It's been cold... really... truly... cold. As I write, it's warmer in Zurich, Switzerland! Don't ask me why, it just showed up on weather.com. ~smile~ It's only 9 degrees here and 34 degrees in Zurich! Even the wood stove is having troubles keeping up. We're piling on lots of blankets, and I've been making tea and soup like a crazy woman! I've started back with Trim Healthy Mama again, so everything that I eat has to fit into the Satisfying, Energizing, or Fuel Pull category. Most importantly, it has to fit in the delicious and affordable category, too. ~smile~Here's my thrifty week:
~ New Year's vacation visiting family about 4 hours away, seeing our old hometown, the Kansas State Capital building, some beautiful architecture and blessed open countryside. Thanks to low gas prices and staying with family, the whole trip only cost us about a hundred dollars for a three day vacation. Thank you God; thank you family!
~ I made a simple soup using half a pan of leftover mashed potatoes and gravy, milk, salt and pepper, and some leftover shredded chicken from the freezer. This fed my husband and three teenagers lunch.
~ I made a simple Trim Healthy Mama friendly soup with half an onion, some green pepper, some leftover chicken, a bit of cream, a bit of half and half, taco seasoning and a slice of cheese. All odds and ends that I had on hand. I don't have measurements. Don't be afraid to experiment with leftovers. This was S for Satisfying.
~ I made a simple soup that include Rotel, black beans, white beans, and a bit of taco seasoning. This was E for Energizing.
~ I made another simple soup with chicken broth, leftover shredded chicken from the freezer, some wimpy celery, a few frozen peas, and a can of green beans. I added Marjoram and a bit of Rosemary for flavor.
~ We've been drinking lots of hot chocolate, hot tea, hot cappuccino, and hot coffee that we received as gifts.
~ In trying to keep the heat turned low in this frigid weather, we've been piling on extra blankets. We even put a blanket over the outside of our little dog's kennel to keep the warm air inside with her. Kitty has been happy in the basement.
~ We're burning wood in our stove.
I haven't felt well since we returned from our trip, so I've not felt very energetic. I hope I'll be better motivated next week.
How have you been thrifty?
Blessings,
Laura
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May I suggest?
May I suggest?
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We try to make dishes that make more than one year and get creative with leftovers. My hubby was raised in Kansas, Wichita to be exact and we lived there until 1993 when we moved back to Nevada MO and now here we are in Arkansas! Oh, and you sure have a lovely smile!
ReplyDeleteWow, I have not been spending money, but have not done anything out of the ordinary to be thrifty. Life is getting in the way of my plans right now, so I had to let go of things I can't control. Oh well, maybe this week!
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better soon, Laura. We don't feel bad but have had coughs we can't seem to shake and they disrupt our sleep, bit I am glad it is not worse.
ReplyDeleteYour soups sound delicious! This is certainly soup weather. doing THM with family who don't do THM is tricky. I am not doing it perfectly but am working at it.
I had bought a lot of the weird ingredients earlier but I not feeling motivated to use them this go round, mostly just eating regular stuff and skipping the bread at family meals.
Hi Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteI tried a new soup this weekend and enjoyed it. Hope you all feel well and enjoy your week.
Blessings,
Laura
May God bless you Anne in the Kitchen!
ReplyDeleteYour soups sound great... and the thrifiness is wonderful. I hope you feel warmer soon.... I feel your pain. :) It is 6 degrees today w/ a -3 windchill.... and we are scheduled to have new windows put in... TODAY! Oh my.... I will be baking bread, making soup and tea... and trying to keep us warm. :) Thank you for your post.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Laura! I hope your temperatures have warmed up a little bit - I am amazed at the cold temps around the United States. We have been the opposite here in the mountains and have had Spring-like weather...pretty crazy :)
ReplyDeleteYour soups sound delicious and I was quite intrigued with the one made from lefteover mashed potatoes - yummy!
Thanks for sharing at Roses of Inspiration. Hugs to you!
Dear Laura, I do hope you're feeling better! I am glad that you all had a little vacation! We do need that one in awhile! I know what you mean about the cold... It has been really freezing and ice daily here. Well, let me think! What have I done to be frugal...
ReplyDeleteI have cooked a whole chicken that I bought on sale and I have made three meals from it! I am using all my leftovers up every couple of days. Used some wimpy celery myself:o)
I have been wearing a sweater in the house for added warmth and trying to close off the rooms we are not occupying.
Your a blessing to me!
Hugs, Roxy
Hopping over from Stephanie's...cold? Try minus 3 wc right now here in western NY. Nice to meet you, you have a lovely blog...and if it is ok, I would like to add you to my reading list. Blessings
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteWe're warm at 32 degrees today! I'll be over for a visit in a few minutes. Thanks for dropping by and "talking back".
You have been busy Roxy. How are you feeling? I'm still coughing a bit. I hope to go to church tomorrow evening. I am a hugger, so folks just don't keep their distance. ~smile~ I don't want to make anyone ill.
ReplyDeleteIt's a warm 32 degrees and sunny today!
Thanks for talking back.
I value your friendship.
Blessings,
L
Good afternoon, Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteIt's a warm and sunny 32 degrees here today. ~smile~ It is nice not to have to feed the woodstove so much.
The mashed potato soup is something I've learned to make do with. The gravy gives it an awesome flavor.
Thanks so much for talking back.
God bless!
L
Oh, this would have been a good day for the library, Gentle Joy!
ReplyDeleteIt's warmed up here however we've had very cold weather. I hope your temperatures get warmer soon.
ReplyDeleteWe are a little warmer this week. I keep the heat on 68, we use our gas fireplace to keep the heat pump from coming on. My last tank of gas that I filled up for $34.00 last me almost 4 weeks. I stay home a lot.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better very soon, it is hard to achieve when we just aren't well. I have one of those summer colds and it just leaves you feeling tired. Thanks for sharing your thrifty ideas at Good Morning Mondays, I always enjoy reading what you write. Blessings to you my friend.
ReplyDeleteYou have been nominated for the liebster blog award.
ReplyDeletemore info go here, http://simplyfarmhouse.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-liebster-award.html
Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, I pray God will bless you and give you wellness. Blessings
ReplyDeleteHello Laura,
ReplyDeleteThese temperatures have been cold of late! We had our wood stove filled and still needed to run the furnace in order to stay warm when the wind chill took the temperatures far below zero.
I love reading your thrifty week posts. You are such an inspiration. I loved reading about all of the different soups that you have been making!
I am also very glad that you were able to take a family vacation for 3 days! It is always refreshing to get away for a few days.
I am not much of a soup kind of gal myself :( but I do love hot chocolate. I started the Daniel plan (faith based eating plan, you can google it) and I have lost 45 pounds since last June, I have to say I feel a whole lot better not eating any process foods anymore.
ReplyDeleteThat's terrific Connie. I've done the Daniel Fast. May God continue to heal your body. Even after this short time, I'm already feeling better.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific week. I'll come visit soon.
Hello Dianna,
ReplyDeleteI'm not feeling very frugal this week, because we've run out of wood! Yikes! Propane costs a small fortune in Southwest Missouri.
I'm going to come visit your blog now. I truly appreciate your "talking back".
Hi Teresa,
ReplyDeleteI'd like to make a tank of gas last that long. I actually could now, because I've lost my glasses and can't drive until I get new ones! They're very old, scratched, and not the right prescription, so it's not all bad. I've saved up money for new ones. I've just been putting it off.
Blessings,
Laura
Hi Terri,
ReplyDeleteI am now feeling better, thanks.
Have a good week.
Thank you, Teresa. I'll try to participate next week.
ReplyDeleteHello Friend, I'm sorry you are not feeling well. All these viruses going around are so wanting to hang on as long as they can. You name it, we all had it since Christmas time. My ear infection is finally clearing up and I can actually hear out of it now. Yay!
ReplyDeleteTrying to stay home as much as possible since the flu is really bad right now. I really don's want to bring that home.
I have been shopping from my own freezer and pantry these last few weeks, trying to use up anything that might be on the verge of being old. I have been making many pots of soups and stews, since those feed many and really make your dollar and pantry stretch a bit. I've been trying to down size our meals just a bit, so I don't overfeed our chickens with our meals. And if I can freeze the left overs meals until later I do!
I've been trying to stay busy with crafts and such and just enjoying this time of rest. I was so over committed the last few months that I have decided to be on the down low for this month. It sure does feel nice to stay home!
Well, I have rambled on long enough. I sure wish we lived closer, I'd love to come hang out over coffee.
Take Care and I pray you feel better quickly!
Hugs,
Amy
I'd love to hang out together Amy!
ReplyDeleteColorado and Missouri are just a Kansas apart you know!
Maybe someday....
I'm finally feeling better.
I made a yummy soup today with a quart of chicken broth, a bag of frozen broccoli, a handful of chopped chicken from the freezer, about half a cup of half and half, a couple of tablespoons of cream, 3 slices of American cheese and about 3 slices of cheddar cheese. Oh yum! I've been shopping out of the freezer as much as possible, too.
Be healed in Jesus' Name! He took stripes for your healing Sister!
Hugs to you,
Laura
Blessings to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Laura Lane
Hope by now you are feeling better I'm so late in commenting. Love all your soups. Sound like just what a body needs when to get feeling better. We woke up yesterday morning here in michigan to -19 actual degrees. We all need to stay warm that's for sure! Blessings
ReplyDeleteVickie
Hope you are feeling better! Well for thriftiness, soup is the way to go! Thanks for sharing your ideas :) and for linking them up with the Art of Home-Making Mondays each week :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Just came across your Blog. Delightful! Listen, go to the library and check out a book by Dr. Barry Sears-The Zone. This is one of the most balanced and safe eating plans for weight loss and health you will find. Dr. Sears is often used as an expert witness for complicated law suits involving criminal aspects of so called 'diets". You can go to his website...The Zone, and read many, many things to help you and your family eat well. I do it on a retirement budget so it's affordable for me which I love. Love your "soups" with leftovers. I do the same. Sometimes I mix stuff up and put the leftovers between two tortillas for 6 minutes on my George Foreman Grill. Wow, is that good. I slice the tortilla into 8 slices and eat with a small side salad or just as is. Yum! Hope you try the Web site. Good luck and God bless you-a born again Christian Mom and Grandmother.
ReplyDeleteBrrrr, that is cold! It's actually been quite warm here since Sat. In the upper 40's. I hope you feel better and get your energy back. I made a dutch oven dinner with veggies and pork chops one night. I cooked lots of veggies and had plenty leftover so I used the rest of them in a chicken pot pie. It was delicious! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Amazingly, Jann, it was warm enough to go out without a coat today. It's getting colder each day until the end of the week.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Laura