Patch - Dinners on a Dime Cookbook: More than 200 recipes for delicious, budget-friendly family meals

Volume Measurements 1/4 teaspoon 1 mL
1/2 teaspoon 2 mL
1 teaspoon 5 mL
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 15 mL
2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce 30 mL
1/4 cup 60 mL
1/3 cup 75 mL
1/2 cup = 4 fluid ounces 125 mL
1 cup = 8 fluid ounces 250 mL
2 cups = 1 pint =16 fluid ounces 500 mL
4 cups = 1 quart 1 L Weights 1 ounce 30 g
4 ounces 120 g
8 ounces 225 g
16 ounces = 1 pound 450 g Oven Temperatures 300 F 150 C
325 F 160 C
350 F 180 C
375 F 190 C
400 F 200 C
450 F 230 C Baking Pan Sizes Square
8x8x2 inches 2 L = 20x20x5 cm
9x9x2 inches 2.5 L = 23x23x5 cm Rectangular
13x9x2 inches 3.5 L = 33x23x5 cm Loaf
9x5x3 inches 2 L = 23x13x7 cm Round
8x1-1/2 inches 1.2 L = 20x4 cm
9x1-1/2 inches 1.5 L = 23x4 cm Tips & Tricks Make a list of frequently-used grocery items and keep it handy! You can even make a note of typical prices so youll know if youre really getting a good deal. Check the unit cost posted on the shelf. The giant economy size isnt always the best buy, especially if its something that you dont use very often. Have flexible dinner plans. If you were going to make ground beef casserole for supper but ground turkey is on sale today, why not use that instead? Thrifty food bargains can be found at dollar stores, drugstores and bakery outlets...just be sure to check the expiration date on the package. Speedy Stroganoff Connie Ferrell
Blanchester, OH Your family will ask for seconds when this tasty skillet supper is on the menu! 1 lb. ground beef 1 onion, diced 2 t. paprika 1 t. salt 1/2 t. pepper 10-3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup 16-oz. container sour cream cooked egg noodles In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef and onion; drain. container sour cream cooked egg noodles In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef and onion; drain.

Add paprika, salt and pepper, stirring in thoroughly. Reduce heat to medium-low; blend in soup and heat through. Stir in sour cream. Serve over cooked noodles. Serves 4. Give store brands a try for canned veggies, soups and sauces, boxed baking mixes and other pantry staples! Youll find they usually taste just as good as famous-label items and save you money too.

Twistin Tuna Bake Marilyn Morel
Keene, NH My children really like tuna, especially in casseroles. When I serve this quick and inexpensive dish, I dont count on having any leftovers! Its tasty made with canned salmon too. 1 c. Alfredo sauce 2 eggs, beaten 1 t. garlic powder 8-oz. rotini pasta, cooked 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained 6-oz. can tuna, drained and flaked 1 c. round buttery crackers, crushed 3 T. butter, melted Combine sauce, eggs and garlic powder; blend thoroughly. butter, melted Combine sauce, eggs and garlic powder; blend thoroughly.

Add pasta, broccoli and tuna; turn into a lightly greased 8"x8" baking pan. Toss together cracker crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through. Serves 6. Stock up on pasta when its on sale...its super for creating tasty, filling meals. Pasta in different shapes and colors adds variety to familiar dishes, while whole-wheat pasta is extra nutritious.

Curly Noodle Supper Karen Christiansen
Glenview, IL I can have this thrifty dinner on the table less than 30 minutes after walking in the door. For a fun side dish, I like to heat up some frozen egg rolls. 1 lb. ground beef 3-oz. pkg. can stewed tomatoes 11-oz. can corn, drained In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef with seasoning packet from noodles; drain. can corn, drained In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef with seasoning packet from noodles; drain.

Break up noodles and stir into beef. Add tomatoes with juice and corn. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 servings. Save time and money with 5-pound packages of ground beef.

Place all 5 pounds of beef in a stockpot, add a little water to prevent sticking and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain well, cool and freeze in recipe-size portions. Frozen beef can be added directly to one-pot recipes. Barbecued Hot Dogs Nancy McCann
Clearwater, FL When I was a child and my mom was trying to conserve money, shewould serve these hot dogs. Nowadays, my daughter is the third generation to use this recipe...its a tasty way to dress up a pound of hot dogs. Sometimes Ill serve this on buns, sometimes not.

We like to dip French fries in the sauce...yummy! 2 T. butter 1 onion, chopped 3/4 c. catsup 2 T. Worcestershire sauce 2 T. vinegar 2 T. mustard 1/2 t. paprika 1/8 t. pepper 1 lb. hot dogs, sliced lengthwise Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. hot dogs, sliced lengthwise Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except hot dogs. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Place hot dogs in a lightly greased 13"x9" baking pan. Spoon sauce from skillet onto sliced hot dogs and cover with remaining sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6. Set a regular dinner theme for each night and itll be a snap to make out your shopping list. Some tasty, budget-friendly themes are Spaghetti Night, Soup & Salad Night and Leftovers Night...your family is sure to think of other favorites too! Hamburger Cream Gravy Phyllis Peters
Three Rivers, MI During my teen years, my dad worked in a paper mill and we didnt have a lot of money. I remember the only kind of meat we bought was hamburger. For variety, it was prepared in about 15 different ways. One popular way was this hamburger gravy, served over buttered toast, hot biscuits or mashed potatoes.

Thank goodness the family never tired of hamburger...we were just thankful to have food on the table! 1 lb. ground beef 3 T. all-purpose flour 2 c. milk Optional: 10-3/4 oz. can mushroom soup 4 to 6 slices bread, toasted and buttered Brown beef in a skillet over medium heat. Mix in flour.

Continue stirring until flour is browned. Stir in milk; cook and stir to make a thick gravy. If desired, stir in soup and cook until bubbly. Serve over buttered toast. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Individual frozen meals can be convenient but costly...why not make your own? Spoon portions of favorite homecooked dishes into small freezer containers, label and tuck in the freezer.

Later, just heat and eat. No more unplanned trips to the hamburger stand for dinner! Spicy Chicken Casserole Martha Stephens