End of the month food.

12/14/10 Trader Joe's total: $42.67

12/16/10 Fresh & Easy cash total: $16.82

12/20/10 Food 4 Less total: $10

12/23/10 Trader Joe's cash total: $39.80

12/23/10 Fresh & Easy cash total: $31.10

I spent a lot this past month. Mainly because I had a job! It was for a few weeks, but it gave me some leeway in food money. I'm glad too, but this month I'm worried. My review is due, and I've worked which is the good news. Bad news is, I don't have any unemployment left, so if my food stamp benefits change, then not only will I only have one month for rent, I won't have any cash for food. GOD I HATE THIS!!!! It'd been this way for two years. Work one month and you are not too rich to get assistance, but after that one month, I'm more poor than if I had never worked! Its like these programs can't see beyond the month. Its so frustrating. All of it is. I just want a fucking job!

But enough of the bitch train. I know I'm not a lone in this struggle, even though I feel I am at times.
For Christmas I did manage to go to a friend's party. They are meat eaters, but all of them loved my stuffed mushroom caps.

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Ingredients

25-30 stuffing portabella caps
1/4 head cabbage uncooked, diced
1/2 onion diced
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 package firm tofu
2-3 boiled potatoes
1/4 cup flour
1 clove crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Mash potatoes, garlic, 1 tsp salt together. Dice mushroom stems and add all remaining ingredients, add pepper. Mix well. Spoon into caps and bake for 20 min at 350, or until caps are tender. Garnish with red petters if desired.

They were a hit. In fact the hostess even kept the extras.

I still have a split pea soup recipe to share. It's coming up. It was good.

Happy New Year!