My recipe book is coming along. I'm going to take some pictures pretty soon. I've printed out quite a few recipes recently and have put them in a 1 1/2" pretty green binder. With sheet protectors. It looks awesome. Pictures to come.
I'm really looking forward to having all of my "regular" recipes in there, plus a few empty spots for the new "winners." I'll make one or two new main recipes a month (to stretch the budget) and decide whether or not it makes the book. I'll probably do new sides more frequently because 1) I have fewer side recipes, and 2) they are less expensive.
My last post on my recipe book, I said I wanted to write the cost of each meal (to feed about 4 people). I'm just going to write that in on every page (not type it) because I think the prices will change over time.
Why write the costs of the meals down? To make sure I don't make too many expensive meals in a week. Of course that's going to take a lot of time because I have to actually know how much the materials cost...
This is going to be awesome, too, because it will contain all our family favorites that my children will be used to. In 2006, my mother-in-law made all of the daughters a recipe book of her favorites. Some of those recipes made it in my book already, and I just love that they can be passed down generation to generation. I hope my future daughters-in-law appreciate that! *Fingers crossed*
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Blog Feature - email subscriptions
On the left side of this page, you can subscribe to this blog if you enter your email address, type in a verification word when prompted, then click on a link in your email inbox to confirm.
Each time I update this blog, you will get emailed, and thus remember to read it. :-)
Each time I update this blog, you will get emailed, and thus remember to read it. :-)
Double Coupon Week & Coupon Websites
Harris Teeter is having double coupon week at their store. I am planning on at least 2 shopping trips on separate days (because you can take advantage of the doubles only once a day). Check out the Harris Teeter link on the right column for all the stuff you could get free.
When you print coupons from websites, you sometimes have to install a coupon printer. Downloading the printer hasn't bothered my computer at all. Coupons (dot) com is the one I most frequently print coupons from. Other sites you have to put your information down.
If you have a problem with giving websites your email address, you can make a completely different email address up, and use that one each time you sign up for newsletters/special offers, etc. You can forward that email address to your regular one, and put it under a different label and check whenever you'd like (I LOVE gmail!!). That way your regular inbox isn't filled up with a bunch of offers.
When you print coupons from websites, you sometimes have to install a coupon printer. Downloading the printer hasn't bothered my computer at all. Coupons (dot) com is the one I most frequently print coupons from. Other sites you have to put your information down.
If you have a problem with giving websites your email address, you can make a completely different email address up, and use that one each time you sign up for newsletters/special offers, etc. You can forward that email address to your regular one, and put it under a different label and check whenever you'd like (I LOVE gmail!!). That way your regular inbox isn't filled up with a bunch of offers.
New Addition to Blog
This week, I spent some time searching out Virginia blogs that post the coupon match-ups every time a new ad comes out.
I have been wasting some serious time looking for good deals at my local stores from other people's blogs. That's all well and good except when they live in Florida or in California or in St. Louis!! Their sales may not be the same as ours (and I've frequently had problems with this...).
Anyway, I FINALLY landed on this website (you may want to check it out): becentsable (dot) net and it has some really cool resources. You can become a paying member and get other cool stuff, or you can just search around for free.
I like Farm Fresh double coupons & Kroger & Food Lion. So I added some blogs you can click on (on the right column) that will give you updated coupon match-ups that are in your area (if you live here in VA). And if you're like me and don't get Food Lion ads in the mail, these will help.
If you don't live in VA, you can find your state listed on the becentsable website under "Grocery Store Deals."
Let's see if this works for me. I'll keep you posted. :)
I have been wasting some serious time looking for good deals at my local stores from other people's blogs. That's all well and good except when they live in Florida or in California or in St. Louis!! Their sales may not be the same as ours (and I've frequently had problems with this...).
Anyway, I FINALLY landed on this website (you may want to check it out): becentsable (dot) net and it has some really cool resources. You can become a paying member and get other cool stuff, or you can just search around for free.
I like Farm Fresh double coupons & Kroger & Food Lion. So I added some blogs you can click on (on the right column) that will give you updated coupon match-ups that are in your area (if you live here in VA). And if you're like me and don't get Food Lion ads in the mail, these will help.
If you don't live in VA, you can find your state listed on the becentsable website under "Grocery Store Deals."
Let's see if this works for me. I'll keep you posted. :)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Our Computer Broke!
Our home computer broke. The hard drive failed - thankfully only 2 picture folders (that we know of) were corrupted. Bummer, though.
With that said, we're getting a Mac in the mail on Tuesday probably. I'm hoping that the it has some cool programs that will help me with organization.
I've fiddled around with a couple of recipes. I made shrimp soup the other night and while the recipe called for chicken stock or water, I used cream of shrimp soup with some milk, and also added old bay seasoning! And it actually was good! I never do that, but the fact that it was good was definitely a confidence booster for me. Maybe I do have some of my parent's talent for cooking.
I'm still brainstorming about my recipe book, though. Maybe I'll head to Office Max to get some good ideas. Or surf the internet some (wait, surf the internet? Do people even say that anymore?).
With that said, we're getting a Mac in the mail on Tuesday probably. I'm hoping that the it has some cool programs that will help me with organization.
I've fiddled around with a couple of recipes. I made shrimp soup the other night and while the recipe called for chicken stock or water, I used cream of shrimp soup with some milk, and also added old bay seasoning! And it actually was good! I never do that, but the fact that it was good was definitely a confidence booster for me. Maybe I do have some of my parent's talent for cooking.
I'm still brainstorming about my recipe book, though. Maybe I'll head to Office Max to get some good ideas. Or surf the internet some (wait, surf the internet? Do people even say that anymore?).
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A Little Comedy
I was just re-reading my last post, the parts where I'm probably going to have recipes more than once/in different sections and I thought about a funny Friends episode where Monica is searching through her wedding planning book that she created when she was growing up. The venues, bands, cakes, and flowers were labeled, cross-referenced, and color coated according to their themes and how they related to one another. Maybe one day I'll be that organized, but by that time I may be on the verge of OCD.
It does sound tempting to do, though...
Ok wait, maybe I am on the verge of OCD.
It does sound tempting to do, though...
Ok wait, maybe I am on the verge of OCD.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Upcoming Goals
I thought of something cool in the shower the other night. I'm going to work hard to compile cheap, quick recipes that Mark and I like in a recipe book (with sheet protectors). I'll probably use a 3 ring binder so when I print out recipes I can stick them right in the binder. If they are in cookbooks, I usually type them out and print them out.
My goals for my meals:
Prep in 30 minutes
Bake for however long I need to that evening.
Cheap (Under $10 for my family)
My goals for my recipes will tell:
how many servings it makes,
what season it would be best in,
how much prep and also cooking/baking time it takes.
I might print out a couple of copies of each recipe because sometimes one meal may fall under other categories. For instance, I want to know which of my recipes are good for Sunday meals - those I can either stick in the crock pot in the morning, bake while I'm at church, or get it on the table in 30 minutes from getting back home. Most of those meals will be fine for using at other times, too.
My "tabs" will include at least these:
Basketball game nights (or evenings when we have to get out the door quick)
Sunday Dinner
Large get-togethers
A log of my own recipes (what I tried, what I liked/didn't like, mistakes I made, etc)
Crock Pot Meals
Quick Sides
Also, I want to experiment with recipes more. I think I've been cooking long enough that I don't have to stick to recipes like I've been doing. Maybe I'll do one recipe every month where I don't use one at all. (Of course I'll have some spaghetti on standby if something terrible happens!). It's time to leave my comfort zone, lay down my pride, and get to making some good creations.
Something that's annoying me is that I have a tendency to let food go bad because I don't have the creativity to use it in something. Celery, Carrots, Green Peppers, Lettuce, Green Onions are a few of the vegetables I often let go bad. I want to figure out ways to use them up so I don't waste money.
Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!
~Rebecca
My goals for my meals:
Prep in 30 minutes
Bake for however long I need to that evening.
Cheap (Under $10 for my family)
My goals for my recipes will tell:
how many servings it makes,
what season it would be best in,
how much prep and also cooking/baking time it takes.
I might print out a couple of copies of each recipe because sometimes one meal may fall under other categories. For instance, I want to know which of my recipes are good for Sunday meals - those I can either stick in the crock pot in the morning, bake while I'm at church, or get it on the table in 30 minutes from getting back home. Most of those meals will be fine for using at other times, too.
My "tabs" will include at least these:
Basketball game nights (or evenings when we have to get out the door quick)
Sunday Dinner
Large get-togethers
A log of my own recipes (what I tried, what I liked/didn't like, mistakes I made, etc)
Crock Pot Meals
Quick Sides
Also, I want to experiment with recipes more. I think I've been cooking long enough that I don't have to stick to recipes like I've been doing. Maybe I'll do one recipe every month where I don't use one at all. (Of course I'll have some spaghetti on standby if something terrible happens!). It's time to leave my comfort zone, lay down my pride, and get to making some good creations.
Something that's annoying me is that I have a tendency to let food go bad because I don't have the creativity to use it in something. Celery, Carrots, Green Peppers, Lettuce, Green Onions are a few of the vegetables I often let go bad. I want to figure out ways to use them up so I don't waste money.
Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!
~Rebecca
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