It's been years since I've had chili in a bread bowl. Maybe even a decade worth of years. I'd forgotten how amazingly delicious the bottom of the bread bowl tastes, after it's had time to soak up all the chili juices. A perfect warm your tummy meal! First up. The Chili Bread Bowls Made with, yes, chili powder in the dough! The dough has a lovely orange … [Read more...]
Cheesy Croissants
The other day I found an awesome recipe that was so simple yet so good, I knew I had to share it with you! A hot croissant wrapped around Brie. Ingenious!! But wait, my reoccurring dinner problem....2 out of 5 are such picky eaters. I just didn't think they would eat Brie. But, I so wanted to try it out. So, for you, the dear readers of $5 dinners, I threw myself on the … [Read more...]
Mango Avocado Salsa with Sweet Lime Vinaigrette
When I was in Texas over the holidays, I went rummaging through my mom's refrigerator trying to come up with a fun appetizer for a family dinner we were having. I found a mango that I was going to use in a fruit salad, but when I cut into it and discovered it was tangy and not-so-sweet, I decided we needed to add more bold flavors, to help hide the tangy mango! I ended up … [Read more...]
What to Make When…Pork Roasts
When it comes to pork roasts, there are a number of ways to go about doing them! I prefer the slow cooker, as the pork gets so tender and juicy. And delicious. I typically purchase the pork shoulder for anywhere between $1.49/lb and $1.99/lb, and I also like to buy the larger boneless pork tenderloins when they go on sale for $1.99/lb or less. When buying the larger … [Read more...]
Spicy Guaca-Dillas
This post brought to you by TABASCO® Original Red. All opinions are 100% mine. Years ago I remember being in New Orleans and visiting a store that had rows, and rows. And rows. Of TABASCO® Original Red hot sauce on the shelves. The reason: it was the headquarters store for the sauce. The McIlhenny family introduced the Mexican chile to the plantations of … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Make Meatballs
Up next in the "5 Ways" series...meatballs! These are another versatile food that do really well with "mixing and matching!" Here are a few options for your meatballs... 1. Herbed Meatballs 2. Spinach Meatballs 3. Asian or Sweet and Sour Meatballs 4. BBQ Meatballs in the Slow Cooker 5. Meatball Subs OK...here's a question for you! How many eggs do you … [Read more...]
Easy Fried Rice
This is a guest post recipe from Connie. My family of 10 loves this recipe. There are so many ways to prepare it by adding different vegetables and meats, that we often vary it by what we have in the fridge. The "must haves" for this recipe are simple - just rice, eggs, and soy sauce. Then you can add any other veggies or leftover meats that you have available to round out … [Read more...]
Pasta – To Rinse or Not to Rinse?!
To rinse, or not to rinse? That is the question. A very Hamlet-esque question for us this fine Tuesday morning! When to Rinse Pasta If you are serving it as a cold salad and you need to get it cold. Fast. If you are cooking a gluten free pasta that is rice based or corn based. This needs to be rinsed with as cold of water as you can get from your … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Creole Chicken
A simple variation of chicken and rice. It's simple to make. It calls for simple ingredients. And is simply delicious! This is the last of the recipes that was on my "pantry challenge" list from December and January. And how fitting that I'm making it on the last day of January! I had the chicken thighs in the freezer and knew I wanted to use them in the slow cooker … [Read more...]
Mushroom Quinoa Pilaf
When I was in Atlanta I bought 8 lbs of organic quinoa for $20. That's about half the price of what I've paid for it before at Whole Foods. I try to get some whenever I'm down in that area (closest store is in Cincy) and whenever I can squeeze it into the budget. In the past, we have enjoyed the following quinoa meals... Red Quinoa with Avocado, Black Beans and … [Read more...]