Master the Art of the Frugal Lifestyle: Money-Saving Strategies, Easy Affordable Recipes, Stress-Free Meal Planning, and Family Celebrations. Spend Wisely, Live Lavishly

Year: 2016

Thanksgiving Pot Pie Soup with Stuffing Dumplings: Let’s be thankful for leftovers!

Thanksgiving Pot Pie Soup with Stuffing Dumplings: Let’s be thankful for leftovers!

Besides being thankful for our blessings and time spent with loved ones, leftovers are probably the best part of Thanksgiving. Here’s a recipe for a hearty soup that uses every last bit of your leftovers, even the stuffing. In our home, we call this “Thanksgiving …read more

Top 10 Ways to Save Money This Thanksgiving

Top 10 Ways to Save Money This Thanksgiving

      This year, more than ever, we’re ALL looking for ways to save money on Thanksgiving. I’m going to show you how. One thing to be thankful for is the traditional Thanksgiving meal is actually pretty inexpensive, as festive meals go. However, it …read more

How to get the Biggest Bang from your Pumpkin Buck – Making Pumpkins Last Longer

How to get the Biggest Bang from your Pumpkin Buck – Making Pumpkins Last Longer

  Please tell me I’m not the only one who gets totally giddy the very first time I see that huge display full of voluptuous pumpkins at the grocery store.  I want them ALL.   Am I the only one? No, I can’t be the …read more

Mischievous Meringue Ghosts

Mischievous Meringue Ghosts

  These fun spooky little guys are surprisingly fast, easy and so totally inexpensive you’ll never buy meringues at the bakery again.   This is easiest with a stand mixer but I’ve used a hand mixer with no trouble. I wouldn’t try to make meringues …read more

How to Make Edible Amber Sugar Glass

How to Make Edible Amber Sugar Glass

  What a cool looking creation! Sugar glass is so versatile and once you know this easy, impressive (but totally cheap!) technique you’ll find all kinds of ways to use it.   Sugar glass is a simple mixture of sugar, water and corn syrup used …read more

Slithericious Snake

Slithericious Snake

    Introducing – A snake shaped calzone for Halloween!   Who doesn’t want a colorful snake on the table? This is a delightfully creepy entrée to serve your Halloween guests, because when you cut into it the red, gooey, cheesy pizza filling oozes out. …read more

The 4 ingredient, 5 minute shortcut to Pumpkin Mousse

The 4 ingredient, 5 minute shortcut to Pumpkin Mousse

  Do you know what’s missing in your life? Specifically, Four Ingredient Easy Pumpkin Mousse. There are probably other things, but I write about food. I can assure you, this is one easy and delicious recipe you can use in eight different ways.   Plus, …read more

The perfect autumn meal – Pumpkin Chili and Corn Bread Waffles

The perfect autumn meal – Pumpkin Chili and Corn Bread Waffles

  As soon as the chill of autumn hits the air I feel compelled to make soups. I drag “the big pot” out of the back of the cupboard and it stays handy until the end of spring. Usually, I’ll make some kind of soup, …read more

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Sage Parmesan Crisps

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Sage Parmesan Crisps

   Roast Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. A simple, seasonal, sensational soup.   Maybe I’ve been inhaling too much pumpkin spice candle, but I felt a change the air this week.  I’m choosing slippers over sandals, long sleeves over t-shirts, and soups over salads.    …read more

The easiest Two Ingredient pumpkin muffins. Ever.

The easiest Two Ingredient pumpkin muffins. Ever.

    Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins It’s officially pumpkin flavored everything time!  Which falls directly between BBQ flavored everything time and peppermint flavored everything time. Sheesh! Where has the year gone?   In my never ending quest to hack this thing we call life, I …read more

Delicious and healthy almond butter to make at home

Delicious and healthy almond butter to make at home

      Make your own Almond Butter Nut and seed butters are getting lots of love from nutritionists touting their nutritional value. When eaten as part of a healthy diet, you’ll benefit from cholesterol lowering monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (good) fats, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin …read more

One Bite Apple Pies with Salted Caramel Sauce.

One Bite Apple Pies with Salted Caramel Sauce.

I’ve done something terribly wonderful. Or wonderfully terrible. You pick.   Imagine homemade apple pie filling with crisp fresh apple, that’s been dotted with gooey caramel, and wrapped inside flakey sugary fried wontons, and immediately dipped in creamy salted caramel sauce.   A luscious little …read more