The video below demonstrates how to thaw a turkey quickly.

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Make sure you also read our article on How to Cook a Turkey in case this is your first Thanksgiving being in charge of the bird.  We won’t leave you on your own to figure it out!  You can cook a prize-winning turkey dinner with no experience at all.

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It doesn’t take a master chef at a fine restaurant to produce a delicious side of asparagus. Don’t be fooled by the fancy appearance of this luxury vegetable, it can be prepared with minimal effort in the comfort of your own kitchen. Even if you don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you can learn how to cook asparagus in no time.

Asparagus is considered a super-food, high in antioxidants and loaded with folate, vitamin C and vitamin B6. In addition to the well known green variety, asparagus is available in shades of white and purple, with either thick or thin spears. All offer the same nutritional benefits and share the same taste.

How to Choose Asparagus

Fresh asparagus is at the height of it’s flavor during the months of April and May, but will begin to pop up in produce aisles by late February.

When choosing asparagus, keep in mind that the different size and color varieties are not indicative of quality. If you want to decrease preparation time, opt for the thin spears to avoid having to trim down off the tough ends on the thicker spears.

Regardless of the size you choose, be sure to select spears that are firm and straight with unopened tips.

How to Store Asparagus Prior to Cooking

Asparagus deteriorates quickly, so to preserve freshness and maintain high antioxidant levels it is important to keep spears refrigerated and use within 2 days. By placing the spears in a bowl filled with cold water in an upright position, you will help to keep the stems hydrated and prevent drying.

How to Cook Asparagus

Always begin by washing the spears in cool water. Asparagus is versatile and can be cooked in a variety of ways.

Steaming Asparagus.  Steaming is a popular choice for traditionalists that enjoy their spears with a simple drizzle of olive oil. Start with a piece of kitchen string to tie the asparagus spears together at both the bottom and just below the tip. Add the bunch to 2 inches of boiling water in a large pot. Cover the pot and steam for 4-8 minutes. The bottoms of the asparagus will boil while the tips are steamed, resulting in crispy green spears.

Boiling Asparagus.  For more tender spears, asparagus can be placed lengthwise in a large skillet and boiled for 5 minutes in an inch of water.

Blanching Asparagus.  For dishes that call for cold asparagus, you can blanch the spears by placing them in iced water immediately after removing from hot water to halt the cooking process.

Cooking Asparagus in a Microwave.  If you are wondering how to cook asparagus in a microwave, you should know that it will take the same amount of time as steaming or boiling.

• Place asparagus lengthwise in a microwave-safe baking dish.
• Angle the spears so that the tips face the center of the dish and cover with ¼ cup of water.
• Cover the dish and microwave on medium for 4-5 minutes.

Baking Asparagus.  For crispy, baked asparagus, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place asparagus lengthwise on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil across the spears. Roast in center of oven for 8-10 minutes.

Sautéeing Asparagus.  Asparagus works well in sautéed and stir-fried dishes.  Cut spears into 2 inch diagonal pieces and add to skillet or wok with one teaspoon of olive oil. Sautee for 3 minutes.

Barbecuing Asparagus.  Asparagus can be an addition to any backyard barbeque. Preheat your grill and spray with olive oil spray. Add spears to center rack and grill for 5-8 minutes or until tender. For best results, turn spears every 2 minutes.

Luckily, I stumbled upon one of the best foods to cook with a toddler: Jello jigglers!  Not only is Jello easy and fast to make, but cutting the shapes out with cookie cutters is fun enough to keep your little one interested until you’re all finished.

Here is Truett in his apron and chef hat.  He was excited to make Jello jigglers, but he didn’t really understand what they were or what he would be doing.  We used sugar free Jello, because that’s how we like it!

After letting the Jello cool in the refrigerator to set, I showed Truett how to press a cookie cutter into the Jello. 

The important thing in making Jello jigglers turn out is to follow the recipe for jigglers, not the recipe for regular Jello.  Jigglers have a thicker, chewier consistency that make it possible to cut out shapes with cookie cutters. 

When I handed him the first shape, he finally realized that making jigglers was super fun!  He was eager to try his own next.

When making Jello jigglers with a toddler, remember these tips:

1. Start with a simple shape without a lot of turns and lines to make the jiggler easier to remove from the pan.  Our first shapes were a triangle and a square.
2. While it’s okay to let your toddler press the shapes into the Jello, it’s probably a better idea for mom or dad to take the jiggler out of the pan.  Sometimes they don’t come out in one piece.
3. Save the difficult cookie cutters for the end.  Below, you can see our gingerbread man jiggler.  He was very difficult to get out of the pan with all his limbs intact, but was the most in-demand jiggler when it came time to eat them!

   

4. Remember to soak the bottom of the pan long enough to make the Jello soft, but not long enough to make the Jello start melting.

Have fun making Jello jigglers with your little aspiring chef!  the most fun part of the whole project, of course, is eating them together!   Cooking with Toddlers: Making Jello Jigglers is linked to Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday, Kitchen Tip Tuesday, and 11th Heaven.

I’m actually going to the Kraft Kitchens again, in Chicago this time, next week to celebrate the opening of Delicious Byte. Remember when I went to Kraft Kitchens in Wisconsin last year to be videotaped cooking a zesty sandwich recipe?  I get to cook again while I’m at Kraft this time– how cool is that?! 

Kraft is always generous with the food goodies (as you can expect from a food company that makes just about every kind of food there is), and they sent me a huge box of Kraft products as a thank you present for being a founding member of Delicious Byte.  Being a problogger really is the best job! 

The box included an Oreo shopping bag, Ritz crackers, Kraft macaroni & cheese, Velveeta rotini & cheese, Kraft bbq sauce, Planters Daybreak mix, Swedish Fish, Cadbury dairy milk chocolate bar, Planters big nut bar, Ritz Crackerfuls, Crystal Light pure fitness drink mixes, Tuscan House Italian dressing, Jell-O pudding, 2 Jell-O gelatins, Halloween Oreos, Trident white gum, Toblerone candy, Maxwell House coffee, Starbucks Espresso Roast coffee, Bakers dipping chocolate, Kool-Aid drink mix, Kraft Sandwich Shop mayo, mayo with olive oil, Planters sunflower kernels, Philadelphia cream cheese cookbook, and flavor grove almonds. 

I bet you had no idea Kraft made so many of those foods- neither did I (although I’m still not sure about the Starbucks…)!  My favorite item is the giant Oreo reusable shopping bag, which you can see my son, Truett, holding in my office.  Please excuse the packing materials and boxes in the photos; we’re packing to move in just a few weeks.

The kids had a great time playing in the “groceries” and we all had a great time eating them!  Truett’s favorite was definitely the Halloween Oreos with orange icing, especially since we don’t normally have sugary foods in the house.  I’m sure you’re wondering if the orange icing tasted like oranges, just like my daughter asked me.  No, they tasted just like regular Oreos!

I loved the candies and chocolates that were in the box.  We cooked the whole grain Velveeta pasta right away and that was a huge hit with the whole family.  And my husband was especially appreciative for the Starbucks Coffee!  The Crystal Light Pure Fitness is another one of my treats- it helps me to drink more water without adding extra calories.

The care package they sent also effectively got my family hooked on sugar free Jell-O now.  We even made Jell-O jigglers last week, and will have some pictures of the process coming up soon.   

Be on the lookout for all the coupon savings and other items on the way from Home Ever After, Kraft and Delicious Byte!

Disclaimer:  In compliance with the FTC Guides, updated 10/5/09, this article has material connections.  IS World Media (ISWM) received no fees for the writing or publication.  This article is an informative public relations post written by Danelle Ice about Kraft Foods’ Delicious Byte community.  A box of Kraft Foods items was provided to ISWM by Kraft Foods as a free gift for joining the community.  ISWM does not endorse the company mentioned above.

Last week, I was lying awake in bed and decided to flip through the channels to check out some infomercials.  I watched an infomercial for the FlavorWave Turbo oven, and was so impressed I found the video on YouTube and had my husband watch it with me the next day.  The infomercial has Mr. T in it as a co-host (which is how I got my husband to watch it), so how can you go wrong?! 

The FlavorWave Turbo is a convection oven that cooks with convection, infrared, and halogen heat to cook your food faster and with less fat.  It even quickly cooks frozen meat which wasn’t defrosted.

I’ll be ordering the FlavorWave oven soon to test out for a review on our new review site, We Try Everything.  It looks like a fantastic way for busy moms to cook healthy food in limited time with almost no kitchen cleanup.  That sounds like a perfect kitchen appliance to me! 

I had to share the video of the full infomercial with you below so you can see what you think.  I’ve read tons of customer reviews online from FlavorWave users who have been using it for years.  I have to find out for myself what all the hype is about.  Is this just another useless kitchen gadget that we’ll get excited about but then never use?  Watch the video below for yourself and see what you think.

Where to Buy the FlavorWave for the Cheapest Price

If you’re going to buy the FlavorWave Turbo, buy it through this Amazon link because you’ll get it cheaper than by calling the 800 number.  When you buy the Flavorwave Oven from Amazon, you pay only $119.00 with free super saver shipping. 

You can also buy the FlavorWave accessory set from Amazon for $29.99 with free shipping (much cheaper than buying the pieces directly from the company).  The accessory set has a breakfast rack, grilling plate (for bbq), pizza tray, and steaming basket.

Don’t call in to order or order from their website.  When you call to order, they make you pay shipping and handling.  The company’s website is also more expensive than Amazon (they make you pay S&H too, so your total comes out to $137.82).  The shipping charge can be more than that, depending on where you live. 

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Some ingredients are incredibly versatile and can be worked into several different meals in your menu plan.  When trying to cut your grocery bill, looking for the staples that will give you the best value is key.

Certain grains, vegetables, legumes and other ingredients can be used in multiple recipes, cutting down the number of foods you have to stockpile in your pantry!

Below is a list of the top frugal staples which cost pennies compared to the expensive processed foods and prepared meals you will find at the grocery store.

Top 8 Frugal Cooking Ingredients

1. Rice.  Large quantities require adequate storage, so make sure you have the room to store it and air-tight, food quality storage containers.

Even if you are buying smaller bags at the grocery store, rice is a very inexpensive and versatile ingredient that can be incorporated into your menu. Plus, you’re adding healthy whole grains to your diet!

2. Dried Beans.  Dried beans are inexpensive and versatile. Chili is easy to make and delicious! It also freezes well for leftovers. Use pintos to make Bean Soup, cook lentils in with your soups and roasts. Use red and black beans in Mexican dishes.

3. Pasta. Cheap, versatile… do I keep saying the same thing over and over again?! All different shapes and sizes of pasta (spaghetti, macaroni, lasagna) combined with different frugal homemade pasta sauces (alfredo, marinara, cheese) ensure that your family will not get tired of this frugal favorite!

4. Oatmeal.  Oatmeal is perfect for breakfast, the price can’t be lower and the health benefits can’t be greater! Slip this ingredient into homemade breads and cookies as well. Stretch your ground beef or turkey by mixing in oatmeal for meatballs or hamburger patties.

5. Potatoes.  Potatoes are the only veggie that made my list, simply because potatoes store well for extended periods and you don’t have to wait for them to go on sale. Potatoes go with almost any meal: mashed potatoes, cut up in soups, baked potatoes, sliced for French fries, shredded for hash browns.

6. Baking mix aka Bisquick.  Buying generic in large quantity will usually be the best idea for this quick kitchen staple. Possibilities: pancakes, waffles, biscuits, dumplings, shortcake, cornbread, coffee cake. Don’t want to pay the extra?  Learn how to make your own Bisquick.

7. Roasts.  When I started cooking pot roasts I felt like my mother! Seriously, roasts can come attached to an attractive price tag and provide a lot of meat all cooked at once in your crockpot. Use the leftover meat in the meals you serve over the next few days. For example, if Monday night is pork roast with veggies, Tuesday I’ll make pork stir fry and Wednesday I’ll cook pineapple pork. Look for sales on roasts for even lower than normal prices. Home Ever After Rated: Best Meat Value

8. Barley.  This grain is so versatile that it goes into breakfasts and dinners. I add barley into my homemade porridge. You can also cook it in the same pan with oatmeal for a little variety. I add barley into the broth in my crockpot when I cook a roast for a tasty and filling side. Also try adding barley to your rice side-dishes for extra filling.

Danelle Says: Use inexpensive staples in your cooking for frugal family favorites that won’t break the bank!

Get more Works for me Wednesday here.  Top 8 Frugal Cooking Ingredients was originally published on HomeEverAfter.com on April 1, 2008.   Photo courtesy stock.xchng.

Nessa is a full time wife and mother of two, living the small town life in rural Texas. She loves cooking everything from tried and true recipes to her own wonderful creations. Catch her blogging at Ramblings of a Texas Housewife and on Twitter @Nessa_TX.

One of the challenges that comes with back to school season is packing school lunches. Bologna and cheese sandwiches getting boring pretty fast. Here are four ideas to liven up the kids’ lunch boxes a bit.

4 Unique Back to School Lunch Ideas

1.  Pancake Wraps: All you need is a pancake, either store bought or homemade, then the fillings of your choice. A favorite around here is peanut butter on the pancake, with a banana rolled up in it. Peanut butter and nutella with banana is great as well. Strawberries and cream cheese is great. Use your imagination and the possibilities are endless.

2.  Geometric Lunch:  The idea here is all about shapes. Try to come up with as many combination as you can for a varied menu. Ideas Include:

• cheese cubes
• carrot sticks and carrot coins
• grapes
• blueberries
• cherries
• ham cubes
• circular slices of cucumber
• crackers- square, round, rectangles
• meat and/or cheese cut into triangles, circles, etc.

Just think of all the different shapes and foods you can come up with. Little kids love this one!

3.  Jack be Nimble Salad (pictured at right) 

4.  Wraps: This is another one where you can dream up all sorts of possibilities. You can wrap with tortillas or the flat bread type sandwich wraps. A favorite around here is a spinach flat bread spread with onion and chive or garden vegetable cream cheese, cheese, meat, lettuce, and tomatoes. Any type of wrap is a nice change from the ordinary sandwich.

These are some of the things my kids really like to see in their lunch boxes. I hope your kids enjoy them as well!

Find more cooking articles at Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, and Homemaker Mondays.

Unexpected Guests for Dinner? 

From time to time situations arise in which you have unexpected guests for a meal at the last minute.  Perhaps extra kids were invited over for dinner after school or a visiting family accompanies you home for brunch after church. 

Whatever the circumstances, it can be tricky to increase the size of a meal to serve more people without advance planning. 

Don’t panic – from breakfast to dinner, it is possible to make a meal accommodate extra people on short notice.  Home Ever After will help you be the perfect host or hostess with minimal last minute stress!  Print this list out and stash it in the back of your cookbook in case of mealtime guest emergencies.

12 Ways to Stretch a Meal at the Last Minute

1.  Canned veggies.  For casseroles and soups, canned vegetables are your best friend when stretching a meal unexpectedly.  Depending on the meal you’ve made, pick a canned vegetable that is already an ingredient or could be a complementary ingredient.  Add 1-2 cans of extra vegetables, including the liquid (do not drain) and 1-2 cans of extra water.  Stir well, and continue cooking for added meal volume.  Frozen vegetables are not recommended since they take longer time to cook.

2.  Add rice.  If you’ve got about half an hour, adding rice to a meal can be a great filler.  Rice takes a little while to cook (about 20 minutes per dry cup), but will double its volume and fill up meal space.  Mix rice into a main dish or present on its own as a side dish.

3.  Mini portions for mini people.  Have extra kids shown up while you’re barbecuing hamburgers?  Before grilling, split the kids’ hamburger patties in half and make mini burgers that are half the size of normal.  Same goes for barbecued hotdogs.  Without time to grill more hotdogs, make hotdog-kabobs (kids LOVE them!):

• Slice hotdogs into pieces approximately 1-2" long.
• Use kabob skewers or even popsicle sticks to spear pieces of hot dog, using 3-4 pieces on each.
• Include olives or other finger foods between hotdog pieces if desired.
• Serve with ketchup and mustard for dipping.

4.  Stretch ground meat with frugal fillers.  Making anything which contains ground beef, turkey, chicken or pork?  Read how to stretch ground meat by cutting it with frugal ingredients to extend the meat portion of your meal.

5.  Set out a few extra sides of cooked vegetables.  Canned veggies can be heated quickly in the microwave.  Choose 2-3 different veggies, heat each one up in a separate microwave-safe bowl, and you’ve just added 2-3 new dishes to your dinner table without making a bigger main dish.

6.  Make biscuits.  Combining baking mix (Bisquick) and 20 minutes will go a long way towards plumping up a meal for extra guests.  Depending on how many extra people are coming, make 2-3 batches of biscuits all at once.  Learn how to make baking mix in case you run out.  Adding biscuits is an effective way to extend either a breakfast or dinner meal.

7.  Cut meat portions so they can be redistributed.  Instead of serving chicken breasts whole, cut each breast in quarters so the plates can be reallocated according to the new number of guests.  Similarly, other meats can be halved, quartered, or cubed.  With a topping of sauce, addition of side dishes, and attention towards the presentation, no one will ever know that the meat was divided.

8.  Create a quick pasta side dish.  Pantry Pasta is quick to prepare and can add a lot of bulk to a meal on short notice for extra guests.  Here is a quick recipe for Pantry Pasta:

• Using dried pasta from your pantry (macaroni noodles, egg noodles, even spaghetti will do), boil until tender.  Dried rice will work also.
• Drain water, then return to stove.
• Choose a cream-based soup, such as cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, and add to the pan.
• Depending on how much pasta is used, water can be added to the sauce to achieve the desired consistency.
• Stir well, adding garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

9.  Scrambled eggs.  A great method for extending a breakfast meal for extra guests is to scramble eggs instead of frying or poaching.  Adding milk to the scrambled egg mixture can stretch it substantially.  When adding a lot of milk, be sure to add melted butter and salt to the mixture to prevent losing the egg flavor.  Adding a little shredded cheese or chopped vegetables to scrambled eggs will contribute flavor as well.

10.  Quick cooking oats.  No matter what is being served for breakfast, any meal can be quickly stretched to accomodate extra guests by offering oatmeal as a side dish or main dish.  Quick cooking oats can be prepared in one minute, and are delicious and healthy as well!

11.  Slice French toast into French toast sticks.  Make the most of limited bread or eggs by simply slicing French toast pieces into thin strips, or dippers.  French toast dippers can be served with flair, including a little bowl of maple syrup or fruit sauce, while using sides such as scrambled eggs or bacon to make up the bulk of the plate.

12.  Add chips.  Chips are a miracle in a pinch because they go a long way toward filling up a lunch or dinner plate.  For soup or sandwich lunches, add a side of potato chips.  With Mexican meals, tortilla chips can be added as a side or for dipping.  Mexican casseroles or soups can even have tortilla chips broken into pieces and mixed into the meal.

When stretching meals for unexpected guests, keep in mind the above ideas and customize ingredients to your own situation.  Use what you have on hand in your pantry to make adjustments that will work for the dishes you need to stretch.  Let your creativity work for you as you adjust meals to feed more people, remembering the old saying, "The more, the merrier!"

Originally published September 29, 2008.  Photo courtesy of stock.xchng.

Nessa is a full time wife and mother of two, living the small town life in rural Texas. She loves cooking everything from tried and true recipes to her own wonderful creations. Catch her blogging at Ramblings of a Texas Housewife and on Twitter @Nessa_TX.

Snacks for a Couples’ Game Night

My husband and I decided rather last minute to have our neighbors over for dinner and games the other night. We had about an hour to prepare and I really did not feel up to cooking. We threw together this quick, fuss free menu of wonderful snack foods.

There was very little prep work involved, but everyone raved about the food. 

We Served:

• Fritos
• Store bought bean dip
• Apples
• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Cherries
• Bananas
• Tuna dip
• Ritz crackers
• Cheese salsa dip

We simply washed and sliced the fruit, then arranged in serving trays. The fresh fruit was a lovely treat on a hot summer night. Fresh vegetables would make a nice addition as well. Fruits and vegetables are very easy to serve and a welcome addition to any menu.

Bean Dip: If you do not want to buy premade bean dip, you can quickly whip up some on your own. Take a can of refried beans and simply add a jar of salsa. Mix well with an electric mixer. That is all there is to it and it makes a delicious dip.

Tuna Dip: This is a family favorite. Mix one package of softened cream cheese with a can of well drained tuna. Add a teaspoon of liquid smoke and beat well with an electric mixer. It is not the prettiest dip, but everyone loves it!

Cheese Salsa Dip: For a different twist on queso dip, mix a jar of your favorite salsa or picante sauce with two cups shredded cheese. This is excellent with tortilla of Frito type chips.

To decorate the table, we scattered pieces of various board games, dominoes, and other game related items around the serving trays. It made for a cute and fun presentation. It looked great, took all of five minutes, and was super easy.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen to make a meal folks will enjoy. Just make simple things that your family enjoys, present it in a fun way, and enjoy. Sometimes the simplest things are the most enjoyable. This game night snack menu was definitely a hit with our friends. Give it a try with yours!

Did you like this In the Kitchen with Nessa article?  Stay tuned next Monday for Nessa’s new column, Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes. 

Find more cooking articles at Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, and Homemaker Mondays.

Nessa is a full time wife and mother of two, living the small town life in rural Texas. She loves cooking everything from tried and true recipes to her own wonderful creations. Catch her blogging at Ramblings of a Texas Housewife  and on Twitter @Nessa_TX .

Getting your kids involved in the kitchen is a great way to spend quality time with them while teaching them valuable life lessons. Ashley was bored and wanting a snack, so we popped into the kitchen and made a batch of REESE’S Chewy Chocolate Cookies.

We had a great time together plus she learned about cooking. When you are in the kitchen you use math, science, and more. It’s a great classroom! There is so much you can teach while simply baking cookies together.

Cooking Basics with Kids

	We read our recipe, gathered all our ingredients into one place, and found all the equipment we needed. I preheated the oven and we talked about why we do this.
	We talked about why it is important to follow the directions in the recipe rather than just dump everything together. I showed her the difference between a level cup of flour, leveled with the back of a butter knife, and a heaping cup.

• We also discussed oven safety, like never to use the oven by herself, using pot holders, just basic kitchen safety points. What you share with your kids on this will depend on their age. Ashley is nine, so cooking on her own is not allowed.
• She learned to crack eggs into a small bowl, before dumping into your main ingredients, just in case shell ends up in your eggs. This is exactly what happened, so she actually saw what Mom was trying to explain to her.

• We discussed the difference between stirring, using an electric mixer, whisking, and other commonly used methods of mixing ingredients.

• Once the cookies were in the oven, she helped me clean up the mess and do dishes. I think it is important to teach clean up, since it is part of the cooking process.

Beyond The Kitchen

• While adding ingredients, we talked about where they come from. How do we get flour, sugar, salt, etc?  She knew about eggs because we were using some straight from the farm. The other ingredients however led to some great conversation and learning.
• She had fun learning about measurements and fractions. We played around in the water making full cup measures with 1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, etc. Being hands on with fractions seemed to help her understand more fully.
• We talked about the science of cooking a bit. What does each ingredient do in the recipe? She had no idea that baking soda helps cookies rise into nice, fluffy cookies. You could really get detailed into the chemistry of cooking here, if your child is interested.

Of course, I gained the most pleasure from spending quality time with my aspiring chef. We enjoyed great conversation, she learned quite a bit, and we made some precious memories. The cookies were pretty good too! So, why not hit the kitchen with your kids? Cooking is such an important thing to learn and doing it together makes for a special day!

Did you like this In the Kitchen with Nessa article?  Let us know in the comments!  Make sure you subscribe
to our free updates so you don’t miss any of her great kitchen how to articles!

Find more cooking articles at Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, and Homemaker Mondays.

Top 5 Cheap Snacks for Kids over Summer Vacation

The kids may be home for summer vacation and hungry all the time, but that doesn’t mean you should wreck your grocery budget by buying expensive snacks and drinks!  Frugal moms want to find the best cheap kids’ snacks that are still healthy.

Brand name cookies, crackers, chips, sodas and juice boxes might be what your children would like to munch on during summer vacation.   If they spend one hour watching Saturday morning cartoons they’ll come running to you asking for junk foods you haven’t even heard of yet! Let’s face it – those goodies are not all that healthy and are horribly overpriced.  The factor of convenience is one you have to weigh hard… is the low nutritional value and high price worth the five minutes of snack preparation you will save?

We all splurge on snack foods from time to time, and it’s hard to resist if you happen upon a really good sale or coupon opportunity.  In the meantime, we can come up with healthier, less expensive snacks to satisfy their munchies while keeping your grocery spending under control during summer vacation.

Top 5 Cheap Healthy Snacks for Kids

1.  Popcorn.  Popcorn is a cheap healthy food that’s fun to eat – what more can you ask for?  Buy REAL popcorn (not the microwavable kind) in large bags.  You’ll pay next to nothing for this great snack if you go for a generic brand in a large size and pop your own in an air popper.

2.  Homemade Popsicles (made from real juice).  There are so many different ways, shapes and sizes to make them.  Just have fun and make sure to use 100% juice that you buy on sale!

3.  Frozen Grapes.  Watch for the abundant grape sales this summer at a supermarket near you.  Your kids will have fun with this cross between fruit snacks and popsicles.  Frozen grapes are a fun treat that you won’t mind saying yes to!  Here’s how to make frozen grapes.

4.  Homemade Oatmeal Cookies.  Get the kids involved – have them help you bake this snack as a fun summer vacation time-passing project! I don’t need to remind you of the natural goodness of oatmeal and its  heart-health properties.  For added health boost, try cutting the sugar in the recipe down by substituting applesauce.

5.  Fruit kabobs.  Eating healthy food has never been more fun.  Catch your grocer’s sales on in-season summer fruits.  Cut the fruit pieces up into bite-sized chunks, then spear them into fruit kabobs.  Quick, portable, healthy and cheap!

Originally published July 2, 2008.  For more Works for Me Wednesday, visit We are That Family.

Nessa is a full time wife and mother of two. She loves down home cooking and strives to fill her kitchen with tasty, yet frugal dishes. Read more from Nessa by subscribing to her RSS feed  or catch up with her on Twitter @Nessa_TX.

Frugal Cooking with Fresh Produce

Sometimes it is hard to eat as many fruit and vegetables as we should when shopping on a budget. With coupons you can often find great deals on frozen and canned items, but fresh produce often comes with a higher price tag. As a result, many folks just do without unless they find a fantastic sale.

I always watch sales ads to see what the best produce bargain is weekly. If the price is really great, I buy. But, sometimes the sales are not really good deals. On these weeks, I wait to buy my produce. The local grocery store’s sales run from Wednesday to Tuesday. Monday and Tuesday evenings are when I shop for produce. By that time they are already getting rid of the older produce from the sales ad and you can find it for a bargain.

For example, recently zucchini and eggplant were both on sale, but the price was not that great. I stopped in the store on Monday night and bought whole bags of both, each bag weighing about 5 pounds each. I paid $1 a bag. You never know what you will find, but there is most always some of whatever has been on sale and bananas. The key to buying like this is figuring out when they discount produce at your local store. My produce manager gladly told me when the best time to shop is, so you might just ask your store.

I realize that this discounted produce is discounted because it isn’t wonderfully fresh, but it is still good. I bring it all home, cut it into the size chunks or slices I want, and freeze it. These frozen vegetable chunks are a great addition to sauces, soups, and casseroles. Even if you just add some of your frozen veggie stockpile to a jar of store bought spaghetti sauce you are adding nutrition as well as stretching your meal a bit. I often use more vegetables and less meat in pastas and casseroles, making them not only more healthy but more budget friendly as well.

One of our favorite meals is this yummy baked ziti with the addition of a clam shell package of baby spinach mixed in right after I drain the pasta. Yes, I even freeze spinach and it works great! I do advise against freezing cabbage and lettuce, as they do not freeze well. Everything else from tomatoes to celery has frozen beautifully.

As for fruits, many of them can be frozen and used in cooking as well. I  have used frozen bananas, berries, peaches, and even citrus fruits in everything from cakes to muffins.  I’ve also found that frozen grapes and bananas make wonderful after school treats for the children.

This is how I get the extra vitamins and nutrients from fresh produce into our weekly meal plans without breaking the bank. It is very simple and easy on the budget. You just need to find out when produce gets marked down at your local supermarket. I hope you are able to find some of these great deals. Once you have your produce, don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen! Coming up with different food combinations is lots of fun!

Read some of Nessa’s other cooking articles in her column In the Kitchen with Nessa.  Next, read Nessa’s new frugal recipe: Fruit or Veggie Muffins.  Make sure you subscribe to our free updates so you don’t miss any of her great kitchen how to articles!

Find more cooking articles at Kitchen Tip Tuesday and Homemaker Mondays.

The Definitive Guide to Ground Beef & Ground Meats

The weather is getting warmer (for most of us!) and that means it’s time to start getting those grills ready! Can you smell the hamburgers yet? Before we can grill them up and take that first juicy bite, we need to make sure we buy the right kind of ground beef.

Going to the meat counter can be confusing; there are so many different types of ground beef. What do the labels mean? And which one will give us the best burger? Let’s break them down one by one and see if we can solve this dilemma.

The 5 Types of Ground Beef:

1. The most basic package you’ll find will be marked “hamburger”. This is ground from less tender cuts of beef, and often contains trimmings from various cuts. It can have up to 30% fat, some of which might be added fat (allowed by the USDA).

2. Next you’ll find “ground beef”. Technically this is the same as “hamburger”, but with no added fillers or fat. Although it can have a fat content of up to 30%, it will generally be closer to 20-25%.

3. “Ground chuck” comes from the shoulder area of a cow. It has a fat content of 15-25%. 

4. “Ground round” comes from the rear/upper flank of a cow. Since this area gets more exercise, it is lower in fat; generally 10-15% fat.

5. Finally, you’ll see “ground sirloin”. This comes from the sirloin area, which is right in front of the Round. (Filet Mignon comes from this general area). This has a fat content of 8-10%.

Other Distinctions to Look For:

Besides looking at the type of ground meat, you’ll want to look for a designation of the beef’s leanness. To be designated lean, the beef can’t have more than 22% fat, regardless of the cut it came from. To be designated extra lean, it can have no more than 15% fat. You’ll want to check with your butcher or meat counter though, as each has their own standards for fat percentages in ground beef.

For juicy hamburgers you want a ground beef with higher fat content. Use “hamburger”, “ground beef”, or “ground chuck” for the most flavorful juicy burgers. But remember that with a higher fat content, your meat will shrink as it cooks.

Lower fat ground beef tends to cook up dryer, so it’s best suited for meals like chili or spaghetti. If your recipe calls for you to brown the beef and drain it, it really doesn’t matter which type you use. But if you’re incorporating the raw meat into the recipe with other ingredients (like meatloaf), it’s usually better to use leaner beef.

Many people are turning to alternatives to red meat for health concerns. These meat products can be just as confusing. Here are some of the more popular red meat alternatives.

Other Types of Ground Meat:

1. Ground turkey: Can include both white and dark meat, or just dark. May also contain skin. It is usually 7-17% fat, but this varies by processor.

2. Ground turkey breast: This includes only all white breast meat, with no skin. It is usually 1-3% fat.

3. Ground pork: Generally 16% fat.

4. Ground buffalo: Can be up to 97% lean.

Editor’s Notes:

Many frugal homemakers may already know that buying ground meat is an affordable way to cut your grocery bill without losing the protein in your family’s diet.  However, if you’d like to take your frugal cooking to a whole new level, check out our money saving tips for stretching ground meat with frugal fillers.

Before you leave, print out our Take and Make Menu Plan of frugal ground meat printable recipes to try as well.

Tiffany is a stay-at-home mom to a teen, a toddler, and is expecting number three in June. You can catch her blogging over a cup of coffee at Lattes And Life.  Subscribe to her free RSS feed to read more from Tiffany or get her Twitter feed @give_me_a_latte.

First of all, how do you select a good pizza stone? If you still haven’t purchased a pizza stone, these tips will help you choose the right one.

How to Buy a Pizza Stone

• Pizza stones are available in a round or square shape. If you will use the stone only for heating or preparing pizzas then you can select a round shaped pizza stone. If you wish to experiment with cookies and other items the square one will be better.
• Check the weight of the stone. If it is too heavy for you to carry, it may be a problem as you’ll have to lift the stone in and out of the oven many times. With this in mind, select the one which you are most comfortable lifting.

How to Use a Pizza Stone

Follow these step by step pizza stone instructions to get the best results:

1. First, ensure your oven is cold. If not, wait until it has completely cooled down.
2. Place the pizza stone in the oven and turn on the oven.
3. Heat the oven for a sufficient time until the stone is evenly heated.
4. Dust cornmeal on the surface of the pizza stone, in order to avoid the pizza sticking to the stone.
5. Then, place the food item on the stone. The pizza or any other food should not be too oily or have too much sauce on it. (The pizza will turn soggy.)
6. Once the pizza is done, remove it carefully. You can use gloves or a plastic spatula, but don’t use a knife or any sharp object which will scratch the surface of the pizza stone.
7. Let the pizza stone cool down before you take it out for cleaning.

Check out these books about cooking homemade pizza and breads with a baking stone:

How to Clean a Pizza Stone

Apart from following the above pizza stone instructions, maintaining it is also important for best results. The surface of the pizza stone is porous and tends to absorb any substance such as oil or soapy liquids. Never use soap or detergent to clean the pizza stone. These simple steps to clean the pizza stone are sufficient to maintain it well:

• You can clean the surface of the pizza stone with warm or cold water.
• If there are particles which do not get washed away, you can use a use a scraper with soft bristles to brush out the particles.

You are now all set to prepare one of world most beloved foods, the pizza, in your own home. We frugal homemakers are always happy to copy a restaurant dinner at home without paying restaurant prices!

Here are some homemade pizza cookbooks with pizza recipes:

Disclaimer:  HomeEverAfter.com contains affiliate links and readers may assume that HomeEverAfter.com receives compensation when affiliate links are used.

Many people are afraid to buy whole pineapples, even though they are often a much better value than canned pineapple.  The simple reason why they pass on fresh is that they’re not sure how to cut up a pineapple.  It’s true: with its leaves and prickly skin, it’s hard to know where to start.  You can count on Homemaker Barbi to teach you how to cut a pineapple with this easy step-by-step guide.  We’ve even included a video demonstration at the very end for visual learners (subscribers will have to click through to homeeverafter.com to view the video.)

How do you cut a pineapple?

Materials: Large serrated knife, small paring knife, cutting board, vegetable peeler.

1.  Take off the top (the crown). Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to cut off the top; you can actually remove the top by hand.  Grasp the pineapple with one hand and the leaves with the other hand.  Twist the leaves clockwise and the entire top will come off.

2.  Cut off the bottom (the base). Lay the pineapple on its side and slice off the bottom.

3.  Skin it. Stand the pineapple up on its end and remove the skin by cutting downward.  Make “shaving” cuts around edge of the pineapple until the entire fruit is skinless.

4.  Remove any remaining pits of skin with a vegetable peeler. Either use the tip to pull them out, like removing eyes from potatoes, or use the blade to peel the remaining skin off.

5.  To make pineapple rings:

• Lay the pineapple on its side.
• Slice into rings of the desired thickness.
• Lay each ring flat on the cutting board.  Using a small knife, remove the core by cutting a small circle out of the middle.  Discard the core, as it’s too tough to eat.

6.  To make pineapple chunks:

• With the pineapple standing up on its end, slice down the middle to cut the pineapple into fourths.
• Cut the core out of each quarter with your knife.  If you have an apple corer, use it to “punch out” the core.  You can tell the core from the flesh because it is a slightly different color and has a hard, tough feeling.  Discard the core; it’s too tough to eat.
• Slice the remaining pineapple into bite-sized chunks.

7.  Refrigerate remaining pineapple in a food storage container.

Check out Tammy’s Recipes for more Kitchen Tip Tuesday tips! Video included courtesy of Maui Gold Pineapples via YouTube. Photo courtesy of stock.xchng.

Meat is expensive and if yours is like most frugal families, it takes up a significant portion of your grocery budget. While ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork and ground turkey are many times cheaper than full cuts of meat, they are still one of your pricier ingredients.

A cooked pound of ground meat does not actually make very much meat once prepared; it usually only yields 1 to 1 1/2 cups depending on how lean the meat is. How can you stretch a pound of ground meat farther and stretch your hard earned dollars while not giving up healthy food for your family?

How to Cut Ground Meat With Inexpensive Ingredients

One of my favorite secrets for spending less on meat is to do more with the meat I cook. There are inexpensive and healthy ingredients you can mix into ground meat both before and during cooking. (Trust me, your family will NEVER know the difference!)

Before cooking, mix your raw ground meat in a bowl with any combination of fillers. Make sure that you mix them well until thoroughly blended and any large pieces (such as bran flakes) are broken into smaller pieces. If you cut the meat with a lot of dry ingredients, you may need to add some water or raw egg to make it a bit stickier, especially if you’re making meatballs.

Try these ingredients before cooking:

• Cooked rice
• Cooked barley
• Uncooked oats (any variety)
• Bran cereal
• Cracker crumbs
• Bread crumbs
• Crushed croutons

During cooking: Cook your meat as you normally would. Once browned, reduce heat to medium-low and mix in any combination of cooked fillers. Keep the temperature high enough to warm the new ingredients but low enough not to overcook (and dry out) the meat. Add whatever sauces or seasonings your recipe calls for and prepare your meal normally with your new ground meat mixture.

Try these fillers during cooking:

• Cooked beans (any variety). Stir to mix well or mash for creamier texture. Especially works well for tacos, quesadillas, and nachos.
• TVP/TSP. Textured soy or vegetable protein is my favorite cutting ingredient. You can buy it in the health food or bulk section at your grocery store. It comes in dry granules; to prepare just add warm water and let it absorb. Mix with your ground meat and heat. The texture and look blends into the meat so perfectly that you can’t tell it’s there, and like tofu, it will absorb whatever flavor it cooks with. It’s so cheap and high in protein that you can’t go wrong!

Homemaker Barbi Says: Experiment to discover which ingredients work the best for you. I normally stretch one pound of meat into the equivalent of 2 to 3 pounds using oats, rice and TSP. My family loves the meals and no one is the wiser!

Here, About.com Busy Cooks guide Linda Larsen tells us How to Measure (and How Not to Measure) Flour. Check out her step-by-step guide. We really do learn something new every day!