When people think of fall, visions of pumpkin pie soon come to mind. Who doesn't love pumpkin pie? But, pumpkin is far more than just pie. In fact, there are hundreds of different recipes you can make with pumpkin. Best of all, when Thanksgiving rolls around, you can always find great deals on pumpkin puree. This week, let's save some money in the kitchen by making some delicious pumpkin treats.

First of all, don't make the mistake of purchasing pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling can be overly spiced, not to mention that it can't be used for savory dishes. Instead, purchase either whole pumpkins to make homemade puree or purchased cans of pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin puree has a long shelf life and truly takes all the work out of pumpkin recipes.

Next, purchase pumpkin pie spice for sweet treats. Pumpkin pie spice makes it easy and affordable to prepare pumpkin treats. Instead of having to buy cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., all you need is one bottle of pumpkin pie spice.

Now it's time to look for recipes. Pumpkin can used to make soup, bread, pie, turnovers, cake and so much more. A quick search on the internet will give you a wide selection of pumpkin recipes. Of course, you can also try the following recipe, if you like.

Easy Pumpkin Bread
Makes 1 Loaf

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 -2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, to taste
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the butter, sugar and eggs with an electric mixer.
3. Stir in the pumpkin puree, flour, spice and pecans.
4. Pour batter into a glass loaf pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted in the center of the loaf and comes out clean.

What could be more comforting in the fall than stew? Also, what could be more affordable? A large batch of stew can be served for a couple days and the leftovers can be frozen for a quick meal a couple weeks later. While it may be tempting to grab a can of stew at the grocery store, homemade stews are far superior and much more affordable. This week, let's save some money by making a big batch of stew.

First of all, if you haven't already got a large soup pot, now's the time to invest in one. Large soup pots are great for pasta, soup, dumplings, and so much more. During the cold winter months you'll find yourself using a soup pot quite often.

Another great purchase is a slow cooker. Slow cookers are perfect for small batches of stews. More importantly, slow cookers allow you to cook your stew all day so that it's ready when you get home.

Last, but not least, go on the hunt for delicious recipes. There are cookbooks devoted to soups and stews, but free recipes are easily found online. You can even join online groups to find even more recipes. Of course, you know that I can't write this blog without giving you a delicious recipe to start out with.

Easy and Lean Beef Stew

Serves 6 - 8

8 cups low sodium beef stock

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 pounds sirloin beef tips, trimmed of fat

1 pound of baby carrots, cleaned

1 pound of baby Dutch potatoes, cleaned

2 large onions, chopped

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

4 tablespoon cornstarch

Water

Fill a four quart slow cooker with the beef stock and tomato paste. Stir long enough to dissolve the tomato paste.

Add the beef and vegetables.

Season with pepper and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

In the last 30 minutes of cooking, mix the cornstarch with enough water to create a slurry and add to the stew.

Turn the slow cooker to high and cook until the stew thickens.

Serve with crusty French bread and a side salad.

When you're on a budget, a birthday party can seem extremely expensive. This is especially true if the birthday party is hosted outside the home. Everything from a cake to the meal can cost a fortune when celebrating at a local restaurant. Instead of spending a fortune on birthday parties, why not save some money in the kitchen and make your own birthday cake and party foods?

A restaurant meal is a special way to celebrate a birthday. But, making someone their favorite meal from scratch means so much more. That's especially true if it's a meal you don't make very often because it's expensive or time consuming. This is the perfect way to celebrate when only a few people will be coming over.

If a lot of people will be attending the party, food plattersare a wonderful idea. As always, you will definitely save money by putting platters together yourself. You will also save more money the more you have to do. For example, instead of buying cheese cubes, buy large blocks of cheese and cut them yourself.

The most important part of any birthday party is of course the cake. Just because you'll be making the cake at home doesn't mean you have to go with a mix. In fact, making a cake from scratch is much more affordable. Not to mention that they taste a lot better. There are literally hundreds of recipes online.

Speaking of recipes, the following recipe is great for entertaining.

Buffalo Chicken and Onion Rollups
Serves 20

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and shredded
10 burrito sized tortillas
8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
½ package of ranch dressing mix
Buffalo wing sauce
1 cup of chopped green onions

1. Toss the shredded chicken with enough buffalo wing sauce to make it moist.
2. Mix the softened cream cheese with the ranch dressing mix and spread onto the tortillas.
3. Top with green onions and roll.
4. Cut each roll into five pieces and serve on a large platter.

Are you guilty of turning to restaurants when you need a quick meal? I'll admit that even I used to eat out at least four nights a week because my boyfriend and I work 10 hour days. But, I discovered just how quickly I could cook meals with a pressure cooker. I know what you're thinking and I used to think the same thing too. You're wondering about the safety of pressure cookers. Today's pressure cookers are nothing like they used to be. The new digital models have several built in safety features that keep them from exploding. This week, let's talk about saving money in the kitchen by using a pressure cooker.

Pressure cookers come in a variety of different sizes to fit your needs. They also have several different features that make them versatile. For example, many digital pressure cookers include a slow cooker function. This means you can get the convenience of two great appliances in one. This not only saves money, but it saves space as well. The digital models even have a brown function which allows you to brown meat and sauté vegetables before cooking.

Speaking of meat and vegetables, a pressure cooker can cook them in a fraction of the time of other cooking methods. You can enjoy a roast in a little over an hour. Vegetables can even be cooked in less than 5 minutes. But, you can do more with your pressure cooker. They can also be used to make soups, rice, and even desserts.

Of course, what would an introduction to pressure cookers be without a recipe?

Creamy Mushroom and Onion Pork Loin
Serves 6 - 8

3 pound pork loin roast
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, sliced
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 pack of onion soup mix
Chicken stock

1. Place the pork loin roast fat side up in the pressure cooker.
2. Top the roast with mushrooms and onions.
3. Mix the soups together and add enough chicken stock to equal 2 cups of liquid (or more depending on the needs of your pressure cooker).
4. Cook on high pressure for 70 minutes.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and rolls.

It's that time of year again. Parents are smiling, while children are whining. School is almost back in session and that means school lunches. Parents have many choices. Parents can fix a bagged lunch, pay for a school lunch program, or drop off their children's lunch from a local fast food restaurant. Obviously, the healthiest and most affordable option is to create bagged lunches for your children. This week, let's discuss how you can save money in the kitchen by making bagged school lunches.

The most popular bagged lunch item is the classic sandwich. But, let's face it. The plain old PB&J can get a bit boring after a while. For a little something different, why not try topping raisin bread with slices of green apple, all natural peanut butter, and honey? It's not only a delicious treat, but healthy as well.

What about those children that love those expensive lunch kits? How can parents save money on those? First of all, buy some crackers, cheese, and luncheon meat to create the classic. For something a little special add mini bagels, pizza sauce, cheese, and turkey pepperoni to the lunch box so kids can make mini pizzas.

On those cold winter days, make use of the classic thermos by sending soups, chili, and even stews to school with your kids. If you really want to create a special lunch, surprise your kids with a thermos filled with hot chocolate for dessert.

Speaking of desserts, this week's recipe not only saves you money, but it's much healthier than most lunchbox desserts.

Personal Pudding Parfait
1 snack sized pack of sugar-free chocolate pudding
4 crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
4 tablespoons fat-free whipped cream
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1. Layer half the pudding, half the cookies, half the whipped cream, and half the chocolate chips in a small sealable plastic container.
2. Repeat the layers.

Bagged school lunches don't have to be expensive or even boring. With a bit of creativity, parents can prepare meals that are delicious, healthy, fun and affordable.

Do you love appetizers and find yourself bringing home frozen varieties each week? Why?!? These have to be one of the most expensive items in the store. Seriously, we all buy them and love their convenience. But, what if you could make delicious appetizers at home? Would you still buy frozen ones at your local grocery store? This week, let's discuss how you can save money in the kitchen by making appetizers at home.

First of all, remember that the internet is full of free recipes. You can even find copycat recipes that mimic your favorite restaurants and brand name products. Thanks to website like, CopyKat Recipes, you can find free recipes to make your favorite appetizers.

If you're a cookbook collector like me though, you may want to try some of the popular copycat cookbooks that are available, such as the Top Secret Recipes series. Some restaurants even sell cookbooks that feature their popular recipes.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Saving money is all well and good, but what about the convenience of frozen appetizers? Thankfully, you can have that in your kitchen as well. Many appetizers can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, either before or after cooking, depending on the recipe. This means that all you have to do is pop them in the oven or deep fryer and you'll have fresh appetizers in a matter of minutes. Want an example? Try out these mozzarella sticks.

3 Ingredient Mozzarella Sticks
Serves 4

1 (16 ounce) block of mozzarella cheese
3 eggs, beaten
3 to 4 cups Italian bread crumbs

1. Cut the mozzarella into sticks, about ½ inch thick.
2. Coat the sticks in egg and then toss in bread crumbs.
3. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet, spray the tops of the sticks, and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, or until golden brown, turning after five minutes.

Tip: If you like, you can freeze the mozzarella sticks on a cookie sheet before baking and then transfer them to a zip top bag for easier storage. Simply increase the bake time to 20 minutes.

Memorial Day was the unofficial start of summer. From here through September, you'll probably be enjoying barbecues and other outdoor parties. You'll probably be tempted to visit the local deli to pick up delicious side dishes, such as gourmet flavors of potato salad. Why waste your money on these expensive products? Many delis charge at least $6 per pound for these side dishes. This week, let's discuss saving money in the kitchen by skipping the deli and preparing your own gourmet side dishes. I'll even include a couple recipes.

There's nothing wrong with going to the deli. In fact, it's a great place to get ideas. Scanning the different side dishes available can give you wonderful meal ideas. If you like, you can even ask to try the products. This gives you an idea of what ingredients are used and which main courses the side dishes would best suit your needs and taste. One of my favorite kinds of potato salad is baked potato salad. After trying this delicious deli side dish, I decided to come up with my own recipe.

Baked Potato Salad
Serves 6-8

1 cup of mayonnaise
Sea Salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
8 baking potatoes, baked and chopped
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
½ pound of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1. Combine the mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
2. Stir in the potatoes, cheese, bacon, and green onions.
3. Chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Serve with steak or hamburgers.

If potato salad isn't your thing, why not consider this pasta salad recipe?

Pepperoni and Mozzarella Pasta Salad
Serves 6-8

4 ounces of dry bow tie pasta, cooked
4 ounces of small mozzarella cheese balls
4 ounces of pepperoni, chopped into large chunks
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
1 ½ cups of Italian or ranch dressing

1. Combine all the ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Serve with grilled chicken.

Why pay high prices for deli side dishes when you can create delicious recipes in your own kitchen? These salads are the perfect combination for all those delicious meals that will be coming off your grill this summer.

Have you ever wondered how fast food restaurants keep their prices so low? Take a close look at their menu and you'll notice that many of the items contain the same ingredients. This is also a wonderful way to save money in the kitchen. Instead of buying bags and bags of ingredients, why not consider preparing a menu that revolves around only a few ingredients? Not only does this save money, but it ensures that everything you purchase actually gets used. This week, I'll share tips on how to prepare a menu that saves money and time. I'll even throw in a couple recipes.

I find that the easiest way to prepare this type of menu is to start with the sales papers. For example, if hamburger was on sale as well as onions and green peppers, I might prepare a meatloaf one night and spaghetti another night. Here are a couple recipes to get you started:

Oniony Mushroom Meatloaf
Serves 8

1.5 pounds of 85% lean ground beef
1 packet of dry onion soup mix
½ cup of sour cream
½ of a large green bell pepper, pureed
½ of a large onion, pureed
2 eggs
1-2 cups of dry bread crumbs
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms
Olive oil
1 (10 oz.) jar of beef gravy

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients.
2. Stir in one cup of the bread crumbs and add more if needed.
3. Put inside a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until cooked through.
4. In the meantime, sauté the mushrooms in olive oil, drain off the excess oil and add the gravy. Continue to cook until heated through.
5. Slice up half the meatloaf and serve with gravy and mashed potatoes.

Quick Spaghetti and Meatballs
Serves 4

½ of a large green bell pepper, chopped
½ of a large onion, chopped
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms
Olive oil
1 (16 oz.) jar of spaghetti sauce
½ of leftover meatloaf, sliced into large cubes
1 pound of spaghetti, cooked

1. Saute the vegetables in olive oil.
2. Once the vegetables are cooked, drain off the olive oil and add the meatloaf and spaghetti sauce.
3. Heat through and serve over cooked pasta with a side salad and garlic bread.

There's something nostalgic about going out for ice cream. This simple treat seems to bring families closer after the end of a long week. Unfortunately, it also seems to suck money from your wallet. The cost of a family of four having simple ice cream cones is around $16 and more expensive treats like brownie sundaes cost around $20. This week, we'll discuss making ice cream cones and sundaes at home. Not only will you save money, but everyone can get exactly what they want.

Four ice cream cones can cost $16. That price doesn't seem too expensive until you consider what you could buy at the grocery store for around the same price.

2 boxes of waffle cones $7
2 half gallon containers of high quality ice cream $11
Total $18

That's enough for at least a week's worth of ice cream cones! The savings get even bigger if you purchase store brand ice cream and cones. That's not all though. Even brownie hot fudge sundaes are more affordable when served at home.

1 gallon of store brand vanilla ice cream $6
2 containers of hot fudge topping $6
1 box of brownie mix $3
Whipped topping $3
Nuts $3
Cherries $3
Total $24

Not only would you have enough ingredients to serve hot fudge sundaes to your entire family twice, but you would have vanilla ice cream leftover for milkshakes as well. What about the king of all ice cream treats though? Can you also save money on banana splits?

1 gallon of Neapolitan ice cream $6
8 large bananas $3
Strawberry sauce $3
Hot fudge topping $3
Pineapple topping $3
Whipped topping $3
Nuts $3
Cherries $3
Total $27

That's enough ingredients to have banana splits two nights in row.

Without a doubt, ice cream night is much more affordable at home. Best of all, if you like having ice cream at home, you'll save even more by investing in an ice cream maker and waffle cone maker. Not to mention that ice cream seems to taste even better when you're kicked back in front of the TV.

There are a number of delicious treats that you can make with your children for Holidays . And while you can't take homemade treats to school anymore, it is possible for you to make treats for neighbors and friends. Baking is a great family recreation activity. It creates memories and encourages family bonding, teaches children a valuable skill and can be educational in terms of math and reading practice. Here is an easy, tasty recipe that you can easily do with your children:

Chocolate Caramel Bites
These treats are simple to make and good to eat. You need:
60 pretzels (square works very well)
Unwrapped Rolo candies
M&M candies (plain milk chocolate -- in the respective Holiday colors)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Get out a baking sheet or baking dish and lay the pretzels inside, along the bottom. You can line the bottom with foil in order to minimize any possible mess. Put one Rolo candy on top of each pretzel. (Have the kids count them as you go.) Next, place the baking sheet in the oven and heat for three or four minutes, until the Rolos start to soften and spread their shapes. Bring out the baking sheet and carefully place one M&M in the center of the melted Rolo.

Let the candies set. This can take an hour at room temperature or 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Leave the candies on the banking sheet during this time. Remove the candies from the baking sheet when they are set and put them in a sealed container. You can also use festively colored cellophane bags tied with ribbon and pass them out to friends and family with cards made from construction paper. (The cards can be made while you are waiting for the candies to set.)

This treat can be made for Easter, the 4th of July, Valentine's Day, Halloween or Christmas. Simply buy the M&M candies in their special holiday packages.

Is there anything better than a soup and sandwich on a cold evening? Chances are you probably serve this meal several times each winter. Truth be told though, tomato soup and grilled cheese, while classic, can get old after a while. Are there ways to update the grilled cheese and make it something different? Sure. In fact, here are a few recipes to get you started.

Mexican Grilled Chicken and Cheese
Serves 4

8 slices of white bread
4 tablespoons butter, softened
12 ounces of southwestern seasoned chicken strips
4 one-ounce slices of pepper jack cheese

1. Spread the slices of bread with butter.
2. Add a slice of cheese and three ounces of chicken to each sandwich.
3. Cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides.
4. Serve with tortilla or taco soup.

Italian Grilled Cheese
Serves 4

8 slices of Italian bread
4 tablespoons of butter, softened
4 one-ounce slices of whole mozzarella
4 ounces of turkey pepperoni
½ cup marinara sauce

1. Spread the slices of bread with butter.
2. Add a slice of cheese, one ounce of pepperoni and two tablespoons of marinara sauce to each sandwich.
3. Cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides.
4. Serve with Italian Wedding soup or minestrone.

Fruity Grilled Cheese
Serves 4

8 slices of French bread
4 tablespoons of butter, softened
8 ounces of low-fat strawberry cream cheese
4 ounces of strawberries sliced
4 tablespoons sugar-free chocolate sauce

1. Spread the slices of bread with butter.
2. Add two ounces of cream cheese, a quarter of the strawberries and one tablespoon of chocolate sauce.
3. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

These recipes are not only a different approach to a classic food, but they're something your kids will love. There are several ways to make your own signature grilled cheese. Best of all, you can easily incorporate your children's favorite foods to make something they'll truly love.

It's getting close. You can almost feel it. Spring will soon be pushing winter out of the way so we can once again enjoy warm weather. While the official date is March 20th, you can actually enjoy a bit of spring tonight. Just imagine sitting down to a meal that whisks you away to a warmer time and place. If this sounds like something you'd like to do for your family, why not try the following recipes?

Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa
Serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
8 pineapple rings, grilled and chilled
1 small red onion, finely chopped
½ of a jalapeno, seeded and minced

1. Season the chicken breast with the salt and pepper and grill on a grill pan until cooked through.
2. In the meantime, chop the pineapple and toss with the onion and jalapeno. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Top the chicken breasts with salsa and serve with a baked potato or baked French fries.

Tip: If you have small children, you may want to use even less jalapeno or add a bit of honey to increase the sweetness.

Chocolate Dipped Bananas
Serves 4

2 large bananas, cut in half
6 ounces of dark chocolate, melted
½ cup of shredded coconut, toasted
½ cup of macadamia nuts, chopped

1. Stick popsicle sticks into the flat ends of the cut bananas and freeze for at least 1 hour.
2. Dip the bananas in melted chocolate and sprinkle with coconut and macadamia nuts.
3. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and freeze until ready to serve.

Tip: You can choose any type of sprinkles you want. The coconut and macadamia nuts keep with the tropical theme of the main course. Just remember to stick with healthy ingredients, such as almonds or dried cherries.

Winter may still be beating on your door, but spring is only a few ingredients away.

Beans are a good source of fiber, protein and iron. They're low in fat and are an all around healthy food. The only problem is getting children to eat them. How do you convince children to eat this healthy food? The same way you get them to eat other healthy foods. If you add beans to kid-friendly recipes, you'll have no trouble at all.

Chicken and Black Bean Salad
Serves 4

8 cups of romaine lettuce
2 cups of shredded chicken
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup salsa
3 green onions, chopped
4 ounces of Mexican blend cheese
½ cup fat-free sour cream

1. Layer the salad in the order the ingredients are listed.
2. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Tip: If your children love spicy food, you could substitute chili beans in place of the black beans and add jalapeno slices.

Spicy and Cheesy Bean Taquitos
Serves 4

8 small tortillas
1 can of fat-free refried beans
1 cup of Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
½ cup taco sauce

1. Spread the tortillas with the refried beans and top with cheese.
2. Roll the tortillas into tight cylinders.
3. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet, seam side down.
4. Spray the tops of the taquitos with additional cooking spray.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Drizzle with taco sauce and serve.

Bean Burgers
Serve 4

2 cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup bacon bits
¼ cup sweet onion, chopped fine
Additional whole wheat flour
Olive oil

1. Place the beans in a food processor and pulse until a paste forms.
2. Add flour a tablespoon at a time until the paste thickens and can be shaped.
3. Fold in the bacon bits and onion.
4. Shape the mixture into patties and coat with additional flour.
5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Saute the patties until golden brown.
7. Serve with your favorite hamburger buns and toppings.

Happy Eating!

I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day as a holiday, but I do enjoy all the sweets that go along with it. Indeed, I often use Valentine's Day as an excuse to make all sorts of decadent delights. And, usually, it is possible for my son (and sometimes my husband) to help out.

Cherry Cake
This is actually a fun breakfast for Valentine's Day -- something special your family can do every year.

For the cake:
3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (active)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
21-ounce can of cherry pie filling

For the glaze:
1/2 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
2 - 4 teaspoons of milk

Before you begin, make sure have the ingredients on hand. Also, make sure that everyone is in clothing suitable for baking. We like to do our Valentine's Day morning baking in pajamas. This way we can just put them in the wash when we're done.

Mix 1/2 cups of the flour with the sugar, salt and yeast. Heat 1/2 cup of the milk along with the butter and the water. Add to the flour combination and then add the eggs. Use a mixer to beat at a low speed, getting all of the ingredients moist. Then beat for three minutes at medium speed, stirring in the rest of the flour gradually, forming a batter. Cover and let rise until the size doubles (about 45 to 60 minutes).

Grease a 13 x 9 pan. Save out 1/4 of the batter and pour the rest into the pan, spooning the cherry filling on top. Add the rest of the batter over the cherry filling. Let rise for another 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and the milk until the glaze is at a desired consistency. When the cake is done, drizzle the glaze on top. You can use apple or blueberry pie filling in this recipe, too.

We all have those days when we simply don't feel like cooking. You may have a cold, the weather may be dreary, or you may just be tired. This is when fast food signs seem to glimmer on the way home. You're so tempted to hit the drive thru, but you know it's not healthy. How can you prepare a healthy meal for your family without spending hours in the kitchen? Don't worry. There are recipes that can be prepared quickly so that you can get the rest you need.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Pizza
Serves 4 to 6

4 cups of roasted chicken, any flavor from supermarket
1 whole wheat pizza crust
½ cup of low-fat Alfredo sauce
1 ½ cups 2-percent shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
1 large red onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, julienned
4 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces of black olives, pitted and sliced
2 large Roma tomatoes, chopped

1. Remove the skin from the chicken breast and chop into bite sized pieces.
2. Top the pizza crust with the Alfredo sauce, cheese, chicken and vegetables.
3. Bake according to the directions on the pizza crust.
4. Serve with a side salad.

Tips: To cut even more time, hit the salad bar while picking up the roast chicken. You'll find all the vegetables you need and then all you need to do is chop some chicken, assemble the pizza and bake.

Creamy Orange Shakes
Serves 4

2 to 3 cups of orange juice, depending on the thickness you like
2 cups of orange sherbet
2 cups of fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt

1. Pour the ingredients into the blender in the order listed.
2. Blend until smooth and serve in a frosty glass.

If you're worn out and don't feel like cooking, these recipes are just what you need. All you really need to do is assemble these recipes and let the appliances do all the work. All it takes is a quick trip to the grocery store and you'll be able avoid that dreaded drive-thru food.