Wordless Wednesday....PRICELESS!

Abby filling her Papa's hunting boots. PRICELESS!

Menu Plan Monday

This weeks menu is about ease and speed as I have tons to get done this week. Here's what we have cooking this week.......

MONDAY- omelets, ( I will be making a veggie omelet for me) fruit, pumpkin chip muffins

TUESDAY- cube steak, mashed potatoes, corn

WEDNESDAY- chili, homemade bread ( I cheat, the dough is frozen)

THURSDAY-OUT!

FRIDAY- crock pot chicken over noodles, green beans

SATURDAY- blueberry pancakes, smoky links, fruit

For more menu planning pay http://orgjunkie.com/ a visit. Some of the menus are amazing!

Great Meijer shopping trip!

I went to Meijer tonight mainly to use my free Purina dog food coupons and to do the I can't believe its not butter sticks for cooking and baking deal. The deal is you buy 1- 16oz I can't believe its not butter sticks for cooking and baking for $2.19, use $1.00/1 coupon = $1.19. Buy one or more, get a $2.00 catalina on your next shopping order. This is a 71 cents money maker. Then the idea is take the $2.00 catalina to pay for next transaction and just keep rolling your catalinas. Somehow it didn't go as planned. I rang up 1 package I can't believe it's not butter, used my $1.00/1 coupon, paid $1.19 and no catalina spit out so being me I asked the cashier standing there why it didn't go through, because it supposed to. She checked on it by asking the manager and checking the machine. They agreed, that it should of went through. The manager politely told me she didn't know what happened but, they would get in touch with the company that puts the catalina out and instead of the catalina she would just give me the money instead in cash. Let's see, I had 4 packages of butter so they gave me $8.00. I rang up the rest of my purchases.......
2 Beneful wet dog food at $1.70 each 1- 4.5 lbs Purina chef michaels dry dog food $8.99, 3- I cant believe its not butter sticks $6.57, 1 can of Campbells cream of mushroom soup 58 cents, 1 can of Campbells cream of chicken soup 58 cents, 2- packets of gravy mixes $2.28 Total of $22.40 minus coupons totaling $13.19 = $9.21 plus 87 cents tax= $10.08. I gave the $8.00 they gave me and $2.08 of my own money. HA Ha and what spit out?.........Yep, a $2.00 catalina good on my next shopping order. Now, how good is that?

Processing our venison

Today I helped my dad process our deer. Hubby had to work and it is too hard for my dad to do alone. The really gross part was done the night before when hubby and dad cut up the meat in chunks so that dad and I could grind it up in burger today and put in freezer. Processing deer is not that hard but it sure is alot of work. My dad has a very bad back right now and unless he gets considerably better by the time we get another deer, We may find ourselves having it processed by someone else. Anyways, on to my dads basement........


First, We grind the meat chunks by an electric grinder that has been sterilized into these sterilized stainless steel pans
I then measure out 1 lb. of meat into a little cardboard tray thingy that is lined with saran wrap, unto this scale ( we use a baby scale)

It is then wrapped again in freezer paper. My dad uses an iron to seal it.

There you have it! All wrapped and sealed.....

Labeled and ready for the freezer.

Wordless Wednesday

My dad and DH with the doe my DH shot with his bow!

Giveaway bug

You can win! This week has been my lucky week. I have won a elefan and friends gift set ( 2 games from Hasbro) and a set of CVS bags and tags. Since I have been blogging I have entered giveaways, surprisingly winning quite a few. There is alot of blog giveaways in bloggy land. These giveaways are awesome and has helped considerably around Christmas enabling me to give gifts for my family I otherwise can't afford. I rely on giveaways for this alot. Winning a blog giveaway or contest are definitely better than winning the lottery. With the lottery you basically throw your money down the toilet. Blog giveaways are free. You have nothing to lose but your time. It is time consuming. You have to take the time by visiting the Sponser's site and answering questions, think about a comment and then entering multiple ways by tweeting being a fan on facebook, being a follower on twitter and the blog, maybe subscribing, ect. all separate comments. This makes the odds greater. If it is something you are really wanting to win, making the effort to enter with bonus entries increase your odds. Go on a hunt for a contest that has great odds, enter and just wait for the win. Remember you can't win if you don't enter. This time of year I enter contest and giveaways like crazy. I guess I have more time to. After winning a few it is easy to catch the giveaway bug and start devoting alot of extra time entering. http://freebloggiveaways.com/ has post links to contests and giveaways all over the Internet. This list is updated everyday.

Menu Plan Monday

It has been an exciting weekend here at the Herlan household. My hubby has been out bow hunting and got a really nice doe Sunday night. Needless to say, he is beaming. For awhile our only conversation is the story of his deer adventure. I am happy for him and so thankful for the venison we will have for this winter. This week I've decided to make the meals a little exciting and to try out some new recipes from my new kraft food & family magazine that I received in the mail earlier last week. Does anyone else get this magazine? I love it! Sadly to say it's my last issue for free as, they charge for the subscription now. Anyways, as for my menu this week....

MONDAY -*weeknight ravioli bake, garlic bread, tossed green salad

TUESDAY- pork chops, fried potatoes, peas

WEDNESDAY-ham and beans, corn bread

THURSDAY-* tuna cakes, corn, tossed green salad

FRIDAY-pancakes, sausage, fruit

SATURDAY-* saucy mexican chicken, corn casserole

SUNDAY- on our own today!

http://orgjunkie.com/ has some great menu ideas! Be sure to check it out!

* tuna cakes, page 57
*saucy mexican chicken page page 62
*weekend ravioli bake page 58
All from the Holiday 09 kraft food and family magazine