Save money...check this out!

A few weeks ago my mother calls me frantically, filled with excitement over something my uncle told her about. She rambles off a list of food items and says, "How much do you think all of this stuff is worth?"

I give her my ballpark dollar amount (because I grocery shop once a week...I should know how much everything costs by heart at this point).

"NOPE! It costs $30!"

So she starts telling me all about this organization called Treasure Box near my uncle's home in Anaheim. Because she's so excited about it, I hop onto the trusted laptop while she's rambling on to see if they have a website because these days EVERYONE has one, right? She's telling me how she and my aunt have already discussed placing their orders and her driving all the way to Anaheim to pick up her food. I think it's a silly idea to waste the gas to save a few bucks, but that's just me.

I poke around their website and discover a pickup location close to my mother's home and tell her about it (mostly to save her from driving to Anaheim which is at LEAST 25 miles from home). Not only is there one close to HER home, there's a pickup location close to mine as well.

The thing you don't know about my mother is that her excitement is contagious...

Next thing I know, I'm whipping out my phonebook and checking all of the zip codes for all of my friends and family. Once I verified that EVERYONE in my phonebook has a pickup center close to them, I send everyone a link to Treasure Box...because saving money is a GOOD THING.

I'm not sure if it's outside of California or not, but it's certainly worth looking into.

Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Fall Comfort Food - Tuna Casserole

My mother made Tuna Casserole for me when I was a child. The combination of tuna, a cheesy sauce and pasta still makes my tummy rumble when I think about it! Over the years I've made it and taken it to pot-lucks and it always turns out to be a huge hit...I never know why because it's so simple to make that I end up sharing the recipe ALL THE TIME!

Today is a cold, rainy day in Southern California...so I decided to make some comfort food to greet my children with when they come home from school. I certainly hope you like this as much as I do!

Ingredients:

1 - 12oz can of Albacore Tuna (or chunk light...I prefer Albacore because it doesn't taste as fishy)
1 - 10.5oz can cream of celery condensed soup (any brand will do)
1 - 10.5oz can cream of mushroom condensed soup (any brand will do)
1 - 14oz can of baby sweet peas (drained)
2 3/4 cups milk
3 cups cheddar cheese (divided)
1 - 16oz bag extra wide egg noodles
garlic salt and pepper to taste



-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil entire bag of egg noodles until tender (set aside). In a separate large pot, combine both cans of soup, tuna and milk. Warm on medium high heat until the soup becomes smooth. Add 1 cup of cheese once the soup is heated (for easier melting). Season to taste then add entire can of drained peas. Mix everything well.

In a large oven-safe bowl pour in half of the cooked noodles. Pour half of the cheesy soup mixture over the pasta.



Combine the sauce and pasta. Sprinkle one cup of cheese over it.




Pour the remaining pasta over the cheese and pour in the remaining cheesy tuna sauce.




Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.



Place the bowl in the oven and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.



To make an entire meal out of this dish, add a salad and some garlic bread!

Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Chicken, Chinese Kale and Mushrooms in Black Bean Sauce

My cousin got married last weekend. Afterwards they had a FULL ON Chinese Wedding Banquet - complete with an EIGHT COURSE MEAL!! I won't go into detail because it'll only make you hungry and jealous of me! HAHAHAH!! But one of the dishes was Rock Cod in Black Bean Sauce.

Now, I'm not much of a fish eater, but it was BEST fish I've EVER had! I've only prepared fish for my family once - and fish sticks for the kids doesn't count! I went on a hunt for rock cod - not knowing that it was EXPENSIVE as hell in the local Chinese market...so I decided on Chicken (read: cheap fish substitute).

I was always under the belief that Gai Lan (Chinese Kale) was Chinese BROCCOLI, but you gotta love the Internet with its abundance of information and pictures! I've only found it in my local Chinese market, but in the event you can't find it feel free to use whatever vegetable that you want.

Ingredients:

2 - 3lbs. boneless, skinless chicken leg meat (or thigh meat)
1 container of fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, sliced
3 - 4 bunches (think handfuls) gai lin, broccoli or bok choy
1-1/2 tablespoon black bean garlic sauce (found in most Asian sections of your local store)
14 ounces chicken broth
3-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (divided)
4 tablespoons sesame oil (divided)

Marinade:

1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons rice wine (NOT TO BE MISTAKEN WITH RICE WINE VINEGAR), dry white wine or sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cooking oil

**NOTE: This can EASILY be prepared as a vegetarian dish by substituting the chicken for FIRM tofu and ANY vegetable would go well with this sauce.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Using cooking shears, cut chicken into small strips and place in a bowl. Combine marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken. Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.



Prepare vegetables. Rinse gai lin WELL and cut into 2 inch pieces diagonally.




Heat wok and add sesame oil. Stir fry gai lin, mushrooms and onions over high heat for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are 80% cooked. Set aside.




Add remaining sesame oil to the wok. Add chicken and stir fry until the meat is completely cooked. Add black bean garlic sauce and mix well.



Add vegetables and continue to cook for another minute. Slowly pour in 1/2 of the chicken broth. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the last 1/2 of chicken broth until completely dissolved. Pour into the wok and mix well. The sauce will thicken as it continues to cook.



Serve with rice and enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Fix It and Forget It - Green Chile Chicken (Crockpot meal)

I know, I know...I've been neglecting my duties here for a few months...but moving can do that to you! It also took me a while to get used to my new kitchen (that I absolutely HATE). It's smaller than our last kitchen, the pantry is far from my kitchen area and the stove top damn near comes up to my chest...but hey, at least I got a house out of the deal, right?

So this was an experimental dinner that turned out quite well. I think this would also work well with pork stew meat or boneless pork loins.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. chicken drumsticks (or which ever part of the chicken you prefer)
2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 small can of diced mild green chiles
1/3 cup diced onions
1/8 teaspoon creole seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt



------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Mix soup, green chiles, onions and seasoning in a bowl. It's going to be a little thick, but don't worry about it. DO NOT ADD any other fluid!! Adding more fluid will make the sauce watery after the cooking process. Place half of the chicken on the bottom of the crock pot and spoon a generous amount of the soup mixture on top.



Add the second half of chicken and repeat.



Cook on medium for 6 or low for 8 hours...



Add sides and call it dinner! I served this with rice pilaf and honey glazed carrots. MmmMmmm!!



Fix it and forget it!!

Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Something Random...

In case you're wondering...I have purposely disabled the comment section. Please don't be offended because I DO love your comments and reviews of the dishes I've made, but I've noticed a few HTML glitches with the last two templates that I used for this site and for WHATEVER REASON, comments will not post.

So...if you DO have a question or comments about anything you see here, feel free to send me an email! Believe me, some people have gone out of their way to locate my email address rather than leaving comments when they COULD HAVE!

I've been slacking. I have recipes and pictures to post, but I've been incredibly busy lately. No worries...I haven't forgotten about you!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

SUPER Easy Chicken Tacos

This really is a super easy recipe. I have to give the credit to my mother. One night I planned on baking some chicken breasts and having rice and veggies on the side, but my husband requested TACOS (because he's REALLY BIG on Mexican food - he could eat it everyday and he isn't Mexican)!

I didn't have any ground meat to prepare tacos the way I normally would, and I wasn't quite sure how to season the chicken properly (and easily seeing how this was the last meal of the week and I needed to grocery shop). I had to use items that I already had on hand.

Let's just say that this is a new family favorite and the chicken has now been used for tacos, burritos, tostadas and taco salads!

Ingredients:

4 or 5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups of Pace Chunky Picante Sauce (I'm guessing on the amount, I just pour from the bottle til it looks about right!)
2 dozen corn tortillas
Any of your favorite taco condiments


Directions:

Saute chicken until juices run clear.



In a large bowl, shred the chicken.




Add the sauce and mix well!




It's JUST that easy! Picante sauce has the perfect blend of seasoning, onions, cilantro and chiles. If you need it to have more of a kick, simply add your favorite hot sauce!

Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Chicken Chili Stew

I cannot take credit for this recipe, but I WILL say it was well received. My husband decided to try this so-called Slow Carb Diet. He had me trolling all over the Internet looking for recipes and such. Ironically, he was the one who found this recipe and suggested that I give it a try.

I personally think it's odd to have chunk chicken in chili, but that's just me. My husband and oldest son RAVED about it after I finished and said it was better than my usual version. So I thought I'd share!

Ingredients:

3 Whole cubed skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I used 4 LARGE cans of chunk chicken I was saving to make chicken salad with)
1 medium onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped (I also added a red bell pepper too)
2 cloves minced garlic (I used 2 tablespoons of jarred minced garlic)
2 tablespoons olive oil (or whatever you have on hand)
2 - 15oz canned stewed tomatoes (I used 1 LARGE can and 1 regular can of diced tomatoes because I HAD them on hand)
1 - 15oz canned pinto beans (I used 2 cans)
3/4 cup picante sauce (I used a little over 1 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder

**NOTE: This recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt, but I omitted it because chili powder already has salt in it. I like to keep our sodium as low as possible without sacrificing taste. But it's up to you...

Directions:

Saute chicken, onions, bell peppers and garlic in a large sauce pan until chicken is fully cooked (in my case, this step didn't take so long since the chicken was already cooked). Add everything else to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

EASIEST DISH EVER!! Add some cornbread and a salad and you've got a good meal!

Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Tres Leches Cake for PARTIES!

I meant to post this picture a few weeks ago when I actually hosted the party! I baked two Tres Leches Cakes for my son's birthday party (at his explicit request). I wasn't sure how a non-alcoholic version would turn out considering I've only prepared this using rum in the mixture.

I made one cake with alcohol and the other without. Then I cut them into cubed slices and put them in cocktail tumblers. I topped each with a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream and topped the NON-alcoholic cake with fresh strawberries and the GOOD stuff with mandarin oranges.

It was also much easier to serve. For those who didn't want to eat it on the spot, we stuck forks in the cup and wrapped the top with plastic wrap for an easy dessert to go!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Chicken-Spinach-Asiago Quiche

I'm mad at myself for not taking pictures of "the process", but I had company and I was so busy whipping this up and running my mouth that I totally forgot. Anyhoo...I DO have a picture of the final product...and let me say, this was DAMN GOOD!!

I NAILED THIS RECIPE!


Ingredients:

1 Frozen DEEP DISH Pie Crust (these usually come in a 2-pack)
1/2 cup diced onion (I used green onions because that's all I had)
1 boneless chicken breast (cooked and diced - season however you like)
1 - 8oz container of fat free sour cream
1 - 9oz package frozen CHOPPED spinach (thawed and drained WELL)
1/4 teaspoon garlic SALT (not powder - seriously, don't substitute)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup grated asiago cheese
3 eggs (or 3/4 cup of Egg Beaters - which is what I used)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream


**NOTE: I made a couple of substitutions from the original recipe. It normally calls for 1/2 cup of crumbled, cooked bacon...but I forgot to pick some up, so I skipped it and I'm glad that I did. Instead I added a small can of diced mild green chile - because let's face it...green chile in a quiche is ALWAYS good!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Allow pie crust to thaw for about 20 minutes. Afterwards place the crust in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. MAKE SURE THAT YOU REMOVE ALL WATER FROM THE SPINACH - otherwise you'll end up with a wet quiche and it won't set. Also, drain the little bit of fluid from the chiles too (should you decide to use them).

Pour everything in the pie crust and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and line the edges with foil (so the crust doesn't burn). Put back in the oven and back for another 40-45 minutes...or until the top is slightly golden. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow quiche to sit for at LEAST 20 minutes before you cut into it.

**NOTE: It might be a good idea to bake this on a cookie sheet. It'll make it easier to put in the oven and take out. Also, it'll catch anything that may ooze over the edges (although mine didn't ooze even though it looked like it wanted to).

ENJOY!! I know I did!!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

So sorry for the inconvenience of going M.I.A.! Wow...I had no idea just how many people stopped by here regularly...I started getting hate mail and death threats!! HAHAHA!!

Hope you like the new format - believe me it was a MESS to put together!! But I think my HTML skills are ON POINT now!! Back in a few with a new meal...

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I know, I know...

I was supposed to post the recipe for Beef & Potato empanadas...but what had happened was...lol...the meat ended up becoming taco and burrito filling. I didn't care for dough recipe, so I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board.

I'm not posting recipes that I haven't personally tried. But I WILL tell you, the filling was FANTASTIC!!!

I'll try it again this week and see what happens! Stay tuned!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Menu Plan Monday - Week of March 16

I know it's been a minute since I posted my MPMs. I stopped because the menus were getting boring and my silly children seem to enjoy the same meals OVER and OVER and OVER again. I decided to mix things up and start trying some new dishes on them!

Here goes...

Beef & Potato Empanadas with Spanish Rice
Baked Lemon Dill Tilapia Fillets with Rice Pilaf
Jerk Chicken (using breast fillets) with Red Beans & Rice
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry with Steamed Coconut Rice
Chili (with either fries or Fritos)
Green Salad with every meal

**NOTE: Recipe for the empanadas will be posted as soon as I finish taking pictures of the process!

Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Pastel de Tres Leches (Three milk cake)

I have a wicked sweet tooth...but most of the time I can keep it under control. I've been dying to make a Tres Leches cake for quite some time.

Over the years they've become popular enough to be found in larger supermarket chains and bakeries that have a Hispanic population near by. Usually, they can be a little on the pricey side - especially if you're just trying to get your hands on a good slice of cake!

You know I like to keep things simple...so I hunted down a recipe that looked extremely easy (read: not time consuming) and one that I could play with as far as the recipe was concerned...because yall KNOW how much I like to add my own flair! A friend of mine came by and had a slice yesterday and paid me a HUGE compliment..."This tastes better than a Mexican's cake! My mom would hate you!!"

That only means that my mission was accomplished!! I made an authentic Mexican dessert (minus all the ridiculous mixing and egg separating that's normally called for)!! Hey...not bad for a Black and Chinese girl, eh?

Ingredients:



CAKE
1 box of Duncan Hines butter or yellow cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup water

MILK SAUCE (with a kick)
1 can condensed milk
1 cup of half & half
2/3 cup of fat free evaporated milk
1/4 cup Malibu Rum (any flavor - I used Tropical Banana)

FROSTING (with a LITTLE kick)
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 capful of Rum *big grin*

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray and flour lightly. Mix together the cake mix, water, oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes. While the cake is baking, prepare the milk sauce.



In a large bowl, mix condensed milk, evaporated milk, half & half and the Rum with a wire whisk. If you've never purchased condensed milk before, you'll need a spoon to scrape it all out of the can. It's extremely thick.

Once the cake is finished, allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.

With a long tined fork, poke holes in the cake about 1/2 inch apart.




Pour the milk sauce over the entire cake.



(Thanks Bri for taking pictures while I poured!!)

The liquid will absorb quickly, so don't freak out if it disappears within seconds.



Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at LEAST an hour. I baked my cake at night (which is usually when I'm in the mood for baking) and refrigerated the cake overnight. It might be a good idea to do this when you're in no real rush to eat it...just a thought.

When you're ready to frost the cake, combine the whipping cream, sugar, vanilla and Rum with an electric mixer (on low) until the cream begins to peak...don't worry about it...if you've never made whipped cream before, you'll KNOW when it's starts to peak. Don't over mix (like I did because I was distracted by my children) , it won't look as fluffy and pretty!!

Carefully frost the cake and add your choice of fruit topping (or not). I used jarred Mango halves and added about 2 teaspoons of the juice in with the whipped topping.




Cut yourself a slice and ENJOY!! Please keep in mind that this cake IS perishable...keep it refrigerated!



OMG...it's to DIE for!! Really...it is!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Honey Corn Dogs

My 4 year old LOVES corn dogs. One can usually find them frozen in my house ALL THE TIME because 4 out of 5 days a week he asks for them. When I'm feeling a bit adventurous, I whip out this recipe and let the kids help with pour and mixing. Kids love to help in the kitchen!

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken or turkey hot dogs
4 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons of honey
8−10 wooden skewers

Directions:

Bring 3 cups of water to boiling in a large saucepan. Add hot dogs and bring back to boiling. Remove from heat; cover 20 minutes. Pour enough oil to a 2−inch depth in a skillet and heat to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a medium−size bowl and blend with fork.

Add shortening and cut in with fork until the size of small peas. Combine milk, honey and egg in a 1 cup measure. Stir into flour− cornmeal mixture. Pour mixture into a tall glass. Remove hot dogs from water and dry with paper towels. Insert skewer into the hot dog, and be sure to leave about 1 inch for handle. Dip hot dog into batter; let excess batter drip into glass. Drop into hot oil and fry 2 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Caribbean cuisine! Feed your family (and maybe a guest or two) for under $20!

One of my favorite restaurants is Cha Cha Cha located in Silverlake, California. The food is a divine mix of Caribbean and South American cuisine. The jerk pork is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! My mouth waters as I type this...cuz there's no telling when I'll get to go back. It's on the other sie of town and I've YET to drag my husband there.

I've been itching for plantains, but I had to come up with a meal to wrap around it. I decided on jerk chicken and coconut rice (over red beans and rice - which was a definite runner-up).



5.75lbs of chicken legs @ $6.54 (exactly 20 pieces of chicken)
1 bottle of Italian salad dressing @ $1.54 (you'd be amazed at what you can marinate with this stuff)
1 box of light brown sugar @ $1.58
1 jar of Thyme @ $2.88
7 plantains @ $1.78 (I found these puppies at one of the local Hispanic markets)
1 can of coconut milk @ $.50
1 - 2lb bag of calrose rice @ $1.65
1 jar of crushed red pepper @ $1.98
1 jar of cinnamon sugar @ $1.48

Add that up...it's $19.93! Two key ingredients that weren't on my shopping list are GROUND ALL-SPICE (I generally keep it on hand, but it costs no more than $2.00) and SOY SAUCE (and even though I rarely use it, one simply can't be HALF Chinese and NOT have this in the house!).

With 20 pieces of chicken and nearly 7 cups or more of coconut rice...you can feed quite a few people...or have a gang of left overs. I chose to use chicken legs because it's more cost effective. Maybe next time I'll use an inexpensive cut of pork roast and make shredded jerk pork!

Jerk Chicken Marinade:

1/4 cup Italian dressing (I use this because it contains the various spices and oil required to give it the right flavor)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon all-spice
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix all of these ingredients in a bowl and pour into a large ziplock freezer bag. Put all of your chicken into the bag and toss the chicken until well coated. I let my chicken marinate for about 6 hours, but you can do it longer if you'd like the flavor to really stick! Stick it in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it. (I only mentioned this part because sometimes good sense ain't so common if you catch my drift!)



Traditionally you would grill the meat, but for the purpose of this little exercise, we'll bake it! Place chicken in a 2 - 13x9 baking dishes and bake uncovered for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees. When it's done, cover loosely with foil and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

[BEFORE]

[AFTER]


Coconut Rice:



3 cups of uncooked Calrose rice washed and drained
3 cups of water
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon of kosher salt

After washing the rice, pour in water, coconut milk and salt. Bring to a rolling boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 18 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Fried Plantains:



4-5 medium plantains
1/4 cup butter
cinnamon sugar

In a medium skillet, melt butter and saute plantains for about 4-5 minutes on each side until they're nicely browned. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Dinner is served!



Enjoy!

• 
• 
• 
• 
•