This post is brought to you by Empire-Cat seller of heavy machinery.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Beef soup
The first time I ever made this soup my husband wrote me a love letter. Really. Nothing says lovin’ like a big pot of hearty beef and bean soup.
The key ingredient is a cut of meat called a shank cross cut. It is sometimes referred to as a center cut. This cut of meat has a roundish bone surrounded by meat. It is very tough, therefore it needs to be boiled for at least 3 hours, perhaps 4 for the best taste. The thing to remember with beef is the tougher the cut, the tastier the meat.
natebeaty / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
When it’s cold outside, I crave warm stews like this chicken and hominy recipe. This stew is a traditional Mexican dish known as Pozole. The red chiles give it the heat and color. Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list! You can find all the ingredients in your grocery stores’ ethnic aisle.
This spicy stew is perfect with a little lime when you are all stuffed with a cold. Don’t worry! You can control the heat and still enjoy a bowl if you don’t like spicy food. It’s usually made with pork, but I make it with chicken because I’m allergic to pork.
JillOW / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
A while back I shared a pumpkin bread recipe that till now had been my favorite to bake when the crisp autumn air rolled in. I recently discovered a new favorite. Here is the recipe. If you are looking for pumpkin carving ideas, we got dozens.
This pumpkin seed bread stays moist because of the applesauce that I use instead of oil. The pumpkin seeds also give it a surprising crunch. The best part about this recipe is (more…)
Rachel Ford James / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Although many of us use herbs to enhance flavors, using herbs as the star instead of expensive meats will save you money big time. (Recipes below.) Especially if you grow the herbs yourself! Below I’ll show you the basics of growing herbs.
A while back Bargain Babe started a recession garden with herb plants she bought at a hardware supply store. I suggest you start with seeds to save even more money. You don’t need a lot of space, but you will need to know this:
Chocolate sorbet. Credit: jules:stonesoup/Flickr
This recipe for easy chocolate sorbet in the Sunday New York Times Magazine Food Issue caught my eye. So simple! Such promise! So cheap! Sunday’s issue included recipes for 11 other desserts, plus starters, drinks, and main courses. Note, I have NOT tried this recipe but hope to this weekend. Maybe I’ll make this today if I can get out of work early (doubtful). It is a lot cheaper than buying ice cream because I already have all the ingredients on hand.
Ingredients
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c boiling water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ice cream maker or large container
Directions
Mix sugar and cocoa powder, then stir in boiling hot water with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Add vanilla. Pour into your ice cream maker and stir as per the directions on your maker. Or, pour into a large container and stir every half hour to make granita. I’m new to granita, but Wikipedia says it is a semi-frozen dessert that has a coarser, more “crystalline texture” than its cousins, sorbet and Italian ice. Sounds fine to me!
© vera_photo - Fotolia.com
This recipe for watermelon sherbert comes from the August 2011 issue of Better Homes & Gardens. It has four ingredients and costs just $.27 per serving!
Ingredients
5 c cubed, seeded watermelon
1/2 c sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (not something I have on hand 
)
1/3 c cranberry juice (would other juices work?)
Directions
1. Process watermelon in blender or food processor until smooth. It should end up making about 3 cups of pureed watermelon. Add sugar.
2. Combine gelatin and cranberry juice in a
Pinapple pops. Credit: jamieanne/Flickr
These recipes come from a PR lady working with Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk, which, no surprise, is an ingredient in both these recipes. I’m such a big fan of DIY-ing and ice cream, however, that I couldn’t help sharing. I’m even considering making ice cream for a July 4th party this weekend!
Pineapple and Chipotle Ice Pops
1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained
1 – 14 oz. can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1. Puree pineapple in food processor. Combine with sweetened condensed milk, pineapple juice, lime juice and chili powder in large bowl and mix well.
2. Spoon
Was this "lay out" powered by homemade sports drink? Credit: popofatticus/Flickr
I just learned a recipe to make my own sports drink, which I consume liberally during summer sport season (ultimate Frisbee and volleyball, mostly). This recipe comes from ShopSmart magazine, published by Consumer Reports. I’m so excited to try this out and not buy Gatorade anymore!
Ingredients
4 c water
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Lemon juice or Kool-aid to taste
Directions
Mix everything together and voila! You’re ready to go. Add your preferred sugar-free flavor to taste. I’m guessing this stuff will last a few weeks in your fridge so try making a big batch and pouring it into reusable water bottles as needed.
What are other recipes you can easily make at home, thereby saving yourself a bundle?
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
mary_thompson/flickr
I love veggie chips and I pay WAY too much for these crispy treats. I convinced myself that they are healthy and therefore it is OK to pay at least twice as much as I would pay for a bag of regular chips. Boy, have I been taken in by packaging.
The fact is that packaged veggie chips are healthier than potato chips but still contain carbs, fats, and sodium.
How about controlling the fat and salt by making them yourself?
My favorite veggie chips are the ones made from beets. They are so colorful and impossibly swirled with white and color. Turns out you can make your own by
VirtualEm/Flickr
This is a guest post by longtime reader Ellie. Thanks go to Diane who pointed out Ellie’s passion for food and suggested she share her own recipes!
I’ll start with a comfort food that works well all year and is also kid friendly, plus it’s a one dish meal! My kids would eat it as often as I was willing to fix it, so that’s always a good indicator. It’s also economical! We always just called it “Hamburger Goop” (that’s kid speak!). This recipe doesn’t need to be exact. That’s what “goops” are all about. (I usually make this in an electric skillet, but it could also be made in a large skillet on the stove top.)
Ingredients
1-2 Tbsp. garlic oil (I make this with half olive and half canola oils, plus 3 or 4 smashed cloves garlic, and keep it in the fridge to be used for sauteing, adding to recipes, etc. I even use it when making omelets or frittatas, or even scrambled eggs. Oils with fresh garlic cloves must be kept in the refrigerator.)
1 med./lg. onion, peeled and chopped (more…)
New car insurance charges you for when you drive and how fast you go. Credit: jefield/Flickr
Saving money on wedding centerpieces at EventsWholesale.com, which brought you this post.
Every Friday I link to five hot blog posts about saving money. Happy weekend!
Planning a wedding? Frugal Dad shares 10 savvy tips to cut your wedding budget. I would only object to using live goldfish as a cheap centerpiece. There’s nothing like a floater to dampen the mood.
New type of auto insurance helps drivers save – A totally new type of auto insurance charges people based on how often, how fast, and what time of day they drive. Main Street has the story.
Coupon myths – Heather at Passion for Savings tackles five coupon myths, including that generic brands are cheaper and that stores lose money when you use coupons.
Meatless recipe – Bargain Briana chronicles her journey into a meatless life with this recipe for meatless tomato basil penne pasta. I’m hungry!
From moderate to extreme couponing - ConsumerAffairs blogger Sara Huffman delves into extreme couponing after watching a TLC show. Watch out for the Google Ads interspersed with this post. They are annoying!
little blue hen / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
gapplewagen / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
There is nothing more comforting and tasty than pasta, but to cut down on meat consumption to save money, this veggie lasagna recipe is a great alternative. And because the noodles cook in the pan, it’s a bit quicker than other lasagna recipes.
For the pasta sauce I use Trader Joe’s Organic Basil Tomato Marinara and add red pepper flakes for a kick. I’ve also made the lasagna using pesto and it’s just as yummy, but you can use your favorite pasta sauce. I love cheese and use it quite liberally when making this dish. If you are vegetarian or lactose intolerant (more…)
Polkaroo / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
These muffins are super tasty. I picked up the recipe from a health magazine a long time ago and have made them a few times for Thanksgiving brunch. Not only are they healthy enough to pass off as a breakfast food, but adding ice cream can turn them into a dessert-worthy combo.
To save money in the kitchen, bake a double recipe, let them cool, and then freeze them. Muffins, like most bread products, freeze extremely well. Thaw out by popping them in the microwave or toaster oven. To change the recipe, I toss different nuts in the mix like walnuts or almonds and I switch ¼ cup sugar for agave syrup. It makes the muffins moist and I’ve read agave syrup won’t spike your sugar levels as much as regular sugar. If you are looking for dessert recipes for Thanksgiving try a pumpkin bread recipe. (more…)
Our yummy dinner.
I’ve been craving chili ever since I went camping last month so on Monday I cracked open my copy of The Best of America’s Test Kitchen
