I know. I KNOW.  This seems like a very low-brow thing to have on a blog that is trying to be ‘upscale frugal.’ But trust me, this is a great frugal thing to do.

First, an explanation. I love proscuitto. I could eat it by the handful while closing my eyes and daydreaming that I am frolicking in the hills of Tuscany. I would eat it every single day if it weren’t so very, very expensive. One of the things I love to do with proscuitto is wrap it around a crispy bread stick that has been spread with a little flavored cream cheese.  Yum!

Then, like there was a little light bulb that began blinking above my head, I remembered that salty, peppery shaved meat that we used to eat as kids – you know the kind in the white square plastic package that is so paper-thin you can almost see through it? I tried both the “corned beef” and the “ham” as replacements for proscuitto and was amazed to find that THIS WORKS! Not only does it work, it is truly delicious! It is a fraction of the cost of proscuitto, it is not chewy and tough like proscuitto, and just as yummy on breadsticks. Trust me and try this tip!

– posted by Donna