Every now and then I still like to take a cookbook off my shelf and page through it for inspiration. If I’m looking on the internet for a recipe, I usually have something specific in mind already that I need instructions for. With a cookbook, however, I start browsingRead More
Fake Shake & Bake
It’s been almost 50 years since the clever folks at Kraft Foods first introduced us to Shake ‘n Bake. Shake ‘n Bake was created as a healthier way to have a tasty crumb coating on chicken that eliminated greasy deep frying. They even used slogans like “Why Fry? Shake andRead More
Make Your Own Rotisserie Chicken (In the Crockpot!)
I’ve always been intimidated by cooking a whole chicken and I don’t really know why. I always had my excuses for not giving it a try which sounded something like this . . . ~ The boneless, skinless chicken breasts are so convenient ~ I like white meat better anywayRead More
How to Make A Crumb Coating for Fish
For many years I was intimidated by cooking fish. My idea of having fish for dinner was to pick up a package of Gorton’s fish sticks. Frozen fish sticks aren’t all bad, but I eventually discovered that there were much tastier homemade options. My current favorite method is to useRead More
Using Pantry Spices to Season Chili
Have you been relying on a packet of seasoning to spice up your chili? Here’s a frugal way to use spices you probably already have in your pantry to season your chili instead. Now I know some folks can be pretty competitive about their chili and even compete in contestsRead More
Homemade Stovetop Mac & Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food loved by both kids and adults. In most households it also means getting the handy little macaroni and cheese mixes from the store. Easy and convenient, but don’t you sometimes wonder what’s really in that envelope of mystery cheesy powder mix? ItRead More
Make Your Own Veggie Patch Pizza
Applebees used to have this wonderful little appetizer called the Veggie Patch Pizza. It had a nice thin crust, tasty veggies, and lots of melty cheesy goodness. It was my favorite thing to order and even though it was an appetizer, for me it was the perfect size little pizzaRead More
Homemade Thin Crust Pizza
Are you a thin crust pizza type of person? If you are, then I think you’ll like this frugal recipe for a homemade pizza crust that only uses just a little over one cup of flour. I’ve been looking for a good recipe for a homemade pizza crust for aRead More
Crockpot Vegetarian Chili
Here’s an easy crockpot vegetable chili recipe that’s a favorite homemade meal of mine during the cold weather months. This recipe makes a good sized batch but we love the leftovers. In fact this is one of those recipes that i think almost tastes better the next day! The consistency of this chili isRead More
Potato Soup Mix
This time of year I start to see more recipes popping up for dry soup mixes that can be put in jars and given as gifts. They’re very easy and economical gifts to give. No wonder these recipes get passed all around! I’ve received these as gifts too, but IRead More
Flavoring Steamed Fish with Herb Butter
My new favorite kitchen gadget is a 3 Tier Steamer I bought on an impulse while grocery shopping at Aldi. For the last couple of months now I’ve been trying different meats and vegetables in the steamer and for the most part have been very pleased with the results. Read More
Turn Your Canned Tomatoes Into A Quick Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Here’s an idea for using your pantry staples to make a last minute spaghetti sauce to serve over pasta. If you don’t have a jar of Ragu or Prego around, then a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato paste and a few spices will do the trick. Read More
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Well, here I am at the end of the week and I’ve almost used up my five bricks of 25 cent cream cheese. Today we used cream cheese to make Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas so the guys could have a casual supper in front of TV. (It’s football season so we *must*Read More
Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Homemade Alfredo sauce is simple to make with this recipe that blends butter, cream cheese, and milk. In the 10 minutes it takes for your pasta to cook, you can whip up this sauce to go with it. This sauce has just the right consistency (not too watery .Read More
Salsa Chicken Recipe
Here’s a recipe for Salsa Chicken that my family enjoys. I had always made this with a store bought package of taco seasoning, and store bought salsa. I finally tried it with my own versions of taco seasoning and salsa and the recipe turned out great! So here’s theRead More
Easy Taco Meat Seasoning
Don’t have one of those taco seasoning packets in the house? No problem! You can just as easily make seasoning for taco meat with spices you probably already have on hand. Most of the recipes I came across for a homemade taco seasoning mix were for a large batch that youRead More
Let’s Make Pancakes from Scratch
You can make delicious pancakes from scratch without much more effort than it takes to use premade pancake mix. This recipe uses the most basic ingredients (flour, baking soda, milk, etc.) that tend to always be on hand in our homes. It was frustrating when I wanted to make pancakes, but had noRead More