Thrifty Recipes Blog - Living On Food Banks

Sausage Potato Skillet

3/27/2022

Here's a delightfully, quick, stick-to-your-ribs kinda meal that is great when you are stuck to put dinner on a table in a flash. One night of this, and it will be in your favs.

4 fresh sausage links, your favorite
2 tab. Canola oil
1 medium onion
1 1/2 cups of red and green pepper, sliced
4 medium potatoes.

In a large skillet brown sausage in oil. Add peppers and onion. Saute until tender.

Add potatoes and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and let cook for 15 min. or until potatoes are tender.

Drain. Add salt and pepper to taste. Server immediately.

Frozen Garden

Shrimp Tostadas with Avocado Salsa

3/27/2022

Try this quick and easy entree for a fun Southwest meal idea. A splash of lime in the black beans balances the rich avocado salsa and blackened shrimp.

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and chopped, divided
1 tablespoon water
3 teaspoons lime juice, divided
2 teaspoons blackened seasoning, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small navel orange, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped, optional
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
6 tostada shells
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
Sour Cream, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons chopped avocado, water, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon blackened seasoning and cumin. Set aside 1/4 cup beans; add remaining beans to avocado mixture and mash with a fork. Stir in reserved whole beans. Set aside.

For salsa, in a small bowl, combine orange, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and the remaining avocado and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Place tostada shells on ungreased baking sheets; spread with bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until bean mixture is heated through and cheese is melted, 4-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and remaining 1 teaspoon blackened seasoning. Cook and stir until shrimp turn pink, 4-6 minutes. Arrange over tostada shells; serve with salsa. If desired, top with sour cream.

Jetson

Garden Chicken Cacciatore

12/11/2021

Treat company to this perfect Italian meal. You'll have time to visit with your guests while it simmers, and it often earns rave reviews. I like to serve it with couscous, green beans and a dry red wine. Mangia!

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
2 medium green peppers, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry red wine or additional chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Minced fresh parsley, optional

Place chicken in a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine green peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, broth, wine, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over chicken. Cook, covered, on low 8-10 hours or until chicken is tender.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Cook, covered, on high 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened. If desired, sprinkle with parsley before serving.

SwimOutlet.com

Juicy Lucy

12/5/2021

Here's a quick fix when you're running behind on a weeknight trying to prepare for the holidays. Not to mention all that beef is hitting inflation digits making it impossible to buy thrifty meat. This one recipe is darling and will satisfy even your pickiest of eaters.

1 pound ground beef
8 tablespoons shredded American or cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
Optional: Tomato slices, onion slices, lettuce

Shape beef into 8 thin patties. Divide cheese among 4 patties; top with remaining patties and press edges firmly to seal. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat until a thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear, 6-8 minutes on each side. Serve on buns with toppings of your choice.

Camp Chef

Savory Roasted Chicken

10/31/2021

When you want an impressive centerpiece for Sunday dinner or a special-occasion meal, you can't go wrong with this golden chicken. The moist, tender meat is enhanced with a hint of orange, savory and thyme.

1 roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)
1 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Carefully loosen the skin above the breast meat. Combine the onion salt, thyme, savory, orange zest and pepper; rub half of the herb mixture under the loosened skin. Rub chicken skin with oil; sprinkle with remaining herb mixture.

Bake at 375° until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Let stand for 10-15 minutes. Remove skin before carving. Skim fat and thicken pan juices for gravy if desired.

McAfee US

Whiskey Barbecue Pork

10/10/2021

The ingredient list may seem long for this saucy pork, but most of these items are common things you’ll already have in your kitchen. Plus, once the sauce is mixed, the slow cooker does the rest.

1/2 to 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup whiskey
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 boneless pork shoulder butt roast (3 to 4 pounds)
1 medium onion, quartered
8 hamburger buns, split

In a small bowl, mix the first 12 ingredients. Place pork roast and onion in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add sauce mixture. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until pork is tender.

Remove roast and onion. Cool pork slightly; discard onion. Meanwhile, skim fat from sauce. If desired, transfer sauce to a small saucepan; bring to a boil and cook to thicken slightly.

Shred pork with 2 forks. Return pork and sauce to slow cooker; heat through. Serve on buns.

MyUS Shopping

Shrimp With Lobster Sauce

10/9/2021

Shrimp with lobster sauce is a classic takeout style dish that’s a bit of a misnomer. There’s really no lobster in the dish at all. This fact didn’t stop millions of people from enjoying the dish at many Chinese restaurants over the years, however. The delicious shrimp speak for themselves and the luxurious egg and pork sauce complements everything nicely. The best part? You don’t have to spend a huge amount of money on lobster.

8 oz. shrimp
4 oz. ground pork
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground white pepper (to taste)
½ cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)
1 egg (beaten slightly)
1 scallion (chopped)

Peel and devein the shrimp. Boil 2 cups of water in a large wok and stir in the ground pork. Break up any clumps and cook for about 1 minute, until the pork is no longer pink. Drain the pork in a mesh strainer and give it a quick rinse. This will give you a much clearer, cleaner sauce.

Wash your wok and place over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil, garlic, ground pork, and shrimp and stir-fry for 10-20 seconds. Add the wine and stir-fry for another 10 seconds. Add the chicken stock, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and white pepper. Stir in the peas.

Once the mixture comes to a simmer, stir in the cornstarch slurry a little bit at a time. Let the mixture bubble and thicken. It should be able to coat a spoon, but it shouldn’t have a gloopy consistency. If it gets too thick, add a little more chicken stock. If it’s too thin, add more slurry.
Spread the slightly beaten egg and scallion across the mixture and let simmer for 5 seconds. Use your spatula to fold the egg into the sauce with a few strokes. Serve over white rice.

Camp Chef

Homemade Marinara Sauce

8/10/2021

This quick and easy homemade marinara sauce is my kids' favorite. It works fantastic with spaghetti, and my kids love it in meatball subs, too.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (28 ounces each) Italian crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce

7/3/2021

This takes minutes to make. Best of all you can add some cooked shrimp or chicken to the final stages of the sauce.

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1-1/4 cups shredded Asiago cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (12 ounces) uncooked pasta or gulten-free

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add shallots; cook and stir until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add cream; cook and stir until heated through. Stir in Asiago, 1/2 cup Parmesan, Romano cheese, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water; place pasta in a large bowl. Add sauce; toss to coat. Thin as desired with reserved pasta water. Serve with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Smarty Had A Party

Ground Beef Wellingtons

6/11/2021

Trying new recipes is one of my favorite hobbies. It's also the most gratifying. What could beat the smiles and compliments of the ones you love? This recipe is easy yet fancy, perfect for when it's just you and one kid or a friend.

1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound ground beef
1 tube (4 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
Large egg, lightly beaten, optional
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

In a saucepan, saute mushrooms in butter until softened. Stir in flour and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until blended. Gradually add the cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the egg yolk, onion, 2 tablespoons mushroom sauce, salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 2 loaves. Separate crescent dough into 2 rectangles on a baking sheet. Seal perforations. Place a meat loaf on each rectangle. Bring dough edges together and pinch to seal. If desired, brush with egg wash. Bake at 350° until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into meat loaf reads 160°, 24-28 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm remaining sauce over low heat; stir in parsley. Serve sauce with Wellingtons.

Jetson