I post recipes here the way that I make them, so of course you should feel free to adapt these to what your family likes! To make this blog user-friendly, I put tags for each major ingredient of each recipe, as well as for type of dish, and ethnicity, so you can go to the list on the side here (scroll down) and search for specific things. If you like a recipe, please comment! If you have a yummy adaptation, please leave that in the comments as well!
Showing posts with label budget-friendly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget-friendly. Show all posts
We had nearly a pound of leftover taco meat (we'd had friends over and mis-estimated how much we would need), and since it was seasoned I couldn't really use it for anything with a different flavor palate... so I invented this. It was a big hit. Tastes like tacos!!
Makes a 9x13 pan.
about 20-25min prep time + 15-20min of baking time
1 pound or so of ground meat
2ish cups uncooked rice (I did a mix of white and brown, it made about 5c cooked)
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes (or 1qt home canned)
1/2 onion, chopped small
1 can black beans (or pinto) (or about 1-2 cups cooked dry beans)
chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder salt and pepper or taco seasoning
about 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
If you are cooking your own beans instead of using canned, you will need to prepare them ahead of time since they take hours to cook.
Put the dry rice in a pan with the tomatoes and their juice, and add enough water for cooking (I don't measure, I just pour in water about twice as high as the rice, then let it simmer with the lid off and check it every couple of minutes, stir it, and add more water if it ever runs low).
While the rice is cooking, brown the meat with the seasoning. You can add the onions if you like them cooked. Drain off the grease. Set aside.
As the rice is getting nearly done, add the tomato sauce and mix it in.
Put the cooked rice, meat, onions (if they're not with the meat), beans, and half of the cheese into a 9x13 baking dish, and mix them all up. You can add additional seasoning if you like (I put in about 1 Tbs garlic powder, 1 Tbs chili powder, 1 Tbs cumin, and 1/2-3/4 tsp salt and just a little pepper).
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, and bake at 350 until everything is warm and melted--about 15-20 minutes.
I encountered this idea at a local cafe. It's very simple, and really good! They served the rolls plain, or you could get it sliced in half and get it as a sandwich filled with ham, melted cheese, peppers, onions, and other veggies. It's a nice food for taking on picnics and sack lunches, because the whole sandwich is rolled into the bun before it's baked--nothing slides apart en route!
Use your favorite roll recipe (not a sweet roll, just a regular dinner roll)
Roll out the dough as though you were going to make cinnamon rolls, but instead of putting in butter and cinnamon and sugar, put in cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, spinach, bits of ham or bacon, or whatever other savory thing strikes your fancy.
I did ham, spinach, and mozzarella in these ones.
Try turkey with cranberry, beef with swiss, or all kinds of veggie combinations!
Latkes are a Hanukkah food (although we make them for most Jewish holidays, simply because I don't know many Jewish recipes). Traditionally they are served with applesauce or sour cream, but my family seems to prefer them with salt, ketchup, or barbecue sauce...oh well, so much for tradition eh?
5 large potatoes (washed and trimmed, but they don't need to be peeled unless you want to)
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (I skip these half the time, just because I forget)
1/4 c flour
3 eggs, beaten
Over the sink, grate the potatoes into a colander. Press out as much of the potato water as possible. Place the grated potatoes in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir into a thick 'batter' (it's not really much of a batter, but it will all get sticky and clump together).
Over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet (cast iron is best), heat about 1/4c oil until hot. Drop in scoops of batter and flatten with a pancake flipper. Fry on each side until golden.
Drain latkes on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve warm.
We found this recipe when looking for something scottish to celebrate Saint Andrew's Day. Stovies are a great way to use up some leftover beef and gravy. Of course you can work from scratch also, but I have a feeling this is really meant as a sort of "inspired leftovers" meal. I got this recipe from epicurean, who recommends serving them with oat cakes. I've just copied the recipe from there, and added my own notes. These were a big hit, and will definitely be regularly seen on our menu in the future.
50g (2 oz.) oil, drippings or butter (I used bacon grease)
3 medium onions, roughly chopped
1 kg (2 pounds) floury potatoes, main crop or new
125ml (4 oz.) meat stock or gravy (I used a handful of my beef-stock 'ice' cubes)
125-250g (4-8 ounces) cooked meat (I threw in ground beef because I didn't have leftovers handy. I just browned it, drained it, and set it aside, then added it back in later as per the recipe.)
2 -3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, chives, or spring onions
Seasoning salt, freshly ground black pepper, allspice, or grated nutmeg
Directions:
You will need a large heavy-base pan with a tight-fitting lid. Heat the fat in it and add the onions. Cook until lightly brown. Peel potatoes if they are "main crop", but leave the skins on new potatoes. Slice about 5mm (1/4-inch) thick. Or slice roughly in different thickness so that the thin go into a mush, while the others stay whole. Add them to the pan with the onions and stir well. coating all sides with the fat.
Put the lid on the pan and leave on a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times. (I used a cast iron pan that didn't have a lid, so I used a piece of foil which worked great. You do need some kind of lid though.)Then add the gravy or water. Cover and cook over a very low heat, stirring once or twice until the potatoes are cooked. Add the meat, mix through, and turn up the heat to brown a little.
Taste for seasoning. Mix in some freshly chopped parsley, chives, or green onion and serve with oatcakes and a glass of milk.
These are somewhere between a biscuit and a cookie...they're a bit sweet, but definitely have a bready aspect to them. I got the recipe from epicurean.com, where they were recommended to serve with Stovies. I've copied the recipe here just as it is on the site, but added some notes of my own.
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups shortening (I use room-temperature butter or lard. If you do use butter it comes out a little salty, so either use unsalted butter or skip the salt!)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups bran flakes (I didn't have any, so I left them out...I honestly didn't notice them on the recipe until I had already started mixing ingredients... I'm sure you could do some extra oats, but it also worked fine to just skip this ingredient.)
Directions:
Add soda to boiling water and let stand until cool. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, bran flakes, rolled oats and sugar. Cut in shortening; add water and soda. Roll out thin on a floured board. Bake in hot oven until golden brown. (I just lightly greased a cookie sheet and smooshed the dough around on it until it was pretty thin. It spread a bit as it cooked and ended up filling the pan, but it had not reached all the corners before I put it in. I baked at 400* for about 10ish min...I didn't set a timer, I just left the oven light on and kept an eye on them as I cooked other things...)
I stumbled across a Lebanese cookbook on the "new arrivals" shelf at our library, and as I started flipping through it I realized that all my life I'd been craving Lebanese food, and I'd never even known it! Most of this recipe is just copied straight from that cookbook, however I have added a couple of notes of my own as well. These are a bit labor-intensive, but they are fun, and they are yummy. If you're not into spinach, try stuffing them with cheese, sausage or other spiced meat, or a combination.
Preparation time: Dough--5 min, plus 1 hr 15 min rising Filling--10 min (do it while the dough is rising) Putting it together--an hour Bake time--18-20 min They are time and labor-intensive, however they keep well in the fridge or freezer, are good cool or cold, and reheat well too.
BASIC DOUGH
1 cup + 1 Tbs lukewarm water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 Tbs olive oil
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water. Mix well. Set aside for several minutes, allowing the yeast to proof (foam). Combine the flour and salt in a separate bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the yeast mixture into the well, followed by the olive oil. Using one hand, quickly mix and knead the ingredients to form the dough. (If the dough seems sticky, which it probably will, sprinkle in a little more flour.)
Use both hands to lift the dough out of the bowl and tuck and shape it into a ball. Sprinkle flour around the sides and bottom of the bowl, then set the ball back in. Sprinkle the top of the dough with some more flour. Cover the bowl with a dish and set it aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour 15 min.
FILLING
2 lbs frozen chopped spinach (thawed, drained, and squeezed dry) (I use 3 10oz boxes, but you can also fill it out with some shredded zucchini or other mild vegetable)
1-1 1/2 cups chopped onion (chopped little)
1 Tbs salt (yes that's a tablespoon)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/3-1/2 c olive oil
1/3-3/4 c lemon juice
1 Tbs lemon zest if available
Squeeze the thawed spinach over a colander with small perforations. It is very important to make sure that all the moisture has been hand-squeezed out of the spinach, otherwise the filling will be wet and the pastries may open while baking.
In a bowl, combine the spinach and onion. Just before you are ready to fill the pastries, add the salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest, and mix well. (Mixing the salt with the onions at the last minute prevents the onions from producing additional moisture in the filling.) [The original recipe calls for 1/3 c olive oil and 3/4 c lemon juice, however I find that is a little tangier than I like. So I prefer to make it closer to 1/2c of each. It's still tangy.]
Once the dough has risen, roll out half the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/8" thickness. [It will be around 16" across. If you make it thinner/bigger, it still works, however you will end up with more dough than filling...when that happens to me I grab a little cheese or whatever to fill up the leftovers. Also, use as little flour as you can to do the job. If you get too much flour, the dough will not stick closed very well.] Gently hold the rolled-out dough by the edges and lift it about 2 inches off the counter (this will allow any contraction in the dough to occur before cutting). Cut the dough into 3 inch rounds with a cookie cutter; make one cut directly next to another to maximize the number of rounds.
Preheat the oven to 450*F. Foil-line a baking sheet, lightly brush it with olive oil, set it within reach.
Pick up one dough circle at a time and hold it stickier-side up in your hand. Put about 2 Tbs of filling into the middle of the round (this will probably seem like too much filling, but you want it stuffed so they will be plump once they are baked). Use a fork [or one of your fingers] to push the filling inside as you close up the dough. Be sure to keep all the edges free of filling, or they will not stick together. Form a triangle by raising three sides of the dough up and over the filling until they meet in the center. Press them closed.
[this video is made by the guy who wrote the cookbook, showing how he stuffs and closes the puffs]
Pinch each seam closed, securing the filling inside the triangle. Remember to keep the seams free of filling. Repinch the seams so that the pastry will not open while baking. Reshape the pastry into a triangle as needed, and place it on the greased foil-lined baking sheet. Fill and close the remaining dough rounds in the same manner, and place them on the baking sheet about 1/4 inch apart. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Dip a pastry brush in a few tablespoons of olive oil and generously dab the tops and sides of each triangle puff. Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.
Traditionally, spinach puffs are served at room temperature. Our family likes them a little warmer than that, but as I said before, they are also pretty good straight from the fridge.
* To prepare ahead, you can keep them in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for a few weeks. Freeze uncovered on a baking sheet, then transfer to an air-tight bag or container. Reheat thawed puffs at 350* for 5-7 minutes.
I got this recipe from my aunt. Of course it can be adapted (some of our adaptations are mentioned at the bottom). I like it chunky and fresh, (and I can it that way--just put it raw in the jar) but it doesn't develop a thick sauce that way. If you like a thick sauce, you'll need to simmer it on the stove a while. I can't give you any specific directions for that though, because, as I said, I don't do it. ☺
makes about 3-4 cups of salsa (I usually 6x it or more for canning)
3 med/large tomatoes
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 sweet pepper (bell, any color)
1 hot pepper (I use jalapenos, but if you like it hot use something hotter or use more of them)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs something acidic (apple cider vinegar or lime juice is what we usually use, but lemon juice or other vinegar would work also)
cilantro, if desired
Chop it all up--I like my tomato, onion, and bell pepper chunks bigger and my garlic and hot pepper minced into oblivion...do what you like.
Toss all the veggies into a big bowl, and then sprinkle the spices and vinegar/juice over the top. Mix mix mix! Yum yum yum!
If you're canning it, put it straight into the jars, and process following the directions for tomatoes (it is acidic enough to process in a waterbath or steam canner, you don't need a pressure cooker).
Some of our favorite variations Lime/garlic/cilantro ~ Use lime juice instead of vinegar, double the garlic, put in a bunch of cilantro. Spicy ~ Use a habanaro pepper instead of jalapeno, or use 2-3 jalapenos instead of just one. Cilantro will add kick as well if you like that flavor. Southwest ~ add a (drained) can of corn and a (drained) can of black beans to the recipe above.
I took the simple GF cookies and tweaked them... I wanted to try using honey instead of sugar, but then they were too runny. So I swapped out the egg for baking powder, but it was still too runny...so I added cocoa. (This was not my first attempt at using honey in this recipe, it was just the first attempt that actually turned out as anything other than a pile of goo!) I decided to name them stardrops because the dark cookie with the glittery sugar reminds me of the nighttime sky. They're really pretty.
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup peanut butter 3/4 cup honey 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 cup cocoa
Blend together, then put in the fridge for about an hour to chill. It is very soft and sticky, so it needs to chill or you'll never be able to roll it into balls. Honestly, I betcha you could put in 1/3-1/2 cup shredded zucchini. If you're into that. It would help them be not quite so sticky. ☺ I haven't tried it though. After it chills, roll it into little balls (work fast, because as it warms it will soften and increase in stickiness again!), then roll each ball in a bowl with sugar, and place it on a greased cookie sheet. (I tried doing some without the sugar, and they stuck really badly, so while you can do it that way, I don't recommend it.) Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. They will be extremely soft when they first come out, just let them sit a couple of minutes and then you'll be able to get them off the pan. ☺
My friend gave me this recipe--I think she invented it but I'm not certain. In any case, as she pointed out, it's just intended to be a simple cookie recipe, but it also happens to be gluten-free. And dairy free.Cool! 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg
Mix together. Roll into balls and put on a greased cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a cup in sugar and then press down on the top of each ball to flatten it a bit (I use a tupperware cup, thus the double circle in each cookie ☺) Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
You can also add in all sorts of other things, nuts, chocolate chips, oatmeal...whatever you like. You may need to bake them as bar cookies or change the cook time if you do those things.
Here is one rendition I've done: Egg, peanut butter, sugar 1/2 cup rolled oats (which i ground in the food processor so it was more like flour than oatmeal) 1/2 cup applesauce about 1/3-1/2 c chocolate chips. I put it in a 9x9 pan and baked it at 350 for 25min. It could have gone a little longer probably--it was really mushy when it was hot (I ate it out of a bowl rather than as a bar)
I invented these as a good snack for my son to take to school. He loves muffins, but isn't so much into veggies...so I decided to put his veggies into muffins so that he would have something healthy and conveniently portable (and yummy!) all in one. I usually make them as mini-muffins, and a batch rarely lasts 24 hours. He has taken them as a class snack as well and said that everybody liked them. There are two ways to make these muffins--one is with grated veggies (carrots or zucchini), and the other is with pureed veggies, such as squash or even baby food. There are a couple of other changes to make up for the textural differences between those two options, so read the recipe carefully! (Using the pureed veggies makes it an egg-free recipe.) The veggie taste is masked by the stronger gingerbread flavor, so you can use pretty much whatever veggies you want. I have done it with carrots, mixed veggies, and squash, but I'd love to hear about your experiences with other veggies! As a note--this is a pretty potent gingerbread. We like it that way. However if you like a milder flavor, just use half the amount of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
mix 1 1/2-2 c grated carrots or other veggie 2 eggs OR 7-8oz pureed veggies (carrots, pumpkin, squash, etc) 2 tsp vinegar
add 1/2 c oil 1/3 c molasses 2/3 c white sugar 1 tsp vanilla
mix well add 2 c flour (I use whole wheat, as you can't tell in the gingerbread flavor) 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
Bake at 350 for about 20-25 min for regular size muffins (10 min for mini-muffins)
I realized recently that one of my favorite things at a Mexican restaurant is the rice and beans that they serve on the side--especially when they have melted cheese and that little bit of lettuce and tomato and sour cream. So I played around a bit and came up with this. I like the contrast of hot and cold, as well as different textures. Rice + beans makes a complete protein so it is filling as well as delicious. Think of it as being like a taco salad...only without the taco bowl! We have been on an extra-tight budget since being laid off, so one thing I have done is figured out ways to use my WIC vouchers more effectively, to make entire meals rather than just compliment them. This salad is one of those meals. (I know there is some variance between states, but ingredients marked with * can be purchased with WIC vouchers in Alaska.)
serves 2
*2-3 cups cooked white and/or brown rice (1ish cups dry) *1 can beans (I like black beans) (alternately use about 1 1/2-2 cups cooked beans which is about 3/4c dry) *1 can diced tomatoes OR 1 largeish fresh tomato *2/3 cup grated cheese *1- 1 1/2 cups chopped lettuce Sour cream, ranch, or other creamy dressing
a note on lettuce--I like the crunch and texture of iceburg lettuce, but you could use a leaf lettuce as well, or some other kind of greens if you prefer.
This can be prepared two different ways--one is to prepare all the parts and then let people put them together at the table. The other is to put the plates together as you prepare them. For a la carte serving: Cook rice. Heat beans, then drain. Chop up tomato, or drain/rinse canned diced tomato (if using canned, heat tomatoes, if using fresh, keep them cold). Grate cheese and chop lettuce. Serve everything in little bowls. For prepared plates: Cook rice then divide and portion onto plates or wide bowls. Drain and rinse beans, then layer over rice. Sprinkle on grated cheese. If using canned tomatoes, drain and rinse, then layer over rice/beans/cheese, then put the whole thing in the oven or microwave until heated through. If using fresh tomato, then heat plates before adding tomato. Then top warm mixture with cold lettuce (fresh tomato if applicable), and dressing.
If you want to use this as a packed lunch, it does reheat really well. Just use two containers--one for the hot parts and one for the cold parts. Heat the hot parts, then add on the cold parts...voila, easy meal on the go!
"reese-grit" Rice cereal, a recipe my husband brought home from Norway. I admit I wasn't thinking it sounded very appetizing, but it's really quite good. It's traditionally served with butter and cardamom, but cinnamon or cinnamon-sugar is good too and may be a more familiar taste for some.
1 cup short grain rice (other white rice will do, but short grain is best) 1 1/2-2 cups water 1 cup milk butter cardamom, cinnamon, or cinnamon-sugar
Put water and rice in a saucepan and simmer until water is dissolved (or nearly so). Add milk and keep simmering until all is soft and liquid is gone. Keep a good eye on it so that it doesn't boil over or burn to the bottom of the pan! Serve hot with butter and cardamom or cinnamon.
This is the only way I've ever really liked rhubarb. I have a tendency to eat it for breakfast, but it's also good a la mode. The original recipe is made with just rhubarb, but I've found that substituting in as much as half strawberries (and cutting the sugar down by 1/3c per cup of strawberries) is also really yummy. Makes 9x13 pan
1/3 cups brown sugar 1 cup flour 1 cup softened or melted butter 3 cups rolled oats Mix together. Press half of the mixture into a 9x13 pan, reserve the other half for the top. (I often do closer to 2/3 in the bottom of the pan, as the under layer gets the juices soaked in and is better than the top in my opinion.)
6 cups finely chopped rhubarb 3 Tbs flour 1 cup white sugar Mix flour and sugar together. Coat rhubarb by shaking them all together in a covered bowl (or just dump them all into a really big bowl and stir a lot). Put filling in pan on top of under-crust. Cover with remaining crust mixture. Bake 1 hour at 350.
This is light and yummy, but really fills you up. As photographed here, I baked it in one big loaf in a deep cast iron pan. It came out really well that way. If not using stone or cast iron, then make sure to make two loaves rather than one, otherwise it will be too big to get cooked through evenly. 1/2 cup warm water 4 t yeast Put together then set aside
1 1/4 cup water or milk 3 Tbs oil 6 Tbs honey 2 cups dry rolled oats Mix liquids in a large bowl, then add oatmeal, and allow to soak for a few minutes before adding additional ingredients.
4-5+ cups flour 1/2 tsp salt (if desired) enough powdered milk to make the water be 'milk' instead Add some flour, then the yeast mixture, then the rest of the flour etc. Stir until well mixed. It is a somewhat sticky dough, but add flour until you are able to knead it. Set in the bowl in a warm place with a towel over the top and let rise until double. Punch down, divide if necessary, and put into well-greased pan(s). Cover with towel and let rise a second time until double. Bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes.
I may give up ground beef now. If you leave off the cheese these are easily vegan as well. If you just stack the patty with the veggies and no bun, then it's gluten-free. ☺ Rice + beans = a complete protein, and we find these just as filling as meat burgers. For variations, add barbecue sauce to the mixture, top the burgers with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole instead of traditional burger toppings.
1 can black beans rinsed and well drained or about 1/2 cup dry, cooked until soft (alternately, use refried black beans)
1 cup cooked brown rice, (1/2 cup dry) cooked until soft (drain any excess liquid)
Cheddar Cheese (we like grating about 1/2 cup of cheese and mixing it right in with the beans and rice, it helps everything stick together...alternately place a slice of cheese on top of the burger while it's cooking on the second side)
Mash up beans with a fork. Add rice (and cheese if desired) and blend well. Pack into tight balls--I use a round scoop like this ---> and then smoosh them out a bit in the pan, but the scooper compacts them nicely. Fry in a little oil (a cast iron skillet works wonderfully). Cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until the surface of the patty gets a bit browned and crunchy. Don't try to do it faster--they will fall apart!! I put a lid on the pan to melt the cheese. Put on a bun and accessorize as desired. ☺
This makes about 2 1/2 cups of mixture, and the original recipe said that made 4 patties, but we don't make them quite that big or that thick or something, because I was able to get 5 or 6 patties (4-5" across) from a batch. We normally make slightly smaller burgers so I could get 6+ of those.
Leftover bean/rice mix is great rolled up in a tortilla with some sour cream and guacamole by the way. ☺
I invented these the other night when I "didn't have any food in the house." I really liked them, and a couple of days later my 9yo son asked when we could have them again, so I think they were a hit. ☺
2-3 c cooked rice (I used 2 1/2 c water & 1 1/4 c plain white rice, but adjust amounts for what type of rice you use)
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained (pinto or refried would work too) Obviously you could use dry beans but they would have to be cooked which takes several hours. Lentils would work also and they cook much faster than dry beans.
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or stewed tomatoes, or 2-3 fresh chopped tomatoes, or even 1 can tomato sauce)
about 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
cumin
chili powder
garlic powder
8-10 tortillas (I used whole wheat ones)
optional--1-2 pieces chopped chicken or 1 can chicken meat or 1/2-1 lb ground meat (I didn't use meat and don't think it needs it.)
Put the rice in to cook.
In a large pan (I used a cast iron saucepan) saute the onion in a little oil until it softens. Saute meat with onions if you're using it. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, and spices to taste (I use 2-3 Tbs of each). Add rice when it gets done. Mix it all up, then put in tortillas, roll them up, place them in a large baking pan side by side. Sprinkle cheese over the top of everything.
(Alternately, layer tortillas and stuffing in the pan more like a lasagne, then sprinkle cheese over the very top. My large pan was in use so I used a smaller deeper pan, and layered like this.)
Instead of ground beef this uses lentils or pinto beans. When seasoned the same way, they taste quite similar. (please note that all spice amounts are approximated, as I have never measured them...)
makes enough for a 9x13 pan of nachos
around 3 cups Tortilla chips
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 or 1 1/2 cups cooked (or canned) lentils or pinto beans (they have to be soft) I like to use leftover lentils/beans if I have them
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tsp garlic power*
1 Tbs ground cumin*
1 Tbs chili powder*
*(spices can be replaced with a half packet of taco or other mexican seasoning if you want, but I prefer to use separate spices so I can customize the proportions)
optional--a few drops of tabasco sauce
Spread the chips in the pan. Put ketchup and spices in with the lentils and blend well (use a blender or an electric mixer). Drop the mixture in blobs around on the chips. Sprinkle cheese over the top of everything. Cook on 350 for about 10 min or until cheese is melted and everything is warm. To keep chips crunchier, use a higher temperature for a shorter time.
(I originally posted most of this here, and you might appreciate some of the comments that were left there. However it's still worth reading here as this post has additional information and links.)
The best broth in the world comes from bones, not from meat. Bones are full of nutrients, and even when the meat is gone, bones can provide several more meals if you know what to do with them. At our house, bones never end up in the garbage can!
The best part of the bird, really!
Here's a short overview:
Bones (in the marrow) have lots of vitamins in them. The best way to get those nutrients out is to leech it out into broth. You know how you always heard that chicken soup was good when you're sick? Well, if it's made with real bone broth, it actually does have immuno-boosting properties! If you add 1 Tbs or so of vinegar to the water, it helps to get the nutrients out of the bone and into the broth. (This is in a 6-7qt crockpot)
Add 1 Tbs salt (ideally unrefined sea salt!). It will taste really weird without it, I know it seems like a ton of salt, but good unrefined salt is actually really good for you--your body needs it for blood production and adrenal support.
Adding onion, celery, garlic, or other herbs can make for a richer broth, but they are optional.
Putting fat and skin in the broth will make it nice and fatty, and it does taste good, but those parts of the animal (especially poultry) tend to hold toxins, so many people prefer to avoid having them in the broth.
Putting meat in the broth will not add to flavor, and it will suck the flavor out of the meat...so strip off the meat, then make the broth with just the bones. After the broth is done, strain it, and then if you want to make soup go ahead and put the meat back in at the end.
Feel free to use bones that have been nibbled...after all, 12 hours of boiling will destroy any germs...
If you don't have enough bones to make a broth yet, just save them in the freezer until you do have enough.
Once made, bone broth can be canned in a pressure cooker and kept in the pantry, or it can be refrigerated or frozen. My mom puts it in a jar in the fridge to cool, then freezes it in ice cube trays. Once it's frozen into cubes, she stores it in a big ziplock bag in the freezer. Anytime she has a recipe that calls for broth, she can easily grab a cube or two or five and toss them in!
Oh yeah, real bone broth tastes better than that canned stuff or *gag*choke* MSG-laden bullion. Use it for soups, sauces, graveys, or even cooking rice.
"Broth is Beautiful" (published by the WestonAPrice Foundation)--this page has lots of information about the health benefits of bone broth, as well as specific recipes for chicken, beef, and fish stock, and how to use your stock to make sauces (the recipes are at the bottom--just scroll down).
"Why Broth is Beautiful" is a lengthy article (with lots of references) explaining more of the health benefits of bone broth.
Chicken and Turkey Put the bones in a crockpot, cover them with water, and let them simmer at least overnight (they can stay as long as 2 days if you don't get to them sooner, but we find 24 hours to be ideal) . If you don't have a crockpot, you can let them simmer on the stove for at least 4-5 hours (ideally 8-12). At this point the bones will be bending, breaking, and literally falling apart. This is good--it means you've gotten all the nutrients out of them! Strain out all the solids, and voila, the best broth you've ever had.
Beef Same as chicken, just stick the bones in a crockpot or stockpot, and let them simmer for hours...
Ham Take that hambone and stick it in the pot along with any bits of leftover ham, plenty of water, and lots of beans. My mom always used pinto beans, my mother in law uses white 'navy' beans. You can pretty much use whatever you like. Add some onion, garlic, celery, or whatever else strikes your fancy. Let it simmer all day...
Fish I confess that I can't stand fish broth, but it's mostly because I don't care for most seafood...if you like seafood, or even a good clam chowder, try making fish broth! The whole heads can go in, so this is an especially good option if you catch your own fish, or buy them with the heads on. ☺
Pork (ribs etc) Honestly, we usually give these ones to the dog. She loves them. However pork bones can make a stock just like any other bones.
Mmmm, nothin like real broth!
(I know it looks ikky, but I just wish you could smell this picture!)
1 cup regular flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder
mix it up!!
I use self-rising flour, mixed with a little water, as the batter for onion rings and fried fish. My husband says I could give any English *chippy a run for his money (*the guys who sell fish and chips on the corner)
In Britain (so I hear) they will take mashed potatoes and then slice up some bangers (a sausage that my husband tells me actually isn't very good) and they mix it together and call it "Bangers and Mash." Here is my variation--the kind of meal that takes 5 minutes to make yet is a step up from PB&J, and even has a hint of healthy.
Mashed potatoes (I confess to using instant)
1 can of corn (drained)
some hotdogs, bratwursts, or kielbasa.
Make the mashed potatoes, mix in the corn.
Chop up the meat and either mix it in or serve it on the side. (I prefer to serve it on the side because it's easier to adjust proportions, but I do mix them up as I eat...)
