Frugal Recipes

Wow, this might be a record for me; three posts in three days!  I've had these posts in mind for ages it's just been a matter of finding the time to sit down and put them together. 

One thing that I always seem to struggle with is the grocery bill.  We don't eat processed foods very often (more as an occasional treat) so it's very hard to find coupons for what I do buy - which is a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.  One thing I have been trying to do is find some good, frugal recipes that are also healthy.  One challenge is that we have some dietary restrictions to deal with.  Anyway, I recently came across these two recipes and they were both a hit so I thought I'd share.  I did make a few modifications (which I've noted below).  I also have included a recipe for "cream sauce without the cream" that works beautifully as a substitute for a white sauce.  It's non-dairy so a great way to enjoy many favorites without having to deal with digestion/allergy issues.

Creamy Tuna Stuffed Shells
For this recipe I left out the milk, increased the broth to 2 1/2 cups and let simmer a bit longer to thicken.  You could also use the "cream sauce" ,that I mentioned above, in place of the milk and flour but I didn't have any on hand and didn't have the time to make it.  I used frozen spinach in this and it worked beautifully.

Potato Leek Soup
This soup is great as it's non-dairy but because of the pureed potatoes is very creamy.  I left out the marjoram (didn't have any) and added in some garlic powder.

Cream Sauce without the Cream
I use brown rice in this and just let it simmer for 45-50 minutes.  This recipe makes about 6 cups and freezes beautifully.  I freeze in 2C amounts and just thaw before using.  It will separate a bit but as you reheat it just stir good and it comes back together fine.

Enjoy!