Another Day; Another Dollar - Day 21

I am learning that I'm pretty spoiled when it comes to my luxuries. As people ask how my fast is going, I find all I can really tell them is that I'm out of coffee cream and am running dangerously low on ketchup. There is just something about this immanent ketchup shortage that is making me crazy.

So here we go. I found my keys (they were NOT in Reuben's car; they were in my coat pocket all along) and had 4 lesson cancellations today. So I went to the grocery store to continue my journey to research making my own ketchup.

The deal is that if supplies to MAKE a test batch of ketchup actually costs less than a bottle of ketchup, I would go with the experiment route. I checked out the cost for vinegar ($1.29) and tomato paste ($0.55) and compared it against the least expensive bottle of ketchup available.

So I bought the vinegar and tomato paste. Just a small can, for a small batch. And who knows? I might end up making my own ketchup from now on. Results to follow, I'm sure.





I've spent a total of $18.87, and it's day 21. Score!

And look what I found in the center console on my way home!

Another Day; Another Dollar - Day 19

This weekend it was suggested to me that I learn to make my own ketchup!
So I went to my most trusted copycat recipe website (where I found a spot-on recipe for Mac sauce) and found a copycat recipe for Heinz Ketchup (because I'm a ketchup snob).

What I don't have in my house is white vinegar, tomato paste and light corn syrup. I did, however, decide that I have ample brown sugar to substitute and hope that it will do well in place of the corn syrup. So, as long as the cost is lower than an actual bottle of ketchup, I am going to buy white vinegar and tomato paste to attempt a budget-friendly substitute. If it costs more than a bottle of ketchup, then I will be definitely forfeiting ketchup for the rest of Lent. :)

I was about to head out the door before the grocery stores close in Hagersville when I noticed my purse wasn't here. It's in Reuben's car. In Caledonia. So I am forced to wait yet another day or two before picking up groceries. :)

I was sent home with a loaf of bakery bread and a veggie tray left over from this weekend's retreat, so I'm sure I'll be good for a while anyway.

Another Day; Another Dollar - Day 16

What do you get when you mix:
- half a giant head of cabbage
- half a pound of ground beef
- a can of diced tomatoes
- half a can of leftover tomato soup
- one organic tomato "on its last legs"
- garlic
- onion powder
- water
- an "eyeballed" amount of uncooked rice
...in a crock pot on high for 4 hours?

CABBAGE! ROLL! CASSEROLE!

Not just cabbage roll casserole. But CABBAGE! ROLL! CASSEROLE! These three words will be taking over my meal-planning vocabulary for approximately the next FOUR YEARS.

Not pictured: another full kitchen bowl, covered in plastic wrap

In fact, I am going to have to eat one serving at least every other day in order to whittle it down to a freezer-fit-able amount. Because of this, I decided it was worth it to buy sour cream. Some people think I'm weird for eating my cabbage rolls with sour cream, but that's how I roll. And if I'm going to have to eat THISMUCH of it, I had better give myself the best chance to enjoy it.
I told myself, on my way to the grocery store, that I was only going to buy sour cream if it was in the 50% off section. It was not. BUT the milk was, so I spent LESS than I would have with full-priced milk and half-priced sour cream. Win!

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Day 16 and I've spent $17. No requirement again to shop until Sunday afternoon, so we're looking good.

I'm out of CoffeeMate. And I don't have enough cream for even one decent cup of coffee. So now I move on to milk, coconut milk, candy cane hot chocolate and Milo to sweeten and cream-ify my morning java.



Side note: I may not learn a dang thing about sacrifice this Lent season if people keep it up with the blessings. Perhaps what I'm supposed to learn is that there is always enough to share!