Budget Update & Meal Plan for Nov 5-11

Things are getting busy here!  We are closing in on finals, performances, and the holidays!  I sent out a google form to our Thanksgiving guest this morning, just to keep track.  We potentially have many people in attendance, so I need some hub to keep all the info on attendance and potluck dishes.

In the short-term, I’m getting ready for M’s birthday this weekend and for his sister and brother-in-law’s arrival from the UK a few days after that.  Both will be wonderful times, I’m just trying to stay flexible in my meal-planning, as I don’t know when we might be seeing them/going out/etc.

This week, from the grocery store was mostly a stock up, including a full pound of beef for next week (Shepherd’s Pie is on the menu!).  Next week’s shopping may be more stocking-up as well, especially with Thanksgiving nearly upon us.  I need to eat down the freezer, so that I can use our excess dollars to grab a few extra packages of butter (I got through so much butter at Thanksgiving) and have room to store them.

We also got some fun produce from Hungry Harvest.  Most notably, a couple of rutabagas.   Did you know they are also called swedes?  Also neeps (although, that can also be turnips)?  I’d heard of neeps, but didn’t know what they were.  I’d never heard of a vegetable called a swede.  M, on the other hand, knew he liked swedes, but though he had never had rutabaga.  And it’s all the same thing!  Another weird twist of an American-British relationship.

More rutabaga fun facts: it’s a cross between a cabbage and a turnip.  It’s super tasty roasted, mashed, or pureed into soup; as you would with potatoes or turnips.  I went the soup route this week.  After being spoiled by last week’s luscious carrot soup, I found myself wanting a bit more body to the soup, but it was tasty nonetheless!  If I’d had cream on had, instead of 2% milk, to finish it off, I would have been very pleased.

Here’s how we spent:

Hungry Harvest Produce Box: $15.00

Aldi: $24.49

Trader Joe’s: $9.77 (less $1 for the inedible mini Cinnamon broom)

Total: $49.26

Here’s what we got:

HH Produce Box: 2 oranges, 2 apples, baby spinach, cantalope, 2 rutabagas, 2 bell peppers, 1 onion, 2 zucchinis, & 2 sweet potatoes

Aldi: olive oil, chicken broth, veggie broth, celery, bacon, garlic, chopped walnuts, corn chips, yogurt, cranberries, diced tomatoes x2, cannelini beans x2, 3 lbs onions

Trader Joe’s: 1 lb ground beef, 2 lb frozen tater tots (I went in for polenta, which they did not have in stock, so I took the opportunity to stock up for next week)

Here’s what we’re eating:

Sunday: Mini reunion with High School Friends–I’m contributing Roast Garlic White Bean Dip and some cut veggies.  Everyone is bringing a dish, so we’ll have plenty to eat!

Monday: Jumbalaya  I’m making M cook it while I’m in class.  We have all the meat in the freezer already and rice in the pantry, so he’ll use some peppers, onions, celery, broth, garlic, and canned tomatoes.

Tuesday: Rutabaga & Leek Soup, Spinach Salad, & Pan de Bono  I’ll use some of the leeks left over from last week in a pureed soup with the rutabaga and broth.  Pan de Bono is a bread roll made primarily with Queso Fresco, which I have stashed in the freezer and some flour from the pantry.  I lightly dress the spinach and top with walnuts and dried cranberries to go along with the soup.

Wednesday: Zucchini Fried Rice + PF Chang’s GF Egg Drop Soup  I was feeling pretty sick at work, so I picked up a quart of soup on my way home.  We love that PF Chang’s has safely prepared, gluten-free options; and I love that their soup truly gels when cold–a sign of super-good-for-you gelatin and collagen in the broth.  (Or it maybe cornstarch, but let me dream….) Needless to say, I wanted soup, so $10 later,  here we are.  I rounded it out with the Fried Rice that was already on my plan, to use up some veggies.

Thursday: I have a late meeting at work, that comes with plenty of snacks that will serve as my dinner.  There a leftovers at home for M.

Friday: Chile Relleno Casserole. Tortillas from the pantry, Soy-rizo from the freezer, bits of cheese from last week, poblanos from our garden: this meal is almost entirely from the pantry.  I’ll use the other can of tomatoes and some of the bell pepper and onions.

Saturday: Leftovers or something else from the pantry.  It’s still a little up in the air.

Breakfasts will be: egg sandwiches, yogurt & fruit, or sweet potatoes.  Lunches are leftovers.  I’ll also make up a batch of banana muffins, this week, too.