new week challenge!

hello friends! 'tis wednesday and i'm still trying to warm up from my early morning walk. it was quite windy and chilly. now that i've downed a hot cup of earl grey, my fingers are actually nimble enough to type.well, this week's recipe challenges are along the lines of the ever-so-common budget favourite: ramen. monday night was mississippi'sofficial birthday so we didn't have a recipe challenge for that night; but last night mississippi and i made a spicy chicken and mushroom creamy noodley concoction that was quite delicious and it smells SO GOOD while it's cooking.

chicken: three cutlests (from the package i bought last week) equalling $2.24

shiitake mushrooms: $2.50 (used half the package)

oriental ramen: $1/6 packages (used three packages for this recipe): $0.50

chicken broth: the remainder of the package i bought last week which i think i

paid $3.59 for. but the same amount of chicken broth is about $0.99

green onions: still using up the bundle i bought last week. good grief these things last a while! not bad for i believe it was $.075

mushroom gravy mix: $0.89 (used half)

cayenne pepper: had in stock, but it costs about $2.29

soy sauce: used a packet left over from chinese take out (ahem...again. i know i have a problem).

total this recipe would cost about $10.16, but as i have mentioned in all the previous recipe posts, you probably have most of this at home. i spent a total of $3.00 even to make this meal last night. not bad!! try it, it is quite tasty.

steps 1 & 2: sautee the mushrooms with the green onions and seasonings with a little bit of broth as you sautee the chicken with cayenne and salt and pepper in some oil in a separate pan.

steps 3 & 4: then add the noodles and the rest of the broth and add the chicken too the mixture that's already simmering in the pot. ta da! you are done. and it's quite spicy and delicious! plus it makes enough to serve at least four.

a new recipe, a new challenge

good morning, kiddos! happy wednesday! i started a new project this week in which i cook a new recipe every night. it makes me feel like less of a putz that i don't have a jobby job yet. well, i added a challenge to this project, considering the money is rather tight in the ortolano household. so, my challenge is to make a recipe i find online (or in one of the cookbooks from my obscenely large cookbook collection) for ten dollars or less. i'm also trying to use up as many ingredients from my own pantry as possible. so, here was what i made yesterday (once again from realsimple.com):

ginger chicken meatballs with edamame on rice

steps 1 & 2: mix shallots and grated ginger in with ground chicken with salt and pepper, then form meatballs. cook meatballs in olive oil until cooked all the way through. it takes a little while.

steps 3 & 4: cook rice in a separate pot while you sautee edamame (and snow peas, says the recipe, but i forgot about them completely and you know what? they weren't missed). i sauteed the beans in a little bit of chicken broth and soy sauce, and sprinkled brown sugar on them as they browned a little.

then you are done! ta da! gingery chicken meatballs and edamame on top of rice with brown sugar-sweetened soy sauce. delicious!

this got a high rating from mississippi. i concur entirely (though the soy sauce and brown sugar make it a little rich) because the ginger in the meatball has a fantastic bite. really fresh and yummy. try it out. it's really quite easy and filling.

as for the financial total:

soy sauce: i used remaining packets i had saved from a few chinese takeout nights over the past few weeks and bought an extra small bottle just in case that wasn't enough. but if you don't have any of those left over (though i think there are some in every american silverware drawer i've ever seen), then it costs around $1.39.

ground chicken: $3.29 (thankfully, because it was the least expensive option in my grocery store's poultry aisle).

green onions: $0.40 (for one bunch and there is quite a bit left over).

ginger root: for a small container of ginger root to be used in several more recipes to come! $1.99

brown sugar: i already had some in stock but if you don't, it ranges around $1.49

instant rice: i like to use brown but they cost pretty much the same. the brown added a nice nuttiness that i think added to the recipe more than plain white rice would have. $1.49

so if you have to buy everything it ends up being $10.05; but if you happen to have some of this on hand, then even better. i got out of the store for around $7.07! try it out friends!

adieu for now,

lu