I Saved $100+ on Groceries Last Night!

I spent $131 at the grocery store last night and saved $100+ in store specials and coupons!!!! I usually spend about $140 each trip so I feel great about his.... we'll find out this week if the food will be enough to last!!

www.southernsavers.com is the BEST!!! Check it out and get started saving on groceries!!!

Yummy Fish Dinner - Gt the Kids to Help Cook!

Tonight I made tilapia and a salad -- it couldn't be easier and healthy too! I baked the fish at 350 for 10 minutes with some spray butter, salt and pepper on it.

Also, instead of doing the usual salad I got one that was a kit that had some dried pineapple and an Asian dressing that the kids loved. For some reason they go crazy for croutons (even my 18 months old) so if I sprinkle some of those on they go nuts. I let them sprinkle everything in the salad so they get more interested in eating it.

Easy, Kid-Friendly Tostados

Having a Fiesta!

I thought of another tasty, easy meal that I can whip up in no time, and the kids all love to fix their own... TOSTADOS! These are easier than tacos for the kids (the 4 and 3 year old like to make their own) to spread sour cream and refried beans onto, and then they sprinkle with ground beef or chicken, and shredded cheese. I like to add salsa and shredded lettuce to mine.... It is always a great night. I have also managed to be able to get two dinners out of a box of tostados since the hubby is away at work.

After 1-2 tostados each, I serve some tasty fruit and dinner is a cinch!

What's for Dinner?

The kids are becoming totally unruly at dinner. Tonight I served Parmesan Couscous -- so tasty, easy to make, inexpensive, and FUN TO SAY!!!! Only one of the three of them even tasted it! I should be happy since I got to eat more than I planned!

Tomorrow night we'll be having beef ravioli -- not from a can -- I am way more sophisticated and serve it from the frozen bag! It is quite tasty, and although I don't expect it to be a crowd-pleaser, at least it will be quick and easy! Why slave over a hot stove when they hardly eat it anyway? Here is a list of my easy and quick dinners (I always serve with some kind of veggies from a steamfresh pouch):

• Boca chicken patties sliced up
• Frozen ravioli
• Perogies (from the frozen food section as well)
• Fish sticks
• Broiled tilapia (add a squeeze of lemon, dash of salt and pepper and broild for 10 minutes)
• Pasta noodles with spray butter and Parmesan cheese (they have started refusing tomato sauce)
• Macaroni and cheese - not frequently but it is so darn cheap!!!
  
• Pizza (served with salad)
• Chili - I make a big batch and freeze the leftovers -- I get 3 meals out of this and they love it because I serve it with shredded cheddar and Fritos
• Pancakes with scrambled eggs - I make a big batch of pancaked (whole whate from aunt Jamima mix) and freeze them so they can be zapped and served

Other suggestions?

Easter Sugar high

The family all went to the in-law's today - grandma had three giant buckets of candy laid out and the boys found them quick. On top of the bunny cakes we decorated with jelly beans and sugar cookies we made yesterday (to make the bunny ears for the cakes), they had chocolate bunnies and found plastic eggs full of candy eggs.

We are considering going completely off the sugar now - for the kids and adults as well. Will it work? Will it make the kids totally weird? Will they be able to handle a slice of cake at a birthday party without getting sick if we cut out all the crap? We are talking going to lean meats, fruits, and veggies.....