Category Archives: Main Dishes

Crock pot, Dips and Sauces, Main Dishes, Slow cooker

Slow Cooker Chicken with Peanut Sauce

November 8, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Peanut butter is a great source of health protein, as long as you don’t go overboard the fat content isn’t a deal-breaker. It is also a very cheap staple to keep in the kitchen. But even the most devoted lover of peanut butter sandwiches can get bored of them in time. A simple peanut sauce goes great with chicken (or pork!) and when made in the slow cooker, it is a breeze to whip up something exotic in no time at all with basic staples.

This sauce is a complex mixture of creamy, salty, spicy, and peanuts. Obviously do not make it or eat it around people who have a severe peanut allergy, as it contains both peanuts and peanut butter. You can control the level of spice by choosing what kinds of pepper to add, if any. Feel free to tweak the seasonings to your preferences.

Ingredients:

2-3 pounds chicken
3 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp peanuts, crushed
4 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 lime, juiced, or 1 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp plain yogurt
2 tbsp sour cream
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 inch fresh ginger, diced
1 tbsp curry powder
Optional: 1 tsp Thai chilie

Step 1: Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl.

Step 2: Add chicken and all of the spices. You could either mix this in an oven-safe container and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours, or mix in a crock pot and bake on low for 5-6 hours.

And here you have the chicken and sauce in a crock pot.

The crushed peanuts are added on top, then cooked on low.

The peanut sauce thickens over time, and is delicious served over pasta or rice.

Dips and Sauces, Healthy, Main Dishes

Pork with Peppermint Raspberry Sauce

November 5, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

This is a super-easy dinner you can create in less than 30 minutes, and it looks like you slaved all day. Raspberry and peppermint naturally go together, with a sweet yet menthol cooling after taste. Thin boneless pork chops are great to keep in the freezer for a quick last-minute dinner, because they defrost very quickly, and take to hundreds of different flavors and sauces well.

For this recipe, use either 4 small pork chops, or one larger 1-1.5 pound pork roast. The sauce can be made while the chops cook, so that they are ready at the same time. I made some potatoes and wilted spinach, but you could have a salad or any roasted veggie you like on the side to complete the meal.

Ingredients:

4 pork chops or 1 pound roast
1 tbsp butter or margerine
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp cran-cherry juice
2-3 drops peppermint
1/2 pint raspberries

Step 1: In a frying pan, melt the butter and fry the pork chops. Cook 5-6 minutes, then flip and cook another 4-5 minutes.

Step 2: In a small sauce pan, mix the juice and vinegar. Add the raspberries, and bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: After the raspberries have basically fallen apart, add the drops of peppermint, and strain it if you don’t want the seeds. Drizzle over the cooked pork.

Casseroles, Comfort food, Crock pot, Finances, Healthy, Main Dishes, Slow cooker

Ten Crock Pot Freezer Meals in 1 Hour

November 1, 2015 BudgetEpicurean 2 Comments

This post is about my newest addition to my Kindle offerings: “10 Crock Pot Freezer Meals”! You can see for yourself at my Budget Epicurean Kindle Author page. The eBook contains a complete grocery list, with the items categorized in order to easily breeze in and out of the store in minutes, as well as ten of my best & most loved slow cooker recipes, including Cranberry Spiced Chicken, Orange-Glazed Pork Chops, and White Bean Chicken Chili. I even added some handy, easy printables to label your bags, so you know what you have days or weeks later!

To watch the short video on how easy it is to shop for and assemble everything, check it out here! Of course ALDI was the store I went to (I just love them for their focus on providing the best prices over flashy ads or in store perks). I had my list in hand, and the total for everything that was going into these ten meals (minus just a few pantry staples) was $87. Given that each meal is made to serve 4, that is only $2.18 per meal!!

Of course, you can substitute as needed, such as if you have a hatred of a specific type of bean, swap it for a different kind, or if you do not eat pork, use chicken or beef instead. Definitely the highlight of the trip was finding this little bonus deal: $0.35 for canned, organic, reduced sodium black beans!!! Oh yeah, I bought 2 cases. That doesn’t count towards the meal totals…

The entire shopping trip took me probably about a half hour. And that is with writing down prices of things, and forcing my significant other, who was such a trooper, to take pictures and help me double check that I hadn’t forgotten anything. 🙂

http://www.amazon.com/Budget-Epicurean/e/B00KM8JR4U

Garlicky Sweet Lemon Chicken
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Orange-Ginger Glazed Pork Chops
Creamy Italian Chicken
Cranberry Spiced Chicken
BBQ Pulled Pork
Chicken Cacciatore
Classic Salsa Chicken
White Bean Chicken Chili
5 Bean Vegetarian Chili

As a reminder, you can purchase the nice printable ebook HERE.

First things first, I got everything organized. This means putting all the ingredients for each recipe into a pile. Some ingredients were used in multiple recipes, so I put those piles next to each other. Then I cut out the labels, and taped them onto a bag.

Next, take a cutting board, and for each recipe that requires dicing, chop up the peppers, or onions, or whatever, and place the raw veggies in the corresponding bag. It is best to get all that out of the way first. I actually ended up wearing goggles, because the onions were so strong and stung my eyes so that I couldn’t see for all the watering they were doing!

Next, take a can opener, and open up all your cans. Drain things like beans if you like, I didn’t even bother, just dumped the whole thing in there. Pour the canned goods into the bags. Any seasonings like chili powder or honey, pour those in next. Finally, open the meats (if using) and add those to the bags last. Be sure to keep meats separate otherwise so as to not cross-contaminate, and wash your hands after touching them.

Orange-Ginger Glazed Pork Chops

BBQ Pulled Pork

Crock Pot 5 Bean Vegetarian Chili

Salsa Chicken

Creamy Italian Chicken

Tortilla Soup

Spiced Cranberry Chicken

White Bean Chicken Chili

Garlicky Sweet Lemon Chicken

Chicken Cacciatore

Once you have your bags filled, you can take them to your freezer. Ideally, freeze them laying flat so that you save freezer space. You can also put any of these recipes straight into the crock pot, as I did with the garlicky sweet lemon chicken.

The day before you plan to eat one of these meals, just take the bag from the freezer and put it into your refrigerator. Preferably put the bag onto a plate or in a bowl, just in case it leaks or drips water as it thaws. The next morning, pour the whole contents of the bag into your slow cooker and cook as instructed. You can use each recipe’s suggestions, or serve with whatever you have handy. And there you have it! Ten meals that serve 4, from cans to freezer to cooked!

Freezer meals assembled and ready to go!

You can purchase this list of ten slow cooker, freezer-approved recipes, plus a complete one-page shopping list, serving suggestions, and printable freezer bag labels on Amazon!

Just search “Budget Epicurean”. Or visit this link: http://goo.gl/VtfKOq

I’m hoping to expand these meal plan offerings soon to include a vegetarian option, diabetic meal plans, gluten-free meal plans, and more! Please let me know if you have any feedback, questions, or something else you want to see in the future in the comments below or by email at budgetepicurean (at) gmail (dot) com!

You can view the video of how easy the shopping & assembly is here:

Many many food bloggers and regular people alike love this method of cooking! It is hard to overstate how much time, energy, and cash you can save by cooking this way. If you’re already experienced with meal planning based on grocery store sales, or want to try coming up with your own recipes, here’s a great article from one of my favorite frugal sites, the Simple Dollar, fully explaining the process!

Breakfast, Casseroles, Healthy, Main Dishes, Side dishes

Spaghetti Squash & Kale Stir Fry

October 18, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

For those who are unsure of trying new “health craze foods” like kale or spaghetti squash, let me assure you, they are SUPER easy to cook and incorporate into your repertoire. By now the interwebs are bursting at the seams with kale related recipes, so that’s a good place to start. You can pretty much use it anywhere you would use lettuce or spinach, sometimes coating in oil or steaming first since it is much more hardy in texture.

As for spaghetti squash, this baby is coming into its own in the fall. I have written before about my “spaghetti” and turkey meatballs, where you use the strands of squash just like noodles for the same texture but way more filling fiber and nutritious vitamins than wheat pasta. You can try starting this trick by using half-and-half squash and pasta, then working up from there according to taste.

Cooking a squash is as easy as 1-2-3 with a microwave. Simply cut the squash in half, and lay cut-side down on a plate in the microwave. Add about a 1/2 inch of water, and microwave 5 minutes. Flip the squash over, and microwave again. If it is soft when poked with a fork, you’re good to go, otherwise continue flipping and microwaving a few minutes at a time. When it is done, you can take a fork and drag it down the sides, pulling out the flesh in spaghetti-like strings.

Hence the name.

You can of course also bake it cut-side down in a shallow oven-safe pan with a little water, 45-60 minutes or until softened. These preparation methods work well for pretty much all types of winter squash as well, from spaghetti to acorn to butternut.

For this recipe, spaghetti squash, kale, and other yummy veggies come together in a warming, filling fall favorite. You can make this in a frying pan or in the oven, and once made can be stirred into omelets, served alone or with sauce, or like I did wrapped into a burrito!

Ingredients:

1/2 small spaghetti squash
Handful kale (about 1 cup)
2 slices bacon — optional
1 tbsp olive oil — if not using bacon
1/4 white onion, sliced
1/4 pint mushrooms
Nuitritional yeast
Sprinkle of sea salt

Step 1: In a frying pan, add the onions and bacon if using. (Otherwise, cook onions in olive oil). Cook 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and kale, and flip the bacon. Cook, stirring, about 5-7 minutes. Then add in the spaghetti squash. Cook until everything is heated through.

Step 2: Now you can enjoy as is, add some sauce, scramble some eggs into it for a lovely omelet, or wrap it up into a burrito!

Comfort food, Healthy, Main Dishes, Pasta, Sneaky Healthy

Sausage & Veggie Parmesan Alfredo

October 11, 2015 BudgetEpicurean 3 Comments

In the warm-to-chill days of autumn, we begin to crave more hearty, filling, stick-to-your-ribs kind of foods. Soups, stews, chilies, and pasta all sound wonderful as seasonal hibernation signals kick in. However, you probably don’t want to already start putting on your “winter coat” do you? I know it is pretty socially acceptable to gain a few pounds over winter, who doesn’t? With these filling foods, not much time outdoors, and lots of holiday treats, it is easy to succumb.

But not this time!

A lightened up parmesan pasta alfredo to the rescue! This recipe is intensely flavorful, with lots of meat to satisfy the carnos in the family,yet packed with good-for-you veggies for vitamins and fiber. With a homemade alfredo sauce, you get to control how much and what kinds of fats are included, and can amp up the vegetable content, to make a much healthier alternative to a frozen-bagged or restaurant meal.

This recipe takes about 20 minutes, and serves 2-4. If you don’t have the specific vegetables mentioned, feel free to substitute any kind you like, as long as you try to keep at least 2 cups’ worth.

Ingredients:

1 pound sausage links (or loose)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 large potato, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped
1 pound pasta (save 1 cup of cooking water)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup milk or cream
2-4 tbsp. butter

Step 1: In a frying pan, cook your ground sausage or links until browned, and pour off any excess fat. Add the potates first and cook with a lid for 10-15 minutes.

Step 2: Add the rest of the vegetables, in order of firmness/needed cooking time, and continue until all veggies are added and beginning to soften. Meanwhile, boil and drain the pasta.

Step 3: Add the pasta, water, parmesan, milk, and butter, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce coats the noodles and thickens.

Serve and enjoy!

Breakfast, Comfort food, Informative, Main Dishes

Restaurant Review: O’Rourke’s Diner

October 6, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

This is a review of a local diner in Connectict. The Budget Epicurean has not been compensated in any way for this review, and all opinions are my own. For reviews, preference will be given to unique, local, family-owned establishments. Food locations will be evaluated based on:

Taste: 1 (wet toast) – 10 (your taste buds have died and gone to heaven)
Atmosphere: 1 (gas station bathroom) – 10 (Buckingham Palace)
Value: 1 (not worth it) – 10 (super duper deal)

In the heart of Middletown, Connecticut, just off Route 9, sits a classic metal diner. The type of train-car shaped metal diner that brings to mind the “good old days”, Route 66, and other memories of a bygone era. This is O’Rourke’s Diner.

Established in 1941 by John O’Rourke, and owned to this day by his son, Brian, this diner has seen good times and bad, as well as a few reincarnations. A brief history, from their website:

O’Rourke’s Diner – A Brief Timeline
1941 – Uncle John J. O’Rourke, a veteran of Jack’s Lunch, purchases the old wooden Dunn’s Diner.
1946 – Uncle John replaces the diner with a brand new sparkling Mountain View diner to accommodate the growing crowds.
1966 – As a high school honors student, Brian works at the diner up to 40 hours per week, in addition to delivering newspapers.
1977 – Uncle John retires. Brian O’Rourke and his cousin, John Sweeney O’Rourke buy the diner. Brian’s culinary talents emerge in the form of wonderful soups like Irish stew and roasted plum tomato.
1985 – Brian buys out his cousin to “take the diner to the next level.” He uses his experiences throughout the ’80s in the kitchens of New Orleans, Barttra (Ireland), and the Caribbean to reinvent the omelet. This is the beginning of O’Rourke’s Diner as we know it – a cross-section of humanity with amazing culinary artistry!
August 31, 2006 – O’Rourke’s Diner is decimated by fire.
Sept. 2006–Feb. 2007 – The community unites to “raise the phoenix from the flames!”

The interior of the new/old diner is cozy yet not claustrophobic. There is a lovely bookshelf just inside the entry way containing an eclectic mix of mismatched awards, family photos, knickknacks, books, and other paraphernalia. A wrap-around bar seating circles the kitchen area, welcoming locals to sit down, have a cup of coffee, and chat with the waiter, waitresses, and hard-working chefs.

When we ask the staff for favorites and suggestions, of course they say it’s all good. Every food place usually does. But of course, since they have been seen on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, plan on ordering at least one of those items recommended by the great Guy Fieri.

When we are told about Chef Brian and how he took the place over and totally revamped the menu, and that not only does he have a “Chef Brian’s Special of the Day” but that he is in the building this morning, we know at least one of us is definitely ordering that. So that left two more people to order.

After a little discussion, and an evaluation of what people were in the mood for, final decisions were made and the orders placed.

First up, we had to try their fruit juice of the day. It was a mango-pineapple juice, with frozen cubes of mango and cantaloupe to keep it chilled instead of ice to water it down. All of their breakfast smoothies and juices are made fresh each morning with usually local, seasonal fruit. They come in cute hand-held-sized cups with decorative straws. I really appreciate the small details.

Next up, we had to try the “Leprechaun Bites”. According to their menu: “Every morning the little leprechauns in the kitchen start the day off by baking a variety of goodies. Leprechaun bites are an ever-changing assortment of daily sweet breads, cakes, treats, and toppings.” Today, the leprechauns were in the mood for poppyseed & lemon bread, and blueberry muffins it seems.

The breads were both tasty, not overwhelmingly sweet. The blueberry ones weren’t quite blueberry enough for me, and a little dry. But I really enjoyed the lemon poppyseed, I feel like I could eat a whole loaf of that easily.

The next plate to hit the table I didn’t even get a picture of because it was gone too quickly! Chef Brian’s special comes with an ‘appetizer’, which was a small wedge of pistachio pancake with homemade whip topping. The pancake was Kelley green, and lightly nutty with just a hint of sweet. It was a delicious teaser for what followed.

Chef Brian’s breakfast was a work of art. Two eggs benedict sat atop a bed of greens, tomatoes, and olives with two crostini on the side. It was like nothing any of us had ever tasted before.

My choice was the Mexican breakfast platter – 2 eggs topped with black beans, guacamole, tomatoes & onions & home fries. I’m a big fan of black beans and guac, and was just in the mood for something different. This was just the ticket. With a healthy heaping of proteins (hello eggs and black beans on one plate!) and good fats from the avocado, this breakfast was very satisfying and I didn’t feel at all guilty about finishing the whole thing.

Though I did ask for my eggs scrambled, and they came out over-hard.

My dining neighbor ordered the buckwheat pancakes with sweet potato homefries. A fellow healthy eater, she was very pleased with the health factor of this meal. Definitely not for a meat-and-potatoes kinda person, who would be confused by the heavier consistency. But I thought they were quite tasty, and the sweet potato homefries are a great idea.

But the breakfast that really took the cake was of course the DDD special: Banana Bread French Toast. Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives recommended this plate, and now we know why! Two thick, hot slices of house made banana bread, coated in egg and fried, then doused in sweet syrupy cooked bananas. It was absolutely delicious!

Lesson learned, when a very famous person know for eating good food recommends a certain dish, that’s probably what you should order!

The restroom was cramped but clean, and our waitress (plus two others wandering about) was very friendly, helpful, and always kept the coffee refilled. We felt very welcomed and comfortable. The only complaint I have is that it was FREEZING. They had the air conditioner was set to Arctic blast evidently. Luckily it was a gorgeous sunny day and we could escape to the sunshine, as soon as we gorged ourselves on bananas and pancakes. =)

Overall, I’d give O’Rourke’s diner:

Taste: 6
Atmosphere: 8
Value: 7

Appetizers, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Eggplant Parmesan

October 4, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Ah, gardening debates. Every gardener most likely has very strong optionions on which heirloom tomato variety is tastiest, easiest to grow, produces the most. Which plants grow best together, which can help attract pollinators or repel pests. Who has the hottest pepper, the most productive beans, the biggest gourds. A question I chose to tackle this summer:

Which is better, purple or white eggplant?

Having never heard of white eggplant before now, this is a question entirely new to me. But as it turns out, eggplants used to come in only white, which is how they got their name. The small, white fruits growing on the vines looked like eggs hanging down. It is only recently that the purple cultivars became much more popular and well-known, such that when you think of eggplant you likely only think of the purple kind.

To decide the answer to this question, I decided to make some eggplant parmesan. This is a dish which many of my relatives have long loved, but I turned up my nose at the very thought. As I’ve grown older and my taste buds expanded, I decided to give this classic another try.

Everything tastes better to me when I’ve made it myself. And if it isn’t half bad, then I’ll give restaurant versions a second shot as well.

Ingredients:

1 purple eggplant
1 white eggplant
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs or crushed crackers
Olive or vegetable oil for frying

Step 1: Rinse the eggplants and cut off the spiny stem and bottom parts. If you like, peel the white eggplant. I did not. Cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. (I also saved the seeds. Cause that’s how I roll.)

Step 2: Dip the slices into flour and coat on all sides. Then dip into the egg, and again coat all sides. Finally roll it in the breadcrumbs or crackers. Place enough oil in a frying pan to coat the bottom and heat to about medium.

Step 3: Place the slices in the oil, and fry about 5-7 minutes on both sides. You want a nice crispy coat and a fully cooked interior without burning the outsides. Put on a plate to cool.

To go with the eggplant, I made some pasta and used my homemade pasta sauce I canned. I added a tbsp of turmeric to the sauce for additional antioxidant effects and nutrition. Hence the vibrant yellow color.

This was super tasty, and both the fiancée and our guest said it was the best eggplant parm they’ve had.

As for which is best? Turns out they were both delicious!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:45]

Do you have an opinion on white versus purple eggplant? Is there an eggplant recipe you’d love to share? Tell us more in the comments!

Dips and Sauces, Finances, Healthy, Informative, Main Dishes, Pasta, Vegan, Vegetarian

How to Can Homemade Pasta Sauce

September 29, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Since moving to Connecticut, we have slowly made friends with the neighbors. We are lucky enough to live in a pretty safe and quiet area, where the people are very kind and welcoming. My good fortune is knowing a guy named Tony, a few houses down the street, who gardens for his health.

Now, there are lots of well-known reasons why gardening is good for the body and soul. Being out in nature brings a sense of peace and calm, helps relieve stress and lower blood pressure, and may boost your immune system. Having home-grown fruits and vegetables enables healthier food choices and better nutrition, while keeping you active and exercising. All those hours of digging, planting, weeding, tending, picking, and preserving burns serious calories and keeps you toned and limber.

Not to mention the fact that gardening can save you serious cash! Just buy the seeds and materials once (better yet, swap seeds with other local gardeners for better-adapted produce, and save your own seeds for next year!) and you can garden for free almost forever. It is easy to find local, free sources of soil amendments like fertilizer and mulches if you ask around and get creative.

Tony takes this to a new level! His garden is literally the size of a football field, all out in his large 2-acre New England backyard. He and his wife single-handedly till, plant, weed, and tend this garden every year. His wife tells me that he has even shrunk the garden a little this year, due to time constraints and health issues, so the garden used to be even larger before I knew about it. Amazing.

Tony says his favorite thing about the garden is the sense of community. Everyone on the block knows Tony, and knows they can come by anytime to pick a bag full of produce to take home. His garden produces far more than he and his family alone could enjoy, so he gives freely to everyone around him.

This is the beauty of gardening. You make friends, share food, recipes, and stories, and build a true community.

Needless to say, I was hooked.

By mid-August, I had my kitchen table and counter literally covered in tomatoes, and needed to finally take the time to do something with them all. A large batch I simply cut into quarters and put in gallon freezer bags. They will sit in the freezer until I need to make a soup or chili; then I will thaw them, and the skins will fall right off, and I can use them in whatever recipe is on my mind.

Another large portion goes into cans as sauce to rest in the pantry until it’s pasta night. Tony shared his “lazy Italian” way of making sauce, which saved me tons of work and hours in the kitchen!

The typical way of making sauce is to boil the tomatoes briefly, then submerge in ice water. This makes the skins easy to remove. You then separate the seeds and skin from the inner flesh, and cook down for hours until it thickens into a sauce.

This cooking down process makes the house smell amazing, and warms it up on a chilly day. But this also takes a lot of time, and energy from the stove. I’m a fan of the new “lazy” way, and the sauce tastes just as good! So pull out your blender, and lets get started!

This recipe will make about 5 quarts of sauce.

Don’t add the spices if you want a plain tomato sauce, or change up the spices to whatever you want in the end product. This does use the water-bath canning method, read up on all possible dangers of canning or use a pressure canner if you are unsure.

Ingredients:

8-10 pounds assorted tomatoes
5-6 canning jars, lids, & rings
Per jar:
- 1 tbsp dried onion
- 1/2 tbsp dried garlic
- 2 tbsp basil
- 2 tbsp parsley
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp vinegar
Blender
Strainer
Cheesecloth or coffee filters

Step 1: Sterilize your jars by boiling for 5 minute,s or run them through the dishwasher. To each jar add the spices for the sauce. I also chose to add one whole tomato just diced to each jar, because I like a little texture in my sauce. You can skip that step and just add the pureed tomatoes.

Step 2: Wash all your tomatoes, and cut out the middle hard part & stem. Remove any brown or black spots or mushy areas. If you want to and have time, you can remove the seeds (and save them for next year!). Cut the tomatoes into quarters.

Step 3: Put the tomatoes into a blender, and blend in batches. My blender can handle about a dozen large tomatoes at a time. You may need to squish some juice out of them to get the blender going at first.

Step 4: Line a strainer over a large pot with coffee filters or cheesecloth. Pour the tomato puree into the strainer and let it sit. You can wait a few hours, or leave it over night if you have a lid. This lets most of the watery juice drip out, leaving the thicker sauce on top. Saves you the hours of boiling down, and now you can keep the tomato water too!

Step 5: Pour your separated sauce and tomato juice into prepared jars. Wipe the rims and put on the lid and ring. Process in the water bath for 35 minutes (adjust for altitude). Remove the jars to a cloth and let them cool 8-10 hours.

The jars are ready if you hear the “pop” of the lids seal, or if when you press down in the middle the lid does not spring back. Any jars that do not seal, put in the refrigerator and use within a week, or process them again.

The tomato broth that filters out is like liquid gold, and will be great as a base for soups and stews, or you can freeze it in ice cube trays to cook veggies in instead of using oil. The sauce will bring back the taste of summer later on in the dead of winter.

And this is how I processed and preserved about 50 pounds of tomatoes in two days time!

And it is so easy. As long as you use vinegar or lemon to acidify the tomatoes and broth, they are perfectly safe to water bath can at home. Enjoy preserving your bounty. Do you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with?

More things you can do with tomatoes:

Do you can or preserve? Have any other ways to save tomatoes? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Dips and Sauces, Main Dishes

Flank Steak With Chimmichurri Sauce

September 27, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Some may be asking, what is chimichurri? And how do you say that?

Pronounced just how it is spelled, this silly sounding word packs some serious flavor for grilled meats. Originated in Argentina, it is a green or red sauce based typically on ground parsley, olive oil, and vinegar. Other spices, flavorings, and tomato sauces can be added. It is a bit like hummus or pesto, every home cook and chef has their own secret recipe to make it perfect.

This sauce is very forgiving, and a great way to use some of summer’s last herb bounty before Jack Frost takes the rest. Feel free to experiment with a dash of whatever green goodness you have on hand. It is a fantastic accompaniment to any grilled meats, from racks of ribs or lamb to chicken kebabs, skirt steak, or this recipe here for flank steak. Pretty much any meat you have, just grill it up, douse it in the chimichurri sauce, and watch whoever eats it eyes light up!

This recipe can be made Paleo friendly through the use of ghee or clarified butter, or coconut oil rather than regular butter. It all depends on how strictly you follow certain diets. Choose your cut of meat according to the tastes and appetites of those who will be eating the meal.

Chimichurri Ingredients:

1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 small green bell pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic

Step 1: Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor, whirl until well combined. Add a little vinegar or oil if needed to get it to the thickness desired.

Flank Steak Ingredients:

1 large flank steak (1-2 lbs)
1/2 cup seasoning/rub of choice
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp chimichurri per person

Step 1: Take a healthy handful of your rub, and slather it all over all sides of the beef. Don’t be afraid, get on in there! Rub it good, give it a nice massage. It deserves to be pampered in the last few minutes it has before being inhaled by you. I used a prepared Chicago Steak rub from McCormic, but you can try any one of millions of unique rub or marinade ideas, or invent your own!

Step 2: In a hot frying pan, melt your butter, then add the steak. Let it cook and sizzle, about 7-9 minutes. You want the rub to caramelize a bit and form a nice crisp crust. Flip it over, and cook the other side. You want it to give a little when pressed, but not too springy. You could always use the fist technique to tell. Remove it to a plate and let it rest 5-10 minutes to redistribute the juices.

Step 3: Cut it against the grain in thin slices for best results. This means if you can see the muscle fibers running lengthwise, cut it perpendicular, top to bottom, for the most tender bites.

You can now use this meat for tacos, enchiladas, over rice or polenta, or just by itself with some simple sides. I made some garlic chili broccoli rabe and baked potatoes for a simple, amazing, delicious complete meal!

Even the vegetable-allergic fiancée said that the chimichurri was soooo tasty, and really brought out the meaty, beefy grilled flavors. The vegetal flavors and aromas of the herbs combined with the acid from the vinegar & lemon is just what this humble smoky cut needs to be elevated to restaurant-quality at home. Enjoy!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:44]

Comfort food, Crock pot, Healthy, Main Dishes, Slow cooker

Slow Cooker Sausage & Kale Stew

September 24, 2015 BudgetEpicurean Leave a comment

Last week, a terrible thing occurred.

No it has nothing to do with upcoming elections. It wasn’t weather related. Everyone I know and love is just fine. (as far as I know.)

My Crock Pot broke.

It was in the sink with dirty dishes, and one thing lead to another, somehow in the mountain of dishes the crock got split right down the middle. The lovely workhorse of my kitchen, and it’s hardy ceramic bowl was now split in twain, to be used no more. I was heartbroken to say the least.

Any reader of the blog knows how in love with my slow cooker I am. This thing is amazing, making my life so much easier by preparing dozens, even hundreds, of slow cooked meals for me while I work or play or do whatever somewhere else. Then we come home to a house that smells amazing and a hot and healthy meal.

Though I will of course replace my crock as soon as humanly possible, I dedicate this post to the crock pot, as its last documented meal prior to fatal injury. May your crock last many years more.

Ingredients:

1 head kale, torn into small pieces
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 pound sausage, cut in slices or ground
1 can white beans
1 cup water or broth
Optional: parmesan cheese and rustic whole grain bread

Step 1: Rinse and tear the kale into pieces and place in the slow cooker. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add those. Open the white beans and either dump it all in or rinse them first then add to the crock pot. Add in the water or broth to your desired thickness.

Step 2: Brown the sausage quickly in a frying pan, and add to the crock pot. At this point you can add any spices you want such as garlic, onion, paprika, rosemary, etc. Set on high for 4-5 hours or on low 6-8 hours and let it cook.

Honestly, this really only needs heated through to be eaten, but the longer you let it stew the more the flavors meld and the broth thickens to become more stew-like and less soupy. Up to you how long you want/need to wait.

This is amazing on its own, or you can serve it with some nice thick bread on the side. This makes plenty for about 4 servings, and you can of course double or halve it to your needs.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:43]

More things you can do with tomatoes:

Do you can or preserve? Have any other ways to save tomatoes? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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