Coupon MAMA!

Yesterday my family and I headed out to the grocery store. We were armed with 5 baggies of coupons all separated into categories. The week prior we scoured the sales ads, made a coupon spreadsheet, and designed a plan of attack. We wanted to get food enough for the week without spending more than 100 bucks. For a family of 7, it's a very big task. I am not an extreme couponer... truth be told, those people featured on TLC's extreme couponing aren't extreme couponers. If you pay for a coupon clipping service... each coupon costs anywhere from 4-12 cents a coupon. I consider that cheating and should be entered into the over all total. Anyway, rant aside, I am excited to announce I received my very first MONEY MAKER deal!

As you can see by the beautiful picture I bought Sweet-n-low. Something that is hugely popular in my house. The store had a deal buy one with a store coupon, and pay only 70 cents. When combined with the manufacturers coupon of 50 cents which doubled... I got paid roughly 30 cents to take the product home! I was so excited. I am relatively new to couponing... but this was a momentous occasion. 

We were also able to pick up 30 pounds of  boneless, skinless chicken breast, 2 boxes of Wheat Thins, 2 boxes of Cheez-Its, 2 boxes of Lipton soup mix, 4 bags of Knorr cheddar and brocolli rice meals, 2 bags of Knorr hollandaise sauce mix, a carton of eggs, pasta, Jimmy Dean Sausage, El Monterrey Taquitos, and 2-1 liter bottles of Ozarka water for less than 80 dollars. YUP! I think that is FABULOUS! 

A Cheap Thrown Together Dinner

Tonight I made the most DELICIOUSLY easy thrown together meal. With leftover spaghetti noodles, some seasoning, and some almost freezer burned chicken breast, I was able to create a truly delicious meal. This is for 2 people.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
Spaghetti noodles--no real necessary amount. Just enough for 2 people.
Citrus grill seasoning
garlic powder
butter

I usually don't cook with butter... but I was out of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and Pam just won't work. It would leave the noodles too dry.

Here is how I made it.
*if you do not have left over noodles... boil noodles until they are al dente--NOT MUSHY! Nothing worse than a mushy noodle. HAHAHA
Step 1:
I don't thaw out the chicken. From frozen I place two chicken breasts into a skillet and fill with enough water to cover half of the chicken breasts. I usually add about a cup or two.

I got this from Sams Club. It's 4
 bucks for a HUGE container. 

Step 2:
Generously sprinkle it with garlic powder (my favorite seasoning to cook with), and Citrus Grill seasoning. You want to use enough to cover the chicken. Citrus grill seasoning is a great flavor that isn't too over-powering.

Step 3:
Cook until the eternal temp reaches 160-170. Cut the chicken into small strips or pieces. I usually say a half a chicken nugget size. =)

Step 4:
Put back into skillet and add 2 tbsp of butter. I usually start out with 1 tbsp and add another if it still seems too dry.

This is a SMALL portion. I forgot to
 take a pic and stared eating too soon!

Step 5:
In the same skillet add heated leftover spaghetti noodles and toss together.

This meal is now my favorite food. I would typically only eat whole wheat pasta and use EVOO--I am allergic to butter. For some reason my butt gets bigger when I eat it. Imagine that.