Our blueberry bushes have started producing early this year because we had such an early spring in our area but I still have a bunch put away in the freezer from last year so I thought I'd better start using them up. This blueberry cobbler recipe is a family favorite and it is SO simple to make that I really have no excuse for not throwing it together more often! You could … [Read more...]
Burrito Cups
We've all seen (or had) the 7 layer dip cups to serve at parties. But what about dinner in a cup. Specifically, burrito dinner in a cup. Sure burritos, require tortillas...but what if you can't eat tortillas. We have a kid who is currently off gluten (and a number of other foods) because of some chronic respiratory issues that are not being resolved with medication. Being … [Read more...]
Cinco Layer Dip Recipe
Seven Layer Dip just got a little skinnier and a little cheaper for Cinco de Mayo! As tradition dictates, parties for Cinco de Mayo happen all over the country to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride. This year at our house, we'll be celebrating with cinco layers and not seven. Overall, it's the traditional Seven Layer Dip, minus the olives and tomatoes. I've removed … [Read more...]
Scrambled Egg Pockets
Breakfast for dinner serves a wonderful dual purpose. It's cheaper than normal dinners and kids love the change. The scrambled egg pockets have a unique twist to traditional eggs and the ingredients are healthy, so I feel good giving it to my family for dinner. I did learn the hard way to really look at which ingredients I buy. This calls for plain greek yogurt, and the first … [Read more...]
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Mango-Black Bean Salsa
Years ago when we had our oldest on a gluten free diet, I quickly learned that the best way to do that diet on a budget is to avoid gluten all together. And bake sparingly, and from scratch. I learned to base our meals around sweet potatoes, potatoes and brown rice. Adding in brown rice pasta, as our budget allowed. At the moment, we have 1 kid off dairy and soy, another kid … [Read more...]
Spicy Mandarin Orange Chicken
Emily emailed me this recipe...I've been wanting to try it, but didn't want to have to buy a jar of orange marmalade only to use a little for this recipe and then let the jar sit in the fridge. Neither my husband and I are huge orange marmalade fans, another reason I knew it would go to waste after just using a few spoonfuls. I spotted the sweet chili sauce in the fridge and … [Read more...]
Bacon, Avocado, and Red Pepper Quesadilla
BLTs. There's just something about the flavor combination of the famous BLT: the salty bacon, the juicy tomato and the slight crunch from the lettuce. Combined with some delicious mayo (or Parmesan Mayo) on toasted bread and you've got a real winner of a sandwich. But what about a BLT Quesadilla? I decided to get a little creative with some ingredients that I had on … [Read more...]
Ultimate Loaded Quesadilla
It is a universally known fact that children love quesadillas. Almost as well known is how very easy they are. Frugal and simply adaptable for a wide range of palettes. Take the photograph above. Pictured is a homemade, pimento cheese, spinach and avocado quesadilla. The pimento cheese my children would definitely go for. The spinach and avocado the older ones would eat. A … [Read more...]
Peppered Salmon with Brown Rice
I get asked frequently about seafood and how to use it to make a $5 Dinner. And to be quite honest, it's tough. The key is getting the seafood for a rock bottom price...or combining it with another protein to keep overall meal costs down (like doing a mix of chicken pieces and shrimp in a jambalaya type dish.) I often find that seafood deals are unadvertised or can be found … [Read more...]
Asian Chicken Salad with Quinoa
I love Asian chicken Salad. It is second only to chocolate on my list of favorites. I enjoy trying new variations and often experiment with it at home. When I discovered quinoa while going through my pantry, I knew I had to try it in this salad! Quinoa, with its nutty flavor and crunchy texture, is a natural addition to this type of salad. In this easy recipe, I used quinoa … [Read more...]