Quick Tips!

Today I am not going to share any recipes only some good shortcut ideas to help you with week nights.

I have gathered these from many different people just by asking what works best for them.

•  I will buy big packs of hamburger and either freeze them in 1 lb. packages or you can fry the burger and then put them into baggies and freeze.  When you are ready to make supper take a package out, put it in the microwave for a few minutes and you are ready to go.  This really does help when you are trying to get supper whipped up in a hurry.

• Another thing I do is I make these meatloaf muffins.  Really it’s just burger mixed with pepperoni (chopped up), cheese, seasonings, and some pizza sauce.  I roll them into balls and put them in muffin tins.  I then bake them for about 45 minutes to an hour to make sure they are done all the way.  My husband absolutely loves them! 
• To save on time with these also, I will whip up a huge batch of them, put them on a baking sheet before baking and I will put them in the freezer for an hour or two.  Once they are frozen then I will put them in a zip-lock bag and toss them in the freezer for future use.  This really saves time also because all I have to do is take them out and put them in the muffin tin and bake.  You can also do this as a smaller meal if you want.  If it’s just you only take out a few and bake those.  Very quick and perfect!
• I buy groceries at Aldi's because you can get the same amount of food there for about 50% of the price. 
  o   I can restock my whole kitchen with an overflowing cart for about $200.  If I were to try and do that at Wal-Mart or any grocery store it would be more like $500. 
  o   I buy a lot of different stuff.  Sure you can't get EVERYTHING there but you can get a good majority of it there. 
  I buy stuff that I can freeze or the stuff that will be good sitting in the cupboard.  I will buy the rice, boxed potatoes and stuffing.  I know a lot of people don't like them but they are quick and easy.  Goes great with steaks or burgers!  :) 
  
  
  Below is a list of the Freezables, The Cupboard food, and just normal food:
  o   Freezable:
  §  All meats (careful of the bologna though!)
  §  All cheeses (Shredded & String)
  §  Cream Cheese
  §  Frozen Fruit (of course)
  §  Frozen Pies
  
  
  o   Cupboard:
  §  Rice
  §  Boxed Potatoes
  §  Stuffing
  §  Boxed meals (like hamburger helper style)
  §  Chips
  §  Salad Dressings
  §  Cereal
  §  Cake mix
  o   Things not to Freeze but good price:
  §  Butter
  §  Yogurt
  
  
  So, I have slowly started to try out some of the meats there.  The sandwich meat is good but be careful which ones you buy.  I got a package once and it smelled horrible!  It had that red lining around the edge of the bologna.  I will pick up a couple different kinds then when my husband runs out I will just take the next package out and go get more. 
  ·       I buy all of my chicken and pork there.  No issues.  I will buy the ground beef but it is very greasy.  We use to get the organic kind that does not compare to any ground beef you can get at a store.  AMAZING!  Barely any grease with the organic. 
  §  I already buy their shredded cheese because you get more to a bag then you would at a normal store.  I buy about 5 or 6 packages of this as we go through cheese like nothing!
  ·        I also get the string cheese there because my husband prefers it from Aldi’s than a normal grocery store. 
  ·       I won’t buy the sliced cheese at Aldi’s because my husband is addicted to the Bongard’s cheese.  It is very good but it is very expensive! 
  ·       I was looking up if you could freeze cream cheese and it looks like you can but the consistency won’t be the exact same.  That is okay with me because I am usually mixing it with something.  So I buy the cream cheese and toss it in the freezer until I need it.

Knock You Naked Brownies

I got this recipe from this site.  Love her show and her recipes!!  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/05/knock-you-naked-brownies/.  These brownies are AMAZING!
Knock You Naked Brownies

Prep Time 15 Minutes
Cook Time 23 Minutes Servings 12 Difficulty Easy

Ingredients
1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix (I Used Duncan Hines)
1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
⅓ cups Evaporated Milk
½ cups Evaporated Milk (additional)
½ cups Butter, Melted
60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
⅓ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
¼ cups Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick

Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and set aside.
In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.

Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.

*Adapted from the classic “Knock You Naked Brownies” recipe, based on a dessert at the Salt Creek Steakhouse in Breckenridge. These brownies don’t really knock you naked…but almost.

Homemade Clif Bars

Homemade Cliff Bars (no bake!)

There is plenty of room for variation here, so let your mind and taste buds run wild. I have a few variation ideas to get you started. And yes, you can definitely double this recipe and press into a 13×9-inch pan instead of an 8-inch pan.

Homemade Cliff Bars (no bake!)

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Homemade Cliff Bars (no bake!)
• There is plenty of room for variation here, so let your mind and tastebuds run wild. I have a few variation ideas to get you started. And yes, you can definitely double this recipe and press into a 13×9-inch pan insteads of an 8-inch pan.
• 1 and ¼ cups crisp rice cereal (e.g., I like Erwhon Crisp Brown, but Rice Krispies are fine)
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)1/4 cup finely chopped dried fruit (e.g., raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, etc.)
• ¼ cup finely chopped nuts or seeds (pepitas are great)
• ⅓ cup honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup
• ½ cup nut or seed butter of your choice (e.g., peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Combine the rice cereal, oats, flaxseed meal, dried fruit, and nuts in a large bowl.
2. Combine the syrup and nut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and well-blended (alternatively microwave in small microwave-safe bowl 30-60 seconds until melted). Stir in vanilla until blended.
3. Pour nut butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until coated (use a wooden spoon at first, then get your hands in it. It will be sticky, but this way you can really coat everything. Just scrape off your hands when you’re done).
4. Press mixture firmly into an 8-inch square pan (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) using a large square of wax paper (really tamp it down).
5. Cool in pan on a wire rack, then chill at least 30 minutes to help it set.
6. Cut into 12 bars. (Wrap bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator).

 

Variations
Will You Cherry Me?: Use chopped dried tart cherries for the fruit and lightly salted roasted almonds for the nuts. Use any nut butter (almond butter is great, but I know, a bit pricey–but worth it!), and add ¼ teaspoon almond extract.

Apple Pie: Use chopped dried apples for the fruit and rice syrup or honey for the syrup. Be sure to add the cinnamon option, and use toasted walnuts or pecans for the nuts.

Chocolate Chip Cookie: Replace the dried fruit with an equal amount of semisweet miniature chocolate chips (or cacao nibs, or carob chips). Combine the cereal mixture with the syrup mixture, then let the combined mixture stand 10 minutes before adding the chips.

Pepita-Cranberry:Use chopped cranberries for the dried fruit and raw pepitas for the nuts/seeds. Use either honey or brown rice syrup.

Peanut Butter Cookie: Use chopped dates for the dried fruit and dry roasted peanuts for the nuts. Use honey, or half honey-half molasses for the syrup and peanut butter for the nut butter.

 
I love this recipe.  I try to keep these on hand.  This last time I made a double batch and we ended up freezing two at a time together and I grab one when I leave the house in the morning and by the time I am ready to eat them they are thawed out.  They help keeping you full until your next meal.  I usually eat one at break time and one at the end of the day so I don’t end up eating something I am going to regret.

"Skinny" Ranch Vegetable Dip

I'm on a kick for the "Skinny" recipes. Today I am posting about this ranch dip. I love anything with a little ranch in it, BUT, ranch is not so healthy.

This is super easy to put together.

Skinny Ranch Dip

2 tbsp light mayonaise
2 tbsp fat free plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp fresh shopped scallion
Salt & Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and serve.

Keeps refrigerated for about 2 days.

Servings: 2 • Serving Size: 1/2 • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+:1 pt
Calories: 41.3 • Fat: 3.5 g • Protein: 0.8 g • Carb:1.7 g • Fiber: 0.2 g 

I found this recipe from http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/11/skinny-ranch-dip.html

"Skinny" Dunkaroo Dip

For those of you who understand the words "Dunkaroo Dip," will be totally excited to see this.

As a kid, I remember getting it with the little chocolate teddy grahams.  They were a huge hit in our house.  The other day I was browsing the internet looking for healthy recipes and I found this.  I have actually had it for a while now I just never tried it.  I found this on http://sweettreatsmore.com/2013/01/skinny-funfetti-cake-dip/.


I tried making it tonight and I can barely stop eating it.  Finally, I had to leave the kitchen otherwise I would have kept at it.  I had a little trouble making it because I thought I had ingredients which I really didn't have.  I knew I didn't have the Funfetti cake mix but I thought for sure I at least had the white cake mix.  Nope.  I ended up looking online trying to find a dry cake mix.  I ended up using this one, http://iambaker.net/homemade-cake-mix/ which it isn't a bad idea to just make it homemade then I don't have to rely on having the boxed cake mixes.  Then, as I was mixing it all together I realized I didn't have enough whipped cream.  Oh well.  It still turned out great.

Give it a try.  There are only four ingredients which makes it even better!

Let me know what you think.  Thanks!!

Skinny Funfetti Dip

Ingredients

1. 1 box Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
2. 2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
3. 1 1/2 cups light cool whip (thawed)
4. extra sprinkles to sprinkle on top

  Instructions

1. Mix cake mix, yogurt, and cool whip together in a large bowl until there are no lumps. 
2. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving. 
3. Sprinkle some extra sprinkles over the top then serve with low fat vanilla wafers or graham crackers.