Tonight's $5 Dinner Challenge...Twice baked potatoes - as a one-dish dinner. Plus, I'm sharing my twice baked potatoes piercing trick too! Duffy T, a long time friend of $5 Dinners, sent my a note about the way they do twice baked potatoes. They turn them into an entire meal by adding either chicken or ham and broccoli and cheese to the mixture. I couldn't resist. I … [Read more...]
October Potatofest Recipes
Our feeding the larger family ways will help you feed a crowd and take a break during the holidays! October is potato month for me for several reasons. Not only are potatoes frugal and can be served in a variety of ways, but October is right up next to November and December. October is the month I pile the potatoes in the freezer – freeing me up at holiday time. … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
Lazy. This is me...being lazy. I've been wanting to make some orange chicken for a while...recently had a conversation with a friend about it...and couldn't put it off any longer. She shared a recipe with me and we decided that it would work with frozen vegetables too. And the result was lovely fake-out take-out meal. Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Skip the take … [Read more...]
Homemade Pumpkin in the Slow Cooker
Alright...for those of you were wondering about cooking your own pumpkins...here you go. Couple things you should know before you embark into the land of homemade pumpkin puree: You have to use a certain kind of pumpkin. The kind that you get for carving...yeah, those won't work. *bitter Look in your store for the "pie pumpkins"...they will be on sale and super cheap … [Read more...]
Savory Slow Cooker Chicken and Butternut Squash
This recipe is part of our 6th Costco Meal Plan: 20 Slow Cooker Freezer Packs from Costco for $150! We've been enjoying lots of butternut squash lately, after buying some at Kroger, then more at Aldi the next week for just $.59 each! We've had this...a beef stew with butternut ...and I made the same beef stew mix for the guys to enjoy while I'm out of town this … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Orange-Cranberry Pork Roast
So I'm gone almost 6 full days this week. A new record for me! In an attempt to keep my guys from having to go out to eat every night while I'm gone, I've put together some meal options for them. I'm leaving spaghetti for them to have tonight. And here's what I've left for the rest of the week. (I even organized it neatly into the freezer door to make things even easier … [Read more...]
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
As promised, my homemade pumpkin pie spice mix recipe. You'll notice that it's very similar to the apple pie spice...just adds ginger and a bit more cinnamon. And just like I said the other day, "why buy a jar of spice that you only need 1-2 teaspoons of when you can mix up your own with what you've got already?!" Over time, you accumulate all the spices you need to … [Read more...]
Pumpkin – Canned or Homemade???
Katie asks... I have read many of your posts this year and last about pumpkin. As someone who makes many items from scratch (chicken stock, etc.), why do you use canned pumpkin? I cook up a few sugar pumpkins each fall, and freeze the puree for future pies, pancakes... whenever we are craving the taste of fall. It seems easy to do, so I wondered why use canned? I'd love your … [Read more...]
Homemade Jerk Seasoning and Grilled Jerk Chicken Recipe
Afternoon my friend! If you want some extra "jerk" to your seasoning, just add a little more red pepper. I try to keep things on the mild end because of the little ones in the house. Hope you enjoy it! Over the past few years, I've taken a number of steps toward healthier eating on a budget. In addition to making my own salad dressings, I've also … [Read more...]
Southwest Pasta Skillet
This quick and easy recipe was inspired by mushy salad greens. I had plans to make taco salad and had already started browning the hamburger when I pulled the lettuce out of the refrigerator and discovered it had turned. I didn't have a lot of time to come up with a new dinner plan. I surveyed the cupboards and fridge and decided to use the beans and tomatoes that I was going … [Read more...]