Archive for the ‘#1 Go-To Recipes’ Category
Chocolate Malted Cookies
For Christmas 2019 my Mom gave me a cookbook, specifically 'the chocolate cookbook' and that is where this recipe comes from. Great tasting cookie, not heavy on the malt flavor but a very good cookie. I made 27 cookies.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened, (1/2 block / 1 stick)
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup malted milk powder, divided
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, shortening, vanilla extract, and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- To the mixing bowl, add the eggs, flour, 1/2 cup malted milk powder, and cocoa powder. Beat until well blended.
- Cover and place the bowl in the fridge for at least 2 hours or even overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil (for easy clean up).
- Shape slightly rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes.
- While the cookies are cooling, mix together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 cup of malted milk powder in a medium mixing bowl. Roll warm cookies in mixture to coat, place cookies on rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from a recipe listed in 'the chocolate cookbook', page 44.
Tart Cherry Cottage Cheese Salad
I made this on a whim and it turned out better than expected. Highly recommended if you like tart cherries. The cottage cheese salads I have made always used crushed pineapple, so I decided to change it up. This recipe uses canned tart cherries, not sure if those are available in Thailand so I will look after I return and report back on that. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 can tart cherries, in water, (15 oz / 425 g can)
- 1 box black cherry 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 cherries, place on a cutting board and cut each cherry in half, then drain them again.
- Place the cherries, cottage cheese, and gelatin powder in a mixing bowl.
- 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.
Dilly Cheese Ball
This sounds really good, I got this recipe from my Mom and she got it out of a magazine in 2016. I prepare this on 22 Mar 2020 and we the family, tasted it on 23 Mar, and this is really good, excellent flavor. Highly recommended.
Ingredients
- 1 package Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz / 250 g)
- 1 cup dill pickle relish, drained
- 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except the parsley.
- Use an electric mixer and beat until smooth.
- Shape mixture into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. I also wrapped this in foil to help keep the shape. Place in the fridge to chill and firm up for at least 2 hours or even overnight.
- When ready to serve, unwrap and place on a serving tray or plate.
- Sprinkle with the parsley and arrange crackers. For this I used regular and wheat butter crackers.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from a recipe in a magazine.
String Cheese Manicotti
This recipe uses, as the name says, string cheese to fill the manicotti tubes, which not only sounds like a brilliant idea, it is an excellent idea. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 1 box manicotti shells, about 14 shells, (8 oz / 226 g)
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 jar marinara sauce, (26 oz jar, or 3¼ cups), Shortcut
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and as needed, Shortcut
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 28 pieces Mozzarella string cheese
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish, as desired
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, add manicotti shells and cook until shells are not quite cooked through, about 2-3 minutes underdone, then drain and run under cold water.
- Cooked and drained shells. OR you can use dry shells but you will need to increase the bake time.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a pot and cook the onion and ground beef, breaking the beef up with the spatula as it cooks. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any fat and return the pot, with the beef, back to heat.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Get out a 9x13 inch baking pan.
- To the pot, add the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder, stir together.
- Spread half of the meat sauce in the baking pan.
- Stuff each manicotti shell with 2 pieces of string cheese. Arrange all the shells in the pan in a single layer. If the string cheese is too much, pull one piece of cheese in half and stuff a shell with 1½ pieces of cheese. OR you can stuff the dry shells with 1½ pieces of cheese but the baking time will increase.
- I stuffed the shells dry, arrange all the shells in the pan in a single layer.
- Top the manicotti with the remaining sauce.
- Top with Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning as desired.
- Bake for 30 minutes if using cooked pasta, or 50 minutes if using dry pasta, or until bubbly and starting to brown.
- Garnish with parsley as desired, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Marinara Sauce, Italian Seasoning.
Variants: 1. Use bulk Italian sausage in place of ground beef. 2. Add a layer of sliced Provolone on top of the Mozzarella. 3. Use canned beef or pork in place of fresh ground. 4. Cut smoked sausage into 4ths lengthwise and stuff shells with 1 piece of sausage and 1 piece of cheese.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
This is from a Pioneer brand country gravy packet and it is easy and really good. For this recipe you can use the gravy packet stated or make the shortcut and use that. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 packet country gravy, Pioneer brand, or Shortcut
- 1 package frozen chopped broccoli, cooked per instructions on package, (10-12 oz / 283-340 g)
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, (8 oz / 226 g)
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon onion, finely minced, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the gravy packet per the instructions on the packet. Cook the broccoli per the instruction on the package, normally just steamed in the bag in the microwave then drained.
- Stir in the cheese until mixed in. Stir in the onion if using that.
- Stir in the cooked and drained broccoli. Heat the soup to warm the broccoli through. For a thinner soup, just stir in milk to your desired consistency.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Homemade Country Gravy Mix.
Frosting Fudge
This is a 2 ingredient fudge that is originally from a Betty Crocker cookbook. You can change this up any way you like by adding flavorings to the fudge, adding candies, cookies, trail mix, etc.
Ingredients
- 1 can frosting, (16 oz / 454 g)
- 1 bag chocolate chips, (12 oz / 340 g bag)
Instructions
Basic Instructions
- Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil.
- Add the chocolate chips to a heatproof mixing bowl, microwave on full power for 30 seconds, take the bowl out of the microwave. This softens them up.
- Open the frosting and remove the foil seal, discard the lid and seal. Place the frosting container in your microwave, microwave on full power for 1 minute. Pour the hot frosting onto the chips.
- Stir together until the chips are melted and everything mixed together, takes just 30 seconds to a minute.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
- Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. Cut into squares and place on a serving tray. Serve and enjoy.
With Cookies
- To add cookies to the fudge, place 10 cookies (think store bought, like Oreo's or chocolate chip cookies, in the fridge for about 10 minutes to chill, then chop and divide. Once the frosting and chocolate chips are mixed, stir in half of the chopped cookies, pour into the pan and top with the remaining chopped cookies.
With Flavoring
- To add a flavoring, such as peppermint, which works very well, simply mix in 1 teaspoon after the frosting and chips are mixed.
With Dark Chocolate Kit-Kat Bars
- Use a package of dark chocolate chips in the base recipe along with a can of chocolate frosting. Place two king size dark chocolate kit-kat bars in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove the candy bars, unwrap, chop 1 bar and place pieces in a bowl. Chop the second bar. Prepare the base recipe, once the chips are melted and mixed in then add the kit-kat pieces from the bowl, stir until just coated. Pour into the prepared pan, top with the rest of the chopped kit-kat pieces, press them in just a bit.
- Once chilled and firmed up, cut into squares, serve, and enjoy.
With White Chocolate Chips, Peppermint, and Kit-Kats
- Chop two king size dark chocolate kit-kat bars. You need some peppermint extract and red or green food coloring. Prepare the base recipe with a package of white chocolate chips and a can of white frosting, when mixed, stir in 2 teaspoons peppermint extract and about 8 drops of food coloring, when mixed in, stir in half the chopped kit-kats then pour mixture into the prepared pan, spread out evenly and top with the remaining chopped kit-kats and press in gently to ensure they are set into the fudge.
- Once chilled and firmed up, cut into squares, serve, and enjoy.
With Milk Chocolate Chips and Pecans
- Chop a cup of pecans, divide in half. Use a bag of milk chocolate chips and a can of chocolate frosting and prepare the base recipe, when mixed together, stir in half of the chopped pecans, pour into your prepared pan. Top with remaining chopped pecans and press into the fudge as needed. Cool then chill in the fridge for a few hours.
- Once chilled and firmed up, cut into squares, serve, and enjoy.
With Butterscotch Chips and Caramel Bits
- Use a bag of butterscotch chips and a can of vanilla frosting and prepare the base recipe, when mixed together, pour into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with about a cup of caramel bits. Cool on the counter, then place in the fridge to firm up better.
- Once chilled and set, cut into squares, and enjoy.
With Mint MM's
- Prepare the base recipe with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting, when mixed together, mix in 1/2 cup mint MM's, pour into the prepared pan, then top with another 1/2 cup of mint MM's. Cool on the counter then place in the fridge.
- Once chilled, cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
With Coconut and Mini MM's
- Prepare the base recipe with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting, when mixed together, mix in 1 cup shredded coconut, pour into the prepared pan, then top with 1 cup of Mini MM's, I used the bottom of the measuring cup to press the MM's into the fudge. Cool on the counter then place in the fridge.
- Once chilled, cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
With Dark Chocolate, Coconut, and Almonds
- Prepare the base recipe with dark chocolate chips and chocolate frosting, when mixed together, mix in 1 cup shredded coconut and 1/2 cup of slivered almonds, pour into prepared pan, then top with 1/2 cup of sliced almonds, press them into the fudge just a bit. Cool on the counter then place in the fridge.
With Trail Mix
- Prepare the base recipe with semisweet chocolate chips and vanilla frosting, when mixed together, mix in 1 cup trail mix, pour into prepared pan, then top with 1/2 cup or so of more trail mix. Cool on the counter then place in the fridge.
- Once chilled, cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
With Coconut Pecan Frosting
- Prepare using Coconut Pecan Frosting and milk chocolate chips, after microwaving and mixing, pour into prepared pan, top with sprinkles. Cool on the counter then place in the fridge.
- Once chilled, cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Variants: 1. Chocolate frosting and chocolate chips. 2. Vanilla frosting and dark chocolate chips. 3. Strawberry frosting and white (vanilla) chocolate chips. 4. Vanilla frosting and white (vanilla) chocolate chips and green food coloring and peppermint extract. 5. Add cookies of your choice. 6. Add sprinkles on top of your choice. 7. Be creative.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
These sound delicious, and easy, on my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp, (1/2 block / 1 stick)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and whisk together.
- In another larger mixing bowl, add the butter, brown and white sugar, and beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until well mixed. Then mix in the egg and vanilla. Use a spoon and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Using the mixer on slow speed, slowly add the previously whisked dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Remove the mixer and clean off the blades.
- Use a sturdy spoon and mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- About 10 minutes before you want to start baking, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.
- Remove the cookie dough from the fridge, scoop out dough in 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoon scoops and place evenly on the baking sheets. Place one sheet in the fridge.
- Bake one sheet for 12-15 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set up (I did have to flatten the cookies with a glass about 10 minutes into cooking as they were not changing shape from how they were scooped, then I added a few chips on each cookie as well and continued to bake for a few more minutes). Remove from the oven and place the second sheet in the oven to bake. Cool the sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the sheet to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool the second sheet also before removing the cookies to a rack.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per cookie.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Tater Tot Casserole I
I am not a fan of tater tots, but since I am still in the states, tater tots are a common ingredient, and there is even a fast food hamburger joint that has tater tots as a side instead of fries. My Mom really likes tater tots so I made this mainly for her, but I will say, it is delicious. When I return to Thailand I will make this but use homemade hash browns instead of tater tots. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
- 1/2 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
- 1 bag tater tots, (32 oz / 2 lb / 907 g)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F), grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a non stick pan on medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with your spatula as it cooks. Cook until there is no more pink visible. Drain off any fat. (I am cooking ground pork for this.)
- While the beef is cooking, to a large mixing bowl, add the soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, mustard, 1/2 cup of the Cheddar cheese, and mix together.
- To the mixing bowl, add the drained beef and the mixed vegetables. Mix together. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Lay the tater tots on top of the beef mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of Cheddar over the tater tots.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Sour Cream.
Variant: 1. Use ground pork in place of ground beef.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here. United States.
Impossible Pumpkin Pie
I made this on 17 Feb 2020, and it was very well liked by the family, my Mom loved this pie, even she said this is good pie! The beauty of this recipe, no crust is needed. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 can canned pumpkin, (15 oz can or 2 cups fresh cooked)
- 1/2 cup Bisquick Mix, Shortcut
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, Shortcut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- whipped topping, for serving, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and grease a pie dish with butter.
- Add the bisquick mix, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice to a mixing bowl and use a whisk to mix together. Goal is to reduce any lumps.
- To the mixing bowl, now add the pumpkin, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk together, again, goal is to reduce the amount of lumps. Whisk until you have a mostly smooth mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes then place in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours.
- Slice, top with whipped topping as desired, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Bisquick Mix, Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe and the link to the recipe is here.
Easy Apricot Pie
This is a simple pie that goes together quickly, and it is delicious! This is basically an 'impossible' pie in that this makes its own 'crust.' Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2 cans apricot halves, drained, (15 oz / 425 g cans)
- 1/2 cup Bisquick Mix, Shortcut
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 eggs
- whipped cream, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), grease a pie dish with butter.
- After draining the apricots well, remove 6 halves to a bowl and set that aside. Add the rest to a sturdy mixing bowl as you will mash those. The remaining apricots will be used last. Mash the apricots in the mixing bowl.
- Then add the remaining ingredients except the whipped topping and the reserved apricots. Mix together well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish.
- Place the leftover apricot halves, evenly spaced, on the batter, cut side up and press them down gently into the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the edge is lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack for at least an hour, then place in the fridge to chill for a few more hours.
- Slice, top with whipped cream as desired, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Bisquick Mix.
Adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe and the link to the recipe is here.
