Making your own dairy free clarified butter at home is easier than you might think — and once you learn how to make ghee and see how simple it is, you will never want to buy it again! This guide walks you through creating rich, golden, naturally dairy-free ghee with simple techniques for both stovetop and Instant Pot preparation.
How to Make Ghee (Super Easy & Budget-Friendly!)
If you’ve ever wondered how to make ghee at home, you’re going to love how simple and affordable it is. This easy method will save you money, stretch your grocery budget, and give you a delicious butter alternative that works beautifully for dairy-free cooking.
With just one ingredient — butter — you can create rich, golden dairy-free ghee that’s perfect for cooking, baking, and adding incredible flavor to everyday meals. Whether you want a classic mild version, a deep caramelized “restaurant-style” ghee, or an easy hands-off Instant Pot method, I’ll walk you through exactly how to get it right every time.
What Is Ghee Butter or Clarified Butter?
Before I share the ghee recipe, let’s answer the big question: what is ghee butter?
Ghee is a type of clarified butter. It starts with regular butter, but during cooking, the milk solids and water are removed. What’s left is pure butterfat. Because the milk proteins are separated out, many people with dairy sensitivities can tolerate ghee—even though it originally comes from butter.
That’s why it’s often considered “dairy-free” for practical purposes. The proteins that trigger reactions are removed, leaving a rich, golden fat that’s perfect for cooking, baking, and spreading.
Ghee doesn’t burn like butter: Removing the milk proteins also means that the ghee does not burn as easily as butter when used for cooking.
Why Make Ghee at Home?
✔ Saves money
✔ No additives or preservatives
✔ Perfect for dairy-sensitive diets
✔ Higher smoke point than butter
✔ Stores well at room temperature
Making ghee at home is one of the easiest ways to cut grocery costs—especially if you cook a lot. Once you learn how to make ghee, you’ll see just how effortless it is.
Instead of paying premium prices for specialty dairy-free products, you can turn regular butter into this versatile kitchen staple in 30-45 minutes.
Try this homemade ghee recipe today and enjoy a simple, natural butter alternative that fits your budget and your dairy free diet!
This easy Amish Breakfast Casserole Recipe is loaded with crispy bacon, hash browns, and three kinds of cheese for a warm, comforting breakfast everyone will love. It’s a simple, make-ahead dish that’s perfect for holidays, busy mornings, or feeding a hungry crowd on a budget.
If you need a hearty, no-fuss breakfast that will feed a crowd, this Amish Breakfast Casserole Recipe is a perfect choice! It’s packed with crispy bacon, tender hash browns, and plenty of melted cheese, making it a comforting, satisfying dish that everyone loves. Whether you’re serving a holiday breakfast, hosting overnight guests, or just want something easy for a busy morning, this casserole comes together quickly and bakes up beautifully.
One of the best things about this recipe is how simple and budget-friendly it is. It uses everyday ingredients you probably already have on hand, and you can easily swap in what you have in your refrigerator. Leftover ham or sausage works just as well as bacon, and any combination of cheeses will still give you that rich, creamy texture. It’s also a great way to stretch a small amount of meat into a filling meal for the whole family.
This Amish Breakfast Casserole Recipe is perfect for make-ahead meals. You can assemble everything the night before, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator. In the morning, just pop it in the oven and bake until hot and bubbly. That means less stress, less mess, and more time to enjoy breakfast with your family.
Serve it with fresh fruit, toast, or a simple muffin for a complete meal. Once you try it, this easy casserole will quickly become one of your go-to breakfasts for weekends, holidays, and anytime you need a warm, comforting dish.
This Amish breakfast casserole recipe is from Volume 2:
This Chicken Fried Steak recipe is quick and easy and so delicious that your family is sure to love it! Save on your food bill with this inexpensive recipe, which costs dramatically less than the restaurant version!
Chicken fried steak is a tasty traditional Southern comfort food that can’t be beat, but it can be very expensive to buy at a steak house! This chicken fried steak recipe is super easy and delicious. Because it uses ground beef, it is much more fork-tender than restaurant chicken fried steak, but it has all of the delicious flavor!
I always make my chicken fried steak recipe with white gravy and we have included an easy white gravy recipe. If possible, it is best to use some of the drippings, or leftover grease, from the beef to make the gravy. If you want to add a slightly different but delicious twist, you can use bacon grease for some or all of the gravy drippings.
Chicken fried steak is traditionally served with potatoes, like mashed potatoes topped with the same white gravy or baked potatoes. Rolling the baked potatoes in coarse salt before baking them gives them a more restaurant-like flavor.
It is also often served with a vegetable like fried okra, corn on the cob, broccoli or a salad. Coleslaw and potato salad are also great choices. Some people like to include a bread, like cornbread or Texas Roadhouse Rolls.
My husband Mike has eaten a lot of chicken fried steak in his life and he absolutely loves this recipe! Whenever there’s a special occasion like his birthday or Father’s day, he requests this as part of the meal. Try it and see how it satisfies the chicken fried steak lover in your family!
This easy chicken fried steak recipe is from our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1:
This easy mushroom chicken recipe makes a delicious and savory creamy mushroom main dish that everyone loves! Don’t pay too much for mushroom chicken at a fancy restaurant. Instead, make it at home, where it takes just 10 minutes to prepare and where you can feed the entire family for less than one person eating out!
This easy mushroom chicken recipe is super simple because it takes some easy shortcuts for real people who don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. Starting with boneless, skinless chicken breast, fresh mushrooms and cream of mushroom soup, you can prepare a high-quality delicious meal fast and save so much money on your grocery bill. Your family will enjoy it just as much as dinner out and you can serve dinner quicker without all the stress!
This recipe calls for seasoned salt to make it a little easier. If you don’t have seasoned salt, you can get my homemade seasoned salt recipe here.
My husband and kids love this mushroom chicken recipe, but if you have young children who aren’t too sure about the mushrooms, you could save aside a small amount of the chicken and add it to the sauce without the mushrooms. Even if they are picky, you could serve with a few mushrooms even if they only pick at them just to teach them to appreciate good food without being so picky! (Best way EVER to break in picky eaters! ;-)
This easy mushroom chicken recipe is a super versatile chicken breast recipe for dinner, starting with juicy pan-fried chicken breast pieces, smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce and then served over rice.
The recipe calls for serving the mushroom chicken over rice, but you can also serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Serve alongside your favorite vegetable, like broccoli, mixed vegetables, squash or a fresh garden salad for a super easy meal. If you have a little extra time, you can whip up one or more of these easy side dish recipes to go with it!
For lots more easy dinner recipes, check out our cookbooks!
You’ll also find lots of scratch recipes to make easy seasonings and lots of substitutions and workarounds to quickly improvise if you’re making dinner and discover that you’re out of something. Try our cookbooks and you’ll be a lot more confident in the kitchen!
This cheeseburger soup recipe is a hearty soup and a classic American favorite that your family is sure to love! Perfect for families with picky eaters and hearty appetites, your family will not go away hungry!
You’ll also find an alternative easy cheeseburger soup recipe along with a tasty spice cake for and caramel frosting for dessert!
Another Easy Cheeseburger Soup Recipe And Meal Plan
Here is a tasty meal plan to go with this easy cheeseburger soup recipe, along with another recipe that is a little easier than the one above.
Here is the best gluten free bread recipe you will ever eat! It is super soft, makes great toast and my kids who don’t need to eat gluten free like it so much better than regular bread! If you miss foods like sandwiches, French toast and croutons, you must try this recipe! (more…)
Are you doing too much work cleaning? Do you wish it was easier to keep everything clean and tidy? Here you’ll find some inspiration along with 13 quick cleaning tips to save time and energy so you don’t have to spend as much time getting it all done!
13 Cleaning Tips To Make Cleaning Easier!
Are You Choosing a Dirty House? Could you be making more work without realizing it?
Sometimes, we create our own cleaning and organizing problems when we refuse to change old habits and try something different. Often our habits create stress and steal valuable time, without really improving our lives. If we can identify and change these obsolete habits, we can make life a lot more pleasant for ourselves. Here are some examples from people I know of habits that created more trouble than they solved. After you read through them, think about the areas in your own life where you feel overwhelmed. Would it help to change your thinking in that area and change the way you do something?
A woman with four children under the age of six decides she wants beige carpet throughout her house. She then spends the next few years nagging her family to be careful. A portion of every day is spent cleaning spots off the carpet. Then she complains to a friend that her husband and children are slobs because they make a mess of her carpet every day.
The reality is that her family is unusually careful when it comes to making messes and if she had a twill-type darker carpet with a small pattern you wouldn’t be able to see any spots.
The reality is that if clothes still appear clean and don’t smell, there is no harm in wearing them again. I have never heard of anyone dying or getting some exotic disease from wearing their jeans a second or third time or even for a week, but I have known of children who have been needlessly mistreated by grumpy, angry and overworked moms.
Do you insist that everyone get a clean towel every time he takes a bath? Why? Assign each person a towel and have him use it two or three times. When you get out of the bath, your body has just been scrubbed down and cleaned (we hope!). You’re getting less dirt and germs on that towel than you are on the sheets that you have slept on for a week or more.
One interesting observation about people who are obsessive about one-use washing: It’s not really about the dirt. I have noticed that women who insist on washing everything after one use often allow their children to wear their winter coats and tennis shoes until they are so grungy that they aren’t sure what color they once were.
If you let yourself be obsessive, you will drive yourself crazy.
We knew a woman whose children would come in from their swimming pool every day all summer long and drip pool water on her good hardwood floors. Each time it happened (several times a day), she would scold them and then mop up the floor.
The bathroom where the children changed out of their swimsuits was against an exterior wall right next to the backyard patio. The reality was that for a small amount of money– which this family could easily afford, she could have put a door leading from the pool to the tiled bathroom, but she refused to have it done because she insisted that they learn not to walk inside while dripping. Just like anything in life, to stay sane, you need to choose your battles.
In case you think I exclude my own habits, I too have had this problem. I used to iron everything. With my first child, I even ironed my baby’s little t-shirts and pajamas. (note from Tawra: I knew something went wrong in my childhood :-) )
When my second baby came, he had very bad colic followed by pneumonia. (It took many weeks and four pediatricians to find out what was wrong.) I had walking pneumonia for three months, but I was still trying to iron everything.
There were days I would only get up long enough to take care of the kids and then would collapse on the floor because I didn’t have the strength to make it to bed. Well, one day a little light bulb went off in my head– Maybe I should stop ironing (at least for this season in my life). Duh!
Simplify your cleaning and organizing!
Don’t get me wrong– If having beige or white carpet inspires you to clean, puts a song in your heart and gives you warm fuzzies then by all means choose the beige carpet. Carpet your walls if it makes you feel that good. The same goes for the laundry. If it fills your heart with pride to see your children in freshly washed clothes, then let them change their clothes every hour.
The easiest way to keep your sanity is to reduce the things you do to the simplest process that gets the job done. If you want to be especially picky about one thing and you don’t mind spending the extra time, go ahead and do it. Just don’t neglect to maintain your home by becoming obsessed with it and, most importantly, do not blame your family for the extra work it causes you. It is not fair to them for you to take your anger out on them because you choose to do more work than necessary.
There is a verse in the Bible that says “Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.” (Proverbs 14:1) Measure everything you say and do by asking yourself this question: “Is it going to be for the good of my family and build it up or is it just the way I want things done even if it tears down my family?”
Here are some quick cleaning and organizing tips to start saving time and energy by changing habits:
Spot clean clothes – If they have just one dirty spot, take a wash rag and wash it off. Then wear it again.
Let each family member use one towel per week. Gasp! It won’t kill them to use a towel that has only touched their clean body after getting out of the shower! But it will cut down on your work!
When remodeling or replacing items, get things that will make cleaning easier. Get carpet that will conceal dirt. Don’t put in tile — The grout is horrible to clean.
Put down inexpensive throw rugs under tables if a vinyl floor is not possible in the dining area.
Allow the family to eat only at the table to avoid food messes in the rest of the house.
Serve only light colored drinks if you have light colored carpet such as white grape juice, lemonade and of course water.
Don’t overdo it when buying clothes. A four week supply of clothes isn’t necessary for every member of the family. Ten days’ worth of clothing is plenty for most people. Unless you work outside the home, five dresses for church, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of dress pants and some blouses are more than enough.
Buy clothes that don’t need to be taken to the dry cleaners.
Don’t clean it if it doesn’t need it. Who says you have to vacuum everything every week? For a seldom used room like a guest room, don’t waste time vacuuming it every week.
Don’t dust until you see dust.
If there is something that continually frustrates you, fix it.If you can’t find your keys, hang them by the door. Put them there as soon as you walk in and you will know right where they are when you leave. If the door knob doesn’t work properly, fix it. Sometimes we think that we are too busy to take care of these things, but eventually, the hassle of working around something exceeds the time necessary to fix it. I once heard someone refer to this as being “too busy driving to stop for gas”.
For more easy cleaning and organizing tips, check out our How To Organize And Clean Your Home e-books, which are full of easy tweaks to make cleaning and organizing easier.
These easy 3 ingredient dinner recipes will make it easy for you to make cheap and delicious meals your family will love without spending a lot of time in the kitchen!
This post is dedicated to my friend and neighbor Katie. She came over and we were talking and she said “I need some super easy 3 ingredient or less recipes for dinner“.
As I was telling her about a couple of these recipes she had no idea these recipes could be made, and so easily too! She grew up with a mom who never cooked so she never learned how to cook. She was telling me how she would like to learn now.
If you are new to cooking at home try some of these recipes to get you started and get a good cookbook to help you along the way. Even if you are an old pro try some for those days when you just need something quick and easy!
For lots more easy and delicious dinner recipes, check out our Dining On A Dime cookbooks!
This easy egg salad recipe makes a tasty traditional egg salad you can throw together in 5 minutes. It’s perfect for egg salad sandwiches and to top salads. You can make a week’s worth and have an easy lunch all week! You’ll also find a fancier version if you want something a little different!
You can easily whip up this easy egg salad recipe in just a few minutes and then chill. It is a good traditional egg salad recipe perfect for egg salad sandwiches. I like to leave my egg salad a little bit chunky, but if you prefer it more smooth, you can keep mixing it until it reaches your desired consistency.
This egg salad recipe makes an easy sandwich when you serve it on bread or toast. You can add lettuce leaves, sliced onions, celery or olives for extra texture and flavor. If you’d like to make it fancier, you can serve on a bakery roll or croissant or in a pita.
The egg salad will not usually make the sandwich soggy, but if you are concerned about it, you can add a thin layer of butter on the inside of each piece of bread to make sure it doesn’t get soggy.
If you’re trying to cut the carbs or you can’t eat bread, you can serve this egg salad inside of lettuce as a lettuce wrap. Egg salad makes a nice salad topping, too.
You can make up a big batch of egg salad and keep it in the refrigerator so you will have something quick and easy to grab for lunches for the whole week. Egg salad sandwiches are perfect for easy sack lunches.
This egg salad recipe is a great recipe to make when you need to use a lot of eggs. If you bought too many eggs when they were on sale or have a lot of colored eggs left over after Easter, this recipe is the perfect way to use them.
This easy egg salad recipe is from volume 1 of our cookbook:
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Here is our video showing you how to make the basic 3 ingredient egg salad recipe:
Here are some other things you can add to this egg salad recipe for different flavor variations:
Egg salad is very versatile, so feel free to modify it to your liking! Here are some different egg salad add-ins and variations you might like!
Sweet pickles/gherkins, chopped (You can also include sliced sweet pickles in your sandwiches.)
Dill pickles, chopped (You can also serve pickle spears alongside the egg salad or on the sandwiches.)
Celery, sliced or chopped
Black or green olives, sliced
Onions, chopped to use in the recipe or sliced to add in sandwiches
Avocado, cubed and mixed into the egg salad or sliced and included on the sandwich
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or dill, chopped
Bacon, crumbled
Radishes, chopped into small pieces
Carrots, chopped into small pieces
Any other salad-type ingredient that sounds good to you.
If regular egg salad sandwiches seem a little too plain for you, here is a recipe that I call a “glorified” egg salad recipe. There are probably as many egg salad recipes as there are people because you can put so many different things in them but I especially like the combination of ingredients in this one when I am looking for something a little fancier.
This Italian cream cake recipe makes a super tasty and decadent cake that’s sure to please! This classic Southern recipe is rich and creamy, just like Grandma used to make! This comfort food dessert is especially great for holidays, parties and family get togethers!
I just LOVE this Italian cream cake recipe because it is rich and delicious! Frost with the Italian cream cake frosting recipe, also included in this post!
This Italian cream cake recipe is from Volume 1 of our cookbook:
Making a cake has never been easier than this easy dump cake recipe with no mixing required. Just dump, spread, and bake for a fantastic and fast dessert. Try our variations for a completely different dump cake each time.
Our easy dump cake recipe uses pie fillings and cake mix to create a delicious, gooey cake that everyone loves. Plus there is something really fun about knowing you just dumped everything into a pan and it turned out amazing.
What is a Dump Cake?
Exactly what it sounds like! For this recipe, you literally dump the ingredients in one at a time and layer them before baking. Nothing could be easier.
How Does a Dump Cake Recipe Work?
The magic of this cake is that the liquids absorb into the cake mix from the bottom up and create an amazing crust on top. It’s almost like an upside-down pie, but with cake instead of pie crust. It’s also very similar to a cobbler, but a little bit different.
Ingredients
All of the ingredients for this dump cake recipe are store-bought and easy to find. Keep these on hand to use for a quick easy cake any time. I love cakes like this because they come together so fast! No beating the eggs no mixing, no stirring, and no fuss. Hint: I also highly recommend you grab some ice cream.
Crushed Pineapple, Canned. I love having a can of crushed pineapple in my pantry at all times, because pineapple is a tasty addition to a huge variety of recipes.
Cherry Pie Filling, Canned. Just regular store-bought cans of pie filling will work.
Apple Pie Filling, Canned. You can also use home-canned pie filling as long as you have the right amount of ounces.
Yellow Cake Mix. Any brand of cake mix will work. You can also experiment with different flavors.
Chopped Nuts. Try chopped walnuts or pecans.
Butter or Margarine. This adds flavor and fat to the recipe as it melts down into the cake layers.
How to Make a Dump Cake
Important: Do not mix this cake! It’s called a dump cake because you dump each ingredient in one at a time and layer them in the pan. This is how it works.
First, preheat your oven and grease your pan. Next, layer the undrained pineapple in the bottom of your 9 x 13 pan. Repeat this step with each of the pie fillings. After the pie fillings are both spread out, dump the cake mix in and spread it evenly across the pan. Sprinkle crushed walnuts or pecans on top. Finally, slice and spread out the butter all over the cake as evenly as possible.
How Long to Bake Dump Cake
Bake for about one hour until it’s a nice golden brown on top.
You don’t need any frosting, but ice cream or a drizzled caramel sauce would be tasty.
Can Dump Cake Be Made Ahead?
While you can save dump cake leftovers, it is best hot and fresh. It’s also really good with ice cream! Just plan to stick it in the oven one hour before you need it, because layering the six ingredients hardly takes any time at all.
Storing Leftovers
Keep your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. Freeze individual slices of dump cake in freezer quality zipper bags for up to one month. Make sure to remove the excess air from each bag. Thaw at room temperature for about one hour before serving from frozen.
Dump Cake Recipe Variations
Use lemon, strawberry or spice cake mixes instead.
Replace the 2 cans of pie filling with 1 can blueberry pie filling, 1 cup coconut and 1 cup pecans.
Try something new! Play around with a variety of pie fillings and cake mixes to find a new flavor you love.
Other Cake Recipes
I’m confident you are going to love our dump cake recipe, but if you are looking for more desserts to try, here are some other great cake recipes.
Easy Pound Cake. The perfect cake to serve with macerated (softened in sugar) strawberries and whipped cream in Spring.
Do you ever struggle with having dry lips? This super easy homemade lip exfoliator recipe is an easy way to make homemade exfoliator that renews your lips fast!
Homemade Lip Exfoliator
Try this quick tip to combat dry lips!
My lips were really dried out when we got back from Colorado. I really enjoyed using a sample of lip exfoliator that someone had given me. I was desperate and I thought I would try to make my own.
I took a small amount of ChapStick, dipped it in some sugar, rubbed (more like scrubbed) it on my lips and wiped it off.
Wow! My lips were like new! All the dry skin was gone and my lips were really soft.
After that I just LOVED it so much that I decided to make my own. Here’s my recipe
This easy chicken Alfredo recipe is a delicious meal you can make in 10 minutes! Your family will love it and you’ll save not eating out! It’s just as delicious as a fancy restaurant and a lot less expensive!
A simple and delicious meal, chicken Alfredo is also an inexpensive pasta dish you will return to over and over again. Use our chicken Alfredo recipe any time you want dinner on the table in the time it takes to cook diced chicken and boil pasta.
Chicken Alfredo is a popular kid’s menu item for a reason. The cheesy goodness of the Alfredo sauce complements any pasta and has a mild flavor kids love.
How to Make the Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Pulling together an Alfredo dish is really easy! Start by boiling water for pasta since that takes the longest. While you are waiting, move on to sautéing your diced chicken breast in a little oil or butter until it is fully cooked. To make your life even easier, grab a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, or cook diced chicken in bulk for your freezer and pull it out for recipes like this one.
Boil the pasta to your desired doneness while you finish the sauce in the same pan you used for the chicken. Drain the pasta, pour on the sauces, add chicken and eat!
Ingredients for Chicken Alfredo
Chicken Breast. Diced chicken breast or cut up rotisserie chicken will both work.
Butter. Real butter works best.
Parmesan Cheese. Freshly grated is fabulous, but in a pinch just grab a can ready to go.
Pasta of Your Choice. Almost any pasta will work for chicken Alfredo. We suggest fettuccine in the recipe but you can use whatever you prefer. Take your pick!
Sauce. Use the recipe below or grab your favorite sauce with a coupon.
Ingredients for Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Butter – Again, go for the real thing unless you need to be dairy-free.
Garlic – I use a fresh clove of garlic for this recipe. You can use jarred, minced garlic if you prefer.
Heavy Cream – I keep a quart of this in my fridge to use in sauce. It’s handy to have on hand for quick meals like chicken Alfredo.
Parmesan Cheese
Herbs – Oregano, Basil, and fresh Parsley are the perfect combination.
Salt and Pepper – Season to taste.
Tips for the Best Alfredo
Cook your pasta following the package directions for the doneness you prefer. If you’ve never tried al dente, give it a try.
Add just a tiny bit of olive oil to your drained pasta to keep it from sticking together and add flavor.
Do not use a non-stick pan to sauté your chicken if you have a regular pan. Non-stick pans don’t gather up bits of goodness for the de-glazing process.
Use the same pan to cook your chicken and then make your sauce. Heat the pan a little bit after you remove the chicken. This will allow the yummy stuff on the pan to loosen and add incredible flavor to the sauce as soon as you start adding sauce ingredients.
Mix the pasta with the sauce before serving to make sure every piece of pasta gets an even coating of sauce.
Try adding vegetables to have variety whenever you want alfredo! Veggies like red peppers, onions, celery, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, or sugar snap peas can be sauteed before the chicken and set aside. Then just add them back into the pan when you mix the pasta with the sauce and chicken.
What to Serve with the Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Garlic bread or crusty Italian bread is the perfect complement to chicken Alfredo. You can also serve the dish with a fresh salad, sliced garden tomatoes, or steamed green beans, or asparagus. Brussels sprouts with bacon are also a good choice.
Storing and Freezing Chicken Alfredo
Save your leftover Alfredo in air-tight containers or freezer bags.
Use individual serving containers so that the leftovers can be taken to work or grabbed quickly for lunch.
Freeze for up to three months in the proper container.
This gluten free soft sugar cookie recipe makes delicious classic soft sugar cookies that actually taste good! These cookies are soft, sweet, and taste like the real thing. They’re easy to make, and perfect for anyone craving a homemade cookie that’s simple, affordable, and absolutely irresistible. And if you have dairy intolerances, these sugar cookies are also completely dairy free!
Easy Sugar Cookies that are Gluten Free and Dairy Free?
There’s something timeless and comforting about a classic sugar cookie, but what do you do if you have to eat gluten free? Soft, lightly sweet, and simple enough to enjoy any day of the week, sugar cookies have a way of bringing back memories of baking with family, sneaking warm cookies off the pan, and enjoying an easy homemade treat. Unfortunately, when you’re eating gluten free, those simple pleasures often get replaced with dry, gritty, or oddly flavored store-bought cookies that cost far more than they should.
That’s exactly why you’ll love this gluten free soft sugar cookie recipe! These cookies are proof that gluten-free baking can actually taste good. They bake up soft and tender with a delicate crumb—nothing like the dense, crumbly, or chalky texture so common in overpriced pre-made gluten-free desserts. Best of all, they’re made with regular pantry ingredients, not expensive specialty products.
This recipe is perfect when you want a tasty gluten-free treat without the frustration! There’s no chilling, rolling, or complicated steps, making it easy even if gluten-free baking hasn’t gone well for you in the past. The dough comes together quickly, bakes in minutes, and delivers cookies that taste like a “normal” sugar cookie—the kind no one would guess is gluten free.
A sprinkle of sugar on top adds just the right touch of crunch and sweetness, while the soft center keeps these cookies tender long after baking. Whether you enjoy them warm, pack them into lunchboxes, or dress them up with frosting for a special occasion, they hold their own against any traditional sugar cookie.
This gluten free soft sugar cookie recipe is dairy free, too, so if you can’t tolerate dairy, it’s the perfect sugar cookie recipe for you, too!
If you’re tired of paying premium prices for gluten-free treats that really aren’t that impressive, this homemade recipe is a refreshing change! Simple, affordable, and genuinely delicious, these cookies prove you don’t have to settle when baking gluten free!
This Gluten Free Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe is from:
This best chocolate chip cookie recipe makes classic favorite cookies with soft, chewy centers, golden edges, and rich chocolate in every single bite! Easy to make and impossible to resist, it’s the kind of classic cookie recipe you’ll turn to anytime a cookie craving hits!
There’s something timeless about a warm batch of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven! The smell alone has a way of bringing people into the kitchen, whether it’s after school, during the holidays, or on an ordinary afternoon that calls for a simple, comforting treat. Chocolate chip cookies aren’t just a dessert—they’re a memory, a tradition, and often the very first recipe many of us learn to bake.
What makes a truly great chocolate chip cookie? For me, it’s the perfect balance of soft centers and lightly crisp edges, plenty of rich chocolate in every bite, and a dough that comes together easily with normal everyday ingredients.
This best chocolate chip cookie recipe has been a long-time favorite for exactly that reason. It uses simple ingredients you likely already have on hand and a straightforward method that works every time. Whether you like your cookies thick and chewy or slightly crisp around the edges, this recipe is easy to adapt to your preference with small baking adjustments.
These cookies are perfect for bake sales, school lunches, holiday cookie trays, or just keeping a stash in the freezer for unexpected company. They also freeze beautifully, making them a smart option when you want homemade treats ready at a moment’s notice.
If you’ve been searching for a dependable, no-fail cookie recipe that delivers classic flavor without fuss, you’re in the right place. Grab a bowl, preheat your oven, and get ready to bake a batch of cookies that will quickly earn a permanent spot in your recipe box.
This Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is from our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1:
Here are 10 easy pasta recipes your family will love! You’ll find a big variety of family friendly recipes and many of these recipes can be great ways to use leftovers!
10 Pasta Recipes Your Family Will Love!
Whether you’re in the mood for something light and cool, something baked, a soup or any of a big variety of flavors, you’re sure to find that one of these easy pasta recipes does the trick!
This Green Chili Chicken Pasta Recipe is a delicious and easy Mexican themed dish. It’s an easy casserole with a different twist from a typical pasta dish.
This ranch turkey pasta recipe is a quick and easy main dish recipe you can make to use some of your leftover holiday turkey. It is so fast you make it in less time than it takes to boil the pasta.
For more quick and easy recipes like these easy pasta recipes, check out our cookbook:
Here is a sample meal plan and shopping list showing how to feed a family of 4 for just $200 per month without using coupons and without shopping at Aldi, since there is no Aldi near me. I used actual store prices from current store ads when preparing this plan.
Feed A Family Of 4 For $200 A Month Without Aldi Or Coupons!
Here is a meal plan for 4 people. These are the basic items and I would say it is a good plan for 2 adults and 2 kids, not teens. If you want more food for teens, then add several more batches of homemade oatmeal muffins and a few more chicken thighs for meat servings.
This is the VERY frugal meal plan if you need to keep your prices very low.
While it is possible to keep your budget down to $200 per month, you may be OK with a spending slightly higher amount. The main point is that most people can save a lot on groceries by re-thinking how they buy food. While you don’t have to follow this plan exactly, I hope it’ll give you some good ideas with specific examples of what we eat and how much I paid for the food.
In 2025, if you don’t need to be super frugal, I estimate that a reasonable amount to spend per month for food is about $100 per month per adult, which is easily doable.
I shopped at my local Kroger store (King Soopers), Walmart, Sprouts and Lucky’s Market. This meal plan reflects prices for buying “regular” food at Walmart or a grocery store like Kroger. If you have certain preferences, like organic, vegan, etc, you will need to expect the prices to be higher.
This meal plan assumes that you already have some things on hand like spices, condiments and basic baking ingredients like flour, sugar and baking powder. You will note that the total amount of my shopping list items adds up to UNDER $200. That is because I am assuming you will need to fill in with a few things as the month goes on, so this allows for you to get the extra items you need.
If you don’t have a freezer to freeze some things, like the chicken or bread, just buy those items on the week that you need them.
This meal plan reflects prices for buying “regular” food at a typical grocery store
This easy toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe makes delicious chocolate chip cookies that taste just like toll house cookie bars! You can make these as bar cookies or regular chocolate chip cookies.
These toll house cookie bars make easy delicious moist and gooey cookies sure to satisfy the chocolate chip cookie lover in your family!
If you prefer, you can make the regular chocolate chip cookie variation and they will be more crunchy like classic chocolate chip cookies. Either way, you’ll have a yummy treat that everyone is sure to love, especially kids! They are perfect for after school snacks, parties and packed lunches!
You might also want to try these other tasty cookie recipes!
Meat is one of the biggest expenses in most Americans’ grocery budget. Try these simple ways to save money on meat without depriving your family!
Let’s face it: Meat is one of the biggest expenses in most Americans’ grocery budget. Try these simple ways to slash the meat portion of your bill without depriving your family!
16 Ways to Save Money On Meat
Try using 1/2, 1/3 or 1/4 the amount of meat in your dishes. Most of the time it doesn’t change the taste and you save money on meat.
Cook twice as much meat for dinner. Freeze half and then when you need a quick meal just remove from the freezer and use.
Stock up on meat when it is on sale. If you don’t have enough money to stock up, try making a double batch (like lasagna) when you cook the next meal, then freeze it for later. Use that frozen meal for a quick dinner instead of eating out when you’re too tired to cook. Take the $30.00 savings and stock up on meat the next time it is on sale.
Buy Meat on clearance. The clearance stickers on meat in the store don’t mean the meat is bad. It means the meat needs to be SOLD by that date. Then you still have 3-4 days the meat is good after that date to cook it at home. You can just put it straight in the freezer and cook laster.
Add beans or lentils to meat to help stretch. This works especially well with recipes like tacos.
Check your prices. A lot of time you will get the tip to buy 1/2 or 1/4 of a cow and then freeze. In some places this “might” be cheaper but in many places it’s luxury and it is MUCH more expensive than buying it from the store.
To store your meat long term in the freezer, vacuum seal it.
Make recipes like chili that have the “feeling” of a lot of meat but don’t use a lot. You can use 1/2 pound of hamburger for chili for 6-8 people and no one will know if you bulk it up with beans, onions and peppers.
When cutting meat for recipes like stew, make the pieces small so they will go further.
Buy meat after major holidays. I can usually find marked down meat for a great deal like hamburger and ribs after Memorial Day or Labor Day. Turkeys on clearance after Thanksgiving. All meat on sale the day after Christmas.
Some butchers will cut turkeys in half. Then just cook like a chicken but for 1/4 of the price!
Use liquid smoke in place of bacon grease or salt pork in recipes. The liquid smoke saves time and money if you don’t have any bacon grease on hand.
Save the plastic liner bags from empty cereal boxes. Next time you need to pound steak, chicken breasts, nuts or crackers, pop them inside to eliminate the mess. Also, use plastic liner bags to shake coatings such as flour or bread crumbs on meats. Just throw away after using it. Store in a file folder.
Use leftover gravy in soups. It adds great flavor!
When making meatloaf, mix the ingredients and fill a muffin tin with the meat. Each mini loaf is one serving. Also very easy to freeze!
This easy red velvet hot chocolate recipe makes the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day or other special occasions. It’s a sweet and delicious chocolatey treat perfect for sharing!
Warm, soft, and loaded with chocolate, this gluten free chocolate chip cookies recipe delivers all the classic cookie flavor you love without the gluten or dairy. Whether you’re baking for allergies or just want a foolproof treat, these cookies come out soft in the middle with perfectly golden edges every time.
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies That Taste Great!
There’s just something magical about the smell of fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven! It instantly makes a house feel warm, cozy, and welcoming — and no one should have to miss out on that simple joy just because they eat gluten free. After years of experimenting with gluten-free baking, I’ve learned that a truly great cookie needs the right balance of crisp edges, soft centers, and rich chocolate flavor… and this recipe nails it.
When I first had to start eating gluten free, I was horrified at the incredibly high cost of ready made gluten free baked goods in the store, and those pre-made items tasted like cardboard! I had to come up with a better solution, and these cookies really hit the spot!
Skip the overpriced pre-made gluten free cookies – This easy gluten free chocolate chip cookies recipe is easy, quick, and made with ingredients most of us already have on hand! You don’t need fancy equipment or hard-to-find flours — just a simple gluten-free flour blend, a few basic baking staples, and a craving for something sweet. These cookies turn out beautifully, hold their shape, and taste just like the classic version you remember.
Whether you’re baking for a gluten-free family member, managing food sensitivities, or just want a cookie recipe that works every time, this is one you’ll come back to again and again. They’re perfect for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, holiday cookie trays, or those late-night “I need something sweet” moments. Grab your mixing bowl and let’s bake cookies everyone can enjoy — gluten free or not! (My husband likes them even better than “regular” chocolate chip cookies!
This Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is from our cookbook!
Here are some cheap meal ideas and recipes you can use to save money on groceries! If you want to cut your food bill, using just a few of these ideas and recipes can cut your food bill a lot!
Cheap Meal Ideas And Recipes – How We Ate For $7 A Week
In this post, I will share some of the cheap meal ideas and recipes Mom used to keep our grocery budget so low.
This was our food budget out of necessity because of our extremely tight financial situation. You may not want to limit your food to just these things but, at the time, things were desperate for us and Mom was trying to figure out how to feed us within the very tight budget we had.
Don’t get stuck in these numbers. If you find yourself saying, “I could never do that…” or “That is impossible these days…”, you are sabotaging yourself and you will never reach your goals. You will need to decide if you would rather convince yourself there’s nothing you can do so you can lament your financial condition or if you want to take action to empower yourself to make your situation better.
Even if you don’t get your grocery budget this low, you can likely save money from what you are spending now. Most people can save a LOT. I’m sharing these cheap meal ideas so you can think about what your goals are for saving on your food bill and consider how you might be able to reduce your spending.
Look it over and then figure out what you might want to implement in your family budget. If you can take a couple of these cheap meal ideas and recipes and lower your grocery bill even by 10%, you will be saving money over what you are spending now. Then keep checking out our other ideas and figuring out what else best works for your family situation.
For more ideas how to save money and reduce your stress, check out:
Most people could save a lot more money on these things than on their grocery bills, so if you want to save the most you can, be sure to check out the above posts!
Cheap Meal Ideas And Recipes – Basic Meal Ideas
Here are some cheap meal ideas and recipes for each meal of the day and a couple of dessert recipes. Implementing these recipes into your meals at least a few times a week will help you save more.
Cheap Meal Ideas And Recipes – Breakfast
Here are the most common easy recipes my mom served for breakfast because they are inexpensive and a little bit goes a long way. When you’re looking for cheap meal ideas and recipes, it’s also good to remember to keep your serving sizes reasonable. Many of us eat too much food and then try hard to work it all off, especially here in America. You can reduce the waste by making just enough for your family and also by preparing their plates and serving them at the table so they’re not tempted to eat too much.
This easy homemade pancakes recipe takes about 15 minutes to make and everyone loves them! These pancakes are a staple at our house and your family will love them too! If you need cheap meal ideas and recipes, this recipe is a great breakfast basic!
This quick and easy scrambled eggs recipe should be a staple in every home! It’s a perfect recipe for cheap meals because virtually everyone loves scrambled eggs, but also because they are hearty and provide a lot of protein! You can serve them just as is if your budget is really tight. If you want to spice them up a bit, you can also add things like salsa, green peppers, onions or cheese!
This easy muffins recipe is a perfect recipe for a quick breakfast or snack. My mom used to make these often. They are delicious just as they are. If you’re looking for cheap meal ideas to cut your budget the most, you would save more money serving them plain, but you can also add things like nuts, fruit or chocolate chips for a little extra variety.
Here are some perfect cheap meal ideas and recipes for lunches. We mostly ate sandwiches for lunches because they’re cheap, tasty and filling. You can also make the fillings ahead of time and spread them on the bread just before lunch. If you send them in packed lunches, lightly buttering the inside with butter, margarine or vegetable spread will keep them from getting soggy.
This easy chicken salad recipe is one of our cheap meal ideas that you can whip up in just a couple minutes that makes delicious sandwiches, perfect for lunches at home or packed lunches. It’s a perfect way to use leftover chicken or to stretch a little bit of chicken into another meal!
This easy egg salad recipe is another tasty recipe to help use up all those colored eggs after Easter. You can make up a big batch and have it for several lunches. You can add lettuce leaves or celery for extra crunch.
This easy chicken salad recipe is a tasty recipe you can whip up in just a couple minutes that makes delicious sandwiches, perfect for lunches at home or packed lunches. It’s a perfect way to use leftover chicken or to stretch a little bit of chicken into another meal!
Cheap Meal Ideas And Recipes – Dinner
This easy chicken and dumplings recipe is an easy way to make chicken and dumplings like mom and grandma used to make! It’s a perfect comfort food recipe that is quick and easy to make!
This quick and easy beef stew is my mom’s beef stew recipe and it is the best beef stew you will ever eat! It is probably my favorite of all of the cheap meal ideas. Every time I make it, everyone raves about how great it is. It’s so great we hardly ever have leftovers! If you need a quick and easy meal to put in the crockpot or on the stove to simmer, this is the recipe for you!!
This recipe is a tasty, tummy warming recipe for cool winter days and you can easily use leftovers in places of some of the ingredients. This is a very low cost recipe and is very tasty as written, but you can feel free to modify it to your liking. If you prefer, you can add or take away veggies and if you don’t mind the extra cost, you can add more meat.
This Quick and Easy Chili Recipe will get you in and out of the kitchen fast! It’s a homemade chili recipe that even kids will love!
This quick and easy chili recipe is another of my favorite cheap meal ideas! If you are a chili connoisseur, it may not be for you but if you have picky eaters or children this recipe is perfect. You can adjust the amounts of the ingredients to the size of your family without doing much harm. This is also a perfect recipe to make the day before and just warm up when you need it.
This easy cornbread recipe is so delicious, sweet and moist you can eat it with nothing on it! It is the best cornbread ever! Serve with stews, chili, soups and more!
I loved drowning my cornbread in syrup until I discovered this easy cornbread recipe. This cornbread is so delicious I can eat it with nothing on it! It is sweet and moist, easy to make and has the best flavor! It’s great to use to make dressing (stuffing) or to serve with stews, soups or chili. It is so good, it will probably become a staple in your home!
Cheap Meal Ideas And Recipes – Desserts
When people think of cheap meal ideas and recipes, desserts don’t often come to mind, but it’s nice to have a little sweet treat, especially for the kids. Here are our favorite cheap and tasty dessert recipes my mom made for us. They make great playtime or after school snacks!
This is the best homemade sugar cookies recipe! Sugar cookies are a great treat for holidays or for kids’ snacks. These are so light and fluffy, you’re sure to love them! My mom made these for us and now my kids love Nan’s sugar cookies just as much!
This easy no bake fudge cookies recipe is a wonderfully chocolatey recipe to satisfy your kids on those hot summer days! These cookies are our kids most favorite recipe and older kids can easily make this recipe themselves!
These cheap meal ideas and recipes are from volume 1 of our cookbook:
This easy apple cinnamon muffins recipe makes delicious muffins that everyone loves! These muffins only take 5 minutes to prepare. I make them frequently because they are a favorite in my family! Even picky eaters and teenagers can’t resist their mouth-watering taste.
Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or something to bring to a potluck, these muffins are the perfect option. They complement almost any meal and their sweet and savory flavor is sure to please your taste buds.
This apple cinnamon muffins recipe makes super yummy muffins that are great for all kinds of occasions. These muffins are easy to make with just 5 minutes prep time. They’re great for breakfast, after school snacks, as an addition to a family meal and more! Our family loves them and you will, too!
These muffins also make a great gift in a jar mix for holidays and special occasions. If you would like to make it as a jar mix recipe, you will find that version of the recipe below!
This apple cinnamon muffins recipe is in volume 1 of our cookbook, where it is called Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix.
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This homemade apple cinnamon muffin mix makes super yummy muffins which are great for all kinds of occasions and make great easy gifts in a jar! They’re great for breakfast, after school snacks, as an addition to a family meal and more! Our family loves them and you will, too!
