Use what you got. Create something good! Fried chicken thighs Mashed potatoes with gravy Cooked carrots I used to be a SaladMaster dealer. It’s waterless greaseless cooking system. Fried chicken without grease. I use my electric skillet preheated to 400. As soon as at temperature, simply put chicken in pan, skin side down. Comes out crispy and very moist. Potatoes, boil as normal and save the potato water to deglaze the chicken pan. I added 2 T butter and about 1/4 C milk. Gravy- after adding the potato water I added some water and about 1 T chicken grease. Boil and scrape the bottom. Add 1/4 C flour and 1T corn starch. Cook well to get rid of flour taste. Add 1 C milk, stir well till desired thickness. Cooked carrots. I used 4 carrots and grated then on fine. Add about 2 T water and cooked. This is the very best way 🤤 Cost 2 thighs $3.29 I know that’s high but we ordered online and they gave us wrong package. Potatoes $1.36 6 small russets Carrots $.44 4 carrots $5.09 Pantry items butter, milk, and flour add less than a $1.00 Leftovers Potatoes- make potato pancakes Gravy - use in the base for soup The key here is using what you have and making something good! What thrifty meal will you make this week?

Yes I do! My mom has been collecting cookbooks forever, I find myself doing the same. On Fb I have following a cooking influser Cassie Yeung. She makes all sorts of Asian food. Just got her cookbook

I appreciate some of you sharing your dinner struggles. Sounds like I got lots of work to do to help. Let's start with some simple tips and ideas and then I want to share a family favorite recipe. 1. Figuring out WHAT to cook? Try this. Make a list of the top 10 dishes you like, your family likes, and is Thrifty. Then you can rotate. 2. Grocery prices? First step, What do you have on hand. I like to take an inventory of what we have, then create my menu's for the week. This saves a lot of money!! 3. No time or energy? I understand this one too well. I believe that if you have that menu made up it makes it a lot easier to make meals and it addressed the 1,2,3 above. 4. Picky eaters? I grew up in a house that you eat what your served or go without! When we were raising our 4 kidos, we would make all kinds of stuff that they didn't like. Our rule was, "I would like a small serving while I am learning to like it". It worked! 5. Cooking just for one or two? This is a hard one. We cooked for 6 + leftovers for so many years. Now we are empty nesters. I made beef stew the other day and we had to freeze 4 extra servings. I am working on this one by really thinking about my quantities and adjusting my recipes. This recipe for Chili - Copy cat Wendy's Chili - I served this at my restaurant, people really liked it. Ingredients: 2 lb. ground beef 4 c (1 qt.) tomato juice 1 (29 oz.) can tomato puree 1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained 1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 c) 1/2 c celery, diced 1/4 c green bell peppers, diced 1/4 c chili powder, (more or less to taste) 1 t cumin (more or less to taste) more better 1 1/2 t garlic powder 1 t salt 1/2 t black pepper 1/2 t dried oregano 1/2 t sugar 1/8 t cayenne pepper Directions: In frying pan, brown the ground beef, then drain off the fat. Put the beef and the remaining ingredients into a 6 qt. pot. Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

Be honest, I won't judge! What's the hardest part of dinner at your house right now? Figuring out WHAT to cook? Grocery prices? No time or energy? Picky eaters? Cooking just for one or two? If it's something else, tell me in the comments. This helps me plan what to share next!

Why pizza? It's universally loved, it's flexible, it's cheap to make, and it makes lots of left-overs. Think about it - Ordering a pizza usually costs around $30 these days. Why spend that on one pizza when you could spend that on ingredients and make 10-20 pizzas at home, and take pride in knowing you did it yourself? Especially as a father, it doubles as a lesson to show and include my child. INGREDIENTS/SHOPPING LIST: (Based on California prices) - All-purpose flour (recommend 10 pound bag; won't use it all at once, but smarter to buy in bulk) Roughly costs $10-$15 (or a deal on Amazon for 3 5-pound bags for $15) - Tomato sauce or puree (8oz-12oz can), usually $3-$5 - Active dry yeast, usually $2-$3 - Granulated sugar (again, recommend buying in bulk), roughly $5 - Salt and pepper (ranges in price; as low as $3 for a small pack, or grinders and bulk pack for around $20-$30 but last around 3-6 months) - Italian seasoning (large 6oz container lasts a while), roughly $3-$5 at Chef Stores - Olive oil (32 fluid ounce bottles are usually $10 at Trader Joe's - pouring spout is a bonus) - Onion and Garlic powders (optional, usually $2-$5 each) - Honey - (optional) Varies. I use Montana Sweet Clover honey from Chicohoneyco.com, starts around $12 - Truffle oil - (Optional). Can buy various sizes off Amazon for around $10-$30 - Toppings (Aside from cheese, all optional): - Shredded mozzarella cheese (or other blend, family size), roughly $8-$10 - Pepperoni - Store brand is usually cheaper and just as good, and I recommend turkey pepperoni (roughly $5-$10 per bag) - Mushrooms - Portabella or White Button (roughly $5 per pack). Better to buy whole and slice yourself, roughly $3-$5 - Sliced olives - Roughly $3 per can RECIPE (Imperial units): YEAST MIX - Water - 2 cups - Yeast (active dry) - 2 tablespoons - Sugar - 1 teaspoon These are to make the yeast, which you'll add to the flour mixture. Heat the water to between 90F-110F (have a thermometer handy, such as an analog bi-metallic stem thermometer with adjustable wing nut, and be sure it's calibrated). While hot/cooling down, add the sugar and stir well.