Creating memorable and healthy dining experiences.
Sausage and Peas Pasta – johanna
January 29th, 2010 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Sides
This is a nice simple 30-minute dish. I was in the mood for something saucy using left over pasta, peas and some Italian sausage. I made a rue using butter, flour and milk but never used it. The sausage dish looked so yummy without it.
Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound hot or Mild Italian Sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, thick slices
1 cup green peas
1 pound egg noodles or favorite pasta
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesean cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until desired doneness. Drain and toss with butter and cheese.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage until browned and just about cooked through. Add onions, garlic and green pepper. Cook until just tender but not soggy; about 3 to 5 minutes. Add peas and cook until heated. Season with salt and pepper is desired.
Ham Stir-Fried Rice with Peas – johanna
January 22nd, 2010 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Sides
My mom’s ham fried rice was one of my favorite dishes. I routinely requested it for my birthday dinner. In my home growing up we ate it as a main dish. Today we serve ham fried rice in smaller portions along side fish, shrimp or teriyaki chicken.
1 cup rice, brown, Jasmine or cooked wheat berries
2 cups broth or water
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
4 scallions (green onions), chopped
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
Salt and Pepper
Add rice and broth to a pot; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until tender and set.
Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium to medium-high heat. Saute onion until translucent and tender. Add peas and 2 cups rice. Saute for 2 minutes. Add ham, mix. Make a well in the center; pour in egg. Let set 2 minutes then scramble. Toss the rice with the egg. Stir in the scallions, vinegar and soy sauce.
Oatmeal Brulee – johanna
December 30th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Breakfast
I can’t think of anything more satisfying on a wintry morning than a bowl of lightly sweetened hot oatmeal. When I was little my mom would spoon a little brown sugar and butter into our bowls before adding the oatmeal. The brown sugar and butter would melt together from the heat creating a syrup. We would swirl the oatmeal and syrup together then drown it in milk. So tasty.
This version is kissed with a touch of honey and a crispy layer of caramelized sugar. Oatmeal Brulee makes a wonderful snack after a morning in the snow too.
Source: Health.com
3 cups water or milk
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp honey or pure maple syrup
1/4 cup Almonds, walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup Raisins, cranberries or chopped apricots
Granulated sugar
Heat broiler.
Heat water and salt in a large saucepan to boiling. Stir in oatmeal; reduce heat to low and simmer five minutes. Stir in honey, raisins and almonds.
Spoon into 4 to 5 individual ramekins. Top with a thin layer of sugar, about 1/8-inch thick. Place ramekins directly under the broiler until it is brown and bubbling vigorously, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven. The melted sugar will harden once it starts to cool. Serve as is or with a splash of milk or cream.
A Cup of Hot Chocolate – johanna
December 28th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Beverage
When I was in college I discovered Land-o-Lakes Mint Hot Chocolate. I think back then it was around .25 cents a bag. It was a splurge on my collage budget but oh so worth it. Every winter Costco stocks the Land-o-Lakes variety pack for Christmas. Last year they offered a large canister of the Supreme Chocolate. I bought three. The kids and I are hot chocolate junkies. We can’t wait until winter so we can pull out our mugs to savour a steaming cup of chocolate.
A wintry chill passed through in November. It was movie night and we were all craving a cup unfortunately we did not have any hot chocolate on hand. A week before a friend and I were discussing our brand preferences. We agreed we could never drink Swiss Miss again after having had the good stuff. I think my aversion to the stuff began in Elementary school when a friend’s brother poured the powder straight from the envelope into his mouth. Call me a dummy, but I tried it. I have not had the stuff since.
Back to my conversation, Chrystl mentions she makes her own hot chocolate using cocoa powder and milk. On this chilly night in November I decided to make homemade hot chocolate. Only problem was I did not have any cocoa powder. I did have a Lindt Extra Dark chocolate bar in the cabinet. Anyone remember Vianne played by Juliette Binoche in the movie Chocolat? She finely chopped the chocolate to make her special hot chocolate. It did not take long to find a recipe and whip up some pretty darn good hot chocolate.
Source: eHow
8 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Finely chop the chocolate and place in a mixing bowl.
Heat the milk over medium-low heat until it steams and is very hot to the touch.
Remove from heat. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour one cup of the milk over the chocolate. Let the chocolate melt; slowly stirring with a whisk. Continue adding milk and stirring until all the milk has been incorporated.
Serves 8
Sliced Apple Sandwiches – johanna
September 21st, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Snacks
This week we celebrate Johnny Appleseed. Hard to imagine I can still remember the song from grade school. I loved Johnny Appleseed. I enjoyed the story about planting seeds that will one day grow to be apple trees. When I saw this recipe for Sliced Apple Sandwiches in the September issue of Parents I knew this was the perfect snack to start out the week with.
Red Apples
Raspberry jam
Smooth peanut butter, optional
Cut off the top of a red apple and slice into eight slivers, revealing the geometric core in the middle. Spritz the apples with lemon juice to prevent browning, then spread 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter and a teaspoon of strawberry jam between the slices.
Crock Pot Italian Sausage – johanna
September 18th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish
Growing up in our home was like survival of the fittest. Many times if you wanted to eat you had to become creative at throwing things together. My siblings and I got pretty good at creating something out of nothing. Budget Meals are really easy meals you can make with very few ingredients that are commonly found in your refrigerator, pantry and freezer. Basically it is back to college but with a little gourmet flare.
This recipe comes from my brother Todd who had a budget meal moment inspired by the Easy Crock Pot Chicken recipe. He had some Italian sausage sitting around, so instead of letting it go bad, he threw it in a crock pot.
1 small can tomato paste, plus 2 cans of water
1 tablespoon of dried onion
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Cook on low 3.5-4hrs.
Variations:
Substitute meatballs or chicken for the Italian sausage.
Beef and Gravy Quesadilla – johanna
September 11th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Snacks
I made beef and gravy quesadillas with the left over roast and gravy. It is sort of a ritual we have to use leftover meat in a taco or quesadilla. They are cheap and a great disguise for those who are picky about leftovers
tortillas, two per person
Roast, cooked and shredded or chopped
Beef gravy
Mixed cheddar and Monterey jack cheese blend, shredded
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lay a tortilla in the pan. Add beef, cheese and a drizzle of gravy and top with another tortilla. Grill until the bottom has browned then flip. When down remove and slice into quarters.
Cheesey Veggie and Pasta Bake – johanna
August 31st, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Sides
I have had the hardest time getting the littlest child, he is two, to consume fruits and vegetables. He is a steak and potatoes guy through and through, always has been. Yes I have succumb to hiding vegetables again because if he sees anything that remotely looks like a vegetable he refuses to eat it. Needless to say, the first bite of the casserole was politely refused because a carrot was peeking out from under the noodle. I quickly disguised the carrot with another noodle and the kid swallowed it with a smile and a “yum!”
This three cheese and paste casserole would make a delicious side to a slab of barbecue ribs or grilled chicken. We had ours with a beautiful green salad and roasted chicken.
Source: Adapted from Campbell’s
3 cups elbow shaped pasta, cooked and drained
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) fat free condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 package (8 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup Shredded cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese blend
1 /2 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Boil pasta until done. Stir the soup, cheeses, veggies, milk and black pepper in a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Stir in the pasta.
Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.
Variations:
-Substitute favorite two cheese blend for Italian cheese blend and grated Parmesan for the Cheddar cheese blend.
-Use peas, broccoli, red peppers or other favorite hardy vegetable.
Breakfast Bagel with Cream Cheese Egg and Salsa – johanna
August 17th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Breakfast
When I lived in West Palm Beach Florida, a friend of mine and I would roller blade from her apartment five miles to the New York Bagel shop, devour an everything bagel toasted with light cream cheese and a hot chocolate. On the way back we would stop by the pool to swim laps. By the time we made it back to her apartment we passed out on the couches from pure exhaustion.
Now that I am not coasting the 10 miles to burn off a bagel I placed them on my unfortunate catastrophes list. Never to enjoy again. The grocery store carries mini bagels that are the perfect size for little kids and adults alike. At 70 calories for the whole bagel I can enjoy a simple pleasure once again.
Whole wheat mini bagel, toasted or untoasted
Eggs
Cream cheese
Salsa
Cook eggs according to preference. Slather cream cheese on a half of a bagel. Top with a portion of cooked egg and a dollop of salsa.
Cheap and Tasty: Skillet Tamale with Polenta – johanna
June 26th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish
One of the first questions I am asked after someone finds out that I am from Southern Florida is, “so did you have alligators in your backyard?” No alligators but we did have a family of peacocks down the street. And by the way, there is a single peacock down the street where I live today on the other side of the continent. When I hear it call I am reminded of the days as kids we roamed the back alley behind our house trying to spy the birds and their eggs.
Florida today has become a melting pot of many cultures. Even the dynamics of the small agricultural towns have traces of a diverse population of people and foods. One of my favorite Southern breakfast foods is grits. It is similar to cream of wheat but a little grainier. It must be an inherited trait as most transplants cannot stand grits. Polenta is the Italian version of grits. They are both made of ground corn simmered in water until set. Grits are most commonly eaten as a side with breakfast while polenta may replace rice in main dishes. Polenta is also enjoyed baked or fried similar to a piece of bread.
Source: unknown
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 14-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 3-oz. can chopped green chiles
1 package (3-4 tablespoons) taco seasoning mix
Salt and Pepper
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup polenta
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, place the olive oil and onion and saute until the onion is translucent. Add the ground beef and brown; drain the fat.
Stir in the tomato sauce, black beans, water, green chiles and taco seasoning mix. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
Prepare the corn muffin mix according to package directions. Drop small spoonfuls of batter over the meat mixture in the skillet; don’t worry if there are some small uncovered places. Cover and cook over medium heat 15-17 minutes until the batter is cooked through.
Sprinkle the mixture with the cheese and green onion. Re-cover and cook 3-4 minutes over low heat until the cheese melts.
Serves 4-6.
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