Frugal Recipe: Potato Salad

This side dish probably has as many variations as chili, and as with my own chili recipe I don’t use measurements for the ingredients of my potato salad. In my family it’s usually called into action for picnics and summer holidays, but we have been known to whip up a batch any time of the year we get the desire.

Ingredients:

Red potatoes, diced and boiled until tender

Vidalia onion, chopped

Hard boiled eggs, sliced

Mayonnaise

Ranch dressing

Mustard

Parmesan cheese

To taste: ground thyme, dill weed, black pepper, paprika, caraway seed, parsley, celery seed.

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and chill until the big event. One note: I know some folks like to add bacon but I usually don’t, unless it is extra crispy. Nothing can ruin potato salad for me like the anticipation of a delicious bite only to find myself chewing on a big hunk of bacon fat. Yuck!

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Frugal Recipe: Mac ‘n’ Beef

Frugal Recipe: Mac ‘n’ Beef

When we first came across this recipe our kids were still living at home and it became a real crowd pleaser. This meal is very quick to prepare and cook and hopefully your crew will like it too.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 can tomato soup

¾ cup water

1 tbsp prepared mustard

1 small can mushrooms, drained

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

4 cups cooked elbow or shell macaroni

We have also added, in various combinations (depending on what we had on hand at the time): Velveeta cheese, parmesan cheese, green peppers, fresh garlic, 1 can whole corn, 1 can stewed tomatoes.

Directions

Cook beef and onion (and green peppers and fresh garlic if you decide to add them) until done, drain. Add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Yummy!

Further Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Chicken Creole with Chile Cream Sauce

Frugal Recipe: Chicken Creole with Chile Cream Sauce

If you like it a little spicy this might be a good dish to try. I got the original recipe from Campbell’s and added a few ingredients. The preparation and cooking time together is less than half an hour so this tasty meal can come in handy when time is short.

Ingredients

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small can chopped green chilies

¼ cup sour cream

1 tbsp. olive oil

½ cup water

2 tsp. Creole seasoning

Cooked rice

Directions

Heat the oil in a skillet then add chicken, garlic and onion and sprinkle with seasoning. Cook until chicken is browned then add soup, chilies and water. Cook on low until done, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and serve over rice.

Further Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Potato Pot Pie

Frugal Recipe: Potato Pot Pie

While this is a delicious recipe to throw together anytime it sounds good, it is also one to keep in mind when you find yourself with leftover mashed potatoes or veggies. There is no need for a side dish with this recipe because it’s all in there. We have several versions of pot pies that we make from time to time but this is one of the few that has no crust.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, chopped or 1 lb cooked ground beef

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

1 pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained (or use leftovers)

½ onion, chopped

1 cup milk

1 tsp. basil leaves

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (the last time I used ½ a jar of leftover cheese sauce)

2 cups mashed potatoes

Directions

Mix the first six ingredients together with 1 cup of the shredded cheese in a casserole dish. Cover with the mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for ½ hour, then sprinkle remaining cheese on top and continue baking until melted, about 5 minutes.

Further Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Kalamata Roast

Frugal Recipe: Kalamata Roast

As a New Year resolution for 2011 my wife and I decided to try one new recipe a week for the entire year. We have several file folders in the desk full of years of recipes given to us by friends, relatives and coworkers, torn from magazines and printed off of the internet. After several fits and starts trying to remember to use them when planning the weekly menu we just made it a resolution that we had to pick one a week. When going through the folders looking for a new recipe if one doesn’t sound good it gets plucked and sent to the circular file.

The recipe for this month is one of the new ones we tried and liked, and I will feature more in the future if they are really good. This one is from Boys Life magazine and I modified it from campfire cooking to an oven.

Ingredients

3 to 4 pound beef chuck roast

1 cup beef broth

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large garlic glove, chopped

½ cup kalamata olives

1 can diced tomatoes

1 jar or 1 cup of fresh or frozen pearl onions

Directions

Brown the roast in a Dutch oven. Pour the beef broth over the roast, then sprinkle the remaining ingredients evenly on the top. Cook on low (275 degrees) for 3 to 5 hours, depending on the thickness of the roast, until done. The slow cooking time and Dutch oven is what makes for one of the most tender, tasty roasts you will ever eat. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy, a rice dish or just a big batch of mixed veggies.

Further Reading:

Celebrate National Soup Month

Celebrate National Soup Month!

To celebrate National Soup Month I gathered together my soup recipes, as well as a few other resources, and put them all in this post. I have to admit having them all in one place might be as much for my benefit as yours…enjoy!

Chicken Tortellini Soup - This is one of our favorites. With just a few ingredients and spices this makes for a delicious, hot soup to take the edge off of a cold day.

Broccoli Cauliflower Soup - This soup is delicious anytime of the year, and comes together well in a slow cooker.

Baked Potato Soup - Of all of the soup recipes we like this one has the most variables, and comes out different every time.

Pat’s Corn Chowder - Here is another frugal family favorite, usually served with a variety of breads and crackers.

Friendship Soup Mix – This makes for a great homemade gift soup mix, or make some up for your own use.

Poppy’s Chili – This one does not have many measurements, only a list of variable ingredients you can use. Whether you like it hot or not, in my opinion it’s all good.

Make sure to visit Soupsong for hot and cold soup recipes, vegetable and fruit soups, and all kinds of soup history and tidbits such as soup in the movies, soup customs, jokes and even soups people had on their deathbeds.

Soup Recipe offers both written and video versions of a nice variety of soups.

No exploration of the world of soup would be complete without a visit to the Campbell’s Soup website which, surprise, offers even more recipes.

Related Reading:

Homemade Noodles

Homemade Bread

Don’t Eat Out, Find a New Recipe

One Way to Get the Most Out of Your Chicken

Frugal Recipe: Swedish Meatballs

This recipe is a family favorite, and rarely are there leftovers. By using the following ingredients this delicious meal should satisfy your hungry crew and take it easy on your budget.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 cup milk

8 slices bread, torn

2 pounds ground beef

¼ cup finely chopped onion

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Pinch of garlic and parsley

2 tbsp shortening

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can evaporated milk

Directions:

In a bowl beat eggs and milk then add bread and mix, letting stand for 5 minutes. Add beef, onion, baking powder, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well, shape into 1 inch balls and brown in a skillet using the shortening. Place the meatballs in a 3 quart baking dish. Mix the evaporated milk and the two cans of cream soup until smooth then pour over the meatballs. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or noodles and your favorite veggie.

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Chicken Tortellini Soup

Frugal Recipe: Chicken Tortellini Soup

It is the time of year when we love to make soups, and this is one of our favorites. With just a few ingredients and spices this makes for a delicious, hot soup to take the edge off of a cool autumn day.

Ingredients:

Two cups of cooked chicken

One package of cheese tortellini pasta

One small onion, diced

One package of mixed frozen vegetables

One can chicken broth, or use homemade

Two stalks celery

One can cream of chicken soup

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a pot and simmer until done, then add a pinch or so to taste of the following: white and black pepper, parsley, thyme, garlic, basil, tarragon and a few shakes of parmesan cheese. Serve with crackers or your favorite kind of bread.

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Poppy’s Chili

Tasty Autumn Tidbits

The following is a guest post by Olivia Fox. Growing up in an artist’s family, she delights in finding creative ways to make money stretch. Her musings can be found at The Frugal Bohemian. I highly recommend you visit.

At our house we’re always in the market for treats, especially frugal ones. Here are several food items prepared from stuff we used to dump. Now they’re good enough for gifts.

Candied Peels

Score the surface of four thick skinned oranges or five lemons into quarters through the white, and peel from the fruit. Slice the rind lengthwise into 1/4 inch wide strips. Place in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Drain. Repeat with fresh water. Drain. Repeat. Dissolve 4 ½ cups sugar in 1½ cups water over low heat. Add peels to the sugar syrup. Simmer on a low until the rinds become translucent, about 45 minutes. Let them sit in the syrup overnight. Heat through in the morning and gently drain. (Save the syrup for hot tea.) Coat individual peels in granulated sugar and dry on a rack overnight. Store in an airtight container.

Toasted Seeds

Take a squash with big seeds, like butternut or pumpkin. Remove the seeds, separate them from the pulpy middles, rinse and drain. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drop the still-damp seeds, single layer, onto a lightly greased pan. Sprinkle them with salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Or for a bit more kick, chili powder. Toast for about fifteen minutes until lightly brown.

Apple Peel Jelly

Put the cores and peels from about 15 apples (4 cups tightly packed) into a large pot and cover with 6 cups water. Simmer about 20 minutes. Drain the juice through a cheesecloth lined colander into a bowl without squeezing. At this point follow the recipe for apple jelly on your pectin package. If you find there’s not enough juice, do a second boiling of the peels in an additional cup or so of water. The final jelly is delicately flavored, and blush colored.

So there you have it. Buon Appetito.

Related Reading:

One Way to Get the Most Out of Your Chicken

How to Save Money by Salvaging

Become a Food Rescuer

Frugal Recipe: Poppy's Chili

First, let me address the name of the recipe. I was given the nickname “Poppy” by my wife when our kids were little and they have called me that ever since. I have never been Dad, Father, Daddy, Pops or Papa, but always Poppy, still to this day.

As for the recipe, I am not going to give many measurements, only a list of ingredients that I use. Chili has so many variables, twists and turns it can take that any one recipe can only skim the surface of possibilities. Some like it hot, some not. So back off the hot ingredients or pour them on, because in my opinion it’s all good.

By the way, October is National Chili Month, so get on it!

Ingredients:

One pound ground hamburger, cooked (I have also used venison, cubed beef and pork as well as kielbasa and smoked sausage)

One onion, diced

One green pepper, diced

Garlic cloves, pressed

Tomato juice

Fresh tomatoes, diced (or canned if fresh are not available)

Chili beans

Tomato paste

Green chilies

Salsa

Beef broth

Crushed red pepper

Coriander

Jalapeno peppers

Cumin

Cilantro

Oregano

Celery seed

Cayenne

White pepper

Mustard

Worcestershire sauce

Steak sauce

Chili powder

Paprika

Tabasco

Black pepper

Basil

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large pot, simmer for a few hours and serve with crackers or your favorite kind of bread. Top with shredded cheese if desired.

Related Reading:

Famous Chili Recipes

International Chili Society

Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc.

Frugal Recipe: Chicken Salad

As with some previous recipes I have posted here this recipe for chicken salad can have a lot of variables which, in my opinion, is a very good thing. I will list the basic ingredients we always use first, and then the extra ones we occasionally add.

Ingredients:

Two cups of chopped cooked chicken

Two stalks of celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 cup of mayo (or more to taste)

Squirt of lemon juice

Squeeze of mustard

Spice to taste. We have used, in various combinations, salt and black pepper, basil, parsley, garlic and tarragon.

Extra ingredients can include black or green olives, sliced cucumber and diced tomatoes. We don’t add the cucumbers or tomatoes until ready to serve because it can tend to make the mixture soupy if it sits for a while.

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together and serve on your favorite kind of bread as a sandwich or with lettuce as a salad. Mmmmm!

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Hobos, A Campfire Mainstay

Frugal Recipe: Hobos, A Campfire Mainstay

This foil wrapped bundle of meat and veggies we call a hobo is one of the easiest, cheapest, and best tasting campfire meals you can make. When we go camping it is almost always on the menu. Beware: once you eat one you will be hooked for life.

Ingredients

One pound ground hamburger

Several potatoes

Onion

Celery

Any other veggies you like or have available in your garden

Your favorite seasonings (one that we have to use, besides garlic and pepper, is Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning)

Directions

Layer on a large sheet of aluminum foil: sliced potatoes, chopped onions, sliced mushrooms, celery, and whatever else sounds good, topped with ground hamburger rolled into small balls.

Add any desired seasonings.

Then reverse the layering until you end with a top layer of sliced potatoes. Fold the foil lengthways and then fold up the ends. I always wrap them again on another sheet of the same size with the seam down, for added protection.

Set the foil packet on the grill over the fire and cook each side for around ½ an hour. The grease from the hamburger mixes with the water released from the veggies and steam cooks the contents. Remove it from the grill, cut it open and eat right out of the packet.

Mix any leftovers with eggs and cook up for breakfast the next morning.

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

Frugal Recipe: Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

This soup is delicious anytime of the year, but might be best during the summer because so many of the ingredients are in season and more favorable and fresh because you can buy them locally or grow them yourself. Cooking it in a slow cooker also cuts down on the heat generated in your house.

Ingredients

Head of cauliflower – cut up

Head of broccoli – cut up

One medium onion – diced

A couple stalks of celery – sliced

A pinch of garlic, salt and pepper

2 cans chicken broth – or make your own

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups of cheddar cheese soup

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup of milk

½ stick of butter

Directions

Add the first six ingredients to your slow cooker, top with water and cook on medium for around six hours. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until blended and melted. Being a carnivore I usually add some diced ham or smoked sausage to this soup, but it’s good without the meat, too.

Related Reading:

Kielbasa Skillet

Frugal Recipe: Kielbasa Skillet

This recipe was pieced together from several others found in various magazines. We have been making it for several years now and are still occasionally tweaking the ingredients. One of the original recipes called for great northern beans to be added, which my family wouldn’t eat, so I haven’t tried that version. Here is the basic recipe.

Ingredients:

One rope (16 oz) of cooked kielbasa, sliced

4 medium sized potatoes, cubed or sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes, or dice a couple of fresh tomatoes

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

2 cups water

Spice to taste. We have used, in various combinations, black pepper, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, thyme, garlic, rosemary leaf, ground mustard, cumin and crushed red peppers.

Directions:

Over medium heat in an electric skillet or on the stove top add all of the ingredients and simmer until done, usually about 20 to 30 minutes. Add desired spices during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve with mixed vegetables as a side.

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Breakfast Pizza

Frugal Recipe: Breakfast Pizza

In the late 1980’s I was working nights at a pizza place. When the owner made me a manager and switched me to days the difference was like, well, you know. Working the day shift there was much less of a chance of our drivers getting robbed and those of us behind the counter had very few drunks to deal with both in the shop and on the phones. Sunday mornings was our favorite time because it was so slow and quiet. It was during these down times that we invented breakfast pizza, or we thought we did, because we had never seen or heard of it before. We would roll out the dough, fit it in a deep dish pan, form the sausage and hamburger in little balls and cook them in the big ovens. We cracked a dozen eggs in a bowl, dumped in the cooked meat along with chopped onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives and whatever else sounded good. After mixing the contents of the bowl we poured in onto the dough in the pan and cooked it at 500 degrees until golden brown. Mmmmm. Man, was that good!

That began a tradition of ours at home, as well. Every few week we make up a breakfast pizza with whatever we have sitting around in the fridge. The following is a typical version.

Ingredients

Two packages of pizza crust mix (6.5 oz each)

Whatever leftover meat you have in the fridge. We have used everything from grilled chicken, hamburgers and steak to cut up hotdogs. Get creative!

Chopped onion, green pepper, black olives, whatever sounds good.

Garlic, crushed red peppers, parsley, basil, Tabasco, again whatever you want.

A few shakes of Parmesan cheese and a couple handfuls of shredded cheese – you decide what kind.

Sometimes we have a baked potato left over…I just grate it and throw it in, too.

A dozen eggs, mixed with a splash of milk.

Directions

Prepare the pizza crust mixes per instructions. I use two packages because my deep dish pan is 14 inches and no way will just one cover it. Spread the prepared mix out on the pan and try to work it up the inside edges, making more of a pie crust rather than a traditional flat pizza crust. Poke holes all over the crust with a fork (this prevents giant air bubbles from forming) and then prebake the crust at 400 degrees for about ten minutes.

Mix everything else together and pour it onto the crust. Bake at 400 degrees until done, usually 20 minutes or more depending on what all you’ve got in there.

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Chicken Alfredo 

Have a Mustgo Night 

Frugal Recipe: Chicken Alfredo

This chicken recipe requires a minimal amount of ingredients and can be thrown together in around 20 minutes. We have found it is not really a seasonal meal but can be enjoyed year-round.

Ingredients

4 cups cooked chicken

1 jar Alfredo Sauce

¼ cup parmesan cheese

½ cup sour cream

A pinch of basil, garlic and oregano

A squirt of lemon juice

Instructions

Mix all of the above ingredients, heat through and serve over cooked noodles.

Further Reading:

Baked Potato Soup 

Have a Mustgo Night 

Frugal Recipe: Homemade Trail Mix

Whether traveling, camping, or just because it sounds good, homemade trail mix has been one of our favorite family treats for years. My wife, the lovely Lady Lon, agreed to share her recipe for this delicious, mixed up snack.

Ingredients:

2 packages Corn Nuts (there are many flavors but my family prefers the original flavor)

1 medium size box of raisins

1 jar salted peanuts

1 can mixed nuts

1 can cashews pieces/halves

1 package sesame sticks (I find these in the health food section of my local grocery store)

1 package sunflower kernels

M & M candies, yogurt or chocolate covered raisins (I usually divide my trail mix in half & only put the chocolate in half of the mix)

Pretzels (If desired; I find they go stale quickly so if we are traveling I usually leave these out)

Directions:

I mix everything together in a large bowl and put in air tight containers. If we will be traveling I put the mix in snack size baggies to make it more convenient to snack on the road.

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Baked Potato Soup

Frugal Recipes: Baked Potato Soup

“A first rate soup is more creative than a second rate painting.”
- Abraham Maslow -

During the winter my wife and I like to try and have a soup meal once a week. Of all of the soup recipes we like this one has the most variables, and comes out different every time. I list the basic ingredients first and at the end all of the variables I might add, depending on what direction I want it to go.



Basic Ingredients

4 to 6 already baked potatoes (what kind is up to you) 
1 Onion (another personal choice)
2 stalks celery
2 carrots (sometimes I use canned carrots to cut down on cooking time)
1 can chicken broth (I freeze my own to use in recipes)
2 cups ham, bacon or smoked sausage
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup mashed potato flakes
½ stick real butter

Directions

Add first seven ingredients, cover with water and boil until done. Add the milk, butter and flakes and simmer for 10 minutes.

Variable Ingredients

Parsley
Thyme
Chives
Cumin
Cayenne pepper
White pepper
Bay leaf
Garlic
Basil
Paprika
Dill weed
Worcestershire sauce
Parmesan cheese
Cheddar cheese
Diced tomatoes
Sour cream
Green chilies

I add the variables at the end with the milk, butter and flakes. What variation you use is the fun part. Get creative!

Related Reading:

Frugal Recipe: Quick and Simple Pork Roast 

Frugal Recipe: Quick and Easy Pork Roast

A few months ago I had a pork roast to cook but for some unknown reason I was not really in the mood for gravy, which is what we usually cook a pork roast with. I got out the slow cooker, the pork roast and a few other basic ingredients, plus one new addition I had never tried before. A few hours later we were eating one of the most tender, flavorful pork roasts we have ever had. Here is the recipe…



Ingredients

Pork roast

4-6 potatoes, quartered

One small onion, chopped

A couple carrots, sliced

A couple celery stalks, sliced

New addition: one package of onion soup mix

Directions

Place the pork roast in the bottom of the slow cooker and surround with the next four ingredients. Mix the onion soup mix with two cups of hot water and slowly pour over other ingredients. Cook on high 3 to 6 hours, depending on the size of the roast.

Related Reading

Chicken Enchiladas 

Why a Weekly Menu Matters

There is one main reason we make out a weekly menu: to avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store. I have found that when we are unprepared we almost always choose meals that involve a trip. Paying attention to what's in your pantry and freezer and basing your weekly meals around what's on hand can be a real money saver.

Having a large and varied batch of recipes is also a big help; twenty chicken recipes will stand a better chance of including one that has what you have on hand than only five recipes, so it's good to branch out with plenty of options. To that end I decided to gather all of my recipe posts in one place, namely this post. I hope you find something here you can use!

Friendship Soup Mix

Homemade Noodles

Homemade Bread

Newman Stew

Pat’s Corn Chowder

Mom’s Mac and Cheese

Chipped Beef over Chow Mein

Hamburger Casserole

Tuna and Noodle Casserole

Chicken Enchiladas

Related Reading:

Don’t Eat Out, Find a New Recipe