Turkey Brine

So it's almost Christmas and many of you are cooking a turkey again. Now for me and my family we like to mix it up a bit. If you aren't soakin your turkey in brine your aren't livin, period.

Now most turkey brine recipes ingredients cost a fortune.

A few years ago on recommendation from a friend of my mom's, we took a trip to Williams Sonoma and bought their turkey brine.  Scrumpscious, delicious, never knew a turkey could taste that good are all thoughts that have come to mind when eating this.

For $18.50 it soaks two turkeys. You can't beat that! Cha-Ching!!!

I'm saving my 2nd half for Easter!

It's really quite simple how this works. Boil the ingredients in some apple juice and water pour it over your turkey that's sitting in a mega-sized bowl, add more water, and cover.

Stick it in your fridge for at least three days... for Mega flavor and voila the best turkey ever for minimal effort.

They also have it on sale after Christmas.... hint... hint!


Happy Cooking,

The Cute Couponer

Linking to Tidy Mom, French Country Cottage Shabby Nest Chic On A Shoestring

I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Snow Ice Cream

I figure since most of the country is buried in snow it would be fun to take full advantage of playing in it and eating it. Since our snow has been a little bit to wet to build a snowman I decided we would make snow ice cream. 

Here is What You'll Need

Milk
Eggs
Vanilla
Big Bowl
And Lots of pretty white snow (stay away from the yellow kind lol)

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl and add in 2 cups of milk. Add 11/2 cups of sugar and 3 Tablespoons of Vanilla. Now start adding snow by the cupful until you get it just right. This part is totally up to you! I like mine creamy and sweet so less snow. Now I stick mine back in the freezer to gel for an hour so all the flavors mix together and voila...
Snow Ice Cream.

If you are really feeling adventurous try chocolate snow ice cream.

Again gather in a big bowl of snow. I take my mixer and open 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and about 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix it together and then start adding some snow by the cupful. Once you have it the consistency you want it pour in the Hershey's Syrup. I like mine really chocolatey! If you are out of Hershey's or can't get to the store to get any add Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate powder. I find it is easier to dilute the powder in the milk and mix it before you add the snow. It's OK if it has the mini-marshmallows too! Gives it a little kick!

Now we are getting adventurous and this is the recipe I use for lemon snow ice cream.

Grab another big bowl of snow.

Mix up some lemonade about 1/2 cup. Think Countrytime or Crystal Light or Kool-aid.

Add about 1/8 of a cup of powdered sugar. (if you don't have powdered sugar you can substitute granular but it's super sweet)

I use 3 teaspoons of Lemon extract ( do this according to your tastebuds)

And if you want add yellow food coloring and some fresh lemon zest or freshly squeezed lemon juice over it. Yummy!

Now the last type which is my absolute FAVORITE is Strawberry.

Strawberry Snow Ice Cream

I use about 3 cups of frozen strawberries
1 C. Granulated Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Vanilla
11/2 Cups Milk 
A few fresh strawberries if you have them for garnish.

Blend your strawberries if you have a blender. If you don't leave them out to defrost and chop them into bight size pieces. Mix all the ingredients together including snow by the cupful until you get the right mix. Stick it in the freezer for at least and hour and voila... my favorite Strawberry Snow Ice Cream.

Now the ice cream only makes it a few days around my house. I have never tried to freeze it for a month or two. I keep meaning to try it. If somebody has please let me know.


Happy Ice Cream Making,

The Cute Couponer

P.S. Feel free to mix and match the recipes like strawberry and lemon or substitute your favorite fruits like banana, blueberry, raspberry.

Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad Yummy!

I want to share with you one of my favorite simple recipes. This is good any season of the year.

Ingredients

3 Tomatoes ( use your favorite kind) -cut up into small chunks
2 Cucumbers -peeled and sliced into small pieces
1 Red Onion ( you can also use sweet white or vidalia) peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 tsp. Cilantro
1 tsp. Lemon Juice (fresh if you can)
1 drizzle of Olive Oil
2 pinches of Celtic Sea Salt

Take a medium size bowl dump the veggies in it. Toss in the Cilantro and sprinkle on the lemon juice. Cover it all with just a drizzle of Olive Oil and the 2 pinches of Celtic Sea Salt.

Stick it in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes and serve it up.

Happy Eating,

The Cute Couponer

"Pretty in Pink Strawberry Cake"

Last week at work I literally tasted the most divine strawberry cake ever. I don't use the word divine often since very few situations warrant it but this cake, which was originally designed to be cupcakes, deserves the title. Thank you Debby for sharing it with me.

Ingredients For the Cake

1 Package of Plain White Cake Mix
1 Package of Strawberry Gelatin
1 C. Finely Chopped Fresh Strawberries with juice.  ( Feel free to use frozen if you don't have fresh.)
3/4 C. Milk
3/4 C. of Vegetable Oil
 4 Large Eggs


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place the cake mix, gelatin, strawberries, juice, milk, oil,and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Use your electric mixer and blend it all together. Really make sure it is all  thoroughly mixed together.

Once you are ready, pour it into your greased 9x13 Pyrex dish.

Stick it in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

While you are waiting make sure you enjoy licking the bowl. (It's the best part of cooking!)

When it's done pull it out and let it cool.

Now for the best part...

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 8oz. Package of Cream Cheese at room temperature.
4 T. (1/2 stick) of Butter at room temperature
3 to 3 1/2 C. of Powdered Sugar (Sift it if you need to)
1/2 C. Fresh cut up Strawberries

Stick the cream cheese and the buuutter in the mixing bowl and stir it all up.Now add 3 Cups of the Powdered Sugar and whip that baby on again.Make sure it all turns fluffy. If you want it a little thicker add another 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar.

Once you have reached your desired fluffiness ( I so love that word) than spread it all over the cake.

Don't be shy make it pretty and cover every last bit of it.

Last but not least if you have a few more strawberries stick them on top for garnish.



Strawberries are necessary for me kinda like chocolate is necessary for some women. Strawberries are heaven.

Hope You Enjoy...

Have A Berry Good Day,

The Cute Couponer

Dr. Pepper Brownies Day 6

I know my recipes have been a long time coming, but I want to share with you one of my new favorites. Dr.Pepper brownies sound weird but I can assure you they are delicioussssssssss.

For the batter

1C. butter
1C. Dr.Pepper
2C. Flour
2C. Sugar
1tsp. Salt
4 Tbsp.of cocoa
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla

First, heat the butter and Dr.Pepper on stove until butter is melted.  Make sure you have the temperature is on low.


Next, mix the dry ingredients together.

Then combine the buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla. Then add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Make sure it's distributed evenly.

Then add the Dr.Pepper mixture. (it's very runny)


Pour into a 13x9" Pyrex dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.



Now for the frosting...

Bring to boil
1/2 C. Butter
6 Tbsp. Dr.Pepper
3 Tbsp. of Cocoa


Once boiling mix with 21/2 C. of Powdered Sugar. You want the icing to be warm and you wanna spread it on the warm cake.


Cut it into squares when it cools, and it stays warm forever. It must be the DP.

You might wanna serve these yummy brownies with a glass of milk. They are super sweet.

I wanna thank my friend Debra's sister in law Deanna for introducing me to this great new recipe.You might have noticed it's egg free.

I will add the pictures a little later this evening.

In the meantime, I have lots of cooking to do. Check back often this weekend.


Happy Friday Evening,


The Cute Couponer

Valerie's Cheesey Steak Rolls

The other night I was looking for something simple and carefree to make for dinner. Knowing I had just bought a discounted pack of Flank Steak, $5.00 for a huge package to be exact, and having some fresh basil that was about to go bad I decided to get creative. (By the way Flank Steak is never this cheap)

 1 Medium Pkg. of Flank Steak
 8 Slices of Provolone Cheese
 1 Small Pkg. of Fresh Basil
 A Few pinches of Salt
 A Few pinches of Fresh Garlic ( I like the Organic glass jar stuff)
 A Few pinches of White Pepper
 A Dash of Greek Seasoning


  Lay out your flank steak and cover in the spices. Make sure you coat the front and the back. Take the provolone cheese and roll one slice of cheese and one piece of basil with every piece of flank steak into a roll. Think pinwheels. Do this until you have them all rolled up and then stick them in the oven (don't use toothpicks) on 350 degrees for 10 minutes and voila .... A simple elegant delicous dinner. I would of gladly taken pictures but my family wolfed these things down immediately. It has been requested that I make more so I promise when I do I will add the picture.


  On a side note my boss who comes to visit from New Jersey called me yesterday at work and told me she was checking out my blog again. She told me to start sharing my many recipes that I make with all the food I buy. Look Colleen,  I obeyed!

Happy Creating,


The Cute Couponer

Grandma's Ambrosia

 I want to share  with  you the most simple fabulous recipe. My grandmother has made it my entire lifetime and I would bet she has made it her entire lifetime too. In September she turns 88 years old. She still lives in her home and I still see her almost everyday. While you are all anxiously awaiting my shopping trips which will be completed over the next several days I wanted to share with  you the most fun recipe.

Take 2 small boxes of peach jell-o
1 C. of green seedless grapes
1 handful full of cherries
1 small can of mandarin oranges drained
1 large can of pineapple drained
1 peach sliced (leave the skin on )
3/4 pkg. of cottage cheese (your favorite kind)
1 pkg. cool whip

First take the cottage cheese and cool whip and mix it up well by hand. Add the two packages of jell-o and then add the fruit. Gently fold it all in together and cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cool
Feel free to substitute your favorite  fruit or whatever is in season. We are a family of a pinch of this and a dash of that. Wish I could give you more detailed instructions, but what's the fun in that.

Happy Cooking,


The Cute Couponer

Pillsbury and Spring

I want to give a special thanks to Pillsbury for sending me a wonderful Spring party hostess pack. Pillsbury has some absolutely fabulous ideas for new foods this season. Who knew all the cool recipes you could make with crescent rolls.

There are the Bacon Cheese Tartlets

The absolutely adorable veggie squares or mini pizzas

and my absolute favorite

the basic ooey, gooey, buttery crescent roll.

Thanks Pillsbury for the fabulous ideas for Spring and Summer.

These new ideas will be absolute staples in my kitchen.


Enjoy Trying New Recipes,

The Cute Couponer

Seafood Alfredo Mushroom Ravioli / Stockpile Cooking Part II

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing sounds good?  That's how I was feeling Monday  night. So off I went online to find something to hmmm wet my whistle. I found a super yummy alfredo sauce.

With a little ingenuity I came up with the  Most Fab Recipe

                                   Seafood Alfredo Mushroom Ravioli

                                   1 C Whipping Cream
                                   1/4 C Butter
                                   1 Egg

 Cook until hot enough to melt 1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese

                                   ( the  sauce is courtesy of cooks.com )

 Here comes the fun part ...

  I cut up 1 package of imitation crab meat that was free last week at Homeland and I  also found 4 packages  of mushroom ravioli on clearance for $1.00 last week at Homeland and Voila

                 Simply Spectacular...

                             


                             Add some white pepper and it is heaven in your mouth

                             Here is the breakdown on price

                            3 pkg.'s whipping cream 3/$1
                            1 pkg. imitation crab meat free
                            2 pkg.'s mushroom ravioli 2/$2
                            1 C. parm. cheese ( I doubled the recipe) $1.00
                                                               = $3.66 for 8 servings

                                     ***** I will picture it  later**************


                                         
                                                The Cute Couponer

What Can You Do With Meat and Veggies?

This is What you can do with meat and veggies. My very first stockpile living post.

Creamy Pasta w/ Ham and Peas

1 Onion (chopped into bite-size pieces)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Organic Garlic (peeled and diced)
1 Bag Frozen Peas
4 Ham Steaks or a couple handfuls of cubes (Farmland)
1 Jar Alfredo Sauce
1 Box Bowtie Pasta ( or whatever you have on hand)
*Parmesan for Garnish

Saute garlic and onion in the olive oil until brown, add chopped ham to desired heat
Boil Pasta according to package instruction and drain
Heat Frozen peas in Microwave according to package directions and drain
Combine all ingredients in noodle pot, cover and return to heat for 2 minutes
***Garnish with parmesan***
Serve with side salad and bread

Voila!!!
Stockpile Living

Mmm, Good