Tag Archives: Side Dishes

Side Dishes – Am I the Only One Stuck in this Rut?

I do not know if I am the only one that runs into this problem, but I become stuck on serving the same side dishes. I can put a roast in the crock-pot, cook pork chops on my George Foreman, or grill steaks outside, but I always seem stuck on the same old side dishes. There is no creativity for me – corn, mashed potatoes, peas, and broccoli. I get so tired of the same old thing over and over again. So today, I went on the search for side dish recipes. I did not want anything too complicated or … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Hamburger Helper Style Meals

Hamburger Helper is often a staple for the frugal family. However, as the prices of ground beef (or ground chuck) and the prices of the quick, easy, Helper flavors continue to rise, you may save more money making your own versions of this simple, frugal favorite. Ground meat costs an average of $2.20 per pound and up and Hamburger Helper generally costs $2.00 and up, for a total of anywhere from 4-5 dollars. That’s if you don’t serve anything with it. For the same amount of money, you can make your own “helpers” and serve a side dish. Try some … Continue reading →

Sour Cream Potatoes

If you’ve never met a potato you didn’t like, then this recipe is definitely for you. It’s for you if you’re a mashed potato lover, or even if you shy away from mashed potatoes because you’ve tasted too many tasteless varieties. A friend of mine gave this recipe to me. It’s creamy, rich, delicious-and did I mention, creamy! I make it for every single holiday, on special occasions, and frankly, when I need some good ol’ comfort food! Wanna know the secret to this recipe? Instant mashed potatoes. It’s true. This recipe calls for instant mashed potatoes. I’ve tried making … Continue reading →

Tomato Avocado Salad – A Refreshing Side Dish

Have you been feeling the heat lately? Here in Southern California the temperatures are all over the board. Yesterday I got a sunburn but tomorrow it’s supposed to be in the 60’s and rainy – go figure. The warm temperatures always make me want to cook simply and with fresh ingredients. Produce and fresh veggies abound in the warmer months. Throwing together a simple dinner has never been so easy. Avocados are delicious with just about anything. This salad has become a favorite side dish for my family. Serve it along side the meat of your choice with rice as … Continue reading →

Cheap Eats–The Perfect Potato

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Here are a three of my favorite potato side dish recipes! Potatoes are an excellent food because they are versatile and inexpensive. For the best deal, buy them on sale for a dollar in a 5 or 10 pound bag. Here are a few new ideas to make great potato side dishes for pennies. Broiled Potatoes with Cheese This is one of my favorite potato recipes because it is so simple and fast. I use it often when I need a last-minute side. The original recipe contains parmesan cheese, but I’ve substituted cheddar because it is a lot cheaper and … Continue reading →

Two Tasty Potato Salad Recipes

Potato salad was a staple of our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners growing up. It did not matter whether we had turkey or ham, we could always count on having my grandmother’s potato salad. Everyone who ever ate it raved about it perhaps because she had a few secrets ingredients (which I will share in a minute). Apparently cooking is not genetic because I did not inherit my grandmother’s skill in making potato salad. I always try and dear husband always eats it, but it is always a little … off. To start with, I can never cook my potatoes just … Continue reading →