Thanksgiving leftovers, my festive foodies, are one of the best parts of the whole delicious production. The turkey sandwiches! The potatoes and gravy! The mysterious container in the back of the fridge that nobody claims to remember! Okay, maybe not that. And when you have …read more

Fall, fabulous fall! When the leaves begin their yearly twirl and the produce bins fill with plump, pear-shaped butternut squash, we know comfort-food season has officially arrived. Butternut squash has a naturally sweet, earthy flavor that’s at its peak during the fall harvest, and it’s …read more

Have you ever set dinner on the table and watched one tiny bean trigger a full-scale family investigation? The dinner-table detectives arrive: “What’s that?” “Why is it in the sauce?” “Is it healthy?” Oh, my darling divas, we are not here for a dinner rebellion. …read more

In the realm of delicious salads, here is a dish that marries the worlds of fast-food indulgence and garden-fresh goodness. Welcome to the Hamburger Salad, a creation that tantalizes taste buds, ignites nostalgia, and brings even the most devoted salad skeptics to the table. Imagine …read more

Have you ever looked at your bank account, looked at your pantry, and then looked back at your bank account with a heavy sigh? I’ve been there more times than I care to admit. Sometimes, the end of the month feels like a long, slow …read more

DIY Japanese Curry Roux: Your Secret Weapon for Instant Comfort Food We all have those nights, you know the ones, where the thought of standing over a hot stove for an hour makes us want to crawl under the covers with a bag of stale …read more

Going Mental for Lentils: Sweet and Spicy Lentil Sloppy Joes Are you ready to fall head-over-heels in love with a legume? Now, don’t roll your eyes at me, I know exactly what you’re thinking. “Lentils, Patti? Really? Those little brown pebbles that look like they …read more

When “Buy One Get One Free” Isn’t Really Free: The BOGO Truth Every Shopper Needs Is there anything: and I mean anything: more exhilarating than turning the corner of a grocery aisle and seeing those four beautiful, bold, neon letters? B-O-G-O. It’s like a siren …read more

Quick & Easy Homemade Pizza Dough I have good news, and bad news. The good news: homemade pizza is one of the best cheap dinner recipes out there. It’s cozy, customizable, and it can feed a whole crew without you needing to sell a kidney …read more

Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Crock-Pot Balsamic Glazed Pork Roast We’ve all been there, haven’t we? It’s 5:00 PM, the kids are acting like they haven’t eaten since the mid-90s, the “What’s for dinner?” chorus is reaching a fever pitch, and you’re staring into …read more

Why Beef Prices Are So High (and Smart Ways to Work Around It) If you’ve walked past the meat case lately and done a double take (or a spit take), you’re not imagining things. Beef prices have climbed to the point where many families are …read more

Beef, Beans, or TVP? The Ultimate Budget Battle for Your Dinner Table Pull up a chair and let’s have a quick little heart-to-heart, shall we? Have you looked at the price of ground beef lately? (Of course you have. How can you not? Unless you’re …read more