 Yautía is a starchy edible shaggy looking brown tuber that is cooked and eaten like yams or potatoes. It is also known by other names such as Taro and Malanga. You can boil it or fry it like a potato. However, regardless of how you cook it, I can assure you that it tastes 100% better than potatoes. It is also inexpensive and fulfilling. This particular dish is one of my creations; therefore, I really hope that you like it. Total prep and cooking time: Under 30 minutes Approximate Cost: Under $6.55 (or $3.28/serving) X Easy Serve: 2 plus Ingredients Cut 4-5 inches long portion from your pork tenderloin. (Is very tender) ($1.50) 2-3 tbs. of Angie’s Dry Seasoning or any dry seasoning in your pantry (.60) ¼ cup of olive oil ($1.20) 1 large Yautía ($1.00) 1 medium size onion, chopped. (.50) Cilantro for garnishing (.50) 1 Avocado ($1.25) Directions Cut the pork in bite-size pieces, season with dry rub and few tps. of oil. Set aside. Peeled, rinse and cut the Yautía in small bite cube pieces equal in size to you cut pork. Fill a medium size saucepan half way with water, add salt to taste, and wait until boils. Carefully, add the Yautía and boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Meantime, add olive oil to a skillet. Sauté the pork and chopped onion until it caramelizes. Drain the boiled Yautía and add it to the sauté pork skillet. Mix well to collect the flavors and golden color of the sauté pork. Add more oil if needed. To serve, sprinkle chopped Cilantro and garnish with avocado slices. Hack: This dish goes perfect with a glass of red wine.
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 Yes, when a 24-hour day is not enough to fit your hectic schedule, you still need to make a budget- friendly family meal. Total Prep and Cooking Time: 30 Minutes Approximate Cost: $7.50 (or $1.49 per Enchilada Serving) Serves: 5 Ingredients 1 bag of Corn Tortillas (30 count you only need 5 tortillas) (.70) 1 large can of Mild Enchilada Sauce ($2.00) 2 Rotisserie Chicken Breast ($4.50 whole chicken) (Approx. $2.50 for the breasts only) 1 cup of cooked rice (.50) 1 cup + Shredded Mexican Style Cheese Blend (1.75) A handful of chives Directions Cut the Rotisserie chicken breast in small bite-size pieces. See my Rotisserie Chicken prior post: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/who-knew-rotisserie-chicken-was-so-worthwhile Add the cooked rice, chives, sprinkle about ¼ cup of the cheese, about 1 cup of enchilada sauce and mix well. The consistency is not soupy but moist. Fill the corn tortilla generously and roll to close. Pour 1/4 c. of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Place the filled tortillas seam down. After your 5 enchiladas are set in the baking dish, pour the chicken filling leftover on top. Pour about 1 cup of the sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-15 minutes, until the cheese melts. Hack:
 Yes, you can have your pie and eat it too. This meal is very easy to make and my recipe is healthier. Also, you can eat a smaller portion than what is traditionally served. You just need to use Yukon potatoes, 98% lean ground chicken and veggies. This is how easy: Make a large batch of mashed potatoes and sauté ground chicken. Use a rectangular 13x9 baking dish and cover the bottom with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Next, add a layer of the sauté ground chicken with the veggies on top, and cover with another layer of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake. It is as easy as 1-2-3. Try it. It is so cheap and so good!!!!! Total prep and cooking time: 30 minutes Approximate cost of Shepherd’s Pie: Under $12.00 (or $1.20/serving) Additional cost for my rice and salad: $3. The total cost now is: $1.50 per serving) Serve: 10 plus Ingredients 1 ½ lb. 98% lean ground chicken ($4.75) 2 ½ lbs. Yukon Potatoes ($2.50) 2 cups of Chicken Stock or broth ($1.00) ½ cup of chopped cilantro (.25) ½ bag of frozen sweet peas and corn (.98) 1 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese ($1.00) Angie’s seasoning (or any seasoning you may have in your pantry) 1 onion (chopped) 5 cloves of garlic (Chopped) ¼ cup Olive oil Directions Wash, peel and boil the potatoes until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and turn off. In a sauté pan add a tbsp. of olive oil, sauté the onion, garlic, ground chicken and add the veggies. Mash your potatoes by adding most of the olive oil, some of your chicken stock. Season with Angie’s dry seasoning or any seasoning that you have in your pantry. Make sure that the texture is not as creamy as your regular mashed potatoes but rather on the lumpy. Divide the mashed potatoes in two portions. Spray a rectangular 13x9 baking dish with oil spray and cover the bottom with one thick layer of mashed potatoes, spread well. Add the sauté ground chicken with the veggies on top on the potatoes. Add the chopped cilantro. Cover with your second and last thick layer of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake at 350 degrees until the cheese melts nicely. (10 minutes) REMEMBER, ALL THE INGREDIENTS ARE ALREADY COOKED. Serve with a salad or with both, a salad and small portion of rice.  Prep Time: Under 30 minutes Serves: 4 Cost: Under $13.00 (or $2.93 per HEALTHY serving) Ingredients 1 pound of 98% lean ground chicken ($5.00) Angie’s Seasoning (http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings) 1 egg white 1 large onion (.75) 12 Baby Bella mushrooms ($2.00) 4 Baby Cucumbers length cut to render 4/serving ($1.50) 2 Avocados ($2.00) 2 Tomatoes ($1.00) 2 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese 2 tabs. Of olive oil for sautéing Directions (You can also follow the slide show) Season the pork thoroughly, add a beaten egg white and make 4 balls. Cut all your veggies and set aside. In a non-stick pan, sauté the onions and Baby Bella mushrooms. Set aside. Add the balls to the pan and press to flatten them so they look like burgers. Get 4 plates, place you veggies/cheese leaving a hole in the middle for the burgers. When your burgers are done and golden, move them to your plates and serve. You are done! HACK: Cooking and eating healthy doesn’t take much time or money. Sometimes, it is easier to order take out or go out to dinner. It is ok as long as you keep it balanced. Not only is your budget affected but most importantly your health and your family’s health. So make another New Year resolution, that you will be making a simple healthy homemade meal at least once a week. You can do it. I’ll love you for that.
 Nature’s Edible Powerhouse Rainbow! The ingredients’ order as seen in the photo: Roasted carrots and sweet potato, sauté Kale, salmon and garlic snow peas. Not only is it a very healthy dish but highly fulfilling because its fiber content and furthermore, it taste amazing. Enjoy this cozy dinner for two, you and the person that you love, smile. This post contains two parts: First part; the recipe and the second part; images of how I prepare the salmon filet when I purchase it whole. Part 1: The Recipe Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes (minus the veggies time. See my hack at the end of this post) Approximate Cost: Under $10.00 Serve: 2 Ingredients 2 carrots (.50) 1 large sweet potato ($1.00) 2 cups of kale (.75) Two salmon steaks cut in small bite pieces ($4.22)* and you will still have 6 filet to cook later. Dry seasoning to taste 1 cup of snow peas ($1.00) 6 cloves of garlic (.50) 1 lemon (.50) 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 tsps. Soy sauce *(I paid $16.85 for a large salmon filet. Then I divided it in 8 steaks for a cost of $2.11/steak) Directions 2 med size salmon steaks, cut in small bite pieces, season and add 3 chopped garlics. Set aside. In medium low, add olive oil, sauté the snow peas with 3 chopped garlic and set aside. Sauté the salmon and kale making sure to not overcook it. Warm up the veggies. (See my hack below) Make a simple salad. Serve in an oval dish with lemon. HACK: There is a catch with this recipe. Every Saturday, I peel and roast all the veggies that I plan to use the following week for about one hour. It saves me time and energy, since I oven-roast veggies one time-a-week. Then every day I serve a different roasted veggie at dinner. Click on my link to see the process and enjoy. http://www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/roasted-mixed-veggies-with-thyme-rosemary-and-basil Part 2: how I prepare a salmon filet when I purchase it whole.  Approximate Cost: Under $8.00 Time: Under 30 minutes Serve: 2 This combination, eggplant and avocado make a tasty and healthy meal that cooks in minutes. These are the few ingredients that you need. Ingredients 1 Medium size eggplant ($1.65) ½ lb. 98% fat free ground chicken (@ $2.99/lb. = $1.45) ½ an onion, chopped (.50) 4 cloves of garlic, chopped (.50) 1 Scallion, 1 stalk of celery, chopped and a bunch of cilantro ($1.00) 1 tbsp. Paprika Salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp. Olive oil ¼ c. Parmigiano Reggiano ($1.75) 1 Avocado ($1.00) Directions Season the ground chicken, set aside Wash and dry the eggplant, cut it lengthwise and scoop out the inner part as in the slide. Bake your empty eggplant shells at 350 degrees until tender inside, about 15 minutes. In a pan add the olive oil, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, celery, and ½ the scallion. Add the eggplant-meat scooped out and chopped sauté until tender. Set aside. Sauté the ground pork and add all the other ingredients that you sauté previously. Fill your 2 eggplants, sprinkle with Parmigiano and bake for about 10-15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with scallions and avocado slices.  Yes, sometimes I cheat. Risotto is really time consuming and just like you, I hardly ever have enough time in a day to do all that I do. So, I came up with a quick solution to satisfy my Italian cravings and it taste so darn good! Of course, I use total moderation with the ingredients; each serving only gets a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano and 3 very tasty shrimps. I serve it with fresh roasted beets and my trade signature side, avocado. You don’t need that much per plate but you have to be bold with your flavors to make it work. If you try it you will love it to. Total Time: Between 20-25 Minutes Approximate cost: Under $15.00 or $3.75 per serving Level: Easy Serve: 4 Ingredients 12 medium to large shrimp 1 ½ tbsp. Angie’s Dry Rub Seasoning (see my link below) 1 cup of Orzo 3 ½ cups of Beef Stock (plus more if needed) 5 large cloves of garlic, chopped ½ large onion, chopped 1 Shallot, chopped 2 tbsp. olive oil ½ cup of Parmigiano Reggiano Roasted Beets (see my link below) Directions Clean and season your shrimp with 1 tbsp. dry rub 1 tbsp. olive oil. Refrigerate. In a sauté pan over medium, add the shrimp with its olive oil. Briefly sauté the shrimp for under 1 minute not 100% cooked. Remove from pan and set aside. Add to the pan and sauté the onion, garlic and shallot until transparent. Add to the onions the 1 cup of Orzo, ½ tbsp. dry rub and sauté until glossy and toasty. Carefully, start adding the beef stock in small portions at a time. Stir. Keep adding more stock and stir until the Orzo begins to dry, the grain is soft and the consistency is creamy. (You may need more or less beef stock than what my recipe calls for, since each stove heat is different.) The final dish is creamy and glossy not dry at all. Add the shrimp, ¼ of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, stir until all is warm and serve immediately. When serving, sprinkle each dish with more cheese and scallions. http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings http://www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/roasted-mixed-veggies-with-thyme-rosemary-and-basil  No one have to go on a commercial DIET to eat healthy. I personally hate diets. People can’t eat what they want. I rather focus on eating a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, veggies, fish, chicken and lean pork, (and a glass of wine every now and then.) Furthermore, I watch the proportions and use fresh ingredients. You can turn simple ingredients from your pantry into healthy and inexpensive meals in minutes. Trust me, I do it daily. So, let’s do this!
This is my first recipe of the series. I want you to follow my daily posts, beginning today and ending Friday and hopefully, you will try my recipes, SMILE. It’s a good thing for you and your family. Today’s Recipe: Angie’s Hearty, Quick and Inexpensive Beans Soup, Prep and cooking time: 15-20 minutes Under $8 dollars Servings: 4 (for 8 servings, double the recipe) Ingredients ½ pound of lean pork cut in small cubes Angie’s Dry seasoning 2 cans of Goya beans of your choice (washed and drained) 2 cups of beef stock ½ large onion chopped 5 large cloves of garlic 1 tbsp. of olive oil Feta Cheese & Chopped Cilantro for garnish Directions Follow my slide show for directions or do the following: Season the pork with my seasoning choice or use whatever you may have in your pantry and set aside. Chop ½ onion and 5 cloves of garlic In a cooking pan or Iron Dutch Oven, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic. When glossy and almost golden, add and sauté the pork. Once the pork looks half cooked (less than 4 minutes) add the beef stock and wait until it boils. Bring it to medium low and cook for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. Turn it off and serve. Hack: You can also serve my beans on top of any kind of pasta, (use gluten free pasta since it is made with corn, not flour), or with rice on the side, or in a bowl with crushed crackers and a teaspoon of cheddar cheese on top, or with a tomato bruschetta on the side, or finally, with a humble slice of French garlic bread. The options are unlimited.  Dear friends: Next week I will launch my Eating Healthy Series to help you a bit with your new year’s resolution. However, today we are going to be naughty! It’s Baby Back Ribs time. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 3 ½ + hours (slow cooking) Serve: 1 slab serves 8+ (The number of slabs in this photo; however, will serve 17 people +) Ingredients for the Salad I bag of Spinach 8 Roma Tomatoes cut in wedges, one per serving ¼ c. Olives 8 Banana Peppers Angie’s Salad dressing (http://www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/angies-basic-salad-dressing-homemade-vinaigrette-for-few-dollars If you do not use dressing, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese before serving. Ingredients for the Ribs 1 slab of Baby Back Ribs (cleaned all visible fat removed) 4 tbsps. Olive oil to rub the ribs ¼ c. of Angie’s Dry Seasoning (or any other dry seasoning you may have in your pantry. Directions Rub the ribs with olive oil thoroughly. Sprinkle with my dry rub seasoning to cover the ribs completely. (I am re-posting my seasoning recipe at the end of this post for your convenience) Let them absorb the flavors in the fridge for an hour before cooking. (better overnight) Heat your over at 275 degrees. Cook covered. Check for doneness after 3 ½, hours, uncover and continue to cook for about 45 more minutes until you see the bones exposed and you can easily remove one with your fingers. Smile. BONUS: (My Seasoning Mix as posted in my September 29 post, under my Family Life page.)  Angie’s Dry Seasoning for Chicken, Meat, Pork and Seafood
Today, I want to share with you one of my favorite recipes, my own dry seasoning. I have been cooking since I was a little girl. It is not a burden for me, but rather a time to relax, be creative and forget about the stress of the day. The one thing that I learned early on in my life was that food tastes better when is seasoned well. That is the reason why I am bold when it comes to marinates, seasonings and salad dressing, among other things. I occasionally use salt and pepper but that is on filet mignon and grill steaks. This is one of my favorite seasoning combinations. Enjoy it. Ingredients: In a glass jar with a lid mix the following spices: 1 tsp. ground pepper 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. sweet paprika 1 tsp. ground dry rosemary 1 tsp. dry thyme 1 tsp. dry oregano 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning ½ tsp. chili powder ½ tsp. turmeric powder 1 tsp. chopped dry basil leaves 1 tbsp. garlic powder 1 tbsp. kosher salt How to use it with Chicken, Meat, Pork and Seafood: Clean well removing all visible fat and pat dry with paper towel. Move to a glass container, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and rub well with my dry rub. |
ABOUT THE AuthorI am a blogger, a photographer, a jewelry designer, a gourmet cook, and a recipe book writer. I am also a flea market flipper, an avid gardener, an interior/ outdoors designer, an avid golfer and traveler. Categories |
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