Chicken Fried Rice

This was an excellent and cheap dish. I cooked that chicken that I bought last week for $2.38. We had the chicken one night and I used the leftovers to put in this rice. So we got two dishes out of it. I forgot to take a picture of my chicken. Next time I cook one I will post how to cook a whole chicken that is super good and easy! Whole chicken is the cheapest way to buy it but I know it can be weird if you aren’t used to handling a whole bird! Back to the rice. I used this recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I hope you will try this. I doubled the recipe below so that we would have leftovers for lunch. Also the picture was taken after we had eaten because my battery was dead. So this is a photo of the leftovers.

Ingredients
· 2 eggs, beaten
· 1 teaspoon soy sauce
· 1 teaspoon sesame oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil because that is what I had)
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 1 tablespoon cooking oil
· 1 stalks celery, thinly bias-sliced (1/2 cup)
· 3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced (left this out because I didn’t have any)
· 1 8.8-ounce pouch cooked white rice
· 1 medium carrot, shredded
· 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
· 2 tablespoons soy sauce
· 2 green onions, sliced (about 1/4 cup)
Directions
1. In a small bowl combine eggs and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Set aside.
2. Pour 1 teaspoon sesame oil into a wok or large skillet. Preheat over medium heat. Add garlic and egg mixture and stir gently to scramble. When set, remove egg mixture from the wok. Cut up any large pieces of egg mixture. Remove wok from heat.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon cooking oil into the wok or skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Return to medium-high heat. Stir-fry celery in hot oil for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
4. Add cooked rice, carrot, and peas & chicken. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Cook and stir for 4 to 6 minutes or until heated through. Add cooked egg mixture and green onions; cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through.
5. Makes 6 side dish servings

Banana Pudding

I have never been what you would call a fan of the banana pudding. It has always just been okay to me. That is until Janet Beaver brought this to my house after I had Benjamon. Now I am pretty sure she got this recipe from Jesus because it is just Heavenly. In the photo it looks like a plain banana pudding but it is so good and easy. Here goes:
1 (14 ounce) sweetend condensed milk
1 ½ cups of cold water
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
2 cups cool whip (I just use the whole tub) You’re not surprised right?
Vanilla wafers
3 medium bananas (I never use this many because I cut them thin, I’m really just in it for the pudding and cookies)
In large mixing bowl, combine milk and water. Add pudding mix; beat until well blended. Chill 5 minutes (or until you get your babies down for a nap and have time to get back to the pudding) Fold in whipped cream. Layer pudding, cookies and bananas. You can eat this now but I prefer to stick in the fridge for a while so the cookies get mushy. Whatever floats your boat……….

Salmon Turnovers

I was just telling Julie the other day how I had some canned salmon that needed to be used. I’m not that big on salmon patties. Why do I keep buying canned salmon? I don’t know….to punish myself I guess. Anyway I found this lovely gem over at thehappyhousewife.com. Along with some others I will be sampling. I thought these were delightful and super easy to make. I also think you could cut your crescents even smaller and serve as an appetizer at a party. That would go over well. Don’t you just love that crescent roll? So many things you can do with that thing. Try this out (especially if you do like salmon).

Salmon Turnovers- (makes 8 turnovers)
Ingredients:
· 2 (6 oz)cans boneless salmon
· 6 oz cream cheese
· 1 bunch green onion chopped
· 1 celery stalk chopped
· 2 tubes crescent rolls

Leave out cream cheese to soften
Cook onions and celery in about a tablespoon of butter on the stove top for 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain the salmon and put in a mixing bowl.
Mix together cooked onions, celery, cream cheese and salmon (drained)
Take the crescent rolls and put two together to make a square
Put a scoop (about 1/3 cup) of the mixture in the center of the square, then fold up the corners towards the center.
Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
Ps. I felt like I could have cooked these a little longer…..

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

I don’t have a photo of these but a friend asked for a snack recipe. Here’s one that’s quick and easy. I normally have most of this on hand. Now the first time I ever had one of these was over at Brenda Payers house aka Buffys Momma. What a crafty gal to be able to whip up a cookie out of a cornflake. Makes me want to go kiss her right on the mouth it does! Okay so how this goes down is….
you will need:
1 C White Sugar
1 C Corn Syrup
¼ C Butter
1 C Peanut Butter
6 C Cornflakes
Bring sugar & syrup to a boil. Remove from heat & add butter and peanut butter. Melt, pour over cornflakes. Mix together good. Spoon onto wax paper. Now go make these cookies and kiss your Momma.

Mexican Biscuits

Here’s a recipe that came from my friend Aimee’s Granny. I would give her credit by her name but she has only ever been known to me as Granny. We have this at our house as a side dish or an appetizer. If you have been to a party at my house you have been served these tasty treats.
Helpful Hint: Double the recipe. As given, the recipe makes plenty for two. If you are having them for a larger event, definitely double. (This is Granny’s tip. The recipe as is makes plenty as I normally serve this with tacos and rice. But if it’s party time definitely double!
Ingredients:
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 small onion chopped fine
3 tbsp of picante sauce
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup sausage
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup Bisquick
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything but the Bisquick. The mix will be sticky. Go ahead and stick your hands in it and mix it good! Add Bisquick. Mix well- Will be tacky but not as sticky. Scoop balls of mix onto cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes. Really do 17 minutes so the tops will be good and brown. Cool on wax paper or cooling rack.

For more grealt recipe ideas check out The Grocery Cart Challenge

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

Check this out. My friend Callie emailed this to me earlier today. She’s from Australia by the way. You never knew I was so sophisticated and cultured. Knowing someone from another country makes you cultured right? At the bottom of the email it said you must try it straight away. Ya’ll know we don’t say stuff like “straight away” here in Oklahoma. Anyway back to the cake I went and tried it, straight away I did. It was good. Not like a homemade cake that you worked on for hours but better than any store bought goodie you may purchase. Just last night Hubs wanted dessert and since I didn’t have one prepared he ran over to Braums and got a package of those brownies they sell. If I would have had this three minute recipe I could have whipped it up. Much easier on the budget also. Now I didn’t have any chocolate chips but I would imagine it is much better with the chips. This makes plenty for two people or one non calorie counting woman and two sweet babies. That would be me. Go ahead and say it. What a hog! Ps. Please do not comment on my peacock plate atop a rooster place mat. I’m no Martha Stewart folks!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

What do they say????

Well here’s the skinny on that fat question you’re all wondering. What do the cashiers say? In fact some of you have called me up at home to ask…..Most of the time the cashiers are very friendly. Especially if I have the kids with me and score a cart full of cheap diapers. Usually they will comment good for you or something like that. Of course there is always the exception. Here’s my example. I went into Homeland and had 4 transactions to do (one coupon will double per transaction) and I happened to have four coupons that day that would score me some freebies. I got up to the register, two crying babies in tow, and she saw what I was about to do. After she let out a big sigh she rolled her eyes. Right to my face she did! Bless your heart I thought to myself because she didn’t know me. How could she have known what was about to happen to her? I showed her the horns that I keep covered under this luscious head of hair! Well not really. Not as bad as I could have but like I said I had the sweet little innocent children with me. Lucky for her it was. I just told her we live on a budget and this is how I feed my family. I’m sorry if you find it annoying but I’m not doing anything that the store doesn’t allow. You should never apologize for saving money! Who really cares what the cashier thinks. And if there is a line behind me I will usually turn to them and warn them that I am about to do a bunch of wacky stuff and it will just take a minute. Most people want to watch and ask lots of questions. Don’t let the cashier intimidate you or make you feel embarrassed. You are not doing anything you shouldn’t be doing. I guess that’s all I have to say about that. The End.

Cream Cheese Pie

This is a quick and easy dessert that shows it’s pretty little face at the Reid house often. When hubs and I first got married his grandma (known as Mama) showed me how to whip this little gem up. Once, he made the comment that growing up his mother would always keep this pie in the fridge in case he wanted some. Awe, how sweet! Now ladies there comes a time in every marriage when you just gotta let em’ know…………I ain’t your Momma! Hope you enjoy this tasty treat.
1 stick cream cheese softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 can pie filling of your choice
Graham cracker crust (use the store bought one unless you’re feelin frisky. Then you can take 2 cups crushed graham crackers, 1 stick butter melted and 1/3 cup sugar mix it all up and press into a pie pan. Bake 400 for 10 minutes. )
Mix the cream cheese, milk and lemon juice until smooth. Pour into your cooled crust and put in the fridge until set. Hmmm….Maybe like 3 hours. I don’t know because we always take it out too soon and eat it runny. I know, I know what a hog! Then top it with a can of whatever (cherry, strawberry, blueberry or apple all lovely) or as you can see in the photo I didn’t have any topping so I just put fruit on top. And for you healthy eaters this can be made with fat free/low fat and is still great. Enjoy it! kreid

Homemade Baby Wipes

Here is the recipe for wipes that I use. This came from tipnut.com. I cut the recipe in half to make one batch at a time. I store mine in a kitchen canister as I had trouble finding something that would work to stick these in. These work just the same as baby wipes and smell lovely. We go thru a ton of wipes and if you are like me and have a two year old that refuses to be potty trained but leaves you huge old man poops in her diaper these will hold up to that. Would anyone like me to attach a photo with this post? Give these a try. Especially if you have a coupon for some paper towels! kreid

Homemade Baby Wipes
4 cups boiling water4 TBS Johnson’s baby bath soap4 TBS Johnson’s baby lotion1 roll Bounty Paper Towels (cut in half)2 airtight containers to fit paper towels
Directions:
Mix together the liquids then pour half (approximately 2 cups) into each container. Place paper towel rolls in the liquid and seal containers. Wait 5 minutes then flip the containers over to evenly distribute the solution on the paper towels. Make sure to use containers that are airtight and can hold boiling hot water.
Remove the cardboard tubes from the center of the rolls, then use the wipes by pulling the towel from the center.
Baby soap and lotion can be changed to whichever brand you prefer.