Budget Bytes

2012-01-19T17:00:00.000-06:00

As of 7am tomorrow morning I'm going to be on a much needed VACATION! :D My brain has been pretty exhausted lately and recipe posting has been very sporadic because of that. BUT, I've already been making lists of recipes that I want to make when I get back! So, hopefully, when I get back I'll be well rested and my regular recipe posting will resume :)

I'll have limited internet access while I'm gone so answers to emails and questions may be delayed.

See ya in a week!

xoxo
Beth

burritos blanco $17.43 recipe / $1.74 serving

2012-01-16T19:05:00.001-06:00

I made these burritos last week and just finally got around to eating one today... and WOW! Love 'em! I couldn't wait to get home and post this for you. The only bad news is that I was so enamored with how picturesque the chicken piccatta was, that I forgot to get pretty photos of the burritos (cooked them the same day)!

Poor burritos, they totally got slighted. They deserve better.

Anyway, I'm calling these burritos "burritos blanco" because there isn't much color in them... but don't let that fool you about the flavor! They're super tasty. I can't tell you enough how great it is to have burritos like this stocked in your freezer. They're the ultimate grab-n-go lunch. I just take one out of the freezer, put it in a container (to catch condensation) and it's mostly thawed by lunch time. Then I just heat it up real quick in the microwave and I've got a super satisfying and filling lunch. But bring a knife and fork, these yummy things ooooooze.

I used canned green enchilada sauce but I know from past experience that many of you can't find enchilada sauce in your grocery stores. So, here is a recipe if you want to make some for yourself. I would suggest making a big batch and then freezing portions so that you only have to make it once!

Also, I used white beans that I cooked from scratch in my slow cooker with nothing but the beans and water (read: super cheap). I used this method to cook them. It's super easy and very inexpensive. This recipe uses about four cups or roughly the same amount as two 15 oz. cans of beans.

Total Recipe cost: $17.43
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Cost per serving: $1.74
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 8 hrs. Total: 8 hrs. 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
4 cups (or two cans)	white beans	$1.11
1 medium	yellow onion	$0.52
4-5 cloves	garlic	$0.30
3-4 lb.	pork shoulder	$6.93
1 (15 oz.) can	tomatoes w/ green chiles	$1.14
1 cup	green enchilada sauce	$0.66
1/2 cup	sliced pickled jalapenos	$0.64
10 large	tortillas	$2.85
2 cups	shredded cheese	$2.50
1 bunch	cilantro	$0.79
TOTAL		$17.43

STEP 1: The night before or in the morning before you go to work, begin to cook the pork in the slow cooker. Start by adding the onion (chopped) and garlic (peeled) to the bottom of the slow cooker. Cut the pork shoulder into chunks (2-3 inches) and add to the slow cooker. Pour the can of tomatoes with green chiles over top of the pork. Secure the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

STEP 2: After 8 hours, the pork will be very tender. Using tongs, carefully pull the chunks of pork from the liquid and place into a bowl. Remove any solid fat or gristle as you go. Also retrieve any tomatoes, onions, or garlic from the liquid. Once you have all of the pork in a bowl, shred it using two forks.

STEP 3: Stir enough green enchilada sauce into the shredded pork to coat it well (this was about one cup of sauce for me). Also stir in the sliced jalapenos.

STEP 4: Build the burritos by placing 1/3 cup of beans, 1/4 cup of shredded meat, 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, and some fresh cilantro in each tortilla. Roll them up burrito style. Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped burritos in a freezer bag. Transfer to the freezer and keep frozen until ready to eat!

Step By Step Photos

Start cooking the meat ahead of time. You can do it either the night before (and let it cook as you sleep) or in the morning before you start work for the day. The first thing to go into the slow cooker is the onion (chopped) and garlic (whole or chopped, doesn't matter).

This is the pork shoulder that I bought. It has a funky shaped bone inside that you need to cut around, or you can buy a boneless pork shoulder if you don't want to deal with it. Don't be put off by the amount of fat on this cut of meat, most of it will render off during cooking and be left behind.

Cut the pork shoulder into large chunks and then add it to the slow cooker on top of the onion and garlic.

Next in is a can of tomatoes with green chiles, juice and all. You can use a can of regular chopped tomatoes if you'd like, or even just some chicken or vegetable broth. You just need some moisture in there. Most of the flavor will come from the enchilada sauce later, so you can make substitutions here if needed.

Now it's ready to cook. You've got onions and garlic on the bottom, pork shoulder in the middle, and some tomatoes with chiles on top. Secure the lid and cook on low for 8 hours.

Eight hours later it looks like this. It's not pretty, I know... but stick with me, it gets better.

Carefully pull out the chunks of pork (they're tender so they will want to fall apart). Also grab any bits of tomato, onion, and garlic that you can. Take this opportunity to remove any pieces of fat or gristle that haven't rendered off.

Shred the pork with a fork (or two). Try not to eat it all as you go.

This is where the real flavor is at. Green enchilada sauce is pretty amazing and jalapenos are always great. I only used about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce and froze the rest. I used about 1/2 of the can of jalapenos but kept those in the fridge because I'm sure I'll find something to put them on. If jalapenos are too hot for you, try a can of green chiles. They're very flavorful but not at all hot.

Stir in just enough enchilada sauce to coat the shredded pork. I used about 1 cup. Also stir in your sliced jalapenos.

Now it's time to build the BURRITOS! Start with about 1/3 cup of beans.

Next add about 1/4 cup of the seasoned pulled pork. I always over estimate how much filling can fit in burritos, so if 1/4 seems small... these were packed, any more and I probably wouldn't have been able to roll them.

Next top them with 1/4 cup shredded cheese and some fresh cilantro. I really wanted monterrey jack for these but my grocery store didn't have any, so I went with a "mexican cheese blend". Hmph. Still tasted good, though.

Tuck in the sides and roll 'em up!

You'll get ten BIG burritos out of this...

...and maybe some left over! Since you'll be freezing your burritos for later, you can throw the extra meat and beans in a bowl with rice and cheese for dinner tonight!

Wrap each burrito in plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer bag. This will keep them from sticking to eachother and make them easy to grab n' go.

I sure wish I had a really pretty picture of these burritos to show you just how delicious they are... but I guess you'll just have to take my word for it!

chicken piccatta $7.16 recipe / $1.19 serving

2012-01-12T18:55:00.000-06:00

Need a main dish that's full of flavor but only requires a few ingredients? I've got you covered. This dish is simple, flavorful, yet elegant enough to impress a date or your in-laws. When garlic and lemon come together with a little butter and fresh parsley, you just can't lose.

Chicken piccatta is traditionally made with white wine in the sauce, but I didn't have any around (I know, I was shocked too) so I subbed it with chicken broth. The sauce was still finger-lickin' good so I didn't feel like I was missing out. But, if you have wine around, by all means, use some of it for this dish!

The serving size might seem small (each piece is about the size of a deck of cards), but you can bulk it out by serving the chicken over pasta, or if you want something fancier, try this lemon parsley pasta. Or, just serve it with a green side salad and some garlic bread for a classic meal.

And, as always, I get great prices on my chicken breasts by buying a large pack (5 lbs.) and freezing them in recipe sized portions (2-3 breasts per freezer bag). When purchased this way, the price is often at least $1 less per pound. You can double up on the savings buy keeping an eye out for sales as well.

Total Recipe cost: $7.16
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $1.19
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 30. Total: 45 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
3 medium	chicken breasts	$4.99
1 medium	lemon	$0.69
1/4 bunch	Italian parsley	$0.20
3 cloves	garlic	$0.20
1/2 tsp	chicken base	$0.07
a pinch	salt & pepper	$0.05
1/2 cup	flour	$0.10
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.22
2 Tbsp	butter	$0.24
1 Tbsp	capers	$0.40
TOTAL		$7.16

STEP 1: Prepare the ingredients so they're ready to go when you need them: Roughly chop the parsley leaves, juice the lemon, mince the garlic, and combine the chicken base with 1/2 cup of hot water to dissolve. Set these ingredients aside.

STEP 2: Trim the chicken breasts of excess fat. Cover them with plastic wrap and pound them with a mallet or rolling pin until they are an even thickness (about 3/4 inch). Cut each chicken breast in half so that you have six pieces about the size of the palm of your hand. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

STEP 3: Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, over medium heat. While the oil is heating, place the flour in a bowl and lightly coat each piece of chicken on both sides. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add three pieces of chicken to the skillet and cook until brown on each side (about 3-5 minutes on each side). Place the cooked chicken on a clean plate and cook the second batch of chicken.

STEP 4: After the chicken is cooked, turn the heat down slightly (medium-low) and add the butter and minced garlic. Stir and cook for about one minute. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and whisk to dissolve (or "deglaze") the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.

STEP 5: Add the capers and chopped parsley to the pan. Increase the heat to medium and add the chicken back to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over top of the chicken and allow to simmer in the sauce for 3-5 minutes. The flour on the chicken will help thicken the sauce as it simmers. Serve hot and garnish with any leftover parsley.

Step By Step Photos

Start by preparing the sauce ingredients. Pull the leaves from about 1/4 bunch of parsley and then give them a rough chop (this is before I chopped them).

Squeeze the juice from the lemon and make sure to remove the seeds.

Mince the garlic.

Dissolve the chicken base in hot water. I like this type of chicken base instead of bouillon cubes because you can use exactly the amount you need. The directions say to use one teaspoon per cup of water and I only needed a half cup of broth, so I only used 1/2 tsp of base. Use 1/2 cup of white wine instead, if you have it!

Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts.

Cover the chicken with plastic wrap (make sure you have plenty excess on the edges) and pound out the chicken until it is a uniform thickness. You can use a mallet or a rolling pin. This helps the chicken cook quickly and uniformly, as well as making the pieces larger. The piece on the left has not been pounded, while the two on the right have.

Cut each piece of chicken in two and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Put the flour in a bowl and lightly coat both sides of each piece of chicken. Throw the flour away afterwards because it is now contaminated with raw chicken.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it is very hot, but not smoking. You can test the heat of the oil by throwing a pinch of flour into the skillet. It should sizzle heavily in the oil. Add the chicken once the oil is hot (3 pieces at a time) and cook on both sides until golden brown.

It should take about 3-5 minutes per side to brown. Place the cooked chicken on a clean plate and cook the second batch in the same manner.

Now you've got all of these nice brown bits on the bottom of the pan. This is the flavor. It's a good thing.

Turn the heat down to medium-low to prevent burning the butter. Add the butter and minced garlic. Cook for about one minute or until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the chicken broth (or wine) and lemon juice. Whisk to dissolve those brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.

Increase the heat to medium again so that the sauce begins to simmer. Stir in the parsley and capers.

Add the chicken back to the skillet to re-warm it.

Spoon the sauce over top and allow it to simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly (a few minutes)

I thought I'd give you a close up so that you can be jealous...

You could probably coat the chicken in the sauce, remove it from the skillet, add some cooked pasta to the skillet and toss it in the sauce. That would be super simple and make this meal complete.

thai chicken pizza $11.72 recipe / $1.47 serving

2012-01-08T21:07:00.000-06:00

Due to poor planning on my part, I only came out of this weekend with one recipe to post... but boy, oh boy, is it a GOOD one!! These little individual Thai chicken pizzas on homemade naan bread are just heavenly. ...to say the least.

I made my pizzas on homemade naan, but if you don't want to make a batch, you can always use store bought naan or even pita bread. But if you haven't tried this naan recipe yet, you definitely should. It's soft, light, fluffy, and full of flavor.

I tried to keep it simple with the ingredients and toppings because, if you ask me, there's nothing worse about making homemade pizzas than to have them be really complicated. If you want to go a step or two further and try some more toppings, try pineapple, jalapeno, Thai basil, or green onion. If you want an extra special peanut sauce for the base (instead of the super quick version that I made here), check out this peanut sauce recipe.

Lastly, I have all of the ingredients/toppings for these pizzas stored in individual containers in my fridge. This way, I can quickly top and cook a pizza "to order" and have them hot and fresh! These pizzas are so easy and delicious! I will be making them again!

Total Recipe cost: $11.72
Servings Per Recipe: 8 individual pizzas
Cost per serving: $1.47
Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 35 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 batch (8 pcs)	naan	$1.27
1/2 cup	hoisin sauce	$1.74
1/2 cup	peanut butter	$1.05
2 inches	fresh ginger	$0.30
approx. 2 Tbsp	sriracha hot sauce	$0.52
2 medium	chicken breasts	$1.87
2 cups	shredded mozzarella	$2.47
1 medium	red bell pepper	$1.19
1 small	red onion	$0.45
1 bunch	fresh cilantro	$0.79
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
TOTAL		$11.72

STEP 1: Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper and cook in a countertop grill until cooked through (about 7 minutes each). Allow the chicken breasts to cool.

STEP 2: While the chicken is cooking, prepare the peanut sauce. Combine the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and 1/2 tsp of sriracha sauce in a bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it straight into the bowl. Add about 1/3 cup of hot water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

STEP 3: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop the chicken into small pieces and transfer to a bowl. Add enough sriracha sauce to coat the chicken (about 1.5 Tbsp, give or take a little). Thinly slice the red onion and red bell pepper.

STEP 4: Spread about 2 Tbsp of the peanut sauce over each piece of naan. Top with about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, a handful of the sriracha chicken, some red bell pepper, and red onion.

STEP 5: Place the pizzas on a perforated pizza pan or directly on the oven rack and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly (about 10 minutes). When the pizzas come out of the oven, top with fresh cilantro leaves and enjoy!

Step By Step Photos

Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Cook the chicken on a countertop grill until cooked through (about 7 minutes) and then allow them to cool. I find my George Foreman grill to be the easiest and fastest way to cook chicken breast, but you can use your favorite method.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the peanut sauce. Place the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and sriracha hot sauce in a bowl. Peel the piece of ginger and then grate it (using a small holed cheese grater) directly into the bowl.

Add about 1/3 cup hot water to facilitate mixing and stir until smooth.

While the chicken is cooling, prepare the vegetables. Thinly slice the onion and red bell pepper. Pull the cilantro leaves from the stems (you can do this as you add it to the pizza later, if you prefer).

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, chop or shred it into small pieces.

Place the chopped chicken in a bowl and add enough sriracha to coat the chicken (about 1.5 Tbsp).

Begin to build the pizzas by spreading about 2 Tbsp of peanut sauce over the surface of the naan. I cooked my first batch on a baking sheet with foil, but that left the bottoms soggy. So, I would suggest cooking the pizzas on a perforated pizza pan or placing them directly on the oven rack to allow steam to escape.

Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on each pizza and top with the sriracha chicken, some red onion, and red bell pepper. The cilantro will go on top after it comes out of the oven.

Bake the pizzas in a preheated 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly (about ten minutes). Take the pizzas out of the oven and top with fresh cilantro leaves.

I have all of the ingredients stored in my refrigerator separately so that I can make fresh pizzas all week!

Seriously SO GOOD. It's hard to eat just one.

smoothie packs & my favorite smoothie

2012-01-06T20:50:00.000-06:00

I've got another quickie for you tonight. It's more of an idea than a recipe. I'm sure a lot of you Budget Byters already stock your freezers with these handy smoothie packs, but I wanted to share the tip for those who may be new to the kitchen. Not only does this make smoothies faster and easier to make, but they're a fraction, a small fraction, of what you'll pay at your local smoothie counter.

So, the formula is easy. Three one pound bags of frozen fruit of your choice, and four bananas. Divide the frozen fruit up into 8 bags, and place half of a peeled banana in each bag as well. Seal them up tight and toss them into the freezer. When you're ready to make your delicious smoothie, place the frozen fruit in the blender, add milk (or soy or almond milk), and whatever else you want and press go! No more hauling ten ingredients out of the freezer every time you want to make one smoothie. Just grab one bag and add a liquid. Sure, I also add spinach, cinnamon, and ground flax seed, but it's still way easier to have the fruit divided up. And it only takes about 5 minutes to make all 8 packs.

This is my favorite smoothie - peaches, strawberries, raspberries, banana, spinach, light vanilla soy milk, ground flax seed, and cinnamon. It works, trust me! If you like things sweet, add a touch of honey and it'll blow you away.

Smoothie Packs:

INGREDIENTS		COST
16 oz.	frozen strawberries	$2.69
16 oz.	frozen raspberries	$4.15
16 oz.	frozen peaches	$2.69
4 medium	bananas	$0.86
COST PER PACK (MAKES 8)		$1.30

Fruit n' Flax Smoothies:

INGREDIENTS		COST
1	frozen smoothie pack	$1.30
1 cup	light vanilla soy milk	$0.41
1 handful	baby spinach	$0.53
1 Tbsp	ground flax seed	$0.03
1/2 tsp	cinnamon	$0.03
COST PER SMOOTHIE		$2.30

Step By Step Photos

This is what goes into the frozen smoothie packs. I switch up the fruit a lot (I like blueberries too), but I always try to have at least three. Adding frozen bananas to a smoothie gives it a nice ice cream-like texture. If you've never used a frozen banana in your smoothie, then you haven't lived. Okay, maybe that's a bit extreme, but you've got to try it.

Divide the fruit between 8 freezer bags. One of my bananas turned out to be completely rotten inside so I could only make six this time around. I always tend to over estimate how much fruit is needed per smoothie and then I can't fit it all in the blender. So, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of each of the frozen fruits per bag. Then just pop them in the freezer until you're ready to make a smoothie. They'll stay good in the freezer for a couple of months. The bananas will slowly turn brown, but they're still good eats for a while.

When you're ready to make a smoothie, just put the frozen fruit in a blender with some liquid (and whatever else you want) and you're ready to blend. I add spinach for the nutrients, not the flavor... you can't taste it with all of the fruit. It blends easier if the spinach is at the bottom.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE milk... but in my smoothies I like light vanilla soy milk. It just has more creaminess than milk and the vanilla goes great with the fruit. In the old days, before Silk was everywhere, I used milk and added vanilla extract. So, that's an option too.

I like to add some flax for fiber and omega-3s, and cinnamon just because I like it :) If I'm craving something sweet, I'll add a tablespoon of honey or so, but usually the fruit and silk are sweet enough for me.

Blend that sucker up 'till it's nice and smooth! Sometimes I have to add a touch of water or more silk just to get it going. That's what will happen if you have too much frozen fruit in your pack. It'll be waaaaaay too thick to blend properly.

Oh yums. It's good. And good for you. And spinach? What spinach?

I loved the suggestion to put avocados in smoothies (thanks, Brent!) and I can't wait to experiment with that. So, for all of you smoothie lovers out there...

What is your favorite smoothie combo?

avocado breakfast pita $1.22 each

2012-01-04T20:04:00.000-06:00

I've got a quickie for y'all tonight. It's not a super clever recipe, just my current favorite breakfast sandwich. You see, I pretty much only eat two things for breakfast: some sort of oatmeal, or some sort of egg sandwich. Over the years my egg sandwich combinations have morphed into some really wonderful concoctions (see more here, here, and here). This is the one I'm obsessed with this week. It's fantastic.

It ended up being a little more pricey than I expected, but I think a simple swap from spinach to kale will cut the price down significantly. I bought a small bag of spinach this week so a handful (which I estimate to be about 1/6th of the bag) is over 50 cents. An entire bunch of kale is only 99 cents... so I'm sure you can do the math there. Plus, a couple weeks ago when I had the kale salad in my fridge, I stuffed it onto my egg sandwich a few times and it was delightful.

Total Recipe cost: $1.22 per breakfast pita
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 5 min. Total: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1/2 round	pita pocket	$0.17
1 large	egg	$0.23
1 handful	baby spinach	$0.53
1/4 medium	avocado	$0.22
to taste	sriracha hot sauce	$0.05
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.02
TOTAL		$1.22

STEP 1: Cook the egg in a skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Just before removing from the pan, add sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.

STEP 2: While the egg is cooking, slice the avocado. Place the avocado slices inside the pita and smoosh them over the surface of one side of the pita with the back of a spoon or a knife.

STEP 3: Stuff the spinach and egg into the pita as well. Either serve as is or cook the pita in the skillet on both sides to make it crispy.

Step By Step Photos

This is all you need plus ten minutes (or maybe even less) and you've got yourself a healthy, delicious breakfast. Now, who doesn't have time for that?

Cook the egg and season with salt and pepper. If you have hard boiled eggs on hand, you can simply slice one up and have the sandwich ready in even *less* time!

This is why I go through a whole bottle of sriracha in a month or two... I like how the spicy juxtaposes the creamy avocado. It's just perfect.

Then just stuff everything inside the pita and go! I like to kind of smoosh the avocado slices all over the inside before stuffing everything else in, just to make sure there is avocado in every bite!

Here, I cut it open so you can see all of the beautiful, delicious, healthy layers. Okay, now my mouth is watering!

A word on storing avocados: I know avocados pass through their prime-ripe stage very, very, very fast. So, when one is ready, I cut it open, use a bit of it (like for this breakfast pita) and then store the rest, mostly uncut, in a resealable container in the fridge. I find that it will still be tasty for about two days after cutting it open. Sure, it might get a little brown on the surface, but that doesn't bother me. And if it does bother you, you can just splash some lemon juice on there just after you cut it open and that should keep the brown away.

I loooooove avocados.

(not) meatballs & marinara $6.38 recipe / $1.06 serving

2012-01-03T19:21:00.001-06:00

I didn't set out to make (not) meatballs, in fact, I just wanted to make one of my favorite recipes again with a slightly different twist. What is this favorite recipe of mine? FALAFEL! Say it with me now - FALAFEL! yum.

Anyway, since I wanted to pair the falafel with a marinara sauce, I decided to switch up some of the ingredients to make them a little more Italian. I added parmesan, nixed the cumin and cilantro, and added some bread crumbs and egg for binding purposes. Then I thought, "Wait, what? These are just meatballs minus the meat..."

Well, let me just tell you - any meatball would be jealous of all of the flavor packed into these special little chickpea (not) meatballs. Seriously, this stuff is so good that I kept eating the chickpea mixture straight out of the food processor (before I added the raw egg, btw).

One word of warning, though. They are quite soft in texture. And the longer they sit in the sauce, the softer they get. So, I suggest topping the (not) meatballs with sauce just prior to serving. If you're keeping them for leftovers, keep the sauce in a separate container. Sure, I doused mine in sauce and they're in the fridge right now mingling and getting softer by the moment... but they tasted so good at lunch today that I didn't give a second thought to the texture. But, I know some people have texture issues, so a fair warning is in order.

The pricing is just for the balls and the sauce, because you can eat them many different ways. Over pasta, stuffed into a pita, or just plain in a bowl.

Total Recipe cost: $6.38
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (about 5 balls each)
Cost per serving: $1.06
Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 30 min. Total: 50 min.

(not) MEATBALL INGREDIENTS		COST
2 (15 oz.) cans	chickpeas	$2.18
1 small	red onion	$0.70
2 cloves	fresh garlic	$0.16
1/2 bunch	flat leaf parsley	$0.39
1/4 cup	grated parmesan	$0.24
1/4 tsp	cayenne pepper	$0.02
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
10-15 cranks	fresh cracked pepper	$0.02
1 large	egg	$0.23
1/2 cup	bread crumbs	$0.16
4 Tbsp	vegetable oil (for frying)	$0.12
SAUCE INGREDIENTS		COST
1 medium	yellow onion	$0.23
1 (6 oz.) can	tomato paste	$0.53
1 (15 oz.) can	diced tomatoes	$1.29
1/2 tsp	dried basil	$0.03
1/2 tsp	dried oregano	$0.03
1/2 tsp	brown sugar	$0.02
1/4 tsp (or to taste)	salt	$0.01
TOTAL		$6.38

STEP 1: Empty both cans of chickpeas into a colander and rinse with cool water. Shake off excess water and transfer to a food processor. Also add the parsley leaves, red onion (roughly diced), whole garlic cloves, parmesan, cayenne, cracked pepper, and salt. Pulse the mixture until it forms a rough paste. Occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even processing.

STEP 2: Transfer the chickpea paste to a bowl. Mix in the bread crumbs and egg until thoroughly mixed (I used my hands). Measure out one tablespoon portions and roll them into a ball. Continue until all of the mixture has been made into balls.

STEP 3: Heat about 3 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a heavy duty skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot (the surface will look rippled or wavy), add about half of the chickpea balls. Allow them to cook until golden brown on all sides. If they stick, allow them to brown more before attempting to roll them over. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towel. Add more oil to the skillet as needed and cook the second batch of balls.

STEP 4: While the second batch of balls are cooking, dice the yellow onion for the sauce. After the last batch of balls have cooked, add the diced onion to the skillet with the remaining oil and cook until the onions have softened.

STEP 5: Once the onions have softened, add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, brown sugar, and one cup of water. Stir the mixture until it is thoroughly combined. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed (I needed about 1/4 tsp of salt to balance the sugar and acidity).

STEP 6: Either add the chickpea balls back to the sauce to re-warm, or serve the balls with the sauce spooned over top. The (not) meatballs and sauce can be eaten alone, stuffed into a pita, or spooned over a plate of pasta.

Step By Step Photos

First rinse the chickpeas under cool water. Shake off as much water as possible.

Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor and also add the parsley leaves, red onion (roughly chop it), whole garlic cloves, parmesan, cayenne pepper, cracked pepper, and salt.

Pulse the mixture in the food processor until it forms a slightly chunky paste. You'll need to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to keep it even in texture.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and mix in the egg and bread crumbs. I just squished it all in with my hands. You'll want to make sure it is *very* well mixed. For the record, I did try shaping and frying one ball before adding the egg and bread crumbs. It was soft and kinda crumbly but you could probably get away with it if you don't want the egg or bread crumbs.

Shape them into 1 Tbsp sized balls. I got 33 balls out of the mixture.

Heat some of the vegetable oil in a skillet and when it is very hot, add the balls. Cook on all sides until golden brown. A non-stick skillet will make this A LOT easier. My first batch kind of stuck and fell apart but the second batch (once the skillet was hotter and the oil had sealed off the pan better) didn't stick at all. So, this step can be tricky.

Let them drain on a paper towel covered plate. I probably will brown them better on next time, but I was impatient. BTW, they are insanely delicious at this point. I ate about five of them just as they were.

Now for the sauce. Dice the yellow onion and add it to the remaining oil in the skillet. Cook the onion until softened.

Add the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. I used a can of diced tomatoes with garlic and basil already added, but you can use plain as well.

Also add the dried basil, oregano, and brown sugar.

Also add one cup of water. Stir everything up really well and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. My sauce needed about 1/4 tsp of salt.

Add the balls back to the sauce to re-warm. If you only plan on eating some of this now and saving the rest for later in the week, only add what you will eat to the sauce to prevent excessive softening.

Serve warm! I really could eat them just like this, maybe with some naan or pita on the side.

OR stuff them inside a pita or spoon them over some pasta... if you're a carb-y type person :)

I really wish you could taste the picture... these things are seriously flavorful! ...oh, and make sure you've got some mint gum. There's a lot of garlic and onion in there.

top 20 from 2011

2011-12-31T13:01:00.002-06:00

Wow, so 2011 went by fast, right? As I was scrolling through the recipes from this year I couldn't believe that I made some of these in 2011, they feel like ages ago!

People often ask me what *my* favorite recipes are, so I've decided to compile a list of my favorites from this year. Sure, I like everything that I post, but there are just some recipes that really make me say "WOW," some recipes that I'm just dying to make again. I tried to make it a list of ten, but that was pretty much impossible, so you get 20 instead.
If you haven't tried any Budget Bytes recipes yet, this list is a great place to start.

So, here they are, in chronological order:

1. Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This easy, almost no-knead cinnamon raisin bread is super easy and had me starting every day with a smile. A slice or two toasted with some peanut butter made for a quick, delicious, and filling breakfast. And it's got way less sugar than store bought cinnamon raisin bread.

2. Quick Curried Chickpeas

This dish is also a reader favorite. It's super easy and quick to make, packed with flavor, and gets four stars for health. If you need an easy side dish for dinner, try this.

3. Chipotle Raspberry BBQ Chicken

Mmmmm, sweet, tangy, spicy, and juicy thighs. What more could one ask for? Oh, you want them to be easy too? Okay, you got it.

4. Chorizo & Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Not only is this a reader favorite, but it also won second place in a recipe contest run by the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission! And from what I hear, kids like 'em too!

5. Peanut Soba Stir Fry

This one has been kind of hit and miss with readers but I absolutely adored it! It was fast, easy, only required a few ingredients, and is packed with vegetables. I literally couldn't keep out of it. I kept going back for more.

6. Oven Roasted Corn

I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of corn, but this totally changed my mind. Roasting the corn made the flavor deep and sweet and keeping the husks on during roasting kept all of the juices locked inside. The honey chili butter wasn't so bad either ;)

7. Hummus & Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Every. Single. Time. I see this photo I want to eat it. Everything about this was delicious. Everything. I don't know what else I can say.

8. Salsa Poached Eggs

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, savory breakfasts in particular. Eggs are one of my top 3 favorite foods and preparing them this way is just like icing on the cake. So much flavor! I'd eat it every day if I could.

9. Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

Simplicity at its best. This pasta salad is light, fresh, and the perfect side dish to just about anything.

10. Sloppy Joes Plus

Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky... I'm so sneaky. I hid some lentils in
this homemade sloppy joe mix for added fiber and nutrients and it's so delicious, you'd never know!

11. Taco Chicken Bowls

This recipe practically sparked a frenzy on pinterest, and for good reason. It's one of those recipes that is nearly fool-proof and so delicious that your whole family will love it. I love it every bit as much as all of you do.

12. Yellow Jasmine Rice

Smells are a big thing for me and I think the scent of this rice is absolutely intoxicating... and the flavor definitely lives up to the powerful scent. Best rice I've ever eaten. Hands down.

13. (not)Refried Beans

You might have to be a bean fan to appreciate this one, but seriously, it's GOOD. Every time I make this I find myself standing over the slow cooker just shoveling it into my mouth. Sorry, I know you didn't need that mental image.

14. Oatmeal Molasses Bread

This bread recipe may not be as easy as all of the no-knead recipes, but all of the work is very worth it. It's sweet, rich, and hearty. You can not buy bread like this in the store. No sir.

15. Vinaigrette Slaw with Feta

I'm afraid of eating raw cabbage because it can be so cruel to me... but this slaw is so good that I'll come runnin' for it anyway! It's delish!

16. Teriyaki Salmon w/ Sriracha Mayo

Sure, anything with sriracha is fantastic, but this teriyaki salmon was hella good! And simple. If you need to impress some guests, make this!

17. Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal

Do I even need to explain this one? Tastes like you're eating dessert for breakfast but it's totally delicious. Life is good. The end.

18. Chicken & Apple Salad

Yum, yum, yum! I loved this! Tons of textures and flavors all in one place. Eat it as a sandwich, over a bed of greens, or just straight. It's good no matter how you spin it.

19. Easy Egg Drop Soup

If you need a serious soother for a bad winter cold, this soup is the ticket. Plus, it's so easy that you can actually fix it yourself when you're sick! This is my new go-to comfort food.

20. Cumin Lime Chickpeas

If you're like me and you live for super potent flavors, you'll love this. It's light and fresh but very colorful, thanks to the tangy lime juice, fresh cilantro, and spicy red onions. Plus, it gets better every day as it has time to marinate in the fridge.

So there they are, my top 20 recipes from 2011. But you know what I liked even better? Getting to know all of you. Budget Bytes wouldn't exists without such a wonderful group of readers. I don't consider you just onlookers, but active participants in this adventure. Thank you for being there, for sharing your ideas and experiences, and just being wonderful in general. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

banana bread oatmeal $3.67 recipe / $0.46 serving

2011-12-30T09:07:00.002-06:00

I've had this recipe up my sleeve for about a week and a half now, but just haven't had time to post it... I've been enjoying this breakfast gem in secret all week!

After the half-way success of the gingerbread baked oatmeal, I decided that what makes a truly good baked oatmeal is fruit or vegetable puree (like the pumpkin puree in the baked pumpkin pie oatmeal). It provides thickness, body, and moisture. So, banana bread oatmeal, with mashed up bananas, was a natural next step. I basically just used the pumpkin pie oatmeal recipe and tweaked it to be banana bread flavored. I am happy to report, it was every bit as much of a success as the pumpkin pie oatmeal!

This baked oatmeal is moist, fluffy, thick, hearty and delicious. It tastes just like the best banana bread you've ever had and is 10x healthier (very little fat, lower sugar, and tons of fiber). It's just an all around win!

One more interesting thing about this oatmeal: it's nice and golden brown when it finishes baking, but as it sits in the fridge during the week it turns a little grey... but that's just the bananas oxidizing like a peeled banana would if it sat on your countertop. It didn't affect the flavor at all. So, don't let that scare you!

Total Recipe cost: $3.67
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Cost per serving: $0.46
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 55 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1.5 cups (about 4 medium)	mashed bananas	$0.98
1/3 cup	brown sugar	$0.11
2 large	eggs	$0.32
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
1/2 tsp	vanilla extract	$0.14
1/2 tsp	baking powder	$0.02
1/2 tsp	baking soda	$0.02
2 cups	milk	$0.75
2.5 cups	old-fashioned oats	$0.43
1/4 tsp	cinnamon	$0.02
1/8 tsp	nutmeg	$0.02
1/2 cup	chopped walnuts	$0.84
TOTAL		$3.67

STEP 1: Begin preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Mash the bananas well with a fork. Measure the bananas to make sure you have about 1.5 cups.

STEP 2: Whisk the mashed bananas together with the brown sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Next whisk in the milk, then stir in the oats. Roughly chop the walnuts and stir them in as well.

STEP 3: Spray the inside of a glass baking dish (8x8 inch or similar size) with non-stick spray. Pour in the oat mixture. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until the center is solid and the edges are slightly golden brown.

STEP 4: Serve warm or refrigerate and enjoy cold!

Step By Step Photos

Start by mashing your bananas. The more ripe the bananas are, the easier they are to mash. Bananas can seem dry and hard to mash at first, but they tend to get more moist and mushy the more you mash.

Measure the bananas. You want about 1.5 cups. This took me about four medium sized bananas. Start with three and then mash more as neeeded

Whisk the mashed bananas together with the brown sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda.

And then it will look like this.

Next, whisk in the milk.

Then stir in the old-fashioned oats.

Roughly chop the walnuts and stir them into the mixture.

Pour it all into a non-stick coated glass baking dish. Cover this with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil after 30 minutes and bake for another 15 minutes or until the center is solid and the edges are golden brown.

When it comes out, it is golden brown and delicious looking. This picture really does not do it justice. It is AH-MAZ-ING.

You can see how it's kind of golden brown on the edges. Yummmmm.

It's fantastic plain but I like it with a little milk, and maybe some maple syrup, or even some whipped cream. DELISH! ...and very hearty. Because the bananas are so sweet, I might even try it with less brown sugar next time!

quick chocolate pudding $1.50 recipe / $0.38 serving

2011-12-26T19:25:00.000-06:00

Quick! There's only five more days until the first of the year - the day when we all suddenly decide to be healthy and forsake all of those delicious sweets that have plagued us throughout December... So, here's one more delicious treat to enjoy before you close the door on the goodies. It's simple, delicious, and can be made into a million different flavors.

I remember making this pudding once when I was a child but had forgotten all about it until one of my readers emailed me the recipe and reminded me of its tasty simplicity. I just combed through my emails but couldn't find the one, so unfortunately I can't give a proper shout out :(

I made this pudding with 1% milk and it was divine. I also want to experiment with using less sugar because I'm not into super sweet things and I'm sure it would be just as good. If you want it extra rich, use full fat milk. I haven't experimented with soy or almond milk, but I suspect they will work swimmingly.

You can add a few drops of peppermint extract to make a chocolate mint pudding, eliminate the cocoa powder and add extra vanilla for a vanilla pudding, or add some other spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom. You can do so many different things with this. So many.

Total Recipe cost: $1.50
Servings Per Recipe: 4 (1/2 cup each)
Cost per serving: $0.38
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 6 min. Total: 11 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1/2 cup	white sugar	$0.08
1/3 cup	unsweetened cocoa powder	$0.21
3 Tbsp	corn starch	$0.18
2 cups	milk	$0.75
1 tsp	vanilla extract	$0.28
TOTAL		$1.50

STEP 1: In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and corn starch. Whisk to combine and remove any lumps. Whisk in the milk until everything is evenly mixed.

STEP 2: Microwave the mixture on high for three minutes. Remove the bowl and give it a good stir. Microwave for one minute more, then whisk again. Continue to microwave and stir at one minute intervals until the pudding has thickened (about 3 cycles of cooking/stirring).

STEP 3: Stir in the vanilla extract. Either serve warm or refrigerate until chilled. Press plastic wrap over the surface of the pudding before refrigerating to prevent the formation of a thick skin.

Step By Step Photos

Place the dry ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl. Whisk them together until they are evenly mixed and there are no lumps. If you want to add any other dry spices (cinnamon, etc.) do it in this step.

Whisk in the milk, making sure there are no lumps.

Microwave the mixture on high for three minutes. This is what it will look like - not much different because it's just starting to warm up. Give it a good stir.

Microwave it for one minute more. Take the bowl out and stir again. This is what it looked like after microwaving but before stirring. You can see it's starting to change color and texture.

Microwave again for one minute. This is what it looks like. It's really starting to thicken. Give it another good stir.

Microwave for one more minute and then stir again. After the third interval, I felt that it was thick enough. This is what it looked like before I stirred it for the last time. You may need to do more intervals of cooking and stirring, depending on your microwave.

This is what it looked like after I stirred it. Remember, it gets a little thicker upon cooling. So, in total, I only microwaved for 6 minutes. The initial 3 minutes and then 3 intervals of one minute each. How easy is that?

If you're going to refrigerate it, make sure to press some plastic wrap down onto the surface so that it doesn't form a thick skin on top.

This recipe makes four servings that are a half cup each... but if you're not careful, it's completely possible to eat the whole batch at once. So BE CAREFUL! ;)

pineapple teriyaki chicken meal $9.97 meal / serves 4

2011-12-23T19:41:00.000-06:00

With all of the stress of the holiday season, I needed something really simple to prepare this week. The pineapple teriyaki chicken, coconut rice, and tahini kale were all so simple to prepare, crazy delicious, and the flavors matched really well. So well, in fact, that I ended up mixing the rice and kale together and eating them as a single dish! I hope you enjoy this super simple meal as much as I did!

Note: I decided to half the chicken recipe to make the servings more closely match the side dishes. The chicken recipe halves really easily, just buy half as much chicken and half the ingredients for the sauce. You could just as easily double the sides and have enough to feed 8 or more. It's up to you!

This meal includes:

Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (1/2 recipe) $4.97
Coconut Rice $2.91
Tahini Kale Salad $2.09
Total: $9.97

Serves: 4

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
2 lbs.	bone-in chicken thighs
2 cloves	garlic
1 inch	fresh ginger
1 (18 oz.) jar	pineapple jam
1 (15 oz.) can	coconut milk
1 bunch	kale
3 Tbsp	tahini
1 medium	lemon

PANTRY ITEMS / ON HAND
1/2 Tbsp	vegetable oil
2 Tbsp	soy sauce
1/4 Tbsp	rice vinegar
1/4 Tbsp	corn starch
1.5 cups	dry jasmine rice
1.5 tsp	salt
1 Tbsp	olive oil
1 tsp	honey
1/4 tsp	cayenne pepper

STEP 1: Begin making the pineapple teriyaki sauce for the chicken. While the sauce is simmering, prepare the chicken on the baking sheet. Coat the chicken in the sauce and place in the preheated oven to bake (see more detailed instructions here).

STEP 2: Once the chicken is in the oven, begin making the coconut rice. (Instructions here)

STEP 3: While the chicken is baking and the rice is simmering, prepare the tahini kale salad. (Instructions here). And then everything should be finished at about the same time!

LEFTOVERS

You'll definitely have left over jam if you make a half recipe of chicken, but luckily, jam stays good in the refrigerator for quite some time. Enjoy it on toast or just save it for the next time you need to make a pineapple teriyaki sauce!

The same goes for tahini. It's like peanut butter and stays good in the refrigerator for quite a while. I enjoyed the "dressing" for the kale salad so much that I plan to make it as a spread on sandwiches or toast, or even just to dip crackers or vegetables in! Plus, you can use your tahini to make the most incredible (and easy) hummus you've ever had.

coconut rice (take 2) $2.91 recipe / $0.49 serving

2011-12-22T19:09:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'll admit, this recipe is a re-post. Savory coconut rice is one of the first recipes I made for the blog and it has been a staple in my house ever since. I wanted to repost the recipe for three reasons: 1) because it was part of this week's complete meal plan (will be posted tomorrow), 2) the first version was posted before I started doing step-by-step photo instructions, and 3) it's just so so so good that I don't want any new followers to miss it.

Seriously, when your coworkers all "oooh" and "ahhh" over the smell coming out of the microwave, you know you've got something seriously good. Not only is it seriously good, but it's seriously easy. If you have trouble getting rice to come out right on the stove top, invest in a rice cooker. They're fool proof, you'll use it a lot, and they're very inexpensive.

I usually use light coconut milk to make my coconut rice, but the store only had regular this time around. I have to admit, I prefer the light coconut milk. The light coconut milk gives all of the flavor without the oily residue.

Oh, and if you're wondering, this rice is not sweet. I know it's hard to disconnect coconut with sweetness, but coconut milk by itself is not at all sweet. It's just really creamy and good!

Total Recipe cost: $2.91
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (1/2 cup each)
Cost per serving: $0.49
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 45 min Total: 50 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1.5 cups	dry jasmine rice	$0.66
1 (15 oz.) can	coconut milk	$2.14
1 large clove	garlic	$0.08
3/4 tsp	salt	$0.03
1 cup	water	$0.00
TOTAL		$2.91

STEP 1: Add the dry rice to a medium pot. Add enough cool water to cover the rice by about two inches. Swish the rice around until the water is cloudy. Carefully pour off as much of the cloudy water as possible. Repeat two more times. Try to pour off as much water as possible the last time, using a lid to hold the rice in if necessary.

STEP 2: Mince the clove of garlic and add it to the pot with the rice. Also add the salt, the coconut milk, and one cup of fresh water. Stir to combine the ingredients.

STEP 3: Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a rolling boil over high heat. As soon as the rice reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Allow it to simmer on the lowest setting for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow it to rest, undisturbed, with the lid in place, for an additional 15 minutes.

STEP 4: Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, and serve.

Step By Step Photos

Start by placing the dry rice in a medium sized pot. Jasmine rice can usually be found in large bags near the other Asian ingredients or in the rice aisle. It is usually hiding on the bottom shelf. Buy large 5lb. bags to get the best price. Sometimes "specialty rice" brands will sell small containers of it for outlandishly expensive prices... don't be fooled!

Cover the rice with cool water and swish it around until the water turns cloudy. Pour off as much water as possible and repeat two more times. This will help the rice be fluffy rather than sticky when cooked. Make sure to pour off as much water as possible the last time.

All you need besides the jasmine rice is coconut milk, garlic, and salt. That's it. Like I said, I really prefer the light coconut milk because you get tons of flavor without so much oiliness.

When cooking rice, you usually want a rice to liquid ratio of about 1:1.5 or 1:2. The can of coconut milk measured out to 1.75 cups, so I just added another cup of water. This gave me a good rice:liquid ratio of 1:1.8 - right in the middle. It doesn't have to be exact.

Add the coconut milk, minced garlic, salt, and one cup of fresh water to the pot with the rinsed rice. Give it a quick stir to make sure the salt and garlic are well distributed.

Place a lid on top and bring it up to a rolling boil over high heat. Just as soon as it reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and allow it to simmer, with the lid on, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes turn the heat off and let it sit, undisturbed for 15 more minutes. Open it up and this is what you've got.

Fluff it up with a fork and serve! ...and try not to shovel it straight into your mouth, because you're gonna want to.

I can eat this stuff straight... it's amazing. Green onions go really nicely on top, as does Sriracha. I also experimented with mixing it up with the Tahini Kale salad and it was OUTSTANDING.

pineapple teriyaki chicken thighs $9.94 recipe / $1.42 serving

2011-12-20T08:56:00.000-06:00

Ever since making the Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Chicken Thighs, I've kind of fallen in love with baked chicken thighs. They're super easy, the flavor possibilities are endless, they're juicy and tender, and they're usually fairly inexpensive.

So this week, I whipped up a quick pineapple teriyaki sauce to paint the thighs with and they turned out really delicious. I experimented with baking some with skin and some without. They both turned out very juicy and delicious! The pineapple sauce held the moisture in the skinless thighs nicely. The thighs with the skin on were definitely prettier, but not any more moist.

I baked the thighs at 375 degrees until the sauce on top turned a nice golden brown. It ended up taking close to an hour so next time I think I'll increase the temperature to 400 degrees. With a small increase in temperature like that I don't think you'll be in danger of not having the inside cooked before the outside browns, and it should make the whole process a bit faster. Since I cooked at 375, I'm still going to write the recipe that way. I just wanted to present the option.

Total Recipe cost: $9.94
Servings Per Recipe: 7-8
Cost per serving: $1.42
Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 55 min. Total: 1 hr. 15 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 clove	garlic	$0.08
2 inches	fresh ginger	$0.25
1 Tbsp	vegetable oil	$0.08
1/4 cup	soy sauce	$0.24
1 (18 oz.) jar	pineapple jam	$2.78
1/2 Tbsp	rice vinegar	$0.02
1/2 Tbsp	corn starch	$0.03
4 lbs.	bone-in chicken thighs	$6.46
TOTAL		$9.94

STEP 1: Peel the ginger (use a vegetable peeler) and grate it into a medium sauce pot with a small cheese grater. Mince the garlic and add it to the pot along with 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil. Saute the garlic and ginger over medium heat, just until soft (about one minute).

STEP 2: Add the soy sauce, pineapple jam, and rice vinegar. Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in just enough water to make a slurry and pour it into the bubbling sauce. Allow to simmer for about five more minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

STEP 3: Prepare a baking sheet with foil and nonstick spray. Place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet. Reserve about 1/3 of the pineapple teriyaki sauce in a bowl for spooning over the chicken after cooking (you don't want to contaminate this with raw chicken). Using about half of the rest of the sauce, brush a thick layer over the chicken.

STEP 4: Place the pineapple teriyaki coated chicken in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Take the chicken out and brush with more sauce (not the sauce reserved for after baking). Brush as much on as possible. Place back in the oven and bake until the sauce turns golden brown and bubbly (about 30 minutes more).

STEP 5: Take the chicken out of the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and spoon some of the reserved (uncontaminated) sauce over top.

Step By Step Photos

First, peel the ginger and then grate it using a small cheese grater. Mince the garlic. Place both in a medium sauce pot with 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil. Saute just until soft (about one minute).

The one time I wanted pineapple jam, they actually didn't have it at the store. But they *did* have this apricot pineapple jam. I used it and it was still delicious! I ended up using the entire 18 oz. jar.

Add the jam, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to the pot with the garlic and ginger. Stir to dissolve the jam and allow it to come up to a simmer over medium heat.

While the sauce is coming up to a simmer, dissolve the cornstarch in just enough water to make a slurry (a tablespoon or so of water).

Pour the cornstarch slurry into the bubbling sauce. Stir it in and allow it to simmer for about five more minutes.

Place the chicken on a baking sheet covered with foil and non-stick spray. I experimented with skin on and skin off. They both turned out delicious and moist, although the skin on was prettier! The number of servings you'll get from this depends on how many chicken thighs you get per 4 pounds. One of my packages had four, while the other had 3... I didn't look before I purchased.

Pour off about 1/3 of the sauce for use after cooking the chicken - you don't want it to get contaminated with raw chicken. Using about half of the rest of the sauce, coat the chicken. The sauce may be kind of thin because it's hot, so don't worry if you can't get it on too thick. You'll be putting more on half way through baking.

Bake the chicken in a preheated 375 degree oven. After about 20 minutes, pull the chicken out and coat with more sauce (the "contaminated" sauce, not the reserved sauce). This is what my chicken looked like after the second coating. Place it back in the oven and bake until the sauce turns a nice golden brown (about 30 more minutes).

And this is what the chicken looked like after about 50-55 minutes of total baking time.

You can serve it as is (this picture) or spoon some of the reserved (uncontaminated) sauce over top (the top photo in the post). I liked having that extra bit of sauce spooned over top!

tahini kale salad $2.09 recipe / $0.52 serving

2011-12-17T19:38:00.000-06:00

Kale is one of my all-time favorite greens and the best part is, it's usually fairly inexpensive! I've always cooked my kale, even if just slightly, to make it more tender and easier to eat. But this time, I wanted to experiment with eating it raw.

I've seen several recipes for tahini dressing and decided to combine my favorite parts of all of them. If you're unfamiliar with tahini, it's like peanut butter but made with sesame seeds instead of peanuts. It has an interestingly smooth, yet slightly bitter flavor. Tahini is what makes hummus taste like hummus, rather than just chickpea paste. Tahini can be expensive, but luckily, you only need to use it in small amounts. You can find tahini either in the peanut butter aisle or near other mediterranean ingredients (olives, oil, vinegar, etc.).

This salad comes together in just a few minutes and, thanks to kale's hearty texture, it stays good in the refrigerator for quite a few days. Add a hard boiled egg, some tomato, cucumber, or avocado and you've made it into a meal!

Also, I made two batches of this, the first with a clove of garlic mixed into the dressing. While the garlic was awesome, it wasn't convenient. Don't add garlic unless you plan on not being around other human beings for at least 24 hours after eating the salad. Just a fair warning.

Total Recipe cost: $2.09
Servings Per Recipe: 4-6
Cost per serving: $0.52 (four servings per recipe)
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 0 min. Total: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 bunch	kale	$0.99
3 Tbsp	tahini	$0.61
1 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.11
1 tsp	honey	$0.04
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
1/4 tsp	cayenne pepper	$0.02
1/2 medium	lemon	$0.30
TOTAL		$2.09

STEP 1: Pull the kale leaves from the stems, place them in a colander and rinse with cool water. Let the leaves drain while you prepare the dressing.

STEP 2: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, olive oil, honey, salt, cayenne pepper, and juice from half a lemon. Stir until smooth and thick. The tahini might clump up but if you keep stirring, it should smooth out. If it won't get completely smooth, it will not effect the salad in the end.

STEP 3: Cut the kale leaves into thin ribbons. To do this, take one handful of leaves at a time, compress them together on the cutting board and then cut into thin strips.

STEP 4: Combine the kale ribbons and tahini dressing in a bowl and stir until all of the leaves are coated. Serve immediately.

I sprinkled a few sesame seeds on top for garnish, but this is not needed for flavor.

Step By Step Photos

If you're unfamiliar with kale, this is what it looks like in the grocery store. The bunch looks pretty small but once you take the leaves off, it seems to expand. It's a lot of greens.

The leaves pull away from the tough kale stems easily. You can do this with your hands and it will only take a minute or so. Don't worry about the leaves tearing into strange shapes. It won't matter once it's all cut up. Rinse the kale leaves well.

Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk together (tahini, olive oil, honey, salt, cayenne, lemon juice).

When you stir any watery liquid into tahini (be it lemon juice or water itself) it will kind of clump up and look curdled. Don't let this worry you. It doesn't affect the flavor and if you keep stirring...

It will eventually smooth out. It is a very strange effect. Tahini by itself is thin and almost runny... add some water and it seizes up into a thick paste. Anyway, if you can't get your tahini dressing smooth, don't worry. It will still taste the same.

Now it's time to cut the kale into ribbons. Cutting the kale into really thin strips makes it easy to eat, which is important because it is very hearty and fibrous when raw. Take a big handful of kale, compress it into a little ball on the cutting board and then carefully move your fingers a little bit at a time as you slice it into thin strips. I just find it easier to control and cut into thin strips when I have it "compressed" under my hand.

Combine the kale and tahini dressing in a large bowl. Stir and stir and stir until the kale is well coated in the thick dressing.

And then it looks like this and taste like heaven.

black bean burger meal $17.28 meal / serves 6+

2011-12-15T19:58:00.000-06:00

Planning an entire meal with "matching" dishes can be very challenging to the newbie. So, I'm going to let you in on my little formula and this meal is a perfect example.

I always start with the main dish and pick the sides to go along with it. I try to make both side diesh vegetables, one starchy and one not. If that doesn't work, then I'll do one vegetable and one "bread" like rolls or pasta. The other key to picking your sides is to try to hit all sides of the color wheel. You remember the color wheel right? Here's a refresher.

Anyway, this meal fits every part of that formula. I started with the black bean burgers because I love them. I picked sweet potato fries because they're colorful and "fries" go great with burgers. Since the sweet potatoes are kind of starchy, I wanted the second side to be all vegetable and an opposite color from the orange. Red cabbage slaw was perfect! And of course, make sure the "genre" of all of the dishes match. Don't pair a mediterranean salad with enchiladas... because that'd be weird, right?

Oh, one last thing: In the original Black Bean Burger recipe, I had to make the patties huge to fit the extra large buns that I bought, so I only got six burgers out of the recipe. If you make them normal sized, you'll probably get 8 and then this whole meal will make 8 servings.

This meal includes:

Black Bean Burgers $6.69
Spicy Sweet Potato Stix $5.62
Vinaigrette Slaw $4.97
Total: $17.28

Serves: 6-8

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
2 (15 oz.) cans	black beans (or make your own)
1 medium	red onion
1 bunch	parsley
8 pack	hamburger buns
1 large	tomato
1 head	lettuce
6 medium	sweet potatoes
1 small head	green cabbage
1 small head	purple cabbage
4 oz.	feta cheese
1 bottle	caesar dressing

PANTRY ITEMS / ON HAND
1 clove	garlic
1 Tbsp	sriracha hot sauce
1 Tbsp	mayonnaise
1 Tbsp	worchestershire sauce
1 tsp	cumin
1 large	egg
1 cup	bread crumbs
4 Tbsp	olive oil
to taste	seasoning salt or Tony Chachere's
to taste	salt/pepper

STEP 1: Clean and chop the cabbage for the vinaigrette slaw. Combine the cabbage with the feta and caesar dressing and allow to marinate (refrigerated) while you prepare the rest of the meal.

STEP 2: Since the sweet potato stix need to roast for a while in the oven, begin those next. Clean, peel, and cut the sweet potatoes into sticks. Toss them with olive oil and seasoning salt. Spread them out onto baking sheets in a single layer (you'll likely need 2-3 baking sheets) and roast in a 450 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Stir the "fries" once or twice during baking.

STEP 3: Begin to prepare the black bean burger patties. Prepare the black bean patties according to the directions in the original post. Shape the mixture into patties. Cook the patties in an oiled skillet until heated through and crispy on the outside.

STEP 4: Serve the burgers with desired toppings (lettuce, tomato, mustard, mayonnaise) with a side of sweet potato stix and vinaigrette slaw!

LEFTOVERS

The vinaigrette slaw only uses half of each head of cabbage. I went ahead and sliced/shredded up the other half of each head of cabbage and froze it in two ziplock freezer bags. Upon thawing the cabbage will no longer be crisp so it can only be used in cooked dishes, like soups or egg rolls.

You might also have left over lettuce, tomato, parsley, red onion, and caesar dressing... but that all sounds like a fantastic salad to me!

shredded taco beef $12.48 recipe / $1.04 serving

2011-12-13T18:45:00.001-06:00

So, my appetite has been pretty wonky lately and all I've wanted to eat is burritos. I love a good burrito. I mean I LOVE them... and it's all to easy to waltz right down to the nearest burrito joint and pay $6-$8 for a super fancy burrito... and then another couple bucks for some chips and salsa... and then, you might as well get a margarita while you're there... and so the story goes. Before you know it, you're out $20 for one meal and you've just eaten way, way too much. Not good.

So, this weekend I decided to stock my freezer with some freezer burritos. Except this time, I wanted some shredded beef in there. So, Friday night I filled my slow cooker with some pinto beans and turned them into (not) refried beans the next morning. Then, the next night I tossed a big beef roast into the slow cooker with some spices and the next morning I had some incredible shredded taco beef for the burritos!

This taco seasoned shredded beef is seriously easy and you can put it on tacos, burritos, nachos, or just eat it bowl style like the taco chicken bowls that we all love so much! Who can resist slow cooked meat seasoned with taco spices? Not me, not me.

Total Recipe cost: $12.48
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Cost per serving: $1.04
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 8 hrs. Total: 8 hrs. 10 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
3 lbs.	boneless beef shoulder roast	$11.60
2 Tbsp	chili powder	$0.30
1 Tbsp	cumin	$0.15
1 tsp	oregano	$0.05
1/4 tsp	crushed red pepper	$0.03
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.05
4-5 cloves	garlic	$0.30
TOTAL		$12.48

STEP 1: Combine the dry spices in a small bowl (chili powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt). Peel the cloves of garlic.

STEP 2: Cut the beef roast into large chunks (2-3 inches square). Place the beef and spice mix in a large, gallon-sized zip top bag and shake to coat the meat in spices. Either move on to the next step or refrigerate the bag of seasoned meat until you're ready to cook (up to one day).

STEP 3: Place the seasoned meat in the slow cooker in a single layer across the bottom. Add just enough water to come up to the top of the meat (about 1.5-2 cups). Secure the lid, turn the heat on to low, and cook for 8 hours.

STEP 4: After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred the meat - it should be tender enough to just fall apart. Taste the mixture and adjust the salt and other seasonings to your liking. Remove the meat from the liquid with tongs and serve immediately.

Step By Step Photos

This is the beef roast that I used. There are many different cuts out there, but stick to the ones labeled "roast." These cuts are good for cooking slowly at low temperatures. If the bone is still intact or it looks like there is a lot of fat, you'll get less meat in the end,so keep that in mind when comparing prices.

First, mix your spices. I tried to make them all visible in this little bowl, but you can't see them all. I used chili powder, cumin, oregano, crushed red pepper, and salt.

Cut the beef into chunks so that it will lay in the bottom of the slow cooker in one layer. If the chunks sit on top of each other, you'll have to add more water to cover the meat and it will be too watery. Also peel the garlic.

Place the beef, garlic, and spices in a large zip top bag and shake it up until the beef is completely coated. You can either cook the beef right away, or store this in the fridge until you're ready to cook. For instance, you can season the meat the night before and then just dump it into the slow cooker in the morning before work. Then, the meat will be ready for dinner when you get home.

Place the meat in the bottom of the slow cooker and try to get it in one single layer. Add just enough water to cover it. If you want more flavor you can use a can of diced tomatoes in place of the water.

Secure the lid on your slow cooker, turn the heat on to low and let it cook for 8 hours. After 8 hours of simmering away, it will look like this.

Use two forks to gently pull the meat apart. It should be very tender and easily shredable. (Yes, I know shredable is not a word.)

Use tongs to get the yummy shredded beef out of the flavorful broth. Pile it straight onto your tacos, burritos, or nachos!

And you're ready to assemble a big, bad burrito! (I still want that margarita)

For an even easier version (for those of you without a well stocked spice cabinet), you can just add a couple packets of taco seasoning to the slow cooker in place of the homemade spice mix. ...but that will cost you a couple extra bucks.

chocolate gingersnaps $4.33 recipe / $0.18 cookie

2011-12-11T17:27:00.001-06:00

During the four weeks of giveaways, I posed the question, "What is your favorite Christmas cookie?" Classic sugar cookies were definitely the number one answer, but coming right behind behind were gingersnaps and snickerdoodles... two of my favorites!

I'm not a huge sweets person, which is why I like these chocolate gingersnaps. The semi-sweet chocolate and spicy ginger, nutmeg, and cloves help counteract that sugary sweetness. These cookies have a real BITE!

They're not the most inexpensive cookie (you can't beat a regular sugar cookie there), but since they're my favorite I decided to share them. My mom first introduced me to these cookies and I fell in love. I'm not sure where she got the recipe, but it's important to note that it's not my recipe. I don't know where they originated, but I'm just passing them along because they're too good to keep to myself!

Total Recipe cost: $4.33
Cookies Per Recipe: 24
Cost per cookie: $0.18
Prep time: 20 min. Chill time: 1 hr. Cook time: 25 min. Total: 1 hrs. 45 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1.5 cups	all-purpose flour	$0.33
1.25 tsp	ground (dried) ginger	$0.15
1/4 tsp	ground cloves	$0.05
1/4 tsp	ground nutmeg	$0.05
1 Tbsp	unsweetened cocoa powder	$0.04
1 tsp	baking soda	$0.05
8 Tbsp (1 stick)	butter	$0.80
1 Tbsp	grated fresh ginger	$0.24
1/2 cup	brown sugar	$0.16
1/2 cup	dark molasses	$1.10
1/4 cup	white sugar	$0.04
4 oz.	semi-sweet baking chocolate	$1.32
TOTAL		$4.33

STEP 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cocoa powder, and baking soda.

STEP 2: Peel the fresh ginger and grate it into a separate, medium-sized bowl (grate using a small holed cheese grater). Add the butter (room temperature) and beat with an electric mixer until it's light and fluffy.

STEP 3: Add the brown sugar to the butter mixture and beat again until fluffy. Add the molasses and beat until fluffy. Add half of the flour mixture and beat until well incorporated. Add the second half of the flour mixture and beat until fully incorporated. If the dough is too dry and won't come completely together, add one tablespoon of water.

STEP 4: Roughly chop the semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces. Stir it into the dough. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for about one hour or until firm.

STEP 5: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the white sugar in a small bowl. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and divide it into 24 pieces. Working quickly, roll each piece of dough into a ball and coat it in white sugar. Place the sugar coated dough balls on a baking sheet covered with parchment (12 per baking sheet). Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the surface looks cracked.

Step By Step Photos

Start by whisking together (or sifting together) the dry ingredients: flour, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cocoa powder, and baking soda.

Place the room temperature butter in a separate bowl. Peel and grate the ginger into the bowl with the butter. The more ginger you use, the spicier the cookies will be.

Beat the butter and ginger together until it is light in color and slightly fluffy looking.

Add the brown sugar and beat again.

Add the molasses and beat again (I only beat the mixture for about a minute after adding each ingredient).

Add half of the flour mixture and beat until it is well incorporated. Add the second half and beat again. Remember to begin your mixer on a low speed when adding flour or else it will end up all over your kitchen! The dough should still be fairly sticky at this point. If it's too dry to come together (and look like this), try beating in one tablespoon of water.

Now it's time to add the chocolate chunks. Mine came wrapped in one ounce squares. You can use your favorite semi-sweet chocolate.

Chop the chocolate into small chunks.

Stir the chocolate chunks into the dough. Wrap the dough up in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. The dough is too sticky to shape into balls when it is room temperature, so it needs to firm up in the refrigerator.

Once the dough has firmed up in the refrigerator, unwrap it and cut it into 24 pieces. It didn't seem like I'd get 24 pieces out of that small ball of dough, but I did. I first divided it into quarters and then cut each quarter into 6 small balls. As the dough warms up it will get sticky, so work fast. Roll each ball in the white sugar.

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper and place 12 dough balls per baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time in a preheated 325 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

You'll know they're done when the tops begin to crack open.

They're so good with their spicy bite and chunks of semi-sweet chocolate!

cumin lime chickpeas $3.79 recipe / $0.63 serving

2011-12-09T14:17:00.001-06:00

Every winter, after weeks of eating hearty soups and stews, I start craving something really light and fresh. I just get sick of all of the super cooked down hot food. I want bright, I want it to taste like SUNSHINE. You know what I'm sayin'?

So today I threw together this quick salad with a couple of cans of chickpeas that I had hiding in the back of my pantry. It's really fast, easy, and bursting with fresh flavor!

Lime juice can sometimes have a slightly bitter bite to it, so if you're not into that or limes just aren't available in your area, this salad would be just as delicious with lemon juice. If you want to cut the price in half, cook your own chickpeas from dry. I haven't done it but I'm sure it's just as easy as cooking any other bean... especially if you cook them in the slow cooker!

Another interesting twist to this salad would be to add a touch of honey and chopped jalapeno. Unfortunately, I didn't think of that until just now as I was typing this. Someone try it for me and let me know how it is! Thanks!

Total Recipe cost: $3.79
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (about 1/2 cup each)
Cost per serving: $0.63
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 0 min. Total: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 (15 oz.) cans	chickpeas (garbanzo beans)	$2.18
1/2 medium	red onion	$0.51
1/2 bunch	cilantro	$0.39
2 cloves	garlic	$0.15
1 medium	lime	$0.25
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.22
1 tsp	cumin	$0.05
1/8 tsp	cayenne pepper	$0.02
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
TOTAL		$3.79

STEP 1: Empty both cans of chickpeas into a colander and rinse with cool water. Let the chickpeas drain as you prepare the rest of the salad.

STEP 2: Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems and then roughly chop. Dice the red onion. Place both in a large bowl.

STEP 3: Prepare the dressing by squeezing the juice from one lime into a bowl and adding the olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt. Finely mince two cloves of garlic and add them as well. Stir everything to combine. Taste and adjust salt to your liking.

STEP 4: Add the drained chickpeas and the dressing to the bowl with the cilantro and onion. Stir to combine and then serve! The flavor intensifies the longer it sits so, refrigerate before serving for a stronger flavor.

Step By Step Photos

I had a couple lonely cans of chickpeas in my pantry, so what better to do with them than add my favorite flavors...

Cilantro, lime, garlic, and onion! This really is my favorite combo. Anytime I need something to taste fresh and vibrant, this is what I reach for.

Rinse the chickpeas in a colander with cool water to remove all of that canned flavor. I'm sure making fresh chickpeas from dry would not only be more inexpensive but the flavor would be even more clean and fresh. Note to self: make fresh chickpeas.

Remove the leaves from the stems of the cilantro and then give them a rough chop. The leaves pull off easily so this should take no more than a minute or two.

Dice the red onion and place it in a bowl with the cilantro.

Squeeze the juice from one lime into a bowl and add the olive oil, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Mince the garlic and add that as well.

Stir it all up and now you've got a delicious cumin dressing. Give it a taste and adjust the salt and any other ingredients as you see fit.

Add the drained chickpeas and dressing to the bowl with the cilantro and onion. Stir until everything is coated in dressing and then serve!

The salad will be even more intense the next day! ...if it lasts that long!

gingerbread baked oatmeal $2.48 recipe / $0.41

2011-12-07T19:20:00.000-06:00

Ever since the magical experience of the pumpkin pie baked oatmeal, I've been experimenting with other flavors and varieties of baked oatmeal. I made this one last week and while it wasn't quite as mind blowing as the pumpkin, I happily gobbled it up every morning and was a little sad when I at the last of it today.

This batch lacked the thick body that the pumpkin puree provided, but it did create an interesting gel-like molasses custard. If you've ever had impossible pie, it's a little something like that. The molasses, spices, and eggs kind of gel up into a sweet custard on the bottom. I liked it, but if you have texture issues with food, you may not... Just a fair warning! Texture aside, the flavor was awesome.

The other thing that I liked about this baked oatmeal is that when I poured milk over top, the molasses seeped out and flavored the milk in that yummy way that coco puffs and fruity pebbles do! Oh, childhood memories!

Total Recipe cost: $2.48
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.41
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 40 min. Total: 50 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1/3 cup	dark molasses (not blackstrap, not light)	$0.73
1/4 cup	brown sugar	$0.08
2 large	eggs	$0.32
1/2 tsp	salt	$0.02
1 tsp	baking soda	$0.05
1 tsp	cinnamon	$0.05
1/2 tsp	ground ginger	$0.03
1/4 tsp	ground cloves	$0.02
2 cups	milk	$0.75
2.5 cups	old-fashioned oats	$0.43
TOTAL		$2.48

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together the molasses, brown sugar, eggs, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Once everything is well combined, whisk in the milk.

STEP 2: Stir in the oats. Coat an 8x8 (or similar sized) baking dish with non-stick spray and pour the oat mixture in. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until the oats have soaked up all of the moisture and the center of the dish is firm to the touch.

STEP 3: Serve hot or refrigerate and eat cold.

Step By Step Photos

Start by whisking together everything except the milk and oats.

Next, whisk in the milk.

And finally, stir in the oats. A large spoon will probably work better than a whisk here...

Pour it all into a baking dish coated with non-stick spray. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Here is a close up of the texture. The top is a little dryer and the bottom is more custardy. When I scoop it into my bowl I kind of mix it up, but I enjoyed the varied textures.

And my favorite part - gingerbread flavored milk! Yum!!

4 WEEKS of GIVEAWAYS week #4 [CLOSED]

2011-12-06T17:47:00.001-06:00

In the continuing celebration of Budget Bytes reaching 10,000 RSS subscribers, I bring you Week #4 of the 4 Weeks of Giveaways!

I've had so much fun reading everyone's responses to the other giveaways, I'm a little sad this will be the last one (for a little while, at least!). Deciding on the last prize was a little tough, but I had to go with my gut.

I know not everyone likes the 'ol George Foreman grill, but I've found mine to be beyond valuable. Like any appliance, it's not great for everything, but it does some things very, very well. If you live in an apartment or just otherwise don't have a real grill, this little guy can be a life saver. I've grilled vegetables on it, made panini's, and it's my go-to piece of equipment for quickly cooking chicken.

I bought my old-school, little-bitty George Foreman grill well over ten years ago and it's still going strong. The model I'm giving away today is bigger, better, and redder! Ha! I hope it goes to someone who gets as much use out of it as I do mine!

Giveaway #3 - 72 sq. inch George Foreman Grill (Red)

This week's questions is all for fun:

Are you a mayo or Miracle Whip person? Or maybe they BOTH make you gag?

I grew up eating Miracle Whip but once I switched to mayo, I never looked back. Funny how your taste buds change. Even the smell of the "whip" makes me cringe these days.

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this blog post answering "Mayo or Miracle Whip?" and then click the green "I did this!" button in the contest widget.

"Like" Budget Bytes on Facebook through the contest widget button.

...or do both!

Good Luck!

tandoori chicken dinner $12.65 / serves 6

2011-12-05T17:26:00.000-06:00

One of the hardest parts of beginning to cook for yourself is learning how to combine dishes to make a well rounded, satisfying meal without a bunch of leftover ingredients. So, I'm going to start my complete meal idea series back up!

This first meal is just a combination of a few of my favorite Indian inspired dishes. They're all easy, all super flavorful, and, of course, customizable. Because Indian food tends to be heavy on the spices, the list of ingredients from "my pantry" may seem long, but it's really just a bunch of spices. I don't expect everyone to have a spice pantry as well stocked as mine, so please be aware that you can substitute and improvise. For instance, if you don't have both garam masala and curry powder, you can use either one for both recipes and they'll still be delicious. Also, here is a simple recipe for mixing up your own garam masala spice blend.

Just one special note: the longer the chicken marinates, the better it tastes! So start it the night before or in the morning for best results! Also, buy family sized packs of chicken for the lowest price. Divide and freeze unused portions as soon as you get home from the store.

This meal includes:

Tandoori Chicken Kebabs (double batch) $7.95
Quick Curried Chickpeas $3.16
Yellow Jasmine Rice $1.54
Total: $12.65
Serves: 6

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
2 large	chicken breasts
1 medium	lemon
6 cloves	garlic (or about 2 Tbsp minced)
1 large	yellow onion
2 inches	fresh ginger root
2 (15 oz.) cans	chick peas
1 (20 oz.) can	tomato sauce
1 bunch	cilantro
1/2 cup	plain yogurt

PANTRY ITEMS / ON HAND
2 cups	jasmine rice
2 Tbsp	olive oil
1 Tbsp	chicken base (or 3 cups chicken broth)
2 Tbsp	butter
1/2 tsp	salt
1 Tbsp	garam masala
1/2 tsp	paprika
1/4 tsp	cayenne
1.5 tsp	turmeric
1 Tbsp	curry powder
1/8 tsp	cinnamon
1/4 tsp	cumin
1 whole	bay leaf

STEP 1: The night before prepare the marinade for the chicken. Slice the chicken, coat with marinade, and refrigerate until ready to cook. (Full instructions here).

STEP 2: About 45 minutes prior to when you want to eat, begin preparing the quick curried chick peas. (Full instructions here) While the chick peas are simmering, move on to the rice.

STEP 3: Begin to prepare the yellow jasmine rice. (Full instructions here) While the rice is simmering, begin to grill the chicken.

STEP 4: Cook the marinated chicken strips on an indoor grill as described here. If the chickpeas or rice are finished before the chicken has finished cooking, cover them with a lid, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and keep warm until everything is finished.

LEFTOVERS
You will most likely have left over cilantro from the bunch (the recipe only calls for about a half bunch). Luckily, this herb goes well on top of all three of these dishes! You could use it to make a quick cilantro dressing, or try freezing it. And if the rest of that cilantro does go to waste, you'll be out about 60 cents... which is a fraction of what you've saved by making this meal yourself.

VEGETARIAN OPTION
The yogurt marinade for the tandoori chicken is so magical that it would easily make tofu taste like heaven. Try marinating and then grilling blocks of tofu in the same manner that I did the chicken. You'll not be sorry.

slow cooker potato soup $5.87 recipe / $0.73 serving

2011-12-01T18:05:00.002-06:00

I've hesitated to make potato soup for quite some time because all I could think about is how creamy and carby it must be. Surely it's not good for me to eat that every day, right? Well, that's right... unless you make it like this.

I made this super delicious, veggie packed, low fat potato soup and guess what? It's also super inexpensive! That's what I'm talkin' about. To make this soup healthier, I left the skins of the potatoes on, added celery and carrots, and used 1% milk thickened with flour rather than cream.

This soup is so delicious that not only did I gobble down two bowls as soon as I was finished making it (tsk, tsk), but I didn't even bother to add the "toppings" that I had bought for it (cheddar, green onion, parsley). For that reason, I decided not to include any toppings in the price break down. It's good enough to stand alone. Besides, there are way too many topping options and everyone will probably use something different... you can do sour cream, cheese, green onion, parsley, bacon, smoked paprika, or nothing at all because IT'S ALREADY DELICIOUS.

Total Recipe cost: $5.87
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Cost per serving: $0.73
Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 8 hrs. Total: 8 hrs. 20 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 medium	yellow onion	$0.79
2 stalks	celery	$0.35
2 medium	carrots	$0.25
1 Tbsp	minced garlic	$0.24
3 lbs.	potatoes	$3.00
2 Tbsp	chicken base	$0.40
6 cups	water	$0.00
1/4 tsp	cracked pepper	$0.02
2 cups	milk	$0.72
1/4 cup	all-purpose flour	$0.05
1 tsp	salt	$0.05
TOTAL		$5.87

STEP 1: Finely dice the celery and onion. Peel the carrots and then grate them on a cheese grater. Mince the garlic or use pre-minced from a jar. Add all of this to the slow cooker. Clean the potatoes well, cut into one inch cubes or smaller, and add them to the slow cooker.

STEP 2: Prepare 6 cups of chicken broth by dissolving the chicken base in 6 cups of water (or use homemade or store bought broth). Add to the slow cooker. Add some freshly cracked black pepper (about a 1/4 tsp). Secure the lid on the cooker and cook on high for approximately 8 hours (give or take an hour).

STEP 3: Open the slow cooker and test the potatoes for tenderness. They should be very soft. The onions and celery should also be very soft and transparent. Whisk 1/4 cup of flour into 2 cups of milk and then stir that mixture into the soup. Secure the lid once more and let cook on high for another 30 minutes.

STEP 4: After 30 minutes, the soup should once again be bubbling. It needs to be bubbling for the flour to have it's full thickening power. Use a potato masher, immersion blender, or a hand mixer to "mash" the potatoes. Or, you can transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree (be careful, it's HOT) until smooth and then stir it back in to the rest. Taste the soup and add salt as needed (about one teaspoon). Serve hot.

Step By Step Photos

Start by preparing your vegetables. Obviously, you can't buy just two carrots and two stalks of celery, but that doesn't mean that you have to waste a whole bag just to get what you need for this soup. I always dice up the rest of the bag and freeze it to use in a soup later. Many, many soups start with onion, celery, and carrot, so I often have what I need in my freezer and don't have to buy them! See an example in this post (scroll down to the step by step photos).

Dice the vegetables very small so that there aren't huge chunks in your potato soup. Carrit can be difficult to dice because it's round, so I just grated it on a cheese grater. Also, carrots don't get as soft as the rest so it was nice to have very small pieces.

I used red potatoes because I love them. I left the skins on and just cleaned them really well (I love potato skin, call me crazy). I would stay away from using yukon gold potatoes because they tend to be more "waxy" and will not mash into the soup as easily. Also, I bought four potatoes, but they were huge so I ended up only using three, which was about 3 lbs. total.

Cut the potatoes into small cubes - one inch or smaller. The smaller you cut them now, the easier it will be to mash them up later. Add all of the vegetables to the slow cooker (onion, celery, carrot, garlic, potatoes).

Make 6 cups of chicken broth with the chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon brand) and add it to the slow cooker. Also add some freshly cracked pepper. Secure the lid on the pot, turn the heat onto high, and let 'er rip. Cook for about 8 hours (a little more or less is okay).

And then when you come back later (or wake up in the morning, in my case) you've got a nicely cooked "soup" of a mixture. All of the vegetables are very soft and will mash up easily.

And here comes the "creamy" part. Whisk the all-purpose flour into the milk, trying not to let any big lumps remain.

Pour the flour/milk mixture into the soup, put the lid back on top and let it cook on high for another 30 minutes or so. It needs to come back up to a bubble for the flour to actually thicken the soup.

And then the soup is ready to be mashed. Lucky me, I don't have a potato masher so I had to improvise. First I used a whisk, which didn't work so well. So then I mashed some with a large spatula, and then I finally pulled out my hand mixer and "mixed" on low speed (to prevent hot splashes) for a few minutes until it was somewhat mashed. I still had some potato pieces, but I like a slightly chunky texture. Mashing the potatoes releases some starch into the soup which will help thicken it further. Give the soup a taste and add salt as needed. I added about a teaspoon of salt. This pic is pre-mashing.

And then, if you must, add some delicious toppings... but I'm telling you, I tore this soup up all on its own. The potato skins in the picture kind of look like ham... I bet ham would be another yummy topping! Too many options. :P

4 WEEKS of GIVEAWAYS week #3 [CLOSED]

2011-11-29T18:01:00.002-06:00

In the continuing celebration of Budget Bytes reaching 10,000 RSS subscribers, I bring you Week #3 of the 4 Weeks of Giveaways!

So, you know I'm obsessed with pizza, right? Well, I am. Pizza is like a blank canvas to which you can apply any flavor, color, or texture. It's pure magic.

But to get a really great pizza, you need a stone pizza oven... or a PIZZA STONE!

So, I'm giving one away. Actually, not just a pizza stone, but also a pizza cutter and pizza peel (the wooden paddle that is used to transfer your raw pizza onto the hot stone). I hope there are many, many delicious pizzas in your future!

Giveaway #3 - Bialetti 4-Piece Pizza Stone Set

This week's contest entry question is:

What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

Since I don't make cookies very often, I decided to turn this giveaway into a Christmas cookie exchange. You can either just name your favorite Christmas cookie or share it with everyone by leaving a link or URL to the recipe. I can't wait to hear your favorites!

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this blog post answering "What is your favorite Christmas cookie?" and then click the green "I did this!" button in the contest widget.

"Like" Budget Bytes on Facebook through the contest widget button.

...or do both!

Good Luck!

vegetable egg rolls $5.90 recipe / $0.58 serving

2011-11-28T16:08:00.001-06:00

Okay, I might just have to make egg rolls all the time. They were so much easier than expected! And, because I decided to bake mine, they're pretty freakin' healthy. And, wow, super inexepensive! Just over 50 cents for two rolls? Yes please. Win, win, win!

Baking egg rolls definitely creates a different texture than frying, but I still liked them A LOT. It's more of a "crunch" than a "crisp" when you bite in... But, if you wanted to fry these, they would be every bit as easy and probably even more delicious. If you don't have a deep fryer, a couple inches of vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed skillet would probably do the trick. ...I just have an irrational fear of frying things. I guess I've been badly burned one too many times and I know that one day it's going to splatter on my face and that'll be the end of me.

I also experimented with freezing the egg rolls uncooked. After freezing I put them straight into a hot oven without thawing. The texture was a little less than great but they were still delicious all the same. I will be freezing some the next time I make them. More about that in the photos at the bottom of the post.

There are a lot of step by step photos with this post, but don't be mislead. It's an easy process... I just wanted to catch every little step because most of this is hard to describe in words!

Total Recipe cost: $5.90
Servings Per Recipe: 10 (two rolls per serving)
Cost per serving: $0.59
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 30 min. Total: 1 hr.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 Tbsp	vegetable oil	$0.08
1/2 tsp	minced garlic	$0.04
1 inch	fresh ginger	$0.12
4 oz.	mushrooms	$0.99
2 medium	carrots	$0.25
3 medium	green onions	$0.23
1 small head	green cabbage	$1.70
1/4 cup	soy sauce	$0.24
1/2 Tbsp	corn starch	$0.03
1 tsp	sesame oil	$0.12
1 pkg (20 ea)	egg roll wrappers	$2.00
as needed	non-stick spray	$0.10
TOTAL		$5.90

STEP 1: First prepare the vegetables. Peel the ginger and grate with a small holed cheese grater. Peel and grate the carrots on a large holed cheese grater. Mince the garlic (if using fresh rather than pre-minced). Clean and slice the green onions and mushrooms. Peel the outer leaves from the cabbage, cut into quarters, remove the core, and then slice thinly into shreds.

STEP 2: In a very large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and saute the green onion, garlic, and ginger until slightly softened (1-2 minutes). Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the carrot, saute for one minute more, then add the cabbage. Continue to cook and stir until the cabbage has reduced in volume by half (increase the heat to medium-high if necessary).

STEP 3: Dissolve the cornstarch in the soy sauce. Add that to the skillet and stir to coat the vegetables. The heat will cause the mixture to thicken and create a soy sauce glaze. Drizzle the sesame oil over top and stir in. Turn the heat off. Give the mixture a taste and adjust the soy sauce and sesame oil to your liking. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.

STEP 4: Begin to fill and roll the egg rolls. Place one wrapper at a time on a clean surface and place about 1/4 cup of the cabbage mixture just off center, close to one of the corners on the square. Roll the corner up and over the filling, fold each side in, and then roll the rest of the way up. Keep a small bowl of water near by and use it as "glue" to hold the corners of the egg roll wrapper in place. (See step-by-step photos below)

STEP 5: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by covering with foil. Place the egg rolls on the baking sheet and coat with non-stick spray. Roll them over and coat the other side (you can brush with vegetable oil if you're opposed to non-stick spray). Bake in the fully preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Turn the egg rolls over half way through cooking and rotate your baking sheet if you have hot spots in your oven.

Step By Step Photos

Start by prepping all of the vegetables so they're ready to go. I used cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, green onion, ginger, and minced garlic (in the jar).

Peel and grate the ginger. I use a small holed cheese grater rather than mincing with a knife, and I grate it right over the skillet to catch any juices, which there are a lot of.

Peel and grate the carrot. I use a large holed cheese grater for this. I tried to use a mandolin ONCE and will never bother again!

To shred the cabbage, first remove the wilted leaves. Next, cut the head into quarters and then cut the core off of each quarter. Then cut each quarter lengthwise one more time, and then cut crosswise into very thin strips.

Once all of the veggies are prepared, you're ready to cook. Sorry, no pictures on how to cut the mushrooms or green onion because I think you can probably do that part on your own... and if you can't, just give it a shot. You can't really mess those up!

Start with the vegetable oil, garlic, green onion, and ginger in a very large skillet or wok. Heat over a medium flame.

Saute this mixture just until softened (1-2 minutes).

Then add the mushrooms and continue to cook until they've released all of their moisture (about 5 minutes). You don't want soggy egg rolls.

Add the carrot, cook for about a minute more.

Add the shredded cabbage and continue to stir and cook, allowing the cabbage to wilt. It might help to increase the heat to medium-high at this point.

Continue cooking until the cabbage is reduced in volume by about half (10 minutes or so).

At this point, dissolve the corn starch in the soy sauce. Add this mixture to the skillet and stir to coat the cabbage.

The heat from the skillet will thicken the corn starch/soy mixture and create a soy sauce glaze. Turn the heat off once it has thickened (this usually happens immediately).

Stir in the sesame oil and give the mixture a taste. Adjust seasoning as you see fit. ...a little sriracha wouldn't hurt, if you ask me. But, that's just me.

These are the egg roll wrappers that I used. They can usually be found in the refrigerated section of the produce department, near the tofu and other meat substitutes. This package had 20 wrappers in it which was perfect for the amount of filling I had.

Start to fill and roll the egg rolls. Get a small bowl of water because that will be your "glue." Lay one wrapper out at a time and place some of the filling just off center, toward one of the corners. I used an 1/8th cup scoop but filled it to overflowing... so it was probably more like 1/4 cup per roll. But you'll have to play with it.

Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling and make it snug.

Make sure the filling isn't squeezing out the sides and then fold each side in. This is where the water comes in. Put a small dab of water under each corner to glue them into place.

And then roll it the rest of the way up. Place another little dab of water under the top corner of the square.

Preheat the oven to 425 while you're rolling so that it's ready to go when you're done. Place the egg rolls on a baking sheet and coat with non-stick spray. Roll them over and spray the other side. If you don't like non-stick spray, you can brush them with vegetable oil.

Bake in the preheated for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Turn the egg rolls over at least once during the baking time to prevent the bottoms from getting soggy. Mine still seeped a little liquid but they were pretty crispy overall. Keep an eye on the egg rolls because every other "baked egg roll" recipe I've seen suggested 10 minutes but mine took somewhere between 20-25 minutes. Every oven is different!

I've been gobbling up my egg rolls with Chinese hot mustard and a little sweet and sour sauce... you can also try teriyaki sauce, duck sauce, sriracha, sweet chili sauce, or just plain!

The Freezer Experiment

So, when I made my egg rolls, I placed a few on a baking sheet and popped them in the freezer. Once they freeze through (a couple of hours) you can then transfer them to an air-tight container like a freezer bag and they won't stick to eachother.

So, the next day, I preheated the oven, took the egg rolls out of the freezer, and coated them with non-stick spray. I decided to elevate them off of the baking sheet with a cooling rack to try to keep the bottoms from getting soggy... but I forgot to roll them over during the baking process, so my efforts went wasted.

I baked the egg rolls at 400 degrees rather than 425 so that they would have time to heat up on the inside before the outside browned. As it turns out, freezing them reduces the elasticity in the wrapper so they kind of cracked open in some spots... but damned if they weren't still delicious! I'll still be freezing some next time!

easy egg drop soup $3.77 recipe / $0.63 serving

2011-11-26T16:05:00.001-06:00

I always want something light after the gluttony of holiday meals, so this week I cooked up some easy Asian food. This egg drop soup comes together in just a few minutes and has endless possibilities. I added mushrooms and spinach to try to sneak in some veggies, but if you just want a plain, brothy soup, you can leave them out. If you want something heartier, you could even add some noodles.

It's been a cold, rainy day and this soup is just what I needed to warm me up inside and out! Plus, it's so easy that I was able to whip it up without exhausting myself, despite being under the weather!

Total Recipe cost: $3.77
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.63
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 20 min. Total: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 Tbsp.	vegetable oil	$0.08
2 inches	fresh ginger	$0.23
4 oz.	fresh button mushrooms (optional)	$0.99
2 cups	fresh baby spinach (optional)	$1.13
1/2 bunch	green onions	$0.35
2 Tbsp	chicken base	$0.40
8 cups	water	$0.00
1 Tbsp	corn starch	$0.06
1 Tbsp	soy sauce	$0.06
2 large	eggs	$0.47
TOTAL		$3.77

STEP 1: Peel the ginger with a vegetable peeler and then grate it into the soup pot using a fine cheese grater. Slice the green onions and mushrooms. Add them to the pot along with 1 Tbsp. of vegetable oil. Saute the vegetables over medium heat until slightly softened (5 minutes).

STEP 2: Add 8 cups of water, 2 Tbsp. of chicken soup base (or 2 large bouillon cubes), and one Tbsp of soy sauce. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a rolling boil.

STEP 3: While waiting for the soup to boil, make a slurry with the corn starch and just enough water to dissolve it (about 2 Tbsp). When the soup reaches a boil, stir in the corn starch slurry. This will thicken the soup very slightly, giving it just a tad more body than plain broth.

STEP 4: Whisk the two eggs in a bowl with a couple tablespoons of water. Turn the heat from the soup off and wait for it to stop boiling (one minute or less). Using a large spoon, swirl the soup in the pot and slowly drizzle in the whisked eggs. Do not stir the soup for at least one minute while the eggs set. Allow the swirling current to slow to a stop on its own.

TIPS: The speed at which the soup is swirling and how quickly you pour in the eggs will determine the size of the egg "threads." If you want larger or thicker egg threads, don't stir the soup as fast and pour the egg in faster. Do NOT pour the eggs into a rapidly boiling soup or else it will break apart into very small pieces and you will not have egg threads.

Perfect for a cold rainy day!

Step By Step Photos

Start by prepping your vegetables. First, peel the ginger (using either a vegetable peeler or scrape with a spoon) and then grate using a fine cheese grater. Grate it right into the pot so that any juice that drips off falls into the pot. Slice the green onion and mushrooms. Add them all to the pot with a little bit of vegetable oil.

Saute the vegetables just until they begin to soften - about five minutes.

Add 8 cups of water and 2 Tbsp of chicken base. Or, you can add 6 cups of chicken broth (homemade or store bought) and two extra cups of water. Also add 1 Tbsp of soy sauce.

Turn the heat up to high and allow the soup to come to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, create a slurry with the corn starch and just enough water to dissolve it.

When the soup reaches a boil, stir in the corn starch mixture. This will thicken it very, very slightly. If you want it thicker, just dissolve another Tbsp of cornstarch into a bit more water and add it as well (some asian restaurants have fairly thick egg drop soup).

Turn the heat off and prepare the eggs. Whisk the eggs with a couple of tablespoons of water. The water makes them easier to pour in slowly instead of having a large glop fall in all at once.

When the soup has stopped boiling, swirl it in the pot with a large spoon. The swirling action creates the egg "threads."

Slowly drizzle the egg into the swirling soup. If you want thicker egg threads, pour it in faster and/or wait until the soup slows down a bit. Don't stir the soup for a minute or so after drizzling in the egg so that it has time to set. It's okay if it's still swirling, just don't disturb it more.

See? I made pretty thin egg threads. I know some of you egg-haters out there are probably gagging a this point... but it's good. I swear!

If you're adding spinach, this is the time to do it. Just stir it into the hot soup and allow it to wilt (this only takes about a minute).

I added a 'lil sriracha because that's how I roll.

Easy!

Budget Bytes

burritos blanco $17.43 recipe / $1.74 serving

Step By Step Photos

I sure wish I had a really pretty picture of these burritos to show you just how delicious they are... but I guess you'll just have to take my word for it!

chicken piccatta $7.16 recipe / $1.19 serving

Step By Step Photos

thai chicken pizza $11.72 recipe / $1.47 serving

Step By Step Photos

smoothie packs & my favorite smoothie

Smoothie Packs:

Fruit n' Flax Smoothies:

Step By Step Photos

What is your favorite smoothie combo?

avocado breakfast pita $1.22 each

Step By Step Photos

(not) meatballs & marinara $6.38 recipe / $1.06 serving

Step By Step Photos

top 20 from 2011

20. Cumin Lime Chickpeas

banana bread oatmeal $3.67 recipe / $0.46 serving

Step By Step Photos

quick chocolate pudding $1.50 recipe / $0.38 serving

Step By Step Photos

pineapple teriyaki chicken meal $9.97 meal / serves 4

This meal includes:

GROCERY LIST

PANTRY ITEMS / ON HAND

coconut rice (take 2) $2.91 recipe / $0.49 serving

Step By Step Photos

pineapple teriyaki chicken thighs $9.94 recipe / $1.42 serving

Step By Step Photos

tahini kale salad $2.09 recipe / $0.52 serving

Step By Step Photos

black bean burger meal $17.28 meal / serves 6+

This meal includes:

GROCERY LIST

PANTRY ITEMS / ON HAND

shredded taco beef $12.48 recipe / $1.04 serving

Step By Step Photos

chocolate gingersnaps $4.33 recipe / $0.18 cookie

Step By Step Photos

cumin lime chickpeas $3.79 recipe / $0.63 serving

Step By Step Photos

gingerbread baked oatmeal $2.48 recipe / $0.41

Step By Step Photos

4 WEEKS of GIVEAWAYS week #4 [CLOSED]

Giveaway #3 - 72 sq. inch George Foreman Grill (Red)

Are you a mayo or Miracle Whip person? Or maybe they BOTH make you gag?

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this blog post answering "Mayo or Miracle Whip?" and then click the green "I did this!" button in the contest widget. "Like" Budget Bytes on Facebook through the contest widget button. ...or do both!

Good Luck!

tandoori chicken dinner $12.65 / serves 6

This meal includes:

GROCERY LIST

PANTRY ITEMS / ON HAND

slow cooker potato soup $5.87 recipe / $0.73 serving

Step By Step Photos

4 WEEKS of GIVEAWAYS week #3 [CLOSED]

Giveaway #3 - Bialetti 4-Piece Pizza Stone Set

What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this blog post answering "What is your favorite Christmas cookie?" and then click the green "I did this!" button in the contest widget. "Like" Budget Bytes on Facebook through the contest widget button. ...or do both!

Good Luck!

vegetable egg rolls $5.90 recipe / $0.58 serving

Step By Step Photos

The Freezer Experiment

easy egg drop soup $3.77 recipe / $0.63 serving

Step By Step Photos

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this blog post answering "Mayo or Miracle Whip?" and then click the green "I did this!" button in the contest widget.

"Like" Budget Bytes on Facebook through the contest widget button.

...or do both!

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this blog post answering "What is your favorite Christmas cookie?" and then click the green "I did this!" button in the contest widget.

"Like" Budget Bytes on Facebook through the contest widget button.

...or do both!