Speedy Suppers

I have been hearing more and more lately how disappointing dining out is.

I know that there are times I wonder how in the world a restaurant can possibly charge so much for something so lacking in...every culinary quality desired.  

I thought having a two-person household would cut my dining out bills in half, but I find it's still dreadfully expensive.  That being said, I am taking a new tack on shopping for food.  I still believe in the rules of grocery shopping - never buy on impulse, never pick a recipe where don't have at least some of the ingredients, and never ever buy out of season.  

Instead of buying packaged raw poultry and meats, I've been going to the butcher counter and seeing what they have on special.  Chicken breasts bought by the piece saved me $5 that way instead of in the big pre-packaged deal, which always has one piece too many.  The pork chops were nice, and I bought some inexpensive Sicilian pork sausages.  Give your butcher counter a try.  You'll be pleasantly surprised at the quality you come away with. 

So here are a few quick and affordable ideas to maybe change your mind about dining out on a weeknight.

Fresh Marinara with Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil and Spaghetti

Roasted Chicken Tacos with Black Beans and Homemade Pico de Gallo 

Italian Sausage Bake with Veg and Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the Marinara and Pasta, I used DeCecco Spaghetti  and made a quick marinara.  

Serves 4

Ingredients - 

1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes with basil

1/3 cup chopped onion

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup cubed Buffalo Mozzarella

Basil leaves, torn

Drizzle of olive oil

Saute onions, thyme, and pepper flakes in olive oil, covering on med-low until soft.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add canned tomatoes and cover, simmering while you boil the pasta water.  Salt the water if desired, then cook according to package directions.  Drain immediately at al dente and then place right back into the pasta pot.  Add several ladles of marinara, the drizzle of olive oil, and cubed mozzarella.  Toss well.  Add hand-torn basil leaves and serve.  This goes well with grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, sausages, even steak.  

The Roasted Chicken Tacos are super easy...

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, roasted on a sheet for 45 minutes at 350, then shredded

1 can black beans, rinsed

2/3 cup water

1 packet taco seasoning

Chopped cilantro leaves

Cook all above ingredients in a saucepan until heated through and well combined.  We ate our taco filling in Mission brand taco shells, cooked according to package directions.

Homemade Salsa -

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/4 cup purple onion, diced fine

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Juice from 1/2 lime

Salt to taste

Pinch of garlic powder

Toss all ingredients to combine and serve immediately. 

The freshness of the cilantro in the tacos and the homemade salsa really make this feel like a night out at the

cantina!

The Sausage and Veg Bake is too easy for words, and the clean up is fab as it's all roasted on aluminum foil!

Serves 4

Ingredients - 

4 Italian-style pork sausages from your local butcher

1 small bag mixed baby potatoes, cut into quarters

1/2 purple onion, chopped

1 fennel bulb, cut into eighths

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into large chunks

Vinaigrette - 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Italian seasonings or Herbs de Provence

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425.  Line large sheet with foil.  Scatter veggies on both ends and mix vinaigrette over them, then sprinkle salt and pepper.  Toss well.  Place sausage links in the middle of the sheet and drizzle just slightly with olive oil.  Roast for 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Turn veggies and sausages halfway through roasting.  

If you're tired of paying high dining bills and want to eat at home without breaking the bank while marketing, try focusing on the weekly specials.  Your taste buds, belly, and wallet will thank you!

Cheers!

Dinner Is Done!

Wow, it's been quite a long time since my last post!

So sorry to all my readers!  This gal's back finally gave out - literally!  A little surgery, a little recovery, and now I'm back to work!

But while I was "resting", and I use quotation marks because as adults, do we ever really rest?  As I was resting, however, I used that time to search for recipes and for the dietary/culinary needs of my reader friends.

All I can say is, Pinterest.

Ever logged on to Pinterest?  Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board of sorts, using a virtual push pin as a way of creating a bookmark of whatever you find interesting on the 'net.  Since thousands belong to Pinterest, their pins are available for you to enrich - or in some cases, be horrified by - your own Pinterest bulletin boards.  What I've abundantly used Pinterest for is FOOD!

Recipes, recipes, and more recipes.  All those recipes on Pinterest have inspired me to make more meals that are budget-friendly and quick but healthy.  Sometimes the healthy part isn't so easy with Pinterest recipes.  How many cans of Cream of Chicken soup can one family eat per week without turning into pillars of salt??

And, as I'm still recovering, I have to make meals for my family that don't have me on my feet for an hour or more.  Who wants that?  Especially on a week night.

So to all Pinterest recipe fans - I accept the challenge of not only finding easy meals to make, but increasing the health meter while keeping the budget on a lower scale.  Taste?  Of course, darlings, why would I post anything that didn't taste good??

Let's start with tonight's dinner - Sassy BB Stoup.  It's a black bean "stoup" (stew/soup) that takes 10 minutes to prepare and 20 to simmer.  Serve with anything you want - tortilla chips, avocado, cornbread - but make sure those sides you choose don't cost a fortune and won't clog your arteries.  If you can get Jiffy Brand Corn Muffin Mix, that is a very affordable side, the mix itself only costing around $.75. And, if you can't get a ham steak (thick slice of smoked ham), try using some turkey bacon or very lean bacon.  Just don't pig out on the bacon!  PS - I apologize for the blurry photos.  We had a dark storm roll through while I was cooking and I just couldn't get enough light.  Regardless, I hope you enjoy!!

Sassy BB Stoup

1 ham steak, diced
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
3 cans black beans, do not rinse
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
Juice of one lime
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne (optional)
2 handfuls of rinsed and chopped cilantro
DO NOT ADD SALT!

Directions -

Dice the ham steak into small cubes.  Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in stock pot.  Cook ham for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add onion and pepper, cover, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring once.  Add garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook for one additional minute.

Add tomatoes and black beans, combining well.  Then add lime juice and cayenne. I really did measure the cilantro in two handfuls.  Add, stir well, and cover.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve with whatever you like, but please try to keep it healthy.  I prefer it as is, with maybe a piece of cornbread or a few whole grain tortilla chips.

I shopped for all the ingredients at a supermarket instead of Walmart, and if I'd shopped at Wally World I know I would have saved a few dollars.  This makes six 1-cup bowls and each bowl cost me $2, rounded up.  That's $12 for this stoup, and you can't buy a fast food dinner for you and your family for that little.  This has veggies, protein, carbs, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.  The veggies are fresh and the flavor is plentiful as well as adjustable.  What will the golden arches give you? Never mind, don't answer, I don't want to know!

Diet Note:   I frequently hear from readers, "I can't eat beans..." for the obvious reason. Try Gas-X Prevention.  It's an enzyme that helps prevent bloating and other gastric upset.  It's better than the other brand.  Of course, this is only a suggestion, and I am not a doctor.  Please consume (or do not consume) responsibly.


Salt Note:   I really do mean not to add salt.  It may seem at first, while the stoup simmers, that it needs salt.  Believe me, in 20 minutes, the lack of those beans being rinsed will come through and it will be salty enough. If you want to reduce the sodium, rinse the beans and add some water from one of the cans.  

Caribbean Queen

I heard Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" on XM this morning, and it immediately solved my dinner dilemma.  It also helped me for a playlist on my iPod.  I have to have music when I cook or it takes me twice as long without the tunes.  That and I really enjoy the combo of cooking and music.  Our dinner was similar to my Cool Jerk Shrimps and Reggae Rice, thanks to Mr. Ocean.  But before we get to cookin', we've got to jam out my kitchen.

Songs for cooking Caribbean:

"A Well Deserved Break" by Morcheeba
- a great song that will have you wishing you were sipping a cool drink by blue waters
"A Message To You Rudy" by The Specials
"If It Happens Again" by UB40
- they can sing more than just Red, Red Wine
"You Can Get It If You Really Want" - by Jimmy Cliff
"Could You Be Loved" - by Bob Marley
"Pressure Drop" - by Toots and the Maytals
"Whatever Lola Wants" - by Sarah Vaughan
"Caribbean Queen" - by Billy Ocean
"Paradise" - by Sade

Now, let's get to cookin'!!!

Jerk Pork Roast

Ingredients:

1.5 - 2 lb. pork roast, lean
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. melted coconut oil (or a light oil)
1/4 cup Jamaican beer (I used Red Stripe Light)
(Use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you prefer not to use beer, but do not skip this part.  Add water to the bottom of the pan if not using beer)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Line a baking dish with nonstick foil.  Rinse and pat dry pork roast.  Place in dish.  With a knife, quickly puncture top of roast, going about an inch and a half in, marking in multiple spots on roast.  Create a paste from paprika to beer, using only 1 tbsp. of beer in the paste.  Reserve the rest of the beer.

(The best raw coconut oil ever)

Spread the paste on the surface of the pork roast, making sure to apply a light layer to the bottom.  Pour remaining beer around the bottom of the pan.  Cover with more foil.  Roast for about an hour, removing foil the last 15 minutes of roasting.  Since most pork products are raised and butchered differently than they were decades ago, you can slightly under cook the pork so it's slightly pink, if that is your preference.

Let rest out of the oven for about 10 minutes, then slice thin and serve with my Reggae Rice recipe.  I actually found some pigeon peas for the rice recipe at a Latin foods market, and I promise, they are wonderful with the exotic coconut rice.  They are more like field peas than green peas.

This meal is excellent with Red Stripe Light beer and extra lime and lemon wedges.  All you need is some Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny, a little mood lighting, and you'll have Jamaica at your table.  Enjoy, mon!

Cool Jerk

The first Friday of Lent and I realized I had nothing but chicken to cook.  Correction, I had nothing but chicken and a really nice pork roast.  Oops...the TERROR!!

Thank goodness for the Internet!  Myrecipes.com saved the day!  I revised two of their recipes to make a Caribbean dinner that made me wonder if I wasn't actually in Jamaica. I used their Jerk-Spiced Shrimp and Caribbean Rice and Peas recipes to make a tropical getaway for my taste buds.

If you do not have a grill, cook the shrimp any way you prefer, but I do suggest a cast iron skillet or grill pan.  Serve with Red Stripe Light Beer, Rum Punch, or a tropical lemonade and no matter where you live, you'll suddenly be transported to a place where steel drums ring and ocean breezes soothe.


Reggae Rice
Serves at least 5 hungry folks


2 tsp. coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups brown texmati rice (or basmati)
2 & 1/2 cups water
8 oz. chicken broth
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I used lite)
1 can pigeon peas (I used pinto, but field peas are good)
Grated zest of one lemon
1 tsp. salt
Fresh parsley, chopped

Heat oil in Dutch oven, add onions and bell pepper.  Cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for additional 30 seconds.

Add rice, water, broth, and coconut milk.  Simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes or until rice is tender.  Add in peas, lemon zest, salt, and parsley.

Cool Jerk Shrimps (Yes, I Said Shrimps)
Serves 4 Large Helpings


Ingredients:

2 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or 1 tsp. if not using fresh garlic later)
1 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tbsp. melted coconut oil (or olive oil)
Juice of one fresh lime (mandatory - must be fresh!)
1 clove garlic, crushed (nix if you used 1 tsp. garlic powder)
2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
Cooking Spray (either regular or coconut cooking spray)

Combine paprika through garlic in a small bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon of seasoning to oil, lime juice, and fresh garlic.

Preheat grill.  If using grill pan or skillet, heat right before you're ready to eat.  These shrimp cook fast!  Place shrimp in a bowl after being rinsed well.  Add seasoning marinade and a pinch or two of dry seasoning.  Combine well.

Take a large piece of nonstick foil and spray with cooking spray.  Once grill has reached around 350, place shrimp on foil and transfer to grill racks.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked and plump. If using a grill pan or skillet, cook until heated through and plump.

Serve with Reggae Rice and get to jammin'!!

Positively Pre-Cooked

If you've read my blog entries before, you know I love to use pre-cooked chicken breasts that I keep in my freezer.  I buy a large package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and bake them for 45-60 minutes at 350.  Then I place them, usually by threes, into freezer bags.

This solves a lot of my dinnertime dilemmas.  I mean, A LOT.

I believe that by keeping staples at the ready - chicken broth, canned tomatoes, canned beans, onions, garlic, seasonings - that you have the ability to make any dinner easy and quick.  Please remember my first rule... (other than wash your hands before you cook)...KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Tonight's dinner is a product of this belief system.  YEA!!!!!

I didn't even defrost the two chicken breasts all the way, that's how simple it was.  The link of chorizo sausage is pre-cooked by the manufacturer.  I used the seasonings and veggies that existed already in my kitchen, and you should employ the same theory.  Don't have potatoes?  Use rice and cook it on the side.  Don't have the same seasonings?  Use ones you do have.  Some of my recipes are not versatile, they need to be made to the letter.  But most of my posts, such as this one, include recipes that you can make any which way but loose.  Give this meal a shot.  It's gonna spice up my Thursday quite nicely!


Chicken & Chorizo Stew
Serves 4


Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used a poblano)
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tsp. oregano
1 link Aidell's chorizo
1 & 1/2 cups Dutch Yellow Baby Potatoes, halved
2 pre-cooked chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 pinch of saffron threads
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. Bijol powder
(If you can't find Bijol, use a mix of cumin and turmeric)

Heat a Dutch oven on medium, adding olive oil.  Saute onions, oregano and pepper until soft.  Add garlic for one minute.  Add chorizo and potatoes.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add chicken and saffron.  Stir well.  Add in tomatoes, broth, paprika, and Bijol.  Cook on medium to med-low until potatoes are fork tender.

This can be served with Queso Fresco (white crumbly Mexican cheese), Feta, or even a sharp Cheddar.  A nice piece of hard bread, a glass of wine, and you've got a meal that is more than worthy of the effort and the eating.  Bon Appetit!

One More Time...

Another soup recipe.  I know, I know.  You're probably sick of all the soup I've been making.  But this one is fast and flexible.  And, if you're having the same miserable weather I am, this soup will jazz up your day a tad.

I served my soup for lunch with a slice of reduced sodium Ezekiel Bread topped with 1/2 cup sliced avocado.

~ Food Science Time ~

I'm no Sheldon Cooper, so here goes...
People ask me how to keep avocado from turning brown.  I rinse my hulled avocado under running water, then I drizzle lime juice on it.  The water rinses away the component that helps oxidize the avocado flesh and the citric acid in the lime juice helps preserve it.  Our culinary nerd moment is now complete.


Quick Black Bean Soup
Serves 6 


Ingredients:

2 tsp. safflower or olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 Cubanelle pepper, diced
1 Serrano, diced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans of seasoned black beans
1 (14.5 oz) can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
A bunch of cilantro, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp. Hatch roasted green chiles, mild (optional)

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium.  Add onion, Cubanelle, and Serrano.  Saute for about five minutes.  Add garlic, oregano, and cumin.  Saute for one more minute.

Add in beans (entire cans, do not rinse or drain), tomatoes, broth, cilantro, and chiles.  Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.  Blend with an immersion blender until 2/3 of batch is blended.  Cook for 5 more minutes on a full simmer until heated through.  Serve immediately.

Weight Watchers Points+ per bowl: 3 per one cup bowl, the avocado sandwich was another 4+ points