Fishy

I love Salmon patties and so does my husband (except for the smell; he always seems to disappear when I am cooking them). Salmon patties have become a regular meal for us because they are unbelievably inexpensive, but you feel like you're eating a delicious meal at a restaurant on the coast. Well, I might have exaggerated just a little, but not on the delicious part.

Just make sure you keep the windows open when you're cooking them so your house doesn't smell like on of those fish markets on the coast!

I serve the patties with green-chile, jalapeno rice and black beans. So good!


Salmon Patties

Ingredients:

-1 can of Salmon
-Chopped Cilantro (a palm full)
-1 red onion finely diced
-1/2 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs & 1/4 cup for coating
-salt and pepper, to taste
-1 egg
-butter, 1 tbsp for cooking & 2 tbsp melted to finish

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Mix in a medium bowl Salmon with bones removed, cilantro, onion, egg, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick, oven proof skillet to medium heat with a tablespoon of butter. Put a dusting of bread crumbs on a plate. Begin to form patties; should make 8-9 medium sized. You may also make these ahead of time, cover and chill up to overnight.

As each patty is formed coat each side with more bread crumbs and place in pan. Cook on both sides for 3-4 minutes. Place in oven for 15 minutes of additional cooking time. Pour melted butter over all of the finished patties directly out of oven. So good; my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup sour cream
-1 tbsp Dijon mustard
-2 dashes of hot sauce
-1/2 tsp of dill
-1 tsp of sugar

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and serve in a bowl for dipping Salmon patties.

This is where it all starts.

This can of Salmon holds great power.

To a medium bowl add all the ingredients that goes into this patty.

Then add the egg.

This is important.....us Panko bread crumbs. They can be found in the Asian aisle.

Add your bread crumbs.

Mix till it's all incorporated well.

Begin to form your patty.

Step 1: Grab a palm-full of the mixture.

Step 2: Form in a ball.

Step 3: Flatten to form a disc shape.

Voila!

Simms got in on the action too.

Pretty good, right?

I wouldn't recommend eating his though.

Next, coat lightly with bread crumbs.

Do both sides.

These are gonna be good!

Especially cooked in butter!

Place each patty in the hot pan.

Cook at least 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Then flip.

Let them cook now another 3 minutes or so.

Now pop in the hot oven.

After some intoxicating time in the oven.

Top with butter!

Oh yea!

Finish with a dollop of the Dill Sauce on each patty.

Dig in! Don't wait any longer. You deserve it!

Well, unless your son says you haven't prayed for dinner yet.

Then say really quickly.....God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food!

Amen!

Indian w/ a Thai Twist!

I am FINALLY settling into in my new house in Louisville and most importantly my new kitchen. I love it! I have only cooked a handful of meals and finally ran into one that is worth writing about. I have a total romantic connection with Thai food; I mean you have to leave me a alone with my coconut curry chicken and give me a moment. So because of my great love I tried to make my version of this dish with an Indian flare.

Ingredients:
-3 large carrots finely chopped
-1 large sweet onion finely chopped
-1 cup frozen pea
-1 green pepper roughly chopped
-1 red pepper roughly chopped
-1 tablespoon garlic
-1 cup brown rice
-1 lb cooked chicken chopped
-1/2 cup coconut milk (more depending on creaminess/sweetness)
-1 large can tomato puree
-1 tablespoon curry
-1/2 tablespoon paprika
-cilantro
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
Sautee all vegetables together until soft with olive oil. Start cooking rice. Cook chicken until browned with olive oil. Add tomato puree and spices on top of chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes. Combine all vegetables, rice and chicken with the sauce. Drizzle more coconut milk over the top with chopped cilantro. Serve family style in a big beautiful bowl. Will serve 4-5.

Staples

One big key in cooking weekly meals is plan, plan, plan. You have to sit down and plan your menu either by the week, or like I do the month. I saw years of my mother doing this and thought, "she puts WAY too much time into planning meals for us...how BORING." Then as I grew up and stopped rolling my eyes I realized the importance of what she did and still does. It takes a couple of days of hard work and then the rest of the month is a breeze. Another tool that comes in extremely handy is have a checklist on the fridge and blanks spaces as well to simply check mark or write an item the minute you run out. They have these great lists already made for you that I found at Target by "REALSIMPLE"; it has magnets on the big notepad and you always have it there on your fridge. While planning look at the coupons and sales on the internet to guide you in your menu. The final tool that I use are staples and more staples. Keep your pantry or cabinets filled with staples like spices, oils, vinegars, flour, and canned goods like beans, tomatoes, any vegetables, tuna, etc. I also usually try to have lemons, apples, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, and cilantro on hand because those are staples for our family. Here's a recipe that is great to keep on hand for a healthy snack and is made with practically all staples.

Spicy Hummus

Ingredients

* 1 (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
* 2 rounded tablespoons Tahini sesame paste (found in diary, dry, or Greek aisle)
* A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
* 1 teaspoon (1/3 palm full) ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon (1/3 palm full) ground coriander
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* Coarse salt
* 1/2 lemon, juiced
* Wheat pita bread warmed, tore in pieces and used for dipping

Directions

Combine beans, Tahini, oil, pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt, and lemon juice in food processor bowl and grind into a smooth paste. Transfer to a small dip dish and surround spread with warm pita wedges. This recipe makes a great appetizer, or anytime snack.

Okay I don't know exactly what you have in your pantry and what you don't. So average pantry probably doesn't have Tahini Sesame Paste (what is that anyway?!?!). That's how my pantry was. Everything else is pretty much considered a staple and if you don't have garbanzo beans a.k.a. chickpeas, they cost like $0.52 a can. The Tahini paste doesn't even necessarily have to be added, but it gives a nice creamy and nutty consistency and binds the hummus together nicely. I made it without it once and it was still delicious, but better with the Tahini which costs around $3.00.
Hummus can cost anywhere from $4.00-$6.00. Once you have the Tahini on hand this hummus costs virtually $0.52. Try it it is SO good!

*Recipe with the help of www.foodnetwork.com and Rachael Ray.

Souper Good

Winter tends to lead me to soup makin'. Something about a big, warm bowl sitting in front of you; pouring off steam and smelling so dang good just makes your belly smile. Well this soup recipe will do it, and it won't take an hour for you to dice up a million ingredients or break your budget. Plus it is "souper" healthy. Soups on!

Spicy Black Bean Soup*

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Works with Simply Filling

The key to thickening this soup without flour? Pureeing some of the beans before cooking it. You'll love the stick-to-your-ribs texture that results.


Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 medium onion(s), finely chopped
4 medium garlic clove(s), minced
45 oz canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel Tomatoes
11 oz canned yellow corn, drained

Instructions
Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Place one can of beans in blender; add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.

Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot.

Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving.

Also delicious with light sour cream and a sprig of cilantro.

WARNING: When consumed by children the bowl will be cleaned spotless and it will look like they have bathed in it....or maybe that's just my crazy 2-year-old. Too cute!

*Courtesy of Weight Watchers. Check out www.weightwatchers.com

Food, food, and more food.

I am completely worn out from yesterday's shopping extravaganza. Not luxurious shopping like new clothing or bedding....grocery shopping. YUCK! And not just grocery shopping for the week, but the entire month. This took about 2 days worth of planning and coupon clipping, 3 stores, and 6 hours of shopping with comparing prices and coupons and the health factor (especially since we're on the Weight Watchers plan). Sounds crazy doesn't it; well I think it was worth it. I saved $72.40 from manufacturer coupon, store coupons, and sale items at Target, Kroger, and Meijer; plus thankfully I had gift cards that could be used at these stores that totaled $50. With a grand total of savings of about $122.40; not bad. With the groceries purchased that are non-perishables and frozen goods dinners should stretch easily into most of next month as well, if I plan correctly.
To re-energize from such a long and somewhat torturous shopping trip the women of my church, Springdale Community Church were gathering together for demonstrations of recipes on comfort food with a healthy twist. Perfect for the day that of grocery shopping that I experienced. After this encouraging evening of food and fellowship I came away with some new knowledge and recipes. Here is one recipe that I took away with from last night that I'm making today to have on hand as a healthy dip. This is perfect for our family because we tend to snack, and we are big chips and salsa people so this is a great replacement. Not only is this dip healthy, but also cost effective. Making anything from scratch , no matter what is, is always cheaper and usually healthier as well.

Kelly's Healthy Dip*

1 cup quick barley, cooked
1 can each (drained and rinsed) black bean and garbanzo beans
1 large cucumber, diced
1 small diced red onion
1 tomato diced
1 tub of salsa (fresh made in deli section) med or hot depending or your taste

Mix above ingredients together than add Ken's Steakhouse Northern Italian with basil and Romano salad dressing, (use desired amount over ingredients after you mix them together)
Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve as dip, also good over leafy green salad, in a chicken wrap, and served as a warm relish over baked chicken.

I am substituting barley for brown rice because my pantry is stocked with that, but the barley added such great texture. I am also making my own vinaigrette with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and some chopped fresh basil (for me this is more cost effective). And I am also making a pico de gallo with (2 tomatos/1 large can of diced tomatoes, 1/2 small onion, cilantro, jalapeno, 1 garlic clove, salt and pepper) instead of buying the fresh made salsa, which is another inexpensive alternative. You have got to try this it is fresh and delicious!

*Recipe courtesy of Kelly Hawkins and demonstrated by Jen Mannarelli.

A New Year and a New You.....

Phewww! The holidays can be full of laughter and cheer, but it sure can take a tole on you! Completely out of everyday routine and worn out from the "hustle and bustle" that the past few months can bring; a new year is something to definitely look forward to, but was last year all that bad? Maybe it was, but when you actually are looking through the correct lens your eyes may be open to the goodness that was brought to you last year. Sure this past year had some ups and downs in the McDougal household (we wouldn't be a normal family if I sat here and told you otherwise), but God brought restoration for the times that were a little darker and shone His light so we could see Him. For the times that were brighter; God of course shone even brighter telling us that He was the Blesser and Giver of all good things and for that I am eternally grateful.
As I look out our windows in our comfortable, warm apartment I am thankful to be here as the cold, clean snow pours down from the sky, but I can't help but think of those that may not have the comforts that I have felt from the moment I woke up. Soft carpet on my feet, warm coffee in my cup, homemade granola with yogurt, a loving husband and an energetic and joyful little boy. Let me stop for a moment and be honest because at 7:00 AM I did not see all of that quite as clearly; thankfully God opened my eyes to it now, and the coffee helped too.
But with a New Year comes New Year Resolutions, which are a great thing depending on the heart behind your resolution. I challenge you to look at your resolution and make sure it isn't all about you. Maybe it's time to give a warm cup of coffee to someone in need. Let me explain....if a charitable act is on your list, make sure you're doing it to serve someone else; not that you will be noticed. If it's losing weight do it to glorify God, not yourself. This is something I am continuing to tell myself.
As a couple, my husband and I are on the Weight Watchers plan and reaching for the goal of running the Triple Crown (today is the fourth day of training and it's already hard for me to make myself go train). We also have some financial goals and spiritual goals as well. Hopefully reaching all of these by God's grace and giving him the honor. A New Year and a New You......maybe it's time to replace the "You" with something else. Just something to think about.

Here's the granola recipe that I made for breakfast this morning for a healthy and "pennyless" way to start your New Year. It has become a staple in our home; most ingredients are staples that I always keep on hand. This is a delicious breakfast or healthy snack worth 2 points a serving according to Weight Watchers.

Fruit and Pecan Granola Bars*
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup toasted oats
2/3 cup chopped dried cranberries or golden raisins (any dried fruit works)
1/4 cup chopped pecans (any nut works here as well, just watch the nutrition info)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions
Preheat over to 325 degrees. Line an 8 x 11 inch pan with foil. Coat with cooking spray.
Whisk egg, egg white, sugar, oil, cinnamon, salt and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in oats, cranberries (or raisins), pecans and flour. Spread in prepared pan.
Bake until gold brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool; cut into bars with a lightly oiled knife.

Serves: 16 Bars

(I usually double the recipe. It's great broken up in yogurt or for cereal as well).

*www.eattingwell.com

$276 Worth for 1 Penny!

I've been in the kitchen lately cooking up more pasta (of course!), stir-fry, grilled chicken and veggies, and breakfast. Cheap and pretty nutritious meals, but nothing that you haven't heard or know about! Nothing too groundbreaking. It's been costing me (if I hit the sales right and stretch meals to the max and making rice and beans when I'm low on other options) to do those meals for about $150 a month which can feed about a family of four. Wednesday and Thursday nights (because of our schedules and savings which come from it) tend to be our leftovers or rice and beans nights.
One idea I'd like to share when making your rice and beans is to mix in a can of tuna. This makes the meal stretch even further, adds that extra protein, and may sound disgusting, but if you like tuna it's actually good. Top with hot sauce and no joke it really hits the spot! A filling meal for a couple of bucks.
My meals haven't been too groundbreaking as I mentioned earlier; so the reason I must speak to you is the inspiration I got this morning on "Good Morning America" that truly is groundbreaking! I was flabbergasted when I saw this married mother of two and the way she grocery shopped! I am going to try to learn her method. I mean she could make millions on her technique if she wanted to; it is incredible! Some of you may have seen her.
I call this blog "The Pennyless Cook" for a reason. I hope to challenge myself and others to make inexpensive, but still delicious meals on a small budget, but what this woman has done is on a completely different level! She feeds her family of four on literally pennies a week! I am not exaggerating! Her monthly cost on groceries is roughly $4.00 a month! And she's even buying seafood when coupons allow! It's not just Ramen Noodles, because even those are $0.28 a piece. On her shopping trip that aired this morning she bought $276.00 worth of groceries, and with the many coupons she handed the cashier the price continued to drop with the speed of light. The final total was (drum roll please)..... 1 penny! Did you hear me?!?!? 1 PENNY!!!! CRAZY!!!! My mouth dropped wide open when I saw this! That happened to be a record-breaker for her. As I stared at the piles of groceries crowding the trunk of her vehicle I just could not believe what I just saw!
Some of the methods she uses includes finding out the rules for all stores on double-coupons, rules on combining double manufacturer coupons and store coupons (CVS allows this for example), and buying free or close to free items such as 1/4 pound of seafood which costs $1.00 with a $1.00 off coupon. She works hard at this and goes to the grocery without children, I noticed, so she can concentrate and calculate with accuracy. Check it out on www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/. Happy shopping! And happy it will be if you can master this skill! Let me know if you do.