The Kid is away at a youth retreat this week. Knowing that we'd only have 2 for dinner most nights (unless my sister stopped by), I stocked up on a few meals for two.
Tonight we had a Bertolli skillet meal. I'm not a big fan of these due to their price. At their cheapest ($6 and change at WalMart), they're overpriced by a few bucks. At their highest ($8 - $9 at Harris Teeter), they're twice what I think they're worth. So I don't buy them unless a sale and/or coupon brings them down to under $5. Luckily, I had a coupon for $1.50 off, plus a raincheck to get them for $5.50 (post on rainchecks is forthcoming, I promise). So for $4, I think they're a reasonable meal for 2. The variety we had was Grilled Steak with Portobello mushrooms. It consisted of steak strips, mushrooms, spinach, yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and pasta in a garlic-butter sauce. Good but not great - the convenience is the real draw here. These always look better than they taste (another reason I think they're way overpriced.)
Totals:
$4 - Bertolli skillet meal
.50 - garlic bread (2 slices from 8-slice box of Pepperidge Farm)
$4.50 for dinner for 2
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday Dinner
When Aldi had their German/Bavarian specialties week a few months ago, I ended up stocking up on several products. After making them the first time, I went back for more because they were just so good. Tonight we had their Pork Schnitzel (thin, breaded pork fillets) and Spaetzel (egg noodles). For a green vegetable I sauteed an onion in a little bacon fat, then added half a head of shredded cabbage and 1/2 cup chicken broth, covered and simmered until tender. A sprinkle of pepper and caraway seeds at the end finished it off. This is one of my favorite ways to cook cabbage.
Totals:
$3 - pork schnizel (1/2 $6 package)
$1.25 - spaetzel (1/2 $2.50 package)
.50 - cabbage
Dinner for 3 for $4.75.
NOTE: Bacon grease was the primary cooking fat used in this country before WWII. We've really gotten away from it over the last 30 years because of health concerns. While I agree that it's not the best choice for everyday cooking, I believe any food can have a place in our diet when eaten in moderation. I usually make this cabbage dish with actual bacon, but didn't have any on hand tonight. Just a teaspoon of bacon drippings used in place of cooking oil added all the bacon flavor I needed. If you buy and cook bacon in your house, start a little jar for the bacon fat to keep in your fridge. You'll be amazed at how much flavor just a little can bring to the right recipe. It's no wonder our grandmothers' cooking tasted so good!
Totals:
$3 - pork schnizel (1/2 $6 package)
$1.25 - spaetzel (1/2 $2.50 package)
.50 - cabbage
Dinner for 3 for $4.75.
NOTE: Bacon grease was the primary cooking fat used in this country before WWII. We've really gotten away from it over the last 30 years because of health concerns. While I agree that it's not the best choice for everyday cooking, I believe any food can have a place in our diet when eaten in moderation. I usually make this cabbage dish with actual bacon, but didn't have any on hand tonight. Just a teaspoon of bacon drippings used in place of cooking oil added all the bacon flavor I needed. If you buy and cook bacon in your house, start a little jar for the bacon fat to keep in your fridge. You'll be amazed at how much flavor just a little can bring to the right recipe. It's no wonder our grandmothers' cooking tasted so good!
Super Double Coupons
I finally made it over to Harris Teeter for Super Double Coupons. I think this morning was a good time to go, because they were fairly well stocked after the weekend. There were a few items the other couponers had already bought out, but nothing I can't live without.
Activia yogurt ($1/1), Texas Toast croutons ($.50/1 + sale), Wholly guacamole ($1/1) were totally free. Frosted Mini Wheats are on sale BOGO this week, so depending on which coupon I was using, I got boxes for free and for .35/ea. Colgate total would have been free (BOGO + .75/1 doubled), but my store was out. Check your store. I'm pretty sure Borden's Sensations sliced cheese is also free with $1/1 coupon from yesterday's paper. (Hadn't cut yesterday's coupons yet - just browsed through them.)
Lots of other items weren't free, but still very good deals after doubled coupons. Fruit 2 O drinks .29/ea, Chex cereal $1/box, Capri Sun sunrise drinks .89/10-pk, Hunts Tomato Ketchup .36/ea, Kraft Bagelfuls .89/ea, Activia yogurt drinks, .79/4-pk, Philly spreadable cream cheese tubs .50/ea, Starbucks Ice Cream $1/pint, Blue Bunny ice cream $1.60/half gallon (BOGO + coupon).
I also took advantage of their B2G3 free deals this week - Pop Secret Popcorn and those 8 oz. sliced deli meats and cheeses. And I came across several great meat markdowns in which the meat was already BOGO this week, so they'd ring up half of the marked-down price. (I got London Broil, fresh chicken Italian sausage, and cubed steak.)
Total before all BOGO and coupons, $133 and change. Total after BOGO sales, $88 and change. Grand total after doubled coupons $53.76.
NOTE: Harris Teeter has made 2 important changes to their coupon policy. First, internet coupons will now be treated like any other coupons and subject to doubling or tripling. Yay! Second, coupons usage is now linked to your VIC card. After the daily limit of 20 has been reached, the rest simply won't double or triple, no matter how many stores the customer visits.
Activia yogurt ($1/1), Texas Toast croutons ($.50/1 + sale), Wholly guacamole ($1/1) were totally free. Frosted Mini Wheats are on sale BOGO this week, so depending on which coupon I was using, I got boxes for free and for .35/ea. Colgate total would have been free (BOGO + .75/1 doubled), but my store was out. Check your store. I'm pretty sure Borden's Sensations sliced cheese is also free with $1/1 coupon from yesterday's paper. (Hadn't cut yesterday's coupons yet - just browsed through them.)
Lots of other items weren't free, but still very good deals after doubled coupons. Fruit 2 O drinks .29/ea, Chex cereal $1/box, Capri Sun sunrise drinks .89/10-pk, Hunts Tomato Ketchup .36/ea, Kraft Bagelfuls .89/ea, Activia yogurt drinks, .79/4-pk, Philly spreadable cream cheese tubs .50/ea, Starbucks Ice Cream $1/pint, Blue Bunny ice cream $1.60/half gallon (BOGO + coupon).
I also took advantage of their B2G3 free deals this week - Pop Secret Popcorn and those 8 oz. sliced deli meats and cheeses. And I came across several great meat markdowns in which the meat was already BOGO this week, so they'd ring up half of the marked-down price. (I got London Broil, fresh chicken Italian sausage, and cubed steak.)
Total before all BOGO and coupons, $133 and change. Total after BOGO sales, $88 and change. Grand total after doubled coupons $53.76.
NOTE: Harris Teeter has made 2 important changes to their coupon policy. First, internet coupons will now be treated like any other coupons and subject to doubling or tripling. Yay! Second, coupons usage is now linked to your VIC card. After the daily limit of 20 has been reached, the rest simply won't double or triple, no matter how many stores the customer visits.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday Dinner
Tonight was simple comfort food. We had a ham steak that Lowes Foods had on sale awhile back, collards (from a can because I'm too lazy to cook them from scratch), and a Knorr/Lipton pasta side dish of bowties in 4 cheese sauce.
Totals:
$1 - collards (Margaret Holmes brand)
.20 - pasta side dish (these are always free or nearly free whenever HT has triple coupons)
$3 - ham
Dinner for 3 for $4.20 (plenty of ham and collards left over)
Totals:
$1 - collards (Margaret Holmes brand)
.20 - pasta side dish (these are always free or nearly free whenever HT has triple coupons)
$3 - ham
Dinner for 3 for $4.20 (plenty of ham and collards left over)
Friday, June 26, 2009
No Dinner Posts
Last night we ate leftovers (free dinner!), today we ate such a late lunch (out running errands) that nobody is hungry for dinner. And tomorrow we're planning to eat out with friends. Just letting whomever reads this know I haven't deserted!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Weekly Deals
Harris Teeter
They're doing something new this week - Super Double Coupons. Normally, they'll double all coupons up to 99 cents face value, but this week they're doubling all coupons up to $1.98 face value. Realistically, you'll probably only have $1 and maybe a few $1.50 coupons - that's what I've got. Still, I can see there will be several free or nearly free items after these high-value coupons are doubled. I've pulled all my coupons that I think have this potential to save 75% or more off the regular price. I've put them in the front of their respective categories in my coupon organizer for easy access. I'll hit the store for serious coupon-shopping tomorrow.
In addition to the super doubles, Harris Teeter also has some great deals that don't require coupons at all (although coupons make a few of them even better).
8 oz. deli meats and sliced cheese are buy 2, get 3 free. Price for 1 is $4.49, so that's $9 for 5 packages. That works out to $3.60 per pound - a definite stock-up price.
Pop Secret popcorn - B2G3
Starbucks Ice Cream - $3 each (coupon for $2 off in recent Sunday paper)
BOGO
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks - (coupon for $1 off 2 in Sunday paper within last 2 weeks - this will double!)
Fresh Italian Sausage (chicken or pork)
London Broil
Turkey Burgers
Cubed Steak (not in flier, but saw in store today)
Kelloggs Frosted Mini Wheats (coupon for $1 off in recent Sunday paper; coupon for $1.50 off 2 is available online at Coupons.com or Couponsaver.com - both of these will double!)
Colgate Total Toothpaste (coupon for .75 off in recent Sunday paper - 1 toothpaste should be free or nearly free after coupon doubles)
Blue Bunny Ice Cream
Lays Potato Chips
Food Lion
Maxwell House Coffee (31.5 - 34.5 oz) - $5.99
Stouffer's Family Size or Easy Express Entrees - 2/$10
Buy 2 cans Chef Boyardee pasta, get a free gallon of Hawaiian Punch - printable coupon in this week's email flier
BOGO
Chips Ahoy cookies
Minute Maid Lemonade or Punch
Hamburger Helper
Breyers Ice Cream
All Detergent
Zesta Saltines
Arnold Bread
Kraft BBQ Sauce (.75 coupon in recent Sunday paper)
Pillsbury Brownie Mix
Knorr Plus Veggies pasta/rice mix
Oscar Mayer Weiners
Oscar Mayer Bologna
Mama Lucia Meatballs (frozen, bagged)
Lowes Foods
Boston butt pork roast - .99/lb
Peaches - .69/lb
Hamburger Helper - 5/$5 (coupon for .80 off 3 will double - from recent Sunday paper)
BOGO
Eggo waffles
Doritos
Oscar Mayer weiners
select Kelloggs cereals
Breyers Ice Cream
Wisk Detergent
Keebler Chips Deluxe cookies
Nature's Own Whitewheat hamburger or hotdog buns
A1 Marinade
They're doing something new this week - Super Double Coupons. Normally, they'll double all coupons up to 99 cents face value, but this week they're doubling all coupons up to $1.98 face value. Realistically, you'll probably only have $1 and maybe a few $1.50 coupons - that's what I've got. Still, I can see there will be several free or nearly free items after these high-value coupons are doubled. I've pulled all my coupons that I think have this potential to save 75% or more off the regular price. I've put them in the front of their respective categories in my coupon organizer for easy access. I'll hit the store for serious coupon-shopping tomorrow.
In addition to the super doubles, Harris Teeter also has some great deals that don't require coupons at all (although coupons make a few of them even better).
8 oz. deli meats and sliced cheese are buy 2, get 3 free. Price for 1 is $4.49, so that's $9 for 5 packages. That works out to $3.60 per pound - a definite stock-up price.
Pop Secret popcorn - B2G3
Starbucks Ice Cream - $3 each (coupon for $2 off in recent Sunday paper)
BOGO
Oscar Mayer Beef Franks - (coupon for $1 off 2 in Sunday paper within last 2 weeks - this will double!)
Fresh Italian Sausage (chicken or pork)
London Broil
Turkey Burgers
Cubed Steak (not in flier, but saw in store today)
Kelloggs Frosted Mini Wheats (coupon for $1 off in recent Sunday paper; coupon for $1.50 off 2 is available online at Coupons.com or Couponsaver.com - both of these will double!)
Colgate Total Toothpaste (coupon for .75 off in recent Sunday paper - 1 toothpaste should be free or nearly free after coupon doubles)
Blue Bunny Ice Cream
Lays Potato Chips
Food Lion
Maxwell House Coffee (31.5 - 34.5 oz) - $5.99
Stouffer's Family Size or Easy Express Entrees - 2/$10
Buy 2 cans Chef Boyardee pasta, get a free gallon of Hawaiian Punch - printable coupon in this week's email flier
BOGO
Chips Ahoy cookies
Minute Maid Lemonade or Punch
Hamburger Helper
Breyers Ice Cream
All Detergent
Zesta Saltines
Arnold Bread
Kraft BBQ Sauce (.75 coupon in recent Sunday paper)
Pillsbury Brownie Mix
Knorr Plus Veggies pasta/rice mix
Oscar Mayer Weiners
Oscar Mayer Bologna
Mama Lucia Meatballs (frozen, bagged)
Lowes Foods
Boston butt pork roast - .99/lb
Peaches - .69/lb
Hamburger Helper - 5/$5 (coupon for .80 off 3 will double - from recent Sunday paper)
BOGO
Eggo waffles
Doritos
Oscar Mayer weiners
select Kelloggs cereals
Breyers Ice Cream
Wisk Detergent
Keebler Chips Deluxe cookies
Nature's Own Whitewheat hamburger or hotdog buns
A1 Marinade
Wednesday Dinner
For tonight's dinner I tried a new recipe that turned out exceptionally well - it's definitely a keeper. However, it would have been rather pricey if not for coupons and sales, so it's probably not something I'll make on a regular basis. Still, it was absolutely delicious and something I'll enjoy serving when all the right pricing comes together.
The recipe came from the June issue of Southern Living magazine and it's called Onion-Topped Sausage and Mashed Potato Casserole. Original, huh?
Here's the link:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1898465
I modified it a little based on what I had on hand and what I thought it needed. Here's my version:
1 lb. chicken Italian sausage
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
fresh snipped parsley and chives from my garden
Remove sausage from casings, crumble and fry until done. Add tomatoes (undrained) and cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Add fresh herbs if using (nice touch but don't sweat it if you don't have 'em.) Pour into 9 x 13" casserole dish.
Mix together:
Refrigerated 24 oz. package garlic mashed potatoes (similar amount of prepared instant potatoes would also be fine)
1/2 8oz package shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 t. Italian seasoning
Spread potatoes on top of sausage-tomato mixture. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Top with 1 small can French Fried Onions and bake 5 additional minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
____________
Harris Teeter has Italian sausage (pork or chicken) on sale this week BOGO. And they're having Super Double coupons, so the $1 coupon I had for Country Crock mashed potatoes took $2 off. (Otherwise I was planning to make plain instant mashed potatoes and add some sauteed garlic to them.) I already had the French's Fried Onions on hand because I stock up @.25 - .50 a can whenever HT has triple coupons. I several 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes on hand from a deal Lowes Foods had awhile back. And I'm very well-stocked on shredded cheese because deals + coupons have been plentiful lately. I estimate this casserole would have cost well over $12 if I'd paid full price for all the ingredients.
Totals:
$2.67 - chicken Italian sausage
$1.99 - Country Crock mashed potatoes
.25 - French Fried Onions
.60 - canned tomatoes
.50 - shredded cheese
.50 - green beans (side dish)
$6.51 for dinner for 4 (sister came over again tonight) - lots of casserole left over
The recipe came from the June issue of Southern Living magazine and it's called Onion-Topped Sausage and Mashed Potato Casserole. Original, huh?
Here's the link:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1898465
I modified it a little based on what I had on hand and what I thought it needed. Here's my version:
1 lb. chicken Italian sausage
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
fresh snipped parsley and chives from my garden
Remove sausage from casings, crumble and fry until done. Add tomatoes (undrained) and cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Add fresh herbs if using (nice touch but don't sweat it if you don't have 'em.) Pour into 9 x 13" casserole dish.
Mix together:
Refrigerated 24 oz. package garlic mashed potatoes (similar amount of prepared instant potatoes would also be fine)
1/2 8oz package shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 t. Italian seasoning
Spread potatoes on top of sausage-tomato mixture. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Top with 1 small can French Fried Onions and bake 5 additional minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
____________
Harris Teeter has Italian sausage (pork or chicken) on sale this week BOGO. And they're having Super Double coupons, so the $1 coupon I had for Country Crock mashed potatoes took $2 off. (Otherwise I was planning to make plain instant mashed potatoes and add some sauteed garlic to them.) I already had the French's Fried Onions on hand because I stock up @.25 - .50 a can whenever HT has triple coupons. I several 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes on hand from a deal Lowes Foods had awhile back. And I'm very well-stocked on shredded cheese because deals + coupons have been plentiful lately. I estimate this casserole would have cost well over $12 if I'd paid full price for all the ingredients.
Totals:
$2.67 - chicken Italian sausage
$1.99 - Country Crock mashed potatoes
.25 - French Fried Onions
.60 - canned tomatoes
.50 - shredded cheese
.50 - green beans (side dish)
$6.51 for dinner for 4 (sister came over again tonight) - lots of casserole left over
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