Grocery Deals thru 8/14/12

King Soopers’
Avocados - $1 each
Strawberries (2 lbs.) - $2.99
Peaches - $0.99/lb.
Colorado Proud Milk - $2 a gallon
King Soopers Bread or Buns - $1 each
King Soopers 32 pack water - $3.77 each
Lays’ Potato Chips - $2 a bag
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb.
Powerade or Powerade Zero - $0.59 each
Kellogg’s Cereal (only the 20 oz. cereals are a good deal) - $1.99 each
Cheetos or Fritos - $2 each bag
Big K Soft Drinsk (2 liters) - $0.87 each
Krogers Vegetables - $0.69 each
Yellow Onions - $0.99/lb.
Kroger Tortilla Chips - $1 each

　
Albertson’s
Cantaloups - $0.33/lb.
Gatorade or G2 Sports Drinks (must buy 5) - $0.69 each
Spaghetti-o’s - $0.88 each
Progresso Soup - $0.88 each
Mac & Cheese - $0.88 each
Bartlett Pears - $1.29/lb.
Nectarines - $1.49/lb.
Avocados - $1 each
Go-Gurt - $2 each
VO5 Shampoo/Conditioner - $0.89 each
Buy 3 Yogurts (certain brands of Activia or Danimals), get a free gallon of milk - $2 each
Buy 10, Save $5
Oreos - $2.49
Kraft BBQ Sauce - $0.79 each
Crest Toothpaste - $0.99 each
Oral-B Toothbrush - $0.99 each
　
Safeway
Red Seedless Grapes - $0.79/lb.
Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks (must buy in quantities of 4) - $0.99 each
Corn - $0.50 each

Grocery Deals thru 7/24/2012

King Soopers’
Pork Spare Ribs - 1.99/lb.
Olathe Sweet Corn - $0.20 each
Yellow Peaches - $0.99/lb.
Blueberries - $5.99 (2 lb.)
Top Flight Spiral Notebooks - $0.19 each
Pencils - $0.50 each
Kroger Canned Vegetables - $0.69 each
Oxford Index Cards - $0.45 each
Twin Pocket Portfolios - $0.15 each
Top Flight Composition Books - $0.50 each
Bic Cristal Pens - $0.89 Filler Paper - $0.75 each
Glue Sticks - $0.99 each

Buy 10, Save $5
Pepsi Soft Drinks - $0.99/lb.
Goldfish Crackers - $0.99 each
Propel Fitness Water - $0.49 each
Arrowhead Water (3 Liters) - $0.49 each
Vitamin water - $0.50 each
Doritos - $1.99 each
Del Monte Fruit - $0.99 each
Pringles Super Stack - $0.99 each
SunnyD - $0.99 each
Philadelphia Cream Cheese - $0.99 each
Dean’s Dip - $0.99 each
Quaker Chewy Bars - $1.89
Chips Ahoy Cookies - $1.99 each
Fuze - $0.89 each
Prego Pasta Sauce - $1.49 each
Yoplait Go-gurt (16 ct.) - $3.99 each
Kroger Frozen Waffles, Pancakes or French Toast - $0.99 each
Colgate Toothpaste or Toothbrush - $0.99 each

Safeway
Corn - 5/$1
Tropical Mangoes - $0.50 each
Sweet Yellow Onions - $0.88/lb.
2-liter Safeway Soda - $0.69 each
Refreshe Water (24 pack) - $3.33 each

Albertsons’
Bone in Chicken Breasts or Thighs - $0.99/lb.
Kraft Salad Dressing - $0.88 each
Sweet Corn - $0.50 each
Sweet Onions - $0.99/lb.
Cilantro - $0.50 each

Has a buy 2, get 1 free - but I have NO idea if any of it is a good deal or not.

Buy 10, Save $5
Propel Fitness Water - $0.50 each
Pepsi Soft Drinks - $0.89 each
Gatorade or G2 Drinks - $0.69 each

Grocery Deals thru 7/17/2012

AWESOME deals this week at King Soopers! I am heading out today to stock up on some essentials! The best deals/the deals I'm the most excited about have a star next to them. Happy Shopping! :)

King Soopers’

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb. (cheaper at Sam’s though)
Avocados - $1 each
Blackberries or Raspberries - $1.50 each
King Soopers’ Large Eggs - $1.25 each
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.50 each
*Blue Bell Ice Cream - $3.99 *64 oz.*
7-Up Soft Drinks - $1 each
Private Selection Center Cut Bacon - $3 each
Oscar Mayer Lunchables - $1.25
Highlighters - $0.99 each
Spiral Notebooks - $0.19 each
Nabisco Snack Crackers - $2
Red Swiss Chard - $1.49
*Kale - $0.99 a bunch
*Parsley - $0.50
Red Radishes - $0.99 each
*Green Onions - $0.50
*Spinach - $0.99 each
*Cilantro - $0.33 each
*Green Cabbage - $0.59/lb.
Avery Glue Sticks (6 ct.) - $2.79
Post it Sticky Notes - $0.99
Bic Pens - $0.89

Buy 10, Save $5
*Del Monte Fruit - $0.99 each
Pepsi Soft Drinks - $0.99 each
* Goldfish - $0.99 each
Pringles - $0.99 each
Sunny D - $0.99 each
Propel Fitness Water - $0.49 each
Arrowhead - $0.49 each
Kraft Salad Dressing - $1.99
* Philadelphia Cream Cheese - $0.99
Dean’s Dips - $0.99 each
Oscar Mayer Lunch Meat (16 oz.) - $2.49
* Old Spice Deodorant - $1.49
* Secret Deodorant - $1.49
* Go-Gurt (16 pack) - $3.99
Fuze - $0.89 each

　
Albertsons’

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.88/lb.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenders - $1.99/lb.
Peaches, Nectarines or Plums - $0.99/lb.
Chicken of the Sea Tuna - $0.59 each
Grade AA Large Eggs (1 dozen - limit 2) - $0.99 each
* Wheat Thins - $1.88 each
Powerade or Powerade Zero Drinks - $0.50 each
Albertsons’ Whole Fryer - $0.99/lb.
Sweet Corn - $0.50 each

Buy the quantities mentioned and get coupons for your next purchase:
* Essential Everyday Fruit Snacks - $1.50 each (buy 4, get $1 coupon)
Welch’s Essential or Light Grape Juice - $2.50 (buy 2, get $1 coupon)
Mott’s Apple Sauce - $2 (buy 2, get $1 coupon)
Old Orchard Grape, Pineapple or Orange Juice - $1.50 (buy 2, get $1 coupon)
Go-Gurts or Yoplait Yogurts - $2.50 (buy 2, get $1 coupon)

　
SafewayNectarines - $0.99/lb.
2-liter Pepsi Products - $.99 each
Green Onions - $0.50 each

Grocery Deals 6/20 - 6/26

AWESOME cereal deal at Albertsons' this week! I plan on stocking up BIG this week on that! Also a lot of other great deals to be found at Albertsons' & King Soopers'. :) The best deals have stars next to them.

King Soopers’

Kroger Fruit Snacks - $1
Kraft Mac & Cheese - $1
Van Camp’s Pork & Beans - $1 (not a fantastic deal, but if you’d like to stock up)
Kroger Cheese Singles - $1
Kroger Frozen Vegetables - $1
Cake Mix - $1
Minute Maid Lemonade or Punch - $1
Amour Lunch Makers - $1
Oscar Mayer Bologna - $1
Red Grapes - $0.99/lb.
Colorado Proud Milk - $1.97 gallon
Large Eggs - $1
Big K Soft Drinks (2 gallon) - $0.87 each
Cheetos or Fritos - $1.99 each
Kroger Russet Potatoes (5 lb.) $1.79
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.50

Buy 10, or More Pay $0.67 each
* Powerade, Vitamin Water, Powerade Zero, Full Throttle, Fuze, or Smartwater

Buy 5, Save $5
Cheez-It - $1.99
Juicy Juice 64 oz. or 8 ct. boxes - $1.99
Keebler Cookies - $1.59 each

Albertsons’

Applewood Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon (5 lbs. or more) - $1.99/lb.
Peaches or Nectarines - $0.99/lb.
Sweet Corn - $0.50
Strawberries (4 lb.) - $7.99
Wheat Thins/Triscuits - $1.99 each
Frozen Vegetables - $1
Russet Potatoes (10 lb.) - $2.99
Vitamin Water - $0.88
Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs - $1.29
Yellow Onions (3 lbs.) - $1.49
Celery - $0.89
Green Bell Peppers - $0.69
Homelife Bleach - $1.99
Ajax Dishwashing Liquid

Buy 10 Items, Save $5
Ritz Crackers - $2.49
Kraft Salad Dressing - $1.49
Keebler Crackers - $1.99
Barilla Pasta - $0.75 each
La Victoria Enchilada Sauce - $1.69
***Malt O Meal Cereal (Golden Puffs, Mini Spooners, Frosted Flakes or Raisin Bran) - $1.49
Oscar Mayer Meat or Turkey Bologna or Cotto Salami - $1.49

Buy $20, Save $5 on the next trip
Softsoap Hand Soap - $1

Buy 10, Save $5
**Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce - $0.99
**Lindsay Ripe Olives - $0.99
**Nabisco Oreo Cookies - $2.49
Kraft Mayo or Miracle Whip - $1.99

　

Safeway
Sandersons Whole Chicken - $0.99/lb.

Grocery Deals from 5/23 - 5/29

AMAZING deals this week! I encourage you all to stock up as much as you can in the areas where your 3 month supply are lacking! :) Also, check out the great deal on barilla pasta this week at Albertson's - this is my stock up price!!! :) Happy Shopping!

King Soopers’

Gold Pineapple - $1.25 each
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb.
Nabisco Snack Crackers - $2 each
Gatorade or G2 - $0.79 each
Hellman’s mayonnaise (or Best Foods) - $2.99 each
King Soopers’ 32 Pk Water - $3.77
Minute Maid Punch or Lemonade - $1 each
King Soopers’ Bread or Buns - $1 each
Sweet Baby Ray’s or Krogers’ BBQ Sauce - $1
Popsicle Frozen Treats - $1 each
Kroger Sour Cream Dip - $1 each (16 oz.)
Ball Park Frankes - $1.50 each
Ritz Crackers - $1.99
Heinz Ketchup - $1.99
Corn - $0.33 ach
Kroger Frozen Vegetables - $1 each
Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream Sandwiches - $2.50
Kool-Aid Drink Mix - $0.10 each
Aquafresh Toothpaste - $1 each
Jet Puffed Marshmallows - $1 each

Albertsons’

Capri Suns - $1.99 each
Falls Brand Boneless Ham - $1.99/lb.
Albertsons’ Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs - $1.29/lb.
Navel Oranges - $0.99/lb.
Granny Smith Apples - $0.99/lb.
Roma Tomatoes - $0.99/lb.
Corn - $0.50 each (cheaper at King Soopers’)
Fruit Snacks (Ocean Spray or Betty Crocker) - $1.49 each
Kraft Marshmallows - $0.99 each
Old Orachard Juice - $2
Aquafresh, Ultrabright or Colgate Toothpaste - $1
Colgate Toothbrushes - $1

Buy 10 items, save $5 instantly

• Best Foods Mayonnaise - $2.49 each
• Pepsi Soft Drinks - $1
• French’s Mustard (brown or yellow) - $0.99
• Lawry’s Marinade - $0.99 each
• Lindsay Ripe Olives - $0.99
• Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce - $0.99
• Gatorade or G2 Sports drink - $0.79
• Oscar Mayor Meat or Turkey, Bologna, or Otto Salami - $1.49 each
• Jello-Pudding or Gelatin - $0.75
• Rice A Roni or Pasta a Roni - $0.75
• FUZE  - $0.75
• Barilla Pasta - $0.75

Buy $15, Get $5 coupon for your next trip (33% off) - these are all the same price as Wal-Mart - but with a $5 back coupon - woo-hoo!

• Suave Body Wash - $1.67
• Suave Solid Deodorant - $1.67
• Suave Kids Hair Care - $1.67
• Suave Men’s or Professional Shampoo or Conditioner - $1.67 each

Safeway
Corn - $0.25 each
Best Foods Mayonnaise - $2.77
Red Seedless Grapes - $1.27
Popsicle Novelties - $2.49
Wheat Thins, Ritz Crackers - $1.88
Safeway Select Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs - $1.29/lb.

Grocery Sales 5/16 - 5/22

Next week should have some AWESOME sales on picnic/bbq items and condiments, so I'm planning on saving up for that. The best items that I'm stocking up on will be underlined. :)

King Soopers’

Pork Loin Mixed Chops - $1.99/lb. (bone in)

King Soopers Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs - $0.98/lb.

Large Hass Avocados - $0.89 each

Kroger Cottage Cheese - $1.88 (24 oz.)

Kroger Canned Vegetables - $0.69 each

Kroger Fruit - $0.99 each

　
Buy 10, Save $4 (and $1 donated to the USO)

Van Camp’s Pork and Beans - $0.39 each

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish - $0.99 each

American Beauty Pasta - $0.99 (only the pound packages though)

Go-Gurt Yogurt - $1.77

Dannon Yogurt - $1.77

Capri Suns - $1.99

　

Albertsons’

Applewood Smoked Thick Bacon (4 lbs. or more) - limit 10 lbs. - $1.99/lb.

Albertson’s Whole Fryer (limit 2) - $0.88/lb.

Buy 6, Save $3

Essential Everday Fruit Snacks - $1

Essential Everyday Toaster Pastries - $1

Essential Everyday Cereals (only the 18 oz.) - $1.75 each

Essential Everyday Cereals (only 20 oz. or higher) - $2 each

Buy 10, Save $5

French’s Mustard (brown or yellow) - $0.99 each

Lindsay Ripe Olives - $0.99 each

Duncan Hines Cake Mix - $0.99

Mott’s Apple Juice - $1.99

Safeway

Red Bell Peppers - $0.99 each

Avocados - $0.99 each

Fresh Lettuce bags - $0.99 each

Ovenjoy sandwich Breads - $0.99 each

Safeway Canned Fruit - $0.89 each

Barley Casserole

This wonderful recipe was submitted by Dwyla Perriton. Thanks Dwyla!!! :)

1 can campbell’s extra strength beef broth
1 can of swanson’s clear beef broth
1/4 to 1/2 c. left over meat (hamburger, roast pieces) – the meat is optional
2 cans of mushrooms with juice or fresh mushrooms sautéed
1-1/2 c. uncooked barley
1 onion
celery leaves chopped or pieces

Brown barley in a skillet in a little butter. Sautee onion, celery & mushrooms (if fresh). Add all to a baking dish with a lid. It will be very liquidy, but that is how it is suppose to be. Cook @350 degrees for 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours (until liquid is absorbed and barley is not crunchy).

Mexican Rice

There are so many variations out there for mexican rice. The couple that I tried wanting to post, were not wonderful, but this one had 31 5-star ratings, so that must mean something. :)

Mexican Rice

Corn & Mushroom Crepes

I've been surprised at so many different ideas and variations on the same basic items. The basic food storage items we are asked to store may be simple, but they are wonderful basics that can be adapted into so many different uses!

Corn & Mushroom Crepes

Broccoli Rice Bake

Another fun way to use up your rice, make a meal and prove the versatility of this basic food storage item! :)

Broccoli Rice Bake

Pot O' Gold Popcorn

I' a big fan of any time I can add chocolate to anything. Well, just about anything. So this pot o' gold popcorn had me at the first picture! :)

Pot O' Gold Popcorn

Strawberry and Cream Risotto

Another fun way to stop having plain, white rice. Strawberry and Cream Risotto.

Grocery Deals (4/18 - 4/24)

I don't know if I've ever seen such a horrible week for sales. The cream cheese at Albertson's is worth getting excited about and my kids will enjoy some corn. But otherwise, I'm saving my money for next week.

King Soopers’
Strawberries - $1.50 each
Corn - $0.50 each
Jazz Apples - $1.09/lb.
Organic Fuji Apples - $0.99/lb.
Anjou Pears - $0.99/lb.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken - $1.99/lb.
Fritos/Cheetos - $2 each
Powerade/Powerade Zero - $0.59 each
Kraft BBQ Sauce - $1
Dawn Dish Detergent - $1

Safeway
Corn - $0.50 each
Safeway Canned Vegetables (limit 6) - $0.59 each

　
Albertsons
(all coupons are being rounded up to $1 this week)
Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb.
Albertsons’ Cream Cheese - $1.25 each
Naval Oranges - $0.99/lb.
Must buy in 3’s for the price:
Lawry’s Marinade - $0.99 each
Lindsay Black Olives - $1.13 each
A HUGE list of items for $5 - check out the site for exact details

Carmel Corn

Another fun idea to jazz up your popcorn! Carmel Corn! :)

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I know that you all have your own version of a stuffed bell pepper recipe, but this one at Taste of Home seemed good too! :)

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Cornbread

I just realized after all the corn postings, I still hadn't added just plain ol' cornbread! Paula Deen is always a favorite at our home. So here's a simple, basic recipe for you to try!

Cornbread

Yummy-licious Rice Pudding

We all have a simple rice pudding recipe, but this rice pudding has all the extras that make yummy-licious! Even if you aren't a rice pudding fan, give this one a try! :)

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Popcorn

This is just one of many varieties of chocolate & peanut butter popcorn - an absolute favorite dish in our home!

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Popcorn

Chicken & Rice Soup

The ultimate comfort food, as we all know we have at least a month left of un-expected snow storms on the horizon! :)

Chicken & Rice Soup

Creamed Corn Casserole

We never used to store creamed corn in our kitchen, but this recipe has made it a must-have in my food storage! The sour cream is such a great kick, and the fact that it's not a crumbly cornbread, but more like the title says, casserole - makes it a fun dinner idea! :)

Creamed Corn Casserole

Ham Fried Rice

If you're looking for a way to use up your leftover Ham from Easter, this is a family favorite! We literally can have this as just dinner and even my ultra-picky 4 yo will come back for seconds!

Ham Fried Rice

Cornbread Cake

There is no way to claim this is healthy, but it's absolutely delish! I always make a double batch because my kids will eat it all (but a single batch makes a TON), our favorite reason to have it is with split pea soup. Yummy! :)

Cornbread Cake

Homemade Rice-a-Roni

I thought this was such a great way to use up the spices you buy in bulk from Sam's or Costco and save some money!

Make your own Rice-A-Roni

Corn Meal Braid Bread

For our corn food storage, we have popcorn, some canned corn, frozen corn, and lots of corn meal. I love this corn meal braid bread idea, so pretty! :)

Corn Meal Braid Bread

Cilantro Lime Rice

One of my besties will go to every Sunday dinner at her Mom's home. While they are there they always have Cafe Rio shredded pork and cilantro lime rice. This recipe is absolutely delish and a great treat on a Sunday spent with the family! :)

Cilantro Lime Rice

Polenta Lasagna

I have a favorite polenta lasagna recipe that I came up with years ago and can't even begin to explain, even though I've been trying to for a while. So, if you're interested in another way to use up your corn, try polenta! Or even better yet, try it as a lasagna! :)

Polenta Lasagna

Chicken Fried Rice

Since this month's focus is rice & corn, we'll be finding and posting lots of both kinds of recipes! Chicken Fried Rice sounds so delicious and a great variety of the same ol' plain jane rice we usually have!

Chicken Fried Rice

Pioneer Woman - Corn Recipes -

There is an absolute treasure trove of corn recipes from the Pioneer Woman's Site! One of my personal favorites is Corn Chowder with Chilies. I have some canned corn, but I really love to take fresh corn, lightly cook it & slice & freeze the kernels. So much less salt and additives. So that always makes this recipe so fresh and delish!

April Goals

Both are extremely low cost items this month! :)

Place a change of clothes into your 72 hour kits (a single multilayer item is fine), but make sure to place a change of underwear & socks for each family member for 3 days into the backpack. Think weight when choosing the items.
You'll want a change of underwear & socks for each day, but if you have to wear the same outfit for a few days, it won't be the worst thing.
Another thing to pick up this month is N95 masks for each family member. Bird flu, and other outbreaks can occur, and in these worst case scenarios, you'll be hard pressed to find masks to protect the family members when you're out of the house, or to help prevent infection from fellow family members.
Continue placing $10 - $15 in small bills into your packs to help with costs like hotels, gas, etc. if you need to leave town fast!

Pasta w/ White Beans & Olives

Finally recipe of the month about beans! I have loved getting to taste new things and especially the goodies from our bean month meeting. I hope it has helped you all find some new ideas and got you thinking about using up your beans! :)

4 oz. whole wheat pasta
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 14 oz. can of white beans
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp. oil-cured black olives
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp. grated romano cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beans and garlic, cooking while stirring frequently until the beans are just heated through, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add tomatoes, olives, basil and pepper. Stir gently to combine. Serve beans over pasta topped with cheese.

Sweet Potato Enchiladas

The great recipes from the bean meeting keep on coming! :) Thank you Sister Gibson for so many fabulous ideas!

1 lb. potatoes (sweet or russet)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 can black beans
14 oz. green chilis
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 corn tortillas
1 large can green enchilada sauce

In a bowl, toss diced potatoes together with cumin, chili powder, salt and ketchup. Cook 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Then combine the beans, chilis and cilantro in a bowl with the potatoes. Spread some of the green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the bean/potato mix with a little cheese in each one. Roll it up and place in a pan. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Grocery Deals 3/28 - 4/3

I will be out of town next week, so no grocery deals, but LOTS of great recipes set up to post! :) This week there are TONS of great deals this week! I usually try to buy a couple hams, since they come in handy for so many recipes. LOTS to stock up on at King Sooper's! Enjoy the deals and Happy Easter!

King Soopers'
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99
Avocados - $0.88
Colorado Proud Milk - $1.97 a gallon
1 dozen large eggs - $1
King Soopers' Bread & Buns - $1
Kroger or Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables - $1
Dole Pineapple - $1
Kroger Sour Cream or Dip - $1
1 lb. baby carrots - $1
Oscar Mayer Bologna/Lunchables - $1
Colgate Toothpaste/Toothbrushes - $1
Ivory Body Wash - $1Lever 200 Soap (2 bars) - $1
Navel Oranges - $0.99/lb.

Buy 4, Save $4 (prices shown are *after* savings)
Charmin - $6.49
Tide - $5.49
Buy 4, Get $1 coupon back at the end (must be in quantities of four)
Gatorade/G2 - $1
Hunts' Pasta Sauce - $1
American Beauty Pasta - $1
Chef Boyardee Pasta - $1
7-Up Soft Drinks - $1

Albertson's
Albertsons' Shank Portion Smoked Ham - $0.99/lb.
Albertsons Spiral sliced Half Ham - $1.99/lb.
Naval Oranges - $0.99/lb.
Jet-Puffed Marshmallows - $1
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix - $0.50
Jet Puffed Marshmallow Creme - $1

Safeway
Gala or Red Delicious Apples - $0.99/lb.

Black Bean Brownies

Such a great recipe from Sister Gibson's home, and the best part is it's gluten-free!

1 can black beans
3 eggs
3 tbsp. oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt
tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. instant coffee (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth (except the chocolate chips), then pour in a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 for about 30 - 40 minutes. Absolutely delish!

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Another fabulous recipe from Sister Gibson! Enjoy! :)

(4) 10 inch tortillas
1 tbsp. oil
1 large onion, diced
1 japaleno chile, minced **I personally wear gloves whenever dealing with japalenos'**
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cold water
10 oz. frozen white corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 cups cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Trim the tortillas to fit a 9 inch spring form pan. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion, jalapeno, garlic and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes until soft. Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 8-10 minutes until liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in corn and scallions then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Layer in pan alternating with cheese. Bake 20 - 25 minutes. Unmold the pie and sprinkle with scallions before serving.

Black Bean Soup

A really fun recipe from Sister Gibson's home, and I heard Sister Cochran raving about it during the event! :)

2 cans Bush's Seasoned Recipe Black Beans, undrained
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup salsa
1 tbsp. chili powder
sour cream (optional)
shredded cheese (optional)
cilantro (optional)

Mash one can of beans with potato masher or in a blender. Pour both cans of beans into a medium sauce pan Add chicken broth, salsa and chili powder. Bring to a boil. If desired tip with sour cream, shredded cheese, onion or cilantro.

Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Soup

This has been on my *to-make* list for a while - guess this week's the week!

Chicken Burrito Soup

Baked Chimichangas

Sister Gibson had these at her home and they were SOOOOO yummy! Definitely on my favorites list! :)

Flour Tortillas (white or wheat)
Butter or Olive Oil
1 cup cooked shredded chicken (optional)
2 cups black beans
1 cup corn
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup diced red, yellow or orange bell peppers
1 cup salsa
1-2 tsp. cumin
salt & pepper
cheese

Saute onions and peppers in olive oil or butter until limp. Add cumin than all other ingredients - except tortillas and cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper and more cumin if desired. Fill tortillas with mixture and cheese. Roll with both ends closed and place seam side down in 9x13 pan. Brush tops with olive oil or butter. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. When serving top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, etc.

Crock Pot Summer Chicken Chili

Summer Chicken Chili - deals to meals - love this site, she's so inspirational!

Ezekial Bread

Loved this recipe for Ezekial Bread - and it uses up those lentils that I have absolutely no idea how to use up! :)

Friday Night = Pizza Night

We have lots of fun traditions that I try (and sometimes succeed) to have in our home. Friday night is pizza & a movie night with the kids. So, I thought this taco pizza was a fun twist on the same ol' cheese pizza!

Taco Pizza

Cowboy Caviar Salad

A fun break from hot dinners is a fun salad!

Cowboy Caviar Salad

Beans, Beans, Beans Meeting!

Our monthly meeting was such a great learning opportunity thanks to Sister Gibson! :) For the hand out we used these links here for information (bean classes thru the self-reliant sisters):

Self-Reliant Sisters Info on Beans

Grocery Deals 3/21 to 3/27

Besides the Oreos (chocolate is a *necessary* item in my 3 month supply), there isn't really anything I plan on stocking up sales wise, but I could use some more beans in my food storage (hint, hint - the stock up item of the month), so that's what I plan on stocking up on! :)

King Soopers’
Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs - 0.98/lb.
Ragu Pasta Sauce - $1 (jar varities last a bit longer & it includes the white sauce)
Powerade/Powerade Zero - $0.59 each
King Soopers Buns & Bread - $1
Roma Tomatoes - $0.79/lb.
Red Onions - $0.79/lb.
Cantaloupe or Honeydew Melons - $0.49/lb.

Buy 10, Save $5
Lays’ or Doritos - $1.99
Nabisco Snack Crackers - $1.99
Oreo Cookies - $2.49
Vitamin water - $0.50
Pepsi Soft Drinks - $0.99
Capri Suns - $1.79
Pringles - $1.15

Albertsons
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb.
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.60 (save $1 if you buy 10)
Bar-S Meat Franks - $1
Birds Eye Steamfresh Veggies - $1
Fresh Naval Oranges - $0.99/lb.
Roma Tomatoes - $0.79/lb.
Hass Avocados - $0.79 each
Yellow Onions - $0.49/lb.
Jalapeno Peppers - $0.99/lb.

Buy any 10, Pay $0.80 each
Knorr Rice or Pasta Side Dishes
Blue Bonnet Margarine
Chef Boyardee Pasta (good item for 72 hour kits)
Rosarita Refried Beans

Buy 5, Save $5
Ritz Crackers - $1.99
Oreo Cookies - $1.99
Wheat Thins - $1.99

Buy 10, Save $5
Best Foods Mayonnaise - $2.49
Ragu Pasta Sauce - $0.99
Wish-Bone Salad Dressing - $1.49 each
Propel Fitness Water - $0.50
Gatorade or G2 Sports Drink - $0.89
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish - $1
Vitamin water/Smart water - $1
Capri Sun Juice Drink - $1.99
Ocean Spray 100% Juice - $1.99
Gladware Containers - $1.99
　

Safeway
Naval Oranges - $0.77/lb.
Safeway Bread or Buns - $0.99
Francisco Rinaldi Pasta Sauce - $0.99 each
7-UP varieties - $0.99
Bar S Jumbo Hot Dog Franks - $0.99
Crisp Celery - $0.99/lb.
Roma Tomatoes - $0.99/lb.
Avocados - $0.99
Peeled Baby Cut Carrots - $0.99
Crisp Cucumbers - $0.99

Food Network Recipes

I found a TON of recipes on the food network too!

• Red Beans & Rice (Emeril)
• White Bean Chili (Paula Deen)
• Corn & Black Bean Salad (Giada)
• Pasta e Fagioli (Rachel Ray)
• Mango Black Bean and Tomato Salad (Neely's)

Lentil Soup

Breaking it up a bit from the black beans/pinto beans rut. This lentil soup is so yum!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

Another family favorite! I usually triple or quadruple the recipe and freeze the extras to have on hand for yummy lunches and unexpected dinner needs.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

Black Bean Burgers

I've seen this idea around a lot and plan on trying it out this week on the kids!

Black Bean Burgers

Food Storage Made Easy

16 different bean recipes posted on this site

Personally, I thought that Pantry Jambalaya sounded the most fun!

The best chili I've ever had!

The fabulous Miss Paula Deen *definitely* comes thru with this great chili recipe and serves them on cornmeal waffles! I added a TON of extra diced tomatoes (I drain all the juice from them though to not make the chili too watery) to cut down on the calories and made them with about 1/3 of the meat she suggests. One other idea is to REALLY cut down on the spices, she isn't joking when she calls the recipe spicy! My kids won't eat it unless I cut all the spices down to a1/3 of her recommendations. But this chili is a hands down favorite in our home!

Cornmeal Waffles with Spicy Chili

Hurst Bean Blog

Oh my goodness! An entire blog devoted to tons of delish looking bean recipes! Definitely bookmarking this to look up more inspiration!

I Dare You to Eat It

I love this site, and her simple recipes and thoughts regarding food storage. Her book is fabulous and a definite must have on my list of food storage books!

Bean Burritos
Black Bean Brownies - these are fun to make with the kids. Definitely a different texture, but still delish!

There are tons of other recipes as well, check them out!

Self-Reliant Sisters Recipes

Mexican Pinto Beans & Tortillas (complete with a explanatory video!) - These are some of my favorite way to have our beans - absolutely delish!

Here is another posting with TONS of great recipes as well!

Zanni's Black Eyed Pea Dip

As soon as I saw this recipe I couldn't stop thinking about it until I tried it! I did use dry beans instead of canned, but my husband has brought it up over & over again hoping I'll make it again soon!!!

Zannie's Black Eyed Pea Dip

March Challenges

Just wanted to make sure you all knew about the challenge for this month (thru the General Conference weekend), to gather together your food for your 72 hour kits and to keep putting aside $10 - $15 each paycheck in small bills in your 72 hour kits (think about money needs for gas, hotels, etc. in that worst case scenario)!
For the money a few different gals asked me how much to put aside and that really is a personal decision. Some sites I read said they were just putting aside enough to get gas and hotels to family where they could stay. Others mention 2 weeks of hotels.
Consider what you personally feel like and keep working on putting aside that money each payday. If you've been doing it the last 3 paychecks you could already have $45 saved, it adds up quick! :)
As for the food itself, I heard from a lot of people how they make sure to rotate their food out each General Conference, so with just a few weeks left until then it seemed like the perfect time to work on it! :) There are a lot of links and ideas on this blog if you are trying to think of how to put it together.
A few pointers though that I found when I was researching:

1. Think about weight. Especially with the younger ones, they can't carry much, so we are making lots of different choices regarding simple things like even storing food that needs a can openers vs. food that has a simple pop-top lid. It may not sound like much weight, but it can really add up fast eliminating or adding those items.
2. Thinking back to Katrina & the infamous Super Dome - I'm not planning on bringing any kind of heat source in my food storage. Sure hot cocoa would be nice, but not necessary and if they are packing us all into crazy conditions like that, I don't want to bring attention to ourselves and our steaming hot soups/drinks. - Sounds extreme, but 72 hour kits in their essence are for those extreme moments when you are literally evacuating your home.
3. Don't pack minty gum, it makes everything taste like the mint.
4. One site said she was only packing foods she knew her 2/3 year old could open. Again going back to Katrina and the Japan Tsunami, some families got seperated, and I want my children to be able to feed themselves in a worst case scenario.
5. Look at the salt ratios on things, a lot of foods that are easy to store are VERY high in salt and will only make the people more thirsty.
6. While you want to prepare for the worst case scenarios, you need to look over & over again at the weight of the food and also what will you do with the garbage afterwards?
7. This post is from a class we had in our previous ward. The guy really minimalized what they had and food choices as well. A lot of people try to pack every thing they could possibly want food wise in their packs, just remember that the weight will matter in that worst case scenario. So try to minimalize as much as possible.

Here is the link for all our food ideas & posts!

Food Ideas & A Pepsi Stove Top!

A few years ago we had a guy come show us his 72 hour kit and explain his choices behind it in my last ward. He figured out what weight was realistic for each child to actually carry and adjusted their choices for the packs accordingly. Another amazing thing he did was make his own Pepsi Stove Tops!!! Really inexpensive and very light weight. I really liked the idea!

Here's the link to his pack along with helpful pictures & links!

Grocery Deals 3/07 - 3/13

Not anything that I plan on attempting to stock up on this week. So, I am instead putting my grocery money towards stocking up on some chicken from Sam's Club ($1.97/lb.) and also on karo syrup for my long term food storage ($1.50 for 16 oz. at Wal-Mart). Happy Shopping everyone! :)

King Soopers’
Naval Oranges (8 lb. bag) - $4.99
Asparagus - $1.29/lb.
Colorado Proud Milk - $1.97/ gallon
King Soopers’ Buns & Bread - $1
Yoplait Yogurt (go-gurts) - $1.99
King Soopers’ Chicken Drumsticks, Thighs or Whole Chickens -
$0.98/lb.

Albertsons
Russet Potatoes (5 lb.bag) - $1.49
Ocean Spray Juice Cocktail - $2
Albertson’s Yogurt - $0.50 each
Anjou, Bosc or Red Anjou Pears - $0.99/lb.
Onions - $0.99/lb.
Avocados - $0.69 each
Minneolas ( 3 lb. bag) - $1.99
Red Grapefruit - $0.50 each
Colgate Toothpaste & Toothbrushes - $1 each
Buy $20, Save $5 on the next trip (25% savings)
Oreos - $2.99 (same price as Wal-Mart, but you get 25% back)
Powerade or Powerade Zero Sports Drinks - $1
Fuze - $1
Vitaminwater - $1
Planters Peanuts - $3.99 (I think this is an okay deal)

72 Hour Food Kit #5

Last set of posts about food ideas.

This link has some great ideas and thoughts about food choices.

I liked her ideas of using a food bucket, different than anything else I've seen, but fun!

A fun printable with exact lists of what they used.

72 Hour Food Kit #4

I loved these notes and tips from About-dot-com. Just a few more tips & ideas to help you get started!

72 Hour Food Kits Pros/Cons

The fabulous self-reliant sisters have a TON of great links. Here's the link to their full set of posts. And more specifically, one for the pros and cons of different food choices. THANKS LISA!!!

72 hour food Kit #2

I like this blog. Lots of great ideas found on this blog! Prepared LDS Family shows her simple, ziploc bagged kits and reasons behind the food she picked. Here's the link to her plan.

Milk Jug 72 hour food

We've been researching a lot of ideas and plan on posting TONS of ideas the next week or so to help you get started! This first one I thought this was an interesting idea. Using a milk jug for your 72 hour kit! They even included a great video to help guide you during it all!

Here's the link to the site.

TONS of great recipes link!

I have linked to the site many times, but this website seriously has a LOT of great recipes to use up your oats! Included on this link are granola bars, oatmeal scones, cookies, homemade oatmeal packets & even waffles!

72 Hour Kit Links

There are as many different ways to package up a 72 hour kit as there are types of families. I've been researching a LOT and found a bunch of helpful links to help give you some guidance, and also some sites of families who have put together their 72 hour kits!

American Red Cross
Homeland Security 72 hour kit recommendations
How Does She - 72 hour kits & links to some others too! LOVE the fact that she mentions ONLY packing warm clothing & that it can always be cut to be cooler clothes - especially for here in Cheyenne!
Food Storage & Survival - I liked the fact that she vacuum packed the clothing - I wouldn't have thought of that & it would make it much more compact in the bag!
72 Hour Kits - a family in Texas that went thru Hurricane Ike (has some info of things they wished they had done too - like small change!)
Self-Reliant Sisters - I really liked the idea of a rolling backpack (especially with the smaller kids), I thnk I'm going to keep an eye out at the goodwill for some!
Acte Gratuit - a family based in Japan during the tsunami, lots of information about what they wished they had on-hand during a disaster
Six Sisters Stuff


I found that last one the most informative! For our water supply, we are making sure to get some small water containers in case of a water line, but I didn't think about light/candles. Also, a hand crank for the garage door? I never would have thought about that either, but it would be VITAL depending on the moment! And a generator (even without storing the gas) as mentioned in the Texas family blog would be nice to have, but at the bottom of my list (maybe next year's tax return?).

Grocery Deals 2/22 - 2/28

To be honest, there isn't really any stocking up item that I'm excited about or plan on bulk shopping this week, besides the toothbrushes at King Soopers'. So I am going to use the grocery money this week to stock up on meat (chicken, etc.) and sugar items from Wal-Mart (brown sugar, powdered sugar & corn syrup) that I need more of for my food storage.

King Soopers’

English Cucumbers - $1
Bell Peppers - $1
Tyson Bacon - $3.50
Colorado Proud Milk - $1.97
Asparagus - $0.99/lb.
Broccoflower or Cauliflower - $0.99/lb.
Sweet Potatoes or Yams - $0.89/lb.
Kale Greens - $0.99
Iceburg Lettuce - $0.99
King Soopers Breads & Buns - $1
Jumbo Artichokes - $1.99
Colgate Toothpaste - $1
Kroger Deep Clean or Colgate Toothbrush - $1
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.60

Buy 10, Save $3, get a coupon to save $2 later
Cheetos/Fritos – $1.99
Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue (12 double rolls) - $6.69
Kraft BBQ Sauce - $0.89 each
Capri Sun or Kool-Aid Jammers - $1.99
Country Crock (45 oz.) - $2.99
Suave Professions or Kids Shampoo/Conditioner - $1.55
Dial, Tone, or Right Guard Body Wash - $3.29
Dial Liquid Hand Soap Refill - $3.29

Albertson’s
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb.
Strawberries (4 lb.) - $7.99 (not the best deal, but good
for this time of year)
Bar-S Hot Dogs - $1
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.60
Avocados - $0.79 each
Roma Tomatoes - $0.79/lb.
Anjou or Bosc Pears - $0.99/lb.
Red Delicious Pears - $0.99/lb.
Russet Potatoes - $2.99 (10 lb. bag)
Carrots (1 lb.) - $0.79 each
Yellow Onions (3 lb. bag) - $1.49

Buy 6, Save $3
Suave Body Wash - $1.50
Suave Deodorant - $1.50

Buy 10, Save $5
Propel Fitness Water - $0.50
Gatorade or G2 - $0.89
Doritos - $1.99
Quaker Granola Bars - $1.88

Safeway

Broccoli or Cauliflower - $0.99/lb.
Safeway Bread - $0.99 each
Fresh Express Salads - $1
Gatorade - $0.88

Blogs of Note - Food Storage Made Easy -

I remember when this blog first started, it's been amazing watching it expand and the women really delve into the emergency preparedness and food storage aspects! I love the baby steps program, because it takes the food storage and breaks it into small steps so you don't get overwhelmed with where to start. Lots of yummy recipes too! Check it out this weekend if you have a chance!

Food Storage Made Easy

Grocery Deals 2/15 - 2/21

Amazing produce deals all around (but mainly at King Sooper's, and AWESOME deals on your 3 month supply items at Albertson's!).

King Soopers’

Red Seedless Grapes - $0.99/lb.
Roma Tomatoes - $0.88/lb.
Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts or Thighs - $1.99/lb.
Ocean Spray Juice Cocktail - $1.99
Large Eggs (1 dozen) - $1 each
Colgate Toothpaste, Toothbrush or Wisp MiniBrushes - $1
Gala Apples - $0.99/lb.
Cuties - $3.49 (3 lb. bag)
Heinz Ketchup - $1.99 (40 oz. bottle)
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.60 each
Grape Tomatoes - $1/lb.
Avocados - $1 each
Bosc or Anjou Pears - $0.89 each
Tri-Color Onions (3 lb. bag) - $1.99
Idaho Russet Potatoes - $1.99 (5 lb. bag)

Buy 10, Save $3 (and get a $2 coupon for next time)
Gatorade - $0.79 each
Cheetos/Fritos - $1.99
Kraft BBQ Sauce - $0.89
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits - $1.19 each
Country Crock (45 oz.) - $2.99
Dove or Degree Deodorant - $1.99 each
Suave Professions or Kids Shampoo/Conditioner - $1.55

Albertson’s

Knorr Rice or Pasta Side Dish - $1
* Buy 10, get 8 pc. Dark Meat/Fried Chicken or $0.99 rotisserie chicken
Russet Potatoes (10 lb. bag) - $2.99
Granny Smith or Red Delicious Apples - $0.99/lb.
Navel Oranges - $0.99/lb.
Green Bell Peppers - $0.69 each

Buy 6, Save $3
* Fruit Snacks - $1

Buy 10, Save $2 ($0.80 each)
* Chef Boyardee Pasta Jars – not a great deal, but for your 72 hour kits it’s a good one!)
* Hunt’s Pasta Sauce
* Trident Multipack Gum
* Mars Fun Size Candy Bars
* Hunt’s Ketchup
* Gulden’s Mustard
* Hunt’s BBQ Sauce
* Healthy Choice Soup
* Albertson’s Bread
* Blue Bonnet Margarine Quarters
* Orville Redenbacher 2-Step Popcorn (but only if it has 3 to a box/bag)
* Arrowhead Spring Water
* Foam Cups

Buy 4, Save $2
* Fritos/Cheetos/Sun Chips/Lays - $1.99


Safeway
Avocados - $0.99 each
Kellogg’s Cereal (only if you get a coupon) - $2.50
Chicken Thighs, or Drumsticks - $0.99/lb.
Powerade - $0.79 each
Red Bell Peppers - $0.99 each
Kiwi Fruit - $0.33 each
Naval Oranges - $0.99/lb.
Crisp Cucumbers - $0.79
* Fiday, Saturday, Sunday – bananas - $0.50/lb.

Oatmeal Recipes

There are so many awesome recipes out there that use oatmeal to share!!! Here are 25 recipes I found just in one afternoon! A lot I've tried and LOVE!!! If you can't figure out a couple that you love & can use then I don't know what to tell you! :)

Deals to Meals - Oatmeal Nutella Bars, Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Oatmeal, Oatmeal Apple Cake (just to name a few)

The Pioneer Woman - Oatmeal Crispies and Monster Cookies

The Prudent Homemaker - Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and Chicken Fried Steak (minus the chicken that is ... try it, it's good!)

Everyday Food Storage - Sweet & Sour Meatballs, Meatloaf, and Oatmeal on the Go Bars.

Betty Crocker - Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins, Pumpkin Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Caramel Apple Crisp

Paula Deen - Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies, and Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Casserole

Sugarcrafter (a favorite of mine!) - Pumpkin Oat Muffins with Cinnamon-Streusel Topping, Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, and Apple Crisp

Bake at 350 - Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich, and Whole Grain Pancake Mix

Bakerella - Cowgirl Cookies (a GREAT thing to take to your VT gals during Valentine's Day!),

Williams-Sonoma (another favorite for new & different recipes) - Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie bars, Oatmeal Bran Muffins with Raisins & Almonds, Oatmeal Jammy Bars, and Apricot Oatmeal Bars

Granola Bars

Another yummy recipe I found thru the self-reliant sisters website!

Granola Bars
by Alton Brown

8 oz. old-fashioned rolled oats, approximately 2 cups
1 1/2 oz raw sunflower seeds, approximately 1/2 cups
3 oz sliced almonds, approximately 1 cup
1 1/2 oz wheat germ, approximately 1/2 cup
6 oz honey, approximately 1/2 cup
1 3/4 oz dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup packed
1 oz unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
6 1/2 oz chopped dried fruit, any combination of apricots, cherries or blueberries

Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a half-sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine.
Turn mixture out into the prepared baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Honey Oatmeal Whole Wheat Bread

Our go-to family bread. I've never had this bread fail me before. It's absolutely fantastic!

Honey Oatmeal Whole Wheat Bread
3 c. very warm water (but not too hot)
1 T. instant or quick rise yeast
1/3 c. vegetable or canola oil
1/3 c. honey
1 T. salt
6 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 c. whole oats
1/4 c. gluten w/ vitamin C
Combine the first 5 ingredients and mix. Add 5 cups flour, oats, and gluten flour. Mix well. Continue to add the other 1 c. flour slowly until the dough forms a ball and scrapes the excess dough off the sides of the bowl. Let mix for 5-10 minutes. While mixing, preheat your oven to 100-125 degrees. Oil the counter surface & your hands (Use oil, NOT flour). Put your dough on the oiled surface & slice WITH A KNIFE into 2 large or 3 small even loaves. Pat down and roll into loaf shape, then put into greased bread pan. Turn OFF your oven, cover loaves LOOSELY with saran wrap, and put in warmed oven to rise till double (about 45-60 minutes, depending on humidity in the air). Remove loaves from oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and place on a wire cooling rack.

Grocery Deals thru 2/14/2012

The ads aren't too great this week, but the milk is a fantastic price! And sugar (on sale Monday only), is the best deal around, stock up!

King Soopers
Colorado Proud Milk - $1.97 each (GREAT DEAL!!!)
Celery - $0.69/lb.
Yellow Onions - $0.69/lb.
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.60 each
Buy 15, Pay $0.67 each – Fuze Water, Smart Water, Powerade, Powerade Zero,
Speed Stick, Lady Speed Stick Deodorant - $2 each
Green Bell Peppers - $0.69 each
Whole Carrots - $0.69 each

Buy 4 or more, get money back for your next purchase (a catalina that will print at the end of the transaction)
Kroger Fruit Snacks - $1 each
7-Up Soft Drinks - $1 each
Hunt’s Pasta Sauce - $1 each
Welch’s Grape or Strawberry Spread - $2.50

Albertson’s
Boneless Pork Loin - $1.99/lb.
Bone in Split Chicken Breasts or Thighs - $0.99/lb.
Albertson’s Sour Cream - $1.29 each
Cameo Apples - $0.99/lb.
Roma Tomatoes - $0.99/lb.
Yellow Onions (3 lb. bag) - $1.49
Russet Potatoes (5 lb. bag) - $1.49
Fuze - $0.88 each
Hershey’s Baking Chips (buy 2, get $1 coupon for next purchase) - $2 each
Emerald Dry Roasted Peanuts (buy 2, get $1 coupon) - $3 each
Super Chill Soft Drinks - $2.50 (buy 4, get $2 coupon)

Safeway
Gala or Fuji Apples - $0.99/lb.
Kiwi Fruit - $0.33 each
D’ Angelo Pears - $0.99 each
Monday Only!!!
C & H Sugar - $1.99 ($0.50 a pound) – BEST DEAL!!!

Make your own Quaker Instant Oatmeal Packets!

This fantastic idea & recipe comes from one of the best food storage sites around! The Self-Reliant Sisters!!! :) They point out to check out the Quaker Oats site for more great recipes!

Instant Oatmeal Packets

Blend in your mixer ½ cup oats until powdery.
Into each of 10 zippered sandwich/snack size bags combine:

• ¼ cup quick or instant oats


• 2 TBSP powdered oats


• pinch of salt

To use: Empty packet into bowl, add 2/3 cup water and microwave for 1 ½ minutes or add ½ cup boiling water and stir until thick.Variations - to each packet add:

• Apple Cinnamon: 1 TBSP sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 2 TBSP chopped, dried apples


• Raisins and brown sugar: 1 TBSP packed brown sugar, 1 TBSP raisins


• Wheat germ: 2 TBSP any kind of wheat germ


• Blueberries & Cream: 1 TBSP non-dairy creamer and 18 dried blueberries. (do not use powdered milk, it tends to go bad too quickly)

How to Store it? -Buckets-

My personal favorite way to store my food storage is with 5 gallon buckets. When you can with a #10 can, it comes out to be a little over a $1 for each can, which is money lost when I actually use the food storage. But the buckets come out to be just about the same price as the #10 can's, but it's a one time investment.

The only items that don't work for buckets are powdered milk & dried onions (which soak the smell thru the plastic and will stink over time!). We put buckets under beds, in closets and even as furniture! It is bulkier than the #10 cans, but saves me so much money! I also re-use my lids. It's not as tight of a seal, but it still works.

We bought out buckets from Industrial Container in SLC, but if you're interested in finding a way to have them delivered here in Cheyenne, Azure Standard is the only one I've found so far that comes here to town. Minimum $50 order at a time.

The church has information on how to package the food with dry ice to help prevent bugs and help the food store well.

Chocolate Chip Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pancakes

During these super cold months I have an overwhelming urge to make super yummy & hot breakfasts for my kids. This recipe is a variation from another site that my best friend Lacie did. It is so yummy-licious!

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes
(makes about 10 pancakes - we make a triple batch)

Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the oats, flours, baking soda, salt and sugar. In another small bowl, beat the egg, oil and buttermilk. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour batter by 1/3 cupful onto a greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until the second side is golden brown.
Our personal variation - we like to add about 1/3 cup of chocolate chips per batch. So yummy & a fun breakfast treat!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Another yummy recipe from Kelly. Every batch of peanut butter cookies I've made comes out funny because of the elevation change, can't wait to try these! :)


Peanut butter cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg , beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda


Directions:
1Preheat oven to 350* and grease cookie sheets.
2Beat together peanut butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
3Add beaten egg and baking soda to peanut butter mixture and beat until well combined.
4Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a ball and place on cookie sheet.
5Place dough balls one inch apart on cookie sheet and flatten with tines of fork making a cross pattern.
6Bake until puffed and a golden pale, about 10 minutes.
7Cool cookies on baking sheet about 2 minutes and then transfer with spatula to rack to cool.
8May be kept in air tight container at room temperature for 5 days. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Blogs of Note -Self-Reliant Sisters-

My good friend, Holly, started the first self-reliant sisters with some other gals in her ward. They have monthly meetings and they are absolutely wonderful! So much information, great ideas and monthly motivation for your food storage! Lisa works so hard on the blog and it is full of so many great ideas, inspiration and videos! Make sure to bookmark this site, I use it all the time for inspiration and ideas, you'll love it too!

Self-Reliant Sisters

Spaghetti Sauce

This awesome recipe is a great idea, especially with all that pasta on sale this week! Big thanks to Kelly Bandy for sharing it with all of us! :)

SPAGHETTI SAUCE
1 lb. ground meat
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 can tomatoes
1 tsp. beef bouillon
1 c. water (approx.)
1 tsp. fresh rosemary
1-2 tsp. dried or fresh basil
Dash of cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste.

Brown meat till crumbly and remove from pan. Drain all but a Tbsp of grease and add onion and green pepper. Saute 6-7 min. Add garlic and saute 1 min. more.Add ground beef and all remaining ingredients except for cinnamon, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for one hour till thick.Add herbs, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

Weekly Deals (02/01 - 02/07)

The great deal on canned tomatoes is still on this week at King Sooper's as well as a great deal on pasta at Albertsons'! The way we built up our pasta for our food storage was one sale at a time. Just make sure to pick up the 1 lb. bags or it's not a good deal! :) Happy Shopping!

King Soopers’
California Navel Oranges - $0.19 each
Large Avocados - $1 each
Broccoli Crowns or Caulliflower - $0.99/lb.
Bell Peppers - $1.25
Anjou or Bosc Pears - $0.89/lb.
2 lb. Kiwi Fruit - $2.99
5 lb. Yellow Onions - $1.99 (great deal!)
King Soopers’ Buns or Bread - $1
Bar S Hot Dogs or Bologna - $1
Kroger Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream or Dip - $1.34
Ocean Spray Juice Cocktail - $1.99
Cantalope - $0.49/lb.
Buy 10, Save $5
Sobe Juice, or Lifewater - $0.89
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers - $0.99
Sunny D - $0.99
Ritz Crackers - $1.99
Nabisco Snack Crackers - $1.99
Philadelphia Cream Cheese - $1.49
Lays Kettle Cooked/Potato Chips - $1.99

Hunt’s Tomatoes or Paste - $0.49 each
Hormel Chili - $0.91 each (not the best deal, but if you need it)
Kleenex Facial Tissue - $0.99 each
Capri Suns - $1.67
Heinz Ketchup (40 oz.)- $1.79

Albertson’s
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb.
Kraft Cheese Singles - $1.79 each
Arrowhead Spring Water - $3.50 each (comes out to be 3 gallons each!)
Avocados - $0.68 each
Carlita Soft Tortillas (10 ct.) - $1 each
Fresh Anjou or Bosc Pears - $0.99/lb.
Braeburn or Cameo Apples - $1.29/lb.
Broccoli Bunch - $1.29/lb.
Old Orchard Apple Juice/other juices - $1.25
Buy 10, Save $5
Ragu Pasta Sauce - $0.99 each
Lays Potato Chips/Tostitos Chips - $1.99
American Beauty Pasta - $0.75 each (as long as you get the 16 oz. this is a good deal)
Wheat Thins - $0.99 each
Pepsi Soft Drinks - $1 each
Rotel Diced Tomatoes - $0.99 each

**Buy Orville Redenbacher’s Microwae Popcorn, get a 2nd free & 2 free 7-up/Root Bear/Sunkist Soft Drinks – this is a good deal w/o coupons. It can also help to save those 2-liters & then re-fill them with water for your water storage! Remember (2) 2-liter’s equals 1 gallon of water!


Safeway
Avocados - $0.88 each
Arrowhead Water (24 pk./16.9 oz.) - $3.50 each
Lay’s Potato Chips - $1.99 each
Rancher’s Reserve Beef Ribs - $0.99/lb.
Safeway Boneless, Skinless Chicken Wings (frozen) - $1.99 each
Safeway Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks - $1.29/lb.
Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce - $0.99
Crystal Geyser - $1 (hard plastic 1 gallon container works for food storage)
Gala or Fuji Apples - $1.49/lb.

EXCITING NEWS!!!

(Image from the church's website)

Sister Havel found an AWESOME link in the church's on-line store! For those of you who don't have the time or anyway to can ... you can order your food storage on-line! It does come out to be a bit more pricey ($6.25 more for the oats per case), but it's a great alternative if you are looking for an easy way to get your food storage! YEAH!!!

Here's the link to the store. This month we are encouraging all of you to pick up your year's supply of oats. They will last 30 years if stored in proper conditions (not too hot or cold) and you only need 10 cans per person (25 lbs.) to meet your goal!

Order here if interested.

Water Comparison Chart

This month as we gather our 2 week supply of water, Sister Havel & I have spent a lot of time trying to find the best deals out there for the ward. Here's what we have found:

Water Barrels (55 gallon) - (a single drum is a 2 week supply of water for 4 people)

• Pros - HUGE supply of water in one location Cons - Very bulky & difficult to move in a worst case scenario, can be difficult to store because of their large size, can be costly depending on method for pick up.


• $15 - Sister Havel found this *AMAZING* site where you can get used 55 gallon drums (food grade) for only $15! They say for $5 you can have them pre-washed out for you. Great deal! Not necessarily what I want all my water in, but a great way to start! Check out the site to schedule a pick up (located in Longmont, CO).


• $38 - Unused water drums at the best price you'll find! Industrial Container (located in SLC) has a HUGE variety of different sized water containers (55, 30, 15, and 5). They also have a large selection of 5 gallon containers (for food storage) and a non-breathable plastic container that when used with the metal lid creates an air-tight seal perfect for food storage! They are in SLC though, so we always pick up some on a visit to the area. Here is their site. I can only vouch for the water containers, drums & food storage containers being a good deal (here's the link for those prices). Also, they have a $50 water drum that has a removable top so you can stack it full of other things if you're moving, etc. :) Doesn't come with the siphon though - that you'll have to get at an additional price.


• $98/$99 Delivered - Emergency Essentials or Costco- Both are offering home delivery, Costco even had a deal where you order 8 and you would save $6 per barrel.

25 Gallon Boxed Water Kit - $34.95 found here (plus shipping & handling)

• Pros - Smaller, easier to find storage possibilities for in your home. Cons - Not as sturdy as the hard plastic containers, so in a worst case scenario can be damaged. Not sure as to the possibility of punctures/breaking them in everyday scenarios. Very expensive for the size.

5/6 Gallon Containers

• Pros - Easier to transport, get water from a "water line" in the worst case scenario. Stackable, easier to put into smaller cars and drain and refill on a regular basis. Cons - Can be expensive compared to the larger drums.


• $10 - Wal-Mart has a 6 gallon container in the hunting/camping section (teal green, thin & stands upright)


• 
  
  There are a lot of other options, but none as cheap as Wal-Mart (unless you are interested in picking them up at Industrial Container in SLC - then they are about $7)

Water Bottles/Hard Plastic Juice Containers

• 
  
  Pros - Creates an easy system for rotation, packages already sealed up so makes it easy to take them for emergency situations. Cons - Constant rotation = paying over & over again for bottled water bottles, creates more garbage.


• Prices are constantly changing, but anytime you can get a 16.9 oz. bottle of water for less than 13 cents a bottle, it's a good deal and you should stock up!


• The best price found in town this past weekend was Sam's Club, $3.98 for a 32 pack of Nestle Water. I know that we get it cheaper at Costco though.

How to Store it???

We are starting a new section on this blog ... how to store your food storage! So first here is a link to some food storage videos of how two ladies store their food storage ... a HUGE shout-out to my friend Holly & the awesome Lisa (who works so hard on that site!) for letting us use so much of their information and blog for our ward!!! :)

Enjoy!

Water Storage - Be Careful!!!-

There are lots of options available for our water storage, but REMEMBER, be careful that no matter what you don't use milk jug containers for your water supply! They will deteriorate in just a few month's time, contaminating your water supply & possibly even leaking!!!
**Spoken from personal experience - we bought $30 worth before we that out. Oops.**

Food Storage Suggestions #2

I found another link at about.com with suggestions for the year supply of food & thought I would post these as well. Then you decide which of the two you would personally like to follow. I know that I have been getting a lot of questions about this lately & thought it would be helpful. Remember these are merely suggestions, adjust the plan as your family needs & personal tastes dictate.

Grains - 300 lbs.

• Wheat - 150 lbs.


• Flour - 25 lbs.


• Corn Meal - 25 lbs.


• Oats - 25 lbs.


• Rice - 50 lbs.


• Pasta - 25 lbs.

Fats & Oils - 13 lbs.

• Shortening - 4 lbs.


• Vegetable Oil - 2 gallons


• Mayonnaise - 2 qts.


• Salad Dressing - 1 qts.


• Peanut Butter - 4 lbs.

Legumes - 60 lbs.

• Beans (dry - such as black, pinto & white) - 30 lbs.


• Lima Beans - 5 lbs.


• Soy Beans - 10 lbs.


• Split Peas - 5 lbs.


• Lentils - 5 lbs.


• Dry Soup Mix - 5 lbs.

Sugars - 60 lbs.

• White Sugar - 40 lbs.


• Honey - 3 lbs.


• Brown Sugar - 3 lbs.


• Molasses - 1 lbs.


• Corn Syrup - 3 lbs.


• Jams - 3 lbs.


• Fruit Drink, powdered - 6 lbs.


• Flavored Gelatin - 1 lbs.

Milk - 75 lbs.

• Dry Milk - 60 lbs. (which equals about 15 #10 cans)


• Evaporated Milk - 12 cans


• Other - 13 lbs. (such as sweetened condensed milk)

Cooking Essentials

• Baking Powder - 1 lb.


• Baking Soda - 1 lbs.


• Yeast - .5 lbs.


• Salt - 5 lbs.


• Vinegar - .5 gallons

Miscellaneous

• Water - 14 gallons


• Bleach - 1 gallon

Food Storage Suggestions #1

If you go to the church's website, it gives a very general idea of what to store in your food storage. I came across two different sets of ideas of how much to store of each item. Here's option #1:

Grains - 400 lbs. total

• Wheat - 175 lbs.


• Flour - 20 lbs.


• Corn Meal - 30 lbs.


• Oats - 50 lbs.


• Rice - 80 lbs.


• Barley - 5 lbs.


• Pasta - 40 lbs.

Legumes - 60 lbs. total

• Beans, Dry - 45 lbs.


• Lima, Soy, Split Peas & Lentils - 2 lbs. each


• Soup Mix - 7 lbs.

Fat & Oils

• Oil - 5 qt.


• Shortening - 2 lbs.


• Mayo - 1 lb.


• Salad Dressing - 1 qt.


• Peanut Butter - 1 lb.

Milk

• Dry Milk - 14 lbs.


• Evaporated Milk - 12 cans

Sugar - 62 lbs.

• White - 40 lbs.


• Brown Sugar - 3 lbs.


• Molasses - 1 lb.


• Honey - 3 lbs.


• Corn Syrup - 3 lbs.


• Jam - 5 lbs.


• Fruit Drink - 6 lbs.


• Jello - 1 lb.

They say kids should only get a 50% allotment, I personally know of many women who just count each kid as a full person(we do that); since there is such a large shelf life on so many items. Also, these are just suggestions, it’s important to personalize these to the needs and likes of each individual family.

Emergency Preparedness

This month we are asking each of you to join us and gather up our 72 hour kits by the end of the year. If you want to work ahead, by all means, go for it(here's a GREAT resource)! If you'd prefer to just buy a kit, there are several ways to do this (here's a link that I found of just one site).
For this month we are asking everyone to gather up their 2 week supply of water. You can survive for quite a while without food, but without water, you're done for! Lots of great links & ideas will be posted in the next few weeks.
Also, an idea we came across A LOT was for an emergency binder. In that worst case scenario, fire, flood, tornado, evacuating your town ... many of those times you will need to re-build your life in one way or another. By having a binder with all the necessary documents, you can easily manage your life and take care of yourself.
Here is a fantastic link with a perfectly detailed list for that emergency binder. There was LOTS of great feedback in the comments section for ideas. It had the most complete list I found of any other site.

So to re-cap ... get water, and get your important documents (and put them in a safe place)!

Your 2 Week Supply of Water

14 gallons of water, per person is the general rule of thumb for your water supply.

A 2 week supply of water is suggested per person in your family.

Some storage ideas we found were 55 gallon drums (every deal we have found so far is $90 - $100 delivered to Cheyenne), using soda pop 2-liter bottles & re-filling them with water, hard water bottle containers.

We are currently researching to find a great deal for the ward group. But a few deals that we found in town are:

Wal-Mart

• 
  
  Sam's Club Water (20 oz./12 bottles) - $2.50 - you'll need 7.5 packs per person if you choose this.


• 
  
  Aqua-Trainer (7 gallons) water containers - $10.97 each


• 
  
  Ozark Trail (6 gallons) water containers - $9.97 each

Why money? And why small bills???

Imagine this, a tornado tears thru town. Your home is unsafe to stay in and you need to find shelter for your family. Or they are evacuating the whole town and you need to fill up your tank with gas. How would you pay? If there is prior warning at all, the ATM machines will be cleaned out by the companies (to prevent theft & money loss). By the time you are aware of what is happening, there won't be time to find loose change.
I will never forget the most heartbreaking story from the evacuation in Houston, TX a few years ago. The night before the hurricane was to hit, the ATM's were cleaned out, the credit card/debit card machines weren't working. NPR was interviewing people waiting in line to buy gas, and the man next in line had RUN OUT OF GAS while waiting to get some. He had no money on-hand, and no way to pay. He sold his ROLEX watch for $20 for gas money to help his family escape.
If a worst case scenario is happening (which is the point of 72 hour kits), there will be no money. And no one will be offering you change for your $20. I know people who gather $10 - $15 a paycheck and put it aside, either a $5 & (5) $1's or a $10 and (5) $1's. So they have free cash for hotels, gas, or other necessities as they arrive.
If you are able to place a larger amount of money aside, please do until you feel you have sufficient for the 72 hour kits. But $10 - $15 seemed like a great, feasible way to gather your money for your 72 hour kits.