Dinner from the Stash

Tonight's dinner was courtesy of my food stash. I only bought two things (which I buy every week anyway)....Those items are in green.

Bean & Beef Burritos, Mexican Rice, Chips & Salsa
Yield: 8 burritos (more or less depending on how stuffed they are)

Quick Mexican Rice:
1 family size Boil in Bag Brown Rice (prepared as directed)
1 Bird's Eye Southwestern Corn Steam Bag (prepared as directed)
1/2 can of Ro-tel or other Tomatoes w/Green Chiles (this makes it spicy, you can use 1/2 a can of
regular tomatoes if you prefer it less spicy).

Put 1/2 the can of tomatoes in food processor or use stick chopper (whatever that thing is called) and just briefly run it until tomatoes are chopped as fine as you like. (Too long and you've got salsa, but that's for later!)

Add Ro-tel/Tomatoes to cooked rice, stir in corn. This is my emergency Mexican Rice.

Bean and Beef Burritos:

1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can refried beans (or *emergency refried beans - see below)
Shredded cheese of your choice
1 package of 8 burrito wrappers

Brown the Beef and crumble well as it cooks. Add in the taco seasoning along with 3/4 cup of water. When it boils, turn down to low for about 10 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed. Set up your assembly line...

Warm a flat skillet over medium heat. Place one wrapper onto the skillet for 20 seconds, flip over with tongs, heat another 10-15 seconds. Place wrapper on a plate and fill: 1 spoonful of beans, smeared across, ground beef, then cheese. Wrap by tucking in left and right sides, then folding up the bottom and rolling. Place on a warm plate while making remaining burritos.

Serve with Rice, Chips & Salsa.

(*I started this tonight and realized I didn't have refried beans. Took a can of chili beans, rinsed them, put them in the food processor with just a little bit of water and about 1 tsp of beef bullion granules and whizzed it up. I think they are better than the canned ones and no added fat! Can also use regular pintos but the little bit of chili flavoring still left on the beans gave it a nice flavor.)

Today's Coupon Haul

Target:

7 Snuggles (4 @ .99 and 3 @ 1.29) $7.83
4 - 4 pks of Ge Reveal bulbs (2.14 ea. less $5 worth of coupons) $3.56
1 Motrin PM (FREE) - Had to convince cashier to stack coupons
1 Tide Travel Size (FREE) - Had to convince cashier coupon valid on travel sz.

They also have Axe deodorant (the only kind my teenager accepts) in a twin pack which is $3.44 which is the same price as one by itself!

Had to buy 2 sympathy cards @ $2.59 each

Total OOP $28.07

Saved over $34 with coupons and b1g1 items.

Kroger:
Kettle chips on sale 2/$5, had 2 B1G1 coupons - Netted 4 bags of chips for $5.00 (they are usually $3.29 each when not on sale). Total OOP $5.50
Walgeens:
Veet (regular $6.99) for .99 cents; Total OOP $1.36


Total for the day about $ 35.00

I <3 COUPONS!

Have you been to MAPCO lately?

Today I stopped at a MAPCO station because my gas light was on - and they were the closest place. When we pulled in my son asked, "Mom, what's Happy Hour?" (After 1000 things went through my mind I realized in front of me was a big pink sign - Ladies Happy Hour, M-F 3-6pm).

Before I finished reading, a lovely young lady with a pink vest over her Mapco vest, ran up and explained that it was Happy Hour for Ladies and she would be pumping my gas for me. I swiped my card and entered all the necessary info. She asked the details and I said fill-er-up with regular unleaded and she went to work.

She handed me a coupon good for a free coffee or fountain drink and invited me to go on in the store and get my drink (and feel free to shop as well). She also gave me a punch card that would net me another freebie once they were all punched. Got my drink and returned to my car to find my receipt neatly under my windshield wiper and she ran up to me and handed me a fresh orange. She informed me that they had fresh fruit and I was welcome to a freebie.

I must say - it's my new favorite place! Wondering if this was a fluke, I happened by one closer to my house and there was another worker in a pink vest pumping gas for a customer. I gotta give it to Mapco....they need to keep it up because I'm their new best friend!