Thanksgiving Tips and Yummy Recipes

Hi Everyone!

I hope you're having a great day!

Today on the blog mom is giving some tips to help with your Thanksgiving. While you're there, be sure to read one of our favorite stories of all time, When Queens Ride By. If you need some housekeeping inspiration you HAVE to read this! It will put an entirely new perspective on your housekeeping. If you don't read anything else from us, read at least this one thing!

Also, don't forgot to cash in those Swagbucks you've been earning. I've saved mine up and will be doing some Christmas Shopping on Amazon this year just like I did last year.

Have a great rest of the week!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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I can't imagine Thanksgiving without our traditional meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce, but to keep it traditional and still have something new and different, you might try some side dish recipes that are new twists on old favorites.

Today's newsletter includes a few recipes that might fit that bill, plus some helpful tips for preparing your holiday meal and other meals throughout the year!

Today's Tips:

• If you like cheese with your apple pie, mix 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese into your pie crust and then layer the apple filling with another cup of grated cheese.
  


• If your pies are too runny, add 1 Tbsp. of tapioca to your filling.
  


• To keep your holiday salads crisper, turn a small sauce plate upside down in your salad bowl before you fill it. All the liquid and water will run down under the sauce plate and away from the salad.
  


• When cooking cauliflower, add 1-2 tsp. of lemon juice or vinegar to the water. It will help keep it whiter.
  

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Have you ever wanted to learn how to crochet?

In this Basic Crochet DVD, Kathy Brodock gives simple step by step instructions to teach you this fun stress-relieving pastime.

Learning to crochet can also save you money as you make gifts with a personal touch for baby showers, wedding gifts and Christmas!

Learn More About It Here!

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Today's Recipes:

This first recipe is a great one to make in a regular skillet or, even better, in an electric one (because it will help free up stove space when making Thanksgiving dinner).

Cinnamon Candy Sweet Potatoes

1cup sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup red cinnamon candies (red hots)
1/2 cup (stick) margarine
3-4 sweet potatoes (enough to cover the bottom of large skillet)

In a large skillet, heat first 4 ingredients to boiling. Peel and slice sweet potatoes into pieces about 1 1/2 inch thick. Place sweet potato slices in a single layer in the syrup. Cover and cook slowly over medium heat until potatoes are done and syrup is thick (about 1 hour). Baste a few times with syrup while cooking.

Apple/Sweet Potato Dish

5-6 medium cooking apples*, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, halved and
thinly sliced
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. each, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. margarine or butter, melted

Grease a 2 1/2 qt shallow baking dish and combine the apples and potatoes in it. Mix the rest of the ingredients and sprinkle on top. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes longer, until apples and potatoes are tender.

*Baking apples include Granny Smith, McIntosh and Rome. I like to keep apples like Gala, Jonathan and Golden Delicious on hand because you can eat them or bake with them. Red Delicious are usually for eating but I have used them in a pinch in baking. Red Delicious apples become much softer when cooked, but since I like my apples sweet and very soft when cooked, that doesn't bother me.

Cranberry Muffins

Mix 1 cup of chopped cranberries with 3 Tbsp. of sugar. Add to your favorite muffin mix. For those of you who have the Dining on a Dime Cookbook, you can use either muffin recipe on page 56. For a muffin to go with your meal use the basic recipe or for more of a dessert type muffin, use Mom's Sweet Muffins on the same page.

Pecan Pie Muffins

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup (stick) butter or margarine, melted

Combine first 3 ingredients. In separate bowl beat eggs until foamy and add butter. Pour egg mix into dry ingredients and blend until moistened. Don't over blend. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Thanksgiving Feast - November 17, 2009

Dear Readers,

I hope you are on track getting ready for Thanksgiving! We are eating out this year because it's just going to be us and mom for Thanksgiving. The only downside for us when we go out at Thanksgiving is no leftovers! ;-).

Today on the blog, we have recipes for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Check out our famous roast turkey that everyone raves about! I even put homemade mashed potatoes in case you don't know how to make them.

This week's featured resource is a DVD video to help you Learn to Crochet. I am not domestically inclined ;-) but Kathy makes it looks so easy I am thinking about trying it during the long winter months this year! This is a DVD that you can start and stop as you're going along, which makes it really convenient for learning a new skill like crocheting. Check it out here.

Have a great week!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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Thanksgiving Feast
by Jill Cooper

It's really hard to find ways to save on your Thanksgiving dinner because, let's face it -- It doesn't get a whole lot cheaper than a turkey dinner! Still, I have found some ways that you can save and today I'll pass them on to you! ;-)

For starters, the larger turkeys are usually cheaper, so buy the largest one you can. I hear some of you groaning now about what to do with all those leftovers because you really don't need a 22 lb. turkey for 6 people. Not to worry -- just don't bake the whole thing.

I discovered one year by accident that my butcher (at a regular national chain grocery store) would cut it in half for me. Even if it is frozen he can still do it. This discovery really changed my life. (That sounds dramatic, but I was really having a problem becoming "one" with my turkeys.)

I suddenly had the revelation that I didn't have to deal with mounds of leftover turkey that haunted my post Thanksgiving menu for years. I had just enough for a good old turkey sandwich and some soup. I mean Thanksgiving really isn't Thanksgiving without a few leftovers, is it?

It was so much easier to handle and prepare an 11 lb. turkey rather than to man handle a 22 lb. one. Getting it cleaned and into the pan was a breeze and in and out of the oven was just plain simple.

Just wrap the other half and freeze it to use for Christmas. I've often made ham for Christmas just because by Christmas we are so sick of turkey that we don't want to think of preparing another one -- ever! By not creating so many leftovers, your family might not mind having turkey again. That's also potentially one less thing to buy for Christmas dinner.

If you still don't want to have turkey for Christmas, save it for some cold day in January. If you have a large enough crock pot, cook the turkey it the crock pot. If not, cook it on very low in the oven so that it slow cooks all day. Do you know how delightful it is to come home to the yummy smell of slow cooked turkey?

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Have you ever wanted to learn how to crochet?

In this Basic Crochet DVD, Kathy Brodock gives simple step by step instructions to teach you this fun stress-relieving pastime.

Learning to crochet can also save you money as you make gifts with a personal touch for baby showers, wedding gifts and Christmas!

Learn More About It Here!

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Save by making your own pies and instead of buying the expensive pre-made ones. If you are daunted by the thought of making pie crust, just buy a ready made one. They are usually on sale for very little around Thanksgiving.

It really isn't that hard to make the filling for most pies. Often they are easier to make than a cake or cookies. If you like the traditional pumpkin pie, most cans have the recipe on the back. I also know a really good book you can find the recipe in called Dining on a Dime. HA!HA!

If your family and friends aren't fussy about having the traditional, then you can make banana cream, chocolate, or butterscotch pie. Just take a box of banana pudding, mix it up and pour it into a baked pie crust. Cover with sliced bananas and whipped topping. For the chocolate pie use chocolate pudding with chocolate chips in it and cover it with whipped topping. For the butterscotch use butterscotch pudding, whipped topping and sprinkle with butterscotch chips. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

You don't have to make so many pies that you could open a bakery. I have found that most kids are just as happy with a platter of cookies. Don't overdo it. You'll just wear yourself out! If you have time, make the cookies in the shapes of pumpkins and turkeys.

Save on your relish dish. Buying ingredients for a relish dish can get expensive, especially where we live. One year I paid more for my relish dish items than my turkey. If you're having this problem, only use 3-4 veggies on it instead of 10 and cut out on the more expensive veggies. For example broccoli and cauliflower are very high priced for us so I would probably use carrots and celery. I fill the celery with cheese or peanut butter or cut them into fancy shapes. On this occasion, the turkey is the star and most people won't even notice that you cut back on the relish dish.

Don't make so many side dishes-- Like I said the turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes are above all else. By the time everyone stuffs themselves on those, they only eat a token amount of the side dishes. Why? ---Because of course everyone wants to save room for dessert!!!!!

Easy One Dish Meal and Holiday Desserts

Hello Everyone,

In today's newsletter, you'll find a quick and easy one dish meal along with several other recipes to make your holiday cooking easier!

Many of you have already checked out the great deals at the Christmas Sale, but if you haven't, you'll want to do it today! Dining On A Dime print books are up to 50% off PLUS they come with some special Christmas bonus items that will help you have a great holiday season even if your budget is tight! Oh, and if you need a dozen, save even more with our case discounts. Don't miss out - get it today! Learn more here!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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If you would like to reprint any of the articles, tips or recipes from our newsletters for your newsletter (print or on-line), website or blog you may as long as you credit and link back to www.LivingOnADime.com .

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Today's Tips:

• If you are having a potluck or buffet, be sure to place the silverware, napkins and drinks at the end of the food table so your guests don't have to juggle them while filling their plates.
  


• If you need a punch bowl, check out your covered cake dish. Many of them are designed so you can turn the base upside down and turn the bowl upside down to make a punch bowl out of them. If you are in a real bind, just use a pretty large bowl.
  


• Don't have a dipper? Set a fancy cup (not your husband's football mug) on a saucer next to the punch bowl.
  


• Don't have a gravy boat? Serve your gravy and sauces in small heat proof pitchers. I have seen some really cute pitchers and gravy boats at the dollar stores. This is one item that would be worth buying. Not only can you use it for gravy, but it is a nice way to serve chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, pancake syrup, melted butter, etc.
  

Today's Menu

Sausage Stroganoff*
Tossed Salad
M&M Marshmallow Bars*

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"I really can't say enough good things about the Dining On A Dime Cookbook!"

"I gave a copy to my mom and I have one. It's so good I'm thinking of getting one as a gift for my sister. It is my "go-to" cookbook when I'm wondering how to make something from scratch!" -Tracy

Get this or other great deals this week only! Read about the Christmas Sale here!

Today's Recipes:

Today's main dish recipe is a quick and easy one dish meal for these hectic days. Just mix it up, toss it in the oven and by the time you have your salad made and table set it will be ready. It's also a great dish to make to use leftover potatoes and peas.

*Sausage Stroganoff

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
2 1/2 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, undrained
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups potatoes, cooked, cubed
1 cup sour cream
10 oz. can buttermilk biscuits
1 cup peas, cooked

Heat oven to 375°. In a 10 inch oven proof skillet, brown sausage and onion, drain. Add mushrooms and flour. Over low heat, slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Add potatoes and heat till bubbly. Stir in sour cream. Arrange the 10 biscuits around the outer edge of the skillet and spoon the peas into the center. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Serves 5-6.

Use red and green M&M's on these bars to make a fun and different Christmas cookie. I haven't tried it yet but in a pinch you could probably replace the first four ingredients with a brownie mix and just top with the marshmallows, M&M's and peanuts.

*M&M Marshmallow Bars

1 (18 1/4 oz.) pkg. devil's food cake mix
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup water
1 egg
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup plain M&M's
1/2 cup peanuts

Combine dry cake mix, butter, water and egg and mix well. Press into a greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle marshmallows, M&M's, and peanuts on top. Bake 2-3 minutes until marshmallows melt. Cool before cutting.

Extra Holiday Recipe

In the following recipe, you can add red or green food coloring to tint for Christmas or add another food coloring to tint for any other holiday you want. You can also add 1/4 tsp. of peppermint extract if you like chocolate and peppermint flavors together.

Cookies While You Sleep

2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat egg whites until foamy; add salt and cream of tartar and beat until stiff. Very gradually add sugar, then vanilla and peppermint (if you are using it). Peaks should be shiny and stiff. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet. Place in oven, turn off heat and leave oven closed until morning. NO PEEKING! or you will lose oven heat. Store in airtight containers.

It might be fun to experiment with these cookies and replace the chocolate chips with peppermint, butterscotch chips, chopped maraschino cherries or different types of crushed candy.

Make the meatballs from this next recipe and freeze them in a plastic bag. Lay the bag flat in the freezer to help make them freeze individually. They will keep for up to 3 months. They are so handy to keep on hand to take to a last minute activity, whether it is tailgating, a Christmas or New Year's get together or as an appetizer for unexpected company.

Christmas Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing for chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 bottle barbecue sauce
1 (16 oz.) can cranberry sauce

Line 2 - 15 x 10 x 1 pans with foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix first 4 ingredients. Shape into balls the size of walnuts and place on pans. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes until done. While they are baking, mix barbecue sauce and cranberry sauce in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add meatballs to sauce and coat evenly.

Make Meals in 30 Minutes or Less

Dear Readers,

In today's newsletter, Jill shares lots of tips to make meals in 30 minutes or less!

In case you missed it, the Christmas Sale started today! Dining On A Dime print books are up to 50% off and include some special Christmas bonus items you and your family are sure to love! We are having the sale now to make sure all of the books arrive in plenty of time for Christmas. Learn more here!

Have a great week!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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If you would like to reprint any of the articles, tips or recipes from our newsletters for your newsletter (print or on-line), website or blog you may as long as you credit and link back to www.LivingOnADime.com .

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Make Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
by Jill Cooper

I was having dinner at my son's house the other night and my daughter-in-law had fixed "old fashioned" baked potatoes. You know, the kind you make in the oven and not the microwave. Boy, they were good. It seems that so many things taste better slow cooked in the oven.

We started talking about how much longer it took to cook them in the oven compared to the microwave. That started me thinking. Yes, it does take longer in actual cooking time but in some ways it is easier. When I bake potatoes in the oven, I get them ready and in the oven an hour before dinner and then just forget about them until dinner is ready. Then, all I have to do is set them on the table and dinner is served.

When I microwave them, I tend to start cleaning them and preparing them at the same time that I'm trying to make a salad and heat up the veggies. While I'm doing all of that, I have to remember to keep turning the potatoes and if I am cooking several, I have to put a few in the microwave and when they are done, pull them out and add more, all of this at the same time that I am trying to prepare the rest of the meal.

Why is it that, even though we have faster methods of cooking our meals, they seem to have become more frenzied and hurried than years ago? Then it dawned on me -- With the introduction of the microwave and the idea that meals can be prepares in 30 minutes, most people do nothing to prepare or plan their meals until 30 minutes before they are going to eat. So 30 minutes before dinner you find yourself trying to thaw something, cook it, and slap it on the table and at the same time talk and deal with tired, hungry, cranky kids. Let's not forget how exhausted you are at this time of day, too.

We need to warm up our ovens and start using them again the way our grandmothers use to do. Here are some tips and ideas that prove that cooking meals in a conventional oven instead of a microwave can be just as quick and easy, not to mention how much more delicious they taste and smell.

I think we underestimate the power of coming home and smelling something yummy cooking. We automatically seem to relax, feeling that "all is well with the world". I really think it can change the whole atmosphere of your home for the evening.

I am not living in a dream world. You can fix meals the way our grandmothers did. I hear some readers saying, "Our grandmothers weren't ever as busy as we are and so they had time to fix large meals." I can hear our grandmothers chuckling at that statement. My husband's grandmother had to help on the farm from early in the morning until evening. She took care of a large home garden, canned, cleaned house every day, did laundry without a washer or dryer and still provided meals not only for her family, but up to 20 farm hands as well. She had to do it all without a refrigerator, microwave, or a grocery store and the nearest water was a mile away from her house.

My mother-in-law would go to work as early as 7 am and work until 9 pm 6 days a week, but she still managed to make three large meals each day. If you're thinking, "That's great if you want to spend all your spare time in the kitchen," consider that they spent less time in the kitchen than we do with less of the conveniences and still managed to have well balanced delicious meals each day.

What was their secret? -- They had never heard of 30 minute meals. Even if they had they would probably have laughed and wondered who would spend so much time on a meal? They knew that the key to a quick meal wasn't how fast you could cook, but how organized you were. You can easily have a meal on the table in 15 minutes if you are organized and plan ahead.

No, this doesn't mean you have to microwave or fry everything to have a quick meal. Slow cooking something in the oven not only makes things taste better but sometimes is quicker.

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"Get it in time for Christmas" Sale!
Dining On A Dime Up to 50% off!

"I really can't say enough good things about the Dining On A Dime Cookbook!"

"I gave a copy to my mom and I have one. It's so good I'm thinking of getting one as a gift for my sister. It is my "go-to" cookbook when I'm wondering how to make something from scratch!" -Tracy

Get this or other great deals this week! Read about the Christmas Sale here!

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Our grandmothers' secret to quick meals:

• Keep your meals simple.
  


• Be organized.
  


• Decide what you are preparing the night or the morning before.
  


• Thaw anything you need the night or the morning before.
  


• Prepare as much of the meal as you can during the slow time of your day and when you are most refreshed. (This is very important.)
  


• Slow cook meats in the oven or in a crock pot.
  


• Keep your kitchen clean so you have an uncluttered work area.
  

Here are some ideas on what to prepare. These aren't elaborate gourmet meals. If you are too busy to cook dinner, then you are to busy to make gourmet dinners. Stick with the basics and keep it simple like our grandmothers did.

Roast: Place a roast in a crock pot or pan. Peel five potatoes and carrots and drop them in with it and turn on the oven. This takes five minutes. Clean and cut broccoli, celery and cucumbers for a salad -- five minutes. At dinner time, chop lettuce and tomato for the salad, adding the already prepared veggies. Then put the meat and the fixings on a platter -- five more minutes. Voila! Dinner in 15 minutes.

Stew: It takes me seven minutes to cube meat*, peel five potatoes, carrots and onions, toss it into a pot and to season it. At dinner time, I put bread or dinner rolls on the table -- one to two minutes and I have dinner in nine minutes.

*Ask your butcher to cube or slice all your meat for you. They usually charge nothing or just a few cents per pound. It saves not only time in cutting but in clean up too.

Chicken: Toss a chicken in a pan or crock pot -- two minutes. Clean potatoes to put in with chicken or to bake in the oven -- three minutes. At dinner time, warm a veggie -- two minutes. Slice some fruit -- three minutes. Dinner in 10 minutes.

Lasagna: Put noodles in a pot to boil -- one minute. Fry hamburger, get out cheese, tomato sauce and the rest of the fixings; mix sauce while noodles boil, 7-8 minutes. Layer everything -- two minutes. Cover and put in the fridge for dinner the next day or that evening. Put the lasagna in the oven to heat while getting out of your work clothes, checking the mail, etc. Set the table and cut a salad -- five minutes. Dinner is served; 15 minutes.

Beef stroganoff: Make your beef stroganoff in your crock pot. (If you don't want to use a crock pot, this recipe usually takes very little time just stirring it up in a pan.) Dump everything but sour cream and noodles, into the crock pot -- three minutes and simmer all day on low. Clean carrots, celery sticks and broccoli for a relish dish (five minutes) and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, boil egg noodles (5-7 minutes). While they are boiling, add sour cream to sauce and set the table. Total time: 15 minutes.

Chili: Mix everything in a pot the night before. Depending what you put in, it should take 5-10 minutes. Simmer throughout the next day.

Soup: Do the same as with the chili.

These are just general example of ways to fix meals easily and quickly. It isn't really a matter of time as much as it is a matter of being organized and getting things done before you are too exhausted to think.

If you have meats thawed and the ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same time as it takes to order and wait to get your food at a fast food place.

Also, remember when you have your oven going to try to cook more than one thing in it. For example, if you are going to be baking a casserole, bake a pan of brownies, muffins or baked apples at the same time.

Delicious Holiday Brunches

Hi Everyone!

I hope you're having a good week so far! Today's newsletter includes delicious breakfast recipes that can be used for that extra special breakfast or for a holiday get-together with friends and family!

I want to remind you about a wonderful resource that is 40% off for our readers until Monday. The Cooking Up Some Dough e-book gives a step by step explanation of how to sell your baked goods to earn extra money over the holidays. (The order page shows the full price, but if you enter the coupon code LOAD at checkout, you will get the 40% off.) We've also included our "Gifts In A Jar" e-book free as a special bonus, so check it out today.

Have a great weekend!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

Permissions:

If you would like to reprint any of the articles, tips or recipes from our newsletters for your newsletter (print or on-line), website or blog you may as long as you credit and link back to www.LivingOnADime.com .

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Today we will share some more delicious breakfast recipes with you. Now that the holidays are here, some of us will have every evening booked with a special get-together. If you are planning a get-together or party of your own, try having a brunch instead. It is a good way to use some of today's delicious breakfast recipes, and is a great way to use the ones you are too busy to use on an ordinary weekday.

Today's Tips:

• The holidays are the time of year when many of us try new and different recipes. One rule of thumb is to always read the entire recipe before you start. As a seasoned cook, I don't know how many times I was sure I knew how a recipe should be made, so I didn't read it all the way through and got into big trouble because of it. READ YOUR RECIPE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
  


• Waffles and pancakes aren't just for breakfast. They make great dishes for supper on cold or snowy evenings. You can add so many different things to them. For example, add some puree pumpkin or sweet potato, apples, fried and crumbled sausage, nuts, berries or peanut butter.
  


• Have fun with different kinds of syrups and butters too. Here are some examples:
  
  
  1. Orange-Honey Butter - Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of honey and 2 tsp. of orange zest to a stick of softened butter.
     
  
  
  2. Vanilla Butter - Stir in 1-2 tsp. of vanilla and 1 Tbsp. of powdered sugar to softened butter.
     
  
  
  3. Berry Butter - Mix a few berries with 2-3 Tbsp. of powdered sugar into butter.
     
  
  
  4. Cinnamon Butter - Add 2-3 Tbsp. sugar, 1-2 tsp. cinnamon and a small dash of vanilla to 2 sticks of softened butter. Double this and add to a one pound tub of butter or margarine like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Use on bagels, pancakes, bread or even on baked sweet potatoes topped with some extra brown sugar.
     

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Today's Recipes:

Some of these recipes will be richer and have more unusual ingredients than what we normally share but, since they are for the holidays, I wanted to give you something special for this special time of year.

This recipe can be used for a fun and different tradition for Christmas morning. Can you imagine what the house would smell like? Gingerbread-- Oh Yum! You might also try using them for dessert. Make them ahead of time and then warm in the oven or toaster. Top with ice cream or whipped cream.

Gingerbread Waffles

2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
2 eggs, separated
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Sift dry ingredients together. Beat egg whites to form soft peaks. Beat egg yolks and add other liquid ingredients. Add liquid ingredients to the dry, stirring quickly until flour mixture is moistened. Fold in egg whites. Bake slightly slower and 1-2 minutes longer than plain waffles. Serve with whipped cream. Makes 5 servings.

This recipe was given to me by my sister in law and it is simply to die for! I can hardly eat my regular waffles anymore because these are so good. Check out the ingredients and see why.

Dutch Honey

1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream (not whipped and no substitutes)
1 cup white Karo syrup

Mix everything in a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until it is a light caramel color. It takes about 20-30 minutes. Watch it when you first start to cook it because it boils over easily but once it gets started you can leave it, just stirring occasionally. It is great on pancakes and French toast, too!

Peachy English Muffins

2 English muffins, split in half
2 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz.) can peaches or pears, drained. (Cut thick slices lengthwise to 1/2 inch thickness.)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice (optional)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. margarine, softened
1/4 cup quick cook oats

Spread muffins with cream cheese and place on baking sheet lined with foil. Place peaches in bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and stir. Arrange in single layers on muffins. Mix the brown sugar, remaining cinnamon, margarine and oats until crumbly. Sprinkle over peaches. Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

You don't always have to serve the normal coffee cakes or rolls. Try something different but just as good to go with your scramble eggs and bacon like a fruit crumble. Here are two fruit crumble recipes. The first one is an easy version from my mother in law and the second is still easy, but more of the traditional crumble.

Blueberry - Raspberry Crumble

1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling*
1 (21 oz.) can raspberry pie filling*
1 white cake mix
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup (stick) margarine, melted

In a greased 9x13 baking dish, combine pie fillings. Mix the rest of the ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over pie fillings. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Serve warm.

* You can use any pie fillings you want, like peach or apple. I even saw a recipe once where they used a (16 oz.) bag of dark cherries and a (16 oz.) can of crushed pineapple. Another recipe had blueberry pie filling and a can of crushed pineapple, with coconut sprinkled on everything.

Traditional Fruit Crisp

2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 apples, peeled and sliced or chopped in small pieces*
3 pears, peeled and sliced or chopped in small pieces*
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1 cup berries*
1 1/2 cup oats
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup melted butter

Toss apples and pears in lemon juice to keep from getting brown. Add cinnamon, flour and sugar to fruit. Pour into a 9x13 greased baking dish. Sprinkle with berries. In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients until crumbly. Then sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes until fruit is tender. Check at about 30 minutes.

*Before I add the topping, I microwave my fruit on high for about 5 minutes to get it partially cooked. This cuts down on the baking time.

*If you prefer, you can use all apples, all pears or no berries.

*Use your favorite fruit or whatever fruit is in season.

*If you don't mind peels, you can leave them on.

Homemade Christmas Cookies And Cash - November 3, 2009

Hi Everyone!

Do you want to have some extra cash for Christmas this year? We found a great e-book called Cooking Up Some Dough that gives a step by step explanation of how to sell your baked goods to earn extra money over the holidays. It's on sale for 40% off just for our reader's this week only (Use coupon code LOAD), and we've included as a special bonus our "Gifts In A Jar" e-book, so check it out today.

Next week, we will be having our huge Dining On A Dime Christmas Sale! This is one of our biggest sales of the year and is a great opportunity to get a great deal on our Dining On A Dime Cookbook. They make great gifts, so be sure to have your list ready!

Today is my oldest son's birthday. He turns 12 today and we had a wonderful surprise party for him on Sunday. It was a huge hit. If you want some party ideas for your kids you can see what we do for our parties here.

Be sure and visit our blog. Yesterday, we wrapped up our series about how to self publish your book. If you missed it you can find it here. You can check out mom's Gingerbread Men on the blog, too. They are tremendously popular with our family and we thought you might like the idea!

Have a great week!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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If you would like to reprint any of the articles, tips or recipes from our newsletters for your newsletter (print or on-line), website or blog you may as long as you credit and link back to www.LivingOnADime.com .

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Homemade Christmas Cookies

Start Now

You can get a head start on your holiday baking by planning now! Here are some good things to do to start:

• List what cookies you want to bake for the holidays.
  


• Divide the list into cookies you will give away, cookies for parties, cookies for school activities, and so on. Also, list the ones you will be serving for your own family closer to Christmas.
  


• Make the list of ingredients you will need and then go buy them so you will have them on hand. Stock your pantry.
  

Get as much as you can done ahead of time (now).

• Most cookie dough can be refrigerated or frozen so mix as many batches as you can. Some great doughs for this are basic chocolate chip or sugar cookie dough. You can take these two and add almost anything to them: chips, dried fruit, candy etc.
  


• Freeze the dough in small batches. If you only want to bake one or two cookie sheets at a time you don't have to thaw the whole batch. I do this all year around. I keep small rolls of dough in my freezer. When I hear the grandkids are on their way, I pull out the dough and have a hot pan of cookies when they get here. It makes the house smell good for them, too.
  


• If you will be using colored sugar or coconut, mix it up now. To make either one, place the sugar or coconut into jars with a couple of drops of food coloring and shake. Store it in the jars until you're ready to use it.
  


• If you love shortbread and like to give it as gifts, make it now and store in an airtight container. Shortbread cookies are one of those cookies that are better if they are aged for at least a couple of weeks.
  

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Baking

• Be sure to use what the recipe calls for, whether it is butter, shortening or margarine and never use margarine that is whipped, soft spread or reduced fat. Your cookies will spread everywhere if you do.
  


• Pre-heat your oven
  


• It is best to bake only one sheet of cookies at a time but if you must do more, leave a couple of inches around the sheets for air circulation.
  


• Let the baking sheet cool between batches because placing dough on a hot sheet can make the cookies spread too much.
  


• If your recipe calls for oatmeal or nuts, toast them before using them.
  


• Fill a container that has large holes (like a sugar shaker) with flour to sprinkle your board before rolling out cookies.
  


• Make sure when you roll out cookies to cut that they are all the same thickness. Also, make sure that each individual cookie doesn't have thin or thick spots, either, or they will not bake evenly. You can buy rubber bands to put on your rolling pin to get an exact thickness, but they are expensive.
  
  I have always used 2 strips of cardboard (the thickness that I need) covered in foil and just lay them on each side of the dough with each edge of the rolling pin laying on a strip.
  


• If you don't have cookie cutters or you don't have enough time to use them, just roll out your cookies and cut in squares or diamond shapes with a pastry cutter or pizza cutter. Sprinkle with colored sugar and bake.
  


• Use a wire cheese cutter to slice chilled refrigerator cookie dough.
  


• If you are making huge batches of cookies and do a lot of baking, you might try using old oven racks to cool them on. Just place something under each corner to make sure it is raised up slightly off of the table.
  

Storing and Shipping

• Cookies keep very well for a very long time without freezing. Most cookies don't have ingredients the health department calls "toxic" (their words not mine) and are very safe to keep for long periods.
  


• Always completely cool cookies before storing and never store crisp cookies and soft cookies together. Store soft cookies in an air tight container and crisp cookies in a container with a loose lid.
  


• I find that tins work best for storing cookies because sometimes the cookies pick up the flavor of plastic ware if it was previously used to store something like spaghetti with garlic. This is especially true if the cookies have a lot of butter.
  


• If you have cookies that have ingredients like cream cheese, they will need to be stored in the fridge, but the recipe will usually tell you if you need to do this.
  


• You can freeze cookies up to 3 months.
  


• When shipping cookies, be sure to give them plenty of time to get to the destination and always mark "perishable" on the package.
  


• Soft moist cookies, cookie bars and drop cookies ship the best.
  


• Metal tins are the best shipping container for cookies but, if you don't have one, a sturdy cardboard box will work. Line the box with plastic wrap or foil and place the cookies in it. Crumble up wax paper to place on the top, sides or anywhere else you need cushioning. I then slip the whole thing into 1 or 2 plastic bags.
  
  I wrap that box in bubble wrap and place inside another box. You could also use newspaper, peanuts or even popcorn for cushioning at this point.
  

Misc. Tips

• Cookie ingredients can be very expensive, especially for Christmas cookies. If you need to save money, choose your family's favorites that have the least expensive ingredients.
  
  For example, my family loves sugar cookies about the same as chocolate chip cookies. The sugar cookies cost much less because they don't have things like chocolate chips and nuts in them, so I would bake the sugar cookies.
  


• Another way to save on ingredients is to use less of things like nuts and baking chips. You really can get by with putting half a bag of chips instead of a whole one into chocolate chip cookies. The same goes for nuts. If that same recipe calls for 1 cup of nuts, use just 1/2 cup.
  


• When giving cookies as gifts, make them look more attractive by putting them in cellophane bags and tying with a ribbon.
  


• Instead of just slapping cookies on a platter for your Christmas dinner or party, add a couple of votives or one large candle in the center of the platter for a more festive look.
  


• Save those dried out cookies or that handful of leftover cookies. Freeze them and use them in place of any recipe or dessert that calls for a graham cracker crust.
  

Delicious Sugar Cookies...

We have tried countless sugar cookie recipes over the years but I have always returned to this favorite of mine. I remember so well the day I got this recipe. I was room mother for Tawra for the first time. Another mom brought these to the party and the teacher and I politely took one, thinking it would be like all sugar cookies -- unless they have a lot of frosting, they are a little dry and hard to gag down.

I took a bite and inhaled the rest of the cookie. I even ate a second one. They were so good! I have used this recipe for 30 plus years, even selling them to a restaurant for a while, and they are always a big hit.

You can roll them in balls, press down and sprinkle with sugar or you can roll the dough out and cut them with a cookie cutter. If you roll them, be sure to chill the dough well for at least a couple of hours or, even better, overnight.

Here are a couple of quick tips for working with cookie cutters:

• Chilled and stiff doughs work best.
  


• The thinner the cookie, the more detail will show up from the cutter. If the cookies are too thick, everything tends to melt or blend together. Different doughs and cutters act differently, so bake 1-2 practice cookies.
  


• Use a cookie cutter that doesn't have too much detail and keep in mind that small cookies are easier to handle.
  


• Dip the cookie cutter in flour every two to three cookies.
  


• Use a spatula to lift the cookies to the pan after you cut them.
  

Nan's Sugar Cookies

These are the best sugar cookies you will ever eat!

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
6 cups flour

Cream together the sugar, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Add buttermilk. Stir well and add the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Roll into balls and drop about 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Lay a clean dish towel flat on the counter. Place a clean glass upright in the center of the towel. Gather the towel at the top of the glass and twist so that the towel is drawn tight against the bottom and the sides of the glass. Dip bottom of towel-covered glass into flour and press cookies flat. Place a drop or two of water on the top of each cookie and spread around. Then sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 350° for 5-10 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

Roasted Chicken, Easy Pumpkin Bars, Calico Stuffed Squash

Dear Readers,

I hope you're having a great week so far!

Don't forget that the Dollar Stretcher Tips e-Book Collection is 37% off for our readers this week. This e-book collection is packed with do it yourself tips like Free Heat, Whiter Clothes Without Bleach, Saving Gas, Extending Produce Storage and more! Read more about it here.

Today on the blog, we're continuing the 4 part series about how we self-publish e-books and print books. Check it out here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

Permissions:

If you would like to reprint any of the articles, tips or recipes from our newsletters for your newsletter (print or on-line), website or blog you may as long as you credit and link back to www.LivingOnADime.com .

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Today's Tips:

• Don't forget to hit the candy sales after Halloween.
  


• Check out non-candy items, too. One year, the store had a bag of 24 bags of lunch chips for a dollar. This was an even better deal then packaging my own chips.
  


• If you make candy for the holidays and use the melting chocolate wafers to dip it in, buy the orange wafers on clearance and add red food coloring (paste or gel) to use for Christmas.
  


• Don't forget to think about New Year's parties. Black and silver is used a lot for them, so pick up some black plates, napkins etc.
  

Today's Menu:

Roasted Chicken*
Mashed potatoes
Calico Stuffed Squash*
Speedy Breadsticks*
Easy Pumpkin Bars*

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Today's Recipes:

*Roast Chicken

1 chicken
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. thyme (to taste)
1 tsp. rosemary (to taste)
1 tsp. oregano (to taste)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Rub the inside of the chicken with garlic cloves. Put thyme, rosemary and oregano inside the bird. Rub the outside of the bird with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake at 450° to 500° for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 400° and roast for 35-45 minutes (for a 2 1/2 pound bird) or 1 hour (for a 3-5 pound bird) or until the temperature of the thigh reaches 180°. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8.

*Calico Stuffed Squash

3 small acorn squash
6 Tbsp. margarine or butter
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen mixed veggies in butter sauce*
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup walnut halves

Cut squash in halves, scoop out pulp (the stringy gooey stuff around the seeds) and seeds. Place in a shallow baking pan, cut side down. Fill baking pan with 1/2-1 inch of water. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Carefully turn over, dot each squash with 1 Tbsp. margarine and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes more. While the squash are baking, cook veggies according to package directions. Add 1/3 cup brown sugar and walnuts. Fill centers of squash and serve. Makes 6 servings.

*Note: to make this recipe easier, you can use some canned mixed veggies with melted butter. You only really need to warm the veggies rather than worrying about cooking them when you do this.

*Speedy Breadsticks

1 (8 oz.) can of refrigerator biscuits
1 egg white, slightly beaten
Coarse salt

Heat oven to 400°. Grease a cookie sheet. Separate dough into 10 biscuits and cut each one in half. Roll into a pencil shape about 4-6 inches long. Place on cookie sheet, brush with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden.

*Easy Pumpkin Bars

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 yellow cake mix
3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
1 can vanilla frosting
3 oz cream cheese, softened
Nuts, optional

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 15x10 jelly roll pan. Combine sugar, oil, pumpkin, and eggs on high for 1 minute. Add cake mix and spice. Mix 2 minutes on high speed. Fold in nuts, pour into pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes clean.

Combine frosting and cream cheese until smooth. Frost cooled bars. Store in fridge.

*Here's the pumpkin pie spice recipe from our Dining on a Dime cookbook. You'll need to triple it if you want to use it in the above recipe. You can also make a large batch and store so that it's ready for all those holiday recipes you want to try!

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves

Mix well. Makes 1 teaspoon.