Weekly Menu, May 2-9

Last month, I ran out of my grocery budget 2 1/2 weeks into the month. Since Mike only gets paid the last day of each month, that made for a definite mustard month. This month, I am determined for that NOT to happen again!

So, I am going to divide my money into 4 grocery envelopes, one per week, versus one for the entire month. Then, I will NOT pull out the next envelope until said time.

Another change I am going to make is to start planning our breakfasts and lunches...I really, really think that will help!!

Oh Lord, please give me discipline in this! Help me to be a better planner and steward of the money You have given us!!

Saturday, May 2
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
leftovers
chicken quesadillas, salad

Sunday, May 3
cereal and fruit
Salmon Patties, veggies, salad
Stacked Chicken Enchiladas (x2), salad

Monday, May 4
applesauce bread, bananas
LUNCH WITH MOM :)
Popcorn chicken, potatoes, veggies

Tuesday, May 5
eggs and toast
Creamy Mac and Cheese, carrots
fish, mashed sweet potatoes, salad
PREP for tomorrow: soak oatmeal, soak rice for Wed. and Friday

Wednesday, May 6
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
"lunchables", fruit, carrots (ham and cheese crackers)
whole chx in crockpot, veggies, rice

Thursday, May 7
iMom at CFA that's next week...cereal and fruit
sandwiches, fruit, veggies
Small group....Spaghetti, salad
PREP for tomorrow: soak oatmeal

Friday, May 8
Soaked oatmeal, fruit
"lunchables" and sandwiches
easy pizza, salad before Lydia's wedding!!

Saturday, May 9
pancakes, fruit
leftovers
Spicy Beans over rice, salad

Okay, I can do this!!!

flour tortillas!!

For the first time ever, I made my own flour tortillas!! They turned out so yummy; even the kids ate them :)

Here is the recipe I used. I used an organic all-purpose flour for the flour and coconut oil for the oil, but you could use anything. I also left out the Lecithin, since I don't have any and don't even know what it is! Seriously, this was the EASIEST thing ever and SO CHEAP!! It only is flour, water, baking powder, salt, and oil! If you have a rolling pin and a pan or griddle, you can do it!!

Our friend and old pastor in Maine told us once that he remembers times as a child when he only had mustard and bread in his refrigerator because times were so tough. So now, when we are having a tight month financially, which is actually pretty often, and I need to be creative with what ingredients I already have in my pantry, I call it a "mustard month."

It's amazing how God provides during these "mustard months" and how He spurs on my creativity! For example, two Sundays ago I led music at a little church out in Mannford. The pastor of the church has chickens and left a container of eggs for me on top of the piano. I was ECSTATIC!!! Good-for-you-no-hormones-added REAL EGGS, FREE!!! Yippee!!! Can you sense my excitement??

And now, tonight, because I was completely out of my totally good-for-you tortillas that are slightly overpriced, I took a shot at making them. Yes, I ran the risk of creating something that didn't even resemble a flour tortilla. But because I had all the ingredients and really needed them for dinner tonight, I thought what the heck! See, THIS is a benefit of a "mustard month"!!!

By the way, dinner tonight was SUPER easy! I just threw 3 frozen chicken breasts, a couple of cups of black beans that I cooked and froze on Sunday, and cup or two of salsa in the crockpot and let it cook all day. Then, I cut up the chicken into small bites (the meat kind of just falls apart actually), put it back in the crockpot, stirred it all up, and then served it with my flour tortillas! Easy!!!

Next, I want to try another way to make yogurt!! I gave up a while ago, but this looks like it could be promising!