Frugal In Florida

Yes, I'm still menu planning but I get sidetracked once in a while! My neighbor is out of town and I've been getting her mail for her (because that's what us transplanted midwestern girls do). Imagine my surprise to see that she gets Food TV/Network magazine!! This thing will be so well read by the time she gets back, I may have to buy her a new one! So many choices, but this is the one I chose to try. I've posted the complete recipe over on my recipe site and used what I already had on hand (one of the benefits of having a fully stocked pantry and freezer) ... I do think next time I will add a bit of Cayenne pepper to give it a little more kick, but it was good the way listed :) This was before I added the cabbage to the top of each serving. It could easily be low carb if you wanted to eliminate the rice but honestly, there wasn't that much rice (2 cups total for 4 servings) and actually, the veggie mix alone was good but not so sure it would tide you over. Try ...

In the month of June, I spent money. More money than I would like to have. More money than I should have. My savings account is a little sad looking right now, BOTH of them. It's July. Well, almost, less than 24 hours away, so it's time to start a new slate. I intend to start that new slate with a new toy that I will utilize to it's fullest extent. A new cell phone. Yes. A new cell phone. My phone was 2 years old. It was a good ole razor that was working pretty efficiently except that the screen would go white at times, and was starting to occasionally shut off all by itself. We were out of contract since May. I shopped around a little for a new plan, but couldn't beat the one that T-Mobile gave us over 5 years ago. 1000 minutes, free mobile to mobile, etc. for 3 lines for $80 a month. Add in the $20 unlimited text messaging and my bill runs around $120 after all the fees and taxes. The kids have gotten new phones (princess purchased hers with hard cash right after ...

Aiyyyy ... it's Wednesday which means the newspaper has the Publix ad that starts tomorrow (my favorite grocery store, where shopping IS a pleasure). But of course, I've already been scoping out the real deals over at I Heart Publix because Michelle does such a GREAT job of putting a preview up! So I'm browsing both online, looking for a few additional coupons over at A Full Cup and telling myself that I really DO NOT need anything this week with the exception of milk (which of course, I will buy 2 packs of oreos, spend less than $7 for 2 oreos and 2 gallons of milk, which is actually LESS than 2 gallons of milk in the end). *note: the deal is this, $1.50 coupon (tearpad) off 1 gallon of milk (milk runs about $3.39 lately) when you buy one Nabisco cookie. Then I also have the $1 off Golden Oreos. So my oreos cost me $1.99 and the milk cost me $1.50. We go through 2 gallons of milk a week and about 2 packages of Oreos (and no, not at the same time!). Makes sense to me...

I really must stay out of the stores. I need to use what we have in the freezers, pantries and fridges. I just simply have to say no. Easier said then done!! Everything below is with items already purchased and stashed in freezers, pantries and cabinets, fridges. With the exception of veggies and milk/cheese/dairy stuff, I really have NO NEED to go to the store. Can anyone join me on the bandwagon, please??? Sunday - Fathers Day and Hubby has been driving me batty to make my meat sauce so it's sauce with pasta, garlic bread and green salad with vinaigrette. The sauce was made in the crockpot all day long and yielded a healthy dinner and then 4 two cup bags for the freezer. The garlic bread was easy: slice a loaf of italian bead in half horizontally, combine a stick of soft butter with a few chopped cloves of garlic and 2 tbs (more or less) of italian seasoning. Spread a thick layer on each half. Slap them back together, wrap up in foil and bake in oven for about 20 minutes at 37...

Ok, so originally it was suppose to be skewers. I had flank steak, chicken breast, smoked sausage, shrooms, onions and peppers. Well, the shrooms got tossed. Yeah, they would have been ok, but as soon as I skewered them, they were falling off ... so rather than drive myself batty, I just tossed them and continued on my merry way. Left the flank steak whole. Left the chicken breast whole. Left the sausage whole. Skewered the veggies, drizzled some olive oil & then put some mccormick grinder seasoning on. Then I put a bottle of this on the counter to use for dipping purposes: And this was the end result. Yumm. Unfortunately, Princess showed up and started chowing. And then the masses showed up (um, 12 in all) and I locked them outside on the patio til I got my food and some set aside for Hubby before letting them in to devour. But then I added this on the side for a little dipping action:

This should be another post under Signs of Summer ... sea turtle nest. All up and down the beach. On my way to work the other morning, I counted 14. Yes. 14! As you can see in the picture, they mark off around the nest and then post the telltale sign of NOT to mess with it ... Then there's also the theory that the turtles seem to know where the hurricanes will hit so if there are nests on the beach, its a good sign for no direct hits. I heard of this 2 years ago and we've had quite a few nests the past couple of years. So I'm sort of doing my own non-scientific study here ;) If you are so inclined, you can sign up and go for the turtle walk and watch the baby hatchlings make their way to the ocean. Its really cool, but a little sad to know that only a few will survive the trip. They have special lights now on A1A to prevent the turtles from becoming disoriented and going towards the street lights instead of the "moon" on the ocean

Usually the first week of summer break (school generally ends on Wednesday, so the following Monday), this little set up shows up on the beach just south of the A1A curve: Its for surfing. Learn how to surf. That's fine and dandy and all but can you see the background? There are NO waves and generally that's the way it goes in the early summer. Ahhh, but at least you can learn to paddle and practice jumping up on the board (ok, I do NOT surf, therefore, do not know the proper term for that) ... Just had to share :)

Ham ... cheap, 99 cents per pound. Woohoo. And FREE macaroni & cheese from Kraft ... so sweet! The ham is in the crockpot at the moment, I will put it on low when I leave for work. Should be ok, as I'll only let it cook til about 4pm or so...then have the kids turn it off. I'm psyched as this is a big ham (7 lbs) and shoot, it's a beauty! There will be plenty of leftovers for lunches and the freezer. Woohoo!

Here it is, time for another manic Menu Plan Monday over at Organizing Junkie ... I skipped last week and well, the kids all fended for themselves as I worked late most nights, which means they ate a lot of junk food. Days mean nothing really, just that Thursday used to be tv night (survivor, which is now over) and Friday & Saturday which are fun days... Make sure you check back for recipe links & other stuff that comes up ... I'm really trying to stay on plan this week! Sunday - Chix thighs (with bone) that marinated in mojo creole seasoning ... grilled, with buttered egg noodles and a green salad (and homemade vinaigrette ) Monday - Ham (found spiral sliced ham for 99 cents lb!) with macaroni & cheese (free samples from Kraft) Tuesday - Kabobs, beef, chicken, smoked sausage and shrimp (yes 4 kinds) with shrooms , onions, sweet mini peppers (they were cheaper to buy than the regular peppers) and tomatoes, a few will have pineapple for Princess too. Wednesday ...

I find it a little amusing that some weeks I am so thrifty and frugal it's sick! Every penny is accounted for, my grocery list is adhered to and I say NO to anything outside the area. Then, other days, for whatever reason, I spend. And spend. And spend even more. And then suddenly, a few days later, I will realize, holy crap! I've spent XX amount of dollars and whoa nelly, that put me way off budget AND dipped into the savings fund. Anyone have any ideas how or why that happens? For me, it doesn't help that Princess is back home. And the BAND is here 4 out of the 7 days at least. And that I paid for rent for Princess last month. And enrolled her in 2 classes at college last month. And paid my homeowners insurance. Oh. Ok. Maybe it wasn't just the fact that I fell off the budget plan momentarily afterall? On the flip side, it's good that I do have the saving accounts. Granted, they are LOW right now. As in real low. And its even better that I caught myself quic...

Well, it's officially here. Summer. Sonnyboy finished up on Wednesday and he's a SENIOR. Last year. My baby is growing up! Princess is still finishing up her classes on line for the local college BUT she had enrolled in the summer courses on purpose. Sonnyboy needs to finish up his resume we put together for him and take it over to the mall and see what's there. He's an 'odd' boy, so it will be interesting to see what happens. I say odd, as in he does not conform to his surroundings. He is who he IS. Not in a bad way :) Princess has been working for oh, 3 weeks now, at a little store in the mall. She was doing ok with hours, about 20 a week. But this week she only works one day, 4 hours. Huh. Told her she needs to keep looking. Suddenly I've become cash poor. It seems with two teens back home, it's a little more expensive. I know its the $5 here and $5 there, which is why I have a cash jar. But still. So, what are the plans for the summer for the ...