Menu for 12/7

The weather is turning colder and so more hearty items are making it onto my menu each week.  Some considerations for the menu plan this week were using up the leftover Roast Pork that I made on Monday, the fact that I want a hamburger (my husband will still grill as long as it isn't snowing or raining, lucky me!), and trying to keep my budget on the low side.

I am keeping the basic expenses as low as possible because my grocery store is having a meat sale this weekend.  I already know that I want to get a couple of pork tenderloins since I just used the last one from my freezer.  Beyond that, my purchases will depend on how much money I have left and how good the prices are.

Chili

This Chili recipe is a great basic recipe.  I really like it because it is wonderful as it is, but it can also be tweaked to fit your personal preferences.  We always start with this base and then adjust it depending on what flavor profile we want at the time.

Chili

recipe by Jerry Hall (my stepdad)
Serves 6-8

2 pounds ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Grocery costs

I had more staples that needed to be purchased this week than I normally do.  It just seems to happen that way some times, doesn't it?  Even though I knew my staples would be higher, I went ahead and bought ahead on some deals that my store had going on.  Going over budget a bit now will end up saving money later as long as I manage my pantry well.  I did end up over budget a little for this week.  Not too terrible, but something to keep an eye on to make sure it doesn't become routine.  Normally I would cut the splurge purchases, but I bought those in my first shopping trip and didn't realize yet that I was going to be over budget.

So here is where it all went: