Yogurt price results and meal change

Well after I purchased all of the stuff I needed to make the yogurt I have a price breakdown.

Cost
Cream $2.29 x2 = 4.60
Milk $1.59/2 = .80
Yogurt $ 2.99/3 = $1

total 6.40

Makes 128 ounces = .05 an ounce for heavy fat yogurt
High fat yogurt purchased at health food store $1 for 4 ounces = .25 an ounce

So it's a pretty big savings for a semi simple thing. I think in the future the hardest thing will be the time it takes to be around to turn off and add things but I can always plan on doing it on nights I am home. And if I work it right I can start to make bread while I make the yogurt.

Also DH decided he wanted to make Carne Asada instead of Hamburgers so we are changing Wed to that and that means I need to stop at the Mexican market to get the meat and onions tomorrow.

I am really excited to know what we are having each night I think it will be relaxing around 5 to know what I am cooking.

Menu Planning

So after going to the store 4 times last week I realized that I needed a better system. Interestingly enough a group I belong to is having a menu/meal planning contest so I am going to start that.

Here is want I have so far.

GOALS


Follow a meal plan so that I don't have to go to the store more than once a week.

Make more things like yogurt and bread from scratch.

Make sure that ODS is getting his yogurt once a day.

Use up food we have in the house.

Get back into using the Crockpot and bread machine.

Keep using the rice cooker/steamer.

Use fresh fruits and veggies from co-ops before they go bad.

3/1-3/7

Weekday Breakfasts consist of Bread, bagels, jam, peanut butter and butter. We also have a TON of dry cereals that we need to eat so I am going to try to bag some of that to be able to grab and go.

M- Mac and Cheese with Green Beans and Applesauce and apple walnut salad http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Walnu....tte/Detail.aspx

T-Pork Roast w/ potatoes, carrots and onions and green salad

W- BBQ Hamburgers and French Fries

T-tortilla soup

F-Costco roasted chicken w/ mashed potatoes, green beans and green salad

S- taco salad w/ leftover chicken

S-Orange Chicken w/ Rice



Shopping List for 2/28

Onions
Green Salad
Walnuts
Balsamic Vinegar

Pick up fruit co-op Monday ($24) order veggie and fruit basket ($15) Monday

Recipes

I am going to try this since my ODS is supposed to eat high fat yogurt everyday and it's about $1 each cup from the health food store and it should be A LOT cheaper this way.

Yogurt in a Crockpot

I got the original recipe from here

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/....r-crockpot.html

Ingredients

--8 cups (half-gallon) of whole milk--pasteurized and homogenized is fine, but do NOT use ultra-pasteurized. (Debbie recommends starting with whole milk until you get the hang of yogurt-making)

I am going to use cream since my son is on a high fat diet

--1/2 cup store-bought natural, live/active culture plain yogurt (you need to have a starter. Once you have made your own, you can use that as a starter)

--frozen/fresh fruit for flavoring

I am going to use the left over baby food we have.

--thick bath towel

The Directions.

This takes a while. Make your yogurt on a weekend day when you are home to monitor.

I used a 4 quart crockpot. This is so exciting. My fingers are shaking!

Plug in your crockpot and turn to low. Add an entire half gallon of milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.

Unplug your crockpot. Leave the cover on, and let it sit for 3 hours.

When 3 hours have passed, scoop out 2 cups of the warmish milk and put it in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of store-bought live/active culture yogurt. Then dump the bowl contents back into the crockpot. Stir to combine.

Put the lid back on your crockpot. Keep it unplugged, and wrap a heavy bath towel all the way around the crock for insulation.


Go to bed, or let it sit for 8 hours.

In the morning, the yogurt will have thickened---it's not as thick as store-bought yogurt, but has the consistency of low-fat plain yogurt.

Blend in batches with your favorite fruit. I did mango, strawberry, and blueberry. When you blend in the fruit, bubbles will form and might bother you. They aren't a big deal, and will settle eventually.

Chill in a plastic container(s) in the refrigerator. Your fresh yogurt will last 7-10 days. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.


After I make it I will post the results.


My Tortilla Soup Recipe

1-2 cups of chicken* any kind is fine canned, bottled, diced or shredded
1 cup of diced or canned tomatoes
optional minced chillies a few tablespoons
1 can or 1 cup of corn
1 can of refried beans* and/or 2 cups of your favorite beans
*refried beans make it thicker!
tortilla chips
cheese

What ever spices you use to season your taco meat. I use taco seasoning, garlic and onion

add small amount of oil to pan or crockpot
add chicken and spices
cook until chicken is browned
add everything else cook until boiling
if using a crockpot cook on low for a few hours

Serve over tortilla chips and with cheese

Crafty Craziness

I have been busy with learning how to knit on a loom and making some fun sewing projects.

I knitted a hat for each of the kids for Valentines and then knitted a few extra for Zoe. She also knitted a hat for a friend and a hat for a friends American Girl doll for her birthday. It's great to see her excited about something that she made for a friend.

The two blue and white hats on the left are for the boys, the two in the middle for Zoe, cream colored one for a baby, and the three on the right are for Zoe's friends birthday's two for dolls and one for her friend.

Zoe's twirl skirt I made for her for a late birthday present.

I made a matching skirt for her doll.