Penny Pinching Peach

For the semi crunchy, homeschool friendly and totally frugal!


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Warm Salad

Warm salad

Warm salad

My kiddos and I love our veggies.

Sometimes you don’t really need a recipe to have a quick and healthy meal, and this is one of those times. When I was a little one, I loved veggies, but absolutely hated salads. I think it may’ve been because they were just so much lettuce and so little flavor, so it kinda felt like I was literally eating rabbit food.

My munchkins love Mommy style salads, because there are lots of veggies, but lettuce is never the only star of the show. I have mixed greens growing in my little backyard garden, and prefer spinach or green leaf lettuce to iceberg, for both taste and nutrition. I make sure to use a variety of ingredients like a variety of veggies, shredded or cubed cheese, crushed pecans or croutons, fruit, and at times even proteins like chicken or egg.

Sometimes I even make a warm salad, which is what I want to share with y’all now. For supper the other night I threw together a warm broccoli, carrot and egg salad, which the kiddos and I gobbled right up. Wanna try it?

You’ll need to steamed or boiled  broccoli florets and julienned or thinly sliced carrots. (If you’re in a huge hurry, you can microwave them on high for 4 minutes in a microwave safe container with a moist paper towel over them.) Add chopped boiled eggs, shredded cheese and a small amount of salad dressing. You want enough dressing to lightly coat your veggies, but not enough for them to swim in. 🙂 We used caesar salad dressing this time, because that’s what was in the fridge at the time. Ranch or Italian both work well, also. Stir until everything is well coated, and serve warm.

It’s as simple as that! I had my little ones digging into their vittles less than 10 minutes after I opened the fridge to gather my ingredients together. They thought it was yummy, and I knew it was healthy. That is what I call a win-win! 🙂

Good stuff!

Good stuff!

What is your favorite kind of salad?

We eat lots of different types of salads during the spring and summer. There are just too many delicious fresh fruits and veggies available this time of year for us not to take advantage of them! They make for many healthy, delectable meals, desserts and snacks for this penny pinching peach’s family. 🙂

For another great vegetarian dish, try my Easy Mexican Bean Salad!


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Some More S’mores

S'mores Cupcakes

S’mores Cupcakes

Princess Peach and I love our s’mores, but there isn’t always a bonfire and roasting stick available, so I’ve come up with some creative ways to get that ooey-gooey yummy fix. One of my s’more inspired concoctions is S’more Cupcakes. Lemme tell ya, we gobbled these right up! Not to brag, but they were so moist, just gooey enough and the flavors were the bomb diggety. They were also alot of fun for Princess and I to make together, which helped make this a recipe to keep in the “make again” file. Want to make these yourself? You know that you do! Who doesn’t love s’mores?? They’re basically a symbol of summer, and they include chocolate! Oh, and don’t get me started on cupcakes! They just make me happy! They’re a pre-portioned piece of cake and they bring back fond memories of childhood with every bite. Put those together, and you’ve got Heaven in your mouth! 🙂 On to the directions…

S’more Cupcakes

1 Devil’s Food Cake mix, following directions on box for mixing

12 large marshmallows (we used the ones made for s’mores, since they were flat)

1 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Dropping in Marshmallows

Dropping in Marshmallows

Mix the cake batter according to directions, adding the chocolate chips. Fill each cup about 1/3 of the way with the cake batter. Drop three mini marshmallows in each cup. Finish filling the cups with the remaining batter to about 2/3 full. Bake in the oven according to the directions for cupcakes on your Devil’s Food Cake mix.

Before the marshmallow topping

Before the marshmallow topping

When you remove them from the oven, flip the oven to broil. Place your large marshmallows on top of each cupcake, then pop them back into the oven. Broil until they puff up and are very lightly browned, watching closely, since they will burn very quickly. Remove, cool, and enjoy!

My kiddos absolutely drooled over these, gobbling them right up. They had a blast with the process of making them together, as well. My daughter loved adding the chocolate chips to the batter and dropping in the marshmallows. Both of my munchkins were mesmerized by watching the marshmallows puff up in the oven. They were so excited to finally get to chomp into these scrumptious bites of gooey goodness! You’ve got to try them, too! There are even coupons available to go with this yummy recipe! See below…

Sharing their cupcakes

Sharing their cupcakes

What is your favorite kind of cupcake? Do you enjoy s’mores, or are you allergic to melty chocolate gooey scrumpdeliciousness? 😉 For more recipes, please click the Chef’s hat!


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Mexi-Mac

Mexi-Mac

Mexi-Mac

I must admit. This recipe was born from the same place many of my “recipes” are born from: It was simply a case of me wanting something quick and easy to make to fill up my family’s grumbly tummies with ingredients I had on hand. I actually had leftover mac and cheese when I first made this, and just scrounged around the cabinets for something different to make a dinner-in-a-dish with my leftovers. My kiddos really enjoyed this Mexi-Mac, but if you don’t like any spice at all, you could probably do it with plain diced tomatoes or half plain and half the kind with chilies. It would be good with ground beef added, as well. There are so many ways this could be changed up, and it would still be yummy. It’s really just up to your family’s tastes and what’s in your cabinets that day. I’m the queen of playing with recipes to make them work for my family better, or just to use ingredients I don’t have to run out and buy. 🙂

Mexi-Mac

1 10 ounce can Rotel mild green chili and diced tomato
1 16 ounce can black beans
1 box mac and cheese, prepared according to the instructions on the box
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix Rotel, beans and mac and cheese together in a 9X13 baking pan.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until everything is warmed through and cheese is melted.
Enjoy!

*keep reading*

Do you have any dishes that were inspired by leftovers? Does you family eat leftovers or turn up their noses to them? I know some folks hate leftovers, but we hate wasting ours! We often eat them just reheated, but almost as frequently we have leftover makeovers. Sometimes you wouldn’t even know what the original meal was. Yep, I’m that good! 😉

There are no coupons for these specific ingredients, but they are so inexpensive that it almost doesn’t matter. There is a coupon for frozen Hanover beans here, if you want to try those, though: http://www.coupons.com/coupons/Food-Coupons-107/

If you want to earn points toward gift cards while printing coupons, see my post here: https://pennypinchingpeach.com/2013/05/15/mypoints/

For more recipes, please click the Chef’s hat!


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Breakfast Burrito For One

Cheesy Spinach Breakfast Burrito

Cheesy Spinach Breakfast Burrito

Let’s face it. Sometimes we all want a warm, healthy breakfast that won’t break the bank, but we’re either too busy or too lazy to take the time to cook it up. This recipe is perfect for that kind of morning! It is one of my favorite super simple breakfasts to make when my hubby is working and my kiddos just want cereal or fruit. I came up with this while I was pregnant with my son. I needed to eat healthily even when alone with my toddler, but was unable to stand for more than a few minutes to cook without complications. I was also craving spinach morning, noon and night. This Cheesy Spinach Breakfast Burrito hit the spot! You can also use the same ingredients, multiply it by the ammount of burritos you need, and just cook it stove top like scrambled eggs. When I do that, I add sliced fresh mushrooms, since they cook better in the pan. (They’re good in the microwave, too, just slice thin.) If you’re like me, and want to keep it simple and snappy in the mornings, this is a meal for you! It literally is completely done, from opening the fridge to that first yummy bite, in less than five minutes. There are also some great coupons to go along with it this week. You can’t beat that! 🙂

How to make it…

Cheesy Spinach Breakfast Burrito

1 cup fresh spinach, torn or cut into smaller pieces

1 egg

1/3 cup shredded mozarella cheese

1 flour tortilla

1 Tbsp. sour cream

Spray a microwave safe bowl with cooking spray.

Place spinach, egg and cheese in the bowl.

Stir with a fork until everything is well mixed.

Microwave for one minute.

Stir contents.

Place tortilla on top of bowl and return to microwave for 15 seconds.

Spread the sour cream on the middle of the tortilla.

Dump the rest of the ingredients in the tortilla and fold like any other burrito.

Gobble it up and head into your day well fueled!

There are some good coupons to go with the recipe this week!

To print your coupons, please go to http://www.coupons.com/coupons/Food-Coupons-107/

Print coupons for Breakstones or Knudsons Sour Cream and Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese.

What are some of your favorite quick breakfasts for those hectic (or just plain lazy) mornings?

For more recipes, please click the Chef’s hat!


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Cheesy Spinach Enchiladas

When I Became a Spinach Addict

When I Became a Spinach Addict

As someone who is addicted to both cheese and spinach, and loves Mexican food, this is a fantastic recipe! I’ve been a lifelong lover of cheese, but spinach has become a consistent craving for me ever since I got pregnant with my now one year old son. Weird, random, but true, especially since I was barely a mediocre fan of all things green and leafy until then. I’m drooling right now just thinking about these Cheesy Spinach Enchiladas! I want these right now, seriously! This is an awesome meal for a vegetarian or someone like me who can do without meat easily…or the guy whose wife can sneak in a meat-free meal when there’s enough cheese and sauce involved. 😉 It’s also very inexpensive, so who can complain about this one? If you’ve got someone who can’t do without meat at even one meal, just add a sprinkling of shredded chicken to each enchilada (or just his), so everyone will be happy. If you want to double the recipe and freeze one before you finish cooking, usually enchiladas freeze well, although I can’t guarantee them, of course. There are also coupons available to go with this delicious dish, which makes an inexpensive dish even cheaper. Can we say woohoo here?? 🙂

~*~Cheesy Spinach Enchiladas~*~

1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach , thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 (19 ounce) can enchilada sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; cook for a few minutes until fragrant, but not brown. Stir in spinach, and cook about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, and mix in ricotta cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

In a skillet over medium heat, warm tortillas one at a time until flexible, about 15 seconds. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Roll up, and place seam side down in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cup of Monterey Jack.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly browned at the edges.

Go to this site: http://www.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=MKRU3JAAR6CCY

Print these coupons: $1.00 off 2 Las Palmas Products and 50 cents off one Sargento cheese

I’m in love with this recipe, but I have a meat addict for a hubby, so I’d probably have to add some shredded chicken to mine, or at least make some beans with it. Does anyone else have a meat junkie in their household? Did anyone else crave something during pregnancy, and never lose the newfound love for a food which wasn’t a favorite before? My weakness is cheese. I could live as a vegetarian, if necessary, but being vegan would probably send me into withdrawals. 🙂

For more recipes, please click the Chef’s hat!


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Hot Dog Casserole

Hot dog!

Hot dog!

This is one of those recipes I love, because it has your veggies for the healthy appeal, your hot dogs for the kid appeal, and the ease of throwing it together for the busy person appeal! It’s also very budget friendly, which teetotally appeals to the penny pincher in me! The doggie in the picture isn’t exactly the kind that goes in this casserole, but I think she’s pretty cute! I hope y’all enjoy this recipe! I’d say it’s a keeper. 🙂

First comes the recipe…

♦ Hot Dog Casserole ♦

16 hot dogs , cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 (15 ounce) cans cut green beans with liquid
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes with juice
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a 2-quart casserole dish, stir together sliced hot dogs, green beans with their liquid, and stewed tomatoes with their juice.

Bake in the preheated oven until the juice is thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, stir again, and sprinkle the casserole with mozzarella cheese. Heat the broiler of the oven, and place the casserole under the broiler until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it, as the broiler works quickly and could burn.

Now comes the savings…

Go to this site: http://www.coupons.com/coupons/Food-Coupons-107/

Print these coupons: Ball Park Lean Hot Dogs and/or Jennie O Turkey Franks

What’s your favorite way to eat hot dogs?


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Pineapple Angel Food Cake

 

Pineapple Angel Food CakeA couple of weeks ago I was scouring the internet, looking for yummy recipes to try out, when I saw an inviting recipe a friend had shared. It had two ingredients, sounded delicious and was even low fat! Color me intrigued! I saved the recipe for when I needed a dessert to share that was quick to prepare and easy on the thighs, and dug into the preparation. I must say, Princess Peach and I enjoyed making this one, and everyone enjoyed eating it. If you’re looking for a simple, quick and fun recipe to whip up with a small child, this one would work even for a child with a short attention span (or a big person short on time).

Now, on to the “whatcha need” and “how to” part of things! 🙂

One, Two, Tada!!

Two Ingredient Cake!

 

Here’s a picture of Princess Peach with the “whatcha needs”. Can you handle all those ingredients?? This is for real, folks! No water, no eggs, no anything other than angel food cake mix and a 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple. Easy peasy!! 🙂

“How To”…

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Next- wait for it– you dump them both in a big mixing bowl and stir them together with this high tech stirramajigger gadget otherwise known as a spoon. I don’t know how well you can tell in this picture, but the batter does this neato fizzy and fluffy texture that Princess Peach and I thought was pretty fun.

*Penny Pinching Peach is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Fizzin' and Fluffin'

Easy peasy cake batter!

 

Pour this fluffy fizzy concoction into a greased Wilton 9×13 Pan
, pop it into the oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is lightly brown and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.

This next step is optional, unless you are my little princess, then it is mandatory. While your cake is baking, lick the mixing spoon to taste test your latest creation. Go ahead! You know you wanna! 😉

This would be really good with some Cool Whip on top of it and maybe even some pineapple topping
, but it is also delicious plain. It was a definite hit with our family! It is moist and can even be eaten with your hands, which is a big plus for toddlers. Did I mention it is also low fat? Uh-huh, I said it! You can thank me later. 😉

What’s your favorite dessert? We love alot of different kinds at our house. My husband loves all things peanut butter, my daughter’s a strawberry fiend, and I love chocolate. Honestly, we just enjoy all things sweet just a little too much, I’ve gotta admit. This is a new one to add to our ever growing arsenal of delectability, for sure!

Why are you still sitting here??? Get to baking!! 🙂

Want another delicious tried and true recipe to try out? You must try my Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Glaze Cake! Yes, it is as good as it sounds!

 


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Money Saving Mexican Food

Pinch Those Pennies!

Pinch Those Pennies!

¡Hola! Let me tell you, not only are these some mouthwatering Mexican dishes, but they are loaded chock full of savings. I’ve got six- yes, count ’em, people- six coupons to go with this delicious budget dinner! I can see a fun Mexican dinner night in my family’s future this week, with this kind of savings to tick off on such a yummalicious menu. Read this twosome of toothsome recipes with a napkin handy to wipe up the drool, and keep it on hand for the salivating over the savings at the end! 🙂

Drool over these dishes, y’all!

♦Chicken Chilaquiles

1/4 pound chorizo
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 (10 ounce) bag tortilla chips
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (19 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat, stirring to break it into tiny pieces. Place the raw chicken into the skillet with the chorizo; cook and stir the meats together until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes.
Spread half of the tortilla chips over the bottom of a casserole dish; top the chips with the cooked chorizo and chicken mixture. Sprinkle the corn evenly over the meats and layer the remaining chips over the top. Whisk together the green enchilada sauce and sour cream in a mixing bowl; pour over the top of the casserole. Top the casserole with the shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake the chilaquiles in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbly and the chips begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mexican Red Rice

2 Roma (plum tomatoes), cored
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup canned tomato sauce
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 sprigs fresh cilantro
Salt to taste

Grate tomatoes into a bowl using a box grater; discard skins.
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and cook onion until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir garlic into onion and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
Stir rice into onion mixture and cook, stirring often, until rice is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
Stir grated tomato, chicken broth, and tomato sauce into the rice, bringing the mixture to a boil.
Mix in jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and salt; reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and simmer until rice has absorbed the liquid, about 15 minutes. Do not lift the cover while the rice is cooking.
Turn off heat and let rice stand covered for 8 minutes. Fluff with fork before moving rice to a serving dish.

Now to salivate over the savings!

For the coupons, go to this link: http://www.coupons.com/coupons/Food-Coupons-107/?pid=13101&nid=10&zid=pt82
Print these coupons: Old El Paso, Swanson Broth, Hunt’s Tomatoes, Riojano Spanish Chorizo, Sargento’s Shredded Cheese and Uncle Ben’s Rice.

My family loves Mexican food, but we also love Italian, Chinese, Southern style and all sorts of other ethnicities of food. Variety keeps our palates pleased. What’s your and your family’s favorite kind of food?