WIS, WWA | I spent all the dollars at BJs

We have a restaurant here called BJ’s, so I was thinking a $130 meal was very out of character for you!

I was away so didn't read this week's posts until now: thinking of you, Kristin, and I hope that you are able to channel all of the positive energy that is flowing your way!

WWS: $?? it was a weird week as we were on vacation staying on the cape at a house that bil rented, with family friends who stayed at another rental house.... the amount in beer that was spent is embarrassing so I'll move on.... WWA: Sat: Korean meatballs over rice with roasted broccoli (food52). Delicious but I would cut the amount of gochujang as it was really too spicy for me. Sun: leftovers Mon: catsitters/housesitters who benefitted from a free place to stay for their vacation week: pork larb, rice, salad greens, cucumber & red pepper salad. She brought peach tart. Tues: I made dinner for 16: hamburgers & hotdogs, baked mac & cheese, doctored up baked beans with kielbasa, Slovenian cabbage salad, tomato salad, homemade ice cream cake. (The ground beef, rolls, cheese, milk, ice cream were free from mystery shop. Pasta, baked beans, molasses, bought on deep discount. Tomatoes were from the garden.) I think my total cost was about $28 out of pocket for 16 plus leftovers, which I see as a win... until I add in the cost of the beer for the week!). Wed: mil made cioppino, ate with garlic bread, salad & finished off the ice cream cake. Thus: lobster, corn-on-the-cob, shrimp boil, steamers, etc. etc. at friend's house. I made a cucumber salad & broccoli salad, & leftover mac & cheese (that they requested). Fri: banh mi from a Vietnamese grocery & bakery. ($7 per sandwich, big enough for 2 meals).

I made a meat loaf. I don't know what I was thinking, the recipe called for a pound of burger, a pound of lamb and a pound of sausage. We don't like lamb, despite having lived on a sheep farm in Scotland for a year, so I used beef burger, moose burger and Jimmy Dean's pork sausage. And, as usual, I added shredded carrot and zucchini that was still lingering in the freezer from last summer's garden. The result was so enormous a hunk of meat loaf that we ate it every single day for dinner and tonight the last of it is appearing in spaghetti sauce. I don't know what came over me, not to realize how much cooked meat we'd end up with. I wanted to freeze it after day 2 of eating it, but the husband said he loved it (I hardly ever make meat loaf) and could we just keep eating it until it was gone. We had salad from the garden every night, too. A boring week food-wise but so few dishes after the first night of cooking! I am so lucky that he is content to have the same thing day after day, it has saved me a lot of work over the years. Hmmm...or maybe it is that the one who doesn't cook does the clean up so he is saving himself work!!

I spent $90 at Aldi, $50 at Walmart. Monday: meatloaf, Mac and cheese, and peas. Oh, and pickled beets with onions.

Tuesday: tacos and charro beans, and sliced avocado.

Wednesday: burgers

Thursday: enchiladas, rice

Tonight? Well see

Monday-green salad with roasted chicken on top Tuesday-crockpot beef and oven-roasted veggies Wednesday-green salad with leftover beef and vegetables Thursday-BLT’s Tonight-green salad with bacon on top Tomorrow-something Italian at a local restaurant ( celebrating a friend’s birthday… ) I’ll bring my leftovers home for my husband:)