Betty's Best-Ever Barbecue Sauce

Happy New Year --- a few days late.  Hope you all had a great holiday.

The big celebration(s) I mentioned were coming up (when last I blogged) were terrific.  All we'd hoped for and more!!! As the six days of activities were winding down, many of us came down with the nasty flu stuff that is going around. That is why this post is later than I had planned.

Two days ago the newlyweds stopped off for a few minutes on their way back to college. The next day a grandson, also on his way to back to college, spent the night. It is very handy living at about the half way mark between their homes and their schools.  And it makes a nice break for them in the many-hours-drive and a great chance for us to share a short visit.

But what does all this have to do with Barbecue Sauce?

I fed them barbecue chicken sandwiches using Costco canned chunk chicken and my homemade barbecue sauce.  They loved the sauce and, when they found out I made it, asked if it was on my blog. I was even surprised to realize I hadn't posted it, even though I have included it in the booklets I have written and in classes I have taught over the years.  Siera, the newlywed, made me promise I would blog it --- and soon.

So, here it is. This recipe was given to me about 33 years ago, soon after we moved to the Midwest where Betty  introduced us to brisket smothered in her delicious, quick and easy sauce.

Betty's Best-Ever Barbecue Sauce

Combine and mix well. 
2 cups catsup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T. Worchestershire sauce
1 T. liquid smoke* 

That's it!  It is ready to use immediately.  Store in refrigerator.

*I prefer Wright's Hickory Seasoning Liquid Smoke but Colgin's brand seems to be easier to find and does the job!

'til we eat again,
           Simply, Gail

Four Easy Chicken Meals + more

Obviously I've always liked chicken!

Quick, Easy, Neat and Cheep Cheap


Here is another of my long time favorite cooking-day projects that, once done, will provide several different meals, quickly. easily, neatly and cheaply---four of my favorite words!


Good eating does not have to be elaborate or expensive.

Four frugal words: quick takes little time, easy takes little effort, neat takes little clean-up, cheap takes little money!


Basic Chicken Mix
11 pounds of chicken (about 4 medium fryers) cut up
4 quarts cold water
3 T. parsley flakes
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 tsp salt
2 tsp basil (if desired)
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in large pot. Cover and cook over high heat until water boils. Simmer until meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove from heat and cool some. Strain broth and refrigerate until fat can be skimmed off. Cool chicken, remove bones and skin, and cut into small pieces.  Put chicken into freezer containers in two-cup portions. Place skimmed chicken broth, along with the carrots, in two-cup portions, in freezer containers.  Label and date containers and freeze. Use within three months.

Chicken Continental - a staple when our family was young
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 T grated onion
1 T parsley flakes
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp thyme, if desired
2 cups chicken broth, thawed
2 cups chicken pieces, thawed
2 cups instant rice (right from the box)
In medium bowl, combine soup, seasonings and broth. Stir until blended. Stir in chicken and instant rice. Place in lightly buttered 2-quart casserole dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. 6 servings.

Chicken of the Kings - on a budget
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup chopped celery
1 small can mushroom pieces or fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth, thawed
2 cups chicken pieces, thawed
1 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped pimiento, if desired
1 T parsley flakes
Cooked Rice
Melt margarine in large frying pan. Add celery and mushrooms. Saute until tender. Blend in flour and let simmer one minute. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Cook 3-5 minutes stirring constantly until thick.
Stir in chicken, parsley and pimiento. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve over cooked rice. 6 servings.

Poppy Seed Chicken - a family favorite
White sauce ( recipe below)
1-1/2 cups cooked chicken pieces, thawed
1-1/2 cups chicken broth, thawed
8 oz. container sour cream
1 T poppy seeds
Cooked Rice or Hot Noodles
Make white sauce below.

White Sauce
Melt 1/2 cup margarine in medium-large pan. Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper to taste and slowly stir into melted margarine, stirring constantly until starting to brown. Slowly add 3 cups milk, and continue to stir until sauce thickens. Stir in remaining ingredients, except rice. Simmer, do not boil, for a few minutes until hot. Serve over hot rice or noodles.

BBQ Chicken - kids love it !
Combine cooked chicken pieces in barbecue sauce and heat thoroughly.  Serve on buns or over rice or noodles. (Note: You can also use Spam, cut into matchstick-size pieces.)

Good eating does not have to be elaborate or expensive.
I get really frustrated when I see articles such as "Feed Your Family of Four on only $200 per week," like that is some great accomplishment.  For years that was my monthly food budget, and we did just fine.

'til we eat again,
              Simply, Gail

It's Best to Tell the Truth and . . .

It has happened again! I have forgotten how to add the recipes from several posts to the cookbook list that runs down the side of my blog.

I have posted several GREAT recipes (at least I think they are and so do my tasters!) without being able to list them for your future reference.  I have spent hours going through my notes, digging through Google Blogger for Dummies, and experimenting --- unsuccessfully.

We have two grandchildren coming  through here in the next week or so on their way home from college. Hopefully they will be able to spend some time and will be willing to help me out.......again.

In the meantime---- please don't give up on me!

Fortunately, a few weeks ago when we were visiting, our daughter pointed out the little white search box at the top left hand side of my blog.  Can you believe ..... that's a dumb question ..... sure you can, that I didn't realize it was there.

Of course, you probably already knew about it.

Until help arrives I am going to list the recipes that don't appear in the sidebar and the wording to type in the little search box.

I am sorry for the extra work this will cause you but if you read one of the posts, wanted the recipe, and couldn't find it again, hopefully this will be worth your effort.

I have tried each of the "titles" I have put in bold, before the recipe descriptions and they will take you to the correct site.

• Chocolate "Shell" gives you the 2-ingredient recipe for the crackly chocolate topping that hardens when it hits ice cream (or frozen banana slices). 
• Blender Compost teaches you to turn your veggie and fruit trimmings into an instant compost smoothie for your garden.
• Artisan Bread reveals the simplicity to frugally making that expensive crusty-type European breads found in bakeries --- in minutes for pennies.
• Greek Yogurt shows you how to easily make this expensive yogurt  inexpensively without any special equipment.
• Donuts provides simple and simply delicious cake donuts in minutes --- Dave thinks they are the best he has ever tasted!
• Root Veggie Chips from my experimenting to create inexpensive and  healthy alternative to commercial ones.
• Zucchini Chips offers more in the dehydrating line of healthy snacks. They are so much better than they sound.
• Tartar Sauce quickly made from simple ingredients you probably already have on hand --- with none of the additives.
• Cole Slaw Dressing perfect for cabbage slaw (I am not sure where the name Cole came from) to mix up in a minute using simple ingredients.
• Microwave Potato Chips ---- to make, eat, and enjoy without any expensive specialty equipment.
• Coconut Cookies that require only one bowl and one fork to make.
• Barbecue Sauce that requires few ingredients, no cooking, and tops the most famous.
• Jello Milk Shake for a cool and colorful refreshing treat.
• Deodorant that does the job with natural, around the house, ingredients and no yucky, potentially harmful ones.

When I finally learn, I promise to

---fully write out the directions

---prominently post them in an obvious place

---immediately add the recipes to the cookbook list

Until that time, I will continue to add the search box headings to the bottom of each post.

And, I am thanking you in advance for what I hope is your patience with me.

I am Simply  Simple, Gail.

UPDATE!!!  My good friend Sandy talked me through how to put my recipes (including all of the above) in the Cook Book section.  Thanks, Sandy.

My next project will be how to make the Cook Book Section more user-friendly. In the meantime (which could be quite a long time) I hope you'll keep scrolling down to see what is there for you to make simply, cheaply, and without a bunch of added chemicals and other ingredients.