So over the long weekend, temps way up in the 90’s (oh why is the weather so craaaazy this year?) I somehow got the idea that I wanted some of that Old Fashioned Tuna Macaroni Salad. You know the one I mean, all cool, creamy deliciousness with a few crunchy veggies and that tuna that somehow melds in and makes everything so rich.
Old Fashioned Tuna Macaroni Salad
Do you need a fun, fresh take on a dish for your Holiday Ham leftovers? Something easy, fast and crave-worthy? You’re gonna want to try this Hawaiian Fried Rice. And you’re gonna look like a genius when you bring this to the table! 🙂
Hawaiian Fried Rice with Ham & Pineapple
Sometimes the universe aligns and this Brunswick Stew Georgia Style came about as a result! We just made a big pork shoulder roast (Momofuku’s Bo Ssam, to be exact) and had leftovers. I had just come across a couple recipes for Brunswick Stew. And my sister from Georgia called and said she was on her way. Well, that sealed the deal! Brunswick Stew, it was!
Brunswick Stew Georgia Style
I originally posted this Chicken Pot Pie in November of 2011, one of my very first posts! Today, as I made it again, I updated with new photos. That night, I had been looking at Time’s Money Issue and became sidetracked. Pretty soon, I was clicking on one link after another; you know how that goes, right?
Chicken Pot Pie like you Wish your Grandma made! Tender, flaky crust, gorgeous vegetables and a gravy out of this world!
This is a beautiful soup, simple and a sneaky way to get almost anyone to eat their vegetables – and eat them, they will, and they’ll darned well like them – prepared like this! 🙂 The subtle flavoring lends a gorgeous background note without overwhelming the delicate vegetables. It’s just enough to make you want to taste again and again while wondering “Just what is in this?”
Potage – Cream of Spring Vegetable Soup
While Fava beans set the standard for many Crostini spreads, this bright, fresh Lima & Pea spread is somewhat unexpected. It’s exceptional taste is springish, even in the dead of winter; bright and tasty, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Lima & Pea Crostini – like a breath of fresh air!
Paella is a dish that for years was wrapped in mystique, seemingly out of reach of the average American. It’s a darn shame because a simple Paella is a stunning dish and very doable dish for a week-night dinner.
Poor Man’s Paella – chicken, regular rice. Fantastic, even on a budget.
A week of travel and a madcap trip to the store on the way home from the airport leftme, last week, with more than a few ingredients and only a vague idea of what I was going to make! This was not my normal “planned” shopping list – and I paid the price…
Curried Pork Stew, Basic Recipe
Diners, Drive Ins & Dives is on Netflix this season and this episode features the Sparrow Tavern in Astoria, New York – a run down rock & roll type bar with gourmet style. One of their star items was the Sparrow Veggie Burger and even the carnivores were going on about it. After I made them, I can see why – they’re flippin’ AWESOME! A bit of work, but the best Veggie Burger I’ve ever had!
Sparrow Tavern Veggie Burger – early version, I fixed the “cracking” flaw.
Canned Salmon – there was a time I’d tell you that you were nuts had you suggested I eat such a thing…but as I’ve found, those on a limited budget that are trying to get the recommended amount of fish into their diets have to be creative –
About 9 1/2 ounces of Salmon is left – cooked slightly more than I’d like, but still pretty good and very inexpensive
This super easy Honey Roast Chicken with Spring Peas is one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever had! I bet you’ll think so, too. The skin is golden, crunchy, chewy, sweet, and salty, crispy deliciousness. The meat juicy and flavorful, and the spring peas? Just the right touch. The resulting sauce? Heaven!
Honey Roast Chicken with Spring Peas
This old-fashioned recipe, Turkey (or Chicken) Newburg is a family fave…simple, comforting, delish. Think of this when you have leftover chicken or turkey – it’s a part of my “Twelve Days of Turkey” posting.
Turkey (or Chicken) Newburg
When meat prices aren’t what I think they should be, I start looking for alternative ways to fill up my family and still get some vegetables and protein into them.
Classic Vegetarian Fried Rice
Every culture has their go to dishes that have been developed and refined over the years with frugalness in mind – and as much as I love recipes passed down from my Mother and my Grandmother, I love this one, Fried Rice, even more – passed down by the Asian Grandmother.
My Fried Rice was lackluster, mushy and only just edible…what can I say – I come from a mostly German, Scottish and Irish background with a smidge of French and dash of English just to spice things up…
Pat from the Asian Grandmother’s blog saved me! And she’ll save you, too! Pat gives so many tips on how to make Fried Rice successfully in her Five Secrets to Making Fabulous Fried Rice, I can’t even go into them now – please go to her blog and look them over; I’ve noticed a new posting on her blog, too: How to Cook Rice Three Ways.
My first batch, following Pat’s careful instructions, was a vast improvement, and the taste was out of this world. I shared a second batch with a neighbor, who thought I was a genius, and by the third batch, I started feeling like a pro! Fried Rice has actually become a “go to” recipe for me when I have left over veggies in the fridge…or extra rice. Heck, I make extra rice now, just to make this Fried Rice.
I want to stress that this is Pat’s recipe, adapted to what I prefer…Pat gives more options on ingredients and advice. By the way, I have a whole list in my head of recipes from the Asian Grandmother I want to try – if I can ever stop eating this rice!
You’ll want to cook this in two batches, so mentally divide the ingredients but prep them all at once. Mix eggs together and use about half in each batch. Have everything ready because it cooks in minutes.
Break up large clumps of rice and separate the grains.
Preheat a 14-inch wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat for about 1 minute. Swirl in the oil and heat until it becomes runny and starts to shimmer. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and onion and stir until fragrant, about 15 to 30 seconds. Add the carrots and cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Move all the ingredients to one side of the wok. Pour half the eggs into the pan and stir to scramble until they are almost cooked through but still a little soggy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Add the rice, then the peas and bean sprouts, stirring and tossing between each addition. Use your spatula to break up any clumps.
Add the sauces, and salt, white pepper and stir everything swiftly around the wok until the rice is well-coated and colored (little bits of white here and there is OK) and heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add more oil if the rice begins to stick to the wok; reduce the heat if it starts to scorch. Sprinkle with sesame oil, carefully; it can be strong. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Divide the rice among 2 serving plates. Serve immediately, and cook second batch.
Notes:
from the kitchen of www.frugalhausfrau.com, adapted from the Asian Grandmother
Let’s talk about how to save money/time on this recipe:
Nutrition:
Per Serving (estimation based on 3/4 cup of rice, four servings total): 276 Calories; 14g Fat, 10g Protein; 58g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber.
Put your own spin on it:
My Payoff –
A quick budget meal that I can feel good about, and a great, frugal use of left over rice. The whole recipe is much, much less than I’ve paid for one serving of fried rice when I’ve been out.
