom
Friday: fajita meat, pico de Gallo, and guac
My favorite way to eat peaches? Peel them and cut in chunks off the pit and put in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and wait 5 minutes. Enjoy!!
Sat/Sun/Monday: more zucchini latkes with honeyberries for dessert. Zuke and berries from our garden.
Tuesday: mushroom stuffed crepes, to use up eggs from our chickens. Watermelon.
Wednesday: took out hamburger from the freezer the night before but felt uninspired so made chili, small pot for me without beans and pot for him with black beans.
Thursday: a plate with sliced chicken, some brie, crackers, sliced cukes from the greenhouse and that was dinner. Watermelon, too.
Friday: We have a memorial service to attend, so I will get Filet 'O Fish and he will get a burger on the way home. More watermelon when we get home. Costco had this gigantic and I mean unearthly gigantic watermelon for $8, so husband brought it home. I dehydrated half of the sucker, and we have been eating it for lunch or dinner every day, but the remains are still there, staring at me every time I open the fridge. Proof that you can have too much of a good thing.
@Lindsey, What do you do w/ dehydrated watermelon? Eat as snack? We fixed our dehydrator last fall and this summer I am dehydrating all the things!
@Jaime, Sliced in thin slices it takes a long time to dehydrate but the result is sort of like fruit leather. Like any dried fruit, the calories are packed into those little pieces so we use them for snacks but try not to overdo it. They do best if dehydrated and then frozen because the result is sticky and if it gets hot in the kitchen or pantry, they stick together. They defrost very quickly, so freezing is not a problem.
Let's see, I can never totally remember.
-Salmon & caprese salad (lots of caprese, to use up garden tomatoes & basil)
-Italian chicken sausages on the grill
-One night I had just a bowl of sliced peaches & fresh mozzarella (with a sprinkle of salt), because our kitchen was invaded by ants. After getting rid of them, food was just not very appealing.
-A Korean style chicken dish, with cauliflower rice
-Chicken samosas (and caprese)
-Last night we picked out takeout Greek food. We've been wanting to try it, and figured it was a good time, as our kids are out of town, & we only needed two meals. Turns out, it was great & will become a family favorite.
Tonight will be wings & caprese salad. ALL of the caprese.