Chicken Enchilada Bake Recipe

Tonight I was shopping at our local grocery store when I had a sudden craving for an old recipe that I used to make with much frequency, but for some reason fell out of including it in our family menus. I’m not sure why, since it is a delicious and relatively easy to prepare recipe. The cost of it is very low, too, but since I haven’t made it since 2006 or so, I no longer have the exact calculations on price. You can bet, though, that it will definitely be part of our menu this week. As soon as … Continue reading →

Creamy Baked Ziti

I’ve been trying to do much better at meal planning this month, including a variety of inexpensive meals that are also packed with nutrition. I like to include a pasta dish during the week, and I selected this one because it is packed with extra tomatoes. Since my kids won’t generally eat tomatoes on their own, I though this would be a great way of getting some of this healthy vegetable (fruit) in to their tummies. Normally when I make baked ziti, I use ricotta cheese. It is part of my Italian heritage, and it is hard to image it … Continue reading →

5 Italian Staples You Should Have in Your Pantry

Stock the following five ingredient staples of Italian cooking, and you will be all set to go with cooking Italian or adding a bit of Italian flavor to any dish. I’ve listed them in the order of my favorite ingredients. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil I used extra virgin olive oil in almost everything, from sauteing to baking! It has a wonderfully fruity taste that makes even boxed brownies taste rich. It is the purest form of olive oil and the healthiest, full of good fat. Fresh Mozzarella There are very few Italian dishes that wouldn’t benefit from fresh mozzarella cheese. Put … Continue reading →

Squash Ratatouille

There are many ways to make Ratatouille, a french peasant dish that takes advantage of the summer bounty of vegetables such as zucchini and tomatoes, sometimes eggplant or other vegetables. Here is a recipe that uses squash, a vegetable that is plentiful right now. The entire dish is pretty cheap to prepare as well as being nutritious. The fresher your ingredients, the nicer the meal will be. Unlike baked ratatouille, this dish is cooked entirely on the stove, so it goes together very quickly. The recipe is also flexible. Add in other favorite vegetables as they become available in your … Continue reading →

Classic Lasagna with Turkey Sausage

This past Easter, my husband wanted lasagna, not ham. I suppose my Italian heritage must be rubbing off on him. My youngest son asked for some of the leftovers for breakfast. When a picky five year old does that, you know you have a winner. This lasagna is straightforward and easy to make, so even if you have never made one before, go ahead and try it. It is pretty much full-proof. Plus, it is made with turkey sausage, making it cheaper and a bit healthier. Ingredients: I box of lasagna noodles (1 pound box) A few tablespoons of olive … Continue reading →

Philadelphia Cooking Cream Recipes

Have you tried the new Philadelphia Cooking Cream that came out a few months ago. It is a cream cheese blend that doesn’t break down in heat the way that regular cream cheese does. It is smoother and creamier, too. The problem is that is has been hard to find good recipes for cooking cream. I honestly didn’t care for any of the ones that the company offers on the box or its website. I got a bunch of cooking cream for pennies using coupons at the grocery store, but I really needed good recipes to use it up. So, … Continue reading →

Need it Fast Solutions: Taco Seasoning Packet

Anyone who has ever prepared a meal has found themselves starting to cook and then realizing that they were out one needed ingredient. You search the pantry, sure that you had one more of whatever it was left. Instead you are faced with having to drop everything and go to the store or scrapping the meal and creating something else. There is one other option. Turn to one of these need it fast solutions to get you back on track. It will be easy and take less time that running to the store and back. You may even save a … Continue reading →

Go Mexican for Cinco de Mayo

For those of you looking to party like it’s 1999 on May 5th, consider hosting a Cinco de Mayo fiesta. The fifth day of the fifth month marks the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In the United States, commemorations of the special occasion are typically marked with large parties that feature plenty of Mexican cuisine. If you can’t make it out to a local fiesta, then have one at home using these red-hot recipes: SPICY BEEF BURRITOS Ingredients: 1 1/4 pound ground beef 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin … Continue reading →

Easy and Affordable Mexican Meals

When I think of easy and affordable meals, tacos immediately come to mind. Aside from crispy corn or soft flour tortillas, everything else needed to make the Mexican dish can be found around the house on a daily basis. Also helping to keep down the costs is the main ingredient. Ground beef or turkey and chicken are all relatively cheap meats. The only problem with tacos is that they can get boring if you serve them more than three or four times a month. That’s where the following dishes come in handy. The recipes for Taco Soup, Turkey Tacos and … Continue reading →

Quick Mom Lunches with Tomato, Basil and Cheese

You know how the day seems to get ahead of you faster than you anticipate? Before you know it, it is time to serve the kids lunch, make sure they eat it, clean it all up and then move on to the next adventure. Usually, moms eat whatever the kids are eating, if they eat lunch at all. But if you want something other than the usual chicken nuggets, grilled cheese or pasta for lunch, try one of the following recipes. I call these recipes my go to lunches for a number of reasons. They are quick and easy to … Continue reading →