Recipes for the Frugal Household - Family Tested & Approved

Food

While Jia works full time outside the home she has made it a priority to have real home-cooked meals to be the rule as opposed to the exception. Its healthier, its more cost effective, and it pleases her to no end to have the girls (and their friends) sitting at the table making yummy sounds.

She loves to watch cooking shows, read cookbooks, and try new recipes. She rarely makes a dish exactly as written though and quickly adapts them to suit not only her cooking style, but her family’s tastes.

Nearly every weekend finds her in the kitchen preparing 3 dishes, each enough to serve her family twice. Then, the rest of the week all that needs to be done is to reheat and fix a few smaller items such as rice, pasta, potatoes, salad or vegetables. The 7th day generally winds up being “left-over day” in which everyone gets to eat what they liked best that week.

It takes planning. It takes commitment. But, in the end a ‘fridge full of food for the week to come is always worth it.

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Beverages

Lemonade – a summertime favorite, made from scratch
Honey Lemonade for a Crowd – makes almost 3 gallons
Mulled Cider – a party sized recipe, easy to fix in your crockpot
Blueberry Milkshakes – milk, ice cream, and frozen berries = YUM

Entrees

Kosheri – lentils, rice, and pasta topped with a spicy tomato sauce and caramelized onions
Spicy Lentil Sauce – a rich topping for either rice or pasta
Firey Corn & Beans – a hot & spicy topping for rice
Asian Grilled Portobellos – a nice alternative to grilled steak or burgers this summer
Crockpot Lentils – slow cooked all day, filling and so tasty
Crustless Mushroom Quiche – a lighter version of this classically high-fat dish
Vegetarian Sloppy Joes – uses beans instead of beef
Stewed Vegetables w/ Cheese – if only everything were this easy
Stewed Tomatoes & Beans – quick, easy, and so so good
Vegetarian Chili w/ TVP – an excellent way to try textured vegetable protein for the first time
Curried Lentil Dal – my own take on a classic Indian dish, and a family favorite
Vegetable Lo Mein – not particularly authentic, but an inexpensive alternative to take-out
Vegetarian Taco Filling – just as good as beef and so much healthier
Cream of Tomato Soup – a secret family recipe, unlike any other tomato soup you’ve had before
Bengan Bhartha – one of our favorite Indian dishes – also known as curried eggplant – easy to make and just delicious
Hunter Stew – a mix of four kinds of meat, a wealth of vegetables, and a rich gravy
Golden Chicken Soup – an African inspired mix of chicken, sweet potatoes, and carrots – enhanced with peanut butter and cayenne pepper
Red Beef Curry – a great Thai dish with coconut milk, red curry paste, and sweet potatoes
Green Chicken Curry – another delicious Thai dish with coconut milk, green curry paste and eggplant
Creamy Spinach Pasta – ricotta cheese, skim milk, fresh spinach and lemon zest come together to create a lovely creamy way to eat your favorite pasta

Side Dishes

Warm Honey Pears – a nice side dish for pork or chicken entrees (also suitable as dessert)
Cheesy Corn Pancakes – delicious as a base for chili or stew; wonderful with eggs, simple and yummy
Vegetable Pancakes – a twist on the traditional latke
Vegetarian Baked Beans – in the crockpot
Tomato Salad with Basil – wonderful over toasted whole wheat bread
Pasta Salad with Pepperoni & Cheese – a tasty treat for a party or BBQ
Pasta Salad with Sundried Tomatoes Cheese & Peas – light enough to eat even on the hottest summer day
Garbanzo Bean Side Salad – chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and some extras
Pasta Salad with Cheese & Peas – something I made up on the spot one day in desperation and created something yummy
Hobbit Mushrooms – A humble mix of bacon, mushrooms, and other basic ingredients create a dish fit for a king, a traveling wizard, or at the very least a band of hungry hobbits.

Snacks/Desserts

Pound Cake – an old-fashioned recipe, easy to customize
Hummus – Mediterranean chickpea puree
Honey Roasted Cashews – sweet & spice turn raw nuts into something really nice
Chocolate Syrup – made from scratch is so much tastier than anything store-bought

Other

GERD-friendly marinades – gentler on the system for those who suffer with acid reflux

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Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net