Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry – johanna
January 24th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

This is my favorite recipe for broccoli beef. I like to eat it on a bed of cabbage or lettuce. The kids like with Chinese noodles.

3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup beef broth
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
3 cloves garlic , minced
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds flank steak, cut diagonally across the grain into 1/2-inch-by-3-inch strips
Canola oil
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 head broccoli, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut, florets separated into bite-size pieces
1 carrot, cut in thin strips
1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp water
Coarse salt

In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, broth, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and pepper. Place meat in a bowl or Ziploc bag; add marinade. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Reserving marinade, cook meat in two batches until lightly browned, turning once, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove meat. Add 1/2 cup water to pan; stir up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Pour into marinade; whisk in cornstarch. Remove from pan.

In the same skillet, toss broccoli and carrots in 1 teaspoon oil over high heat until crisp. Add remaining 3 tablespoons water; cook until broccoli and carrots are tender but still have a bite, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in marinade, cook until thickened, 30 seconds. Return meat to pan; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Variations:
For a little kick add red pepper flakes or chopped red chili pepper.
Sometimes I like to sprinkle the dish with toasted sesame seeds.

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Chili Chicken and Vegetable Soup – johanna
January 16th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Soup / Salad

A simple soup full of flavor.

2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1 baking potato, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn kernels
2 cups shredded chicken
1 (10 oz) bag frozen green beans
Sour cream, for serving, optional

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until tender about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potato and chicken broth and bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer until the potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn, chicken and green beans and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the sour cream.

Variations:
Peas
Black beans, white beans or kidney beans
Leave out the chili powder

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Chicken with Mushrooms and Peas – johanna
January 15th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

Mushrooms add such a nice rich flavor to the simplest of dishes.

Source: Christina Stanley Salerno (Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine)
8 Chicken Thighs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
8 oz mushrooms, halved
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 (10 oz) package frozen peas

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the chicken with 1 tbsp oil, thyme and 1/2 tsp salt and pepper; roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms, onions, peas and the remaining 1 tbsp oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the vegetables to the chicken and cook for 25 minutes more.

Variations:
Brussels sprouts- simmer for 8 minutes prior to roasting.
Asparagus

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Baked Tostadas Salsa Verde – johanna
January 14th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

I made a few changes to this one. I am not a fan of green salsa so I leave it out. I also use a blend of shredded Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheese.

4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
3 ounces (3/4 cup) shredded pepper jack cheese
2 1/2 cup (10 oz) shredded chicken
1 cup green salsa, plus more for serving
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 cup shredded iceburg lettuce
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup sour cream, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange tortillas on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese evenly over tortillas; bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together chicken, salsa, 1/4 cup cilantro and cumin. Spoon mixture evenly over tortillas; bake until heated through, about 8 minutes.

Top with lettuce, tomato and sour cream. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve immediately, with additional green salsa.

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Making Homemade Hot Pockets – johanna
January 7th, 2009 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish, RECIPES - Snacks

I tend to avoid anything prepacked because of all the unknown and extra ingredients. However, sometimes it is nice to have a snack or lunch that is quick and ready to go. This recipe was sent to me by my sister Allison. These little ham and cheese pies brought back memories of a family who lived down the street from the house I grew up in. I remember watching the mom roll the dough, add the ham and cheese on one side, fold the other side over and using a fork she pressed the edges closed to seal it. Those pies were so good we burnt our fingers trying to eat them straight out of the oven.

The day I made these I discovered I did not have any all-purpose flour on hand. Instead I used white wheat and instant yeast, which I mixed right into the flour. The dough was very wet and hard to work with so I let the dough rise for an hour. My sister later told me it was not necessary. But it was much easier to work with. She agreed that the dough was very sticky but a little flour sprinkled on the board was enough to allow her to cut the dough. I cut rectangles the size of a hot pocket then rolled the dough to double the size. The result is as my sister put it, “a crispy pocket on the outside and a “grilled cheese sandwich” on the inside. Makes 8 to 10 pockets.

Source: Ehow
2 pkg. yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
6 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
3/4 tsp soda
slices of cheese
slices of ham

Mix yeast and warm water. Let sit for five minutes. If yeast does not bubble up throw it out and start over.
In a bowl combine the buttermilk, oil and sugar. Add yeast mixture.

In a large bowl sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Mix in remaining flour. Knead until smooth. Roll out a little thinner than biscuits. Cut with a large biscuit cutter. Add ham and cheese slices. Fold over and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

Freezing:
After the hot pockets have cooled, place in a freezer bag. To cook, remove from the freezer and place in the microwave for 1 minute at a time until heated through.

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Hamburger Stroganoff – johanna
December 28th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

This recipe comes from my Grandmother Lois Jepson.

1/2 c minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c butter
1 lb ground beef
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp salt
1/2  tsp pepper
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced or 1 (8 oz) can sliced
1 can (10 1/2  oz) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 c sour cream
Parsley

Saute onion and garlic in butter over moderate heat. Stir in meat and brown. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Cook 5 min, stir in soup. Simmer uncovered 10 min. Stir in sour cream. Heat through. Serve over noodles, rice or baked potato.

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The Columbia Restaurant Black Bean Soup – johanna
December 27th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Soup / Salad

Growing up, the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City was one of our favorite places to eat when visiting Tampa. The Cuban sandwiches were to die for and the black bean soup was just as amazing. I have since concocted my own version adapted from the back of a bag of black beans. It is tasty and most importantly Stephen and the kids love it. Still, it is not the Columbia. My mom is town for Christmas and black beans and rice were on the menu. On a whim we started searching the internet for a Columbia black bean soup imitation. I never thought the restaurant would post their most prize recipe on their site along with a few other favorites on their website. Lucy us.

This is a soup that is served over rice. With my own version I puree the soup slightly to get a thick consistency. That is not necessary with the Columbia’s version as the rice soaks up much of the liquid. I simmered the beans for about an hour before I added the other ingredients. Estimated time is probably 1 1/2 to 2 hours complete cooking time.

1 pound black beans
3 quarts water
1 ounce (2 tbsp) olive oil
1/2 ounce (1 tbsp) garlic
1 1/2 ounce (3 tbsp) chopped onion
1 ounce (2 tbsp) green pepper,
1/2 ounce (1 tbsp) salt
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 ounce (1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp) sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Soak beans in water overnight in a 4-quart pot.
Bring beans to a boil in the pot, using the same liquid that beans were soaked with and then simmer.
Heat oil and then brown garlic in a pan
Puree onion and peppers, then add puree mixture to oil and garlic in pan, sauté for 4 minutes. Then add mixture to the beans simmering in the pot.
Add salt, cumin, oregano, sugar and pepper to the mixture in pot.
Stir, simmer until beans are tender. cuisine

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Stone Soup: The Basics of Making Soups – johanna
November 30th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Soup / Salad

My sister recently sent an email with a recipe she created using ingredients from her pantry. It just so happened “stone soup” was on our menu that night. So, it got me thinking about how easy it is to whip up a simple, good for you, quick pot of soup.

Mason and I read the book Stone Soup last week at school. The premise of the book is a weary traveler stopped at the home of an old woman asking her for food. She snobbishly turned him away telling him she did not have any food in the house or garden. Before she could close the door he asked her for a stone from her yard. Confused she questioned him why would he want a stone. He told her to make stone soup. Intrigued the old woman obliged him with a pot and as the story goes on she offered him the vegetables needed to make the soup fit for a king. Like the stone soup in the story every soup starts with a base of water with vegetables or meat for flavoring.

Stock can be made up of chicken, vegetable or beef broths. It can be creamy, with flour or cream. A tomato base comprised of bits of tomato or tomato puree. Soups may also be thick or thin. The flavoring comes from a variety of herbs, seasonings, vegetables and fats from meat or butter.

* A general guideline when using fresh herbs in a recipe is to use 3 times as much as you would use of a dried herb. 1/4 teaspoon of a dried herb for a recipe that serves 4.

Allison’s Pantry Taco Style Soup:
Canned Goods- kidney beans, corn, carrots, french cut green beans, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
Add to browned meat with garlic and onions. Add taco seasoning and top with sour cream and cheese.

This is my clean out the refrigerator and pantry version of Minestrone Soup:
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup bell pepper
1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
1 carrot, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 oz Italian sausage or panchetta
1 cup onions
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 tbsp fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
5 cups broth, beef or chicken
2 cans diced tomatoes, puree one or both cans
1 can garbanzo beans

Heat oil in a pot; add peppers, brussels sprouts, celery and carrots. Let brown slightly then remove. Add sausage onions and garlic. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add the parsley and basil. Toss.
Add broth, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Simmer 30-45 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the garbanzo beans. Simmer 5 minutes. To serve, top with Parmesan cheese.

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Fall Pork Chop Vegetable Stew with Left Over Fiesta Rice – johanna
November 22nd, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Soup / Salad

Last night’s menu consisted of fiesta rice and fajitas. The rice I learned to make from a girl I met in Texas. I added the cumin. I did not know what exactly I was going to make for dinner tonight but I had a hankering for pork chops and tomatoes. For the rice I only used the juice from a can of diced tomatoes. So this dish was a great way to use the left over tomatoes and rice.

Fiesta Rice:
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped really small but not minced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup rice
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
2 cups broth, beef or chicken
1/2 cup diced tomatos or juice from the tomatoes

Heat the oil in a small pot. Add the onions and garlic; cook over medium low heat until translucent. Add the rice; cook until rice becomes lightly browned and puffier, about 5 mins. Add the tomato juice and broth. Season with salt and pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer until rice is tender, about 30 minutes.

Pork Chop Vegetable Stew:
2 pork chops, cut into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper
1/2 flour
1 cup onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large sweet potato, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup broth, beef or chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper

Toss the pork in the flour to coat. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add meat in batches only browning the outside to seal the flour. Remove from pan. Add the potatoes and brown slightly. Add the celery, onions, garlic, broth, tomatoes and meat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the meat is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
To serve, spoon some rice into a bowl and top with the stew.

Technorati Tags: BUDGET MEALS, fall soups, fun family food, pork chops, pork chops and tomatoes, soups, stew, two meals from one recipes, winter stews

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My Grandmother’s Porcupines - Rice Meatballs – johanna
November 21st, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

This is my Grandmother’s recipe for Porcupines. Porcupines are basically meatballs with rice mixed in them. They make a delightful dish served with roasted veggies. I did have to make a few changes. Naturally I changed the shortening to canola oil and I subbed garlic powder in place of the garlic salt to cut down on the sodium. Salt can always be added later if needed.

1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup milk or water
2 tbsp chopped onion
1/3 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp celery salt
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 c water
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp shortening

Mix beef, rice, milk, onion and seasonings. Form into four balls. Fry in melted shortening, turning to brown (not crusty). Add tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire. Mix, cover and simmer 45 min over low heat.

Technorati Tags: BUDGET MEALS, fun family food, great depression recipes, mealballs, porcupine meatballs, rice

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