Frugal Food & Fare

We've Moved!

2013-01-09T14:57:00.001-06:00

Hey there and Happy New Year! Just in case you didn't know already, Frugal Food and Fare is now bigger and better! Join me on my new and improved blog, PThirty1. On the new blog, I'm sharing more than recipes. There's everything near and dear to me like articles about family, faith, restaurant reviews, crafting, giving and much more! You can still find all of the fabulous recipes from this site on the new site.

Hope to see you there! :)

Bratwurst or Brat-less Chowder (Make it Vegan)

2012-11-10T17:25:00.001-06:00

I bought a case of brats over the summer and froze them waiting for a day to have people over and throw them on the grill. Well, that day never came. Last week, I purchased a boatload of meat to stock up for the winter and, quite frankly, I was tired of seeing those brats - let alone all the space it took in my freezer. So, I took them out to thaw with absolutely no idea what to do with them. I thought if all else fails, I can put them on the indoor grill and make sweet potato fries to go with them. Then, before I left work, it hit me...let them eat soup! Tis the season, right?

I have been in soup making mode since the Chicago hawk came out to remind us who's boss. Once home, I worked on this recipe, tweaking here and there, to get it just right for my family. Well it worked! My husband marveled at how great it tastes - he even ate it for breakfast (well, that might not be much news :)). I love making soups during this season to freeze for the kids to take for lunch or just to enjoy on a cold night. I'm sure your family will love this too - and don't forget you can make it vegan by just avoiding the brats. It's great and so hearty as a vegan dish!

You will need:

6 - 8 bratwurst links, cooked and sliced in 1/2 in. pieces (omit for vegan)

6 small red potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

3 cups water

4 - 6 carrots, sliced in 1/2 in. pieces

1/2 large head of cabbage or 1 small head of cabbage, sliced in 1 in. pieces

3 cups milk (coconut milk for vegan)

3 tbsp corn starch

1 cup white cheese, shredded (omit or use veggie cheese for vegan)

Directions:

In a dutch oven, add bratwurst pieces, potatoes, onion, salt, pepper and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium.
Cover and simmer until potatoes are almost tender. About 20 minutes.
Add carrots and cabbage to the pot. Add more water in 1/2 cup increments if needed.
Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium heat until carrots are tender. About 10 to 15 minutes.
Combine milk and corn starch and stir until starch is dissolved (no lumps).
Add milk mixture to the pot. Stir on medium low heat until the chowder thickens. About 5 minutes.
Stir in cheese until melted and sprinkle extra cheese on top.
Serve and enjoy!

Chicago Toy & Game Fair 2012 - Win a Free Family Pass!!

2012-11-04T11:23:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again...by now, every major toy manufacturer and retailer have mailed you catalogs of their best toy and game options for the Christmas season. Your kids carefully scrutinize each page with visions of unwrapping their favorites on Christmas day. They may even bug you about which ones they want and how well they'll behave from now until then (wink, wink)! Well, if you're a big kid like I am, and you love to try new toys, games and/or press your child to invent their own, you'll love the Chicago Toy & Game Fair - and so will your little (and big) ones!

There's always something new and exciting each year at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (Chitag)! The event is held at Navy Pier Festival Hall on Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18. This year, come out and enjoy the Star Wars Character Lunch, encourage the creativity of your child and have them enter the Young Inventor Challenge, or enjoy the costumed characters in the Radio Disney Party Patrol. There will be loads of entertainment, contests and just downright fun! But don't take my word for it, go on over to http://www.chitagfair.com/ and get a preview for yourself.

I am excited to offer FREE WEEKEND FAMILY PASSES this year! All you have to do is submit a post on your favorite recipe of this site; tell me if you'd like to try it, have tried it, liked it, loved it or even hated it. I just want to hear from you! There will be one weekend family pass giveaway to one random winner each weekend. Hope to see you there!

Peanut Butter Cocoa Krispies (shhh...don't tell them it's vegan)

2012-10-22T22:38:00.001-05:00

I feel so great and so energized on this vegan diet, I've decided to make it a lifestyle. Okay, okay, I may have to slip and have some form of seafood every now and then - just call me a veg-hybrid. You know how much I love variety so I've been on the quest to find and or create the best tasting vegan recipes there are. One thing about this diet, you MUST COOK! And if you like a variety of good food at your disposal (if you will) everyday, you MUST COOK OFTEN!

That said, I bought a box of Kellogg's gluten free whole grain brown rice krispies a month or so ago thinking I'd make plain old rice krispy treats a little healthier. I decided to spruce it up and add chocolate to the mix. Well, no chocolate recipe is complete without peanut butter...add that in and voila! You've got peanut butter cocoa krispies...and we're still not telling them it's vegan - they'll love them!!

You will need:

4 tbsp coconut oil

4 tbsp natural peanut butter

1 1/2 tbsp cacao powder

1 cup vegan or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. hemp or chia seeds

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

4 cups brown rice krispies

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

In a large pot, melt coconut oil and peanut butter on medium heat until well blended (about 2-3 minutes).
Stir in cacao powder, chocolate chips, extract, salt and hemp/chia seeds. Mix well and cook on medium low heat until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is smooth.
Remove mixture from heat and add in oats, stirring until well covered.
Add in rice krispies and peanuts; mix until well covered.
Pour mixture into a non-stick 13x9 pan (or line pan with foil or wax paper). Spread mixture evenly.
Allow mixture to cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
Cut, serve and enjoy!

Thai Corn Chow Chow (It's Vegan)

2012-10-15T23:13:00.001-05:00

By now, most of you know I've gone vegan as a result of a weight loss challenge I entered on the Steve Harvey TV show. Although I thought I'd really miss meat and desserts, I have to say it's going great and I feel the best I've ever felt - so much energy! The energy level must be obvious because I'm up late posting a recipe and I haven't done this in months! You can follow my diet progress here: http://steveharveytv.com/joyces-diet-progress/.

As a die-hard foodie, regardless of what diet I'm trying, my food MUST taste good! I have found a few recipes that make me think I can be a vegan for life! This is one of them. It was originally created/posted by my dietitian and world-renowned vegan, Julieanna Hever, over at http://plantbaseddietitian.com/. You can find the original recipe here: http://plantbaseddietitian.com/thai-corn-chowder-cabbage-salad-part-1/. I made a few alterations based on what I had on hand. The carnivores in my house absolutely devoured it! ;)

You will need:

2.5 cups vegetable broth

1 cup onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup orange bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, shredded

1 tbsp ground ginger

½ tsp coriander seeds or ground coriander

1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

2 tbsp lemongrass, chopped

4 cups frozen corn

1 can coconut milk

1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

In a large pot on medium heat, saute onion, celery, peppers, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, ginger, coriander, salt and red pepper flakes in 1/2 cup of vegetable broth until vegetables are translucent (about 5 to 7 minutes). Stir constantly to blend flavors.
Add lemongrass, 2 cups of corn, remaining broth and coconut milk to the pot. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 10 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture in the pot (or blend in a blender and return to the pot).
Add the remaining 2 cups of corn. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Add lime juice and cilantro. Stir and let simmer for 1 minute.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Garlic Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms

2012-06-28T21:16:00.000-05:00

Ok, so my first and second trimesters were consumed with an addiction to brussels sprouts. My third trimester, however, took a strange turn of events. My sister introduced me to a roasted veggie mix that included squash, broccoli, and garlic among other things. It was scrumptious! I decided I would try it with asparagus instead of broccoli the next time. I found asparagus at a heck of a good deal at Costco's...plus they had baby portobello mushrooms...YUMMM!!! When I finally decided to cook again (hey, I'm pregnant and, as you can tell from the recipe posting negligence lately, I'm too tired to cook), I was way too exhausted to even think about cutting all those fresh veggies again. So I decided to keep it simple. I fell in love with the result which turned out super simple - fresh garlic, asparagus and mushrooms. My hubby said it was restaurant quality. Even the kids love it (well, my 4 year old semi-loves it). You MUST give it a try!

You will need:

5 pounds asparagus, cut in 2.5" pieces

2.5 pounds chopped mushrooms (chunks are better)

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 tbsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large pan, add all vegetables.
Pour olive oil over the vegetables, spreading evenly.
Pour salt over vegetables, spreading evenly.
Toss vegetables with salt and oil to cover evenly.
Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes.
Enjoy!

The Best Thing Since The IPhone...Free Meal Planning For a Lifetime

2012-04-14T19:59:00.002-05:00

For years now, I have been going through the bi-weekly process of browsing the weekly ads of my local grocery stores along with cookbooks and recipe blogs to figure out what fabulous (and frugal) food find would grace my family's palate for the week. I think I am the reigning Meal Planning Queen (well until this pregnancy slowed me down a bit). About a year ago, I joined a recipe site that would let me choose recipes based on specific ingredients, store them and print them out for future use. It was a good site and I only paid $17 for a 6 month membership through one of the deal sites. After 2 months, I became completely disinterested in the site...I can find my own recipes really...I needed something to help me look through these ads and match them to good recipes. And with my having pregnancy brain - I'd prefer a site that I can pull up anytime, anywhere. I can't tell you how many times I've left my nice, printed grocery list and meal plan at home. And we all know going into a grocery store without a list or meal plan is D-D-D-Dangerous!

Well, fast forward to Monday! I found the deal of a lifetime and (almost) exactly what I was looking for at www.foodonthetable.com. This site is fabulous! It still an emerging business so have some patience, however, if you're a busy mom like me, I know you'll love it as much as I do. You start off by selecting your local grocers - you may not find all of them you frequent, but I did find a good portion of the stores in my area. Even SuperTarget is included. Next, you browse the stores ads for sales, choose the items you want to purchase and save it to your grocery shopping list. Last, you select recipes based on the items you plan to purchase on your grocery list. These recipes are created and tested by the company's chefs as well as rated and reviewed by other members on the site. And most of the recipes have pictures - this is a huge, HUGE plus with me. Recipes with no picture make me mad!! In addition to all of this, you can even create and save your own recipes on the site so it's a perfect place to store your favorites while having the option to expand your meal horizons.

So why is this the best thing since the iPhone? Simple...the iPhone is only as good as the useful apps that are loaded on it and Food on the Table has its own iPhone friendly app. Yep, you can go to the grocery store and pull up that list (and check items off) right on your phone - prices, recipes, meal plan and all! You can even link it to your facebook account! Perfection!!!

So - for the creme de la creme - you get all of this and it is absolutely FREE! That's right FREE...FREE for an entire lifetime...FREE is my favorite price! But hurry, this offer only lasts for the month of April. Use the promo code SPRINGFREE for this special offer. When you sign up, add me as your friend on the site and we'll swap recipes. Happy meal planning! ;)

Easy Fruity Pan-Cake Pie

2012-02-02T21:53:00.002-06:00

I just read somewhere that February is National Pancake Month. How did such an important commemoration escape me all these years? Well, far be it from me not to join in the celebration! I absolutely LOOOOVE pancakes! And it helps that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day (although pancakes can be enjoyed at any meal). I thought I'd post one of my favorite pancake recipes. It's so easy to make, I don't know why I don't make them more often. What makes them so easy? These are made with...(gasp)...PANCAKE MIX! Yes, I said it, pancake mix! Yes, yes, I know....as much as I love a homemade batch of buttermilk pancakes, sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, you know? You can use this recipe with pears, apples or even plums. Get creative and enjoy! Happy Pancaking! ;)

You will need:

2 cups pancake mix, prepared (pancake batter)

4-5 apples, peeled and sliced thinly

1 stick of butter

2 tbsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup pancake syrup

1/2 cup chopped pecans/walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium size skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat. Be careful not to let the butter burn.
When butter has melted, add sliced fruit to the pan. Let cook until fruit is soft, about 5 - 7 minutes.
Pour apple/butter mixture evenly into two 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Spread apples around in each pan to ensure coverage (you should barely be able to see the bottom of the pan).
Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of cinnamon evenly on each pancake mixture.
Pour 1/8 cup pancake syrup evenly on each pancake mixture.
(Optional) Sprinkle 1/4 cup nuts evenly on each pancake mixture.
Pour half of prepared pancake batter evenly on each pancake mixture. You may need to take a spoon or spatula to spread batter evenly (you should not see the apple mixture).
Bake pancakes in preheated oven until done, about 20 - 25 minutes. The pancake top should be lightly browned.
Remove pancake pans from the oven carefully. Place a plate over each pan and flip pan topside.
Carefully lift the hot pan, leaving pancake pie on the plate.
Slice the pancake pie like a pizza or as desired and enjoy!

Baby's Beloved Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2012-01-16T16:33:00.004-06:00

I have never been a fan of brussels sprouts. My mom used to boil the frozen, bagged kind and make us eat them. As nutritious as I'm sure they are, they just could not be stomached by yours truly. Fast forward to adulthood...I attempted giving them a chance a couple of years ago while trying to come up with new veggies to bring to the table (plus they were on sale). Well, let's just say they didn't go over so well. I never made them again until around a few months ago when a coworker of mine told me brussels sprouts were a staple for her holiday dinners. In my first trimester, all I craved were fresh veggies and fruit. So something in me (well the baby in me) told me these brussels sprouts would satisfy my craving. I had to have them! I was, however, convinced the traditional method would not work. So I tried roasting them with olive oil and kosher salt and fell in absolute, undeniable, unequivocal L-O-V-E! So much so, I had to have them every week since. On one jaunt to find brussels sprouts, I went to 3 different stores (all of them out of brussels sprouts) and ended up paying twice the normal price at the last store (if you know me well enough, you know my motto is "I will not pay a lot for my muffler"...but not this time). So to switch it up a bit (because I could sense the family was getting bored with my newfound sprout fetish), I created this recipe and it was a smash. Now if only I can make them this way for the rest of my second trimester without the family getting antsy. Probably not, but it was a hit nonetheless. Enjoy!

You will need:

2 lbs. brussels sprouts, cleaned, stems cut and halved

1 large onion, sliced (white onion shown above but I think red would be best)

1/2 cup bacon bits

2 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large 13x9 pan, add brussels sprouts.
Add onion, spreading evenly over brussels sprouts.
Add bacon bits, spreading evenly over brussels sprouts.
Add olive oil, spreading evenly over brussels sprouts.
Add kosher salt, spreading evenly over brussels sprouts.
Toss oil/sprouts mixture to coat thoroughly (add more oil if desired).
Roast in oven on bottom rack for about 40 minutes or until sprouts have browned on the outside.
Serve immediately.

Slow/Pressure Cooker Dish: Poppin' Pot Roast

2012-01-02T18:24:00.001-06:00

I am not much of a soul food cook. I only recently learned to cook collard greens and that's only the ones out of the bag. But my husband absolutely loves pot roast! Before marriage, I'd never cooked it before and really don't recall growing up with this dish as a staple in my house. Well, when I started making this pot roast, I was so convinced this was my ticket into the world of the soul food cook. I always make this with mac-n-cheese, cornbread and some "soulish" veggie dish. My husband never said a negative word of my pot roast accompaniments because he enjoyed the roast so much. Well, one day I was telling my sister about my pot roast recipe and I told her I was having the hardest time figuring out what to cook with it besides mac-n-cheese. Although this was a telephone conversation, I could see the square look on her face when she responded, "ummm sis, pot roast is not a soul food dish". "WHAAAAAT?!?!?!?," was my response (LOL). All these years, I thought collard greens and mac-n-cheese were the only reasonable things to accompany pot roast...my sister had just blown my cover...after all, this roast made me at least an entry level soul food cook, right??? "Ummm, well sis, pot roast usually goes with potatoes and carrots or something...it's not soul food at all...sorry," my sister replied. And that was my exodus from the world of a soul food cook. As you can tell from this picture, I still make "soulish" accompaniments with this dish...and my hubby still doesn't complain. But don't do as I do, do as I say (in this case). Pair this scrumptious pot roast with potatoes and/or carrots (right in the slow cooker) and it's sure to be a hit. The gravy is so good, you can eat it by itself.

You will need:

5-6 lbs. beef roast (I prefer 2- 2.5 to 3 lb. beef chuck roast)

1 tbsp. seasoned salt

1 tbsp. pepper

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 cup flour

2 tbsp. oil

2-11 oz. cans cream of mushroom soup

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

1 cup brandy

1/2 cup beef broth

3 potatoes, quartered (optional)

4 carrots, sliced (optional)

Using a fork or meat tenderizer, puncture or beat roast on both sides generously.
In a pan big enough to fit one roast, heat oil on high.
In a plate or bowl, sprinkle all seasonings on roast (add more or less seasoning if desired).
Dredge roast in flour on both sides.
Add roast to pan and sear just until browned on both sides.
In a small bowl, add soup, soup mix, brandy and beef broth. Stir until well blended.
Place roast in slow/pressure cooker.
If using slow cooker, top roast with potatoes and carrots (optional).
Add soup mixture to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or high 4 to 6 hours.
If using a pressure cooker, add potatoes and carrots to the pot only after cooking roast at steady pressure for 25 minutes. Allow pressure cooker to cool, add potatoes and carrots, cover and bring to full pressure again cooking for an additional 7 to 10 minutes.

Warm Brown Butter BanaPineapple Cake

2011-10-17T23:40:00.000-05:00

I wish I could take credit for this recipe but I can't. A friend of mine mentioned something about a warm butter cake some time ago and I took to the streets looking for a similar recipe. No, I had never tasted a warm butter cake before but just the sound of it made me think it was something my taste buds had to have. In my search, I stumbled upon this gem at one of my favorite recipe blogger's sites. Here's the original recipe: http://katefromscratch.com/2011/05/08/brown-butter-banana-pineapple-cake/. While this recipe is extremely yummy as is, it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Therefore, I cut the sugar a bit. Either way, you're in for a treat. The only other thing I did was rename the recipe to "BanaPineapple". I felt it had a nice ring to it aside from the fact it draws more attention to the wonderful marriage of the two fruits in this dessert. Enjoy!

You will need:

6 pineapple rings

One overripe banana, mashed

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 tbsp cinnamon

3 tbs. rum (I used coconut rum)

1/3 cup pineapple juice (from canned pineapples)

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place pineapple slices into buttered 9 inch spring form cake pan.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, then add sugar, pineapple juice, banana, rum and cinnamon. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Simmer for 2 minutes while stirring. Then remove from heat.
In a large bowl or a mixer, sift flour, sugar and baking soda.
Add eggs, one at a time, whisking after each egg.
Add sour cream to the mixture.
Add half the butter/sugar/banana/pineapple mixture into the batter and stir until well blended.
Pour batter into cake pan over pineapples.
Bake in oven for about 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Poke holes in cake with fork then remove outer ring of cake pan.
Flip cake onto plate and remove bottom of cake pan.
Poke holes into top of cake with fork (even through the pineapples).
Pour remaining butter/sugar/banana/pineapple mixture over the cake while it's slightly warm.
Serve warm. (If there are any leftovers, store cake in the fridge and reheat in the microwave for 40 seconds before serving.)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2011-10-12T22:59:00.000-05:00

I like Mexican food but if you asked me to pick a different recipe or restaurant a thousand times, it would never be Mexican. I don't know what it is, but something about the thought of Mexican food is not appealing to me. Although, I've never had bad Mexican food that I can recall. Maybe I had a bad fajita when I was younger and it scarred me for life. Anyway, I digress...my point is that I've had this recipe on my "to cook" list for a couple of years. I have heard people rant and rave about this soup so many times and for some reason, when I sit down to dine even at a Mexican restaurant, this dish never tempts my tummy. Well today was my lucky day! I cooked my normal big Sunday meal (two whole roasted chickens amongst other things) and the family ate all of it except the chicken scraps. Well I saved the chicken scraps and broth and made a pot of cream of chicken and brown rice soup on Monday. My family ate of all that too! So there I was on Tuesday trying to figure out a quick and hearty meal that I can put together in little time - I had not mentally prepared to cook full dinners 3 days in a row! Surely this was NOT the American way! Thinking I can make use of the canned goods and frozen veggie add-in's I had frozen during my freezer cooking day of the month, I quickly browsed (in my mind) through recipe ideas and decided it was time to pull this recipe out and put it to the fire. Well, needless to say it was a SMASH! Even I had 2 big bowls of it...and you know I hardly ever eat dinner! Well I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine did. Thankfully, this was so chock full of veggies and chicken and tortillas that it lasted. There's enough in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner (and maybe a thermos of it for lunch too). ;)

You will need:

2 tbsp olive oil,

2 onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

3-13 oz cans chunk chicken breast, drained

2-15 oz cans black beans, drained

2-14 oz cans diced tomatoes (I use basil and oregano seasoned)

1-14 oz can sweet corn

1-4 oz can green chile

8 1/2 cups chicken broth

4 tbsp cornmeal

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

12 corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch strips

sour cream (optional garnish)

monterey jack cheese (optional garnish)

green onions (optional garnish)

In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat.
Add onion, green and red peppers and garlic. Sprinkle seasonings (chili powder, cumin, salt) on vegetables, stir and saute until veggies are soft.
Add chicken to pot. Separate chicken chunks as much as possible.
Add remaining canned ingredients (black beans, tomatoes, corn, green chiles). Stir until well mixed (about 3 minutes).
Add broth to pot and bring to a boil. If soup is too thick to your taste, add more broth or water and bring to a boil.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water or milk (@ 1-2 tbsp), then add to pot.
Simmer soup on medium low heat about 20 minutes.
Add cilantro to pot, stir and simmer another 5 minutes.
Serve soup hot with a dollop of sour cream, tortilla strips and additional garnishments as desired.

Slow/Pressure Cooker Recipe: Curry Chicken w/Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Rice

2011-09-14T22:28:00.001-05:00

My girlfriend Marcella just turned me on to pressure cookers. She called me on Wednesday to tell me about how the food cooks in minutes, it's an energy saver and a must for every busy cook. She had me at "hello". I bought two by Friday afternoon and put both of them to use for my big Sunday meal. I fell in love instantly! I can't believe I've gone this many years without one. I remember my mom cooking with one growing up, but honestly didn't give it much thought. In my brief research, I've found that most slow cooker recipes are also good for pressure cookers. Given that, why wait for 4-8 hours for a meal when it can be ready in 10-20 minutes? Ha...it's a no brainer! You can even throw in frozen solid food and it's done in 10 minutes! So I decided to try this recipe which I tweaked from another blog at http://www.workitmom.com/bloggers/orderingdisorder/2008/02/21/in-the-crockpot-chicken-curry-with-sweet-potatoes-and-coconut-rice/. My kids loved this one and they thought the rice was the best. My hubby had to work late so he'll have to vote on the leftovers tomorrow. I'm posting it as a slam dunk anyway. Enjoy!

You will need:

1 5-6lb bag boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen

6 medium sized sweet potatoes

2 large onions

2 tbsp curry powder (more or less to taste)

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. garlic, minced

For rice:

2 cups jasmine rice

1 14 oz. can coconut milk

2 cups chicken broth

In a 7 or 9 quart pressure cooker, arrange 1/3 of chicken breasts in the bottom of the pot - do not overlap.
Sprinkle 1/3 of curry powder, salt, and pepper on chicken.
Repeat with remaining chicken breasts layering and seasoning until all meat and seasonings are used.
Top chicken with garlic and onion spreading as evenly as possible.
Top with sweet potatoes.
Cook in pressure cooker as directed for about 8 - 10 minutes at full pressure.
Allow to cool naturally.
Serve hot over rice.

To make rice:

In a pan, heat coconut milk and broth to boiling, stirring constantly.
Add rice to pan and return to boil.
Cover pan and reduce heat to medium low.
Simmer about 15-20 minutes or until rice is done.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes with Homemade Blueberry Syrup

2011-09-14T21:30:00.000-05:00

This pancake variation can be made from scratch as indicated below or just add the last three ingredients to a prepared pancake mix (make sure you add it to the same amount of cups of flour as mentioned below or adjust proportion accordingly). The blueberry syrup gives it an added richness. The syrup can be made with strawberries or any other berries in the same manner. This yields about 30 medium size (about 4") pancakes. Enjoy!

You will need:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups buttermilk

3 1/2 tbsp. lemon flavoring

2 tbsp. poppyseeds

2 tbsp. grated lemon peel

For blueberry syrup:

2 cups blueberries, fresh

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients well.
Combine eggs, buttermilk and oil.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir just until moistened.
On a buttered griddle at medium heat (about 325), pour 2 tablespoonfuls of batter to form pancake.
When bubbles form on the top side of pancakes (about 2-3 minutes), flip pancakes to cook the other side for about 1-2 minutes.
Serve warm with hot fresh blueberry syrup.

For blueberry syrup:

In a small pot, boil water and sugar on high heat until sugar is dissolved.
Add blueberries and return to a boil for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer until blueberries have burst and syrup reaches desired thickness. For thicker syrup, add a tablespoon of cornstarch until the syrup is as thick as you like it.

Pineapple Chicken Curry

2011-06-29T23:40:00.000-05:00

I've been craving this dish for about a year. Ever since I had it at one of the best (and cheapest) Chinese restaurants in metro Chicago, ChiTung, I have desired to recreate this dish. I still think ChiTung's is the best, but this is a VERY close second. I found the original recipe on food.com and made tweaks to accommodate my taste and more portions, of course. Enjoy!

You will need:

1/2 cup red curry paste

2-13 oz. cans coconut milk (one regular, one light)

2 tbsp. oil

5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (@ 4 inches long)

5 tbsp. fish sauce

4 tbsp. chili paste

4 tbsp. sugar

1-8oz. can bamboo shoots, drained

1 green pepper, julienned

1 large onion, julienned

1-20 oz. can pineapple chunks

cornstarch

In a bowl whisk together curry paste and both cans of coconut milk until well blended.
In a wok or large pan, heat oil and cook chicken just until center is no longer pink.
Add curry mixture to wok/pan and bring to a boil.
Add fish sauce, chili paste and sugar to mixture and stir until well blended. Let simmer 3 minutes.
Add bamboo shoots, green pepper, onion and pineapple. Let simmer 7 minutes.
Add cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time until sauce has reached its desired thickness (I like it pretty thick).
Serve hot over jasmine rice.

Smoked Sausage and Black Bean Stew

2011-02-16T20:49:00.000-06:00

Coming up with dinner plans a few days before grocery weekend can be discouraging. I thawed 2 packs of turkey smoked sausage with absolutely no clue what to do with them. Yeah, yeah, I could have made the sweet and sour sausage dish previously posted, but you know me...I like variety...can't stomach the same dish in one month! I tried a novel concept this time...I browsed the sausage manufacturer site (Butterball) for recipe ideas. Of course, the recipe had to match ingredients I had on hand. I found a ton of pasta and sausage recipe, but I was all out of pasta. I needed a rice and sausage recipe desperately or we were having hot dogs tonight. This one was a winner! Surprisingly even I had a second helping which is very unusual. Remember this makes enough to feed a family of 6 for 2 days/dinners, so if you're making it for a smaller crowd, just cut the recipe in half. Enjoy!

You will need:

1 tbsp. olive oil

2-16 oz. pks. turkey smoked sausage, sliced 1/2" thick (can use pork or beef)

2 medium onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-15 oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained (I used one with spices added)

2-15 oz. cans black beans

3 tsp. chili powder (I used Mexican chili powder for extra kick)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

In a large pan or dutch oven, heat oil on medium heat and saute sausage until brown (about 8 minutes).
Add onion, peppers and garlic to the pan and cook until vegetables are soft.
Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir until well blended.
Cover and cook until heated throughout (about 6 minutes).
Serve hot over rice.

Chicken for Two or Twenty

2011-01-29T02:32:00.001-06:00

I am not much of a chicken breast fan. It is usually too bland or too dry for my taste. Over the years, however, I had to learn a few good, quick, chicken breast recipes because it's my husband's favorite part of the chicken. This dish is succulent, juicy and very flavorful. What's great is it is one of those fast, no-brainer dishes. When you've made it once, you'll remember how to do it again without looking back at the recipe. You can use crumbled turkey bacon in this recipe, but real bacon really gives it that kick! I've made it several times while entertaining dinner guests and it's always a pleaser.

You will need:

8 chicken breasts

2 tbsp canola oil

5 tbsp teriyaki sauce

5 tbsp ranch dressing (I use garlic or 3-cheese ranch dressing)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup bacon, crumbled (I use Oscar Mayer real bacon bits)

1 cup green onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat oil on high.
Brown chicken breasts in skillet for about 5 minutes on both sides.
Place chicken in pan.
Brush/baste chicken with teriyaki sauce, then ranch dressing on both sides.
Top chicken with cheddar cheese, then bacon bits, then green onion.
Bake chicken uncovered in oven for 25 minutes or until done.

Veggie's by Mommy Pre

2011-01-24T00:10:00.001-06:00

My godmother is one of those great cooks that can whip something together effortlessly. I spend hours poring over recipes and she is just a natural that can cook whatever comes to her mind and make it taste great! While over her house eating fast food, she offered me some veggies she'd just made for dinner. Almost full from my fast food, I declined. My godsister (a fellow foodie) tasted them and insisted I have some. It doesn't take much for me to take the bait when it comes to good food. Needless to say, after I tried them I quickly committed the recipe to memory and I've been making them ever since. I love mixed veggies but I would have never come up with this combination on my own. Once you taste it, you too will be hooked. I should note she originally made this dish as a one-pot meal using a few chicken thighs. Feel free to add that in the pot in step 1 if you'd like - you can't go wrong!

You will need:

1 tbsp. butter

1 large onion, diced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup carrots, chopped in 1" pieces

3 medium red or white potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1" pieces

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1" pieces

1 1/2 cups green bell peppers, chopped in chunks
3 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
2 tbsp. cornstarch or flour

In a 6-quart saute pan, melt butter and saute onion until translucent.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Add carrots, all potatoes and peppers to pan. Simmer on medium heat about 15 minutes or until potatoes and are tender. Add more broth to the pan if necessary.
Add fresh broccoli to the pan and continue to simmer for approx. 7 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
Add cornstarch or flour to the pan to thicken the broth. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Add additional cornstarch or flour until broth has reached desired thickness.
Serve hot and enjoy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Strong-enough (Stroganoff)

2011-01-23T23:34:00.000-06:00

My husband loves soupy dishes like stroganoff but the problem is he purposefully eats all the meaty parts and leaves the soup/sauce for the rest of us. So when I make stroganoff it has to be VERY meaty...hence, "Strong enough". This version is very good and tasty and there's plenty to go around. Remember this is a meal to feed 7 people for 2 days (my big Sunday meal). So, if you're looking for smaller portions, divide the recipe in half or as needed. I served this over whole wheat thin spaghetti to try something different. It is good over egg noodles and rice as well.

You will need:

6 lbs. chicken breast, cut in 1/2" - 1" thick pieces

1 large sweet onion, diced

2 cups mushrooms, sliced (or diced)

3 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of onion soup

1/3 cup water or chicken broth (not shown)

2 tbsp. garlic, minced (not shown)

2 cups sour cream

In a 5 or 6 quart crockpot, add 1/2 of chicken pieces to slow cooker.
Layer 1/2 of diced onions and mushrooms on top of chicken. Repeat layers with remaining chicken, then onions and mushrooms.
Mix soup, water (or broth) and garlic. Add to slow cooker.
Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours or low for 7 1/2 hours.
Add sour cream and cook for additional 1/2 hour.
Serve hot over noodles or rice.

Luscious Lemon Pound Cake

2011-01-13T23:04:00.000-06:00

I made this at the request of my sister-in-law, Monda. I don't usually make dessert recipes that don't include nuts but since she hates nuts (and is a nut...j/k), I had to make something that she could enjoy. This was my first time making lemon pound cake and it came out deeeelicious! I have made pound cake on several occassions but the lemon flavor in this really packs a punch...the icing is not too sweet (I hate dessert that is too sweet...go figure!).

You will need:

2 sticks butter, room temperature (1 cup)
1 cup shortening, room temperature (I use Crisco, butter flavor)
6 eggs, room temperature

3 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. of lemon extract or flavoring

3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Glaze:

2 Cups of Powdered Sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice

1-2 tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a large bundt or angel cake pan (you may need an extra bread loaf pan for excess batter if your pan is not large enough).
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and shortening using an electric mixer.
Add eggs, sugar, evaporated milk, lemon and vanilla extract to the mixture. Mix well.
Add 1 cup of flour, baking powder and salt to the mixture. Or you may sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture. Mix well on high speed ensuring no lumps in batter.
Add remaining flour in 1 cup increments until all flour is mixed well with no lumps.
Pour mixture into cake pan (and overflow bread loaf pan if necessary). There should be a 1 1/2 allotment at rim of pan or it will overflow.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. The cake should be browned and cracked on the surface.
Mix glaze ingredients together starting with only 1 tablespoon of water. Add more water to desired consistency.
Transfer cake to a cool plate.
Drizzle glaze over cake and allow to cool completely before serving.

Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Soup

2011-01-03T23:23:00.000-06:00

I looooove my sister Meachie. She knew I had my eye on B. Smith's cookbook since we first dined in her restaurant back in 2009. I couldn't stomach paying over $20 for a cookbook though so it was on my wish list for a loooong time until she surprised me with it. Now I can't figure out which recipes to try and when. I started with an adaptation of her recipe, "Braise of Black-Eyed Peas and Greens Soup" because the ingredients were mostly made of kitchen staples and I simply had a taste for black-eyed peas. Combine this soup with cornbread and you have a down home Southern meal. This soup gets an A++ from the kids too! Enjoy!

You will need:

2 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced (not shown)

2 cups celery, diced (about 4 stalks)

1 cup carrots, chopped (about 3 carrots - not shown)

2 bay leaves

3 cups collard greens, chopped

2 turkey drummettes, bones removed, meat diced

6 cups chicken broth

4 tsp. jerk seasoning

1 tsp. oregano

The night before, place dried black beans in a pot and cover with water. Let soak overnight. Beans will swell and soften. Drain and rinse.
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Saute diced onion, garlic, celery and carrots in oil until tender (about 8 minutes).
Add bay leaves, collard greens and turkey to the pot. Saute another 5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, black-eyed peas, jerk seasoning and oregano to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 45 minutes or until peas are tender.
Remove bay leaves and serve.

CurMustHonSoy Chicken

2010-12-03T00:11:00.000-06:00

So you're probably thinking what in the heck is "CurMustHonSoy". When I was in high school, I would develop acronyms for certain things I needed to remember for tests and quizzes. I carried this memorization method into adulthood and use it for just about everything I need to commit to memory. One of my favorite chicken recipes in one of my earlier posts, honeybaked chicken, I remember as "CANC" because that's the acronym for the spices used in the rub (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves). So, I named this recipe CurMustHonSoy to remember the easy-peasy ingredients to this scrumptious dish! I l-l-l-l-looooove curry and it is a staple in my spice cabinet. This recipe combines curry flavor with the sweetness of honey, sour of soy and tanginess of mustard. It is almost a sin that it is so good yet soooo easy. Enjoy!

You will need:

1 c. honey

2/3 c. honey mustard

2 tbsp curry powder (heaping)

1/2 c. soy sauce

10 - 12 chicken breasts (thawed or frozen)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir until well blended.
Place chicken in a large ziploc bag or bowl. Pour mixture over chicken to coat.
Cover bowl or close bag and let chicken marinate in sauce overnight.
Place chicken in pan and pour remaining sauce over the chicken.
Cover pan with foil and bake chicken for 45 minutes.
Uncover chicken and baste with sauce. Cook for an additional 15 minutes uncovered.

Sweet 'n' Sour Turkey Sausage w/Brown Rice

2010-11-21T21:56:00.000-06:00

I bought 2 1-pound packs of turkey kielbasa on a ridiculous sale a few weeks ago with absolutely no clue what I would do with them. I rarely make a sausage dish, and when I use kielbasa, it's usually a simple sausage and onions over rice dish. After perusing various recipes for weeks, I finally found something that tempted my tummy. This recipe is adapted from Taste of Home and my changes are very small using pineapple tidbits instead of chunks and serving over brown rice. I only wish I had quadrupled the recipe as there are not enough leftovers to feed everyone tomorrow with this recipe as it is. This is a perfect weekday meal since it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Enjoy!

You will need:

1 1/2 large onions, cut into 1 in. pieces

2 green/bell peppers, cut into 1 in. pieces

2 tbsp. canola oil

2-1lb. packs turkey polska kielbasa sausage

1-20 oz. can pineapple tidbits

1 cup apricot preserves

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

2 tbsp. soy sauce

4 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. ginger

2 cups hot cooked brown rice

In a large skillet, heat canola oil. Saute sausage, peppers and onions in oil on medium-high heat until vegetables are tender and sausage is lightly browned (about 10 minutes).
Drain pineapple tidbits and reserve juice (about 1/2 cup).
In a small bowl, combine apricot preserves, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger and pineapple juice. Mix well.
Add preserve mixture to the skillet and stir until mixed throughout. Boil mixture until sauce has thickened (about 5 minutes).
Serve hot over brown rice.

Corn and Butternut Squash Soup

2010-11-14T23:34:00.000-06:00

My mom made squash often growing up but I don't recall ever having butternut squash. I was introduced to the wonderful flavor of this vegetable in a soup one day when I lunched at Corner Bakery (a Maggiano's cafe/bistro). The soup was delicious. That was some years ago, however, the turn of the season inspired me to try something new at home for the season. Soups are always good staples to cook and freeze for later use during the winter months. This soup is adapted from a Taste of Home recipe and it is "good with a side of great" according to my husband.

You will need:

2 butternut squash, cooked and mashed

1-12 oz. package bacon

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups heavy whipping cream or half & half

1-15 oz. can cream style corn

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

To cook squash:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut butternut squash in half, then quarters. Place on baking sheet with the insides down (skin exposed).
Cook squash 45 minutes.
Carefully scoop seeds and membranes from squash and discard.
Scoop remaining squash into a bowl.
Mash and stir squash until smooth and well-blended.

To prepare soup:

In a dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp.
Remove bacon and crumble into small pieces in a separate bowl. Reserve about 2 tbsp. of bacon drippings in pan.
In pan, cook onion and celery in bacon drippings until soft and translucent.
Add flour to pan and stir until about 1 minute.
Slowly add chicken broth to pan. Bring to a boil until slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low. Add squash to pot and stir until blended.
Add cream, corn, salt and pepper to pot and stir until blended.
Add bacon to pot. Simmer on low heat about 15-20 minutes stirring consistently.

Banana-Oat-Nut Muffins

2010-11-12T00:22:00.000-06:00

For a person that doesn't like bananas, I sure use them in a lot of baked goods, huh? The truth is I can't remember in my adult life if I've ever eaten a plain banana. I know I have eaten them as a kid, but somewhere along the line something happened and I never touched them again. I do, however, love banana flavor! So stuff like banana nut bread, banana pancakes, and even strawberry-banana yogurt is sooo yummy to me! Anyway, I had some bananas that were ready to go bad this week and I was too bored with banana nut bread to make that again. So I searched for a quick breakfast item I could make with them. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and the only tweak I made was adding walnuts. If you don't like nuts, it is delicious as is! My only wish is that I had doubled the recipe because now they are all gone! Enjoy!

You will need:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned or quick oats

1/2 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 bananas, mashed

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt). Mix well.
In another bowl, combine wet ingredients (egg, milk, oil, vanilla, bananas). Mix well.
Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir just until moistened.
Fold in walnuts.
Pour mixture into a buttered or lined 12-cup muffin pan distributing evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes or until top is browned.