Really, Really Good Flaxseed Bread

Ingredients:

1 tbsp dry yeast
1 3/4 cup warm water
2 tbsp sugar (organic if possible)
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup ground flaxseed - I pulverize mine in a coffee grinder
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached AP flour
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dissolve your yeast in the warm water mixed with the sugar. Make sure you get your kids to watch - it's really fascinating, and kids love to discuss how the yeast "burps" and "farts".


Add oil, salt, flaxseed, and one cup of whole wheat flour. Stir. Add second cup of ww flour, then your AP flour. Mix until incorporated.

Knead for at least 10 minutes by mechanical means or 15 minutes by hand, adding flour as needed to make a soft, slightly-sticky dough.

Rub some olive oil in a large bowl. Turn dough into bowl and flip around to get it coated with the oil. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place.

I fill my water pan with hot water and put it in the oven with the dough - makes a great incubator. (here it is with my sourdough starter, a story for another time).

Punch down, put into a greased loaf pan. Let rise again, covered.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Try (really, really try) to let it cool completely before slicing. And never, ever feel tempted by grocery store bread again.

How Gourmet Can Be Frugal!

Most people probably wouldn't look at Penzey's Spices and think "hey, that's a frugal gal's best friend!"

I'm here to change their minds.

I love Penzey's. They make cooking at home an adventure, and at the same time still save me money. Here's how:

MYO Vanilla Extract:
This is pretty cut-and-dried, pun completely intended. Grab a 3-pack of Madagascar Vanilla Beans from Penzey's (currently $7.25). Buy a bottle of the cheapest vodka Walmart has on sale. Split the beans and put into a glass jar. Cover with vodka, let sit for about 6 weeks. You have just made your own vanilla extract! And the real beauty here? When you get down to about half the liquid, refill with vodka again. You can get away with doing this quite a few times before you'd need to start over again. With the prices of vanilla extract in the stores right now being what they are, this is definitely a money saver.


MYO Croutons:
Ahhh, salty, garlicky croutons. Yum, yum, yum! But, the way my family goes through them, we could spend a pretty chunk of change at the grocery store on those hard, dried-out little nuggets. How to remedy that? Keep your bread heels in the freezer. When you've got three or four, dice them into about 3/4 inch cubes. Put in a frying pan over medium heat. Add some evoo (and please be generous!), a tablespoon of Sandwich Sprinkle, and stir them until they become golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool (they will harden just a bit) and store in a closed container. Your salads will never be the same, and your guests will look at you in awe!

MYO Salad Dressings:

We eat lots of salads in our house. At the same time, it's hard to buy expensive bottled salad dressings when you read the lists of unreadables in the ingredients. My DH is completely stuck on Penzey's Greek dressing. A frugal option, and a super healthy one, too!

The Freebie in Each Mail Order Catalog:

(was going to post a picture, but my paper got lost during our move)

There's a coupon for a free spice on *every* catalog they mail you (hint: you can request a catalog here)(or, if you mail order, you can google "Penzeys free spice code" and some generous blogger will have it posted somewhere). I have walked into the Penzey's store in Columbus and just got my free spice, but only once. I'm not really fond of the staff there (it's in a wealthy area and they don't seem too impressed with my yoga-pants-and-hoodie idea of couture), and the shipping rates aren't oppressive, so I prefer the mail-order option.


The Freebie in Each Shipment:

Yes! It's like a little bit of Christmas every time you open their box! A different sample spice from them, something unexpected to try. It's a great marketing tool, too. One I use with my cheesecakes...

And Penzey's as a Gift:

Something I really love about Penzey's is their gift boxes. They tend to be a little pricey, yes. But I love how they use spices as their packing material. Cinnamon sticks as spacers, bay leaves instead of bubble wrap. So environmentally conscious! My go-to wedding gift is the Wedding Gift Crate. The spices are a wonderful gift, but what I especially love are the wedding charms - the lore attached to the whole nutmeg in your cupboard to keep your marriage whole, the few sprigs of rosemary for love, I adore how they package these things in the crate. And the crate itself is pretty eye-catching. The last time this was our gift to a newly-married couple, I just slapped a pretty ribbon around it (being careful to cover the Penzey's logo) and stuck it on the gift table. Everyone was curious what was in the wooden box! We didn't stay to see the newlyweds open it, but they came back with nothing but praise for their gift. It was worth the extra money we spent to have something to offer them that would be put to good use.

One more thing - may I also tell you how I love to use their Cake Spice? It's probably my favorite thing, we buy it in the larger bags. Great with french toast, pancakes, oatmeal. But my favorite? When we make banana bread, we sub cake spice for cinnamon. A tip from my friend Shari - grease the loaf pans with butter-flavored shortening, make cinnamon sugar (again, using the cake spice), and use that to "flour" the pan. Pour in the batter, sprinkle cake spice sugar on top of bread, and bake. Oh, heavenly!

If you're fortunate enough to have a Penzey's in your area, I recommend that you visit (but you may want to dress up for it!). It's a wonderful place, all the spices are in jars - you can see them, smell them. What a heady experience, you'll leave there inspired to get out your pans and cook up a storm.

(no, I wasn't compensated in any way for this endorsement. But Penzey's, if you wish, I'd love to be...with spices!)

Better N' Cozy Shack Rice Pudding

1 1/2 cups cooked white rice ($0.50)
2 cups 2% milk ($0.50)
1/2 cup sugar ($0.25)
dash of salt (negligible)
1 egg, beaten ($0.10)
2/3 cup raisins ($0.50, and optional)
1 Tbsp butter ($0.10)
1 tsp vanilla ($0.10)

Simmer rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and salt over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy. Stir in remaining milk, egg, and raisins. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm or cold, nice with a dash of cinnamon on top.

Makes 4 servings, about $0.50 per serving.

Killer Minestrone

I have to thank my good friend, Shari, for turning me on to the ambrosia that is minestrone. Infinitely adaptable, heartwarming, and (of course) better the next day - and the next, and the next....

1 lb bullet spicy italian sausage ($1.99 on sale)
2 tbsp olive oil ($0.25)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce ($0.50) + 2 cans water to rinse out sauce
1 15.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained ($0.50)
1 can green beans, drained ($0.50)
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed ($0.65)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (0.65)
1 can mixed vegetables, drained ($0.50)
3 tbsp Italian seasoning ($0.25)
1 cup small pasta - we used the tiny ditalini and alphabets commonly found in the Mexican section ($0.50)
1 cup heavy cream (optional) ($0.50)
salt & pepper to taste (negligible)
parmesan to top

In a deep pot, fry sausage in olive oil until fully cooked. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, beans, veggies, and Italian seasoning. Simmer until bubbling. Add pasta, cook to al dente. Add in heavy cream and seasonings. Taste and adjust as necessary. Enjoy steaming in a bowl, topped with parmesan.

My son just adored this - what an easy and tasty way for him to get a jump on his daily veggies!

I wish I could tell you how many servings this made. Lets say, for the sake of argument, it's about 12 hearty 2-cup servings. At $0.57 each, it's a great frugal option for a cold winter day. And feel free to experiment and use what veggies you have on hand - this soup is so adaptable, making it the perfect frugal addition to your recipe library!

Wonder Cabbage

As the temps stay low and the grocery budget tightens, I find myself turning to the humble cabbage for a cheap and uber-healthy cooking staple. To me, this is the ultimate in comfort food. The cruciferous family of vegetables may make your kitchen stink, but they're humble heroes in my book. Here's a few of my favorite recipes featuring cabbage.

Simple Middle Eastern Salad

1/2 large head of cabbage, cored and shredded
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 English cucumber, diced (optional)
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
1/4 cup EVOO
Salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
2 tbsp crushed dried mint

Basically, put everything in a large bowl and toss. Great paired with rice & lentils, or served next to broiled chicken legs or a good salmon fillet.

Quick Pierogie Dinner

1 pack Mrs. T's pierogies (your choice of flavor)
1 pack Hebrew National franks, sliced on the bias
1/2 head cabbage, cored and shredded
2 tbsp butter, divided

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pierogies according to directions, drain. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet, add cabbage and cover until wilted. Move to a large platter and keep warm. Melt 1 tbsp butter in skillet, add pierogies and franks. Cook until browned. Serve over cabbage.

Halushki

1 head cabbage
8 oz. package egg noodles
1 large onion, chopped
4 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Shred cabbage and boil in a little water for about 6 minutes. Cook noodles until soft. Drain. Brown onion in 4 tablespoons butter. Mix all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.

Cabbage is also a wonderful addition to beef vegetable soup. At $0.50/lb, it's a bargain that can't be beat!

Have you hugged your cabbage today?

I Need a Few New Recipes...Can You Help?

I'm trying to find some different, lowfat, frugal recipes to incorporate into our diets. This week I'm hoping to try Pepper's lentils and cabbage - it looks so tasty! So, if you've got any suggestions, I'd be indebted.

You guys are the greatest!

Spiced Pear Quick Bread

Oh, this makes your home smell heavenly!

3 small cans pears, draned and mashed ($3.00)
1/2 cup sugar ($0.50)
1/2 cup brown sugar ($0.50)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce ($0.50)
3 eggs ($0.40)
3 1/4 cups AP flour ($0.75)
3 tsp cinnamon ($0.50)
1 tsp baking soda ($0.25)
1 tsp baking powder ($0.25)
1 tsp ground cloves ($0.30)
1/2 tsp salt (negligible)

In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the rest, then gradually add dry to the wet, mixing thoroughly. Pour into 4 mini loaf pans, bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes, or until they test done. Let set for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

$1.74 per loaf, 6 servings per loaf. So $0.29 per serving. Sprinkle top with coarse sugar before baking, wrap in pretty paper, and give a few loaves to your neighbors!

My Favorite Blondies

Ready for a simple blondie recipe that'll get you rave reviews?

1/2 cup butter, room temp ($0.50 on sale)
1 cup sugar ($0.25)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar ($0.20)
2 eggs ($0.15)
1 tsp vanilla extract (pennies, from homemade)
1 1/2 cups AP flour ($0.30)
2 tsp baking powder ($0.20)
1/4 tsp salt (negligible)
1/2 bag Heath chips (without chocolate) ($1.00)

Prehet oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with pan spray, then lay down a piece of parchment paper. Having the paper overhang the sides will make blondies easy to remove from pan and cut.

Cream butter and sugar in a large baking dish. Add eggs, mix well. Beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, paking powder, and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in Heath bits. Batter will be very thick.

Spread onto parchment paper, evening as well as you can. Bake for 30-40 minute, until they test done. Cool on wire rack, lift out by parchment paper and cut with a pizza cutter. Save any crumbs for ice cream topping.

$2.60 for whole recipe. Makes 24 servings at $0.11 each. And spanks the pants off anything you can buy at the store.

Riz a Fasuli

Riz a fasuli loosely translates to "rice with beans". This is a delicious dish that, even DH claims, is better than his mom makes. Yeah, hearing that gives me a warm & fuzzy feelin'.

Rice. Some people look at rice as a great mystery. But, really, it's sooo easy. Your ratio of regular white rice to water is 1:2-and-a-little-bit. Our favorite rice recipe is:

1/3 cup crushed vermicelli
2 tbsp butter
2 cups regular Uncle Ben's white rice
4 1/4 cups water
2 Maggi chicken stock cubes (or 4 chicken boullion cubes)
1 tbsp salt - optional

In a saucepan, cook vermicelli and butter until vermicelli is well toasted. Add rice, stir until all grains are shiny with the butter. Add water, stock cubes, and salt. Cook on high until boiling, drop heat to very low (barely bubbling) and cover. Cook until liquid is gone. DO NOT STIR once you add the liquid.

Now, the fasuli.

1/4 lb of lean beef, trimmed and diced into small cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs frozen green beans
1 large onion, chopped
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large can pureed tomatoes
salt, pepper, tabasco to taste

In the microwave, cook green beans with a little water until tender. In a large dutch oven, fry beef in olive oil on high heat until well cooked. Add cooked green beans & cooking liquid, onion, potato, and about 1 cup of tap water. Cover, lower heat to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are almost tender. Add tomaotes and spices, continue to cook until potatoes are completely done.

Serve fasuli over riz. This recipe makes a ton, so it's hard to determine price-per-serving. It will feed my family, plus about 2 meals of leftovers.

PepperBeef Sandwiches

Adapted from the Taste of Home cookbook, these loose-meat sandwiches are a hit at crockpot get-togethers.

1 4-lb lean beef roast ($12.00)
1 jar pepperoncinis ($1.99)
1/4 cup water (negligible)
3 tbsp Italian seasoning ($0.25)
2 tsp garlic salt ($0.25)
1 large onion, quartered and sliced ($0.50)
12 hard rolls ($1.99)
12 slices provolone cheese ($2.99)

Chunk meat and put into crockpot. Mix together peppers and pepper liquid, water, seasonings, and onion. Pour on top of beef. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours. Shred with a fork. Use a slotted spoon to serve onto rolls. Top with provolone. Enjoy. Freeze leftovers.

Makes 12 servings @ $1.66 per serving.

Homemade Cheese Danish

This recipe comes via my sister, Beth. Trust me when I say, it's divine. Definitely company-worthy. A hit at brunches. Mm-mmm!

2 packages crescent rolls (Walmart brand $1.29 each) - $2.58
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened - $0.99 each on sale - $1.98
1 cup sugar - $0.50
1 egg yolk - $0.15
1 tsp vanilla - $0.25 homemade

Line ungreased 9x13 pan with one pack crescent rolls, press seams together. Cream together cream cheese, sugar, yolk, and vanilla. Spread onto rolls. Top with second package of rolls.

Mix together and sprinkle on top:
1/2 cup AP flour - $0.25
1/4 cup margarine - $0.25
1/4 cup sugar - $0.15

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 375 for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, refrigerate leftovers. And save me a piece.

Total recipe $6.11. Serves 18 @ $0.34 per serving.

Thermos Lunch

1 lb ground meat of choice (we use chicken breast)
2 cups water
1 21-oz can pork & beans
1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope sloppy joe mix
1 1/2 cup macaroni, uncooked

In a dutch oven, brown meat completely; drain if necessary. Add water, pork & beans, tomatoes, and sloppy joe mix. Bring to a boil, add macaroni and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Ladel into thermoses. Makes 8 servings

Notes: this looks soupy upon completion, but it's designed for the macaroni to continue to cook in the thermos (or fridge). It's a very good, hearty, low fat lunch. Many days this was the lunch I looked forward to at the nursing home, and it fuelled me through the rest of my shift, and then some.

Enjoy! :)

Leftover Pies

Food Processor Pie Crust

2 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening (not butter flavored)
1 tsp white vinegar
5 1/2 tbsp ice water
1/4 cup chopped herbs, optional

Throw into food processor. Run until dough forms into a ball, which will take about 30 seconds. Remove from processor, push into a lump, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while getting the pie stuff together. Repeat, as the following recipe will make 2 pies.

Leftover Pie
4 cups leftover meat (roast, chicken, pork)
2 lbs cooked vegetables (frozen nuked peas~n~carrots, leftover mashed potatoes, whatever's left in the fridge)
1 can "cream of" soup (compatible with meat choice)
1 pack powdered gravy (compatible with meat choice)

In a saucepan, prepare powdered gravy. Whisk in cream soup, set aside.

Roll out pie crusts to make 4 total. Layer crust in pie pan. Layer on half the meat, half the vegetables, and half the gravy/soup mixture. Wet edges of bottom crust with water, apply top crust, vent, trim, and flute. Repeat with second pie.

From here I usually cover one with plastic wrap, date, and freeze. Once defrosted, cook as instructed.

Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. Turn off oven, but allow pie to rest in unpoened oven for another 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy.

We generally do a white meat chicken pie, with peas and carrots, and we add like to add chopped rosemary to our pie crust. these keep well in the freezer, are pretty enough for company, or make a great gift for someone.

Italian Zucchini Stew

This is what we did to consume the abundance of yellow squash & zucchini going bad in the vegetable crisper drawer.

1 large yellow squash, peeled and diced - $0.33
1 large zucchini, diced - $0.33
1 large onion, diced - $0.25
2 chicken boullion cubes - $0.25
2 cups tap water - pennies
1 can italian stewed tomatoes - $0.50
TONS of good italian seasoning - $0.50
shredded parmesan, crusty bread, optional

Combine all ingredients in a good-sized pot. Cook until vegetables are tender. You could puree this, but I like mine chunky. Serve with parm and some crusty bread for a wholesome, frugal, and filling meal.

Serves about 6. Cost per serving $0.36.

Betty Crocker Refrigerator Potato Dough + Uses

Basic Recipe:

1 package active dry yeast ($0.30)
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115F) (pennies)
2/3 cup + 1 tsp sugar ($0.25)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (pennies)
2/3 cup shortening ($0.25)
2 eggs ($0.25)
1 cup lukewarm mashed potatoes ($0.50 instant)
6 1/2 to 7 cups AP flour ($1.00)

Dissolve yeast + 1 tsp sugar in warm water, let bloom for about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining sugar, salt, shortening, eggs, potatoes and 4 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover bowl tightly; refrigerate at least 8 hours. Can be stored in refrigerator at 45 degrees or below up to 5 days. Keep covered.

Punch down dough; divide dough into 4 parts for Casserole, Cloverleaf, Crescents, Fan Tans, Four-leaf Clover and Parker House Rolls. Divide dough into 3 parts for Orange Butterhorn Rolls, Apricot Cream Cake, Cinnamon Braid, Rich Nut Roll, Parker House Rolls, Braided Dinner Rolls and Hamburger Buns. Divide in half for loaves.

Casserole: Shape bits of 1/4 of dough into 1-inch balls. Place in lightly greased round pan, 9x1 1/2 inches. Brush with margarine or butter, softened. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until light brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Makes 3 dozen rolls.

Cloverleaf: Shape bits of 1/4 of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 3 balls in each greased muffin cup. Brush with margarine or butter, softened. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until light brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 dozen rolls.

Crescents: Roll 1/4 of dough into 12-inch circle. Spread with margarine or butter, softened. Cut into 16 wedges. Roll up, beginning at rounded edge. Place rolls, with points underneath, on greased cookie sheet; curve slightly. Brush with margarine or butter, softened. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until light brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Makes 16 rolls.

Fan Tans: Roll 1/4 of dough into rectangle, 13x9 inches. Spread with margarine or butter, softened. Cut lengthwise into 6 strips, 1 1/2 inches wide. Stack strips evenly, one on top of the other; cut into 12 pieces, each about 1 inch wide. Place cut side down in greased muffin cups; brush with margarine or butter, softened. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until light brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 dozen rolls.

Four-leaf Clover: Shape 1/4 of dough into 2-inch balls. Place each ball in greased muffin cup. With scissors, snip each ball in half, then into quarters. Brush with margarine or butter, softened. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until light brown, 13 to 15 minutes. About 1 dozen rolls.

Parker House Rolls: Roll 1/4 of dough into rectangle, 13x9 inches. Cut into 3-inch circles; brush with margarine or butter, softened. Fold so top half overlaps slightly. Press edges together. Place close together in greased round pan, 9x1 1/2 inches. Brush with margarine or butter, softened. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until light brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Makes 10 rolls.

Orange Butterhorn Rolls: Divide 1/3 of dough in half; roll each half into 10-inch circle. Spread 2 tablespoons Orange Glaze (below) on outside of circle, leaving 2-inch circle in the center without glaze. Cut into 12 wedges. Roll up, beginning at rounded edge. Place rolls, points underneath, on greased cookie sheet. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Bake until light brown, 11 to 13 minutes. Spread remaining glaze on hot rolls. Makes 24 rolls.
Orange Glaze: Mix 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened, 1 tablespoon grated orange peel, 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar until smooth and of desired consistency. If necessary, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons additional orange juice.

Apricot Cream Cake: Roll 1/3 of dough into 15-inch circle; place over greased 9-inch ring mold. Fit dough into ring mold (outer edge of circle will come to rim of mold). Spoon Cream Cheese Filling (below) on dough. Lap edge of circle over filling; seal to inside ring of dough. Cut a cross in dough which covers the center of the mold. Fold each triangle formed back over ring and pinch each point to the dough to seal securely. Let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Heat oven to 350F. Bake 30 minutes. Remove Apricot Cream Cake from pan; place top side up on serving plate. Heat 1/2 cup apricot jam until melted; spoon on ring. Sift 1 tablespoon powdered sugar on top.
Cream Cheese Filling:Beat 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened, and 1/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in 3 tablespoons flour, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Cinnamon Braid: Divide 1/3 of dough into 3 parts; roll each part into strand, 15 inches long. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll each strand in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place strands close together and braid gently and loosely. Seal ends securely and tuck under. Place in greased loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches. Brush braid with milk; sprinkle remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture on top. Let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Heat oven to 375F. Bake until loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.

Rich Nut Roll: Roll 1/3 of dough into rectangle, 12x10 inches. Spread Nut Filling (below) to within 1/2 inch of edge. Roll up tightly, beginning at 12-inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal securely. Stretch roll to make even. Place on greased cookie sheet; seal ends securely. Let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Heat oven to 350F. Beat 1 egg white slightly; brush roll with beaten egg white. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped nuts on top. Bake 40 minutes. While warm, drizzle mixture of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon half-and-half on top.
Nut Filling: Beat 1 egg white until stiff. Fold in 1 tablespoon flour, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts.

Bread Loaves: Increase salt to 2 teaspoons. Roll each half into rectangle, 18x9 inches. Roll up, beginning at 9-inch side. Press each end with side of hand to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place loaf, seam side down, in greased loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches. Brush loaves with margarine or butter, softened. Let rise until double, about 2 hours. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.) Heat oven to 375F. Place loaves on low rack so tops of pan are in center of oven. Pans should not touch each other or sides of oven. Bake until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from pans. Brush with margarine or butter, softened; cool on wire rack.

Braided Dinner Rolls
1/3 Potato Refrigerator Dough (above)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon poppy seed
3/4 teaspoon sesame seed.
Divide dough into 18 equal parts. Roll each part into rope, 7 inches long, on lightly floured surface. Place groups of 3 ropes each close together on lightly greased cookie sheet. Braid ropes gently and loosely. Do not stretch. Pinch ends to fasten; tuck under securely. Let rise until double, about 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 375F. Beat egg and water slightly; brush over braids. Sprinkle each of 3 braids with 1/4 teaspoon poppy seed and each of remaining 3 braids with 1/4 teaspoon sesame seed. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Makes 6 rolls.

Hamburger Buns
Divide 1/3 of Potato Refrigerator Dough (above) into 12 equal parts. Shape each part into smooth ball on lightly floured surface with lightly greased fingers; flatten. Place about 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Let rise until double, 45 to 60 minutes. Heat oven to 400F. Brush buns with margarine or butter, softened; sprinkle with sesame seed or poppy seed. Bake until golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 dozen rolls.

Whole recipe $2.55, serving size depends on use. This is the moistest, most beautiful bread dough ever made in my kitchen, and my family really enjoyed it. We hope yours does, too!

Saltine Candy Bites

Completely cover bottom of large jellyroll pan with parchment paper, then tile with saltines.

In a saucepan, melt 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter with 1/2 cup sugar. Pour evenly over saltines. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle one bag of chocolate chips over them. Return to oven just long enough for the chips to stick.

Refrigerate for about 2 hours, then break apart and serve.

Super easy and yummy, too!

Saltines - $0.99 per box
Butter - $0.80
Sugar - $0.25
Chocolate Chips - $1.50

Whole recipe $3.54, and could certainly be cheaper if the chips and butter are bought on sale. Take it with you next time you go to a gathering...you'll get raves, I promise!

Angel Food Ministries - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Well, we went to pick up our Angel Food Ministries budget box and produce box today. Here's the lowdown...

The Good:

The food looks to be of good quality. Hawaiian Punch, Banquet crockpot dinner, lots of frozen meat. No broken eggs. A carton of shelf-stable milk, which is always a nice thing to keep around. Frozen broccoli and a peas-n-carrots mix. Blueberry muffin mix, even though it's the $0.50 version sold at Save A Lot. All around, I'm pleased with the selection and quality of the budget box.

The Bad:

Unfortunately, much of this food is the type that I wouldn't buy at the grocery store. It came with corn tortillas, canned spaghetti sauce, and something dubiously called "chicken fritters" (think fried clam strips, only it's chicken in there instead of clams...hmmmm, reserving judgement until I can taste them). So I'm left with the dilemma of deciding if it's cost-effective to try (and possibly fail with) new recipes. Hey, I'm up for the challenge. Chicken fritters on top of salad? Sounds like a plan....

The Ugly:

I'm really disappointed in the produce box. Of the 4 oranges received, 2 were in an advanced state of moulder. Ditto with 3 of the 6 ears of corn. And there was a putrifying carrot in the sack of carrots. Also, there's a tiny watermelon that looks suspectly too green to enjoy, and the same with the pineapple. My guess is that, once all the waste was tallied, I probably only broke even on the cost of AFM versus Meijer.

Conclusion:

While this service has it's flaws, I'd certainly purchase AFM again, and have already signed up for next month's delivery. However, I'm probably going to call the local AFM site and request the money returned for next month's produce pack.

Oh, and BTW, I was interviewed by the local news affiliate outside the pickup. I'm sure they were digging me dressed in my scrubs (I'd gone there straight from the nursing home) and driving my pizza-logo festooned car. Thet'll make for a terrific public interest story! Ack!

Basic Chowder

1 tbsp butter, margarine, or bacon fat - $0.25
1 large onion, diced - $0.25
3 stalks celery, diced - $0.50
2 1/2 cups tap water - negligible
5 large potatoes (or the equivalent), peeled and diced - $1.00
*protein (see below)
4 cups water + 1 1/3 cups nonfat powdered dry milk - $0.50
salt & pepper to taste - pennies
1 cup cold tap water - negligible
1/2 cups AP flour - $0.10


Melt fat in soup pot, add celery and onions and sweat until tender. Add 2.5 cups water and diced potatoes. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add protein (see below) and cook for another 10 minutes. Add milk, salt, and pepper and heat gently.


In a small jar, combine 1 cup cold tap water with 1/2 cup flour. Shake the jar until no lumps are left. Add to soup. Stir and bring to a slow boil until thickened.


Best served with OTC crackers (for you east-coasters)


*Proteins

1/2 lb white fish, frozen and diced approx. the same size as the potatoes - $3.00
or
2 cans chopped clams, undrained - $3.00
or
1/2 lb bacon, diced and fried, and 2 whipped eggs (you'll have to stir this into the potato mixture - $2.25
or
no protein, just a can of drained yellow corn - $0.50
or
open up your imagination. And your leftover drawer. This recipe is so versatile!


Cost per serving, based on 8 servings:

$0.70 per serving with $3 proteins.


Muchas gracias to the Hillbilly Housewife recipe pages, from which this was adapted. :)

Green Tomato Pie

Double crust for 9" pie
2 tbsp flour
4 large unpeeled green tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp butter

Sprinkle flour over the bottom of the pie crust. Layer in tomato slices.

Mix sugars, lemon juice, and cloves together. Pour over tomatoes and dot with butter.

Cover with top crust, flute and vent. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then drop the heat to 375 for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream. This makes a very juicy pie, but it's amazing. Very reminiscent of apple pie, but with a different texture.

Enjoy!

David's Most Awesome Strawberry Pie

Baked pie crust of choice
6 cups strawberries or red/black raspberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp butter

If using a regular pie crust, blind bake and cool completely. Puree 2 cups of berries. In asaucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in water, pureed berries, and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute, until nicely thickened. Layer fresh berries and pureed mixture into pie crust. Let set 4 hours before serving. Best served that day.

And, if you really want to make this legit, you'll make some fresh whipped cream. Believe me, ReddiWhip is a bad word in David's house.