There are many foods that traditions say usher in a year of prosperity and health. This flavorful soup recipe features one of my favorite New Year’s foods – kale. (Green represents prosperity as in Big Bucks!) This soup has layers of flavor and has that smooth, comfort-food feel. A bonus: It is easy and healthy, too. Kale is one of the healthiest foods there is per calorie – the saying should not be “an apple a day,” but “a bunch of kale a day” keeps the doctor away. BOTH fabulous and frugal to boot!
Whenever I haven’t had the chance to shop in weeks, am running low on produce, and need something hearty yet nutritious and suitable for everyone in the family, this is one of my most beloved go-to items. Lentils are full of iron and fiber and protein, this is flavorful and spicy and rich (the heat can easily be adjusted for your own preferences; my 20 month old likes it spicier than her daddy does, in fact). The only fresh items you need are onions, garlic and ideally ginger – but the ginger can be frozen or, in a pinch, powdered. You could also use garlic powder if you were really low, so the only absolute must is an onion! Continue reading ‘Red Lentil Curry – a Pantry Go-To Fave’
This Christmas candy recipe has been a favorite in my family for four generations. My mom got it from her family and now it has become a Christmas classic for my kids. They whine like crazy if I even THINK of skipping these during the holidays! Last year, I added my own twist and changed the diced pecans to diced toasted almonds. We loved the change, and my son Jake renamed the candies “Joy to the World” balls, since they now have a little of the flavor of Almond Joy candy bars!
Want to start a fun new holiday meal tradition and keep the kids occupied whilst you slave in the kitchen? Try this fun and super easy way to make your own homemade butter for the holidays! My kids LOVED to do this when they were little!
It’s too easy to even call it a recipe, but here goes:
Pour some very cold heavy cream into a jar (plastic is a good idea if small kids will be helping). Add a pinch of salt. Put the lid on the jar and then tape it closed with duct tape or heavy mailing tape. Use several thicknesses, just to be sure. Then hand the jar to your kids (willing adults will work, too!) and let them shake, roll and otherwise agitate it for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how much and how frequently you shake the jar.
Then, open the jar and pour off the liquid – hey! I think this is the real “buttermilk, no?. Scoop out the ball of butter that has formed and Voila! Homemade butter!
I remember walking among the bustling crowds at Times Square a few years ago at Christmas time. There were the usual hot dog and bagel street vendors, but also carts full of roasted chestnuts for sale. It was so fun to get a paper cup full to munch on as we walked along. Chestnuts have a delicate roasted flavor when fresh and warm.
When I saw a recipe for Roasted Chestnut Soup in this month’s Fine Cooking magazine, I knew I had to make some version of this. It turned out so yummy – Our newest holiday culinary tradition begins!
If spring time brings strawberry jam, why not Cranberry Jam at Christmas time??? This is a super easy and flavor-packed jam – good enough to give out to the neighbors for gifts.
Normally, of course, canning season is the height of summer’s harvest, working to save as much of the season’s bounty as possible, but these recipes are absolutely perfect for the holiday season, especially if you’re looking to keep your gifts as economical as possible. Canning is a whole new adventure for me, so this was a great learning experience across the board. Continue reading ‘Fab Frugal Friday: For Fabulously Frugal Gifts – CAN IT!’
“It just doesn’t add up! Fruit = good. Cake = great. Fruitcake = nasty crap.” — Jim Gaffigan
Okay, I have to be honest, I really have never liked it before, but after reading this from Adventures in Crunchy Parenthood:
Now before you go telling me how nasty fruitcake is, let me tell you a little secret: there are two kinds of fruitcake. The one you are thinking of is the one with all the little candied fruit bits that have a weird flavor. Granted, it does have a weird flavor, but honestly, I love that kind too (don’t ask me why). But what you are really missing out on is REAL fruitcake. The fruitcake most people know today is full of little processed, candied fruits which have a flavoring called citron added to them. That’s the weird/gross/funny taste most people complain about. REAL fruitcake is made with just plain dried fruits and nuts, and can be customized to suit your particular tastes.
. . . as well as this from the esteemed Noble Pig, I decided to try making one that I might actually like, focusing on dried fruits I actually like, like dates and pineapples and such. Lo and behold, it really is a whole different experience! Continue reading ‘Fruitcake Without Fear’
Is there any dessert that screams “Happy Holidays” louder than a Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Layer Cake? I think not!
CONFESSION TIME: I used a cake mix for the four cake layers. Sorry folks, but it’s Christmas time and it’s all I can do to get my teeth brushed each morning when I leap out of bed at 7 a.m. and frantically run around like a crazy woman until I collapse into bed at midnight.
But, the peppermint mousse was from scratch and totally out of my own culinarily oriented brain. It’s easy and creamy and – well, Yum!
I always look forward to spicy nuts during the holidays – such a nice change from sugary treats. These are Anne’s creation – so good that I have been craving them all year and I couldn’t wait to make them for Christmas this year. The spiciness is balanced by the coolness of the crystallized ginger and craisins. Yum.
