frugal Archives | The Sparrow's Home

Simple and amazing summer lemonade

July 22, 2019 by Susan 1 Comment

I make this easy homemade lemonade all summer long. It’s so simple, but I get asked for the recipe frequently. Tart. Sweet. Summer in a glass.

Let’s clear one thing up right at the start: When I say homemade lemonade, I do not mean squeezing your own lemons.

I mean, theoretically you could. But you really don’t need to, and in my book, this falls in the same arena as making my own pizza dough and pie crusts. I could, but when it’s so convenient to buy Trader Joe’s handy and delicious versions, why would I?

A Quiche to Build a Dream On

April 29, 2019 by Susan 8 Comments

This easy quiche recipe is perfect for a light meal, serving overnight guests, and is an ideal freezer meal. Whether you pop it right in the oven or make it ahead, this is one recipe you will come back to again and again.

Eggs are cheap. But somehow mixing them with other goodies and baking them in a pie crust makes them taste fancy.

I am a big fan of recipes that you can customize, and quiche fits that bill perfectly. My favorite is ham and green onion with lots of cheese. But it’s delish with veggies like spinach, too. Or even kind of plain with just a little onion and cheese. Sky’s the limit!

Creamy Salsa Guacamole

August 27, 2018 by Susan Leave a Comment

A perfect avocado is a thing of beauty. I get a little thrill every time I cut in and discover I’ve got one. But I’ll be honest, avocados haven’t always been my favorite.

I really wanted to like them…I just didn’t.

They’ve grown on me in the past several years, though. And now, you’ll find me dishing up spoonfuls of some simple avocado barely mashed with some lime and salt on fajitas, or even just with some tortilla chips. Delish.

And this easy recipe is one of our favorite quick lunches. (And by ‘our’, clearly I mean my husband and I… not my weirdly picky kids).

Southern Red Beans & Rice

January 11, 2018 by Susan Leave a Comment

What is your biggest cooking fail?

For me, red beans and rice holds that title. (The chocolate mousse that came out looking like poop is a close second).

Marrying a Southern-born man and living in the South for a number of years meant learning to cook things that I didn’t grow up on. Things like gumbo, jambalaya, king cake, and red beans & rice.

Moving back home to Minnesota, I was eager to share my new found food loves with my family and friends. One problem, while I’d eaten red beans & rice lots of times, I’d never made it before.

So maybe making it for a party wasn’t the best idea on my first try.

Super Fresh & Simple Orange Cranberries

December 21, 2017 by Susan 2 Comments

It doesn’t get much easier than this recipe for fresh orange cranberry sauce. Some might call it relish, but to me relish is a condiment, something you put on a hot dog. This is meant to be eaten by the spoonful, like a more traditional cranberry sauce.

As long as I can remember, these were the cranberries that we had on our Thanksgiving table. The bright, jewel-like red color of the cranberries makes a perfect showing for Christmas dinner as well.

One of the best things is how well leftovers last. They are great for breakfast, or alongside a sandwich for lunch. I’ve also stirred in a little leftover whipped cream for a tasty treat.

My sister taught me something new just this year when she described how she puts some in the freezer, and then scrapes off the frozen icee mixture. (And yes, I do have some in my freezer now). Yum!!

Prepare with Simple Food Storage

August 24, 2017 by Susan 2 Comments

Ben Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

I have no bomb shelter. I have no prepper storage facility. But I do have a healthy respect for the fact that a little bit of time now could make all the difference in the event of a future emergency. And much in the same way that we put money in savings and make freezer meals to have on hand for busy nights, preparing for a potential emergency is a wise step.

Have you had storms in your area that have taken out the power? How about floods or hurricanes? There are so many things that could cause you to have to venture out of your normal routine.