Archive for the ‘#1 Go-To Recipes’ Category
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.
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.
Yellow Squash Casserole
This is an excellent low carb casserole and is a nice twist on yellow squash.
Ingredients
- 4 cups yellow squash, chopped
- 1/2 cup spring onion, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup ham, chopped, heaping cup
- salt and pepper, as desired
- spring onion, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F). Grease with butter an 8x8 baking dish.
- Place the squash in a pan and add water to almost cover the squash. Bring to a simmer and cook the squash for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water and return the pan with the squash to heat and add the spring onion and ham. Season with salt and pepper as desired, saute for 1-2 minutes. While the squash is sauteing, add the egg and cream to a bowl and lightly mix together with a fork.
- Add the squash to the prepared baking pan and pour the egg mixture over the squash.
- Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the squash.
- Place in the oven uncovered and bake for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
- Sprinkle with sliced spring onion, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Add chopped cooked chicken or bacon in place of the ham.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
Only 3 ingredients and these are tasty. For the chocolate, feel free to use chocolate compound, almond bark, or chocolate chips.
Ingredients
- 285 grams shredded coconut, (10 oz)
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 chocolate, melted, type and method of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. The parchment paper is highly recommended, if you are out, foil greased with butter will work but expect a little sticking as well.
- In a mixing bowl, add the coconut and the condensed milk.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of coconut mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet, shape into a rounded mound. These do not spread so you can place them fairly close.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Remove from the sheet and place on a rack to cool.
- Melt the chocolate of your choice, I used chocolate almond bark melted in a double boiler. When the chocolate is melted. Drop a macaroon onto the chocolate and lift out with a fork to a sheet of foil and allow to cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Oreo Pie
This recipe comes from the label on a Oreo pie crust, and uses Oreo Cookies N' Cream pudding mix, and I will be taking a few boxes of that with me when I return to Thailand. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 Oreo pie crust, store bought or homemade, Shortcut
- 2 boxes Oreo Cookies N' Cream pudding, (4 servings per box)
- 2 1/2 cups cold milk
- 1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed, (8 oz)
- 3-4 Oreo cookies, cut in half, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the pudding mix and milk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk for 2 minutes.
- Stir in half of the whipped topping.
- Pour mixture into the pie crust. Cover and place in the fridge in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until the pie is fully set and firm.
- When ready to serve, top with remaining whipped topping. Top with the cookie halves, evenly spaced. Use 6 pieces for 6 slices or 8 pieces for 8 slices.
- Slice evenly between the cookies, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Orange Slice Cookies
I found this recipe on the internet and decided to give it a try, and I must say, these are really good! These cookies contain the orange slice candies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temp, (1 block / 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 370 grams orange slice candies, (13 oz)
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup coconut, shredded
Instructions
- Set the butter out to soften. Place the tablespoon of flour into a medium size bowl. Slice the orange slice candies into 5 pieces. As you slice a few candies and add them to the bowl, toss them with the flour - the pieces are sticky and this will prevent them from sticking together.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Measure out the oats, coconut, and walnuts and set them aside.
- Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk together then add the butter mixture and mix together.
- Add the oats, coconut, walnuts, and orange slices, and mix those in. The mixture will be stiff.
- Scoop out dough with a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon of dough. Roll the dough between your hands then place the dough ball on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest on the sheet for a few minutes, then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Use pecans or roasted peanuts in place of walnuts. 2. Use the mixed fruit jelly candies in place of just orange. 3. This would be an excellent recipe to shape then freeze for fresh baked cookies at a later time.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Ghirardelli Brownie Cake
This recipe is from a boxed Ghirardelli Brownie Mix and is straight forward as well, and for this I am using the dark chocolate mix as that is my Mom's favorite type of chocolate. This is a 3 layer cake, and the frosting is your choice, such as store bought, a homemade ganache, or a even a homemade buttercream frosting. I will be using my homemade chocolate buttercream frosting for this cake. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2 boxes Ghirardelli Brownie Mix
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 eggs
- frosting, of your choice, Shortcut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 165 C (325 F). Grease with butter 3 round cake pans if you are using pans with easy release cutters or removable bottoms. If using fixed pans grease the sides and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- To a mixing bowl, add both mixes, eggs, oil, and water.
- Mix batter, pour the batter equally into all three pans.
- Bake for 38 minutes and remove from the oven. Allow the cakes to cool completely before removing them from the pans.
- When the cakes are completely cooled, prepare your frosting of choice. I made my homemade chocolate buttercream frosting and made 1 1/12 times the recipe.
- Frost just between the layers or between and the sides, totally up to you.
- I also added some candy sprinkles.
- Place in the fridge until you serve.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
For the US, this is low cost per serving since each box of this brand of brownie mix is $2.75, in Thailand, another brand mix would be $10+. I will also work up a brownie mix for Thailand that will greatly reduce the cost.
Shortcut: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Adapted from a recipe on a boxed brownie mix.
Snowman Cookies
This recipe will use the store bought Nutter Butter cookies and the reason for this is the shape. No quantities are given for this guide, this is just a make what you want guide.
Ingredients
- Nutter Butter cookies
- vanilla almond bark
- MM candies
- decorating gel, red or orange
- decorating gel, black
Instructions
- Place the cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you start, you need them chilled when you start dipping them.
- Setup a double boiler and add the vanilla almond bark and let it melt fully. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Add some MM candies to a small bowl.
- When the bark is melted and smooth, drop a Nutter Butter cookie into the bark, use a fork and roll it over to make sure it is coated, lift it out, shake off the excess, and place on the foil or parchment. Place two MM candies (same color) on one end of the cookie, these will be the buttons. Repeat for as many as you want to make.
- Once the vanilla bark cools and hardens, use the black decorating gel to make eyes and a mouth and the red or orange to make a nose. Let the gel set.
- Serve and enjoy, don't stack these or you may damage the eye, mouth, and nose features.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from looking at a photo of these.
