Save Some Dough With This Recipe!

For as long as our kids can remember I have always made fresh bread. Wheat bread, Parmesan garlic bread, and even chocolate bread. Put it this way, with 6 kids in the house that is A LOT of sandwiches. That isn’t even taking into consideration having a slice of toast with eggs in the morning. I would need to buy a freezer just to keep stocked up on bread if I didn’t make it fresh.

The other thing I would have needed to stock up on are all the sandwich fixings. Lunch meat, sandwich cheese, peanut butter, jelly..you name it. Why? Because even the heartier and more expensive whole wheat bread isn’t as filling as something home baked.

If our kids ate a sandwich on store bought bread they ended up eating twice as many. Now that really is a lot of lunch packing!

So while it may seem like baking bread is a totally labor of love, sometimes it just comes down to saving us some serious dough. Pun intended :~D

This is what Ashton of Something Swanky has to say about this Rising star… sorry I just can’t help myself!

Simple, plain jane, ah-freaking-mazing homemade white bread. It’s a classic, a staple in any home. And it comes straight from my mama.

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Quick Tip: Did you know you can freeze dough? Yep you can. Just put it in a airtight bag or container and when ready to use set out on counter for a few hours until defrosted.

Photo and Recipe courtesy of Ashton at Something Swanky 

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Dinner is a Snap When You Use Your Crock Pot!

Busy night? If you are like most families, just being able to sit down at the table is a huge task, trying to get something made and on the table is close to impossible. Sometimes we are too tired to think about dinner. Or the mess. We just need to have it ready for us and with this recipe it can.
Literally this gets made up and put on for 3 to 4 hours and it is hot and ready.

You can actually go ahead and load up your crock-pot the night before so in the morning all you have to do is turn it on.

I am thinking this would be a great lunch for a Sunday afternoon, or top take to a potluck. And served with a salad and crusty Sourdough bread I can’t imagine anything better.

I know it seems like a lot of food in this recipe so feel free to cut it in half if you need to, or plan to take a serving to someone who could use a little TLC.

Heaven knows I need it every once in a while and others do as well. the other day I took a small meal to someone whose husband had been sick. She was so grateful and it was really not a bother at all. A little tater tot love can go a long way that’s for sure.

Here is what Julie has to say about her inspiring recipe.

When I am going to be having a busy night I like to use the help from my crock pot. And when life gets crazy I tend to crave comfort food.

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Quick Tip: If you would like to substitute in your favorite cream soup just omit the flour, milk, Worcestershire, and sour cream. If you are making the full amount add in 2 cans.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Julie of Julies Eats and Treats.

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This casserole has everything in it!

Enchilada sauce, chilies, corn, black beans, ground beef..and TATER TOTS?

Full confession, when I saw this recipe I thought maybe I had looked at it wrong, but there it was, tater tots on basically everything I would wrap into a tortilla and smother with cheese. But then I realized it made so much sense because it saved so much time!

I was used to serving tater tots to our kids when they were young with a small dab of catsup to dip them in, but this recipe uses the finger food as an ingredient. Brilliant.

Basically, a tater tot is just a hash brown. The small little potato creations make for a perfect serving because of the line up neatly on top of the casserole.

When we lived in Minnesota, Tater Tots were part of several “hotdishes” that graces the long church potluck tables that also brimmed with an assortment of Jell-O salads. But the contents of the main dish usually involved string beans, sausage, and cream of mushroom soup.

This recipe is a spicy dish that can have extra heat added or be toned down a bit for those with a delicate palate.

And chances are you might even have most of the ingredients in your pantry!

Because you are skipping the tortillas, this is also a great gluten free option. Your company will love that you thought of everything. But knowing how quick and easy this is to put together can be our little secret!

This is what Christy from The Girl Who Ate Everything has to say about this creative dish.

This Tater Taco Casserole is a dish that the whole family will love. I’ve made quite a few failed dinner attempts lately so redemption was in order.
Everyone loves tater tots and everyone loves Mexican food so why not combine the two!

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Quick Tip: If you would prefer chicken or turkey option, just swap out beef.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Christy from the Girl Who Ate Everything.

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The smell of freshly baked goods creates more than you think.

There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread getting ready to come out of the oven.

In fact, scientists have said that the pleasant aroma can trigger a heightened sense of well being and security.

This is exactly the kinds of recipe they are talking about. The yeast dough that may take longer than simple quick breads such as a biscuit or muffins, but will be remembered long after the last roll is eaten.
The thing required makes this a labor of love. Time.

Thankfully you might have a mixer with a dough hook or even a bread machine with a dough setting, but if not, there is something that feels therapeutic about hand kneading the dough until the consistency is just right, letting it rise and then punching it down and letting it rise again.

And the taste..there is just nothing like it in the world.

I used to make cinnamon rolls about once a month when our kids were young. Usually on a Saturday morning so that on Sunday I could put these out, along with a dish of egg casserole and some fruit.

The perfect breakfast or brunch for a day to rest.

Sometimes I would just roll up cinnamon and sugar, sometimes I would add chopped nuts, dried apricots, and craisins.

It was not uncommon for someone to “Stop by” as they strolled past our house. I would love to think it was because they wanted to chat for a few minutes, but think it most likely had to do with the fact you could smell the cinnamon rolls from the street right as they were getting ready to come out.

Unresistable.

You can create that same memory for your family. One they will never forget from the first bite of this classic, yet timeless pastry.

This is what Pam of The P-K-P Way has to say about this recipe.

What is that special treat in your house that everyone swoons over every time you make it? I’ll tell you mine – it’s these Cinnamon Rolls. It’s not the quickest treat to make, but it is pretty simple.

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Quick Tip: I used to double my recipe. I figured it I am going to all the work and time of making these I want to make sure I have plenty. When they were cool I would wrap them in individual pieces of saran wrap and put in freezer bag.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Pam and The P-K-P Way.

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]]> http://urbanretrorecipes.com/make-something-remarkable-sunday/feed/ 0 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/love-applebees-will-love-copy-cat-dish/ http://urbanretrorecipes.com/love-applebees-will-love-copy-cat-dish/#respond Thu, 27 Jul 2017 05:53:10 +0000 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/?p=1456 This Applebee’s dish will make your taste buds Dance! What do you think about when you consider going out to eat? Is it the fresh bread they set on your table or the chips and homemade salsa, followed by a sizzling hit tray of food? Or do you find that you just can’t get enough […]

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This Applebee’s dish will make your taste buds Dance!

What do you think about when you consider going out to eat? Is it the fresh bread they set on your table or the chips and homemade salsa, followed by a sizzling hit tray of food? Or do you find that you just can’t get enough of their salads. Especially if it is one of the signature dishes.

I think this is one that many would agree should always be on the menu at Applebee’s.

For those who have never been to an Applebee’s it would be similar to a Tim Hortons, Cracker Barrel, or a Black Bear Diner.

Sometimes you just need a lighter fare over anything that comes with a red or white sauce, or gravy. This is it.

The super flavorful Oriental Salad that is memorable long after the bill has been paid and the waitress tipped. The servings are usually so big, why not ask for a take out box when you order and put half inside the “to-go” so you don’t have to worry about what to take for lunch the next day!

This is what  has to say about this awesome salad.

Who here loves Salad? I’m obsessed – really! I’m not lying when I say that I order salad 90% of the time when we go out to eat. It’s not just because salads tend to be a little healthier, it’s because they taste SO good to me!

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Quick Tip: Not really a fan of pan frying? Go ahead and bake these breaded chicken strips at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Kristyn of Lil’ Luna.

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]]> http://urbanretrorecipes.com/love-applebees-will-love-copy-cat-dish/feed/ 0 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/not-grandpas-pancakes/ http://urbanretrorecipes.com/not-grandpas-pancakes/#respond Thu, 13 Jul 2017 16:26:59 +0000 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/?p=1311 If I had a nickel for every cold or reheated pancake I have eaten over the last three decades…I think you get the picture. Growing up, my dad loved making big pancake breakfasts. It was not unusual for him to stand over the hot griddle making edible pieces of art that looked like Sponge Bob […]

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If I had a nickel for every cold or reheated pancake I have eaten over the last three decades…I think you get the picture.

Growing up, my dad loved making big pancake breakfasts. It was not unusual for him to stand over the hot griddle making edible pieces of art that looked like Sponge Bob on water skis or a replica of our 1970 Suburban. It was fun, but it was also a mess.

As a mom, yeah, I don’t really have time for that part. It isn’t that I am opposed to pancakes, even though I tend to be more of a waffle girl, it just seems like a lot of work and the person on the end of the spatula is the last to eat since eating them “hot off the griddle” so the butter melts is important.

This recipe isn’t nearly as fun as my dad’s creations, but much more practical since it is something I make for our family.

There is nothing like waking up to the smell of something freshly baked coming out of the oven to rouse sleepy teens and this is perfect if everyone needs to leave the house in a hurry.

This recipe is awesome to reheat and can be kept for several days in the fridge for breakfast the following day or for you Lord of The Rings peeps..Second Breakfast!
To be totally honest we love having a “Breakfast For Dinner” option on our bi-weekly meal plan. Served with hash browns, bacon, and sliced fruit, you can have a wonderful Brinner…which is breakfast and dinner together. Not a real word, but you get the idea.

Here is what the cooks at Celebrating Sweets has to say about this breakfast recipe.

Here’s what’s amazing about this pancake casserole: you essentially make a big batch of buttermilk pancake batter flavored with vanilla and a touch of lemon zest. Rather than using the batter for individual pancakes (and standing at the stove and flipping, flipping, flipping…), the batter gets poured into a casserole dish, topped with blueberries and brown sugar crumble, and BAKED in the oven! Easy peasy. And the end result is wonderful! Breakfast just got 100 times better.

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Quick Tip: Don’t have fresh blueberries? Go ahead and use frozen berries, OR use whatever fruit is in season. I love diced apples or peaches in my breakfast bakes so get a little crazy and try your families favorite combos.

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Allison at Celebrating Sweets 

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]]> http://urbanretrorecipes.com/not-grandpas-pancakes/feed/ 0 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/orange-chicken-panda-express-take-out-easy/ http://urbanretrorecipes.com/orange-chicken-panda-express-take-out-easy/#respond Tue, 13 Jun 2017 16:56:06 +0000 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/?p=1117 Can you guess the secret ingredient for this simple sauce? If you guessed orange marmalade, you are right! I used to think that marmalade was for putting on lightly toasted English Muffins, but boy was I wrong! The fact that I love making orange marmalade from scratch and canning it make me even happier, especially […]

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Can you guess the secret ingredient for this simple sauce?

If you guessed orange marmalade, you are right!

I used to think that marmalade was for putting on lightly toasted English Muffins, but boy was I wrong!

The fact that I love making orange marmalade from scratch and canning it make me even happier, especially since I have a pantry shelf full of this citrus jam.

While looking up recipes for one of our favorite Take-Out places I also can across a huge hack on how to have crispy chicken without frying. If you are watching your calories, this is a huge plus.

This is what Michelle of Crafty Morning had to say about this easy and pleasy chicken recipe.

 My most recent favorite restaurant for orange chicken is Panda Express (YUM!) I have tried a few copycat recipes that used orange juice and I just hated them.I think even adding some pepper flakes for some heat would make it better!

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Quick Tip: Here is the NON-fry option!   toss the chicken pieces in about 2 Tbsp of cornstarch then bake on a parchment lined tray for 12-15 minutes at 375°

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]]> http://urbanretrorecipes.com/orange-chicken-panda-express-take-out-easy/feed/ 0 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/good-will-want-eat-napkin/ http://urbanretrorecipes.com/good-will-want-eat-napkin/#respond Tue, 06 Jun 2017 21:24:57 +0000 http://urbanretrorecipes.com/?p=1020 When we moved to Southern California there was a restaurant that our older boys took us to. They raved about how zesty and fantastic the ribs were. I thought maybe they were exaggerating a bit since they missed my cooking. I was wrong! Phil’s Bar-B-Que was a huge hit on our family trip and has […]

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When we moved to Southern California there was a restaurant that our older boys took us to. They raved about how zesty and fantastic the ribs were.

I thought maybe they were exaggerating a bit since they missed my cooking. I was wrong! Phil’s Bar-B-Que was a huge hit on our family trip and has since become one of our favorite rib places.

The big platter of food was devoured by our carnivorous offspring like Vikings after a plunder. When I saw that there was an actual sink in the family style dining room I assumed they were going a bit overboard. Not at all. The sink was perfect to rinse off what would have taken a small bale of napkins to clean up.

Ever since then I have been hoping to find a recipe that tastes similar and I think this one might be it.

Here is what the contributor Beverly Carson said about her down home recipe.

After not being able to find restaurant ribs that satisfied my hot sweet appetite, I carefully attempted various combinations of flavors until I found one that I and my family thought was perfect. Hope you enjoy them too.

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Quick Tip: Go ahead and make up pasta or potato salad the day before you serve these. If you are having a big get-together it will be nice to have your cooking done and the mess cleaned up already tackled.

 Photo and recipe courtesy of Beverly Carson

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