Split chicken breasts were on sale at Whole Foods this past week, so I couldn’t resist the chance to make some more low and slow roasted chicken (because that Herb Roasted Chicken Breast that...
Recipes under $10
Okay, this might be the best thing I’ve ever made in my slow cooker. No joke. The combination of the subtle spices, orange essence, and richness of the slowly cooked pork is absolutely to die for....
Okay, I’ll admit I just made this salad as a vehicle for the lime crema. It’s all about the crema. This stuff is seriously life changing and I haven’t been able to stop making...
Okay, so this recipe is pretty expensive. I’ll admit that up front. BUT I had almost an entire jar of roasted red peppers leftover from my hummus making extravaganza last week, and due to...
OMG you guyyyysssss… Orange chicken has been on my list for-ev-er and I finally got around to making it today and now I’m kicking myself for not making it sooner because this Easy Orange Chicken is...
I had a completely different plan for cooking today, but you know what? In the end I decided I just wanted some comfort food. This Cheesy Rigatoni Skillet is just another version of my favorite easy...
I get SO MANY awesome ideas from the wonderfully creative minds of my readers. You offer so much inspiration, expertise, and ideas, which makes blogging so much fun. :) One reader shared with me recently...
I’m alllll about the casseroles in winter. They’re warm, filling, and comforting. This week I took my favorite Broccoli Cheddar Casserole and beefed it up a bit. …Er, chickened it up a bit. I...
When my body is tired and achey, or I’m feeling a bit under the weather, I always throw together a pot of this Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. The aroma that fills my house as...
I’ll admit it, I’m not a wing girl, but slather them in this rich Raspberry Balsamic Sauce and I can’t get enough. These Raspberry Balsamic Baked Chicken Wings are sweet, tangy, and deliciously rich. And...
Salads aren’t just for the warm weather months, but when I get my vegetable cravings in the winter I change up my salads with heartier vegetables and ingredients that have warm, smoky flavors, like roasted vegetables...
A good pan sauce is so simple to make and squeezes every last drop of flavor out of your meat. This week I made a creamy garlic pan sauce for some chicken thighs that...
The other day I got a message on Facebook from Tiffany exclaiming how much she liked my Easy Oven Fajitas and Oven Roasted Greek Stuffed Pitas and she asked if I could create a similar...
Hey guys! Sorry it’s been a minute since I posted a new recipe, but I went through a few days of creative block (I think the unusual below freezing temperatures in New Orleans also froze...
I really like having pre-cooked chicken in the fridge that I can use to quickly whip up a sandwich or wrap, or add protein to a bowl of pasta, salad, or one of my...
I was craving a stir fry with those delicate little rice noodles and a salty, spicy, curry based sauce this week, so I revisited my original recipe for Singapore Noodles, increased the curry powder (because...
Sweets are not my strong suit, so when another blogger offers to let me publish one of their cookie recipes, I’m all about it. Because I know you guys like cookies, right? These Chocolate Glazed...
What’s for dinner?? It’s the question that never goes away. Well, here’s another easy answer for you. This Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Tomatoes is a simple recipe that you can whip up with pantry staples,...
Alright, so remember those incredibly easy, soft, and fluffy 5 Ingredient Freezer Biscuits I made a while ago? Turns out, that biscuit dough makes a really fast and easy cinnamon bun, too. The texture...
Okay, one last Thanksgiving post before the big day! I couldn’t let this year get away from me without making some stuffing (yeah, my yankee blood still calls it “stuffing” and not “dressing” like...
It’s almost Thanksgiving and we’re all about to pull our hair out, right?? But in the middle of all this madness, we still need to eat. So, I reached into my pantry today to...
Yesterday I cooked up my enormous 5 lb. + spaghetti squash using my slow cooker and today I wanted to experiment with a new way to eat it. Most people use spaghetti squash just...
Let me introduce you to a little magic called brown butter. If you thought butter makes everything better, wait until you try the nutty, caramel-scented version of butter. It takes just a few minutes to make,...
My favorite thing about “holiday food” is cranberries. I love cranberry sauce, cranberry relish, cranberry muffins, cranberry everything. I think they’re incredibly beautiful and I love their super tart-tangy flavor. So, when I saw this...
I freaking love sweet potatoes, so it was only natural for me to eventually make a Sweet Potato Casserole Baked Oatmeal. :) Sweet potatoes are fairly inexpensive because they’re very shelf stable, they’re packed with nutrients,...
I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing when I make a recipe that is so good that I want to keep eating past the point of full. On one hand, if...
As I mentioned in my last post, I’m having fun exploring the new Trader Joe’s in New Orleans. I asked everyone on Instagram to share their favorite products with me so I could sample...
If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my stories about adventuring through the new Trader Joes in New Orleans. I’m so excited to finally have a Trader Joes near by because...
I’m trying to stock my fridge with some healthy options for the week ahead because I didn’t do so well last week. So, this morning I threw together some of my favorite flavors (garlic,...
I love taking concepts from old recipes and reinventing them into something new. For this Tomato Herb Rice with White Beans and Spinach I’ve taken my (not) Sun Dried Tomato Sauce and used it to...
I had a craving for the aromatic spices of Chinese five spice blend this week, so I picked up a pork loin, mixed up a super simple marinade with the five spice, and let...
I hate using the term “diet”, so let’s just say that ever since I got back from vacation I’ve been focusing on healthy lifestyle choices. I’m trying to focus (again) on increasing my vegetable...
The end has come, my friends. It’s the end of my vacation and the end of my while-I’m-gone dessert series here on Budget Bytes. And I’ve saved the most dangerous (IMHO) recipe for last....
I’m all about the “sensible splurge” or letting yourself have a little fun once in a while to help prevent a deprivation induced breakdown. It’s like cheat day on your diet, but with your...
If you’re one that struggles to work vegetables into your diet (isn’t that pretty much all of us?) you’re going to love this Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry. It’s full of vegetables and absolutely addictive. And...
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Sometimes I get really excited about recipes. Can you tell? This Balsamic Chicken Skillet is one of those recipes. It’s just so freaking easy, the flavor is big,...
I’ve been a little obsessed with Chimichurri since I made it a couple weeks ago. I just keep finding new uses for it! Quite a few people left comments on the original chimichurri recipe...
Did you know that the Dragon Noodle sauce also makes a great stir fry sauce? Truth. So when I saw that I still had a half pound of shrimp left over from my last...
I have a serious case of salad envy. Every day my Instagram feed is flooded with gorgeous photos of amazing salads overloaded with mouth-watering ingredients. That type of food is hard to create when...
Scramble eggs make a great last minute, sweep-the-kitchen weekend brunch or dinner. As I was looking through my pantry and fridge taking note of what needed to be used up today, I noticed I...
Egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches are one of my favorite meals in the whole world. Luckily, they also freeze quite well, so I can meal prep my favorite breakfast for busy days. With these...
It’s HOT outside, so I’m experimenting a lot with my slow cooker this week. Slow cookers are awesome not only because they’re mostly hands-off, but also because they contain their heat well and don’t...
My favorite thing to do with a recipe is to pare it down as far as possible while maintaining big flavor. I’ve made a lot of Asian inspired marinades and glazes over the years, but...
I loooove me some broccoli. When it’s cooked, anyway. For some reason the flavor of raw broccoli has always rubbed me the wrong way. BUT I know raw broccoli is super healthy, so I try to...
Remember that Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta that we all love because it’s so easy and delicious? Well, the other day when I was craving a creamy-pasta-comfort-food dinner, I decided to morph that recipe with another...
Confession time: I’ve been spending way too much on sushi lately. So, I decided to revisit one of my very first Budget Bytes recipes from way back in 2010, Sushi Bowls. For most people, making sushi at...
These Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes might not be the prettiest things in the world, but who cares? We’re talking about CHEESE AND POTATOES. Plus a healthy dose of broccoli, because life is all about...
I look at the photo of these Italian Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats and I’m all like, “Oooh, that looks delicious. …but are probably complicated and a million ingredients.” But no, my friends, no. It’s...
I guess we’ve hit that time of the year where just I want to eat cold salads every day (Hi, summer!). So I decided to take one of my favorite pasta salads, Lemony Cucumber...
Sometimes recipes just speak to you. Yesterday I came across this recipe for Stuffed Jalapeños from The New York Times and was just like, “I need that in my life.” So, I ran out...
The other day I got a craving for that drooly-delicious pan-fried tofu that I made a couple months ago and I knew I had to make more. But, instead of making the exact same dish,...
Y’all know I love my global flavors, but every once in a while I get in the mood for straight up American food, like cheeseburgers. When that craving hit this week I decided to...
Y’all know I love my bowl meals! Everything you need in one easy to eat (and transport) bowl, no need to worry about what side dishes go with what. Plus, they’re easy for you...
I don’t know if I told you, but I used to make pizzas for a living. I didn’t earn a lot, but it was definitely one of my favorite jobs ever. I had tons...
If there was ever a recipe worthy of “breakfast for dinner” it would be shakshuka. This rich, saucy dish is full of smoky spices, hearty beans, and rich eggs. Make sure to buy or...
I was in the mood for lasagna this week, but it’s already in the 80’s here in New Orleans, so I decided to make a garden vegetable lasagna soup instead. Lasagna soup is great...
This recipe started out as a craving for lettuce wraps and ended up as Hoisin Stir Fry Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce because, IMHO, it’s just a whole lot easier to eat things out...
Canned salmon is a great shelf-stable way to get your inexpensive way to work a little more fish into your diet. I love the convenience of canned fish. No cooking necessary, it’s there when...
Congee (or jook, depending on the language) is a rice porridge that I’ve wanted to make for quite some time. It’s a warm, comforting porridge made with rice, chicken, ginger, and sometimes other fun...
I’m sitting here with a blank screen trying to figure out if I can even accurately describe to you how good this Thai Red Curry Vegetable Soup is. Maybe I should tell you that...
I have such a weird relationship with shrimp. Most of the time I don’t like it, then suddenly, out of the blue, I get this really intense craving for it and I’m all like,...
After finally figuring out how to cook tofu and actually have it taste good (see my Sesame Tofu with Broccoli), I couldn’t wait to make more. I used the same easy pan fry method,...
This quick skillet dish is kind of like the faster, vegetarian version of the Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala that I made a few weeks back. It’s a rich tomato sauce spiked with aromatic garam...
I had a huge triumph today. I finally successfully made tofu. I’ve tried cooking with tofu in the past and could never really get it to be the right flavor or texture. When I cooked...
I finally got around to cooking some of the chicken drumsticks that I bought last week and they are soooo good! I love southwest inspired flavors, so marinating the chicken in cilantro lime was...
There’s something about the smell of smoked sausage with peppers and onions that just makes my mouth water. That combination never really gets old. Luckily, there are a million ways to incorporate that delicious...
I’m experimenting with a new grain this week, farro, and the first thing I wanted to make was a salad. Farro is a delightful chewy grain with a neutral flavor that will make any...
I needed a “fun” food project this week, so I decided to make some homemade pork gyoza, which are actually an updated version of a recipe I made almost six years ago (whoa!), Pork...
Hooray for easy soups! This is the type of recipe that saves the day. Very few ingredients, fast, and really delicious. Not to mention the fact that it’s super healthy, just happens to be...
Okay, so technically I didn’t “stir fry” anything here, but this is what you make at home to mimmic stir fry when you don’t have the proper equipment. This was really more of a...
Why am I calling these enchiladas Weeknight Bean and Cheese Enchiladas? Because they’re basic. Nothing frilly or fancy, just simple, basic enchiladas. But there are three things that, IMHO, turned these very basic enchiladas...
This recipe was originally designed to be a balsamic vegetable kebab, served over seasoned rice, but at the last minute I thought, “Why bother with skewers?” Sure, they look pretty and making food look...
So I broke down the other day and bought a rotisserie chicken. I feel a little guilty because it was out of budget, but on the other hand I’m not so upset that rotisserie...
It’s been really cold here (well, cold for me) and that makes me want comfort food. One dish that I absolutely loved in the past but haven’t had a chance to remake is my One Pot...
As this past week came to a close, I still needed one more quick recipe to fill out our menu. I had already used up all but $7 of my $40 weekly grocery budget,...
After making (and devouring) my Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes last week, I was really craving some shepherd’s pie. But, because of the strict budget I’m working with, I decided to make a vegetarian shepherd’s Pie....
This is a busy time of year, maybe even the busiest. Between shopping, holiday parties, and visiting family, no one really wants to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. Sooo, this week...
When I want to change up my morning oats routine, I like to make a batch of homemade granola. Instead of a warm bowl in the morning, I eat the crunchy granola atop a...
During my “off” week just after Thanksgiving, I picked up a pork loin and gave it the Chili Rubbed Pork treatment in my slow cooker. It made a TON of pulled pork, so I...
So, I actually made this Hot and Sour Soup last week, but got so busy with Thanksgiving madness that I didn’t have a chance to post it until today. But that’s okay, I figure...
This week I had a killer craving for some classic spaghetti and meat sauce. But, as you may know, I like to add vegetables whenever and wherever I can to recipes, so I shredded...
This Sesame Glazed Salmon with Green Beans is another one of those “faster than take-out” dishes. It’s incredibly simple, plus OMG it looks spectacular. Right? Look how fancy! If you’re looking for a “date night” dish,...
I’m in love with this Slow Cooker Italian Chicken and Peppers. I’m just going to lay it out there. It’s every bit as easy, delicious, and versatile as those Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls...
Enchilada Casserole is such a classic. I’ve seen a million different interpretations of this dish over the years. Why? Because it’s easy and it’s satisfying. So I figured I’d make a vegetarian version, full...
A few weeks ago, my friend Jenni sent me a link to this amazing looking Bean and Bacon Soup by Taste and Tell. I had actually run across the photo on Pinterest a couple days...
I kind of wore myself out this past weekend with long days and lots of exciting activity. So when I finally made it home to New Orleans, I was feeling tired, achy, and in...
This Yellow Rice Chicken Skillet combines one of my favorite foods in the world, Yellow Jasmine Rice, with a couple of items that I found in the back of my freezer. I found some...
One of my favorite dinners from my childhood was a big bowl of rice, black beans, salsa, and cheese, or what I call “Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls.” Looking back I don’t know if that...
I think I’ve hit the September Challenge jackpot with this one, folks. When I had my first bite of these Skillet Meatballs and Marinara I literally moaned and let out a quiet “Oh, hell yeah…”...
I’m starting a difficult challenge tomorrow where I’m going to attempt to eat only $4.50 worth of food per day. I remember how hungry I was last year during the SNAP challenge, so I...
One of my favorite techniques for stretching my food budget is substituting half of the meat in my meals with beans. So, when I got an email from one of my readers, Lori, with...
I purchased three rather expensive ingredients for a different recipe this week: roasted red peppers, feta, and a large bag of fresh spinach. I was really intent on not letting any of that go...
Welcome to another episode of “How can so few ingredients make such a delicious meal?!” Skillet meals are a miracle, my friends. And this Lemon Pepper Chicken with Orzo is the perfect example. They’re...
Oops, do I make too many taco dishes? NOT POSSIBLE. Okay really, I’m sorry if you’re not as into tacos as I am, but I just can’t help it. Today I was craving the...
Tacos are one of my favorite summer quick dinner fixes. They don’t have to be complicated and they’re not too heavy. Fresh toppings keep the meal light and summery, and allow for personalization. And...
I still had a few carrots in my fridge and half of a rotisserie chicken, so I decided to mix them up into a delicious chicken Caesar salad and stuff them into a wrap....
The “cold and crunchy” summer food cravings continue for me. So, this week I reached into my vault (text files that I created 15 years ago when I first moved out on own) and...
The other day I needed something really fast and easy for lunch and I was craving Swiss cheese (weird, right?). Well, my solution to that problem was this: sauté up some mushrooms and garlic,...
I love absolutely love that “flame licked” flavor that grilled food has. Unfortunately, I don’t have a grill, so I’m left trying to recreate that flavor with my oven (I don’t really want to...
This one goes out to all of you “one pot pasta” lovers out there. …And I know there are a lot of you! Allow me to introduce to you this amazing One Pot Roasted...
