One of my favorite summer things is glorious fruit. Peaches are in their glory right now and on sale for under $1 a pound. That tells me it's time to make pie! Fruit pies are such a simple and lovely allergy friendly dessert. Peach just so happens to be one of my favorites. Many people think that you need to have whipped cream, ice cream, or something similar for a slice of … [Read more...]
Taco Salad Casserole
Hey kids! Who wants avocados for dinner? silence ... silence.... sigh. Hey kids! Who wants taco salad for dinner? ~ insert chorus of cheers here ~ Now that's more like it! Just don't get too nosey about those avocados lurking on the counter looking all guilty like they're about to jump in your food and be all healthy for you. I don't know what priorities my … [Read more...]
Cilantro-Lime Quinoa
This recipe is quickly becoming one of our favorites for outdoor cookouts, potluck gatherings, and overnight camping trips. It can easily be made in advance, tastes great leftover, and is sure to please any crowd. A little over a year ago we would have been adding a bag of chips or pasta salad (made from white flour) to our cookouts, but now that we're on the real food … [Read more...]
Chilled Summer Squash and Orzo Salad
Hello garden goodies! It's that time of year when the zukes, squash, and tomatoes and abundant in gardens across the land. And I've got the p.e.r.f.e.c.t recipe that will use them all up in one shot! There's just something about a chilled orzo salad during the summertime it just makes my tongue, my tummy and my heart happy! Orzo is the perfect size, texture and does … [Read more...]
Chicken Fajita Melts
The final recipe from this month's pantry challenge. This is a new one to me. Maybe not to you. In the freezer I found chicken breasts, peppers and onion blend, loaf of reduced priced bread, slices of pepper jack cheese. And the pantry did make a contribution to the meal...some jarred salsa! Once I had it all out on the counter, it occurred to me that I bought some … [Read more...]
Fried Green Tomatoes
Sliced, dipped, dredged and fried tomatoes equal a plateful of delights as the showcase of veggie night. It’s an annual treat. I make fried green tomatoes maybe twice a summer. Veggie plate night, of course being a frugal way to feed our hodgepodge. And fried green tomatoes, of course being a way to liven things up a bit. I explained to the children that fried green … [Read more...]
How to Seed a Tomato
If you need to use a tomato without all the drippy, seedy parts, try this quick and easy way to remove the seeds from the tomato. Simply slice the tomato along it's equator, then gently squeeze out the seeds. By slicing longways, the seed pods should be broken and should fall out easily. The seeds from some varieties of tomatoes might not fall out so easily, so … [Read more...]
Mushroom and “Roasted” Garlic Pita Pizzas
My husband and son love pizza: the greasier the better. That kind of pizza really does not agree with my system. Before we started becoming more frugal, we had delivery pizza of this description about once a week. It was bad for our wallets and bad for our bodies. Over several months, I have gotten my family accustomed to enjoying less greasy pizzas -- usually home made … [Read more...]
Caesar Romaine Wedge Salad
So I have been racking my brain, trying to figure out what to do with this week's Grow. Eat. $ave. post about lettuce. I feel like I've been eating or talking about salads for weeks. (See Strawberry Spinach Salad, Asian Spinach Salad with Mandarins, plus I've been making lots of the salad dressings that are in my Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook over the past 2 months!) But I … [Read more...]
Grilled Ratatouille
Ratatouille is one of the most frugal dishes in my repertoire. When my garden is in full swing the only ingredient I have to buy to make this dish is olive oil. As much as I like ratatouille, I must confess it has a couple of downsides. First, if I turn on the oven on a hot July day and only have vegetables to show for it, I will have a mutiny on my hands. Which brings me to … [Read more...]