Hey all! I hope you are having a great week.
I hit a snag this week with a brief sickness(on top of morning sickness) so the posts I outlined for you all to read weren’t ready to be posted. Sorry!
I’m finally back on track and have a great recipe to share with you all tomorrow, along with a long-awaited giveaway. Let’s start the weekend off right!
Also, if you haven’t done so yet, please take a peek at the reader question in the post under this one. I want to get as much input as I can for the upcoming article, as it’s something that is close to my heart and something I see all kind-hearted, frugalites struggle with when it comes to non-frugal family and friends.
Now, for the good stuff! To get you all ready for the giveaway and the recipe that will be posted tomorrow, I thought I would go through some of my favorite recipes that are easy to make ahead, and cheap to boot. Here they are!
1. Homemade fish sticks
A great meal that can be made ahead and frozen for rainy days or days you just don’t feel like cooking! Plus, it’s better for your family than the preservative-laden ones in the store. Cheaper too!
2. No-fry mustard chicken tenders
Yet another great freezer meal! The fact that they can marinade for a day and it is easy to double or triple the recipe, makes it a great meal for a busy lifestyle.
3. Quick gnocchi
I used to wonder how I would get through the cheap or free potato flakes that I would accumilate from great sales. Now I know! I make this delicious recipe, freeze the gnocchi on cookie sheets and place in quart size bags. I can then use them all fall and winter for soups, alfredo sauces, and even dessert!(sautee in butter, then toss with cinnamon and sugar)
4. Beefy enchilada bake
This make-ahead meal I love to put together for the boys when I know I will be out of town for a few days. The best part is you don’t have to use beef; it goes great with cubed chicken, or even beans in place of the meat. Place in the fridge, covered with foil, days before you will need it and it will still be yummy when you bake it. It also freezes wonderfully and is a great slow cooker meal.
5. Italian tomato soup
I love this because it is great doubled and tripled and you can dump the cans in your slow cooker sleeve the night before, place in the slow cooker before you leave for work, and come home to the smell of the easiest soup ever! Once you get in the door, you can add your fixings, and dinner is served.
6. Raisin Bran muffin mix
This is the ultimate in make-ahead snacks or breakfast items. You make a big batch of the batter, and it can sit in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Plus, it uses raisin bran cereal! With all of the cereal sales that we frugal shoppers encounter, this is a great way to use up a box or two.
Thanks for the reminder on the homemade fish sticks. I hate the ones in the store and refuse to eat the, DH loves them!
I need to try that muffin recipe. It sounds interesting in the fact that it will keep for 6 weeks in fridge.