Budget Christmas Treat - Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

Whether you're looking for something different to leave out for Santa, going homemade on Christmas gifts this year, or just craving something sweet yourself, these truffles are quick, easy, and pretty cheap to make.

Ingredients

• 1 package Semi-sweet baking chocolate (8 squares)


• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter


• 1 8oz tub whipped topping at room temperature


• Various toppings - crushed cookies, powdered sugar, flake coconut, chopped nuts

Directions

Place chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl, microwave on high 1 minute and stir. Microwave another minute until almost melted, stir until it is melted completely.
Stir in the peanut butter until well mixed and cool to room temperature.
Stir in whipped topping and put bowl in refrigerator for an hour.
Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and scoop out mixture with a teaspoon (or melon baller if you have one) and shape into 1 inch balls. Roll each truffle in your chosen topping.
Store the truffles in the refrigerator

Yield: About 3 dozen
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 20 minutes (including refrigeration)

No more pizza delivery

Cut corners by making your own pizza instead of ordering. You don't have to buy a pre-made pizza shell, try one of the following recipes to make your own custom pizzas in a variety of ways. You might even discover a new favorite.

Tortilla Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 package of flour tortillas, any size


• 1 can or jar pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce, any flavor


• 1 8oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese


• Optional - pepperoni slices, black olives, small can of drained mushrooms, chopped onion, diced ham, small pineapple chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Line a baking pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange tortillas in baking pan and spread sauce on each thinly.
Sprinkle each tortilla with mozzarella cheese and add any optional toppings.
Bake for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yield: ? servings
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes


Taco Cornbread Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. corn muffin mix


• 1 lb. ground beef


• 1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix


• 1 8 oz. pkg. shredded cheese, divided (Cheddar or Mexican blend)


• Optional - lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 12" pizza pan with cooking spray and set aside. Prepare the corn muffin mix as directed on package. Spread batter into the pan. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Brown meat and drain. Add the seasoning mix as directed on package.
Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over baked crust. Top with taco meat, and then the remaining cheese.
Bake for 4 - 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Optional - top with taco favorites such as lettuce and tomato. Try using sour cream and salsa as dipping sauces.

Yield: About 4-5 servings
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12-15 minutes


English Muffin Pizza

Ingredients

• 6 English muffins, split in half


• 14 ounces pizza sauce, any kind


• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


• Optional - pepperoni slices, mushrooms, black olives, chopped onion

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line a baking pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange muffin halves in baking pan and spread 2 to 3 tablespoons pizza sauce on each.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and add any optional toppings.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

You can also use bagels instead of English muffins.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes


Pizza on a Hamburger Bun

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef


• 1 jar or can pizza or spaghetti sauce, any flavor


• 1 pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese


• 1 pkg. 8 count hamburger buns


• Optional - mushrooms, black olives, chopped onion

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Separate buns and place halves on baking pan. Heat buns for 5 minutes.
Brown ground beef and drain. Add pizza sauce to the ground beef.
Spoon the ground beef mixture onto the bun halves and top with mozzarella cheese.
Add any optional toppings.
Bake for 10 minute or until cheese is melted.


Yield: 16 pizza burgers
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Wednesday Budget Tip: Quick Easy Thanksgiving Recipes

I'll admit it, I'm disorganized. While a lot of people have established traditional recipes to pull out each Thanksgiving to cook, I'm just not there yet. And I tend to procrastinate too, so I'm usually scrambling looking for some last minute fast and cheap Thanksgiving recipes beyond the turkey. I thought there might be some others out there in a similar situation, so here are some recipes I've found that can be put together fast and have only 3-5 ingredients each.

Caramel Apple Dip

Ingredients

• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened


• 1 cup packed brown sugar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Blend ingredients together in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold with red, green, or yellow apples

Yield: 2 cups
Prep Time: About 5 minutes
Cook Time: None

Sweet Potato Apple Cranberry Bake

Ingredients

• 29 oz can sweet potatoes


• 21 oz can apple pie filling


• 16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully fold ingredients in the casserole. Bake until sweet potatoes are heated through, about 30-45 minutes.

Yield: About 4 servings
Prep Time: About 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes

Baked French Onion Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup long cooking rice, uncooked


• 14 1/2 oz can beef broth


• 10 1/2 oz can French Onion soup


• 4 oz can muchroom stems and pieces, drained


• 1/4 oz cup butter or margarine

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine rice, broth, soup, and mushroom pieces in an ungreased 2 quart casserole dish. Dot mixture with butter and bake for 50 minutes.

Yield: About 4 servings
Prep Time: About 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes

Easy Berry Crumble

Ingredients

• 4 cups berries (blueberries, blackberries, etc)


• 1-2 tablespoons sugar


• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened


• 3 1 1/2 oz. packages maple and brown sugar flavored instant oatmeal

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix berries and sugar together in an ungreased 9 inch pie pan. Put the oatmeal packages into a separate bowl, cut the butter into the oatmeal until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle the crums iver the berries and sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.

Yield: About 5-6 servings
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Wednesday Budget Tip - Quick Recipes

I thought this week I'd offer some quick budget healthy recipes to help offset sugar highs from all the Halloween candy :)

Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper


• 2 eggs


• 4 cups cooked rice


• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Directions

Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray, then add green pepper and saute until crisp-tender. Add eggs and cook until they are completely set, stirring frequently. Add the rice and soy sauce; heat through.

Yield: 7-8 servings
Prep Time: About 5 minutes
Cook Time: About 10 minutes


Speedy Tortilla Soup

Ingedients

• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted


• 4 cups water


• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken


• 4 flour tortillas cut into 2-1/2-inch strips

Directions

In a saucepan, bring the soup and water to a boil. Stir in the chicken and tortilla strips; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: About 5 minutes
Cook Time: About 30 minutes


Enjoy!