Frugal Foodie Friday - Nacho Drumsticks

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I must start my post with a disclaimer tonight. The recipe for nacho drumsticks is meant for kids, or those who feed teen athletes or youth groups where young men gather in great numbers. Please don't misunderstand. There is nothing wrong with these drumsticks. They are tasty, easy to prepare and downright cheap to make, but they lack the cache that might make them appealing to adults. This is grub at its finest and it is a great starter dish for young cooks to make and share with their friends. This is more a procedure than a recipe and once all the ingredients have been assembled, it takes about 15 minutes to get the drumsticks in the oven. Plan on 2 drumsticks per person. These do not reheat well and are best served as soon as they come from the oven. Most of my gang likes them with ranch dressing, but I have a fire eater or two who prefer to use a really hot salsa for dipping. Drumsticks are one of the few bargains left in markets today. Their cost makes them a perfect candidate for a Frugal Foodie Friday feature. Here is how this version is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - When the Corn is as High as an Elephants Eye

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the great delights of living in the part of Oregon that I call home, is our proximity to truck farms and orchards. While our weather, of late, has been wildly unpredictable, local farmers have had a great summer and the bins at farm stands are sagging under the weight of this year's harvest. Each summer,  the Silver Fox and I make a pilgrimage to our favorite farms for fruit and produce to put by  for the winter ahead. This is very picturesque country and the journey takes us into valleys where the clock seems to tick more slowly and the eye captures a panorama that rotates and changes  at a slower pace than the cities that surround it. We count ourselves especially blessed because many of these farmers sell their produce in forms that are near-ready for the kettle or the freezer. If I'm willing to buy in quantity, I can purchase pitted cherries, cut beans and corn that is scraped from cobs before my very eyes.  Many of these farmers are also willing to share old family recipes with customers they consider to be regulars. One of the places we frequent each year is Hentze Family Farm and I want to pass their recipe for frozen corn casserole on to you tonight. I make it at this time of year, but I hide four bags of it the back of my freezer for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. The recipe is simple and I thought it would be perfect addition to my Frugal Foodie Friday recipe collection. I hope those of you who can buy corn in bulk will give the recipe a try. Here is how the freezer version of corn casserole is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Pauper's Pork Chop Casserole

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know, I know! It's not Friday, but I wanted to share this very simple recipe with you before the week was out, and tomorrow I'm having a giveaway and featuring a sponsored post that doesn't exactly fall into economy class. So, today it is. While you'll have to turn the oven on to make this casserole, it is filling, as well as economical, and it is a nice dish to serve after a day on the water. My only caution is that you'll want to slice your potatoes paper thin or they won't cook within the allotted time. While it is probably not necessary, I feel duty bound to remind you that bouillon powder and Parmesan cheese are both salty, so you'll want to hold back on the amount of it you use to season your pork chops. Warnings aside, I like the simplicity of this recipe and I think you will too. It makes a hearty, well-seasoned meal that your family will enjoy whatever the season. Here is how the Pauper's Casserole is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Old German Cream Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Every so often, I like to search out a dessert that I can share with you on Frugal Friday. I was thrilled when I found this one in the Recipe Lion Recipe Collection. It is for an old German cream pie that uses just 5 ingredients, and, I'm happy to report, that it is delicious and relatively inexpensive to make, especially if you make your own pie crust. While I'm really happy with the recipe as it is presented, I did make a few changes that I want to share with you. I thought two cups of heavy cream would make a pie that would be too rich for my taste, so I substituted one cup of whole milk for one cup of the cream. I also add a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the filling. I found my pie needed an extra ten minutes in the oven to reach the custard-like consistency I was looking for,  so do make sure the filling has set before you remove the pie from the oven.  The pie should be thoroughly chilled before you slice it, so you'll want to make it about six hours before you plan to serve it. I thought the pie, while sweet and delicious,  was a little one note, so I spooned a healthy serving of macerated strawberries over each slice to perk it up a bit. This is a rich dessert that I think you will enjoy. It is made with ingredients that are readily available and it is definitely budget friendly. Here is how this simple pie is made.