The Art of Melted Cheese Sandwich Creation

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I used to love grilled cheese sandwiches, but didn’t want the added fat from the butter or margarine when cooking them once I decided to start losing weight. I therefore began baking my cheese sandwiches. By doing this, nothing need be spread on the bread slices. I simply slap the cheese, and meat if desired, between the two slices of bread and warm them in the oven until the cheese is melted the way I like. This makes for a crunchy melted cheese sandwich that is very good.

I do not like most of my vegetables cooked. If I decide that I want vegetables on my sandwich, I do not close the sandwich when warming in the oven.

The only required components of a melted cheese sandwich are the bread and the cheese. Everything else is an add-in. Mix and match as desired.

As for the components of a sandwich, here are some suggestions:

BREAD: 100% whole wheat or multi grain breads are my favorite choices. You can certainly use white bread, or another choice. It is also possible to use tortillas for this. Experiment.

CHEESES: My favorites are sliced American or shredded mozzarella. Shredded mild cheddar also works.

MEATS: Sandwich meat is fine. I also make these using shredded turkey or chicken after roasting days.

FRUITS: Apple slices, pear slices and drained, crushed pineapple are all good options.

VEGETABLES: Zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage, shredded carrot, lettuce, spinach and tomatoes are all possibilities. Use whatever you like.

These options provide many combinations, of course.

Shannon

Cheese Dogs

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Another fun recipe for children. Young children can help to put their own toppings on these, and older children and teens will be able to make these on their own. I like to use wheat rolls, but you can use whatever is affordable if you want.

Ingredients

hot dogs

100% whole wheat rolls

ketchup, mustard and relish

shredded mild cheddar cheese

• Cook the hot dogs, and steam the rolls if desired.
• Put ketchup and other toppings, as well as some of the shredded cheese, into the rolls.
• Place the hot dogs in the rolls.

Tips

• Many people choose to put their topping on top.
• Save money by purchasing store brands.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a salad, or with tomato soup.

Shannon

Pigs in Blankets

Pigs in blankets. Dogs in crescents. Whatever you want to call them, they are a favorite of many a child. Any kind of hot dog may be used for this.

Young children will have fun helping you to prepare these, and older children will be able to make them on their own.

Ingredients

package of crescent dough

8 hot dogs

ketchup, mustard and relish or other toppings

1. Unroll the dough and pull it apart into 8 section.
2. Place a hot dog at the wide end of each piece of dough, and roll them up in the dough.
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake on 350* until dough is baked through and hot dogs are done.

Tips

• Place a triangle of cheese on top of each piece of dough before placing the hot dog at the wide end.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a salad and some homemade mac and cheese.

Shannon

Easy Apple Tuna Salad

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It is coming upon that time of year again, when we start eating more salads and lighter fare than we do during the autumn and winter months. I will start posting new salad recipes as I create them, but wanted to share one that my daughters liked when they were young.

Ingredients

1 can water-packed tune

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

1 apple, cored and diced – leave peel on

2 Tbsp yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Combine all ingredients.

Tips

• Use this as a salad, or as a sandwich filling.
• Use this to fill fajitas, or wrapped in large leaves of lettuce with cheese.
• Add shredded carrots and celery.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a soup or a stew.

Shannon

Tuna Fajitas

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These are very easy to make. Some people like to mix their tuna with mayonnaise or another dressing. I do not. Prepare these however you like. They may be warmed in the oven until the cheese is melted, but this is not necessary. These fajitas are easy for children to make.

Ingredients

tortilla shells

1 can of water packed tuna

shredded cabbage

shredded cheese

diced tomato

1. Drain the tuna and combine it in a bowl with the cabbage, cheese and diced tomato.
2. Spread this mixture over tortillas.
3. Bake, or not. Fold up and eat.

Tips

• Use cabbage and tomatoes from your garden, and store brand version of other ingredients to save money.
• Produce from your garden is healthier than store-bought.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with soup or stew.

Shannon

Frugal Recipes Happenings for 3/19/2011

Image by niallmcnulty via Flickr

I am so happy that tomorrow is the first day of spring! Very excited My sister, nephews and daughter and I am having a corned beef roast with vegetables to celebrate.

I have spent some time as of late planning this years’ food garden, and I cannot wait to get started. I will be planting a few herbs and some vegetables, and I can’t wait to get started. We still have some time before I can begin planting, but planning is making me happy.

In considering what food gardening articles to add to this blog, I have been thinking about the different income levels of my readers. I usually tote organic gardening with as many heirloom seed varieties as is possible. I am aware, however, there some people who may not be able to afford to get started in such a gardening venture. The No Cost Food Garden and The $3.15 Garden address this issue. I hope you enjoy the reads.

I recently had some other food related articles published that I would like to share with you as well.

Healthy Nighttime Snacks for Kids

Great Classroom Party Foods

Healthy Snacks for Young Kids

You will also find these articles here on the blog:

The Freezer Set-Up

Use Those Odds and Ends

How to Store Food Odds and Ends for Future Use

Using and Storing Cooking Liquids

Using the Liquid That Meat is Cooked In

There are recipes that I have added to the Frugal Recipes blog over the last few weeks that you will find useful. A few of them are old favorites for use when cooking other meals, and there are a couple that I have been experimenting with.

Pork Stock or Broth

Vegetable Stock or Broth

Chocolate Fondue Plate

Lasagna Noodle Cheese Bake

Rotini Bake

Shannon

 

 

 

 

Related Articles

• Frugal Recipes Happenings for 2/26/2011 (frugalrecipes.wordpress.com)
• Frugal Recipes Happenings for 2/12/2011 (frugalrecipes.wordpress.com)

The $3.15 Garden

Yes, it can be done. There are ways to do it. This type of garden is not generally used when trying to eat in the healthiest manner possible, because it does not account for organic seeds. But it will feed a family on significantly less money than what would be spent on the same produce at the grocery store. Do what you have to do to feed your family.

You can work soil with a cooking spoon if necessary, or even a stick. No tools are necessary.

You can plant directly into soil, so planters and beds are also not necessary.

You can even plant below and slightly in front of a porch where you can train vining plants to grow up, or near a fence to train them to grow along it.

How do you plant a garden for $3.15?

By purchasing seed packets at a local store at a rate of 4 or 5 packets for a dollar. You will acquire 12 to 15 seed packets this way, and pay $3.15 cents including tax.

• Spend the first dollar-five on herbs that you will use in salads, cooking and to make teas. Parsley, basil, chamomile, chives and thyme are good choices.
• Spend the second dollar-five on greens. A combination of different spinaches and lettuces are an important part of healthy meal preparation. Other greens may also be used.
• Spend the third dollar-five on other vegetables. These may be used in salads, sandwiches and in cooking. They may also be eaten as-is for snacks. Try tomatoes, peas, beans, zucchini and cucumber.

Plant as much as you can reasonably use and preserve for winter.

Shannon L. Buck

Rotini Bake

Image by purpleslog via Flickr

I used whole wheat Rotini for this recipe, but you can use whatever type you like to save money. This was simple because it was made from leftover, pre-cooked past and a cheese mixture that was already prepared.

Ingredients

Rotini, cooked – enough to cover the bottom of a baking dish, plus one cup

about 1 cup tomato soup mixed with 1/2 cup water

1 to 1 1/5 cups  leftover mixture of cheeses (ricotta, cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella and mild cheddar, with some dried parsley)

grated Parmesan cheese

1. Place Rotini in the baking dish and cover with half the sauce.
2. Spoon the cheese over this.
3. Add the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese.
4. Bake on 375* until cheese is just melted.

Tips

• Use store brand ingredients to save money.
• Make this from leftovers.
• Use different types of pasta and cheese combinations.
• Use grated Romano cheese, rather than Parmesan. Or try a combination.

Serving Suggestions

• Garlic bread is always a good addition to a pasta meal.
• Serve a salad to give yourself a vegetable boost.

Shannon

Related Articles

• Pasta Bake (frugalrecipes.wordpress.com)

The No Cost Food Garden

Image via Wikipedia

It is all fine and dandy for me to tell you that you need to use only organic seeds and soils, and that said seeds should be heirloom ones when possible. However, what is to be done when you have absolutely no money to start with, and you must get a garden in to help you with food costs for the year? Well, never mind my previous advice and take what you can get. There is no point in going hungry if you can possibly prevent it. Do what you have to do, and do it well. Plant as much as you can. Raise it well. Figure out how to preserve anything you will not be able to eat right up. Do what must be done. There are times in a persons’ life when these types of decisions have to be made. Just be aware that this is not the healthiest way to eat. It is the cheapest, however.

Now, how are you to go about gardening with no money to start?

• Free seed searches online may be helpful. Be aware, that many of these come with agreements that you will share a portion of your food with someone else in need. What a wonderful type of program.
• Use any leftover seeds from your previous gardening efforts.
• Ask friends and family if they have leftover seeds that they will not be using.
• Freecycle.org and Cragslist may be helpful. Follow their guidelines to request seeds, pots and whatever else you may need to get started.
• Let people know, by word of mouth and posting fliers around town (and speaking to people who run nurseries) , that you are looking for items such as leftover seeds, seedlings, planters, etc.
• Speak with people who are clearing land. Offer to cart away things that will be useful to you if they do not want them. It saves them work, so they are often willing to give this stuff away. You may be able to glean a variety of berries this way, at the very least.
• Find out if anyone is willing to part with compost.
• A few sturdy, wooden pallets will allow you to build a compost bin so that you will be more prepared for planting next year.
• Be sure to accept cuttings, as well as seeds, seedlings and full-grown plants.
• Spring clean-up days in your town may net you much of what you need. People place unwanted items by the road, and you are free to cart them off. Do so. Look for items such as window boxes, a trellis or two, a spade, planters, bricks, cinder blocks, wood, and nails. Whatever may be useful. Even an old boot can be used as a planter of you want.
• Build raised beds using the free wood, bricks and cinder blocks that you find.
• Build raised beds using free rocks that you cart home. Be sure to find out if this is legal in your area.
• Water is a precious commodity, and expensive in some areas. This is what I do to combat the cost:

I have old buckets galore. I place these around the outside of my trailer where the most water collects when it is raining. This is what is usually used when I am working in the garden.

I use cooled water from cooking vegetables, pastas and eggs, as well as leftover liquids from when I drink tea.

 

What tips do you have for starting a no cost garden?

Shannon L. Buck

Lasagna Noodle Cheese Bake

Image by mayhem via Flickr

I do a lot with ingredients that are left over from other cooking experiments. I am trying to be less wasteful of money and resources, so I am using up every possible ingredient.

This is not a real lasagna recipe, but it turned out to be quite yummy.

Ingredients

8 lasagna noodles, cooked

about 1 cup tomato soup mixed with 1/2 cup water

1 1/5 cups (about) leftover mixture of cheeses (ricotta, cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella and mild cheddar, with some dried parsley)

1. Spread 1/4 cup tomato soup in the bottom of a baking dish to coat evenly.
2. Place a layer of cooked noodles over the sauce.
3. Spoon cheese over this layer of noodles, and try to spread it out some.
4. Add 1/2 of the remaining sauce, then the rest of the noodles.
5. Cover with the remainder of the tomato sauce and bake on 375* until cheese is just melted.

Tips

• Use store brand ingredients to save money.
• Make this from leftovers.
• Use different types of pasta and cheese combinations.

Serving Suggestions

• Garlic bread is always a good addition to a pasta meal.
• Serve a salad to give yourself a vegetable boost.

Shannon