Strawberry Goat Cheese Balls

Strawberry Goat Cheese Balls
We’ve made fried goat cheese balls before to use in salads, and really enjoyed them.  This twist came about this weekend at a food truck festival where one of the trucks put strawberry jam and goat cheese on a beef slider.  We were intrigued, and the combination was great.  We had some homemade jam at home, and an idea was born.  These are delicious by themselves, and also go great alongside a steak.  Makes 5.

Ingredients

4 oz goat cheese
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
Bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Canola oil, for frying

Directions

Combine goat cheese and jam.  Form into 2 inch balls.  Dredge balls in egg and coat with bread crumbs.  Cook in hot oil until golden brown all over (about 5 minutes).  Let sit for 5-10 minutes, serve warm.

Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad makes a great quick and easy lunch.  This particular recipe was based on a local bakery Greer used to frequent.  Being primarily mustard based, this one feels lighter and healthier than a lot of traditional chicken salads.   Serve on a sandwich, or over a bed of lettuce.  Makes 5 servings.

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, grilled
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped walnuts
1 Apple, diced
Sauce:
2 tablespoons Dijon
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon mayo
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
½ teaspoon paprika

Directions

Grill the chicken breast, and shred.  Combine with cranberries walnuts and apples and sauce, mix well.  Serve chilled. 
Sauce:
Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Cost

Chicken $1.52
Cranberries $0.99
Walnuts $0.75
On Hand: $1.00
Total: $5.01
Per Serving: $1.00

Leftovers

This keeps well in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

Salmon Sliders

Salmon Sliders

At lunch on a business trip, conversation got around to what people like to cook.  One of the people Brandon works for mentioned salmon burgers were a big hit with his family.  We have salmon a couple times per month, but usually don’t get to creative with it.  This turned out to be a quick, inexpensive dinner and a nice change of pace.  Makes about 6 patties. 

Ingredients

1 lb salmon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon curry powder
1 egg
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground horseradish root
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ c chopped cilantro
½ c bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable oil (for cooking patties)

Directions

Remove any skin from the salmon.  Chop salmon into fine pieces.  In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients together until well incorporated.  Once mixed, form into 3 inch patties. 
Add vegetable oil to a skillet on medium high heat.  Once hot, cook patties about 3 minutes per side.
Serve on buns with lettuce and tomatoes.  Greer preferred tartar sauce, Brandon preferred Dijon mustard.

Leftovers

We were able to enjoy these one day later for lunch.

Cost
Salmon: $7.99
Everything else on hand: $1.50
Total: $9.49

Per patty: $1.58

Stuffed Tomato BLT

Stuffed Tomato BLT

We both really like BLTs, and have tried to make them in different ways.  This was a version without bread.  It was also a great way to use some of the arugula from our garden (which is growing like crazy right now).  Worked great for dinner for the two of us, and we look forward to sharing it as an appetizer with some of our friends.

Ingredients

Arugula Pesto
2 oz Arugula
1/8 c peanuts
1/6 c olive oil
1/8 parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt

4 slices bacon

2 tomatoes
½ c ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped

Directions

Pesto:
Put all ingredients into food processor and puree.

Cook bacon until crispy, and crumble.

Cut tomatoes in half, and remove insides, save juice and seeds. 
Mix ricotta, bacon, tomato juice and oregano together
Spoon pesto inside tomatoes.  Add ricotta and bacon on top of pesto.

Cost

Parmesan Cheese: $0.31
Bacon: $1.25
Tomatoes: $1.20
Ricotta Cheese: $1.00
From garden: Arugula, Oregano
On hand: peanuts, olive oil, salt: $0.50
Total: $4.26
Per Serving: $1.07

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

We wanted to cook something homemade for favors at our wedding reception.  After many discussions, we decided on cookies.  It was a long couple days baking, but with the help of our families 400 cookies were ready to go in time.  Everyone seemed to enjoy them, as all were gone by the end of the night.



Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 cups dry oatmeal
4 ounce bag of chocolate chips (Semi-Sweet)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together butter, sugar, brown sugar and egg in a large bowl. Add vanilla and blend together. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt , and add to butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and oatmeal until well blended. Onto a greased cookie sheet, drop rounded dough about 2 inches apart. Bake for 18-24 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Bierox

Bierox

This recipe has one of the humblest beginnings, and is one of Brandon’s ultimate comfort foods.  The recipe was handed down from his mother, who first enjoyed it at an elementary school cafeteria in the panhandle of Oklahoma.  It’s easy to make, but does take a little bit of time to let the dough rise.  Makes about 12 buns, 2-3 per serving for dinner.






Ingredients
Filling
1 lb ground turkey
1 white onion, diced
1 medium head of cabbage, sliced
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon allspice

Dough

2 packages yeast
2 cups warm water
4 teaspoons shortening
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
6 cups flour

Directions

Filling
Brown turkey meat with onion and drain. Add rest of ingredients, cook on stove for about 20 minutes or until cabbage is soft.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Be careful not to add too much allspice. 
Dough
Mix yeast into flour and other dry ingredients. Add warm water, mix well.  Knead the dough and let rise twice. 

Divide dough into small balls, roll out onto floured board to approx 1/8 to ¼ inch thick, cut into squares.  Place filling in the middle, and pull the corners together to make bun.  Place on a cookie sheet, folded side down.  Brush top with melted butter and bake for 20 minutes at 375F. 

Cut the top open and serve with yellow mustard.  Surprisingly enough, this does not taste any better with spicy mustard.

We usually have some extra dough to make bread from.  Cook at 375F for around 25 minutes.

Cost

Ground Turkey $3.39
White onion $1.21
Cabbage: $1.57
Yeast: $0.61
On Hand (flour, sugar, salt, pepper, allspice, shortening): $1.00
Total:  $7.78
Per bun: $0.65

Leftovers

These freeze and reheat well.  It makes a very easy lunch for work.

Avocado Salad

Avocado and Onion Salad

We really like avocado, but usually just use it in sandwiches and burgers.  This was a great way to do something a little different without too much work.  We will be making this a few more times throughout the spring and summer, as long as Greer is in charge of picking out the avocados.  This makes enough for 4 to share as a side dish.

Ingredients

1 Avocado, sliced
¼ to ½ red onion (depending on how much you like red onions), sliced
¼ cup cilantro, rough chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon cumin
Pinch of salt

Directions

Cut all the ingredients, place into a bowl and toss together.  Adjust the amount of onions to your taste.  We enjoy raw onions, but know they can be overpowering.  Toss lightly, making sure not to damage the avocado slices.  You can serve immediately, but try to chill for 15-20 minutes.

Cost

Avocado: $1.99
Red onion:  $0.56
Cilantro: $0.75
Lime: $0.33
Roma tomatoes: $0.57
On hand (garlic, olive oil, cumin, salt): $0.50
Total: $4.70
Per Serving: $1.18

Leftovers

The lime juice helps the avocados last for a night, but it won’t last much longer than that.

Watermelon Soup

Watermelon Soup

Another inspiration from Bolsa, this is a great refreshing soup for the spring and the summer.  We first saw a watermelon soup on the menu at Bolsa about a year ago, and it caught Brandon’s eye.  After that, we created our own version.  This is a quick, simple dish that can be put together on a weekday night.  Serves about 4.

Ingredients
¼ large watermelon
1/3 c Honey
1 lime, juiced
¼ lb pancetta, diced
4-5 mint leaves, thinly sliced
Pinch of salt

Directions

Juice the watermelon, making sure seeds are removed from juice.  Mix together with honey and lime juice.  Cook pancetta til crispy, drain fat and let cool to room temp.  Place cooked pancetta in the bottom of serving bowls, pour soup over and garnish with mint leaves.

Cost

Watermelon: $3
Lime: $0.20
Pancetta: $3.99
On hand (mint, honey): $0.50
Total: $7.69
Per Serving: $1.92

Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict
We have certainly had adventures making this – from scrambling the eggs to loosing an oven while making biscuits.  Nevertheless, it is delicious and we continue to make it.  The hollandaise sauce did need some practice, but it was worth learning.  This makes two pretty good sized servings.





Ingredients:
Hollandaise Sauce:
3 egg yolks
½ lemon, juiced
½ cup butter
1 pinch each: salt, pepper, nutmeg

4 slices ham

4 eggs
2 English muffins

Directions:

To make hollandaise:

Heat water in a saucepan, and place a mixing bowl on top of saucepan to heat.  Melt butter in saucepan. Once melted, add egg yolks and mix together.  Add lemon juice and spices and whisk together.  Make sure the sauce does not get too hot or the eggs will scramble.  Sauce can be set aside.  Mix in a ¼ teaspoon of warm water (if needed) to bring the sauce back to a creamy texture prior to serving.

Cook ham and toast muffins.  Poach eggs.  To poach the eggs, make sure the water is hot but not boiling so the yolk and whites will stay together.  Place the ham and poached egg on top of the toasted muffin and pour sauce on top. 

Cost:

7 eggs: $1.16
Lemon: $0.33
Butter: $0.50
Ham: $1.14
Muffins: $1.50
Total: $4.63
Per serving: $2.32

Changes:

Restaurants have a large number of varieties, our favorite additions are asparagus and crab.

Thai Mussels

Thai Mussels

We really like mussels and Thai flavors, so this seemed like a great combination.  Mussels are relatively inexpensive, and really quick to cook.  This makes a great dish during the week.  The broth can be served by itself, and makes a really good soup.  With no sides, the two of us can finish this (although we are both very, very full).  This should be enough to serve 3-4 people.

Ingredients

2 lbs mussels
2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, lower 1/3 portion, crushed and finely chopped
5 fresh kaffir lime leaves
5 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
¼ cup cilantro, rough chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced

Directions

Coconut soup:
Combine half the coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add remaining ingredients, simmer for 4-5 minutes, reduce heat.
Mussels:
Steam mussels for 3-4 minutes, or until all shells have opened.
Combine cooked mussels (still in shells) and coconut soup in a large bowl and serve.

Cost:
2 lbs mussels: $6.99
2 cups coconut milk: $2.29
2 stalks lemongrass: $1.50
5 fresh kaffir lime leaves: $1.98
2 lime: $0.40
¼ cup cilantro, rough chopped: $0.35
2 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced: $0.10
On hand (ginger, fish sauce, sugar, chili garlic sauce): $1.50
Total: $15.11

Per Serving: $5.04

Changes:

We’ve had trouble finding the kaffir lime leaves at times, and have left them out with still good results.  The pepper type or quantity can be changed depending on how much heat you prefer.