Marinated Tomatoes and Cheese
Slice 3 large tomatoes and arranged on a platter.
Marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 garlic clove, minced
Tbs. onion, chopped
1 Tbs. parsley, chopped
1Tbs. fresh basil, chopped or 1 tsp. dried basil
Mix in jar and shake well. Pour over tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate several hours. Sprinkle with feta cheese or grated mozzarella cheese before serving.
Photo By: avlxyz
For easy snow cones, freeze orange juice (or any other juice in ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in a plastic bag. When you are ready for a snow cone, place 5-6 cubes in the blender and blend until they have the consistency of shaved ice.
Get out some of those leftover chocolate Easter bunnies and melt them. Dip chunks of bananas in the chocolate. Roll in nuts, coconut, or sprinkles and lay on a tray and freeze. Store them in a plastic bag or container to have quick cool snacks instantly when you hear those words once again: "I’m hungry. What’s there to eat?"
When making homemade ice cream or homemade fudgesicles:
For fudgesicles, add 1/2 envelope of powdered whipped topping (like Dream Whip) to your mix before freezing.
For 6 quarts of ice cream, add 1 envelope of powdered whipped topping to your mix before freezing. This gives everything a creamier taste.
Add peanut butter to chocolate sauce and pour over vanilla or chocolate ice cream.
When making potato salad, add the dressing to the warm potatoes. It will absorb the flavor better and give you a better taste.
When you use cornbread in one of your menus, why don’t you suggest cornbread flapjacks in the summer time? That’s what I do. I use the very same recipe as I do for cornbread but instead of putting my iron skillet in the oven to bake the cornbread, I just fry it on top of the stove like flapjacks. Saves energy and heating up the kitchen. The kids will eat the leftovers (if there are any) with syrup or honey. Keep up the great work. Blessings, Kathy
When grilling, add extra amounts of meat (chicken, steak, hamburger or sausages) to the grill and freeze. These extras are great to use at a later time on their own or to add an extra special smoky taste when crumbled or sliced into dishes like chili, stew, Sloppy Joes, etc.
photo by: rubbermaid
1/2 cup – 1 cup baking soda or Borax
aluminum pan (no substitutions)
Place aluminum pan in the sink and add your sterling or plated silver. Add enough baking soda or borax to cover silverware. Pour boiling water to cover the utensils. When the tarnish disappears, remove silverware and buff with a soft cotton cloth.
From: Dining on a Dime
[dining]
Tips
~ Here’s a tip to make cleaning those small grills like a George Foreman one. When you are done using it and it is still slightly warm, unplug it and place a few wet paper towels on the grill closing it so the steam can work it’s magic.
~ When making mac and cheese and you are out of milk or anytime for that matter use sour cream in place of the milk for an extra creamy and yummy dish.
~ For a fast refreshing summer salad mix leftover crushed pineapple with applesauce. It is different but good.
Menu
Ham Sandwiches
Chips and Barbecue Dip*
Sliced Tomatoes
Corn on the Cob
Orange Floats*
Recipes
Barbecue Dip
1 cup sour cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
Mix ingredients.
I usually don’t measure anything in this recipe. I just start adding the barbecue sauce to the sour cream until it tastes good. It’s really yummy with plain old potato chips.
Orange Floats
Vanilla ice cream
Orange soda
Place one scoop of ice cream in a tall glass and pour a small amount of orange pop on it. Add another scoop and more pop. Repeat this until your glass is full. Top with whipped topping and/or an orange slice.
photo by: phototram
1/4-1/2 cup honey or corn syrup (to taste)
1 cup dry milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
Combine all the ingredients and roll into 1-inch balls. These can then be rolled in coconut, sunflower seeds, granola or nuts. Store in an airtight container. Makes 1 dozen.
For more easy snack recipes, check out our Dining On A Dime Cookbook!
photo by: certified_su
Menu
Fried ham slices
Baked potato
Steamed asparagus
Orange slices
Cornbread muffins
Strawberry Dessert
Recipe
Strawberry Dessert
This is probably one of my favorite desserts, partly because it is not too rich. It is a very light dessert. It is especially good to keep one made up in the freezer for when unexpected company comes by. I also like to use it for graduation parties, baby showers etc. because I can make it a week ahead of time and that means one less thing to have to deal with the day of the special event!
Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup butter, softened
Mix and slightly press or crumble into a 9×13 pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally while baking to make crumbly. When cooled, remove 1/3 of it to save to sprinkle on top of the dessert. Evenly spread out the remaining portion in the pan.
Topping:
2 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1 10oz. package of strawberries
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (must use)
1 small container whipped topping
Place first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat at high speed for 10 minutes or until it forms stiff peaks. Be sure to use a large mixing bowl because this really increases in volume. Fold in whipped topping and spread over crust, Sprinkle with the 1/3 cup of crumbs you saved back. Freeze for 3-6 hours or overnight.
This easy vegetable dip recipe is super easy to make in just a few minutes with simple ingredients you already have on hand. It is the perfect creamy, zesty dip to spice up crisp veggies, perfect for snacks, lunches, and parties!
If you are looking for a fast, foolproof dip to jazz up a plate of fresh vegetables, this easy vegetable dip recipe is the perfect choice! It is easy to make in minutes with basic ingredients most of us already have on hand, and the result is surprisingly delicious for such a small amount of effort. Whether you are packing lunches, prepping snacks for the week, or heading out the door to a potluck, you will be glad to have this super simple recipe!
This vegetable dip strikes just the right balance of creamy and zesty. Creamy mayonnaise and sour cream provide that classic smooth base, while horseradish, curry powder, and dry mustard introduce just enough zip to make the veggies disappear from the platter. A squeeze of lemon brightens everything up and keeps the dip tasting crisp and fresh. It is the kind of flavor combination that appeals to both adults and kids, which makes it a great choice for parties, holidays, church gatherings, and casual get-togethers.
This easy vegetable tip recipe is also highly adaptable. If you prefer a lighter version, replace some or all of the sour cream with plain yogurt or cottage cheese. Want a stronger punch? Add a pinch more curry or mustard. Serving picky eaters who shy away from bold spices? Reduce the horseradish slightly and build up to the full amount as your crew grows more adventurous. There is no wrong way to make it your own.
Serve it with classics like carrots, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, and bell peppers, or get creative with cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, or even cold leftover roasted vegetables. Once mixed, the dip tastes best chilled, giving the flavors time to meld. Make it once, and you’ll never buy store-bought dip again!
[dining]
Peanut Butter Parfaits
1 small carton whipped topping
1/2 cup peanut butter
Chopped chocolate
Fold peanut butter into whipped topping. Then layer in parfait glasses with chocolate. You could also add some chopped peanuts and chocolate syrup.
photo by: crazyneighborlady
Muffins are great to make during these cold winter months. They are so simple to mix that they make a great “first time cooking” food for kids to learn to cook.
When you are teaching an older child how to cook, look for facts or tips about the things you will be making. Even if you are a seasoned cook, this can really help. When cooking, we do some things automatically and don’t think to mention them to our children. Reading about it helps them to understand but can also remind us to tell them certain basic things.
It can be helpful to have kids start a cooking scrapbook. When you cook homemade biscuits have them make a page with the do’s and don’ts for biscuits. Do the same for cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. By the time they are ready to leave home, they will have their own “personal” cookbooks to refer to. You could even add things to it like grandma’s biscuit recipe or some short funny stories and bloopers about your experiences cooking together.