April Menu

I went over budget in March by $22.36...these rising prices are making it very difficult to stay under budget. Eggs went up $2.00 per 3 dozen family pack and milk went up as well! I will just have to get even more creative with my menu :-)

This month will be another hard month to stay with-in budget but for a very good reason, my Mom and sister will be visiting and I have been known to get a little food crazy when family is town. It will be my own personal challenge...and maybe swapping a few menu items for more beans and rice can free up a bit of moolah. Good thing my boys LOVE them.

 APRIL

SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT
		1                   Fish   Tacos	2    Bean soup	3               leftovers	4 Chicken picante	5 leftovers
6 Split pea soup	7 Leftovers	8 Fish   Tacos	9 Home made Hot pockets	10 Clean fridge	11 Fish Packets	12 Leftovers
13 Baked Potatoes	14 Family trip	15 Fish   Tacos	16 15 Min. Meatloaf	17 Pancakes	18 Ground beef pasta	19 leftovers
20 Rabbit Stew	21 Leftovers	22 Fish   Tacos	23 Pizza	24 Sesame noodles	25 Ravioli Lasagna	26 Clean Fridge
27 Sweet n Sour chicken	28 Leftovers	29 Fish   Tacos	30  Chicken and Quinoa

Ice Cream Bon Bons

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM! I'm going to let you all in on a secret, are you ready?? I have a confession to make...I have a sweet tooth, okay, maybe its not so secret after all but are you guys aware that the sweet tooth is the #1 reason for ruined summer physiques? Alright, alright, I made that up too. Maybe sweets are my own personal physique messer-upper but you know what, I will never give them up. What I will do is make it easier for me to indulge in a treat without having to jog a 1/2 marathon to burn off the calories. These ice cream bon bons are big enough to satisfy my craving but small enough to indulge without feeling guilty. Whats even better is that the chocolate coating is a super easy homemade magic shell...no ingredients I can't pronounce, just some yummy chocolate and coconut oil.

Homemade pistachio or Double chocolate chip, such hard decisions!

Super simple "Magic Shell"

Chilled and ready to enjoy!

Ice Cream Bon Bons
Ingredients:

• A double recipe of Homemade Magic Shell, compliments of "Gimme Some Oven" (you will have some leftover, but I love having this on hand)
• Ice cream of you choice
• and a cookie scoop for easier portioning, but spoons work just as well

Directions:
Scoop 10-12 portions of ice cream (my cookie scoop is 1.5 tablespoons) on a parchment lined plate or cookie sheet, make sure it fits in the freezer.
Freeze ice cream balls for at least 2 hours (longer if you portions are big), overnight is preferred. You want them very firm for ease of handling.
When ready to dip, warm "Magic Shell" so that it is thin and runny but not hot to the touch.
Now for the fun part, dipping! You can dip using your hands which is easy but messy or you can use two spoons. You have to work fast because the chocolate hardens pretty quickly due to the cold ice cream.
Dip your ice cream balls and place on a parchment lined plate and freeze for 10-15 minutes.

Can be stored in any airtight container.

Yield: as many as you want :-)

100 calorie snacks (give or take a few calories)

This time of year is when I start "training" for our yearly backpacking trip. And by training, I mean increased walking with some light weights. But this year I need to lose a few post-pregnancy pounds and I don't do well with diets...I LOVE FOOD TOO MUCH! Losing weight is all about calories in (food) and calories out (exercise) and the way I monitor my calories is by making my own 100 calorie food packs. These packs actually range between 90-120 calories but its close enough for me, you can be more precise in your measurements if you prefer. I have about 200-300 calories for breakfast, 4-6 calorie packs between snacks and lunch then a sensible dinner. I don't count my dinner calories but I am pretty critical about it being sensible, lots of veggies and a protein or a smaller portion of what I made for the night. I usually come out a little less than 2000 calories for the day.

There are tons of options for the calorie packs which is awesome because I like variety. The kitchen tool that makes this all possible is my kitchen scale, this gives me a more precise weight (usually in grams) to convert into calorie count. You can get kitchen scales for pretty cheap now, I got my scale from Amazon.

A few of my snack packs.

Here is a list of some of my fave calorie packs:

• 5 slices pepperoni and 1/2 ounce cheese (different cheeses have different calorie counts so measure accordingly)
• 5 slices salami and about 1/2 ounce cheese
• 1 boiled egg
• 1 rice cake with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/2 ounce almonds and about 8 dried apricots
• 2 black licorice and 10 almonds
• 1/2 can of chunk light tuna and 1/3 cup cooked couscous with cucumber
• 2 tablespoons of hummus and as much celery as you want
• 10 baby carrots and 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 apple (approx.) or 1 banana
• 6 dried apricots and 1/2 ounce of dark chocolate
• about 2 cups of popcorn
• 6-8 shrimp and 1/4 cup cocktail sauce
• 1/2 of a honeydew
• and so SOO much more :-)

With the kitchen scale you can pretty much make anything a low-cal snack pack and having it portioned out makes me so much more aware of how much I'm eating.

And for my homemade items, I use this calorie calculator to compute the total then figure out my serving size. It is amazing how much (or how little) 100 calories can be.

Note:
Another way to cut out a few calories is to use smaller plates. Standard dinner plates are between 10-11 inches in diameter. I use 8 1/2 inch salad plates for our meals and it really makes a difference. Place the same size portion of food on both plates to see the difference for yourself. It's definitely a mental trick but it works!

Peachy Corned Beef

My hubby introduced me to this dish and I am so glad that he did. I had only tasted the traditional corned beef of boiled meat, cabbage and potatoes before, in fact, I had no idea it was made any other way. Well, my husband had only ever had it the Peachy way (which has so much flavor) and I distinctly remember him asking me if I was sure I cooked the corned beef correctly the first I made it for him when we were newlyweds! After a few more questions and a lot of laughs we finally figured out that we both had very different memories of corned beef. So I asked my Mother-in-Law for a copy of the recipe, made it the following week and I have never made it the old way again. I crave this corned beef and make a point to purchase extra briskets when they go on sale after St. Paddy's Day just so I can have more of it in the few months that follow! And...with a pressure cooker it only takes an hour for tender corned beef!


The saltiness of the corned beef and the
sweetness of the peaches are an
awesome combination!

Peachy Corned Beef
Ingredients:

• 4 pound corned beef brisket
• 1 small head green cabbage, cut into 1/8's
• 4-5 medium red potatoes, quartered
• 1 can (29 ounce) peach slices, reserve 1/4 cup peach juice
• Glaze
• 1/4 cup peach juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:
Cook corned beef brisket with spice packet until tender according to your preferred method. My preferred method is the pressure cooker (surprise, surprise) at high pressure for 55 minutes.
Let cool for an hour in the cooking liquid (do not throw cooking liquid away). When cool, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices across the grain and place in a 3 quart baking dish, overlapping the pieces. Arrange the peach slices around the edge.
Whisk the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl or measuring cup. Pour 3/4 of glaze over peaches and corned beef.
Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour, pouring the rest of the glaze over the peaches after 30 minutes or so. While corned beef is baking, cook cabbage and potatoes in the cooking liquid to desired tenderness.
When corned beef is done remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving. Plate it with your cabbage, potatoes and a little extra mustard on the side, oh baby!

Yield: 6 servings

These make awesome sandwiches the next day!

The heavy syrup canned peaches work best but I have been using the natural juice peaches for awhile now. They work well but the glaze doesn't get quite as thick.

Salsa Verde

Here is a little green to add to your St. Patrick's Day meals. Salsa verde is my version of ketchup, I put it on EVERYTHING! I love it on my eggs in the morning, I dip my grilled cheese in it for lunch and I smother it on my fish tacos for dinner. And let me tell you how awesome the house smells while all the ingredients roast away in the oven...YUM!

This makes me smile!

Salsa Verde
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed and washed
• 2 poblano peppers
• 2-4 jalapenos (depending on heat preference)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice (use bottled if you are planning to can this salsa)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, oregano and cumin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475. Place first 6 ingredients onto a large sheet pan or roasting dish, drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Roast for about 20 minutes, just until the tomatillos and peppers start to char.
While roasting mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Blend all ingredients together (may have to do this in batches) and pour into a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.

If canning:
Pour salsa into sterilized pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, clean rims before placing the lids on securely. Place jars in a large stockpot and cover jars with at least 1 inch of hot water. Bring to a rolling boil and continue to boil for 12 minutes. Carefully remove from stockpot and let cool. Before storing, make sure that the jars sealed properly. Will store for 1 year.

If freezing or keeping in the refrigerator:
If you are not canning you can use fresh lime. Pour salsa in airtight container of choice (if freezing, make sure container is freezer safe). Will store in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks and freezer for up to 3 months.

Yield: about 4 pints

The reason fresh lime is not preferred for canning is that the pH can vary quite a bit and when you are canning, pH is important. Bottled lime juice is more consistent in pH levels.

Honey-Vanilla Granola

Granola is a yummy breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack, dessert...okay, granola is a food I could eat all day. It satisfies my sweet tooth and keeps me full until the next meal. This recipe is great as is or with your favorite dried fruits and nuts added to it. It is totally customizable and its pretty good for you to beat!

I added 1/2 cup each of dried cranberries
and chopped dried apricots

One way that I make these an easy grab and go snack is that I pack 1/3 cup of the granola mix into each hole of a greased cupcake pan and bake at 360 for 15-17 minutes. Let them cool completely before removing from the pan (I find it easiest to twist them out). One batch makes 12 exactly. They have a perfect crispy outside and a chewy granola bar-esque center.

 I use the back of my measure scoop to lightly
pack these down before baking

Honey-Vanilla Granola
Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add everything but the oats. With the paddle attachment, mix until just combined. While mixer is on, slowly add the oats and continue to mix until the oats are well coated.
Spread mixture evenly onto a lightly greased jelly roll pan or cookie sheet (preferably with sides) and bake for 10 minutes. Stir granola and continue to cook for an additional 10-20 minutes, checking and stirring every 5 minutes or so. Because of the sugar and honey in the recipe, this goes from delicious to burnt fairly quickly so make sure to keep an eye on it.
When the granola has reached the desired doneness, let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Yield: about 4 cups

Note:I like to add my dried fruit to the mixture before baking and add nuts the last 5-10 minutes to get them nice and toasted. If I am in the mood for something a little more decadent, I'll add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the granola mix when I take it out of the oven. Give it a quick stir and let cool completely. It's like dessert for breakfast!

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork

I don't know if I have told you yet, but I LOVE my pressure cooker, alright, I know I've told you but I love it that much! It makes weekend only meals an everyday affair, making baby food is a cinch and it allows me to use cheaper cuts of meat without sacrificing tenderness. What's not to love?

Slather on some Tangy BBQ Sauce

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of a dry rub of your choice*
• 1 tablespoon oil
• about 2 pounds pork roast, cut into strips
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 cup lemon-lime soda
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce (Recipe for Tangy Sauce)

Directions:
Place pork into a gallon sized bag, add dry rub and toss to coat. Brown the pork in the pressure cooker according to manufacture's manual.
Add the onion, cook for 3 minutes. Add soda and vinegar, seal cooker and cook on high pressure for 35-45 minutes. Release pressure according to manual's instructions.
Shred pork, add BBQ sauce and stir to combine.
Serve on rolls or as a topping for baked sweet potatoes.
NOTE: If you like dryer shredded meat, drain some of the juices before shredding.

Yield: 6 servings

* I like McCormick's Grill Mates in the Tennessee or Memphis blend. One packet is enough for 2 dinners.

Tangy BBQ Sauce

This is not your usual sweet BBQ sauce, this is of the mouth puckering variety...and that is the way we like it. But if you prefer it on the sweeter side, this is simple the customize to your tastes.


Great on burgers and
pulled pork.

Tangy BBQ Sauce

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (depending on your preference for tang)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1-2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:
Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Let cool before pouring into a squeeze bottle or mason jar. Stores for about 2 weeks.

Yield: about 2 cups

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This sweet and sour dish is not your usual red hued fanfare. The sauce is made with something a little different, pepper jelly. I make my own pepper jelly from this recipe, but I use a low sugar pectin and reduce the sugar by half. I save moolah by making my own jelly and can control the heat by mixing the types of peppers but you can purchase your jelly as well. It can usually be found in the peanut butter and jelly aisle.

Served over a mix of rice and quinoa

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients:

• 2-3 chicken breasts, cubed (can use pork as well)
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt, pepper and garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 can (20 ounce) pineapple chunks, drained, reserve 1/3 cup of juice
• 1 cup pepper jelly
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Mix 1/3 cup pineapple juice, pepper jelly, vinegar and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl, set aside.
In a small mixing bowl add chicken, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and seasonings. Mix until the chicken is evenly coated.
Heat oil in a medium to large pan over high heat (woks work great). Add meat and cook until lightly browned, separating the pieces as needed. Add the onion and bell pepper, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the sauce, continue to cook until sauce thickens slightly.
Mix in the pineapple chunks and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes or until pineapple chunks warm through.

Yield: 4 large servings

A favorite mix of peppers for my homemade pepper jelly is jalapeno and habanero. The habaneros add a nice heat to the sweet and sour flavors. I use 3/4 pound of jalapenos and 10 habaneros for each batch. Pepper jelly is also awesome on baked brie with walnuts served with some toasty bread.

Easy Peasy Pizza Sauce

This sauce could not be any easier to make, no cooking required! It's super tasty to beat, thanks Bronwen for introducing it to me!


This sauce is great for dipping too!

Easy Peasy Pizza Sauce (adapted from this recipe)
Ingredients:

• 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
• 1 cup water (you can add more or less according to your desired thickness)
• 1/4 cup oil (olive or avocado preferred)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
No-cook method: Whisk all the ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Let sit for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Spread on your favorite pizza dough, add your toppings and bake away.

Alternate method (best method for dipping): Whisk all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, when it starts to bubble reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly before using.

Yield: about 1.5 cup of sauce

This recipe is pretty tasty and you can't beat the price! I am going to try adding a can of diced tomatoes to the sauce and try it on some spaghetti noodles.

Chile Verde Baked Potatoes

Baked Potatoes are the perfect vehicle for just about anything, we do baked potato tacos, chili, even baked potato pizzas! One of our fave toppings is chile verde, can't go wrong with super tender pork with a tasty green sauce. This is another of my go to pressure cooker recipes, start to finish in less than an hour.

All that's needed is a dollop of sour cream for this
simple yet delicious meal.

Chile Verde Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:

• 4-6 potatoes, baked*
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2-3 pounds of pork, cut into large cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cup of salsa verde
• 2 teaspoons of chicken bullion
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Heat oil over medium-high heat in pan or pressure cooker (if it has a browning option). Brown pork for 2-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, cover pressure and bring to high pressure according to manufactures instructions. Once pressure is reached, cook for 30-35 minutes. Release pressure according to your manual.
Shred pork with two forks. Serve over the potatoes with your favorite toppings-sour cream, cheese, green onion, etc.

Yield: 4-6 servings

* I "bake" my potatoes in the pressure cooker as well. You can do this by wrapping each potato in foil. Place them on a trivet or a few crumpled pieces of foil so that they are elevated a little bit. Add 1.5 cups of water. Cover pressure cooker, bring it to high pressure and cook potatoes for 10-12 minutes. Release pressure according to your manual. Leave them wrapped while you are making the pork, this keeps the potatoes warm until you are ready to use them.

March Menu

Here is March's Menu! Don't forget St. Patrick's Day :-)

February was good to me food budget wise, its amazing how having only 28 days in the month can make such a difference. I was able to stock up on sugar, flour, butter and a few other items. Hopefully this will help me stay under budget this month as well!

SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT
						1 Asian rice bowls
2 Black Bean soup	3 Leftovers	4 Fish Tacos	5 Sweet Sour chicken	6 leftovers	7 Sesame Noodles	8 Clean Fridge
9 BBQ Pulled Pork	10 Leftovers	11 Fish Tacos	12 Spaghetti	13 Tomato soup/sand.	14 Sweet Potatoes	15 Freebie Day
16 Peachy Corned beef	17 Leftovers	18 Fish Tacos	19 Pancakes	20 Pizza	21 Quinoa Salad	22 Clean Fridge
23 Black Bean Soup	24 Leftovers	25 Fish Tacos	26 Black Bean Burgers	27 Leftovers	28 baked potatoes	29   Clean Fridge
30 Chicken Picante	31 Leftovers