CatherineBlog

Weekly Challenge: 2 Chickens, 5 Dinners and a $25 Budget

CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:00:00 GMT

As much as I like to be in the kitchen cooking up a storm, there are a few culinary tasks that I dread. One of them is touching and cutting raw meat because sometimes it’s slimy and requires lots of hand washing. So thanks to supermarket convenience, I’ve always bought the pre-packaged and trimmed meat. In fact, the guys at meat counter were kind enough to cut the meat for my Slow-Cooked Hungarian Stew in ¾ inch pieces. But convenience costs a pretty penny. To get the biggest bang for my buck in this week’s challenge, I overcame my fear and bought a raw, whole chicken.

The Shopping Experience:
My jaw hit the ground with I realized that whole chickens were just over $3! The rotisserie chicken in the deli cost more than double that! And when I buy four perfectly pre-packaged chicken breasts, they cost me around $6. The Betty Crocker Kitchen advised me that I could get two or three meals out of one chicken. So I bought two for less than $8.

Shopping was the easy part, but making chicken exciting all week on a budget was the challenge. The good news is block cheese was on sale ($1.49 less than the pre-shredded stuff). Also, I still had coupons from bettycrocker.com and Tablespoon.com. I had three meals planned. I decided I would get creative for the other two dinners with ingredients I already had.

Grand total: $24.69.

Sunday: Beer-Brined Chicken & Green Giant Cheesy Rice & Broccoli

Notes: I went to the Kickin’ Chicken Class on The Mixer and watched how they made this recipe and how they cut the chicken. I thought I had this down until it was time to start cutting. I started to panic…the bird didn’t have any meat on it! Oh, wait! I had cooked the birds upside down. Whoops! But my co-worker says she does that on purpose because it makes the meat extra juicy.

Results: Why haven’t I cooked with beer before? This was very tasty! The Green Giant side dish was delicious and couldn’t have been easier to prepare.

Monday: Collard Greens and Turkey Chicken Quiche

Notes: I used the Betty Crocker Pie Crust Mix, but honestly, next time I would use the Pillsbury pre-made piecrusts to shave of some time. That is, if it’s in budget!

I had been missing cheese after last week’s bean-filled menu. I was drawn to this recipe because I never had eaten collard greens before. And for 70 cents, it was worth it. When I came home Justin was less than pleased. “You didn’t even ask me! I hate collard greens!”

Results: Betty Crocker: 1, Justin: 0

He liked it and said he couldn’t really taste the collard greens. I, on the other hand, LOVED this recipe. I even went back for seconds. What I liked about it also is the collard greens held up very well and didn’t get mushy like spinach would have. I probably didn’t squeeze enough moisture out the collard greens though, so it was a little watery. That or I needed to cook it for another five minutes. It didn’t matter though; it was great anyway!

Tuesday: Layered Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Notes: I thought I was being clever when I decided to cut this recipe in half to make it in a pie plate. I mean, why put it in a casserole dish when tortillas are round? Boy did I learn the hard way! Your pie plate will not be deep enough for all the layers. I ended up having to flip the entire mixture into 8x8 dish.

Results: Justin loved this enough to go back for more, which says a lot because it’s a pretty heavy meal. In fact, he said this was his favorite meal of the week. We tend to make Mexican food on a weekly basis so I liked it because it was a nice twist on the weekly enchiladas, burritos and botanas.

Wednesday: Kickin’ Chicken Sandwiches

Notes: I had no time to really be in the kitchen that night, but we still needed to eat. I made some unique sandwiches with the leftover lettuce and tomatoes from Tuesday night’s meal. I still had pepperoni in the house from last week’s Suddenly Salad Meal. I also added garlic hummus and mustard. This by far was the cheapest meal we ate because we used ingredients in the house.

Results: Simple, amazing, and ready within 10 minutes! Perfect. A little messy because of the shredded chicken, so next time I will put it in a pita or a tortilla.

Thursday: Hearty Chicken Stew with Dumplings (Cooking for 2)

Notes: I realized I had everything in the house for this! I liked the recipe because adding stewed-tomatoes was unique. I used a Green Giant carrot and broccoli mixture.

Results: This was my favorite meal of this week. The Italian seasoning was the perfect touch to make it memorable.

Lessons Learned:

1.    Education is key! I liked the prepackage meats because I didn’t really know how to cut meat and assumed it would be too messy. But after I learned how and took my time when cutting it, I realized it wasn’t bad at all. If anything, on Sunday I enjoyed the aroma of the Beer-Brined Chicken as I cut into the chicken.

2.    Cheaper, yes. Convenient, not quite. Okay, so I had to shred my own cheese. And I had to make my own pie crust. It kept me under budget, but most dinners felt longer to make than usual. If you can, plan for the extra time. On the other hand, cooking a whole chicken was convenient. On Sunday I had shredded all the chicken and put them in little containers- so when it came time for the next meal, I could easily open and add meat.

3.    Try New Foods. I hadn’t had collard greens before and for the price it was worth being open minded. Plus, now I know I like it and that it’s a great alternative to spinach in heartier dishes.

If I can do it, you can do it! Don’t be afraid to challenge yourselves this week. How far can $25 and a whole chicken take YOU?

The Challenge: Pantry-Only Recipes

CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:01:00 GMT

Okay, I admit it. I am in love with those 10 for $10 deals at the supermarket. I’ve found myself saying on more than one occasion, “I’m sure I’ll need 10 cans of olives sometime or another.”

I used to think my family was unnecessarily strategic for having such a well-stocked pantry (Who can think ahead like that?)…until I moved to college and realized the benefits. Since then, I’ve followed in my family’s footsteps and prided myself on having enough food for when I’m feeling creative in the kitchen.

When this thread came up in the community about pantry-only recipes, I knew it was a challenge I had to take. I decided to give my refrigerator a rest for the week and embrace my cupboards. I had to pick up a few things for this week’s meals, but it was under $20 because I had the majority of the ingredients already. The results surprised me!

Monday: Mediterranean Suddenly Salad

1 Box Suddenly Salad Classic
2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
3 tablespoons of water
2.25 oz of sliced black olives, drained
2 oz of diced pimientos, drained
Artichokes Hearts (10-12 Extra Small Hearts, diced in 1/4th’s
2.5 oz of Turkey Pepperoni, chopped in fourths (Refrigerate after opening.)

Make Suddenly Salad Classic according to package. While noodles boil prepare veggies and meat. Add cooled noodles, sauce and veggies in one bowl and mix.

Notes: What I love about Suddenly Salad is that it’s hard to mess up. It’s a simplistic and yummy result no matter how creative I decide to get.

Results: Simple, quick and ready in 20 minutes. The hubby went back for seconds. It tasted even better the day after for leftovers.

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Three-Bean Chili

Notes: When I came home from work, my hubby said, “I think it’s ruined.” Oh, no! I ran to the slow cooker and saw one big dry bean mixture. I read the directions right… right? In fact I had and once I had added the final recipe ingredients, the chili texture was back to normal.

I didn’t have canned tomatoes with green chilis but I did have plain, diced tomatoes and a can of chilis, so I put those in. It worked just the same!

My hubby ate his with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce while I ate mine with crumbled crackers on top. (BTW, I realized I only refer to him as hubby, but he does have a name. It’s Justin.)

Results: Yum! No need to go back for seconds because this chili is very hearty and filling. My only complaint was that the lentils maybe needed another ¼ cup of water. Justin didn’t care for the chickpeas, but my co-worker (whom I shared leftovers with) said they were critical in making the over all texture less mushy. If you want to keep this a pantry-only recipe, some nacho cheese on top could be fun. Next time, I’ll add some shredded cheese.

Wednesday: Bisquick® Shake 'n' Pour Pancakes

Notes: I’ve been making more breakfast meals for dinner lately because we tend to love them more than expected. It’s probably because in the mornings we’re running late and often eating something quick. I realized it was my first time making pancakes for dinner. I put peanut butter and jelly on mine and Justin added maple syrup to his. If you were making this for kids you could make these fun by using cookie cutters to cut the finished flap jacks into silly shapes! Or you could add dried fruit on top to make funny pancake faces.

Results: After the first bite Justin said, “You are a great wife.” I never expected that kind of response! The pancakes were delicious and after two pancakes I was full (and didn’t crave dessert!) The best part – clean up was a breeze.

Thursday: Black Bean and Salsa Noodle Soup

Notes: I was drawn to this recipe because it reminded me of a twist on a classic tortilla soup. I saw it called for 1/3 cup fresh cilantro. I decided to try dried cilantro instead. I asked the Kitchens their advice and they responded, “Usually 1 tsp dried to 1 tbsp fresh so if 1/3 cup is 5 1/3 tablespoons or 16 tsp, you would use about 5 teaspoons dried cilantro. Or if you wanted to be shy, go with 1/4 cup (4 tbsp).” I went with ¼ cup.

I served it with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (refrigerate after opening though!) and lots of tortilla chips. I had invited two of my friends over to eat with us this night.

Results: The table was full of MmmMmmm’s. They like how the Parmesan cheese balanced out the medium-spicy salsa that I used. I made this meal a few months back with fresh cilantro, and in my humble opinion, I liked it better. But the taste-testers all loved the dried cilantro.

Friday: Spanish Rice and Pinto Beans

Notes: This is a meal I started making when Justin and I were first married after I fell in love with boxed Spanish rice. I was worried that we would be burnt out on beans by end of week, but because we used different types of beans in the meals I had hoped he wouldn’t notice. The box asks for two tablespoons of butter, but I wanted to keep it pantry friendly, so I used two tablespoons olive oil instead. Justin warmed up some of Thursday’s leftovers and had it on the side.

Results: It’s so simple; that’s why we love making it a staple in our house. We’ve put this mixture in tortillas or had it as a side for bigger meals. Though we were happy to eat this, Justin asked me not to make beans again for a little while. Fair enough.

Lessons Learned:

•    My friends asked me how I kept my pantry stocked so well. I told them about this link: http://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/cooking-basics/cooking-strategies/stocking-your-kitchen.htm And the Easy Meal Finder search here: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/
•    Just because it’s pantry doesn’t mean it’s cheaper. Example: Jar of dried cilantro, $6.99. Fresh. .89 cents. Keep a look out for your favorites and stock up when they are on sale.
•    Freeze please! Many of these meals were meant for more than two, so the hubby and I had leftover lunches and feature meals stocked in the freezer.
•    Too many beans? I should have rotated my meals so that the bean-free meals were spread out better.

Next Week’s Challenge: They say it’s cheaper to buy a whole chicken versus buying the breasts, legs, etc. So I’m going to roast a whole chicken and see what types of meals I can make on a $25 budget!

The Challenge: Party of Six on a $25 Budget

CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

“I used to bake in high heels everyday.”- Grandma Joann

My grandmother, entertainer extraordinaire, loved to bring her family and friends together around the kitchen table throughout the years. As a mother of eight, she was always budget-conscious.

So, when she passed away a few weeks ago, I wanted to pay tribute by throwing a family gathering on just a $25 budget. A mass email to my family confirmed that brunch was the best time, which also happened to be perfect for my budget!

I had one simple request for my family. Bring a dish that reminds you of Grandma.

The last time I saw my grandmother she gave me her beloved Betty Crocker cookbooks. Her fingerprints, notes and scraps of paper are scattered throughout the books. Picking a menu became a fun treasure hunt through my grandma’s culinary past.
I went through the books a couple of times. Once I learned what my guests wanted to bring (and looked at what I had in the house already), I was able to narrow down my menu. I really wanted it to be simplistic so that I wouldn’t stress out an hour before the guests arrived.

The Menu:
Special Drink:
Hot Apple Cider Punch

Appetizer:
English Muffins and Orange Marmalade… Grandma’s favorite jelly! (Uncle Joe)

Main:
Potato Casserole (Cousin-in-law, Katy)
Kielbasa
Simple Fruit Salad
Eggplant Marcille

Dessert:
Grandma’s Cheesecake (Cousin Brad)

Takeaway Goodies:
Applesauce Raisin Cookies*
Canadian Oatmeal Shortbread*

The Shopping Experience:
Honestly, this was one of the easier shopping trip challenges I’ve done. Kielbasa was on sale. (Thank you, Oktoberfest!) For the fruit salad, I chose two fruits that were on sale. I wanted to buy the smaller eggplants for the Eggplant Marcille, but they were more expensive so I ended up buying the bigger eggplant. Finally, I didn’t have whole allspice. I intended to buy it until I realized a jar cost $6.99. Well, Grandma always said, make do with what you have… so ground allspice was going to have to work. In the end, I cut it close at $24.88.

*The cookies came from ingredients that I already had, except for the butter which I had included in my budget.

Menu Prepping:
I made the cookies the day before… in high heels. Well only for about 20 minutes until I reached for my slippers again. I seriously don’t know how Grandma did it!

The Entertainment:

I set the table the night before. (I even picked out all my serving platters the night before.) To simplify the seating arrangement and to makes everyone feel special, I made place cards. But not wanting to stress about writing out each name perfectly, I printed a small photo of each guest on regular printing paper and glued it on some white computer paper. Overall this idea was a wonderful conversation starter.

Music always helps set the mood. I went to http://www.pandora.com/ to set up a station that had the classics of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. I like this site because it’s free and you can personalize the music to fit the occasion. I also, had five CDs in the disk changer just in case I had technical difficulties.

I also made sure to have a few toys handy since my cousins were bringing their kids. As they played, the grown ups were able to catch up.

Here are the recipes I used:

Hot Apple Cider Punch: (Betty Crocker Cookbook, Copyright 1971)

1 gallon Apple Cider
2 teaspoons whole cloves
2 teaspoons allspice
2 three-inch cinnamon sticks
2/3 cup sugar
2 oranges, studded with cloves

1. Heat cider, cloves, allspice, cinnamon and sugar to boiling.
2. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Strain punch and pour into punch bowl. Float oranges in bowl.
Makes 32 servings (1/2 cup each)

Notes: For a party of six, you can cut this recipe in half and still have some left leftovers. I decided to make this in the slow cooker - had it on high for at least 20 minutes and kept it on low during the party before I took out the whole spices. Because I didn’t have whole allspice, I added 1 teaspoon of ground allspice to the mix. Confession: I bought the oranges and forgot to add them to the drinks! I went back and added an orange for the photo so you could get the full effect.

Results: I didn’t tell my guests about forgetting the oranges. We thought it was great anyway and many of us went back for seconds. This is also good cold!

Eggplant Marcille: (My Betty Crocker Notebook – exact copyright date is unknown, but the page has the 1955 Betty Crocker photo)

*Please note the recipe doesn’t say how much of each ingredient. So I did my best to eyeball it. I used two large eggplants, 3-4 large tomatoes and 4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.

1. Heat oven to 350°
2. Arrange in alternate layers in baking dish sautéed eggplant strips, tomato slices and grated cheddar cheese.
3. Repeat layers, seasoning each.
4. Bake 30 minutes until cheese melts.

Notes: I seasoned layers with dried basil and thyme and ground pepper.
To sauté eggplant: Melt 3 to 4 tablespoons butter or margarine in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant in butter uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

Results: Mixed Reviews. Katy and I were fans, but little Caroline and my husband were not. I might peal the skin off the eggplant if I make this again.

Potato Casserole Supreme: (Betty Crocker Cookbook, Copyright 2000)

1 (10 ¾ oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup?1 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz) container sour cream?1/2 cup milk?1/4 teaspoon pepper?1 (30 oz) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes ?8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup) ?1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
?1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease rectangular baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches.
2. Mix soups, sour cream, milk and pepper in very large bowl. Stir in potatoes and onions. Spoon into baking dish.
3. Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly around edges.

Notes: The book calls for cream of chicken soup, but Katy used cheddar cheese soup because she is a vegetarian. Katy also used low fat sour cream, milk and cheddar cheese to lower the calories.

Results: Nobody noticed it was a “healthified” version! Yum!

Simple Fruit Salad:

Notes:
I used three peaches and four plums. I cut them up and drizzled them with a little lemon juice so it stayed fresh. I made the salad 2 hours ahead and let it chill in the fridge before serving.

Results: Simple and easy but most importantly, only $3 to make.

Grandma’s Cherry Cheese Cake: Source Unknown

Crust
1 stick of margarine
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons flour
1 egg beaten
½ cup of sugar

Cream Cheese Filling
1 can cherry pie (or any other fruit) filling
2, 8 oz packages of cream cheese
3 eggs, well beaten
1 ½ cups of milk
1 ½ tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Mix the crust ingredients together until soft dough is obtained. It might be a little crumbly.
3. Pat mixture into an ungreased pan (9x13) working up sides. Add pie filling on top. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl mix cream cheese, flour and sugar. Blend well and then add beaten eggs and milk slowly, mixing well. Add vanilla. Then pour cream cheese mixture on top of pie filling. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. It can be eaten a few days after made.

Notes: I don’t know where this recipe came from, but grandma made it every Christmas! My cousin said he greased the 9x13 pan. My sister, who makes this recipe often, doesn’t normally grease it. It easily pops out of the pan either way!

Results: Perfect every time!

Applesauce Raisin Cookies: First Edition Betty Crocker Cookie Book, Copyright 1963

¾ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
½ cup applesauce
2 ¼ cups Gold Medal Flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 cup raisins
½ cup nuts, chopped

1. Heat oven to 375°
2. Mix shortening, sugar and egg thoroughly. Stir in applesauce.
3. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend dry ingredients and stir in. Mix in raisins and nuts.
4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min., or until lightly browned.
Makes four dozen cookies.
Note: If you use Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour, omit baking soda and salt.

Notes: I don’t like my cookies that small, so I made each one with more tablespoons. I had just over three-dozen cookies instead.

Results: Cakey and moist. Fun with a cup of coffee or tea!

Canadian Oatmeal Shortbread: First Edition Betty Crocker Cookie Book, Copyright 1963

1 cup butter or margarine
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Gold Medal Flour
½ teaspoon soda (baking soda)
2 cups rolled oats

1. Mix butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend flour, soda, and rolled oats; stir into mixture. Chill 1 to 2 hours.
2. Heat oven to 350°. Roll dough ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured board. Cut in 1 ½ inch squares or fancy shapes.
3. Baked on ungreased baking sheet 10-12 minutes.
Makes 3 ½ to 4 dozen cookies.

Notes: According to the book, “Do not use Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour in this recipe.” I didn’t let dough chill for an hour or two, but doing so would have helped me cut the dough into shapes. I just made simple flat circles. Also, I put closer to two teaspoons of vanilla in by accident.

Results: These were by far my favorite! The recipe says these are even better after they have been stored a few days and I agree. I might make some of these for Christmas presents. And once again, I couldn’t get 3 ½ dozen cookies. It was closer to 2 ½ dozen cookies. It definitely depends on what size your cookies are.

Lessons Learned:

1.     Get your guests involved in the menu! My family thought it was great there was a theme they could work with. Your guests want to help and feel part of the party. Have them bring a dish!
2.     Look and see what you already have in the house. That may inspire or help you narrow down recipe ideas!
3.     Do prepping the day before if you can. I made the cookies the day before. I also set the table, prepped the music and tidied the house so the morning of I could just focus on the meal.
4.    Keep the menu simple. Write the menu out so you can see how much food you actually have. No, I didn’t have to make the cookies (we already had dessert.) I thought it would be a nice “thank you” to my guests for bringing a dish and selfishly I wanted to make them to use my grandmother’s cookie book!
5.    Keep it simple. If you have a lot of guests, all you need is a simple name card and music to set the mood!
6.     Make a toast. I forgot to do this… but it’s often done at our family gatherings. Even if there is nothing big to celebrate, I always find that a meal together with loved ones is worthy enough to cheers.
7.     Share! Send leftovers home with your guests.
8.     Everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Were my photos cards all the right size? No. Did I forget to add the oranges to the special drink? Yes. Did it matter? No. Everyone had a great time just being together and catching up. Though the little things make it extra special, they don’t make or break a party experience.

Next Week: Pantry Challenge?I keep a well-stocked pantry. (I love those 10 for $10 deals!) But how far will it get me with pantry-only recipes? Check back here next Sunday to see how it turned out.

The Challenge: $25 and Betty Crocker Coupons

CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

When I was younger, my mom tasked me with coupon maintenance. She would circle the coupons in the Sunday paper. I would cut them out, file them away in her coupon organizer and keep it updated. Though this was one of my favorite weekly chores, I didn’t really embrace it again until I was married. Yet, I gave up on this weekly savings ritual because we stopped receiving the Sunday paper (which I now realize was ridiculous).

When I was challenged to see what meals I could make with Betty Crocker coupons and just $25, I was excited to fall in love with coupon clipping again. My goal was to remind myself why coupons are worth the time, planning and maintenance.

First, I had to find the coupons. Since I usually don’t buy a Sunday paper, I decided to take the online route. I checked out Betty Crocker’s and the Tablespoon’s coupons.

I also checked online at my local Jewel-Osco for more coupons and weekly sales and was grateful I also had a preferred member card. I planned the week’s menu before I set out on my shopping adventure.

The Shopping Experience:
As I was picking up the main items, I realized I had to change my fifth meal idea. I was going to try the Wanchi Ferry dinner for two on Friday but I guesstimated the price wrong (even with the $1.50 coupon). No worries, I will try it another week. Thankfully Hamburger Helper was on sale for a dollar and I had 35 cents off of three boxes. In the end, it was close. I spent $24.79. Though the coupons gave me much needed budget relief, the free preferred card saved me more. I’m glad I had both!

Monday: Lentil Vegetable Soup

Notes: I bought the tomatoes with $1 off any Muir Glen® product coupon. The chiles were 60 cents off any two Old El Paso products coupon. I chose this recipe because last winter I fell into the minestrone soup rut, and I wanted something different but still budget friendly.

Results: What a well-balanced soup! The lentils made it hearty and the zucchini gave it the perfect amount of crunch. I enjoyed the slightly sweet taste from the corn, which balanced out the spicy tomato juice. It was a fun change from a vegetable soup (and even better the day after as leftovers.)

Tuesday: Easy Tuna Primavera

Notes: Confession: I had never eaten Tuna Helper or Hamburger Helper before (to my knowledge). Although the Tuna Helper box cost less than 90 cents and I had 50 cents off the Green Giant Fresh Steamers, this recipe cost over $7 because of the veggies. That’s not a bad thing. It just cut deeper into my budget than I expected. Yes, I didn’t have to do this recipe (I could have just done one veggie or followed the box instructions). But it was so different than my usual tuna casserole that I simply had to try it anyway. I bought fresh mushrooms instead of canned. Also, at the last minute I added a little Monterey Jack cheese for a quick topping.

Results: Reviewers called this “Tunalicious” and I have to agree. This easy meal was perfect after a busy day. The veggies were worth the extra cost because they only enhanced the taste and texture of this dish. Usually when I make tuna casserole I add frozen peas. Any veggies would work though.

Wednesday: Loaded au Gratin Potatoes and Season Oven-Roasted Chicken

Notes: I had 40 cents off the au Gratin Potatoes and $1 off any two Progresso products. The potatoes recipe was the most expensive thing on the plate, but once I read the recipe, I was determined to fit in the budget. One important thing to note: This recipe serves eight. Be prepared to have leftovers, which is never a bad thing in our house.

Bacon would have put me over budget… so I took a handful of the carrots from Tuesday’s meal and added them instead. I also had leftover broccoli, so I used that as a simple side. The nice part about the chicken dish was that I already had everything in the house for it.

Results: “Mmm… This IS good.” – Hubby. As if he was surprised that potatoes in a box would be so satisfying. But honestly, I was too. The crunchy topping and the parsley made these potatoes memorable. The one downside – this meal took more than 45 minutes to make. Next time I will pre-prep the chicken and the potatoes that morning to knock off some time after a busy workday.

Thursday: Hamburger Helper Crunchy Taco

Notes: I picked this recipe because it reminded me of a meaty Spanish rice with cheese. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef. Also, I still had some green onion and corn left over, so I added those to the mix. This was the cheapest meal I made.

Results: Hubby said this was his favorite meal from the week. (It was a close tie between this and Wednesday’s meal). He liked it because it tasted like the insides of an enchilada. He loved the crunch and wished we had done something like that for the Tuna Helper meal.

Friday: Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Notes: I haven’t met an enchilada I didn’t like. So when I saw this recipe and the coupon to save 60 cents on any two Old El Paso products, I knew this would be the perfect recipe to end the work week. I used green onions as simple topping.
I was surprised by my husband’s positive response because he lives by the theory that everything tastes better with chicken. As I was cooking I realized I put the cheese topping on too early so I was worried I had messed up the meal. I checked it half way through the cooking time and it looked fine. Side note, my husband had warmed up a little of Thursday’s leftovers as a side to this dish.

Results: Success! This was my favorite meal from the week. Simple, easy and delicious. The best part is that hubby happily ate it without saying, “This needs chicken.”

Lesson’s Learned:
1.    Coupons are worth it. The best deals should inspire your weekly meals. Check for coupons at your favorite product sites and your local grocery store. (And sign up for the free rewards card if your store has one!)
2.    Have a plan “B” meal in mind when shopping.
3.    Look for ingredients that you can use in multiple meals throughout the week.

Next week’s challenge: Feed a party of six and make it the best party ever. And of course, using only a $25 budget!

The Challenge: $25 Farmers Market Budget

CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It’s easy to fall in love with the Farmers Market. Though, I don’t often go to mine because I often grocery shop on Sunday nights. But I was so excited for this week’s challenge that I woke at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning and headed to my local Farmers Market. What could I get for $25?

One of my foodie friends sent me this helpful link. After reading about what was in season and making sure I had 25 dollars in cash, I was ready to take on this challenge!

The Shopping Experience:
When I arrived, the colors of the fresh fruits and vegetables were stunning. The fresh smells of pies, flowers and herbs lured me to all corners of the market. I loved talking to the vendors about their food and the stories and recipes behind them. It is truly the ultimate community experience. Here is what I ended up buying:

Shallots and Fingerling Potatoes $4
Butterkäse Cheese                     $6
Red Curry Squash                       $3
Cherry Tomatoes                        $2
Seasonal Herb Tagliatelle           $10

Total: $25

As I was riding home with all my new local treasures, it hit me. What exactly was I going to make? I didn’t come with recipes in mind – I just picked up things that sounded good together. My taste buds wouldn’t lead me wrong (or leave me hungry) right? I came home and created the menu.

Please note it was a shorter week than expected at home (will explain and blog about those details in two weeks!). Thus, I have three main meals to share with you.

Sunday: Red Curry Squash Soup

Notes: My friend who shopped with me at the Farmers Market encouraged me to try something new. When she picked up the Red Curry Squash she said, “How hard can it be?”

The answer: Hard! I couldn’t find a ton of recipes using it. So I went with this one: http://www.wildlandfire.com/recipes/squash_soup.htm

Tweaks: I used shallots instead of onions. I baked the squash with some garlic olive oil. I didn’t have soy milk, so I used skim milk instead. I thinly sliced and baked some of the potatoes I bought for a garnish.

You will need your sharpest knife to cut the squash in half (And after five minutes of attempting to cut into the squash, I called my husband in to assist.)

Results: My husband was hesitant (Probably because it looked like fancier version of nacho sauce – Ha!). We liked the overall flavor. Honestly, though, when I took the squash out the oven and tasted it, I thought it was amazing as is. (Then again, I think garlic olive oil makes everything taste better.) I would make it again and serve as a side. If I were making a bigger menu, I would serve the soup as a starter. As a main meal again, I would add veggies to the sauté (like zucchini and mushrooms). I’ve realized I like chunkier soups. The soup can feed 4-6 easily, so I froze the leftover to eat when we’re looking for a quick meal.

Monday: Egg & Hash Brown Pancake

Notes: It’s fun to do breakfast for dinner every once in a while. I made this recipe up (taste testing all the way through the process). Because I wanted to get the most out of my fingerling potatoes, I decided to shred them. I was surprised how much hash browns came from one potato. If we had eaten them whole, we would have gone through them quicker.

Potato Cakes: (In each pancake)
1 large fingerling potato shredded
½ shallot diced
1/4 cup shredded cheese
Pepper
Fresh diced basil and chives
1 Egg
Cherry tomatoes

1.    Mix first five ingredients into patties. Heat frying pan with a tablespoon of oil. Continue to flatten patties as they cook on medium-low. I cooked mine for five minutes on each side. Cooking times may vary depending on how thin (or thick) your pancake is.
2.    In another frying pan, cook the egg as you please (fried, scrambled, etc).
3.    Put egg over Hash Brown Pancake. Sprinkle with more pepper and fresh herbs and serve. Garnish with cherry tomatoes.

Results: It worked well, but in hindsight… why didn’t I just look at the Betty Crocker recipe? I think this recipe is pretty flexible due to my theory that everyone likes hash browns. Would I make again? Yes, but I might match it closer to the Betty Crocker recipe.

Tuesday: Fancy Pasta Night! (My Birthday Dinner)

Notes: My husband knows that I love a good Italian meal, but I have hard time paying $40 for a pasta dinner, no matter the occasion. I still wanted our dinner to feel special and quick enough to not stress about it on a weeknight.

Ingredients:

Fancy pasta of your choice!

Simple Sauce:
6-10 cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
1 shallot diced
8 oz can of tomato sauce
Fresh pepper
Fresh basil
Fresh grated Parmesan with Italian bread crumbs

1.    Sauté tomatoes and shallots in olive oil for a few minutes over medium. To make it feel a little saucier, I threw in an 8 oz can of a tomato sauce that I had in the pantry.
2.    Add a little fresh pepper and fresh basil.
3.    Cook noodles till are al dente and add sauce.
4.    Sprinkle some Parm cheese and Italian bread crumbs on top if desired.

Results: One minute ‘til al dente? Happy birthday to me! I never thought I could make such a classy dinner in less than 10 minutes. This was by far our favorite meal.

For the other two dinners of the week:

We used leftover ingredients. With the extra cheese, we made grilled cheese sandwiches one night. Another night we grilled the leftover fingerling potatoes as a simple side to our marinated chicken.

Lessons Learned:

Know what’s in season before you go to the Farmers Market.
Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Come with a couple recipe ideas. With more recipe research, I would have bought differently.
It’s hard to say if the Farmers Market is cheaper than the supermarket. (I think it depends on if you want to barter or the time of the day you go there). In the end I learned I can still make a week’s worth of dinners either way!

Next Week’s Budget Challenge: Back to the supermarket! $25 dollars and Betty Crocker coupons. What kind of meals can I make?

The Challenge: 1 Box of Bisquick (Heart Smart), 5 Dinners, $25 budget

CateC_BettyCrocker_MOD — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:53:00 GMT

When I was growing up, Bisquick was one-dimensional. When I saw the box it meant one thing – some delicious blueberry pancakes were in my near future. So when this Bisquick challenge was posed, I was ready to see how diverse it can really be.

I’ve always considered myself budget savvy when shopping. But unfortunately after adding up last month’s grocery bills, I realized it was just a frame of mind. We spent over $450 for a party of two. That’s absurd.

Reality Check!

For the sake of this blog and our bank account, it’s time to shop smarter.
With this mission in mind, I set a few guidelines for myself. I wanted to pick a couple ingredients that could be used in multiple recipes (i.e. chicken and green onions). Plus, knowing that I would make these meals on weeknights and I didn’t want to eat dinner at 10 p.m., the recipes had to take 45 minutes or less. Finding the recipes was the easier part because the shopping experience is where the challenge really began.

The Shopping Experience:
I walked into the grocery store with my list and my calculator. I compared prices. I actually weighed my produce. I was a Budget Savvy Queen!

Reality Check (again)!

I was at $23.96 and the second package of cheese I wanted was $2.75.
I refused to worry. I passed on the cheese and looked forward to improvising.
Under budget!* Fantastic!

*Please note, I tend to have a well-stocked pantry and spice rack. So I already had some of the ingredients in the house, like a box of Bisquick Heart Smart. I also didn’t count basic things like milk, butter and eggs because I usually have those in the fridge.

Monday: Light Lemon-Sesame Chicken

Notes: Pounding chicken is a great stress reliever. Also, I made a quick cup of rice that I already had in the house to compliment this meal.

Results: The house smelled amazing! Who would have thought it was simply chicken and Bisquick? The lemon dressing was decent, but I wouldn’t make it again because the chicken was amazing by itself! I might also play around with fun alternatives to the recipe – like adding a simple salsa topping or slicing the chicken for a salad.

Tuesday: Santa Fe Pizza

Notes: I may or may not have “Googled” how to knead dough. (Here is the helpful video I found) It was my first pizza crust, and I didn’t want to screw it up.

Results: Success! Hubby suggested we add ground beef, turkey or Bocca meat next time. The crust is definitely thick enough to handle it – so if the budget is there, we may just try it! By far, this was the most expensive meal for the week. I spent $8.47 of my budget.

Wednesday: Ranch Oven-Fried Chicken with Warm Corn Relish

Notes: I need to cook more meals with six ingredients or less. Makes weeknight dinners easier! Also, my husband made a quick box of Spanish rice but later said it wasn’t needed because the main meal was filling by itself.

Results: I’ve come to conclusion that anything dipped in ranch is yummy. This meal is also a pretty presentation. I made three chicken breasts (Two for that night and one for my lunch the next day… but the hubby went back for seconds.) This ended up being my cheapest meal because I had everything in the house but the chicken.

Thursday: Baked Turkey, Cheddar and Bacon Sandwich

Notes: Because I passed on the second package of shredded cheese, I used some cheddar cheese slices I had in the house already. The reviews said it was pretty flexible, so I decided to take a risk.

Results: I agree with the reviewers. This recipe feels limitless. I was surprised how thick the bread pieces were. I would make this again for a crowd. It was also good the next day when it was cold. Loved dipping it in mustard!

Friday: Tuna Burgers

Notes: I didn’t have plain breadcrumbs in the house – but I had Italian breadcrumbs – so I used those instead. I had hoped the Italian breadcrumbs would make a difference because reviewers said this recipe was a little bland.
Originally, I thought I could make a quick dill dip with stuff I had in the house. But when Friday rolled around and it was time to make the dip, I realized I didn’t have any dry dill in the cupboard. So I used the dill pickle slices instead. Hooray for improvising! On the burgers, I added mayo and some of the shredded lettuce that we used on the Santa Fe Pizza.
Also, the 98-cent buns I bought from the fresh bakery were moldy. (Note to self: Put in the fridge next time.) Thankfully, this burger works with any bread you have in the house and we had a backup plan.

Results: I loved this recipe because it was easy to cut into two servings. The tuna patties were moist, hearty and delicious. I thought I would need to make sides for this dish, but we were stuffed.

Lessons Learned:

Must start coupon clipping! I may have been able to afford that second package of cheese with a few handy coupons…

My Favorite Meal: Light Lemon-Sesame Chicken

Hubby’s Favorite Meal: Tuna Burgers

Bisquick went from a “nice to have” to a “must have” in my kitchen.

Next week’s Budget Challenge:
I visit my local farmers market to see how far $25 will take me!