Thrifty Recipes

Easy Crispy Corn Snacks Recipe – Made from Whole Corn Kernels

June 13, 2011 by Chrysa 1 Comment

Fresh sweet corn is in season and you can use it to make a tasty AND healthy homemade snack.

2 Cups Fresh Corn cut from cob (or use thawed frozen corn)
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper (fresh ground is best)
Tajin Seasoning* (or cayenne pepper) – to taste

Heat a skillet to medium high and spray with cooking spray. (If using thawed frozen corn, press it between paper towels to remove excess moisture.) Spread corn in single layer in skillet and sprinkle with seasonings. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until brown and crispy. Enjoy!

*Tajin is a Mexican seasoning made with ground chile peppers, salt, dehydrated lime juice. It can be found at your local bodega, or order it online at MexGrocer.com.

Filed Under: Snacks

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix

May 25, 2011 by Chrysa 1 Comment

Rather than buying the little packets of taco seasoning mix, you can make your own and save a lot of $$ over time. If any of the spices aren’t ones that you use regularly, just buy a little bit from the bulk foods section of your grocery store or local health food store so that you don’t have to buy a whole container just to make this mix.

4 1/2 tsp. chili powder
4 1/2 tsp. cumin
3 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. cilantro (dried)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Use 1 Tbsp of this mix in place of a packet of taco seasoning.

Filed Under: Misc.

Easy Veggie Enchilada Recipe with Peppers

May 22, 2011 by Chrysa Leave a Comment

This enchilada recipe is very easy and only takes a few minutes to prepare. It also had a great, fresh taste to it.

1 Green Pepper
1/2 Red Pepper
1/2 Yellow Pepper
6 8″ Flour Tortillas
8 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 can enchilada sauce
Tajin or Taco Seasoning

Slice into very thin strips. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and cover. Cook on high 2-3 minutes or until beginning to soften. Divide peppers among tortillas. Sprinkle each with taco seasoning (I prefer to use Tajin, a mexican seasoning, but if you can’t find it taco seasoning can be used instead.) Top with shredded cheese.

Pour a little of the enchilada sauce into bottom of 10″ x 10″ baking dish. Roll up each tortilla and place into dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top of rolled tortillas. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Garlic Cheese Bread with Crescent Rolls – YUM!

May 8, 2011 by Chrysa 2 Comments

I was making lasagna last week and wanted some garlic bread with them, but didn’t have any bread in the house. But I DID have a can of crescent rolls. These turned out to be waaayyyy yummier than regular garlic cheese bread anyway!

Separate crescent rolls and lay each piece flat on a baking sheet. Lightly spread the tops with butter and then sprinkle with garlic salt. I’m partial to Lawry’s Garlic Salt (Course Ground with Parsley), but just use your favorite. Then top each piece with approximately 1 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese. Roll up the rolls and cook according to package directions or until lightly browned. Be careful not to leave too much shredded cheese hanging over the edges of the rolls or it could get messy!

Filed Under: Bread

Easy No-Mayo No-Cook Cole Slaw Recipe

May 4, 2011 by Chrysa 14 Comments

I hate creamy coleslaw (actually most any type of creamy salad) and I also don’t want to go to the trouble of turning on the stove to make coleslaw. This is a simple mix and refrigerate recipe that makes a great result!

1 bag coleslaw mix
1/3 c sugar
1/2 c white vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper

Put all ingredients except coleslaw mix in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake to mix. Add coleslaw mix and shake again until well coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more before serving.

Filed Under: Side Dish

FREE Gooseberry Patch Circle of Friends eCookBooks

April 29, 2011 by Chrysa 1 Comment

I found out today that Gooseberry Patch has several Circle of Friends eCookBooks for FREE on Amazon. You can download these to your Kindle, iPad, iPhone, PC or other compatible reading device. Some of the titles they have available are 25 Slow Cooker Recipes, 25 Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes, 25 Meatloaf Recipes and more.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Easy Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe

April 27, 2011 by Chrysa 1 Comment

This super easy cake uses a boxed chocolate cake mix and a can of cherry pie filling. I also have a frosting recipe below, but if you don’t want to make your own frosting you can use a can of frosting or you can use my recipe for Easy Chocolate Frosting (it’s really rich!)

1 Box of Chocolate Cake Mix
3 Eggs
1 Can (21 oz) Cherry Pie Filling

Combine cake mix, eggs and pie filling. Mix until well blended and pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cake springs bake when touched.

Frosting:

1 C. Sugar
5 Tbsp Butter
1/3 C. Milk
6 oz. Chocolate Chips

In a small saucepan, combine sugar butter and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Frost fully cooled cake.

Find more great Works for Me Wednesday posts here!

Filed Under: Dessert

Day After Easter Recipe – Use Up Those Leftover Boiled Eggs & Ham

April 24, 2011 by Chrysa Leave a Comment

This recipe is always a good way to use up both leftover hard-boiled Easter Eggs AND leftover ham. Great for lunch or a quick dinner.

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 slices American cheese, chopped
1/3 c. ham, diced
1 heaping Tbsp. mayonnaise
Salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients together and then spread inside hamburger buns (or inside leftover dinner rolls from Easter). Wrap each sandwich in foil and heat in the oven at 400 degrees until heated through – appx 10-15 minutes.

Filed Under: leftovers, sandwiches

Easy Strawberry Yogurt Cake

April 23, 2011 by Chrysa Leave a Comment

This easy cake, which uses a boxed white cake mix, is a perfect, light cake for the spring or summer.

1 White Cake Mix
3 Egg Whites
1/3 C. Vegetable Oil
3/4 C. Water
Two 6 oz. Containers of Strawberry Yogurt
8 oz. container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
Sliced fresh strawberries

Mix cake mix, egg whites, oil, water and one container of yogurt until blended. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into greased 11×14″ cake pan and bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Let cake cool completely.

For topping, fold the other container of yogurt into the thawed whipped topping and frost cake. Decorate with slices of fresh strawberries if desired.

Photo courtesy of the California Strawberry Commission

Filed Under: Dessert

Easy Corn Bread Recipe with Creamed Corn – This is Moist!

April 19, 2011 by Chrysa 4 Comments

This is my mom’s cornbread recipe (actually it belonged to her friend Debbie first) and it is the best I have ever tasted.

Easy Corn Bread Recipe

1 16 oz. can cream style corn
1 16 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
2 8 oz. pkg. cornbread mix (Jiffy works great)
1 c. low fat sour cream
3/4 c. butter, melted

Combine all ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes.

If you want some help learning to make bread, you can get the FREE eGuide: