Frugal and Simple Recipes

Meals like Thanksgiving (pictured) should come few times through the year. I aim for simplicity and efficiency.

There is a lot to writing a cookbook, more than people realize. I wish it were as easy as dumping all my recipe cards – stained and jotted on through the years – into a big machine. Wouldn’t that be nice! Instead, it takes hours and hours of data entry, editing, and testing. Then I will hand it off to my editor, and the grueling will really begin!

I’m writing my third cookbook now, Love in the Kitchen Vol. 3. It is hard work, but it is fun work, too. I enjoy the journey. Last time (Volume 2) I had a new baby. Zech (now two-years-old) spent a lot of time sharing Mommy’s lap with her laptop. Here I am now with another new baby, Elijah! Too amazing how that worked out. God is just amazing to give me another child to love and a new book to write.

Do you know what makes my cookbooks unique from any you’d typically find in the bookstore? Thumb through any of my recipes, and you’ll find hardly any exotic ingredients you need to run to the store for. They are simple and effective. Complex recipes usually require running off to the store to spend more time, energy and money than I (nor you) would like to spend. I try hard to make each recipe as frugal and simple as possible, blessing your family with great meals.

I came up with a new pizza recipe and it sure is handy. It has basic ingredients that are in most anyone’s homes. Here is the recipe, one of the 200+ recipes that will be included in Love in the Kitchen Vol. 3:

Quick Pizza

Quick and healthy seldom mix together well, but that’s what I find myself needing nearly every day. I came up with this recipe while at home with eight of my youngest children (the older ones were off at events). The key here is to make pizza with what is in the house already.

Choose any of the following for your crust:

Bread
Bagel
Tortilla
English muffin

Choose any of the following for your pizza sauce:

Ketchup
Ranch dressing
Tomato soup with a pinch of basil
Tomato sauce with a pinch of ground cumin
Salsa

Choose any of the following for your topping:

Onion, chopped fine
Jalapenos
Sauerkraut
Pepperoni
Sausage, browned and drained
Hamburger, browned and drained
Bacon, browned and drained
Black olives, sliced
Green olives, sliced
Canadian bacon
Lunch meat, cubed
Hot-dog, sliced
Green pepper, chopped
Tomato, chopped
Chicken, cooked, chopped

Choose any of the following cheeses:

Cheese, shredded
Cheese, sliced
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and lay your bread out on the sheet. Spread sauce item thinly onto the bread, top with as many toppings as you like. Sprinkle on cheese evenly. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes checking after the first 7 minutes for desired browning.

Perhaps you do something like this already. Don’t think everyone does! I’m often surprised when I talk with moms who don’t know how to throw together a “quick pizza.” Well, they do now. Give this a try and let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear from you.

About Wendy Jeub

Yes, Wendy Jeub has brought 16 children into the world, and loves each and every one of them. So much so, she'd welcome more!

Rebekah

These look great. I just wish I could use them. We are a Gluten Free Dairy Free family so most large family recipes don’t work for us. With a family of 8, that is a real big challenge.

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

Hi Rebekah,
I can certainly sympathize with you. Many families are going Gluten free and Dairy free. Anytime you change things from how you used to do them it takes time and plenty of energy.

The good news is that there is more and more information out there today then there has been in the past. You are now able to find recipes for you on-line too. There are even on-line support groups that swap recipes. Supermarkets are offering more items aimed at your time of need.

May the Lord bless you with wisdom and energy as you more forward to take care of your family.

In my 3rd cookbook I will have more Gluten free and Dairy free recipes.

Boysmom

We have the 1st cookbook and I change many of the recipes to gf, df. I just swap out the whole wheat flour for our homemade gf mix of 2 parts sorghum flour with 1 part tapioca starch. I usually add 1 tsp of guar gum.

T. Gates

I have your first two cookbooks, and there are some yummy recipes in them. But, I have to be honest, several recipes call for a lot of butter. It would be nice to have some yummy, healthier recipes!

http://www.jeubfamily.com Chris Jeub

We lean toward the idea that butter isn’t as bad for you as the margarine lobby has led us to believe. Here’s a well-balanced article: >The Margarine Myth.

Clara

The author has no scientific or medical background. He’s just. . . a guy.

http://www.jeubfamily.com Chris Jeub

I wouldn’t totally write him off. Sure, he’s not entrenched in academia, but that is sort of a credential builder nowadays. Here’s his bio.

Clara

He has no qualifications whatsoever.

Mommyslg

Oh, good grief. If man made it it is junk, if God made it, it is good! Butter is simply cream that is shaken, no chemicals to make it solid or yellow. I am sure if you do a tiny bit of research, you will find that margarine is not healthy. Even many MDs are telling people to stay away from it.

T. Gates

Thanks! I will check that article out.

Guest

There are recipes that call for cheap bacon and Bisquick and you’re worried about butter?!

Wendy – Quick and health CAN go together. Green smoothies (add some rolled oats to make it more filling. Hard-boiled eggs. Chopped up veggies with dip (olive oil, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos, & honey all shaken together is a great dip). Oatmeal with sugar-free peanut butter and mashed banana. Baked sweet potato “fries”. Make a huge batch of burritos and freeze for later. Salads. Raw nuts.

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

Thanks for your ideas Guest. Of course you may substitute olive oil when a recipe calls for oil. Or Bragg’s when the recipe calls for apple cider vinegar. Those are all very good calls. I am sure your family appreciate your resourcefulness.

Personally I do the same thing all the time.

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

Thanks for you comment. Anytime I personally come across a recipe that has too much butter for me. I cut it back depending on what the recipe is. For baking you can cut the fat in half and use applesauce instead but again it does depend on what you are making.

jenny

I’ve been doing pizzas with English muffins for a long time, but just for quickies, I like homead real pizza the best!
One of our top frugal foods is chili, I pressure can a big batch every winter and then it is ready to heat and eat!
And then eggs, beans and smoothies…..

Wendy, did you dye your hair in the picture?

Wendyjeub

Sounds good. What picture?

Heidisteadman

That’s me… Chris’ sister…

http://www.jeubfamily.com Chris Jeub

Hey Heidi! Glad to have you join us on Jeubfamily.com. =D

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

Oh LOL! Yes the one above is Heidi not me. We are at Grandma Jeub’s. Sweet times.

Mindy Rice

I’ve also done pizza on low carb tortillas. “Love in the Kitchen III”? Can’t wait! I’ll only ask you and Cynthia to sign this one! <3

Mindy
Mindy Rice

I’ve also done pizza on low carb tortillas. “Love in the Kitchen III”? Can’t wait! I’ll only ask you and Cynthia to sign this one! <3

Mindy
Cabrown6

Love your recipes, only down side is in Australia alot of the ingredients are harder to swap or work out an alternative. And our measurements are different. I’ve also found you guys use alot of tinned things where as over here we tend to use fresh or frozen.

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

I never knew that you had less canned items, but you learn something new
everyday. As I was doing research for my cookbook I read an interesting
article on what you can’t get outside the U.S. You can always use fresh
or frozen and there are equivalency charts on-line now, to help you
figure it all out. Thank you Amanda for buying my cookbook overseas I
have to be honest and say it is humbling to know that my little book has
gone around the world. Blessings to you.

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

In all fairness in my 2nd cookbook Love in The Kitchen you will only find that 1 out of every 10 recipes has a can of soup or a box of something. Most recipes offer for you to use a can of corn or fresh or frozen. If you do not have condensed soups there you can use a simple white sauce instead. I include how to make a basic white sauce in my 2nd cookbook.

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

The same story with the 1st cookbook Love in The Kitchen vol 1. Pretty much the recipes are straight up potatoes, flour, cream and such.

Mindy Rice

I’ve also done pizza on low carb tortillas. “Love in the Kitchen III”? Can’t wait! I’ll only ask you and Cynthia to sign this one! <3

Mindy
Amanda

Love your recipes, only down side is in Australia alot of the
ingredients are harder to swap or work out an alternative. And our
measurements are different. I’ve also found you guys use alot of tinned
things where as over here we tend to use fresh or frozen.

http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

I never knew that you had less canned items, but you learn something new everyday. As I was doing research for my cookbook I read an interesting article on what you can’t get outside the U.S. You can always use fresh or frozen and there are equivalency charts on-line now, to help you figure it all out. Thank you Amanda for buying my cookbook overseas I have to be honest and say it is humbling to know that my little book has gone around the world. Blessings to you.
http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

I never knew that you had less canned items, but you learn something new everyday. As I was doing research for my cookbook I read an interesting article on what you can’t get outside the U.S. You can always use fresh or frozen and there are equivalency charts on-line now, to help you figure it all out. Thank you Amanda for buying my cookbook overseas I have to be honest and say it is humbling to know that my little book has gone around the world. Blessings to you.
http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

I never knew that you had less canned items, but you learn something new everyday. As I was doing research for my cookbook I read an interesting article on what you can’t get outside the U.S. You can always use fresh or frozen and there are equivalency charts on-line now, to help you figure it all out. Thank you Amanda for buying my cookbook overseas I have to be honest and say it is humbling to know that my little book has gone around the world. Blessings to you.

Amanda

ugh sorry it wouldnt let me post my name etc. Just kept posting my email. Sorry for double post
Amanda

ugh sorry it wouldnt let me post my name etc. Just kept posting my email. Sorry for double post
http://jeubfamily.com Wendy Jeub

Oh LOL! Yes the one above is Heidi not me. We are at Grandma Jeub’s. Sweet times.
Razingruth

I don’t know if I’m *welcome* here. But, I do have a recipe I’d love to share. It’s quick. It’s nutricious. It feeds many. And, it’s relatively cheap. I made it for a social group and it broke down to under twenty-cents a serving.

Pan-sit
Boil water.
Add a pack of rice noodles (found in the thai food sections of the store).
Stir noodles in boiling water until the take on a clear, noodly consistency.
Remove from water and submerge in a bath of ice.,
In a pan- brown 1-2 pounds of chopped chicken breast. Add a spoonfull of Fish paste and stirr the chicken. Prepare: four carrots (sliced thin with a peeler); 1lb sweet snap peas (leave them whole); 1/2 a cabbage (chunked, then sliced into ribbons)- put these into a pan with peanut or olive oil and sautee.
Add a can of waterchesnuts and bamboo shoots. sliced.-[ saute or stir fry.
Add the contents of the pan to the pan/bowl with the rice noodles. Let cool for one hour in the refridgerator for best result. Serve with soy sauce.

It beats taking a whole family out to eat when you can make it for pennies on the dollar.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Tiara-Smith/100000386126152 Tiara Smith

I can’t wait to read the new cookbook,I have the first two and love them!
Mrskowell_loaninvestment

Good Day

Do you need 100% Finance? I can service your financial need with less payback problem that is why we fund you for just 4%. Whatever your
circumstances, self employed, retired, have a poor credit rating, we could help. Flexible repayment over 2 to 20 years.Contact us
at:mrskowell_loaninvestment@rocketmail.com

1. Full Names:………………………..
2. Contact Address:…………………..
3. Loan Amount Needed:………………..
4. Duration of the Loan………………..
5. Direct Telephone Number:……………..

Best Regards,
Mrs Kowell Wright
tereza crump

I like to buy Pita bread or nan bread on sale.. and use it for quick pizza for lunch and dinner when I can’t think of anything else, or we just came home from a trip or something. I store the bread and my already shredded cheese in the freezer and when we need it we just take it out.

I am baking my own bread now. so the ends of the bread turn into bread crumbs or croutons, and sometimes french toast. When I bought bread at the store I would use it as my pizza crust.
Mbarganier1

I have your first two books and refer to them often….so glad you are writing a third…keep up the good work!