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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.
Beth C says
Cost effective are more important to me.
clarissa says
definately cost effective. I enjoy cooking and making more complicated, time consuming meals…but with a large family I am budget conscience
Don says
We kinda do both here at our house.
Jennifer C says
Simple meals are more important to me.
Idaho Jill says
simple – I don’t have a ton of time to cook…but I don’t spend a lot, either…
Francine Anchondo says
I like Cost effective meals but if it is simple and cost effective that is even better
Lori D. says
Going simple just works better for me when I’ve had a hard day at work.
Jenny says
Yes! Simple and cost effective meals are very important to me. I don’t have much time, so simple is always great!
Kelly Blackwell says
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.
Bluerose says
Both are pretty important for me right now!
Van says
I would go with easy any day of the week.
Jes says
Both are important to me! It sounds like Ten Dollar Dinners achieves this! 🙂
Margaret says
Both equally actually!
Cindy B says
I stick with SIMPLE most of the time!
Daniel M says
simple quick and easy
Angie says
Cost effective meals are most important to me!
June says
I say, the more simple the better.
Jessica T says
Simple – they tend to be cost effective too!
paige aka mrs. bacon says
cost effective all the way!
Linda V says
I cook for us every night, so it is very important to have simple good meals.
Staci A says
Yes, we all like our meals pretty simple.
Jingle says
Simple and fast, although cost plays a role, too.
Tonia says
For me – cost-effective meals are important.
Chuck says
We prefer the more simple recipes.
Daiva says
both are important to me:)
Marianne S. says
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
Holly says
Simple is better because the simplest recipes tend to be the healthiest. 🙂
April says
Both are important, but if pushed, I’d say cost effective.
Lauren says
Hi:) At this time, simpler meals are more important to me…because I still have so much to learn! 😉
acmommy3 says
Definitely both together are my favorite 🙂 but I’d probably choose cost effective since cost of living is high.
Erin says
Cost effective is more important.
diane sabatini says
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.
Patricia Wojnar Crowley says
I think Simple usually beats Cost for me!
Allyson Zupin says
Cost effective as a military family with 2 boys, and one with diabetes, things are tight during the holidays!!!
Steve says
Love it when I can get both in a recipe but Cost effective is my preference!
Michelle says
I prefer simple.
Janet says
I can’t choose so I will say both are important.
Sue says
Probably cost effective but good for you recipes count the most!
butterfly wishes wonderland dreams says
simple and cost effective work for us!
Angela E. says
Gonna say simpler meals are what I go for.
Melissa says
Cost-effective for sure
Darcy says
Simple Meals are more important
Kerrie Mayans says
Right now simple meal are more important to me.
Brittany says
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.
Dianne says
Simple meals are all I can handle! I would love to try some new variety!
Garrett says
With a busy work week, simple meals are the way to go.
Alexandra says
Simple meals are important!!
Donna O'Neil says
Simple meals are important.
Tobi Drabczyk says
Cost effective meals are what I need right now but, simple and cost effective are exactly what I need.
Kathy S says
The simpler, the better
Anne says
Cost effective meals are important.
Debbie Bashford says
Cost effective, everything is going up except the income so I need to save money where ever I can
merrilie cardiali says
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!
sindy murray says
cost-effective is more important!!
Johanna miner says
Love to watch Melissa
Jen F says
I try my best to make sure meals are the perfect balance between simple, cost effective and healthy…not always easy though.
Allison says
Right now, cost effective meals are more important, but I also want them to be healthy, with some variety. This would be perfect.
Jenny says
Cost effective meals are very important, without sacrificing a lot of time in the kitchen.
Karen Lynch says
Simple meals during the week.
Tabitha P. says
cost effictive is more important
Okaasan says
For now, simple!
angie says
both are important but due to lack of time the simple meals may be the ones I cook most
Sandra K321 says
Yes, simple meals that are quick to prepare are always good since we are always on the go.
Jennifer Thomas says
I think simple meals are more important to me.