I did it! I have never gone that long without being online in a very long time. I enjoyed a much needed break with the family in a cozy little cabin on a lake. No phones (not even cell phones) and no computer and it was absolutely wonderful and relaxing. Let’s just say I did a lot of sleeping and a lot of reading….5 books and 12 magazines to be exact. I’d almost forgotten how much I enjoy reading.
The beautiful lake we were on.
Now here we are home and I’m trying to get all my ducks in a row. Most importantly on the list is menu planning for this week. I will never put that off because the benefits of it far out weigh the amount of work it takes.
One other thing I want to get back to doing is maintaining a price book, a place to track the lowest price on the foods I buy. Most things I can remember off the top of my head but I have trouble knowing what is a good price for the various types and cuts of meat. I’ve purchased a new notebook and hope to start filling it in this week using the current sale flyers. I write in pencil and over time as I find a lower price for the same item it’s easy enough to update my notebook with the new price.
I’d be interested to know how many of you use a price book and whether or not you find it helpful.
Thanks again to Laura for handling MPM in my absence, much appreciated!
So here is what is on our menu:
Monday: Black Bean Quesadillas
Tuesday: Sausage Marinara over Pasta
Wednesday: Ranch Pork Chops served with perogies
Thursday: Hubbies birthday ~ Chicken Caesar Pitas and Cherry Cheesecake for dessert ~ so yummy!
Friday: Chicken Pesto Pizza (I’ll use my bread machine recipe for the dough)
Saturday: Grilled Pork Tenderloin
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU THIS WEEK?
Menu Plan Monday guidelines and banners here.
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How funny, we’re having black bean burritos tomorrow… okay, now I’m going to check out your recipe and see if it sounds better than mine :)
Happy Monday!
Glad you had a wonderful vacation!
Laura what a great vacation!! I do not use a price book, I just look at the sales and see if, after coupons, it’s cheaper than Aldi. If it is, I get it. If not, I wait until I need it (for a recipe or whatever) then get it at Aldi. Hope that makes sense..
Well, welcome home! Sounds like you had a wonderful, relaxing time! Enjoy getting all your ducks in a row now that you’re home!
Hi Laura how nice to see you :)I bet the lake was relaxing.The Ranch Pork Chops sound delicious..Have a great week and thank you for hosting every week.
Those ranch pork chops sound tantalizing!
It’s amazing what a break from technology will do. :)
Menu looks yummy…hope you can continue the relaxation into this week!!
OK…I’m thinking I totally rethunk my menu plan. Was it just supposed to be dinner? I’m the queen of TMI…sorry.
Katy
http://mynutvillage.com/
I’m so glad you had a great time!! :) I’m not unplugging for my vacation. Blogging after the kids go to bed was something I’ve been looking forward to. :)
we cooked homemade pesto pizza on the week end and it was delicious. Hope you enjoy yours! glad to hear you had such a wonderful break.
Hmmm…chops are on sale this week, so I think I’ll have to try the Ranch Pork Chops recipe next week. Thanks, and welcome back.
sounds like a relaxing time… looks relaxing too. I think I might start up a price book, I can’t believe I never thought to do it before, thanks for the idea!
sounds like you had a wonderful vacation! hope it’s not too stressful catching up from a week away! :) i don’t use a price book, just compare grocery ads each week and use coupons if possible for the things i need.
That’s my hubby and middle son in the kayak enjoying a leisurely paddle around the lake :)
The lake sounds wonderful, glad you had a good time. Have a great week!
Sounds like you had a wonderful week away and I am green with envy. :D
I also use a price book, it is very handy for me especially since only Aldi here in Australia use the unit pricing on their shelf prices. It also gives me a sense of the specials cycle so I know when to stock up.
I’m glad you enjoyed your vacation, you deserved it!!
I am also working on keeping a price book. I use my receipts and sales papers.
I have started a price notebook. I’ve been trying to steamline where the best deals are for purchasing my staples. I’ve transitioned almost entirely to purchasing meats in bulk directly from the farm, which I think is for sure the most affordable if you have the upfront cash and the freezer space!
Oh, I’m so glad you had such a relaxing time! :)
We all need to just really get away once in a while, and I must say, your getaway sounds very appealing to me (no computer, no phone)! Ahhh…
Welcome back!
Your family has a yummy week ahead of them. Everything sounds delicious! I love experimenting with pizza toppings. The chicken pesto pizza looks great.
Glad you had a great time! But we missed you! Welcome back.
I use my husband’s nice palm pilot to keep track of prices…at least for the last couple of weeks. The price of cheese went up astronomically…last week was $7 for 8 cups (the large shredded pack) and this week it was $10. Ouch!
Welcome back!! You were missed but I’m glad you got that time away with your family.
I am trying to teach my kids to like black beans. They are so good and good FOR you too!
Have a great week!
Leeann
niccofive.blogspot.com
Helloooooo!
Welcome home :)
That picture is just GORGEOUS – how on earth did you tear yourself away and go back home???
We have friends who’ve recently moved to Canada and they posted a similar (breathtakingly beautiful) picture on their blog recently.
Good to have you back!
The Chicken Caesar pitas look awesome…. especially on a hot summer day! I guess to even make it quicker we could use already made croutons and precooked bacon (may try this next week!).
Happy bday to your hubby!
Hey…I love your Monday meal plans idea. I tell all my friends about it. Its great to get ideas and be connected with other women who take the time to plan out meals.
I also have a price book only its an excel sheet (or should I say google doc sheet). I have been using now for a couple of years updating it frequently so I am sure I am getting the bestest deals in town!
Welcome back! So glad to hear your vacation went well. The lake looks amazing!
Glad you had a great vacation! Looks like a yummy week!
Thanks for the price book reminder, mine is in my head, and my youngins are always telling I need to delete some things to make more memory room!
blessings, Penny Raine
http://www.pennyraine.com/blog
Here’s a tip – I search for all the lowest prices on meats and vegetables in the weekly flyers I get in the mail. Then, I circle what I’m planning on buying in black sharpie and take the flyers with me to Wal-Mart. They match prices with most grocery stores. This way I only have to go to one store for everything and I pay the lowest price I can.
I’m glad your trip went so well, it looks beautiful! Welcome back.
I love planning my menu a week at a time. This is my first time here.
I used to use a price book, but I pretty much have the main things that I get memorized. We buy our beef in bulk from local farmers so I never worry about buying meat. I do always watch for sales on chicken and try to buy when it is less than $1.99 per pound.
Thank you for doing this! For the longest time, I have been meaning to plan my meals as it makes life so much easier…but I didn’t. I hope to see you each Monday!
I don’t use a Price Book but I have a PDA with a fabulous FREE program called HandyShopper. It is available in versions for Palm and PocketPC (with touchscreen). I keep price information in there–it’s really a shopping list program but I also enter the prices from the sale flyers of anything I’m buying that week. So I do have a record of “the last good price” which is enough for me.
I’ve been always meaning to start one of those price books just don’t know how. Do you use one page for each item that you purchase? Do you cross off items or do you just keep adding prices and dates? Can you explain more. I’m a visual person. Thanks so much and I missed you.
I don’t keep a price book, but I’m beginning to think I should as well.
Your hubby and I share a birthday! How fun! :)
Glad your vacation was wonderful!! A few weeks ago we grilled quesadillas and pizza. There are pictures on my blog. THey turned out amazing!
The lake is beautiful! Where is that?
Also – those chicken caesar pitas sound delicious. I might have to try them next week!
Been watching this for a while and finally decided to join in! Thanks for the inspiration!
Your menus always sound so good. The pork chops sound especially yummy!
Those chicken pitas sound good! I am going to put those on the menu next week!
I like your price book. I really need to start one too.
Welcome back!
Something to keep an eye on for your price book:
You’ll probably want to make sure you keep an eye on unit price and the size of the products you’re buying, I’ve noticed that things are starting to change in sizes for some things (cereals especially) to keep the prices the same or a bit lower. It’s usually only a change of a few oz or so, but it’s a change.
Welcome back chica!!
So glad you enjoyed your vacation. Those pork chops you’re having sound delicious. Have a great week.
Welcome back, Laura! I missed you and your posts.
However, I totally support internet free weeks, so I’m glad you enjoyed your time away.
When my grandparents were still alive, I would go to visit them and would spend much of my vacation reading or relaxing some other way. I NEVER watched TV and rarely got online (they had dial up). I forget how much I enjoyed those times.
Glad you’re back!
Delurking to say that I was at the grocery store not two hours ago thinking that I was going to have to start tracking prices! I just don’t have a clue what’s a good deal & with the cost of food changing so much, it’s information that I’d like to know. It would be great to hear how you organize it – will you track a highest/lowest price, will the instability of prices affect how you set it up? Clearly I’m stalling out on the details, so I was thrilled that you mentioned creating a notebook.
I was coming over here to tell you that I listed you as my favorite organizing blog, but you already saw it! Yes, I know containers are your thing!
Thanks! I have had so much fun finding new blogs this way!
I love looking through your blog and especially these menu posts! My sister and I were trying to figure out some new meals for a menu and I told her to check this out… there are SO many participants. I’m astounded!
Blessings!
Ok, I hope I am doing this right….I accidentally posted on another date….so, we do this weekly on here? I’m sort of new to this Mister Linky thing…lol.
What a wonderful menu! I checked out some of the links you provided for recipes in your menu and I’m probably going to give some of them a try!
Hope you’re having a great week!
Karen
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cookalatte
The lake looks wonderful!
I just recently started a Price Book about 2 months ago, I think. It has really helped me to remember the prices of things. Now, if I can just keep it updated. I did a spreadsheet in open office and keep it on my thumb drive so I can work on it at home on the desk top or at work on my laptop when I get free time