FREEZER MEALS

I am addicted to Pinterest. Are you?

I have like 26 boards, so many things to love and things to try.

I have wanted to do some freezer cooking for EVER!

After pinning a zillion pins about freezer cooking I finally took the leap.

Yesterday afternoon I ran into the store and bought beef and chicken.

I came home browned the ground beef into 1 italian for spaghetti and 2 taco meats.

I boiled a bag of skinless / boneless chicken breasts with onions and green peppers.

We had tacos for dinner and then I froze all the rest.

I now have 4 meats ready to go in the freezer and 3 cups of chicken stock to add to soups or stews.

This was done in a very short time. It will really help in the next few weeks when I start my new job.

Next on my list is to actually make up some full meals to freeze.

I am thinking if I can do 3-4 each weekend I can stock up our freezer for the winter.

The fall craft fairs are in town so I am off to do a little crafting today.

Have a wonderful day!!

YUMMINESS

Do you shop at Williams-Sonoma?

I usually don't because I can't afford anything in there.

But Coco and I were wondering around the Mall recently and decided to browse.

They had samples of this pumpkin bread and pumpkin butter

They were so good we just had to have some.

I haven't made the bread yet but the butter is so good on toast or even just on a slice of bread

I have some time off this week.

I am starting a new job next week with a large bank

and I am so excited

SUNDAY FUN DAY

We went for a Sunday drive to go to some flea markets.

End up in Eureka Springs

at the Cresent Hotel

It is a beautiful property 

The first room we went into was the ladies room.

I thought is was neat to see the doorknob in the middle of the door.  

The Lobby, notice the kitty in the chair 

Upstairs, wish we could have seen inside this room 

We went up to the top floor to the lookout.

We had no change and there was a sweet lady that gave Coco a quarter

so she could use the look out thingy. 

One of the hallways. I don't see any ghosts 

The view from the top 

After finding our way out we went looking for a place to eat.

We found Casa Colina 

The weather was wonderful and we were seated outside.

The food was so yummy
I ordered Chicken Enchiladas 

It was not like any enchilada I have ever eaten.

We had another great family day!!

I am loving this time together doing new things

We also enjoyed us some HOG ball on Saturday

We are 2-0

Go Hogs

Pig Soieee

GAME TIME

It is that time of year again.

FOOTBALL SEASON

We love our Razorback Hogs

We will be getting together with friends to watch this weekends first game of the season.

These will be one of things I make to take with us.

http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/hogs_in_a_sleeping_bag/

Paula Deen posted these on a recent FB post.

A perfect fit for our first HOG game of the year!

WHOOOO PIG SOIEEEEE

There are lots of posts this week for tailgating recipes. I will be looking some good dips to make too!

What is your favorite tailgate recipe?

MY NEW FAVORITE RESTAURANT

Today a sales rep took our office out to lunch to discuss a new mortgage product. We chose PF Chang's in Rogers.

This my new favorite place. I have been talking about it the rest of the day. My favorite part was the service!!! I am a customer service hound!! If you don't have good service I will boycott you. It is the first thing I notice about any business or service I use.

Anyhoo the food was AMAZING

My coworker and I shared the orange peel chicken and crispy honey shrimp. I couldn't decide which one I liked better. I also got to try the lettuce wraps AGAIN delicious.

I had to get back to my office for a conference call so they brought me a chocolate dessert shot with rasberry sauce, chocolate frosting, chocolate cake and chocolate chips. OH MY I was wishing I could lick the container clean. It was so good.

Can't wait till I get to go again. Wish I would have tried it sooner.

Thanks PF Chang for a wonderful experience.

FOURTH, FAMILY AND FUN

We had a great holiday weekend. We stayed around the house on Saturday until  late when we drove into Rogers to watch fireworks.

It was disappointing. We didn't find

a good place to park so we couldn't see really well.

Sunday, we had some friends camping at the lake. We went out to see them for awhile. The lake level was really down from what it usually is.

He had is fishing boat out there and took us for a ride. Coco did not like it and he didn't even go that fast. It was because the boat sits right on the water. I loved it.

We went to Scott's sisters for dinner and fireworks that night.

Nana brought yummy donuts for dessert. I made my first ever coleslaw and baked beans. Both were semi homemade. I got compliments on both. I always worry when I make something for other people.

It wasn't quite dark when we started shooting fireworks and they were not anything big. I think Scott spent $10 bucks on everything for Coco and then her cousin Jack had about the same. It was fun to see them get excited. They were more worried about lighting the sparklers and finding the parachutes than watching the pretty colors.

I haven't mastered picture taking of fireworks and always end of with some ghostly images. I like this one of the sparklers.

Great weekend with family and friends. I missed getting to see my side of the family so we'll make up for that next weekend.

GROCERY SHOPPING

We went grocery shopping today. We went out to eat so that we wouldn't go hungry, we spend more when we go on a empty stomach. When we go to the store together, all 3 of us we end up spending a lot more than we needed to. Eating out before didn't seem to help today's bill was $186 after our Walmart discount. HOW????

Here was our list
Potatoes
Carrots
Chick peas
Tahini (they didn't have it)
Roasted Red peppers
Crackers
Waters
Strawberrys
Bread
Blank CD's (forgot them)
Lien Cuisines
Light Bologna
Sliced Cheese
Ham
Minced Garlic
Toilet Paper
Grill Inserts

Ok we got that plus
Shirt for Coco
Fly Strips- lots of flys get in our garage ewww
Mouse glue boards - use them around the house to catch spiders or any little critters that get in
Magazine X 2
Danielle Steel paperback
Grapes
Apples
3 boxes of cereal
yogurt
dish soap and diswasher soap
bath soap
barrettes
Hair bands
Pineapple
Pizza Rolls
Chips
Cookies
Deodarant
ice cream
ice cream sandwiches

I am sure I have forgotten something and most of the extra stuff we really needed but with me not working we can't afford to keep having weekly bills like this. It is usually anywhere from $120 to $200 every single week. I had bought meat last week and didn't cook alot so we have chicken, fish, burger and steaks in the freezer, thank goodness or our bill would have been $250 or more.

I would love to be able spend about $80 per week, it would be hard but doable.

What does your weekly grocery bill look like? What tips do you have to save money on grocery day?

We shop at Walmart because we are in Walmart country and we get 10% off on non food items. Would I save money if I shopped at a grocery only stores?

Need your help? Please leave me some tips on how we can get our grocery bill down.

Blessings,
Pam

MONDAY MONDAY

I was home in bed again today. The pain is kicking my tail, but it is better tonight. Hoping I can make thru Tuesday so that I can go back to work.

I am also starving. I made something I could eat tonight.

Loaded mashed potatoes!

This is what those other people I live with ate.
Chicken stir fry, the photo doesn't look great but it was out of a box and not my usual with fresh veggies.

We have been trying out some new teas. The green teas, the cheaper brands, etc.

You just can't do any better than good ole Lipton. There is no other!

Sneak peek at my latest splurge. I have had it for a couple of weeks and Scott just got around to putting it together for me. Can you guess what it is/ where it will go?

Looking forward to Tuesday and getting back to normal!

THRIFTY THURSDAY ON FRIDAY

Thursday I took a break from this

I should be ashamed to show this room! This is the current state of my scrapbook room, catch all, etc. Any hoo, I took a break from cleaning and organizing it to meet my sister to go to flea markets. We ended our morning here for lunch

If you are from NWA you probably recognize these steps.

They lead to this. The Tea Room (previously known as The Crumpet Tea Room). It still has most of the same features. They have remodeled some of the rooms and they are gorgeous!

We were seated in this Blue room. Just precious.

The famous Chicken Salad, Fruit Plate with Poppyseed dressing and orange roll! I want more now! It is so yummy. I could drink that dressing. JK but it is that good! I almost called our mother just to gloat about what we were eating! That would have been mean so I waited a few hours to call and gloat! Is gloat a word?? Well it is here in Arkansas, it means to boast and God help me but I was being boastful about this treat!

These are my finds from the flea markets. Federal snack plates and cups. I bought 8 sets for less than $20. My frugal thought is if I use these instead of paying $4-5 dollars for plates and cups at each event I will save lots of dollars!

I found out about these from Shannon at Bless our nest. She collects these to use for showers and parties. So when I kept seeing them yesterday I decided I needed some too. Now I will have to get my hospitality on and have some girls over to use them. As many of you know Hospitality is not my gift but I would really like it to be!

I think we are going to make this thrifting a regular thing unless I happen to find a job to support my thrifting habit. Things on the job front are not coming as easily as I had hoped.

Blessings and love
Pam