Update on the cook ahead idea

I tried the idea from my previous post about cooking the meat ahead this past weekend. I did about 10 lbs of chicken and 8 lbs of ground pork/turkey mix because we don't eat ground beef.

I have to admit that it was easier than I thought it would be and the results have been fantastic! If you have not tried this idea yet I urge you to do so! It is a great time saver and made for some tasty meals!

Saturday I made chili with the precooked meat. It was so easy to just dump the bag in and add all of my other ingredients, turn on the pot and GO!

Tuesday night I made tacos and enchiladas with the prepared shredded chicken and they was delicious! I just thawed the meat, wrapped the enchilada shells around it and threw it in the oven. Tasty and good! QUICK TOO!

Tonight is baked ziti with the prepared ground meat mix. It will be so easy! The meat is thawing, now all I have to do is boil noodles, open a jar of sauce and throw it all together. Put in the pan and throw cheese on top and pop it into the oven. Now that's the way I like it....quick, easy and GOOD!

I decided to compose a list of reasons why I like doing the meat ahead so much:
1. I only had to handle raw meat one time. This is a major ICK factor for me in cooking, and also the reason I keep rubber gloves on my microwave.
2. I only had to chop raw onion and cry once.
3. I could easily see how many meals I had enough meat for when I stacked it in my freezer.
4. The Ziploc bags of cooked meat take up much less room and store flatter that the bulky packages of meat.
5. The precooked meat makes it super quick and easy to throw together easy homecooked meals. It was quicker to put the tacos and enchiladas together than to order pizza.
6. The flexibility of the cooked meat makes trying new recipes easy and enticing again, even when I don't feel creative. :)

If you have not checked out the idea of cooking ahead, please give it a whirl. It took me about 2 hours to do both the chicken and the ground meat, and I have enough meat prepared now for about 12 meals.

Let me know what you think!!!!

A big time saver in the kitchen!

I wanted to share something I found online with you. While I was blog stalking I came across a blog that has some really great ideas on it about cooking once and eating 10 times. Well, that idea appealed to me as a big time saver so I looked into it. The blog author has listed a way to cook once and eat 10 times by preparing chicken or ground beef in advance and freezing for quick meals later. I am very inspired to try this and I printed out her instructions as well as a few of her recipes that she includes at the bottom of the posts.

Although you may have to half or double the amount of meat for your family, I think this is a fabulous idea and will really help on nights when time is short and everyone is hungry. I love the idea of having the "hot" part done ahead when the summertime heat makes the kitchen just unbearable.

Check this out and let me know what you think. I am including a link to her page with the chicken instructions. I tried to insert a link to follow on this blog but it won't send you to the right page for some reason so just go to her blog (listed below) and in the right hand column under blog posts click on "cooking ahead". You will see the ground beef one come up with an imbeded link to follow for the chicken version. Or, you can click on her button on the top of this post and follow it from there. It is an awesome blog and I have added her to my blog list of sites to stalk! :)

Let me know what you think!

Thank you!

Thank you all for your prayers and support during this emotional time for our family!

On a lighter note, I have to say that I missed this week's Sunday paper....so no coupons and no sale flyers for me this week! I am looking at them online though, and although it works ok it isn't the same as circling them with my pen and clipping the little Walgreens coupons out! However, my trusty pink notebook is by my side and I am making my list for Publix, Walgreens, Kroger and Save A Lot this morning.

I went through my coupon box last night and trashed all of my unused January coupons, and I have to say it made me kinda sad. I am such a coupon nerd....

With all of the unexpected funeral expenses this past week my grocery budget is very tight, so check back in a few days to see how I did. It will all depend on the sales and coupons.....so keep checking!

Clarifying....

Just a quick note.....
The mother in law that passed away is my husbands biological mother.
The mother in law that lives with us is his step mom, Kathy, who has her disability blog posted on blogspot.
Sorry for any confusion!

Prayer request

I would like to ask all of my readers to remember my family in your prayers. My mother in law has passed away suddenly and my husband is traveling to make the arrangements for her. I will post the details when I know them.

Shopping and Saving

I went on my weekly shopping trip at Kroger and Publix this Tuesday. I found some really great deals! I started at Publix, and using my coupons and store specials, this is what I got:

Total retail price: $137.53
Total savings, using sale prices and coupons: $86.64
My out of pocket cost: $50.89

Moving on to Kroger, where I lucked up on some extra savings in addition to what I had planned on getting.

My biggest steals were the Softsoaps, which were on sale for $1 each. I had 7 50 cent coupons, which they of course double to $1 off, so these puppies were free. Same deal on the batteries, they were also on sale for $1 a pack, and I had 75 cents off Duracell and $1 off the Rayovacs so they were all free, except the one Duracell was 25 cents. I felt silly buying all of those when I don't need them, but they don't expire until Dec. 2012, so I think I am ok. Most of our flashlights take C batteries, and living on the coast we have to stock up on these at hurricane season anyway....so I planned ahead. )At least it worked out that way :)
Total retail price: $95.67
Total savings, with coupons and sales: $68.62
My out of pocket cost: $27.05

My hubby says I did pretty good. That makes me proud!

An interesting idea....

Here is an idea that needs some consideration. My bloggy buddy Miranda has started a new blog about life with endometriosis and living after a hysterectomy at age 25. She has done a lot of research about the chemicals and side effects of using tampons and pads. While this is often an uncomfortable topic (to say the least~~no pun intended)the use of feminine hygiene products affects us all at some point. Her findings are sobering and very concerning to me. The alternatives are also very money wise, and that is something else to consider. While they may not be for everyone, I do think the studies and research need to be considered by all women.

When you have time, please check out Miranda's new blog, My Life Without A Uterus.

I am having technical difficulties this morning and I can't get the links to work. Please use my blog roll and go to The Keeper Of The Cheerios blog, scroll down 2 posts to read about her new blog, and click her link there. On the left hand side of her new blog are the links I have tried unsuccessfully to insert here.

Sorry for all the trouble, let me know if it was worth your time!