Homemade Pancake Syrup

1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. water
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla

Dissolve sugar in water in saucepan. Add salt and boil 1 minute. Add vanilla; mix well. Serve warm.


Maple syrup:
1 c. boiling water
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp maple flavoring

Mix together. Serve warm.

Whole Wheat Blueberry pancakes

From allrecipes.com:

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 c. milk, plus more if necessary
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 c. blueberries

Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat together the egg, milk and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries and stir to incorporate.

Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over med heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 c of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until golden brown.

$5 Dinner challenge

I have posted this recipe before, but wanted to post again for the $5 dinner challenge at http://www.5dollardinners.com/. The prices are approximate.

Vegetable Beef Soup
1 lb. gr. beef ($1.59)
1 lb bag of mixed frozen veggies with tomatoes ($1.50)
1 med. onion diced ($ .25)
1 can tomato paste ($ .50)
Beef stock- optional (I made my own beef stock from beef bones and then froze in ice cube trays, so I add about 3-4 cubes) (free, only because the beef bones were given to us by a friend)
Salt & pepper to taste (a few cents)
water (free)

In large stock pot brown ground beef with onion. Add tomato paste and water (I use 5-6 cans of water- from the tomato paste can)
Bring to a boil and add veggies. Cook until at least warm through, or you can leave it on low heat for several hours.

Approximately $3.84

Crockpot French Dip

I got this recipe from the Cooking for Your Family board at Babycenter.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Katie (Katiedid)

approx 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
16-oz. beef broth (1 1/2 cans)
1 10.5-oz. can condensed French onion soup
6-oz red wine
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 French rolls
sliced provolone cheese, optional

Trim excess fat off of beef roast and season meat all over with salt and pepper. Pour beef broth, condensed French onion soup, red wine and garlic powder into slow cooker and place beef roast into liquid. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Slow cookers have different time intervals that you can select, so work with your cooker. Depending on how the settings on your slow cooker work, the time will vary. Since this is cooking in liquid, you don’t have to worry about the meat drying out in the same way you might if you were roasting the meat in the oven. Take beef out and rest it, covered with aluminum foil, for about 15 minutes. Slice beef and return to slow cooker on low or very low for 30 minutes.
Lightly toast the bread and evenly distribute cheese between rolls, if using. Divide beef onto rolls and spoon the beef juice* into ramekins or other small bowls and eat everything while it is hot. Serve each sandwich with its own dip. Seves 4-6. *Note: If there is excess fat in your au jus, simply pour it from the slow cooker into a large measuring cup and let it stand for about 5 minutes so the fat separates. Skim it off, then pour the juice into serving cups.

Buttery Cooked Carrots

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Buttery-Cooked-Carrots/Detail.aspx?prop31=8

These were simple and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 pound baby carrots (I used regular carrots)
* 1/4 cup margarine
* 1/3 cup brown sugar


DIRECTIONS

1. Cook carrots in a large pot of boiling water until tender. Drain off most of the liquid, leaving bottom of pan covered with water (I drained off all of the water). Set the carrots aside.
2. Stir margarine and brown sugar into the water. Simmer and stir until the margarine melts. Return carrots to the pot, and toss to coat. Cover, and let sit for a few minutes to allow flavors to mingle.

Egg Drop Soup

I modified a recipe I found on recipezaar.com.

4 c chicken broth (I used Better than Bouillon mixed with water)
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbs cornstarch
2-3 eggs, lightly beaten

Put chicken broth in a pot. Stir the salt and ginger into the broth. bring to a rolling boil. mix the cornstarch with a little bit of water. Add to the broth and stir. Add eggs by pouring them slowly from bowl, stirring in a clockwise motion while pouring. Eggs should cook immediately. Enjoy.

Peppermint Bark

I needed to get rid of all the leftover candy canes from Christmas, so I made this today. It is delicious.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Holiday-Peppermint-Bark/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 (12 ounce) package White Morsels
* 24 hard peppermint candies (I used about 7-8 candy canes)


DIRECTIONS:

1. LINE baking sheet with waxed paper.
2. MICROWAVE morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70 percent) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
3. PLACE peppermint candies in heavy-duty plastic bag. Crush candies using rolling pin or other heavy object. While holding strainer over melted morsels, pour crushed candy into strainer. Shake to release all small candy pieces; reserve larger candy pieces. Stir morsel-peppermint mixture.
4. SPREAD mixture to desired thickness on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved candy pieces; press in lightly. Let stand for about 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Meatless Chili

http://www.miserlymoms.com/MOMfrecipes1.htm

Frugal Recipe #82

Mama's Meatless Chili

1 can chili beans in gravy (.89)
1 can kidney beans (.89)
1 can stewed tomatoes (.67)
1/2 cup sliced celery (pennies)
1/4 cup diced onion (pennies)
1 Tbsp chili powder (pennies)
1 cup cooked rice (pennies)
salt to taste
(optional) sour cream, grated cheese, hot sauce

In sauce pan, cook celery, onion and tomato for 5 minutes. Add everything else but rice, sour cream and cheese. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add rice, put into bowls and top with any or all of the "optionals".

I served this with baked potatoes.

Eastern NC BBQ Sauce

I grew up in Connecticut and moved to North Carolina in 1998. This kind of BBQ Sauce has really grown on me.

1 C. vinegar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 drops lemon juice

Mix all together and pour over cooked chicken, pork ,etc.bar

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

This is my variation from a couple of other recipes:

1 lb stew beef
1 can French onion soup
1 can water
3 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp sour cream
salt to taste
pepper to taste
garlic powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
cornstarch
12 oz egg noodles

~Put beef stew in crockpot, add can of soup, can of water, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
~After cooking in crockpot, dump everything into a pan on the stove. Turn stove on medium or medium high. Add cream cheese and sour cream. Let it thicken. Be careful not to let it burn. If needed, use cornstarch to make it thicker.
~Serve over egg noodles.

Bean Burritos

I follow Pioneer Woman's bean recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/beans_and_cornb/

Pinto beans
bacon or ham (I use ham)
salt
pepper


Rinse beans in cool water, pour into a pot, cover with water by 2 or 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add water to pot as needed. Beans should have a thick broth. Toward end of cooking time, add salt and pepper and season to taste.

Then I take out the beans and mash them all up. When I get ready to serve the bean burritos, I put the beans into a pan and add some cumin (you could probably add any Mexican seasoning to them). Heat them up and serve on flour tortillas with cheese and sour cream. My crew also likes onions in them (Taco Bell way). My kids have told me my bean burritos are much better than Taco Bell's bean burritos. :)

Cream Cheese Frosting

This goes great with the Crazy Cake.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-Cheese-Frosting-II-2/Detail.aspx


I used 12 servings and it was enough to cover the cake:

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition):

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Crazy Cake

Got this from a friend. This is a very moist chocolate cake.

3 C Flour
2 C Sugar
2 Tsp Vanilla
2 Tbs Vinegar
6 Tbs cocoa
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
2/3 C Oil

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and then pour into cake pan. Bake for 30-40 min at 350.