Microwave Chocolate Caramels

I've had some unsweetened baking chocolate in my cupboard for a long time, as well as several cans of sweetened condensed milk. I often use the latter for christmas cookies, but the baking chocolate is harder to find uses for. I modified a few online recipes to make a simple dark chocolate and caramel candy using one can of milk (be sure it's SWEETENED CONDENSED, not EVAPORATED) and a box of baking chocolate. you can flavor it with anything you have lying around - nuts, extracts, dried fruits, etc. i used cinnamon in the caramel and candied orange peels in the chocolate.

Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk ($1.79)

1 8 oz box baking chocolate (unsweetened if you like dark chocolate, sweetened if you prefer more sugar. you can also use chocolate chips) ($2.50)

1/2T caramel flavoring (sea salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, crushed nuts, etc)

4T chocolate flavoring (dried fruits and nuts, extracts, etc)

1. chop chocolate and melt in microwave safe bowl until soft (usually less than 2 min). add 1/2 can milk, and microwave until chocolate just melts. stir thoroughly, fold in chocolate flavorings and pour/press into a pan or chocolate molds.

2. place remaining milk into a large glass bowl and microwave in short bursts, watching closely. when it froths to the top of the bowl, remove and stir with a wire whisk. continue doing this until the milk thickens, then stir in flavoring. spread over chocolate layer, and freeze.

3. when hardened, slice with a large knife into tiny squares. makes at least 2 dozen.

Beef Stew

Well, it's still winter, so let's make a simple beef stew!

Ingredients:

1 cheap steak (mine cost $2.37 - bought on the last day of sale and frozen)

1 bag frozen stew vegetables

1/4c whole wheat flour

2T Dr. Gonzo's One Hump Dry Rub

1T vegetable oil

4c water

1 bay leaf

1 T parsley

1. Cube the beef, and dredge in a mixture of flour and dry rub, brown in a large stockpot.

2. Add water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, then uncovered until the meat is tender.

Beef stew really is just that easy!

Old stand by - Stovetop Tuna Casserole

I started buying my own groceries in college. I remember going to the store with an exact amount of money, and carefully counting every penny's worth of food as it went into my cart. It's often hard to eat nutritious food on a budget, since fresh veggies can often be pricey, but canned and frozen food is a great way to supplement your nutrition when you don't have a lot to spend. Canned tuna is packed with lean protein, and frozen peas, while not as nutritious as their fresh compatriots, are still quite healthy. These two cheap staples can turn boring Mac and Cheese into a very tasty and reasonably nutritious meal.

Mac and Cheese itself can be a remarkably versatile base. Prepare it with fat free milk and a healthy butter alternative, and you can add your favorite meats and veggies for all kinds of tasty meals. Canned beans, leftover cooked chicken, bacon - it's all good! Maybe some day i will write a cookbook on 101 different ways to prepare it.

Ingredients:

1 package Mac and Cheese

1/4c fat free milk

1/4c margarine

1c frozen green peas, thawed

1 can tuna, drained

cracked black pepper

Italian bread crumbs

Prepare Mac and Cheese as directed. Stir in tuna and peas. Place in a casserole dish, and top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.