Beer Bread - Broke Food

Beer bread is an excellent quick bread that has just a few ingredients.  Bake it, allow it to cool, and it is great to have with sandwiches or make an egg batter and turn it into French toast.  We like this as just a bread to snack on with real butter and honey.  It also is a great budget stretcher if you're coming up on the end of the week and need bread to go with meals or make sandwiches. 

The recipe calls for Bisquick, but you can also use a substitute for that, which I will list below.  There are only 3 ingredients (my favorite kind!), and it's easy to whip up a batch and have it ready for your next meal.  

Beer Bread 

4 cups Bisquick (this equals one 20 oz. box)*

4 teaspoons sugar 

1 12 oz. can of beer

*If you do not have Bisquick, use 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt.  

Mix ingredients in a  mixing bowl until it forms a sticky batter. 

Pour into a loaf pan and allow to set for approximately 30 minutes.  This may or may not rise.  Your mileage may vary.  

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30-40 minutes or until loaf has risen and turned a golden brown.   

Allow to cool for approximately 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely before slicing. 

Tuna Croquettes - Broke Food

While tuna croquettes are listed as today's broke food, they are secretly one of my favorite things to eat.  Most people know salmon croquettes, but if you're really trying to save, croquettes made with tuna are just the ticket.  

I learned this recipe from my late mother-in-law, Judy, and it's been a favorite of ours ever since.  Most people have tuna in their cupboards, and oftentimes if you match coupons with sales, you can get tuna for a great price.  It keeps well, and it's versatile.  

These also make great mock filet-o-fish sandwiches.  Save a patty, and the next day heat in the microwave and serve with lettuce and tartar sauce as a sandwich. 

The recipe below is for 1-2 people.  If you need to feed more people, double or triple the recipe to suit your needs.  Now, on with the recipe! 

Tuna Croquettes (Makes 2-3)

One 2.6 oz. pouch of tuna (or an equivalent size can), drained 

1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers or bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten 

1-2 tablespoons finely minced onion or 1-2 teaspoons dried minced onion 

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Allow to rest for about 10 minutes so the crumbs soften a bit.  Form into patties and fry in oil over medium-high heat.  Serve with tartar sauce or cocktail sauce (recipes below). This will make 2 large patties, 3 medium patties, or 4 very small patties.

Homemade Tartar Sauce: 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon sweet or dill relish

Dash onion powder 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Combine all ingredients and serve with fish.  My very first job was in a local fish house restaurant, and this was how they made their tartar sauce and their cocktail sauce.

Homemade Cocktail Sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (to taste)

dash of garlic powder 

dash of Tabasco hot sauce

Mix all ingredients and chill before serving. 

Creamy Potato Soup - Broke Food

I love a hot bowl of potato soup, especially considering how cold it's been lately.  Also, for me, this is comfort food.  When I was a kid and didn't feel well, my mom would make me a bowl of "tater soup."  It was a very soothing soup, especially if you have a stuffy nose or have the flu, and it's extremely easy to make in under an hour. 

As my recipes are prone to be, this is a simple one that can be gussied up or left plain in order to suit your taste, budget, and what you have in your pantry.  Also, as I'm prone to do, I don't follow any "rules" with regard to what is or isn't the right kind of potato to use.  I use what I have and make it work for what I need.  The soup pictured reflects that.  I used Yukon Gold for the soup photographed above.  Some might recommend a red potato or say not to use a white potato.  I believe in your food working for you, not having to go out and buy a bunch of fancy stuff in order to make a meal.  If the type of potato is a hard or very firm potato, slice it thinner and then cook longer, checking consistency of the potatoes while boiling until they're the right consistency.  After all, we're broke!  That's why we're making this soup!

The basic ingredients needed are potatoes, onions in some form (fresh or dried both work), some form of milk product, water, and salt and pepper.  The rest can be added to your taste, based on what you have.  I'm going to list the basic recipe, and then below I will list variations/additions that you may want to try.   The variation shown in the photo above includes:  Potatoes, onions, celery, chopped ham, evaporated milk, and butter. 

Creamy Potato Soup Basic Recipe

3-4 medium to large potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks (or one potato per person)

1 medium onion, minced (or equivalent dried minced onion)

Water to cover

2/3 to 3/4 cup milk, cream, half-and-half, canned evaporated milk, or powdered milk

Salt and Pepper to taste 

3-4 tablespoons butter or Margarine

In a large saucepan, place potatoes and onions.  Add just enough water to cover.  Place lid on sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of cooked, drained potatoes.  Mash these thoroughly, then return to the pot and stir in order to thicken the soup.  Turn fire back on under mixture and add milk and butter or margarine.  Heat until steaming, then add salt and pepper to taste. 

Note, if you use powdered milk you may want to only reconstitute it with half the water necessary in order to help the soup's consistency not be too thin. 

Variations/Additions: 

Meat:  Add any cooked meat that you may have such as leftover ham, cooked and crumbled bacon, grilled chicken, chopped turkey, cooked Spam, cooked hamburger meat, kielbasa, and even finely chopped leftover deli meat. 

Vegetables:  Celery, green onions, carrots, corn, chopped sauteed bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, or whatever is left in the fridge from prior meals. 

Broth:  If available, you may substitute chicken or vegetable broth for some of the water in this recipe.  

Cheese/Sour Cream:   If desired and available, you can either top the soup with cheese or stir in up to 1/2 cup finely shredded cheese of any type (stir well and do not boil if this is added) or sour cream to add richness and protein to the soup.  

Spices:  You may also add garlic, a small bit of red pepper flakes, rosemary, basil, marjoram, tarragon, or other spices (not all at once; choose wisely).

This is a taste-as-you-go recipe.  Start with the basic recipe, then add ingredients to your liking.  If you have doubts about how an ingredient will taste in the soup, remove a small amount of soup to a cup or bowl, add the ingredient, taste, and see how things are shaping up.  Once you get the recipe to your liking, write down your additions for use the next time.  

Serve with crusty bread, a salad, crackers, or Fry Bread.  This makes a very filling meal.  It keeps well and reheats well, so it's great to take in a lunch the next day or warm up for a quick meal. 

Egg Salad - Broke Food

Normally I reserve egg salad for the time around Easter when we have dozens of boiled eggs, and we're trying to find some use for them.  However, egg salad is also an excellent, tasty, and frugal meal to have any time of year.  

You can make this as a basic recipe with eggs, mayo, a dab of mustard, salt and pepper, or you can turn it into something really exotic by adding ingredients.  I like mine middle of the road, depending on what's lurking in the fridge and my cabinets.  

This is also excellent as a sandwich, or you can eat it alone as a salad.  Serve it with chips, a green salad, or eat on crackers for a change of pace. 

Egg Salad

2-3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped 

1/4 cup mayonnaise (or plain low-fat yogurt)

A dime size squirt of prepared mustard 

salt and pepper to taste 

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate.  Then serve as you like.  

Additions:  

1 tablespoon dill or sweet relish

1-2 teaspoons minced onion 

chopped celery

chopped green olives 

chopped jalapenos 

chopped green onion 

chopped bell pepper 

Add as many or as few things to your taste and refrigerator can supply! 

 

Beans and Franks - Broke Food

Ever have one of those days where you walk to the fridge, open it, there's nothing there... and then 20 minutes later you walk back and repeat the action?  As if somehow something appealing magically appeared during that 20 minute interval.  Then maybe you go to your pantry and do the same thing, and still find nothing?  This old-fashioned favorite might be the solution. 

This is definitely a comfort mood in addition to being broke food.  Plus, tell me you don't have the movie Something About Mary going through your head right now!  Beans and franks are fun, they're delicious, and best of all, they're easy to make and qualify as broke food. 

Beans and Franks 

2 16 oz. cans pork and beans

1 package hotdogs, franks, weenies, wieners, whatever you call them (about 6-8)

1/2  to 2/3 cup barbecue sauce, your choice

1 tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/2 medium onion, chopped, or 1 tablespoon minced dried onion (optional)

For the oven version of this, place all items in a casserole, combine, and cook at 350 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until sauce thickens.

For the stovetop version, add all ingredients to a large saucepan.  Heat until bubbles form in mixture, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring periodically to keep mixture from sticking. 

For the microwave version of this, place in a microwave safe casserole.  Cover and microwave on high for 15 minutes, stirring at 5 minute intervals or until heated through and mixture has "boiled down." 

Alternative Recipe 

2 14.5 to 16 oz. cans white beans, navy beans, or pinto beans (in a pinch), drained and rinsed

1/2 cup ketchup

1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard or spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 medium onion chopped/minced or 1-2 tablespoons minced dried onion

1 package hotdogs cut into medallions

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and follow baking, stovetop, or microwave directions noted above.

Egg Drop Soup - Broke Food

Today's installment of broke food is just in time for the cold weather!  It's simple, filling, delicious, and best of all, it's inexpensive.  Have it by itself for a meal that is satisfying, or pair it with last week's broke food fried rice recipe, and you'll have enough to feed several people or have leftovers.  

Someone recently told me that I could make these recipes "richer" or have more ingredients in them.  I could, but that's not the point.  The point is to be able to make a meal with what you have on hand by using simple ingredients with just enough spices, additions, and creativity to make it feel like you're not scraping the bottom of the cupboard.   Egg Drop Soup also has just enough protein, in the form of the egg, to give it some substance and flavor. 

On a side note, I LOVE this soup if I've been sick.  It's wonderful for an upset tummy, and it's also very soothing if you've had a cold or the flu.  It just hits the spot in a satisfying way. 

Egg Drop Soup

16 oz (2 cups) chicken broth or prepared chicken bouillon (2 cubes bouillon to 2 cups water)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

A dash of garlic powder

1 egg, beaten  

2-3 green onions/scallions ( or 1 tablespoon chopped onion or 1 teaspoon dried minced onion)

Wire whisk

Optional: 1 teaspoon corn starch mixed with cold water (to thicken soup)* 

In a medium saucepan, bring broth or bouillon to a rolling boil.   Add soy sauce and dash of garlic powder.  Allow to cook for 1 minute and return to rolling boil.  Begin whisking the broth rapidly while pouring beaten egg into broth.  Whisk rapidly until egg forms cooked "strings."  Stop whisking and allow soup to return to a boil.  Add in onions and allow to cook for another minute or so, to combine flavors.  Thicken with cornstarch, if desired.  Serve hot.  Sample and then salt to taste.  Other seasonings to try are ground black pepper, a bit of ground/fresh ginger, or red pepper flakes. 

*Remember, when adding cornstarch to hot liquids, you must first add cold water to the corn starch and stir it well until it is dissolved.  Then pour it into your hot soup. Stir continuously until soup is desired thickness. 

Broke Food - Fried Rice

It's the night before payday, and the pickin's are looking pretty slim in the fridge.  It's time for another episode of broke food!  Fried rice is one of my favorite broke foods because you can whip it up in a few minutes and clean your fridge out in the process!  The additions are what make this an especially great dish. 

You can eat this alone as a tasty and filling meal, or if you have several people to feed, pair it with egg drop soup (coming in a later post) to stretch it further.  Also, the great thing about fried rice is that it's actually the items that have been sitting in the fridge a while that work the best.  Day-old leftover rice is perfect for making fried rice!

I'll put my method below.  There are a million different ways to make this, with various spices and additions.  Once you get the hang of making this, use what you like and what appeals to you for flavors.  In the photo above, I used:  corn, peas, carrots, sliced green onions, and diced leftover pork chop from when we grilled out a couple of nights ago. 

Here are the basic components.  I'll get into detail below this post.

FRIED RICE:

1-2 tablespoons cooking oil of choice

Spices and seasonings of choice 

Vegetables

Protein* (Meat or eggs should be cooked beforehand and set aside.)

About 1 cup rice (adjust to your liking)

Sauce 

In large skillet, heat oil until drop of water flicked on surface sizzles.  Add your spices (not sauces) to the oil and stir for approximately 20 seconds to distribute the flavors in the oil.  Add any uncooked veggies and stir, coating with oil, then allow to cook for a minute or two. Add any already cooked vegetables. Add cooked meat or protein.  Allow to heat through.  Add rice and sauce.  Stir thoroughly to heat through and coat with sauce and spices.  Serve immediately. 

Now we'll talk about what you can put into this wondrous concoction!

Additions: 

Veggies:  Nothing is taboo.  Carrots, onions, bell peppers, celery, medallions of yellow squash, hulled peas, snow peas, broccoli, corn, green beans ... any of it will be great in fried rice.  Also consider adding leftover cooked vegetables from prior meals.  These are great in fried rice. 

Protein:  Diced up scrambled eggs, diced deli meat, Spam, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, garbanzo beans, or tofu are all excellent protein items that can be added to this.  You don't have to have a protein, but in my opinion it makes the dish a little heavier, filling, more satisfying, and provides a more complete meal, especially if you're only eating the fried rice. 

Spices:   You can add any spices you like during cooking.  Ginger, red pepper, sugar, salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, cinnamon... anything that you can think of can make awesome additions to the fried rice.  If you prefer a sweeter taste, consider ginger, sugar, a dash of red pepper, and garlic.  I prefer a hotter, spicier sauce, so for the photo above I used oregano, basil, fresh minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. 

Sauce:  Simple soy sauce added at the end of cooking the rice can be all you need.  However, if you want something a little different, consider a small bit of Hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, or add fruit juices such as pineapple or orange juice to the soy sauce before adding it to the fried rice.  When using sauce, keep in mind what spices you've used so far.  

Rice:  Any type of cooked rice will do.  If you have leftover Minute Rice, use that.  Steamed or cooked long-grain white rice is awesome for this, especially if it's at least a day old.  Even brown or Basmati rice will work in a pinch.  There's also nothing wrong with making the rice in preparation for cooking this. 

Oil:  Really, again any oil will do.  I used olive oil, but plain cooking oil or even melted Crisco will work.  Sesame oil can be used for flavor if you have it on hand.  

Don't be intimidated if what you have on hand doesn't seem to go together.  Use what you have, try it, add some sauce, and you may find that you have discovered a new favorite dish.  Ad libbing the ingredients is half the fun! 

Broke Food - Quesadillas

It's down to the wire, payday's tomorrow, and you surf the fridge looking for something to eat.  The pickings might be slim.  Except.... you have a tortilla, some cheese, and a tiny package of leftover salsa from a fast food drive-through.  That's all you need!  You have all the ingredients for a quesadilla! 

I like the fold-over quesadilla method, but some like to make their quesadillas with two tortillas.  Since this is broke food (i.e., cheap, yummy, filling, and made from what you have on hand), we'll go with whatever you have in your fridge and cupboard.  Here is what I had, but see the recipe below to make a basic quesadilla: 

Basic Cheese Quesadilla

Ingredients:

Tortillas (flour or corn; both work fine, but I prefer flour)

Shredded cheese or cheese slices, any kind

Butter, oil, Pam, or nonstick surface frying pan 

Whatever condiments you have in your fridge

Place butter or oil in a frying pan and allow to heat.  Make sure the surface of the frying pan is covered with the fat of choice. (If you're using a nonstick pan, skip this step, but I do prefer some type of fat to help the quesadilla brown on the outside.)  Place tortilla in the pan and allow it to heat well for about a minute.  Place cheese on 1/2 of the tortilla and allow to heat for a minute or two more.  Fold the tortilla over the cheese and press down gently with a spatula so that the tortilla touches the cheese and the cheese smooshes.  Allow to heat through for another second or two, and then remove the quesadilla to a plate. 

Slice into triangles and serve with any extra condiments you have in your fridge. I hoard salsa and sauce packets from fast food restaurants.  The salsa served with this was from my son's order from Taco Bueno 2 days ago, but I also have a love affair with Taco Bell's Fire Sauce. (Restaurants around here have a taco fixation, apparently, because we also have a Taco Mayo!)

If you have any extra proteins or veggies, you can add those to the quesadilla.  Ideas include: 

• Leftover shredded chicken or beef
• Cut up green onions or diced onions
• Diced/sliced green peppers
• Jalapenos
• Diced bits of deli meat, such as chicken, turkey, or ham
• Olives 
• Guacamole (for a dip, or add it with the cheese if you don't mind it heated up)
• Refried beans 

These are easy to whip out, and they're filling.  This was always what my grandmother made for me if I went to her house after school because it was easy for her to fix, and they were yummy!

Using what you have on hand can also make for some interesting combinations and use up small bits of leftovers that may be languishing in the fridge.  Put them with a little cheese, tortilla, and heat, then enjoy!  

Broke Food - Microwave Scrambled Eggs with Veggies or Heuvos Rancheros

A couple of mornings ago, I was starving, and there wasn't a whole lot in the fridge that was ready to eat.  I hadn't been to the grocery store in a while, and it looked like it was going to be a couple of days before I could make a trip.  

I spotted a carton of eggs and some salsa and knew what I wanted.  I just didn't want to have to take the time to get out a bunch of pots and pans and get them dirty.  

Microwave to the rescue!  I quickly gathered my supplies, and within 5 minutes had a hearty breakfast that was flavorful, spicy, and easy. Normally, any self-respecting southern girl would gasp at not cooking your eggs in butter and a cast iron skillet.  However, I just needed to get to work and fast, without having to listen to a growling belly.  

On a side note, I know that most huevos rancheros are made with fried eggs sunny side up; however, since we're doing this quickly, we had all the components, just a slightly different technique.  

I don't care for tortillas in the morning (yes, I'm weird), so I usually pop a couple of slices of toast in the toaster while I'm microwaving the eggs.  And yes, that's a foam plate.  Did I mention I was in a hurry and didn't want to get dishes dirty?  Ha!   This is also a great way to use up those little tiny packets or containers of salsa you receive with fast food and stick in your fridge!

Microwave Scrambled Eggs with Veggies/Huevos Rancheros 

Pam or other oil

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of milk 

Salt and Pepper 

Spray the inside of a large coffee mug with Pam or lightly grease it with oil.  Crack the 2 eggs into the mug and add the milk, salt, and pepper.  Using a fork, scramble the eggs well.  Microwave on high for approximately 45 seconds.  Remove, stir eggs well, and return to microwave and cook for another 1 minute of time.  Remove the mug from the microwave and immediately dump eggs onto a plate.  Use a fork to break up and distribute scrambled eggs. 

For omelet style scrambled eggs, top with chopped onion, peppers, bits of bacon or ham, cheese, and other goodies.  Use what you have in the fridge.  Leftover stir fried veggies are great heated up and spooned over these eggs.

For huevos rancheros style, top the eggs with shredded cheese and spicy salsa.  Roll into flour tortilla or serve alongside buttered toast.  You could even add refried beans or chili, if you can stomach it first thing in the morning.  Otherwise, it also makes a great evening meal. 

There you have it!  Easy, quick, inexpensive, and satisfying! 

Broke Food - Lentil Chili

Lentil chili may be listed as a "broke food," but realistically it is very tasty, an excellent source of protein, and it's very filling and satisfying, especially on a cold and blustery day. 

I make this at least once a month, if not more, and each time I'm reminded how great it tastes.  Since lentils cook quickly, this is an easy chili to make when you're needing a large, hearty meal.  It's excellent with crusty bread, cornbread, toast, and is equally satisfying served over rice or with noodles.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Lentil Chili

1-1/4 Cups dry lentils (approximately 1/2 pound)

4 cups water

2 tablespoons oil or bacon grease

1-2 Tablespoons dried minced onions

3 beef bouillon cubes (use vegetable bouillon for a truly vegetarian meal)

15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles like Ro-Tel

1 small can tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

Dash of hot pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Another 2 cups of water (possibly)

In a large pot, heat lentils and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly tipped to vent steam, and simmer.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Do not drain. If the lentils look dry as they cook, add water in 1/4 cup increments.  Lentils should still have some liquid after cooking time.  After lentils have cooked, add remaining ingredients. Assess thickness of chili and add water as needed.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes or more.  Serve with rice, cornbread, toast, or noodles. 

Broke Food - Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes

Simple dishes can often be some of the tastiest and most filling.  Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino fits that bill.  Translated, that means spaghetti with garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes. Its rich flavors combined with pasta make this a decadent yet inexpensive dish to prepare.  

It can be eaten alone as a filling but light main dish.  It can also be be topped with grilled chicken, cooked Italian sausage, or other meat.  It also makes an excellent side dish to serve alongside other vegetables or meats.  

Sunday, when I was doing blog posts, this was my lunch!  It was tasty and filling but light enough that I did not feel like I had eaten a heavy meal.   

The recipe located HERE is similar to the method I was taught and as listed below. 

Spaghetti With Garlic, Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes

7 ounces of spaghetti
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced (substitute garlic powder in a pinch)
1 1/2 teaspoons of chili pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil (may use canola or other oil in a pinch)
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Directions

The measurements in this recipe can be shifted depending on your taste preferences.

1. Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente.
2. Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish.
3. Add minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together well.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broke Food - Pad Thai Ramen

Ramen has to be the ultimate broke food, and there are millions of ways to make it.  Pad Thai Ramen is one of my favorites because the base mixture is easy to make, and good all by itself, but even better with some creative additions.  

This is by no means haute cuisine, but it is hot, yummy food!  

PAD THAI RAMEN BASIC RECIPE

1 package Ramen noodles

1 tablespoon soy sauce (prefer low sodium, but use what you have; packets from carryout food work great for this!)

1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter (creamy works, too) 

2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce 

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes 

Prepare Ramen noodles as on package.  Drain 2/3 of liquid off noodles then stir in seasoning packet.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until peanut butter is dissolved.  Eat as is, or mix in additions. 

ADDITIONS  (Use as many or as few as you like, in any combination that pleases you)

Veggies:  Cooked carrots, Lima beans, corn, edamame, snow peas, cooked bits of spinach, shredded cabbage, diced onions, sliced green onions, diced green pepper, diced celery, broccoli, or whatever you have that's available.

Meat:  This is great for leftovers.  Chicken, bits of rotisserie chicken, sliced leftover steak, cubed bits of ham, cooked pork, Spam (yes, really!), leftover shrimp (I know that's an oxymoron), and even browned hamburger meat.  I have even taken several pieces of shaved deli meat, such as chicken or turkey, chopped it fine, and added to this. One or two well-scrambled eggs also work well as protein additions.  

The creative possiblities are endless, and this is a great dish to use up little bits of veggies or meat left over from other meals.  You can make larger portions by doubling or tripling the ingredients for enough to feed a family.  

Add Egg Drop Soup (boiling chicken broth, whisk in 1 well-scrambled egg until cooked and separated in soup,  2 tablespoons soy sauce, dash of red pepper flakes, and sliced green onions), and you've got a full meal!

Broke Food - German Pancake

German pancake, Big Egg, Missionary Pancake, Dutch baby... these are all names for this simple, scrumptious, and filling recipe. It seems that every ethnicity has a version of this recipe, and they all contain the same basic 4 ingredients.  This is very is easy to whip together, and makes a yummy breakfast or even dessert.  

When baking, this resembles a cross between a pancake and souffle.  It puffs up and rises during baking, but then when removed from the oven flattens into a shape that can be cut.  

This can be eaten sliced like a pizza and sprinkled with powdered sugar or served with fresh fruit.  Our favorite way to eat it is with syrup, as it is not a sweet bread and has a very light texture when eaten with syrup or honey.  

Here's the recipe I use.  

German Pancake

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine (prefer butter but margarine is OK)

3 eggs whipped until frothy*

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk 

Place butter in a 8 or 9 inch pie pan and place into a cold oven.  Turn oven to 400 degrees.  This allows the butter to melt in the pan and for the pan to heat up, as well.  

Whip eggs until frothy (see note below).  Add in milk and flour, and mix until smooth.  Remove pan from oven and pour batter into hot buttered pan.  Place back in the oven and cook at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  

Remove and slice into sections.  Serve with syrup, honey, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit in syrup.  

*NOTE:  An easy way to do this is to just place all the ingredients into either a blender or food processor and process for about 30 seconds.  You want a frothy, bubbly consistency to the batter.  Then pour into the hot buttered pan and cook as above. 

"Broke Food" - Fry Bread

 Broke food.... defined as something that is inexpensive, tasty, and filling, and what you eat when you're dead broke.  Admit it.  We've all had those times where there was more month than money maybe because of an emergency or some sort of snafu.  Maybe you're just determined to stay within this month's grocery budget.  You have to stretch what you have in order to make it to the next payday or next budget period.

Broke food to the rescue!

Fry Bread has the bonus of being tasty, all purpose, and can be eaten with a meal as if it's bread, used as a base ingredient for a meal (like Indian tacos), or eaten as a breakfast-type item.

I made pork green chili a couple of nights ago, and we had fry bread alongside it.  It's the base for Indian Tacos by layering fry bread on the bottom, then refried beans, taco meat, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.  It can be eaten for breakfast as it tends to be puffy like a sopapilla, so you can pinch off a corner, fill with honey, and eat.  You can also dust it with powdered sugar and eat it like a powdered doughnut. It's really all purpose! 

Fry Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1-2 teaspoons baking powder

About 1 cup of water

Skillet containing about 1 inch oil or Crisco, heated until a droplet of water sizzles.  The oil depth needs to be deep enough to accommodate the puffy bread.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, then make a well in the middle.  Add the water a bit at a time, stirring with a fork until a sticky ball forms.  Knead 5 times, then cover bowl with a dish towel and allow to rest for approximately 20-30 minutes.

When ready to cook, pinch off an approximately golf ball size blob of dough.  Place an a floured surface and roll out until approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Place in hot oil and allow to cook until it puffs and edges begin to turn brown.  Then flip with tongs and cook until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

The great thing about this dough is it stores well in the refrigerator.  You can pinch off enough dough to make 1-2 fry bread at a time, and store the rest in the fridge.  Make fry bread for breakfast.  Stick the remaining dough in the refrigerator, then at night use the remainder to make Indian Tacos or serve alongside beans, stew, or other soup!  It's an excellent accompaniment to any hot dish.

Chili Redux - Frito Chili Pie

Hungry?  Have stuff that you need to use up in your fridge?  This is a great example of how to do that.  It's called Frito Chili Pie.  I'm sure my local friends are groaning and saying, "Really?  You're using that as a recipe of sorts?"  Well, yes.  Because I realize not everyone knows how to make this awesome stuff.  Technically, it might also be classified as what we call broke food, but sometimes broke food is the best.  (Broke food:  Anything that is yummy, filling, sometimes made from weird ingredients, and will feed you until payday.) 

I made a pot of crock pot chili a couple of days ago.  Now there's a little bit left, and we're tired of just eating straight bowls of chili.  This is our way of changing things up while still using the leftover chili.  I'll also have some things for substitutions/additions below.  

Traditional Frito Chili Pie 

A handful of crushed Frito's corn chips*

About 3/4 to 1 cup prepared chili

Shredded cheese 

Diced onions 

Additions and substitutions:   

Crumbled tortilla chips instead of Fritos 

Sour cream

Sliced black or green olives

Shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes or your little bit of leftover salad 

Wrap it all in a tortilla, and cover with salsa 

*If you want a real tailgate party, ballgame concession stand Frito chili pie, then you get an individual-size bag of Fritos (those tiny ones you get in the mlutipacks), crush the Fritos inside, slit it open lengthways, and dump your chili fixings in.  Eat straight out of the bag with a plastic spoon while wrapped in a fleece throw, sitting at a football game.

Enjoy!!