Frugal WA Mommy

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Your first bite of food is what starts your metabolism going! Are you to busy to make a delicious breakfast?

Then try this!! Its so yummy!!
MUG MUFFINS
1/4 cup oats
1 egg
1 tsp brown sugar
handful blueberries
splash of milk
dash cinnamon.

Mix it all up. Stick in coffee mug in microwave for 2 minutes. Super yummy!

SORE THROAT AND COUGH REMEDY

¼ teaspoon Cayenne
¼ teaspoon Ginger
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar (an organic one, like Bragg’s, is preferred.)
2 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Honey (use a locally produced raw honey, if possible.)

Dissolve cayenne and ginger in cider vinegar and water dissolve as well as you can before adding the honey. Add honey and shake well. Take 1 Tablespoon as needed for cough. Hoo-wee, it doesn’t taste the best… just a warning before you try it.. I usually add it to ginger tea.
Note: this doesn’t dissolve perfectly. Always shake well before using.

If you make this in small batches as the recipe is written, there is no need to refrigerate.
If you prefer, you may refrigerate this. It keeps as long as you need it. I like to make small batches (it is so easy to mix up.) and use it up in a just a few days

So this is an awesome recipe for Bacon and shrimp skewers! I love these when we are having a party I set up the veggie table, the bacon wrapped shrimp, some mushrooms, fruit and skewers and let everyone build their own!  For a bigger party just double, or triple the recipe!

Ingredients

20 each Shrimp, 21-25 count, shelled, deviened
1/2 pound Bacon, partially cooked and cut in half

1 red pepper cut into thick chunks

1 green pepper cut into thick chunks

half pineapple sliced and chunked

1 lb of portobello mushrooms

1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 ounces Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chipotle pepper in adobo
1/2 teaspoon red chili flake
1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoons black pepper
5 to 8 bamboo skewers

Directions

Soak bamboo skewers in water, to keep from burning during grilling.

Cook bacon partially, cut in half, and let cool on paper towel. Wrap bacon around shrimp, and skewer with bamboo through the point where bacon ends meet, to keep from unraveling, build your skewer with the veggies, pineapple, and/or mushrooms. Skewer 3 to 5 shrimp per bamboo.

Combine all ingredients in blender, except bacon and shrimp, and puree. Separate the sauce in half, one for basting one for dipping.

Cook bacon wrapped shrimp on grill over medium heat. When shrimp begin to turn pink, begin basting with chipotle sauce.

I got this awesome recipe from Meagan over at Mommy and Me!

I can’t wait to try it out myself and post some photo’s for you guys! But if you can’t wait and you want to make it now! (especially with Halloween tonight!) Then go do it and post your photo’s below!!!

Monster Cookie Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup Oats (regular or quick)
1 Cup Miniature Plain M&Ms
1 Cup Miniature Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in brown sugar and powdered sugar, mixing well. Next fold in oats, m&m’s and chocolate chips. Serve with pretzels or graham cracker sticks.   ENJOY!

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of the all-purpose flour and the yeast; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan heat and stir pumpkin, the water, milk powder, the 6 tablespoons butter, the brown sugar, honey, salt, and spices over medium heat until warm (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F) and butter just melts. Add pumpkin mixture and eggs to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the whole wheat flour and as much of the remaining all-purpose flour as you can.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (1 hour).

4. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into thirds. Cover dough; let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease three baking sheets or line them with parchment paper; set aside.

5. On the lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion into a 12-inch circle. Spread with Honey Butter. Cut each dough circle into 12 wedges. To shape rolls, begin at wide end of each wedge and loosely roll toward the point. (if you want to make a head try this tip!  Shape rolls as directed in Step 5. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Uncover and bake as directed.) I sometimes use the pumpkin brown sugar spread and lightly spread it over one side of the wedge before rolling up. Or Pumpkin butter! but that’s another recipe.
6. Place, point sides down, 2 to 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes).7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover and bake rolls, 1 or 2 sheets at a time, about 15 minutes or until golden, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking if necessary. (Cover and chill remaining baking sheet[s] until ready to bake.) Brush tops of rolls with melted honey butter. Serve warm.

Directions

1. Honey Butter:: In a small mixing bowl beat butter and honey with an electric mixer on low speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes

Brown Sugar Pumpkin spread

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, cook onion, curry powder, cumin, coriander, and salt in hot butter until onion is tender. Whisk in pumpkin, chicken broth, and brown sugar or maple syrup, if desired, until well combined. Bring mixture just to boiling; reduce heat. Stir in half and half and heat through. If desired, garnish with sour cream, pumpkin pie spice and sage leaves. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Directions

1. In a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, combine pumpkin,meat, chickpeas, carrots, onion, lentils, tomato paste, ginger, lime juice, cumin, salt, turmeric, cayenne, cajun seasoning, paprika and pepper. Pour broth over all in cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Top each serving with peanuts, cilantro, and if desired, yogurt. Makes 8 (1-1/3 cup) servings.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta in a large pot following package directions. Drain cooked pasta, then return to pot.

2. For cheese sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and peppers. Add whipping cream and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese, pumpkin, and sage until cheese is melted. Stir cheese sauce into pasta to coat. Transfer macaroni and cheese to an ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.

3. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, walnuts, and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with sage leaves.

Original Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

So this is an easy way of getting your kids to eat their veggies and some good protein. You can switch out the chicken with pretty much any meat (Hot dogs, sausage, ham chunks, etc) Every kid loves Mac and Cheese! And yes, I know mac and cheese isn’t the best for you health wise.. But this at least makes it a little healthier then just straight mac and cheese!

Tools you will need!

1 box mac and cheese (prepare like normal)

1 cup diced cooked Chicken

1 cup of your favorite Veggie or mix veggies. Frozen, steamed, or canned. Which ever is convenient.  (I use peas! Or broccoli!)

Large Bowl

Large Spoon

Casserole Dish

1/4 cup of small diced cheddar

1/2 cup of shredded cheese (your favorite blend) for the top

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook your mac and cheese like normal, mix the ingredients together till you get your creamy mac and cheese base.  Add all your ingredients to a large bowl and mix together (chicken, mac and cheese veggies and cubed cheese). Mix until everything is well mixed together. Then place the contents of the bowl into a casserole dish, I usually use a deep dish one, but a smaller one may be ok. Sprinkle your shredded cheese across the top and pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and slightly browned. Then serve and enjoy!!! Every child I have ever served this to loves it and most adults do too!!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 16 cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. DO NOT OVER BEAT! Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Use a large cookie scoop  and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: For perfectly round cookies you can spray a cupcake tin with olive oil and drop cookies in the tin to bake. Makes thicker rounder little cookie “pies”