A Sure Sign of Spring

Ok so nobody really had to tell me spring was here, I have been digging in the garden, mowing the lawn, and trimming the sidewalk for weeks now. But I just get so excited this time of year, it is beyond a doubt my favorite season. Summer just gets too hot, and when fall comes around I am so tired of the heat and canning that I am ready for the winter.

I live for spring every year, and this year is no different. I love growing my seedlings for the garden, and I love kicking off canning season with the sweet smell of strawberry jam cooking on the stove.

Today was my first canning session and it felt good.

Originally we had planned on moving out west this summer, and with that move I was not going to get to can or grow much of anything, but plans changed to that makes my growing season that much more sweet this year.

How is your garden growing? Have you had the pleasure of doing any canning yet?

10 Easy Hamburger Recipes

This morning is a busy morning for me so I thought I would post a few more of my recipes and try to do a regular post this afternoon. Enjoy!!

These recipes are all about hamburger, not exactly the healthiest meals but quick to fix and inexpensive for those nights when things need to be super simple.

Hobo Dinners

To serve four you will need four 1 pound coffee cans
1 pound ground beef
4 medium potatoes
small can green beans
small can carrots
2 onions
4 ears of corn (small), or 2 large ones cut in half
Make the ground beef into four patties, placing in bottom of coffee can. Next slice the potatoes and onions, putting them on top of patty. Drain the green beans and carrots add to the top of rest. Next put the ear of corn, salt and pepper to taste and a pat of butter. Cover can with aluminum foil, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Nice thing about this one is you can change the veggies to each person taste.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 32 oz. can whole tomatoes
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
1 medium onion chopped
1 15 oz. can kidney beans
1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn
1 Cup water
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
sour cream, grated cheese, and tortilla chips
Brown meat and onion. Add remaining ingredients. Do NOT drain canned items.
Slightly mash tomatoes before adding to the soup. Simmer for 10 min. Put corn chips in the bottom of your bowl, pour soup over the chips. add a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with cheese and chopped olives.

Poor Man’s Soup

1 lb. lean Ground Beef
4-6 Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
2 to 4 cups Milk
Amount of milk depends on quantity of soup you want to make)
1 or 2 Onions, chopped
2-3 cups uncooked Macaroni
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef and drain off any excess liquids.
Meanwhile, in another large saucepan over high heat, bring the potatoes to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Pour off half the water.
Add the browned ground beef to the potatoes and remaining water, along with the desired quantity of milk, the chopped onions, and the uncooked macaroni. Simmer until macaroni is cooked.

Onion Hamburger Casserole

1 lb. hamburger
8oz. tomato sauce
1 pkg onion soup mix
2 Tbs flour
2 C. water
1 1/2 C. macaroni (cooked)
1 C. cheese
Brown hamburger. Stir in flour. Add tomato sauce, water, and soup.
Simmer 5 min. Mix in macaroni. Put in casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 45min.

Beefy Mexican Lasagna

1 pound ground Beef 1 can (16 oz) tomatoes chopped
1 pkg. Taco seasoning
1 large onion chopped
1 carton (12 oz) cottage cheese
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
12 corn tortillas
1 small can green chilies
Brown and drain beef, add tomatoes, seasonings, onions and green chilies.
Simmer 5 minutes. In a separate bowl combine cottage cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese and eggs. In a 9×13 pan layer with tortillas ( 6 or more) over lapping edges and sides of the pan. Put all of the beef mix on tortillas, then add 3 or more tortillas on top, then all of the cheese mixture. If desired add more tortillas. Bake covered 350 degrees 45 minutes. Sprinkle cheese an onions on top. Bake 5 minutes more. Garnish with tomatoes.

Old Settler’s Beans

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb. bacon
1 small onion
Cut bacon into pieces, chop onion. Cook ground beef, bacon and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender.
Mix together:
1/3 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. white sugar
1/4 C. ketchup
1/4 C. BBQ sauce
2 Tbs. molasses or honey
2 Tbs. mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can each:
Baby butter beans
Ranch Style Beans
Large can pork & beans
Add ground beef mixture to above ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Hamburger Corn Pie

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes (any type-chopped, stewed etc)
1 clove garlic
1 can corn, drained
1 1/2 -3 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can black beans, drained
1 small (8 oz) can tomato sauce, (if you like more sauce may add: olives, bell pepper, mushrooms)
Cook meat, onion and garlic, drain. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, corn, beans, chili powder and any other ingredients. Heat to boiling and pour into un-greased baking dish (I used 9×13, but suggested 9x9x2 or similar)
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup milk
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup flour
1 cup cheese
Mix cornmeal, flour, milk and eggs. Pour over meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Cook at 350 degrees, 40 minutes until golden brown.
NOTE: a less meat version is 1/2 pound ground beef, no sausage, 2 cans of black beans, 2 cans of corn and everything else the same above.

Cheesy Chili Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1 12 oz can corn
1 8 oz can tomato paste
1 T chili powder
1 8 oz jar of cheese whiz
4 cups tortilla chips
1/2 c chopped tomato
Brown meat and drain. Stir in corn, tomato sauce and chili powder. Add 1/2 c cheese whiz and stir until melted. Spread 1 cup meat mixture onto bottom of pan (use a 9" round cake pan) top with chips. repeat the layering twice, ending with the meat mixture. Bake 20 mins at 350. Top with remaining chips, chopped tomato and cheese whiz. Bake until the cheese whiz is melted. Put all the meat in the pan and top with one layer of chips.

Crock Pot Meat Loaf

16-18 cheese crackers
1 sm. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. green pepper, minced
1/4 c. chili sauce
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
Crush the crackers. In mixing bowl combine crumbs with onion, green pepper, chili sauce, milk, eggs, salt and pepper; mix in ground beef. Form into a 6 or 7 inch round loaf. Place in a slow cooking pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until done.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 pound hamburger (chuck or better is best)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 egg
1 c. oatmeal
Mix and make into balls. DO NOT BROWN!
Sauce:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 can tomato soup
Mix and pour over meatballs.
Cook 1 of these ways:
Crock-pot: 2-3 hours on high (if making double recipe use larger crock-pot and increase time to 7-8 hrs.) 350 oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs (turn over 1/2 way through).
Top of stove 1-2 hours The best part of this recipe is that you can make them ahead, freeze in the sauce and cook at your leisure. Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes or just by themselves.

More Five Dollar Dinner Ideas

Since my last five dollar dinner post was so popular I thought I would do another one.

Chinese Dinner for under Five Dollars

egg drop soup
fried rice
stir-fry

For the Egg Drop Soup as an appetizer:
2C water
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 egg, beaten
cornstarch slurry (optional)
yellow food coloring (optional)
Bring water to boil, add bullion and stir until dissolved. While at rolling boil, whisk in egg. To add color add a few drops of yellow food coloring. Thicken if desired by adding 1 Tbsp of corn starch to 1/2C cold water and pour into boiling soup, stirring constantly until thickened. Makes 4, 1/2C servings.

Fried Rice:
2 strips bacon
2C cold cooked rice
1 onion, chopped
about 3-4 Tbsp soy sauce
Cut bacon into small pieces and fry onion until translucent, add cooked rice and break up any lumps. Add soy sauce to color and taste preference. For added flavor, add one pre-cooked scrambled egg diced finely and 1/2C frozen or fresh peas, giving a quick stir to heat through. Makes 4, 1/2C servings.

American Stir Fry Vegetables (Chow Mein):
! head cabbage, chopped finely
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, cut into coins
1/2C peas
2 large stalk celery, diagonally cut
2-3 Tbsp cooking oil
1C water
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
4 tsp soy sauce
Combine water, cornstarch, bouillon and soy sauce in small bowl or cup and set aside.
Put oil into pan and stir fry first the carrots and celery, add onions, and cabbage stirring quickly until tender crisp. Add peas and stir until hot. Pour water/cornstarch mixture over veggies and stir and stir until mixture boils and thickens (about 3 minutes). Serve. Makes at least 4 servings.

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Simple Meals

Looking for something more simple? Try these cheap meals for a simple dinner that is easy on the pocket book.

Chicken Crepes
Filling:
1 large chicken breast, cooked and chopped into small bits
1 can water chestnuts
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter
1C milk
salt
pepper
1 Tbsp sliced almonds
Crepe:
3/4C flour
3/4C milk
3 eggs
1 Tbsp cooking oil
For filling: Melt butter in pan and stir in flour, cook a couple of minutes, then add milk, stirring constantly until you get a thin white sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, then chicken, drained water chestnuts. Set aside.

For crepe:
Heat oil in skillet. Whisk together eggs, flour and milk until fairly smooth. Pour about 2 Tbsp of batter into the pan and move pan to coat bottom. Brown lightly on both sides of batter and set to the side until you have used it all up and formed thin sheets of pancake. Makes about 8.
To assemble:
Place spoonful of filling into crepe and roll (do it in the baking dish you plan to use). When you have placed all the rolled crepes into the pan, pour excess sauce over top of the crepes. Top with bread crumbs or the almonds and bake at 350F until heated through and top begins to bubble

Bean and Cheese Wrap-Ups

2/3 cup cooked Kidney Beans
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped tomato
4 ounces mozzarella cheese
10 small black olive
1 small green pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon reduced calorie Italian dressing
4 1 ounce pita breads

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredient except pita bread and stuff into pita bread. Wrap in foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Comfort Food

Creamed Chicken

1/4 cup margarine
1 onion
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup of milk
2 –3 cups cooked chicken

Saute onion in margarine. Add in flour and cook until bubbly. Stir in 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk as well as salt and pepper to taste. Once mixture has thickened add 2-3 cups cooked chicken. Heat through.

Serve the above with Rice or Noodles add a veggie and you have a comfort meal for under five dollars.

Pic by http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/

Frugal Green Pet Shampoo – Make it Yourself

Your dog or cat is just as much a part of the family as the kids are and you love them just as much, so why would you want to treat them as anything less?

Having a pet is a responsibility that most of us take seriously so we spend a lot of time making sure we try and buy them the best quality foods we can, but what about when they need a bath? Many of us just grab the shampoo off the shelf in the bathroom and give them a good scrubbing in the bath tub without thinking about whether it is ok for them or not.

The truth is many of the shampoos we buy for ourselves are not made for your pets; they have far too many harsh chemicals in them. Dogs and cats are subject to the same allergies as humans, in fact they are more susceptible to them because their skin is not regularly exposed to bathing like ours is.

Then again you might be using one of those regular pet shampoos you buy at your local discount store or pet store, but if you look at the label you are likely to find a list of ingredients you cannot even pronounce. If you cannot pronounce it imagine what it is doing not only to your pet but to the environment.

If this sounds like you then take a moment to consider the use of a natural, organic shampoo for your pet. Funny thing is even for those families who have turned to a mostly organic lifestyle they tend not to think of their pets when it comes to such basic necessities.

Some of the best reasons for using an organic pet shampoo are:

It is all natural; it has been proven that all natural ingredients are just as effective and cause less harm to your pet and the environment. In fact most organic shampoos are hypoallergenic which makes them very safe to use.

Organic shampoos are less likely to cause allergic reactions in your pet, which means you can give poor Fido a bath more frequently keeping him smelling nicer.

Many of the non-organic products are made from animal by-products, which is not only bad for the environment but why would you want to something like this on your pet?

Buying an organic pet shampoo can be an expensive proposition; however you can make your won that works just as well for a fraction of the cost. The ingredients are very simple and in fact you can even grow the main ingredient yourself.

The main ingredient in this recipe is Soapwort root; the Soapwort is perennial flower and is a member of the carnation family. It is also known as Sweet William or a Bouncing Bet, something that many people have growing in their flower beds or in flower pots. You can also find Soapwort root at your local health food store or online in bulk at a variety of websites.

To make the shampoo follow these simple directions:

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add 1 ½ tablespoons of chopped dried Soapwort root and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the mixture form the stove and add in 2 teaspoons of either catnip or lemon verbena and allow it to cool completely. Strain the mixture into a bottle and store in the fridge, this mixture will last about a week to 10 days.

As a side note you can use this same mixture for your own hair, in fact it was one of the most common shampoos used by the early pioneers before the advent of chemical shampoos.

YOU ARE INVITED!!!!

YOU ARE INVITED!!!!

Old Fashioned Families is having a Grand Re-Opening April 13th – 17th and we would love to have you join us for ALL of the festivities! Old Fashioned Families is a website and forums that bring together people that have old fashioned values, enjoy doing things with their own hands and enjoy sharing tips, tricks, ways to save money and anything else you can think of with other members! There will be games specific to each day and also everyday throughout the week, blog giveaways, auctions and prizes! Please stop by and check us out!

Old Fashioned Families (http://www.oldfashionedfamilies.com)
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Thank you!

Autumn (OldFashionedMum2twoKids; Owner & Admin)