The FReeper Canteen Presents:Gourmet Cookin’ on A Shoestring!

Serving the best troops & veterans on the planet! | Canteen Crew

[MS.BEHAVIN]

The FReeper Canteen Presents:


Gourmet Cookin’ on A Shoestring!

(and helpful dollar stretching tips!)

Good evening, everyone!

Tonight we’re going to share budget friendly wonderful recipes and dollar stretching tips!

I’ll start off with a few, and hope you guys will chime in!

Chicken is versatile, and good for you! It adapts well to so many dishes!

Here’s a favorite of mine:


Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

6 Skinless, Boneless Whole Chicken Breasts, halved
4 cups Fat-Free Low-Sodium canned Chicken Broth
1 whole Jalapeño Chile Pepper
2 large Garlic Cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Dried Oregano Leaves
1/4 cup Medium or Hot Taco Sauce
2 tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
24 Taco Shells or Small Tortillas

Condiments:

1 small Iceberg Lettuce, finely shredded
4-5 small Plum Tomatoes, diced
2 cups Fat-Free Sour Cream
1 cup Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Trim fat from chicken breasts.

2. Rinse chicken breasts thoroughly and pat dry.

3. In large, deep pan or cast iron skillet, bring chicken stock, chili pepper, garlic, and oregano to boil.

4. Reduce heat to low and add chicken. Simmer, uncovered until chicken is opaque, approximately 10 minutes.

5. Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes.

6. Shred chicken.

7. Mix taco sauce and lime juice together in small bowl.

8. Pour taco sauce mixture over chicken and toss.

9. Place chicken on serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.

10. Warm taco shells or tortillas. Place in serving bowl. Cover with kitchen towel to keep warm.

11. Make individual tacos or serve buffet style with condiments and side dishes.

Variations and Recipe Ideas:

Serve with condiments, refried beans and a nice Mexican style rice dish.

From Taco Recipes.net

*Note*
Save the broth from the chicken for a soup base, or freeze in ice cube trays for recipes that call for small amounts of chicken broth!~

Go meatless a few nights a week! Serve this wonderful casserole with a nice salad, some good bread, and you’re good!

Broccoli Cheese Puff

Ingredients

* 5 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine

* 6 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
* 1/8 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper (cayenne)
* 2 1/4 cup(s) whole milk
* 8 ounce(s) (2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 2 box(es) (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry
* 7 large eggs, separated
* 1 1/2 cup(s) coarse soft fresh bread crumbs, from 3 slices firm white bread

Directions

1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and ground red pepper until blended; cook 1 minute, stirring. Gradually stir in milk; cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring frequently. Stir in Cheddar; cook just until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in broccoli.

2. In small bowl, with fork, lightly beat egg yolks. Stir in about 1/2 cup cheese sauce. Gradually pour egg-yolk mixture into cheese sauce, stirring rapidly to prevent curdling. Cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325º F. Grease shallow 3 1/2-quart ceramic casserole or 13” by 9” glass baking dish. In microwave-safe small bowl, heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in microwave oven on High 15 to 20 seconds or until melted, swirling bowl once. Add bread crumbs; stir until well combined.

4. In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. With rubber spatula, gently fold one third of whites into cheese mixture. Fold cheese mixture gently back into remaining whites.

5. Pour mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top. Bake 40 minutes or until top is browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Fastest Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe On The Planet!

Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 10

* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth, all natural)
* 1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F

2. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl

3. On a lightly greased cookie sheet, drop tablespoons of dough and press it down in a criss-cross pattern with a fork

4. Bake 10 minutes

5. Let it cool on the cookie sheet until they have firmed up a little, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Or, there’s always the option of eating it warm with a cold glass of milk!

Fun to make, and the little ones can help!

from itsthefood.wordpress.com

Here’s a few money saving kitchen tips:

When there’s a little bit of mustard left in the bottom of a jar, don’t throw it out. Instead, toss in a few ingredients and make a tangy vinaigrette right in the container. A crushed garlic clove, some chopped fresh herbs like Tarragon and minced shallot will add the right flavor.

Pour in Balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper and shake. Add olive oil (3 parts oil to one part vinegar) shake again to emulsify the dressing. Pour over your favorite salad.
Will keep in the fridge tightly sealed, for one week.

From Martha Stewart.

Don’t throw out stale bread!

Recycle leftover starchy carbohydrates such as bread, crackers, rolls, cereal or croutons. Fresh breads often need to be eaten within 24 hours before becoming stale. If you have any of these items that may be getting stale or have been sitting around too long, put them to work! In a large tin or roast pan, combine the items and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. This will toast the combined items. Let everything cool and put them in the food processor to make bread crumbs. You can include spices such as salt, pepper, parsley, oregano or dill weed to give them a little extra flavor. If you have an abundance of bread crumbs, separate them into several containers to create separate flavors such as plain, seasoned, or spice up a batch with chili, mustard or wasabi powder.

From:http://www.ehow.com/how_6061527_make-gourmet-meals-budget.html

Come share your budget friendly recipes and tips! Have fun!




The Canteen is a place for our Troops and their
families to rest, relax, and relate.
Please leave thy politics at the door.
A gentle reminder from Ms. B~

[Kathy in Alaska]

And in first....Nana Hope grabs the gold!!

[BIGLOOK]

A little overdue is usually a good thing but gotta ask....do they always grow up stubborn?

[mylife]

Hope you can fine good fresh ground chorizo.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Permission granted and your presence is requested!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And right behind....Pro snags the silver!!

[luvie]

I might have to try that one. I use one from my “trusty” Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that I got as a wedding gift.

They would be very yummy with your vanilla tea! :) Wish I was there to join you!

Thanks for all your hard work putting this together!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top three....AZ bags the bronze!!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

OOooooo!!
Dat looks amazing!!
*salivating*

[ConorMacNessa]

Outstanding tribute, Connie! Thanks very much!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[mylife]

Peasant food!
LoL

Thats what I likes for breakfast!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, ms b, for today's Gourmet Cookin' On A Shoestring!

[ConorMacNessa]

Good Eventide, Lady Ms. B.!

*BOW*

How farest thee this eventide?



My knights and men-at-arms are at thy service!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

No problem!
We gots Maurice Bonneau’s Sausage Kithen!

http://www.sausagekitchen.com/Default.aspx

[dennisw]

Runny eggs are the best. Too bad for those who are worried about eating them.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*HUG*
My honor and pleasure, Ma!

[AZamericonnie]

Rick’s Bayless Taco de Tinga
And my footnote changes:)

4 medium (1 pound total) red-skin boiling or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½ cubes (optional)
2 pounds meat, into 1-inch pieces [skinless chicken thighs OR boneless pork shoulder OR boneless beef chuck](I use the chicken thighs & don’t cut them up, shred after cooking)
One 28-ouce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
3 to 4 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, seeded and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 tablespoon or to taste of the adobe sauce from the chipotles
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through a garlic press
1 medium white onion, sliced ¼ inch thick (I cut it in half then slice)
Salt to taste 4
ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed (about ½ cup) (optional) (skip if using beef)
Corn tias or flour tias. You can fry them as tostadas or stem them taco style
1 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese (Use whatever you like, jack & cheddar are fine)
2 large avocados, pitted flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/2-inch pieces for serving

Spread the potatoes over the bottom of a slow cooker and top with the meat. In a large bowl, mix the (undrained) tomatoes with the chipotles, chipotle canning sauce, Worcestershire, oregano, garlic, optional onion, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Pour the mixture evenly over the meat and potatoes. Cover and slow-cook on high for 6 hours. (The dish can hold on the slow-cooker’s “keep warm” function for 4 more hours or so.) When you are ready to eat, fry the optional chorizo in a medium (8-inch) skillet until thoroughly done, about 4 minutes. Uncover the tinga and spoon off the fat that has accumulated on top. Sprinkle on the chorizo, then stir everything together, breaking the pork into smaller pieces—right for wrapping in tortillas. (If there is a lot of liquid, tip it off and boil it rapidly until reduced and syrupy, then stir it back into the meat mixture.) Taste and season with additional salt if you think the tinga needs it. Serve with the warm tortillas, fresh crumbled cheese and avocados for making soft tacos or serve on a tostada.

No Slow Cooker? Lay the meat in a medium-large (4- to 6- quart; 10- to 12-inch-diameter) heavy pot (preferably a Dutch oven), and top with the potatoes. Cover with the tomato mixture, set the lid in place and braise in a 300-degree oven for 2 to 2 ½ hours, until meat is completely tender. Complete dish as described.

You can also make it on the stove top if short on time by cooking the thighs then pureeing the rest of the ingredients, sans onions, in the blender & add to the shredded chicken thighs. Saute the onion til translucent then add the sauce to the chicken & heat throughout.

[TASMANIANRED]

Wonderful thread, Schatzi, Smooch.

[mylife]

Maurice can prolly fix you up.

I miss having a butcher that will make your grind.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*HUG*
Good evening!
So am I!
LOL

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Connie and Doc!



Doc was with the 3/5 as a corpsman, Connie, in another little scuffup long ago. Covered our backs in I Corps I don't know how many times.

When the going gets tough.....the tough 'Get Some!'