Our Thanksgiving

Nov 26, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    4 Comments    Posted under: blessings, Grocery Challenge, saving money, Spain

We scrimped and saved for this meal to share with our friends and it was worth it! Here are some photos below. It was an American Thanksgiving with a few splashes of Spain added.

15 of our best-est Spanish & Brazilian buddies came to the house.

Day 19 My Grocery Saving Plan

Nov 8, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    2 Comments    Posted under: Blogroll, Grocery Challenge, saving money

Day 19:

Today I spent: $0 on groceries

Total spent these last 19 days: 70,35€

Average per day: 3,70€

We called about a turkey at another market and got a better price: 3,95€ kilo!   That’s better than the 5,40€ from the poultry store here in Loeches. Anyway, we ordered two 5 kilo birds because those are as big as they have them here.

All we invited are coming and we are so glad to have a shared day with them. I’ve prepared a Power Point with some photos and a mini presentation to project on our living room wall… just to teach them what THANKSGIVING is. As we Americans know, it is a day that we celebrate for very specific reasons.

I hope to post more updates after the 16th of this month.

After church today I opened a jar of my chili with beef that I had canned and we ate that over rice with a salad.  For supper it will be more of the same or egg and toast.

Day 18 of My Grocery Savings Plan

Nov 7, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    No Comments    Posted under: Grocery Challenge, saving money

Day 18:

Spent today: $0

Spent in the past 18 days on groceries: 70,35€

Average for these 18 days: 3,90€

Mid-day meal:

1st plate:

cream of butternut squash -we had this yesterday as well, which I took out the freezer

2nd plate:

Macaroni & cheese with ham

salad

garlic toast

Supper:

egg salad sandwiches on hamburger buns (last 2) & lettuce

* we had a wonderful blessing of receiving 2 jars of homemade olives yesterday.

Day 17 My Grocery Savings Plan

Nov 5, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    4 Comments    Posted under: Grocery Challenge, recipes, saving money

Day 17

I spent today: 11,50€

1 dozen eggs- 1,50€ (village food cost more and I forgot to bring my eggs!)

2.5 kilos of pork- 10,00€

Total spent for the past 17days: 70,35€

Average per day: 4,13€

NOT great if we are eating all of that food but these are meats that I have canned. Today I canned 39 jars of meat; both ground beef in 3 flavors; taco, southwest and fajita,  and pork in taco flavor.

The idea may interest you from the standpoint that if you have canned meats on your shelves, then you have the makings for many “instant” meals. For instance, Seasoned Ground Beef can become:

• Sloppy Joes
• Spaghetti Sauce, when added to your home-canned sauce
• Pizza topping
• Casseroles
• Instant Soups, when combined with your home-canned vegetables
• Tacos
• the list can go on and on, just use your imagination.

Won’t it be nice to have canned meat for quick meals right there on your shelf and  less time to cooking when guests come or you’re just busy with other things?

Here are the photos:

Day 16 My Grocery Saving Plan

Nov 4, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    No Comments    Posted under: Blogroll, Gardening, Grocery Challenge, saving money

Day #16: We  traveled to the village today. We actually left a bit late, and got to the house at 8pm. We stopped in Coria to buy a few groceries. I plan on canning the hamburger for future meals.  No one calls, no meetings… just work and I have time to CAN! I love that.

Spent today: 39,35€

1,35-€ mushrooms

37,20€- 8 kilos of hamburger (that’s 17lbs 6 oz)

0,60 cents-1 liter of whole milk-(John drinks whole milk)

0,20 cents-1 onion

1,55 euros-2 romaine lettuce

Spent the last 16 days: 58,85€ (but most of it is for the future.. canned ground beef)

Average spent per day: 3,67€  per day

Meat… I love the stuff! I especially like to can it. Last year for Christmas, John gave me a pressure canner and a couple hundred jars and 800 lids. I’ve run down my ‘stock’ considerably  and I can’t stand to see those empty jars, so when I have a few days in my otherwise busy schedule, I prepare for a canning session. For me, there is a tremendous satisfaction in seeing the fruits of my labor on the shelves.

Did I mention how handy it is? I can the hamburger for example, with different spices added. Some may be taco flavor, or sloppy Joe flavor. Some with chili powder or onions and garlic or Italian seasoning. When I have a recipe I want to prepare, I just open a jar or 2 of the hamburger… ready to go. No defrosting or panic if I have unexpected guests come for a meal. I’m pretty well set all of the time.

Blessings!! Today I received a package from my friend Joye. It was the mother-load of things I love! Here is what she sent:

1 movie

7 cans of jalapenos (really needed those!)

2 cans of cranberry sauce

2 boxes of pie crust mix

2 popcorn balls

wow! we are very thankful and blessed by these treats. All these foods we can‘t get here and how helpful for my Thanksgiving feast! We are humbled by the Lords goodness to us.

Day 15 My Grocery Spending Plan

Nov 4, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    No Comments    Posted under: Blogroll, Grocery Challenge, saving money

Day 15:

Still my total for spending the last 15 days is: 19,50€

Spent today: $0

I’m still pretty weak and tired from having the flu this week but well enough to starting thinking about preparing food again. We’re finishing up with the last of the  casserole and other leftovers but am looking at making some macaroni & cheese with that piece of ham in the fridge. I think I’ll try to make it tomorrow when we arrive in the village for work.

I had cleared my schedule these past few days but I have a meeting tonight  and one tomorrow before we leave.

I may spend money tomorrow on hamburger & ground pork because I want to can (preserve)  while I’m in the village. It’s handy for me to have preserved/canned meat on the shelf since we lead such a busy life. My dear sister-in-law Vanita sent me some spices that I can add to the jars before I pressure cook/can them. Canning meat & chicken is one of my favorite things to do.

Day 14 My Grocery Spending Plan

Nov 3, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    No Comments    Posted under: Blogroll

Day 14:

Total spent for the last 2 weeks: 19,50€ Total spent today: ZERO. Still sick… eating leftovers (that I fixed when we had guests last week)  and a soup I made from the leftover zucchini and odds and ends from the garden.

Supper will be leftovers as well.

Day #13 My Grocery Savings Plan

Nov 2, 2009 by pearsonsprogress    2 Comments    Posted under: Blogroll, Gardening, Grocery Challenge, saving money

Day #13 and I have spent 19,50€ in the last 13 days. Today I didn’t spend anything… sick in bed, all plans canceled.