Apple-Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal

We make all of our Instant Oatmeal Packs starting with this Basic Recipe:

 

Basic Instant Oatmeal:

2 cups quick oats

2 cups quick oats ground to a powder in blender

3/4 t salt

Mix well.

We then make individual servings in the snack-size ziploc bags and store in the pantry.

Remember those antique dried apples that I told you about on Facebook?

Well, they're delicious in this oatmeal -and they were free!!!

 

Methinks this is far better than anything I've tasted from a box- and SO much cheaper!

 

 You could dress it up as 'apple pie oatmeal' by adding other spices or tossing in some nuts.

Apple-Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal

1/3 cup Basic Instant Oatmeal (above)

1T brown sugar

1/3 cup loosely packed dried apples

dash of cinnamon

To cook, simply add 2/3 cup of very hot water and allow to sit for approx 3 minutes.

Other flavors of instant oatmeal:

Brown Sugar and Spice

Coconut Cream

Cinnamon Bun 

Smores

and if you have dried lemon zest, you could even do that for Lemon-Poppy Seed Oatmeal

Exo 30:23  Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels...

Cocoa Powder Brownies/Recipe for Pantry Brownie Mix

 I've been pretty good about keeping my sweet tooth (uhm, that would be teeth, certainly plural) in check but sometimes chocolate, in the form of brownies, is ...well....healing therapy!

This recipe makes a 9x13 or 12 muffin-sized brownies.

You can also premix all of the dry ingredients and store in jars or bags in your pantry for your own, frugal brownie mix!

Great convenience food! 

(Isn't anytime a convenient time to eat brownies?.. Is it a little too late to try to convince you that I really made these for the kids?)

1 cup of all purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

4 eggs

1 t vanilla

*opt: 1/2 cup walnuts + 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

(the more chocolate the merrier!)

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the center for wet ingredients and gradually blend into the flour mixture. (If using the nuts and choc chips, add them to the dry ingredients first.)

Spread in sprayed 9x13 or muffin tins. 

Bake at 350 for 22 to 25 minutes.

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Psa 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Homemade Wheat Flakes Cereal

I've tried these several times now and I finally have them where I like them.

My first few batches, the flakes were so thick and hard, that it was like chomping on flint rocks. 

(If yours happen to turn out like that, no worries, just whirl them in a blender and make them more like "Grape Nuts".)

But being a bit tenacious by nature, I kept thinning the batter down until I have a nice, thin flake!

Yaaah!

AND- if you can't or don't want to eat wheat, you can make your own corn flakes, rice flakes, etc.

You will just need to adjust your liquids to make sure your batter is really thin.

These have a wonderful flavor and they don't have all that ekaodfa'e'rakjhfsdpghaejasulose stuff in them that you can't say!

Yep, with these flakes, you'll be able to read all of the ingredients! A real bonus, huh?

Taste and pronunciation go hand in hand these days ;-)

Homemade Whole Wheat Flakes

2 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 cup sugar (your choice)

2 1/2 cups water

Pour all ingredients into a blender and whirl until smooth. (Use a hand mixer or whisk if you need to. Just be sure to break up all the lumps.)

Pour on 3 buttered, lipped cookie sheets. Be sure to turn the pan so the batter spreads out evenly. 

(Thick spots mean thick places and longer baking.)

(approx. 13x18 size)

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Break off the crisp outer edges and place the remaining part back in the oven and continue to bake until all of it has crisped. 

(This may take up to an additional 20 minutes if your battered pooled in the center.)

The outer edges are nice and crisp. Break them off and toss the center back in.

This makes about 1 quart of dried cereal. 

It's a bit time consuming too. 

But- if you want cereal, especially one without ejflsdkhuhfjsdklose- you got it!
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This post is linked to HomeMakerOnADime,KatheWithAnE,Our Delightful Home,

Where did the time go?

I needed a quick meal, so in the pantry I went digging!Hmm, a can of chicken($2), 2 pkgs of Knorr (bought for about .60 a pack) , a pkg of broccoli from the freezer ($1), and a handful or two of cheese...equals....

Served with some leftover cole slaw and some herbed rice cakes made from leftover brown rice.

Quick, easy, frugal, tasty!

Quick Cream Cheese Bars

Need a quick and easy dessert that has a touch of class? If so here's the treat for you!

My children thought this was super great! They also said that they couldn't really taste the cream cheese in it.

It's easy to make and versatile.

Fruit and other toppings could be served on top of each serving if you like.

Coconut, chocolate chips, etc. could be added in the filling.

*

1 box of yellow cake mix

mixed with

1 stick of melted butter

1 beaten egg

Mix these 3 until all moisten. It will have a crumbly type texture.

Press it out in a 9x13, going up the sides slightly.

Cream; 1 8oz package of cream cheese.

Beat in 2 eggs

and

2 cups of powdered sugar

Mix well until creamy and all lumps are gone.

Pour over cake mixture.

Bake at 425 until the middle is set. It will be lightly golden.

Cool and cut and serve!

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Cherries, other berries, etc could make this a more formal treat, but it's great just like this!

You could also melt some chocolate chips or white chocolate and drizzle on the servings.

FRUIT LEATHER (aka homemade fruit roll-ups)

These are so easy to make with a food dehydrator and so much healthier than the ones from the store.

These were made from apples and a little juice. I placed all but the core in a blender with a little juice (or cider works well) and blended to make applesauce.

I then pour the applesauce onto sprayed dehydrator sheets and run in the dehydrator through the night and by morning we have fruit leather.

*

You can use other fruits too. I've used pears and I've also tossed in strawberries before. You can also flavor the apples with other flavors of juice.

I also like to sprinkle the applesauce with cinnamon.

--You can also make this in the oven!--

Lightened Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 package of Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/3 cup ground flax

1 stick of light butter (I used Kroger brand- like 6g fat)

1/4 cup egg white substitute

a few drops of water if necessary to moisten

Bake 10 to 11 minutes at 350.

A very nice cookie--but don't eat too many!

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES on the light side!

This is another idea for prepackaged food.

I used a regular chocolate cake mix with only egg whites, applesauce, and water for the liquids. I also added 1/3 cup ground flax and a tablespoon or two more water. The egg whites and flax really make these light and spongy!

The icing is 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of black cocoa, 1 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and just enough water to make it creamy,

The icing must be used quickly as it will set up quickly!

No oil- no butter-great treat!

Pre-packaged Food- adding a (Hopefully!) healthy spin

Come on girls...we all do it from time to time....buy packaged food that is.
No, its not 'best' for us and often the price is outrageous but sometimes when we can get a great deal on it, its great to have around! We all have those moments when we are running behind and somebody is hungry!

These are some ideas to add something (Hopefully!) healthy! ;-)
**To the strawberry muffins I added 1/4 cup of ground flax and a mashed banana from the freezer--you wouldn't believe how the kids bragged.
**To the macaroni and cheese I added tuna and used it for the main dish at lunch. Sometimes I also throw in some leftover peas and carrots.
**To the oatmeal cookies I added 1/3 cup of ground flax and about 3/4 chocolate chips.
**To the white cake mix, I used applesauce instead of oil and only egg whites. I used the batter for cupcakes. These things were so light!
**To the popcorn (the plainer kind) I add fake butter sprinkles and a dash of Parmesan cheese and some chili powder. That equals Chili-Cheese Popcorn! Yummy!
**I use whole grain cereals to make marshmallow treats.
**If I use a mix for pancakes, I add ground flax or bran.
**To Hamburger Helper, I often use turkey, but if I use beef I can sneak in some mashed pinto beans to many of the flavors.

PLEASE POST IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS!

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http://tammysrecipes.com/