Creating the family’s recipe of homemade, chunky cranberry sauce is a favorite activity of mine; my mother was also willing to offer up her kitchen while I was on vacation in Colorado to make it happen. Of course, we had to add a healthy dose of orange Triple Sec to each jar we made, otherwise, it wouldn’t have that extra zing we all love! While I think the recipe is pretty common, it’s the special one we use at home becuase it turns out the best.
Naturally, Mom took the lead and I assisted, being the elf to Mrs. Claus, of course.
The homemade cranberry sauce is great on any poultry, with prime rib, and of, course, with leg of lamb.
Meeting new people can be tricky, especially in this technology based world but when a neighbor introduces themselves and ask where they can easily get internet service, a connection is made! My new neighbor is from Alexandria, Egypt and she invited me over for a wonderful, homemade Egyptian meal, which was a new, spiced delight for me!
While I can’t even begin to spell the names of the dishes, they were fabulous!
Not quite a one pot wonder but still every easy to make.
1 Jar of Tiki Masala Sauce
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or chunked
1 cup of rice (cooked with 2 cups of water and 1 tblspoon of curry powerder)
1 small bag of shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper sliced into smaller strips
Cook the rice with the curry added
Cook the chicken breast and when about 90% done, add in the bell peppper and carrots, sauted until al dente, add the jar of tiki sauce, simmer until all hot, put mixture over rice, Serves 4 to 6
Spending an evening with my parents is always fun as we live very far apart. While on vacation and staying at my parent’s home, I took the liberty of cooking a meal for them–after running errands with my mom and having gone to the fields to check water with my brother (he’s a farmer with irrigated fielda) a hot, easy meal was in order.
One of the errands was going to the grocery store (in the next town over) so picking up ingredients was a breeze. Of course, I also chose items that were on sale or had the “club price” with a member’s card (the free one’s you get when you sign up at many “big” stores.).
Ingredients:
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I used a combo of both)
1 Jar of Madras Korma Curry Indian simmering sauce
1 can of coconut milk
1/2 -3/4 pound of chopped up raw veggies, I used red bell pepper, some cauliflower florets and stems, shredded carrots and a half chopped red onion and sliced mushrooms.
Line a glass baking dish with the chicken (after spraying it with some oil), dump the jar of sauce, can of coconut milk, and veggies all in it give it a light stire and bake for 90 minutes on 350 degrees, covered with aluminium foil.
It’s easy, Indian/Nepal inspired dish and there was more than plenty for 4 people to have 2 whole meals off it.
It can be eaten as it or served over white rice or with Naan.
A friend gardens and shared her extra produce with me (which is awesome as I live in an apartment, sans garden).
This is a rendition of eggplant parmesan, made with stewed, simmered chunked and seasoned roma tomatoes, layed a piece of steamed tilapia filets, and egg washed and battered sliced eggplant, topped with parmesan cheese and steamed with a side of steamed fresh green beans (and a limed glaze)
2 carrots, pealed and sliced thin (or peeled thin)
1 large tomatoe, diced
3 TBLSP olive oil, split in half
2 TBLSP curry powder
1 TBLSP Dried Parsley
1 TBLSP diced freshed ginger
Slowly simmer the tuna fillet (from frozen) in half the oil, add salt and pepper
Mixe all the other ingredients in a sauce pan, simmer lightly and then add 2 cups of cold water and stew for 45 minutes on low head
Remove Tuna from skilltet, add the flour to make “roux” until browned and thick. Add the vegetable mix and simmer together, making it all thick. Put the tuna on a bed of mixed spring mix and top with tuna and a scoop of the curry vegetables. Serves 2-4, depending on how cut the tuna steak
Frozen Tuna FilletTuna Filet with optional JalepenoVegetable Ginger curry mixFlour added to skillet after Tuna is removedMaking RouxAdd it al together to simmer Mix Greens Salad base, Tuna portion and the curry ladeled on top, with fresh grated parmesan as an option topping
(I easily found Curry powder in the International food and spice aisle at the local Ingles Market)
The ingredients were all already in my house (I grocery shop only twice a month) and are all affordably priced from my local Aldi’s grocery store (except the spice jars, which I got at the local Dollar Tree or at Aldi’s)
1 pound ground turkey, frozen
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 can each of chili beans, great nothern beans, black beans (don’t drain)
1 tablespoon each of cumin, chili powder, parsley
Salt and Pepper
2 small purple onions, chopped up
2 jalepenos, chopped up
1 medium green bell pepper, small chunked chopped
Brown the turkey in the pot, add all the fresh vegetables to simmer while the meat finishes to cook.
Add all the spices and canned goods, simmer for 45 minutes to let it all “melt” together.
Can be topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar or my favorite, served with homemade cinnamon rolls
Again, I chose to shop at Aldi’s and found a great price on Tuna Steaks.
I didn’t include the cost of the spices/seasoning as I already had a can of Tony’s in the cupboard.
1 Tuna Steak
1 Can of green beans (Aldi Brand)
1 can of new potatoes (whole, Aldi Brand)
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into short sticks
1 table spoon of olive oil
Sprinkles of Tony’s.
Simmer Tuna Steak and carrot sticks (same skillet) on low/medium heat, slowly until cooked through.
Warm up green beans and new potatoes in same skillet, season with salt and paper.
Put New potatoes and green beans on the bottom of two bowls, cut tuna steak in half and put half in each bowl, top with sautéed carrot sticks, serve hot.
Yes, another one pot wonder meal to the rescue (and at an affordable price, too!)
I enjoy one pot meals because they are easy to make, affordable, and can simmer without being slaved over. I use easy to find, inexpensive ingredients too so we can all save our pennies for travel, adventures and other hobbies.
2 chicken breasts (2 cans of chunked chicken breast also work, whichever is found on sale)
2 bell peppers (or raw poblanos)
2 cans of red kidney beans (75 cents each at my local Aldi’s)
2 cans of tomatoes (I used the pre seasoned ones with oregano and basil)
2 toes of garlic, salt and pepper
Cook the chicken in a deep pan/skillet, until done, cut into chunks
Chop up garlic and peppers
Open cans of beans and tomatoes, don’t drain, add everything to the chicken pan
My Travels 