Our favorite ‘healthy’ snack!
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Yup- that’s it. A scoop of peanut butter (5¢) topped with a handful of Goldfish Pretzels (FREE). Warning: Goldfish Pretzels are possibly the best pretzels alive. You will become addicted. Stock up in mass amounts when on sale to avoid paying full price later. Also avoid the cinnamon graham ones. They will cause a conflicting addiction.
It’s Fat Tuesday!!!
Pin ItI’m so ashamed. I forgot Fat Tuesday. How? I have no clue! I can honestly say that I’ve never slacked on an opportunity to eat cajun food. We even went out for a cajun lunch on Saturday. I’ve bought all of the ingredients. Now I’ve got to figure out what to do with them!
Thanks to the Zatarians sale at Dillons last year, I think I’ve got a couple of boxes of gumbo mix and a box of red beans and rice as a backup.
Right now, I’m scouring the internet for recipes and ideas.
Christy Jordan over at Southern Plate has a yummy looking recipe for Dirty Rice (don’t like dirty rice? Check her blog out anyways.. awesome!).
You should definitely read Ninja Princess’ experience– a northerner presenting a king cake to other northerners- with one southerner in the mix. Disaster in the making!
Mama Belle has an awesome recipe for shortcut gumbo. I LOVE her logic!! I highly doubt that I can buy jarred roux here. She has tons of other recipes- I love her Super Bowl foods post.
Now I’m off to do a google search for some other cajun recipes! The Zatarains mix is sounding better and better.
Chicken Verde Enchiladas
Pin ItThis recipe was delicious and was just thrown together with stuff I had on hand! This recipe is very versatile as you can thicken the sauce and use it as filling (be sure to save a little to top them with to prevent browning) or fill the enchiladas with whatever filling you choose. You could even leave the chicken out of the sauce, season with taco seasoning and a can of tomatoes, and fill the tortillas with it.
Sauce:
16 oz container sour cream (85¢)
4 oz cream cheese (25¢)
1 jar Pace Chili Verde (FREE after coupon- from stockpile)
1 cup chicken broth
2 bone-in chicken breasts ($1.50)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
*Cornstarch to thicken, if desired
Enchiladas:
1 package large flour tortillas ($1.00)
1 can refried beans (35¢)
1 8 oz package shredded cheese (70¢)
Directions:
Boil the chicken until cooked through. Shred with a fork, reserving all broth. Mix the remaining ingredients in saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken and thickener (if desired).
Fill enchiladas as desired, top with sauce, and bake for 25 minutes at 350.
Tip: carefully pour the (cooled) extra chicken broth into a ziploc baggie and freeze. You will then have it on hand for the next recipe! You can also pour it into an ice cube tray to freeze individually. When frozen, put it in a baggie and you will have individual broth cubes!
New Ultimate Couponing I Class (Springfield, Missouri)
Pin ItIt’s the first public Ultimate Couponing I class of 2010! If your New Year’s resolution is to save more moo-lah, this class is for you. Your grocery bill is probably your highest expense and is also the easiest (and most fun) to cut!
In this class, we go over:
-where to find the best coupons.. without using scissors!
-how to apply them for the biggest savings
-time saving strategies
-organization
-tracking your savings
-stockpiling
-donating to charities
-how to cut your grocery bill by 30% without a coupon
If you’ve ever wanted to walk out of a grocery store with $200 worth of groceries for $20 (or even get paid to leave), and come home to cabinets so full you have nowhere to put them- now’s your chance! The average student cuts their bill by 60% in the first week.
Ultimate Couponing I
February 9th, 2010 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Panera Bread, North Kansas Expressway
Registration recommended, seats are limited
Cost: $15 per person
King Cake
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Ok- so not the most flattering picture I’ve ever taken, but this was hot and smelled so good that we devoured it right out of the oven. I wanted a picture of the whole thing (or as close as I could get) to show you the basic shape of the cake.
Every year, I bake a King Cake on January 6th. This is a tradition my husband experienced as a child in New Orleans that we decided to carry on with our family. Traditionally, a King Cake is baked on January 6th (and is only eaten until Ash Wednesday) to symbolize the end of the 12 days of Christmas (according to the Christian calendar). This is celebrated in many countries, including parts of the US. In Louisiana, the cake also symbolizes the kick-off of Mardi Gras.
A plastic baby (to symbolize Baby Jesus) or large nut is hidden in the cake. Whoever finds it has to buy (or make) the next cake. They are about $50-$75 each, so this is NOT an honor!
This cake is actually a sweet bread-like pastry filled with a variety of fillings (or none). I prefer a cream cheese filling. It is also supposed to be iced with purple, yellow, and green glaze, or covered with dyed sugars.
Pastry:
2 packages yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup warm milk (105-115 degrees)
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine- cooled
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in milk. Let sit until dissolved. Mix in butter and egg yolks.
2. Mix in dry ingredients and lemon rind.
3. Stir until dough is smooth. Turn on floured board and knead for 5 minutes (or until smooth).
4. Let raise 1 1/2 hours.
5. Roll out in an 8″ by 36″ rectangle. Spread filling (recipe follows). Fold long sides together, sealing the edges. Lay on cookie sheet, twisting the dough while forming into a circle.
6. Let raise 45 more minutes.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
8. When cool, top with glaze and colored sugars.
Filling:
8 oz cream cheese- softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix well.
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 cup lemon juice
2 tbs milk
assorted food coloring if desired
Mix until smooth.
Jalapeno Popper Dip/Spread
Pin It6 fresh jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
8 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix the peppers, onion, and garlic in the food processor. Add in salt, pepper, mayo, and cream cheese. Blend until mixed. Spoon into oven-safe dish and stir in cheddar cheese. Bake at 300 for 18-20 minutes. Serve with crackers. *You could add chopped cooked bacon or bacon bits to this also.
This is a variation of my poppers. I use the mixture (with no mayo) and roll into small balls. Partially freeze. Roll each ball in flour, then an egg/milk mixture, and then in saltine crumbs. Repeat once for each ball. Deep fry.
You must fry them when they are VERY cold and just for a few seconds.
Your Friend shops easy and thinks you should too!
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Zucchini Cake
Pin ItThis is one of my favorites!
Zucchini Cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
In bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix in oil and eggs. Stir in zucchini until well mixed. Fold in nuts. Pour into 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 35 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool. Top with cream cheese frosting (recipe follows).
Cream Cheese Frosting:
3 oz cream cheese, sotened
1/4 cup butter, softened (not margarine)
1 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Cream together cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla with mixer. Mix in powdered sugar.
Key Lime Pie
Pin It11 graham crackers, or 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs
3 tsp sugar
5 tbsp margarine (melted)
Crush the graham crackers in food processor. Pour into 9″ pie pan. Stir in sugar. Add in melted margarine. Press firmly into pan and up the sides. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes.
While crust is cooking, beat together 4 egg yolks and 2 tsp. lime zest. Beat in 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Stir in 1/3 cup lime juice. Pour into baked crust and bake at 325 for another 15 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
If you really want a treat, bake this in an aluminum pan. Poke popsicle sticks into the outside of the pan, so that they will be through each individual piece. Freeze. Once frozen, cut into slices and remove from pan (leaving sticks intact). Dip each piece in melted chocolate chips (mixed with 1 tsp shortening) or dipping chocolate. This makes a delicious frozen chocolate dipped treat.
Chicken and Biscuits
Pin It1/2 split chicken or 2 breasts (bone in)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Biscuits
Boil chicken in large pot until done. Remove chicken, debone. Pour broth into 9×13 casserole dish. Add onion and deboned chicken. Stir together cornstarch and water. Strip into the chicken broth mixture. Top with biscuits. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until biscuits are browned.