Pennies & Pancakes

Frugality Tip #9: Check for Unclaimed Money Owed You

2013-05-23T11:13:00.003-07:00

I have a fun little story to tell you.

About a year ago, I received an email from my youngest brother, informing me that I had "unclaimed property" owed to me.

Uh... Right...

I figured his account had been hacked, and it was one of those spammer emails. I contacted him, to tell him he'd been hacked, only to have him ask if I'd checked out my unclaimed property yet.

What the... what?!?

Stick with me here... it'll be worth it...

He explained that he'd found out about a website that allows people to check for money owed to them. State governments have websites available for easy use to check for any unclaimed properties. Apparently unclaimed property laws have been around since the 1930's. There were 2.5 million claims totaling $2.25 billion returned to rightful owners in 2011 as a result of state unclaimed property program efforts. The average amount claimed? $892.

Here's what the website, unclaimed.org, has to say about it:

Unclaimed property (sometimes referred to as abandoned) refers to accounts in financial institutions and companies that have had no activity generated or contact with the owner for one year or a longer period. Common forms of unclaimed property include savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed dividends or payroll checks, refunds, traveler's checks, trust distributions, unredeemed money orders or gift certificates (in some states), insurance payments or refunds and life insurance policies, annuities, certificates of deposit, customer overpayments, utility security deposits, mineral royalty payments, and contents of safe deposit boxes.

My brother said he'd looked into it for himself and the rest of our family, and was pleasantly surprised when he entered my name, and the website verified that someone with MY name from MY hometown (population 500, mind you) had unclaimed property.

Get. Out.

I checked out the site, entered in my personal info., found my unclaimed money, and VOILA!

I was a whole $25.00 richer!

Not exactly a nest egg, I know. Still, it made my day.

And today, I checked again, just for fun. Nothing for me.

BUT, my older brother's name came up and he has "$100+" to claim... can't wait to call him and make HIS day.

I share this with you, so you can check for yourself. The state of Idaho alone has nearly $111 million in unclaimed property. Illinois has $1.7 billion.

So, take 2 minutes, click on your state, enter in your first and last name, and see if there's a match. It's easy, and completely safe.

Maybe you'll get a fun little surprise, like I did! Good luck!

Best Dessert Ever...

2013-05-18T06:31:00.001-07:00

Image courtesy of littlelifeofmine.com

THIS is looking pretty darn tasty right now...
... And it will continue to look tasty up till Halloween.

For those of you who may be scratching you heads, let me put it this way: Nelson Baby #4 is due on October 31st, and we couldn't be happier!!

This pregnancy has been different in several ways:

1. I finally experienced what morning sickness is all about. (Blech!) I'm very thankful that part is over.

2. I have aversions to cakes, brownies, cookies... baked goods in general haven't really appealed to me. (Totally out of character, if you know me even a little.)

3. I've eaten more pork products in the last few months than in the last 5 years combined. To give you an example, I've had 3 hotdogs in the last 2 months. I hadn't had a hotdog for 3 years before that. Also, my grilled cheese sandwiches now include ham, and I've made spaghetti carbonara with bacon JUST for me twice. (Pork and I haven't been very good friends ever since 5th grade and a lesson on tape-worms... sorry TMI.)

4. Even though I'm not putting on much weight yet, my belly is showing much faster compared to my other pregnancies.

5. Approach me with a turkey burger at your own risk. (I wouldn't want to ruin your shoes.)

All in all, I'm doing great, and so is the little "ghost" inside me. It's a little funny that NONE of our children will have been born in the same state:
Natalie was born in Missouri.
Abigail was born in Michigan.
Elizabeth was born in Illinois.
This baby will be a Utah baby.

We've pretty much decided that the key to me getting pregnant is for us to move to a new state. (I've been pregnant during every single move.)

I hope you all enjoy your weekend, and I'll see if I can't get another post put up early next week (I know, I know, "Not, Saturday?!"... I'll try to do two next week. We'll see what happens).

Happy Saturday, all!

Homemade Confectioner's Sugar ($0.24 per cup)

2013-05-11T08:36:00.003-07:00

$0.24 per cup 27% savings save $3.63 yearly

A while back, I was baking a chocolate cake with the sole purpose of trying out a cooked chocolate frosting recipe a friend had given me.

Well.

I don't know WHAT was going on in my head, but I set the baked cake on the counter to cool, and went to the lazy susan to pull out my bag of confectioner's sugar, only to discover that somehow, I was down to like 1/2 cup.

Color me stumped.

I had never not had confectioner's sugar on hand before. I live about 10 minutes from the grocery store, and my little ones were down for naps. I sat there stewing for a minute, then consulted good old
Google. After a little looking, I discovered that I had everything I needed to make my own confectioner's sugar in a pinch.

YES!!! Fist-bump to the sky!

Later that day, my family enjoyed chocolate cake covered in a divine chocolate frosting.

Wanna know how it was done? It was so easy, it makes me laugh.

I used my cheap-o blender.

I used regular white sugar.

I used a little bit of cornstarch.

Blended it all together to create a fine powder and, voila! Perfect confectioner's sugar!

This is not a recipe that's going to save anyone much money. In fact, I still buy it from the store rather than make my own... but if you're in a pinch (like I was) this was a LIFE SAVER! (Because obviously, I would have ceased to exist if I was unable to make that chocolate frosting).

You know what I mean.

There's the sugar and cornstarch, flying around in my little blender. Great work little blender that could. The article I read mentioned you could also use a coffee grinder or spice grinder if you were worried about etching up a plastic blender. I have neither of those things, and my blender is made of glass.

Homemade Confectioner's Sugar

*Yields approx. 4 1/4 cups

INGREDIENTS
4 cups white sugar
4 Tbsp cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
Place ingredients in a blender. Blend on high till fine and powdery (about 5 minutes). Use or store in airtight container.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
25 lb. sugar - $13.98 = 945 T = $0.015/T = $0.96
35 oz. cornstarch - $2.48 = 124 T = $0.020/T = $0.08
Total Recipe Cost: $1.04
Cost Per Cup: $0.24

The Contender:
Domino Pure Cane Confectioner's Sugar (2 lb): $2.49
Cost Per Cup: $0.33

Savings:
27%

"Over a Year" Scenario:
Make Homemade Confectioner's Sugar 10 times = $10.40
Use equivalent Domino Pure Cane Confectioner's Sugar = $14.03

*Money Saved = $3.63

Easy Chicken Pot Pie ($2.91 each)

2013-05-04T07:04:00.001-07:00

$2.91 each 77% savings save $37.47 yearly

About a month ago, I posted a fabulous recipe for Homemade Bisquick Mix courtesy of Lydia from Parents.com. The photo above was featured on that post, and subsequently, I had loads of recipe requests.

Let me tell you... this chicken pot pie is soooooo YUMMY! People will think you slaved for hours, when in reality, it comes together in minutes.

...But, you don't have to tell them that.

I would definitely put this recipe in the "I-don't-have-time-to-be-in-the-kitchen-tonight" category.

Steamed veggies, and tender chicken smothered in a thick, creamy sauce and topped with an easy, hearty, golden-brown crust... what's not to love?

The first time I made this it was a complete experiment.

I'll be honest... sometimes my culinary "experiments" are met by the stink-eye from most of my family.

However, this particular experiment was a raging success! My husband raved about it several times throughout the course of the meal. My little wife-y heart was pretty happy, I tell ya.

One of the best things about this recipe, is that you can cater it to your personal taste... choose your own veggie mix, use whole wheat in the bisquick, go for shredded beef instead of chicken, use a different sauce base, double up the chicken and sauce... you can make it completely your own, and it will cost you a mere fraction of what it could cost to buy one from the store.

You're gonna love it!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Printable Version

*Makes one 9" pot pie (6 servings)

(Note: If you are a "filling" person, you can easily double the sauce and add an extra cup of shredded chicken. I've done it both ways, and loved it both ways.)

INGREDIENTS
12 oz. bag frozen vegetables (I love the Bird's Eye Asparagus, Gold & White Corn, and Baby Carrots)
1 cup shredded chicken (Canned chicken could work in a pinch)
1 can cream of chicken soup (yes, yes, I know... cream of chemical soup)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme (opt.)

1 cup Homemade Bisquick Mix (or regular Bisquick)
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9" pie plate. Set aside.

Cook the veggies according to the package. If using fresh veggies (approx. 2 cups fresh), steam to cook.

In a large bowl, mix together the steamed veggies, cooked shredded chicken, condensed soup, 1/4 cup milk, salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour into the greased pie plate.

In a medium bowl, mix together the Homemade Bisquick mix, 1/2 cup milk, and egg. Pour on top of the chicken filling. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
12 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables - $0.75 (on sale)
6 lb. bag frozen chicken (Sam's Club) -$10.98 = $1.83/lb = $0.915
10.75 oz. can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup - $0.75 (rollback)
1 gallon milk (Sam's Club) - $2.89 = $0.181/cup = $0.181
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 48 T = $0.009/T = $0.002
pepper - $3.84 = 37.75 tsp. = $0.102/tsp = $0.013
1 dozen eggs - $1.78 = $0.15/egg = $0.15
Homemade Bisquick - $0.15/cup = $0.15
Total Recipe Cost = $2.91
Cost per Serving = $0.49

The Contender:
Grand Traverse Pie Company 9" Chicken Pot Pie = $12.49

Savings: 77%

"Over a Year" Scenario:
Make Easy Chicken Pot Pie 4 times = $11.64
Buy Grand Traverse Pie Company 9" Chicken Pot Pie 4 times = $49.96

*Money Saved = $37.47

Mesa Mission Cinnamon Rolls

2013-04-27T08:53:00.002-07:00

(*Photoshop has moved all my stuff to Adobe Revel, and I've no idea how to use it yet. Trust me. I tried for hours, and have nothing to show for it. It doesn't help that I am technologically-challenged. You'll just have to bear with me and the un-touched up photos until I get "Adobe Revel" smart. Since I don't want to spend even MORE time on this post (my kiddos are home and it's a rainy-stay-indoors kinda day), the cost breakdown won't be happening. I hope you can forgive me this week!)

Heaven on a plate.

Ooey, gooey, beautiful, warm, finger-licking good, cinnamon rolls... doesn't get better than that.

These are no ordinary cinnamon rolls. They are near and dear to my heart for a special reason:

My parents are nearing the end of a 3-year LDS (Mormon) church-service mission in the Mesa, Arizona area. This cinnamon roll recipe came to them courtesy of another wonderful missionary named Lorraine Alldredge... and my goodness can that woman cook! My parents were the beneficiaries of many amazing meals and treats by her hand... as were the other 250 or so missionaries in the area.

These cinnamon rolls were a definite favorite... so much so, that my younger sister who lives with my folks took to making them often... and I'm pretty sure my dad ate his weight-worth.

I can't blame him. They are divine.

The first time I had one... well, if I'm being honest,... it wasn't just one. It was more like 3... and a half... that I snuck off of my own sweet child's plate... I couldn't stay away from them that day, and the health-conscious part of my brain had zero say in the matter.

So, now I share this beloved recipe from the Mesa Mission with you. It is a treasure!

Let's take a look:

The filling consists of softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mmmmmm..... buddy!

You're going to combine all that yumminess with a fork to make the perfect cinnamon roll filling.

And here's the dough. As you can see, you're going to need a LOT of space. If you don't have this much space, you can cut the recipe in half.

Spread that cinnamon-sugar goodness all over the place... well... all over the dough, anyway.

Roll it all up tight. You're going to have a reeeeaaaaaallly long roll on your hands...

But then, you'll take some string, and "cut" the dough into 1" thick pieces.

Look.... aren't they so perrty... and spread apart...

You'll let the rolls raise until their sides are touching... about 45 minutes.

Don't forget the icing!

Viola!.... Don't you wish the screen was scratch 'n sniff... or edible for that matter.

Mesa Mission Cinnamon Rolls
Printable Version

*Makes 30 giant cinnamon rolls (2 large jelly-roll pans)

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH
2 1/2 cups luke-warm water
2 Tbsp dry active yeast
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup shortening
1 Tbsp salt
7 1/2 cups flour

FILLING
1/2 cup salted butter or margarine (softened, not melted)
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

ICING
1 pkg (2 lb) powdered sugar
1 heaping Tbsp shortening
2 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
8 Tbsp. milk (or enough to reach desired consistency)

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, or standing mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let set 10 minutes. Mix in the beaten eggs, shortening, flour, and salt. Knead until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic (6-8 minutes). Cover, and let rise 10 minutes. Punch down. Repeat rising and punching 3 times.

While the dough is rising, make the cinnamon-sugar filling. In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, and softened butter. Set aside.

Grease two large cookie sheets (jelly-roll pans). Set aside.

Coat a clean surface with non-stick cooking spray. Roll out the dough into a rectangle approx. 32"x18". Using a spoon or your hand, spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture to cover the dough completely. Starting at one of the 32" sides of the dough rectangle, tightly roll the dough to form a 32" long cylinder. Slide a piece of thread underneath the rolled up dough, 1 inch. Crossing the ends of the thread over the dough, pull both sides of the thread as you would when tightening a knot. The string will cut cleanly through the dough. Place the cut roll onto the greased pan, pinching the end seam into the side of the roll, so that it won't come apart as it rises. Continue the process, evenly spacing 15 rolls on each pan (3X5 per pan). There will be lots of space between each roll. Cover and let rise 45 minutes, or until the sides of the rolls touch each other.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

While the oven is heating, and the rolls are rising, make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar, shortening, salt, and milk with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. When smooth, add the vanilla, and mix for 30 seconds.

When rolls have finished rising, bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool 10 minutes. Spread icing over warm rolls that will be eaten immediately. Store extra rolls and icing in airtight containers on the counter for 5 days, in the fridge for 10 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.

Enjoy!

Stock Your Kitchen {Essential Ingredients Shopping List}

2013-04-20T08:15:00.003-07:00

Happy Saturday, all!

Today, I'm taking time to fulfill a request from one of my readers, who asked me to put together a list of ingredients for beginner shoppers, such as newly-weds, or those who've decided to do more cooking and baking in their own kithen instead of eating out or from pre-packaged containers.

Well, sure! Piece of cake! No prob! Easy as pie!... Except that it wasn't.

I've been cooking and baking for soooo long that narrowing down my list of "must have" ingredients was a little tricky. It was actually quite comical, truth be told:

Andrea: Milk. Check. Eggs. Check.

Almond Extract: ... But what about me?

Andrea: You know I love you, Almond... it's just... not everyone is aware of your amazing qualities like I am.

Almond Extract: What are you saying?... I'm not important?

Andrea: No! You'll always matter to me! I think you're wonderful!

Almond Extract: I knew it... you've always loved Vanilla Extract the most anyway. *sniff, sniff

Andrea: (panicking slightly) That's not true! What would I do without you? Think of the cherry bars! The cherry bars would never be the same without you! If I were making a "Specialty Items" list, you'd be on it!

Almond Extract: (brightening)...You mean it?

Andrea: Of course I do... are you going to be okay?

Almond Extract: I suppose so.

Andrea: Okay... Well, then... Fruit. Check. Vegetables. Check.

Feta Cheese: ... And me, right?

Andrea: ...*sigh...

It was kinda tough, but eventually, I narrowed it down to my top 100 ingredients. These are not likely to be on everyone's top 100 list, but they are on mine.

Then I realized that someone JUST starting out probably might not want, or need, 100 ingredients right off the bat, (overwhelming/expensive) so I narrowed it down again, to my top 50 ingredients.

You get BOTH lists. (You lucky reader, you.)

TOP 100 INGREDIENTS {Shopping List}

Printable Version

REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER
Milk
Eggs
Cheddar
Mozzarella
Fresh Fruit (Apples, Oranges, Berries, Watermelon etc.)
Fresh Vegetables (Spinach, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Tomatoes etc.)
Applesauce
Jams/Jellies
Salad Dressings
Fresh Cilantro
Mayonaisse
Mustard
Ketchup
Salsa
Hot Sauce
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
Worchestershire Sauce
Lemon Juice Yogurt
Butter
Heavy Cream
Sour Cream
Cottage Cheese
Cream Cheese
Dry Active Yeast
Poultry
Meat
Fish
Frozen Fruit (Blueberries, Strawberries, Mixed, etc.)
Frozen Vegetables (Spinach, Corn, Peas, etc.)
Juice Concentrates

PANTRY/CUPBOARDS
Evaporated Milk
Condensed Milk
Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Cooking Spray
Vinegar
All-Purpose Flour
Whole Wheat Flour
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Powdered Sugar
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Baking Soda
Vanilla
Chocolate Chips
Canned Tuna
Canned Cream Soups (Yep. I said it.)
Cornstarch
Dry Pasta
Jarred Pasta Sauce
Bread Crumbs
Graham Crackers
Whole Wheat Crackers
Olives
Enchilada Sauce
Onion Soup Mix
Canned or Dry Black Beans
Canned or Dry Pinto Beans
Canned Kidney Beans
Canned or Dry Great Northern Beans
Canned Garbanzo Beans
Canned Pineapple
Canned Peaches
Tomato Sauce
Brown Rice
White Rice
Oatmeal
Honey
Shortening
Mapeline
Peanut Butter
Nuts
Chicken/Beef/Vegetable Broth or Bullion
Canned Tomatoes
Baking Powder
Bread
Tortillas
Buns
Potatoes
Onions

SPICES
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon
Chili Powder
Oregano
Basil
Cumin
Ginger
Thyme
Rosemary
Parsley
Red Pepper Flake
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Paprika
Cloves
Nutmeg
Sesame Seeds
Bay Leaves

There you have it. My top 100. If it seems excessive, let me introduce you to my next list, which is much more manageable if you are truly just starting out:

TOP 50 INGREDIENTS {Shopping List}

Printable Version

REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER
Milk
Eggs
Cheddar
Fresh Fruit
Fresh Vegetables
Soy Sauce
Frozen Fruit
Frozen Vegetables
Butter
Yogurt
Dry Active Yeast
Poultry
Meat Fish

PANTRY/CUPBOARDS
Olive Oil
Canola Oil
All-Purpose Flour
Whole Wheat Flour
Dry Pasta
Jarred Pasta Sauce
Canned or Dry Black Beans
Canned or Dry Pinto Beans
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Powdered Sugar
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Baking Soda
Vanilla
Chocolate Chips
Canned Tuna
Cornstarch
Canned Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce
Brown Rice
White Rice
Oatmeal
Honey
Peanut Butter
Nuts
Baking Powder
Potatoes
Onions
Bread
Tortillas

SPICES
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon
Garlic Powder
Oregano
Basil
Chili Powder

That about does it. If any of the items on the list seem out of place to you, or if you have other "must have" ingredients on YOUR list, please share them by commenting below. I'm definitely not the last word in necessary kitchen ingredients, and some of the things I eat may not be things others eat or enjoy, so lets get more ideas rolling!

Healthier Bean Dip ($0.16 per serving)

2013-04-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

$0.16 per serving 84% savings save $34.44 yearly

Ever since I posted my recipe for Crockpot "Refried" Beans last year, I've gotten requests for recipes that use said beans for something other than burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and the other usual players.

Well.

Let me introduce you to the BEST DARN BEAN DIP you'll ever have the pleasure of tasting.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that it takes all of 5 minutes to come together, and can be made fat free. Seriously.
What... don't believe me?
Prepare to be amazed!
Check it out:

Behold, the fat-free version (aka cheesy-bean-y goodness without any kind of misplaced guilt). You're looking at my refried beans, (there are fat-free cans in the store, too) fat-free sour cream, fat-free cream cheese, and salsa.

Lest you have any kind of doubts that this tastes anything less than divine due to the use of fat-free ingredients, let me tell you something:
You're wrong.
That is all.

If, however, you can't handle the idea of bean dip without some variety of shredded cheese involved, here ya go:

It's your bean dip, after all. You can always toss a little cheddar, or colby, or pepper-jack into the bowl if you want. Not quite fat-free, but still, pretty stinkin' harmless. Definitely amazingly delicious.

You're gonna love it! And so will everyone you share it with... er... if it lasts that long... not that I've ever experienced that problem, personally... ahem...

Of course, you don't have to use fat-free sour cream and cream cheese. I've gone both ways before. Just be re-assured that the difference in taste is next to unnoticeable.

Also, be warned: if you bring this to a party, you might as well come prepared with recipe cards, because you're going to have more recipe requests than you know what to do with...

And who wants to spend their party time getting carpal tunnel writing out a billion copies of a recipe for heaven's sake?

Just sayin'.

Bean Dip
Printable Version

*yields about 14 (1/4 cup) servings, or about 3 1/2 cups total

INGREDIENTS
2 cups refried beans (or 1 can)
2/3 cup salsa (If you prefer your bean dip to be smooth, you can blend you salsa before you add it, or use a variety that isn't chunky... I happen to adore chunky.)
4 oz. cream cheese (I use fat free)
1/2 cup sour cream (again... I use fat free)

*optional: up to 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir. Continue heating in increments of 30 seconds until completely combined. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
Crockpot "Refried" Beans - $0.19/cup = $0.380
64 oz. salsa - $5.58 = 114 T = $0.049/T = $0.522
8 oz. cream cheese - $1.69 = $0.211/oz = $0.845
8 oz. sour cream - $1.68 = 30 T = $0.056/T = $0.448
Total Recipe Cost = $2.20
Cost Per 1/4 Cup Serving = $0.16

The Contender:
Fritos Bean Dip (9 oz.) = $3.42
Cost Per 1/4 Cup Serving = $0.98

Savings:
84%

"Over a Year" Scenario:
Make Bean Dip 3 times = $6.60
Use equivalent Frito's Bean Dip (9 oz.) = $41.40

*Money Saved = $34.44

Homemade Bisquick Mix ($0.15 per cup)

2013-04-06T07:26:00.002-07:00

$0.15 per cup 64% savings save $8.46 yearly

I'm back!

For those of you who were scratching your heads last week due to the lack of a new post, I come bearing excuses:

I was ill.
It was Easter.
The home we are renting went up for sale... hence, extra cleaning for showings.

... Did I mention I was ill?

Anyway, I'm back on the bandwagon again, and I'm SO excited about today's recipe!

Several weeks ago, I was contacted by the lovely Lydia Belier (aka "The Thrifty Frugal Mom") from Parents.com.

I'm not gonna lie... Parents.com? I was super flattered.

Lydia asked that I try out a certain recipe from her blog on the the Parents.com site, and share it on here if I liked it. "Obviously, no pressure," she said.

The recipe was for homemade bisquick.

Hmmm... this could be problematic seeing as how I've never used bisquick in my life, and would never be comfortable posting about something that wasn't really, really, good.

Oh well, I thought. I know bisquick is a staple in many homes, and I have a general idea of what people use it for, so I'll give it a go.

HOLY HANNAH!!!!

This stuff is awesome!

A fantastic versatile mix that bakes up beautifully light, fluffy, and utterly delicious.

It took all of 3 minutes for the mix to come together, and then I started experimenting:

I came up with a recipe for cinnamon sugar muffins (not a great one to be honest, but it baked up so pretty despite my poor attempt). Breakfast turned into a special treat with the help of some berries and homemade syrup (by the way that strawberry is NOT moldy... it has blueberry juice on it... we do plenty of weird stuff in this home, but eating black mold is NOT one of those things).

Then, instead of making my regular chicken pot pie (with a crust) for dinner, I decided to use the bisquick mix as a topping... I'd seen a few chicken pot pie recipes that did it this way, but had never tried it myself. Success!!! Big time approval from the hubby, especially. Plus... much less time-consuming than making pie crust. This pot pie took 30 minutes start to finish. Awesome.

Give it a try! You'll love Lydia's recipe!

Homemade Bisquick Mix - (from Lydia Beiler @ Parents.com)
Printable Version

*Makes about 6 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS
5 cups flour
1/4 cup baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable shortening

DIRECTIONS
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Use as you would use regular Bisquick.

Store in an airtight container.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
25 lb all-purpose flour - $7.20 = 94.5 C = $0.077/C = $0.349
25 lb sugar - $13.94 = 945 T = $0.015/T = $0.030
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 48 T = $0.004/T = $0.001
48 oz. vegetable shortening - $4.28 = 227 T = $0.019/T = $0.304
12 oz. baking powder - $1.69 = 70.875 tsp. = $0.024/tsp = $0.288
Total Recipe Cost - $1.01
Cost per Cup = $0.15

The Contender:
Bisquick (40 oz. - 9.3 cups) = $3.88
Cost per Cup = $0.42

Savings:
64%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make Homemade Bisquick Mix 5 times = $5.05
Use equivalent Bisquick (40 oz.) = $13.51

*Money Saved = $8.46

Soft Hamburger Buns ($0.09 each)

2013-03-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

$0.09 each 66% savings save $13.44 yearly

Oh, these buns...

Before I go any further, I need to let you in on a little secret about these soft, pillow-y, orbs of happy-belly goodness. Laugh all you want... it's late, and my brain is fuzzy... must be a wrackspurt around... (That'll make no sense unless you're into Harry Potter.)

Ready? Here's the secret:

These buns are far too easy to make. Seriously...
Easy-peasy.
A no-brainer.
A piece of cake.
A walk in the park.
A cinch.

Trust me when I say, "You can do this!!"

Not only do they come together with almost no thought, they taste incredible: slightly chewy on the outside, and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside. The first time I made them, I was sold. I'll never need another hamburger bun recipe as long as I live.

My husband and I like our hamburger buns toasted with sesame seeds on top. Our children, however, do not... they like the plain-jane variety. So, instead of buying two different packages of buns, I can easily customize this recipe to meet the different tastes of my family. Toppings are obviously not limited to sesame seeds. You can get creative with cheese, dried onions, garlic, etc.

These buns pair perfectly with burgers, sloppy joes, pulled pork or chicken. They are also great eaten plain (just ask my mischievous bun-sneaking children.)

Using whole wheat flour gives these buns an added nutritional boost, and they still remain soft and amazingly delicious. They cost a fraction of the store-bought equivalent, and don't have any added preservatives, or un-pronouncable ingredients.

You're gonna love 'em!

Soft Hamburger Buns
Printable Version

(Note: Recipe adapted from All Recipes (Sally). As with most of my "bread-type" recipes, I incorporate whole wheat flour that I grind at home. These buns are great with all-purpose, half-and-half, or all whole wheat. The ones in the photos above are half all-purpose and half whole white wheat flour.)

*Makes one dozen

INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or just over 4 cups whole wheat flour)
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg

DIRECTIONS
Warm the milk, water, and butter in the microwave to the temp. of a warm bath (NOT hot). Stir until butter melts completely.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix in the milk mixture, then add the egg. Dough should be only slightly sticky. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes).

Divide the dough into 12 balls, and place them on a large, greased baking sheet. Lightly press down on the top of each ball of dough, so that the top is more flat than rounded. They will puff up more during rising and baking. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Cover with a dishtowel, and let rise 30-40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve as desired, and store for 3-5 days on the counter, or 4-6 months in the freezer.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
1 gallon milk - $3.62 = 256 T = $0.012/T = $0.192
1 lb butter - $2.50 = 32 T = $0.078/T = $0.313
25 lb. flour - $7.20 = 94.5 C = $0.077/C = $0.347
25 lb. sugar -$13.94 = 945 T = $0.015/T = $0.030
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 48 T = $0.004/T = $0.002
2 lb. yeast - $4.68 = 48 T = $0.098/T =$0.082
1 dozen eggs - $1.79 = $0.15/egg = $0.15
Total Recipe Cost = $1.12
Cost per Bun = $0.09

The Contender:
Nature's Own Hamburger Buns (8 ct.) = $2.24
Price Per Bun = $0.28

Savings:
66%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make Soft Hamburger Buns 6 times = $6.72
Buy equivalent Nature's Own Hamburger Buns (8 ct.) = $20.16

*Money Saved = $13.44

Best Ever Pizza Dough ($0.31 per crust)

2013-03-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

$0.31 per crust 91% savings save $38.04 yearly

This is it...

The BEST EVER!!

If you've been searching for a phenomenal pizza dough recipe, your search can end today.

Remember my post on pizza sauce, and how I went on and on about my family's love affair with pizza? Well, through much trial and experimentation, we've long since decided that THIS is the perfect pizza dough.

Inspired by Bobby Flay, (yes, I know he's not Italian, and is more of a grilling guy... but in the case of pizza dough, the man is a genius) this dough comes together easily, is versatile, turns out delicious pizza crusts every time, and has been a huge hit with my family since the first time I made it.

My husband loves this crust so much that he'll happily "sneak" the crust scraps that the kids leave on their plates. It's cute.

Adding to its accolades, this dough turns out great with whole wheat for an added nutritional boost, and it costs basically nothing compared to it's pre-packaged counterparts. Plus, it's always nice to know exactly what is going into the food you serve your family.

Give it a try! You'll never go back.

Best Ever Pizza Dough - (adapted from Bobby Flay)
Printable Version

*Makes 2 (14-inch) pizzas

(Note: This is the best pizza crust recipe I've come across. I've used all-purpose flour only, or half whole wheat, half all-purpose, or whole wheat only. You can add a little garlic powder, or basil, or oregano to the crust while mixing it together too. This recipe is very customizable.)

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/4 tsp. instant dry yeast (or one packet)
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups luke-warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil (other oil will work as well)
*additional flour for rolling out the dough

DIRECTIONS
Combine the dry ingredients, starting with 3 1/2 cups of flour in a large bowl or standing mixer. Add the water and oil, and mix until the dough forms into a ball. Add additional flour as needed until the dough just starts to no longer stick to the sides of the bowl. Knead until it forms a firm ball.

Cover and let rise until doubled (45 min - 1 hour). Punch the dough down and divide into two equal portions. (I put one portion in a zip-lock bag and freeze it for later use.)

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to desired thickness (between 1/2 and 1/4 inch thick). Let rest 10 minutes. Top as desired and bake for 18-22 minutes.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
2 lb. yeast - $4.68 = 48 T = $0.098/T = $0.073
25 lb. flour - $7.28 = 94.5 C = $0.077/C = $0.308
25 lb. sugar - $13.94 = 945 T = $0.015/T = $0.005
26 oz. salt = $0.44 = 48 T = $0.009/T = $0.006
25.5 oz. EVOO - $5.58 = 50 T = $0.112/T = $0.223
Total Recipe Cost = $0.62
Cost Per (1) Pizza Crust = $0.31

The Contender:
Mama Mary's Pizza Crust (2-pk) = $6.96
Cost Per (1) Pizza Crust = $3.48

Savings:
91%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make Best Ever Pizza Dough 6 times = $3.72
Buy 6 Mama Mary's Pizza Crust (2-pk) 6 times = $41.76

Money Saved = $38.04

30-Day Grocery Budget & Menu Plan

2013-03-13T12:41:00.002-07:00

A month and a half ago, My wonderful friend, Jo, asked me to share my monthly budget and menu on this site. Well, I am more than happy to oblige. To give everyone an idea of what a month's worth of grocery shopping and meals looks like in my home, I kept track of everything:

How much money I spent on groceries

What I purchased (food and common household items)

The meals/snacks we ate

I typically stay between $300-$330 each month for groceries (primarily whole foods) and common household items (diapers, wipes, cleaners, toilet paper, etc.) Sometimes I spend a little less than that, but I never go over $330.

To give you a more accurate portrayal of why my budget is what it is, I'll tell you a bit more about my family: Members include myself, my (handsome-wonderful-terrific-manly) husband, a 6-year old daughter, a 4-year old daughter, and a 1-year old daughter.

You may have more or less people in your family or older or younger children, people with voracious appetites (my 6-year old), or those who eat like birds (my 4-year old). Grocery budgets can be very subjective.

And... Oh, look! The gang's all here!

Feel free to coo, and "oooh," and "ahhh" over my adorable babies all you want. ( Look at those CHEEKS!!!)

Anyway... moving on to the helpful stuff...

First, I'm going to show you what I bought (and for how much) and then move on to what we ate for the last month. Here goes:

(The receipt on the right had two non-grocery items: tie-dye for family night... super fun... and sidewalk chalk for the girls. I subtracted those two items from the total on the receipt. Also, Kroger had a great sale on milk.)

WEEK 1 GROCERIES:

Milk

Reduced-Price Ground Turkey

Roma Tomatoes

Salsa

Applesauce

Tomato Sauce

Tampons

Reduced-Price Valentine Confetti Sprinkles

Reduced-Price Valentine's Day Candy

Apples

Tortillas

Bananas

Iceberg Lettuce

Whole Carrots

Dried Navy Beans

Brown Sugar

Block Cheddar

Light Yogurt

Deli Meat

Reduced-Price Chicken

(We were running low on toilet paper... time to stock up again! I love Amazon Prime. Bought a huge bag of all-purpose flour as well.)

WEEK 2 GROCERIES:

Multigrain Crackers

25 lb. All-Purpose Flour

Value-Size Box Diapers

Pretzel Sticks

Tortillas

Canned Diced Tomatoes

Cream of Chicken Soup

Peanut Butter

Strawberries

Light String Cheese

Ham

Broccoli

Spinach

Romain Lettuce

Tomatoes

Iceberg Lettuce

Onions

Eggs

Clementines

Bananas

Toilet Paper

(This ~~wretched~~ ~~darned~~ ~~frustrating~~ silly photo would NOT flip. I tried to make it flip 10 times. No luck. Time to do your head-stands.)

WEEK 3: GROCERIES

Milk

Floor Cleaner

Dried Cranberries

Cereal

Salmon

Reduced-Price Round Roast

Eggs

Large Bag Frozen Mixed Fruit

Whole Carrots

Cilantro

Red Bell Pepper

Green Bell Pepper

Bananas

Apples

Pepperoni

Mozzarella

(Yay! I love mixed peppers, and the clementines went down in price again. Had to get more wipes for the baby.)

WEEK 4 GROCERIES:
Milk
Lemon Juice
Greek Yogurt (To MAKE Yogurt)
Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
Honey
Souring Pads
Cashews
Light String Cheese
Russet Potatoes
Red Potatoes
Powdered Sugar
Romaine Lettuce
Iceberg Lettuce
Reduced-Price Stew Meat
Tomatoes
Bananas
Mixed Bell Peppers
String Beans
Clementines
Value-Box Wet Wipes

STOCK-UP ITEMS: 700-ct. wet wipes, 48-double rolls toilet paper (Total: $32.47)

GRAND TOTAL: $297.93

On to the menu. I know many people who plan out their menus months in advance. Kudos to those individuals for being so amazingly organized!

Honestly, I plan about a week's worth of food at a time, and I'll tell you why: I buy things that are on sale... or reduced-price meat and produce... and I never know what kind of goodies or surprise discount will await me at the the store. I buy my groceries, THEN I come up with a plan to use what I have.

Most of what I feed my family is homemade: the bread, the rolls, the pizza, the pancakes, etc. When you make your own food using healthy ingredients, it allows you to spend less money and feel good about what you're putting on the table. Eating cheap doesn't have to mean eating ramen noodles. On my wishlist: A garden.

30-DAY MENU

BREAKFAST ~LUNCH ~ DINNER

Day1: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Leftover Whole Wheat Spaghetti, Navajo Tacos

Day 2: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Whole Wheat Deli Meat Sandwiches, Veggie Omelets

Day 3: Yogurt, Homemade Whole Wheat Mac & Cheese, Chicken Noodle Soup

Day 4: Blueberry Oatmeal, Grilled Whole Wheat Ham & Cheese, Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry

Day 5: Yogurt, Whole Wheat Tuna Sandwiches, Lentil & Black Bean Soup

Day 6: Blueberry Oatmeal, Leftover Lentil & Black Bean Soup, Whole Wheat Pizza

Day 7: Cereal, Scrambled Eggs, Baked Pork Chops

Day 8: Yogurt, Whole Wheat PB & J, Ham & White Bean Soup

Day 9: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Leftover Ham & White Bean Soup, Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole

Day 10: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Leftover Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole, Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

Day 11: Yogurt, Refried Bean Burritos, Beef & Barley Stew

Day 12: Yogurt, Whole Wheat Tuna Sandwiches, Pot Roast

Day 13: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Whole Wheat Deli Meat Sandwiches, Whole Wheat Noodles w/Beef Gravy

Day 14: Yogurt, Whole Wheat PB & J, Whole Wheat Pizza

Day 15: Yogurt, Quesadillas, Whole Wheat Sandwiches

Day 16: Oatmeal, Homemade Whole Wheat Mac & Cheese, Beef & Barley Stew

Day 17: Oatmeal, Scrambled Eggs, Whole Wheat Soft Tacos

Day 18: Yogurt, Whole Wheat Deli-Meat Sandwiches, Pan-Seared Salmon

Day 19: Cereal, Refried Bean Burritos, Turkey Burgers on Homemade Whole Wheat Buns

Day 20: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Quesadillas, Chicken Noodle Soup

Day 21: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup, Whole Wheat Spaghetti

Day 22: Yogurt, Lunch at Church, Hawaiian Haystacks

Day 23: Whole Wheat Applesauce Waffles, Whole Wheat Tuna Sandwiches, Moroccan Chicken

Day 24: Cereal, Refried Bean Burritos, Whole Wheat Pizza

Day 25: Yogurt, Veggie Omelets, Shrimp & Veggie Fried Rice

Day 26: Whole Wheat Applesauce Waffles, Leftover Shrimp & Veggie Fried Rice, Lasagna

Day 27: Hootenanny Pancakes, Whole Wheat Deli Meat Wraps, Chicken Enchiladas

Day 28: Cereal, Whole Wheat PB & J, Tostadas

Day 29: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Whole Wheat Egg Salad Sandwiches, Pot Roast

Day 30: Whole Wheat Pancakes, Homemade Whole Wheat Mac & Cheese, Beef Stew from Leftover Pot Roast

SIDES/SNACKS
Carrot Sticks w/ PB or Sliced Bell Peppers w/Fat Free Italian Dressing, Green Salads, Apples, Pears, Canned Peaches in Juice, Clementines, Bananas, Frozen Blueberries, Frozen Strawberries, Frozen Mixed Fruit, Dried Cranberries, Homemade Granola Bars, Multi-grain Crackers, Pretzel Sticks, Cheese Sticks, Whole Wheat Toast, Cornbread, Homemade Rolls, Homemade Popcorn, Baked Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Rice, Steamed Veggies, Healthy Oven-Baked Steak Fries

BEVERAGES
Water, Milk, Spinach-Fruit Smoothies

DESSERTS
Apple Pie, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Ice cream, Chocolate Cake, Girl Scout Cookies (tis the season)

And there you have it: A peek into the budgeting/menu at Pennies & Pancakes headquarters (aka our home.)

Feel free to comment with your budgeting/menu plans. I love hearing how others do it!

Pizza Sauce ($0.46 per cup)

2013-03-09T08:11:00.001-08:00

$0.46 per cup 54% savings save $7.41 yearly

I looooooooooove pizza.
Like, a lot.

Luckily for me, my family is equally enamored by it.

If you know anything about me, you probably know that I don't have many fancy kitchen gadgets. My dinosaur of a toaster looks like it was salvaged from the dump, and my "5-speed" hand-mixer only goes 1 speed: insanely fast... like, "cringe-every-time-you-flip-on-the-switch-because-you're-scared-for-your-life" fast.

But, rather than spend money on a new toaster, or a new hand mixer (things I use constantly), I bought a huge pizza stone and a fancy-pants pizza peel, just like you'd find in a brick-oven pizza place. Pizza gets the love... Sorry, dumpy toaster and jet-engine hand-mixer.

A love as profound as ours requires a lot of pizza sauce.
GOOD pizza sauce.

There are a million pizza sauce recipes out there with a million unique flavor profiles. Even though this one is not made from fresh-off-the vine tomatoes, and newly picked herbs, I would like to add it to the list.

This deceptively simple recipe has only 5 ingredients. Apart from opening a can or jar of the pre-made version, you aren't likely to find an easier pizza sauce. It's less expensive than the store-bought kind. The flavors are robust. And it tastes absolutely wonderful on pizza, or served as a dipping sauce for garlic bread.

Enjoy!

Pizza Sauce
Printable Version

*Makes about 3 1/2 cups (enough for 4 large-ish pizzas)

INGREDIENTS
1 (29 oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. jarred minced garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. sugar

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over MED-HIGH heat. When it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to LOW, and let simmer 15-20 minutes.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
29 oz. can tomato sauce - $1.24/can = $1.24
0.75 oz. oregano - $2.18 = 22 tsp = $0.099/tsp = $0.198
16 oz basil - $19.46 = 416 tsp = $0.047 = $0.094
25 lb. sugar - $13.98 = 945 T = $0.015/T = $0.015
32 oz. jarred minced garlic - $4.48 = 181 tsp = $0.025/tsp = $0.050
Total Recipe Cost = $1.60
Cost Per Cup = $0.46

The Contender:
Ragu Traditional Pizza Sauce (14 0z.) = $1.48
Per Cup = $0.99

Savings:
54%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make Pizza Sauce 4 times = $6.40
Use Equivalent Ragu Traditional Pizza Sauce (14 oz.) = $13.81

Money Saved: $7.41

{Slow Cooker} Lentil & Black Bean Soup ($0.23 per cup)

2013-03-02T07:19:00.002-08:00

$0.23 per cup 93% savings save $73.50 yearly

Okay, folks time to get back on the super-ultra-mega-healthy track. Technically, it could also be known as the easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy track... or the dirt-cheap track. Take your pick.

This recipe makes me so happy, I could cry.

It's yummy.

It's healthy.

It's cheap.

It's easy.

It's even VEGAN.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to do an experiment with a small bag of dry lentils I found buried in my food storage supply. I haven't eaten very many lentils in my lifetime (a complete and utter shame), but when I have, I've LOVED them!

Honestly, what's not to love? Lentils have a delicious earthly flavor, and are packed with protein, fiber, and folate.

I had looked online to find an inspirational recipe containing lentils, and came across this one, but it still wasn't quite what I wanted. However, it served as a starting point. In my mind's eye, I pictured creating a hearty soup packed with lentils, TONS of (hidden-so-the-kids-won't-notice) veggies and absolutely no meat involved.

I raided my fridge and food storage, and came back with the lentils, half of a small bag of dry black beans that looked lonely (you could sub 2 cans of black beans), some carrots, canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices, and VOILA!! A perfectly delicious vegan concoction that tastes amazing. It is also great served with multi-grain crackers, a crusty baguette, or over rice, which is how my kids prefer it.

You can choose to pre-soak your lentils and beans. I simply washed and rinsed them with hot water before adding them to my crockpot.

*I need to make it clear that this recipe makes a boat-load. 6 quarts to be exact. So, if you don't have the room in your crockpot, or your freezer for that matter, consider cutting the recipe in half.

Enjoy!

There it is... all the nutrient-packed goodness that goes into this dish. The onions are not diced, (I call for dicing them in the actual recipe below) but owing to personal preference, next time I will definitely dice them.

Add the water. It'll be a perfect fit for your 6-quart crockpot. Cover with a lid, let it cook on HIGH for 6 hours. (Yep... 6 hour ons HIGH to get the veggies super soft and mash-able. Mashing up the veggies into oblivion is how I trick my kiddos... What tomatoes?)

Serve yourself a steaming bowl, and pat yourself on the back for treating your body so well.

{Slow Cooker} Lentil & Back Bean Soup
Printable Version

*Makes 6 quarts or 24 (1-cup) servings.

(Note: This recipe makes a TON!! Make sure your slow cooker can hold 6 quarts... otherwise you'll be in a heap of trouble. If it can't hold 6 quarts, try cutting the recipe in half.)

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. bag dry lentils
1/2 small bag dry black beans (or 2 cans black beans)
2 medium onions (finely diced)
4 large carrots (finely chopped)
2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp. jarred minced garlic
2 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
10 cups HOT water

1 1/2 Tbsp salt (to taste)*
1 tsp. black pepper (to taste)*

*Added at the end of cooking

DIRECTIONS
Rinse lentils and black beans. Discard any small pebbles or bad beans. Put them in the slow cooker. Add the diced onions, chopped carrots, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chili powder, parsley, and HOT water to the crockpot. It will be full.

Cover, and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. No peeking, no stirring.

Remove the lid, and add the salt and pepper to taste. Use a potato masher to mash the soup into a thicker mixture if desired. Serve hot. This soup is very thick (especially if mashed)... almost like chili, and tastes great by itself, over rice, served with multi-grain crackers, or with cornbread.

Store in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 4 months.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
1 lb. bag dry lentils - $0.98 = $0.98
1 lb. bag black beans - $1.38 = $0.69
3 lb. onions - $2.18 = 8 onions = $0.273/onion = $0.546
2 lb. carrots - $1.48 = 12 carrots = $0.123/carrot = $0.492
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes = $0.68 = $1.36
32 oz. jarred minced garlic - $5.64 = 181 tsp. = $0.025/tsp = $0.15
2 oz. cumin - $3.12 = 22 tsp. = $0.142/tsp = $0.825
9.25 oz. chili powder - $5.64 = 74 tsp. = $0.076/tsp = $0.228
1.2 oz. parsley - $4.24 = 115 tsp = $0.037/tsp = $0.037
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 122.75 tsp = $0.003/tsp = $0.0135
8 oz. black pepper - $3.84 = 37.75 tsp = $0.102/tsp = $0.102
Total Recipe Cost = $5.46
Cost Per Cup = $0.23

The Contender:
Tasty Bite Madras Lentils (10 oz. pouch - approx. 1 cup) - $3.29

Savings:
93%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make {Slow Cooker} Lentil & Black Bean Soup 1 time = $5.46
Buy 24 Tasty Bite Madras Lentils (10 oz. pouches) = $78.96

*Money Saved = $73.50

WINNERS ANNOUNCED: February $5 Amazon eGift Cards

2013-02-28T17:52:00.001-08:00

Hi, All!!

I can't believe how fast February has gone by. But before it makes an official exit from the 2013 calendar year, I want to announce the (2) winners of the Monthly $5 Amazon eGift Cards:

Armye Wife

Dani

Congratulations!

Please email me at penniesandpancakes@gmail.com within 48 hours to claim your prize.

**If you want to be eligible for the Monthly $5 Amazon eGift Cards, become a member of the Pennies & Pancakes site by clicking the "Join This Site" link found on the left-hand sidebar.

Old Fashioned Utah Scones ($0.14 each)

2013-02-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

$0.14 each

This recipe has some fun history to go with it... but first I'm going to tell you how I was introduced to the "Utah scone."

My (sweet-amazing-handsome-wonderful) husband and I got married the summer of 2005, before starting our senior year of college together. During that summer, we lived in the basement apartment of his parent's home in Kaysville, Utah.

It was perfect!

We had our own little space, could come and go as we pleased, and I had the unique opportunity of getting to know my in-laws really well. Can I just say, I love my in-laws? I seriously (seriously) lucked out. They are the salt-of-the-earth-type people.

One evening, the four of us went out to eat at a little place in Kaysville called, Granny Annie's. The wonderful Ms. Annie had a major handle on all things breakfast... It was the kind of rib-sticking, home-style, no-nonsense, comfort food you dream about.

I had eggs, hashbrowns, and a "scone."

My scone did not in any way resemble what most of the world thinks of when they think "scone." Traditional scones are made of baked quick bread... not fried, yeasty, dough.

It was a plate-sized, golden-fried, puffy piece of goodness served up with honey-butter.

I know, I know, NOT healthy in the least. Feel free to shake your head at me, tsk-tsk me, moan and groan at me, and lecture me for even thinking about these scones. Go ahead. I can take it.

So, why do I even bother posting about them?

Oh, I suppose because they are AMAZING!
AND it's such a fun "secret" recipe that the rest of the world is missing out on.
AND despite their nutritional flaws, these scones are very inexpensive and easy-peasy to make. That's gotta count for something... right?
AND eating a Utah scone is just one of those things that you simply MUST experience to live a fulfilled life. (Only half-way kidding, here.)

I still crave a scone from Granny Annie's once in a while... slathered in honey-butter, or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar... I've also heard that Utah has a more famous restaurant called Sconecutters... dedicated completely to these beautiful scones.

Man... sometimes I wish I lived in Utah... *sniff *sniff... woe is me...

But, wait!

I have some NEWS!!

My little family will be moving from Illinois to Utah in June! My husband is ~~finally~~ ~~mercifully~~ finishing up his medical residency training, and we are headed to his homestate to complete a 1-year fellowship in Sports Medicine. (If any of you are BYU fans, keep an eye out for the good-looking blonde, blue-eyed, guy on the sidelines.)

Ahem.

So, about these "scones"...

This treasure of a recipe is thought to have originated with the early Mormon settlers of Utah, and remains a regional treat. They resemble a denser, chewier fried doughnut... or fry bread. This recipe can be used for Navajo tacos as well.

SO.. you can use half the dough for dinner (top with beans, meat, lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, avacado, onion, olive, etc. for navajo tacos), put the other half of the dough in a ziplock bag, and store it in the fridge till morning, when you can use it for breakfast/dessert (scones).

Enjoy!!... Just try not to enjoy too often. *wink, wink

Just the way I like it... fresh, hot, and drizzled in butter and honey. Of course, you can always turn around and try my husband's favorite version below:

Old Fashioned Utah Scones
Printable Version

*Makes 10 scones

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp dry active yeast
3/4 cup luke-warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup shortening
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
canola oil (or other high smoke point oil) for frying

DIRECTIONS
Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl. Stir gently, and let sit 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening. Mix it together with a fork, or pastry mixer.

Add the beaten egg to the yeast mixture. Add the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly. Dough should be very smooth and pliable, and only slightly sticky. Cover and let rest 1 hour.

Fill a large pan with 1 1/2 - 2 inches of oil, and heat to 350 degrees. Punch down the dough, and divide it into 10 balls. Use your fingers to stretch the balls of dough into 1/4 inch-thick squares (depending on how thick you like your scones... we like 'em thick). Place the dough in the oil and fry until golden brown on each side.

Place fried scones on paper towels. Serve HOT with butter, honey, cinnamon, powdered sugar, or use for Navajo nacos.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
1 gallon vegetable oil - $6.78 = 256 T = $0.026/T = $0.832
25 lb all-purpose flour - $7.20 = 94.5 C = $0.077/C = $0.193
25 lb sugar - $13.94 = 945 T = $0.015/T = $0.06
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 48 T = $0.004/T = $0.002
2 lb. yeast - $4.68 = 48 T = $0.098/T = $0.098
48 oz. shortening - $4.28 = 227 T = $0.019/T = $0.076
1 dozen eggs - $1.79 = $0.150/egg = $0.150
Total Recipe Cost - $1.41
Cost Per Scone - $0.14

The Contender:
None for now. These babies are kind of a novelty item.

Savings:
N/A

"Over a year" scenario:
Make Old Fashioned Utah Scones 5 times = $7.05

{Printable} Bread Instructions and FREE Amazon Gift Cards

2013-02-16T12:24:00.003-08:00

Happy Saturday, everyone!

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day filled with love... and chocolates, flowers, heart-shaped balloons, and cheesy cards. (Cheesy cards are the BEST!!!)

This week's post will be short and sweet, owing to the fact that I've been busier than usual and have been running around like some crazy combination of a chicken with it's head cut off and Cinderella-the-workhorse. Here's a partial look at my week:

My daughter's birthday (and cake, and presents, and all that fun stuff)
Planning (and baking and making a gift for) the anniversary of my first date with my man (which also happens to be Valentine's Day)
Valentine's Day activities for the kids
School party
Babysitting for friends (on multiple days)
Realtor stuff
Having little friends come over
Deep-ish cleaning of the house, and sorting through clothes
Started on the tax forms
Cleaned our church building...

That's some of the extra stuff that went on this week that doesn't include all the regular stuff that goes on around here.

BUT, I do have a couple new things for you today:

1. I've been getting requests for a printable version of my post on How to Make Homemade Bread. Well, requesters: Wish granted! Just go here. I've also added the printable link to the original post.

2. You may or may not have noticed something different on the sidebar. I recently added a Members box. You can click, "Join this Site," and never miss a Pennies & Pancakes post.

ALSO, since all of my readers are wonderful-awesome-amazing, and because it's always fun to get FREE stuff, you'll automatically be entered to win monthly $5.00 gift cards to Amazon.com if you become a Pennies & Pancakes member. (Don't worry. Your inbox won't be flooded with updates... I literally only post once a week.)

So, that's it! Two fun new things. Have a great weekend, all!

Frugality Tip #8: Price the EDIBLE Portions of Your Produce {List of the Cheapest Fruits and Veggies per Edible Cup}

2013-02-09T07:31:00.001-08:00

Sometimes prices can be deceiving.

We all know that... but have you ever considered that you AREN'T getting what you pay for when it comes to fruits and vegetables?

I'll give you an example: Broccoli florets and fresh ears of sweet corn have similar sticker prices. However, when you remove the inedible parts, the corn becomes nearly twice as expensive as the broccoli. Fresh pineapple is the same way... only half of what you buy is actually edible.

Everyone knows it's important to include plenty of produce in their diets. Most people happily include them on their shopping lists, knowing that prices won't matter because fruits and veggies are a MUST. I also understand that (for some people) buying fruits and vegetables can seem like a huge burden on a tight grocery budget, no matter how necessary to a healthy diet they are.

Wouldn't it be nice to know the REAL price of the edible parts of fruits and vegetables... to be able to get the most bang for your buck? I tend to think so.

So, with the help of the USDA, I've created a few lists that include only the best-priced fruits and veggies per edible cup.

~ FRUITS ~

Cheapest FRESH Fruits (per edible cup)
1. Watermelon - $0.17
2. Bananas - $0.21
3. Apples - $0.28
4. Navel Oranges - $0.34
5. Pears - $0.42
6. Honeydew - $0.45
7. Plums - $0.48
8. Nectarines - $0.49
9. Mangoes - $0. 53
10. Grapes - $0.62
11. Cantaloupe - $0.64
12. Peaches - $0.66

Cheapest CANNED Fruits (per edible cup)
1. Applesauce - $0.46
2. Pineapple - $0.49
3. Mandarin Oranges - $0.55
4. Pears - $0.58
5. Peaches - $0.58
6. Apricots - $0.64
7. Strawberries - $0.66

Cheapest {Frozen} Fruit JUICE (per cup)
1. Apple - $0.40
2. Pineapple - $0.48
3. Grape - $0.50
4. Orange - $0.51
5. Grapefruit - $0.54

~ VEGETABLES ~

Cheapest FRESH Vegetables (Per edible cup)
1. Russet Potatoes (boiled) - $0.41
2. Whole Carrots - $0.25
3. Iceberg Lettuce - $0.26
4. Cabbage (boiled) - $0.27
5. Onion - $0.28
6. Cauliflower - $0.31
7. Celery Stalks - $0.33
8. Romaine Hearts - $0.40
9. Radishes - $0.41
10. Sweet Potatoes (cooked) - $0.43
11. Spinach - $0.52
12. Mushrooms - $0.54

Cheapest CANNED Vegetables (per edible cup)
1. Sauerkraut - $0.30
2. Carrots - $0.34
3. Cut Green Beans - $0.34
4. Whole Kernal Sweet Corn - $0.37
5. Turnip Greens - $0.40
6. Tomatoes - $0.41
7. Potatoes - $0.41
8. Mustard Greens - $0.42
9. Green Peas - $0.43
10. Beets - $0.51
11. Kale - $0.52
12. Collard Greens - $0.53

Cheapest FROZEN Vegetables (per edible cup)
1. Cut Green Beans - $0.37
2. Carrots - $0.34
3. French Fries - $0.41
4. Kale - $0.48
5. Peas - $0.51
6. Corn - $0.53
7. Collard Greens - $0.53

~ BEANS & LENTILS ~

Cheapest DRIED Beans (per edible cup)
1. Pinto - $0.13
2. Lentils - $0.15
3. Great Northern - $0.16
4. Black - $0.17
5. Navy - $0.17
6. Red Kidney - $0.20
7. Lima - $0.22

Cheapest CANNED Beans (per edible cup)
1. Pinto - $0.38
2. Red Kidney - $0.38
3. Great Northern - $0.41
4. Black - $0.44
5. Navy - $0.46

*Prices are from 2008 and do not take into account things things like garlic, lemon, and lime, because they typically represent produce that people consume for flavoring purposes. (I know I won't be eating a cup full of garlic any day soon.)

**These prices don't take into account loose heads of lettuce, because the article I used for this post didn't have specific data on those prices. However, I can tell you that buying lettuce and other greens in loose form is generally going to be less expensive than buying it bagged. There are things that are sold loose (apples) that are more expensive than bagged... loose greens were the only major player left out of these lists that I really wish had been included.

***Obviously, sale prices are not factored in here. These are the average prices over a year from stores like Kroger and Costco.

****I love these lists. But, I also love my blueberries (cheapest sold fresh), and incorporate other "more expensive" produce into our meals as well. These lists are simply a guide.

For more information check out this study: USDA Economic Research Service: "How Much Do Fruits And Vegetables Cost?".

{Basic} Bagels ($0.07 each)

2013-02-02T08:23:00.002-08:00

$0.07 each 84% savings save $57.60 yearly

I've gotten several recipe requests for homemade bagels, and I'm excited to share mine today. This is a very basic recipe, perfect for beginners and seasoned bagel-bakers alike (yes, I just made up the term "bagel-bakers). As with a lot of my recipes, it's also super economical. Homemade bagels cost a fraction of the kind you buy in the grocery store... and are way less expensive than the ones you might buy at Einstein's or Panera.

One of the best things about this particular recipe is how versatile it is. When you're comfortable with making bagels, you can customize them to suit your family preferences, because everyone likes their bagels to be "just so." Big, small, flavored, plain. Case in point: my family. Most of them are bagel snobs.

My dear husband - Plain or blueberry bagels used for sandwiches. (Yes, blueberry bagel sandwiches.)

My firstborn - Sea salt topped bagel eaten plain... no cream cheese, no lox, no butter. Nothing.

My second child - ANY kind of sweet bagel with strawberry cream cheese

My baby - Small cheddar and parmesan topped bagel eaten plain.

Me - Plain, cinnamon-rasin, or blueberry bagels slightly warmed with various kinds of cream cheese.

If I were to hand my dear husband a cinnamon-rasin bagel, he'd say, "Thanks, Honey!," while scanning the room for a child to discreetly hand it off to.

If I were to give my firstborn a bagel with cream cheese, I'd get incredulous cries of dismay.

If I were to give my second child a plain-jane bagel, she'd probably give me the stink-eye.

If I were to give my baby anything other than her cheese bagel... well... she'd probably scarf it down anyway. She's like her momma.

Back on subject: these bagels are awesome! (Not to toot my own horn... but kind of...)

The first time I made bagels it seemed fairly daunting, and honestly, I completely botched my first batch. The second time around, I had a much better idea of what I was doing and how it was supposed to go down. SUCCESS!! It's one of those "happily ever after endings."

So, I invite you to give it a go. You'll be so glad you did!

{Basic} Bagels
Printable Version

*Makes 12 large or 24 small bagels

INGREDIENTS
2 cups luke-warm water
1 tsp. dry active yeast
4 Tbsp. sugar (divided: 2 Tbsp for dough, 2 Tbsp. for boiling)
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. oil (divided)
1 Tbsp. salt
6 cups bread flour or high-gluten flour or all-purpose*

*I've used all-purpose flour and hard red wheat flour with yummy success. The texture just wasn't quite as bagel-like as it is when using bread flour or store-bought high-gluten flour. But if you've only got all-purpose flour or hard red wheat flour on hand, it will still work. You MAY choose to buy vital wheat gluten and add 1 Tbsp to your all-purpose or whole wheat flour for this recipe. It comes in a box in the baking aisle.)

DIRECTIONS
(I highly recommend a standing mixer, because this dough is very stiff, and more difficult to work with by hand. If you don't have one, you can still make them and enjoy a good workout.)

In a large bowl, combine the luke-warm water, yeast, and 2 Tbsp. sugar. Stir to dissolve, and let set for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to proof. Add 1 Tbsp. oil, salt, and flour. Mix thoroughly, adding small amounts of flour if necessary to form a very stiff dough (should be satiny, pliable, and smooth, not sticky, and not tacky). Mix for 8-10 minutes in a standing mixer (knead for 12-15 minutes by hand.)

Form the dough into a ball, and lightly coat it 1 tsp. of oil (to prevent drying out). Cover with a damp dishtowel, and let rise 1-1.5 hours. Press the dough with your finger. It should spring back slightly.

Punch the dough down, and divide evenly into 12 large ball. One at a time, place each ball on a clean, hard surface, and roll into a 7-8 inch rope large bagel. (Remember making play-dough snakes?) Make rings with the ropes by overlapping the ends about 1 inch, and pressing them together to seal. Place the formed bagels on 2 non-stick baking pans. Cover with a damp dishcloth and let rise, 20-30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees (Yes, 500 degrees). Fill a 4-quart pot 1/2-way full of water. Add 2 Tbsp. of sugar, and bring to a boil. When your bagels are done rising, drop 3 bagels at a time into the boiling water. Cook for 1 minute on each side. Using a slotted spoon, lift bagels out, and return them to the baking pans. Sprinkle with toppings if desired.

Bake in the 500 degree oven for 15 minutes. After 10 minutes, use a spatula to loosen them from the bottom of the pan if sticking. Continue baking until done.

Optional toppings: poppy seeds, sea salt, sesame seeds, cheddar, parmesan, garlic, onion, etc.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
2 lb yeast - $4.68 = 48 T= $0.098/T = $0.033
1 gallon oil - $6.78 = 256 T = $0.026/T = $0.035
25 lb flour - $7.28 = 94.5 C = $0.077/C = $0.462
25 lb sugar - $13.94 = 945 T = $0.015/T = $0.060
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 48 T = $0.009/T = $0.009
Total Recipe Cost - $0.90
Cost Per Large Bagel - $0.07

The Contender:
Thomas Plain Bagels (6 count) - $2.85
Cost Per Bagel - $0.48

Savings: 84%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make {Basic} Bagels 12 times = $10.80
Buy Thomas Plain Bagels (6 count) 24 times = $68.40

Money Saved: $57.60

Heart Attack Maze {Valentine's Day}

2013-01-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and this year I've decided to do something special for my children apart from stuffing them up to their ears with sugary treats.

This isn't the sort of thing I normally post about, (it's not a recipe or a frugality tip) but it's such a great little activity, that I figured I'd share it with you. It's not elaborate, or fancy, but it gives me a chance to think about each child individually and share my love for them in a fun way and on a personal level.

I've dubbed it the Heart Attack Maze, and I gave it a trial run today to see if it would match the idea I had in my head. (Photos below)

Step 1: I dug through my ~~pitiful excuse of a~~ sewing basket, and chose two different colors of yarn: one color for each child who will go though the maze.

Step 2: I found a starting point (one of my kitchen chairs), tied the two colors of yarn to it, and had a great time threading the yarn over and under and around everything in my kitchen. If your children are older (or taller), you could totally go all over the entire house and make it crazy hard. My kids are four and five. I just stuck to the kitchen area.

Step 3: Once I finished with the yarn, I attached 20 numbered hearts with personalized love notes on each child's string of yarn. They would begin following their yarn through the maze, reaching their hearts in order from #1 to #20.

I can't wait to see them giggling and getting all tangled up together as they navigate their way through the maze! My second child watched me set it up for the trial run, and she is beyond excited for Valentine's Day to arrive so that she can "go through the tangles" and get her "love hearts."

After my kids collect all 20 hearts, I'm going to put them in envelopes marked "Valentine's Day 2013," and store them with their other keepsakes so they'll always have those 20 personalized love notes.

Have a look:

I seriously can't wait!!!!

A Lazy Girl's Roast Chicken ($3.58 each)

2013-01-26T07:51:00.000-08:00

$3.58 each 76% savings save $45.58 yearly

Roast chicken.

It's so misunderstood. The majority of people who contemplate preparing one seem to think of it as an intimidating, complex, scary undertaking that will require a week's worth of blood, sweat, and tears, fancy gadgets and professional trussing techniques.

I know. I was one of those people... till I finally "manned up" and did it 5 years ago.

It was one of the easiest culinary undertakings of my life.

Trust me on this one. All you really need is a bird, (...Without the neck or giblets, because who wants to mess with that gross-ness?) butter, and a few seasonings. Prep time = 5 minutes.

Ahem... (let me say that again in case you missed it)... FIVE MINUTES!!!

And, it's finger-lickin' good, which is always a plus.

AND it's cheaper than the "comes-in-a-BOX-sitting-on-a-warmer-all-day" chicken.

AND you get to control what goes on (and in) the chicken you are eating.

Roasting your own chicken is also super economical, and I'll tell you why:

1. You can serve part of it after it's finished roasting.
2. You can then remove the remaining meat for later use, and use the carcass to make a healthy stock.
3. You can then use the extra meat for chicken noodle soup (with your homemade stock), or chicken pot pie, or tacos, or burritos, or chicken salad, or any number of dishes requiring chicken.
4. You can go to your local grocery store and ask when they typically mark down their poultry. With that information, you can get to the store in time for some pretty sweet deals on some perfectly delicious birds. Exhibit A:

I scored two chickens for a great price! Plus, a 5-pound bird = 4 meals in my home. Pretty thrifty... just the way I like it.

Now, let me show you a little bit of what's going to happen during your FIVE MINUTES of prep time:

You are going to lay your chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan (or glass baking dish) and stuff several pats of butter underneath the skin of the chicken.

See those little pat of butter under the skin? They are going to make your chicken super-delcious.

Then, you are going take some spices, and rub them underneath the skin with the butter.

Finally, you are going to take more spices, rub them on the skin of the chicken, put the bird in the hot oven, then sit back and enjoy the smell of chicken roasting in your kitchen.

A 5-pound bird will take about 1 hour and 40 minutes to finish roasting.

But remember... prep time = FIVE MINUTES!!!

(Sorry about the photo quality below... I have exactly one lightbulb functioning in my kitchen right now, so if I take photos in the evening with no natural lighting from the sun, photos tend to be a little dark)

The end result: a perfectly delicious roasted chicken that beats out the chicken-in-a-box from the store. No blood. No sweat. No tears. No stress. No time consuming methodology.

Just easy-peasy goodness.

Enjoy!

Roast Chicken
Printable Version

(Note: The thyme, minced onion, and garlic powder are optional. Those are the seasonings my family enjoys... you could use a multitude of seasonings or just stick with the butter salt and pepper.)

INGREDIENTS
5 lb whole chicken (without the neck and giblets, and NOT frozen)
2 Tbsp butter (cut into 5-6 pats)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves (opt.)
1 tsp. dried minced onion (opt.)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (opt.)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the salt, pepper, thyme, minced onion, and garlic powder in a bowl.

Rinse chicken inside and out with water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken (NOT frozen) breast-side up in a shallow roasting pan. A 9x13 baking dish could work.

Insert the butter pats underneath the skin of the chicken, distributing them evenly. Rub 2/3 of the seasoning mixture beneath the skin of the chicken breasts, distributing as evenly as possible. Rub the remaining spices over the skin of the chicken. (You may choose to rub butter over the skin of the chicken as well, if you enjoy eating the skin of the chicken.)

Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes per pound (or until the juices run clear or a meat thermometer registers 180 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of the chicken). Oven cooking temperatures vary, so monitor the cooking time as needed.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
Twin bag whole chickens - $6.35 = $3.175/chicken = $3.175
1 lb butter - $2.50 = $0.078/T = $0.156
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 122.75 tsp = $0.003/tsp = $0.0015
8 oz. black pepper - $3.84 = $37.75 tsp = $0.102/tsp = $0.026
0.62 oz. dried thyme - $4.98 = 19 tsp = $0.262/tsp = $0.131
8.25 oz. dried minced onion - $5.82 = 95 tsp = $0.061/tsp = $0.061
12.25 oz. garlic powder - $6.48 = 95 tsp = $0.068/tsp = $0.034
Total Recipe Cost - $3.58
Cost per Pound - $0.72

The Contender:
Kroger's Wholesome Home Roasted Chicken (2 lb.) - $5.99
Cost per Pound - $3.00

Savings: 76%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make 4 Roast Chickens = $14.32
Buy 10 Wholesome Home Roasted Chickens (2 lb.) = $59.90

*Money Saved = $45.58

Mom's Cornbread ($0.04 per serving)

2013-01-19T06:37:00.000-08:00

$0.04 per serving 68% savings save $17.52 yearly

One of my favorite comfort foods is cornbread... slathered in butter... and drizzled in honey. (Okay, okay, so I pretty much kill the health out of it with the butter and honey, but it's SO worth it!) Plus... $0.04 per serving? Can't beat that price!

My mother used to make this cornbread in a pie plate, and divvy out large slices to us, which we hurriedly devoured to make sure we'd get a second piece. There were 9 people in my family, so it was imperative that we eat the cornbread FAST to ensure another slice of deliciousness came our way.

You snooze, you lose.

Since I've been married, I've tried a few other cornbread recipes to see if any of them could improve upon the cornbread I grew up eating:

1. Paula Dean's recipe (no sugar involved... I like my cornbread on the sweet side).
2. The recipe on the back of the Aunt Jemima cornmeal package (too coarse for me).
3. The most popular recipe on the website Allrecipes.com (ehhh).
4. The cornbread at Marie Callendar's (pretty yummy... but it's overly sweet, and not reminiscent of real cornbread).

My mom's recipe is the clear winner according to me, my husband, and the two daughters I have that can actually voice their opinion. My youngest daughter just turned 1, and she expresses her approval by eating copious amounts of the stuff.

It has the perfect amount of sweetness in a moist, coarsely textured, nearly-cake-like consistency, that will be absolute perfection to your palate.

We like it with butter and honey, or dipped in hearty soups and stews, and of course, served alongside the Best Crockpot Chili.

My mother's recipe originated from the back of a container of Alber's cornmeal. I hope you enjoy this family favorite that has been (and will continue to be) passed from mother to daughter.

Mom's Cornbread

Printable Version

*Makes 16 servings (2 in. squares)

Note: In the recipe, I've written to bake the cornbread in an 8x8 baking dish because that's what I use. But a 9x9 baking dish, or 9" pie plate would work as well. If you use either of those instead, it should be done a little sooner.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup oil

1 beaten egg

1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the oil, beaten egg, and milk. Mix together using a hand-mixer or whisk, until smooth and no lumps remain.

Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until done. Serve immediately with butter and honey. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
5 lb. cornmeal - $2.44 = 15.75 C = $0.155/C = $0.155
1 dozen eggs - $1.79 = $0.15/egg = $0.15
25 lb. all-purpose flour - $6.78 = 94.5 C = $0.071/C = $0.071
12 oz. baking powder - $1.69 = 70.875 tsp = $0.024/tsp = $0.072
10 lb. sugar - $5.58 = 378 T = $0.015/T = $0.060
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 122.75 tsp = $0.003/tsp = $0.003
1 gallon milk - $2.99 = 16 cups = $0.187/C = $0.187
Total Recipe Cost = $0.70
Cost per Serving = $0.04

The Contender:
Krusteaz Cornbread (15 oz.) Mix - $1.82
PLUS 1 egg - $0.15
PLUS 1 cup milk $0.187
Total = $2.16
Cost per Serving = $0.13

Savings: 68%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make Mom's Cornbread 12 times - $8.40
Make Krusteaz Cornbread (15 oz.) Mix - $25.92

Money Saved: $17.52

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting {$0.78 per cup}

2013-01-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

$0.78 per cup 13% savings save $2.01 yearly

Ever since my first baby's first birthday, I have looked forward to making birthday cakes. I always ask my kids what kind of cake they want for their birthday, and I get some pretty fun (girly) answers:

"A rainbow cake with ponies on it!"

"A butterfly cake AND butterfly cupcakes!"

"A pink and purple and white flower cake with 'curlies'!" (Interpretive 'curlies' are shown above)

"A pink and yellow and green cake with sprinkles and chocolate and lots of candy!"

While I'm not the best cake decorator out there, (not by a LONG shot) I love getting creative with frosting.

Now, before I go any further, let me address the numbers above: I know making your own frosting isn't going to save you much money, and it's more time-consuming than popping open a can. But SERIOUSLY, people. Canned frosting?! Blech. Also, eww. Let's take a look at the canned gunk:

Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean & Cottonseed Oil, Water, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Wheat Starch, Contains 1 Percent Or Less Of: Salt, Distilled Monoglycerides, Colored W/(Artificial Color Yellows 5&6), Polysorbate 60, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Acid, Pyrophosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Nonfat Milk, Freshness, Preserved By Potassium Sorbate.

Homemade and canned are not even close to being in the same league. It's like comparing the World Series winning team to a 2-year old t-ball team. Not. Comparable.

Apart from decorating several birthday cakes, we also make frosted sugar cookies at least 3 times a year (Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day), so having a yummy, versatile, go-to frosting, is essential in our home, and good ol' traditional buttercream is the winner.

I've tried a few buttercream frosting recipes in my lifetime.

One used half shortening, half butter, for a very white frosting. (Looked pretty... tasted greasy)

One used less butter. (Too sugary)

One used a ton of butter. (Too buttery... you'd think I'd have guessed that before-hand)

Some recipes use salted butter. (The amount of salt in salted butter varies from brand to brand, and even batch to batch, which can result in overly-salty frosting)

Some say margarine is okay. (It most definitely is NOT okay... at least in my opinion)

So many recipes, so many "favorites," so many options.

I'm not here to discredit anyone else's favorite buttercream frosting recipe, but I will add mine to the list because it's easy, no-fail, tastes just how buttercream frosting should taste, works perfectly for decorating, and my family gives it two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

Enjoy!

I know we do.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Printable Version

*Makes approx. 2.75 cups

INGREDIENTS
1 cup room-temp. unsalted butter (not slightly melted!... it will ruin your frosting consistency)
4 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla (if you want really white frosting, use clear vanilla extract)
2-4 Tbsp. milk

DIRECTIONS
Using either a hand mixer or standing mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and salt, and continue to mix until incorporated. Add the vanilla and 2 Tbsp. of milk, and beat for 2 more minutes.

If your frosting is too thick, add more milk 1 Tbsp. at a time until you reach the desired consistency. If it is too thin, add a little more sugar. For decorating purposes, a stiffer frosting is best (meaning a less milk, more sugar ratio). Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
1 lb. unsalted butter - $2.50 = 2 C = $1.25/C = $1.25
2 lb. powdered sugar - $1.48 = 7.5 C = $0.197/C = $0.788
26 oz. salt - $0.44 = 122.75 tsp = $0.003/tsp = $0.001
8 fl. oz. imitation vanilla - $0.98 = 48 tsp = $0.0204/tsp = $0.061
1 gallon milk - $2.99 = 256 T = $0.012/T = $0.036
Total Recipe Cost - $2.14
Cost Per Cup - $0.78

The Contender:
Betty Crocker Vanilla Frosting (16 oz.) - $1.88
Per Cup - $0.90

Savings: 13%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting 6 times = $12.84
Use equivalent Betty Crocker Vanilla Frosting = $14.85

Money Saved: $2.01

Frugality Tip #7: Eat Cheap {$0.75 Meals & $0.25 Snacks}

2013-01-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

FIRST of all... when I say "eat cheap," I do not mean "eat ramen, mac 'n cheese, hamburger helper, and hotdogs."

Eating cheap doesn't have to mean sacrificing good nutrition.

When my husband and I married, we were both full-time college students and he was preparing to enter medical school. Tuition was expensive. Books were expensive. Rent was expensive. Gas was expensive. Insurances. Utilities. FOOD. It all added up quickly, but we were determined not to incur any debt until medical school began, at which point debt would be inevitable.

Luckily, we had a small combined income to meet our needs: He had a part-time job working on campus in the Career and Academic Advising Center as a peer advisor. I worked as an advisor as well, and held another part-time job working as a personal trainer at the campus fitness center. We also took on the job of managing some campus-approved student housing.

To stretch our pennies as far as possible, we washed all our clothes in cold water. We washed all our dishes by hand. We bought our books used. We walked, or car-pooled. We kept the apartment cool in the winter, and sweated it out in the summer. We instituted $5 (or less) date night, because date night was, and is, a MUST. He cut his own hair. My mom cut mine when we visited my parents. So, we had income sufficient for our needs... but no wiggle room in our budget once the basic necessities were taken care of.

...That may sound like an awful way to live to some, but we were very happy, and I can't adequately convey to you how wonderful it felt to be fully self-reliant and independent. We worked hard. We went without the "extras," and it was a great time in our lives!

So, one day after getting home from classes and work, I sat down on our (somewhat hideous) hand-me-down couch with a pen and a spiral-bound notebook half-filled with notes from my Sports Conditioning class, and brainstormed some meal and snack ideas that were as inexpensive as possible without compromising on nutrition, in an attempt to get our down-to-the-very-last-penny-selves a little financial wiggle room. It was a good (short) list, and it has grown as I've developed my cooking skills and have more time to prepare food.

I haven't included an exact cost breakdown or exact serving sizes for the list below, but be assured that I researched the costs. Everything on the list below, consumed in a modest serving size, is right at or below the price points given.

Complete Meals for $0.75 {or less}

BREAKFAST - (always served with milk - $0.24 per 8 oz.)

Breakfast burrito ~ Simple Flour Tortilla filled with a scrambled egg cooked with diced bell pepper, and sausage
Scrambled egg, toast (homemade bread) with Strawberry Freezer Jam, 1/2 cup fruit
Apple-cinnamon oatmeal ~ diced apples and cinnamon cooked in the oatmeal
Peanut butter maple oatmeal ~ peanut butter and homemade syrup cooked in the oatmeal
Cream of wheat topped with a few blueberries, 1/2 cup fruit
Homemade bran muffin, 1/2 cup fruit
Ham and veggie omelet, toast ~ egg, ham, tomato, pepper, onion in omelet
Maple pecan oatmeal, 1/2 cup fruit ~ Maple & Honey Syrup and chopped pecans cooked in the oatmeal
German pancakes with homemade syrup or jam, 1/2 cup fruit
Homemade pancakes with homemade syrup or jam, scrambled egg
Homemade waffle with homemade syrup or jam, scrambled egg,
Generic cheerios (or other whole grain) cereal with 1/2 sliced banana and milk
Crockpot Yogurt parfait with fruit and homemade granola
Homemade bagel with 1 Tbsp reduced-fat cream cheese
Homemade hashbrowns, scrambled egg, 1/2 cup fruit
Slice of french toast (homemade french bread) with homemade syrup and 1/2 cup fruit

LUNCH

Tuna fish sandwich on Best Wheat Bread, small green salad and light dressing
PB & J on Grandma's Country White Bread, 8 oz. milk, carrot and celery sticks
Lunch meat sandwich, 1/2 apple ~ light mustard, cheese slice, lettuce, tomato slice on homemade bread
Veggie quesadilla ~ on homemade tortilla, sauteed onion, tomato, bell pepper, and cheese
PB-banana sandwich, 8 oz. milk~ 2 Tbsp. PB on homemade bread with 1/2 banana sliced inside
Cheese quesadilla on a homemade tortilla, small green salad and light dressing
Grilled cheese on homemade bread, 1/2 cup fruit
Egg salad sandwich on homemade bread, small green salad and light dressing
Crockpot "Refried" Bean burrito on a homemade tortilla, small green salad with light dressing, 1/2 cup fruit
Homemade minestrone soup, homemade bread stick, small green salad with light dressing

DINNER

Loaded baked potato, small green salad with light dressing
Favorite Chicken Noodle Soup, homemade roll, 1/2 cup fruit or small salad
Amazing Fried Rice, clementine orange
Best Crockpot Chili, homemade roll
Homemade potato broccoli soup, small salad with light dressing, Grandma Benson's Dinner Roll
Homemade spicy chicken and rice skillet, roll, small salad with light dressing
Homemade lentil soup, homemade bread stick, small salad with light dressing
Tuna noodle casserole, 1/2 cup fruit ~ homemade Egg Noodles
Pasta, a red meat sauce, small green salad, homemade bread stick
Chicken and veggie stir-fry, rice
Vegetable beef soup, homemade bread stick, small salad with light dressing
Homemade Fish Sticks, Healthy Oven Steak Fries, 1/2 cup fruit
Homemade ham and veggie pizza, bread stick, small green salad with light dressing
Bean tostada (homemade fried corn tortilla) topped w/lettuce, tomato, and cheese, 1/2 cup fruit

Snacks for $0.25 {or less}

Cheese stick
Craisins (1/4 cup)
Raisins (1/4 cup)
Carrot and celery sticks
Whole wheat crackers, 1 Tbsp PB
1/2 apple
Banana
Hard-boiled egg
1/2 orange
1 large graham cracker, 1/2 cup milk
No-bake "Food Storage" Granola Bars
Olive Oil Microwave Popcorn
PB toast ~ homemade bread and 1 Tbsp PB
1/2 cup crockpot yogurt

Some notes about this list:

1.) These are not giant servings. A teenage boy would laugh his head off at this list while consuming an entire loaf of bread slathered in peanut butter... on the other hand, a 2-year old is going to think it's a feast.

2.) I make nearly everything on this list from scratch: bread, tortillas, rolls, bread sticks, pizza crust, sauces, muffins, syrup, jam... you get the idea. It's more nutritious and it's cheaper. I go through a lot of wheat that I grind into flour at home.

3.) If you were to ONLY eat what I have on this list, you may not meet your recommended intake of fruits and veggies. These ideas are meant to help lower the cost of your healthy meals and snacks, and not necessarily to be the only things you eat... though you could pull it off for a short period of time. In my family, we all take a multivitamin ($0.03 - $0.04 each... since you were wondering) and eat other things along with the ideas mentioned on this list.

4.) Some of these ideas contain only my very best guess on prices based: i.e. Bananas are $0.52/lb where I live, with about 3 medium-sized banana's per pound, making 1 banana approximately $0.17. If you live in Los Angeles or New York City, or any number of other places, you might expect to pay more.

5.) The small green salads are SMALL and use inexpensive greens (mostly romaine and little to no iceberg lettuce).

6.) The 1/2 cup serving of fruit is for fruit that is in season (therefore priced at it's lowest) and costs about $0.25 or less (but does not include things like raspberries or blackberries. Those little babies are pricey even when they are in season). Like I said... this list is meant to supplement your meal plans to save you money, and not limit you entirely from the wonderful world of more expensive produce like asparagus, green peas, cherries, and apricots.

7.) A no-brainer, but if you have a garden, raise your own livestock for food purposes (milk, eggs, meat, etc.), or grind bulk wheat into flour, the ideas on this list become cheaper, AND a whole new realm of possibilities opens up for meals and snacks that meet the parameters of the list above.

Finally...

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT AND ADD TO THIS LIST!!!
Wouldn't it be great to collaborate on more healthy in-expensive meal and snack ideas? I know there are more options than the ones listed above, and I'd love to hear some of your ideas!

Magic Meatballs ($0.85 per serving)

2013-01-01T17:15:00.001-08:00

It's a brand new year, and that means it's time to try NEW things... including new frugal recipes. Get ready to add a super-delicious-family-favorite-inexpensive meal to your recipe arsenal.

This one is a guaranteed hit!

Let me start by giving you a little background on this dish: Years ago, when I was first introduced to this recipe by my mother-in-law, I was skeptical... to the point of pep-talking myself into eating it.

Meatballs?
So not my thing.

Sweet and sour-type sauce?
I thought chicken and pork had claim on that territory.

I was prepared to be thoroughly unimpressed and weirded out by the first bite.

Boy howdy, was I ever WRONG!

These meatballs were delicious, and upon my first introduction to them, I ate an embarrassing amount while furtively casting glances at the people around me to see if they were noticing just how many of those meatballs were magically disappearing from my plate. I couldn't help it! Those things were pure magic, I tell you! So magical, were these meatballs that all the kids cleaned their plates (there may even have been some plate-licking involved).

If you try one new recipe this year, let this one be it. It's low cost, it's delicious, it's budget friendly, kids devour it, and it's a cinch to make (seeing as how it can be semi-homemade if you choose). You'll be so glad you gave it a try!

Magic Meatballs
Printable Version

(Note: I prefer to make my own meatballs to avoid additives, but the cost of buying pre-made bulk meatballs from Sam's or Costco vs. making your own is about the same. Fresh pineapple works well in this recipe, and if you can find one on sale for $1.50 BUY IT! You can also add diced green pepper to the sauce, or double it if you're a sauce-lover.)

*Serves 12

INGREDIENTS
1/2 bag (6lb.) frozen meatballs (I use 3 lbs. of homemade meatballs)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple (fresh works too)
6 cups steamed rice

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and corn starch together over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Add the can of pineapple (including the juice). Reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Empty half of a bulk 6 lb. bag of frozen meatballs (or use 3 lbs. of homemade meatballs) into a large pot on the stove. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the meatballs, cook on medium heat until the frozen meatballs are heated through.

Steam 2 cups of dry rice. Serve the meatballs over the steamed rice. Store in an air-tight container. Freezes well.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
7 lb bag brown sugar - $5.05 = 378 T = $0.015/T = $0.48
15 fl. oz. soy sauce - $1.42 = 30 T = $0.047/T = $0.379
2 gal. vinegar - $3.58 = 32 C = $0.112/C = $0.075
35 oz. cornstarch - $2.48 = 124 T = $0.020/T = $0.08
20 oz. can crushed pineapple - $1.24 = $1.24
6 lb (96 oz.) meatballs - $14.98 = $7.49
20 lb. long grain rice - $11.86 = 50 C = $0.237/C = $0.474

Total Recipe Cost: $10.21
Cost per Serving: $0.85

Scott's 5-Minute Fudge

2012-12-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

$0.17 per serving 90% savings save $70.68 yearly

Scott is the youngest of my three brothers. He. ADORES. This. Fudge.

I have a very specific memory involving him and this fudge that always makes me smile:

As a teenager, he took time to make a batch of this fudge for himself. I was visiting home on Christmas break from college, and there it was: a glass pan of beautiful fudge (about 1/3 of it gone) sitting in all it's tempting glory on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. I asked my mom if I could please have some, and she said she was sure Scott wouldn't mind...

What, the??

Scott!?

Since when was he on fudge guard duty?

My mom informed me that SCOTT was the one who made it. So, technically it was his... but still she was sure he'd share. And, lucky for me, he did just that. He may have done it more out of a sense that it was the right thing to do than because he actually wanted to part with his beloved fudge. Still... pretty impressive on the selfless teenager scale.

I get why he loves it so much. (We love it too!) It's rich, delicious, and completely fool-proof to make. It's perfect for parties, special treats for friends, or around the holidays. I make a batch of it every year at Christmas time for my own family to enjoy, but this year, I decided to send it out on the neighbor Christmas goody plates as well.

Thank you Scott, for setting the example for sharing this irresistible fudge!

Scott's 5-Minute Fudge
Printable Version

Note: You can use milk chocolate, or semi-sweet, add nuts, or 1 1/2 tsp. of peppermint extract for a minty-fudge taste. You can crush candy and sprinkle it on top, or swirl in some caramel. Creativity works well with this recipe, because the fudge sets up so well.

*Makes 24 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk chocolate chips (semi-sweet works too)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper.

Combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth, then add the vanilla, stirring for even distribution. Add any additional flavorings/mix-ins now.

Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish, and refrigerate until firm (1 1/2 - 2 hours). Lift the fudge from the pan, and cut into 48 squares. Store in an airtight container.

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:
12 oz. bag chocolate chips - $2.38 = 2 C = $2.38
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk - $1.64
8 fl. oz. imitation vanilla - $0.98 = 48 tsp = $0.0204/tsp = $0.0204
Total Recipe Cost: $4.04
Cost per 2-Piece (2 oz.) serving: $0.17
;
The Contender
Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge (12 oz. box) - $9.99
Cost per 2 oz. serving- $1.67

Savings:
90%

"Over a year" scenario:
Make 4 batches of Scott's 5-Minute Fudge = $16.16
Buy equivalent Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge = $86.84

Money Saved: $70.68