I hit up Rite Aid quite a few times this week on my way to/from work. Here's how I fared...
4 Listerine @ $4.99 each 1 Veet @ $3.99 1 Fructis @ $2.99 -$5/25 Rite Aid Q -$2 Listerine in-ad Rite Aid Q x 4 -$2 Listerine MFQ x 2 -$2 Veet MFQ -$1 Fructis MFQ (SS 10/5, RP 11/9, RP 1/4) = $6.94 + tax + $15.99 back in rebates (saved $27.40)
I also bought three Bayer glucose meters, all of which will be donated. They were free after coupon this week (paid $1.03 tax each) and I'll get back a $10 Rite Aid gift card this month just for purchasing them. That's a profit of ~$7.00.
By popular request, I will be teaching a coupon class next Thursday, February 5th, at 7:00 PM at my cute friend Rachel's house in Cottonwood Heights!
This will be a chance for anyone who uses Slavetosave (or who has been wanting to use it) to get the help they need to start! If you'd like to learn how to shop like I do, this is the place to be. Get all of your questions answered -- no judgements, no stupid questions -- you can ask me anything you'd like. We will be discussing:
-Where/how to get your coupons -How to organize them -Coupon basics -Drugstore rebates -Deal-finding in general!
Bring your friends and your questions! It will cost $5 at the door, and we'll have a few prize drawings and some refreshments. To RSVP, email me at slavetosave at gmail dot com and I'll send you Rachel's address.
I'm going to saute an onion, red peppers, and the steak fajita strips (from my food co-op share). Then we'll top with cheese, salsa and sour cream and serve with tortillas.
Wednesday:
Toasted Pears with Blue Cheese (from Barefoot Contessa: Back To Basics)
3 ripe but firm Anjou pears
fresh squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
3 ounces coarsely crumbled sharp blue cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup apple cider
3 Tbsp port
1/2 cup lightly brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 ounces baby arugula
kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 375. Slice the peeled pears lengthwise into halves. Remove the core and seeds with a melon baller, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of the pear so they will sit flat in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss pears with lemon juice to prevent browning and arrange in a baking dish large enough to fit them snugly. Gently toss crumbled blue cheese, cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl and divide mixture among pears, mounding it on top. Then combine the apple cider, port and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature. Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Add arugula and toss. Divide arugula among plates, top with a pear, drizzle some of the basting liquid over the top and sprinkle with salt. Serve.
Chris will be at school on Wednesday, so....I think I might just eat pears for dinner with nothing else. Hey, it's better than eating the whole twinkie box for dinner, right?
Friday:
Fried Tomatoes♦ ♦ ♦
Butter-flavored vegetable cooking spray
4 medium green, or red, tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Coat tomato slices lightly with flour; cook over medium heat until browned, two to three minutes on each side. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Recipe makes four servings.
I think we'll grill up some Omaha steaks from the freezer and do these fried tomatoes with salad.
One commonly-used method for saving money on groceries is joining a local food co-op. We've only got one in Salt Lake (some places have many!) - The Community Food Co-Op of Utah. I decided to give it a try this month. Co-ops have a rotating menu with different food packages or shares that you can purchase each month. You pay the co-op for your desired share and then pick up your food at your neighborhood distribution center on the day of the co-op. So simple!
This month's standard share ($23) included:
1lb. Top Sirloin Fajita Strips
2 lb. Package of Chicken Drumsticks
2 lb. Sirloin Pork Roast
1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
1 lb. Rice
1 loaf Artisan Wheat Bread
5 Fuji Apples
5 Pears
5 Oranges
1 Romaine Lettuce
3 Red Bell Peppers
5 Tomatoes
2 Avocados
1 2lb. Bag of Carrots
What a deal! The retail value was $46 + tax for the standard share. Now I'm off to work on my menu plan using some of these items!
How does the co-op provide food at such low prices? By ordering in quantity and utilizing local farmers/growers.
Who can join? Anyone! If you eat, you qualify.
Is the food good quality? The food comes from the same wholesalers that supply the local grocery stores, so you can expect the same quality. No seconds or bruised items here. It's all fresh, excellent food.
How can I find a local food co-op near me? www.coopdirectory.org How do I find recipes to cook with the ingredients I've got? Use www.recipezaar.com! Type in an ingredient and it will give you recipes that use it!
Target 10 Southbeach Diet bars $2.33 each 3 Kotex pantiliners $2.79 each -$2 Southbeach MFQ x 10 -$1 Kotex MFQ x 3 -$2 Kotex TQ x 3 = $2.67 + tax (Saved 32.96!)
Smith's 3 Suave Lotion $1.00 each 1 Milk $2.00 3 Kraft Mayo $2.99 each 6 Green Giant Steamers $1.50 each 1 Philadelphia Cream Cheese $1.50 each 1 Birdseye Veggies $1.99 2 Crab Classic $2.99 each -$5 Mega Event savings -$1.00 Suave MFQ x 3 -$0.75 Mayo MFQ x 3 -$0.50 Green Giant MFQ x 6 -$2.00 Birdseye Veggie MFQ -$1.00 Crab Classic MFQ x 2 = $15.19 + tax (Saved $31.04!)
