Ginger, Caramelized Onion (and Chicken) Quesadilla with Pineapple Salsa!

The definition of inexpensive gourmet food!

Ingredients:
6      Tortillas      
1      White onion  (large)
6 tbs Chopped ginger
2 tbs Rice vinegar
1 tbs Aged balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Steak seasoning
3 cups Jarlsberg grated cheese
1/2 jar Pineapple salsa
1 tbs Olive oil
(3 chicken breasts)

Total time: 20 min
Serves: 6 

Mixture of sweated onions, ginger,
balsamic vinegar and CHEESE!

Directions:
1) Chop whole white ion ion and ginger finally together.

2) Sweat onions and ginger in rice vinegar and olive oil. (Or Butter for the less health conscious.)

3) Season to taste with recommend 1/2 steak seasoning, and sweat 5 more minutes.

4) Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar over the sweated onions and ginger, and let cool. ( This is to soak up the delicious balsamic vinegar!)

5) Added cooled onions and ginger to large mixing bowl with grated cheese, ( and chicken cooked with 1/2 tbs steak seasoning, if desired.)

6) Add final mixture to tortillas. ( In the pictures the are done in halves only to maintain versatility for each person. This also makes it easier to flip.)

7) Brown quesadilla in heat pan with olive oil and serve warm!  Top with salsa of choice-- Pineapple Salsa pictured below is recommend ;)

The reason I will NEVER recommend microwaving
anything is pictured to the right--->

THIS is a properly brown quesadilla! 

If pineapple salsa is not available in your area, pick a mild salsa and and extra chopped canned pineapple chunks to it-- it's pretty much the same thing :)

Cost:

Tortillas                           $2

White onion  (large)        $1

Chopped ginger              $1

Rice vinegar                   $0.30

Aged balsamic vinegar   $0.25

Steak seasoning              $0.10

Jarlsberg grated cheese   $2

Pineapple salsa               $1

Olive oil                         $0.10

(3 chicken breasts)         $2            

Total                              $9.75

Per serving: $1.62, WITH chicken :)

Alternative "Gateway Sushi"!!!

To convert even the most resistant meat eaters to the way of bait!!

Warning: This post is for the adventurous!! 

 So making sushi itself is a lot easier than any recipe I've seen has made it look. This is assuming you are not interested in single handedly perfecting the true art of sushi.

1)Make a pot or rice, (doesn't really matter what kind).
2) Cut up veggies of choice into long slivers. Carrots, cucumber, even lemon peels work great!
3) Mix the rice with some salt, sugar, and rice vinegar so that is is malleable.  If you add to much-- just smush it in your hand to drain off extra liquid.  It really is that simple!
4) Keep a small bowl of rice vinegar and sugar to the side to "rinse" your ands with in-between rolls.
5) Lay out a small strip of rice onto sushi sea weed sheets. Lay on top of the desired ingredients.  Salmon (Sake) or meatloaf-- I'm a believer in happy customers of all kinds!
6) Roll up the rolls nice and tight.  Notice I have not given any proportions-- it really REALLY doesn't matter as long as you like it.
7) "Seal" your roll with just a touch of the vinegar mixture you have to the side.  Think of it like an envelope.
8) With a very sharp knife, cut the roll in to sushi size pieces.  Make presentable to serve!

 Green tea or Sake (the booze) will bring the experience together no matter what you've made.

 For homemade pickled ginger-- plan ahead-- that does take a good 24 hours to make right, and 4 hours at the minimum. Basically chop the ginger as thinly as possible and then soak it in a bowled (and now cooling) mixture of rice vinegar, a lot of sugar, a pinch of salt, and water.  Chill overnight in the fridge if you can.

This is the happiest first time sushi eater I have ever seen-- Otherwise known as my father.  After years of trying futilely to convince him to eat sushi-- Brown rice, low salt, and meatloaf sushi is the success story!

Hence I really truly believe in doing whatever works for you :)
I also really truly believe in buying the Wasabi...

Rice about         $1
Sushi sheets      $1-7 (depending on where you live)
filling                $1-20 (depending on your tastes)
Rice vinegar     $1.50-7.00 (depending on where you live)
sugar and salt    $1 or less                                                      
                         $5 to $$$... it's all up to you....

The Avocado Snack that Makes a Easy Meal~

Fast+Healthy= Will actually happen

Ingredients:

2 slices of toast

1/2 avocado

Lawyer's Seasoning Salt

Directions:

Prep as shown in the picture and toast in toaster, lightly.  The end.

Time: 5 min

Serves: 1 

Cost: Basically the cost of the avocado so if you time it right this is a $1 meal

AND DELICIOUS!!!!

Did I mention delicious? ;)

Bacon (and Sausage) Carbonara!!

Because who doesn't love food topped with a bacon heart <3

Thick cut bacon is the best!

Total time: 45 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 package of pasta

1/2 lb of a hard cheese (recommend Jalsberg, as it's very affordable)

5 eggs
1 package of bacon

6 sausages (breakfast sausage works great!)

seasonings to taste: pepper, basil, rosemary, and thyme all work great

Directions:

This dish requires you move fluidly, partially regarding the egg mixture!  For that reason the steps aren't numbered.  Please read though the full recipe before you jump into the kitchen-- It will be worth it I promise!

Cook desired quantity of bacon.  A good rule of thumb is 4 slices.  (That way you have enough for the bacon heart and one to snack on while cooking the rest of the meal.)

While cooking the bacon, boil a pot of water with a dash of salt to get ready to cook the pasta.  Slice the cheese up, the thinner the better.  Combine the cheese with the 5 eggs and seasoning desired. Set aside for the very end.  Timing is crucial at the last step!

Well mixed cheese and egg mixture.
This will be cooked by heat of the pasta and bacon grease at the very end!

Cook the sausage in the bacon grease.  You can substitute in olive oil here, but considering the meal, I usual go with the classic bacon grease. 

Cook the pasta desired.  Drain the cooked pasta well before adding directly to the cooked sausage in bacon grease.  This works best in a large bowl.

Work quickly to mix the pasta and bacon grease and then IMMEDIATELY add the cheese and egg mixture.  Stirr quickly to cook the eggs.  The egg will cook directly onto the pasta, giving it an added texture with the cooked egg on it.  You will know when the eggs are cooked.  For the faint of heart- you can also always mic the mixture at the end, but this should not be necessary.

 Prep time: 50 min.  (Bacon just takes time.)
 Serves: 6 people.

 Cost:

 pasta          $2.00

 cheese       $1.50

 eggs           $1.20

 sausages   $2.99

 seasoning $0.20

 bacon        $3.00         

 total          $10.90

 So per meal: About $1.80

 I love this meal, so have I obviously ordered it in restaurants-- Never for less than $12 a plate, and it is SOOOO much better fresh.  Home cooked is the way to go on this one!

Adventures in Quinoa: Pasta Substitute Time!

As promised: Californian Summer Pasta with Chicken

(Except with Quinoa ;) )

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts 

1 avocado

1 lemon

3 oranges

1/4 cup orange liquor

fresh rosemary, thyme, black pepper, etc

2 cup quinoa

1 large tomato (Or several small ones as pictured here.)

Directions:

Heat the 2 oranges of juice and two oranges of zest in large frying pan.  Add chopped seasons and pepper, one lemon of juice, and the orange liquor to the pan. Heat sauce on low and then add thawed chicken breast, (2 and cut in half to serve 4 people or you can add 4 whole beasts), to the pan. Cover until the chicken is cooked.  In the mean time, add 2 cups of Quinoa to 4 cups of boiling water.  Add more water as needed. Plate and place chicken breast on top.  Add the fresh avocado-- and any food art desired--Serve hot!  The third orange is for garnish, as you may have noticed--

Serves 4!

Cost:

chicken           $1.99

oranges           $1.00

lemon              $0.50

avocado          $1.00

Quinoa           $1.00

spices/etc.       $0.25     

Total cost:      $5.75

So less than $1.50 a person for this meal.. and it's looks and tastes gourmet!

Time to prepare is thirty minutes, and it makes a great Mother's Day meal ;)

Adventures in Quinoa: Mushroom Caps!!

~~The vegetarian addition~~

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1/4 vegetable oil
1 cup quinoa
Seasonings to taste... For those truly on the "student budget" I recommend half a package of Raman flavoring ;)

Directions:
Add celery, bell peppers and the carrots to a pan with the hot vegetable oil.  Let these veggies cook most of the way with the lid on to steam them.  Once these veggies are mostly done, add the sliced mushrooms and leave the lid off, (as mushrooms release a lot of water). Meanwhile, boil 2 cups of water.  to the boiling water add the 1 cup a quinoa.  As more water if needed.  Combine all cooked ingredients, plus the sweet chili sauce and seasonings, together.  Back mushroom caps for 30 min at 350 degrees. Garnish with parsley or Sriracha if available.  Serve hot!

You already know this is going to be a healthy dish!

Cook the veggies most of the way before stirring in the fully cooked Quinoa.

Assemble on a backing sheet--This can be done ahead of time if getting ready for a party!!

Serves an easy 6 as a full meal, or it makes great party appetizers :D

Cost:
mushrooms     $5.99
celery              $1.00
onion              $0.50
bell peppers    $1.50
Quinoa           $0.50
oil/etc.             $0.25     
Total cost:      $9.75

So about $1.60 a person for this meal.. and it's actually really filling AND healthy!

Time to prepare is a good hour, but as mentioned above, assembly can be done ahead of time :)

Pinterst: Inspiring (cheap) ways to keep life exciting!

$5 Party Winner:

So it's pot luck time but pre-pay check time...  I saw an image on Pinterst for what I have started calling "Muffin-Tacos."  And that is exactly what they are: Filling finger food with endless possibilities.  They are easy to make, easy to transport, easy to serve, and cheap.  This is otherwise known as PERFECT.  From several sample points I can also say with high confidence they are very popular.

Directions:
As evident by the backing sheet, the recipe makes 12.  This fills a large plate nicely, considering presentation matters.  Oven is set to 350 degrees and the whole process takes about 20 minutes!

1) Soak beans of choice over night (about 3/4 cup).  Or purchase a can of beans--Depending on how health conscious you are
2) Start by cutting a large tortillas into four smaller circles  (The top of a large yoga container works well as a 'cookie-cutter.' See the blog on Inventive Cooking Techniques for more details.)
3) Tuck the cut tortillas into the muffin tin to create a pocket
4) Spoon large dollop of beans into the bottom of the pocket
5) Add a couple slices of avocado (At this point it should look similar to the picture on the right.)
6) Immediate spoon large dollop of salsa on the avocado (If for some reason you are delayed/life happens-- make sure to squeeze some lemon on the avocado so it doesn't brown.)
7) Add cheese layer--- And back until the cheese is melted!

Sever hot, and toast to re-heat.  That's all there is to it!

As it turns out:

$0.75 one avocado

$0.50 less than half a bag of Pinto beans, etc.

$0.50 slices of hard cheese (preferably white)

$1.50 half a jar of spicy salsa (red or green)

$1.00 three large tortillas (soft)                                                        

$4.25 TOTAL 

~And let the party begin~