Linda's Lunacy

Faith, Home, & Family

What’s For Dinner?

by

I didn’t follow last weeks menu plan exactly, again. I think this is becoming a trend. Wednesday night came, and we didn’t have any leftovers!

So I threw together a quick Turkey Chili from the freezer. I used about 3 cups of turkey, 2 cups of beans, 2 cups of diced tomatoes, all from the freezer. I added an envelope of Cincinnati style chili seasoning (because that’s what I had) and some water. I even put everything in the pan while it was still frozen! Turned it on low to defrost, then simmered for a few minutes.

I had experimented with freezing whole baked potatoes. We had some left one night, so I put them in the freezer. I warmed them in the oven while the chili was defrosting. I served the chili over the potatoes. The potatoes were good for serving something on top of, but they appeared to be off in texture, so I wouldn’t freeze whole baked potatoes for eating plain. But I would freeze leftover baked potatoes they we wouldn’t be eating right away for something like this again.

Everyone loved the chili over baked potatoes.

The two recipes that I tried from the $5.00 Dinner Mom Cookbook were excellent! Everyone has requested that I make them again.

Now for this weeks plan…

SaturdayBeef Chow Mein (yes, this was the double decker cans from the store)

SundayHomemade Sub Sandwiches

MondayLasagna, Brocolli

TuesdayLo Mein

WednesdayBaked Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Cauliflower

ThursdayPasta Alfredo with chicken, Green Beans

FridaySalisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Turnips, carrot sticks

For more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Saving Money on Tomatoes

by

We love tomatoes of all kinds. We even like fried green tomatoes, the kids even like them. It’s very hard to get a tomato in the winter that actually tastes like a tomato.

We use Roma tomatoes in the winter (year round actually). They are red and ripe all the time. And the actually taste like a tomato. And the best part (as if a tomato that tastes like a tomato wasn’t good enough) they are cheaper than the slicing tomatoes that are so expensive in the winter.

You can even use them on sandwiches. Just slice them the long way, and use a slice on each half of your sandwich.

A tomato that tastes like a tomato in the winter!

For more Frugal Friday ideas, visit Life as Mom.

What’s For Dinner?

by

We didn’t follow the menu exactly last week, either. I didn’t start the meatloaf on time, so we had hamburgers instead. No one complained. I think they’d rather have hamburgers anyway! At least I had the hamburger ready to go, instead of scrambling for something at the last minute.

The Broccoli Cashew Stirfry that I made on Saturday was awesome. I’m excited to try 2 recipes from the $5.00 Dinner Mom Cookbook this week. These will be the first I’ve tried out of it.

Saturday – Broccoli Cashew Stirfry served over turkey and rice.

Sunday – lunch – Turkey Tacos with all the trimmings, and for supper – Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, salad

Monday – Beef Enchiladas-from the $5.00 Dinner Mom Cookbook – browning the hamburger for Thursday night today as well

Tuesday – Homemade shake & bake chicken, baked potatoes, broccoli

Wednesday – Leftovers

Thursday – Beef Burrito Skillet-from the $5.00 Dinner Mom Cookbook

Friday – Lo Mein – with whatever meat and veggies are leftover, if no leftovers, then I’ll use meat and veggies from the freezer

For more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie

Broccoli and Cashew Stir-Fry

by

I tried a new recipe for supper tonight. It was excellent. I will definitely add this to our recipe rotation.

I found the recipe in a magazine, and adapted it. Because I even change recipes I’ve never made before!

Here’s what I used:

1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup turkey broth(it’s what I had on hand, you can use chicken, too)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2/3 cup cashews
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 scallions, white minced, green sliced
1/2 teaspoon ginger
8 cups broccoli (I used frozen)
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 cup water (I used more broth)
2/3 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper

Whisk together the cornstarch, 1/2 cup broth and the soy sauce. Set aside.

Lightly toast the cashews in a dry skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until nuts are warm, about 5 minutes.

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add oil. Add broccoli, scallion whites. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger, stirring well.

Pour the water(or remaining broth) in and cover pan. Reduce heat to medium, cooking for about 3 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

Uncover pan and raise heat to medium high. Add bell peppers and sauce, heat until it’s bubbling, then add the scallion greens and cashews.

It was so good. Everyone liked it and said I should make it again.

Making Homemade Broth

by

It is so easy to make your own broth. You can make it on the stove top, or in the crockpot.

On the stove top, put your chicken, turkey, or beef bones into the pan and cover with water. If I’m making chicken or turkey broth, I add a teaspoon or so of poultry seasoning. It depends, of course, on how much water you have in your pot. Some people like to add carrots, celery and onions while they are boiling the bones.

After they have boiled for a couple of hours, I strained the broth from the bones. I place the broth in the fridge overnight. I take any meat left on the bones off and put in the fridge or freezer.

In the morning, I skim the fat off the broth. I then use the broth for soup, or in a recipe. I also like to put it in the freezer bags, and place in the freezer. Make sure they are sealed completely, or it makes a mess. I put the amount needed for the recipes I like into each bag, and mark the bag with the amount. 2 cups, 8 cups for soup, etc.

To make broth in the crockpot, you follow the above, except cook in the crockpot overnight, or all day.

You can even make your own vegetable broth. Place celery, carrots, and onions in the pan or crockpot and cover with water. Instead of throwing away celery or carrots that are starting to limp, you can make broth with them. Add whatever seasonings you like. Garlic would be nice, too. After it has boiled, strain the veggies out. Then you have nice vegetable broth to use in soups or your favorite recipes.

So easy, and you can make it fat free and sodium free, so it’s healthier!

Frugal Friday ideas, visit Life as Mom

Weekly Menu

by

We had a busy week last week, so I had to change some of the menu items to something easier. For example, instead of meatloaf, we had hamburger patties. Meatloaf is on the menu again this week.

I’m looking forward to trying the Baked Teriyaki Chicken. I was going to make it tonight, but the girls and I have Bible Study, and DH is working late, so we need something quick and easy.

Saturday Cheeseburgers & homemade french fries- my birthday dinner made by the guys – “With freshly cut tomatoes, and freshly shredded lettuce” – My husband!

Sunday Turkey sandwiches with lettuce and tomatoes

Monday Turkey sandwiches…yes…again, the girls and I have Bible study, and DH is working late, so they get sandwiches.

Tuesday Slop – fried cabbage, onions, potatoes and hot dogs (The kids named it slop!)

Wednesday Meatloaf, twice baked potatoes, carrots

Thursday Baked Teriyaki Chicken , Baked potatoes, broccoli

Friday Turkey Soup

For more Menu Plan Monday ideas, visit I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Eat From the Pantry Challenge – Update

by

In January, I decided to participate in Money Saving Mom’s Eat From The Pantry Challenge.

I only set 2 goals for myself.

Then I didn’t update for the rest of the month. So here’s one big whole month update:

Goal #1. I will try to only buy fruits, veggies, dairy.

We mostly met this goal. We, of course, had to buy DH’s lunches to take to work. I wasn’t able to make as much homemade bread as I wanted, so we had to buy bread. But then, we didn’t have to buy a lot of baking products.

Goal #2. My goal is to spend no more than $50.00 a week on food.

Yeah, I was a little overly optimistic on the $$. Fruit isn’t cheap in the winter, and we do go through a lot of fruit. I am glad that we like to eat fruit, though.

We also added a baby goat to bottle feed. He gets store bought whole milk. He has been going through 2 gallons of milk, and will likely go up to three this week. How can one little baby goat go through as much milk as our family in a week?

Even though we ate LOTS of turkey this month, we still have a whole turkey in the freezer. That’s a good thing, though. As we are completely out of beef. Until we buy another 1/2 cow, that is.

I, also, wasn’t able to go shopping at all again this month. DH continued to do the shopping. Which means no bargain shopping, just one stop shopping at Walmart.

We averaged $100. a week for the month of January. That is a savings of $50. a week over what we had been spending. We used the savings to pay bills.

So, even though I didn’t update all month, the Eat From The Pantry Challenge was a success in our house.

To see how others did in the challenge, visit Money Saving Mom’s Pantry Challenge.

WOWBouquet offers fast and reliable flower delivery for any celebration.