Tasty Tuesdays

One of the frustrating things about living in Indiana is you can see all four seasons in one day. Having lived here for over forty years, I am used to this and normally it doesn't bother me. However, I get frustrated when I plan on grilling for my family and the weather changes last minute and ruins those plans. So there I am with thawed hamburger patties and all the fixings and then I hear the sound of rain on the roof. As I stand in the kitchen and listen to the rain trying not to be too irritated, I remember a favorite childhood meal that my mom used to make. Despite the weather outside, the sun starts shining inside and I grab the ingredients I need.

My dad was always a steak and potatoes man. The problem was my parent's budget was more hot dogs and beans. Since my dad loved meat, my mom came up with a meal that gave him his steak but didn't cost a lot. She called them Hobo Steaks. I can assure you they taste much better than they sound.

You will need:
Tin foil
Hamburger patties (1 pound typcailly makes 4 patties)
1 can of cut carrots
1 can of sliced potatoes
minced onions
Worchester sauce

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-tear tin foil into about 10 in x 18 in pieces
-place hamburger patty in center of tin foil
-sprinkle minced onions onto pattty
-drain carrots and potatoes and put a handful of each on hamburger patty
-cover patty and vegetables with Worchester sauce
-close tin foil and fold sides making a bit of a square around patty
-poke holes in top with fork
-place on cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes
-when done baking open tin foil (be careful of steam) and drain juice
-serve on a plate and enjoy

My family likes A-1 sauce on their hobo steaks and I usually also serve a salad

Serving size - 4
Cost- about $10 to get all ingredients needed if you don't have at home

photo credit: google images

With fall here one of my families favorite foods is apples and caramel. Below is a tasty dessert to serve with you hobo steaks.

You need:

1 8oz block of cream cheese

1 large jar of marshmallow topping

1 container of already made caramel dip

apples

With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and marshmallow topping until creamy smooth

add 1 cup of caramel to mix

slice apples and enjoy 

Needless to say that despite the weather my kids loved the hobo steaks and I created another good meal that my kids still eat today. Not only did my moms recipe save the day but it allowed me to share a meal from my childhood and carry on the tradition of the hobo steak. Parents and grandparents are great to look to for yummy recipes. I have found also that not only do the meals taste good but the memories last a lifetime. I hope you have a good week. Please feel free to share your favorite fall meals and memories with me. For more great recipes on a budget check out Budget Bytes.

Tasty Tuesdays!!!

Everyone loves dessert. If you are a single parent and you've had a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is go home and cook dinner yet alone a dessert too. I will post a tasty treat that is cheap and easy to make every Tuesday to add to your dinner. I remember the topic at the dinner table always got a lot better when the dessert was brought out. Maybe it is the extra sugar in a sweet treat or just the extra time you get to spend together as a family but dessert always helped make a good meal better.

Today's meal is hamburger boats. You will need:
1 pound of hamburger
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 package of hot dog buns
1 bag of Swiss shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Step 1: Brown pound of hamburger and drain extra grease
Step 2: Combine can of cream of mushroom soup to hamburger
Step 3: Fill hot dog buns about half full with hamburger mix and cover with Swiss cheese, place on baking sheet and put in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted

Serves -  4
Cost  - about $8
Prep Time - 20 minutes

I always served hamburger boats with tator tots but you can serve any side dish you please.

                                     Photo credit: Huffington Post

An added tasty treat is Fruit Smoothies

You need:

1 bag of frozen fruit - My family likes the berry mix
Milk

Step 1: place 1 cup of frozen fruit in blender
Step 2: place 2 cups of milk in blender and blend mixture to desired texture

Makes 1 serving or 8 oz.

I always served smoothies in bright fun cups and added crazy straws

I would love to hear about your favorite tasty treats.
For more budget friendly recipes check out Budget Bytes

Picture of the Day

Life is busy. It is hard juggling all the responsibilities of being an adult. It can especially be hard if you are a single parent. Too many times we get so busy doing the menial task of parenting that we forget the most important part and that is just spending time with our children. As the stress of housework, jobs and bills continues to pile up, we find that once things settle down in the evening, there is not enough time or energy left to give to our kids.

I love this picture because if shows a picture that I think we all dream about. It would be so nice to just push the worries of the world aside and spend time with our kids. It is a joyful but rare time to get these moments of pure bliss. It took me awhile to learn that the dishes and laundry can wait. I can feed my kids without spending hours making the meal. Our children are only little for a short time and if imperative we spend time with them and just enjoy them. I promise the daily tasks will still be there long after the kids are gone but the memories you make with your children will be there long after you are gone. There are a lot of fun games and crafts you can do with your kids. I encourage you to start taking time every day and just enjoy your children. I would love for you to share your family memories and some of your favorite activities you share with your kids on this post.

Image credit

Spend Time Making Memories, Not Meals

Moms know all about crazy, busy schedules. It's a balancing act juggling all the demands of motherhood. It's especially challenging when you are a single parent. I was a single parent for a few years of three children. I learned during this time how to minimize the daily duties so I could focus on making memories with my children. One of the things I mastered was learning to make good, quick meals on a low budget. I valued time with my kids at the dinner table but didn't want to spend a long time preparing those meals.

I believe sharing a meal with your family is important to stay connected. I would like to share some of my favorite meals with you. These meals were not only quick, easy and cheap to make but my kids still enjoy them even now that they're adults. We had a lot of good conversations at the dinner table. I hope these meals help you find the same with your family. After all, our children are only young for a short time. Don't spend all your time making meals when you could be making memories.

I invite anyone that has quick, easy, inexpensive meals to share their recipes on this sight. There are all kinds of sites that provide great meals that can be made on a tight budget in a short amount of time. Feel free to check them out for more great ideas.