Great Breakfast Ideas for the Winter Months

I always want to cook more during the winter months than any other time of the year. I want comfort foods that feel homey. How about you? I have another blog. It’s called Frugal Recipes, and I thought I would share some of my more frugal recipes from there here on the blog this winter. I want to start with breakfast. Here is a list of recipes for the cold winter months.

Tomato Soup

I started feeling off the middle of last week, and by Thursday at the end of my shift I wasn’t able to talk hardly at all. Not fun. Over the weekend I was recuperating. Mostly resting. Not talking much at all hoping that, by today (Monday) I could come back to work and people could hear me. While I am still not feeling the greatest, I am talking much better than I was – though my voice seems lower according to my boss.

Happy New Year Everyone!

I’ve been looking at food trends for 2026 and am looking forward to bringing you recipes and food for thought this year! What are your goals or resolutions for the new year? Mine, as far as food goes, are as follows:

Bright Blessings this New Year’s Eve!

I hope you enjoy the evening. See you next year!

~ Shannon

What Financial Moves Helped Me Most in 2025 (The Kitchen Version)

I am always trying to save money where I can. This is even more important now since prices seem to be going up drastically from year-to-year. It’s hard to keep up with the rising cost of things.

I’ve been rearranging my space (my little kitchen corner) to better fit food stocks and other things I need. I still have work to do in this area, but I’m getting closer to my organized kitchen. Yay!

I thought I would share the things that have saved me the most money in my kitchen this year, and organization actually plays a key role. Read through the ways I saved money in this area, and maybe this information will help you as well.

1. Organization, as I said, played a key role this year. Because I rent a room, everything is pretty cramped and wasn’t really organized. I decided to go through my closet and everything on my shelves and organized all the cleaning products I have. Much of which I had completely forgotten about. And in doing so, I discovered I had plenty of dish detergent and cleaners to get me through this year. Turns out, I still have some to bring into the new year. I hardly spent anything on cleaning products this year, and don’t expect to spend much in 2026 either. Considering the cost of some of the cleaners, I am happy for that.
2. I am also working on organizing my kitchen shelves. I am at the point now where I can find everything I have, and it is amazing! No more thinking I have something, not being able to find it, re-buying it, and then finding what I thought I had after the meal is cooked. Thank goodness! Now, like types of food are put together so I can find things quickly. This saves me not only time, but money on my weekly groceries.
3. I put a dry-erase sheet on my fridge which I am using for a meal planning station. I list items that need to be used up, some ideas I have for doing so, and then my main meal plan for that week. I don’t do things by day, but by week. This is a huge help. I go through my fridge, freezer and shelves each week and note anything that needs to be used up. Then I add some ideas, which I may or may not end up using. This gives me an idea of what I can do though. Then, on Saturday, I make my meal plan for the coming week. I’m using up more, wasting so much less! I’m not buying things I already have 5 or 6 containers of. Money is being saved. $4.95 bought me this, the markers, and an eraser.
4. What do I mean by meal planning by the week? I don’t make a different dinner or lunch each day of the week. I cook enough of most dishes to last about four meals. This also saves me money, and means I am buying less groceries throughout the week and having less left over at the end of the week. I work four evenings a week, so I make enough, say, chili for five meals. I get a meal on Sunday when I make it, then I have four servings of leftovers to bring to work. It does get a little boring to eat the same thing each evening sometimes. But I am fine with that. I can opt to add something else to the plate if I want to bring a little variety. Maybe cheese one night, and a tortilla another. Celery sticks one evening, and whatever fruit I have on hand the other.
5. I bought a food dehydrator for less $40, and I love it! Because I have this, I can dry foods for later use. My parents garden, and they give us all food. Previously, I could only take some of what they offered because with it being just me here some of the food might go to waste. Tiny fridge. Tiny freezer. Think dorm size. But now, I can dehydrate the extra produce they want to share, saving me money throughout the year.
6. I did buy a baker’s rack, and two slim shelves for my kitchen corner this year. The baker’s rack was $119.99 plus tax, but with the gift cards I had, I ended up paying 94.94 including tax. I only bought this because the very old shelves I was using to house the appliances I have was literally falling apart. I love it though, and it is helping me to organize things better in my space. By being more organized I am actually saving money, because I’m not buying things I didn’t think I had, only to find out I did.
7. I went to thrift stores to buy canning jars, and many of them came with lids and rings though I did have to buy a package of each to go with the jars that didn’t have them. My mother gave me about dozen canning jars, as well as a bunch of smaller honey jars. I think I paid less than a dollar per jar (including rings and lids) when it was all added up and I took into consideration the free items. This is how I am storing the dehydrated foods on my food shelves. It is also how I am extending the life of refrigerated items, and the items I am stocking up on.
8. I did save over $30 on a gallon size pitcher by utilizing that size pickle jar that my best friends mother was looking to rehome. No cost to me. She also gave me a few food items this year. I love it when she gives me farm fresh eggs from her neighbor. My family did gift her and my best friend some fresh produce from the garden this year as well.
9. I think a significant savings was had with all that extra produce from my parents’ garden that I dehydrated. I now have dried carrots, beets, apples, and other items that I can use throughout the winter. Super healthy, good for you items I can throw into soups, one-pan meals, smoothies, and more.
10. I also save money by not grocery shopping. I have consistently this year had enough food on my shelves to cover the occasional week or two without grocery shopping. This has been just amazing, and I couldn’t have pulled it off without the organization strategies I have been utilizing. Because of this, I have been able to afford some of the more expensive items. I have utilized sales on some of these as well. And I have utilized what I have on hand most weeks to lower my grocery bills a little bit.
11. I used DoorDash to cut my food bill a couple of weeks as well, when they were having a 50% off deal. I know they raise prices when putting things on DoorDash, but with a 50% off deal the food came it at less than I would have paid in-store. Great deal!
12. Yes, I am restocking items when I see sales, but I don’t often find sales on many of the foods I buy. I’m trying to find the most affordable place to buy things when possible. I’m shocked by the cost of coconut milk powder and monk fruit sweeteners, among other things, and have had to cut back on my use of many things that I didn’t want to have to cut back on. I don’t want to buy things with extra stuff added, so apparently the purer items are going to cost me more. Cutting back and looking for the best deals is helping to lower these food costs somewhat

These are the main ways I saved money on groceries in 2025, though I do utilize other techniques as well. For instance, I no longer use plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and don’t rely much on plastic baggies anymore (though I still do use them for a few things). Sometimes, I have had to spend money to save in the long run. For instance, I did buy glass reusable containers and reusable zipper bags a few years ago, that now allow me to save money by not buying certain things. I have also started utilizing canning jars to extend the life of food in my fridge, thanks to The Cross Legacy. I wish I had a full-size fridge so I could do more of this.

In what ways are you saving money in the kitchen this year? Your answers might help us get through the coming year, so please share!

~ Shannon

Merry Christmas!

I made three trail mixes and cheesecake for my people this year! If the trail mixes go over well, I will be sharing them with you here on the blog next Christmastime. What are you sharing with your family this year?

Merry Christmas!

~ Shannon

Happy Christmas Eve!

Just popping in to wish you a happy holiday!

~ Shannon

Kielbasa Soup with Vegetables & Pineapple

As the days grow shorter and colder, I tend to enjoy soups more. I’ve made three different soups in as many weeks, all equally delicious. These I have for dinner on Sunday, then bring for work meals the rest of the week. They are easy to heat up in the microwave and make a hearty meal.

Sometimes I do like to put pineapples and their juice in a soup because of the amazing health benefits associated with it. Vitamin C is one of those benefits, but there are others. Manganese is important for bone health as well as metabolism. Fiber is important for gut health, and Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory, and helps with the digestion of protein. Pineapple is a great addition to many things.

Beef broth is also good for you. It helps with collagen production and hydration and is good for gut health.

Using both of these in soup helps to up your nutrient consumption.

Kielbasa Soup with Vegetables & Pineapple

serves 5-9, depending on serving sizes

Ingredients

32 ounces reduced/low sodium beef bone broth (can use less mixed with water) (can also use water if that’s all you have)

1 kielbasa cut into rounds then quartered

2 cups corn

2 cups peas

1-2 cups chopped pineapple and any juice

about 1 tsp ground pepper

about 1 tsp onion powder

about 1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp parsley

1-2 tbsp oregano, to taste

1. Add all but the broth and seasonings to a slow cooker.
2. Pour the broth into the slow cooker and add water if this does not cover all the ingredients. Or, just add water until covered.
3. Cook on low 2-3 hours, or high 4-6 hours, adding the seasonings about 30 minutes before you are ready to serve.
4. Taste for flavor at the end of the cooking time. You can always add more seasonings if needed.

Notes

• You can really use any type of those sausage products for this recipe, so go ahead and buy the most affordable option.
• I use frozen veggies for this, and fresh cut pineapple from the fresh foods section of the grocery store. You might save money by comparing fresh, frozen, and canned options for these items. Also, dried vegetables might be an option. Find out whether you need to rehydrate before putting them into the slow cooker, or if they will rehydrate enough while cooking. This might actually be the most frugal way to make this recipe.
• I usually use a reduced sodium broth. However, if they don’t have that option, I will buy the organic regular broth which for me usually cheaper if I go with the store brand.
• I grow a lot of my herbs which is more affordable. When I do buy, I always go for the organic version because I like the taste better even though they are more costly.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a side salad, or a harvest salad.

While this recipe can be made more cheaply than I make it, the health benefits are the most important thing to me. I do make this more affordably when money is especially tight.

~ Shannon

A Pumpkin Cloud Dessert

One of the frugal ways I work in my kitchen is by using what I have on hand rather than always buying everything I need during any particular week. I have a few cans of organic pumpkin on hand and wanted to use one, so I created something around that. I also had some spices that haven’t seen a lot of love lately, and pudding mixes, so I decided to make a (healthier for me) dessert for this week. The only thing I bought for this recipe was an 8-ounce tub of zero sugar cool whip.

If you aren’t worried about your sugar intake (I have diabetes) you can save money by purchasing store-brand Cool Whip and pudding, but I am not so lucky. I paid more than I’d like for this autumn treat. Thankfully I already had most items on hand.

Pumpkin Cloud

Servings: 5

1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin (I used organic.)

1 vanilla pudding mix (I used ChocZero brand with no sugar.)

1 1/4 cup of water + 2 heaping Tbsp coconut milk powder (Can use another milk alternative if you choose, or 2 cups of regular milk.)

8 ounces Cool Whip (I used zero sugar.)

1.5 Tbs ground flax seed (Optional: Adds protein & fiber.)

1.5 Tbsp hemp hearts (Optional: Adds protein & fiber.)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1. Blend the hemp hearts and the flax together and set aside. I use a smell blender cup and a personal blender base for this.
2. Blend the water and milk powder (if necessary) together. Then add the pudding mix and blend again. I use a bit larger blender cup for this.
3. Transfer the blended hemp hearts and flax, as well as the pudding, to a medium size mixing bowl.
4. Add the pumpkin, Cool Whip, and seasonings to the bowl and combine everything well.
5. Transfer to individual containers and cover.
6. Refrigerate until you are ready to eat them.

Notes

• Try to save money where you can, to make this as frugal as possible. And consider what you have on hand before going out to buy everything.
• You could try other flavors of pudding if you wanted. If I were to use chocolate pudding, I would also use a scoop of my chocolate protein powder. If I’d have had vanilla protein powder on hand, I would have used that.

Serving suggestions

• This would make a great dessert for a Thanksgiving meal.
• Great for chilly nights after a hot bowl of soup.

The pudding I use is sweetened with monk fruit, and I use the protein and fiber sources to make this healthier for me. You could probably change this up to cater to your own health challenges.

What autumn desserts do you enjoy? Share your thought!

~ Shannon

Pasta & Vegetables

You can use just about any kind of pasta. This time I used Barilla Protein + elbows and penne. I have also used chickpea pasta for this. You could also use wheat or white.

This was an easy recipe using pre-cooked pasta. It came together quickly. I don’t usually eat pasta, but I do crave it once in a while.

I rarely measure ingredients. I would use more if the herbs were dry than if they were fresh. I just add them, taste test, and add more of anything I feel necessary.

Sometimes I like to have a meal without the animal protein, and this is a great choice at those times.

Ingredients

1 tsp ghee

3 or 4 servings cooked pasta

1 (14 or 15 oz) can diced tomato, including the liquid

1/4 c water (may need more to add later if it all gets too dry)

1/4 c frozen corn

1/4 c frozen peas

1/4 c nutritional yeast (or shredded/grated cheese)

seasonings to taste: sea salt, pepper, onion & garlic powder, oregano, and parsley

1. Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a skillet until melted.
2. Add the pasta to the skillet along with 1 can of diced tomato and 1/4 cup water. Stir to mix it all together.
3. Then add the frozen vegetables and stir again.
4. Next you will add the nutritional yeast or cheese and the seasonings.
5. Be sure to warm everything well, then taste test for seasoning. If you think you need more of anything, add that now.
6. Once everything is mixed well and warmed through, it is done!

Notes

• Try different pastas and seasonings to see what you like.
• You can also try different types of cheeses, changing things up each time you make this recipe.
• Carrots and broccoli might also be added or used instead of corn and peas.

Serving Suggestions

• I would serve this with a side salad or a smoothie.

~ Shannon

Tuna Salad

I have been working toward using up items that have been on the pantry shelf for a while all year and have been sharing a little about that journey. It has been saving money at the grocery store, but I am super worried about what it’s going to cost to have to get all my groceries every week plus do another stock-up. However, I am developing a plan so that I will always know what I have on hand and be able to work through my stocks all the time while buying to keep stocked for the future. I will share this with you when it is set.

I’ve learned a lot about what I am really eating, and what I want to keep stocks of. I’m also looking for ways to purchase items more affordably, when possible, and in bulk on items I use a lot of when doing so will help me to save.

Part of my pantry use-up strategy was working through the tuna. I had a couple of old cans, one that expired in 2022 and one in 2024. Because I had researched expiration, best-by, and use-by dates, I was confident the food in them was fine to eat. I was right. I used one can to make the easy apple tuna salad I usually make, so I would have a filling lunch for the trip to the beach I was taking with the bestest last weekend. I used the other can and three pouches to make the tuna salad for my work meals this week but also had peas to use up. The recipe below is what I came up with.

I note I made on my planning page will remind me that I actually don’t like to eat tuna very often, so I think stocking six cans at a time will be fine.

Ingredients

1 can + 3 pouches of tuna

6 heaping tbsp plain unsweetened So Delicious coconut yogurt

1 apple, with peel, cored and diced

1 celery rib, diced (reserved the leafy part for a smoothie later in the week)

1/2 c frozen peas

1. Drain the liquid from the can of tuna.
2. Empty all the tuna into a small mixing bowl.
3. Add the diced apple and celery.
4. Add the peas.
5. Add the yogurt and mix everything together well.
6. Enjoy!

Notes

• Feel free to change up the fruit in this dish. Maybe you have a pear needing to be used up. Perfect!
• You could also change the vegetables. Maybe cucumber is what you have on hand rather than celery.
• Don’t like tuna? You could use pouches of salmon instead.

Serving Suggestions

• When I was making up my work meals for the week, I added two hard-boiled eggs to each container. I wanted protein packed meals. I knew I was going to have two very busy nights at work and wanted to be prepared with filling meals to keep me going. It worked perfectly for the first busy night. I am sure it will also work well for the second.
• You could serve the salad over a bed of greens and serve with cucumber slices for more veggies.

What do you think? Do you have a different version of tuna salad? Please share!

~ Shannon

Why I don’t Buy Generic Sour Cream

I do buy a number of things generic, but I only buy name brand sour cream. I don’t care for the taste of the generic versions of this. The name brand, to me, is much better. I do particularly like the Daisy brand, but other name brands work just as well. Even though I want to save on my food bill, I don’t like to sacrifice flavor. I don’t buy sour cream often but, when I do, I want to enjoy the meal I am using it for. I’m not sure why the generic brands taste off to me.

The second reason, and I wish I could find the article I was reading about this again, but I haven’t been able to, is that I read that the generic brands may have fillers and other things in them that I do not want. I’d rather just buy the products that don’t have them.

I’m hoping that, when I finally have the time to research things, I am not going to find that all generic and store-brand items have things in them that we should not be consuming. If you know where to find information on this topic, I’d appreciate some links in the comments. Thank you.

~ Shannon

50% off Groceries

*This blog post does include an affiliate link. At the time of this writing, it’s offering a small discount for you on your first order with them as well as a credit for myself for a future order. If you decide to sign up through my link, know itis much appreciated. Thank you!

I think many, if not all, businesses up at least some of their prices when they add them to DoorDash, but you can sometimes still get a good deal on groceries when they are doing their 30% – 50% off deals.

Friday is my payday, but my checks normally hit my account on Thursday. Unfortunately one of my recent paychecks didn’t hit on Thursday, and it threw me off. I work and take public transportation, and I try to run all my errands before work on Thursday’s because everything is convenient to my place of employment. My schedule is Monday through Thursday, 3-11. So when my check didn’t hit my account, I wasn’t going to get to the grocery store for my weekend meals and those I would need to prepare on Sunday for the coming week.

This meant I was going to have to spend more money to get groceries delivered. I wasn’t happy but you do what you must when things happen. So I braced myself and started thinking about what I was going to give up to keep costs down. On Friday afternoon when I went onto the app to order, I noticed the summer deal of 50% off groceries! I knew going into it that it probably wasn’t going to be 50% of what I would have spent in-store, but you can bet I was going to take that deal. And happily.

Let me just say that there are some things I buy, because I am not supposed to be eating a lot of the foods out there due to diabetes, that are super expensive. So when I saw the 50% off deal I knew I was going to get a good deal on certain things. I redid my shopping list, adding items that I wasn’t planning to get when I thought I was going to have to pay full price. I came up with a rather large list, some of what I didn’t even think I was going to be able to get this year, like my Zevia which is really just a treat.

In the end I paid $77.96 including the tip, saving $69.72. It was worth getting those few high priced items for half off, plus the other items at half off, and I had enough groceries so I only had to buy a few fresh produce items the next week to go with what I had on hand AND I bought what I needed for the coming week yesterday for under $11.00. That was almost three weeks of groceries.

I am happy with that large purchase because I know I actually spent less than what I would have spent on all the same items had I gone to the store, despite any price markups on the app.

I wish they had one of these deals every time my check doesn’t drop when it should! Unfortunately that is not always the case.

~ Shannon