Category Archives: Recipes

I know some people have this thing against leftovers but it doesn’t bother me in the least. I get a kick out of seeing how far we can stretch one meal. And since there’s only two of us, most dishes I make feed us for two dinners, if not more. One of my favorite recipes, Mexican Cornbread Casserole, will feed us for three days (dinner only) and costs about $12 total, which is only $2 per person, per meal. It does get a little more expensive when you factor in fresh avocados, which we like to add on top of the casserole (after it’s been cooked or reheated), but that’s usually only an additional $1.50-$3.00 total depending on whether they are on sale. And it’s so good that we don’t get sick of eating it. The same goes for the Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti I like to make. That tends to feed us for four dinners, so it comes out to about $1.50 per person, per meal (and that’s over-estimating beef at $5 per pound and using two jars of spaghetti sauce (it’s too dry with just one jar in my opinion)).

I will usually make these multi-meal dishes on a Monday so we can eat them for dinner Monday through Wednesday or Thursday since we’re a little more relaxed regarding eating out on the weekends. Unlike some people who feel one should never eat out (and I get where they are coming from since it’s almost always more expensive to eat out than make the same dish at home), I see nothing wrong with it as long as it’s not excessive and you’re not sacrificing saving for your future just so you can eat out all the time. For me, going out to eat is an adventure. I like trying out new places and just relaxing with with my husband in a new environment. After a week of working and eating at home, it’s nice to get out on the weekends and do something different.

If you’re going out to eat on a daily basis, though, that’s just foolish. Not only is it wasting money, it’s not healthy. Portion sizes are always bigger and you can’t control the fat or salt content of your dishes. Plus home-cooked meals can often be even yummier than restaurant food. Sure, there are some things I prefer not to make myself (like steak tacos and Thai food), but pasta? Why pay for that at a restaurant when I can make tastier and way cheaper spaghetti at home? It’s a no-brainer if you ask me.

What are your favorite dishes that yield leftovers?

This may come as no surprise to anyone else, but I recently learned that the fastest and most cost-effective way to make mashed potatoes is to buy whole potatoes in the can. I store them in the pantry and can whip up a batch of mashed potatoes with no pre-planning. I love that!

All you have to do is heat up the pre-cooked potatoes, drain them, and add butter, milk, and/or sour cream and mash those babies up. Look, the recipe is even on the back of the can!

Sure, it’s cheaper if you buy a bag of potatoes, peel them, and boil them, but who has time for that these days? Even if I use two cans of whole potatoes (which serves at least 4 people) I’m still saving at least a dollar, if not more, versus buying the frozen Steam and Mash potatoes from Ore-Ida. Plus I’m not taking up valuable space in the freezer. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner!

We go through a lot of spreadable butter in our house because we love it. What we don’t love is the price. A large container from Land O’ Lakes, like the one pictured above, costs over $3.00 (usually closer to $4.00) for what amounts to about 3 sticks of butter and some oil. When butter is on sale you can get 4 sticks for $2. So I’ve been on a mission to make my own spreadable butter to save money.

Apparently the 3rd attempt is the charm as my most recent batch came out excellent – it spreads evenly and tastes great!

The first time I made it the oil taste was overwhelming. The second time I made it I used evaporated milk instead, as someone online had suggested, and not only did it look weird (although it tasted fine), it spoiled too quickly (within two weeks). It literally grew mold which was gross.

So here’s my guide on how to make spreadable butter the right way.

Note: The oil to butter ratio you want to use is 1/3 cup oil for every stick of butter.

1) Use a good canola oil. I always thought that all canola oils are made the same but on my first attempt I used Market Pantry canola oil and I was disappointed with the flavor. This time I used Wesson. BIG difference in taste. I love generic foods but in this case the name brand was better. It must be how it’s processed because I noticed the Wesson canola oil is much lighter in color than Market Pantry’s.

2) Use your favorite salted butter. In this case Target brand butter – Market Pantry – wins for me. It has a perfect creamy texture and the right amount of salt.

3) Remove your desired amount of butter from the refrigerator and let it soften.

4) Put the butter in a food processor and mix it up until smooth.

5) Add your oil slowly, while continuing to mix, making sure everything is mixed thoroughly.

6) Transfer to your desired container and store in the refrigerator.

The butter should keep good for three months which is more than enough time to eat it all, at least in this household!

Since I like to reuse containers, I found that 3 sticks of butter is the perfect amount to fill up the large Land O’ Lakes spreadable butter container. Just make sure to clean it out real good between batches.