Today's comfortable 20 degrees is a welcomed change from the last couple of sweltering 35+ degree days (Celsius that is), so a nice sweet and savory stew beckoned to me. Frugality reigns supreme with this dish as a tough, cheap cut of meat is the star of the show. Any other expensive cut of beef would easily dry out and lose it's flavor, while the fat and connective tissue in an cheap cut creates tender, melt in your mouth morsels with a rich meaty broth.

My favorite part of this stew is the sweet tang of the gravy and the lively earthy tones that stirring in some fresh herbs from the garden brings. If you are going to eat a stew in the middle of summer, this one should be it.

Recipe adapted from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry
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Serves 4


1.5 lbs of stewing beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 tsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or balsamic)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 large carrots, chopped
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the oil and the cubes of beef (depending on how big your pot is you may have to do this in two batches). Cook until there is no more liquid coming out of the beef, and the meat moves from a grayish color to a more golden brown color. You'll also have a layer of caramelization right on the bottom of the pan. Once browned, add the onions and celery and cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. If the pan is getting too dry add a tablespoon or so of water and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom (that's all flavor). Add the garlic, dried thyme, and dried rosemary and cook about a minute. Stir in the broth, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer with a lid on for about 45-60 minutes. Add the carrots and simmer 20-30 more minutes until the carrots have softened.

Before you are ready to serve, stir in the sour cream, frozen peas, fresh basil and fresh oregano and remove from the heat. The residual heat of the stew will cook the peas through. Serve with Herb Cheese Biscuits.

Click here for printable version of Sweet & Savory Beef Stew
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THE RESULTS?
The juxtaposition of the sweet and savory in this stew is irresistible. The broth has a mild sweetness with further pops and bursts of sweet summer peas in every bite along with the fresh and lively flavors of the herbs. This is hands down, without a doubt, no questions asked, MY FAVORITE STEW. This will be made year round in our house.

For more inexpensive meal ideas check out $5 Dinner Challenge

The grocery list is back! This time it's easier to use and printable as well. It is color coordinated by meal so you can easily pick and choose which meals you would like to make. Either print and use the grocery list as is and make all the meals I have planned, or cross off the meals you would rather not make. Hopefully this is useful and helpful to you!

Click here to get a printable version of this week's meal plan.

I just got back after spending the entire day in the mountains, sitting on the beach of a beautiful glacial lake....just heavenly. We experienced a breathtaking lightening storm on the drive back home and went through a down pour of rain that beat down so hard on my windshield I could barely see. For the other rainy days to come this week, I have some comforting meals lined up and for the days that are so hot you have sweat beading off your eyeballs, I have some light salads and wraps on deck. My mouth is watering already.

Day 1: Sweet and Savory Beef Stew with Herb and Cheddar Biscuits
I got blade steak on sale awhile back and learned my lesson that cheap steak smothered in a delicious sauce = TOUGH steak smothered in delicious sauce. Instead I'm opting to slow cook it until nice and tender on a cool rainy day.


Day 2: Szechuan Chicken and Noodle Wraps
Our family loves these wraps and we're excited to dive into them.


Day 3: Nacho Ordinary Taco Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing
I've been on a "I need to lose this friggin' baby weight kick" lately so I hunted through my "Eat Shrink and Be Merry" cookbook to find some tasty lower fat recipes. This ones a winner.


Day 4: Madras Beef Curry over Basmati Rice with Aloo Pakoras (Indian Potato Fritters) served with Mango Chutney
Another delicious way to slow cook blade steak and tenderize the meat.


Day 5: Thai Larp
I'm addicted to Thai food lately since our friends Dan and Lisa have been inviting us over for supper and cooking us authentic Thai. This is a dish they showed us how to make and it couldn't be easier. Or more delicious.


Day 6: Wonton Soup and Asian Salad
This meal is a cinch to throw together is you've got the wonton's premade in your freezer. Throw together a whole dinner in 10 minutes or less.




For more meal plan ideas check out my Complete List of Meal Plans or the Menu Plan Monday Links hosted at Orgjunkie.

This Southwestern-style soup will have you slurping and asking for more. It's a great use for the leftover bones of a chicken...especially the Spice-Rubbed Beer Can Chicken. Creating a broth from the grilled and spicy chicken really extracts all the smoky flavors, which plays off so well with the cumin and chili powder, with little pops of sweet corn in each bite.
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Serves 4

1 chicken carcass (the leftover Spice-Rubbed Beer Can Chicken carcass is awesome in this soup)
4 cups water

1 tbsp butter
2 carrots, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1/4 cup salsa
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp - 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup leftover chicken, cut into bits (or whatever you have left. If you have none that's okay too)
1/2 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn
Salt & pepper


2 cups whole wheat rotini


Cover chicken carcass in water, put a lid on and simmer on low for about 3-4 hours. Let cool.

Pick any chicken meat off the bones and set aside. Strain the stock of all the bones and bits left in the bottom.

In a medium saucepan add butter and turn to medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and onions and saute for a couple minutes until starting to get soft. Add the garlic and saute another minute or so. You want to add the garlic near the end so that it doesn't burn. Burned garlic is very bitter. Pour your chicken stock over the vegetables and add the salsa, cumin, chili powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, leftover chicken and black beans. Turn heat down to medium-low and let simmer for at least an hour to let the flavors meld. 15 minutes before you are about to eat, put a medium pot of salted water on to boil. Add about 2 cups of rotini and prepare to package directions. I like to keep my pasta separate from the soup so that the pasta stays fresh and firm. If you add the pasta right to the soup, your leftover soup will have no liquid and the pasta will be soggy and mushy. Add the frozen corn and stir through the soup. Now is the time to season your soup with salt and pepper. I use kosher salt and I seasoned quite liberally to make it pop with flavor. I used probably 1/2 - 1 tsp kosher, but regular iodized salt is more "salty". Just keep seasoning and tasting until you've got it right.

To serve, place pasta into each bowl and ladle soup over top.

Click here for printable version of Tex Mex Chicken & Rotini Soup

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THE RESULTS?
The slurpability of this soup was out of this world. I couldn't stop eating it! My head swelled with each bite as I exclaimed "I made a freakin' good soup. Like...from scratch. And it's freakin' awesome." I probably used freakin' 53 more times throughout dinner. It just amazes me that something as simple as a chicken carcass, that is usually just tossed into the trash, can produce a soup as tempting as this.


For more inexpensive meal ideas, check out $5 Dinner Challenge.
For other recipes, visit Gayle's Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

*Reposted from the archives with updated pictures and text. Original post date Aug. 6/08.


Are you of the camp that "beer is synonymous with urine" or the "beer is the best thing since sliced bread" club? I usually find that most people fit into one of these two categories no one really hunkers down and settles in the middle. I am whole-heartedly of the first group, while my husband is of the second. But he bumps it up a notch and perches high up on a branch of exclusivity where only high quality imported beers are considered drinkable. He and a couple other beer connoisseur friends get together every once in a while for snobbery and beer tasting. It's something he thoroughly enjoys, but it doesn't bode so well when my Dad is in town for a visit...and he brings his cheap beer. My husband cringes when he hears the crack of the aluminum can being opened and the smell of hops wafts in the air.

Even more cringe-worthy is when my Dad leaves, and in a gesture of kindness he leaves his unfinished pack of beer for Steve. This recipe was born out of that lonesome, untouched beer wallowing in self-pity at the back corner of my fridge.

Cheap beer never tasted better.


Recipe from George Duran
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Serves 4-6

Spice Rub:
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 lemon, zested

1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken
1 (12-ounce) can beer

Heat up your BBQ to about medium-high and make sure it has a lid big enough to accommodate the bird. Put a drip pan below the grates. This step is very important! We forgot and we had a large fire on our hands. I had to put the chicken into a pan to stop it from being engulfed in flames. Next time, I'll follow the directions and put it under the grate ;) You also want to make sure you only turn on one side of the burners, because the chicken will go on the other side, so it gets the indirect heat.

Mix the ingredients for the spice rub until they are well blended. (This will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 week.) Rub it all over the chicken, inside and out. Don't be shy with it. It looks like a lot, but rub it everywhere: inside the chicken, outside the chicken, under the skin if you want. It's so good, you don't want to miss out on an ounce of the flavor. I found by rubbing it inside the chicken, it also seemed to infuse the chicken with more flavor.

Open the beer and take a big swig or just pour out a couple of ounces (which is what I did ;). Sit the chicken on the beer can, so the legs are at the bottom and the wings are at the top. Stand the beer can on the grates over the drip pan (on the side you didn't turn on). Put the cover on and cook over indirect heat until the juices run clear, about 1 hour. (If using charcoal, push the coals to one side so the chicken is not over direct heat.) If you have a temperature gauge on your BBQ you want it to read around 350 to 400 degrees. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of about 175 degrees, remove the chicken from the grill to a platter and cover with aluminum foil and let sit for about 10 minutes. This helps the juices in the chicken to redistribute and the heat of the chicken will continue to cook it so it reaches a safe internal temperature of 180 degrees. Carve the chicken and serve with your favorite summer BBQ side dishes.


Click here for printable version of Spice-Rubbed Beer Can Chicken


You can also make an inexpensive and slurpably delicious Tex Mex Chicken & Rotini Soup with the leftovers.

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THE RESULTS?
This chicken oozes with succulent juices. The spice-rub has a smoky/savory quality to it that is transformed by the smoke of the BBQ. The grill charbroils it leaving the skin crispy and full of flavor. It is absolutely not the same making it in a 350 degree oven. Tried it once and never again. Done on the BBQ, the essence of the spice rub gets infused through out the meat, leaving it moist and irresistible.

And don't worry....there's no "beer" taste to the meat. With a chicken like this, Dad I'll take your leftover beer anytime!

I should also note that if you really want to leave out the beer you can. I tried this once unintentionally (my beer can chicken fell over and by the time I rescued the chicken all the beer was gone!). I used just the spice-rub with the chicken over indirect heat on the BBQ and it was still wonderful.

I think my all-time, stranded on a desert island and can't have anything else, favorite recipe has got to be my Slow Cooker Butter Chicken. It is rich and warm and I could eat it until my insides burst. Whenever I make Indian food, THIS is what I make. Hands down.

When I went to make my favorite recipe about a month ago, I realized I was missing a can of coconut milk. It's a pretty essential ingredient in the recipe, but I had already starting browning the chicken. What started out as a mistake, turned to an experiment when I decided to switch up my beloved recipe a bit and try tikka masala in the slow cooker. It took many trials to get it just right (we ate A LOT of Indian food the past couple weeks) but my happy accident turned to a tempting concoction. The slow cooker lends itself so well to curries since the flavors simmer and meld and develop over time. There is so much richness here with bright lemony notes from the tikka paste and the marinated chicken.

Please don't be overwhelmed when you see the list of ingredients. It's really just a ton of spices which is what makes this such a richly flavored curry. Despite the long list of ingredients, it's really easy to make.

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Serves 4


Chicken Tikka:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
1/4-1 tsp cayenne (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

6-8 chicken thighs (skin on, bone-in)

Stir all ingredients except chicken into the bottom of a large plastic container. Add the chicken and coat the chicken completely with the marinade, cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Masala:
1 can 28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can 5.5 oz tomato paste
2 inches fresh ginger, grated (store your ginger in the freezer and it will be super easy to grate)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp tikka paste (could use mild curry paste instead, but then also add about a tbsp of lemon juice)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried coriander


1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt
1 cup cream
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped


Turn your oven to broil. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a rack over top. Take the chicken out of the marinade and place on the baking rack. Place under the broiler about 6-10 inches from the heating element and broil on each side about 10 minutes. You don't have to worry about cooking the meat all the way through, you are just looking for a nice browned color.

While the chicken is broiling, in a pan over medium high heat, add about a tsp or two of oil. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for a few more minutes until the mixture is nice and fragrant. Place the mixture into your crockpot. To that, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garam masala, tikka paste, cumin, chili powder and coriander. Stir together. When the chicken is done broiling, add them straight to the slow cooker and stir into the masala (sauce). I have cooked and experimented with this dish quite a few times, and it by far tastes the best when the chicken is first broiled and then slow cooks in the masala sauce. It gives the sauce a real richness of flavor. Slow cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

Before serving stir in 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and salt if it needs it. I find this just brightens up the spice flavors a bit. Then stir in the cream and fresh cilantro. Serve a chicken thigh with lots of sauce over basmati rice or Yellow Basmati Rice: 2 cups basmati, 4 cups water, salt, and 1/2 tbsp of turmeric. Stir together and prepare as you normally would. When the rice is done, stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas.

Click here for printable version of Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

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THE RESULTS?
I whole-heartedly recommend this recipe to you. It is one that I have been making over and over again in the last month to get absolutely perfect because my husband and I really love our Indian food. I love the creaminess as well as the bright lemony notes throughout the masala. It looks absolutely gorgeous served over the Yellow Basmati Rice with Peas.

The picture at the very top of the post was made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and was then cut into chunks after it came out of the broiler. The second picture is made the way this recipe states with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and Yellow Basmati Rice with Peas. I loved the richness that the bone-in chicken added, but feel free to use whichever chicken you prefer.

A couple weeks ago we were in Calgary and I got to visit with my friends Tara and Shanna. We declared it a "Gourmet Italian Food Day" and they took me to the Italian Market. THE ITALIAN MARKET PEOPLE. We don't have one of those fancy-schmancy places where I live so this was like meeting Santa Claus for me. I was brimming with culinary delight.

What's that bag I'm holding?? I don't know, but I'm at the freakin' Italian Market!

Tara and Shanna had much more composure than I. It was "no big deal" since a trip to the Italian Market is a regular Saturday occurrence for them. Whatever. Go ahead and order your Prosciutto di Parma while I secretly pee my pants.

That there my friends is carb heaven. An entire aisle devoted to the many different kinds of pastas...all imported from Italy. My eyes committed gluttony, so I moved onto the next aisle before any real real damage was done.
Shanna's just checking out the cheeses...babies in tow.

Once our ingredients were found and bought, and the babies (all 4 of them) indicated (rather loudly) that it was time to bolt home for naptime, we set off with our bounties to create our meal.

On the menu: Pesto Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Prosciutto with a Pesto Cream Sauce and Porcini Gnocchi with fresh bread and Bruschetta from the Italian Market. At this moment my tongue could literally explode remembering the deliciousness of this meal. ANDDDDD....we made everything FROM SCRATCH. Pesto, gnocchi, EVERYTHING.

Tara's pouring off the porcini water that the porcini mushrooms have been soaking in. It will be added to the mushroom sauce later.

We elected Shanna as "Gnocchi Maker". Those fingers worked some magic and she did not disappoint.


It's so effortless for her, she should be blindfolded with one hand tied behind her back :)


Just gotta do some final tasting and start plating.




Three hours of labor and it's time to indulge! We started with white wine and freshly made bruschetta from the Italian Market.


Now onto the Pesto Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Prosciutto with a Pesto Cream Sauce and Porcini Gnocchi. This was so delectable.

The chicken was perfect. Salty, creamy, crunchy.


I kid you not, the porcini gnocchi was positively sinful. It was luscious and richly bodied from the mushrooms. I may just have to kidnap Shanna to be my "gnocchi slave".


A job well done girls! Thank you for the amazing day and incredibly delectable food. I think I will keep you :)
I couldn't wipe the smile off my face....

I LOVED this recipe so much I had to try it again. But this time I swapped out the expensive steak for some inexpensive ground beef and changed up the spices a bit. I wanted the meat to be like Indian-inspired taco meat. And can I just say....

This is possibly the MOST DELICIOUS frugal meal EVER.


Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray
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Serves 4


Beef:
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp grill seasoning
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp curry paste
1/4 cup chicken stock

In a large saute pan, brown the ground beef. Then add all the spices as well as the chicken stock. Let simmer and cook down for a couple minutes until the flavors are infused and the liquid is gone.

Curry Potato Salad:
4 large potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
One can chickpeas (15 1/2 ounces), drained
2 tbsp curry paste (hot or mild)
1/4 cup mango chutney
1 cup frozen peas
4 green onions, chopped


In the meantime, put on a pot of water to boil for the potatoes. Add the diced potatoes (I don't bother to peel them, but feel free) and some salt. Let boil for about 12 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a couple tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the diced onion, pepper, and garlic. Let saute for about 5-6 minutes.

When the onions and peppers have sauteed, add the chickpeas, broth and curry paste. Stir well to combine and add salt at this point. Let it cook down for about 5-7 minutes or until thickened, then stir in the chutney until it dissolves. Then add the peas and potatoes.

Serve warm curry potato salad with seasoned ground beef spooned over top. Or you could also heat up some naan bread and scoop both the beef and potatoes inside and eat like a taco.

Click here for printable version of Indian Spiced Beef with Warm Curry Potato Salad Version 2

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THE RESULTS?
Awww yeah, that's what I'm talkin' bout. Last time I LOVED the curried potatoes but wasn't overly impressed with the beef. This was STELLAR and cheaper than steak! Love, love, love it. I will make this again and again.

Meal Ideas:

• Indian Spiced Beef with Warm Curry Potato Salad + Naan bread

Ooops! Stray recipe got missed being posted for last week's meal plan. And this one was so freakin' amazing I don't know how I could have forgotten about it. This is the goodness of scalloped potatoes with cream and butter and cheese, but replacing the starchy potatoes with nutrient rich broccoli and cauliflower. And yes....I do justify all those calories with the copious amounts of vitamin C & A from the broccoli ;) This one is definitely splurge-worthy.


Recipe adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis
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Serves 6


1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (optional)
3/4 cup cream
1 tsp heaping flour
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup bread crumbs
6 tsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a large pot of salted water on to boil. Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into florets, and once water boils, drop them in and let them cook for 2 minutes. Drain and place in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Place the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook until crisp and drain on paper towels.

In a bowl combine the cream, flour, and cheddar as well as the reserved bacon. Pour mixture over the cauliflower and broccoli and top with a little more shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Drop teaspoons of butter all over the top (only about 6 or so) and place in hot oven. Let bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is nice and golden brown.



Click here for printable version of Broccoli & Cauliflower Gratin.

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THE RESULTS?
Lordy Mama this is good! We ate it as a main dish with salad and flatbread dipped in balsamic and olive oil and it was very comforting and satisfying. I absolutely LOVED the crunchy top. The little amount of bacon that is throughout the dish satisfied my husband's need for meat. I asked him "so...could I have left the bacon out?" "Absolutely not" he replied. "Wouldn't have been complete without it"....said the carnivore of all carnivores.

This dish is so completely satisfying I personally think it would be just as good without it.

The grocery list is back! This time it's easier to use and printable as well. It is color coordinated by meal so you can easily pick and choose which meals you would like to make. Either print and use the grocery list as is and make all the meals I have planned, or cross off the meals you would rather not make. Hopefully this is useful and helpful to you!

Click here to get a printable version of the meal plan.

Click here to get a printable copy of the grocery list



Nope, your eyes don't deceive you...this is the same meal plan as last week. I have delicious recipes for this meal plan yet to post and I worked long and hard on a new feature: The Printable Grocery List! So please browse, check things out, and if you are new to Meal Planning 101, WELCOME! Here's the plan for the week:

Day 1: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala with Yellow Basmati Rice and Peas with Naan
I have been working on perfecting this recipe for the last couple weeks. I'm so excited to share it with you! It's extremely delicious.


Day 2: Mom's Greek Ribs with Tomato/Avocado/Mozza Salad
This is the epitome of summer for me.


Day 3: Spice-Rubbed Beer Can Chicken with Pasta Salad and Corn on the Cob
My Dad just visited, so there's a can of beer left in our fridge that my husband will not drink. It also gives me an excuse to fire up the BBQ one night, and have leftovers the next.

Day 4: Tex Mex Chicken & Rotini Soup with Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado Sandwiches
The spice-rubbed beer can chicken makes an excellent broth for soup and sandwiches the next day.

Day 5: Indian-Spiced Beef with Warm Curry Potato Salad V2 (Ground Beef) and Naan
Oh man, this curried potato and chick pea mixture is freakin' amazing! I plan to re-do the beef with different spices and use ground beef instead and post an updated version of the recipe this week.

Day 6: California Chicken Burgers with Garden Salad
This is making me drool already. I love me some guacamole.




For more meal plan ideas check out my Complete List of Meal Plans or the Menu Plan Monday Links hosted at Orgjunkie.