Budget Bytes

lemon raspberry baked oatmeal $6.69 recipe / $0.84 serving

2012-05-26T18:39:00.000-05:00

During the hot summer months all I ever want to eat is lemon raspberry slushies. There's something about that sweet tart flavor that I find ultra refreshing.

Lemon raspberry muffins are also pretty tasty, so I thought, "why not put that flavor into oatmeal for summer?" It worked very well!

I increased the size of this recipe so that I could use a whole bag of raspberries and not have any left over (I hate having odds and ends of things in my cupboards and freezer). This recipe makes 8 sizable portions. Because I increased the volume and it contains some fairly tart ingredients (lemon, raspberry, yogurt), I also upped the sugar just a smidge. It's still only about 1 tablespoon per serving, which is far less than most colas and breakfast cereals.

While mixing up the lemon raspberry "custard", the scent was so intoxicating that it took everything in me to not eat it raw (there are eggs in there, so that's a big no-no). The lemon zest, vanilla, and raspberries combined create this magical, cake-like smell that was absolutely heavenly. This is definitely one of my top 3 favorite baked oatmeals (#1 is the banana bread, #2 is the pumpkin pie flavored). You've gotta try this one!

Oh, and hey, it's summer, so you might just be able to find fresh raspberries for a lower price than frozen!

Lemon Raspberry Baked Oatmeal

Total Recipe cost: $6.69
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Cost per serving: $0.84
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 55 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
3 cups	old fashioned oats	$0.51
1.5 cups	plain yogurt	$0.75
1.5 cups	milk	$0.56
2 large	eggs	$0.36
1/2 cup	sugar	$0.08
1 tsp	vanilla extract	$0.28
1 tsp	baking soda	$0.05
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
1 large	lemon	$0.69
12 oz.	frozen raspberries	$3.39
TOTAL		$6.69

STEP 1: Clean the lemon well, and then remove the zest using a fine cheese grater or zester. In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest, juice from half the lemon, eggs, milk, yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and baking soda. Whisk until smooth.

STEP 2: Stir in the raspberries (thawed), and then stir the oats. Coat a casserole dish with non-stick spray and pour in the oat mixture.

STEP 3: Place the dish in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until the center is no longer liquid. Serve hot.

This dish can be divided into individual containers and refrigerated or frozen for a quick breakfast the rest of the week.

Step By Step Photos

First clean the lemon well to remove any debris or waxes on the surface of the lemon. Zest the lemon, trying to get as much of the yellow and as little of the white pith as possible.

In a large bowl combine the lemon zest, juice from half of the lemon, milk, yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and baking soda. Whisk until smooth.

Allow the raspberries to thaw before you use them so that they don't clump up in the mixture. Also, if you add them frozen it will make the whole mixture very cold and then it will take much longer to bake.

Stir the raspberries into the milk mixture.

Lastly, stir the oats into the lemon raspberry mixture. Coat a casserole dish with non-stick spray and pour in the oat mixture. This dish was slightly too small for this recipe, but it still worked. If you choose a large dish, the oat mixture will be more shallow and will cook faster. If you use a smaller, deeper dish (like mine), it may take longer to bake.

Bake the oats in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the center is no longer liquid. The center might be slightly jiggly, but it should not be wet to the touch. As it bakes it will also rise up, so you can gauge the done-ness by whether the center has risen to the height of the outer edges.

I like to eat mine with a little bit of cold milk poured over top! You can either divide it into individual portions and refrigerate, or just refrigerate the whole dish and scoop some out each morning. I give it a quick reheat in the microwave and then I'm good to go!

summer succotash $5.53 recipe / $0.92 serving

2012-05-22T20:13:00.000-05:00

I don't know why Sylvester always said "sufferin' succotash!" because I sure don't feel like I'm suffering when I'm eating it! Succotash may have started out as an inexpensive meal in the depression era, but it's stuck around because it's tasty and filling. There are many different versions of succotash, but most start with a base of sauteed corn and lima beans.

The succotash I made this week is a very light and fresh version. The lima beans and corn are just lightly cooked to allow their sweet, fresh flavor to shine through. Acidity from the fresh tomatoes and parsley keep the overall flavor light and fresh. The first time I had succotash it was a more "smothered" version. It had more butter and was cooked down with chicken stock until it was coated in a rich, flavorful "sauce." That version was also incredible, but because it's summer and I served this with fish, so I wanted to keep it light and fresh.

Frozen lima beans and corn are usually fairly inexpensive, but during the summer months you're likely to find fresh corn for super cheap too. Often times I see corn on sale for 3/$1 or even 4/$1, making that the more economical (and delicious) choice! Simply cut the kernels from the cob and you're good to go!

Summer Succotash

Total Recipe cost: $5.53
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (about 1 cup each)
Cost per serving: $0.92
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 20 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 small	yellow onion	$0.60
2 cloves	garlic	$0.16
2 Tbsp	butter	$0.20
1 lb.	frozen lima beans	$1.49
1 lb.	frozen corn kernels	$1.49
1/2 tsp	dried thyme	$0.03
generous	freshly cracked pepper	$0.05
1 tsp or to taste	salt	$0.05
1 large	tomato	$1.03
handful	fresh parsley (optional)	$0.43
TOTAL		$5.53

STEP 1: Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cook both down in a large pot over medium heat with 2 Tbsp of butter until the onions are soft and transparent (about 5 minutes).

STEP 2: Add the thawed lima beans and corn to the pot. Also add about a half teaspoon of salt, a generous amount of cracked pepper, and a half teaspoon of thyme. Sautee the vegetables just until tender and warmed through (about 10 minutes).

STEP 3: While the lima beans and corn are sauteing, dice the tomato and roughly chop the parsley leaves.

STEP 4: Once the lima beans and corn are tender, add the tomato and parsley. Season with more salt, pepper, and thyme to taste (I added about 3/4 tsp more salt). Serve warm.

Step By Step Photos

Begin by dicing the onion and mincing the garlic. Throw them into a large pot with 2 Tbsp of butter. Saute over medium heat.

Saute them down until the onions are soft and transparent.

Add the corn and lima beans. It's best if they are at least mostly thawed. If you're using fresh corn, you may want to add it first and saute for a few minutes before adding the lima beans. Frozen vegetables are blanched before freezing which means they are ever so slightly cooked already. So, the fresh corn will take just a bit longer than frozen lima beans. If both are frozen, just toss them in together.

Season with a little bit of salt (you'll add more later), pepper, and thyme. Saute this mixture until the lima beans and corn are tender and warmed through.

While the pot is cooking, dice the tomato and roughly chop the parsley. Add them in only once you have the lima beans and corn cooked to your liking (I like mine still fairly fresh). Adding the tomato and parsley at the end keeps the flavors light and bright.

Once everything is stirred together, give it a taste and season it more with salt, pepper, and thyme if needed. I ended up using just over 1 tsp (total) of salt, but season it until it tastes right to you! Remember, start small because you can always add more but you can't take any away ;)

Add some fish, a cool glass of white wine, and you've got yourself a fancy-schmancy summer meal!

mediterranean quesadillas $11.42 recipe / $1.14 each

2012-05-19T19:48:00.000-05:00

I LOVE quesadillas. Crispy on the outside, all warm and melty on the inside... Oh so good. While I don't think I can top my favorite black bean quesadillas, these mediterranean quesadillas are an excellent alternative when I have Tex-mex burnout. ...because when you eat as much chili powder and cumin as I do, burnout does happen.

The trick to making these quesadillas affordable is to choose the filling ingredients based on what is priced good in your local stores. For instance, I really, really wanted those little tangy roasted tomatoes packed in oil, but I couldn't find them for any less than $5. Instead, I was able to find a large jar of roasted red peppers for just $1.89. You can and should play around with the filling components. Some other ideas include: roasted garlic, garbanzo beans, roasted or sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, fresh basil, zucchini, or eggplant.

When I buy an ingredient for a recipe, I prefer to use the whole container to prevent odds and ends that get wasted. With this recipe, I've used small amounts of very flavorful ingredients that also happen to be pricy (feta, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers). Luckily, these ingredients also stay fresh in the refrigerator for greater lengths of time than most fresh ingredients, giving me more time to use them up. Use the extras for salads, frittatas, or sandwiches.

Mediterranean Quesadillas

Total Recipe cost: $11.42
Cost per quesadilla: $1.14
Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 10 min. each Total: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
10 (8 inch)	flour tortillas	$1.93
1 lb.	frozen chopped spinach	$1.49
1 small	red onion	$0.77
1/2 (12 oz.) jar	roasted red peppers	$0.85
1/3 (9.5 oz) jar	kalamata olives	$1.66
handful	fresh parsley (optional)	$0.43
4 oz.	feta cheese, crumbled	$1.74
8 oz.	shredded mozzarella	$2.50
1 tsp	dried oregano	$0.05
TOTAL		$11.42

STEP 1: Thaw the frozen spinach and then place in a colander. Press the spinach against the sides of the colander to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Place the drained spinach in a large bowl.

STEP 2: Cut the red onion into very thin slices. Cut the roasted red pepper into small strips, roughly chop the kalamata olives, and roughly chop the parsley. Place all four ingredients in the bowl with the spinach.

STEP 3: To the bowl also add the oregano, crumbled feta, and shredded mozzarella. Stir very well until everything is evenly distributed.

STEP 4: Divide the filling among all ten tortillas, spooning it into one half and then folding the bare half over top (I used roughly 3/4 cup per tortilla). Heat a non-stick skillet over medium to medium/low heat. Cook the quesadillas on each side until the outside is golden brown and crispy and the cheese inside has melted.

These quesadillas can also be frozen prior to cooking and then warmed in a skillet straight from the freezer. When cooking the quesadillas from the frozen state, use a lower heat to allow the inside time to thaw and melt before the outside becomes crispy.

Step By Step Photos

For this recipe, I prefer the "cut spinach" that comes frozen in a bag rather than the kind that comes in a frozen block. This type of frozen spinach is cut into smaller pieces, is less stringy, and seems to have less moisture to squeeze out. Allow the spinach to thaw completely before you begin.

Place the thawed spinach in a colander and press it against the sides to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Soggy quesadilla = bad.

Roughly chop the parsley and kalamata olives. Cut the red onion into very thin strips. Slice the roasted red pepper into thin strips as well. You want small pieces so that every bite gets bits of multiple ingredients.

In a large bowl, combine the squeezed spinach, red onion, kalamata olives, roasted red pepper, and parsley. Stir well.

Next, add the crumbled feta, shredded mozzarella, and dried oregano. Stir very, very well to make sure everything is evenly mixed.

Divide the filling among all ten tortillas. Spread the filling over one half of the tortilla and then fold the empty half over top.

I like to fill all ten at once (stacking them as I go to keep them out of the way) so that I can adjust the amount in each if I end up with too much filling at the end or not enough. I started out with a heaping half cup for each but had some left over at the end so I went back and put a little more into each one.

To cook the quesadillas, place them in a warm skillet and cook on each side until the outside is golden brown and crispy and the cheese has melted on the inside. I prefer to use some sort of non-stick skillet but if you don't have one, just give a regular skillet a quick spritz of non-stick spray.

To cut the quesadillas, use a sharp pizza slicer and cut into thirds.

Oh yum, yum, yom, nom, NOM!

chili cheese beef n mac $7.81 receipe / $1.30 serving

2012-05-15T18:09:00.000-05:00

WARNING: Comfort food ahead! This dish contains pasta, beef, and cheese. It's hearty and delicious. Proceed at your own risk! ;)

Say you grew up on Hamburger Helper (no shame), but now that you're an adult and all classy and stuff, you just can't bring yourself to buy one of those cardboard boxes with the mystery powdered cheese sauce. THIS recipe is your grown up "I actually know how to cook now" substitute!

This recipe is still really easy, really fast, and only requires one pot. Like Hamburger Helper, it's hearty and rich, so I would suggest serving it with a sizable side of something green. I'm going for some simple steamed broccoli with just a pinch of salt and pepper. Broccoli pairs famously with both beef and cheese, so it's a natural.

If this recipe is still too rich and cheesy for your tastes, stay tuned. I'm sure that by the weekend I'll be in the mood for something super light, fresh, and uber healthy! It's the yin and the yang y'all!

Chili Cheese Beef n Mac

Total Recipe cost: $7.81
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (about 1 cup each)
Cost per serving: $1.30
Prep time: 0 min. Cook time: 35 min. Total: 35 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.19
1 lb.	ground beef	$4.13
2 cloves	garlic	$0.10
1 small	onion	$0.55
2 Tbsp	all-purpose flour	$0.02
1 Tbsp	chili powder	$0.15
1/2 tsp	smoked paprika	$0.05
1/2 tsp	dried oregano	$0.02
1 (8 oz.) can	tomato sauce	$0.48
2 cups	beef broth**	$0.22
2 cups (1/2 lb.)	dry macaroni	$0.65
1 cup (4 oz.)	shredded sharp cheddar	$1.25
TOTAL		$7.81

**I use a beef base to make my beef broth, which is far less expensive than cans/cartons of broth.

STEP 1: Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium along with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Once browned, drain off the excess fat. While the beef is browning, dice the onion and mince the garlic.

STEP 2: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the browned and drained beef. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Once the onions have softened, add 2 Tbsp of flour and cook for one minute more while constantly stirring. It's okay if it coats the bottom of the pot, just make sure the heat is not so high that the flour burns.

STEP 3: Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, tomato sauce, and 2 cups of beef broth (or beef base/bouillon cubes and water). Stir to dissolve any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot.

STEP 4: Add the dry pasta, place a lid on top, and allow it to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is soft and has absorbed all of the liquid. Stir every few minutes to make sure it's not sticking on the bottom of the pot. If it gets dry before the pasta has fully softened, add a touch of water.

STEP 5: Once the pasta has finished cooking, turn the heat off and stir in the shredded cheese. Serve hot.

Step By Step Photos

This is the ground beef that I used. You can use a leaner ground beef if you'd like, you'll just have less fat to drain off.

Brown the ground beef in a large pot. Use about 1 Tbsp of olive oil to keep it from sticking. If it does stick a little, it's okay because the liquids added later will dissolve it off of the bottom (this is called deglazing). Drain the beef well once it is fully browned.

While the beef is browning, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Once the beef is browned and drained, add the onion and garlic to the pot and continue to cook.

Once the onion and garlic have softened, add the flour. The flour will combine with the residual beef fat to create a roux that will help thicken the sauce. Stir the flour in and cook for one minute while continually stirring. This will slightly cook the flour to get rid of that "floury" taste. It may coat the bottom of the pot, but that's okay. Just make sure it doesn't burn (turn the heat down if it starts to smell burned).

Also add the chili powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano.

I took this picture before adding the liquids so that you could see how the flour (and spices) kind of coat the bottom of the pot. The liquids in the next step will dissolve all of that off of the bottom.

The liquids that create the sauce (and cook the pasta) are tomato sauce and beef broth. I like this brand of beef base because it tastes better than the beef bouillon cubes and is far less expensive than buying cans or cartons of beef broth. But, you can use the cubes or broth if you'd like. Just make sure to have 2 cups worth.

Add the 8 oz. of tomato sauce and two cups of beef broth. Stir this mixture until all of the flour and spices are dissolved off of the bottom of the pot (you should be able to feel it with your spoon).

Stir in two cups of dry pasta. Place a lid over the pot and allow it to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to low and let it continue to simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir every so often to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pot.

After about 15 minutes, the pasta should be very tender and have absorbed most of the liquid. If you use a different pasta shape (especially a smaller one), it may soak up more liquid than mine did. If you find that the mixture becomes dry before the pasta is soft, you can add a little water as needed.

Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. I like sharp cheddar for this because I feel it has more cheesy flavor.

And then it's creamy, cheesy, and delicious!

It's Hamburger Helper's older, more mature cousin.

Are you drooling yet?

shaved zucchini $2.25 recipe / $0.56 serving

2012-05-13T19:52:00.000-05:00

What makes something delicious? It's not just flavor. It's flavor, texture, visual appeal, aroma... all of these things together. Sometimes simply changing the texture of an item can change the whole experience.

I love zucchini and prefer to cook it quickly and simply so that its flavor shines through. So this time, instead of chopping it into chunks before being sauteing it as I usually do, I decided to shave it into ribbons. The delicate texture really highlighted that fresh, spring zucchini flavor! Plus, it provided plenty of surface area for the parmesan to adhere.

I seasoned my zucchini with just a little salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and a quick sprinkle of parmesan, but you could take this dish in many directions. Try adding a little basil, Italian seasoning mix, or substitute the parmesan for feta or goat cheese.

Shaved zucchini

Total Recipe cost: $2.25
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Cost per serving: $0.56
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 10 min. Total: 20 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
4 medium	zucchini	$1.76
1 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.19
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
1/4 tsp	red pepper flakes	$0.02
1/4 cup	parmesan cheese	$0.23
TOTAL		$2.25

STEP 1: Rinse the zucchini well and cut off the ends. Lay the zucchini down on the cutting board and use a vegetable peeler to shave it into ribbons. Once you've shaved down to the center of the zucchini, roll it 1/4 the way around and start shaving again. Repeat this until you can shave no more.

STEP 2: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the zucchini ribbons. Saute, stirring carefully, until the zucchini has softened and turned bright green (about 7-10 minutes). Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

STEP 3: Use tongs to remove the zucchini ribbons from the skillet (there will be quite a bit of moisture in the bottom of the skillet) and place into serving bowls. Sprinkle with about 1 Tbsp of parmesan cheese per serving just before eating.

Step By Step Photos

Begin by washing your zucchini. The amount that this recipe yields will depend on the size of your zucchini. Mine were each about 8 inches long and about 1.5 inches thick at their widest part.

Using a sharp vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into ribbons. This took a bit of experimenting, but I found that if you lay the zucchini down on the cutting board, hold one end with one hand and horizontally shave with the peeler, you can get the best ribbons. Once you shave down to the center of the zucchini, give it a quarter turn and start shaving again. You'll end up with some leftover "cores" but you could always chop those up and saute them separate if you'd like. Don't worry if your ribbons aren't perfect, just try to make them thick by using pressure as you shave.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it's hot, tilt the skillet to spread the oil around.

Add the raw zucchini ribbons. Gently stir them as they cook. I used tongs to carefully pick them up, flip them over, and move them around the skillet as they cooked.

After a couple of minutes the zucchini will begin to soften. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook and gently stir for a few more minutes.

Stop cooking when the zucchini is soft, but still bright green (about 7-10 minutes depending on the size of the skillet, how many ribbons you have, and the heat of your burner). The zucchini will have given off a good bit of water as it sauteed. Use tongs to remove the ribbons from the skillet and place into bowls or plates.

Just before eating, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Season with more salt and pepper as needed. I wouldn't suggest adding the parmesan to the zucchini while it is in the skillet because of the moisture in the bottom of the pan. The parmesan will just wash right off!

balsamic beef kebabs $16.95 recipe / $2.82 serving

2012-05-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

I love kebabs. They're fresh, filling, and super easy. ...and to me they say "SUMMER!"

The cost per serving for this recipe is almost double than most my recipes, but when I stop to think about how much this would cost in a restaurant, I'm very, very happy. It might not be an every night splurge, but it's very worth it for a Friday date night or lazy Sunday afternoon with the fam. Also, I served my kebabs over rice, but didn't include that in the price because you could serve these with any number of sides (past salad, garden salad, rice pilafs, fresh rolls... many options).

Kebabs are definitely best on the grill, but I, like many people, don't have a grill. So, I cooked these kebabs under my broiler. Broilers are very similar to grills in that they cook food via direct heat at a close range. I have a gas stove, so my broiler is even closer to a grill because there is an open flame. Every oven is different and when cooking hot and fast (as with a broiler), you'll really need to just test out the cook time with your particular oven. In other words: keep an eye on it! Mine took about 5-7 minutes on each side at a distance of about 4-5 inches from the heat source.

Balsamic Beef Kebabs

Total Recipe cost: $16.95
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (2 kebabs each)
Cost per serving: $2.82
Prep time: 15 min. Marinate time: 1-4 hrs. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 1 hr. 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 lb.	top round roast	$10.01
1/3 cup	balsamic vinegar	$0.96
1 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.18
1/2 tsp	worcestershire sauce	$0.02
2 cloves	garlic, minced	$0.16
1 tsp	salt	$0.05
to taste	pepper	$0.05
2 medium	bell peppers	$0.99
1 large	red onion	$1.45
8 oz.	button mushrooms	$2.50
2 Tbsp	balsamic vinegar	$0.40
1 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.18
TOTAL		$16.95

STEP 1: Cut the beef roast into one inch cubes (or 36 pieces of roughly the same size). In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 tsp of salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper. Pour the marinade into a zip top bag, add the beef cubes, and marinate for at least an hour.

STEP 2: Lightly wipe off the mushrooms and cut each one in half. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and some more pepper. Toss the mushrooms to coat, and refrigerate until you're ready to make the kebabs.

STEP 3: Just before you're ready to make the kebabs, cut the bell pepper and red onion into one inch pieces. Preheat the broiler on high. Take the meat and mushrooms out of the refrigerator and begin to build your kebabs. If you cut 36 pieces of beef, make sure each kebab has 3 pieces.

STEP 4: Coat a broiler pan with non-stick spray. Place the kebabs on top (6 at a time). Adjust the oven rack so that the top of the broiler pan will be about 4-5 inches from the heat source. Place the kebabs in the oven and broil for 5-7 minutes, turn the kebabs over, and broil for another 5-7 minutes on the second side. Every oven is different, so check your first batch after 3-4 minutes. You will want to flip the kebabs when they have achieved a crispy brown exterior. Use that time as a guide for the rest of your kebabs.

Step By Step Photos

This is the roast that I bought. Many stores will have kebab meat already cut, but they may charge more per pound for it. This "top round roast" is flat like a steak, but about an inch or so thick. Also, since the kebabs will cook quickly, you will want a meat that does not have a lot of connective tissue running through it. Connective tissue breaks down and gets soft when you cook long and slow, but does not during quick cooking, like with grills or broilers.

First I cut the beef into one inch cubes. I wanted to make sure that I had enough for three pieces of beef for all 12 kebabs, so I cut a few cubes on the diagonal until I had 36 pieces.

Next, mix up the marinade. Combine 2 cloves minced garlic (not pictured), with 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce, about a 1/2 tsp of salt, and a generous helping of freshly cracked pepper.

Add the marinade and beef chunks to a zip top bag, mix it all up, and then refrigerate fro 1 to 4 hours.

Mushrooms are like little flavor sponges, so I wanted to marinate those too. I kept the rest of the vegetables fresh and not marinated because I didn't want everything to taste exactly the same. To marinate the mushrooms, throw them into a bowl or container and sprinkle with a little more balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss them to coat and refrigerate them until you're ready.

Cut the onion and bell pepper into one inch chunks as well.

If you have a broiler pan, coat it lightly with non-stick spray. If you don't have one, you can simply place some wire cooling racks over a baking sheet. This will keep the kebabs up and out of the juices as they drip off. Adjust the rack in your oven so that the tops of the kebabs will be 4-5 inches from the heat source (make sure the top of the pan/kebabs will be at that distance, not the ove rack itself). Turn the broiler on high to preheat. Build the kebabs by alternating vegetables and meat. I made sure that I had 3 pieces of meat and 2 mushrooms per kebab (since those were the yummiest pieces!).

So here is the slightly tricky part... every oven is different. My broiler is a gas flame, yours may be an electric element. Your 4-5 inches may be slightly different than my 4-5 inches were... SO, you have to keep an eye on them. Let them cook for a few minutes and then give them a peek. When they achieve a nice brown, almost crispy on the edges color, flip them over and cook the second side. Mine took about 5-7 minutes on each side. Also, use your nose as a guide. When you start to smell that awesome caramelized beef scent, you know you're about ready to flip them.

I served mine over jasmine rice because it's my absolute favorite! To bring these as my work lunch, I simply put some rice in a container and then slid the meat and vegetable pieces off of the stick and into the bowl. Lunch has been a happy time the past few days :D

roasted garlic pasta salad $8.53 recipe / $1.06 serving

2012-05-06T18:57:00.000-05:00

This pasta salad is super easy to throw together and is surprisingly filling! I was also really happy with how creamy and delicious it was, despite the fact that I used part-skim ricotta. It looks and tastes like a really creamy, guilt-inducing pasta salad, when really it's quite innocent!

Half of the reason that I wanted to make this pasta salad is that I wanted to try out a technique that I've been seeing around the internet: roasting garlic in the microwave. I ruined one head of garlic in the process, but I think I got it right after that. The end result isn't as caramelized as real, oven roasted garlic, but the flavor is definitely good enough to make this technique worth it when you're in a hurry. Roasting garlic in an oven can take almost an hour and this only takes 2 minutes - literally!

There are a few different techniques that I've seen, some microwaving for a minute or so, and some for up to 8 minutes (with water added), but I found 2 minutes with no water to be just right for me. I'm sure every microwave is different and each head of garlic will require a slightly different amount of time to cook, so I suggest microwaving in small, one minute increments until you get the technique just right. You want the garlic to be soft, and very fragrant, not brown and hard. Microwaving past the point of softness will only lead you down the road to burnville, and believe me, it doesn't taste or smell pretty!

Oh, one more thing. If you have access to inexpensive fresh basil, it would be to-die-for in this recipe. Just add it on in with the spinach or even in place of the spinach!

Roasted Garlic Pasta Salad

Total Recipe cost: $8.53
Servings Per Recipe: 8 (about 1.25 cups each)
Cost per serving: $1.06
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 20 min. Total: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 head	garlic	$0.59
1/2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.09
1 lb.	pasta shells	$1.29
15 oz.	ricotta cheese	$2.45
1/4 cup	grated parmesan	$0.23
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
1 pint	cherry tomatoes	$2.50
3 cups	baby spinach	$1.33
TOTAL		$8.53

STEP 1: Using a sharp knife, cut approximately 1/2 inch off the top of the head of garlic. Place the garlic bulb in a small bowl or dish and drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves. Cover the bowl with an inverted plate. Microwave on high, in one minute increments, until the garlic is soft and fragrant (about 2 minutes). Use caution when touching the dishes, they will be very hot. Allow the garlic to cool.

STEP 2: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the pasta, and cook for 7-10 minutes or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water.

STEP 3: While the pasta is cooking, squeeze the garlic cloves from the head and mince well. Add the minced garlic to a medium bowl along with the ricotta cheese, a healthy dose of freshly cracked pepper, and about 1/2 tsp of salt. Add the 1/2 cup of hot, starchy pasta cooking water. Stir until it forms a smooth sauce.

STEP 4: Drain the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the warm pot (the burner should be turned off). Add the fresh baby spinach and pour the ricotta sauce over top. Slice the cherry tomatoes and add them to the pot as well. Stir until everything is well mixed. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir again. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm!

Step By Step Photos

To cook the garlic in the microwave, begin by cutting a little off the top of the head to expose the cloves.

Place the head of garlic in a small dish or bowl and drizzle about a half tablespoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves. This will help keep them from burning.

Place an inverted plate over top of your bowl or dish. Microwave on high, in one minute increments, until the garlic is soft and very fragrant. Mine took two minutes and after that it began to burn (even when I added water to the dish). The garlic will hiss and pop during cooking, and some of the cloves may jump out of the head!

When it's finished, it will be soft, kind of mushy, and it will smell really REALLY good. The cloves will be about the same color as they were fresh, but they will look slightly transparant. Allow the garlic to cool.

Once it's cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the head and mince them. They'll likely be pretty sticky.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta shells according to the package directions (boil 7-10 minutes). When the water gets cloudy and starchy (like in the picture), dip in a measuring cup and reserve a half cup of it for the sauce.

While the pasta is cooking, place the minced garlic, ricotta cheese, freshly cracked pepper, and about a 1/2 tsp of salt in a bowl.

Add a half cup of the hot, starchy pasta water and stir until it is all smooth.

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it well and then return it to the warm pot (make sure the burner is turned off). Add the fresh baby spinach, the ricotta sauce, and sliced tomatoes. The residual heat will slightly wilt the spinach leaves.

Stir everything until combined, and then add the parmesan cheese and stir again. The reason I added the parmesan at the end is because I didn't want it to melt from the heat. Once everything is combined, the temperature is considerably lower and you won't have melted parmesan cheese clumping up and sticking to the spoon. It just evenly coats everything instead.

Taste the pasta salad and add salt and pepper as needed. I like to add freshly cracked pepper to each serving.

pineapple ginger lassi $0.85 each

2012-05-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

I may have stumbled upon the most refreshing drink on the planet. ...well, one of the most refreshing drinks, anyway.

If you've never heard of a lassi, it's a drink made with yogurt, spices, and sometimes fruit or other ingredients. It's super light, super fresh, and just plain revitalizing. What I LOVE about this drink is how the tart plain yogurt really adds a bright zing. Add in some peppery ginger, and "zing" might be an understatement!

This lassi is lighter and fresher tasting than my usual smoothie, so it's great when I don't want to feel really full. I normally opt for frozen fruit rather than ice cubes in my smoothies, but I wanted this drink to be a "drink" and not a thick, meal-like smoothie. The ice makes it a super cold, liquidy beverage. I used plain yogurt because that's what I always have in my fridge, and I didn't want the flavors muddled by vanilla. Vanilla yogurt would probably be good too, but it will definitely be more dessert like. Also, if you use vanilla yogurt, you may not need as much honey.

One more note: if you're not into fresh ginger, you might try a different spice like cinnamon or cardamom. The fresh ginger in this drink is quite spicy... but that was my favorite part.

Seriously, after a super hard workout, this drink is HEAVEN.

Pineapple Ginger Lassi

Total Recipe cost: $0.85
Servings Per Recipe: 1
Prep time: 5 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1/2 cup	plain yogurt	$0.27
1/2 cup	pineapple chunks with juice	$0.35
1 inch	fresh ginger	$0.12
1 Tbsp	honey	$0.11
4-5 large	ice cubes	$0.00
TOTAL		$0.85

STEP 1: Peel the ginger and then, using a fine cheese grater, grate it straight into the blender (to catch all of the juice). Add the yogurt, pineapple chunks with juice, honey, and ice cubes.

STEP 2: Blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately!

Step By Step Photos

This is all you need for this amazing drink... yet another reason why I love it. It's simple and easy to have the ingredients on hand. I like to have the can of pineapple stored in the fridge so that it's cold before I even start.

Peel a one inch section of the fresh ginger and then grate it straight into your blender. You want to capture all of that lovely juice that comes out while you're grating.

Measure out about a half cup of pineapple chunks and juice. I actually measured out the chunks first, and then about 1/4 cup of juice, but if you just fill the measuring cup up with both at once, it will pretty much be the same.

Add the yogurt, pineapple (plus juice), honey, and ice cubes to the blender with the grated ginger.

Blend until smooth and then enjoy immediately!

It's the perfect refresher for those long, exhausting blogging sessions! Ha!

I can't wait to try more lassi flavors!!

orange molasses pork chops $7.39 recipe / $1.23 serving

2012-04-29T16:25:00.002-05:00

These might be the easiest pork chops I've ever made. ...and the most tender. ...and maybe they might be tied with the Glazed Pork Chops for best tasting.

This orange molasses marinade was a total experiment and it turned out pretty good. I can tell that it's a recipe that I'm going to keep tweaking and taking in new directions. This might not be my final version, but it is one helluva start and I wanted to share it with you anyway. The flavor isn't super "orangey", but I think the orange juice concentrate added an important layer of flavor, sweetness, and acidity. I had some oranges in my fridge, so I sliced one up as a garnish, but they aren't required for the recipes. It does make a nice presentation, though, if you're trying to impress!

I cooked these chops on my stove top, but they'd also be great for the grill. Now that the weather is warming up and weekend cooking is moving outdoors, I'd highly recommend giving these sweet yet savory pork chops a shot!

Orange Molasses Pork Chops

Total Recipe cost: $7.39
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $1.23 (1 chop each)
Prep time: 15 min. Marinate time: 2 hrs. or more Cook time: 15 min. Total: 30 min. plus marinating time

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 lbs (6 chops)	thick-cut pork chops	$6.19
1/4 cup	molasses	$0.60
1/4 cup	orange juice concentrate	$0.33
1 Tbsp	apple cider vinegar	$0.06
1 Tbsp	dijon mustard	$0.11
1/4 tsp	garlic powder	$0.02
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
2 Tbsp	vegetable oil	$0.08
TOTAL		$7.39

STEP 1: Make the marinade by stirring together the molasses, orange juice concentrate, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Place the marinade in a bag, add the chops, and seal tightly. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours or longer if desired.

STEP 2: When you're ready to cook the chops, heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot (it will look wavy in the pan), add the chops. Cook for about 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through and the marinade has reduced to a thick sauce. No need to pour all of the marinade into the skillet, the amount that comes off of the chops as they cook will be plenty to make a nice sauce. Discard the extra marinade from the bag. Serve hot!

Step By Step Photos

First stir together the ingredients for the marinade: molasses, orange juice concentrate, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and salt.

My grocery store was out of thick cut pork chops, so I bought this center cut loin roast and cut it into chops myself.

I cut the roast into 6 slices (plus one end piece), each about 1.25 inches thick.

Place the pork chops and marinade into a bag and seal it up tightly. Let it marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator.

When you're ready to cook the pork chops, heat a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet until very hot (medium-high heat). When the oil is good and hot (but not smoking), add the chops. I didn't pour the extra marinade from the bag into the skillet, there was plenty that came off of the chops as they cooked.

Cook the pork chops for about 7 minutes on each side or until they are fully cooked through and the marinade reduces to a thick sauce.

I don't know if you can see, but the sauce is beginning to thicken... You can flip the chops a few times during cooking, just as long as they cook through. It shouldn't take long over such high heat.

And then finally, after about 15 minutes, the sauce is nice and thick. I had to turn the heat off to make it stop bubbling so that it was visible.

If you want, you can garnish with some orange slices. These chops are super tender and juicy!

quinoa tabbouleh $8.11 recipe / $1.01

2012-04-26T20:15:00.001-05:00

That's "keen-wah tab-ooh-lay". Don't let the name scare you away from this simple salad.

I'm obsessed with tabbouleh and have been since the first time I had it. It's full of texture and tons of super fresh, vibrant flavors. I like to eat it plain or stuff it into a pita with some tzatziki. I really can't get enough of it! There are a million ways to make tabbouleh, and this is just one (my favorite way, of course).

I decided to replace the traditional bulgur wheat in this tabbouleh recipe with quinoa because lately I've wanted to experiment with quinoa. Let me just tell you, I think I'm in love with quinoa. Not only is quinoa a nutritional powerhouse, but it has the most amazing texture! It's like tasty little beads that burst when you bite them. Fun!

Bulgur is a less expensive option, or you can even use couscous. All three items cook quickly and are usually available in bulk bins so you can buy just the amount you need. Hint: bulk bin scoops are usually pretty close to one cup in volume! ;D

The amount of salad that this recipe makes will vary quite a bit depending on the size of your tomato, cucumber, and parsley bunch. Also, make sure to use curly leaf parsley as it has more volume and will give the salad body. My salad yielded about 8 cups, but you could even add a second bunch of parsley if you want to stretch it out more. It will "shrink" as it refrigerates. The salt will slowly wilt the vegetables causing it all to collapse a little, but the flavor will get better as it does!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Total Recipe cost: $8.11
Servings Per Recipe: 8 (1 cup each)
Cost per serving: $1.01
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 15 min. Cool time: 30 min. Total: 45 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 cup	uncooked quinoa	$1.36
1 large	tomato	$2.39
1 large	cucumber	$0.99
1 bunch	curly leaf parsley	$0.99
4 cloves	garlic	$0.32
1 large	lemon	$0.69
1/4 cup	olive oil	$1.32
1 tsp	salt	$0.05
TOTAL		$8.11

STEP 1: Rinse the quinoa under cool running water. Place the rinsed quinoa in a pot with 1.75 cups of water. Put a lid on top, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. Allow the quinoa to cool before making the salad or else the heat will wilt the parsley and vegetables. To cool it faster, spread it out on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

STEP 2: While the quinoa is cooling, prepare the rest of the salad. Cut the tomato and cucumber into a small dice. Rinse the parsley well to remove sand and grit, then chop well. Add the cucumber, tomato, and parsley to a bowl.

STEP 3: To make the dressing, squeeze the juice from the lemon into a bowl (about 1/4 cup). Mince the garlic and add to the lemon juice along with the olive oil and salt.

STEP 4: Once the quinoa is cooled, combine it with the chopped vegetables and the lemon dressing. Stir well and then serve!

Step By Step Photos

The first thing you'll want to do is rinse the quinoa well. Quinoa is naturally coated with a substance called saponins that have a soapy flavor. Rinsing the quinoa will remove it and make the quinoa taste a LOT better.

If you've never seen quinoa, here's a close up view. It's used like a grain, but technically it's a seed. It is one of the few plant sources of complete proteins, plus it has all sorts of other good stuff (fiber, vitamins, minerals). Not to mention, it's easy to cook and delish!

Place the rinsed quinoa in a pot with 1.75 cups of water. Usually people use a ratio of 1:2 quinoa to water, but I wanted to make sure the quinoa was a little on the firm side for this salad, so I used a little less water.

Place a lid on top and bring the pot up to a boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, the quinoa will have soaked up all of the water. Allow the quinoa to cool before making the salad because you don't want the heat to wilt the parsley or vegetables. To make it cool faster, spread the quinoa out on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator. It should cool significantly in 30 minutes.

And this is just about all you need to make this amazing salad (plus olive oil and salt).

I actually cooked my quinoa the day before, so it was cool and ready to go today when I made my salad. Cut the tomato and cucumber into a small dice. Place them in a bowl with the cooled quinoa.

Wash the parsley off well and then shake off as much water as possible. Chop it up good and add it to the bowl. I didn't even bother removing the parsley leaves from the stems, I just chopped them up together. Stir everything together.

Lastly, make the dressing. Squeeze the juice from the lemon (about 1/4 cup). To get the most juice, microwave the lemon (before cutting it) for about 30 seconds. Also, roll it around on the countertop with moderate pressure to help soften it up. Mince the garlic and add it to the lemon juice along with the olive oil and salt.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir well. Ta-da! You're done. Super easy.

I could eat this all day!!

spinach artichoke lasagna $14.17 recipe / $1.18 serving

2012-04-23T19:16:00.001-05:00

I love lasagna, but I rarely, rarely ever make it. Why? Because it just seems like so much work. You've got to cook the ingredients, put them together, and then cook them again! Nah, that's too much work.

But then I threw together this really super simple spinach lasagna last weekend and I've changed my tune! Why was it so much easier? I used "no boil" noodles, homemade marinara sauce that I had in my freezer, and a meatless filling required no pre-cooking. I literally just mixed it, layered it, and then just threw it in the oven. Sure, it still needed to bake for an hour, but it was totally worth the wait.

Of course, if you don't have homemade marinara sauce waiting in your freezer, you can use a jarred sauce from the store (and then be sure to make some homemade marinara so you're prepared next time). Also, some people don't like the texture of no-boil lasagna noodles because they tend to be a bit gummier, so you can certainly boil some regular lasagna noodles and use them instead.

Oh, and if you do want meat in your lasagna, I would suggest browning some Italian sausage or ground beef in a skillet, and then adding it to the marinara sauce before beginning the layering process.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

Total Recipe cost: $14.17
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Cost per serving: $1.18
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 1 hr. Total: 1.5 hrs.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 lb.	frozen chopped spinach	$1.38
1 (13.75 oz) can	artichoke hearts in brine	$2.62
15 oz.	ricotta cheese	$1.94
2 cups	shredded mozzarella	$2.18
1/3 cup	grated parmesan	$0.31
2 large	eggs	$0.46
1/2 Tbsp	minced garlic	$0.16
10-15 cranks	fresh cracked pepper	$0.05
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
4 cups	marinara sauce	$3.17
1 lb.	no-boil lasagna noodles	$1.88
TOTAL		$14.17

STEP 1: Allow the frozen spinach to thaw. In a large bowl combine the ricotta, parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, and half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup). Stir until well combined. Drain the artichoke hearts, roughly chop them, and then add them to the cheese mixture along with the thawed spinach and minced garlic. Stir well.

STEP 2: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat the inside of a 9x11 inch baking dish with non-stick spray and then layer in the ingredients in this order: 1 cup of marinara sauce, one layer of noodles, 1/2 of the cheese mixture, 1 cup of marinara, one layer of noodles, the second half of the cheese mixture, 1 cup of marinara sauce, one layer of noodles, one final cup of marinara sauce, and then the final cup of shredded mozzarella.

STEP 3: Cover the baking dish loosely with foil (don't let it touch the shredded cheese on top) and place the dish in the fully preheated oven. Bake for one hour and remove the foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.

Step By Step Photos

The first thing I did was allow the spinach to thaw. For this recipe, I prefer the frozen chopped spinach that comes in a bag, rather than the frozen spinach that comes in a block. It is less stringy and has a better texture. I let it thaw in a colander just incase it dripped while thawing.

In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, and half of the shredded mozzarella (1 cup).

Next, drain the artichoke hearts and roughly chop them up.

Add the thawed spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, and minced garlic to the cheese mixture. I used pre-chopped garlic, but if you're using fresh, use approximately two cloves.

Stir everything together and you've got your amazing, cheesey, spinach and artichoke filling.

Next layer the ingredients together in this order: 1 cup sauce, noodles, 1/2 of the cheese filling, 1 cup of sauce, noodles, the second half of the cheese filling, 1 cup of sauce, noodles, 1 more cup of sauce, and then finally the second half of the shredded mozzarella.

Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated, 375 degree oven for one hour. Remove the foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.

Look at those delicious, cheesy layers!

Soooo good!

Oh, also, this freezes really well. I suggest cutting it into pieces and then freezing them in containers individually. It's an easy, grab-n-go lunch!

southwest salad with taco ranch dressing $8.23 recipe / $1.37 serving

2012-04-19T21:12:00.000-05:00

It's crisp, it's crunchy, it has an amazing, tangy, homemade dressing, and it goes perfectly along side your lentil tacos ;D

Honestly, this recipe started out with me craving a crunchy salad, but it ended up being nothing more than a vehicle for this delicious dressing. I didn't expect the dressing to be so amazing, but I love it... And it took only about five minutes to whip together! Normally I would use a buttermilk substitute rather buying a whole quart when I only need a little, but with this dressing you really need that authentic buttermilk flavor. What will I do with the rest? Make buttermilk biscuits, of course.

Actually, the whole salad will probably take less than 30 minutes to make; dressing, tortilla crisps, and all. Which means that you *can* have a delicious salad on a week night when you're exhausted from work. I did, anyway.

If you want to make a whole meal out of this, just grill up some chicken and toss it in!

Oh, and yes, I know iceberg is nutritionally void and all of that great stuff. I eat a ton of vegetables so I'm not worried about using iceberg once in a while. I needed a REALLY crisp green for this salad and iceberg kind of takes the cake. Romaine is also really crunchy and has more green, if you want it.

Southwest Salad with Taco Ranch Dressing

Total Recipe cost: $8.23
Servings Per Recipe: 6-8
Cost per serving: $1.37
Prep time: 20 min min. Cook time: 15-20 min. (while prepping) Total: 30 min.

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:		COST
3/4 cup	plain yogurt	$0.41
1/2 cup	buttermilk	$0.27
1/4 cup	mayonnaise	$0.33
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
1/2 tsp	garlic powder	$0.03
3/4 tsp	chili powder	$0.04
1/4 tsp	cumin	$0.03
1/8 tsp	cayenne pepper	$0.02
TORTILLA CRISPS:		COST
6 small	corn tortillas	$0.39
as needed	non-stick spray	$0.05
a dash	salt	$0.02
SALAD INGREDIENTS:		COST
1 head	iceberg lettuce	$0.87
1 can	black beans	$1.19
1.5 cup	frozen corn kernels	$0.70
1 large	tomato	$1.23
1 bunch	green onions	$0.75
1.5 cups	shredded cheese	$1.88
TOTAL		$8.23

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use a pizza cutter to slice the tortillas into thin strips. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat it with non-stick spray. Spread the tortilla strips out in a single layer and spritz lightly with more non-stick spray. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

STEP 2: Bake the tortilla strips for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Stir the tortilla strips half way through cooking.

STEP 3: While the tortilla strips are baking, cut the head of lettuce into small pieces. Rinse the lettuce and drain well (or use a salad spinner). Also chop the tomato and slice the green onions. Rinse the black beans in a colander to remove the starchy canning liquid. Remove the corn from the freezer and allow it to thaw.

STEP 4: Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing (yogurt, buttermilk, mayonnaise, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, cumine, and cayenne). Makes about 1.5 cups or 6 servings of 1/4 cup each.

STEP 5: Once the tortilla strips are finished cooking, the dressing is made, and all of the salad ingredients are prepped, build the salad! You can either build one big salad and then serve or build individual portions. Layer the lettuce first, then black beans, corn, tomato, shredded cheese, green onion, and a few tortilla strips on top.

Step By Step Photos

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tortillas into thin strips. I found that a pizza cutter made this a quick and easy task.

Spread the tortilla strips out onto a baking sheet covered with foil and coated with non-stick spray. Spray the strips lightly with non-stick spray and then sprinkle lightly with salt.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Stir the strips about 10 minutes in.

While the tortilla strips are baking, chop, rinse, and drain the lettuce. I cut my lettuce into small squares. Make sure to drain the lettuce really well so that your salad is not watery.

Also prepare the other toppings. Rinse the black beans to remove the starchy canning liquid. Take the corn out of the freezer and allow it to thaw. Dice the tomato and slice the green onions.

Lastly, whip together the taco ranch dressing. It's really easy, just whisk together all of the ingredients. All of the spices are in 1/4 tsp increments so you only need to use one measuring spoon! (You'll have to fill it half way for the cayenne, but it doesn't have to be exact.)

I'm not gonna lie, I was really, really hungry when making this and I couldn't stop dipping the tortilla crisps in the dressing!

You can also make this dressing as light or "heavy" as you want. I used non-fat yogurt, low fat mayo, and regular buttermilk (same fat content as 2% milk). It still tasted rich and delicious!

You can build the salad in any order you want, but I found this order to be most visually appealing: lettuce, black beans, corn, tomato, cheese, green onion, and tortilla crisps on top. You can either build one big salad and then serve single portions, or just build single serving portions to begin with.

lentil tacos $7.43 recipe / $0.93 serving

2012-04-16T18:45:00.000-05:00

Pink slime got you down? Maybe you're already a vegetarian? Or maybe you just don't like paying $4/lb. for ground beef? Well, if you don't already know, lentils make a fantastic substitute (or extender) for ground beef!

I used lentils to stretch out a pound of ground beef in my Sloppy Joe's Plus recipe, but when one of my wonderful readers (Hi Emily!) sent me a link to this recipe on A Couple of Cooks, I knew I had to try lentil tacos. ...and I love 'em!

The taco seasoned lentils themselves are really easy to make (and cost only about $1.91) and then you can use whatever toppings or shells you want. I used small taco sized corn tortillas, homemade taco seasoning, homemade pico de gallo, fresh avocado (they were on sale), and some sour cream. The all-American lettuce, cheese, and tomato combo would also be great!

If your pantry isn't well stocked enough to make your own taco seasoning, you can substitute a store bought packet of seasoning and you can always use a jar of salsa instead of fresh pico. The price breakdown below includes my selection of toppings, so be aware that your choices will affect your total cost.

Lentil Tacos

Total Recipe cost: $7.43
Servings Per Recipe: 8 (two tacos each)
Cost per serving: $0.93
Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 30 min. Total: 50 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 cups	dry brown lentils	$0.61
1 small	yellow onion	$0.51
2 cloves	garlic	$0.16
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.24
1 recipe	taco seasoning (with corn starch)	$0.34
1 tsp	salt	$0.05
16 small	corn tortillas	$1.03
1 recipe	pico de gallo	$1.91
8 oz.	sour cream	$1.39
2 small	avocados	$1.19
TOTAL		$2.16

STEP 1: In a skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the corn tortillas on both sides. If you are using a non-stick or cast iron pan, no oil is needed. If you are using a stainless steel or other cooking surface, you may need a quick spritz of non-stick spray. The tortillas should be lightly browned in some spots but still pliable.

STEP 2: Sort and rinse the lentils. Bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium pot. Once it reaches a boil, add the lentils. Let the pot return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, place a lid on top. Allow the lentils to simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, taste the lentils to test the texture. They should be tender but not mushy. Drain the lentils in a colander. (For a step by step picture tutorial on how to cook lentils, click here)

STEP 3: While the lentils are simmering, prepare the pico de gallo (instructions here). Also mix together the taco seasoning, including the corn starch (instructions here).

STEP 4: Dice the onion, mince the garlic and cook them with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until tender. Once the onion is tender, add the drained lentils, the taco seasoning, and about a half cup of water. Stir and cook over medium heat until the mixture has thickened (about 3-5 minutes). Season to taste with salt - this will really bring out the flavors (I added one teaspoon).

STEP 5: Build the tacos, using about 1/4 cup of seasoned lentils per taco, one slice of avocado, a small amount of pico de gallo, and sour cream. If you have cilantro left over from the pico de gallo, it can also be used to top the tacos.

Step By Step Photos

I used to think that I hated corn tortillas, until someone told me that I was supposed to toast them first, duh. Toasting them really does bring out a nice corn flavor instead of the bland, rubbery flavor that they have right out of the package. Toast them just until they are lightly browned (on each side), but still pliable.

Next, sort and rinse the lentils. You don't want to bite into a small pebble while eating your tacos. It's easiest to sort them if you spread them out on a flat surface, like a baking sheet. Then just rinse them a few times under cool water. Also, buying lentils from bulk bins is usually much less expensive than buying packaged lentils. Make sure you get brown lentils, as they cook in about half the time of green lentils. Red or yellow lentils will turn to mush when cooked, so you don't want to use those either.

Bring three cups of water to a rolling boil. Only after it reaches a full boil, add the lentils. Allow it to come back up to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, place a lid on top, and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, test the texture of the lentils. They should be tender but not mushy. If they are still a bit hard, allow them to simmer five minutes more and check them again. Once again, green lentils will take closer to 45 minutes to cook, so make sure to buy brown lentils.

Drain the lentils in a colander and then set them aside unti you're ready to use them.

While the lentils are cooking, you can make the pico de gallo. The recipe is here, but basically all you do is chop an onion, tomato, and cilantro, and then stir them together with lime juice and salt. Super fast, easy, and delicious.

You can also mix up the taco seasoning while the lentils cook. The recipe is here. Make sure to add the corn starch, which is listed as optional in the recipe.

Next, chop the onion and mince the garlic. Cook them in a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat until tender (about five minutes).

Once the onions are tender, add the drained lentils, the taco seasoning, and about a half cup of water.

Cook and stir for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and is thoroughly mixed. Taste the mixture and add salt as needed. I added an extra teaspoon of salt, which made the flavors pop.

Build the tacos with your desired toppings! Since taco sized tortillas are very small (about a 6" diameter), I used only about 1/4 cup of lentils per taco and ate two tacos per serving. The seasoned lentils yielded about 4 cups.

These lentils would also make an amazing burrito filling!!

chocolate banana baked oatmeal $3.59 recipe / $0.60 serving

2012-04-13T18:30:00.000-05:00

Do you have a hard time getting your kids/spouse/significan other out of bed in the morning? Just pop a batch of this in the oven and problem solved! About 20 minutes into baking this your house will be filled with the smell of hot, chocolatey BROWNIES!

Does it taste like brownies? Not exactly, but it sure did cure my chocolate craving (a very rare occurrence for me). Brownies are loaded with sugar, butter, and eggs, whereas this recipe only has a 1/3 cup of sugar, two eggs, and no butter. It is breakfast, after all. Think of this as brownie's lighter, healthier, more meal-like cousin.

If you *do* prefer a more brownie like oatmeal dish, you can up the sugar to 1/2 cup (this is still only about 1.5 Tbsp per serving), use whole milk, and maybe add in a little melted butter before baking. Since I'm not very into sweets in the first place, I made mine simple and light. It still had tons of chocolatey-ness, but I didn't feel like I had just stuffed myself on dessert. That's a win-win for me!

Other fun add-ins that you can try: coconut, walnuts, almonds, peanut butter (heat it in the microwave and stir it in), marshmallows, or even chocolate chips. I have no doubt that I'll be experimenting more with this in the future! :D

(The chocolate bar/chocolate piece is a garnish, not needed for the recipe!)

Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal

Total Recipe cost: $3.59
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.60
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 55 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
3-4 large	bananas	$1.29
2 large	eggs	$0.32
1/2 cup	unsweetened cocoa powder	$0.32
1/3 cup	brown sugar	$0.11
1 tsp	vanilla extract	$0.28
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.05
1/2 tsp	baking soda	$0.02
1/2 tsp	baking powder	$0.02
2 cups	milk	$0.75
2.5 cups	old-fashioned oats	$0.43
TOTAL		$3.59

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mash 1.5 cups of bananas (about 3 large or 4 medium bananas).

STEP 2: Combine the mashed bananas with the eggs, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk together until smooth. Add the milk and whisk again. Make sure there are no clumps of cocoa powder.

STEP 3: Stir the oats into the milk/chocolate/egg mixture. Coat the inside of an 8x8 inch casserole dish or large pie pan with non-stick spray. Pour the oat mixture into the pan. Slice the last banana and place the slices over top of the oat mixture (this is an optional garnish).

STEP 4: Place the oats in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve warm.

Step By Step Photos

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mash 3 large bananas (or 4 medium) so that you have about 1.5 cups total after being mashed. I just mash mine right in my liquid measuring cup so I can see how much I have and add more as needed.

Put the mashed bananas into a bowl and add the eggs, brown sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Whisk it all together until smooth. It seriously looks like brownie mix at this point!

Next whisk in the milk. Make sure there are no clumps of cocoa powder.

Lastly, stir in the old-fashioned rolled oats.

Coat the inside of a casserole dish (8x8 inch or a large pie dish) with non-stick spray. Pour in the oat mixture. Slice the last banana and carefully place the slices on top. This is really just a garnish and therefore optional. They look nice right after baking but get a little not-so-pretty after a couple days of refrigeration (FYI).

Bake the oatmeal for 45 minutes or until the center is slightly puffed up and no longer liquidy. It sure looks and smells like a big huge brownie when it's finished!

I like to pour milk over mine but it would be amazing with vanilla soy milk or vanilla yogurt! Yeah... I think I'm going to have to make a rocky road version! Peanuts, chocolate, and marshmallows - YEAH!

lemon herb egg salad $2.16 recipe / $0.54 serving

2012-04-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

As much as I love eggs, I never make egg salad. I guess it just always seemed a little too heavy, ooey, and gooey.

This egg salad, on the other hand, is light, fresh, and summery! The combination of lemon juice and fresh herbs provides tang and a light herbal flavor to contrast the rich eggs and mayonnaise based dressing.

I used thyme because I recently planted some fresh herbs and have been eager to use them. You can use fresh or dried and I actually used a combination of both (because mine are still quite young and I didn't want to use it *all*). If you're not into thyme, you can also try parsley or dill instead. Both will go well with lemon. I suggest fresh parsley if at all possible, but either dry or fresh dill will do.

For an extra lemony punch, use fresh lemon juice and try grating a little of the zest into the dressing. For extra crunch, try adding some chopped up red onion, green onion, celery, or even cucumber.

Lemon Herb Egg Salad

Total Recipe cost: $2.16
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Cost per serving: $0.54 (about 2/3 cup each)
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 0 min. Total: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
8 large	hard boiled eggs	$1.37
1/3 cup	mayonnaise	$0.44
2 Tbsp	lemon juice	$0.09
1 Tbsp	dijon mustard	$0.11
1-1.5 tsp	fresh or dried herbs	$0.10
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
10-15 cranks	fresh cracked pepper	$0.03
TOTAL		$2.16

STEP 1: Peel the hard boiled eggs and then roughly chop into half inch chunks. For instructions on how to perfectly hard boil eggs (including photos), click here.

STEP 2: In a medium bowl, prepare the dressing by combining the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until mixed. Chop the herbs roughly and then add to the dressing. Begin with about one teaspoon, taste and then add more if desired. The herbal flavor will become more pronounced after refrigeration.

STEP 3: Stir the chopped eggs into the dressing. Either refrigerate until ready to serve or serve immediately. Serve on a sandwich, over a bed of lettuce, or with your favorite crackers.

Step By Step Photos

Hard boiling eggs without ending up with a green yolk can be tricky. Check out this slide show of step by step instructions on how to perfectly hard boil eggs. This recipe uses 8 eggs, but could easily be scaled up to include a whole dozen. None of the ingredient quantities are set in stone and you could probably eye-ball measure most of them!

The dressing is basically mayo, dijon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. (That's the dijon there under all of the pepper). If you have a fresh lemon, I highly recommend using it and some of the zest (I didn't, but it was still delish). I used light mayo and it was also still great... but I can only vouch for Hellman's. All other brands of light mayo that I've tried are just not worthy of the name "mayonnaise."

I used some fresh thyme from the garden, but I didn't have a lot so I also used some dried. If using all dry herbs, use about 1 tsp. If using fresh, use about 1.5 or 2. Or, just add them to taste. Chop the herbs slightly to allow the flavorful oils to infuse into the dressing.

Stir it all up, give it a taste, and adjust the herbs to your liking. I used thyme, but dill, or parsley would be great alternatives. (I think this picture is before I added the herbs, but it looks pretty much the same after).

Lastly, stir in the chopped eggs. You can refrigerate the egg salad for a while to allow the flavors to blend and intensify, or serve immediately (if you just can't wait, like me).

Egg salad is great as a sandwich, but you could also scoop it up with some crunchy whole grain crackers, or even just serve it on a bed of spinach. Mmmm, or maybe top an english muffin with it for breakfast? Yes, please!

top 10 freezer meals

2012-04-07T19:23:00.000-05:00

So, I was sitting on my porch yesterday when my neighbor wandered up looking rather forlorn and wistful. "What's wrong?" I asked. "I'm hungry and too tired to go pick up food or make anything myself." Poor, sad panda. He works over 60 hours a week, is single (read: no girlfriend to cook for him), and is wasting away to nothing.

We've all been there - over worked and so tired and hungry that even the thought of driving down the street to pick up take-out seems too difficult. I've been there, I get emails every week from readers who have been there, but with a little planning ahead this nightmare can be avoided.

This, my friends, is why I take a few hours on my days off to stock my freezer with delicious, filling, freezer friendly, single serving meals.

While I can't be feeding every stray tom cat that wanders onto my porch, I can help teach them how to survive. So, I've decided to compile a list of my favorite top ten dishes for stocking my freezer. These are the meals that I happily reach into my freezer for when I'm the hungry, tired, sad panda. They're tasty, stand up to freezing well, and most importantly are very filling and satisfying.

Most of these recipe are pretty easy to prepare and hold up to freezing very well. Even if they require some time to cook, the hands on time is minimal so you can have them simmering away while you do other things. Once they're finished cooking, divide them into single serving, reusable containers, cool them down in the refrigerator, and then freeze. A quick zap in the microwave and you've got yourself a delicious home cooked meal.

Top 10 Freezer Meals

1. Taco Chicken Bowls

This recipe tops the list. It has only a few ingredients, requires very little preparation, is insanely tasty, and healthy to boot. It's easy to see why this is the number one favorite recipe of Budget Bytes readers. You will need a slow cooker, but mine was less than $25 dollars and has more than paid for itself. Do yourself a favor and get one!

2. Jambalaya

There is a reason that jambalaya has been a staple in the south for generations. It's delicious, inexpensive, and very filling! This easy jambalaya recipe uses simple, easy to find ingredients and is easy enough to whip up on a week night after work.

3. Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas

I love how easy these quesadillas were to make, how much they explode with flavor, and how incredibly healthy they are! This was my favorite after work snack for quite some time. I could take one straight from the freezer and warm it in a skillet until the inside is warm and melty and the outside is crispy and brown. Perfect! It was a sad day when I ate the last one!

4. Teriyaki Meatball Bowls

What is more satisfying than meatballs? Not much. Slather them in a tangy teriyaki sauce, throw them on top of a bed of fragrant jasmine rice, sprinkle some fresh green onions on top, and you've got a winner. All of your coworkers will be jealous when they smell this reheating in the microwave.

5. Lentil & Sausage Stew

This hearty soup/stew has been a reader favorite since the day it was posted (hey, wow, it was posted on my birthday!). This stew is chock full of vegetable, heart healthy lentils, and meaty sausage. Every time I make this I am pleasantly surprised with how much flavor is packed into this humble stew. I could eat it every day, forever.

6. Chicken Chili Verde

I rarely get a chance to make a recipe twice because I'm always trying to make new things for the blog. But this recipe, oh I'll make time to cook it. In fact, I've made it several times just to make sure I always have some in the freezer. There's something about it that I just can't get enough of. Plus, I love how you just put everything in a pot and let it simmer for a while. Super easy!

7. Sloppy Joes (plus)

Mmmmm, homemade sloppy joe sauce! It's way better than the can. Tangy, sweet, and made with fresh ingredients. To stretch out the cost of ground beef, I filled out these sloppy joes with some lentils - that's the "plus". So, how does this work in the freezer? Freeze sandwich sized portions of the filling, then just microwave to reheat and stuff into a fresh bun, pita, or whatever bread you have around! Coincidentally, bread and buns freeze quite well also!

8. Burritos Blanco

I've made a few versions of freezer burritos in the past (here are plain bean and cheese), but these were my favorite. I didn't even plan on posting the recipe (which is why I never got good pictures), but they turned out so good that I just had to. This recipe makes ten BIG burritos so your freezer will stay stocked and your tummy will stay full for quite a while!

9. Swamp Soup

It's tomato soup on steroids! Tomato soup is great and all, but it never fills me up. But when you add a bunch of vegetables and make the grilled cheese built right in, it does the job! It's definitely been too long since I've made a batch of this delicious soup!

10. Slow Cooker Marinara

I saved this one for last because it's not actually a meal, but it is a great item to have stocked in your freezer. Having homemade marinara on hand is unbelievably helpful. If you're really in a pinch, just grab a portion out of the freezer, warm it up, and pour it over some pasta. Not to mention, it can be used to make any number of casseroles and other dishes. I don't freeze mine in jars like in the picture, but in resealable plastic containers or even in quart sized freezer bags.

So there they are. My favorite things to make when I know I'm going to be busy and won't have time to cook for myself. Just a little planning ahead and you won't wilt away to nothingness out of hunger and desperation!

;)

parsley pesto pasta $4.18 recipe / $0.52 serving

2012-04-04T15:45:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love pesto, right? It's rich, flavorful, and it can turn something completely boring (like pasta) into something spectacular. The only problem is that it's full of expensive ingredients (fresh herbs, pine nuts, olive oil, cheese, etc.). So, I've made this simplified "beggar's pesto" to satisfy my cravings.

I can usually get parsley for less than a dollar per bunch so I substituted it for the usual basil. Parsley still lends a bright, fresh flavor, which is needed to balance the rich olive oil and zesty garlic. I skipped the pine nuts all together, but you can also try using about a half cup of walnuts if you've got a few dollars to spare. Try to buy the walnuts from bulk bins so that you only have to buy the small amount that you need. I actually forgot to buy a fresh lemon, so I used some lemon juice that I had in my fridge. You can use the juice from one whole lemon and also add in the zest for more flavor.

This recipe is really quick and easy, and makes a ton. It makes 8 side dish sized servings (2 oz. pasta each), or 4-6 main dish servings. Add some grilled chicken and a fresh side salad for a complete meal! Also, check the bottom of the post for a few variation ideas.

Parsley Pesto Pasta

Total Recipe cost: $4.18
Servings Per Recipe: 8 (2 oz. pasta each)
Cost per serving: $0.52
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 25 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 lb.	fettuccini	$1.29
1 bunch	Italian parsley	$0.85
1/2 cup	grated parmesan	$0.48
2 Tbsp	lemon juice	$0.12
2 cloves	garlic	$0.16
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
1/2 cup	olive oil	$1.26
TOTAL		$4.18

STEP 1: Rinse the parsley well and shake off as much water as possible. Remove the leaves from the stems and place them into the food processor. Also add the garlic (peeled), parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Pulse until there are no large chunks of garlic left.

STEP 2: Slowly add the olive oil through the spout on the lid as you continue to pulse the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and pulse until smooth. Taste the pesto and add salt to your liking. I added 1/4 teaspoon. You want the pesto to be slightly saltier than you'd think because it will be spread out thin over the pasta.

STEP 3: Cook the pasta according to the package directions (this can done while you make the pesto). Before draining the pasta, reserve about a half cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta, let cool slighly (about 5 minutes) and then return it to the pot. Add the pesto and stir to coat. If the pasta becomes dry, clumpy, or sticky, use a small amount of the pasta water to help loosen it up. Serve warm!

Step By Step Photos

This is pretty much all you need (plus olive oil) to make this simplified pesto. Parsley, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Make sure your parmesan is 100% parmesan and not grated parmesan mixed with fillers.

Rinse the parsley well and shake as much water off as possible. Pick the leaves from the stems and place them in the bowl of the food processor. To easily remove the leaves, just pinch and the base of each cluster of leaves and pull out toward the end. The leaves (and maybe a little stem) will come right off. Place the parsley leaves, peeled garlic, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice in the food processor.

Pulse the ingredients until there are no large chunks of garlic left. It doesn't have to be super fine because you'll pulse more as you add the olive oil.

Slowly add the olive oil through the spout as you continue to pulse.

Once the mixture is smooth, give it a taste and add salt as needed. The parmesan is fairly salty on it's own, but I still added 1/4 tsp of salt because I knew the flavor would be diluted slightly when it was spread out over the pasta.

Cook the pata according to the package directions. Before draining it, reserve a little bit of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta, let it cool for a few minutes, and then return it to the pot. Pour the pesto over top.

Stir the pasta and pesto to coat. If the pasta has become dry, sticky, or clumpy, add just a little of the reserved pasta water to help loosen it up. The starchy pasta water is preferred because the starch will actually help the pesto stick, as opposed to making it slip right off like plain water.

Serve the pasta warm!

Other variations to try: add black pepper, lemon zest, other fresh herbs, walnuts, cayenne pepper... the possibilities are endless!

focaccia rolls $1.20 recipe / $0.10 serving

2012-04-02T20:15:00.000-05:00

If I haven't convinced you yet to try no-knead bread, perhaps this post will. These perfect little rolls are so good that I've had to stash them in my freezer just so that I won't eat them all up. Sure, they're just a 30 second nuke away from being warm and delicious again, but at least the freezer has slowed me down a little ;)

These rolls are really easy, but they do need to take their sweet time. You'll need to start them the day before, so plan ahead. Actual hands-on time is probably less than 30 minutes, most of which is dedicated to shaping the dough into the rolls.

I brushed each roll with olive oil and then sprinkled Italian seasoning on top. I love the texture that the olive oil gave the rolls, but you could certainly make them without if you want. Also, you could mix dry herbs right into the dough (with the other dry ingredients in the beginning) and have an herb infused roll. There are so many possibilities. Run with it!

Focaccia Rolls

Total Recipe cost: $1.20
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Cost per serving: $0.10
Prep time: 30 min. Rise time: 18 hrs. Cook Time: 25 min. Total: approx 18-19 hrs.

INGREDIENTS		COST
4 cups	all-purpose flour	$0.59
1/2 Tbsp	salt	$0.05
1/4 tsp	instant yeast	$0.02
2 cups	water	$0.00
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.24
2 Tbsp	Italian seasoning	$0.30
TOTAL		$1.20

STEP 1: The day before (about 18 hours ahead of time) combine the flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Add the water, starting with 1.5 cups, and add a little more at a time until the flour forms a cohesive, wet ball. There should not be any dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. The total amount of water you'll need will vary, but should be between 1.5 to 2 cups. See the photos below for more info.

STEP 2: Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 16-18 hours to ferment.

STEP 3: After 16-18 hours, the dough will look like a large, bubbly mass. Sprinkle with enough flour to be able to scrape it out of the bowl without it sticking to your hands. Place the dough on a well floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball. The dough will be quite wet, floppy, and sticky, so sprinkle liberally with flour as you work.

STEP 4: Place the rolls on a baking sheet covered in foil and lightly sprayed with non-stick spray (I used two baking sheets). Brush the top of each lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over top. Let rise for 30 minutes to one hour or until doubled in size.

STEP 5: While the rolls are still rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once it is fully preheated, place the rolls in the oven and bake until the surface is a light golden brown (about 25 minutes). Serve warm!

Step By Step Photos

Begin a day ahead of time by stirring together the flour, salt, and yeast.

Starting with 1.5 cups of water, add just enough to form a wet, sticky ball of dough. There should be no dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl or on the surface of the dough. It is better for the dough to be slightly too wet than too dry at this point.

Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 16-18 hours to ferment. After that time, it will have expanded into this big, frothy mass.

Sprinkle the dough liberally with flour so that you can scrape it out of the bowl without it sticking to your hands. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface. The dough will be very loose, soft, and sticky.

Cut the dough into four equal parts and then cut each quarter into three pieces to yield 12 pieces total.

Shape each piece into a ball, sprinkling with flour as you go (the dough will still be quite sticky). Place the balls on a baking sheet covered with foil and lightly coated with non-stick spray.

Lightly brush each roll with olive oil and then sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Let rise for about one hour or, if your kitchen is warm and you're impatient like me, let rise for 30 minutes.

Towards the end of the rise time, begin to preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once it is fully preheated, place the rolls in the oven and bake until they are light golden brown on the surface (about 25 minutes). Serve hot!

kale & chorizo strata $6.27 recipe / $1.05 serving

2012-03-31T19:09:00.000-05:00

Inspired by this recipe that showed up in my mail box last week, I decided to pair two of my favorites, kale and chorizo, into one easy breakfast strata!

I also bought my first cast iron skillet this week, which is awesome because I was able to saute and bake all of the ingredients in ONE DISH! If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can still easily make this strata by transferring the sauteed kale and chorizo to a casserole dish before adding the egg mixture (as I did in this recipe).

The other reason that this recipe is so easy is that the chorizo brings all of the flavor and seasoning to the table. There is so much flavor in the chorizo, in fact, that it is completely unnecessary to add any additional spices or herbs. Just six simple ingredients and you've got yourself a hearty, delicious dish. Add some toast and a piece of fruit and you've got a restaurant quality breakfast.

Kale & Chorizo Breakfast Strata

Total Recipe cost: $6.27
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $1.05
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 1 hr. Total: 1 hr 5 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
10 oz.	Mexican style chorizo	$2.75
1 bunch	kale	$0.99
4 large	eggs	$0.93
1 cup	milk	$0.36
1/4 cup	grated parmesan	$0.24
1 cup	shredded mozzarella	$1.00
TOTAL		$6.27

STEP 1: Remove the chorizo from the casings and saute in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Drain the excess grease from the skillet.

STEP 2: While the chorizo is cooking, remove the kale leaves from the stems and tear into small pieces. Place in a colander and rinse well. Once the chorizo is fully cooked and drained, add the kale to the skillet. Cook until the kale is fully wilted.

STEP 3: Begin to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk the four eggs until they are fairly smooth. Next, whisk the milk and parmesan into the eggs. If you will be baking the strata in the cast iron skillet, pour the egg mixture directly over the cooked chorizo and kale. If you are cooking the strata in a casserole dish, spray it lightly with non-stick spray, add the cooked chorizo and kale to the bottom, and then pour the egg mixture over top.

STEP 4: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top of the strata. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until the strata looks puffy and golden brown on top. Slice into six pieces and serve hot.

Step By Step Photos

This is the chorizo I used. I only used half of this 19 oz. package and froze the rest for later use.

Squeeze the chorizo out of the casing and cook in a large skillet over medium heat.

Saute the chorizo until it is cooked through. Drain the excess grease from the skillet.

While the chorizo is cooking, remove the kale leaves from the stems and tear into small pieces. Place the kale leaves in a colander and rinse well.

Add the kale to the skillet (it will likely be over flowing) and continue to cook over medium heat.

Eventually (about 5-10 minutes), the kale will wilt down to a fraction of its original size.

Once the chorizo and kale have cooked, begin to prepare the egg mixture. First whisk the eggs until they are fairly smooth. Also, begin to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Next whisk in the milk and parmesan.

If you're baking the strata in your skillet (make sure it is oven safe), pour the egg mixture right over top of the cooked kale and chorizo. Otherwise, transfer the chorizo and kale to a casserole dish that has been coated with non-stick spray, and then pour the egg mixture over top.

Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over top of the strata. Place the strata in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes.

You'll know your strata is finished cooking when it looks puffed and golden brown on top. The edges will begin to puff first, and when the center is puffed, you'll know it's done. The strata will deflate after it comes out of the oven, but the puff during cooking is a good indicator of doneness.

Slice into six pieces and serve hot!

Mmmmmm.

loaded baked potato fries $5.81 recipe / $0.97 serving

2012-03-27T18:59:00.002-05:00

WARNING: This recipe is completely indulgent. Procede at your own risk. ;D

So, I saw this recipe for Baked Chili Cheese Fries over at BakedBree.com, and I knew I had to make some. They were every bit as incredible as I had hoped! These fries are restaurant quality, ooey-gooey goodness! They're already not as guilt-inducing as a restaurant appetizer because they're not fried, and, if you wanted, you could use 2% cheese and lite sour cream. Actually, the seasoning used on the fries is SO GOOD, that they're quite addictive even without all of the gooey toppings!

I changed the recipe up a bit to match what I had on hand, but I made sure to keep a few key ingredients. The little bit of worcestershire sauce adds an amazing hint of "steak fry" flavor and I would have never thought to use it. Amazing. The chili powder and garlic powder are key players, but I decided to use smoked paprika instead of plain for an extra kick. And lastly, the cornstarch adds a bit of extra crispness that I've not been able to achieve with oven fries before. Genius.

Loaded Baked Potato Fries

Total Recipe cost: $5.81
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.97
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 1 hr.

INGREDIENTS		COST
3-4 lbs.	potatoes	$2.61
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.22
1 tsp	worcestershire sauce	$0.02
1 Tbsp	chili powder	$0.15
1/2 tsp	smoked paprika	$0.05
1/4 tsp	garlic powder	$0.02
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
1/4 tsp	cracked pepper	$0.02
1.5 Tbsp	corn starch	$0.18
1 cup	shredded cheddar	$1.25
1/2 bunch	green onions	$0.38
8 oz.	sour cream	$0.89
TOTAL		$5.81

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the potatoes well and peel if desired (I like to leave the peel on for extra texture and flavor). Cut the potatoes into strips or "fries", approximate 1/2 inch thick.

STEP 2: Place the fries in a bowl and add the olive oil and worcestershire sauce. Toss to coat. In a small bowl combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Stir to combine the spices, then add to the bowl with the fries. Toss to coat once more.

STEP 3: Line a baking sheet (or two) with foil and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Spread the fries out on the baking sheet so that they are in a single layer and not piling up on each other. Use two baking sheets if needed. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

STEP 4: After 40 minutes, they should be slightly brown and crispy on the edges. If you cut your fries thicker, they may need more time in the oven. Transfer the fries to an oven safe casserole dish. Top with the shredded cheese and return to the oven for about 5 minutes more or until the cheese is fully melted. Chop the onions while the cheese is melting. Top the fries with the green onions and dollops of sour cream. Serve immediately!

Step By Step Photos

Use about 3-4 lbs. of potatoes. The recipe is flexible. Wash them well and peel if desired. I happen to like potato peels!

Cut the potatoes into "fries" approximately 1/2 inch thick. If you cut them thicker, they'll take longer to cook and won't be quite as crispy... but guess what? They'll still taste amazing!

First, toss the fries in olive oil and worcestershire sauce. Then, in a small bowl, combine the corn starch and dry spices (chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cornstarch). Once the spices and corn starch are mixed, add them to the fries and toss to coat again.

And then they should look a little something like this.

Prepare a baking sheet (or two) with foil and non-stick spray. Spread the fries out into a single layer, using two baking sheets if needed to prevent them from piling up on each other. Bake them in a fully preheated 425 degree oven for 40 minutes, stirring once half way through.

After the fries have baked and gotten crispy on the edges, transfer them to an oven safe casserole dish.

Top the fries with the shredded cheese. Place the dish back into the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

After the cheese has melted, top with sliced green onions and then dollops of sour cream!

Seriously incredible.

honey spice chicken thighs $5.13 recipe / $0.64 serving

2012-03-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

So, I got a really excellent deal on chicken thighs this week - $0.99 / lb. Ironically, the regular 2 lb. package was the same price as the large, 5 lb. "value pack." No sale or anything! Sometimes you just need to look a little closer!

Obviously not every store will have this fantastic deal on chicken thighs, but this recipe will probably be pretty inexpensive either way. The other ingredients required are also fairly inexpensive.

I used 8 of the 10 chicken thighs in the package and froze the other two for later use. The thighs were pretty big, so I am costing it out at one thigh per serving. Also, I experimented with skin on and skin removed thighs and, I have to say, the skin off were much better!

If you're not into spicy, you can leave out the cayenne and this recipe will still be excellent! The seasoning glaze is a great mix of sweet, smokey, and garlicky. The cayenne just gives it an extra kick.

This recipe is super easy to prepare and requires little attention, so you can use the extra time to prepare a salad or whatever side dishes you want!

Inspired by Cooking Light's Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs.

Total Recipe cost: $5.13
Servings Per Recipe: 8 (one thigh each)
Cost per serving: $0.64
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 40 min. Total: 50 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
8 (4 lbs.)	chicken thighs	$4.16
1/3 cup	honey	$0.59
1 Tbsp	cider vinegar	$0.06
1 Tbsp	chili powder	$0.15
1/2 Tbsp	garlic powder	$0.08
1/4 tsp	smoked paprika	$0.02
1/2 tsp	cumin	$0.03
1/4 tsp	cayenne pepper	$0.02
1 tsp	salt	$0.02
TOTAL		$5.13

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine everything except the chicken thighs (honey, cider vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, and salt). Stir until combined.

STEP 2: Remove the skin from the chicken thighs if desired. Place the chicken thighs either on a roasting pan or a baking sheet covered with foil. A roasting pan can be simulated by placing wire cooling racks over a baking sheet to allow juices to fall below the chicken. Brush the honey spice mixture over the surface of the chicken thighs, using about half of the total honey mixture.

STEP 3: Place the chicken thighs in the fully preheated oven. Roast for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and use the remaining honey spice mixture to brush on a second coat. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Note: Do not brush any of the honey spice mixture onto the chicken after it is finished cooking because it is contaminated with raw chicken. Use all of it prior to the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Step By Step Photos

This is the chicken that I bought. I think I stared at the prices at the store for a good 2-3 minutes in disbelief. It was seriously the same price for a 2lb. package of four chicken thighs. Ha! I used 8 of the 10 and froze the other two.

I made my own roasting pan by placing two wire cooling racks over a baking sheet. I used the foil for easy cleanup. You can also cook them directly on the baking sheet if you don't have the wire racks. I experimented with skin on and skin off. The skin off was definitely better and more flavorful. The honey does a great job of keeping the chicken moist even without the skin there.

The honey spice mixture includes: honey, cider vinegar, chili powder (not spicy), garlic powder, cumin, cayenne (spicy), smoked paprika, and salt.

Stir everything together.

Brush about half of the honey spice mixture onto the chicken. Place it in a fully preheated, 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, take the chicken out and use the rest of the honey spice mixture to brush on a second coat.

After you've fully coated the chicken with the rest of the honey spice mixture, put it back in the oven and let it roast for another 20 minutes.

And then it looks like this and tastes delicious! Serve hot.

YUM.

caesar roasted cabbage $3.80 recipe / $0.63 serving

2012-03-22T18:25:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but I can never seem to use up a whole head of cabbage. Even if I buy the smallest cabbage that I can find (as I did for the chicken yakisoba), it seems to multiply in volume by about ten when I cut it up!

Well, I saw this recipe over at Kalyn's Kitchen a couple of weeks ago and thought it looked insanely delicious (the amazing photos helped, I'm sure). As I've said many times, roasting vegetables takes them from delicious to spectacular. The edges get all crispy and caramelized and the flavor in general just gets more sweet and intense. Or, in other words, they get "yumified."

I also noticed that I had about five bottles of left over salad dressing in my fridge (all the same type, how does that happen?) so I decided to use some of it up. I simply brushed the dressing on the cabbage wedges, threw it in the oven, and in about 30-40 minutes, I had some of the best cabbage I've ever had. I swear, the oven is some sort of magical box that transforms bad things into good.

Total Recipe cost: $3.80
Servings Per Recipe: 6-8 (depending on the size of your cabbage and how many wedges you cut)
Cost per serving: $0.63 (for six servings)
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 35 min. Total time: 45 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 head	green cabbage	$0.81
8 oz.	caesar dressing (not creamy)	$2.99
TOTAL		$3.81

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove any wilted leaves from the outside of the cabbage. Rinse under cool water and shake as much excess water from the cabbage as possible.

STEP 2: Cut the cabbage into wedges, leaving the stem/core intact (this will hold the wedges together during roasting). Place the wedges on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Brush the dressing onto all sides of the cabbage wedges, even the bottom.

STEP 3: Let the cabbage roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the wedges and your desired doneness. About half way through (15-20 minutes in), remove the cabbage and carefully turn wedges over to allow them to roast on the other side (tongs work best). The cabbage should be tender and brown and crispy on the outer edges.

Step By Step Photos

I had half of a small head of cabbage left over. I cut it into six wedges. Larger cabbage can probably be cut into 8 wedges per side (16 wedges total, 2 wedges per serving). Try to include some of the core in each wedge so that it holds together during roasting.

This is the dressing that I used. NOTE: this is NOT a creamy caesar dressing, it's more like a vinaigrette.

Brush the dressing onto all sides of each wedge. Let it get all down into the cracks and crevices between the leaves.

Roast the cabbage in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping the wedges half way through. I had planned on cooking mine for 40 minutes, so I flipped them at 20 minutes, which is when this photo was taken.

I found that the cabbage only needed about 10 more minutes. The time the cabbage needs to roast will depend on the size of the wedges. It should be fairly tender and have browned, crispy edges. That super dark/burned stuff is not the cabbage itself, but the dressing that seeped out onto the foil. The cabbage was not burned.

Sure wish I had gotten some gorgeous photos like Kalyn's!

chicken yakisoba $5.63 recipe / $0.94 serving

2012-03-20T14:35:00.002-05:00

Let me first say that I'm sure this is not authentic yakisoba. I've never eaten yakisoba on the streets of Japan, but I have seen Mark Bittman make this yakisoba on his show, The Minimalist, and I knew I had to make some.

It looked easy, it had tons of vegetables, and the sauce looked like an interesting combination of salty, sweet, tangy, and spicy. I've grown tired of my usual teriyaki sauce that I use on most of Asian dishes, so this was a nice deviation. The sauce contains worcestershire and ketchup, which truly does offer a unique flavor. I used a whole tablespoon of sriracha in my sauce, but as you may know by now, I like things spicy. If you're not into spicy, you can leave that out all together or just add a dash or two of sriracha or any hot sauce. I suggest using at least a little because it does add some flavor and if you use just a bit, the heat won't even be detectable.

I will admit that I may have overcooked my vegetables and noodles, but guess what? It was still so freaking delicious that I couldn't wait until I was finished photographing to eat a bowl. You gotta try this stuff!

Chicken Yakisoba

Total Recipe cost: $5.63
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.94
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 30 min.

Inspired by Mark Bittman's Yakisoba.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1/2 head	green cabbage	$0.41
1 medium	yellow onion	$0.55
2 medium	carrots	$0.25
1 small crown	broccoli	$0.70
2 inches	fresh ginger	$0.52
1 large	chicken breast	$1.66
2 Tbsp	vegetable oil	$0.08
2 (3 oz.) packages	ramen noodles seasoning packets discarded	$0.50
1 tsp	sesame oil (optional)	$0.19
1/4 cup	soy sauce	$0.24
1/4 cup	worcestershire sauce	$0.20
2 Tbsp	ketchup	$0.05
(up to) 1 Tbsp	sriracha hot sauce	$0.26
1 Tbsp	sugar	$0.02
TOTAL		$5.63

STEP 1: Before you begin, prepare the meat and vegetables for stir frying. Peel the ginger with either a vegetable peeler or the side of a spoon and then grate it with a cheese grater. Peel and grate the carrots with a large holed cheese grater. Remove the core from the cabbage and cut into thin strips. Slice the onion into thin strips. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Slice the chicken into thin strips.

STEP 2: Begin boiling a medium pot full of water for the noodles. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the grated ginger, saute for about 30 seconds to one minute (its okay if it sticks to the pan but don't let it burn). Add the chicken strips and cook until they are no longer pink (about five minutes).

STEP 3: Once the chicken is cooked through, add all of the vegetables. Stir and cook until wilted (about 5-10 minutes). Meanwhile, once the water boils, add the noodles and cook just until tender (2-3 minutes). Drain, return to the pot (with the heat turned off) and toss with the sesame oil to keep from sticking.

STEP 4: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sriracha, and sugar. Use only 1/2 tsp of sriracha if you don't want it spicy, use up to 1 Tbsp if you like it hot. Stir until the ketchup and sugar are dissolved. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the chicken and vegetables with the heat still on medium high. Add the noodles, stir to coat everything in the sauce, and heat through (just a few minutes).

Step By Step Photos

Prepare all of the vegetables and chicken for stir frying. The ginger gets grated with a small holed cheese grater and the carrots get grated with a large holed cheese grater. The chicken, onion, and cabbage are cut into thin strips (for step by step photos on how to thinly slice cabbage, click here). Cut the broccoli crown into small, bite-sized pieces.

Begin to boil a medium pot of water for the noodles. Also, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the ginger and saute for about 30 seconds to one minute.

Add the sliced chicken and cook until it is no longer pink (about five minutes).

By this time, the water should be boiling. Add the noodles and cook just until tender. Drain the noodles, return them to the pot (with the heat turned off), sprinkle with sesame oil and toss to coat.

Add the vegetables to the skillet. Stir and cook just until tender and slightly wilted.

Until they look something like this. I could have cooked them a little less, because they will continue to cook once you add the sauce and noodles. But, it was still fantastic!

While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the sauce. Mix together the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sriracha, and sugar in a small bowl. If you're not that into spicy, add only 1/2 tsp of sriracha. I used a whole Tablespoon because I like it hot!

Pour the sauce onto the chicken and vegetables.

Stir to coat.

Add the noodles, stir to combine, and heat through (1-3 minutes).

Enjoy!

herb roasted pork dinner $16.03 meal / serves 4

2012-03-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

I've gotten a little behind in posting my complete meals, so here is one that I made a few weeks ago.

I love this meal because it has only a few ingredients yet is incredibly flavorful! Both the pork and the carrots do most of their work in the oven without needing your attention, so it's also fairly easy. The original recipes state different temperatures for cooking the pork and carrots, but you can cook them both at the same time and at the same temperature. Use the temperature listed for the pork and just decrease the cooking time on the carrots by about 10-15 minutes. Easy!

This meal includes:

Herb Roasted Pork Loin $6.09
Honey Balsamic Carrots $2.39
Boursin Mashed Potatoes $7.55
Total: $16.03

Serves: 4, plus some leftover mashed potatoes!

Below is an example of my grocery list and a list of items that I already have on hand in my pantry or refrigerator. Use the grocery list as a guide but, as always, check the pantry list for items that you may not have or need to restock and check the grocery list for items that you might already have on hand. Adjust the lists as necessary.

GROCERY LIST
1-1.5 lbs.	pork loin
2 cloves	garlic
1-2 lbs.	carrots
2-3 lbs.	potatoes
1 (5 oz.) package	Boursin Cheese

PANTRY ITEMS / ON HAND
1 tsp	dried basil
1 tsp	dried thyme
1 tsp	dried rosemary
4 Tbsp	olive oil
2 Tbsp	honey
1/4 cup	balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp	butter
1/2 cup	milk
to taste	salt/pepper

STEP 1: Begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Mix up the herb rub for the Herb Roasted Pork Loin. Coat the pork in herbs and place in the oven. Cook for about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

STEP 2: Peel, cut, and toss the carrots in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Put the carrots on a baking sheet and place in the oven with the pork loin. Cook until slightly golden and blistered, stirring half way through (about 40 minutes). Complete instructions here.

STEP 3: While the pork loin and carrots are roasting in the oven, make the mashed potatoes according these directions. When finished, place a lid on the pot to keep the potatoes warm until the pork and carrots are finished.

STEP 4: Just before the pork and carrots come out of the oven, prepare the balsamic and honey glaze to coat the carrots (directions here). When the pork and carrots come out of the oven, allow the pork to "rest" for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute into the meat before slicing. Toss the carrots in the balsamic glaze while waiting.

Enjoy your super easy and delicious home cooked meal!

cookbook GIVEAWAY! [closed]

2012-03-15T17:45:00.002-05:00

Another giveaway so soon? Sure! Why not? After all, I want to share one of my new favorite cookbooks with you!

So here's the back story: I've never been all that into Martha Stewart until last year when a friend of mine (hi, Jeffrey!) got me a subscription to her Everyday Food magazine. I was pleasantly surprised to find it packed full of simple, delicious, and EASY recipes. Just my style! Jump forward to last month when I got an email from one of their editors asking if I'd like to contribute some budget advice for an article... You bet I do! So, if you turn to page 26 of the March 2012 issue, you'll see my picture and quote about shopping at ethnic markets to save money on spices and other goods!

I wanted to give away subscriptions to the magazine, but international shipping was not available. I was bummed. But then the editor sent me this amazing Martha Stewart Everyday Food - Great Food Fast cookbook as a thank you. It's every bit as amazing as the magazine... actually, even better! The recipes are simple, the pictures are gorgeous, and the layout is clean. The recipes are also divided up by season, which helps when trying to use up seasonal ingredients while they're priced low! If you like my cooking style, then you'll probably love this cookbook as much as I do.

Anyway, it's a fantastic cookbook full of exceptional recipes and I want you to have one. So, this weekend I'll be giving away three!

Since I'm so obsessed with pizza, I figured I'd ask all of you...

What is your favorite pizza topping?

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this blog post answering "What is your favorite pizza topping?"

Next, log in to the contest widget below (the box just below "Good Luck!") using either your email or facebook account (so I can contact you if you win).

Click the "Do it!" button, and then the big, green "Enter!" button. Your entry will not be counted unless you click the green "Enter!" button.

Good Luck!

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