Lime Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

These mushrooms were so good, in the sense that you could really taste the mushroom and crab. They weren't too cheesy and the flavors didn't overpower the delicate crab taste. And the lime is an absolute must, it totally changed the taste after.

Ingredients:
1 package of baby bella mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion or 1/2 a large onion
1 slice of wheat bread
1/4 cup shredded cheese
parmesan cheese
egg
salt, pepper, cayenne, basil, cumin, parsley, etc. (a shake of each)
bread crumbs
lime

Recipe:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While preheating, toast slice of bread in oven or use toaster.
2. Saute onion in 2 tablespoons butter.
3. Meanwhile gently wipe clean/wash mushrooms. Pull off stem and chop them up into bits.
4. Lightly grease a casserole dish.
5. Place mushroom caps in dish and bake about 5 minutes to soften.
6. Add chopped mushroom stems to butter and onions. Add another tablespoon of butter.
7. Sauce onions and mushrooms for about 5 to 10 minutes.
8. When done, place in bowl. Add crumbled toast, shredded cheese, egg, spices, remaining melted butter (3 tablespoons). Stir it up.
9. Fill each mushroom cap and pile it all high.
10. Top with bread crumbs and cheese.
11. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
12.Squeeze lime generously on top. Enjoy!

Blueberry Vanilla Cream Pie

This recipe was created when I was trying to decide what to do with my farmer's market blueberries. The past two weeks I got them, I ate them as is - wonderful, sweet, blue, and delicious. But by now, I'd grown kind of sick of the natural state and wanted something more. So I decided to ask facebook: blueberry muffins or blueberry pie. I quickly realized muffins were the cop-out recipe.

So pinterest helped me find a basic vanilla cream pie. I had made a delicious cadbury pie for easter - which I could not find the recipe no matter how much I searched that used only a few basic ingredients.... here is the wonderful picture, it was so good. Wish I knew how I made it.

So with a quick search on the best website on earth, yes- I mean pinterest - I found this fabulous winner of a recipe: http://www.simplyorganic.com/vpie/ .

I modified it a bit by using a pre-made frozen pie crust in a pan and adding 1 cup of blueberries, som at the bottom and then after it was ready more on top, but I want to give credit where credit is due and rather than claiming it as my own, just go find the filling recipe on their page instead. :) I also subbed soymilk and it came it just as good as I think it would with real milk.

[[And before I go on blogging - I am going to justify my use of pre-made pie crust pans. They are the most affordable at Walmart, more than the pie crusts in a box that you have to spread out yourself. I'm also capable of making them from scratch, as my Aunt taught me years ago (the trick is cold water, I'll never forget, and the pastry whisk).... but I don't really have time and I wouldn't make pie so often if I always had to make a crust from scratch. I know you can freeze them, but well, I'm a grad student. No time for that and at $2.25 a package of 2 pie crusts, I'm saving money and time. So there, I rationalized enough to make myself feel better about cheating my way through pie crust-making.]] But I really can do it.

Blueberry Vanilla Cream Pie - perfect for the Fourth of July, just add strawberries!

Ratatouillie Pie

This idea popped in my head months ago. I actually scribbled it down on the dry-erase marker board on my fridge that I list all the potential recipes I can make with all the food we presently have in our fridge. Right now the list is huge since we have more groceries than I think we've ever had before.

I think the thought came when I was making the brocciflower quiche (see below) or the zucchini-oh my pie, or maybe the tomato pie I made once too.... why not just make a ratatouillie pie of all the odds and ends leftover veggies? And that is how this recipe was born. It came out fabulous and we both scarfed it down, even the hubs who hates eggplants. However, I'd like to perfect it and try again so it tastes more like ratatoullie rather than veggie pie.

So here it is, my Veggie Pie Oh My, that is delicious but impostering and wishing it was Ratatoullie Pie.

Ingredients:
1 small white eggplant, sliced and then chopped in quarters ($1)
1 small yellow squash, sliced  ($.50)
1 half a huge zucchini, sliced and chopped into quarters ($.50)
1 small onion, diced ($.33)
3 roma tomatoes, diced ($1)
1 cup of cheese ($.50)
2 eggs ($.25)
1/2 cup mayo (I use the olive oil kind, I like to think it's healthier) ($.20)
salt and pepper to taste
1 frozen pie crust in pan ($1.10)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp each basil and oregano
fresh basil too if you have
Total: can I just say this is under $5? => officially about $5.38-$5.50

Recipe:
1. Bake pie crust 10 minutes
2. Meanwhile, steam all veggies except tomatoes for the 5-10 minutes the crust is baking.
3. After, rub dijon mustard on crust - this is the secret to making the pie crust taste so good, I always do this. Thanks Pillsbury for the idea.
4. Stir together the cheese, mayo, eggs, and spices in small bowl.
5. Drain the veggies and pour into pie crust.
6. Top with cheese-egg mixture.
7. Bake 20 minutes or more until lightly golden on top.
8. Let cool and enjoy.

Not gonna lie, this was good. It was gone within the day. Next time, I'm going to figure out though how to make it taste more like ratatouillie, perhaps less cheese and more wine.

Garlic White Bean Soup

I tried to think of some clever name for this, something to do with vampires since I just finished watching True Blood and it is garlic soup afterall, but failed at that task.

While on the topic, whose the worst actor/actress on the show? Tara? Sookie? That kid that exploded in the episode? Whoops, did I just give that one away?

Anyways....

This soup was pretty tasty. I ended up using the broth again once we got sick of it after a few too many bowls and made something else in it- I think pasta or potatoes.

If you love garlic and white beans, then this is definitely for you. If you also are sick and need a light soup that is refreshing, this is it. It's got the perfect hint of garlic and enough protein to fill you up.

Ingredients:
6 cups water (free)
2 bouillon veggie cubes ($.20)
1 bag of dry white beans ($1.25)
2 whole garlic heads ($1.50)
1 small onion chopped ($.33)
4 tablespoons butter ($.10)
2 tablespoons marsala cooking wine ($.10)
2 tablespoons soy sauce ($.5)
salt and pepper to taste (I prefer white pepper)
Total price: $3.53

Recipe:
1. Soak beans overnight in large cooking pot filled with water. This softens them up for a quicker cooking time the next day. Or you can cheat and use the rapid version on the beans bag.
2. Boil together bouillon cubes and water. Add whole cloves of garlic and chopped onion. Once boiling add together the rest of the ingredients.
3. Cook for 45 minutes on medium.
4. You can add cream to it if you prefer a creamy version, but I liked it like a broth.
5. And like I said, once you get sick of it - you can make some amazing rice, potatoes, or pasta with the leftovers. Just substitute them instead of the water in your usual recipe.

Tada! Tasty, garlic-y, vampire-resistant, bean soup. Just make sure to mouthwash before you go kissing anyone.

I love the farmer's market!

I used to visit the local farmer's market back home in a big city every so often, more like every blue moon and usually to just try some new desserts and get out.

But now I go every weekend to our miniscule tiny farmer's market, like 10 tents total. I go with $20 cash and stock up and it usually lasts me the week. It totally beats buying the same old stuff from Walmart, I get to try new veggies and fruit I've never seen before, and they don't go bad so quickly since they are so fresh.

Here is last weeks purchase for $19.50. I can't say I'm not proud of my purchase.

Here's what I ended up making. I ate the blueberries for breakfast. I used this huge cucumber for the two recipes found below: Honey Vinegar Cucumber Salad and Cucumber Salmon Crackers. I sliced and peeled the purple haze carrots and drizzled them in olive oil, they were so good as is. I chopped the tomatoes and onions in halves, roasted for about 30 minutes, and ground then up into roasted tomato salsa! SO GOOD! I also roasted two of the garlics. I steamed the rattlesnake green beans with some garlic. I made grilled onions with the last onion and sliced the chocolate cherry tomatoes and made a sandwich for lunch. I also made bruschetta with french bread, olive oil, the cherry tomatoes, the roasted garlic, and fresh basil.

And finally, I am now making white bean garlic soup. Recipe to follow.... I also plan on boiling the corn tomorrow or later and making a roasted garlic butter sauce for it with the leftover garlic. Yum! Can't wait for tomorrow's visit :D

Cucumber Crackers

I've never really loved cucumber and usually ask for my sushi to be made without it. But being so cheap and pretty at the farmer's market lately, I couldn't help myself.

For $1, I snagged this huge eccentric cucumber and thought long and hard (ha - like a cucumber) about what to do with it. I decided to use half and save the rest for another recipe I found online - which sidenote, was fantastic. Check Honey Vinegar Cucumber Recipe on pinterest here:
http://nancycreative.com/
As for these guys, I've since made them again. The recipe is so easy and you can pretty much play around with it however you'd like. Just used slice cucumber instead of crackers, so tasty and so much healthier.

Salmon Cucumber Snacks

Ingredients:
1/2 a huge cucumber ($.50)
1 can of alaskan salmon (I buy them at BJs or Sam's Club) ($2)
1 tablespoon of asian sesame dressing ($.10)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon mustard
1 small tomato
dried basil
Total: $3

Recipe:
1. Peel and slice cucumber. Arrange on plate or platter.
2. Mix in bowl the rest of the ingredients (minus the tomato).
3. Since this recipe is mayo-less (although you can make it like tuna salad with mayo too if you like), I had to roll up and use my hands to press the salmon together into small balls.
4. I placed each one on top of the cucumber and atopped it with a small slice of tomato.
5. Sprinkle with basil. Done and so easy!

Eggplant Parm-Parm Casserole

I got the most beautiful huge eggplant at the farmer's market a few weeks ago. I don't have much experience on this vegetable or fruit as some would argue, so thankfully a friend was visiting who could assist. One time I tried making it, it came out so soggy and mush, not very good. And since then, I really have been hesitant.

Anyways, this eggplant made a huge casserole dish for a few nights, even with guests. And I still had a quarter of it leftover which I roasted and smashed for sandwiches.

I did a ton of research as she was explaining to me something about "salting" the eggplant since I had no idea what she was talking about. I quickly realixed this is common practice and you do this to a) reduce bitterness and b) reduce moisture. Some online argue it isn't really necessary. I figure it can't hurt and it adds some seasoning.

This recipe came out delicious. The flour breading and then adding breadcrumbs really made it perfect. Too much breading and it's hard to taste the eggplant. There weren't leftovers for long.

Ingredients:
1 box of whole wheat macaroni ($1 at walmart)
1 can of four cheese tomato sauce ($1)
flour for coating ($.10)
breadcrumbs ($.10)
shredded cheese ($.75)
1 huge eggplant ($2)
salt
oil
Total: $4.95-$5

Recipe:
1. Chop up your eggplant. I cut it first from top to bottom. Then I sliced into 1 inch steaks the eggplant from there.
2. Add them to a collander. Salt generously (like 3 tablespoons). Place bowl underneath. Wait 30 minutes. Toss around every 5 to 10 minutes. Watch water collect underneath.
3. Coat each piece in flour, press to make sure it sticks.
4. Use skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil (no more - this is the trick, too much and it gets soggy!) and cook about 5 minutes each batch.
5. Meanwhile you should have boiled your pasta according to directions.
6. When pasta is ready, toss with sauce and spread in casserole dish.
7. Drain eggplant on paper towels to reduce oil. Then assort them on top of the pasta in casserole dish.
8. Top with shredded cheese, about 1/4 cup or so to your liking.
9. Then top with bread crumbs, about 1/4 cup or less.
10. Place in 375 degrees oven for 30 minutes until crispy and cheese is melted.

Elvis Presley Ice Cream

Ever since I received an ice cream make as a gift from our wedding, I've been so excited to play around with recipes for ice cream.

I immediately started pinning recipes I was interested in: cinnamon, green tea, espresso, etc. But up to this point, I have only mastered vanilla. I even had a month long upset where none of my ice cream was setting properly. Thanks to google and troubleshooting, I finally realized after 3 messed up batches that my freezer wasn't cold enough and I needed to change the settings and it helps to refrigerate your ice cream recipe overnight before to make sure it is as cold as possible too.

Here is the ice cream maker I have that can be purchased at Crate and Barrel:

It comes with a little recipe booklet, but like most of my recipes, after a few delicious batches, I tend to try and improve them. I was sick of using such heavy cream and worried about putting on some extra pounds if I was eating a whole thing of ice cream each weekend with hubby. It's important to keep in mind that homemade ice cream is more liquid than solid, since it is made without the preservatives, atleast that's what the instruction booklet says. It's pretty darn good, I must say.

Basic Vanilla:
2 cup soy milk
1 cup half and half (it's cheaper than cream)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
Mix together and refrigerate overnight for best results to chill thoroughly.

Elvis Ice Cream with Peanut Butter, Banana, Honey, and Cinnamon Recipe:
1. After the vanilla is churned for 15 minutes in the machine, add 1/4 tsp of cinnamon.
2. Then add 2 tablespoons of honey.
3. Then add 1/4 cup of peanut butter (try not to use one with alot of sugar since it already calls for it in this recipe, I had a natural almond butter that I used)
4. Add half a chopped banana.
5. Allow to churn for 15 minutes total.
6. Serve and top with remaining 1/2 of banana.

If only I remembered to top it with some fresh mint then the picture would be perfect. I'm still working on my photography skills. It came out perfectly peanut butter, with a hint of honey and cinnamon, and a perfect creamy texture. The soy works out well even when not using whole milk. It might be a bit thicker with whole milk but I prefer soy. So work with what you've got. Enjoy!

Tuna Noodle Casserole from Scratch!

I used to think making things from "scratch" took too much time and ended up costing more anyways. For instance, one time I tried making chocolate pecan pie. I gathered all the ingredients at the grocery store and when I looked down at my buggy, it was over $15 worth of items. I changed my mind, put everything back, and got a specialty chocolate pecan pie from Whole Foods for the same price.

But lately I haven't had a choice budget wise. I don't go around making fancy pies for any old occasion, but I do end up buying more ingredients that need more work. For example, brown rice, whole wheat noodles, ramen noodles, corn meal, dried beans, etc.

But it's not really much more work putting it all together, especially when you already have the ingredients at home like I did for this recipe. No shopping trip necessary.

Ingredients:
1 box of whole wheat rotini ($1.09 at walmart)
3 small carrots, peeled and chopped ($1)
1/2 bag of frozen peas ($.50)
1 can of albacore tuna ($1.20)
2 cups (soy) milk ($.75)
1 garlic clove ($.10)
4 tbsp butter ($.10)
4 tbsp flour
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
Total $4.74-5

Recipe:
1. Steam carrots in a pot until tender and ready, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic alfredo sauce in a small saucepan.
    a. Add butter to saucepan on medium and wait til it melts a few minutes.
    b. Add chopped garlic.
    c. Wait a few minutes and stir frequently.
    d. Add flour and mix it up into a sticky doughy roux.
    e. Add milk and bring to a boil on high. Then reduce heat to simmer on low for about 10 minutes until thick.
    f. Add cheese, salt, soy, parsley, mustard, and any other spices you want.
3. Boil noodles according to package, about 10 minutes.
4. Add carrots and frozen peas to bowl. Then add noodles when ready. Top with sauce. And stir it up. May need more salt, so add to your liking.

Zucchini Pie Oh My

I’ve made the Pillsbury version of zucchini pie with crescent rolls three times over the holidays. It’s pretty fabulous but it did bring up some pet peeves of mine. It isn’t really quiche and it really isn’t pie. It’s buttery goodness but it was lacking creaminess or quichiness. After getting annoyed with the pooling of butter up top, I figured this recipe needed some remodeling. A lightbulb hit when I was visiting a friend’s family for Easter dinner and her mother made Tomato Pie. It included mayonnaise (which would have first issued an ick moment in me) but then I ate it and it was amazing. My friend and I made it again the following week.

So now that I have a huge- I mean foot long and bigger than my thigh sized zucchini, I needed to brainstorm what to do with it. While walking the dog today, I came up with this idea of putting the two recipes together. This recipe only used half my zucchini and I plan on grilling the other half for our Memorial Day BBQ. Did I mention I got this zucchini free at the Farmer’s Market because it was ugly? It was originally priced 50 cents and when I asked why, the man handed it to me and said he would have some better looking ones next week. He then inquired about what I was going to do with it… and I quickly rambled off about sautéing it or putting it on pizza. Nope, not quite this time.

Ingredients:

4 cups zucchini cut in matchsticks ($1 or free in my case)
2 eggs ($.50)
1 tablespoon butter ($.5)
½ cup mayo ($.50) [side note: I always use Light Mayo - I swear I can't taste the difference but I know how weird people get about their mayo, so use what you prefer]
1 tablespoon dried shallots
1 clove garlic
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese ($.50)
1 pie crust ($1.25)
1 tsp Dijon
10 crunks of pepper
10 crunks of garlic salt
2 tsps of parsley
1 tsp basil
Total $3.80-$4

Recipe:

1. While oven is preheating at 375 degrees, start chopping your zucchini into match stick sizes. This can be done by cutting it into 4 inch chunks, then cutting the chunks in half, and again slicing up those halves. Did that make any sense?
2. Spread Dijon mustard on pie and allow it to defrost a bit while oven is preheating. When ready, bake for 10 minutes.
3. In a tablespoon of butter, lightly sautee the zucchini for about 10 minutes. Chop the garlic and add that towards the end as well as the dried shallots. If any liquid collects, drain the zucchini at the end.
4. Transfer zucchini to a bowl and add eggs, mayo, and spices. Stir gently to not crush the zucchini.
5. Add zucchini mixture to pie crust. Top with shredded cheese.
6. Bake 35 minutes and enjoy!

Holy Guacamole Mexican Pizza

In my non-professional, broke as a joke, grad student opinion - this is by far, the best Mexican pizza I've had. I could also be saying this because I just walked two laps around the park being dragged by my dauschand the first lap, and me dragging her the second lap. So besides fatigue and dulled senses from being on such a budget, I do think this is a pizza to be proud of. I am trying my best to work on my photography skills since I do think pictures say a thousand words and they can really capture the tastiness of it all if shot correctly.

I modified this recipe from a recent pinterest pin, taken from this wonderful blog: HoneyWhatsCooking
And the reason it is modified and I can call it my own recipe, is because I didn't have the ingredients called for and had to improvise. And if I don't say so myself, it came out pretty good and may have hers beat.

Ingredients (for 2 pizzas for 2 people, add salad for some greens!):
4 whole wheat tortillas ($1)
shredded fancy mexican cheese ($1)
1/2 package of frozen corn ($.50)
3 small tomatoes ($1)
taco seasoning ($.10)
taco bell fire roasted salsa (free)
Total $3.60

Recipe:
1. Hubby insisted it wasn't a mexican pizza with just one tortilla. I can't really see how this isn't a quesadilla though, perhaps because it is baked not squished in our quesadilla maker? So start with one tortilla each on a plate.
2. Top each with diced tomatoes and warmed up corn (two minutes in microwave). Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon taco seasoning on each pizza. I have a container of it from leftover pouches from taco kits I bought before since it automatically comes with the tacos sometimes.
3. Generously - although not too much - add cheese to each. Enough so the two tortillas stick together. Like 1/4 cup each.
4. Top with other tortilla and sprinkle some more cheese, mostly so it's pretty.
5. Top again with salsa. About 2 packets each, or 2 tablespoons each.
6. Optional: Do you have sour cream? Then add some, do you have real salsa, chunky preferred? Add this too (I'd put it inside). Do you have chives or scallions? Onions to grill and caramelize? Heaven forbid you have guacamole or an avocado. Now that is the ultimate topping in my book. And there you have it, a better mexican pizza than my already pretty amazing one.

Three Bean Chili: the more you eat, the more you....

Chili is my go-to meal when I want a huge pot of leftovers for the next day atleast. In other words, two meals (or three) at the cost and effort of one.

This recipe has been perfected for a few years now. I am sensing a pattern with my cooking style, just throw a little of this and that and voila! Chili. Similar to my other recipes, this one goes along those lines too, it's very versatile and can be modified based on the spices you have available.

But in an ideal world, it'll have these ingredients:
3 cans of beans (red kidney, pinto, and black beans)
1 can of diced tomatoes (I like the kind with garlic and herbs already included)
1 small can of tomato paste
2 Tablespoons of chili powder
2 cups of broth
1 cup of water
2 Tablespoons oil
1/2 a small onion
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 tsp dry mustard
and a small sprinkle of red pepper flakes & cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
7 crunches (or turns of the shaker) of pepper
optional: shredded cheese, sour cream, frozen corn, green onions
1 cup brown rice

Recipe:
1. Make rice according to package (1 cup brown rice = 2 1/2 to 3 cups water). Cooks for 45 minutes.
2. Sautee onions in oil for about 10 minutes on medium until translucent or almost cooked. Add garlic and cook about 3 minutes more.
3. Add all spices and cook until fragrant on medium, about 2 minutes. Take a nice whiff of them spices, mmm....
4. Add broth, I use 2 cups and 1 veggie boullion cube. Add tomatoes with liquid remaining. Place on high heat. Meanwhile, rinse beans in collander to get sodium and preservatives off.
5. When boiling, add beans.  Place lid on top loosely. You can add some frozen corn if you'd like at this point too. Then cook for 30 minutes on low heat.
6. Pour chili over half a bowl of rice. Top with cheese, sour cream, green onions.

Here is a picture of tonight's chili that I made for our out-of-town guest coming tomorrow. I thought it might be a good idea to have on hand in case any of us get hungry and I don't have time to cook since we'll be out sight seeing and showing the town. Not the best photo, I promise to update with a close-up when we eat a bowl. I need to work on my photography skills.

On another note, I love this pot. It is definitely a keeper although I have been told it is ready to go to another universe due to chipping metal . But... I rather eat metal than part with it. I grabbed it from my grandmother's house before it was sold way back when and I have used it ever since. It's the perfect size for chili or split pea soup.

Polenta Fries and Beans

Polenta is amazing. Polenta has blown my mind. It is probably my new favorite ingredient in anything at all. It is so easy, it is so cheap, it is so wonderful. I could go on.

I used to think it came in those tube packages at the grocery store, but they lied. It's a big fat lie. Polenta comes from something called CORN MEAL, and it's found near flour or breadcrumbs in a pouch like flour. It's used for making cornbread but polenta - isn't anything corn tasting at all, really. It tastes like pasta to me, pasta dumplings. And all you do is add water, really. Like I said, cheapest, easiest meal ever. Oh, the big caveat being you have to wait hours for it to cool. But if you think ahead, it's no problem really.

Ways to make Polenta:
1. Under pasta sauce and baked
2. Rolled in to balls and fried golden
3. Cut in to strips and fried like fries (see picture)
4. Baked as a loaf and layered with cheese
5. Mixed with herbs, whatever your heart desires
6. Sauteed in butter but not too crispy
7. Mushy like grits (so says the packaging, I've never actually made this one)
8. Stuffed into tomatoes
9. Cut into pancake patties and fried
10. Etc.....

I have gone crazy searching polenta on pinterest. I think I have made it under pasta, as dumplings, as a sliced loaf, and tonight as fries. Four times I've made polenta, and I still have more left in the one package.

Directions:
1. Add 1 cup corn meal to 2 cups of water in saucepan.
2. Boil and stir vigorously. Don't walk away!
3. Turn down heat from high to medium-low.
4. Stir until thick and difficult to stir without sticking. If you choose, add some cheese and herbs (basil and parsley).
5. Transfer to dish of your choice (pie pan for baking, loaf pan for slicing, shallow brownie pan for slicing in to fries, etc.). Or if making dumpling balls, roll them up and cook right away.
6. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
7. Slice it up, or shape it how you'd like. If baking, you don't need to slice obviously.
8. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes or pan-fry/sautee in butter in a frying pan.
9. Top with cheese, salt, and pepper. Or pasta sauce, or accompanied by beans (as in picture). Whatever your heart desires. Polenta is so amazing. :)

Yellow Squash Veggie Rice Sesame Bowl under $5

Another empty fridge day here. Rummaging through the empty shelves I found that same bottle of sesame asian salad dressing, three petite sized yellow squash from the farmer's market last week, less than a cup of brown rice, and some frozen veggies in the freezer. I decided to put them all together and make an asian veggie rice bowl reminiscent of a teriyaki bowl I used to order back home at one of my favorite sushi restaurants.

Ingredients:
3 very small yellow squash or 2 regular sized, chopped in thick slices and quartered $2
half a bag of frozen peas $.50
half a bag of frozen corn $.50
half a bottle of sesame salad dressing $.50 (see post below, these are the sizzling salad kit for $2 and comes with 2 bottles)
1 cup of brown rice $.25 (it's $.85 a small bag)
Total price for 2 people = $3.75

Recipe:
1. Make rice according to package. I like to add some seasonings if I have them, so I added a splash of sesame oil and some sesame seeds. I use a rice cooker now which you literally pour in water and rice and forget about it until the button pops up. No more burned rice.
2. Steam yellow squash in small saucepan with an inch of water. Drain excess water after about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, microwave frozen veggies about 4 minutes until hot.
4. Mix squash with peas and corn gently to not mush everything. Generously pour salad dressing on top.
5. When rice is ready, divide evenly between two bowls. Top with sesame veggies. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top if you have.
6. Enjoy.

Brocciflower Quiche

As I wait for the oven to preheat I will write up the recipe here before I forget. Don't worry 'I'll delete this posting if it tastes awful. Cause you never know when you cook - it's like 75% good judgment and 25% chance. Atleast in my opinion. The more you cook though, the less you leave up to chance.

For instance, when making this quiche, I used a recipe as a guide but there were pieces I wanted to change, flavors I imagined different. So I kinda closed my eyes at the spice rack and thought about how I wanted it to taste, then picked those spices: lemon seed, dried celery, dried shallots, garlic salt, cracked pepper, nature's seasoning salt, and a sprinkle of cayenne.

Anyways to be precise here is the quiche I am making after my quick visit to the local farmer's market and grabbing some BROCCIFLOWER (broccoli-cauliflower hybrid) for $1. You can substitute cauliflower or broccoli if you can't find this rare specimen.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
3/4 cup soy milk
1/2 cup half and half cream
1 small head of broccoli/cauliflower/brocciflower (about 1 cup)
1 frozen pie crus - or be a champ and make your own! It just takes more time and money.
1 cup shredded cheese (I bought two 2cup bags in two differernt types, one yellow and one white cheese - pick your favorite)
1 tsp dijon mustard
spices: these were my picks but you can use whatever you like. To follow my lead, I used a sprinkle (like less than1/8tsp tsp) of each pretty much listed above. With a smaller sprinkle of cayenne and pepper for flavor. Oh and I was generous with the shallots, about 1 to 2 tablespoons.

Recipe:
1. While oven is preheating at 400 degrees, steam your broccoli (or whatever veg) in a small saucepan. To do so, boil an inch of water on high and place the veggie flowers in the pot. Cover loosely for 5 minutes. Drain liquid out.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix the milk, cream, eggs, and 1/3 cup of the cheese. Add in the spices of your choice (see mine above).
3. Spread the dijon mustard on the pie crust. Prick with fork. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Pour rest of cheese on crust. Then top with broccoli. Then pour over liquid milk/egg mixture SLOWLY. You may end up with a little extra. Don't be like me and try and squeeze it all in and make a huge mess :( Bake 45-50 minutes.
5. Let it cool 10 minutes before eating. By the way, it came out pretty darn good :)

Under $5 asian dinner: peanut noodles, sesame zucchini, & teriyaki tofu

Here are some recipes of some very easy, simple entrees for a collective "asian style" dinner at home.

Peanut Sauce Ramen Noodles
Ingredients:
1/3 cup Almond or Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp jelly (pineapple, apple, or jalapeno will work)
1/4 tsp ginger powder
4 Tbsp soy milk (any milk will work too)

Stir together with a whisk and voila. Pour over three packets of ramen and throw away the seasoning packet it comes with.

Sesame Zucchini
Ingredients:
1 huge zucchini or 2 smaller ones
1/4 cup sesame dressing
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt

I will admit it. I cheated. I love making my own sauces and I could've if I put my mind to it, but I had some leftover sesame asian salad dressing. So what did I do? I chopped a HUGEmongous zucchini fresh from our local farmer's market. To chop like this, I cut thick one inch circles and then cut them into four quarters each. I topped them with the dressing and threw on some extra sesame seeds, sprinkled with ginger powder, and garlic salt, and called it my own.

Baked Teriyaki Tofu (adapted from http://kosherfood.about.com/od/vegetarianmaindishes/r/tofu_teri.htm )
1 package firm tofu
drizzle of oil
2 Tbsp of your favorite packaged teriyaki sauce (tip: I bought the new Kraft sizzling salads set for $2 that comes with a small bottle of teriyaki and a small bottle of sesame dressing)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Press water out of firm tofu. This is quite a challenge, I've made a few awful batches of tofu before because of forgetting this step - too little and too watery, too much and it all squishes. So I read online a trick tonight. Wrap tofu in paper towels, then in a dish towel. Place under a cutting board and top the cutting board with heavy items like a few cans. Wait 10 minutes. Done.
3. Slice in 1/4 inch pieces, into about 6 slices or tofu steaks.
4. Line the pan with parchment paper.
5. Coat with oil and then purchased teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with garlic powder. I know, cheating once again. I promise soon to make a real teriyaki sauce from scratch. It never tastes the same, atleast not the ones I've made yet.... but it's cheaper usually and I don't feel like a cheater.
6. Bake for 35 minutes.

Here's a picture of the final CHEAP dinner.

In order of greatness, after the final tasting, the peanut rames were the best, then the zucchini, and lastly the tofu. I still need to play with the stuff more. I just don't like the eggy consistency. Any tips welcome!

Total Bill $5:
$.66 (22 cents a pack of ramen x 3)
$1 huge zucchini at farmer's market - cheaper if bought elsewhere
$2 firm tofu
About $1.34 for spoonfuls of all the other ingredients (peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, oil, spices, etc.)

Groceries on a budget

Tonight is my hubby and my 14 month wedding anniversary. I know, kinda lame to celebrate each month but I try and do something special. Money has been extremely tight this month (that is an understatement actually, it's practically nonexistant - don't worry, we'll be okay). So I got groceries yesterday, about 10 bags for $30!!

Here is what I got, in case you are a broke grad student too (or on a budget):
- 9 packages of ramen noodles (at 22 cents each, what a bargain - just make sure to throw out those sodium-laced awful seasoning packets and make your own sauces)
- 4 packages of 50 cent mac and cheese twists, thanks Walmart.
- 2 bags of frozen veggies (99 cents each) really so easy. Add dehydrated onions and spices (like garlic salt, soy sauce, parsley) to frozen peas and microwave. It tastes much fancier than it really is.
- Eggs
- Milk
- Toilet Paper
- Cereal
- Frozen pizza - as you can see below, I am a big fan of fancying up very cheap $2 frozen pizzas (add mushrooms, corn, tuna, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, balsamic drizzle, pesto, basil, fresh mozarrella, whatever is in your fridge leftover that kinda makes sense, just not all at once)
- frozen pancakes
- firm tofu
- frozen breakfast potatoes
- frozen bean burritos (eight for $3, it's pretty amazing, and you can chop up fresh tomatoes, add salsa, guac, sour cream, etc)

I may have forgotten a few other items, but we should be good for atleast a week on all this. Thank goodness, our fridge was absolutely empty.

Anyways, I am SOOO excited to make dinner tonight for our anniversary. I must again thank pinterest for the wonderful ideas I am going to create. Hubby has no idea I am going come up with such a nice meal out of the seemingly pile of crap items I purchased. No offense, it wasn't the most nutritious at first glance.

Here is the menu, I'll post pics and recipes later, after taking the dog to the park this afternoon:
1. Teriyaki Baked Tofu Steaks
2.  Asian Sesame Zucchini
3. Peanut Sauce ramen noodles
4. Salmon Croquettes

Who needs to go get sushi? Not meeee........ although I would, if I could.

Gnocchi is one of my favorite menu options.

I am a die-hard pinterest fan, so I pretty much followed this easy ricotta gnocchi recipe to a tee.
http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/08/easy-ricotta-gnocchi-258-recipe-065.html

So simple, it is just tedious rolling out each gnocchi on your fork if you like that fluffy, lumpy texture like I do. I don't really like the square pillow gnocchi version aka lazy man's gnocchi.

So to get the right texture, use the prongs of a fork and lightly roll around your dough on it til it looks kinda right.

For the sauce, I came up with this all on my own. Nothing like a good pink sauce or vodka sauce (minus the vodka) I love pink sauce so I used what I had to create a version of one that I thought would be good and was yummy.

Pink Sauce:
3 Tbsp tomato paste or 1/2 cup tomato sauce
4 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp cream or milk (or until desired consistency)
2 Tbsp butter
(1/4 tsp each) salt, pepper, parsley, whatever spices you like (italian seasoning would go nicely)

I've made this a few times and usually just combine what I've got in the refrigerator that makes sense, so feel free to play around with the ingredients, give or take a few here and there and it should be okay.

Cherry Tomatoes

I grew up hating tomatoes and still hate ketchup, but recently I've become obsessed with finding dishes to use cherry tomatoes. Here are some previous creations and ideas for the cherry tomato lover in you.

Balsamic Marinated seen with potato salad and garlic green beans

Caprese (mini mozzarella balls, balsamic drizzle, and dried basil) seen with tuna corn salad

Sunburst orange tomatoes with shredded cheese seen with salmon croquettes and salad

Artichoke Tomato Mozzarella Pizza

Avocado Tomato Pizza

See Matt, I do eat tomatoes now.

I think the recipes here are pretty self-explanatory.

Some cooking tips:

• Pizza is an extremely cheap and easy meal to make. Buy the 50 cents pizza dough packets at Walmart (they are kinda hard to find and may require digging) that you just add water.
• There are a bazillion ways to make pizza. I use whatever is in the fridge, in these two cases avocado and artichoke were the lucky victims.
• Balsamic makes everything taste so much better. Just soak tomatoes in about 3 tablespoons vinegar for a few hours or overnight, serve chilled or bake for 20 minutes on 375 degrees.
• You'd be amazed what I've learned can come from tuna and salmon cans: croquettes, burgers, rangoons, melts, tunacakes, pizza topping, salad topping, and so on. At about $1 a can for albacore, it's worth the splurge.  For making croquettes (my favorite of the bunch), just think meatloaf. Add whatever you have in the fridge (like soy sauce, an egg, any other sauces, ranch, bbq, spices, etc.), mix up in a bowl, form logs/cakes/burgers, roll in breadcrumbs, and lightly fry in a skillet.

Potato Pierogies

This blog is mostly a place to put all the pictures I've collected on my phone the past few years. When I put my heart in to a meal, I tend to want to take pictures of it.

As my first meal on here, I decided it would be perfect to use this recipe I've been saving forever. I found it once upon a time on a website I used to browse www.budget101.com and it was titled Poor Man's Pierogies. Pierogies were my all-time favorite childhood food- they can be purchased at most groceries stores in the freezer section by the brand of Mrs. T's. In case you haven't stumbled upon this pure genius product, it is a pasta dumpling stuffed with mashed potatoes.

This recipe, which I was too lazy to dig out of my self-made cookbook of online printouts, was created by what I thought would go in a lasagna-version of this dish.

As a side note, I am in desperate need of groceries. My refrigerator is completely empty, minus these few ingredients and while I am usually pretty good for making meals out of nothing, this is technically our last existing meal before grocery shopping. So with that said, it is really a poor man's meal.

Ingredients:
lasagna noodles
1 stick of butter
half a bag of potatoes
cream or milk
onion/shallots (dried will do)
salt
cheese
spices

Directions:
You will need two large pots for this meal. In one rapidly boil water and cook noodles according to directions. In another, boil chopped potatoes in water for about 25 minutes til soft with a fork. When done, pour in 3 tablespoons milk, 2 tablespoons butter, a generous amount of salt (why is it that potatoes never taste salty enough?), your favorite spices, and mash. I used Adobo, a salt blend, and parsley. Melt (via microwave for 30 seconds) in a bowl the rest of the butter and about 1 tablespoons each of dried onion or shallot. If you feel up to it, saute in a skillet fresh onions and shallots. Mine sadly went bad and I used dried.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large lasagna size pan, spread out half the melted butter mixture. Then one layer of noodles, half the mashed potatoes,  another layer of noodles, the other half of mashed potatoes, another layer of noodles, the rest of the butter, then top with whatever cheeses you've got. Bake for 15 minutes. It came out pretty tasty just not the healthiest of meals and requires alot more salt, even afer adding a bunch. If you have veggies on hand, I'd add some to make the meal feel a bit more nutritious.

Now some stuff about me. I am by no means a chef at all, I have just been a fan of cooking for the past 15 years and while I used to abide by recipes religiously, I have in the past few years deviated from this and become more creative. I think this type of creativity makes the best cooks since you learn to experiment and make your own dishes. With cooking, practice will never make perfect but it definitely helps. Anyways, as a graduate student I find my fridge empty quite often and have to be more creative than I'd like (hello, millions of pinterest recipes I may never get to). So here goes nothing.