Budget-Friendly

Squashy Pasta

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This is a wonderful wintry pasta that fits with everyone’s new years resolutions. Seriously, this is healthy, full of nutrient-dense veggies, vegetarian, is budget friendly (as in I had all ingredients on hand and no money left to buy groceries after not being very thrifty in December), and is darn tasty! I threw what I had in because I was craving veggies but also needed the fiber and the carbs from the pasta after a week of hard work outs. Farro pasta is a great alternative pasta. Farro is an ancient wheat grain that is high in fiber and has a whole wheat nuttiness taste that it lends to the pasta.

Squashy Pasta 

Serves Four through Six 

Farro Gemelli Pasta (Rustichelle d’Abruzzo  brand or favorite)

Four Golden Beets, skinned, sliced and steamed

One recipe Roasted Butternut Squash

Two Zucchinis cut into large quarters

One or Two Yellow Squash cut into large quarters

One cup Cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded

Three to four larger shallots, sliced into thin strips

Five or Six Garlic Cloves

Black Pepper

Small amount of Pecorino Romano, shredded

Half Cup Basil Pesto

Quarter cup White Wine

Quarter Cup reserved pasta water

One bunch of fresh basil, julienned

An hour prior, prepare the butternut squash (or make the night before). Once the squash has about twenty minutes left, begin to steam beets and bring salted pasta water to boil. Reserve beets and add pasta to water to cook for about 14 minutes. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large saute pan and add garlic, shallots and a bit of pepper. Cook until glassy (add crushed red pepper if desired). Hit this with the white wine and cook off the alcohol. Salt Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Squash and when the pasta has about two minutes left to cook, add to the saute pan (this is to make sure your veggies still have some crunch. Drain pasta, reserving a small amount of the pasta water, and add pasta to the saute pan. Add beets, roasted butternut squash, pesto, black pepper, and a small amount of grated Pecorino cheese. Add small amount of water a bit at a time as needed to make a sauce. Mix well and garnish with plenty of fresh basil and serve.

Bacon Cornbread

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I ate an entire cast iron skillet full in under 56 hours and I did not even feel bad about it; it was that scrumptious. This is a hybrid-type meal (believe me I made this cornbread a meal and snacks and dessert – If I could find a way to liquify it and retain the texture and the favor I would have consumed it that way as well). This cornbread was inspired by the first variation I tried which was Garlic Nation Cornbread. I had leftover buttermilk and needed to use it to avoid wasting food, so what better than making the cornbread with the bacon I forgot the first time around. The bacon cornbread I made last night did not use chilis and added bacon, shallot salt and cayenne and a small handful of Italian four cheese blend that needed using. I also adjusted this version to incorporate more buttermilk because it needed to be used – and I ended up liking the result more…but that could have been the bacon. Who knows? In theory this was kind of a use-everything-in-the-fridge-because-it-expires-VERY-soon cornbread. One that probably never needs to be made again considering my EXTREME lack of self control when portioning my servings of it. Let me know if you have any questions!

Note: Sorry for the lack of pictures on several recent posts. I got a new phone and lost all photos that were on it. Though in the case of the cornbread, I just wanted to eat it more than I wanted to photograph it.

Bacon Cornbread 

Serves – ONE if you are me, Eight if you have restraint 

17 ounces of favorite corn muffin mix (I used organic stone ground)

Three cups frozen corn kernels

One cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

Handful of favorite cheese (OPTIONAL can be left out – I just needed to use some up)

One can of hatch green chilis, chopped (OPTIONAL)

One cup crisped, thick cut bacon pieces

Ten garlic cloves, finely minced (USE MORE OR LESS TO TASTE)

Penzy’s Shallot Salt (OPTIONAL) or pinch sea salt

Pinch Cayenne (OPTIONAL)

Black Pepper to taste

Two eggs

One cup buttermilk, plus two or three tablespoons more if needed

half cup plus a tablespoon or two sour cream (I think I used significantly less)

Grease a cast iron skillet and crisp up the bacon, cutting into small pieces once done. Reserve grease (or use a napkin to soak up a little but leave the pan greased like I did) to use for baking cornbread. In a large bowl combine the corn mix, corn, salt, cayenne, pepper, sundried tomatoes, cheese, garlic, bacon and chilis and mix well. Add in the eggs, sour cream and buttermilk and stir until all elements are well incorporated. Pour thecornbread mixture into the greased skillet. Bake for about 25 minutes on 375 degrees (NOTE: Bake time will depend on baking vessel used and oven type – general rule is to bake until the top is golden brown, then check the inside with a toothpick. It should come out relatively clear). Cut into pie pieces and serve, preferably to more people than just yourself.

Black Bean Soup

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I made a huge batch of this and ate it for the entire week after New Years. It was delicious, healthful, filling and HIGHLY addictive. I decided to make my own after being on a pretty serious black bean soup kick where I was spending almost seven dollars per day at Whole Foods buying their black bean soup. So I planned Mexican night and put black bean soup and Chicken Mole on the menu. Never made it to the Mole, but the soup was outstanding. This had an accidental addition of tomatillos which were intended to be used in the Mole (hence why the Mole did not happen).

I topped mine with a little grilled chicken, avocado, cilantro, green onions, fresh chopped cherry tomatoes and lime juice. Later I mixed it with previously cooked brown rice that needed to be used as well. Feel free to add cheddar cheese or queso fresca or sour cream to the garnish list if you like – I have to avoid the dairy.

Note: Adding the brown rice into the soup acts a thickener and will fortify you if this is your only meal.

Black Bean Soup

Serves 6-8

Three to Four cans of Black Beans, all liquid retained

Four Carrots, roughly diced

One large white onion, roughly diced

Seven cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

Three celery ribs, roughly diced

Three tomatillos, husked, rinsed and roasted

A couple of pieces leftover ham (can omit – I used the rest from Christmas)

Three to four cups chicken or veggies broth 

Two chipotle peppers in adobo and a couple of tablespoons of the sauce

Cup of Brown Rice (optional – I had some on hand)

Array of spices to taste: Shallot salt; cayenne; cumin; garlic; Peruvian Chile Lime seasoning

In a large dutch oven, saute carrots, onions, garlic, celery, and a pinch of salt in a bit of olive oil until they are sweating. Add ham, broth, black beans and their juice and reduce heat to a simmer. Add roasted tomatillos, peppers and some of the seasoning (just add a little bit and then add according to taste later). Add rice and finish seasoning. Let simmer for about thirty minutes. Either use an emulsifier or a blender to process the soup (you can leave it has chunky or make as smooth as you wish). Squeeze a bit of lime juice to taste and enjoy!

Top soup with desired herbs and garnish, my favorites include: grilled and shredded chicken, cherry tomato halves, avocado slices, green onion and cilantro. Other options are sour cream or cheese, mango salsa, red onion, pico, or toasted pepita seeds.

Granny’s Rum Balls

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In addition to noodles and sausage balls, rum balls have been part of my family’s Christmas tradition for decades. The funny thing is that I do not remember loving rum balls (though I am sure that I was reprimanded more than once for sneaking them around the holidays) before my Granny passed away. The past few Christmases it seems that there have not been many rum balls for various reasons. This year, as I was decorating my tree with my lifelong collection of ornaments (my Granny gave me one per year since birth), I had a strong nostalgic urge to have rum balls lying around. So I bought corn syrup for the first time in my life and proceeded to the liquor store with my passport (lost my license around Thanksgiving) and my gigantic dog to buy Rum. Overall, everything was successful – of course, I am judging success based on D’s refusal to share any rum balls – and Christmas is a little sweeter for me with the edible memory of Granny in the house.

Note: These make a great edible present or office treat. They are fairly cheap and pretty darn simple to prepare and keep well. You can also make these well in advance and freeze them to lighten your workload during the holidays.

Granny’s Rum Balls

Makes between 25- 35 balls (depending on how big you make yours)

Two and a half cups vanilla wafers, finely ground
One cup powdered sugar
Three to Four tablespoons cocoa powder
One and one-half cup chopped walnuts and  macadamia nut (optional or use other nuts of choice)
Half Cup shredded coconut (optional and adjust according to taste)
Three to four tablespoons white Karo Syrup
Half pint (or more if desired) Rum
One Cup Powdered Sugar, plus a few tablespoons sanding or raw sugar and extra Cocoa powder for dusting

Finely grind vanilla wafers in a food processor. Quickly pulse the nuts so that they are chopped but not finely ground. Combine the wafers, sugar, buts, coconut, and cocoa powder in a large bowl – mix well. Add a heavy three tablespoons of white Karo syrup ( I think I went with about three and a half – add more after mixing if necessary). Add rum to mixture and mix well, until all elements are combined and pliable. Make balls about a half-inch in diameter and reserve. Pour powdered sugar (and whole sugar and a bit of extra cocoa powder) on a baking sheet or wax paper and roll the prepared rum balls through it, coating well.

Beef and Barley Soup

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I love beef and barley soup. I usually just buy a cup or two from Central Market (who makes a dang good version), but, during a recent freezer inventory I realized I had a lot of rump roast that needed using and opted to make my own version. You can add more (veggie wise) to this hearty soup  to up the nutrition ante, if you like. It is filling and perfect for cold winter nights. If you have homemade, good quality beef stock – this is a great showcase for it. If not, make sure to use a good-quality boxed broth (and/or some demi glace) for good depth.

Beef and Barley Soup

Serves Four to Eight 

One pound rump roast, cut into half-inch dice
One and one-half cups Hulled Barley
Six carrots, cut into large dice
Two yellow onions, cut into large dice
Twelve garlic cloves, minced
Two bay leaves
Five sprigs fresh thyme (more if desired)
Two sprigs fresh oregano
Three fresh sage leaves
Three celery stalks, cut into thin dice
Four tablespoons crushed red pepper
One pound mushrooms (I used white), quartered
One pound butternut squash, cut into quarter-inch cubes
One to two cups robust red wine or Burgundy (or white wine)
Three to Four quarts beef stock
Salt and Pepper to taste

Toss beef cubes with a good amount of salt, pepper, Italian herb blend, and cayenne. Heat a glug of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Brown meat on all sides and remove from pan. Deglaze pan with a bit of red wine, beef broth, or Burgundy wine – scraping the brown bits on the  bottom up. Add onions and garlic (with a pinch of salt) and saute until glassy. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, red pepper flakes and about a cup of red/white/or Burgundy wine. After about five minutes, add the beef broth, the reserved meat, mushrooms and barley. Turn heat to simmer and let it cook away for at least three hours. Taste occasionally and season to taste. About one and a half hours before serving, put butternut squash in the pot and stir well. Feel free to add peas or spinach in the last five minutes before serving if you wish to use them.  Serve with crusty bread.

‘Garlic Nation’ Cornbread

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My friends and I had our Girls Christmas party this past weekend and it was wonderful! The food-theme somehow migrated to “Cajun/Southern” during our lengthy email chain (for which I am truly thankful) and it was Delicious! Our resident NOLA queen, Bonnie, made delicious gumbo; my favorite red-head Candice, made some pretty awesome Red Beans and Rice and brought some outstanding Venison boudin. And my favorite Bota-Box representative (aka Susanna!) asked if I could make cornbread (hence why I classified the theme as “/southern”). She has been unable to get her hands on her favorite recipe because the source refused to part  with the recipe (like me and my enchiladas). I told her sure thing, vaguely remembering a recipe for corn muffins that had appealed to me in Giada de Laurentiis’ Giada’s Kitchen cookbook. I decided I was going to make a whole corn, sun-dried tomato, hatch green chili cornbread with some cheese and played with the idea of adding bacon to the batter. This corn bread earned the name ‘Garlic Nation’ Cornbread after Sus dubbed it as such. What can I say, I love garlic and it was girls night so no pesky boys could tease us about our garlicky breath. I actually lost count of the number of garlic cloves I used (really I was just not paying attention), but it was somewhere in the vicinity of ten.

This was my first time making cornbread (at least in the past four years) and, honestly, I do not know why considering how delicious it is and how well it freezes. Clearly, I must remedy this…and maybe that batch will have some bacon in it.

Note: You can use your favorite cornbread cooking apparatus for baking this (i.e. cast iron, Pyrex, muffin tin, etc.) – I used a cast iron.

‘Garlic Nation’ Cornbread

Serves eight to ten

adapted from Giada’s Kitchen

17 ounces of favorite corn muffin mix
Three cups frozen corn kernels
One cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
Two-thirds cup aged cheddar cheese, shredded
One can of hatch green chilis, chopped
Ten garlic cloves, finely minced
Pinch Salt
Black Pepper to taste
Two eggs
Two-thirds cup buttermilk, plus two or three tablespoons more if needed
Two-thirds cup sour cream

In a large bowl combine the corn mix, corn, salt, pepper, sundried tomatoes, cheese, garlic and chilis and mix well. Add in the eggs, sour cream and buttermilk and stir until all elements are well incorporated. Grease a cast iron skillet and pour the cornbread mixture into it. Bake for about 25 minutes on 375 degrees (NOTE: Bake time will depend on baking vessel used and oven type – general rule is to bake until the top is golden brown, then check the inside with a toothpick. It should come out relatively clear). Cut into pie pieces and serve.

Leftover Turkey-Noodle Soup

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This year, D and I were lucky enough to have two thanksgivings (however unlucky our waistlines were). Of course, this means that we had enough leftovers to feed an army battalion. In my family, we have egg noodles for the holidays (just once we went without and my parents have still not heard the end of it). My grandmother used to make them from scratch, but somewhere along the line frozen Reames Egg Noodles (which are exactly the same and much less hassle) replaced the homemade version – not that you will hear any Haughtons complaining. This year my sister was unable to make it back from North Carolina to gorge on Thanksgiving dinner with us, causing me much sorrow but allowing me to be the sole recipient of the mound of leftover noodles. Normally, I would be in Noodle Heaven, however, I have been training for the past several weeks and my trainer requires a food log – which clearly cannot contain endless bowls of my favorite carb-o-licious treat. So I thought of ways to use up my leftovers in a healthy and satisfying way. The end result was Turkey Noodle Soup with added veggies. I have been on a pretty darn serious soup/stew kick lately (who knew Texas would be cold in December?), ergo soup was the only logical (in oh so illogical Andiland) choice for leftover use. Ideally, I would have liked to use the [two] turkey carcasses that I now have waiting for me in freezers (neither of which is located in Austin) to make a rich broth for the soup – but our car was packed to the gills and there was no room. If you were able to make some turkey broth with your carcass, I highly recommend taking it out of the freezer to make this recipe. Otherwise, a good homemade chicken broth will work perfectly.

Note: You can buy Reames Egg Noodles (or wide-flat dumplings) at various places, though both my mom and I have been having trouble finding them over the years. I found them at Central Market and I think that she found them at Walmart (believe me it is the first time in my life I did not pitch a fit about contributing to Walmart’s cash flow).

Leftover Turkey-Noodle Soup

Serves Three to Four

Two cups leftover Turkey
Three cups leftover Reames Egg Noodles
Two Cups leftover Roasted Butternut squash
One cup leftover Peas (optional)
Two quarts good quality Chicken or Turkey Stock
One Cup Zucchini
Two Cups Carrots, diced
Four to Five cups Spinach (or Chard, Kale, or mixture)
Two white onions, diced
One head garlic, minced
One bouquet garni (with fresh sage, oregano, thyme and a one sprig of rosemary)
Two tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Red pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute (with a pinch of salt) until glassy.  Add carrots and bouquet garni, followed by stock. Add additional seasoning (pepper, salt, red pepper) and simmer for up to two hours. Add squash, zucchini, turkey, and noodles and simmer until heated through (maybe 15 minutes). Add spinach (or mixture) and peas and simmer until wilted.  Taste and season as desired before serving!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Apple Soup

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I have had a serious addiction to butternut squash lately. Literally, twice a week I roast about two butternut squash and, so far, I have yet to tire of it. Usually, I have every intention of creating soup using the roasted deliciousness; however, once I roast them, they rarely last longer than two hours. After buying butternut squash soup four days in a row (which I may or may not have garnished with roasted squash), I vowed to take the 15 extra minutes to make my own after I roasted my next batch. I make mine without butter, cream or other dairy, making this a perfect soup to deliver loads of nutrients for almost all dietary restrictions. The soup was fabulous and I saved myself about $13 in not buying it for three different meals.

You can garnish the soup with your pleasure of the moment  (fresh herbs, creme fraiche, crispy bacon, etc). Personally, I had planned on crisping up some thick cut bacon to crumble atop the soup – but was so excited to eat it I could not wait.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Apple Soup

Serves Two to Three

Ten Garlic Cloves (or more to taste), roughly minced
One large white onion (or six or seven medium shallots), roughly diced
One to two pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
Two or three tablespoons Italian Seasoning or Herbs de Provence
One tablespoon black pepper
One teaspoon White Pepper (optional)
A couple good pinches of salt
Couple glugs good olive oil (regular, basil, garlic, or truffle)
Three red apples (I used Pink Lady), cut from the core in large sections and squeezed with lemon
Two tablespoons Thai Curry Blend or similar
Two to Three Cups of good-quality Vegetable (or Chicken) broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic, butternut squash, and onions in a baking dish. Add oil and spices to taste, sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake until golden brown and squash is tender, 30 minutes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning preferences. Remove pan and add apples; continue baking for about 15 minutes. Remove and transfer to a pot with about 2 cups of vegetable or Chicken broth. Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to pan and taste (adding additional seasoning as necessary. Add two tablespoons of Thai Curry Blend or similar and let simmer for about five minutes.

Garnish with desired toppings ( slivered apples, crunchy bacon, shaved cheese, fresh herbs, etc). and serve with crusty bread. Can be eaten cold or hot, as soup or poured over chicken, fish or pasta for a nice sauce.