Hamburger Stroganoff

Filed under: BUDGET MEALS, RECIPES - Main Dish

Looking for a warm comforting meal during the long cold months of winter? Stroganoff is one of my favorite dishes to break the chill and fill bellies on the cheap. Serve with a side salad or green beans.

Source: my Grandmother Lois Jepson
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1/2 pound mushrooms, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups beef stock
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 cup sour cream
1 pound egg noodles, cooked and drained

In a large skillet, saute onions, mushrooms and garlic in the butter until tender. Add ground beef, cook until browned. Cook until beef is completely browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and Italian seasoning.

Stir in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Slowly add beef stock and vinegar. Stir, bring to a boil, and let simmer until thickened. Stir in sour cream until combined. Remove from heat. Stir in noodles.

Variations:
- Serve over rice or baked potato.
- Use ground turkey in the place of ground beef.
- Substitute Worcestershire sauce for red wine vinegar.

Technorati Tags: BUDGET MEALS, fun family food, hamburger stroganoff, quick and easy meals

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The Columbia Restaurant Black Bean Soup

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

Technorati Tags: black bean soup, Columbia Restaurant, cuban sandwich, fun family food, spanish cuisine

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Stone Soup: The Basics of Making Soups

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

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

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.

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Asian Noodle Stir-Fry

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.

Technorati Tags: asian stir-fry, broccoli beef, BUDGET MEALS, fast easy recipes, fun family foods, recipes for kids, vegetable stir-fry

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Green Beans with Pearl Onions and Garlic

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.

Technorati Tags: easy recipes, green beans, holiday meals, italian greens beans, side dishes, thanksgiving dinner

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Roasted Apple Pork Chops With A Balsalmic Vinegar Glaze

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.

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Spicy Artichoke Spaghetti and Lemon Artichoke Pasta

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.

Technorati Tags: artichoke spaghetti, Lemon Artichoke Pasta, quick and easy recipes, tomatoes

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Chicken Broccoli Braid

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.

Technorati Tags: chicken broccoli braid, crescent rolls, fun family, halloween dinner ideas, pampered chef, pumpkins, quick and easy meals

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