Use meaty chicken wings in place of the chicken legs to save money on the food bill. There will be no difference in flavor, and the wings will cook faster since they are slimmer than the legs.
To save money and make this a true French farmhouse dish, use fine homemade bread crumbs. Place 5 or 6 slices day-old French bread in a food processor and pulse on and off until fine crumbs form.
To make sure you don't waste a drop of the honey, lightly coat the measuring cup with vegetable oil before measuring. This will allow all the honey to slip neatly out of the cup.
An 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks can be puréed in the blender and thinned with 1/4 cup water for an economical alternative to frozen pineapple juice concentrate.
Honey is significantly less expensive when bought in large quantities. Generic brands often supply the biggest savings without sacrificing taste. Though keep an eye out for popular brands that go on sale.
Buying extra chicken breasts when they are on sale is a great budget stretcher. Wrap the extra pieces individually in plastic wrap and store them in a resealable plastic bag. Freeze until ready to use.
There is no need to purchase extra pineapple juice for this recipe. Use the juice from the canned pineapple and add just enough orange juice to equal 3/4 cup total liquid.
If fresh tomatoes are high-priced and of poor quality, you can economize by using canned whole tomatoes. For double savings, just drain and use the juice as called for in this recipe.
Whenever Grandma squeezed a lemon for juice, she made a batch of lemon peel, too. She'd remove the peel with a zester and store it in the freezer so she had instant lemon peel that kept for months.
If you cannot find reasonably priced vine-ripened tomatoes, you can use canned whole plum tomatoes. They will cost less than an underripe fresh product and taste better, too.
Your time is valuable, so start tomorrow's dinner tonight. Peel and chop 4 extra red potatoes. Microwave as the recipe directs. Use the cooked potatoes for hash browns, or to top shepherd's pie.
When purchasing chicken wings, check the frozen foods section of the grocery store. Frozen chicken wings are just as tasty as fresh wings, yet they are often less expensive.
