Author Archive
Empress Salad
January 2, 2021 Lee
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Empress Salad

Adapted from a recipe in the Salad Lover's Cookbook, page 20.
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Salad Lover's Cookbook, printed in 1979. This sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. No servings or quantities given as this is a make what you want guide. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 1 hour
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • escarole, or any dark leafy green
  • watermelon, cut into chunks
  • pear, cored, cubed
  • cucumber, peeled, cubed
  • French dressing, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Wash the greens, cucumber, and fruit. Place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Use as much or as little of each item as you like.
  • When ready to serve, tear the escarole into pieces and place in a salad bowl.
  • Peel and cube the cucumber, core and cube the pear, slice watermelon and cut from the rind, cut the red part into chunks. Place prepared items, using as much or as little of each, in the bowl on top of the greens.
  • Serve with French dressing, enjoy.

Notes

Shortcut: French Dressing. 
5 Ingredients or Less,SALADS,Salads - Fruit
Meatballs in Brown Gravy (Slow Cooker)
January 1, 2021 Lee
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Meatballs in Brown Gravy (Slow Cooker)

Amy Herald - Just A Pinch Recipe Club
This is hands down the most flavorful gravy I have made with meatballs, the entire family loved this dish. Highly recommended! Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 packages frozen meatballs, such as Kroger or Great Value brand, about 26-32 oz each
  • 2 packets brown gravy mix, Shortcut
  • 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
  • 1 can beef consommé
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder

Instructions
 

  • Place the meatballs in your slow cooker if using store bought or prepared meatballs you cooked and froze. If wanting to use fresh homemade meatballs, brown them in a pan or bake them first, then add them to the slow cooker. (I used two bags of Kroger brand Homestyle meatballs.)
  • Prepare the gravy following the instructions on a packet.
  • To the gravy, stir in the soup, consommé, and onion powder.
  • Pour the gravy mixture over the meatballs.
  • Set the slow cooker to Low setting for 4 hours or High setting for 2 hours.
  • Serve as is or over hot cooked noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice and sides of your choice. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving if using the shortcuts, and using homemade meatballs.
Shortcuts: Italian Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, Gravy Mix, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Variants: 1. Add sliced mushrooms. 2. Use 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of condensed cream of celery. 
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,MEATBALLS
Pineapple Seabreeze Salad
December 31, 2020 Lee
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Pineapple Seabreeze Salad

Adapted from a recipe in the Salad Lover's Cookbook, page 18.
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Salad Lover's Cookbook, printed in 1979. This sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • tomato soup French dressing, Shortcut
  • 2 cans pineapple chunks, drained, (14 oz / 400 g each)
  • 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • Romaine leaves, crisp, as needed
  • 2 cups cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, Shortcut
  • 2 cups grapefruit, segments, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the dressing and place in the fridge to chill. Drain the drain the pineapple and prep the other ingredients, then place all ingredients, and the salad bowl, in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours.
  • When ready to assemble, remove all ingredients from the fridge. Line the bottom of the salad bowl with shredded iceberg lettuce.
  • Put the shredded romaine leaves around the edge of the bowl.
  • Arrange the pineapple, grapefruit, shrimp, and cucumber on top of the greens.
  • Serve with the chilled tomato soup French dressing for guests to use as desired. Enjoy.

Notes

Shortcut: Tomato Soup French Dressing. 
SALADS,Salads - Fruit
Salmon Loaf III
December 28, 2020 Lee
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Salmon Loaf III

Favorite Recipes page 270, Amy Hoult, Rochester, MI.
This recipe is from an extensive cookbook titled Favorite Recipes, compiled by the active and retired employees of Michigan Bell in 1981. This is a basic recipe that uses only four ingredients, yet is a delicious salmon loaf for a simple dinner. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Bread Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can salmon, drained, (1 lb / 454 g), Shortcut
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs, Shortcut
  • 1 cup peas, frozen thawed or canned

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Grease a bread pan with butter.
  • Add the drained salmon to a mixing bowl and break up with spoon. Add the eggs and mix together.
  • Mix in the breadcrumbs. Fold in the peas.
  • Pack mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
  • Bake for 30 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Turn out onto a serving plate and slice, or simply leave in the pan and slice into serving pieces and use two forks to remove each slice. Serve with sides of your choice.

Notes

I will price this if I can locate canned salmon. An option would be to buy frozen salmon and steam that then use as directed in the recipe. For now I will state high cost per serving.
Shortcut: Steamed Salmon (Rice Cooker), Breadcrumbs.
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,FISH - ALL,Fish - Salmon
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
December 27, 2020 Lee
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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Holly - Spend with Pennies
This is excellent banana bread, easy to make and my family loved it. Perfect way to use those bananas that turned brown on you.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Bread Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • ½ cup butter, melted, (1 stick / ½ block)
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, chicken or duck, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1⅓ cup banana, ripe, mashed, 3 average bananas
  • ½ cup chocolate chips, for topping, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Grease a bread pan with butter.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together. Add the chocolate chips and mix in with a spoon. Set aside.
  • In another mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter and both sugars. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Mix in the mashed banana.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until just combined to make the batter, do not overmix.
  • Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Optional, top with the additional ½ cup of chocolate chips, along the center of the loaf.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, checking at 50 minutes with a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes. The toothpick may come out with chocolate, it is wet batter you are looking for.
  • After 5 minutes, run a butter knife along the edges of the loaf, it will be lose. Gently turn out the loaf and allow the loaf to cool completely.
  • Slice, and enjoy!

Notes

Low cost per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BREAD & PASTRY
Fresh Fruit Salad
December 23, 2020 Lee
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Fresh Fruit Salad

Adapted from a recipe in the Salad Lover's Cookbook, page 18.
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Salad Lover's Cookbook, printed in 1979. I made this on 7 Mar 2022, tasted by myself and the family, excellent fresh fruit salad! Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups fruit, see Step 1
  • lettuce leaves, as desired, Bibb is a good choice
  • poppy seed fruit salad dressing, as desired, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • For the fruit, use a mixture of fresh fruit that is cut into bite size pieces, such as any of the following: oranges, apples, bananas, pears, peaches, strawberries, seedless grapes, kiwi, dragon fruit, etc. Place fruit in a large mixing bowl and gently toss together. (I just used about 2-2½ cups each of fresh kiwi fruit, pineapple, and oranges.)
  • If desired, you can line a large salad bowl with Bibb lettuce leaves, or lettuce leaves of your choice or what is available, and pour the fruit mixture into the salad bowl. Cover and place in the fridge for 1-2 hours to chill.
  • Serve the salad with the poppy seed fruit dressing on the side for guests to simply pour on as desired. Enjoy.

Notes

Shortcut: Poppy Seed Fruit Salad Dressing.
#1 Go-To Recipes,5 Ingredients or Less,SALADS,Salads - Fruit
Overnight Fruit Salad
December 23, 2020 Lee
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Overnight Fruit Salad

Adapted from a recipe in the Salad Lover's Cookbook, page 17.
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Salad Lover's Cookbook, printed in 1979. This is a make the day before salad. This sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 12 hours
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium oranges
  • 24 marshmallows, (about 6 oz / 170 g)
  • 1 can pitted light sweet cherries, drained, (15 oz / 425 g)
  • ½ cup maraschino cherries
  • 1 can pineapple chunks, drained, (20 oz / 567 g)
  • fruit salad dressing, as needed, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Peel the oranges as you normally would, then use a sharp knife and cut on each side of the membranes that divide the segments, cutting from the outside to the center, then pull out each segment which will now have no membranes on either side, then cut off the outer membrane so you have orange slices but no skin or membrane on them. While cutting these, do this over a bowl so you collect the juice for use later.
  • Place orange segments in a mixing bowl, then add the sweet cherries, maraschino cherries, pineapple, and marshmallows. Gently toss together.
  • Pour the fruit salad dressing over the fruit and gently toss to coat. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
  • Serve with any main dish, enjoy.

Notes

Shortcut: Fruit Salad Dressing. 
SALADS,Salads - Fruit
Layered Vegetable Salad
December 21, 2020 Lee
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Layered Vegetable Salad

Adapted from a recipe in the Salad Lover's Cookbook, page 14.
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Salad Lover's Cookbook, printed in 1979. This is a make the day before salad. This sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 30 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Equipment

  • Large Glass Salad Bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • ½ cup celery, diced
  • 1 can water chestnuts, drained, sliced, (5 oz / 141 g)
  • 1 bag frozen peas, unthawed, (10 oz / 284 g)
  • 1½ cups mayo,
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, chicken or duck, Shortcut
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and quartered
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Using a large glass salad bowl, first add the lettuce as the bottom layer and spread it out evenly. The use of the glass bowl is for a visual effect of the layers.
  • Mix together the onion and celery, then spread that out as an even layer on top of the lettuce. Add the water chestnuts in a even layer on top of the onion and celery layer.
  • Add the peas, still unthawed, in an even layer on top of the water chestnuts. Spread the mayo over the peas in an even layer, then sprinkle the sugar over the mayo. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
  • The next day, you will need to fry up the bacon until it is crispy, chop into quarters, and let it cool, and you will need to hard boil some eggs, peel, and allow to cool, then slice them.
  • Add the tomatoes in an even layer on top of the mayo. Top the tomatoes with the sliced eggs, keeping them about ½ inch away from the edge.
  • Add the bacon over the top of the eggs, keeping the bacon about ½ inch away from the edge of the eggs. Top the bacon with shredded Cheddar cheese as desire, in the center of the bacon.
  • Serve by scooping out the salad in layers, enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs, Hard Boiled Duck Eggs.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SALADS,Salads - Vegetable
Sweet & Tart Salad
December 20, 2020 Lee
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Sweet & Tart Salad

Adapted from a recipe in the Salad Lover's Cookbook, page 12.
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Salad Lover's Cookbook, printed in 1979. This sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cabbage, shredded
  • 1½ cups apple, cored and chopped
  • ½ cup celery seed dressing, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the cabbage and apple and toss together.
  • Pour on the dressing and toss to coat evenly.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Celery Seed Dressing. 
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,SALADS,Salads - Vegetable
Deluxe Kidney Bean Salad
December 20, 2020 Lee
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Deluxe Kidney Bean Salad

Adapted from a recipe in the Salad Lover's Cookbook, page 10.
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Salad Lover's Cookbook, printed in 1979. This sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained, (16 oz / 454 g), Shortcut
  • 1 can mushrooms, drained, sliced, (4 oz / 113 g)
  • ¾ cup celery, thinly sliced at an angle
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • tarragon French dressing, as desired, Shortcut
  • flaked coconut, as desired, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place beans, mushrooms, celery, and raisins in a large bowl, toss together gently.
  • Pour on tarragon French dressing and toss lightly until well mixed. Cover and place bowl in the fridge.
  • When ready to serve, sprinkle some coconut for garnish. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Red Kidney Beans (Pressure Cooker), Tarragon French Dressing.
Variants: 1. If cooking the kidney beans from dry, use 1¾ cups cooked in place of 1 can.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SALADS,Salads - Vegetable