House Arrest and Lemon Cake

My 8-year old is flopped over on the couch for the third day straight -- rosey-cheeked with a fever, a pile of crumpled tissues (yes..some used) strewn across her belly, remote control clutched in her steamy little hand....'feeling poorly', as my Grandmother used to say. Zack & Cody, Hannah Montana, and SpongeBob are keeping her company in a steady, tvo'ed stream and she's sipping Coke on ice through a bendy straw.....she feels crummy, but at least she's comfy!

Remember being sick as a kid? In my day (I'm probably dating myself), my mom would set me up on the couch with "Love, American Style" on the tube, and a tv tray with 7-up and buttered toast. Before she left for work, she'd drag the phone (along with it's tangly, 10 foot cord) from the kitchen to where I lay in the livingroom "just in case you need anything". What a bummer when my show was over and I had to get UP out of my cozy spot to change the channel -- or else suffer through Richard Dawson and The Family Feud. My little patient has it pretty good. *sigh*..... I do feel bad for her though. Being sick is a drag.

So with all this talk of fevers and illness, you probably think I'm about to chat about chicken noodle soup -- actually, that's not a bad idea -- but unfortunately, that's not on the menu today. Since I'm tethered here at home by my sniffly, 53-lb. house anchor, I thought I'd head in to the kitchen and see what kind of trouble I could stir up. Heh, heh......stir up. Sorry.

Remember the Lemon Chicken I made a few days ago? I had a big, beautiful bowlful of lemons leftover (what can I say, I always overbuy - it's a weakness of mine), so I decided to bake up a batch of this tangy Glazed Lemon Cake.

I love this cake because it's not too sweet, it makes two loaves, and it freezes beautifully. It's nice to keep one on hand for a last minute dessert, and it's perfect with a cup of hot tea! If you have Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa PARTIES!, the recipe can be found on pp. 104-105. Otherwise, here you go....enjoy!

GLAZED LEMON CAKE
Source: Barefoot Contessa PARTIES!, by Ina Garten
Makes 2 8-inch loaves

2 sticks butter at room temperature
2 1/2 c. sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/3 c. grated lemon zest (from 6-8 large lemons)
3 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. kosher salt
3/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 c. buttermilk at room temperature
1 t. vanilla

For the glaze:
2 c. confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two loaf pans and set aside.

Cream the butter and 2 c. sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 c. lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alterately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 c. granulated sugar with 1/2 c. lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. ** see note *** When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon the lemon syrup over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

**note** I think this step is superfluous and I always skip it. I still love the cake, I just don't believe in making extra work for myself!

One for the "Keeper File"

I was dragging yesterday afternoon. It seemed like a pretty good day to drag around, actually. From start to finish, it did nothing but pour down rain….then sleet, and then snow…blech. I dashed out to Sendiks around 4:00, right when the rain was changing over to sleet. Perfect timing (note the sarcasm here) -- someone (*ahem*, dear?) had pilfered the umbrella from my glove box, so I got absolutely pelted by the needle-y (is that a word?) drops of freezing rain as I ran from the car to the store, all the while hoping I wouldn’t run in to anyone I knew -- since I had become a drowned rat in the parking lot.

I got my shopping done in record time and made it through with no girlfriend sightings (and no sightings of any girlfriend’s husband’s either). Phew! That was a close one.

Dreary weather and drowned rats aside,the absolute highlight of my day was the phenomenal Greek inspired shrimp dish we had for dinner. I found the recipe while perusing Food & Wine yesterday afternoon.

Of all of the cooking magazines I subscribe to, Food & Wine is one of my favorites. Their recipes are consistently good; I’ve never had one bomb on me (and this is saying a lot!). If you have the March ’09 issue handy, you can find this fantastic Shrimp Saganaki recipe on page 82. Large shrimp (isn’t that an oxymoron?) are sautéed along with onions, fresh tomatoes and olives, then finished with fresh basil and a sprinkle of feta cheese….wow. I think I’m in love.

As for alterations -- I did swap in the sale grape tomatoes (.99!) instead of the romas that were called for. I halved them and they worked beautifully! I also tossed in fresh basil (personal preference) instead of dill, with great results.

I served the Saganaki in shallow bowls, on top of a bed of the sale Rice Select Orzo. We had a big romaine salad and toasted pita alongside…..again, wow! I would even go so far as to call this a restaurant quality meal – certainly good enough for entertaining, and definitely one for the ‘keeper’ file.

As usual, sale ingredients are highlighted in green.

Shrimp Saganaki
Source: Food & Wine Magazine, March '09
Serves: 4

2 T. olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 box grape tomatoes, halved
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs. shelled and deveined large shrimp (Cen-Sea Brand)
1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. sliced fresh basil (or dill)
3 oz. crumbled feta cheese, plus additional for garnish if desired

Toasted pita bread, for serving

In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste and cook until softened, crushing them with the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and olives and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the basil and half of the feta and cook just until the feta is hot, about 1 minute. Transfer to shallow bowls, sprinkle with remaining feta, and serve with toasted pita. Enjoy!

When the Stock Market gives you lemons.....make Lemon Chicken!

I've been paying entirely too much attention to the news in the past few weeks. Just yesterday one of my dearest friends gently accused me of having an unhealthy obsession with current events. Why would she say that? Just because when I'm at home by myself during the day, I keep CNBC on in my kitchen? Maybe I enjoy the company of all of those talking heads, and their non-stop chatter about stocks, bonds, charts, graphs, and all things financial.

I'm constantly checking that little green ticker in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen....usually I'm tracking it's downward trend...sinking, plunging, tanking. Around 5:30 I switch on Brian Williams, because I then need to get his take on the day's events. Of course, since I've been paying attention, he usually just re-hashes everything I already know.

Confession: I adore Brian Williams...clean-cut, preppy, smart...swoon! I once dreamt that he was my boyfriend....I know that's weird....don't tell anyone I said that out loud.

Anyway, my point is that all of this bad news puts me in a sour mood...hence, the 'you need a break from the news' lecture from my friend. "So, the economy is horrible," she said. "You can't do a single thing about it. Turn on HGTV or the Food Network! Take a weeklong break from the news and stop stressing!"

Because I also adore and have great respect for my friend, I've taken her advice. I've turned my attention to the gorgeous, sunshiny lemons that are on sale this week, and made this terrific Panko Crusted Lemon Chicken. Crispy on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside, with just a little hint of fresh lemon, it's just the ticket for kicking a sour mood.

See the side bar for a great side dish, Orzo Pilaf with Vegetables!

Here's the recipe:

Panko Crusted Lemon Chicken with Parmesan

Adapted from this recipe

Serves: 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 T. fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs

1 c. Panko breadcrumbs (find these on the bottom shelf of the Asian aisle)

1/2 c. grated Parmesan

2 t. grated lemon peel, rind only

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

Lemon slices for garnish

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Sandwich the chicken breasts between pieces of heavy duty plastic wrap, and take out your aggressions on the stock market by pounding each breast to a thickness of about 1/2 an inch. Place the pounded breasts into a non-reactive baking dish and pour 4 T. lemon juice over, turning to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Beat eggs and remaining 1 T. lemon juice in a medium bowl. Combine Panko, Parmesan, and lemon peel in a pie plate. Season liberally with salt and fresh black pepper.

If you're in to making cleanup easy on yourself, have ready a large plate lined with foil.

Dip 1 chicken breast into the egg mixture. Dip in the Panko mixture to coat; gently shake off the excess. Transfer to foil-lined plate. Repeat with remaining chicken, egg mixture, and breadcrumbs.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a heavy duty skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 pieces of chicken and saute until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining chicken in 2 more batches, adding 1 T of butter and 1 T. olive oil with each batch. Garnish your platter with lemon slices and serve.

You say tomato, I say.....let's make soup!

I'm a huge fan of those gorgeous, bright red stem tomatoes that are on sale this week. I'm a fan mostly I think, because of my love for all things red, and those little suckers grab me every time. They're so darned pretty, it's almost like they're calling me: "You know you want us....you must buy us! You need to find a use for us!" I think it's kind of funny that they would speak to me that way, because I don't actually like to eat tomatoes. I just think they're pretty. I'm weird that way.

But, I do love to pick up a stemmed cluster of four or five tomatoes and have a long whiff -- even in February, they're pure summer. I'm reminded of my dad, a weekend warrior who used to spend hours in his Minnesota garden, yanking tons of weeds. When he was through, he'd stretch his aching back, plunk himself down in the dirt, and munch tomatoes off the vine just like they were apples.

Still, even with the childhood nostalgia, I don't really care for tomatoes in their raw form. It's only been in recent years that I've come around to appreciating their cooked version. However, this simple, savory Roasted Tomato Soup is something I can't get enough of. Slow roasting tomatoes and garlic together brings out the most delicious sweetness, which is balanced by onions, oregano, sea salt and the tiniest splash of cream.

Now, on to a different subject: on sale in the Bakery this week are loaves of Sendik's Artisan French Bread with Rosemary. I see these specialty breads all the time and always wonder what to do with them. Today, I've cubed a few individual slices, tossed them in a hot pan with a bit of olive oil, and voila: rosemary croutons! They add a happy little crunch to the creamy soup. And I have to confess: I eat them like popcorn when no one is looking....you won't tell, will you?

Serve this to your crew for a weekend lunch, or as a light dinner next week. Use the rest of the Rosemary Bread for sandwiches; I might toast a few slices myself, and pair them with roasted turkey, lettuce, and mayo.....hold the raw tomato, of course!

Sale ingredients are in Bold Green!

Roasted Tomato Soup with Rosemary Croutons

Serves: 6

Source: Based on this recipe from Epicurious.com

4 lb. stemmed tomatoes, cut in half from top to bottom; core removed

6 cloves garlic, skins left on

3 T. olive oil

salt & black pepper

1 large onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup heavy cream

Rosemary Croutons, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 425. Line two cookie sheets with foil for easier cleanup (I'm all about easy cleanup!). Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on the cookie sheets along with the garlic. Drizzle evenly with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for one hour. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Slip the garlic out of the skins.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, oregano, and sugar. Saute until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Slide the tomatoes, the garlic, and any accumulated juices into the onion mixture. Add the chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Transfer half of soup contents to a blender, and carefully (and I mean carefully, unless you enjoy cleaning tomato soup off of your ceiling. Start out slowly, holding a dish towel loosely over the lid.) puree the soup until smooth. Repeat with the other half. Alternately, you can use a stick blender, as I did. This works great too.

Add the cream to the pan, and heat the soup gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Rosemary Croutons.

Rosemary Croutons

4-5 slices Sendiks Artisan French Bread with Rosemary, diced

2-3 T. olive oil

Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When it's hot, add the diced bread. Toss with the oil to coat, and saute until cubes are toasty on all sides, five minutes or so. Season with salt to taste; serve with the soup.

Beef Soft Tacos

As I write this, the flurries are flying and the wind is whipping around outside -- it's a bonechilling, gray, and dreary day. Typical for Wisconsin in February, I know. I'm not complaining; I've got a toasty fire going and the makings for beef soft tacos simmering away on the stove -- I've gone far away to sunny Mexico, if only inside my head!

I had to get in at least one more pot of this fabulous stew before spring arrives. After all, while stew meat is a bargain shopper's friend, it's not exactly swimsuit friendly, right? As far as I'm concerned, February is still open season on comfort food - and since beef stew meat is on special this week for $3.49 a pound, I'll serve up these tacos once again this winter. Besides, I've got on a big sweater today, not a bikini.

A few words about the star of this dish: the stew meat. As I'm sure you already know, stew meat is not the cut of beef you can have on the table in 15 minutes - unless of course, you enjoy gnawing through tough and chewy chunks. It's usually cut from a chuck roast, which is a part of the animal that gets worked out a lot, so chuck is a little on the tough side. But, when it's braised nice and slow with a little TLC, stew meat can become incredibly tender and flavorful. Having enough time to pull off the tough-to-tender transformation is key.

You'll need a couple of hours to make this dish, I'm not gonna lie. (Just keepin' it real, as my kids say.) The good news: the time you invest in this dish will not be wasted. You will love it. I promise. Let your diners assemble their own soft tacos: set out some guacamole and pico de gallo from the Produce Department, a big bowl of the sale Sargento Shredded Cheddar, and the sale La Perfidia Flour Tortillas. Sit back and accept their praise, and dream of your own favorite warm and sunny spot!

Here's the recipe! SALE INGREDIENTS are marked in bold green print. Enjoy!

Beef Soft Tacos

Serves: 6

Source: epicurious.com

1 T. vegetable oil

2 lbs. beef stew meat, patted dry

1 jar Salpica Salsa

1 c. chicken or beef broth

2 T. minced garlic

2 T. brown sugar

1 T. soy sauce

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

hefty squeeze fresh lime juice

Flour Tortillas, Shredded Cheese, Extra Salsa for serving

Optional: Fresh Guacamole & Pico de Gallo from the Produce Department

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute beef in batches being careful not to crowd the pieces, for about four minutes per batch. Transfer beef to a bowl as each batch is done. Return all beef to the pot. Add salsa, broth, garlic, brown sugar, and soy sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, stirring often, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Uncover pot and simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes longer. Mix in cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Wrap your tortillas in a clean dish towel and microwave for a minute or two, or until hot. Serve the stew with the tortillas and accompaniments, allowing diners to assemble their own tacos.

Three Great Uses for Sale Asparagus

Well, in case you didn't hear it already, the groundhog gave us some bad news this week. Six more weeks of winter are yet to come, and as my good friend Lori would say, "What a BUST!" It's getting old, don't yah' think? The bundling up, the salty streets, dirty cars, and filthy snow are here to stay - at least temporarily, that is. BAH!

Today I'm thumbing my nose at winter with three great recipes for asparagus, a favorite vegetable of mine, as well as a harbinger of spring and the warm weather that (someday) will arrive. And besides the fact that it's on special this week for $1.49 a pound, what better reason do you need?

The first two recipes are simple sides that can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. Both are great for those nights that you're in a hurry to get dinner on the table, and either would be terrific served with most anything....a rotisserie chicken from the deli, for instance, or alongside a prepared meatloaf (on special this week) from the meat department.

The third recipe, and more of a main dish, is for a Simple Strata with Asparagus & Cream Cheese. Rich with creamy, melty cheese and crispy bread on top....mercy, it's good. This strata would be equally great for either dinner (with a green salad and some rolls) or Sunday brunch (with a fresh fruit salad and some muffins from the bakery).

It goes without saying, because by now you should know -- these recipes of course incorporate several items that are featured in the Sale Ad this week. You'll just have to suffer through reading all the way down to find out what they are. I know, the suspense is killing you, right?(Hint: all sale items are highlighted in GREEN.)

#1) (and the utmost in simplicity; I'm almost embarrassed to call this a 'recipe'):

Simple Roasted Asparagus

Serves: 4

1-2 pounds of asparagus, trimmed

1-2 T. good olive oil (please use good olive oil. please.)

coarse salt and black pepper to taste

Fire up the oven to 475. Line a cookie sheet (with sides) with foil. Place the asparagus on the cookie sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and season liberally with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 8-12 minutes, or until the spears can be pierced with gentle pressure from a fork. Transfer to a platter and serve.

#2) Roasted Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes and Asparagus with Parmesan

Serves: 4

Source: Epicurious

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" piece

1 lb. baby Yukon Gold potatoes (this is about 5-7 larger babies)

3 T. good olive oil (I already asked nicely)

1/3 c. grated Sendik's Brand Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 450. Toss together the asparagus, potatoes, oil, salt and pepper in a large, shallow baking pan, spreading evenly.

(I'm going to pause here to tell you that spacing is important, because if your veggies are crowded, they will steam and not roast. Give them their space, for goodness sakes!)

Roast for 20 minutes; stir them around, and continue to roast for another 10 minutes or so. Sprinkle with cheese and roast until cheese is melted and golden in spots, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a pretty bowl (if that's your thing) and serve!

#3) Simple Strata with Asparagus & Cream Cheese

Adapted from this recipe

Serves: 4

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

6 eggs

1 1/4 c. milk

4 T. butter

1 small onion, minced

Salt & Pepper to taste

4 slices Sendiks Brand Artisan Filone Bread, cubed

8 t. (or so, you can adjust this to taste) Whipped Chive Cream Cheese

You'll need an oven-safe non-stick skillet for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 400. Place the asparagus in a microwave safe bowl. Add a tablespoon of water and cover tightly. Microwave for a minute or until bright green. Drain well. Whisk the eggs, milk, and salt and pepper in a bowl, set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Swirl the butter to coat the pan; add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the bread and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bread and onion are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; top with asparagus and pour egg mixture over. Drop the cream cheese onto the egg mixture in generous dollops. Bake until the bread on top begins to crisp, the top is puffed, and center is set, about 20 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.

I'll leave you with this:

I love this picture!!

A Superbowl Food Hangover....and Fresh & Frugal Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Did I hear chatter about some big football game on Sunday night? And buzz over some hilarious commercials and a bigshot musician who played at half time?


Don't look at me....I wouldn't know. I wasn't paying attention....mostly because (and I'm not exactly proud of it) I was face down in this:

....totally addicting Layered Chipotle Taco Dip. Oh mama. I'll get to the soup in a minute but first things first.


This is a different and slightly grown up version of the taco dip we've all seen at the grocery store and scarfed down at parties. This recipe is made a bit more sophisticated with the addition of a smoky chipotle salsa and a slightly tart cilantro lime cream layer....mmm. See how easy it would be to get a little bit distracted?


I made it with several sale items, including two products I'd never tried before -- Amy's Spicy Refried Beans, and Amy's Chipotle Salsa, both outstanding products that I will definitely buy again (when they're on sale though; Amy's products are great, but they're not a regular purchase for a frugal gal like me). But I don't even want to talk about it right now.....it was so good -- too good. Maybe I'll share the recipe with you when I feel that I've purged myself from junk food for a few days. Ever have that feeling? Ugh. A junk food hangover is no good.


So I was craving a lighter dinner for Monday night -- something fresh, green, and healthy to counteract the feeding frenzy of the evening before. I found a wonderful recipe for Broccoli Soup with Cheddar, which hit the spot in two ways: it fullfilled the fresh and green requirement, and it was made with three sale items: broccoli crowns, baby vidalia onions, and aged sharp cheddar.
I loved this recipe for several reasons: first, it made great use of both the florets and the stems, with very little waste; and second, because the recipe doesn't call for pulverizing the soup to oblivion in the blender, you could actually tell that there was broccoli in the soup! The florets and the stems are added separately so that the stems will cook until tender, and the florets won't over cook, but maintain their bright, beautiful shade of green.


I served this soup with a big green salad and the sale demi baguettes from the bakery.... I'm feeling healthier already!


Broccoli Soup with Sharp Cheddar
Serves: 6
Source: epicurious.com


6 T. butter, divided; room temperature
2 pounds of fresh broccoli florets, stems and florets separated and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch of baby vidalia onions, white and pale green parts only, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 dried tarragon
6 c. chicken broth
1 c. half and half


3 T. butter


2 c. grated sharp cheddar (about a half pound block)


Melt 3 T. butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add broccoli stems and onions, saute for about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and the tarragon, saute 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.


Transfer contents of the soup to a blender, being careful not to fill it all the way (unless you enjoy scraping soup off of your ceiling). Place the lid on the blender, removing the center plastic piece so that the steam can vent. Using a clean kitchen towel, gently hold the lid in place and start the blender on LOW. Wait a few seconds and then up the speed to medium, and blend until smooth.


Tranfer soup back to pot. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 3 T. butter and the flour with a fork to make a paste. ** Whisk the paste into the soup. Add the broccoli florets. Simmer until the soup thickens and the florets are tender, about 5 minutes.


Preheat the broiler. Place 6 ovenproof bowls on a baking sheet. Divide soup among the bowls. Sprinkly 1/3 c. cheese over each. Broil until cheese melts and bubbles around the edges, about 4 minutes.


** Since I'm sure you want your money's worth for the time you spent reading this entry, I will tell you something you might not already know: the fancy French term for this mixture is 'beurre manie' (pronounced 'burr mon yay'), which translates into "kneaded butter". This is an easy technique you can use to thicken soups, sauces, and gravies.


Time well spent reading this blog today, right? At least you can walk away with some useful knowledge!


And if you must have the Chipotle Taco Dip recipe, I'll be posting that in the sidebar as well.

Shrimp Quesadillas for the Super Bowl

I just love it when shrimp are on sale, don't you? They really are such a treat, and when I find them at two pounds for 15.95, you'd better believe I'm snappin' them up.

Today, both the CenSea Cleaned Cooked Shrimp and the Uncooked are on sale....hhm, what a dilemma! Which to choose? I went with the cooked, 'cause no fuss, no muss is my motto. One of them, anyway. I have many mottos these days.

Anyway, I also chose the cooked shrimp because I didn't want to waste any time in getting this great recipe into your hot little hands quickly, so you could serve these to your friends for the Super Bowl on Sunday!

The luscious, melty cheese inside is the fabulous 3-Year Cheddar that's on sale in the cheese department, but of course you could cut a corner and grab some shredded cheese if you're short on time. Alongside, you'll want to serve a generous dollop of Breakstone's Sour Cream, and don't forget to garnish your platter with a few slices of sale avocado. You'll have a fresh, slightly fancy, yet frugal appetizer that everyone will adore!

Shrimp Quesadillas
Serves 2; easily doubled
Recipe adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/

1/2 lb. large shrimp, cooked, peeled, and deveined
the juice of one lime
2 scallions, minced
a hefty pinch of minced cilantro
1 jalapeno, minced (seeded and deveined if you can't take the heat)
1/4 t. chipotle chili powder (I added this, it's not on the original recipe)
1-2 c. grated cheddar cheese
2 or 3 flour tortillas

Sliced avocado or prepared guacamole
Sour cream & additional cilantro sprigs for garnish

Chop the shrimp into bite sized pieces. In a medium glass mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, scallions, cilantro, jalapeno, and chipotle chili powder. Toss shrimp in lime mixture and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes.

Drain off lime juice. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Spray one side of flour tortilla with cooking spray and set spray side down on a cutting board. Top one half with some shredded cheddar, then some of the shrimp mixture, the a bit more cheddar. Fold over and set aside. Repeat with another tortilla. Place both quesadillas in the grill pan and cover partially with a lid. Toast until golden and cheese is melting, then flip and repeat on the other side.

Remove to cutting board and allow to rest for a minute or two. Cut into wedges and place on serving platter. Garnish with sliced avocado, a spoonful of sour cream, and cilantro sprigs.

Cheddar Scallion Scones

Homemade biscuits just scream 'comfort food', do they not? And who doesn't need little comforting on a bonechilling day like today.

Soup is on the menu at our house this evening, and these Cheddar Scallion "Scones" are the perfect go-with. Don't be afraid of the term 'scones'. Lean in close.....I'm going to tell you a secret.

(I'm whispering.) These "scones" are really just triangular shaped biscuits. Another secret: I am lazy and don't like to take the time to roll out dough and cut out biscuits with cookie cutters. Furthermore, I can't stand the mess created by rolling out dough on my counters! I'm picky like that. Messes really aggravate me.

Any hooo, I absolutely adore this recipe and I think the scone shape adds to their charm. They're light and savory and are purely HEAVEN when dunked in a big bowl of soup! Plus (and you knew this was coming), two of the key ingredients (the sharp Cheddar and the scallions) are on sale this week! Another bonus: if there are any leftover scones (small chance), bundle them up and stick 'em in the freezer for a rainy day. Pop them in a 375 degree oven straight from the freezer; they'll taste like you made them that same day.

CHEDDAR SCALLION SCONES

Source: epicurious.com

Yield: 12

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 t. baking powder

2 t. sugar

3/4 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

6 T. cold butter, cut into small cubes

6 oz. SALE CHEDDAR, coarsely grated ( 1 1/2 c.)

3 SALE SCALLIONS, finely chopped

1 c. well shaken buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the Cheddar and the scallions. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and divide into two equal balls. Form each ball into a round disc, about an inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut each disc into six wedges, and transfer them to the baking sheet. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden, about 18 minutes.

Dessert Chic....Poached Pear Sundaes

When I picture a dessert that's company worthy, I don't usually think of a fruity dessert....unless of course, it's summertime and berries are abundant (and thereby economical of course).

It's not that I don't like fruity desserts, I just normally gravitate to the richer and luxurious treats -- y'know, cheesecakes, mousses, custards, and the like. But ingredients like best-quality chocolate, cream cheese, and fresh whipping cream can really drive up the price of these homemade confections, and since I'm a team player, I've agreed to keep costs down. So today the sale pears caught my eye, and I decided to give 'em a go.

I thought of creating a gorgeous tart, but I dislike futzing with pastry dough. A crumble or crisp? That would have been great, but I really wanted to attempt a dish I've never done before (plus, I was running low on butter). I found this recipe for Poached Pear Sundaes, which sounded simple but upscale, and (bonus!) also incorporated the Breyer's Ice Cream that's on sale this week.

This recipe could not be easier; I think there are a grand total of oh, six ingredients?! If you decide you'd like to try it, make sure you have about five hours to spare....not because it's gonna take you five hours slaving in the kitchen, silly. You'll need a good four hours for these to chill in the fridge.

POACHED PEAR SUNDAES
Source: Epicurious.com

Serves: 4

Actual Cost Per Serving: Roughly 1.00

2 c. water

1/4 c. honey

2 long strips of orange zest, orange part only

4 pears, peeled and cut in half top to bottom

Vanilla Ice Cream & Hot Fudge Sauce for serving

Bring the water, honey, and orange zest to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the pears and return to a simmer. Cover pan and continue to poach the pears for 12 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork (but not falling apart). Remove the pan from the heat and allow the pears to cool in their poaching liquid for at least three hours.

To serve: Place a pool of fudge sauce on a serving plate. Top with a pear ** and a scoop of ice cream; garnish with orange zest if desired.

**If you'd like to fan the pears as shown, place them cut side down on a cutting surface. Using a sharp knife, make five or six long cuts down the length of the pear. Gently fan the pear as shown. Pretty, no?

Decadence on a Dime! WRITING SAMPLE ONLY

THIS IS ONLY A WRITING SAMPLE. SUSHI GRADE AHI TUNA WAS NOT ON SALE WHEN I WROTE THIS POST. (...ahhhh....got that off my chest. Guilt over Ahi is no good.)

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love Tuna Tartare.

A couple of years ago, the husband and I enjoyed an amazing Valentine's Day dinner at the wonderful Bacchus in downtown Milwaukee. For our appetizer, we split the most amazing Tuna Tartare I have ever had....it was salty, spicy, and served on top of crispy wonton chips.... so heavenly, I was still dreaming of it long after dinner ended!

Do you think it's normal to dream of tuna tartare?

So fantastic was this dish, that I even went so far as to write to the R.S.V.P column at Bon Appetit magazine to see if they could persuade the Chef to share the recipe. Would you believe he actually did? A couple of months later I received a letter from Bon Appetit and a copy of the recipe. I've been making it for cocktail parties ever since.

Now, you wouldn't necessarily think that Tuna Tartare would be at the top of a frugal gal's grocery list, but Ahi Tuna is .... you guessed it.... on special this week at Sendiks for $7.99 a pound! The finished dish is quite rich, so you don't need to buy much tuna - only half a pound or so.

Other ingredients for the dish are also on sale: the scallions, soy sauce, and the rice crackers that I serve alongside the tuna. If you're the over-achieving type who likes to go the extra mile, you can skip the rice crackers and fry up your own wonton chips like they do at Bacchus.

I've never been accused of being an overachiever. Also, I find frying to be a putzy chore that smells up my kitchen, so I leave deep fried foods to the professionals.

Over achiever or not, pair this decadent appetizer with the crisp Toasted Head Chardonnay (on sale!), or an icy-cold Sapporo.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

C'mon, get happy!

Our neighborhood is a social bunch -- always looking for an excuse to sit down and chat over a glass (or ten) of wine. Everyone seemed to be in the mood to celebrate the end of the first week back to school after the Holiday break, so I decided to invite my homegirls over for a little happy hour this afternoon.

The catch (and I'm sure you know what's coming) -- the wine and the appetizers had to be on sale. I'm happy to say that I mostly stuck to this rule! The wine was on sale, and so were the ingredients for the Roasted Eggplant Dip. Since I had kind of a Mediterranean theme workin' with the dip, I also served hummus and stuffed green olives (alas, not on sale....but they didn't exactly break the bank, and they are sooooooo delicious). For dippers I served the salty, crunchy, and addictive Stacey's Pita Chips, and pita bread from the deli that I toasted under the broiler.

Talk about happy hour; the grocery bill for the munchies (ingredients and all) were only 13.74!

Confession: I could have skimped a bit more on the cost of the wine....there were less expensive options available. If I was being true to my pennypinching self, I would have bought the Crane wine, on sale 3 for $9.00. But, I decided to splurge a little on my neighborhood friends, and I went for the Toasted Head Chardonnay (one of my fav's) and it was also on sale for 9.99 a bottle.

All in all, I hosted a two hour gathering for four people for roughly $33.75 -- not too bad. Just think: if I had gone for the Crane, it would have been under 20.00!

Here's the recipe for the low cost and low calorie dip!

ROASTED EGGPLANT DIP
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, p.41

Serves: 6-8

1 medium eggplant, peeled

1 red bell pepper, seeded

1 red onion, peeled

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 T. good quality olive oil

1 1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

1 T. tomato paste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly.

Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Adjust seasonings and serve with pita bread.

Ratatouille Frittata....Breakfast for Pennies!

I know I promised to share a recipe for an open faced BLT on sourdough today, and we'll get to that a little bit later. But everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so first things first!

I was so happy to find a portion of the Roasted Ratatouille Salad waiting for me in the fridge this morning! I was equally happy that I also had picked up a carton of the Sparboe Grade A Eggs yesterday (on special this week, natch'). A Ratatouille Frittata, hashbrowns, and fresh fruit were on the table in about 15 minutes!

This frittata could not be any easier. Check out the recipe:

RATATOUILLE FRITTATA

Serves: 2

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 c. leftover Roasted Ratatouille Salad with Feta

large pinch of Parmesan, optional

1 - 2 t. butter

1 or 2 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (there's that word again! say it to yourself, just for fun.)

Preheat your broiler. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with the ratatouille salad and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Place a small nonstick omelet pan over medium heat. Melt the butter and swirl it around to coat. Add in the egg mixture and cook over medium until bottom and sides of eggs are set. Slide the frittata under your broiler and watch it like a hawk, until the top is cooked and fully set.

Slide the frittata onto a cutting board and slice it into wedges. Garnish with your pretty sliced basil and serve, then congratulate yourself on creating such an inexpensive, yet pretty breakfast!

It's all Greek to me......or, Ratatouille Salad on a Shoestring

If you happened to peruse the sale ad that came out yesterday, you would have noticed the abundance of Mediterranean-style ingredients on special this week: red peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, ground lamb, feta.....all of these items scream "Greek Food!"

I decided to make a Roasted Ratatouille Salad to serve alongside Strauss Ground Lamb Patties . I picked up a round loaf of Sour Dough Bread (sale price, $2.99) to serve alongside, and whipped up a simple orzo and rice pilaf with ingredients I found in my pantry.

My tab at Sendiks was under $20.00 for dinner this evening -- four bucks for the lamb patties, and $16.00 for the rest of the ingredients -- bringing my dinner cost for five people to around $3.60 per person!

You'll have leftover fresh basil and feta - maybe even some leftover sourdough too. That's all right -- wait 'til yah see what's on deck for tomorrow! We'll be using up those leftovers with a delicious open face BLT, using the Nitrate Free Bacon that's on sale.

Now, here are the recipes; sale ingredients are in GREEN. Have fun making and eating this delicious Greek-inspired dinner on a dime!

Roasted Ratatouille Salad with Feta and Fresh Basil

Adapted from This Recipe on Epicurious.com

Serves: 4-6

1 eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1" dice

1 zucchini, trimmed and cut in half from top to bottom, then sliced into 3/4" pieces

1 red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and cut into 3/4" pieces

1 medium red onion, cut into 3/4" pieces

Good Quality olive oil (please, in the name of all that is good in the world, use a nice olive oil for this recipe!)

2 roma tomatoes, core trimmed, seeded, and cut into 3/4" pieces

Good Quality balsamic vinegar (I use a nice white balsamic by Alessi)

1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese

2 T. fresh basil, cut into chiffonade *** See tip below for how to execute a perfect chiffonade.

Fire up your oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, for easier clean up. Place all vegetables (except the tomatoes) into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil (a few good glugs around the bowl should do it). Season with coarse sea salt and fresh pepper to taste, toss around with a big spoon to coat evenly. Now, dump all of these lovelies onto your cookie sheet, and spread them around. Don't worry if they seem a bit crowded, after a few minutes in the oven you'll see some shrinkage. Nothing to be embarrassed about! A little shrinkage is natural in this instance. HA!

Pop them in the oven for 15 minutes. Take them out, add the tomatoes, and scoot everything around with a big spatula. Put them back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to brown a bit. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for a half an hour or so. Turn your broiler on at this point so you can toast your sourdough bread (see below).

Put the vegetables back in to your original mixing bowl. Drizzle with the vinegar to taste, add in your crumbled feta, and your super fancy basil chiffonade. Toss, and transfer to a pretty serving dish if you are so inclined. Or, leave it where it is and save on dishes to wash.

*** To Chiffonade your basil: (First, say it with me....."SHIFF-oh-nahd".....it's French, and fun to say. Drop it into conversation at a cocktail party sometime!)

Wash and dry five or six large basil leaves. Stack them on your cutting board, and roll up tightly. Using a sharp knife, cut the basil roll into thin slices, which will fall into beautiful ribbons when you toss them with your fingers. Whoopee! You just learned a fancy French technique!

FOR THE LAMB PATTIES:

I used 5 patties. First, heat up a skillet over a medium flame. Add a bit of oil to coat your pan. Add in the patties and cover loosely (this helps speed up the cooking process as well as saves you from all that yucky splattering). Set your timer for five minutes, during which time you must promise not to scoot them around or disturb them in any manner. Let them do their thing in peace for goodness sakes. After five minutes, gently turn over your patties and repeat the saute process for an additional 5-7 minutes for medium. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

FOR THE ORZO & RICE PILAF:

1/2 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

1/2 c. orzo (a rice shaped pasta)

1/2 c. basmati rice

2 1/2 c. chicken broth (if you don't have broth on hand, just use water and a chicken or veggie bouillion cube instead)

salt and pepper to taste

a sprinkle of Parmesan (optional; if you have it on hand and want to be fancy. I am cheap, but I always love a little bit of fancy!)

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the foaming subsides, add in your orzo and rice and stir to coat well -- stir it for a minute or so, or until it gets just the slightest bit toasty. Now add your broth (or water/bouillion mixture) and bring this to a boil. Cover tightly and lower heat to medium low. Cook for 15 minutes WITHOUT PEEKING! Peeking at your rice while it's doing its thing is a definite no-no.

After 15 minutes, check on your rice. Give it a taste, if it's still soupy and/or on the crunchy side, give it a few more minutes. Remove it from heat, adjust your seasonings to taste, and sprinkle with your optional Parmesan.

FOR THE TOASTED SOURDOUGH:

Cut your bread into however many slices you wish. Put a little bit of olive oil in a small dish, and brush your bread with the oil on both sides. Slide them under your broiler until they are a lovely golden, toasty color. Remove and slice into triangles.

Dinner's done! Plate it up and let's EAT!!

July in January.....or, Dessert on the Cheap!

Lawd have mercy, I wish I had the occasion to serve these to company tonight. It would go down in history as by far the least expensive dessert I would have ever served to anyone!

This week strawberries (yes, strawberries) are on special at 2 quarts for $5.00. Unbelieveable, especially since we're smack in the middle of the winter doldrums in Wisconsin. But, because I don't like to argue or quibble, I snapped up 2 quarts and brought them home, where I challenged myself to come up with a dessert using the super cheap strawberries and ingredients from the pantry only. Well, the fridge too.

Here's what I ended up with:

Crepes with Strawberry Sauce

Crepes Recipe Source: The Joy of Cooking

Strawberry Sauce Source: I have no earthly idea; I've been making it for years!

Serves: 6

CREPES:

1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. lukewarm water

2 large eggs

2 T. butter, melted

1 1/2 T. sugar

pinch salt

Combine the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour the batter in to a Pyrex container (or some other container with an easy-to-pour lip). Cover and let stand for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 days.

Place a nonstick pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with a little bit of butter. Stir the batter and pour about 2 tablespoons into the pan, lifting and tilting the pan so that the batter is evenly distributed, forming a nice, thin layer. Cook until the top is set and the underside is golden. Turn the crepe over (trust me, your fingers will work better than any fancy gadget here) and cook until the second side is browned. Remove the crepe to a piece of wax paper. Continue to cook the rest of the crepes in the same manner, buttering the pan before each new crepe. Stack the finished crepes between sheets of wax paper. Use immediately or let cool. Wrap airtight, and freeze up to one month.

STRAWBERRY SAUCE:

3 c. strawberries (I used one whole pint)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

1 T. cornstarch

dash salt

1 t. butter

Clean and stem all of your strawberries. Remove one cup of berries and slice them evenly. Set aside. Place the remaining berries in a smallish saucepan and crush them -- I use my pastry blender here with a pretty good result. Add the sugar to the berries. Dissolve the cornstarch and salt with the water in a small bowl, add to the berries in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture comes to a boil, continue to boil and stir for a full minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and the sliced berries. Serve with the crepes or on top of ice cream sundaes.

I think the approximate cost of this dessert is around .50 per person -- I added an additional .10 per person for the pantry ingredients I had to use. Now, if you choose to purchase whipped cream, that 's a horse of a different color. You'll have to adjust accordingly for whipping cream!

Because I'm nice, I'm not going to eat all of these myself; instead, I'll serve them to my kiddos tomorrow morning. I plan on filling them (the crepes, not my kids) with a little bit of vanilla yogurt, top them with the strawberry sauce, and change my name to International House of Overachieving Moms. Ha!

Holiday bills rolling in? ....or, What to do with $1.59 ground turkey!

MONEY is flying outta' our house faster than you can say 'paper or plastic'!

December, as always, was a pricey month in our household (and I'm sure at your house too). On top of the very merry holiday spending spree, our furnace went out, our water heater crashed, and the water softener went on the blink.......ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.....and now it's time to pay the piper.

How happy was I to find that GROUND TURKEY is on sale this week to the tune of $1.59 a pound!? Just so happens, one of our family's favorite meals is ASIAN TURKEY LETTUCE WRAPS, made with the super cheap, yet very tasty, ground turkey.

Which to you want first: the good news, or the not so good news? Let's get the not so good news over with first: none of the other ingredients for this dish are on sale this week. But, on the bright side (and I'm a bright side kinda shopper) if you can make a really fun and delicious dinner outta $3.25 worth of ground turkey, you can use the money you saved to pay full price for the rest of the ingredients. It won't be expensive. I promise!

I love to serve these wraps with a side of steamed jasmine or basmati rice. Don't be intimidated by the seemingly long list of ingredients, and feel free to leave out anything you don't care for, you really can't mess this up -- it's not rocket surgery! HA!

ASIAN TURKEY LETTUCE WRAPS

Adapted from Epicurious.com

Serves: 6

1 T. vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, grated

1 very big handful fresh bean sprouts

2 lbs. ground turkey

3/4 c. (or more to taste) Asian peanut sauce

1 T. hoisin sauce

1 T. soy

fresh mint, minced

fresh cilantro, minced

FOR SERVING:

1 English cucumber, seeded and diced

18 large butter lettuce leaves

OPTIONAL:

Chopped peanuts and canned crunchy rice noodles

Sriracha HOT Chili Sauce if you like a little extra kick

Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and carrot and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in the ground turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked. Drain off any grease that has accumulated in the pan.

Add in the bean sprouts, all of your sauces, and the fresh herbs; stir to combine well. Taste turkey mixture and correct seasonings if necessary.

Line edges of a large serving platter with the lettuce leaves. Mound turkey mixture in the center of the platter. Have diners assemble their own wraps, and top with the diced cucumber and the optional garnishes.