The FReeper Canteen Presents:Gourmet Cookin’ on A Shoestring!

Serving the best troops & veterans on the planet! | Canteen Crew

[MS.BEHAVIN]

The FReeper Canteen Presents:


Gourmet Cookin’ on A Shoestring!

(and helpful dollar stretching tips!)

Good evening, everyone!

Tonight we’re going to share budget friendly wonderful recipes and dollar stretching tips!

I’ll start off with a few, and hope you guys will chime in!

Chicken is versatile, and good for you! It adapts well to so many dishes!

Here’s a favorite of mine:


Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

6 Skinless, Boneless Whole Chicken Breasts, halved
4 cups Fat-Free Low-Sodium canned Chicken Broth
1 whole Jalapeño Chile Pepper
2 large Garlic Cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Dried Oregano Leaves
1/4 cup Medium or Hot Taco Sauce
2 tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
24 Taco Shells or Small Tortillas

Condiments:

1 small Iceberg Lettuce, finely shredded
4-5 small Plum Tomatoes, diced
2 cups Fat-Free Sour Cream
1 cup Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Trim fat from chicken breasts.

2. Rinse chicken breasts thoroughly and pat dry.

3. In large, deep pan or cast iron skillet, bring chicken stock, chili pepper, garlic, and oregano to boil.

4. Reduce heat to low and add chicken. Simmer, uncovered until chicken is opaque, approximately 10 minutes.

5. Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes.

6. Shred chicken.

7. Mix taco sauce and lime juice together in small bowl.

8. Pour taco sauce mixture over chicken and toss.

9. Place chicken on serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.

10. Warm taco shells or tortillas. Place in serving bowl. Cover with kitchen towel to keep warm.

11. Make individual tacos or serve buffet style with condiments and side dishes.

Variations and Recipe Ideas:

Serve with condiments, refried beans and a nice Mexican style rice dish.

From Taco Recipes.net

*Note*
Save the broth from the chicken for a soup base, or freeze in ice cube trays for recipes that call for small amounts of chicken broth!~

Go meatless a few nights a week! Serve this wonderful casserole with a nice salad, some good bread, and you’re good!

Broccoli Cheese Puff

Ingredients

* 5 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine

* 6 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
* 1/8 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper (cayenne)
* 2 1/4 cup(s) whole milk
* 8 ounce(s) (2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 2 box(es) (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry
* 7 large eggs, separated
* 1 1/2 cup(s) coarse soft fresh bread crumbs, from 3 slices firm white bread

Directions

1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and ground red pepper until blended; cook 1 minute, stirring. Gradually stir in milk; cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring frequently. Stir in Cheddar; cook just until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in broccoli.

2. In small bowl, with fork, lightly beat egg yolks. Stir in about 1/2 cup cheese sauce. Gradually pour egg-yolk mixture into cheese sauce, stirring rapidly to prevent curdling. Cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325º F. Grease shallow 3 1/2-quart ceramic casserole or 13” by 9” glass baking dish. In microwave-safe small bowl, heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in microwave oven on High 15 to 20 seconds or until melted, swirling bowl once. Add bread crumbs; stir until well combined.

4. In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. With rubber spatula, gently fold one third of whites into cheese mixture. Fold cheese mixture gently back into remaining whites.

5. Pour mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top. Bake 40 minutes or until top is browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Fastest Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe On The Planet!

Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

Makes 10

* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth, all natural)
* 1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F

2. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl

3. On a lightly greased cookie sheet, drop tablespoons of dough and press it down in a criss-cross pattern with a fork

4. Bake 10 minutes

5. Let it cool on the cookie sheet until they have firmed up a little, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Or, there’s always the option of eating it warm with a cold glass of milk!

Fun to make, and the little ones can help!

from itsthefood.wordpress.com

Here’s a few money saving kitchen tips:

When there’s a little bit of mustard left in the bottom of a jar, don’t throw it out. Instead, toss in a few ingredients and make a tangy vinaigrette right in the container. A crushed garlic clove, some chopped fresh herbs like Tarragon and minced shallot will add the right flavor.

Pour in Balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper and shake. Add olive oil (3 parts oil to one part vinegar) shake again to emulsify the dressing. Pour over your favorite salad.
Will keep in the fridge tightly sealed, for one week.

From Martha Stewart.

Don’t throw out stale bread!

Recycle leftover starchy carbohydrates such as bread, crackers, rolls, cereal or croutons. Fresh breads often need to be eaten within 24 hours before becoming stale. If you have any of these items that may be getting stale or have been sitting around too long, put them to work! In a large tin or roast pan, combine the items and put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. This will toast the combined items. Let everything cool and put them in the food processor to make bread crumbs. You can include spices such as salt, pepper, parsley, oregano or dill weed to give them a little extra flavor. If you have an abundance of bread crumbs, separate them into several containers to create separate flavors such as plain, seasoned, or spice up a batch with chili, mustard or wasabi powder.

From:http://www.ehow.com/how_6061527_make-gourmet-meals-budget.html

Come share your budget friendly recipes and tips! Have fun!




The Canteen is a place for our Troops and their
families to rest, relax, and relate.
Please leave thy politics at the door.
A gentle reminder from Ms. B~

[BIGLOOK]

Me too....the things we can do with eggs is simply amazing.....Too bad they get such bad hype about raisting cholesterol levels.

But here's another long winded story.

When I was at Goodfellow AFB attending classes, a kid got mangled in a car accident and needed blood. The first place the local hospital called was the base for donors.

When those of us with the same blood type showed up and were tested. The first thing the nurse asked was what we had for breakfast. Most had had eggs so we were told to walk around for a couple hours and then retested for cholesterol levels to be suitable donors.

A couple hours back then.......and decades of reporting about how bad eggs were for you, raising cholesterol levels in your blood.

Moderation is ok with everything ....especially moderation in eating aparagus or garlic everyday but there's a disconnect somewhere in the food chain science.
br>

[Kathy in Alaska]

wh!!

Sand.....#50!!
AZ.....#100!!
my.....#150

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Taz...((HUGS))

Will you take the girls?

[Kathy in Alaska]

[luvie]

I think that sounds MUCH more romantic and you are a better
cook than most of the restaurant cooks! :)

[luvie]

That is funny.....I wonder how many people have found it and used your recipes and the ones from the thread. Interesting thought! :)

[TASMANIANRED]

I think that makes you a guru.

[TASMANIANRED]

Girls can’t go until we have a fence up.

Since there isn’t furniture yet..we won’t be spending the night.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Mac and cheese? The best comfort food ever!! With bacon? Now that sounds good.

[luvie]

Hi, Big Guy! Eggs ARE an amazing food. Almost a food group unto themselves!

I have never been one fall for all the “sky-is-falling” stories about foods or anything else. I guess I am a born skeptic....or just ornery enough that no one is gonna tell ME what to eat (or wear, or drink...etc)! :)

But you probably already had that figured out about me. LOL!

If it’s bad for you this year, next year it’ll be the best thing since sliced bread. Oh....which was bad for you at some point, too!

[Publius]

FRITTATA

3 eggs
1 large onion
1 large potato
bell pepper
ham
3 tbsp oil
salt
pepper

Chop the onions and dice the potatoes, bell pepper and ham. Put the oil in a skillet, add the onions, potatoes, bell pepper and ham, and sprinkle with spices. Saute slowly over low flame for 20 minutes with the skillet partially covered. Then turn off the flame and let cool.

Break the eggs, season with spices, and beat lightly with fork until blended but not frothy. Add the eggs to the skillet and mix.

Turn on the flame. Use a spatula to stir the mixture a few times. Then let it cook undisturbed. Jerk the skillet several times to make sure the frittata is not sticking to the bottom; if so, slide the spatula underneath to free it. Continue cooking until the frittata is dry on top and golden underneath.

Remove the skillet from the stove, and move to the sink. Take a large plate, put it over the skillet and quickly flip it so that the frittata falls onto the plate with cooked side up. Place the frittata back in the skillet, uncooked side down, and cook for 1 minute over high flame.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

LOL
It gets confusing sometimes, the good for you/bad for you hype.
I agree, that everything in moderation is a good thing!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

“I think that sounds MUCH more romantic”
Not to mention..warmer!
LOL
“you are a better
cook than most of the restaurant cooks! :)”
*blush*
gee...thanks!
;0)

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*HUG*
Sure does!
perfect dish for a cold winter night!

[luvie]

Well, it's getting late, fellow night owls.
Must get my beauty rest, so....
....nighty-night to you all!
((((hugs))))

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*HUG*
Nitey nite!
I’ll be heading out pretty soon, too.

[luvie]

Yum! That sounds very good AND easy! Thanks! :)

My hubby would LOVE it!

[Publius]

The Pacific Northwest version substitutes lox for ham and drops the peppers.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*Yawn*
I’m heading for bed Ma, and Gang!
Have fun!
Love to all!

[Publius]

Sweet dreams.