This homemade tortilla chips recipe is a great way to make your own homemade tortilla chips that taste better and are fresher than store-bought! This easy tortilla chips recipe is a great way to revive and use corn tortillas that are getting too brittle to roll.
Homemade Fried Tortilla Chips: A Simple Way to Save Money and Reduce Waste!
Have you ever opened a package of corn tortillas only to find that a few days later they’ve become too stiff to roll without cracking? It happens to all of us. Instead of throwing them away or letting them sit unused in the fridge, there’s an easy solution that turns those tortillas into something delicious—homemade tortilla chips!
Making your own tortilla chips at home is surprisingly simple, and once you try them, you may never want to go back to the bagged kind again. They’re fresh, crispy, and incredibly flavorful. Best of all, they’re a great way to stretch your grocery budget by using something you might otherwise waste.
Store-bought tortilla chips can be expensive, especially if you buy them regularly for snacks, nachos, or salsa. But when you make your own, you’re essentially turning inexpensive corn tortillas into a whole batch of chips for just pennies. If you already have tortillas on hand, the only extra ingredient you need is a little oil for frying.
Another great thing about homemade tortilla chips is how fresh they taste. When you fry them yourself, you get that warm, crispy texture that store-bought chips just can’t match. They’re perfect for dipping in salsa, guacamole, queso, or even enjoying plain with a sprinkle of salt.
This recipe is also incredibly flexible. Have a big pack of tortillas and worry you won’t use them all in time? Just turn them into chips! Slightly older tortillas actually work really well because they crisp up beautifully when fried. Instead of struggling to roll them for tacos or enchiladas, simply cut them into wedges and fry them.
Homemade tortilla chips are perfect for family movie nights, quick nachos, taco salads, or serving alongside your favorite Mexican dishes. You can even experiment with different seasonings like garlic salt, chili powder, or lime salt if you want to add a little extra flavor.
Once you see how easy these are to make, you’ll want to make them a lot more often! Crispy, fresh, and budget-friendly—what could be better?
This easy fried potatoes recipe makes perfect fried potatoes, which are a yummy addition to a big breakfast or a nice side dish for any meal!
This easy fried potatoes recipes makes delicious fried potatoes perfect for a big breakfast! Fried potatoes are a super delicious way to prepare potatoes and they are super versatile. Even though they are most commonly served with breakfast, they are great served with hot lunch or dinner meals. Fried potatoes are a great complement for barbecued chicken, beef or pork.
This fried potatoes recipe calls for bacon grease or margarine, but you can also use oil. We don’t recommend using butter because it burns too easily for this type of recipe. We prefer using bacon grease, because it gives the fried potatoes a delicious rich bacon seasoned flavor and baking grease works very well for frying.
You can cook these fried potatoes to be brown and crispy, or a little softer if you prefer. I like to make them a little more crispy as a slightly crispy texture is nice and mixes well with other breakfast food. If you like your potatoes less crispy, cook as long as you like.
If you want to take this fried potatoes recipe a step further, you can make a delicious one dish skillet meal, which works great with the fried potatoes as a base. Check out our easy breakfast skillet recipe here.
If you’re making a holiday buffet, you can serve these easy fried potatoes with any of these tasty breakfast items:
Here’s a quick reference guide if you’re wondering how long does stored food last. We discuss the types of expiration dates, packaging and storage shelf life for common items like canned goods, eggs, milk, vegetables and more!
We recommend always keeping a supply of food on hand in case of emergencies, but also as a way to save a lot of money on your food bill. We often get the question, “How long does canned food last?” when people are considering a longer term stockpile.
We have experienced many emergencies that have disrupted life like tornadoes, floods, stay home orders and other things that may make it difficult to get items at the store, so we always like to keep enough food on had to last our family 6 months or more in case of a serious disaster.
Stockpiling and storing food is also a great way to save a lot on groceries, because you can buy items when they’re on sale for a very good price and then store enough of those items to have plenty when prices are not so good. I think of my food storage as my mini grocery store at home. Using this practice is how I never pay more than $1.99 a pound for ground beef, even though it may easily be $5.00 a pound at the store on any given day.
When storing food for a longer amount of time, it is important to rotate the food, using the older items first so that they do not go bad and then replacing them with newer items. It is also important to know how long stored foods last.
About Food Expiration Dates
One thing that is helpful to know when storing and stockpiling food is how to understand food expiration dates. When considering how long does canned food last, just because something is past its expiration date does not necessarily mean it is unusable. Here are some date types and what they mean:
Best By Date – The item will be ok to eat it past that date but will taste best and be freshest if used by this date.
Use By Date – It will be ok to eat it past that date but will taste best and be freshest used by this date.
Sell By – The store has to sell the product by that date but it is still good 3-4 days after that to use at home.
Spoiled food will usually look different in texture and color, smell unpleasant and taste bad before it becomes unsafe to eat.
How Long Do Foods Last? Canned Food, Eggs, Vegetables and More!
Here are approximately how long common foods last in the freezer, refrigerator or pantry:
Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes Shelf life: 2 to 5 weeks
Store potatoes and sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, dark place.
Onions Shelf life: 1 to 2 months
Store onions in a cool, dry, dark place for maximum longevity.
Apples Shelf life: 5 days at room temperature. 6 months in the refrigerator
Tea Shelf life: 6 to 12 months past the “best by” date Can last a few years in unopened packages but might lose some flavor.
Powdered milk Shelf life: 2-3 years
Beef jerky Shelf life: 1 to 2 years
Canned fruits and vegetables Shelf life: 6-8 years past “best by” date
DO NOT USE canned goods if the cans are dented or have swollen tops, which may indicate the presence of harmful bacteria inside, like botulism.
Dried pasta Shelf life: 2-4 years past the”best by” date
Bouillon cubes Shelf life: 2 years if sealed
Peanut butter Shelf life: 2 years
Milk Chocolate Shelf life: 1 to 2 years
Dark chocolate Shelf life: 2 to 5 years
Chocolate exposed to high temperatures can develop white spots, but these are harmless and don’t affect the flavor.
Canned or vacuum-pouched tuna Shelf life: 3 to 5 years after “best by” date Canned is best for long term storage.
Dried beans Shelf life: Indefinite
Dried beans are pretty much indestructible if they’re kept dry, though they begin to lose their moisture after a year or two. As they age, they will require longer pre-soaking and/or cooking times to become tender.
Honey Shelf life: Indefinite
Pure 100% undiluted honey in an unopened jar (stored away from heat) will still be edible years, decades even generations. If it crystallizes just warm until crystals dissolve and it will re-liquify.
Liquor Shelf life: Indefinite
White rice Shelf life: Indefinite
Brown rice Shelf life: 6 months
White Flour Shelf life: 6 months past Best Buy Date
Whole Wheat Flour Shelf life: Use by Best Buy Date
Whole Wheat Flour goes bad more quickly than white flour.
Tiny black bugs among rice and flour. These are weevils or flour bugs, and they’ve either found their way into the package through microscopic openings or their eggs were harvested along with the rice and flour itself. If you have a problem with them in your area, freeze your flour or rice first for 24 hours and then store in dry, airtight containers.
Milk Shelf life: 1 week past best buy date for fresh, 2-3 weeks past best buy date for sour milk
Pour a small amount into a small bowl and smell it. Does it smell vinegary or has it separated out into clumps? If it does, it’s probably spoiled. If it’s not clumpy or separated it’s just sour and can still be used for baking.
Nuts Shelf life: 6 months in a cabinet, 1 year in the freezer
Eggs Shelf life: 2-3 weeks past the “Sell By” date
Condiments & Dressings Shelf life: 6 months past date
You will love this Apple Fritter Cinnamon Roll Bake recipe! It makes a super easy and delicious bakery quality dessert starting with canned cinnamon rolls. Best of all, this baked apple fritter recipe only requires only 5-10 minutes prep time! Try it and you’ll like it!
I don’t know about you, but in the fall I start craving apple-flavored desserts of all kinds. Really though, this recipe works all year round since it uses apple pie filling and not fresh apples.
What is an Apple Fritter Cinnamon Roll Bake?
A fritter is fried dough. Apple fritters are fried dough with apples inside. Frying dough is tricky without a deep fryer, plus these days many people don’t want to eat fried food. I don’t know that our apple fritter bake is any healthier than fried dough, but it is certainly easier and just as tasty.
It’s our simple and quick take on the traditional apple fritter thrown together using store-bought ingredients. The results will make your tastebuds happy. Also, this is a no-stress recipe because it is very forgiving and will taste great even if you don’t follow the instructions to the T. You can even get all fancy and make your own apple pie filling if you have apples about to go bad.
Ingredients for the Baked Apple Fritter Recipe
Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky refrigerated cinnamon rolls. I can remember my grandmother finding new ways to use the Pillsbury cans and it’s so fun that we can build on that tradition today. Plus, this dish is so easy with refrigerated cinnamon rolls!
21 Ounce CanApple Pie Filling. You won’t use the whole can, but you will grab extra fruit without the liquid after measuring so a small can will not be enough.
Butter. Melt real butter for best results in this recipe. Butter is optional if you have dietary concerns.
Ground Cinnamon. Don’t forget to check your spices for freshness! Most jars have a date on the lid and should be replaced every six months once opened.
Walnuts, Pecans, or Raisins Optional for those who enjoy nuts or raisins.
How to Make The Easy Baked Apple Fritter Recipe
Preheat your oven. Don’t forget to spray your baking pan with regular cooking spray! Open the canned cinnamon rolls and cut each one into quarters. Set the glaze aside. Place the cinnamon roll pieces in the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Measure and mix the apple pie filling. melted butter, and cinnamon. Pour that over the top of your cinnamon roll pieces and bake it all in the oven for 30 -35 minutes.
When you pull it out of the oven, you can add the glaze if you like. Those little plastic containers of glaze that come in the Pillsbury cans are one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Drizzle it over the warm apple fritter cinnamon roll bake for best results. The glaze is totally optional though, so if you aren’t a fan leave it out. Be sure to look at the recipe card for more specific measurements and instructions.
Can you bake an apple fritter?
Technically, no you cannot bake an apple fritter. Apple fritters are by definition: fried apple dough. However, our Apple Fritter Cinnamon Roll Bake is an amazing alternative to the traditional apple fritter. It comes out of the oven hot, gooey and delicious with very little effort on your part. That’s called winning.
Storing and Reheating
You can refrigerate this dish, and it’s actually just as good served cold. It will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge and you can reheat for ten seconds or so in the microwave if you prefer warm. You can also freeze individual portions in freezer-safe bags or containers and either microwave to reheat or bring to room temperature before serving.
Here are some useful tips that will make cleaning easier in your kitchen and the rest of the house! Try them and save not only money but on cleaning aggravation!
One Trick To Cut Kitchen Cleaning In HALF and make cleaning easier!
I did a couple of small things today that I thought might help you make cleaning easier in your home. Here are some quick cleaning ideas:
I see so many people with these plastic scrapers always scraping away at kitchen counters and it never really dawned on me that I have never had to use one before. I didn’t know why until today.
One of the key rules of professional cleaners is to let your cleaning products do the work for you. I didn’t realize it but my mom taught me this many years ago when I started doing dishes. I always rinse my dirty dishes and then place as many dishes as I can into the hot soapy water in the sink.
Before I start washing my dishes, I take my super wet and soapy dish rag and run it quickly over all the kitchen counter tops and the stove. I’m not really wiping it, I’m just getting a nice film of soapy water on it.
Then I wash my dishes. When I’m done, I thoroughly wring out my dish rag and re-wipe the counters. When I do it this way, every bit of pancake batter, syrup and honey wipes right up. This works every time and I never have to scrape my kitchen counters.
I don’t do this every time I do dishes. If we only have sandwiches I know there is probably not much sticky stuff on the counter so I wash the dishes without focusing so much on the counters ahead of time.
Years later, this practice worked for me even better because it forced me to put all the dishes into the sink and get my counters cleared. When I had unexpected customers or company, even though the dishes weren’t done, the counters all looked cleared and nice.
I also had to clean my trash can today. I took it outside, filled it full with soapy water and a little Clorox bleach. I placed the lid and a broom that needed to be cleaned into the water and let them soak for a couple of hours. Later, I went out and all I had to do was rinse them. I didn’t even need a rag or anything. All that nasty sticky stuff that gets in the bottom of the trash can just dissolved away. When you can, let things soak.
-Jill
Jill, I just want to say, YOU WERE RIGHT!!! You mentioned how wiping down counters with soapy water eliminates the need for scrubbing and scrapers and will make cleaning easier. Well, I’ve needed to clean the dreaded microwave for a while now. Every time I’d heat something in it I’d cringe and put off cleaning it because of all the food stuck to the inside.
Well, I took your advice. I got my dish rag nice and soapy and wiped down the entire microwave first. Then I went over to the sink and wiped down the glass microwave plate with hot soapy water and let it sit, too. Then I went back to the microwave and really started cleaning. Everything came off quite easily.
After finishing rinsing the plate, I realized that this “dreaded task” only took five minutes. Who knew?
Thanks! Sarah
Mom always says the best cleaner is hot soapy water. Use it more and you will save more!!! :-)
Have you wondered how to cook rice so that it turns out perfect? This easy recipe will help you make white rice that’s not too dry or sticky! You can find this recipe in volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.
Have you wondered how to make rice that is perfectly tender? Have you made rice but it turned out to be sticky blob or so dry you thought it was made in the desert?
Rice is an important and versatile staple that works well with so many different kinds of meals, so learning how to cook rice will make your life easier. Rice is great with chicken, beef, pork and more!
You can make perfect homemade rice. It’s easy to make with ingredients and pans you already have at home. No need to buy a rice maker and have another appliance hanging around the house, but if you prefer to use one, you can use this same recipe with your rice cooker.
The one big secret to perfectly cooked white rice is to not take the lid off at all while it’s cooking! The steam is what helps it cook so you don’t want to let that escape.
How To Cook Rice Recipe
Servings
1 cup
4 cups
6 cups
Water
1 cup
3 cups
4 cups
Salt
1/4 tsp.
1 tsp.
1 tsp.
Rice
1/3 cup
1 1/3 cups
2 cups
Use the given amounts of water, salt and rice to make the number of servings you need. To retain vitamins and minerals, do not rinse the rice.
Heat water and salt to boiling. Stir in the rice. Cover tightly and cook slowly for about 25 minutes, until rice is tender.
Add a little water during cooking if the rice becomes dry. Gently stir only if needed to keep the rice from sticking.
Even though this white rice recipe is for how to cook rice in a pan, you can feel free to use a rice cooker if you prefer and it will still turn out great!
Since we have a larger family, we always make extra rice and keep it in a plastic container in the refrigerator so we can just microwave it at dinner time and serve with whatever meal we’re eating that day.
Keeping a little pre-cooked rice in the refrigerator is also great for quick lunches for one.
You can warm up leftover meat from last night’s dinner along with the rice and a vegetable.
Throw 1/2 cup of black beans or pinto beans in a container with 1 cup rice; Add some salt, garlic powder and cheese and microwave for an easy lunch. If you like taco bell, you can pick up jars of taco bell sauce at the grocery store and use them with this easy lunch.
Add a little rice to a can of soup for a heartier quick lunch.
How to restore dried out rice
If your rice gets a little bit dried out in the refrigerator, no worries! It hasn’t gone bad unless you’ve left it in there for a long time and it smells funny. Just add a little water, cover and microwave for a few minutes. This will restore the rice and you won’t have to waste it!
Once you’ve learned how to cook rice, here are some recipes that go well with it!
This easy no knead sourdough bread recipe is a great recipe to make fresh baked bread at home! Your family will love this easy sourdough bread and if you have never made bread before, this sourdough bread recipe will make you feel like a pro!
Easy No Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe
This easy no knead sourdough bread recipe is everyone’s favorite and the recipe isn’t complex. Don’t let making the homemade sourdough starter scare you off.
We shared my recipe for simple Sourdough Starter. If you are ready to bake bread, I wanted to share a simple, beginner’s recipe for No-Knead Sourdough Bread that my friend Patti from Alderman Farms has in her new Easy Sourdough Start to Finish e-cookbook. It hasn’t failed me yet!
It’s flexible and easy, but most importantly it works! It doesn’t require a lot of hands-on time- but enough so that you know it’s delicious homemade sourdough bread.
Why I love this recipe: You can make it to fit your schedule. If you’re in a hurry just add yeast and it will rise in just an hour. If you don’t want to use yeast you can let it rise overnight to bake in the morning, make it up to rise all day to bake for dinner or whatever works best for you. I have let my dough sit for longer than twelve hours and it turned out fine!
WOW! This dough is sticky! The dough is going to be wet… that’s ok! Resist the urge to add more flour and keep kneading until the dough is tacky, but not sticky.
It seems like so many times after a meal, there are leftover mashed potatoes and I hate to waste them! Here are 8 easy ways to use leftover mashed potatoes. (more…)
Stop Cutting Coupons and Start Saving! Here are some easy suggestions how you can save almost $10,000 in just one year cutting a few things from your food bill to help you save money. (more…)
This is the best deviled eggs recipe ever! It’s my go to recipe when I want perfect deviled eggs! It’s so easy and these deviled eggs are gone every time! This recipe can be found in volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.
There is one thing that I do that I didn’t put in the recipe in the book that makes my deviled eggs extra special and tasty! Are you ready for the secret ingredient??? Are you sure??? It’s… Bacon Grease!!! You read that right! I add about 1 Tbsp. of bacon grease in with the mayo and it adds the extra flavor you need to make these the BEST deviled eggs ever! You can sprinkle bacon on top, too, for extra color.
This best ever deviled eggs recipe is from Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1:
Making your own homemade laundry detergent (soap) with this recipe is quick & easy, inexpensive, and works great in in both regular and HE washing machines.
I have discovered that people either love or hate homemade laundry detergent. Try this recipe and see what you think.
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Try using these easy cooking tips to save money every day and make things easier in the kitchen! These are easy shortcuts to simplify your life! Even one good cooking tip can make a huge difference, so see which of these helps you the most!
12 Ways To Save Money In The Kitchen – Easy Cooking Tips
If you aren’t an artist but would like to decorate a theme cake, try using your cookie cutters as a pattern. Lightly press the cookie cutter onto the frosting of the cake. You can then pipe frosting around the outline or fill in your pattern.
Keep a couple of angel food cakes in your freezer for when you need a quick dessert. You can top them with any fresh fruit you have on hand. Add a dollop of whipped topping and you are good to go. In a pinch, you can even spread it with some fruit jam, and/or pudding and whipped cream.
If your honey becomes crystallized, don’t throw it away. Warm it in the microwave or a pan of boiling water. Stir it until it becomes clear.
When making gelatin salads with canned fruit, don’t throw the reserved juice away. Use part of it in place of the water you are supposed to use.
Keep a loaf of French bread in your freezer. When you are ready to use it, just slice off the amount you need and return the rest to the freezer. It’s easier to slice and butter this way and you don’t leave any to dry out or get old.
When making a spice cake, add a mashed banana to it for an extra moist cake.
I once knew an elderly lady who made the most “absolutely to die for” dinner rolls I have ever tasted. When I asked about her secret, she said when she greased to bowl to let them rise in, she used bacon grease instead of shortening or margarine. I have used this for years. No one would ever guess and they all love my easy dinner rolls.
To keep your holiday salads crisper, turn a small sauce plate upside down in your salad bowl before you fill it. All the liquid and water will run down under the sauce plate and away from the salad.
Don’t throw out that pickle juice from the pickles you used on your relish dish. Use it to make French dressing next time instead of vinegar.
When you need a quick garnish or topping for something, place a bag of chocolate chips in a bowl of hot water. Smash it around every couple of minutes. Then, when the lumps are gone, cut a corner of the bag and drizzle on a cake, cookies, or dessert. When the bag is empty, cut it open and be sure to lick it clean. : )
For something different for an appetizer or finger food, make mini kabobs. Use a large toothpick or break a bamboo stick and place on it a cube of cooked chicken or ham along with a piece of dried fruit (apricot, pineapple, etc.). You could also add something like a maraschino cherry.
Try using brown sugar instead of white sugar for a different twist on cinnamon toast to go with your hot chocolate. Just butter a piece of bread, sprinkle it with brown sugar, cinnamon, and broil until golden brown.
For lots more easy cooking ideas, tips, and recipes, check out our cookbooks:
It is possible to prepare tasty and nutritious meals in 30 minutes or less without spending a fortune eating out! Grandma knew the secret and you can, too!
10 Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
I was having dinner at my son’s house the other night and my daughter-in-law had made “old fashioned” baked potatoes. You know– in the oven and not the microwave. Boy, they were good. It seems so many things taste better slow cooked in the oven.
The funny thing is that it is still possible to prepare these meals in 30 minutes.
We started talking about how much longer it took to cook them in the oven compared to the microwave. That started me thinking. Yes, it does take longer in actual cooking time but it is often easier to cook in the oven and it is usually possible to prepare meals with 20 minutes or less prep time.
How Cooking In The Oven Can Actually Be Easier
When I bake potatoes in the oven, I work for just 5 minutes to get them ready and in the oven an hour before dinner. Then I just forget about them until dinner is ready. When they are finished, all I have to do is set them on the table and dinner is served.
When I microwave baked potatoes, I tend to start cleaning them and preparing them at the same time that I’m trying to make a salad and heat up the veggies. While I’m doing all of that, I have to remember to keep checking on the potatoes and turning them. If I am cooking several potatoes, I have to put a few in the microwave at a time. When each batch is done, I have to pull them out and add more, all of this at the same time that I am trying to prepare the rest of the meal.
Even though we have faster methods of cooking our meals, meal preparation has become more frenzied and hurried than years ago. With the introduction of the microwave and the idea that you can prepare meals in 30 minutes, most people do nothing to prepare or plan their meals at all until 30 minutes before they are planning to actually eat, which makes the cooking take. long longer.
So 30 minutes before dinner you find yourself trying to thaw something, cook it, and slap it on the table and at the same time talk and deal with tired, hungry, cranky kids. Let’s not forget how exhausted you are at this time of day, too.
We need to warm up our ovens and start using them again the way our grandmothers used to do. Here are some tips and ideas that prove that cooking meals in a conventional oven instead of a microwave can be just as quick and easy, not to mention how much more delicious they taste and smell. You might be surprised to find out how easy it is to make meals in 30 minutes or less.
I think we underestimate the power of coming home and smelling something yummy cooking. We automatically seem to relax, feeling that “all is well with the world”. I really think it can change the whole atmosphere of your home for the evening.
I am not living in a dream world. You can prepare meals in 30 minutes the way our grandmothers did. I hear some readers saying, “Our grandmothers weren’t ever as busy as we are so they had time to cook large meals.” I can hear our grandmothers chuckling at that statement. My husband’s grandmother had to help on the farm from early in the morning until evening. She took care of a large home garden, canned, cleaned house every day, did laundry without a washer or dryer and still provided meals not only for her family, but up to 20 farm hands as well. She had to do it all without a refrigerator, microwave, or a grocery store and the nearest water was a mile away from her house.
My mother-in-law would go to work as early as 7 am and work until 9 pm 6 days a week, but she still managed to make three large meals each day. If you’re thinking, “That’s great if you want to spend all your spare time in the kitchen,” consider that they spent less time in the kitchen than we do with less of the conveniences and still managed to have well balanced delicious meals each day.
What was their secret? They had never heard of 30 minute meals. Even if they had they would probably have laughed and wondered who would spend so much time preparing a meal? They knew that the key to preparing a meal in 30 minutes or less wasn’t how fast you could cook, but how organized you were. You can easily have a meal on the table in 15 minutes if you are organized and plan ahead.
Making quick and easy meals the old fashioned doesn’t mean microwaving and frying everything to have a quick meal either. Slow cooking something in the oven not only makes things taste better but is quicker with less prep time.
Here are some ideas about what to prepare. These aren’t elaborate gourmet meals. If you are too busy to cook dinner, then you are to busy to make gourmet dinners. Stick with the basics and keep it simple like our grandmothers did and you will be able to make meals in 30 minutes.
Slow cooked roast: Place a roast in a crockpot or pan. Peel five potatoes and carrots and drop them in with it and turn on the oven. This takes five minutes. Clean and cut broccoli, celery and cucumbers for a salad — five minutes. At dinner time, chop lettuce and tomato for the salad, adding the already prepared veggies. Then put the meat and the fixings on a platter — five more minutes. Voila! Dinner in 15 minutes.
Stew: It takes me seven minutes to cube meat*, peel five potatoes, carrots and onions, toss it into a pot and to season it. At dinner time, I put bread or dinner rolls on the table — one to two minutes and I have dinner in nine minutes.
*Ask your butcher to cube or slice all your meat for you. They usually charge nothing or just a few cents per pound. It saves not only time in cutting but in clean up too.
Chicken: Toss a chicken in a pan or crockpot — two minutes. Clean potatoes to put in with chicken or to bake in the oven — three minutes. At dinner time, warm a veggie — two minutes. Slice some fruit — three minutes. Dinner in 10 minutes.
Lasagna: Put noodles in a pot to boil — one minute. Brown the hamburger. Get out the cheese, tomato sauce, and the rest of the fixings; Mix the sauce while the noodles boil, 7-8 minutes. Layer everything — two minutes. Cover and put it in the fridge for dinner the next day or that evening.
Put the lasagna in the oven to heat while you get out of your work clothes, check the mail, etc. Set the table and cut a salad — five minutes. Dinner is served; 15 minutes.
Beef stroganoff: Make your beef stroganoff in your crockpot. (If you don’t want to use a crockpot, this recipe usually takes very little time, even when you’re just stirring it up in a pan.) Dump everything but sour cream and noodles into the crockpot. This takes three minutes’ work and then you can simmer all day on low.
Clean carrots, celery sticks, and broccoli for a relish dish (five minutes) and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, boil egg noodles (5-7 minutes). While they are boiling, add sour cream to the sauce and set the table. Total time: 15 minutes.
Chili: Mix everything in a pot the night before. Depending on what you put in, it should take 5-10 minutes. Simmer throughout the next day.
These are just general examples of ways to prepare quick and easy meals in 30 minutes or less. It isn’t really a matter of time as much as it is a matter of being organized and getting things done before you are too exhausted to think.
If you have meats thawed and the ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same amount of time it takes to order and wait to get your food at a fast food place.
Also, remember when you have your oven going, try to cook more than one thing in it. For example, if you are going to be baking a casserole, bake a pan of brownies, muffins or baked apples at the same time.
-Jill
For lots of quick and easy meals that you can make ahead of time, check out Quick and Easy Menus On A Dime, which is full of pre-made menus and recipes for meals in 30 minutes or less. Make it easier to put dinner on the table and get out of the kitchen faster!
This easy homemade milkshake recipe is a tasty way to enjoy a gourmet tasting milkshake in minutes without having to spend the high price of a specialty milkshake out!
Milkshakes are usually delicious, but it’s so expensive to buy them at a specialty ice cream store. Don’t waste your money spending too much for someone else to make it when you make it yourself for a lot less in minutes.
Here’s an easy milkshake recipe you can use to make homemade milkshakes that taste just as good as the expensive specialty milkshakes. Thi recipe includes chopped bits of candy bars, so it is a perfect way to use leftover candy after holidays like Valentine’s Day Halloween or Christmas.
A milkshake is really just a mixture of ice cream and milk, so it’s easy to make a basic milkshake just by blending together your favorite flavor of ice cream and some milk until you get the right consistency. This candy bar milkshake recipe calls for chocolate or vanilla ice cream, but you can easily modify it by using your favorite flavor of ice cream.
You can use any kind of candy bars you like, so feel free to experiment! You can also add your favorite fruit like cherries or strawberries. If you keep the consistency thick, you will end up with something like a homemade blizzard. If you prefer your milkshake thinner, you can add more milk.
For more easy milkshake recipes and recipes for homemade smoothies, check out Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1 and Volume 2!
This yummy candied orange peels recipe is an easy and tasty way to use oranges! You’ll also find other great recipes and tips for using oranges.
Easy Orange Recipes and Tips
It’s that time of year. You found a really good deal on oranges but you purchased a few more than you can eat. Now what do you do with them. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Make juice out of the oranges and then use the peels for Candied Orange Peels.
Use the leftover syrup from Candied Orange Peels (recipe below) on pancakes or French Toast. The syrup can also be used to make popsicles.
Wash orange peels thoroughly. Grate the peel before using and freeze the zest for later use.
Cut up orange segments and use as a garnish for salads. Use in fruit salad or sliced as a side dish.
Cut up orange slices and use a garnish for meat or relish dishes.
Cut up peels. In a saucepan add peels, 1 cinnamon stick, a few cloves and fill to the top with water. Simmer for a nice potpourri or dry peels and use in dry potpourri.
This easy maidrite loose meat sandwich recipe is a tasty recipe similar to Sloppy Joe’s but with a milder taste. It’s an easy dinner recipe you can make with 5-10 minutes preparation time and families love it! It’s easy to make the filling for these maidright loose meat sandwiches ahead of time and freeze. Then, take it out of the freezer and serve with buns, onions and pickles.
This Maidrite loose meat sandwich recipe is from Volume 1 of our cookbook:
Here are 7 easy no bake recipes for Christmas Candies your kids can make! Christmas is a great time for fun family traditions and kids love to get involved in making treats, decorating and making and wrapping gifts for everyone!
In our family we love to make Christmas Candies! I’m chronically ill and just don’t have the energy to spend hours baking cookies so I like recipes that you can make and be done and out of the kitchen in 30 minutes or less. All these Christmas Candies are easy for the kids to make and you can supervise without wearing yourself out!
7 No Bake Christmas Candy Recipes Kids Can Make
Chocolate Covered Oreos
Oreo Cookies
12 oz. melting chocolate (wafers or almond bark)
Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds. When melted dip Oreos halfway or all the way into chocolate and lay on waxed paper or silpat to harden. You can put them in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the hardening process.
Peppermint Marshmallows
38-40 large marshmallows
1 package white chocolate coating
5-6 Peppermints crushed
Place marshmallows on a pan that is covered with wax paper and place in the freezer. They will be ready by the time you need to dip them.
Pour crushed peppermints in bowl.
Melt chocolate in microwave for a couple of minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
Place frozen marshmallows on skewer or tooth pick and dip in white chocolate and then in roll in peppermints.
Use a fork to slide them back on the wax paper. Chill.
Variations:
Add Nuts as desired
Cherry Mash: Use cherry chips to make to the fudge. Then pour melted chocolate chips on top with peanuts.
Peanut Butter: Use peanut butter chips to make to the fudge. Then top with chocolate or don’t, if you prefer not to.
Dark Chocolate: Use dark chocolate chips
Mint- Use mint chips, mint pieces or 1 tsp. mint flavoring
No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Ritz crackers
Peanut butter
Chocolate almond bark
Spread peanut butter on a cracker and top with a second cracker. Melt the almond bark in the microwave and then dip crackers in the melted almond bark. Lay on wax paper.
Try spreading different things that sound good on the crackers like marshmallow fluff, Nutella, or even a combination of these.
A Christmas Candy Wreath is a simple project the entire family will love! It is festive and kids and guests love cutting a piece of candy when they visit!
In this post, you’ll find easy instructions to make a homemade Candy Christmas Wreath along with a video demonstration and free “How To Make A Candy Christmas Wreath” e-book. The e-book download link and video are below and the instructions are below them.
Free Candy Christmas Wreath e-Book!
Here is your free copy of the How To Make A Candy Christmas Wreath free e-book from LivingOnADime.com. We hope you enjoy it!
Here’s what to do now:
Right click the “Download” link below and save the files to your computer. If you are a Mac user, you may have to use “Control+Click”.
You can also watch the “How To Make A Candy Christmas Wreath” video below!
Here are the written instructions you’ll find in the e-book! In the free e-book, you’ll also find step by step photos to help make it easy for you!
Tawra
How To Make A Candy Christmas Wreath
Each year on the day after Halloween, I go and buy candy that is marked down to half price* to use to make my Candy Christmas Wreaths. I am telling you about it now so you won’t miss out on the opportunity to get candy for less to make these great gifts.
Since I was little we have hung a candy wreath on our door. When someone came to visit, they could cut a piece of candy from the wreath to take with them when they arrived or left. Kids and adults alike love this tradition.
Some years I have tried to have mine done before Thanksgiving. That way, when we get together on Thanksgiving Day, as a small gift, I give each one of my grown children one to hang on their doors.
These also make great gifts for those hard to buy for people on your gift list or for those occasions when you have to buy for a whole family but aren’t quite sure what to get for each member and you’ve given gifts in a jar for the last 5 years. It also saves you money because you aren’t having to buy individual gifts.
Another added benefit is that you can make them early in November and give them out by the end of the month. This means that by the first week of December, you can have some of your gifts totally taken care of. Oh — no wrapping necessary either!
These wreaths are very simple to make and something the kids can easily do. You’ll find complete instructions on what to buy and how to make them below.
*Don’t forget to get candy for your other Christmas recipes during the after Halloween sales. Be creative! I was supposed to use Hershey’s candy bars in my million dollar fudge recipe, but when my daughter found a ton of Hershey’s kisses for 50 cents a bag, I used those instead.
How to Make a Candy Wreath
1. First, buy your candy. You need to use wrapped candy like Tootsie Rolls, Jolly Ranchers, peppermints, bubble gum, butterscotch candies, etc. How much candy you need depends on the size of wreath you make. Usually for a 12 to 15 inch wreath, I buy enough candy to fill a large mixing bowl to the top.
I make mine with lots of mixed candy but you can make it with all peppermints, all green and red Jolly Ranchers, or whatever you like. Whatever you decide, first place it all into a large mixing bowl.
2. Cut string into about 3 inch pieces. The lengths don’t have to be exact. Just make them long enough so that they are easy to handle while you tie them around the ends of the candy and then to the ring for the wreath. You need one string for each piece of candy. I don’t sit and count how many I need. I just cut a pile and then make more when I need them.
3. Take a heavy wire clothes hanger and form it into the size wreath you would like. Cut off the hook part at the top then slightly bend the 2 ends to form small hooks that you can hook together to make a circle. I haven’t checked lately but you might be able to buy a metal circle in the wreath section at your craft store.
4. After you have made your ring, tie each string to one end of a piece of candy. This is why candy like Toostie Rolls work so well. The little flags of paper on each end make it easy to tie the string to them. Then tie the other end to the wreath ring. Keep pushing the candy together as you go so you have a nice full ring of candy.
5. When you can’t squeeze one more piece of candy onto the wreath, make or buy a large red bow to place at the top, which will cover the section where you hooked it together.
6. Tie one end of a ribbon or string to a child’s pair of scissors and then tie the other end to the bottom of the wreath. This pair of scissors is for people to use to cut their own candy.
If you want you can add this poem to your candy Christmas Wreath.
Friends and neighbors all draw near For a bit of Christmas cheer Take the scissors, give a snip Then enjoy a candy nip!!
As you can see this is an easy project for kids. I mean what kid wouldn’t love to handle mounds of candy, especially it they get to sneak a piece every once in awhile?
Hang it on your door. Adults and children alike love cutting a piece when they are coming or going or both!
Here are some ideas and tips for celebrating Christmas on a budget, including some gift ideas and yummy recipes for homemade gifts!
Christmas On A Budget – Gift Ideas, Tips And Recipes
With consumers’ fears of a financial squeeze, many people think that a nice Christmas is out of the picture this year. But I say “Not so!” Here are a few ideas to help make Christmas memorable without breaking the bank!
Go Potluck! You buy the turkey — Have everyone else bring the side dishes and drinks. Turkeys in our area are .59/lb this time of year. If you buy just the turkey, it will only cost you about $10-$15 to feed everyone for a large family gathering.
Celebrate Christmas the week after Christmas. Take advantage of the after Christmas sales and plan your large extended family gathering for the week after Christmas. Besides being less expensive, it is unlikely to interfere with anyone else’s Christmas plans.
Don’t give gifts or give inexpensive gifts to hairstylists, babysitters, teachers and others. I found several wonderful small scented jar candles on clearance for .25 each. I will put three of them in a small basket (purchased at the thrift store for .25) with some tissue paper, ribbon and nice note. A great gift for $1.25!
Break up gift sets. If you find an item that comes in a gift set at Christmas, give parts of it to different recipients. This is great for bath or perfume sets.
Yard sales and thrift stores equal great savings. You can find a lot of new or nearly new items for pennies on the dollar. For our son, we found a working telescope in the box. It cost $1.00, so we saved $24! He got what he wanted and we didn’t have to take out a home equity loan!
Make memories, not more junk. Most kids get more than plenty for Christmas from grandparents, aunts and uncles. If you can only afford one gift for your child, make it a memory! Wrap a note in a box with instructions for a treasure hunt.. Send your child all over the house with clues and then have the real gift sitting under the tree when they return. Simple, but a great memory for them!
Here are some more great recipes for Christmas!
(This recipe may not sound appealing with vinegar in the title but it really is yummy. For something different this year, try having an old fashioned taffy pull! It’s a great party for teens or adults. Use different taffy recipes and play fun, silly games or watch a Christmas movie while eating the candy you made along with popcorn and cookies.)
Herbed vinegars make great gifts especially if you want to give something different than the sweets most people get at this time of year. They’re also good for those who have to watch their sugar. Don’t forget the cooks in your life too!
If you’re trying to make it in time for Christmas, you’ll want to make it soon as it needs to age before it is used.
Using these easy chicken recipes and chicken dinner ideas, you can make 4 chicken dinners with 1 package of chicken breasts and save money on groceries! Don’t waste your money and time eating out and stressing about piling on even more debt with expensive restaurant food and convenience food. Make these easy meals at home in just minutes and have more money and a happier family! (more…)
After Halloween sales can be a great time to pick up a few things at a discount that can help you save for other occasions. Here are a few tips to help you!
Save Money At After Halloween Sales
Don’t forget to go to the after Halloween sales to get some great bargains on candy and other items. You can get many other things at after Halloween sales besides candy:
Packages of little toys for party favors.
Cupcake wrappers. Cupcake cups with pumpkins can be used all the way through Thanksgiving and if it is just for your family, most kids don’t mind if their cupcakes have a pumpkin wrapper on it, even in January.
Candles and candle holders
Napkins and disposable tablecloths
Do you have a graduation coming at the end of the school year and the school colors include black? Buy your plates, napkins, streamers and party favors now. Look for bargains on these types of products after every holiday. If the school colors are red, you can find great stuff after Christmas or Valentine’s Day, silver after New Year’s Eve, green after St. Patrick’s day and so on.
Get costumes for next year or pick up odds and ends if your kids like play acting or drama. We always kept a costume box. It had a lot of basics, including a black cape, sword, cowboy hat, cowboy vest, clown wig and nose, black gloves, etc.
You might be surprised about what you find. One year the store had 24 bag packages of lunch chips for a dollar. This was cheaper than it would cost for me to package them up myself. Happy Hunting!
Save money using these creative tips for using leftover candy! Lots of tips and recipes including Candy Bar Milkshakes and Chocolate Chip Candy Bar Cookies!
Leftover Halloween Candy Tips
Here are some tips for using all of that extra Halloween Candy!
To prevent sugar shock, have a big bag of popcorn waiting when everyone comes back from Trick or Treating. It’s easy to fix and will counteract some of the sweet stuff.
You can freeze candy up to a year in the freezer. Make sure it is sealed well and when you thaw it thaw in the refrigerator to prevent condensation.
Don’t forget to buy discounted Halloween candy for Christmas stockings and parties. Most kids don’t care if their Christmas candy is orange and black or if it has silver and gold wrappers instead of red and green.
Use leftover Halloween candy in Christmas baking and for making gingerbread houses.
Use grated or chopped chocolate in place of chocolate chips in cookies.
It is easier to cut candy into pieces if you freeze it first.
Break Butterfinger candy bars into peanut butter cookie dough.
Sprinkle chopped chocolates on a white or chocolate frosted cake or use them to top ice cream and cheesecake.
Mix leftover chopped chocolates into cake mixes.
When making cupcakes, decorate the tops with one Hershey’s kiss or a mini candy bar.
Pour some leftover candy into a basket or pretty bowl to give to someone for a special gift.
Even a Christmas bag full of an assortment of candies would be a gift that would delight anyone – kids, adults, co-workers or neighbors.
When making apple butter, instead of your usual spices use 1/2 cup red cinnamon candies and 1 Tbsp. cinnamon for every 10 cups apples and your regular amount of sugar.
Cut a hole in the center of rolled out sugar cookie dough. Place a hard colored candy into the center. Bake as usual. The candies will create a stained glass look.
We talk a lot about what to do with leftover candy but don’t forget you can also do nothing with it but eat it! :) :) …my favorite thing! Stockpile bags of candy to use for school parties, birthday parties and so on. In my case, I have a huge candy jar I keep full for when the grandkids come to visit. I can go through pounds of it that way. It keeps forever so don’t feel that you have to hurry and use it.
-Jill
Candy Countdown
From Karen:
After the kids are done Halloweening, I grab 24 candies for each child (I have 4) to save for a countdown to Christmas instead of buying the calendars in the stores. I usually keep them in a bag but you can get the kids to decorate shoe boxes or stick the candy to a calendar with tape.
Here are some leftover candy recipes for you to try:
Stained Glass Cookies
Cut a hole in the center of rolled out sugar cookie dough. Place a hard colored candy into the center. Bake as usual. The candies will create a stained glass look.
Here are some yummy dessert recipes to use leftover Snickers candy bars from trick or treating. You can also buy them on clearance when they’re a lot less expensive!
Snickers Dessert Recipes – Ways To Use Leftover Candy Bars
I’m not sure how anyone would possibly have leftover Snickers Candy Bars, but here are some yummy recipes for using those leftover Snickers from trick or treating. You can also buy them on clearance when they’re a lot less expensive and make these recipes any time!
Try these recipes if you’re wondering what to do with extra Snickers candy bars or if you find a bunch of them on clearance after a major holiday.
Of course if you are anything like me there is no such thing as a leftover Snickers. My Snickers barely makes it home and through the door with me. Now that I think about it, they barely makes it from the store to my car. Hmm??? I wonder if I need some kind of “candy intervention”?
Well anyway if you do happen to have a lot of Snickers left over from trick or treating, Christmas or Easter here are a couple of tasty recipes to make with those extra Snickers!
