This week I made big batches of chili and had tons of leftover chicken noodle soup. So, that’s about what I ate all week: black bean turkey chili over basmati brown rice and chicken noodle soup with all the week’s leftover veggies (i.e. zucchini, tomato, celery, carrots and onion bits). I thought it would bother me to eat the same thing a few days in a row, but it didn’t. The meals were good and I topped them with lots of extras (shredded cheddar cheese, sour creme, salsa and grated Parmesan)
Since it’s close to Christmas time, one of the family food traditions (passed down from generation to generation) was stuffed artichokes, I thought I would replicate the recipe. The two I bought were an astounding $2.50 each BUT they were huge (the size of two actually). I stuffed them with a fresh bread hand[made stuffing mix and ‘steamed’ them in lemon scented water for two hours. Tasted just like grandma was here.
Friday night we made two pizzas (one for him and another half for him and then a half for me) on flat bread. I used to make my own dough and will probably go back to making real dough again now that money is getting tighter. But when you’re busy all day or get back home late, rather than pop a whole frozen processed pizza in the oven, we just buy the flatbreads ($3.19 at Aldi) and continue to make our own. In the end it’s healthier and cheaper than either sending out for a pie or throwing a frozen one in the oven. Hubby loves to top those flat breads with raw onion!
One lunch time meal was grilled, melted yellow cheddar cheese on a buttered panini with a side of that chicken noodle soup. Saturday night I have my sister and BIL coming over for a pre-Christmas dinner and a walk through a very holiday decked-out home town. I made her a lasagna (my signature dish) filled with sausage, ricotta and mounds of melted mozzarella cheese. I’ll serve it with a Caesar side salad and some very flowing glasses of red wine.








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Everything looks so yummy. I am making a huge pot of meat sauce right now for lasagna and lazy man stuffed cabbage. I also do stuffed shells smothered in olive oil and garlic. I have no problem eating the same meals when they are so delicious . I make the same quantity I made when there were four of us and I do smaller portions so it’s six servings without my guys. It so nice to not have to cook every day. Sincerely, Lara
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With ShopRite having their pasta on sale for 50 cents a pound and noodles more then four times that, I use fettuccine broken up or rotini or bow ties in my chicken noodle soup makes it even more economical. Sincerely, Lara
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I just got an email from ShopRite $20 dollar holiday gift when yo spend $100 on pickup order and the code word FREE to have the service for free on my first pickup order good December 19 to January 15. Then a second email from Discover to activate 5% cash back on groceries January 1 through March 31st. Cha- Ching! Sincerely, Lara
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We got a few surprises also. The best one being a gift pack from Omaha Steaks! Woo Hoo. Going to have filet mignon on Xmas Day and New Years! My oldest daughter sent us a variety pack from Harry & David. Yum! And we got oodles of cookies from many of our neighbors. Who knew?
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That’s great. Are these your new neighbors that moved in recently? Or ones from long ago that you gave cookies to a long time ago? Sincerely, Lara
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New neighbors. That’s why I’m loving my neighborhood and have no intention of ever leaving. It’s become a very nice place to live. Go figure!
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That’s awesome! FYI: CVS has 8 oz. lindt dark chocolate bars 8 choices on sale 2/$5 up to 95% cocoa and $2,off ExtraCare coupons and other ones too.
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The free shipping CVS order arrived in less then 18 hours! I was wrong the Lindt chocolate bar is 4.4 oz. But it was 39 cents with my ExtraCare coupons and CarePass. Over $65 dollars retail on 13 items for $15.77 and no gas used or wear and tear on my car. Four organic items too. Sincerely, Lara
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