Ham Glaze

It seems as if now when you buy a ham they are 'kind' enough to put in a glaze packet.  From what I read of the ingredients it consists of a granulated sweet substance and a gelatinous goo.  Mmm, yum.  Lets face it, the best thing about a glazed ham is the sweetness it adds to the salty tones of the ham.  I can't say that my glaze is the best, but I've never had a single complaint, except that maybe every morsel wasn't drenched in it.
Ingredients: Honey and brown sugar.  That's it!
All you need to do is drizzle the honey over the ham, covering as much square footage as possible.  Then pack- literally, with your hands- the brown sugar onto the honey.  Bake uncovered per the hams heating instructions.  The sugars will brown and get all crispy so be sure to keep an eye out for any burning.  If things get a little too dark just cover with a little piece of foil over that area. 

Basic Math

What does 7.91 lbs or pork loin at $1.99 a pound equal-
18 pork chops
1.5 lb roast
2 lb breakfast sausage

I go to Sam's club about once a month and come home with a whole pork loin anywhere from 7 to 9 pounds.  With this, a sharp knife and some FoodSaver bags, I can get enough pork to feed my family for at least a month! 

Here is my recipe for the breakfast sausage:
(It is a combination of several recipes, from several sources)

2 lb pork loin (I use the fattiest end)
2 heaping tsp dried sage
1 T sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
a few red pepper flakes

Using a meat grinder, mine attaches to my stand mixer, grind the meat using the fine disk.  Add all the spices and mix thoroughly with your hands.  Yes, your hands.  They are the best mixing tool ever.  Divide this up into about 12 patties.  Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and stick in the freezer until frozen solid.  I leave mine in overnight.  Then place them in a zip top bag, label and pop back into the freezer until needed.  Then just take out however many you need, thaw in the microwave and cook up as usual.

Monday Menu and Money Saving Strategies

3 people, 3 meals a day, 7 days a week with snack and beverages, how much do you spend on average for your family?  I have a strict grocery budget- $100 a week.  That is over a $125 less a month than a family my size would get in food stamps in Illinois.  The real shocker in all this?  I don't buy boxed meals, frozen meals or a lot of processed food. 
There are a few secrets to accomplishing this.  1. My husband and I gave up soda.  We had a strong Diet Coke addiction in this house.  There came a time when I just couldn't justify spending that much money on something that has absolutely no nutritional value.  That added at least $10 a week to the budget.  2. Fruit juice is expensive so I use an old bar-tending trick and water it down.  I buy the 100% juice, I don't skimp with the blended cocktail stuff.  I generally use half water, half juice and I haven't had any complaints yet- even from Gryffin's friends on play dates that are used to the hard core full strength stuff.  3. I make a menu.  This is essential.  I know the busy nights and can accommodate a quick meal and I know the nights where I have more time to invest in a fancier meal.   If I know what I'm making, I can determine what I need and only get those items. 
Here is a look at what my menu is for this week:
Monday- Pork Enchilada Casserole with salad
Tuesday- Bourbon Chicken Stir Fry
Wednesday- Shepherds Pie
Thursday- Spaghetti Squash- trying a new recipe!
Friday- Home made, gluten free pizza
Saturday- Meatloaf with broccoli and corn
Sunday- Roast chicken with carrots, potatoes and brussel sprouts

Definately NOT Kosher...

How do you make six servings of a meal for under $5 TOTAL?  I know most of you are saying that it is impossible but take my word for it- it is not only possible but delicious.
Ham and Beans
1 lb ham trimmings/ends/assorted pieces (I found this at our Super Walmart for $2.99 and was really surprised that it was good quality meat)
1 lb dry navy beans ($0.59)
2 cans chicken broth ($0.59 each)
1 T sage
Big handful of salt
1 T corn starch, optional
The night before add dry beans and salt to a really big bowl.  Cover the beans and an additional 3 inches above with heavily salted water.  I've found that this way the beans soak up the salt with the water and have better flavor than salting them afterward.
In the morning drain the beans and add to a large crock pot.  Trim any fat off the ham and chop into bite size pieces.  Add these along with the chicken broth and sage to the crock pot and add enough water to raise the water about 2 inches above.  Stir and cover set pot on low all day, about 8-10 hours.  Occasionally check to see if water is running low, if so add just enough water to come to the top of the beans and ham.  If you like a really thick Ham & Beans like I do, add a T of corn starch to cold water to dissolve and add this in about the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.

Jambalaya- but no craw fish pie-ya

We love Jambalaya. Looooove. We used to use the Zataran's mix, then they changed it and all I could taste was salt. Even their low sodium (which is a joke) tasted like a rice covered salt lick. I looked everywhere for an easy and quick Jambalaya recipe that I didn't have to drive to Louisiana for the ingredients to. Paula Deen saved me.
I love that Southern Belle. I haven't had a recipe of hers yet that wasn't the bees knees. They aren't exactly figure friendly but, dang if they ain't good. Besides, going to college in Tennessee gave me a love of Southern food that I still can't shake after almost 20 years.
This recipe is a two part-er. First, there is the mix of dry ingredients that you can keep in an air tight container for just about ever. I believe one year for Christmas I actually packaged it up to give as gifts. Second, is the wet and meaty.
Jambalaya Mix
1 cup long grain rice
3 T dried minced onion
1 T dried parsley flakes
4 T beef bouillon cubes ( I omit this altogether and add a can of chicken stock and reduce the water to 1/2 cup)
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t ground black pepper ( I omit this too )
1/4 t cayenne pepper ( I only use 1/8th because my son isn't quite ready for the level of spice we like yet)
1/4 t salt ( yup, I leave this out as well )
Combine it all together and store in an air tight container.
Jambalaya
2 1/2 cups water (unless you aren't using the bouillon cube in the mix, then it's just 1/2 cup and a can of chicken broth)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes & chilies
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 lb meat of your choice ( I generally use more though. My usual is 1 lb sausage and a 1/2 lb shrimp. I've used it with chicken, kiel basa and ground beef too)
In a Dutch oven or large pot cook any kind of meat you might be using, except seafood. Add everything else and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to simmer and do not touch for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp at the end and cook until just pink. Let this sit for a few minutes until most, if not all the liquid is absorbed.
I serve this with, of course, cornbread!
Now, if you are looking to make dinner even easier... got a rice cooker? Throw the mix and liquids in the bottom and the cooked meats in the steamer basket. I tried this the other night and this is what I got: picture above.
It was awesome!
Want a faster version: use minute rice. Brown the meats, add the liquid and bring to a boil. Add the mix, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. That is all there is to it!
Want a vegetarian version: omit the bouillon and use the 2 1/2 cups water. Instead of meat, add black beans, pinto beans and corn.
Now how is that for versatile!

Summer Treat!

In the summer I could eat nothing but popsicles and snow cones.  I crave cold and sweet.  Well, if you can make ice cubes you know how to make popsicles but what about snow cones?  I don't have one of those really cool Snoopy Snow Cone makers.  Hell, I don't even have a blender!  I do have a food processor though and that baby chops ice like there is no tomorrow.  You can buy snow cone flavor syrup but I don't.  I have those little water flavor powder packets though. 

Snow Cones
2 cups ice cubes
1/2 or 1 individual serving water flavor packs

Put the above in a food processor and pulse until you have snow cone consistency.  That is it!

Target even has Margarita flavored ones so a frozen margarita with or without tequila is easy and cheap too.

Snack Attack!

Penny Popcorn

Gryffin and I love popcorn.  Let's face it, it is the perfect snack.  It can be salty or sweet and its not that bad for you.  Plus, you can eat a ton since it has very few calories.  The commercially made, chemical flavored stuff has been reported to give the manufacturer's employees cancer just by making it.   Don't have an old fashioned stove-top or air popper?  Neither do I, you can make microwave popcorn in a brown paper lunch sack.  I used one of the recipes for it via.www.allrecipes.com.  If you've never visited this mecca of deliciousness, you should.  All of their recipes are rated by the users.  I have yet to be led astray but don't attempt anything under 4 stars.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels, can be found in the same isle as the pre-packaged stuff but usually on the bottom shelf.
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (I used canola)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions

In a cup or small bowl, mix together the unpopped popcorn and oil. Pour the coated corn into a brown paper lunch sack, and sprinkle in the salt. Fold the top of the bag over twice to seal in the ingredients.
Cook in the microwave at full power for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until you hear pauses of about 2 seconds between pops. Carefully open the bag to avoid steam, and pour into a serving bowl.  

Before I poured the fluffy goodness out into a bowl I added a couple pats of real butter and shook it up to melt and coat.  It worked beautifully!  Real butter popcorn tastes so much better than the fake stuff. 

Now there were quite a few unpopped kernels but you get that with any popcorn and there weren't enough to make it non cost effective. This happens when the kernels get too dried out.  You can remedy this by keeping your kernels in an air tight container and adding a teaspoon or two of water to them.

I vow never to buy the gross, cancer causing, synthetic flavored, has to use the word butter in parenthesis stuff again!

Menu Monday!

I always make a menu for at least a week every week.  This week I've actually challenged myself to make a menu for the whole pay period, which for us is two weeks.  Over the years I've found that having a menu solves so many problems:

• the What's For Dinner issue- I think my husband and I spent the first year of our marriage dealing with this one.  With a menu all we have to do is look at it and we know exactly what is for dinner.
• the What Can I Make With This problem- when there is either an empty or overflowing pantry starring you in the face it can be really overwhelming.  
• the No Money For The Tummy quandary- if I go to the grocery store without a plan all I come home with is ice cream, chips, wine and an empty wallet.  Not a bad combo, I admit; however, when you have a family to feed every night its not exactly a good thing.
• the No Time For That problem- some things take longer to cook than others and knowing what I need to get the job done is on hand gives me more time.  And more time is ALWAYS good.

Most of my menus follow what I call the Protein Formula.  No one wants to eat chicken for dinner every night so mixing it up is essential.  Also, since meat is usually the most expensive part of the meal it allows me to make up the cost with side dishes depending on just how pricey the protein is.  I never have the same protein the same way two nights in a row.  For example, if I make chicken one night I will make beef the next, or if I make hamburgers one night I will have steak the next.  Having ground beef or chicken two nights in a row is boring and tends to lead to no one wanting to have leftovers for lunch. 

Here is my menu for the next two weeks just to give you an idea.

Monday- Beef Stroganoff with peas

Tuesday- Dijon Tarragon Chicken with rice, carrots and broccoli

Wednesday- Sloppy Joes with BBQ beans and cole slaw

Thursday- Italian Breaded Pork Chops with asparagus and corn

Friday- Kiel Basa and cabbage with red potatoes

Saturday- Mystery night... maybe leftovers or eat out

Sunday- Lasagna with salad

Monday- Bourbon Chicken with rice, broccoli and carrots

Tuesday- Tuna casserole with peas

Wednesday- Jambalaya (sausage and shrimp) with corn bread

Thursday- Beefy Cheesy Pasta, aka home made hamburger helper with salad

Friday- Breaded fish, mac-n-cheese and lima beans

Saturday- Pork Roast with spicy sweet potatoes and corn

And this is the recipe for tonight's dinner, Beef Stroganoff.  It's quick, easy and contains absolutely no cream of crap soup like most recipes for this done on the cheap.

Beef Stroganoff
(feeds 6)

1 lb lean ground beef

1lb wide egg noodles

1/3 cup dried mushrooms

1 small onion, chopped

1 T garlic, chopped

1 T paprika

1 T black pepper

2 t dried mustard

1/2 to 1 cup fat free half and half or milk

1 to 2 cups low fat sour cream
(these are determined on how creamy or saucy you like it)

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.  While this is being done break up the dried mushrooms and put in a small bowl.  Brown and drain the ground beef along with the onion and garlic and return to pan.  Once the water is boiling add enough water to cover the mushrooms to rehydrate.  Then add a handful of salt to the pot and add the noodles.  Cook until just tender. Drain the mushrooms and add them along with the spices, half and half and sour cream to ground beef.  Stir to combine over medium heat.  Drain noodles and you can combine it all or serve with the sauce poured over.