As I think about starting to blog again, I would really like to give the blog a makeover.  If you have anyone to recommend to help me with this, please let me know!

So, here is a short post with a recipe you will want to try.  I have made this no less than 3 times in the past month.  It is superb and delicious and thanks to my awesome brother-in-law, Chris, for sharing it with me!

It is actually from Paula Deen of the Food Network.  You may be suprised to know that I don’t actually watch the Food Network all that much.  Mostly for lack of time and some because I don’t think about it and a little because the shows remind me of my Pampered Chef show days. 

Anyway, here is the delicious recipe.  Super easy and the butter mixture freezes well when you have extra.  Try it this week!

Zesty Roasted Garlic Bread

Shop at More than One Store- This series is rather interesting.  I typically shop at 2-4 stores every week, so I definitely know it helps.  What do you think?       

How Gardening & Preserving Can Save You Money- This post stuck out to me because we are gardening this year!  Our first garden in GA and we are trying Square Foot Gardening.  We also discovered a few local farmers markets that I hope to try this year.      

Cutting Coupons:  You’re Not Too Busy- I LOVE this series and hope you’ll seriously read it.  I got lots of great ideas from it and I already clip coupons!        

Paper Towel Alternatives- Now, I have tried to make this move.  It is hard.  I still buy paper towels, but I definitely use them less than I did before.  Perhaps, I’ll get there eventually.

Happy Friday!

The chicken was super flavorful and the cream sauce was delicious!  I changed the ingredients a bit based on what I already had at home.  I used regular cream cheese instead of the chive & onion, probably would have had a little more flavor with that.  I also could not find the Ritz crackers that I knew I had so I used plain bread crumbs.  Guess what?  Found the Ritz crackers a few days ago.  :)  And I made the brown rice according to the Kraft directions….did NOT work, I ran out of liquid and it got crunchy.  Next time I will just follow the package directions substituting 1 can of chicken broth for some of the water.

Oh well, you live and learn, right?  I now know what to do for this recipe and it will probably be fairly regular around here.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!  And thanks for joining me on this quest that is now over. 

Creamy Slow Cooker Potato Soup

And it was worth it.  Two newspaper dumpsters were full and dry enough for us to reach in and get 9 of last weeks Smart Source and Red Plum inserts…9 of each.  Plus, we got some older inserts as well.

Oh, the thrill of the coupon hunt!

We have a Greek deli next door to the building where our church gathers.  When some of our friends suggested we eat there, me, being a picky eater, turned my nose up.  The only thing Greek that I know I like is Greek salad.  :)  The gyros idea did not appeal.  Well, we went there and I tried this thing called something like “Greek Salad on a Pita”.  I ordered it like this, “I’d like the Greek Salad on a Pita.  I don’t want onions or olives or tomatoes or peppers.  So, basically I just want the lettuce, chicken, and dressing.  Oh and the feta…I LOVE feta!”  The gal smiled and brought me exactly what I ordered with extra feta and it was fabulous!  I basically have been craving it ever since (and I’m getting hungry now, just typing about it).  So, I made my own.  But the Greek deli used these “pitas” that were more delicious than any I’d ever eaten.  So, first I had to find those.

I found them at Publix and they looked like this:

When using them, I suggest using the method on the back of the package where you heat it in oil in a pan.  It made the pitas more pliable and they didn’t tear apart.

Then, I bought a bottle of Kraft brand Greek Vinaigrette Dressing.  I cut some chicken breasts into strips and marinated them in the dressing.  Then I cooked them in a skillet until done.  Then, I warmed the bread.  I piled on chicken, feta, lettuce, and dressing.  It was delicious!  I think my husband would have appreciated some black olives, onions, and peppers, so we’ll have to do that next time.

Super easy meal!  You could freeze the chicken in the dressing and have it ready to go at any time!  It was delicious…try it!

A Frugal Menu Mama is someone who values saving money on groceries while eating delicious food.  She or he (I guess he could be a Frugal Menu Papa…the ring to it isn’t there though) is trying to reduce the grocery budget with tasty recipes.     She (or he) may use coupons or sales to save money.  She (or he) is creative in money saving methods.

Starting this blog made me accountable to the practices that make up a Frugal Menu Mama.  Since beginning this blog, I have reduced our monthly budget for groceries, pet food, toiletries, and cleaning supplies by $75 per month!  I am very proud of that!

Money Saving Mom has a great series on 31 Days to a Better Grocery Budget.  Check it out, it is a great start to becoming a Frugal Menu Mama.

Chess Squares

1 pkg. butter cake mix

1 stick butter, softened

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 box confectioners’ sugar (1 lb.)

3 eggs, slightly beaten

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

-Combine cake mix, butter, and egg and pat into 9 x 13 pan.

-Mix sugar, eggs, and cream cheese, and pour on the crust mixture.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until browned.

EASY!  The hardest part was patting the first mixture into the pan, it kept sticking to my fingers.  And licking the beater for the second mixture was quite tasty. 

I got it all prepared and popped it in the oven while we ate dinner one night and then surprised my husband with it when he had finished his dinner.  He tasted it, said it was delicious, gave me a kiss, and thanked me for making it.  Then he said, “This isn’t what I thought it was.  But thanks for making it!”  I’m so glad he was appreciative.  :)  Want to know why?  In MY opinion, dessert should always be something with chocolate in it, so I wasn’t too excited about this one.  In MY opinion, the batter was tasty, but I didn’t like the gooey way the second mixture tasted after it was baked.  And in MY opinion, I love that guy and the way he can make me feel great even when it wasn’t the dessert he was expecting.  He was even sweet enough to take the photo for this post (thought it was hard to get a good photo).  I think I’ll keep him.

Anyway, my mom made some FABULOUS cookies that the kids and I will try to re-create this week.  You WILL want to try them so keep checking back.  And thanks to great readers I have 2 more potato soup recipes to try and a “tweak” to the cheddar bay biscuits.  I will keep you updated. 

I thought you all might enjoy a post from a blog I read.  It was full of freezer tips, so enjoy!

Freezer Tips

I also plan to try a few new recipes in the coming weeks…so keep coming back.

However, my once a month menu plan is taking me way longer than I thought, so that will be awhile before I share. 

Have a good day!