{Guest post by Terri DeWulf}

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If your family is anything like mine, we love eggs! Individual quiches are an easy way to prepare a quick and delicious meal anytime of the day. And they are good for you too! What I like most about this recipe is they can be made to order for each member of the family, and they all can be baked at once.

Ingredients

-Large Eggs (1 per individual quiche)

-1/4 C 1% Milk per three eggs

-Cooking spray

-Salt and pepper

-Various fillings such as turkey sausage, shredded cheese, left over veggies, shredded baby spinach, green peppers, lunch meats such as lean ham or turkey, salsa, hot sauce. Get creative!

Baking Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tins with non stick spray so the quiche will easily come out once cooked.

In a large bowl whisk three eggs, 1/4C of milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

In your prepared muffin tins, place your fillings. This is the fun part, especially for kids, because they get to choose exactly what they would like! Then pour your eggs into each filled tin. Don’t over fill because these will puff up.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes. To remove them, take a knife and run it around the edges and gently pop them out of the pan. Enjoy!

Terri DeWulf is a stay at home Mom to seven children, ages 16 down to two and a half. She holds her degree in nursing and currently resides in Indiana with her husband and children. She enjoys cooking and gardening.

I realize my kids are weird but they are crazy about fish. We’ve fed it to them since they were babies so they really don’t know any different but they will usually choose fish over just about any other main course.

My kids love fast food fish tacos so much that a while back we decided to try and make them at home, minus all the extra junk. They were such a hit that they are now one of my family’s go-to meals.

The best part is, they are so quick to throw together that they make a perfect weeknight family dinner.

Ingredients

• Cabbage, shredded
• Tilapia or another white fish
• Flour
• Olive oil
• Corn tortillas
• Apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2-3 limes
• Salsa
• Avocado (optional, but tasty)
• Cilantro (optional)

Fish Taco Sauce

The sauce in this fish taco recipe is so easy to make and it really makes this meal. I make this an hour or so before hand and store it in the fridge so the flavors can come together.

Combine 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. You can use the low-fat variety here and you really won’t be able to tell the difference. Squeeze the juice of 1-2 limes into the mixture and stir well.

If you want this a bit spicier, you could add some of your favorite seasonings into the mix. Chopped onion and cilantro would be delicious in this, as would coriander, cumin, or chipolte chili powder.

Refrigerate for at least an hour so the flavor can develop. This will keep for several days in the fridge which is perfect if you want to throw together some leftovers the next day.

Fish Taco Preparation

These fish tacos can be prepared really quickly. By far the most time consuming task is cooking the fish. I like to use the frozen Tilapia from Costco. I’ve tried other brands but haven’t had great luck finding good quality fish other places. Sometimes they have tortilla crusted tilapia available and that makes a REALLY tasty fish taco, but plain tilapia will do just fine.

Start with fully thawed tilapia. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and turn it up to med-high heat. You’ll want to watch the temperature because if the pan gets too hot the outside of your fish will be done before the inside is.

Cooking time will depend on how thick your fish is. You’ll know it is done when the outside is nice and toasted and the fish flakes easily with a fork. I break the fish into smaller pieces when it’s done because it makes it fit nicely into the tortillas.

Spread about 1/4 cup of flour onto a plate and coat each piece of fish in flour before adding it to the pan. If you are having trouble getting the flour stick, just rinse each piece of fish under running water before putting it into the flour.

While the fish is cooking, pour your shredded cabbage into a bowl. I just buy the bags of pre-shredded cabbage but you can certainly shred your own and use whatever variety that you like. Pour a drizzle of apple cider vinegar over the cabbage and stir. You can adjust the amount of vinegar used based on your taste preferences. I like my cabbage coated in the vinegar but not soggy.

Corn tortillas can be very dry. You can fry them in a bit of oil. I prefer to microwave them for about 20 seconds with a web paper towel and eating them right away to avoid adding extra fat.

To assemble the tacos, layer your fish, sauce, cabbage and any toppings you’d like on your tortilla. I love these tacos with a nice chunky salsa and sliced avocado. If your kids are hesitant to try anything, start by adding just a small amount into the tortilla. My non avocado eaters will even eat these if I mash up a small amount of avocado and spread it in the tortilla before adding the other toppings.

During the first few months of the year, my schedule gets really busy. I have one child who plays basketball for his school and two other kids who are on a dance team that performs during halftime for these and other games. So, by the time my kids get home from school and get ready to go to the games my family is left with little time to prepare a healthy, home cooked meal. Instead we are forced to buy junk at the concession stand or eat out at a fast food restaurant. This is not very healthy for my family nor is it very good on our budget. My secret weapon to surviving these nights has been my Crock Pot. My Crock Pot saves me time by having dinner pretty much ready to go and also saves me from spending more money than I would have on a regular home cooked meal. Here are a few ideas to let your Crock Pot be your secret weapon for saving time and money on busy family nights.

Buy Budget Cut Meats

Using the Crock Pot allows me to use budget cuts of meat. For example, I can buy a cheaper cut of steak that would probably be tough if cooked on the stove or grill, and it comes out tender in the Crock Pot. I can then use this steak in steak fajitas and not have much more work to do to prepare dinner. I can also buy bulk chicken that usually is a cheaper cut and also gets tough when cooking on the stove. This chicken taste great prepared in meals in my Crock Pot like Chicken Taco Soup. Buying these budget cuts and using your Crock Pot will save you money on quick, easy, and healthy meals for your family on busy nights.

Use Crock Pot Websites

One thing that is really important to having success with the Crock Pot is to find the right recipes. If you go browsing the web, you will find a large number of sites and blogs with information and recipes on using your Crock Pot. Many of these have tested the recipe, so you know they were edible for other families. This will prevent you from wasting money on trying a new recipe and ending up throwing it in the garbage. Here are a few of my favorite Crock Pot websites that I use to find new ideas and recipes.

The Crockin’ Girls

A Year of Slow Cooking

Get Crocked

Use Crock Pot Cookbooks

I have found some really great recipes by using recipe books that are filled with great Crock Pot recipes. Many of these types of recipe books are available at your local library, if the library does not have them then ask them about ordering them. This will save you money on buying the cookbook and then if you really like it you can spend the money on buying the book. Here are a few of my favorite Crock Pot cookbooks.

Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes

The $7 a Meal Slow Cooker Cookbook: 301 Delicious, Nutritious Recipes the Whole Family Will Love!

Make It Fast, Make It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking

Fix-it And Forget-it 5-ingredient Favorites

Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: 600 Healthy Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker

{guest post from Sarah of Food in Words and Photos}

From Sarah: This dish takes advance preparation (the mini roasts need to be marinated for several hours) but the flavors are completely worth the prep! I barely used any salt in the recipes, and the flavors and aromas came through beautifully.

Mini French Roasts

• 1 package mini French roasts (3 usually come to a pack
• Dry red wine (I prefer Burgandy)
• 3 cloves garlic (smashed)
• Basil 2 teaspoons
• Black Pepper ( a few shakes of container, not too much)

Combine all of the above in a 2 Gallon Ziplock bag, making sure to put in enough wine to cover the roasts. Place in refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours.

To prepare: Take roasts out of marinade, discard liquid. Preheat oven to 350F Heat a large 4Q saute pan or Dutch oven with a tiny bit of olive oil. Heat oil well, then add roasts, searing on all sides to a rich brown color. (heat should be high) As soon as they are seared, take off fire, leave in pan, cover with tight fitting lid, and place in oven for about 10 mins. You may want a longer cooktime for extra doneness, but take care not to overcook. Roasts are done when a little bit of red appears when poked. Save pan juices to reduce and use as au jus.

Colored Peppers with Mushrooms

• 2 lg Sweet Red Peppers, chopped into matchsticks
• 2 lg Sweet Yellow Pepper chopped into matchsticks
• 1 pk white or Button Mushrooms bottoms removed and sliced thinly (this can be changed for shitake or crimini, either will work as well)
• 1/2 large Spanish or Sweet Onion small dice

To Prepare: Prep all vegetables, keeping onion and mushrooms seperate. In a heated saute pan, add a bit of olive oil. When a piece of onion sizzles when added to pan, add onion to pan, cooking til partially translucent. Add peppers, cooking for a few minutes until they are soft but not mushy. Add mushrooms, cooking for about 2 minutes. Veggies are done when they are cooked al dente. Add a bit of salt and pepper, to taste.

Israeli Coucous

• 1pk (8.5 oz) Israeli (large pearl) coucous
• 2 cloves garlic, fine mince
• Fresh parsley, leaves only, 1 to 2 handfuls, fine mince
• Salt and pepper to taste

To prepare: In a large heated pan add a bit of olive oil, and garlic when oil is hot, Cook for a few minutes, then add parsley and coucous on high. Stirring frequently, allow the coucous to take on a slightly toasted brown color, then add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Stir together, then out on tight fitting lid and lower flame to low setting for about 8 minutes. Coucous is done when water is absorbed, and the coucous pearls are toothy but not mushy. As soon as its finished, quickly turn out on a baking sheet, making a level layer with a wooden spoon. When its cool enough to handle, use your hands to break any clumps.

Sarah Klinkowitz lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Hillel aka DH. They have 3 adorable food critics, aged 5 1/2, 3 1/2 and 2 years old. Sarah cooks, writes articles and recipes, and styles plates. DH is chief judge of recipes, as well as food photographer. The food critics are self-explantory. For additional examples of their work, please visit http://foodinwordsandphotos.wordpress.com/  for DH’s pictures and Sarah’s adventures and http://applianceauthority.com  for Sarah’s articles and recipes.

One of the top New Year’s Resolutions made by people is to lose weight and/ or eat healthier. Many people give up after the first day of working on this goal. There are so many excuses people give as to why they cannot eat healthier, but one I hear a lot is that it cost too much money to eat healthy. There are a lot of ways you can spend less at the grocery store and still eat healthy. Being a good example of eating healthy will help encourage your children to eat healthier too. Here are a few ideas to help you save money while still buying healthier foods at the grocery.

Plan Meals and Snacks

If you want to succeed at eating healthier, it will be easier if you have a plan to follow. Make a weekly meal plan of what you and your family will eat. Include all meals and snacks you will eat for the week. There are a ton of great websites to help you find healthier recipes. A few of my favorite are Spark People, Weight Watchers, Skinny Taste, Eating Well, Cooking Light, and Skinny Crockpot. Once you have a plan make a grocery list and stick to it.

Buy Fruits and Vegetables in Season

Fruits and Vegetables are really important in the diet if you are trying to eat healthier, but fruits and vegetables can cost more and be a little scary to add to your list. Look for fruits and vegetables that are in season, you will find that these cost less. If you find a really good deal on them buy more and freeze for later use when they are more expensive. I have done this with strawberries, blueberries, and green peppers to name a few. A few fruits and vegetables that are in season in January include broccoli, cabbage, grapefruit, oranges, and lemons.

Buying fresh is best but also check prices for frozen and canned. These can often be better deals when they are not in season. Buying from farmers markets and cooperatives can also save you money. Also consider planting a garden. This will not only save you money on fruits and vegetables, but can also help you get more activity in your day. You can also preserve garden food by canning or freezing to use when they are not in season. Visit the Ball Canning and Preserving website for more information on canning and freezing.

Buy Generic Brands

Generic brand foods have come a long way, so don’t be afraid to add those to your buggy to save money. Many generic brands taste really good, have the same nutrition, and are usually significantly cheaper. Make sure to check the nutrition label on the product to compare nutrition facts between the brand and generic. Recently I was buying low fat cheese singles and decided one day to look at the generic brand to compare. Not only was it the same in fat and calories, but it was also at least $1.00 cheaper and included more slices per package. So don’t be afraid to include generic brand foods in your healthy eating plan.

Shop at Convenience Stores/Pharmacies

Most convenient stores, like gas stations, and pharmacies sell food at a much higher price. However you will find some deals there too. Many of these types of stores will have items they sell for cheaper to get customers in the store to buy other higher priced items. One item you will find this true for is milk. Some of these stores will have milk for the cheapest around as well as other items. So don’t leave these stores out because you think they are more expensive. There can be at least a few good deals in these stores.

Shop Outlet Stores

Outlet stores are a great way to save money at the grocery. My biggest piece of advice when shopping at these types of stores is to look for dates on products. Some of these stores will sell items with really bad sell by dates that might not make it a great deal after all. One of my favorite outlet stores is bread outlets. They have lots of bread choices that are healthy, including whole wheat, which you can often get for as little as one dollar per loaf. Just be sure to stay away from junk food in the bread outlets. There are several outlet stores across the country. The one I have closest to me is United Grocery Outlet.

Finding healthy snacks that kids will actually eat can be a serious challenge. I try and always keep a few healthy snack choices in the house but the most popular choices seem to be the ones that my kids can just grab and eat. Even a few steps of preparation like slicing up cubes of cheese for cheese and crackers or cutting up fruit makes it more likely that they’ll opt for an unhealthy choice instead.

One of my family’s all-time favorite snacks is these super simple chocolate peanut butter energy balls — or as my 4 year old likes to call them, balls of energy. You can only imagine his activity level after eating a few of these!

These chocolate peanut butter energy balls are super easy to prepare and last for several days in the fridge (or at least they would if they didn’t get eaten before then).

One of the things that I love about this recipe is that I usually have all the ingredients already on hand. These will actually travel really well too as long as they don’t get too warm (and I’d avoid using natural peanut butter if you want to take them anywhere because they’ll stay firm for longer).

Ingredients

Preparation

This is so easy your kids can make them by themselves if they have a bit of supervision. Start by mixing together the oatmeal and coconut.

Add in the honey and peanut butter and mix well. You can do this in a mixer but I’ve found it’s just as easy to mix it by hand. It comes together quickly once you get going.

This is going to create the base of your peanut butter balls. Everything from here on out is optional. . . except the chocolate chips, because those are always mandatory.

I like to throw some ground flax seed in for added nutrients. You can buy flaxseed already ground but it goes rancid fairly quickly and doesn’t retain nutrients for long. I like to throw flaxseed into my Magic Bullet just before I use it.

It only takes seconds to do and it gives me a nice, fine ground that works for just about anything. Try grinding it up to throw in cereal or over yogurt in the morning. Yum.

You can leave the banana out if you like but it adds a nice flavor to these. They won’t keep quite as long with the banana in so if you need them to last a few days then you can just omit it, but reduce the oatmeal by 1/4 cup so they won’t be too dry. I throw bananas into a plastic bag and have my kids squish them by hand (this works great for making banana bread too).

Mix in the chocolate chips and vanilla and anything else you feel like throwing in there. Slivered almonds would be delicious as would a bit of cocoa powder.

Form the mixture into balls. You can either eat these right away or put them in the fridge for a bit to firm up.

Every January, people make New Year’s Resolutions. Unfortunately, many of these resolutions never get past the first month. That’s why I prefer to call them GOALS. For some reason people seem to stick to goals better. Remember your goals need to be realistic and manageable. Having a goal to get out of debt is great, but what are you going to do during the year to accomplish the big goal. You may need to break it down into smaller short term goals. Having financial goals are really important to individuals and families who are trying to be frugal. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about goals you and your family may want to consider for 2012.

Meal Planning

If you want to save money, the grocery store is a great place to start. One of the first things you need to do is start planning your meals. Try to plan meals that use less expensive ingredients and consider having a meatless night at least once a week. There are a lot of great meatless meals that will save you money. Here are a few meatless meal ideas. I get some great ideas for meal planning from the Menu Plan Monday held weekly at Organizing Junkie’s blog. Planning your meals will make eating out less and running to the grocery everyday not on your agenda.

Entertainment

Entertainment is an issue your family will have to sit down and decide what you are willing to give up. That does not mean that all entertainment is out for your family. Many families decide to do without cable or satellite. I watch many of my shows online for free. Most are not online until after they have been on television, but I still get to watch it. My family does not go to the movies very often because it cost my family of six about $60 or more. So, we choose other movie watching opportunities like Redbox movies and Netflix. Redbox is $1.00 per movie per night, although I understand several areas are a little bit more. Netflix cost my family $8.00 a month and we can stream movies on our computer or on our Wii. These options will save you money if you like movies but do not want to pay the high price at the theater. If you like reading books, consider using the library to save money. I can ask my public library to order books I want to read and for the most part they have always ordered the books I have requested. I also download library ebooks to my Kindle, Android device, and iPod through the software app called Overdrive, though this may not be available in all areas, just check with you public library to see what’s available to you. I also enjoy downloading the free Kindle books. You do not even need to own a Kindle to get the free books, just go here to see how to get a Kindle on your desktop, iPod, iPad, or Android device.

Winterize Your Home

Heating your home in the winter can cost a lot of money. There are some things you can do to winterize your home that will save you money on those heating bills. One thing you need to do is make sure you change your furnace filters monthly, unless of course you have a three month filter. Some filters do not cost a lot of money and make your furnace work more efficiently. Second, consider switching to a programmable thermostat. This has been shown to lower heating bills. Finally, check your exterior doors and windows for cracks and make sure to seal them. You can use weather stripping around the doors in your home. Try some of these things to lower your heating cost.

Give Up Something

This is a goal many people set to try to save money. This can be as easy as bringing your lunch to work every day instead of eating out, not eating out for dinners, giving up sodas altogether or bringing snacks to work to avoid the vending machines. Consider what your family would be willing to give up to save money. Families can use this extra money to pay off bills or start a vacation fund. There are lots of things that you could give up to save money.

I have been so busy with Christmas that it is hard to believe the New Year is right around the corner. If you are like me a New Year’s Eve party is probably the last thing you are thinking about. Time is running short, but you can still plan a fun New Year’s Eve party that will fit your budget. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Inviting Guests

If you want to keep your budget low then you will need to consider inviting only a few close friends or members of your family. Just make sure you have enough to do something fun together. At this last minute you may want to call friends and family to personally invite them or you could send an invitation in an e-mail. You could also use free programs like Envite or even make a Facebook event page. I like the Facebook event page because people can RSVP right on the page and you can get an idea of who is coming, but some people do not use Facebook so other options might work better for you. Any of these options would be quick and not break your budget.

Decorations and Party Favors

You could spend a lot of money on decorations if you are not careful. Do not waste your money on this category. Your money will be better spent in the food category. Use what you already have on hand at home. Leave your Christmas decorations up. For the most part, this will be plenty of decorations for the evening. I have found that my Dollar Tree has special New Year’s Eve party favors. These include hats and blowers. Buy a few of these for your party and you will be all set.

Food

I think this will probably be your biggest expense for the party. Do not plan to feed your guest a whole dinner. Just plan on serving a few snacks and drinks to your guest. You will want to buy some paper plates, cups, napkins and other paper goods. You can also find these items at the Dollar Stores that will not cost you much at all. I like to spend some money on these items because it will save me time on the cleanup later. We also do not drink alcohol at our house so that would make it a lot cheaper. If you have some time, here are a few quick recipes that you can make for your party.

Dill Dip (this is great with vegetables or chips and taste like ranch dip)

New Year’s Eve Punch  (I’ve also made this with Rainbow Sherbet)

Egg Salad Sandwiches (or any sandwiches, cut these in half)

Tortilla Chips and Salsa (I make my own salsa in the summer when tomatoes are ready)

Activities

You will need to plan some activities for your guest. Go search in your game closet and you will probably find board games or cards that would be fun for your guest. Be sure to plan a few things for the kids to do, if they will be at the party. You might even have an older child help with the children so you and your adult guest can do some fun things together without worrying about the kids. If you like music, you can go to Pandora and play a music list on your computer for your guest to listen to during the party or you can play CD’s you already own. You could also plan to watch a movie together and enjoy popcorn or caramel corn and soft drinks.

There are so many options for a fun filled New Year’s Eve party that won’t cost you a lot of money. Just take a few minutes and get a plan in action for a fabulous New Year’s Eve Party!

This year many families are struggling to buy Christmas gifts because times are hard. Last week, I read a really great article called Christmas on a Zero-Budget.  It really got me thinking about what kinds of things people could give for gifts that cost little or no money using items already around the house.  I think these homemade gifts are more special when I receive them.  Anyone can go out and buy a gift, but only a few will take the time to use their talents to make an item with you in mind.  Here are a few ideas of some things you can make to give as gifts on a limited budget.

Homemade Bath Salts

This past year I was able to get together with a group of friends and make several items.  One of those items was Bath Salts.  I was quite surprised how easy they were to make.  Look around your house for jars or other containers to place your bath salts inside.  You can also use leftover ribbon and fabric to decorate your jar or container.  Here is the recipe I used.

Homemade Bath Recipe

3 cups Epsom salts

1 tablespoon glycerin

Food coloring

A favorite perfume or cologne.

Use a glass or metal bowl (not plastic-because it will stain). Pour the Epsom salts in a bowl, then add 1 TB. glycerin, a few drops of food coloring and some of your favorite cologne or perfume (or you can mix the glycerin and food coloring first), Stir the ingredients until they’re combined and the color is just right! You can add more color, too. Place in an airtight container. A tight-fitting lid is key to keeping the fragrance and moisture intact. Attach a small card or tag to the container with instructions on use: Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup to a warm bath.

Homemade Jelly

Last Christmas I made small gift baskets for family and friends. One item inside them was a jar of  homemade jelly.  You can easily make jelly at home using 100% fruit juices.  Look around your house for jars to place the jelly inside.  You can keep this jelly in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  If you want it to last longer you will need to use the proper canning jars and process in a boiling water canner.  After the jars have cooled, you can use scrap ribbon and fabric to decorate the jar.  This jelly is easy because it is made with fruit juice.  I like to add Red Hot candies to the apple juice jelly recipe to make it a pretty red for Christmas. This recipe is for Cheater Grape Jelly.  Just substitute the grape juice for with apple and add 1/2 cup of the red hots to make the jelly a pretty red color.

Rice Filled Heating Pads

Several years ago, I decided to make rice filled heating pads for Christmas presents for my family and friends.  This gift does require some sewing, but it goes together really quickly and is a great way to use scrap material from other projects.  You can also use old clothes that are still usable to make this project.  I made several with some old flannel shirts. These rice filled heating pads can be microwaved and placed behind you neck to give you some relief. 

Homemade Mixes

Another great idea for a homemade gift is placing mixes in a jar or other container. This makes it so easy for another person to make some food item quickly. I love this EZ Bread Mix idea to place the dry ingredients for a loaf of  in a container bought at the Dollar Tree.  These containers already have Christmas decoration on them so all you have to do is add a bow and the instructions for making the bread.  Here are a few other items that make great mixes to give as gifts.

Homemade Pancake Mix

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

The Master Mix

Hot Cocoa Mix

Freezer Meals

After reading another article this weekend from Once a Month Mom, I added freezer meals to my list of something I could give as a gift.  They have some really great ideas on giving freezer meals as gifts as well as some great recipes.  Busy families or new moms would love this gift.

So figure out your talent and decide on a gift you can give without spending a lot of money.  After all the season is not all about gifts or even how much we spend on them. 

When it comes to dinner time around our house, I have a few rules. I’m not willing to spend hours in the kitchen creating a meal that my kids likely won’t eat and I’m rarely willing to buy a long list of ingredients for one meal. I fully admit to being a lazy cook but I’m generally a much bigger fan of eating than cooking so I tend to look for tasty meals I can throw together in no time at all.

This really simple pork chop recipe has loads and loads of flavor and is perfect for a weeknight meal in the colder winter months. I usually have most of the ingredients other than the pork on hand so my shopping list stays nice and short. The real benefit to these, though, is my kids will eat them so it’s an old standby.

Ingredients

• 1 can of peaches
• 2 packages of stuffing (When stuffing goes on sale for Thanksgiving I buy enough to last me for the year.)
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of peach jam – this is negotiable. I’ve used apricot jam before and it’s tasty. Last time I made it I used peach/mango/orange jam from Costco and that was a big hit.)
• 2 T dijon mustard
• 1 pound of thinly sliced pork chops

Preparation