Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Ten Camping-Friendly Recipes from My Book

Our family has gone on at least one camping trip every summer since our youngest was in diapers. I've come to believe that spending a week in the woods at least once a year is one of the keys to good mental health :) Right now we're in the midst of getting ready to leave on this year's trip, so I thought I'd share some of our favourite recipes from my book that are camping-friendly.

I have some friends who enjoy the challenge of cooking gourmet-level dishes while they're on camping trips, but I much prefer to keep things as simple as possible. This is my *week off* from the daily demands of family food prep! Here are a few recipes from Cheap Appétit that lend themselves well to camp cooking (my recommendations assume that you have, at minimum, a cooler to keep perishables in, so most of these are probably not suitable for backwoods, hiking-in-with-a-backpack types of excursions).


   

(pack the ground beef frozen and it will stay good for a day or two in a cooler)




Breakfast Burritos (p. 103)












 (again, pack the chicken frozen and plan to have this meal in the first couple of days of your trip)
 
Parmesan & Herb Pasta and Sauce (p. 196)
(an easy to make side dish to serve with Lime & Garlic Chicken)

I will not be posting again until after we return from our trip at the beginning of August, so hopefully even if you're not planning on going camping any time soon, you'll feel inspired to try one or more of these recipes while I'm gone!

Do you have a tried-and-true favourite camping meal to share with us?

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Monday, July 23, 2012

Weekly Menu Retrospective #75

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,
check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.   

This week was a bit of an unusual one in our household - my 14 year old son is away at camp, and my hubby was not around for dinner much. So meals were a little bit more "casual" than normal as it was often just myself and my 12 year old son. I also can't help but notice how many more leftovers we had this week with one less teenager in the house (I'm really missing him, though!)


Breakfasts:
Granola (p. 92), Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, p. 114), peanut butter toast, pancakes, cherry clafouti (p. 223)

Lunches: 
Toad-in-the-hole (p. 180), leftovers, sandwiches 

Dinners:

Monday: Lime and Garlic Chicken (p. 184), Skillet Millet, Build a Bean and Cucumber Salad (p. 209)

Tuesday: Out for dinner with friends (me), grilled cheese and assorted leftovers (hubby and 12 yr old)

Wednesday: Classic Beef Burgers (p.125) and Easy Oven Fries (p.194)

Thursday: Swiss Chard, Bacon and Cheese Egg Puff (variation of the recipe on p. 181), green beans

Friday: Spicy Pork Pasta in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Saturday: Leftover pasta

Sunday: Pizza, Colourful Cabbage Salad (p.207)

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut, canola oil, brown sugar (in granola), cane sugar (in coffee/tea),  raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds (in bread), millet, bananas, lemons

Local: potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumbers, red peppers, cabbage, chicken legs and ground beef (from VG Meats), milk, eggs, sour cream  

Local AND organic: oats (in granola), sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves) green beans, Swiss chard and garlic (from West Hamilton Produce Cooperative*), herbs and cherry tomatoes from our backyard garden

*The WHPC produce is not "certified organic" but is pesticide-free.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

RECIPE: Skillet Millet


Millet has become one of my new favourite grains. While most people are more familiar with its use as birdseed, I think it deserves a lot more attention in the kitchen. It's inexpensive, easy to cook, and has a pleasant nutty flavour with a bit of a crunch that is a nice change of pace from blander grains like rice. 

Since I "invented" Skillet Millet (shown above with Lime and Garlic Chicken and Creamy Cucumber Salad), it's quickly become a staple in our household. It makes a great side for just about anything you could throw on the barbecue, and is easy to prepare, so it's perfect for laid-back summer meals. I like to cook this in my cast iron skillet, but if you don't have one, any nonstick pan should do the trick!

(Note: You might not be able to find millet at a "regular" grocery store. I buy mine from my food co-op, but I think most bulk food stores should have it, too.)

Ingredients:
1-2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked millet
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions:
In a medium size cast iron or nonstick frying pan, saute the onion in butter until tender. Add the millet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock and 1 cup of water, and the salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed to keep the millet from drying out (you may need to add an additional cup or more of liquid). Once millet is tender and most of liquid has evaporated, turn off heat and let stand for a few minutes until remaining liquid has evaporated.

Serves 4 as a side dish. 

Do you cook with millet, too? If you have a favourite way to prepare it, please let me know!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

A Thrifty Gifting Extravaganza

These past few weeks have been full of gift-giving occasions (Father's Day plus a plethora of birthdays) at a time when our budget has been more stretched than it has in a long time. Thank goodness for my gift cupboard and my culinary prowess! I managed to assemble some pretty decent gifts with a minimum outlay of cash and they all seemed to be quite well received.

#1: Father's Day
My dad is not much into cooking himself and really appreciates homemade goodies. I made a batch of these Chocolate Ginger Biscotti:

I have no idea where the recipe came from - I ripped it out of some magazine or other years ago. Half the batch got wrapped up for my hubby and half went to my dad, along with some of our canned goodies (strawberry jam and sweet mixed pickles).

 Here's what my dad's gift looked like all ready to go:
 
 The basket was a yard sale find (I might have paid a dollar for it, I can't remember!), all the rest of the wrapping materials were from my stash of recycled/reused wrapping supplies, and I used my basic pantry supplies to make the biscotti.

#2: Birthday gift for a three-year-old boy
This was a present for one of my closest friend's kids. I had a lot of fun putting this one together, as I have vivid memories of my boys at this age. I know they both went through a dinosaur-loving phase around the ages of 2-4 or so, and in fact I'd been keeping an eye out for dinosaur-related items over the past couple of years as I knew eventually I would be putting together a dinosaur-themed gift for a small boy :)


 What's inside:

 A couple of hardcover dinosaur books, a dinosaur dot-to-dot book, a multi-sided dinosaur cube puzzle set, and a few random dinosaur stationery type items (dinosaur shaped pad of paper, erasers, stencils). All of these items were gradually collected at various yard sales, and I estimate I spent less than $3.00 total on all of the above items (which, if I had bought retail, I'm guessing would have cost somewhere in the area of $30 or more). Once again, all the wrapping supplies came from my stash. 

#3: 40th Birthday gift for a close friend
I don't have a photo of this one, because I was a bit (okay, a lot) disorganized about getting it put together and ended up doing most of it just before we were racing out the door to get to her birthday party! This is the same friend whose little boy received gift #2 above, and we've known each other since we were ten and eleven year old kids (she's a year younger than me).

I made a batch of raisin-oatmeal scones and paired that with a jar of my homemade strawberry jam for the first part of her gift. The second part of her gift was a gift certificate for a day of "mind-body pampering", something she really doesn't take enough time for in her busy schedule. It's to include a hot yoga class at my studio, a home-cooked meal, plus some other surprises (we probably won't schedule this until the fall, as both of us are pretty busy all summer!). My yoga studio offers a deal to new students where you get 10 days of unlimited yoga for $10, so this gift isn't going to cost me much out-of-pocket either, and hopefully it will be a very restorative day for my friend who has a tendency to forget that taking some time for yourself once in a while is a good idea.

#4: Birthday gift for my 4-year-old niece


This was for my youngest niece, one of my brother's three girls. We have always done pretty modest gifts for each other's kids, as they all seem to have plenty of "stuff" already.

Inside:

This was the only gift of the four where I had to run out and buy something new to fill it out a bit. The story book and the paint with water book were both yard sale finds, and the "funny faces" book in the middle I ended up buying new. It was surprisingly reasonably priced at $3.99, so I still managed to put this one together for about $5 or so. (If I hadn't already given her an assortment of homemade fruit-scented playdoughs last year, I would have made those to add to this gift instead of buying the new book - they are always a big hit!)

While I do enjoy the challenge of putting together a good gift on a small budget, I'm going to be happy to take a bit of a break from gift assembly for a while, and hopefully I'll be able to restock my gift cupboard a bit during the rest of the yard sale season! 

Are you a "thrifty gifter"? What are some of your favourite frugal gift-giving strategies?

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Monday, July 9, 2012

Weekly Menu Retrospective #74

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,
check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.  

Breakfasts:
Granola (p.92), banana oatmeal black raspberry muffins (subbed wild black raspberries for the chocolate chips in this recipe, p. 96), peanut butter toast

Lunches: 
Tuna Pinwheels (subbed tuna for the turkey in this recipe, p. 111), leftovers, sandwiches, pizza

Dinners:

Monday: Lime and Garlic Chicken (p. 184), Skillet Millet (recipe coming soon!), Creamy Cucumber Salad (p. 205)

Tuesday: Chickpeas with Potatoes and Peas (p. 138), green salad

Wednesday: Taco Platters

Thursday: Fish Tacos (with homemade Whole Wheat & Flax Flour Tortillas, p. 217)

Friday: Omelette Wraps (p. 124), Colourful Cabbage Salad (p.207)

Saturday: Out at my niece's birthday party

Sunday: Cheesy Mac & Beef Skillet (p. 148)

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut, canola oil, brown sugar (in granola), cane sugar (in coffee/tea),  raisins (in granola), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds (in bread), millet, bananas, lemons, green onions, tortilla chips, popcorn

Local: potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumbers, red peppers, cabbage, chicken legs and ground beef (from VG Meats), milk, eggs, sour cream  

Local AND organic: oats (in granola), sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), milk (used to make yogurt), lettuce (from West Hamilton Produce Cooperative*), arugula, raspberries and herbs from our backyard garden, wild black raspberries (foraged)

*The WHPC produce is not "certified organic" but is pesticide-free.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

RECIPE: Taco Platters


It's summer. It's hot. Cooking seems like too much effort - and I definitely don't want to turn on the oven unless absolutely necessary.

Taco platters to the rescue! These are so yummy that just looking at the picture makes me want to run into the kitchen and whip some up. Seriously, I always get the "best mom ever" award from my kids whenever these appear on the dinner table. And what's more, they don't even involve a lot of effort. I made this dish last week using the grass fed beef we bought from VG Meats, and it was so good I think I could eat it for dinner every night all summer long! 

This recipe is a very loose guideline, and you can substitute or add whatever toppings you have on hand and happen to be in the mood for. You could easily use refried beans or black beans to make this vegetarian (or add the beans along with the meat for an even heartier meal).

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup water

1 recipe Zesty Cheese Sauce, made extra-thick by adding an additional tablespoon of flour (I also omit the onion and garlic as there's already enough mixed in with the beef)

1 pound bag of good quality tortilla chips (I like Que Pasa, they are an organic brand priced comparably to non-organics; the chips in the photo are their "O Canada" variety - and don't worry, the red ones are coloured with beet powder, not red dye!)

Salsa
Sour cream
Guacamole
Green onions
Other chopped vegetables as desired

Instructions:
In a medium frying pan, saute the onion and garlic in oil until onion starts to soften. Add beef and cook until no trace of pink remains. Combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, cornstarch and water, stirring until well combined. Add to ground beef mixture and cook over medium heat until sauce has thickened.

To serve:

Arrange about 1/4 pound of tortilla chips on a plate. Spoon 1/4 of beef mixture on top, then pour some of the cheese sauce over top. Add remaining desired toppings. Repeat three more times to make 4 servings.

Dig in!!!


I shared this recipe at Full Plate Thursdays.

What are some of your favourite go-to meals for hot summer days?

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Monday, July 2, 2012

Weekly Menu Retrospective #73

Welcome to my weekly roundup of the past week's eats. I prefer to report what we ate in the last week, rather than what we're planning to eat in the coming week. Why? The reason is pretty simple: although I usually have a general idea of what we're going to eat in the next week or so, life often unfolds a little differently than planned, and I adjust my menu plan on a near-daily basis to accommodate leftovers and other not-possible-to-plan-ahead circumstances. I find this is the easiest way to ensure that I minimize our family's food waste. I'm also willing to admit that I'm a rather spontaneous cook, given to preparing foods that strike me as the most appealing thing to eat right here and now!

If you'd like a whole book full of inexpensive, quick and kid-approved recipes,
check out my book, Cheap Appétit : The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) on Amazon (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca and Amazon UK) and Barnes and Noble.  It's gotten multiple 5 star reviews!! I've included page references to recipes that are in the book in my menu plans so you can locate them quickly. For more details about the book, go here.  

Breakfasts:
Granola (p.92), zucchini bran muffins (subbed zucchini for carrots in the Carrot Raisin Bran Muffin recipe on p.102),  French toast with saskatoon berry jam

Lunches: 
Toad-in-the-Hole (p. 180), leftovers, sandwiches

Dinners:

Monday: Taco Platters (recipe coming on Wednesday!)

Tuesday: Pad Thai

Wednesday: Spinach, Bacon and Mozzarella Puff (p. 181), tossed salad

Thursday: Hamburgers and Easy Oven Fries (p. 194)

Friday: Baked Beans and toast (dinner on my own, leftover baked beans for Sunday's dinner)

Saturday: Spicy Pork Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Sunday: Barbecued pork riblets, Baked Beans (fruitless version of Apple and Bacon Baked Beans on p. 177), tossed salad with homemade ranch dressing, vanilla ice cream with wild black raspberries

In keeping with my local and organic challenge, I'd also like to note the local and/or organic items on this week's menu:

Organic: coconut, coconut milk, canola oil, brown sugar (in granola), cane sugar (in coffee/tea),  raisins (in granola and muffins), sunflower and pumpkin seeds (in granola), flax seeds (in bread), bananas, navy beans (in baked beans), lemons, green onions, tortilla chips

Local: potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumbers, red peppers, zucchini, strawberries, spinach, pork riblets and ground beef (from VG Meats), milk, eggs, sour cream  

Local AND organic: oats (in granola), sesame seeds (used to top bread loaves), milk (used to make yogurt), lettuce (from West Hamilton Produce Cooperative*), arugula, raspberries and herbs from our backyard garden, saskatoon berries (in jam - foraged), wild black raspberries

*The WHPC produce is not "certified organic" but is pesticide-free.

For more great meal ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Love what you read here? Find out how you can help support this blog. 

Want to stay connected in between blog posts?

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

Click HERE to like Abundance on a Dime on Facebook and get updates and tips on living frugally

Click HERE to like Cheap Appétit on Facebook and get updates and tips on frugal eating and cooking
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