Archive for the ‘# Buster Approved’ Category
Earthquake Cake
Hands down, this is excellent cake, nothing more to say. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut, shredded
- 1 cup nuts, chopped, walnuts or pecans is ideal
- 1 box chocolate cake mix, plus its ingredients, Shortcut
- 250 grams Cream cheese, room temperature, (8 oz)
- 1/2 cup butter, melted, (1 stick)
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter. Mix together the coconut and nuts, spread out in the baking dish.
- Add the cake mix to a mixing bowl and add the ingredients stated on the box to prepare the mix, and mix together.
- Add the cream cheese, melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to mix until smooth and fluffy.
- Pour the prepared cake mix over the coconut and nuts.
- Drop the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake batter using teaspoons.
- Use a knife to swirl the cream cheese mixture into the batter.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake will fall when it cools and will have cracks in it.
- Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Chocolate Cake Mix, Chocolate Cake.
Variants: 1. Sprinkle on 2 cups of chocolate chips before baking. 2. Top with your favorite frosting (chocolate would be preferred) after the cake has cooled to room temperature.
From a restaurant at Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, United States.
Chicken Noodle Casserole II
This recipe comes from a friend and this is perfect, easy and delicious. This can be easily tailored depending on the chicken you want to use as well as the vegetables. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 6 cups uncooked egg noodles
- 2-3 large chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons garlic salt
- 1½ teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables, (12 oz / 340 g)
- 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, Shortcut
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
- ½ cup milk
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a pot of water to boiling then add the egg noodles and cook until just tender. Drain.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F) and grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
- Same pot after the noodles are poured out, heat the olive oil on medium high heat, add the chicken and season with garlic salt and parsley. Cook chicken until just cooked through, do not over cook the chicken or it will be dry.
- Add the soups and milk, when it is heated through add the frozen vegetables and mix in. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Add the drained noodles to the pot and mix together. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil before serving.
- Serve with sides of your choice, and enjoy.
Notes
Easily under $1 dollar per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Variants: 1. Use two 1½ lb cans of chicken, drained. 2. In place of mixed vegetables, use peas, peas and carrots, or peas carrots and corn. 3. Use fat free soups. 4. Use skim milk.
Smoked Sausage & Peppers
This is my very basic recipe for the common dish called Sausage, Peppers, and Onions. I make this as a side with pasta dishes, and typically the Sausage, Peppers, and Onions dish is a main dish. No quantities are given here, just use what you want. And this could not be easier, just smoked sausage and peppers, let the sausage season the peppers.
Ingredients
- smoked sausage, sliced at a bias
- bell peppers, your choice of color, sliced into strips
Instructions
- Prep the bell peppers and sausage. For this I used 2 yellow, 1 orange, and 1 green. For the smoked sausage, I used two 340 g / 12 oz packages.
- Heat the cooking oil in a non stick pan on medium heat, when hot, add the sausage and pepper and stir together.
- Cook, stirring once in a while until the peppers are softened and tender and the sausage heated through.
- Serve as a side dish.
Notes
Variation of a common dish, Sausage, Peppers, and Onions.
Basic Manicotti
This is a basic cheese filled and baked manicotti. I did not boil the noodles first, I filled them dry and they cooked in the sauce. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box manicotti shells, (14 shells)
- 3 cups Ricotta cheese, or cottage cheese, (24 oz / 1 lb 8 oz / 680 g)
- 250 grams Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, (8 oz)
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 eggs, chicken or duck
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
- 4 cups spaghetti sauce, Shortcut
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the all the Ricotta, Mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix together.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and get out a 9x13 baking dish. Add 1 cup of spaghetti sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and make sure it is spread out.
- Using either a piping bag with a nozzle that will fit inside the end of a manacotti shell, or a small spoon that will fit inside (this is the method I used), pipe the cheese filling into a dry manicotti shell or fill with a small spoon, and place that into the baking dish. Continue to fill shells and arrange in the baking dish.
- Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- As a Variant, sprinkle with some shredded Mozzarella cheese then top with slices of Provolone cheese (recommended and is the method I used).
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
I will price this when I make it the first time to sort out the ingredient amounts. For now I will say Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Spaghetti Sauce.
Variants: 1. Add onion and or garlic powder to the filling. 2. Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg to the filling. 3. Add 1/4 cup Marscapone cheese to the filling. 4. Use a Alfredo sauce instead of a tomato sauce. 5. Sprinkle some shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce and top that with sliced Provolone (highly recommended).
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Banana Pudding
This is an excellent and easy recipe! When I return to Thailand, I will be taking pudding mixes back with me so I can make this there! There is two ways to make this, one with fresh whipped cream and the other way with ready made Cool Whip. I used Cool Whip this time.
Ingredients
- 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz)
- 1 can condensed milk, (14 oz)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix, (6 serving size)
- 3 cups whipping cream, or three 8 oz containers Cool Whip
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, omit if using Cool Whip
- 1 box vanilla wafer cookies
- 4-5 bananas, sliced
- 1-2 bananas, sliced, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with the vanilla wafer cookies.
- Add a layer of banana slices.
- Add the cream cheese, condensed milk to a mixing bowl
- Beat with an electric mixer.
- Add the dry pudding mix, vanilla, and milk. Beat until fully combined then set aside. Wash and dry the mixer blades if you are using fresh cream.
- In another mixing bowl, add the whipping cream and beat until soft peaks form.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, then set aside 2 1/2 cups.
- Take the remaining whipped cream and fold that into the pudding mixture. OR fold in two containers of Cool Whip.
- Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the bananas.
- Top the pudding with the reserved whipped cream OR another container of Cool Whip. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- To serve, slice into serving size pieces, top each serving with a slice of banana if desired.
- Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use Cool Whip in place of the whipping cream and powdered sugar. Fold in two 8 oz containers of Cool Whip into the pudding mixture, then top with one 8 oz container before placing in the fridge.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Cheeseburger Stuffed Pasta Shells
This sounds really good and easy, on my to cook list and soon. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 750 grams ground beef, (1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce, Shortcut
- 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
- 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta shells. Cook until just tender, drain and rinse under cold water.
- While the shells are cooking, heat a large non stick pan on medium high heat, add the ground beef and onion, cook, breaking up the meat with your spatula, until the beef is no longer pink.
- Drain the fat then mix in the tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, and pepper. Stir together.
- Add 3/4 cup of the cheese. Stir the cheese in.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and grease a 7x11 baking dish. Use a teaspoon and fill each shell and arrange in the baking dish until all the shells and filling is used.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Optionally, squirt some ketchup over the shells.
- Serve and enjoy. Add chopped pickles, chopped tomatoes, or shredded lettuce as desired.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce.
Variants: 1. Top shells with cooked and crumbled bacon before baking. 2. Top each serving with a fried egg.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sausage Stuffed Shells
This was a new recipe for me to prepare as I have never used jumbo pasta shells. This is a simple recipe that is delicious! Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 22 jumbo pasta shells
- 400 grams smoked sausage, diced, (14 oz)
- 750 grams Ricotta cheese, or cottage cheese, (1½ lb), Shortcut
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley, or 2 cups fresh, chopped
- 1½ cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, (6 oz / 170 g)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups spaghetti sauce, Shortcut
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling then add the pasta shells and cook until just tender. Drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, dice the sausage. Dicing the sausage probably takes the longest time. (The sausage I used was Hillshire Farms that weighed in at 14 oz / about 400 g. The photo shows the type of sausage used and the amount of diced sausage from one link.)
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F) and get out a 9x13 baking pan.
- Add the ricotta or cottage cheese to a mixing bowl, crack in the egg and mix together. Add the basil, oregano, and parsley and mix that in. Then add the Mozzarella and Parmesan and mix that in.
- Now add the diced sausage to the cheese mixture and mix that in.
- Add ¾ cup of the spaghetti sauce to the 9x13 baking dish and spread that evenly over the bottom (tilting and shaking the pan works great). Take a drained pasta shell and fill using about 1½ heaping teaspoons of the filling, place the filled shells in the pan.
- Repeat filling the shells and placing in the dish in order. I could have easily put in 21 shells, 3 rows of 7, but miscounted and I had one break, so the lower left corner I just put the broken shell and excess filling. 22 shells are stated in the ingredients, this is to allow for one breaking during cooking, and if it does not, just go ahead and squeeze that one into one of the rows.
- Take the remaining spaghetti sauce and pour that over the middle of the shells. Bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place on the table in the pan and serve family style.
- Spoon onto plates and enjoy with sides of your choice.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Cottage Cheese, Spaghetti Sauce.
Cheese Cracker Chicken
This comes from a friend, and just three ingredients needed. I made these on 18 August 2019, using 9 legs and 4 thighs, and I will say, this is tasty chicken. Feel free to use breasts, legs, or legs and thighs.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1/4 cup butter, melted, (1/2 stick)
- 3 cups Cheez-It crackers, crushed, about 12 oz box
Instructions
- For the stated ingredients, keep in mind you can make this with different chicken pieces and any amount you like, but do not mix breasts with legs or thighs to ensure even cooking on all items at one time. Also if increasing the number of chicken pieces, increase the butter as needed.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Get out a baking sheet and line it with foil for easy clean up, making sure the foil has an edge on all sides to prevent any fat from contacting the baking sheet.
- I crushed up one 12 oz box of Cheez-It crackers, whole grain type, and it came out to 3 cups. I left the crumbs with a bit of texture to them. And I melted the butter in the microwave, about 1/2 cup was used as I increased the amount of chicken.
- I used 9 legs and 4 thighs, all skin on. After dipping in butter and coating with the crackers, I sprinkled some of the cracker crumbs on the chicken after all pieces were placed on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 50 minutes then check either with a meat thermometer, target temp is 74 C (165 F) or just cut a large piece in half or through to the bone to check that it is cooked through and juices run clear.
- Transfer chicken to a serving tray, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Recipe adapted from Just A Pinch Recipe Club, Ellen Bales, and the original recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Orange Juice Cake
This recipe comes from a cookbook and restaurant guide for Tennessee, and this recipe is from Yoder's Country Market and is Amish, a featured dish at their restaurant on Bulls Gap, TN. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix, Shortcut
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix, small box, 3.4 oz size
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup cooking oil
- 4 eggs
For the Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), get out either a bundt cake pan or a 9x13 baking pan, grease the pan of your choice with butter.
- Place the juice, eggs, and oil in a mixing bowl and mix to combine, then add the cake and pudding mixes.
- Using an electric mix, beat the ingredients for 4-5 minutes until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the pan of your choice and smooth out evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, add the Syrup ingredients to a saucepan. Heat the saucepan to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar, bring to a boil and stir until thickened. Turn off the burner for the syrup and leave the saucepan on the burner to stay hot.
- When the cake is done, remove from the oven.
- While the cake is hot, either a bundt or 9x13 pan, pour the hot syrup over the cake while the cake is in the pan. The syrup will flow into the pan where the cake separated from the edge and will soak into the cake.
- Allow a bundt cake to cool completely then invert onto a plate.
- For a 9x13 pan, allow the cake to cool for 20-30 minutes then slice and serve warm or cool completely to serve later. Enjoy.
Variant 1, Using Mandarin Oranges
- Open and drain two 15 oz cans of mandarin oranges, spread the orange slices evenly in the pan before adding the batter. Bake as stated and make and use the syrup as directed in the instructions.
- Slice and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Yellow Cake Mix.
Variant: 1. Add 2 cans (15 oz each) of mandarin oranges, drained well, to the pan before adding the batter.
Adapted from a recipe from a cookbook.
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.
