Budget Stretchers: Use it Or Lose it 2012 - Join the fun!

[HeatherFeather]

You beat me to it. Pizza, egg mcmuffins and the couscous ideas.
I love couscous! And 5 minutes it is perfect. It is just so easy and can be pretty healthy. Besides it is such a blank canvas you can add nuts and dried fruits, also make it mediterranean, Also great in salads.

I usually leave skin on my applesauce. I have a microwave recipe for applesauce too that is so easy. I add some cinnamon, not much, sugar and it is done in like 10 minutes.

Did anyone say roasting nuts? If they did sorry I missed it. They are wonderful in salads. Also mixed with a soft cream cheese on an english muffin. Even add a little honey to the cream cheese and it is delicious

I'd love to have the recipe for the applesauce.

[Roxanne]

Great ideas Mary, I especially love that alfredo pizza suggestion. I haven't made or eaten one of those in ages. The cinnamon bread pudding looks great and that monkey bread idea, totally going to try that one. The dessert for the pudding and cream cheese looks like a good one but I guess I should have mentioned I bought the chocolate and caramel layered pudding cups huh? Yeah, I thought for sure I would like it cause of my major sweet tooth. I also forgot she could store the nuts in the fridge or freezer. I have a ton of pecans in my fridge too and I use it as needed.

Love the idea of adding candy bars to the trifle layers, may give it more texture. I have quite a few bars of baby ruth in my fridge yum and I do have butterfinger too.

Denise, I need to shop like you! No impulse buys, unnecessary stocking up unless it is something that is super expensive that I like to use but rarely buy and it is on sale and can be frozen lol and of course, buying on a craving or wanting to try a recipe. That is why I am just looking to use what I have on hand or adapt recipe ideas (create new recipes too) according to my pantry for now.

You know Ninner, those stand up freezers pull a lot of electricity (at least in my country your bill skyrockets when you have one of those things which is the main reason I don't have one) Good luck on spending cash for only 30 days.

Kc, thanks for the great suggestions, an omelet with the bacon inside sounds right up my alley. The fish recipe looks decadent and unfortunately I have never had artichokes (not something you see here...yet) but the way you dress up the couscous sounds like it would make a nice light side dish for any meat. I got to say, I'm not a big spinach fan but I love the ravioli idea, so I will definitely use that.

Heather, oh my gosh! I totally forgot how much I love pineapple on my pizza cause I haven't eaten it for a while - that was when I was getting a small case of acid reflux I had to stop eating and drinking certain things but I am back to normal now so I am definitely picking up a can of pineapple to make some! On the couscous and fish, I have never had baked or poached fish but my dad bought some beautiful catfish the other day - oh my gosh so good! and the slices are so nice and meaty. Maybe I can try your method for making the fish and see if I will like it.

Looking forward to reading everyone progress and loving the ideas so far. I got to say I like that donating to charity, giving to friends or co-workers or feeding pets count. Definitely a better alternative than trashing it (if it is still edible and not way past expiration!)

[Kchurchill5]

You beat me to it. Pizza, egg mcmuffins and the couscous ideas.
I love couscous! And 5 minutes it is perfect. It is just so easy and can be pretty healthy. Besides it is such a blank canvas you can add nuts and dried fruits, also make it mediterranean, Also great in salads.

I usually leave skin on my applesauce. I have a microwave recipe for applesauce too that is so easy. I add some cinnamon, not much, sugar and it is done in like 10 minutes.

Did anyone say roasting nuts? If they did sorry I missed it. They are wonderful in salads. Also mixed with a soft cream cheese on an english muffin. Even add a little honey to the cream cheese and it is delicious

I'd love to have the recipe for the applesauce.

http://www.food.com/recipe/perfect-easy ... uce-140062 is pretty good, it took around 10-12 minutes. It depends a lot on how deep your bowl is and how big your apples are. I ended up adding a bit more water

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto ... index.html This is an excellent recipe, I have made it both with and without the brandy

http://www.nyapplecountry.com/as_mwapplesauce.htm
Another, all very similar.

I pretty much just add some sugar and cinnamon to mine, I keep it simple.
I also use a variety of apples, but I have made it all with McIntosh too. All three recipes work

[Denise]

Denise, I need to shop like you! No impulse buys, unnecessary stocking up unless it is something that is super expensive that I like to use but rarely buy and it is on sale and can be frozen lol and of course, buying on a craving or wanting to try a recipe. That is why I am just looking to use what I have on hand or adapt recipe ideas (create new recipes too) according to my pantry for now.

I'm not much of an impulse buyer at all. I have a list, I pretty much stick with it. I try to only buy meat when it's on sale and I don't buy a TON of it, I'll usually have 4 packages of chicken in my freezer, 3-4 ground round, seafood and pork tenderloin, usually one or two of those. Pork Tenderloin is on sale at Kroger this week, so I'll pick up two of those. I keep all my meat out in the freezer in the garage.

If you keep your pantry well stocked with the basics - pasta, rice, beans, canned tomatoes, chicken stock, refried beans, etc. - and your crisper with onions, garlic, potatoes, green pepper, mushrooms, greens, carrots and celery...you can make about anything I knew I wanted some sort of white chili tonight and I had chicken in the freezer, I have several cans of white beans - I do NOT have green chiles, I'm just going to sub 1/2 cup of salsa verde. Other than that, I had everything the recipe called for. I am prone to changing my mind and making something different for dinner, but it's always something I have the ingredients for and I make something else with what I had planned. I'm flexible

The key thing too, like you said, don't buy too much and when you use 2 cans of tomatoes, immediately put them on your grocery list and replace them.

[Mary]

I should have mentioned I bought the chocolate and caramel layered pudding cups huh?

Don't let that stop you, Roxanne. When we made it for Christmas, we mixed one box of white chocolate and one box of cheesecake. I'll bet the chocolate and caramel would create a wonderful marbled effect.

[Denise]

Btw - adding green chiles to my grocery list

Actually, I have no Rotel and no green chiles - very unusual!

[Mary]

Heather, before you use up all of those apples in applesauce, use a couple with some of your walnuts (toasted) in a Waldorf salad. Add some chicken or turkey and you have a quick meal.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/waldorf_salad/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food ... index.html

[Roxanne]

I always make a list too cause then I would forget at least one thing I need to buy. Even with a list I make impulse buys but I have been much better about this in the last few months. My dad and I actually buy chicks from young and grow them ourselves for eating so chicken is never an issue. I feel like ground beef has gotten so expensive lately but I love to cook with it and there was this supermarket that had a sale running on it for a long time. I used to always buy it there cause it wasn't prepacked either so you know it's fresh and good. But no more sale on it since around Thanksgiving time . I am also quick to change my mind about what I want to eat but my go-to when I change my mind is some sorta pasta dish usually with cheese incorporated, yum! Cheddar is a staple in my fridge cause I go through that cheese like nothing but I don't stock up on other cheeses cause I don't use them often. I have a wedge of Parm. in the fridge since December. I'll definitely open it up for some alfredo soon.

Thank you for the tip Mary! I bet that tasted so good, I am a major white chocolate lover.

[Ninner]

Roxanne, thanks for the info. on the up-right freezer electrical cost. Maybe it would just be a better idea for me to clean out the one I have & live with it.

Went to the store yesterday & spent $30.48 not bad after no shopping for a few days. I needed the usual, milk, bread & veg. No meat was purchased.

I am making the stuffed chicken breasts that Church recommended & scalloped potatoes. Both are in house. Then a salad fixing purchased yesterday.

Church, went back to see what you recommended I stuff the chicken breast with? I am sorry unable to locate now.

[Mary]

Church, went back to see what you recommended I stuff the chicken breast with? I am sorry unable to locate now.

Hi Ninner, Church was responding to Heather's list:

"5) Cranberry flavor Stove Top Stuffing mixes - I bought a few as emergency stuffing over the holidays, but didn't need to use them after all

I like making them up and then freeze enough to stuff 2 chicken breasts. Then you can have a stuffed chicken breasts and the only work is baking it. Or just heat and serve. 1 box doesn't take up too much freezer space."

Hope that helps.