Category Archives: Moderate Recipes

The recipes are easy for someone who cooks often.

You Can Still Look HOT Eating Hot Wings

Posted by meredithfoster in American, Chicken, Moderate Recipes, Random Tips

One of my favorite foods in the world is hot wings. It drives my husband nuts when I eat them because I used a fork and a steak knife to prevent from having to slurp my fingers or dip into my 401k to afford enough paper towels to keep me clean.

I am O.C.D. Normally the things that I obsess about are doors being locked, cabinets being completely closed, recycling bins being organized, expired coupons and floor surfaces being free of dirt and debris. One other thing that drives me nuts is when anything is under my fingernails. It drives me crazy! It’s nearly impossible to eat a hot wing without getting sauce under your fingernails…..UNTIL NOW!

When I was on Facebook the other day, I saw a friend of mine, Tisha, ask her Facebook family if anyone could think of a way to eat hot wings with out looking like a barbarian. It was then that it hit me that I was not the only one. This discussion lead to the creation of the following dish. I know they are thighs and not wings, but they are close enough. Also, they are skinless which dramatically reduced the saturated fat and cholesterol.

Dainty Finger Lickless Hot “Wings” with Celery Casserole

Serves 4

Total Price- $5.37

Total Price per Person- $1.34

Total Average Retail Price- $13.58

Total Savings- $8.21

Dainty Chicken "Wings" and Celery Casserole

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Super H $1.49/lb Average Retail $3.99/lb)

9 tbsp butter (Costco 5lbs $5.19 Average Retail $2.99/lb)

½ cup Texas Pete Hot sauce (Big Lots)

1 tsp salt (Big Lots)

1 tsp pepper (Big Lots)

1 tsp oil

  1. Clarify 6 tbsp butter by putting in sauté pan on low heat and waiting until white, foamy, coating forms on the top. Spoon out the white foam and leave remaining butter in pan.
  2. Add ½ tsp oil to prevent butter from burning.
  3. Set pan with clarified butter to high heat.
  4. Cut each thigh into wing-sized sections (average 3 per thigh)
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Once butter is very hot, add thigh to pan in batches leaving ½ inch between each thigh until browned and cooked through (approx. 3 mins per side)
  7. Set on paper towel to drain.
  8. Put 3 tbsp melted butter in a bowl.
  9. Mix melted butter with Texas Pete stir with fork until thick and mixed thoroughly.
  10. Drizzle over cooked thighs.

Drizzling

Cold Celery Casserole

½ cup Light Sour Cream (Publix Buy one get one FREE $1.79/2 Average Retail $1.79/1)

8 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese (Publix Manufacturers Coupon $0.40 off, doubled to $0.80 to $1.19 Average retail $1.99/ 8 oz

5 stalks of celery, diced (Super H $0.38/bunch Average Retail $1.99/ bunch)

½ sweet onion, diced (Super H 3lb bag $0.98 Average retail 3 lb bag $2.99)

1 tsp salt (Big Lots)

1 tsp pepper (Big Lots)

1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese (Costco $6.99 5/lb bag Average retail $3.49/1 lb bag)

2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese (Costco $2.99/8oz Average Retail $4.99/8 oz)

2 tbsp Panko bread crumbs (Super H Buy one, get one free. 2/$2.99)

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Combine first 6 ingredients into a bowl.
  3. Spread evenly into a glass 9 inch baking dish
  4. Top with remaining ingredients and place in oven for 30 minutes, until topping is golden brown and cream is bubbling..
  5. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
  6. Serve cold.



How to Eat Fried Cow.

Posted by meredithfoster in Beef, Moderate Recipes, Spanish

Tonight we were planning on capitalizing on the low price of the chicken breast tenders again, BUT I happened to be in Super H Mart looking for some veggies for Lottie’s veggie blend pasta sauce, when I saw my dinner! Manager’s Special: 1.12 lbs of Flank steak for $2.23 total! I grabbed it and tried to decide what to do with it. I have been craving Cuban lately, so I decided on an authentic Cuban dish called Vaca Frita. Vaca Frita means, “fried cow”. Can’t really beat that can you? Basically it is shredded, garlicky flank steak cooked in a pan for extra crispiness. It’s quick, easy and tasty. Have a try! Also I had a few Russet Potatoes left from my $2.99 5lb bag, so I decided to use those. Normally, Cuban dishes come with Yuca, but I checked at Super H, and Yuca was not on sale. Potatoes it is. I came across avocados (that were ripe) that were 2/$1.19 so I knew I needed those. Here is what came out of the shopping trip (ALL AT ONE STORE- my favorite way to shop).

Blake and I had this meal at our favorite Cuban spot. I know it sounds intimidating, but it is really simple.

Vaca Frita with Mock Yuca Spears and Avocado Salad

Serves 4

Total price – $5.00 (BEST DEAL YET)

Total price per person -$1.25 Seriously, thank you Super H Mart manager

Total Price without sales- $17.49

Total savings $12.49

Vaca Frita with "mock yuca" potatoes and Avocado salad

Vaca Frita

1 ¼ lb Flank Steak (Super H Mart $2.23 compared to $8.99/lb Publix so $11.24)

2 small sweet onions-one halved and one thinly sliced (Super H Mart $0.99/lb from Kroger $1.99/lb)

1 Bay leaf (BIG LOTS $1.00/bottle includes about 50 leaves)

2 cloves of garlic (Super H Mart $0.99/lb from Publix $2.99/lb)

salt and pepper

¼ cup fresh lime juice (Super H Mart 7/$1.00 or $0.14 each- used 3 from Kroger 2/$1.00)

2 tbps Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Publix Buy one get one free- $5.00 each)

dash of cumin (BIG LOTS $1.00)

Avocado Salad

2 ripe avacados (Super H Mart 2/$1.19 from Publix 2/$3.00)

1 tomato (GARDEN- FREE)

1 tbsp lime juice (Super H Mart 7/$1.00 or $0.14 each from Kroger 2/$1.00)

coarse salt and pepper

I tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro (GARDEN FREE)

Mock Yuca aka Potatoes

2 medium russet potatoes (Publix 5lb bag $2.99 – $0.35 total from Publix normal price of $5.99/lb $0.70 total)

4 roasted garlic cloves (Super H Mart $0.99/lb from Publix $2.99/lb)

1 tbsp olive oil (Publix Buy one get one free- $5.00 each)

In a large sauté pan, add the halved onion, the mean, one bay leave, and salt and pepper. Add enough water to cover the meat. Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan to another working surface to cool. Allow meat to cool and then shred into thin pieces.

Mash 2 cloves of fresh garlic with 2 tsp of coarse salt with a muddle or the flat side of a knife until it becomes a paste. Kneed the garlic paste into the cooled meat along with the olive oil, cumin, and limejuice. Let stand at room temperature for 30-90 minutes

This is what the meat should look like when marinating after being simmered and shredded.

While you are simmering…

Peel potatoes and cut into large spears. Boil until al dente and stain. Coat in olive oil and crusted, roasted (to roast garlic- cut tip of root side of bulb until each garlic clove is exposed a little bit. Coat with olive oil and wrap tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until fork tender) garlic and keep warm until serving.

Cut tomato (seeded) and avocado into ½ inch cubs and put into a bowl. Add juice of one lime, salt, pepper and cilantro and mix together. Refrigerate until serving.

Thinly slice and caramelize one small onion and keep warm for serving

Then…

Heat a large flat griddle (you can use large sauté pan if you don’t have a griddle) to high heat. Spread the shredded meat into a thin layer on the hot grilled and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Cook over high heat flipping once until crispy coating appears, about 5-7 minutes per batch.  Top with carmaleized onions and serve with a slice of lime. Happy Eating!