Homemade Condensed Cream of Whatever soup Mix

I found a recipe recently for chicken that uses condensed cream of chicken soup. Recipe sounds good, uses crockpot, really it should be a no brainer. However that little can of soup is almost $2. What? Really?

So I scoured the internet for a recipe and tried a couple. This one came out good, substituted well, and you can make it up as you need it. Best of all, about 50 cents to make or even less.

I have added canned chopped clams or corn and some chopped potatoes for a fast chowder.

Condensed Cream Soup Mix

2  cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4  cup cornstarch
2  tablespoons dried onion flakes
1/2  teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4  cup chicken bouillon powder
1  teaspoon dried basil (optional)
1/4  teaspoon dried thyme, more to taste


Using an air tight container combine dry milk, cornstarch, onion
flakes, pepper and chicken bouillon.If desired also add basil and thyme.
I use a widemouth quart mason jar. Mix well.

When using the mix, combine 1/3 cup of the mix with 1 1/4 cups of
water in saucepan. You could use chicken stock, vegetable stock, etc.

Cook and stir until thickened. Makes 1 and a half cups of soup.

Cole Slaw

The weather has turned warm and I am tweaking my menus to some inexpensive old favorites again. Cole slaw is ridiculously cheap but still ranks as a food that reminds you of seafood baskets at the oceanside and picnics. Some crockpot BBQ chicken, cole slaw, and garlic toast from the toaster oven and supper is on the table in 5 minutes after a long day outside enjoying the beautiful summer days.

Cabbage is easy to shred and much cheaper to do yourself but even I grab those 8 cup bags of preshredded for $1.99 when they are on sale or its a crazy week. However the dressings that you can buy for cole slaw are very expensive, most around $3.99 for only a few salads worth. The cheap bottles of dressing taste awful and I always just throw some together from scratch.

Cole Slaw

8 cups shredded cabbage
3 carrots, shredded
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vinegar
pinch salt
pinch pepper.

Whisk everything but the cabbage and the carrots in a bowl.  Toss the dressing with the carrots and cabbage and let marinate/ chill a few hours in the fridge.  

Yummy!

Stuff to do in Central Maine this summer 2014

Schools out for the summer next week and I am planning out the rest of this month's activites for the kids. Here's a few I know of, feel free to share any you like around town too.

 

Flagship Cinemas offers Camp Flagship, free movies for the kids during the summer months at several locations. The schedule is different at each location, the link is for Auburn. Showtimes are at 10am on Tues., Weds., and Thurs. Check out the schedule, there are some good ones.

http://flagship.retrieversites.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/Camp_Flagship_Flyer_2014_AUBURN_1.pdf

This local bowling alley offers a kids bowl free program in Lewiston. Personally we have never been because of sensory issues but a few friends have. While it says kids bowl free I would check it out and make sure shoe rentals etc are not extra. A great way to beat the heat though.

www.kidsbowlfree.com/

One of my boys LOVES berries, any berry really.  This small family owned pick your own has the best berries around and is only a 10 minute drive for us. I swear the boys eat their weight in berries before we leave!

http://www.gossberryfarm.com/

 

A biweekly trip for us is the Maine Wildlife Park, formerly the Gray animal farm.  If you haven't been in a few years you will be amazed at the changes. We spend $70 for a family pass that lasts for the entire year at the beginning of the season and go frequently .

  They have picnic areas and a small gift shop as well as the Snack Shack with some pretty inexpensive stuff if you are on a budget. Check the calendar at their website for special activities on Saturdays.

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/education/wildlifepark/

A really nice hiking trail just minutes from downtown Lewiston is the Thorncraig bird sanctuary. Theres a pond in the middle and tons of critters for the kids to sneak up on. It's rarely crowded and best of all, free.

http://alltrails.com/trail/us/maine/thorncrag-bird-sanctuary

 

The Auburn public library has a fabulous children's room. They have pre-assembled activity kits you can check out for a free afternoon of themed activities. I heard a rumor that they have tablets with educational apps preloaded but I haven't checked it out yet. Check their schedule for kids activities throughout the summer.

http://www.auburnpubliclibrary.org/childrens/juvservices.html

 

When I have a bit of extra money we go to the mini golf and ice cream place out Rt 4. The 18 holes are not very challenging which is nice for my unccordinated family but fun. The ice cream is great here too.

http://roysgolf.com/

 

Home Depot has a kid's workshop series that can be fun. Sometimes theres a small fee for materials. Definitely check with the store to make sure the website calendar matches theirs though.

http://workshops.homedepot.com/workshops/kids-workshops

A nice swimming hole with short hiking trails is Range Pond State Park. Its a short drive and has had some improvements the last few years. Bring a picnic lunch.

http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=11

Another short drive is Bradbury Mountain. They have several trails to hike and a small area for picnics as well. Freeport is just up the road for a walk around LL Bean, always popular with my kids. They love the indoor fish ponds. Freeport area has a ton of stuff to do also but we usually avoid too much in town because the urge to shop can be overwhelming!

http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=12

 

Here's a bunch to get you started. Have fun!