Saturday, September 27, 2008

Savory Surprise


My dear friend Angie is one of the most frugal people I know. She not only coupons, and shops yard sales and second hand stores, she grows all her own veggies, and they even raise their own meat. I am constantly in awe of her.

Last week she called me and asked if I could take some minute steaks. Free meat? SURE! (As I never refuse gifts of food -- we can always find a use for them somewhere.) In exchange, I offered her some bologna out of my freezer, since it is one of the handful of foods her newly-picky toddler will eat. She admitted she had been actually PAYING for bologna. There was no need for that since I have 20+ packs in my freezer that were free.

Of course, the day we were supposed to trade, nothing went right. My grandmother passed away, so I had to let my husband make the trade. I sent her 3 packs of bologna, thinking she was bringing me a couple of packs of minute steak. I was wrong.

He brings home a Kroger bag full of steak -- minute steak, sirloin, on and on. I could have cried I felt so blessed. She explained that she was getting a new cow that day and had to get rid of it -- so I received about 20 packs of beef from my sweet friend. And did I mention they were organic?

If you ever doubt how I make it on such a little grocery budget -- things like this are how. I believe you get what you give, and each time I hear someone is having a financial difficulty I gather them up a box of goods and it takes a couple of days fear of "how are we going to survive" off their shoulders. I do not do this to receive it back, I do it out of love. I truly believe God rewards good behaviors, and the steaks were my "payday".

Supper on Tuesday night was country fried steak, mashed potatoes, English peas, gravy and homemade biscuits. My husband did the cooking! A free meal I didn't have to cook? Such a wonderful savory surprise!

3 comments:

April@Crafty*Nesty*Thrifty said...

What a blessing! I have never had country fried steak before, it looks sooooo good! I am loving your blog.

Nessa said...

That's so awesome! WE truly do reap what we sow.

Hope yopui and yours are doing well. I feel like I haven't "talked" to you in ages!

Nessa said...

Gina,
I've given you a blog award because you are just wonderful! Come check it out!

http://nessatxmom.blogspot.com/2008/10/i-won-blog-award.html