This is a simple and colorful pie that children love to help make.  You can also switch out the berries, pick the Kool-Aid to match, and have a whole new recipe.  Try blueberries with grape, cherries with black cherry, or even raspberry with raspberry Kool-Aid.  Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust, your preference
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, stems removed, whole
• 3/4 – 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 pkg. strawberry Kool-Aid

Directions:

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1. Homemade Asian Sauces
2. Easy as Pie–Pie Crust
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My husband and I are trying to eat more vegetarian meals and what better and easier way to serve them than to stir-fry vegetables in a wok.  It’s fast, low calorie, and keeps the nutrients inherent in the fresh veggies.  But the dishes can easily come out all tasting the same if you don’t flavor them with different sauces.  Here are five easy ones you can inexpensively make at home and save money on expensive store-bought brands.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. peanut oil
• 1 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1/16 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Heat oil in a wok, stir in garlic and ginger, add the 1/2 cup of water, vinegar, sugar and ketchup, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in water and stir in salt. 

Once wok sauce is heated, add the cornstarch mixture and cook until desired consistency.

Thai Peanut Sauce

• 4 teaspoons corn oil
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili pepper
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup of water

In a blender, combine corn oil, onion, garlic and hot chili pepper; blend for 1 minute.
Empty the mixture into a saucepan and place over low heat until the mixture starts releasing aroma. Add peanut butter and mix well over low heat.

Add water and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in vinegar and sugar; continue to simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Taste and add more vinegar and sugar if the mixture does not have the sour and sweet taste.

Place sauce in a shallow plate for satay dipping or pour over fresh salad.

Chinese Hot Mustard

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup powdered mustard (found at a local Chinese grocery)
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

Slowly stir the water into the mustard powder. Add the oil, stir and serve.

Fish Sauce

Ingredients:

• 12 to 14 anchovy filets
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Directions:

Soak anchovies in water for about an hour. Strain, add soy sauce and stir.

Hot Chili Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp. hot chili powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:

Mix chili powder and salt in a small glass bowl. Heat oil in a small sauce pan, slowly pour into the powder mixture, stirring constantly, and let stand until cool, about 15 minutes.

Related posts:

1. Green Chile Sauce Recipe – Simply Wonderful
2. Homemade Versions of Convenience Foods
3. Easy, Inexpensive Low-Sugar Spaghetti Sauce

There are so many convenience foods out there that we’ve lived with all our lives that we forget that we can make them ourselves, just as easy and for a fraction of the price. Jello, or flavored gelatin, is one of them. We are so used to buying the little square boxes that we don’t even think of homemade versions as being possible. But look how easy, cheap, and versatile it is to make Jello at home. And just in time for the holidays, too.

Homemade Jello

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope Knox gelatin (or 1 Tbsp.)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. unsweetened Kool-Aid powder (to taste)

Directions:

Put 1 cup of cold water into a bowl. Sprinkle gelatin into the cold water. Add sugar and Kool-aid powder to the cold water. Mix until completely dissolved. Add boiling water and stir. Add additional sugar or Kool-aid to taste, if desired.

Chill in refrigerator until firm.

Related posts:

1. Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk
2. Homemade Asian Sauces
3. Make Your Own Sport Drink for Pennies with this Homemade Recipe

Candy is a sure bet when giving a gift to co-workers, neighbors and friends.  Who doesn’t love candy? Plan ahead, shop the sales, use your coupons and then be creative in the way you present your gift.

On New Year’s Day last year Carol and I, along with our friends, shopped the 75% off Christmas sale at Dillard’s where I picked up these beautiful Lenox Oriental Christmas bowls for only $1.00 a piece with the idea of presenting them as gifts filled with candy the following Christmas.

So here a year later I’m ready to put my candy bowls together.  I started with a small amount of gift filler in the bottom of each bowl and began adding different wrapped candies and chocolates until the bowls were heaping, then sprinkled a little red tinsel on top.  Keep in mind that the photo of my supplies indicates only a fraction of the candy I was able to get into each bowl.  I then used one piece of iridescent tissue paper to wrap each bowl using ribbon to tie it off.  I then added a Christmas pick on one of the bowls and added a small heart shaped ornament to the other four.  Even if I do say so myself, they turned out beautiful!

Here is the cost breakdown:

• 5 bowls at $1.00 a piece ($5.00)
• Large bag of candy ($9.90)
• 1 bag gift filler (.50 cents)
• 1 bag red tinsel (.99 cents)
• 1 pkg. iridescent tissue paper ($1.99)
• 1 roll (3 ft.) ribbon (.99 cents)
• 1 Christmas pick (.99 cents)
• 4 Christmas ornaments ($2.99)                 

The total excluding tax comes to $23.35 which is a whopping $4.67 per bowl.  AND, if you shop the 75% and 90% off sales after Christmas you will be able to get the supplies even cheaper!!  So plan ahead!

Related posts:

1. Shop the After-Christmas Sales to Save Money for Next Year
2. Candy Covered Walnuts
3. Savings Plan for Next Christmas

Caramel dipped apples are always a sign of the holidays, but the hot caramel can give you some bad finger burns if you’re not careful. This crock pot method for Caramel Apple Dip is both simple to make and safe. And it makes great tasting caramel!

Easy Crock Pot Caramel Apple Dip

1. Take one 15 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk and remove the label
2. Put it on a rack or a towel in your crock pot. (If you don’t own a crock pot, a stove top pan will work.)
3. Add water to completely submerge the can
4. Cook on low for exactly 8 hours (or boil for 3 hours if using a stove top pot). Check the water level several times.

And you’ve transformed a simple can of milk into delicious caramel sauce! Once you open the can, you can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract if you like. Use the sauce to dip apples or pour over ice cream.

And by printing a simple but cute label, you can give the caramel dip as a gift.

Related posts:

1. Caramel & Chocolate Covered Apples
2. Delicious Autumn Apple Crisp
3. What’s for Dinner in the Crock Pot? – Using Yours to the Greatest Advantage