Budget-Friendly

Creamy Cheddar Grits

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If you have ever accompanied me to NOLA, you were probably disturbed by the amount of grits I consumed. I order them with every meal and I love them. This is all very odd considering I am not a breakfast grit fan, or to a large extent, a sweet grit fan. I prefer my grits savory and succulent. Even though grits are arguably one of the simplest dishes to make (especially on a cold night when you are coming down with something), this was my first grit-making experience. It certainly will not be the last. I buy grits in bulk at either Whole Foods or Central market which did not indicate if they were instant or slow cooking. I eventually (and quickly) found that they were instant grits, so ending up adding much more milk than I was planning. Just FYI.

Creamy Cheddar Grits

One and one-half cups Grits
Five to Six cups Two percent Milk (use more or less depending on consistency desires, also I used two cups of skim milk and the rest reduced fat)
A couple good pinches of Salt
Two tablespoons pepper (adjust to preference)
Two tablespoons butter
Good Pinch each, Cayenne, Garlic, and Onion powder), adjust to taste
One and one-half to two cups of good-quality cheddar cheese

Boil three cups of milk, with butter in a large pot. Stir in grits and reduce heat to a simmer. Add seasoning (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, onion) and stir well. Continue adding milk to obtain desired texture and adjust seasoning according to preference. Stir in handfuls of cheese, allowing it to melt slowly, then repeat until gone. Serve hot.

Apple-Avocado Relish

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I wanted to top a spicy pulled pork dish with something crisp, bright, sweet and acidic. After looking through my fridge, I had my solution. You can whip this up in no time to had contrast to tons of things!

Apple-Avocado Relish

One green apple, cut into small dice
Three-Fourths avocado, diced
Six green onions, small dice
Pinch of Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Fresh squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Voila!

Hatch Green Chile Pulled Pork

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Hatch Green Chilis…good. Pulled Pork…amazing. Grits…scrumptious. Combination of the three = Winner, Winner, Porky Dinner! This was another dish (served on top of creamy cheddar grits) that I made during the “Brinner” themed charity dinner party we threw recently. Tender pork, stewed in a wonderfully spicy sauce, just makes the house smell good and bellies happy…no doubt about it.  I am not sure if this was everyone’s favorite of the day, but I do know that D and I had to take the spoons out of each others hands just to we would be able to save it for the actual dinner and there were not any leftovers! You can serve the pork on its own, in tacos, enchiladas, or over grits – as I did. I topped it with a very quick apple-avocado salsa to cut some of the heat and add a little crunch to an otherwise soft dish. I must warn you, this dish was spicy – I used a bit of acid, the creamy grits, and the salsa to balance it out and it worked quite well.

Note: I hate to admit this, but I made this dish about a month ago and did not write down everything I threw in the pan. The following recipe is my attempt to remember, but something may have been left out. Play with it until you get the outcome you want.

Hatch Green Chili Pulled Pork

Two and a Half pounds of Pork Shoulder, cubed
Seven Hatch Green Chilis, de-seeded (quarter half of peppers and dice the rest)
One and One half Cans of Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (or favorite verde Salsa)
One head of Garlic, minced
One and one half white onion, diced
Three tomatillos, husked
Chicken Broth, as needed
Pinch of each: Cumin, Sugar and Oregano
Fresh Squeezed Lime, to taste

Heat a bit of oil in a large stock pot; add garlic, and onions and saute for a few minutes (with a pinch of salt). Add pork and brown well. Add peppers and saute for a couple minutes. Add Sauce to cover pork, switching to chicken broth once the sauce runs out. Bring to a boil, the add seasoning (cumin, sugar, oregano) and tomatillos and simmer for at least four hours, stirring occasionally. Taste occasionally, adjust seasoning as necessary (squeezing lime juice at the end). Cook until pork is fork tender and can be shredded with no effort. Remove pork from pot and shred, then return to pot.Remove chili quarters and discard.

In a large bowl, place Creamy Cheddar Grits, spoon pork over, then top with Apple-Avocado Relish.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries with Curry Ketchup and Sriracha Aioli

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One of the health food trend’s best contributions is the ubiquitous sweet potato fry. Of course not all fries are the same and I have standards for these nutritious little treats. They should be crispy on the outside and soft, but never mushy, on the inside. They need to be properly seasoned and they always need to be baked, not fried (sorry Paula Deen cronies). In short, please don’t serve me limp, under-seasoned fries that are mushy with oil. I am not entirely sure why but I have had a standing craving for sweet potato fries since about mid-July and this recipe, admittedly, is something of a Semi-Homemade approach (though I really cannot stomach Sandra Lee). Hey, I am a full time-grad student who works full-time, until December I will need all the help I can get. The secret…Alexia Sweet Potato Fries (in your freezer section). These are awesome. Sure sweet potato fries are not insanely hard to make but now that Alexia has an all natural brand that you can just pop in the oven, why spend a minute longer doing prep? Now if you will excuse me, I have to go read 150 pages of advanced policy economics by tomorrow.

Note: I fortified my ketchup to make a quick (read four second) tasty dipping sauce. Because I like options, I also made a Sriracha aioli really quickly – if you have some chipotle aioli or another favorite dipping sauce feel free to use it instead.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries with Curry Ketchup and Sriracha Aioli

One Half Bag Alexia Chiptole Sweet Potato Fries

Cook according to package instructions, preferably on a vented baking tray to achieve optimal crispiness.

Sriracha-Curry Ketchup

Two to Three tablespoons (depending on preference) Sriracha
One Tablespoon (plus more depending on preference) Red Curry Paste
One-Fourth Cup Ketchup

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl.

Sriracha Aioli

Squeeze of lemon or lime
Four tablespoons Sriracha
Four tablespoons Garlic Mayonnaise 

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl.

Nutella laced Rice Krispie Treats

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 Who doesn’t love  rice krispie treat? Treat is not a misnomer in these bad boys. Good luck getting through the night without eating the whole bunch of them – I cannot say that I did.

Note: You MUST use real butter in these – no margarine or vegetable fake butter silliness. There is too much oil in those products and the treats will be affected. Another important note – wet your hands to handle the mixture and it will stick much less. Lastly, use a slightly wet silicon or soft rubber spoon to mix and it will stick less.

Nutella-laced Rice Krispie Treats

Five cups Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats
One 10 oz package of Jet-Puffed Marshmallows (name brand not generic)
Four tablespoons butter (one-fourth cup)
Pinch Salt
Three to Four Heaping Tablespoons Nutella
One and one half teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Melt butter on low heat in a large saucepan or saute pan. Add marshmallows and melt through, stirring frequently. Add salt, vanilla extract, and Nutella and mix well. Combine in a greased dish with rice krispies and stir well. Press down with your fingers to  make an even surface. Allow to set and enjoy….preferably with your hands. Also, you may not want to be on a road trip for the entire batch because they are very likely vanish before you reach your destination. Feel free to cut these into squares, I didn’t (I did offer but everyone was fine with a hands or spoon option)!

Spinach, Ham, and Eggs Bacon Cups

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I found a recipe similar to the one posted below whilst putting together a menu for a “Brinner” themed dinner party. I changed it a little bit and, though I could not eat it, was told that it was yummy. These are pretty simple to prepare and you can bake them individually or in a larger pan (using a little more care).  As I was cooking five different things, picture taking was not my mine priority – so this picture shows an egg that feel to the side (probably because I did not bother to make the well).
Spinach, Ham, and Eggs Bacon Cups
Serves Four
Adapted from Bon Appetit
6 slices applewood-smoked bacon
Four small shallots, diced or thinly sliced
1 5-ounce bag baby spinach One loaf challah bread, cut into ramekin sized rounds, buttered and well toasted 
12 slices ham or prosciutto 
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
A few tablespoons basil pesto (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp; transfer to paper towels. Pour off drippings from skillet; reserve drippings. Add shallots to pan, saute until glassy then add spinach to pan, sprinkle with pepper, and toss over medium heat, two minutes. Transfer to strainer set over bowl to drain. Brush four 1-cup ramekins with bacon drippings. Crumble bacon and reserve.

Place one toasted piece of challah bread (cut into the right shape) in each ramekin. If using pesto, place a dollop on toast and spread it around.  Top toast with two to three pieces of thin ham or prosciutto. Divide spinach among ramekins, dividing equally. With back of spoon, shape a well in center of each ramekin. Gently crack one egg into well in each ramekin, keeping yolk intact. Drizzle 1 tablespoon cream over each egg. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake eggs until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 14 to 16 minutes. Top with crispy, crumbled bacon.

Beef Stroganoff

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I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS. I had never made beef stroganoff before, but was craving it. My friend Christine had tried something she really liked so she sent it over to me. I diverged from the recipe, but the technique of making pot roast before making it into stroganoff is just better than any other method of cooking this. This takes all day (though it is not particularly difficult) and is so worth it. The whole house smells like pot roast deliciousness and makes you want to eat everything! It is excellent with roasted broccoli and butternut squash on a cold night! This is also a great way to use up frozen beef in large quantities (which is exactly how I happened to make it the other night).

Beef Stroganoff

Serves Four, with leftovers

about 1-2 lb. whole, well marbled chuck roast
three large white onions
2 ribs celery (cut into inch pieces)
3-4 large carrot (cut into inch pieces)
Thyme (fresh or dried – if using dried use less)
Bay leaf – one or two
Olive oil
Beef or veal stock (1 to 1.5 boxes of Central Market or Pacific beef broth).
Handful of Oven roasted tomatoes (or tomato paste)
Chenin Blanc or other dry white (cognac, sherry or red wine would work too) – I think I use about 1/2 to 3/4 bottle
Worcestershire Sauce to taste
5-8 garlic cloves (depending on taste)
At least a pound of assorted mushrooms (crimini, baby bella, porcini or button mushrooms)
butter
flour
1 lemon, zest removed, reserved and juice reserved
about a half cup (heaping) sour cream
Flat leaf parsley, minced
Salt
Pepper
Grated Parmesan (optional)
2 T. crushed red pepper opt.
Beef or Veal or Mushroom Demi Glace (Williams Sonoma)– optional
Egg pasta (Whole package)

Cut room temperature chuck into cubes, about 2″ maximum, or have your butcher do this for you. Toss these pieces with plenty of salt, fresh ground black pepper and about 3 tablespoons minced thyme. In a large stockpot heat a generous amount of olive oil and brown the beef in batches, reserving meat on a plate once browned. Season and saute the mirepoix in the rendered beef fat and oil, using the sweating vegetables to begin to scrape up the beefy goodness from the bottom, until the onions are glassy. Return the meat to the pan and add stock, tomatoes and wine until just covered add to this about three tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce (more or less to taste), a few smashed garlic cloves and a few sprigs of thyme and red pepper. Braise on very low heat at least three hours (six is better).

Remove all of the chuck from the braising liquid, set on a plate, strain the cooking liquid, return to stock pot, begin reducing that liquid.Heat two tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan, season and saute mushrooms with chopped garlic ( I use an additional 3 cloves at least), reserved sliced onion (or additional – I use additional because I like the flavor), and crushed red pepper (to taste) until quite browned, remove mushrooms from the pan. Add two more tablespoons butter to the mushroom pan, allowing it to melt, add about 1/4 c. flour and whisk to make a roux, allow it to color, but not brown. Deglaze that pan with a little extra stock and the lemon juice, scraping up as much as possible. If using demi glace – add now.

Now pour braising liquid into the large saute pan. Continue to cook as long as you can, at least 15 minutes to reduce the liquid until you have about a one and a half cups to two remaining. (Start the pasta water, that will be a good metric to follow). Remove pan from heat, stir in sour cream, salt and pepper to taste. Toss minced zest with minced fresh parsley and Parmesan. Serve.

Wine-Soaked Strawberries

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I am not a fan of traditional dessert, but I do have every affection desserts composed of fruit drizzled with something (or soaked in something). This is an adaptation of a recipe in Cooking with Italian Grandmother’s, which is the best cook book I have read since Ad Hoc. This dish was the capstone to girls night, which of course means that we served it with ice cream, in one bowl with four spoons. It was perfect with the summer sweet strawberries and the heavenly vanilla bean ice cream (thanks for picking that up Sarah).

Wine-Soaked Berries

Serves Four

One cup red wine (I used Malbec)
One carton Strawberries, cleaned and de-greened
Two Tablespoons Sugar
Cinnamon, to taste
Freshly torn basil or mint, chiffonade

Combine berries, wine, and one tablespoon sugar in a bowl. Soak for three to four hours. When ready to serve, strain berries and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon, extra sugar (for crunch), a couple turns of ground black pepper; and basil. Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or on its own.