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

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