Budget Recipes: Easy Fruit Salads

It doesn’t always have to cost a fortune to feed your family. Pay attention to what kinds of foods are on sale at your local grocery store. You can put together a budget recipe that your family will enjoy. An easy to make fruit salad can become a quick breakfast or a healthy lunchbox snack. The grocery store that is located the closest to my home is Vons. This store likes to start its weekly sales on Wednesdays. This means that the sales in the current weekly paper start today, Wednesday, September 14, 2011, and will end on Wednesday, September … Continue reading

Confessions of a Foodie Mom, Week Four: Reflections on Parties, Pacing, and Polish Cabbage Rolls

We always attend a Labor Day party with extended family and friends. The hosts always provide hamburgers, hot dogs, kielbasa and bratwurst sausages, and golumpki, which are Polish cabbage rolls with meat filling. Everyone else brings an appetizer, salad/side dish, or dessert. I come from a foodie family. I’ve only recently become aware of how much we talk about food. My mom’s first question about any event is about the food. At this party, we always talk about the diverse things people have brought, and ooh and ahh over originality and and/or taste. To give you an idea of the … Continue reading

Fancy Looking Salads that are a Cinch to Make

We eat a lot of salad in our home, which is why I could kick myself each time I order a super-sized “fancy” salad on those rare occasions when we eat out. I end up spending $10 on what is essentially mixed greens with some type of meat placed on top and a few other ingredients (e.g. strawberries, pecans, cheese, croutons, etc.). It pains me to pay what is equivalent these days to almost three gallons of gas, yet I can’t seem to break out of my rut, and actually order something I don’t or can’t make at home. On … Continue reading

Healthy Recipes for 2009

Many of us started the New Year resolving to get into shape by eating healthier and exercising. How’s that going for you? With the recent stretch of bitterly cold winter weather, I felt more like digging into a warm bowl of macaroni and cheese than a plate of cold celery and carrots. But, now that the Artic blast is moving out it’s time to get back on track. The following healthy recipes are some of my favorites. They do not compromise on flavor. Rather, they are loaded with low calorie ingredients and won’t leave you hungry an hour after you … Continue reading

Making Your Freezer and Crock Pot Work Together

Two great appliances in your kitchen arsenal are your crock pot and your freezer. These two things can do a lot to save you money on your food budget. The crock pot can cost less to operate than a conventional oven. And having a full freezer reduces the chances that you will be buying expensive restaurant meals. But when you combine both the crock pot and the freezer, you’ll make the most of your savings. Here are some guidelines to using these appliances together to reduce your food budget and live frugally. Practice crock pot cooking and freezer cooking at … Continue reading

The Families Cookbook Winter ’06 Oats to Oregano

I’m introducing a new feature here at families.com. Have you ever wanted to find a recipe based on an ingredient you have on hand? If so, you’ve likely encountered the same problem I have when looking at the categories to the right–there are simply too many recipes to find what you’re looking for. So I created these cookbooks so that you could easily search for your ingredient and easily find all the wonderful recipes here at families.com! (Check back periodically; this is a work in progress!) Note: Kitchen staples are not categorized. You will not find flour, sugar, salt, pepper, … Continue reading

The Families Cookbook Winter ’06 Paprika to Red Wine Vinegar

I’m introducing a new feature here at families.com. Have you ever wanted to find a recipe based on an ingredient you have on hand? If so, you’ve likely encountered the same problem I have when looking at the categories to the right–there are simply too many recipes to find what you’re looking for. So I created these cookbooks so that you could easily search for your ingredient and easily find all the wonderful recipes here at families.com! (Check back periodically; this is a work in progress!) Note: Kitchen staples are not categorized. You will not find flour, sugar, salt, pepper, … Continue reading

The Families Cookbook Winter ’06 Soy Sauce to Yeast

I’m introducing a new feature here at families.com. Have you ever wanted to find a recipe based on an ingredient you have on hand? If so, you’ve likely encountered the same problem I have when looking at the categories to the right–there are simply too many recipes to find what you’re looking for. So I created these cookbooks so that you could easily search for your ingredient and easily find all the wonderful recipes here at families.com! (Check back periodically; this is a work in progress!) Note: Kitchen staples are not categorized. You will not find flour, sugar, salt, pepper, … Continue reading

The Families Cookbook Winter ’06 Lettuce to Nutmeg

I’m introducing a new feature here at families.com. Have you ever wanted to find a recipe based on an ingredient you have on hand? If so, you’ve likely encountered the same problem I have when looking at the categories to the right–there are simply too many recipes to find what you’re looking for. So I created these cookbooks so that you could easily search for your ingredient and easily find all the wonderful recipes here at families.com! (Check back periodically; this is a work in progress!) Note: Kitchen staples are not categorized. You will not find flour, sugar, salt, pepper, … Continue reading

The Families Cookbook Winter ’06 Cilantro to Enchilada Sauce

I’m introducing a new feature here at families.com. Have you ever wanted to find a recipe based on an ingredient you have on hand? If so, you’ve likely encountered the same problem I have when looking at the categories to the right–there are simply too many recipes to find what you’re looking for. So I created these cookbooks so that you could easily search for your ingredient and easily find all the wonderful recipes here at families.com! (Check back periodically; this is a work in progress!) Note: Kitchen staples are not categorized. You will not find flour, sugar, salt, pepper, … Continue reading