Recessionista Recipes

It's all about being frugal at my house right now.  Well, everywhere, for that matter. Times are tough! A while ago, Erin at Life is a Banquet told us about a new word out there: recessionista!

 

Re.ces.sion.is.ta   [re-ses-shun-ee-stah]--noun

Definition:
A-list tastes but a B-list budget
Origin: US Weekly, November 3, 2008

I've decided to join Erin and grab this label for myself. Love it! Perfect for this economy. Sounds so much better than "living on a tight budget", or "coupon clipper", don't you think? We, here,  might have a C or D budget, instead of a B one right now, but the definition still fits. I'm a recessionista! You in?

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Here are a couple of Recessionista Recipes. You know, something you can pull together, just by going to your pantry... savin' some bucks... but not giving up your A-list yummy factor! :-)

Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake

This is just a plain little cake, nothing fancy, but it's yummy and goes with just about everything. It's a favorite around here.

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup melted margarine

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, milk, margarine and egg. Pour into a greased and floured (Baker's Joy spray works great here.) 8-inch or 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle top heavily with sugar (this gives you a crusty top). Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. Best served warm.

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Basic Crumb Crust

Another go-to recipe. You don't have to always buy the store-bought graham cracker crusts -- make this one instead. Hmmm.... you may never go back to store-bought! This recipe is 2 points. :-)

32 low-fat honey graham crackers (8 full sheets)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Using a food processor, take the graham crackers and pulse into crumbs. (You can also put the crackers in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs.)

Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and add the sugar and nutmeg; mix well. Add the butter and water and mix until the crumbs are moist and hold together in clumps when pressed. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until golden, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack 20 minutes before using.

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, p. 370

Enjoy, Recessionistas!