Frugal Family Recipes From BetterBudgeting

Easy Garlic Shrimp and Pasta with Corn

2020-05-29T14:13:00.000-04:00

by Michelle Jones, Founder of BetterBudgeting and FrugalFamilyRecipes

Category: Recipes, Frugal, One Dish, Pasta, Seafood, Corn
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Here's a super easy and delicious dinner I tossed together this week with some items we had on hand, including our last box of pasta. Last weekend we purchased a few boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables at a special event in our county to support Georgia Farmers during Covid-19. We waited in line for 3 hours just to pick up our order but we were happy to help our farmers! We've been enjoying fresh corn all week, and we also gave some away too. Which was really hard to do because we do love fresh corn. Feel free to substitute any type of protein for the shrimp in my recipe, any type of pasta, and even any other vegetables you have on hand in place of the corn.

Ingredients:

1 lb pasta, any type
1-2 lbs medium or large shrimp (shelled, de-veined, rinsed)
4 T. butter
Drizzle of olive oil
1 T. minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
1 T. chopped basil
1/2 - 1 c. corn
Pinch of salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (for topping)

Directions:

Place pasta in large pot of salted boiling water and cook 8-10 minutes or until al dente.

Meanwhile, add butter and olive oil to a large pan over med-high heat and cook garlic for 1 minute until soft and fragrant. Add shrimp, corn, and remaining ingredients (except the cheese) and saute until shrimp is done; pink color throughout.

Reduce heat to low and keep warm until your pasta is ready. Drain pasta and combine with shrimp mixture.

Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese or other similar grated cheese; whatever you have on hand. We used Cotija cheese, as shown in the top photo. Delicious!

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Crispy Barbecue Chicken Wings with Lime Marinade

2020-05-28T13:24:00.000-04:00

by Michelle Jones, Founder of BetterBudgeting.com

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Dinner, Chicken
Prep Time: Marinate Overnight
Yield: 6-8 servings

Here's another dinner we now make at home saving big bucks. We've cooked chicken wings in many different ways, including garlic, Teriyaki, and our favorite barbecue sauces. Here's our latest favorite.

Have to give credit to hubby for this one, he just takes it to the next level... and they are SOOOO GOOD!!!

Ingredients:

Fresh or frozen chicken wings and/or drumettes - we get the large family size bag - thaw completely before cooking

Marinade...

In a large bowl, mix together the following ingredients

1/2 c. olive oil
2 limes, juiced and zested
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. smoked paprika
1 tsp. sugar
Kosher salt and crushed black pepper

Additional sauce, if desired...

Barbecue
Buffalo (mild or hot)
Teriyaki
Sauteed garlic w/butter or olive oil

Dip...

Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing

Directions:

Place marinade and chicken wings in sealed container, toss to coat wings evenly, place in fridge overnight. Remove wings from container when ready to cook. Place on broiler pan or baking sheet with rack. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until almost done.

Remove wings from oven and deep fry in hot oil (350) for 2 minutes or until crispy. Drain wings on paper towels, sprinkle with Kosher salt, then place in large bowl and toss with favorite sauce. Serve wings with dressing on the side.

Note: This marinade is so good, you can even skip the extra sauce. However, the wings are really wonderful with both!

Enjoy!!! :o)

Michelle

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Mexican Skillet Street Corn Made with Fresh or Frozen Corn

2020-05-28T12:17:00.001-04:00

Mexican Skillet Street Corn
© by Michelle Jones, Founder of BetterBudgeting.org

Category: Recipes, Frugal
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Our kids love Mexican Street Corn so I wanted to try making it off the cob and in the iron skillet! I had it this way at a restaurant (in Texas) a few years ago and have been wanting to try to replicate the recipe ever since. It was so simple to make and now we can serve it anytime we want; frugally from our own kitchen at home. I hope you'll give it a try and love it too. YUM!!!

Ingredients:

4 fresh ears of corn (or 3 1/2 c. frozen corn)
3 T. mayonnaise
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 - 2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. minced red onion
1 T. minced garlic
1/2 c. crumbled Mexican cheese
Dash of Cayenne pepper
Dash of salt and pepper
1 T. olive oil, more if needed

Directions:

Remove husks from corn, wash, and cut ends off. Carefully cut kernels off and set aside. Heat skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Add corn and dash of salt and pepper. Char the corn while stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes. While corn is cooking, add remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to combine. When corn is cooked, stir into mayo/cheese mixture. Serve with a sprinkle more of crumbled cheese and cilantro on top.

Keep that kitchen open and ENJOY!

Michelle

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Mashed Potatoes for Two

2017-10-09T10:58:00.000-04:00

by Michelle Jones, founder of BetterBudgeting.org

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Side Dishes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

After 20 something years of making dinners for our large family, relearning how to make smaller meals is turning out to be a bit of a challenge for hubby and I. Here's a quick and easy way we recently downsized one of our favorite side dishes; homemade mashed potatoes. Just for two!

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1" pieces (yukon gold, if possible)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed (or dice if preferred)
1 T. butter
pinch of salt and pepper, as desired
drizzle of olive oil
1 small sprig of fresh parsley or dill, chopped

Directions:

Place potatoes and garlic in a pot of boiling water, cook for 15 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit a few minutes if needed. Drain and return potatoes to pot, then add butter and a nice drizzle of olive oil. Mash the potatoes right in the pot (with a potato masher or fork). Add a pinch of salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with a little fresh parsley or dill and that's all there is to it.

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Shepherd's Pie with Red Bell Peppers

2017-01-29T14:46:00.000-05:00

Shepherd's Pie with Red Bell Peppers
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Dinner, Beef
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

I've been making variations of this frugal dinner for my family for more than 20 years, it's just that GOOD! Though traditionally made with lamb, we prefer ground beef, and, HOMEMADE mashed potatoes. This yummy dinner is easy on the budget and easy to make, it just requires a bit of time. If you wash dishes and clean up as you go, that will help!

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground chuck (or ground turkey)
Olive oil
Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 large Vidailia sweet onion, chopped
1 each of red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, chopped in large chunks
Brown gravy mix (enough for 2 cups of gravy)
6 med-large potatoes, cut into quarters, boiled and drained
2 T. butter
Salt and pepper
Milk
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

In large skillet, brown ground beef and drain. While browning ground beef, in 2 separate pans with a drizzle of olive oil, saute sliced mushrooms in one, and the onions and bell peppers together in the other.

When ready, stir the mushrooms into cooked and drained ground beef (NOT yet on the peppers, let them continue to simmer on low heat). Next, to the ground beef mixture, add brown gravy mix with 2 cups water (or as directed on pkg.). Heat until gravy is thickened, then simmer while preparing mashed potatoes.

How to Make Homemade Mashed Potatoes...

When potatoes become fork tender, drain and place into mixing bowl while still hot.

Mix on med-high speed until fluffy.

Add 2 T. butter and salt/pepper as desired. Add a splash of milk and continue mixing until potatoes are smooth.

In a 10x13-inch baking dish, layer beef mixture, then the sauteed onions and bell peppers.

Spread mashed potatoes over veggies evenly, gently drag fork over potatoes if desired, then top with shredded cheese. Bake for 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Balsamic, Bacon & Tomato Bruschetta

2016-12-01T22:41:00.000-05:00

Featured Recipe...

Balsamic, Bacon & Tomato Bruschetta

Here's another yummy dish we made for our Super Bowl party. French bread was on sale and so was the bacon. The rest of ingredients we had on hand.

Hubby and the kids helped out in the kitchen so that brought everything together pretty quick. These make great party appetizers. One of my personal favorites.

(Just one note of caution, ours were gone in less than five minutes!)

If you don't have all of these ingredients just substitute anything you'd like. I'm sure it will be delicious. :o)

Ingredients:

1 French baguette, cut diagonally into slices 1/2" thick
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
10-12 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in 3 slices each
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
Good pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper
Couple of fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 T. dried)

Directions:

Place baguettes on baking sheet and toast for a few minutes on each side, at 400 degrees.

While bread is toasting, mix dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl and set aside. (Vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper.)

Remove bread from oven and rub cut side of garlic clove on top of each slice. Spread with softened cream cheese, then sprinkle with crumbled bacon and top with tomatoes.

Place on platter, drizzle with dressing, then top with chopped basil.

Submitted by Michelle Jones, Editor

What's for Dinner Tonight?
FrugalFamilyRecipes.com

Easy Creole Sausage and Black Beans with Rice

2016-09-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Dinner
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Wayne (a.k.a. Hubby) and I created this recipe together. Makes a deliciously filling and frugal dinner, enough to feed the entire family. Thought it was so good we just had to share it with y'all. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil
2-3 T. butter
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 lb smoked beef sausage (or any other desired), cut into 1/4" slices
4-6 c. rice, cooked
2 (15.5 oz) cans Goya black beans, undrained
1 T. Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
pinch of salt, if desired

Directions:

In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and sliced sausage and cook until heated through. Add cooked rice, beans, creole seasoning, and pinch of salt if desired. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

Makes enough to feed 4 to 6; depending on how hungry everyone is.

Enjoy!

Michelle

What's your family making for dinner tonight? Share a recipe...

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Chicken Chili

2016-08-28T10:22:00.000-04:00

submitted by Gina S.

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Dinner, Chicken
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

This has been a requested favorite from my teenagers. It's lower in sodium and fat, and is quick and easy too. The addition of coconut milk makes this chili creamy and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 uncooked chicken breast, cubed
1 pkg chili seasoning
1 T. Mrs. Dash original seasoning
2 cans white cannellini beans, drained
4.5 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 can fire roasted chopped tomatoes
1/2 carton unsalted chicken stock (or to desired consistency)
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. cold water
1 can coconut milk

Directions:

Begin by heating olive oil in dutch oven over medium low heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add minced garlic clove, cook for a minute being careful not to burn garlic and then put in cubed chicken. Cook chicken until almost cooked through. Now go ahead and sprinkle in your seasonings including chili seasoning packet. Stir and cook for a minute until you can smell the seasoning becoming fragrant.

Next, add in chicken stock, beans, chilies and tomatoes and combine. Cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes. At this point you can mix the cornstarch and water, then stir into chili and simmer for 5 more minutes (if you want a thicker chili.) Turn off heat and add in coconut milk. Serve with rice and/or corn bread.

Have a frugal recipe to share? Contact us, our frugal families would love to try your recipe and so would we!

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Fresh Green Beans with Parmesan Cheese

2016-08-08T23:44:00.000-04:00

by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Vegetables
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

One of our family's favorite vegetables is green beans. We've cooked them countless ways over the years, but never like this. My daughter picked up a few recipe cards when we were grocery shopping at Kroger last week and this one was so easy to make. We adapted the recipe to what we had on hand and it turned out great!

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh green beans, rinsed, ends cut
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
Pinch of salt
2-3 T. Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat saucepan with olive oil and butter over med-high heat and add green beans. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, add salt and cheese, then toss gently to combine everything together. Serve immediately. These are SO GOOD!!!

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Perfect Fried Pickles!

2016-08-01T23:20:00.000-04:00

Perfect Fried Pickles

by Michelle Jones, Founder of @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Appetizer
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

Oh my goodness, we love fried pickles! If you haven't had them yet, you're missing a real treat. Especially if you like pickles. Fried pickles are popular here in the South. The first time we had them was at a barbecue restaurant in 2006; when we moved back home to Atlanta. Ever since then, we've ordered them just about anytime we see them on a menu; splitting one order for our family of 6 means everyone gets just a few. With hubby still out of work we rarely eat out anymore. No more fried pickles. That is... until our college daughter was home for the weekend and said "Mom, let's make fried pickles!" She knows I've been wanting to make them for years so of course I said "Yes, lets do it!"

Having had many different types of fried pickles over the last 6 years, we knew there was one type we did NOT want... battered with cornmeal. We also knew they are better fried crispy brown, not too light and not too dark. They should be soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and absolutely delicious!

I'm happy to report, our homemade fried pickles came out just perfect!

Here's our (now favorite!) recipe, I hope you'll try it. Makes enough fried pickles for 6-8 people, more or less. ;o)

Ingredients:

1 large jar of sliced dill pickles, or as much as you want to make (we used just over 1/2 quart)
Vegetable oil
2 c. all-purpose flour
Salt/Pepper
2 large eggs
1 c. low-fat buttermilk
About half a box of saltine crackers, crushed finely
3/4 tsp. dill weed, dried or fresh
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

Heat oil to 350 degrees. You can use a deep fryer, iron skillet or stockpot on the stove.

Mix together flour, salt and pepper, in a large zip bag. In a medium size bowl or baking dish, mix together eggs and buttermilk. In a third container, preferably a large baking dish, mix together crushed crackers, dill weed and cayenne pepper. Dip pickles first in flour mixture, then egg mixture, then cracker crumbs. Let them sit on plate for just a bit before placing one at a time into hot oil; small batches of about 10-12 work best. Carefully turn pickles once if necessary to brown evenly on both sides. Remove pickles from oil and drain on paper towels. THEN, sprinkle with a little salt and additional cayenne pepper. OH MY GOODNESS, SO GOOD!!!

These are the dill pickle slices (chips) we used. Delicious!

Dill pickle chips are the best type of pickles to use. I would think any brand should be fine, as long as they are fresh. You can also use whole dill pickles and slice them yourself, or pickle spears. Just remember, DILL, not sweet, not bread and butter.

There are several methods to crushing the saltine crackers. Crush them in a closed zip bag with a rolling pin, in a dish with a potato masher, or pulse them in a food processor.

Eggs and buttermilk, delightful.

Our batter lineup! :o)

1st flour, 2nd eggs, 3rd cracker crumbs. You could also use regular bread crumbs, or panko... just not cornmeal!

350 degree oil, til crispy brown on both sides.

Here's what our fried pickles looked like after a sprinkling of additional salt and cayenne pepper. This, I believe, was the ultimate perfect touch!!!

ENJOY!

Michelle

Holiday Turkey Leftovers: Turkey Frame Soup

2015-11-02T11:45:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Sally, for sharing this leftover turkey recipe with us! We hope more of our families will share a holiday leftover recipe too, we don't want one bit of food to go to waste! :o)

Featured Recipe...

Turkey Frame Soup

Recipe for those leftover turkey bones and the tons of meat you didn't know still
clung to them!

1 meaty turkey frame (I usually throw mine in the freezer and cook several at a time)

3 quarts. water (12 cups)
1 onion, quartered
2 tsp. salt
1 16-oz. can tomatoes, cut up
1 T. instant chicken bouillon granules
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 c. fresh veggies (any combination of uncooked sliced celery, sliced carrot, chopped onion, chopped rutabaga, sliced mushrooms, chopped broccoli, and cauliflower flowerets)
1 ½ c. uncooked medium noodles

Break turkey frame or cut in half with kitchen shears; place in a large Dutch oven with water, onion and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer for 1 ½ hours. Remove turkey frame; when cool enough to handle, pull off remaining meat from bones and discard bones. Strain broth.

Return broth to Dutch oven. Stir in cut-up turkey meat from bones, undrained tomatoes, bouillon, oregano, thyme and pepper. Stir in fresh vegetables. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in uncooked noodles; simmer uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until noodles are done. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 10 servings.

Submitted by: Sally Ferguson
Source: Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook

Holiday Brunch Casserole

2015-11-01T12:23:00.000-05:00

Featured Recipe...

Holiday Brunch Casserole

Here is a casserole that my sister made and I love it. It's a great meal for work potlucks. I have to make 2 - 9x13 dishes of it because my co-workers gobble it down. See the optional changes at the bottom of the page. It tastes really good with the green chilies.

Ingredients:

1 pound bacon
1 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 pinch dried parsley
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. In a separate skillet, melt the butter and fry onions and mushrooms until tender. Place potatoes in bottom of prepared dish. Sprinkle with salt, garlic salt, and pepper. Top with bacon, then onions and mushrooms. In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk and parsley. Pour over casserole. Top with grated cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until set. If preparing and baking the same day, cook for 45 minutes.

Optional ingredients:

Diced can of green chili (TASTES GREAT WITH IT!)
I only use 1/2 an onion
Bacon substitutes--sausage (tastes great with sausage, easier than bacon), shrimp

Submitted by Christine Duval

Easy Cheesy Tots - without an Oven!

2015-09-22T20:00:00.000-04:00

by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Frozen, Potatoes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

No oven or fryer needed for our easy cheesy tots, and the addition of Sharp Cheddar makes them simply irresistible!

Ingredients:

1 lb frozen tater tots (or enough to serve 4)
1-2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 c. Sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

Add a pinch of salt if desired

Directions:

Heat large saucepan over med-high heat with vegetable oil. Gently add frozen tots and cook until crispy and done (turn tots gently with spatula as needed, being careful not to break them up). Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Place tots on serving plate while still very warm and sprinkle generously with finely shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese. The cheese will begin to melt immediately.

OH MY GOODNESS.

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Easy Chicken Alfredo Recipe

2015-08-22T08:59:00.003-04:00

by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Dinner, Chicken, Pasta
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Here's another one of our favorite chicken dinners that is quick and easy to make. It's not as fancy as homemade alfredo but it gets an A+ from mom and dad on a busy school night. Extra bonus points: The kids love it!

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs chicken breasts, cut into chunks and cooked

1-2 jars of alfredo sauce, heated in saucepan over medium-low heat, any flavor (I like to mix two different flavors together)

1 lb pasta, cooked and drained, (any type desired - penne, bowtie, rigatoni, rotelle)

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In large pot or saucepan, stir together cooked chicken, heated alfredo sauce, cooked and drained pasta. Add salt and pepper as desired and top with grated parmesan cheese. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Option: Top with fresh or dried herbs such as basil or parsley.

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Chicken and Vegetables with Bowtie Pasta

2015-08-19T15:34:00.000-04:00

by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Dinner, Chicken, Pasta
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Here's a one-dish meal I put together for dinner one night with chicken breasts that were on a great BOGO sale at Publix. It takes a little time to prepare but it is simple and only requires a few ingredients. It turned out fabulous!

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

3 chicken breasts

4 c. frozen chopped vegetable medley, steam cooked in microwave (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zuchinni, squash, red peppers, etc. - or whatever veggies you have - fresh or frozen)

1 lb Bowtie pasta (cook pasta in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes or until al dente, then drain - I usually do this while cooking the chicken)

Pinch of salt and pepper, as desired

1/2 - 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Dash of lemon juice

Directions:

Please olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. While oil is heating, cut chicken into thin bite sized strips. Cook chicken in saucepan until no longer pink and edges are starting to brown. When chicken is thoroughly cooked and ready, add steamed vegetables and seasonings. Stir and continue cooking until vegetables reach desired tenderness. Add drained pasta and lemon juice. Stir, serve, and enjoy!

Michelle

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BLT Wraps

2015-03-31T21:27:00.000-04:00

BLT Wraps

by Michelle Jones, Founder of @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Had a craving this week for a BLT sandwich (Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato). Decided to try it in a wrap. I used regular tortillas for the kids and whole wheat for me and hubby. Both were great. A quick and delicious meal for the whole family. Hope you'll try it!

Ingredients:

6 large flour tortillas (or whole wheat, or any other you like)
About half a head of lettuce, washed and separated into large pieces (no need to chop or tear)
2 large tomatoes, sliced
12 pieces of bacon (we had some leftover from a breakfast earlier in the week, probably the cause of my craving!)
Mayonnaise

Directions:

Cook bacon, drain on paper towel and set aside. Place 1 tortilla on plate (heated or not, either way is fine) then spread mayo on top, about 1 T., more or less as desired. Layer with large leaf of lettuce, a few tomato slices, then two pieces of bacon. You can also add other ingredients, such as cheese or different veggies, although then it wouldn't be a traditional BLT. ;o)

Fold in sides of tortilla, or roll, to make a wrap. Then eat and enjoy!

Easy Crockpot Baked Potatoes

2015-03-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

Easy Crock Pot Baked Potatoes (with or without foil)
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Side Dish
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Potatoes often get a bad rap with dieters but they are actually very nutritional and a staple food for most frugal families. Potatoes, a root vegetable, are rich in vitamins, essential minerals, and dietary fiber. They contain vitamin C, potassium, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B12), folate (vitamin B9), magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc. Red, Purple, and Russett varieties also contain vitamin A and antioxidant flavonoids. In addition, potatoes are fat free, cholesterol free, and low calorie.

OVEN: When you're cooking other items in the oven it's easy to wrap potatoes in a bit of foil and place around the rack edges. (I love to bake them at 475 for about an hour, without foil, just butter and salt.)

MICROWAVE: You can also microwave potatoes for about 4 minutes for a tender and super fast spud.

CROCK POT: However, if you'd like to cook them slow in the crock pot for dinner tonight while you go about your busy day, try this recipe.

It's so simple it will make you smile! :o)

Ingredients:

4-6 potatoes (Russett or Idaho)
Butter or olive oil (omit if desired)
Sea salt (if no butter or oil is used, leave washed potatoes slightly damp so the salt will stick)
Pepper (if desired)

Directions:

Wash potatoes and pat dry. Prick the top side of each potato with a fork about 3 times. (Not sure why 3 times, I've just done it this way for 30 years. HA) Rub potato skins with a little bit of butter or olive oil, or whatever oil you prefer, then a pinch of sea salt and pepper, if desired. Though it is not necessary to wrap the potatoes in foil, you can if you really want to. It's okay. (My family likes them either way!)

Place potatoes in crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.

Enjoy!

Michelle

Easy Shrimp Scampi

2015-02-24T21:09:00.001-05:00

Easy Shrimp Scampi
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Seafood
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Shrimp Scampi has always been one of my favorite restaurant dishes. Though serving sizes can be quite small and the cost not so much. So, here's how I make this shrimp at home and feed my entire family for the cost of one single dinner entree out. I've been making this dish for a few years now, with my little secret ingredient, and it's delicious every single time. I figured it was time to share!

Ingredients:

2 lbs shrimp, fresh or frozen/thawed, shell on, deveined, and on SALE!
garlic butter sauce
Old Bay seasoning or just a pinch of salt, pepper, and parsley
olive oil

Directions:

Warm up a large skillet with a drizzle of olive oil, over med-high heat. Rinse shrimp if needed and pat dry with a paper towel. Add shrimp to heated oil and toss lightly with spatula. For a large skillet of shrimp I will add 2-3 small garlic butter sauce cups that we save whenever we order pizza from Papa John's (see note below), then about 1 tablespoon of Old Bay (or other seasonings). All that's left to do now is toss the coated shrimp a few times and continue cooking until they are all completely pink on both sides. Remove shrimp to platter and serve warm, with a side salad and baked potato if desired. YUM!!!

Note: Garlic Butter Sauce - I'm pretty sure you can just drop by your local Papa John's and buy a few garlic butter dipping sauces, even without ordering a pizza. But if you don't have a Papa John's or want to make your own, just add 3-4 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and a pinch of salt for this dish.

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Potato Pancakes

2015-01-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Side Dishes, Potatoes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12-14 (about 4 servings)

Our search for perfect potato pancakes is finally over. And it only took 30 years. A little tweaking here and there, and what do you have? Absolute deliciousness. I could eat these for dinner, with nothing else. Every night. For the rest of my life. Yes, they are that good!

For a light and frugal dinner, serve them as the main dish with a side of turkey sausage (as pictured above).

Potato pancakes, also called Latkes, are traditionally served during Hanukkah. They are easy to make and very budget friendly.

Ingredients:

6 medium potatoes, or 4 large
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 sweet onion, medium to large, diced
1 tsp. sea salt
Cracked black pepper, dash
Vegetable shortening (Crisco)

Serve toppings separately on the side... applesauce, sour cream with fresh chives, and/or maple syrup or agave

Directions:

Peel and shred potatoes. Using a clean dish cloth, cheese cloth, or a few paper towels, wrap shredded potatoes in center and (holding over a bowl or the kitchen sink), squeeze as much liquid out as you can.

Place about 1/2 inch of oil in iron skillet and heat on medium. While oil is heating, combine potatoes and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Using a 1/4 cup measure, drop potato pancake mixture into skillet and press with spatula to flatten.

Depending on the size of your skillet, you can cook 3-5 pancakes at a time. Brown on both sides (about 3-4 minutes each), then place on serving plate lined with paper towels.

Serve about 3 potato pancakes per person, with toppings on the side. Our favorites are applesauce, sour cream and fresh chopped chives, maple syrup, or, all of the above.

Enjoy! :o)

Michelle

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Homemade Blueberry Pie

2014-11-19T08:28:00.001-05:00

Homemade Blueberry Pie
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Pies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

If you've never made a homemade blueberry pie you must give it a try. It is so very good and your family will love it. If you usually make pies with those expensive cans of blueberry goop (pie filling), using fresh fruit isn't as difficult as you might think. Try this recipe when blueberries are in season, or on sale, or any time of the year. Especially during the holidays!

Ingredients:

4 c. fresh blueberries (yes, you can also use frozen blueberries)
3/4 - 1 c. sugar
1/4 c. quick cooking tapioca, gently crushed (find in pudding aisle)
Juice of 1 lemon (or 1 T. lemon juice concentrate)
Dash of sea salt
1-2 T. butter
2 (9-inch) pie crusts, homemade or frozen

Directions:

Rinse and drain fresh blueberries, remove any stems. If using frozen blueberries, thaw slightly but do NOT rinse.

In a large bowl, add sugar, tapioca, lemon juice and salt to blueberries, stirring gently.

Here's a great tip from member, Lora... divide berries in half, placing one half in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until slightly thickened, for about 15 minutes. (Helps to thicken the blueberry juice so it doesn't run, and pie will be easier to cut.)

Gently stir together cooked and uncooked berries and place in thawed pie crust, top with a few pats of butter.

Place second crust on top of pie and vent with several cuts. You can also cut out 3 or 4 small shapes like hearts or diamonds. Or, cut second crust into 1-inch wide strips and weave back and forth for lattice design, as in the previous pie I made (photo at the top). Brush top of crust with a little milk or egg white.

Loosely cover edges of pie with strip of foil, then place on baking sheet in center of oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Cool pie on wire rack and store leftovers in fridge; if there are any leftovers.

Note: I definitely prefer the lattice crust design for blueberry pies, don't you agree? They do take a bit longer to make, but they are so pretty. Whichever crust style you choose, your homemade blueberry pie will be DELICIOUS!!!

What's your favorite holiday pie?

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Roasted Butternut Squash

2014-04-23T15:26:00.002-04:00

Roasted Butternut Squash
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Enjoy the bounty of this golden squash by cutting it into cubes and roasting in the oven with olive oil and a few more tasty ingredients. It's so good (and good for you), your family will want to have it again and again!

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, washed
Olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Cinnamon
Cayenne Pepper (just a small pinch)

Directions:

With a sharp knife, place the squash on a cutting board and cut off the top and bottom. Cut the squash in half where the rounded bottom meets the longer top (across the middle, not lengthwise as we do for baking two halves). Each section of the squash should now sit flat on the cutting board, making it easier to work with.

With a vegetable peeler or small knife, remove every bit of outer rind from both pieces of the squash. Cut the rounded end of squash in half and scoop out seeds (reserve for roasting if desired, just like pumpkin seeds). Then cut squash into 1-inch cubes and place on foil lined baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne (if desired), then toss gently to coat well.

Roast squash for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees, or until the largest cube is fork tender. If desired, transfer squash to iron skillet for the last few minutes to caramelize (as shown in my photo above), turning squash pieces gently with a spatula. Serve warm.

Enjoy!
Michelle

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Old Fashioned Creamed Potatoes

2013-11-14T13:37:00.001-05:00

Old Fashioned Creamed Potatoes - Like Grandma Used to Make!
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Here's another frugal family recipe that I should probably make more often because they are just so good! Creamed potatoes are a Southern delicacy. They are also easy to make, easy on the grocery budget and a nice change from regular baked and mashed potatoes. I learned how to make creamed potatoes from my mother-in-law many years ago and I'm sure she would love my version too. They are still just as creamy and prepared like grandma used to make, only with a little more seasoning. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs small red potatoes, washed and peeled
4 T. butter
1 T. bacon grease
1 tsp. each, sea salt and fresh ground pepper
4 c. water
1/2 c. milk

Directions:

In a large pot, add butter and bacon grease (reserved from making bacon), then set aside. Cut potatoes into large chunks, they will be smaller after cooking. I generally cut the very small red potatoes into quarters and the larger ones a bit more. Place cut potatoes in pot. Add salt and pepper. Cover potatoes with water (if 4 c. is not enough, add more). Bring to boil over med-high heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

As potatoes begin to cook, lower heat and continue cooking until they are very soft. At this point you will need to stir them gently so they do not turn into complete mush. They will be soft, but you want them to remain in chunks. Once the water has thickened like gravy the potatoes are ready (total cook time approximately 45 minutes). Remove from heat, add milk, stir gently, and serve warm.

Oh my goodness, they are just SO GOOD! Did I tell you that already? ;o)

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Easy Crab and Pasta

2013-11-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

Easy Crab and Pasta
by Michelle Jones, Founder @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal, Dinner
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 -6 servings

Here's a quick and easy frugal recipe that my husband came up with years ago. This recipe makes a light meal, but its also quite filling. And, its delicious!

Ingredients:

16 ounces spaghetti (regular or whole grain), cooked and drained
3 T. butter (you can also use olive oil, or half of each)
1 pkg. imitation crab meat
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in crab meat. Cook to heat through, about 3-5 minutes. Add drained pasta and gently toss with crab mixture until combined. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Michelle

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Crescent Quiche with Ham and Turkey

2013-10-28T08:33:00.000-04:00

Crescent Quiche
by Reader Recipes @BetterBudgeting

Category: Recipes, Frugal
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 - 6 servings

In my endless search for a good casserole this one turned out quite delicious, easy to prepare, and economical. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 roll tube of crescent rolls

Any type of lunch meat, approx. 1/2 lb (I used sliced ham and turkey)
1 cup shredded cheese (any type you like, divided into 3rds)
1/4 cup each of banana peppers and bread & butter pickle slices
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. dried italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried dill
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

You will need an 8x8-inch pan. First, open crescent rolls and separate in half, keeping triangles together press half of dough into bottom of your pan. Then sprinkle 1/3 of shredded cheese over dough, then begin layering your lunch meats, evenly spread banana peppers and pickles & sprinkle another 1/3 of cheese. In a bowl whisk eggs, milk and spices, then pour 1/2 of the mixture over casserole, place the other half of dough on top. Pour the remaining egg mixture on top, then sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese.

Lightly cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil, increase heat to 375 and bake an additional 20 minutes. If center is still 'liquidy', place foil back on and bake an additional 5-7 minutes. Cool slightly and serve with a green salad.

Submitted by Gina Siska

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Peanut Butter Grahams with Chocolate Drizzle

2013-08-24T20:43:00.003-04:00

Peanut Butter Grahams with Chocolate Drizzle
by Michelle Jones, Founder of BetterBudgeting.com

Category: Frugal Recipes, Desserts

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 graham cracker halves

4 T. peanut butter

Whipped dairy topping (store brand)

Hershey's chocolate syrup

Instructions:

Place 4 graham cracker halves on a serving plate.

Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on the top side of each graham cracker.

Top with 4 dollops of whip cream in the center of each covered cracker.

Drizzle chocolate syrup over whipped topping, either individually or all together (see our photo above).

Enjoy!

Michelle

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