You can serve this “dip” with chips, or as a side when serving tacos.  Our kids, who normally don’t eat fresh tomatoes, scarf this stuff up big time. Read more

Homemade Guacamole Dip

4 ripe, fairly soft avocados                                        3 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. garlic powder                                                     1 t. salt

1 t. ground black pepper                                          1 T. minced red onion

1 t. chili powder                                                        1/3 c. picante sauce

Cut avocadoes in half and remove skin and pits, placing avocado halves in medium-sized bowl.  Mash avocadoes well using potato masher.  Mix in all other ingredients.  Serve!  That’s it!  Other optional things we add: a few squirts of Tabasco sauce, finely chopped fresh jalapeno to taste, finely chopped fresh cilantro to taste. Refrigerate leftovers.  Total cost: $4.60

This homemade dip has become another favorite of our family and friends.  It’s much healthier than store bought stuff, and delicious too!

Veggie/Potato Chip Dip

1 c. Daisy sour cream                                           1/2 c. real mayonnaise

1 t. dried dill weed                                                  1 t. garlic powder or pressed garlic

1/2 t. black pepper                                                  1/2 t. salt

Mix all ingredients thorougly in a medium sized bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving.  By buying the sour cream at our local Walmart or buying club, and getting the mayo on sale, we can make this dip for a total cost of roughly $$1.54

This recipe is a favorite at our gatherings.  Since we buy the beef by the cow, we generally get our organic, grass-fed beef for about $3.50 a pound.  All said and done, this is a cheap main meal to serve at gatherings.

Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches

5 lbs. chuck roast, preferrably grass-fed           3 c. water

8 garlic cloves, pressed                                  1 white onion, finely chopped

1 T. ground black pepper                               1 T. salt

Put all ingredients in large crockpot, cutting up roast if necessary to make it fit.  Set crockpot on low and cook for at least 12 hours.  Add more water as necessary if moisture level gets low.  Serve on buns as sandwiches, or with mashed potatoes and/or bread.  Total cost: Roughly $20

RECYCLE:  Use leftover for stew by adding chopped carrots, celery and potatoes to leftover beef and cooking in crockpot until vegetables are tender.   Add more water and/or seasonings to taste

Here’s our family’s little twist on an old favorite that’s a big hit everywhere we go!

Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. pure cane brown sugar                                     1 t. baking soda

3/4 c. granulated sugar                                           1/2 t. pure vanilla extract

2 sticks real butter, softened                                    1/2 t. pure almond extract

2 large eggs, well-beaten                                         2.5 c. unbleached flour (add a bit more if you like fluffier cookies – another couple of T.’s or so)

1/2 bag milk chocolate chips                                        1 t. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Blend together eggs, extracts, sugars, butter, salt and soda.  Gradually mix in flour.  Add choc. chips and mix well.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 6-8 minutes or until edges are golden.  Total cost: about $3.50

Grandma’s Cocoa Brownies

1 c. sugar (we use 1.5 cups, sweeter than traditional brownies)

1/2 c. butter, softened                                       1/2 c. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla                                                     2 eggs

2/3 c. all-purpose flour                                        1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (opt.)                              1/2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 8×8 baking dish.  In large bowl, mix thoroughly sugar, butter, vanilla, eggs, salt, baking powder and cocoa.  Add flour and blend well.  Fold in walnuts, if using.  Spread into baking dish and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes.  Total cost: $2.07