Over the weekend we got in some much needed time outside. We attended a cookout on Saturday, and the weather couldn’t have been more beautiful. It was sunny and 75 degrees. Sunday was even warmer, so we spent the morning at the state park walking the dog on the nature trails.

But now it’s back to work and back to menu planning. I’m glad it’s a short week this week. I’m looking forward to the three-day weekend to relax, catch up on some sleep, and get some work done around the house.

It was time to stock up on coffee for the month, which increased our bill a bit, but we did okay for the most part. Our total was about $60, and we spent $14 on a month’s supply of coffee.

Here’s our menu plan for the week:

Sunday: Chicken and broccoli pasta with Alfredo sauce
Monday: Leftovers/sandwiches
Tuesday: Quesadillas and refried beans
Wednesday: Spinach pesto
Thursday: Italian grilled cheese sandwiches with basil and tomatoes
Friday: Spinach and broccoli pizza

Spinach and broccoli pizza is a specialty pizza that was served at our favorite pizza place in our college town. We haven’t been able to find it anywhere else, so we did our best to recreate the recipe. It’s white sauce (we just use our homemade Alfredo recipe), spinach, and broccoli with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. I know it sounds weird, but it’s delicious! Here’s the recipe if you want to try it:

Ingredients:

Pizza crust
Alfredo sauce (recipe below)
Spinach
Broccoli
Mozzarella cheese
Cheddar cheese

Alfredo sauce:

1/2 cup half and half
1/8 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Black pepper

Heat half and half on medium low. Add butter and whisk to combine. Stir in cheese. Season with black pepper.

Wilt two cups fresh spinach in a little olive oil or thaw a half package of frozen spinach. Cook the broccoli in boiling water until a little tender, but not soft. Top pizza crust with Alfredo, wilted or thawed spinach, and broccoli. Sprinkle on mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Have a great week! Hope it’s a short one for you!

For more menu ideas, visit OrgJunkie.

Somehow time got away from me yesterday, and I completely forgot to get my menu plan for the week posted. No time now for anything but the menu today.

It’s a really simple week this week, and fortunately a really inexpensive one. Our total was $52.

Sunday: Pasta with meat sauce
Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: BLTs
Wednesday: Whole wheat pasta with pesto
Thursday: Chicken wraps
Friday: Homemade pizza
Saturday: Restaurant with visiting friends

For more menu plan ideas, visit OrgJunkie.

I hope your Monday is a little less rushed than mine!

Menu planning for this week was especially difficult, because we’re hosting my husband’s parents for 4 days. We’re cooking for two extra people, and we wanted our meals to be special. We also wanted to stay as close to our budget as possible.

We didn’t do too badly. Our total for the week (including meals after Tony’s parents leave on Wednesday) was $65. That’s only $10-$15 more than our normal grocery costs.

Here’s our menu plan for frugal entertaining:

Saturday: Restaurant (Tony’s parents insist on treating us to a meal out. We told them it’s not necessary, but you know how parents are. :) )
Sunday: Spinach and cheese lasagna
Monday: Steaks, baked potatoes, and creamed spinach
Tuesday: Homemade pizza
Wednesday: Whole wheat pasta with marinara
Thursday: Quesadillas and refried beans
Friday: Homemade pizza (twice in one week!)

Now I’m off to entertain our guests! For more menu plan ideas, check out OrgJunkie.

I received a question by email last week from a reader that I thought I should clear up. She asked whether our grocery costs include toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. The answer is usually no. I find that prices at the grocery store for these items are typically a lot higher than I can get them at Target or CVS.

Sometimes I’ll pick something up at the grocery store if it’s a great deal or if I really need it and I’m too pressed for time to make a trip to another store. For the most part our grocery costs include only food items.

Our total this week was $51. We’ve been struggling with higher prices lately as I’ve begun purchasing snacks like yogurt and fruit to tide me over between lunch and dinner since I’m going to the gym every day after work now. The snacks have made my workout a lot easier and more productive, but the snack foods have taken a toll on our grocery budget.

Here’s our menu plan for the week:

Saturday: Ravioli with marinara sauce and garlic bread
Sunday: Broccoli cheddar soup (a knock-off of the Panera version. It’s delicious!)
Monday: Leftovers/sandwiches
Tuesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Wednesday: Bean and cheese burritos
Thursday: Homemade pizza
Friday: Dinner in Washington DC!

Now head over to OrgJunkie for more menu plans. Have a great week!

We had a lovely and relaxing Super Bowl Sunday … even though it didn’t involve the Super Bowl. Aside from my husband flipping over to check the score every now and then, we didn’t watch it.

Instead we spent the afternoon at a local history museum for free admission day. Because of the Super Bowl, it was mostly empty, which made it even more enjoyable. It was also free. :)

At the grocery store, we only spent $50. We’ve been doing great lately. Even though we’re going to a pot luck on Friday, we’re still cooking the same amount of meals this week because Tony doesn’t have class Monday night, so we’re making a meal instead of eating leftovers. I’m also still bringing snacks to work like apples and yogurt. I don’t know what’s changed, but I’ll take it.

We’re still experimenting with healthier versions of our favorite meals. Here’s the menu plan:

Saturday: Homemade pizza
Sunday: Lean burgers and chips
Monday: Oven baked chicken, collard greens and red potatoes
Tuesday: Steak fajitas
Wednesday: Macaroni and cheese with cauliflower (more cauliflower, less cheese)
Thursday: Spinach and tomato pasta
Friday: Pot luck dinner with friends

The oven baked chicken is a faux-fried chicken coated in Dijon mustard and cornflakes and baked in the oven. We got that recipe as well as the healthier version of mac and cheese from this month’s issue of Real Simple. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

Now head over to OrgJunkie for more menu plans.