Batching it Up

I can't even remember what I had come up with for recipes in the last week and whether we ate them or not-with the ice, the January thaw and refreeze, I was in a bit of a haze this week. My sink was majorly backed up Friday, still is backing up with too much water, and very smelly from the side with the broken disposal, making everything kitchen related difficult. DD2 was in town, so we ended up going out for dinner, the first time all month. Our usual Mexican restaurant in town is so packed on Friday and Saturdays between 5:30 and 7:30, so we gave a new one, a revived  diner, a try.  It was pretty good, and probably about 10-15% lower priced than the other place. We left completely stuffed. It may be a hidden gem.

Trying to make budget amends, I am doing some batch cooking. I cooked up two pounds of hamburger for Sloppy Joe's, some for today, and two portions to freeze. I have beans soaking for soup since yesterday, and will start sauteing the veg shortly. I need to freeze a few in lunch size portions for grab and go next week. I boiled eggs to grab. I'll throw some chicken in the crock pot to prepare for easy meals as well for the week, like wraps or fajitas.  Last night was a quick meal of tuna pasta bake and sweet potato fries. I felt like comfort food as did DD2, who had spent most of the day working on a project-and my camera came home in just fine shape. DD1 went back home from her friends, so I didn't see her after we had coffee together yesterday morning.

I needed hamburger buns,milk, bananas, and saltines. I decided to use one of my free Sabra hummus vouchers for a tub for snacking during the games later. I'll just have the Sloppy Joe's and soup, cheese crackers, celery and carrots, and not worry about real meals so I can keep puttering and getting things done. I had bought DD2 a hummus cookbook for Christmas, a $2.00 Barnes and Nobel bargain. She said she might use some of her Christmas money towards a food processor, and maybe she can find one second hand in like new condition. 

She mentioned she doesn't have a baking dish, like for pasta, rice hot dish etc. I have several, one of which, a brown Pyrex,  was buried in the back of a cupboard for years. As I have a bigger one, plus several smaller, I sent that one, with its cover home with her. There was no reason for her to buy one, and she can save her funds. I'm trying to think every potential purchases, even for others, and see if a usable substitute already exists. Win-win-saved her some funds, and one more item out of my house.