It's October and I've collected a few "fall favorites" ... cozy comfort food for cooler, shorter days.

How to Make a Meal With What You Have What's in your pantry, fridge and freezer? This collection of pantry-friendly recipes offers ideas and tips on how to make a meal with what you have without a special trip to the grocery or a search for some uncommon ingredient. So if your pantry includes a can of chickpeas or your fridge a head of cauliflower or your freezer a bag of frozen spinach, here's how you make a meal right now out of what you've got. This page is a brand-new addition to my popular series, How to Save Money on Groceries . I'm still adding ingredients, let me know what you'd like to come next! A pound of hamburger? Rice? A pound of beans?

Who's ready to hit the grocery store for food? Here are my very best detailed tips for saving meaningful money on groceries in ways that go far past the conventional "start with a meal plan" and "stick to your grocery list" and "don't shop hungry". Those three tactics are good advice, for sure, but we've got to plot harder and act smarter to make a serious difference in a household grocery budget. If you're new to this series or just want to review the basics, you may want to start at the beginning, see How to Save Money on Groceries: The Introduction . Otherwise, let's dig in again, shall we?

Plus 101 Diet & Weight Loss Lessons from My Dog Here's the salad that brought out my "Inner Puppy" all summer long and now again, into the fall. It's a concept recipe, starting with meaty lentils and whatever vegetables are on hand or appeal, topped, if you like, with a soft-centered egg. Real Food, Fresh & Seasonal & Flexible. Budget Friendly. High Protein. Weight Watchers Friendly. Great for Meatless Monday. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real . Naturally Gluten Free.

Who's ready to reduce household food costs? Here's how: Cook Your Own Food. If cooking more sounds like time and work, well, yes, it does take more time and work but less than you might think. That's because once you get organized, once you get the hang of it, once you cook more, the easier it is to create a self-sustaining system that means cooking only one or two things a day. The goal? To save money, of course. The benefits? Eating better too. Read on ... If you're new here, you may want to start at the beginning of this series, see How to Save Money on Groceries: The Introduction . Or perhaps you missed last week's kickoff, Part One: Frugal Eating Starts in Our Heads . Otherwise, let's dig in again, shall we?

So "Flat Taco" is much easier to pronounce than "Oaxaca Tlayuda" but give [wa-HA-ka tlay-OO-da] a try, it's got a rhythm to it! And open-faced Tlayuda are super easy to make! All summer, I've been topping one crispy corn tortilla after another, each one different, each one decidedly delicious. Tlayuda are an excellent way to use up leftovers, the quick Black Bean Spread itself is not to be missed. Taco Tuesday, anyone? Enjoy! Real Food, Fresh & Fast. Easily Veg(etari)an. Hearty & Filling. Low Cal. High Protein. Weight Watchers Friendly. Gluten Free. Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Quick Supper.

Like a crock of good sauerkraut or a jar of homemade sourdough starter, thoughts about how to save money on food bubble away in the back of my brain. With food prices up, with unemployment up, with more mouths at home to feed, many of us are tightening our belts, some for the first time. Money-Saving Tips & Ideas. Detailed & Thoughtful. Hard-Hitting & Direct. Creative & Practical.

Nothin' like a good chicken salad sandwich from a deli or sandwich shop. So why then don't we make chicken salad sandwiches at home more often? I've been working on this recipe for a couple of years and finally nailed it. The first trick is texture, a two-step process with a food processor. After that, it's simple to stir in some pantry ingredients to create a moist, super-flavorful chicken salad that holds together in sandwiches. It's handy to have on hand for quick lunches and sandwiches, especially over a busy week or weekend and when expecting a houseful. Real Food, Fresh & Fast. Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Budget Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Great for Meal Prep. Great for Gifts. Handy with Houseguests. Low Carb. High Protein. Weight Watchers Friendly. Naturally Gluten Free.

A new way to scramble eggs, this time in a saucepan not a skillet; this time, slowly not in a big weekday rush; this time with an extra white not a stingy single egg; this time, with sumptuous results. Real Food, Fresh & Seasonal. Not just easy, Summer Easy . Budget Friendly. Easy Weeknight Supper. Easy DIY. Low Carb. Low Fat. High Protein. Weight Watchers Friendly. Vegetarian. Naturally Gluten Free. Whole30 Friendly.

A simple vegetable pasta in a light cream sauce, almost three pounds of barely cooked vegetables (three!!! colors of bell pepper plus corn and peas) topped with juicy tomato and for anyone in the mood, something creamy. A month ago, if you'd told me I'd be raving about a dinner made from three giant bell peppers from Sam's Club or Costco, I'd have been intrigued ... but dubious. Now here I am, raving about a skillet full of pasta and colorful veggies that's way more than the sum of its parts. And oh yeah, I've been experimenting with a new way to cook pasta and it works so well, it's my new method for cooking dried pasta. Real Food, Fresh & Fast. Year-Round Kitchen Staple. Budget Friendly. Easy Weeknight Dinner. Weight Watchers Friendly. Vegetarian.