"Kung Fu Panda" Noodles (Ramen)



Featured Recipe...

My kids love this.

"Kung Fu Panda" Noodles

It's actually Ramen Noodles. In a wok or skillet with about 1/2 cup of water, steam the 1 pkg. of noodles until just soft. Add in 3 eggs. Scramble eggs into noodles until cooked thoroughly. Add seasoning packet from Ramen noodle pkg., we love the shrimp flavor on our eggs but any flavor will do.

This is the only way my kids will eat eggs!

Submitted by Kristy Lynn
http://www.frugalfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/

English Muffin Pizzas

Featured Recipe...

English Muffin Pizzas

Even cheaper than traditional homemade or frozen.


1 package presliced English muffins
1 jar/can spaghetti sauce
Cheese
And a topping- we usually cut up salami lunch meat or ham

My daughter loves to help me w/ these and they are very filling and 20 times better than frozen

Submitted by Jennifer LeJeune
http://www.frugalfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/

Hot Dogs with Potatoes and Cheese

Featured Recipe...

Hot Dogs with Potatoes and Cheese

Directions:

Slice wieners almost in half length wise (still in tact by skin).

Cook in microwave (not too long) don't want them all shriveled up.

Add a big "glob" of mashed potatoes on top (spread on thick all over).

Top with 1/2 sliced sandwich cheese.

Bake in oven until cheese melts.

It's good! My boy's showed their wives how to make them.
 
 
Submitted by Kathy Welch
 http://www.frugalfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/

Twist on Traditional Cupcakes

Featured Recipe...

Twist on Traditional Cupcakes

When I am out of frosting or just refuse to pay the price, here are some alternatives I use:

Chocolate/Raspberry Cupcakes:
Cook according to package directions. Right after they come out of the oven use the end of a wooden spoon to poke a hole in the middle. Fill with Raspberry Jam, let cool then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Orange/White Cupcakes:
Heat 3-4 T. Orange marmalade with equal parts water in the microwave until warmed. Add an equal part powdered sugar to make a glaze. Poor over cooled cupcakes.

Lemon/Poppyseed cupcakes:
Use lemon cake mix, but add 1 tsp poppy seeds and cook as directed. Zest and juice one lemon, add powdered sugar until it forms a thin glaze (a little hot water may be required for consistency) and drizzle over cooled cupcakes.

All of these suggestions also work great using a Bundt pan for a full cake and drizzling the glaze over the top.

Hope this helps,

Submitted by Ruthann
www.FrugalFamilyRecipes.blogspot.com

Corn Dog Casserole

Featured Recipe...

My kids love this. Very easy!

Corn Dog Casserole

3/4 lb hot dogs
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 pkg. Jiffy Cornbread Mix
3/4 cup milk
Cooking spray
1 tsp. dry mustard

Slice hot dogs. Spray skillet with cooking spray and saute hot dogs for 5 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the hot dogs. Put the remainder hot dogs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk, mustard & pepper. Add hot dogs. Stir in cornbread mix. Spread mix into casserole dish. Top with reserved hot dogs. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with ketchup and/or mustard for dipping.

Submitted by Angie of KY
http://www.frugalfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/

Hot Dog Cornbread

Featured Recipe...

My kids loved this growing up and now my grandsons do, too!

Hot Dog Cornbread

3 hot dogs
2 T. mustard
2 T. sweet relish

Make cornbread as usual and pour into 9x9 inch dish. Cut hot dogs into thirds and then slice lengthwise almost all the way through. Carefully place the hot dog pieces in the cornbread in three rows of three. Stir together mustard and relish and fill the hot dog cavities with this mixture. Bake the cornbread as usual.

You can also fill hot dogs with cheese or other favorite condiments, but we love the mustard and relish!

Submitted by Charlene R.

--------------------------------------

Definitely sounds like a fun treat for the kids, Charlene! This should be fine with any type of cornbread too, southern or sweet. - Michelle

Hamburger Tater-Tot Casserole w/ Cream of Chicken Soup

Featured Recipe...

Hamburger Tater-Tot Casserole

Lean ground beef (amount depends on size of casserole dish), layer of cooked ground beef in a glass baking dish (metal can be substituted if need be.

1 layer of FROZEN corn (yellow or white, but sweet corn works best).

Layer of tater-tots neatly arranged usually to help hold in flavor.

1 can of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup (I'm allergic to mushrooms so I use the cream of chicken), mixed with a soup-can full of 2% milk (1% is ok, do not use skim milk, it doesn't cook right).

Pour the soup/milk mix over entire casserole, filling all nooks and crannies. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tots are golden brown.

Never had a single person who didn't like this. The only downside is even when you are stuffed you find yourself going back for more anyway. Dissappears FAST! Added bonus, the generic tots actually work better then the national brands, which tend to make the casserole and tots very dry, and flavorless. Vita Bit is good and cheap if you can find it.

Submitted by Michael

Shepherd's Pie and Chicken Pot Pie

Featured Recipes...

Shepherd's Pie and Chicken Pot Pie

My kids love these!

2 qt baking dish

1 lb ground beef
1 can of corn
1 can of tomato soup
and then topped with potato tots

Bake at 425 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until potato tots are golden brown and heated through.

I also used this method for chicken pot pie.


1 lb of chicken breast, cooked and cut up into bite size pieces
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 cans of mixed vegies

Mix these together, spread in a 9 X 13 dish, then top with potato tots.

Bake at 425 degrees about 30-40 minutes until potato tots are golden brown and heated through.

Hope you all enjoy!

Submitted by Anne Wood

Hot Dog Casserole

Featured Recipe Submission...

HOT DOG CASSEROLE

MY SON LOVES THIS!!

1 PKG. HOT DOGS
2 CANS BAKED BEANS
1 PKG. CORNBREAD MIX

SLICE HOT DOGS AND MIX WITH BEANS. PUT IN LARGE BAKING DISH. MIX CORNBREAD BY PKG. DIRECTIONS. SPREAD OVER HOT DOG MIXTURE. BAKE AT 375 UNTIL HOT AND BUBBLY AND CORNBREAD IS DONE.

THANKS!
KRYSTAL

Mexican Lasagna

Featured Recipe Submission...

Hey Michelle!

Here is a recipe that I love and so does my daughter. I call it Mexican lasagna. I love to make tacos and always have leftover hamburger meat, because it is just me and my three year old and we don't ever eat it all. So I use the taco meat (which is cooked with a package of taco seasoning), cream cheese, tortillas, 8oz. can of tomato sauce, and shredded cheddar cheese. These ingredients I always have on hand. In a 13x9-inch pan you take two tortillas and put cream cheese on them (usually best to let cream cheese soften first) and set them in the pan, than add hamburger meat, a little tomato sauce and shredded cheese and just keep repeating the layers. I usually do three or four layers, just depends. Then bake in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through and cheese is melted! This is so easy and quick for me to fix and my daughter loves to help me.

Enjoy!
Amanda Melancon

Pizza Toast

Featured Recipe Submission...

Pizza Toast

Toast bread in the toaster
Spread pizza sauce on the toast
Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top

Place on toast a pan and cook at 350 degrees for about 5-10 minutes, just enough for the cheese to melt. (I do not recommend the microwave, toast gets soggy!)

Enjoy,
Tammy
Fargo, ND

Note from Michelle... Spring 2008

Hi All! Where in the world did the month of April GO!!! I hope everyone is doing well and still managing to feed your families no matter how high the price of gas or groceries continue to climb.

About 6 months ago I gave up on trying to feed the birds in our backyard because of the crazy squirrels we have in our area. Over the last year and a half since we've lived here I've tried using numerous different bird feeders that were supposedly "squirrel proof," HA! Not for THESE squirrels! They not only come from all over our back woods and consume all of the fresh bird seed I put out within just a few days, but then they have the nerve to attack the bird feeders trying to get at every last bit of bird seed that might be left. So, finally, I gave up and stopped putting bird seed out and the squirrels eventually realized the free Jones outdoor kitchen was closed for good!

Then later, about 3-4 months ago, I put out a new little bird house really just for looks. I figured no birds would come since there was no food, but I missed seeing all the pretty cardinals, bluebirds, hummingbirds and finches in our yard so much. I thought at least having a pretty little house hanging off of our deck would be better than nothing at all. Maybe I could at least remember how pretty the birds used to look when they came and enjoyed the food we kept TRYING to feed them!

Well, I am happy to report there is a beautiful little black and white finch family nesting there now and we are able to watch them fly in and out of that pretty little birdhouse from our kitchen window all throughout the week. With no threat of squirrels, because there is NO FOOD! They fly in and out all day bringing tiny fresh green leaves and itty bitty worms in for food. I don't know if the eggs have hatched and they are feeding baby birds yet or if the daddy bird is just taking good care of the mom. Whatever they are doing, it is the sweetest thing ever!!!

Last night I was thinking, "Oh you poor little things, I wish I could FEED you!" And that's probably the MOM in ME!!! But of course we all know what could happen if I did! Yes, those attack squirrels would come BACK!!! And more importantly than all the problems we had before, now the little family that we are providing a home for could be in danger.

Then God gently reminded me of one of my favorite bible verses...

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" - Matt 6:26-27 (NIV)

He comforted me about the little family of birds and I know they will be okay (just as He has always provided for our family), they will find the food they need. I have helped give them a home, and that is good too!

Praying that all of you have a warm dry place to live and plenty of GOOD FOOD to eat... with no attack squirrels on your back porch!!! :o)

Hugs,
Michelle


P.S. Here are the frugal recipes we featured in our current issue of Living a Better Life...

Deviled Eggs
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrecipes/deviledeggs.htm

Easy French Bread
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrecipes/easyfrenchbread.htm

Hot Dogs and Baked Beans
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrecipes/hotdogsbakedbeans.htm

Crock Pot London Broil
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/frugalrecipes/crockpotlondonbroil.htm

Cheerio Clusters

Featured Comment!

Liz wrote...

Cheerio Clusters

My kids loves these, so does my hubbie! We make them on the weekends as our movie snack or anytime the kids want a quick treat. They take 5 minutes and only use 4 ingredients.

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. corn syrup (I use the light)
1 c. smooth peanut butter
2 1/2 - 3 c. Cheerios or similar cereal

Mix sugar and corn syrup in a large pot and bring to a boil until bubbly. Quickly add peanut butter and stir until melted and smooth. Take off burner and mix in cheerios until coated. Drop by large spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. They set up really quickly. After about an hour they get too hard to eat, but mine never last more than 10 minutes :)

Enjoy! Liz T. of Las Vegas, NV

-------------------------

Thank you Liz, oh my goodness would my kids love these!!! :o)

Pizza Sandwich

Featured Comment!

Rita Q. wrote...

For a quick pizza sandwich place a couple of pieces of a loaf of bread in the oven to toast, no butter. Turn bread over and add a couple of spoons of pizza quick sauce. Add pepperoni, place back in oven and heat. It's really cheap and the kids love it!

............

This is so quick and easy, Rita, what a great idea!