5 Recipes for $50

Here were are at the beginning of a new week. This week’s recipe is full of comfort food, sweet and spicy flavor and some really quick meals. I guess I haven’t felt like spending a great deal of time in the kitchen lately (: I did discover this week that chicken wings taste great with Indian influenced spicing on them!

This Week’s Recipe List:

Tandoori Style Chicken Wings with a Yogurt Sauce
Slow Cooked Bacon and Beans with Cornbread
Vegan Bean Sprout and Spinach Stir Fry
Vegetarian English Muffin Pizza with Garlic Green Beans
Vegetarian Sweet and Savory Vegetable Casserole with Sage Rosemary Dumplings

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CLICK HERE for a PDF version of this shopping list

Sweet and Savory Vegetable Casserole with Rosemary Sage Dumplings – Vegetarian

The trick to the recipe is the SWEET POTATO and the BALSAMIC VINEGAR. I added them together on a whim and am so very happy I did. There is a tart yet sweet flavor to this dish that I have never tasted in any other.

Sweet and Savory Vegetable Casserole with Rosemary Sage Dumplings
*Vegetarian*
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 TB olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TB paprika
1 potato, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth/stock
1 sweet potato (1 lb), peeled and chopped
1 bunch broccoli (1/2 lb), chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
1 TB balsamic vinegar
2 TB sour cream

Dumplings:
1 cup flour
2 TB chilled butter, cubed
1/2 TB fresh sage, chopped
1/2 TB fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
1. Heat oil in deep skillet. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and paprika to skillet and cook 30 seconds. Add potato, carrot, tomato and veggie stock to pan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook on low for 10 minutes.
3. Add sweet potato, broccoli and zucchini and simmer for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Sift flour and pinch of salt into a medium sized bowl. Rub chilled butter into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Pour milk and herbs into bowl and using a knife slice into the flour and stir until in creates a dough.
5. Move dough to table surface and form into a ball. Cut into 6 equal sized pieces. Form each piece into a ball.
6. Right before you add your cooked vegetables to your casserole dish for baking mix in the balsamic vinegar and sour cream.
7. Top vegetable mixer with herb dumplings.
8. Bake casserole for 20 minutes.

Chickpea and Tomato Soup with Dumplings

I have never made dumplings before, so this was a treat!  I feel like it went really well.  The dumplings were a lot easier to prepare than I figured they would be.  Dumplings are a great way to add some filler to a vegetable soup (instead of meat).

Chickpea and Tomato Soup with Dumplings

***Vegetarian Recipe***

Serves 4

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 TB olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 ts garam masala

1/2 ts chili powder

2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas, drained

2 cups vegetable stock

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 cup all purpose flour

1 TB butter

2 TB parmesan cheese

2 TB chopped herbs

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1.  Heat the oil in a saucepan.  When the oil is hot, add the onions.  Cook them for 3 minutes, then add garlic, garam masala, and chili powder.  Cook another minute.

2.  Add the chickpeas, stock, tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

3.  While the soup cooks, make your dumplings.  Sift the flour into a bowl and add the chopped butter.  Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it becomes like breadcrumbs.  Stir in the cheese and herbs.

4.  Make a well in the center of the bowl.  Pour milk into center.  Use a knife to mix the milk and flour mixture together.  Roll the dough into 8 balls.

5.  Drop the dumplings into your soup and cook for another 20 minutes.  Dumplings are finished when a toothpick comes out clean.

Chicken Tikka Masala with Rice

My husband gave me a night off this week and made one of my favorite dishes.  His goal has been to learn how to make Chicken Tikka Masala using as  many canned goods as possible (so that he can make it on a whim when he feels like it).  Well, he did it and it is fabulous!

So, here’s his recipe:

Chicken Tikka Masala with Rice

Serves 4

Prep. Time:  5 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
2 TB Olive oil
1/2 ts of the following spices:
Cumin
Cardamom
Turmeric
Peppercorn
Coriander
Garlic powder
1 dried red chili pepper, minced
1 onion, diced
2 chicken breasts, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1/3 can condensed milk
1 ts tomato paste
2 cups rice
1/2 ts tumeric

Directions:
1. Cook your rice in a rice cooker. Add tumeric to the water.
2. Heat olive oil in deep dish skillet. Add all of your spices. Cook 30 seconds.
3. Add your onions and stir. Cook 3 minutes until translucent.
4. Add chicken breasts to skillet. Let cook 5 minutes; stirring occasionally.
5. Add tomato sauce; stir frequently. When the sauce begins to boil, add evaporated milk.
6. Continue stirring the sauce until sauce boils again.
7. Add tomato paste and stir until your sauce reaches the desired consistency.
8. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
9. Serve Tikka Masala over tumeric rice.

5 Recipes for $48

This week is pasta rich and comfort food full. As always, I do NOT include small staple items that I always have on hand in my shopping lists. So, shopper beware (:

Here are this week’s recipes:

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Cakes (This week’s favorite for me!)
Zucchini and Lemon Pasta
Chicken Corn Mac and Cheese
Vegetarian Pizza
Split Pea and Lentil Soup

And, here is your shopping list:
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For the PDF version of this Shopping List CLICK HERE.

Chicken Corn Mac and Cheese

Almost every time I ask my husband what I should make for dinner his response it, “Mac and Cheese.” I am trying to come up with some unique ways to enjoy mac and cheese. This week I have decided to add Chicken and Corn to the mix.

Chicken Corn Mac and Cheese

Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 cups macaroni noodles
1 onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 TB flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 chicken breasts, chopped to bite sized pieces
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups shredded cheese
thyme
cayenne pepper
3 TB green onions

Directions:
1. Start cooking your pasta according to directions.
2. While you pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet, add oil. When oil is hot add your chicken. Cook 10 minutes, then remove.
2. Bring your skillet back up to heat, add a little bit more olive oil. When oil is hot, add your onions. Cook 5 minutes, until browned. Add celery, red bell pepper and corn. Cook 5 minutes.
3 Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Add the stock, then the milk, then the spices. Stir until the milk bubbles, add the cooked chicken. Cook one more minute.
4. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in the cheese until it melts.
5. Toss the drained pasta with the cheese sauce and serve!

Vegetarian Pizza

I have been wanting to hone my skills as a bake sheet pizza maker for quite sometime now. Today is the day! I thought I would start with an easy tomato sauce based vegetarian pizza. I’m sure I will need to make adjustments along the way, but here’s to starting something new!

Vegetarian Pizza
***This is a Vegetarian Recipe***

Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Pizza Base:
1/4 inch dry yeast
1/2 ts salt
1/2 ts sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
2 TB olive oil

Pizza Sauce:
1 TB olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
basil
oregano
thyme

Toppings:
YOUR CHOICE + 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine the yeast, salt, sugar in 1 cup warm water. Leave covered in a warm place for 10 minutes.
3. Sift flour into a bowl make a hole in the center of the flour; add yeast to the hole when it is ready (you will see bubbles or foaminess). Mix to make a dough.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.
5. Brush oil on to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with flour. Roll dough out so it fits the dimensions of your baking sheet. Add to baking sheet. Press down lightly.
6. Top your pizza with sauce, then toppings, then shredded cheese.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Bacon Mac and Cheese Bake

I have a feeling that this one is going to become one of my recipes to count on. Not only is it cheesy and warm, which makes it a comfort food in my book, it has a kick of onion and bacon to round it out to be a meal full of flavor.

Bacon Mac and Cheese Bake
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 cups macaroni
2 TB butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 strips of bacon, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 ts ground cumin
2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large casserole baking dish.
2. Cook macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and place in large bowl.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and brown for 2 minutes. Add bacon and garlic; cook and stir for 5 minutes.
4. Add flour, lower heat and cook 1 minute.
5. Remove your skillet from the heat and gradually add the milk. Stir until mixture is smooth.
6. Return skillet to heat and cook until the mixture thickens and just starts to boil.
7. Remove from heat and add cumin.
8. Add mixture to pasta bowl along with 2/3 of the shredded cheese. Stir and mix; pour into greased casserole baking dish.
9. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
10. Bake for 20 minutes.

Bacon and Carmelized Onion Chowder

Bacon and Carmelized Onion Chowder

Serves 4-6
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

3 TB butter
2 TB olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 potatoes, peeled
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 ounces cream cheese
sour cream
sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
NOTE: If you are in a rush, start your potatoes and onions at the same time. You will need two stock pots to do that.

1. Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces. Place in stock pot and cover with water. Bring water to boil and cook potatoes until they are tender (about 15-20 minutes).
2. When potatoes are cooked and drained, take the same stock pot and add 2 TB butter and olive oil over high heat. Once butter melts, stir in onions.
3. Cook onions for 15-20 minutes. Remove from stock pot and set aside.
4. Add carrots and 1 TB butter to stock pot. Saute 2 minutes. Add potatoes and saute 3 minutes. Stir in onions and cooked bacon bits.
5. Reduce heat and add cream cheese; stir until melted. Add milk and cook, gently stirring until soup begins to thicken.
6. Serve your soup with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese.

Bean, Potato, and Kale Soup

Bean, Potato, and Kale Soup
***Vegetarian Recipe***

Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 TB butter
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrot, chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped
2 large tomatoes, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium veggie or chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup white wine or 1/2 cup vinegar
3 potatoes, halved and sliced
1/2 ts rosemary
1/2 ts sage
1/2 ts thyme
1 (16 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups kale leaves, finely chopped
1 small red chile pepper, seeded and chopped fine
ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat; cook onion for 5 minutes, until softened and clear.
2. Add carrot, celery, tomatoes, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth, water, and white wine/vinager; stir in potatoes, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes. Check that the potatoes are tender.
5. Add cannelini beans, kale, chile pepper, and black pepper
6. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.