Morning all! More today about using what we have in new ways and making it all yummy and tasty. We can all make these quick and easy recipes, generally with things we have at the house already. Using what you have and using it up, can save a lot of money in the long run. Keeps us out of the stores, keeps our minds fresh - getting creative, and it is tasty and different. Hope you give one or two a try.
Always remember that you can substitute ingredients that you normally use or have - instead of what is listed.
FRIED APPLES
I sure remember mom fixing these as a kid, and I still do once in a while. I plan on doing some today as a matter of fact. Mom always made them as a side dish with pork chops or other pork dinners. That was good - but so is just eating as a dessert. You can have them as is, over ice cream or over cake or cheesecake. Just have them!
Peek core and slice up apples (I always use ones that are getting older)
Place a little butter in a pan and melt. Throw in sliced apples, a bit of sugar or brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon and sauté' until tender. Oh yum! Simple and easy and using up what is just laying around.
Actually, you can use different fruits as well - pears, peaches, etc.
You can save the peels and cores to make jelly with as well!
CORN FRITTERS
Yum. These are easy and tasty and simple.
3 C corn kernels (canned/drained or frozen or fresh)
3/4 C flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C milk
salt and pepper to taste
Mix your dry ingredients together and then add the eggs and milk - stir until well blended. Add the kernels in. Drop by heaping tablespoon into hot grease and fry until golden on each side. Approx. 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 minutes per side.
*****Think about changing out from corn to other veggies. Chopped cauliflower or broccoli, shredded carrots, etc. Whatever you have. Have fun with it and enjoy!
BAKED POTATOES
Baked potatoes can be a meal unto themselves. They often are for me. Top with whatever goodies you have hanging out in the frig. Leftover chili/cheese, sloppy joe, taco meat, veggies and cheese sauce, pulled pork, stew - absolutely anything!!!! There is no right or wrong thing to top a potato with!
POTATOE CAKES
Great way to utilize leftover mashed potatoes. I often make extra just so I can make these.
2 C mashed potatoes
1 C flour
1 Egg
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped onion or shredded cheese if desired.
Mix all the ingredients together and drop by the spoonful in hot grease. Brown about 4 minutes per side.
Top with butter or sour cream. Great with gravy as well.
Makes a great side dish. I sometimes add bits of bacon if I have some ready. I can eat these as a meal with a little salad.
HEALTHY FUN SANDWICH
I love to make some toast and add peanut butter to 2 pieces of it, then add thinly sliced apples to the middle. Or you can add banana slices. Makes for a fun, tasty, and pretty healthy sandwich. Apple and peanut butter sandwiches are quite filling. Great for adults or kiddos.
Open your eyes to the fact that meals don't always have to look the same. You don't HAVE to have a variety of foods for a meal. You can eat one or two things and get plenty full and satisfied. I know many don't think so, but if you are budgeting and saving - experiment a little.
There is no need to be hungry when you step outside the box a little and get creative with what you have.
I love using things in new ways and I hate waste. I learned all these tricks and ideas when I was a kiddo and we didn't have a ton of money. Momma was very creative using what we had - it was all good. Many of her food/budget stretching ideas are still used often by me even after all these years.
When it's good it's good!
Have fun stretching that food and using it up.
I hope this help someone just starting out or even those of us that have been around a while.
Have a wonderful day to everyone!
I made potato soup for the freezer yesterday, and today I pulled the ham broth out to make split pea soup. This should see us stocked up with soup for meals for awhile. I do have another lovely ham bone in the fridge freezer so I foresee more ham broth coming up in the future.
ReplyDeleteNext week I hope to save more of our potatoes by making potato cakes/patties for the freezer.
God bless.
Oh yum. You are on a roll! Love soup. Split pea sounds good.
DeleteSo many ways to use things up. Yay, on utilizing the potatoes and making things ahead.
Split pea made with ham stock is the best! I also have a ham bone waiting, in son's freezer. I love to season that soup with fresh rosemary. :)
DeleteMaryB
Yum!!! Those all look and sound delicious, Cheryl! I've made the apples and the potato cakes. Will have to try the corn fritters. YES, a baked potato can be topped with just about anything for a simple, filling meal. Once in awhile I crave a peanut butter and banana sandwich. :-)
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things is beef stew using leftover beef roast. Yesterday I decided to test out the smaller crock pot. I cut the leftover thick slices of tri-tip into cubes, added all the pan drippings, some chopped celery, a couple of (unpeeled) chopped carrots and water. Turned the crock pot on low and left if for about 4 hours. Then I added those country style frozen hash brown potatoes (diced, I had some leftover in the freezer), knowing the potatoes would turn the liquid into a hearty gravy. In another hour or so I added leftover peas and once heated through, served up the stew for dinner with bread and butter. We'll have it again tonight when son is here. Takes so little effort! And the little crock pot works fine.
Have a great day! --Elise
Corn fritters are yummy and just fun! Something different.
DeleteYum on the stew. I know people always ask for recipes and sometimes I say "what is this recipe thing you speak of?" LOL
Just throw things together and go with it - that is my best recipe.
Enjoy your stew.
The first thing that popped into my mind was dinner last night. Pull apart pizza. I found half a loaf of French bread in the freezer, along with real bacon bits, a small bag of shredded mozzarella, and about 12 oz. Of spaghetti sauce. Melted 1\4 c. Butter and poured it over crosscut bread. Then I stuffed bacon and cheese into the cracks, cooked it at 375° for 20 minutes. Warm the sauce, pull apart, and dip. So simple and used up a bunch of leftovers. And Yummy! I've also done it with ham and cheese to dip into tomato soup.
ReplyDeleteYUM! That sounds wonderful. What a great way to use your items and cost is basically zero. Using what you have - love it. The ham and cheese one sounds tasty too. Thanks
DeleteThere are lots of good ways to use bits and bobs in a meal. I knew your readers would have yummy ways to make a meal out of leftovers.
ReplyDeleteAnother warmish day! No sun but that's okay.
Yes, we have very creative folks here. I love that everyone shares their ideas so we can help people just starting out on this journey. It lets people know there are boundaries!
DeleteFront door open here today - love the temps.
Oh, those all sound delicious, Cheryl. We often have baked apples with our dinners as we both love them. And I love having a baked potato for dinner. It is a meal unto itself. :)
ReplyDeleteMmmm baked apples sound good too. Mom used to make those as well. I love a loaded baked potato - super filling.
DeleteGreat post, Cheryl. I like to cook up a big batch of apples in my crockpot and freeze in quart bags. Then I have them ready to use for dessert, pork dinners or breakfast-Sue from Fla.
ReplyDeleteYum. I love cooked apples and the slow cooking would really bring out the sweetness.
DeleteLots of good ideas!
ReplyDeleteI chopped up some pitiful and soft apples and froze them for future crisps or pie or in muffins.
Mom made corn fritters fairly often...and we had them with maple syrup! Like a pancake. yummy!
Yum that would make a good breakfast food for sure. Never thought about using syrup on them.
DeleteThat is a good way to save the apples too. Waste not want not.
Lots of yum going on, Cheryl. I found a recipe on Instagram for a gluten free pizza crust made with leftover rice of all things. I made it this past week and it was so good and simple.
ReplyDeleteAll you need is 2 cups of rice, a little over 2 ounces of water,
2 ounces of cheese and 3 to 4 eggs, depending on the size of the egg. You put the rice and water into a blender and blend until it's smooth. Pour into a bowl and add the cheese and eggs and mix until well combined. Spread on a 10 to 12 inch parchment lined pizza pan and spray the top with a little oil or Pam. Bake at 425 to 450 until firm and lightly browned and crispy on top. We topped ours with some leftover bits of chicken, cheese and no'mato sauce. It was delish and I will make it again. I added a little salt and Italian herbs to the crust before baking it. It is definitely not a flour crust so don't expect that, but it is firm enough to be able to hold the toppings and hold it in your hand. I think it would be good cold with a salad topping in the summer.
We were out of lettuce but I had the fixings for coleslaw so that was our salad. My understanding is the crust does freeze well.
Tonight we're having Impossible Pie. 4 eggs, 2 cups of milk (I use coconut milk, 1/3 cup flour (I use gluten free cassava flour). Any leftovers that you have. Put the filling (leftovers) in the bottom of a 9# pan. Mix together the eggs and milk. Add whatever seasoning you like. Pour over the filling and sprinkle the flour over top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Serves 4 or more. Cookie
That sounds really good. I have used rice/eggs/cheese to make quiche crust before - but didn't blend it up. It was a great way to use up too much rice.
DeleteI bet the pizza was great.
Love impossible pie. It is amazing how simply some things can be made and they taste just so dang delish!
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Cookie, thank you for sharing, I will definitely be writing those down! I like it that you can hold the pizza crust. The pie sounds like something I would like too, very much so.
DeleteThanks again, ~Amelia
I forgot to say its 2 cups of cooked rice that is either leftover or has be cooked and cooled.
DeleteThat is an amazing recipe and I've saved it. Thanks so much for posting. :)
DeleteMaryB
What a great and helpful post, as usual!
ReplyDeleteThose potato cakes really brought back the memories, Cheryl!
My mom made those for us--or should I say, made them for my dad because none of her kids would eat them. They just seemed...odd. Although I'm sure they were delicious because dad had no problem eating every one she made!
Thank you for the recipe--I am going to try them and see if my palate has matured since then--LOL!
I have never made corn fritters. Seems like they'd be so good with a cup of clam chowder or any soup, really.
Isn't it funny the things that trigger our memories. Sounds like your dad really liked them. Give it a try - you may be surprised!
DeleteYes, the corn fritters would be good as a side to about anything.
Hope you will enjoy!!
Thank you for the recipes, they should all come in handy. I'm a fan of baked potato night. Baked potatoes are very comforting. Our eldest daughter had recommended that for me at a deli when my dad was dying in the hospital that awful day, we had them last week and hubs said it was comforting to him too.
ReplyDeleteMy mom is not happy at the rehab but doing slightly better today but wanting to go home, feeling distraught today, very sad. Our secondborn daughter, hubs and little boy (little batman) were there for a little bit today, little batman pushed my mom in a wheelchair, they brought her some clothes. I'm praying she will at least be able to walk with a walker.
Have a great evening, I wrote what happened on the last entry of yours but I guess I was tardy haha. Take care now and have a nice rest of the day, ~Amelia
I hope you can use the recipes. I like a baked potato too.
DeletePoor mom - it has to be so frustrating for her. Hoping she goes along with everything and gets much better and is able to walk.
I will go and read!
Take care.
Amelia, you and your family are in our prayers. Cookie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cookie. I appreciate that very much. ~Amelia
ReplyDeleteFried apples were served with spaghetti at school. I thought it odd but loved it. Mama made baked apples which we all loved. I never had the potato patties until my 94 year old neighbor gave them to me when I was much older.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a new recipe but a new way to eat pancakes. I loved to eat them plain with just a bit of butter instead of bread with scrambled eggs when I was in hs. They were also good with butter when I ate oatmeal.
When single, I would just eat whatever was in the refrigerator for breakfast--bowl of beans was my favorite.
If I really wanted a bit of chocolate, I would put some butter, a bit of sugar, and cocoa in a cup and microwave it. There were no leftovers to tempt me later.
Odd combo - but apples are good with about anything!
DeletePancakes seem a bit dry to me and have to be majorly smothered in syrup. I don't know that I could eat them that way, but it sounds like a good and different way to use them. Could even make smaller ones and make a breakfast sandwich.
Thanks.
Amelia, praying for your Mother and your family.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, can I just say (again) how much I love these posts? So many great ideas! There's just so much you can make yourself for so much less than grocery/retail prices. Here's an example: 48 1.16-oz frozen pierogis are selling for $67. Cheese filled. No meat. Leftover mashed potatoes can make a great pierogi dough with an egg and flour of your choice. And while cheese isn't cheap, there still are some decent sales *or* use up the old cheese in the fridge. No need to make 48 for the freezer.
ReplyDeleteSame company offers 4 lbs. of heat and eat chicken wings for $85! This is from advertised foods for Super Bowl gatherings. Every grocery store sells frozen dough wrapped mini hot dogs for appetizers. I've said to Hubs (in stores when they're displayed on end caps), "Really? You can't wrap your own cut wieners?" SMH.
To any new readers here looking for tips on saving $$, just don't buy it. Try Cheryl's recipes and others that are shared here. Based on prices I'm seeing, you'll save hundreds just for one big gathering!
--Elise
P.S. To Amelia... still praying!
Thanks for that Elise. Those are just stupid crazy prices. I guess some people buy that stuff - but those are the ones who "think" they have plenty of money - but in reality have very little sense!!!!!
DeleteI just can not even imagine. I have always been a homemade is better kind of person. Sure like everyone, a meal out now and then is tasty - but generally not as tasty as homemade.
Thanks
Exactly! I try not to get "het up", but that's more than $21 per pound for chicken wings!!!!! To compare, as a $5 Friday deal at Safeway (today), USDA Choice New York steaks are $5 per pound. Not that we need any or will buy any, but steak vs. chicken wings at a $16 per pound savings? You'd have to be nuts to pay that for chicken wings. Or $13.40 per pound for NO MEAT pierogis. Just my opinion. I like your ideas better. --Elise
DeleteI found this vlog which is about frugality and shopping. Might be interesting to American viewers to see grocery prices in Canada. Melanie is having a challenge of eating for $23. a week and it goes to show that a person can eat well if they take the time to plan and to cook.
ReplyDeleteLast month she was eating lobster and charcuterie so it's not always about making do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1vEnmwjiMs
Saw that it was 80F in Washington, D.C. yesterday; will they notice that there might actually be climate change happening?
Snowmobiles and people going through the ice up here. OMG; unprecedented.
Have a good weekend!
That is interesting. Yes, you sure can eat well with planning and cooking at home. I will have to watch that - because I know lobster is about the most expensive thing you can buy in my area. Way more than $23!
Delete80*? I sure didn't hear that - but it has warmed for a few days only to get colder again. It happens down here a lot - warm then cold.
We do have some areas of the country that really never get real cold for very long.
Have a great weekend - will check out the vlog. Thanks
Yeah, I looked up that 80* weather and sure enough there it was. But it's more like weather whip-lash and it's going to cool down again.
ReplyDelete*A couple of weeks ago around New Year I think; Albertsons grocery had lobster for $5 a piece on a digital special. I didn't get any. :)
WOW - yes, the ups and downs have been normal this winter. Went from below zero temps to 50's in a day. Cold coming again.
DeleteI wonder if they were those tiny ones that stores have once in a while? I sure haven't seen any that cheap for years. I would like to, as I love lobster. Crab legs are another favorite - but they sure are costly around here. Of course being so far inland that makes sense!!
Melanie is lucky to live in a Maritime province and can buy lobster relatively cheap from a local person; probably the person that harvested them. I think she is not as frugal as you and your readers but she has some good ideas too.
DeleteThe jet stream is playing with us and the extra warm Pacific ocean is bringing us (in Ontario) a very mild winter.
I think you can make fish taste like lobster by simmering it in ginger ale and serve with lots of garlic butter. Would you like lobster without garlic butter? I think that may be what makes it so delicious.
Living where it is harvested would be something. Fresh and yummy and cheaper! I will check her out.
DeleteNever heard that tip about fish before - thanks!
Oh most definitely - the butter is what makes it so good. Kind of like cocktail sauce with shrimp! I do like shrimp - but like the sauce better!!!! LOL