If you have been around here very long, you will know I am a fan of Bisquick. I find it a useful tool to make a wide variety of recipes without having to keep a lot of ingredients on hand. AllRecipes posted their 30 Best Bisquick Recipes list and I was excited to see what was on the list. Click HERE to check it out.
Some are old favorites while others are new to me. I love the variety of cobblers but am blown away by the main dish ideas. Which ones are you going to try?
Consumption, conspicuous or not, can be either a good partner or a wicked master depending upon how each of us manages it.
The old phrase, ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’, can, and often is, detrimental not only to the household budget but the household mental state.
I think there is something to be said for shopping seasonally, taking advantage of lower seasonal prices, being very intentional regarding trends – as in do I really need to be doing this or … ? None of us lives in spaces that can hold every thing we could possibly imagine and I would go so far as to say that the majority of us don’t have the financial resources to afford every thing available. Many, however, tend to operate on the idea (?) that those realities don’t apply to them.
Have you noticed that there seems to be this cottage industry around uncluttering? I see that going hand in hand with another cottage industry that tells us we Must Buy This [ fill in blank ]. And while I applaud the idea where when one item comes in another goes out, the reality is often not quite so…accurate.
Stuff, like rabbits, tend to multiply.
Buying seasonal foods is often cheaper and – added bonus – the flavor is better. Couple that with the anticipation of those first of season berries or fruits or veg and the meal could exceed more expectations than you thought it might.
Staycations might sound dull but how many of us look up one day and realize that we have never checked out the local national park or gone to the lake, beach, whatever? Even in smaller towns there are locations easily accessed that could provide a welcome get away – many that out of town/state tourists know all about but somehow were overlooked by us.
As we tackle higher fuel and food prices it behooves us to take stock of what we are spending and look at our options. What have we not been doing? Where have we not been going? What have we been dreaming about but keep putting off? That quiet picnic with all the good food might be more accessible than we thought. Gatherings with friends and family could be even better as huge pot lucks.
While the idea of doing without can be depressing, maybe we need to just adjust our attitude a bit. Find a way to make it more exciting, if not interesting.
The balancing act could be the way we look at what we are doing and why we are doing it and make a change here and there. Just to see what we think. Who knows? It could becomes the best thing we do all Summer!
Summer heat is approaching faster and faster after a few (?) too many rainy days. I’ve been thinking about my next grocery order / meal plan and the heat.
Honestly, I’ve been craving a cool, luscious, creamy, dreamy Orange Bavarian for a while. It is easy to make, and relatively easy on the budget. I can change up the flavors, too, depending upon the gelatin flavor I get. And, surprisingly, there are a lot of interesting ideas out there – not just the traditional Jello brand… Anna over at Cooking The Books on YouTube has posted her Lemon Ice Box Cake. It sounds amazing!
I’m thinking maybe sub sandwiches, chicken or tuna salad, maybe some ham and cheese. I can take advantage of wraps in addition to a variety of buns.
I could grill some chicken, too.
When the days are hot and muggy, sometimes all I want is something cold and filling – and, of course, flavorful. There are loads of recipes out there to try. I can take advantage of what is available from the Farmer’s Market, too.
I love a good salad but, really, lettuce goes only so far with me. That being said, a good refreshing Taco Salad won’t require a lot of time over the stove. I could grab a bag of chicken tenders or nuggets or bites, bake them up and use them for a Fried Chicken Salad. Add in some ripe tomatoes, onions, celery, peppers, beans, it could be quite a nice change of pace.
I often have to remind myself not to overlook those 3 bean salads, cheese balls (with good crackers), Hummus, fresh veg plates.
So, here’s what I’ve been thinking for July menus….What have you been thinking about yours?
