Stockpile Meal: Nachos

I have a folder full of stockpile meals that I keep meaning to put up here so I figured I had better get to it! This edition is nachos.

Step One: fry the corn tortillas

You only need about 1.5 inches of oil to fry in. Use a wide mouth pan and don't take the heat above medium. The oil shouldn't spit at you as long as the pan was completely dry. If it is smoking you have it way too hot. The tortillas should almost immediately float to the surface if the oil is  hot enough. Put them in, wait about 15 - 30 seconds, turn. Fry just until they start to turn golden brown and they are no longer pliable.

Step Two: salt the fried tortillas

I lay out a couple layers of paper towels on a baking sheet to soak up the oil. I immediately salt the chips with kosher salt when they come out.

Step Three: Layer the chips on cooling racks

Line a baking sheet with foil, put down the first rack. Layer your chips in a single layer, close together. Sprinkle with cheese, onions and jalapenos (if desired). Using small sheets of foil, create 4 equal sized balls (about 1"). Place the second rack on the foil balls (the rack should not be directly on the chips below). 

Step Four: Sprinkle with shredded cheese, diced red onion and diced jalepeno

Repeat the process. I left 1/4 of the chips plain (just cheese) for my son.

Step Five: Remove from racks, place on fancy tray ;). Serve with hot refried beans, salsa and sour cream.

I got this technique of making nachos from Alton Brown on the food network. So thanks, Alton. I use it every time I make nachos now because I hate globby cheese and how some have lots and some have none. It's been awhile since I bought all these ingredients so these are my best guesses on pricing:

• Corn tortillas (big package) - can usually get on sale or with coupons for $2.00
• Vegetable Oil - Got this big container from Costco for about $7 and I only used about 2 cups so we will call it - $0.50
• Refried beans (single can) - I can usually get these on sale for about $0.80
• Sour Cream - I got this container for $0.75 with sale and coupon
• Salsa - my stock up price on the small bottles is $1 or less. I believe I got this salsa for $0.50.
• Cheese - I got this 8 oz. bag of Tillamook at Fred Meyer when they had them on sale for $1
• Jalepeno - $0.50 (usually 2/$1)
• Red onion - $0.79/lb - we will call this $0.79 since it was a huge onion (only used about 1/4)

So total all those ingredients cost $6.84 and this amount could easily feed 4, so $1.71 per serving! Not a bad deal (and it is even vegetarian for the non-meat eaters as long as you get vegetarian beans).

Shopping with Amanda, August 1

Albertsons:

$11.34 Spent, $22.77 Saved

It was a disappointing week at Albertsons (and it was even a double coupon week!). There were not very many good deals so I just picked up a couple things. I got the Bayer for $0.99 each after a $2 manufacturers coupon. I used double coupons on the Philadelphia cooking cream to get those for  $1.49 each and I used the double coupons on the Sabra Hummus to get that for $1.99.

 Fred Meyer:

$23.66 Spent, $4.27 Saved (coupon savings ONLY)

 It really drives me nuts that Fred Meyer doesn't list the savings you get by using their store card! Take for example the Tillamook sliced cheese. They were on sale for $3 each and they are normally over $4. I used a $1 off coupon on each so I got them for $2 each which is not a bad price. The Hamburger Helper was on sale for 4/$5 or $1.25 each. I used a $0.80/3 coupon and then I received a $2 catalina making them $0.55 after savings.

Rite Aid:

$8.75 Spent, $60.18 Saved

 It took a little hunting in the store but I managed to get all the items on my list with the exception of a toothbrush. The Crest mouthwash was on sale for $5 each and if you bought 4 you could send for a $10 single check rebate (making each one $2.50 after scr) and I had a $2 off coupon for each so each mouthwash is $0.50 after rebate and coupon! The Gillette Fushion Proglide razor was on sale for $9.99 and it had a $5 +up, plus I had a $4 off coupon making the razor (plus bonus skincare!) $0.99! Everything else was part of a spend $30, get $10 +up promotion.

Safeway:

$42.77 Spent, $46.40 Saved

 They had a beverage event going on that if you got 10 you saved so I got all the drinks for $0.49 each. I got the pasta for $0.45 a box and the BBQ sauce for $0.88 each (my favorite kind! KC Masterpiece). I got a bunch of Sunripe fruit leather products for between $0.17 - $0.33 each after BOGO coupons. Grapes were $1.25/lb and peaches were $0.99/lb. The bell peppers were $1.25 each.

Target:

$3.42 Spent, $5.29 Saved.

 Mini trip to Target. I printed the wrong list so I didn't get as much as I had planned. I got two $1 file folders for my Mom. The Jif to go was free because I had a freebie coupon. The J&J first aid kits were $0.22 each after coupons.

Walgreens:

$19.43 Spent, $56.80 Saved

 I actually ran out on Sunday evening after Chris got home so I could score the toilet paper deal. I was amazed that they actually had any left. The toilet paper was on sale for $5 per 12 pack and there was a Walgreens coupon for $1 off and I had coupons for $0.75/1 and $0.50/1. PLUS it printed a $3.50 register reward. So in total I paid $6.75 for both packs and got back $3.50. So that means each package cost $1.60! I got the Kotex and the Coffee-Mate for $0.50 each. The toothbrushes were free after register rewards and coupons.

Super Walmart:

30.92 Spent, $36.60 Saved (coupon savings ONLY)

My Mom and I did a late night trip up to the Super Walmart in Marysville for fun to see what kind of deals we could get. I was surprised how many good deals I walked out with. Walmart is weird because some things were overpriced and some were a lot cheaper than grocery stores. I guess that's how they keep the balance (bread for example was really expensive!). I snagged each of the Tropicana and Minute Maid juices for $1 each, no coupons! I got both things of Bengay free after coupons. The special Mariners edition razor I got for $2 after coupon. The mini Hawaiian bread sub rolls were $0.50, the floss was free, the travel sized bandaids were $0.22 each, the Sargento cheese was $1.24, the ketchup was $0.08, the Dial lotion was free, the organic tomato paste was free, the Herbal Essences and Pantene shampoos were free, Lunchables were $1.25 each, peaches were $0.88/lb. Anyway, lots of good deals to be had if you know your prices and keep your coupons with you while you shop. I will definitely be doing this again because it was very fun!

So all in all I spent $140.29 and I saved $234.31! So I got $374.60 worth of product for $140.29!

Shopping with Amanda, July 24

I am a major procrastinator! I am two weeks behind here! Here are last weeks results.

Walgreens:
I took several trips to Walgreens over a couple of days and a couple of stores.

$6.20 Spent, $36.80 Saved

 There were so many good deals this week at Walgreens. After coupons I got the gum for about $0.12 a pack and I got overage for the toothpaste with the register rewards and the P&G catalina.

$5.88 Spent, $26 Saved

 This was my favorite deal because I really needed laundry detergent. I got each of these boxes for $2.99 (normally $10!).

$9.33 Spent, $18.47 Saved

This deal was a little complicated because I had to do some returns because I didn't get the register rewards I was expecting. I can't remember exactly what I saved on these deals because on my receipt it includes all the deals including the returns. This is my best guess. I got the scrunci's free after register rewards. My total would have been lower if I had remembered to give them the Walgreens coupons for the Skintimate.

Babies R Us/Toys R Us

$10.38 Spent, $32.96 Saved

Okay so I know I am not pregnant and I don't have a baby in diapers but this was too good of a deal to pass up! Babies R Us/Toys R Us had Huggies diapers (and others) on sale for $5 per pack, which is already a good deal but I had 4 $1.50/1 coupons to use AND these paticular diapers were on sale for BOGO 50% off. So two packs cost $3.50 after coupons and two packs cost $1.00 after coupons. PLUS I got coupons in each pack! The other good deal was on the Huggies Pure and Natural. If you bought two you got a $5 gift card. I missed out on those though.

Kmart
Kmart was doing double coupons as a promotion on any coupon $0.99 or  under. 

$11.64 spent, $12.75 Saved

 Cottenelle 12 packs were on sale for $4.99 and I had 3 $0.75/1 coupons which doubled. Plus these packs have Cars logos on them. I thought I needed 3 to get the $10 gift card but it turns out I need 5. I have a couple months to get the other two and once I do I will get a $10 gift card (or two $10 gift cards if I buy a total of 6). I also received a $4.50 catalina to use at Kmart.

$11.61 Spent, $19.60 Saved

I almost returned these but decided against it. There was supposed to be a $5 catalina when you spent $25 in L'Oreal products. I bought 10 bottles of shampoo at $2.50 each. I had $0.75/1 coupons for each one and they each doubled so I paid $1 for each bottle. If I had gotten the catalina it would have been about $0.67 per bottle. Oh well. $1 a bottle is still good!

Target:
*oops!* Apparently I forgot to take a picture of my Target trip. I spent $20.92 and I saved $24.81. I got 4 packs of Pepsi for $10, I got Zantac for $0.59, I also got V8, nail polish and a couple of the dollar deals.

Rite Aid

$3.48 Spent, $39.46 Saved.

Albertsons

$42.88 Spent, $58.54 Saved

I was a little disappointed in my total at Albertsons because they were doing a bunch of catalina promotions but the cashier wouldn't let me use more than 4 catalinas per transaction (apparently the register wouldn't let him but it didn't say anywhere that there were limits). I got the Tillamook for $4.99, I got two pounds of coffee for $3 each and I got paid (after catalinas and coupons) for the toothpaste. I went back later and got another Tillamook brick and a big package of chicken (not pictured).

Fred Meyer

$13.67 Spent, $10 Saved

Okay so I couldn't find my receipt so this is my best guess. I got the Jamba Juice frozen smoothies for $0.67 each after coupons, I got the crayons for $0.25 each, the paints were BOGO free, the colored paper was $1, the potatoes o'brien were $1.25, the tuna was 3 for $1.

So all in all I spent $115.07 (approximately) and I saved $254.58!