What-chya Got Cookin' ?

I have taken my time off (AKA a trip to North Carolina) from cooking and I am back at it this week! It is something I love to do, but usually hate all the clean up. Luckily some days I have my dear hubby to help me clean and sometimes even cook with me or better yet... for me! 

So, this week thus far has been rather low key... 

Monday - Crock Pot Fried Rice & Beef n' Broccoli
Tuesday - Asparagus & Proscuttio Pasta
Wednesday - Leftovers (We were both working during dinner time).
Thursday - Cook-out at Rusty's (I made a YUMMY Pea Salad)

As for the rest of the week this is what I have on the menu...

Friday - Armadillo Eggs 
Saturday - Beef Stir Fry
Sunday - Soup and leftover mini pot pies (We made these  awhile ago and they have been living in our freezer perfectly!)
Monday - Butter & Garlic Shrimp

Then Tuesday we will be on the road and I haven't decided if I am going to try and make something or not for the road... maybe some chicken salad kept cold in a small cooler? Hmm... 

This month has been a challenge that we posed to ourselves (rather I imposed on us...) This was the challenge: 

A. Make a menu plan for a WHOLE month in the beginning (dinner only, because breakfast and lunch is usually a toss up)
B. Only go grocery shopping 1 time and try to spend as little as possible (Total was $150-ish)
C. Spend $5 at most a farmers market every week (About 1/2 of the weeks we didn't spend anything...)

So far we have done well with only one mistake. My husband ate my lunch meat while I was in North Carolina so, we agreed to take our $5 farmers market money that we didn't spend last week and go to the grocery store and get my lunch meat. I oopsed and bought some super cheap popcorn and spent $6.24 total. Luckily we spent $4 this week and wont go to the farmer's market next week. (ahhh... that feels better). 

I am impressed at how well we are doing and how easy it has become to not shop at the grocery store whenever it pops in my head that we need something. The real challenge will be to real myself in when we go to Chicago and I head to Trader Joes. I am thinking of imposing a $20 limit? $30? Opinions....