by
CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD 11/7/2009 10:00:00 PM
As much as I like to be in the kitchen cooking up a storm, there are a few culinary tasks that I dread. One of them is touching and cutting raw meat because sometimes it’s slimy and requires lots of hand washing. So thanks to supermarket convenience, I’ve always bought the pre-packaged and trimmed meat. In fact, the guys at meat counter were kind enough to cut the meat for my Slow-Cooked Hungarian Stew in ¾ inch pieces. But convenience costs a pretty penny. To get the biggest bang for my buck in this week’s challenge, I overcam...
[Keep Reading]
Tags:
bisquick, budget, chicken, "green giant"
by
CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD 10/31/2009 12:01:00 PM
Okay, I admit it. I am in love with those 10 for $10 deals at the supermarket. I’ve found myself saying on more than one occasion, “I’m sure I’ll need 10 cans of olives sometime or another.”I used to think my family was unnecessarily strategic for having such a well-stocked pantry (Who can think ahead like that?)…until I moved to college and realized the benefits. Since then, I’ve followed in my family’s footsteps and prided myself on having enough food for when I’m feeling creative in the kitchen. When ...
[Keep Reading]
Tags:
bisquick, budget, dinner, pantry, cupboard, recipes, Suddenly Salad
by
CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD 10/24/2009 12:00:00 AM
“I used to bake in high heels everyday.”- Grandma Joann
My grandmother, entertainer extraordinaire, loved to bring her family and friends together around the kitchen table throughout the years. As a mother of eight, she was always budget-conscious. So, when she passed away a few weeks ago, I wanted to pay tribute by throwing a family gathering on just a $25 budget. A mass email to my family confirmed that brunch was the best time, which also happened to be perfect for my budget! I...
[Keep Reading]
Tags:
budget, entertaining, "Eggplant Marcille", brunch, "Applesauce Raisin Cookies", "Potato Casserole Supreme", "Canadian Oatmeal Shortbread", "Hot Apple Cider", "Cherry Cheesecake", party
by
CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD 10/17/2009 11:00:00 PM
When I was younger, my mom tasked me with coupon maintenance. She would circle the coupons in the Sunday paper. I would cut them out, file them away in her coupon organizer and keep it updated. Though this was one of my favorite weekly chores, I didn’t really embrace it again until I was married. Yet, I gave up on this weekly savings ritual because we stopped receiving the Sunday paper (which I now realize was ridiculous). When I was challenged to see what meals I could make with Betty Crocker coupons and just $25, I was excited to fall in love with coupon clipping again. My goal was to remind myself why coupons are worth the time, planning and maintenance. F...
[Keep Reading]
Tags:
budget, Hamburger Helper, coupon, Tuna Helper, Old El Paso, dinner
by
CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD 10/11/2009 12:00:00 AM
It’s easy to fall in love with the Farmers Market. Though, I don’t often go to mine because I often grocery shop on Sunday nights. But I was so excited for this week’s challenge that I woke at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning and headed to my local Farmers Market. What could I get for $25?One of my foodie friends sent me this helpful link. After reading about what was in season and making sure I had 25 dollars in cash, I was ready to take on this ch...
[Keep Reading]
Tags:
budget, "red curry squash", "farmers market", chicago
by
CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD 9/29/2009 10:53:00 AM
When I was growing up, Bisquick was one-dimensional. When I saw the box it meant one thing – some delicious blueberry pancakes were in my near future. So when this Bisquick challenge was posed, I was ready to see how diverse it can really be. I’ve always considered myself budget savvy when shopping. But unfortunately after adding up last month’s grocery bills, I realized it was just a frame of mind. We spent over $450 for a party of two. That’s absurd. Reality Check! For the sake of this blog and our bank account, it’s time to shop smarter. With t...
[Keep Reading]
Tags:
bisquick, budget
by
jillbcooks 8/4/2009 4:27:00 PM
There is a great conversation going in the Healthy Cooking and Eating Message Board about cooking for large groups, like REALLY large groups like 100-300 people at one time. It is a challenge for caterers to do this successfully, and it is an even more daunting task for a home cook.
Here’s the challenge. Recipes need to be:
easy
healthy
economical
appealing to a wide group of people
prepared in a small space
completed with limited equipment (roasters and small ovens)
The first idea that comes to mind is cooking...
[Keep Reading]
Tags:
Jill Bloomfield, cooking large groups, budget, economical, church dinner