Week Two

Unfortunately, week two was not nearly as successful as week one. I came in over budget by spending $60.74 at the commissary (although I did use 14 coupons which came to a savings of $9.35) and $10 at the farmer's market. I probably bought more than I would've without coupons but I got some really good deals. Also, this week my husband is on leave so I bought a lot more things for him to snack on and make for lunch while he's home. From now on I'll be sure to shop the farmer's market first then make my meal plan and shop at the commissary. That's my usual game plan but this Friday we were scraping the barrel with bare cupboards and a slim refrigerator. I definitely think that will save a bit and allow me more to spend on local, fresh foods.

But I digress, our meal plan is as follows;

Sunday - American Chop Suey
This is one of my family favorites! We use ground turkey instead of ground beef to lower the fat.

Monday - Lemon Ginger Chicken Thighs (with a veggie)
This week I went through my old magazines hunting for new recipes and found this in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens. It looks simple and bone in chicken thighs are one of the cheapest proteins you can find at the grocery store.

Tuesday - Indian Samosa Casserole
This is another recipe I found in an old issue of Vegetarian Times. Around here we love samosas and to think of a casserole with the same flavors...mmm...

Wednesday - Mushroom and Onion Omelettes
I figured I'd serve these with toast or french toast (depending on the state of our bread).

Thursday - Bean and Rice Burritos
Mr. Marine requested more rice and bean dishes, so here it is! It's something easy to throw together and I'm going to totally wing it with the recipe.

Friday - Grilled Potatoes, Veggie Kabobs, and Minute Steak.
I'm not a big fan of red meat but Mr. Marine loves it so when I found a pack of minute steaks for $.90 I picked them up to pan sear while he grilled the rest of dinner.

Saturday - Pizza with Green Olives and Feta
Pizza is our weekly Saturday thing. I try to switch up toppings almost every week but feta is one of our very favorites.

So there we are! Hopefully next week turns out better. Mr. Marine encouraged me to think that as with everything, keeping a budget gets easier with practice!

Until next time,

xoxo Stacie

The Art of Cooking For One

Someone should teach a class on this. How in the world am I expected to cook for ONE PERSON when I usually cook for four (yes, there are only two of us when my husband is home but he eats enough for two, three on a good day)!?

I know there's always the easy-peasy solution of buying prepackaged meals but that is just not my shtick! I've become a big fan lately of what I like to call "scrambled mess"; two scrambled eggs mixed with whatever is in my fridge that isn't a) expired or b) pickles. Tonight I had Mexican "scrambled mess" which included two scrambled eggs, sauteed onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms as well as a chipotle in adobo, salsa, and Mexican shredded cheese. I never had the knack for omelets so this is my substitute!

I gotta tell you though, I'm getting sick of eggs. So I'm asking for pointers. What do you cook when it's just you at home?

Until next time,

xoxo Stacie