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Easter weekend meal prep
Posted on April 10th, 2009 9 commentsIn anticipation of heading home for the Easter weekend, I worked in the kitchen for most of the day, preparing a soup, salad, snack and desert to take home with me. Here are a few of the hearty yet frugal goodies I whipped up.
I started my making a double batch of my budget boosting butternut squash soup. While it was pretty darn good following my initial recipe, it became even better with a few additions, including real cinnamon (freshly ground from the recent arrival of whole spices) fresh nutmeg and extra sour cream. Oh, and just a pinch of brown sugar.
Next I made an apple crisp. Last time I made this desert I used organic Granny Smith apples from a nearby farm from my Fresh Box. These apples were spectacularly tasty, but I didn’t have time to visit the farm so instead I bought some apples at the grocery store. They tasted great too.
Next up was the snack. I made the old standby - an easy yet addictively tasty cheese ball.
Here’s how:
Mix together the following ingredients:
1 pkg plain cream cheese, softened
1 tin canned ham
1 tbs horsradish
1 tbs dijon mustard (or to taste, depending on your preference)
few drops of lemon juice
freshly ground pepper
After mixing together thoroughly, form into a ball and roll in parsley flakes.
It’s that easy! And lately canned meat is on sale, so it’s a pretty cheap snack to make.
Of course, I had to taste it to make sure it was edible.
Finally, I made a rice & bean salad. Delicious, healthy, and hearty, this salad makes a nice addition to a springtime meal and is perfect for lunch.
Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
1 red pepper, minced (can also add a green pepper)
1/2 large red onion, minced
1 cup - 1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
s&p
Directions:
Cook the rice, then cool in the refrigerator for about an hour. Mix with a little olive oil and use a fork to loosen up the clumps. Add the other ingredients. Stir to mix well.
I love making meals additions that are this simple and tasty. Of course, the unavoidable mess in the kitchen leaves something to be desired!
It helps if you have a buddy in the kitchen, though.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
What frugal & tasty edibles are you enjoying this weekend?
9 responses to “Easter weekend meal prep”
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Catherine April 10th, 2009 at 08:08
Everything sounds and looks delish SQ. Hope you have a Happy Easter at home!
No one coming home for the Easter holiday. Our son and daughter-in-law are awaiting their first baby (due today) and our daughter has mega exams and projects to mark and hand back Tuesday. The Easter Bunny is bringing us someone extra sweet this year!
I’ve been cooking up a storm though to take food when we ‘get the call’ the baby is coming. I’ve made a huge lasagne, huge carrot cake with cream cheese icing, blueberry muffins - and lemon curd to put on top, extra lemony muffins with cream cheese, two 9″ chicken pies, and homemade cloverleaf buns. Today I’m making a coffee cake with pecans and tomorrow cashew cinnamon buns.
I want to fill their freezer as I know they will have people dropping in to meet the baby, have a cup of coffee and now, some treats from Nana.
Oh, yes, and I’ve also made 145 chocolate cigars which are each in a cello bag tied with a pink and a blue ribbon bow - we just have to pull off the colour we don’t need! -
I love apple crisp! And its so easy to make, too. Raspberry is another one to try.
BTW, I plan on trying your butternut squash soup recipe. Sounds yummy! Thanks!
Happy Easter!
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Saver Queen April 11th, 2009 at 00:02
Catherine - oh my goodness, you are a baking machine! That all sounds amazing! I’m so excited for you. I hope you will let us know when your new grandchild enters the world! I’m hoping for a good labour for your daughter in law!
Money Funk - yum, the raspberry crisp sounds great. Can’t wait for those to come into season, eh?
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Matzah… so much matzah…
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Melaniesd April 11th, 2009 at 09:48
SQ, your kitty is so pretty!!
What’s his/her name?I love butternut squash soup. So healthy & yummy!
Last night I made a big batch of homemade bitz n bitz. Plus homemade croutons and bread crumbs. Your previous post on bread crumbs made me think of it. I took old bread out of my freezer and toasted it in the oven then groound to perfection! I had more than enough end pieced of bread for stuffing so it was a good way to use it up.
I also keep my chicken & turkey bones for stock. Whenever I peel carrots, onions or trim celery I put the peelings in a freezer bag. Once I have a good amount I make a big stock pot full of soup stock. It costs me nothing, and this week resulted in 6 litres of stock! I portion it off into 1 litre batches and freeze.
*I love my deep freezer*Today I’m making mini cheesecakes for Easter Dinner dessert, and homemade bread.
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Oh my, all your food sounds yummy!! That rice and bean salad looks lovely… Happy Easter!!
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With these dishes, I’m sure you had a wonderful Easter. Looks great.
Your picture of the kitchen afterwards made me laugh. I love cooking, but after I’m done the kitchen always looks like a warzone….
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I was one of the lucky recipients of all of the above. They were all delicious!! I haven’t had the cheese ball in years, and it reminded me to make it again. It’s so good. You can also use tuna, or canned chicken (and probably canned salmon). It sounds a little strange to add those kinds of ingredients to a cheese ball, but it works!
The picture of your kitchen was so funny..a sign of some serious cooking going on… -
What a nice kitchen SQ!
Kate: ha ha ha…hilarious! Go matza power! Happy Pesach (although at this point it’s over)!
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