Recipes of a Cheapskate

Baked Potato Soup

2012-01-24T15:01:00.001-07:00

Last time I tried a potato soup, it pretty much turned into mashed potatoes instead of soup. I'm not sure why. So I've been hesitant to try another potato soup. I finally gave in, because they tempt me so much! This one was a winner. It kept the soup texture I wanted, but so creamy and full of potatoes! it was perfect. And it came together fairly quick too, which is a plus.

BAKED POTATO SOUP
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Adapted from: The Slow Roasted Italian

8-10 slices bacon
1/4 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
5 potatoes, baked and smashed
2 cups milk
1 cup grated cheese, plus more for topping
1 cup sour cream
seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

Cook the bacon in a large pot until crisp. Remove and crumble. Save the drippings, and add the flour to them. Whisk for about 1 minute (if it's too thin, add a bit more flour, like a tablespoon). Add the chicken broth and stir constantly until thickened and bubbly. Add the potatoes and most of the bacon. Stir well, add the milk, and cook until heated through. Add the cheese and sour cream. Stir well, serve with extra bacon and cheese to top.

Oven Baked Garlic Parmesan Chips

2012-01-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

These rocked my socks off. Seriously. I couldn't stop snacking on them while I finished making dinner! They were the perfect crispiness, and the flavor was awesome.

The only problem I had was slicing a chunk of my finger on my mandolin. Not enough to send me to the ER, but it shocked me pretty good.

ANYWAY. . . .onto the recipe, I know you're waiting for it. :)

OVEN BAKED GARLIC PARMESAN CHIPS
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Inspired by: The Family Kitchen

2 potatoes
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
garlic powder
salt

Preheat your oven to 450degs. Slice the potatoes thinly--1/4-1/8 inch. A mandolin works wonders, as long as you don't slice your finger in the process. Place all the pieces in a bowl and drizzle with oil. Stir the around, making sure oil coats all the pieces. Mix in everything else and stir it well, making sure each piece gets some of everything on it. Place each potato slice on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Take any leftover stuff in your bowl and press onto the tops of the potatoes--you want everything to stick. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until they're as crispy as you want.

Avocado Grilled Cheese

2012-01-19T13:01:00.001-07:00

Have you stopped by Recipes Of A Cheapskate's Facebook page? Check it out HERE.

I'm addicted to Pinterest. I'm sure I'm not the only one! It's such a great place to discover things I never would have found otherwise. Like the idea of adding guacamole to my grilled cheese sandwich.

But WAIT.

I made it even BETTER by adding some slices of bacon to it. This was hands-down, the best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever eaten. And I've had my fair share, I can promise you that. I'm making this sandwich all the time now!

AVOCADO GRILLED CHEESE
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Inspired by: Two Peas And Their Pod

2 slices of bread
butter
1-2 cheddar cheese slices
2-3 pieces cooked bacon
1/2 a medium avocado, mashed

Butter 1 side of each piece of bread. Assemble your sandwich by spreading the mashed avocado on 1 piece of bread (the unbuttered side). Top with the bacon, then cheese. Place the top slice of bread on, butter side up. Cook in a pan on medium-low heat, until one side is browned (not blackened lol) then turn and cook on the other side until browned. Remove from heat, and let cool for a minute or two before you slice it. Enjoy!

Linked up at: See Ya In The Gumbo,

Facebook

2012-01-15T08:36:00.002-07:00

Are you on Facebook? Well, now Recipes Of A Cheapskate is over there too! C'mon by and give me some 'like' love! Click HERE

You'll see the inside look into what I'm working on, and getting ready for you. And you can read about the stuff I really eat. . .oreos and milk for dinner? That's something I'd never admit except on facebook. :) So come on by, and like my page!

Hot Crash Potatoes

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

I think it was The Pioneer Woman who made these famous. And no surprise either! These were super tasty, and after a few minor adjustments I found after scouring the internet.

The premise is taking baked potatoes, smashing them on a pan, then drizzling with oil and seasoning, then baking them until they're crispy. So not only do you have a yummy, creamy center; you have the bits that crisp up in the oven from the oil.

Instead of oil though, I put a smear of butter on the top, that would melt all the way down into those cracks and crevices. I thought about it, I don't put oil on my baked potato, so let's try butter on these!

And then one more notch: Melted cheese. Yes my friend, I went that far.

and I'm glad I did.

You could stop before the cheese. I mean, look at those beauties! Crispy and delightful. I think I ate 4 in one sitting. To be fair, I HAD gone running that day and thus felt justified.

With the cheese, they're like the perfect crispy-potato-you-want-for-every-meal dish. It's true!

HOT CRASH POTATOES
From: The Pioneer Woman
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

Small potatoes (like red potatoes)
oil for pan
butter (seasoned or not)
lots of seasonings! salt, pepper, chives
shredded cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degs. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and throw the potatoes in there. When they're tender pull them out. Drizzle some oil on your pan, and place the potatoes. Gently smash with a potato masher OR slice an X in the top and use a cup. Then season like crazy!! Lots of salt and pepper and chives are the way I like them. Slice a pat of butter on the top of each potato and throw them in the oven. Check them after about 20 minutes and see how they're looking. If needed, let them go a few minutes longer, then add the cheese. I like to turn the broiler on for just a minute or two to get that top ulta crispy.

Linked up at: See Ya In The Gumbo,

Potato and Chicken Chowder

2012-01-10T11:04:00.001-07:00

Wow, I'm sorry it's been so long since I've been around. Is there such a thing are Christmas lag? Wherein I'm feeding chicken nuggets and cold cereal to my family instead of cooking? If so, I've got that. But I'm slowly getting back into things.

I was going through my picture folder on my computer, and I saw this picture and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out WHAT recipe it was. Soup, that's a much as I knew.

Thankfully after about a week of looking at this recipe, trying to figure out what recipe it was, or even IF I followed a recipe in making it, I finally got an answer. So here ya go! Now my mind can focus on other things. . .

POTATO AND CHICKEN CHOWDER
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

6 bacon strips
1 small onion, diced
1 box (approx 4.9 oz) Au Gratin Potatoes Mix (like Betty Crocker)
2 cups hot water
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 can (approx 15oz) corn, drained
1 bay leaf
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
2/3 cup milk
shredded cheese for topping

In a large saucepan, brown the bacon and reserve 2Tbsp of the bacon drippings. Crumble the bacon into small pieces, and saute the onions in the bacon drippings until tender. Add the potatoes, including the sauce packet, water, milk, broth, corn and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat, stir in the chicken and milk. Heat through. Discard bay leaf, and serve with bacon and cheese for topping.

Linked up at: See Ya In The Gumbo,

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season! Thank you for reading my blog!

Cream Cheese Chicken and Veggie Soup

2011-12-19T11:00:00.001-07:00

This soup was amazing. A soup I could eat for breakfast. I ate the leftovers for lunch and dinner for a few days, and loved every minute. The ingredients in this recipe are perfect, and things that I constantly have on hand, which makes it even easier for me to make up! I love that it's made creamy with cream cheese, instead of half and half, or cream. I don't usually have those on hand. Or, if I do, they've often already gone bad from being open too long sitting in my fridge.

I took this soup 1 step further, and put about 1/3 of it in my blender and gave it even more of a creamy texture that I love!

CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN AND VEGGIE SOUP
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Butter for sauteing
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
3-5 potatoes, diced (I used an assorted bunch I had on hand--red, yukon, sweet, purple)
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
4 Tbsp flour
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese
1-2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper
Optional: grated cheese to top

Saute the celery and carrots with some butter until they're soft. Add the potatoes and chicken broth. If the veggies aren't completely covered, add a little bit of water. Cook on medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until smooth. Add to the soup and mix it together well. Cook and stir for about 5minutes, until it starts to thicken. Soften the cream cheese in a bowl in the microwave until it's VERY soft. Add to the soup and stir until the lumps are gone. At this point, if you'd like, you can take out about a 1/3 of the soup and blend it up. Add the blended portion back to the soup, and then add your chicken and seasonings. Heat through, and serve with some cheese on top.

Linked up at: See ya in the Gumbo,

Lasagna Soup

2011-12-11T12:38:00.001-07:00

It's my favorite season right now. No, not winter. Soup season!! I love love LOVE soup! And thanks to pinterest, I'm finding dozens of new soup recipes to share with you this season.

This soup was wonderful, and it really did taste like a big bowl full of lasagna. I'm a big fan of creamy soups, but this soup had such a perfect flavor, that I didn't think it needed to be creamy. THe longer you let it cook, the more liquid the noodles soak up, turning it more into a casserole type dish--but still tasty!

LASAGNA SOUP
Adapted from: The Deen Brothers
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

olive oil
1 lb ground sausage (I used bratwurst)
1 onion, chopped
32 oz chicken broth
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
salt, pepper, garlic powder
lasagna noodles, broken up (I used a whole package, which is why my soup turned into a casserole--try 1/2 a package or less for more soup-like consistency)
shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the ground meat and onion. Cook until the meat is browned. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let the flavors blend together for about 20 minutes. Add the noodles and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally until the noodles are cooked through. Remove from heat, serve with mozzarella cheese over top.

Shared at: Ms. enPlace,

Microwave Fudge

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is my first time participating in The Crazy Cooking Challenge. And it took me quite a while to find the perfect FUDGE recipe to try! Mostly because I didn't want to go to the store to buy something. . .I'm THAT lazy.

So I started perusing my google reader, and then pinterest, and then googling. . .and finally found a combo of these two recipes to try. Perfect! The recipe calls for 2 bags of chocolate chips. I was out of those. . .(I know, I know. . .I need to go shopping) so I used 2 bags of Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips. Can I just say how much I love the beautiful Christmas color they turned? It's perfect to give away as gifts!

MICROWAVE FUDGE
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Adapted from: V and Co, and Skip To My Lou

2 pkgs chocolate chips (I used Andes Mint baking chips)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tbsp butter
splash of vanilla
dash of salt

Combine everything in a glass bowl. Microwave in increments of 30secs, stirring each time, until everything is melted. Pour into a greased square pan (I used a 9x9). Refrigerate until set, and enjoy!

(PS--check out all the other fudge recipes posted, and VOTE for your favorite!!)

Pecan Roll

2011-12-02T11:10:00.001-07:00

A while back my church had an activity for all the ladies--they had different crafts for us to do, and we made this wonderful pecan roll. I've never seen something like this before, and it was wonderful!! I've also never really ventured into the 'candy-making' world. But this just whetted my appetite to make my own candy. It was so tasty, and it would make the perfect gifts for neighbors or co-workers.

As a heads up--this recipe makes about 10-12 ROLLS, not just 1, so make sure you have people to give them out to!

PECAN ROLL
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

CENTERS

2 cups whipping cream
2 heaping Tbsp karo syrup
6 cups sugar

(always have your centers made ahead of the caramels and have them either in the fridge or freezer. You need a heavy bottomed pan with a lid (pressure cookers work great). You do not need a marble slab. The best thing to use is the sink cutout from a counter.)
Butter the sides of your pan, then put the cream and karo in and warm it a little before you start putting your sugar in. That helps make it easier for the sugar to dissolve). Slowly add the sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon (don't touch the sides of the pan while stirring). After all the big lumps of sugar are gone, put on the lid and let it come to a boil. You can lift up the lid to make sure it doesn't boil over, but this part is important to steam dissolve the sugar from the sides of the pan). Be sure to wash all the sugar crystals off the wooden spoon. When it's at a full boil, put your candy thermometer in and cook and stir until it reaches 228degs. Pour the candy evenly on a chilled surface (a marble slab, or whatever you have), and sprinkle wih salt. Let it cool, then start working the candy (a metal spatula works god--fold it over and over itself). Work it until it changes textures and is firm. Sometimes the centers still feel too sticky to form into logs, if so, put it in a glass dish in the fridge and cool it first.
When ready, divide the candy into 10-12 logs, depending on the size you want to make them.

CARAMELS

4 cups sugar
2 cups karo syrup
1 qt whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 can evaporated milk
1 Tbsp vanilla

Mix sugar, syrup, salt, and 2 cups cream in a heavy 10-12 quart pan. Bring to a boil. Gradually add the rest of the cream and the milk. Cook and stir to a soft ball stage of 228degs. This can take up to 45 minutes, and you need to be stirring the whole time, so make sure you won't be interrupted!

PUTTING THEM TOGETHER
Taking a large cookie sheet, spread out pecans (or peanuts, or walnuts). The large bags you can buy at costco or sams are perfect. Pour the caramel over the nuts. Let the caramel cool completely, then you can cut it up into rectangles. Using a spatula, take a small rectangle, your center log, and work the caramel all the way around the center. It's not always pretty. . .but just gently pull/squish the caramel around. Wrap up the logs in plastic wrap, then decor paper to give away. You can freeze them too until you're ready to hand them out.

Kroger Winner--Take 2

2011-12-02T11:04:00.001-07:00

Well, it's time to pick a new winner for the Kroger Giveaway. . . .{{drum roll please!!}}

Congrats to Kristin! Send me your mailing address, and we'll get this giftcard out to you! Enjoy buying stuff to make desserts (and feel free to send some my way! ;)

Kroger Winner

2011-11-28T11:50:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all who entered this giveaway! WOW!! I haven't had a giveaway this popular before, it was wonderful!

Congrats to Jamie! Shoot me an email: krystalsrecipes (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address within 72 hours to claim your prize. And enjoy your cheese and ice cream :)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving if you're in the States! Coming up tomorrow, I've got a wonderful Pecan Log recipe for you, perfect for the holidays.

Kroger Giveaway

2011-11-21T14:31:00.001-07:00

Want to save some money? No? Come back in a few days then, when I have another recipe up.

If you do want to save some money, or enter to win a $25 gift card, then you're in the right place!!

Through November 26th, with the purchase of any four particpating General Mills products at Kroger Family Stores you can either receive free milk (up to $3; limit of 2) OR $3 off your shopping order! You can buy things like Cheerios, Pillsbury Ready To Bake Cookies, Fiber One Bars, and Nature Valley Bars.

This promation does vary in different locations, so be sure to check your local Kroger Family store (Smiths here, King Scoopers in other places, or Fry's, etc). Now go save some money or get free milk!!

Want to win the $25 gift card? Here's how! 3 chances to WIN!

1-(Mandatory) leave a comment on this post, telling what you would buy--Something you need? A pile of cookies? We need toilet paper and dog food. Boring, I know.

Additional Entries
2 and 3-Follow me on Twitter(#2) @krystalsrecipes and tweet about this giveaway(#3) tagging me, and Kroger (@KrogerCo) and using the hashtag #MyBlogSpark. Leave a comment for each one, and let me know what your twitter tag is.

Giveaway ends Thanksgiving Day (24th) at midnight. Winner will have until 72 hours after I post the winner to contact me before another winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, info, and giveaway have been provided to me by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

2011-11-07T10:10:00.001-07:00

I have a few favorite banana bread recipe. This bread is so soft and moist, I've made 3 batches in the past two weeks. Ok, yeah, I had a lot of bananas that need to be used!

I even successfully made them into muffins. However, they made 15 muffins, which was kind of annoying when you have a 12 cup muffin tin (like most people!) They were just as tasty as the bread. I love eating this bread when it's nice and warm, with butter melting into every spot. Mmmmmm. . .

SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350degs. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan. In a large bowl, combing the bananas, eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet--flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just moistened. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes, the remove bread from pan to a wire rack.

Linked up at:

Sour Cream Apple Pie

2011-11-03T13:15:00.002-06:00

Now that Halloween is out of the way, and November is HERE, I'm ready for Thanksgiving!! Which means pie. . .and leftovers. . .and mashed potatoes!

But it's pie here today, and this pie is so yummy. And not very pretty on a plate. . . but it's yummy! The sour cream gives it a nice twist on your normal apple pie, and I love the topping. It's perfect. Finish it up with a nice spoonful of whipped cream, and you'll love it.

IMPORTANT!! This pie has TWO cooking periods. once, before the topping, and then after you add the topping you KEEP COOKING!!

SOUR CREAM APPLE PIE
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

1 cup sour cream
2/3 cup white sugar
2-3 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
3 cups peeled, sliced tart apples (it ended up being about 4-5 apples for me)
pie crust for bottom of pie--FROZEN for at least 1/2 hour before cooking

Mix together the sour cream, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, egg, and cinnamon. Add the apples, and gently mix. Add to an unbaked pie shell, and then bake in a 400deg preheated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the pie out, and add the streusel topping.

TOPPING

1 cup flour
3/4 cup quick oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

Mix all the above together. Hands work wonderful for this. Sprinkle over the pie. Bake the pie at 400degs for another 20 minutes.

“Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton,Bags by Bloom and Harvard Common Press”

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

This is one of my favorite party foods. For things like baby showers, and bridal showers, I love to make this chicken salad. It's quick and easy to make, as well as tasty!

The problem with my chicken salad recipe is it's all approximate. I know, that's hard for a lot of people in the kitchen. I do a lot by taste and texture/consistency. Let me tell you the basics though, and you can play with it to suit your tastes!

CHICKEN SALAD
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

shredded chicken (rotisserie works great for this)
Mayo
Diced celery
Diced grapes
seasonings: celery seed, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Combine mayo and chicken in a bowl. Add more mayo or chicken until it's a spreadable consistency--err on the side of more mayo. Add diced celery and grapes, then check the consistency again. You want it to be chunky, not too runny. Add more grapes/celery/chicken to get it to a nice texture. Add seasonings and taste. Make sure you can taste enough of what you want--I like being able to taste the onion and celery flavor. Spread mixture on croissant rolls and serve.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

2011-10-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for fall recipes? I'm completely in the mood for soups, and warm breads and desserts. Mmmmm. . . .

And Thanksgiving is coming up soon too!! That makes me VERY excited. How can I not love a day where I can eat ti my heart's content? This is one of my new favorite pies, and it's on Captain Jax's small list of pies he will eat--Regular pumpkin pie is on the top of the list.

The combination of cheesecake and pumpkin into a pie form is wonderful, and gives your mouth a perfect creamy fall combination. Top with whipped cream and it's enough to make you sigh in contentment.

Thinking about pie has made me curious. . .what's your favorite pie?

CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN PIE
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com

1 graham cracker pie crust
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
dash of salt
1 cup pumpkin puree (either from a can, or your own pumpkin)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg

Mix together the cream cheese, vanilla, egg, and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Pour into the bottom of the pie. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour on top of the cream cheese mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 350degs for about 45 minutes, or until the middle of the pie is set. Cool completely in the fridge, and serve with whipped cream.

Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton,Bags by Bloom and Harvard Common Press

Crepes

2011-10-12T19:48:00.000-06:00

I'm not a morning person. Never have been, never will be. Ask my dad about my teenage years and trying to get me to school on time. As Captain Jax can ALSO verify, mornings just don't suit me. And I can't handle breakfast unless I've been up for 2+ hours.

But I love breakfast foods. So. Much. I could eat breakfast foods for every meal. We actually often have breakfast for dinner, and I {heart} it!

This is my crepe cookbook, I bought for $.50 at a thrift store. It's awesome!!

Crepes are at the top of my list for breakfast foods. Waffles and puff pancakes are tied for second. I love eating crepes warm, full of peanut butter and syrup. Captain Jax likes his with brown sugar all over the tops. Jam is another popular filling for us.

CREPES
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
From: Better Homes and Gardens Crepe Cookbook

1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients into a blender and mix well. Heat a greased skillet (I love my cast iron for this) with oil or butter. Remove from the heat and add approx 1/4 cup batter, tilt the pan to spread the filling all over and into a nice thin pancake. Return to the heat, and cook until there the top looks smooth and not batter-like. There will probably be some popped air bubbles. Flip the crepe and cook for about 20seconds on the other side, just to brown it a bit. Continue until the batter is gone, greasing the pan as needed. Serve with your choice of toppings and fillings--berries, applesauce, jam, peanut butter, syrup, brown sugar, powdered sugar, whipped cream, etc.

My cooking note: I often double or triple this recipe, to ensure there are PLENTY of crepes.

Yoplait Winner--Take Two and a Soup Recipe

2011-10-08T11:38:00.000-06:00

Well, unfortunately the first comment picked for the Yoplait Smoothie Pack never got in contact with me :( So we draw again!

Congrats to #10 Bonnie! Pina Collada. That's an awesome idea for a smoothie mix! PLEASE contact me within 72 hours to claim your prize! krystalsrecipes (at) gmail (dot) com

CHICKEN AND CORN SOUP

As for this recipe, I sort of came about it by accident. I woke up the other day, and my house was 60degs! After so many days of the temperature in the house being around 85degs, this was a bit of a shock. And it was rainy, with a few snow flakes here and there. That means it's soup weather my friends. I love it!!

So I went to my two favorite sources for soup recipes: foodgawker.com and pinterest.com. I sure found a lot of awesome recipes to try, but most of them didn't fit what I was quite looking for. I found one that was close, and I altered it enough to get it where I wanted it!

And it was perfect for this weather AND with short cooking time in the crockpot. Always a plus when I can just throw everything in the pot and let it go!

CHICKEN AND CORN SOUP
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Inspired by: tasteandtellblog.com

2 cups chicken broth
1 pkg frozen corn (16oz)
approx 1-2 cup shredded cooked chicken (I used leftover rotisserie)
2-3 potatoes, diced up
salt, pepper, garlic powder for taste (go heavy on the pepper, the soup doesn't have much flavor on it's own)
1/2-1 cup heavy cream or half and half or milk

Throw everything but the cream into the crockpot. Stir it up, and cook on high for about 4 hours (or low for about 8), or until potatoes are tender. If you like your soup thicker/creamier, put a cup or two into a blender and blend it up. Add back to the rest of the soup. Add cream at the end, and sprinkle with grated cheese (optional).

Yoplait Winner

2011-10-05T10:23:00.000-06:00

Thanks for all who entered the Yoplait Smoothie Pack Giveaway! What great suggestions you all have, I'm going to be on a smoothie kick for the next few weeks just to try some of your suggestions.

And the winner is. . . .

Comment #6: Tracy, who's favorite is Triple Berry.

Tracy, email me at: krystalsrecipes (at) gmail (dot) com within 72 hours to claim your prize!

GIVEAWAY: Yoplait Smoothie Package

2011-10-01T18:20:00.000-06:00

CLOSED
Everyone wants a sweet treat now and again (or all the time) so why not make it one you feel good about eating? New from Yoplait, their Chocolate Banana Smoothies are perfect for that! Just add milk, blend and you're good to go!

Yoplait now has five delicious flavors of their Frozen Fruit and Yogurt Smoothies since adding Chocolate Banana: Triple Berry, Strawberry Banana, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Strawberry Mango Pineapple (this one is currently sitting in my freezer, waiting to be blended up!)

Each package contains live and active yogurt cultures, AND give yous 50% of the recommended daily value of calcium. Found in your grocer's freezer (by the ice cream), each package contains enough frozen fruit and real Yoplait yogurt to make two 8oz servings (if you feel like sharing. . . .)

Even if you don't win, (or do) check out this link to print a $1 off coupon to give Yoplait Smoothie's a try!

What's in this giveaway?

A VIP coupon for a free package of Yoplait Smoothie
Neck Pillow
Smoothie Tumbler
Lavender Eye Mask

TO ENTER:
-Tell me what flavor of Yoplait Smoothie you'd like to try--even if it's not a flavor they carry! I'd love to see a Key Lime Cheesecake flavor. . .mmmmm. . . Just leave a comment! 1 comment per person please. Giveaway will close Tuesday October 4th at midnight. Winner will be announced on Wednesday, and have 72 hours to contact me with their mailing info.

Thanks to My Blog Spark and Yoplait for this providing this giveaway.

Apple Cheesecake Bars

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

How I haven't blogged about this recipe is beyond me. . .the pictures have been sitting on my hard-drive for almost a year now! I've been seeing versions of this recipe make it's way around pinterest lately, what with fall coming in soon it makes sense. Although I left off the caramel topping, it really does give it that wonderful extra bit of love, doesn't it?

Maybe next time I'll add the caramel. I do remember being the only one to eat it in my house. . .Captain Jax likes his cheesecake 'pure'. I wasn't complaining, it was my breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a few days!

APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS
Posted at: http//recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Original recipe: www.melskitchencafe.com

Base:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cream Cheese Layer:

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Apples:

4 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup caramel sauce (from a jar works fine)

Preheat oven to 350degs. In a bowl, mix together the ingredients under the 'apple' section. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Set aside. To make the base, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until it's crumbly but combined. Press into a greased or lined 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes. While the crust is baking mix together the cream cheese layer by mixing the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla. Mix well, and pour over the warm crust. Spoon the apple layer over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with the streursel topping and bake for 30 minutes. Cool the bars to room temperature and drizzle with caramel topping. Or plate individually and drizzle.

Cheesy Bacon Dip

2011-09-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

What is it about bacon and cheese that just make me happy? I had a potluck bbq recently, and I was trying to decide between two different dips I had seen on pinterest. A BLT dip, which sounded tasty, and a loaded baked potato dip. Which also sounded tasty.

The only problem was I didn't like all the ingredients in both of them AND didn't have all the ingredients for either of them!! So I improvised and combined the recipes into just what I wanted, but apparently not unique. Saw almost the exact same recipe a few days late whilst browsing the internet. But it was a hit!! I took the leftover dip, and threw it on top of some chicken in the crockpot. Made a wonderful use of the leftover by creating a creamy, cheesy chicken we served over pasta.

CHEESY BACON DIP
Posted at: http://recipesofacheapskate.blogspot.com
Inspired by: BLT Dip, and Loaded Baked Potato Dip

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 container (16oz) sour cream
approx 2 cups shredded cheese
approx 1 pkg cooked and chopped bacon, plus more for topping
1 pkg ranch dressing mix (the dry kind)
optional: chopped onions or chives
corn chips, for serving

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch dressing. Mix well. You can add other seasonings like onion powder, garlic powder, pepper. Add the bacon and shredded cheese (and green onions or chives). Garnish with more bacon (and green onion or chives) and serve with chips.

Use the leftovers (if you have any!) to cook with chicken in the crockpot.

Gold Medal Winner

2011-09-25T12:55:00.002-06:00

Thanks to all who entered! Sorry it took me an extra day to get the winner announced, yesterday was crazy busy!

Congrats to comment #12--The McClellan Family! Enjoy making big soft chocolate chip cookies (for you husband lol)

Please email me within 72 hours at krystalsrecipes (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address.