Simple Tortilla Chips

Tortilla Chips
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

I make tortilla chips from corn tortillas.

Stack 4 or 5 together, cut them in half, and then each half into 3 pieces.

Bake at 400 F for about 8 minutes, until they are quite crisp and begin to brown.

If you want salty chips, dampen the unbaked slices with a spray bottle of water, and sprinkle salt over them before you bake.

Extremely Frugal Hot Dutch Potato Salad

Dutch Potatoes
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Potatoes	2 lbs
Celery	3/4 C
Onion	3/4 C
Bacon	4 strips
Sugar	1/4 C
Vinegar	6 Tbsp
Water	2 Tbsp
Celery seed	1 tsp
Egg	1

Boil potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
Chop celery and onion.
Cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and add sugar, vinegar, water, and celery seed. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the well-beaten egg, and then stir back into the skillet.
Mix well and remove from heat.
Combine potatoes, celery, and onion in a bowl. Pour mixture over and mix well.
Place in a casserole and crumble bacon over the top.
Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes.

If you add 8-12 ounces of canned tuna or left-over chicken, you have a hearty dinner.

Extremely Frugal Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Potatoes	2 lbs
Butter	3 Tbsp
Salt	1 tsp
Milk	1/2 C

Boil potatoes for about 30 minutes, until they are cooked through. Quartering them speeds this up. Pour off the water and return the potatoes to the hot pan. Shake them over the hot burner for a few minutes to dry them completely.
Heat the milk.
Use a hand potato masher or electric beaters to whip potatoes. Add butter and warm milk to smooth them to the proper consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I usually leave the skins on, but they are easier to mash to a creamy consistency if you peel them.

Simple Scalloped Potatoes

Simple Scalloped Potatoes
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Potatoes	2 lb
Flour	2 Tbsp
Butter	5 Tbsp
Onions	2 Tbsp
Ham	1/2 C
Milk	1 1/4 C
Salt	1 tsp
Paprika	1/2 tsp
Dry mustard	1/4 tsp

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Peel and thinly slice potatoes. Drop into boiling water and parboil about 8 minutes.
Dice ham, finely mince onions. Mix with butter and flour.
Grease a baking dish and alternate layers of potatoes with layers of ham.
Heat the milk, and season it with the slat, paprika and dry mustrd. Pour over potatoes.
Bake for 35 minutes.

Ham is optional. Chop a couple strips of bacon if you don't have ham.

Simple Cheesy Chicken

Cheesy Chicken
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Flour	2 Tbsp
Butter	2 Tbsp
Milk	1 C
Cheese	4 oz
Worcestershire sauce	1/2 tsp
Dry mustard	1/2 tsp
Red pepper flakes	1/8 tsp

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in milk a few tablespoons at a time, incorporating into flour mixture well.
Add cheese, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and red pepper flakes.
Cook until cheese melts and sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in leftover chicken and serve over rice or noodles.

Simple Banana Bread

Banana Bread
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Shortening	1/2 C
Sugar	1 C
Eggs	2
Bananas	1 1/2 C
Lemon juice	1 Tbsp
Flour	2 C
Baking powder	1 Tbsp
Salt	1/2 tsp
Walnuts, chopped	3/4 C

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.
Stir in mashed bananas and lemon juice.
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to banana mixture stirring quickly.
Add nuts.

Bake in a greased loaf pan for about 1 hour at 350° F.

Extremely Frugal Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Ground beef	1 lb
Onions	1/2 C
Catsup	1 C
Sugar	3 Tbsp
Mustard	3 Tbsp
Vinegar	3 Tbsp
Worcestershire sauce	3 tsp
Water	1/2 C

Brown beef and onions in large frying pan.
Add catsup, sugar, mustard, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and mix well.
Add water and simmer for 15 minutes.
Server hot on toasted buns.

Extremely Frugal Northern Chili

Chili
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Ground beef	1/2 lb
Pinto beans,cooked	2 C
Tomatoes	4 C
Chili powder	1/3 C
Cumin	1 tsp
Onions	1 C

Cook pintos in pressure cooker, using this recipe.
Saute onions and beef until onions are translucent. Add chili powder and cumin and cook for 2 minutes longer.
Stir in beans and tomatoes. Simmer for at least 25 minutes.

This is a great crock-pot recipe. Just dump everthing in and stir well. Simmer on low for at least 6 hours.
It also tastes better if refrigerated overnight and reheated the next day.

Simple BBQ Chicken Sandwich

BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Chicken	1 lb
BBQ sauce	2 C

Make 2 cups of Texas BBQ sauce. ( Recipe here) Reserve 1 cup.
Grill or broil chicken, basting with remaining sauce.
When cooked through, cool enough to handle and pull meat from bones.
Reheat reserved sauce, and mix in chicken pieces.
Serve on toasted buns.

Simple Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Eggs	12
Salt	1/4 tsp
Pepper	1/4 tsp
Celery seed	1/2 tsp
Wocestershire sauce	1/2 tsp
Basil	1/8 tsp
Marjoram	1/8 tsp
Thyme	pinch
Dry mustard	1/8 tsp
Mayonnaise	2 Tbsp

Place eggs in pan of cold water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down heat to just simmer the eggs, timing them for exactly 10 minutes. Remove from heat and chill quickly in cold water.

Remove the shell, halve eggs lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks. Rinse whites and set aside to drain.
Place yolks in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, celery seed, Worcestershire, basil, marjoram, thyme, and dry mustard.
Gently mix in mayonnaise, adding more until yolks are a smooth spreadable consistency.
Fill cavities in whites with yolk mixture.

Hints:
I get the best results when the eggs have been in the refrigerator at least a week after I purchased them. The shell peels much more smoothly.
See this post for Perfect Hard-boiled Eggs

Storing deviled eggs is messy. I get around this by filling them from a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4 inch round tip. The bag of yolk mixture is sealed by putting a bit of plastic wrap over the tip. Store in the refrigerator. Then fill the whites when you are ready to serve. It's also the easiest way to carry them to a picnic or a party. Faster too.

Simple Dill Slaw

Dill Slaw
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Cabbage	4 C
Carrot	1/2 C
Onion	1/4 C
Oil	2 Tbsp
Vinegar	1/4 C
Dill	2 Tbsp

Shred cabbage and carrot. Mince onion very fine.
Toss in serving bowl, then sprinkle with oil, vinegar and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss again and chill 1 hour or until serving time.

Simple Primordial Chicken

Primordial Chicken Ready To Cook
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Chicken	1 lb
Oil	2 Tbsp
Garlic	4 cloves
Tarragon	2 Tbsp
Salt	2 tsp

Rub chicken pieces with oil. Crush garlic and rub it over the chicken.
Sprinkle tarragon generously over the chicken. Sprinkle with salt.

Grill or broil chicken for 30-40 minutes, until well done.

The amounts in this recipe are totally made up. It's one of the simplest recipes I know of, and works well with rosemary instead of tarragon. Lemon peel is good too. The idea is to take some pieces of chicken, grease them, use the grease to hold the spices onto the skin, and then broil or grill them until the skin is crisp.

Extremely Frugal Sweet Sour Slaw

Sweet Sour Slaw
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Cabbage	1 lb
Bacon	2 strips
Vinegar	2 Tbsp
Water	2 Tbsp
Sugar	2 tsp
Salt	1 tsp

Shred cabbage.
Saute bacon slowly, until meat is crisp and fat has rendered out.
Remove bacon and crumble.
Add vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to pan, heat to boiling. Return crumbled bacon.
Pour hot dressing over shredded cabbage and chill until serving time.

Simple Plum Cake

Plum Cake
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Plums	2 C
Yeast	1 tsp
Milk	1/2 C
Sugar	1 tsp
Milk	1/4 C
Salt	1/4 tsp
Butter	2 Tbsp
Egg	1
Sugar	1/4 C
Flour	3 C

Wash and half plums. Cut into thin wedges and set aside.
Mix together yeast, milk, sugar, and flour. Let rise about 1 hour, then stir down.
Warm milk with salt and butter until butter melts.
Stir in egg and sugar.
Add yeast mixture to batter.
Stir in flour, sufficient to make a stiff dough.
Pat the dough into a greased 9 x 11 pan, and place fruit on top in a single layer.
Let dough rise again.
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Bake 15 minutes, lower oven temperature to 350° and bake 10 minutes more.

Simple Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Beef, ground	1 lb
Bread crumbs	1 C
Egg	1
Onions	1/4 C
Parsley	3 Tbsp
Salt	1 tsp
Paprika	1/4 tsp
Lemon juice	1 Tbsp
Nutmeg	1/4 tsp
Allspice	1/8 tsp
Drippings or butter	2 Tbsp
Broth	2 C
Flour	1/4 C

Shape meat into 1 inch balls. Brown in drippings.
Cover with broth and simmer about 15 minutes.
Remove meatballs.
Stir 2 teaspoons broth into the flour, making a smooth paste. Stir the paste back into the simmering broth, stirring up bits of browned meat from the bottom. Cook for 5 minutes until gravy thickens and flour is cooked.

For a more pronounced flavor, mix 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind into the meatball mixture.

Extremely Frugal Southern Green Beans

Southern Green Beans
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Green beans, fresh	1 lb
Bacon	2 strips
Onion	1/2 cup

Clean beans and leave whole or cut to preferred size.
Saute bacon until crisp, remove from pan, and crumble.
Chop onion and saute in bacon fat until translucent.
Stir in green beans and stirfry quickly until bright green.
Return bacon to pan, stir to mix in.
Season with a bit of pepper.

Simple Rosemary Chicken Salad

Rosemary Chicken Salad
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Chicken, raw	1 lb
Onion	1/2C
Celery	1/4 C
Bay leaf	1
Celery	1 C
Onion	1/2 C
Grapes	1 C
Walnuts	1/4 C
Rosemary	1 tsp
Mayonnaise	1/4 C

Put chicken in saucepan and poach with onion, celery and bay leaf. Drain, reserving broth for other uses.
Mince celery and onion. Halve grapes. Chop walnut fine.
Dice chicken and stir in minced vegetables, and walnuts.
Sprinkle with crushed rosemary and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Gently fold in mayonnaise, and chill for 1 hour or until serving time.

Summer Fruit Tart

Summer Fruit Tart
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Clear Glaze for Fruit Tart

Gelatin	1 envelope (7 grams)
Cold water	1 C
Sugar	1/2 C
Fruit	1 1/2 C

Soften gelatin in cold water in a small saucepan.
Add sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve gelatin and sugar.
Chill by immersing in an ice water bath until syrupy and slightly thickened.

Wash, dry, and slice fruit. I use strawberries, kiwi fruit, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, apricots and other soft fresh fruit.

Drain fruit for a few minutes on a towel. Dip in glaze and then place on tart.

Recipe for shortbread crust
Recipe for custard filling

This is so easy to make. The only ingredient that isn't on the Simply Frugal shopping list is the gelatin. Otherwise, it only uses stuff that's already in your pantry along with inexpensive seasonal fruits.

Sesame Broccoli

Sesame Broccoli
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Broccoli, fresh or frozen	1 pound
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Soy sauce	1 tsp
Roasted sesame oil	1/2 tsp
Sesame seeds	1 tsp

Steam broccoli briefly and place in serving bowl.
Mix lemon juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Sprinkle over broccoli and then toss.
If you are serving this as a cold summer salad, refrigerate for several hours.
Otherwise serve immediately, sprinkling sesame seeds for garnish.

Note: There are two kinds of sesame oil sold. One, a light golden color, is used as you would use any cooking oil. Dark or roasted sesame oil is a flavoring ingredient that can be purchased in Asian grocery stores and in some supermarkets in the ethnic foods section. Don't try to substitute one for the other. The darker oil has a very powerful flavor.

Simple Potato Salad

Potato Salad
Originally uploaded by Simply Frugal

Potatoes	4 medium
Oil	1 Tbsp
Vinegar	1 Tbsp
Thyme	1/16 tsp
Basil	1/4 tsp
Dry Mustard	1/8 tsp
Marjoram	1/4 tsp
Celery seed	1/4 tsp
Sugar	1/4 tsp
Celery	1/4 C
Onion	1/4 C
Green olives	2 Tbsp
Mayonnaise	1/4 C

Boil whole potatoes until tender.
Mix oil, vinegar, thyme, basil, dry mustard, marjoram, celery seeds, and sugar.
When potatoes are tender, peel if desired, and cut into 1/2 inch dice while still hot.
Pour oil and vinegar mixture over hot potatoes, tossing gently. Let sit for half an hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When cool, mix in chopped celery, minced onions, and chopped green olives.
Stir in mayonnaise until potatoes are lightly coated.
Serve chilled.

Notes:
Buy 'salad' olives rather than the perfectionist whole stuffed olives.
Go light on the mayonnaise. It doesn't need to be visible to taste like potato salad.