Now Blogger has taken their Pages from Blogger In Draft and made them available to all Blogger users. Awesome Blogger! Way to go! Sorry WordPress. The only thing you let me do was have multiple pages. You didn’t let me have my pretty templates. You didn’t let me have my Google Friend Connect. You wouldn’t even let me put my button here without me having to trick you.

So, with all that being said, my cookbook is back where it started out and it’s going to stay there this time. Click here to see it….go ahead…I’ll wait…

See? Isn’t that pretty? I like it so much better!

So if you are following me here, please follow me there. All you have to change in my URL is one little word. It’s not too hard is it? I don’t want to be a pain but I really, really, really love visitors and don’t want to lose any of you because I changed sites. My URL here is http://theeatfoodnotmoneycookbook.wordpress.com and my URL there is http://theeatfoodnotmoneycookbook.blogspot.com. K? Will you follow me to my new/old home? Please…

I guess the only other thing I want to tell you here is that I’m leaving this site just the way it is and for two reasons. 1. I just can’t bear to delete something I created and 2. There is the Foodista contest that I worked so hard to link my recipes to….my recipes that have the URL from THIS site.

I hope to see you at my new/old site. There is a page there at the top of the sidebar that says “Follow Me”. It would make me extremely happy if you did that. Have a great weekend everyone and as always, Happy Cooking!

What you’ll need:

• 1 egg white
• 2 c grated parmesan cheese

Beat egg white until stiff and tripled in volume. Mix together 1/3 of the beaten egg white and 1 cup of the parmesan cheese. Beat well. Alternate mixing in the remaining egg white and cheese until it is all mixed together. Drop marble sized balls off the end of a teaspoon and fry @ 365 degrees until lightly browned. Makes about 3 dozen cheese balls.

Cost:
eggs (18 count) -$1.47
parmesan cheese – $2.88
Total – $2.96

What you’ll need:

• 2 1/4 c flour
• 2/3 c cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2/3 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 bag white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and set aside. Beat together butter, both sugars and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually mix in flour/cocoa mixture. The dough will be stiff. Stir in chips. Roll 1 Tbl dough into a ball and then flatten slightly. Place 1″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 – 11 minutes. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Cost:
all purpose flour – $1.25
cocoa – $2.84
baking soda – $0.50
salt (large) – $0.38
butter – $2.38
sugar – $2.42
brown sugar – $1.44
vanilla (2 oz) – $1.96
eggs (18 count) -$1.47
white morsels – $1.97
Total – $5.11/$1.02 per dozen

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I used to be the girl that would panic when I was asked “What’s for dinner?”. I’d jump in the car and rush to the store only to find myself wandering around trying to decide what I was going to cook. Most of the time I’d grab something that looked easy and then get home and realize that a) I’d spent a lot of money on just one meal and b) I didn’t have everything I needed to make that meal.

That’s when I learned how to plan my meals. I’d still go to the store every day but I’d have a list and did somewhat better in the shopping department.

Several YEARS later, I decided I was pretty good at shopping and attempted to shop only once a week. I did ok with that. I still forgot things and had to return to the store during the week but I was no longer panicking about it. (Some of you may have realized by now that I have major obsessive/compulsive tendencies so that was really quite an accomplishment for me not to panic.)

Now 25+ years into my shopping experience I can plan my meals out once a month. I have a little help doing this with a meal planner. It’s pretty nifty. I write out all my meals and then all the ingredients that will be needed to make them and ta da! I have a shopping list. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t do the work for me. I do it all by hand, writing it out, but by writing each day I tend to not miss anything. I’ve also learned to buy in bulk which saves a lot of money. I even buy my eggs 5 dozen at a time. That costs $5.06 for 5 dozen eggs which comes out to $1.01 a dozen or 8 cents per egg. The only time I need to go to the store each month is when I run out of milk or bread (two things that I can’t seem to keep enough of in my house) and sometimes things I decide I just want suddenly…urges in other words.

Now that I’ve rambled for 10 minutes and most of you have probably clicked off this page and gone on to something more interesting, I’ll get to my point. Like I said back at the beginning, I wonder about you and how you do your shopping. Will you take a minute and let me know? Please? It would make me very happy

If you’d like, leave a comment and go into any details that you want to let me know how you voted and why you voted that way…..or just to let me know that I’m crazy (since this is something I already know, it’s really unneccessary for you to tell me but if you just feel the need then by all means do it!). Have a great day everyone and I’ll see you tomorrow with an actual recipe!

I hope y’all have the BEST day today filled with lots of love!

Today is Valentine’s Day ♥ So I thought I would post an entire meal instead of just one recipe. I’m giving you two main dishes to choose from. Check out the total at the bottom. It’s a lot less than you’d pay at the restaurant for all this!

The main dishes:

Orange glazed chicken

What you’ll need:

1/3 c sweet orange marmalade
1 Tbl hot mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
1 – 2 lb Chicken pieces (which pieces are your choice; I prefer breasts but this is good on all parts)
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cover a 1” deep baking dish with foil. Lightly oil the foil. Wash & pat dry chicken pieces & salt and pepper; roast, skin side up, 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. While the chicken is baking, mix together remaining ingredients. Remove chicken from oven and spoon marmalade mixture over all pieces. Return to oven. Change heat to broil and broil chicken 3 to 5 minutes or until the glaze is bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Marinated steaks

This recipe will make more rub than is needed for one meal. Store the leftovers in an airtight container up to 90 days.

What you’ll need:

Steaks
¼ c pepper
¼ c salt
¼ c garlic powder
2 Tbl paprika
¼ c onion powder
2 Tbl meat tenderizer
2 Tbl season salt
1 Tbl celery salt
Soy sauce

In a large zipper bag mix together all ingredients except steaks and soy sauce. Using washed hands rub the mixture over the steaks. Rub it in really good! Rub a small amount of soy sauce over the steaks. Place in a different zipper bag. PLACE IN REFRIGERATOR FOR 24 HOURS, turning occasionally. I’m screaming at you because I want you to get it in the refrigerator today so it will be ready for dinnertime tomorrow =) Bake steaks @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until they’re cooked through.

The sides:

Tossed green salad with red wine vinaigrette dressing

What you’ll need:

1 bag mixed greens or desired salad greens
1 pkg croutons
1 Tbl Dijon mustard
¼ c balsamic vinegar
2 Tbl red wine vinegar
¼ c water
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ c extra virgin olive oil
¼ c canola oil

Place washed & dried greens in a bowl. Toss in croutons. In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients except oils. Slowly whisk in oils. If you have a salad dressing shaker you can mix this up in it. Be sure to add the oils slowly, mixing well after each addition. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Herb roasted potatoes

What you’ll need:

10 – 15 red potatoes, washed and patted dry
¼ c butter, melted
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp chervil
1 tsp chives
1 tsp tarragon

Cut potatoes in half. Brush the cut sides of each potato with melted butter. In a small bowl, mix together herbs. Place buttered potatoes on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with herbs. Bake @ 325 for about an hour or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned.

The after dinner drink:

A fuzzy thing

What you’ll need:

2 oz vodka
1 oz triple sec
1 ½ oz peach schnapps
1 splash orange juice
1 splash pineapple juice
Sweet & sour mixer (this can be found with the alcohol or on the drink aisle in most grocery stores including Walmart. It is also at the liquor store.)

Pour the alcohol first, then add the juice. Add a little sweet & sour mixer but not too much or it will overpower the juices. Shake before serving and make sure you don’t use too much ice. This drink just needs a little.

The dessert:

Cherry cobbler with crumb topping

What you’ll need:

1 can cherry pie filling
2 Tbl butter
½ c quick cooking oatmeal
¼ c flour
½ c sugar
2 – 4 Tbl chopped pecans

Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour cherry pie filling into casserole dish. In a medium bowl, mix together butter, oatmeal, flour, sugar and pecans until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of cherry pie filling. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Cost:
marmalade – $2.12
mustard – $0.79
soy sauce $1.89
lemons – $1.99/4
chicken breast – $5.00/4 pack
sirloin steak – $4.50
seasonings – $3.50
lettuce – $0.89/head
croutons – $1.19
vinegar – $1.19
olive oil – $3.89
sugar – $1.99/4 lb bag
potatoes – $2.00/5 lb bag
butter – $1.75/pound
vodka – $2.50/small bottle
schnapps – $2.50
orange juice – $2.99/gallon
pineapple juice – $2.50
mixer – $3.25
pie filling – $1.99
oatmeal – $1.59
flour – $2.12/5 pound bag
pecans – $3.00
Total – $28.16 with steak
$30.70 with chicken breasts

♥ Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! ♥

• 6 fresh, medium sized okra per person
• cornmeal
• salt to taste
• oil to fry in

Boil the okra until it is tender enough to pierce with a fork without tearing them. Slice into 1/8 – 1/4″ medallion slices and roll in salted cornmeal. Fry in oil heated to 350 degrees until browned. Serve hot.

Cost:
okra – $3.99/lb
cornmeal – $3.12/5 pound bag
Total – $2.31 for 1/2 lb okra (feeds 4)

What you’ll need:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 c sugar, divided
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 c pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 1/2 c cream
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 (4 oz) pkg gelatin softened in 1/4 c water (stir gelatin and water together and allow to sit for approximately 5 minutes)
• 1 (9″) pie crust, baked and cooled

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the egg yolks, 1/2 c sugar, lemon juice, cream, salt, pineapple chunks and vanilla until it is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in softened gelatin. Allow to cool. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and then gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 c sugar until stiff peaks form.* Fold into cooled custard. Pour into cooled pie crust and chill for at least one hour. Serve each slice topped with whipped cream. Makes 1 pie.

*If you allow the egg whites to come to room temperature, they will beat up much fluffier.

Cost:
eggs (18 count) -$1.47
sugar – $2.42
lemons – $1.99/4
pineapple – $1.09
cream – $1.12
vanilla (2 oz) – $1.96
gelatin – $0.99
frozen pie shells (2) – $1.88
Total – $4.58

I have a couple things to show off….I’m really excited about both of them.

Here’s the first thing:

Can you tell what it is?? Yep! It’s a Foodista apron! I was so excited when I received it! I got it for entering so many of my recipes into their contest that I’ve been telling you about. How’s that for cool?! And another good reason for you to get your recipes submitted…time’s almost up! Hurry!

The second thing I received was a COMPLETE surprise. I had NO idea I was going to get it….it just showed up in my mailbox!

You know that each month or so I do a review for Cooking Light magazine right? Well, Time Inc. (who publishes C.L.) sent me their new cookbook all*you EAT WELL, SAVE BIG Cookbook! Here’s a picture of it:

This cookbook is AMAZING! They include price per servings and there are tons of recipes that cost less than $1.00 per serving! There are also tips on many of the recipes that are awesome and very helpful. You can buy this cookbook at Walmart for $12.00 (the list price is $14.97 so you’ll save a little money by getting it from MY FAVORITE STORE) or you can get it online by clicking here.

I definitely recommend it. I haven’t found one thing in it that I’m not dying to try!!

My dear chefs, I’m so happy to be back. I’ll see you tomorrow with a recipe and, as always, HAPPY COOKING!