The Angelfood has arrived. I bought 2 regular boxes and one grill box. Total cost was $84.00 and it included:

2 dozen eggs
2 large bags of chicken breasts
2 lbs of breaded fish nuggets
2 lbs of lean ground beef
12 rib-eye steaks
4 pork chops
4 turkey medalions wrapped in bacon
2 frozen mac and beef entrees
2 lbs of frozen mashed potatoes
2 bags of frozen vegetables with peppers
2 lbs of chicken fajita strips
2 boxes of smoked sausage
6 lbs of Idaho potatoes
2 cans of spaghetti sauce
2 lbs of spaghetti
2 lbs of rice
2 quarts of shelf stable milk
8 honey buns

Not too shabby I think :). I had to send some of it home with Mom to tuck away in her freezer because mine is now full. Since the daughter is not eating meat now, I think that we will not have to purchase meat for the whole month of July! There will be a few trips to the farmers market for fresh fruit and veggies though. At least until the garden starts producing.

Now for a menu. I have discovered that I don't like being told (even by myself) what I have to eat on a given day. Maybe its the rebel in me, but some days I just don't feel like eating whats on the menu. So, since I have to eat what I have, eventually all the planned meals will get eaten. I am just going to do a list of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners... and except for Friday night, which is ALWAYS pizza night if I can manage it, we will pick and choose as our tastes dictate.

Breakfasts:

oatmeal
toast
grits
eggs and bacon
sausage biscuits (we have these frozen from the previous shopping trip) - primarily for the Hubby to eat on his way to work.
pancakes
cereal and milk

Lunches:
Sandwiches (lunch meat, cheese)
vegetable soup
grilled cheese
salad
fish nuggets (for the daughter)
carrot and celery sticks with dip
stuffed peppers for hubby
Pasta salad - veggies, hard boiled eggs, whole wheat pasta, Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese
Hamburger mac entree (for Hubby's lunch)


Dinner:
baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, baked apples
Pork chops, rice, broccoli
baked potatoes - sour cream, shredded cheese, chives, fajita chicken
pizza - turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, onion
BBQ chicken, roasted potatoes, salad
burgers, oven fries, stir fried veggies (zucchini, yellow squash, carrots)
steak, baked potatoes, broccoli/cauliflower mix

I have low fat brownie mix and a couple cake mixes if we want dessert. Also a great recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.

I have made one attempt at cleaning out the fridge. It went well but I didn't really have time to wash out the drawers, etc. I need to do that so the produce stays nice. Also I bought some "forever bags". These are bags that do not trap the gasses that veggies, bread, meat and fruit let off as they age. If they are not sitting in these gasses they stay fresh longer. I usually have to pay through the nose for them, but I found a great deal at Big Lots (25 bags for $3!!). So, I am hoping that the food will last longer. That means fewer trips to the grocery and frankly less opportunity to blow the budget :)

Its been a while, huh?

Well, I was working, we had family visiting, and nothing was normal here for about 2 months. The youngest child had prom, graduated from high school, the oldest moved to a new place, and my brother's family came from Alaska to visit. This means that all the cousins showed up too, and we had a wonderful time. There was a lot of BBQ, and sweet tea made, and many meals of "bring what you've got, and we'll put it with what I've got", LOL. I am so glad they came.

My temp job has hit a wall and there is no work. Now the Congress is fighting unemployment extensions (which they should, fiscally its a bad move) so I am a little freaked out about how we will pay our bills when that is no longer available. I am reduced to 'work at home" schemes, mystery shopper jobs, and whatnot. After 18 months I cant even get a job interview, let alone become gainfully employed again. And heaven help us when the folks in the Gulf have to start applying for benefits because they will need them for a LOT longer than I have at this point. Their way of life is just destroyed.

In this midst of all this, we are raising the monster garden from Hades. Its huge. Its so much work, and the heat and humidity have been so oppressive that I can't hardly breathe when I go out there. Becca has been up a few times to stay and since she is right there she can get out in the early morning and late evening and weed. I am always waiting on a car to come home, or the rain to stop, ... its just been very frustrating. And we are not yet to the never ending harvest part. I know its coming, and I know that its beneficial to us to harvest everything we can get our hands on. Still, other than the fact that we will be able to visit while we pick, shuck, cut, can, bag, etc, I am not looking forward to it. I am, I guess, basically lazy. However, what does the Bible say? Neither does a man work, nor shall he eat... or something like that. So...

Saturday is Angelfood day. I have forgotten at this point what we are getting! Its been that kind of crazy time here. However, I am making a grocery list of staples, preparing to make bread again to get us through, and buying up dry milk so we can still cook even if we don't like it to drink. I know we are getting 2 regular boxes and 1 grill box. So we should be good for meat for a while. Plus I have 5 lbs of hamburger frozen at Mom's just waiting to come home and be made into something. The youngest has decided she wants to be a vegetarian, naturally since I have all this meat, so I am trying to accommodate her by cooking more veggies, and making things that don't necessarily include meat. I have been cruising recipes that are specifically vegetarian, thinking we could use them as side dishes while she uses them as main course items.

**** Brief Pause****

Just got back from a run to my brother's apartments. We had to put an AC unit in the 3rd floor apartment. I can't tell you how proud I am of what he has done with that place. He's a good landlord, takes care of things in a timely manner, and has really made apartments homes for those who rent there. Its amazing what he has accomplished.

Anyway, last night we did the "foil package" thing. Salmon brushed with Dijon mustard, zucchini/potatoes/Vidalia onions with seasoning sprinkled on and a small dollop of margarine, and saffron rice. It was pretty good stuff. Surprised me, I will admit. I don't know why the daughter will eat fish and not consider it meat, but anything that gives us protein and still meets her criteria is good with me. Guess we will be eating more seafood (just when it goes sky high because of the mess in the Gulf huh?).

So tomorrow I will have the Angelfood here and put away and I can work on some menus. Will post again soon ;)