Author Archive
Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup (Ärtsoppa)
This is a delicious way to use yellow split peas. Very tasty.
Ingredients
- 250 grams yellow split peas, (9 oz)
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tablespoon dry mustard, (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried dill, or 3 tablespoons fresh chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Rinse the split peas and place in a container. Add water to cover by an inch and set aside to soak for 6 to 8 hours. After soaking the peas, drain them and set them aside while you begin.
- In a pot, heat the oil then add the onion and cook until softened and turning translucent. Add the carrot, garlic, and fennel. Saute for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the peas, bay leaf, mustard (if using), and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 35-45 minutes and stir occasionally to prevent the peas from sticking to the bottom. Cook until the peas are tender. Stir in the dill, lemon juice, and more broth if the if the soup is too thick. Taste and season with black pepper and salt as desired.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Creamed Corn Cornbread
Best cornbread I have ever had, nothing short of perfect. Highly recommended. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, (1/2 block / 1 stick)
- 1 can creamed corn, (15 oz / 425 g)
- 1 can whole kernal corn, drained, (15 oz / 425 g)
- 2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, Shortcut
- 1 cup sour cream, Shortcut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), grease with butter a 9x9 baking dish.
- Melt the butter and place in a mixing bowl, add the drained kernel corn and the creamed corn. Mix together.
- Add the muffin mix and mix together well.
- Add the sour cream and mix together well.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Serve with any dish, and enjoy. Keep in mind the center will be a bit moist, this is perfectly fine.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, Sour Cream.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
"Canned" Mashed Potatoes
Canned potatoes are a common low income / senior citizen commodity, and here is an easy way to make delicious mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 can canned potatoes, (15 oz / 425 g cans)
- butter, as desired
- milk, as desired
Instructions
- The key to using canned potatoes is to drain and rinse them. Open, drain, then rinse and drain the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, add water to cover and place on high heat. I use sliced potatoes.
- When the water just starts to boil, remove from heat, and drain the water.
- Mash with a potato masher for a few seconds, I like mine chunky. Add a tablespoon or so of butter, or as desired, and a splash of milk, mash for a few more seconds to just mix the butter and milk into the potatoes.
- Place in a serving bowl, serve as a side with gravy of your choice, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Variant: 1. Use whipping cream in place of milk.
Adapted from a 'prepper' recipe.
Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
For Christmas 2019 my Mom gave me a cookbook, specifically 'the chocolate cookbook' and that is where this recipe comes from. This recipe is quick to put together and common ingredients. And the cookies are good! The amount of cookies I made were 2 1/2 dozen but I used a larger amount per cookie, with a smaller amount, you can make up to 4 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature, (1 1/2 blocks or 3 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- raspberry preserves, as needed
- powdered sugar, as needed
- sugar, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or grease with butter.
- Add the butter to a mixing bowl and let come to room temperature, when soft, add the sugar. Use an electric mixer and beat on high speed until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla, beat until mixed in.
- Add the cocoa, flour, and salt, beat on slow speed until mixed together. (I used a large spoon to get some of the flour off the edge and just used the spoon to finish mixing everything.)
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop out 2 level tablespoons of dough and roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. I used a rounded tablespoon. Place some sugar in bowl, dip your thumb in the sugar and make a deep imprint on each cookie. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until just set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the sheet for 2-3 minutes.
- After cooling on the sheet, transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Add some powdered sugar to a small wire strainer and dust the cookies by holding the strainer about 12 inches above the cookies and tapping on the side of the strainer. Spoon preserves on the indents of the cookies.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Adapted from a recipe listed in 'the chocolate cookbook', page 34.
Mandarin Orange Cottage Cheese Salad
I made this on a whim and it turned out better than expected. Highly recommended if you like mandarin oranges. The cottage cheese salads I have made always used crushed pineapple, so I decided to change it up. This recipe uses canned mandarin oranges, when I return to Thailand I will use fresh mandarin oranges and report on that. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 can Mandarin oranges, segments in water, (15 oz / 425 g can)
- 1 box orange gelatin, small box, 3 oz if using Jello brand
- 1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping, (8 oz / 250 g)
- 1 containter Cottage cheese, (1 lb / 500 g), Shortcut
Instructions
- Open and drain the oranges, I used a can of Walmart brand packed in water. Drain the oranges well. Place on a cutting board and cut each segment into about 4-5 pieces, then drain them again.
- Place the orange pieces, cottage cheese, and gelatin powder in a mixing bowl. No water is used, trust me on this.
- Stir together until the color is uniform.
- Fold in the whipped topping but do not over mix.
- You can leave the salad in the mixing bowl, or do as I did and spoon into a serving dish, I used a 1 1/2 quart glass serving dish. Cover and place in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
My spin on a classic cottage cheese salad, Lee Thayer.
United States.
United States.
Frosted Flake Clusters
Just three ingredients, and they are tasty. Easy to make but you will need to chill them just a bit before serving as they are quite soft.
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 3 cups frosted flakes cereal
Instructions
- Setup a double boiler and add the butterscotch chips and peanut butter.
- Melt, stirring often, until the chips are completely melted and mixed into the peanut butter.
- Remove from heat and stir in the frosted flakes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper, drop the candies onto the paper by teaspoons, allow to cool, then place in the fridge to chill before serving to make sure they are firmed up.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cottage Cheese Jello Salad II
This is variant I found of a common cottage cheese jello salad. Just 4 ingredients and no water for this version. I state one of the ingredients as gelatin, in the US, you will know this as Jello, in Thailand, you will know this as Imperial or Lobo brand. This is also called "... Stuff" so if you make this with orange jello and oranges, then it would be "Orange Stuff."Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box any flavor gelatin, small box, 3 oz, if using Jello brand
- 2 cans crushed pineapple, drained well, (8 oz / 250 g cans)
- 1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping, (8 oz / 250 g)
- 1 container Cottage cheese, (1 lb / 500 g), Shortcut
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the cottage cheese, drained pineapple, and the gelatin powder from the box. I used a box of strawberry jello.
- Stir together until the color is uniform. No water is used.
- Fold in the cool whip until combined but do not over mix.
- You can leave the salad in the mixing bowl, or do as I did and spoon into a serving dish, I used a 1 1/2 quart glass serving dish. Cover and place in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour.
- Serve and enjoy.
- Flavors I have tested (and they are great):
Strawberry Jello & Strawberries.
Orange Jello & Mandarin Oranges.
Pineapple Jello & Pineapple Tidbits.
Lime Jello & Fruit Cocktail.
Cherry Jello & Tart Cherries.
Orange Jello & Fruit Cocktail.
Peach Jello & Fruit Cocktail.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
Variant: 1. Mix in 2 cups of mini marshmallows.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cottage Cheese Jello Salad I
This is a favorite from when I was growing up. Just 4 ingredients. I state one of the ingredients as gelatin, in the US, you will know this as Jello, in Thailand, you will know this as Imperial or Lobo brand. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2 boxes lime gelatin, small boxes, 3 oz each, if using Jello
- water, as directed on the gelatin boxes
- 1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping, (8 oz)
- 1 container Cottage cheese, (1 lb), Shortcut
Instructions
- Prepare the gelatin as directed on the boxes.
- When the gelatin starts to set up, mix in the cottage cheese.
- Fold in the whipped topping.
- Place in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours.
- Serve as a side dish with any meal. Enjoy.
Notes
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This recipe comes from a friend and these are excellent, flavorful cookies that are chewy. These are a great base to adjust each time you make these, read the Variants in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, (1 block / 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped, optional
- 3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease a cookie sheet or line the sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- In another mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Mix together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together.
- Add the raisins and walnuts and fold in.
- Add the oatmeal and mix that in.
- Scoop the dough and drop by large tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the just the edges are browned.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for several minutes.
- After a few minutes, remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely. The cookies are very soft when you remove them from the sheet, they will set up as they cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Use chopped nuts of your choice in place of the walnuts. 2. Don't like nuts? Just leave them out. 3. Use any combination of nuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, MM candies, and shredded coconut. 4. Use 2 cups of your favorite trail mix in place of the raisins and nuts.
This recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies is from Simply Recipes.
Christmas Wreath Cookies
These can look like wreaths, or as I also made, clumps of ivy, but 'wreaths' sound better than 'clumps'. These are simple marshmallow cookies made with cornflakes though instead of rice krispies.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, (1/2 block / 1 stick)
- 4 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 1/2 teaspoons green food coloring
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups corn flakes
- red candies, 3-4 for each cookie
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil that is greased with butter, parchment paper, or wax paper.
- Gather your ingredients, not shown is the extracts. For the red candies, I used some red pearls which are candy coated chocolate balls found in the cake decorating section in typical grocery stores. For the corn flakes, I used frosted flakes.
- Add the butter and marshmallows to a double boiler and let the marshmallows and butter melt, stir together once in a while until until both are melted and combined.
- Add the food coloring and extracts and stir to a uniform color.
- Add the corn flakes and mix the marshmallow.
- Drop by spoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet and make simple clumps or use 2-3 smaller spoonfuls and form wreaths. I made 3 wreaths and the rest clumps, the wreaths are time consuming.
- Place 3-4 red candies on each wreath or clump. Lightly press each candy in place should help it stay in place.
- Allow to cool fully then place on a serving tray. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.