budget meals

Name: Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 16 min
Yield: 2 cups
Cuisine: N/A
Ingredients: 1 cup Brown Rice; 1 1/4 cup Water; 1 tsp Salt

Easy Holiday Appetizers on a Budget

November 1, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

The holidays can be a stressful time between gifts and attending parties. Check out my tips for keeping it simple during this busy holiday season and check out the compilation of appetizer recipes below. These easy holiday appetizers come together quickly, will be a crowd-please, and they are affordable for any budget.

Tips for Easy Appetizer Prep

It’s important to set yourself up for success when you know you’re entering a busy time of year. When planning what to bring to a family gathering or holiday party, think of items that can be made days in advance. You can get the prep out of the way so that it comes together very easily the night of your event.

If you’re headed to a brunch, try my Everything Bagel and Lox Spread. It can be made up to two days in advance. I serve it with “bread sliced” bagels when I’m really trying to impress. 😉

Don’t be afraid to take some help from the store. Prepared pie crust or puff pastry is the perfect shortcut for easy appetizers that will still look amazing. Canned beans will blend up easily for a delicious, homemade dip or hummus.

The slow cooker is your best friend. I don’t know how many times I’ve thrown a package of Lil’ Smokies in the slow cooker with a bottle of barbecue sauce and a little grape jelly. It is the easiest appetizer and it is always a hit. Meatballs, chicken wings, spinach dip… These all would work wonderfully in the slow cooker.

For even more tips, check out this article from Taste of Home.

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Classic Corn Casserole

October 18, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Corn casserole, corn pudding and spoon bread are all possible names for the same dish – Whole Corn, Creamed Corn, Sour Cream, Butter, Eggs and Jiffy Corn Muffin mix. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

The variations, though, come in your extra additions or subtle differences in the combination of ingredients. If you ask anyone on my mom’s side of the family, Corn Casserole consists of whole corn, creamed corn, butter, eggs and crushed up saltine crackers. It’s a perfectly acceptable interpretation of corn casserole, but I very much prefer corn muffin mix to the saltine crackers.

Ask someone else and they’ll tell you that corn casserole should have chopped jalapenos and shredded cheese mixed in. Again, a perfectly delicious option.

That is the beauty of this dish. You have a basic, fool-proof recipe in which you can customize to your heart’s desire.

Corn Casserole Variations

Add 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice to the batter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top. Bake as usual.
Mix in one drained can of diced green chilies before baking.
Amp up the sweetness by added 1/4 cup sugar to the batter.
Add 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled bacon to the batter.
Do any combination of the above for an even more interesting interpretation.

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Instant Pot Apple Butter (with free printable canning label!)

October 10, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

cutting board with burlap napkin with jar of apple butter and spoon

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When I think of fall flavors, I immediately think of the rich apple and cinnamon flavor of apple butter! Oddly enough, apple butter does not contain any actual butter. It is really just spiced applesauce that is cooked down to the point that all of flavors basically caramelize into a sweet, apple-y, cinnamon-y love in a jar.

The process to make apple butter is usually pretty time consuming if you make it on the stove or in the slow cooker. I’ve cut it down to a total time of 45 minutes by using the Instant Pot!

How to Make Apple Butter

By cooking in the Instant Pot, we cut down the time it takes to cook down the apples. To start, all you have to do is core and slice your apples. There is no need to peel them if you don’t want. I really like leaving on the peels because it is added nutrition and it helps deepen the color of the apple butter.

You can also use whatever apple variety you prefer or have on hand. I tend to go for the crunchy and super juicy varieties like Gala and Fuji. Go with apples that you enjoy to eat raw and you can’t go wrong.

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Ham and Cheese Crescent Ring

September 9, 2019 by Sarah 1 Comment

Ham and cheese baked in crescent roll ring sprinkled with pretzel salt on a baking sheet

Ham and Cheese Crescent Ring is what’s for dinner tonight! On the table in 20 minutes and sure to please even my pickiest eater, it’s a go-to in our household. I’ll say it. Sometimes you just have to make a meal you know your kids will love. Nutritionally sound? Could be better. Organic? Definitely not. Quick, easy, and something they will actually eat? Ding, ding. We have a winner.

My daughter couldn’t help but be nosy as I was putting this Ham and Cheese Crescent Ring together. And isn’t that really the point of it all? I don’t know about you, but I hate wasting time on a meal she inevitably won’t eat. Of course, I still mandate a “thank you” bite, but I would much rather prefer she enjoy what I put in front of her without fuss.

daughter standing in kitchen holding a slice of ham helping assemble ham and cheese crescent ring

Aside from being kid-friendly, you can switch out the ingredients for a boatload of combinations. Switch out the ham and cheese for chicken, bacon and colby jack cheese. You can even spread on some ranch dressing before adding the filling. Ooh, what about taco meat with cheese and salsa. Ok, I’m totally doing that next time.

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Best Cookbooks for Eating on a Budget

March 18, 2019 by Sarah 2 Comments

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People often believe that cooking from a cookbook is going to be more expensive than a normal meal and in a lot of cases, this is true. It’s very easy to end up spending more money than you normally would when you’re making meals from cookbooks. Thankfully, there are a lot of budget-friendly cookbooks out there to pick from. These are great for students, small families, and big families alike. Here are a few of my favorites.

100 Days of Real Food: On a Budget by Lisa Leake

New York Times Bestselling author and food blogger Lisa Leake has come out with a budget-friendly version of her book and blog 100 Days of Real Food. It has a cost breakdown for every recipe which can be used as a rough estimate for how much your meal will cost. It also has an entire chapter dedicated to slow cookers!

Budget Bytes by Beth Moncel

This is a book that I use frequently for my own family. It’s written by Beth Moncel, a former broke college student turned food blogger and author with a degree in nutritional science and dietetics. She includes the price breakdown for each total recipe and serving, and includes some great instructions on how to stock your panty on a budget.

Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn

A mother of ten shares how she manages to feed her family on $800 to $900 a month. It has 200 delicious recipes along with expert tips on how to save money while grocery shopping. Even if you aren’t feeding a family of 12 this book is sure to save you money and keep you eating great food.

Frugal Vegan by Katie Koteen and Kate Kasbee

Eating vegan on a budget is possible! Katie Koteen and Kate Kasbee are here to show you how in Frugal Vegan. The book teaches you how to avoid expensive perishable foods and special ingredients while still enjoying nutritious, filling food.

Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown

This is my absolute favorite cookbook to use on a budget! I find myself reaching for it any time I’m looking for a quick cheap and easy to cook meals. This cookbook was written with those on Food Stamps/SNAP in mind who only have budgets of $4 a day, all without relying on heavily processed foods. It is a New York Times Bestseller and IACP Award winner. It’s full of healthy cheap recipes with a ton of great options for variety. For every copy of this book sold, the publisher also donates a copy to a family in need.

Good Cheap Eats by Jessica Fisher

If you’re looking for a book filled with cheap meals that can be made in a short amount of time Good Cheap Eats is the book for you. It has more than 200 recipes in it that don’t have any artificial ingredients or processed foods. Jessica has also written a number of cookbooks and also maintains two blogs!

The Savvy Shopper’s Cookbook by Amy Sheppard

This book will take you through the process of shopping for groceries, giving you tips and tricks along the way to help you get great tasting food without breaking the bank. In it, you’ll find recipes like Moroccan Chickpea Curry, Steak and Potato Salad, and 15 minute Apple Crumbles.

Try my Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili for another budget-friendly meal.

Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice

March 8, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Cooking brown rice doesn’t have to be a daunting, time-consuming task. Instant Pot Brown Rice takes one-third of the time and it is completely hands off. You simply add all the ingredients and let the pressure cooker do the work.

I like to cook a large batch of brown rice at a time. Each batch gets split up for several meals and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to three months. To freeze rice, let it cool completely after cooking. Then spread it in a thin layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a baking liner and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the rice to a freezer bag. Freezing in a thin layer prevents it from freezing in a solid block.

Cooking your rice in advance can save you major time when you’re ready to cook dinner. You can reheat refrigerated or frozen rice in a non-stick skillet or use the rice to bulk up your meals.

My favorite thing to do with cooked rice is make skillet meals by adding a protein, some vegetables and some seasonings to kick it up. Take two cups of cooked rice, add one cup of salsa and one drained and rinsed can of black beans. Sauté it so the flavors can come together and top with cooked taco meat for a delicious Taco Bowl.

Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe

Yield: 2 cups

Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice

Have perfect brown rice on the table in a fraction of the time by cooking it in the Instant Pot.

Prep Time 1 minute

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Brown Rice
1 1/4 cup Water
1 tsp Salt

Instructions

Place Rice, Water and Salt in the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
Cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then release pressure.
Lightly stir with a rubber spatula to allow remaining moisture to evaporate

Notes

This recipe is a ratio. It can be doubled, tripled or even halved based on how much rice you need with the same cook time.

Recommended Products

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Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 55 Total Fat: 0g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 585mg Carbohydrates: 11g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 0g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 1g

How To: Slow Cooker Black Beans

February 22, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

bowl of cooked black beans with ingredients

Slow Cooker Black Beans are the way to you when you are on a tight budget. Dried beans are one of the best choices for a healthy, filling meal whether your food budget it tight or not. A batch of cooked black beans costs pennies and have great flavor when you make them yourself. Of course, canned black beans are also affordable and great in a pinch.

Why Use a Slow Cooker?

Cooking beans in your slow cooker eliminates the need to soak them overnight. It is also nice that you do not have to babysit a pot on the stove. You literally combine all of the ingredients and let it cook for 6-8 hours on low.

When making black beans, I use a lot of aromatics to add a lot of flavor. I use my black beans for soups, chili and Mexican dishes so the aromatics lend themselves to the dishes. If you are looking to use your black beans for desserts (yes, this is totally a thing), you may want to omit everything but the salt.

This same process can be used for almost any dried bean or lentil. How will you use your Slow Cooker beans?

Yield: 6 cups

Slow Cooker Black Beans

Slow Cooker Black Beans are incredibly easy, affordable and delicious. The bay leaves, onion and garlic impart amazing flavor.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb Dried Black Beans, rinsed
Water, enough to cover by 2-3 inches
3 Bay leaves
2 tsp. Salt
4 Garlic cloves, chopped
1 Red, Yellow or White onion, roughly chopped

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on low 6-8 hrs. The black beans should be soft when done. Remove the bay leaves after cooking.
At this point, you can drain the black beans, but I like to reserve some of the liquid for Black Bean Soup or to serve over rice.
Black beans will keep in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Notes

You can crush the garlic and cut the onion into quarters if you would like to remove them after cooking. You will still get the flavor.