Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Muffins

$2.09 total / $0.26 per muffin

This is a great twist on cornbread muffins. I love the mix of the sweet cornbread with the spicy flavor from the jalapeños. These little muffins are a tasty addition to chili, calico beans or soup.

Nutritional Highlight: Jalapeños. The capsaicin found in chili peppers holds the key to their spiciness and most of their health benefits. Capsaicin can help relieve congestion, maintain weight loss and is a strong anti-inflammatory agent. Jalapeños are also high in Vitamins A and C.

Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Muffins  (serves 8)

Jiffy Mix
1 Egg
1/3 cup Milk
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Pickled Jalapeño Slices, chopped

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Beat the egg and milk into the jiffy mix. Stir in jalapeños and most of cheese, reserving some for the top of the muffins. Let batter stand for 5 minutes. Briefly mix again.

Grease a muffin tin and fill cups 1/2 full with batter. Sprinkle top of batter with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per muffin: 145 calories, 32g fat, 21g carbohydrates, 3.8g protein

Cowboy Beans a.k.a. Calico Beans

$8.07 total / $0.81 per serving

This meal is VERY filling and packed with protein. If you want to make a 'manly' sort of meal that is a little different, this is it! When I made this for my husband, I started calling it Cowboy Beans instead of its traditional name because it just sounded right. You can find a variation of this dish at potlucks all over the midwest, especially at football team dinners.

Nutritional Highlight: Butter Beans. Beans are high in fiber that can help lower cholesterol as well as regulate blood sugar. Butter beans, also known as lima beans, are large and buttery in texture. This legume is also an amazing source of folate, protein, various vitamins and minerals. 

Cowboy Beans  (serves 8-10)

1 lb. Hamburger, browned and drained
1/2 lb. Bacon, browned and drained
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 medium Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 cup Frozen Corn *optional
3/4 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Brown Mustard
2 tsp White Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Mustard
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 can Navy Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Pork & Beans
1 can Butter Beans

Brown hamburger and bacon over medium heat. Drain off all grease. Add all ingredients in a crockpot set to low (include all liquid from canned beans). Cook all day until you are ready for dinner.

You can also bake this in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour. I think it is better, however, slow cooked so the flavors blend.

Serve with Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Muffins.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 366 calories, 12.3g fat, 50.4g carbohydrates, 17.8g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin B-12, Copper, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Selenium, Thiamin and Zinc

Sliders with Carrot Fries

$4.22 total / $1.05 per serving

I'm definitely no slider expert. I watched a show on the cooking channel about hamburgers across America and sliders were featured in great detail. Man, people are passionate about sliders! Have you ever had a slider? I mean a real slider, not just a mini hamburger. Because apparently there's a difference. The original slider originated from the man behind White Castle. I'm sure you've at least heard of White Castle even if you've never visited one yourself. They have quite a following and sliders have even become a pop culture reference, e.g. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Classic.

There are a few things that distinguish a traditional slider from its hamburger counterpart. First, the portions of the burger itself. While the ingredients are pretty much the same as a regular hamburger, the meat in a slider is typically under 2oz. and flattened into a thin patty, there are always onions, and the bun is a white bread with a light texture. Second (and most important), the method of cooking. Sliders are cooked on a flat top grill to capture the steam. There is no such thing as a grilled slider. Just saying.

Nutritional Highlight: Onion. You can find examples of onions used in the cooking of most cultures. They have a long shelf life and are full of health benefits. Onions have a very high polyphenol count. Polyphenols are antioxidants - a common polyphenol known by many are the tannins found in red wine. Onions also have a high concentration of flavonoids. Both flavonoids and polyphenols are powerful tools for disease prevention but research is still being done to pinpoint different foods helpful for specific diseases.

Sliders with Carrot Fries  (serves 4)

1 lb. hamburger, formed in 2 oz. balls
1 medium Onion, thinly sliced or chopped to preference
Cheddar Cheese, in .5 oz slices
8 Rolls (click for recipe)
2 large Carrots, Peeled

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Place hamburger one ball at a time, squishing the meat with a spatula until very thin. Place a pinch of onions, about 2 Tbsp, on top of each patty of hamburger. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Flip each patty so that the onions are against the pan, top with cheese. Season again if desired with salt and pepper. Now layer bottom bun on top of the cheese with top bun resting upright on the bottom bun. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the carrot into 3 in. pieces and run horizontally through a food processor to get steak fry slices. When sliders are ready, remove the top bun and plate by scooping up all the layers and flipping it over to place the top bun.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving (2 sliders and 1/2 carrot): 672 calories, 36.8g fat, 50.6g carbohydrates, 30.1g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium and Zinc.

Good For Everything Rolls

$1.06 total / $0.06 per roll

These rolls can be used for anything. They are perfect by themselves as a side to dinner or can be used to make mini sandwiches of any kind. They are light yet chewy, my favorite combination!

Nutritional Highlight: Pure Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. There is a lot of controversy about this oil due to its saturated fat content. However, recently coconut oil has become a little bit trendy. It is very popular in natural food circles and among vegans. Coconut oil does indeed have a high saturated fat content but the main source is from lauric acid. Lauric acid is naturally found in breast milk and thought to have antimicrobial properties among other medicinal uses. It is also thought to raise HDL or "good" cholesterol. 

Good For Everything Rolls (makes 16 rolls)

2 cups Bread Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Coconut Oil, melted
1/2 cup Instant Potato Flakes
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
2 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 1/4 cups Warm Water, ~115 degrees

In a large liquid measuring cup or a small bowl, mix together water and sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, add the yeast. Let bloom for about 5-10 minutes until foamy. Add the oil to the mixture, making sure that it is cooled and not over 120 degrees.

Mix flour, salt and potato flakes in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Slowly add the yeast mixture to the mixing bowl at the slowest speed. Knead until smooth and the dough pulls away from the sides, about 5 minutes. Then knead by hand in the bowl until the dough forms a smooth ball.

Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down dough, and divide into fourths. Then divide each fourth into another four equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball by rolling between hands. Place each ball of dough about 1in. apart on a greased or lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Nutritional Analysis: 

Per serving: 144 calories, 4.4g fat, 22g carbohydrates, 2.9g protein

Individual 'Baked' Apple Oatmeal

$1.07 total

Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts in the winter because it warms me up instantly. It is also one of those meals that everyone makes their own special way. I like my oatmeal pretty thin and my husband likes his really thick. So, I decided to give baked oatmeal a try. Baked oatmeal comes out with more of a structure than regular oatmeal so that you can even cut it into bars. We both loved it. I, however, didn't love baking oatmeal for 30-45 minutes when it usually took me less than 5 minutes to make it the other way. That's when I came up with this recipe. You can still have the baked oatmeal taste and texture without wasting time in the kitchen! This recipe also happens to be packed with protein to help you get through your morning and keep you full until lunch time.

Nutritional Highlight: Oats. Research has shown that oats support heart health and can even help lower cholesterol when eaten daily. Oats are high in dietary fiber, which make them a valuable component in your diet if you are trying to lose weight. If you have a gluten sensitivity, oats can add more nutritional value to your diet as well. Overall, oats are one of the best breakfast foods you can eat.

'Baked' Apple Oatmeal  (serves 1)

1/2 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1 Egg
1/2 Apple, diced with skin on
1/4 cup Milk
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

In a microwave safe bowl, mix together the oats, egg, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Add the milk and stir until incorporated. Now mix in the chopped apple. Cook in the microwave for 2 minutes 30 seconds and let rest for 1 minute. Take out of the microwave add anything you would like to your preference. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 456 calories, 8.5g fat, 96.3g carbohydrates, 16.3g protein and over 15% daily value of vitamin D, calcium, iron, phosphorus and riboflavin

White Chili with Carnitas

$4.24 total / $0.53 per serving

As promised, I'm going to show you what to do with all of that leftover Carnitas from the Mission Style Carnitas Burritos recipe I gave you a couple days ago. This chili is amazing and I have already had requests to make it again! I got this recipe from my Grandmother and it is just perfectly spicy, hearty and delicious. The original recipe uses shredded chicken so this chili can be adapted to your taste preference or meat availability. (If you didn't make the full recipe for Carnitas already, the cost for this recipe in its entirety is $7.84 total / $0.98 per serving.)

Nutritional Highlight: Green Chili. You can find many vital nutrients in this little chili. It has an abundance of Vitamin A, which is important for healthy eyes as well as your skin and bone health. Vitamin C is also found in green chilies giving them the opportunity to help your body heal and repair itself. This vitamin also acts as an antioxidant fighting the affects of free radicals on your body. 

White Chili with Carnitas  (Serves 6-8)

1.5 lbs Carnitas, cooked and shredded
2 cans Great Northern Beans
6 cups Chicken Stock
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Medium Onions, chopped
2 4oz cans Green Chilies, chopped
1/4 cup Sliced Jalapeños, chopped
3 tsp Cumin
1 1/2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Sour cream for serving

You can make this in a crockpot or in a large pot on the stove. Add all ingredients, except beans and sour cream, in your pot. Cook on low for an hour on the stove if you want a faster version, adding the beans in the last 15 minutes. I let mine cook all day in the crockpot and then I added the beans about 30 minutes before dinner.

To serve, fill your bowl with chili and top with one Tbsp of sour cream. Now eat!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 265 calories, 5.3g fat, 23.7g carbohydrates, 29.3g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin and Zinc

Mission Style Carnitas Burrito

$2.28 per burrito

Cafe Rio. Chipotle. Barbacoa. Just typing those restaurant names made my mouth water! Everyone loves a burrito every once in a while, especially mission style burritos. They are huge, they are delicious, they are one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Since my husband and I have cut down our budget, we rarely get to eat out. Which is devastating to my husband's love for Cafe Rio. No joke, he once ate (actually this has probably happened more than once) Cafe Rio for lunch AND dinner. No, he didn't go eat there for lunch and have leftovers for dinner. He went TWICE in one day! He's told me that he would eat there every day and never get tired of it. I believe him.

Today I'm going to share with you my recipes for Carnitas and Cilantro Rice with Lime. I'm still working on the homemade tortillas, mine came out a little thicker than I would have preferred. So I will share those with you another time. There are several recipes out there for Cafe Rio copycats but I decided to go my own way and make something new. I hope you enjoy!

Nutritional Highlight: Pork Tenderloin. I use a pork tenderloin in this recipe because it is extremely low in fat. I'm sure you have heard this before as pork tenderloin has less fat, pound per pound, than chicken breast. This cut of pork is also full of vitamins like thiamin and niacin as well as lean protein all of which can help your body burn fat more efficiently. 

Slow Cooker Carnitas (serves 8-10)
$6.05 total / .60 per serving

2.5lbs Pork Tenderloin
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 Garlic Cloves, cut in half
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Coriander
1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Cilantro Rice with Lime (serves 4)
$1.67 total / .41 per serving

1 cup Long Grain White Rice
2 cups Water
1/2 cup Cilantro, packed
1 Garlic Clove
1 tsp Salt
Lime Juice to taste

In a small bowl, combine all spices. Trim any excess fat from the pork, leaving only a little bit. Rub the spice mixture into the pork tenderloin and then place in the crockpot fat side up. Pour chicken stock around the pork being careful not to wash away spice rub. Place some of the garlic clove halves in the stock and some on top of the pork. Cover and cook on low until the pork is tender and shreds easily with a fork, about 6 hours.

While the pork is almost finished, blend together the water, cilantro and garlic in a blender. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan, then add the rice and salt. Cook over medium high heat until it begins to simmer. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Add lime juice to taste and fluff with a fork.

While the rice is resting, start shredding the pork. I like to take the pork out of the crockpot and shred in a separate bowl, adding juices as necessary to moisten the meat. Your finished product should be moist but not swimming in juices.

Now the fun starts! You can assemble your burrito however you wish. My husband and I both like salsa verde so I whipped up some Creamy Salsa Verde. I also made a side of black beans. Toppings are limitless: pico de gallo, sour cream, fajita vegetables, cheese, guacamole, beans, lettuce, etc. Make it your own!

***This recipe makes extra Carnitas that I will show you what to do with next!*** 
Click here: White Chili with Carnitas

**Based cost per burrito on my recipes for carnitas, cilantro rice with lime, black beans, avocado salsa verde, sour cream and Trader Joe's $2.99 tortillas.

Nutritional Analysis:

Carnitas per 4oz serving: 186 calories, 3.8g fat, 0.4g carbohydrates, 33.5g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin B-6, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin and Zinc

Cilantro Rice per 1/2c serving: 54 calories, 0.1g fat, 12.1g carbohydrates, 1.2g protein

Beer Chili

$9.30 total / $1.16 per serving

Chili is one of those things that every family has a recipe for. There are so many different variations of chili; it's amazing. If you don't have a go-to recipe, take some time to make your own family favorite by experimenting a little. I honestly think my chili comes out a little bit different every time I make it!

Also, try making your chili vegetarian for a low fat variation. This is an easy meal to incorporate into 'Meatless Mondays' by switching brown lentils for the ground beef. You already know your family loves chili so it provides little risk when trying to incorporate more meatless dishes into your repertoire.

Nutritional Highlight: Tomato. This fruit provides many health benefits due to the concentration of vitamins and carotenoids. Beta-carotene and lycopene are two carotenoids found in tomatoes and both provide your body with ways to fight against cancer, such as melanoma. Cooking the tomatoes with a little olive oil will help your body to absorb more carotenoids along with flavonoids also found in the fruit. Your body needs the fat from the oil to help absorb these vital nutrients. 

Beer Chili    (serves 6-8)

1 medium Onion, chopped
2 Green Bell Peppers, seeded and chopped
8 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 lb. Ground Sirloin *or*1 Cup uncooked Lentils
1/3 cup Sliced Pickled Jalapeños, chopped
1 6oz. can Tomato Paste
3 Tbsp Chili Powder
2 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Dried Oregano
Freshly Ground Pepper
1 12oz. Golden Ale, like a Kolsch
2 cups Beef Stock***adjust according to preference of consistency
2 14.5oz cans Diced Tomatoes, drained
1 15oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 15oz can Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained

In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add ground sirloin*, onions, peppers and garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes or until beef is browned. Drain off all fat. Add tomato paste and all of the spices, cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, beans and liquids (you can wait to put in the stock, adding a little at a time). Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes.

*If using lentils, cook only the vegetables with a little olive oil until tender. Add the lentils when you add the liquids. $7.44 total / $ .93 per serving

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving with beef: 344 calories, 12.4g fat, 33.6g carbohydrates, 11g dietary fiber, 20.2g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, Copper, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin and Zinc

Per Serving with lentils: 223 calories, 0.8g fat, 38.6g carbohydrates, 12.8g dietary fiber, 12.4g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin C, Copper, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus and Thiamin

DIY Christmas Cheer

Create your own Holiday Decor that fits your style. I found the idea to make this window display from a posting I saw on Centsational Girl. This isn't the best picture (we need to clean the outside of our windows...yikes!) I finished this project last Christmas so I'm not sure what the exact price was. I do know however, that it was really inexpensive. Most of the supplies are easy to find at Michael's or Hobby Lobby (the Hobby Lobby's in Utah are always having 50% off sales so that made it even cheaper!)

What you need: 

An idea! (Joy, Noel, Merry, Snow, Believe, etc.)
Ribbon, preferably wire-edged
Wooden letters to spell your word
Paint
Paint brush
Hot glue/hot glue gun
Wood board, cut to fit your specifications (I found a piece at Home Depot for a couple bucks and they cut it for me for free!)
Accents like greenery, garland, berries, candles, etc. This is where you can really get creative and make it your own. These will also help to weigh down the board and keep it in place.

Let's make it:   

First, paint the letters your desired color. Wait until dry and then hot glue one end of a ribbon strand to the back of each letter. Keep your ribbon fairly long, you can always cut it once you decide your layout.

Second, arrange your letters on a flat surface and play around with different variations before committing to a design. Then determine your length; how long do you want the letters to hang? Don't stress about this last part too much because we can make it so the decoration is adjustable.

Third, mark your ribbon and cut off any excess length from each ribbon piece. To make the decoration more adjustable, keep the ribbon longer than desired so you can wrap the ribbon around your board. This will let you shorten or lengthen individual letters or the whole word. 

Fourth, hot glue the ends of your ribbon to your wooden board. Use something to protect your fingers as you press the ribbon into the glue and spread it out. 

Fifth, decide how many times, if any, you are going to wrap the ribbon around your board. Place it in its desired location and finish by decorating with accessories. Voila!

Quinoa Burrito Bowls

$4.82 total / $1.20 per serving

I found this recipe through Pinterest and thought it sounded wonderful. While reading through the post for the original recipe, I noticed the author has a couple different blogs. One of her blogs is called The History Kitchen. Turns out, the author is a culinary anthropologist  and studies where our food comes from and why we eat what we do - very interesting stuff!

Nutritional Highlight: Quinoa. It has a high concentration of flavonoids, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, antioxidants, and other nutrients! Quinoa is also one of a few complete protein sources found in plant foods. So if you are a vegan or vegetarian, quinoa should be a staple in your cooking. 

Quinoa Burrito Bowls    (Serves 4)

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups Water
1/2 cup packed Fresh Cilantro
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, diced
2 cans Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Sliced Jalapeños, diced
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Coriander
1 Avocado

Rinse the quinoa using a strainer. Place quinoa in a small saucepan. Toast over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a blender, put in the cilantro, garlic and water. Blend until smooth. Add the pureed cilantro mixture and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Then add 2 Tbsp lime juice and fluff with a fork.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the onions until translucent. Add in the spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the beans, jalapeños and 2 Tbsp lime juice. Let the beans simmer for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been reduced.

Slice up the avocado and get ready to plate! First goes the quinoa, then layered with the beans. I added 1 Tbsp of sour cream and a pinch of shredded cheddar cheese. If you have lettuce or pico de gallo, those would be great additions as well.

Recipe adapted from The Shiksa.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving: 523 calories, 14.5g fat, 77.6g carbohydrates, 24.1g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin C, Copper, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Thiamin and Zinc.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

$5.40 total / $.68 per serving

This soup is incredible. Seriously. It is packed with nutrition AND yummy goodness. The combination of sweet and savory ingredients keep your tastebuds guessing. Enjoy this soup in the Fall or Winter when you want to get cozy. Oh, you're ready to get cozy now? OK, pull on a pair of warm fuzzy socks and let's get cooking!

Nutritional Highlight: Butternut Squash. This fall harvested squash is just packed with nutrients like dietary fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, carotenoids, beta-carotene and Vitamin C. Everyone can typically use a nutritional boost in the winter and this squash can do it! By eating this fall treat, you can help to fight against heart disease while also supporting eye health.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup  (Serves 6-8)

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Granny Smith Apple, unpeeled and diced
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 4lb Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1in. cubes
6 cups Chicken Stock
Pinch of Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste


Melt the butter in a large dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions and apple. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat until tender. Stir in all of the spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, stir to incorporate all of the spices. Then add the squash. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to allow the mixture to simmer, uncovered for about 20-30. The squash should be tender; you can test by seeing if a fork will easily pierce through squash. 

Next, puree the ingredients. This can accomplished several different ways: a hand blender, regular blender, food mill, or food processor. I used a regular blender and just took a bit at a time and transfered it to a large bowl until everything was blended. A hand blender would be great for this and you would save on dishes. So if you have one, you are lucky!

At this point, you can add more stock to reach your preferred consistency. Otherwise, it is ready to eat! This soup freezes really well and is such a nice meal for busy winter nights. It is also is a great complement to a bacon and tomato grilled cheese - I like to use a white cheese with that combination. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving: 153 calories, 3.3g fat, 29.3g carbohydrates, 6g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, Magnesium and Manganese.

Chicken Stock

$.09 per cup *without chicken feet

Chicken stock is something that I use all of the time. Lucky for me, it's so incredibly easy and cheap to make! You might wonder what the big deal is because stock is readily accesible at the grocery store and it has a long shelf life. Well, you are right! However, making your own stock enables you to take ownership for the amount of nutrients provided in that pantry staple while also avoiding MSG and controlling the sodium content.

I bet most of you buy chicken broth, I use to. I honestly didn't know there was any difference at all between the two. For the most part, the two are very similar. The difference lies in that stock is made with bones and broth is made using only the meat. There are nutritional differences that make stock a better choice, but I'll get to that later.

If you can, it is best to use bones from organic, free range chickens. This will definitely boost the cost of dinner but it also boosts the quality of the stock. You can also increase the benefits by adding chicken feet. The feet are excellent because of all of the connective tissue and added collagen. The best place to find such a delicacy is at a large Asian Market - typically the prices will be very good here as well. You know you have a good quality stock when it gels as it cools. The collagen will make the stock look like gelatin. Ah, success!

Nutritional Highlight: Bones. The reason bones are significant in broth is because there are uncounted healing properties that come from bones. Most of the health benefits are attributed to the bone marrow and cartilage. From these two parts of the bone, you get several different minerals, collagen and amino acids. Bone broth has the power to strengthen the immune system and is good for joints and ligaments.

Chicken Stock     (makes 10 cups)

Chicken Carcass, with skin & juices
Chicken Feet, *optional
4 Stalks of Celery, broken in half
1 Yellow Onion, quartered
3 Carrots, washed but unpeeled
1 bay leaf
Leaves from 1 sprig of Rosemary
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
1 tsp peppercorns
splash of Vinegar
3 quarts Cold Water, *4qts w/chicken feet


Start with carving your chicken. I like to make this stock when I've just bought a chicken from the store for dinner. I take the meat and divide it for two meals and then get ready for some stock making! If you don't have the time to put in to making the stock, I have also made a 'stock kit' by placing the carcass, vegetables and seasonings in a gallon ziplock container to freeze until I have the time or need to make more stock.

Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Pour cold water in last (it is essential that the water be cold, this is the best way to extract all of the minerals and collagen from the bones). Bring the water to a slight boil and immediately turn down the heat to low. As the stock begins to simmer, skim the scum occasionally, 3-4 times, off of the top. Continue to simmer the stock for 6-8 hours, uncovered (You don't have to keep watching it at this point).

When you are ready, strain the stock. Cool the stock by placing the stockpot in an ice bath in the sink. Let it come down to room temperature and then place in the fridge to rest overnight. Scoop the fat from the top of the stock. Now divide the stock into containers to freeze. You can divide by the cup(s) or even by placing some in an ice cube tray for dishes that require very little stock like a pan sauce.

Nutritional Analysis: 

***It's hard to calculate the nutritional value of the stock due to not actually consuming the ingredients but extracting nutrients from them instead. I will post the nutritional stats for Swanson's Chicken Stock and make some comments as to what the differences could be.

Per cup: 20 calories, 0g fat, 510mg sodium (21% daily value)*, 1g carbohydrates, 3.9g protein.

*I don't add any salt to my recipe so I know that will be significantly less (like under 100mg).

Christmas Cocoa & Cinnamon Rolls

$7.93 / $.79 per serving

♫ "It's the most wonderful time of the year..."♫ I don't know about you, but I love this time of year. Christmas is my favorite. There are so many reasons why I love the holidays but one of the main reasons is because I love the treats. Yep. I love hot chocolate, spiced nuts, Christmas cookies, and I especially love cinnamon rolls. Today I'm going to share with you my recipe for stovetop (or crockpot) hot chocolate AND my all-time favorite cinnamon roll recipe - both of which are a must-have in my house for Christmas. 

For my favorite cinnamon roll recipe, visit Mel's Kitchen Cafe! 

These cinnamon rolls are labor intensive and you definitely can't be afraid to get your hands dirty. But let me tell you, they are the BEST! I opt to make them with half of the butter called for in the filling, other than that I follow this recipe to the letter. They are are so good, I only allow myself to make them when we have a large gathering. That way IF there are leftovers, I can only be tempted by a few. 


Nutritional Highlight: Cinnamon & Cacao. Cacao, the raw form of cocoa powder, is known for it's potent antioxidant properties that come from flavonoids. When choosing chocolate for the antioxidant properties, pick a dark chocolate with 70% or more cacao. Cinnamon is another way to get more antioxidants into your body. It also helps to naturally regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. 

Christmas Cocoa      (serves 10)

1 1/2 cups Half & Half
1 14oz can Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips (at least 70% cacao)
6 cups 1% milk
2 tsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Instant Coffee
1 tsp Cinnamon

In a stockpot over medium-low heat, or in a crockpot set to High, mix all ingredients together. Stir occasionally until the chocolate chips are melted. This will take around 10 minutes on the stove or almost an hour in the crockpot. The bonus to putting it in the crockpot is that you don't have to worry about it burning once you get the chocolate melted. You can just turn it to low and enjoy watching Christmas movies!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving: 394 calories, 16.5g fat, 55g carbohydrates, 9.1g protein, and over 15% daily value of Vitamin D, Calcium, Phosphorous and Riboflavin.

Unstuffed Pepper Bake

$6.81 total / $1.13 per serving

This is one of my favorite casseroles; I basically decided one day that I wanted to have different colored peppers instead of eating just one kind stuffed. So play around with this and add some yellow or orange peppers in the summer! Not only will you mix things up but you'll benefit from several nutrients that are only found in fiery colored fruits. This is also an easy dish to serve picky eaters as hamburger is universally liked among kids and adults alike. 

Nutritional Highlight: Bell peppers. The mix of red and green bell peppers work together to create a range of health benefits. Red bell peppers contain three times the Vitamin C your body needs on a daily basis (so forget the oranges when you feel sick and reach for a bell pepper!). The red variety is also one of the few foods that has lycopene, which is a carotenoid that reduces the risk of several types of cancer. Green bell peppers, as well as the red, yellow and orange variety, are all full of nutrients in the carotenoid family and packed with antioxidants. Sweet bell peppers are an amazing food to help prevent cancer, eye disorders, heart disease and diabetes!

Unstuffed Pepper Bake     (Serves 6)

3/4lb Ground Beef
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 can Diced Tomatoes, with juice
1 1/2 cups Long Grain White Rice
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese
1 15oz can Tomato Sauce

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, cook the beef until browned and drain off all fat. Add the onion, peppers, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender. Add garlic; cook until fragrant.

Stir in tomatoes, rice, worcestershire and italian seasoning. Mix well. Remove skillet from the heat. Prepare a 9x13 inch pan by spraying with non-stick spray. Transfer mixture to casserole pan. Spread mixture evenly and then top with tomato sauce. Sprinkle top with the cheddar and cover tightly with foil.

Bake, covered, at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes. Test rice for doneness and then let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

****You can cut down the cooking time by using instant rice. Just omit the juices from the tomatoes and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving: 297 calories, 15.2g fat, 24.9g carbohydrates, 15.6g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, Iron, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Selenium and Zinc!

Scalloped Potato and Ham Chowder

$2.10 total / $ .35 per serving

One of my favorite comfort foods growing up was the chowder I am about to share with you. I loved it so much! It is very simple and just has a way of warming you from the inside out. Obviously, this is a great meal for the middle of winter which is perfect because it is 25 degrees and snowing outside where I live! My mother originally made this chowder with velveeta and cubed ham but because I never use velveeta and I already had extra bacon on hand, I've taken a couple liberties with her recipe. I hope that's OK Mom!

Nutritional Highlight: Potatoes. Potatoes? Really? Yep! Americans have taken the potato and used it as a vehicle for consuming salty, fattening foods. However, without being mistreated, potatoes can become a healthy and frugal addition to your dinner. Potatoes are a great source of Vitamin B6 and Potassium which are both important for a healthy heart.

Scalloped Potato and Ham Chowder     (Serves 6)

6 medium Potatoes, peeled and cut in small cubes
1 cup reserved Cooking Water from potatoes
1 cup Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Ground Mustard (dry)
1/8 tsp Pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese or 4 slices of your favorite deli cheese/velveeta
7 strips of thick cut Bacon or 1 cup cubed ham


Boil the potatoes in a large pot until firm but cooked through. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and then add salt, pepper and mustard. Then slowly pour in the reserved cooking water and milk. Simmer until it starts to thicken. It will look like not very much liquid, but trust me, its perfect. (The cooking water from the potatoes will contain some of their starch which will thicken up the sauce.)

When sauce starts to thicken, slowly add in the cheese little by little, stirring to melt the cheese, and then the ham. Cook and continue to stir occasionally until the cheese melts totally. Finally add the cooked potatoes. Stir. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

*I think this chowder is especially delicious the next day.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving: 301 Calories, 11.5g fat, 39.8g carbohydrates, 10.6g protein, >1000mg potassium, over 15% daily value of vitamin B6, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, manganese, niacin, and phosphorus.

Cinnamon Apple Waffles

$3.39 total / $.42 per serving

I can honestly say this recipe changed my day for the better! Not only because it is delicious but because it also gave me the opportunity to help someone. I was thinking up what I wanted to make this morning and I had everything I needed for some tasty cinnamon apple waffles. Sounds delicious, right? Alas, for some reason, I felt like I just had to have some apple cider to put in the batter. I mean, I HAD to have it!

So I ran to the new Trader Joe's that just opened and scored a 64oz bottle for $2.99. I bought my precious apple cider and I got in the car, turned up the heat because it was 25 degrees and snowing outside, and started to drive home. As I exited the parking lot, I saw a man that I have become familiar with over the last year. I see this man almost every day on my way to the University; he is homeless and he was wearing only a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. I am immediately struck with a feeling of relief because it has been a while since he has been on his usual corner, I was worried he had died. Then, I realize that he has probably been standing in the snow for hours. I cried the whole way home; I couldn't help it. I was overcome by the obvious need that he had while I was fixating on 'needing' apple cider for my waffles!

So when I got home, I asked my husband through tears how we could help. We rummaged through the house and gathered up some cold weather gear. I decided that our breakfast could wait so that I could heat up some of the Scalloped Potato and Ham Chowder from our dinner the night before. We got everything together and went on our way to provide some sort of warmth for a homeless man on this snowy freezing day. Turns out, that homeless man's name is Bill. When my husband asked him how old he was, he smiled and said that he will be turning 62 on Thursday. As he ate the food that we brought him, he began to tell us his hopes of being off the streets at the new year. Turning 62 means that Bill will qualify for Social Security and get to the top of the list for housing. He realized that he would be penalized for not waiting until he was 65 to receive SS but he also said that he didn't know if he'd make it that long either. Bill was just released from the hospital after being treated for severe pneumonia.

I didn't anticipate when I woke up how much of an impact today would have on me. I feel truly blessed to have gotten the chance to finally talk with Bill and hear his story. When my husband and I got home, he asked me if I had read Bill's sign. I had taken a glimpse of it but hadn't read it the whole way through. He told me the sign read "Help the homeless." The simple fact that Bill had not just been concerned about himself but also other homeless people really struck a chord with Jake. He felt encouraged to keep giving and to tell others about this story. The Christmas season is upon us and many feel more generous this time of year. I hope that through reading this story, you can find something that you can give to someone in need. Whether it is your food or simply your conversation, someone can be blessed by your outreach of kindess and you can too. I know that this recipe will now hold a place close to my heart for that very reason.

Nutritional Highlight: Apples. Leaving the skins on the apples is very important for nutritional purposes. The skins are full of dietary fiber, phytochemicals (which are naturally found in plant foods and help prevent diseases like cancer) and other trace minerals and nutrients. 

Cinnamon Apple Waffles
(Serves 6-8)

2 Eggs
2 Cups Flour
1 3/4 Cups Apple Cider (or milk)
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Nutmeg


Apple Syrup

2 Apples, cored and chopped
1/2 Cup Sugar
4 Tbsp Water
4 Tbsp Honey
2 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat your waffle iron. For the waffles, beat eggs in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in all other ingredients just until the batter is smooth.

In between cooking the waffles or while someone else is manning the waffle iron, grab a small saucepan. Mix all ingredients for the syrup over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 7-10 minutes. Stir the syrup occasionally to make sure the sugar doesn't burn. When you have your desired consistency, remove from the heat.

Prepare your waffles however you wish (my husband likes tons of butter, me not so much!) and then top with syrup. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

Waffles: 294 calories, 15.3g fat, 35.4g carbohydrates, 4.8g protein, over 15% daily value of calcium, manganese, selenium and thiamin

Syrup: 134 calories, 0g fat, 35.8g carbohydrates, 0g protein

The Christmas Spirit

(This post is off topic for my blog but it is a precursor to a recipe that changed my entire day!)

Christmas is a wonderful time of year! I go crazy about Christmas; there is so much joy and child-like wonderment that fills me up during this time of year. Like many Americans though, I can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of buying that 'perfect' present for my loved ones. However, with being new to the housewife club, Jake and I have had to cut back on a lot since sacrificing that additional income which has set this year up to be a game changer.

Now that we are more budget conscious, we have been forced to take a step back and really put some thought into what we wanted to do for our loved ones this Christmas. In November, I put in a lot of time and did a lot of research for activities that could fill up the Christmas season and not feel like we were missing out. While I was looking into local activities, I found a couple blogs that were talking about doing RACK (Random Acts of Christmas Kindness). This idea really intrigued me. I have a soft spot for children and people in need. So we decided to do it. (We did change the C to mean Christian instead of just Christmas because we would like to make more cards later and carry this activity throughout the year.)

My husband made up some cards that were inspired by one of the blogs and we started thinking up ideas. Basically, you want to do at least one random act of kindness each day of December leading up to Christmas. We thought of several activities that we could do at the beginning of December and then a couple really big things to do closer to Christmas Day. One of the things I am really excited about doing is making a large pot of chicken noodle soup and dividing it into containers to hand out at the park and other places where several homeless people gather. Food is very near and dear to my heart and I felt like a hot home-cooked meal was something that I could easily give that could nourish someone's body and hopefully warm their heart as well.

So far, my husband and I have been really blessed by this activity this year. Our attention has been focused on giving to others what we can give. The stress has been taken out of the season because money hasn't been on our minds. We may be strapped for 'gift giving' cash but we have found it very easy to give of our time and what we have that others may need more than ourselves. This Christmas has really been a game changer for us; it is when we have the least that we have given the most.

“It is not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” 
~ Mother Teresa

With Love,
Jess