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Premeditated Leftovers™

Prep-Ahead Meals, Cooking Tips, and Frugal Living


How to Make Rose Water

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Use this tutorial on how to make rose water with your rose petals to create a rosewater to use in baking and in homemade personal products. Last week I shared my fast and easy method for making rose water. The downside to the fast method is the rosewater is either a greenish or brownish color. ForRead More

How to Make Simple Syrup

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Have you passed on making a recipe because it called for simple syrup and you didn’t feel like running to the specialty store and paying five- six bucks for a small bottle of sugar water? Well, pull out those recipes because you can make simple syrup yourself easily and inexpensively! To make simple syrup, youRead More

Mixed Berry Sorbet

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Here is how to save money and improve on store-bought sorbet.  It takes a little time and effort, but the results are worth it. My husband loves sorbet, but have you ever checked out how expensive it is at the stores? It is usually about $3.79 for a pint at our local stores. For aRead More

Delicious uses for Cilantro and Parsley

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This evening I shared my recipe for Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce at $5 Dinners. My Chimichurri sauce recipe uses one cup of fresh parsley and one cup of fresh cilantro. It is a delicious way to use up both whether you have a lot growing in your garden or are trying to use upRead More

Summer Squash with Herbs

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I love being able to shop in the garden; it is such a frugal source of organic vegetables. This year we expanded the herb garden, so I have been adding fresh herbs to dishes every chance I get. My daughter likes squash prepared with herbs so much that I have caught her eating it as a snack by dippingRead More

Basmati Rice with Onion and Garlic

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While rice is a convenient side-dish, you might seek to make it healthier and a little less bland than usual.  This easy Basmati Rice with Onion and Garlic recipe might be the answer.  It’s made on the stovetop. I often buy Basmati Rice Medley at Trader Joe’s.  In addition to aged Indian Basmati rice, itRead More

How to Make Powdered Sugar

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Here’s an easy tip for making powdered sugar from regular granulated sugar.  It’s not perfect but in a pinch it will work. How many times have you decided to make something, only to discover that you are missing an ingredient? Before I hop in the car and go to the store, I try to figureRead More

Cauliflower Salad with Chicken and Carrots

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This easy-to-make four ingredient Cauliflower Salad with Chicken and Carrots is a healthy, noodle-free variation on one of our favorites: Chicken Pasta Salad. This evening I had a hankering for pasta salad, but I didn’t have any broccoli. I just harvested cauliflower from the garden and decided to substitute it for the broccoli…and then sinceRead More

Vegetable Alternatives to Noodles

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During the summer when I have excess vegetables I use them as a frugal, low-calorie, high fiber substitute for pasta in many dishes. Tonight I am sharing my Vegetable Lasagna with Spinach “Noodles” on $5 Dinners. I replaced the pasta layer with a layer of spinach leaves. You can replace the lasagna noodles with anyRead More

Kohlrabi: B List Veggie?

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When I brought Kohlrabi in from the garden yesterday my daughter asked what it was. When I told her it was kohlrabi she said, “Oh yes, that cabbage turnip plant. With a combination like that I don’t know why I don’t remember what it is…that combination almost rivals peanut butter and chocolate”. Yes, I doRead More

Southwest Chicken Frittata

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Now that the weather has warmed up, I spend every morning I have a chance riding my horse. I am anxious to get outside, so I don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking breakfast. Occasionally I have skipped breakfast in my rush, but I always regret it when I do. So I haveRead More

Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

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This is a quick and easy spaghetti sauce recipe that can be made with pantry staples. In the summer when I have plenty of tomatoes I enjoy making spaghetti sauce from scratch, but when fresh tomatoes are scarce I make this easy recipe using canned tomato sauce and pantry spices. It is the spices thatRead More

Southwestern Spaghetti Pie and Uses for Leftover Pasta

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I’m sharing my recipe for Southwestern Spaghetti Pie at $5 Dinners tonight. My Southwestern Spaghetti Pie recipe was born of a desire to not waste leftovers.  At the end of the week when I clean out the fridge I often have mix matched ingredients. Leftover noodles, but no sauce. Leftover taco meat, but no tortillas.Read More

How to Make Italian Seasoning

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This evening I wanted to make lasagna, but before I could make lasagna, I needed to make Spaghetti Sauce. And before I could make Spaghetti Sauce I had to make Italian Seasoning… Making your own seasoning mixes allows you to tailor them to your tastes. It also gives you control over the quality and savesRead More

4 Ingredient Coconut Macaroons

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My children love these chewy coconut macaroon cookies! They are easy to make and since they only have 4 ingredients they come together quickly, but they need to bake for about 25 minutes. Pretty soon it will be too warm to make these cookies, so I made several batches while we are still experiencing cool weather andRead More

Barbecued Boneless Ribs and Barbecue Sauce

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The grill is officially open! I prefer barbecuing boneless ribs to ribs with bones for a couple of reasons. First, I do not like eating foods with my fingers (I don’t even eat corn on the cob or pizza with my fingers). Without the bone in the way I can easily use a fork andRead More

Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.