DAY 31 - A BUDGET FRIENDLY DAY!

It's HALLOWEEN!!!!

My 8 year-old

 My 14 year-old

 And my 16 year-old.

Get it?

 A Fork in the Road!

And what makes it so budget friendly......

(well, besides recycled costumes)

FREE CANDY!

Thanks for following along through the 31 day series!  Tomorrow I'll be back with a pumpkin recipe for fall.  Hope you join me.

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DAY 30 - PASTA SALAD

(3 years ago this Halloween night wore my 5 year-old out!)

It's late and I can't believe that I haven't posted my recipe yet.  It's my basic pasta salad recipe.  We love this salad.  Colton especially loves it and takes it in his lunch whenever we have it. Make sure you make it in advance.  The key is to let the dressing soak into the pasta for the best flavor.  I make it the night before we are having it.  In a pinch, you could make it in the morning to have for dinner that night.
PASTA SALAD
1 lb. box bowtie pasta (this is our favorite, but choose what you like)
10 oz. fresh tortellini (I buy the spinach tortellini at Trader Joe's for $1.99)
1/4 c. Bernstein's Cheese Fantastico Dressing  (this dressing is so good, you won't believe it's also low in calories!)
1/4 c. Ranch Dressing (homemade or from a bottle)
Now for the fun - YOU decide what you want in your salad
(what we choose quite often)
1 c. black olives
1/2 c. (or more) green olives
handful of grape tomatoes
diced carrots
broccoli
Occasionally I'll add some white beans or kidney beans to the salad
I cook the pastas according to the directions, drain them and rinse them off to cool them.  Put the pasta in a large bowl.  Add the diced the veggies, olives and beans on top of the pasta.  Then pour the dressings on and toss the salad.  Make sure it's all coated and moist from the dressing.  Add a little bit more of both dressings if needed.  Then cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator.  I prefer to leave it overnight, but you could make it in the morning for dinner.  I'm not only chilling the salad, I want the pasta to soak up all the dressing.  The next day I add a little drizzle of the Cheese Fantastico dressing and toss the salad again.  You aren't looking to use a lot of dressing, just moisten it a bit.  So, so good!

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MENU IN REVIEW - Oct. 22 - Oct. 28

Mon. 
Pasta, Roasted Veggies, & Zuppa Toscana Soup 
Tues. 
Thai Peanut Noodle Salad 
Wed.
Leftovers! 
Thurs.
Polish Sausage, Fries and Lemony Asparagus 
Fri.
Spaghetti Bake 
Sat.
Trunk or Treat Party at Church (we're making pumpkin bars and homemade rootbeer) 
Sun.
Leftover Spaghetti Bake

DAY 29 - CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

OK, so it wasn't fair to show you this picture and not give you the recipe.  It's not budget friendly for your average night, but it is a must for us at Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.  I didn't make it once....ONCE for one of those holidays and my extended family let me know it!  I won't make that mistake again.  On Thanksgiving, everyone eats with their own families, but that evening they all come to my home and we all share desserts.  This get together is so fun and easy!  The kids run around and the adults talk and talk. (of course we eat plenty of desserts too)  For Christmas Eve, all the extended family comes over and everyone contributes to the meal and desserts.  (I generally make a soup, broccoli salad and chocolate pecan pies)  Last year we had 60 people over and the kids outnumbered the adults!  Occasionally we even have a little bit of this pie left.  (Just in case you were wondering, it makes a fantastic Christmas morning snack!)

CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

(Recipe from Susie Rogers)

3 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. chopped pecans

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 T. melted butter

1 t. vanilla

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat eggs well.  Add corn syrup, nuts, chips, sugar, butter and vanilla.  Mix very well.  Pour evenly into crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  Cool completely.  Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.  Can be wrapped well and frozen for later use.

***Even though I make two pies, I never double the filling recipe in the same bowl.  I make my first pie filling and put it in the pie crust, then use the same bowl (no need to clean it) and make the filling for the second pie.  I've made my own crust at times, but when you can buy 8 rolled pie crusts for under $7 at Costco - it's hard not to go that route.  One last note: this pie is good right away, but I think it's even better the next day!

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DAY 28 - SWEET POTATO GRATIN

Chocolate Pecan Pie

(and yes, I'm fully aware this photo has nothing to do with this recipe, except for the fact that they both shared the Thanksgiving table.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo of the Sweet Potato Gratin)

This recipe is so delicious!  I came across it in 2010 and made it for our Thanksgiving dinner and I was blown away by how good it was.  I'm used to a sweet recipe for my sweet potatoes, I really didn't think sweet potatoes and cheddar cheese would be good together.  Boy, was I wrong!  

SWEET POTATO GRATIN

(recipe from REAL SIMPLE)

5 T. butter

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. whole milk (I used whatever I had on hand)

1 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

1 t. kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded (about 4 1/2 c.)

2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded (8 oz)

1/2 c. bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with vegetable cooking spray.  In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion; cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in the flour, then whisk in the milk, rosemary, salt, and a few grinds of pepper.  Heat to boiling, whisking constantly.  Stir in the sweet potatoes.  Transfer to the baking dish and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.

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DAY 27 - PUMPKIN BARS

 

Tonight was our Trunk or Treat party at church.  The kids had a great time and we enjoyed pulled pork, salad and homemade rootbeer.  Dessert was simple and delicious, pumpkin bars.  Here's my mom's recipe:
PUMPKIN BARS
Bars:
4 eggs, beaten
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 (15 oz) can Libby's pumpkin
2 c. Bisquick
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 - 1 c. raisins (optional)
Topping:
3 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. butter
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
With your mixer on medium speed, beat together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin.  Without your mixer, stir in the Bisquick, cinnamon and raisins.  Put in a greased 10x15x1 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Topping (once cooled): Mix the cream cheese butter, milk and vanilla.  Mix in the powdered sugar and top the pumpkin bars.

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DAY 26 - POTLUCK DINNERS

 Who doesn't love a good potluck?!  Whether I'm gathered with extended family, friends & neighbors or our church congregation, I love potluck dinners.  I can make up a big pot of soup or try a new salad to take. 

 It's also a good excuse to make a new treat.

 

Or to bring back an old favorite!  

DOUGHNUTS!!!

So call up some friends or family and share the work (and cost) of dinner.

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DAY 25 - ROASTED VEGGIES

I'm so glad the weather is cooling off. (mid to high 80's for us in the Valley of the Sun)  The cooler weather makes it more manageable to use my oven.  My favorite (and easiest) way to cook most veggies is roasting them.  That's exactly what I did on Monday.  I cut up an orange cauliflower (yes, I said orange), a zucchini, two tomatoes, and two onions.  Then I tossed them with a little olive oil and spread them onto a jelly roll pan.  Sprinkle with some kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and pop it into a 425 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.  I generally turn the pan in the middle of the roasting time.  You can't really see from this photo, but I served the roasted veggies over some pasta and sauce and then sprinkled it with parmesan cheese.  So filling and delicious!

 Another favorite of my family is roasted potatoes.  Here I quartered red potatoes and roasted them in a 450 degree oven for 25-40 minutes.  (depending on the size of the potatoes)  Most nights I'm in a hurry.  I will dice my potatoes, toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and then put them in the oven set to broil.  I check on them after 10 minutes, turn the pan and then cook another 10-15 minutes - until they are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Then there's butternut squash, cut in half (length-wise), remove seeds, spray the cookie sheet with oil, place the halves face down and roast at 350 degrees for 45 min. - 1 hour.  Again, you want it to be fork tender.  You can use the squash as a side dish or to make some delicious soup.  Now get roasting!

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DAY 24 - SOUR CREAM SYRUP

This syrup is so delicious.  I fell in love with it when we were camping with friends.  It makes a lot and is great to make when you have a crowd over.  Good thing the holidays are coming up, lots of get togethers and opportunities to make this syrup.  It's sweet and caramel-y (that's a word, right?)......I think I need some now.
SOUR CREAM SYRUP
1 stick of butter
2 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
scant teaspoon of baking soda
In a big pot, melt the butter, sugar and sour cream together and stir.  After it boils, you can take it off the heat and add the vanilla and baking soda.  It will foam up! (that's why you need a big pot)  Then serve it over waffles, french toast or pancakes.  It's so, so delicious!

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DAY 23 - LEMONY ASPARAGUS

LEMONY ASPARAGUS
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into thirds
2 T. olive oil
2 T. parmesan cheese
1 t. lemon zest
salt/pepper
First, start a saucepan two-thirds full of water to boil.  Cut the woody stems off the asparagus and discard.  Then cut the asparagus into thirds.  When the water is boiling, put the asparagus in for 2-4 minutes.  (I generally separate the tip of the spears and the stems - then I boil the stems for 2 minutes and add the spears for an additional 1-2 minutes)  Drain and place into your serving bowl.  Add the olive oil, parmesan, lemon zest and salt & pepper.  Toss to coat.  Easy, quick and delicious!

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DAY 22 - CINNAMON CRUNCH POPCORN

My family loves popcorn.  It's a great treat, inexpensive and there are so many ways you can make it.  We use a Whirly Pop Popcorn Maker.  (We even have two of them!)  There are four standard recipes we use (but there are so many more we're excited to try):

Regular Buttered Popcorn

Pretty self-explanatory, pop some corn, add a little melted butter and salt.

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

Recipe from Our Best Bites....so yummy!!!!!  (I have the title "popcorn lady" at my kids prep school because of this recipe)

Vanilla Crunch Popcorn

I make it the same way as the cinnamon bun popcorn, just white sugar instead of brown, no cinnamon and add 1/4 t. salt.

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn

I love this recipe.  It reminds me of summer and girls camp.  Lots of people love it too and tell me it reminds them of churros.

CINNAMON CRUNCH POPCORN
(recipe adapted from Whirly Pop recipe guide)
Topping:
2 T. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt (to your preference)
pinch or two of nutmeg (I grate a little whole nutmeg into the bowl)
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Set aside.

Place this in the whirly pop and pop over the stove top.
1/4 c. popcorn
1/4 c. oil
1 T. sugar
When the popcorn is finished popping, open the lid and pour topping over popcorn, then close lid and stir until it's thoroughly mixed.  Pour into a large bowl and it will get crispy as it cools.  YUM!  Enjoy some this fall.

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MENU IN REVIEW - Oct. 15 - Oct. 21

Mon. 
Asher's birthday meal! Panda Express 
Tues. 
Leftovers from Chuck E. Cheese's (man, I will be so happy to have the structure of school again....for all of
us!) 
Wed.
Pork Carnitas Tacos 
Thurs.
Teriyaki Chicken & Homemade Take-Out Noodles 
Fri. 
Foil Dinners 
Sat.
Pizza 
Sun.
My mom provided dinner...LOVE!

Kids are back in school, routines are established, cooking is happening!  The Pork Carnitas were sooooooo yummy.  Still can't believe I made them.  I'm going to make them in two weeks again.  Teriyaki Chicken was a hit and gone too quick.  I didn't get to enjoy the foil dinners, but the boys did while they were camping.  They really loved them!  I think we'll have to make foil dinners on the grill (or oven) at home.  And finally, Asher was ordained a teacher today and my mom spoiled us with Mexican food. 

DAY 21 - HOMEMADE TAKE-OUT NOODLES

I found this recipe $2 Noodles off of Cheeky Kitchen.  I noticed that it's not listed on there anymore.  Every time I make this recipe it really satisfies my craving for take-out noodles.  So now I call it Homemade Take-Out Noodles.  It's definitely a family favorite with my boys and even my mom! 
HOMEMADE TAKE-OUT NOODLES
(I would have included a photo, but it's always eaten too fast!  I'll try to add one soon.)
3 pkg. beef ramen
3 pkg. chicken ramen
2 T. sesame oil (I've seen dark and light colored sesame oils, I buy the dark looking oil - very flavorful)
2 T. olive oil
1 pkg. frozen stir-fry veggies (I've found the one pound packages at Fresh & Easy for 2/$3 or you could cut up veggies you have on hand)
2 t. garlic, minced
1/2 t. fresh ginger, grated
First, open all the ramen packages and remove the noodles & set aside the seasoning packets.  Get a big pot of water boiling for the noodles.  While the water is heating up, heat a large skillet and then add the oils.  Next, add the garlic and ginger, stir for about 30-45 seconds.  Add your frozen veggies and the seasoning packets and stir to coat.  Let the veggies heat up, stirring as needed.  When the water is boiling in the pot, add your ramen noodles, stirring occasionally.  When the ramen noodles are done, drain in a colander and add to the heated veggies.  Toss to coat the noodles, then taste.  You may choose to add a little more sesame oil.  Serve and enjoy!

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DAY 20 - LEFTOVERS

(Pork Carnitas Tacos & Mexican Rice...and yes, they're leftovers)

I remember being a teenager the first time I heard of someone who refused to eat leftovers.  I couldn't believe they were serious.  Why would someone have an aversion to leftovers?  That seems crazy to me.  I love leftovers!  In high school I remember my brother and I racing our cousin to his house for lunch, all for the love of leftovers.  (sadly, I was always the last one to get to the house)  Leftovers often feed my husband and I for lunch.  The best is when I've done a lot of cooking and we have leftovers piling up in the fridge.  Then I can declare Leftover Night!  Everyone chooses what they want and serve themselves.  Easy peasy AND it saves me money.  Just make sure you eat them within 3-4 days. If you don't think you would eat them that quickly, you can freeze them.  (we've never had to freeze them - not with teenage boys in the house)  Another tip:

Microwave Lid 

(I call it a microwave cover)

This is the one I picked up at IKEA.  It not only keeps your microwave clean, but more importantly, it keeps your food moist when reheating.  It really makes a huge difference and my kids are trained know to always use this when reheating anything.  Hopefully, you already have a love of leftovers.  If not, give it a try.  One final word:  You can't have leftovers without cooking meals in the first place, so get cooking!

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DAY 19 - PANTRY ORGANIZATION

It's hard to be successful in cooking meals day in and day out without some organization.  Like organizing the menu/recipes, the shopping list, your kitchen, your time and your pantry!  Today I cleaned out my pantry and thought I would share.  I love using these plastic gallon containers for my grains, rice and beans.  (you see that pink container in the top left corner - it's my original Tupperware canister set from our wedding 23 years ago)  The red box holds the plastic ware for my kids lunches and their lunchboxes.  I'm so thankful that my 5 gallon buckets fit on the floor!

 The right shelves holds pasta and sauce, peanut butter, veggies, our massive herbal tea and hot cocoa collection.  It also has room for our griddle (used all the time) and our whirly pop popcorn maker.  The 5 gallon buckets on this side all have different colored gamma lids.  I love them!  It makes it so easy to get into them.

 I love all using the space on the back of the door.  All the little items are easy to see and easy to get to. 

It makes cooking much more enjoyable when I can clearly see what I have and get to it.  Especially when I'm really busy in the kitchen like tonight - teriyaki chicken and homemade take-out noodles.  It was easy to pull the ingredients out and get them back in their place.  (Now if I can only keep in organized)

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DAY 18 - PORK CARNITAS

OH. MY. GOODNESS!

This is too good!!!!  I found mini tortillas and we made tacos.  I can't believe how good this was, as good (or better than) Chipotle's carnitas!

PORK CARNITAS recipe from PaleoBetty.com

2 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cubed into 1 1/2 in. pieces

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 t. dried Mexican oregano

1 t. ground cumin

1 T. sherry vinegar (I used mirin)

2 t. kosher salt

freshly ground pepper (several twists)

1 yellow onion, quartered

3-4 bay leaves

Place the pork in the crock pot and add the garlic, oregano, cumin, sherry vinegar (or mirin), salt & pepper.  Stir to coat all the pieces.  Then place the onion and bay leaves on the top.  Cook on Low for 6 hours. (mine was probably done just after 5 hours)  I pulled the onions out and served them on the side.  Shred the meat and you are ready to eat!  I also set out colby jack & pepper jack cheese and pico de gallo for our tacos.

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DAY 17 - WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE ABOUT COOKING

I didn't realize it would be so good!  I prefer my teriyaki chicken to any restaurant....same with my lettuce wraps, honey bourbon chicken, soups, etc.  I also find it enjoyable to make food I didn't think I could.  Recently I made pretzel dogs and was so impressed with myself.  They tasted so good.  I've discovered I love being creative with what's in my fridge.  I try to have plans in advance for dinner, but lunchtime is a great time for that creativity.  I look through the fridge and see what components I have, then come up with something yummy.  Like this hash - diced potatoes, mushrooms, spinach and an egg on top.

 or Peaches Foster over French Toast

Pizza for dinner, then open-faced pizza sandwich for lunch!

 Now I'm getting hungry!  I'm so excited for the recipe I'm trying tomorrow - slow cooker pork carnitas.

Happy Cooking.

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DAY 16 - WHERE I SHOP

No matter what my budget, I've always shopped at different stores.   I look through the grocery ads and shop the best sales.  Some weeks I just need a few items to get by and may only visit a store or two.  Other weeks I may be running low on lots of items and need to stock up at different stores.  Here are some of my regular stops.

REGULAR GROCERY STORES

(Fry's, Safeway, Albertson's, Bashas', Fresh & Easy)

I generally shop the sales and only what I need for my menu plan.  If I'm short on time, I can pick one store and just get my shopping done quick.

COSTCO

Yes, I realize that it costs $55/year to shop here, but I think it's worth it.  Not only do I buy groceries here, but we buy gasoline, eyeglasses, Christmas gifts, clothes, and books.  (Plus - food samples....my kids really love these!)  These are my regular buys:  2 lb. block of cheese (cheddar and mozzerella), turkey bacon or breakfast sausage, 6 lbs. tortilla chips (3 - 2lb. bags), 5 dozen eggs (local), 2.5 lb. spinach or 3 lb. broccoli, and Kirkland's mayo.  Plus, my family loves to eat lunch or dinner here. 

PRO'S RANCH MARKET

I come to this Mexican market for all my tortillas - corn and flour.  You won't get a fresher tortilla and they have great prices.  They also have great weekly sales on lots of produce like cilantro, avocados, tomatoes, limes, green onions, and tomatillos.

LEELEE'S  INTERNATIONAL MARKET

I buy my soy sauce, veggies, rice noodles, rice paper wrappers and produce here. 

 

SPROUTS

I love their selection and sale prices on their fruits and veggies and they have double ad Wednesdays!  Their bulk bins have been a lifesaver for me!  Occasionally I want to try a new recipe, but it may have a more expensive ingredient.  Taking just what I need from the bins has saved me money and allowed me to explore other recipes that I wouldn't be able to if I had to buy a larger portion of that ingredient.  It's also allowed me to spoil my kids with a portion of their favorite treat.  Everyone gets what they want and I didn't break the bank.

 SUPERSTITION RANCH MARKET
Tons of fruits and veggies at incredible prices!  If you live in the east valley in Arizona, I recommend going.

WINCO 

They just opened up in the east valley a couple of weeks ago.  I'm not sure how often I'll go, but I do love all their bins!  It's fun to see what they have and to be able to buy in any portion I want.  My best buy was bay leaves.  I put about 20-25 bay leaves from the bin section into a small bag, it cost me $0.04!!!  LOVE!

Happy Shopping!

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MENU IN REVIEW - Oct. 8 - Oct. 14

Mon. 
Simple Spaghetti with Garlic Bread 
Tues. 
Cheese Crisps 
Wed.
Take out (it's fall break!) 
Thurs.
Take out (fall break....still) 
Fri. 
Pizza 
Sat.
We ate apples and buttermilk syrup today....heaven! 
Sun.
Family get together to celebrate Asher's birthday - Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Crinkle Cut Fries, & Steamed Broccoli

Boy....this was not a very budget minded week!  It's a good thing we could add to the budget during fall break.  School starts back on Wednesday, we'll be back to a good schedule this week.

DAY 15 - PLANNING YOUR MENU

(pork roast and roasted potatoes)

I've already talked about my theme nights and given lots of recipes.  Today it's all about finalizing your menu for the week.  Here are some guidelines I use:
Look to the grocery ads.  For example, 10 lb. bag of potatoes for $0.99, guess what will be on our menu!  Recently there was a sale on different cuts of meat for $1.99/lb and I stocked up - as much as I can.
What does your week look like?  Busy week ahead, you probably need to use the crock pot more, have much simpler meals like sandwiches or cook during the day and reheat at dinner time.  Another solution would be to cook a lot on one day and have foods ready to go in the fridge.  For example, cook up a lot of chicken or ground beef, then package in the fridge and put dinner together quickly through the week with the pre-cooked ingredient.
The weather or the seasons.  A cold, rainy day = Grilled Cheese and Soup.  Hot summer day = A Salad and lots of cold Watermelon.  Fall = Pumpkin anything!  Just as we generally make turkey on Thanksgiving, we generally have favorite meals/foods to go with the weather/seasons.  Embrace the weather, embrace the holidays and embrace what's growing in each season!
Cravings or family's requests.   This is easy enough.  Hopefully, the craving/request is something you can afford that week. 
Try a new recipe.  Sometimes I just look at the week ahead and don't feel inspired.  Finding a new recipe to try out is just what I need.  The best part is when it's successful.  I even have a board labeled Pinterest Success.  It holds all the recipes I've tried and were a success for our family.  I mean, who couldn't use another recipe in their repertoire.  Don't know where to find a new recipe....go here for some inspiration.
Remember - Flexibility!  The best plans get interrupted by many things - sickness, car troubles, school projects, losing track of time while visiting with friends, etc.  The way to not stress when these things happen, having at least one good back-up plan.  My go-to-last-minute meal is Breakfast for Dinner. (or as it was called on Scrubs - Brinner!)  It's easy, it's quick and inexpensive.  We generally make waffles or pancakes and eggs, occasionally turkey bacon.  Of course, you could opt for just eggs and toast.  Another quick, easy and inexpensive meal is spaghetti - a package of noodles and a bottle of sauce.  Simple, simple, simple.  If you have the time/money, add a loaf of bread and a small salad. 

(Chocolate Chip Pancakes)
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DAY 14 - MY SECRET INGREDIENT

 

I've learned many things from the past 2 1/2 years and gratitude is at the top of the list.  I'm grateful that we have a grocery budget, even if it is small.  I'm grateful that I know how to cook.  I'm grateful that I have lots of kitchen appliances/tools to play work with.  I'm grateful that my family doesn't have food allergies.

   

No matter what we've had, it's always been enough.  Just when I needed a little give in my budget, something would always give.  These are some of the blessings we've experienced at those times:

sudden invitation to a friend's for dinner

dinner at a church activity

a family was moving out of state, didn't want to pack their food, it came to us

my cousin received a turkey from work, knew she wouldn't make it, 

passed it on to us

major sale at the grocery store

my mom asked me to make the Thanksgiving dinner and bought the groceries

I've found temporary work at times to help fill in gaps

 

 I've loved finding these statistics.  I've told my children countless times that have more than the majority of the people on the planet.  If you have running water and more than one food to eat every day, you are living in luxury.

 

 Not everyone is dealing with a minimal budget, there are so many difficulties in life.  No matter what we are facing, I'm convinced that gratitude can bless our lives.  It has for me.  It puts whatever I'm facing into perspective.  No matter what is going on in your life...

I truly believe this.

What in your life could benefit from a little gratitude?

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DAY 13 - RECIPE RESOURCES

(my cabbage salad, little bit of cottage cheese and two slices of oat bran bread - YUM)

It's not hard to find recipes today.  You can search the internet for a specific recipe and many options are at your fingertips.  You can also type in a specific food.  For example, I had some red cabbage in my fridge and didn't know what I was going to make.  I searched red cabbage recipes and found many different recipes.  Then I let my preference (and ingredients on hand) that day dictate what recipe I would try - the Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad.  (it was delicious by the way)  What if you're new to cooking, where do you begin?  I'll tell you how I evolved in my cooking skills.  I didn't know how to cook when I was first married.  One of the first recipes I felt confident with was BBQ Chicken Drumsticks - Drumsticks in a casserole dish, pour BBQ sauce on them, bake.  Even that simple recipe was stressful in the beginning.  I don't think I would have dared trying a recipe out of a magazine back then.  Forward a couple of years later, I would meet the women at church monthly for dinner and mini classes.  The best part was they handed out the recipes for the meal we ate.  It was just the boost my cooking needed.  I knew I liked the food and what it should look like, I felt confident I could be successful....and I was!  Soon I was venturing out to "unknown" recipes, taking chances.  This led to sharing more recipes with friends and family, attending cooking classes, going to a cooking club, watching Food Network and reading cookbooks. 

(I still can't believe I made this!  Rosemary Potato Pizza - DELICIOUS!)

 My favorite resources for recipes:
Family & Friends!
Church Cookbooks - any church.  They are the best cookbooks and I have a handful of them.  If your church doesn't have one, ask your friends or go to a used bookstore - they have lots of them.
Cooking Magazines - lots to choose from.  Pick one that interests you or visit their website.
Cooking Shows - they're everywhere.  Network TV, PBS, Food Network, etc. 
Food Blogs and Pinterest
Borrow Cookbooks at the Library - great resource!
Have fun and happy cooking!

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DAY 12 - REAL FOOD + EFFORT = SAVINGS

It's a simple equation and I think everyone gets it, but acting on it is a different thing.  

(cute little mini loaf of homemade bread)

When we dropped our grocery budget to $50/wk, I made a huge realization.  There's not much food in the grocery store!  Sure, the store is packed with items, but most of it isn't....FOOD!  Most of it is a pre-packaged array of ingredients you can't say and our great-grandparents didn't have access to.  The only way to stretch my budget was to buy said pre-packaged items at a huge discount OR cook from scratch.  For the most part, I cook from scratch.  Let's take an item and compare.

Black Beans

cost at a regular grocery store $0.79-$1.39 approx. per can

cost at a discount store $0.50-$0.99 approx. per can 

(there's a good chance the can will be damaged or very old)

cost of dried beans for $0.16-$0.25 per can (equivalent)

(there's approx. 1/4 lb. or 1/2 c. of dried beans to equal the 1 1/2 c. of beans in a can.  You can easily find black beans for $1/lb which would bring your cost per can equivalent to $0.25.  I've bought black beans in a 25 lb. bag for $16.80 which would bring your cost per can equivalent to $0.16.  The best deal I've found by far was dried pinto beans 4 lb/$1 which would make your cost per can equivalent to $0.06....awesome!)

Now you may be thinking....that savings isn't enough for me to cook beans.  Maybe not, but when you've changed how you shop and cook with many items, it has a huge impact on your budget.  (not to mention your health)  These are items that regularly make the shopping list in our home:

Eggs (5 dz. from Costco)

Milk (from whoever has the best sale that week)

Cheese (2 lb. block from Costco)

Butter (4 lb. package from Costco or Sam's Club - by far the best deal)

Tortillas (Pro's Ranch Market)

Tortilla Chips (6 lbs. [3-2lb bags pkg. together] from Costco)

Fruits & Veggies (grocery ads, Sprout's or Superstition Ranch Market)

Canned Tomatoes (best price right now at WalMart)

Oil (canola & EVOO)

Flour

Beans 

Grains

Rice

Pasta

I do buy chicken, but we go meatless many nights. 

Even when I use chicken in our meal, I've generally stretched it.  Here's my beautiful Chicken Broccoli Braid.  Homemade bread dough, steamed broccoli (I remember I spent $0.14 for the broccoli I used), shredded chicken (only one chicken breast), a little cream cheese and a few slices of cheese.  DELISH!

Once you have the real food, you need to add the effort.  I'm a big fan of Rachael Ray and love her 30 minute meals, but 30 minutes isn't entirely true.  Sure, we all watch her make a fabulous meal in 30 minutes, but that's not the TOTAL time for that meal.  She had to plan the menu, make the shopping list, get to the store, buy the groceries, bring them in the house, unload them, THEN MAKE THE 30 MINUTE MEAL, don't forget the dishes and packaging up the leftovers.  Cooking most of my meals generally isn't the most time consuming part, it's all the "behind-the-scenes" work.  My husband was recently talking with a friend about grocery budgets.  He told him about our budget and how I make it work.  He encouraged his friend that they could do it too, but warned "There are a lot of dishes!"  It's true.  No way to get around that.  Cooking uses dishes, leftovers use dishes, eating at home uses dishes and packing kids lunches uses dishes (we only use reuseable containers).  That creates LOTS of dishes! (yay for fall break!) 

Bottom Line:  The equation works!

Real Food + Effort = $AVING$!!!

My 31 days started here

Fellow 31 dayers here

DAY 11 - FAMILY FAVORITES

(in their Sunday best - Easter 2012)

I'll admit, with two teenagers, we often push our Friday night pizza to Sunday.  It just works when kids are really busy, but that doesn't mean we don't make some of our favorite family dishes this day.  Last Sunday, we had lots of extended family over for a potluck dinner - all salads and then we made homemade doughnuts.  (which are now a family favorite!)  The best part of Family Favorites night is that it can be anything! 

Roasted Turkey

Spaghetti Bake

Spicy Cashew Chicken

Teriyaki Chicken

Parmesan Topped Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Pasta

Waffles, Eggs & Bacon

Texas Hash

Most of these recipes have already been posted, but our absolute favorite thing about Sunday - Tony Cookies!  Whether its a full or half batch, my husband makes cookies for the boys nearly every week.  Here's his recipe - adapted from our friend, Susie Rogers.
CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES
(we half this recipe quite often, it makes a lot of cookies)
4 sticks of real butter, softened
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 c. peanut butter
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. salt
2 t. vanilla extract (this will make a bubbling action)
4-5 c. all-purpose flour (depending how firm you like your dough)
2 c. old-fashioned oats
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 c. coconut (optional)
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)
Add the butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs and peanut butter and mix well.  Then in the middle of the mixture, pile in order (that's important) the baking soda, baking powder, salt and then vanilla.  Let it bubble up and then stir well.  Add the flour, until it's the consistency you want.  Add the old-fashioned oats.  Add the coconut and pecans, if you choose.  Add 12 ounces of chocolate chips.  Mix and scoop out onto cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as our family.....

& extended family.................

& friends.................

& neighbors!

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DAY 10 - GRILL/WOK

 (our traditional Christmas day dinner - Teriyaki Chicken!)

OK....confession time, we don't always cook on Saturday.  I mean, I have great intentions.  I think without the kids in school or the hubby at work I should have all day to prepare fabulous meals.  Then I remember we have football or soccer or a church activity or a family gathering OR I'm just tired of cooking ALL WEEK and don't want to be in the kitchen. (that's the most common reason)  We generally eat leftovers and occasionally hubby treats us to something out.  Especially when we're working hard on the house or yard.  For grilling, we're simple - hot dogs for the kids and occasionally hamburgers or turkey burgers.  For the wok (or oven or stove), well I have a few recipes to share.  Years ago I took several Asian cooking classes from House of Rice, I wish they still offered them.  I also wish I was into sushi back then.  They had several sushi classes and a hands-on class is what I need.  Here are some of our favorite recipes.  Oh, and get to a Asian market for great prices on many of these ingredients.  In my area I visit House of Rice and LeeLee's Market.

CHICKEN STIR-FRY
(you can substitute fresh mushrooms for the dried, or change out the veggies for what you have on hand.  That's the best part of cooking at home, make it EXACTLY what you want!)
 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
4 dried black mushrooms, rehydrated, then sliced
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 c. bean sprouts
5 oz. slivered bamboo shoots
4 green onions, shredded
"sauce"
2 T. cornstarch
3 T. soy sauce
1 t. salt
1 c. chicken broth

2 t. sesame oil
8 oz. fried chowmein noodles

1. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water a minimum of 30 minutes.  Squeeze out excess water and slice thinly, discarding the stems.
2. Heat your wok and add 2 T. cooking oil.  Stir fry the chicken slices until the color changes to white.  Remove to a plate.
3. Heat another 2 T. oil and stir fry the dried mushrooms for a few seconds.  Add the carrots, bean sprouts, banboo shoots and green onions and stir fry together.
4. Add the cooked chicken pieces, the "sauce" and gently stir until the sauce thickens slightly.  Stir in the 2 t. sesame oil for extra flavor and serve over a bed of crispy fried chowmein noodles.  (we also make rice)

TERIYAKI CHICKEN
 (One of my family's favorite meals.  It's now our tradition to make it on Christmas day!)

8 boneless chicken thighs (thawed)
toasted sesame seeds for garnish

"A"
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. water
1 T. sugar
1 T. mirin

"B"
1/2 c. Japanese soy sauce (make sure it's this kind, the regular soy sauce in the grocery store will not taste right)
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. mirin
1/2 t. ground ginger (use fresh!)
1 clove minced garlic

"C"
1 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 T. water

Serve on top of cooked short grain rice

1. Marinate the chicken in "A" for 30 minutes.
2. Mix together the "B" Sauce in a small pan and bring to a boil.  Add "C" cornstarch slurry and stir until sauce has thickened.
3. Bake the chicken on a broiler pan (add 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the pan) in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes on each side.  Brush some sauce on top of the chicken and continue baking for 5 minutes.  Turn, baste with sauce and cook another 5 minutes. (make sure chicken is cooked through)
4. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Serve on a bowl of rice (use short grain rice - that makes sticky rice) topped with more teriyaki sauce, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.


HOMEMADE TAKE OUT NOODLES
(from cheeky kitchen, but can't find the recipe on her site anymore)
3 pkg. beef ramen
3 pkg. chicken ramen

2 T. sesame oil
2 T. olive oil
1 pkg. stir-fry frozen veggies (or you could clean out your crisper drawers and use what you have)
2 t. minced garlice
1/2 t. fresh ginger, grated

In a pot of boiling water, cook all 6 packages of noodles together, set the seasoning packets aside.  In a heated skillet, add the sesame & olive oil, garlic and ginger and cook for a minute.  Then add the stir-fry veggies and ramen flavor packets (you can use all 6 or reduce it to the amount you want).  When the noodles are cooked, drain and add them to the cooked veggies in the skillet.  Toss to cover in the sauce and mix with the veggies.  So yummy and satisfies my Chinese noodle cravings!

My 31 days started here

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DAY 9 - PIZZA

Potato Rosemary Pizza recipe found here.  

It was seriously so delicious!  

 

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ sauce, thinly sliced red onion, shredded chicken, mozzarella cheese

Pizza Dough (given to me by Lindy Manwaring)

I love this recipe.  It's easy to make and can be used right away.

1 c. water

1 T. yeast

1 T. oil

1/2 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

2-3 c. flour

Mix the ingredients together and let rise for 4-10 minutes.  Add toppings and cook at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

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DAY 8 - SOUP, SALAD OR SANDWICHES

Soups, salads & sandwiches...oh my!  I love all of them.  Here are some of our favorite recipes/links right now.

(Butternut Squash Soup with a little cream.....HEAVEN!)

 

Butternut Squash Soup & Creamy Potato Soup

Basic Veggie Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

 

Black Bean Soup

 

Zuppa Toscana Soup - recipe from twopeasandtheirpod.com

(I LOVE SOUP!!!  Bonus that a big pot fills us up for dinner and a lunch or two - budget friendly!)

1 lb. Italian Sausage 

1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (I used 1 tsp)

1 large white onion, diced

4 slices of bacon, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

8 c. chicken broth

2 c. water

1 c. heavy cream (I just used the 1% milk from the fridge - it was great!)

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (if your potatoes are smaller, just use more)

3 c. kale, washed & roughly chopped

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, saute the Italian sausage with the red pepper flakes.  Drain excess fat, set aside.  In a large soup pot, saute the bacon.  When the bacon is halfway cooked, add the onions and garlic.  Saute until the onions are tender - about 5 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil.  Add the potatoes and cook until soft, about 30 minutes.  Add in the heavy cream (or milk) and sausage and cook until the soup is heated.  Stir in the chopped kale.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve hot.

Serves 8.  Our family enjoyed this for dinner and a couple of lunches!

 

Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad

Bacon Fried Cabbage

Grilled Chicken & Berry Salad

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

BASIC COLESLAW DRESSING
(it's currently my favorite dressing)
1/2 c. mayo
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper
Whisk together the ingredients in the bowl you will serve the coleslaw in.  Then add your 4 -6 c. thinly sliced cabbage or broccoli slaw.  Toss well to coat and serve immediately or refrigerate to chill.
THE B.E.A.S.T.
Bacon (turkey bacon) - Egg-salad - Avocado - Spinach (cooked down) - Tomato
Toast your bun/bread.  Add the B.E.A.S.T. toppings and enjoy!!!!!!!  DELISH!!!!!!!

Here's my beautiful Chicken Broccoli Braid.  Homemade bread dough, steamed broccoli, shredded chicken (only one chicken breast), a little cream cheese and a few slices of cheese.

 REALLY DELICIOUS!!!!

Some nights it's just a simple grilled cheese.  Some nights we have awesome leftovers that make into a great sandwich.  This was our leftovers from pizza night.  Add a toasted bun, pizza sauce and toppings, throw it under the broiler for a delicious open face pizza sub.

 

My 31 days started here

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