Pantry Challenge Chowder

Last week was so busy with work- I didn't have time to post the rest of our pantry challenge.  We made lots of yummy food and I hope to post most of it soon!

M and I were in the mood for soup-last week the weather was cool and it almost felt like fall, which of course we are not ready for...it's still August!

Below is the recipe...just took a basic chowder recipe and added things we needed to use from the pantry and freezer!  Enjoy....serve with crusty bread!

Ingredients: 
-6 potatoes:peeled
-1 lb pork sausage
-1 onion: chopped
-1 tsp of salt
-1 can of whole kernel corn
-1 can of creamed corn
- chop up some zucchini and carrots and toss them in
-1 (12oz) can of evaporated milk
-a couple shakes of old bay and cajun seasoning salt

Combine potatoes, carrots, salt and water in a pot and boil-until tender

Meanwhile, cook sausage and onions and drain.  

Once potatoes are tender add sausage, both corns, zucchini and the evaporated milk.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add the seasonings. Cook for 30 minutes then serve!!

Pantry Challenge Day 1-2

It has been awhile since I posted... ok not just awhile but 5 months.  I meant to post but then life gets in the way and I totally forget.  M and I have gotten in this bad habit of not planning our meals, picking up stuff at the grocery store day after day or just eating out.  It started at the beginning of summer when his schedule got easier and with me juggling 2 jobs- by the time I got home I just didn't want to cook anything.  

Well with school starting back up-which means M's schedule will be busy, I am working 2 jobs plus taking a class at the University: we will sure be busy-we have to get back on schedule with our meal planning and eating healthy. 

Last year we did a Pantry Challenge- which meant for a week anything we ate had to be made from within the pantry, freezer or fridge.  Also this meant not buying a coffee or pop out.  Everything had to come from the home.  It helped us figure out what we had in our pantry and helped us come up with interesting recipes to use all the ingredients in our home.  

Day 1 of our pantry challenge- Breakfast and Lunch were a mix of cereal and sandwiches, then for dinner we had mac n cheese with hot dogs: Not the healthiest but boy was it yummy!

Day 2 Pantry Challenge: Breakfast: Egg Special- English muffin with fried egg and mustard.  Lunch I had leftovers from the night before while M had a sandwich.  For dinner I made a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com.  Of course, I didn't have all of what it called for so I subbed what I did have.  

Cuban Chicken: I was a little nervous to add all these ingredients together but they actually mixed well together.  M was a little curious of the raisins but really loved this recipe and asked it be added to the rotation.  

Ingredients:
1tbs oil
1 onion- chopped
3 cloves of garlic- or 3 squares
1/2 c of chopped bell pepper
1 can of no salt added diced tomatoes-not drained
1 12 oz can of chicken chunks-drained
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c of stuffed olives-sliced (we used jalapeño stuffed olives
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp of oregano
1/4 tsp of cumin
2 bay leaves

Directions:   Heat oil over M heat.  Cook onions, garlic and peppers until soft.  Stir in tomatoes, chicken, bell  pepper, raisins, olives, vinegar, oregano and cumin.  Cook 5-7 minutes.  

Serve with rice.  Delicious!  Great for leftovers too!

Chicken Piccata with Zoodles

I love chicken piccata!  It is such an easy recipe to make!  I used to serve it with mashed potatoes or noodles but once I learned of "zoodles" thats all I make with this dish!  I usually double the sauce and  make garlic bread to dip in.... oh yummy!  

(sorry the picture is sorta blurry... love this dish!!)

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast or 8 tenders
flour
cayenne pepper
2 tbs of oil
1-2 tbs of capers- whatever your preference
1/2 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/4 cup of water
3 tbs of butter

Put flour and cayenne pepper together and dredge chicken tenders then heat in oil over medium high heat.  Brown then set aside.  Cook capers in pan for 30 seconds then add the wine and scrape bottom of the pan! Let cook for 2 minutes then add the lemon juice, water and butter.  Let thicken then add the chicken and serve! 

Zoodles-- Zucchini noodles! I sautéed mine! They are great in this sauce! 

Chive and Onion Pork Tenderloin

Back in January I purchased a container of chive and onion cream cheese but never did anything with it.  This morning when I was going through the refrigerator, I spotted it and realized it expired today! So before heading for the grocery store I looked up a recipe then adapted it to what I thought might be good.  Luckily for me, the grocery store had buy 1 get 1 free on pork tenderloins!  

Hope you enjoy it!!

Ingredients: 

• Pork Tenderloin- Mine was peppercorn marinated
• 1 package of Shake and Bake mixture- I used the one for pork
• 3 cups of noodles-uncooked
• 1/2 onion diced 
• 2 cubes of garlic (cloves)
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 1 cup of fresh mushrooms
• 1 tub of chive and onion cream cheese- I used Philadelphia
• 3/4 cup of reduced sodium chicken broth

Optional ingredients: Sliced hot pepper and adding flour to the sauce to thicken

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400'
• Put pork in a ziplock bag and add shake and bake and "Shake Shake" 
• Put on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes

The last 15 minutes of baking time 

• Cook noodles according to package, drain and drizzle with olive oil so they don't stick together
• Meanwhile, in a medium sized skillet heat oil on m-high heat
• Add onions, peppers and mushrooms and cook for about 5 min 
• Add cream cheese and chicken broth and stir to combine
• Cook for 5 minutes and add a little bit of flour to thicken the sauce
• Serve- first with noodles then pork and sauce overtop both.  

I served this dish with steamed asparagus, strawberries and blueberries and milk!  It was delicious- will definitely be making it again.  

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut butter and chocolate are two of my favorite flavors together... who doesn't love a Reese's cup or TJ's dark chocolate pb cups!! I could literally eat all of them in one sitting. 
I also love peanut butter cookies but hate when they get hard the next day. 
I found this recipe and saw it had milk as one of the ingredients.  I haven't used milk in my chocolate chip cookies before but I thought why not.  At first I only used 1/2 Tbs but when i made the first tray they came out kind of dry, so I added another tbs... which made the dough really wet.  So I stuck them in the fridge for an hour.  
They are so delicious.  I made itty bitty cookies and they are so fun to eat.  Great dunked in milk or coffee!  Give them a try!  

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of peanut butter- I used Jiff creamy pb
1/2 cup of butter-softened 
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1 egg
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 and 1/4 cups of flour
1 tbs of milk 
1/2 cup of chocolate chips- I didn't have quite enough chocolate chips so I added pb and white choc ones.

Directions: 
- Mix together butter and pb for 30 seconds.  
- Add the white and brown sugars to the mixture and beat for 2 minutes. 
- Then add in the baking powder and baking soda. 
- Once mixed beat in the egg and vanilla.  
- Beat in the flour- when it's tough add in the milk and mix.  
- Stir the chips in by hand.  

If it is sticky put in the fridge for 30 min - 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 375 and bake 8-10 minutes. 

Try not to eat all the cookies before dinner.  I had to send some to work with the hubby so I wouldn't eat them all!! 

Knorr Pasta Sides

I love easy side dishes!  Knorr Pasta Sides are almost always on sale at the grocery store and there is usually a coupon in the Sunday paper....so they are basically free! I buy them in all flavors!

So they are good on their own and if you are feeding children-they usually love them.  They have some flavor but not overwhelming.  Well my hubby and I like to spice them up.  They are great to add any veggies you have on hand to. You can also make them a meal by adding chicken, beef or shrimp to them.  

Last week we were having pork chops with stuffing and needed a side.  So i make the parmesan pasta side and added asparagus and tomatoes plus a couple spices and boy was it delicious!! 

Ingredients:

Knorr Pasta Side - Parmesan flavor

A handful of asparagus

2 cubes of garic

A handful of yellow baby tomatoes

pepper

Directions: I made the Knorr Pasta according to the directions on the package.  Meanwhile, I sautéed the asparagus in oil and threw in 2 cubes of garlic.  Once sautéed I mixed in the tomatoes.  Once the pasta was finished I mixed in the asparagus and tomatoes.  Added some pepper and voila had a great side dish!! 

Crunchy Tuna Salad

Growing up my Grandma Esther had a fabulous Tuna Salad recipe.  We would make it together and instead of measuring the mayonnaise or the mustard you just put in a spoonful and tasted it as you went.  Well this is how I do a lot of my cooking and every time I make something like this I think of her!

I have tuna salad a lot. It's an easy lunch recipe and lasts a couple of days.  Well lately, I wanted something with a little more flavor- so I made up my own recipe.  I used what I had in the pantry and boy did it come out good!!

Since it lasts a couple days... sometimes  I have it on two pieces of toast or with crackers or on top a of a salad!!

Ingredients:

1 can of tuna in water-drained
2 TBS of light Hellman's Mayonnaise
1 TBS of plain greek yogurt
1 TSP of mustard
2 cups of shredded cabbage- I used the coleslaw mixture which also had carrots.
2 TBS of dried cranberries
1/4 cup of green onions- See note below
Salt and pepper to taste
A sprinkle of sugar

Add all ingredients together and serve how you like!  If you get it too sweet add some apple cider vinegar!! Taste as you go!!

Green onions:  So why can't green onions come in a smaller package.  When a recipe calls for them you usually don't need more than 1/3 cup... ugh and the rest usually go to waste!! Not any more!  

I found this idea awhile ago and it totally helps-- When you get home from the store with your green onions, wash them and let them dry.  Then cut up in small pieces and put in a clean dry water bottle and freeze!  This way when a recipe calls for them you just shake them out of the bottle! It's awesome, I have started doing this with parsley and basil! Works great!! Enjoy!!