Money Saving Meal???

What makes a great money saving meal?

1. Most of the ingredients are budget friendly and/or on sale.

2. Half of the ingredients are already in your home and used in many of your meals.

3. Having extra of an ingredient that can be used in another meal, appetizer, or side.

4. Meal is flexible, you can add or change a few ingredients depending on your likes or needs.

5. You can get at least 6 dinners (servings) out of the meal

6. The cost of each dinner (serving) is no more than $3.50.


7. If an item is on sale at a good price, buy a few extra so you have it for the next meal. I like to keep one or two extra of the following.....

• dried beans or peas,
• frozen veggies,
• ground meat or chicken breasts (obviously kept in freezer)
• soups (all types of creams, french onion, or broths)
• bouillon cubes (beef and chicken)
• pasta and pasta sauce

This post and information on money saving meals was created by owner of blog, from her own experience. Before you try making any meals at home, consider if the meal is right for your family and budget. Please do not make a meal if you are allergic to an ingredient.


This post will be updated as owner of blog continues to cook and learn.


Suggestions on money saving ideas are welcome, but up to blog owner to post. If your suggestion is posted, blog owner will give you credit.

Starting to cook again - UPDATE!!!!

Update is at end of post.


Its so hard being alone at night with Anthony and Balboa.  I mean, I can do it, I am doing it, but it is tough.  I would love to start cooking meals at night again.  But since I can't I decided to use the slow cooker at night, and scoop into containers in the morning.  This way I CAN eat healthy and have time to cook. 

My plan......well I found a site sample menu that allows you to plan 5 meals, it takes time to set up the meal plan. But, having it up on the clipboard in the kitchen allows me to not use the ingredients for other items and stick to the meal plan.

I use all recipes to get great slow cooker recipes and then use peapod to buy and deliver my groceries.  So, this morning (since it is a Sunday) I decided to start with Split pea and Sausage soup.  I changed the recipe a little, but it looks really good cooking in the slowcooker right now.

I bouhgt a bunch of plastic containers to store the food, but have glass bowls to heat the food up in at both work and home.




Slow Cooker Split Pea Sausage Soup
1 pound dried split peas
10 cups water
1 pound smoked sausage of your choice, sliced
5 cubes chicken bouillon
2 bags frozen stew vegetables
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves


In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine the peas, water, sausage, bouillon, carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic powder, oregano, bay leaves, and onion.
Cover, and cook on High for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaves before ladling into bowls.

I'll let you know how it turned out next post.

UPDATE!!!!

The split pea and sausage soup came out great!  I let it cook 4 hours on high and then 3 more hours on low.  It was so good.  The potatoes were so soft, the broth so yummy, the sausage perfect.  Man, I am so proud of myself. 

I let it cool and put it into containers and labeled them with the date.  Now I am working on the meatballs with buttered noodles. 

Anthony's Christening

 had Anthony's Christening on Sunday.  It was such a beautiful day and everything went perfect.

My sister and brother-in-law were the God-parents. 

He cried at the beginning of the ceremony but after a bottle, he went right to sleep.  I found it to be so surreal, here I am baptizing my child who truly is a miracle, a gift from God.  I had to hold back the tears otherwise I would have gone into full blown crying mode. 

Each time I partake in anything "mom" like I am so overwhelmed, for I thought I was doomed to be childless. 

My DH planned the party afterwards at theclubhouse where we live.  He wanted to do it all on his own, but soon realized that it was a huge undertaking.  He called on his mother, sister, and brother-in-law to help.  I knew none of this till the day before.  When we arrived, it was so breathtaking.  The clubhouse looks like someone's cozy living room, (with a fireplace, huge TV, couches, and kitchen area).  A few relatives called to say how much they loved the party.  My DH planned the party, as a gift to me for all that I do.   

Anthony was on his best behavior, he really is a happy baby.  Of course he got passed around like a football, but he enjoyed all the attention and showed off his huge smile and contagious laugh. 

my parents

DH's parents, and paternal grandma

DH's sister (BIL was getting things ready at the party )

Anthony and his cousins

Finding myself

I lost myself for a while. After a rough and disappointing labor and delivery my son was born on June 3rd. He was five weeks early, but since I was diagnosed with preeclampsia, he had to come out. After 24 hours of labor and no progress, since the high blood pressure meds counteracted the effects of the pitocin, I had a c-section.

My beautiful miracle boy spent 12 days in the NICU, he did not have the ability to suck. Yes, all of the things that could have happened I am lucky that was all. But, having to visit your newborn baby when all the other new moms get to see their baby's whenever they want is so heartbreaking. I got so much advice and stories, none of which helped. I was treated like I was going through postpartum depression. I just wanted to hold my child and take him home.

Anyway, I finally got to take my son home, and it was rough. I don;t live near my parents or inlaws, my SIL already has two kids of her own. My parents came up quite a lot, but it was rough when my husband went back to work. Anthony had digestive issues and I was stressed. Going back to work in September was a lifesaver. Now my husband works evenings and I work days, but things are a lot better. Anthony is going to be 6 months old and doing so well. I still have some more work to do to feel like my former self. I need to eat healthy and live healthy. I am slowly remember the independent powerful, confident women I used to be. I am determined to now be an INDEPENDENT, POWERFUL, CONFIDENT MOTHER.

I know I can do it, I can find a way to make it work. Sure my husand works a different shift and I am a single mother during the week, sure I am nonstop once I get home to a baby and a dog. Sure, I have to rearrange my life and cook, eat, sleep differently....... BUT I wouldn't change it for the world. Last November I was two months pregnant and all this was but a dream.

I am truly thankful for my life, for who is in my life, for what I have. Every time I get fustrated I just think about all those years I wanted a baby, nothing was worse than thinking I would be childless. So, bring it on, I'm a working mother who can do it ALL! I know I can! I am so pround of myself!

Our little Miracle

What a miracle, this is just so surreal! Sometimes I still can't believe we are here. My beautiful little baby.

5 weeks 5 days

visual proof that there's a baby in there

6 weeks 6 days

saw and heard the heartbeat for the first time. What a beaufiful sound.

7 weeks 6 days

Our baby is growing

9 weeks 5 days

in just two weeks, you can now see the beginning of the eyes,

ears, nose, mouth, arms and elbows, and the little belly.

THE DIVA IS BACK

I've been gone a long time, but found myself in the process. I have surrounded myself with postive people and in turn and positive myself. I will not compromise myself for anyone, I will not keep from being who I am because someone doesn't approve.

I have a wonderful husband and great friends who keep me focused on the wonderful things in life. Next door, a couple moved in, who I believe was sent by the universe. I belive in "THE SECRET" and know that she was sent to me. We both agree that people come in to your life for a reason. If I was still depressed and thinking negatively, then I believe that would have been brought into my life, but because of my positive thouhts and I have found her. I won't write her name, or call her out, but she knows who she is.

Not only is she the nicest, most genuine, kindest person I know, but she is a DIVA too. She belives that a true DIVA wants others to feel as beautiful as she does, she wants others to embrace their confidence and love themselves for who they are.

So what brought this sudden post, well...... after getting Balboa's blog back on track, I received an email from the DIVA next door that she was in the paper. A reporter that she knows asked how she felt regarding the her experiences in the dancing and modeling industry. I won't show the link since her name is in it, but let me tell you....... SHE IS A DIVA. She belives that real beauty can't be bought, or applied, or sucked out. Real beauty comes from within, self-confidence only adds to your beauty, who YOU are makes you beautiful.

So, basically I've been back for a while, but just now just to the blogging. I know I had some depressing posts a while back and some of you were concerned. All I can say is that I am happy and healthy, and look forward to posting about many more happy and joyous issues in the future.

lack of posts

I haven't posted in so long, just so much going on. I will tell you all about it very soon.