Doing the mathy math, microwave popcorn costs around $22.65 for 12 boxes with 3 packets per box (source Amazon) — that’s an eye-popping $3.53 per pound!

Sure, you may think you’re paying all that delicious cash for a magic metal-lined bag that pops better kernels and cooks your corn more evenly. But think again. I can do the same popping magic trick with a cheapo plain brown paper bag. And at a tasty 50 cents per pound, plain popcorn kernels bought in bulk cost FAR less than that slimy packaged stuff.

Now let me pop the big question: have you ever recycled your leftover microwave popcorn bags? I cringe to think how much of this product graces our landfills, all in the name of snack food. But no fear, by switching your home movie snacking habit using this frugal trick, you can compost or recycle your used brown paper bags and create no waste. See How To Compost Without Raising a Stink for easy composting help.

Speaking of waist, do you know how many calories are contained in those popcorn flavor packets? What about the ingredients? Here’s the ingredient list from the Act II popcorn page on Amazon. Note: I couldn’t find this information on the company’s website.

Act II Popcorn Ingredients: Popcorn, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Annatto Color. Contains: Fish, Milk

Fish? Milk? In my popcorn? Um, no thanks. I’ll skip the hydrogenated oil, fish, and milk additives in my snacks by sticking to my frugalicious and homemade popcorn version. Here’s how to make Microwave Popcorn in a Brown Paper Bag:

Step One: Get a brown paper bag

This is ridiculously easy, internet people. Just head on over to your local grocery store and pickup a package of no name flat-bottomed brown paper lunch bags.

I nabbed a package of 100 brown bags for around $2, on sale.

Step Two: Bag your popcorn

Add a 1/2 cup scoop of bulk popcorn kernels to your brown paper bag.

Fold the bag over twice. Don’t use staples to secure the bag — this might spark in your microwave.

This is so exciting. I’m popping with excitement.

Step Three: Pop in microwave

Stick the popcorn bag into your microwave. I set mine for 3 minutes on high.

Popping Tip: Stop the microwave when the popping slows to one to two pops per second. You don’t want to burn your tasty snack.

Step Four: Add gourmet topping

A pinch of salt with a dab of butter is the most popular way to eat popcorn.

But why not get creative and try some sweet or savory flavors to mix up movie night?

Try these toppings for some gourmet popcorn fun:

• Mexican: Add chili powder, hot sauce, and salt.
• Kiss My Breath: Shake in onion powder and garlic powder — hold the kiss.
• Cheese Please: Mix in Parmesan cheese with a little salt.
• Sweet Tooth: A dash of cinnamon, a sprinkle of sugar, and a topper of honey. Now that’s money.
• Classic: A shake of salt with a pat of butter.

Squawkfox: How do YOU make popcorn? Got a favorite gourmet popcorn topping to share?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

I’ve written about jarred gifts before in 8 Homemade Gifts in a Jar — so check it out if you’re less into pastry and more into mixes in a jar.

Pie in a jar is just that — it’s a small single serving of fruit pie made and baked in a tiny mason jar. These pies are frugal to make, awesome to gift, tasty to serve, and fun to sell at bake sales where there’s more than enough standard cakes and tarts to go around. Yes, every local bake sale has a tart or two. But I digress.

Anytartytarts, I’ve even given a few jarred pies to friends in need of a little cheer after a bad day. We’ve all had those days, and sharing a belly laugh over a tiny pie in a jar is far cheaper than visiting a shrink. But if you do need a shrink then please don’t drop by looking for tiny pie. It’s only pie, after all.

Not only are pies in a jar fun to make, but they are a flexible food to serve too. Bake up a fresh batch today or freeze a bunch for later when unexpected company arrives. These little marvels don’t take up your freezer space like traditional baking since they stack up nicely.

So to get you in the mood for some summer sweet and frugal pie, let’s get some mason jars, turn on the oven, and get baking. If you’ve got some kiddlets looking for a fun project, get them into the frugal fun too by teaching them to bake. Watching little ones eat tiny pies is kinda cute too.

Oh, and don’t forget to add these pies as gifts using the Budget Series Gift Giving Worksheet — where tracking even small gifts is as easy as pie.

Step One: Get the right ‘wide mouth jars’

Making pie in a jar is simple with the right canning jars. If you don’t want to have pie on your face, then skip the super cutie narrow-necked jelly jars and get the still super cute 1/2 pint wide mouth canning jars. You’ll thank me when it’s time to line the jar with dough and when it’s time to plate your pie. Besides, the wide mouth jars make it easier to label for a gift, or eat out of with a fork.

The 1/2 pint wide mouth jars yield a pie around 2.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall.

Don’t forget to wash or sterilize your jars before making pie.

Sterilizing is important if you plan to freeze your jarred pies for baking at a later date.

Step Two: Press in your pie dough

I will not lie to you. Filling these little mason jars with pie dough is not easy. When I had the patience I rolled out a little doily-shaped crust, fit it into the bottom of the jar, and then pressed it in to form the perfect (cough) crust. I also found that taking dough pieces and pressing them into the jar worked well too.

Jarring Revelations:

• Greasing the jar with butter before lining it with dough helps to remove the pie (in one piece) after baking.
• Swearing at either the jar or the pastry doesn’t help. You may scare your spouse. Besides, being a dough-head isn’t cool.
• Leave 1/2 inch of pie crust above the edge of the mason jar. This extra dough lets you roll and crimp the bottom of the pie crust to the pie top.

Now don’t give me the stink eye over my next admission — I used store bought dough for my pie in a jar. [Enter Stink Eye Here]. Making pastry is not my talent. If pastry is your passion then check out the Smitten Kitchen’s Pie Crust 101 tutorial and recipe. For everyone else, just buy three or four pie crusts from the refrigerator section at your grocery store. You’ll need around three pie crusts to fill six mason jars, but chances are you’ll make a mistake or two, or three. If you prefer thinner crust, then just roll out your dough and use two pie crusts. Easy.

As an alternative to pastry or for those on a gluten-free diet, swap out the dough and try my Homemade Granola Recipe as a pie crust. It’s tasty.

Step Three: Add some pie filling

Are you hankering for some apple pie or do you crave a nice sweet cherry pie? The choice is yours. I have a simple pie filling recipe (below), but I must be honest with you again — I used canned cherry pie filling for the pies in this post. Don’t hate me because I felt lazy today. Love me ’cause I’m honest. Smile.

Simple Pie Filling Recipe:

• 4 1/2 cups cherries, berries, or diced fruit
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter, divide between the pies
• spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, or to taste

Or better yet, hop on over to my Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Apples and try that filling since I’m stuck in a can today. It’s tasty and healthy.

Jarring Revelations:

• Only fill the jars to the 3/4 mark. Filling to the brim will make it tricky to top and crimp your pie. Also, the pie might bubble and boil over if over-filled. It happens.
• Add a little flour to the mixture if your fruit is super juicy.
• Top your filling with a little pat of butter. Yum.

Now on to the fun part.

Step Four: Create a pretty pie top

I hope you kept your mason jar lids handy because the inner ring makes the perfect pie top cutter. Just use a knife to trace the inner ring circle and voila — instant pie top.

Now personalize your pie top by using a small cookie cutter to create a little vent. Once you’ve placed the pie top into the pie jar (it’s tricky I know), go ahead and carefully crimp the pie crust bottom over the top. Put the lids and rings on each jar until you’re ready to bake.

Step Five: Freeze your pies (optional)

If you have cold feet or you’re not ready to bake your pies today, then go ahead and freeze them until needed. I keep a few jarred pies in deep freeze in case I need a quick gift, or for when company comes over. Ok, Ok, sometimes I just like a little tiny tart treat too.

An unforeseen bonus to making pie in a jar is the mason jars protect the pies in the freezer. No more dented pies! Also, the jars make it super simple to stack many pies without ruining the tender crusts — so you can optimize your freezer space and save the room for stocking up on grocery sale items.

One little trick for dealing with slippery mason jars is to wrap each pie jar with a little tin foil to get a better grip. I dropped one the other day and made a little mess. My dog was happy though.

Step Six: Get Baked

It’s time to get bubbly, tarty, flaky, and tasty. Start by removing the lids and rings from each jar. If you own a Silpat Nonstick Silicon Baking Mat, then place each jarred pie on your Silpat (on a cookie sheet) to prevent slipping. Sliding hot jars filled with boiling pie are not safe. Just a safety warning. I’m a safety girl.

• To bake from refrigerated: Preheat oven to 375-400 degrees and bake for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. The bonus with glass jars is you can easily see if the crust is getting too brown.

• To bake from frozen: Follow the same instructions from above but preheat oven to 350-375 degrees and bake for around 60-70 minutes.

Oh, and don’t worry about baking in jars. Canning jars are very resilient when it comes to heat — they are meant to be boiled — so baking pies straight from the freezer is fine.

Step Seven: Serve or Decorate

Removing the pie from it’s jar can be a tricky situation. I’ve had some good luck by sliding a knife around the inside of the jar and using gravity to remove the treat inside. Eating the pie while it’s still inside the jar is easier, and lots of fun at picnics and when company drops by. For some reason my guests have loved being treated to a single serving pie. It’s a novelty. It’s fun.

If you’re gifting the pie, decorate the lids with pretty paper, jar labels, or add a little bit of ribbon for style. A decorated pie in a jar goes over very well at bake sales and fund raisers — so putting in a little creative decorative effort can make you some money too.

Get Squawky: Ever bake a treat in a jar?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

During the summer months I’ve found that it’s easy to get overwhelmed by too much ripe fruit. Local farmers will often harvest their crops and sell bulk amounts at a discount, or I go away for the weekend and need to deal with a few extra peaches, berries, or bananas. Throwing out perfectly good fruit fails to be frugal, and composting can be pretty wasteful too, especially if the fruit is still good.

So I’ve taken to freezing fruit and blending it together into a refreshing frosty treat. Oh, and since frugal fruit ice cream is low in sugar and bursting with whole fruit goodness, you know it’s healthier than most options sold through ice cream franchises, cheaper than branded gourmet ice cream, and the many variations can be fun snacks for kids too.

Tastes like Strawberry Ice Cream

My all time favorite sweet summer fruit is the strawberry. I love a fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (with apples) and enjoy my daily Strawberry and Banana Green Smoothie. But nothing beats a frozen snack when it’s hot outside and I’ve got some strawberries chilling in the freezer.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 2 frozen bananas, chopped

Optional: Add these ingredients if you prefer a creamy or sweeter snack.

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup sugar, or sweeten to taste

Instructions:
1. Blend: Place the strawberries, bananas, and optional ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Serve: Place strawberry ice cream in a bowl and serve.

Add ice cream toppings for fun! I love a few pieces from my Healthy Granola Bar Recipe.

3. OR Freeze: If the strawberry ice cream is super soft after blending and a firmer texture is preferred, then place mixture in a container and freeze. After an hour or two, use an ice cream scoop to serve.

Tastes like Peach Ice Cream

It takes a pretty hot climate to grow a peach. If you’re lucky enough to live in the land of peaches, then try taking this ice cream twist for a spin.

Ingredients:

• 2 frozen peaches, skinless
• 2 frozen bananas, chopped

Optional: Add these ingredients if you prefer a creamy or sweet snack.

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup sugar, or sweeten to taste

Instructions:
1. Blend: Place the peaches, bananas, and optional ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Serve: Use an ice cream scoop and serve.

3. OR Freeze: If the peach ice cream is super soft after blending and a firmer texture is preferred, then place mixture in a container and freeze. After an hour or two, use an ice cream scoop to serve.

If strawberries, bananas, and peaches aren’t your thing, then feel free to use raspberries or another type of high-sugar fruit to take a unique turn on your own frugal ice cream. Anything goes.

Squawkback: Got a tasty twist on a cool summer snack?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

Long time readers of Squawkfox (the keener beaners) know of my insatiable ability to wax lyrical about the lowly legume. Hey, you’ve gotta get lyrical about something in life, why not beans?

So lyrical I be when it comes to frugal sources of protein — and baked beans are on my soul-warming, comfort-fooding, and fantastically frugalicious yummy list.

To make this dish super easy and super cheap I turned off my oven and fired up my Crock Pot (or slow cooker for those with unbranded cooking dish devices). If you’re still living without one, here are 6 Reasons to use a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot and How to Buy a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot for less. Hint: this is the best time of year to buy a slow cooker on sale.

Now back to brown beans. I’ve put together three recipes for all tastes: I’ve got a healthy homemade baked beans recipe, a Boston baked beans recipe and a vegetarian baked beans recipe. Here’s how to make homemade baked beans:

Homemade Baked Beans Recipe

This is my favorite since I love the sweetness of the honey and molasses mixed with a punch of mustard.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs (3 cups) dried small white beans, or navy beans
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons dried mustard
• Optional: 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Optional: sautéed chopped onion

Boston Baked Bean Recipe

Here’s a frugal take on Boston baked beans.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs (3 cups) dried small white beans, or navy beans
• 1/4 pound bacon
• 2.5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons dried mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sautéed chopped onion

Vegetarian Baked Beans Recipe

This one is similar to the homemade baked beans recipe, but it’s less sweet since it contains no honey. I’ve also cut the salt. Feel free to add more molasses.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs (3 cups) dried small white beans, or navy beans
• 2.5 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons dried mustard
• Optional: 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Optional: sautéed chopped onion

How to Make Baked Beans in Your Crock Pot

The instructions are the same for all three recipes. The photos illustrate the homemade baked beans recipe though — so don’t worry if the pictures don’t match your imagination.

Directions:

1. Soak navy beans overnight. I’ve soaked longer — up to 12 hours — for even softer baked beans. See How to Soak and Cook Dried Beans for lots of background info on why you’ve gotta soak your beans.

2. Drain beans and rinse off. Put beans into Crock Pot or slow cooker.

3. Add all the ingredients from your preferred baked beans recipe.

4. Stir all ingredients together.

5. Cover Crock Pot and cook 6-7 hours on high, or 10-12 hours on low. These slow cooking times are approximate, so cook until the beans are soft and the sauce is rich. Add water to the Crock Pot, if needed.

Eyeball Warning: If you like your eyeballs, then do yourself a solid and refrain from opening the lid during the early hours of cooking. Dried mustard is volatile stuff, and the fumes will burn your pupils if you dare peep into the pot.

6. Serve on toast for breakfast, with scrambled eggs for lunch, or as a side dish with dinner. Enjoy!

Your Two Cents: Are you a keener beaner?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

All you need for these delicious herbal tea recipes is a French press or Bodum, a few tasty herbs from your frugal herb garden, several cups of boiling water, and ten minutes of brew time. Mix these fine ingredients together, spot yourself a seat in the shade, and you’ve got yourself a delicious drink fit for a king at a pauper’s price.

I’ve made several of these herbal tea infusions for a variety of reasons. Some infusions are perfect for entertaining and delighting company, while other recipes are better for soothing away the common cold.

There are five simple combinations offered here, but feel free to mix and match your own infusion based on the herbs in your garden or the contents of your fridge.

Herbal Tea Infusion Instructions: Place ingredients in a French press or Bodum, add boiling water, let brew for 5 to 10 minutes, and press down the strainer. Any quantity of herbs, spices, or flowers will work just fine, so don’t worry about measuring.

1. Ginger Tea infused with Apple and Thyme

An everyday herbal tea infusion perfect for impressing company or pleasing yourself after a hectic day. Spicy ginger tempered with apple and a sprig of thyme. Put your feet up and enjoy.

2. Citrus Lemon Blast

Got a cold? Feeling the flu? Quick, go brew yourself an infusion of lemon slice and orange peel tea — perfect for killing everything that ails you. Add a slice of ginger and a splash of honey to spice and sweeten the deal.

3. Lemon Grass Tea with Lemon Verbena

Pucker your pout for some sour lemon tea goodness. Add a few pieces of lemon grass and several leaves of lemon verbena to make the most refreshing lemon herbal tea on Earth. Or add ginger and honey for a more medicinal brew and call this recipe Lemon Ginger Tea. Hey, I’m flexible.

4. Mint Tea

You don’t need a French press for this one. Just add fresh or dried mint leaves to your prettiest tea cup and smile. One simple ingredient is all it takes to add a refreshing vibe to your day. Some claim mint to be a medicinal tea ingredient that can help soothe headaches and relax muscles. Test this theory and let me know.

5. Mixed Bag of Herbal Tea

Got some chamomile tea or green tea sitting on a shelf? Or perhaps you’ve got some loose tea languishing around. Whatever your tea passion, go grab your favorite and infuse it with something fresh and tasty. In this example I’ve brewed a cup of chamomile tea and added lemon, ginger, and lemon verbena. Yeah, it’s a little wild and different — but ohh so tasty.

To complete tea time just add a few Chocolate Almond Truffles, some
Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Apples or these Easy and Healthy Granola Bars and you’ve got yourself the perfect tea party. I’ll leave the tea length dresses up to you.

Your Two Cents: Got a favorite herbal tea recipe? Soothe us by sharing.

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

Most of the ingredients can already be found in your refrigerator. Yay! But feel free to substitute ingredients based on availability and affordability. In these 10 delicious recipes I’ve included a few for breakfast, lunch, and dinner too. Now get reheating, stir frying, and cooking to save some clucky bucks. Gobble gobble!

1. Turkey Dijon Honey Mustard Pizza with Provolone

Pick your crust: This is a flexible recipe where any kind of pizza dough works. I’ve used whole wheat wraps as a crust substitute, store bought pizza dough, and even a bag of English muffins for small individually sized pizzas (kids love this option). I used English muffins in the photo, above.

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix 1 tablespoon honey with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 1/2 tablespoon whole grained mustard. Paint the pizza crust with honey and mustard mixture. Top pizza with 2 cups shredded turkey and then add 1 1/2 cups grated provolone cheese. Sprinkle with fresh basil. Bake pizza for about 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned on top.

2. Turkey and Quinoa Stir Fry

Cook 1 cup quinoa (see How to Cook Quinoa for instructions) or cook 1 cup of your favorite rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute 1/2 onion with 1 clove garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender. Add 4 cups vegetables (broccoli, snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, rapini, or whatever you like!) until tender. Add 2 cups turkey and stir fry until heated through. Mix in quinoa or rice. Top with almonds.

3. Turkey with Salad, Cheese, and Asparagus

Toss leafy green lettuce with your favorite cheese, and 1/2 cup whole or chopped almonds into 4 serving bowls. Top with sliced turkey and asparagus. Drizzle with vinaigrette of your choice and season with salt and pepper.

4. Turkey Hash Browns with Eggs

Saute 3/4 pounds diced potatoes, 1 chopped red bell pepper, and 1 chopped onion in olive oil until the potatoes are tender and golden (15 minutes). Stir in 1 cup diced leftover turkey and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and cook until heated. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with fried or scrambled eggs.

5. Turkey Fried Rice with Shrimp

Cook 1 cup of your favorite rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add a splash of olive oil, 1 1/2 cups shredded turkey, 1 cup frozen peas; simmer until heated through. Add 1 1/2 cups cooked, thawed shrimp. Stir in rice, 2 sliced scallions, and 2 chopped plum tomatoes.

6. Turkey and Quinoa Salad

Cook 3/4 cup quinoa (see How to Cook Quinoa for instructions). Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 2 cups leafy green lettuce or lettuce of your liking. Add 2 cups shredded turkey 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Turkey Chili

Saute 1 chopped onion and 1 green bell pepper in olive oil until tender. Add one can diced tomatoes, two cans kidney beans (rinsed) OR soak dried beans, 2 cups shredded turkey, 2 cups water, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, dash of cayenne pepper; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until chili is thick, around 30 minutes.

8. Turkey and Rice Soup

Cook 1 cup of your favorite rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, simmer 2 cut-up carrots in 6 cups low sodium chicken broth until tender, 12-15 minutes. Stir in rice, 1 1/2 cups shredded turkey and any leftover vegetables from your holiday dinner — such as rapini, potatoes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, beans, etc. — and cook until heated through.

9. Turkey Sandwich or Wrap

Get rolling with a whole wheat wrap or get sliced with two pieces of rye bread. Spread wrap or bread with Dijon mustard or even with leftover homemade cranberry sauce. Top with turkey, lettuce, and cheese. Serve with apple slices and salad on the side.

10. Play it again Sam!

This is the easiest turkey leftover recipe of them all. Just stick your head into the refrigerator (don’t strain yourself now) and take a peek at what’s left from dinner. Reheat turkey, potatoes, brussels sprouts, squash, carrots, homemade cranberry sauce, Turkey Meatloaf Muffins, Rolled Turkey Breast or whatever! Serve on a plate. Enjoy!

Your Two Cents: Are you a lover of leftovers? Got any turkey tips or other turkey recipes?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

Last year I shared my easy Rolled Turkey Breast Recipe (with Artisan Bread Stuffing). This year I’m going super simple with ground turkey. Yes, I’m squawking about healthy turkey meatloaf made into muffins. Mmmmmm.

This is an easy meatloaf recipe for meals outside of the holidays too. Carl and I make these little meatloaf muffins on the weekend and refrigerate them for our meals during the week.

Bite sized meatloaf muffins are also great for kids since they are portion sized and are ready to be reheated at a moment’s notice. Try this affordable recipe for ground turkey meatballs, ground turkey burgers, or in a slow cooker as turkey casserole.

If you want something more seasonal in between holiday meals then add a cup of cranberries for color or try this homemade cranberry sauce as a side dish for more festive fun.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1 whole egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup dry oatmeal or bread crumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup dried cranberries (optional for the holidays)

Instructions:

1. In a small frying pan over medium high heat, gently simmer the diced onion and garlic using the vegetable oil. Cook until onions are translucent, soft, and tender for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, milk, and oatmeal. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the cooled onion and garlic to the mixing bowl. Combine the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, optional cranberries and mix well.

4. Divide this ground healthy turkey meatloaf into 8 or 10 muffin sections in a lightly oiled muffin pan.

5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350F to 375F degrees for around 40 minutes. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check the temperature before removing from oven.

Depending on the size of your muffin tin, this recipe can serve up to 10 portions. Just add some potatoes, squash, green beans, mushrooms, brussels sprouts, or whatever to complete the meal! How’s that for frugal and healthy?

Looking for more holiday meal or turkey ideas?

• Rolled Turkey Breast Recipe
• Erik’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
• Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Apples
• Easy Homemade RAW Apple Pie

Your Turn: Got a meatloaf memory to share? Ever tried turkey meatloaf?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

So back to Erik, my new favorite Turkey Day dining buddy. Erik, a retired elementary school teacher, has been bitten by the culinary bug during his time away from school bells and report cards. During dinner he introduced me to his scholarly homemade cranberry sauce recipe. Since I’ve only ever had cranberry sauce out of a can, I was stunned by the deliciousness of fresh cranberries mixed with sweet pears and a hint of anise. Needless to say, I’ll never spend my dollars dining on canned cranberry sauce again. And neither should you.

After giving Erik an A+ on his cranberry contributions, I begged him to share the secrets to his sauce. Being the sly Fox that I am, I have full permission to post the recipe for you. The ingredients are simple and the instructions are straightforward. It’s basically a three-step process to make the perfect homemade cranberry sauce. Hopefully, the results won’t send you to the Principal’s office.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag cranberries
• 2 pears, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar (or less)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• zest from one orange
• 1/4 cup liquid honey
• 1/2 tsp anise seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions:

1. In a pot bring the sugar, orange juice, orange zest, honey, anise, and cinnamon to a boil. Simmer carefully for 3-6 minutes. Let sugars melt together.

2. Add cranberries to the mixture and simmer for 2 minutes. The cranberries will make a popping sound as they simmer.

3. Add pears to the mixture and simmer the sauce until the cranberries have reached desired tenderness.

Enjoy fresh cranberry sauce with dinner!

A huge thank you to Erik for introducing me to this recipe. Another huge thank you to my sister-in-law Kate for the Thanksgiving invite and for sharing her father’s talent with the family.

Your Turn: Do you make your own cranberry sauce or are you stuck in a can?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

Since summer sweet strawberry dessert recipes are in season and can be made affordably, I’ve put together my favorite and healthy Strawberry Crisp with fresh organic rhubarb and apples. Even the topping is good for you since I used my Easy and Healthy Granola Bars Recipe instead of flours, fats, and sugars. Yay!

To keep costs down I grow my own rhubarb and buy organic produce when it’s in-season. I always buy extra and freeze the rest for the winter months.

This year Carl and I had some fun while being frugal and went to a local organic farm for U-Pick strawberries.

At the U-Pick event there were lots of families getting together to have fun with berries.

We saved 50% just by going directly to the farm and spending a few hours picking a few flats.

If you don’t have the time, then do visit your local farmer’s market for exceptional produce.

Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Apples

At first I couldn’t decide what I wanted to make. I have so many yummy fruits on hand this time of year. Both rhubarb and strawberries are plentiful at this time so I decided to mix them with some frozen apples I saved from last year’s harvest. Feel free to choose just two fruits for a strawberry rhubarb crisp or even just a single fruit for simple strawberry crisp. Crisps are a flexible and foolproof dessert, so mix it up and have some fun!

Also, I don’t usually add sugars, flours, or cornstarches to my desserts. I enjoy foods in their simplest state since I’m not exactly a “strawberry whip cream jello dessert” kind of gal. Smile. But if you like sweeter desserts then feel free to add some sugar and spice to your crisp. Life is short!

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 2.5 cups of rhubarb, chopped
• 1 apple, chopped
• 2 cups strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 cup sugar (optional), or sweeten to taste
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour (optional)

Topping:

• 2.5 cups of granola, using the Healthy Granola Bars Recipe

Instructions:
1. Make the Filling: Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, mix together rhubarb, strawberries, and apple. Add sugar if you desire a sweeter dessert. Add cornstarch or flour if you like a thicker filling. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.

1. Make the Topping: Just follow the instructions from the Healthy Granola Bars Recipe. You’ll have extra if you make a full batch.

3. Put it Together: Sprinkle the granola topping evenly over the filling and bake for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 and continue baking for about 30 minutes longer, until the fruit filling is bubbling and the topping is nicely browned. Let the crisp rest for about 10 minutes before serving

This crisp didn’t last longer then a meal. But if you’ve got some extra then stick it in a reusable container and bring it for work or school lunches. This particular recipe is low in sugar and starches so it’s a great option for a mid-afternoon snack. Do you love crisps?

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor

The problem with most granola bar brands though is they’re laden with fat and unpronounceable ingredients – especially those fatty Nature Valley Granola Bars. Sure there are “healthy alternatives” like the Chewy Granola Bars from Kashi, but at $5 for a box of 6 tiny bars I think I’ll pass on even the organic manufactured versions. I’ll keep my cashi in my pocket, thank you very much. Smirk.

To show you that healthy and organic granola snacks can be had for less, I’ve put together a yummy homemade granola recipe for your snacking pleasure. If you’re not into bar shapes, go ahead and use a cookie cutter for no bake cookies! This is a no bake recipe that’s fun to make with your kids too!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked buckwheat, al dente
• 1 cup raw rolled oats
• 3 apples
• 1 cup dried cranberries, or raisins
• 1 cup dried apple slices, or other dried fruit
• 30 dates, pitted and soaked in water for 15 minutes (add more for sweeter snacks)
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 1/4 cups raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Yields 20 granola bars or around 30 cookies. I used all organic ingredients bought in bulk (no name generics) costing under $6 for the batch.

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, place 1 cup cooked buckwheat, cored apples (keep the peel), dates, honey, cinnamon, salt, and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds.

2. Grind until completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

3. Add 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup cranberries, dried apple (or other fruit) slices to the food processor (you don’t need to rinse the bowl in between steps). Very coarsely chop the nuts, seeds, and fruit in a few quick pulses. Add them to the bowl with the apple mixture and combine well.

4. Add the oats, and remaining buckwheat, almonds, sunflower seeds, and cranberries to the mixture and combine.

If the dough is too moist, add a pinch more oats to the mixture. The dough should be sticky but not runny. The varying degrees of chopped nuts, seeds, and fruits give this granola an amazing texture.

5. Spread the granola dough on plastic wrap to shape into bars 1/2 inch thick and then chop into sections 4 inches long.

Alternatively, use a cookie cutter to shape the granola dough into no bake oatmeal cookies – perfect for kids’ lunches and snacks.

6. Place the granola bars or cookies onto dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 135 degrees for 4 hours. Flip the bars over and continue dehydrating for another hour, depending on how chewy and moist you prefer your granola bars. If you prefer very crunchy granola bars, then dehydrate for another 8 hours after flipping.

Granola bars get flipped!

7. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container. To maintain freshness longer, store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

I would have taken photos of the finished homemade cookies, but they didn’t last long enough.

These are seriously yummy, healthy, and affordable snacks to make. Enjoy!

	397 Ways to Save Money Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less By Kerry K. Taylor