All posts by BudgetEpicurean

Long-time student turned young adult with varied interests, mostly food and frugality. Pursuing wealth so I can help others pursue health.

Casseroles, Comfort food, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes

One-Pan Buffalo Chicken Potato Bake

June 19, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 16 Comments

Do you love tasty food?

Do you love having fewer dishes?

Do you love meals that you can make in under 30 minutes?

You guys. You have to try this recipe. If you only try ONE recipe from this blog, make it this one. (Unless of course you are vegetarian or allergic to potatoes or whatever.)

This dish was inspired by one of my favorite blogs Don’t Waste the Crumbs, but upon Googling I found oodles of variations! You can use any vegetable your heart desires, change up the type of hot sauce, and add as much or as little of any type of cheese that you want. And the best part is that I nearly always have all the ingredients in the house already, so no extra trips to the store.

Combined with the fact that the ingredients are all pretty darn frugal, that makes this dish an instant hit with me. Using on-sale potatoes, frozen on sale mixed veggies, and even with all the fixings, a 9×13 pan costs me under $10. It is now on my “mental rotation of last-minute meal ideas” along with stir fry, chili, and tortilla soup.

The crispy roasted potatoes, the tasty shredded chicken, spice from the hot sauce with the cooling sour cream, added health boost from the carrots and veggies… mmmm now I want some!

As for the additional vegetables, I’d recommend things that you or your family like of course, and things that are quick cooking. Try spinach, peas, or thawed frozen veggies.

I used okra because I had some and I love the flavor, but go wild with mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, or broccoli. The more veggies you sneak in and slather in hot sauce the better!

Ingredients:

6-7 medium potatoes
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cooked chicken breasts
2 cups vegetable of choice
1/4 – 1/2 cup hot sauce
Optional: 1/4 – 1/2 cup sour cream or Ranch
Optional: 1/2 – 1 cup shredded cheddar

Step 1: Dice the potatoes to about 1-inch cubes, and spread them in an oven-safe pan sprayed with cooking oil. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until soft inside and crispy outside.

While the potatoes bake, cook your chicken breasts by baking, broiling, boiling, or sauteing. Or you could start with already-cooked chicken to be ahead of the game.

Step 2: Shred the cooked chicken and spread it over the baked crispy potatoes. Add the shredded carrots and other veggies.

Step 3: Layer on the hot sauce and sour cream or Ranch, if using.

Step 4: Add the cheddar (or other cheese) if using. Bake at 350 for another 10-15 minutes.

Step 5: Try to stop yourself from devouring the whole ooey-gooey pan all at once.

You are welcome.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:53]

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Administrative, Finances, Informative

How do you pick a wedding location?

June 12, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Just like when you are picking your wedding date, choosing a location should be something that you think about but not too hard, and in the end it just feels right.

People vary wildly in their ideas of the “ideal” wedding place, so you should first talk to the other party involved. Do one of you have a church you grew up in, that your parents were married in, that you just have to also get married in? Now is a good time to go over that. If you have always dreamed of a destination wedding on a sandy white beach, bring that up. Give yourselves some time and space to talk it out with no judgment (no, “oh my God, no way are we getting married in that old dump of a church!” or “How stupid, who wants to be married in a dusty barn!??” or “We could never afford Wai Ki-Ki are you crazy??”).

Be sure to also discuss all the elements of the location that may end up being important to you. Some suggestions (but by no means a comprehensive list):

Is there availability at your desired time?
Does the location offer wedding planning or services?
Are there hotels nearby for guests to stay in?
What is the weather like in the time of year you’re considering?
Will the location hold the amount of people you envision?
Do you need to account for things like chair or tent rental?
Where will you have the ceremony and the reception? Same place? Two places? How far apart are they?
Do you want a church?
Do you want it to be outdoors?
Do you want decorations of a specific type?
Will there be dancing? If so can you set up sound/dance floor?
Can you bring your own vendors?
Do you need any licenses/permits?
Is there a deposit or location fee?

For travel destinations, more things to consider include:

Do you need passports/other travel documents?
How will you arrange flights/trains/busses/etc?
Is it near where you’d like to honeymoon?
Is it near an airport?
Will you need to rent a car?
How many of your planned guests will likely show up?
What are the local laws about weddings?
How do you go about obtaining a marriage license?

Once you have a general idea as a couple of what you want and what you are willing to negotiate on, you can consider locations. Think about where you live now, where you grew up, where you went to college, where your parents grew up. For some people, this is a no brainer and they have known since childhood that a specific meaningful place would be the place they are married. For others it will not be so simple.

What matters most is to be true to yourselves as a team, a unit, your location should be somewhere you both will feel happy and at ease. If your partner gets nauseated at the thought of crowds and attention, you should probably not plan a 400-person blow out at the biggest chapel in town and a black tie reception. If your true love cannot stand sand in their hair or clothes, sorry but a beach wedding should be crossed off the potentials list.

If you get stuck, you can always try:

Asking around – you probably know tons of people who have planned or attended weddings. Ask your parents, grandparents, friends, coworkers, neighbors, the guy on the bus. Ask what weddings were memorable, in good ways and bad. Maybe they will mention something that lights a spark for you.
Make a list – each of you alone, make a list of places that make you happy. List random things too, like maybe you love lighthouses, or caves, or mountains, or mansions. You never know what will spark an idea. Then compare your lists and see if the light bulb comes on.
Google – the holder of all knowledge, Google is a wellspring of wedding location ideas. Beware here though, as wedding envy and overwhelm can easily sneak up on you as you browse front-page-worthy multi-thousands of dollars wedding settings. Always try to keep your dreams somewhat in the realm of reality.

At some point, you will narrow down your list. A few places should stand out as the most likely and most fitting. If you are able to, definitely go visit these places. Try to get a feel for the size of the space, what their amenities are (Is there a kitchen on site or will you have to bring in all your food already prepared? Do they have bathrooms and how many? A dance floor, music and speaker system? Can you bring in any vendors you want or is there a required vendor list to work off of?).

Always remember you do not have to commit to the first or second or twelfth place you see, until it feels right.

And just as in picking the time, at some point, you pick the place. You could argue pros and cons until the day you say “I do” but trust me, as long as your betrothed is at the front of the room waiting to say it back, you won’t care very much where that happens. Point, click, and trust that it will all work out.

Administrative, Healthy, Holidays, Informative

How do you pick a wedding date?

June 5, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 2 Comments

After a while of being engaged, and a hundred people asking “SO when’s the big day?!?” which you may or may not have artfully dodged answering, you may start to wonder “Is something wrong with me? Why can’t I just pick a damn day?!”

Don’t worry. It’s okay.

And then after maybe even a little longer, you will think, “for real though, it’s time to pick. How do I pick??” Here’s my best advice. You know that scene from Miss Congeniality?

Stan Fields: Miss Rhode Island, please describe your idea of a perfect date.

While it’s worth a chuckle, this is kind of the thing you are going for.

Start off thinking about what time of year you enjoy most. Do you love the heat and bright colors of summer? Are you a fan of pastels and spring rain? Do you love the spicy smells of autumn, or are you a hibernator who dreams of the first snowfall and lives for the magical season of Christmas?

For myself, no month or day felt right just off the bat. But I have a deep connection to and love of spring. Everything from the warm rains, to the days getting longer, to the sunshine, to the buds coming out on the trees the flowers pushing up from the dirt the animals coming out of hibernation the greening that just bursts forth one day like magic… you get the idea. I’m in love with birth and renewal and life and living things. Mostly plants.

So, “sometime in the spring” was my starting point.

From there, take into account any holidays happening that time of year. Maybe the idea of sharing your big day with Christmas seems magical, or you like the idea of reusing red and silver decor. Maybe you want a big summer bash but don’t want it ruined by random all-day-long fireworks, so avoid July 4th weekend. Whatever the case, take into account whatever celebrations your country, faith, state, town, or family enjoys.

Consider options other than the stereotypical “Saturday afternoon” (even though that is exactly what I did, which I will explain later) if you want to pinch some pennies. Vendors know that Saturdays in June are the most in-demand. Demand and supply are a vicious spiral, so expect to pay more for just about everything if you plan for say Saturday at 4 pm on June 12th than on a random Wednesday in November at noon.

You could have an earlier wedding, which leads to a brunch rather than heavy dinner. This should save you some cash on both the food (breakfast foods are cheap yo!) and the booze (I’m sure we all have a few friends & relatives who have no qualms with allllllll the Bloody Mary’s, but most people will have more restraint in the AM). Also consider a later wedding post-dinner, and just have drinks and dancing afterwards with cake and cookies.

Okay, so now you should have a relatively small list of potential dates. Different websites recommend different amounts of time to give yourself, from 6 months to 2 years. It greatly depends upon you and your situation. Are you pressed for time, such as with a move or deployment or death in the family expected or birth on the way? You will have a shorter timeline. Are you a super anal OCD-planner with a list of lists you need to make and the perfect wedding day already outlined on Pinterest? Maybe you want to take some more time to go through all your options.

I personally found that 11 months was plenty enough time for me. I had the date and place nailed down within a month or so, and the rest of the details didn’t concern me too much. I could have had a wedding planned within 3 months that I would be happy with, so I had several months in between the initial 2-month flurry and the final month-of rush where I just chilled and enjoyed life. You may be a more anxious person and need more than a year to be sure all the Ts are crossed and Is dotted. That’s fine too, you do you.

Now what? Well, just as with saying “yes” and going through with a wedding, at some point, you just take the plunge and have faith it will all work out.

Pick a date from your list or calendar that meets your criteria, and go with it. Once chosen and told to people and vendors, it gets more and more difficult to change your mind, just remember that. The only other decision that really matters besides the when is the where. But we will talk about that next week…

So how about you guys? Do you have a date that mattered to you? How did you choose the “right time”?

Administrative, Finances, Healthy, Holidays, Informative

How to Deflect Wedding Questions

May 29, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Alright, so you just got engaged...

And you’re already exhausted by a deluge of questions. Why does it seem like every person on the planet needs to know RIGHT NOW what kind of flowers you’ll have, and the flavor of the cake, and which song will be playing at exactly 2:30 on the day of (which you have chosen already right?!?)

If just reading that paragraph made your heart rate double, you’re in a safe place, I understand you. The feelz bro.

The good news is, there are no rules.

Let me say that again so it sinks in: There Are No Rules.

That’s my life motto, but also the truth. Society, friends, and family all have ideas about what a wedding “should” be or is “supposed” to include. But that’s a load of horse pucky (as my grandma would say). The only things a wedding “has to have” is two people in love and ready to be together forever.

Do you have that? Then everything else is icing on the (figurative, or literal) cake. Don’t have that? Then all the Kardashian flower walls and billion dollar backdrops in the world won’t make you happy.

So, you’re at a family gathering, holiday, after work happy hour, or another wedding, and the inevitable questions of your own situation arise. Here’s a few suggestions on how to (politely) tell people to mind their own d**n business.

Have a prepared line: especially if you talk with your betrothed before hand, you can present a united front. Plan a phrase or two that can answer just about any question. Things such as: “we’re taking things slow”, “We are just enjoying being engaged right now”, “we’re considering all our options before making any decisions”, or “we will let people know once we decide on anything” all work well.
Answer the questions with a question: when Aunt Rose says “So have you picked a date yet?” you respond with “no, but do you have any suggestions for the best season for a wedding?” or “No, when was yours?” This redirects the spotlight to the question asker and may make them realize their inquiries aren’t welcome. But be cautious, as some people will take this as an opening to blab on forever about their own weddings, so use with caution.
Laugh it off: depending on the audience, you can make whatever the question into a joke. When a coworker asks when the date is, you could try something like “Hopefully before I start showing!” or “as soon as we win the lottery”. Delivered in the right tone and with a smile, this lets them know that you aren’t ready to discuss details and to calm it down without being openly rude.
Change the subject: You can either come prepared with a few topics to discuss, or go off-the-cuff as the situation arises. Most people love talking about themselves, so if they ask you something you don’t want to answer you can always redirect back to them. “Gee Tom, I hadn’t thought about what to do for the bachelor party yet, what did you do for yours?” or “I know you want grand-kids mom, but I’m not ready to live up to your reputation as a mom yet! Remember that time you…” Getting people talking about themselves or some topic they are interested in frees you from being the center of attention.
Be vague but pleasant: When someone inevitably brings up their roommate who is an awesome photographer, or their cousin who is an aspiring florist, you DO NOT want to immediately commit. Things can get awkward if you agree, and it turns out you hate their work, or don’t get along, or find a better deal elsewhere. Try something like: “Email/text me the info and I’ll take a look”, “It sounds lovely, let’s talk later”, or “I’m glad <insert person who did it> enjoyed that, but we are still looking around”.
Be cautious and use the sandwich rule: For those who don’t know, the “sandwich rule” is the best way to deliver a criticism, you sandwich it in between two compliments, like so: “compliment, criticism, compliment”. Try something like: “We are so happy you’re interested in being involved in our wedding planning Nana, but we don’t really like orange and purple together. Can you help us out with baking cookies for our reception table though, you are such a great chef!”

Everyone has opinions and questions, but as the classic song “Everybody’s Free” says: “Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth”.

Oh, and if anyone asks about how much the ring cost? Totally inappropriate, and you can brush it off with something like: “More than ten dollars, but less than a million”. You wouldn’t ask how much someone made last year, or how much is in their 401K right? Just don’t do that.

How about you, have you gotten any totally inappropriate questions? How do you handle it?

Holidays, Informative

So You Just Got Engaged… Now What?

May 22, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Hey readers, in case you didn’t know, I just got married yesterday!

Yup, that’s right, I’m officially a M-R-S and off the market! Sorry frugal epicurious dudes. I’m in Tennessee right now, likely sleeping off a few too many celebratory glasses of wine.

But let’s start at the beginning…

I’ll tell you a story, your typical love story of guy-meets-girl and they become friends. Close friends. Like hang out every day, eat lunch together, celebrate good things, shoulder to cry on, soulmates without realizing it yet friends.

Everyone around them knows before they do, that they should be together. And then finally one day, they realize it. You may relate to this.

First date. (Laser tag). First kiss. Long talks. Long walks. Dinner, lunch, breakfast. First road trip. Facebook official (gasp!). First vacation together. Meet the parents.

Lots more dates and more trips and moving in together. Move together. Move again. And again. Get some dogs. And move yet again, except this time more than 1200 miles away.

Oh wait, that last part is probably just us, because we are crazy people.

Whatever your story is, whether you are high school sweethearts, aging young-at-heart geriatrics, divorcees, blind dates, met online, star crossed lovers, friends who decided to give love a shot, you now find yourself at that point of life of which romance movies, books, and songs are written: you are engaged.

Betrothed. Afianced.

Meaning… you two are going to be married!

So your lover has finally “popped the question” and you may or may not have a shiny object on a certain finger that rhymes with “thing”.

Which, by the way, if you don’t have a ring because of finances or other reasons, that is totally fine! Don’t buy into society’s hype that it isn’t real or official if there aren’t several hundred (or thousands, ugh) dollars adorning your left hand.

You two promising your love to each other and planning to set a date to make it official is all that truly matters.

Depending on how public or private your engagement was, you now have a few options.

Mostly, you will follow these steps:

Step 1: Decide who you want to know, and in what order

Step 2: Tell those people yourself, in person or on the phone

Step 3: Be prepared… for allllll the questions (oh and showing off that bling, if you have it!)

Step 4: Relax and Enjoy!

Budget Epicurean's engagement ring — Don’t worry, I know exactly how lucky I am. (EXTREMELY). Yes, it’s a family heirloom.

You need to decide how to spread your own news or social media will do it for you. Take control and tell those who matter the most first (probably mom & dad unless you want it to be held against you for all of time that they heard it from their cousin’s neighbor).

Go see them in person, everyone loves a surprise visit with good news, or call them and tell them. You will probably hear mixed reviews depending on the people’s opinions of this other person, such as “About time!” or “Why did you say yes??” but almost always “Congratulations!” and “So when’s the date?!?”.

Once you have each notified the family and friends most important to you, then you can turn to social media to notify the more peripheral circles of people you know and the world at large.

It is best to take several photos of the jewels involved and the two of you and decide together what ones you want to use.

Ladies: don’t worry about going out for a manicure, but make sure your nails are at least clean looking. No polish at all looks just fine. Cracked nails with bloody cuticles and dirt underneath, not so fine.

Once you have notified everyone, just sit back and enjoy this time!

Being engaged is a thrilling, exciting phase in life. People will try to push you into thinking ahead and immediately getting to the planning, but stand strong if that isn’t something you want right now.

I strongly recommend taking at least a few days or weeks to just be together. You will have plenty of time later to plan and think and stress out. Just enjoy each other and this first/next step you are taking on the road of life together.

How about you? Are you engaged? Did you take your time or rush right into planning? Tell me all about it below!

Uncategorized

Homemade Whole Wheat Crackers

May 8, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Do you know what’s in a typical box of crackers?

Flour Enriched ( Wheat Flour, Niacin Vitamin B3, Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate Vitamin B1, Riboflavin Vitamin B2, Folic Acid Vitamin B9 ), Soybeans Oil, Sugar, Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Salt, Leavening ( Baking Soda, and/or, Calcium Phosphate ), Corn Syrup High Fructose, Soy Lecithin ( Emulsifiers ), Flavors Natural, Corn Starch

Anyone else stop reading pretty much by the fifth word? Me too. I try to be balanced in all things. Yes, I love eating healthy. But I also don’t want to overload my brain with a big long list of “eat this, don’t eat that” ingredients. Generally speaking, if the list of ingredients is 80% things you recognize and under five ingredients, you’re good to go. So I started researching just a bit. And guess what?

Crackers are insanely simple to make. Like, 3 ingredients simple. Water, flour, sea salt. Done. That’s a basic cracker. Then you can get crazy and try different flour types, add oils, different flavors or seasoning, adding seeds or nuts. Since I already had whole wheat flour, and those black sesame seeds I had been meaning to use since Christmas, I decided it was time.

Ingredients:

2 cups wheat flour
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp ground flax seeds

Step 1: Warm the coconut oil (stove top, microwave, your hands) and add the flour. Mix with your hands, adding a little more water if needed to make a dough. IF you’re adding chia and / or flax, add a little more water to compensate because those both will absorb.

Step 2: Mix in all your other ingredients. On a floured surface, roll or press the dough into a big thin sheet. If you want to get fancy, you can use a cup to cup your crackers into rounds or use a knife to make them into squares. If you want extra texture, sprinkle more seeds or grind some salt on top before baking.

Step 3: Bake the crackers on a cookie sheet at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until crispy but not burnt. Break or cut into pieces of the size you want, and enjoy!

Now that I know how quick and easy it is to make crackers with ingredients I can control, I will be experimenting with different seasonings for sure! Let me know if you make your own crackers and if you have any seasoning recipes you love.

Comfort food, Healthy, Main Dishes

Cashew Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

May 1, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

You know my biggest topics I love to talk about are: 1) Healthy food, 2) Delicious & New foods, and 3) Affordable food, right? Well, if you didn’t you do now.

Not much lights me up more than finding or creating a recipe that is good for you, quick and easy to make, and also draws rave reviews from a somewhat finicky eater. Stir fry is almost always one of those meals. Stir fry is always in my top ten for one simple reason: you can put just about anything in it.

Seriously. Chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, scrambled eggs, fish, tofu, tempeh. Broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, water chestnuts. Ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, onions, garlic, nuts.

All of the above.

Sure, there are sometimes occasional fails (for the love of god, do not put oregano into your stir fry, just trust me. Also this is proof I’ve loved stir fry at least since 2011, and how far both my cooking and writing have come since then!). But the majority of the time, the recipe of Protein + Veggie + Rice + Sauce = Magic.

For this particular recipe, I had just made a batch of My Homemade Pickled Ginger and it had aged in the refrigerator a week or two, so I was eager to try it out. I also had some black sesame seeds which had been a Christmas gift and I still hadn’t yet used. Combine that with a cheap $1 store bagged mix of broccoli slaw, free green onions that grow wild in my yard, a cup of brown rice, and some other ingredients I always have on hand, and I had a super quick, super cheap, and super satisfying dinner.

A few notes on substitutions: If you do not like cashews or don’t buy them because of cost, you can easily substitute peanuts or almonds. Or if you’re allergic, definitely omit them! (You could add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a boost of vitamins if you like). If you don’t like onions, use chives, or parsley, or just don’t add it in. I used brown rice because I like the texture and I like the nutrition as compared to white, but you can totally use white rice, or a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture! You can use shredded or powdered ginger instead of fresh. And if you don’t like bagged store mixes, feel free to shred your own broccoli, cabbage, and/or carrots.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked diced or shredded chicken
1 bag broccoli slaw mix
2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1/4 cup chicken stock (or veggie stock or water)
Optional: 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp sliced pickled ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp crushed cashew pieces
2 tbsp chopped green onion/chives
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Step 1: Put the bagged slaw mix and mushrooms in a large pan with the olive oil and stock or water and cover. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5-7 minutes. Once the veggies are softened, remove the lid and add the soy sauce and ginger. Add in the chicken, mix well to coat, and let the liquid evaporate until most is gone.

Step 2: Put about 1/2 cup cooked rice and 1/2 the cooked mixture on a place in whatever way visually pleases you.

Step 3: Sprinkle the crushed cashews and green onions on top. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Breakfast, Casseroles, Comfort food, Eggs, Healthy, Main Dishes

Mexican Breakfast Strata

April 24, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Don’t you just love it when you make something that takes literally just a few minutes, but turns out amazingly delicious and also very impressive looking? Me too! So the other day, my coworkers and I realized that it was someone’s birthday. We had totally forgotten, and felt terrible, so we decided the following day would be birthday breakfast! Obviously, I volunteered to cook something. Problem was, I didn’t think that through…

The next morning, I checked the fridge, and didn’t see much besides some eggs. But whatever I made had to be transportable; sunny side up doesn’t travel well, and reheated scrambled eggs is icky. Then I saw a half loaf of bread and the light bulb went on: Strata! Strata is a breakfast casserole based mostly on eggs and bread. You can add anything at all pretty much, and it makes a delicious layered meal.

Upon checking the freezer, I found some turkey bacon, and a half bag of frozen corn and peppers/onions. Since I always keep cans of diced tomatoes and different types of beans around, it just made sense that a Mexican themed strata came together. Full disclosure: I had no idea how this would come out! I threw it all together, popped it in the oven, and got in the shower.

Once it was done, I covered it in tin foil, wrapped it in towels to keep it warm, and stuck it in a reusable bag to take it to the office. An hour later, after a round of “Happy Birthday” which was satisfactorily embarrassing for the coworker in question, came the moment of truth. I pulled out the pan, uncovered the casserole, and the whole room erupted in “Oh my GOSH that looks amazing!” and “that smells SO good, what is it!?”. Once we dug in, the compliments just kept rolling. Almost everyone had seconds, and we finished the whole pan between 6 people!

All this is not to brag, but mostly to convince you that even though it might sound complicated, it is really not. Even if the combination sounds weird, it does work well. Just give it a try and see. You can make strata for the first time on a weekend just to be safe and make sure you have time to get it just right, as long as you make it. And then tell me I’m right. 🙂

Ingredients:

8-10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 loaf of bread
1/2 pound turkey bacon
1 cup peppers and onions
1/2 cup frozen or canned corn
1 1/2 cup salsa or 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 cup black beans (or other type)
Optional: shredded cheddar cheese
Optional: fresh or dried oregano

Step 1: In a large bowl, break all the eggs and scramble them well with a fork. Add the milk and mix well. Tear the bread into rough chunks. You can also use a few days’ old bread for this, just add a splash more milk. Some recipes call for leaving the bread overnight to soak, but I just made it right away and it turned out great, so it’s up to you.

Step 2: In a frying pan, cook your bacon. You can also use ham, sausage, and/or chorizo instead. Or just omit the meat entirely to keep it vegetarian.

Step 3: Add the vegetables and beans to the pan. Heat well, and cook until peppers and onions are tender.

Step 4: Spray a large 9×13 pan with cooking oil or spread with butter. Pour in the bread and egg mixture. Add optional cheese if using.

Step 5: Pour the meats and vegetables and beans into the bread and eggs. Mix it all together well. You can also choose to keep it layered like a breakfast lasagna, if you have the time for that.

Step 6: Bake the whole shebang in a 350 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes. If you cover it with foil, it will bake faster, if you do not use foil, it will brown on top faster.

Step 7: For the most impressive presentation, sprinkle with a little more cheddar and fresh oregano springs right when you take it out of the oven. The cheese will melt from the heat. Serve immediately, and try to keep yourself from devouring the whole pan in one sitting.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:52]

Appetizers, Finances, Healthy, Informative, Less than 5, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Pickled Ginger

April 17, 2016 BudgetEpicurean 4 Comments

If you’re a sushi fan like me, you are familiar with the paper-thin, spicy yet sweet pickled ginger sushi usually comes with. If you want an authentic at-home sushi experience (you can even try making your own! It’s probably easier than you think), you could buy it in a jar. Or, for far less, you can make it yourself!

Ginger is a unique and strong flavor that is unmistakable and irreplaceable. Ginger is delicious in ale, beer, tea, stir fry… you get the picture. A few thin slices added to steamed veggies takes dinner from “meh” to “did you get this from a restaurant?”

A few slivers of ginger elevates a cup of plain green tea to something decadent and exotic. A few pieces of root or some ginger juice in soup adds layers of flavor and depth. And in good times and bad, ginger ale soothes and refreshes.

Not only does ginger taste delicious, it is also known to have hosts of health promoting effects on the body. From head to toe, ginger has seemingly magical properties to aid and ease all kinds of complaints.

From ancient times to modern homeopaths, midwives and housewives, ginger in fresh, powdered, or pill form is useful for many health purposes. Here are just a few:

The Benefits of Ginger

Anti-Nausea: Ginger is a known remedy for motion sickness, morning sickness, and any other sickness which makes you feel like you need a trash can, stat.
Cold & Flu Prevention: When you or a loved one starts to feel a little under the weather, some nice ginger tea may be just what the doctor ordered. Or at least, just the thing to keep you from needing to go to the doctor. This may also help with allergies!
Reduces Inflammation: Ginger is a known anti-inflammatory, and some studies show it may even be just as effective as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin & ibuprofen.
Strengthens Immunity: Ginger helps to stimulate your body’s immune system, to build up new cells and make you more able to resist microscopic invaders on a day to day basis. It also decreases bacterial infections in the stomach.
Prevents Cancer: Studies have shown that chemicals present in ginger help inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells. It also induces cell death in ovarian cancer cells. Who knows what else this powerful plant can do!
Stimulates Appetite: If you haven’t been feeling hungry, try a piece of ginger 10-30 minutes before a meal. Ginger can help stimulate appetite and get your digestive juices flowing.
Assists Digestion/Absorption: Ginger has many healing properties all along the digestive tract, from stimulating digestive juices in the mouth, to the stomach, to the intestines. Ginger with a meal or in tea helps you get the most out of the nutrients in the foods.

The best news of all is that it is super easy to make your own pickled ginger and have it around all the time! Ginger keeps well in the refrigerator for a week or more, and even longer in the freezer. But if you pickle the ginger, you can store it for months in the fridge.

All you need is a nice big chunk of ginger root, some vinegar (rice vinegar is best, but honestly you can use just about any kind), and sugar. A tiny dash of salt helps too.

This recipe makes about one pint jar worth, feel free to multiply it for larger batches, or halve it for just a single meal’s worth.

Ingredients:

1 large fresh ginger root (about 8 oz)
1 cup vinegar (rice wine or apple cider are best)
1/2 – 3/4 cups white sugar
1 – 2 tsp sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 cup water to fill jar

Step 1: Peel the ginger using a sharp knife, butter knife, or a table spoon. (Honest, it works!) Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the ginger as thinly as possible.

My mandoline, even on the thinnest setting, still sliced these super thick, so I won’t be eating these slices alone. Most likely they will get diced into stir fry or a strip or two tossed into a cup of tea.

Step 2: Pour the vinegar, sugar, salt, and water into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Place the slices into a glass container (such as a canning jar, or clean pasta jar) and pour the hot liquid over, using a funnel if needed. Cap it tight, and let cool overnight.

And that’s all there is to it! Put the jar in the refrigerator, and let it sit for at least 2 hours, but the longer it sits the more pickled it will become. It also may turn pink over time, due to the enzymes in the ginger, this is nothing to be concerned about. Use more or less sugar and salt to your tastes, or experiment with the types of vinegar.

Let me know in what recipes you use your ginger!

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SOURCES

Comfort food, Healthy, Main Dishes, Salads

Cranberry Cashew Chicken Salad

April 3, 2016 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Ever get really tired of a certain kind of lunch? Like say you always take a roast beef sandwich with cheddar and mustard. Or a tuna salad pita pocket. Or a certain type or brand of soup. When you eat the same thing several days in a row, you can get bored easily. But then you also want more ‘grown-up’ options sometimes than just peanut butter and jelly, or maybe you don’t have any leftovers to choose from at the moment.

This is a super simple recipe for a great tasting and healthy chicken salad sandwich mix. It is designed to make just enough for one large sandwich or wrap, but you can easily increase the quantities to feed a family of four or a luncheon buffet for fifty. It has a tiny bit of sweetness, which helps kids love it too, and a nice bit of crunch to make it interesting. No one needs to know that you snuck in an extra serving of fruits & veggies.

For maximum healthy, use plain Greek yogurt to bind it, and serve as a lettuce wrap or on whole grain bread or tortilla with extra veggie toppings. This is a great way to use up extra chicken meat from a whole bird, and is very frugal and versatile. Try this the next time you need lunchtime inspiration, a quick after-school snack, or a buzz-worthy picnic dish.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 tbsp dried cranberry
1/2 tbsp cashews or peanuts
1 tbsp mayonnaise or Miracle Whip or plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp mustard

Step 1: Use meat from a cooked chicken (such as rotisserie) to save time, or poach 1 boneless skinless chicken breast in water or broth until no longer pink. Shred with two forks, and use about 1/2 cup per serving you intend to make.

Step 2: In a bowl, mix all ingredients together well. This tastes even better if you let it sit overnight in the refrigerator, and will keep up to a week. Feel free to add in your own flavorings like lemon or lime juice, use raisins instead of cranberries, or add spinach rather than celery. If you have nut allergies, omit the cashews/peanuts, and if you still want crunch add a tbsp large breadcrumbs, fried onions, or Chinese noodles.

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How about you? Are you engaged? Did you take your time or rush right into planning? Tell me all about it below!

The Benefits of Ginger

The fusion of food, fun, frugality, and curiosity.