Be Prepared for All of that Candy

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When the girls were young, to prevent them from over indulging in all of that sugar that they received each Halloween/Samhain, I had a plan in place to be prepared for the bombardment of all of that candy.

I realize that there are readers who believe that children should have free reign over these treats, I simply do not agree. Sugar highs are not good for children, or those caring for them. Too much sugar in one day is not good for their health. And allowing them to binge eat like that can cause serious problems later on.

* I assure you, they had their treats. They enjoyed them. they simply had them in moderation.And they got tons of candy.

Have these supplies ready:

cookie jar or other container

2 large bowls

freezer bags or containers labeled Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentines Day

trash can

• Go through all of the treats that each of your children received. Throw out any that does not look right.

While going through the candy, separate it all into the containers as such:

• Popcorn balls, pretzels, fruit snacks and other snack type items will go into one of the large bowls, along with any actual fruit.
• Place chocolate candies in the other large bowl.
• Put other types of candy into the cookie jar.
• Candies with red or pink wrappers should be placed in the Valentine’s Day container.
• Candies with blue, green and silver wrappers should be placed in the Christmas container.
• Candies with brown, yellow or gold wrappers should be placed into the Thanksgiving container.
• The three holiday containers are then placed into the freezer, and the rest are placed in a location that is not easily accessible to the children.

A week before each holiday, take the candy from the freezer and place it around the home in decorative plates. You do not have to buy candy for these holidays now.

• * These holiday candies are obviously not to be used as gifts. They were given to your children.

Have a Happy Samhain/Halloween!

Shannon

 

 

Turkey Salad (From Leftovers)

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I usually have leftover turkey after Thanksgiving, and sometimes after Christmas. While I freeze some of it, I keep some in the refrigerator to use over the next few days. I try to make at least one salad during this time.

Ingredients:

handful of romaine lettuce

few leaves of baby spinach

handful of shredded cabbage

leftover corn, cold

1 tomato, chopped or diced

a sprinkling of shredded carrot

a sprinkling of shredded cheese

a couple of dashes of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

a little turkey, cut into bite size pieces

leftover peas, cold

1. Mix everything up.
2. Enjoy!

 

Tips:

• Shred some uncooked sweet potato and turnip or squash over the salad.
• Use a different kind of meat if  turkey is not available, and any and vegetables that look appetizing.

 

Serving Suggestions:

• Italian or garlic bread will go well with this salad.
• Rolls are another option.
• Consider using a honey or cinnamon butter to add an interesting flavor to the bread.

Happy Eating!

Shannon

Quick, Simple Ideas for Your Samhain/Halloween Celebration: Or for Your Holiday at Home :)

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I will be staying home to watch horror movies this year, but I wanted to share some ideas for food on this scary of all days/nights. The first idea comes from my friend Rose, in that she has a food cooking throughout the day and evening for people to enjoy when they arrive at her home.

• Keep mini wieners or meat balls simmering in the slowcooker all day. Have rolls and butter or jams available to go with this. Other meal ideas include a roast with vegetables, lasagna or kielbasa and pineapple stew. Homemade rolls or breads are welcome addition, as are flavored butters, such as honey, cinnamon or pumpkin.
• Keep another slowcooker going with warm apple cider.
• Provide a punchbowl with red Kool-Aid.
• Use red or green food coloring in icing for whoopie pies or cupcakes.
• Have a cake on hand with green frosting and a simple spiderwebs applied with chocolate icing.
• Have a vegetable platter on hand with a red dip.
• A fruit platter will also be welcome as well.
• A quick and easy trail mix includes: Craisins, mini pretzels, popcorn, dried fruit and Rice and Corn Chex.

It does not take much to please people, and to keep food on hand for visitors.

Happy Samhain/Halloween!

Shannon

Stuffed Shells

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This is a version of stuffed shells that my family and I enjoy. Most cooked tomato products, such as sauces, irritate my stomach. Because of this, I substitute tomato soup for pasta sauce. I use all store brand products for this recipe. The shredded cheeses are leftovers from other recipes, so I don’t count them in the cost of preparing the meal.

Ingredients:

(Makes 2 large cookie sheets of shells)

1 box pasta shells, medium to large

large container of ricotta cheese

large container of small curd cottage cheese

1 to 3 handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 to 3 handfuls of shredded mild cheddar cheese

parsley, to taste

1 family size can tomato soup

1/2 to 1/3 can water

1. Boil the shells until almost done. Drain and immediately place in a single layer on towels. Be sure they are not touching.
2. While these boil, combine all of the cheeses and the parsley in a bowl. Mix them together well.
3. When the shells are cool enough to handle, fill each with lots of cheese and place them on a cookie sheet.
4. Mix soup with water to desired consistency and pour some over each shell. Use all of this sauce.
5. Bake until cheese is melted.

Tips:

• These make great leftover lunches. Place them in the refrigerator. They will last for a couple of days there.
• Or freeze them. This is done by placing the stuffed shells in the freezer rather than baking them. Do not add the sauce until ready to bake. Allow to thaw before baking.
• Use any combination of cheeses, as long as one is at least a little wet to hold it all together.

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve with garlic bread, or 100% whole wheat Italian bread with honey butter. Rolls will also work.
• Serve with a side salad of lettuce, cucumber and carrots.

 

What is your favorite stuffed shell recipe? Please share

Shannon

Simple Chicken (from the can) Salad

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If you happen to have a can of chicken on hand, and are wondering what the heck to do with it, this post is for you. My suggestion is to make a simple, quick salad.

Ingredients:

1 can chicken, drained

1 cup shredded cabbage

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cucumber, sliced

1/2 tomato, diced

1. Simply mix everything together and it is ready to eat.

 

Tips

• Any vegetables can be used.
• Use leftovers where possible to save money.
• Use other canned meats if chicken is not available.
• Use a variety of different vegetables.

Serving Suggestions:

• This salad is good with a baked cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
• Serve with pasta and meatless sauce.

How would you serve this salad?

Shannon

Chicken Salad from Leftovers

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Often, at the end of the week, I find odds and ends from previous meals that I have consumed over the last few days in my refrigerator. These need to be eaten, but what can be done with them?

I am a lover of salad, and raw fruits and vegetables. I would rather eat a salad than soup most days, and can be pretty creative with the salads that I make. Here is one such salad.

Ingredients:

handful of romaine lettuce

few leaves of baby spinach

handful of shredded cabbage

few slices of cucumber

1 tomato, chopped or diced

a sprinkling of shredded carrot

a sprinkling of shredded cheese

a couple of dashes of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 hard boiled egg, sliced

a little chicken, cut into bite size pieces

a few pineapple chunks

a few cantaloupe chunks

1. Mix everything up.
2. Enjoy!

 

Tips:

• Many vegetables can be shredded, making them easier to eat. I do this because there are a lot of vegetables that I do not care for. And I will not eat most of them cooked. So, I’ll shred a little bit of squash or sweet potato and add it to my salad. Once it is all mixed up, I barely notice that they are there. And, these add more nutrition to my salad.
• Use a different kind of meat if chicken is not available, and any fruits and vegetables that look appetizing.

 

Serving Suggestions:

• Italian or garlic bread will go well with this salad.
• Consider using a honey or cinnamon butter to add an interesting flavor to the bread.

Happy Eating!

Shannon

October is National Cookbook Month

Image by elana's pantry via Flickr

How do you plan to celebrate? How about with the purchase of a new eCookBook from the Frugal Recipes blog. The proceeds, little as they will be, will go toward providing extras for this blog. These extras include videos and audio recordings for your enjoyment, that are related to frugal cooking.

My goals for this blog are many, but these are the two items that are foremost on my list. First, I would like to offer free tutorials. Once I have added a few of those, I plan to add a few paid ones to help with the costs of providing more resources to the readers of this blog. One of these other resources is the ability for you to access these eCookBooks in other digital formats besides PDF. It is all about you!

To help, please order one or more of the eCookBooks listed below. They contain recipes and information that were added to this blog from 2007 to 2009, and do not cost much. Most of these items have been removed from this blog, and can only be found in eCookBook format now. These eCookBooks can be found in my storefront:

Beverages on a Budget

Main Meal Magic

Very Frugal Vegetables: Recipes and Uses

Fabulously Frugal Fruits: Recipes and Uses

 

Happy October!

Shannon

 

Frugal Recipes Happenings for 10/23/2010

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Autumn is still with us, and it feels like winter is just around the corner. The furnace is on at times, though I do not want it to be yet. I have sage, parsley and rosemary hung inside to dry, and my nephew started the autumn yard work for me last weekend. There is still a lot to do to prepare for winter.

Much has happened over the last couple of weeks, including my beginning adventures in column writing with Experts123.com. I write the Frugal Food column over there, and would be delighted if you checked it out. Be sure to let me know if you like the column, and to leave helpful tips for the other readers. My first columns are:

1. Frugal Lunch Box Ideas for Children
2. Eating Healthy on a Budget
3. The Need to Eat Frugally

Experts123 also offers me the opportunity to answer reader questions. I have done this only once so far, but look forward to answering more.  The question referred to fresh, summer salads, and I was the second person to offer an answer.

Please enjoy the column. I will be adding a feed or list of articles and answers to the sidebar of this blog soon, so that you will always know when i have added something new.

Now that autumn is in full swing, I am wanting to cook more. I do not particularly like cooking for myself, though. I plan to start filling me freezer with leftovers from foods that I make, therefore being sure that nothing goes to waste. I am still enjoying salads and burgers right now. I did make an apple cinnamon bread one evening that was delicious. There were no leftovers that had to be frozen. It was eaten within a few days

With the temperatures dropping as they are, I have noticed that more and more people are feeling under the weather. If you know someone who is not feeling well, consider making them a get well soup. They will appreciate your effort.

Are you looking to earn a little extra money this fall, to help with your food budget? What are you interested in? Raking leaves can be a worthwhile option. Home-based party plan businesses are also options. Be sure to guard any business that you start against failure, from the very beginning.

Autumn is a time for cleaning up the yard, and preparing garden beds for winter. Are you finished with your tasks yet? I have more to do, but am working on it. There is still time to start, or work with, your own composting system. I have a compost bin which I continue to add to, and am considering worm composting for next year as well.  If you don’t know where to start with your composting adventure, look into area composting groups.

There have been a number of additions to this blog over the last couple of weeks:

• Food Profile: Kiwi
• 5 Frugal Vegetables and How to Use Them
• Food Profile: Carrots
• Lunch Sack Ideas: Vegetables Cups
• What to do with Apple Droppings
• Lunch Sack Ideas: Berry Cups
• Pepperoni Sandwiches
• Beverages on a Budget: The Latest eCookBook
• Lunch Sack Ideas: MYO Cracker Snacks
• Lunch Sack Ideas: Cracker Sandwiches
• 5 Frugal Fruits and How to Use Them
• Lunch Sack Ideas: BLT Rounds

Happy Cooking!

Shannon

 

 

 

 

Food Profile: Kiwi

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Kiwi is an extremely frugal fruit. You can often buy 3 or 4 of this fruit for $1.00, and they can be used in many ways. Try them in a salad, for instance.

This fruit has essential nutrients that will help you to maintain a balanced diet, including:

• Vitamin C, and it will even provide the body with some needed vitamin E.
• It has necessary fiber.
• Potassium.

The kiwi fruit has health benefits that make their purchase worth while. These include:

• Help with shortness of breath.
• Protection from free radicals, due to the antioxidants they provide.
• Help to protect you from colon cancer.

Tips:

Kiwi can be used in a variety of ways. Why not try them in:

• Fresh squeezed Juice mixes.
• Fruit salads.
• Fruit pies or cobblers.

In what ways do you consume Kiwi?

Shannon

References:

WHFoods: Kiwifruit

Kiwi-Fruit

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5 Frugal Vegetables and How to Use Them

 

Image via Wikipedia

 

There are some expensive choices for vegetables at the grocery store.

It can be difficult to decide how to spend the limited amount of money that you have for food when taking these costs into consideration. You wonder if it really makes a difference, health wise, which vegetables you choose.

A nutritionist once told me that eating fresh produce in season is fine, so I try do this as much as possible. It certainly saves me money on the grocery bill.

Here are my 5 main choices for vegetables, due to their low cost:

• Carrots, at 5 pounds per bag, can be purchased for $1.99.
• Celery can often be purchased for under $2.00 a bunch without packaging.
• Cabbage is often found for .39 to .69.
• Potatoes at $3.99 for 10 pounds is a good deal.
• Spinach can be purchased in big bags for $2.99. A bit more expensive than lettuce, but well worth the expense nutritionally. And a bag will last all week.

These 5 vegetables can be used in a number of ways, depending on your tastes:

• Any of the vegetables can be eaten raw for snacks.
• You can also make a vegetable plate with these ingredients.
• Make omelets with any of these, as well as stews.
• Carrots, celery and potatoes work well with casseroles. Cook and mash the cabbage and/or spinach with the potatoes for added nutritional value.

Shannon

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