About Me

My photo
I grew up in Annapolis, the capital of MD, on the Chesapeake Bay and the Severn River where we always had fresh fish and seafood. I love all things food: cooking, eating, trying new recipes and sharing what I make with family and friends. I must say that my most favorite (I have many favorites) food is fish and mostly catfish. So, I'm always seeking catfish recipes frolm all olver. I like my cooking, my daughter, Wendy's, cooking and my son, Dan's dishes, as well. I'm not a food snob; in other words, I also enjoy OPC, (Other People's Cooking) also. I've got loads of interests: cats and dogs, taking photos, Giant pandas, chandeliers and the arts. I am a former teacher, personal chef and recovering lawyer turned information marketer. I love (watching) football, basketball, extreme sports like mountain/rock climbing, snowboarding, skiing and surfing. My own extreme sports are swimming, walking and talking. Not necessarily at the same time.
Showing posts with label budget meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget meals. Show all posts

Monday, January 25, 2010

Meal Stetcher Chicken, Broccoli and Noodles


In today's economy with the hike in the price of food, gasoline and everything else, I home cooks find themselves looking for ways to stretch the family  food budget. I always buy the value packs of chicken breasts and separate them into baggies and freeze them till I need them. Here is a recipes that really stretches one chicken breast and a bag of egg noodles. Just made this tonight for dinner from what I had on hand.  Yum Mee!

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, cut in half lengthwise
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 chopped onion
1 16oz bag medium width egg noodles
1 cup noodle water
2 cups frozen brocolli florets
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small can mushroom stems and pieces (Do not drain)
2 Tbs light (or non-fat) sour cream
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
4 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
garlic salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook egg noodles as directed in water seasoned with a teaspoon or so of garlic salt. Drain. Reserve 1 cup water.

Heat 2 Tbs olive oil to medium high heat. Add garlic and onions, cook for about 2 minutes until soft. Season chicken breast with garlic salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and dried thyme leaves. Put in pan and cook on each side for about a minute. Lower heat and add a cup or water of broth. Cook on low for about 15 minutes. Let chicken cool and cut into small pieces. Reserve liquid with onions and garlic.

In a saucepan heat 1 Tsp olive oil to medium heat. Add 2 cups broccoli florets and cook for about 3 minutes coating all florets with the olive oil. Add 1 cup water and cook for five minutes or to preferred degree of softness.

Cut up cooled chicken into small pieces. Add celery soup to chicken water. Stir until well mixed. Add mushrooms with juice and cook for about 1 minute. Cut off heat and mix in 2 Tbs sour cream. Pour mixture over noodles in pan. Add broccoli florets and i cup noodle water. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Stretch your budget with copycat recipes from America's favorite and most popular restaurants. Over 200 recipes.  See recipe secrets exposed and make them at home. Click image at left.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

America's Secret Recipes: Cook Your Favorite Restaurant Dishes At Home



I am not a famous chef, yet I re-create many of America's secret recipes right at home in my own kitchen and stay within my budget. So can you. Right now that is very important for many of us. For those with children and families you have all the more reason to want to save money. Secret Restaurant Recipes are contained in 2 volumes chocked full of some of the best restaurant dishes in the world.

Last week I was able to bake the Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits. These little gems are so delicious; it is hard to describe how good they are, except that they remind me of the biscuits my mom used to make, without the cheese. It was so hard waiting for them to cool; actually I did burn my tongue a bit because I tried to eat one just out of the oven. To add my own little spin, I use extra sharp cheese instead of the mild cheddar the recipe calls for. It is so satisfying to be able to cook meals that I go to a restaurant and buy. It had not entered my mind that I could do this until I saw this Americas Secret Recipes being offered online.


I love eating out. Unfortunately I have had to "cut down," so to speak, so having this cookbook with recipes from Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang's and even KFC makes up for the lack. All I can say is "yumm-eee." Making these dishes is a real budget stretcher. Especially since many of these same restaurants are raising their prices at this time where many people are having to carefully follow their budgets.

I happen to love cooking and have taken some cooking classes; however, most of these recipes can be done even if you have never taken a cooking class. When you hear the raves from your family and friends, like I have, you will be convinced you made the right decision.


In fact, I wish I had owned these cookbooks when I was a personal chef. They would have been great for my business. My home clients would have loved the variety and uniqueness of the recipes. The Olive Garden's Chicken Crostina would have been a winner. Chicken breasts are marinated in olive oil and rosemary then lightly breaded. The chicken is sautéed with fresh garlic and diced Roma tomatoes in a creamy garlic-butter sauce and served over linguine pasta. Then you make a crust of breadcrumbs, shredded potatoes herbs and 3 different kinds of cheeses. It tastes so good. Just like at Olive Garden.

Ready? Click here for ordering instructions.