Rotten Bananas?

 

It's true my friends, there is no such thing as a rotten banana. Which is fabulous because I had a ton of bananas from my last shopping trip (5 lbs to be exact) and these little beauties have just been "tanning" away in my kitchen for the last few days and today was the day we turned them into something delicious.

 ( Or "De-dish-yus" as my two year old would say.)

 

I've gone through a few different banana bread recipes in my day and have been tweaking them, I will continue to do so but today I would like to share with you a healthy/healthier recipe with you.

 

Here is what you will need for

 

3-4 brown or black bananas
1/2 cup applesauce (insider tip: the little individual applesause pack that you buy for your kiddos are exactly 1/2 cup!)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
dash of cinnamon


1. Preheat oven to 350* and grease a 9x5 baking pan
2. In a mixing bowl, combine applesauce and sugars.
3.Add in eggs and then bananas and vanilla
4. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients and add them into the mixture
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes ( check with a toothpick )
6. enjoy the tasty aroma filling your house!
7. Let it cool and enjoy!

 

I wanna know!

What other things do you like to make with "rotten" bananas? 

Chicken Fried Rice

 Dinner Tonight was quick, easy, and tasty! The best part was that no Chinese restaurant was involved!
This recipe is a new favorite in our house. It can be used as a side dish or like tonight we made it our entire meal.
The secret to this dish is the seasoning mix. One day I would like to make my own, but for now and for those of you who like to keep things simple, a mix it is.

 I found this one for 0.70 at Walmart and I really like the taste.
Without further ado, the ingredients
Chicken- I used 2 chicken breasts cut up into bite size pieces
Rice- 2 cups
Carrots- chopped
Peas
Green Onions- chopped
2-3 eggs- scrambled
seasoning
soy sauce

Cook rice and set aside. Brown chicken and scramble eggs.
In a skillet heat oil and brown the carrots and green onions
Add rice, chicken, and eggs.
Stir in seasoning and 2 tsp soy sauce
add in peas and any other veggies.
Serve hot and enjoy!
( chopsticks optional!)

Go ahead and add this recipe to your pinboard !

You    can follow me on Pinterest , here!
Linking up today with Joyful Homemaking for Think Tank Thursday  

Try It Out, Tuesday!

 Welcome!
I hope you are all having a great Tuesday after a wonderful 3 day weekend.
Its been raining all morning and we've just been taking it easy and I've been recovering from yesterday's 5k run.
I'm 12 weeks out from having my baby girl and I've only been running, ahem attempting to run, for about 4 weeks now. I must say I am pretty proud of myself for being able to complete a 5k. Granted it was incredibly slow and I am totally sore and tired today, but I did it.
Okay, enough about that.
Let's get talking about this Try It Out, Tuesday thing. I'll be honest with you right now and say that I have spent a fair amount of time on Pinterest. ( follow me here ).



In an effort to actually use my pins and limit the amount of time spent on just browsing I have started to try out those pins. I will be posting about the triumphs and/or epic fails of the pins that are all over my boards.

 

First up, I'm sure you have all seen pins all over the place similar to this one: 

 

 

The cleaning power of Vinegar is simply amazing. My shower doors had seen better days and for the past few weeks I have tried many different cleaners, and lots of scrubbing to get the soap scum off.

Here's a look at the residue left on the shower door. This is taken from the inside of the shower, looking out.

 

Gross, huh!

It was getting to the point that when I was showering I was unable to see out of the shower. Usually not a big deal, but when I am hurrying and trying to keep an eye on my mischievous toddler, I need to be able to see out!

Desperate, here is what I tried.

3/4 cup white vinegar ( warmed up in the microwave )

3/4 dish soap. I used dawn because that is what I had on hand. But I hear that any can work.

 

I poured into a squirt bottle and squirted all over my shower door and windows. I let it sit for about 30 minutes.

When I came back I literally just had to wipe off and rinse.

Did you catch that?

NO scrubbing!

Okay, mostly no scrubbing. There were a few little tough spots that needed a little bit of muscle, but for the most part I just rinsed and it was good to go!

 

This picture does not do it justice. But trust me on this. Vinegar is simply awesome!
The best part is that it is WAY cheaper and safer than all those store cleaners!
So if you have been wondering about this pin, I give it a HUGE thumbs up. It totally works.
Go ahead and try it and let me know how it works for you!

Menu Plan Monday

Today I am linking up with Laura over at Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday. Make sure you head on over there to see what others are cooking up this week.
As you know, I am a huge believer in Menu Planning for many many reasons. So I was very excited when I came across this link up and I can't wait to get started.
So, what's on the menu this week?!

Monday: Since it's Memorial Day and also my SIL's 17th birthday we will be out celebrating. ( Hooray for a day off from cooking).
Tuesday: Crock Pot Italian Chicken and Red Potatoes
Wednesday: Chicken Fried Rice
Thursday: Taco Night
Friday: The boys are having a movie night, so the girls decided to have a girls night too. Most likely eating out this night.
Saturday: Baked Chimichangas
Sunday: Eating with Family ( someone else is cooking, yay!)

This week is pretty easy peasy, since I have 3 nights were I am off the hook.
As for breakfasts and lunches this week we have a few choices.

Breakfast:
Waffles
Fruit
Cereal
Oatmeal
Eggs
Toast

Lunches:
Turkey Wraps
Pasta
Quesadillas
Cheese and crackers
Fruit
PB and J
Salads
Chicken

I try to completely plan out my dinners for the week and then just have a bunch of suggestions for breakfast and lunch that I know I have ingredients on hand for.
Happy Menu Planning, and I hope everyone has a good week!

As always please comment to let me know you stopped by!

Also let me know what other things you would

 like to see going on at Messie Jessie Kitchen

Frugal Finds Friday!

Welcome Back!
I can't believe it's been a week already, and a crazy one at that. I feel like I have been running all over the place. But it's been good.
Yesterday we had the new H&M open up at Station Park and I am so excited about it.
I'm just loving all the new stuff at Station Park and how my little hometown of Farmington is just growing up :)
I still remember when we got our first stop light!
Okay, back to Station Park.

For those of you that are local and looking for some frugal family fun, look no further!

This month they kicked off Family First Mondays. These are being held the first Monday of every month.
This month is was a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party and my little boy loved it!
There was music and dancing, games, face painting, he got a foam sword and a pirate hat and had so much fun!
The best part? Completely FREE!
The event is put on by Radio Disney and Macaroni Kid and will continue through October. Here is the event schedule:

June 3 Monster University Mash Up
July 1 Beach Party Bash
Aug 5 Plane’s Powwow
Sept 2 Sofia the First Shindig
Oct 7 Doc McStuffin Day

The party starts at 5:30 and goes until 7:00. Located in the Village. ( In front of the Movie Theater and by the fountains.)

Also happening at Station Park is an all new SUMMER CONCERT SERIES!

Starting June 29, every Saturday Station Park will host a FREE outdoor concert!

Another perfect frugal outing for you and your family!

Here is the summer line up:

 

June 29, Party Crashers (Top 40)

July 6, Eclipse (A Cappella)
July 13, Kahuna Beach Party (Beach Boys Tribute)
July 20, Blue Moon Swamp (CCR Tribute)
July 27, The Long Run (Eagles Tribute)
August 3, Imagine (Beatles Tribute)
August 10, Hit Explosion (70’s & 80’s)
August 17, Radical Revolution (80’s)
August 24, No Limits (Top 40)

 

 

And for today's last frugal find for family fun ( try saying that 5 times fast) look no further than Cinemark.

While I was perusing all the fabulous things to do at Station Park I stumbled upon the Cinemark Summer Movie Club ( click here to find a participating theater.)



 

Every week this summer a Cinemark theater near you is featuring a family friendly movie for just $1.00!

Here are the films that Station Park is offering ( click above link to find out about your theater)

*Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

*Horton Hears a Hoo

*The Smurfs

*Ice Age

*Dolphin Tale

*Happy Feet

*Oceans

*Rio

*Chimpanzee

*Alvin and the Chipmunks

 

And there you have it. A whole slew of free or cheap family things do keep you and your little ones ( or big ones) busy this summer.

 

*disclaimer: all opinions in this post are my own and I did not receive any compensation. I simply love Station Park and all the fun things to do and wanted to pass them along to you, my local readers.

 

 



Frugal Finds Friday!

Welcome to the first installment of

 

Today I had a fabulous day out being all thrifty and such and got some really great finds today.
One of my favorite places is Kid to Kid. In case you don't know, they are a store that buys and sells gently used kids clothing. The best part is, the give you cash or store credit on the spot!
Today I was able to trade in a bunch of pants and some sweaters that my little boy had outgrown and I got some fabulous store credit. With that I was able to get my little boy new swimsuit trunks and my little girl SIX {6} new outfits and a fancy little bow.
 After my store credit all I owed was $10 more dollars. Pretty fabulous right! 10 bucks for all that!
While I was there they had just got in a light pink double jogging stroller. It was a bit dirty ( light pink is a color that will show dirt easily) and they were trying to get it clean while I was there.
They priced it very low because it wasn't very clean.
As I was leaving they had just priced it at $79.99!!!
I almost turned around and bought it right then and there since I have been in the market for a double stroller.
Instead I took a picture and sent it to my husband to get his opinion, and left.
I'm so glad I didn't impulse buy, because I went home and jumped onto trusty KSL.com to view their classifieds to make sure I was getting the best deal possible.
3 pages in and I found a grey and yellow ( much better colors ) double jogger just 10 minutes from me.
The best part.....
It was priced twenty dollars lower at just $60.00!!!
I decided the shopping gods were being very generous to me today and I jumped on that deal!

My Fabulous Finds!
 

 

I'd say that my Frugal Finds this Friday were quite successful.

Do you have any frugal finds or shopping tips? I'd love to hear 'em!

HOT DEALS this week ( 5/14-5/21)

Hello All!
This week there are some pretty good deal out there to be had. Since I did my big shopping trip last week I won't be posting a whole pricematching list, but here are some of the HOT deals that I found.

* To find these deals you can shop at the stores listed, or if there is a Walmart close by you can simply price match to get all these great deals.
Simply say " This ( name of item ) is ( this price ) at ( this store ).  The cashier will then adjust the price for you at the register. It's as easy as that!

* SB= Store Brand. If you are pricematching at Walmart you would just get the Great Value Brand.

Happy Shopping, and as always if  you have any questions PLEASE ask them. I love to help you save on your groceries!

Frozen Foods
Birds Eye Steam Fresh Veggies 10-12 oz  $1.78 @ Winegars
Green Giant Steamers 12 oz $2.00 @ Smiths
Tyson Chicken Nuggets or Patties 32 oz $3.99 @ Smiths ( GREAT DEAL)

Condiments/Snacks
Store Brand Peanut Butter 28 oz 2.99 @ Winegars
Motts Applesauce 6 pk $2.00 @ Riteaid
Kraft Mayo or Miracle Whip 30 oz $2.99 @Walgreens
Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue Sauce or Marinade, 16-18 oz. $1.00 @ Albertsons
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, 5 ct $3.99 @ Harmons
Kraft Macaroni and Cheese 7.25 oz  .79 cents @Walgreens
Cheetos 8 to 9.75 oz $2.50 @ Walgreens
Doritos Tortilla Chips, 10-11 oz. $2.33 @Albertsons

Drinks
Coca-Cola, Pepsi or Dr. Pepper 12 pk products 3 for $10.00 @Walgreens
SB) Water 24 pack $1.99 @ Smiths

Dairy
(SB) Cottage Cheese, 16 oz. $1.25 @Winegars
(SB)Sour Cream, 24 oz. $1.59 @Winegars
(SB) Yogurt .33 cents @ Smiths
SB) Milk gallon excludes whole milk $2.00 @ Harmons
(SB) Cream Cheese 8 oz $1.00 @ Smiths
SB) Large Eggs doz .99 cents @ Smiths
SB) Cheese Block or Shredded up to 8 oz $1.79 @ Smiths

Cereals/Breakfast
Quaker Cereal 13-14.5 oz $2.50 @Riteaid
Quaker Granola Bars 8 pk $2.50 @Riteaid
General Mills up to 11.8 oz $1.66 @ Smiths
Kellogg's Cereal u to 18.2 oz $1.88 @Riteaid

Meats
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Lunchmeat 7 to 9 oz $2.67 @ Target
Tyson Frozen Chicken $6.99 @ Target

Produce
Leaf Lettuce, Red, Green or Romaine .69 cents @ Dicks
Onions, Medium Yellow .33 cents lb @Winegars
Corn .24 cents ea @ Rancho Market
Red Apples .49 cents lb @ Rancho Market
Pineapple $1.99 ea @ Rancho Market
Fuji Apples .88 cents lb @ Sprouts
Strawberries .99 cents lb @ Sprouts

Household
Quilted Northern Bath Tissue 30 pk $14.99 @ Target
Bounty Paper Towels 8 pk, Charmin Bathroom Tissue 12 pk $6.97 @Riteaid
Q-Tips 300ct 1.99 @ Lee's Market
Lysol Wipes 75 or 80 pk  $4.50 @Walgreens

Price Match List ( Sample)

 New ads just came out today ( and last night) and I just finished making a new price match list for dates May 8-14. Below is a sample price list from last week. If you are interested in this weeks price list just let me know and I can get it to you.
If this list looks awesome, but you have no idea how to use it, I CAN HELP!!

Last week I started doing one on one shopping trips to show you the ropes of pricematching. Last week my girl was able to save $25.00 or 33%!!!!!
I would be happy to accompany you on your shopping trip or have you tag along on one of mine. Just contact me for details!!

With my list last week I was able to save $45.oo or 40% on my shopping trip.

WITHOUT CLIPPING A SINGLE COUPON!!!

Now, isn't it time you started saving too???



The 2 week meal plan

Welcome to Part 2 of " Where do I Start."

 

The way I do my meal plan is to plan every two weeks.

There are several reasons why I do it that way.

Number one is that I plan along with our pay schedule. I shop at the beginning of our pay period and if I do things right, I won't have to shop again until the next paycheck.

Number two is that it saves time. With a toddler and a newborn getting to the grocery store is a hard task. Especially if I want to go alone. ( Which I HIGHLY recommend.)

Number three is that it saves money. Shopping twice a month with your list in hand will eliminate impulse spending on things you don't really need. How many times have you gone to the store for milk, and walked out with three bags full of junk?

When I'm planning out our meals, I make sure to check our calendar to see what the next two weeks look like. If we have any nights that we will be out and need to have a quick dinner, if the hubby will be in school all night, if my day looks busy and it needs to be a crock pot day, ect... This will help you to be efficient and plan for your families needs/schedule.

I also make sure to plan our "fresher" meals for the beginning of the cycle, ( Think dinner that involve produce that will go bad before the two weeks are up like fajitas, salads, ect) and plan meals that won't "expire" or go bad toward the end of the cycle.

I keep my meal plan or menu visible in my kitchen. This serves as a good reminder through the day/weeks and helps keep me on track. Having a visual reminder is very helpful to me and it doesn't have to be fancy. It was be a list on your fridge, a whiteboard, whatever!

Additonal tips:
Use your meal plan as a guide instead of a strict schedule. Most the time I am good at following the plan exactly as I wrote it down, but some days I might not be in the mood for what's planned that day. Simply switch two of the meals, but always choose something on your menu so that you aren't going out and spending additional money.

Plan for date nights or nights out. Everyone likes to go out to eat, and you still should. I plan for one date night a week. Usually Friday or Saturday where we can go out to eat or order pizza or something.

Plan your side dishes as well.

If two weeks seems daunting or too much for you to handle, start with one. This is about having a plan that works for your family.

Start with planning just dinners, so that you aren't overwhelmed. When you've got that down then you can start planning for lunches and breakfasts. When I am planning my menu I plan out all my dinners and have 3 or 4 suggestions for lunches and breakfasts.

Forgive yourself and move on if (and when) you have an off day and forget dinner. It happens to all of us.

I hope this gives you a starting point for fixing your dinner woes, if you have any questions feel free to comment below and I will address them promptly!

Happy planning everyone!

My grocery deals this week





There were some awesome deal going on last week, especially on produce!

Here's a peek at my loot for the week.

 

Watermelon

2 avocados

10lb bag of potatoes

green onions

3 lbs apples

5 lbs bananas

2 lbs grapes

2 packages strawberries

tomatos

5 lb frozen chicken

32 oz turkey lunchmeat

3 packages tortillas

3 42 oz bags of cereal

granola bars

corn

gallon milk

2 loaves bread

12 pack Dr Pepper

peanut butter

12 count paper towels

12 count toilet paper

 

 

Total cost would have been $111.74
My cost with price-matching ( and a coupon for milk and lunchmeat ) came to

$69.09!!!

That is 40% savings my friends! I can't tell you how excited I was when I left the store. ( and so were the people behind me, when they saw how much I saved! )

If you are interested in saving up to 30-50% on your groceries leave me a comment with your questions!  

Madison's First Price-Matching Trip!

Last Thursday I had the absolute pleasure of having three lovely ladies in my home.  We talked about the power of meal planning and preparing before you go to the store and about how price-matching or ad-matching can cut your grocery bill by 30-50%.

The first time out grocery shopping a new way and using price-matching can be a little overwhelming. I know this because I was there once.

I offered to accompany my friend Madison on her first price matching trip.

I had a blast and she totally scored for her first trip and now she has the confidence to do it herself and continue on with the savings.

Here is a little breakdown of her trip.

3 bags Malt O Meal cereal

1 box Life cereal

2 lbs ground beef

 one loaf of bread

strawberries

2 dozen eggs

 tortillas

tortilla chips

frozen fries

mayo

 yogurt

2 gallons of milk

green onions,

broccoli

goldfish crackers

2 boxes pasta

 BBQ sauce

2 lbs apples

bananas

 carrots

 cream cheese

 cottage cheese

seedless grapes



 

All of that would have cost her 72.90.
However with a little prep she was able to walk away only spending

 49.02!

That is 33% savings without clipping a single coupon!
Way to go Madison!!!!!!!

Where do I start?

It's 5:00.
Your kids are getting irritating and restless because they are hungry.
Husband is expected home and any minute and is no doubt tired and hungry too.
You are standing in your kitchen, staring into your fridge or pantry, scratching your head.
Eventually you end up feeding the kids cereal or mac and cheese and your husband picks up take out on the way home.

Sound familiar?
How about this one?

You notice you are out of milk so you run to the store.
You leave the store with milk, a candy bar, a bag of popsicles, the new issue of People magazine, a box of cookies, package of fruit snacks, and $30 less in your bank account.

Been there too?

Let's do one more, just for good measure.

You just went to the store yesterday and spent a good chunk of change. Now you have no idea what to cook for dinner, and have nothing to make for breakfast. You think to yourself, "what in the world did I buy?"

I'm pretty sure we have all been there. The above statements could basically describe my first few years of marriage. ( Especially the takeout ). So about 18 months ago, after being a SAHM for 6 months and learning quickly that living on one income was hard, I decided to do something about it. I've come a long way in those 18 months and I feel like I am in a really good place, grocery budget wise.

So, where do I start?
You start with a plan. I'm going to give you some homework. But don't worry, you'll thank me later! 
Today I want you and your family ( or spouse if it's just the two of you) to write down a list of all the dinners you enjoy.
That's it.
After you have compiled a list of dinners that you all enjoy ( and that you enjoy cooking ) you can begin to impliment a meal plan.
A meal plan is the KEY to your success in saving money on your groceries. Without a plan, you have nothing.
So, after you have your list if you are feeling ambitious, go ahead and plan out a menu for 1-2 weeks.

That's your homework for today. Come back tomorrow and we'll talk about a meal plan and planning your shopping list!

The Start of Something New

A few days ago I posted this picture on Instagram and Facebook.

 I had TONS of response about it, mostly people saying how amazing it was and asking to learn my ways. 

I've been working at this budget/meal plan/price match thing for about 18 months now and I would LOVE to share all that I have learned and how I am able to save on my groceries ( and spend it on better stuff!) 

I've spent the last 4 days working on presentations, handouts, meal planning, lists, lists, and more lists. I've even had a few dreams about shopping and pricematching. 

I've now had the opportunity to have 4 awesome girls in my home to teach them about how planning ahead, pricematching and preparing can save you tons and tons of money! 

I'm really so excited to help you out with your grocery shopping needs and I will be using this blog to bring you tips and tricks, meal plan ideas, recipes, and so much more! 

I will be continuing to go over my method at my house as long as there continues to be interest. If you have any questions at all, PLEASE PLEASE ask me! I'd really love to help you save! 

Here is to an exciting new future! 

Please let me know what you would like to see on this blog. 

Help with menu planning?

What is pricematching and how does it work?

Sticking to a budget?

How much should we be spending?

ect. 

Please leave a comment with any questions and I will get answers up on the blog ASAP!