French Onion Soup

So yummy on a cold day!


French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
3 Tbs butter
4 cups chopped onion (I used yellow and sweet)
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbs all purpose flour
32 oz beef broth
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Mozzerella cheese, shredded
thinly sliced provolone (one slice per bowl)


Directions:
Melt 3 Tbs butter in a large pot. Add 4 cups chopped onion, saute slowly, over low heat for 45 minu


Directions:
Melt 3 Tbs butter in large pot. Add 4 cups chopped onions. Saute slowly over low heatfor 45 minutes, stir in 1/4 tsp brown sugar and 1 Tbs flour and cook for 3 minutes. Add one 32oz container of beef flavored broth and simmer, partially covered, for 30 (or more) minutes. Add 1Tbs Worcestershire sauce, plus salt and pepper to taste. Pour into 4 heat resistant bowls. Float 1 slice toasted French Bread (I made homemade, yummy! You can also use the Cuban Bread recipe) in each bowl. Add 1/4 cup shredded mozzerella. Top with slice of provolone. Place under broiler until cheese has completely melted. Serve hot.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding, Homemade Bisquick

I made this for our church's Thanksgiving dinner.


Pumpkin Pie Pudding Serves 12
Ingredients:

• 2 cans 15oz solid pack pumpkin
• 2 cans 12oz evaporated milk
• 1.5 cup sugar
• 1 Cup bisquick/baking mix (homemade recipe to follow)
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 4 Tbs butter, melted
• 5 tsp pumkin pie spice (homemade recipe to follow)
• 4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Pour into a Pam sprayed large crockpot. Cover and cook on low fo 6-8 hours, or until thermometer reads 160 degrees. Serve in bowls with whipped cream if desired. Can also be used as a dip for graham crackers or spread over sweetened cream cheese.


Homemade Bisquick
Ingredients:

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:

 Sift flour, baking powder and salt three times into a large bowl. 

 Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

 Store mixture in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 months. 

 Use whenever your recipe calls for "Bisquick mix".

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Ingredients:

4 tsp gound cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp all spice

Mix together all spices and keep in airtight container.  ( I used the whole thing in this recipe)

Waffles!

I love breakfast food so much so here's another one of my faves. Waffles!


Waffles
Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 Tbs and 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups milk
• 3/4 cup veggie oil
• 4 eggs, separated (put the whites in a bowl you can mix in)

Directions:
1. Preheat waffle iron. (I have a Oster 3874 Flip Nonstick Belgian Waffle Maker) In a large mixing bowl, sift togethe flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in milk, oil and egg yolks until mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter. (if you want fluffy waffles do this part!!)
2. Spray preheated waffle iron generously with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron and cook until golden; serve hot.

Click HERE for a larger view. Makes approximately 10 waffles.

Beef Enchiladas

I'm not in a talkative mood today so on to the goodstuff, FOOD!


Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsps ground cumin
• 1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tbs veggie or canola oil
• 2 Tbs cornstarch
• 2-3 Tbs chili powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 10 tortillas
• 1 pound ground beef
• Shredded cheddar cheese (we like a lot of cheese so I did 3 cups)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare enchilada sauce as follows; In a skillet, whisk together the tomato sauce, chicken broth, and veggie oil. When combined, vigorously whisk the cornstarch into the sauce so it doesn't get clumpy. Add the chili powder, ground cumin, sugar, half the garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Brown the ground beef with the onion and remaining garlic. Drain excess fat. Add 1 cup of enchilada sauce and mix. Put a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Place an open tortilla into the sauce in the dish. Add some ground beef and sauce down the midline of the tortilla. Sprinkle with some cheese. Fold up sides and use sauce to help close tortilla. Continue until you are out of meat. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.



One of the reasons my meals are cheap is because I shop sales and match with coupons. I stock up on items when they are on sale so I have them when I need them. You can click HERE to see an example of my shopping!

Crock Pot Beef Vegetable Soup

When it gets cold I like soup. J is not a huge soup fan so when I make it I make sure it's one he likes and he likes this!


Crock Pot Beef Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (or you can use beef stew meat if you prefer)
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans of stewed tomoatoes
• 2 (8 oz) cans of tomatoe sauce
• 2 cups of chicken broth (you can use water but this gives it more flavor)
• 2 (10 oz) packages of frozen mixed veggies
• 2 packets of dry onion soup mix
• 1 tsp white sugar

Directions:
1. In a skillet, saute the ground beef (or stew meat) until cooked through. Drain off excess fat.
2. Add the tomatoes, sauce, water, vegetables, soup mix, sugar and beef to the crock pot. Cook on high for 4hrs or low for 8hrs.

And I always make extra. This made enough for me to freeze a whole batch for another meal.

Farmer's Breakfast Casserole and pancakes!

Sometimes for dinner I like to make breakfast food. I usually make the same thing. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast, etc. So I decided to try something a little different and I thought it was very good!


Farmer's Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:

• 3-4 medium-large potatoes (peeled and cubed and boiled until just fork tender)
• 1 cup of Cheddar cheese (you could really use any cheese you like!)
• 1.5 cups of breakfast meat (you could use ham, sausage, bacon. i used sausage and bacon this time)Cook it first!
• 6-8 green onions, chopped (include lots of the green!)
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Arrange the potatoes in a layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes followed by breakfast meat and last the green onions.
4. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture. Bake, uncovered 50-60 minutes, until center is just set. Let sit for 10 min. Cut and serve!




Basic Pancakes
Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1.5 cups milk
• 3 Tbs melted butter or vegetable oil

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and melter butter. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until just blended. (don't over mix!)
2. Prehat a nonstick griddle or skillet over med-high heat. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 batter (I just use a measuring cup. If you want bigger pancakes use 1/2 cup) onto griddle for each pancake. Cook until bubbles for on top, about 2 min. Turn and cook until other side is golden, about 1 min longer. Serve with toppings of your choice!

Now I have made Bisquick pancakes many times and last night my boys said they like these much better. I thought they tasted better too!