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)

We Got a Food Processor!!

Along with my wonderful roommate returning from winter break, she brought with her....A FOOD PROCESSOR.  I couldn't contain my excitement with all the thoughts of pestos and other yummy sauces running through my head.  To break in the gadget, we chose a Basil-Mint Sauce to top our tilapia (the original recipe was for snapper, but our budget made us figure any white fish would work).  Fresh and light, we paired it with some jasmine rice and steamed green beans and bacon bits.

Tilapia w/ Basil-Mint Sauce
2 tilapia filets ($2.59)
salt & pepper, to taste (bulk item)
1 c. basil leaves ($1.68)
1/4 c. mint leaves ($1.68)
2 tbsp. chopped/seeded jalapeno ($.12)
2 tbsp. olive oil (bulk item)
2 tbsp. water
2 tsp. lime juice ($.20)
1 garlic clove, chopped (bulk item)
1/4 tsp. salt (bulk item)
Preheat broiler.  Arrange fish on baking dish coated w/cooking spray.  Sprinkle fish with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper.  Broil for 6 min. or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Combine basil and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and process for one minute, or until smooth.  Serve on fish, and enjoy! Serves 2 ($6.27/$3.14 per serving).

We're Back with a Banger!

     So, I'm not sure how many of you all are actually following us on a somewhat consistent basis, but if you do, then I apologize for the long hiatus.  It's always difficult to bring ourselves to blog when we venture home for the holidays, mostly just because we want to spend more time actually cooking with our families than writing about it!  There were some delicious recipes made over break, which I hope I will be slowly sharing on the site when I have time, but for now, we focus on the first dish made upon reuniting back at the humble abode.
     Let me tell you, it was well worth the wait.  We were only cooking for two that night, but the recipe is super fast, and can easily be made for a bunch of people.  Another plus is that these cutlets come in at only 190 cal. each, so feel free to have two if you're feeling particularly hungry.  We ate ours with some asparagus (one sale that week, score!) and quinoa, leaving us full and satisfied.  Pictures and prices to come when I get home from school!

Picture doesn't do this dish justice. Mmm.

Chicken Rollatini w/Proscuitto & Cheese
2 chicken cutlets ($2.81)
2 slices of proscuitto ($1.08)
2 slices of mozzarella cheese (the deli guy gave us this as a "sample" because he felt bad for us!)
1/4 c. italian seasoned bread crumbs ($2.50)
parmesan cheese ($2.39)
1/2 lemon (the juice of) (bulk item)
1 tbsp. olive oil (bulk item)
pepper (bulk item)
Preheat oven to 450, and lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.  Wash and dry the cutlets, while mixing the breadcrumbs and parmesan in one bowl, and the lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper in another bowl.  Dip each cutlet in the lemon/oil, then coat with breadcrumbs, and place on a cutting board.  Fold one slice of prosciutto and one slice of mozzarella one the fat end of each cutlet, then roll up tightly, placing in the baking dish seam-side down.  Put the remaining breadcrumbs over the top and spray lightly with some kind of oil spray (we use PAM).  Bake for 25-30 minutes and serve immediately. Makes 2 servings ($8.78/$4.39 per serving).

Study Break

Sheeeeeeee'sssss baaaaaaackkkkkkkkk! Today, I rejoined my amazing cooker friends to tackle one of Chef Anne Burrell's recipes. If you don't know, this week has been finals week for the college students at Colorado State University, and we were in desperate need of a delicious break from studying. We chose to make Tagliatelle with bacon, sweet corn, burst cherry tomatoes, and arugula. This dish was absolutely delicious, very homey and savory, and was a big hit with the campus cooking girls. We paired it with a nice white merlot, which complimented the dish wonderfully.

Tagliatelle with Bacon, Sweet corn, burst Cherry tomatoes, and Arugula
four ears of corn, shucked ($2.65)

extra virgin olive oil (bulk item)

kosher salt (bulk item)

1/4 lb slab bacon, cut into 1/4 in pieces ($1.05)

3 cloves garlic, smashed (bulk item)

pinch of crushed red pepper (bulk item)

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, assorted colors ($3.23)

1 1/2 cups chicken/veggie stock ($2.50)

1 package fettucini noodles ($1.99)

1 1/2 cups baby arugula (we used a bit more because leafy greens are good for us!) ($2.99)

big fat finishing oil (nicer oil to use at the end of the dish)

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano ($3.19)

1. Preheat a grill or broiler.

2. Rub corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil or grill corn until charred on all sides. Cut the corn off the cob then run the knife down the cob again to get the remaining sweet bits.

3. Coat a large wide pan with olive oil. Toss in the bacon, garlic and red pepper; bring to medium high heat. When the garlic turns golden and is very aromatic, 2-3 min, remove it from the pan and ditch it. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and roll them around until coated. Add one cup of the stock, season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium and let the tomatoes cook until they start to burst, 8-10 min.

4. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a biol. Add the corn to the pan with the tomatoes and bacon, and stir to combine; add another 1/2 cup stock if the liquid level is very low.

5. Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook for 2.3 min, or until tender but toothsome.

6. Drain the pasta and add it the the veggies along with about 1/2 cup reserved cooking water; toss vigorously to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, toss in the arugula, drizzle with the big fat finishing oil, and sprinkle with the parmigiano.

7. Eat up and enjoy!! Makes 4 servings ($17.60/$4.40 per serving)

The girls are back in town!

Heaven in a Cookie

This cookie is the cookie to defeat all cookies; that is, if you love cheesecake and oreos, but then again, who doesn't?  It's super simple to make and surprising uses very few ingredients.  These cookies only lasted a good three days at my house, at that was much longer than I expected.

Irresistible oreo-cheesecakey-goodness.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

1/2 c. unsalted butter (at room temp.)

3 oz. cream cheese (at room temp.)

1 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. flour

1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

1 c. Oreo cookie crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  This step is important, because for some reason the bottoms cook a lot fast than the tops.  In a mixing bowl combine butter and cream cheese until mixed well.  Add sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until combined, then add flour and mix until incorporated.  Stir in mini chocolate chips with a spatula.  

Crush the Oreo cookies, then place the crumbs in small dish/bowl.  Roll 1 1/2 inch balls of dough, then coat in crumbs and place on sheet about 2 inches apart.  I might experiment with only coating the tops and sides of the cookies to prevent the quick cooking of the bottoms, but it's up to you.  Either way, I promise, they come out delicious.  Bake for 12-15 min. or until edges are golden and the cookie has puffed up.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then enjoy! Makes 1-1 1/2 dozen cookies.

Holiday Baking

The girls have disbanded for a short Thanksgiving break, but that doesn't mean the cooking and baking has to stop!  After making the requested Kung Pao Shrimp (with the replacing of edamame with peppers and carrots because little Jacob refuses to eat anything green) for my family back in St. Louis, I was on a roll, so I decided to bake some cookies.  This is a delicious recipe I've made before, and is quite a hit with the fam, so why not share it with you.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies
3/4 c. unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
3 c. rolled oats
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 2/3 c. butterscotch chips
Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together, then add eggs and vanilla, beating well.  In a medium size bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, until blended well.  Stir in oats and butterscotch chips with a spatula, and drop dough balls (about a tbsp. each) 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown, then let them cool on a wire cooling rack.

I'm drooling.

I'm Glad Humpty Fell

Healthy egg white omelette and lean sausage patties!

Breakfast for dinner is always a winner! Spinach, feta, and egg white omelettes with spicy breakfast sausage at 5 PM on a Tuesday night hit the spot. The combination of Italian spices and fresh feta made for a wonderfully spicy dinner experience. Paired with some fantastic breakfast sausage, this dinner was one for the record books.

Spicy Breakfast Sausage

1/2 lb of spicy breakfast sausage ($1.31)

Make patties and cook thoroughly.

Egg-White Omelette with Spinach, Feta and Herbs
2 large egg whites ($1.39)
1/8 teaspoon salt (bulk item)
1/9 teaspoon pepper (bulk item)
1/4 dried Italian seasoning (bulk item)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley ($0.59)
1/4 cup fresh spinach ($2.99)
1 tablespoon crumbled feta ($2.19)


Whisk egg whites with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and parsley. Pour into a nonstick skillet over medium heat top with spinach. Sprinkle with feta, fold over and serve. Makes one omelette, but pricing is for two, just repeat the measurements.  $7.16/$3.58 per serving