Melt in your mouth: Eggplant Parmesan Omelet.

I love summertime, I love getting fresh stuff from the local stands, farmers market, friends gardens and my own back yard.

I frequent a little fruit stand Gift shop down the street and she had some eggplant that I couldn't resist! I grabbed one and the next morning I knew what I was going to do.

Somewhere along the line I have to have some Italian in me because my love for Italian flavors is enormous (and I can eat garlic raw) I love eggplant parmesan but I am so picky about it, I never order it out because it is always over sauced and soggy. I knew I could make an omelet that was sure to please my picky palate.






What you need:

2 slices of eggplant (1/2" thick)- diced. ( I did not peel my eggplant because I knew frying it like this wouldn't make it so tough, it was also a small locally grown plant so the skin wasn't so waxy- If you are unsure as to what to do, I suggest you peel it so you don't get turned off by the possibility of tough skin)
Plain bread crumbs (about a cup or so)
2 eggs (one for the omelet one for the egg wash to batter the eggplant (that is the word egg in one sentence too many times :) )
Fresh Thyme, dried Oregano, dried or fresh Parsley & fresh basil (dried spices will do fine as well for all of them but you may need to adjust the amounts)
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
hand full of cherry tomatoes
garlic clove
shallot (small piece of one)

Put your diced eggplant in one egg (well beaten)

To your bread crumbs add thyme (I used two twigs) oregano (about a TBSP) Dried parsley (about a TBSP) fresh grated parmesan (about 2 TBSP but probably a little more- eyeball it. I always taste my bread crumbs to be sure that they are seasoned well before I roll anything in it)

Now put your eggplant into the bread crumbs and coat well


In a small skillet with a bit of olive oil fry the eggplant and half the shallot until golden brown (salt and pepper to taste).


(I own one small skillet so I would wipe it clean and use the same on for each step, you can use 2 skillets if you like :) )

Now I made my omelet, one egg with a splash of melt beaten well. in a skillet on medium heat melt tbsp of butter. once butter is melted swirl around to coat entire pan well. add egg, cook slowly- I use number 4 on my burner and it works perfect- cook the omelet constantly removing and swirling to ensure thoroughly cooked. Once done add the eggplant and mozzarella cheese

Slide the omelet on a plate and flip it in half

in the skillet saute the other half of shallot & garlic when they are done add the tomatoes (halved) some fresh basil and parsley cook just until heated (salt and pepper to taste). I added a pinch of the bread crumbs for texture. Top the omelet with saute mixture and some more parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti squash that will change your life!

1 spaghetti squash mine was medium sized. Prick with knife and roast on 350 for about an hour ( I bumped mine up to 450 for about 20 minutes then back to 350 for another 20 because I was starving ;) )

You can either cut your Brussel sprouts in half and throw them on baking sheet with squash for about the last 30 minutes ( drizzle with olive oil) or sauté them with the onions (if sautéing cut in quarters)

Once squash is done cut in half discard seeds and scrape the noodle like flesh out. In pan with olive oil (or about 2 tbsp butter) sauté 1 vidala onion until soft (if sautéing sprouts do those now too) add 1 large clove garlic minced and about 5 baby portabella mushrooms sliced. ( you'll need to add those last since the garlic will burn and the mushrooms will get soggy). Toss the squash in with a pad of butter, salt and pepper add Parmesan cheese and serve, I'm not kidding it is to die for.


If the computer wasn't broken I'd upload a pic :(

Update #2 Jambalaya

I almost didn't get to take pictures I made it Thursday night and stuck it in the fridge, by lunch time the boys had eaten almost all of it.

It was so good, I mean so good. Here is what I did. I started off thinking I was going to use the crock pot recipe well when I finally started my veggies I thought, hmm my crock pot isn't big enough. So in the stock pot it went. Please don't cry when you read the ingredients and directions.

Onion
Celery
Green Pepper
Sriracha sauce
Emeril's Bayou Blast (I mean he is cajun, he is bound to know what seasonings to use, right?) I am not sure about the gluten content of his seasonings, but you could use cayenne, paprika, ground mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and maybe some dried lemon zest...I ended up using about 2 1/2-3 TBS of the bayou blast
Chicken breast- I used 3 breasts with rib meat, they were rather large.
Smoked sausage 1 package, I used the turkey sausage
Shrimp (I used 1 bag of 41-50 count)
Rice- I had on hand those boil-n-bag rice things so I used three of them
1 box of Chicken stock
water
butter
salt and pepper to taste
Oregano (about TBS)
3 Bay leaves

In The pan I melted a stick of butter (yes, a stick...actually there were about 2 pads missing off of it and I slapped it in the pan, just call me Mrs. Butterton)
To that butter I added my diced onion, celery and green pepper until softened, (I season every layer of this so I added my bayou blast and a tad of salt and pepper because the seasoning was already salty in my opinion) I poached my chicken first (because it was frozen, shame on me) But you don't have to if it is thawed...dice that up and add it in. season. I added the whole entire box of chicken stock (and only used water as needed to keep it the consistency I wanted- like near the end where I didn't want to scorch it and the next day when I warmed it up and the next day, some like it really soupy though)my bay leaves and oregano Once the chicken was done I added the sausage and last I added the shrimp. Tasted it and decided I needed to add more heat- enter sriracha sauce I did a healthy squirt probably about 2 TBS or so. At the very end I put in the rice, now I added it in the bag and cooked it partially then realized that was stupid and opened them up and let it cook all together. By the time it was done the rice was nice, the chicken was shredded nicely and the shrimp were perfect. It wasn't too spicy, just enough to make you want to drink a beer.

Party update #1... Cheesecake stuffed strawberries.

My Jambalaya is done, I made it last night and I am glad I did. I ended up NOT using a slow cooker. I will update that with pictures later and recipe.

So I made my Cheesecake stuffed strawberries this morning. There are tons of these floating on pinterest but I decided the boxed jello cheesecake mix was not good enough for me.

Here is what I did.

I got my strawberries ready, the bigger the better and luckily Strawberries are coming in just south of here. I washed and hulled them and took out any extra that was inside. The bigger ones work best because they are somewhat hollow in the center.

Now the filling.(for topping you will just need graham cracker crumbs) 1 block of Cream cheese (8oz) Softened. about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar (I tasted and added as needed, when the strawberries are super sweet you don't need a lot of sweet stuffing but you can adjust it to your taste preference) 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and 1 tsp of almond extract. Beat these together until smooth and creamy consistency and well combined. Taste now to ensure that you have it sweet enough. Put the filling in a plastic ziploc or a piping bag and pipe the goodness right in the holes in the berries. Once they are all filled on a small plate but your graham cracker crumbs and lightly dip the filled part of the berries in it. I was going to drizzle with some white and dark chocolate but I tasted one (then 2, then 3, then 4 and AB tasted 1 then 2 then 3 then 4 you get the picture) and they were perfect.

I will warn you, make extra and don't make these prior to having breakfast because they will become your breakfast :D

Party time!

So this is a little different from my normal posts. I live to entertain, I have all these great ideas and I never get to use them. So Tomorrow we are having a cookout with people whom I do not know. Kind of a friend reunion of sorts for Jason. So all together I will have 7-9 adults, 2 teenagers, 3 children 5 and under and a baby.

So in my mind I have this whole idea of "what would Pioneer woman do" mixed with a bit of "How awesome would The virtuous wife's party be" These two women combined I am convinced could conquer the world. Seriously, they should be president and vice president of the USA.

Anyway. So I am doing this on a "Sanford and Son" budget Come on you know you want to sing it...


I need this to be simple yet have the wow factor, cheap but look amazing. Thank the Lord Pinterest has been invented (my bookmark bar thanks you, Pinterest)

The Menu-

My Fried Crappie (the fish is free thanks to my Awesome Hubby)
Filleted dipped in egg and milk mixture then in flour seasoned with old bay, salt and pepper then back in egg/milk and into panko crumbs also seasoned with salt and pepper. Let set about 5 minutes so the breader doesn't fall off when you drop them into the hot grease, deep fry until golden brown and inside is flaky goodness.

Hot dogs- nothing special about hotdogs :)

Pizza bites with dipping sauce
I am going to take pizza dough roll it out and put pizza sauce onto it and mozzarella cheese and roll it up like a pinwheel and cut like cinnamon buns then top with some more cheese. I will serve it with pizza sauce and garlic butter

Shrimp tarts
These are so good, I made these at my brother's High school Graduation and there were none left.

6oz cream cheese softened
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp fresh minced parsley
2 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp old bay
1 cup finely chopped cooked shrimp (peeled and deveined of course)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
2 pkgs mini phyllo tart shells (freezer section)

beat cream cheese until softened add sour cream, parsley, onion, Worcestershire, old bay mix until thoroughly combined. add shrimp and mozz. add filling to tart shells bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. can be served warm or cold.

Mac and Cheese bites

^that picture is before my good camera lol^
This is kind of a make up while I go deal but I am going to use my mac and cheese recipe (Barilla noodles, sharp and mild cheddar, salt, pepper, butter 2 pads diced and a can of evaporated milk) I may need to modify it to make it work because I am going to cook it in muffin tins so they are finger-foodish but I will update with pics :)

Jambalaya (which I know isn't a finger food so it may get cut)
I am going to try this recipe
But I will change a few things (as always)
I will pre-cook my rice and saute my veggies (the trinity onions, pepper and celery) and probably through some old bay in the mix too, I will update afterwards.

Potato skin bites

Really so simple. I cheat and cook my potatoes in the microwave and then slice into bite sized discs. brush with olive oil and put in the oven for just a teeny bit on broil, top with cheese broil again until melted top with diced bacon, sour cream and jalapeno.

(I am sure something else will get added but so far this is it!)

Drinks-

Sweet tea (what is a southern cookout without sweet tea?)

Lemon wedge jello shots (alcoholic and non-alcoholic for the kids)

And I really want to do the ice water with lemon in a big bucket of ice, but we will see.

I would really like to do mason jar cakes for the kids, but I may stick to cheesecake stuffed strawberries. We shall see.

Brussel Sprouts and Quinoa

Don't let the title scare you. These aren't the brussel sprouts you ate as a child all mushy and boiled, these are fresh yummy goodness.

Quinoa, bacon, onion (one half of a small sweet onion) 3 Garlic cloves, salt, pepper, dill, brussel sprouts.

Prepare your Quinoa according to the directions (this stuff is bland it takes on whatever flavor you add) So I used water but added a bit of garlic and onion powder, olive oil and salt.

Dice up some bacon I used 3 strips and put it in your pan

Cook it and remove to a paper towel to drain - leave the grease in the pan (you could forego the grease and use olive oil but I like the bacon flavor, I probably had about 1- 1 1/2 TBS rendered from the bacon)

Cut about 5 brussel sprouts in half, give your onion and garlic a rough chop.

In your bacon grease or olive oil saute your onion and brussel sprouts, season with salt and pepper, once they begin to soften a bit add your garlic (remember garlic burns quickly) I added one pad of butter at this point. Once your veggies are done add some dill (to your liking, I wanted to do parsley but was out so I grabbed dill, turns out it was awesome!) Add your precooked quinoa and taste to see if it needs any more seasoning. I personally think Quinoa can be dry, so, at this point you can add a bit of chicken stock to the pan so it isn't so dry, I didn't have chicken stock on hand so I decided that I would dollop some sour cream on top and top with a tad more dill. I am a strange bird, or so I have been told, but I tell you the sour cream on it was awesome.

It would also be good if you topped with cheese, but if you are the plain Quinoa type no topping is needed ;)

Homemade French fries.

These are so good, they are easier than you think but requires a little more work than opening a bag of frozen ones but it really is worth the extra effort and it saves lots of money since you can buy a 10lb bag of potatoes for the price of 1 or 2 bags of the frozen bags.

in the picture I used red potatoes because it is what I had on hand. Then a couple of nights later I made them with russett potatoes, good both ways.

You can do these skin on or off which ever you prefer I do it both ways but the past two times I have done them skin off.

5-6 good size potatoes fed my family of five and we had leftovers.

In your deep fryer or a large pot on the stove warm your oil (peanut oil is the best but it is pricey and I use a lot of oil so that I can get more done at a time, so I usually use vegetable unless peanut is in the budget) you want it to be around 325

Get a bowl with cold water, this is where you will put your raw fries after you cut them (and while you cut the rest).

Wash and peel potatoes I try to get 4 slices long ways and then 4 fries out of each slice, you can cut the fries according to your preference. Put the fresh cut fries in the cold water once you have cut all your potatoes let them stay in that water for a couple minutes (while you clean up your peeling mess)

Take them out and place them on a dishtowel or paper-towel to drain (make sure they are patted dry water and grease don't mesh well)

Drop them a few at a time being sure not to over crowd the oil I usually can do a handful at a time. Leave them in the oil for a few minutes, they will start to float at the top and won't have much (if any color) but that is ok! put them onto a paper-towel to drain and continue to do the rest. Once all of your fries have been fried once you can crank your oil up to about 350-375, let the fries cool back down to room temp. After they have cooled drop them in the oil for their final frying. They will become golden and crisp, remove from oil onto paper-towel to drain and sprinkle with salt (and pepper if desired, or Cajun seasoning, or dry ranch dressing)

Enjoy!

Champagne ginger Chicken Kabobs. Super simple.

This is so super simple that it is crazy! I had to make dinner and my Brother was in town. Our original plan got messed up so I had to make a quick change. I had some chicken breasts. (4 to be exact but they were the super mondo chicken breasts from *gasp* walmart, I know, I know). I was running through the grocery store and thinking ok, marinade-marinade what kind of marinade. I grabbed a bottle of Girards Champagne dressing (normally fairly expensive but there was a little coupon thingy there and it was on sale, still cost me around $3 though)

Now not for the purpose of mixing the two I found this Jamaican Ginger beer (I love ginger beer and used to have it when I was little, it was spicy but cool and refreshing at the same time) I have been searching for some like the old Dr. Browns ginger beers that I drank as a child and had been unable to find anything similar, but that day I happened to look in the international isle and saw this

DG Jamaican ginger beer. So when I got home I started cubing the chicken into good bite sized pieces, I shoved them in a container and opened the dressing, tasted it, it was good but not good enough and I was drinking a ginger beer I thought hmmmmm. So I dumped the entire bottle of dressing and about a half or so bottle of this ginger beer in and hoped it would be ok. (I let it marinade for a good 30-45 minutes)

I lit the grill, placed my chicken on the skewers then on the grill, as soon as I put the chicken on the grill I ladled a bit of the marinade over top the chicken as well so it would dry out. I used charcoal but had it going low and slow. turning the kabobs 4 times (to cook on each side once). Little did I know the amazingness that was about to occur. This stuff was tender, juicy and just oh so good. I am still eating it today (which is the picture I showed at the top) You really must give it a try. I served it with roasted red potatoes, green beans and fresh corn on the cob. It was a Hit!

Poptarts-better than poptarts

Ok so floating around pinterest is yet again some recipes for poptarts. I didn't really follow any certain recipe (because you know me) But here is what I did.

So it is a snow day (well what they call a snow day here)and G-man wants a poptart. So I decided to make them.

I have a go to pie crust that has never-ever failed me. Here it is (without a food processor) and when my food processor was alive I used this one. Both are equally yummy. And if you are super lazy Buy refrigerated crust- it is just as good).

I also made a quick jam filling (please don't pass out when you see the sugar content) I used 16 oz bag frozen strawberries and 1 cup of sugar. I put it in a large pot and let it slowly come to a boil ( you can use store bought jam too)

once the strawberries broke down I cranked the heat a bit and stirred, and stirred until I got the consistency I wanted (it coated the spoon)

That Jam is hot and when I say hot I mean melt your skin off hot-be careful!

Ok so here is what you need:
Pie crust
jam
icing (optional)I personally think they are toooooo sweet with the icing but the kids loved it (naturally)
(the icing is just a simple glaze powdered sugar tad of vanilla and a couple drops of water or milk)
sprinkles (optional)
One egg beaten for egg wash

Roll your dough out into rectangles and and a small amount (I made small poptarts so I used about a TBSP) of filling in the center

top with the other half and pinch/crimp together with fingers or a fork.
Place poptarts on cookie sheet (ungreased) and brush tops with beaten egg bake at 450 for 6-10 minutes depending on your oven or until the edges are browned. top with icing and sprinkles if using. Let COOL COMPLETELY (trust me)

Now for the grownup version I added cream cheese filling to mine It was so full I had to eat it with a fork (whoops) but here is what I did.

I used a little less that the half block of cream cheese I had left, sprinkled some sugar (oh eyeball it, you can taste it after you beat it together I would say about 1 1/2- 2 TBSP) a capful of PURE vanilla a drop or two of milk and some fresh grated lemon zest

Beat it all together

Meatloaf Muffins.

Meatloaf: An inexpensive versatile meal that is sure to please. I read a lot of Old cookbooks, My great aunt sent me a huge pile of them. Many of them come with instructions on how to be a "perfect housewife". I am positive that meatloaf served with canned fruit cocktail and a green (beans or salad) at least 2 times a week in the 50's. Any way. Here is what I did. Remember, I hate to measure and my family is strange.

1lb lean ground beef (I actually only had 80/20 here which worked great but I suppose you could go much leaner or even use Bison)
1 Carrot
1/2 of an onion
1 Large Garlic Clove
About 1 TBSP Oregano
2 good pinches of celery seed (or if you have celery on hand add it instead, (I would say 1 stalk would be sufficient)
3/4-1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup ketchup mixed with 1 1/2 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce)
Salt and pepper to taste

(Funny note, no one says Worcestershire sauce right, except for My husbands Cousin who is of course from London. Except he calls it sauce, apparently it is automatically known that when you ask for sauce that is what is given)

Preheat oven to 350

So Because my family is stranger than strange I grate all vegetables so that they have no idea of the contents of what they eat, sad but oh so true.
With a cheese grater (largest holes) Grate your onion (and celery if you are using stalks instead of seed)
With the small holes grate the carrots and garlic

In a skillet with a small amount of butter (or olive oil) saute the veggies until they are completely tender.

While those are cooking get your meat ready Add your meat, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, salt, pepper, oregano, celery seed (if using) and bread crumbs.

Add your sauteed veggies (it is best if you let them cool so you don't cook the egg or meat and you don't want to burn your hands ;) Live and learn baby, live and learn)

Mix together well but do not over mix, the more you handle it the greasier the meat will become.

Grease your muffin tin I got 8 muffins out of this. Make small balls and press them gently into the cups of your tin. Top each one with a generous amount of the ketchup/Worcestershire sauce mix.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350
I topped 3 of mine with a colby/jack cheese (after they were done I cut the oven off and popped it back in until cheese had melted) and I wish I had topped them all!

Eating Healthy on a budget is fun. Baked/Stuffed Zucchini

So Again inspired by a pinterest pin seen here I set out to try something new. I love squash, almost as much as I love Avocado which is almost as much as I love asparagus... When I saw this pin and this picture of these pretty little zuchinni boats perfectly stuffed to perfection I knew I had to have it. For the most part I followed Kayotic's instructions (and even if I had to the tee this still would have been amazing!) I did everything she did except I added some black beans I didn't even use half a can so the rest are in the fridge waiting for their debut in another meal. I also added Parmesan into the stuffing mixture along with a tad of mozzarella (not much because then I decided when I turned the broiler on I would top it with a tad more cheese) I didn't add Curry because I was too lazy to dig for it, I added a tad of cayenne pepper (thought about topping it with jalapenos and after eating it, I wish I had.) I baked them the same as she did but as I said just before I turned the broiler on I popped some more (not much maybe a TBSP) cheese on the top.

It was delicious, so delicious I ate both "boats" Next time I think I will substitute the sour cream for Cream cheese and add pickled jalapenos to the stuffing. That ought to give it a kick!

Loveocado

Avocado. You either love it or hate it. There is no in between. Well me, yeah I love it!

This meal will serve two if you do this with both avocado halves.

I have been absent from the blogging world because I have been cheating on blogger with pinterest, I have an addiction. :) Recently this pin has been floating around It is a baked egg in an avocado. Well if you know me you know I can't do anything by following instructions I have to make it mine! (and you should too!) I saw this as awesome potential. So here is what I did. I baked my egg and avocado (per instructions) but then popped it under the broiler to get that "crisp" outside but ooey gooey inside...

I prepared my bacon drained and crumbled it. In a skillet just before the egg was done I put the teeniest dab of olive oil and threw my minced garlic in there until tender (don't burn it!!!) once it was done I turned off the heat added 2 diced cocktail tomatoes and one large leaf of basil chopped and the crumbled bacon, removed it from the heat and swirled it around so that the tomatoes juice just started flowing (not to slimey though- yuck) topped my Eggvocado then topped with some fresh paremsan cheese.

Let me tell you, it was amazingness.

Cinnamon Struesel Muffins

So my Cousins came in to stay with me for a few days. I Feed 'em pretty good I think :) We had leftover chili with Chips Thursday night and Seafood Alfredo last night (recipe coming soon). Then last night while we were talking one said how she loved cinnamon struesel so I made a mental note and this morning got to work.

These were so moist and good warm right out of the oven with a tad of butter.

Streusel I eyeballed most of this. (see I told you I eyeball a LOT)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pads of salted butter (about a TBSP each)

Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2-2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (I actually used a healthy pinch of kosher salt)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten

Heat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack in middle. I used liners but you could just use your muffin tin but spray or grease them generously

Streusel
Combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork or like me use your hands until the mixture is coarse crumbs (some will be larger than others)

Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

Mix the milk, melted butter, vanilla, and egg in another bowl Make a well into your dry ingredients and Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, only mix until the flour is moistened, scrape down the sides of the bowl, batter will NOT be smooth.

Divide the batter into prepared muffin tins then top evenly with the struesel topping.

18-20 minutes until greatness is done (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, we really need an abbreviation for the toothpick method.)

potato cakes Breakfast for under $3

Potato cakes. Man these things take me way back. I loved having mashed potatoes with supper because I knew mom would make Potato cakes for breakfast in the morning. I would (as a child) smoother it in ketchup luckily my palate has matured a tad now :)

For potato cakes you need Left over Mashed potatoes (I had oh about 2 1/2 -3 cups left over) 1 egg beaten About 1/4 - 1/2 cup flour (plus some for light coating), salt and pepper to taste and optional diced onion (they are really good with onion in them but I used my last one in chili last night) *to make these gluten free substitute flour for rice flour or your favorite blend, lightly coat the potato cakes in either your flour blend or corn meal)

In a bowl combine your potatoes beaten egg, salt and pepper and about 1/4 cup of flour (add it a little at a time) you want it to get a little thick but it will still be sticky.

on a shallow pan or plate have flour ready for coating (season this with a bit of salt and pepper as well). With an ice cream scoop, scoop some potatoes and place in the flour plate shake around coating the entire ball.

In a skillet heat about 1 tbsp of oil (I used vegetable oil today some people use shortening or bacon grease but I am trying not to die of heart failure) Place the coated balls in the heated oil and

gently press down into "cakes"

Do not flip until a golden "crust forms" (don't do this on high gear medium heat is sufficient) Flip them once.

Place on platter (with a paper towel if you wish to drain them).

Fry an egg to put on top

Or top with Cheese and sour cream

The potatoes are leftovers so they are actually free the eggs are only about 10 cents each you could even use a little bit of sausage to patty up some mini patties you don't need a lot because the potato cakes are very filling!

This meal is easily made for under $3.

Chili when it is Chilly

Ok as promised. The chili recipe.

I love making chili because I can usually substitute for what I don't have on hand.

Tonight we have:

I dug through the cabinet because the tomatoes aren't a big deal, just as long as you have at the very least 3 cans (I used Rotel HOT, Delmonte with green chilies and Wal-mart brand chili ready) You have to have 2 large cans of Kidney beans, I use one light red and 1 dark red and another must is the Bush's Chili beans in sauce. I also have 3 LBS of Ground beef and I cheated tonight with 2 packets of McCormick Chili (original) spice packets and 1 onion, If I have green pepper (or Jalapeno) on hand I use that too. (this really is a throw together meal.


Now, I like my chili chunky but if you've been following my husband is picky So here is what I do, you can skip the puree step and you can dice (instead of grate your onions)

Brown and drain Ground beef

Add all the tomatoes and the grated onion (or any other veggies you may have) into your pot. Simmer until flavors meld and onions begin to break down (you can also saute your onions, peppers etc with your ground beef if you are not pureeing)

Puree the sauce. I have one of those handy dandy hand blender deals, got it on clearance for like $5 and LOVE.IT.

Drain your Red Kidney beans well.

Add your beef, Beans (chili beans WITH sauce, Kidney beans drained) And add your 2 packets of Seasoning (this has Gluten so if you are trying to stay Gluten free Try adding
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon dried, minced garlic
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
If you want a thickening agent you can use flour (rice if you are Gluten Free) or Cornstarch (which also works with Gluten free I think)

With the 2 seasoning packets I add about another TBSP of Chili powder a shake or two of onion powder and a good healthy squirt of Sirachi sauce (which is optional, but again, if you follow we are addicted to it)

I add anywhere from 1-2 Quarts of water, Depending on how long I am cooking it, today I added 2 Quarts because it was going to simmer for hours, if I am cooking it last minute then I don't add as much but stir constantly. Some like it soupy, some like it thick so it is totally up to you.

Now it is done,

Jason likes to top his with Canned Jalapenos and cheese
I like sour cream and cheese on mine.

Now you have plenty for tonight, plenty for the fridge/freezer

Great meals with Chili besides chili are

Chili Mac and cheese

Chili stuffed baked potato (oh my heavens, it is heaven) I have a picture for this but I cannot find it. hmph.

Chili bacon cheese fries (or Chili Cheese fries)(I have a sure fire way to make Cheese fries and make them PERFECTO)

Top hot dogs or burgers

Nachos (oh man is that ever good, I will have to do this recipe for you guys too!)

Top potato skins Here is my potato skin recipe just don't use the BBQ sauce if topping with Chili!

And last but not least Chili dog pizza I kid you not, it is a real thing. See recipe here

15 things you could make yourself and don't.

I realized that I make a lot of things at home that most people opt to buy at the store. Now these are usually not everyday things I make but I should. I usually find myself making them for a substitute when I failed to replenish my stock at home.





1. Mayonnaise Yeah that is right, mayo. Making your own mayo is healthier( because you can control how many eggs go in) can Mayo even be Healthy?, and IMO tastes so much better than store bought. It won't last as long so certainly make it in small batches it keeps for about 1 week. The process is emulsification its this culinary wonder that makes eggs stand up to oil, you can make a 1 egg mayo as well if you are really health conscience. It is a scary little process that people are intimidated by, but try it, you will do just fine.
Here is what you need
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
2 cups (about) of oil (you can use vegetable oil, sunflower oil is great, you want to use an oil with mild taste, olive oil is great when making smaller batches so it is more cost effective)
1 TBSP prepared mustard (Dijon is the best)
1 TSP kosher or sea salt (table salt will do)
the juice of half a lemon (or use vinegar)

now you need a food processor or blender

put your 3 yolks and 1 whole egg in that bad boy and blend it, on high, no holds barred, whiz it around in there like you have no mercy. until it gets light in color somewhere around a minute or so, don't rush it. Patience, Grasshopper. Now it is time for oil, now this oil you need to pour into these eggs (while still blending) like it is molasses on a cold Canadian day. s-l-o-w-l-y stream a tiny little strand of oil in while mixing, this is the magic. When the eggs can't hold anymore oil it will start to bead up on the top as if to say "There is no room in this Inn". Stop blending. Add your salt, mustard, and lemon juice give it one last mix and WHAM. MAYO! Now you are a mayo connoisseur, now you can do amazing things with mayo. Add great things spicy stuff, siracha sauce, you can make aioli.


2. Make your own Blue cheese dressing

1 cup of your amazing emulsion above (Mayo)
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
quarter lb crumbled blue cheese
about 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper

Mix the mayo, vinegar, Worcestershire together, add blue cheese, mix in cream to thin to the consistency you desire add a bit of pepper. Chill and enjoy.

3. Make your own Thousand Island Dressing
This was one of my favorite dressings as a child, My Grandmother never had it and I was always amazed at how she just whipped some up for me when I was there.

She never added the pickles she just threw some mayo, ketchup and sugar in a bowl, tasted it and there I had it. I cook just like that so this blog will be a challenge for me since I rarely measure ANYTHING, I cook by taste and smell.

anyhow
1 cup of your home made mayo
1/2 cup of ketchup (we will get to that homemade recipe soon)
1/2 cup of sweet pickle relish
salt and pepper to taste
and just a bit of sugar (don't ask I have no clue how much, just do it to your taste preference and let me know how much YOU used!)

4. Tartar sauce

1 cup of Mayo
1/2 cup of pickle relish
about a tablespoon of finely (I MEAN FINELY) minced onion
2 TBSP of Lemon (this is optional so taste it before you add it, some people don't like lemon in theirs)
IF you are feeling super super brave try it with Capers added!

5.Ketchup (I say Ketchup you say Catsup)
Now there is an easy way and a hard way to do this, well not really hard but more "time consuming)
Both ways are great of course the slow cooked from start to finish is the best but when in a pinch hit recipe number 2 up for a fast Ketchup fix

recipe 1

6 large tomatoes cut into quarters
1 bulb fennel diced (sometimes hard to find so you can substitute 1 1/2 tsp of fennel seed)
1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar will do as well)
10 whole cloves
2 whole star anise pods
1 tablespoon salt

Add all these ingredients in a big pot on the stove, bring to a boil and immediately reduce to simmer, this will be an all day cooker, about 4-5 hours (crock pot works well too) Cook it until the mixture is thick. Then puree it and jar it (you can can it [I said can can] or refrigerate it)

recipe 2
Lazy lady ketchup
1 can tomato paste
2 TBSP vinegar
5 TBSP brown sugar
1 TSP garlic powder
1 TSP onion powder
Pinch allspice
1 TSP kosher salt
1 TSP molasses
1 TBSP corn syrup
1 1/4 cups water

mix it all up in the pot cook on simmer for about 45 minutes, taste it to be sure there is enough salt for your liking.

6. Homemade cocktail sauce
Ketchup plus horseradish, I have no measurements I just add until it tastes right to me, but it is super simple and much more cost effective.

7.Buttermilk

Using a one cup measuring cup place 1 TBSP of vinegar or lemon juice in the cup, add milk to top off and equal 1 cup let stand 5 minutes. voila buttermilk.

8.Vanilla Extract

9. Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking soda
2 tsp Cream of tartar
1 tsp of corn starch (this keeps the mixture dry so it doesn't react until you want it to (in your batter :) )

10. Brown Sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 TBSP of molasses

mix together until molasses is evenly distributed.
You can add more molasses if you really like strong brown sugar.

11. Peanut butter
2 cups raw (or roasted) peanuts (already shelled, duh)
1 to 1 1/2 TBSP of oil (peanut oil is best but canola will do too)
1 TBSP of honey
pinch of salt (if your peanuts are UN-salted)

Get out that blender (or food processor) throw the peanuts in there, turn it on and walk away for about 3 minutes, open it up scrape it all down and go again until you get the consistency you want, chunky or smooth....

If you are smart and used spanish peanuts you probably won't have to add much oil, but not everyone can find that kind so it needs a bit more oil. Pour it into a bowl and slowly add some oil (you can try it in the blender or food processor but it may be too thick for your machine to handle, you can ask my old food processor how pasta dough took its life) mix in the oil by hand (or machine) until you have that perfect consistency. Add honey and mix well (also by hand or machine) then salt (if you like salt in your PB)

12. NUTELLA wait, what did I say? Did I say Nutella, that wonderfully chocolatey sweet yumminess that no one can get enough of? Why yes, yes I did.
I cannot take credit for this one, I stumbled over this blog some time ago. I have yet to try the recipe but I cannot wait. They give two versions, easy and caramel based.
Here is the easy
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread (easy version)

Yield: about 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups)

2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
up to 1/4 cup vegetable or nut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
To get rid of the bitter skins, wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Rub until most of the skins come off, but don’t worry if some remain.
Process nuts in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. First, you will get coarsely chopped nuts, then a fine meal. After a little while, the nuts will form a ball around the blade, and it will seem like you only have a solid mass. Keep processing. The heat and friction will extract the natural oils, and you will get hazelnut butter!
When the nuts have liquified, add the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Slowly drizzle in enough oil to make a spreadable consistency. Since the mixture is warm, it will be more fluid now than at room temperature.
Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.

Head on over there and check out the caramel based if you'd like! Sugoodsweets

13. Crackers
I blogged this recipe some time ago, the veggie crackers were the hugest hit, you can see the recipes here

14. Pasta

3 1/3 cup bread flour (AP would be fine but bread flour makes better pasta since it has more gluten)
4 Eggs
pinch of salt
and really really strong arms.

Put the flour on a clean work space or counter top (or a HUGE bowl) make a well in the center and put your eggs and salt in it. now start to knead, and knead, and knead did I mention knead? For about 15 minutes. It needs to be firm and elastic, don't skimp or it will not work out for ya. now you have to roll it out, thin, very very thin on a table or counter top and cut into strips the size you want. Place them some where to dry for a little while, remember they won't take as long to cook as the dried pasta you purchase at the store. Home made pasta is so much tastier.

15. Apple cider vinegar

you can use whole apples (quartered) or just use the cores and peels you have left over from making apple pie.

Use a large clean crock or jar and put your apples (or scraps) after you've let them set out and brown, into the jar, cover with cold water, place cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and secure with twine or rubber band. You can add more scraps until your grey thick scum (the mother) forms on the top. Keep this in a warm place, preferably dark. Once the vinegar gets strong enough for your liking (usually 3-4 weeks) strain it through several cheese-cloths and bottle it up. It may be cloudy but that is ok, it is likely the apple particles that came through the cheesecloth after straining.

Vanilla

Here we are just got over the holidays and I am thinking of Gifts for next year. The best gifts really are homemade. You can't beat them, they are always appreciated.

I got to thinking this morning that I was going to need to purchase Vanilla extract soon, I loathe buying it, so expensive. I don't buy the imitation, it just isn't as good. When I made some apple cake on my other blog I talked about making your own vanilla. It is an easy process that requires patience. If I start now I will have plenty for some really awesome Christmas gifts. I know this isn't really a cheap meal post but it is a money saving plan. Do you know that 3 cups (24oz) of vanilla will last you 5-10 years, maybe more depending on your baking.

Store bought vanilla is a rip off. Seriously. Double strength (what most professional bakers use) costs you some where around $35 for 1 cup. The normal everyday stuff still costs around $3-$4 a 2 oz bottle so that is $16 a cup.



Now, if you just wanted to make this for your self you'd just need one big DARK tinted glass bottle and a spout for it. I am going to make some little gift baskets this year so I need more bottles than just 1.

I found some cute little 2oz bottles here the shipping is a bit steep so I may shop around first.

Here is what you need:

3 cups (24oz) of vodka. It doesn't half to be fancy so go into the liquor store walk to the vodka and squat down, yeah that is right, we are going bottom shelf quality here. Aristocrat is really cheap like $8 for a liter which is plenty at about 33oz.

Vanilla beans, now there are tons of different vanilla beans, and there are many opinions as to how many you need to make the extract just right. I have read anywhere from 3-8 beans per cup of vodka so lets make it a round even number at 5 per cup making us need 15 (feel free to use more or less depending on your budget). Buy these when you find them on sale. If you can't get them locally buying them online is perfectly fine. I prefer Madagascar vanilla beans. Be prepared to spend between $15-$25 depending on where you get them. I am waiting on the cheaper half of that number.

A dark glass bottle sterilized in boiling water (if you don't have a dark bottle just wrap some brown paper around a mason jar)

Once you get all your goodies in you need to cut your beans length wise and scrape the seeds out (or you can just cut the beans length wise then in half leaving the seed intact) There is no right or wrong way to do this, the real magic happens in the bottles.

pour your vodka into the glass bottle/jar add your seeds and vanilla, close the container. For the first week you want to shake it every day (or when ever you think about it) then open it, smell it as tempting as it is, don't drink it, yet :) now the next 2 weeks shake it at least every other day, now it has been three weeks, you aren't really excited anymore, your patience are wearing thin. You want this stuff now. You neglect the little gorgeous bottle for weeks before touching and shaking it again. Then you remember you have it, open it, smell it, taste it or add it to your coffee. It is starting to be good. Look what you have done?!?! Now, leave it as is until it meets your taste requirements or UP to 6 months before removing the beans, you can leave them in if you are using small bottles because it is pretty but sometimes the beans can go rancid and make your extract foul, so better safe then sorry.


So it has been 6 months, strain this gorgeous beauty through a coffee filter into your bottles. Print some pretty little labels and TA-DA A nice, home made gift of greatness that cost you around $30-$45 to make at .50-$1 an ounce. 3 cups (24 ounces) would be 12 bottles of the store bought stuff at $4 a pop.

Save one of those vanilla beans and fill a container with 1 cup of sugar place the cut vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sugar, cover the vanilla bean with a 2nd cup of sugar let set 1 week and you have an amazing vanilla infused sugar great for awesome sugar cookies or to add to your coffee or tea.

Vodka also is an amazing product, it cleans, deodorizes and can be used for mouthwashes, astringents etc, so dilute any leftover in a spray bottle and spray your hands to sanitize or clean your windows or spray those stinky tennis shoes!!!

The same process for vanilla extract can be used for orange, lemon, lime, maybe even mint? The possibilities are absolutely endless. The great thing about the orange, lemon or lime is it is MUCH cheaper to do since the fruits are cheaper!

Pork chops, taters and peas Under $10 for 4 people

Tonight supper will be simple. Monday nights are dance nights for the girl so it is always busy and rush rush. Every time I say pork chops I go back to that Brady Bunch episode where Peter was trying to talk like Humphrey Bogart and Says "pork-chops and applesauce".



I hit the meat mark-down day at the local grocery store and scored a pack of thin cut center chops (5 total) for $3
As I mentioned before my husband likes the boxed/fake taters so tonight he wins, I scored big time with catching them on sale and having a .50 coupon that doubled. I always keep canned peas on hand, this is not cost effective because J likes those silver canned ones, ya know the ones that are like $1.69 EACH CAN...but you can save by using frozen or even store brand.


There really is no rocket science to this meal. I soak the chops in buttermilk for at least 2 hours (don't have buttermilk? make your own, 1 TBSP of lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup add milk to make 1 cup let sit 5 minutes.) I happen to have some bread crumbs that I made from left over crust that the kids (and I) don't eat. If you don't have any you can purchase it fairly cheap or dry out a few slices of bread in the oven. I mix a little salt, garlic powder, pepper and sometimes a tad of oregano or thyme, whatever I am feeling like at the moment. I pan fry them just long enough to get the crust golden then finish them off in the oven (350 for a few minutes the thin ones don't take long at all).

Tonight Betty crocker is making my potatoes, it cost me about $1.00 total to use that and it is super quick.
If you want to make them from scratch here is what I do. I peel (if desired) and slice the potatoes not to thin but not to thick about 1/4" or so, you can dice them too if you don't want to be all precise. Grate or dice one onion. Put the onion and potato in a large pot with salted water and a tad of milk, boil until ALMOST TENDER. put the parboiled potatoes in a casserole dish, salt and pepper and fresh grated cheddar cheese and some evaporated milk (I usually use about 6 large russet potatoes and just about an entire can of milk) If you don't have evaporated milk you can use regular milk. (or you can also make a roux in a pan with butter and flour then add part of your cheese and milk to that and pour over your taters and top with more shredded cheese, I find both ways are great but one is less time consuming)

The peas, well there isn't much to talk about there, dump the can into the pot, add some butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar let them get hot. However if you want to get all fancy and technical you can add a little cream (or half n half) and some flour you can even throw in some of those cute little frozen pearl onions too.

The youngest (the picky one) will eat the pork chops because I will lie and tell him it is a chicken nugget, we will make him eat the peas, there is no way around that one. Any suggestions on making peas fun?

Today my entire menu was:
Breakfast for the kids Scrambled eggs (4) .50 slice of toast with butter .30
My breakfast was one egg scrambled with a bit of onion, garlic and green olives. .30

Lunch:
1 PB&J (for the picky one) .50
1 box of Mac and cheese for The girl and I to split and have a serving left over. $1
J packed so he had left over beef stew and saltines (no cost since it was left overs)


Snack
cookies and fruit cocktail $1.75

Supper:
See above So the entire day cost less than $15


Tuesday's tentative menu:
Breakfast: dutch baby with strawberries
Lunch: grilled cheese with Carrots and ranch dip
Snack: fruit
Supper: crockpot Turkey breast (applewood smoked) Mashed potatoes and green beans.
The turkey breast will leave left overs for sandwiches and the mashed potatoes will leave left overs for potato cakes.

Wednesday's tentative menu:
Breakfast: Potato cakes and sausage
Lunch: Turkey sandwiches
Supper: Chili

Pizza Night

When money wasn't so tight pizza night was an every week ordeal that we all looked forward too. Me because it was simple, them because, well duh, it was pizza. With these menu ideas you can keep that pizza tradition but now it is more cost effective, still simple and much more fun. There is no better way to get your kids involved in the kitchen then having a pizza (or taco night) allowing them to top their own little pizzas and you pop them in the oven. They will gobble them up because 1. they helped and 2. well duh, it is pizza :)


Stromboli this will feed 2-3 adults or 2 adults and 2-3 toddlers

Refrigerated Pizza dough
Can of tomato sauce seasoned with basil and oregano (if using this add a tad of garlic salt to the sauce before using) or favorite marinara
Cheese (mozzarella)
and your favorite pizza toppings Pepperoni is the most popular here but I like mine with lots of veggies and sometimes bacon (cook and crumble the bacon first).

Roll your dough out and spread the marinara on the dough leaving one inch on each side spread your cheese and toppings on half the dough leaving one inch on the sides, fold the dough half with only marinara over the half with toppings pinch edges shut. Grease a cookie sheet and set Stromboli on the pan, prick holes in the top for steam to escape and bake on 350 for 15-25 minutes

Mini Pizza
One can of mini biscuits
Marinara sauce
Cheese (and any other toppings)

Flatten the biscuits with a rolling pin add marinara, cheese and toppings and cook according to can instructions, watch them closely because the time may be 2-3 minutes less than suggested.


Pizza bites
One can of crescent roll dough
Marinara sauce
cheese and any other toppings you like, I find that the diced pepperoni or ham work best in these

Before rolling your crescent rolls according to the package directions add your sauce, cheese and toppings to the widest end, roll, bake according to the package instructions

Calzone

1 loaf of frozen bread (double to feed 4-5 people, 1 loaf is enough for 2 adults and 2 (picky) toddlers)
1/2 lb of your favorite meats (deli meats such as ham, salami or pepperoni work best)
about a half a cup of marinara sauce
Shredded cheese

Roll loaf out until it is about 8" by 12"
Layer the meat down center (length wise 12" side)
Top with cheese
Fold in the two short sides about a half an inch
Roll (so that the roll is the size of you long side)
Bake, seam side down on a greased baking sheet @ 375° for 20 minutes or until browned
You should get 8 pieces per roll, serve with the warmed marinara sauce

*tip When adding these items to your menu you can purchase cheap spaghetti sauce for $1 or less (store brand) Freeze into 1/2 cup containers so that you don't waste it and it is always there for a quick meal.

Mexican skillet meal under $9 (cheaper if you use leftovers!)

This meal is one of my Husbands favorites. He requests it all.the.time.

I threw this thing together one evening when I had failed to have something ready for supper. I had some left over rice and I had some turkey kielbasa that needed to be either used or frozen that day.

If you catch them on sale the butterball turkey sausages can be bought for $2.50 a pack. The key is to dice it to make it "look" like more in the skillet. I could probably get by with using only half if I diced but usually I slice and use the entire thing.


Here is what you need

about 2-3 cups of rice (measurement is for cooked rice) (perfect for leftover costing you nothing, even if you need to cook it its pennies on the dollar)
Can of black beans drained (or use dry beans, about a half a bag soaked overnight)
1 package of kielbasa (I use turkey kielbasa) Sliced or diced
2tbs butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup Chicken broth ( you can substitute water, or even bouillon water to be more cost effective, Chicken broth is something I always have on hand)
Onion (grated or diced)
1 Clove of Garlic minced
Mozzarella cheese (I always preach about buying block cheese and grating your own but this is one meal that when I am fixing on the fly I tend to grab a bag of shredded cheese, Trust me, it is so much better with the real McCoy but whatever is more cost effective for you)
Spices (this is all entirely up to you) I use salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and a tad of chili powder (and sometimes cumin).I also add a squirt or 3 of sirachi sauce (great stuff I should be their spokes person) but you can just use plain ol' Tabasco or do without the hot factor.

Now the good part, In a skillet add your butter, saute your onion and garlic (you can add other veggies too, whatever is on hand this dish is a throw together meal to fit any budget or taste bud) Add the sliced kielbasa, cook until starting to brown. Add your beans (we also like red kidney beans in this meal or even garbanzo beans would be great), add your rice, add a bit of your broth just so it doesn't dry out, add your spices, cover and simmer to heat everything through, watch it carefully though so that it doesn't get too dry and stir often. (if it starts to dry out add more broth/water) I salt mine at the end once the flavors have melded. top with cheese cover just long enough for it to melt and there you have it! Now the great part, EATING IT!

Other items that would work great in this dish are Corn, salsa or canned tomatoes, you could even use ground beef or chicken instead of kielbasa. This meal is usually enough to feed us plus my husband has enough for work for one or two days.