Christmas All Year Long - Goodies List & A Holiday Menu

I truly love all the baking and cooking around the holidays.  The eating too.  That is why it is always so important to me to get my shopping and holiday chores done so I am free to enjoy baking cookies and treats and cooking delicious meals as well as entertaining our friends and loved ones.

We have a Christmas Eve tradition of driving around looking at Christmas lights but not before we enjoy a traditional Christmas Eve supper first.  This is what I almost always prepare:

Homemade Clam Chowder

Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits (like Red Lobsters)

Caesar Salad

Pecan Pie

I like to make something special for Christmas dinner which is usually eaten mid afternoon.  This year I plan to make:

Grilled Rib Eye Steaks

Baked Potatoes w/ Sour Cream & Chives

Tossed Green Salad

Dinner Rolls & Butter

Assorted Christmas Goodies

And speaking of goodies we plan to bake up some delicious treats to enjoy and share with our family, friends, and neighbors:

Peanut Butter Blossom

Macaroons

Thumbprint Cookies

Gingersnaps

Friendship Bread

And anything else that strikes our fancy

I'm sure I'll be ringing in the New Year with a few extra pounds. J  What are you planning to bake this year?  Do you have a menu planned for dinner yet?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Grocery Budget Update - November

Once again, I did it!  I stayed within my grocery budget.  It was a challenge but I did it.

My non food budget came in at $13.12 for cat litter and canned food, a bottle of dish soap, zipper style sandwich bags, a two pack of bar soap and a big bottle of liquid soap from the dollar store, and two jugs of laundry detergent I bought at Walgreens on sale and with coupons for $1 a piece.  I was super thrilled about that buy.

This is what I bought last month:

Groceries		$$$
Pork Roast - 8#		16.60	Sale
Chicken - 5#		10.57	Sale
Lettuce		0.99	Sale
Spinach		1.99
Cole slaw mix		0.98
Mushrooms		0.98	Markdown
Tomatoes		0.74
Apples		2.09	Sale
Bananas		2.98
Avocado		0.99	Sale
Garlic		0.34
Mayonnaise		2.19
Olives		1.00
Canned tomatoes (4)		2.00	Sale
Canned pumpkin (2)		2.00	Sale
Eggs (2)		1.98	Store Coupon
Ricotta		0.99	Markdown
Bagels (2)		1.98	Markdown
Cuties		3.99
Stuffing mix (2)		0.98	Store Coupon
Sugar - 4# (2)		3.00	Sale
Marshmallows (2)		0.50	Store Coupon
Corn dogs (2)		5.96	Sale
Corn tortillas - 24 ct		1.88	Sale
Flour tortillas - 24 ct		1.88	Sale
Taco shells		1.00
Pasta (9)		2.88
Mung bean noodles		0.99
Pasta (2)		1.48	Sale
Olives (2)		1.88	Sale
Black beans (2)		2.38
Rice - 5#		3.09	Sale
Beets		0.99
Tomato sauce (3)		1.68
Caesar dressing		0.99
Pesto		1.98	Sale
Soy sauce		1.99	Sale/Coupon
Artichoke hearts		0.99	Sale
Romano cheese		1.98	Sale
Bean sprouts		1.18
Water chestnuts		0.48
Dried basil		0.33
Garlic powder		1.32
Pecans		3.08	Sale
Canned pumpkin (3)		1.00	Dollar Store
Coconut milk (3)		3.00	Dollar Store
Pepperoni		1.00	Dollar Store
Lasagna noodles		1.00	Dollar Store
Sweet Relish		1.00	Dollar Store
Cheese balls		1.00	Dollar Store
Brown sugar (2)		3.00	Sale
Powdered sugar		1.50	Sale
Flour (2)		3.00	Sale
Canned soup (4)		2.00	Store Coupon
Broccoli		1.58	Store Coupon
Vegetable oil		2.38	Sale
Cream		2.00	Sale
Milk - 1 gal.		1.29	Markdown
Milk - 1/2 gal. (3)		3.75	Store Coupon
Cottage cheese (2)		2.50	Sale
Fred Meyer Rebate		(7.21)
Total		$    124.06

$124.06 ÷ 30 days ÷3 people = $1.38 per person per day!

This month I came in just under budget.  Hopefully next month will be the same.  I know it was nice to get that rebate so I could pick up a few extras at the end of the month.

How did you save money on groceries this month?  Were you able to find some good sales and stock up on anything?