Budget Boursin and Creamed Spinach

This recipe will save you a bunch of $$$. A small round of Boursin cheese costs $6 in Atlanta. You can make it for about $2 yourself just by mixing the ingredients together. Easy Peasy. The incredible Creamed Spinach is made in the microwave. I'm taking this side dish to my sister's house for Thanksgiving. Should I really be sharing how inexpensive and easy it is to make? lol  Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Budget Boursin

1-8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients until well-mixed. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Creamed Spinach

2 boxes frozen, chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry)
1 recipe of Budget Boursin cheese

Combine the ingredients in a in a covered, microwave-safe casserole dish. Cook for 4-6 minutes on high or until the Boursin is melted and the spinach is cooked. Stir before serving.

Thanksgiving Splurge: Sweet Potato Casserole

I threw out all the other Sweet Potato Casserole recipes after I made this one. Avoid using those canned sweet potatoes though. I use the fresh sweet potatoes. Rub the sweet potatoes with a little oil; place on a baking sheet and bake for an hour at 400 degrees for the best result. Indulge! It's the beginning of the holiday season!

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 cups mashed sweet potatoes, baked
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and milk.  Pour into a casserole dish. Mix the topping ingredients  and sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Ain't Your Mama's Collards

We always have these collards during the holidays, but they're GREAT anytime. The original recipe came from John Kessler, a food writer with the Atlanta Journal Constitution. You can use a pressure cooker or a  large slow cooker to make these. Raw collards take up a lot of room, but cooked collard shrink down to a little "lump". To save time, I use a pizza cutter to cut out the stem and cut the collards into strips. Enjoy!

Ain't Your Mama's Collards

1 bunch fresh collards, cleaned and chopped
1-14 ounce can chicken broth
1-8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Put all ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes after it locks. Or for a slow cooker, put all ingredients in the pot and cook on low 8-10 hours.

November Already....Turkey Time

Since it's November, I'm already thinking about turkey. I like using that Cajun  Injector product, but it is SO expensive. It costs around $5 a jar in Atlanta. You'll never overpay again, if you use this recipe for your own Injector Sauce. My version is based on a recipe from Steve Raichlen. I cut costs even more by using soup base to make my own chicken broth. The most available soup base in Atlanta is the Better than Bouillon brand.

Cajun Injector Sauce

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons white wine
4 tablespoons cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Combine everything over medium heat in medium saucepan until butter melts. Cool the mixture to room temperature. It makes enough for a turkey or two chickens.

Butter Injector Sauce

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
kosher salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine everything over medium heat in medium saucepan until butter melts. Cool the mixture to room temperature. It makes enough for a turkey or two chickens.

Baked Ranch-Parmesan Chicken

Ranch and Parmesan.....what's not to like?  I make my own budget, panko breadcrumbs for this recipe. Just throw some Rice Crispies in a food processor, or put them in a large, storage bag and smash away. I like my chicken to stay crispy on both sides, so I put a cake, cooling rack on the baking pan to keep it elevated during cooking. Also, I use "parmesan regularo". Yep-the affordable kind in the shaker. This chicken is succulent and delicious every time.

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 and 1/4 cup prepared Ranch dressing
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set the oven rack to the lowest position. Spray a cooking sheet with edges and place the grid/cooling rack on top. In a shallow bowl, mix the panko, parmesan and spices. Pour the dressing in a shallow bowl, and dip the chicken in the ranch dressing on both sides. Coat the chicken in the panko mixture. Place the coated chicken on the grid/cooling rack. Lightly drizzle the melted butter over each chicken breast. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Swai? -New Low $$$ Fish

I've noticed that Kroger and WalMart are selling a new, lower cost fish. It's called Swai (rhymes with "why") that is imported from Vietnam. I usually see it selling for $2.00 to $2.99 per pound. Of course, I had to try it. It is unbelievably good! It's thicker than talapia, but it's a nice mild fish. It's a little flakier than talapia, but it still grilled well on a piece of foil with slits. Here's the incredibly, easy recipe that I came up with.

Tasty Swai

Ingredients:
1 pound of Swai Fish
1 McCormick Lemon & Pepper Seasoning Grinder (WAY better than powder)
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions,
Preheat your grill or grill pan. Rub the fish with the oil on both sides. Season liberally with the seasoning. Cook about 5 minutes per side. That's it! Time to eat!

Killer Recipe for Game Time

I've had this recipe for more than 20 years.  There was a fancy restaurant called, Trio, in Atlanta. They had the best spinach dip in the city. It's a really nice change from the spinach and artichoke dip that so many people make now. Also, you spare yourself the expense of those $$ artichokes with this recipe. Serve this with pita chips for a perfect pairing.

TRIO'S SPINACH DIP

1-10 ounce package frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1-8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 small onions, diced
2 tablespoons chopped, pickled jalapenos
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 cups canned, diced tomatoes-drained (fire-roasted tomatoes very tasty)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly blend the spinach, cheese, cream cheese, onions, jalapenos and half-and-half. Fold in the tomatoes. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch casserole dish and bake for about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.