This Easy Ham Sliders Recipe is so simple, but it tastes like a million bucks!   It’s perfect for parties or tailgating.  Your guests will think you spent much longer in the kitchen that you actually did. Plus, it’s a great make-ahead meal since all the prep work can be done the night before.

Easy Ham Sliders Recipe

• One dozen Hawaiian sweet rolls
• Swiss Cheese
• Sliced ham
• 1/2 C. (one stick) butter
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 C. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
• Poppy seeds (optional)

In a saucepan, bring the butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Cool. Meanwhile, add sliced ham and cheese to your buns. Place in a glass Pyrex baking dish. Pour the cooled sauce over buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator. Let soak a few hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Makes 12.

Frugal Tips: The main ingredients for this recipe (the Ham, Swiss cheese, and Hawaiian sweet rolls) can all be found at ALDI. Shopping there will save you tons of money!

I originally posted a variation of this recipe (Ham and Swiss Sliders) on Mommysavers.com.

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Chocolate Buckeye Balls Recipe

1/2 C. (one stick) butter, softened
1 2/3 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
4 C. powdered sugar
Chocolate almond bark

In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, peanut butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. It’s ready when it forms a sticky dough.  Roll into 3/4″ balls and refrigerate one hour, or longer.  Remove refrigerated balls and heat chocolate almond bark according to package instructions.  Roll Buckeye Balls in chocolate and place on waxed paper to cool.

I originally posted this Buckeye Recipe on Mommysavers.com

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Despite my half-breed Scandinavian heritage, I had never heard of Scandinavian Almond Cake until recently.  My favorite neighbor, and full-blooded Norwegian Paul Knutson, told me about it. His family made us corn bread in this odd-shaped pan, and said it was their pan for Norwegian Almond Bread. I had never heard of such a thing. I did a little research online and then asked to borrow the pan so I could add this to my culinary repertoire. (you can purchase a pan on Amazon – they’re not too expensive)

Let me confess that my first attempt was not a total success.  While it tasted great, the thing stuck to the pan and came out in clumps.  It was a huge blow to my self-esteem as a cook.  Sure, we still ate it, and everyone agreed it was delicious – but it wasn’t what I imagined when I set out to perfect this recipe.  The second attempt didn’t go much better.  Then, it became a battle.  Me vs. the Cake Pan.  I re-read instructions, tweaked the recipe, and tried to figure out what I was doing wrong.   Turns out the FOURTH time was the charm.  If you’ve struggled with this recipe yourself, read my tips below.  After “extensive” research, I think I have this sucker finally figured out.

The best part: its ingredients are found in your pantry. It’s SUPER frugal, but tastes rich. Top with powdered sugar, fruit preserves, a glaze, or whipped cream.

I struggled with getting the cake out of the pan the first few times I made it.  The secrets to getting it out of the pan are:

• Use margarine instead of butter
• Spray the pan liberally with Baker’s Joy, or PAM then sprinkle with Wondra flour
• Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with almonds before pouring in the batter
• Don’t underbake.  The cake will turn golden brown before it’s done.  Use the toothpick test if necessary.
• Cool cake completely in the pan before inverting

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We have been visiting “The Tav” (Tavern on the Avenue) regularly for over 20 years.   It was one of our favorite places to go in college at MSU and as a young married couple.  When our daughter was born 13 years ago, our favorite server Tasha (now a Mankato Independent Originals business partner), used to carry her around for us so we could enjoy a little “alone” time as a couple.   She was fantastic.  :)

If I’m being truthful, I’d have to say it’s lost a little bit of its charm over the years.  The days of that personalized service are gone.  I miss the menu classic “Blackjack Melt” and “Blue Whale” cocktail (the souvenir whales doubled as tub toys for our kids!).  I wonder if the Tav is resting on its laurels just a bit.

That said, it is still one of our favorite local spots.  They still offer free popcorn and board games to keep kids busy while we wait.  The menu has a little bit more diversity than the typical Mankato bar/grill, which we appreciate.  Our new favorites are the Cubano, the Thai Lettuce Wraps, and the Sashimi Ahi Tuna.  The wings are arguably the best in town.

A Mankato favorite, you really can’t go wrong.

Frugal Tip:  Go before 6 p.m. on weeknights to hit Happy Hour.  You’ll enjoy beer specials and half-price appetizers.

Tav on the Ave

1120 Madison Ave Mankato, MN 56001
(507) 345-3308
Web: http://www.thetavontheave.com/

View more of my reviews on Yelp.

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 One of the reasons I like beer bread is that it is SO easy.  It surprises me how costly the prepackaged mixes are!  The basic beer bread with self-rising flour recipe is super-frugal and only uses a few ingredients.  Plus, it’s easy to tweak the basic recipe to come up with fun creations like this Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread.  It’s great to serve at a party with dips and spreads.

Frugal Tip:  If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

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It’s not often my family asks, “Why didn’t you make MORE?” when it comes to veggies.  I made a whole head of this Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower last night and it was devoured within minutes.  I should have doubled my batch!  I didn’t even have enough left over to get a good photo of it for you.

Frugal Tips:  I get my produce at ALDI.  It seems as if every week there are some buys that are just too good to pass up.  Be sure to follow the ALDI Grocery Stores Weekly Ads  posted over in the Mommysavers Grocery Bargains Forum.  It’s where members get together and talk about what they’ve found recently at ALDI.

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Can you believe it’s March already?  One of my favorite food events this month is St. Patrick’s Day.  I love homemade Corned Beef Brisket and Cabbage.  It’s been a tradition at our house for years, even though we’re not Irish.  We’re not Asian either, but I love Chinese Cabbage Ramen salad.  It’s another great way to make use of those great deals on cabbage you’ll see all month at the grocery store!  There are so many variations of this recipe.  How do you make it?

Frugal Tips:  Make use of produce that is in season or is being promoted for special event or holiday.  They usually are great deals, or even promoted as loss leaders.  Think of new, creative uses for them.

View the other Cabbage Recipes I’ve made lately, or these ideas from Mommysavers:

• Corned Beef and Cabbage in a Crock Pot
• Grilled Cabbage
• Cabbage Rolls

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Who knew that Smucker’s Ice Cream toppings could be used in such creative ways?   If you’ve got a jar of Smucker’s fudge, you can make these yummy Double Chocolate Diamonds.  The base of the bar is flour and peanut butter, but the topping is rich fudge doubled up with chocolate chips.  What’s not to like about that?  Next on my list of things to make is this Grilled Poundcake with Blueberry Sauce and Ricotta Cream.  Mmmmm!

Check out more Smucker’s Recipes HERE.  Plus, stay tuned for great giveaways we’re offering this week with Mommysavers as part of their Five Days of Holiday Giveaways Series.  One Frugal Bites/Mommysavers reader will win a $100 gift pack provided by Smucker’s!

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My first three holiday “baking” projects don’t actually involve turning the oven on at all.  They’re all made using just the stovetop or microwave along with some fun candy embellishments.   They’re perfect for kids to help with, since they love “decorating” the treats.  Plus, if you still have any Halloween candy left over (yeah, I know – unlikely) it’s a good way to use it up.

Last year, I compiled my creations here: 25 Days of Christmas Treats.  My goal this year?  25 new Christmas treats in December.  Don’t worry – I don’t eat them all myself.  I give them to friends and neighbors, send them to my husband’s office – whoever will eat them.  This year, I’ll be featuring them on the Mommysavers Christmas Recipes pages again as well as here on Frugal Bites.

Have a request?  Let me know!  I’m looking for even more ideas for cute Christmas cookies and treats.  I really want to find a cute Elf cookie to go along with all the Elf on the Shelf Ideas I’ve seen.  Anyone have a suggestion?  Leave it in the comments below!

Oreo Snowmen Cookie Pops

Nutter Butter Reindeer Cookies

Rice Krispies Christmas Trees

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Rice recipes are inherently frugal.  Problem is, too many people don’t make it correctly.  When it comes to making rice, the right type of rice is important.   Believe it or not, not all rice is created equally.  A true risotto requires arborio rice, sushi a sticky short-grain, and for certain Indian dishes only Basmati will do.  Also, attention to detail in its preparation is equally important.  When it comes to making fried rice, the key is to use cold, day-old rice.  Who knew?

I was browsing the internet for a copycat version of the Benihana Fried Rice.  All the recipes I saw didn’t include those important details!  Plus, adding garlic to the butter was omitted in many of them.  It makes a big difference.   My whole family loved this dish, and my husband said, “This is the best fried rice you’ve ever made.”  This recipe is definitely a keeper.   My only regret is not making more.  Sadly, there are no leftovers.

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