Paul

Easy Pizza Pasta Bake Recipe ($2 per Serving!)

This is a repost of a recipe I mentioned a few years back. It’s a classic in our house – so if you missed it before, check it out!

When it comes to making budget friendly meals, Walmart is a great place to find all your ingredients in one place. (I’m guessing you already know that since you are reading I Heart the Mart.) I am going for “Master of the Obvious” today!

Tonight, I went to Walmart and picked up all the ingredients I would need to make this tasty and kid-friendly meal: Pizza Pasta Bake. My total was less than $13 and it will make an entire pan of the casserole to feed 4-6 people, even more if they are little people!

This meal is so simple I am convinced you do not have to be a master chef to make Pizza Pasta Bake and it would make a great freezer meal to heat up later. This recipe calls for ground turkey. If you have not tried substituting ground turkey in your ground beef recipes, I highly suggest it. Not only is it usually a lot cheaper than ground beef, it is low fat. My family can’t really even taste the difference, either.

I also used a new product I saw on the shelves here. In the section where the canisters of Parmesan cheese are sold, is a brand called Mama Francesca. There were three varieties there. I chose the Parmesan Garlic. It really added a big amount of flavor to this dish and upped the awesome factor! If not use what you have and add a little garlic to it.

To make the Pizza Pasta Bake, you will need:

1 frozen lb of ground turkey ($2.58)
1 box Ziti or Rigatoni ($1.00)
1 bag of Velveeta’s shreds in Queso Blanco ($2.00)
Ricotta Cheese, skim milk variety ($1.94)
Armour Pepperoni ($2.28)
Mama Francesca’s Parmesan Garlic cheese blend ($2.98 minus 55 cent peelie coupon=$2.43)
1 can of your choice Hunt’s Pasta sauce. I used Mushroom. ($1.00)
13 x 9 pan
Large bowl
Spoon or spatula
Non-stick Spray

To Make Pizza Pasta Bake:

1. First, brown the ground turkey. You will not need to drain it because it is so low in fat, the moisture in it will evaporate. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. When you start the browning of the turkey, also start the water for your pasta.

3. After you drain the pasta and the turkey is cooked, place them both is a large bowl. Gently fold together.

4. Add the Hunt’s Pasta Sauce and coat the mixture. Shake in the Mama Francesca’s Parmesan cheese and fold in. You don’t need a lot, about 1/2 cup will do.

5. Add one handful of Velveeta shreds and mix in.

6. Add a cup of ricotta cheese and mix the entire mixture well.

7. Pour into a 13 x 9 coated pan. Level it out.

8. Add a layer of pepperoni. Top with remaining Velveeta Shreds.

9. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is slightly brown and the bake is sizzling.

10. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Because you do not use the entire container of Mama Francesca’s cheese, you should have a bunch left over to use in other recipes. I hope your family enjoys this Pizza Pasta Bake as much as my family did!

Only about $2.00 a serving!

Delicious Ways To Infuse Your Water

Apr 26 by Paul Leave a Comment

With it being the start of summer nearly, you may be getting sick of the old stand-by of water. Flavored waters are a waste of money, but you want something that hydrates and tastes good. Did you know you can make your own flavored waters for very cheap and take advantage of the awesome sales at farmer’s markets this month on fresh fruits and veggies?

Flavored water is a great way to get yourself and your kids off sugary sodas as well. While it won’t be a burst of flavor or sweetness, it will certinally taste a lot better than just plain tap water.

How do you flavor water? It’s really as simple as this:

First decide on a flavor you want. You can use fruits, even veggies like cucumbers and if you are feeling extra adventurous, try some fresh herbs.

When you have your flavor picked, put a small amount in the bottom of a mason jar. Take a spoon and mash the fruits together. Don’t pulverize them, just enough to release the flavor of the fruit.

Fill the glass with ice and pour in the water. Place it in the fridge to chill. You can add a little bit of whole pieces of fruit to the mixture as well for an extra treat.

If you find that you need a little bit of sweetener, try adding some agave syrup or honey.

Here are some good ideas for flavor combinations:

All citrus: lemon, lime and orange

Watermelon

Any berry-raspberry, strawberry, blueberry

Lemon and blueberry

Blackberry and lime

Basil and Watermelon

Cucumber

These should keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. You can even make them in larger batches in a large glass carafe with a spout similar to what many people use for making sun tea.

Speaking of tea, this same method works for making flavored iced teas. Just replace the water with brewed, chilled tea. No need to buy pre-made flavored tea anymore!

Tip: If you don’t like the seeds or pulp from the fruits you are using, pour the drink through a strainer before adding to a glass. Also, if you miss the fizz of pop, try using a Sodasteam to make fizzy water. (Sodastreams start at $79.00 at Walmart)

Depending on the flavor you choose, each serving can be as low as 15 cents or $1.00 per pitcher! Save even more by using fruits that are in season or on discount.

Have you ever made flavor infused water? What is your favorite flavor combination?

5 Products You Can Make Cheaper Than Buying Premade

Jan 19 by Paul Leave a Comment

You probably already know that when you buy pre-made foods in a box that you are mostly paying for the convenience of it. What you may not know is exactly how much you are paying for that convenience and how much time it doesn’t take to make the product yourself.

While some things on this list are things you are willing to pay extra for, others are not and you may just decide that making them yourself is the way to go.

1. Microwave popcorn. Purchase an air popper and you will save so much money on this movie time snack. A bag of plain popcorn is less than $2.00 and you can get 10-12 bowls of popcorn out of it, making it less than a quarter a bowl and pennies a serving! Plus, you can eat it plain or with any toppings you want and control the flavor and fat.

2. Flavored yogurts. Each serving costs between 40 cents and a dollar when you buy fruit flavored yogurt. If you buy plain vanilla or unflavored in larger tubs and add fruit preserves to it, you can make it much more frugally.

3. Spaghetti sauce. Everyone has a “secret sauce” recipe for this, but if you are not sure where to look for it, just check Pinterest. Making your own spaghetti sauce is amazingly cheaper. You can make gallons on it for about that same price as a couple jars of the other stuff. Plus, it freezes really well so it can be saved for many meals. If you are worried it is time consuming, don’t. You can make it in a crick pot.

4. Gourmet Coffee. This one is kind of more of a cheat than myself telling you not to buy it at all. You can make your gourmet flavors go further by buying half gourmet and half cheap brand. Just mix together and you will not even notice a difference. If you want to add fancy flavors, try adding cinnamon to it!

5. Any Individual sized snacks. These are HUGE money wasters. Just buy large boxes and bags of your favorite snacks and bag them up yourself. You will save more than half the cost in many cases. Hint: “Baby” carrots are not a magical type of carrot. They are just cut that way by a machine. You can save a tin by cutting up your own carrots and individually bagging them.

5 Ways To Save Money On Your Move

Sep 24 by Paul Leave a Comment

Moving is not only time-consuming, but also can get quite expensive, especially if moving out of town. To save yourself some stress and money on moving day, I have assembled this list of 5 tips to save money on your move. Remember, you don’t have to spend money on extras if you don’t want to. Many things we do with moving is out of convenience and while moving itself is very time consuming and there is a huge temptation to cut corners, you can save money and still keep your sanity.

1. Never just take prices of moving trucks and companies you hire to help you with your move as the be-all, end-all. Many companies will price match thier competitors if you just ask. Also, the day you move makes a difference. Try to move on a weekday as opposed to a weekend and the middle of the month is also usually cheaper. You may also find luck with lower prices by simply asking for them on social media as well as hunting down discount coupons.

2. Don’t waste money on buying boxes. Fast food restaurants, local restaurants, gas stations and some larger “big box” stores will give them to you for free if you just ask for them.

3. If you are hiring moving help, always compare prices. This is a competitive field just like many industries and you will find that the prices are often very different from company to company. Just be cautious. The lower price is not always the best option. Always read online reviews for moving companies you plan to hire. If your precious heirlooms get ruined by carelessness, you didn’t save anything.

4. Skip expensive bubble wrap and packing paper. Get newspaper and even discount paper towels (perfect time to buy with coupons!) for packing your valuables and breakables.

5. While it can be tempting to eat out for a couple days so you can pack up your kitchenware, don’t. You can easily and inexpensively stock your cupboard with high-protein snacks, salad fixings, sandwich fillings, peanut butter and jelly and bread and eat that. You will save so much more money by making no-cook meals at home rather than taking the family out for 2-3 meals a day for a couple days leading up to your move.

Deep Cleaning Your Kitchen

Aug 30 by Paul Leave a Comment

When it comes to deep cleaning your home, the kitchen can be a real pain. There is often greasy areas that don’t get the attention they should all the time. Most of us are lucky to wipe the counters, clean the floors and do the dishes.

How do you go about degreasing your kitchen? Of course you can use harsh chemicals like oven cleaner, but there are several ways to clean that do not require the use of such fumes. These cleaners are also often cheaper than the chemicals and more natural.

First, let’s start with the oven. I loathe cleaning the oven. SO MUCH! I hate the harsh cleaner and I hate the smell when you turn it on to “self clean” (if you are lucky enough to have this setting on your oven!). But how can you get rid of the built-up grime?

Put a heat-resistant container (glass works best) filled with 1 cup of vinegar, in the oven and turn it on to 350 degrees for 10 minutes. This will loosen the grime and make it much easier to remove. When you are ready to scrub, make a paste of baking soda and water. Add 1 part water to 4 parts baking soda. This will be a mild scrub to use on the greasy parts.

Next, let’s move onto the fridge. Sure, you can do a simple wipe-down, but did you know that cleaning your fridge is extremely important, not just for looks, but for food safety? Ideally, we throw out everything as it went bad, but sometimes, things, especially condiments get shoved to the back and “lost”. Eating spoiled food can make a person very sick. Not only that, there is bacteria that accumulates on the inside shelves, drawers and bins of the fridge that can make food spoil quicker and unsafe.

So how can you ensure your fridge is clean? First, start with some bleach water. Mix 1 capful per 1/2 gallon of water. Wipe the handles, top and front. Then, remove the entire contents from your fridge. Go through all your condiments and throw out any that are expired or questionable. Wipe all surfaces in your fridge and allow to dry or dry them with a paper towel. You can take this even one step further by wiping off your containers as well. It is important to do this at LEAST once monthly, but weekly is ideal.

Last, let’s clean the microwave. The easiest way to do this is to use a similar method as we did with the oven. Mix equal parts water and vinegar together and place in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Simply wipe the interior clean. For stuck on foods, try some vinegar.

Easy Freezer Breakfast Meals for Back To School

Jul 30 by Paul 1 Comment

Back to school can mean chaotic mornings and leave you and your kids reaching for something easy to make for breakfast. Instead of buying pre-packaged foods, you can save a bundle by making a stock of your own Easy Freezer Meals for Back To School that are easy for kids (and adults!) to grab in a hurry and pop in the microwave or toaster.

I Heart The Mart

You can make a stock a couple times a month, or if you don’t have much freezer room, do it one morning of your weekend.

To demonstrate how much you can save by making your own, let’s look at the cost of premade waffles you find in the frozen foods section. On sale, you can usually find these for around $2.00. In the pack, you get 8 waffles. This makes each waffle, around 25¢ each. If you make them yourself, using a simple waffle recipe, you can easily make them for pennies each. Waffles freeze well and don’t take long to reheat, either. Just pop on in the microwave for 30 seconds or if you prefer them toasty, stick one in the toaster.

Here are some more ideas for freezer breakfasts:

Make pre-wrapped breakfast burritos with sausage or bacon crumbles, cheese and scrambled eggs.

Bake muffins in large batches. Pull them out of the freezer and re-heat in the microwave.

Use up leftover fruits like bananas by chopping them into small pieces and freezing them. Add them to yogurt and a blender and you have a smoothie.

Just as you can make waffles, try doing french toast pieces as well.

Assemble English muffin sandwiches with sausage, eggs and cheese. Pop one in the microwave or toaster oven.

Banana bread makes a great on the go breakfast and also freezes well. Just slice it and stick it in the freezer.

Make a breakfast casserole with diced ham, eggs, hash browns and cheese. Keep it in the freezer and put it in the oven when you first wake up. It should only take 20 minutes to heat and is hearty and delicious.

If your kids really dig those french toast sticks you can buy, just make french toast and cut it into sticks. Freeze in separate packs of 3-4 for easy access by the kids.

What do you do on busy mornings to make sure your kids get breakfast?