By 4 o'clock this morning, I was wide awake, so I went ahead and cooked the beans I had soaked in the pressure cooker and then placed them in the crockpot with hot dogs and barbeque sauce. I cooked the beans first because I wanted to ensure that they were cooked. I know sometimes when I've mixed a tomato based sauce in the crockpot with beans they don't always cook properly. The beans cost me $1.09, hot dogs 99¢, and the bbq sauce was free after coupons, so this dish cost just over $2.00 to make. I'll serve it with mashed potatoes and corn.
I did not get called to sub today, so I made a grocery
store run after dropping dd off at school. I didn't buy everything on my list, but just the bare
essentials to make it through until I get paid. Even though I am working again
I will not receive my first paycheck until September 20th, which is
still about 40 days away. So, even though the grocery list is longer than usual
I will still need to be careful between now and then and hold off buying everything
on the list as some things will have to wait.
Our local Fresh and Low has store brand peanut butter on sale
for 99¢, which is such a great price for PB. Now I am not fond of store brand PB
as PB is one of those items I prefer to buy name brand. But I've not seen many good
sales on PB lately. I'm hesitant to buy much of this, especially since school
is just starting back, which is normally a time when PB goes on sale. It is
possible that a good sale on name brand peanut butter could still happen. I’m
going to pick up a few jars of this store brand just to tide us over for now as
we are completely out of peanut butter and I want to make some granola bars with
it.
First stop was Walmart where I bought eggs ($2.53), cheddar cheese ($3.96/1 lb.), hot dog buns (60¢), sandwich rolls (56¢ each), potatoes, salt, relish, yogurt, sour cream, and deodorant. The buns and sandwich rolls were a bakery markdown and the deodorant had coupons on them for 40¢ off. Total spent: $23.96
Second stop was Fresh and Low where I bought six jars of peanut butter, one ham steak, a package of peanuts because my breakfast didn't tide me over (42¢), lettuce, strawberries, and butter. Total spent: $16.45
A couple of coupon deals I went for today did not work out as it was the last day of the sale and they were out of stock, but I did manage to get two rain checks. I also filled up my gas tank at $2.05 per gallon and paid $29.49.
Wednesday dinner is going to be green beans cooked with onions and potatoes in EVOO along with a Ham steak I picked up today for $1.83. It's going to be a one pot dinner, so all the items can season one another.
A couple of coupon deals I went for today did not work out as it was the last day of the sale and they were out of stock, but I did manage to get two rain checks. I also filled up my gas tank at $2.05 per gallon and paid $29.49.
Wednesday dinner is going to be green beans cooked with onions and potatoes in EVOO along with a Ham steak I picked up today for $1.83. It's going to be a one pot dinner, so all the items can season one another.
Live simply by not spending money you don't have.
© Belinda & Frugal Workshop, 2011 - 2015.
ReplyDeleteYum! Your beans
look so good, can you post your recipe? We are big fans of beans here and I also await a paycheck, a bug sooner than yours, but not until Sept 15.
They were so easy. I soaked and then cooked my beans ahead of time. I did mine for 30 minutes in the pressure cooker. Then I added jarred BBQ sauce along with the beans, drained, and cut up the hot dogs. Easy peasy.
DeleteCarol, Here is a recipe from Barb G. that used to post on the AOL TWOD boards. Hers is tried and true...
DeleteBARBARA G'S HOME-MADE BEANIE WEENIES
The beans are quite tasty enough without the bell pepper, celery or Louisiana hot sauce, so omit them if little ones in your family object, or you just don’t have any in the house. If you like peppery hot beans, then try using the hot-style franks. Tabasco really is not a substitute for Louisiana hot sauce, as the hot sauce contributes more of a full pepper flavor and not just heat, whereas Tabasco is mainly just heat. My opinion, of course.
2 lbs dried white beans–navy or Great Northern (abt 5 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 packet onion soup mix, (OR one chopped, sauteed onion plus 2 beef bouillion cubes)
1 1/2-2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup yellow prepared mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar OR 2 T. sugar plus 2 T. molasses
6-8 frankfurters sliced into thin "coins" (good-quality)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ large green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Dash or two Louisiana hot sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Pick through the beans and discard any deformed or split beans or foreign particles. Rinse well. Put beans into a largish (at least 5-quart) slow cooker with the bay leaf, and fill about 2/3 full of water. Cook on “Low” overnight, or until beans are just tender. Sometimes I add the garlic here. It's up to you. It'll cook out to have a slightly more mellow, sweeter flavor.
Taking care not to mash them or to burn yourself, pour warm cooked beans gently into a colander to drain off most of the liquid. RESERVE THE NUTRIENT-FILLED LIQUID. Add all the remaining ingredients at once to the pot and stir to combine them. Add the beans and stir gently to distribute the sauce and vegetables throughout. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper or hot pepper sauce. If the tomato flavor is too anemic or the beans are not saucy enough for your taste, add a little more ketchup. Continue to cook on “Low” for 2-3 or more hours, or until flavors meld and vegetables are done to your liking. Add reserved bean liquid as necessary to keep beans loose enough to be saucy, but not soupy.
My son, the new teacher, doesn't get his paycheck until Sept. 30th or something.....danged in convenient if you ask me!
ReplyDeleteTomato products do indeed impede the cooking of bean products.....always sauce them after they are cooked. Ask me how I know. lolz
LOL Sluggy...the voice of experience!
DeleteA little jam or jelly swirled with not-so-good peanut butter might help when making a peanut butter sandwich. Don't know why swirling them together tastes better, but it does.
ReplyDeleteNeat little tip! Thank you, Anna. I will definitely try that. :)
Delete