Fresh Recipe: Crockpot Chili

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

2 lbs. kidney beans
2 lbs. canned crushed tomatoes
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Mix all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Fresh Recipe: Stuffed Shells

1 8 oz. package of large shells (you will use approximately 25 shells)

2 15 oz. packages of small curd cottage cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
2 eggs
1 cup cooked chopped spinach
1 jar spaghetti sauce or about 3 cups

Boil noodles according to package directions, adding oil to water so they won't stick together.  Meanwhile, mix cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan, salt, pepper, parsley, spinach and eggs.

Drain noodles;  run cold water over it.  Stuff each shell with cheese mixture.  Place them in a 9x13 greased baking dish, and pour sauce around the stuffed shells. Sprinkle desired amount of mozzarella cheese and shredded fresh parmesan over sauce. Cover dish with foil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake dish covered for 45 min. and uncovered for 15 minutes more.

Fresh Recipe: Hummus and Pita Bread

Hummus Recipe

1 can garbanzo beans/chick peas (or 1 cup dried beans, soaked and cooked)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil (I used a full 1/2 cup, we like our hummus creamy)

Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor (I use my Magic Bullet). Add olive oil until the hummus is the consistency you like, and season to taste. It’s that easy! You can also add Tahini if you would like.

Pita Bread Recipe

1 tablespoon yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup warm water

4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix the yeast, sugar, and 1/2 cup warm water and let rest 10 minutes. Mix salt and 1 cup warm water. Put flour in a mixing bowl and make a well. Add the yeast water and mix. Add the salt water and mix thoroughly. Knead in the oil for 10 minutes. Cover and rise until double (1 1/2 to 2 hours).

Knead for 5 minutes. Divide dough into balls the size of golf balls. Shape into balls, and roll to 3/8 inch thick. Prick each piece of rolled dough with a fork.

Cook on a dry or lightly-oiled griddle for 3 minutes each side. Keep cooked pitas covered with a towel so they don’t dry out.

Frugal Recipe: Fabric Softener

1 Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener

                                4 Inexpensive sponges, cut in half

Pour entire container of softener into an empty container. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet.

If you would like to use a liquid fabric softener, I would suggest putting about a 1/4 cup white vinegar in your wash cycle.

Frugal Recipe: Dusting Spray

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil

1 3/4 cups water

Pour all three ingredients into an empty spray bottle. Shake well and spritz on furniture. Wipe with an old cotton t-shirt. Done!

Frugal Recipe: Fabric freshener (febreeze)

3 Cups Water
3 Tablespoons Liquid Fabric Softener
3 Tablespoons Rubbing Alcohol

Mix all three ingredients in a spray bottle.

Fresh Recipe: Organic Banana Bread and Banana Bread French Toast

Here is a great recipe for banana bread using organic and all natural ingredients and after, a recipe for all banana bread french toast using your leftover bread.

ingredients:
4 ripe organic bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted organic butter
1 cup organic sugar
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1 teaspoon organic baking soda (I use Bob's red mill brand)
pinch of salt
1 and 1/2 cups organic hard white wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla.  Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over mixture and mix in.  Add the flour last and mix in.  Pour mixture in a buttered 4x8 inch bread loaf pan.  Bake for 55 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack.  Remove from pan and slice to serve.

*Makes one loaf

Banana Bread French Toast

Ingredients:

Raw milk

Organic eggs

Organic vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon sugar

1.)  lightly toast your sliced banana bread

2.)  mix 3 eggs and one cup of milk in a bowl

3.)  add a teaspoon of vanilla 

4.)  mix well with a whisk

5.)  melt a Tablespoon of butter on your griddle

6.)  dip both sides of your bread into your batter

7.)  fry in butter until both sides are golden brown

8.)  mix together cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl.

9.)  place on your plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture, top with slices of banana and warmed organic syrup.

*this will make about 4 slices of french toast