The biggest barrier to my trying various recipes, though, is the massive amount of ingredients that are often called for. We live on a pretty tight budget, or try to anyway. I can't exactly justify spending $25 on ingredients for one meal. Rachel Ray, I appreciate your creativity, but your books are just not for the working class (or schooling class, in our case).
So I'm challenging myself -- to make at least one, hopefully two, new recipes each week that involve ingredients that I typically keep on hand... "Low Budget" recipes, if you will.
I know food blogs have been done and done again, but I just think that this will give me a way to keep myself on track. If I can try 50-75 new recipes in the next year, I might end up with a seriously thick cookbook! And, who knows? Maybe someone else will find a delicious idea. :-)
Here are two things I've tried in the last week:
Better Homes & Gardens Banana Bread (slightly altered)
Our Rating: 9/10
"Make banana bread when your bananas get brown polka dots on them.
If you wait until they're too dark, the bread will be bitter."
2 - cups All-Purpose flour
1 1/2 - tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 - tsp. cinnamon (or half cinnamon, half nutmeg)
1/4 - tsp. salt
1/4 - tsp. ginger
2 - eggs, lightly beaten
4-5 - bananas, mashed
1 - cup sugar
1/2 - cup oil or melted butter
1/4 - cup walnuts (optional -- I left them out)
Streusel Nut Topping (also optional, but I highly recommend it!):
1/4 - cup brown sugar
3 - Tbsp. flour
2 - Tbsp. cold butter
To make topping: Mix brown sugar and flour in a small bowl.
Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
May stir in 1/4 c. chopped walnuts if desired.
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom and sides of a loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and ginger.
2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in nuts, then spoon batter into prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle streusel-nut topping over batter.
3. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in
pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.
The recipe recommends cooling completely,
then storing overnight before slicing.
We dug right in, and it still tasted great!!
Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid
Our rating: 8/10
1
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1 - can (8 oz) crescent rolls, refrigerated
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1
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1 - tablespoon vegetable oil
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2 - small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1x1/2x1/2-inch strips
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1
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1- teaspoon chili powder
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1
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1 - teaspoon salt
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1
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1 - clove garlic, finely chopped
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1
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1 - small onion, thinly sliced
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2 - cups green or red bell pepper strips (2x1x1/4 inch)
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1
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1 - cup salsa
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2
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2 - cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend
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1
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1 - egg white, beaten
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1.
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Heat oven to 375°. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 8x12 inches.
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2.
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In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir in chili powder, salt and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper strips; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.
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3.
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Spoon chicken mixture in 4-inch strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top with salsa; sprinkle with cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press edges to seal. Brush with egg white.
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4.
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Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.
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Anyway, that's all for today. Happy cooking! :-)
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