Old Fashioned Soda Fountain TreatsClose your eyes and come with me, a trip down memory lane to the place where red and white checked dreams come true. Many of us from the older generation can remember going to the local soda fountain for a burger and a shake or to have an egg cream or homemade French fries.
Using Up A Surplus of FoodI had an interesting problem recently in regards to food. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Oregon closed all bars and restaurants in mid March. They could still provide take-out or delivery but many places shut down for the duration. Because this was relatively unexpected, the businesses had a great deal of produce and refrigerated food to get rid of before it went bad.
Using Up Leftovers from a PartyI hate wasting food. I just cleaned out my refrigerator last weekend and made sure that every bit of holiday food was used up or tossed. It can be a fun challenge to use everything up in creative new ways. Here are some of ideas I've heard about over the years.
Reusing Disposable Hair NetsMy mama always wore a hair net while she cooked. I admit, I am sometimes lax about that, but if I am preparing food which will be eaten by others, I always wear a net. I got an excellent deal on disposable hair nets from eBay.
Eat Leftovers And Be GratefulI've made reference in other posts to the fact that, when I was a child, we were quite poor. We didn't have a car. Few families in my neighborhood, did. I think we were the last to get a television.
Eat Healthy and Save Money TooYes, Virginia, it is possible to eat healthy and save money. If you are looking for a good New Year's resolution next month, here's food for thought. Use more beans, legumes, grains and seeds in your diet!
Save Eating Out for Special OccasionsWe were sitting at a buffet one busy weekend discussing how we needed another dresser but can't afford it. Then we paid the $65 bill and went home. It struck me how ridiculous it was to continue to eat out for convenience sake all the time.
My Frugal Life: Saving Made EasySince being a mother, I have found that there are so many ways to save. One of my favorite is by never wasting food. I love to reuse my left overs but in different ways. Even though we are having the same food, it is different.
Save Money on MeatOur local restaurant supply store has specials on meat. We get Angus beef for less that $2.20 a pound. The catch is you need to cut your own steaks.
The Lowly Bread MachineNothing smells any more awesome that homemade bread baking. And nothing is more loved than fresh bread. You can make your bread, and eat it too!
Reusing Paper Coffee FiltersWe drink a lot of coffee in our house and each time after making coffee, we threw out the paper filter along with the grinds. Since I didn't like wasting so many paper filters, I tried the resuable plastic coffee filters with the mesh.
Turning One Meal Into SixWhether you're short on time or money, preparing one large meal on the weekend and stretching it all week long is a cost and time efficient way of meal planning.
Food: The Final FrontierYes, I am an old school Star Trek fan. "These are the voyages of the . . ." Oh ok, I will come back down to Earth for a moment and talk about how I am feeding my family.
How to Chop an OnionTrim off the flat top end of the onion, that is opposite the root end. Set the onion down on the cut side so it won't roll around.
Dry Beans, Beans, Beans!Beans are a great way to stretch your food budget and can feed a crowd. Most people love a great chili or baked beans, but most people don't know how to identify the beans in every dish.
Microwave Safety TipsSeveral times, I used the microwave oven, only to have pitted "microwavable bowls," and the inside of the microwave, a food mess. I discovered on my own, to use a smaller "heat" setting for a longer period of time.
10 Ways to Use Extra Candy CanesIf you're wondering what to do with all those extra candy canes, here are a few ideas you might want to try.
One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potatoes and...How many times have you stood in front of the potatoes in the store and wondered what the difference was in all those different varieties of potatoes?
Using DurianDurian often referred to 'that stinky fruit' to those who are not accustomed to the smell, but cherished by many who grew up around it. Known as 'The King of Fruits' throughout Asia.
Tribute to My MomWhen I think of my mother, the first thing to come to mind is, believe it or not, food! Crazy as it may sound, you have to understand that my mom was a top notch cook during my childhood years.
Using Fish SauceFish sauce is fermented for many months and the liquid is drained out through a spigot and processed. It comes in many varieties, made with herbs and spices mixed in or just with salt.
Keep Veggies Fresh LongerI have found that you can keep all your vegetables fresh longer if you remove the cores and seeds from them as soon as possible after you purchase them.
Using Bell PepperBell peppers come in a variety of colors, including, green, red, yellow, and orange. Delicious in a variety of dishes, they originally were grown in Mexico, Central and South America.
Butter vs. Margarine: You DecideI asked my doctor about "butter vs. margarine" and was told that, believe it or not, butter being a natural product was probably better for our bodies.
Recycled Dinners as Easy as 1-2-3As grocery prices rise, the skill of recycling leftovers becomes even more valuable (as if it weren't already crucial in most family meal planning.) To ease the strain of grocery shopping as well as meal planning, try a 1-2-3 recycling plan to lengthen the life of your leftovers.
Save Money By Baking Your Own BreadOne way to save quite a bit on food is to learn your way around baking yeast. You can find a whole pound of it for about $2.50 at little shops or places that sell in bulk and you use it a tablespoon at a time - it lasts for months in the refrigerator.
Use What You Have: Mac and Cheese Without a Pan or ColanderThis happened to me and my friend while camping and thought I would pass it along. We had decided to go camping and packed everything we thought we would be needing only to discover when we went to make macaroni and cheese for dinner the first night, we had no pan to cook the macaroni in and no colander to strain said macaroni.
Using Balsamic VinegarTraditional artisan balsamic vinegar is highly praised by gourmet chefs and is also very expensive. The balsamic vinegar drizzled liberally over a salads which many of us are familiar is not made in the same way as the traditional artisan balsamic vinegar...
Cookie Swap PartyI love cookies so when I heard about Cookie Swaps, I was in HEAVEN! There are many ways you can do your party. I set the date and just asked all my guest to bring a big batch of their favorite cookies.
Using Argan OilArgan oil is produced in Morocco by Berber women. In recent years this oil has been discovered by western cosmetic companies which praise this oil for its skin benefits.
Summer's BountyI don't know about you, but I love shopping at the farmer's market. I have a small garden, but it is not enough to feed the seven people who live in my house so I do my quantity shopping at the farmer's market.
Barbecue Food SafetyCooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends. Now more than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year round. Use these simple guidelines for grilling food safely.
Lowering Fats and Sugars in Your DietThis really is not a recipe, but I feel it should be put with the recipes. Being as we have certain hereditary diseases in the family. I have to learn to cook differently now as I think I am young but my body is not agreeing with me which I don't think is right.
Healthy Living Tips To Keep Weight OffI've been slim for about 10 years (of course with a few ups and downs!) and have just realized that there are a lot of things I have been doing over the years automatically to help keep my weight down.
The Seasonal "Locavore": Guidelines for Healthy...Few of us would argue the health and environmental benefits of locally produced food. It is usually the freshest, best tasting and most nutritious food we can give our bodies, and growing, harvesting, and transporting it locally leaves the smallest carbon footprint and does the least amount of damage to the environment.
Ideas for Healthy SnacksNot only are these snacks healthy, most of them make great "grab and" go snacks for the whole family.
Saving Money On BreadTips for saving money on bread as posted by the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.
Saving Money on EggsIf you have a reasonable sized back garden (yard), and your local government allows, keep 2-4 chickens depending on the size of your family.
Using AllspiceAllspice is a dried berry. It is very important in many cuisines around the world including Caribbean and Middle Eastern foods. In the west, it is usually used in desserts, but is also a main ingredient in barbecue sauce and chili and an important spice for making sausage.
Using Annatto SeedAnnatto seed is used as a red food coloring and for flavoring. Annatto is used for coloring cheeses such as cheddar and also for butter. Most often found in Caribbean, Latin American and Filipino cuisine.
Using AlmondsAlmonds have been praised for many health benefits, such as, cancer prevention. If eaten daily can help lower cholesterol, and boost the immune system.
Herb and Spice Charts for Your RefrigeratorMost of us decorate the front of our refrigerators with magnets and pictures and if you have small children in the house, yours is covered with small plastic letters spelling out all kinds of words. Well, I have a craft project for you that will make your refrigerator a one stop for reference.
Ten Easy Ways to Eat HealthfullyDiet is a four letter word! Restrictions lead to a feeling of deprivation and that leads - you guessed it - right to the kitchen cupboard, in search of a reward.
Countdown to ThanksgivingBelieve it or not now is the time to start organizing your holiday meal. It does not matter whether your planning for 4 or 40, there are a few things you can do now to make it a whole lot easier on yourself on the big day.
Saving Money on Baking SuppliesTips for saving money on baking supplies from the ThriftyFun community. Buy supplies during that special period between Halloween and Thanksgiving. That's when the sugar, flour, chocolate chips, coconut, yeast, etcetera, go on sale for unbelievably low prices.
Understanding Food AdditivesKnowing what is really in the food we eat can sometimes be a mystery, and so with this article I hope that I can give you some information that you can use and be a more informed consumer. If you know what some of the additives are and why they are put into your food than you can decide for yourself if this is something that was needed or if it was an additive that you would rather do without.
Be Thrifty in the Kitchen With EggsI love to look for ways to be thrifty in the kitchen. One of the most inexpensive food staples I have in my refrigerator is the egg! If you are still concerned about the cholesterol in your diet, in most recipes, you can use just the whites.
Saving Money on FruitTips from the ThriftyFun community. Here in L.A. we have orange vendors and that's the best place to get nice, juicy, ripe oranges! And we also go to farmer's markets to get the best deals in seasonal fruit - so we can splurge on things like nectarines, peaches and strawberries!
Soup's OnWith all the cold weather we have been having, a bowl of steaming soup brings us back to our mother's and grandmother's kitchens. Soup is a labor of love. Even if you don't like to cook, most of us can heat a can of soup and magically be brought back to that time and place.
Kitchen Time SaversTips and ideas for saving time in the kitchen. Feel free to post your ideas!
Making Powdered Milk Taste BetterI am using powdered milk to save money (I get the powdered milk for free). Is there anything I can do to the reconstituted milk to make it taste better? I added a tablespoon of sugar and some vanilla today, nothing changed. It still tastes like powder.
Uses for Bacon GreaseWhat are some uses for bacon grease? We like to put a little in green beans, especially fresh picked ones.
Raise a Glass to Healthier (and...The primary reason for eating healthy is to maintain a properly working body. However, after my husband was forced to alter his eating habits due to various health reasons, our family realized another perk to eating in moderation - savings.
Looking For A Quick And Affordable Meal...You are tired after spending the day working. But, the age old question is, "What's for dinner?" Do you have an option for dinner tonight? Here is a quick dinner that you can make that is satisfying and easy to do.
Time Saving Tips In The KitchenHere are some great kitchen time saving tips to incorporate into your busy day to save you some time.
Going Back to My Mama's WaysMy mom grew up in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains with six brothers and sisters. Her father died before she was a teenager, leaving her mother with no income to feed a large family. Meat was a rare and precious commodity in their home - they mostly ate meals made from their garden harvest.
Save Money With Meatless MealsAnyone who has been to my website knows that I almost had a heart attack when I realized that my family was spending nearly $1000 a month on groceries, eating out, baby formula and hot school lunches. Our goal for 2006 is to cut that amount to $300.
Soy: The Magic BeanIt would come as no surprise if the magic beans planted in the "Jack and the Bean Stalk" fairytale were soybeans. The versatile virtues Mother Nature has bestowed on this one legume are far reaching indeed.
Converting a Stovetop Recipe to a Crockpot RecipeCrockpots vary but the low setting is typically around 100 degrees and its high setting is around 300 degrees. Knowing this, it is fairly easy to convert most recipes for use in your slow cooker.
Cookware Today - Pots and PansFollowing is a review of materials in popular use in cookware today. This review may serve as a guide to safe cooking.
The Big Thaw - Safe Defrosting Methods for ConsumersUh, oh! You're home and forgot to defrost something for dinner. You grab a package of meat or chicken and use hot water to thaw it fast. But is this safe? What if you remembered to take food out of the freezer, but forgot and left the package on the counter all day while you were at work?
Substitutions in the KitchenHave you ever started mixing ingredients for a recipe, get halfway through the list, and Uh-Oh, discover that you are out of an ingredient? Well, sometimes it is something that can safely be omitted.
Cherry Facts and TipsBelow are some helpful tips, facts and a recipe about those delicious cherries that will be ripe on the tree before you know it.
18 Tips for the Frugal CookWhen you make mashed potatoes, make an extra big batch and freeze leftovers in muffin cups. Once they are frozen transfer to a zipper bag. Just get out as many as you need and heat up in the microwave.
Tips for Frugally Healthy MealsA great tip I use for frugality healthy meals is:
1. When buying produce, try to buy items that can be frozen later on. . .
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)This summer, why not try some fresh herbs to add to your meals. They are virtually caloric free, fat free and extremely flavorful.
Here is one of my favorites:
Cooking With Dried BeansBeans, beans, the frugal fruit, the more you eat them, the more you save money! Actually beans are a legume but there is no question that they are a frugal staple in any diet.
Apples, Apples, ApplesInformation about apples, what kinds are for eating, which for applesauce, for pies, plus lots of recipes.
Saving Time While Cooking With A Rice CookerI have found a great time-saver. It is a rice cooker/warmer.
Rice is a wonderful accompaniment to so many meals, and with this handy appliance, I can add the ingredients at once, turn it on, and then ignore it until time to serve up. I can also use it to reheat left-over rice.
