Fast and Quick Breakfast for the Kids

I don't know about you guys, but in the morning we struggle getting ready in time for school. So, I am constantly looking for quick and easy breakfasts that the kids can grab in a hurry. I do the typical cold cereal and pop tarts, but I wanted something more. So, I read where you can make pancakes and freeze them. Perfect, hot breakfast that will be fast, but I also need cheap! Looking at the pre-packaged pancakes, I soon discovered that they were pretty pricey considering what they are made of. So, I decided to make them on my own. I made 2 batches (24 pancakes) and placed them on a cookie sheet and placed them in the freezer. You keep them there for around 20 to 30 minutes remove and place in a freezer bag and place in the freezer.



The kids can grab the pancakes in the morning and heat in the microwave for 1 minute and there you go!!
It only took me around 10 minutes preparation time, and the kids have a hot breakfast in 1 minute!! Cheap, Easy and Quick!!

This and that...

As usual I start this post out with an apology for not posting in a while. I must confess that I have become quite addicted to facebook. The time I would usually spend updating my blog, I now spend on facebook. I hope to change all of that. Less time on facebook and more time to blog. But, I won't increase the time that I spend on the computer, so if I slip up and spend more time on facebook, then no updating blog. I refuse to increase my time on computer to do both. It's a personal decision that I had to make. I do not want my time with the Lord or with my family to suffer.
Now, with all that said...this morning I made my menu plan for dinners. I have went online to find different ideas. I tend to get stuck in a rut when cooking dinners. At the end of the day the last thing I want to do is think too hard about dinner. I like to pre-plan and have everything together where it's a no brainer. The dinners need to be cheap but healthy...hmmm, that's not always easy. But, I am very excited with garden season coming up! The down side is I only have room for a small garden, the good news is...fresh fruits and veggies are a lot cheaper during this time! I am on the lookout for meatless recipes where I can utitlize all those veggies!
This year I would also like to learn how to can. I have wanted to do this for a couple of years now...maybe this is the year! Fingers crossed! But, of course I will be freezing some fresh fruits and veggies, starting with strawberries! They are in season now....but keeping my family from devouring them before I can freeze them is a different story! Lol!
My stockpiling of food is going pretty well. I still have a long way to go, but I am doing a lot better than I used to. My goal of having 3 to 6 months of food on hand is still not met...I guess I have maybe 3 weeks worth stockpiled. But, I am still plugging away at it...slowly!
This weekend I was able to go to GW boutique (GoodWill)and find some great things. I found Autumn 2 shirts(one from Izod and the other from Children's Place)and a pair of jeans and capris from Old Navy. I even found Trent 2 pairs of shorts and a pair of jeans...I can't remember the brand of those. And lastly, I found Jeff a pair of Lee brand shorts. All of this for $24!! Love GW!!
Little things like this make a huge impact on your budget. If I was to go to a store and buy this...could you imagine how much I would spend?!
So, there you go a quick update. Hopefully I will stay on top of my blogging!! Until next time.....

Menu plan

I have been tweaking my menu plan just a little. I am trying to trim down my meat even more. In the winter it was easy, I just added more soups. Summer is a bit more difficult. We finally have propane for the grill, and I love to grill. But, our budget is not allowing a lot of meat. If anyone has any suggestions....PLEASE let me know!
Now on to the menu plan for this week:

Crock pot Mac-n-cheese and tuna franks
Beefy baked beans and potato salad
Homemade pizza
Stuffed shells (no meat)
Hamburgers (camping with Mom and Dad)
Lemon Pepper chicken (It was a HUGE hit with family)
Tuna casserole
Breakfast casserole

Snacks:
Homemade brownies
Homemade rice krispie treats
Cake with homemade icing
grapes
bananas
cheese

Breakfast:
pop tarts
waffles
Egg sandwiches

Lunch:
Sandwiches and fruit

I found absolutely no deals in meat so far this week! Bummer! But, I want to start learning to cook vegetarian meals. I have no creativity in this area...so I will search for some good cheap veggie meals. My garden is starting to grow and with it being summer, I'm hoping to really stock up on some awesome veggie deals to freeze. I am also wanting to learn how to can veggies. So, we tighten up our belt once again. Gas is starting to go back up and my hours at work has been cut way back. I must confess that I wasn't sticking to my grocery budget for the past month, but now that's not an option. Back to clipping coupons, looking for deals and being more frugal than I was in May!

Menu Plan for upcoming 2 weeks.....

Shepherds Pie
Pizza (Homemade)
Breakfast Casserole
Mexican Casserole
Pinto Beans
Potato Soup with grilled cheese bread
Salmon Patties
Beefy Baked Beans
Husband's Delight (new recipe)
Chili
Tuna Franks (new recipe)
Baked mac-n-cheese with broccoli
Pasta salad

I will buy ground turkey instead of ground beef, at Aldi the one pound ground turkey chubs are $1.19.
I will only use half of my turkey sausage for the breakfast casserole and the other half will go on pizza. Most of my dishes are casseroles, I can get by using a little bit of meat instead of making meat the focus of each meal. Tuna and Salmon are also cheap meats! I will post the new recipes if they turn out well. Now I have to figure out snacks, lunches and breakfast! If anyone has good non-meat recipes, please let me know...I am going to try to increase my non-meat meals....but the veggies cannot be expensive either or I won't be saving any money. Well, I guess I will get back at it...wish me luck!

Menu plan for Oct. 1st-14th

I have finished up my dinner menu plan for the next 2 weeks.

Beef Stew with biscuits
Breakfast dinner
Baked Spaghetti (No meat dinner)
Chili and cornbread
Loaded Baked potatoes and salad (no meat dinner)
Pinto Beans and fried potatoes (a southern no meat favorite)
Lasagna
Quesadillas
Pizza
Salmon cakes
Tater Tot casserole
Potato Soup and cheese melts (no meat dinner)
Beefy Baked Beans
Cheesy Chicken and Rice casserole
Mexican casserole (using leftover pinto beans)

Most of my dinners I use very little meat. I use beans, noodles or rice as my fillers. I also use my veggie side dishes to help with big appetites. Most of the time I am planning a salad and a fruit for dessert.
I am wanting to switch up my breakfasts and lunches a bit. I would love to try smoothies for breakfast, but I'm not sure how cost efficient it would be. I have become quite lazy and have not made any pancakes (for freezer), muffins or chewy oatmeal bars. So, I'm hoping to change that and have a cooking for the freezer day! I may become brave and try homemade bread again. The last batch turned out heavy and doughy! Yuck! I am still on a search for a bread machine at the thrift stores or yard sales. So far, no luck! :-(
I tend to get in a rut with meals. My family doesn't complain, but I like to switch things up. My air conditioner is kept on 78 to 80 degrees to save money,
now that it is becoming cooler I am wanting to cook more.
I am still tweaking my grocery budget and menu plan. I will post how well I did tomorrow after my shopping trip.

Menu Plan for the next two weeks!

I guess I will start off admitting that I was no where near as organized as I should have been this go around, but I managed to do okay. My total was $156. I had some extras in there that I hadn't expected. I bought Trent a new lunch bag and a jar thermos for lunches at school. I really didn't find any really good sales in the meat departments. I was rather disappointed. But, on the bright side...I WILL do better. My goal is to cut this amount of money down to $100 every 2 weeks for our family of 4. I really think I can do it!

My menu plan consists of the following:

Freezer dinners (pre-make and freeze)
Tater Tot casserole
Cheesy Chicken Bake
Chicken casserole
Meatballs (2 batches)

Dinners to be made the same night
Breakfast dinner (eggs, biscuits, turkey bacon and gravy)
Salmon Turnovers (new recipe from Happy Housewife Blog)
Mexican Casserole
Homemade Pizza
Baked Spaghetti
Pigs in a Blanket (Hot Dog wrapped in crescent rolls)
Manwiches
Chicken Pot Pie

Breakfasts will be Muffins, poptarts, yogurt and homemade oatmeal bars

Lunches will be wraps and salads.

Snacks are Chocolate No Bake Cookies, brownies, pudding, jello and fruit.

Gosh! Fruit and veggies are getting expensive! I really hope I can find a local produce stand that has better prices than what I'm finding at the grocery stores. My garden....my poor pitiful garden didn't do well. I guess between the heat and rabbits it has seen better days. I am getting a couple of cucumbers and tomatoes. But, my squash is a total wash! Fingers crossed that my okra will produce well.

Menu Plan

I have been trying to be more frugal and economic with my menu plans. STOP! BACK UP! Let me start by saying.....I have JUST started making a menu plan for my family. Not an expert...lots of tweaking to do! But, because of my desire to save money and become debt free (Dave Ramsey has truly turned my world upside down!)I have learned that being prepared; not only in food; but all areas saves LOTS of money! Anyhow, all that said to say here is my menu plan:

Breakfast- (made in advance and in freezer)
Egg and turkey sausage breakfast burritos
Muffins
Egg McMoms
Morning cookies
And of course the breakfast basics of cold cereal and pop tarts

Lunches
Egg salad
Tuna salad
Mac-n-cheese
Wraps
Leftovers

Dinners (made in advance in freezer)
Tater tot casserole
Chicken pot pie
Mexican casserole
Calzones
Meatballs (2 batches)
Pasta bake
Chicken and rice cheesy bake
Chicken tetrazzini

Dinners (made same night)
Salmon patties
Loaded Baked potatoes
Hot Dogs
Crab casserole
Pizza (homemade)

Now I only grocery shop every two weeks because that is my hubby's pay cycle. My goal is to only spend no more than $300 a month. I would love to get it below this! Now, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I have learned that I need to make a list and stick to it! Stop buying convenience foods, unless I have an awesome coupon deal and it's on sale at the same time! I also shop at Aldi's for all my staples. A lesson that I have just recently learned is freezer cooking. I have grown to love this. Yes, it is a pain to cook a couple of hours to stock the freezer. But, on those days that you are tired or been out running errands; to be able to come home and have a meal ready to pop into the oven is wonderful! It takes the temptation from stopping by to pick up something or the pizza delivery! Not good ideas when trying to save money! I have also started making my own snacks. Goodness, I can make a TON of Monkey Munch or Chocolate No-Bake cookies for what I would pay for those store bought cookies!
Ugh!I really need to learn to make my own bread and can fruits and veggies! That would save some money! Yep, still a long way to go......