Nana's "Pink Stuff"

My Nana (who's 70th birthday would have been today!) used to make this recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I've not had it in a few years and decided it would be a good addition to today's bbq.  I apologize for the quality of the picture, i'm not the best photographer but I figure crappy pictures are better than no pictures!  Haha.

1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 - 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped pecans (optional) (I don't add these because I dont like nuts)
1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip, thawed

1. Combine first five ingredients. Mix well.
2. Fold in Cool Whip until well incorporated.
3. Refrigerate for a few hours. Serve cold.

Grocery Shopping 5/29

Wow, I am seriously overbudget for my $200/mo. goal!  I think I will be throwing in the budget towel this month and starting over again on 1 June.  The main reason I went over for the month I think is that we're having a bbq on Monday and I bought food for 6 instead of just 2.  So this is what I bought this week.

Food Lion 5/23 (I like went crazy on this day and decided to spend almost a weeks worth of grocery budget money on "fun" groceries!)

Smoked sausage $3.19
Watermelon chunks $2.99
Personal size Digiorno pizza $3.99 (at least I used a coup for this! $1/1 coup) = $2.99
Sugar free fudgesicles $4.79 (yikes!)
3 yogurts $1.80
Unsweet tea $2.00
Potato salad $2.99
Bookazine $9.99 (what was I thinking!?)
Paula Deen magazine $4.99

Total - $40.85

Food Lion May 26th (I went in search of something for lunch)

Bottled water $1.59
TV dinner $2.50
Digiorno stuffed crust personal pizza $2.99 (Used $1/1 coup again) (this was for a coworker so she ended up paying me back)

Total - $7.24

Wal Mart 5/29 (Went for bbq supplies and a couple of needed household items that shouldn't count towards my grocery budget, but I dont feel like deducting them from the total)

2 pks hawaiian sandwich rolls $4.00 (I used a $0.50/1 coup) = $3.50
Hot dog buns $2.56
Ham cubes $2.98
Coleslaw mix $1.58
Apples with yogurt dip $2.00
Onion $0.66
Sugar free fudgesicles $3.28
Organic milk 1/2 gal $3.08
1/2 gallon skim milk $2.18
Cool whip $0.98
Mini marshmallows $1.00
Party cups $1.17
Party plates $2.48
2 liter Dt. Pepsi $1.25
Ketchup $1.98 (I used a $0.50/1 coup) = $1.48
Fancy Feast $6.68
Haircolor $11.97 (I used a coup on this for a free hair color) = $0.00
Clearasil face pads $3.67
2 storage bins $12.88
Baked beans $3.28
Cherry pie filling $3.62
Chunk pineapple $0.98
Crushed pineapple $0.98
1 lb. macaroni $1.00
Sweetened condensed milk $1.36
Mexicorn $1.24
Baked beans $1.32
Toilet seat $14.88
Cat litter $7.88

Total - $100.53

Menu Plan 5/27 - 6/3

Friday: mini pigs in blankets
french fries

Saturday: fried pork chops
buttered egg noodles
veggie

Sunday: meatloaf
macaroni and cheese
veggie

Monday: bbq - cheeseburgers
hot dogs
baked beans
coleslaw
pasta salad
dessert TBD

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday: breakfast

Thursday: grilled chicken
baked potato
sweet potato

Friday: out

CVS 5/22

(Not pictured: Charmin and CVS Green Bag Tag.  Notice Louis checking stuff out.  Hahaha)

Transaction #1

2 Irish Spring Body Wash 2/$7 - $0.50/1 coup = $6.50
2 Colgate 360 Toothbrushes $5.98 - two $1/1 coups = $3.98
1 Strike Spark Gum = $0.99
1 Revlon Nail Polish $4.99 - $1/1 coup = $3.99
1 CVS Green Bag Tag $0.99 - $0.99/1 coup = $0.00

Total - $16.93 and I got $11.99 in ECBs to use in the next transaction.

Transaction #2

3 prescriptions $61.00
2 Sweet Baby Ray bbq sauce 2/$3 - $1/2 coup = $2.00
375 ct. Q-tips $1.99 - $0.30/1 coup = $1.69
16 ct. Charmin = $9.99

Used $11.99 in ECBs from previous transaction.
Total - $63.68

So in total on groceries and HBA I spent roughly $14.00.  Subtract that from my $200 grocery total for the month and I have $85.53 left to spend for the rest of the month (two weeks).

My CVS savings for the year to date: $358.93

Grocery Shopping This Week

So i'm still trying to stay within my $200/mo grocery budget.  Last I shopped I had $178.86 left to spend for the month.  Let's see how I did this week.

Food Lion 5/16

100 calorie pack $3.19
Honey $2.99
Fruit cup $1.50
Chicken nuggets $3.99

Total - $12.13

Dollar General 5/21

2 boxes Wildberry poptarts $2.00

Total - $2.04

Food Lion 5/21

Bread $2.19
Cocoa Krispies $3.79
Capt Crunch $3.49
Garlic salt $1.77
2 boxes Kraft mac and cheese $1.98
Splenda packets $2.89
Bottled water $3.99
Bacon $3.99
Lil Smokies $3.99
2 pks Hebrew National hot dogs $5.08
2 naval oranges $1.50
Dozen eggs $1.29
Parmesan cheese $1.79
Tea $2.00
Crescent rolls $2.00
French fries $2.00
Tater tots $2.00
12 cans cat food $5.64
Fancy feast dry cat food $7.49
Woolite carpet cleaner $3.99
Daily's strawberry daquiri $1.99

I used 4 coupons for BOGO on the cat food cans.

Total - 65.16

Money left to spend on groceries for the month: $99.53.  I think I can do this!

Getting to Know Me

I thought this would be a fun little mix-up and help the readers who don't know me personally (maybe there is one of you??) to get to know me a bit better :)

ABC's of Me

•Age: 27

•Bed Size: Queen

•Chore You Hate: All of them.  Most of all dishes.

•Dogs: none

•Essential start of your day: definitely the snooze button

•Favorite color: Hot pink

•Gold or silver: I like both but I prefer white gold

•Height: 5'5"

•Instruments I play (or have played): clarinet

•Job title: technical writer

•Kids: two furbabies

•Live: Coastal NC

•Mom’s name: Thereasa

•Nickname: Nic, Baby, Bertling

•Overnight hospital stays: When I was in a car accident when I was six and when I was in a car accident when I was 18. Both for roughly a week.

•Pet peeve: Horrible spelling, typos in the newspaper

•Quote from a movie: "Show me the money!"

•Right or left handed: Left

•Siblings: 2 sisters, 1 brother, 1 step brother, 1 step sister

•Time you wake up: during the week 5am, during the weekend, whenever.

•Underwear: most of the time

•Vegetables you dislike: its easier to list the ones I do like - peas, green beans, corn

•What makes you run late: my alarm not going off or me accidentally hitting off instead of snooze in my sleep

•X-rays you’ve had done: dentist, my arm, and my leg

•Yummy food you make: i make lots of yummy stuff though my husby would disagree

•Zoo animal: tigers

Menu Plan 5/21-5/27

A lot of stuff didn't get made last week because I got pretty lazy about halfway through.  So you might see some repeats in this week's menu.

Saturday: Hungry husby casserole

Sunday: Honey garlic chicken
buttered noodles
veggie

Monday: meatloaf
macaroni and cheese
veggie

Tuesday: pancakes and bacon/sausage

Wednesday: spaghetti
garlic bread

Thursday: leftover or soup and sandwiches

Friday: pigs in a blanket
french fries

Food Lion 5/15

I've decided to really try sticking to a $50 grocery budget each week ($200/mo).  This will include toiletries, cleaning supplies and cat food.  I may have to bump it up to $60 due to the increases in food costs, but i'm going to stick with $50 first and see how that goes.  I didn't have to buy a whole lot at the grocery store this week.

Tostitos $3.99 (I have a rebate for $2 to send for these)
2 Frito Lay cheddar dip $5.98
Slim Jims $2.50 (for a care package for my dad)
1 can chicken broth $0.99
1 lemon $0.69
Ice cream sandwiches $3.29
5 ct biscuits $0.50
1/2 gallon milk $2.79

Total - $21.14

$178.86 left to spend for the month.

Menu Plan 5/15 - 5/20

Saturday: tv dinner

Sunday: beef and noodles
veggie

Monday: grilled NY strip
baked potato for husby, baked sweet potato for me

Tuesday: garlic lemon chicken
rice
veggie

Wednesday: hungry husby casserole

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: out

CVS 5/8

3 Colgate Total - on sale 3/$5
1 Clorox Wipes - on sale 2/$4
1 Carefree 20 ct paniliner - on sale for $0.99
Prescription - $8.00

Using coupons and $1 in ECBs my total came up to - $10.24

My YTD savings is: $346.14

3 Bean Salad

This is a great dish to take to potlucks or cookouts or for a nice light side to dinner.

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
15 oz. can cut green beans (drained)
15 oz. can wax beans (drained)
15 oz. can dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed well)
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 white onion (chopped)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.
2. Add in vegetables.  Stir, making sure to coat the vegetables well.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Menu Plan 5/7 - 5/13

Sorry its been awhile since I posted.  I've been super busy the past couple of weeks!  Here is my menu plan for this week....the past couple of weeks I haven't had a menu plan and the husby and I have been eating out waaay too much.

Saturday: Arby's

Sunday: beef and noodles in the crockpot
veggie
cupcakes for work

Monday: leftovers/fend for yourself - I have a coupon meeting to attend

Tuesday: grilled steak
baked potatoes
salad

Wednesday: shake n bake chicken
macaroni and cheese
veggie

Thursday: spaghetti
garlic bread
salad

Friday: leftovers  I'm catering a luncheon on Saturday so I'll be doing a lot of prep work on Friday night.  For the luncheon i'm making: ravioli, spinach salad, garlic bread, and canoli dip.