Frugal March chatter (Marching on with Savings) cont'd Frugal Feb....

[dreamcatcher1962]

I really want to start making school snacks for DS- granola bars, fruit snacks (found a recipe on pinterest), fruit bars, applesauce (if anyone has a tried and true recipe, that would be GREAT!!), etc. He loves veggies and dip and I've been buying the prepackaged ones but I'm going to make my own dip to save some money.

I have a veggie dip recipe of mom's that I just love. I'll post it below in case you are interested in trying it.
The recipe makes a fair amount so you might want to cut it in half if you are trying it the first time.

1 1/2 Cups Mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
2-3 dashes Tobasco Sauce
2 tsp Curry Powder
dash pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp grated onion

Hope you like it

[jasperandchar]

Can someone tell me how you find stuff that is in Canada listed on Listia.com

I'm new to it and have not signed up yet or maybe I have & just don't remember but I see that you can search by
http://www.listia.com/search

Is there a category just for Canada (lol)?

thanks

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

I do try to make my own Granola Bars, Special K bars and this weekend I will be making Quinoa Bites. I prefer my homemade Granola bars to the store bought ones but for me the issue as always is time.

This is my fav granola bar recipe
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/P...nola-Mini-Bars

I make these granola bars a lot, not sure how much healthier they are but I like that I can put whatever I want in them to my son's tastes.I used up all my condensed milk coupons from the Ziploc boxes two weeks ago at Safeway when they had a BOGO event so I paid a bit over 1.50 a can which makes these more affordable!! Hope you like them.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-granola-bars/

I have a veggie dip recipe of mom's that I just love. I'll post it below in case you are interested in trying it.
The recipe makes a fair amount so you might want to cut it in half if you are trying it the first time.

1 1/2 Cups Mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
2-3 dashes Tobasco Sauce
2 tsp Curry Powder
dash pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp grated onion

Hope you like it

Thank you all for the recipes!!! I'll try them out this week

[lilo0003]

i have a easy snack cake that is great for lunches. It took me a bit of hunting to find the link & now it won't work grrr. It is a super easy chocolate bottom banana loaf made in a 9x13 pan. These are super easier and freeze so well. In fact if I don't freeze half the tray the boys will eat it in a day. I also to save time I make up 3 extra of the dry mixes so that I can make these in a flash. It does look like not enough in the pan but it fills out nicely.
the one i use comes from a site called Tammy's recipes but there are others out there. If the link continues to not work I will type out the recipe tonight. I need it on file anyways as I currently have a printed copy that I would cry if I lost.

[jasperandchar]

what is the most frugal thing you do or your family does?

[Insane]

Morning ladies!! I think I'll finally join in, I have learned so much already from all of you First things first I'm going to make a meal plan and stick with it this week, using only things that we have on hand. I have a pretty impressive stockpile (took me a long time but I'm pretty darn proud of it!) so I'm going to focus on using some of it up. We just stocked up on meat last week so I'm good for that... a local grocery store has a huge freezer of discounted meats so I often buy stuff from there and freeze it until I need it.

I really want to start making school snacks for DS- granola bars, fruit snacks (found a recipe on pinterest), fruit bars, applesauce (if anyone has a tried and true recipe, that would be GREAT!!), etc. He loves veggies and dip and I've been buying the prepackaged ones but I'm going to make my own dip to save some money.

I make applesauce in the slowcooker ALL the time.

Peel and cut about 8 apples. Add to slow cooker with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 sugar (I use honey, it's better for you and so tasty!) and some cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook for 10ish hours. Stir. Eat.

I'll often set it going before bed and wake up to a yummy smelling house. Then we add it to oatmeal in the morning. So, so yummy.

Welcome! You have already inspired me: Sloppy joes, haven't had that for a LONG time....that is now on next weeks menu. I use the heels from my homemade bread. Because of the paddle insert- the whole in the bottom of the heel just holds extra topping! Yummmm.

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/yummy-...sy-sloppy-joes

I use this one and it is great and easy. I usually make buns for it when I'm making my bread.

I also often fry up a bunch of ground beef at a time. It doesn't take that much more time to fry up 1lb as it does to fry up 5lbs. Then I just divide it up into baggies and freeze. Then when I need ground beef, it's ready to go. Saves a lot of time during dinner prep.

Here's a discussion on it. Although I've been doing it for awhile.

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/cookin...ad-of-just-one

[Insane]

The problem with a lot of granola bar recipes is they call for peanut butter. Which is not allowed at the daycare or the school.

[SassyAshley]

I have also used this one without the coconut and frosting and does not include peanut butter.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Chewy-Granola-Bars-2

The problem with a lot of granola bar recipes is they call for peanut butter. Which is not allowed at the daycare or the school.

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

I love all the recipe suggestions, thanks!!!

what is the most frugal thing you do or your family does?

I guess the most frugal thing we do is coupon!! I have a very strict price list of things now and I won't buy anything unless it's within that price range and I stock up.

[matty's mom]

Okay... So, our lovely boxer puppy decided to take my DH for a walk the other day. It was snowy, there was ice... you can imagine where I am going here... My hubby is off work for two weeks (no coverage) because he has badly bruised ribs. Now I am really glad that I stocked up when I did- as we can make it through...but two weeks pay... OUCH!

The good thing is that we have money set aside for professional training for Pongo (the puppy) and his first evaluation is Saturday. He gets outside and he gets a little CRAZY! Inside the house, aside from teething- things are really good, he has com along way. If anyone has any ideas for teething with a large puppy, I could use them!?

[LuvToUseCoupons]

You are welcome I hope you enjoy them, I always hesitate to give out recipes because one persons fantastic recipe is another persons flop depending on tastes! But I find anything with sweetened condensed milk is delicious!! Make sure you cut them with a knife that has been run under hot water to make slicing easier.

Great. Thanks for the tip.

[LuvToUseCoupons]

If you fry food like chicken then use it instead of oil. It's good for frying.

Does anyone here use lard for baking? DH helped a friend butcher 2 pigs last week and they gave us 6 containers of lard. It makes the best tea biscuits but I`ve never used it for anything else.

[matty's mom]

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/yummy-...sy-sloppy-joes

I use this one and it is great and easy. I usually make buns for it when I'm making my bread.

That one looks really yummy. I will try it. Question, what did moms do before there was ketchup? DS' favourite sweet and sour sauce is ketchup based as well. My mom used to make a pineapple/soy sauce sweet and sour that I loved grewing up- DS won't eat it! I can't even put ketchup on his plate alone to dip, because he seems to think that it is it's own food group! LOL!

[SassyAshley]

My half bro was the same, my step mom had to start limiting us to 1 bottle of ketchup per week when we were kids (which sucked for the rest of us cause he would use it all during the week than on weekend when I was over and my bro was home we wouldn't have any).

Most people have ketchup with their grill cheese, not my bro even in his early 20s he has grill cheese with his ketchup. He pretty much covers his plate in ketchup, it looks like soup.

[Insane]

Sigh...I think the tuna casserole is going to be a flop. It was really liquidy and I can hear it boiling over in the oven. Which means I will have to clean the oven. If it doesn't turn out, I guess it'll be leftovers.