*Amazing Banana Bread.

Food Lion always has bananas that are a little past their prime time for a little over $.30 cents. Last week they were still pretty good, so I bought a bunch. We didn't eat all of them and today they were almost completely black. So it was either bread or trash. They were lucky I was in the baking mood. I tried a new recipe, super easy and OH my gosh delicious.

I thought I was going to freeze one loaf, but we already ate almost all of the first one. My favorite part is that it takes a lot of bananas making it super moist.

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 Teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg 

1/4 Teaspoon of Salt

2 beaten eggs

1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas (5-6 medium)

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of cooking oil

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Topping

3 tablespoons of all purpose flour

1/4 cup of Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons of butter. 

Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut into it until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can add 1/3 cup of walnuts.

I made 2 loafs and doubled the topping.

Grease one or two (for thinner loafs) loaf pans. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon of Salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture set aside.

In a medium bowl combine Eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture, fold in nuts. Spoon batter into pans, sprinkle topping on it and bake. 

Preheat oven to 350* bake 50 -55 min. for one loaf and 40 - 45 min for 2 loafs. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 min, remove from pan let it cool completely. Wrap and store over night. 

We ate it warm and it was really good, I will try the other one tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Black Beans

In order to make beans it's important to have a pressure cooker, and I am not talking about the really big canning ones. medium or small works best.

I put in the pressure cooker about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of beans 2 -3 bay leaves and about 1 inch above half the pot of water if it's a small pot, half if it's medium size. Close the pressure cooker, and cook in medium high. when the pot is filled with pressure, (it starts to make a shush sound) cook for another 35 minutes. Turn it off and while it's depressurizing make the seasoning. In a small frying pan put some oil, minced garlic and onions, salt a little pepper, I like to add one of those seasonings that are complete, if I do that I omit the salt until afterwards so I can see how much is needed. You can also add some sweet banana pepper, or smoked sausage, even bacon. Saute it all together and add to beans once the pot is ready to be opened. Mix it and simmer for about 15 minutes.

*DO NOT ADD SALT BEFORE THE BEANS ARE COOKED. The beans will NOT soften if there is salt in there.
*If there is too much water once the pot is opened drain it a little before seasonings are added to it. Remember that you DO want some water still left in it. If there is not enough water you can add a little.
*If the beans are still hard let it cook a little longer next time.

SHOPPING LIST.

Black Beans
Bay Leaves
Garlic
Onion

(Optional)
Banana Pepper
Smoked Sausage or Bacon

Menu for August 1st through 8th.

Monday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, steamed Zucchini, and home made garlic bread. 

Tuesday: Hamburgers and grilled potatoes. 

Wednesday: Breakfast night, whole wheat pancakes, and scrambled eggs.

Thursday: Hawaiian Hay Stack.

Friday: Grilled Pork Chops and Blackberry sauce, baked potato and grilled veggies.

Saturday: Choice of Restaurant

Sunday: Roast and veggies over white rice. Cookies.

Monday: Brazilian night, Rice, beans, eggs, green beans. 

Chicken Enchiladas

2 lg Chicken Breasts
1 cup of water
Salt and Pepper
1 can of cream of Chicken Soup
1 Small Container of Sour Cream
1 small can of green Chili (optional)
8 Flour or Whole Wheat Tortillas
1 can of mild green sauce (if you can take the heat you may put medium or hot)
Sharp Cheddar cheese to taste.
Chopped Black Olives (optional)

Season Chicken with salt and pepper to taste, cook Chicken in Crock pot with 1 cup of water. 4 hours on High or 6-8 on Low. Drain water from the pot, and pick the chicken apart with a fork, add Cream of Chicken Soup, Sour cream, and Green Chili. (I like to add a handful of cheese also)

Scoop a couple spoonfuls of chicken mix onto each tortilla and rolled it, placing the opening of tortilla down on a greased (i just spray the pan) 9x13 Pyrex. Cover the tortillas with the green sauce, cheese, and Black Olives. (in that order)

Cover it with foil and bake it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Let it sit for about 5 min, and enjoy. May serve in a bed of Rice or eat it by it self.

*You can make this recipe ahead of time and warm it up right before you serve it. Just keep it in the oven a little longer. (30 minutes)

SHOPPING LIST

Chicken Breasts

Cream of Chicken Soup

Sour Cream

Green Chili (optional)

Flour or Whole Wheat Tortillas

Green sauce 

Sharp Cheddar Cheese . 

Chopped Black Olives (optional)

Hawaiian Hay Stack

2 Chicken Breasts
2 Cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Pkg of Cream Cheese
2 Tbls of Lemon Juice.

Cook chicken breasts and cans of soup in the crock pot for 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low. When it's cooked pick the chicken apart with a fork, add cream cheese, and lemon juice. Mix it all together, serve it over white rice, and add toppings. You can add all or as many toppings you want.

Toppings 
Pineapple Chunks
Graded Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Celery and/or tomatoes
Slivered Almonds
Chinese Noodles

Shopping List.

Chicken Breasts
Cream of Chicken Soup
Cream Cheese
Lemon Juice
Rice
Pineapple
Cheddar Cheese
Celery
Tomatoes
Chinese Noodles
Slivered Almonds

Recipes and Shopping lists

I will be posting recipes and shopping lists for the items in my menu as requested by you. Let me know if you need a recipe that is not here and I will add it. Also I would love to share one of your recipes, so share with us.

Email

To submit recipes, deals, or for any questions, 

please email me at.

nessabubaloo@hotmail.com

Menu

I have a family of 5, my children are 5, 3, and 3 months old. Right now I only have to make dinner for 4, so you can adapt the menu for your family. I am going out of town this week, so it's not a good week to start this feature. I will be making a menu of meals for my family every week, and along with it I will make a shopping list. You will  be able to print out the list and cross off the things you don't need. You can follow my menu, or make your own. I will TRY to use the foods that are on sale that week or that was on sale the week before. I would appreciated any and all the help I can get.

Deals

UGO = United Groceries Outlet

Right now you can find a block of Mozzarella Cheese for $1.99, they are usually over $3.00 dollars. (remember you can freeze it!!!)

UGO is a good first stop, this store like Save a Lot does not have everything, but what they do have is cheaper then else where. It is a good idea to make your list and go there to get what you can before heading to your grocery store. 

Food Lion right now has XL jars of Peanut Butter on sale for $4.00 dollars. 

KROGER unmarked deal Children's Disney Gummy vitamins 60ct , B1G1 they are $6.99 but you can load a coupon onto your card for $1.00 off, making them $3.00 a piece. 

If you come across a good deal this week let us know... 

What is this About???

I am hoping that we can all help one another make sometimes healthier, some times faster, and some times plain delicious meals. All the while saving some money. 

In the area that I live we have a Walmart, Food Lion, Kroger, Save-a-Lot, and United Groceries Outlet. I will mostly be finding and looking for deals there. However, we do have access to Publix and Sam's. So if there is a great deal there I will most certainly let you know, and would like to know from you also. We all shop in different places, so if you come across a deal PLEASE let us know. We also have Walgreen's, Rite Aide, CVS, Dollar General, and Big Lots. Every once in a while you may find deals from there also. 

I will also be making a menu every week, and with every meal a shopping list. So if you want a recipe for any of my meals please just say so and it will happen. Also I am always looking for good recipes, so if your family has a favorite, or if you have an easy meal, or just plain delicious meal. PLEASE SHARE!!!!

I hope this goes as planed, and it will only work if I can have your help. 

Thank you, from the bottom of a mothers heart who would like a pedicure.