Ever since I scored that fabulous deal all those cans of tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chilies, I can't seem to stop making chili! After making the Spicy Southern Chili, I thought another chili with some kick was in order...but this time with a little sweetness added in as well. Sweetness...in the form of maple syrup. I give you my Heat 'n Sweet Chili! For a … [Read more...]
Homemade Baked Beans Recipe
We are going through a bit of a beans phase. Ryan is still learning to like them. (And these sweeter beans were a great start). Charlie has always loved beans. Tyler can't get enough of beans. How to Make Baked Beans From Scratch! Add the molasses. The ketchup. The sweet chili sauce. The worcestershire sauce. And some … [Read more...]
Mexican Bean Tostadas – How to Make Tostadas
So it occurred to me at about 5 pm on Sunday (when the Super Bowl had not started yet...somehow in my head the game was supposed to be in the afternoon), that we needed to eat dinner. And while all the appetizers that I had out would have probably sufficed, I still wanted to have something "dinner-ish" to serve to the guys! (We'd hoped to have friends over...but that … [Read more...]
What to Make When…Fresh or Frozen Fish Fillets
Next up on the "What to Make When" Series...Fresh or Frozen Fish Fillets. Every now and again, there will be a great price somewhere buried in the store circular...$2.99/lb for fresh salmon fillets. $2.99/lb of frozen tilapia fillets. These two types of fish are what we like to eat...and what we can manage to squeeze into our grocery budget! (Besides canned tuna.) A few … [Read more...]
How to Cook Turkey Bacon
Bacon...bacon...bacon. Too bad it's so bad for you! Because it tastes soooooo gooood. We don't eat a lot of bacon, but when we do I try to use turkey bacon. Lean, lean, lean turkey bacon. But the problem with the "lean-ness" is that it doesn't release much fat to cook itself, like pork bacon does. I've tried cooking turkey bacon in the microwave on … [Read more...]
Goulash on Mashed Red Potatoes
This meal was a group effort, if you will. We made this at grandma's last week. We don't normally stay at grandma's house for days at a time, but when it's 50 degrees in your house and you have no heat or power...you have to move into grandma's. So we did. I brought the beef, red onion and tomatoes from home. I stole borrowed used some paprika from grandma's … [Read more...]
Spicy Southern Chili with Bread Bowls
It's been years since I've had chili in a bread bowl. Maybe even a decade worth of years. I'd forgotten how amazingly delicious the bottom of the bread bowl tastes, after it's had time to soak up all the chili juices. A perfect warm your tummy meal! First up. The Chili Bread Bowls Made with, yes, chili powder in the dough! The dough has a lovely orange … [Read more...]
Cheesy Croissants
The other day I found an awesome recipe that was so simple yet so good, I knew I had to share it with you! A hot croissant wrapped around Brie. Ingenious!! But wait, my reoccurring dinner problem....2 out of 5 are such picky eaters. I just didn't think they would eat Brie. But, I so wanted to try it out. So, for you, the dear readers of $5 dinners, I threw myself on the … [Read more...]
Mango Avocado Salsa with Sweet Lime Vinaigrette
When I was in Texas over the holidays, I went rummaging through my mom's refrigerator trying to come up with a fun appetizer for a family dinner we were having. I found a mango that I was going to use in a fruit salad, but when I cut into it and discovered it was tangy and not-so-sweet, I decided we needed to add more bold flavors, to help hide the tangy mango! I ended up … [Read more...]
What to Make When…Pork Roasts
When it comes to pork roasts, there are a number of ways to go about doing them! I prefer the slow cooker, as the pork gets so tender and juicy. And delicious. I typically purchase the pork shoulder for anywhere between $1.49/lb and $1.99/lb, and I also like to buy the larger boneless pork tenderloins when they go on sale for $1.99/lb or less. When buying the larger … [Read more...]