Baked Irish Apple Cabbage
I remember my mother adding an apple when she was cooking red cabbage. The sweetness added some nice balance to the meal. When I first came across this traditional Irish recipe, I was reminded of my mom’s German cooking. This baked cabbage was an instant hit at our house. It makes for a great side dish during the colder months.
- 1 head of cabbage, chopped
- 2 C apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1/3 C sugar
- 1 C bread crumbs
- 6 T butter, melted
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Boil your chopped cabbage in water for about 4 minutes. Drain it and set it aside.
Spray a 2 qt. casserole dish with a non stick cooking spray.
Layer half of the cabbage into the prepared casserole dish. Layer half of the apple slices over the top of the cabbage. Sprinkle half the sugar over the top of those 2 layers. Spread half of the bread crumbs over that.
Repeat the layers again ending with the last of the bread crumbs. Pour the melted butter over the top of the entire casserole. Cover tightly and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the cover and continue baking an additional 15 minutes or until heated through.
On St. Patrick’s Day Everyone Can Be Irish
St. Patrick’s Day gives us all an excuse to have some fun and eat delicious comfort foods.
Just thinking about corned beef, cabbage & soda bread give me goose bumps. Those classic Irish dishes are among some of my favorite but it’s fun when you can find new recipes that make your tummy happy.
Since St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner I thought it would be nice to put together some recipes and crafts and create a kindle ebook to celebrate.
You’ll find delicious Irish food along with a bunch of crafts that your family will enjoy creating together.
And remember, with all Kindle ebooks, you don’t need a Kindle to download them. Amazon makes it easy to put right on your computer, laptop, or other e-reader or device. And the price is right, too!
http://www.amazon.com/St-Patricks-Everyone-Irish-ebook/dp/B00BS9LGJG
Salt and Vinegar Kale Chips – Video Recipe
So you’ve bought a big bag of Kale and now what? You’ve added it to your favorite smoothie and enjoyed it as a yummy avocado and kale salad, but there’s still half a bag or more leftover. Whatcha gonna do? Make kale chips of course. I shared my favorite recipe with you a few days ago. It was a simple version seasoned with just a little salt.
I’m about to bake up another batch of these yummy chips and did a little research into different seasonings. I came across this video on making salt and vinegar kale chips. I love this particular flavor combination in my regular chips so I had to give it a try. My kale bites are sitting on the counter right now. They’ve been drizzled in vinegar and I’m waiting for it to dry (as per the recipe below) before I move on to the next step in the recipe. Yes, it takes a little more time, but I’m sure it will be well worth it.
What’s your favorite seasoning or flavor combination for kale chips?
Kale and Avocado Salad With Cucumber
One of my favorite new vegetables is Kale. It’s awesome in soups and stews, sauteed like any other green and I’ve even added it to my smoothies in the morning. You can also make some great healthy Kale chips.
Kale is often found either sold by the bunch or in a large bag (washed and cut into bite-sized pieces). I have bought both types and usually go with whichever kind ends up being cheaper.
Kale is considered a superfood. It is low in calories and full of fiber, iron, calcium and Vitamins K, A and C. In other words, it’s just smart to eat … especially since it’s very affordable. One of my favorite side dishes is a simple Kale salad made with Avocado and lemon juice as the dressing. It’s healthy and fills you up. From here, you can add any other veggies you like. I almost always add chopped cucumber, but bell peppers, tomatoes etc are great additions as well.
- 2 cups of kale
- 1 ripe avocado
- ½ lemon
- Salt
- ½ cucumber
- 1 yellow bell pepper (optional)
- Wash your kale and cut it into bite-sized chunks. You can also used the pre-prepped kind that comes in a large bag at the grocery store. Put the Kale into a medium-sized bowl.
- Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and cut it into small chunks. Put them into the bowl on top of kale.
- Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the bowl as well. Add some salt to taste.
- Use your hands to mash the avocado up and mash it into the kale leaves. Kale leaves are sturdy, so don’t be afraid to mash it up like meatloaf.
- Cut the cucumber and bell pepper (along with any other raw veggies you like) into small chunks and stir them into your kale salad. Serve immediately.
Kale Chips – Healthy Delicious And Frugal Snack
I never thought I would want to try making Kale Chips. It just seemed like such an odd recipe. But, not only did I try them, I liked them, and now I am hooked on them!
A while back, I started seeing recipes start popping up all over the place for Kale Chips. Since I cook kale quite often in soups, stews, or even just sauteed in a skillet as a side dish, I finally thought, “Why not?” So, I gave Kale Chips a try and now they are one of our favorite snacks; and not just me, but my husband and daughter have grown quite fond of them, as well.
The nutritional value is tremendous, which makes this recipe appealing right from the start. But, add in how cheap kale is and I just can’t see a reason NOT to make this snack.
And the best news is they taste great! With just a bit of natural tartness, they don’t need much more flavoring. I just sprinkle on a bit of kosher salt after they come out of the oven. Of course, a light sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese is nice, too.
I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. It took me a while to convince myself that the recipe would work and that it would taste good. Now I make Kale Chips several times a week and they never last long enough even to cool off! Enjoy!
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- kosher salt
- optional: other seasonings such as grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or herbs
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees* and get out a large baking sheet. (*Oven temperatures vary. Be sure to watch your first batch carefully, and then adjust temperature according to your oven.)
- Wash the kale.
- Cut the leafy part of the kale off of the stems; discard the stems.
- Cut the kale into pieces about the size of a quarter. Try to keep all the pieces as close to the same size as possible.
- This part is very important – thoroughly dry the kale. Use a salad spinner if you have one. If not, dry with paper towels or with the ‘swinging towel’ method where you bundle the kale inside a clean towel and swing the towel around in big circles.
- Place the dry kale in a big bowl, drizzle on the olive oil, and mix with your hands until the kale is coated. Don’t use too much olive oil or the kale will get soggy instead of crispy.
- Dump the kale onto the baking sheet and spread out into as much of a single layer as possible.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Then, using tongs, pick the kale up and flip it around and over as much as possible.
- Slide back into oven and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the kale starts to get dark in color and begins to crisp.
- Again using tongs, toss the kale around once more. They should be crispy enough to remove from the oven, but if not, you can let them bake for another 5 minutes, more or less.
- Remove the baking pan and toss them around again. The kale chips will actually get crispier once they are removed from the oven and you toss them around.
- Salt lightly, taste, and add more seasoning if desired.
- Serve as snacks or toppings for soups, stews, or casseroles. You can also mix in with quinoa, rice, or pasta dishes.
Once you get the process down, you’ll be making Kale Chips more and more often, and finding lots of ways to use them. But, like I said, they rarely last long enough to make it to another dish in our house. Truth be told, they rarely make it off the baking sheet!
Give these nutritious snacks a try and be sure to come back and comment below with your thoughts.
How To Peel Tomatoes
This post was shared with us from Living So Abundantly. I thought I would post it in the Articles section as well as the Frugal Tips section and the Recipe section so it would be easy to find.
Having been blessed with buckets and buckets of tomatoes this year, I embarked on a mission myself to find ways to use up tomatoes in assorted ways. What resulted was a little cookbook available on Kindle. You can click on and take a look right here: The Tomato Cookbook – Tomato Recipes From Soup To Grilled
On with the instructions for peeling tomatoes from LivingSoAbundantly.com.
Thank you,
Susanne
First, remove the top of the tomato with a paring knife.
Slice an “x” on the bottom of the tomato.
Immerse the tomato into boiling water with a slotted spoon for 3-5 seconds; remove.
Using the slotted spoon, immediately immerse the tomato into an ice bath; remove in 3-5 seconds.
Easily peel off the skin, and this is what you get. So easy!
Why would I want peeled tomatoes? Salsa, of course! You can also make homemade spaghetti sauce, too.
There are so many uses for peeled tomatoes.
What’s your favorite use?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
For pictures of the process, be sure to click on the link for the Living So Abundantly website.
Tomato Dumpling Stew
One of our readers was looking for a recipe for stewed tomatoes with dumplings. The following is the recipe a commenter suggested, but I tweaked it a little (major difference is reducing the sugar quite a bit.) You can also use fresh tomatoes, diced up with liquid from the tomatoes reserved. If you do, you may have to add a little water (or broth) to the stew to make up for the liquid that you would have from the canned tomatoes. If you have basil or oregano handy that would also be tasty.
Comment in the space below if you try this recipe and let us know what you think.
- 1 (14 oz size) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar, more or less to taste
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup biscuit baking mix*
- 3 Tbsp milk
- In a soup pot, put the diced tomatoes (along with all liquid in can), add the sugar, salt, black pepper, and butter, stir.
- Put on medium-high heat and bring mixture to a gentle boil, then turn down, cover, and simmer slowly for 15 minutes or until creamy and bubbling hot, stirring often.
- Prepare the dumplings in a separate bowl by mixing together the dry biscuit mix with milk until just combined – don’t over mix – the dough should be slightly lumpy.
- Uncover pot and divide the biscuit dough into 4 sections and drop onto the tomatoes. Cover pot and continue simmering slowly for 10 minutes – do not peek! Uncover and test dumplings for doneness by inserting a toothpick into a dumpling; it should come out clean.
- Spoon into 2 bowls, each bowl getting 2 dumplings.
*Can use prepackaged biscuit baking mix or you may want to make your own homemade biscuit mix.
Use Zucchini To Make Mock Apple Butter And Crisp
I wanted to share an email I got from a reader that has an amazing way to use up zucchini. Please read – I can’t wait to try it. Thank you, Roxanne, for sharing this great tip!
Hello there. Just had to tell you how much I enjoy your books, your tips, and your newsletters. This one is devoted to tomatoes, but I wanted to share something with you that I’ve done several times now. Its not the tomato, rather it is the zucchini! Those big honking, large as a baseball bat zukes that got that way because they were hidden by the large leaves actually provide a cheap ingredient that you would never suspect was made with the zucchini.
Apple butter. Yes – apple butter. I clean them the same as you would cantelope; i.e. skin and seeds removed. I cut into halves or quarters and then slice about 3/4″ thick into crescents. Follow your favorite apple butter recipe and enjoy. I’ve also done “mock apple crisp” using the same methods. The zukes take on all of the seasonings and the texture is pretty much identical.
Enjoy!
Roxanne Loehrig – Aurora CO
Thanks again, Roxanne. Now I’m hoping I get one of those buckets of zucchini mysteriously show up on my doorstep soon.
Vegetable Chow Mein Recipe
Chow Mein is a very versatile recipe and you can tweak this basic vegetable version to include various meats, seafood and of course you can use all sorts of different vegetables in this. Got some leftover broccoli? Throw it in there. Green beans or snow peas on sale at the grocery store this week, include those.
- 1 – 14 oz package of chow mein noodles (or spaghetti)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 julienned carrot
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1 cup coarsely chopped bean sprouts
Start by cooking the noodles according to the package directions, drain them and set them aside. I like to put them back in the pot and cover them with a plate or a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm while I’m cooking up everything else.
While the noodles are cooking, you can prepare your sauce. Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil in a bowl and set aside.
With everything prepared, get out your large skillet or wok and heat the oil over medium high heat. One of the reasons I love these dishes is that they cook very quickly because it’s prepared over rather high heat cooked in a little bit of oil. The high temperature cooks these veggies super quick.
Add the julienned carrots, ginger and garlic to the pan and saute until the carrots have softened.
Once the veggies start to soften, add your cooked noodles and sauce. Stir until heated through. Add the bean sprouts and cook for a few minutes more.
Serve and enjoy.
Vegetable Chop Suey Recipe
Chop Suey is a great Asian dish you can make out of almost anything. I’ll share my version of vegetable chop suey with you, but feel free to add some leftover chicken, pork or beef to it for a meaty Asian inspired meal. To make this extra frugal use whatever vegetables are in season or on sale. In other words, use this recipe as a starting point and then change it around to fit your family and your budget.
- 3 tablespoons shortening
- 1 cup diced onion
- 4 chopped carrots
- 4 chopped stalks of celery
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower
- 1 ½ cups chopped broccoli
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Sauce
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Get out a large skilled or a wok. Melt the shortening over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery.
Saute everything until the vegetables start to soften and you can smell the onion. Add the cauliflower, broccoli and the 1 cup of water.
Put a lid (or a large plate if you can’t find the lid) on and bring the veggie mixture to a boil. Cook it for about 5 minutes or until everything is done to your liking. I like a little bite left in my carrots but my husband and daughter prefer them completely cooked. (Which translates to me cooking my veggies pretty long).
If you are adding leftover chicken or pork to the dish, now is a great time to throw it in the pot. I cut everything into bite-sized chunks before adding it.
Remove the lid and add the bean sprouts, cooking for a few minutes more. Remember this dish is flexible if you don’t like bean sprouts or don’t have them on hand, just skip this part.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 2/3 cup water, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar. Add it to the cooked veggies and stir until it starts to thickened.
I like to serve this with a big pile of cooked white rice. Frugal, healthy and yummy … what more can you ask for?
Mafia Corn
MAFIA CORN
Original Recipe by Sonny Baker 1995
1 lge . package of Whole Kernel Corn
1-2 Cans of creamed style Corn
1/2 – 1 Lb. Bacon
1 green Bell Pepper
1 Stick of Butter
1 Med. Size Onion
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 Tbsp. Sugar
Recipe works better if cooked in a Cast Iron Skillit.
Render the Bacon until crisp, remove to the side.
Chop onion and add to the Bacon grease, cook till it is soft and tender.
Chop Bell Pepper and add to the Skillit, add all of the corn and sugar, set the burner to simmer and use a Spatula to scrape the bottom of the Skillit often to prevent it from burning.
When the Corn has a light Brown coating on the surface, Crumble the Bacon on top and serve. (approx. 4 hours)
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad With Raisins And Crunchy Bacon
I just found your recipe for this dish. I make something similar. I made up a copy cat version from one served in a local family restaurant.
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- bacon bits
- raisins
- coleslaw dressing*
It is broccoli cut up into tiny pieces, the same with equal amounts of cauliflower.
Then add crumbled cooked bacon bits, and raisins.
Mix all this together with your favorite homemade coleslaw dressing.
*coleslaw dressing: I don’t measure but mine is a combo of miracle whip, milk, sugar and apple cider vinegar.
Chill and enjoy.
Easy Double Corn And Cheese Pasta Casserole
- 1 can of corn (undrained),
- 1 can cream corn,
- 1 cup Pasta (I use the mini pasta’s),
- 1 cup shredded cheese.
Combine all ingredients and put in microwave for 20 minutes.
The liquid in the corn cooks the pasta for you.
My brother got this recipe from his daughter-in-law’s family. I tried it and was impressed.
Grilled Maple Dressed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are so delicious and packed with nutrition. But, how do you cook and eat them in warmer weather? Grill them! Here’s a great recipe that mixes two flavors that are made for each other – maple and sweet potatoes. Even if you don’t like syrupy sweet sweet potato casseroles, you’ll like these. Give them a try.
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 4 Tbsp butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- salt and black pepper to taste
Oil the grill grate and preheat grill to medium-low.
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into thin slices lengthwise.
Place potatoes in a bowl and pour oil in and rub until well coated.
Arrange the potatoes on the grates in the center of the grill, away from direct flame.
Cover grill and cook sweet potatoes until good grill marks appear, then flip and continue cooking; total time about 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness of potatoes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
When sweet potatoes are tender all the way through, remove to the bowl with maple syrup mixture and toss to coat well.
Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
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That’s exactly why I put together this ebook -
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In this ebook you’ll get lots of fresh and fabulous meals that will get you out of the kitchen fast, but also be flavorful and filling. Click on and buy this great little ebook and start enjoying deliciously simple Summer meals today! www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/summercooking.htm
Easy Healthy Roasted Vegetable Medley
- 1/2 Tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- black pepper to taste
- 1 bag (12 oz) vegetable medley (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or anything healthy), rinsed and well drained
- 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, and black pepper until blended.
Put the veggies and garlic in the bowl, and toss to coat well.
Choose a large shallow baking sheet.
Spread veggies in a single layer on baking sheet.
Put baking sheet on middle rack in oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes turning or stirring veggies halfway through the cooking time.
Remove from oven and salt if desired.
Serve warm.
To save money, buy whole veggies and cut up into equal sizes. I half the Brussels sprouts and cut the broccoli and cauliflower into the same size florettes. If you use regular soy sauce (not the reduced salt kind) you won’t have to add much more salt. If you do add salt, be sure to do it after the baking is over while the veggies are still hot. It works better that way. And use sea salt if you can for a real nice, fancy finish.
Also, if you’re fixing this for kids, you can tweak the recipe a bit to make it more kid-friendly. For instance, you may want to change the oven temperature to 325 degrees and roast the veggies for about 20 minutes (again, stirring about halfway through the roasting time.) This way they will get softer without browning too much. Kids seem to like them better when they are soft. Also, a nice sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese helps convince kids that this dish is yummy!
Submitted by: Patti Winker
Herb Stuffed Acorn Squash
- 3 acorn squashes, halved, seeded, and washed well
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- 6 Tbsp butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup minced celery
- 1/2 tsp EACH dried sage, parsley, thyme, and oregano
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
- 5 cups bread cubes or packaged stuffing
Place 6 squash halves into a large shallow baking dish. Pierce insides with a fork several times and brush the edges and insides with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
Add 1/2 inch water to the pan and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Just before 30 minutes is up, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and add the onion and celery, cooking over low heat until they both start to soften. Add all the herbs into the skillet, mix in, then pour over the bread cubes in a large bowl and mix well.
Remove squash from the oven and spoon bread stuffing into each squash half, then put back in oven and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender and browning.
How To Make Butternut Squash Puree
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and thread-like substance.
- Rub cut edge with vegetable oil and put squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 350 degrees until squash is soft, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the squash. Test by tipping squash on side and poke with a fork. The squash should yield to the fork easily.
- Remove squash from the oven and let it cool until you can handle it.
- With a large spoon, scoop the cooked flesh out of the shell into a bowl, and discard the shell.
Tomato And Red Pepper Soup Recipe
- 3 fresh red peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cups chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Start by roasting the red peppers. I like to stick them under the broiler. Be sure to move them so they turn black on all sides.
Move them to a bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let them sit there for about half an hour or until the peppers are cool enough to handle. Peel the black skin off, then remove the seeds and chop them up into large chunks.
Get out a good heavy saucepan or soup pot and heat the olive oil in it over medium meat. Add the peppers and a bit of salt and pepper. Let the peppers cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
Drain the diced tomatoes and add them to the mixture along with the vinegar. Cook this for 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock and puree everything with a stick blender or in small batches in your regular blender. Simmer for a few more minutes and season with salt and pepper as needed.
This is also delicious with fresh or canned tomatoes from your own garden. Take a look at this ebook on growing incredible amounts of organic tomatoes in your own garden: Organic Tomato Magic
Easy Kid-Friendly Mixed Veggies
Good side dish and disguises veggies so kids will eat them.
- 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies, broccoli, or cauliflower
<
li>1 can of cream of mushroom, chicken, or celery soup
Boil veggies and drain, pour soup over veggies in pan and warm up. .
Homemade French Fries
- 4 large Russett potatoes
- peanut or vegetable oil
- ice cold water
- seasoning salt or regular salt to taste
- paper towels
Peel the potatoes and cut into whatever thickness your family likes best. If you like “shoestring fries” you should cut
the potatoes very thin. If you like “steak fries” then cut them thicker.
Get a large mixing bowl and fill it with cold water and a few ice cubes. Place the peeled, cut potatoes into the ice cold water for a few minutes.
After soaking the potatoes you should drain them on paper towels and blot them dry.
Place oil into your deep fryer or a large stock pot and heat it up. Place one potato strip in to see if the oil is hot enough. Oil must be very hot to avoid getting greasy tasting fries.
Fry the potatoes until they have reached the desired doneness. Place paper towels on a large plate and scoop out the fries and place them on the towels to soak up any leftover oil. Salt and enjoy.
**The reason for soaking the fries is to remove the starch. It will keep the potatoes from sticking together while they are cooking.**
Sweet Potato Crisp
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 40 ounces canned sweet potatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped apples
- 2/3 cup chopped cranberries or can use craisins
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats, uncooked
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup margarine, melted if preferred
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Beat cream cheese, sweet potatoes, 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.
Spoon into 1 1/2 quart casserole or 10″ x 6″ baking dish. Top with apples and cranberries.
Stir together flour, oats and 1/2 cup brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over fruit.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until throughly heated. Can be frozen.
Makes 8 servings
AJ’s recipe from the Marietta Times. I love it!!It’s more like a dessert than vegetable.
Homemade Salsa Recipe
- 1 1/2 cups green pepper (diced)
- 8 cups tomatoes (diced)
- 3 lg onions (diced)
- 2 Jalapeno peppers
- 15 oz can tomato sauce (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic (crushed) or a good pinch of garlic powder
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp salt
Combine all the ingredients into a large stock pot. Cook for 15 minutes on a medium-low heat. Remove from heat and add 2 tbsp of cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Place back on stove and bring to a boil. Cool and serve.
The salsa will last a good week in the fridge in an air tight container.
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Baked Carrots
This is one of my daughter’s favorite ways to eat carrots. To be honest, I don’t make this dish very often since the butter and condensed milk make it very rich, but it is wonderful for holidays or special occasions.
Baked Carrots Recipe
- 2 lbs. carrots
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 stick butter (cut into small cubes)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
Wash and peel the carrots, then cut them into thirds. Place carrots into boiling salted water and cover with a lid. Cook until carrots are fork tender.
Remove from heat and drain. Mash carrots and add all other ingredients. Cover with bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Serve these baked carrots right away.
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Carrot, Raisin and Pineapple Salad
- 1 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup marshmallows
- 1/2 can diced pineapple (drained)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup salad dressing (Miracle Whip works well)
- 1/2 tub of cool whip
Mix all the ingredients together and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hrs. The longer it chills, the better it will taste. When I make this for company I make it a day or so ahead. Make sure you keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
If you take it to a cookout and the likes, bring two bowls, one with the salad in it and another larger one that you can fill with ice. Then set the salad bowl on top of the larger bowl. This will keep the salad nice and ice cold.
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The Dining On A Dime Cookbook is packed with over 1,200 money saving recipes and tips, kids tips and snack ideas, gift baskets, menus, food storage directions, Cleaning Cents and Pretty for Pennies. The recipes are easy to cook with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. To make shopping easy and economical, it also includes a pantry list and a shopping list.
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Pickled Carrots
If you are lucky enough to have a huge carrot harvest, give this pickled carrots recipe a try. They are wonderful all throughout the winder to brighten up salads or to have just by themselves as a side dish. It’s a nice change of pace from regular pickles or even pickled beets.
Pickled Carrot Recipe
- 3-1 lb. Bags of small carrots
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp pickling spices
- cheese cloth
Boil carrots until they are fork tender. Drain carrots and slice into sticks.
Combine sugar, vinegar, water and salt. Place cinnamon stick and pickling spices into a cheesecloth bag and add to the sugar/vinegar mixture. Add carrots and boil for 8 min. Cool slightly and place into sterilized jars.
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The Dining On A Dime Cookbook is packed with over 1,200 money saving recipes and tips, kids tips and snack ideas, gift baskets, menus, food storage directions, Cleaning Cents and Pretty for Pennies. The recipes are easy to cook with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. To make shopping easy and economical, it also includes a pantry list and a shopping list.
Order your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/dime
Roasted Carrots Recipe
Roasting brings out the sweetness and flavor in this simple roasted carrots recipe. It’s quick and easy enough to do even for a weeknight dinner, and tastes so good that you’ll be making this dish over and over.
Roasted Carrots Recipe
- 1 lb carrots (washed and peeled)
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp butter or margarine
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2tsp salt
Slice carrots into 3 inch strips. Place carrots into a baking dish and cover with butter, juice, honey and salt. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
Roast for 25min. at 350 degrees. Then uncover and roast for an additional 20 min.
Cover with parsley and serve warm.
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Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe
Don’t let the flavor combination put you off. This carrot ginger soup recipe is delicious and perfect for a hot summer day. It is best served chilled. I usually make a batch early in the morning (or even the night before) and then take it out of the fridge for lunch. It also makes a nice appetizer when you have company.
Carrot Ginger Soup
- 1 lb carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 1 cup onion (finely chopped)
- 1 cup celery (finely chopped)
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp ginger (finely chopped)
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp butter
Place butter, carrots, onion, celery and ginger into a saucepan and saute for 10 minutes. Add in the broth and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Place into a blender with lime juice and puree until smooth. Served chilled.
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Carrot Souffle Recipe
Ready to “dress up” your carrots. Instead of serving them just steamed for dinner, give this carrot souffle recipe a try. It’s surprisingly simple and frugal, but will surely impress your family or dinner guests.
Carrot Souffle Recipe
- 1 lb carrots (about 5 large carrots)
- 5 tbsp softened butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp milk
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash and peel carrots. Cut into small chunks.
Place carrot chunks into a pot and boil until they are fork tender. Drain and place into a blender or food processor with the butter, milk and salt and puree until smooth.
Beat eggs with a mixer until light and fluffy. Fold into carrot puree. Fold the Parmesan cheese in as well. Place in a greased casserole dish or individual ramekins. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cover with some foil for about 20 minutes to allow the dish to set.
This simple carrot souffle can be served warm or cold.
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Glazed Carrot Recipe
Tired of regular steamed carrots? Try this glazed carrot recipe instead. It won’t take you hardly any longer to make, but all that brown sugar will turn the carrots extra sweet and make a wonderful (and a bit indulgent) side dish. This goes perfect with any type of ham dish. We also like it with meatloaf.
Glazed Carrot Recipe
- carrots
- 4 Tbsp butter
- light brown sugar
- water
Wash carrots then peel and cut them into small chunks or slices. Place into a pot of water and boil them until they are tender. Drain well.
Melt butter in a hot skillet and add the carrots. Add as much brown sugar as you need to coat the carrots completely. Saute for 5 min to melt the sugar.
I like to serve these glazed carrots right away while they are still hot. If you are making these for a potluck or are having a lot of family over, scoop the finished product, glaze and all and put it in a small crockpot.
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Carrot Soup Recipe
This simple carrot soup recipe has long been a family favorite. I like it especially when I’m feeling a little under the weather. It also makes for a delicious light lunch when served with a plain muffin or some fresh baked bread.
Carrot Soup Recipe
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 can of beef broth
- 2 cans of sliced carrots
- 1 envelope Lipton Vegetable Soup mix
- 1 1/2 cups light cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Saute celery and onion in a pan until softened. Transfer to a pot and add broth, soup mix and carrots. Cook on low heat for 25min. Cool and puree. Add in cream and chill. Can be served hot or cold.
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Fried Yellow Squash Recipe
I think I already mentioned that my husband is not a big squash fan. But whenever I make a batch of this fried yellow squash recipe he can’t get enough. I guess the breading and frying take out a lot of the “squash” taste that he doesn’t enjoy too much. Either way this is a dish that’s as yummy as it is frugal.
Fried Yellow Squash
- 2 medium squash
- 1/4 cup cold milk
- 1/2 cup self rising flour
- vegetable oil
Wash squash well. Cut into 1/4 slices. Place flour into a zipper bag and milk into a small dish. Dip squash in to milk first and then place in the bag of flour. Continue until you have all squash slices in the bag and seal. Shake well. Remove slices from bag and fry in 1/2 inch deep hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
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Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Spaghetti squash is a great alternative to regular pasta. I first came across it when I eliminated carbs to lose some weight. This spaghetti squash recipe is one of the few dishes I still make regularly from that time. Very yummy, easy to make and kid-friendly.
Spaghetti Squash Recipe
- 2 small spaghetti squash
- spaghetti sauce (use your favorite or give this homemade tomato sauce recipe a try)
- Parmesan cheese
Wash and poke holes all over the squash. Place into boiling water and cook on low for 45 minutes. Squash should be fork tender. Drain squash, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Rake a fork over the squash to remove the strands. Top with pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese.
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Zucchini Jelly
Did you know that you can make a delicious zucchini jelly with all that fresh squash in your garden? The strawberry and pineapple flavors in this recipe balance nicely with the zucchini for a yummy jelly even your kids will like.
Zucchini Jelly Recipe
- 6 cups shredded zucchini
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 6 oz (small box) strawberry jello
- 6 cups sugar
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
Place zucchini and a little bit of water in a saucepan and boil until the zucchini has softened. Add sugar, lemon juice and pineapple. Remove from heat and mix in jello. Transfer to clean jelly jars. Place jars in a water bath to seal the jars.
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Zucchini Fritter Recipe
I’ve been making this zucchini fritter recipe during the summer for as long as I can remember. They are delicious and make a yummy snack. Add a cup of homemade soup and you have a light summer lunch.
Zucchini Fritters
- 3 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Mix shredded zucchini,flour,cheese, salt and pepper together. Add in eggs.
Heat olive oil in a big frying pan and drop large spoonfuls of batter in. Fry for 5 minutes on each side.
Drain on paper towels and serve warm topped with Parmesan cheese or sour cream.
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Bisquick Zucchini Quiche
This bisquick zucchini quiche recipe is as simple as it is delicious. You can make it with fresh grated zucchini, or use frozen. If you use the zucchini frozen, allow it to thaw and then squeeze as much of the moisture out as you can so your quiche doesn’t turn soggy.
Bisquick Zucchini Quiche
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 2 cups grated cheese
- 1 cup bisquick or homemade biscuit mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 small grated onion
- salt, pepper, garlic powder and basil to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and then transfer to a greased quiche dish or pie plate. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
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Stuffed Zucchini Recipe
I love stuffed zucchini. My mom used to make them with sausage or with ground beef and they always turned out yummy. You can also make these with very large zucchini. They tend to get a bit tough during the baking process though because you need to increase the time a bit.
If you are making this with large zucchini, use a casserole dish and add a little bit of broth or even water to the bottom to help soften them up. Either way this is delicious and you can use just about any melting cheese in this stuffed zucchini recipe. I’ve made it with cheddar, american , swiss, provolone, mozzarella and even blue cheese crumbles. In a pinch even a few shakes of parmesan will do.
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1/2 pound sausage
- 1/4 cup onion (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp. Basil
- 1 cup grated cheese
Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the middle with a spoon.(save the inside) Brown onion and sausage and drain. Mix in the zucchini that you saved along with the basil and place the mixture back into the zucchini.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with your favorite cheese. Place back into the oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Zucchini Pie
Start by making a pie crust or buying a store bought one that’s ready to be baked.
Filling:
- 3 cups zucchini (peeled and sliced)
- 1tsp. cinnamon
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
Topping:
- 1cup flour
- 1cup sugar
- 1tsp. cinnamon
- 1tsp.nutmeg
- 1 stick of butter
Combine zucchini,lemon juice and cinnamon. Pour into the pie crust.
Mix all topping ingredients and place on pie. Cook on 350 degrees for 1 hour. Allow it to cool before serving. This is great with a little whipped topping or even a scoop of ice cream on top.
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Zucchini Cake Mix Recipe
This zucchini cake is similar to carrot cake. We like to make it a lot with frozen zucchini throughout the year. You can also grate big zucchinis that are too tough to cook as vegetables for this cake.
Zucchini Cake Recipe
- 3 cups peeled and shredded zucchini
- 3 cups sugar
- 4 eggs (beaten)
- 1 1/2 cups oil
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2tsp. salt
- 1 cup walnuts (chopped)
- 1 cup raisins
Make the batter by mixing all ingredients in a large bowl.
Grease a cake pan or bundt cake and sprinkle with flour. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
To turn this into a mix, combine all dry ingredients (including the nuts and raisins) and put them in a labeled ziplock bag. When you are ready to bake just add the zucchini, egg and oil. Mix until combined and bake as directed.
You can easily use frozen grated zucchini in this recipe. There is no need to thaw it. Just add the frozen zucchini to the batter and bake.
Recipe For Zucchini Casserole
I’ve been cooking with zucchini for as long as I can remember. My dad always grows a bunch of them in his garden as does my father-in-law. Needless to say we always have quite a few of these delicious to work with all summer. A few weeks ago I was experimenting with a new recipe for zucchini casserole. Here’s what I came up with. I had a box of seasoned croutons sitting in my pantry (don’t quite remember what I bought it for originally). In the future I plan on using croutons made form stale homemade bread, seasoned with a bit of garlic salt.
Recipe For Zucchini Casserole
- 4 cups zucchini (peeled,seeded and cubed)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 stick of butter or margarine
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (or homemade cream of anything soup flavored with a bit of chicken bullion)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 box seasoned croutons
Place prepared zucchini into a pot and boil until the zucchini is tender.Remove from heat and drain.
Melt butter in a frying pan and saute carrots and onions until tender. Remove from heat and add soup,sour cream,zucchini and half of the croutons.
Place in a buttered baking dish and cover the top with the remaining croutons. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe
This sweet bread makes for a wonderful breakfast or even a quick snack in the afternoon. I hope you give this moist zucchini bread recipe a try this summer. The finished product also makes a nice hostess gift, or make it for a bake sale. You can even freeze the baked bread and then thaw and reheat later in the year.
Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/2tsp. cinnamon
- 1 1/2tsp. cloves
Combine all wet ingredients in a large bowl followed by all dry ingredients. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees or until bread bounces back when you touch it. Allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Sweet Cucumber Pickle Relish
Summer is the perfect time to make this sweet cucumber pickle relish. What a wonderful way to preserve all of our favorite summer vegetables like cucumbers and sweet peppers. You can then use them throughout the year on sandwiches and salad.
Sweet Cucumber Pickle Relish Recipe
- 8 cups cucumber (peeled and chopped)
- 4 cups sweet peppers (chopped)
- 2 cups onion (chopped)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups vinegar
- 2 tsp. celery seed
- 2 tsp. turmeric
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Place all ingredients into a large pot and cook on medium heat for about 30min.
Cool mixture and place into clean jars.
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Braised Cucumbers
Cucumbers are usually served cold, in a salad of some sort. Did you know that they are also delicious as a hot side dish? Give these braised cucumbers a try.
Braised Cucumber Recipe
- 4 large cucumbers
- 1 small can chicken broth
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 2 TBSP. diced pimentos
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. dried chervil
Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Then cut into chunks. Place them into a saucepan with all other ingredients and bring to a boil and them simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain and serve.
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Greek Cucumber Salad
Mixing sour cream and yogurt for this dressing turns out really well and of course it wouldn’t be Greek without plenty of garlic. Yum! What a perfect summer salad to go with just about anything cooked on the grill.
Greek Cucumber Salad Recipe
- 2 medium cucumbers
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
First peel the cucumbers and slice them very thinly. Mix together the remaining ingredients and cover the cucumbers. Chill in the fridge and serve cold.
Cucumber And Onions In Vinegar
This is such a simple dish, but these cucumber and onions in vinegar are so delicious during the hottest weeks of the summer.
- 4 medium size cucumbers
- 2 small videlia onions
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Slice cucumbers and onions thinly. Combine vinegar,sugar and salt in a small bowl and pour over cucumbers and onions. Chill in the fridge and drain the juice before you eat them.
Roasted Tomatoes
Roasting tomatoes brings out the sweetness in them. You get an entirely different flavor combination that from just garden ripe tomatoes. Give roasted tomatoes a try. They make a wonderful side dish when you are grilling, or for just about any chicken or pasta main course.
Roasted Tomato Recipe
- 4lbs. fresh garden tomatoes
- 5 gloves of garlic (minced)
- 5tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Spray a large baking pan with non-stick spray.
Wash and core tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes lengthwise and place cut side up on baking pan. Mix garlic and oil and spread onto tomatoes.Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 6-8hrs.
Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe
The buttermilk in the dressing makes this cucumber salad extra creamy. I also really like cucumbers and dill mixed together. It’s a great summer salad and looks pretty enough for company.
Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe
- 2 cups of peeled and sliced cucumbers
- 1/4 cup Vidalia onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup cold buttermilk
- 3tbsp mayonnaise
- 1tbsp fresh dill (finely chopped)
- 1/8tsp salt
- 1/8tsp pepper
Place buttermilk,mayo,salt,pepper and dill into a small bowl and stir until creamy and smooth. Line a shallow dish with lettuce followed by the cucumbers and onion. Top with buttermilk mixture and serve immediately.
Let me know how you like this recipe and of course if you have your own creamy cucumber salad recipe be sure to share it as a comment below.
Stuffed Tomato Recipe
Stuffed tomatoes are a bit of an acquired taste for me. For years, I didn’t even like the idea of them and it never would have occurred to me to try to make them. Then I had this simple stuffed tomato recipe at a friend’s house and it is now one of my favorite summer treats. I hope you and your family will enjoy it as much as we have.
Stuffed Tomato Recipe
- 4 medium size firm tomatoes
- 4oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup of fresh chopped basil
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- salt/pepper to taste
Cut the top off of the tomatoes and scoop out the centers. Discard the seeds but try to keep as much of the tomato pulp as you can. Mix the pulp, cheese,basil and garlic and place back into the tomato shell. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
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Green Tomato Relish Recipe
Toward the end of tomato season, we usually end up with a lot of green tomatoes that just won’t finish ripening. It’s a shame to throw them all away. Instead, why not make this simple green tomato relish. It is great on sandwiches.
Green Tomato Relish Recipe
- 20 large green tomatoes,
- 3 red and 3 green bell peppers(seeded)
- 10 large onions
- 3tbsp mustard seed
- 3tbsp celery seed
- 5 cups white sugar
- 1tbsp salt
- 2 cups cider vinegar
Place tomatoes, onions and peppers in a food processor and coarsely grind. Drain mixture in a piece of cloth to get out any excess juice. Transfer to a large pot and add celery seed, mustard seed,sugar,salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Then place the relish into sterilized jars.
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Fried Green Tomato Recipe
This is a wonderful recipe for that was passed down from my grandmother. It makes a great appetizer when you have company. I also like to make it for lunch when we have quite a few green tomatoes on the vines.
Fried Green Tomato Recipe
- 3 firm green tomatoes
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2/3 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Wash tomatoes and slice into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle with salt and set to the side for a few moments. Combine milk and eggs in a shallow dish. Place flour into another shallow dish followed by cornmeal in the last dish. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet. Dip tomato slices into milk and egg mixture and then into flour. Dip slices back into the milk mixture and then into the cormeal and place into your hot pan. Fry for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown, drain on paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
I hope you enjoy this fried green tomato recipe as much as me and my family have.
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Tomato Soup From Scratch
I was fortunate enough to get quite a few fresh tomatoes from a neighbor with a big garden. We ate quite a few of them fresh, then I used to rest to make some tomato soup from scratch. I thought I’d share my recipe with you. I like to serve this soup with some homemade bread fresh from the breadmaker. If you happen to have some cooked rice leftover, add a bit of that at the end for a more filling soup. Some cooked quinoa would be really good in this too.
Tomato Soup From Scratch
- 3 lbs ripe tomatoes
- 1 small cube of chicken bullion
- 1/2 c. chopped celery
- 2 tsp dry basil or Italian seasoning
- 1/2 c. chopped onion
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup of milk
Pour about a cup of water into a medium sized pot. Add the bullion cube and the tomatoes. If the tomatoes are very large, give them a rough chop, otherwise cut them in half. Heat the mixture and then simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime chop your onion and celery and saute it in a bit of olive oil or butter until the veggies are tender.
Pour the tomato mixture through a strainer to remove the tomato skins and seeds. Return the broth to the pot.
Scoop a little of the broth into a cup and add the flour to make a slurry. When you’ve worked out all the lumps, pour it back into the soup. Add the vegetables and seasonings and cook over medium heat until the soup has thickened to your liking. Pour in the milk and if needed allow it to cook a few more minutes until it thickens back up.
Serve hot with a slice of homemade bread.
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Stuffed Zucchini Recipe
My mom used to make these stuffed zucchinis at least once a week during the summer months. It’s the perfect recipe for zucchini that has grown just a little to big to be super tender and it makes a filling, healthy meal. I serve it with some homemade bread or biscuits on the side.
Stuffed Zucchini Recipe
- 4 medium or 2 very large zucchini
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1small jar or can roasted red peppers, chopped
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon oregano
- salt and pepper
- 3/4 lb ground beef or turkey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 to 2 cups shredded cheese
Wash the zucchini, but do not cut it. Get out a large stockpot, fill it with water and add the whole zucchini. Bring the water to a boil and cook the vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes, until they start to get a bit tender. The larger your zucchini are, the longer you want to cook them. Carefully remove them from the water and let them cool for a bit.
Get out a large pan and add the olive oil. Saute the garlic and onions. Add the green onion after a few minutes, then the spices. Next, add the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the grease and set the pan aside.
Cut the slightly cooled zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the soft vegetable “flesh” in the center. Chop it and add it to the ground beef mixture in the pan. Add the chopped roasted peppers and the egg as well and mix everything until it is well combined.
Once all your zucchini halves have been scooped out, put them on a foil lined cookie sheet or even better a large casserole dish. Scoop the meat filling into each prepared zucchini half and top with a little shredded cheese.
Bake the zucchini in a preheated 375 F. oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starts to brown a bit.
If you are using a casserole dish, pour a little water or broth in the bottom to keep the zucchini moist and tender.
You can also make this with canned tuna instead of meat. For some different flavor, substitute the red peppers for a little tomato sauce and add a bit of Parmesan cheese to the mixture before filling.
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Green Tomato Pickle Recipe
Toward the end of the season we always end up with quite a few green tomatoes. They don’t seem to ripen too well on the counter that late in the game, so last year I started turning them into green tomato pickles and they were absolutely delicious. I first came across this process on about.com and modified it to our taste. Here’s how to do it.
Green Tomato Pickle Recipe
- 4 quarts sliced green tomatoes, loosely packed
- 1 quart sliced onion, loosely packed
- 1 cup pickling salt, divided
- 1 lb light brown sugar
- 6 cups white vinegar
- 1/3 cup mustard seeds
- 1/4 cup celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp cloves
First we need to pull some of the water out of both the tomatoes and the onions. Put the sliced tomatoes in a bowl and pour 3/4 cup of the salt over the tomatoes. Repeat with the onion and remaining salt in a separate bowl. Put a plate over each bowl to cover and let them sit on the counter for a couple of hours. The salt will remove a lot of the water from both vegetables.
You’ll notice some liquid in both bowls. Pour it out, then put the vegetables in a clean kitchen towel. You can also use cheese cloth or even paper towels. Gently pat them to get the cloth to soak up more of the moisture.
Put the onions and green tomatoes into a big pot. Add the sugar, vinegar and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer it for about 15 minutes or until the onions are tender.
Scoop the vegetable mixture into canning jars. Add enough liquid to each to cover the vegetables, being sure to leave 1/2 inch of space at the top. Clean the rims really well, or your lids won’t seal during the next step. Add the lids.
Put them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars. Once they had a chance to cool down, make sure the lids are sealed tight. Store any jars with lids that aren’t sealed tight in the fridge and use up right away.
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Cucumber Vinegar Salad
This is a super simple salad with just a few ingredients that’s perfect for hot summer days. It goes great with a light dinner be it fish or something from the grill. I have a bowl of this simple cucumber vinegar salad sitting in the fridge most days throughout the summer. Not only is it cool and refreshing, the cucumbers also help us stay hydrated on a hot summer day. I hope you give it a try.
Cucumber Vinegar Salad
- 3 cucumbers
- 1 red onion
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Start by taking a look at your cucumbers. If the skin is very tender, don’t bother peeling it. If it seems a little tough, you can either peel the whole cucumber or just take some of it off… I like to create a little stripe design lengthwise.
Slice the onion and cucumber both thinly and add them to a salad bowl. Get out a small bowl and pour the vinegar, water and sugar in it. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the salt and pepper and pour the mixture over the onion and cucumber slices. Cover your bowl with a lid, a plate or some plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or until you are ready to serve your salad. The longer it sits, the better the cucumber vinegar salad gets. I usually make it the night before or first thing in the morning. By dinner time it is absolutely perfect.
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Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
Here is another delicious tomato recipe for you. It combines the flavors of summer ripe tomatoes and roasted red peppers. The end result is a complex but balanced soup that will quickly become a family favorite. I like to serve this soup with some crusty homemade bread like this breadmaker french bread.
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
- 5 red bell peppers
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 red onions
- 2 cloves of garlic (or a good dash of garlic powder)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups homemade chicken stock (or water and some chicken bullion)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Star by roasting your red peppers. Cut each pepper in half and remove the seeds. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and put your pepper halves skin side up on the baking sheet. Broil them for a few minutes until the skin is charred. Take them out and scoop them into a bowl. Add a plate over the bowl and allow the peppers to cool down a bit.
While the peppers are cooling down, let’s prepare the tomatoes. We need to get the skin off and remove the seeds. Bring some water to a boil in a large pot. Prepare a bowl of ice water for the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water for 30 seconds, then scoop them out and plop them into the ice water. This will stop the cooking process and makes it easy to remove the skin. When the tomatoes are cool, take them out of the ice water bath and cut them into quarters. The skin will slip right off. Cut out the seeds and discard those. Chop the tomatoes.
By now the peppers should be cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and give the pepper “flesh” a rough chop as well. While you are at it, go ahead and chop your onion and garlic as well.
With all the prep work done, it’s time to start cooking. Get out a medium sauce pan and add the olive oil to it. Put it on medium heat and cook the onions and garlic in it until they are fragrant and start to turn translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the roasted red peppers and the chicken broth. Cook it for a few more minutes or until everything is heated through.
Now it’s time to blend the soup together. You can either use an immersion blender, or add it to your regular blender in small batches. Reheat as needed and serve hot with some crusty bread.
Fresh Tomato Pie Recipe
Tomatoes are starting to ripen in the garden and this tomato pie recipe is one of the best ways to use them up (at least in my opinion). It makes for the perfect summer lunch, or serve it for dinner with a big salad.
- 1 pie crust
- 7 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1 yellow onion
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp dry oregano
Start by baking your pie crust for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 F. oven until it is golden brown. You may want to cover the edges with a little aluminum foil to keep them from burning.
While the crust bakes up, wash and slice your tomatoes. Peel and slice your onion.
When the crust comes out of the oven, layer the sliced onion in the bottom of the crust. Next, arrange the tomato slices over it. Sprinkle salt, pepper and oregano over the tomatoes.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the two cheeses. Spoon this mixture over the tomatoes and spread it out with the back of your spoon. If you like, you can sprinkle a little more oregano over the top.
Bake the tomato pie for 20 minutes at 350F. It will be golden brown and delicious.
Zucchini Pancake Recipe
It’s sometimes hard to get kids (and other picky eaters) to eat zucchini. My husband for example won’t touch this delicious vegetable unless it’s sliced, battered and fried. One think I tried recently was these zucchini pancakes and they were a big hit. They taste wonderful with this Greek cucumber sauce.
Zucchini Pancakes
- 3 eggs
- 2 zucchini
- 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
- nonstick spray
Grate your zucchini into a medium sized bowl. Add the eggs and stir it up. Pour in the flour and keep stirring until you get a batter. It should be about the consistency of pancake batter. You may need to add a little more flour or a splash of milk or water to get the right consistency.
Heat a skillet and spray with a bit of nonstick cooking spray. Fry them up like you would pancakes.
Zucchini Au Gratin
Zucchini is another one of those vegetables that is abundant during the summer months. You can stew it, fry it, steam it, fill it or make soup out of it. Another yummy option is to make a zucchini gratin. Au Gratin is a fancy word for slicing your vegetable, covering it in a sauce made from flour and milk and then topping it with cheese. YUM! It sounds a lot more complicated than it is and the end result is definitely worth the little extra work involved.
Zucchini Gratin
- 3 tbsp margarine (plus a little extra for the topping)
- 2 onions
- dash of garlic powder
- 4 zucchini
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese
Preheat your oven to 400 F.
Peel the onions and cut them in half. Then thinly slice them. Add the margarine to a pan and saute the onion in it until it is tender and translucent. While the onion is cooking, wash and slice the zucchini. I slice mine about 1/8th of an inch thin. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, then add the sliced zucchini. Cover the pan and cook everything for about 10 minutes stirring frequently. The zucchini should just start to get tender at this point.
Add your seasonings and move everything around in the pan to get them evenly distributed. Cook your veggies about 5 more minutes uncovered, then sprinkle in the flour. Stir until it is combined in the vegetable mixture. Heat your milk and add it to the pan as well. Cook and stir on low for a few more minutes until a sauce starts to form.
Pour everything into a casserole dish. Combine the cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle this on top of the casserole. Dot with little pieces of butter or margarine and bake for 20 minutes in your preheated oven.
Greek Cucumber Sauce
Greek cucumber sauce (also know as tzatziki) is quick and easy to make. It’s a great dip for raw veggies or tasted pita slices. I also like it to make a batch anytime we are grilling outside. It goes well with steaks, grilled chicken or even on a burger. Here’s the recipe:
- 1 8 oz container of plain greek yogurt *
- 1 cucumber
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dry dill ( chop the dill if it’s fresh)
- 1 to 2 cloves of garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Start by peeling and seeding your cucumber. Then get out a box grater and grate the cucumber. Squeeze the cucumber pieces to get a bit of the extra liquid out.
Get out a medium bowl and put the cucumber pieces in it. Add the yogurt and olive oil. Add the dill and then finely chop or press the garlic cloves and add them to the dip as well. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder to taste instead. Stir everything together and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the bowl and chill the Greek cucumber sauce for at least an hour or until you are ready to serve it.
* If you can’t find Greek yogurt you can use regular plain yogurt. Homemade is fine as well. Just make sure it isn’t too runny. If it is, line a colander with a clean tea towel or cheesecloth. Let the colander over a bowl and pour the yogurt in the cloth lined colander. Leave it sitting in the fridge overnight. You will notice that your yogurt will thicken up nicely and you will have some liquid left in the bowl. Use the yogurt for the dip.
Cucumber Watermelon Soup
Two of my favorite summer flavors are watermelon and cucumber. They are both so refreshing. This simple cold soup combines the two for a perfect summer treat. It makes a great healthy snack when you need to cool down on a hot summer day. It’s also a perfect appetizer when you are entertaining outside in the summer.
- 3 cups of watermelon chunks (seeds and rind removed)
- a splash of lime or lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley
- 1 small cucumber (peeled and seeds removed)
- pinch of salt
Get out your blender and add the watermelon chunks, lime or lemon juice and cilantro. Blend everything until it is getting pretty smooth. Cut your cucumber into chunks and add it to the blender along with a little salt. Blend until there are still some small cucumber chunks in the soup. Taste and add more salt if needed. Chill the soup in the fridge before serving.
If you prefer a completely smooth soup, put everything in the blender at once and process until smooth.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad Recipe
When it’s too hot to cook outside, this salad makes a great lunch. It’s also perfect for potlucks and such. This broccoli and cauliflower salad will always be a big hit.
- 1 bunch raw broccoli
- 1 small head of cauliflower
- 1 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
- 1 lb. bacon
- 1/2 sweet onion
- 1 c. grated Cheddar cheese
- 1 c. Miracle Whip salad dressing
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 2 tbsp. vinegar
Start by cooking the bacon until it is crispy. Allow it to drain and cool on paper towels.
Next chop up your broccoli and cauliflower using mostly the flowerets. Give all of them a good wash. I do this in a strainer / colander. Once the water has dripped off, pour the veggies into a large salad bowl. Cut your onion into thin strips. If you are taking this salad somewhere, you may want to use some red onion instead. It adds some nice color to your salad. You could also use some drained pimento pieces (it’s a southern thing) or some chopped up bell pepper (yellow or red). Add the onion and the sunflower seeds (if you are using them).
Crumble up your bacon now that it had some time to cool. Put half the bacon crumbles into the salad bowl with the veggies and such. Give everything a good toss to make sure it’s well combined. Add the shredded cheese and give it another toss.
In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, sugar and vinegar. Pour this mixture over the vegetables in your salad bowl and stir everything until all the veggie pieces are coated with the dressing. Top the salad with the rest of the bacon crumbles and cover your salad bowl. Put it in the fridge for at least an hour so all the flavors can blend together. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers right away.
Tomato and Corn Salad
Here’s a super quick summer salad full of corn and tomatos. Using canned goods makes it quick and easy to put together. It is a delicious summer sidedish and perfect for summer potlucks and picnics too.
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) corn
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
Open both cans and drain the liquid from each. Dump the tomato chunks and corn into a small bowl. Pour the oil and vinegar in a small cup and wisk them together with a fork. Drizzle this simple dressing over the tomatoes and corn.
Variation:
You can add half a chopped onion to the salad and season it with a bit of salt and lots of pepper for a tomato and corn salad with stronger flavors.
This salad tastes good at room temperature. You can also put it in the fridge for at least an hour and serve it cold. Cover any leftovers and store them in the fridge.
Baked Cauliflower Recipe
Cauliflower is a wonderful vegetable. It’s mild in flavor, making it a perfect choice for kids. It’s also quite versatile. You can boil it, mash it, put it in soups and casseroles etc. Today I would like to share one of my favorite cauliflower recipes with you. It’s a baked cauliflower dish that’s absolutely delicious and very easy to put together.
Baked Cauliflower
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1 can cream of anything soup (use this cream of anything soup mix)
- 1/4 c. milk
- 1/2 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 c. baking mix (Bisquick or homemade biscuit mix)
- 1/4 c. butter or margarine
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Cut the cauliflower into flowerets. Wash them, then boil them for about 10 minutes in lightly salted water or until they are almost tender. Drain them, then move the cauliflower pieces to a casserole dish.
Mix the cream soup (or the prepared version of the mix) with the milk in a medium sized bowl. You can use a fork, but I find it works best with a whisk. Just whisk it together until you have a smooth liquid. Pour it over the cauliflower. Next, sprinkle the cheese over everything.
In a small bowl, combine the baking mix and butter. I like to work it with my fingers. You want to make a crumbly topping. Sprinkle this over the top of the casserole, then bake it for about 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
You can also use 2 (10 oz) packages of frozen cauliflower instead of fresh. Just pour them frozen into boiling water and cook them until they are almost done.
Sweet Pickled Cauliflower Recipe
Cauliflower is coming into season and a simple way to preserve it is to pickle it. We like sweet pickled cauliflower as a quick side to go with sandwiches as lunch or to add some extra flavor to almost any main entree. It goes especially well will any type of grilled meat dish.
I also like to just snack on these throughout the day… yep, they are that good 
- 2 med. heads cauliflower
- 2 red peppers, cut in strips
- 2 green peppers, cut in strips
- 3 lg. onions, cut in wedges
- 1 qt. white vinegar
- 2 c. sugar
- 1/2 c. light corn syrup
- 1 tbsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. celery seed
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. whole cloves
- 2 tbsp. salt
Remove what’s left of the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut it into large bitesized chunks. You can cut off and discard most of the thicker stems, but keep the smaller ones in there. Throw the pieces in a large bowl of water (or just fill up your sink) and give them a good washing. Scoop them into a strainer and allow the water to drip off.
Get out a large stock pot and fill it it about half full of water. Put a lid on and bring the water to a boil over high heat. When the water comes to a full boil, gently add the cauliflower. Boil it for a good 5 minutes, then remove the cauliflower and discard the water.
Pour the vinegar, and spices in the pot and give it a good stir. Add the peppers and onion as well and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add the cauliflower back in once it is boiling and simmer the mixture on low for 5 minutes.
Carefully pack everything into pint jars that are clean and hot. To heat them up, I set them in some very hot water while the cauliflower cooks. I put some of the vegetable mixture into each jar first (using a slotted spoon), then top each jar off with enough of the vinegar mixture to make sure the vegetables are covered.
Seal the jars and process them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Allow them to cool, then check the lids to make sure they are tight and store them in your pantry.
Any jars that don’t seal properly should go in the fridge (after they are cooled) and eating within a week or two (the pickled caulifower, not the jar should be eaten 
).
Cut cauliflower in florets. There should be 2 quarts. Cook in a small amount of water 5 minutes; drain. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Add cauliflower and simmer 5 minutes. Pack in clean, hot, pint jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes.
Cold Broccoli Salad Recipe
Broccoli is one of the few green vegetables both my husband and my daughter actually like, so I’m always on the lookout for new recipes. I recently came across this cold broccoli salad recipe and it’s perfect for the summer time. My family and I have enjoyed especially when we are grilling outside (hamburgers and such). I’ve also taken it to a church supper and it was gone before you could blink. Definitely a keeper
Cold Broccoli Salad Recipe
- 1 lg. bunch broccoli
- 1 sm. onion, chopped
- 1 c. shredded cheddar
- 1/2 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 1 c. Miracle Whip
- 1/4 – 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 tbsp. vinegar
Start by cutting up the broccoli into bite sized pieces. I also include a good bit of the stems. If you do, be sure to cut those extra small since they can be a little tough sometimes. If your family doesn’t like to eat them like that, save the stalks/ stems and either use them with other scraps to make a big pot of vegetable stock later, or save them, then grate them into coleslaw later (a sturdy box grater works well for this).
Get out your favorite coverable salad bowl. I use one with a tight fitting lid. Add the broccoli, chopped onion, shredded cheese and crumbled bacon to the bowl.
In a small bowl mix the salad dressing with the sugar and vinegar. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss it well. Let it sit covered in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. You can easily make this cold broccoli salad recipe several hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge.
Velveeta Broccoli Casserole
This is a great simple broccoli dish the kids will love. It’s very cheese, but also quite economical. Great for potlucks or as a side dish with baked or grilled chicken. It goes together pretty quickly and is a rather frugal recipe. I hope you will give it try.
Velveeta Broccoli Casserole Recipe
- 2 packs of frozen broccoli
- 1 med. onion
- a little oil or margarine to saute the onion in (optional)
- 1 can cream of anything soup (homemade is fine)
- 1 c. milk
- 1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese
- 3 c. rice, cooked
Start by dicing your onion and sauteing it in the oil or margarine just until it is soft and starts to get translucent. Cook your broccoli for a few minutes in boiling water until it is tender. Drain the broccoli well.
Mix all ingredients (including the cooked broccoli and onion) together. I usually do this right in the greased casserole dish. If you prefer you could also mix everything in a large bowl and then pour it into your casserole dish. I cut the cheese into small cubes before I add it to the mix.
Bake everything at 350 F for 45 minutes.
If you’d like you can pour a few crushed crackers or some breadcrumbs on top of the casserole before baking. It will give it a nice golden crust. Serve your Velveeta broccoli casserole hot. Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat them the next day.
Homemade Onion Rings
Cut onions into rings. Dip in prepared pancake batter. Fry in a deep fryer until they float.
Busy Day Casserole
Makes 4 servings
- 1 onion medium chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef extra-lean
- 1 1-pound can tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups egg noodles uncooked
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 8-ounce can corn whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 4 1/2-ounce can mushrooms drained
- 1/2 cup olives sliced pitted, drained
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
1. n large skillet, sauté onion and green pepper in vegetable oil until tender.
2. Add meat and brown. Drain off excess grease.
3. Add tomatoes, water, noodles, and seasonings; stir to moisten noodles. Cover, bring to boil, and reduce heat.
4. Simmer 30 minutes or until noodles are tender.
5. Stir in corn, mushrooms, and optional olives. Heat thoroughly.
6. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Vegetable Lo Mein
Makes 8 servings
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup minced scallion
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 peeled carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 3 stalks celery, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1-1/2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon lite soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 pound cooked thin spaghetti noodles
1. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 Tbsp of broth. Add garlic, scallions, and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
2. Add carrots, celery, and mushrooms and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup of broth, cover, and steam for 5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of broth with sherry, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Add cornstarch and mix well.
4. Remove cover, and add cornstarch mixture. Cook for 1 minute more, until mixture thickens. Toss in cooked noodles and mix well. Serve.
Anytime Corn Fritters
- 1 1/2 cups of cream style corn
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 eggs, beaten with a fork
- 1 1/2 cups of flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- dash salt
- dash black pepper
- oil for frying
In a large bowl, pour the cream style corn, liquid and all. Then mix in the half-and-half and the beaten egg. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Then fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until you have a nice dough formed.
Pour enough oil in a large cast iron skillet to almost cover the fritters when dropped in, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Heat the oil hot enough to sizzle when you start dropping the batter in.
Take a tablespoon and form fritters about the size of golf balls, quickly dropping them into the hot oil. Let the fritters turn a golden brown, rolling them around until they get brown all over. Remove them quickly as they get done and let them drain on a rack covered with paper towels.
Serve the fritters with any sort of dipping sauce you like.
I like this recipe because you can make it any time of the year. When I can get corn on the cob in the summer, I use a different recipe, but when we’re huddled inside the house on a cold winter night, this recipe works just great!
Summer Celebration Corn Fritters
- 12 ears of corn (not real tender or white corn, or white/yellow blend)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
- pinch black pepper if desired
- oil for frying
Husk your corn and remove all the silk. Then cut kernels off the corn cobs into a big bowl. Next, scrape the pulp off of the cobs with a metal spatula or the back of your knife. Be sure you do this in a bowl to capture all the good juice and pulp. Feed the cobs to the ducks, deer, or other needy critters.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix together well with a wooden spoon, being sure that you don’t “whip” it; just blend it.
Form fritters with your hands, making the fritters about 2 inches in diameter or about two to three bites each. Flatten them just a bit. You really don’t want ball shaped fritters because they are harder to fry evenly.
Pour enough frying oil into a deep cast iron skillet to just about cover the fritters, about 1/2 inch. Get the oil hot enough so the fritters sizzle when you drop them in. Drop a few fritters in at a time (don’t crowd them) and fry them quickly, flip them, and fry them on the other side. Remove and drain on a rack with paper towels. Be sure you use a rack so the fritters don’t sweat and get soggy.
This is a great recipe to get kids to eat their vegetables. Corn tends to taste pretty sweet, but if you want to add a sprinkle of sugar or a tiny bit of honey to the ingredients to entice your kids to eat them, go right ahead. However, you could just serve them with a little bowl of honey for dipping and that would do the trick, too.
Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
Have you been tempted to cook with acorn squash (it just looks so pretty), but aren’t quite sure what to do with it? Same here until I came across this yummy recipe.
- 2 large acorn squash
- 3 cups apples, peeled, cored and cut in 1/2″ pieces (about 4 large apples)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup raisins
First cut the squash in half and clean out the seeds. Bake these halved squash in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. While those bake, get out a mixing bowl and mix all the remaining ingredients together for the filling. Fill the hot squash and return to oven to bake for another 30 minutes at 350 degrees F
Ta-da! A colorful, pretty and delicious filled squash.
Summer Veggie Toss
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 cups shredded carrot
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 pound gr chuck
- 1 package med egg noodles
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Brown the beef until done and drain. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Add the veggies to the beef mix. Add the MSG and soy sauce. Add the cooked and drained noodles and serve with some crusty French bread.
Enjoy!
Corn Casserole
This is a real “hit” at potlucks and so easy to make.
1 can whole corn
1 can cream corn
2 eggs
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1/4 cup sugar (or any other sweetener you prefer)
Mix all together in a bowl and pour into a buttered 9 x 13 glass dish
Bake at 350 degrees until lightly brown on top (about 30-40 min.)
Zucchini Cakes
- 1 shredded small zucchini
- 1 pouch (6.5) cornmeal
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
Microwave zucchini in glass bowl 2 minutes on medium high, then drain. (Editor’s note: you can also cook in saucepan in a small amount of water until soft, then drain.)
Combine in a bowl, the cooked zucchini, cornmeal, egg, and milk, and let it stand 5 minutes.
Heat oil in large heavy skillet. Drop heaping Tablespoons of batter into hot oil. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes each side
Drain on papertowels and salt immediately while still hot.
Makes about 14 cakes.
Yummy
Corn On The Cob
My favorite frugal recipe is
CORN ON THE COB
- Corn on the cob
- Water to cover corn
- Sugar (about 3 Tablespoons)
Boil water, sugar, and corn for about 8 minutes. Drain water and serve corn on the cob with butter and salt, pepper if you like.
Note: cooking in salt water may make corn tough.
Baked Eggplant
1 nice size eggplant
1/2 sleeve of saltine crackers
garlic salt to taste
rosemary to taste
Peel eggplant and set in water to prevent browning. Set aside.
Role crackers with rolling pin until semi fine. Put in bowl.
Add garlic salt and rosemary to crackers.
Spray a 8 x 8 pan.
Add eggplant. Cover eggplant with cracker mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour uncovered.
It’s ready when it’s fork tender.
My Mom made this all the time EXCEPT she just cut the eggplant in half, with the peeling on, scored it and put the cracker mixture on top and baked it which also can be done.
My family loves this.
Loretta’s Carrot Raisin Salad
HBHW Reader Loretta shares her favorite summer recipe.
- 2 LBS SHREDDED CARROTS (2 BAGS)
- 1 CUP MAYO
- 1 CAN CHUNK PINEAPPLE; DRAINED
- 1 CUP RAISINS
- 1/2 CUP SUGAR
- 1 CUP WALNUTS (OPTIONAL)
Mix well and chill for 2 hours. ( The longer the better)
This is a simple recipe, but it’s so good and healthy too! This recipe goes well with a B-B-Q or a regular meal! (I eat this as a snack) It’s great for a quick pick-me-up, as well.
My name is Loretta Craig and I’m a wife, mother and grandmother. I’m the author of 6 novels to date, working on 2 more at the moment and I love to cook!
Vegetable Soup Recipe
This is a simple vegetable soup recipe that HBHW reader Amanda L. submitted. You could easily change the vegetables and make this recipe suit what you have on hand.
- 2 whole onions diced
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 4 small zucchini peeled and cut up
- 32 oz of veggie stock
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Mrs.Dash
- 15-20 peas(handfull) in the pod
- 3lg carrots(handfull)
- 4-5 little squash
- 20 or more green beans (a handfull)
- and 2 tbsp of chicken base
Cook the veggies with a little bit of butter and add the broth and simmer for 30mins and pur’ee it.
Spinach Casserole
- 1 package frozen chopped spinach
- 1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
- 6 oz feta cheese (crumbled)
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp dried basil
- salt and pepper
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Thaw the spinach. I usually do this in the microwave. I microwave it in a bowl in 10 to 15 second intervals until it is mostly thawed. Now use your hands and squeeze as much of the moistue out of the spinach as you can. Pour out the water and put the spinach back into the bowl.
Add the ricotta and feta cheese, the eggs, the basil and salt and pepper (a good dash of each) to the bowl and gently stir it all together. I like to scramble my eggs up with a fork before I add them to the mixture.
Pour the spinach mixture into a small casserole dish and bake for 1 hour. By then the casserole should be set.
Praline Sweet Potatoes
- 2 - 29 ounce cans of Sweet Potatoes or Yams, drained OR 6 cups of peeled, chopped and boiled fresh sweet potatoes or yams
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
- 1/2 cup coconut
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons melted margarine
Heat the oven to 350°. Arrange the drained sweet potatoes in a well oiled 2 quart casserole. In a small bowl, mash together the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle this liberally over the tops of the sweet potatoes. Bake for about half an hour, or until the top is crispy brown. This is a wonderful change from marshmallow topped sweet potatoes around the holidays. Whenever I serve this dish I am inundated with requests for the recipe. Excellent for holiday potlucks. Serves about 8.
Mashed Turnips
- 6 cups peeled, cubed turnips (about 4 big ones)
- 2 quarts water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Choose turnips the size of your fist or smaller. Cut off the tops in a thin layer. Peel the turnips with a vegetable peeler. Don’t bother cutting off the root end, instead peel it clean with the vegetable peeler. Cut the turnips into medium sized chunks. Measure up 6 full cups of them.
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot on the stove. Add the salt and sugar. When the water boils, add the turnips. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until the turnips are tender. Drain well. Add the margarine and evaporated milk. Using electric beaters mash the turnips until they are smooth. Taste and add more salt and plenty of pepper. Makes 4 servings.
These really hit the spot when mashed potatoes seem like the only thing worth living for but you only have turnips in the house. If desired, you can divide the mixture up between small baking dishes and treat them like twice baked potatoes. Add bacon-bits, sour cream, shredded cheese, steamed broccoli, a big scoop of chili, or tomato sauce and parmesan cheese. Microwave or bake until heated through.
The secret to getting turnips to take on the mild taste of potatoes is to boil them in water that has been both salted and sweetened. Without the salt and sweetener turnips have a stronger flavor that some people find objectionable. If you’ve never had turnips treated this way then you are in for a real treat.
My Best Turnips
- 2 pounds fresh turnips
- 1 fresh apple (optional)
- 2 or 3 tablespoons margarine
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
First peel the turnips with a vegetable peeler. Peel the apple too if you like, but it isn’t necessary, unless he skin is really ugly. Chop or slice the turnips, (and the apple) into the chunks the right size for eating. Fill a big pot half full of water. Add the turnips, apple (if you’re using it), the margarine, sugar and salt and pepper as you like. Cover the pot and simmer on the back of the stove for about 20 minutes, or until the turnip chunks are tender to your preference. Serve hot. Serves six.
Note: The secret to this recipe is the apple. The sugar, by itself makes the turnips better than usual, but the apple flavor gently caresses each chunk of turnip, changing its flavor subtly, but with powerful results. Fred didn’t know they were turnips the first time he tried them. He thought they were fancy potatoes. I’ve put leftovers from this recipe into beef stew and confirmed turnip haters were unable to recognize them.
Broccoli in Cheese Sauce
- 1 pound frozen broccoli
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Good dash pepper
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 to 1 cup shredded cheese
First you have to cook your broccoli. I do this in the microwave, in a bowl, until it is hot throughout. Sometimes, I put a spoonful of water in with the broccoli when I think of it. Follow the directions on the package of the frozen broccoli if you need to. While the broccoli is cooking, melt the margarine in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Let it bubble a little bit to sort of toast the flour. Whisk in the milk. Cook and stir the sauce over medium heat until it boils. Allow it to boil for a whole minute. Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Add the cooked broccoli, drained if necessary. Stir it up and bring it to a boil again. Serve to hungry people, who are thankful for broccoli in cheese sauce. This is pretty good over baked potatoes or plain cooked rice. It can be served over instant mashed potatoes too, when you need something really quick.
Hot Taco Salad
Makes 8 servings
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 envelope taco seasoning mix
- 1/2 16-ounce bag tortilla chips (or Nacho Doritos)
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 1/2 head lettuce chopped
- Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 pound Velveeta cheese
1. Brown Hamburger, drain, add taco seasoning mix and set aside.
2. Crush chips into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread hamburger mixture over chips.
3. Layer onion, tomato and lettuce on top of hamburger.
4. In a large saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour and stir continuously until smooth. Stir in milk. Bring to a boil – stirring constantly and boil one minute. Add Velveeta Cheese and stir until melted. Pour sauce over casserole.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly.
Creamed Peas
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Good Dash pepper
- 2 cups frozen peas (use a 10 oz box, or measure 2-cups from a bag of loose frozen peas)
Get out a quart size sauce pan, or bigger. In it, melt the margarine over medium heat. Using a fork or a whisk, stir in the flour until it is smooth and lump free. Now very gradually stir in the milk. I use a whisk for this because it makes the work go faster. When the milk is well combined with the fat and flour, add the sugar, salt and pepper. Cook and stir the sauce until it begins to boil. Count to sixty, stirring it the whole while. Now add the frozen peas. Cover the pan and allow it to simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat. The peas should thaw and cook briefly, but not too much. Over cooking is ruin for this dish. It needs the peas to only barely cook, bringing out their freshest flavor. This recipe is easily doubled, as written it serves 4 to 6, depending on how much the family likes the peas. Some folks add 1/2-cup of shredded cheese to this dish, but I don’t much like it that way. Still it is an option worth considering for persnickety eaters. These may be served on top of baked potatoes for a nice vegetarian main dish. Simple but good.
Cabbage Casserole
This yummy and frugal casserole was submitted by HBHW reader Jennifer M.
- 1 4lb head of cabbage
- 2 rolls of any flavor sausage (it’s all about what you prefer)
- 2 sleeves of saltines
- Ketchup to taste
- Block cheese (it melts best)
Shred cabbage just enough to soften, then drain and set aside. Brown sausage (as you would ground beef), drain and set aside. Grease two casserole dishes and begin to layer:
- crush saltines and put on bottom
- top with cabbage, sausage, ketchup, and cheese
- repeat one more time, topping everything with cheese.
Put in oven at 425 degrees until everything heats through and cheese melts. Serve one and freeze the other.
Everyone, including my picky-est eater, loves this dish.
Scalloped Tomatoes
- 3 slices of toast
- 28 ounce cans of tomatoes
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/16 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dry onion
- 2 tablespoons margarine
First toast your bread. I use the heels from a couple of loaves, plus any leftover bread I may have on hand. You can toast the bread in the oven instead of the toaster if you like. Lay the bread out on a cookie sheet and bake at 400° for about 10 minutes. This is a good way to do it if the kids have mangled the bread and it won’t fit in the toaster. After you toast the bread, cut it into small cubes. Oil a 3-quart casserole dish or a 9 by 13- inch rectangular baking pan. In the casserole or baking dish, combine all of the ingredients except the margarine. Sort of stir and scoop the bread and tomatoes together with the seasonings until it is well mixed. Now cut the margarine into pieces and dot it on top of the tomatoes and bread. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake it at 350° for about 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil for the last few minutes of baking if desired.
To Use Fresh Tomatoes: Cut up about 3-1/2 cups of fresh tomatoes, don’t bother to peel them. Proceed exactly as directed above, except cook the dish for 45 minutes. Scalloped Tomatoes tastes very good prepared with fresh tomatoes, so keep it in mind when the garden is exploding in the summer.
Savory Mixed Greens
- 15 oz can greens (collards, turnip, mustard, kale or mixed greens)
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon dry onion
Open up the greens. You can use any type of greens that you like. You could use spinach too, I guess, although I never have. Turnip and Mustard greens are my favorite, but the others are quite good too. So anyway, open up the greens and put them into a quart size sauce pan. Add the margarine, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and onion. Stir it up, coating everything evenly with the seasonings. Put the lid on the pan and bring them to a boil. When they boil, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Good eatin’, southern style.
Candied Carrots
- 6 to 8 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Good Dash pepper
First prepare the carrots, cutting them into thin rounds. Place them in a saucepan with the water, margarine, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring the carrots to a boil over high heat. Cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid. Watching carefully, cook the carrots until the water evaporates, and the carrots are simmering in the margarine. This will take about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. They may be served immediately, or covered and reheated right before serving. Serves 4 or 6.
If you have vegetable haters in the house, try this recipe. Most kids like carrots, and this recipe makes them very sweet and child friendly. Even Tommy loves this one, and he is the most persnickety eater I have ever encountered.
Harvard Beets
- 15 oz can of sliced beets drained, reserve juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoon or margarine
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
In a quart size saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch. Measure the beet liquid. You need 3/4-cup, add water if necessary to bring the amount of liquid to this level. Gradually stir the liquid into the saucepan, stirring to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. When the mixture boils, add the drained beets and the margarine. Simmer for about 5 minutes to tone down the vinegar, and blend the flavors. Serve hot. This recipe serves 3 beet lovers, or 6 beet toleraters. Children who are sensitive to strong flavors will often eat these beets because of their unusual sweet and tangy flavor. For company meals, or a surplus of fresh beets, this recipe is easily doubled. If you are using fresh beets, measure 2-cups cooked beets for a single recipe, or 4 cups cooked beets for a double recipe.
Vegetables Lo Mein
- 8 ounces dry spaghetti
- 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 pound package of frozen stir-fry vegetables or 3-1/2 cups fresh chopped veggies
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. When it is tender, drain it well and return it to the pot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, and toss the spaghetti around until it is evenly coated. Next heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large iron skillet, or a wok. Add the onion and garlic. Sautè until the onion is tender and fragrant. Add the frozen stir-fry vegetables. Cook them very quickly over high heat until they are mostly thawed, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked spaghetti. Stir everything all up and let it fry for about 5 more minutes. If you think you need it, you may add a little more vegetable oil. Allow the pasta to brown some if possible. Sprinkle over the soy sauce and sesame oil as cook the mixture during the last 5 minutes. Serve with Egg Rolls and Hot and Sour Soup. Makes 4 servings.
Tomato Rice Pilaf
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 cup dry, long-grain brown rice
- 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1-1/2 cups water
To make this dish, you will need a sauce pan with a tightly fitting lid. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sautè it until it becomes fragrant, and translucent (see-through). Add the rice and continue to sautè until the rice toasts a little bit. This should only take a couple of minutes. Next add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and water. Stir it all up and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and put the lid on. Simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender. This makes a great side dish or even a main dish for lunch or supper. If you are using it as a main dish, serve it topped with a fried egg, whole grain muffins and a tall glass of milk. This is a simple dish, but is tastes very good, especially when the cook is tired, and the wind is howling outside. Serves 6 as a side dish, or 4 as a main dish. When I make this as the main supper dish for the whole family, I double the recipe so no one leaves the table hungry.
Tomato Juice from Tomato Paste
- 1 can tomato paste
- 4 cans of tap water
Use any size can of tomato paste. Usually they come in 12-oz or 6-oz sizes. Open the can and scrape the thick concentrated tomato paste into a large jar or juice pitcher. Fill the can with water 4 times, and pour the water in with the tomato paste. Stir it up really well.
It will be unsalted, which I believe makes it taste fresher, but you may add salt to taste if you like. Some folks like to add a little Hot Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce for flavor. Personally, I like it well chilled and straight from the fridge. It has a tangy refreshing flavor which reminds me of summertime tomato harvesting.
Use it anywhere you would regular canned tomato juice. Here is a substitute which costs less than a third of it’s commercial counterpart, and actually tastes ten times better. Being thrifty pays off in flavor, health and savings.
You may also enjoy this recipe for chocolate syrup. It’s another cheap beverage recipe from my collection.