Economical Eats

Beef Stew

2009-11-02T10:38:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds lean beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups baby carrots, or carrots cut into 1-inch thick slices

DIRECTIONS
1. Toss beef with flour. Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high. Heat until hot. Add the beef. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, onion, pepper and thyme; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the beef is just tender.
3. Add the potatoes and carrots; return to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the beef and vegetables are tender.

Country Turkey Casserole

2009-11-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
2 (10.75 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup (or cream soup substitute)
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, cooked
2 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken
4 cups prepared herb seasoned stuffing (I use Pepperidge Farm)

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix soups, milk, thyme, pepper, vegetables and turkey in 3-quart shallow baking dish. Top with stuffing.
2. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until hot.

Crescent Taco Bake

2009-11-02T10:31:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 pound ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 medium tomato, chopped (can substitute 1 cup salsa)
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce

DIRECTIONS
1. Unroll crescent roll dough and place in an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Flatten dough to fit the pan, sealing seams and perforations. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown; cool. In a small bowl, blend cream cheese and sour cream with a wire whisk; spread over crust. Chill 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown beef; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. Add water according to package directions and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with tomato (or salsa), cheeses and lettuce. Cut into serving-size pieces. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Butternut Squash Casserole

2009-10-28T04:15:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
3 cups mashed butternut squash
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted

TOPPING
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 - 1 cup chopped pecans (to taste)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
2. In a large bowl, combine mashed squash, white sugar, milk, vanilla extract, salt, flour, eggs and 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until set.
4. Sprinkle brown sugar and pecans over cooked casserole and return to oven for about 10 minutes, until brown sugar is carmelized and nuts are toasted.

Squash and Apple Bake

2009-10-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large apples, cored, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together squash and apple chunks in a well-greased 9x13 baking dish
3. Blend the remaining ingredients with fork, fingers, or pastry cutter until crumbly; sprinkle over squash and apple mixture.
4. Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes until tender.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

2009-08-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, coconut, cinnamon, flour, chocolate chips and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or you will be unable to cut them.

Spaetzle

2009-07-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 gallon hot water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
2. Press dough through spaetzle-maker over boiling water. You can also use a Ziploc bag with holes punched in the bottom, or a large holed sieve or metal grater.
3. Cook in small batches for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
4. Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or margarine. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve.

Serves 6.

Slow Cooker Round Steak Sauerbraten

2009-07-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds round steak, trimmed and cut into serving size pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 (.75 ounce) packets dry brown gravy mix
3 cups water
1 tablespoon onion powder
4 tablespoons brown sugar
5-6 tablespoons red wine vinegar (to taste)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the meat and brown well. Remove and place in slow cooker. Add the gravy mix and water to the meat drippings in the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Stir in the onion powder, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, bay leaf, salt, and ground black pepper. Mix well. Pour over meat in slow cooker.
3. Cook on high for approximately 4 hours, until meat is very tender. Remove and cut into thin slices or chunks. Return to sauce, and stir to combine. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve over buttered egg noodles or spaetzle.

Serves 6.

Spice Rubbed Grilled Chicken

2009-05-19T14:43:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
4 bone-in chicken breasts, with skin, 3 pounds total
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grates
1/4 to 1/3 cup All-Purpose Spice Rub (See Below)

All-Purpose Spice Rub
1/3 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoons dried, ground thyme
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional)

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, using your hands to break up the sugar. Store in an airtight container, away from heat and light, up to 6 months.

DIRECTIONS
1. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish. Carefully slide fingers under skin to loosen it from the meat. Rub chicken all over with oil. Season with All-Purpose Spice Rub both under and over skin, patting in gently. Proceed to step 2 right away, or cover chicken and let rest for up to 24 hours. Cover and refrigerate if resting longer than 30 minutes.

2. Heat grill to medium-low. Oil grates; grill chicken, covered, turning frequently to prevent charring, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part (avoiding bone) registers 175 degrees, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Everyday Food (it has been slightly modified to suit our personal tastes).

Bulgur-Rice Pilaf

2009-05-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 cup bulgur wheat
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
3/4 cup long grain rice
2 teaspoons chicken bouillion
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups water

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large skillet, saute' bulgur, onion and carrot in margarine until bulgur is toasted and vegetables are tender (about 8 minutes).
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar

2009-05-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the asparagus in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Drizzle with vinegar just before serving.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

2009-05-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

Like many pies with all-fruit filling, this pie filling is quite runny. We like to spoon the extra syrup over ice cream, but if you want a firmer pie, you can stir a beaten egg into the filling before baking. You can also substitute corn starch for the flour, if desired.

INGREDIENTS
Pastry for 2-crust pie
2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups diced, fresh rhubarb (half-inch pieces)
3 cups sliced, fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons white sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add strawberries and chopped rhubarb. Stir to coat.
3. Pour filling into pie crust. Dot with butter, and cover with top crust. Crimp edges of top and bottom crusts together. Cover edge of crust with 3-inch strips of aluminum foil to prevent excess browning. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.
4. Apply yolk to top of pie, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut small slits in top to let steam escape.
5. Bake until bubbly and brown (45-55 minutes). Cool on rack.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-04-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
2 cups whole corn kernels, cooked
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces

GARNISHES
crushed tortilla chips
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
sour cream

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, cumin, lemon pepper, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.

Quick and Easy Super-Moist Brownies

2009-03-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, and melted butter. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir into egg mixture until well-combined.
3. Bake in prepared pan for 20 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Traditional Chicken Pot Pie

2009-02-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

(NOTE: If your bottom crust gets too soggy, try baking it for 10 minutes before adding the filling)

INGREDIENTS
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Bread Machine Pizza Dough

2009-02-06T08:37:00.001-08:00

INGREDIENTS
7/8 cup warm water
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine liquid ingredients in bread machine pan. Add flour and sugar, making a little well for the yeast to rest in. Add yeast. Set bread machine for dough setting and start. When the unit signals, remove dough.

2. Pat dough into 12x15-inch jelly roll pan or greased 12-inch round pizza pan. Let stand 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Spread pizza sauce over dough. Sprinkle toppings over sauce. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Seasoned Rice Mix (Similar to Rice-A-Roni

2009-02-01T05:48:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
2 cups uncooked rice
1 cup of broken spaghetti pieces
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
6 tablespoons chicken or beef bouillon powder (I use chicken)
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon thyme

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. To use, combine 1 cup mix with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender.

Cream Soup Mix

2009-02-01T05:47:00.002-08:00

INGREDIENTS
2 cups dry milk
1 1/4 cups cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken bouillon powder
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients in an airtight container. To make the equivalent of one 10 3/4-ounce can of condensed cream soup, combine 1/3 cup mix with 1 1/4 cups water in medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Onion Soup Mix

2009-02-01T05:47:00.001-08:00

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup onion flakes
4 teaspoons onion powder
1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon sugar

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. The ratio for this is 2 tablespoons to one cup water.

Taco Seasoning Mix

2009-02-01T05:46:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
6 teaspoons chili powder
4 1/2 teaspoons cumin
5 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. 5 tablespoons of this mix equals one 1.5 ounce packet. It's quite strong, so you might want to use less. We've found that about 3 tablespoons is plenty for us.

Heather's Honey Wheat Bread

2009-01-30T08:09:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 tablespoon powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flax meal (you can purchase this at Wal-Mart, but I just grind whole flax seeds with a coffee grinder because it's cheaper)
3 tablespoons wheat bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS
Place ingredients in your bread machine pan in the order listed, making a little well for the yeast to rest in:

Put the bread pan in the machine, and select the "Dough" cycle, for a 1.5 pound loaf. When the cycle is complete, remove the dough from the pan, and place it on a lightly floured surface. I actually prefer to use a Silpat, because I can spray my hands with a little cooking spray, and shape the loaf easily. No extra flour is necessary, because the silicone prevents the dough from sticking. Shape the dough into a uniform, loaf-like shape, like this:

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bread pan. Cover with a damp towel, and let rest in a warm place, until doubled in size. This can take up to an hour, depending on how warm it is in your house. If you poke the top of the loaf with two fingers, and the dents remain, the loaf has risen enough. When ready, it will look like this:

With a sharp knife, cut a slit in the top of the loaf, within 2 inches of each end (this is optional - I just do it because it gives the bread a "split-top wheat" look). Bake in a preheated, 375-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. The finished bread will be golden brown and will sound hollow when tapped:

Allow to cool before slicing and eating.

If you don't have a bread machine, you can make this bread the traditional way, using these instructions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add honey and oil, and stir well. Mix in all other dry ingredients, except all-purpose flour. Work all-purpose flour in gradually. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for at least 10 to 15 minutes. When dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a well oiled bowl. Turn it several times in the bowl to coat the surface of the dough, and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

2. Punch down the dough. Shape into uniform loaf shape, and place in an oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise until dough is 1 to 1 1/2 inches above pan.

3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 -35 minutes.

Stir-Fried Chicken and Noodles

2009-01-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup honey
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups julienned carrots
2 cups shredded Chinese or napa cabbage
1 cup fresh or frozen snow peas, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ounces spaghetti, broken

DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, whisk together the first seven ingredients; set aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in 2 teaspoons oil for 3-5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. stir-fry broccoli and carrots in remaining oil for 6 minutes. Add cabbage and peas; stir-fry 3 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Add sauce to vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. drain pasta; stir into vegetable mixture. Return chicken to the pan; cook and stir until heated through.

Heather's Homemade Hummus

2009-01-30T07:30:00.001-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed butter)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic
Chopped parsley
Pinch paprika
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend, while drizzling in enough olive oil to make the mixture smooth and creamy. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
2. Drizzle more olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Serve with warm, toasted pita wedges for dipping.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

2009-01-30T07:22:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
4 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 ounces processed cheese food (Velveeta), cubed
2 chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Spread cooked rice in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan melt butter or margarine and stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, bouillon, seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper. Stir all together and bring to a boil. Simmer and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; add Velveeta, and stir until melted. Add chicken and sour cream. Mix all together and pour mixture over rice.
4. Top with shredded cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Oatmeal Crumb Cake

2009-01-30T07:13:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 C boiling water
1 C quick or instant oats
1/2 C butter or margarine, room temp
3/4 C packed brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 C flour

DIRECTIONS
Pour boiling water over oats. Let stand 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x13 cake pan. With mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in oats by hand. Sift together baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour. Add to oat mixture and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

Traditional streusel topping
1/2 C flour
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C cold butter

Cut dry ingredients into butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over cake batter.

Alternative graham streusel topping
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Combine all ingredients, and sprinkle over cake batter.

Bake cake for 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.