recipe — Page 11

Thin Mint Truffles Recipe

Do you have a spare box of Thin Mint Cookies laying around? Turn those delicious cookies into something even better (if that’s even possible right?) with this super easy Thin Mint Truffles Recipe. When it’s that time of year to buy cookies, buy a couple extra boxes and freeze them so you can create amazing dishes like this throughout the year. This recipe will make 16 truffles, so great for a party dish too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 sleeve of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies
2 oz of softened cream cheese
1 cup of dark chocolate morsels
Sprinkles or Candy Melt (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Place cookies in a food processor and process until finely chopped
Mix the chopped cookies and cream cheese with a fork until thoroughly mixed (may need to use your hands to mix)
Form cookie mixture into 1 inch balls and place into refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes
Put chocolate in a microwave safe dish and heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stir until all chocolate is evenly melted
With a toothpick, dunk cookie balls into melted chocolate and place on a sheet of wax paper and embellish with sprinkles
Allow chocolate to harden and enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Banana Mocha Frappe

Aug 31 by Paul Ivanovsky Leave a Comment

If you’re looking for a delicious frappe recipe with a little bit of nutrition to start your day you’re going the love this Peanut Butter Banana Mocha Frappe. It’s like combining a smoothie and a frappe for the best of both worlds. If you like you could also add a meal replacement mix or instant breakfast to this too.

Peanut Butter Banana Mocha Frappe

Ingredients:

1 banana
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup chocolate syrup (or a chocolate meal replacement packet)
10-12 ice cubes
1 cup cold coffee

This makes 2 large frappes

Instructions:

Blend the ice and cold coffee in your blender until the ice is crushed.

Add the peanut butter and chocolate (or drink packet). Blend until smooth.

Add the banana and continue blending until mixture is a thick liquid.

Pour the mixture into two glasses or mason jars and enjoy. You can also top with a bit of whipped topping and chocolate syrup.

Here is a similar recipe from MyLitter for a Berry Nutella Smoothie. You could easily use cold coffee in place of the milk called for and turn it into a frappe as well.

What’s your favorite frappe or smoothie recipe?

Baked Peaches Recipe

Aug 26 by Monika Leave a Comment

Baked Peaches

Who doesn’t love a good peach right? Now you can turn those peaches into a great dessert to share (or not to) with this super easy Baked Peaches Recipe. Everything but the peaches you can actually purchase at your local Dollar Tree but you can make it a one stop shop at Walmart with everything way under $8 (and that’s over estimating it)

INGREDIENTS

5 Freestone Peaches
10 tsp Brown Sugar
5 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 tbsp Sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375.

Split peaches in half and remove stones.Place peach halves in 9×13″ dish.Fill each with 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.

Cut butter into 1/2 tablespoon pats and place on top of each peach half. in process peaches

In a small dish combine cinnamon and sugar and mix well. Sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes.

finished peaches

Menu Plan – 7 Meals for Less than $70

Aug 25 by Paul Ivanovsky 44 Comments

It’s weekly Menu Plan time again and this week we have a full week’s worth of dinners for less than $70. If you missed them before, check out our ideas for 4 Meals for Less than $40 and 5 Meals for Less than $50! Once again, we have great recipes and a printable shopping list for you to make your weekly menu planning easier.

One night when we were talking about menu planning, the kids came up with the idea for putting a theme to our weekly meals. It goes something like this – Meatless Monday, Try Something New Tuesday, SandWich Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, Fish Friday, Taco Saturday, and Soup Sunday. We don’t always stick to this plan of course but it’s a fun idea to get you out of making the same meals week after week. So this week’s menu plan I’m sharing was designed with this theme.

Menu Plan – 7 Meals for Less than $70

Meatless Monday – Quinoa Chili $15.00

Not only is this a Meatless Monday recipe, it is a gluten free recipe too. This Quinoa Chili recipe is high in protein and is easy to make early in the day and have in the crock pot for when the busy family is able to grab a bowl. Monday’s can be so crazy with kicking off the week so this is a great meal for a Monday.

Try Something New Tuesday – Creamy Chicken Broccoli Curry $8.46

This idea came about because it is so easy to get into the habit of always eating the same thing over and over or cooking only our favorites. You never know if something new might become a favorite if you don’t give it a try. So this week, Try Something New Tuesday! The recipe for the Creamy Chicken Broccoli Curry comes from All You and since curry is something many people don’t cook with, give it a try. It’s also an extremely affordable meal!

SandWich Wednesday – Ham & Cheese Sliders $13.29

Sandwiches are a great meal for mid week. You’ve already tackled half of a hectic week and you’re really needing a simple meal for Wednesday evening. These sliders can be made ahead and popped in the oven when you’re ready to eat them. You can also make them ahead and freeze them!

Thrifty Thursday – Pork Carnitas $8.04

While all our meals are focused on being really affordable, this recipe from All You is a really thrifty meal at less than $1 per serving! It’s easy and delicious which we’re always looking for. Serve this with rice, lettuce, tomato, and any other favorite toppings!

Fish Friday – Broiled Tilapia Parmesan $7

To quote my wife “My little kids LOVE it. They will eat 2 tilapia fillets each. When we make it for the 8 of us we have to make 15 pieces. If you are looking for a fish recipe that EVERYONE will eat and enjoy, this is it! Try it! I promise you will like it, and if you don’t tell the kids it is fish they will love it also!”

Seriously, get the stuff and try this fish recipe for your Fish Friday!

Taco Saturday – Easy and Simple Seasoned Chicken Tacos $10.66

Tacos, fajitas, burritos…we never tire of any of them! This simple chicken taco recipe is great for Saturday. Put everything in the crock pot early Saturday morning and go about your day and when you’re all ready to grab dinner, it’s ready to go. You’re going to want to double the recipe though because you’ll want the left overs for Soup Sunday, trust me!

Soup Sunday – Chicken Tortilla Soup $7.35

See, I told you that you’d want the left over chicken taco meat for this recipe! You’re going to love it. Tiffany, who is a tortilla soup connoisseur will tell you, this might be the BEST tortilla soup she’s ever had. The recipe calls for canned chicken breast which will work great if all the taco meat was gobbled up the night before but the taco meat just makes it all the better (and left overs used up means a tighter budget!).

To get the full recipes for each of these great meals, just click the photos or the meal title. We’ve put together a convenient shopping list for you that includes all the main items but double check the recipes to make sure you have the spices and miscellaneous items on hand. Just right click on the shopping list below and select print and you’re ready to shop!

Fall Treats – Candy Corn Cereal Treats

Aug 24 by Paul Ivanovsky Leave a Comment

As much as I’m really not ready for it, fall is just around the corner and that means Fall Treats like these Candy Corn Cereal Treats. I really do love fall and all the things that come with it!

Candy Corn Cereal Treats

INGREDIENTS:

6 1/2 cup Krispy Rice Cereal
3 tbsp Butter
10.5 oz Marshmallows
Red Food Coloring
Yellow Food Coloring
Wilton White White Icing Color (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Lightly spray a pie pan with non stick spray.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.

Transfer about half the marshmallow mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add about 10 drops of yellow food coloring and mix well. Add 3 cups cereal and mix well.

Butter your hands or use wax paper to press the mixture firmly into a ring around the outer edge of the pan.

Transfer most (about 4/5) of the remaining marshmallow mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add about 10 drops of yellow and 6 drops or red food coloring and mix well. Add 2 1/2 cups cereal and mix well.

Butter your hands or use wax paper to press the mixture firmly against the yellow ring around the outer edge of the pan leaving an empty circle in the middle.

If you desire, add about 6 drops of white icing color to the marshamallow mixture remaining in the saucepan and mix well. Add 1 cup cereal and mix well. The plain cereal treats will look just fine if you choose not to use the icing color.

Butter your hands or use wax paper to press the mixture firmly against the orange ring into the empty spot in the middle.

Allow to cool completely.

Lift out in one piece and cut into triangular pieces. You can also cut in the pan.

Do you have a favorite fall treat for taking to get togethers or school parties?

Menu Plan – 5 Meals for Less Than $50

Aug 22 by Paul Ivanovsky 45 Comments

The other week we gave you a Menu Plan for 4 Meals for Less Than $40 complete with recipes, shopping list and approximate pricing. This week we have 5 delicious recipes for you to prepare for your family for less than $50! This week’s menu if full of flavor that will fill your family’s bellies. We’re also making something new using up leftovers which is always great for stretching the grocery dollars. All the ideas you see here can feed a family of 5 dinner 5 nights for $50!

Menu Plan – 5 Meals for Less Than $50

Dairy Free Veggie Pizza $5

First up is a Dairy Free Veggie Pizza. Even if your family doesn’t suffer from dairy allergies or issues, it’s never a bad idea to cut out dairy once in a while (and since this week’s menu is pretty packed with cheese, this is probably a good idea). This veggie pizza won’t lack flavor even though it lacks cheese!

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese $9

So I mentioned the cheesey line up for this week’s menu, right? Next on the list is my wife’s AMAZING Macaroni and Cheese in the Crock Pot. I’m pretty sure macaroni and cheese just doesn’t get any better than this. You can serve with salad or hotdogs but honestly, we can make a meal out of just the mac n cheese. You’ll want to make an extra big batch of this when you see the next menu idea.

Grilled Mac and Cheese Sandwiches $5

What is better than my wife’s Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese? These Grilled Mac and Cheese Sandwiches just might be better. Use up those left overs and make these sandwiches for a totally different kind of grilled cheese. They are great served with tomato soup or fries or just by themselves.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich Texas Style $13

Here I go with the cheese again! Texas Style Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches are one of my favorites. These are easy to make and while they are a little more to make than some of our meal ideas, they’re still much less expensive to make at home than to order when out at your favorite steak house.

Southwest Stuffed Green Peppers $18

Last but certainly not least on the menu line up is Southwest Stuffed Green Peppers. With the meat, veggies, and rice all in one dish you’ll be satisfied with this as your main course. They are stuffed with great flavor!

Click the photos or the links to find the recipes for each of these great meal ideas. To make your life easier, we’ve made a shopping list for you that is ready to print and head to Walmart to grab what you need for these 5 meals! I’m assuming you have some of the staples on hand like milk, butter, rice and seasonings so double check the recipes against what’s already stocked in your pantry. Just right click the list to print!