Archive for the ‘# Buster Approved’ Category
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.
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
- ⅛ 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.
Fried Bologna & Cheese Sandwich
There is two ways to prepare this, non-grilled and grilled, and both ways are delicious. Un-Grilled is the classic way, and Grilled is just another step added.
Ingredients
- 2-4 slices bologna, deli thin slices or to your preference
- Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, as needed
- Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, as needed
- 2 slices bread, of your choice
- mayo, as needed
- extra light olive oil, as needed
- butter, as needed
Instructions
Un-Grilled
- Heat about 2 teaspoons of oil in a non stick pan, when hot, add the bologna and fry until heated through or all the way to crispy, then flip.
- Place a bit of each type of cheese on each slice of bologna and cover the pan with a lid until the cheese is melted.
- While the cheese is melting, spread some mayo on each slice of bread. After the cheese is melted, layer the bologna slices on a slice of bread with the mayo side up, then top with the other slice of bread, mayo side down.
- Slice the sandwich in half, and enjoy.
Grilled
- Heat about 2 teaspoons of oil in a non stick pan, when hot, add the bologna and fry until heated through or all the way to crispy, then flip.
- Place a bit of each type of cheese on each slice of bologna and cover the pan with a lid until the cheese is melted.
- While the cheese is melting, spread some butter or mayo on each slice of bread, place one slice butter or mayo side side down on parchment paper. After the cheese is melted on the bologna, layer the bologna slices on the slice of bread on the parchment, then top with the other slice of bread, butter or mayo side up.
- Quickly wipe out the oil from the pan, return the pan to heat then pick up the sandwich and place in the hot pan. Cook until the bottom until it is golden brown.
- Then carefully flip the sandwich and cook until golden brown, remove from the pan.
- Slice in half and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per sandwich.
Variants: 1. Use just one type of cheese if desired. 2. Use use in place of bologna.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Peach Pie
This is a really good pie and uses canned peaches as a convenience. I made this on 22 Jul 2019, exactly as written, perfect! Very well liked by the family.
Equipment
- Pie Dish (9 inch)
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts, store bought or homemade, Shortcut
- 2 cans sliced peaches, drained, 15 oz (425 gram) cans
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons butter, softened
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 9 inch pie dish, add the bottom crust to the dish.
- In a mixing bowl, add the peaches, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Stir to mix well.
- To the mixing bowl, sprinkle in some of the flour and stir until the flour is well mixed in, repeat with the flour and stirring until all the flour is mixed in, I did this 4 times. Add the butter and stir that in.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pie dish and spread out evenly.
- Top with the second crust, flute the edges then cut some slits in the crust. Brush the top with beaten egg. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
- Remove to a rack to cool.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Pie Crust.
Variants: 1. Feel free to use fresh peaches. 2. Feel free to make a lattice top with the second pie crust. 3. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 4. After brushing the top with the beaten egg, sprinkle on some sugar for a sweet crust.
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Easy, and delicious! I made this on 15 Apr 2020 and was extremely pleased with the result, this is tasty and was enjoyed by the family. Highly recommended.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, or ground pork, (1 lb)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
- 350 grams fresh button mushrooms, sliced, (¾ lb), or 1 can, drained and sliced
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth, fresh or from powder
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup sour cream,
- fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
- salt and black pepper, as desired
- egg noodles, cooked, for serving
Optional - to thicken more
- cornstarch
- cold water
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling, then add egg noodles and cook until tender for the desired number of servings, once tender, drain and set aside. Feel free to use mashed potatoes in place of the egg noodles, your choice.
- While the noodles are cooking, heat a large non stick pan on medium heat and when hot, add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Break up the meat a little, goal is a good chunky beef sauce. Cook the beef until no longer pink. Drain off any fat.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. (To thicken the sauce more or to your desired consistency, make a slurry with equal parts cornstarch and cold water and stir into the sauce.)
- Remove the pan from heat, stir in the sour cream and parsley if using.
- Serve over the egg noodles or mashed potatoes if you wish. Enjoy.
Notes
Fair cost per serving depending on where the beef is sourced. I use local raised beef and grind myself for savings.
Variants: 1. Use 1 can of whole button mushrooms, drain and sliced in place of fresh mushrooms. 2. Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup after adding the beef broth and stir into the mixture.
Teriyaki Salmon, Chicken, or Tofu
This is a 'make the amount you want' guide and is a basic way to use real Japanese teriyaki sauce. As the title states, use either salmon, chicken, or tofu, and each item will have separate instructions. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- salmon steaks, or chicken thighs, or firm tofu
- cornstarch, as needed
- Teriyaki sauce, Shortcut
- salt and pepper, as needed
- sake, as needed
Instructions
Teriyaki Salmon
- Heat a non stick pan with 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil, season the salmon steaks on both sides with salt and pepper as desired then coat with flour. When the oil is hot, add the salmon and cook for 3 minutes or until nicely browned.
- Turn salmon over and add 1 tablespoon of sake, cover the pan and cook for 3 minutes more.
- Spoon some teriyaki sauce over the salmon and turn to coat.
- Serve, optionally spoon some teriyaki sauce over the top of the salmon when serving.
Teriyaki Chicken
- Heat a non stick pan with 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil, season the skin on chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper as desired then coat with flour. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until nicely browned.
- Turn the chicken over and cook until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken, pour out oil and wipe with a paper towel, return the chicken to the pan, spoon some teriyaki sauce over the chicken and turn to coat.
- Serve, optionally spoon some teriyaki sauce over the top of the chicken when serving.
Teriyaki Tofu
- Firm tofu comes in a brine, first thing you have to do is drain off the liquid, and gently press it to remove any excess moisture. You can also microwave the tofu for 1 minute.
- Cut the tofu into slabs or cubes, Add some cornstarch to a mixing bowl, add the cubed or slabbed tofu and shake and toss to lightly coat.
- Heat a non stick pan with 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil on medium high heat, when hot, add the tofu cooking on both sides for slabs or all sides for cubes until golden brown.
- Spoon teriyaki sauce over the tofu and turn to coat. Place tofu in a serving bowl.
- Serve, optionally spoon some teriyaki sauce over the top of the tofu when serving. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Teriyaki Sauce (照り焼きのたれ).
