One of the responsibilities I take most seriously as a wife and mom is feeding my family well. I take it seriously, but that doesn’t mean that I feel like I’m doing my very best. There’s a lot to balance as I try to create budget-conscious and healthy meals with some variety. Melissa d’Arabian comes to the rescue with her Ten Dollar Dinners cookbook, which offers “140 Recipes and Tips to Elevate Simple, Fresh, Meals Any Night of the Week.”
This is the kind of cookbook that is a joy to read, with its bright photos and chatty, informative feel. It would make a great holiday gift for a relative, or teacher or friend. You could sweeten the gift by including a gift card to their favorite grocery store for even more budget appeal!
Melissa gives interesting bits of info about how she was inspired for a particular recipe, or her own family’s responses. There are also tips throughout the book that cover topics such as “Buy big now, save big later.” We all know that it’s cost-effective to stock up when meat goes on sale, but it ends up feeling like it’s more trouble than it’s worth when it comes time to use it. However, Melissa helps you by explaining exactly how to break up and save those ingredients for easy meal prep later.
These recipes are somewhat gourmet, but family and budget friendly at the same time. The recipes I’ve tried made for a nice change for us, were easy to follow and delicious. They were
- Crispy Chicken a l’Orange, page 141
- Four Step Chicken (with many variations), page 141
- Kielbasa and Black-eyed Peas, page 177
I can’t wait to try out the
- Salmon Cakes, page 127
- Lemon-Thyme Meatballs, page 190
- Fried Brown Rice and Eggs with Garlicky Soy Vinaigrette, page 331
Does that sound good to you?
One of you (US and Canadian shipping addresses) can win a SIGNED copy of Ten Dollar Dinners. Use the Rafflecopter form to enter this giveaway starting with leaving a comment answering “Are simple meals or cost-effective meals more important to you?”
New to Rafflecopter? Watch this 45-second video on how to enter!
Melissa’s a great social media sharer, so get more tips and tricks by following Melissa on Facebook and Twitter (@MelissadArabian) or visiting www.melissadarabian.net.
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{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
I think simple meals are more important to me.
Jennifer Thomas recently posted..Homeschooling–one month in (part 3)
Yes, simple meals that are quick to prepare are always good since we are always on the go.
both are important but due to lack of time the simple meals may be the ones I cook most
angie recently posted..Sunday Stealing
For now, simple!
cost effictive is more important
Simple meals during the week.
Cost effective meals are very important, without sacrificing a lot of time in the kitchen.
Right now, cost effective meals are more important, but I also want them to be healthy, with some variety. This would be perfect.
I try my best to make sure meals are the perfect balance between simple, cost effective and healthy…not always easy though.
Love to watch Melissa
cost-effective is more important!!
With the price of food these days, I have to go with cost-effective. Having a cookbook showing how to make simple, yet healthy meals is a big plus!
Cost effective, everything is going up except the income so I need to save money where ever I can
Cost effective meals are important.
The simpler, the better
Cost effective meals are what I need right now but, simple and cost effective are exactly what I need.
Simple meals are important.
Donna O’Neil recently posted..Win a NetZero 4G Hotspot a $300 Value!
Simple meals are important!!
Alexandra recently posted..Hyundai Santa Fe: Families Who Rock!
With a busy work week, simple meals are the way to go.
Simple meals are all I can handle! I would love to try some new variety!
I love fancy recipes but most of the time with our schedules it is easier to have something simple and easy to put together. I love saving money wherever I can. Thanks for the chance to win.
Right now simple meal are more important to me.
Simple Meals are more important
Cost-effective for sure
Melissa recently posted..10 Finds for Thursday – 12/6/12
Gonna say simpler meals are what I go for.
simple and cost effective work for us!
Probably cost effective but good for you recipes count the most!
I can’t choose so I will say both are important.
I prefer simple.
Love it when I can get both in a recipe but Cost effective is my preference!
Cost effective as a military family with 2 boys, and one with diabetes, things are tight during the holidays!!!
I think Simple usually beats Cost for me!
I’d say cost effective. I love Melissa d’Arabian! I’ve been making her garlic tomato sauce for over a year and never buy jarred sauce anymore.
Cost effective is more important.
Definitely both together are my favorite
but I’d probably choose cost effective since cost of living is high.
Hi:) At this time, simpler meals are more important to me…because I still have so much to learn!
Both are important, but if pushed, I’d say cost effective.
Simple is better because the simplest recipes tend to be the healthiest.
Cost effective first, as both my husband and I are disabled, and we’re raising a special needs child…on a Social Security budget… then simple
Marianne S. recently posted..Blogger OP- Planters NUT-rition Peanut Butter giveaway
both are important to me:)
We prefer the more simple recipes.
For me – cost-effective meals are important.
Tonia recently posted..First Cookbook on the Cutting Board: The Joy of Cooking
Simple and fast, although cost plays a role, too.
Jingle recently posted..Neon Party People are Moxie Fab on the Runway!
Yes, we all like our meals pretty simple.
I cook for us every night, so it is very important to have simple good meals.
cost effective all the way!
paige aka mrs. bacon recently posted..Handy tip to keep diaper on at nap time!
Simple – they tend to be cost effective too!
I say, the more simple the better.
Cost effective meals are most important to me!
Angie recently posted..Maryland: There’s a new store coming to the Westfield Annapolis Mall (XSRE)
simple quick and easy
I stick with SIMPLE most of the time!
Both equally actually!
Both are important to me! It sounds like Ten Dollar Dinners achieves this!
I would go with easy any day of the week.
Both are pretty important for me right now!
Bluerose recently posted..Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver
I love simple, but the fact is I need to take care of both in my life. I am pretty busy weekly with work even when I am not working so anything that will give me back time for my family is important. Saving money is always a priority, but if I need to save time, I will compromise on the cash.
Kelly Blackwell recently posted..I’m Going on a 24 Hour Bod Detox or Lessons from a Goodwill Dressing Room
Yes! Simple and cost effective meals are very important to me. I don’t have much time, so simple is always great!
Going simple just works better for me when I’ve had a hard day at work.
I like Cost effective meals but if it is simple and cost effective that is even better
simple – I don’t have a ton of time to cook…but I don’t spend a lot, either…
Idaho Jill recently posted..YourLocalSecurity.com Guard Dog Pinterest Contest! ends 1/15/13
Simple meals are more important to me.
We kinda do both here at our house.
definately cost effective. I enjoy cooking and making more complicated, time consuming meals…but with a large family I am budget conscience
Cost effective are more important to me.