Menu Monday (A Frugal Tip and a Breakfast Casserole)...

Very early in our marriage I realized that the one place we could 

make choices to stretch our budget was at the grocery store.   

Monthly menu planning may save in the kitchen - but not necessarily money.  

Rather - I chose to shop the sales and lower priced items - 

and make my meals from what I had on hand.

  That included cooking for guests.  My meals were more simple... 

but those savings added up and we paid off our

 home long before many of our peers.
(On just one income with extra medical bills.)

Fast forward to today....  I have a girl's weekend getaway 

coming up.  My contribution to the meals will be a 

breakfast casserole.  My goals?  1. Quick (mostly able to prepare ahead)  

2. Inexpensive 3. and Gluten Free.  I will be shopping at my 

local discount grocery store which equals savings 
without the 'sales and coupons' headaches. 
(Since eating gluten free - coupons have not been a great option.)

 The store rarely has hash browns but usually has tater tots.  

So... I am searching for recipes with that in mind.  

And look what I found!

   Bacon Breakfast Bake via Bubble Crumb

Go check out the recipe.  This will be a snap to put together 

in the AM.  I can  bake the tater tots, saute the veggies and 

fry the bacon (or use cooked sausage or ham - depending on what I find) 

all ahead of time - and simply assemble onsite.  Easy Peasy!

Bottom line - figure out what food you have to work with - 

and cook from that.  

The internet makes this a snap...but you can search the 

index of your cookbooks too!

Thanks Pinterest and Bubble Crumb! 
Linking to Modest Monday

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From Country Curtains to Country Skirt...

I'm all about thrifty ways to do and get stuff!  Lately I've been 

frustrated with my tired wardrobe - so I decided I would try 

to actually make something (it's been years!) 

  I had a simple skirt in my closet (the plum piece on the left below) 

I used as a pattern.  But first - I needed some fabric.  

These were my 'on hand' viable options.  I loved that brown daisy 

dotted swiss - but decided against it in case I messed up. 

 The red teeny check fabric is actually vintage curtain panels - 

so I had some ripping to do to get enough fabric.

Isn't it adorable?

Essentially - I just laid the skirt onto the fabric and cut it a 

little larger on each side.  Just 2 side seams folks! 

I did this times 2 - because I added a lining.  

(Out of old solid cream curtains I found for almost nothing!)

I wanted to mimic the drawstring waist of the original skirt.  To form the ties - 

I just eyeballed it and folded the fabric onto itself to cut a straight line...

It worked!...

 My original skirt was long with a plain hem.  

I chose a slightly shorter version and added a ruffle.  

 The great thing about sewing?  You choose your own length - love that!

This would be me - slightly graying hair and all.   

I love how green it is outside right now - we've had lots of 

gentle spring rains.  I'm gonna love this skirt.

And who knows?  I might do me some more sewing!

Linking to Transformation Thursday

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Southwest Layered Salad - Menu Monday...

This super quick and easy salad was the complement

 to our crockpot potato soup supper tonight...

I didn't worry about measuring - rather just opened the 

cans and dumped on what felt right.  It was delicious!  

Next time I need a lettuce salad for guests or a potluck - 

this may be it!  And no veggies to cut - thank you Kraft!

10 Minute Southwest Layered Salad

6 cups  torn romaine lettuce

1 can  (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed

1can  (11 oz.) corn, drained

1/2cup  TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1/2 cup  KRAFT Natural Three Cheese Crumbles

1/2 cup  KRAFT Classic Ranch Dressing

1 cup   broken tortilla chips (I used Fritos)

Cover platter with lettuce.
Top with next 4 ingredients.
Drizzle with dressing; top with chips.

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Birthday Treat to the Workplace...

My Love turns another year toward the midlife zone today.  

I have found there is no greater way to honor your man than to do so 

in front of his peers.  Now I'm ashamedly a 'last minute' person.  

So last night before drifting off to sleep I was frantically thinking 

about what I could take for a treat to his work place.

  I knew I didn't have time to make anything... 

so I settled upon buying an assortment of pickles and olives.

 My Love does not have a sweet tooth - but dill pickles?  Oh my!

  Before I left home I grabbed several containers and manly 

napkins - hoping something would work to corral

 whatever I would find at the store.

 I also made some quick pennant signs; attaching them to skewers...

 A stop at the store supplied my 'treat'.  I'm tellin' ya - 

I was quick... and didn't worry too much about cost.

  I spent about $35.  Not sure if that's my usual 'thrifty' or not - 

but it could have been much worse.  The most

 expensive item I picked up were the garlic stuffed olives. 

 

 I snuck into the lunch room and set everything up.

  The bread pan worked great! Hopefully his

 coworkers will wish him a 'Happy Birthday'

 throughout the day and he'll come home a happy man. 

(Now I still have to wrap his presents for tonight - and I begin work in 7 minutes...  Ahh!!)

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Friday Favorites (from Pinterest)...

I thought it would be fun to do a Friday feature of favorites.  

Today I'm sharing a Pinterest board that I discovered entitled Rustic Romance.  

I love every image!  Take a peek at some of the 600+ pins of pure beauty.

(I'm only featuring pins that link to the original site)...

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You may want to visit the rest of her boards too.

  Thanks 'mompraying4u'!

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