A delicious change of plans

I had big plans for my menu this week I was going to try out new recipes and do my best to enjoy eating for one (or two I guess.) Well my plans for the Chicken-Sausage Asparagus Saute over Cheesy Grits (from the May 2008 edition of Everyday Food) was not going to happen once I saw the prices and selection at the grocery store. Chicken-Sausage on Guam? forget about it! there is no variety whatsoever. Grits? no way! but I was probably going to substitute cornmeal and make a soft polenta instead. But the real kicker.....Asparagus nearly $6 a pound! I decided to pull the plug on this meal plan. While at the store I picked up a package of mushrooms for $2 which I know sounds expensive but the last few weeks a package of mushrooms has cost well over $5 and one week they were $7, produce prices are never a constant here. I didn't have plans for the mushrooms at the time but I knew I could put them to good use.

Well tonight I made a delicious mushroom soup, accompanied by a grilled cheese sandwich. I had a tasty, simple, and satisfying meal. I was pleased with my meal substitution I still got to try a new recipe and I didn't spend a fortune to do so.

pineapple smoothie

Crystal posted about Smoothies for Frugal Friday and I knew I had to chime in with my newest and currently most favorite smoothie recipe. It's so simple:

1/2 cup plain yogurt
pineapple chunks and juice (frozen)
a squeeze of honey to taste.

blend in a blender until smooth and enjoy, so YUMMY! and refreshing. (makes one serving)
I've been drinking these every day for the past week.

I take a can of pineapple chunks and it's juice and freeze in an ice cube tray, I use about 5-6 frozen pineapple cubes in my smoothie

This particular smoothie is cheap to make ( at least for now) I had bought half a dozen cans of pineapple for 45 cents a can (They were on the clearance shelf and have a few dents but still just fine to use. One can will make at least three smoothies) and I make my own yogurt which is significantly cheaper than buying it (basically the cost of milk)

I just love smoothies! (they feel like such a virtuous treat, being so full of healthy ingredients)

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

I checked out Deceptively Delicious from the library a few days ago. It's a cookbook with recipes that "sneak" vegetables into recipes. All the recipes look fabulous and the pictures are beautiful.
I made the Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins and they are scrumptious. There is carrot puree in the batter but there is no "carroty" taste in these muffins. I substituted real butter in the recipe instead of the margarine spread it called for, only 2 tablespoons but I like to keep things as natural as possible.

So yummy! I've already eaten two.

I can't wait to try some of the other recipes.

Homemade Pasta

Sunday afternoon was a bit lazy and easy going, I ventured into the kitchen to try something new and daring. I dug out my pasta roller and made some raviolis from scratch. Really tasty but super time consuming (probably becuase it was my first time making raviolis). I was inspired to start making fresh pasta after reading a Martha Stewart Living article about a year ago, I have the paper version torn from the magazine stored with my pasta roller. I use the Kitchen Aid Mixer Stand attachment, and it works really well. Making the pasta dough is really easy, you can roll it out by hand but having a pasta roller or pasta machine really helps out.

On a clean counter mound 2 cups flour, make a well in the center and add 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix together and knead dough until smooth and satiny, I had to add more flour but I live in a very humid climate. Let the dough rest about an hour before rolling out into sheets.

To make raviolis I took similar sized sheets of pasta dough (some I cut to size using a pizza cutter) I placed teaspoon sized mounds of cheese filling on one sheet of pasta and topped the filling with another sheet of pasta dough. It helps to use a little water to "glue" the dough together. (just dip your finger in water and apply around the filling) Make sure there is no air in the ravioli or it will burst open when cooking. I used my pizza cutter again to cut apart the squares of filled pasta. Place the finished raviolis on a floured baking pan or cooling rack to dry for about an hour, I covered them with a tea towel.

Fresh pasta cooks up much quicker than dried (a couple of minutes) when you boil fresh pasta start testing for doneness early, The raviolis seemed to be done once they started floating.

I love making pasta and being in the kitchen. I like knowing that I can make something and it will turn out good, that being said I'm glad that I made raviolis but I probably won't be adding them to my weekly menus being that they take to long to make. Maybe if I find some ravioli molds at a yard sale or thrift store at a cheap price I'll try again and see if it goes any faster.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Last week I made hamburger buns and they turned out so good! They were so pretty when they came out of the oven that I had to have one, I made myself a PB and J sandwich with a still warm bun. We had these with Sloppy Joes the next day, the rest were put in the freezer for future meals. I've made buns before but have never been real happy with the results, this is the first time I've been pleased with both the taste and appearance of my hamburger buns. My recipe came from a blog called Maidens of Worth, found after a Google search for homemade hamburger buns, I wanted a new recipe for buns and I wasn't disappointed. I let my dough rise about 90 minutes before shaping into buns, the recipe doesn't have a long rise time but I thought it should rise a bit.

Orange Cupcakes!

We went to a BBQ about two weeks ago, and these orange cupcakes were a big hit. People couldn't believe that the candied oranges were real oranges rind and all. The cupcakes are just a basic white cake recipe with orange zest and orange juice added to the batter.


The candied oranges are super easy to make, just simmer sliced oranges in sugar water until the peels turn translucent, I tossed my orange slices in sugar after they were cooled and dried. My inspiration for candied oranges were taken from a Cooking Light recipe here, Obviously I changed it a bit. I think the candied oranges taste better than the gummy kind you buy at a candy shop. You could also candy lemons and limes.

Homemade Biscotti

I made biscotti today, these are twice baked, crisp Italian cookies, made for dunking in coffee or tea. I love making biscotti, they seem like such a treat to me because I associate them with fancy coffee shops that charge a large sum for their beautiful pastries and treats.
I tried something different with these biscotti and added some chocolate chips and hazelnuts, while not as pretty to look at, they taste great, and will be a really good accompaniment with coffee in the morning. Tonight I'm enjoying them with tea and they are wonderful.

Here's my recipe:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3/4 cup of pistachios (I often substitute whatever additions I have on hand)

Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the orange zest, vanilla, 2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk (reserving the white). Stir just until combined than mix in pistachios. Knead 2-3 minutes on a lightly floured surface. the dough will be very stiff and may be crumbly add a few drops of water if needed to bring it together. Roll dough into a log and place on baking sheet, flatten top slightly. Brush the top using the reserved egg white. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 300, allow the log to cool slightly (so you don't burn yourself) using a serrated knife cut into 1/2 inch slices place flat-side down on the baking sheet and bake 8 minutes, flip over and bake an additional 8 minutes or until slightly colored, crisp and dry. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, store in an air tight container.

You can change this recipe up, it's tasty with pistachios but I've made it with dried fruits, pecans, walnuts, almonds, and whatever else I have on hand.
Don't skip the orange zest, it really adds a nice depth of flavor.

My husband's favorite is just plain hazelnut, I hope he enjoys the addition of chocolate chips. We'll find out tomorrow morning.

My Mom's Yummy Taco Casserole

Last night I made taco casserole, it's so easy and yummy. It's a recipe dear to me because it was given to me from my mom. I haven't made it in at least 3 years. When my husband asked about it, I had to shoot my mom an e-mail for the recipe as I had misplaced mine. This meal is especially nice for leftovers, I spoon the casserole mixture onto tortillas the next day and make quesadillas, super easy. The recipe uses instant rice, which I confess is something I had to go to the store for, lucky for me it was on sale and I had a coupon. I changed it up a bit and added a can of diced tomatoes since I had them on hand. Here's the recipe:

1 lb of ground beef cooked
1 can of whole corn drained
1 can small sliced olives
1 can diced green chilies
1 package of taco season.
1 1/2 cup of instant rice-make sure it is instant you can use brown instant if you want
2 cups of water
1 cup of cheddar cheese save some to top

Cook ground beef and drain the fat, mix in taco seasoning according to package directions. Mix everything a large bowl place in a casserole dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 375. Top with some cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.

As a bonus this recipe freezes very well.

Oatmeal Fruit Bars - So Easy and Oh So Good!

I have just made some treats to take to a function tomorrow. Being stuck in my frugal ways I'm not about to go out and buy a treat to take nor am I willing to buy ingredients for something. Call me funny but without advance notice or planning, I'm likely to use what I have on hand and be creative. I have six boxes, that's right six boxes of white cake mix. Greg doesn't like cake and I don't need to eat cake so every time I look in the pantry I wonder why I bought them. Then I remember that I got them for free with a great sale and perfectly matching coupons (it pays to stock up on the same coupon). When it came time to make treats I decided I should use up some of that cake mix. Thanks to a variation on Raspberry Oatmeal Bars from Allrecipes.com I am down two boxes of cake mix (only four to go) and I have a fantastic super tasty treat, with more than enough servings to go around.

Here's how I made my Oatmeal Fruit Bars:

1. Mixed two boxes of white cake mix, one cup of melted butter, 1/2 cup oil, and 5 cups oatmeal. The mixture should be crumbly and moist
2.Pressed 2/3 of the mixture into a greased large rimmed baking sheet (11x15 I think)
3. Mixed one 10 oz jar of cherry jam and about 1/2 jar (5oz?) blackberry jam with 2 Tablespoons of water and spread evenly over pressed crust
4.Sprinkled the remaining cake mix mixture over the jam layer
5. Baked in a preheated oven (375 degrees) for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

These turned out so good and are so yummy. I have regrettably already eaten 3 bars, (small ones) They are not "cakey" more like a cookie bar. I can't wait to share them tomorrow, I'm sure they'll be a big hit, I really like them.

Making Chicken Stock

I briefly mentioned making Chicken Stock in my menu, it is truly one of the best perks of roasting a chicken. Making your own Chicken Stock is by far tastier, healthier, and cheaper than buying it from the store. Basically I take the chicken carcass and simmer it in water for several hours along with whatever veggies and seasonings I have, once the stock cools a layer of fat forms on the top, which you can easily remove. Alton Brown has a really nice recipe and description for making your own stock. I highly recommend making stock, there are so many recipes with chicken stock, making your own is quite frugal. Tomorrow for Kitchen Tip Tuesday I'll post a great tip about homemade stock.

A Labor of Love

Today I made big soft pretzels, a real favorite with my Husband. It's been so long since I've made them I forgot how much time and effort it takes. The recipe makes 16 pretzels and they really taste best the day they're made, these will hit the freezer so that they last longer. We enjoy a hearty, grainy and spicy brown mustard, BUT with soft pretzels it has to be the classic yellow mustard.

Menu Plan Monday March 3-9

This is my second Menu Plan Monday Post, and I love it, it's just too much fun sharing what we'll be eating, it's also fun to see what everyone else is planning.

Monday 3/3 –.Roasted Chicken and Citrus Rice, I’ll save some of the chicken for Wednesday’s meal. I love roasting a chicken it is so easy and economical, I often get 2-3 meals out of a chicken and homemade stock to boot. When I roast my chicken it’s a little different each time, I generously season the bird all over and under the skin too, then I rub it with a little olive oil or butter whatever I have and I loosely stuff the cavity with whatever veggies I have usually garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Sometimes I like be really creative once, I seasoned my chicken with an unwanted bottle salad dressing (not creamy) with good results. Roasted Chicken always turns out so good and makes the house smell heavenly, my suggestions when roasting a chicken: use a meat thermometer, don’t over cook your bird and do not carve it right away let it sit out at least 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute, ensuring juicy results, tent it with foil to keep it warm if you want.

Tuesday 3/4 – Homemade Mac and cheese a new recipe to try from Martha Stewart Everyday Food. I have a fantastic never-fail Mac and cheese recipe handed to me from my Great-great Auntie, but it never hurts to try new things, besides this one is no-bake so it comes to the table a bit faster. We’ll see how it turns out.

Wednesday 3/5 – Chicken Pot Pie Celebration – We’re celebrating Greg’s Birthday. It’s a little late due to unforeseen circumstances but hey we’re flexible. What better way to celebrate a birthday than with a favorite meal. My man loves my chicken pot pie. Sometimes I think he’s’ going to eat the whole pie but he always saves a little for his lunch the next day. I love Chicken pot pie because it’s a one dish meal, it usually satisfies all on its own, I rarely serve a side dish alongside.

The recipe is from my old Betty Crocker Red Cookbook, I could not find the exact recipe online but this one from All-Recipes is very similar except for the celery and celery seed.

Thursday 3/6 – Homemade pizza, I never did get around to making pizza last week (I guess that’s why this is called a menu PLAN)

Friday 3/7 - Leftovers

Saturday 3/8 - Chicken and Veggie Pasta - This is a family favorite, the first time I made this dish it was so good and very rich, because I didn't read the recipe right and I used a whole stick of butter not a half stick, I now only use a half stick and it's still very tasty

Sunday 3/9 – Mom’s Taco Casserole – This is so easy and healthy, it’s been a while since I made it. I’ll post the recipe and results later

My New Favorite Breakfast

Yogurt and Granola has been my favorite breakfast/snack for the longest time and I still love it. Now, I have a new favorite. During our time visiting with family last month, I got a taste for grapefruits in the morning, while staying at my In-laws. I love it! and it's Crazy! I never ate grapefruit as a kid, I tried it once when I was dating Greg and all I remember is I had to pour on the sugar to make it palatable. I don't know maybe my taste buds have changed or matured who knows. Now I think they are the best thing ever, a little sweet a whole lotta tart and altogether delicious! I still eat 'em with sugar but not to much. Here's what I do, cut the grapefruit in half, cut around the perimeter and in between the segments, sprinkle just a little brown sugar over the top and then broil the halves for just a few minutes, this seems to make them extra juicy and all the brown sugar melts and seeps into the fruit. it's so yummy. I like to squeeze out the last bit of juice into a cup once I've eaten the fruit, its like an extra treat.

Bagels

In the mood for making bagels but lacking my favorite baking cookbook, I headed over to Tammy's Recipes where I was first inspired to make bagels months ago. Surprisingly I've never made Tammy's Bagels, my first and only recipe came from my baking cookbook and it was so successful (well...except for the one time I forgot the salt) that I've never tried any other recipe. Tammy's recipe was spot on, the bagels were delicious and satisfying. For the first time I tried making a variety of bagels, I made Cinnamon Raisin, Sesame, Onion with Poppy seeds, and of course a few Plain. My Cinnamon Raisin Bagels were a disaster, they didn't form nicely and fell apart during the boiling stage, my guess is that I mixed in to much stuff in the dough-I added brown sugar to the raisin cinnamon mixture to make it sweeter but it just made the dough sticky and hard to work with. Needless to say they didn't make it into the picture as I had fears someone would see them and decide never to make bagels if that's how they turn out. My suggestion is to forget mixing in stuff and just top the bagels with any additions you desire. I may try a Parmesan flavored bagel next time.

Apple Muffins

I made muffins today; I’ll wrap and stuff several of them in the freezer for lunch additions. I’ll keep just a few out of the freezer for some yummy snacking. I’m still waiting on some of my non-essential household goods to join me after our big move, currently I don’t have a muffin pan- you don’t really think it’s a necessity until you want to use it. I had to get creative. I picked up some cupcake liners on sale for 40 cents the other day, it’s been so long since I’ve bought liners, I like to use silicone cupcakes liners (they’re great and reusable) I’m not sure if 40 cents was a deal but it was cheap enough for me. I lined a large baking sheet with cupcake liners it held 24 liners nicely. My muffins didn’t bake up in beautiful round circles as they would in a muffin pan but they still tasted great. My muffins also didn’t form a nice muffin top, I blame the humidity, I can’t say if that’s the true cause but whenever my baking doesn’t produce picture perfect results I like to blame the humidity. My muffins smelled so good I had to taste one while still warm, you can see that there is a missing muffin in the picture; instant gratification has its consequences. These muffins came from a basic sweet apple bread recipe which I decided to make into muffins instead; I like the individual portions muffins bring and as a bonus no slicing. Reduce the baking time to 25 minutes. These are really good the next day, split in half, toasted, and spread with peanut butter. YUM!

Yogurt Pie

I hate cool whip or it's generic equivalent, I'm more of an all-natural whipped cream kind of gal. When I find a recipe with cool whip I usually pass it by. Yogurt pie is one recipe that I can put aside my distaste of cool whip for. Growing up my mother often made yogurt pie it tasted great, was incredibly quick to put together and rarely cost more than a few dollars. After finding a forgotten graham cracker pie shell in the pantry (bought on sale and with coupon several weeks ago for only $0.35) and feeling a little homesick yesterday I made Yogurt pie. I had to go to the grocery store but was pleasantly surprised to find cool whip on sale for only $0.69 I picked up some yogurt too. Once home, I whipped up the pie in about 2 minutes. To make Yogurt Pie you mix together one small tub of cool whip with two 8 oz containers of any flavor yogurt (I used mixed berry and blue berry) pour into graham cracker pie shell, cover and let set in fridge 4-6 hours or until set. This is by far the quickest dessert I've ever made. I couldn't really wait a few hours, after two hours I cut myself a slice, it was so good but my slice didn't hold it's pretty shape well.
You can't complain about the taste, cost, or ease of this recipe my only concern is the yogurt and cool whip is loaded with high-fructose corn syrup which we try to avoid at our house and is one of the reasons we switched to homemade yogurt instead of store bought.

1 Graham cracker pie shell on sale for $0.99 with $0.65 coupon only $0.34
1 small tub of generic cool whip on sale for $0.69
2 8 oz tubs of yogurt $0.50 each

Total cost of pie: $2.03

Pear and Granola Muffins

What to do with very ripe fruit? Make muffins of course! Greg was getting tired of eating my bargain pears at only 79 cents/lb, with just two left I couldn't throw them away. I stumbled across a recipe for pear and granola muffins and with all the ingredients on hand I whipped up some muffins, I didn't make the granola crisp topping in the recipe instead I used some of my own homemade granola sitting in my pantry. These muffins are perfect for weekend snacks and some will go into the freezer for future additions to our lunches.