Menu for the week of 11/30 thru 12/6

DARK ONION RYE BREAD

  
SUNDAY:
Ham & Swiss Quiche
Leftover Thanksgiving food:
Turkey
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes (not low carb)
Dressing (not low carb)
Sausage-Mushroom "Dressing"
Strawberry Dream Jello (not low carb)
Cranberry sauce (not low carb)
Pumpkin Pie (not low carb)
Burgers (if needed)

MONDAY:
Sandwiches made with Dark Onion Rye Bread 

TUESDAY:
Leftovers (I may need to come up with something to make)

WEDNESDAY:
Swiss Onion Quiche
Italian Meatball Burgers
Pasta (for hubby)

THURSDAY:
Leftovers

FRIDAY:
Seoul Chicken
Spicy Asian Cabbage

SATURDAY:
Leftovers

ITALIAN MEATBALL BURGERS

SPICY ASIAN CABBAGE

 

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Shopping List Update: November 16 - November 29

TUESDAY'S SHOPPING (WEEK 2)

FOOD TOWN (Tuesday #2):
Mayonnaise @ 1.88 (minus .50 coupon) - $1.38
Pint milk - $1.09
Toothpaste - $.99
2 pkgs. mushrooms @ 1.29 each - $2.58
Onions @ .33lb - $.62

TOTAL - $6.73

HEB (Tuesday #2):
Shower spray - $1.97
Parmesan cheese - $2.50
3 Brita filters (marked down) - $5.00

TOTAL - $10.05

Because I did most of my Thanksgiving shopping last week, I only had to do a small shopping today to get some last minute items as well as a couple of things that we were running low on. I seem to have a knack for finding stuff that I need in the clearance bin and today I found a super deal. I have no idea why they were marked down but I got a box of three Brita filters marked down to only $5.00. Can you believe it??? The box hadn't been opened or banged up either. As the cashier rang it up, I saw the regular price flash on the screen and it was originally $15.97! For that price it was worth risking going over my budget. No way I'd pass up a deal like that. In any case, I didn't go over budget. Even with the Brita filters, I still came in under budget for these two weeks combined. 

Here is a reminder of what I got last week:

TUESDAY'S SHOPPING (WEEK 1)

FOOD TOWN (Tuesday #1):
Chicken tenders @ 1.99lb - $4.24
Cherry pie @ 3.99 (minus .55 coupon) - $3.44
Pork sausage @ 2.88 each (minus $1.00 coupon) - $1.88
Italian sausage - $2.88
Cameo cleanser - $1.79
Jalapeños @ .79lb - $1.04
Onions @ .50lb - $1.04

TOTAL - $16.44

HEB (Tuesday #1):
3 boxes tissues - $3.57
2 quarts heavy cream @ 3.56 each - $7.12
Oatmeal cookies - $1.25
Shower spray - $1.97
Sugar free orange tangerine drink - $1.50
Nasal strips - $6.88
Sugar free passion fruit drink - $1.88

TOTAL - $24.91

THURSDAY'S SHOPPING (WEEK 1)

KROGER (Thursday):
Ice cream @ 2.98 (minus 10% discount) - $2.68
Peanut butter @ 1.79 (minus 10% discount) - $1.61
3 pounds butter @ 2.50 each (minus 10% discount) - $6.75 ($2.25 each)
16 ounces cottage cheese @ 1.25 (minus 10% discount + .40 coupon + extra .09 discount) - $.63
2 bags Community coffee @ 3.99 each (minus 2 x $2.00 coupon) - $3.98
Salt @ .44 (minus 10% discount) - $.40
Rubber gloves @ 1.19 (minus 10% discount) - $1.07
Frozen pepper & onion blend @ 1.00 (minus 10% discount) - $.90
Napkins @ .97 (minus 10% discount) - $.87
2 8-ounce cheese @ 1.99 each (minus 10% discount + .65 coupon) - $2.93 ($1.47 each)
2 8-packs Dial soap @ 3.50 each (minus $1.00 coupon) - $6.00
Ice cream @ 2.98 (minus 10% discount) - $2.68
5 rolls pork sausage @ 2.50 each (minus 10% discount + $2.00 coupon) - $9.25 ($1.85 each)

TOTAL - $42.41

WALMART (Thursday):
1 Roma tomato @ .88lb - $.18
Tomato paste - $.46
Pizza sauce - $1.12

TOTAL - $1.76

ALDI (Thursday):
3 pound bag onions - $.59
Celery - $.59
3 dozen eggs @ .99 each - $2.97
8 ounce Swiss cheese - $1.89
Bread - $.99
Jalapeños @ .70lb - $.70
Iceberg lettuce - $.99

TOTAL - $8.72

SPROUTS (Thursday):
3 potatoes @ .48lb - $1.06
3 apples @ .48lb - $.87

TOTAL - $1.93

GRAND TOTAL FOR 2 WEEKS - $112.95 ($56.48 per week)

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Menu for the week of 11/23 thru 11/29

TUNA MUFFINS WITH TARTAR SAUCE

SLOPPY JOE STUFFED PEPPERS

SUNDAY:
Texas Sweet Onion Pie
Leftover LC Foods Pizza
Leftover Burger Scramble Florentine
Tuna Muffins with Tartar Sauce

MONDAY:
Leftovers

TUESDAY:
Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers

WEDNESDAY:
Ham & Swiss Quiche
Leftovers

THURSDAY (THANKSGIVING):
Turkey
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes (not low carb)
Corn (not low carb)
Dressing (not low carb)
Sausage-Mushroom "Dressing"
Strawberry Dream Jello (not low carb)
Cranberry sauce (not low carb)
Rolls (not low carb)
Pumpkin Pie (not low carb)
Cherry Pie (not low carb)

FRIDAY:
Leftovers

SATURDAY:
Leftovers

SAUSAGE-MUSHROOM "DRESSING" WITH ROAST TURKEY

 
I haven't decided yet if I will make a low carb dessert for myself for Thanksgiving. Instead I might just have small samples of some of the non-low carb food.
 

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Product Review - LC Foods Fresh Baked Pizza Shells

I just posted a review of the pizza shells from LC Foods on my main site HERE.

 

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Shopping List - Week of November 16 - November 29

TUESDAY'S SHOPPING

FOOD TOWN (Tuesday):
Chicken tenders @ 1.99lb - $4.24
Cherry pie @ 3.99 (minus .55 coupon) - $3.44
Pork sausage @ 2.88 each (minus $1.00 coupon) - $1.88
Italian sausage - $2.88
Cameo cleanser - $1.79
Jalapeños @ .79lb - $1.04
Onions @ .50lb - $1.04

TOTAL - $16.44

HEB (Tuesday):
3 boxes tissues - $3.57
2 quarts heavy cream @ 3.56 each - $7.12
Oatmeal cookies - $1.25
Shower spray - $1.97
Sugar free orange tangerine drink - $1.50
Nasal strips - $6.88
Sugar free passion fruit drink - $1.88

TOTAL - $24.91

KROGER (Thursday):
Ice cream @ 2.98 (minus 10% discount) - $2.68
Peanut butter @ 1.79 (minus 10% discount) - $1.61
3 pounds butter @ 2.50 each (minus 10% discount) - $6.75 ($2.25 each)
16 ounces cottage cheese @ 1.25 (minus 10% discount + .40 coupon + extra .09 discount) - $.63
2 bags Community coffee @ 3.99 each (minus 2 x $2.00 coupon) - $3.98
Salt @ .44 (minus 10% discount) - $.40
Rubber gloves @ 1.19 (minus 10% discount) - $1.07
Frozen pepper & onion blend @ 1.00 (minus 10% discount) - $.90
Napkins @ .97 (minus 10% discount) - $.87
2 8-ounce cheese @ 1.99 each (minus 10% discount + .65 coupon) - $2.93 ($1.47 each)
2 8-packs Dial soap @ 3.50 each (minus $1.00 coupon) - $6.00
Ice cream @ 2.98 (minus 10% discount) - $2.68
5 rolls pork sausage @ 2.50 each (minus 10% discount + $2.00 coupon) - $9.25 ($1.85 each)

TOTAL - $42.41

WALMART (Thursday):
1 Roma tomato @ .88lb - $.18
Tomato paste - $.46
Pizza sauce - $1.12

TOTAL - $1.76

ALDI (Thursday):
3 pound bag onions - $.59
Celery - $.59
3 dozen eggs @ .99 each - $2.97
8 ounce Swiss cheese - $1.89
Bread - $.99
Jalapeños @ .70lb - $.70
Iceberg lettuce - $.99

TOTAL - $8.72

SPROUTS (Thursday):
3 potatoes @ .48lb - $1.06
3 apples @ .48lb - $.87

TOTAL - $1.93

GRAND TOTAL FOR 2 WEEKS - $96.17 (which works out to only $48.08 per week plus whatever I buy next Tuesday)

THURSDAY'S SHOPPING

 
I didn't post this week's menu because I wanted to keep the LC Foods contest at the top of the page and now it's to late in the week to bother.

This is my shopping list for this week as well as next week because I won't be doing my regular grocery shopping next Thursday because of Thanksgiving. I will make a quick trip to Food Town next Tuesday to get some fresh mushrooms but that will probably be about all I'll need to buy again until the first week of December. I will post an update after I shop next Tuesday so you can see how much I ended up spending in addition to today's total. My estimate is that it will work out to under $50 per week once I divide the total cost between the two weeks.

Note that the Cameo cleanser isn't in the Tuesday photo because my husband didn't see it in the trunk of my car when he brought in the groceries. I noticed it was missing after I'd taken the photo.

I always look over my shopping receipts when I get home and check for errors and I found something very odd about the cottage cheese that I bought at Kroger today. I actually got two discounts on it for some strange reason. They took off the regular 10% senior discount of 13-cents and then there's another senior discount of 9-cents which can't be accounted for. I didn't buy anything at Kroger for 90-cents so it's an extra little bonus.

The coffee has to be the deal of the week. Kroger has Community coffee on sale for $3.99 this week and it's usually $6.49. I had two $2.00 coupons so I bought two bags. So, I got $12.98 worth of coffee for only $3.98 which is a savings of $9.00!

The Dial soap was a pretty good deal too even though I had to buy 16 bars. Of course we'll use it eventually so I figured that I might as well invest a little extra now to save money in the long-run. One 8-pack is usually $4.27 at Kroger (it's even more at Walmart) so I saved $2.54 by buying two packages on sale and with a $1.00/2 coupon.

Another super deal this week was on the pork sausage at Kroger. They have their store brand on sale this week for $2.50 (it's usually around $3.99, I think). With my 10% discount I got $1.25 off the five rolls plus I had a coupon for $2.00 a $10.00 or more meat purchase. That works out to $1.85 per roll with all the discounts.

I heard a comment on the news yesterday that puzzled me. It was from a woman in New York who is stuck in her house because of the snowstorm. She said that she only has a 3-day supply of food in the house so she was worried about feeding her family if they can't get out to buy more food soon. I can't imagine ever being in that kind of situation because of the way that I shop and plan my menus in advance. I estimate that if I couldn't shop for a while for some reason, we would probably have enough food in the pantry, fridge and freezer to feed us for at least a couple of months. We might end up eating some very odd meals but it would be a long time before we'd have to go hungry. It's not really that hard to shop and plan the way that I do but it does take a little extra time. I do think it's worth the effort. 

It's been a while since I posted an inventory of the food that I have on hand so I thought I'd do that again so you can see what I mean about it being a long time before we'd starve if I couldn't shop for a while:

Pepperoni
Eggs (4 dozen + 4 eggs)
Chicken breasts (17)
Hot dogs
Bone-in chicken thighs (5 packages)
Boneless chicken thighs (5 packages)
Tuna (3 cans)
Pork sausage (6 rolls)
1 pound Italian sausage
Steak (2)
American cheese
Ham pieces (4 x 8 ounces)
Chicken tenders (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 to 1 1/2 pound pkgs. ground beef (17 pkgs)
8 ounce cheddar cheese (3 pounds)
8 ounce jack cheese
8 ounce Swiss cheese (5)
16 ounce whole milk mozzarella
8 ounce mozzarella
16 ounce mozzarella
Frozen burger patties (7)
Can corned beef
4 ounce bacon pieces (8)
1 pound ground turkey
15-pound turkey
Sliced ham
Lunch meat (frozen)
2 pounds cooked ground beef (in freezer)
Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers (2 in freezer)
1 can tomato soup
1 chicken burrito
Celery
Onions
Lettuce
4 ounce can mushrooms
Frozen bell peppers
Frozen green beans
Frozen spinach
Frozen Asian veggie blend
Frozen corn
Potatoes
1 can asparagus
2 jars homemade cranberry sauce
Pizza sauce
Cream cheese (4)
Tomato paste
8 ounce tomato sauce (13 cans)
Mexican green sauce (1 can)
Heavy cream (2 quarts)
Cottage cheese
Salsa
Assorted condiments
Quart jar homemade bread & butter pickles
Quart jar homemade bread & butter jalapenos (2 jars)
Peanut butter
Bread
Chicken bones (in freezer)
Chicken broth (2 cups in freezer)
Coconut milk
Assorted salad dressings
1 can beef broth
1 container chicken drippings (in freezer)
Burger buns
Brown & serve rolls (in freezer)
Grits
Elbow noodles
Low carb bread
Low carb pizza crust (in freezer)
1 can pork and beans
Flour
Cornmeal
Coconut
Pecans
Almonds
Sunflower kernels
Flax meal
Almond flour
Ground pork rinds
Butter
1 can pumpkin
Diet jello
Regular jello (2)
Dried strawberries & raspberries
Coconut flour
Hazelnuts
Popcorn
Cool Whip
Oatmeal cookies
Cherry pie (frozen)

I left off some basic baking supplies and spices, etc. but you get the idea.

Oops, I forgot a few more things that are in the fridge:

1 quiche
3 apples
1 LC Foods pizza crust
Carrots
1 pound cooked ground beef
1 serving soup
1 serving chicken casserole 

and, even more important than food...we have 23 rolls of toilet paper, LOL! 

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The winner of the LC Foods Thanksgiving Package Giveaway is...

ALEX'S PRIZE PACKAGE

Alex Ott from Vienna, Virginia!!! Congratulations, Alex.

Thanks everyone for participating in this fun event. LC Foods is planning another giveaway for Christmas in a couple of weeks so be sure to watch for the announcement here and on my website.

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LC Foods Thanksgiving Package Giveaway!

LC Foods Thanksgiving Package Giveaway!

The LC Foods company is giving visitors to my website and blog a chance to win a 12-Piece Low Carb Thanksgiving Kit valued at $87. 

The kit includes:

• Low Carb Bread Stuffing Mix
• Low Carb Mashed Potato Mix
• Low Carb Gravy (Thick n Saucy)
• Low Carb Cranberry Sauce Mix
• Low Carb Fresh Baked Dinner Rolls
• Low Carb Pie Crust Mix
• Low Carb Sweet White
• Low Carb Sweet Brown
• Low Carb Coconut Cream
• Low Carb Pumpkin Bread Mix
• Low Carb Vanilla Frosting Mix

To enter the contest, click one of the entry buttons on the banner to the right of this post. You can enter by either logging in with Facebook or by email. You can enter up to four times by doing any or all of the following:

• Visit the LC Foods Facebook Page
• Subscribe to the  LC Foods Newsletter
• Visit the Updates page of my website
• Visit my "In the Kitchen with Linda" blog and leave a comment in my post about the giveaway

Subscribing to the LC Foods Newsletter will actually give you two entries for a total of five. The contest runs from noon (EST) Thursday, November 13th through noon on Wednesday, November 19th so enter soon! 

THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED 

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Shopping List - Week of November 9 - November 15

TUESDAY'S SHOPPING

KROGER (Tuesday):
2 Ice cream @ 2.98 each (minus 10% discount/.40 coupon) - $4.96
Peanut butter @ 1.79 (FREE coupon) - $.00
1 can tuna @ .69 (minus 10% discount) - $.62
1 can great northern beans @ .69 (minus 10% discount) - $.62
Parmesan cheese @ 2.97 (minus 10% discount) - $2.67
2 pounds dark brown sugar @ 1.50 (minus 10% discount) - $1.35

TOTAL - $10.22

WALMART (Tuesday):
4 ounce can green chiles - $.58
Distilled water - $.88 (for ironing)

TOTAL - $1.46

ALDI (Tuesday):
Flour - $1.19
Sugar - $1.39
Decaf coffee - $2.69
Coffee $2.79
1 pound baby carrots - $.69
5 8-ounce packages cheese @ 1.89 each - $9.45
1 pound butter - $2.29
1 pound jalapeños - $.70
Pork rinds - $.99
Brown & serve rolls - $.59
Bread - $.99
2 dozen eggs @ .99 each - $1.98

TOTAL - $25.74

GRAND TOTAL FOR THE WEEK - $37.42

It's supposed to turn really cold here on Thursday and there were some things on sale at Aldi that I wanted to get before their sale from last week ended. So, I went ahead and did all of my shopping for the week today. I got a few more items for the Thanksgiving dinner and also some ingredients for Christmas baking. I will make a few Christmas cookies for my husband and son.

The strawberry ice cream and the rolls are for Thanksgiving. Aldi had the rolls marked down to 59-cents. Since they're about to expire, I stuck them in the freezer for now. I will be making a strawberry jello salad for the guys which calls for strawberry jello, strawberry ice cream, frozen strawberries and Cool Whip. Too bad that it's not low carb because it's delicious.

The only things left to buy for Thanksgiving dinner are the celery, a few potatoes, 2 pounds of mushrooms and maybe a frozen fruit pie for the guys. I will also make a homemade high carb pumpkin pie for them so perhaps they don't need a second pie. I'll wait and see if Food Town has a good sale on pies just before Thanksgiving. They sometimes have them super cheap. If not, the guys will have to be content with pumpkin pie.

I bought the great northern beans and the carrots to make a pot of White Bean Soup this coming weekend. I'm not sure yet if I will eat any of it but the carbs aren't too terribly high for a small serving. The recipe is an old family favorite. I was going to buy two carrots but Aldi had a pound of the baby ones for only 68-cents. I figured that I'd spend at least that much for two large carrots by the pound and Jerry can snack on the leftover carrots.

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Menu for the week of 11/9 thru 11/15

TUNA QUICHE WITH DILL

 
SUNDAY:
Leftover Spaghetti (not low carb)
Leftover Salsa Sausage Quiche

MONDAY:
Leftovers
Burgers

TUESDAY:
Mushroom, Chicken and Sausage Casserole

WEDNESDAY:
Mushroom Chicken and Sausage Casserole

THURSDAY:
Tuna Quiche with Dill
Chile Relleno Casserole

FRIDAY:
Leftovers
Quick Asian Pork Stir-Fry

SATURDAY:
Leftovers

MUSHROOM CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

I'm making the spaghetti, with real pasta, at Jerry's request. I won't eat it. I froze some of the Mushroom Chicken and Sausage Casserole the last time I made it so I just need to defrost it to serve on Tuesday.

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Shopping List - Week of November 2 - November 8

TUESDAY'S SHOPPING

HEB (Tuesday):
Quart heavy cream - $3.56
Nonstick skillet - $9.97

TOTAL - $14.35

FOOD TOWN (Tuesday):
Ground beef @ 1.49lb (marked down) - $7.69
Boneless chicken thighs @ 1.88lb - $5.62
Onions @ .39lb - $1.00
12 pack diet soda - $2.99

TOTAL - $17.52

KROGER (Thursday):
Ice cream @ 2.98 (minus 10% discount) - $2.68
Frozen corn @ 1.00 (minus 10% discount) - $.90
12 pack diet soda @ 2.39 (minus 10% discount) - $2.15
2 liter soda @ .89 (minus 10% discount) - $.80
American cheese @ 3.88 (minus 10% discount) - $3.49
3 16-ounce shredded cheese @ 3.79 each (minus 10% discount) - $10.23
Evaporated milk @ .88 (minus 10% discount) - $.79
2 packages gelatin @ .37 each (minus 10% discount) - $.66
Stuffing - $2.50
Whipped topping @ 1.00 (minus 10% discount) - $.90
Frozen corn @ 1.00 (minus 10% discount) - $.90
Pork sausage @ 3.49 (minus 10% discount) - $2.99
15 pound turkey @ .59lb (minus $2.00 coupon) - $6.86

TOTAL - $35.34

WALMART (Thursday):
Liquid soap - $3.97
Night light bulbs - $1.97
Hairspray - $1.24
Canned whole chiles - $1.25
Maybelline cover stick @ 4.94 (minus $2.00 coupon) - $2.94

TOTAL - $11.88

SPROUTS (Thursday):
Apples @ .88lb - $3.75

TOTAL - $3.75

GRAND TOTAL FOR THE WEEK - $82.84 (over budget by $22.84 or $12.09 if I don't count the skillet)

THURSDAY'S SHOPPING

I decided to go ahead and get my Thanksgiving turkey today at Kroger while they were on sale and while they had a some smallish turkeys. To get the sale price, I had to buy at least a 15-pound turkey and spend at least $20 on other items so I also picked up most of the other non-perishable foods for Thanksgiving today. So, I was over budget by quite a bit but then I won't have much to buy the week of Thanksgiving other than some potatoes, mushrooms, celery and a few other items.

Sprouts was featuring all kinds of apples this week for 88-cents pound so I bought a few different kinds for my husband to snack on and also enough mackintosh apples to make a pie for him. He has a thing about pie and he was feeling deprived on his "low carb" diet. I made the pie this afternoon and it turned out great. I took a photo of it at Jerry's request. I think he's going to post it on Facebook or something. Here's a photo of the pie but Blogger is changing the color and making it look very dark and burnt. It doesn't look at all like that.

DUTCH APPLE PIE (NOT LOW CARB)

 
Just this morning I read a post on Low Carb Friends about some sugar free barbecue sauce at Walmart so I looked to see if my store had it. They do. The brand is "G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar Free BBQ Sauce". My store had the hickory flavor for $3.28. HERE is the link to the website. The label on their site is different than the bottles at Walmart, which look like this:

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Tuesday's Shopping

 
I couldn't resist the meat prices this morning so I got one package of boneless chicken thighs to replace the one that I took out of the freezer this morning. I also bought about six pounds of marked down ground beef and browned it before freezing it in three containers. I kept a fourth container in the fridge to use now.

I needed a new medium-size nonstick skillet and got the one in the photo for just under $10 at HEB. You'll probably tell me that I shouldn't count that into my grocery budget but we'll see how well I do with the rest of my shopping on Thursday. I just might be able to squeeze it in.
 

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New Recipe: Sloppy Dog Casserole

SLOPPY DOG CASSEROLE

Now that I've got my computer back from the repair shop, I was finally able to post the Sloppy Dog Casserole recipe on my main site HERE. It tastes a lot better than it looks.

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