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Archive for November, 2008

Frugal weekend/French Toast Casserole Recipe

November 24th, 2008 at 03:23 am

Frugal list for the weekend:
1. Breakfast leftover recipe from below, frozen and reheated in microwave both Saturday and Sunday.
2. Homemade chicken soup made from leftover roast chicken carcass, carrots, potatoes, the last of the celery, onion and swiss chard from my mother's garden (2 day process).
3. DH trimmed my hair this morning.
4. I did my own waxing...
5. Rented 3/$3.00 movies that are not new releases, but we had not seen.
6. Bought a can of frozen OJ instead of a carton.
7. Received a $3.00 off coupon for next Safeway visit when buying #6. Promptly went in and used it to buy a 4-pack of Skinny Cow cones that I passed up when buying the OJ because I thought they were too expensive, $4.50 down to $1.50! Usually I forget I have a coupon so glad I went right back in and used it.
8. DH split a pack of turkey lunch meat from Costco and vacuumed sealed the second package so it would not go bad before we ate it up.
9. Spent $20.00 on a turkey for Thanksgiving which is what we are contributing towards family dinner at the in-laws.
10. Had steak, roasted rosemary potatoes and carrots/cauliflower for dinner with enough steak leftover for tomorrow. Steak from freezer.
11. Treated doggies with Frontline bought on line for way cheap in bulk that we drew up in a syringe ourselves.

French Toast Casserole (great for making the night before Thanksgiving or Christmas for easy pop in the oven breakfast).
1 pound italian/french bread cut in cubes
8 ounces cream cheese (I use that low fat neufatschel cheese)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional (I would use almonds if using almond extract, but have not tried it)
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Place 1/2 of bread cubes in 9 x 13 greased pan. Microwave cream cheese until melted. Stir in half of the sugar and the extract. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes (or dab it around). Sprinkle nuts over cheese layer. Top with remaining cubes of bread. Beat the eggs, milk, cinnamon and melted butter. Pour over bread cubes. Let sit overnight in fridge or freeze at this point. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Serve with syrup, fruit or powdered sugar.

NOTE: If frozen, take out of freezer night before, then bake as usual. Leftovers also freeze well, reheating in microwave in individual squares.

Enjoy!

Gas $1.85 a gallon

November 22nd, 2008 at 08:21 pm

Today at Costco. DH just called to tell me. We are historically one of the highest places in the country.

I'm home from North Carolina and had a great visit with my granddaughter, daughter and SIL.



So the job I tried out, I have accepted. It is a huge lifestyle change for me, but I am adapting. This week all I could do was work, come home, walk the dogs, eat dinner and collapse with jet lag. Hopefully I will start having more energy so I can get some chores done.

Working in the hospital it is tempting to buy my food there because it is so cheap, but I can still bring it from home cheaper. I do occasionally buy breakfast or lunch, but generally have been doing well packing my breakfast, lunch and drinks. I get to work around 7:00 and stop to eat about 8:30. We have a frig, toaster and I brought a microwave for my office which was very exciting for my coworkers. Of course everyone is welcome to use it.

Starting January 1st, I will be saving $450.00 in health premiums alone. I am covered at work and to add my husband is only $30.00 biweekly. There is also a flexible spending plan and a 401K, but no match.

I need to figure out the amounts to deduct for the FSA since of course you lose whatever you don't use.

I am thankful to have been offered this job with such good benefits in this economy.