Holiday Hams & Turkeys Will Make You A Winner!

 

Hams and turkeys are at their best prices during the holidays so if you have the freezer space and the extra cash now is the time to pick up one or two extra to use keep hand and use during the year for some cheap proteins.  There are so many things you can do with either a ham or a turkey.  I have a couple old posts about how I make the most of both a ham and a turkey to get a lot of mileage out of them.

 

While I was raising my family I would always buy a whole turkey and a ham to use for making tons of low cost meals.  I would slice up turkey and ham for making sandwiches, cube it for adding to soups and casseroles, chunks that could be reheated and sliced up to serve alongside stuffing or potatoes and vegetables to make meals.  Thick slices of ham are great to fry in a pan for breakfast or supper.  Thick slices of turkey are reheated and served with gravy.  The bones were always saved and used to make broth.

 

Turkey

 

Hot Turkey Sandwiches

Turkey Pot Pie

Sliced Turkey w/Cranberry Sauce on a Croissant

Thick Sliced or Diced Turkey & Gravy over Mashed Potatoes

Turkey & Noodles

Turkey Soup

Turkey & Dumplings

 

Simple sheet pan meal

Ham

 

Ham Slices Glazed w/Cranberry Sauce

Dice Ham in Macaroni & Cheese

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

Ham & Navy Bean Soup

Split Pea & Ham Soup

Sliced Ham Sandwiches

Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Homemade Egg McMuffins

Diced Ham in Scrambled Eggs

 

Split Pea Soup

Even if you can’t afford to buy an extra ham or turkey this year you can still benefit from those that are served at the holidays.  Leftovers are always a great way to get more mileage out of the main meal.  Don’t be afraid to ask the host of your holiday get-togethers for the ham bone or the turkey carcass as quite often they are tossed in the trash.  I’ve done that before and people are always happy to give it to you.

 

Turkey broth

Processing the ham and turkeys right away rather than freezing them whole allows you to put away the meat in the freezer a bit easier as they are less bulky.  Also, remember Easter is another time to watch for good deals on hams as well.  There are so many economical ways to feed yourself and your family especially when you take advantage of seasonal sales at the holidays.

 

Thanksgiving Dinner On A Dime!

 

This year many are struggling and the thought of shelling out a bunch of money on a holiday dinner might seem impossible but don’t despair.  You can still pull this off if you are of a mind to.  Instead of cooking a turkey with all the trimmings simply scale it back a bit and you’ll be able to put a beautiful holiday meal on the table with very little out of pocket.

 

I made up one can of pumpkin into pie filling and
divided it between two small 8 inch homemade pie crusts

Chicken & Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Stuffing

Vegetables

Dinner Rolls & Butter

Dessert

Chicken or turkey leg quarters will work too!

 

These roasted up beautifully!

You will need:

 

One Whole Chicken (a Costco rotisserie chicken is perfect for this application if you can)

Two packages of Idahoan buttery mashed potatoes

One box store brand stuffing (stove top style)

Vegetables – two cans of green beans, corn or a bag of frozen broccoli

One package dinner rolls (check your stores discount bakery rack)

Dessert – pumpkin or apple pie, brownie mix, ice cream or sherbet

 

Most of this was already lurking in the cupboards

If you have some sliced bread, cube some and
add to this box of stuffing to stretch it further

Shop your cupboards first to determine what you already have on hand so you won’t need to buy extra items.  If you can use pantry staples to bake rolls or desserts then do that rather than buy one.  Use the drippings from the chicken to make gravy.  Keep it simple and you’ll be amazed at how nice your holiday dinner will be.

 

Last year I did 2 Costco rotisserie chickens and a couple sides
My guests brought more sides and dessert!

If this seems like a lot to do on your own consider combing forces with friends and relatives and do a potluck.  Simply buy two chickens and make gravy using the drippings and a little bit of flour mixed with water for a slurry to thicken it.  If you don’t have flour don’t worry.  You only need a few tablespoons and someone you know will happily give it to you.  Have your guests bring the sides and desserts.  You will all enjoy a fabulous meal and fun spending the day together.

 

Lasagna is a delicious alternative to turkey dinner

Another thing you can do is just go with an non-traditional holiday meal using items you already have on hand.  A spaghetti supper with a loaf of frenchbread and cupcakes or homemade pizzas can be fun if the whole family gets involved.  Use your creativity to make it a special occasion.

 

Homemade pizza ready for the oven!

Food banks, churches & food pantries are great resources

If things are dire, set aside your pride and contact your area food bank, church or food pantry to get on the list for a Holiday food box.  There is absolutely no shame in asking for help when you truly need it and no one needs to go hungry.  Food pantries love to help so reach out and get what you need.

 

Soups On! Part II!

 

One of the easiest and most efficient budget stretchers is to make soup.  I have made soup as one of our weekly meals for years and not only does it save me money but it also allows me to use up items in the fridge that otherwise might go to waste.  Soups are hearty, nutritious, hydrating and delicious.  They are also easy to make.

 

Cream of Broccoli Soup

 

2 medium potatoes, peeled & finely diced

1 16 oz. bag frozen chopped broccoli

½ cup onion, finely chopped

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups whole milk

Salt & pepper

 

Cook potatoes, broccoli and onion in vegetable broth until vegetables are fork tender.  Remove from heat and mash potato mixture.  Stir in cheese and milk.  Return to heat and bring to a slight boil.  At this time use an immersion blender to make soup smooth and creamy.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

 

This soup is a family favorite, even for kids who might balk at eating their veggies.  I often had a hard time having enough leftovers for my lunch the next day.

 

Unstuffed Bell Pepper Soup

 

1 large bell pepper, chopped

½ medium onion, diced

½ pound lean ground beef, browned and drained

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

1 can cut green beans, undrained

1 jar marinara sauce

2 cups beef broth

1 -2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. dried basil

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups rice, cooked

½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

 

Place all ingredients, except rice and cheese into slow cooker.  Cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.  When ready to serve place ¼ cup of rice in bottom of soup bowl and ladle hot soup over the top.  Top with grated cheese.  Serves 8.

 

I love that this soup only uses a half pound of ground beef, you could also use ground pork, making it very economical.  With all of these delicious ingredients it is also very flavorful.

 

Pork Basil Soup

 

2 pork loin chops, thinly sliced

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1 can water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

1 can coconut milk

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded coleslaw mix

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbs. dried basil

2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. sciracha sauce (optional)

1 Tbs. olive oil

 

In a large pot over medium heat place oil.  Heat to coat pan, add pork and onions and cook until no longer pink and onions are soft.  Add remaining ingredients.  Fill coconut milk can with warm water and add to soup.  Stir well and simmer about 20 minutes.

 

This soup is wonderful on its own and you can also serve it with rice to make it an even heartier meal.  I will often serve eggrolls or spring rolls to complete this meal.

 

These are three really delicious soups that are definitely not boring and will fill you up.  Add a simple green salad and bread to make it a well rounded meal sure to satisfy.  I think it is important when you are trying to stretch your budget to do our best to keep meals interesting.  If you need additional soup ideas and recipes check out Soups On! for more inspiration.

 

Rethinking Christmas!

 

This year I want to challenge you to think outside the box a bit when it comes to celebrating Christmas so you don’t break the bank and end up with a giant credit card bill come January.  In my opinion, a huge bill is no way to start out a new year.  Instead, let’s get excited about the holidays with no buyer’s remorse.

 

Have The Talk! 

Have a discussion with your family (the Thanksgiving table may be the perfect venue) about scaling back on the gift giving, not just on how much one should be spending, but also on the quantity of gifts you are giving.  Explain your “why”.  Let everyone know that times are tough right now (no one will argue that point) and that you are paying off debt or you are saving for something important. 

Instead focus on experiences, traditions and of course, the food.  As we have looked back over the years at previous holidays we never seem to remember the gifts we were given, but we always remember wonderful food we ate and the fun things we did.  When it comes to the gifts we give our children set a modest budget and stick to it.  I also love this idea – Something you want, something you need, something to wear & something to read.  Simple, easy and more than plenty.

 

Make It A Challenge! 

Nothing fires people up and gets them excited more than a good ol’ challenge.  Whether the challenge is homemade gifts only, food gifts only, experience gifts only, $5 gifts, $10 gifts, white elephant gifts or whatever you decide a challenge can be a fun and exciting part of your holidays this year.  Instead of giving a gift to everybody outside of your immediate family consider drawing names instead or host a gift exchange where everyone brings a single gift.  Rules can vary and “stealing” may or may not be allowed.

 

Shop Your Home First! 

Before you go shopping for baking ingredients or food for holiday meals go through the freezer, fridge and pantry and pull out everything you already have.  Then make a list and fill in the blanks.  Pull out all of the crafts supplies you have squirreled away in drawers and closets and finally put them to good use.  Look at items around your house, even in the garage, and consider re-gifting them to someone you know would enjoy them.  Or, finally get some of those photos on your phone printed up and give them to your loved ones.

 

Decorate! 

Pull out all of that holiday décor and get busy decorating your home.  Most of us will agree that we have way too many holiday decorations and tangled strings of lights.  Challenge yourself to use only what you already have instead of buying new things this year.  Maybe now is a good time to downsize and consolidate what you have and share some of the overflow with others.  Trade your extra string of lights or box of ornaments for a “new” (to you) wreath for your front door.  Make trimming the tree a party event this year.  Consider playing holiday music or streaming a favorite Christmas movie while you decorate.  Kevin!!!!

 

Wrap It Up! 

Chances are pretty good you already have everything you need to wrap gifts, make your own cards or give away homemade cookie plates on a plain paper plate covered in Saran wrap with bow on top.  Every year my next door neighbor gives me a loaf of her delicious pumpkin bread wrapped in foil with a bow on top.  I love it!  One year we received an assortment of cookies on a tray that was made out of a shoe box lid.  Clever!  If you’ve been saving cookie or popcorn tins over the years now is the time to use them up and give them away. 

When it comes to gift wrapping you don’t necessarily need it to be Christmas specific either.  Plain paper will work just fine.  I personally love the look of brown paper with red ribbon so go ahead and cut up that paper grocery bag taking up residence in the bottom of your pantry and put it to work.  Use aluminum foil or colorful tissue paper to wrap small gifts and tie with a ribbon or length of yarn.  Make your own gift tags too.

 

Keep It Simple! 

Keeping it all very simple and basic not only reduces stress, but it also makes the holidays much more enjoyable.  One of our traditions is to drive around on Christmas Eve and look at the lights people have put up on their houses.  One year it was a full moon out so we just bundled up and walked our neighborhood.  It was so quiet and beautiful, downright enchanting.  When we got home I made hot cocoa for everyone and then we scuttled off to bed before Santa arrived.

 

Scaling back and keeping things simple won’t put a damper on the festivities in fact it may be quite the opposite.  You will mostly likely introduce new experiences, new traditions and make a lot of memories along the way.  Your bonus is that there won’t be a big bill waiting for you in January.

 

 

Rice & Beans?!!

 

“Oh no!  Don’t tell me that in order to save money and pay off debt I have to eat rice and beans!”  Ugh, right?  Well, I’m going to tell you to eat them, but not in the way you think.  I keep a variety of dried beans, split peas, and rice in my pantry to use in so many of my meals and I don’t feel deprived or bored.  I personally do not care for lentils, but if you do definitely ad lentils to your pantry as well.  Not only are these items budget friendly, but they are packed with good nutrients too.

 

I will often cook a batch of dried beans in my slow cooker to make chili, homemade refried beans, add to soups and extend ground beef when I make taco meat.  I brown a pound of ground beef with some diced onion, drain the fat and add a cup or two of the cooked beans along with some taco seasoning.  It is perfect for tacos and burrito filling.  I also like to add cooked black beans and frozen sweet corn to my homemade salsa.

 

Rice makes an excellent side for beef and gravy, sweet & sour pork, a family favorite crack chicken, etc.  I like to season my rice with spices or salsa for Spanish style rice or cook it in broth for extra flavor.  Another family favorite is to make rice pilaf to serve next to pork chops or roasted chicken.  We also love pork fried rice.

 

Of course rice & beans is a very delicious meal to enjoy and I to make it from time to time, but there are so many other great ways to use these in a multitude of other meals.  No boredom.  So go through your cupboards and pull out those bags of rice and dried legumes and get creative.  Your budget will appreciate it and I’m sure you family will too.

 

Do You Have A Stockpile? You Need One!

 

Years ago my first stockpile began with a copy paper box and lid I brought home from work and evolved from there.  I squeaked out every extra penny I could from my existing grocery shopping budget to fill that box with items I used on a regular basis.  It evolved from there until I was able to fill another box and then another.  I stacked the boxes in my hall closet where they were safe and out of the way.  It didn’t happen overnight, but it did happen and that practice saved my bacon many times through any financial hardship I faced while raising my family as a single mom.

 

I still keep a stockpile of groceries and nonfood items in my home to this day.  It is a huge part of my financial success and why I am easily able to stay on budget with my expenses and spending.  I would buy one for now and one for later until I had an extra item for nearly everything I had listed on my basic pantry list.  Before long I had two of each item and then three.  Then I added additional numbers of the items I used more often like canned tomatoes, soup, green beans and peanut butter.

 

This is all you really need!

By creating a basic pantry list of items I keep in my home I know that as long as I have those items in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer I can pretty much make anything at any given time so I am not rushing out to the store to pick up an ingredient I don’t have to complete a meal.  If you are interested in receiving a workable Excel copy of this list you can tailor to your needs simply click here to email me.  I will happily send you one.

 

As time has gone on my boxes became tubs and eventually shelving I keep in a spare room for storing my long term food storage.  I added a freezer to our garage to stock with meats and vegetables I bought on sale or markdown.  I have a shelf to stock butter, flour and cornmeal in my freezer too.  Should I find myself facing a financial hardship I know I can now keep myself fed for a year or more.

 

The freezer we keep in our garage

Having a well stocked pantry, refrigerator and freezer gives great peace of mind that, if nothing else, we don’t have to worry about how we will be able to feed our family.  At the onset it may seem unachievable, but if you consistently chip away at it you will be surprised at how quickly you can make it happen.

 

 

Let’s Get Cheesy!

 

There is no doubt we have seen the price of cheese rise, along with everything else, but I feel it is still a very affordable option, especially if you follow these simple tips.

 

Always Buy It On Sale 

I wait until it goes on sale for no more than $2.99 a pound and then I stock up.  I find those sales tend to cycle around about every six to eight weeks and when they do I pounce purchasing as much as I need to keep me going at least six months, sometimes even a year.

 

Buy The Block 

Cheese that is already sliced or grated utilizes ingredients to keep the slices and shreds from sticking or clumping together.  Some brands of sliced cheese will place a paper in between the slices but they are often more expensive.  To keep it simple and healthier I choose the block.  Then I can slice, cube, make my own cheese sticks and grate it how I like.

Consider It A Garnish 

While I would love nothing more than to nosh on a bunch of cheese, I really shouldn’t.  Instead I use it like a flavor and texture enhancer rather than the main ingredient.  By purchasing stronger flavors of cheese such as medium or sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack in place of mozzarella, I find I can get by using far less than the milder options.

 

Wrap & Freeze 

I find that if I layer sliced cheeses with waxed or parchment paper and place them in a Ziploc bag or wrap with plastic wrap they freeze them just fine.  I also freeze my own grated cheeses by placing two cups of it in a Ziploc bag.  I don’t add anything like cornstarch to the bag and have had no issues with clumping.  To further prevent any chance of freezer burn I date the bags, place them inside a larger bag and make sure I use it up in date order (first in; first out).  Freezing the entire block works too, but it will make the texture more crumbly.

 

A little goes a long way!

Watch for those sales and when they pop up that is the time to buy your cheese.  With a little bit of prep you can have a nice stockpile tucked away in your fridge and freezer saving yourself some big $$!