Marianne
Super Self-Sufficient
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Wow, that's terrific!
New budget
- Thread starter tortoise
- Start date
hqueen13
<Insert Snazzy Title Here
You're doing good already! Have you moved out to the farm, or will that be happening soon?
I have been bad about budgeting lately. The BF hates crunching numbers, it stresses him out. While I enjoy crunching numbers, I tend to give up when it gets to the point that there isn't one positive thing happening.
My biggest issue with cooking is the motivation. I don't really enjoy cooking all that much, and so staying motivated to do so is difficult. That spills over into the planning aspect, and it just snowballs downhill from there. We keep saying we're going to go to the store, but we haven't yet this week, so we've done a bunch of half way meals, and a few short trips to the store, which is a sure fire way to spend too much money.
Its always a work in progress....
I have been bad about budgeting lately. The BF hates crunching numbers, it stresses him out. While I enjoy crunching numbers, I tend to give up when it gets to the point that there isn't one positive thing happening.
My biggest issue with cooking is the motivation. I don't really enjoy cooking all that much, and so staying motivated to do so is difficult. That spills over into the planning aspect, and it just snowballs downhill from there. We keep saying we're going to go to the store, but we haven't yet this week, so we've done a bunch of half way meals, and a few short trips to the store, which is a sure fire way to spend too much money.
Its always a work in progress....
TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
I can relate to 2 mmortgages. We had both while living in Mo. Mostly the reason we came back. Have you thought about a renter for the unoccupied home?
Im a list person. Make meal plans. Just don't go shopping. Use what you have. For us if Im not careful eight hundred dollars doesnt go very far .
Just realize now there will be no new clothes or shoes unless absolutely necessary.
It is possible. You can do it.
Gina
Im a list person. Make meal plans. Just don't go shopping. Use what you have. For us if Im not careful eight hundred dollars doesnt go very far .
Just realize now there will be no new clothes or shoes unless absolutely necessary.
It is possible. You can do it.
Gina
cknmom
Almost Self-Reliant
I make a lot of casseroles. They are cheap and go far, most freeze well. One of my husbands favorites is my Greek past and beef--1# ground beef ( we like it. sausage better) 1 onion, 1 garlic, 8 oz. tom. sauce, 1/2 C. water 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp.cinn. 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. pepper 1# macaroni, cooked & drained, 1 egg slightly beaten, 1/2 C. parmesan cheese Sauce-- 1/4 C. butter, 1/4 C. flour, 1/4 tsp.cinn. 3 C. milk, 2 eggs slightly beaten, 1/3 C. parmesan cheese
Cook beef and onion, garlic, add tom. sauce, water and seasonings. simmer 10 min.In bowl mix macaroni, egg and parmesan set aside. Melt butter, stir in flour, cinn. Gradually add milk. Boil 2 min. Cool slightly stir small amount into egg mix, return all to pan . Cook 2 min. Remove from heat , stir in cheese. In greased 3 qt. baking dish spread 1/2 macaroni mix, all meat mix, rest macaroni mix. Pour sauce over. Bake uncovered 350 * 45-50 min.Let stand 5 min. 12 servings This is very filling!
Ham stew w/ dumplings-- Ham bone, and assorted dried beans if desired, boil to remove meat and cook beans. Chunk meat up return to pan. Add diced tom. , tom. paste,Add onions, garlic, gr. beans. baked beans, peas, corn, okra, any other veggies you like (good with spinach ). Simmer till done , make dumplings.
My husbands favorite way I make meatloaf is putting it in muffin tins w/ bbq sauce. It only needs to bake 20 min. or less. They freeze great
We like buying whole beef briskets and whole pork butts/ shoulders They are pricey but you can make so many meals with the amount of meat you end up with. We usually divide them in half, he smokes one and I put the othr in the crock pot. I slice some of each, chunk some up and shred the rest. I make enchiladas, tacos, lasagna, hand pies, chimichangas, taquitos, sandwiches, shepards pie, stew,chili, etc.
Monica
Cook beef and onion, garlic, add tom. sauce, water and seasonings. simmer 10 min.In bowl mix macaroni, egg and parmesan set aside. Melt butter, stir in flour, cinn. Gradually add milk. Boil 2 min. Cool slightly stir small amount into egg mix, return all to pan . Cook 2 min. Remove from heat , stir in cheese. In greased 3 qt. baking dish spread 1/2 macaroni mix, all meat mix, rest macaroni mix. Pour sauce over. Bake uncovered 350 * 45-50 min.Let stand 5 min. 12 servings This is very filling!
Ham stew w/ dumplings-- Ham bone, and assorted dried beans if desired, boil to remove meat and cook beans. Chunk meat up return to pan. Add diced tom. , tom. paste,Add onions, garlic, gr. beans. baked beans, peas, corn, okra, any other veggies you like (good with spinach ). Simmer till done , make dumplings.
My husbands favorite way I make meatloaf is putting it in muffin tins w/ bbq sauce. It only needs to bake 20 min. or less. They freeze great
We like buying whole beef briskets and whole pork butts/ shoulders They are pricey but you can make so many meals with the amount of meat you end up with. We usually divide them in half, he smokes one and I put the othr in the crock pot. I slice some of each, chunk some up and shred the rest. I make enchiladas, tacos, lasagna, hand pies, chimichangas, taquitos, sandwiches, shepards pie, stew,chili, etc.
Monica
Britesea
Sustainability Master
I like the sound of those casseroles. I like making stuff like that because it makes great leftovers, which we have for lunch. I buy the large cuts of meat as well; some gets frozen, a lot of it gets canned- either plain or in soups, chili, etc. I bought a pork leg a while back and made 2 canner loads of chile verde and 1 load of pozole -- wonderful for a quick dinner or lunch!
cknmom
Almost Self-Reliant
I made TONS of venison ravioli out of 1 lb. ground venison. Very good!
I make a very good ham stew with veggies and beans, I will find the recipe.
We like smoking or crock potting a whole brisket or whole pork shoulder. We get soooo many meals from them. I just slow cooked 2 whole chickens and have gotten 1 meal right away. Now cooking a chicken and rice casserole that we will get about 2 1/2 meals from. I will make chicken nachos for 3-4 meals and chicken and broccoli casserole for about 3 1/2 meals.
Casseroles go a looong way and are cheap to make. Throw whatever is around along with rice, pasta, beans or potatoes.
Enchiladas go a long way also. That is my husbands favorite thing for me to do with leftover meat.
Homemade pizza - I make individual ones and freeze them.
Pot pies are a good stretcher also.
I make a very good ham stew with veggies and beans, I will find the recipe.
We like smoking or crock potting a whole brisket or whole pork shoulder. We get soooo many meals from them. I just slow cooked 2 whole chickens and have gotten 1 meal right away. Now cooking a chicken and rice casserole that we will get about 2 1/2 meals from. I will make chicken nachos for 3-4 meals and chicken and broccoli casserole for about 3 1/2 meals.
Casseroles go a looong way and are cheap to make. Throw whatever is around along with rice, pasta, beans or potatoes.
Enchiladas go a long way also. That is my husbands favorite thing for me to do with leftover meat.
Homemade pizza - I make individual ones and freeze them.
Pot pies are a good stretcher also.
cknmom
Almost Self-Reliant
Ham stew with Dumplings
Put Ham bone with lots of meat on it in large pot along with 4 oz. kidney beans, 8 oz. pinto beans, 6 oz. great northern beans. Boil until meat comes off easily from bone. Chunk up meat, return to pan. Add 1 large can diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste. Add onions, garlic, green beans, 1 can pork and beans, 2 handfuls of frozen peas and corn,1 handful frozen okra. Simmer until done. Make dumplings. This was done in winter after the garden was gone. I was using what I had on hand, so every time I make it is a little different.
Put Ham bone with lots of meat on it in large pot along with 4 oz. kidney beans, 8 oz. pinto beans, 6 oz. great northern beans. Boil until meat comes off easily from bone. Chunk up meat, return to pan. Add 1 large can diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste. Add onions, garlic, green beans, 1 can pork and beans, 2 handfuls of frozen peas and corn,1 handful frozen okra. Simmer until done. Make dumplings. This was done in winter after the garden was gone. I was using what I had on hand, so every time I make it is a little different.
Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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It sounds good.
- Thread starter
- #59
tortoise
Wild Hare
Thanks for the great ideas! I fell away from meal planning and need to re-start it again. (again!!)
Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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We all have to restart various things at times.
