Thursday, May 21, 2009

Dinner Impossible - Cooking on a Budget!

Candy Bar Pizza

- Chocolate chip cookie dough, either homemade or packaged tube from the store (you can use any cookie dough recipe you like)
- Chocolate chips
- peanut butter (optional)
- Assorted candy; cut up candy bars, reeces pieces, m&m's, licorice, skittles, corn candy, etc.

Spread cookie dough on a greased or non-stick foil covered pizza pan.  Spread just to or near edge.  Back at 375 degrees for 2 minutes.  Ovens vary, keep a watch on dough and bake until golden on edges.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  You can also drop globs of peanut butter sporatically over pizza.  Wait 5 minutes.  With the back of a spoon spread melted chocolate and peanut butter mixture.  Immediately sprinkle and/or place candy all over pizza.  Can cool in refrigerator if in a hurry.  Cut into slices. Kids love to help decorate and eat!

Fruit Pizza

- 1 pkg (or recipe) sugar cookie dough
- 1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar (granulated)
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- Sliced fruit such as kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, bananas etc.
- 1/2 cup jam (orange marmalade, peach, or apricot)
- 2 T water

Cut dough in 1/8" slices and lay slightly overlapping on a non-stick foil covered pizza pan.  Press together to form a large cookie.  Back at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden.  Cool.  (Can do ahead a day)  Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and spread on cookies almost to the edge.  Refrigerate.  When nearing time to serve arrange fruit slices on top attractively.  Drizzle with mixture made of the jam and water.  Cut in pizza type wedges.

Chicken Gravy and Rice
Italian Crockpot Chicken
4 Chicken Breasts
1 can campbell's Healthy Request (98% fat free) cream of chicken soup
8 oz pkg light cream cheese (neufchatel cheese)
1 packet (dry) Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

Place ingredients into crock pot and cook on low 6-7 hours. High 3-4 hours. Serve with brown rice and a vegetable.

Dinner Impossible - Cooking on a Budget!


Bruschetta

3 large tomatoes, chopped 

1/3 C red (purple) onion, chopped 

1/4 clove garlic—chop fine, sprinkle with Kosher salt, & mash with side of knife blade 

Fresh basil—roll leaves & chop (about 1/4 C after chopping) 

Fresh oregano—remove stems & chop (use ½ as much as basil) 

Balsamic vinegar (about 2 T) 

Olive oil (about 1 T) 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Mix and allow to mellow in refrigerator.  Serve with toasted French bread or Musso’s Cheese and Garlic Toasts. 

All amounts can be adjusted to taste.