Today's Frugal Feast

... Sounds like a good blog title, doesn't it? ( Hmmm, looking over my archived posts, realizing how many recipes I've posted, AND admitting that I am a MAJOR foodie, maybe it is time to change my blog title. ) Oh! sorry, just thinking out loud ...

Aside from cooking and eating good food, what do I like to do best? Save money while cooking or eating good food! Eating well doesn't have be expensive. It does, however, take a little time, imagination and creativity.

The daily food budget for our family is $13.15 per day. This amount feeds my family breakfast, dinner, supper, desserts, snacks, special meals with guests and holiday meals. But I am always trying to come in well under the $13.15 plan. Let's take a look and see if I came in under budget today.

Breakfast $0.84 per person
(served 2 people, I wasn't hungry this morning)
peanut butter & jelly on a large slice of toast, orange wedges, 8oz. glass of milk
slice of homemade bread = $0.04 ea.
homemade jelly = $0.10 tsp.
peanut butter = $0.07 tbsp.
oranges = $0.34 ea.
milk = $0.29 per serving

Dinner $1.40 per person
(served 3 people)
BBQ chicken sandwiches, cowboy beans, dump cake, water
homemade bbq sauce = $0.07 tbsp. (I used 2 tablespoons per serving)
leftover roasted chicken = $0.45 per serving
homemade cowboy beans = $0.27 per serving
thinly sliced onion = $0.04 per person
bread & butter pickle slices = $0.16 per serving
dump cake = $0.34 per serving

Supper $0.61 per person
(served 2 people, Sunday is my Sabbath & I do not eat an evening meal on Sundays)
garden salad, leftover cowboy beans, water
garden salad = $0.34 per serving
homemade cowboy beans = $0.27 per serving

Grand Total for today = $7.10 including dessert!
How would a family of four fared today if everyone ate every meal? $11.40, OR $1.75 under budget. What will I do with the leftover funds? Well, apply it to another meal later in the week or month (or maybe I could add it to my shoe fund ...), OH! sorry, I was thinking out loud again.

I am sure many of you are familiar with the old standard cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple dump cake recipe. However, as part of today's Frugal Feast, I decided to use what I had on hand vs. purchasing additional items, ie. canned cherry pie filling and canned crushed pineapple. As you know, I am always frugal minded while in my kitchen.

Frugal Feast Dump Cake
(12 servings)

1 box yellow cake mix
OR
2 c. cake flour, 1 1/2 c. sugar, 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt

1 qt. homemade pear pie filling
2 peaches, pitted and peeled & tossed in 2 tsp. lemon juice to prevent browning
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
zest of one orange



In a greased 9"x13" baking pan spread pear pie filling. Evenly distribute sliced peaches over pie filling.

Evenly sprinkle cake mix over pie filling and fruit mixture. Do Not stir.

Evenly drizzle melted butter over cake mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

ENJOY!

Please take the liberty of substituting any combination of fruit filling, like I did with my homemade pear pie filling and peaches - you never know, the combination just might be a blue ribbon winner. Note: if you really want to WOW your family serve dump cake warm with a dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream, Mmmmmm!