Happy Valentines Day! I know, while not technically a made up holiday, it sure has been manufactured for commercialism and all that follows. I do like it though-but more the celebration of love in the universal sense, not romantic. I enjoyed Valentines as a kid and the card exchanges, and doing so with my kids. There's something about having a little pop of red, pink, and even purples in the middle of February to tide me over until spring. Well, we'll have St Patrick's Day for an early pop of green too. I thought I'd try and get in the spirit this year-my hearts yesterday and cupcakes, and will make a nice dinner for DH and me later. Here's a recap of meals last week-very off plan.
The plan
- Sunday: Super Bowl foods-frozen pizza, chicken strips, pizza rolls . onion rings hummus, bruschetta (trying this artisan bread recipe) plus fruit, and popcorn
- Monday: Rice crust quiche, blueberry muffins
- Tuesday: Possibly leftovers from all the Super Bowl foods
- Wednesday: Chili and hotdogs
- Thursday: Soup from freezer-probably bean
- Friday: Grilled chicken fajitas with refried beans
- Saturday: Hamburgers with or without buns, baked beans from freezer
The reality
- Sunday: I'll make brunch/leftovers then later will be Super Bowl foods-frozen pizza, hummus, bruschetta (trying this artisan bread recipe) and popcorn
- Monday: Rice crust quiche, blueberry biscuits
- Tuesday: Goulash, steamed carrots
- Wednesday: DH made himself chicken tenders and onion rings, I heated up leftover quiche when I got home from getting dog food and groceries-then crawled into bed, chilled
- Thursday: Sloppy Joes, roasted potatoes
- Friday: Chicken strip wraps with lettuce and cheese
- Saturday: Chicken/turkey stew/hotdish (It was a clean out leftovers kind of concoction in the crockpot and was pure comfort food)
Even though I spent the bulk of my targeted budget on Wednesday night, I still used many of the food stores I had in the freezer. This week, chicken will be heavily in the plan as I bought a massive package of boneless, skinless breasts, and very little other meat, though there is other things in the freezer.
Sunday: Stuffed chicken breasts, wild rice, salad
Monday: Gyros, with cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions with French fires
Tuesday: Chili and hot dogs
Wednesday: Chicken pot pie or chicken and dumplings (depends on my ambition)
Thursday: Apple cheddar sausage meatballs, au gratin potatoes, garlic green beans
Friday: Frozen, Take and Bake, or Take Out pizza
Saturday: Chicken, broccoli, rice and cheese hotdish, drop biscuits
Going into these last two weeks of February, I have spent $293 of my super low $350 challenge, with a $57 balance. This has been everything spent on household and health and beauty (some expensive things here), household and pet supplies, and groceries. It does not include any take out food, but does include DH's fun shop for his snacky things. It sounds very low, but we are pretty well stocked. This will likely go towards milk, bread, cheese, eggs, fruit, deli meat, and maybe more ground beef. Besides the things above that may or may not happen, here's list of could be meals for the rest of the month.
- Bean Soup and egg or tuna salad sandwiches
- Cheddar broccoli potato soup with egg or tuna salad sandwiches
- Tomato soup and grilled cheese
- Bolognese over petit penne pasta
- Lasagna with ground beef and cheese
- Hamburgers and French fries
- Chicken cordon bleu
- Chicken cottage pie
- Chicken burritos with rice and beans
- Mushroom stroganoff over egg noodles
- Petit fillet steaks and baked potatoes
- Crock pot pasta prima vera
- Grilled chicken and salad with a baked potato
With a leftover night or another take out, I should be able to avoid the grocery store for weeks. It seems Covid really isn't the only virus out there if my on again off again head cold is an indication of what happens whenever I venture out of my house. I'll have DH run cupcakes over to his mom. I'm looking forward to desert tonight as after a nice dinner is when I appreciate it the best. Are any of you making anything special or splurging on take out? Any of you actually braving any public dining yet?
I have always loved Valentine's day and for many years my husband and I had a big party- usually a lot of food and appetizers plus some fun games. This year I gave the 4 grands each $50 and told them (well, not the 2 year old) to spend how they wish. I've been thinking I might bake some carrot cupcakes- I got carrots in the farm share Thursday and have all the other ingredients including cream cheese for the icing and pecans. My husband's grandma was the first to introduce me to carrot cake and I just love it.
ReplyDeleteCarrot cake is one of my favorites. We had a nice quiet Valentine's. DH went to see his mom and did some shoveling and brought her cupckaes and we had the dinner I made about 6:30.
DeleteI picked a fancier than normal Hello Fresh dinner for tonight (a steak with rice pilaf & assorted roasted veggies).
ReplyDeleteAs the kids don't have school, I made them a treat bag with assorted candies. My mom sent them cards, which I'm assuming have a small amount of cash inside. (Her usual plan)
I saw you posted the review-I will be reading shortly. My kids grandparents did the same when they were young.
DeleteHa! I bought candy and flowers for me with his card! So, that is the biggie. Nothing special for a meal, just something hearty. I love Valentine's Day with all the reds and pinks and people in a good mood. I like it festive. I meant to tie dozens of red and pink ribbons in the tree out front, but I forgot to get the curling ribbon, so the tree is plain.
ReplyDeleteWhen you buy your own flowers and candy, you get what you want, right.
DeleteHappy Valentine’s Day! We aren’t doing anything super special, Dollar Tree cards and some candy but daughter and her boyfriend have reservations for a little Italian place and then will probably just hang out here. He’s still quarantining away from his parents who just got back from Florida (still shaking my head) so he’s been spending a lot of time here and sleeping at his grandparents house. Other than that, I’ll get some groceries before the snowstorm and call it a day. I stuck to last weeks plan pretty well but didn’t make a soup. We made the tiktok feta pasta last night and it was so good, definitely make again. Putting a ham in the oven today, maybe some lazy stuffed cabbage in the crockpot, tacos, chicken pot pie, fish and fries to round out the week. I’ll use the ham bone for soup and make a small chili since my son has been asking for it. I have some snowman cutout cookies in the fridge that my husband randomly bought, they just need baked and frosted and a pop-can of pumpkin cinnamon rolls I got for .50 at Aldi for sweets. JoAnn
ReplyDeleteI saw how cheap some of the cut out cookies were in stores, but neither of us are big fans, so I can skip the calories! I rarely find the super good Aldi deals. I hop eyou all enjoyed.
DeleteWe don't do Valentines day. Hubby insists its a Hallmark day! I suppose part of me would love the romance of flowers and chocolates but in reality, I buy flowers for myself whenever I want them so there's really no need!
ReplyDeleteI've planned a freezer menu for this week. My freezer is full and I feel its time to use it all up so I've made up a menu to include food we already have in it. Like you, I'll only need to buy fresh veg, bread and some milk for a couple of week. x
I could care less about the romance part-I just like the pop of color and something to have fun with in the middle of February. Now, I'll look forward to St Patrick's Day, and if warm enough, perhaps there will be some outdoor events happening.
DeleteHappy Valentines Day!
ReplyDeleteI need to plan my menu like you've done as we need to grocery shop this week. I've been working on using up what meals I can make here before we do another shop.
Using up what you have is great before a shop. I felt more organized even if the husband thought we had no food!
DeleteI am making in the slow cooker chicken with lemon and olives and potatoes.
ReplyDeleteOlives! I just remembered I bought olives so now I can have those with the gyros tonight as well.
DeleteSounds good Sam! Since we had the wedding yesterday nothing special was planned for today. I made a nice brunch for us and we were still finishing up leftovers this evening. I'll be planning my meals for the rest of the week in a day or two. Happy Valentine's Day!
ReplyDeleteI read your quick recap and so hope people were safe and it was not a spreader event. I feel bad for you not being able to fully embrace the day.
DeleteNo public dining here, and we are eating way too good. Too many sweets, but I will go back home and be good again. Drat!
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband came back from shoveling for his mom (they don't shovel the dustings in her HOA, and we've had three this past week) and bringing her cupcakes, he said all the restaurants had full parking lots. I just don't think it is safe yet.
DeleteIn the summer my husband took me for a 4 hour drive to get me out of the house. That was the first and only time I ate out in a diner where it was every other table. My husband said my eyes looked like they where going to pop out of my head. I'll wait till summer or later to dine out.
ReplyDeleteI ate bar food and had beers outside with my friends this summer, and DH ate outside in October and felt as safe as take out both times, and have had outdoor coffee and drinks, but no inside eating. not ready at all yet.
DeleteYes I haven’t been in a restaurant since last March. I don’t believe it’s safe and just wish we could continue to support those places with take out and get things on a better trend
ReplyDeleteI need another brewery pick-up this weekend. Pure entertainment value! If we get closer to freezing, where I can hold a coffee without going numb, I'll do outside again.
DeletePinto beans & tuna salad sandwiches. Thanks for the idea. We're eating out tonight along with small group of 7 or 8 of us for Lions club meeting. We don't eat out much, though. We cook & eat at home, even take our lunch & drinks to work.
ReplyDeleteThis is navy bean soup I have in the freezer. I do have dry pinto beans to use at some point as well. Maybe a taco soup of some sort. I hope your dinner was fun, and safe.
Delete