Friday, April 22, 2022

Fourth Frugal Friday of April 2022


Welcome to Friday!

My Frugal Week

Living in the rural countryside inside the Cherokee National Forest brings with it all sorts of wildlife. Bailey heard something like a buzz saw at the back door Wednesday evening. She looked outside the window on the door, but couldn’t see anything, but all the cats were looking at the door. Finally, a bobcat turned around and ran down the back steps. Yikes!

The CNA who came on Friday to give Mom a bath called me into her room to look at her arm. I knew immediately that Mom needed to go to the emergency room. Her arm had been swollen all week, but now it was weeping. She was admitted into the hospital that evening and a wound specialist was called to clear up the infection. 

Bailey and I were able to get our second booster shot of the Moderna vaccine on Monday. I didn’t even realize that I was eligible to receive it now. I’ve grown weary of Covid as I’m sure many of you have as well. 

Mom’s hospital bed finally arrived on Tuesday. We moved furniture around to make room for it and even gave away a recliner to make room. The couple who received it were thrilled.

I bought a shampoo bar while I was at Traders Joe’s on our recent trip. I’ve read that they last longer than shampoo in the bottle, so I bought one to find out. 

Helping Others

Mom had some shelf stable Hormel dinners in her pantry that she bought, but did not like and wasn’t eating. I took those and some other items she was not eating and placed them into one of our little free pantries here. 

Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen

My Dad had given me two packages of ground pork and I hadn’t decided what to do with them. Then I read a post from Lianne on the Facebook Living Simply group that she was using ground pork to make egg rolls in a bowl. Perfect! 

Normally I use pork sausage to make this dish, so I knew the flavor would be different. I’m happy to report it was still a winner as the taste of the ginger really makes this dish taste so good. 

On Thursday I portioned out the last two servings of beans and greens and placed those into the freezer for future meals. Afterwards I made a stockpot full of soup for lunches for the next few days

We stopped in at Kroger on Monday, not for a big grocery shop, but to pick up a few things. I enjoy all kinds of fruit, but there is something special about a ripe pear. I found a bag of five pears for 99 cents and have enjoyed one everyday this week. 



Meals This Week

Friday:  Chicken Strips, Air Fried Potatoes or Potato Salad, Collard Greens

Saturday: Plant Based Taco Bowls, Homemade Hummus & Vegetables, Corn on the Cob. 

Sunday: Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Cucumber & Tomato Salad, Corn

Monday: Rainbow Sandwiches, Sprouted Bread layered with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Hummus, Beets, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and any other veggies desired. 

Tuesday: Southwest Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans, Corn, Tomatoes and Red Onions

Wednesday: Baked Sweet Potatoes, Collard Greens, Corn on the Cob, Cucumber Salad, Red Peppers, and Sliced Tomatoes.

Thursday: Dirty Rice, Baked Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli

Recipe of the Week

Plant Based Taco Bowl

I’ve been reading more this week and specifically plant based reading and found the concept of this taco bowl to be very interesting. I looked at two different recipes and combined them together and added a few changes of my own. 

I really like how this dish turned out and topped my own bowl with romaine, tomatoes, and chopped red peppers. It was delicious and I plan to move it into my regular rotation of plant based/meatless meals. 

I made some air fried corn tortilla chips in my air fryer to go along with this dish. 

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice
1 cup lentils
4 cups water
1 large onion
1 red pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano 
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika 
1 can beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
Lettuce, Tomatoes, Red Onions, and peppers to top afterwards

Place Rice, Lentils, Onion, Pepper and Spices in Instant Pot. 
Cook for 9 minutes.
Add beans and corn. 
Place in bowls to serve and top with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and peppers.

Saving on Entertainment

What I've been Reading This Week

In the Fall of 2018 National Geographic came out with a new Time Inc. Special Issue titled, Blue Zones The Science of Living Longer. I wouldn’t buy it back then because the cost was $13.99, but we found a copy of it among a ziplock bag full of National Geographic magazines at a consignment sale for $3.00 recently. I was so excited when I saw it. I’ve been enjoying reading it all week long. 

How was your week? Did you add to your home this week to be more prepared for the future? Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. We would love to hear about your week in the comment section.

Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
My Linktree

26 comments:

  1. Those taco bowls sound good.
    I don't have an instant pot but I bet my rice cooker would work.

    We after get ground pork at the surplus grocery for $1 a pound. I make four pounds at a time into taco meat and add an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce which covers the pork taste very well.

    I hope your Mom is doing better soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lana. Mom is hanging In There just waiting for her surgery. She will be glad when it is all over. Thank you for asking.

      I’d say your rice cooker would work too. You can do so many good things with a rice cooker. What a great deal on the ground pork! I would be stocking up,at that price.

      Delete
  2. I am thinking about your mom, I hope her arm is better soon. My daughter uses the shampoo bars and she think they last a long time. And I would never leave the house again if a bobcat was on my steps! Lol

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Ellen. I know what you mean about the bobcat! Thankfully, the wilder animals usually only come out at night.

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  3. Continued prayers for your Mom. Sounds like you had a decent week. Your meals sound good.

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  4. We love the bowl type meals. I am usually happy as it's cook once and lots of leftovers. I'm sorry for your poor mom. I hope the infection clears soon. I know your life is different being a carer now so good you have some CNS help.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sam. I like the bowl type meals for that reason too, we can eat on them for a few days.

      Delete
  5. Having a bobcat on my deck would scare the bejesus out of me!
    Hope all goes well with your mom!

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  6. I have been trying to use more lentils in meals and your taco bowls sound wonderful. Copied and printed.

    God bless.

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  7. That recipe sounds delicious - thanks for sharing. And, sending good thoughts for you & your mom. I'm sure it's so hard on both of you.

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    Replies
    1. You’re welcome and thank you for the good thoughts for us. We sure do appreciate them.

      Delete
  8. What a great deal on the pears and the book. I should go to the library's book sale when they have it soon.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Vickie. The pears have been sooo good.

      Delete
  9. You’re welcome and thank you for the good thoughts for Mom and me. I sure do appreciate them.

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  10. I am so sorry about your Mom. Bless her. I hope the surgery is success. I know she must be just wanting to be done with everything by now and is sick of it.

    Personally for me I would have been thrilled to see a bobcat, lol. I love them. I saw a buzzard the other day just walking around near my yard. He was beautiful. It is the first time I have seen a buzzard so close to city limits and walking around. I thought it was the neighbor's chicken and almost went out to get him, lol.

    I am eligible for fourth dose too. DH & I are waiting for a surge. My doctor's told me it was only four weeks of protection and then another booster again in Autumn, possibly. Since DH & I live in an area that is considered low risk right now it's about timing of the vaccine. It is confusing, upsetting and stressful. I will follow what my doctor wants to do. I wanted my vaccine the day it was ok to do it, lol.

    I added some shelf stable items to my pantry, actually today. Stocked up on can stews, popcorn & beef sticks when I did my regular grocery shopping. My food supply is well stocked and now it's about those little things. I am very grateful for that. I have two refrigerator's and a freezer. My utilities went up a bit but I am so happy to have those things it's worth it.

    I am updating my art/craft studio and filling it with those things that people tend to forget about during an emergency.

    DH & I have started updating the garage so it will be ready for emergencies. Plus, we are sick of it and it needs organized, lol. I don't know how many times during the pandemic my art studio and DH's garage was a godsend when we had something break or go down.

    I start planting my garden this week. I have over two hundred seeds this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh wow, we have seen a lot of buzzards here too, Safyne. They can be a little bit creepy. Lol

      Wow on the number of seeds you have. I hope your garden is a huge success and very bountiful for you this year!

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  11. Oh wow, on the bobcat. I have never seen one of those in the wild. I have seen coyotes and foxes in our woods though. Plus we have skunks, possums, raccoons and goundhogs. Ah the joys of living in the woods. :D
    Your meals sound so good, and the taco bowl sounds delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I like the sounds of your rainbow sandwiches too. Can't wait til I have fresh tomatoes and veggies out of the garden. Glad you found some yummy pears too.
    Hope you have had a good weekend.
    I hope that your Mom's arm is healing, and that she will be able to have surgery this week. Prayers for a quick recovery. So glad that she got the hospital bed as I'm sure that will make caring for her a lot easier. Will she go back to rehab for a bit after surgery?

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kathy. I keep telling her it won’t be forever, but she is pretty discouraged.

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  12. You have a lot of wildlife where you live too, Kathy. Mom is set to have her schedule on Tuesday unless something changes and I hope and pray it doesn’t and her surgery is a success. She is supposed to go back to rehab afterwards but wants to come home. It’s a tough situation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a tough situation all around. Perhaps if she knows she can go to rehab for a certain number of days, then she can go home as she will be a bit stronger.
      Sending hugs and prayers.

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  13. Thank you, Kathy. That is what I keep telling her that it won’t be forever. It helps a little bit thankfully.

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  14. Thinking of you...hope your Mom got along ok with her surgery.

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  15. Thank you so much, Kathy. She came then her surgery ok and is sleeping mostly due to the pain. Thank you so much for asking.

    ReplyDelete

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