Search Results for: blog fried rice

Chocolate Football Rice Krispie Treats and Playoff Pinwheels

With all due respect to the Green Bay Packers (who walked away with a victory tonight and are one step closer to the Super Bowl)–the best part of the playoff party I just attended was the food. In my previous blog I shared two hearty dip recipes that I took to the football viewing party I just came home from. My friends and I gathered together to cheer on the green and gold, but I must admit when the team was down 14 points I made a dash to the buffet table and stayed there for much of the night … Continue reading →

Dinner in a Flash: Rice and Steak Burritos

What can you not do with a tortilla? In my house, tortillas are a staple in the refrigerator. They can be topped, stuffed, rolled into a tasty peanut butter and jelly sandwich, turned into a breakfast burrito to die for, or even fried to make crispy chips or tostada shells. Here’s a 15-minute recipe that is simple and flavorful—just right for those busy nights when no one feels like being in the kitchen. For this recipe you’ll need: ·1 14-1/2-ounce can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, cut up ·3/4 cup quick-cooking brown rice (you may also use white rice) ·2/3 cup water … Continue reading →

Frugal Food: Ideas for Leftover Rice

Rice is one of those very frugal foods that, when used, can really help your budget. I often buy huge containers of rice in bulk at the warehouse stores. Whenever I make rice, I always double the amount and use it in other dishes. You can cook it and freeze it, too, of course. This way, I incorporate this inexpensive and nutritious food into our diets on a regular basis. You can choose to use enriched white rice, brown rice, basamati rice, etc. While exotic brands will cost more, they are not that expensive and are nice for a change. … Continue reading →

Small Meals Are Best

I don’t really need another study to tell me that eating frequent small meals is best…but here’s another one anyhow. A several French researchers, including Xavier Allirot, knew that if you ate smaller meals frequently throughout the day, rather than the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it was easier to keep weight off.  But, there were no studies to prove it.  Allirot said, “There is no scientific consensus as to the optimum number of meals we should have for weight management and speculations regarding this are often contradictory.” So, he and his colleagues set out to do their own.  The … Continue reading →

Favorite Family Restaurant Deals

Family-friendly and affordable should go hand in hand when it comes to restaurants, but that is not always the case. Anyone who has ever blinked twice at the cost of a plate of chicken nuggets would agree. Before you spend your family budget on eating out with the kids, check out the following favorite family restaurant deals. 1. Ruby’s Diner Ruby’s Diner offers several menu choices for kids for a reasonable price, and each kids’ meal includes a small ice cream cone for desert. Steer clean of the macaroni and cheese, which comes out of a box, and instead choose … Continue reading →

Taco Chicken-ladas

Are you looking for a fast and yummy meal that even the kids will love? Get it here. I threw this one together this afternoon and then left my husband in charge of putting it into the oven on a busy evening, and it turned out perfect. Try it the next time you have some boneless, skinless chicken tenders (or breasts) and no idea of what to do with them. My kids love tacos, so I knew they would enjoy this dish which is much less work. Ingredients: About 10 or so boneless, skinless chicken tenders (or butterfly and cut … Continue reading →

10 Ways to Save on Your Next Trip to Hawaii

Last year, my then six-old daughter celebrated her 12th visit to Hawaii. However, to her, the Aloha State is more than just a top tourist destination, it’s also home to grandma, grandpa, and a huge network of aunts, uncles and cousins. I kid that she would have been marking trip number 20 if it weren’t so dang expensive to fly from Wisconsin to Hilo. Fortunately, once we land in the “Land of Aloha” we score free room and board. Bottom line: traveling to Hawaii is not cheap. However, there are ways you can save on your next vacation there provided … Continue reading →

Ways to Save: Savvy Shopping

I’ve seen TLC’s megahit, “Extreme Couponing” on many occasions, and each time I view it I’m left asking this question: Where are these people shopping that they can double or triple their coupons? Clearly, not in Wisconsin. I don’t know of any grocery store in the state that doubles coupons. And if I am wrong, I would love for you to let me know. I could actually save money if I’m incorrect. What a concept. I am an avid coupon-er, though I don’t dumpster dive nor do I steal newspapers from other people’s homes. Rather, I simply use what I … Continue reading →

Graduation Party: Less is More

With unemployment a current epidemic, gas hovering near $4 a gallon, and food prices soaring, it’s no wonder so many families are being forced to scale back on graduation parties. Fortunately, you don’t have to dig yourself deeper into debt in order to celebrate your son or daughter’s big day. There’s a way to have fun with a budget-friendly party, as long as you follow these simple tips: 1. Skip the fine china and opt for disposable plates, bowls and utensils. 2. Consider a potluck and ask friends and family to bring a dish to pass. 3. Double up on … Continue reading →

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

It’s been a year of firsts for my first grader: First time attending all-day school, first time riding a school bus and the first time eating lunch in the cafeteria. Granted, I pack her lunch the majority of the time, but there have been days when she’s opted for the school’s hot lunch. So far she has only done so on the days that feature pepperoni pizza or chicken nuggets, but, hey, it’s a start, and given that it frees me from wracking my brain at 11 at night trying to figure out what to pack in her lunch bag, … Continue reading →