The New Dutch Oven

 

The New Dutch Oven

We unboxed the new Dutch oven over the weekend.  It came with the red silicon holders.  

New Dutch Oven and Lid

Apparently, the lid can be used as another pan, as well!  I can see myself baking some cornbread in it, or, perhaps even a pie.

2-in-1 "Per"-Seasoned Multi Cooker

Not only that, it is "per"-seasoned, as well!

Well, of course, there was just one thing left to do, wasn't there?

Trying out the new Dutch Oven

Yes, we had to try out the new Dutch oven.  The expired yeast proofed just fine and the no-knead bread with fresh rosemary leaves added to the dough rose well.

A Fresh Loaf of Bread

Daughter and I agreed that this was the best loaf of no-knead bread we've made so far.  We are rather pleased with ourselves and our bread making abilities.  LOL.  I can see myself needing to buy more flour and yeast in the future!

I am grateful for:

- Daughter buying me a Dutch oven
- It came pre-seasoned so we could use it right away
- The yeast did its job perfectly well

- A working oven
- Freshly baked bread for dinner

My joyful activities included baking bread and enjoying warm bread with butter.

What would you make in the lid?  Any suggestions?  

February Grocery Shopping Part 1

On Monday, February 2, I ordered and picked up some groceries.  I needed a few items I was out of (milk, coconut milk, bananas, cucumber, carrots, onions) and wanted to stock up on a few things (rice, coconut milk, oil), and take advantage of sales and digital coupons before they expired. 

Here's my receipt showing what I bought:  

Order Summary

Original Item Total$128.21

Item Coupons/Sales-$30.60

Fulfillment Fee+$0.00

Other Fees+$0.40

Sales Tax+$1.36

Order Total$99.37

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Item Details

25 Items

CA Redem Val$0.60

1 x $0.60 each

CA Redem Val$0.60

1 x $0.60 each

Choice Beef Chuck Roast, 1 ct$19.50

2.79 lbs x $6.98 $10.99 each (approx.)

Item Coupon/Sale: -$11.16

Cucumber, 1 ct$0.59

1 x $0.59 $0.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.40

Fresh Bunch of Bananas – 5-7 Bananas, 1 bunch$1.86

2.7 lbs x $0.68 each (approx.)

Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Milk Chocolate Almond Ice Cream Bars, 3 Count, 3 ct$5.98

2 x $2.99 $6.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00

Kroger® 100% Pure Vegetable Oil, 48 fl oz$4.29

1 x $4.29 $4.49 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.20

Kroger® Cage Free Large White Eggs, 18 ct$3.49

1 x $3.49 $4.39 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.90

Kroger® Honey Sweet BBQ Sauce, 18 oz$2.29

1 x $2.29 each

Kroger® Long Grain Rice, 10 lb$14.98

2 x $7.49 each

Kroger® White Sandwich Bread, 20 oz$1.99

1 x $1.99 each

Kroger® Whole Carrots Bag, 2 lb$1.99

1 x $1.99 each

Kroger® Whole Vitamin D Milk 32 fl. oz. Bottle, 1 qt$2.49

1 x $2.49 each

Kroger® Yellow Onion 3 lb Bag, 3 lb$2.99

1 x $2.99 each

Oscar Mayer Classic Wieners Hot Dogs, Pack, 10 ct$1.99

1 x $1.99 $4.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00

Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast Thin Sliced Lunchmeat, 16 oz$5.99

1 x $5.99 $9.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$3.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.00

Simple Truth Organic™ Coconut Milk, 13.5 fl oz$12.00

6 x $2.00 $2.49 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49

Item Coupon/Sale: -$0.49

Sparkling Ice® Summer LTO Lemonade Variety Pack (Pack of 12), 12 ct / 17 fl oz$13.99

1 x $13.99 each

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Other Fees

$0.40

Bag Fee$0.40

4 x $0.10 each

My  February grocery budget is $250 plus $57.42 carried over from January to be used mostly for stocking up = $307.42

Total spent to date = $99.37

Balance left in the budget = $307.42 - $99.37 = $208.05

As always, I am grateful for:

- Being able to order groceries online and pick up the same day
- The availability of groceries
- Being able to have a choice
- A safe drive to the store and back
- A working fridge/freezer and electricity to run it

Have you grocery shopped yet in February?

Monthly Photo Challenge - January: Begins with A

Eileen at A Bracelet of Days set the theme for January's monthly photo challenge as "Begins with A".  Here are my finds; let's just call it the plant version!

 

Asparagus Fern - Foxtail Fern Variety

Anthurium 

Aloe Flower Stalk - Starting to flower

Aloe Flower Stalk - Flowers starting to open

Avocado Plant
(Still Alive!)

Agave

Aeonium

Yes, there are other things that begin with A, but, apparently, I never made it out of the garden!  LOL. 

Thank you, Eileen, for hosting the monthly photo challenge.  I enjoyed taking part in it.  I'm looking forward to Februrary's challenge.

On Thursday

 

Calla Lily

Gardener friend shared some calla lily bulbs with me, last year and this year, they are flowering.

Thursday was another sunny and warm day.  Daughter had meetings all day and I took it easy.  

On Wednesday, I had done some sewing, sewing a new casing for daughter's bolster pillow and a new pillowcase for it.  I had planned to make another pillowcase on Thursday, so she could have a change of pillowcases, but, I didn't want to run the sewing machine whien she had meetings as the sound would have been a disturbance.  Instead, I knitted on her sweater.  I have now completed the front of her sweater and knitted the neckband.  Need to knit the sleeves, next.

For brunch, I made roast pork sandwiches, sauteeing slices of roast pork with red onions for the filling.  For dinner, I had some of my chicken and vegetable soup (daughter chose to have peanut butter and banana sandwiches).  For dessert, I made crepes/thin pancakes.

On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- A sunny, warm day
- Working appliances
- Access to internet services
- Garden flowers
- Time to knit and sew

Thursday's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for Friday include tending to the garden with M, maybe some sewing, and more knitting.

What are your plans for Friday?

Another Calla Lily

Signs of Spring

 

Peach Blossom

We have the first flowers on the peach tree!  No doubt, thanks to the rather warm temperatures we've been having, these past few days.  Every time the peach flowers bloom in January, I worry that a February cold snap will damage the flowers, but, so far, we've had plenty of peaches to harvest, every year.  This is an early bearing variety of peaches, with the first fruits ready for picking around the end of May.

Crocosmia

The first of the crocosmia flowers are also blooming.  I love their bright orange color.

Jade Plant Flowers

The jade plants are full of flowers, too:

Jade Plant

M was here on Wednesday and he transplanted one of the rose bushes.  He pruned it at the same time and we took some of the pruned stems to try and root them.  This time, I had him dip each cutting in rooting hormone to see if that will help.  Apparently, he didn't use any rooting hormones for the earlier cuttings.  

I am grateful for:

- The first peach blossom
- The lovely, sunny warm days
- Flowers in the garden
- M's help with the garden
- Signs that spring is just around the corner

My joyful activities included being in the garden and enjoying the flowers.

I know that many other places are experiencing snow, ice, and frigid temperatures, currently or, perhaps, rain.  But, are some of you seeing the first signs of spring?  Or, are you dreaming of spring and taking some time now to plan your spring garden?  

Starting A New Week

Gazania

Here we are, already on the last week of January!

Monday had been a sunny, warm day.  Friend R stopped by in the afternoon to pick up her packages.  Later, I took the trash cans to the curb and daughter watered some of the plants in the back garden.

For brunch, I cut up an re-sauteed the last of the previously sauteed slices of chicken breast, adding some sliced red onion to it and used it as a sandwich filling.  For dinner, we opted for a buffet style, selecting what we each fancied: I had coconut roti with pork curry and daughter had chicken curry and the pickled vegetables she had made.

On Monday, I was grateful for:

- Being able to help friend R by accepting and keeping her packages for her
- A sunny and warm day
- Flowers in the garden
- Weekly trash collections
- Water for the garden

Joyful activities included visiting with my friend and exchanging emails with another friend.

On Tuesday, when the pharmacy notified me that a prescription I had requested had been filled and was ready to be picked up, I was reminded of the fact that, back when I used to have a weekly schedule I actually followed, Tuesdays used to be my day to run errands.  I need to update and revive that weekly schedule!  

Tuesday was another sunny day.  I brought in the emptied trash cans, collected the mail including this week's grocery flyers, and went to the pharmacy to pick up my medication refill.  In the evening, daughter and I both worked on our knitting projects (she is making herself a scarf).

I had crackers with peanut butter for breakfast and I made fried rice for a late lunch:

Sausage Fried Rice

Leftover rice, leftover breakfast sausages cut up into small pieces, a grated carrot, some broccoli, a scrambled egg, and a handful of peanuts.  We had a snacky dinner - bananas and apples with peanut butter, breadpudding, crackers, etc.  

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:

- Another sunny and warm (71F) day

- My prescription was available
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back
- Working appliances
- My blood pressure was normal

Tuesday's joyful activity was knitting.

Plans for Wednesday include tending to the garden with M.

How is your week coming along?  What are your plans for Wednesday? 

January Grocery Shopping - Part 3

On Sunday, I ordered groceries and picked up the items in the late afternoon.  I didn't need a lot of groceries, this time, other than sandwich bread, milk, half and half for my daughter's coffee, some produce, and a couple of items that were suitable for my new reduced salt diet and which were on sale.

I also bought a box of fabric softener/dryer sheets since I was coming to the end of my current box and there was a digital coupon for them; that's not a part of my grocery budget, so, will be deducted from my total.

I had ordered a jar of yeast, but, the store apparently didn't have any.  I had qualified for free pick up with the jar of yeast; without the yeast, my total came below the free pick up minimum, but, I was not charged a pick up fee.

Daughter put away the groceries for me, so I don't have a picture, but, here is the receipt:

Order Summary

Original Item Total$42.99

Item Coupons/Sales-$9.10

Fulfillment Fee+$0.00

Sales Tax+$0.49

Order Total$34.38

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Item Details

12 Items

Bounce Fresh Linen Dryer Sheets, 160 ct$4.99

1 x $4.99 $8.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

Cucumber, 1 ct$0.99

1 x $0.99 each

Fresh Bunch of Bananas – 5-7 Bananas, 1 bunch$0.70

1.02 lbs x $0.68 each (approx.)

Kroger® Cage Free Large White Eggs, 18 ct$4.39

1 x $4.39 each

Kroger® Garbanzo Beans, 16 oz$1.99

1 x $1.99 each

Kroger® Half and Half Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$5.49

1 x $5.49 each

Kroger® Red Lentils, 16 oz$3.69

1 x $3.69 each

Kroger® Unsalted Peanuts, 12 oz$1.69

1 x $1.69 $2.79 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$1.10

Kroger® White Sandwich Bread, 20 oz$1.99

1 x $1.99 each

Kroger® Whole Vitamin D Milk 32 fl. oz. Bottle, 1 qt$2.49

1 x $2.49 each

Miracle Whip Reduced Sodium Mayo-Like Dressing, 30 fo$2.99

1 x $2.99 $6.99 each

Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

Item Coupon/Sale: -$2.00

Wrapped Iceberg Lettuce, 1 ct$2.49

1 x $2.49 each

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Total spent = $34.38 

Amount spent on non-grocery item (dryer sheets) and sales tax on them = $4.99 + $.49 = $ 5.48

Adjusted Total Spent = $34.38 - $5.48 = $28.90

Here are the links for the previous January grocery shopping, if anyone is interested:

Jauary Grocery Shopping Part 1

January Grocery Shopping Part 2

My January grocery budget (for food items only for two people) = $250 

Spent to date = $65.05 + $98.63 + $28.90 = 192.58

Balance left in the budget = $250 - $192.58 = $57.42

I am pleased with my spending on groceries so far this month.  

I am not going to do a meal plan this week as we will probably eat from what's already prepared and kept in the fridge.  

How is your January grocery shopping coming along?  Are you finding good deals at your grocery stores?