You can't get enough of it. It's chocolate, it's raspberry cream, it's cheesecake, it's spongecake... it's whatever you like. If you have an afternoon to take a break from job-searching, go ahead and google a recipe for your favorite. BUT, Trader Joes and Whole Foods and your local bakery are just waiting for you to walk in and splurge. Go ahead, reward yourself for a day well done.

I live in Santa Fe and a favorite restaurant here is EL Meson. They publish on their website a great spanish dish that I think qualifies as frugal. I leave out the Saffron which is expensive but everything else is affordable. Cheap food doesnt have to be dull.

(also see Survivor Frugal Food and Mood Food)

2 cups flour (prefer a mix of whole wheat & white)
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups milk (or plain soy milk)
5 teaspoons melted butter
2 medium sized eggs
1 large sweet potato (cooked and finely mashed)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a whisk.
Cook like regular pancakes, letting the bubbles come to the surface before flipping.
Add syrup and/or butter
Serves 3-4

For other yummy recipes see: The Sweet Potato Cookbook by Lyniece North Talmadge and Madeline Watt

Sweet Potato Passion

Sweet potatoes: the name is a misnomer. This tuber is not high in sugar or carbs, but its counterpart, the white potato, is high in both. Both tubers are pretty cheap, but only one is Survivor Mood Food -- sweet potatoes.

[White (or regular, or red-skinned) potatoes are the equivalent to white rice or white bread -- full of weight-producing carbs and depression-producing sugars. Best to stay away from that lot.] Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A (antioxidant) and C, and incredibly easy and quick to cook, and are quite versatile.

Blueberry Pancakes

Go on, you deserve it! Creamy, sweet and colorful, and it makes us feel so good.

Make it easy -- there are lots of great pancake mixes out there, from generic white flour starch bombs to organic multi-grain, mood-food types. Grab one you like and add fresh or frozen blueberries. We highly recommend wild berries since the big mega-farmed ones usually don't have much flavor. And, you can get them fairly cheap in frozen form.

Drizzle on honey or maple syrup, and for added comfort, lop on a giant wedge of butter. Mmmm... budd-uh.

Remember, unemployment is never having to say you're sorry -- for eating breakfast all day long.

The quintessential comfort food. It's cheap, easy, and does something to your brain that says, hey -- everything's just fine!

You can go to any store and buy it buy the box (Trader Joe's has a good one with white cheddar that's only $1.29), or you can make the real yummy stuff yourself that's also cheap and relatively easy.  The good thing about making a big batch of it yourself, is that it's also more fuel efficient and you've got plenty of quick, microwavable leftovers.

AND, another great thing about Mac n cheese is that it's completely multi-adaptable. If you're lactose intolerant, use soy ingredients. If you're gluten intolerant, use rice pasta and approved cheese so on.  Or you may prefer whole grain pastas or a certain type of cheese, a whole boatload of butter -- make what you like!

Here's the basic configuration; just adapt to your own style:

• 1/2 lb of macaroni/pasta
• 1 cup grated cheese (traditionally a sharp cheddar)
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Cook and drain the pasta. Mix all ingredients while the pasta is still hot. Double and triple the recipe for lots of leftovers.