Recipes on a budget… making your grocery dollars stretch during the challenging times
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DEPRESSION CAKE
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. vinegar
- 3 tsp. vanilla or lemon extract
- 10 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
- 2 cups water
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 13×9 pan. Measure dry ingredients into pan and mix well. Make one large depression in the dry ingredients and two small depressions in the mixture. Pour oil into large depression, vinegar into one small depression and extract into other small depression. Pour water over everything and stir until no lumps remain. Bake 30-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.
Use chocolate frosting for vanilla cake and lemon frosting or glaze for lemon flavor cake. Let cake cool before frosting or put on frosting while hot for a smoother look.
Or you can be creative and try different flavors and frostings.
BLACK BEAN BURGERS
INGREDIENTS
- 2 (14 oz.) cans of black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped bell pepper (about ½ a pepper)
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ cup breadcrumbs or oat flour
- ½ cup feta cheese (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp. ketchup, mayonnaise or BBQ sauce
- Pinch of salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until slightly dried out. Meanwhile, sauté pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot out moisture. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Stir or pulse everything together then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans. Form into patties with about 1/3 cup of mixture for each. To bake, place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total. To grill, place patties on greased aluminum foil and grill eight minutes on each side. Heat preference on grill is personal preference as grills differ. Unused patties can be refrigerated or frozen.
BLACK BEAN MEATLOAF
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas, drain, rinse and reserve liquid (aqua faba)
- 1 (30 oz.) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup rolled oats, coarsely ground in food processor
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 3 tbsp. liquid smoke
- ½ cup aqua faba from chickpeas
- 2 tsp. olive oil or 2 tbsp. of vegetable broth
- 1 large yellow or white onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp. sea salt, or salt to taste
- 1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9-inch bread pan with parchment paper or grease the pan. Process the chickpeas in a food processor until creamy and put in a large bowl. Process one half of the black beans until creamy and add to chickpeas in bowl. Pulse the second half of black beans until lightly ground into small pieces. Add to bowl. Grind the oats until it turns into a coarse flour and add to the bowl of beans. Add the cornmeal, liquid smoke and aqua faba to bowl. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable broth over medium heat, reducing to medium-low heat when hot then add onions. Stir well and add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft and translucent but not browned. Add Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth and ketchup to onions and stir until ketchup dissolves. Add to the bean mixture and gently fold until mixed well. Spoon into the bread pan, making sure the loaf is pushed into the corners of the pan. Evenly spread the BBQ sauce on top of the loaf and bake for one hour and 20 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes to allow it to set before cutting.
GRANDMA’S CHOCOLATE PIE
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup cocoa
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
DIRECTIONS
Mix dry ingredients then add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well and pour into pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set.
EASY PIZZA DOUGH
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend)
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, whisk water, sugar and yeast together until frothy. Let bloom for 10 minutes.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. Create a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. On medium speed, mix ingredients, slowly drizzling in oil until combined and sticking to the dough hook. Turn out onto floured surface, knead lightly and form into a ball. Put in large, greased bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size. Turn out onto floured surface once more and gently use your fingers until it reaches the size and shape you’d like. DO NOT use a rolling pin! It pushes out all the air bubbles and makes a tough dough. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and heat up a pizza stone. Carefully remove the stone from the oven and sprinkle liberally with cornmeal. Add dough and gently press out until it covers the pizza stone. Top with sauce and toppings of your choice then bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Momma’s Easy No Yeast Dinner Rolls
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Combine all ingredients. Spoon into greased muffin cups and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
QUICK DINNER ROLLS
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tbsp. mayonnaise
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan. Mix together all ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven or until nicely puffed and brown.
Makes about 12.
AT HOME MOZZARELLA STICKS
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package mozzarella string cheese sticks
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups Italian breadcrumbs
- Marinara sauce
- Oil for frying
DIRECTIONS
Roll cheese sticks in flour, tapping off excess. Place floured cheese in the egg then roll in breadcrumbs, making sure to coat each piece of cheese evenly with crumbs. Once well coated, fry cheese sticks for about 30 seconds, just until breading slightly darkens and cheese begins to ooze. Remove from hot oil quickly and place on paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat process with remaining cheese sticks.
NOT JUST POPCORN
INGREDIENTS
- 16 cups popped corn
- 2 cups white chocolate or almond bark (for melting)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal
- ½ cup chocolate pieces or chocolate almond bark (for melting)
- ½ cup cashew halves
DIRECTIONS
Heat white chocolate in double boiler or microwave in increments of 30 seconds. Add in peanut butter and mix well. (may need to return to double boiler while mixing). Add in mini marshmallow and stir to melt. Pour over popcorn in large bowl and mix well. Add in rice cereal and cashews. Pour popcorn mixture onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave and drizzle over popcorn mixture. Freeze 15 minutes. Break popcorn mixture into pieces and store in airtight container.
