A Bread Baking Mishap

Once a week I make sandwich bread for our family. I normally make 3 one pound loaves. Sometimes I make whole wheat, sometimes multi-grain bread. I put two loaves in the freezer and keep one out to eat immediately. Yesterday I made bread and it turned out as usual. However, when I cut into the first loaf this morning to make sandwiches for my kid’s lunches, there was a hole in the middle of the loaf. Not happy about this, I cut three slices from each end to make the sandwiches.

In ten years of bread baking, I have never had this happen before. My hope is that this is unique to this loaf of bread and that the other two will be fine. Needless to say, the middle portion of this loaf is not going to make it into the lunch boxes this week. I’ll probably add it to my Baked French Toast bag in the freezer instead.

Asian Chicken Salad

Our youngest, who is 5, adores green food. Broccoli, green beans, lettuce, pears, and grapes are some of her favorites. However, this obsession can cause trouble at the dinner table. When she has finished her portion, she may, when you are not looking, sneak her hand over to your plate and take a fistful of your food. I often make up a salad early in the day to serve for dinner, only to find that much of it is gone when I get ready to put the dressing on it. A certain someone will covertly grab handfuls and eat them when I am not paying attention.

As a result, our little one is always pleased when we are having a main dish salad for dinner, which is about once a week. This Asian Chicken Salad is a great recipe to utilize leftover chicken (or maybe even some of that leftover Holiday turkey). However, if we do not have any leftover chicken on hand, I will put some in the slow cooker at the beginning of the day along with 1/3 cup of the dressing below. Sometimes we will substitute the sliced almonds for a package of dry, crushed ramen noodles which is not as healthy, but sure is yummy!

Asian Chicken Salad

1 bunch green leaf lettuce

1 bunch green onions

2 cups cooked and diced chicken

1-11oz. can mandarin oranges, drained.

½ cup sliced almonds

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash, dry, and chop lettuce and green onions. Add to a large salad bowl along with chicken, mandarin oranges, and almonds. Season with salt and pepper.

Asian Dressing

6 tbsp. rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

3 tbsp. soy sauce

¾ cup olive oil

2 tsp. raw sugar

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 clove garlic, chopped (optional)

Whisk together all ingredients for dressing, pour over salad, and toss to coat. (Depending on how big your bunch of lettuce is, you may not need all of the dressing.)

Baked French Toast

I am not a morning person. When we were first married, my husband never even spoke to me before I left for work. He waited until I had had several cups of coffee and then called me at the office. Although I am no longer clocking in at the office every day, I am still not a morning person. So, any recipe that allows me to do the work the night before is perfect for me. Plus, because you can use any odd ends and bits of bread for this Baked French Toast, it makes use of something that might otherwise go to waste. You can also dress this up by adding raisins, dried cranberries, or nuts.

Baked French Toast

5 cups bread cubes

4 eggs

1 ½ cups of milk

1 tbsp. cinnamon sugar mixture (optional)

Spread bread cubes into a greased 9X9 pan. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Pour over bread cubes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350˚ for 35 minutes.  Serve with Cinnamon Syrup.

This recipe can be made the night before, refrigerated overnight, and baked in the morning. Or, it can be frozen, thawed overnight, and baked in the morning.

Frugal Tip: Keep a container in your freezer for odd pieces of leftover bread, rolls, and crusts. Cube the bread before you freeze it and when you have enough, make Baked French Toast.

Leftover Turkey Salad

Today I am breathing a sigh of contentment. One more fantastic Thanksgiving is behind us. We spent two full days cooking, eating, and visiting with friends. As we went around the table on Thursday, listing the things that we were most thankful for, our four year old guest stated that he was thankful for chocolate cake. This is a boy who takes joy in the simple pleasures of life!

This weekend I am thankful to be taking a break from serious cooking. We will do our best to eat up the leftover potatoes, green beans, corn, and cranberry salad. And, we will definitely be enjoying this Leftover Turkey Salad. It can be served in multiple ways, as a salad or a sandwich, hot or cold.  

Leftover Turkey Salad

2 cups chopped leftover turkey

1 ½ cups grated Swiss cheese

½ cup sliced celery

½ cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. mustard (any kind will do)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir well. Use as a filling for cold sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, Panini; or, as a topping for broiled open-face sandwiches. It is also good on a bed of salad greens.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

We have some family friends that we have spent many holidays with over the years; Thanksgiving, Christmas, July 4^th, and Birthdays, just to name a few. Both of our families have moved several times, and yet our paths keep crossing. This year is no exception. Although we will not be together on Thanksgiving, we will be spending Black Friday together visiting, eating, and laughing about old times. (No shopping for us!) These dear friends have been such a blessing to us and we are thankful for their friendship.

We have eaten this Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes recipe together multiple times. And, as the Holidays roll around each year, I am always so grateful to have it in my recipe box.  Standard mashed potatoes are yummy, but have to be made at the last minute. So, this make-ahead recipe frees you up to take care of other details just before serving time. Enjoy!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

8-9 medium sized potatoes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

2 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. dried onion

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

Peel, cube, and boil potatoes until fully cooked. Drain and return to stock pot. Mash the potatoes with a masher and add cream cheese, sour cream, 2 tbsp. butter, dried onion, and salt. Combine thoroughly. Spread into a casserole dish. Dot the potatoes with remaining 2 tbsp. of butter.  The potatoes can be baked immediately at 375˚ for 30 minutes or they can be covered and refrigerated for up to five days ahead of time.

Sweet Potato Muffins

I love sweet potatoes. This is surprising because, in general, I only eat raw vegetables. I enjoy them so much that I went on a sweet potato binge a few years ago. I tested recipes for baked sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, sweet potato pie, sweet potato rolls, sweet potato biscuits, and sweet potato fries. My favorite, by far, has been this Sweet Potato Muffin recipe. Although these muffins are fairly plain, without any added nuts, fruits, or chips; I adore them for their simple goodness. And, with sweet potatoes being plentiful and inexpensive this time of year, they are perfect for Thanksgiving.

Sweet Potato Muffins

½ cup melted butter

¾ cup raw sugar

¾ cup mashed sweet potatoes

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour

¾ tsp. salt

2 ¼ tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Whisk together butter, sugar, sweet potatoes, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Scoop into greased muffin pan and bake at 350˚ for 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Yield: 12 muffins.

Frugal Tip: When you find sweet potatoes on sale, purchase enough to cook, mash, and freeze in ¾ cup portions for Sweet Potato Muffins.

Be Thankful

On our way home from church yesterday, my husband asked the kids what they had learned in Children’s Church. Our oldest, who is ten, said;

                As you go through life,

                Make it your goal,

                To look at the donut,

                Not the hole.

Shane, then asked, “What does that mean?” Our middle kid, who is eight, said;

                Look at the things you have,

                Not the things you don’t have.

I have a feeling that this little poem is going be quoted in our house repeatedly for years to come. What a great message to remind our children (and ourselves) to be thankful for what we have been given.

Picture Credit: My husband made these “Thanks Pumpkins” for an open air craft fair that our church hosted earlier this month.

A Book Review

Recently, on The Frugal Girl, I learned about a book titled The Hour that Matters Most: The Surprising Power of the Family Meal by Les & Leslie Parrott. Although we already have an established daily meal together, after reading The Frugal Girl’s review, I thought that I would read it for myself anyway. I am so glad that I did! After reading it, I felt encouraged and renewed in my conviction to regularly carve out the time to eat together.

The book was written in a light hearted and cheerful manner and I breezed through it quickly. And although the authors have done detailed research on the statistics concerning the family meal, the presentation of this research is delightful and easy to follow, not preachy or textbook like. The two additional co-authors, Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna, add personal stories from their own struggles with family meal times. And, the tips on table manners, conversation starters, and meal preparation are both simple and helpful. Each chapter is also finished off with a recipe along with a full color photo.

The most astounding thing that I learned from reading The Hour that Matters Most: The Surprising Power of the Family Meal is that research shows that families that commit to a regular family meal time are less stressed. Even though a family meal can seem like an additional commitment on the agenda each day, taking valuable time and energy, the benefit is that kids and parents alike are less stressed as a result. We all could use this regular stress relief in our lives!

Caesar Salad

As I have mentioned before here, I am in love with homemade salad dressing. It just takes salad to a whole new level. This Caesar Salad is so simple that the extra step to make the dressing is hardly an inconvenience. We typically eat this as a main dish salad with leftover chicken. But, it is also perfect as a side salad. With the Holidays upon us, recipes that are simple, quick, and that utilize leftovers are invaluable!

Caesar Salad

1 bunch Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce
Your favorite croutons
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Wash, dry, and tear the lettuce and place it in a large bowl. Add croutons.

Caesar Salad Dressing

¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. raw sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard (or any prepared mustard you have on hand)
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Whisk together all ingredients in a small container. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

Finally, garnish the salad with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Variation: For Chicken Caesar Salad, add 1-2 cups cooked and chopped chicken to the salad before dressing. Serve with Beer Bread.

Peanut Butter Cookies

On Friday nights we typically have a movie night with our kids. We either get a movie from the library or from the Red Box. And my husband, Shane, is in charge of the special “treat” that is eaten during the movie. This weekend, my husband made Peanut Butter Cookies for us. Below is a Guest Post that Shane wrote about this recipe:

This was originally Alison’s recipe, but I commandeered it because it was so simple to make and because I don’t share my wife’s talent for cooking and baking. You Can Make That does not always apply to me. When it comes to recipes, I have adopted a military acronym, KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). With only three ingredients, even I can make great peanut butter cookies. So the peanut butter cookie recipe became known as Dad’s cookies.

When we were living in Oklahoma, my unit was putting together a battalion cookbook, so Alison submitted a bunch of recipes. Included in her submission was a recipe for Shane’s (formerly known as Dad’s) Peanut Butter Cookies. The response from my loving and supportive Soldiers was great. First, I was told that there was no way that a cookie recipe that didn’t include flour could be edible. It didn’t take long for my “friends” to try the flour-less cookie recipe so that they could confirm their conclusions and prove me wrong. Of course the cookies were great. Now I was being told that there was no way that this delicious recipe could be mine. Sometimes you just can’t win. I hope you enjoy the cookies as much as my kids and I (and my Soldiers) have.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup raw sugar

1 egg

Stir together all three ingredients. Shape into balls, place on cookie sheet, and flatten with a fork. Bake at 350˚ for 12 minutes or until golden. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: 12-15 cookies.

Beer Bread

There is something about the warm smell of bread baking in the oven that just says “comfort” and “home” to me. A good friend introduced me to this recipe when I was newly married. The crunchy crust and soft center of this Beer Bread is always a crowd pleaser. I have given out the recipe more times than I can count. It is a great alternative to traditional yeast bread recipes that take more time and effort; and, it is perfect with pasta, main dish salads, and as an appetizer with dips or spreads. I have also added grated cheese, bacon pieces, and other seasonings to the batter to make it special. Plus, you can measure out all of the dry ingredients into a jar and store it in your pantry for the future; or, even put it in a decorative jar and give it as a frugal gift along with a bottle of your favorite beer.

Beer Bread

3 cups white whole wheat flour

4 ½ tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. salt

3 tbsp. raw sugar

1-12oz. can or bottle of beer

3 tbsp. melted butter

Measure all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Pour beer on top of dry ingredients. Stir until combined. The batter will be stiff and sticky. Spread into a greased 9X5 loaf pan. The top will be bumpy and uneven. Pour melted butter over the top. Bake at 350˚ for 45-50 minutes or until golden and crunchy. Serve warm with butter.

This recipe, and many variations of it, can be found in many cookbooks and on numerous online recipe sites, so I can’t take credit for it as my own!

Cinnamon Syrup

I grew up where maple trees abounded. Real maple syrup and maple sugar candy was popular and plentiful. However, now that we live far from home, real maple syrup can be very expensive and we only occasionally indulge. So, because we have had to eliminate corn syrup from our diet (you can learn about this here), we do not purchase the pancake syrup found at the grocery store. I have tested several recipes for homemade pancake syrup and this has received a 5 out of 5 rating from our family. It lasts for several weeks in the refrigerator, so you can get several meals out of one batch. But, if this is still too much for you and your family, you can cut the recipe in half.

Cinnamon Syrup
2 cups raw sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups water

Stir together the raw sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue to boil and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 3 cups of syrup.

This recipe was adapted from this one found on allrecipes.com

Frugal Tip: The dry ingredients for this Cinnamon Syrup can be mixed up ahead of time and packaged in a pretty jar to be given as a frugal gift.

Chocolate Pudding

One afternoon this week, I served warm chocolate pudding as an afternoon snack. This recipe is a great alternative to boxed cook 'n serving pudding that you can buy at the grocery store. It is so simple, and tastes decadent, especially when it is served warm. Sometimes, we will even add some peanut butter to it for a peanut butter cup taste. What I like about this recipe is that it can be made in large quantities and stored in the pantry for months for an instant chocolate fix whenever I please!


Make Ahead Chocolate Pudding
For 1 cup mix:
½ cup raw sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
3 tbsp. flour
Dash salt

Stir with all ingredients together with a wire whisk. Use immediately, or pour into container and seal. Store in a cool, dry place for 3-4 months.

To prepare one batch (4 servings):
1 cup mix
2 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. butter

To Prepare in Microwave - Place one cup of mix in a large microwave safe bowl. Measure two cups of milk. Add small amount of milk to mix. Whisk until incorporated. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Whisk. Return to microwave and cook on high at 1 minute intervals until shiny and thick. Add vanilla and butter. Whisk until butter is melted. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to avoid forming a skin. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

To Prepare on top of the Stove – Place one cup of mix in a saucepan. Add 2 cups of milk and whisk until incorporated. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Whisk until butter is melted. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to avoid forming a skin. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

To Use as a Pie Filling – Prepare pudding using either of the above methods. Before covering with plastic wrap, pour pudding into prepared pie shell (baked and cooled pastry shell or graham cracker crust). Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to avoid forming a skin. Refrigerate until chilled. Top with whipped cream and garnish with grated chocolate.

Variation: Add ¼ cup peanut butter with butter and vanilla.

Note: The dry ingredients for this recipe can be made up in large quantities and stored in a cool, dry place for 3-4 months.

Frugal Tip: This Chocolate Pudding Mix makes a great gift! Package it in a jar and add a bow and the cooking instructions. Simple and inexpensive!

Potato Soup

Several years ago, while we were living in Oklahoma, my mother in law came to visit for a week. However, because of the long drive, her sister joined her for the trip. I had only met her sister once or twice and didn’t really know what to expect. Well, her sister was just as lovely and full of life as my mother in law. She spoiled our kids as if they were her own grandkids. And, the three of us “girls” stayed up late giggling and talking like teenagers. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Before she left, Aunt K insisted on making us dinner. We went to the store, picked up the ingredients, and started cooking. This was her signature dish, Potato Soup. I had never been successful with Potato Soup before, so I was anxious to find out what made it so special. The secret ingredient was cream cheese and the soup was just the thing to warm us up on a windy Oklahoma day.

Note: Aunt K peeled her potatoes, however I leave on the peel to save time and to retain the nutrients. You can do whatever your family likes best.

Potato Soup

4-5 medium sized potatoes

3 cups milk

4 oz. cream cheese

2 Tablespoons butter

1 ½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Grated cheddar cheese for topping

Thoroughly scrub potatoes. Cut into cubes and place in a soup pot. Cover with water and boil until tender. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Mash potatoes and add milk, cream cheese, butter, salt and pepper. Simmer on low to medium heat until heated through and thickened. Serve with grated cheese.

Chocolate Syrup

About ten years ago, my husband’s great aunt and uncle drove half way across the United States for a visit. We laughed, and talked, and did some sightseeing. But, most importantly we ate. His aunt is a great cook and we always enjoy swapping recipes, sharing cookbooks, and tasting each other’s creations. One evening, I served ice cream for dessert with Chocolate Syrup. Uncle said to me, “You would have been a great frontier’s woman!” We laughed so hard we couldn’t catch our breath; and so long that our sides hurt. It has since been a long standing joke when referring to recipes that are made from scratch.

This syrup can be used as a topping for ice cream, to make chocolate milk, or to make hot cocoa made with milk.

Chocolate Syrup

1 ½ cups raw sugar

¾ cups cocoa

Dash salt

1 cup hot water

2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan, stir together raw sugar, cocoa, and salt. Add water and whisk to dissolve. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture boils. Boil and whisk for three minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Cool and pour into a jar and refrigerate. Yield: 2 cups.

Frugal Tip: Save an old dishwashing liquid bottle for your Chocolate Syrup. It keeps the kids from making such a mess when they stir up their own chocolate milk.

This recipe is not original to me; however, I am not sure where it came from I have had it so long.

Basic Muffins

About ten years ago, I developed a muffin obsession. We were moving from Texas to Maryland for my husband’s job, and the day we flew out, a good friend brought us some bakery muffins. One of them was orange flavored. It was tender and sweet, moist and delicious. I fell in love. After that, I was on a mission to find a good muffin recipe. I experimented with recipes until I found something that was easy and versatile. Since then, I have lowered the sugar in the recipe and substituted white whole wheat flour for the all purpose white flour to make the muffins healthier. Our favorite variation, by far, is what we call Mandarin Muffins made by mixing in one can of drained mandarin oranges.

The muffins pictured above are made with one banana and ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips. Sometimes, when I do not have any fruit on hand, I will stir in a teaspoon or two of cinnamon.

Basic Muffins

¼ cup melted butter

½ cup raw or white sugar

¾ cup milk

1 egg

1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup of fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips 

In a mixing bowl melt butter in microwave. Add sugar, milk and egg. Stir to combine. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Stir just until moistened. Add fruit. Bake in greased muffin pan at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Yield: 12 muffins

Blueberries, mandarin oranges, peaches, dried cranberries, mashed bananas, walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, and cinnamon all taste good in these muffins. Enjoy!

Frugal Tip: When you have bananas that are getting too dark to eat, use one or two in this Muffin Recipe. Or, put them in a plastic bag, with the skin still on, and place them in the freezer for the future. Then, thaw before using in any baked good recipe calling for bananas.

Teriyaki Chicken

On our first Valentine’s Day, before we were married, my husband cooked a roast along with vegetables in the slow cooker for me. He covered the table with a tablecloth, he lit candles, and he even borrowed a platter to serve the food on. It was lovely, and I was impressed!

I had never used a slow cooker before and had no idea the kind of magic it could create with little effort. We have now been married 16 years, and we have used and abused our slow cookers over the years. I say slow cookers, plural, because we have literally used three of them to death! The biggest reason for my slow cooker love is that I can put together a meal early in the day, and know that it will be hot and ready at dinner time.

This recipe for Teriyaki Chicken is cooked in the slow cooker, and it can be made up the day before and refrigerated or stored in the freezer for the future. The sauce is homemade and inexpensive with ingredients that are always in my pantry. And, it works with all cuts of chicken; legs, thighs, or breasts.

Teriyaki Chicken

2 lbs. chicken (legs, thighs, or breasts)

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup raw sugar

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

½ tsp. ground ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

For Immediate Use: Place chicken in slow cooker. Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.

For Future Use: Label a gallon size zippy bag “Teriyaki Chicken.” Add Chicken to the bag. Then, measure the remaining ingredients to bag. Seal and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

To use, defrost in refrigerator overnight (if frozen). Pour into slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Frugal Tip: When you grocery shop early in the day, often times you can get chicken (or other meats) that have been “reduced for quick sale.” When you find a good deal, stock up!

Homemade Granola

Once a month, I teach a class in my home called Investment Cooking.  We work together to cook, assemble, and freeze meals and homemade convenience mixes to use in the future. I love this type of cooking because it allows me to provide high quality, healthy meals for my family while saving time and stress at dinner time. This is one of the recipes that I will be demonstrating this month. We have been eating it for almost 15 years. And, it has changed and evolved over time to be healthier and more frugal.

Although the recipe does not call for nuts, seeds, dried fruits, or coconut all of these can be added easily to the mix. Just stir in whatever flavors you are craving just before baking and experiment to find out what combinations that you like best. I make it plain, and then we can all add all of the extras when it is served. Sometimes we eat it as a cold cereal or as a topping on plain yogurt.

Granola

1 cup raw sugar

10 tbsp. butter

2/3 cup raw honey

10 cups oats (quick or old fashioned)

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 pinches of salt

Measure the sugar, butter, and honey into a saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Combine dry ingredients in a roasting pan (or in 2 9x13 pans). Pour sugar mixture over dry mixture in small amounts stirring well after each addition.

Bake at 375˚ for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Return to oven for an additional 6 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Let cool in pan for several hours, stirring occasionally to break up the granola (otherwise it will become a big hard lump!). Once completely cool, store he granola in an airtight container. It will keep for at least 2 weeks.  Yield: 13 cups

Frugal Tip: If your family is used to eating cold cereal on a regular basis for breakfast, this Granola recipe is a great replacement. It is simple and quick to make and you can relax knowing that you are serving your loved ones “real” food for breakfast. And, in comparison to store bought granola, you will be saving lots of money too!

Biscuit Thursday

Life as foreigners can be lots of fun; however, it can also be very intimidating. So, while living in Germany, I taught a class called Cooking with Confidence. Once a month, I would meet a group of American ladies at a German Market (grocery store), and do a little shopping. We would then return to my home to put together a couple of recipes. The goal of the class was to teach people how to use the local currency, to demonstrate the procedure for shopping at a German Market, and to help people learn how to use local ingredients.

The following recipe for Easy Cream Biscuits is one of the recipes that I taught at my very first Cooking with Confidence class. The ingredients were easy for me to find and translate into English, so they were a good place to start. From this, Biscuit Thursday evolved. Because I had to be up super early on Thursday mornings, I always had time to make these for breakfast. (My oven took 25 minutes to heat up to 425˚, so I had to plan accordingly!) This was the beginning of regular homemade breakfast food for our family. Today, in honor of Biscuit Thursday, we ate these biscuits and topped them with homemade Blueberry Fruit Spread.

Easy Cream Biscuits

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 ½ cups heavy cream

Stir together all ingredients. Drop onto baking pan with medium scoop, about ½ an inch apart. Flatten slightly. Bake at 425˚ for 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately. Yield: 24 biscuits.

For a sweeter biscuit, add 2 Tablespoons raw sugar.

Note: While living in Germany, I could not get white whole wheat flour. We used half white flour and half red whole wheat flour instead.

This recipe is not original to me and many variations of it can be found all over the internet and in numerous cookbooks.

Italian Seasoning Mix

I feel like the dinner hour is the most stressful time of my day. So, I love shortcuts in the kitchen that allow me to get dinner on the table quickly without sacrificing quality. This seasoning mix is simple and versatile. We use it in pizza sauce, pasta sauce, and for salad dressing. It comes together in seconds and stores well for a long time. Although it does not produce a “fresh” sauce, it is flavorful and allows me to stay away from pre-packaged sauces and mixes.

Italian Seasoning Mix

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. raw sugar

2 tbsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tbsp. dried parsley

¼ tsp. celery salt

1 tbsp. salt

Measure all ingredients into a jar. Cover tightly with lid and shake to combine.

To use:

For pizza sauce – Add 1 tbsp. mix to 1 cup of tomato sauce. Stir to combine. This will cover a 15” pizza.

For pasta sauce – Add ¼ cup mix to a 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes. Heat thoroughly and serve over pasta. This can be used in place of a jar of your favorite pasta sauce.

For salad dressing – Add 2 tbsp. mix to 2/3 cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of vinegar (white or balsamic), and 2 tbsp. water. Whisk to combine and serve with your favorite salad.

Adapted from this recipe. 

Frugal Tip: Make up Italian Seasoning Mix in bulk and package into small glass jars to give as Hostess gifts or to use as stocking stuffers.

Fall Fun

Last night, we took the kids to our church for a community Fall Fest. We ate hot dogs, chili, nachos, cotton candy, and snow cones. The kids played games of all kinds, bounced in a moon bounce, tried to plunge a freezing teenager in a dunk tank, and “fished” for prizes. We carried home a huge bag of candy and a dozen cupcakes that the kids won in a cake walk game.

When we got home, we emptied the loot onto the kitchen table and headed out for round two. We socialized with the neighbors, looked at all of the festive decorations, and collected more candy. When we got home, it was way past bed time. So, we allowed the kids to have one piece of candy and sent them off to brush their teeth and climb into bed.

Today, I feel like I to need pump everyone up with a more nutritious dinner than what we had yesterday; and compensate for all of the treats that we have received. On the menu today is slow cooker pot roast (thank you HEB for your roast beef sale this week!), roasted vegetables, and our favorite Mandarin Almond Salad.

Roasted Vegetables

3 potatoes

4 carrots

2-4 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Rosemary (fresh or dried)

Wash potatoes thoroughly. Cut up into one inch cubes. Peel the carrots and slice into one inch pieces. Place in a 9x13 pan. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to combine. Add salt, pepper, and rosemary to taste. Bake in a 475˚ oven for 35-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and browned.

Variation: Other vegetables can be added to or substituted in this recipe easily. Try using sweet potatoes, onions, and/or squash.

Frugal Tip: Pay close attention to your grocer’s sale flyers. When you find a good sale on meat, be sure to stock up! Then, plan your meals accordingly.