Christmas Dinner for $15

Our Christmas for $15:

Usually our Christmas Dinner is overflowing with food. We make a little bit of everything and fill up the table with goodies. Our fridge then becomes stocked with leftovers which seem to always go bad before we can use them all. I am not sure why or how it happened, but this year was WONDERFULLY different.

Maybe it was because we only had $15 to spend.

I was telling my husband how Crystal takes $35 and ONLY $35 dollars with her when she does her grocery shopping. She takes a calculator and adds it all up as she goes along, making sure not to go over the budget (pretty embarrassing to get up to the grocery counter only to realize you have $40 worth of food and only $35 to pay for it).

So hubby was shopping (he is the cook in our house when it comes to the fancy dinners - I do the everyday stuff, he does the fanciful stuff). And he only had $15 cash left. So as he went shopping, he added everything up in his mind. And he spent just cents less of $15. :)

He bought organic chicken (on sale), some rolls, cranberry sauce (the canned kind because **I** like it, although he prefers to make his own), carrots and celery. He also bought a pie (which normally we make ourselves, but pecans are so expensive, it was cheaper to buy one than make one). He also bought something else, but I cannot remember what.

He did comment on how difficult it was to stay with the cash he had on hand. He realized just how easy it was to pick something up to purchase it just because you wanted it (after all, that is a GREAT price for it!), rather than truly needing it. I must admit that I am happy for this because I usually send my beloved out to buy a few things and he comes back with a bunch! This will help him to get back sooner as well as help keep us from overspending. Taking cash only with us to buy groceries will really help keep our grocery budget under control.

We had roast chicken (a leg for each person) with carrots and celery. Sides were herbed rice (we already had the rice and herbs), cranberry sauce, veggies and rolls. And for dessert, pecan pie.

I was amazed at how simple and elegant dinner was. There was no rushing around to cook this and that. There were no foods to keep warm while others were cooking. It was nice and simple and .... WONDERFUL! There was no hustle and bustle. Just a simple and elegant dinner to enjoy together. And everyone got plenty to eat!!! :D