The Good Green Beans

This is a simple recipe that I like to make for Holiday dinners or when we have company. We like them so much that we now call them “The Good Green Beans.” They can be made up in advance, or be transferred to a slow cooker to keep warm when you need your stove top free for other things. I have even frozen the leftovers with good results. What I like best about these Green Beans is that they go together in just a few minutes and they are super frugal!

The Good Green Beans

1 onion, chopped

½ lb. bacon, chopped

2 lbs. green beans (fresh, frozen, or canned)

3 cups chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté the onion and bacon in a large pot. When thoroughly cooked, add green beans and chicken broth. Simmer until green beans are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Frugal Tip: Stockpile frozen veggies when they go on sale. This way you will always have a healthy side dish on hand.

This post has been linked to Frugal Tuesday Tip.

Pancakes

Our oven is broken. It has been broken since Thursday; and, I am not exactly sure when it will be fixed. So, we are temporarily restricted from our typical breakfast menu (Biscuits, Muffins, Applesauce Cake, etc.).  However, Pancakes, Oatmeal, and Waffles are still good options, so breakfast will not have to revert to cold cereal and pop tarts. 

I have been making this recipe for as long as we have been married, 17 years. Sometimes I add an overripe banana, or a teaspoon of cinnamon to the recipe. When my husband makes them, he always adds a few chocolate chips to each pancake after he pours the batter onto the griddle. My favorite is blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup. However, we mostly top our pancakes with my homemade Cinnamon Syrup.  The dry ingredients can be measured out the night before, if you like; and, the recipe can be easily multiplied if necessary.  (I typically make a double batch.)

Pancakes

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp. raw sugar (or white sugar)

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp. melted butter

Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add egg, milk, and melted butter. Stir just until combined.  Pour batter onto hot buttered griddle and cook until bubbles on top pop (about 3-4 minutes). Flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Serve hot with butter and syrup. Yield 12-16 pancakes.

This post has been linked to Mop It Up Mondays.

Finding Betty Crocker

We had some good finds at the library this week. The kids listened to an Audio CD of Pippi Longstocking  written by Astrid Lindgren. They absolutely adored Pippi, just as I did as a child. I read It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff written by Peter Walsh and Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America's First Lady of Food written by Susan Marks.

This is a book detailing the history of Betty Crocker. Although Betty Crocker was not an actual person, many have thought of her as such. Her cookbooks, radio programs, and “personal” correspondence led American women to believe that she was the quintessential homemaker. In her early years, she offered wisdom and encouragement; and, in her later years she offered quick and easy baking solutions with the advent of convenience mixes. Thousands made the trek to visit the Betty Crocker test kitchens only to find that there was no “Betty.” Nonetheless, Betty Crocker has become a beloved household name; which is a triumph for brand recognition and creative marketing.

As a lover of both history and cooking, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I especially appreciated the war time wisdom that Betty gave to help feed families for less: something that we can all benefit from now, many decades later.  Having spent many years working in sales, I also was amazed by the marketing genius behind the Betty Crocker name.  And, the recipes included were the icing on the cake. So, if you enjoy reading about cooking nostalgia, this would be a good read for you.

To learn more about this weekly reading report, click on the tab above.

Cole Slaw With A Twist

Do you ever get into a rut with your cooking? I sure do. And, as a matter of fact, I am in a rut right now. Last night I just didn’t want to fix the Cole Slaw that I usually make. I have made it more that I care to admit lately because it is quick and easy. So, I glanced in my pantry to see if I had some crushed pineapple to add to it, but sadly I did not. However, I did spy a can of green chilies. I thought it over for about 3 seconds and dumped the whole can into my Cole Slaw.  It was just the twist we needed to jazz up the tired old Cole Slaw.

Green Chili Cole Slaw

7-8 cups shredded cabbage (or 16oz. pkg. bagged cole slaw mix)

1 carrot, grated (optional)

4oz. can diced green chilies

½ cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. raw sugar

2 Tbsp. white vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

¼ cup milk

In a large bowl, add all ingredients and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Stir and serve.

This post has been linked to Try New Adventures Thursday.

Fascinating Find - Ranch Mashed Potatoes

I finally got around to testing out the Ranch Mashed Potato recipe that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. I found the recipe on Amber’s blog called The Pless Press. They were simple to make with frugal ingredients and they tasted delicious! I didn’t bother to peel my potatoes, and I used my You Can Make That Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix. Otherwise, I followed the recipe and we gobbled them up. I would imagine that these could easily be made up ahead of time and reheated later just like my recipe for Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes. These will definitely be on my table again and again. Thank you for sharing your recipe Amber!

Be sure to check out Amber’s blog for more recipes, crafting ideas, and uplifting stories.

Website: The Pless Press

Recipe Link: Ranch Mashed Potatoes

Oatmeal Cookie Pie

This is just a fancy name for Baked Oatmeal. And, as you know, sometimes a name makes all the difference in the world to children when they are grumpy in the morning. Oatmeal Cookie Pie is incredibly versatile: it can be made up and baked immediately; refrigerated overnight before baking; or frozen, thawed and baked later. You could also add nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips. Or, substitute cooked pumpkin for the applesauce.

Oatmeal Cookie Pie

Oatmeal Filling:

½ cup applesauce

½ cup raw sugar (or white sugar)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cinnamon

3 cups old fashioned oats

Stir together all ingredients and pour into a greased pie pan.

Topping:

½ tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. raw sugar (or brown sugar)

Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over oatmeal filling. Cover, and refrigerate overnight, if desired. Place pie in a cold oven, turn the heat to 350˚ and bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot, with additional toppings, if desired (ie. milk, cream, maple syrup, cinnamon syrup, etc.).

Frugal Tip: If you are trying to get away from packaged breakfast foods, this recipe is a great place to start.

This post has been linked to Frugal Tuesday Tip.

Lemon Bars

Last week, we got the chance to visit with a dear friend that we hadn’t seen for a few years. We had a lovely time reminiscing about old times and talking over future plans. We are truly grateful for such a sincere friendship that has stood the test of time and distance. Genuine friendship is a gift from God and we were blessed by our time together.

For dinner that night, we had a simple menu: Chicken Caesar Salad, Artisan Bread, and Lemon Bars for dessert. This is one of those recipes that is NOT low fat, low sugar, or low calorie. But, dessert is not supposed to be health food, right?

Lemon Bars

Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened

Stir together all three ingredients and press into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350˚ for 20 minutes, or until slightly golden.

Filling:
2 cups white sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
4 eggs
6 Tbsp. lemon juice

Whisk together all ingredients and pour over crust. Return to oven and bake at 325˚ for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

This post has been linked to Mop It Up Mondays.