This dish is adapted from a recipe in a Cuisine at Home magazine I kept for a number of years.  It’s called Eggplant Parmesan Napoleons.  The star of this dish is the eggplant, which is one of our family’s favorite veggie.  It’s important to note that the dish was for four servings but Steve and I only ate one each.  However, it’s more important to remember that I did not expertly calculate quantity to cost; neither did I just pick out a number.  I tried as best I can to come closest to the cost of items specified for this dish.  Here’s the breakdown:

Grilled Chicken Breast – $1.00

Bought a 3-piece pack for under $3 but used a coupon of $1 to total just under $2.  We grilled all three pieces but only used 1-1/2 pieces between the two of us for tonight’s dinner.  That brings the chicken cost per quantity to $1.

Would you just take another look at the juicy tender chicken my Hubby grilled?  It looks delicious and it tasted like it too!

Eggplant Parmesan Napoleons – $3.00

The fresh mozzarella came in two packages from Sam’s at $7.00.  I used half of one package for this dish, which leaves the cost to $1.75.  We only ate two of the napoleons to make the final cost of $0.90.

The eggplant was bought for $1.00.  With two napoleons consumed, the quantity cost is at $0.50.

Too bad I did not get a picture of the whole tomato before it was sliced!  I say that because the one tomato we used was from our garden and came totally free!  However, the rest of the $3.00 for the napoleons is from the flour, eggs, panko breadcrumbs, and oil used to fry the eggplant.

Spaghetti – $0.30

Kroger had a good sale on pasta this past week so I was able to get a 1-lb. box of spaghetti for $0.88.  We only used a quarter of the spaghetti, which leaves our quantity total to $0.22.  I just threw in $0.8 cost to the two tablespoons of butter I added to the hot spaghetti since the butter came from a bulk butter purchase at Sam’s.  There was also a little sprinkling of parmesan on it.  The green flecks are chopped parsley, fresh from our garden!

Here’s how we did:

Chicken – $1
Eggplant Napoleons – $3.00
Spaghetti – $.30
Total = $4.30 (plus tax) = $5

You put the dish altogether and it looks like this:

Not bad for a $5 menu ha?

Got a $5 menu you can share?  Leave a comment!

The first week in July was our big Ballast Family reunion in the Smokies.  After that we had a couple more days to enjoy with some of the family in our own home.  Those two weeks were just a great treat for us.  I hope to share more by way of this blog in the coming days (cross my fingers!).

Man, it’s hard to keep up with everything!  I now have an almost 8-month-old who is constantly moving and when he is napping, there’s housework to be done, not to mention some shut-eye for me too!  And at night when he’s finally down, my brain functions are dead and my body all sore, I might as well hit the sack myself.  But don’t get the wrong impression here.  It’s not all bleak, it’s just time seems to fly by faster than I even realize it.  Anyways…that’s all to say, I’m finally back to posting our weekly progress (or non-progress?) on this grocery challenge and I just want to say that though I have not posted anything about this subject in the last six weeks, we’ve tried our best to stay within our $40/week deal (with one week where we shopped from our own fridge, freezer, and pantry-that was fun!).  So, here’s how we did this week:

Walmart – $ 25.98

(I don’t have much time to type every single item bought so I just took a picture of the receipt.  Genius ha? Ha!)

Sam’s Club – $ 14.33

Sunrise Market (Asian Store) – $6.50

Sesame Oil
1 bunch scallions
1 ginger
1 head Napa cabbage

We also went to the Farmer’s Market on Friday and bought a few things.  They’re sometimes a little on the pricey side but their produce is absolutely fresh and organic.  Gotta love the Farmer’s Market!  I always feel like I’m headed to the Bontoc Circle Market on Sunday mornings each time I go to one of the Farmer’s Market.  I love the open air feel to it and the friendly, community feel to it, too.  You can actually talk to the vendors and they give you information about their produce as well as suggestions on how to best prepare them.  One vendor even gave me two zucchinis for free, which sort of made me feel better about paying a little more for the other items I bought!  The best part about this weekend’s trip to the FM was Steve’s discovery of a Greenway trail right behind the parking lot where the FM was held.  Paul and Steve wandered around while I bought produce and they found this gorgeous trail that winds down somewhere, heavily guarded with tall trees and foliage on each side.  We walked a little ways to check it out and it’s just beautiful.  Because we planned on visiting a different park after the Market, we didn’t really go all the way on the trail but we do plan on going back there sometime and discover more about this trail.

Ok, so back to the grocery challenge:

Farmer’s Market – $7.00
1 large eggplant
6 sweet Italian red pepper
2 heirloom tomatoes
2 zucchinis (free!)

Grocery Total =  $ 53.31

I am over by $13.31 this month.  Ya, I’ve been thinking real hard how to deal with this.  I get cranky inside when I go over my budget.  One suggestion I found online was to use the envelope system!  That brings me fear…because I know I will have to be returning stuff back at the check-out and I dread that.  Not for embarassment (hey, that’s what self check-outs are for, you know!) but more for the hassle of having to rearrange my plans and I know that that will make me even more cranky!  Ha!

The one thing I just started doing, though, was buying the Sunday paper for those coveted coupon inserts.  I also signed up for a CVS card that will get me into their Extra Care Bucks program.  It’s a lot to explain but suffice it so say, I’m hoping some of these steps will help me save a few extra bucks each week.

Another good thing I discovered from our one week of shopping from our own pantry, freezer, and fridge is that we don’t have to shop every week just because it’s shopping day to come up with meals for another couple days.  Steve was rather impressed that we still had really good meals considering we did not shop at all.  As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”  I prefer to use the word “creativity” rather than “invention.”  Just has a ring to it!

I think I made the decision just now to hold off on the envelope system and go with the coupons, CVS extra care bucks program, and in-home shopping.

Now, here’s what’s cooking in the Ballast household this week:

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Blueberry Muffins
Overnight Cinnamon Twist

Dinners:
Hamburger and Summer Corn Salad
Couscous Salad with Grilled Vegetables and Grilled Philippine Style BBQ Marinated Chicken
Asian Noodle Salad and Grilled Lemon Marinated Chicken
Tomato Basil Pizza
Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Chipotle Ground Beef Tacos

Since our week starts on the weekend, we’ve already made some of the meals and here are some of the food photos:

Hamburger and Summer Corn Salad

Grilled Veggies (The zucchini, eggplant, and Italian red pepper were from the Farmer's Market; green pepper was from our garden, and red onions from Walmart)

Grilled Veggies, actually grilled, for the Couscous Salad

Couscous Salad with chopped grilled veggies and chopped PI style marinated BBQ chicken

Asian salad with the fresh veggies and fetuccine

Dressing the salad - sesame oil, olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, hot peppers, and lotsa cilantro; also added the grilled lemon-marinated chicken

Tossed Asian Noodle Salad - yummo!

How’s that for a week’s eating?  If you like what you see, I say put on your apron, fire up the grill, and rock the kitchen – you won’t regret it, that I promise.

That’s it, folks!  Now, if you’ll excuse me, the fresh, crisp asian noodle salad is calling my name.  Gotta go.  ”Til next week.

So here’s how we did this week:

Sunrise Market (Knoxville’s biggest Asian store) – $ 40.71
Sam’s Club – $13.16
Kroger’s – $ 4.00
Walmart – $ 4.26

TOTAL – $62.13

I wish I could take photos each time I prepare a meal but with an active little tyke, I have to cook as fast as I can and get food on the table.  When I do get the chance to take pics is when my sweet Hubby spends a good chunk of time with the little guy.  I savor that time.  It’s not at all work.  It’s therapy.  Ya, call me crazy.

Anyways, here’s our menu this past week:

Breakfasts:
Oatmeal
Banana Bread
Burritos
Eggs, Bacon, Grits

Dinners:
Chicken Spaghetti (leftover from the freezer)
Vegetable Barley Soup (leftover from the freezer)
Sauteed U-Choy with Pork (U-Choy is kind of Bok-Choy’s sister)
Grilled Burgers with Grilled Corn
Eggplant Torta
Pansit Canton (Stir-Fry Rice Noodle Dish)
Chicken Tinola (Chicken Stew with Green Papaya and Spinach)

Snacks:
Guinata-an (Sticky Rice Balls in Coconut Milk)
Avocado Shakes
Chili Con Queso and Chips

Dessert:
Oreo Chocolate Pie (same one I made at the end of last week)
Mayfield Ice Cream

Note: I absolutely love the flavor of the local dairy producer here in Knoxville, Mayfield.  I think it’s only available in stores in some southern states though.

There you have it, folks.  We’ll see what this week brings.

Have you taken on the grocery challenge yet?  If so, how did you do?  Drop me a comment.

Walmart – $ 26.07
Kroger – $ 28.25
Sam’s – $ 4.89
Farmer’s Market – $ 7.00

TOTAL = 66.21

Here was the menu:

Breakfasts
Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancake
Burritos
Banana Bread
Cinnamon Rolls
Oatmeal

Dinners
Chicken Spaghetti (Freezer leftover)
Vegetable Barley Soup (Freezer leftover)
Hotdogs
Burgers, Veggie Salad

Dessert
Oreo Peanut Butter Pie
Chocolate Cheesecake Bar

Snacks
Chili Con Queso
Chips

Notice that I made two dessert items – one of which I made particularly for Stephen because of his love affair with oreos and peanut butter.  I just could not resist making this pie when I saw the recipe because I know it would make my man the happiest on the planet, at least while he’s savoring every bite of it.  The chili con queso?  Di-vaaaa-ayn!!  Again, it’s a Steve favorite!…

Making my hubby’s favorite dessert and snack is one thing I love doing but making two in one week was a little heavy on the pocketbook, especially because the items to make them were a little more on the costly side.  I may need to choose to make just one a week and not both.

I am a vegetable lovin’ kinda gal and it’s rare that I eat hotdogs and hamburgers a lot in one week.  But there were a couple things that went on this week.  First, the weather started ridiculously rising to the upper 80’s and 90’s and I generally refuse to cook on the stovetop when this happens.  So, the grill was fired up.  Also, we had been on the busy side this past week that a quick and easy meal to prep were burgers and hotdogs on the grill.  (I know, I know.  I could have chosen much healthier meals on the grill but I obviously didn’t plan this week well.)  Finally, I’ve searched high and low for good deals on fresh produce, thinking that with the summer season in full swing, there would surely be great deals.  However, produce prices are still outrageously priced.  Hence, the heavy meat-on-the-grill-week.

The Farmer’s Market cost was for just approximately one pound of spicy cajun sausage.  It was delicious.  And HOT!  But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.  See, I was expecting to also find great veggies and prices at the Farmer’s Market but they didn’t have much.  It might have been the location.  I thought their selection and prices were rather dismal – mostly potatoes and salad greens.  I wanted peppers, green beans, swiss chard, and eggplant.  Maybe it’s not harvest season for those quite yet.  Anyways…the thing I wanted to talk about was the $7 cost of four pieces of sausage that were good but not outstandingly great.  Steve and I were discussing the fact that buying meat at the farmer’s market is a great way to support the local farming industry; however, four pieces of sausage for $7 seemed steep when we could probably buy a bulk of sausage at Sam’s for roughly the same cost.  Don’t get me wrong here.  I would really love to buy all meats that are junk-free and/or free-range chickens but the cost is just too much for a tight budget.  Maybe someday when I can grow our own chickens…and pigs…and a cow.  Maybe.  Someday.   For now, I cannot, CANNOT wait until I harvest my first batch of green beans off my veggie garden in the backyard!

That’s all folks!  Hoping this week will be a little better.  Sorry I spent too much time talking about other things.  Have a good week ahead!

The night before we went shopping, I planned all the meals for the week and completed our grocery list.  I counted 26 items!  I was so excited I bugged Steve in his sleep and told him that for certain we will either come under budget tomorrow or right at budget, assuming each item cost $1.  Wrong!

First stop was Kroger.  Wrong move.  Then Walmart.  A little bit encouraged.  THEN Sam’s!  Really disappointed.  Sigh!

Lessons learned:
1. Kroger is not the best place to go shopping.  Sure, there may be some good deals of the week but I think Walmart still has better deals even with just their store brands.  Kroger may work best when shopping their deals along with coupons and I don’t do couponing right now because we don’t get the Sunday paper.  The really useful online deals are few and far between.

2. Menu planning requires mindful planning.  I think I chose recipes this week that had at least two items on the pricey side.  Stephen reminded me that we could always eat simpler meals such as eggs and light salads.  I knew this but I was caught up in those oh-so-yummy-looking recipes I let my guard down!  I love that Steve guy and I’m glad he’s working with me on this.

3.   Sam’s still has better unit prices when it came to meat per pound.  It’s just that you have to buy 100 lbs of each item there (ok, 100 lbs is an exaggeration but I do mean a lot).  We were completely out of meat so I stocked up on chicken and pork.  Again, Steve said that I should probably plan my meat on a monthly basis and figure the cost into the weekly budget.

The good thing is we’re still within budget for the month, just not for the week.  It will be tough not to have to run to the store for something in the next few weeks but I will try my best to stick with what we have.

I don’t have a photo this week.  My plan is to monitor closely the items I use and total up the cost for posting at the end of each week.  Thankfully, we’re still eating leftovers from the meals I prepared last week.

There you have it folks!  Thanks for stopping by!

Here are the stipulations for our family’s challenge:
1.  Food budget is $40/week
2.  Toiletries such as shampoo, bath soap, deodorants, etc. are included in #1.
3.  Items  such as toilet paper, paper towels, and laundry & dishwashing detergents come from a $40/month budget.  We buy these in bulk from Sam’s.

Here’s how I did this week:

Sam’s = $7.97
3 lb. sour cream – 3.46
2 lb chopped romaine lettuce – 3.17
18 ct. lg. eggs – 1.77
tax (7.75%) – 0.65

WalMart = $52.77
2 cans cream of mushroom – 1.84
2 cans green beans – 1.20
8 oz Lawry’s seasoning salt – 1.66
1/2 gal. buttermilk (not pictured) – 1.78
2 Old Spice deodorant (not pictured) – 4.36
10 lb Idaho potatoes – 3.59
1 cut up chicken fryer – 3.95
2.5 lb cube steak – 8.20
1 lb ground beef – 1.88
2 lb spaghetti – 2.08
cabbage – 1.08
5 avocados – 3.40
2 onions – 1.36
2 red gala apples – 1.09
1 lb bag of loose carrots – 0.84
Hoagie rolls – 1.97
2 bags tortilla – 2.92
1 sweet potato – 0.21
16 oz strawberries – 1.48
2 zucchini – 2.20
4 peaches – 1.10
2 yellow corns – 0.50
1 lb mini carrots – 1.78
food tax (7.75%) – 0.65
others tax (9.25%) – 0.40

TOTAL = $ 52.77

This Week’s Menu Plan

Breakfast:
Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancake
Sausage Burritos
Oatmeal

Dinners:
Friday – Marlboro Man’s Steak Sandwich
Saturday – Vegetable Barley Soup, Bread
Sunday – Spaghetti Casserole, Salad
Monday – Spaghetti Casserole Leftover, Salad
Tuesday – Chicken Adobo, Rice, Corn
Wednesday – Vegetable Barley Soup, Bread, Salad
Thursday – Beef Noodle Casserole, Green Beans
Friday – Leftover Night
Saturday – Leftover Night

Snacks:
Avocado Shake
Apples
Peaches
Strawberries with whipped cream

What are your tips for saving money at the grocery store?  Share them in the comments section.