Garlic Shrimp in Sweet Chili Sauce

Set aside that take out menu and try this delicious Thai dish!

Ingredients:
2 lbs of peeled shrimp
3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 Medium onion (or add some green onions for a burst of color)
1 1/12 Tablespoon of minced garlic
2 1/2 Tablespoons of finely shredded ginger root
1 sweet  chili pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup of bamboo shoots
basil

Sauce:
6 Tablespoons of water
4 Tablespoons of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
4 Tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of corn starch

1. Prepare shrimp. Thinly slice onion into curved slices. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil. Stir fry onion, garlic, ginger root, and chili pepper until onion is soft.
2.  Add Shrimp and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Add bamboo shoots and continue cooking for additional minute.
3. In a bowl, mix ingredients for sauce. Add sauce to skillet and low heat. Cook until sauce bubbles and thickens. Top with basil and serve over steamed rice.

Ginger root can be found in the fresh produce sections. I use a potato peeler to remove outer layer and then to continue to shred the inner root. This is super fast and easy. From experience, be sure to use Sweet Chili Sauce and not Hot Chili Sauce!

Cherry Cheesecake

Oh how I love this dessert! It is simply too good to resist!

Ingredients for Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (box of graham cracker crumbs found on grocery baking isle)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

Ingredients for filling:
2 packages cream cheese (8 oz each)
1 1/12 cups sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter

Topping:
1, 21 oz can of cherry pie filling (I like lots of cherries so I use a can and a half)

1. Combine ingredients for crust and press into pie pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes. Cool before adding filling.
2. While crust is baking, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and sour cream. Gradually add cubed pieces of cream cheese and beat until creamy. Add melted butter and continue beating until well mixed.
3.  Pour mixture onto prepared crust and bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or until center is set.
4. After baking, allow cake to complete cool and to allow inside to firm. Once cooled, spoon cherry topping (other varieties can be substituted) and chill before serving.

I use a spring form pan to bake my cheesecakes which makes piece removal very easy.  However, a pie pan or even a casserole dish can be used just as efficiently. Enjoy the picture below!

Chicken/Eggplant/Zucchini Parmesan

This recipe is so versatile and a great way to incorporate veggies into a meal. Its simple and delicious!

Chicken and Eggplant are pretty common versions, but the Zucchini is great for those veggie skeptics! Mix and match the ingredients for variety. For the healthy conscious cooks, the chicken, eggplant, or zucchini can be baked instead of fried. When making chicken Parmesan you can keep the chicken breast whole, however for a quicker meal cut the chicken into cubes. You can either bake the ingredients with mozzarella cheese and pasta sauce before serving or just mix everything together in a bowl and serve.

Ingredients:

Chicken, Eggplant, or Zucchini (Slice Eggplant or Zucchini and cube or leave chicken whole)

1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Dried Basil

2Tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Vegetable oil

1 Jar of preferred Pasta Sauce

Pasta of choice

Mozzarella Cheese

1. In mixing bowl, combine Bread Crumbs, garlic powder, basil, and Parmesan cheese. In second bowl, beat eggs. Dip chicken, eggplant, or zucchini in egg and coat with bread crumb mixture.
2. Fill skillet with oil until bottom is covered 1/4 inch. Heat. When hot, add chicken, eggplant, or zucchini and cook until golden brown (flipping at least once).
3. (If preferred) In baking dish layer pasta sauce, main ingredient of choice, and mozzarella cheese. Bake until sauce is hot and cheese is melted.
4. Cook pasta and serve.

When coming home from a long work day, I just cube my chicken and slice a zucchini then skip the baking step by mixing everything in a bowl. Definitely try all the variations! Like my dad says, "Anything will taste good with pasta sauce and cheese on it."

Green Bean Casserole

I absolutely love this version of the classic green bean casserole. Fresh green beans provide an extra fresh and crisp flavor but canned green beans are quick and easy.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups fresh green beans (or two cans)

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

 1/3 stick of butter

3 cups chicken broth (or use a chicken bouillon cube or flavor boost packet)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (preferably the roasted garlic flavor)

1 (2.8 oz) French Fried Onion Rings (use extra for topping)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt

pepper

garlic powder

1. Boil green beans if chicken broth until tender. Drain once done.
2. In skillet, melt butter and saute the onions and mushrooms.
3. In skillet, add green beans, mushroom soup, onion rings, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.
4. Transfer to greased baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Top with cheddar cheese and onion rings to top then continue cooking 10 minutes. Cheese well be well melted when done.

This recipes serves 4 people. If cooking for two just half the ingredients or if cooking for more than 4, double. You can also add chopped celery to the onion and mushroom mixture.

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe is for sure to be a new favorite. The sauce is absolutely heavenly. However when making this meal, keep in mind that it might not look perfect but it sure will taste good!

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts
Swiss cheese slices
Ham sandwich meat
1/3 cup of flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream
tooth picks

1. Pound chicken breast to almost a 1/2 inch thick. Roll cheese slice and ham slice into tight tube. Roll chicken around cheese/ham tube and fasten with tooth picks. (Just remember how many you used when eating)
2. Mix flower, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder. Coat each chicken roll up with flower mixture.
3. Heat butter in skillet and then brown chicken on all sides on medium-high heat. Once chicken browned, add white wine and chicken bouillon. Reduce to low heat and cook covered for 30 minutes.
4. Remove chicken to serving platter. In skillet add whipping cream and cornstach. Whisk to well mix sauce and continue to cook on low heat until thickens.
5. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Don't worry if it takes 4 or 5 tooth picks to secure chicken roll up. Serve with rice and a side salad for a completed meal. This recipe is definitely worth the work for the great taste!

Banna Pudding

This post is for my dear friend and her banana pudding addicted husband!

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe bananas, sliced

Vanilla wafers (personal preference is Jackson's Old Fashioned brand and using 3/4 the bag)

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs, separated (use the yolk for the pudding and whites for meringue)

1/3 cup sugar

1. Combine 3/4 sugar, flour, and milk in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Stir mixture often so to not scorch the milk.
2. To separate eggs: try to crack shells in half, alternate yolk to each half carefully allowing egg white to fall into bowl. You don't want to over handle the yoke since it will break and mix into eggs whites. I would suggest only about 4 times on transporting between shell halves. Once eggs are separated, beat egg yolks.
3. To combine eggs with saucepan mixture, take 3 spoon fulls milk mixture and stir into beaten egg yolks. This will prevent the eggs for cooking instantly when added to hot milk mixture. Add yolks to saucepan and stir until mixture boils.
4. Boil gently for one minute then stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
5. For meringue, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar while continuing beating. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
6. In baking dish, alternate layers of wafers, banana, and pudding mixture. Spread top with meringue. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool then refrigerate until pudding sets (roughly 2 hours).

Using a non-cooked recipe or pudding pack maybe be simpler but definitely cannot compare in taste!

This will for sure be a crowd favorite!



Beef Enchiladas

This recipes makes ten very stuffed enchiladas and easily feeds four to five people. So if you are only cooking for two and not a fan of leftovers, half the ingredients and use another night's meal. Add a side of refried beans or spanish rice for a restaurant feel.

Indgredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 small jalopenos, deseeded and chopped

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 dashes of cayenne peper

2 packs of McCormick Enchilada sauce

1 15oz can of tomato sauce

3 cups water

2 cups shredded cheese

10 small flour/corn tortillas (personal preference whether flour or corn)

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef and chopped onion. While cooking add spices. Once meat has began to brown, add chopped  jalopeno.
2. In medium sauce pan, combine enchilada sauce packets, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in a few spoonfulls of sauce to meat mixture,
3. In a large casserol dish, pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce to cover the bottom,
4. Take one tortilla then evenly spread a spoonfull of meat mixture in center and add layer of cheese. Carefully gently roll tortilla and place in casserol dish. (For the novice rollers, using flour tortillas will be easier but don't get discouraged!) Repeat until all enchiladas are made.
5. Pour enchilada sauce over rolled enchiladas and then top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is well melted (about 10 minutes).

For the same cost of one enchilada meal at a resturaunt, you can make a meal to feed five people!! This will definitely be a crowd pleaser!



BBQ and Potato Salad

Nothing goes better with BBQ then Potato Salad. This recipe is super easy to to make for two or many people.

Potato Salad for two:
2 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1/4 chopped onion (red onion adds appeals)
1 boiled egg (chopped)
Salt
1/8 teaspoon White Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Celery Seed
1/4 teaspoon Parsley
Paprika
Sweet Pickle Relish (about 2 tablespoons)
Yellow Mustard (about 1 tablespoon)
Mayo (about two large spoon fulls)

1. In pot, bring water to boil. Add potatoes, uncooked egg, and dash of salt. Continue cooking until potatoes are tender.
2. Drain and transport potatoes to large bowl. Add white pepper, celery seed, and parsley while potatoes are hot. Mix.
3. Add Pickle Relish and stir. Add yellow mustard and mix. Add onion and chopped egg.
4. After all other ingredients, add mayo. Remember you can always add more.
5. Once well mixed, top with Paprika.

Potatos absorb flavor when hot and ingredients first added. If you add the Mayo first, the potato salad will be less flavorful. So biggest tip is to always add the mayo last. Make this recipe to what you like to taste. Add more/less relish or mustard to personal preference. To make for more people, increase ingredient amounts.

Meal Idea: Cut 1 Kielbasa Sausage into sliced links. Add pepper, garlic powder, and Cajun seasoning. Either grill or sear in skillet. Once links have begun to cook, baste with  BBQ sauce of choice. Finish cooking sausage until heated through. Serve.

Average Cost of Meal for Two: $6
Big Jake's BBQ cost of Meal for Two: $14

Ranch Chicken and Roasted Potatoes

This stand-by is one of our favorites. However I do have to credit my other half for this tastey version of chicken:

Ranch Chicken with Roasted Potatoes

Ranch Chicken Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts

Ranch dressing

Minced Garlic

Dried Basil

The proportions are personal preference. I normally cook two chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons dried basil, and enough ranch to generously cover the breasts. For an easy marinade, put chicken breast and mixture in a Ziploc bag the night before or before leaving for work. Chicken can be cooked on a grill for an added char flavor or in a skillet on medium heat for extra ease. Continue to add left over marinade while cooking.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes:

Red Potatoes (or white potatoes)

1 package Lipton onion soup mix (Great Value is just as good)

Ground Red pepper (cayenne)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

optional sliced onion

Ok so the recipe is on the back of the box however I like to put my own take on it. Leave the skin on potatoes however be sure to wash before slicing! Cut into desired chunks. In a baking dish, combine potatoes, soup mix, minced garlic, olive oil and just a couple of dashes of red pepper (a little goes a long way). Bake at 425 degrees for about 35 minutes or until tender and golden.  

Average cost of meal for two: $7





Homemade Biscuits/ Chicken and Dumplings

My Grandmother and Mother always made homemade biscuits. Not only are they delicious but the recipe serves for homemade dumplings as well. However, for a simpler meal check out the easy Chicken and Dumplings.

Biscuit ingredients:

2 cups flour (additional flour needed dusting)

1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons of butter (best if chilled)

vegetable oil

1. In mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
2. Using a pastry cutter or fork, "cut" butter into flour until mixture resembles meal.
3. Add buttermilk. Mixture should be moist and sticky.
4. Grease baking dish and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
5. Dust cutting board or wax paper with additional flour (lightly on hands as well). Spoon desired size onto flour dusted area. Once outside is lightly dusted, fold biscuit with finger tips five times. Place biscuit in greased baking dish. Repeat until all biscuits are made.
6. Dip finger tips in vegetable oil and lightly pat top of each biscuit.
7. Bake on 450 for 10 minutes or until top is lightly golden.

These biscuits are delicious for breakfast or served with dinner!

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings:

Small whole chicken (chicken breast can also be used for smaller portions)

1 chicken bouillon cube or chicken flavor boost

garlic powder

salt

black pepper

1/4 cup buttermilk

homemade biscuits

1. Place chicken in large pot and add water until 3/4 full. Add bouillon cube/flavor boost and seasonings. Cover and boil chicken.
2. For dumplings, complete biscuit receipt through step 3 however use only 1 cup of buttermilk (want to make dumplings slightly dryer then biscuits). On flour dusted cutting board, use rolling pin to roll until 1/4 inch thick.
3. Once dough is rolled completely, cut into thick strips about 3 inches long. (Using a pizza cutter makes for quick strips)
4. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove chicken and turn broth to low. While cooling, add buttermilk and strips of dumplings to broth.
5. Cut chicken and add to dumplings. stir and simmer until 5 minutes until thickened.
6. Add additional pepper if desired. Serve.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings:

Prepare chicken and broth the same as above. Instead of using homemade biscuits, use canned biscuits. Pinch off bit of biscuit, roll into ball, and drop in broth. Done!

Cracker Barrel's Chicken and Dumplings for two people: $16

Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings for two people: $8



Pasta Primavera

Some of the best recipes are those you can tweak so it can be two completely different meals! This is what I like to call:

Pasta  Primavera

This can be made sweet or spicy and interchanged with different meats. For the sweet version I like to use Sweet Italian Sausage and Tomato & Sweet Basil Pasta Sauce. For a spicy version I like to use shrimp and Spicy Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce. This recipe is what I use for a meal feeding two people and is one of my easiest meals to clean up (always a plus)!

Ingredients:

Meat of choice (sausage, shrimp, or even chicken)

1 small zucchini, sliced 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick then halved

1 small yellow squash, slice 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick then halved

1/2 of medium onion (purple adds more color) sliced in inch wide cubes

1/2 of green bell pepper cut similarly to onion.

(or any other vegetables of choice: eggplant, mushrooms, etc.)

pasta sauce of choice

1 and 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of oregano

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Red pepper flakes for spicy version(1/2 to 1 teaspoon)

Cooked pasta of choice (bowtie, penne, ect)

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and minced garlic. Saute vegetables and spices together. Once becomimg tender, stir in a spoonful or two of tomato sauce.
2. Begin cooking pasta.
3. Add meat of choice (unless shrimp is already cooked, add once veggies are completely tender). Continue cooking until meat is done and veggies are tender.
4. Add remaining tomato sauce and simmer till warm.
5. Either mix in drained pasta or spoon mixture over pasta on plate.

Top with parmesan cheese and complete meal with garlic bread and a small salad. Changing the meat and flavor adds two more meals to your standby recipes.

Cheap tip: save red pepper packets from pizza delivery to use instead of buying in the spice isle.

Olive Garden price for two dinner sized Shrimp Primavera: $29
Homemade Shrimp Primavera for two: $14