Shopping and Meal list Week 2

image courtesy of cutcaster.com

If you're feeling a little squashed out sorry about that.  I love them and for about two months of the year we pretty much eat some kind of squash every day.  At least it is different kind of squashes?  Squashi?  Squasheses?  Eh... 

You probably figured out by now that I only put the main ingredients on this list and the full ingredients are listed in the link to each meal.  I kind of assume you have things like flour, sugar and general spices.  If you didn't go buy the bag of frozen chopped onions and red pepper blend last week go get it this week.  You'll pretty much use it for every meal and it's just as cheap if not cheaper than chopping your own but who has time for that?  I used to chop a ton all at once and then use it all week until we discovered you could buy it.  That was a life changing event in Wolford land.  We don't get out much.  Also, the chicken stock.  Get the powdered and just make a cup or two.  Those cubes are expensive and not as flavorful and the canned/box stock is a total waste of money.

So the grocery bill will be a little higher this week if you get the Aldi meat special and grab the 5lb 70/30 ground chuck for $2.60/lb.  That's a killer deal on beef so get at least one.  Get two even.    


Okay here we go with Week 2!



Week 2- Meal #1 Easy Honey Ginger Tofu Stirfry
1/2 container of tofu                        $1.25
2 chicken breasts                            $2.50
1 bag frozen stir fry veggies             $2.50
Jasmine rice                                    $1.00
                                                      $7.25



Week 2- Meal #2 (Edamame Sweet Potato Hash)
1 bag of frozen edamame                  $2.50*
2 large sweet potatoes                      $1.00
1 bag frozen corn                             $1.00
1 small package diced ham               $2.00
2-4 Eggs                                          $  .50  
                                                        $7.00


Week 2- Meal #3 (Chicken Divan)
2-3 chicken breasts                           $3.00
Large bag of frozen broccoli              $2.00
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese       $1.50
1/2 cup mayo                                    $  .50
1 can cream chicken soup                 $   .60
1 tsp curry                                        (I bought this at target last time and it is tasty!)
Jasmine rice                                      $1.00
                                                        $8.60




Week 2 Meal #4 (Sausages & Caramelized Onions)
1 polish sausage or kielbasa            $2.50
2 apples                                         $  .50
onion and pepper blend                  $  .50
Cous cous or rice                           $2.50 (or less if you buy bulk and flavor yourself)
Frozen peas                                   $   .50
                                                      $6.50


Week 2- Meal #5 (Best Meatloaf Everrrrr & Sides)
2.5lbs ground chuck                      $6.50* (This is the Aldi meat special this week so freeze the other half!)  
3-4 sweet potatoes                       $2.50
Sauteed green beans                     $1.00
Greek yogurt (no sugar added)     $1.00
                                                    $10.00


Weekly Meal Cost                       $40.35 


    




   

Week 2- Meal#5 Best Meatloaf Everrrrrr

Image courtesy of bittenword.com

Good Eats Meatloaf with Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes and Sauteed Green Beans

For the meatloaf:

1/2 cup  bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup frozen onion and pepper blend
  1 tsp minced garlic
2 lbs ground chuck

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Directions

1) Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

2)  In a food processor bowl, combine the onion and pepper blend, bread crumbs, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture but not pureed. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Work in the ground chuck. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

3) Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan and bake for about 40 min or until nice and bubbly.

4) Pop your sweet potatoes into the oven at the same time and cook them 45-50 min.

5) Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 20 minutes.

 6) Finish making the sweet potatoes using the recipe below.

7) While your sweet potatoes are twice baking go ahead and make your sauteed green beans.

Meatloaf recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

image courtesy of Food network

Healthier Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 4 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons honey (you can use brown sugar if you really want to)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (If you're already cooking meat leave it at the lower temp).

2) Rinse and scrub potatoes to remove any dirt and pat dry with a towel. Using a fork, poke holes in potatoes. Place in the oven directly on the top rack and place a sheet pan or sheet of foil on the rack below to catch any drippings. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until potatoes are soft to touch with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Keep oven on.

3) Cut a slit along top of potatoes from top to bottom. Using a spoon, gently scoop out flesh and set aside in a small bowl. (Sweet potatoes skins aren’t quite as tough as traditional russet potatoes, so be careful not to rip the skin while removing flesh. It’s okay to leave a little potato behind in the skins too—aim to scoop out about 75 percent of flesh.)

4) Add yogurt, butter, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg to potatoes, and mash to combine. Taste mixture and season with salt to taste.

5) Gently spoon mixture back into shells. (If desired, you can wrap up potatoes in plastic and store in the refrigerator for up to one day to cook later.) Place potatoes on a sheet pan and squeeze to reclose as much as possible.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until warm.

Week 2- Meal #4 (Sausages with Caramelized Onions and Apples)

Photo courtesy of greenwin.ca

 

 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 polish sausage, kielbasa, etc, sliced (you can use Tofurky sausage here instead)
• 1 cup onion and red pepper blend 
• 2-3 medium-size tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, sliced thin
• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice (if you don't have this just use chicken stock)
• 1 tbsp sage
• 1 tsp brown sugar (optional but tastier)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Cous cous

Preparation

1.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages and cook until beginning to brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add onion and apple to sausages in pan; cook until onion and apple are tender and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

3.  Go ahead and make your cous cous.  You can either use a seasoned box or make your own.  I would cook it with 1/2 water apple juice to start and then add 1 tsp sage, raisins and almonds at the end.  

3.  Add apple juice, brown sugar and sage; increase heat to high and stir until liquid is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.

4.  Stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausages, onion and apple to plates. 

5.  Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons butter into cider mixture. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle over sausages and serve.

Pictures of sausage and apples cooked together look horrible so no, just no.  I always feel like we need some kind of vegetable with a meal and for this one I would probably add some peas on the side especially if you have a kid that probably is going to turn down the meat and only eat the apples... 

Week 2- Meal #3 Chicken Divan

 

This is Matt's favorite meal by far.  It is not the healthiest and that is probably why he likes it so much.  I usually add in 1/2 container of tofu along with the chicken.  If you cooked your tofu earlier this week and had some left use it now otherwise here is the how to if you missed it how to make good tofu.

Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces                         
Large bag of frozen broccoli, steamed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese    
1/2 cup mayo                                  
1 can cream chicken soup              
2 tsp curry  (I love curry and put more like 3 tsp in mine)
1 tsp lemon juice                                   
Jasmine rice

Preheat the oven to 350.

1) Boil your chicken.  It doesn't have to be all the way cooked since you're going to bake it.   If you are adding or subbing tofu brown it now. 

2) While the chicken is cooling go ahead and steam your broccoli.  You can pop it in the microwave or use the water from the chicken.  It just needs a few minutes not all the way cooked.  This makes the whole thing cook faster in the oven.

3) In a large mixing bowl stir together the soup, mayo, cheddar cheese, curry and lemon juice.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Throw in the chicken and broccoli and toss them together.

4) Lightly grease a medium sized casserole dish and pour the chicken divan in.  Sprinkle on some more cheddar cheese if you want to and you know you want to.  Bake for about 30 min or until the whole thing is bubbling and slightly brown on top.

5) Make the rice while the chicken divan is baking.

PREP TIME: 20 min
COOK TIME: 30 min    

Week 2- Meal #2 Edamame Sweet Potato Hash

Just trust me here.  Your mouth will thank you for this one.  To make it even better it is a one pan meal so hardly anything to clean up!  Win-win.   

Edamame Sweet Potato Hash

1 (8-oz.) package diced smoked lean ham (you can leave this out if you want)

1/2 cup onion and red pepper blend

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 (12-oz.) package uncooked frozen, shelled edamame (green soybeans)

1 (12-oz.) package frozen whole kernel corn

1/4 cup chicken broth 

1 tsp thyme  

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Sauté ham and onion blend in hot oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and ham is lightly browned.

2.  Stir in sweet potatoes, and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.

3.  Stir in edamame and next 3 ingredients. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in salt and pepper.

4.  Fry a couple eggs and serve them on top.  Mmmmmmmmm

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 25 min

Week 2- Meal #1 Easy Honey Ginger Tofu Stirfry

Stay with me here.  Tofu really isn't that bad.  Okay, to clarify, tofu can be cooked so that it really isn't that bad.  It can actually be pretty good if you take the time to cook it so it doesn't just fall apart into a slimy, blobby mess.

The basic trick is first drying the tofu, then baking it at a high temperature to brown it and create a tougher texture, and then letting it set out to dry even more. This gives it a “meat-like” texture, if you will, that makes it much more porous to soak up delicious sauces and far more appetizing in the texture department. It truly isn't bad once you slather it in sauce.  The sauce is the key.  Tofu has no taste.  You might as well eat toilet paper, but once you cover it in a sauce... now we're talking.

Making the tofu takes longer than say just throwing some chicken in a pan but if you want to try something new cook them both and do half chicken and half tofu.  We will use the rest of the cooked tofu for another recipe this week so just save the other half and you'll be ahead of the game in a couple days.

Be Tofu brave just this once!


How to make "GOOD" tofu:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and begin drying your tofu. Drain, remove it from the package and place between two thick paper towels folded into the shape of the tofu. Then place a plate or bowl on top and top it with something heavy like a book or skillet.
2. Let it dry for about 15 minutes, changing your towels if they get too wet. Once dry, chop into roughly 1-inch cubes or rectangles (yes, you can buy it cubed).
3. Arrange tofu on a baking sheet and bake for a total of 25-35 minutes, flipping once halfway through to ensure even cooking. This will dry out the tofu and help give it a more meat-like texture. If you want a tougher texture, cook it for 30-35. For a slightly more tender texture, pull it out at 20-25 minutes to check.
4. Once it’s golden brown and a bit tough and firm, remove from the oven set it out to dry a bit more while you prep your vegetables.   You can save whatever you aren't using in this recipe for 3-4 days in a container in the fridge.  

For the honey ginger sauce:

• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger (fresh is way better but I never have it around)
• 2-3 tablespoons honey (or more to taste)
• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar (you can use apple cider vinegar instead)
• ¼ cup canola or peanut oil

 You can mix all this up in a shaker bottle or the food processor.  Or whisk it really well.   I also like to add a couple red pepper flakes but we like things on the spicy side. 


For the meal:
1) Start your noodles boiling.
2) If you are a weenie and only using chicken cut 2-3 small breasts into bite size pieces and sautee in a little butter for 5-6 min on medium heat until just turning brown.
3) Drizzle a little olive or peanut oil in a large sautee pan over medium high.  Add your frozen stir fry vegetables and cook until the water is cooked out.  Add in the already cooked tofu (or if you simply couldn't put on your big kid pants and try tofu add in your already cooked chicken). 
4) Slather your wonderful honey ginger sauce over it all.

PREP TIME: 15 min
BAKE TIME: 25-35 min
COOK TIME: 15 min
         

Meal #2 Pumpkin Coconut Curry with Chicken or Tofu

 

This is a recipe that I found on www.thewickednoodle.com.  It's never exactly the same twice when I make it even though I try to actually measure things in this recipe but somehow it always turns out delicious!

• 3 T olive oil, divided
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces OR 1 tub firm tofu
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 T minced garlic
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk (not sweetened and no coconut cream is NOT the same)
• 2-3 tsp curry powder
• 1 large pinch cayenne powder
• 1 bag steamed broccoli/cauliflower/squash mix 
• 1tsp lime juice
• Optional: If you want to throw in your leftover roasted butternut squash go for it

 

Instructions

1. Heat 2 T olive oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken/tofu and cook on high heat until browned on all sides. You don't have to cook it all the way.  Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high and add remaining 1 T olive oil to dutch oven. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft.
3. Add tomatoes and pumpkin puree to pan. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until puree is lightly browned.
4. Start the rice while the puree is browning.   
5. Add chicken broth, coconut milk, curry & cayenne powders; bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. 
6. While simmering, cut chicken/tofu into bite size pieces.   
7. Add chicken, steamed veggies and butternut squash (if using) and simmer for 10 minutes longer.
8. Stir in lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice.

Prep Time:  10 min
Cook Time: 30 min

Meal #5 (Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili)

If you aren't too squashed out this week this is a super tasty chili that even Must Have Meat Matt loved.  Well technically he said my vegetarian chili was pretty good and the ground sausage I added to his made it really good but conceded he would have eaten the meat free without too much whining.  Remember that other butternut squash half we were saving?  Here's how we will use it up. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion and red pepper blend
• 1 small butternut squash (1½ pounds or less), peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ground sea salt
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½+ tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper in adobo* (start with ½ tablespoon and add more to taste, I thought mine was just right with 1 tablespoon)
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the liquid**
• 4 cups cooked black beans or 2 cans, rinsed and drained
• 14-ounce can (about 2 cups) vegetable broth
• Corn tortillas cut into strips (optional) 

Instructions

1. In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, sautée the chopped vegetables (onion, bell pepper, butternut squash, garlic) in one to two tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. You’ll need to stir the ingredients every few minutes so they can cook evenly.
2. Once the onions start turning translucent, turn the heat down to medium-low. Add all of the spices and canned ingredients, and stir. Cover for about one hour, stirring occasionally. Taste test for spice level and add more chipotle if desired.
3. By the time your chili is done, the butternut squash should be nice and tender and the liquid should have reduced a bit, producing the hearty chili consistency that we all know and love.
4. Make the crispy tortilla strips: stack the corn tortillas and slice them into thin little strips, about 2 inches long. Heat a small pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and toss in the tortilla slices. Sprinkle with salt and stir. Cook until the strips are crispy and turning golden, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 7 minutes. Remove tortilla strips from skillet and drain on a plate covered with a piece of paper towel.
5. Serve the chili in individual bowls, topped with crispy tortilla strips and diced avocado if you have it.

Notes

• Serves 3 to 4. This chili is very hearty, but feel free to add another can of tomatoes or more vegetable broth if you want to thin it out a bit. Double the recipe for a crowd.
• *Chipotle in adobo sauce is usually found in the Mexican section of the grocery store. I never need a whole can at once, so I use what I need and then transfer the rest to a small freezer bag, pressing it flat
• On leftovers: This chili reheats great. Avocado and crispy tortilla chips should be added after reheating, just before serving. These tortilla strips tend to lose their crisp over time, so you can a) skip them altogether, b) make more just before serving or c) substitute a small handful of crumbled tortilla chips instead!

 

Meal #4 (Easy Chicken and Dumplings)

Mmmmmmm can you say fall?

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1 lb or 2 large breasts)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning (if you don't have that toss in sage, oregano and some garlic) 

1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits) NOT THE FLAKY ONES 

 

1 bag frozen peas and carrots

 

• In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, heat broth, chicken, soup and poultry seasoning to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high; return to a low boil.
   
• On lightly floured surface, roll or pat each biscuit to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
   
• Drop strips, one at a time, into boiling chicken mixture. Add carrots and peas. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking.
   
  PREP TIME: 10 min
  COOK TIME: 40 min (incl cooking chicken)  

Meal #3 (Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash)

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded  NOTE: plan on 1 full acorn squash per adult  
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 lb pork sausage (regular seasoning) NOTE: you can use soy crumbles instead
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
• 1 cup fine breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Cut your acorn squash in half crosswise.  Scoop out the seeds.  Combine the melted butter, garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoons sage; brush over cut sides and cavity of squash. Salt and pepper to taste. 
    
2. Bake in a large roasting pan, cut side up, at 400 degrees F for 1 hour, until squash is tender yet still holds its shape. 
    
3. Meanwhile make stuffing: Fry pork sausage (or soy crumbles) until light brown. Remove pork to a colander to drain. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from frypan. Add onion and apple and saute until tender.
    
4. Combine the pork, vegetables, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl.
    
5. Taste and season with sage, salt or pepper if needed (depending on your sausage you may not want to add more seasoning).
    
6. Stir in the egg (you can skip the egg but it helps hold it all together).
    
7. Fill the squash halves with stuffing-they should be slightly mounded.
    
8. Return to oven and bake, covered, for 20 more minutes, until the egg is set.  Sprinkle with parmesan if you like.  

Meal #1 (Roasted Pork Tenderloin & Sides)

 

Meal #1 (Roasted Pork Tenderloin & Sides)  
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Roasted Butternut Squash
Sauteed Green Beans

1)  The hardest part of this meal is cutting up the butternut squash.  I put mine in the microwave 2-3 min and then carve it up because these bastards are hard to cut.  Go ahead and dice the whole thing now but save half for chili later in the week.  Here's the easiest way to cut a butternut squash:

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_peel_and_cut_a_butternut_squash/

 2) Once you have your butternut squash cubed drizzle it with olive oil, salt and pepper.  You can cook it in its own pan or do it together with the pork tenderloin.  Set the oven at 350 for about an hour.  You'll want to stir them up halfway through cooking.      

 3)  If you got the pork tenderloin on sale at Aldi this week it is already marinated so all you have to do is throw it in a shallow pan and stick it in the oven.  Seriously, drizzle a little olive oil on a pan, set the oven to 350 and that's it.  It should cook right about an hour.

4)  Once your meat and butternut squash are done take them out to cool and start your green beans.  Use whatever kind of green bean you like best.  Melt about 1tsp butter in a small pot, toss in some garlic if you like, sprinkle the beans with salt and pepper and let it cook on medium heat until the beans have softened to your liking.

5) If you want some carbs with this meal cous cous is fast and easy.  You can get a box already seasoned.  We buy it plain in bulk and then add stuff to it.  For this meal I would boil chicken stock instead of water along with 1/4 tsp curry, salt and pepper, take it off the heat and add a handful of dried cranberries and almonds.  Let it sit while your green beans finish then fluff and serve.    

Prep Time:  15 minutes (hahahaha not counting that stupid butternut squash)
Bake Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes


 

    

Shopping and Meal List Week 1

The problem with Pinterest is that I scroll around on my phone while doing other things and pin a whole bunch of stuff that looks pretty good.  How many recipes have I actually made that were pinned?  Maybe 5 out of 100.  This is because inevitably if I get the urge to make something new we don't actually have whatever ingredients that recipe needs.  Same thing with recipes on Facebook.  They look great rolling through my feed but I probably have only ever made 1 thing.  Usually it comes down to me standing in front of the fridge and then pulling out my phone to google a recipe for whatever random assortment of food is inside.

So here is the goal.  A weekly meal plan of 5 family friendly main meals- some with meat and some without, that you can make in less than 30 minutes, a shopping list for the recipes for that week, and a few ideas of lunches you can make using the leftovers from dinner.  For the most part I will try to make everything feed 4 adults at least one meal if not two.

For the most part I'm ballparking the cost of the food based on the amount in each recipe.  If you buy in bulk you will pay less.  Obviously if you buy a pack of 2-3 chicken breasts for each recipe you'll be paying a whole lot more.  
  


Week 1- Meal #1 (Roasted Pork Tenderloin & Sides)

Marinated pork tenderloin     $3.99/lb
Butternut squash                   $ .75 ea
Sauteed green beans             $.60 can (because my kids won't eat frozen)
Cous cous                            $2.25 (makes at least 8 servings)
                                            $7.60
*When we do this I marinate a portabello cap and grill that the same time as the pork loin.  


Week 1- Meal #2 (Pumpkin Coconut Curry)*

Jasmine Rice                      $2.50 (makes at least a million servings)
2-3 Chicken breasts           $3.00
1 bag frozen veg medley     $1.50
1 can pumpkin                   $.80
1 can coconut milk             $.80
1/2 tub of firm tofu             $1.25
                                         $9.85

* If you are new to tofu this is a good recipe to try using half meat half tofu.  You hardly notice. 

Week 1- Meal #3 (Sausage & Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash)

2 acorn squash                 $3.00
1 lb pork sausage or
veggie soy crumbles         $3.00
1 small apple                    $.25
                                        $7.75

This is more filling than you think so no you don't get a side!

Week 1- Meal #4 (Really Easy Chicken & Dumplings)

2-3 chicken breasts       $3.00
1 can cream chx soup    $ .60
1 bag frozen veggies      $1.50
1 can biscuits                $1.50
                                    $6.60

Week 1- Meal #5 (Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili)

1/2 Butternut squash                  $.75
2 cans black beans                    $1.60
Frozen onion/pepper mix           $.25
14 oz can diced tomato             $.60
2 chipotle peppers in adobo      $.25 (freeze the remainder and it'll last forever)
                                                $2.70

WEEKLY DINNER TOTAL: $34.50


And you thought it couldn't be done!  You will find everything except chipotle peppers, the frozen onion/pepper blend, and coconut milk at Aldi.  The rest of my weekly $50 is fruit, bread, milk, eggs, crackers, cheese, and breakfast stuff (waffles/cereal/oatmeal, etc).  We did it!     

Covering the Basics

 

There are a few things that you will need to make pretty much any recipe I'm every going to put on this blog.  Just go ahead and get them if you don't already have it.  This is going to require a trip to Walmart so my apologies in advance...

Walmart

1) Sea salt (it is time to do yourself a favor and put some flavor in your food)
2) Chicken bouillon powder (wander on over to the Hispanic section where it is half as much as you will pay for the same darn thing in a container half as big over on the other aisle).  A container of this stuff makes a solid 40 cups of chicken stock and costs about $3. 
3) A frozen bag of prechopped onion and red pepper blend mix.  Yes, you could buy and chop your own but for $2 a bag you won't save money and sure won't save time.  Get two bags. 
4) A big bag of frozen squash, broccoli, mixed veggies and a stirfry vegetable blend.  NOT the ones that come in the steamer bags and you get maybe 6oz for $2 with some sauce poured all over it.  The ones that look like they rolled up off the farm straight into the freezer.  They are clear and usually 2lbs.  You can also get big bags of veggies at Sam's and it is even more cost effective.   
5)  Ziploc reusable microwave steamer bags (ah hah! you can cook whatever you want now!)   

Aldi staples
1) Olive oil
2) Milk- they carry soy, almond and cow milk so surely one works for your family
3) Real butter because that margarine stuff is just scary.  It never expires and won't grow mold.  No.
4) Eggs- theirs are organic and hormone free and $1.49/doz
5) Frozen bags of corn, peas, and broccoli/cauliflower
6) 2 cans each of black beans, white beans, and diced tomatoes
7) A bag of frozen chicken breasts (you won't buy a bag every week)

I may have to add more to this list later on but for now that should pretty much cover all the basic staples for 3-4 weeks.  If you buy everything on this list at Walmart and Aldi it should set you back right at $50.   


  

 

Aldi- Seriously? I have to rent a cart????

The first time I walked into an Aldi it took me about .4 seconds to walk back out only you can't walk straight out of an Aldi.  They block your exit and make you run a lap around the entire store to get out.  It's a good thing the stores are small.  I was completely unprepared for the Aldi experience and the one in Birmingham just wasn't that great.  Or maybe it was but I ran through it with a scowl of disdain so quickly I missed the bargains.  I didn't go again until we moved to Greenville and a friend just would not stop raving about it so I gave it a second chance after she gave me the Aldi 101.

First, the history.  Basically two brother ran a successful grocery empire in Germany.  They got into a feud over whether or not to sell cigarettes and divided the stores into Aldi Norte and Aldi Sur.  The two became Aldi and Trader Joe's.  Both are still German run and German regulated so they do not sell products with artificial sweeteners, food coloring and other creepy additives that every other country bans except the U.S.   You will not find sugar free unless it naturally grows that way.  They now carry a growing variety of gluten free items.  A section of the produce is organic. 




There are some things you need to know about shopping at an Aldi.

#1- They only take cash or debit cards.  There is no ATM.  Don't forget or it is horribly embarrassing.

#2- You rent a cart for a quarter.  This means that you put your own cart back and they don't pay some kid to go straighten them up because you do it quite willingly.

#3- They sell the best German chocolate.  You will never buy Nestle's cardboard tasting crap again.

#4- They sell wine in Greenville.  It is not very good.  In other countries it is awesome.  Too bad.

#5- There is a very loud buzzer that randomly goes off.  I have no idea what it is but I tell Jackson it happens if he lets go of the cart.

#6- The cashiers are the fastest human beings on Earth.  You put your things on the belt and they load everything into another cart.  There is a low wall at the front of the store where you can go bag your own groceries if you remember to bring bags or if you are like me you just dump it into the trunk and vow to leave the bags in the trunk but never do.

#7- They sell basic paper products and cleaning supplies, a few baby care items, and a few personal grooming items.  Pretty much the most important basics.  TP, paper towels, trash bags, dish soap, etc.

#8- Because it is small and the cashiers are so fast it is rare that it takes more than a half hour to shop for groceries.  That in itself is a good reason to go.

#9- Just close your eyes and avoid that middle aisle.  It has all kinds of fun things you think you need to buy.  You probably don't because until you saw it you never even thought about it.  Trust me.  It's like a candy aisle for homeowners.

#10-  They don't take coupons.  Yay.  

Give Aldi a try.  All I can tell you is that if I bought the exact same items at the dreaded Walmart it would cost twice as much and take twice as long.  At Publix it would cost almost 3x more unless you really only buy things on BOGO every single week and nothing else.  Who even knows about Whole Foods and anyone who does full grocery shopping there probably isn't reading this blog anyway.

- Let's Get Cooking