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To save the most, I stick to BLUEs and GREENs. My "NEED" list got shorter during the first 12 weeks that I was stockpiling. Now my stockpile is well-rounded and serves my family well. To understand my concept of stockpiling vs. "need" shopping, See TERI'$ GAME RULE$ on the web site. ITEM DESCRIPTION IN CAPITAL LETTERS - INDICATES ITEMS WITH COUPONS FROM THIS WEEK'S SUNDAY PAPER (All other items with coupons on file from previous weeks). About Amt. Saved(%): The Grocery Game, Inc. cannot guarantee the stated savings percentages, These savings percentages are listed for information/comparison purposes only.
Teri's Tips for April
Ham it up!
The week before Easter is the time to fill your freezer with ham! The prices are about as low as you will find all year! I just saw a spiral ham for 99 cents a pound at Stater Bros. Or a whole ham for 89 cents a pound. These deals are with a $20 minimum purchase. Nearly every supermarket nationwide is "hamming it up"! On deals like these, it's always good to buy the limit and put in the freezer for future months. A whole ham lasts longer than spiral in the freezer. Check the package for recommendations on freezing time. It will usually be 1-2 months for ham according to the USDA. Confession... I've had no problem eating ham in the summer that I froze in April. I seal it tightly for the freezer, and thaw it overnight in the fridge before use. I'll buy a spiral ham and break it up into smaller packages for lunch meat. For whole hams, I'll cook the ham for a family meal, save some extra odd shaped chunks and pieces for quiche, and some slices for sandwiches. I freeze them and mark them accordingly. But don't throw away the bone... That bone is awesome to season a pot of beans! I like to soak the beans overnight. In the morning, add the bone, a few cloves of crushed garlic, a jalapeno and some salt. Then cover and slow cook it all day. I stir every few hours or so. You can add a little chili powder and/or ground cumin, depending on your taste buds and family preferences. Whip up some Albers cornbread from the recipe on the box (takes about 10 minutes). Serve with soft butter... YUM! Beans are super high in fiber, protein, and SO cheap! Dinner is served for pennies on the dollar! Potato Latkes!
At my house, we LOVE Potato Latkes! These are a treat for Passover, or any time of year! They're like glorified hashbrowns for sure! Combine the following: 4 peeled grated potatoes Drop by heaping Tablespoonfuls into about 1/2 inch of oil on med/high heat. Turn to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Top with applesauce or sourcream, or just a little sea salt. Yum! Plant a Tree!
April 24th is Arbor Day for 2009! What a great time to plant a tree! Some people plant a tree on the first Arbor Day after each child is born. Then there is a tree to honor the growth of that child. When the child is old enough, he/she can name the tree and care for his/her tree. Arbor Day is another good reason to plant a tree. Designate some of your grocery savings this month to do just that! You might consider putting an ad in the paper to donate a tree to an elderly man or woman, or a shut in. Or perhaps you know of someone in your neighborhood that would enjoy a gift of a tree. You need to make sure they have a yard with room for a tree. State that you will buy the tree, and plant it. All you ask in return is that they water it. And chances are you and your kids will make a new friend in the process! If you have a yard and want to plant the tree in your own yard, ask the kids to first decide what kind of tree they want to plant... A shade tree, nut tree, fruit tree, ornamental tree, evergreen? There are many varieties, all with a unique purpose. You have most of the month to make the decision. So make a point of enjoying the process. This is time to shop for sales on trees. I've seen some great tree sales at www.ArborDay.org. Check out membership for $10, and get 10 trees for free. Plus discounts on other trees. Then on Arbor Day, plant the tree! And watch it grow! Have fun! (See more April Tips below) Matzo Turkey Stuffing
This is one of our holiday favorites! Matzo Turkey Stuffing 1 large diced onion Saute onions, celery and mushrooms in olive oil. Add parsley, dill, pepper, and salt. Lightly toss in crumbled Matzo. Be sure you don’t compact the stuffing. It should remain light and airy. Stuff and cook your turkey as usual. If you want to cook an extra side of stuffing, or if you have more stuffing left, you may cook it in a casserole dish. I like to pour about a ¼ cup of chicken broth over the top, and cover for one hour at 350 degrees. I un-cover for the last 10-15 minutes to brown. Enjoy! (See more April Tips below) Killer Potato Salad!
Well it’s not brain surgery. But it sure is creamy and good! It's a great side dish and a cheap healthy filler for your holiday meals! For Easter, we usually have 20 people, so this is a huge batch! And the best part is, that it’s even better if you prepare it the day before. So that gets one task out of the way. And it's great for left-overs too! You may wonder, "Where's the mustard?". Most potato salad recipes call for mustard. I recently made it, and forgot the mustard. I never had more raves over my potato salad! They said it was "Killer Potato Salad". So NO mustard for me, anymore! Peel about 7-8 pounds of potatoes. Quarter them, and boil them, just until fork tender. Drain them, and let them cool completely, before dicing. Put the following in a large stock pot, or huge bowl for mixing: 1 or 2 cups of diced celery (if you love it like me, it will be 2 cups!) 1/2 red onion diced 3 medium chopped dill pickles about 2 cups mayonnaise (more if necessary – don’t be stingy) 6-8 boiled eggs, chopped salt and pepper to taste Optional - When I want to splurge, I like to add about 3 finely chopped sprigs of dill. Dice the potatoes and add them to the goodies above. The key to this creamy, delicious potato salad is to mix it with your hands, and squeeze it through your fingers. You should be up to your elbows in potato salad before it's all said and done! The “squeezing” and “gooshing” between the fingers makes it even creamier! Don’t be afraid to add more mayo or more of the other goodies to make it taste the way you like it. Yum! (see more tips below) In preparation of Passover!
Passover is the 8 day observance commemorating the freedom from slavery and exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.
I like to go way back to even before the Israelites became captive, and how they got there originally. There is such a rich heritage that leads up to Passover. So to put it into perspective, we like to start days and even weeks before to delve into this great tradition. We will be reading stories about the Israelites in the years before the first Passover. To learn more about Passover, you can find stories on the internet. Or you can pick up any number of great story books for children at the library.
Once Passover begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 8th, we will have a better appreciation for where the Israelites had been. And we'll know why this is such an exciting celebration for the Jewish people!
But don't stop there... Kids love to learn, especially when they can do something tactile to go along with it. So...
Even if your family doesn't celebrate Passover, why not enjoy some great traditional foods of the season! It's easy to find some traditional foods to try at your supermarket during this time of year. And they're on sale with coupons! How about something with Matzo! After your studies, the kids should know why we use Matzo instead of flour during Passover. Or try something completely different like Gefilte fish, which I love!... Yum!
Happy Passover!
(See more April tips below) |
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