Tag Archives: cheap

Freezer Meals: Week 7

It’s Wednesday already! It’s crazy how quickly mid-week creeps up on  you after a holiday weekend. Anyways, what that means is that it’s already time for our 7th week of freezer-friendly meals to help cut costs and prep time for meals for your family!

Brought some really awesome sounding recipes to the surface this week, super excited to try all of them!

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna [http://damndelicious.net/2015/03/07/creamy-spinach-and-mushroom-lasagna/]

Damn Delicious provides us with a recipe that is just that. Lasagna is a go-to freezer meal, but this recipe puts a fun, veggie-laden spin on the usual. If you’re missing the meat, this is easy enough to add any desired protein to – ground turkey, italian sausage, chicken, what have you. We have all the lasagna basics here: lasagna noodles, ricotta, frozen chopped spinach, shredded mozzarella, fresh Parmesan, chopped fresh parsley.

What’s new and fun here is the homemade mushroom sauce that makes this dish such a winner. The sauce includes butter, garlic, cremini mushrooms (yum!), an onion, flour, milk, dried basil, oregano, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Without even ever having tried this sauce, I know it’s going to be a complete hit.

To make ahead, cover the lasagna tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Then simply remove the wrap and bake for 40 minutes, covered.

To freeze, cover the lasagna tightly with plastic wrap, and then aluminum foil – this will freeze up to 3 months! To bake, just remove the plastic wrap and bake for 90 minutes, covered.

Pretty easy and worth the effort to make the homemade sauce for this savory, fun lasagna!

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers [http://www.chachingqueen.com/stuffed-peppers-easy-freezable-dinner-meal-recipe/]

I love, love, love stuffed peppers. They’re versatile, easy on the wallet, and incredibly simple to make. This recipe from Cha Ching Queen really capitalizes on this versatility. She breaks stuffed peppers down to 4 parts:

  1. The peppers – she prefers green (and I do too!). Rinse, cut off the tops, rinse out the seeds. Place the peppers face down on a plate and microwave for 5 minutes to soften them  up.
  2. Rice – use any rice. Brown, jasmine – even try other grains like quinoa or farro – it doesn’t ultimately matter and is entirely your preference. 1 cup uncooked and cook to directions.
  3. Veggies – also up to you. She prefers carrots and celery but I go a little bit more crazy. I love portobellos and zucchini in mine, and have even had butternut squash! Depends how much your family likes veggies and what protein you are pairing this with. Which brings us to…
  4. Meat/Onions – She uses ground beef or turkey – brown with the onions and add to the  mixture. I’ve even used tofu, or no meat and simply added some nice feta into the mix for a Greek spin on stuffed peppers. Again – totally up to you!

These freeze really well. Simply go through the motions – tight cling wrap and foil.

Chicken and Wild Rice Bake

Chicken and Wild Rice Bake

Chicken and Wild Rice Bake [http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-chicken-and-wild-rice-bake-freezerfriendly-recipes-from-the-kitchn-216431]

Cooking time for this recipe is a tad long, but don’t be intimidated by it, says The Kitchn – it’s worth it! Ingredient list isn’t long here – chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, celery, 2 pounds of skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, vinaigrette, uncooked long grain brown rice, wild rice, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. It’s really just a lot of prep:

Prep your bags: Label a 2-gallon freezer bag “Chicken and Wild Rice Bake” and include baking instructions. You will also need a gallon-sized bag, a quart-sized bag, and a sandwich bag. (If you prefer not to use bags you can use glass freezer containers instead.)

Prep the vegetables: Spread the onion, mushrooms, and celery in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for about 20 minutes. After they are frozen, remove them from the freezer, place them in the sandwich bag, and seal.

Prep the chicken: Combine the chicken thighs and vinaigrette in a gallon-size freezer bag. Seal and massage the bag to coat the chicken.

Prep the rice: Combine the brown rice, wild rice, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper in the quart-size freezer bag.

To freeze: Place all three bags in the labeled 2-gallon bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw: Remove the bag containing the marinade and chicken from the larger bag. Place in a dish and thaw overnight in fridge or until thawed. Remaining ingredients can stay in the freezer

Baking Instructions: When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the rice mixture and the vegetables in the baking dish. Stir in the broth. Remove the thawed chicken pieces from the marinade and place them atop the rice. Discard the marinade.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover the pan and bake for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the rice absorbs most of the liquid and the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Serve immediately.

So there you have it! 3 freezer meals. Let us know if you try these and how they turn out!

Freezer Meals: Week 6

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Wednesday before the final summer holiday weekend = grill/BBQ-themed freezer meals. In looking for some inspo for long weekend eats, I think I found some awesome options. Let’s jump right in!

Coconut Lime Chicken

Coconut_Lime_Grilled _Chicken

Coconut Lime Grilled Chicken [http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2014/06/04/coconut-lime-chicken/]

Living Well Spending Less gives us a recipe that they claim will take us straight to a tropical vacation. To make this a freezer meal, simply split the marinade and chicken into multiple bags, and throw it right into the freezer. You don’t HAVE to make this ahead of time, but if you want to, it doesn’t hurt!

This is super easy – marinade includes 3-4 limes, olive oil, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, salt & papper, and parsley. Combine and marinade with chicken of your choice! If you decide to freeze at this stage, make sure you press all the air out of the bag. Once you’re ready to cook, thaw if frozen, and grill 6-8 minutes per side. Couldn’t be easier!

Boneless Country Style BBQ Ribs

Boneless_Country_Style_BBQ Ribs

Boneless Country Style BBQ Ribs [http://happymoneysaver.com/boneless-country-style-bbq-ribs-slow-cooker-freezer-meal/]

HappyMoneySaver.com gives us a recipe that couldn’t scream BBQ any louder. This is a slow cooker freezer meal, so may take more prep work, but it’s worth the squeeze for this hearty meal. Ingredients are simple: boneless pork country-style ribs, a large onion sliced, minced garlic, brown sugar, applesauce, BBQ sauce of choice, salt & pepper.

Add all ingredients to  your slow cooker and mix. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. To freeze in advance, all you need to do is combine all ingredients and add to a freezer safe gallon sized bag. To cook, thaw + throw in the slow cooker as directed. Once you’re done, top with some additional BBQ sauce and you’re good to go!

Even though this is an awesome holiday weekend meal, I’m pretty tempted to make this a freeze & go weeknight meal for a busy week – total crowd pleaser and easily served with some quick sides for a meal!

Gourmet Spinach Blue Cheese Burgers

Gourmet_Spinach_Blue_Cheese_Burgers

Gourmet Spinach Blue Cheese Burgers [http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/freezer-meal-gourmet-spinach-blue-cheese-burgers/]

I know we all love the classic grilled hamburger, but I love the spin that OneHundredDollarsAMonth puts on this classic recipe. These are super easy to make in a huge batch and freeze. All you need to do is grab them out of the freezer, toss them on the grill, and kick any BBQ up a notch from there.

Ingredients include baby spinach, chopped, garlic, olive oil, ground beef, crumbled blue cheese, salt & pepper. Saute the spinach, garlic, and olive oil and allow to cool. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and form into rounded patties. Lay the formed patties onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze for 30 minutes – then transfer to freezer bags.

Once you’re ready to cook, remove from freezer and throw on the grill as is until cooked through – no need to thaw! Serve on warm buns with any additional toppings you’d want. Love this!

Balsamic Grilled Veggies

Balsamic_Grilled_Veggies

Balsamic Grilled Veggies [https://onceamonthmeals.com/recipes/balsamic-grilled-veggies/]

Can’t leave out my fellow veggie lovers! This recipe is a simple side for any dish – and couldn’t be easier!

OnceAMonthMeals brings us this hearty veggie side that I cannot wait to try. Ingredients include green beans, zucchini, red onion, garlic, basil, bell pepper, canned Great Northern beans, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. If you’re looking to freeze, place all veggies and beans in a large bowl, whisk together liquids and spices in another bowl. Bag veggies and sauce separately and freeze.

Once you want to serve, thaw & pour sauce over veggies. Stir until combined. Place in a grill basket and grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

So there you have it! Enjoy these recipes and enjoy the long weekend. Cheers!

Homemade Salad Dressings: Cheaper, Easier, Healthier!

Salad

Is anyone else already thinking about Labor Day weekend? I sure am. In an effort to not feel like complete junk on Tuesday after the holiday, I am totally devoted to eating well and exercising outdoors throughout the weekend. We’ll certainly be squeezing in some last summer BBQs. What’s a better complement to some grilled food than a nice, fresh, crunchy salad?

Salads don’t  have to be boring. I repeat: salads do NOT have to be boring. One thing that I’ve found that helps increase the flavor and fun of a salad is homemade salad dressing. Not only does it ALWAYS taste better, but it is easy, cheaper, and healthier. I’d love to share some of my favorite salad dressing recipes with all of you to try out this weekend!

Citrus Honey Vinaigrette

Citrus_Honey_Vinaigrette

Citrus Honey Vinaigrette [http://reluctantentertainer.com/2014/09/citrus-honey-vinaigrette-vibrant-blue-saladsavors-giveaway/]

Reluctant Entertainer comes to us with a great, fresh, citrus-y recipe with this one. It’s crazy simple and takes, literally, 5 minutes to make. All  you need is one medium orange, juice squeezed, 1 medium lemon, juice squeezed, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 teaspoons grated ginger. Combine and whisk together! She recommends this on greens, crumbled blue cheese, tart dried cherries, and crunch pecans – yum! I have tried it in a ton of salads myself – one of my personal favorites is on a fruity salad – strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, feta, walnuts…I think I know what I want for lunch today now!

Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

Avocado_Cilantro_Lime_Salad_Dressing

Avocado Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing [http://thewholesomedish.com/avocado-cilantro-lime-salad-dressing/]

The Wholesome Dish gives us this incredible recipe for the avo-lover, which I, myself, admit to being. It’s creamy without the guilt and just gives such a fresh feeling to anything you add it to. Can’t get enough avo in my life. This recipe is also incredibly easy – 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, some salt and pepper, 1/2 cup cilantro, and 1 ripe avocado. Add them all into a blender and blend until smooth! If you want it a little more watery, simply add some water or additional fruit juice. Its sweet, bright, and still savory. They recommend this on ANY salad – my mind immediately goes to something a little bit southwestern – black beans, corn, etc., but also can be used as a mayo replacement on sandwiches or even in salads like chicken, tuna, or potato salad. Can’t wait to serve this one to some guests at a BBQ!

Best Dressing

Best_Dressing

Best Dressing [http://www.anediblemosaic.com/best-dressing/]

Ok, anything called ‘Best Dressing’ is something I had to try. An Edible Mosaic truly names this dressing something that lives up to its namesake. This is simple + delicious! This is an all-purpose dressing that can even double as a marinade. Something that they really impress upon the reader in this recipe is how important a good olive oil is (and this goes for all dressings + recipes, makes a world of a difference!) — as they say, it takes a recipe from good to amazing. I’m sold! It’s heavy on the ingredients compared to the other recipes, but is just as simple. All you need is 1/3 cup good quality EVOO, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar), 2 tablespoons of honey, 1/2 tablespoon of dijon mustard, 1/2 tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1-2 teaspoons of seasoned salt of your choice, some pepper, 1/2 a small white onion, minced, and a small glove of garlic, grated. Whisk them all together – this can be stored and refrigerated for up to 1 week! It’s savory and fantastic – give this a try anytime! It is perfect for any dressing.

So there you have it – enjoy this weekend! Let us know how you like these recipes or any other favorite homemade salad dressing recipe you have! We are all ears.

$1 Short Stack Buttermilk Pancakes at IHOP®

Short_Stack_Buttermilk_Pancakes

You still have about 5.5 hours to get to IHOP® today to get a $1.00 short stack of buttermilk pancakes! IHOP® is running a deal from 7am to 7pm tonight for the No Kid Hungry campaign. Fifty cents of every $1 will provide 1 child with 5 meals. Learn more here.

This deal runs TODAY ONLY so if you’re a fan of breakfast for dinner, or a $1 dinner, or simply helping an incredible cause, get to IHOP®! File under: FREE, because…it basically is 🙂 Enjoy!

Freezer Meals: Week 3

Happy Wednesday!

As promised, here’s this week’s picks for easy, quick freezer meals. This week’s theme: soup! Soup is one of my favorite freezer meals, because one pot of great soup can last SO long, and can be such a hearty, filling meal.

Here are some of my favorite freezer-friendly soup recipes from Pinterest.

  1. Loaded Baked Potato Soup

loaded_baked_potato_soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup [http://www.momables.com/loaded-baked-potato-soup-crockpot-freezer-meal/]

This is crazy easy!

Momables does it right with this recipe! Do some prep work when you have time to make this recipe ultra-simple. Chop potatoes, ham, and onions, and place in a bag in a freezer. Take them our when you’re ready to make this soup! Thaw and place in a slow cooker with chicken broth + half and half. Cook on low for 6-8 hours + garnish when served with cheese, green onions, bacon, sour cream – anything you’d want on your potato! Not only can you pre-freeze to make this easy, but if there’s leftovers, pop in the freezer! Once you’re ready to eat, thaw in the fridge for awhile and reheat. Couldn’t be more simple

2) Olive Garden Copy Cat Zuppa Toscana

zuppa_toscana

Olive Garden Copy Cat Zuppa Toscana [http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/zuppa-toscana-soup-freezer-meal/#_a5y_p=1171706]

Fabulessly Frugal does a spot on rendition of this very freezer-friendly Olive Garden staple! Much like the loaded baked potato soup above, you can both freezer prep AND freeze afterwards. They recommend that you brown and crumble sausage prior to making + fry up onions and bacon as well to save some time. You essentially make the soup quickly (you can add or not add the greens) and can then place in gallon ziploc bags or any form of spill-proof container. To thaw, simply place in fridge for a few hours and reheat – so simple!

3) Black Bean Taco Soup

black_bean_taco_soup

Black Bean Taco Soup [http://oursimplehappylife.com/2012/09/5-healthy-freezer-meal-recipes-4-hours-21-meals/]

Once again – too easy! Our Simple Happy Life knows how to make a freezer/crockpot meal sound easy. Prep: brown meat and onion, stir remaining ingredients in, pour into freezer-safe containers. Ready to eat? Throw it in the crockpot and cook. Umm…crazy simple!

So there you have it. Give yourself a break this week and try one of these soups!

Hopster: Get More From Your Coupons

Want to share with my readers a website I found fairly interesting this morning: Hopster.com.

Hopster promises more bang for your buck when it comes to coupons by earning points through their website. I visited their FAQ for a more in depth look at how this works.

Hopster

Hopster [www.hopster.com]

Some highlights:

  • Once you register, you can print coupons at anytime
  • You get extra goodies for the products that you buy the most
  • Earn points by liking brands on social media channels, watching videos, signing up for newsletters, etc. and redeem them to increase the value of coupons and save even more money
  • You do need to download and install a Coupon Plugin – this is a one-time quick and easy installation that lets you print your coupons quickly. Hopster claims that their plugin has a 100% success rate, so it’s not going to junk up your computer or cause detriment that so many other toolbars do.
  • You can get bonus points by submitting your receipts – this speeds up the process of Hopster knowing that a coupon has been ‘redeemed’

I took a look at their coupon section to see what kind of selection they have, and was really pleasantly surprised! There is a huge variety of products and well known brands available. Some highlights for me: Barbara’s Organic Cereals + Snacks, Once Again Nut Butters (these are typically so expensive!). Kale Chips, vitamins galore, batteries – really everything here. I was shocked to see so many healthy and organic brands – these generally cost so much more and can deter people from buying them. With these coupons, especially if you boost them with points, the prices are so much more reasonable!

It seems a little bit like Ebates to me – make it a game! Check the site before you buy and rack up the points and savings. I think I’ll give it a shot 🙂

#NationalSmoresDay

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Another week, another opportunity to share some fun, inexpensive recipes, deals, giveaways, and more.

It just so happens to be #NationalSmoresDay today. S’mores scream summer to me – brings me back to my own summer camp days as a child! There’s nothing more fun than finding the perfect stick and toasting (or burning) a marshmallow to gooey perfection. Result = a messy, delicious, delicious treat that will have you asking for ‘s’more!’

Unfortunately, we don’t always have a crackling fire in front of us – lucky for you, we have so many mainstay s’more substitutes that are JUST AS GOOD as the real deal, and just as fun to cook indoors!

S’mores Bites

smores_bites

S’mores Bites [http://thefirstyearblog.com/smores-bites/]

The First Year Blog has an awesome recipe for these mini bites – they’re perfect for a quick dessert or even to bring to a party! Here’s the lowdown: all you need to do is crush up graham crackers, and incorporate powdered sugar + butter as a base. Divide them up into a 24 cup mini muffin pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Then pop in a rectangle of chocolate, and place a marshmallow half inside as well. Pop in the oven and bake until softened. Personally, I like a little brown on my marshmallows – solution: throw on the broiler for about a minute! Cool and serve. They’re so cute + so easy. Enjoy!

S’mores-Dipped Strawberries

smores_dipped_strawberries

S’mores-Dipped Strawberries [http://www.bombshellbling.com/smores-saturdays-smores-dipped-strawberries/]

Bombshell Bling has such a crowd pleaser with this one! I don’t know about you, but my entire family looooves chocolate covered strawberries. This recipe takes things even a step further, and couldn’t be easier. Melt some marshmallow fluff and get dipping! Lay on wax paper to try. Then, same story with chocolate. While still hot and melty, dip into some graham cracker crumbs and lay to dry. Voila!

S’more Stuffed French Toast

smore_stuffed_french_toast

S’more Stuffed French Toast [http://www.heathersfrenchpress.com/2014/07/smore-stuffed-french-toast.html#_a5y_p=2342038]

Oh boy, here we go! S’mores for breakfast! Heather’s French Press has a killer recipe that we won’t even pretend is remotely healthy. It’s pretty easy – grab some honey wheat bread, and spread one slice with chocolate spread (whether this is Nutella or melted Hershey’s is totally your call!) and the other slice with melted marshmallows. Sandwich them together and dip the sandwich into egg, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla (just like normal french toast!) and griddle until golden brown on each side.

So there you have it – these are all cheap, easy, and sure to please the family. Enjoy #NationalSmoresDay!

Reusable Keurig Cups

reusable_keurig_cups

Now there’s an idea! Although a Keurig machine is already a budget way to get your daily caffeine intake instead of running to the nearest Starbucks, you can make this even MORE budget friendly.

Groupon Goods is running an incredible deal today for Ekobrew Reusable Filters for Keurig machines.

With it, you get two reusable filters, that you can fill with the ground coffee of  your choice – from wherever you want, for however much you want to pay. You can use this just as you use Keurig cups and then reuse the filter next time.

Not only is this a  budget idea, but environmentally friendly too!

My Love Affair With TJ Maxx

TJ Maxx

If you’re anything like me, you’re a ‘maxxinista’! My absolute favorite budget-friendly, high value store is TJ Maxx. It blows my mind all the time how I can get so many articles of clothing or adorable knick knacks for my home for such a little cost. I decided it was high time I put my wondering to bed and did some research on the glory that is TJ Maxx.

First, I checked out their website to get some facts. Here’s what they say:

  • Selections of brand names and designer fashions generally 20%-60% below department and specialty store regular prices on comparable merchandise
  • They have ‘buyers’ who not only trend-spot, but buy from everything from big-name vendors to boutique and up-and-coming labels.
  • These ‘buyers’ are opportunistic – basically, when a designer overproduces or another store overbuys, TJ Maxx swoops in and negotiates the lowest possible price
  • They also take advantage of opportunities such as department store cancellations or closeout deals
  • Only a small percentage of TJ Maxx merchandise is ‘past season’

While I was there, I also saw two awesome tips that you should all be aware of before I continue…

  • There are several deliveries per week – just because you didn’t find anything you liked one day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check back a couple of days later!
  • If you like something, grab it. They don’t hold much in their stock rooms + store managers don’t even know what’s coming in until deliveries arrive. Don’t hold back or you’ll lose it!

Then, it was time for me to dig outside of the brand – how is TJ Maxx really doing this?! Do people know secrets behind the budget extraordinaire store?

The Budget Babe’s tell all article “The Truth About TJ Maxx” is pretty insightful. She says that it is a misconception that TJ Maxx buys leftovers from other stores. The Budget Babe claims that they buy directly from 10,000 vendors in 60 countries – same top quality stuff that you can see being sold for more in department stores. One of the reasons that they’re able to do this is because they agree to not advertise or announce the specific name brands they carry – giving dibs to department stores to do that. Pocket Your Dollars mentions that they simply use general statements like “department store brands” instead. The Budget Babe does tip us off to this: sign up for alerts from TJ Maxx and they’ll send you email updates about great new designer names so you’re tipped off on when to head to  your nearest location. Not a bad idea!

Another misconception The Budget Babe tips us off to, is that it’s rumored that TJ Maxx only sells irregular or damaged merchandise. This is entirely untrue! 95% of their goods are top quality with no flaws. The 5% that IS irregular is marked and priced as such – they’re certainly not trying to trick you. The world is not working against you!

On the other hand, though, Medium recently released an article debunking all of this. They claim that brands work directly with TJ Maxx to produce clothing with their label on it in return for a certain percentage. Medium claims that often times, they can be very deceptive with this in mind. So pants that “usually cost $88, marked down to $44” are not in fact ever worth $88 – they were intentionally made to cost $44 – quality, quality, quality.

Where does this leave us? Well, here’s where it leaves me – it’s entirely up to you who and what you choose to believe. If you’ve been a time-old TJ Maxx consumer like myself, and you like the prices and quality, then keep going! I know I will. Now you simply have the facts in case you’ve ever wondered.

Enjoy the weekend!

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