Microwave Chocolate Caramels

I've had some unsweetened baking chocolate in my cupboard for a long time, as well as several cans of sweetened condensed milk. I often use the latter for christmas cookies, but the baking chocolate is harder to find uses for. I modified a few online recipes to make a simple dark chocolate and caramel candy using one can of milk (be sure it's SWEETENED CONDENSED, not EVAPORATED) and a box of baking chocolate. you can flavor it with anything you have lying around - nuts, extracts, dried fruits, etc. i used cinnamon in the caramel and candied orange peels in the chocolate.

Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk ($1.79)

1 8 oz box baking chocolate (unsweetened if you like dark chocolate, sweetened if you prefer more sugar. you can also use chocolate chips) ($2.50)

1/2T caramel flavoring (sea salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, crushed nuts, etc)

4T chocolate flavoring (dried fruits and nuts, extracts, etc)

1. chop chocolate and melt in microwave safe bowl until soft (usually less than 2 min). add 1/2 can milk, and microwave until chocolate just melts. stir thoroughly, fold in chocolate flavorings and pour/press into a pan or chocolate molds.

2. place remaining milk into a large glass bowl and microwave in short bursts, watching closely. when it froths to the top of the bowl, remove and stir with a wire whisk. continue doing this until the milk thickens, then stir in flavoring. spread over chocolate layer, and freeze.

3. when hardened, slice with a large knife into tiny squares. makes at least 2 dozen.

Beef Stew

Well, it's still winter, so let's make a simple beef stew!

Ingredients:

1 cheap steak (mine cost $2.37 - bought on the last day of sale and frozen)

1 bag frozen stew vegetables

1/4c whole wheat flour

2T Dr. Gonzo's One Hump Dry Rub

1T vegetable oil

4c water

1 bay leaf

1 T parsley

1. Cube the beef, and dredge in a mixture of flour and dry rub, brown in a large stockpot.

2. Add water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, then uncovered until the meat is tender.

Beef stew really is just that easy!

Old stand by - Stovetop Tuna Casserole

I started buying my own groceries in college. I remember going to the store with an exact amount of money, and carefully counting every penny's worth of food as it went into my cart. It's often hard to eat nutritious food on a budget, since fresh veggies can often be pricey, but canned and frozen food is a great way to supplement your nutrition when you don't have a lot to spend. Canned tuna is packed with lean protein, and frozen peas, while not as nutritious as their fresh compatriots, are still quite healthy. These two cheap staples can turn boring Mac and Cheese into a very tasty and reasonably nutritious meal.

Mac and Cheese itself can be a remarkably versatile base. Prepare it with fat free milk and a healthy butter alternative, and you can add your favorite meats and veggies for all kinds of tasty meals. Canned beans, leftover cooked chicken, bacon - it's all good! Maybe some day i will write a cookbook on 101 different ways to prepare it.

Ingredients:

1 package Mac and Cheese

1/4c fat free milk

1/4c margarine

1c frozen green peas, thawed

1 can tuna, drained

cracked black pepper

Italian bread crumbs

Prepare Mac and Cheese as directed. Stir in tuna and peas. Place in a casserole dish, and top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

White Sweet Potato and Chicken Stew

The other day at the store, i was fortunate to find white sweet potatoes on sale for $.99 a pound. A friend had mentioned them in his food blog earlier tis year, and i was determined to give them a try. I love sweet potatoes, but the hassle of cooking them, coupled with the fact that a lot of people don't really care for them, tends to keep me from buying them. White sweets have a much milder flavor than the orange variety - less sweet, and more like potatoes. This soup is lovely in the fall - it's warm, rich and thick, with holiday spices. it sure doesn't taste like something that only cost $5 to cook, and the recipe makes about 10 cups of soup - it freezes well! It could easily be made vegan, if you wanted to make a veggie stock, instead of chicken and salt pork.

Servings: 10 cups

Ingredients:

2 chicken legs ($.50)

1 bag frozen stew veggies (potatoes, carrots, celery and pearl onions, $1/bag)

1 2x2" chunk salt pork (i had this in the freezer for months, so i don't count the cost - it's usually pretty cheap, though)

1 bag frozen baby carrots ($1/bag)

1 can white potatoes ($.80)

2 large white sweet potatoes ($1.50)

Coriander

Rosemary

Crushed Black Pepper

Bay leaf

2 cinnamon sticks

Sage

Chili powder

water - lots of it!

In a large stew pot or slow cooker, add chicken, salt pork (this adds salt to the stew, you shouldn't need to add much more), stew veggies (not the other veggies, those go in later), spices, and enough water to fill the pot about 2/3 full. bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for several hours to make stock. You may wish to take the cinnamon out after 2 hours or so - it adds a lot of flavor. I simmered mine for about 6 hours on low, adding hot water when the pot got to about half full (i had to add an additional 6-8 cups as it cooked). Taste the stock frequently (once the chicken and pork cook through) - you'll know when it tastes like stock, and not just flavored water :) when it tastes rich, strain out the solids that remain. remove the bones/fat/skin from the solids, and mash what remains. then add it back to the broth. The chicken will not be chunky - you will have little threads of it throughout the final soup. Add the canned potatoes, frozen carrots, and peeled, chopped white sweets. Simmer for another hour at least. After they cook through, mash up the veggies you've just added (this can be done easily with the back of a wooden spoon, if they are thoroughly cooked). The result should be a thick, hearty, smooth, spicy stew. If you wish for a smoother consistency, you can put the solids into a food processor with about a cup of broth, but they are pretty easy to mash up by hand.

Salut!

Spicy Pork Chops - about $1 each!

I like to scan the meat department for bargains - there is always SOMETHING on sale, and i can usually figure out something to do with it. Our market likes to sell meat right up to the date printed on the package, and when that day comes, they slap on a sticker for $1 or $2 off. If you're like me, and you put your meat in the freezer when you get home, it doesn't really matter if you bought it on it's last good date - it stays good in the freezer for a long time. Well, last week, there was a nice package of thick cut boneless pork chops on sale, and with the $2 off coupon, three of them only cost me about $3. I made a really simple "cabinet marinade" using stuff that we always have around the house, and pan fried them (i was planning to grill but we ran out of propane). I can still smell them this morning and they were really delicious... and super easy!

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

3 Thick cut boneless pork chops (you could use bone in, too) - $3.21

1T Garlicmash (or, the same amount minced garlic plus a splash of chili oil)

2T Scotch Bonnet Stew (this adds spice, but is optional if you don't have it)

1/4 c vegetable oil

1/4 c vinegar (helps to tenderize the chops, and allow the spices to permeate)

2T soy sauce

2T honey

Chili Powder

Cumin

Oregano

Coriander

Cardamom

Cayenne

mix together all ingredients but chops in a bowl - use as much of the spices as you feel comfortable with - cooking is more about personal taste than following rules! I listed mine in order from most to least used. pour into a ziplock bag, and add chops, then seal and allow to marinate for at least a half hour. These could be grilled or baked, but i chose to fry them in a nonstick grilling pan - it leaves grill marks, and requires very little oil (actually, the oil in the marinade is almost enough). Heat the pan to medium high, and place the chops in the pan. What i did here was cook them until the outside was done, then butterfly them and cook the inside through - this is why you want thick, boneless chops - it's easier to cook through without blackening them (and you can transfer all the little browned bits of marinade to the inside of the chop that's sitting on the pan). be sure to cook them until the meat is fully done - uncooked pork is nasty stuff - this is another reason the butterflying works so well. Be sure to take them off as soon as they are done - overcooked pork can get chewy. We served them with shoestring fries (probably about $.75 a serving). I think this is one of the best pork marinades I've ever done - the soy, honey and vinegar really helped the spices permeate the meat nicely. You can change it up too - try it with 5 spice powder!

Bon Appetit! :)

Beans and Rice is nice... and under $5!

It's always a good idea to have a big bag of rice on hand. It's got lots of potassium (something no one ever gets enough of), and protein, and it's a complex carb, so it's digested more slowly than simple carbs. And of course, Schoolhouse Rock reminds us of what a tasty, nutritious meal beans and rice can be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heKYNWFBkW8&feature=player_embedded#

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 Cup rice, uncooked

1 can beans (you can use anything, i like black or kidney - $1 can)

1/2 bag frozen peppers and onions ($1 bag)

1/4 package taco seasoning or mexican marinade ($1)

Shredded cheese ($2.50/bag, but you won't use a full bag)

Leftover meat (I found a sad lonely burger in the freezer) - optional

Cook rice (with 2 cups water - you know how to make rice, right?) While it's cooking, cook the meat and veggies in a saute pan. If you're using raw meat and a nonstick pan, you shouldn't need oil. After they are mostly cooked, add the beans (with juice from the can) and seasoning, and cook completely. Mix veggies and meat with cooked rice, and stir in a little shredded cheese. This makes a really hearty, nutritious, and filling meal for two, or a nice main course for 4 with sides.

Mangia!

Pasta night - $3-5

So, one of the things we eat a lot on a budget is pasta. at $1 a box, it's hard to pass up. And i've recently found pasta sauce for $1 a can. it's not the greatest sauce in the world, but with enough little add ins, it's very tasty and nutritious.

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 Box pasta ($1)

1 Can Past Sauce ($1)

1/2 bag frozen peppers and onions, or spinach ($1/bag) - use multiple veggies if you like, or substitute for 1/2lb ground beef

1/2 bag shredded cheese ($1.50)

while your pasta is cooking, steam the spinach, or lightly stirfry peppers and onions. if you're using ground meat, brown in a separate pan while pasta cooks. After the additional stuff is heated through, stir in a can of pasta sauce and some cheese. Pasta and sauce doesn't have to be boring - make that sauce your own!