Homemade Hamburger Helpers/Tuna Helpers

I have been on a "movement" over the last few months.  I have been making all my own mixes etc. to become more healthy.  Many of these recipes taste better than what you are able to buy in the store.  I take usually a day and mix up a batch of these mixes and then use them as I would the storebought counterparts.
These recipes are wonderful additions to family meals.  I needed to find recipes last school year that would allow me to make meals that would keep, since my daughter had afterschool activities most nights of the week.  I made usually one of these meals weekly and added different spices etc. to the recipe to change it a bit each week. 


Italian



8 oz uncooked broad noodles ¼ tsp oregano

1 tbl dried onion flakes ½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp basil ½ tsp salt



Brown 1 lb ground beef. Add 3 ½ cups water, bring to boil. Add 1 pkg mix and 1 cup tomato sauce. Let simmer, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until needles are just done. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serves 4.



Stroganoff Style



8 oz uncooked medium noodles ½ tsp paprika

1 cup dry skim milk 1 tsp salt

1 tbl onion flakes 1/8 tsp pepper



Brown 1 lb ground beef, 1 cup sliced mushrooms or 1 can mushrooms. Add 4 cups water, 1 tbl vinegar. Bring to boil and add 1 pkg mix. Let simmer, stirring often for about 20 minutes or until noodles are just done. Serves 4



Macaroni and Cheese


8 oz uncooked macaroni 1 tsp paprika

1 cup instant dry skim milk 1 tsp salt

¼ tsp thyme 1/8 tsp pepper

½ tsp dry mustard



To cook: lightly brown 1 lb ground beef



Add: 4 cups water, bring to boil and add



1 pkg mix



Simmer, stirring often for about 20 minutes or until noodles are just done.



Add: 1 cup grated cheddar



Simmer gently, stirring often, until cheese is evenly melted through….serves 4





Tuna and Noodles

8 oz uncooked egg noodles 2 tsp dried celery leaves

1 cup instant dry skim milk ½ tsp dry mustard

1 tbl flour 1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika 1/8 tsp pepper



To cook: boil 4 cups water, add 1 pkg mix, simmer 15 minutes. Add 1 can tuna. Let simmer, stirring for 5 minutes or until noodles are just done. Serves 4



Tuna-Cheese Supper



8 ox uncooked macaroni 1 tsp salt

1 cup instant dry skim milk 1/8 tsp pepper

½ tsp thyme ½ tsp dillweed



To cook: Boil 4 cups water. Add 1 pkg mix. Let simmer, stirring for 15 minutes. Add 1 can tuna and 1 cup grated cheddar. Simmer 5 minutes or until noodles are just done. ….serves 4



Variation: use grated Italian, Parmesan or Romano cheese instead of cheddar

Beef Kabobs

Last night, I chose to make Kabobs.  I had harvested around 15 cherry tomatoes out of my wonderful little garden.  I had never grown cherry tomatoes before, and was surprised at the quantity of fruit.  I originally planted the cherry tomatoes because I like to have them in my salad.  I was thrilled when I actually had enough to make something out of them. 

Making the kabobs, I used the following marinade and round steak.  I buy my own beef from a local farmer in the spring.  This cuts down on price of the meat.  I used for the first time meat tenderizer on the beef also.  This made a big difference with the tenderness of round steak.  In making the kabobs, I used mushrooms, green pepper, onion, and cherry tomato.  This was a great meal for temps above 90 degrees.  Light and filling. 

Beef Kabobs

Ingredients


1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup prepared mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon meat tenderizer (optional)

Directions

1.In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ground black pepper, garlic, and meat tenderizer. Mix well, and add your favorite meat. Seal the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours.

Back to School

Boy oh boy!!  The summer has flown by.  I only have a couple weeks of summer fun left and then my daughter starts back to school.  I am so not ready for school to start this year.  I am still having fun with my summer.  The first plans I have are to enter some foods into the state fair.  Then a few days later school begins.  SO, for a great summer recipe or back to school recipe try this bumbleberry pie.  It was a great surprise I found while on vacation.  I even managed to obtain the recipe from the lady who made it at the great coffee shop I stopped at.  The name itself intrigued me, but the taste was so wonderful.  Turns out bumbleberry pie is just a mix of berries in the pie and not a specific type of berry.

Bumbleberry Pie

Ingredients


5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups shortening

3/4 cup cold water

1 egg

1 tablespoon vinegar

4 cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped\
2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups fresh raspberries

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups white sugar

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons tapioca

1 egg yolk, beaten

2 tablespoons water

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together 3/4 cup water, egg, and vinegar. Stir into flour until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough into 4 balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight. Roll out dough portions to fit a 9 inch pie pan. Place bottom crusts in 2 pie pans. Set aside top crusts.

3.In a large bowl, combine apples, rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and lemon juice. Mix together 2 cups sugar, 2/3 cup flour, and tapioca; gently toss with fruit mixture. Divide into 2 pastry lined pie pans. Cover with top crusts; trim and crimp edges. Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water). Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to vent.

4.Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until filling is bubbly in center and top is golden brown.

Yield:  2 9 inch pies

Frugal Vacation

So some may ask, "how do you do a vacation on a budget?"

My first answer to this would be to PLAN.  Maybe not an itinerary, but plan where to stay.  I tend to look up places to stay on the internet.  I can get great deals by booking ahead.  I look at reviews of the hotel online and try to get good value and price.  My hotel stay for three nights is under $200.00 all by finding a great rate on the internet.  Some of the internet deals do charge your credit card at the time of making the reservation.  These deals may save you hundreds of dollars if you are patient and can find a good deal. 

I also take food along with me on my trips.  The hotel we are staying at has a refrigerator in our room, so I am taking along sandwich meat and fixins and also some healthy snacks.  This will keep me from going to the nearest McDonalds to suffice a craving.  If I have the food in my room, then I am more likely to eat healthy.  The plan for my weekend is to only eat out for dinners if needed.  I have a list made of the restaurants I want to try if we have time. 

I also have found a list of parks and recreational offerings for the time period we will be visiting.  Many communities have a great list of free things to do.  Some of these are historical sights, so you end up learning something on your trip also.  I love to travel and have found that many of the greatest sights are found by searching out opportunities. 

What are your ideas for a frugal vacation?  I am always up for a new idea or two!!  Leave a comment if you want to add your frugal idea.

Where am I???

Ok, so I am on vacation officially.  I am still trying to get a few assignments completed for school, but I am away from home and not working.  This qualifies for a vacation, right?  I am going to try and let you guess where I am.




Can't hardly wait for the fish fry on Friday night!!!!  This is the menu from the best restaurant ever!!!

Going to take my daughter to see some art...Gotta have some girl time!

Taking the little boy to see the world famous train station!!!!



Going to do some kayaking on a great whitewater course!!!










My great weekend will be spent in Wausau Wisconsin.  Hope everyone has a great weekend and if I find some great frugal finds, I may have to let you know about it.  My computer is going with me and I will try to blog about my happenings over the weekend, otherwise I will definitely blog about them next week.