Saturday, June 6, 2009

$5 dinner

I didn't want to cook tonight, so here was our cheapo dinner...

2 Totino's cheese pizzas
1/8 of a watermelon
Broccoli

$5 for four people, and it took me all of three minutes. Yay for relaxation!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Quick Caramel Sticky Buns

Inexpensive, and very good! Serves ten for a brunch, but my husband, daughter and I almost finish it when we eat it on it's own. My husband usually eats half! :)

1/2 c butter
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp water
2 10-oz. cans biscuits

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Coat bottom and sides of an ungreased Bundt pan with two tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle three tablespoons of the nuts over the bottom of the prepared pan. To remaining butter, add nuts, brown sugar and water; heat until boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Separate biscuits into twenty biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half, and roll into a ball. Place 20 balls into prepared Bundt pan. Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the balls. Repeat layers.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Invert immediately onto a plate, and remove from pan.

Serves 10.

Lentils and Rice

This was served to me many times by a Panamanian friend. Very yummy, healthy, easy, and cheap! It's good alone, or served with fried plantains or an avocado salad.

Ingredients

1 c lentils
1 c rice
1 large tomato, diced
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp dried cilantro
Salt*

Soak lentils overnight. Drain before cooking.

Place lentils and rice in a large saucepan. Cover with water, plus about 1". Bring to a boil. Add tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, and salt. Cover; simmer for about an hour.

*There is no measurement for the salt. Use to taste. I usually use little to no salt when I cook, but for this dish I use a very generous amount.

You can change this recipe so many ways. Tonight I added another tbsp cilantro, some cumin and a can of Rotel. I put sour cream on top of it for my daughter.

Keilbasa two ways

Ingredients:

1 lb. turkey kielbasa
3 slices bacon
3 large potatoes
3 large carrots
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Grill method:
Dice bacon, potatoes, carrots and garlic. Place in a grill basket lined with foil & sprayed with Pam. Put basket and whole kielbasa onto grill. Cook until kielbasa is heated through and vegetables are tender, stirring vegetables occasionally.

Stove top method:
Slice kielbasa, potatoes and carrots, mince garlic. Fry bacon in a large skillet. Move to paper towels; do not drain grease. Add kielbasa, potatoes, carrots and garlic to grease in skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and kielbasa is browned. Crumble bacon over top.