Month: March 2015

Dinner Score, Week 18

In a shocking twist, I get 15 points for the week!  That’s what creating the plan halfway through the week will do for you.

Unfortunately the Russian judge and I agree that I am disqualified from any score for last week.  We are tough!

  • Mon: french toast, sausages, scrambled eggs, cuties, cucumbers
  • Tues: roast chicken, cucumbers, kiwi, mac and cheese, green beansphoto
  • Wed:  salmon cakes, fettuccine, salad, watermelon, green beans
  • Thurs:  pork curry on rice, baby carrots, watermelon
  • Fri:  tuna noodle casserole 

I did finally get my casserole!  It was pretty hysterical–as soon as DH realized I wasn’t kidding when he asked what was for dinner, he started scheming to take kids out to eat. Eldest found a friend that wanted her over for supper. Tiny and Boy suddenly weren’t hungry.  I sat in my rocking chair, not at all sad that I was going to have it all to myself.  It was Dinner and three happy lunches for me!  Add to that the funny sight of everyone trying to politely jump ship and it was a win for Cheepie.

This week’s plan post is coming up today, so I’ve got less of a cheat going this week.  

We’ll have to see what Yakov thinks come next weekend!

Mid-week Plan Post

Yes, I realize that starting the plan three days into the week is clearly giving myself an advantage, but after last week’s home-cooked catastrophe I think it’s understandable. 

If it helps, I did have a plan for Tuesday, and followed it, there just wasn’t time to type up a plan post–things are hectic over here at Casa Del Cheepie!  Add my need to catch up on The Goldbergs (you really should be watching this show for the sets alone–I want all the posters in the kids’ rooms!) to all of the general running around, throw in a modicum of personal hygiene, and time flies by.

  • Mon: french toast, sausages, scrambled eggs, cuties, cucumbers
  • Tues: roast chicken, cucumbers, kiwi, mac and cheese, green beaFettuccini Stock Photo - 26722660ns
  • Wed:  salmon cakes, fettuccine, salad, watermelon, green beans
  • Thurs:  chicken curry on rice, stir fry vegetables, fruit
  • Fri:  tuna noodle casserole. dammit.

Can you believe I still haven’t made the casserole!?! Me neither. It’s happening this week.

I think I’m even going to go ahead and put peas in it at this point, since it’s so unlikely that anyone else will want it and I’ve now been waiting forever. There should be drive-thru casserole places.   Just drive up, and they hand over the casserole of your choice. Then you go home, eat, and have a good night’s sleep with a belly full of happiness.

Happy Ad Wednesday!

I’d expected to have more corned beef, potatoes and ham deals to report.  The cheapest corned beef is at Randalls, of all things, at $2.99/lb, cabbage is 20c/lb at Sprouts, and Wheatsvile’s got organic potatoes for under a buck a pound. If you’ve got a traditional dinner plan for St. Patrick’s Day that’s the cheap way to get it done with low pesticides–cabbage is a C15 and potatoes are a DD. If you’re not worried about that, HEB and Fiesta both have low prices for conventional potatoes. 

It is a bit early for ham, but it’ll start popping up in ads next week, so start thinking where you might stow one in the freezer if it’s a family favorite.

This is a slow ad week, and I’m not going to be stocking up on much.  The organic apples and the pork butt at HEB are on my list, as are the organic potatoes. I’ll also be picking up the organic celery, because that’s a price as low as conventional.

HEB

strawberries, 1lb.                                                         $1.25/ea (DD)

organic Braeburn apples                                              98c/lb (DD)

Boston Butt pork roast OR country style pork ribs       $1.47/lb

HCF split chicken breasts                                             $1.47/lb

Randalls

bscb                                                                          $1.99/lbDaffodils In A Vase Stock Image - 39749401

corned beef                                                               $2.99/lb

daffodils, 10 stem bunch                                          $1.99/ea

$5 Friday

family size cheese pizza                                           $5/ea (in the deli case)

Simply Orange juice, 89oz                                        $5/ea

Sprouts 

organic celery                                                     98c/ea (DD)

all the berries! the usual sizes                          $1.67/ea (strawberries: DD)

organic blackberries, 5.6oz                                  $2/eaKale Royalty Free Stock Photos - 31274258

organic kale                                                        $1.50/ea (DD)

green cabbage                                                   20c/lb (C15)

bulk roasted almonds                                       $5.99/lb

bscb                                                                 $1.99/lb

Fiesta

Tropicana Pure Premium oj, 89oz.                    $4.99/ea

Central Market

extra large avocados                                            97c/ea (C15)

Go Picnic Meals                                                $5.49/ea  B1G1 (these are shelf stable                                                                                                 Lunchables with tastier food)

Wheatsville

organic Yukon Gold potatoes                              99c/lb (DD)

Avocado Math is back! CM: extra large 97c.  HEB: large $1.50. Sprouts: no adjective, 88c.   Randalls: no adjective, $1.50.  Fiesta, no adjective, 88c.  This week I’m going to get out the scale and decide what the differences in sizes are, so I’ll know what the absolute best prices are.

This week it’s pretty clear that CM will win with a low price for the extra-large, but I’d like to sort out what the different sizes are, so that next time things are closer I can sort it out. 

Also, a nice bowl of guacamole seems like a fitting reward for this very busy week.

Let me know what deals you find while you’re out there in the aisles, Cheepsters!

Here Be Dragons. And Cheeseburgers.

I really thought about just straight-up lying this week.

Then I realized lying about imaginary dinner points on my blog was crazy. So we’re all just going to have to work through this together.

I’m sitting here actually trying to delay the part of the post where I list dinner!  I’m trying to think of jokes to distract from my week of meals.  We’re just going to get this over with:

  • Mon: El Mercado. For my non-Austin fans, that’s a Tex-Mex restaurant.
  • Tues: Sonic. For non-TX fans, that’s a drive-in burger joint
  • Wed:  P Terry’s, carrots, cantaloupe/Date Night. P Terry’s? Drive-thru burgers
  • Thurs: venison stew, broccoli, sourdough bread, cantaloupe
  • Fri:  I don’t even know. They ate french fries at the lodge, and I made spaghetti when we got home, and I’m sure I put blackberries out because there are so many in the fridge.

This was the plan:

  • Mon:  venison stew, cantelope, spinach, dinner rolls
  • Tues:   salmon cakes, polenta, blackberries, broccoli
  • Wed:  baked chicken, pasta, salad, fruit, fresh bread
  • Thurs:  hamburgers, fruit &veg
  • Fri:  Refrigerator Buffet

Points-wise? This is going to be a 3. 3 points. Two for venison stew day for being on the plan and involving all the food groups, and one for Friday because I technically followed the plan (with a pre-game of fries) and found a nutritious meal for the night.

There were a few factors that combined to cause this dinner mayhem. I had a meeting night, and DH worked from home a bit. There was a scheduled ice storm that then did not occur, making grocery shopping a risky bet. Most importanly, when DH and I are home together all day, we tend to want to go out in the evening, so we bailed on dinner.  

All in all, this is easily the worst week since the Dinner Accountability Program started. I’m mortified at how the week looks, especially because I know all the other meals eaten weren’t really enough to make it a wholesome week. 

Onward and upward!  If I can’t beat a 3 point week, there’s not really much hope for me, is there?  Let’s all see what happens next. 

Trader Joe’s Silly Thing of the Week

Trader Joe’s, I love you.  Seriously. Who else would have these silly drawings? Who else would sell me a $2 chocolate bar with hot pepper pop rocks inside?

53913-fireworks-chocolate-barIt’s so supercute that I”m clearly buying one if they’re still in the store when I get there.

I mean, look at those adoring eyes!  And they’re wrapping up 2.8 oz of chocolate. Chocolate that has fireworks inside.  

It doesn’t get much better than that.

 

Cider Scene Stealers

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This is a break from my normal posting to contribute to the AFBA City Guide. We’ve got a big place here, and visitors need to know what the good stuff is. The AFBA City Guide is there to help, whether it be queso or ramen: food bloggers are at the ready.  Even CheepieAustin, though this wasn’t a tough assignment.

Cider is riding a swell as the most recent wave of Central Texas fermenters, brewers and distillers continues to grow . Beer and vodka have had a craft renaissance, and now it’s cider time.

Apples Stock PhotoCider?

Yes, cider. It’s not just one lone green bottle out there any more.  Central Texas, while not home to many apple orchards, is home to many creative people, and a lot of creative drinkers.  With many bars looking to source taps from close to home, cider is gaining both in audience and affection.

If you’re looking to give some a try, here’s what you’ll find in Austin and where to find it.

First up, Austin Eastciders.  After working to find a home that would allow them to produce enough to meet demand, Austin Eastciders is clearly at home, and clearly Austin.  In this article the Austin Chronicle says of their production facility, “They’re the first tenants in a compound that will eventually include a distillery, brewery, rock climbing gym, and theatre.”  If that’s not Austin, nothing is.  Happily, this facility has them producing both Eastciders Original and Gold Top in amounts to supply both bars and stores. They are passionate about the history of cider, and about the apples, sourcing from both English orchards, and old-school American apple varieties from years past when cider was a common drink.  Then again, since we’re in Texas, they’ll also throw a brisket in the mix to see how that turns out (answer: better than you’d think!).  They also release small batches, like the Arkansas Black on March 1st, which is made from ‘an old Southern apple variety used for cider making pre-Prohibition’.  Old school cool, indeed.

Where to find it? Any bar with a decent number of taps will likely have Gold Top, and you can find their ciders in grocery stores and liquor stores.  If you find some small batch, buy it! And then call me if there’s any left.

IMG_0077

Keepers keeping track of things

Texas Keeper, named for an apple called Hick’s Texas Keeper, is creating ciders based on individually fermented apple types.  The Hick’s apple is a long gone Texas varietal, but the Keepers source their apples carefully, looking for both old and new.  Their Gold Rush and Golden Russet were released as single varietals, but their Texas Keeper is a blend of several different varieties, all processed separately and then carefully blended.  Their website covers sugar levels, racking, and apple types in a way that makes it clear that these three native Austin friends have found a passion.  We’re lucky that we have  them sharing it with us.

IMG_0517You can find Texas Keeper Ciders at Bangers, Easy Tiger, Whole Foods, Salt and Time, and ABGB. There’s a full list here, if none of those places are on your rounds.

For all local and nothing but local, Argus Cidery is the bottle of cider you’ve been looking for.  Texas apples, wild Austin yeast, and hard work combine to create cider that is unique.  Sourcing apples in Texas isn’t simple, with only a few areas having a solid microclimate suited to accommodate the thing an apple tree needs: winter. Lubbock and Medina have the right combination of weather, soil, and landscape to provide, and Argus created their most recent release, 2013 Perennial, from these two sources.

If wild yeast fermentation isn’t experimental enough, Argus has released a Tepache Especial, which traditionally is a quick fermented, chilled beverage utilizing pineapple peel and rind. In their interpretation, Argus uses whole pineapple and follows their wild yeast fermentation preference. The result is a fizzy drink not quite like anything else.

You can find the tepache at Westwoods Liquor and Jester King is carrying the tepache and the 2013 Perennial.

Cider is growing, and it’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here. For now, I hope that I get some of that 2013 Perennial before it’s all gone!

Happy Ad Wednesday

Cheepie is going to admit a huge bias here. 

I know Fiesta has a ton of really low fish prices.  This is increasingly evident as Lent rolls on, with a few fish less than $2/lb. I don’t list them on the Happy Ad Wednesday post because the fish department at my Fiesta is very, very fishy smelling.

I know, it’s jammed full of fish and so it smells like fish. But everything my grocery training tells me I should buy fish in a place that smells like ice, with bright-eyed dead fish. Not in a fishy smelling place with cloudy-eyed fish I’ve never heard of (Hilsa fish? That’s not a thing. I’m not even going to google to see what this imaginary fish is). 

So, where do you buy fish? Am I being a fish snob? That’s entirely possible. I am still tempted by the smelts, if only because I know if they go all wrong I can feed them to the chickens.  My frugal side and my grocery girl side often war about the fish at Fiesta, so if you have thoughts please share!

That said, here’s the week.  I’m going to be stocking up on Blue Bell and pork loin ( I didn’t get to Randalls last week to get it).

Fiesta

pork blade steak, family pack                 1.49/lb (Fiesta Limit)

medium live crawfish                               1.89/lb

bscb,family pack                                     1.79/lb (Fiesta Limit)

Blue Bell                                                   4.50/ea

shredded cheese, 8oz.                              1.33/ea

assorted pork chops, family pack              1.99/lb

chicken drumsticks, family pack                   99c/lb

organic potatoes                                         1.29/lb (DD)

HEB

large avocados                                      1.50/ea (C15)

blackberries, 6oz                                   1.25/ea

strawberries, 1 lb.                                  1.25/ea (DD)

red plums                                               88c/lb

organic strawberries, 1 lb                    2.98/ea (DD)

mini carrots, 1 lb                                   98c/ea

yellow or orange bell peppers              97c/ea (DD)

Rio Grande Valley grapefruit, 15lbs.    3.98/ea  (C15)

pork loin                                               1.97/lb

HCR drumsticks or thighs                    1.00/lb

bone-in pork chops                              1.97/lb

Randalls

pork shoulder country style ribs             1.79/lb

Large Image

Friday only:

12-stem alstroemeria bunch  $5

(Enough to put little vases throughout the house, to help spring get here sooner!)

Sprouts

red or green seedless grapes                        88c/lb  (DD)

Halos mandarins, 5lb box                             3.98/ea

various apples                                                98c/lb  (DD)

organic red, yellow or orange peppers        1.50/ea  (DD)

organic kale                                                  1.50/ea  (DD)

boneless skinless chicken thighs                 1.99/lb

bulk brown rice                                              69c/lb

Almond Breeze almond milk                          B1G1

Wheatsville

Lara Bars                                    1.00/ea

organic rolled oats                      1.19/lb

Whole Foods

red, yellow or orange bell peppers         98c/ea  (DD)

I’m using the new 2015 EWG guide for the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen rankings.  If you’d like to read more you can here.  As always, I make choices on organic v. not based on how much of it we eat and how much of a hit it is on our budget.  You should make your choices based on what you’ve prioritized for your shopping.

If you’ve prioritized smelts, though, for heaven’s sake let me know what you did with them!

Follow Cheepie on twitter, like Cheepie on Facebook, and let your friends know I’m here wrapping up the ads for Austin shoppers!

Week 17 Meal Plan

This week is heavy on the berries and melon I stocked up on at Sprouts on Friday at the 48 hour sale.  If it weren’t so cold, it would be half gone already, but watermelon isn’t the high-demand item in 40 degree weather that it is when it’s 90 degrees!  I’ll also be using meat from the deep freeze this week, because I didn’t quite get around to shopping the way I’d meant to last week.

Which leads me to a question: How do YOU shop? Why do you think it’s best for your family? What do you wish was simpler?

Cheepie wants to know.

I have friends that do a once-a-week, and friends that buy as they go.  I stock up on things on sale, but then end up in stores several times a week getting what we run out of.

I’m a down-to-the-last-roll tp shopper. My kids don’t understand a lot of what I do, but running the gas tank until the light comes on, and not buying toilet paper until at least one bathroom is out rank high on their list of ‘Things Mom Does That Make No Sense’.

I like to think that this is how, as a parent of three young-ish kids, my inner wild child comes out.  I can run you all the way up to Cedar Park, and not stop for gas. I WILL IGNORE THAT LIGHT.

Here’s the plan for this week:

  • Mon:  venison stew, cantelope, spinach, dinner rolls
  • Tues:   salmon cakes, polenta, blackberries, broccoli
  • Wed:  baked chicken, pasta, salad, fruit, fresh bread
  • Thurs:  hamburgers, fruit &veg
  • Fri:  Refrigerator Buffet

This is hopefully a plan that will have me at least scoring in the double digits.  Follow me Eggandidustjacket.jpgon Twitter and Facebook to see how I do during the week!

And honestly, if you think I’m even a little bit funny, you need to read some Erma Bombeck.  She’s the bomb.  And then, if you’ve got a bit of old-time sentiment, read her predecessor, Betty MacDonald. Do you remember Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle? She wrote those, AND wrote some hysterical autobiographical fun that turned into a movie where she was portrayed by Claudette Colbert.  I know when I’m turned into a movie I want Claudette Colbert playing me!

Cheep On, Cheepsters!

Week 16 Dinner Score

Mistakes were made. The plan was a good one (that chicken on Monday? the leftovers were supposed to turn into the chicken fried rice for Wednesday. smart!), and was manageable. 

But it was cold here this week. Texas cold, to be sure, but still cold. I was tired and cranky.  So we wound up eating what was in the fridge and having less-than-composed meals.

Which is okay.  Sometimes that happens.  I still followed through with Thursday being Boy’s night to fix dinner, and Friday is Tiny’s.  They both stuck with the whole meal all the way to clean up, and are both still daydreaming of being on Master Chef Jr.

The plan:

  • Mon:  roasted chicken thighs, green beans, spinach salad, raspberries.
  • Tues: salmon, asparagus, blackberries,
  • Wed: chicken fried rice, egg drop soup, steamed spinach, fruit & vegphoto 1
  • Thurs: clam chowder, potato soup, fresh bread, fruit, cheese
  • Fri: tuna noodle casserole, salad

The actual:

  • Mon: roasted chicken thighs, green beans, spinach salad, raspberries. 3 points.
  • Tues:   leftover pork, cantelope, mashed potatoes, peas. 1 point.
  • Wed: Chinese takeout. 0 points.photo 2
  • Thurs: soup & sandwiches, salad, blackberries. 2 points.
  • Fri:  pasta, meatballs, tomato sauce, Caesar salad. 2 points.

So I’m on the very low end of respectable at 8 points.Two meals got 2 points for being basically on the plan and nutritious, just on the wrong day.  The one point meal was a solid meal but not the plan. 

The take out is no points, but we were all really happy–we hadn’t had anything from First Wok in a while. Turns out it’s been so long that the kids have added a whole section of the menu to the list of things they’ll eat.  Chicken lo mein, welcome to Rancho del Cheepie!  It was also lunch the next day, and the good kind of leftovers (meaning the kids can all fix themselves plates without needing an assist from me). So even though it was a no point night, I can’t really bring myself to be upset about it.

You’ll have noticed that the tuna noodle casserole is missing.  I’d forgotten that Friday was Tiny’s night, and since she hates tuna I couldn’t really have her be the one that cooked it.  Plus, she might have messed it up, and then I’d be eating terrible lunch all week! Can’t have that.  This week though, it’s a casserole whose time has come, and you can look forward to hearing how well-received it was.

Or who wound up eating cereal for dinner.

Cheep Cheep!