Wow, the weather here is getting heated in Florida!  With summer fun soon ahead, I am digging in my recipe box to find easy, quick fixins for all of you!  These sandwiches are wonderful.  I know it mandates beer, but trust me, all the alcohol content is gone by the time you serve these up. 

I've seen sausage specials all over lately.  Summer fun is in!  This recipe asks for bratwurst, but any type of sausage will do.  Pick your favorite and ladle up some wonderful dinner fare tonight.

6 bratwurst
1 bottle beer
2 cups Frozen Seasoning Blend
2 tab. butter
6 Hoagie rolls

Place butter in a large frying pan.  Add Frozen Seasoning Blend and cook for 1 minute.  Add bratwurst and fry on medium for 5 minutes.  Top with cover and allow to cook completely about 20 minutes.  Ladle on your favorite sandwich or hoagie roll.  YUM!

I recently stumbled upon this recipe again.  The best thing being you may have most of these ingredients on hand anyway.  There are times you need a special dip for a party, or maybe during a family movie night event.  Nonetheless, financial woes meet the curbside as you prepare something special for those you love.  Best of all, this won't break your budget while doing so.  Enjoy!

12 oz. Salsa (mild)
16 oz. sour cream
2 cups lettuce finely chopped
1/3 cup green pepper chopped fine
1/4 cup sweet onion
                                                                         2 tab. black olives sliced
                                                                         1 cup chopped tomatoes
                                                                         1 cup cheddar cheese grated

Mix sour cream and salsa well.  Place in the bottom of a bowl or pie crust pan.  Add lettuce, top with green pepper and onion.  Sprinkle on black olives then shredded cheese.  Last of all top with tomatoes.  Place along side some good corn chips.  DONE!

I made the most heavenly, low budget pie crust this weekend for Memorial Day dinner.  I know I mentioned previously that sometimes a prepackaged pie crust is a must.  But this weekend, I was left with all the internal ingredients, but no crust to hold it. 

This recipe is quick and can be had with most ingredients in your pantry.  I was taken aback by its chocolaty crumb texture that embraced that chocolate pudding with whip cream.  Best of all, I concocted it with left over cracker crumbs that were part of the Food Pantry bag.  Add this homemade crust to Easy Chocolate Cream Pie for a soon to be favorite family treat.

1 1/2 cups of cracker crumbs (made in blender or food processor)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tab. cocoa powder
dash salt
4 tab. melted butter
pie crust pan

In a blender or food processor whirl sugar, cocoa, crumbs, and salt.  Slowly add 4 tab. melted butter.  Continue to whirl for an additional minute.  Spray pie pan plate with Pam.  Add crumbs and begin to equally distribute crumbs on the bottom and up the sides of the plate.  No need to bake.  Just add pudding and whip cream.  Allow to set in refrigerator for one hour.

Memorial Day is coming up, and I know I'm going out on a limb here.  So, I'm including this under Holiday Fare, as this may be out of most of your budgets.  But, I did notice some local specials of $.99 cent a pound spare ribs.  If you happen to have a few bucks, and want to treat your family this Memorial Day, then at least you'll have a recipe that will be worth the extra effort. 

These ribs come out delicious every time.  They are succulent and divine, prompting you to forget your diet, and take refuge in the small pleasures of life. 

Slab of Ribs (4 - 6 pounds)
1/2 cup soy a sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cooking sherry (found in condiment aisle)
1/4 cup sugar
1 inch of fresh grated ginger (produce aisle)
1 garlic clove minced
1 tsp. salt

Place ingredients and spices in a pot and boil until thick, cool.  Place in a 13 x 9 inch dish.  Place spare ribs on top and allow marinating overnight.  Be sure to turn spare ribs every few hours to ensure even marinade.  Place in oven on 325 degrees and allow to cook 45 minutes.  Turn ribs half way through.  Fire up your grill and cook the ribs a remaining 30 minutes.  If you do not have a grill, leave them in the oven for the additional 30 minutes.  Happy Memorial Day!

Have you ever had a hankering to create a frosting that didn't come out of a can?  I know being strapped for cash often sends many of us down the Dollar Tree aisles in search of those $1 cakes that will make a sweet impression on our families.  Right next to those cakes are some $1 icing in the can, that just doesn't fit those decadent cakes as well as the expensive stuff.  This recipe is quick and inexpensive to prepare and will pair well with any type of instant cake mix you buy.  You can add nuts, or sprinkles to the top and whola!  A cake that tastes homemade.

My mother made this frosting often when we were kids.  It tastes more wholesome and doesn't over power your taste buds with excessive sugar.  You'll notice the difference right immediately.

1 cup light brown sugar (tightly packed)
2 tab. white sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a full boil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.  Cool five minutes and begin beating by hand until spreading consistency is obtained.  Ice cake and serve.

Varieties of plums will soon been hitting the store shelves!  If you visit your local farmer's market you can save BIG on seasonal fruits.  Many even accept food stamps now.  And, that's what it's all about; isn't it?  Saving a few dollars so that life can be a bit more comfortable.   This recipe is wholesome, and delicious.  We try to stay clear of those prepackaged cakes due to preservatives.  I know they are cheap, and a great tummy filler, but putting that type of food into your child's stomach is a recipe for more colds, allergies, and behavioral problems.  Plus, you can save more money by making homemade foods instead.   Try this one today, you will be presently pleased!

Batter:
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs

Topping:
1 pd. plums (about 6)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tab. melted butter

Set oven at 350 degrees.  Slice plums and add to a bowl.  Toss with sugar and melted butter.  In a greased cake pan arrange plum slices decoratively, and then set aside.  In a new bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy.  Add the rest of the ingredients and beat for an additional 5 minutes to add a bit of air to the batter.  Bake for about 45 min. or until done.  Let cool 5 minutes and then invert onto a dinner plate.  Allow the cake pan to sit an additional five minutes when you invert to insure glaze goes into cake. 

Sometimes all those prepackaged foods that are cheap and easily available during this economic depression just doesn't hit the spot.  You begin questioning the integrity of these items as you prepare them.  After all, if you are a seasoned cook, having to resort to cheap, quick meals can be condescending as you place that food out on your table. 

I do try to cook from scratch as much as possible.  As you can see from this blog, I use very little prepackaged food.  There is a reason for this, eating too much of that processed food hoping to save money on your budget plan, wrecks havoc on your health.  Honestly, by choosing not to buy all those ingredients you can't pronounce will alleviate some cash funds to focus on whole foods.  Whenever possible cook from nature's bounty.

1 pd. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
1 tab. white vinegar
1 tab. lemon juice
1 tab. Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1 tab. br. sugar
salt and pepper

4 hamburger buns

Fry ground beef and onions until cooked.  Drain fat.  Add remaining ingredients and allow to cook for 15 minutes.  Serve on hamburger buns.  Yum!

It's spring, and like most of you, I am going through my cupboards looking for items to use before they expire.  Tis the season to clean!  There is something about the ushering in of spring that makes you want to clean out those old cobwebs of items that still have some shelf life.  I noticed I had a Jell-O Pumpkin Spice pudding box way up high that was almost forgotten.  Then I had a wonderful idea!  Why not take my usual cream pie recipe and fit this spicy delight into it?  Once completed, I came up with a tantalizing spice blend that my kids loved.  This would make a wonderful addition to Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner.  I may just add this to my "must haves" for the holidays.

1 graham cracker crust
1 box Jell-O Pumpkin Spice pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 container of Cool Whip
1 tsp. cinnamon

Place pudding and milk in a bowl.  Whip until it is thick.  Pour into pie crust.  Add a container of Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Place in refrigerator for an hour.

I've had several requests for good bread recipes.  After all, you can wrap them up tightly, and they are easily available for snacks.  Plain or with a slab of butter, this bread is amazing.  It actually tastes like a moist, rich cake.  You will treasure this recipe and will turn to it often in years to come.

I must admit, I have an edge when baking this bread.  I use my fresh ground pumpkin recipe.  Once you try fresh pumpkin in recipes, you'll never go back to canned pumpkin again.

2 cups pumpkin
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger

Grease 2 bread pans.  Set oven temperature at 350 degrees.  In a bowl blend the first five ingredients.  Blend on medium speed for five minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and beat on low until just moistened.  Beat on medium at one minute when complete.  Pour into both loaf pans.  Bake for 60 - 75 minutes until done.  Cool for five minutes before inverting.  Enjoy!

I just got back from Publix where corn is 10 for $3.00.  There is nothing like fresh corn in the spring!  This side dish is great to use up that leftover corn I talked about a couple of blogs ago.  Plus, you know you always have boxes of pasta in the cupboard from your local food pantry.  You can make this dish for pennies. 

It is a great a side dish added to your favorite dinner fare, or you can eat it alone as a light meal.  Do be sure to get some good summer tomatoes.  I grow my own in pots, this way it is only a small trip out the door to retrieve a fresh Florida tomato.  If you haven't started gardening already, with only a few pots, you can have lettuce and fresh tomatoes anytime.  Seeds are only four for $1 at Dollar General or Family Dollar.

1/2 pd. fusilli noodles
1 pd. tomatoes
1/4 cup scallion or thinly sliced sweet onion
1/2 cup fresh corn
1 1/2 tab. red wine vinegar
3 tab. olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
Good sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Cook noodles as directed on package.  In the last 3 minutes add the corn to warm.  Drain ingredients and place in a bowl.  Add everything else and toss.  Sprinkle on parmesan cheese on top.