When you "accidentally" pick 30 pounds of apples, you've got to do something...and do it quick! That's a whole lotta apples to process! One of the easiest things to do is make slow cooker applesauce. I intentionally picked a bunch of Golden Sup apples from the orchard because I knew they were a sweeter variety, and wouldn't require any sweetener to be a good applesauce. I … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Yogurt
With seven in our household it seems we are always out of something. Especially with the two eldest children constantly grazing. However, since I replaced store-bought yogurt with homemade slow cooker yogurt, I don’t have to ration yogurt cups. I can say yes, please have some yogurt. Slow cooker yogurt is so easy to make. The recipe is simple – just two ingredients. It also … [Read more...]
Chunky Spaghetti Sauce
When I first learned that Ryan did indeed have an allergy to dairy (after having suspected it for many months), I really started scouring labels. I knew for the most part what did and didn't have dairy or milk, but it can very sneaky and often finds it's way into a wide variety of processed foods. One of the items I quickly discovered that contained milk or cheese was jarred … [Read more...]
Homemade Reusable Sandwich Wraps
Love this idea...homemade reusable sandwich wraps from Chica and Jo. A photo tutorial...does require sewing (which I don't do...maybe when the kids are older!). If you'd like to purchase some, I found these similar ones on Etsy. (And yes, I'm partial to boy prints!) Lots of other patterns, shapes and sizes can be found on Etsy too! … [Read more...]
Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Pineapple Salsa
Up next on the Grow. Eat. $ave. calendar for this year is cucumbers. I've had more cucumbers in my kitchen in the last 2 weeks than I know what to do with...both from my garden, and from a friend's garden. I've been enjoying them on salads, as well as soaked in balsamic vinegar with some kosher salt and pepper (nom, nom, nom!). And last night I tried this cucumber pineapple … [Read more...]
Fried Green Tomatoes
Sliced, dipped, dredged and fried tomatoes equal a plateful of delights as the showcase of veggie night. It’s an annual treat. I make fried green tomatoes maybe twice a summer. Veggie plate night, of course being a frugal way to feed our hodgepodge. And fried green tomatoes, of course being a way to liven things up a bit. I explained to the children that fried green … [Read more...]
Mushroom and “Roasted” Garlic Pita Pizzas
My husband and son love pizza: the greasier the better. That kind of pizza really does not agree with my system. Before we started becoming more frugal, we had delivery pizza of this description about once a week. It was bad for our wallets and bad for our bodies. Over several months, I have gotten my family accustomed to enjoying less greasy pizzas -- usually home made … [Read more...]
Sharon’s Biscuit Pizza
Here is my biscuit pizza crust can be whipped up quickly...and is very filling for hungry teenagers. We normally have this when only a couple of the children are at home. It serves 4, but could easily be doubled to serve 8. Any leftovers can be saved in the fridge and reheated the next day. Homemade Biscuit Pizza Yield - 4 8" pizzas Preparation Time - 15 … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Cook Corn on the Cob
It's time for another rowdy edition of "5 Ways." (OK. Maybe rowdy isn't the best word. Corny would be better, yes?!) Just throw on some crazy music in the background and we'll have a little rowdy, corny party, shall we?! Buttery Succotash with Dill Corn and Salsa Tortilla Soup Corn and Sausage Casserole All Natural Microwave Popcorn Dana's Corn Salad So … [Read more...]
Vegetable Lasagna with Spinach “Noodles”
Summer finally arrived and all of my cool weather crops reacted to the heat by bolting. One nice thing about spinach when it bolts is that the leaves along the flower stalk are flat making them a great substitute for noodles in lasagna: I overlap the spinach leaves to create a layer. If you only have curled spinach leaves you can flatten them out a bit by making small … [Read more...]