Poor man Stoup (updated)

**This is my updated version of this stoup. I have done experimenting and I really like this version even better! It's good either way you make it, you can leave the new stuff out, but it tastes so much better and adds more dimension to it! This stoup looks like puke, but tastes amazing! It has been nick-named "Puke Stoup" by none other than my "creative" hubby. Don't let the name scare you away though. Yummo!

Okay a stoup is from Rachael Ray (thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew-STOUP!)
I was in an experimental mood and wanted something yummy but easy, and easy clean up (one pot!!) the night I came up with this. Plus I had like nothing in my fridge! So this is what I came up with!! Let me know if you like it!

You'll need:
-1 lb. hamburger /sausage or chicken works good too ($1.50)
-Carrots (from the garden)
-Celery ($.20)
-Onions (from the garden)
-Beef stock (2 cans)/also works with chicken stock ($1.00 bought on sale for $.50 a can)
-1 to 1 1/2 cups of rice ($.25)
-Bay leaf, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper, terragon, sage ($.25)

-1 can of cream of mushroom/chicken ($1.00-unfortunately not on sale)

-dollop of sour cream ($.15)

-parmesan (if desired) ($.10)

TOTAL: $4.45
DIRECTIONS:
*Brown hamburger in a stock pot.
*Add grated carrots, chopped onions, and chopped celery and let them sweat out until tender.
*Add beef stock and bring to a boil.
*Add rice (not cooked); 1 bay leaf, couple shakes of thyme, parsley, terragon, sage and salt and pepper, then turn down heat to simmer and let it cook until dinner time.

*10 min. before you eat, add the cream of mushroom/chicken, and the sour cream and parmesan. Give it just enough time to heat through.

*Enjoy!!
***I usually do this around lunch time (noon)
~ Hint: You might have to occasionally add a little water here and there if it looks like it's getting too thick.
**enjoy cleaning only one pan!!

~Hint: This makes a TON of soup. We usually eat half, then I store the other half in the freezer for a day I don't want to cook! Easy cheesy!

Hawaiian Hamburgers

You'll Need:
-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
-2/3 cup of canned milk
-2/3 cup saltine crackers (crushed)
-1/2 cup minced onions
-1 tsp. salt
-1 can pineapple tidbits/chunks
-2 tbs. cornstarch
-1/4 cup vinegar
-1/4 cup brown sugar
-2 tbs. soy sauce
-1- 1 1/2 cups cooked rice

DIRECTIONS:
-In a bowl mix: ground hamburger, canned milk,onions, crackers, and some salt and pepper.
-Form into hamburgers.
-Cook on med-low heat until cooked through.
-Cook rice.

Sauce:
-Drain juice from pineapple tidbits/chunks into a measuring cup. (should equal exactly 1 cup.)
-Set pineapple aside.
-Combine pineapple juice, cornstarch, vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Cook until thickened. Only takes a few minutes.
-Add pineapple tidbits/chunks.
**Serve hamburgers and sauce on top of cooked rice.
**I also served this with fresh garden veggies on the side. Yum!
**You don't have to feel so bad about eating seconds at this meal because it's healthy!

Easy Freezer Peach Jam

You'll Need:
-2 3/4 cups of peaches (make sure it's exact-the set of the jam will be nasty if you don't-same goes with the sugar!)
-6 1/2 cups sugar
-1/3 cup lemon juice
-2 pouches of fruit pectin (I used the Certo Sure Jell pectin)

DIRECTIONS:
-Peel the peaches and take the pits out.
-Mash the peaches with a potato masher (or food processor-just don't puree the peaches, there are supposed to be chunks of fruit in your jam-again set up won't work if you puree)
-In a seperate bowl, measure out the sugar and add it to the fruit. Stir in sugar until well mixed.
-Let the fruit and sugar mixture set for 10 min. Occasionally stirring.
-In another seperate bowl mix together the lemon juice and the pectin until well mixed.
-Add pectin mixture to fruit mixture. Stir continuously until there are no more sugar crystals left (a few may be left) this is about 3 minutes.
-Pour jam into the bottles, or freezer containers. Leaving 1/2 inch at the top for freezer expansion.
-Let jam sit for 24 hours to set up.
-Freeze and enjoy!
-jam is good for up to a year, about 4 weeks in the fridge.

Homemade TWIX Bars

*A friend gave this recipe to me and I hadn't tried it yet. Thought it sounded good so I took a whack at it last night. Sorry the picture is only of half of it. I took it to a Relief Society dinner and apparently it was a big hit. It's a little too rich for my taste, but good if you only nibble at it. Let me know what you think of it.

You'll Need:

-1 lb. butter

-1 1/2 cups sugar

-2 cups flour

-4 tbs. karo syrup

-1 cup sweetened condensed milk

-3/4 cup brown sugar

-1 package choco chips

DIRECTIONS:

-Cream together 1/2 lb. butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar.

-Add 2 cups flour. Knead.

-Pat into a 9x13 pan. Or a cookie sheet. Depending on how thin you want it.

-Bake for 15-20 min.

-For the filling. Combine, 1/2 lb. butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, and 4 tbs. Karo.

-Bring to a boil-let it cook to a light brown coffee color.

-Cool mixture slightly, pour over the crust. And put on 1 package of choco chips. (This was too much chocolate for me, I would probably do about half of that.) Let them melt and then spread. Enjoy!