Inexpensively Frugal Blog Network » Money Saving Ideas

30 Slow Cooker Recipes for Summer

Heather Sokol — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:02:45 +0000

Slow cookers aren’t just for winter anymore!

You can do so much more than soups and stews in your slow cooker. Now is the time to enjoy your favorite comfort foods without heating up the kitchen. You can also cook some of your favorite summery foods, while you’re away at the pool all day.

It’s also the perfect way to prepare the side dishes for your summer barbecue. Grill the entrees outside, and keep the heat out of the kitchen. And, did you know there are dessert crockpot recipes? That’s one thing I miss when I retire the oven for the summer — yummy baked treats.

So, as we approach a busy summer—not to mention a super hot week—here are 30 slow cooker recipes to keep your kitchen cool:

Mexican Slow Cooker Recipes

Chicken Fajitas
Chicken Tacos
Enchiladas
Taco Chicken Bowls

Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Apricot Chicken
Rotisserie Chicken
Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
Sour Cream and Bacon Chicken
Teriyaki Chicken
Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Slow Cooker Side Dishes

Baked Beans
Mashed Potatoes and Brown Sugared Carrots
Potluck Corn
Saucy Green Beans and Potatoes
Sesame Broccoli and Mushrooms

Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Cheese Steak Sandwiches
Lasagna
Meatloaf
Pot Roast Nachos

Slow Cooker Pork Recipes

Easy Barbecued Ribs
Jambalaya
Maple & Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Pork Chops
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
San Fransisco Pork Chops

Slow Cooker Desserts

Bananas Foster
Caramel Apple Crumble
Christmas Candy
Molton Chocolate Lava Cake

If you’re looking for a new slow cooker, I’ve been pleased with mine so far. I have the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Slow Cooker. I like it because the lid latches on, making it perfect for transporting to potlucks without making a mess in your car!

Photo Credits: Kalyn’s Kitchen, Real Food Allergy Free, Real Mom Kitchen, American Family, This Chick Cooks, Elissa Braun

{The New Home Ec} Fix It or Trash It? When to Throw Away or Keep Your Stuff

Heather Sokol — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:07:36 +0000

We've become a throwaway society: something isn't working right, and our first instinct is to replace it altogether. But, there are a lot of things around the house that could be repaired just as easily — and for a lot less money. That's why we still have the "temporary" dining room table my parents gave us when we moved in here 10 years ago. Instead of replacing the entire set when the chairs began falling apart, we have made a few minor adjustments. First, we upholstered the dying chairs. We finally did replace the chairs when but have kept the perfectly functional table. We have been using a tablecloth to hide the imperfections on the tabletop. (Bonus: update your kitchen with an inexpensive linen purchase.) The decision to repair or replace depends on several factors — your personal finances at the time, the difficulty level or cost of a repair, the age of the item, and how often you actually use it in the first place. If money is tight, I'm more likely to fix it myself. If the repair costs almost as much as a replacement, I'm going to just get a new one. And, if it's not something I use often in the first place, I'll either make do or get rid of it altogether. Check out a few tips for the broken stuff in your house on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} 24 Awesome Ways to Reuse Baby Wipes Containers

Heather Sokol — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:41:50 +0000

I still have baby wipe containers all over the house, even though we haven't had a baby in diapers for more than 3 years. They make such great storage containers — the toy room has stacks of containers filled with cars, puzzles, and more tiny toys than I can count. We have wipes containers in the office, the garage, the kitchen, and bathrooms. They're filled with items we use everyday, things we need to tuck away, and stuff I'd never find again if it weren't neatly stacked and labeled in the perfect container. I've put together a list of my favorite uses — and some new ones that make me wish we were still buying wipes! Check out these ideas for repurposing baby wipe containers on Babble.com...

12 DIY Projects for Your Next Birthday Party

Heather Sokol — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:17:30 +0000

Around here, we're in the minority with our at-home birthday parties. We just can't budget the expensive parties at bounce houses, playlands, and other fancy-schmancy party spots. So, I work extra hard to plan super fun parties around a theme the birthday girl can get excited about. My girls plan their parties all. year. long. Seriously. Lorelai announced the day after her coveted Halloween party that she was having a tea party the next year. And, she did. My Fancy Nancy tea party was a big hit with my 6-year-old and her friends. She's been planning her 7th birthday ever since, but I still have half a year to go! Having a party at home means that I can completely control the budget — and have a little fun with the year's theme. Check out these fun projects that you can tweak to fit any party, on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} 10 Inexpensive Updates for Your Kitchen

Heather Sokol — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:48:12 +0000

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen — breakfast, lunch, dinner, supervising numerous snacks — so it doesn't take long for the look to get stale. Unfortunately, everything in there is just so big that I'm kinda stuck with it. We don't have much wall space to simply update decor. And, we won't be updating appliances until they completely die on us. That's why I was so thrilled to see this $700 kitchen remodel. It's still out of my budget, but it did give me a few ideas. "For a cheap renovation, look for ways you can utilize what's already in your kitchen, and pick projects you can delve into yourself without paying a contractor," says Katy Carter. My head has been swimming with ideas ever since. Check out small changes that could make a big difference on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} Creative Uses for Free Business Cards, Labels, and More

Heather Sokol — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:27:00 +0000

One of my favorite online freebies are custom printable products. Tote bags, photo books, labels, business cards — they're all available from VistaPrint for FREE on any given day. You can also find amazing deals on albums through photo printing sites and daily deal offers. There are so many offers, I just can't use them fast enough. After all, one can only use so many tote bags. And, I don't think I'll ever get through all the return address labels the Humane Society sends me. But with a little creativity, free print products can become fabulous keepsakes, amazing gifts or simple tools for your everyday life. Check out 10 fun ways to use free custom products on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} 3 Ways Your Vacation Budget Is Closer Than You Think

Heather Sokol — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:24:59 +0000

Two years ago, we had set aside $1000 for a simple, budget beach vacation. Then, I found out we didn’t get the condo we wanted, and everything else was $200-300 out of our range. We were left trying to figure out how to quickly add to our vacatio...
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The Scan Right Guarantee

Heather Sokol — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:47:10 +0000

The latest issue of All You magazine has arrived, and you may have noticed my mug on page 19, spilling the beans on one of my favorite tricks for free groceries—the Scan Right Guarantee. (You may also have noticed another familiar face!)

Kroger stores and affiliates offer a Scan Right Guarantee, to protect you from being overcharged on items that do not scan correctly.

It happens to everyone—signs are left up after a sale, prices aren’t updated in the computer system, and once in awhile, an item will ring up higher than the listed price. With the Kroger guarantee, this is a good thing for our family.

I simply take the item and my receipt to the service desk after paying for my groceries and the entire price is refunded. But, I get to keep the product! It’s a nice reward for keeping an eye on your grocery receipts.

The key is to pay first, then request your refund. If you alert the cashier, they will simply correct the price for you. When the service desk has to refund the price on your receipt, you will get the item for free instead.

This worked well for us a few weeks ago, when the $12 box of cat litter I bought rang up $13.49!

I’m also not above buying the same item the next day, just to see if it’s been fixed. I was willing to pay for it at the sale price to begin with, so why not grab another one? The Scan Right Guarantee has been a surprising source of freebies almost every week!

What would you want to get for free?

{The New Home Ec} Tax Day Freebies and Deals

Heather Sokol — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:20:10 +0000

It's Tax Day!. You've had an extra two days to file, thanks to an obscure rule that delays the tax deadline for Washington, D.C. holidays. After you've spent the weekend finishing up your tax forms, check out the freebies available on April 17th! Retailers and restaurants have created Tax Day promotions to ease your financial [...]
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{The New Home Ec} 10 Smart Ways to Use Your Tax Refund

Heather Sokol — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:40:18 +0000

With Tax Day looming, Americans are scrambling to finish paperwork, searching for last minute deductions, and anticipating their refunds. When that money arrives, the tendency is to treat it as free money — but it's not. It's your money, and the government has been borrowing it interest free for the last year. That's why it's [...]
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