Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies

I can't resist these cookies!  They are delicious!

 

Cold winter days need a hot cocoa and brownie cookies.  I came up with this recipe yesterday when I was totally in need of a chocolate fix and I promised my kiddos that we would make cookies. 

Already today, I have posted a beautiful recipe for stuffed French toast...check out my Staying Warm post.  But it is wintery and blistery outside today...so I thought that I would share this recipe too!  I can't resist these cookies and with kiddos playing outside, a warm wintery treat of hot cocoa with these cookies is definitely in order! 

Look at how beautiful these cookies are...they are perfect little brownie bites with yummy walnuts and chocolate chips.  The nuts are totally optional, so if you have an allergy in your house, you can omit them and they will still be delicious!

They came out so fudgy and delicious, TJ was eating them up!  He told me that I'm not allowed to make them again (he finds cookies irresistible!)  And, as far as this recipe is concerned, so do I! 

These cookies came together quickly and only take about 12 minutes in the oven.  It make about 4 dozen.  No need to chill the dough...just make and bake!

Burr!  This is literally what it looks like outside my window right now!

I hope that your family is staying warm!  Cuddle up next to a fire (or heat register, lol.) and enjoy!

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies (about 4 dozen)

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. brewed coffee (optional...but brings out the delicious chocolate flavor!)
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Preheat oven to 350 and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper (optional, but helps the cookies to slide off the pan.)

1.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and butter until light and fluffy.  Add the brown sugar and white sugar and mix until well combined.  Add the egg and whip to combine.  Add the cocoa and mix well.
2.  To the mixture, add the vanilla, coffee, and the baking soda.  Mix really well to be sure that everything is incorporated evenly. 

3.  Add the flour, one cup at a time, and mix until just combined.  Be careful not to over mix.  Add the nuts and the chocolate chips and distribute evenly. 

4.  Using a tablespoon, drop cookies on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  I was able to get 12 cookies on each cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just slightly firm.  Allow to sit on the sheet for about 2 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack. 

Dunk in milk, hot cocoa, or enjoy with your coffee!  Delicious!!!

 

Staying warm and within your budget!

Winter is definitely upon us...in fact, today we are experiencing our first real snow storm of the season.  It is days like this when I really feel like cooking and baking.  I think it's because I know that I'm not going anywhere, I'm not in a rush, and I just love how cozy a nice warm kitchen feels! 

This weekend we had some really cold days and so this Mama was cooking!  I made a delicious traditional lasagna on Saturday, a nice pork roast dinner with mashed potatoes and apricot sauce on Sunday, and for breakfast yesterday I made a delicious stuffed French toast.  My kids were in heaven! 

Here's the back story on this recipe.  About a month ago, TJ and I went to a beautiful bed and breakfast in Lyons called the Peppermint Cottage.  We went with our life-long friends to celebrate a birthday.  We go there every year and it is the perfect place to unwind (they have a hot tub and a beautiful wood burning fireplace).  It is truly one of our favorite places!  On this trip, the owner, Diane, made us a fabulous stuffed French toast.  Let me just add this little plug about how great this place is...Diane stayed up late and made fresh French bread for this recipe.  It's all in the details! 

When I got out of bed yesterday, I had already decided that I was going to make stuffed French toast for breakfast.  I had purchased an extra loaf of French bread the day before for the lasagna, so my plan was to make blueberry stuffed French toast.  A funny thing happened as I was coming down the stairs though...TJ said "I think you should make stuffed French toast today, with bananas."  Okay...now I am a firm believer in coincidence...but really?  The same thought at the same time?  Wow...it was definitely meant to be!  So I made both, blueberry and banana stuffed French toast. 

Buttery goodness! Yummy!

Making this dish was incredibly easy and very economical!  I will break down all of the prices for you so you can see that a restaurant quality meal is definitely doable on a tight budget (insert smiley face here!)

Okay, so here it is...I know these pictures have your mouth watering...so you can serve this for lunch or dinner if you want...just saying, lol!

Stuffed French Toast (Serves 6-8)

1 loaf of traditional French Bread (day old is easier to cut)
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3  cup powdered sugar
2 cut bananas (I used yellow...which is good because they are a bit firmer and easier to stuff)
1/3 cup frozen blueberries (you can use fresh too)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tbsp. half and half
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1.  Cut the ends off of the French bread so that every slice has two flat sides.  Then cut the loaf into 12 slices , about an 1-1 1/2 inches thick.  Cut each slice down the middle, stopping before you cut through (I sliced until about 1/2 inch from the bottom.)

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Mix until smooth. 

3.  Using a knife, spread a thick layer of the cheese in the middle of each slice of prepared bread.  stuff in the fruit.  Go ahead and use your hands...it's easier.  Be careful not to split the bread in half as you're working. 

4.  Add the half and half to the eggs and whisk well.  Then add the cinnamon to eggs. 

5.  In a large skillet, coated with butter, dip the prepared stuffed bread into the eggs on both sides and grill for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until the it is nice and golden brown.  I used my cast iron, which I would totally recommend if you have one...it gives the toast a nice crunchy texture! 

Look at that cheese filling...all ooey and gooey! 

For toppings we sprinkled a little bit of chopped toasted pecans, powdered sugar, and real maple syrup.  Yum Yum!! 

Okay, so let's talk cost per person. 
The most expensive ingredient was the cream cheese.

8 oz. cream cheese- $1.25
French Bread- $1.00 at Walmart
Powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla (about $.35)  total is approximate for the small amounts necessary for this recipe. 
eggs- $.50
half and half $.17
blueberries- $.40 (the whole bag was $2.29 and there is about a 1 pound in the bag.)
Bananas $.20  based on $.39/ pound
Precooked sausage- $2.00 for two packages of 10

For our family of 6, this recipe and breakfast was a total of $0.97 a person.  I served it with orange juice, which we usually only have for a treat, so my kids drank it out of wine flutes...because that is just fancy and fun! 

(I have to give credit to my wonderful and supportive husband, he helped me with the staging of this plate so that I could take these pictures!  Thanks honey!) 

I hope that you enjoy this beautiful breakfast, or lunch, or dessert...whatever you like!

Blessings to All!

Smoked Sausage and Red Pepper Hash

Making breakfast for dinner is something that my children love, however, my husband isn't a big fan.  As a result, I usually plan breakfast nights when my husband has to work late or attend a meeting at church.  Thursday night was one of those nights for us.  TJ was supposed to work late and I promised the kids waffles for dinner.  They were ecstatic, but when TJ walked through the door at 6:15 (his meeting ended earlier then he had been expecting), he wasn't exactly excited about eating waffles. 
So I had to improvise and this beautiful hash was what I came up with.  I had all of the ingredients in the house and was able to throw this together in just a matter of minutes.  I served it with fried eggs on top and an English muffin on the side and my husband loved it!  This was breakfast for dinner, with an adult flare.  Since this recipe is so versatile and easy, it will be sure to grace our table frequently from now on.   

If you don't have smoked sausage in the house, you could substitute bacon, breakfast sausage, or corned beef.  Yummy!  In addition, you can use any veggie that you like.  I think that this would be fantastic with mushrooms, zucchini, or even eggplant.  You could serve this on a meat free night by leaving out the meat and adding one of those "meaty" veggies.  The highlight of this dish was the runny egg yolk on top.  I meant to take a picture of that but my hubby was a hungry man and I never had the chance to snap that shot.  The combination worked perfectly together!

Simple ingredients sometimes make for the best recipes!

Smoked Sausage and Red Pepper Hash Serves 4-6

12 oz. smoked sausage cut into slices
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
3 medium potatoes, cubed (small)
A pinch of red pepper flake (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. canola oil

In a large skillet or cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil and the potatoes.  Cook, stirring every few minutes, until all sides are beginning to brown.  Add the onion and pepper and seasonings.  Continue cooking until the potatoes have browned and the onions and pepper are tender.  Add the sausage and cook until brown and heated through, about five minutes.  When the hash has reached your own level of crunchiness, remove from heat and cook the eggs.  Serve with the eggs on top. 

The entire cost of this meal was about $4.25, therefore the cost per serving in our house was $0.71 a person. 

***This can be served for breakfast and lunch too!  There are no limitations.***

***This recipe was adapted from The Two Bite Club-Kielbasa, Pepper, and Onion Hash

Enjoy!

Blessings to all!

Super Delicious Banana Cupcakes

Okay, so this week the most remarkable thing happened...I had bananas that were really ripe.  It is pretty rare that we have leftover bananas because I seem to have a house full of mini monkeys, but I was excited to have them so that I could experiment with a new banana cupcake recipe. 

The last time that I made banana cupcakes, I got something that I wasn't expecting...banana muffins.  Yup...I got muffins.  They were delicious, don't get me wrong, but they were more like bread then cupcakes.  I felt like I was a contestant on the show Cupcake Wars and I could hear the judges saying that the consistency of my cake was poor, dense, and bread-like.  So I have been on a mission ever since to find a recipe that tastes like bananas with the texture of a beautiful, soft, and moist cake. 

I am happy to say that I think that I found it! 

I was searching Pinterest and I found a lot of recipes for banana cupcakes, however, they were all made from the same base as banana bread and I certainly didn't want a repeat of my last failed attempt.  So I came across this recipe which is originally from foodfanatic by Kristan Roland.  I decided to try it because the recipe called for butter and buttermilk, which I know is a great base for delicious cupcakes.  I changed the recipe just a hair because it called for a lot of sugar and these bananas were so ripe, I knew they would have their own sweetness, so I added less.  In addition, the cinnamon cream cheese frosting sounded so tasty that I just had to try it, but I didn't like the look of her recipe, there was not nearly enough powdered sugar in it...I didn't want to eat a mixture of butter and cream cheese on a cupcake, it sounded so heavy and dense.  I made my own cream cheese frosting recipe and added cinnamon and it came out perfectly light and creamy! 

The flavor combination of the banana and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting is the BOMB!!  My husband and children were completely in love with the first bite.  I know that these cupcakes will be a popular addition to our yummy creations! 

These cupcakes are light, fluffy, and absolutely divine.  They have a beautifully balanced taste of banana and butter.  These would be the perfect complement to a cup of coffee with a friend or a beautiful gift for someone who needs a little pick-me-up. 

It is a gloomy winter day, so if your looking for something to do, here is the perfect baking day recipe!

I hope you enjoy!

Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing (Makes 24)

3 medium ripe bananas mashed
2 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh is best but you can use bottled too)
3/4 cup real butter (I would use real butter, but margarine would work in a pinch)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs (room temperature is best)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)

Directions:
1. Combine the bananas and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl (or a mixer) combine the butter and sugar and whip until smooth and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, whipping to combine.  (This adds air to the mixture and helps to create that light and fluffy cake.)  Add the vanilla and combine well. 
3.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and the baking soda.
4.  Intermittingly add the flour/baking soda a cup at a time with 1/2 cup of the buttermilk ending with the buttermilk.  Mix on medium for about 2 minutes until the batter is creamy (be careful not to overwork the flour as it can have the opposite effect if it is over-mixed) 
5.  Carefully fold the bananas into the batter like you would if you were folding in egg whites, careful not to completely mix.  This helps the fruit be a swirl in the batter and it won't sink to the bottom of your cupcake cup. 
6.  Bake at 365 degrees for 18 minutes or until they are golden and spring back when touched.  Cool on a rack until completely cooled.  Baking at a slightly higher temperature helps the cakes to rise up over the cups so you get a beautifully, rounded cupcake top. 

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 cup butter softened
1 8oz pkg. of cream cheese softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 (heaping) tsp. of cinnamon
3-1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream

Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the vanilla and mix well.  One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar, starting out on low speed and moving to medium when the dust settles, scrapping the sides of the bowl well in between each addition.  Add the whipping cream and whip it until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the cinnamon and combine well, making sure that the cinnamon is evenly dispersed.  Pipe onto the cupcakes when they are cooled.

These cupcakes are best eaten within 3 days but can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. 

Cost per cupcake- $0.25 (This cupcake would cost at least $0.70 if purchased as a prepackaged item) 
***The cost per cupcake is based on the costs for the ingredients that I purchased at Aldi.***

I hope that you enjoy this beautiful cupcake! 

Blessings to all!

Soft and Delicious Drop Sugar Cookies

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and if you ask me, the reason is that you can eat cookies all season and not feel at all guilty.  At least, I don't.  I know that I will be making at least a dozen different cookies this Christmas and I am starting with this very easy sugar cookie recipe.  I made this cookie for the first time two weeks ago and I got so many compliments and requests for the recipe, I decided that this should be the first for my Christmas cookie series. 

These cookies are soft and chewy and the reason why is the shortening that I substitute in for butter.  I love the way that butter tastes, don't get me wrong, there is no substitute for that,  but what I don't like is a thin, crusty cookie, which is what using all butter will give me. I got this recipe from Pinterest and if you would like the original recipe, you can find it pinned to the Cookies board at My Mama's Cheap on Pinterest.  It is a delightfully delicious cookie!  

This easy cookie dough can be put together in minutes, in fact,  I was able to make four dozen cookies in a little less than an hour.  In addition, my seven year old daughter can easily make this recipe, it is just that simple!  

I'm sorry for the lack of pictures lately!  I find taking them and posting them to be extremely time consuming, and right now, I just don't have time to post pictures for everything that I want to share.  Please bare with me...some recipes will have complete picture tutorials, and the simple ones, like this, will be without.  Hopefully this will give me more time to post and share ideas with you every day. 

Thank you for stopping by!

Drop Sugar Cookies- Makes 3-4 dozen

1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup of sugar in a shallow dish (for rolling cookies)

Directions- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the shortening until whipped and smooth.  Add the sugar and cream until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and cream until thoroughly mixed.  Add the vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Mix well, scrapping the sides as you go.  Add the flour, in one cup increments, and stir until completely combined. 

2.  Using a teaspoon, roll the dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll the balls through the shallow dish of sugar and place them approximately 2 inches apartment on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden and the top is cracked.  Pull from the oven and allow to sit on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. 

These cookies are perfect shared with coffee and great friends!

Happy Holiday Season!

The Beautiful Color Orange!

Okay, so I should warn you, there will be orange children wandering around my house for a few days.  There is really no escaping the orange goodness of Thanksgiving!  With butternut squash, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes on the menu, my children are going to be full of carotene, therefore, I won't be surprised when they take on a slight orange hue! I can remember when my friend had her first baby.  He loved orange veggies and who doesn't? With the deliciousness of each one, this kid ate at least one orange veggie a day.  Well about two weeks in, we started noticing that Tyler was turning orange!  We had no idea why and so my friend called her pediatrician and took him in.  We still laugh about how the doctor had to explain to her that the carotene in the veggies was turning Tyler orange. So to start the holiday off on a good foot, my daughter asked for pumpkin oatmeal bake this morning.  So here we go...off to turning orange with a delicious and healthy oatmeal bake!  Then tomorrow we are going to have a delicious pumpkin pie!  Ohhhh, this time of year makes me so happy!  

Pumpkin is a beautiful fruit (yes, I said fruit.)  It is so versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.  I have to admit, I don't make anything pumpkin without cinnamon.  To me they are a married pair.  You can make many beautiful soups and stews with cinnamon as an ingredient, however, for the majority of us, pumpkin is usually found in more sweet dishes then anything else.  

I use pumpkin all of the time in breakfast dishes.  I have made delicious pumpkin donuts, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin oatmeal cups (and bakes), and pumpkin pancakes.  I was just on Pinterest recently and found a pumpkin French toast bake that I am dying to try!  So, pumpkin is popular in our house! 

In addition to breakfast, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin cupcakes have graced our kitchen as well.  And of course, the most popular of all...the pumpkin pie! 

Today I am going to share two of my favorite pumpkin recipes; pumpkin pie and pumpkin oatmeal bake.  These recipes are so easy and you can use either fresh or canned pumpkin to make them.  Not only are these recipes absolutely divine, but they are also extremely affordable! 

Fun Fact #1  Did you know that most commercially sold packed pumpkin is actually a combination of butternut squash and fresh pumpkin?  Butternut squash has a beautiful, smooth texture and is sweeter than pumpkin.  The color is undeniable!  This is why fresh pumpkin is light orange and packed pumpkin is dark.  Why does it say 100% pumpkin on the can?  Because, the USDA considers all squash (including pumpkins) to be in the same family, therefore, companies don't have to disclose the different types of squash in the ingredients.  Weird right?  

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bake- Serves 4-6

3 cups whole, rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil

Directions- Lightly spray an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Mix well to combine everything evenly.  Pour into prepared baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  Serve immediately. 

Yummy goodness before baking photo!

 

Oh so good!  Full of pumpkin and cinnamon.  This is sure to be a recipe your family will love! 

 

 

 

 

Original Pumpkin Pie- Serves 6-8

 

 

2 cups of fresh pumpkin or 1 can of packed pumpkin puree (15 oz.)

1 can of evaporated milk

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

 

Directions-

Preheat oven to 425

Roll out pie crust and line one 9 inch pie pan.  Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar,spices, eggs, and salt.  Mix well.  Using a whisk, slowly pour in the evaporated milk.  Whisk until the milk is combined and the custard is smooth and creamy.  Pour batter into the prepared pie crust.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 350 and continue to bake for an additional 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  To ensure that the crust doesn't get over baked, you can lightly cover the crust with foil or use a pie shield. 

Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours. I allow it to set for more than that...it comes out better if I leave it for at least 4 hours. 

 

***Notes- I always brush the crust with egg to get a nice golden color.***

 

I will be taking pictures to add to this post today as I bake my pumpkin pie for tomorrow.  If you have any questions about the crust or the filling, please ask...I will try to look several times today and tomorrow as people are cooking and baking to answer as many of them as I can.

 

I hope that you are enjoying your holiday preparations!

 

Blessings to all!

 

  

 

Perfectly Easy Sausage Stuffing

The first time that I tasted this stuffing was about 10 years ago at my sister's house.  Up until then, I didn't think that I liked stuffing that had, well, stuff in it.  You see, my mother used to make the Pepperidge Farm seasoned stuffing cubes with just water and butter in it.  She didn't add any seasonings, celery, or onion to it, let alone sausage.  To this day, I am not really sure why.  I assume that it was because that is how she liked it.  My sister had us over for Christmas and she made this recipe.  Well, I fell in love!  I really do like the "stuff" in stuffing! 

She gave me the recipe and for the last 9 years, this stuffing has graced our table every Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It is delicious and super easy!  It bakes up soft and moist, and when I put it on the table, you would never believe that it wasn't baked in the turkey! 

Here's what you'll need to make this fabulous stuffing yourself:

1 12 oz. bag of seasoned cubed stuffing mix
1 12 oz. pork sausage, cooked and crumbled (comes in a roll)
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stick of butter (I would not recommend subbing margarine for this, you can...but the flavor and texture aren't the same.)
2 full cans of chicken or turkey broth. (plus extra if needed)
1/2 tsp. dried sage

Directions-
1. Melt the butter in a large sized frying pan.  Add the onions and celery and cook on medium until the veggies are tender, stirring often so that the onions don't over cook.  Add the broth and cook until the contents of the pan are boiling.  Turn off the heat. 

2.  Grease a 9 x 13 in. baking dish with cooking spray.  Directly in the baking dish, combine the cooked sausage, sage, and the stuffing cubes.  Carefully, pour the hot liquid and veggies into the dish.  Stir everything to combine, making sure to reach all of the cubes in the corners of the dish.  Cover with foil.  Leave the dish on the counter for about 15-30 minutes so that the cubes can absorb all of the yummy liquid.  This is what makes this dish so soft and moist.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees until the stuffing is heated through.  Serve immediately.


I love to make this stuffing ahead, but you can make it the day of as well.  Because I make it the day before Thanksgiving, I usually add extra broth to it just before I bake it.  

In addition to your Thanksgiving feast, this stuffing is delish the next day on a sandwich with turkey and gravy.  Yum Yum!

Blessings to all!

Saving on your Thanksgiving feast this year!

                                            

     Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year.  It is full of family gatherings and great food!  But what defines great food?  Here in our house, great food is not defined by which grocery store I shop in, or by expensive ingredients like fresh sage and Brie cheese.  It is defined by how we share it with our closest friends and family. 
     When I was young, my parents had a limited income, and yet every year, we had a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner.  To make it special, my mother would pull out her best china and we would set a beautiful table.  She made a pumpkin pie every year, and sometimes an apple pie, if she had time.  She would also make a Jello mold that would have some sort of fruit cocktail in it.  We loved it!  We had a turkey, stuffing, and potatoes with squash, green beans, and rolls.  This meal was special every year and it didn't come with a table of appetizers, alcoholic beverages, or expensive centerpieces.  What I'm trying to say, is that you don't have to go out of your way (or your budget) to have a beautiful Thanksgiving day, the memories are going to be as special as you make them.  Simple is the key. 
     Today and tomorrow, I am going to give you a rundown of what I am serving for dinner on Thursday.  I will give you recipes and tips for each dish.  I am going to apologize up front because there won't be time for me to take pictures until Thursday when I actually serve the food.  If you have any questions about preparing the turkey, stuffing, or pies, please feel free to leave a comment.  I will try to check back often over the next few days to help out.
    So, here is what I have on the menu and how much I paid for everything.  I have 10 people coming for dinner, so I will break down the cost per person for you as well.  As you know, I try to keep everything at a minimal cost so that we can enjoy a wonderful meal, without breaking our budget!

Turkey- 16 pounds $7.50 (I got a great deal at Wegman's $0.48 per pound with a $25.00 purchase)
Potatoes- 5 lb. bag for $1.49 (white potatoes)
Butternut Squash- 5 lb. (2 large) $.99/ pound, $5.69
Yams- 2 lbs. $.39/pound- $0.78
Apples- 5 lb. Empire apples- $5.99 ( I will only use 7 apples in this bag which is just about 2.5 pounds so the cost is about $2.75)
Frozen green beans- $.99
Heavy cream- 1 qt. $4.99 (I will only use 1 cup to make whipped cream, so that is a total of $1.25)
Butter- 1 lb. (Walmart 2 lb. pack is $5.69 right now) $2.88
Pumpkin puree (I have some frozen in the freezer that I made from a fresh pumpkin, but you can get the puree at Aldi for about $. 89 a can.) 
Flour- 5 lb. bag at Wegman's $1.29
Sugar- 4 lb. bag at Wegman's $1.79
Milk- 1 gallon 2% at Wegman's is $2.18
Stuffing- Arnold seasoned cubed stuffing- $2.50
I roll of pork sausage- Wegman's 2.50
! small bunch of celery- Wegman's $.69
1 bunch of sweet onions- Walmart $2.99
4 cans of chicken broth- Wegman's brand $.50 each- $2.00

The rest of the ingredients I need are in my pantry, these include: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sage seasonings)  I try to keep my costs for Thanksgiving to $40 or less.  It could be cheaper if I left out a few things, but since it is just once a year and I usually serve my in-laws, I splurge a bit.  My total for this year was $39.27.  That is just $3.92 a person.  That, I am grateful to say, is less than what it costs for a six piece chicken nugget happy meal at McDonalds and it includes dessert!

** Something important to remember is that you don't have to purchase the larger container. For example, I purchase a quart of heavy cream.  I know that I'll use that in other recipes this week, but you can purchase it by the half pint and pint for less than what I paid for it.  The same with the apples, if you don't have $5.99 to spend for a 5 lb. bag, you can buy them by the pound.  This time of year you can usually find them for $.99 per pound.  When I did my calculations, I only added in the cost for what I am going to use for Thanksgiving dinner, so if you were to add based on what I spent, the total would be a bit more.  Hope that this isn't too confusing!**

Now I am going to walk you through cooking that big ole' turkey!  It is not nearly as intimidating as it may seem! 

Easy Turkey Cooking Instructions-

We don't fry our turkey for Thanksgiving, I have a counter top oven (that I love!) and it comes out perfectly every time! 

My turkey is 16 pounds, and so the cooking time is approximately 15-20 minutes per pound.  For health and safety reasons I choose not to stuff the bird before cooking.  If you want to stuff it, it will take longer to cook.  Remember, the stuffing and bird have to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be safe.  Don't rely on a pop up turkey timer, especially when you have stuffed the bird first. 

Okay, so what do you do?  First you need to remove the turkey and all of the bags (I know, gross right?) containing the liver, neck, and other internal organs.  Thoroughly rinse the turkey in a clean sink and away from clean dishes (I move my dish drainer and all of my washing utensils before I rinse the turkey to ensure that there isn't any cross contamination.)  Dry the turkey with paper towels as best as you can.  Melt 1/4 cup of butter in  the microwave or on the stove.  Cut up two whole onions and the leaves of 5 stalks of celery.  Stuff the cavity with the onion and celery and sprinkle the inside generously with sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Brush the melted butter on the outside of the bird.  Sprinkle the top with more thyme, salt, and pepper. 

Cover the turkey lightly with foil (This is not necessary if you are roasting on the counter like me)  Cook at 325 degrees for about 15-20 minutes per pound ( for me, this would be about 4 hours.)  30 minutes before the turkey is set to come out, remove the foil and turn up the heat on your oven to 375 degrees.  This will give your turkey that nice golden color and crisp up the skin.  Once your turkey is at the correct temperature (around 160 degrees) pull it from the oven and tent it with foil.  Allow it to rest for about 20 minutes.  It will continue to cook and should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Remember that the cooking time will vary based on the size of the turkey, so please be mindful and if you haven't invested in a meat thermometer, I would recommend getting one today.  It will help to keep you and your family safe.  If you have questions about how to use it, check out some great videos on YouTube...they can show you exactly where to measure the temperature on your turkey.

I hope that you found this post helpful!  If you have any tips or tricks to share about how you prepare your turkey on Thanksgiving, please share them with us!  I am always looking for new ideas!

Blessings to all!

Kim
    
    

Apple Pie Filling

    

There isn't a single person in our house that doesn't love my apple pie.  My children all rave about it and I think it's pretty good too!  I have been making apple pie since I was able to use an oven.  My mother only really made apple pie at Thanksgiving, but I make it several times during the fall because my family loves it so much! 
     The best part of making this pie is watching my kids as they "sneak" into the kitchen while I'm peeling apples.  They all think that I won't notice their little hands as they sneak apple peels from my "garbage" bowl on the counter (I peel the apples into a bowl rather than into the garbage can so that my kids can indulge in the yummy goodness of the apple skins.)  They all giggle when I pretend to swat them away. 
     I am very meticulous about how I cut the apples, so for me, this isn't a quick process.  I do have a do hickey that peels and cuts the apples for me, but clean up is a pain, and I feel that I am not able to control the quality of my product the way that I like.  I prefer to work each apple individually, and I carefully cut away the core and all of the bits that could be hard from the apple.  I slice the apples into thin slices with a really sharp knife.  This helps me to cut most of the slices with the same thickness.
     I like a very simple apple pie, there are really no frills or special seasonings.  I use cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, flour, and lemon juice.  That's it!  I like the taste of the apples, so I try not to cover it up too much.  Today, as I made this pie, I thought about my children and the memories that they will have of me making pies.  They often crowd around the counter (we have a peninsula) and watch me as I roll out the dough and place it in the pie plate, and like little scavengers, they compete for all of the scraps that are left on the counter.  I love that they will have these fun memories to take with them as they grow! 

The aroma that filled my house this afternoon was so heavenly!  The cinnamon and nutmeg enveloped the kitchen and wafted around the entire house!  Another reason why I love the fall season! 

To get started, all you need are 6-8 medium sized apples.  For today's pie, I used Cortland, but you can use Gala, Empire, Ginger Gold, or any combination of these.  I prefer not to use Macintosh apples because their flesh is really soft and they don't hold up well in the pie. 
After you slice them, you need to add the lemon juice, flour sugar, and spices.   Mix the apples well and make sure that all of the apples are coated.  Set them aside.

 

Roll the pie crust out and carefully place in your pie plate.  For this pie, I made a crumbly topping, but you can roll out another crust and use for the top if you prefer.  Fill your crust with the apple filling, making sure to scrap out all of the yummy juice.  Cover your pie (cut vents in the top if covering with additional crust) and bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 350 and bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the pie is bubbling.  Cool completely or serve warm (with ice cream for an extra treat!) 

 

 

I promise you, this pie is amazing!  As I am sitting here writing this, my mouth is watering and I already had a piece!  I could sneak a little bite...all of my kids are sleeping and no one would ever know...right? 

 

 

Below is the recipe for both the filling and the crumb topping that I used for this pie.  I hope that your family loves it! 

 

Apple Pie Filling- Makes one pie

 

6-8 Medium apples, peeled and sliced thin (Approximately 3 pounds)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

2 tbsp. flour

 

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, stirring well to coat evenly.  Fill a prepared pie crust.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes and 350 for an additional 45 minutes. 

Cool completely or serve warm.

 

Crumb Topping- Makes one pie

 

1/4 cup cold butter

6 tbsp. flour

4 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

 

Cut the butter into the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Spread evenly over the pie. 

 

The cost to make this pie was approximately $4.25 and feeds 8 people (generously...if you're serving kids it could feed a few more.)  That means that this pie is about $0.53 per person!  Super affordable. 

 

Do you have a family recipe that you would like to share?  If so, please leave it in the comments...I am always looking for new ideas!

 

Blessings to All!

 

 

 

 

 



Perfect Pie Crust

It's November and we can't very well go into the holiday season without talking about pies.  Yummy, delicious, warm apple and pumpkin pies.  It took so many years for me to get just the right recipe for pies.  I have tried them all...all butter, all shortening, half butter, half shortening, I have even tried recipes with vinegar in them.  I have watched some videos on YouTube and followed a few tutorials, and after all of my research, I have finally reached the perfect pie crust for me. 

There are many people who think that making their own pie crust is too hard, or too much work, but I am here to tell you that making your own is easy and doesn't take that much time.  I have tried to use those sold in the store and if you take a taste before the crust is baked, it is, in my opinion, the nastiest tasting stuff.  It is like cardboard...not something that I would recommend using.  Making a crust may take a little more effort, but I promise you, you won't be sorry. 

My children love it when I bake a pie.  I make both savory and sweet pies, as chicken pot pie is one of children's favorite meals.   Today, I am going to bake a pot pie using the recipe that the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummand, has on her blog for chicken pot pie.  I love the way that her chicken filling tastes in a pot pie.  She only uses one pie crust, but in our family, we prefer a top and a bottom.  I also add other ingredients to the filling, such as veggies like peas and carrots. If you go to Pinterest and search for her, you should be able to find her recipe pretty quickly. 

I use my own pie crust recipe, which has become my favorite.  It is so easy and quick, you can have dinner on the table in no time.  I will do my best to describe each step so that you can duplicate it for yourself. 

First you will need to gather all of your ingredients- who's coming to the party?  Flour, salt, cold butter, cold shortening, and ice water. 

After gathering your ingredients, you will need a cheese grater and a pastry cutter (with some good old fashioned elbow grease), a large bowl, a fork, and some plastic wrap. 

                         In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Grate the butter and add the
                         shortening in small amounts.  Cut the butter and shortening in with the
                                                                         pastry cutter. 
        Add the water a little at a time and work it into the flour with a fork.  When the dough
          begins to come together, you can put the fork down and work it with your hands. 
            Work the dough into a ball and then wrap it tightly with the plastic wrap and chill.

  Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.  After chilling, cut the dough in half and roll it out onto a                                                             lightly floured surface.

This pot pie is a two crust pie with the plate lined on the bottom.  Fill the crust with the filling and line the second half on top.  Carefully cut the edge so that both the bottom and the top are about 1/2 an inch bigger than the pie plate.  Pinch the top and the bottom together to seal.  Flute the sides   using a fork or your fingers.  Crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk.  Brush the crust with the egg.  Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Then turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Allow the pie to rest for about 10 minutes and then serve.  This pie crust is delicious!   My kids love to eat it raw!  (I do too!)  Whenever I bake a pie, my children are never far away, and they usually clear up most of the scraps before I get a chance to make them into the yummy cinnamon sticks that my mother used to make for us as kids. 

 

This pie is so delicious!  The crust is light and flaky! 

 

I am going to be entering a pie contest this month and I will be using this crust!  I am so excited because I have never entered any contests before.  I really hope that the judges like it. 
I'll let you know how everything goes!

 

Do you have a pie crust recipe or method that you think is the best?  Please feel free to share!

 

 

Pie Crust- Makes 1 whole pie (top and bottom)

 

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 stick of cold butter

1/2 cup cold shortening

6-8 tbsp. ice cold water.

 

 

Directions-

Grate the butter onto a cutting board.  In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt.  Add the shortening and the butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until the texture resembles course sand.

Add the water a little at a time, and blend in using a fork until the dough begins to come together.  Put the fork down and work the rest of the flour into the dough with your hands, making a ball.  Carefully wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. 

 

After chilling, cut the dough in half and roll out each onto a lightly floured surface.  Carefully lift and place into the prepared pie plate.  Fill the crust with the filling of your choice and top with the second layer.  Make sure to cut a vent into the top of the crust.  Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 and continue baking for an hour or until the crust is golden brown. 

 

 

This recipe can be easily divided by 2 to make a one crust pie. 

 

 

Tomorrow, I will let you in on my apple and cherry pie filling recipes.  They are delicious and well worth the effort! 

 

Enjoy!

 

Blessings to All!

 



A Busy Fall

Okay, so I really want to know what happened to the month of October!  I was a busy worker bee and got a lot of fun projects done around the house.  This was great for my house...but not so good for you and the blog.  As November begins, on a beautiful (and strangely warm) day, I am ready to share some of my frugal tips and tricks for getting through the holidays on a budget. 

 

As many of you know, I have four children, and having a large family means that we have to live very carefully within our budget, especially while I am looking for work.  To do so doesn't mean that we sacrifice doing fun things as a family, or enjoying birthdays, or even having a night out to dinner every now and then. 

 

Speaking of birthdays, my youngest just turned 5 last month!  Oh my goodness...this makes me incredibly sad and overwhelming happy at the same time!  I love that he is growing and changing into a remarkable and loving little boy, but now he is not my little baby anymore. We celebrated by giving him the Batman birthday party that he asked for.  He was so excited! 

 

Now, it is time to get to work preparing for the holiday season! 

Yes, I said it...the holidays are coming. 

I am totally smiling as I am writing this because I love the holidays!  Thanksgiving and Christmas bring our families and friends together.  We share food and laughter, we share memories, and more than anything, we share joy and love. 

My contribution to the festivities is usually food. 

For the next few weeks, I am going to share some of my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving.

In December, I will share some of my very best cookie, candy, and fudge recipes. 

Being frugal helps us to enjoy the holidays for what they really are, a time to spread love and happiness to those around us. 

 

To get started, I decided to share a cookie recipe today that my family loves! 

These Molasses cookies came from my mother.  I grew up making them and now I share them with my own children.  They are soft and chewy, not hard and crunchy like most Molasses cookies. 

Baking these is a special treat for my children as they are delightfully spicy and fun to eat!

I hope that you take the time to bake these cookies, pour a glass of milk, and then sit and enjoy them with your family.  You won't be sorry!

 

 

Molasses Cookies (Makes approximately 3 dozen)

 

Here is what you'll need:

 

3/4 cup soft shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ginger

 

 

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and shortening until creamy and smooth.

Add the egg and beat until soft and smooth.  Add the molasses, and the spices and mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. 

 

 



 

Add the flour, one cup at a time, until it is just combined. 

 

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

 

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and dip in sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until the cookies are slightly cracked and just lightly brown around the edges.  (Do not over bake unless you want the texture to be closer to a ginger snap.)

 

Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for just a few minutes to set, then cool completely on a wire baking rack.  Store in an airtight container. 

 

I truly hope that your fall has been as glorious as ours! 

 

I would love to know what your holiday traditions are! 

Please feel free to share them here! 

 

Thank you for your patience during this very busy time of year!

 

Blessings to All!

Kim    



Homemade Pizza Crust

    

Some of my favorite memories as a child were when my father was in the kitchen making a fresh, homemade pizza.  He would make it for football games, slumber parties, and other special occasions around our house.  He was a pro, very meticulous in his work, especially when forming the crust.  He would sprinkle it with oil and oregano and then he would proof it in a partially opened oven.  Then he would add the toppings and we would wait while the pizza baked in our oven...I can still remember our excitement when he told us that it was ready!

     As I became an adult, my husband and I still enjoy a fresh baked pizza.  The kids love it when they can make their own and choose their toppings.  I let them roll out their own dough, dress their pizza with whatever they want, and we still watch the oven door as the dough rises and bakes.  It is a heavenly smell! 
     There are times when we order a pizza and have it delivered, but for the most part, we make our own.  Here is a quick breakdown of what I spend when I make a pizza versus having one delivered. 

1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce per pizza ($.25)
12-16 slices of pepperoni ($.50)
1/2 cup of chopped onions, mushrooms, olives, peppers, or any other pizza topping that you prefer (approximately $.80)
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ($.90) 

Pizza Crust- Makes 2 (12 in.) pizza crusts or 1 (16  in) and a small

1 1/4 cup warm water (tap water...minimal cost)
1 package of active dry yeast (or 2 tsp. yeast) ($.33)
1 tsp. sugar (minimal cost)
2 tbsp. oil (I use canola) ($.15)
1/2 tsp. salt (minimal cost)
3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour ($.60)

Total pizza crust cost is approximately- $1.08 give or take...my breakdown is based on approximations.  There are approximately 10 cups of flour in a 5lb bag and I paid $1.55 at Aldi.  Therefore each cup is about $.15. 

The total cost for one 16 inch round pepperoni pizza is about $2.73.  I usually have to make two pizzas and I always add additional toppings so my total cost when we eat pizza is about $6.00.  If you compare that to the cost of ordering a pizza you are saving a ton of money!  Who says that you can't enjoy delicious, healthy food, on a budget!  No more frozen pizzas for this family! 

Making pizza dough is easy!  Probably the least threatening yeast based dough ever...it is extremely forgiving! 

First-combine the water, sugar, and yeast and let them stand

for about 5 minutes.  Watch the amazing science behind yeast as it begins

to foam and grow!

(This is my son's favorite part!)

When the yeast and water is nice and frothy, combine the flour, oil, and salt into a large bowl.

Add the yeast & water to the four and mix well. 

I use a stand mixer, but my dad did all of this by hand.

 

I knead my dough with a dough hook attachment on my mixer for about 5 minutes on medium speed.  I watch the dough and add a little flour if it seems a little too sticky.

 

If you knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface, this process takes about 8 minutes. 

 

Grease a large bowl and out the pizza dough in it.  Cover with saran wrap and place in a warm area until it is doubled in size, about 30 minutes. 

 

 

 

Roll out into desired shape and size.  I use my hands, but a small rolling pin is okay too.

I sprinkle a little cornmeal on the pan that I am using, in this case I used an air bake cookie sheet.

I brush the edge of the crust with a little oil and sometimes I sprinkle it with garlic salt.  Yum Yum!

 

 

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted. 

 

Delicious, homemade pizza, made in just a little over an hour! 

Isn't that how long it takes for most pizza deliveries? 

 

How do you like your pizza?  Do you have any tricks or tips to share?  We would love to hear from you!