Christmas Dinner

Since this is the first Christmas in our home I have decided that I'm going to cook my first Christmas dinner. I'm kinda nervous and have been  having nightmares about it going all wrong. Cooking Christmas dinner is  a lot of work, not only is there a lot of items I am making but I have to make sure everything is started at the right time so that it is all done by dinner time! So here's whats on the menu and recipes to follow.

Christmas Dinner Menu:

• Herb-Crusted Prime Rib
• Blender Yeast Rolls
• Fruited Wild Rice Pilaf
• Maple Glazed Carrots
• Bacon and Garlic Green Beans
• Fruit Salad
• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Pie

 

Recipes:

Herb-Crusted Prime Rib

8 servings

• 6 gloves of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons sage
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 teaspoons pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bone in beef rib roast 5 pound

1. Mix all the seasonings and oil together very well. Rub over the roast and place on a rack in a large roasting pan.
2. Bake uncovered at 350° for 2-2 1/2 hours until mean reaches desired doneness. Medium rare 145°, medium 160°, well done 170°.
3. Remove roast to a serving platter and keep warm; let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

Blender Yeast Rolls

Yield 1 dozen

• 1 cup warm 2% milk (110°-115°)
• 1 package active dry years
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. In a blender, combine the warm milk, yeast, sugar, eggs and oil; cover and process on low speed for 30 seconds or until blended.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add yeast mixture; stir with a spoon until combined (do not kneed). Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
3. Stir down dough. Make into 12 balls and place in a 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
4. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.

* You can put these rolls in any kind of pan you would like to I just prefer to have nice square rolls instead of muffin shaped rolls.

Fruited Wild Rice Pilaf

8 servings

• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup craisens
• 4 tablespoons chopped almonds

1. In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add rice and saute for 5 minutes. Add broth and water bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50-55 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
3. Remove from the heat and fold in craisens and almonds.

Maple Glazed Carrots

6 servings

• 4 1/2 cups baby carrots
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup

1. In a saucepan bring carrots and water to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes until tender.
2. Drain, stir in butter and syrup until butter is melted.

Bacon and Garlic Green Beans
8 servings

• 6 thick sliced bacon strips chopped
• 1/4 cup onion chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 9 cups fresh green beans
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel and drain.
2. In the same skillet saute onion with butter and oil until tender. Add garlic and cook one minute longer. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add green beans and cook for 8-10 minutes until half the liquid is reduced and beans and cooked through. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and bacon mix well.

Fruit Salad

6 servings

• 2 large apples chopped
• 2 pears chopped
• 2 oranges cut up
• 1 cup grapes cup in half
• 1 12oz container of whipped topping.

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Cut up all fruits

Classic Pumpkin Pie
8 servings

Crust:

• 2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoon butter melted
• 4-6 tablespoons cold water

1. In a small bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt. using a fork stir in oil and butter until dough is crumbly. Gradually add enough water until dough holds together.
2. Roll out dough into a 11 inch circle and place in pie pan. Trim up the edgers.

Pie:

• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can (15oz) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 cup fat free evaporated milk

1. In a large bowl beat the egg, egg white, sugars, salt, and spices until smooth.
2. Beat in pumpkin and gradually beat in milk. Pour into pie shell.
3. Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes until center is done.

Strawberry Cheesecake

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter melted
• 1 10oz frozen strawberries thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 8oz packages cream cheese softened
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9 inch spring form pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Ina blender combine strawberries and cornstarch; cover and process until smooth.
3. Pour into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes and cool.
4. In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, gradually beat in milk and lemon juice mix well. Add eggs beat on low until combined.
5. Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Drop half the strawberry sauce by teaspoon fulls on top of cream cheese mixture.
6. Add rest of cream cheese mixture and rest of strawberry sauce the same way as before. With a knife cut through top layer only to swirl strawberry sauce.
7. Bake at 300° for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool for an hour before using a knife to cut around edges of spring form pan and then remove.

* I found if you line the bottom of the spring form pan with parchment paper it is very easy to remove cheese cake.

All in all dinner was amazing!!! I have never had better luck with a yeast bread rising, I will never make rolls any other way again! However the crust for my pumpkin pie was kinda disappointing, could be my fault but I did not care for it, I just need a really good pie crust recipe.

Flavorful Pork Chops and Apple Crisp

Flavorful Pork Chops:

• 4 bone-in pork loins chops 8oz each
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup sliced onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard

1. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chops in oil. Remove and keep warm.
2. In the same skillet. saute onion until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the worcestershire sauce, honey and mustard to the skillet; stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil.
3. Return chops to the pan, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Apple Crisp:

• 5 cups peeled and sliced green apples
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place apples in 2-qt square  baking dish and mix in sugar.
2. For topping mix oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together then poor melted butter in and mix very well. Spread topping over apples evenly.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden. Cool slightly
4. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired!

Chicken Pot Pie

This is such a quick and easy recipe, it is so delicious and fits right in for comfort food! With this one sometimes I put it in a pie crust and sometimes I do not. This time I did however I did not make it from scratch.

Ingredients:

• 1 store bought pie crust
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 cups cooked chicken diced up
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup Bisquick mix
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg

1. Prep pie crust according to package
2. Mix vegetables, chicken, and soup together, fill pie crust.
3. Stir together Bisquick, milk, and egg together until not lumpy and pour over pie filling. Make sure you get it all the way over and don't miss any spots.
4. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes and enjoy!!

Meatloaf

Day two of having my new kitchen and oh is it amazing! I have so much counter space I can be working on 3-4 things at once!! So as a kid I never liked meatloaf, as a teenage I never liked meatloaf and as an adult I never liked meatloaf until I found this recipe.

I decided one day that I would make Ryan some meatloaf for dinner, even thought I didn't like it I also didn't hate it and I would tough it out since I knew he would love to have meatloaf for dinner! So I went to WinCo and found a meatloaf seasoning packet and read the recipe on the back. Followed it for the most part and doctored it up a bit and when it was all said and done I was a meatloaf lover as well!!

Meatloaf:

• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 2 packets meatloaf seasoning
• 2 eggs
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup oatmeal

1. Mix all ingredients together very well. I recommend using a mixer but your hands will always work.
2. Put in a loaf pan and pat down to get all the air bubbles out. This will keep your meatloaf from falling apart, so make sure to pat it down real well.
3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.





This is very simple and easy to make and oh so delicious!! Makes about 8 slices, and this is so good you might need seconds!

Strawberry Cake with White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting!!

The other day in the store I picked up a cooking with Paula magazine! I love her show and I love her food. She is from Savannah Georgia where a lot of my family lives so I thought I would see what her magazine is all about. The very first thing that caught my eye in there was this recipe! However we were in the process of moving and I couldn't cook anything because my kitchen was all packed up. That is also the reason for not posting any blogs recently.

So by the time I got my kitchen all set up after the move this past Sunday I was itching to cook so bad. I found some chicken tenders in the freezer and marinaded them with lemon pepper and made some cease pasta salad to go with but that still didn't quite fix my itch to cook. So we went grocery shopping Monday morning to stock the house with food and I was ready to cook!!!

Picked up some steaks and marinaded them in mesquite for about 3 hours and in the mean time I whipped up some potato salad and broccoli salad and I just couldn't resist this cake anymore! It is so moist and oh so YUMMY!!! I just had to share with everyone!!

Strawberry Cake:

• 1 cup fresh strawberries (frozen is alright if you cant get fresh must be thawed and well drained)
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3oz package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 8 inch round cake pans and flour.
2. In a blender puree strawberries until smooth. You should have 1/2 cup when finished.
3. In a mixer beat butter at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and gelatin and beat for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between. Add strawberry puree and vanilla beating until blended.
4. In a medium bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with milk.
5. Divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Wrap layers in plastic wrap and freeze until your ready to frost your cake.

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 cup white chocolate morsels
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 11oz packages cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 16oz package confectioners sugar

1. Put white chocolate morsels and oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and heat for another 15 seconds until it stirs smooth.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Frost your cake, spread frosting between layers and on sides and top of the cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries if you desire.

Italian Oregano Roasted Chicken with Fresh Roasted Vegetables

I know I haven't posted a new blog in a while but its been so hot to cook in the house and my BBQ is so conveniently still not at my house, so I have been avoiding anything that is going to heat up the house. But tonight I gave in and cooked this very nice very delicious Sunday dinner.

This recipe calls for a 6 to 7 lbs chicken but since I'm only feeding 2 of us and a few take out bags I just use a 3lb fryer chicken. You can use any size chicken that works for you and your family but you just have to adjust cooking time and always make sure when you think its done that the temp is 180^o.

 

Ingredients:

Chicken:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 roasting chicken 6-7 lbs
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Vegetables:

• Any fresh vegetables you like I used zucchini out of my garden, tomatoes out of my garden, red and green bell pepper, and onion.
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon basil

Recipe:

Chicken:

1. In a small bowl combine butter, salad dressing, and lemon juice
2. Plce chicken on rack in ungreased roasting pan and spoon butter mixture over  the chicken
3. Cover and bake at 350^o for 45 minutes.
4. Uncover sprinkle with oregano and bake uncovered for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Again dont forget depending on what size chicken you use the cooking time will be different. Make sure to check the internal temperature before removing from the oven.
5. Carve and enjoy. For those of you who need some help carving a chicken I found this link to help How to carve a chicken

Vegetables:

1. Chop up all your vegetables into about the same sizes, I do mine about 1 inch.
2. Mix vegetables with oil and basil on a cookie sheet
3. When you take the chicken out of the oven put in the vegetables for about 8-10 minutes. You want them to have a bit of a crunch left in them when you take them out!

I also served stuffing and biscuts with my dinner but the stuffing was from a box and the biscutes were from a can. But all in all dinner was pretty darn good, hope you enjoy!

Oh and Happy Birthday Colleen I hope you enjoy your leftovers!

Sour Cream and Onion Burgers with Zucchini Fries

I was so excited about the first pick of zucchini from my garden I had to incorporate it into dinner tonight!! This recipe will make 3 burgers.

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

1 package onion soup mix

1/4 cup sour cream

1 and 1/2 cup bread crumbs separated

Dash of pepper

1 medium zucchini

3 Hamburger buns

1 cup flour
2 Eggs with a splash of milk

Canola oil

Recipe:

1. Cut zucchini into fry wedges. Set out 3 bowls in them place flour, eggs and milk, and 1 cup of bread crumbs. Dip your fries into flour then egg and then bread crumbs. When all are coated place on cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.

2. Mix beef, sour cream, onion soup mix, remaining bread crumbs and pepper very well in a small bowl. Form 3 patties out of mixture.

3. Get 2 frying pans, the first one spray with cooking spray and the second one fill about half inch with oil. Turn both onto medium heat and let warm.

4. Place burgers in the first frying pan and zucchini fries in the second. Cook burgers for about 6 minutes on each side and zucchini until dark golden brown. When zucchini is done let drain on a paper towel before serving.

5. Fix your burgers and enjoy!!

NOTE: You can also cook these on the grill. Just make sure you form your burgers well enough that they hold together!!

Turkey BLT Burgers and French Fries

I got the inspiration for this from a Rachel Ray recipe but I also thinks she puts to many things in her recipe so I made quite a few changes and developed this on my own. This recipe also uses up the rest of the package of bacon I used to go with my Banana French Toast Bake this morning. This will make 2 servings.

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground turkey

6 slices of bacon cut in half

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 sliced tomato

2 leaves of lettuce

2 medium potatoes
2 hamburger buns
Cooking oil



1. Cook up all your bacon and then chop up 3 slices of bacon into bits and put in a bowl. Shred your mozzarella and add to the bowl. Mix with Turkey. When mixed well shape into 2 patties.

2. Cut up your potatoes in half then each half cut into fries. Heat about half inch of oil in a frying pan. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to another frying pan for you burgers. I just reused my bacon pan for this part to not make to many dishes and since the burgers have bacon in them anyway. I just rinsed out all the grease.

3. Put Burgers in frying pan for about 6 minutes on each side. You do not want any pink in the middle at all and if you have a thermometer the internal temp should read 165. Throw the french fries into the oil and bring to a boil and let boil for about 15 minutes. Toss them for about another 5 minutes then remove to a paper towel and let the excess oil drain off.

4. Toast the hamburger buns under a broiler for a couple minutes then assemble your burgers with bacon lettuce and tomatoes. I put Mayonnaise on mine as well.

Banana French Toast Bake

So this morning I'm doing a breakfast blog, you probably wont get to many of these since I'm never home in the morning to make breakfast except on the weekends. I was planning on cooking this one for dinner but I changed my mind and had time to get it ready last night for breakfast this morning! You prep this one ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator over night or all day before your meal. It only takes about 5 minutes to prep before putting in the refrigerator so you can do it right before bed or right before you leave for work. Its super easy!!

The recipe makes a 13x9 inch pan worth but since I'm feeding 2 I cut the recipe in half and put it in a 9x9 inch pan.

Ingredients:

6 slices cinnamon bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas cup into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup pecans

Recipe:

1. Spray bottom of a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange bread cubes in baking dish. In large bowl bead eggs, milk, and 1/4 cup of syrup with a whisk, pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees, uncover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown along the edges. Let stand for 7-10 minutes before serving.

3. Meanwhile in a medium microwavable bowl, heat remaining cup of syrup for 1 to 2 minutes stirring ever 30 seconds until warm. Stir in vanilla.

4. Sprinkle banana slices and pecans evenly over bread; drizzle with warmed syrup mixture and enjoy!!

Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders with Home Made Dipping Sauce

 So I got this recipe from Rachael Ray but I changed it a bit. One thing I changed was the dipping sauce I made it her way and did not like it so I remade it!! This recipe was simple and easy to make and took no time at all!! And was super delicious!!

Recipe:
Canola oil for frying
6 chicken tenders
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs beaten with a splash of milk
1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Dressing:
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:
Heat 1 1/2 to 1 inch of oil over medium heat in skillet

Set out 3 shallow bowls place flour in one, eggs and milk in the second one, and bread crumbs, nutmeg and pecans in the third one. Coat tenders in flour then egg then bread crumbs and pecans. Fry until each side is a nice dark brown for about 6-7 minutes then drain excess oil off on a paper towel.

For dressing combine all ingredients and mix well.

Rachael Rays version had many more ingredients but i chose to cut them out. If you are interested in checking her recipe out you can find it here:
Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders

Italian Meatball Subs

All day at work I have been thinking about making these yummy Italian meatball subs. It is a new recipe and I have never made it before. Well.... I forgot to look over the recipe last night and when I got home at 6 tonight and went to make them came to the horrible realization that it is a crock pot recipe and takes 5 hours. Well rather than nix the whole idea I decide to improvise and make the sauce in a regular saucepan on the stove and let it simmer for the next hour since Ryan wont be home until then.

I get going making my sauce first because that takes the longest and suddenly realize I used the last onion I have in the pot roast on Sunday...... so well.... lets bypass the onion I say who needs it!!! So I get the sauce started and get going on the meatballs first ingredient eggs... open the fridge to get them out and NO EGGS... well I decide I will just add a bit more bread crumbs to help hold them together. Second ingredient Milk... well used the last of that this morning in my cereal.... hum I think to myself I should just scrap this and get pizza but no the sauce is already made no need to waste it so I will wing the meatballs and if they don't turn out they don't turn out. Lucky for me I have the rest of the ingredients for my meatballs.

I mix the ingredients for the meatballs and cook them, put them in the pot with the sauce to simmer for the remaining time. When Ryan gets home I put the subs together and top with cheese and the end looks great now just to see how it taste or did I totally blow the whole meatball sub fantasy I have been dreaming about all day??


Here is the recipe I ended up making:
Sauce
1 can (15 oz) Tomato Sauce
2 cans (6 oz) Tomato Paste
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup beef broth
1/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Meatballs
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage

1. Put all ingredients for sauce in a pot cover on low heat.
2. Mix meatballs and shape into 1 inch balls place on broiler pan. Put in oven or broil for 4 min turn and broil for another 3 minutes.
3. Put meatballs in the sauce and continue to cook on low.
4. When sauce has simmered for about an hour spoon into Italian rolls top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and enjoy.

For those of you who would like the real recipe you can find it here:
Italian Meatball Subs

Well they look great but looks can be deceiving.. Ryan says they taste good but he will eat just about anything.... so here goes nothing I am my worst critic so.... They are actually pretty dang good!!! Sauce could have used the onion but its just fine without it!!! So I hope you had a good laugh at my expence tonight!! Enjoy!!

Pot Roast in the Crock Pot

So I get alot of my recipes from Taste of Home and I absolutly love them. Sometimes the recipe looks strange but once you cook it you find that it turns out great!! I have decided that the recipes in Taste of Home are geared for quick and easy prep but the food always turns out great so its always worth a try to test a recipe out.

I have made this recipe once before and it turned out great!!! It only feeds 2-3 with the size of the roast  used but you can always double the recipe:

• 2-2 1/2 lb boneless rump roast
• 5 medium red potatoes quartered
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 packet of dry onion soup mix
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons garlic chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup of water

1.   Melt butter with 1 tablespoon garlic

 in a skillit and brown all sides of the roast.

2.   Place potatoes, carrots, onions and the rest of

 the garlic with water in the bottom of the crock pot.

3.   Place the roast on top of the veggies.

4.  Mix both soups and basil and pour over the roast.

Cover and cook for 9 - 10 hours on low until the

beef is fork tender. If cooking on high 5 hours.

5. Remove roast from crock pot slice and enjoy!!!

Summer of Ice Creams

So I was thinking this morning that I would like and try to make at least 5 different kinds of  ice cream this summer. So I need your help in choosing the top 5 favorites from this list and as I make them I will post recipes so here is the list let me know you top 5!! Thanks!

• Raspberry sorbet
• Banana peanut butter
• Chocolate chip cookie dough
• Choclate super fudge brownie
• Orange cream dream
• Chocolate reses cup
• Chocolate raspberry
• Tin roof
• Tiramisu
• Mango Sorbet
• Blackberry Sorbet
• Passon fruit ice cream

Saving money at the grocrey store

Well I had people say they would read my blog if I wrote one so here goes nothing!!! Bare with me I have never done this and am not quite sure how exactly to do this. I was thinking for my first post I was not going to do a recipe but how I got to the store and save money and get everything I need for a few weeks of dinners.

There are 3 steps I take before going shopping:
       1. Plan ahead
       2. Make a list
       3. Cupons

1. Plan ahead a few weeks and make a list of meals. This way when your going to the store you know what you want for dinner and what you need to get in order to make it! I usually got threw my magazines and cook books and pick out 10 or so meals that I want to cook for the up coming weeks.

2. Make a shopping list according to your recipes you picked out in step one. Make sure when making your list you write down everything you need to make your dishes. The only exception here would be anything that can not be around the house for more than a few days such as some produce. In this case you know what you need and if you plan when you are going to cook these meals you can stop by the store and get just a few things the day before or the day of. Remember meat can be froze and taken out a day or 3 before you are planning on cooking it and put in the refrigerator to thaw.

Once you get your very detailed shopping list made and get to the store STICK TO IT!!! Impulse shopping will lead to allot of junk food and allot of things that do not fit into your meal plan. I know this is very hard even I cant come out of the store without some impulse buying!

Here is a site with a very good generic shopping list starter and many other lists as well:
www.grocerylists.org

3. There are allot of places to find coupons but one tip I would give when clipping coupons is to stick to your list and don't buy something that you don't really need just because it  has a good coupon. I don't do to much coupon clipping but when I do the Sunday news paper is a great place to get them. Sometimes you will find a store that will double manufacture coupons like Safeway does. If you can find a better deal at a different store that u usually go to and it is worth it to do then shop many different stores.

There is also many different web sites you can go to and find some great coupons:
http://www.coupons.com/
www.shopathome.com
www.couponmom.com
www.redplum.com

Also remember ontop of coupons if you take your cans and bottles back before you do your shopping then you can use your refunds toward your bill!!! I hope this helps someone out there save a little bit of money at the grocery store. I know just doing these small things helps me save a couple hundred dollars a month!!