Week 8 shopping & Menu

Menu:

BBQ Cups

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Pot Roast

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Hot Dogs & Mac 'N' Cheese

Leftovers (Soup)

Grilled Brats with Onion and Peppers

I have to show my shopping results a bit differently this week. Normally it's pretty cool outside and I don't have an issue running to all my grocery stores (usually 3) without having to drop anything off at home.  That was not the case today. Summer seems to have officially arrived here in the Rockies. I had to drop off all my Walmart groceries at home before running to the other 2.

So I've decided to show my receipts instead of a pic of the groceries since half were already put away before I came home from my 2nd trip out. Same concept, right?

Walmart: $32.95

King Soopers: $ 18.21

Albertsons: $ 12.76

TOTAL: $63.92

If you really need to know everything I bought, click on the picture and it'll open up larger. I did really well this week. I scored a few great deals. I got 18 eggs for $1.00...Awesome. A block of cheddar for $1.00. I found whole wheat hamburger buns (for my bbq beef sammies) on the quick sale rack for $0.79. I ALWAYS check that rack. It's usually bakery items that are about to hit their "Sell By" date and are reduced in price for quick sales. King Soopers has a section in the meat case that is the same thing. You can get some fantastic deals there.

Something has occured to me.

One thing that I love about doing this blog is that I keep a relatively good variety of meals on my menus. Nobody wants to read about my serving the same spaghetti or hot dogs every night, so I try to keep it constantly changing. My husband is super happy about that. I could probably eat the same thing for a year straight and not have an issue, but he does not share my attitude. Anyway, since I have this blog to keep me accountable for trying new things, I've become a bit adventurous (you might say) with foods. I mean, I have never in my life stuffed a pork chop with more pork. Or made brownies stuffed with chocolate & marshmallows. They were dang good, no question there. But they weren't the healthiest choices on the planet. It's cool...we all do it from time to time.

However, I have grown and birthed two babies and my hips are just not what they used to be. I have funky stretch marks on my once tight stomach and my derriere sits a wee bit lower than I'd like. What can I say? It's all my kids fault.  KIDDING! But they did kick start the lowering of my body parts...I just haven't done anything to put on the brakes.

So, I am going to start eating healthier. I'm NOT going on a diet, because I don't believe in them.  But I am most likely going to stop frying everything I can in oil, butter and/or bacon grease (forgive me, Paula Dean).  This is going to be a challenge because let's face it, eating healthier is more expensive. Well, it can be. What I'll mostly be doing is cutting out as much sugar as I can along with white flour. I already buy wheat bread, but I'm going to take it further than that.

Pray for me. Today I have to try and write out my shopping list and I have a feeling it'll end up with me sitting here staring at the grocery ads while twisting my hair into a frustrated knot. I'll try to stay positive.

:)

S'more Stuffed Brownies

Let me just start off by saying that I would like to thank (and then kill) my friend Cheryl for introducing these to me. As if I REALLY need to consume 37,000 calories in one bite...but they were a delicious 37,000 calories. Yes, ma'am...they were tasty.

Here's what you do.  Line a 9x13 pan with foil. The original recipe actually called for an 8x8 but I ignored that part.

*Make sure you spray the heck out of it with cooking spray*

Mix up a box of brownie mix and pour it into the pan.

Then line it with graham crackers.

Then Hershey's chocolate bars. Yeah, you heard me. Chocolate...just like when making a s'more.

Next come the marshmallows. Lot's of them.

Now mix up another box of brownies.

I never said that these were good for you.  Well, they felt good going down...until they landed at my hips.

Pour the batter over the marshmallows.

Bake them at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Oh. My. Gosh.

I'm not quite sure what I just baked, but I'm pretty should that they should be illegal.