Over the last few months I have been diligently working to get the recipes I either moved over or posted to UnusuallyDelicious onto sonjarants. I'm finally done, and that blog is no more. If you'd like a little refresher, here are those recipes for you to enjoy again:
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Originally posted on July 1st, 2015 on Unusually Delicious. I know, I know. Every other recipe on the internet is "the most amazing", "the best ever", or something to that effect. What makes these so amazing is not just the taste (which is pretty darn good), but also that they're really really versatile. The first time I made them I served them in pitas cut in half (better than the wrap, actually), and this time around I made them into wraps. You can also do the classic burger bun or even as a 'meatloaf' with mashed potatoes - you cannot go wrong with this beauty. Anyone who had read any of my recipes knows that 'quick and easy' is not my style when cooking. Usually because that means opening packages, cans, and boxes, and that is definitely not my thing. Real food takes time. Chopping especially, and there's a whole lot of chopping going on here. There are three parts to this recipe: the sauce, the topping, and the actual patty. Make the sauce first and stick it in the fridge while you do the rest. It will give the flavors a little while to meld together. As always, I recommend using premium sour cream - it's thick and just more delicious than the regular kind. These are fantastic for a Sunday supper or your family BBQ - trust me, your family and friends will love them. I always gauge a recipe by whether my little guy will eat it. I did make a batch without the peppers for him this time around, but he did eat them with last time, he just wasn't too crazy about it. The recipe below makes a LOT of patties, about 16 really large ones or 25-30 medium or smallish ones. I do this on purpose whenever I'm making something that can keep. That way we have leftovers for the next day. You can always freeze half of the meat also - just load on the toppings or halve the recipe for them. First we start with the sauce: Then make and cook the patties: While the patties are in the oven (I did it in two batches - the second batch was baking while we were having our lunch), make the topping: And there you have it, a very versatile chicken recipe. Go all out and make all three parts the first time - trust me, it's fantastic. After that, just hang on to the patty recipe, it's so versatile and can definitely hold it's own without the sauce and toppings. I do have to give props to thecafesucrefarine.com, as that is the recipe I adapted for the one that you see above. It looked delicious (their pictures are phenomenal - thanks for nothing iPad) and definitely delivers on taste.
I’ve been spending some time perusing Groupon lately, and there are some pretty interesting things to buy and places to see listed. I haven’t used Groupon in quite a while because the last time I used it I had a bit of an issue. Not with Groupon, mind you, but with Urthbox. The short version is that I bought the deal through Groupon, but when I signed up at urthbox.com they did not honor the discount code and charged me full price. It took quite a few angry emails to get any action from them, and in the end all I received was credit to my account, not a full refund. And so, I thought maybe I would give it another chance and do a Groupon series. I’ll buy some stuff, order some services, see some Ontario attractions, and let you know how smoothly it all goes, from start to finish. My first real issue is occurring as I'm trying to write this post. I have always used the app, and it's one of those things where you sign up, click the 'remember me' box, and don't really give it a second thought. Right now I'm attempting to get my password reset because I'd like to log in from my laptop but don't remember my password. I have (so far, the night is young) sent seven password reset requests, both from my laptop and from the app. A definite snag. I'm not sure where they're sending the reset email, because it's not showing up in my inbox or my spam. I even added them to my address book. Still nothing. After an hour and I lost count of how many requests, I sent Groupon a direct request. Fingers crossed. Let's move on. The first Groupon I decided to get is one I’ve been eyeballing for a few days: goodfood.com. It’s a meal prep subscription box. I love cooking & I have a real soft spot for subscription boxes. There’s just something fun about getting a mystery box of goodies delivered to your door. If I had the funds, I think I’d be up to my ears in subscription boxes! The discount looks pretty good: $69 for a $140 box. Yes, it says $150 for the regular price, but I selected that one on the website and it was listed at $140. Even at regular price, on its face, it looks like a fair trade for four family meals. So enough fresh ingredients to feed four hungry mouths. I say on its face because I haven’t seen the portion sizes yet, so I’ll have to reserve judgement. Anyone trying to eat real food knows that $140 does not go very far nowadays, so I’m curious to see what kind of bang I get for my buck. I'll do a full review on the actual box once it arrives. After I purchased my Groupon, but before I redeemed my voucher, I visited the goodfood.com website to confirm that I am actually getting a special deal. In other words, I don’t see the point of purchasing a voucher from Groupon and taking those extra steps if all I’m getting is the standard ‘new customer’ discount available to anyone direct from the site. You do get a discount directly from the site with your first order, but it’s $30 off, so your first week costs $110 instead of $140. I paid Groupon $69, and a strange (but wonderful) thing happened. When I entered my Groupon code, I received a discount of $150! So it looks like I have a credit of $10 towards next week. Bonus. (This must be because the Groupon stated $69 for $150) New customer discount vs Groupon discount The goodfood.com website is easy enough to navigate. Although I do have an option to switch out 2 meals, I decided to go with what they chose for us. I also got to choose my delivery day, which is nice, and a bit unusual. Most subscription boxes show up whenever they decide, especially with fresh food. Understandable, they’re grouping orders to each location to save time and cut down in costs. Goodfood.com did, however, give me the choice, and I went with Tuesdays because if I decide to stay with them awhile I figured it made sense to account for holidays and family stuff on weekends. As with all subscription services available at a discounted price (on any site, not just Groupon), I did have to enter my credit card information. However, the website is upfront... you’re entering your card number right above the disclaimer that clearly, in regular sized font, tells you that you are signing up for a service that will charge your card $140 every week unless you say otherwise. So, other than the password thing, it was pretty smooth sailing. I found something I liked on their main page (within the app), I purchased it, immediately received an email, and was signed up with the service with no issues with my discount code. Now I am on my way to some yummy meals next week. **UPDATE** Groupon customer service got back to me very quickly. Although it doesn't explain why I couldn't get a password reset through the app, it seems that I was attempting a reset with groupon.ca, while my account and purchases have been with groupon.com. (groupon.ca is for residents of Quebec) So top marks for customer service so far. A word about navigating the Groupon app; Even when I enter a specific city in the search bar, it shows me a whole lot of attractions and events that are not all that close. For example, I live in Oshawa, and when I enter that, I am also getting fun things to do in Downtown Toronto, which is an hour drive. I can tell you right now that I am not interested in driving for two hours just to have dinner or learn to salsa. An easier way to hone in on your actual area is to use the map feature (which you can find in the upper right hand corner on the app) and only things in that specific area will show up across the bottom of your screen. Now you can just scroll through them and see what is actually available in your area. Finally, a pet peeve for all us Canadians... pricing in USD. Wagjag is famous for it, and that is largely why I don't really even look through their offers anymore. Groupon is pretty good, most things are priced in CAD, but it is disappointing to see what you think is a great deal and then see that the price is say, US$72 for a concert in Toronto. With the current exchange rate, it isn't really a good deal anymore because it's actually costing me just over $91, and that doesn't take into account the exchange fees my credit card will charge. I wish they'd do away with that and just show pricing in the currency of the country that I'm shopping in. So that is it for my inaugural Groupon post. I'll give you an update on how quickly my password situation is resolved, and expect a new post either Tuesday or Wednesday when I review my GoodFood box. Stay tuned to see what I buy next! Click here or any green Groupon to use my personal referral link! It won't cost you anything extra, but I'll get a small credit to help me buy more from Groupon and deliver more honest reviews for you! Thanks for stopping by and supporting my blog.
To say I like to go into some form of brumation* during our long, cold, Canadian winters is an understatement. All but essential tasks are put on hold for me. I get up out of my warm bed only to go to work, keep my husband and children alive, and (kind of) keep the house looking like a house and not an episode of hoarders.
Brumation is an example of dormancy in reptiles that is similar to hibernation. They often wake up to drink water and return to "sleep". The brumation period is anywhere from one to eight months depending on the air temperature and the size, age, and health of the reptile. Brumation is triggered by lack of heat and the decrease in the hours of daylight in winter, similar to hibernation. Source: Wikipedia
As you well know if you visit here more than once, blogging is also something that doesn't happen with any sort of frequency during the winter. Yes, something that catches my fancy will make it here (The Black Panther Movie, cracking the code of feeding a family on a budget, a mockumentary I thought was real, and an updated book review because The Terror is coming to AMC). Four posts in a month and a half is kind of sad.
So when I got an email from Ashley Lipman from Seed Needs offering up a guest post for my blog, I jumped at the chance. Okay, I had to come out of my semi-conscious state, be reminded that the offer was there, sleep on it some more... you get the idea. But, I was happy to have something fresh and someone with a new perspective get a voice here at sonjarants.
Stock up on seeds at amazon.com
So, although it's February, and no one in Southern Ontario would even be able to dig a hole to start planting anything, it's warm somewhere, and this is a good list of veggies you can start thinking about now, so that you can enjoy them when the fall weather comes around.
And so without further ado, I bring you...
Photo credit/site www.pexels.com
6 Fall Veggies to Plant Now
Guest post by Ashley Lipman from Seed Needs
Many of us think of gardening as exclusive to late summer, and spring. However, there are many places on the planet where summers are cool and winters are harsh, and go on for months. Nature never leaves us on our own. There are many veggies that are grown in colder months.
In the following list of vegetables, you will find a variety of plants. Some have leaves that are editable, and some have roots that provide food for humans, and animals. Most will survive minor frosts. All are nutritious, and delicious.
Arugula (rocket)
Beets Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Collards Carrots Cauliflower Celery (mild winter climates) Chard Fennel Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mizuna Mustard greens Onions (bulbing) Onions (bunching--standard onions harvested before they form bulbs). Pak choi (Bok choy) Peas Potatoes Radishes Spinach Coriander (cilantro)
Photo credit/site: pixabay.com
Tips and Hacks for the cold-weather garden
There are some things that you can do to ensure a good cold-weather harvest. We have put together a list to help. If you are confused, there are many free apps you can download to your smartphone to help.
Prepare your soils well
Make sure you clean the soil, removing ant debris from your spring, and summer gardens. Turn the soils well, and add compost or manure to fertilize the ground. Frame your garden Using boards, build a small frame around the garden. If the garden is large, frame sections. This is to help your garden have room to grow, and to allow you easier access to protect the plants from harsh weather. Use slow release fertilizer This is important. In the fall, and winter months, you need a constant supply of fertilizer to your garden. Do not over water your crops You want moist soil, but not heavy, and damp. Too much water can allow freezing to destroy your plants. Protect from frost This is where the frame of the garden comes in handy. Attach a clear shower curtain to the frame of the garden to protect the plants from frost. If you are concerned that it will be a heavy frost, string a string of Christmas lights under the shower curtain. This will generate just enough heat to protect the plants. Experiment The fall crops may not grow as large or exactly the same way you expect in warmer months, but they can still produce. Try planting potatoes. You may not see leaves but dig anyway. Sometimes there will be a bountiful, new potato crop under the ground
Herbs
Herbs are a great way to give your food fresh flavor year-round. The best thing about herbs is you can grow them in almost anything. Use small, plastic coffee cans (with a few nail holes for drainage) or small flower pots. Use lengths of rope to secure them to your fence or grow them on a rolling cart. When the temps drop, just bring them indoors. A few herb plants are a great addition to your cold-weather garden. They make soups, stews, and other foods spring to life.
When you are finished with this garden, repeat the soil preparation that you began with. Cover your clean, and prepared garden with mulch to keep the nutrients in the soil. You will have little work to do on the earth when spring arrives.
Thank you very much Ashley for your great tips! Looking forward to the warmer weather so I can implement some in my own backyard garden.
As always, thank you for stopping by, see you next post!
This post may include affiliate links inserted by the guest author. sonjarants.weebly.com is not affiliated with any company or product that may be mentioned or advertised, nor do I necessarily endorse them.
2018 is going to be a fantastic year for those of us who love the Marvel Universe. This year we are blessed with Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, Ant-Man and The Wasp, and Venom. [Click any of those titles to open a new window where you can see the official trailer.] And the very first one out of the gate is definitely setting the pace. Black Panther officially opens in Canada and the US today, and it is a force to be reckoned with. I am lucky enough to live near a Cineplex theater that shows blockbusters starting the night before, so our family always goes to see superhero movies on the Thursday before official open. Last night we went to see King T'Challa show us the wonders of his beautiful Wakanda. As I say with all of my reviews... I am really weak at writing a succinct synopsis, so I give you this one from google.ca: The Black Panther movie stars Chadwick Boseman as King T'Challa/Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Forest Whitaker as Zuri, Winston Duke as M'Baku, and finally, Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue. To say that this movie is packed with talent is an understatement. We have some big names like Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker, Oscar nominees like Daniel Kaluuya, fan favorites like Danai Gurira (I am so in love with her as Michonne on AMC's The Walking Dead), and some up and coming talent like Letitia Wright (she's done mostly TV until now). It's a wonderful cast and the chemistry between the characters is spot on. I would be remiss not to point out (if you haven't already noticed), the predominantly black cast. I feel like Marvel released Black Panther in February not only to warm cold Canadians, but more importantly to celebrate Black History Month. This cast is strong, talented, and as if you needed more, there are so many strong black female characters, you could say they carry the story. Black Panther gives so much to its audience. There's so much action, you definitely know you're watching a Marvel Studios movie. It's an origin story, because although we were introduced to the Black Panther in Avengers: Civil War, we know little of this character so far. But it is so much more than just an introduction to King T'Challa; we are told the lore behind the Black Panther and taken on a tour of the beautiful hidden city of Wakanda, a place the outside world knows as a third world farming community that is in actuality the most technologically advanced society on the planet, thanks to their mountain made of vibranium (the stuff that makes up Captain America's shield). Marvel Puzzle Quest screenshot Aside from loads of action, this movie packs sadness, happiness, beauty, and duty to country in equal parts to give us an extremely well-balanced film. I was absolutely in love with the way the director, Ryan Coogler, blended the traditional look of African Tribal Elders, farmers, and royalty with technology. The "coronation" of King T'Challa was fantastic, wild, and visually stunning. The soundtrack is nothing to sneeze at either. Available on Spotify, it boasts talent like Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, Khalid, and The Weeknd. You can also download for free the February issue of Cineplex Magazine here, where you can read a short interview with the King himself, Chadwick Boseman. There's also a short intro to the timeline of Black Superheroes in the Marvel Universe (in the comics). Whether you're in to superhero movies or not, Black Panther is worth a watch. It has a great story, is visually stunning, boasts some stellar acting, and shows off some pretty imaginative technology. I give this movie 5 movie passes out of 5.
I'm sure you've pinned and clicked through many of these on Pinterest. I'm a big fan of them myself - the only problem with the vast majority? They're not realistic. I have yet to find one which would actually feed my family - 6' 2" hubby, 6' eighteen year old son, thirteen year old son, and myself. The taglines are so enticing... "How I Feed my Family of 7 on a $85 Weekly Budget", "How to Feed a Family of 5 on $200 a month", "How I Feed my Family of 6 for $200 a Month", and my personal favorite, "Real Food Meal Plan: Four Weeks Four Mouths $330". I could spend this entire post breaking down the feasibility of each of these four examples, but I'm here for a better purpose today. Let me just point out that what these posts, along with the hundreds like them have much in common; they're only counting dinner, the meals are pretty much chicken, rice, and some canned stuff thrown in for good measure, and often they are talking about feeding small children who eat like mice. If these families are making this work, good on them, but not even one of them would work for my family. First off, we need to eat actual food. Secondly, we're not that fond of chicken. We like it, don't get me wrong, but if I served chicken on Monday, chicken soup on Tuesday, chicken rice on Wednesday, chicken tacos on Thursday (you get the idea), my family would revolt. Yes, you cannot be too choosy when you're eating on a budget, but food is not just fuel, it should be flavorful, nutritious, and delicious. That is what we are used to. Which is probably why our grocery budget was absolutely out of control. I was spending my (pathetically sad) $300 weekly paycheck on food, and when you do that , there is not much left over for things like bills, or heaven forbid - fun. Which is why I decided to take a good look at some of these and come up with a plan that can actually be used on a large scale. Another thing I'd like to mention is that I have yet to come across a Canadian budget meal planner. I'm sure they're out there, but I've only clicked through American ones. Why does that matter? Because I cannot go to the grocery store and pay .89 for a dozen eggs, nor can I get a whole chicken for $3. My cost could be double some of these in some cases. So I had to tailor it to my food prices. Now, if you're living in the States and you're reading this, you could possibly shave about a third off of my cost, just because your prices are lower in many areas, which is just an added bonus for you. Before I get into the meal plan - three meals a day, every day, for one week - I'd like to share some pointers that will make this so much easier for you. What I'm about to tell you is no secret - many of the links and posts widely available offer much of the same advice. Actually, a large number of these "Feed your family on a budget" posts do not actually contain meal plans, they just give you pointers like 'clip coupons', 'buy in bulk', 'batch cook', and 'love your crockpot'. All fine suggestions, but we don't have a whole lot of coupons here in Canada (not like in the States), and I have yet to find a coupon for anything in the produce section. Buying in bulk means you need a place to store all of your bulk (and it means cans and boxes, which I am not fond of), no one wants soup or stew every night, and don't get me started on batch cooking. Tried it once - no thank you. So here are my pointers: Plan Out Your Week. Whether it starts on a Sunday or a Tuesday doesn't matter. Get a pen and a piece of paper and find a comfy chair. I write out the days of the week, and the first thing I do is make a note of which days I'm working. Nights, actually, I work 11pm-6:30am, which should make this whole cooking three squares a day even more difficult for me, so if I can do it, so can you. The reason you're doing this is so that you do not plan a complicated dish on a day you're going to be excessively tired or busy running around. Use leftovers or simple dishes on those days to make your life easier. Write Out Your Meals Write down seven breakfast dishes, seven lunches, and seven dinners. You'll trim this down as you decide because some dishes are 2-day deals, i.e. oatmeal, chili, or soup. But writing down three for each day gives you a variety of choices. Whatever you decide to take out can always be pushed to the next week. Now trim your list. My list includes two different kinds of oatmeal, donuts, and muffins, and that covers my week. My lunches are tuna melt pie, scones, and sandwiches. My dinners consist of chili, soup, pizza, sliders, and pasta. More on all of these later, but you can see a wide variety of food - actual food. I highly recommend Pinterest for this exercise because you can just search "cheap dinner", "budget friendly meals", etc., and you'll get a ton of ideas. Draw on your own experience also. There's nothing wrong with meatloaf, spaghetti, or whatever your family has always loved. So trim your list by making notes of which meals will have enough leftovers for a second day, you'll see what I mean in my plan. Write Out ALL The Required Ingredients. You mean even things like salt or pepper? Why? A couple of reasons. First, you're going to make one trip to the grocery store. You heard me. One. Can't do that if you missed something. Second, you may think you have an ingredient, but when you go to the cupboard to get it while you're cooking you find that you are out of it. That sucks and has happened to me more times than I like to admit. Third, you may think you need an ingredient, but guess what? You have four of them in the back of the fridge because you keep buying it. Going once and getting everything you need and only what you need saves you time and money. If you're like me this will be very strange. I am used to shopping 2-4 times per week. I am also used to throwing stuff out because I forget I bought it because I had no actual plan for it, and now it went bad. More money wasted. And I work at a grocery store - so if I can limit my food purchases to once a week, you definitely can. Trim Your List Once you've written everything out, go through your cupboards, fridge, freezer, pantry, and everywhere else you house foodstuffs and cross off anything on your list that you have on hand. Most likely you have things like salt (I was almost out of pepper, so that will stay on the list next week), baking powder, or flour. But you may be surprised at what you do have sometimes, tucked away in the shadows. Now you have your basic list. I whittled a list of over 60 items to less than 30 - sweet. This is what you will venture out to buy. If you are a coupon clipper, now is the time to go through your coupons and see what you have that will help you with your list. I am not into coupons, not because I don't want to be, there just isn't much that I purchase in the coupon world. I do suggest 2 apps here that will help you immensely. If you are not using the flipp app to shop, you're nuts. I absolutely love it. At this point I pop in my basic list and look for sales on the items I need. I usually only shop at two stores, FreshCo and Real Canadian Superstore, the first because the prices are great (but the selection is meh), and the second because although the prices are a bit high, I can often find anything FreshCo doesn't carry here (plus I work there so I get my [truly mind boggling, how do they stay in business] 10% discount). Both stores price match, and I can do that right from the app. The second app I suggest is Checkout51, which saves you a little bit here and there. You just look to see if anything you bought is offered, take a pic of your receipt, and you're good. You won't get rich off of it, but it's easy and it helps a little. This week I got $1.00 cashback for buying the Eggo waffles, which I was buying anyway. *NOTE* I don't know how widely these apps are distributed, I live in Ontario, but I'm sure you will have something similar in your area. Go Shopping And buy ONLY what is on your list. Yes, those strawberries look so delicious. Sure, that cake is on sale. Oh yeah, the chips are 2 bags for $5. Do not give in. You are on a budget. Whatever reason got you here, you must think of it and buy only what you see on your list. And only make this one trip. It may be to two or three stores, but do it in one go. It's a time saver in the end, but it also cuts down on the temptation to impulse buy. The only time I encourage you to go off list is if it is an extremely good price and it is something that can keep for a bit. Maybe you only need one can of romano beans, but they're on sale for .88, and that's a good deal. I would buy maybe four or five cans (all different), and possibly use them the next week. Okay, enough about all that. I'm sure I'm not really telling most of you anything you don't already know. Here is the part that made you visit here in the first place: 7 Day Meal Plan for a Family of 4 for about $100 Day One Breakfast: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin (2-day recipe - approximate cost per day <$2, my cost was $0) Lunch: Tuna Melt Pie + Salad (2-day recipe - approximate cost per day ~$7, my cost was $5.50) Dinner: Beans & Pasta (approximate cost <$5, my cost was $3) Day One Notes: I made the muffins and pie the day before and the salad was simple, I bought a big bag of organic mixed spring greens for $5 which will make about 6-8 servings, a great addition to a smallish lunch and easy enough to take to work. The beans & pasta is a staple dish in our home and very simple: 1/2 pkg elbow macaroni 2 cans romano beans (do not drain them) 2 strips bacon 1 tsp oregano 2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1 onion, chopped salt & pepper to taste 1] Boil pasta 2] While pasta boils, chop bacon & fry until crispy, do not drain. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add spices and stir. 3] Add beans and liquid to bacon/onion mixture and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and stir once or twice. Let cook another 5 minutes. 4] Drain pasta and add to bean mixture. Remove from heat. Stir until all pasta is covered and serve. See? Simple. Day one cost about $14 if you purchased all the necessary ingredients. My cost was about $8.50. Day Two Breakfast: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Lunch: Tuna Melt Pie + Salad Dinner: Southwestern Style Chili (3-day recipe - approximate cost per day $5.50, my cost was <$4) Day Two Notes: A pretty easy day with two meals consisting of leftovers so no need to cook. The chili can be made stovetop (as I did) or in the crockpot, as the recipe calls for. I froze the third day's serving as it is actually a little less than what would feed all of us and I think it would be great for chili cheese dogs next week. The chili pricing includes the toppings: cilantro, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese. Day two cost about $14.50 & my cost was about $9.50. Day Three Breakfast: Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal (2-day recipe - approximate cost per day $2. My cost was $1.50) Lunch: Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Scones + Salad (2-day recipe - approximate cost per day $6. My cost was $4.50) Dinner: Southwestern Chili Day three notes: The oatmeal cooked overnight and was hot and ready to go in the morning. I baked the scones the day before and froze half of them for next week. Day three cost about $13.50 and my cost was <$10. Day Four Breakfast: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Lunch: Cheesy Frittata + Salad (2-day recipe - approximate cost per day $6. My cost was $2.) Dinner: English Muffin Pizzas (Approximate cost $9.) Day four notes: The pizzas are another fun staple in our house, and so simple to make! 2 packs (of 6) of english muffins 2 small cans pizza sauce (you can get away with one but we like a lot of sauce) 1 can mushroom pieces and stems 1 snack pack of mini pepperoni 1 onion, sliced 1 sweet pepper, sliced 2 cups shredded mozzarella Halve the muffins, spread pizza sauce, top with cheese, then all other toppings. Bake at 350deg for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Feel free to add or remove any of the toppings, put whatever you like on them, they're quick, easy, and delicious. Day four cost about $17, with my cost about $13. Day Five Breakfast: Donuts (Approximate cost is $3.50) Lunch: Frittata + Salad Dinner: Golden Coconut Lentil Soup (2-day recipe - approximate cost per day $2.50. My cost was $0) Day five notes: Yeah, I know you got all excited about the donuts, then clicked on the link and got weirded out when you saw what the donuts were made of. Trust me, it's okay. It's just a little cheat and we are not a bunch of snitches, so our secret is safe. Day five cost about $14.50 and my cost was $8. Day Six Breakfast: Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal (2-day recipe - approximate cost per day is $2. My cost was $0) Lunch: Reuben Stromboli + salad (approximate cost $12.50. My cost just over $11.) Dinner: Coconut Lentil Soup Day six notes: Remember when I told you to write out EVERY ingredient and then go from there? I did not write the dressing down for the reuben recipe because I really just glanced at it and came to the conclusion that it was only for the dip, and I was not going to make the dip, so I did not need the dressing. So I did not put it on my list at all. Boy was I wrong, and I don't even know how I missed the necessity of the spread on the bread. Anyway, I always have mayo in my fridge, so that was a quick save. Day six cost about $17 and my cost was about $11.) Day Seven Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Lunch: Chicken Nugget Eggo Waffle Sliders (Approximate cost $12) Dinner: Sausage & Egg Sliders (Approximate cost $14. My cost about $13.) Day seven notes: Today turned out to be slider day, I don't think I planned it, but I didn't hear anyone complaining. I have to give you the link to Chicken Waffle Sliders because that's where I got the idea for my chicken nugget sliders, and I like to give credit when credit is due. I took their idea but made it easier by just buying a package of Jane's chicken nuggets and topping each one with a little mayo, lettuce, and 1/3 of a grape tomato. Yum! Day seven was the most expensive day by far at $28, with my total around $25.) The approximate total cost for 3 meals a day which actually, realistically, feed a family of four for 7 days turned out to be about $119. My total was a little lower at $84.50. Your total would also differ depending on what you already have in your home. However, even if your fridge is empty and your cupboards bare, I have shown you how to keep your family well fed on about $120. One last thing I would like to comment on before I send you off: drinks. We drink a lot of water in our house. (Real) juice is a weekly treat, and pop is a rarity, really only when we have company and we all indulge, a few times a year. We also drink coffee (the adults) and tea, both hot and iced. If you're trying to wean yourself or your family off of pop and juice, try squeezing the juice of a lemon or orange into a pitcher of water. Maybe some fresh mint (slightly muddled), or even a few chopped strawberries. Ease your family into it. I won't judge, it's your family, you can ingest what you like, but I feel like if you just give good old H2O a chance, you may find you enjoy how refreshing it can be. And it's also a heck of a lot cheaper ;) I thank you for sticking around, I know, this was a really long post, but I wanted to be as thorough as possible because the very simplicity of the other posts made me feel it was a waste of time to click through. Comments are always welcome - let me know if you've tried my plan, or if you have any inexpensive but delicious recipes I can add to a future plan. Bon Appetit!
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AuthorHi! I'm Sonja and I'm glad you're here! I'm happy to share some recipes and gardening tips with you while I let you know about great (or not so great) products, services, and media I encounter. Visit my online shop at MysteriousDragonfyre.com
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