Archive for the ‘#1 Go-To Recipes’ Category
Any Flavor Cake
I got this recipe from my Mom, and she has made this for years. This is an easy and delicious cake to make. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix recipe, any flavor, Shortcut
- 1 box instant pudding mix, small box, a flavor that compliments the cake flavor
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1 cup warm water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and pick out a baking pan, either a bundt pan or 9x13 pan. Grease the pan of your choice lightly with butter or cooking spray.
- For the cake mix and the pudding mix, DO NOT follow the instructions on the boxes, just use the ingredients listed in this recipe. If you are making the homemade cake mixes, prepare per those instructions using the dry ingredients listed.
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix, beat 2 minutes.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Bake the 9x13 cake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For a bundt cake, adjust the baking time to 50 to 60 minutes. Allow a bundt cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
- Frost with your choice of frosting if desired, serve and enjoy.
Suggested Cake & Pudding Combinations
- Devil's Food cake mix and chocolate pudding mix, add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter before baking, frost with a chocolate butter cream frosting.
- White cake mix and vanilla pudding mix, use coconut milk in place of the water, egg whites instead of the eggs, frost with butter cream and sprinkle with coconut.
- White cake mix and white chocolate pudding mix, use egg whites instead of eggs. (Very slight taste of white chocolate.)
- Spice cake mix and butterscotch pudding.
Notes
Low cost per cake but keep in mind, adding extras to the cake increases the overall cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Chocolate Cake Mix, Yellow Cake Mix, Spice Cake Mix, White Cake Mix.
Provided by my Mom, Joann Thayer, United States.
Best-Ever Beans & Sausage
This is an easy and tasty dish to put together, and geared towards using canned beans but I have listed the shortcuts to prepare from dry if you desire to. This recipe makes a lot! To use beans you cooked, use 1½ cups cooked for each can. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo bulk spicy pork sausage, or bulk breakfast sausage, (2 lbs), Shortcut
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can pork and beans, (28 oz / 794 g)
- 1 can red Kidney beans, rinsed and drained, (15 oz / 425 g), Shortcut
- 1 can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained, (15 oz / 425 g), Shortcut
- 1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained, (15 oz / 425 g), Shortcut
- 1 can Pinto beans, rinsed and drained, (15 oz / 425 g), Shortcut
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, (15 oz / 425 g), Shortcut
- 1 ½ cups tomato ketchup
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F) and grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
- Heat a large pot on medium heat, add the sausage, onion, and green bell pepper. Crumble the sausage with your spatula and cook the sausage through. Drain the fat. (I used breakfast sausage.)
- Add the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard to the pot and mix together.
- Add all the beans and mix together.
- Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool for several minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Spicy Pork Sausage, Kidney Beans (Pressure Cooker), Great Northern Beans (Pressure Cooker), Black-eyed Peas (Pressure Cooker), Pinto Beans (Pressure Cooker), Chickpeas (Pressure Cooker).
Variants: 1. The use of breakfast sausage is highly recommended! 2. Top each serving with a fried egg or two. 3. Use a can of black beans instead of black-eyed peas, drained. 4. Reduce ketchup to 1 cup and add 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. 5. Use baked beans instead of pork and beans.
Fruit Cocktail Dump Cake
Excellent use for canned fruit cocktail. I made this on 22 Nov 2019 exactly as written and it was very much liked. This will be a regular now.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 can fruit cocktail, undrained, (16 oz / 454 g can)
Topping Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
Garnish Ingredients, as desired
- whipped topping
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or non stick spray.
- Add all Cake Ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- About 10 minutes before the cake is due to come out of the oven, it is time to make the topping. To a saucepan, add all the topping ingredients and set the pan on medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, always stirring, and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- After the cake is removed from the oven, go ahead and pour the topping over the hot cake and spread out evenly.
- Allow cake to cool, then slice, plate, and add a spoon of whipped topping and a maraschino cherry. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe and the original recipe is here.
Slow Cooker Chicken with Bacon Cream Gravy
I made this for my family on 25 August 2019 and it was a big hit.
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, as desired
- 1 package dry chicken gravy mix
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 6-8 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken, garlic, and bacon fat in your slow cooker. Sprinkle with thyme and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- In a measuring cup, mix together the gravy mix with the cold water, pour over the chicken. Set the slow cooker to High setting and cook for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, roughly shred the chicken, you can do this while the chicken is in the pot.
- In a measuring cup, use a whisk and mix together the cream and flour until smooth. Stir the cream into the slow cooker. Switch the slow cooker to Low setting and cook for another hour.
- After 1 hour, turn the slow cooker off, stir in the bacon.
- Serve over biscuits, rice, egg noodles, or even mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley for garnish as desired. Optionally, top with a side vegetable of your choice.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Recipe adapted from Just A Pinch Recipe Club, Amy Herald, and the original recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Pork & Noodles
This is a basic recipe for using canned pork for a quick and low cost meal, and it is very versatile. Read the Variants. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams dry macaroni, or any bite size pasta, (1 lb)
- 1 can pork, drained, fat removed, (750 g / 1½ lb)
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, (26 oz / 737 g Family Size can), Shortcut
- 1 packet chicken gravy mix, Shortcut
- 1 can peas, drained, or 2 cups frozen, steamed
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water, when boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender, drain.
- While the water is heating for the pasta, prepare the packet of chicken gravy in a small sauce pan.
- While the water is heating for the pasta, add the pork and soup to a pot. Heat the pot on medium low heat, breaking up the pork with your spatula and stirring occasionally.
- When the pasta is tender and drained, add to the pot with the pork. Stir to combine, taste, and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Add the peas and gravy, mix in. Cook until heated through.
- Serve with a side veggy or salad. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Condensed Cream of Celery Soup. Chicken Gravy Mix.
Variants: 1. Add a can of drained vegetable, such as corn, diced carrots, or even mixed vegetables in place of peas. 2. Add a can of diced tomatoes. 3. Saute a diced onion, diced bell pepper, or even sliced mushrooms, or any combination of these, before adding the pork. 4. Add a jar of sliced green olives with pimentos. 5. Season with fajita seasoning. 6. Add spices to taste such as rosemary, parsley, thyme, oregano, in addition to salt and pepper. 7. Use ground pork, cooked and drained, in place of canned pork.
Updated on 9 June 2021.
Peanut Butter Cake
Excellent cake for those that love peanut butter, as the cake, the frosting, and the topping, are made with peanut butter, and this is delicious!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened, (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
For the Frosting
- 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz block)
- 1/4 cup butter, softened, (1/2 stick)
- 1 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 pinch salt
For the Topping
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup Reese's, chopped
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), get out a 9x13 baking dish and grease it with butter or cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter and brown and white sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time while beating the mixture, then beat in the peanut butter, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Beat in half the dry ingredients from the other mixing bowl, beat until just mixed in.
- Add the milk and beat until fully mixed. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just mixed together.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- When the cake is completely cooled, add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until there is no more lumps.
- Add the peanut butter.
- Beat in the peanut butter until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix until combined. Add the cream and mix in until well combined.
- Frost the cake.
For the Topping
- Melt the peanut butter (I used the microwave for 15 seconds, stirred, then another 15 minutes, perfect). Measure out the chopped Reese's (I used 10 mini Reese's and chopped those) and mini chocolate chips.
- Drizzle the cake with the melted peanut butter.
- Sprinkle with the Reese's and chocolate chips.
- Cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares
Sounds good and easy. Made as written, highly recommended!
Ingredients
- 2 cups butterscotch chips, (10-11 oz bag)
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 bag mini marshmallows, rainbow or white, (10 oz bag)
Instructions
- Grease a 8x8 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- In a medium suacepan on medium low heat, add the butter, peanut butter, and butterscotch chips.
- Stir and let everything melt until smooth, remove from heat and stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Let this cool to room temperature.
- When cooled, stir in the marshmallows.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Place in the fridge to cool and set. Cut into 2 inch squares, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Replace the butterscotch chips with chocolate chips.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cucumber Radish Salad
This is an excellent use of radishes and is a tasty side dish. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 20 red radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
- ½ cup spring onion, or chives, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup sour cream, Shortcut
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Prep the cucumber, radishes, and spring onion and add to a mixing bowl.
- Mix together the veggies, cover, and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- Right before you serve, mix in the sour cream and season with sea salt as desired. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Shortcut: Sour Cream.
Variants: 1. Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. 2. Use mayo (Kewpie mayo preferred) in place of sour cream.
Salmon Loaf II
This is an excellent tasting salmon loaf. Common ingredients, goes together easily, and my family loved this.
Equipment
- Loaf Pan (5x9 inch)
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cans salmon, (15 oz / 420 g can each)
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cups salmon liquid, plus milk to make 1½ cups
- milk, as needed
- 3 cups coarse cracker crumbs, or panko
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup celery, finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
- â…› teaspoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with butter and set it aside.
- Drain the liquid from the salmon cans into a measuring cup. Add milk to measuring cup until you have 1½ cups of liquid.
- Add the drained salmon to a mixing bowl, remove any bones and skin as desired and flake apart the salmon with a fork.
- To the mixing bowl, add all other ingredients, mix into the salmon.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, spread the mixture out and pat it down evenly.
- Bake for 50 minutes.
- Remove and place on a rack for 10 minutes to cool and firm up. Turn out onto a serving tray. Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
I will price this when I get canned salmon again. For now I will say High cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use fresh salmon that has been steamed and bones and skin removed.
Tart Cherry Pie
This recipe uses canned tart cherries in water, you are going to make the filling yourself. This is delicious pie, and how a cherry pie is supposed to taste, and no red food coloring used like in ready made pie filling.
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts, ready made or homemade
- 2 cans tart cherries, in water, 15 oz / 425 g cans
- 1 cup cherry liquid, See step 2.
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220 C (425 F), get out a pie dish. Line the pie dish with one sheet of pie crust dough.
- Drain the cherries and save 1 cup of liquid, discard the remaining liquid. (I got exactly 1 cup of liquid from both cans.) If both cans do not have 1 cup of liquid, just top up what you do get with water to make 1 cup.
- In a saucepan, add the sugar and cornstarch and whisk together, slowly whisk in the reserved liquid from the cherries and mix until smooth.
- Place the saucepan on medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture starts to bubble. You will see a noticeable change when the mixture starts to bubble.
- Once it bubbles, continue stirring for 1 more minute until the mixture is thick and clear, remove from heat.
- Now stir in the butter, almond extract, and cherries, mix until combined.
- Pour into the prepared pie dish.
- Cover with the second crust and cut several slits to vent steam, or if adventurous, slice that crust up and make a lattice top on the pie. Brush the top crust with beaten egg.
- Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the temp to 180 C (350 F) and bake for another 35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove to a rack to cool.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy. Sometimes this will come out very runny, and sometimes much drier, this time was runny, so just grab a spoon and enjoy, the flavor is still perfect regardless of the texture.
Notes
Since I am in the states for a while, a can of tart cherries in water runs about $3.40 in Walmart, so for 6 servings, this dessert would cost about $1.13 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.