best of brunch 2013

Have plans for a big Easter brunch this Sunday? I've gotcha covered!

Here are some of my favorite brunch items to help you feed a bunch of hungry mouths (and help lure them away from all of that candy)!

Spinach Pie

Using store bought phyllo dough makes this super quick and simple, and frozen spinach makes it super affordable. This impressive pie is as delicious as it is pretty!

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top 20 from 2012

So many wonderful things have happened this past year and looking back makes me feel overwhelmingly grateful. I want to thank each and every one of you for enriching my life and giving me a reason to experiment, be creative, and eat really good food!

I love looking back at the recipes from the past year and rediscovering gems that I had almost forgotten about! It was impossible to pick just ten favorites from this year, so I chose 20 instead! :D

These 20 recipes are my favorites. These are the dishes that if, for some strange reason, I stopped making new recipes every week, I'd make my regular rotation. They're so good that I want to make them over and over and over again.

If you haven't tried any Budget Bytes recipes yet, this list is a great place to start!

So, here they are, in chronological order:

1. Teriyaki Meatball Bowls

Ground pork seasoned with garlic and ginger, smothered in a potent teriyaki sauce, and served over a steaming bowl of hot jasmine rice. This is what I call meal perfection... and they're great for the freezer too!

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pumpkin recipe roundup 2012

I freaking LOVE October. Pumpkins, costumes, cider, the smell of fallen leaves, MY BIRTHDAY, and lots and lots of candy... what's not to love?

In celebration of October and all things pumpkin, I've put together this little collection of pumpkin recipes to make your life just a little bit easier. I highly suggest you try each and every one of them. After all, you can't ever have too much pumpkin, right? What's the worst that could happen? You turn into a big 'ol jack-o-lantern, Violet Beauregarde style? Admit it, that would be pretty cool.

MORE PUMPKINS!

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

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top 10 freezer meals

So, I was sitting on my porch yesterday when my neighbor wandered up looking rather forlorn and wistful. "What's wrong?" I asked. "I'm hungry and too tired to go pick up food or make anything myself." Poor, sad panda. He works over 60 hours a week, is single (read: no girlfriend to cook for him), and is wasting away to nothing.

We've all been there - over worked and so tired and hungry that even the thought of driving down the street to pick up take-out seems too difficult. I've been there, I get emails every week from readers who have been there, but with a little planning ahead this nightmare can be avoided.

This, my friends, is why I take a few hours on my days off to stock my freezer with delicious, filling, freezer friendly, single serving meals.

While I can't be feeding every stray tom cat that wanders onto my porch, I can help teach them how to survive. So, I've decided to compile a list of my favorite top ten dishes for stocking my freezer. These are the meals that I happily reach into my freezer for when I'm the hungry, tired, sad panda. They're tasty, stand up to freezing well, and most importantly are very filling and satisfying.



Most of these recipe are pretty easy to prepare and hold up to freezing very well. Even if they require some time to cook, the hands on time is minimal so you can have them simmering away while you do other things. Once they're finished cooking, divide them into single serving, reusable containers, cool them down in the refrigerator, and then freeze. A quick zap in the microwave and you've got yourself a delicious home cooked meal.
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top 20 from 2011

Wow, so 2011 went by fast, right? As I was scrolling through the recipes from this year I couldn't believe that I made some of these in 2011, they feel like ages ago!

People often ask me what *my* favorite recipes are, so I've decided to compile a list of my favorites from this year. Sure, I like everything that I post, but there are just some recipes that really make me say "WOW," some recipes that I'm just dying to make again. I tried to make it a list of ten, but that was pretty much impossible, so you get 20 instead.
If you haven't tried any Budget Bytes recipes yet, this list is a great place to start.

So, here they are, in chronological order:

1. Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This easy, almost no-knead cinnamon raisin bread is super easy and had me starting every day with a smile. A slice or two toasted with some peanut butter made for a quick, delicious, and filling breakfast. And it's got way less sugar than store bought cinnamon raisin bread.

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my favorites from 2009

This past year has been amazing thanks largely in part to my new blogging adventure. Through creating this blog I have saved money, broken free from my 15 (or so) recipe rut, and expanded my culinary skills. Constantly trying new recipes and cooking things that I have never made before has left me pleasantly surprised! I have attempted to compile my top ten favorite recipes from this past year but I just couldn't narrow it to ten! The following recipes are so good that I wish I could make them over and over and over again (but then I wouldn't have anything to blog so boo hoo). If you haven't tried them yet or can't decide what to try first, START HERE!





Balsamic Peach Sundae
This dessert is so simple and elegant. The salty tang of balsamic vinegar perfectly juxtaposes the sweetness of peaches and creamy vanilla ice cream!





Pesto Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is anything but boring! Eaten hot or cold, it is bursting with flavor.





Lemon Parsley Pasta
Fresh lemon and parsley make this pasta so vibrant and fresh. It is the perfect side to either chicken or seafood. It was so good that I found myself snacking on small bowls of it throughout the day!





Grilled Pesto Chicken
The simplicity of this dish and it's bold flavor make it a perfect week night dinner indulgence!





Savory Coconut Rice
I never knew rice until I cooked it in some coconut milk with a little chopped garlic. So fragrant and savory yet not overpowering. I'll never cook plain rice again!





Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
This is my new "go to" potato side. It is twice as easy as mashed potatoes and twice as tasty!





Teriyaki Sweet Potatoes
I was completely blown away by how unexpectedly good sweet potatoes are with teriyaki! Try it now!





BBQ Pork Sandwiches
I have a weakness for slow cooked meat... add some BBQ sauce and I'm a goner. I love this recipe for how easy and awesomely cheap it is!





Apple Walnut Stuffing
This is so easy, quick and I swear I could eat 5 pounds of it in one sitting. It's kinda the all-purpose side dish.





Garlic Noodles
I think this recipe takes the prize for "most addicting". If you have a pasta addiction, definitely stay away from this one. It's sweet, salty, savory and scrumptious!





Sweet Chili Shrimp
I had never cooked shrimp before and now I want to make it all the time! So delicious and SO easy!! Even three day old left overs were mouth watering!





Egg Florentine Quesadilla
Egg and cheese quesadillas are a pretty common breakfast for me but when I added some creamed spinach one morning, magic happened! I ate these for breakfast, lunch and dinner!





Meatball Stroganoff
Even though it's not truly a stroganoff, it's still amazing. I couldn't stop eating it when I was taking the pictures!!




I hope all of you have enjoyed the recipes as much as I have. I love your feedback and suggestions so keep them coming! I can't wait to see what 2010 has in store for us!



HAPPY NEW YEAR!