Artichoke Bean Salad

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While I like most salads, there are times when I get really sick of lettuce. Artichoke Bean Salad is a great alternative since you still get a mix of veggies and flavors, without all the greens.

I also love that most of the ingredients are in the pantry, so even if I haven’t been grocery shopping, it’s still an option. Artichokes are the star of this show; many people have never tasted them and they’re missing out! It can be an acquired taste, certainly, but one that’s worth cultivating since they’re high in folic acid and Vitamin C.

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To make Artichoke Bean Salad, you will need:

*  1 Can quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained  (I prefer the water-packed. The marinated ones tend to be very salty with a slightly off taste. Frozen can be substituted as well.)

*  1 Can white beans, rinsed and drained  (Goya is a my go-to brand for beans.)

*  2 Celery stalks, thinly sliced

*  Small red onion, thinly sliced

*   Juice of a lemon

*  Salt/pepper to taste

*  1 TSP oregano

*  1/2 Cup salad dressing, homemade or store-bought  (I use a vinaigrette, but a creamy dressing would also work.)

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In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, oregano, and salad dressing. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together until evenly coated. Be generous with the salt; I find this definitely needs it.

Artichoke Bean Salad is best marinated overnight. It can be served cold or room temp. (I prefer the latter). While most ladies enjoy this salad, I do find that men and kids aren’t as enthusiastic. (Hungry Bear absolutely hates beans and will not eat it!) This is more of a ladies recipe, so do plan accordingly.

For a delicious light lunch, combine this salad with soup and bread!

The Unaffiliated Jew – Part One

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It is a well-known fact that most American Jews now consider themselves Unaffiliated. What exactly does “Unaffiliated” mean? Does it mean unobservant? Maybe. Does it mean a lack of interest? Possibly. But what it definitely means is that the overwhelming majority can’t find a community that speaks to—or for—them.

There are many issues that have caused this crisis. In the coming days, we’re going to discuss most of them.

While Jewish leaders willingly lament about the growing issue of the Unaffiliated, it always amazes me that nobody wants to discuss the dreaded “M” word—MONEY.

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Yes, money keeps many Jews from affiliating. There’s a pervasive myth that all Jews are wealthy and have endless supplies of extra cash to give temples, federations, charities, etc. While it is true that most Jews are highly-educated and high-earners, not everyone in our community is flush.

I personally know many Jews who are flat-broke—due to divorce, unemployment, and illness. I know Jews who have houses in foreclosure. Years ago, I knew a Jewish family that lived in a car, after the father lost his business. I know Jews who use food pantries. I know Jews who don’t attend High Holidays, because they can’t afford the tickets. I know Jews whose kids were pulled from Hebrew School because they can’t pay the tuition.

How do I know this? Because I used to be a member of my Temple’s Board. I saw, with my own eyes, people who were dying to participate and turned away, simply because they couldn’t afford it. I saw an individual, who attended services weekly, be told that he couldn’t start a committee because he wasn’t a “member.” (Shocking, huh? Needless to say, I do not subscribe to that bizarre mindset and I’m no longer a member of that particular temple.)

That, my friends, is an outrage. You don’t have to pay to join this club, you were born into it (or converted). Your value in the Jewish Community shouldn’t be based on dues and donations. Someone who attends services weekly is much more of a member than someone who writes an annual check.

We can’t, in good conscience, turn anyone away—not when we have so few to begin with. Yes, temples need funding, but do we really need buildings the size of museums, over-inflated salaries & budgets, and a shameful amount of discretionary waste? If we’d accept more modest conditions, it may not be such a strain to pay for them.

 

Have you been disconnected from the Jewish Community due to money? How have you suffered because of it?

Super Savings Saturday – 11/8

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Welcome to another edition of Super Savings Saturday!

What an amazing week of couponing! I was lucky enough to participate in the Huggies deal at CVS, as you can see from this tower of diapers pic. (The coupons were only available to print for about an hour. I test all of the deals I post personally and when I returned from the store to share, it was already gone.)

In addition to the Huggies, I found many other freebies and cheapies, especially at Target. Between the 90% off Halloween clearance and some unexpected meat markdowns, I really cleaned up by matching rock bottom prices with coupons.

After experimenting with Checkout 51 for a little bit now, I’m totally hooked. I average 1-2 deals weekly and I’m loving all the free bananas and discounted coffee.

CVS:

I did 2 transactions so I could roll gift cards for maximum savings.

Transaction #1:  4 packs of Huggies Lil Snugglers, Size 1 & 2, on sale Buy 1, Get one 50% off. I used 4 $3.00 Manufacturer’s coupons stacked with 2 $4.50/2 store coupons. Total: Total: $16.46, plus a $10.00 CVS gift card.

Transaction #2:   1 Huggies Lil Snugglers size 2, 1 Huggies Snug ‘n Dry Size 3, and All detergent. I used 2 $3.00 Manufacturer’s coupons, 2 $2.00 store coupons, and a $1.00 Manufacturer’s coupon for the All. Total: $11.72. I used the $10.00 gift card which brought my total to $1.72 and I earned another $10.00 gift card!

My total out of pocket cost was $18.18 and I still have $10.00 to use in the future. That’s 7 items for $2.59 each—an amazing price for diapers.

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Rite Aid:

2 Fruit Vines candy, details here. Total: Free!

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Hannaford:

Essentia water, regular price $1.79. I used a $2.00 Manufacturer’s coupon (marked down.) Total: Free!

Lavazza espresso coffee, regular price $4.99. I used a $2.00 coupon, combined with a $2.25 rebate from Checkout 51. Total: $0.74!

2 McCormack spice samplers, regular price $0.99. I used a $1.75/2 Manufacturer’s coupon. Total: $0.23!

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Target:

1 banana. Total: $0.24, with a $0.25 rebate from Checkout 51.  (Not pictured because I ate it in the parking lot. Couponing sure makes me hungry!)

4 bags of M&Ms, details here: Total: Free!

Master Lock Security set, clearance price $6.88. (It’s usually $29.99, so this was a huge savings!)

6 Jennie-O ground turkeys, regular price $2.99, with a $2.00 markdown coupons. Total: $5.94 for 6 Lbs!  ($0.99/Lb for meat is fantastic.)

The stockpile is full to the brim with cheap diapers, free candy, and discounted meat. Sounds like a successful week to me!

 

Did you get any freebies this week? Feel free to share in the comments.

28 Uses For Canned Biscuit Dough

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Remember when I bought all those cans of $0.21 biscuit dough at Target? Well, they’re still sitting in the fridge. (They have a long expiration date and successfully freeze, so I’m not in a rush.) Sure, I could just bake biscuits, but I’d rather get creative. Here are 28 uses for canned biscuit dough:

1. Knishes   (My number one idea—naturally—is to make Knishes. We love the meat kind, but you could also do cheese or potato. Using prepared dough helps these come together very quickly.

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2. Breakfast Sandwiches   (Don’t buy those horrid Jimmy Dean ones when you can easily make a bunch and freeze. I love just cheese and fried eggs.)

3. Biscuit Bites  (Cut into quarters, top with Cajun seasoning and bake. Serve with creamy salad dressing to dunk.)

4. Casserole Base  (Flatten the dough and spread across a 9X9 glass pan. Add meat, veggies, and sauce. Top with another layer of dough. If you want a cheesy casserole, use Tuna.)

5. Donuts/Munchkins  (Poke a hole in the middle, stretch into a donut, and deep fry in a shallow pan until barely browned. Sprinkle with powered sugar. Another idea is to put a Hershey’s Kiss inside each one and deep fry.)

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6. Cows-in-a-Blanket  (Wrap dough around mini beef hot dogs. Great as an appetizer.)

7. Savory Strata  (Layer dough, sliced tomatoes, olives, sliced onions, and cheese.)

8. Soup Toppers  (Float a baked biscuit in any bowl of hearty soup or chowder.)

9. Pie Crust   (Substitute for regular pie dough as a single shell or make mini pies.)

10. Brie Twist  (Start with a small brie. Twist the dough around the brie into a circle. Top with raspberry jam and bake.)

11. Pepper Biscuit Pull-Apart  (Overlap all of the biscuits in a pan, add chopped green peppers and shredded cheddar cheese.)

12. Pineapple Cakes  (Put a ring of sliced pineapple in bottom of a muffin tin, add a maraschino cherry in center of each ring, top with a canned biscuit, then cook until golden brown. Invert onto serving bowls and top with whipped cream.)

13. Barnyard Biscuits   (Place biscuits in muffin tin and shape into little cups. Mix cooked hamburger with bbq sauce or sloppy Joe sauce and spoon over dough.)

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14. Strawberry Shortcakes  (Place a cooked biscuit into a bowl. Top with macerated strawberries and whipped cream.)

15. Fake Breadsticks  (Roll out to make sticks, brush with butter or oil, and sprinkle with garlic salt, oregano, and black pepper.)

16. Cream Cheese Bites  (Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, and chopped walnuts. Place a spoonful on each biscuit.)

17. Beans & Biscuits   (Serve baked beans with a side of biscuits. Very cheap meal.)

18. Meatball Bites   (Cover a cooked meatball with dough and bake.)

19. Scones   (Bake & Drizzle with icing.)

20. Pot Pies   (Fill individual ramekins with any chicken or turkey pie filling and top with a single biscuit. This one is great for leftovers.)

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21. Taco Shells   (Use in place of a crunchy corn shell.)

22. Monkey Bread   (Top biscuit with cinnamon, sugar, and butter.)

23. Orange Puffs   (Cut into quarters and fry in a sauce pan with orange juice, zest, butter, and sugar.)

24. Country Breakfast   (Biscuits served with gravy drizzled on top.)

25. Personal Pizzas/Calzones   (Use 1 biscuit per pizza or calzone. Add toppings of your choice. These are like homemade Hot Pockets, but much better.)

26. Dumplings   (Cut into quarters and use with beef stew or chicken and dumplings.)

27. Cheddar Bites   (Combine dough with cheddar cheese and scallions.)

28. Cherry Turnovers    (Fill dough with cherry pie filling and deep fry or bake. Could also use apple or peach.)

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I do understand that canned biscuits aren’t the healthiest food in the world—especially if fried or made into a dessert. I consider these recipes to be once-in-a-while treats.

 

What recipes do you make with canned biscuit dough?