Quick grocery day

I just had my Walmart groceries delivered.  It's been about a month since I've gone into the store, or my local base commissary.  My car has been out of commission and we are still trying to get it fixed, so to make it easier all around, I just get my groceries delivered, and then on Saturday after the gym, I hit the base commissary with hubby and grab the meat products that I need.  

 

I could get them at Walmart but I much prefer the meat department at the commissary.....and it's cheaper than Walmart too.

 

As you all know I grocery shop for 2 weeks at a time, and I used to be able to go all two weeks without needing to top anything off, or pick up any last minute item, but unfortunately I've noticed that for the past year or so, I always and I mean ALWAYS have to run out again for something later on in the week or a few days before the next grocery run.

 

Wish I knew why, but it just is lately. 

 

One thing I learned pretty early on with Walmart deliveries and even pickup, is that every so often, an item or more will be missing.  I used to just get the stuck and put it all away and not even think about it, because I wasn't thinking about every single item on the list.  What happened though is that I would get ready to cook only to find that an ingredient was missing, which was extremely frustrating.

 

So, I changed the way I do it now.  The minute I bring groceries inside, as I take them out of the bags and before packing them away, I cross them off my grocery list in my Meal Plan/Grocery List notebook.  If you don't know what that is, I have made a post about it before showing you how I keep myself organized when it comes to meal planning and groceries. 

It has helped me so much.  I can immediately spot what is missing and then go directly to my Walmart app, check the details of the delivery or pickup, check the whole list and if the item is not on the list then it means they were out.  But 90% of the time, the item is listed as being delivered but is in fact missing, so I can quick check it on the list and ask for a refund of the money I spent on it.  It takes but 2 minutes!

 

Something I also do as I get the items out of the bags, is to refill containers.  I used to put everything away and then pull them all back out again later to do this, but I find it easier to just do it immediately and throw out the empty boxes.

 

Here I was refilling my pasta jars.

I always love seeing the fridge and pantry after a grocery run.  The filled shelves bring me so much joy, knowing that I am equipped for another two weeks to feed my family and nourish their bodies.

 

I will leave you with the meal plan for the next two weeks.

 

Tuesday 26th

Turkish Tantuni Wraps, Chickpea Salad

Wednesday 27th

Sausage and spinach lasagna roll ups, Caesar Salad

Thursday 28th

Pork Chops, Roast yellow and sweet potatoes, Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens

Friday 29th

Pizza with spicy Italian crumble 

Saturday 30th

Family Get Together in Oklahoma, will not be eating at home

Sunday 31st

Chicken Curry, Basmati rice, Homemade Garlic Naan

Monday 1st

Penne a la Vodka, Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Tuesday 2nd

Shrimp Tacos, Cilantro Rice

Wednesday 3rd

Chicken Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Thursday 4th

Sausage Bake, Macaroni Salad

Friday 5th

Homemade Pizza

Saturday 6th

Best Chili Ever, Rice 

Sunday 7th

Braised Short Ribs, Potato Wedges, Southwest Salad

Monday 8th

Roast Mediterranean Chicken Legs, Quinoa, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Tuesday 9th

Ground Turkey and Zucchini Skillet, Brown Rice, Salad 

Meal planning

I am a huge advocate of meal plans, and have been pretty much my entire life.  I grew up with a stepmother that meal planned and I quickly learned the importance of doing so.  I don't do very well flying by the seat of my pants, and I can't stand the feeling of standing in front of a refrigerator at meal time, trying to figure out what I'm going to make.

 

 

I like a plan, I like a structured meal list and I think, actually no, I KNOW, that it saves me that headache and money on groceries too.

 

There are quite a few posts on my blog about meal planning, why I love it, and how I do it. 

 

 

I want to menu plan but I don't know how 

Menu planning on a budget 

Recipes and grocery lists 

Let's Meal plan for the next two weeks

Day 1 of Quarantine -  Let's make a meal plan

Menu plan and grocery notebook

Meal plan with me - old recipe collection

Blog 365 #61 - A day of meal planning

Time to meal plan for the next two weeks

Cooking from the freezer and pantry

 

There are plenty more on the blog, but that should give you a good idea or some motivation, at the very least.

 

I don't really have anything to add, other than what I already said in those posts, and I don't want to repeat myself because that would be boring, wouldn't it?

 

I recently received a cookbook I ordered on Amazon, and am using it for some inspiration.  I ended up not writing down any recipes from it, because I had a bunch bookmarked that I want to get off my computer.  

 

But, I will say, I love The Slimming Foodie in one, it is filled with amazing recipes.  The whole book, not just a recipe here and there, I think every recipe is one I would love to try.  

 

I have many cookbooks that I thought I would love, and end up with a handful if that, of recipes that I actually want to try out, the rest of the book seems filled with others I would enjoy, or I know my family wouldn't enjoy.

 

Also, I grabbed one of the latest Taste of Home magazines which is all about Mediterranean cooking and since that is mainly our diet, I needed to have it.  There are quite a few in there that I want to add to my meal plan as well.  I'm thinking next meal plan will be entirely from the cookbook and the magazine.

 

I also have a huge collection of bookmarks.  Any time I come upon a recipe I want to try, I save it.  I have them all labeled under one main folder called Recipes to Try.  Then other folders for other categories, for example, Portuguese, Greek, Mediterranean, Desserts, Bread and so forth.

 

Do you meal plan or do you prefer to just figure out what to eat that very night? 

{ Blog 365 #61 - A day of meal planning }

 

When my kids were younger, I used to manage to get my meal plan and grocery list done, in about an hour.  I don't know how, or what magic tricks I had up my sleeve, because nowadays, it takes me at least a full day with multiple interruptions.

 

 

 

I feel like I sit down, and within 5 minutes I need to get up again, take care of something, then sit back down, get interrupted yet again and so forth.

So today, I worked on the meal plan and grocery list.  I would love to say that as of this moment, at 10 minutes to 7pm, I am done.....but I am not, I have the meals planned but I'm not finished with the grocery list.

 

 

 

Today was the perfect day for this kind of task.  It's been raining non stop, thunder roaring and even quite a bit of lightning, but it hasn't been cold, so I've had the back patio door open with just the screen door open, and it's been absolutely blissful.

I grabbed some cookbooks, and between my usual daily homemaking chores, and switching between the living room, the dining room and even my bedroom, I managed to look through the books, and jot down our meals for the next two weeks.  

I'm not going to talk about how I meal plan, again, because there's a few posts already here on the blog about it.  But basically and very quickly, I have a notebook, and on the left page I write the meal plan, and on the right page I work on the grocery list.  Just find that it makes it easier for me, and when I go to the store, I take the book with me not just for the list, but if for some reason I can't find something I need for a recipe, I can quickly change the meal for that day.

Also, if I write down a certain meal for a day, but find a cheaper cut of meat or something on sale, I can then also quickly change it on the menu side of the page.

 

 

Over the past almost 25 years of marriage, I tried different ways, but this method seems to work best for me.    

I think homemaking is all about trying and changing, and adapting.  If only I could tell you that the way I started doing things, when I first got married, are the exact same way I do them now.  But that would be a lie.  I'm still changing and adapting after all these years.  Isn't that something?

Guess it keeps things interesting and fun.

 

 

So, the next two weeks are all planned out, and the grocery list is all but finished, although I do need to add a few more things, which I'll do in the morning.  

 

I need to run some errands, as well as go grocery shopping tomorrow, so I'm going to need to head out pretty early, which I don't mind, I am a morning person and also the type who likes to get everything done early in the day, then come home and relax.

 

I'm going to end this post, so that I can publish it, and watch a little tv before bed.  

 

Oh and be sure to come back tomorrow, because I have to show you our new baby chicks, that we just got yesterday afternoon.  I am in love!!!

 

Have a wonderful night sweet friends.

{ Recipe binder and new notebooks }

 

Every year, I buy new notebooks to use for my budget and meal plan. It's something I've been doing for a long time, and can't really imagine trying to function without them. 

 

They keep me organized, they keep me on track, and I love having a record of everything I've done throughout the year. 

 

This year, I also purchased a planner. I am not a fan of planners, I'll just throw that out there. 

 

Not because I don't think they're helpful, but because I have never been able to stick to one consistently. I start off great, and within a few weeks it has been set aside, and never looked at again. 

 

But this coming year, I want to try and be consistent. I will probably not use it like others do, and I'll have to adapt it to my needs, so it will probably end up being more of another place to record weekly meals, birthdays or important dates, and blog posts I want to work on. 

 

I don't think it will be a place to keep appointments and so forth, because as I stated above, I don't stick to it, and I forget to even look at the planner. 

 

I have a new budget book. I've mentioned before how I keep mine, but basically, I just organize it by month, I write down all the income that comes in and then all the expenses. 

 

As I pay my bills, I check it off, write down the total and the confirmation number alongside it too for future reference. 

 

I also got a new meal plan and grocery shopping book. Again, I've mentioned it before in my blog, you can read that post here.

 

On one side is the menu, on the opposite page is the grocery list. I take this book with me when I go shopping and if for some reason I can't find an item I need for a specific meal, or if something is on sale, I can easily change the meal plan, right there in the store. Love it, it's helped me immensely. And it also helps when I'm planning a new menu, to go back and see what we were eating and what our favorites were. 

 

The new book I got this year, is actually a dream journal. I dream a lot, like every night, and I usually remember all of my dreams. Some are strange, some are no doubt visitations by family members who have passed on. They tend to show up in my dreams anytime I'm going through a hard time. 

 

I just thought it would be fun to keep a dream journal. A place I can jot down my dreams, first thing in the morning. It will be interesting to go back and read those. 

 

 

 

Next year, I also plan on bringing back my recipe binder. I used to have one, and for some reason I can't find it. I think with all our moves while active duty, and then state wide moves after retiring etc., it seems to have been misplaced or lost, I don't know. 

 

 

 

But as much as I love my food blog online, and the ease of having thousands of recipes at our fingertips, I still feel like there is nothing as amazing as actual recipes in your hand. 

 

My recipe binder was one of my favorite possessions, so I've decided to bring it back to life. I've been working on it and will do a more in depth post, this upcoming week. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Days have been otherwise slow here at home.  Curt is on leave, Nick is on Winter break.  I've spent a lot of time reading, baking and snuggling with these two sweet boys.

They've become so sweet with each other, a cute bond has been forming.  Yes there are still moments Elliott aggravates Marley and Marley will bark at him once, then it's done.  Hahaha

I do thank God daily for the blessing of Elliott in our lives.   It seems a strange thing to say since I've never liked cats, and now here I am, completely besotted with this little boy.  

The funny thing is that he has taken to me as well, and because he has been with us and Marley his whole life, he acts more like a dog than a cat.  It is quite funny to see.

 

I have also been enjoying catching up on tv shows.  I binged the whole Bridgerton series on Friday.  So good, and I had been eagerly waiting for a new period piece to watch.

 

I will say, there were far too many sex scenes, it actually made me a bit uncomfortable at times, but it was a brilliant series and I'm glad I stuck with it.

 

Also watched The Christmas Chronicles 2, Virgin River Season 2 and something else that I can't for the life of me remember.  Goodness.

 

I will be watching the documentary on Netflix called, Diana in Her Own Words, later today.   And I'm sure I'll find some other period pieces to enjoy as well.

 

Right now though, I will finish off this post, then need to get dressed, have some breakfast and take Jasmine to work.

 

I hope you are all having a blessed weekend and I hope your Christmas was an amazing one.  I for one am very much looking forward to the new year, I think it's safe to say we are all ready to put 2020 behind us. 

{ Day 1 of Quarantine - Let's make a meal plan }

We are officially under quarantine for the next 15 days.

For many families, it is a time to really look within, to work with what we have and to make do with the food we have available.  Supermarkets are struggling to keep food on the shelves, and some items like toilet paper, paper towels and hand sanitizer have become hot commodities.

We know we are in it for 15 days, at the very least, but obviously that could change, and we could find ourselves under quarantine for a longer period.

With that in mind, making meals for the family is high on everyone's lists.  Most families are now having to come with ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  On a normal day, it can be a bit difficult, but when you are having to use what little you have at home, it becomes important to become creative and to put some thought into the meals before hand so that you're not left struggling at mealtime.

So, let's plan our meals.

The very first thing you will need to do is a quick inventory of your freezer, fridge and pantry.

Write down all the meat you have, including hotdogs, sausage, bacon, anything that you could turn into a simple meal.

Do the same with the fridge and pantry.  Canned goods, pasta, rice, even ramen noodles become a super easy and quick meal when you bulk it up.

Flour and yeast can quickly turn into homemade bread, especially right now that bread is one of the items depleted from the supermarkets.

Here are some easy bread recipes to make:

Homemade White Bread - Makes 5 loaves
Simple White Bread
Sandwich Bread Loaf
Homemade Buttermilk Bread
Best Homemade Sandwich Bread

The trick is that meals don't need to be difficult or have tons of ingredients.  We are going for quick, easy.   You have a box of fish sticks in the freezer?  Why not serve them with a yummy homemade macaroni and cheese?  It is super easy to make especially if you use a pressure cooker.

Sit down with your inventory and start working on some quick meals.

The way to do it is to first make a running list of meals you can serve, and even split them into breakfast, lunch and dinner, before you put it down on a meal plan, that way if you want to change something or move things around, you don't have to keep erasing.

As always, keep in mind that nothing is set in stone, even after you've written up your menu plan.  If you don't feel like having something on a specific day, just shift it to a different day.  The whole idea of having a plan on hand is to take the guess work and frustration out of meal times.

Everything you have on hand can become a meal.  You just need to get creative and if you need ideas, there's always google and pinterest.  But, if a recipe you find includes items you do not already have on hand, skip it.  Use the recipes for ideas, to kick start your own thoughts and then go from there.

Quarantine means staying in.  It means not running to the store every other day for something you forgot to buy or decided you absolutely need to have.

I think we are in a time where we need to be smart with our choices and dig really deep to be as frugal as possible.

Again, keep meals simple, now is not the time to try that new recipe that requires exotic ingredients.

So I sat down, did exactly what I've mentioned above and wrote up a whole month's worth of meals.  The only thing I will need to buy, and that is something I'll ask my husband to pick up on way home, since he is still working, is milk and fresh veggies that we will no doubt run out of.

Let me show you my plan and I'll list it below too.  Also, perfect example of switching meals, I made the Chicken Fajita Bowl last night instead of the Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, so I'll be making those tonight.

Sunday March 22 - Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches (already had pork tenderloins in the fridge, and already had bolillo rolls in the freezer too), homemade fries
Monday March 23 - Chicken Fajita Bowl
Tuesday March 24 - Fettucine Alfredo (pasta, diced ham, homemade garlic white sauce)
Wednesday March 25 - Bangers and Mash, Sauteed Collard Greens
Thursday March 26 - Ajo Chicken Wings, Butter Rice (it was hard finding meat in the stores, but my husband was able to get an 8lb pack of chicken wing sections, it will be enough for at least 3 meals)
Friday March 27 - Beef Enchiladas, Salad
Saturday March 28 - Chicago style dogs
Sunday March 29 - Cheese Tortellini, garlic bread
Monday March 30 - Beef S.O.S, steamed cauliflower
Tuesday March 31 - Cheesy Onion Chicken, roast potatoes
Wednesday April 1 - Teeny's Mexican Casserole, Salad
Thursday April 2 - Spaghetti (using pork sausage), Pepperoni Pull Apart Bread
Friday April 3 - Meatball Subs (since meat was hard to find, I looked into other options.  The frozen meatball bags containing 28 small meatballs, were only $1.76, so I grabbed 3 of those.  I have a pack of hotdog buns in the freezer, so meatball subs it is)
Saturday April 4 - Chicken with veggies (using chicken wing sections), rice and beans
Sunday April 5 - Oven Sandwich
Monday April 6 - Corned Beef Hash (again, I bought a can of corned beef, not the healthiest but good for a quick meal)
Tuesday April 7 - Baked Ziti (using ground pork), Salad
Wednesday April 8 - Skillet Sausage and Potatoes
Thursday April 9 - Chicken Curry and Rice
Friday April 10 - Pork Parmigiana and egg noodles
Saturday April 11 - Bratwurst, potato salad
Sunday April 12 - Better than Olive Garden's Fettucine Alfredo, Sauteed Squash
Monday April 13 - Fish Sticks, Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Tuesday April 14 - Shepherd's Pie, Mixed Veggies
Wednesday April 15 - Lemon Chicken, Garlic Butter Spaghetti Noodles
Thursday April 16 - Sausage Gravy Biscuit Casserole
Friday April 17 - Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings (again using the chicken wing sections), basmati rice
Saturday April 18 - Spaghetti Casserole, homemade garlic bread
Sunday April 19 - Sausage rice, best beans ever


I still have meat left in the freezer, which will go towards the meal plan after April 19th.

So as you can see, it is easy to plan, organize and be prepared, it's just a matter of taking some time to sit down and compile your list, your meals and know exactly what you have and what you may still need to buy.

I do hope this helped you in some way.  We are all home, and we all have the time to prepare.

Far too often I hear people say that the reason they don't ever meal plan is because it takes too much time to do it, well, now you have that time right? 

Whatever your situation may be, just know that we are all in this together.  We are here to help each other, advise, offer tips and tricks and help each other and our families through these trying times.

If you have suggestions or just want to share how you have prepared for the next few weeks, when it comes to meal times, leave a comment down below.  I would love to hear how everyone else is dealing with the food situation. 

Blessings my dear friends, and remember Faith through the Fear!!!

{ Time to meal plan for the next two weeks }

It is that time again, to grab the menu planning book, some inspiration, and get writing.

I wish I could convey just how much I love meal planning and grocery shopping.  Putting it all away when I return from the shops?  Not so much, but the actual act of planning our meals and then going to the store, is something I truly enjoy.

Now that I have my cookbooks displayed on the kitchen island, and within my reach, I think meal planning will be even more pleasurable.  It's not just the act of jotting down the recipes that sound good to me, but browsing through my beloved cookbooks brings me so much joy.

{ Day of rest, a Netflix show and more doctor appointments }

Good evening everyone, come on in and sit a bit with me.  I have coffee and tea and a slice of this delicious Portuguese Milk and Cinnamon Tart. (recipe on the food blog, if you're interested).

So, news.

Meal Plan Friday #10

Good morning everyone, and a very happy Friday to you all :)

It's that time again, meal planning day, so let me show you what is on the menu for the upcoming week.

This past week I managed to stay on track.  I did change up on meal, I ended up not making the breaded pork chops last night, I was not feeling well at all and needed something quick, so made the Chourico Carbonara instead. It was delicious.  I don't have a recipe for it, I basically fried up some onions with garlic, olive oil and half of a green bell pepper.

I then sliced up some chourizo and popped that in.  Cooked it until it was done, then added a small can of Media Crema (cream), some parsley and cilantro and seasoned it with salt and pepper.  Mixed it all up with some noodles and popped it in the oven topped with some cheese.  Easy peasy and usually one of the family's favorite meals.
Hey guys welcome back to my blog.

I have a few Portuguese recipes this week, I've really been missing the food I grew up on, and so it's time to get a few served up.  The theme will more than likely continue on through next two weeks as well, but we will see how that goes.

As always you can check out the food blog, there are a ton of recipes on there that I'm sure you will enjoy.

I made the brownies a few days ago, they were delicious, and I'll try to get the recipe up either today or tomorrow, whenever I get a chance.  For desserts next week, I'll be whipping up a simple Portuguese pudding of sorts made with Maria Biscuits and condensed milk.  I'll share when I make it :) 



SHEET PAN CHOURICO PIZZA

 
BREADED PORK CHOPS, TOMATO RICE, PORTUGUESE SALAD

 
BACON CHEESEBURGER SLIDERS

 
FRANGO COM CHOURICO NO TACHO (Chicken and Chourico Bake)

 
CROQUETES DE ATUM (Tuna Croquetes)

 
BIFE A CERVEJARIA (Steaks Brewery Style) with homemade chips

 
SPAGHETTI, GARLIC BREAD, SALAD







Doce da Casa (Biscuit Coffee Pudding)