Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Meal plan for Jan 18 –24, 2015
Happy Monday, yall! How goes it, your way? All is good here in the Cates household!
This is week two of trying the “Freezer” cooking, and I have to say I like it! The hardest part is just remember to thaw out the food the night before. I did have one snaffoo, where I had the wrong thing out for dinner so I got a late start on cooking. Other than that, this experiment in cooking has been a breeze! So, whats my plan for this week? Well…
Bunnys Meal Plan for January 18-24, 2015
Sunday
Breakfast for dinner! (Family fav)
- Scrambled eggs
- Bacon
- Biscuits
- sausage gravy
Monday
This is a recipe I haven’t made in FOREVER.
- Chicken Casserole – Here is a recipe for chicken casserole.
Tuesday
Yay for freezer cooking! This is already made, so all I have to do is load up the bread machine around noon, and throw the pans in the oven!
- Lasagna
- Salad
- Home made garlic bread
Wednesday
NEW RECIPE DAY! I’m trying to incorporate some new recipes into our diets. I feel like we have the same thing always, and even though its good food, it gets boring. So for today, we are trying something new.
- Chicken Pockets – Here is the Chicken Pocket Recipe I will be trying.
Thursday
Another new recipe! Whoot! As a family, we love soups, so I wanted to give this one a try!
- Ham and Bean Soup – This is the Ham and Bean Soup Recipe I will be trying!
Friday
One thing is certain, we are PASTA lovers! So this week to take a break from spaghetti, we are going up some Penne.
- Chicken and Bacon Penne – You can try this Chicken and Bacon Penne recipe here.
Saturday
Saturday is DATE NIGHT this week! The kids will be visiting their Dad, so Mom is taking a ME DAY! WOoohoooo!
THE COST
This week, the cost was nearly FREE! I bought the bulk of these groceries LAST WEEK! I will have to pick up some more salad stuff for Friday, but everything else was already here and most of it is even already PREPPED! Like I say, I am LOVING freezer cooking!
FREE PRINTABLE MENU PLAN DOWNLOAD
If you missed it last week, here is the FREE PRINTABLE WEEKLY MENU PLAN that I shared on Last Week’s Post! I’ve made it in chalkboard, which you can laminate and write on in dry erase markers or grab it in white for those who want to print it weekly, it will save you ink!
Click here to download the:
>> CHALKBOARD STYLE FREE PRINTABLE MENU PLANNER
>> WHITE FREE PRINTABLE MENU PLANNER
Thanks for reading.
For tons of other Meal Plans, check out: 
Monday, January 12, 2015
Meal plan for Jan 12 –18, 2015 + FREE PRINTABLE MENU PLAN
Happy Monday, you guys! Holy crickets, who left the deep freeze open?! It is so cold outside the dogs don’t wanna go out to tink!
This is my first post of 2015 for this blog. Sometimes I get so sidetracked on updates for my wearewordnerds website that everything else just kind of falls to the wayside. That’s why one of my goals for 2015 is to hammer down some kind of schedule that lets me work on ALL of my blog! At this point in my life, I am really regretting separating my blogs up so the reading blog could be on its own. Having MORE blogs means MORE work, and I just don’t have the time! So if I am updating this blog, I’m not working on wearewordnerds today. *sigh*
Anyway, I've spent the last couple of days reading up about “Freezer to crockpot” cooking. Have you heard of this? Making up a months worth of crockpot meals, and freezing them so come cooking day all you have to do is toss them in the crockpot? I am really itching to try it. So rather than jumping all in and doing up a month at a time. I’m going to tip toe in by doing a few premade meals this week and next. Just so I can see how this goes.
Whats on our menu this week? Well, here ya go!
Bunnys Meal Plan for January 12-18, 2015
MONDAY
We are trying something new! YAY!- Sauerkraut & Kielbasa – recipe is here
TUESDAY
This is going to be a premade up and froze test.- Meatloaf
- corn on the cob
- baked potatoes
- cheddar drop biscuits – recipe here
WEDNESDAY
One of our favorites
- Chicken Broccoli Fettuccini Alfredo
- Homemade breadsticks
- salad
THURSDAY
Something to make the kids happy…- Bacon Cheeseburgers
- loaded steak fries
FRIDAY
One of my favorites…- Teriyaki Pork Chops
- Rice
- Steamed vegetables
SATURDAY
By kids request – Mexican build your own Fiesta bar! This was actually scheduled for another night, when the kids would be at their dads, but they asked me to move it so they would be here.- Tacos
- burritos
- all the sides
SUNDAY
Closing out the week, I am doing one of the FAMILY FAVORITES. Breakfast for dinner.
- Bacon
- Scrambled Eggs
- Sausage gravy
- biscuits
- hash crowns
THE COST
Once again, I am posting before I go shopping, so I have no idea what this weeks meals will cost us. I am in the process of doing pantry inventory, and planning out TWO WEEKS worth of meals before I go shopping. I am going to start shopping ONCE A MONTH eventually, but it is going to be a learning curve, for sure. I can not WAIT to get into that new habit.Do you shop once a month, or go weekly like I currently do? Do you find it saves you money?
*Edited to update!
Hi guys! I just wanted to update this now that the grocery shopping has happened. I got every thing we needed for the month, minus the extra milk and bread we will need, and the stuff for salads to go with pastas (because the veggies will go before we get to them) and we spent....
......wait for it..........$320!
Thats a $430 savings over what I would have spent going WEEKLY! (we spend about $250/week!) I can't believe it yall!
I'm spending today prepping meals to freeze, but am so happy how this partial month went FINANCIALLY!
For the breakdown of what meats and cheeses we got (since meats & cheeses are the most expensive things)
- 8 - lb bags of assorted shredded cheeses
- 4 - packs of american slices (thats one a week)
- 3 - 1lb bags of assorted lunch meats (for lunches)
- 10 - lbs 80/20 ground beef
- 2 - family packs of pork chops. (there were 8-10 chps each pack. not sure on weight)
- 6 - Polish sausage or Polska Kielbasa
- 2 - lb sausage
- 3 - large packs of little smokies (these were on a 5 for $20 deal)
- 2 - 2lb slabs of bacon (part of the 5 for 20)
- 6 packs of hot dogs (another lunch item)
- 3 packs of bologna
- 1 bag of all white meat chicken tenders (the dinosaurs, for nights Sis wont eat what Ive cooked)
- 1 ham steak
- 2-lb of spiral hams - these were awesome little .5 pound hams. Great for breakfast casseroles, etc. Had never seen this size and they were in the 5/$20
I also found my new favorite dishwasher tabs that of course they no longer make, and devistated me (Cascade with GAIN). But a 16 pack bag was $4.98 at walmart and I found a 60-pack at family dollar store for $12! Bought TWO!
FREE PRINTABLE MENU PLAN DOWNLOAD
To celebrate kicking off the new year, I wanted to offer you a FREE PRINTABLE WEEKLY MENU PLAN!I’ve made it in chalkboard, which you can laminate and write on in dry erase markers or grab it in white for those who want to print it weekly, it will save you ink!
Click here to download the:
>> CHALKBOARD STYLE FREE PRINTABLE MENU PLANNER
>> WHITE FREE PRINTABLE MENU PLANNER
Thanks for reading.
For tons of other Meal Plans, check out:
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Easy Dirty Rice and Beans
Hey you guys!
Here is my recipe for Dirty Rice and Beans (non-spicy).
This is super quick to cook, under 10 minutes once all the chopping is done AND you can tailor the amounts of everything to suit your own families tastes.
Now about the amounts: I have to cook enough to feed 6 people, all grownups except one. So it is going to make quite a bit. Don’t fret! Cut the recipe in half if you want OR better yet, go on and cook it up as I do and freeze the leftovers for another day. It freezes up just fine!
We also have some very picky taste buds in our house so this is very light with the seasoning. Don’t be ashamed to give ‘er a taste test after its been simmering a few minutes. Turn it up if you need to!
The Ingredients
- 2 pouches of boil in the bag rice ( I use family size minute rice)
- 2 beef sausages
- 2 cans dark red kidney beans
- 1 small can diced tomatoes, drained
- 3 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1/2 large onion (chopped)
- 1 bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp chives
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper (couple of shakes)
- red pepper flakes (a shake or two)
Prep
Get out two large pots. You need one for boiling rice and a big one for mixing the goodies in. Go on and fill one with water and get it on HIGH to boil, and while that is heating up drag out all your ingredients.
Slide the rice pouches in to boil, and set the timer as directed on your box. You can even use left over rice, or make the rice earlier in the day so its good to go.
Chop your veggies and the sausages and drop them into the pot. Add all the other ingredients. Mix well, cover with lid and bring to a boil.
Once it starts to boil, turn it down to simmer, give it a stir and stick the lid back on it. It will make juice as it heats up, and that is fine. That will soak up into your rice in a minute anyway!
When the rice is ready, drain it and open the pouches. Put the rice into your simmer pot, mix it all up and stick your lid back on there. Bring it back to a boil, then set it back to simmer.
Let it simmer with the lid on for about 5 - 10 minutes, to let the juices get sucked into the rice. That way every bite will have flavor.
That’s it! Wasn’t that easy?
Serving variations:
I like mine served on a heaping bed of baby spinach! Jesse likes his with cheddar cheese. Harm just eats the rice and sausage out of hers, so someone gets extra veggies added to their plate in our house. LOL
For the leftovers:
This is great for lunch the next day! Kind of like a meatloaf does – the flavor gets better the longer it sets.
This freezes well. I don’t have any leftovers now that I have tweaked the recipe enough to suit our family, but the first few times I made it we did. I did freeze it a couple of times and it reheated well. I was worried the rice would get mooshy, but it was fine.
The leftovers are great recooked into stuffed bell peppers! Just add some tomato sauce and cheddar to the mix, throw it in some peppers and bake them suckers right up. *nomnomnom*
Monday, October 13, 2014
Meal plan for this week, October 12 –18, 2014
Happy Monday, you guys!
Its so rainy and disgusting here this week. With no change in the immediate future, bluh. My meal plan for this week definitely reflects that. Lots of food to combat the dreariness of the current weather streak.
One of my favorite things about my new vinyl menu board is the MEMO area! I’ve been loving seeing the little inspirational notes we stick up there. For my “message” this week, I wanted to focus on the negativity we sometimes fall into.
It is so easy to criticize those around you and forget that we, ourselves, are not perfect and still need work. Especially with children. We forget they are just kids and need guidance, just expecting them to do or be as we think they should. Forgetting to take into account that they are more than just children, they are PEOPLE. Each with their own personalities and quirks. Each one different in their emotional and intellectual development. Each one, learning and adapting to change as best they can. And they too, deserve to be accepted for who they ARE and not criticized for not conforming to the “standard norm” “mold” you expect them to be.
This week instead of thinking everyone around them needs to change, do better, be better, I want my family to focus on THEMSELVES. For by bettering ourselves & leading by example (not dictation), we influence and become the catalyst for the change.
I invite you, too, to take this on as your challenge this week.
Know that YOU are the CHANGE that you want to see. It all starts with YOU.
Our Meal plan for this week, October 12 –18, 2014 :
SUNDAY
- Breakfast for dinner
MONDAY
- Meatloaf
- mashed potatoes
- corn on the cob
- rolls
TUESDAY
- Homemade barbque
- tator tots
WEDNESDAY
- homemade vegetable soup (recipe is HERE)
THURSDAY
- Apple Baked Pork Chops (recipe coming soon!)
- Garlic Homestyle Mashed Potatoes (recipe Coming Soon!)
- Beans
- Corn bread (recipe coming soon!)
FRIDAY
- FEND FO YO SELF NIGHT
SATURDAY
- Frugal Chili (recipe here)
I haven’t hit up the grocery store yet. Who knows what this weeks bill will end up being. I am in the process of organizing a closet out, and then I am going to start shopping ONCE A MONTH. I can not WAIT to get into that new habit. Do you shop once a month, or go weekly like I currently do? Do you find it saves you money?
Thanks for reading.
For tons of other Meal Plans, check out:
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Meal Plan for Sept 22 – Sept 28th 2014
Its going to be a busy week for us this week, so I needed to choose meals we could easily flip from day to day as needed.
Our Meal plan for this week, Sept 22 – Sept 28th:
MONDAY
Guh Mondays, how you drain me! I wanted something simple today, so we opted for Sloppy joes since we hadn't had them in FOREVER. Jesse even helped by peeling tators for me!- Sloppy Joes
- Fried Potatoes
TUESDAY
- Chicken Brocoli Fetucini Alfredo (RECIPE HERE)
- Garlic Toast
- Salad
WEDNESDAY
Today we are celebrating! Jesse's sister has gone back to work, finishing out her maternity leave, and Jesse has gotten a new job!WHOOT!
- Apple Baked Pork Chops (recipe coming soon!)
- Garlic Homestyle Mashed Potatoes (recipe Coming Soon!)
- Beans
- Corn bread (recipe coming soon!)
- Home made Dutch Apple Pie (recipe coming soon!)
THURSDAY
- Chicken Enchiladas (recipe coming soon!)
FRIDAY
- Fend Fo Yo' Self
SATURDAY
- UNDECIDED
SUNDAY
- Ribs
- Corn on the Cob
- Baked Potatos
- Green Beans
- Black Eyed Peas
This was a great week for us, grocery bill wise. I had all the meat on hand, so I only spent $168. I know that sounds high, but we were out of dogfood, and all cleaners (Laundry Detergent, Dish Detergent, Dishwasher tabs, Downy, and even SHAMPOO! So, food wise, this was NOT a bad week for us! lol
For tons of other Meal Plans, check out:
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Homemade Vegetable Soup
Here is my recipe for Homemade Vegetable Soup.
If yall didn't see this the other night on facebook. Here is my #recipe for #cooking #homemade soup.
First night, is Rump roast cooked in crock pot with carrots, potatoes, onions, and celery if you like that in your roast.
Just put the leftovers in your fridge crockpot and all.
Next night: if there is a LOT of meat left - I make barbque with that meat and save the juice and veggies for soup the next night.
If not a lot of meat left: I go ahead and make soup.
Since there is not a lot of meat left, brown up some ground beef crumbles. (a pound, pound and half, depending on your crockpot).
While that is browning, take a slotted spoon and scoop out the left over vegetables, to cut them up into bite size pieces, and then just put them back in the crockpot with the leftover roast juice. To this I add either fresh veggies on hand OR *TWO* cans of VeggeAll Homestyle LARGE CUT vegetables, and about 1.5 cups frozen corn kernals. Vegetables in the crockpot, drain and rinse the ground beef. Put it back in skillet and throw in a WHOLE chopped yellow onion. Just heat this enough that the onions start to change color a little and then dump this meat into the crockpot. Add either 2 big diced tomatoes or 1 big can diced tomatoes with juice. Put in two or three big pinches of fresh chives, 3 whole bay leaves, a few shakes of thyme, a few good shakes of garlic salt, a pinch of pepper, and then fill the rest of the crockpot up with either canned tomato juice or homemade tomato juice.
Let me know if you try it. We love it, so....
INGREDIENTS:
- left over roast plus all juice
- 1.5 pounds ground beef browned and drained
- diced onion
- 2 cans Veg-all HOMESTYLE CUT mixed vegetables (or fresh)
- 1.5 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 lrg can diced tomatoes
- pinch of chives
- 3 whole bay leaves
- pinch of thyme
- garlic salt
- pinch of black pepper
- can of tomato juice (put in LAST and just fill the rest of the crockpot)
Heat in crockpot on med all day. I usually get mine going around 9-10am and we eat around 5.
