Birds Nest Eggs

Looking for something Easter themed for breakfast today? Got extra eggs from all the Easter sales? How about some Birds Nest Eggs...what your gonna need is a large cupcake pan, break, bacon, eggs, small amount of melted butter, shreaded chedder cheese (optional) and salt/pepper to taste.

Here is how to make them -

1. Preheat overn to 375 degrees.
2. Use melted butter to coat inside of muffin cups.
3. While oven is heating, cook bacon (leave it a bit undercooked so it stays flexible). Remove bacon and pat with paper towels to absorb extra greese off.
4. Remove bread crust and then use a rolling pin (or large glass) to flatten bread. Use flattend bread to form "nest" inside the cupcake cups.
5. Inside "nest" you will now add your bacon, folding if necessary. I've seen people leave the ends hanging over, or simply like it in a circle...whatever floats you boat is fine.
6. Crack one egg into each cup, salting and peppering if desired.
7. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top if desired.
8. Bake for ~25 minutes, or until egg is cooked to your desired level.

Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with a side of fresh fruit and a glass of milk for a complete breakfast.

Semi-homemade Sticky Buns

Instead of spending $5 per roll at a gourmet shop, consider making this semi-homemade version at home. I serve mine with a side of fruit and a large glass of milk for breakfast on the weekend.

What you need:
1 bag frozen cinnamon rolls (I use Rhodes brand)
1 stick butter
1 C brown sugar
1 C diced pecans
Plastic wrap
Cooking spray

How to:
Melt butter in a microwave safe dish. Then dip in brush and uses a scant amount of the butter to coat the inside of a standard 9X12 cake pan. Take the remaining butter and mix in the brown sugar, stir until well mixed. Pour mixture into the bottom of the pan. Now sprinkle the diced pecans over the top (you may adjust this as per your preferences), do not mix. Take the frozen cinnamon rolls and place them on top of the nuts/sugar/butter layer. I can fit 6-8 in my pan and have enough room....but no more. Take a piece of plastic wrap and spray 1 side with pam. Place the sprayed side towards the rolls (not on them) to cover the pan. This will keep the rolls from sticking to the wrap as they rise overnight. Place pan on stovetop under the light (or another warm area of the kitchen) and allow them to rise while you sleep. When you wake, bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Once baked, turn them over to serve (I tend to use my pan lid, then a spatula to move them to a nicer plate).

As for what to do with the remaining rolls and frosting....why not make a second pan of just regular rolls for those who don't like nuts.

Using minute steak

When budgets are tight, minute steak (aka cube steak) is one of the least expensive cuts of beef you can buy at most markets. The problem with lesser expensive cuts of meat such as this, is that they tend to be overly chewey. Not to worry, just choose a recipe that has a long cooking time on lower heat, such as a crock pot, to cook it in. Here is one recipe you can try.

Meat:
Family pack of minute steak

Gravy mixture:
2 cans Campbells cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup
3/4 C Water

Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray (like Pam) and put 1/2 of the package of meat, then small amount gravy, then the remaining meat, and cover with the rest of the gravy mixture. Throw it in the crock on low and allow it to cook all day. Serve with a side salad and some veggies to round out the meal.

If using store brand soups, they tend to have more sodium, so simply opt to make one of them the low-sodium version.

Frugal Eats - Ranch Chicken

I love when I find recipes that primarily come from my stockpile. By having a stockpile, I can purchase ingredients when they are at rock bottom prices, and saving on my grocery budget. Here is one of those recipes.

8 oz dry pasta
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 1/2 Tbsp ranch powder
3 C milk (yes, you can use milk made from powder)
1 C cheddar cheese (I used shredded out of my freezer)
2.8oz jar real bacon bits
2 10oz cans of chicken (drained)
pepper to taste (I twist my grinder twice)

1. Boil pasta till al'dente, drain and place in bowl large enough to later toss with sauce.
2. In large sauce pan, melt butter. Add flour and wisk into a rue. Slowly wisk in milk and simmer until thickened, stirring constantly.
3. Add ranch powder and pepper to milk and stir. Then add cheese and stir until melted. Next add in bacon, then chicken and stir.
4. Pour sauce over pasta and toss.

Serve hot with a veggie (my kids prefer brussel sprouts, but then again...they were raised by a foodie mom).

Baked Oatmeal

As we near the Christmas, we need to take a moment to remember whats important about the holiday....saying our blessings and enjoying our friends and family. With that said, make ahead meals are priceless for the holidays. Here is yet another make ahead meal that would be a great recipe to make the night before then throw in and cook while you enjoy family time and open your gifts. This recipe is a version of what I found on Safely Gathered In (thanks for the pic).

4 C milk (I mix up powdered milk for this)
1/3 C brown sugar
2 2/3 C uncooked oatmeal
2 T olive oil
1 T cinnamon
2 cups dried fruit (I like apples and crasins)
dash salt

Mix together in a casserole dish, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning add 1/2 C nuts (like almonds or walnuts) and bake for and hour, stirring once when half way done.

Budget gift idea - cookie plates

If you are looking for a last minute gift idea for teacher, neighbors, postal carriers, hair dressers etc, why not bake a huge batch of cookies and put them on a holiday themed plate. You can often find a set of 4 desert plates for the same price as 4 disposable trays from the bargain bin...making your gift look ooooh so much nicer. Put the cookies on the plate and insert into a cookie sack (typically found at craft stores or discount retailers costing $1 for 2-6 bags), then tie off the top of the bag with a matching ribbon. Food is a gift that you never need to know what size or color they like, only that they can eat them, making it a one size fit all gift.

Naughty or Nice?

If you know someone who's been a bit naughty, heres a cute receip for edible coal by Red Couch Recipes.

Just make your recipe for Rice Krispies and add some black food coloring and roll into "Coal Balls."  They used Cocoa Pebbles, the need for so much black food coloring.

3 tablespoons butter (yes, real butter)

40 large (10-ounce bag) marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows

5 cups Rice Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles

Black Food Coloring

Prepare buttered 13 x 9 pan and set aside.  In a large sauce pan, melt the butter, then add the marshmallows, stirring until they are melted and incorporated into the butter.  Add Rice Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles to the marshmallow mixture and mix well with a long handled spoon.  Add small amount of black food coloring, then mix well.  Add more if needed.  Put Rice Krispie mixture into pan and allow to cool.  Put buttered baggies on your hands to avoid staining and form into balls.

Powdered milk whipped topping

If you've ever gone to your fridge/freezer thinking you had a tub of cool whip only to find out its gone, this is a recipe you need to print off and stash for "one of those days". Safely Gathered has found a recipe off the back of her powdered milk box for making whipped topping using nothing more than powdered milk, water, vanilla and sugar (her pic is below)...all of which you likely will have on hand during baking season. Click here to see the full recipe and step by step instructions.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Oh, how I love to take advantage of seasonal fruits and veggies. Making my own baked pumpkin to freeze and cook with over the winter is no exception. Here is a recipe for the fall that can easily transfer into winter for a change of pace breakfast selection, Pumpkin Pie French Toast.

• About 14 slices whole wheat sandwich bread
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• Butter and syrup

In a bowl add milk, eggs, pumpkin, spices, and mix until smooth. Dip bread into mixture and cook on skillet as you normally would french toast. Serve with butter and syrup.

Thanks $5 dinners for the great recipe and pic!

Ruben Dogs

Looking for a different way to cook up those stockpile hot dogs from summer? How about making Ruben dogs? All you need is some crescent rolls, a can of sauerkraut with caraway seeds, thousand island dressing, Swiss cheese shreds, and all beef hot dogs. Here is how you do it:

• Open and drain hot dogs, pat dry & set aside.
• Open crescent rolls and pull apart, place rolls on baking sheet. One the wide portion of each roll, put a small dollop of dressing, top with Swiss cheese, next a small portion of drained sauerkraut and lastly the hot dog and roll it up. Continue to repeat process until all rolls have been made.

Bake in oven uncovered at 375 degrees for 15minutes or until golden brown. Best served the day made and with spicy brown mustard.

Pic pulled from Pray Cook Blog

Frugal Eats - Applesauce cake

When apples are in season, its always a great opportunity to make some homemade applesauce for winter. Here is one recipe that is great for fall entertaining using some of that budget friendly applesauce. Safely Gathered has taken the time to tweek this recipe so that it came be made from your stockpile (yipee!). All you need is applesauce, sugar, shortening, molasses, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves & raisins. I think this would be delish with a simply powder sugar shake over each piece and a dolup of whipped cream on top. Click here to see the full recipe and step by step instructions on how to make it.

Pic pulled from pickyourown.org

Pumpkin Smoothie

When canned pumpking goes on sale, here is just one more reason to pick up a few extra cans...pumpkin smoothies for breakfast.

1/2 banana (peeled, frozen, diced)
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree 
1/3 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1cup milk (can sub with plain or vanilla soy milk)
Few shakes of pumpkin spice
Few shakes of cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla
5 ice cubes

Throw all ingredients into blender and blend on high until it becomes the consistancy of a "julius" drink. Enjoy right away.

Frugal eats - Crusty Bread

3 cups unbleached AP flour (do not reccomend subing specialty flours in this recipe)

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

Flour for dusting

3 quart or larger cast iron pan with lid (or similar use pan such as "stone" or "clay")

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a "shaggy" mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours (overnight). Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees with a cast iron pot/lid inside.  Continue to heat the pan/lid for 30 minutes. While the pot is heating, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap until pot is ready. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

You can make this bread as above for plain crusty bread, or stir in ingredients (at the start) to change it up such as dried spices, citrus zest, diced nuts, dried berries etc. We like to add 1 Tbsp of vanilla (put in measuring cup before adding water so that it counts as part of your liquid), 1 Tbsp cinnamon and dried raisins to ours and enjoy for breakfast toasted and then slathered with peanut butter.

Basic recipe and pic pulled from Simply So Good and tweeked for my taste.

Frugal eats - Sweet Chick Peas

Chick peas only run about $.50 per can and the olive oil & spices you likely have on hand, so the bulk of the expense for this recipe is the fuel/electricity to bake them...how frugal is that - pow! Keep in mind that this is a high protein snack, so its great to serve if you have a vegetarian coming over, or a kid who doesn't like meat.

Open a can of chick peas into a strainer. Rinse and shake to remove excess moisture. Put peas onto a baking sheet lined with parcement paper and bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes (uncovered).
While the chick peas are cooking, this is a great time to mix up the seasoning mix:

• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Once the chick peas are done baking, remove and put them into a large bowl. Drizzle with ~ 2 tsp olive oil and then sprinkle with seasoning mix. Stir to ensure all peas get coated. Allow to cool and serve. Best eated on day prepared.

Pic pulled from Goya.com

DIY homemade applesauce

Owl Haven has a uber easy recipe for making homemade applesauce. Right now apples are in season, making this a delish idea to feed your family on a budget. Applesauce is great alone, but also over the top of french toast/pancakes sprinkled with some cinnamon and sugar for breakfast. If your not into canning, you can also freeze applesauce for later use.

Pic pulled from Gluten Free Heaven



Egg substitues

Ever gone to make a recipe and not have enough eggs, or tried cooking for someone with an egg allergy? Rather than use the time & fuel to run to the store...click here for some egg substitues options. Below I have given you just a few items on the list. The full list is on Chef In You's webpage.

• Pureed fruits (banannas, applesauce, pumpkin)
• Silken tofu
• Yogurt
• Flax seeds
• Vegetable oil
• Buttermilk
• Soda pop
• Mashed potatoes
• Tomato paste
• Cooked oatmeal

Pic pulled from Chef In You webpage

DIY grape jelly

As we start into the school year, many of us are packing the kids lunches. Some pack to help control cost, while other pack to ensure their kids eat a balanced diet. No matter why you pack, peanut butter sandwiches are normally on the menu. What better to put on that sandwich but grape jelly. Here is a video from Owlhaven showing you how to make your own canned grape jelly from grape juice concentrate for a fraction of what it would cost you in the store.

Pic pulled from whatscookingamerica.net

Mock Panera Broccoli & Cheese soup

Soup and Sandwiches or Salad are alway a big hit with me when it comes time for supper on a school night, so when I saw this recipe, I thought it was worth sharing. Making your own soup at home is way cheaper than taking the family to Panera!

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half ( or skim milk)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 pound fresh broccoli ( florets only)
• 1 cup carrots, julienne
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Saute onions in a little butter in a small pan – set aside.
2. In a large stockpot ( I accidentally used a medium-size pan) – melt butter. Add flour and mix for 3 minutes.
3. Slowly add half- half – mixing the entire time.
4. Slowly add chicken stock- mixing the entire time.
5. Let simmer on low for 20 minutes.
6. Add broccoli, carrots; onions and cook on low for 25 minutes.
7. Season with salt, pepper; nutmeg.
8. Place soup in a blender or use an immersion blender and puree.
9. Heat soup over low heat and add cheese and mix till melted.
10. Serve

Thanks Budget Savvy Diva for the recipe and pic!

Frugal Eats - Apple cider pancakes

Breakfast for supper is always an inexpensive way to feed a family, here is a recipe perfect for apple season to help you mix it up a bit thanks to $5 Dinners.

2 1/4 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp apple pie spice

1 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup oil (you could use applesauce, but you’ll need to spray the griddle well)

2/3 cup milk 

2/3 cup cider

1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt.
Stir in the egg, oil, milk and cider until smooth. Fold in the finely chopped apple.
Make pancakes on hot greased griddle. Serve with maple syrup.

 

DIY - Apple pie spice

Most of us only use pumpkin pie spice a few times a year making our jar last what seems like forever. But....spices dont last more than a few years before they need replaced. Instead of buy a new jar of spices this year, why not check your pantry to see if you already have what you ened to make your own, saving your the extra expense (and waste). Here is a receip for DIY pumpkin pie spice created by $5 Dollar Dinners.

Yield – almost 3 Tablespoons
Preparation Time – 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• Dash of cardamom (optional)

Directions

• Place all ingredients in small, sealable container and mix together. Use as directed in recipes that call for apple pie spice.
• Store in a dry place, up to 6 months.

Thanks go out to $5 Dinners for use of your recipe and pic!