I’ve been using the same recipe for my no knead Dutch oven crusty bread since 2013 and yet, the one I made this past week, was my best to date. The size, the shape, the texture, it was just like it had come off the shelf from the local bakery. Pure perfection. I love when that happens.
Also, it sort of looked like Pac-Man. š
Spinach and ricotta stuffed raviolis. Rana makes the best store bought ones if you ask me.
There was also chicken and roasted butternut squash casserole. We had leftovers the next day for lunch and then I tossed the rest in the freezer for a quick meal later this fall.
Do you use Snapware? I love mine. They’re thick and I like how the lids snap down on all four sides and really secures the contents.
There was also roasted potatoes with sausage.
And this weekend the HH brought out the grill and made steak tips with garlic butter and sausage on the back deck.
I tossed some of the leftovers in the pan I used to cook the rice and popped them in the fridge.
The next day I tossed everything in the crock pot with 1 cup of dried beans, 2 cups of beef stock and a can of Rotel and some red pepper flakes and cooked it on low for 4 hours. Hot soup on a cold fall afternoon, does it get any better than that? š
The rest of the steak tips went into the freezer and we’ll use those for sheet pan nachos, soft tacos or a quick soup in the crock pot in the coming weeks.
And last but not least, I made the best brownies on the planet earth last night {I’ll share the recipe tomorrow}. I had to freeze half of the brownies though because other wise they’d be gone by now. š
If only the kids still lived at home and ate like truck drivers I wouldn’t have this problem. But with just the two of us now, I find myself either cutting recipes in half, or freezing the extra portions.
Getting used to this whole cooking/baking for 2 takes time, that’s for sure.
But it was another good week in the food department. Lot’s of delicious home cooked meals. It’s been 25 days since I’ve been to the grocery store and my current egg count is 25. The HH is down to 1 carton of his almond milk and I am still using Nido powdered milk in my 2 cups of tea.
Life is good!
Have a great Monday,
~Mavis
P.S. Did you come across any good deals at the grocery store this week? Are there even any deals to be had? Curious minds want to know.
*****
Total Spent This Past Week on Groceries and Bakery Treats We Brought Home $0
- Total Spent in October on Groceries and Bakery Treats $0
- Total Spent in September on Groceries and Bakery Treats $1663.58
- Total Spent in August on Groceries and Bakery Treats $675.99
- Total Spent in July on Groceries and Bakery Treats $1037.79
- Total Spent in June on Groceries and Bakery Treats $297.1
- Total Spent in May on Groceries and Bakery Treats $323.38
- Total Spent in April on Groceries and Bakery Treats $352.64
- Total Spent in March on Groceries and Bakery Treats $712.01
- Total Spent in February on Groceries and Bakery Treats $230.98
- Total Spent in January on Groceries and Bakery Treats $128.60
- Total Spent on Groceries and Bakery Treats We Brought Home in 2021 $5481.69
Sam says
I hear you in cooking for just two. My freezer is loaded with portions even when ai try reducing quantities. That makes easy lunches though so not complaining. I’ve just restocked yeast and am ready for fall baking.
Anne Sullivan says
I love my Snap Ware. I got it at Costco and love how it closes. I use it or my Food Saver vacuum sealer.
Elle says
Cooking for two š I grew up in a household of 8. I can still make a meal for 15+ with no leftovers. But 2? That takes some major thinking š
I got 2 great deals this week: Butter $1.99/# limit 5, and progresso soup $0.99/limit 8-this is the only canned soup I will buy.
Wishing ya’ll a fabulous week š
Mavis Butterfield says
That’s a fantastic price on butter!!!
Kari says
I finally broke down this morning and purchased a replacement knob for my Dutch oven that will hold up to the temp for the crusty bread. I canāt wait to try it.
Your meals look great! Mondays are my favorite posts, as they give me ideas for the week.
As for deals at the grocery: Fred Meyer has Chex cereal on sale for 1.79. Havenāt seen it that low for quite a while, and we love to make puppy chow with the rice Chex. Also, Albertsons has Near East long grain and wild rice on sale this week, so I stocked up for making your copycat Panera chicken and wild rice soup. My family loves that!
Laura says
Safeway had Chex for 99 cents last week, the lowest I have seen in ages. My kids live on Wheat Chex, so that is a great deal for us. Hoping to see $1.49 before the year is out, but with inflation, who knows where it will go?
Annette says
Kroger milk for 88 cents / half gallon. Limit of 5.
Holly in Denver says
King Soopers (Kroger) had .88 half gallon milk .88. Weāve been having milk shortages here so I was happy to see milk fully stocked when I popped in on Saturday. $1 peanut butter. Meat prices have been high lately so I like to scan for managerās specials – found 3 packs of bacon for .50 each, hooray! That will help feed breakfast for folks I have coming for Thanksgiving:)
Lissa says
Bacon for .50? What kind? It’s $8-9/lb here. Everything is getting more expensive by the day. Very grateful for a stocked freezer. If people can, remember to reach out/share with those in need these days. Going to be a hungry year for many.
Mavis: do you put parchment in the bread pot?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, I like doing it that way now. š
Holly in Denver says
I can normally get bacon for $4/lb. here. Got lucky on the managerās special. Needed to be sold that day. Works fine for me, I just throw it in my freezer.
Ashley Bananas says
I didn’t find any amazing deals. I did find that my Costco has been out of toilet paper for two weeks, and has only had Bounty brand paper towels for two weeks. We stopped in at Walmart for a few things they only sell there, while there I called Costco to confirm their stock on hand was the same as the weekend before. I ended up buying paper towels and toilet paper at Walmart. I wasn’t out but was low, and I don’t want to go without, especially tp. The grocery store is higher on prices this year. Hoping that somehow figures itself out.
Lace Faerie says
Our Fred Meyer (Kroger) has Foster Farms Chicken on 50% off this week. That brought whole chickens down to just under a buck a pound. Bought 8 of the largest ones. Will be cutting those up today. Breasts will be deboned and pressure canned. The bones, backs and wings will be made into stock/bone broth. All the other packages (like thighs) were out so got a rain check.
Last week Safeway had their brand of whole chicken on sale for $.88/lb but our store didnāt receive any from warehouse so I got a rain check.
Let me share a secretā¦I love going to the store on the evening of the last day of sales and getting rain checks on killer deals. That allows me to spread the cost of those greatly priced sale items over more than one paycheck! Itās a gameā¦I win!
Mel says
I really miss the old Snapware canisters. I don’t think they make them anymore, but I occasionally find them on eBay. I tried a new set by them, and they just don’t work as well. I think I’ve had my original set since college.
I didn’t find any deals this week, but we also didn’t buy anything except milk since we’re using freezer meals, so I wasn’t really looking. My husband is going to be mostly out of the house this weekend, so I might try to freeze a chili and some shepherd’s pie, but I only need to buy lamb for that. I think I have everything else.
Rox says
What recipe did you marinade the steak tips
Have you tried lock and lock on qvc. They have great deals
Mavis Butterfield says
Here’s the link to the steak tips recipe: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/grilled-steak-tips-with-garlic-butter/
gina says
Did you use your same recipe for the bread or a different one? That loaf looks like perfection!
Mavis Butterfield says
Same recipe. š
LaToya says
Ugh.
I need a better system for saving – and using – leftovers.
We aren’t quite empty nesters yet, but just have 1 left at home who isn’t always home for dinner … and we haven’t adjusted down our quantities or save food timely; so much waste. That should be some sort of goal for me …
I’m making those brownies this week for sure! š
Thanks, Miss Mavis!