Dijon Broccoli

Ingredients:

2 crowns Broccoli

2 Tbs Mayonnaise

1 Tbs Dijon Mustard

Directions:

Wash broccoli. Cut into florets. Steam for 10 minutes. While the broccoli is steaming, mix together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in the bottom of a small mixing bowl. Once the broccoli is done, drain all water and add to the bowl. Toss to coat and serve.

Serves 4

Cold Cuban Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 lb Pork Sirloin or Tenderloin, thinly sliced

1 cup (8oz) Italian salad dressing

8 oz Deli Sliced Ham

1 Banana, thinly sliced

32 Dill Pickle slices (8 per sandwich)

4 Tbs Mayonnaise

4 tsp Yellow Mustard

4 Submarine rolls

1 Tbs Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Thinly slice the pork and place it in a small bowl with a lid. Add the Italian salad dressing. Allow to marinate for at least 4 hours.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with vegetable oil. Remove the pork from the marinade and add to the pan. Saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes - do not overcook. Place in food storage container and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

To assemble the sandwich, start by slicing the rolls in half lengthwise. Remove some of the bread from the inside of each half - creating a dish that will hold all the sandwich fixin's (save the bread you remove for bread crumbs). Spread 1 Tbs mayonnaise and 1 tsp mustard on the bottom half of the rolls. Next add a single layer (about 16 slices) of banana on top of the mayo and mustard. Then add a single layer (about 8 slices) of pickles on top of the bananas. Pile on 1/4 of the pork. Finish by placing 4 slices of ham on top of the pork. Add top half of the roll.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe and to read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Cali Burritos

Ingredients:

1 Boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup rice

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups chicken stock, divided

1 bunch cilantro

1 orange, zest and juice

1 lime, zest and juice

about 1 cup pineapple juice (I drain the pineapple juice from a can of pineapple and use that)

1 chipotle pepper, seeded

1 clove garlic, smashed

2 Tbs honey

salt and pepper

1 Tbs vegetable oil

4 burrito size tortillas

2 avocados, sliced

1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

In a small bowl with a lid, mix together 1 cup chicken stock and the zest of both the lime and the orange and 1 Tbs salt. Slice the chicken into thin slices and add to the brine. Allow to marinate for 4-6 hours (I usually do it in the morning, for dinner that night)

For the rice, add 1 cup chicken stock to a small saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice. Cover and turn off heat. Allow to sit for 15 minutes - until all the stock is absorbed.

While the rice is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Chop the onions and add them to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, juice the lime and orange into a blender. Tear the leaves off the bunch of cilantro and them to the blender. Add the pineapple juice, chipotle pepper, garlic, honey, and salt & pepper to taste. Blend well (about 1 minute).

Once onions are caramelized, remove chicken from brine and add to the skillet. Cook just until chicken is white on the outside, once this happens add the citrus cilantro sauce. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Once, the rice is done, add it and the beans to the skillet. Allow to simmer until the mixture is moist but not soupy (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat.

To assemble the burritos, place a dollop of sour cream down the center of the tortilla. Lay avocado slices on top of the sour cream (1/2 avocado per burrito). Place 1/4 of the chicken and rice mixture on the tortilla (about 1 cup). Fold in ends and roll up. Repeat for remaining burritos.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this meal and to read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients:

8 slices of bread (I use whole wheat)
6 oz shredded cheese (mozzarella or Italian blend)
1/2 marinara sauce
6 oz sliced pepperoni
dried basil
dried oregano
cooking spray

Directions:

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Place 2 slices of bread in the skillet (more if your skillet is big enough). Place 1 1/2 oz of cheese on each slice of bread. Sprinkle with basil and oregano. Top with 2 layers of sliced pepperoni (12-18 slices, depending on the size of your bread). Place a 2nd slice of bread on top. Spray with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown on first side, flip and cook until golden brown on second side and cheese is melted. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.

Serve with marinara sauce for dipping (remember to heat it up in the microwave if you've been storing it in the fridge)

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe and read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Carmelized Onion and Mustard Sliders

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

2 Tablespoons grill seasoning

12 potato rolls

2 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced

1/4 cup A-1 steak sauce

1 Tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper

1/4 grainy, deli style mustard

Directions:

Heat vegetable oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, season with salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in the A-1 sauce, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

Slice the rolls in half horizontally. Spread 1 teaspoon of mustard on the top half of each roll.

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the ground beef and grill seasoning in a mixing bowl. Mix together. Divide the beef into 4 equal portions and then each of those into 3 portions, creating 12 equal portions. Shape into balls and press flat until they are the same size as the potato rolls. Add them to the pan. (They probably won't all be able to fit - you can do 2 batches, or you can pull out a griddle and cook them all at the same time). Allow to cook for 1 minute on the first side (the patties are small and won't take long to cook through). Flip them to the second side. Place cheese on each patty. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until cheese is melted.

To assemble the sliders, place a patty on the bottom half of the rolls. Top with a spoonful of onions and the top part of the roll.

Makes 12 sliders - serves 4 -6, depending on how hungry you are ;)

To see what I spent on this recipe and to read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Eggs and Hashbrowns with Spinach Mornay Sauce

Sorry the picture isn't very good - I am definitely no photographer :o)

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

6 medium size russet potatoes

6 oz shredded cheese (Swiss or sharp white cheddar)

2 Tbs Butter, divided

1 cup milk

1 Tbs flour

3 Tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Directions:

Scrub the potatoes and poke a couple holes in them. Microwave them for about 15 minutes on high. (You want them to be cooked through before you put them on the stove). Allow to cool for 30 minutes before handling.

While the potatoes are cooking, squeeze the excess liquid out of the spinach by placing it in a clean kitchen towel (I have one that I specifically use for spinach only) and wringing it out over the sink. Set aside.

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Shred the potatoes into the pan. Season liberally with salt and pepper (remember potatoes are bland all on their own). Allow the potatoes to cook for several minutes before stirring them - you want them to get brown and crispy. Cook for about 10 minutes - until brown and crispy all the way through.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt 1 Tbs butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add 1 Tbs flour. Whisk together and cook for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk and continue to whisk just until milk comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cheese until completely incorporated. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Break the spinach into smaller pieces and add to the cheese sauce. Stir until spinach is broken up and even distributed throughout the sauce. Set over low heat to keep warm, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs butter. Cook the 4 eggs in the pan to desired doneness (I like over-hard).

To serve, portion out 1/4 of the potatoes onto the plate. Top with 1/4 of the spinach cheese sauce, and top with 1 egg.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this meal, visit my other blog here.

Chicken Tortellini Salad with Grapes and Pineapple

Ingredients:

2 9oz packages refrigerated tortellini (any flavor - I used cheese ones and sausage ones and they both taste great)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can crushed pineapple
1 cup mayonnaise
1 rib celery, finely diced
3 green onions, finely sliced
1 cup grapes, halved
2 tsp ground sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook through (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, in the bottom of a large mixing bowl, stir together the pineapple, mayonnaise, sage, thyme, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Cut the green onions, celery and grapes and add them to the bowl.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and rinse it under cold water. Add the pasta and the cooled chicken to the bowl. Stir all together. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Hazelnut French Toast with Cherry Compote

Ingredients:

1 Loaf of Bread (I use whole wheat)

4 large eggs

1 16 oz bottle Coffee Mate Hazelnut Biscotti Creamer

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

1 lb Cherries, pitted

Directions:

Pit the cherries and place them in the blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth (it will be a little chunky). Set aside.

Pre-heat a griddle to 350 degrees (or over medium heat if using the stove top).

In a large, wide bowl, beat together the eggs, creamer, and cinnamon. Once the griddle is hot, dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, turning to coat. Place on the griddle. Repeat for as many slices as will fit. Cook them until golden brown on first side (about 4 minutes) and flip to second side.

Once finished cooking, serve them with a dollop of cherry compote on top.

Serves about 8 (2 slices each)

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Curry Chicken and Grapes Wraps

Ingredients:

4 burrito size tortillas
2 cans chicken breast meat, drained
8 leafs of lettuce, shredded
1 rib of celery, finely chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 lb grapes, halved

1/2 cup cashew pieces
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Directions:

In the bottom of a medium size mixing bowl, stir together the mayo, curry powder, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Thinly slice the green onions and add them to the bowl. Finely chop the celery and add it to the bowl too.

Open and drain the chicken and add to the bowl. Slice the grapes in half and stir the entire mixture together.

Using a sharp knife, finely shred the lettuce.

To assemble the wraps, place 1/4 of the chicken mixture down the center of the tortilla. Top with 1/4 of the shredded lettuce. Fold up the ends and roll shut. Slice on an angle down the middle. Repeat for remaining servings.

Serves 4

This stores in the fridge well, so even if you don't need 4 servings for 1 meal, make up the whole recipe and use for lunches later in the week.

To read the story behind this recipe and see what I spent on it, visit my other blog here.

I want to appologize for the lack of new content here. Our air conditioning has been broken for several days and it may be a few more before it is fixed. Because of this, I have been doing very little cooking. So, it may be another day or two before there's a new recipe up here. Thanks for bearing with me.

Amber

Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs

Ingredients:

8 Hot Dogs (I use low fat Hebrew National)
8 slices of Turkey Bacon

1/2 oz cheddar cheese, cut into thin, long sticks

8 Hot Dog Buns (I use wheat)
1/4 cup sauerkraut, drained and chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 Tbs vegetable oil

Directions:

Slice open the hot dogs, down the center, lengthwise, making a deep pocket in each, but not cutting all the way through. Place a strip (or a couple strips if they're short) inside each hot dog.

Wrap a strip of bacon around each stuffed hot dog, securing each end with a toothpick. Make sure it is wrapped tight enough that it will hold in the cheese during cooking.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with vegetable oil. Place the stuffed hot dogs in the pan with the opening of the pocket down. Allow to cook until bacon is dark and crisp (3-4 minutes). Turn to other side (pocket opening up) and cook another 3-4 minutes. A small amount of cheese may ooze out and that's o.k.

While the hot dogs are cooking, mix together the Dijon mustard and the ketchup in a small bowl. Finely chop the green onion and the sauerkraut. Mix together in another small bowl.

Once the hot dogs are done, remove the toothpicks and place them in the buns. Top with the ketchup - mustard mix and the onions and sauerkraut.

Serves 4 - 8, depending on how hungry you are ;o)

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Stove Top Corn Bread

Ingredients:

1 box Jiffy corn bread mix

1/3 cup milk

1 large egg

1 Tbs butter

Directions:

Melt butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium low heat (3 1/2 on my stove).

In a small mixing bowl stir together the corn bread mix, milk and egg. Scrape out of bowl and into the skillet. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid while it's cooking - the lid makes a mini oven. Once it's cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Place a plate upside down, over the pan. Invert the pan and the cornbread should come right out on to the plate.

Serves 6

My husband absolutely loves cornbread. And since I really try to not use the oven during the summer, I came up with this recipe so that he can still get his corn bread fix). You can dress this recipe up by adding chopped green onions to the batter or any assortment of spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, Cayenne powder, chipotle powder etc). My husband happens to be a purist when it comes to his corn bread so I've learned not to mess with it.

Cranberry Orange Pork Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 16oz bottle Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (I used Kraft)

1 pound pork tenderloin

1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1 cup dried cranberries

2 oranges

2 crowns broccoli

12 oz penne rigate pasta

1 /2 cup chopped walnuts

1 Tbs vegetable oil

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Pour 1/2 of the bottle of salad dressing into a small bowl with a lid. Zest the 2 oranges and add the zest to the vinaigrette. Place the pork in the dressing, turning to coat (if it isn't completely submerged). Marinate over night in the refrigerator.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water and drop the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente (do not over cook!). Drain, but do not rinse the pasta.

Cut the broccoli crowns into small florets. Steam for 5 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with vegetable oil. Quarter and thinly slice the onion and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until lightly caramelized.

While the onions are cooking, remove the pork from the marinade (discard the marinade) and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Add the pork to the pan with the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until done (about 5 minutes).

To the bottom of a large mixing bowl, add the rest of the balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing and the juice of both oranges. While the pasta is still warm, add it to the dressing and toss to coat. Stir in the dried cranberries. It will seem like a lot of dressing, but the pasta will absorb it, giving the pasta a lot of great flavor. The dried cranberries will also absorb some of the liquid and will plump up nicely.

When the pork and onions and the broccoli are done, stir them in to the pasta as well.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Stir in the walnuts right before serving.

Serves 4 as an entree (It keeps great in the fridge)

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Smashed Maple Sweet Potatoes and Bananas

Ingredients:

2 large Sweet Potatoes
2 large, very ripe bananas
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground sage
salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel the sweet potatoes using a vegetable peeler. Quarter lengthwise and thinly slice (remember, the thinner you slice them, the faster they'll cook!). Place in a medium size saucepan and cover with water. Place pan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, 5-10 minutes (depending on how thin you sliced them). Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pan.

Peel the bananas and add them to the pan of potatoes. Add the maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, sage and salt and pepper to taste. Mash with a potato masher until it reaches desired consistency

Serves 4


This recipe is perfect to serve with any breakfast meal - it has great breakfast flavor and is a great way to have vegetables along with breakfast food.

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated Pizza Dough
1/4 cup corn meal
3/4 cup Marinara Sauce
8 eggs
1 Tbs Butter
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil
8 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese (I use one with pepper jack)
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 small jalapeno minced
6 oz Breakfast Sausage links
salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook Sausage according to package directions. Allow to cool before slicing it into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle a baking sheet with corn meal. Unroll pizza dough onto the pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes - until golden brown all over.

While the pizza dough is baking, pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Finely chop the onion and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, finely chop the bell peppers and mince the jalapeno. Add them to the pan with the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for only 1 minute so that the peppers maintain their color. Turn of the heat.

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs butter. Crack the eggs into a medium size mixing bowl and beat well. Season with salt and pepper. Add them to the pan and cook (scramble) until just set.

To assemble the pizza, spread the marinara sauce onto the pizza dough, scatter the scrambled eggs around, sprinkle with the shredded cheese, scatter the peppers and onions and top with the breakfast sausage slices.

Cook at 425 for about 5 minutes - just until cheese is melted. Slice and serve.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

We serve this with Smashed Maple Sweet Potatoes and Bananas.

This recipe is part of 5 Dollar Dinners $5 dinner challenge.

Bacon, Egg and Tomato Quesadillas with Avocado

Ingredients:

2 Tortillas

2 Eggs

3 oz grated cheddar cheese

1 Roma tomato

4 slices bacon (I use Turkey)

cooking spray

1/2 Tbs butter

1 Avocado, smashed

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook bacon in microwave according to package directions until crispy. Break each piece into 2, so that you have 8 small pieces of bacon.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add eggs to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the eggs medium hard - break the yolks so that they will cook through. Once the eggs are ready to flip, use a spatula to split the whites in half, down the middle of the pan - making 2 semi-circles. Cook on second side until the yolks are set.

While the eggs are cooking, spray a medium size skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Lay 1 tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1 1/2 oz cheese. Cover the pan so that the cheese will melt faster.

While the eggs and cheese are working, slice the tomato into 6 slices. Smash the avocado and season with salt and pepper.

Once the eggs are done and the cheese is melted, assemble to quesadilla: Lay 3 slices of tomato on one half of the tortilla. Lay 4 small slices of bacon on top of the tomatoes. Top with one egg. Fold the tortilla over and press down with the spatula. Remove from pan and serve with avocado.

Heat the 2nd tortilla and cheese in the medium skillet. Once cheese is melted, finish building the 2nd quesadilla.

Serves 2

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here

Mango Pork Pizza

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pizza crust
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup creamy tomatillo dressing
2 cups shredded sweet pork
10 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1 mango, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll out pizza dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown all over.

While the dough is baking, diced the mango and bell pepper. Slice the onions.

When dough is finished baking, remove from oven. Spread the creamy tomatillo dressing over the crust. Sprinkle with the cheese. Then place the pork, mangoes and peppers on the pizza.

Bake at 425 for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with green onions. Slice and serve.


Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here

You can find more tasty recipes over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday Carnival.

Sweet Pork Salad with Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

Ingredients:

6 Tortillas (I use whole wheat)
6 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese (I use one with pepper jack)
Sweet Pork
1 15oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
3 hearts of romaine, shredded
Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
2 Avocados, smashed
2 tsp lime juice
salt and pepper
1/2 cup pico de gallo (I used fresh salsa instead)
crushed tortilla chips (I use the remnants left at the bottom of the bag)
Cilantro leaves to garnish

Directions:

Prepare all of the components of the salad: shred the lettuce; mash the avocado with salt, pepper and lime juice; drain and rinse the beans.

Place a medium skillet over medium low heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle with 1 oz of shredded cheddar cheese. Place a lid on the pan and allow the cheese to melt. Once the cheese is melted, move the tortilla from the pan to a plate. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

To assemble the salad, place 1/4 of a cup of black beans on the tortilla, 1 cup sweet pork, a large handful of lettuce (about 1/6 of it), drizzle with 1/4 cup creamy tomatillo dressing, dollop of avocado, dollop of pico de gallo, crushed tortilla chips and a few cilantro leaves. Repeat for the rest of the servings.

Serves 6


Even if you don't need 6 servings, you can make up the whole batch of the sweet pork and creamy tomatillo dressing. Both are delicious and work great in other recipes or as nacho toppings. Or use the leftovers to make this pizza (that's what I did!)


To find out what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

You can find other great salad recipes over at Life As MOM's Ultimate Recipe Swap

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

Ingredients:

1 Packet Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Salsa Verde
1 bunch cilantro, tops only (tear off)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tsp lime juice
1 small jalapeno, seeded

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Sweet Pork

Ingredients:

2 cups Pace Salsa
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Dr. Pepper
2 lbs Pork Sirloin Tenderloin or center cut pork loin
salt and pepper

Directions:

Cut the pork into large chunks and place in a crock pot. Fill it half way up with water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low 5-7 hours, or high for 3-4. Drain off water. Shred the pork and pull off excess fat. Put salsa, Dr Pepper and brown sugar in a blender. Blend well. Pour into a small saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly reduced and thickened. Pour over shredded pork and cook in crock pot for 3 more hours on low.

Tuna Bacon Ranch Sandwich

Ingredients:

4 slices bread

1 can tuna, drained

3 Tbs Ranch Dressing

2 Tbs sweet pickle relish

3 strips bacon (I used turkey)

1 Roma tomato, sliced

2 leafs lettuce (the picture shows shredded lettuce because I had some left over)

salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook the bacon in the microwave until crisp. Allow to cool. Crumble.

Toast the bread

Combine the tuna fish, ranch dressing, relish, crumbled bacon, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Divide the tuna between the 2 sandwiches, top with lettuce and tomato

Serves 2

Egg Nog French Toast

Ingredients:

1 loaf of bread (I used wheat)

5 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided

1 1/2 tsp rum extract, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup maple syrup

Directions:

Pre-heat a griddle to 350 degrees (or over medium heat, if on the stove top).

In a wide bowl beat together the eggs, milk and salt until completely blended. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp rum extract and 1 tsp nutmeg.

Once griddle is warm, dip bread into egg mixture, turning and coating completely. Place on griddle and repeat for remaining slices of bread. Cook until golden brown (4-5 minutes) then flip and finish cooking. Remove from griddle. Repeat as many times as necessary to finish cooking the loaf of bread (depends on your griddle size).

While the french toast is cooking, place syrup in a small saucepan. Stir in 1/2 tsp nutmeg. Heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp rum extract. Serve over french toast

Serves 8 (about 16 slices total, 2 slices each)

We make this whole batch because there is nothing my husband loves more than breakfast food that he can snack on at all hours of the day.

Mango Peach Quesadillas

Ingredients:

12 flour tortillas (I use whole grain)

1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup Mango Peach Salsa (I use Chachies brand)

8oz Shredded Mexican blend cheese (I use one with pepper jack)

Cooking Spray

Sour Cream

Directions:

Place the beans, salsa and cheese into the food processor. Pulse until mostly smooth.

Pre-heat a medium skillet over medium, medium-low heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Lay a tortilla in the pan. Spoon 1/3 cup of the filling onto one side of the tortilla, spread to edge. Cover pan with lid. Cook until tortilla is browned and cheese is melted. Fold the tortilla in half and remove from pan. Repeat for remaining tortillas.

Allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing and serving -this will allow the cheese to set and make it less messy to eat. Serve with sour cream.

Makes 12 "pocket" quesadillas - serves 6 as an entree, 12 as an appetizer (1 per person)

Note: Even if you don't need to make this many quesadillas for 1 meal, you can still make up the whole mix, and store it in the refrigerator to use for lunches and snacks throughout the week)

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

BBQ Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thinly sliced

2 cups (16oz) BBQ Sauce

1 15 oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

3 hearts of romaine lettuce, shredded

2 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 Avocados, sliced

4 oz shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup (approx) Ranch Dressing

2.8 oz can French Fried Onions

1 Tbs vegetable Oil

Directions:

Add 1 cup BBQ sauce to the bottom of a small mixing bowl. Thinly slice the chicken breasts and add to the BBQ sauce. Toss to coat. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. (If you don't have time to do this, you can just cook the chicken and coat in the sauce - it will still be tasty)

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with the vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the BBQ sauce marinade and add it to the pan and cook until done (about 5 minutes). Once the chicken is done, turn off the heat and stir in the remaining cup of BBQ sauce. The chicken will be very saucy - this is what you want, it becomes part of the dressing for the salad.

While the chicken is cooking, shred the lettuce using a sharp knife. Wash and dry (I use a salad spinner). Seed and chop the tomatoes. Pit and slice the avocado.

Once the chicken is done you can assemble the salad. Place 1/4 of the lettuce on a plate. Drizzle with 3 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing. Place 1/4 of the chicken strips, avocado slices (1/2 of an avocado), chopped tomato (1/2 of a tomato) and 1/4 of the black beans on the lettuce. Sprinkle with 1 oz cheddar cheese and 1/4 of the french fried onions. Repeat for the remaining servings.

Serves 4 (as an entree)

Serving suggestion: Serve with warm stove top cornbread with butter and honey (yum!)

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Check out more chicken recipes over at Life as MOM's Ultimate Recipe Swap

Asparagus and Herbed Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips

1 lb spaghetti (I use whole grain)

1 bundle asparagus

2 packages Weber White Wine and Herbs marinade mix

20 - 30 cherries, pitted and quartered (5 per serving)

1/4 cup water

2 Tbs Olive oil

salt

Directions:

Place 1 packet of the marinade mix into a small mixing bowl. Stir in water and olive oil. Place sliced chicken breasts into marinade and toss to coat. Allow to sit for 1 hour in refrigerator.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water. Drop the pasta and cook according to package directions (do not over cook!)

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and marinade to pan and cook until chicken is done (about 5 minutes).

While chicken and pasta is cooking, pit and chop the cherries and cut the asparagus - cut each spear into thirds on a heavy angle. Add the asparagus to the pasta water during the last minute of cooking (allow to cook for 1 minute).

When pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining. Drain the pasta and asparagus. Add the cooking liquid back into the pot. Stir in the 2nd marinade packet until dissolved. Add the asparagus and pasta back to the pot and toss until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the chicken strips. Portion onto plates and garnish with cherries.

Serves 4-6

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

See more tasty recipes over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday carnival

Strawberry Cream Cheese Turkey Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread

3 oz deli sliced turkey breast (I used black peppercorn turkey)

1 leaf of lettuce

2 oz strawberry cream cheese

1/3 granny smith apple, sliced

Directions:

Toast bread. While bread is toasting, slice the apple. Once bread is toasted, spread 1 oz of strawberry cream cheese on each slice of bread. Lay apple slices on one side of the sandwich. Pile on the turkey and top with the lettuce.

Serves 1

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb penne rigate pasta (I used whole grain)

1 16oz bottle Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (Kraft)

3.5 oz package Sun Dried Tomatoes, julienne cut

2 crowns broccoli

4 oz sliced salami or pepperoni

1 large onion, finely diced

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

3 Tbs Olive oil

Directions:

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs olive oil. Finely chop the onion and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Once onions are caramelized, pour in the balsamic vinegar. Allow the vinegar to reduce down so that it is a thick glaze on the onions.

While the onions are cooking, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim the broccoli crowns into small florets. Toss them with 2 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them out on a sheet pan, making sure they touch as little as possible. Roast for about 10 minutes, until slightly browned. Remove from oven.

While the broccoli is roasting, fill a large pot with water and set over high heat. Once water is boiling, salt it and drop the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. Do not over cook.

While the broccoli, onions and pasta are cooking, prepare the rest of the salad. Empty the bottle of salad dressing into a large mixing bowl. Add the sun dried tomatoes to the bowl (if you can't find pre-cut julienne ones, thinly slice them). Thinly slice the salami and add it to the bowl as well.

When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the bowl. Toss well - the pasta should be evenly coated with the dressing. When the broccoli and onions are done, add them as well. Toss all the ingredients together. Chill at least 2 hours before serving (I make it in the morning for dinner that evening)

Serves 6 as an entree, 12 as a side dish

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

I'm participating in 5 dollar dinners $5 dinner challenge.

Pineapple Green Chili Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1 Pablano pepper

1 large tomatillo

1 bunch cilantro

1 4oz can diced green chilies

1 can pineapple tidbits (fruit and juice)

2 Tbs sugar

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

4 Tbs Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

Salt and pepper

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup lime juice

1 head lettuce, shredded

4 tortillas

4oz Mexican blend cheese (I used one with pepper jack)

crushed tortilla chips (I use the remnants at the bottom of a bag)

Directions:

Pre-heat the broiler in your oven. Peel the paper skin off the tomatillo and remove the stem. Place the pablano pepper and tomatillo on a sheet pan and place under the broiler. Broil until their skin is blackened (5-7 minutes). Rotate around to the other side. Broil until blackened (5-7 minutes). Remove from oven. Place pablano in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to sit and steam for 15 minutes. Remove the pablano from the bowl and peel off the blackened skin. Remove the stem and seeds. Roughly chop the pepper into smaller pieces. Add the pepper and the tomatillo to the blender.

Add to the blender: the juice from the can of pineapple, sugar, apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbs Olive oil, chili powder, cumin, diced green chilies, 1/4 cup cilantro, salt and pepper. Blend until mostly smooth. Pour into a small saucepan, set over medium heat. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, until thickened. Pour in a small bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Thinly slice the chicken breasts. Place the lime juice, 1 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the chicken. If there isn't enough lime juice to cover the chicken add water so that the chicken is completely submerged. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat a medium skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs olive oil. Finely chop the onion. Add the onion to the pan, season with salt and pepper. Saute 5 minutes until lightly golden brown. Reduce heat to medium low and saute for 20 minutes, until caramelized.

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs olive oil. Remove chicken from the marinade and add to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes (until cooked through).

While chicken is cooking, shred the head of lettuce using a knife. Wash and dry (I use a salad spinner). Roughly chop the remainder of the bunch of cilantro.

Place a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla and sprinkle with 1 oz shredded cheese. Allow cheese to melt. Remove tortilla, place it on a plate. Repeat for each tortilla.

To assemble the salad, place 1/4 of the lettuce on the tortilla. Spoon on 1/4 of the green chili sauce over the lettuce. Top with 1/4 of the chicken strips, 1/4 of the pineapple tidbits, 1/4 of the caramelized onions, 1/4 of the chopped cilantro, and some tortilla chips. Repeat for remaining servings.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Honey Mustard Apple Burgers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb ground beef

8 hamburger buns

2 Tbs grill seasoning

2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced

1 large onion, quartered and thinly slided

1 large Fuji apple, thinly sliced

4 leafs lettuce

1 Tbs Dijon mustard

2 Tbs honey

2 Tbs vegetable oil

Directions:

Pre-heat a medium skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Add the onion to the pan, season with salt and pepper. Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes - until lightly golden. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until caramelized and sweet (about 20 minutes)

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Place ground beef in medium mixing bowl. Mix in grill seasoning and Worcestershire sauce (do not over mix). Divide the meat into 4 equal sections, form into patties and place in the pan. (You can, of course, cook them on the grill instead). Cook for 5 minutes on first side. Flip over and continue to cook. Add the cheese to the burgers. Place a lid, or tin foil, over the pan to help the cheese melt. Cook another 5 minutes.

While the burgers are cooking, mix together the mustard and honey. Wash the lettuce and toast the buns. Slice the apple.

When the meat and onions are done, assemble the burgers. Place the patty on the bottom bun, top with 1/4 of the onions, 1/4 of the apple slices and the lettuce. Spread the honey mustard on the top bun and place it on top of the burger. Repeat for remaining burgers.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe, visit my other blog here.

Broccoli Slaw

I happen to not care for raw broccoli - I find it to be too bitter. So, in this recipe I ligthly steam it to take away that bitterness.

Ingredients:

2 crowns broccoli

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Craisins

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs sugar

salt and pepper

Directions:

Wash broccoli and cut off the bottom of the crown, leaving florets with long stems. Using a food processor, shred the broccoli. (You can buy pre-shredded broccoli slaw - I've sometimes have a hard time finding it, so I usually just make it myself).

Steam the shredded broccoli for 5 minutes. This is just long enough to remove some of the bitterness, but allows it to maintain it's crispness.

Refrigerate the steamed, shredded broccoli for 1 hour before assembling the rest of the salad.

In the bottom of a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Stir in the broccoli, Craisins and green onions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Just before serving, stir in the pecans.

Serves 4 - 6

Grilled Pineapple

Ingredients:

1 ripe pineapple (If you want to know how to pick a ripe pineapple, go here)

Directions:

Pre-heat your grill to medium-high.

Cut off the top and bottom. Stand it up on the cutting board and cut down the sides, removing the skin, making sure to get all the little spines.

Turn the pineapple on it's side and slice into 1/2 inch round slices. You should get about 8 slices.

Place the slices on the grill and grill for 2-3 minutes per side. Serve warm.

Serves 4 (2 slices per person)

Cranberry Dijon Chicken Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 heaping Tbs Dijon Mustard

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Craisins

8 leafs of lettuce

8 slices of bread

salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in baking dish, season with salt and pepper and bake until it reaches and internal temperature of 160 degrees (20 - 30 minutes). Remove from oven, cool to room temperature, store in fridge.

Once chicken is cool, mix up the rest of the ingredients. Add mayonnaise and mustard to the bottom of a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped celery, sliced green onions and craisins. Chop the chicken into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces. Add to bowl and mix. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

To serve, toast bread, pile on the chicken salad and top with 2 leafs of lettuce.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe visit my other blog here.

Honey Mustard Salmon Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb farfalle (bow tie) pasta
1 lb salmon fillet
1 16oz bottle Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing (I used Kraft)
1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
3 green onions, thinly sliced

cooking spray

salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees. Place salmon fillet in a greased baking dish, skin side down. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until internal temperature is 140 degrees (about 10 minutes).

While salmon is cooking, fill a large pot with water and place over high heat. Once water is boiling, salt the water and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions (do not over cook).

Empty the bottle of dressing into a serving bowl. Peel, seed and chop the cucumber. Peel and grate the carrots. Slice the green onions. Add the veggies to the dressing.

Once the pasta is done, drain it and add to the dressing. Toss.

When the salmon is done, allow it to cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Flake it into chunks (keep in mind that the chunks will get smaller as you toss them in with the pasta). Add the salmon to the pasta, toss. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves 6

To see what I spent on this recipe visit my other blog here.

I am participating in 5 dollar dinners $5 dollar dinner challenge

Lemon Thyme Peas, Mushrooms and Onions

Ingredients:

1 small onion, finely chopped

8oz sliced mushrooms

2 cups frozen peas

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 Tbs dries Thyme

1 Tbs Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Directions:

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 1 Tbs olive oil. Finely chop the onion and add to the pan. Saute for a few minutes before adding the sliced mushrooms and the remaining 1 Tbs of olive oil. Saute for about 10 minutes - until onions and mushrooms are tender and golden brown. Add Thyme and Lemon pepper. Stir in the peas and cook just until peas are warm. Serve.

Serves 4

Peach Steak Burger

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 5 oz bottle of A1 Steak sauce

2 Tbs grill seasoning (any variety except spicy)

2 ripe peaches, cut into slices

1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced

4 hamburger buns

8 leafs of lettuce

4 Tbs Mayonnaise

2 Tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat a medium skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Slice the onion and add to the pan. Salt and pepper. Saute until lightly golden brown, about 7 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Place the ground beef in a medium mixing bowl with 2 Tbs steak sauce and grill seasoning. Mix together, but do not over work the meat. Divide the meat into 4 equal parts (a la Rachael Ray) and form into patties. Place the patties into the large skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side.

Once onions are lightly brown, stir in the remaining steak sauce. Lower heat to med-low and simmer for about 3 minutes - until the sauce is thick.

While the burgers are cooking toast the buns and slice the peaches.

Once all the components are done cooking, assemble the burgers. Spread 1 Tbs of mayo on the bottom bun. Top with the hamburger patty. Then add 1/4 of the onions and 1/4 of the peach slices (it will seem like a lot of peaches, but trust me - it's good this way). Add 2 leafs of lettuce and then the top bun. Repeat for the remaining burgers.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe and read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Pasta and Chicken in a Chive Cream Sauce with Cherries and Pecans

It looks like dessert doesn't it. And it probably sounds a little odd, but trust me it's yummy! The tangy / sweet cherries cut through the rich sauce and the nuts add a nice crunch.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
10 oz Farafalle (bow tie) pasta
8 oz Onion & Chive cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 pound cherries, pitted and quartered
1/4 cup chopped pecans
salt and pepper
1 Tbs vegetable oil


Directions:

Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, salt the water and cook the pasta according to package directions.

While the water is coming up to a boil, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Thinly slice the chicken breasts. Add them to the pan and salt and pepper them. Cook until done, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan, set aside.

Add milk to large skillet that the chicken was in. Once the milk is bubbling, whisk in the cream cheese until smooth. Lower heat to med-low and simmer for a couple minutes, to thicken the sauce. Season with pepper.

While the pasta is cooking and the sauce is simmering, pit and quarter the cherries.

Once the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Add the chicken and stir until coated in the sauce. Serve with nuts and cherries on top.


Serves 4


To see what I spent on this recipe and the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

I'm participating in 5dollardinners.com $5 dinner challenge.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Lo Mein Noodles

I realize this recipe is nothing even close to authentic, but I wanted to utilize ingredients that I have in my pantry and that I bought at rock bottom prices.

Ingredients:

1 cup Russian Salad Dressing

1/2 cup Asian (sesame ginger) salad dressing

8 oz whole grain spaghetti

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can pineapple tidbits (juice and fruit)

2 Tbs soy sauce

1 lb bag of cole slaw mix

1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced

3 green onions, thinly sliced.

2 Tbs vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Thinly slice the chicken. Add to skillet. Salt and Pepper. Cook until cooked through (5-7 minutes). Remove chicken from pan, set aside.

In the same pan, add the Russian dressing, juice from the canned pineapple and pepper. Heat over medium heat. Allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes - you want it nice and thick so that it will coat the chicken nicely.

While chicken is cooking, fill a large pot with water and place over high heat. Once water is boiling, salt it, and add the pasta. Cook until al-dente (do not over cook!)

Once you have added the pasta to the water, heat another large skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Add the cole slaw mix, green onion and celery to the pan. Salt and pepper. Stir fry the veggies until wilted - about 5 minutes.

Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and return it to the pot. Add the Asian salad dressing and stir until it is absorbed. Add the sauteed veggies to the pot and stir all together.

Stir the soy sauce into the Russian dressing sauce. Add the chicken back into the pan with the sauce just long enough to re-heat it.

Serve the noodles with the chicken and pineapple on the side.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this meal, visit my other blog here.

Grilled Cantaloupe

This is obviously great with a good, ripe cantaloupe. But, it's also a great way to make a not-so-ripe cantaloupe a little tastier. Grilling brings out it's natural juices and sweetness.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cantaloupe

Directions

Pre-heat your grill to medium heat.

Cut cantaloupe in half. Scoop seeds out of one side. Slice it into 8 slices. Cover the other half and refrigerate for use later.

Place each slice on the grill. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side - until they have golden grill marks. Flip to other side and grill until done.

Serves 4

Chipotle Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pizza dough

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup BBQ sauce

12 oz shredded cheese (we used mozzarella and sharp cheddar)

1/2 can corn

1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 small lime

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tbs chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 - 1 tsp chipotle powder (depending on how hot you like it)

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 Tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat medium skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Thinly slice chicken breast. Add to pan, salt and pepper, and cook through (about 5 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.

Add 1 Tbs oil to pan. Finely chop the onion and saute over medium heat until tender and slightly golden brown (about 8 minutes). When onions reach this point add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, chipotle powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in BBQ sauce and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for a few minutes, just to bring flavors together.

While the chicken and onions are cooking, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle corn meal onto baking sheet. Roll out the pizza dough and bake until golden brown all over (about 7 -8 minutes). Remove it from the oven and spread the BBQ sauce over it. Sprinkle on the cheese and place the chicken strips on it. Return it to the oven for 5-7 minutes - until cheese is melted.

While the pizza is cooking, open and drain cans of corn and beans. Place 1/2 can of each in a small mixing bowl. Finely chop the cilantro and stir into the beans and corn. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place sour cream in a small mixing bowl. Add the zest and juice of lime. If there isn't enough juice in the lime to make the sauce drizzly, add a little milk until it's a good, drizzly consistency.

When the pizza is done, remove it from the oven. Top it with the corn and bean salsa. Drizzle on the lime cream sauce. Slice and serve.

Serves 4

Note: you will have corn and beans leftover - I'm sorry! I hate when that happens, but find another recipe to use them in so that they don't go to waste.

To see what I spent on this recipe see my other blog here.

I am participating in 5DollarDinners.com $5 dinner challenge.

Chocolate Coconut Trifle

Ingredients:

5oz box Chocolate Pudding

5oz box Vanilla Pudding

6 cups Milk

1 package Chocolate Chip Coconut Keebler cookies

1 cup Coconut, toasted

1/3 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1 8oz container of Cool Whip

Directions:

Toast coconut: Pre-heat oven broiler. Spread coconut out on a baking sheet, making it as thin a layer as possible. Place under broiler. Keep and eye on it - it can burn quickly. After it starts to brown (2-3 minutes), stir it around so that it browns evenly and place it back under the broiler. When about half of the coconut it toasted, remove it from the oven.

In 2 medium size mixing bowls, mix up the chocolate and vanilla pudding according to package directions.

Place entire package of cookies into a gallon size zip top bag. Crush them until they are about 1/2 inch in size.

Begin making the trifle:

Layer 1/3 of the chocolate pudding into the bottom of the trifle dish.

Place 1/3 of the crushed cookies on top.

Next add a layer of vanilla pudding, using half of it. The easiest way to do this is to place small spoonfuls of the pudding next to each other to mostly cover the cookies. Then spread it around so that it is one solid layer.

Next, sprinkle on most of the toasted coconut (just leave enough to garnish the top).

Then layer another 1/3 of the chocolate pudding in the same way as the vanilla.

Next add another 1/3 of the crushed cookies.

Then add the rest of the vanilla pudding.

Top the vanilla pudding with the mini chocolate chips.

Add the rest of the chocolate pudding.

Then the last of the crushed cookies.

Top with the cool whip and garnish with the rest of the toasted coconut.

Serves 15

To see what I spent on this recipe and why trifles are so great, visit my other blog here.

Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

8 slices of bread, toasted

8 large eggs, hard boiled

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried dill

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Roma tomatoes

4 leafs of lettuce

Directions:

Hard boil eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a pot large enough to accommodate. Cover the eggs with cold water. Place a lid on the pot. Heat on high until water comes to a boil. Turn the heat off and allow eggs to sit for 15 - 18 minutes (depending on altitude - the higher altitude you are, the longer they will take to cook). Drain the water and put cold water back in the pan to stop the cooking process, let sit for a couple minutes. Put eggs in fridge to cool.

Peel eggs. (Note: eggs are usually easier to peel the older they are. It has something to do with the pH inside the egg.) Slice eggs in half. Remove the yolks, place in a small mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mash the yolks with a fork until mostly smooth (it will be a little lumpy and that's just fine).

Add the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, mustard and dill to the yolk mixture. The flavor will be very strong, but when you add the whites and put it on a sandwich the flavor is much more mild.

Chop the egg whites into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces and mix in to the yolk mixture.

Slice tomatoes and wash lettuce. Toast bread.

Assemble the sandwich by placing 1/4 of the egg mixture on a slice of bread, top with lettuce and tomato. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe and to read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Kraft Spicy Honey BBQ sauce

1 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1-2 Tbs hot sauce (depends on how hot you like it)

2 Tbs Molasses

Juice of 1 orange

1 Boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 Tbs vegetable oil

1 Red Bell Pepper, roasted and sliced

3 green onions

12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1 refrigerated pizza crust

1/4 cup cornmeal

Directions:

To roast the red bell pepper, pre-heat the broiler in your oven. Place your top rack at the highest level. Wash and dry the pepper. Place it in the oven, directly under the heating element. Allow it to roast for 5-7 minutes per side. Once the top side is black, rotate it around and roast on the next side until black. Repeat this until blackened all over. Once it is mostly blackened, remove it from the oven and place in a small bowl. Cover the bowl immediately with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap will trap the steam and will release the skin from the flesh of the pepper. Allow the pepper to sit for at least 10 minutes. Peel the blackened skin off the pepper. Remove the stem and seeds. Cut into 4 pieces and thinly slice. (you can buy roasted red peppers in a jar, but it is more expensive than making it on your own, but it is easier and faster. So, pick whichever method works for you)

While the pepper is roasting in the oven, make the BBQ sauce. Stir together the BBQ sauce, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, hot sauce, molasses and orange juice. Set aside.

Pre-heat a medium skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbs vegetable oil. Thinly slice the chicken breast. Add to the pan, salt and pepper the chicken. Cook until chicken in cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Pour the BBQ sauce into the pan, and reduce heat to med-low. Simmer for 5 minutes until sauce is thickened and flavors developed.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup corn meal onto a baking sheet. Roll out the pizza dough onto the pan. Once the pepper is done roasting, set the oven temperature to 400 degrees and put the pizza dough into the oven and cook for about 5 minutes - until lightly golden brown all over.

Remove the dough from the oven. Spread sauce over dough. Sprinkle on 8 oz of the cheese. Place the chicken and sliced red bell peppers onto the pizza. Sprinkle with the remaining 4 oz of mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the oven about 5 minutes - until cheese is melted. While pizza is in oven, thinly slice the green onions. When pizza is done baking, remove from oven and sprinkle with green onions.

Slice and serve.

Serves 4

To see what I spent on this recipe and read the story behind it, visit my other blog here.

Roasted Broccoli

If you have never roasted broccoli - you HAVE to try it! It is so tasty - my son eats it before anything else on his plate. It's obviously not as healthy as steamed, but it is SO good.

Ingredients:

2 Large heads of broccoli (or 3-4 smaller ones)

2 Tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash broccoli and cut into florets. Put them on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly. Lay them out in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes - until edges are golden brown.

Serves 4