Raise your hand if you love hummus. Yes, yes, lots of folks out there. Me too! Ok. How many of you pay big bucks for one of those tiny tubs of hummus at the store? A few, yes. How many have this little problem of keeping food and snacks stocked in your house? Me too! Well, I’m here to share my way of saving big bucks in the hummus economy. Thinking of how I batch cooked … [Read more...]
Taco ‘Taters
Last week before our spontaneous camping trip (more on that tomorrow), I was on a mission to clear out the fridge and use up items from the pantry and freezers. And come Friday night, there wasn't much left to choose from. I went digging in the freezers and I found the a bag of my favorite taco meat, some shredded cheese...and then pulled out the potatoes from the … [Read more...]
Southwest Wild Rice Pilaf
I've had some wild rice in my pantry for way too long...and it's time to use it up! I like wild rice...but not "all" wild rice. Meaning I don't like to eat just wild rice as a side dish...even when it's flavored well, cooked in stock, etc. It has a "harsh" taste, if you will. So when making this pilaf, I decided to do a combination of brown rice and wild rice...to "tame" the … [Read more...]
Taco-dillas
Last Thursday was "Taco Night" at our house. (And turns out, it was at many of your houses, as well!) I made a double batch of my favorite taco meat...thinking I'd freeze some to have another taco night next month. Instead, I ended up "repurposing" the taco meat into quesadillas last night! Steve and I had the cheesy quesadillas dipped in sour cream...and the boys had "taco … [Read more...]
Sharon’s Southern Beans, Potatoes and Cornbread
This is Grandpa's special supper. He is from Alabama and taught me how to make this quick and easy meal. Nana and Grandpa live with us and this is our favorite food to eat together with all the children. Southern Beans, Potatoes and Cornbread Yield - 8 servings Preparation Time - 15 minutes Cooking Time - 25 minutes Ingredients 2 cups plain yellow cornmeal ($ … [Read more...]
Southwestern Spaghetti Pie
This recipe is born of a desire to not waste leftovers. When my kids were young and their palates were limited I often had a spaghetti night and a taco night. At the end of the week when I cleaned out the fridge I often had mix matched ingredients. Leftover noodles, but no sauce. Leftover taco meat, but no tortillas. Instead of throwing them out I decided to combine them. My … [Read more...]
Bean and Cheese Sandwiches
In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I'll be having these for lunch tomorrow! Molletes. (Pronounced, moy-ette-s.) Please pardon my incorrect breakdown of the sounds. Grammar, sounds and pronunciation are not my forte! Molletes are traditional Mexican sandwiches, and my spicy version is the perfect way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a little kick! Enjoy!!! Cinco … [Read more...]
Enchilada Stuffed Pasta Shells
My oldest child was born while my husband was deployed in the first gulf war. Our squadron's support group organized dinners for me every night until my husband returned 4 weeks later. But that is not all. Whoever brought me dinner packed a lunch for me to enjoy the next day. Seriously. I have been paying that amazing gift forward for the last 20 years. One of my favorite … [Read more...]
Minestrone Casserole
This Minestrone Casserole is a must-try recipe! All the loveliness of Minestrone Soup...in casserole form. The beans, the pasta, the veggies, the cheese. Without a drop of broth! This one didn't last long at our house. (And for those of you dairy-free folks, I actually made half with cheese for Steve to have for dinner and lunch the next day...and made the … [Read more...]
Tortellini Soup
Last week I was craving minestrone soup, but many of the vegetables that I use in it are not in season. Buying imported, out of season veggies would have greatly increased the cost of the dish, so I decided to replace them with something that is always in season: tortellini! :) I reduced the cost of this soup, by using homemade chicken broth. I also used dry beans that I … [Read more...]