Eggless Pancakes

On Sunday morning I told Jack I would make some pancakes for breakfast. And he got very excited. So I went in my kitchen, and to my dismay, realized we had no eggs. So I did what any 21st century mom would do and Googled "no egg pancakes" (what did people do before the internet?). I found a recipe for Fluffy Eggless Pancakes and decided to give it a whirl. 

I did not have vegetable oil so I substituted canola oil for that, and I decided to throw in some blueberries since I had a lot. These turned out very good. This is definitely a recipe I will use again. I think I still like pancakes with eggs a little better, but this is a great options for those mornings you are out of eggs or for people with allergies, etc.

Somebody else liked them too...

Salsa Verde

The other night I decided to Google "Top Food Blogs." Although I have been at this off and on for awhile and read a few food blogs, there are still so many out there. I was amazed at all the wonderful blogs there are. So many great recipes, beautiful photographs, and varying points of view. Saveur magazine had a great list of their top rated food blogs for 2012 in different categories. 

One of the many blogs I enjoyed discovering on their list was a finalist for "Best Regional Food Blog." It is called Muy Bueno Cookbook. The Spanish name intrigued me, and as I perused the lovely blog I saw that it was a mother and her two daughters, all born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Sold. That was all I needed to hear. And sure enough, as I looked over the recipes, the beautiful photos and authentic border cuisine piqued my interest all the more. I "pinned" many of the recipes to try later. Last night I attempted their salsa verde. It was very easy to make and delicious. Even Josh, who is not ordinarily a fan of tomatillos enjoyed it.

You can find the full recipe on their blog, but I thought I would share a few pictures and tips. I have pictured all of the ingredients except the cilantro, which I forgot about when snapping this shot. But you all know what cilantro looks like, right?

If you are new to Mexican cooking, you may look at this recipe and others and wonder what some of the ingredients are and where you might find them. For instance, serrano peppers look like a jalapeno pepper, just a little smaller. They are also much spicier than jalapenos, so if you prefer your salsa mild, remove all the seeds and/or replace jalapenos for the serranos. You can always adjust the number of peppers in your salsa to change up the level of spice. And remember, the seeds and membrane of peppers are the spiciest part. So leaving or removing them will also effect the level of spice. Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes with a light green husk around them. You can find them in the produce section of most grocery stores by the peppers. I have only ever bought them in Texas and New Mexico, so they may be harder to find in some places.

When cooking with tomatillos, you need to begin by removing the husk, which is very easy. Then give them a good rinse. They tend to be a little sticky.

In this recipe, you will boil the tomatillos. Some salsa verde recipes require roasting them which takes a little longer, so this is a great way to simplify it.

This recipe also says to roast the garlic cloves with their skin on in a dry pan. I had never heard of this method, but it worked well, so I may have to do it again. It was very easy. I heated the pan over medium-high heat. Remove the skin when you are finished.

Then place them along with the cooled tomatillos in a blender with cilantro, onion, jalapeno, serrano and salt and blend.

This was great salsa and a wonderful alternative from the usual tomato salsa (which I still love, but it's nice to mix things up every once in awhile).

I enjoyed mine with a nice frosty Wildflower Wheat Beer from local Marble Brewery. Not a bad way to kick back and relax.

Smart Shopping

Do you ever feel like your grocery budget is the most difficult portion of your finances to get control of? I rarely make a specific grocery budget and when I am in the store I often become the queen of impulse purchases. Add an active toddler to the mix, and grocery shopping becomes even more complicated. Sometimes I feel like I am training for Supermarket Sweep. Remember that show?

Over time I have learned a few things about shopping smarter when it comes to groceries. I still have a lot to learn, and I have to admit, we have yet to set a specific grocery budget. Guess that should be my New Year's Resolution. But I have discovered ways to plan my shopping trips to make the most of sales, coupons, etc. So I figured I would share some tips to help you and your family save money. Most of these are nothing new, and many I have read in financial books, blogs, magazines, etc. It's a little lengthy, but hopefully you will find it beneficial. So here goes:

1. Make a list and stick to it. This seems basic, but how many times do you run into the store after work or in the middle of other errands without specific items in mind? When you do this, impulse spending goes up drastically. I notice when I impulse buy, it is usually unhealthy items too. It also makes your trip to the store longer because you stroll the aisles trying to remember that last item, waiting for an epiphany while staring at rows of cereal (am I the only one who has done this?). I have found the Grocery IQ app on my iPhone extremely helpful for this. It allows me to make separate lists for each store that I frequent and as I shop I can easily delete items. I can also easily transfer items from one store to another if I find it's unavailable where I originally planned to buy it. I like this because it means I always have my list with me (assuming I have my phone, which I rarely forget). So if I make a last minute trip to the store, I don't have to remember my list. It's helpful when I think of something to add to a grocery list because I can add it no matter where I am and not have ten different pieces of paper with lists. I am sure there are many other apps which would be just as good, this is just one I found a few years ago and have loved.
2. Shop the sales. Each week, your local stores should send out their "circular." This has all of their specials for the week. Here in Albuquerque, I receive most of them in the mail on Wednesday, and the sales run for a week. Some stores, like Target, release theirs on Sundays. Although some of these come in the mail, others do not. They may appear in your Sunday paper, and almost all of them are online. So check the websites for the stores in your area. I also like the Target app for iPhone and iPad because you can easily peruse their circulars on those devices. When items are at a very low price, especially things like meat and bread, buy large quantities and freeze them. Our freezer is small so we recently bought an inexpensive deep freezer to keep in our garage. I like having this for this very reason (and because I needed extra space to store all of my green chile)! We found ours at Lowe's for around $200 (I can't remember the exact price and it's not online). It's the Holiday 7 cu. ft. chest freezer. There is also one that is 5 cu. ft., which now I realize would probably have been plenty of room, but oh well!
3. Be willing to shop at several stores. It's easy to find the one store that you like best either because it's the one closest to your house, the one that seems to have the best prices, or if you're like me, the one that has the best atmosphere (I know, it's ridiculous). For some people, like those of you working full time with a family, activities, etc., it may not be feasible to do this. But if you do have the time, shopping at different stores can save you money. After a few months in Albuquerque, my regular stores became Albertson's, Costco, Target, and Trader Joe's. This is based on location, prices, and personal preference. I love Trader Joe's. They have great prices, it's small and easy to get in and out of (this is a huge plus when you are shopping with a toddler), they have a great selection of healthy products, and it's close to my house (and the great selection of cheap wine is a major plus). However, if you have shopped at Trader Joe's, you know that you cannot find everything there. I love that it is small, but that means a more limited selection. And I feel like their produce is hit or miss. And they do not have sales or accept coupons, so their prices are always the same. Some of the prices are great, but some items you are better off purchasing elsewhere. Target has good prices on pantry items and some frozen foods, they also have weekly deals in their circular, and they accept coupons. So I go their for specific items. I buy almost all of our baby stuff like diapers and wipes there as well. However, their produce selection is small (at least at the one near my house) and usually much more expensive. Costco is good when you need items in larger quantities (obviously). They have a good selection of produce with decent prices which I really liked when we did our Reboot and I needed lots of fruits and veggies. But most of the time, I don't need such large quantities for just the three of us. Costco sends out monthly coupons, and if you check those, sometimes they have great deals. I like getting things like macaroni and cheese, snack items, and other non-perishables. Albertson's is the most expensive of these three if you don't shop the sales, but if you do, you can get great deals. This is where I buy most of my meat and a good amount of my produce. They also accept coupons and occasionally run a double coupon special. Figuring out the best places to shop in your area can take time. Shop around, check prices, and compare each store. You will begin to find which stores have the best prices for the items you buy most. Another store that I have recently started shopping at is Sprouts. I didn't go much until recently because it was just a little more out of the way. But as I looked at their circulars each week I noticed their sales on produce especially were excellent. So this is a new favorite. Also, on Wednesdays they honor sale prices from the new circular and the one from the previous week. So if you can plan it out right, you can get some great deals. The picture above is from my most recent trip to Sprouts. I bought all of those items for $35.91. Most of the fruits and veggies were on sale, as well as the tortilla chips. The sweet potato chips and crackers were not on sale, so I could have spent less if I wouldn't have made those impulse buys. But, you get the idea. Below is my receipt just to give you an idea of the breakdown.
4. Use coupons. This is a no brainer for some, but for others it seems like a waste of time or something that only the crazy people on Extreme Couponing do. But you can do this without spending too much extra time and it can save you a lot. My main rule with coupons is do not use a coupon just because you have it! If you do not normally buy something, don't get it only because you have a coupon. That is not going to save you money. And look at the prices at the store, it may be cheaper, for instance, to buy the store brand of paper towels without a coupon than to buy the name brand with one. Your Sunday paper should have coupons, but if you are like me and do not get the Sunday paper, you will need to find them elsewhere. I have some friends that get it and do not use most of the coupons, so I ask them to save them for me each week which they are very sweet to do! There are also many websites with coupons. I go to Coupon Suzy and coupons.com each month to print out coupons. Each have coupons for many different brands. You will need to install a program on your computer in order to print them, but it is very simple, and the instructions are on those sites. Once you do it for one of them it should work for any coupon site. On these sites you just click the coupons you want and it will print them for you. It only takes me about five minutes. Many brands offer coupons on their websites too, so if there are certain items you buy frequently, go to their website and check it out. There are also store coupons from places like Target. Go to their website to print them out. In addition to those on their site, you can sign up on their website to have mobile coupons sent to you via text. When you check out, show your phone to the person working there, and they will scan the coupons directly from your phone. When using store coupons, most stores will allow you to use them along with manufacturer coupons. So, for instance, if I have a manufacturer coupon for $1 off a box of Pampers and a Target coupon for $1 off a box of Pampers, I can use both and receive $2 off. And while we are on the subject of diapers, this is what I usually do: Target often runs sales where you get a $5 Target gift card when you buy two boxes of diapers (I prefer Pampers, but they do this with Huggies too). So when they have these sales, I try to time it with my manufacturer's coupons and Target coupons if I have them. Sometimes I save around $10 when I add up the coupons and gift card I receive. Albertson's also will double coupons (up to $1) occasionally. This will be indicated on the front of their circular.
5. Check the price per ounce. This is usually on the price tag on the shelf at the store in small print, of course. One brand or size may have a lower price tag, but when you look at the price per oz./unit, another brand might be a better deal.
6. Bring your own bags! It's better for the environment and you save $.05 per bag most places. I know it isn't much, but if you think of how many bags you use per year, it adds up! I also like bringing my own bags because you can fit more in each bag, which means less bags to load and unload!

Turkey, Avocado & Cheese Sandwich

Lately I have been making a variation of this sandwich on a daily basis. Provolone cheese, turkey, avocado, and creamy thousand island dressing on wheat. I cook it in the panini press. So easy. Yum!

Baked Cheesey Jalapeno Ranch Dip

The other night as my healthy Aloo Gobi was filling my home with delicious smells while it cooked away in my slow cooker, my stomach began to grumble and I noticed it still had a few hours left to cook. So, rather than making a healthy choice to have a light snack, I went the complete opposite route. Well, I guess I could have made something worse, but I know this wasn't exactly the best choice. But it was pretty tasty.

I was in the mood for something warm and savory, so I thought of everything I had in our fridge and pantry (well we don't technically have a pantry in our little kitchen, but you know what I mean). I decided to create what I have named my Baked Cheesey Jalapeno Ranch Dip. I orginally thought it would include bacon (which I will try next time), but alas, my bacon was no longer good. At least that meant it was a little healthier...

So, if you want to give this one a try, you will need:

• 1 tbsp. ranch dip mix
• 1 8 oz. package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 2 tbsp. light sour cream
• 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 c. jarred jalapenos, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or dill 
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on medium low speed with paddle attachment until completely blended. You could also use a hand mixer.

Spread into small baking dish. I used a small Le Creuset dish I have. It's probably about 8" x 5".  FYI, I found it at Marshall's a few years ago for $9.99.  If you're ever in need of cookware, check there and Home Goods before you buy anything full price. You can find some great deals. Then place in 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

After removing from oven sprinkle with fresh parsley (or dill). Enjoy with corn chips or tortilla chips. This will make about 2-4 servings (depending on how hungry you are). I think there are many ways you could mix this up, like adding crumbled bacon or using green chiles instead of jalapenos, just to name a few.

Easy, Healthy Breakfast

This morning I wanted something light and easy for breakfast. I was popping a frozen waffle in the toaster for Jack (don't worry, it's multi-grain, so it's a little healthier, right?), so I decided to make one for myself. I have seen in both Cooking Light and Self magazines the use of part skim ricotta cheese to spread on breads and such for a healthy meal or snack. I have never considered using ricotta for anything but lasagna or pasta, but I had some leftover in the fridge and figured I'd give it a try. So I spread it on a waffle along with some blueberry jam. I ate it with bananas and a small glass of orange juice. This was a great alternative to my usual oatmeal or toast. It was filling yet still light and delicious.

Indian Food...Eating Out & At Home

Josh and I love Indian food. Neither of us grew up eating it and did not know much about it. We had both tried it a little, but it was not until we tried Maharaja restaurant in Lubbock when Josh was in law school that we became hooked. The lovely blend of spices kept drawing us back, and it soon became our favorite restaurant.

When we moved to Albuquerque about a year and a half ago, we were on the lookout for another great spot for a good Indian food fix. After checking out Urbanspoon and local food blogs, it was clear that one of the local favorites was Namaste, which is actually in Rio Rancho, a suburb of Albuquerque. We fell in love with this place for the delicious food and friendly service. Although it's almost thirty minutes from our house, it's worth the drive. We took my mother-in-law there one of the first times she came to visit and now she asks to go back every time she is in town (and we happily oblige)! She is a vegetarian, and her favorite dish is the saag aloo. Josh and I love the chicken tikka masala and we all love the vegetable samosas as an appetizer.

This fall we have had the wonderful opportunity to get to know some Indian students. They are all working on their Ph. D.'s here at the University of New Mexico. When we asked them about their favorite local spot for Indian cuisine, they enthusiastically recommended Taaj Palace. We went soon after and were not disappointed. We ate there on a Saturday for lunch, so we had the buffet. It had a wonderful variety of delicious food. Josh fell in love with the butter chicken, which I enjoyed as well. I also liked the channa masala and of course, the naan! The service was excellent and we hope to return again soon!

When not eating out at one of these great spots, I like to make Indian food at home. It can seem a little overwhelming at first, but if you can gain an understanding of the spices commonly used in Indian cuisine and find easy to follow recipes, you will have the hang of it in no time. My two favorite cooks for delicious and simple Indian recipes are Aarti Sequeira and Anupy Singla.

Aarti Sequeira has her own food blog, Aarti Party and a show on Food Network by the same name. She has great traditional Indian recipes as well as American food with an Indian twist. I have tried many of her recipes in the past and hope to try more and feature them here for you.

Anupy Singla has written two Indian cookbooks, The Indian Slow Cooker and Vegan Indian Cooking. She also has a website which includes a blog and other great resources. It is Indian as Apple Pie. I have The Indian Slow Cooker and love it (as I have mentioned in previous posts). The traditional Indian recipes are simplified with the use of the slow cooker, although the wonderful flavors have not been compromised.  One of our favorites so far from this book is the Aloo Gobi (spiced cauliflower and potatoes). It is super easy to make, healthy, filling, and flavorful. We had it last night as pictured above. If you are interested in Indian cuisine, you should give this book a try. I have yet to try her other book, but noticed it is at our local library, so I may have to check it out!

Just a quick note about Indian spices. As you begin to look at these recipes and cookbooks, you may notice some of the spices are not available at your grocery store. You will most likely need to find an Indian Market if you have one in your town (Bombay Spice is a good one here in Albuquerque) or an International Food Market (such as Talin Market in Albuquerque). If you cannot find anywhere local to purchase the spices, you should be able to order them online.

Blue Bell

Sometimes there is nothing better than a big bowl of Blue Bell Ice Cream...

Gorgonzola & Prosciutto Chicken

A few weeks ago I made Gorgonzola Grits, which were, I must admit, delicious. I still have some gorgonzola leftover, so I was trying to think of some creative ways to use it. As I mentioned when I made the grits, gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese, so it has a very strong flavor. A little goes a long way.

I also had some chicken in my freezer, so I was inspired to use them together. My inspiration was furthered when I thought of the yummy combination of blue cheese and bacon. And because gorgonzola is the Italian's version of blue cheese, I thought it might go nicely with their version of bacon, prosciutto. If you have not had prosciutto, please run to the grocery store or your favorite Italian restaurant and get some NOW. You will not regret it. Trust me.

Do you have certain memories linked to your favorite foods? My happy memory with prosciutto is from our incredible honeymoon in Italy. We started our trip with a few days in Sorrento, which is on the Amalfi Coast. We then spent the remainder of our trip in Rome. Honeymoons tend to make one feel like they are floating on cloud nine, and I certainly felt that way on ours. Experiencing the sites, sounds, and of course, incredible tastes of Italy with my best friend is something I will never forget (and would love to do again)! Our very first night in Sorrento, we walked to the main area of the city and stopped in a cafe for dinner. I do not remember the name or why we chose it, but it was excellent! We began with an appetizer of prosciutto di parma and fresh mozzarella. It was so amazing and was my first taste of prosciutto. So every time I have it now I am taken back to that sidewalk cafe in Sorrento with my new hubby.

Prosciutto is like bacon but because it is dry-cured, their is no reason to cook it like you would bacon. It is delicious on it's own or added to your favorite recipes. Tonight I decided I would stuff my chicken with gorgonzola, wrap it in prosciutto, and bake it.

I began by cutting into the boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally. To do this, lay the chicken on a cutting board and insert your knife in the center (as shown in the somewhat blurry picture above). Carefully cut through (I usually place my other hand on top of the chicken while doing this, but be careful not to cut yourself!) until you have almost reached the other side. You want the chicken to be able to open like a book.

Next sprinkle a few small pieces of gorgonzola and some mozzarella (which is not in the top picture because it was a game time decision) on the chicken and fold back together.

Wrap each piece of chicken with one to two slices of prosciutto depending on the size of your prosciutto. Place in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. I also placed some leftover gorgonzola in the dish which is not at all necessary, but does add to the overall gooeyness factor. This may not be an official word, but it is a wonderful thing.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. This time will very depending on the thickness of your chicken, your oven (mine is terrible), etc. In the end you will have a wonderful dish to make your Wednesday (or any day) seem extra special. Serve with fresh sauteed or roasted veggies or salad and enjoy!

Happy 2013

Happy New Year from the Land of Enchantment!