Savannah's Day

Today was the day we celebrated Savannah's birthday and prepared to go to Atlanta for the Frenchie national. I started the day on high gear, trying to get a new driver's license because I couldn't find mine but the line was so long so I stopped at Wawa for breakfast. $3.50 This is a pretty clear path to unhealthiness but it is soooo tasty that every once and awhile I can't resist.

For lunch, my sister and I took Savannah for a birthday lunch at the decadent Cheesecake Factory. And they now have a skinny menu so we went with that to have "space" for dessert. We shared a roasted artichoke and then I had a pear, blue cheese, argula, pecan flatbread that was better than it should have been. I actually have to guess at the cost since we split Savannah's meal (blue cheese, bacon burger) and had teas. I'm guessing about $14.00 for mine (just my food). But I forgot I did "save" room to try the blackout cake, which has not increased in price since the early 90s so is now a bargain when it was once a blowout- so an additional $6.95. Good to the health, Cheesecake Factory! And good to the indulgence! (The light didn't help the food photos.)

For dinner, everyone had crabs but I didn't feel like getting down so I had a frozen Indian meal (and forgot to photo Error #?) $4.50

Error #3, 4, 5, 6, & 7

So Thursday and Friday- only 2 photos- oops. I feared it would come to this and am thinking of a rework so that I only take photos of non-home food. Here is the down and dirty recap...

Thursday
breakfast- TLC bar, smoothie $2.20
lunch- smoked turkey from Devon and Blakely (free, I won't even say again this is not the norm or if you pay $8.50)

dinner - PHOTO loco moco with sister (hamburger $.75, brown rice $.50, egg free, gravy $1.00) $2.25 and delicious






Friday

breakfast - TLC bar, smoothie with smoothie juice and TJ's frozen mango puree- yum $2.20 And PHOTO
lunch- SizzEx, Korean buffet- mix of noodles, veggies, chicken and brocolli, cucumber salad $5.20
dinner- chef's sushi special from Harris Teeter eaten in the car on the ride home- just too hungry and my phone was dead. $10.80

BUT big news, I am about to go on vacation and this should get good because no work and fun should equal better blogging- you be the judge!

Itch-away

So not to be whiny or anything but poison ivy on the face and elsewhere is miserable. So I planned on visiting a professional for a medical opinion and stayed at home, allowing me to make an egg sandwich for breakfast -egg (thank you chicken), cheese $.35, Costco roll $.80 total $1.15 Note: tell tell Diet Coke can on the left.

For lunch, I finished my Chinese food.

While picking up my medication, the pharmacist reminded me that it needed to be taken with food. So even though I wasn't very hungry, my pain won out and I cooked a hamburger $.75, partial Costco roll $.80 (since I'll feed the rest to the chickens), a laughing cow wedge $.38 dinner = $1.93 but I might have to eat something else later. Note: tell tale medicine bottle - drugs- on the right. Please give me relief!


And now I know I must cut my carbs and up my veggies but can I do it. I must!

What about Sunday???

Sunday was such a busy day I forgot to do my blog. For breakfast, I had a TLC bar $.33 and two bananas $.38. And then I got invited to breakfast - feta omelet, home fries, bacon, tastes even better when you don't have to cook! I provided the bacon ($2.50) Then I went for a trail ride and worked up a good hunger but quickly forgot about it until dinner because I did have two breakfasts.

For dinner, I finished off my Ray's the Steak steak on a Costco roll $.80 with some sweet potato fries $1.10 We ate al fresco, it was a beautiful night.

Monday, Monday II

This morning I was insatiable- TLC bar (.35), banana (.19) and a bagel (1.00) Breakfast was a fest at $1.54 The bagel was form Potenza. They can't really do a bagel but they do a nice roll in the shape of a bagel.

Then another free lunch, I'm not even going to say this isn't the norm because I have two more on the schedule this week. Today was Devon & Blakely and I got the incredible smoked turkey, camembert, and honey mustard with a diet coke. It was both free and eaten in the company of colleagues so no photos.

For dinner, I got hunan chicken- low oil, extra spicy from Eastern 88.  $8.75 so $2 more than hunan veggies but not actually as good- lots of chicken though. My sister pointed out I always want Chinese on Monday, maybe it has something to do with starting off on the right foot ;) or maybe I just want to practice my food photo skills on a challenging subject.

Tail Waggin Day

So this morning Bou had to go to her "job" at the Beltsville Library. She spends two hours listening to kids read to her. Today was the first day since school's been in session so she was pretty booked up. And a reporter came to cover her Tail Waggin Tutoring. Look for Bou in the Prince  George's Sentinel or I can send it to you once it comes out. To stead me through her shift, I grab a quick breakfast at Ikea to-go (basic breakfast plus a biscuit $1.50); you can't beat it!


I'm still struggling with a physical malaise so no lunch but some sampling at Costco.

Dinner was a steak sandwich with some mashed potatoes and mac and cheese left over from my brother's birthday dinner at Ray's the Steaks. The mac and cheese was even better on day two and the steak was great too! (already accounted for plus a roll from Costco $.80)

Finally Friday & another Birthday Celebration

So I'm still battling something so not very hungry. Breakfast was a TLC bar. Target had a great deal so it was $2 for a box of 6 or $.34 each.

Lunch was on my office (again, I swear this is not normal) from Devon and Blakely and I got chicken noodle soup to help battle the beast within. If I had taken a photo it would have looked like yellow water in a cup so I didn't and I won't be ordering it again so just use your imagination.

Dinner was the highlight and I was hungry by then. After a stop at the Galaxy Bar (reminds me of my first car a Galaxy 500), we wandered over to Ray's the Steaks. We had heard the crab bisque was amazing and I accidentally ordered a bowl instead of a cup. It was a beautiful accident! The soup was velvety cream with huge lump crab meat and soft under notes of sherry. $8.99 I ordered filet mignon black and blue. I meant charred on the outside and rare inside (with added blue cheese on top) but we had a miscommunication and it was covered in black pepper with blue cheese sauce and rare inside. And look at that blue cheese-yikes. No matter, it was delicious but the bisque had filled me up and I could only eat two bites plus some of the mashed potatos, spinach and mac and cheese. Sides stood on their own. (Skip the bread.)  Since we were there to celebrate my brother's birthday, I snapped some photos of his food and my sister's but not every one's that would have been too much :) My steak was $31.99 It tastes so much better than it looks! Food photography is an art.

Grey and a Rainy Day

Day started bad- still no breakfast food. Well, actually I tried some cream of wheat from TJ's but I couldn't get past the baby food texture and flavor so I jumped ship and got a b-sandwich from 7/11 ($2.12) okay, I ate half and better not so close up.

Then I started not feeling good- I'm not saying it was the 7/11 sandwich, it probably wasn't, but around 11am I felt miserable and just wanted to sleep. Unfortunately I had a lunch meeting I couldn't skip (or take pictures at). The company was great! I took him to Bobby Van's, it wins awards and impresses. I got the crab cake sandwich, which comes with fries. It was free (paid by work- I promise this is not a usual event.) but if you paid it would have been $17.00 Worth the price, no. Good, yes. You only get to see my take home box, like I said I wasn't feeling great so I didn't eat that much. It looks remarkably like breakfast on the high life. Can you say dinner!

Hump day 9/14

Day two of no breakfast food in the house (see pizza pocket entry for breakfast yesterday) so I bought a roll at Potenza. They may make the best bread in DC. So good i took a bite before I snapped (error #3, also food a little too close up today) $1.00

For lunch, we welcomed a new Fellow with lunch at G Street Food (how is that for a descriptive name!) I hadn't eaten there before but their menu was intriguing. I got Chicken Banh Mi- lemongrass and ginger marinated chicken, pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber, cilantro, fresh jalapenos
& mayo-  Served on a baguette- yummy and technically free. To be honest, it was the second thing on the menu and I just stopped reading when I found it and I'm glad I did. I will try G Street Food again! I paid for everyone but my office will reimburse me. (If you have to pay, it is $7.50) We ate on the 10th floor roof and it was a beautiful day.

For weeks, possibly even a year, my sister and I have been savoring the thought of $5 BangBang shrimp from Bonefish on Wednesdays but never been able to go. Tonight we went and now our Wednesday dream is dashed. It was just too rich, too mayo-ie, too fried, over all a big no. I followed it with a half order of seared ahi tuna which also came accompanied with mayo- ugh. $15.00 for both plus tax and tip and regret.

Sept. 13

Breakfast was a pizza pocket from Aldi ($1.50). Unconventional but not as bad as it sounds

For lunch, I went to the Old Ebbit Grill. I highly recommend it to any DC tourists. The food is on par wiht Old Ebbit's (the institution) but cheaper and no real wait. I got a half order of the pasta of the day, which was Cajun chicken. It was good but a bit too creamy for me. It was, however, a great deal at $5.00 If you're in DC, visiting the White House and feeling hungry, find Old Ebbit and then ask how to get to the Grill- it is in the lobby of the office building so a bit tricky to find.

Lunch was pretty filling so for dinner, I just had the rest of my Chinese vegetables and rice. No picture necessary and price already included.

Monday, Monday

So trudging to work after the weekend.

 Breakfast was a smoothie- banana $.19 (way to compete with Walmart, Target), ice and greek yogurt, mango flavor- $1.25 plus the Kashi TLC bar $.60

Lunch was a turkey, cheese sandwich from Devon and Blakely but I was in a meeting and didn't feel I could capture- next time! It was free!! It wasn't what I wanted, I requested a different turkey sandwich, but it was still good.

I'm not reporting snacks, but thinking I should. Today, I go ta free sample- chocolate mousse with creme brule and cookie from Co.Co. as I was walking to my sister's office. It came with a fancy silver plastic spoon in a square plastic box and it was delicious. Maybe I should consider going to Co.Co.

For dinner, I was feeling like I had gone a few too many meals without seeing a vegetable so I ordered cheap Chinese. Hunan vegetables- extra spicy, low oil from Eastern 88. $6.95 Tastes better than it looks.

Celebrating Ashton!

So Ashton got to choose our dinner since it was his birthday and he chose- loco moco. Good choice, Ashton!! I contributed the brown rice, a small nod to healthiness. (3 cups $1.00 max)

Loco moco always reminds me of Hawaii and you can't go wrong with that.

Then to truly celebrate- Red Velvet cake from Costco with New York Super Fudge Chunk courtesy of Ben and Jerry's ($2.99) on the side with an A spelled out in M & Ms ($1.00). Again, you can't go wrong! Happy 5th birthday, Ashton!

Boulette's Birthday (breakfast & lunch)

Today is Bou's birthday but we're celebrating Ashton's, which is actually Monday, and Boulette's. For breakfast, we had mini sausage biscuits (2- because you can't have just one of these waist killers) with havarti cheese ($1.25), both from Aldi, and eggs from the backyard hens.

I've chosen not to show pictures of Boulette's birthday meal - savory lamb and rice ala Purina Benefuls.

For lunch, Ashton chose Red Robin before the obligatory Chuck E. Cheese. I got a chicken salad and it was surprisingly good. $12.00

Chuck E. Cheese Hell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLGtuDZTk6o

the deluge Day ii

Again, we were trapped at home because of the floods. We tried to go to work but only got as far as the Wawa, where traffic was so bad there was a traffic jam in the Wawa parking lot! So since we were there, I got a pepperoni, cheese and egg chibatta for $3.35 It was good, how could it not be? And it was filling so I skipped lunch (the samples at Costco helped tide me over to dinner).

But now for big mistake #3, Chris made a fabulous dinner of faux-chicken parmesan, which was super good- best I've had and I forgot to photo it. I have no excuses. I contributed the butter for the garlic bread and the after dinner ice cream (Breyer's chocolate with Oreos) I'll be better, I promise!

The Deluge

Two hurricanes in a row mean lots of rain and now our bridge is out! So breakfast at George's again- biscuit .35 and an order of bacon $1.20 = $1.55

Since Brandywine road and Upper Marlboro are closed, had to go South for lunch to Kodori, an exceptional eatery in Waldorf. The lunch box special is $7.95 and Mr. Kim never disappoints.

the missing night- Tuesday, September 6

It was actually a simple, quick and delicious meal- Trader Joe's butter chicken with rice. My only comment is the box is 1.5 servings- really??? Who leaves half a serving plus- look at the size, this was a one meal deal, but delicious! $3.95 Plus, it is a product of Canada! (Naan and salad sold separately)

Ate.A.Week Costs

Week one food total: $58.14

Budgetary considerations

Thought it might be worth totaling up the costs for week one.


Week one food costs:

Yesterday en total

Phone challenges, which are continuing, mean a day long posting and some brevity.

 Breakfast: baby bell $.50 at the Korean store in the building where I park and a fabulous roll $1.00 from Potenza across the street from my office. Potenza is a real bakery and Italian restaurant that helped save the food ghetto that was the White House corridor by my office.

Lunch: Salad from Devon and Blakely, the second food savior, is my go-to. Salad is $2.95 plus toppings. This one with tofu, corn, olives, kidney beans, carrots and broccoli was $5.95 (It comes with bread, if you want it too.) This is a bargain for a healthy DC lunch.

Dinner: Rice and beans replay take three $1.80

Tuesday after Labor day- is there a worst day to labor?

Morning started out bright and dreary, breakfast was a shake (banana .22, greek yogurt 1.25 and some ice cubes) $1.47 and a fiber bar (TLC) .60 = $2.07 I highly recommend the Hamilton Beach shake blender, the top becomes a cup, which fits right in your cup holder of your car- brilliant!

Lunch was beans and rice (see yesterday's cooking un-adventure) but a bigger version so we'll call is $2.00 (See yesterday for photo and times it by 2)

Good so far but what will dinner bring?

Back to Work Eve

Thanks to my sister (and sister-in-law and brother for the idea) I had a fabulous dinner of a slice of Red Star pizza all the way from near New Egypt, NJ. The chicken alfredo was like dinner on bread with bread on the side- so rich and delicious! And it was free- thanks!

Labor day lunch & farming

So a day off! I cooked a bit but nothing too complicated- Hawaiian mac salad (so I can feel like I'm still on vacation as the summer ends), beans and rice (peasant fare with some help from Trader Joe's) and some eggs. Lunch was some of the beans and rice (TJ's refried beans with jalepenos, brown rice, banana peppers, TJ's habenaro and carrot salsa, some Durachika sauce, handful of mexican cheese) about $.80 since I ate about 1/5 of it.

And chickens enjoyed the Costco flat bread even if I didn't.
Also, collected eggs (10 minus 1)- sister in NJ so had farm duties- to include one in the mac salad.

Labor Day Eve and Morn

Sunday night was Aldi fake chicken wings. Aldi has gotten lots of press among some of my friends but I'm still not sold. I did shop at Aldi in Australia and got some good deals on candy for my office. It is cheap though. 1/2 a box of fake chicken wings = $1.50 plus some blue cheese dressing, let's say $.20. I also had some sweet potato fries but we all know what those look like.

Then Labor Day morning, I wanted to check out Borders- still depressed they are closing. Problem was they open at 10 not 9. Why did I ever think they opened at 9? So I grabbed an everything bagel at Einstein (these are the only bagels available in Waldorf). $1.05

Sunday Morning Coming Down

As penance for yesterday's oil-bonanza, I'm having a fruit fast until lunch. A banana (pictured) and some cherries (not pictured). Who would have thought taking a picture of a banana could be so difficult? Who would have thought a banana could look so bad in a photo? banana $.24 (thank you Target!) cherries estimated $.75 ($2.99 lb at safeway last week) = $.99 (still need to find the cent key)

Hot Saturday Night Sept 3 dinner

George's Saturday special and some Costco samples held me over through lunch to dinner but the Costco samples also did me in. At Costco, I tried the olive flatbread and it was great so I bought one ($3.99) for dinner. I get it home and toast it up- just like the sample pro did- but at home it tastes like it has been soaking in olive oil. It is a damp, coat your mouth let-down. I ate a 1/4 of it and not sure what I'll do with the rest of it, maybe feed it to the chickens. Don't let the photo or the sample pro fool you- stay away!

Breakfast September 3

We have chickens- well my sister has chickens- that roam around our farmette keeping the bugs in check and giving us eggs in return. They make for a great Saturday breakfast usually but this morning I was out of my addiction (diet coke) so I ran down the street to George's, at least I call it George's since that is the name of the older gentleman who is there all the time and seems to be in charge. How do I know his name? My 14 year old neighbor, Preston, told me. Preston knows all the scoop in Brandywine. 
George's is a no name country store cum restaurant that makes a mean breakfast and the Saturday special will hold you past lunch, if you can even manage to eat it all. 2 eggs with cheese, 2 biscuits with gravy, some of the best breakfast potatoes you've ever had and your choice of "meats", I picked bacon over scrapple and sausage. All this for a mere $4.95 and the possibility of cardiac problems later in life!