First, do not feel intimidated with the number of ingredients, after all, you do not make this dish weekly, smile; and yes, is really easy to make. Furthermore, where can you get a meal like this for $10.26? Only in your own kitchen.
 
My Osso Buco recipe is easy and awesome; however, the only snag is that it takes 2 to 3 hours to cook in low temperature in the oven to break the conjunctive tissue and make the meat fall off the bone. Trust me, it’s worth it! I also used my own ingredients to make it taste even better than the traditional. Why use only salt and pepper to season when you can add other spices to bring the dish to the next level.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 15 Minutes prep time and two plus hours in oven.
Approximate Cost: $41.02 or $10.26 per serving
Difficulty Level: ____Easy      X    Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
4 veal shanks, trimmed ($26.57)
1 tbsp. Angie’s Dry Seasonings (.40)
Kitchen twine (to secure shanks to the bone) (.10)
½ cup All-purpose flour, for dredging (.25)
 
1/3 cup of Angie’s basting oil ($2.00)
1 Med. onion, diced in cubes (.40) 2 carrots, diced in cubes (.30)
2 celery stalks, diced in cubes (.30)
5 cloves of garlic, chopped (.30)
 
1 sprig fresh rosemary or fresh oregano (.15)
4 sprigs fresh lemon thyme (.15)
4 bay leaf (.15)
2 tablespoons tomato sauce (.15)
1 cup of good red wine ($3.00)
4 cups beef stock ($2.50)
4 tbsps. of chopped flat-leaf parsley (.35)
1 tbsp. lemon zest (.15)
 
1 cup of Orzo ($1.25)
5 Baby Bella mushrooms (.55)
4 cloves of garlic, chopped (.30)
2 cups chicken or beef stock ($1.00)
1 tbsp. of Angie’s basting oil (.40)
1 tsp. Angie’s Dry Seasonings (.30)
 
Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Clean the shanks, remove any excess moisture with paper towel, secure the meat to the bone with the kitchen twine, season each shank with my dry seasonings and dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off the excess.
 
In a large Dutch oven, heat the basting oil and when hot, add the tied veal shanks to
brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove browned shanks and reserve.
 
In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery. Season with my dry seasoning to
help draw out the moisture from the vegetables. Sauté until soft and translucent,
about 5 minutes.
 
Add the tomato sauce, (I don’t use tomato paste, is too sweet) and mix well.
 
Return the browned shanks to the pan, add the red wine, 2 cups of the beef stock or more if needed and bring to a boil. Your goal is to bring the cooking liquid level above the shanks before placing in the oven. (You can add more stock as needed.)
 
Turn the heat off and place the Dutch oven covered in the oven at 300 degrees for about 2 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone. (Check after one hour for doneness) (Remember, all ovens cook differently)
 
To cook the Orzotto: (Cook the Orzotto after the shanks are done.)
In a skillet over med. heat, add basting oil garlic and chopped mushrooms to caramelize. Then add the Orzo and sauté for few minutes until a bit toasty.
 
Reduce the heat a bit and carefully, add 1 cup of beef stock enough to cover the orzo, stir and bring it to a light boil. Keep adding more stock and stir each time it begins to dry out until the orzo is covered.
 
Test after 5-8 minutes for doneness; it will be done in approximately under 10 to 15 minutes.
 
At this point taste the Orzo, the stock contains salt; however, you can adjust to taste with my dry seasonings. Serve immediately.
 
 
Back to the Osso Buco, once the meat is done, carefully remove the shanks from the pot, cut off the twine and discard. Also, remove any visible spices such as bay leaves.
 
Serve in a soup plate by adding a scoop of Orzotto, topped with a veal shank, pour sauce from the pot over the shank and sprinkle gremolata (chopped flat parsley and microplane lemon zest and a bit of garlic, done) over it.
  
My Links
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings
Angie’s Basting Oil:  www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil

​These are the easiest sandwiches to make and they taste great, especially if you eat them with a soup or add chips on the side. Bonus, they are super healthy if you use my ingredients. The bread is whole wheat, although I prefer multigrain.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 15 MINUTES
Approximate Cost: $12.50 or $2.08 per sandwich
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 6
 
Ingredients
2 cans of canned chicken breast (@$2.80 ea. = $5.60)
2 tbsp. of dry onion flakes (.35)
3 tbsp. Of Tzatziki sauce (.40)
2 tbsp. Of lemon juice (.20)
1 ½ tbsp. of olive oil (.40)
6 wheat thin sandwich buns ($3.50)
1 tbs. of chopped olives (.35)
¼ c. mild banana peppers (or to taste. (.20)
2 cups of spinach ($1.50)
 
Directions
Drain the broth in the chicken cans.
Add the dry onion flakes, Tzatziki sauce, lemon juice, Red Hot Sauce, olive oil, and chopped olives. Mix all well.
Open the flat breads and spread Tzatziki sauce on then instead of mayo or butter.
Add a handful of spinach, top with chicken mixture, add few banana peppers to taste.
Cover with the other top and enjoy.

Why Cod Piccata? Why Not? This is such an easy dish to make and the flavors are to die for. I simply can’t help it. I always cook what I feel like eating on a given day. It just happened that I was at the grocery store and the cod in the seafood department looked so fresh and yummy, so, I had to get it and hurried home to make it.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Approximate Cost: $11.43 or $5.72 per serving
Difficulty Level:         Easy __X__ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
1 ½ lb. of Cod fish cut in pieces ($3.99)
1 ½ tbsp. Angie’s Dry Seasoning (or the one of your choice) (see my link for recipe) (.40)
2 ½ tbsp. Olive oil (.50)
¼ cup of all-purpose flour (.35)
1 tsp. minced garlic (.25)
1 cup white wine ($2.00)
½ cup of beef broth (.55)
1 lemon, sliced (.40)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter (.35)
2 tbsp. Capers (drained) (.30)
1 handful bunch of chopped Parsley (.35)
Couscous ($1.99)
 
Directions
In a shallow plate, add the flour, ½ tsp. of my seasoning and mix well.
Season the fish with 1 tbsp. of my seasoning and ½ tbsp. Olive oil.
Using one cod filet at a time, add them to the flour mix and cover well on both sides. Remove and place on a plastic or foil paper until ready to cook.
Add at least ½ tbsp. of olive oil at a time to a skillet on med high, place one cod fish and cook until golden brown. Remove and let them rest on paper towel.
Once both fish are cooked and removed, add the butter to the skillet.
Then add the wine, capers and the beef broth.
Cook until the sauce is reduced at least by half and it starts to get thick. If it doesn’t, add a tsp. of the flour mix to the sauce and whisk well to avoid lumps.
Cook the Couscous according to package directions. (90 seconds)
Add the fish back to the skillet and you are ready to plate.
Enjoy!
 
My Link:
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings

Tembleque is a typical Puerto Rican Christmas holiday season dessert; however, we make it any time during the year. To describe Tembleque, I must say that it is a coconut like pudding, lighter, that wiggles a lot when you handle it. Is fun and delicious.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Approximate Cost: $5.59 or .70 cents a piece
Difficulty Level:    X     Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 8
 
Ingredients
1 13oz. can of Goya coconut milk ($1.99)
2/3 c. sugar (.45)
¼ tsp. Nutmeg (.30)
¼ tsp. dry ginger (.15)
¼ tsp. Vanilla ($1.50)
1 lemon peel (.15)
¼ tsp. salt (.0)
½ c. cornstarch (.35)
½ cup evaporated milk (.50)
1 cinnamon sticks (.10)
Ground cinnamon to taste, to sprinkle over the dessert before serving. (.10)

Directions
Combine the coconut milk, salt, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and sugar in a saucepan, stir until all ingredients are combined.

Meantime, in a separate bowl mix the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of evaporated milk until creamy, add the ginger and the nutmeg, whisk well to blend.

Add to the liquid ingredients and cook in medium for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring to bring it to a boil, then add the vanilla. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes thicker, in just few more minutes. Remove from the heat.

Pour the Tembleque into a nonstick deep dish that could be square, round or a bunt pan; or pour into separate glasses and let it cool. (to play it safe you can oil spray the mold before pouring the Tembleque in) Let it cool then refrigerate until is set and solid.
​
Before serving, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and garnish with 1 cinnamon stick if you like.

It only takes 6 ingredients and almost no time to cook this delicious dish. Not only it looks amazing but the flavors are on point. Purchase the pasta (I bought mine at Trader Joe’s), make the pesto or just purchase it at the store. (If you want to use mine, my Pesto Recipe Link is attached below.)
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 30 minutes
Approximate Cost: $7.89 or $3.95 per serving
Difficulty Level:    X     Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
2 pork tenderloin steak cut butterfly style  ($2.50)
Garlic salt and pepper to taste (.30)
1 ½ tbsp. Angie’s Basting Oil (My Link is below.) (.45)
2 cups Broccoli ($1.45)
2 ½ tbsp. Pesto (.90)
Linguine Pasta (the 8 oz. bag= $2.29)
 
Directions
Clean and season the pork with Garlic salt and pepper and 1 tbsp. Angie’s Basting Oil, refrigerate.
Cook the spinach pasta according to the package directions, add Garlic salt and pepper to the water to taste.
While the pasta cooks, cut the broccoli into spears and blanch them in the same pasta pot until they turn dark green and not mushy, about 3 minutes, drain well, (and then sauté in the pork-skillet later).
Simultaneously, sauté the pork until golden brown, remove to let them rest.
Drain the pasta, add ½ tsp. of my basting oil, toss, add 2 tbsp. of Pesto and stir well.
Plate a good portion on each plate and drip a bit more of Pesto to garnish.
Place the pork on top and garnish the plate with broccoli florets. Done!
 
My Links:
Angie’s 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

​Chocolate is my favorite sweet to go. I love it, therefore; I take every opportunity that I have to make desserts with chocolate. This is one of those occasions when I used not one but three chocolate combinations to complete this dessert; dark chocolate cocoa, milk chocolate chips and melted white chocolate to decorate. I hope that you like it.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Approximate Cost: $6.47 or $1.08 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 6 to 8
 
Ingredients
½ c. Butter (.65)
2 Eggs (.32)
1 c. Granulated Sugar (.50)
1 tsp. vanilla (2.00)
½ c. Flour (.45)
¼ tsp. salt (.15)
¼ tsp. baking powder (.20)
1 c. Milk chocolate chips (.55)
1/3 c. Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder (.55)
½ cup White chocolate almond bark or chips to decorate ($1.10)
 
Directions for the Chocolate Torta:
Preheat oven at 350 degrees and spray with cooking oil a round 8 or 9” pan.
Melt the butter and add it to a large bowl.
Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla, beat.
Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking powder, beat to mix, then add chocolate chips.
Pour batter into your prepared baking pan.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. The cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
Let the Torta cool down before melting the white chocolate to decorate it.
 
Directions to melt the White Chocolate:
Place the white chocolate into a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave in high for 60 seconds, stir. If it hasn’t melt already, continue microwaving for 15 seconds at a time until it becomes smooth and easy to pour. (Warning: It will be extremely hot.)