Try this delicious and easy meal plan your family will love, including a hearty Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe, Brownie Banana Delight, Ninety Minute Rolls and more!
Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe And Tasty Meal!
Tips:
Instead of tips today I added a couple of extra recipes at the bottom for you to use with all the cabbage which has been on sale this week.
Menu:
Mushroom Barley Soup*
Ninety Minute Rolls*
Brownie/Banana Delight*
Recipes:
Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe
1-1 1/2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 can (14-1/2 oz. or 2 cups) beef broth
1 can (14-1/2 oz. or 2 cups) chicken broth
2 cups of water
1/2 cup pearl barley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Combine all but salt in a large pan and simmer a couple of hours or until meat and barley are tender. Salt to taste.
Ninety Minute Rolls Recipe
2 – 2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg. or 1 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. margarine
Mix 3/4 cup flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Heat milk, water and margarine until very warm (120° – 130°). Add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 1/4 cup flour. Beat 2 minutes on high. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead 2-3 minutes. Place in a greased bowl. Let rise 15 minutes. Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape into balls. Place in an 8 inch round cake pan. Let rise 15 minutes. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 rolls.
Brownie/Banana Delight Recipe
1 pkg. brownie mix
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanuts, chopped
3 medium bananas
1 2/3 cups milk
2 pkgs. (5 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
1 (8 oz.) carton frozen whipped topping
Mix brownie mix according to package directions, adding 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to it. Pour in a 9×13 pan greased pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool. Slice bananas and lay on top of brownies in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of chips and 1/4 cup peanuts. Mix milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping and spread over bananas. Sprinkle with remaining chips and peanuts.
Sauerkraut Soup Recipe
From: Chris H.
1 pound smoked Polish sausage cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium onions chopped
2 carrots cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
1 can (32 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
In a large saucepan, combine sausage, potatoes, onions, carrots and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add sauerkraut and tomato paste. Mix well. Return to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer another 30 minutes. If a thinner soup is desired, add water or more chicken broth.
Hawaiian Cole Slaw Recipe
4 cup cabbage, shredded
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple, crushed, drained
1/4 each raisins, coconut, nuts
3/4 cup your favorite coleslaw dressing
Mix and serve.
Greek Slaw Recipe
1/2 cup pecans*
4 cups coleslaw, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, grated or shredded
1 1/2 cups red grapes
1/4 cup feta cheese
Dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
1 Tbsp. sugar
In large bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Toss in slaw ingredients on top of it and mix well. Serve immediately or cover and chill.
For hundreds of recipes for quick and easy inexpensive home cooked meals, check out our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.
Tawra or Jill,
I generally find your recipe suggestions very appealing; partly because they taste great, and also because they are very frugal.
How do you find that your personal food expenditure compares to what a family would get if their food costs were provided for by SNAP(food stamps)?
Chris I am not exactly sure what your question is but I do know at one point I was feeding my family of 3 for about $150 a month and that same size family received $375 a month for the same size family. Over the years most of the time a family on food stamps has usually received more then double of what I feed my family on. As a matter of fact families on welfare (and I know a lot of them personally) were much better off then I was for a majority of the time when my kids were at home. That is including medical, food stamps, housing break, cash etc.
Jill ~ My question wasn’t worded very clearly – sorry, but you did a good job of answering it anyway:)
I live in CT and here’s what I found on our Dpt Soc. Serv. website:
For a household of: the maximum SNAP benefit is:
1 $200 monthly
2 $367 monthly
3 $526 monthly
4 $668 monthly
My curiosity was whether I spend more or less than what the maximum amount is for a household the size of mine is(2, we’re empty nesting)
Oh Chris what do they say third times a charm? We may have to try this a third time.:):) Don’t feel bad I have had people who have asked me something 4-5 times before before we finally get it down. :) I don’t mind at all and please don’t get frustrated with asking again.
I’m still not real sure what you are asking. Did you want to know how what you spend compares with the 2 household amount? If so I would need to know how much you spend. Or were you asking should you be spending more or less then they do? Or is it neither. :)
One thing you will have to do some figuring because you said you buy food for pets, cleaners and other non food items where people on snaps can only use there food stamps for food items. Please don’t give up on me and let me try to answer you again. We will get it yet.:)
BTW, my “grocery” budget includes food for people, food for pets, cleaners,tp, hba etc etc etc
Goodness, you’re a patient woman.
Even tho I was comparing apples to oranges, I was measuring up what I spend on “groceries” to what a family of 2 spends on just food if they get the maximum SNAP benefit.
Once I found that chart on the CT DSS website, I had the information I was looking for – but followed it thru on your message board anyhow – just fyi.I guess I was thinking out loud.
By the way, in January we spent $382 for the month, and in February that went to to $362. I’m keeping track of the expenditure by circling those entries in my check register.
To funny Chris. Sounds like you answered your own question. One thing for not only you but others out there you need to factor in several different things when comparing what you spend to others. For example like you said you including all those other things where some people only include food items. Also I have known people say the only spend this …. amount on groceries and think they are doing good but fail to mention or figure in that they go out to eat 5 times a week or 2-3 nights a week eat at family or friends homes where someone else who has a little higher amount never goes out and always eat at home.
Also things can depend on your own personal family. It’s hard to say a family of 6 should spend this…. amount because one family of 6 might have 4 little girls under the age of 5 where another may have 4 teenage boys. So there is a lot involved. Bottom line is just to be as careful as you can with what you have for your family.
My mother used to make Mushroom Barley soup and I’m so glad your recipe sounds so much like hers. I am going to make your recipe this weekend. Thank you!
PS – I love your website.
Jill,
Well put .. .. ..
Being careful with your grocery/household budget is one of the mosty important features in keeping costs trimmed.
For me, I’ve found that judicious use of leftovers has been a HUGE help. Reinvent meals and then reinvent those leftovers, if you need to.
My Mushroom Barley soup ,in addition to your ingredients, has 1 cup of Lentils and 1 bay leaf. You can also add dried porcini mushrooms. Because I add lentils you don’t really need the meat if you choose to have this soup meatless.
Jill
That Greek slaw sounds good
Do you have to use pecans or can you use almonds? Just wondered if it would change the taste Thanks
Almonds would be fine and you could use walnuts too.
Jill, those ninety-minute rolls sound scrumpdelilicous (is that a word??)! Can you substitute unsalted butter for the margarine? I want to make these with my Kitchenaid mixer.
Even if it isn’t a word I know exactly what you mean that is what counts. : ) Yes you can use butter instead.You can also easily double the recipe if you need too except you don’t have to double the amount of yeast.
Hi, Jill and Tawra
Your soup recipes sound great! One thing that is a health concern for me, and probably others, is sodium. I have found low-sodium beef and chicken broth powder at stores that sell bulk items. They have good flavor and work well in soups, stews, and gravy. Just thought I’d mention it:)
Love this lot information..
I like to know if there is a website where you can find if I can stop working and stay home with the kids.
Didn’t know if you have checked out our site for this topic or not but we really cover it quite a bit and come up with many different ideas then the stuff you usually see in the magazines and on TV.I am listing some belowto get you started. If you need more type in stay at home mom in the search box at the top right of the page. Our stay at home stuff has been so popular that we even wrote an e book that really, really covers it all. You might want to just read the things we cover in it. We left no stone unturned from the emotions to the money and practical ways to accomplish it.
Also here is one of our all time favorite articles is very inspiring and fun to read. You might like it too. It is called When Queens Ride By. It is totally free and we don’t pester you with stuff if you read it. We just think it is important enough and makes a big impact on moms who are thinking about staying at home or think that staying at home is not that important that we wanted everyone to be able to read it.
Other articles and the e book.
If you want to work at home be creative
Staying at home it is your Choice
Quit your Job, Stay at Home, and Save Money
Stay at Home Mom e book
In your 90 min. Rolls recipe..what kind of flour do you use? Bread flour or Plain Flour? Thanks..Can’t wait to try them! My mom & I make sourdough rolls every 7 days..it would be nice to have a recipe that we don’t have to wait so long in between to make. We love to make our sourdough rolls to give to shut-in people & those who have been sick within the community..they are always received well. Thank you! LOVE your newsletter!
All purpose regular flour. You can double this recipe but you don’t need to double the yeast. You can also use this dough to make really good cinnamon rolls too.
I agree with Chris about using leftovers. Don’t just microwave & serve again–do something different with them. I made a double batch of gravy 2 nights ago. Why serve it over mashed potatoes again when I can make some drop biscuits. Biscuits & gravy around here are the meal, not a side dish. Sometimes I “squirrel away” a little meat (before serving)from another meal & add that, sometimes not. Tonight is a not. I think we often over think meals. If it fills you up–that’s all you need. We eat enough fruits & vegetables the rest of the week to balance out.
I don’t think there is a less expensive meal out there. Oh & I’ll make extra biscuits for breakfast tomorrow to go with a spinach omelette.
I agree. We make it too complicated and have written several posts on that same subject. If some you you need to find out how to simplify your menus and meals just type in simple meals in the search box at the right top and it will show you many ideas.
Leftovers! My favorites, always nice to have in the fridge or freezer. I make several meatloaves at a time. Great with baked potatoes and a vegetable/salad. My husband loves meat loaf sandwiches in his lunch for work. I freeze the extra and the seasoned meat is wonderful in soup, spaghetti, chili, or whatever. I have also found that heating slices by lightly browning in a frying pan make it taste as good as when it first came out of the oven.
Thanks for the cabbage recipes. I have part of one in the refrigerator that needs to be used.