Archive for the ‘All Food & Drink’ Category
The Freezer Challenge
By ERIN TURNER- This year we decided to shake things up a bit from our traditional Pantry Challenge and we're doing a Freezer Challenge instead. Here's what it entails: ... more
Crumb Kuchen
By CHEF JAMIE LIPHARDT - Growing up I never did have a terrible sweet tooth. I still don’t. Perhaps it’s why I was so fond of this Crumb Kuchen and remember it so.... more
A Rice Cooker Makes Healthy, Frugal Meals
By ERIN TURNER-So I didn't own a rice cooker--what's the big deal? Answer: rice cookers are a super time and money saving gadget for your kitchen! So now I own one. You should too.... more
WineGuyMike: What’s Your Wine Style?
WINEGUYMIKE - Welcome to 2014. Today I’m going to talk about style, your wine style preference is what I’m referring to - Do you prefer an Old World or a New World wine?... more
No-Fry Zesty Buffalo Chicken Croquettes
By PAUL SIDORIAK - These easy-to-make bite-sized Buffalo Chicken Croquettes are an ideal dish for for Sunday's Superbowl game and baking the croquettes in the oven is a healthier alternative to frying.... more
Turn Down The Thermostat And Save
By ERIN TURNER - During a recent cold-snap in Montana, we moved our thermostat down to a “balmy” 64 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night and saved!... more
The Roving Diner Bitterroot Edition: The Wild Mare and The Catered Table Restaurants
By BOB ZIMORINO - The 'Roving Diner' serves up a restaurant review on The Wild Mare and The Catered Table in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley.... more
Seasonal Fruit Plus Juicing Adds Up To Healthy and Frugal Living
By ERIN TURNER - I can, freeze and dry seasonal fresh produce, but lately my family and I are into juicing--it's a frugal, healthy and delicious way to enjoy this season's citrus fruits.... more
Are You Up For the 52-Week Savings Challenge?
By ERIN TURNER - Wanna save $1,378 by this time next year? Why not Join me and my family in the 52-week Challenge? It's easy and fairly painless. Here's how it works: ... more
New Year’s Food Rituals
By ERIN TURNER - Ever wonder why certain foods grace our tables for certain holidays? Here's a rundown of some our New Year's Food Rituals.... more
Cherry Tea Cake Cookies
By CAILIN BRINEY - For years I have been making cookie plates to give to my friends and co-workers for Christmas. One of my favorite cookie recipes: Cherry Tea Cake Cookies!... more
Christmas Shopping Suggestions for the Outdoor-Type
By ROB BREEDING - It's hard to buy Christmas gifts for the serious hunter or angler, but here are a few gifts I think most culinary-minded outdoors types would love to find under the tree:... more
Chocolate Fancies
By MELINDA KRAEMER - Christmas at our house comes with an abundance of peppermint bark, dipped pretzels, decorated sugar cookies, fudge, and the family’s very favorite: chocolate fancies. ... more
A Collection of Frugal Christmas Ideas
By ERIN TURNER - Since I've been writing this blog for 3 years now, I thought it would be nice to put together a collection of blogs with ideas for the holidays...so here they are!... more
Perfect Prime Rib
By CHEF HOWARD KARP - Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it’s time to start preparing for your perfect Christmas dinner. Prime rib is one of the most popular choices for this special occasion.... more
5 Tools for Saving Money Online This Christmas
By ERIN TURNER - All week I’ve had people asking me for tips on saving money while Christmas shopping online so here are my top 5 tools and tips for saving money online this season.... more
Turkey Day Blues
By ROB BREEDING - Who was the bright boy who decided to foul a national sports holiday with a feast centered on an impossibly difficult-to-cook bird? ... more
Bountiful Basket Food Co-Op Provides Fresh Produce at a Frugal Cost
By ERIN TURNER - When a student from my couponing class told me about Bountiful Baskets, I had to try them for myself...and I'm glad I did!... more
When Life Gives You Crepes (Video Blog!)
By BOB ZIMORINO - In this week's class we're doing crepes--Crepe Manicotti which we convert into Crepe Canneloni and Fresh Fruit Crepes. Here are the recipes and instructions.... more
Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Autumn is in full swing. Comfort food is back on the menu. You want to use up some sweet potatoes you have lying around. You're craving enchiladas. Perfect. Here's a recipe.... more
Healthy, Frugal Homemade Sauerkraut
By ERIN TURNER - Here is the recipe and step-by-step instructions on how to make your own healthy and frugal homemade sauerkraut.... more
Flourless Chocolate Cake
By CHEF JOSHUA AUERHAMMER - More people have been removing gluten from their diet and this can make deciding on a dessert very difficult, but I am pretty sure this delicious, flourless chocolate cake is the ans... more
Homemade Instant Oatmeal: It’s What’s For Breakfast
By ERIN TURNER - Here's an inexpensive, do-it-yourself method of making your own flavors of instant oatmeal. It's a fraction of the cost of buying the packets, and it's better for you!... more
WineGuyMike: Old Vine Zinfandel
WINEGUYMIKE - (VIDEO) This week I’m sharing one of those comfort wines in this transitional season of fall. Zinfandel is full bodied, fruit forward, and a spicy red wine.... more
The Family Food Budget as Compared to the USDA Food Plan
By ERIN TURNER - Many of us who are frugal have budgets for all aspects of our money. So for fun I thought I'd compare our budget to the USDA's recommended "Food Plan". ... more
On The Grill: 5 Tailgating Tips
By PAUL SIDORIAK - Nothing gets a fanatic fan ready for kickoff on game day like a tailgate or home football party. Here are a few things to keep in mind that may help when you are planning your next game day e... more
Winter Squash: A Budget Friendly Delight
By ERIN TURNER - Nothing compares to good winter squash! Where else can you pack loads of vitamins, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants in it own serving dish for just a couple of bucks? ... more
Pumpkin Season and Whoopie Pies
By CAILIN BRINEY-It’s the start of pumpkin season! I recently made these pumpkin whoopie pies with nutmeg cream cheese frosting, and they have received rave reviews. Here's the recipe and directions.... more
On the Grill: Deep-Dish Pizza (VIDEO)
By PAUL SIDORIAK - Making deep-dish pizza was an impulse for me. Feeling bullish, I knew I could make the Chicago style deep-dish on the grill and invested about five hours in its reenactment.... more
It’s Time for Garlic
By ERIN TURNER - You can spend a lot of money on garlic in the grocery store--especially compared to organic garlic. So plant now (this fall), and enjoy freshly grown delicious garlic next summer! Here's how.... more
October Savings
By ERIN TURNER -October has a long list of “celebrations”. That means “celebration” items will be on sale and NOW is when you will want to stock up & save! ... more
Kingston Family Vineyards
WINEGUYMIKE - (VIDEO) I had a chance to sit down via Skype with Courtney Kingston, owner of Kingston Family Vineyards in the Casablanca Valley of Chile, to find out what is new with her family's wines. ... more
Homemade Cup of Soup: It’s What’s for Lunch at Hunting Camp
By ERIN TURNER - We are always trying to invent healthy, packable and good-tasting meals to enjoy during a hunting weekend and my son came up with the idea of homemade Cup O' Soup. ... more
The Roving Diner: Chico Hot Springs Restaurant and Resort
By BOB ZIMORINO - The 'Roving Diner' serves up a restaurant review on Chico Hot Springs Restaurant and Resort. ... more
The Great Wines of Tuscany
WINEGUYMIKE - Italy has been producing wine for 3,000 years and it is said that Italy is not a country, just one gigantic vineyard from the North to South. ... more
Homemade Lunchbox Cookies
By ERIN TURNER - I always like to include a special treat when my kids take their lunch to school. This recipe for homemade Chocolate Cookies is made with a twist...... more
Frugal School Lunches for Kids
By ERIN TURNER - What I have noticed in my research for frugal and healthy kids’ lunches is that parents are going back to what many of us grew up with…homemade! ... more
CHORES – It Doesn’t Have to be a Dirty Word
By ERIN TURNER - Kids doing chores is a win-win for everyone. So as you slide back into your school year routine be sure to include daily chores as part of it. Start slow but be consistent.... more
On the Grill: Stuffed Artichokes
By PAUL SIDORIAK - I have never been head over heels for artichokes, but my friends and family love them. To avoid heating up the kitchen I used a steamer and then my trusted grill. Check it out!... more
Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets for Your Frugal Kitchen
By ERIN TURNER -If you want to save money and eat healthier then homemade is the best option! To that end, here are my list of MUST-HAVE kitchen gadgets for any frugal kitchen.... more
Best Ever Sweet Onion Rings On The Grill
By PAUL SIDORIAK - Until now, making a proper onion ring at home required using a messy and often dangerous deep fat fryer. But this 'Best Ever Sweet Onion Ring' recipe is done on the grill. ... more
Hot Dogs on a Hot Day from Tom Dooley’s in Missoula
By PAUL SIDORIAK - It's hot in Missoula! Instead of heating up my house by cooking, this week I let the kind folks at Tom Dooley's Gourmet Hot Dog Restaurant do the cooking for me! ... more
Homemade Strawberry Jam
By ERIN TURNER - Yesterday I created some memories with my kids when we visited a nearby U-Pick strawberry patch and made homemade strawberry jam--pure magic!... more
Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
By CHEF JAMIE LIPHARDT - When I peered into my weekly food co-op box, I was thrilled to see a large, beautiful bundle of fresh rhubarb and so I went with the common pairing – strawberry rhubarb.... more
Fillet of Beef Grilled in Coffee Beans with a Velvet Chili Sauce
Firing up the grill offers an easy way to entertain during your summer get-togethers with out-of-town guests. This recipe combines coffee beans and tenderloin, but any cut of meat will do.... more
On the Grill: Backyard Stir Fry
By PAUL SIDORIAK - Love Chinese style stir fry but don't like heating up the kitchen This summer? Why not do in on the grill? Here's my a recipe and step-by-step directions.... more
Family-Friendly, Frugal Camping
By ERIN TURNER - Every year for the last 6 years, we have gone on a camping trip with our kids when school gets out. We stayed a variety of campgrounds during the week. Every one had its pros and cons. ... more
Downtown Missoula Features Brand-New Dining Destinations
By LINDA McCARTHY - The Garden City is rich with exceptional, creative, affordable and elegant options for enjoying a night–or morning–out on the town. Here is an overview of Downtown Missoula’s newest re... more
On The Grill: Simple Pork
By PAUL SIDORIAK - When I share my experiences cooking on the grill, I often like to share the why and the how. This week, I made a boneless, heritage pork roast based on a butchering class I took. Learn more.... more
Frugal and Natural Weed Killer
By ERIN TURNER - On our farm weeds are the bane of our existence. Here are some tips for making your own natural weed killer that won't break the bank.... more