We first heard from Jason Gerling of New Hartford, N.Y., when he was 14 years old and needed to add some punch to a hamburger casserole he often cooked for his family.

“My brothers love my recipe for Hamburger Casserole (hamburger, cheese soup, an onion, milk and macaroni), but I am getting bored with it,” Jason said. “I thought perhaps you would administer some taste to this child-pleaser of a dish.”

Intrigued, we headed to the test kitchen and came out with Wild West Wagon Train Supper, which we then published in Cheap.Fast.Good! (Get The Scoop in our Recipe box.)

So we were shocked and delighted to get another letter from Jason the other day -- this one offering some advice of his own.
 

"I am writing because as I perused through my copy of Cheap Fast Good, little did I know that an e-mail I dashed out 10 years ago ended up being an inspiration for a recipe. I'll have you know that to this day I still get asked to crank that stove top casserole out every once in a while!

"Ten years later I am a geriatric social worker who still cooks and grocery shops for the family. Now I really know what a Desperation Dinner is because I'm among the legions of 9-to-5’ers that hit the door and say, oh god I still have to cook!"

Turns out Jason is a very thrifty grocery shopper and saves tons each month by using online coupons. Read Jason's Cash-saving Coupon Capers blog below (or by clicking here.) And if you have other coupon ideas to share, please leave a comment by clicking on the green "Comment" label above.