A Frugal Ima Super-Frugal Recipe: Jalapeno Bread

So, I have a spouse that loves to nosh.  He has quite a fast-paced job, and barely eats all day, so when he comes home he starts eating and pretty much doesn't stop for a few hours.   He gets home around six and we eat dinner around 8, so you can imagine the havoc that can wreak on my fridge and pantry, especially with each meal carefully planned.  

His favorite snack, crackers or chips topped with jalapenos and/or cheese (not so much cheese since I informed David I don't really want him to have a heart attack at 50 as runs in his family) can get quite pricey.  He could eat a $2.50 box of crackers in a day and a half.  So, until I could find a really incredible deal and can stock up on boxed crackers, I had to find an alternative solution if I didn't want to blow my grocery budget (still right at $75 a week, thankyouverymuch.)  I started searching for noshy snack recipes I knew David would love.

But, seriously?  What with the challah, and the cookies, and the vegetable chopping, and all the other schvitzing I do in the kitchen in the name of saving some cash? This frugal Ima doesn't want to have one more food task on her plate.  So I don't often squeeze snacks for David into my kitchen schedule, and he is left to stare forlornly into the fridge after work, and choose between vanilla yogurt and carrot sticks.  (cue violins playing)

Well, David let me go out for coffee all by myself the other night.  So, as a reward, (and don't you tell me your marriage doesn't work on a system of mutual back-scratching and exchanged rewards, I don't believe you)  I made this jalapeno bread, which to him is an acceptable substitute for the tres expensive Triscuits or Wheat Thins.  Topped with jalapenos, of course.  He can eat it with one hand without digging jalapenos out of a jar, which is perfect because he'll be able to give the kids their bath while he's noshing - no excuses!

The whole thing cost me a few bucks to make.  (It might cost you a little more if you don't buy jalapenos in industrial sized jars like we do.)  It's whole wheat, low fat, and high-taste.  If you have a bread machine, I learned yesterday that this turns out perfectly baked in there.

Here's what you'll need:
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons honey
3 c flour (we use half whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
cubed cheddar cheese (we leave this out most of the time to keep it pareve)
a big bunch of jalapenos

Chop up your jalapenos and lightly squeeze them in a towel to dry them a bit.  This is so all that spicy juice doesn't infiltrate your bread and the jalapeno flavor stays distinct.


Throw all your ingredients into a mixer or bread machine, or a large bowl to mix by hand.  Mix and knead till it's all smooth:


Let it rise to about double in bulk:


Punch it down and form it into eight rolls in a greased round pan, cover with saran wrap, and let rise again:


Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or so.  I used a pair of scissors to cut little "x" shapes in the top of each roll.  Just because I thought it was pretty.


Or, you could just chuck everything into the bread machine and let 'er rip, which is what I did yesterday:


Nom Nom.  Happy Noshing!