Final Week in January Menu's

Well this is the final week of the "Pantry Challenge" over on Good Cheap Eats, and I will have to say that it was very successful for me.  My dh and I were spending WAY too much on groceries and I really needed a challenge to get me back into my menu planning and saving money - and I would say that saving about $500 just this month on groceries is a very good incentive to keep 'with the program' in the future. 

In case you are wondering, I am not using coupons to get these savings!  I am trying to incorporate coupons into my shopping, but I have found it has been very difficult to use coupons, at least for us.  I usually shop at Walmart and buy their store brand products instead of name brand products.  Why?  Well, we think the quality is just as good as name brand and the store brand is usually cheaper than the name brand even if I use a coupon.  Now, I know that isn't always the case - and I can't say that I have never used coupons in the past.  I have -usually on coffee or paper products and  toiletries.  Plus, I do watch the sales and my Walmart will price match anything.  So, if I happen to see something that is on sale that we use and I have a coupon for it I will certainly use said coupon.  It's not like I don't TRY to use coupons.   I am sure that there are some that will say I just don't know the secrets to using them, and that is probably true  - but I don't see where they save us any money.

Last week I told you that I was having a terrible time finding the right pizza dough recipe for our Friday night movie nights.  I appreciate the suggestion that I buy the already made pizza dough, but that wasn't the point.  I wanted to make it from scratch - and I'm stubborn enough to keep at it until either I got it right or the cows came home - which ever came first!  Well, persistence pays off!  Friday night I made the best -------

THIN

AND CRISPY

PIZZA!!!

It was fabulous - and dh and I ATE THE WHOLE THING ALL BY OURSELVES!!!!!

(Okay, before you say anything.  I know the pizza pan looks yucky - but it makes the best crust ever- it got soooooo crispy!  And the pan really is clean - it is just well used!)  If you would like to know the recipe for this fabulous dough, let me know in the comments and I'll post it next week!

One more thing before I post this week's menu.  I did 'fall off the wagon' on Wednesday and Thursday night - but I have a really good reason.  Tuesday night I had to take a quick trip to the Emergency Room in the back of an ambulance - so, I was sorta down and out Wednesday and Thursday and didn't cook.  Dh did the cooking, and he didn't stick to the menu plan.  But that's okay - we had some stuff in the house that he could fix in a pinch and we didn't blow the budget by having to go get take out.  (The budget was blown enough by the ambulance and hospital bill - YIKES!!!!)  I'm okay now, I think everything is working out and I'm on the mend - but it sure was a scary night

Now, moving on - Menu for the Week of January 30th through February 5th

                          Monday, January 30 - Chicken Enchilada Casserole
                          Tuesday, January 31 - Black Bean and Sausage Stew
                       Wednesday, February 1 - Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread
Thursday, February 2 - Oven Baked Pork Chops, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans
                           Friday, February 3 - HOMEMADE PIZZA - Movie Night
                       Saturday, February 4 - Hot Dogs, Potato Chips
                               Sunday, February 5 - Chef's Choice

Before I go on to the next month (although part of this week's menu plan is for February) I have to update what I spent on groceries this month.  Usually I spend around $800 for just my dh and I - now that does include all paper products and personal products.  However, this month, with our menu plan I only spent a total of - are you ready????  Okay, here we go - $383.92!!!  We saved over $400 - more than half of our normal monthly budget - NOT TOO SHABBY!!!  If, for no other reason, this is a reason to continue doing menu planning.

Please go check out these fine posts about meal planning - and tell them Carol sent you!  (and if you are dropping by from another site, please let me know, I'm glad you are here and hope you will come back often!) 
  
http://goodcheapeats.com/2012/01/pantry-challenge-finale/

http://orgjunkie.com/2012/01/menu-plan-monday-jan-3012.html

http://beautyandbedlam.com/pantry-challenge-update/
I will be continuing to post my weekly menu's each Monday even though the challenge will be ending this week.  If you are interested in what we are eating in our house - please come on by and check it out!