Author Archives: meredithfoster

Why Do You Build Me Up, Butternut?

Posted by meredithfoster in American, Appetizer, Easy Recipes, Entree, Vegetarian

In the past, I would choose a pre-salad over pre-soup on any given day at any given restaurant. Since having Lottie, my taste buds and food cravings have changed tremendously. Now, when given the opportunity, I will always choose soup over salad.

In the winter, I typically have a pot of butternut squash soup in my fridge at all times. I love making shrimp to put in the soup to add texture and Enoki mushrooms provide a unique twist. Lottie loves it as well as a pasta sauce over whole wheat Rotini.

For awhile I stopped making this soup because cutting and peeling the whole squash was too hard for me (and my knives). Once again, Costco came through for me. Get this: They have fresh, precut and peeled butternut squash in the veggie section for $4.99/2lbs. Not only is it cheaper, but it is so easy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves- 8

Total Price (no shrimp)- $8.24

Total Price per Person- $1.03

Average Retail Price- $14.98

Total Savings- $6.74

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

-2 lbs (one large or two small) Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed- seeds removed

-1 small sweet onion

– 2 medium sized carrots

– 1 stalk of celery

– 1 sweet potato (optional)

– 3-5 cans chicken of vegetable stock

– Sauteed or grilled shrimp (optional)

– Enoki mushrooms (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Cut celery and carrots into small pieces.

2. Diced onion.

3. Put celery, carrots and onions into large pot and cook on medium heat for five minutes. Add a little salt and pepper.

4. Add all cubed butternut squash.

5. Cover with chicken stock until all vegetables are just barely covered.

6. Boil until squash is fork tender.

7. Turn off heat and allow everything to cool.

8. Blend until smooth (add water or stock if you like it thinner).

9. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

10. Serve and Enjoy!

 

Sales used in this Recipe:

2 lbs. Butternut Squash- Costco- $4.99

 

Key No What???

Posted by meredithfoster in Easy Recipes, Random Tips, Uncategorized

AMAZING DEAL ALERT!

64 oz. ORGANIC QUINOA (Kee-noh-ah)

Total Price- $9.99

Average Retail Price- $37.05

Total Savings- $27.06

In my late teens and early 20’s, I was quite nomadic. I loved going to the University of Tennessee, but in the middle of my time there, I decided to pack it up and head out west. At times I regret that decision, but I know that it was that decision that ultimately made each event in my life unfold and lead me to Blake.

I had a great time living in Vail, CO. After leaving Vail, I headed back to NC where I got my degree from UNC Wilmington. My new found love for surfing led me to Sunny San Diego, CA where I found a job at The Marine Room
(www.marineroom.com) that will forever be marked as one of the greatest experiences I have ever had.

When I moved to San Diego, it was clear that working in a restaurant was what I wanted to do. I wanted my days to be spent on a 10 foot long, freshly waxed, red, Allison surfboard, made specifically for me by one of the greatest surfboard designers of all times. It quickly became clear that I wasn’t the only one with this idea. Restaurant jobs were hard to come by.

I heard from a friend that there was this wonderful restaurant called The Marine Room that practically sat in the ocean. I was told not to apply because they rarely hire. Well, stubborn ole’ me went anyway. I am so glad I did because I landed the job, created amazing memories, met wonderful, life-long friends and learned more than I could have ever imagined from two of the best chefs in the world: Bernard Guillas and Ron Oliver.

I will never forget the stuff I learned there about food and wine. There was this fabulous dish that had a red quinoa in it. I had never seen or heard of quinoa, so I asked Chef Ron what it was. He explained to me all of it’s nutritional benefits and it’s history. Quinoa is a South American grain that is full of protein and essential amino acids. On top of that, it is gluten-free.

Since leaving the Marine Room, the popularity of quinoa has greatly increased. It is even finding it’s way to the grocery store aisles. The main problem with quinoa is that it is expensive. A small bag of it runs anywhere from $2.99-$8.99 for a 12 oz. portion. YIKES! This is why I am sharing this amazing deal I found. At Costco you can get 64 oz. of Organic Quinoa for $9.99, and it is delicious!!

Quinoa

A Crustacean and a Bivalve Sittin’ In a Dish….

Posted by meredithfoster in Entree, Fish, Moderate Recipes

I love south eastern coastal towns. To me, they are filled with the most inviting and peaceful landscapes on earth. I often picture myself freshly showered with damp hair which was minimally brushed with the expectation that the salt air would take control of it anyway, wearing a white sundress and walking down a sandy boardwalk at dawn. As the sea grass identifies the direction of the wind and the waves reinforce it, I begin to think. My mind wanders into space.

As I reach the end of the board walk and start walking down the beach, I climb to the top of the wooden life guard stand and have a seat. I begin to observe my surroundings. The beach is graced with the families that are soaking in every minute on the shoreline. They still have their umbrellas, beach balls and chairs out and it is clear they have been relocated a dozen times based on the changing of tides. There are also new and old couples walking hand in hand waiting on the increased romance that a sunset over the ocean delivers. There are grandparents and their grandchildren filling sand buckets with sea shells and a few frat boys playing Bocce Balls getting just a little too rowdy.

At this point, I take a giant breath and think to myself “Where am I going to go to eat some Shrimp and Grits?” After all, south eastern coastal towns specialize in their Shrimp and Grits and being a girl who consumes an average of two bowls of grits a day, this dish is right up my alley.

Shrimp and Scallops and Grits

Serves 4

Total Price- $12.08

Total Price per Person- $3.02

Average Retail Price- $25.23

Total Savings- $13.15


Ingredients

– 1 small onion-cubed

– ½ red pepper -cubed

– ½ green pepper- cubed

– 10inches Andouille sausage- cubed

– 12 medium-large shrimp

– 12 sea scallops

– 1/2 can beef consume

– 1 ½ cup of water

– ½ package Au jus mix

– 1 tbsp garlic- minced

– 2 tbsp oil

– 2 tbsp butter

– 4 servings of grits

Directions

1. Combine 1/2 packet of au jus mix with 1/2 the suggested cold water on the packet

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large saute pan or pot over medium high heat

3. Place chopped onion, pepper, garlic, and sausage in the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes stirring often

4. Add 1/2 can beef consume, 1 cup of the au jus mix, and 1/2 cup of water to the pot, bring to a boil

5. Reduce the liquid by 2/3 until it thickens

6. Taste the sauce and add water 1/4 cup at a time if it is too salty for your taste.  This is a salty dish and the bland grits will help to delude the salt

7. Heat the remaining oil and butter in a large saute pan over high heat

8. Sear the scallops and shrimp, turning once, and set aside

9. Cook 4 servings of grits and separate into bowls

10. Pour the sauce evenly into the bowls, and top with shrimp and scallops

11. Serve immediately

Sales used in this recipe-

Costco- Kirkland’s brand shrimp- $15.99/6 lbs frozen

Costco- Kirkland’s brand sea scallops- $21.99/ 4lbs frozen

*** (I can honestly say that the frozen shrimp and scallops at Costco are as good as any I have had and the savings are HUGE)***

Ingles- Au jus package- BOGO

Ingles- Beef Consume- BOGO

A Pleasant SOUPrise

Posted by meredithfoster in Appetizer, Beef, Easy Recipes, Entree, Spanish

I love to pack a hearty lunch in my lunch box everyday. The OCD in me has a hard time when my lunch box has too much empty space in it. A bowl of taco soup, a small sandwich, a fruit and a perfectly folded napkin fill it up ideally.  This recipe makes enough soup for about 10-12 servings leaving a family of four with lunch the next day.

So we all have those nights where we don’t want to spend a lot of time making dinner or doing the dishes. This soup is one of those dishes that allows you to have a quick and delicious home made meal that leaves little to no mess.  Taco soup is a something that I grew up eating. I am not sure where my mom got the recipe, but we cook it a few times a month in the winter. Enjoy!

Taco Soup

Serves 10-12

Total Amount- $13.01

Total price per person- $1.09

Average Retail price- $22.88

Total Savings- $9.87


 

–          2 lbs of ground beef, turkey or bison

–          1 onion, chopped

–          3 cans pinto beans

–          3 cans corn

–          2 cans diced tomatoes

–          1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies

–          2-3 cans of low sodium chicken broth

–          1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dry seasoning

–          1 packet of taco seasoning

–          1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoning Salt

–          1 tsp garlic salt

–          2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

  1. Brown 2 lbs ground beef and 1 chopped onion in pot with a little olive oil
  2. Season beef with Lawry seasoning salt, garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce and packet of taco seasoning.
  3. Add 3 cans Pinto beans (slightly drained)
  4. Add 3 cans corn (slightly drained)
  5. Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes
  6. Add 1 can rotel tomatoes with chilies
  7. Add 2-3 cans chicken broth
  8. Add dry hidden ranch dressing packet
  9. Cook until warm (medium heat for 30 minutes)
  10. Top with tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, olives, ect.

Sometimes I adjust flavor with more tomatoes or chicken broth….depends on your taste!

Sales used in this recipe:

Patton’s Meat Market- 5lb package of lean ground beef $11.99

Kroger BOGO –  Delmonte Diced Tomatoes

Kroger BOGO – Rotel Tomatoes

Costco $2.25 off Swanson Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Unseasonally Seasonal

Posted by meredithfoster in American, Chicken, Entree, Italian, Moderate Recipes

I absolutely love when fresh herbs are on sale in the winter. I get so spoiled in the summer with the endless supply of my home grown herbs, that I miss them so much in the winter. Generally they run between $2.00-4.00 for a small bunch of herbs when you buy them at the store. I was at Ingles the other day when I found them Buy One, Get One FREE! I grabbed a pack of sage and a pack of basil. I really like to use sage with chicken whenever I get the chance. I also noticed Boar’s Head prosciutto was on sale for $1.10 off per pound at the Publix deli. I knew that I could make something delightful with these items.

I have always been a huge fan of the under-appreciated, yet salty and lean meat, prosciutto. Recently, I have noticed it gaining popularity in the food magazines which makes me very happy. In fact, a prosciutto and egg biscuit graced the cover of Food and Wine in January. Go prosciutto…way to keep up the fight to the top!!!

Prosciutto and Sage Chicken Breast

Serves 4

Total Price- $5.42

Total Price per Person- $1.35

Average Retail Price- $9.75

Total Savings-  $4.33



4 8-oz chicken breasts

12 fresh sage leaves

4 oz very thinly sliced prosciutto cut into 12 strips

4 tbsp extra virgin oil

2/3 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 tsp corn starch

4 lemon wedges

Directions – preheat oven to 375:

1. Dry, salt and pepper chicken breasts

2. Place 3 sage leaves on each breast

3. Wrap each breast with 4 strips of prosciutto securing the sage in place

4. Sear chicken 2 minutes each side in a pan over medium-high heat with 2 tsp olive oil

5. Remove chicken from pan and place in the oven for 6-7 minutes or until done

6. Combine broth lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, stir with whisk until well misked

7. Add lemon juice mixture and one tbsp olive oil to the pan

8. Bring to a boil stirring constantly

9. Cook for one minute until thickened, stir with a whisk

10. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with angel hair pasta or polenta.

Sales used in this recipe-

Sage- BOGO Ingles

Prosciutto- $1.10 off per pound Publix

Angel Hair- Publix- $0.50 off

Swimming Upstream

Posted by meredithfoster in American, Easy Recipes, Fish, Moderate Recipes

For a long time, I refused to cook salmon at home. I always found it
to be too expensive for what it was, and when I made it, it was so
fishy tasting. The weird thing was that when I went to
restaurant, I loved to order salmon, and it was never fishy.

One day at Costco, I decided to get some salmon that was frozen (less than $3 per serving). I always get the frozen scallops and shrimp from Costco,  and
they are always delicious. Buying this salmon was the best thing I
have ever done for my bank account, palate and waistline. I literally
have been eating it 3-5 nights a week. Blake makes this amazing brown
sugar and dill marinade, and then we broil it. It is so good and crispy.
Sometimes we put it on a sandwich and add bacon, but my favorite is to
serve it with a trendy grain(in this case a bed of cauliflower) and some steamed broccoli. This tops my recipes as my favorite!!!

Brown Sugar and Dill Broiled Salmon on a Bed of Cauliflower

Serves- 4
Total Price- $11.40
Total per person- $2.85
Average Retail- $37.96
Total Savings-  $26.56


Ingredients

– 4 filets of salmon

– 2 tsp. olive oil

– 1 1/2 tablespoon mayo

– 2 tsp lemon juice

– 1/2 cup brown sugar

– 1 cup chicken broth

– 1/2 cup water

– 2 tsp. dill (dried)

Directions-

Preheat oven to broil- place top rack 4-5 inches from top.

Make sure it is all the way preheated before you put the fish in the oven.

Dry Salmon pieces before starting.

1. Put all ingredients in a medium saucepan.

2. Turn on medium to high heat and whisk until blended.

3. Bring to a boil until reduced by 80%.

4. Add tsbp of Rum (optional)

5. Reduce until it is the consistency of syrup.

6. Put in a bowl to cool.

7. Coat salmon pieces in sauce.

8. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray.

9. Place salmon in pan.

10. Drizzle more sauce on top of each salmon.

11. Broil 7 minutes on one side and flip.

12. Drizzle remaining sauce and broil for 7 more minutes until crispy.

13. Serve hot!!!

*TIP: If the sauce reduces too much and becomes like molasses add chicken stock or water 1/2 tbsp at a time and stir until it is the desired thickness.*

Sales on this meal:

Salmon-Costco- 8 pieces for $22

Brown Sugar- Publix- BOGO

Mayo- Publix- BOGO

Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson

Posted by meredithfoster in American, Easy Recipes, Entree, Pork

My favorite thing about trendy social networking sites is the ability to keep in touch with people in your lives. One other thing I like about it is getting to know things about people that you may have never known. I have followed the lives of a lot of people I knew in high school. One of my friends, Kirsten Robinson, started a really cool business called Mrs. Robinson’s Twigs and Berries.

She sent me a sample of two of the mixes, and they were delicious! We made the most delicious and savory pork tenderloin with the Pistachio Twigs. I would highly recommend ordering a few packs to make this delightful dish time and time again. Not only is it wonderful and full of flavor and texture, but it is beautiful as well. It’s a great dish for entertaining.

To order from Mrs. Robinson, visit: www.twigsandberriesmix.com

Twigs Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Serves 6

Total Price- $14.86

Total Price per Person- $2.47

Average Retail Price- $18.50

Total Savings- $3.64

– 1 Pork Loin
– 1 Package of Twig’s Pistachio Trail Mix
– 2 tbsp each Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, honey mustard.
– 1 tsp salt, pepper, garlic salt

1. Stab the pork loin a few times with a knife or fork to allow for marinating
2. Combine pork, mustards, salt, pepper, and garlic salt in a large bowl or gallon sized Ziploc bag
3. Let marinate for 2-4 hours
4. Pour package of trail mix into a baking dish big enough to hold the pork loin
5. Roll the marinated pork loin in the mixture until coated evenly
6. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour

Sales in this recipe:

Twigs: Free sample

Pork Tenderloin- $2.49/lb at Publix

Catering to the Everything-Free Eaters

Posted by meredithfoster in Appetizer, Asian, Chicken, Entree, Moderate Recipes, Vegetarian

One of the things that my mom and her sisters share in common is that they all have very nurturing and catering personalities. I think these are such neat character traits to have. My aunt Sue posted on her Facebook that she is looking for gluten-free, sugar- free recipes and would love to have some that are vegan friendly. She wants to entertain her loved ones by catering to all of their specific diets.

The dinner we had last night was Thai Chicken Noodle Soup that can easily be made vegan by either substituting the chicken with tofu or leaving it out altogether. It was quite delicious and had just the right amount of spice.

Thai Chicken or Tofu Noodle Soup

*We got this idea from Food Network Magazine this month*

Serves 6

–          1 tbsp vegetable oil

–          1 onion, thinly sliced

–          2 cloves of garlic minced

–          2 tbsp green curry paste

–          6 cups low sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegans)

–          15-ounce can coconut milk

–          1-2 tbsp fish sauce

–          2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced

–          4 oz thin rice noodles, broken into pieces

–          2 small skinless chicken breast thinly sliced or 2 cups of tofu

–          1 tbsp fresh lime juice

–          1 cup chopped cilantro

  1. Heat oil over medium high heat.
  2. Add onion and cook, stir occasionally about 5-7 minutes
  3. Add garlic and curry paste and cook, stirring 1-2 minutes
  4. Add chicken broth, coconut milk and fish sauce and bring to a boil.
  5. Add bell peppers and noodles and simmer uncovered until the noodles are al dente (3 minutes)
  6. Add chicken or tofu and simmer until cooked through (3 more minutes)
  7. Stir in lime juice and cilantro and serve hot!

    8. Savings in this meal:

Chicken- $1.48/lb at Kroger

Coconut milk- BOGO at Super H

The Whole Enchilada

Posted by meredithfoster in Chicken, Entree, Moderate Recipes, Spanish

I am not a big fan of Mexican food. To me, the flavors are kind of monotomous, and I always smell funny when I leave the restaurant. My best friend, Jenny and my husband, Blake love it! As with all of my other food pickiness, I have an exception to my dislike of Mexican food. I love Blake’s homemade Mexican food.

Last night, we had home made enchiladas. They were so good! They are not hard to make, but they do require some time and attention. The thing I love most is the fact that they are decently healthy!

Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 6

Total Price- $1.28

Total Price per Person- $1.92

Average Retail Price- $14.26

Total Savings- $6.49

– 6 chicken breasts or substitue any # of breasts for thighs (Make it even easier by buying a Rotesserie Chicken at the grocery store)
– 1 can Rotel tomatoes
– 1/2 tbsp cumin
– 1/2 tbsp chili powder
– Pinch of salt and pepper

– 1 Can salsa verde or green chili
– 1 tsp cumin
– Pinch of salt, pepper, and cayenne
– 1 tbsp sour cream

– 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
– 1 package corn tortillas
– 1 can enchilada sauce, or home made enchilada sauce

Steps 1-3 can be eliminated by using Rotesserie Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Place chicken in a roasting pan, top with rotel tomatoes, cumin, chili    powder, salt, and pepper
3. Cover and roast in the oven for 1 hour

4. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes
5. Pull chicken apart and place in a large mixing bowl
6. Add salsa verde or green chili, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, and sour cream
7. Mix well, and season to taste (Blake likes to add a bit of chopped up chipotle peppers with adobo sauce for extra heat to his)

8. Heat the oil in a saute pan to medium-high heat
9. Place the corn tortillas in the oil 1-2 at a time to soften and lightly cook, roughly 1 minute, and place on a paper towel
10. Spoon the chicken mixture into a corn tortilla, wrap, and place in a baking dish
11. Repeat until all of the chicken mixture is used

12. Top with enchilada sauce, and cheese if desired
13. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes or until sauce bubbles
14. Let set for 10 minutes and serve

Sales in this recipe:

Chickem $1.48/lb at Kroger

Corn Tortillas- $1.00 Southern Savings

Sour Cream- BOGO at Publix

Enchilada sauce- $0.20 off Soutern Savers

Crazy for Cauliflower

Posted by meredithfoster in American, Appetizer, Easy Recipes, Random Tips, Vegetarian

I am so glad that cauliflower has received the recent spotlight in several cooking magazines lately. As long as I can remember, I have loved cauliflower more than most people. I think it is key to any salad and also adds a unique flavor to any assortment of roasted vegetables. The thing I love the most about it is the ability to transform it. It packs flavor, but it’s flavor can be transformed in any way. One of my favorite snacks is raw cauliflower dipped in yellow mustard. I was eating it the other day at school when one of my students came to my desk and greeted me with a simple, “gross”.

In 2007, when I was on an disgustingly limited diet to prepare for my wedding, I ate only vegetables. After a few weeks, the raw and roasted stuff was becoming boring, and I needed a new twist. Blake made mashed cauliflower, and I fell in love with it. We replace mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower all the time now. Last month, Blake had a brilliant idea. He wanted to make a mashed cauliflower souffle. BEST.IDEA.EVER.

The pictures will never do this side justice. For two reasons, it is basically a colorless dish, and I am horrible at taking pictures. Trust me, this one is worth making.

Asiago Cauliflower Souffles

Serves 4

Total Price- $2.63

Total Price per serving- $0.66

Average Retail Price- $4.39

Total Savings– $1.76

(You will need 4 equal size baking ramekins)

Ingredients

– 1 head of cauliflower

-1 tbsp butter

-1tbsp sour cream

-1/4 milk

-3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese

Directions

1. Break the cauliflower into large heads

2. Boil until fork tender

3. Strain and cool for 5-10 minutes

4. Blend with butter, sour cream, milk and salt and pepper (adjust seasonings and ingredients to your liking.)

5. After blending, the mashed cauliflower should be the consistency of grits.

6. Pour mashed cauliflower into baking ramekins.

7. Top with shredded Asiago (just enough cheese to cover the top)

8. Bake 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted.

9. If you want to make these the day before or the morning of, compose them, place them in the refrigerator and bake from cold at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Savings in this side dish

Cauliflower $1.38/head at Super H Mart

Asiago cheese $2.99/lb at Costco