The Urban Homemaker Blog

Category: Menu Planning

  • Battling the Grocery Gremlin

    By Laura Moll Coble  (Laura is also author of Value Meals for Busy Moms)

    I don’t know about you, but my most frustrating shopping experiences happen at the grocery store!  It never seems to fail that when I think I have about $50 worth of groceries in my basket, they add up to $100.  I really don’t think that the problem is with my addition skills, I am sure that there is an evil gremlin in the checkout register that adds a dollar to everything I purchase!  I love the savings cards that you get at stores like Safeway because when I swipe the card, I see the total price fall about $10.  That always makes me feel a little bit better about life; its my revenge on the gremlin.  Unfortunately the evil little gremlin always wins out, and the amount debited from my bank account is higher than it was supposed to be.  Grocery shopping is an endless frustration for me.

    However, I have found valuable help in the book America’s Cheapest Family by Steve and Annette Economides that has helped make grocery shopping and grocery budgeting much easier.  This book has a very high standard, they calculate $50 a month per person.  By following the principles in this book, I am supposed to be able to feed Brandon and I on just $100 a month, and this includes eating meats and cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables.   I have not been able to bring my grocery budget down that much yet, but I am getting closer.  I thought I’d share some of the grocery shopping principles that I have learned, and if any of you struggle with sticking to a budget at a grocery store, or if you also would like to take revenge on the evil register gremlin, perhaps these methods will help you as well.

    1) Make a Menu Plan. Menu planning sounds rather overwhelming if you are a very busy person or just don’t enjoy planning, but a menu plan can take as little time as 10 or 15 minutes to simply jot down a few meals you’d like to make for the week.  Planning a menu doesn’t have to be an elaborate affair.  I usually plan to make 3 meals during the week.  By the time we’ve eaten those 3 meals, we usually have leftovers for another night and enough ingredients to make a 5th meal during the week (and after that we have a long list of friends, relatives, and distant relations we enjoy visiting on weekends).  By menu planning, your shopping will be more focused so that you don’t just randomly pick ingredients that look good at the moment, and then you will be able to save $ at the register!

    2) Shop as Infrequently as Possible. Every time you shop, you are tempted by impulse buys, so the less you shop, the less you will be tempted.  The Economides shop once a month, because they have a deep freeze and plenty of storage space.  Most of us do not have such luxuries, but you can try to cut down your trips.  If you have been shopping twice a week, try going just once.  Or if you go once a week, try going every other week.  This takes a little more planning, but out of all the tips in this book, this method has helped me save the most at the checkout (does this mean I am a very impulsive person or I am just easily tempted?).

    3) Check Sale Fliers. Your local grocery store, like Safeway or Krogers, will feature certain items at really low prices as an incentive to get people in the door.  Then make a menu plan based on the sales.  For example, last week chicken breasts, thighs, and drumsticks were on sale for 99 cents a pound.  So I bought about 5 pounds of chicken breasts and we will be enjoying Parmesan Chicken, Chicken Oreganato, and Honey Glazed Chicken (or at least that is the hope…the meals have yet to be made!).  Chuck Roast was also on sale for $2.00 a pound, so I also purchased several pounds of roast and divided it into several different meals.  I now have enough meat to feed Brandon and I for about two weeks of meals for just over $10. Watch for deals in other areas as well.  For example, the other week grapes were also on sale for 99 cents a pound, so we enjoyed grapes with our lunches for the next two weeks!  This week bacon was on sale for $1.99 for a one pound package, so I stocked up on that for breakfasts.

    The grocery gremlin still thwarts me at every chance he gets, somehow marking up prices by the time I get to the register, or sneaking extra items in my cart (I swear I didn’t put those Oreos in my basket!).  But I am learning and someday, I shall be victorious!

    Thank you for inspiring me to get a little more serious about grocery shopping!

    Please post your best grocery saving tips for a complimentary copy of my ebook Fast and Healthy Menus for Busy Moms

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  • Pumpkin is loaded with Nutrition

    Pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body with many essential health benefits.  It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C,  Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), B vitamins such as  Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and important minerals such as Iron, Copper, Magnesium and Phosphorus.

    So here is a great way to sneak some pumpkin into your kiddos along with other goodies like cod liver oil and they will never know.  I also have “snuck” (is that a word?) pumpkin in blender batter pancakes along with the pumpkin pie spices.

    Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

    1 Cup Raw milk, yogurt, or kefir

    ½ cup apple juice concentrate

    ½ cup canned pumpkin

    ¼ tsp vanilla

    dash of nutmeg

    1 frozen banana, broken up

    1-2 Tbsp cod liver oil, flaxseed oil, or coconut oil

    6 ice cubes

    Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust flavorings if necessary. Makes two servings.

    breakfastsforbusymomscover_1488_thumbHow are you sneaking good nutrition into your kiddos?  Post your original ideas and recipes  for a complimentary copy of Breakfasts for Busy Moms ebook.

  • Monday Menu – Layered Mexican Lasagna

    Ed Note:  This recipe was adapted by my sister who got it from a Pampered Chef Consultant/friend.  She serves it to company with a big green salad, guacamole, and extra tortilla chips.  It’s delicious.  I would like to hear from my Real Food Friends on how to make this “healthier”.

    Ingredients:
    1/4  cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
    1  pkg – 8 oz cream cheese, softened
    2  cups  shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
    1  medium onion, chopped
    1  can (28 oz.) enchilada sauce     (I like the green sauce)
    12  (6-in.) corn tortillas
    3  cup diced or shredded cooked chicken
    Garnish with additional chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional

    Directions:
    1.  Chop cilantro with French Knife. Place cream cheese in mixing bowl. (Microwave on high briefly if cream cheese isn’t softened.) Add cilantro and 1  1/2 cups of the Monterey Jack cheese; mix well. Chop onion,  set aside. Spread 2/3 cup of the enchilada sauce over bottom of 2 quart baking dish, or one that is approximately 7 X 11. Pour remaining enchilada sauce into large mixing bowl; set aside.

    2.  To assemble lasagna, using  fingers or tongs, dip four of the corn tortillas into enchilada sauce in mixing bowl and arrange over sauce in casserole dish, overlapping as necessary. Scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over tortillas using a small scoop or spoon and spread evenly. Top with 1 cup of the chicken and one-third of the onion. Repeat layers one time. Dip remaining tortillas into sauce and arrange over second layer. Top with remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup  Monterey Jack cheese.

    3.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro.

    Yield: 8 servings

  • Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce

    After I  finished the apple sauce Saturday, Belinda and I still had time to chop up the end-of-the season tomatoes to make roasted marinara sauce.

    TomatoesThe beauty of this recipe is that you use what you have including tomatoes that are going over the hill.  Oven roasted vegetables of any kind are extra flavorful and so is this sauce which can be used for spaghetti, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, tomato soup, anything you would use a marinara sauce for.

    Method

    Using a deep roasting pan, or two 9 X 13 pans, drizzle the bottom of the pan with olive oil – 1-2 Tbsp.  Fill with chopped tomatoes – any kind or combination of tomatoes is fine.

    Slice up 1-2 medium onions and arrange over the top of the tomatoes.  Add herbs such as basil, garlic, oregano, thyme, and rosemary to taste along with some hot red peppers if desired.  Sprinkle some salt over the pan. Roast the onions/tomatoes for 90 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Allow to cool.  Run through the blender, package in 2 – 4 cup portions and freeze.

    You can add tomato paste to make it thicker, or pour off some liquid if desired before pureeing in the blender.  Adjust seasonings.

    I enjoyed this sauce over spaghetti squash last year.  I also added some Parmesan cheese and pine nuts to the sauce in the blender before heating for an extra rich flavor.

    Roasted

  • Baked French Toast

    BakedFrenchToast

    BAKED FRENCH TOAST

    I like to treat myself and the family to an extra special breakfast Saturday or Sunday morning.  Try this sometime soon!

    1 loaf French Bread – slice 1 1/2-2 inches thick

    Place bread slices in a 13X9 buttered pan close together.

    6 large eggs

    1 1/2 cup milk (full fat is best)

    1 cup milk, half/half or cream

    1 tsp vanilla

    1/2 tsp cinnamon

    1/4 tsp nutmeg

    Mix together and pour over bread. Cover with foil and put in refrigerator overnight.  Topping:  1/4 cups soft butter  1/2 cup brown sugar  1/2 cup chopped nuts – optional  1 Tbsp honey.

    Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over entire casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees  or until puffed and golden. Serve with maple syrup and butter, fresh fruit in season, turkey sausage or nitrate free bacon.

    breakfastsforbusymomscover_1488_general

    Breakfasts for Busy Moms

    For more delicious breakfast recipes check out Breakfast for Busy Moms.

  • Holiday Planning -List Week-Oct 3-8

    I believe the best way to avoid holiday stress is by starting your planning now.  It doesn’t need to be complicated, either.  This is the first week devoted to putting your thoughts and details down on the various forms provided or make your own.  Details follow.

    Weekone

    Week #1:  Items to Do (excerpted from the 12 Week Holiday Planner for Christian Families.

    Holiday Self-Evaluation! Complete the Holiday Self-Evaluation form
    provided.  Now is the time to really evaluate what your family’s goals are for
    the holidays.  Sit down together as a family and discuss what the Lord

    would want your family to do as far as activities, traditions, etc. this holiday season.  Keep this form in a place where you will frequently see it and be reminded of your goals for the holiday season.

    Make your lists of gift recipients – Using the Christmas Gift Shopping
    List and Gift Making Checklist provided, jot down people you will want to
    buy gifts for and/or make gifts for.  Don’t worry about specific gift ideas
    now…you will work on that next week.  For now, just jot down names!
    Once completed, file this list in your Christmas Gifts Checklists section
    in the back.

    Christmas Card List– Using the Christmas Card Checklist provided, fill
    in the names and addresses of family and friends you want to send cards to.
    Once the names and addresses are completed, slide into a sheet protector
    and file in the Christmas Card Checklists section in the back.  (Use a
    washable marker to fill out the checklist, marking on the sheet protector if
    you want to include a picture and when the card is mailed, so that you can
    wash off and reuse this list year after year!)

    Plan out menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s – Fill out
    the Menu forms and Recipe Cards provided for each of these holidays and
    file them in the Holiday Menus & Recipes section for later use!  (See Our
    Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)

    List of baked goodies to share or to give away – Using the form provided,
    jot down a list of people you would like to bake for this holiday season!  Use
    the Holiday Baking Recipe Cards to fill in recipes you may want to use for
    these gifts.  File this under the Holiday Baking & Recipes section when

    your list is completed. (See Our Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)

    List of favorite meals to freeze for later – Using the form provided, make a
    list of some of your family’s favorite meals that you can make and freeze
    ahead of time!  You can also use the Freezer Meal Recipe Cards to fill in
    some recipes you want to use.  Having some meals in the freezer during the
    busy holiday season will be such a blessing!  Just make a list for now, the
    actual preparation of these meals will be done later.  Once you have
    compiled a list of meals, file this form under the Holiday Menus & Recipes
    section.  (See Our Favorite Holiday Recipes section for some ideas!)

    Holiday Wardrobe Planner – Using the form provided, make a list of the
    holiday clothes each family member currently has.  Note any clothing items
    that need to be purchased and plan on getting those things soon.  It is very
    handy to have this thought through ahead of time.  When it comes time for
    your family picture, or a formal holiday dinner, you can quickly turn to this
    list and see what clothing items each family member should wear (so you
    can all match if you wish!).  Print out more than one page of this planner, if
    needed, to include every family member.

    You can download the entire 14 – page Holiday Planner Sampler for FREE.

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  • Busy Mom Strategies for Grocery Shopping

    dinnerPhoto courtesy of http://recipes.slides.kaboose.com

    Whether you are facing a difficult pregnancy, recovery from surgery, other long term illness, death of a loved one or other losses, or just a busy mom, there are times when we really need to simplify grocery shopping and menu planning drastically.

    Recently, I haven’t had the energy to do much cooking either.  What helps me the most to conquer, “Mom, what’s for dinner? dilemma” are some of the following ideas.

    • Taking a Saturday morning to cook 2-3 different dishes in bulk.
    • Start my dinner in the morning during breakfast preparation.
    • Purchase take-out barbecue and fill in with easy side dishes like cole slaw and cut up fruit.
    • Making large batches of the meal so I have plenty of leftovers for an extra meal or leftover night.
    • Baked Potato night with canned chili topping, shredded cheese, onion and sour cream
    • Lowering my standards a bit.
    • Relying on basics such as tacos, sloppy joes, meatloaf, and diced chicken breast pieces.
    • Don’t forget a huge Sunday Roast can make several other meals during the week- such as French Dip sandwiches, beef stew, or “goulash” (one pot meal of whatever is around”.
    • Make breakfast for dinner.

    Grocery Shopping when You Are Sick

    Tawra Kellam  is the author of Dining on a Dime Cookbook.  She has been disabled with Chronic Fatique Syndrome and Fibromyalgia for 22 years.  For her, dealing with food, groceries, buying it, and making it are a challenge she has addressed with a few simple strategies.

    Read Tawra Kellam’s complete article Grocery Shopping when You are Sick.  Please post some of your practical ideas for getting dinner and groceries done when you are not at full strength below

    Don’t forget the Real Foods for Teens course deadline is October 1

    Visit me at Twitter:  TheUrbanHome

  • Navy ‘n French Green Bean Soup

    Ed Note: I made this soup last night to serve at Mentoring Moms. It smelled as good as turkey baking in the oven according to my daughter.

    Used by Permission from
    Soups and Muffins by Sue Gregg

    Makes 8 Servings

    Soak beans in water during the day or overnight:

    8 cups water
    2 cups navy or small white beans

    Bring undrained beans to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to keep at very gentle boil for 1 hour or until beans are tender.

    Drain the beans, reserving the bean liquid.

    Combine in large stock pot:

    2 Cups of the cooked beans
    2 Cups Chicken Broth
    3 Cups bean liquid plus water as needed
    1-2 tsp salt or to taste
    1 large onion, chopped
    3 ribs celery, chopped
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 – 4 oz can green chili, finely chopped
    ½ tsp dry mustard
    2 bay leaves (optional)

    In a blender, puree the remaining cooked beans with liquid. Add the following ingredients to the soup pot, cooking about 10 minutes longer to blend flavors and heat ingredients:

    Remaining cooked navy beans
    1 cup water
    2 cups frozen French cut green beans (10 oz) or canned
    2 cups chopped cooked chicken

    Serve with crusty bread or corn bread.

  • Fresh and Wyld Farmhouse Inn & Gardens

    AKA The Farmhouse, Paonia, Colorado

    Great recipes for using seasonal veggies like Chard, Kale, Corn, and Zucchini follow:


    The following recipes are courtesy of renowned Aspen Chef Dava Parr (Paonia, resident). Chef Dava was pleased to share her delicious recipes with us and The Rocket (also known as Arugula) Salad was totally awesome! I learned that I can roast zucchini in the oven instead of saute it, and I must say I love it this way! Learn something new everyday!

    Rocket and Roasted Summer Squash Salad
    This is also a great way to use up leftover corn on the cob. Although I don’t have any arugula growing in my garden today, I think it isn’t too late to plant for a Fall harvest.

    Roasted Summer Squash

    Preheat oven to 425

    1 yellow summer squash

    1 Zucchini

    ¼ onion, chopped

    ½ clove garlic, crushed

    3 T olive oil

    Salt & Pepper

    1/2 tsp Paprika

    Combine all the ingredients above and roast for 25-30 minutes.

    Arugula Salad

    5 oz baby Rocket (arugula), chopped a couple times

    3 ears of corn, shucked off the cob

    2 oz Goat cheese

    Salt & Black pepper

    Dressing

    1 tsp Lemon juice

    2 tsp Nama Shoyu or other good soy sauce

    1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

    2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    Whisk everything together in a little bowl or shake up in a pint jar. Lay arugula on platter, sprinkle corn and goat cheese over the top. Spoon roasted squash over Rocket, (arugula) and pour dressing over the top. Serve.

    Chorizo & Chard Omelet

    ¼ # chorizo, crumbled

    ¼ cup thinly sliced onion

    ½ clove garlic, crushed

    2 cups chard, chopped in small pieces

    1 cup grated zucchini

    3 eggs beaten w/ 1 T Cream

    ½ cup grated Jarlsberg

    Sauté Chorizo with onion, garlic, chard and Zucchini over med-high heat. Spoon into a bowl and set to the side.


    Raw Kale Salad

    1 bunch of Kale cut in chiffonade (Strips as thin as your knife can cut, think shredded paper)

    1 tsp garlic, crushed

    ½ cup raw pine nuts

    ½ cup raisins

    ½ cup grated Parmesan

    Sea Salt & Black Pepper

    3 T olive oil

    Juice of 1 lemon squeezed

    Blend everything together with your fingers until it is well mixed. Let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.

    Stewed Tomatoes and Green Beans

    1 pound green beans, steamed until almost done

    1 T olive oil

    1 clove of garlic, crushed

    1 cup of chopped tomatoes

    1 tsp fresh oregano or ½ tsp dried oregano

    ½ cup nicoise olives, optional

    1 tsp capers, optional

    Pinch of crushed red pepper

    Juice of half a lemon

    Sauté garlic and steamed grean beans in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes and lemon juice. Let stew for a few minutes over low heat.

    Serve with a little Parmesan over the top if you like.

    Fresh and Wyld Farmhouse Inn and Gardens Tucked into a serene corner of Colorado’s North Fork Valley, near charming little Paonia—and —our lovingly restored 1908 farmhouse inn and gardens is a great way to caress, de-stress, and decompress yourself while enjoying a rural lifestyle in total comfort.

    Innkeeper Dava Parr (a renowned Aspen chef) prepares cutting edge comfort food for breakfast and weekend dinners from fresh, local, organic meats and produce grown right on our own four acres or from one of the many farms in Colorado’s most active natural farming region.

    Call us for reservations room types vary in price and range from $90 to $135 per night. 970-527-4389 We look forward to hosting you!

  • Father’s Day Picnic – Erickson Springs, CO

    Erickson Springs is a camping/picnicing area about 45 minute drive from here.  With the gorgeous Anthricite River rushing through, we go there often.  We decided to roast hot dogs, make Somemore’s and play Rummicube, all outdoor/family camping traditions.  The weather was picture perfect. The Ragged Mountains and Antricite provided a heaven-made backdrop.   I am finding the outdoors very healing and soothing to my soul in ways I never imagined.

    Thanks for your prayers, my first Father’s Day without Daune is filled with good memories.