Thrifty Recipes Blog - Living On Food Banks

Yellow Squash and Zucchini Gratin

1/21/2018

Here's two vegetables that are plentiful throughout the year that you may not use often. I can tell you this tastes amazingly delicious. So much that even my picky eaters went and grabbed seconds. This will definitely become a favorite and may prompt you to grow some of your own outdoors.

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 450°. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add zucchini, yellow squash and shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini and squash are crisp-tender, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more.

Add cream; cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/4 cup cheese. Spoon mixture into a greased 11x7-in. or 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and cheese. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

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Spinach and Mushroom Saute

10/1/2017

We have a local produce market that always advertises DD (Deep Discounts) to encourage its patrons to come more frequently than once a week.

This week you could pick up a bag of spinach for 15 cents and a pack of mushrooms for 99 cents. I threw caution to the wind and brought both of these items home and created the following. I can't begin to describe the delightful taste of this dish when all of the simple ingredients married and became spectacular.

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (5 to 6 ounces) fresh baby spinach
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add spinach in batches; cook and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit, Orange, Pear and Apple Gifts

Crock Pot Corn on the Cob

7/7/2017

This is simply a wonderful recipe that takes little preparation and will be ready and delicious when your return home. It is also an easy peasy crowd pleaser if you are having company over.

All you need to do is shuck corn, break into halves if desired, and place in your favorite slow cooker, Turn that knob on low, and you'll have slow simmered fragrant corn when you pull one out.

6 medium ears sweet corn, husks removed
1 1/2 quarts of water
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/4 cup sugar

Halve corn if desired and place all in slow cooker. Turn on crock pot to low setting. Allow to cook for at least 4 hours or up to 6.

Remove corn and place in bowl. Dot with good portions of butter and sprinkle on salt and pepper before serving.

TouchBistro

Asparagus Parmesan

3/25/2017

It's that time of year when wonderful, healthy asparagus adorns our shelves with fantastic sales.

Asparagus has a long history going back as far as the first century. We have records of it growing in ancient Greece and Rome.
Egyptians over 2,000 years ago cultivated asparagus for medicinal reasons and legend has it that it was so revered they offered it up to gods in their rituals.

As with all vegetables the first asparagus was discovered in the wild. A wild asparagus has thin shoots thinner than a pencil and is much different than the asparagus that you find In your grocery counter.

Through selective breeding and growing techniques they developed a thicker stem with more edible flesh.

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 tab. butter, melted
1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, bring 1/2 in. of water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and boil for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Arrange asparagus in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Drizzle with butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Just Candy

Honey Garlic Green Beans

1/8/2017

We are fortunate enough to have a new produce store added to our area that targets local farmers giving us optimal prices to enjoy fresh produce. In fact, green beans have been on sale for .79 a pound this week.

I've grabbed heads of broccoli for ,99 and Honey Crisp apples for only .99 per pound. I thought I'd never see the day when I could eat as much fresh produce as I want again.

Give this recipe a try. It's delicous and comforting.

4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

Whisk together first five ingredients; set aside. In a 6-qt. stockpot, bring 10 cups water to a boil. Add beans in batches; cook, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Remove beans and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry.

Coat stockpot with cooking spray. Add beans; cook, stirring constantly, over high heat until slightly blistered, 2-3 minutes. Add sauce; continue stirring until beans are coated and sauce starts to evaporate slightly, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

vudu.com

Crock Pot Corn on the Cob

5/29/2016

Got a bit too much on your plate this busy Memorial Day weekend? Do you have plans on having the family over and there is just too much to do?

Here's a great recipe that will leave your hands free to finish all those other numerous details before your guests arrive.

Best is this recipe tastes phenomenal! Give it a whirl and see what you've been missing.

8-10 ears of corn, shucked
1/3 cup water
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Herbs
Lemon juice

Break ears in half and place in slow cooker. Add 1/3 cup of water. Set on high and allow to cook for 3 hours.

Remove corn and add your favorite seasonings: butter, salt, pepper, herbs, and/or lemon juice. YUM!

Rabbit TV Plus

Fried Cabbage

11/7/2015

The wonderful vegetables of fall. So many to choose from! Here's a great one to make often. With cabbage on sale at 49 cent a pound, you can't beat it!

Most families shy away from this beauty especially if memories spark a mushy, boiled mess. This one is a bit different and will allow those delicate leaves to have a crunchy flair with a hint of bacon. This takes minutes to make, and despite a bit of fat, is healthy.

Cancer prevention tops all other areas of health research with regard to cabbage and its outstanding benefits. More than 475 studies have examined the role of this cruciferous vegetable in cancer prevention (and in some cases, cancer treatment). The uniqueness of cabbage in cancer prevention is due to the three different types of nutrient richness found in this widely enjoyed food. The three types are (1) antioxidant richness, (2) anti-inflammatory richness, and (3) richness in glucosinolates.

1 head of cabbage chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 tab. bacon fat (rendered from a pound of bacon previously)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Add all ingredients to a fry pan. Cook on medium with no lid. Stir frequently until cabbage is sightly tender yet has a bit of crispy flare.

Shany Enterprises Inc.

Quick Coleslaw

9/27/2015

Anytime you receive a bag of fresh veggies in your food pantry box, one must ensure there is a recipe handy to construct it quickly. Often, these items are handed out on the expiration date. You can just tell they won't be any good the following day. This recipe is quick and will use ingredients you already have on hand to make this delicious side for dinner this evening.

Did you know? The recipe for coleslaw as it is most commonly prepared is fairly young, as mayonnaise was invented during the mid-18th century. The term "coleslaw" arose in the 18th century as an anglicisation of the Dutch term "koolsla" ("kool" in Dutch sounds somewhat like "cole") or "koolsalade" meaning "cabbage salad".

1 bag of coleslaw mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed, optional
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl place cabbage mix. Combine remaining ingredients; stir into vegetables. Chill until ready to serve.

Labor Day Microwave Corn on the Cobb

9/6/2015

A video came my way on Facebook a few months ago for a drop dead easy way of cooking corn on the cob. The best part is you don’t shuck the corn first just leave it in its husk. After a few minutes on high, you remove the corn from the microwave, cut off the bottom, and cleanly slip off the husk and silk. Perfectly cooked corn with no mess!

I must admit this has become my sole recipe whenever there is a family get-together. Oh, yes, I once stood over the grill turning each delicate ear with tongs until they had beautiful grill marks on each. Who needs this with all the tidbits going on in our life each day?

Now I throw three ears of corn in the microwave while setting the table and cutting the grilled meats.

3 ears of corn, husk on

Place the corn in the microwave, do not remove the husk. Microwave the corn on the high setting for 4 minutes.

Use a kitchen towel or pot holder to remove corn from the microwave (it's hot!) Cut off the bottom of the corn, stem end, about one row of corn in from the stem.

Slip off the husk and silk. Repeat with remaining corn.

Grilled Street Corn

6/7/2015

Corn is in season! Need a special recipe to add to your BBQ tonight? Here is a simple, thrifty one that will get rave reviews. Now is the time of year when you can buy corn so cheap, you can eat it till it comes out of your ears! No pun intended.

Every continent in the world, except for Antarctica, grows corn of some kind. And Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota grow about half of the corn in the United States. But when it comes to sweet corn, no place grows it sweeter or more tender than Florida.

Look for green husks and shiny, pale-colored silk. Steer clear of ears with dented or discolored kernels, or dry or dark-colored silk or husks. Also avoid sweet corn that has spent significant time in high temperatures, which converts the corn's sugar to starch, losing sweet flavor in the process.

6 medium ears of corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. lime juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Peel back corn ears and remove husks. Re wrap corn in husks and secure with string. Microwave in batches of two for 4 minutes on high. Grill corn covered on grill an additional 12 minutes.

In a small bowl mix remaining ingredients until blended. Cut string from corn and peel back husks. Spread sour cream mixture on liberally. Top with some chopped parsley if desired. You can leave husks on for a beautiful visual effect - pulled back.

Dietdirect.com