watermelon feta salad

I subscribe to at least 10 magazines.  So many that I don't have time to read them all.  I know I should let some of the subscriptions go, but I can't.  I love them.  The pretty colors, the pictures, the craft ideas, the home decorating advice.  And the recipes.  Oh, the recipes!

Lately it seems I have had even less time to pore through them, (though I somehow managed to add 3 more subscriptions to my pile), often managing barely a quick page through before they hit the magazine shelf, only to be covered up in a few weeks' time by another issue I don't have time to read.  Over the past few months, however, in those quick glance-overs I have noticed several recipes for a watermelon-feta salad.  They have caught my eye because a.) the flavor combination sounds so interesting and b.) the colors in the pictures were so vibrant and mouth-watering.  So somewhere in my brain, I tucked away the idea.

Fast-forward to 5pm this evening, when I had to [once again] come up with a delicious dinner on the fly.  My family is actually pretty easy to satisfy--give them some sort of meat, peas or corn, and some sort of starch and they are perfectly content, thrilled actually.  And with all the coupon shopping that I do, I have enough meat, frozen veggies, and rice/potatoes to keep them happy for a long time to come.  As a vegetarian my own tastes, on the other hand, are a little more complicated.  So tonight I put the Broccoli & Cheese-stuffed chicken in the oven for my family and searched the fridge for something to make for myself.

This weekend on our drive back from Orlando, we randomly stopped at a roadside fruit stand and loaded up on some really cheap watermelon.  And last week, feta cheese was on sale at Publix AND I had a buy 1 get 1 free coupon.  As I peered into the fridge, all those cursory glances through my favorite zines came rushing back and it hit me:  Watermelon Feta Salad.

There was only one problem.

I had absolutely no idea in which of my gazillion magazines I had seen the recipes, and searching could literally take hours.  I had 20 minutes.

I decided to wing it.

I filled a medium size bowl with chopped up watermelon, added some very thinly sliced onion (about an eighth of a medium Vidalia onion) and a few ounces of feta cheese, then mixed it all together.  I then spooned some onto a plate, sprinkled it with pepper, and drizzled it with balsamic vinegar glaze.

And I have to say, it was incredible!  I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I couldn't get enough and I ended up eating the whole bowl all by myself.  (Luckily it is also a fairly low-calorie meal, not to mention super easy, quick, and cheap!) It's not for everyone--my husband and kids refused to even taste it--but if you like flavorful foods, give it a try.  You won't regret it.

black beans & coconut rice

I am vegetarian but my family is not, so I am used to cooking both ways.  My non-vegetarian friends & family, however, often panic at the thought of cooking something vegetarian for me.  Inevitably, their minds go blank, and they give me salad.  And I have a confession:  I am a vegetarian who doesn't really like salad all that much.

I'll skip the pious lecture about the horrors of meat versus the virtues of vegetarianism.  The truth is that I don't really care that much whether someone eats meat or not.  I personally don't like the taste, and never have.  But from simply a cost standpoint alone, there are some very cheap, great tasting vegetarian recipes that are worth trying whether you are a charter member of PETA or whether you prefer your beef still mooing.

This one is probably my favorite.  Rice, coconut, vegetable stock, beans, butter, salsa, & sour cream are all great staples to stock up on when they are on sale, and the remaining produce ingredients--onion, cilantro, & lime--are super cheap, even when they're not on sale.  It is equally delicious on its own for a simple, cost-effective meal, or paired with marinated then grilled vegetable and/or chicken skewers.  I have even made a vegan version by substituting the butter for olive oil.  If you prefer a milder dish, just skip the cayenne pepper.

Spicy Black Beans & Coconut Rice

1 c. sweetened flaked coconut

 3 1/2-4 cups vegetable broth, divided

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 Tbsp. butter, divided (or olive oil, for vegan version)

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (skip if desired)

1 lime

3 green onions, sliced

approximately 3/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (I usually use 1 whole bunch)

sour cream or greek yogurt (skip for vegan version)

fruit salsa, any brand

 (I usually use mango salsa, but pineapple would be good too)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread out coconut on baking sheet and bake until toasted, 5-10 minutes.

2.  Bring 2 1/2 cups of the broth, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp. butter to a boil in large saucepan.  Stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook about 20 minutes until water is absorbed.

3.  Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute onions 5-7 minutes, or until tender.  Stir in black beans, spices, and 1 cup of broth.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.  If bean mixture begins to look too dry, add a little more broth.

4.  Roll the lime around on the counter, pressing down with your palm as you roll to loosen the juices.  Remove rice from heat.  Cut lime in half, then squeeze in juice from both halves.  Stir in toasted coconut and cilantro.

5.  To serve, spoon rice onto plate.  Top with beans, and then garnish with sour cream and salsa.

caramelized pear upside-down cake

This recipe for Caramelized Pear (actually apple, but either work just as well) Upside-Down Cake is one of my favorite dessert recipes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Vegetarian Classics by Jeanne Lemlin.  Even though I have about a billion cookbooks, I rarely use them.  Most of my favorite recipes, the things I find myself making over and over again, are recipes I've collected in a 3 ring binder from friends & family, the internet, and magazines.  But this book is the exception.  Everything I have made from it has been exquisite.  As a very visual person, I usually gravitate towards recipes with pictures.  If it looks good, I'll make it.  This book, aside from the corn chowder on the front cover (which is, trust me, also divine!), has zero pictures.  Not one.  I've had it for years, so I don't even know what possessed me to buy it in the first place, except, most likely, that corn chowder on the front.  But buy it I did, and I have never regretted it.  It is my go-to book when I'm not sure what to make.  The recipes are straightforward and classic, not fussy, and use ingredients I have actually heard of (and know where to buy), which can be a problem with vegetarian cookbooks.  (I have been a vegetarian for almost 20 years and I still don't know what Seitan is, how on earth to cook it, or where I could find it in the grocery store.)  Better yet, the recipes are all vegetarian, but still hearty and "normal" enough to please my self-proclaimed "simple guy" meat-eating husband.

So without further ado, here is the recipe:

Caramelized Pear (or Apple) Upside-Down Cake

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

dash nutmeg

2 1/2 cups thinly sliced apples, such as Cortland, MacIntosh, or Macoun (about 3 small apples);

 (alternatively, you can use 3 small ripe but still firm pears.)

The Cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  (I always use the convection setting on my oven because it seems to cook more evenly.)  Lightly butter the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan.

2.  Combine the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan and boil 30 seconds.  Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the apples all over and press them down slightly to level them.

3.  To make the cake, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until very smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4.  Sprinkle in the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt, and beat 10 seconds.  Pour in the milk and beat just until the batter is evenly moistened, about 1 minute.  Spoon teh batter over the apples and smooth the top.

5.  Bake approximately 50 minutes (watch closely if using convection setting!), or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry.  Run a knife along the outer edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan.  Place a plate over the cake, then flip it over to invert the cake onto the pan.  Let the cake cool completely before serving.

Best served the day it is made, but can be kept up to a day covered at room temperature.

As I noted in my previous entertaining on a budget post, it is a great dessert for guests, especially when paired with a nice cheese plate!

Have a great weekend!

(P.S.  This is not an advertisement or a paid review.  I've had this book for at least 5 years.  I just really like it & wanted to share!)

refrigerator raisin bran muffins

My Aunt Lois, who is an amazing cook, gave me this delicious recipe for refrigerator raisin bran muffins.  (She also gave me her carrot cake recipe which is absolutely to-die-for!)  These are a favorite in my house and with all the free or close-to-free cereal I've been getting lately, they are also a super thrifty breakfast solution.  The recipe makes a huge batch, but the batter stores in the refrigerator for up to a month.  It is perfect for busy mornings because we can spoon out just what we need and have a hot, delicious, & healthy breakfast even when we are short on time.  (Like this morning when we needed to be at church by 8am!)

Refrigerator Raisin Bran Muffins:

1 15oz box Raisin Bran

5 cups flour

3 cups sugar

5 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

4 cups buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups Craisins (can also use raisins)

1.  Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.  Combine wet ingredients in a second bowl & whisk well.  Pour wet mixture into cereal mixture; stir just until blended.  Fold in Craisins.

2.  Place in tightly covered container in refrigerator overnight.  Batter will keep up to 4 weeks.  DO NOT STIR!!!

3.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin tins (or use muffin liners).  Spoon batter into pan.  If desired, press fresh or frozen blueberries into muffins just before baking.  Bake 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes.  Serve warm.

Mmmmmmmmmm!

(Auntie Lois, I don't know if you read my blog, but thanks again for this recipe!)

good eatin'

Before I started saving hundreds of dollars every week with this whole coupon thing, I was a make-a-meal-plan-for-the-week-then-go-shopping-for-everything-in-just-one-trip kind of mom.  Sure, I was spending at least $250 a week at Publix, not to mention another $200-300 every month at Sam's Club, but we ate well!  I love to cook and I love to entertain, and when I wasn't worrying about my budget, my creativity in the kitchen was free to run wild.

I sort-of miss those days.

But then I look at how much money I have saved in just two months and I start to feel a little better.  Unfortunately I still have to figure out what to cook!  I really find the meal planning aspect the most difficult part of couponing.  It doesn't suit my plan-ahead type-A personality at all.  Like anything else in life, however, with time it is getting easier, especially as my stockpile grows, giving me more options to choose from, and as I am getting better at taking advantage of sales on fruits, vegetables, & meat.

One website I have found very helpful is e-mealz.com.  I paid $12.50 (normally $15 but I found a $2.50 off coupon by doing a google search for "e-mealz coupon") for a 3 month subscription.  For that price they provide a printable weekly meal plan with recipes and a shopping list based on the weekly specials of the store of your choice (which for me is Publix.) I don't follow their plans exactly, since not all of the meals appeal to me or my family, but I have been using at least 2 or 3 of the meals each week.  They are generally pretty fast and easy, family friendly recipes, and since they are based on the weekly store specials, most of the ingredients are usually either kitchen staples I already have or things I was planning to buy that week.

Of course, a willingness to be flexible is still pretty important too.  It is something I am still learning, since it goes against every fiber in my want-to-control-everything being.  Last night, for example, I was going to make an e-mealz 3 hour crockpot recipe for Chilies Rellenos.  Except yesterday afternoon I got busy doing other things and completely forgot to put the food in the crockpot.  Suddenly it was 4:30, the girls were starting to get hungry (and cranky) and I had no idea what to make.  I couldn't even substitute Friday or Saturday's meal plan because we have other plans for both those nights.

Luckily, I now have a fridge, freezer, and pantry full of food!

45 minutes later, dinner was on the table and I had scored my first true home run of this coupon game:

There are very few meals that my whole family can agree on, but everyone was very, very happy with this one.

We had:

Strawberry Blue-Cheese & Avocado Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing (for mom & dad)

Strawberry, Olive, & Avocado "Kid Salad" (for the girls)

(strawberries BOGO at Winn-Dixie, blue cheese & avocado from Sam's, Fresh Express Salad Mix BOGO at Publix, olives from CVS.  Approximate total for salad ingredients: $2.00)

Chicken Kiev (chicken stuffed with butter & herbs) (for dad & the girls)

(Barber Chicken Kiev BOGO at Publix (two weeks ago). $1.50)

Buffalo "Chicken Wings" (for vegetarian mom)

(Morningstar Foods Buffalo Chicken from Publix $0.13)

Sauted Green Beans with onions, garlic, & balsamic marinade

(Green beans and onion from Publix with leftover garlic & marinade from fridge. $0.70)

Scalloped Potatoes

(Betty Crocker potatoes BOGO at Publix. $0.82)

Total Cost of Meal: $5.15 ($1.29 per person!)

For that price, I guess I can learn to be flexible.