For This Monday's menu stretching tip, I'll share the recipe from a great book I found at our local library.


The following recipe is from the book Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month by Deborah Taylor-Hough (Champion Press, ISBN: 1891400614).

All-Purpose Ground Meat Mix
(Makes about 12 cups)

This is a basic ground meat mix that can be used in many casseroles and recipes.

5 pounds ground meat (beef or turkey)
2 cups celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt (optional)

Brown meat in a large pot. Drain. Stir in celery, garlic, onion, green pepper, salt and pepper; cover and simmer about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender but not soft. You can use this mixture immediately during your cooking session or freeze in two-cup portions for later use.

Suggested Uses (be creative):

Tacos:
Add one package taco seasoning to two cups All-Purpose Ground Meat Mix (follow package directions for amount of water). Freeze. To serve: thaw and heat taco mixture; prepare tacos as you would normally.

Taco Potatoes:
Follow instructions for taco mixture (above), but serve the mixture over baked potatoes instead of tortillas or taco shells. Top with grated cheese, diced tomatoes, sour cream, sliced green onions, sliced black olives and salsa.

Easy Taco Salads:
Follow instructions for taco mixture; place a layer of corn chips or tortilla chips on plate; spoon taco mixture over chips; add layer of shredded lettuce; add diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, sliced black olives, sour cream and salsa.

Sloppy Joes:
In a large skillet, place two cups Ground Meat Mix, one (10 3/4 ounce) can tomato soup, two tablespoons brown sugar, and one teaspoon prepared mustard. Stir. Cover and simmer ten minutes. Serve ladled onto hamburger buns.

The All-Purpose Ground Meat Mix can also be used for: stuffed peppers, chili, spaghetti, and baked ziti (further recipes can be found in the Frozen Assets book).

Frugal Fridays

Ok, my frugal Friday tip might not work for all but we have done well with it. If you are looking for cheap/free entertainment, why not try winning tickets from your local radio station. In the past 3 years we have won too many things to mention from both my husbands and mine radio stations. My husband just today won concert tickets to Cutless and Toby Mac (one of our favorite perfomers) We have won Six Flag tickets, water park tickets, several concert tickets, park admission, the list goes on. We live in a large metropolitan area so competition is stiff if you live in a smaller area you might have even better luck. Here are my tips on winning.

Place your radio stations number in your speed dial on your cell phone. If you and your husband have seperate stations, have his in yours as well. Team up when it's time to call and win, have both you and your husband on the phone. Try to win at times when not a lot of people are on the road listening or call on the weekends- I have the best success on the weekends. Good Luck!

Rules for Becoming a Bargain Shopper

If you are serious about frugal living and just cutting costs in general, there are some tried and true rules to live by.

1. Nothing is a Bargain if you don't need it.
It doesn't matter how cute the item is, or how cheap the item is, or if you will one day find a use for it. You are still spending your hard earned money on something that you just don't need.

2. Creativity can save you money.
Instead of spending money on movies, check them out at the library or go to local film festivals. Save money by carpooling, or biking to work. Make your own diaper wipes or disinfectant wipes. Be creative and see what money-saving techniques you come up with.

3. Hunt down all the money saving benefits you're entitled to.
If you are a senior, military member, veteran, educator, firefighter, police officer, clergy member,EMT, government worker, student... You may be entitled to a discount at restaurants, amusement parks, theaters, museums and many other places.

4. Always ask for a deal. It can't Hurt.
I'm a big fan of Dave Ramsey and he believes first, in paying cash for all purchases, and he says that with the power of cash on your side you can almost always ask and get a better deal. I recently tried this with a medical bill. I had a large outstanding amount and called them and asked them if they would settle with me for two hundred dollars less than the bill if I paid them the rest up front. They happily obliged.
Also if you belong to any membership clubs check with them to see what kind of discounts your entitled to. If you upgrade with any security measures on your house or car, check with your insurance carrier to see if you qualify for a discount.

Bottom line, always negotiate when appropriate and a little common sense can save you time and money.