Hoisin Beef Noodles

Another asian dish for your ethnic artillery.

Hoisin Beef Noodles w/Edamame

8 oz. of soba or linguine noodles ($.99)

3 tbsp. lime juice ($1.19)

3 tbsp. hoisin sauce ($3.47)

2 tsp. chili garlic sauce ($2.49)

1 tsp. cornstarch (bulk item)

2 tsp. sesame oil (you can sub veg or olive if needed) (bulk item)

8 oz. flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced ($3.79)

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced ($1.39)

10oz. package of shelled edamame, thawed ($3.49)

1 tsp. ground ginger or 1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger (bulk item)

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped ($.69)

Cook noodles according to package, drain, and set aside.  Whisk lime juice, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Heat oil over large skillet over med-high heat, add steak, and cook through.  Transfer steak to plate, and add bell pepper to same pan, cooking 1-2 minutes.  Then, add edamame, cooking another 2 minutes.  Add ginger, stir for 30 seconds, then add sauce and beef to skillet.  Stir until sauce has thickened a bit, then remove from heat and enjoy! Makes 4 servings ($17.50/$4.38 per serving)

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

My friends, I come to you with a very simple dish that yields complex flavors.  Want to impress as well as satisfy that special someone? MAKE THIS DISH.  The crunchy crust of the tortilla chips, fresh spinach, and the ooey, gooey cheese filling the center of the chicken makes this one a "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner in our books.  Serve it with a simple pepper and onion stir-fry, and you've got yourself a satisfying meal.
Mexi-Chicken Roll-ups
4 oz. cream cheese ($2.57)
1/2 c. salsa verde ($2.50)
1 small bunch of cilantro ($.69)
1 tsp. cumin ($1.99)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder ($1.99)
4 chicken breasts/cutlets ($3.67)
spinach ($2.49)
pepper jack cheese, shredded ($3.49)
tortilla chips (bulk item)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Flatten out chicken breasts to 1/4" thickness (just put the chicken in a ziploc bag and use the good ole frying pan).  Then blend together the cream cheese, salsa verde, cilantro (chopped), cumin, and garlic powder to form the paste.  If you want a thicker paste, use less salsa verde.  Spread some sauce across each chicken breast, then top with spinach leaves and cheese.  Roll those babies up, starting at the bigger end, finishing with the tip, then roll in the crushed tortilla chips.  Place seam side down in a sprayed baking dish, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Makes 4 servings ($19.39/$4.85 per serving)


*Just between you and me, once the chicken was rolled up, it was a bit difficult to handle (we probably just packed it with too much of the good stuff!) so we just ended up patting the chips onto the tops and sides of the chicken once they were in the baking dish.  Came out just as good!

Curry in a Hurry!

After a day full of hiking and zumba, nothing sounded better that cold winter night then a big bowl of curry.  And so it was done...and it was awesome.

Winter Veggie Curry
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil (bulk item)
1 c. sweet potatoes, peeled/diced ($1.49)
1 c. cauliflower florets ($1.50)
1 tbsp. curry powder ($1.99)
1/2 c. vegetable/chicken stock ($2.50)
1/4 tsp. salt (bulk item)
1 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced (bulk item)
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained ($1.39)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained ($.99)
1/4 c. plain 2% greek yogurt ($3.29)
1 c. brown/white rice (bulk item)
Heat oil in large pan over medium-high heat.  Add sweet potato to pan, sauteing for 3 minutes. 
Decrease heat to medium, and add cauliflower and curry powder, cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add broth, salt, garlic, chickpeas, and tomatoes, stir, and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce to a simmer, allowing to cook for 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.  Stir occasionally through simmering.  Stir in greek yogurt, then we added some unsalted almonds in at the end for some crunch, cashews would work as well, and I highly recommend the addition of nuts!
Serve over rice and enjoy! Makes 4 servings ($13.15/$3.28 per serving).

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

Want a quick, easy, and delicious dinner? Well, do I have the answer for you! Melted jack and cheddar cheese, grilled jalapenos, crunchy tortilla chips, and a generous helping of cream cheese, grilled to perfections!

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and grilled ($0.50)
4 slices whole wheat bread (bulk item)
2 tbsp. butter (bulk item)
4 tbsp. cream cheese (bulk item)
1 c. jack and cheddar cheese ($3.49)
2 tbsp. tortilla chips ($2.50)
Spread 1 tbsp. of cream cheese on the inside of each piece of bread.  Butter the other side of each piece.  Cut the peppers in half, seed them, and grill them for a minute or two.  Slice peppers and divide between sandwiches.  Next, place the crumbled chips on each sandwich, and then divide the cheese.  Use a panini press, grill pan, griddle, or whatever you got to grill the sandwiches until the cheese is nice and melty.  Enjoy! Makes 2 sandwiches ($6.49/$3.25 per serving)