I love Artisan Flatout Products . . . so when they’re BOGO at Publix, I always stock up!  I usually enjoy the Artisan wraps a little more than the Flatout Bread, but since the Flatout Bread was on sale I knew that’s what we’d be eating for dinner tonight.  And these wraps were so much better than I expected (like a deli wrap), with hardly any work!

Rather than making my kids eat them though (and waste those Flatouts on them . . . ), I put out all the ingredients for my kids to make their own sandwiches on regular bread, which they of course loved.  Here’s this super simple (and really tasty!) recipe for you to try if you have a busy weeknight this week:

Flatout Turkey BLT Wraps

Ingredients

1. 1 package Artisan Flatout Bread BOGO $2.99, we used the Rosemary & Olive Oil and they were so good, with only 100 calories!
2. 8 oz. cream cheese with chives Publix brand was $1.59
3. lettuce grab the Publix Salad blend on sale for $2 this week and use the leftovers for salad another night
4. sliced turkey Hormel on sale $3
5. sliced swiss cheese Publix brand on sale $2
6. 1 large avocado optional
7. tomato Grape tomatoes on sale $1.50 at Publix
8. 6 slices bacon, cooked Publix Bacon on sale $3.50, optional (if you want to pinch an extra penny you could skip this!)

Directions

1. Spread thin layer of cream cheese on flatout bread
2. Add turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado & bacon.
3. Serve. . . I love easy!

Serve with . . .

Sliced Watermelon On Sale $0.59/lb

Florida Blueberries or California Strawberries On Sale $2.50

Thanks to I Heart Publix for the coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals!  If you need a little more menu inspiration, , go HERE. 

Photo Credit

This weekend we celebrated my son’s very belated birthday, and he requested this Oreo Cake from last month’s issue of Kraft Food & Family. I’ve made *almost* all of my kids birthday cakes, and now they just about expect it, but I was excited that he gave me something to work with!

Now, I’m no cake decorator at all (although I have made a cute cake or two out of the bunch!), but this one was thrown together in between a soccer tournament and baseball practice, so cute decorating was pretty low on the list of priorities. (And, as any momma of a twelve year old boy knows, it doesn’t matter much at all what it looks like to those boys as long as it’s food!)

Here’s my pitiful rendition of that cute Oreo cake . . .

And here’s my very sweet boy getting ready to enjoy every last bite. (Can you tell how fancy this party was?  Stockpiled paper plastes, Domino’s Pizza, and plastic mugs full of Sprite.  What more do you need when you’re twelve?)

Okie dokie, here’s how to make your family’s day too with this yummy cake. . .

Chocolate Covered Oreo Cookie Cake adapted from Kraft Food & Family 

Ingredients

1. 1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil’s food cake mix $0.75 off Betty Crocker Supermoist Cake Mix AND Ready To Spread Frosting, exp. 5/19/12 (SS 03/25/12)
2. 4 squares BAKER’S Semi-SweetChocolate $1/2 Bakers Bar Products, exp. 10/31/12 (Simple Desserts That Wow)
3. 1/4 cup butter $0.50/2 Land O Lakes Butter, exp. 5/31/12 (SS 03/18/12 R)
4. 1/3 cup powdered sugar
5. 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
6. 1/2 cup sugar $0.50/1 Imperial Poly Light Brown, Dark Brown, or Powdered Sugar printable
7. 2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping $0.50/2 Cool Whip Whipped Topping, exp. 4/25/12 (SS 03/25/12) or $0.50/1 Cool Whip Whipped Topping printable
8. 12 OREO Cookies, coarsely crushed On Sale at Publix $2.99 starting 4/25/12

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together cake batter according to package and pour into two 9 inch round cake pans.
2. Cool cakes completely.
3. Place Baker’s chocolate and butter in small microwave bowl and heat on high for two minutes or until chocolate is melted.  Cool five minutes, then add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and whisk well so that powdered sugar is thoroughly mixed in.
4. Meanwhile, beat softened cream cheese & sugar in bowl with mixer until blended.  Crush cookies in separate plastic bag (we used a rolling pin to flatten them.)  Stir  in Cool Whip.
5. Layer one round cake, on plate, then add cream cheese mixture.  Next put Oreo crumbs on top, then the second layer of cake, and spread chocolate glaze over the top.  Let stand ten minutes (or until firm), and keep refrigerated until ready to eat. Yummmm!

***Note – I found that the glaze recipe from Kraft was very thin, so I thickened it up with the extra powdered sugar.  The top is a little hard to slice through (not like regular icing), but it was still delicious!  You could also substiute the glaze for store-bought chocolate icing if you want traditional icing.

Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Go HERE.

I’ve tried rib recipes in the crock pot a time or two before (and really liked them. . .) but by adding the sauce in the morning the sauce always seemed a little watered down at the end of the day. Sooooo, when I saw this recipe from One Good Thing By Jillee, I decided to try cooking the ribs during the day with just a dry rub (using the same rub that I normally use for our favorite ribs on the grill), and then adding the sauce to bake on top at the end.  They were fantastic!  Here’s what you’ll need to get dinner cooking up in Mrs. Potts at your house too . . .

Slow Cooked Ribs

Ingredients

1. 1 tbsp. Kosher salt
2. 1/2 tbsp. cumin (optional)
3. 1/1 tbsp. oregano
4. 1 tsp. onion powder
5. 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
6. 1/2 tsp. pepper
7. 1/4 tsp. all spice (optional)
8. 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
9. 1 tsp. garlic salt
10. 1 slab pork spare ribs About 4-5 pounds, On Sale $2.49/lb. at Publix
11. favorite barbecue sauce I tried out this recipe from One Good Thing by Jillee… it was so good, and the ketchup & baby food prunes are both BOGO at Publix this week!

Directions

1. Mix everything except the barbecue sauce and ribs in small bowl.
2. Rub dry mixture into ribs, place in crockpot. (Believe it or not, you won’t need any liquid. . . they cook up great and make their own juice!)
3. Cook on low 6-8 hours in crockpot.
4. Remove ribs from crockpot, cover with barbecue sauce.
5. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
6. Serve & enjoy!

Recipe adapted from One Good Thing By Jillee.  Thanks to I Heart Publix for the coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals!  If you need a little more menu inspiration, check out the Recipe Index. 

Here’s just a simple fun recipe for banana boats that are a fun way to surprise your kiddos with an after-school treat! There’s not much to it (which is probably why I like them . . . ), and your kids will think you hung the moon. (Of course, they think that already, right?)

S’more Banana Boats

Ingredients

1. bananas
2. marshmallows
3. chocolate chips
4. teddy grahams or goldfish grahams

Directions

1.  Slice bananas in half lengthwise, taking care not to cut them all the way through.
2. Add marshmallows, chocolate chips and Teddy Grahams or Goldfish Grahams.
3. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes.  (You can also heat them on the grill, but I haven’t tried them that way before!)
4. Enjoy!

Looking for more kid-friendly recipes? Try these out:

• Hot Rodster Dogs
• Peanut Butter Quesadillas
• Peanut Butter & Banana French Toast
• Oh Boy Waffles

Do your kids have any favorite after-school surprise treats?  I’d love to hear about them!

I looked and looked through the Publix ad this week for some amazing deal on meat, and kept coming back to the smoked sausage on sale for $2.50.  Now, my family are not huge fans of smoked sausage, but with meat as expensive as it is these days, I figured we had to work with what we’ve got!

Guess what?  This recipe was delicious, and my very-picky-I-don’t-want-to-eat-anything-ever child gobbled down that smoked sausage!  (She did not gobble down the rest of the dish because she’s not a casserole kind of girl. . . I’m betting you guessed that . . . but she would have loved the sausage and pasta separately!)  I’m pretty sure after trying this recipe that it’s next to impossible to mess up a recipe with French’s Fried Onions (kinda’ like you just can’t mess up a Pillsbury Crescent Roll.)

Smoked Sauce & Penne Pasta adapted from Taste of Home 

Ingredients

1. 2 cups uncooked pasta Barilla Pasta BOGO $1.19 at Publix
2. 1 pound smoked sausage Eckrich Smoked Sausage On Sale $2.50 at Publix
3. 1 1/2 cups milk On Sale $2.99 at Publix, but a friend of mine found it at Sam’s for $1.99 per gallon yesterday!
4. 1 can cream of chicken soup $0.40/2 Campbell’s Condensed Soups, exp. 4/15/12 (SS 02/12/12 R)
5. 1 1/2 cups French’s Fried onions, divided hopefully you grabbed some last week when they were on sale, use $0.50/1 French’s French Fried Onions, exp. 4/15/12 (SS 02/12/12)
6. 1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided Kraft Cheese BOGO at Publix, use $1 off Publix Bakery Bread wyb Kraft Natural Cheese Shreds or Chunks (Publix Printable)
7. 1 cup frozen peas

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package.  Meanwhile, brown sausage in skilled over medium heat for five minutes, then drain oil
2. Mix together milk and soup, stir in 1/2 cup fried onions, 1/2 cup cheese, peas and sausage.
3. Drain pasta, and stir into sausage mixture.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in 13×9 pan at 375 for 25-20 minutes.  Add additional 1 cup fried onioins and 1/2 cup cheese, and bake an additional five minute uncovered.

Serve with . . .

• Fresh Express Salad Blends BOGO $3.99
• Publix Bakery Bread Use $1 off Publix Bakery Bread wyb Kraft Natural Cheese Shreds or Chunks (Publix Printable)

Thanks to I Heart Publix for the coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals!  If you need a little more menu inspiration, check out the Recipe Index. 

This is a guest post from Kate Sorenson of Coupon Cravings.  I can’t wait to pull out Mrs. Potts & try this recipe out!

If you’re ever having one of those days or weeks where everything is going, going, going and yet, you’re always a step behind, plan this meal in to your menu and you’ll be glad you did! This amazing Beef Stroganoff is hearty, filling and a nice treat for men, women and children alike. Plus, it’s a crockpot dinner that cooks by itself, which, I am positive, may make it even more appealing!

For this recipe you’ll need:

• 1 pound beef stew meat (Ask the butcher to cut the pieces extra small – about 1/2 inch squares)
• 2 cans golden mushroom soup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• dash of salt, pepper
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 packet onion soup mix
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 16 ounces cooked egg noodles

In a large crockpot, combine the stew meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, bouillon cube, onion soup mix and water.

Stir together to mix, set the crockpot on low. Let the mixture cook for 6 hours.

Next, stir in cream cheese and sour cream just before serving.

Mix well to get the pieces of cream cheese melted and pour over a bed of boiled egg noodles.

Enjoy!

Kate Sorensen of Coupon Cravings lives in Iowa with her husband and two kids, ages 4 1/2 and 1. She has been a devoted frugal shopper and frugal cook for years. Kate enjoys making dinners that include items that are on sale at the store while at the same time, making food that tastes good and is healthy too. Thanks so much for sharing a favorite easy meal with us, Kate!

Back when my husband and I were first married, I made these Resurrection Rolls and we absolutely loved them.  Somewhere along the way though, I completely forgot about them until a PPP reader recently reminded me about them, so we of course had to try them out again.  They’re one of those great recipes that use up a few Pillsbury Crescent Rolls  (is it possible to mess up a Pillsbury Crescent Roll?  we did of course use the reduced fat variety . . .), and are just a fun treat to make each Easter.  My kids helped me make them last night, and promptly devoured a few almost the minute that I pulled them out of the oven.

So why are they called Resurrection Rolls?  Well, you use a marshmallow for the recipe, but when the sweet rolls bake up, the marshmallow disappears, so the “tomb” is found empty.  We had an interesting discussion about it last night, and this morning my sweet four (almost-five-tomorrow!) year old asked ~ “Momma, Why did Jesus have to die on that cross?” 

Now, while there are definitely some spiritual lessons to be learned here, we also had to try out what would happen to a Peep because, well, we were just curious if it would work  as well as the marshmallow did!   Oh my heavens, that extra bit of sugar goodness made some seriously yummy rolls!  These are a great treat any time of year, and we made a double batch but have gobbled down just about every bite already. . . and hope you enjoy them too!

Resurrection Rolls (we doubled the recipe)

Ingredients

1. 1 package Crescent Rolls reduced fat are fine, On Sale $1.88 at Kroger or $2 at Publix, use $0.40/2 Pillsbury Sweet Rolls or Grands! Sweet Rolls printable or from recent coupon inserts
2. 8 large marshmallows  or Peeps
3. 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine Kroger or Publix Butter $1.99, or I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter on sale $1.99 at Kroger, use $1.25/1 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Product printable coupon
4. 2 tbsp. cinnamon $1 at Aldi’s
5. 2 tbsp. sugar

Directions

1. Mix together cinnamon and sugar in small bowl.  In another bowl melt margarine.
2. Dip marshmallow into butter, then into cinnamon sugar.
3. Roll marshmallow in crescent roll, pinching together at the seams.
4. Roll crescent roll in butter, then cinnamon sugar again.
5. Bake in 400 degree oven for 12-14 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

 Do you have any special treats that you plan to make this Easter?  I’d love to hear what they are in the comments section. Thanks so much for reminding me about this recipe, Jennifer…. they’re so good!