Blog
Coleslaw Pasta Salad
Welcome to April! Today is April Fools’ Day and, though I am not very good at coming up with tricks for today, my children played a pretty good one on their dad last year. They made him a tall glass of juice, except it was not juice, it was Jell-O. So, when he tried to take a drink, the juice was stuck in the glass. This does not really have anything to do with our April recipe of the month, Coleslaw Pasta Salad, except that I have been thinking a lot about different ways to involve my children in making meals and snacks at home.
Guacamole
Have you ever made homemade guacamole? I had not until I first made our July recipe of the month. I assumed I could not make it as well as a restaurant or the tubs of guacamole I bought from the store. I was both right and wrong. This recipe is certainly not as good as my favorite restaurant guacamole, but it is better than the tubs of guacamole from the store. The first time I made it, I liked it so much that I ate half of it for lunch one day and the other half the next day.
Cucumber Salsa
Our June recipe of the month is Cucumber Salsa. Jody shared this recipe with me after she tried something similar at a party. This recipe is perfect for June because cucumbers are in season and plentiful. To make this recipe you combine chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and peppers with a homemade dressing made from sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, and some seasonings. This salsa is best when eaten right away.
Frozen Yogurt Bark
April showers bring May flowers… and May brings warmer weather for spending time outside. This May I am running my first half marathon! With this extra activity, I need extra meals and snacks to make it through my day. One snack I have been making recently is Frozen Yogurt Bark – our May recipe of the month. It is the perfect snack after a long hot run.
Extra Rice?
Last week Anna shared about our recipe of the month – Vegetable Fried Rice. I enjoy making that recipe for my family, but I always end up with extra cooked rice. Thankfully, there are many ways to use leftover cooked rice. Before we get started on those, I would like to thank our friends at AnswerLine for providing the tips below for safe storage of cooked rice:
Vegetable Fried Rice
This time of year always starts to feel hectic to me. Especially this year, as a senior in college, I am overwhelmed with the thought of graduation and moving onto the next step of my life. When life gets a little hectic, I want simple, filling meals to power me through my weeks. This vegetable fried rice does just that. Using staple ingredients, it is easy to throw together in a pinch. I like to make this recipe at the end of my week and use up any leftover vegetables I have in the fridge.
Tuna Melt Sandwich
We recently updated our Tuna Melt Sandwich recipe and I am sharing it with you today for our March recipe of the month. This is a good recipe when time is tight because the tuna salad mixes together quickly and the cook time is only about 10 minutes total.
Chicken with Mushrooms
Are you a mushroom lover? In my home, we are divided. Three people love mushrooms and two people hate mushrooms. Our February recipe of the month is Chicken with Mushrooms. This recipe is a pan fried chicken topped with mushroom gravy. Since the chicken and gravy are prepared separately, the mushroom haters can breathe a sigh of relief. They can have their chicken plain. And, for us mushroom lovers, we get extra mushroom gravy.
Roasted Chickpeas
Happy New Year from the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. team! I am excited to kick off the new year with our first recipe of the month for 2023 – Roasted Chickpeas. I am not a person to set resolutions each year, but I do try to grow and learn by reminding myself to stay curious and try new things. When I started testing and writing up this recipe for the website, I had to remind myself many times to be willing to try new things.
Beef Stew
Welcome to December! This time of year is busy, but I hope you can find a couple of hours to make our recipe of the month – Beef Stew. This recipe is hearty and it fills your home with a wonderful smell. Below I have some tips from my family on making this recipe.
Pumpkin Recipe Roundup
Pumpkin is a classic flavor that reminds me of the fall season. One 15 ounce can holds about 2 cups of pumpkin. Some pumpkin recipes on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. use the full can while others may use a smaller amount. What do you do with any leftover pumpkin?
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
Fall baking season is in full swing! If you are anything like me, you spend summer counting down the days until there’s a chill in the air and you can break out those sweatshirts. Whether you like it warm or cold, we can all agree that fall brings wonderful flavors with it. One of my favorite fall memories is cooking in the kitchen with my dad.