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Friday, January 24, 2020

Cheap & Cheerful Suppers for Late January

This is the filling for Friday's turkey and dumplings. Doesn't it look colorful?
It's got turkey, mushrooms, onions, carrots, cooked squash, frozen spinach, barley, and canned green beans in it.


I spent $2.10 at Walmart this week on boxed stuffing mix, bringing my monthly spending up to $83.12. I have $22.92 remaining in January's grocery budget. There's only 1 week of January left, so I think we'll do fine with the budget this month.

Our meals were again all made at home.


Friday

Friday
turkey, vegetables, and dumplings
orange wedges

Saturday

Saturday
bean tacos, using fried homemade flour tortillas, filled with refried beans, sprouts, salsa, yogurt
carrot sticks
orange wedges

Sunday
ham from New Years
boxed turkey stuffing
roasted butternut squash

Monday (we watched a movie from the library with dinner tonight, fun times)
lentil vegetable soup (made a double batch to have again later)
toasted cheese sandwiches

Tuesday (daughter's night)
baked lentils (like baked beans, just using lentils because they cook so quickly)
mixed canned green beans and canned corn
corn muffins
apple pie

Wednesday (other daughter's night)
scrambled eggs
boxed stuffing
canned green beans
apple pie


Thursday

Thursday (the power went out just as I was serving dinner)
homemade ham and pineapple pizza (dough and sauce was frozen from another night, ham from New Years, canned pineapple)
slaw with cabbage and lentil sprouts, scratch dressing
carrot sticks
orange wedges
cookies


Last night's dinner was somewhat exciting. I had just taken the pizza out of the oven and was in the process of cutting it into slices. All of the side dishes were made and plated up. At 6:07 I called the family to dinner and before they could get to the table, our power was out. I scrambled to find flashlights, battery-powered candles, and a couple of wax candles/matches. I finished serving up dinner and we ate in very dim light. It was just over an hour when we had all finished eating, and the power came back on. We're very fortunate to live in an area where power rarely stays out long. 


This has been a difficult week for Seattle. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, there were 3 shootings in a very crowded part of the downtown area. This is very unsettling for most of us in the region. It's what everyone is talking about. When you read about a mass shooting in someone else's city, it never seems to register just how upset the entire population of that area will be, and for several days. But when it's your own city, the city where you may go often or just occasionally yet always feel safe, it feels so tragic and inconceivable. It also feels wrong to those living in the affected area that this news story fell off of the major national news sites' front pages. I know -- the rest of the world goes on. But for us, right now, this feels so sad and very confusing that this could happen here. 

Sorry, so off-topic. But I just don't feel right, right now.

I am wishing you all a good, safe, and secure weekend. Be back Monday.

10 comments:

  1. I'm sure the shooting affects you even more since it reminds you of what happened at your daughters' college a few years ago. Brings back too many memories. Here's hoping that there is more peace in your upcoming week.

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  2. I read nothing about the Seattle shootings online. I think that is how inured we have become.

    Midwest Gal

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  3. I heard about the shootings this week (gotta love the internet) and am sorry they are causing stress in your life. Thinking of y'all and your city.

    Meals sound good as always!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The shootings are so unsettling. I am sorry. Hugs.

    On a lighter note, your meals look delicious. I really need to get some supplies together so if we ever had a power outage, I would be prepared.


    I hope that you have a good weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I heard that there was a shooting, but didn’t hear of anymore, until now through your blog. Sadly, it seems to be a growing incident.
    It seems that there no

    ReplyDelete
  6. I also heard nothing about the shootings. Violence seems to have become a disturbing new "normal" in our world. On Monday, my husband had the day off for MLK day so we went to our local art museum for their free day. They have a temporary exhibition with fiber arts. One of the pieces of art was a long narrow strip of quilting. It was hung at ceiling level and puddled up on the floor. It had been embroidered on and each quilt strip represented a mass killing. The docent said that if the art was stretched out to full length, it would have reached across the room and out the window. I don't remember exactly, but I think it represented a one year time span in the US. Very sobering.

    Your daughters have been great about consistently cooking a meal a week. Does that feel like it gives you a break?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I worry about mass shootings too whenever we step out the door. That is one reason we haven't traveled at all lately. The country is in such turmoil economically, and socially. I hope it doesn't get worse. Mass shootings are scary because it is so indiscriminate and random.

    Have a good weekend,

    YHF

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  8. Lili, if you don't mind, can you fill us in on the specifics of the shooting? Yes, violence happens so often, news just doesn't stay in the cycle long enough.

    YHF

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Lili,
    With some trepidation, I'm getting on my soap box. If you don't want to post this, I completely understand. It's your blog.
    I live in VA, and here they are trying to take guns away from law abiding citizens. Responsible armed citizens can stop mass shooters, and also become a deterrent. There will always be bad guys, and the bad guys will get guns, or whatever they can use for a weapon. There can be all kinds of laws on the books, but because they are bad guys, they have no regard for the law.
    This country has fallen FAR away from God - even some who call themselves Christians. Children are growing up with absentee and/or selfish parents, who do not fulfill their duties of actually raising their offspring to be decent human beings.
    Many of those with mental health issues are given drugs that make their conditions worse, in that they commit suicide or murder/suicide. Everyone wants a quick fix, so give them a pill. It's not always that simple.
    OK, I'll step down now.
    I am sorry you feel uncomfortable and unsettled - you have every right to. When I did a quick internet search for more details on the shooting, I read that it was gang-related. At least 1 of the two wanted criminals police are seeking was a felon who was not allowed to have a gun. (See what I said about bad guys above!) I also read an editorial-type piece saying that this is the result of ultra-liberal politicians with a history of holding back the police force in an effort to be politically correct. So sad.
    You will be in my prayers. I know you are a Christian, so I implore you to remember that "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble", and "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you."
    Lean on the everlasting arms!
    Jo Ann

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks, all of you, for your thoughts on Seattle's shootings last week. I've been processing it all, but also trying to move on.
    I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Although it's still January, today it felt like a February day when I woke up. I'm hopeful that spring will be here soon!

    ReplyDelete

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