Archive for November, 2011

Satsuma Mandarins One Day Sale at Whole Foods

Friday, December 2, Whole Foods Grocery is having a one day sale for 5 lbs Satsuma Mandarin @ $4.99 – that’s $1 per pound. I’ve never heard of Satsuma, but I really love citrus and oranges in particular. I’m thrilled that the California citrus season is finally upon us! According to Whole Foods: Satsumas’ annual [...]

Healthy Budget – November 2011

So, my first official month on my new “$400 healthy budget” After spending $12 on pizza tonight, I only have about $30 left for the month. Other than brown rice and some fresh produce, I should be fine until next Thursday, the 1st. We have enough of everything else to last until then. In the [...]

Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes Cookbook Review

I borrowed the book Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes: A Revolutionary Approach to Cooking Good Food Fast from the local library. I was looking forward to reading this book. I love Jamie Oliver. His books are so helpful for beginners and I love watching his tv shows and internet videos. I’ve learned so much from [...]

Thanksgiving 2011

Yesterday was a day of family, food and fun. I ate lots of yummy sugary goodness too! Probably way too much sugary goodness, but it’s okay. Today, I’m back on track, and life is good! So this year, we didn’t have a local turkey (like last year), but it still was good. I refused to [...]

Cheap Food (Turkey) Is NOT the Answer!

The holiday season is upon us, and everyone is scrambling to find the best deal on cheap turkeys, stuffing, potatoes and gravy for their holiday meal(s). Grocery stores are promoting their sales, and home cooks are rejoicing! But in what kind of world does it make sense that a turkey can be raised and sold [...]

Homemade Cheese! It’s Simple, Sort of, Once You Heat the Milk!

I saw a recipe a couple of weeks ago for simple homemade cheese using milk and vinegar. I purchased a 1/2 gallon of whole milk from Whole Foods and decided today was the day to try. I’m such a beginner. I don’t remember the last time that I heated milk so that was a bit [...]

Grocery IQ Review – Smart Phone App For Grocery Shopping

I have been using the Grocery IQ app on my iPhone for years. I started using it way back when I had my iPod Touch; I believe I even paid $1.99 for it back then (and worth every penny), but it’s FREE now! They do add a bit of “advertising” but after awhile, it’s not [...]

Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half (America’s Cheapest Family) Book Review

I borrowed the book “Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America’s Cheapest Family” from the library, and wow, what a learning experience! The book has been a tremendous help with getting me back on track with a budget & saving money! A few months ago, I set up a preliminary spreadsheet budget, but now [...]

Farmer Dave’s CSA 2011 Review – Season 2

Last year, I wrote a detailed review of my first CSA season with Farmer Dave’s in Dracut MA. We just finished this season’s CSA and the veggies were just as plentiful and delicious! If you are new to CSA’s, please read last season’s review as it includes a lot more detail about CSA’s and their [...]