The Countdown

15 hours.

15 hours until the real world smacks me right in the face.

15 hours and it won't be pretty.

15 hours.  Pray for me, please.

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Did you notice that new button on the left column?  Gee, it seemed like such a grand idea on Thursday.  31 posts in 31 days. 

Really.  Who's going to know if I don't post 31 times in 31 days?  Will the blog PO-lees shut me down?  Will I be thrown in blog jail?  Seriously.  Who's going to know if I do post 31 times in 31 days?

Wait.  I will know.  And you will know.  Accountability. Thanks for keeping me honest.

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Although I only have 15 hours, I believe that the homefront is prepped and ready for the week.  I got around this morning and made our menu plan--from the pantry as I am also a part of this little project:

I am a grocery junkie.  There.  I said it.  I am a grocery junkie.  I feel deficient as a wife and mother if we don't have a fully stocked pantry.  And baking cabinet.  And chest freezer. And 2 refrigerators.  With freezers. 

You know how I hate to go shopping?  Well, I love grocery shopping.  That's the first thing we did after we got married....went to the grocery store.  We had cash from gifts and we got a cart and put whatever we wanted in the basket.  WHATEVER.WE.WANTED.  No lie.  I think it came to like $63.  I can remember that the day before our oldest child was born our income tax refund came in the mail.  Guess where I went?  Yep.  The grocery store.  Spent $131.  We probably ate until that child was 6 months old on that trip. 

Not so much anymore. 

My grocery budget is way out there.  So this little project is an attempt to get that budget in line and use up what we have in our stores. 

Many of you know that most of our stuff is from scratch--biscuits, muffins, bread, fried chicken, homemade noodles, meatloaf, blah blah blah.  I know that there are lots of people mentally scratching my eyes out right now.  It's cheaper if it's from scratch and it's better for us. 

So this is the plan for the week:

--Taco Potato (taco soup over a baked potato--mmmm.....I will see if I can get this recipe posted sometime in the near future)
--salmon patties and oven fried potatoes
--spaghetti
--hamburgers and hotdogs
--steaks (gift from this girl) and baked potatoes
--pancakes and sausage
--tacos with refried beans and spanish rice

I made the salmon patties (put in freezer), and spanish rice today.  I will let you know how that spanish rice turns out.  I made it, but my rice didn't 'cook', and it was pretty soupy.  Since it is going to sit in the fridge until we eat it later in the week, I think it will be fine. 

I did make refried beans from scratch.  At $1.79 a can and 2 cans (sometimes 3) a week, (we like mexican food--it's our default meal) I figured that maybe I could make beans and freeze them.  So I did.  Again, I will let you know how this deal turns out. 

I also tried this: 

Homemade hamburger buns.  Mine don't look like the picture.  Next time.  Mine don't really look like the buns you buy at the store either, and they are somewhat dense.  I had some trouble with my yeast proofing.  I threw away the first round of yeast due to lack of growth or what I thought was lack of growth.  And the second didn't grow any better--but I took a risk and forged on. 

They will be fine.  I will continue to perfect this little adventure.  I thought that I could form them into hot dog shaped buns, alas...not so much.  I believe the message to the hot dog eaters is--cut your hot dog to fit the bun.  Or go bunless.  I am not buying buns. 

Back to the Eat From Your Pantry Challenge.  I have stalked several of these women and they all seem to have a plan.  I have a half-baked plan and am working on a full baked plan.  Baby steps. 

For now, with 15 hours to go, I am going to enjoy my tea and cookies.  Just sayin'.