Blog

Berry Crisp
Fruit crisp is one of my husband’s favorite foods. He often requests it for his birthday or other special meals. I do not mind because it is a dessert that gives my family some fruit and some whole grains (oats). Plus, it is an easy dessert to make. The only problem is that it can be expensive. Below I have some tips for making a fruit crisp fit into your budget.

Fish Tacos
Our April recipe of the month is Fish Tacos. This is a homemade version of restaurant fish tacos with coleslaw and chopped veggies wrapped in a corn tortilla. I enjoy this recipe because the different flavors and textures come together to make a delicious meal.

Microwave Baked Potato
Microwaving a potato is a quick and easy way to add a baked potato to a meal. Sometimes potatoes get a bad rap for not being good for you. However, potatoes are a good source of potassium and Vitamin C and they do not cost a lot. The instructions for microwaving a potato were a little out of date on our website, so we have updated them. Below are the steps and some recipes to go along with your microwave baked potato. You can also find the instructions on our website at: https://spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu/recipe/microwave-baked-potato/

Loaded Potato Soup
Our March recipe of the month is Loaded Potato Soup. Potato soup is a favorite in my home. It comes together pretty quickly and it makes a filling meal in one bowl.

Moldy Veggies – Yucky and Disappointing
Guess what my son found in our refrigerator last week? Moldy celery. It was yucky and disappointing at the same time. We were working together to make chicken noodle soup for supper that night. He was disappointed because he wanted to chop the celery. His brother was disappointed because we ended up using frozen peas instead of the celery.

How much money do you spend on food each day?
This is a question I have been asking myself since I saw this blog, $4 A Day Challenge. Stephanie Moore, a channel 13 (WHOTV, Des Moines, IA) reporter decided to take on the challenge of eating for $4 each day for a week. Why $4? That is the average amount a person receives for Food Assistance.

Thirsty?
As the weather starts getting warmer, having something cold and tasty to drink is on my mind a lot. After taking my dog for a walk, playing with my son at the park, or working in the yard, I am thirsty for something cold. The water that comes out of the tap is just not cold enough, so what is a girl to do?

Shredded Pork Sandwich
Shredded pork sandwich is an easy meal for a busy day. This is the type of meal that I like to have on my menu each week because some nights I am too worn out to put much energy into a meal. All you need to do is:

Blackened Tuna Patties
There are some weeks when I get to shopping day and I realize that it is not going to happen. Maybe someone is sick, maybe we are snowed in, or maybe I am just too tired. The reason does not matter because the result is the same – I have to make lunch for my two children and I plus supper for all four of us with what is left in the pantry and the refrigerator.

Spring Cleaning – Your Refrigerator
As the weather warms up in March, I like to open up the windows, let in some fresh air, and do some spring cleaning. Since I have two young children at home, my spring cleaning usually happens in fits and starts. To tell the truth, my goal is usually to have the spring cleaning done by early May because I can only find a free hour or two each week to devote to it. This week and next week I am going to bring back a couple of old blog topics to help with spring cleaning this year.

Spring Cleaning – Sanitizing Versus Washing
When you are doing your cleaning do you ever wonder if you are getting something truly clean or just wiping the dirt off the surface? I think about it a lot because I often rush through the cleaning just to make the house look nice before someone comes over. For the second week of spring cleaning, I would like to bring back a blog topic I wrote in 2011 called “How Clean is it? Sanitizing vs. Washing”.

Banana Oatmeal Bread
Banana bread is one of my favorite foods. I can make it a part of any meal or snack. Luckily my family agrees with me. Our April recipe is banana oatmeal bread, and it is delicious!