Gnocci is so easy to make yourself to with flour and potatoes! My 7 and 5 year old make it with me and we have it with a spoon of pesto and garlic bread or when we have no money we just put butter, S +P. It's one of my go to poor staple.
I was never a fan of gnocchi and couldn't understand why. I decided to try something different and I cut them into half or quarters before cooking. It made all the difference in the world for me. It takes a little bit of time but 1 pkg of gnocchi now makes 2 or 3 meals for me. I especially love the smaller pieces in soups. 😋😋
For quick and easy homemade bacon bits I put a pkg of bacon in the freezer until it's really firm. Then I just slice down the bacon slices and poof walla quick and easy bits ready to fry up. I freeze the fried bits to use later. I read this tip in a magazine in the 70s and been doing it ever since. Lol. Yes, I am old. 😅
Thank you for the great ideas. I get my gnocchi at Dollar Tree. I recently made a tomato basil soup with some (I usually divide the packets into four and freeze what I am not using immediately). It was good, but I wished I had some spinach to add. I also really liked the small sample meals. I live alone and don't want to be restricted to having the same meal over and over for days on end. 😴 LOL Thank you, Michelle!!
I like to buy the large bags of bacon bits from Sam's. They're quite a bit cheaper per ounce than those tiny bags from Walmart and better tasting. Once they're opened I toss them in the freezer. They last a long time in there, and since they're so tiny they thaw pretty much instantly. They're great for adding to scrambled eggs, baked potatoes, etc. They're pricey per pound compared to other meats, but a tiny bit adds an awful lot of flavor. I always love your videos, but I think this was one of my favorites! I've been cooking for over fifty years, but I feel I've learned a lot from your videos in the last few years! Thank you for all the work that must go into what you do, between all the planning, shopping , cooking, filming and editing. What you do is a great service to people, especially in these trying economic times. You deserve WAY more subscribers!
I agree about those bacon bits from Samsclub. 👍 Thanks for sharing your tip about freezing them. And also, thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning with this sweet comment 💜 It's nice to be appreciated 😁
Hey Michelle, love your channel! You really do some creative stuff that looks delicious with very little! I wonder if you could maybe do a video where you do your usual thrifty version of one day of meals but then build on that and show how the meal plan could be elevated with a few extra dollars which would give you the opportunity to either enhance the recipes or do some different recipes with the same ingredients. The USDA provides four food plans at successively higher cost levels, the thrifty plan, the low cost plan, the moderate cost plan and liberal plan, maybe you could use the amount they specify for each of these and buy a day or weeks worth of groceries and show the audience how you can build depending on how much money you have. You could either do one video showing one day on each budget level of maybe four wee ks, each week at a different budget level that would start with the same core ingredients. You are so creative, I'd really like to see what you could do with a few more dollars! Hope this isn't too complex.
Hello 😁 that's kind of what I did with this video, but without referring to the food plans. I'll look into the USDA food plans and what those costs are.
I’ve never heard of shelf stable whipping cream. I’m not sure we have it here but what a great idea to freeze it in small quantities to add to recipes. A little cream can go a long way in enriching a dish.☺️
7:07 That is why parsley is grown. For the most part it is used as a garnish. As my boss SFC Rex Saul would say, “If it looks good it will taste good”. Green, yellow and red were the preferred colors for the garnish.
You absolutely can render the fat on bacon bits by frying it down a little. I discovered that quite a few years ago and it's been a game changer to how I use them. Another excellent video. Thank you.
It’s almost 1130 at night here and I’m hungry and I was trying to think of what I could eat and I was watching you and remembering that I have a bunch of cheese sauce in my fridge and a bunch of noodles in my cupboard that I am trying to get rid of before I move in a month and that answered that question. They are not my regular Mac n cheese noodles, but really who cares? I know it’s simple and obvious but I always appreciate you for turning my brain onto these things when I’m not really being sensible.. I hate to have things go to waste
the French have their mirepoix: celery, carots and onions; I find that EVERYTHING is a bit better with a combo of cooked peppers (often green--cheaper) and onions (in olive oil)...I put them on everything--literally...dts/usa
Ive always looked at the gnocchi but never knew what to do with it. I will definitely pick it up. I liked the way you did the video. I've saved it and will copy the recipes i want to make.
I think this was the one where I had fun plating the little gnocchis with different sauces. I should do more in this style. Thanks for letting me know that you like it. 😁
As someone who lives on my own, I like the sample sized entrees! It helps me figure out how to reduce recipes to one or two servings so I'm not eating the same thing for days (my freezers are full right now, so I don't have room to freeze meals for later). I enjoy your videos very much!
How many freezers do you have? I regretted buying a small second freezer. Like when I bought a small dishwasher. I keep maken the mistake thinking living alone mean you need less. No, you have tons of open packages you can't finish at once and you need just as much pots and pans to cook for one person as you need for four!!
@@sparklemotion8377 I have a half size freezer and the one atop my fridge. Both are packed as I'm a bit of a squirrel when it comes to food storage! 🐿️
I look forward to your videos. Your content is beautiful and inspiring. I also love that you commonly use regular, unprocessed items while remaining thrifty.
I'm not a huge fan of gnocchi, the texture puts me off. Have you ever frozen the cream in ice trays? You can add the frozen cubes to a Ziploc bag for easy storage and portion control
I love gnocchi 😋 I'm doing a pantry dinner today lol...great minds think alike 😁. I'm making chicken and dumplings using leftover chicken. I'm adding extra veggies.
Produce is always cheapest than boxed/packaged/canned foods where I live. Can you do more fresh food meals (salads, soups, diabetic friendly low carb meals for vegetarians)?
I always have to seem a few mini peppers left over out of those Sam's size bags. This is a perfect way to use them up. Oh, and if the boy children give a dish a 10, you know it is a classic! In my house anyways. LOL Thank you for so many great ideas!
What a coinkydink! You have inspired me to use up my pantry staples and now you have made a video about it. combination of stress and forgetfulness makes me buy food, open packages, forget and open another one and go out and buy more. So I have two open packages of the same ingredients but the third is missing yet every time I got to the store, I forget my resolution to use up my pantry first. I think it's a great and creative idea to use up pantry staples and come up with new combination. When I noticed I had 2 bags of whole wheat bread open, I made bread. It wasn't successful but still a delicious brick 😁😁
That's the first time I've heard the word coinkydink 😂 I can relate to what you're saying! This ended up mostly being about meals with gnocchi. I like to do a deep dive on single ingredients. I hope you liked this video.
@@ArdentMichelle Well, gnocchi is a great staple it has the filling of potatoes and the ease of pasta. The only thing is whenever I see you make a white sauce with oil and flour I think, should have saved them drippings. 😋😋 What I mean by missing an ingredient is when you have the flour but not the eggs or the other way around. If you want a one ingredient recipe, may I suggest Dutch pancakes? You can make them with both milk and water and use up whatever you have in the house as topping both sweet or savoury. Just sugar if that's the only thing you have or he last scrap of cheese in the back of your fridge. If you have the money to buy all the ingredients, it's quit the treat. TLDR: what you eat when you don't have money are the staples you bought when you did have money🤓
@@sparklemotion8377 Yes, I've made dutch pancakes on my channel, but would like to make more of them. The reason I don't use drippings in my roux is because I don't cook much meat -thus no drippings 😂
@ArdentMichelle I made cornbread from all the scarps in the refrigerator and masa harina because it was what I had. I want to jump for joy it was that good! I haven't put sugar in it, but the canned corn made it sweet enough The 2 kilo bag of masa haring is at least 4 years old, and I am only halfway through.... Thanks again for the inspiration!
Love your videos! I'd love to see a compilation of all your go-to sauces that are super versatile and go with just about anything (like the gravy turning into a cheese sauce turning into a cheese soup!)
One of my budget tips is the little small bottles of pesto. either a sundried tomato or basil and parmasean. Under $2.00 at my local Aldi in Australia. Would work well with gnocci or pasta.
I love gnocchi!! So this video made me particularly happy 😊 I also like the sample size portions. There is absolutely no reason to make them full sized meals when it’s just you eating them. It kind of goes against a low budget mindset to expect otherwise. IMO 🤷🏻♀️ We still benefit from your creativity exactly the same way and I’m sure people can figure out how to make enough servings for their families. Keep them coming!
I loved this video. I believe the most valuable tool in my arsenal for cooking on a budget is the ability to make good sauces and gravies. My son doesn't care for gravy (?!) so he gets sausage cheese biscuits, but give me biscuits and gravy any day! My store doesn't carry gnocchi, but I do buy a bag of yellow or red potatoes each trip and cook them all at once in the electric pressure cooker. I make a variety of dishes from them throughout the week..potato soup, loaded "baked" potatoes, smashed Parmesan potatoes, skillet potatoes and green beans, etc. I really need to try making my own gnocchi, too.
Michelle I would like to suggest some videos to use up emergency can foods. Of couse you should survey this. I just see a lot of receipes popping up for use of canned foods ans how to elevate so I believe there is a need.❤
I am always amazed at how creative you are with these dishes! And the sample size is perfect for a lunch! I know it's not Thanksgiving yet, but our Dollar Tree carries dried sweetened cranberries year round. I was wondering if you have any ideas for how to work those into an economical recipe or two?
Thank you so much 🥰 I love dried cranberries in green salads and also in quinoa or other grain salads. You could also try them in bread pudding. I didn't realize Dollar Tree had those. Might be a good idea for a future video. 🤔
Another possibility is to pulverise bell peppers and cook them into a delicious sauce for pasta. I did it years ago, though I no longer remember the recipe. Delicious, as I recall. Thank you for the video!
I’m finally getting caught up on your channel. I have seen shelf stable gnocchi but hesitated buying them. I’ve added them to my shopping list for next week!!! I loved the sample sizes because it made me feel like I had a reservation at the newest tapas restaurant in town!!! ❤❤❤
Michelle have you ever tried sprouting your own green onions? I was doing that a lot during Covid and it works pretty well. Can you just put the bottom inch of the green onion in a shallow dish of water I put pebbles in with it to hold them so that the top was out and in like a few days, do you have a great onions it works really well
You can also put the roots of a green onion straight in soil and it will grow. Then just cut the green onion just above the soil when you need to use it and it will continue to grow back. I have been doing that for years.
Enjoyed the video. Nice for single people or to show how to make single servings & freeze the rest for easy week night meals. I constantly make too much soup or stew & freeze in flat packages to find them easier. Is it time for holiday videos yet? Happy Holidays 🎃🎄🍁 to you!!
I just planned everything for my Thanksgiving video but realized I'm still a little too early. 😂 I should probably at least let people get past Halloween 😂
I am seeing so many more gnocchi options at Trader Joe’s, etc., like cauliflower, squash or pumpkin. I would love to learn how to make some of these versions from scratch but frozen is a good option (just not as budget-friendly!)
Hi Michelle, once again we like the same stuff 😋 however, I think like your son, bacon in everything possible. In fact I am having potato soup in the crockpot right now ( cracked out potato soup with bacon, ranch dressing, cream cheese) I haven't made it before but it sure looks good in the recipe. I love that spicy Italian pasta sauce from Trader Joe's and also I stock up on that shelf stable whipping cream, it's a life saver when you need it.
Thank you. As always good ideas. Presentation and real dishes and such do it for me. I now use my fancier dishes everyday. For some reason I am not a fan of gnocchi. Homemade and Olive Garden were okay but store bought I tried a few brands. The dogs liked it. Have a great week
I love your recipes, they’re economical but more importantly tasty and nutritious. A lot of the food channels I follow just feed their families chicken nuggets, pizza and fries. Cheap but not very healthy. I love bacon but I’ve given it up after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. My weakness is salty food and I’m trying to wean myself off it.
You are a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Love the shelf stable cream tip! If I had a magic wand instead of 33k followers you would have 333k by Thanksgiving in appreciation for not only your food tips but for who you are as a person. You are changing the world 1 view at a time!🍰🍰🍰
Thank you so much 🥰 I appreciate the sweet words 😁 I'm glad you're enjoying my channel. I just listened to your song "There is love" 💕🙏 It's so beautiful. Thank YOU for that! You have a lovely voice and I love the words of that song!
Great recipes! My kids and I are baked/boiled potato fans, so I would take your recipes and just apply them to a baked potato. Maybe add broccoli or mixed veggies on the side and have a filling meal. I've done that with homemade spaghetti sauce, cheese and italian seasoning and made 'pizza potatoes', or a homemade sloppy joes mix - pour that on a potato with cheese and green onions and make it a 'sloppy joes potato' lol...I've also done a thick vegetarian 'black bean soup' - type potato with that on top - YUM!!! 😋 Options are endless!
Can you get the ambient stable filled pasta (tortellini, ravioli etc.)? They are pretty cheap too and handy to have in the cupboard. Whenever I go to Italy or Spain, I stock up on the little packs (about the size of a kids lunch box juice) of shelf stable cream, it comes in plain but also flavoured - porchini, salmon and dill, garlic and herb, green peppercorn. They don't sell it here, but it's one of my favourite things to keep in the cupboard, so I grab it when I can.
I'm not sure on the filled pasta. 🤔 I'll have to look for it. I haven't seen the flavored shelf stable creams but love that because it would make dinner such a breeze to throw together.
The quick shot of Trader Joe’s you showed looks like the one my hubby worked at 5 years ago. I wonder if you ever met him lol I know it’s a total long shot. His name is Justin, he would have been in his mid 40’s and often worked the demo station bc he was/is the Food Guru of TJ’s. Just a fun thought.
Did he work at the Trader Joes near UCI in Irvine? Not that I've ever met anyone there, but that was the store that I showed. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a demo at TJ's since the pandemic.
@@ArdentMichelleYes, that’s the one he was at, pre pandemic. No demo stations anymore unfortunately. They do hand out samples, but it’s not the same. He worked that location in 2018-2019 until he switched locations. He’s a huge foodie and loves to help customers with ideas. He actually has had regulars at all the locations he’s worked at who come in and ask for him to help with recipe ideas. He loves it!
I grew up on gnocchiwith pasta sauce. Do not like the shelf stable then I see a lot of people cooking with on the tube. I don't know if people know they sell it Frozen and it tastes much better.
Для заморозки вершків можна використата формочку для льоду і потім кубики додати в один пакет і покласти в морозильник. У вас чудові відео. Привіт з України.
Would you consider doing some vegan recipes? My son is going to New Zealand for a month in January and my dils best friend is coming to stay here and she is vegan. I want to make sure her meals have enough iron and protein. She will eat eggs under special circumstances, and that includes eating the eggs from our ex battery ladies in our backyard.
Hi Angela 😁 My videos are full of vegan recipes. Some of which will be included in my next video. If you want lots of iron and protein maybe try some of my tofu recipes. That's what I would make her. A nice tofu stir-fry.
Gnocci is so easy to make yourself to with flour and potatoes! My 7 and 5 year old make it with me and we have it with a spoon of pesto and garlic bread or when we have no money we just put butter, S +P. It's one of my go to poor staple.
If doing a simple butter, salt and pepper, you can brown them up in a pan after cooking, just like pierogi.
Agreed 👍
@yvonnepalmquist8676 that's a really good idea to! Thank you.
We make our own gnocchi too, so easy.
I was never a fan of gnocchi and couldn't understand why. I decided to try something different and I cut them into half or quarters before cooking. It made all the difference in the world for me. It takes a little bit of time but 1 pkg of gnocchi now makes 2 or 3 meals for me. I especially love the smaller pieces in soups. 😋😋
Great suggestion. 👍
For quick and easy homemade bacon bits I put a pkg of bacon in the freezer until it's really firm. Then I just slice down the bacon slices and poof walla quick and easy bits ready to fry up. I freeze the fried bits to use later.
I read this tip in a magazine in the 70s and been doing it ever since. Lol. Yes, I am old. 😅
love this 👍
Thank you for the great ideas. I get my gnocchi at Dollar Tree. I recently made a tomato basil soup with some (I usually divide the packets into four and freeze what I am not using immediately). It was good, but I wished I had some spinach to add. I also really liked the small sample meals. I live alone and don't want to be restricted to having the same meal over and over for days on end. 😴 LOL Thank you, Michelle!!
Love the idea of adding the gnocchi to tomato basil soup. 👍 Thanks for letting me know you like this video 🥰
I like to buy the large bags of bacon bits from Sam's. They're quite a bit cheaper per ounce than those tiny bags from Walmart and better tasting. Once they're opened I toss them in the freezer. They last a long time in there, and since they're so tiny they thaw pretty much instantly. They're great for adding to scrambled eggs, baked potatoes, etc. They're pricey per pound compared to other meats, but a tiny bit adds an awful lot of flavor.
I always love your videos, but I think this was one of my favorites! I've been cooking for over fifty years, but I feel I've learned a lot from your videos in the last few years! Thank you for all the work that must go into what you do, between all the planning, shopping , cooking, filming and editing. What you do is a great service to people, especially in these trying economic times. You deserve WAY more subscribers!
I agree about those bacon bits from Samsclub. 👍 Thanks for sharing your tip about freezing them. And also, thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning with this sweet comment 💜 It's nice to be appreciated 😁
I've got my coffee, lets go!
💜
I like the small samples using one main ingredient in various ways.
Hey Michelle, love your channel! You really do some creative stuff that looks delicious with very little! I wonder if you could maybe do a video where you do your usual thrifty version of one day of meals but then build on that and show how the meal plan could be elevated with a few extra dollars which would give you the opportunity to either enhance the recipes or do some different recipes with the same ingredients. The USDA provides four food plans at successively higher cost levels, the thrifty plan, the low cost plan, the moderate cost plan and liberal plan, maybe you could use the amount they specify for each of these and buy a day or weeks worth of groceries and show the audience how you can build depending on how much money you have. You could either do one video showing one day on each budget level of maybe four wee ks, each week at a different budget level that would start with the same core ingredients. You are so creative, I'd really like to see what you could do with a few more dollars! Hope this isn't too complex.
Hello 😁 that's kind of what I did with this video, but without referring to the food plans. I'll look into the USDA food plans and what those costs are.
and glad you are enjoying my content 😁
The old adage….we eat with our eyes first….soooo true! Love your channel, your presentation, your kindness.
Thank you 💜
You always have great ideas! Thanks again from Oklahoma! ♥️
Thank you! 😊
If you wanted a smokey flavor without bacon try sprinkling a little smoked paprika over the top. We do that with pierogi and it's amazing.
I’ve never heard of shelf stable whipping cream. I’m not sure we have it here but what a great idea to freeze it in small quantities to add to recipes. A little cream can go a long way in enriching a dish.☺️
7:07 That is why parsley is grown. For the most part it is used as a garnish. As my boss SFC Rex Saul would say, “If it looks good it will taste good”. Green, yellow and red were the preferred colors for the garnish.
You absolutely can render the fat on bacon bits by frying it down a little. I discovered that quite a few years ago and it's been a game changer to how I use them. Another excellent video. Thank you.
I agree....frying makes the bacon bits so much better.
and thank you 🥰
Oh my gosh girl, your food always looks so GOOD! I've made many of your dishes and these I have to try too! Thanks for another great video!😊👏🙌💖
Thank you 😁
It’s almost 1130 at night here and I’m hungry and I was trying to think of what I could eat and I was watching you and remembering that I have a bunch of cheese sauce in my fridge and a bunch of noodles in my cupboard that I am trying to get rid of before I move in a month and that answered that question. They are not my regular Mac n cheese noodles, but really who cares? I know it’s simple and obvious but I always appreciate you for turning my brain onto these things when I’m not really being sensible.. I hate to have things go to waste
Loved reading this 😁
the French have their mirepoix: celery, carots and onions; I find that EVERYTHING is a bit better with a combo of cooked peppers (often green--cheaper) and onions (in olive oil)...I put them on everything--literally...dts/usa
Agreed 👍
I think the little sample size was a fabulous idea!! Everything looked delicious ❤
Thank you so much 🥰
Ive always looked at the gnocchi but never knew what to do with it. I will definitely pick it up. I liked the way you did the video. I've saved it and will copy the recipes i want to make.
I think this was the one where I had fun plating the little gnocchis with different sauces. I should do more in this style. Thanks for letting me know that you like it. 😁
As someone who lives on my own, I like the sample sized entrees! It helps me figure out how to reduce recipes to one or two servings so I'm not eating the same thing for days (my freezers are full right now, so I don't have room to freeze meals for later). I enjoy your videos very much!
Thank you 😁
How many freezers do you have? I regretted buying a small second freezer. Like when I bought a small dishwasher. I keep maken the mistake thinking living alone mean you need less. No, you have tons of open packages you can't finish at once and you need just as much pots and pans to cook for one person as you need for four!!
@@sparklemotion8377 I have a half size freezer and the one atop my fridge. Both are packed as I'm a bit of a squirrel when it comes to food storage! 🐿️
@@rivahcat8247 😄 Very relatable. I am going to keep the 🐿
@@sparklemotion8377 I just have the freezer that's attached to the refrigerator and no room for an additional freezer.
I look forward to your videos. Your content is beautiful and inspiring. I also love that you commonly use regular, unprocessed items while remaining thrifty.
Thank you so much. 😁 I'm glad you are enjoying my content. Thanks for letting me know!
I'm not a huge fan of gnocchi, the texture puts me off. Have you ever frozen the cream in ice trays? You can add the frozen cubes to a Ziploc bag for easy storage and portion control
No I haven't tried that but I love that idea! 👍 Thanks for sharing this tip.
I love gnocchi 😋 I'm doing a pantry dinner today lol...great minds think alike 😁. I'm making chicken and dumplings using leftover chicken. I'm adding extra veggies.
I was thinking about using gnocchi as a shortcut in chicken and dumplings too. Is that what you are doing or are you making with flour and water?
@@ArdentMichelle flour and water but I do want to try it with gnocchi. I bet it will be delish 🤤
Produce is always cheapest than boxed/packaged/canned foods where I live. Can you do more fresh food meals (salads, soups, diabetic friendly low carb meals for vegetarians)?
Fresh food is my favorite so you will find it in many of my videos but unfortunately low carb videos don't do well on my channel.
I can't wait to try your ideas, Thank you
welcome 😁
Love these ideas!
Thank you!! 😊
I always have to seem a few mini peppers left over out of those Sam's size bags. This is a perfect way to use them up.
Oh, and if the boy children give a dish a 10, you know it is a classic!
In my house anyways. LOL
Thank you for so many great ideas!
Glad you like my video! 😁
What a coinkydink! You have inspired me to use up my pantry staples and now you have made a video about it.
combination of stress and forgetfulness makes me buy food, open packages, forget and open another one and go out and buy more. So I have two open packages of the same ingredients but the third is missing yet every time I got to the store, I forget my resolution to use up my pantry first.
I think it's a great and creative idea to use up pantry staples and come up with new combination.
When I noticed I had 2 bags of whole wheat bread open, I made bread. It wasn't successful but still a delicious brick 😁😁
That's the first time I've heard the word coinkydink 😂 I can relate to what you're saying! This ended up mostly being about meals with gnocchi. I like to do a deep dive on single ingredients. I hope you liked this video.
@@ArdentMichelle Well, gnocchi is a great staple it has the filling of potatoes and the ease of pasta. The only thing is whenever I see you make a white sauce with oil and flour I think, should have saved them drippings. 😋😋
What I mean by missing an ingredient is when you have the flour but not the eggs or the other way around.
If you want a one ingredient recipe, may I suggest Dutch pancakes? You can make them with both milk and water and use up whatever you have in the house as topping both sweet or savoury. Just sugar if that's the only thing you have or he last scrap of cheese in the back of your fridge. If you have the money to buy all the ingredients, it's quit the treat.
TLDR: what you eat when you don't have money are the staples you bought when you did have money🤓
@@sparklemotion8377 Yes, I've made dutch pancakes on my channel, but would like to make more of them. The reason I don't use drippings in my roux is because I don't cook much meat -thus no drippings 😂
@ArdentMichelle I made cornbread from all the scarps in the refrigerator and masa harina because it was what I had. I want to jump for joy it was that good!
I haven't put sugar in it, but the canned corn made it sweet enough
The 2 kilo bag of masa haring is at least 4 years old, and I am only halfway through....
Thanks again for the inspiration!
@@sparklemotion8377 my pleasure 😁
Love your videos! I'd love to see a compilation of all your go-to sauces that are super versatile and go with just about anything (like the gravy turning into a cheese sauce turning into a cheese soup!)
Looks tasty
Thank you 😁
I love the sample size meals, I’m not a big eater, perfect for me. Thank you
welcome 😁
One of my budget tips is the little small bottles of pesto. either a sundried tomato or basil and parmasean. Under $2.00 at my local Aldi in Australia. Would work well with gnocci or pasta.
great idea 😁 I've used one before, but I think I have the red pesto in my pantry that I haven't tried yet.
I love gnocchi!! So this video made me particularly happy 😊 I also like the sample size portions. There is absolutely no reason to make them full sized meals when it’s just you eating them. It kind of goes against a low budget mindset to expect otherwise. IMO 🤷🏻♀️ We still benefit from your creativity exactly the same way and I’m sure people can figure out how to make enough servings for their families.
Keep them coming!
Thank you 💜
Another very enjoyable video and great ideas :) I didn't know you could freeze cream and then in smalll portions like that is very useful.
We just had gnocchi last week but now I want it again! That cheese sauce looks divine 😍🤩🥰
Glad you like it. 😁
Thank you for sharing these delicious recipes. You always have such creative and tasty ideas. 👏
Thank you so much 😊
Hi Pat 😁 Haven't talked to you in a couple weeks. Hope you're doing ok friend and enjoying the season.
I love gnocchi, the ideas were perfect!
Thank you 😁 Glad you like it.
I loved this video. I believe the most valuable tool in my arsenal for cooking on a budget is the ability to make good sauces and gravies. My son doesn't care for gravy (?!) so he gets sausage cheese biscuits, but give me biscuits and gravy any day! My store doesn't carry gnocchi, but I do buy a bag of yellow or red potatoes each trip and cook them all at once in the electric pressure cooker. I make a variety of dishes from them throughout the week..potato soup, loaded "baked" potatoes, smashed Parmesan potatoes, skillet potatoes and green beans, etc. I really need to try making my own gnocchi, too.
Glad you like this one 😁
I use Dollar Tree gnocchi in my sour beef and dumplings
I like to make the chicken gnocci soup like the one you get at olive garden...super easy also.
yes, I'll be making it very soon. 👍 I almost made a version with the gnocchi in this video but I didn't want to scrimp on the ingredients too much.
also, thinking of trying it as a version in chicken and dumplings. 🤔
Michelle I would like to suggest some videos to use up emergency can foods. Of couse you should survey this. I just see a lot of receipes popping up for use of canned foods ans how to elevate so I believe there is a need.❤
Great suggestion! 😁
Good morning sunshine 😌. Thank you for sharing your tips. You've taught me so much and I always look forward to supporting your channel 👍🥰👍🥰
Good morning! 😁 Thanks for putting a smile on my face. 🥰
I am always amazed at how creative you are with these dishes! And the sample size is perfect for a lunch! I know it's not Thanksgiving yet, but our Dollar Tree carries dried sweetened cranberries year round. I was wondering if you have any ideas for how to work those into an economical recipe or two?
Thank you so much 🥰 I love dried cranberries in green salads and also in quinoa or other grain salads. You could also try them in bread pudding. I didn't realize Dollar Tree had those. Might be a good idea for a future video. 🤔
@@ArdentMichelle Those are great ideas! Ooooh a video would be even better! 😁
a lot of great comments about preparing gnocci!
Another possibility is to pulverise bell peppers and cook them into a delicious sauce for pasta. I did it years ago, though I no longer remember the recipe. Delicious, as I recall. Thank you for the video!
great idea 👍 I've never done that. I should definitely give it a try!
I’m finally getting caught up on your channel. I have seen shelf stable gnocchi but hesitated buying them. I’ve added them to my shopping list for next week!!! I loved the sample sizes because it made me feel like I had a reservation at the newest tapas restaurant in town!!! ❤❤❤
Thank you 💜
If you toss the bacon bits in a pan and fry them up the flavor really pops♡
yes, that's exactly what I did with the topping. So much better that way!
@@ArdentMichelle ♡
Michelle have you ever tried sprouting your own green onions? I was doing that a lot during Covid and it works pretty well. Can you just put the bottom inch of the green onion in a shallow dish of water I put pebbles in with it to hold them so that the top was out and in like a few days, do you have a great onions it works really well
Hi Wendie 😁 Yes, I've tried that. Works great 👍
You can also put the roots of a green onion straight in soil and it will grow. Then just cut the green onion just above the soil when you need to use it and it will continue to grow back. I have been doing that for years.
Great ideas
Glad you like them!
Enjoyed the video. Nice for single people or to show how to make single servings & freeze the rest for easy week night meals. I constantly make too much soup or stew & freeze in flat packages to find them easier. Is it time for holiday videos yet? Happy Holidays 🎃🎄🍁 to you!!
I just planned everything for my Thanksgiving video but realized I'm still a little too early. 😂 I should probably at least let people get past Halloween 😂
I am seeing so many more gnocchi options at Trader Joe’s, etc., like cauliflower, squash or pumpkin. I would love to learn how to make some of these versions from scratch but frozen is a good option (just not as budget-friendly!)
Great suggestion!
All I had was stewed tomatoes & it was very good with the gnocchi
Hi Michelle, once again we like the same stuff 😋 however, I think like your son, bacon in everything possible. In fact I am having potato soup in the crockpot right now ( cracked out potato soup with bacon, ranch dressing, cream cheese) I haven't made it before but it sure looks good in the recipe. I love that spicy Italian pasta sauce from Trader Joe's and also I stock up on that shelf stable whipping cream, it's a life saver when you need it.
Yum....potato soup 😋
Thank you. As always good ideas. Presentation and real dishes and such do it for me. I now use my fancier dishes everyday. For some reason I am not a fan of gnocchi. Homemade and Olive Garden were okay but store bought I tried a few brands. The dogs liked it. Have a great week
Hi Victoria 😁 I love that you are using your fancy dishes 😁That's awesome.
@@ArdentMichelle thank you. I am worth enjoying them now. I enjoy all the different dishes and things you use
I love your recipes, they’re economical but more importantly tasty and nutritious. A lot of the food channels I follow just feed their families chicken nuggets, pizza and fries. Cheap but not very healthy. I love bacon but I’ve given it up after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. My weakness is salty food and I’m trying to wean myself off it.
I like salty too 😞
You are a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Love the shelf stable cream tip! If I had a magic wand instead of 33k followers you would have 333k by Thanksgiving in appreciation for not only your food tips but for who you are as a person. You are changing the world 1 view at a time!🍰🍰🍰
Thank you so much 🥰 I appreciate the sweet words 😁 I'm glad you're enjoying my channel.
I just listened to your song "There is love" 💕🙏 It's so beautiful. Thank YOU for that! You have a lovely voice and I love the words of that song!
Great recipes! My kids and I are baked/boiled potato fans, so I would take your recipes and just apply them to a baked potato. Maybe add broccoli or mixed veggies on the side and have a filling meal. I've done that with homemade spaghetti sauce, cheese and italian seasoning and made 'pizza potatoes', or a homemade sloppy joes mix - pour that on a potato with cheese and green onions and make it a 'sloppy joes potato' lol...I've also done a thick vegetarian 'black bean soup' - type potato with that on top - YUM!!! 😋 Options are endless!
great ideas 👍
I make one cup size lasagnas when I am home alone from leftover pasta sauce.
What is the name of the outro song, and who sings it?
Those dishes look absolutely amazing! Easy to make also! Thanks for sharing!
I lean on you by Wildflowers featuring Christine Smit. Glad you like this video 😁
@@ArdentMichelle Thank you! I wanted to hear the entire song. Beautiful song!
@@seaotter1975 I love it too 😁
Can you get the ambient stable filled pasta (tortellini, ravioli etc.)? They are pretty cheap too and handy to have in the cupboard. Whenever I go to Italy or Spain, I stock up on the little packs (about the size of a kids lunch box juice) of shelf stable cream, it comes in plain but also flavoured - porchini, salmon and dill, garlic and herb, green peppercorn. They don't sell it here, but it's one of my favourite things to keep in the cupboard, so I grab it when I can.
I'm not sure on the filled pasta. 🤔 I'll have to look for it. I haven't seen the flavored shelf stable creams but love that because it would make dinner such a breeze to throw together.
Love the idea of flavoured shelf stable cream.Wish we could get it here.
@@sheilaenglish9738 it's really good. We can't buy it here in the UK either. It seems to be a mainly Southern European thing, but so useful!
The quick shot of Trader Joe’s you showed looks like the one my hubby worked at 5 years ago. I wonder if you ever met him lol I know it’s a total long shot. His name is Justin, he would have been in his mid 40’s and often worked the demo station bc he was/is the Food Guru of TJ’s. Just a fun thought.
Did he work at the Trader Joes near UCI in Irvine? Not that I've ever met anyone there, but that was the store that I showed. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a demo at TJ's since the pandemic.
@@ArdentMichelleYes, that’s the one he was at, pre pandemic. No demo stations anymore unfortunately. They do hand out samples, but it’s not the same. He worked that location in 2018-2019 until he switched locations. He’s a huge foodie and loves to help customers with ideas. He actually has had regulars at all the locations he’s worked at who come in and ask for him to help with recipe ideas. He loves it!
@@MessyPaperCrafter then it's highly probably that he has advised me on a new food purchase a time or two!
I grew up on gnocchiwith pasta sauce. Do not like the shelf stable then I see a lot of people cooking with on the tube. I don't know if people know they sell it Frozen and it tastes much better.
are you talking about frozen gnocchi or frozen cream?
@@ArdentMichelle gnocchi, by the ravioli
Для заморозки вершків можна використата формочку для льоду і потім кубики додати в один пакет і покласти в морозильник. У вас чудові відео. Привіт з України.
Привіт 😁 Це чудова ідея, тому що я думаю, що кубики льоду також будуть відповідного розміру. Дякуємо, що поділилися цією порадою!
I made the mistake a few times of getting fake bacon bits -- please don't! When I do make real bacon strips, I crunch up a few for homemade bits.
Agreed...the fake bacon bits are odd. These were real.
and making your own is definitely going to taste better 👍
How long does the shelf stable cream (or milk) last once it's opened?
I don't know, but some people are saying the USDA says up to a month, but I didn't do the research to check the source.
@@ArdentMichelle Thank you.
Mmmmm....
Would you consider doing some vegan recipes? My son is going to New Zealand for a month in January and my dils best friend is coming to stay here and she is vegan. I want to make sure her meals have enough iron and protein. She will eat eggs under special circumstances, and that includes eating the eggs from our ex battery ladies in our backyard.
Hi Angela 😁 My videos are full of vegan recipes. Some of which will be included in my next video. If you want lots of iron and protein maybe try some of my tofu recipes. That's what I would make her. A nice tofu stir-fry.
I hate Gnocci maybe if you made it homemade it might be good
homemade is a little softer.