Monthly Archives: December 2009

Health and Prosperity New Year's Soup: Curried Potato, Apple and Kale Soup Recipe

December 31, 2009 in Appetizers, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Entrees

Curried POtato, Apple and Kale Soup

Curried Potato, Apple and Kale Soup

Happy New year from Fab Frugal Food!

There are many foods that traditions say usher in a year of prosperity and health. This flavorful soup recipe features one of my favorite New Year’s foods – kale. (Green represents prosperity as in Big Bucks!) This soup has layers of flavor and has that smooth, comfort-food feel.  A bonus: It is easy and healthy, too. Kale is one of the healthiest foods there is per calorie – the saying should not be “an apple a day,” but “a bunch of kale a day” keeps the doctor away. BOTH fabulous and frugal to boot!

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Four Generation “Joy to the World” Christmas Candies

December 23, 2009 in Desserts

Joy to the World Christmas Candies

Joy to the World Christmas Candies

This Christmas candy recipe has been a favorite in my family for four generations. My mom got it from her family and now it has become a Christmas classic for my kids. They whine like crazy if I even THINK of skipping these during the holidays! Last year, I added my own twist and changed the diced pecans to diced toasted almonds. We loved the change, and my son Jake renamed the candies “Joy to the World” balls, since they now have a little of the flavor of Almond Joy candy bars!

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Kid-Friendly Holiday Activity: Make Your Own Homemade Butter!

December 22, 2009 in Appetizers, Frugal Tips

Want to start a fun new holiday meal tradition and keep the kids occupied whilst you slave in the kitchen? Try this fun and super easy way to make your own homemade butter for the holidays! My kids LOVED to do this when they were little!

It’s too easy to even call it a recipe, but here goes:

Pour some very cold heavy cream into a jar (plastic is a good idea if small kids will be helping). Add a pinch of salt. Put the lid on the jar and then tape it closed with duct tape or heavy mailing tape. Use several thicknesses, just to be sure. Then hand the jar to your kids (willing adults will work, too!) and let them shake, roll and otherwise agitate it for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how much and how frequently you shake the jar.

Then, open the jar and pour off the liquid – hey! I think this is the real “buttermilk, no?. Scoop out the ball of butter that has formed and Voila! Homemade butter!

– posted by Donna

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A New Holiday Culinary Tradition: Chestnuts Roasting in a Yultide Soup

December 21, 2009 in Appetizers, Vegetarian Entrees

Roasted Chestnut Soup with Festive Garnish

Roasted Chestnut Soup with Festive Garnish

I remember walking among the bustling crowds at Times Square a few years ago at Christmas time. There were the usual hot dog and bagel street vendors, but also carts full of roasted chestnuts for sale. It was so fun to get a paper cup full to munch on as we walked along. Chestnuts have a delicate roasted flavor when fresh and warm.

When I saw a recipe for Roasted Chestnut Soup in this month’s Fine Cooking magazine, I knew I had to make some version of this. It turned out so yummy – Our newest holiday culinary tradition begins!

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Cranberry Orange Jam Recipe – for You and The Neighbors!

December 20, 2009 in Uncategorized

Cranberry Orange Jam recipe - with Cream Cheese Toasts

Cranberry Orange Jam on Cream Cheese Toasts

Why don’t we use cranberries more often? They’re healthy (some call them Nature’s Antibiotics!), cheap, easy to use and pack a flavor punch.

If spring time brings strawberry jam, why not Cranberry Jam at Christmas time??? This is a super easy and flavor-packed jam – good enough to give out to the neighbors for gifts.

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Fab Frugal Friday: For Fabulously Frugal Gifts – CAN IT!

December 18, 2009 in Appetizers, Frugal Tips, Side Dishes

Normally, of course, canning season is the height of summer’s harvest, working to save as much of the season’s bounty as possible, but these recipes are absolutely perfect for the holiday season, especially if you’re looking to keep your gifts as economical as possible. Canning is a whole new adventure for me, so this was a great learning experience across the board. Read the rest of this entry →

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Fruitcake Without Fear

December 17, 2009 in Desserts, Gluten Free, Vegan Recipes

Its not so scary.

It's not so scary.

“It just doesn’t add up! Fruit = good. Cake = great. Fruitcake = nasty crap.”   — Jim Gaffigan

Okay, I have to be honest, I really have never liked it before, but after reading this from Adventures in Crunchy Parenthood:

Now before you go telling me how nasty fruitcake is, let me tell you a little secret: there are two kinds of fruitcake. The one you are thinking of is the one with all the little candied fruit bits that have a weird flavor. Granted, it does have a weird flavor, but honestly, I love that kind too (don’t ask me why). But what you are really missing out on is REAL fruitcake. The fruitcake most people know today is full of little processed, candied fruits which have a flavoring called citron added to them. That’s the weird/gross/funny taste most people complain about. REAL fruitcake is made with just plain dried fruits and nuts, and can be customized to suit your particular tastes.

. . . as well as this from the esteemed Noble Pig, I decided to try making one that I might actually like, focusing on dried fruits I actually like, like dates and pineapples and such. Lo and behold, it really is a whole different experience! Read the rest of this entry →

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You’ve Got Kale!

December 10, 2009 in Healthy Fare, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes

Well, that’s what my garden unexpectedly said to me earlier this week (does anyone even remember that early net reference?). I had given up on my rough draft attempt at a garden months ago, having produced only a few tomatoes, three enormous zucchini, and some herbs and lettuce. The paltry kale that had come up way back when had withered and died already. But lo! Mother nature gave me a reprieve, and I suddenly had a bounty of delicious greens to work with. Read the rest of this entry →

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Basic English Scone Mix Recipe and Two Variations: Orange Cranberry Scones Recipe and Herb Cheddar Scones Recipe

December 7, 2009 in Uncategorized

Savory Cheddar Scones using Basic Scone Mix

Savory Cheddar Scones using Basic Scone Mix

I love to give gifts from my kitchen!

This English scone mix recipe is one of my new favorites – so easy for a gift recipe mix or just a recipe mix to have on hand to save time and stress during the holidays. I made these scones in the Brittish style, with NO eggs. My inspiration for making a pantry scone mix was Ina Garten’s Cream Scones. The texture is light and fluffy but still rich. Amazing. You can make dozens of variations from this basic mix.

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Post-holiday postmortem!

December 2, 2009 in Desserts, Gluten Free

Well, the foodie holiday of the year has come and gone once again, and a wonderful time was had by all involved in the FabFrugalFood world. The entire clan went to visit Donna’s daughter Kate in her new Washington DC digs, so we had plenty of sightseeing to do as well. Of utmost importance was a pilgrimage to Julia Child’s kitchen at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History. A frequent question in our kitchens has always been “WWJD?,” or “What Would Julia Do?”

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