new credit card for the 4th of July

 I got a new credit card that gives you 5% back on whichever category you spend the most on every month. Which is grocery stores. And I got it just in time to spend $200 on groceries for the 4th of July.

Cheap hot dogs were harder to find this year. I got them at Dollar Tree. You can get 8 turkey or chicken hot dogs for $1.25. They are only 10 oz instead of 12 like most places, but I don't care. People want the condiments.

I can't get chicken quarter for less than $1/lb. Peaches were $1.49/lb at the best place I could find. Onions are $2/bag everywhere. Ketchup was $3.50. I got buns for $1/bag of 8, which isn't that bad. And a watermelon was $5 which is fine. The cheapest tomatoes I could find were $1.49/lb. I spent over $7 on Cheez Whiz! Bulgarian sheep feta was $5/lb but that's still a good price. Pasta is over $1 box. I got 3 bags of chick peas for $1.25 each though which is an incredible price. Cracker barrel cheese is $2.50 but then I got $1 back from Ibotta. I should go get more. I had to pay $4 for a pound of store brand mozzarella.

I'm not even making dessert this year. I'm too worn out.

What's on Sale This Week - St. Patrick's Day and Coronavirus

Last year Key Food has very cheap corned beef, so I ate it for the first time in my life. It was good, but it's not the same sale this year. Also, I wouldn't invite a lot of people over because of social distancing. My kitchen is pretty full with stuff, but I'm going to see what is on sale this week anyway.

Western Beef: nothing

Food Bazaar: A 44-pack of fish sticks is $6. I can't remember if that's a good price. Considering how many fish tacos I could make with 44 fish sticks (22), it's a pretty good price. That's the only good sale, so I won't go there.

Green Corner: Nothing really.

Key Food: (I hope I find good sales, even though I looked yesterday and know there aren't any as good as last week's.) Cabbage is $0.27/lb. (It also lasts a long time, perfect for a quarantine or even social distancing.)  Flour is $2 for 2 lbs. I have been making a lot of focaccia. The corned beef is $1.99/lb with a $25 purchase. Scalfani canned tomatoes are 3/$4 (must buy 3). Usually that would deter me, but in these times of hoarding I might do it.

C-Town: Nothing

Bravo: Luigi Vitelli pasta is $0.79. I am up to my gills in pasta though. Krasdale cheese hunks are $1.67 for 8 oz.

What to cook for St. Patrick's Day

I don't know! I hope the Key Food and Bravo circulars inspire me. I think they made their St. Patrick's sales last week because that is when cabbage was $0.29/lb everywhere. But I didn't get any. I'll make colcannon (mashed potatoes with kale) and I don't know what else.

Bravo has some Irish beers on sale. Kerrygold butter is on sale, but it's $4 which isn't a good enough sale. I could do $3.49. Pizza rolls are on sale! I think we're going to eat pizza rolls, onion rings, and colcannon.

Key Food has avocados for $0.97. I have long thought that guacamole and margaritas are good for St. Patrick's Day because they are green and Irish food isn't that good (except colcannon). Nothing else good at Key Food.

I'll check Food Bazaar too. Corned beef is $3/lb. Hmm.

Post Lent

Lent's over. I could go back to buying cheap eggs if I want, but I figure I'll still buy cage free eggs to be nice to the chickens. I also have to try the farmer's market.

Yesterday at Associated I bought almost 7 lbs of chicken quarters for $0.49/lb. I imagine those chickens weren't treated very well. That is 7 lbs of chicken for less than the last dozen eggs I bought cost.

I'm inventing chicken noodle soup salad. It has cold chicken, raw celery, carrot, and onion, and some other stuff. It's not soup and it's not soupy. So far it's pretty good.

Olive Oil

I still haven't recovered from the 4th of July, but I'm getting there. I read the NY Times food section last night and it made me think positively of food again. Maybe I'll cook someday.

I need olive oil soon. Since I buy 101 oz cans, it makes a big difference if I can get them on sale. I wish I knew which brands I liked most. C-Town has Cento on sale, but the review on Amazon said it's not good. I can't remember if I've liked that. I'm sure I've had it. I currently have Filippo Berio, which isn't bad. If I run out and can't find a sale, I'll buy a bottle at Trader Joe's to tide me over.

Oysters for Thanksgiving

GQ taught me to eat oysters and drink champagne before Thanksgiving dinner. And so when I head off to Krys and Quentin's later today, I am going to chuck oysters with a butter knife and open the André and do just that.

Food Bazaar has had pretty good oysters every time I've had them. The price went down since I last looked too! Maybe they're in season. They're only $5 for a dozen. I bought 2. I got 3 lemons too. I like oysters with lemon juice and a dab of hot sauce.

In Pittsburgh, 2 dozen oysters cost $28. I guess there are some advantages to living on the coast.