Full Pantry Inventory and Asian Inspired Baked Chicken

The whole purpose of this challenge is to use what is already sitting in our pantry/freezer/fridge in order to save as much as possible on groceries and reset my whole budgeting mindset. As I made my inventory list I realized just how ridiculous it was that we have so much and yet I feel like we have nothing to eat!

Before we go any further I want to explain why I made this list and why I encourage you to do the same. Number one, it is absolutely eye opening. I'm assuming most Americans are like me and have several things that sit and don't get eaten. And the same reaction I have, "there's nothing to eat." Number two, it is going to be a great way to see what you have so you can build meals off of your existing supply. I could probably list more reasons but let's get started! 

Be sure and hang on till the bottom of the post so you don't miss out on a new dinner we had this evening.

Pantry Inventory List:

Freezer items:

Deer meat: 11 pounds of ground, 1 back strap, 2 chops, 2 steaks

Sausage: frozen sausage patties, 1 lb cooked ground sausage

1 pork tenderloin

Fridge:

1/2 jar of pizza sauce

peach preserves

2 dozen eggs

1/2 gallon of milk

Cheese: 1 bag sharp cheddar, 1 bag mozzarella, 6 slices of cheddar, 1/4 container parmesan cheese, pepper jack 

1/2 jar of strawberry jam

1/2 carton of chicken broth

various condiments

2 sticks of butter

1 quart buttermilk

creamer

1 jar organic applesauce

bbq sauce

2 peppers

1/2 purple onion

celery

4 lemons

bag of cherries

1 lime

1 small container of raspberries

Cabinets:

Old fashioned oats

Pasta- udon noodles, 2 boxes spaghetti noodles, 1/2 bag of brown rice pasta

4 boxes of Annie's Organic Mac and Cheese

3 jars of Strawberry Sauce

3 jars of Strawberry Jam

4 jars of salsa

1 jar of peanut butter

1 can of enchilada sauce

2 cans of tuna

1 can organic coconut milk

Beans: 1 bag of pintos, 2 cans garbanzo beans, 3 cans kidney beans, 1 can black beans, 2 cans great northern beans

1/2 bag tortilla chips

2 large cans whole tomatoes

3 cans tomato paste

1 small can tomato sauce

2 cans diced tomatoes 

1 small can whole tomatoes

3 cans beef broth

1 jar organic applesauce

1 jar apple butter

1 jar pickles

4 jars pizza sauce

1/2 box cereal
small bag of russet potatoes

We also have a backyard garden with produce coming in at times.

I also have various baking goods, herbs, spices, and wheat which can be ground for flour.

Household goods are running low, I will need pull-ups, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, etc soon. 

There is the complete pantry inventory. My next step will be tonight to plan meals. I will be posting my meal plan tomorrow. If you are joining us on the challenge try to plan at least a week of meals with what you have already.

Now for the meal we had tonight... This meal was less than $4 to feed our whole family of 6 and the kids were practically licking their plates when they finished! 

I had gotten a 2 lb pack of chicken legs that were marked down for $1.99. These were the brand that our store sells that is antibiotic free and humanely raised so it was a great deal! Here is what I did with them and it will definitely be a keeper of a meal! 

Asian Inspired Baked Chicken

preheat oven to 350

ingredients: 

2 lbs chicken legs (this would be great on other cuts as well)

1 1/2 T olive oil

1/2 C soy sauce or alternative

1 1/2 T ketchup

3/4 C honey

2 cloves minced cloves of garlic

Lay chicken in a pyrex style baking dish. Mix all ingredients well, whisking with a fork and pour it over the chicken. 

Bake for 45mins to an hour or until sauce is coating well. 

Enjoy! :) 

Our sides with this were green beans out of our garden and carrots that were boiled for 5mins, drained, then cooked for 5-10 mins until tender in some of the sauce poured over the chicken (they were so delicious!). 

Getting Ready for the July 2016 Budget Challenge

Two more days folks and we kick off the "Grocery Budget Challenge!" It's not too late to join! Make sure to read the rules in my previous post.

After careful consideration, I have chosen what my family's budget will be for July, remember, you decide what fits your own family. In the first challenge, four years ago, I chose $100. At the time we were a family of 4 (2 adults, 1 toddler, 1 baby) and I knew it would stretch us. Fast forward 4 years and we are now a family of 6 (2 adults, 3 kids, and 1 toddler). We are definitely going to need a bit more than $100 for all food and household/personal goods. I still want to really challenge myself so I am putting us at $175. 

I already know there are several things we will have to purchase including; toilet paper, diapers, sleep pull-ups, and toothpaste so $175 will definitely be a challenge. 

Here are some things you can do to get ready;

*Be brainstorming on some cheap meals you already know and have on hand. 

*Make sure you've talked to your family and gotten them on board! 

*Tonight or tomorrow, try to do a pantry inventory... You can look at my post from 4 years ago as an example here. I will post mine for the July 2016 challenge tomorrow! 

I'm excited, and can't wait to share with you guys and see what you guys can share with me! Who knows, there may even be a guest post or two! (wink, wink)

Have a great night! 

Blessings! 

A New Budget Challenge

Okay, so it's been four years since I did the $100 grocery challenge. It was a challenge to force me to budget closely and wisely. Not only did the challenge include food, but also any household type items we may need. (You can read about it here)

I don't know about you, but I'm in need of a budget reset. I have things in my cabinets that need to be used and are never in my meal plan. So, I challenge you to join me! Let's get talking on social media about how your budget is going each day. Let's offer ideas for meals and savings that we use on the journey. It's so important to be good stewards of the money we have no matter how much or how little that may be. The Lord is so good to provide for us, let's use this challenge as a way to really focus in on using it wisely so that we can use the "extra" to bless others.

Here are the rules of the game....

1. The challenge will start on July 1, 2016 and will end
2. You may use anything from your pantry or freezer that was already bought. (I will do a blog post about ideas on how to do a pantry/cabinet inventory)
3. Use nothing but CASH (yep, you read that right... there is a specific purpose for this).
4. Your budget must include food, household goods, toiletries, diapers/wipes, etc.
And last but not least.....
5. SET YOUR BUDGET AND STICK TO IT!!!

I'm not going to tell you what to set your budget at. That all depends on your family, your income, your dynamic. I am currently going back and forth on two different numbers for myself and will decide this week what my budget will be. I will try to do several posts leading up to the challenge's beginning. Whatever your budget is, I challenge you to really choose a number that won't be easy for you. This is meant to really test you and teach you of what you are capable of by being good stewards and being intentional with life's blessings.

I hope you will join me! :)

Blessings!

Eggplant Parmesan

It's summertime and that means we have access to delicious, fresh grown produce. Whether we grow it ourselves in our backyard garden, or we visit a farm or community market, we LOVE to take advantage of the fresh goodies that God provides for us!

On our visit to the Mennonite Farm Market this past weekend I couldn't pass up their delicious eggplant. Eggplant parmesan is something I love but have never personally made for our family. I gathered several recipes through friends and pinterest, took a little from each, and bam, a delicious dinner! And, while eggplant parmesan is traditionally a vegetarian dish, I have also included our family's delicious meat sauce recipe. I already had some made and frozen in the freezer, it was the perfect complement!

After dinner, the results are in, 5 out of 6 loved it! The 6th one liked the noodles and sauce, but he still ate all the eggplant even though he didn't care for it. Here is the recipe, enjoy and let me know how you like it!


Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant (I used two small/medium sized)
1-1 1/2 Cups of Italian Bread Crumbs
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
olive oil, you will use minimal amounts to lightly pan-fry your eggplant
Sauce, can be marinara, spaghetti style, or meat sauce (I used my sauce recipe also posted below)
2 cups Mozzarella 
1 cup shredded parmesan
Italian seasoning to sprinkle on top, or fresh basil chopped and sprinkled on top

Preheat your oven to 375

When beginning the recipe, slice your eggplant across (not lengthwise) to make 1/2 round pieces. Dry the moisture off with a paper towel if they have excess moisture to them. 

Beat together your eggs and your milk until combined in a bowl and pour your italian breadcrumbs onto a plate. Completely submerge each piece of eggplant into the wet mixture then roll around and completely coat them in the breadcrumbs. 

(After coating)

After all pieces have been coated, heat a skillet over medium high heat with enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan so that you are able to lightly fry a few pieces at a time. While the pan is heating, quickly take a 13x9 baking dish and fill the bottom with about a cup of sauce. 

Fry each piece of eggplant until both sides are a golden brown. After frying, place half of the pieces in a layer in the baking dish. Spread another thin layer of sauce over the top. Sprinkle half of the parmesan and half of your mozzarella. Then repeat with another layer following the same method. Then top with a sprinkling of herbs, I used italian seasoning this time. 

Place uncovered in the oven to bake about 20mins (I turned the broiler on for the last minute or two in order to get a little browning to the cheese). 

(fresh out of the oven)

Meat Sauce:

1 lb ground sausage (sweet italian is best)
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (28oz can) crushed tomatoes
2 (6oz cans) tomato paste
2 (6.5oz cans) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 T sugar
2 tsps Italian Seasoning
1 T salt

In a large pot or dutch oven, brown sausage and beef, throw in garlic and onions halfway through browning. When meats are browned, add in all other ingredients and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs, covered. Make sure to stir throughout cooking process.