See ya later August 2010......

Welcome to my blog,  please remember I am a newbie at blogging, bare with me as we start this adventure together.....I am so glad to see August come to an end.  August is always a crazy month in my house, getting all the crap that my daughter needs to start school - talk about a major cost - don't even get me started on the school fees - if you  found yourself writing check after check to your child's school this August - you feel my pain....in my wallet. (actually my hubby's wallet..lol)

Let me start with a little background info - I am not one of those gal's who was taught to cook by her  mother - oh heck no...my mom made a total of fives dishes that I can remember  (actually I try to forget) - she made Ham loaf - I think she bought it (gross). She was also known for her oven baked dried shoe leather chichen breasts, in addition to her 15 min chilli that stayed with you well into the next day...lol. My mom's pride & joy was a devils food choc. cake with white fluffy frosting - which happen to be my brothers favorite.  So nothing was passed down.  LOL  Sorry Mom - xo

Funny true story - I am sure most of you read Seventeen Magazine when you were a teen......there was always a recipe section with some wonderful easy recipe for teens to try. HA!   This certain issue gave step by step directions to make cream puffs....I am thinking YUM!!! So I worked my butt off in the hot kitchen to create a platter full of beautiful cream puffs for my family.  I was so proud!  This took me well into the night & everyone had gone to bed - I was so proud of my creation I decided to carry my platter of freshly made cream puffs up the stairs to my parents room, woke my brothers and requested they all come downstairs for a midnight snack............on my way down the steps, I caught my toe on the carpet and my platter of cream puffs went flying.  To this day  I can see my beautiful cream puffs laying smashed on the carpet. Needless to say - my brother (who I adore but am not sure why) says "Lisa, how about making me some cream puffs". Again...why is it that I love him????  lol

When I was about 22 yrs old I decided it was time to hone my cooking skills  (actually - I was broke & needed a j-o-b) so I started working in the dietary department of a nursing home where I was lucky enough to be surrounded by great cooks. They told me they were great & looked pretty hot in an apron..lol   I learned  many tricks of the trade - made my very first pie crust there- YEAH for me ( pretty sure I took pictures). Worked there for 10 years - what an education.

Then life as I knew it changed - in a BIG way.............

I married a G I Joe.  Who know they didn't make the big $$$$$$$$$...so I had to cook.  I thought thats no big deal - who needs cookbooks when you have Kraft Mac & Cheese, Hamburger helper, and Shake & Bake for chicken....lol  Funny thing i- those are way cheaper than eating fresh fruits & veggies.  Why is that????   It didn't take long for me to evolve into  a master at the commissary.  At that time we were on a $100 a month food budget - talk about eating cheap junky crap!!! (that happens to be the stuff my hubby & daughter want now). HA!  Like that will happen!

Fast forward about 12 years  - times have changed.  the days of of the $100 buck a month grocery budget is long gone - no longer do I buy processed cheap crap - I have decided that with a little planning, there is no reason I should not be able to feed my family HEALTHY meals with out breaking the bank!

What do you think?  Is it possible???????    Put you hands in the air and yell YES!!!

So I welcome you to come along with me on an adventure  - check out the ways I save  $$$$$$  and of course how I spend $$$$$$$$.   I will post meals plans, recipes, gardening stuff, etc., etc., etc........and of course I wanna hear  your feed back.  So lets do it.........................................................