Creating memorable and healthy dining experiences.
Huevos Rancheros and Tortillas – johanna
November 20th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish
My interest in this recipe stems from a memory I have of a woman in Texas who taught me how to make tortillas. No matter how hard I tried my tortillas never came out as perfect as hers did. Of course she made them all by hand including measuring the ingredients. So a handful of baking powder to her was not the same as my handful. She also taught me how to make a dish called “the poor man’s breakfast’. It consisted of tortillas torn into bite sized pieces, scrambled eggs, cheese and salsa. Juanita’s salsa was so hot, when she was a girl her father would tell her “Juanita, your salsa is so hot it would make the devil fart.†I always got a laugh out of that.
I think the egg was an interesting addition. I have never understood using oil to heat the tortillas. It must be a Tex-Mex thing because I do not recall any of my Hispanic friends heating their tortillas in oil. Usually they placed them in the oven, on a gas burner or cast iron pan to warm. So I omitted the oil part. I warmed the tortillas on low to medium heat until brown as the recipe states; turning the tortillas over while the whites were still clear; Because the bottom of the tortilla was already turning brown before the egg was set. After they were done the tortillas were very crispy, more like a tostada. The next one I made I added the cheese and egg immediately after I placed the tortilla in the pan. As with the first set I made, I flipped the tortilla over while the egg was still somewhat clear to avoid burning the bottom. The second was turned out softer. My daughter who loves tacos preferred the softer version while my son ate a crispier tortilla nacho style.
Tortillas
Shredded cheese
Eggs
Toppings:
Black Beans
Chopped tomatoes
Sour Cream
Avocados
Salsa
Onions
Jalapenos
Heat a corn tortilla in a non-stick pan with a little oil. When it’s brown, flip it over. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on the tortilla, then carefully crack an egg on top. When it’s about half-way set, flip it over (again, be careful). When the egg is cooked, flip it back over onto a plate. Decorate with black beans, chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, salsa, avocado & sour cream.
Source: Smitten Kitchen
Variations:
You could always scramble the eggs first, throw everything on the tortilla and stick it under the broiler.
Asian Noodle Stir-Fry – johanna
November 16th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish
Asian noodle stir-fry is one of several inexpensive recipes I came up with using Top Ramen. It is definitely a recipe that can be played around with. Omit the Top Ramen for rice and chicken broth. The broth in the recipe is made with pasta water and the season packet. Sometimes I eat mine on a bed of steamed cabbage instead of noodles.
1 tbsp oil
2 cups chopped chicken or beef
two pkgs top ramen
1 cup broth,
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup broccoli chopped
1 carrot, chopped jullian
1 celery stick, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp soy sauce
Boil noodles. Use one cup of the pasta water and one season packet to make the broth.
Combine cornstarch and 3 tbsp broth.
Cook meat in oil and soy sauce. Remove. Saute veggies in butter. Add broth and cornstarch mixture. Add meat and noodles.
Green Beans with Pearl Onions and Garlic – johanna
November 12th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Sides
This recipe is adapted after a dish I had at a friend’s house when I was living in Texas. I do not have exact measurements though, so I am guessing here.
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 cups Green beans
1/2 cup Pearl Onions or sliced red onion
2-3 cloves Garlic, chopped
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp Sugar
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the green beans, onions, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar. Saute until the beans and onions are tender or caramelized. Which ever is preferred.
Roasted Apple Pork Chops With A Balsalmic Vinegar Glaze – johanna
November 11th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish
I think I found this recipe in an Everyday Food issue. My first thought was “balsalmic vinegar and maple syrup? What an interesting combination.” It turned out to be amazing. Well maybe not amazing but pretty darn good. I use 2-4 cutlets and reduce the time.
I love the show Hells Kitchen. My friends look at me like I am crazy but they like “Dancing With the Stars”. I have picked up many helpful cooking tips from watching Hells Kitchen. The most important being, meat continues to cook as it rests. To avoid dry pork chops I watch them closely cooking them until they are just done. I take them out and cover them with tin foil for about 5 minutes.
1/4 c Balsalmic Vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 pork tenderloins (12 oz each)
2-3 apples, cut into wedges
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
salt/pepper
Preheat oven to 450.
Glaze: In a sauce pan bring vinegar and syrup to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat. Reserve 1 tbsp.
Place apples and onions on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer. Roast about 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and toss.
Meanwhile, place pork chops in a baking dish lined with foil. Season with salt and pepper. Brush with glaze from sauce pan.
Return apples/onions to the oven on a rack in the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Place pork on a rack in the top 1/3 of oven. Roast 10 minutes. Remove pork and brush with remaining glaze. Roast until cooked through and apples are tender, about 10 minutes more. Serve with apples and onions.
Spicy Artichoke Spaghetti and Lemon Artichoke Pasta – johanna
October 17th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish
I bought four pounds of tomatoes last weekend at the U-Pick farm and after debating whether I should make tomato sauce to can or use them up, the Artichoke Spaghetti won me over. The story behind this recipe is one of love, deceit and a drive to conquer what is within reach.
The recipe comes from a chef at the New York City Four Seasons restaurant. The first time I replicated the dish, the flavors and texture were comparable to the original tasting. However, subsequent attempts have lead to, too much heat or not enough. It is important to note that the tomatoes in this recipe must be fresh and preferably garden grown for the maximum flavor. Avoid canned tomatoes, as they produce a watery sauce. The skins can be left on the tomatoes, but make certain to de-seed them or the sauce will become to watery and bland (if cooking for kids this is a good thing). This recipe produces a thick chunky sauce with a nice heat.
Scroll down for a faster pantry friendly version without the heat.
Cooking Time: 2 hours
4 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 c onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c fresh parsley (or 1/2 c dry)
4 cloves garlic
1 small red chili pepper (or 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp fresh oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 c fresh basil
2 (6-oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts
4 pounds pasta
Put chopped tomatoes in a large pot on medium heat. In a large skillet, heat oil; saute onions, garlic and spices, EXCEPT SALT. Add mixture to tomatoes. Add salt. Simmer 1 hour. Stir often.
Take the artichoke hearts out of the jars, put in a cup. Drain marinade into pot. Simmer 30 minutes.
Stir in artichokes. Simmer 20 minutes. Serve over pasta with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Lemon Artichoke Tomato Pasta: A less heated version
Serves 4
1 pound pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups tomatoes, diced or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp to 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained
salt and pepper, to taste
Pine Nuts, chopped
Parsley and Parmesan for garnish
Cook the pasta and drain. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30-40 seconds. Add wine or broth and cook for two minutes. Add lemon juice and cook another minute more. Add tomatoes, artichokes and salt and pepper. Cook five minutes. Spoon sauce over pasta. Toss with pine nuts and garnish with parsley and cheese.
Chicken Broccoli Braid – johanna
October 16th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish
This recipe comes from a Pampered Chef cookbook. I love it, because it is so easy and versatile.
12 oz cooked chicken, chopped (2 cups/about 3 cooked boneless chicken breast halves)
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/2 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt
1 tsp dill
1/4 tsp salt
2 pkg (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls, keep cold until ready to use
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tbsp slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 375. In a medium mixing bowl, add the chicken, broccoli, red bell pepper, garlic, cheese, yogurt, dill and salt. Unroll crescent rolls, DO NOT SEPARATE. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of a 12X15 rectangle baking pan. Using a roller, roll dough to seal perforations. On longest sides of pan cut dough into strips 1 1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep. Spread filling evenly over middle of dough. To braid, lift strip of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Tuck ends under to seal at end of braid. Brush egg white over dough. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Yields 6 servings
Variations:
Try bread dough or pie crust in the place of the crescent rolls.
Replace or add fresh spinach.
I like to use this recipe to make stuffed pumpkins. Combine the filling as stated. Instead of rolling the dough out, divide into two triangles each. Use the roller to seal perforations and form a square. Place a small amount of filling in the middle of each square. Bring the dough up over the filling to make a pumpkin then twist to make a stem. Pinch any openings closed. Add orange food coloring to the egg whites and brush over pumpkins. Add green food coloring to a small amount of water and brush over stem. Bake 10-15 minutes.
Fall Ham and Potato Soup – johanna
October 15th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Soup / Salad
This recipe I found on allrecipes.com called “Delicious Ham and Potato Soup.” It has a nice flavor and texture.
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk, as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot. Cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.
Variations:
For a creamy soup cook the potatoes until they are soft. I like a smooth texture with chunks of potatoes. So I cook the potatoes until they are just tender. Then, after I add the milk I puree the soup slightly to make it thicker.
I also like to add 3-4 Kale leaves, torn and 1-2 greens onions, chopped.
Some other good choices may include 2-3 cloves of garlic or garlic powder, diced carrots and chopped cauliflower.
Whip Up A Simple Loaf of Banana Bread – johanna
October 13th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Breads
I have a banana bread recipe I like very much from the Baker’s Illustrated Cook Book, however; with that said, I get a little antsy and enjoy searching for something new. Something interesting. I have tried many variations of banana bread, yet none of them have have sparked my interest enough to make them again.
This weekend I had several ripe bananas that needed a purpose. I found a wonderful banana bread recipe on the whippedtheblog.com website. What first interested me, was how simple the recipe is. Â Some of the best recipes are comprised of only a few ingredients. I was amazed how moist and flavorful the bread was. The family gobbled every last crumb and has already put in a request for more. I like this version too, because texture is more like a pumpkin bread moist and dense rather than the more delicate and flavorful recipe I normally use. The recipes states a yield of two 7 X 3 loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans. My batter produced three mini load pans.
Whippedtheblog.com Banana Bread:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 large, ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup butter, melted
Grease and flour loaf pans. The original recipe called for two 7 x 3 inch loaf pans, but Stephen prefers four mini loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt and sugar. Mix in the slightly beaten eggs and mashed bananas. Slowly stir in the melted butter just until incorporated. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. If you use the mini loaf pans, adjust to about 30 minutes. Just take a peek and if the top is starting to brown and looks cooked, try the toothpick to test for doneness. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Additional Thoughts:
- Banana size varies drastically. If you have really small bananas, add an extra half.
- What is a ripe banana? Almost all brown with some specs of yellow.
- Mash bananas well with a potato masher or fork but leave some small chunks. Don’t go all the way to baby food consistency.
- Do NOT over mix this batter. I would not use an electric mixer - just a few circles of the wrist while incorporating the ingredients.
- Do NOT overbake. The moist, banana-y center should be soft and crumbly.
- Let the bread cool completely before storing. The edges and outside will get sticky and icky if you wrap it or put it in a ziploc too soon.
Dazzledish Variations:
Add white chocolate chips, cranberries, raisins, apricots, coconut or nuts.
This recipe can be made without eggs. Increase the butter to 1/2 cup, add 2 cups flour, omit the salt and add only 1 tsp baking soda.
Replace half the flour with wheat, oats and wheat germ.
Replace some of the sugar with honey.
To make muffins bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Baker’s Illustrated Banana Bread:
2 cups flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 1/4 cups walnuts, chopped coarse
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs, beaten lightly
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla
Adjust the lower middle position. Heat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 9×5x3 loaf pan. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Sprinkle the baking soda over the mashed bananas. Let sit.
Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and walnuts together in a large bowl, set aside. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold in the banana mixture in to dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combine and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the batter unto prepared loaf pans. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp. Wrap with plastic wrap and store at room temp for 3 days or freeze.
Variations:
Chocolate bread: Reduce sugar to 10 tbsp and add 2 1/2 oz (a heaping 2 1.2 cup) grated bittersweet chocolate into dry ingredients.
Coconut and Macadamia but: Adjust rack to middle position. Substitute for walnuts 1/2 cup sweetened coconut and 1 cup chopped macadamia.toast until golden brown about 6 min.
Orange spice: Add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg, 2 tbsp grated orange zest to dry ingredients.
Hearty Chili: Recipes for Fall – johanna
October 11th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES, RECIPES - Main Dish
From many failures, comes success. For a few years, I have used a chili recipe I found in a Cooking Light cookbook. My husband liked the recipe at first, but … he had a few requests. He did not like the large pieces of tomato and wanted more kidney beans. So, I increased the beans from one can to three and decreased the diced tomatoes by one can and pureed them before adding them to the pot.
Then, one night I went to a friend’s house for a girl’s night out and she served chili. She found her recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook. In addition to the Kidney beans called for in the recipe, she added a can of white beans and a can of black beans. The next time I made chili, I decided to try adding the extra beans plus some lentils. The response was “this is great!â€
My problem is, I get bored of the same recipe after a while and while Stephen could go on eating the same chili year after year. Â I was determined to make it better. Tonight, Stephen wanted chili for dinner, but I was out of a few ingredients. I had to make my own Chili Powder and I only had enough Italian sausage for a dish I was making for company this weekend. I omitted the brown sugar, replaced the jalapeno with red pepper flakes and reduced the sausage to three links. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine. I have always used apple juice that I make fresh with my juicer. This time, I decided to reduce the amount of apple juice and add a little chicken stock to give the chili a little more flavor.
3 to 6 oz hot or mild Italian sausage
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup green pepper, chopped. I like to add a bit of red and yellow too
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 Tsp dried red pepper flakes or 1 jalapeno
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup apple juice
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1/2 cup lentils
Shredded cheddar cheese
Cook sausage and turkey until done. Remove from pan. In the same pan, saute onion, garlic and green pepper over medium high heat, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, stock, juice, tomatoes, paste, beans and lentils. Bring to a simmer then, reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for one hour. Uncover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. To serve sprinkle with cheese. Serves 10.
Alternatives:
I was out of Chili Powder, so I made my own. This version really gave the chili the kick I was looking for. 1 teaspoon each paprika, cayenne pepper and oregano. 2 teaspoons each ground cumin and garlic powder.
I just have to mention a friend of mine recently won a chili cook off contest. She has never made chili before, but has a palette for flavor. She threw in a bunch of spices that sounded good to her and a bar of chocolate.
Chicken Tortilla Soup – johanna
October 8th, 2008 | Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Soup / Salad
I love fall. The brisk autumn air pared with the smell of a warm fire calls for a cup of hot soup. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. I added black beans and a little more cumin.
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp ground cumin
1tsp minced garlic
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can black beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup chunky salsa
corn tortilla chips
shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
In a large pot over medium heat, saute the chicken in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and mix well. Then add the broth, corn, onion, chili powder, lemon juice and salsa. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.
To serve, break up some tortilla chips into individual bowls and pour soup over chips. Top with the Monterey Jack cheese or shredded cheddar/jack blend.
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