In this series, I have been sharing cheap and quick recipes.

When a family is eating on a budget, all too often, the meals become the focus, and there is little time and money left to think about things like desserts. When things get tight or rough in my family, a warm or sweet treat helps to make things feel more normal and somehow better.. That is why in part three of this series, I am focusing on desserts.

The fourth and final volume of this series will focus on breakfasts. Please stop by to get the last volume. Also, check out the links below to see the other great and cheap recipes.

Cheater (super-easy) Cookies

• 1 cake mix (2.00 - by generic or Jiffy)
• 1/2 c. choc chips (.50)
• 1/2 c. applesauce or 1/4 cup of oil (.50)
• 2 eggs (.20)

Water (amount will depend - add by the tablespoon until mix is cookie dough consitency)

Mix ingredients together and drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Monkey Cake

• 4 packs of biscuits (.79 x 4)
• 1 1/2 c. sugar or splenda substitute (.80 or more for splenda)
• 1 1/2 sticks margarine (.45)
• 5 tsp. cinnamon (.40)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease Bundt pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon in large bowl with lid. Open 1 pack biscuits; quarter the biscuits, roll in sugar mixture and place in pan. Repeat until 4 packs are finished.

Melt margarine in pan with remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil. Pour over biscuits. Bake for 45 minutes.Turn cake over onto a plate (do this before cake cools completely).

Apple Crisp

• 6 large apples, cored and sliced (golden delicious or granny smith are a great choice) (2.00)
• 1/2 c. orange juice (.25)
• 1 c. sugar - or Splenda substitute (.60)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (.08)
• 1/4 tsp. salt (umm. not much)
• 3/4 c. flour (.20)
• 6 T. butter or margarine (.40)

Stir orange juice over apple slices and coat well. Arrange apples in a greased baking dish. Combine 1/2 c. of sugar and the cinnamon, sprinkle over the apples. Then combine remaining sugar with flour and salt, and cut in butter until mixture becomes crumbly. Spread crumb mixture over apples and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned. Serve warm. (This is also really great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!)