The Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook: High-Flavor, Low-Cost Meals Your Family Will Love

I try to only buy cookbooks based on their 'normal' ingredients and how many recipes I would make and how many of them my family would really eat.. Browsing through this cookbook, I plan on making many of the recipes here. The recipes have things you would normally have around the house. I'd recommend this cookbook!

Once again, Linda has come out with a FABULOUS new cookbook. I own every one of her books and this one is just as good as the others. Sorry, Kiwanis lady, you are waaaaaaay off mark! :) She's too literal as far as the costs go; I mean, fuel prices are causing everything to skyrocket, and regionally there can be wide variations in those costs. I use this book as a valuable guide and would never quibble about a penny here or there. With gas prices so high right now, every tip I get on how to save money is VERY MUCH appreciated, so thanks, Linda!! After I graduated from college and became responsible for my own kitchen, I decided that a required course in all universities should be "refrigerator management!" My hubby and I threw out so much food! Linda addresses this subject in her introduction, as well as giving tips on clipping coupons and shopping more efficiently. (A personal tip: My father does all the grocery shopping for himself and my mom, and if something is spoiled, i.e. produce, he always takes it back to the store for a refund. Some people might think that's a waste of time, but think about it: he's alerting them to a potentially unacceptable supplier and raising their standards. I feel I have him to thank for higher-quality produce at the market we both visit! So don't settle for rotten food right off the shelf. Return the item on your next visit to the store and you won't even waste gas money.) Back to the book -- Linda's tips on refrigerator management, as I call it, are invaluable. So are her food-safety tips, which all of her books have featured and are SUCH an integral part of working in the kitchen! I especially liked the money-saving tips in the first chapter (p. 8), and tips on storing food (p. 12). DON'T MISS her SUGGESTED MENUS at the back of the book, complete with space for your own shopping list. I always struggle with menu combinations, and Linda's a master at it. I've had a chance to try several of her recipes, and these are my favorites so far: Big Batch Guacamole (p. 24) -- My husband adores this, and I can't believe the tip on stretching it with LIMA BEANS! Who knew?! I got an extra veggie in him and he was none the wiser. Really cuts down the cost, too. Peanut Butter Bread (p. 36) -- My picky, picky kids just love this one. As the school year goes on, they hit the snooze button more and more, leaving them less time for breakfast. I stick a piece of this in their hands as they run to the bus and all is well in the world. I like to buy large sizes of the really good, fresh peanut butter at Costco or Sam's to really save money, although Skippy would probably be fine, too. Cottage Cheese Oatmeal Pancakes (p. 61) -- After giving up on mixing wheat flour into the kids' pancakes (again, picky!), I loved this tip of "sneaking" oatmeal and cottage cheese into pancakes! Ha! And they are delish. Pizza Burgers (p. 92) -- Once again, my kids would never consider eating beans, but they love ground beef