Soup is the most soothing meal to me. Not only I can make it anytime for lunch or dinner but when I crave chicken soup the most is when is darned cold, freezing, snowy and also, it becomes my medication if I don’t feel well. Smile. Category: Entrée Approx. Prep and Cook Time: under 30 Minutes Approximate Cost: $5.45 or $1.37 per serving Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 4 Ingredients 1 cup of rotisserie chicken chopped (.65) 4 cups of your homemade rotisserie chicken stock ($2.25) 2 stalks of celery (.25) 2 large carrot (.25) 1 large onion (.50) 2 tbsp. Olive oil (.35) 2 large red potatoes (.50) Herbs (parsley, cilantro, rosemary and fresh Cuban oregano) (.50) 1 small packet of Goya bouillon (.20) Directions Cut all the veggies in similar size pieces to cook evenly. In a skillet add 2 tbsp. olive oil and cook the veggies in med. high until brown. Add the chicken stock that you made as well as the herbs. (if not just add store bought) Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are done. Your soup is ready to serve in less than 30 minutes and at an amazing cost/serving. HACK: You can eat it as a meal with a garlic bread side or you can make your favorite sandwich and have a delightful soup and sandwich lunch. If you have a large family to feed, you can also add 1 to 2 cups of macaroni for a thicker hearty soup. Remember, you can always add more of your homemade rotisserie chicken stock to get the consistency that pleases you.
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This is an effective, valuable and convenient method to create the most needed weekly ingredient in your kitchen. Let’s face it, most of the meals that we cook have some sort of gravy or sauce. Therefore, instead of using the store bought version, or plain water, have a consistent stash of homemade broth or stock in your freezer for extra flavor. Category: COOKING INGREDIENT Approx. Prep and Cook Time: 20 to 30 Minutes Approximate Cost: $2.70 total (excluding the rotisserie chicken Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 6 to 7 cups Ingredients 1 tbsp. Dried oregano (.25) 1 tbsp. Dried parsley (.25) 1 tbsp. Dried thyme (.50) 1 tsp. Cumin (.15) 1/2 tsp. Black pepper (.10) 8 to 10 cloves of garlic (.50) 1 large onion with the skin on cut in cubes (.50) 2 celery ribs with the leave cut in 4-5 pieces (.20) Bones/carcass from the rotisserie chickens (0) 2 carrots (. 25) 8 cups of water Directions After you remove all the meat to use in soups, stews, etc. the next most important, step is to keep the carcass to make delicious homemade chicken stock. Brown the rotisserie chicken bones and skin in 1 tsp. of olive oil in med high. Chop a large onion in cube pieces, no need to peel it add it to the pot. Add 10 cloves of smacked garlic, no need to peel them, keep browning these ingredients. Add the dry spices, (I always use dried because the flavor is more intense). Add the water. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Wait until it cools down, then strain to remove the ingredients and obtain the liquid stock. Refrigerate until use in 1-week. If longer, freeze it about 2 months or under. Before using your rotisserie chicken stock, remove the fat that built up on top of the stock and discard. Very rarely I find purple Brussels Sprouts, so I saw them at Trader Joe’s, and grabbed a bag in a flash, since there weren’t that many left. This tiny veggie is rich in Antioxidants, rich in vitamin K and C, high in fiber content, may reduce inflammation, protect against cancer and furthermore, are low in calories. Interestingly, they retain the purple color when cooked, which makes it so attractive in the meals. (TOMORROW, MY RECIPE OF HOW I USED THIS SIDE WITH A MEAL) Category: Side Dish Approx. Prep and Cook Time: 45 Minutes (detaching the leaves is what takes time) Approximate Cost: $4.60 or $1.53 per serving Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 3+ Ingredients 1 lb. purple Brussels Sprouts ($3.00) ½ tsp. Roasted Garlic and Herbs (.15) 1 ½ tbsp. of Angie’s basting oil (.45) 2 tbsp. of Pesto (Use my recipe, the link is at the end, or use purchased) ($1.00) Directions
My Links: Pesto: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/angies-homemade-basil-pesto-sauce Angie’s Basting Oil: www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil Lentils are the cheapest, nutritious and delicious legumes that you can make. They are packed with potassium, fiber, protein and minerals and they are so easy to cook. Category: Entrée Approx. Prep and Cook Time: Under 30 Minutes Approximate Cost: $9.10 or $2.28 per bowl of stew Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 4 Ingredients 2 shredded rotisserie chicken thighs ($1.25) 2 ½ c. of cooked dry lentils ($1.50) 1 med. onion, chopped (.40) 6 garlic cloves, chopped (.35) 5 large dry shitake mushrooms (.55) 1 tbsp. Adobo (.20) 4 med size pieces of Yucca (.90) 2 tbsp. Olive oil (.45) 2 c. Spinach, chopped ($1.50) 3 c. chicken stock ($2.00) Directions Sort, rinse and cook in medium the lentils in 4 cups of water until tender. (I cook the whole bag of lentils and when they are tender and cold, I set aside half the lentils for the soup I will be making and freeze the remaining in a nice container to use at a later time in the week.) In a med. size pot add the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until golden. Shred the chicken thighs and add them to the pot. Stir. If the yucca is frozen, wait until it thaws, cut in about 2” size, add the pieces to the pot. Now, add the lentils, chicken stock, dry shitake mushrooms and Adobo. Cook in med. low until the yucca is tender and the liquid reduce and thickens to allow the flavors concentrate. Few minutes before serving, chop the spinach, add it to the stew and wait until it wilts. Done! COVID-19 SERIES #2: KITCHEN ALTERNATIVES BEST PRACTICES: MY NO FUSS ROTISSERIE CHICKEN ENCHILADA3/25/2020 By using 1 large chicken breast, mixed with shredded cheese and the enchilada sauce, you can make about 6 enchiladas that could easily to serve 2 enchiladas for 3 people, or 3 enchiladas for 2 people. This is a simple dish that takes no time to make and cost near nothing. However, the best part is that you are more likely to have these ingredients at home. If you don’t have fresh corn, use canned; no Ready Rice? Then use regular rice. The point is to be creative in the kitchen with what we have to stay in our homes. Category: Entrée Approx. Prep and Cook Time: Under 30 Minutes Approximate Cost: $11.88 or $3.96 per serving Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 3 Ingredients 1 large rotisserie chicken breast (1 chicken @ $5.00 divided in 6 parts = (.83) 1 bag of Ready to Use Red Beans Rice ($2.75) 6 corn tortillas (.60) 2 corn ears ($1.00) 1 avocado ($1.25) 1 can 28 oz. of Enchilada Sauce, green or red* ($2.90) 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese ($2.55) Directions
Done, plate your economical rotisserie meal and enjoy! *Beware: Old El Paso brand sauce is gluten free, others, like “Essential Everyday”, are not. Always read the ingredients. As I indicated in my prior post, there are alternatives to adopt to prevent unnecessary trips to the grocery store. Moderation not only help to make ingredients last but also keeps us healthy. Today’s meal is simple, nutritious and enough to feed 2 people and satisfy them, plus preparing this meal takes no time. Category: Entrée Approx. Prep and Cook Time: 15 Minutes Approximate Cost: $6.75 or $3.38 per serving Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 2 (for a family of 4, double the recipe except the avocado) Ingredients 2 chicken drums and 1 large breast cut in half plus 1 tsp. basting oil ($1.25) 2 Goya cooked ripe plantains ($1.00) 2 c. broccoli florets ($2.00) 2 avocados ($2.50) Directions In a skillet with ½ tsp. olive oil, warm and briefly saute the chicken drums and sliced breast. Steam the broccoli florets in ½ c. salted water until bright green, drain and saute is same skillet. Microwave the cooked plantain, slice the avocado and boom, done. PANIC? NO, HERE is HOW I IMPROVISED and MANAGE to HANDLE the CHICKEN SHORTAGE. PLUS, HOW I AM USING my INGREDIENTS EFFECTIVELY to AVOID NUMEROUS UNNECESSARY TRIPS to the GROCERY STORE Today, I was motivated to begin a series of alternatives in the kitchen that we all must consider during this worldwide health pandemic. If what it takes to survive and stay healthy is to change to non-traditional ways to go on our daily living, then we must make adjustments to be successful in the effort. Since I did not find fresh chicken anywhere, I decided to move to plan B. Rotisserie. Most households purchase 1 weekly and consumed it in one day, but it could render more for a family of 2. If your family is larger, you can still manage to make few meals out of the chicken. Traditionally, I purchase 1 rotisserie chicken/week, however, with the crisis we are living now, I decided to purchase 2. After prepping them by removing all fat, skin and bones, I broke them down into the following: The 2 rotisserie chickens cost me $10.00 and I divided each chicken into:
Each day I will be posting a recipe to go with each of the above mentioned chicken parts. The recipes will be a combination of new posts and old posts of rotisserie recipes that I cooked. I hope that you will enjoy the ride. Welcome to my Series and thanks for reading it! The other day I was at the grocery store looking at the Charras bag. A lady next to me interrupted my concentration and asked me if I have done dishes using Charras. My reply was, not this type, I use corn tortillas. Then as a native Mexican lady, she gave me a quick idea of how she makes them. So, I bought a pack, took it home and came up with my own idea of how to use the delicious super crunchy open faced Charras for a meal. Awesome! Category: Entrée Approx. Prep and Cook Time: Under 30 Minutes Approximate Cost: $10.95 or $2.74 per Charra Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 4 Charras (1 per serving) (or 2 servings of 2 Charras each) Ingredients for the Chicken ($3.85) 4 large chicken tenders ($3.20) 1 tbsp. Tone’s Cilantro Lime Seasoning (.15) 1 tbsp. Angie’s basting oil (.35) 3 chopped garlic (.15) Ingredients for the Salsa and other Ingredients ($7.10) 3 Roma Tomatoes ($1.00) ½ sweet onion (.20) 3 chopped garlic (.15) 1 c. chopped Cilantro (.30) 1 jalapeño (.15) 1 tbsp. Angie’s basting oil (.35) 1 tbsp. Tone’s Cilantro Lime Seasoning (.15) 3 tbsp. Black olives, drained and rinsed (.30) 2 c. Spinach ($1.50) 1 lemon (juice) (.50) 1 avocado, sliced ($1.25) 4 Charras Tostadas (.75) ½ c. Tzatziki sauce (.50) Directions Clean and season the chicken tenders. Refrigerate. Rinse, prep and chop the Salsa veggies and add them to a bowl. Add 1 tbsp. basting oil, 1 tbsp. Tone’s Cilantro Lime Seasoning, 3 tbsp. Black olives, jalapeño and the juice of 1 lemon. Stir gently and refrigerate. In a skillet at med-high heat, sauté the chicken tenders until light golden brown. To plate, bring the salsa out of the fridge, slice the avocados and assemble the tower as I did in my slide presentation. Add a small scoop of Tzatziki sauce to garnish the plate. If you want, you could accompany this meal with a scoop or 2 of yellow rice. Enjoy! We all know that key lime pies are delicious, but wait ‘til you try my Key Lime cheesecakes with Crème de Cacao liquor, Oreo and Lime cookies, it takes the fruit to yet another level. Category: Dessert Approx. Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes Approximate Cost: $8.75 or Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free - (NO) Servings: 18 Ingredients 2- 8oz each crème cheese packs (AT ROOM TEMPERATURE) ($3.00) ¾ c. organic sugar (.30) 2 eggs (AT ROOM TEMPERATURE) (.32) 2 key limes to get 1 ½ tbsp. lime juice, zest and tiny slices to garnish ($1.00) 1 ½ tbsp. Crème de Cacao ($1.00) ½ drop food color green (0) 26 Oreo and Lemon Flavor cookies ($2.98) Powdered sugar to-taste to sprinkle over the cheesecakes (.15) Directions Preheat over at 350 degrees F. Zest the lime, spray each baking pan cavity with non-stick cooking spray and place a cookie into each cavity. Set aside. In a med-size bowl with a standard mixer, beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, zest, key lime juice, food color, Crème de Cacao and mix well. Distribute the cheesecake mix evenly into the baking pan cavities almost to the top. Tap on your counter top gently to remove any bubbles, and bake for about 15 minutes until done and lightly golden. (It will all depend on your home oven.) Remove when done and allow to cool completely. Then sprinkle powder sugar on top and garnish with a tiny lemon wedge and mint. Bammm! MY 4-INGREDIENT OVEN BAKED GARLIC SALMON CUBES that can be used as APPETIZERS or HORS D’ OEUVRES!3/17/2020 When I make salmon in any given way, I always win. To begin with, salmon is super delicious no matter what ingredients you use to season it. So when I came up with the idea of these cubes to serve as appetizers, my guests were delighted! Category: Hors d’ oeuvres Approx. Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes Approximate Total Cost: $6.20 Difficulty Level: Easy Allergens, Other: Gluten Free Servings: 4 (2/person) Ingredients 2 large salmon filet ($5.00) 2 tbsp. Angie’s basting oil (.50) 1 tbsp. Roasted Garlic and Herbs (.20) 1 lemon (½ to slice in 4 and ½ to squeeze over the salmon) (.50) Directions Pat dry, cut in cubes and season the salmon with 2 tbsp. of my basting oil and 1 tbsp. of Roasted garlic and herbs. In a skillet over med high, sauté the salmon cubes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the stove, sprinkle lemon juice over and set aside to rest. Serve the salmon with the crudité, or French bread toasts, or crackers. Garnish with a slice of lemon. You can serve it warm or cold Done. My Links: Angie’s Basting Oil: www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil |
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 |