Recipes that won’t break your budget

Just a few summer request that won’t break the budget…I’ll be seeing you around…Agnes

Saltine Cracker Candy

One sleeve of saltine crackers (about 40)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups chocolate chips-dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate-whichever you prefer

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Make sure to line your cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper and lay the saltine crackers out in a single layer. It is important to use a cookie sheet with at least half of an inch lip on it-to keep the brown sugar and butter from running off the edges of the pan. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine brown sugar and butter in a pot-bring mixture to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. After boiling-quickly pour the brown sugar mixture over the crackers and spread evenly. Bake for 5 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crackers and let sit for a few minutes until they begin to melt. Spread melted chocolate chips over crackers and sprinkle on chopped pecans or not and set pan aside till the crackers cool completely. Once the candy has cooled you can break or cut it into pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Miller’s Fried Cornbread from The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, TN.

 Ingredients:

2 cups OLD Mill White or Yellow Self-Rising Cornmeal 1 1/2 cups buttermilk Canola oil or bacon drippings

Directions: Mix cornmeal and buttermilk in a bowl until well blended. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drop batter, by heaping tablespoons, into hot oil; brown on both sides, reducing heat as necessary. Makes about 14 to 16. Serve with pan broiled fish and crisp, fresh vegetables and dip.

 Eggplant Sandwich

Peel and slice one eggplant. Sprinkle with salt and let it set in a colander for 30 minutes to drain. Coat in a little seasoned flour. Dip in a mixture of 1 egg beaten with ½ cup of milk. Remove and coat in the seasoned flour or some seasoned bread crumbs. Fry in about ½ inch of hot oil in a heavy skillet. Turn once. Set aside to drain. To assemble the sandwich:

Spread bread with a mixture of ½ cup real mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon catsup, and 1 tablespoon mustard. Layer eggplant slices on one slice of bread. Top with a very thin slice of sweet onion, thin slices of ripe tomato, and lettuce. Top with another slice of bread. If you like bacon and or cheese can be added to sandwich. Cut in half and serve.

 Onion Sandwich

Make like BLT, just omit the tomatoes…you have BLO.

 Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup jelly

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped toasted nuts

8 slices of bread

Cream together peanut butter and jelly. Add raisins and nuts and mix well. Divide among 4 slices of bread. Spread to cover surface of bread and top with remaining slices. Cut sandwiches on the diagonal and serve.

Ripe Tomato Sandwich

Spread a good mayonnaise on two slices of your favorite bread. Peel and slice a ripe tomato. Put salt and pepper on your bread and cover one slice with tomato slices. Top with the other slice of bread and enjoy. You can also add lettuce, onion, bacon, or dried beef.

 Sandwich Spread

Grind: 9 green tomatoes; 9 ripe tomatoes; 2 large onions; 12 sweet peppers (red, yellow, and green) and drain off the juice. Add 2-Tablespoon salt; 1 cup prepared mustard; 1 ½ cups sugar; and 1 tablespoon celery seed. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1-quart salad dressing (like Miracle Whip). Mix well and put into sterile canning jars. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.                                   

 Fried Green Tomato Sandwich

Per Sandwich

Slice green tomatoes and fry as you normally do and set aside to drain.

Fry 2 to 3 slices bacon

1 thin slice of large sweet onion

Lettuce

2 slices of bread

Mayonnaise

Salt and Pepper

Spread mayonnaise on bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer fried green tomato slices, onion slice, bacon, and lettuce. Cover with the remaining slice of bread. Press down on the sandwich, cut in half, and serve.

Something to think about: Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.”? So she did and she had a wonderful day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “H-M-M,” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.” So she did and she had a grand day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said, “Today I’m going to wear my hair in a ponytail.” So she did and she had a fun, fun day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “YEAH!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!” Attitude is everything. As the saying goes: “The kind of life you will have isn’t determined by what happens to you, it’s determined by your reaction to what happens to you.” Have a Good Day. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.