Publix Bargain Meal August 6-12

This week's meal was so good! We loved it. I hadn't made it in a long time, which made it even better. This meal is based on Giada's recipe for chicken cacciatore. Mine is just a little different, but only small changes in ingredients. I added mushrooms, and I only used thighs, because of the simmering time. The directions remain the same. I also served it over polenta that had a bit of parmesan cheese stirred in. It'd be equally as good over pasta or rice.

Chicken Cacciatore
4 chicken thighs--on sale $0.99/lb--$2
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging--$0.05
3 tablespoons olive oil--on sale $3.29--$0.10
1 large bell pepper, chopped (I used 3 smaller garden peppers)--$0.50
1 onion, chopped--$0.25
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped-_$0.10
3/4 cup dry white wine--you know me and the $3 wine--$0.72
1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (used 3 fresh tomatoes)--$1.19
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth--free!
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves--garden!
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves--garden! It really makes a difference

Serve over polenta--maybe $0.20.

Total cost for this meal--$5.11 Quite a tasty one, too. Enjoy!

Tomato Season!

Our tomatoes are crazy right now! Some of them are over 10 feet tall. Insane.

Just a little of the beautiful-ness.

And, amazingly, we never tire of this very simple dish of tomatoes in Italian salad dressing. I could eat it every single day (and often do). Bring on the tomatoes!

Reduce, reuse...

I love my dog. So, when his bedding needed to be washed, I went the extra step, and I dried it in the sunshine. A little extra freshness, just for him.

and a little extra stink removal, too

But, when the bedding was out there sunning, it brought back memories of my childhood. This was the bedspread on my parents' bed for years and years. Totally 80s, totally beautiful, and it takes me right back to laying there, watching my mom get dressed, in her big hair and fancy red high heel shoes.

And, this, my friends, this is why my house is a cluttered, sentimental mess.

At least I'm happy.

Temptation

Proof that there is something to be said for the old adage about saving more money when you stay out of the stores.

I was there for lemons (for fig preserves), and these cream puffs jumped into my hand. Worth the mere dollar, though. Highly worth it! Korean pastries rock.