Day #15 NaBloMoPo

 This is the way it usually looks around here in November...............

But not this year!  I woke up to snow this morning and 22 degrees F
...brr.........I had to postpone Wally World again...not worth it when tomorrow it will be gone along with the black ice and in the high 50's and by Saturday it will be in the 60's and window washing weather again!  Yay!  I only got a few washed before the cold front came through last week.  The snow was beautiful though...........for a minute I thought that red dot might be Santa but then it's bit early for him.......

Many of the trees haven't even changed color or lost all their leaves yet..........crazy...........

See?  These are still green...........but I'll take this weather any day compared to dry 'fire danger' weather after seeing the terrible fires out west................

  Yesterday and today I tried organizing my grocery list making and menu making.........I got into my MS Word program and copied an inventory template.............I know it's a little hard to read as I was backed up to another cupboard trying to take this picture.  It lists the common things I buy at the store usually and as I think of other things I will add to it.  So far there are 3 pages and it's a great reminder when I am making out the grocery list.  I also have a list of favorite menu items.  (BTW, that magnetic clip I got at the Dollar Tree....5 for $1....bargain!)  There's also a column for prices of items.  After shopping I am going to fill it in so I can keep track of prices and know when a 'deal' comes along so I can stock up. 

I also got these Fall magnets for decoration for my frig at the Dollar Tree....you guessed it....they were $1.............I love that store!  I also got some fall window clingies but they are hard to take a picture of.

I made out my menu and it is hanging on the other side of the frig along with the inventory sheet and my grocery list for tomorrow.  When I make out my menu I go back through and get the recipes and write down on my grocery list everything I need.  I check my cupboards, pantry, linen closet and bathrooms.  I buy things when I only have one remaining so I always have a backup especially with Winter coming.  When I have written the ingredients needed for a recipe on my grocery list I then put a check mark next to it on my menu.  I also put the book and page no. of where the recipe is or I print it out and clip it with the menu.
In wanting to be as self-sufficient and 'home made' as possible I went through my list and Googled to see if there was a recipe for something that I buy prepared.  I looked for Triscuits and there were a few but the ratings were low.  There are saltines and wheat thins which I will try.  I did print off a recipe for oyster crackers because I have some clam chowder and I always have oyster crackers with it.  Of course, I will make bread these coming days plus  English muffins.  I wasn't crazy about them the first time I made them but I think it was me more than the recipe.  I needed toilet bowl cleaner so I researched that and came up with this recipe which I will be trying........if you can't read it just click on it and it will enlarge it for you. 

  I'll be making cranberry sauce from scratch and pizza dough.    I looked at my Thanksgiving Day menu and decided to fore go a few items unless I want to 'roll' into Christmas! LOL!  No 24 hour salad and no sweet potato casserole or scalloped corn.  There will be Brussels sprouts. but I refuse to give up the pumpkin roll (speaking of 'rolls'!) LOL!
That should keep me off the streets and out of trouble through Thanksgiving. 
BTW!!!  Did you know Amazon and maybe Target too is having free shipping from 11/16 through the 23rd?!?!  Be sure and check your favorite online stores as it was on the news that many are trying to get a jump on Black Friday. 
Happy Trails!!!