Herbed Garden Salad

It's the beginning of the year and we've all made the New Year's resolution to eat healthier, exercise more, and lose weight. But, usually that means starving yourself or not eating anything that tastes good. Well, if you want a healthy meal, try a salad. Not just any normal salad, but one with tons of herbs, vegetables, and cheese! I am a firm believer that cheese makes everything taste better. Salads have always been my go-to meal when I feel like eating healthy. But, then I usually smother it in Caesar dressing, and the healthiness factor dies. But hey, at least I feel like I'm eating healthier. This salad is super fresh, light, but full of flavor. I made it in one of my cooking classes and was pleasantly surprised. So, if you're in the mood for healthy, but flavorful, here's a recipe for you.


Herbed Garden Salad 

6 cups mixed salad greens  $3.00
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil  $.02
salt 
pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar  $.06
2 tsp. white wine vinegar  $.07
1/2 lb. (250g) crumbled goat cheese  $3.98
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds  $.25
1 cucumber, sliced  $.50
1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes  $.50
Rosemary  $.25 
Thyme  $.25

Toss salad (gently mix) greens, pomegranate seeds, sliced cucumber, and sliced cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. For the herbs, you only want to use a little bit. Enough to lightly cover the greens before tossing it. Drizzle oil and vinegar. Add a dash of salt and pepper and toss salad again to mix in the dressing. Top with goat cheese and serve.

Ideas: try adding fennel, dill, or oregano. Now's your chance to experiment with herb combinations.

Total Estimated Cost: $8.88
Servings: 6
Cost Per Serving: $1.49

Snickerdoodle Bars

You know when you get tired of the same dessert or cookie? Well, I do. And my backup cookie has always been Snickerdoodles. I love the taste of cinnamon. It's definitely been one of my favorite flavors/scents. I love cinnamon gum, candles, hot chocolate, and desserts. There's something about the spicy sweetness that just gets me. I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it looked really good, so I thought I'd try it. And trust me, it was worth it. They are Heavenly!! Seriously, they're so thick, soft, chewy, and sweet. I was converted, honestly. And now I'm sure this recipe will be on my favorites list. If you don't believe me on how good these are, just try it. You won't be able to disagree!

Snickerdoodle Bars

1 cup unsalted butter, softened  $1.75
1 cup sugar  $.35
1 cup light brown sugar  $.26
2 eggs  $.24
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla  $.12
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder  $.04
2 tsp. cinnamon  $.03
2 1/2 cup flour  $.20

topping:
1/4 cup sugar  $.04
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon  $.02

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour and mix until the dough is smooth.
On a greased 9x13 pan (or lined with parchment paper), press the dough into an even layer. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar stopping.
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool, slice, serve.

Total Estimated Cost: $3.05
Servings: 20
Cost Per Serving: $.15

Dogs in a Sweater

Here's a classic twist on a favorite kid's meal: pigs in a blanket. Imagine that, but on a stick. Sounds pretty amazing, huh? Well, here's a quick and easy dinner idea that is sure to be a hit! My favorite, growing up, were the Dogs in a Sweater, but with cheese wrapped in them as well. It was warm, gooey, and cheesy. Plus, smothered in ketchup, it was delicious! Try out this new twist to your classic pigs in a blanket recipe!

Dogs in a Sweater

1 package refrigerated breadstick dough  $2.50

8 hot dogs  $1.00

8 Popsicle sticks $.20

Separate pieces of dough and roll into a 15-inch long rope. Insert a stick into the end of the hot dogs (lengthwise). Next, wrap the dough around the hot dog and pinch the dough on the top and bottom, so that they stay on the hot dog. 

Grease baking sheet and place hot dogs on it. Bake at 350F for 18-20 min. or until the breadsticks are done. 

Total Estimated Cost: $3.70

Servings: 8 dogs in a sweater

Cost Per Serving: $.46

General Tso's Chicken

I LOVE Chinese Food. It's probably my favorite kind of food. I remember growing up, my dad would bring home Chinese food for dinner. I'm not going to lie, those were my favorite treats. There's something about the fact that he brought us home yummy food as a surprise, that made me fall in love with it. Now, every time I eat Chinese food, I think of the good ol' days when my dad would spoil us occasionally with family size containers of different kinds of food. And guess which one was my favorite?! General Tso's Chicken!
  I love the variety, the sauces, the flavors, rice, veggies. Everything! This recipe is my favorite recipe I've ever tried for Chinese food. It's simple and quick. By the time your rice is done cooking, the rest of your meal is too! 

Here's a picture of my wonderful dad, Joel. Thanks dad for making me fall in love with Chinese food!

General Tso’s Chicken

recipe from Bless This Mess

2lb chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces  $3.00

1/2 cup cornstarch  $.07

1 tsp salt  $.01

1/2 tsp pepper

canola or olive oil

Sauce:

5 T. hoisin sauce  $.09

5 T. ketchup  $.02

5 T. rice vinegar  $.24

4 T. soy sauce  $.04

1 T. sesame oil  $.23

3/4 cup brown sugar  $.36

3/4 cup water

2 1/2 T. fresh ginger, minced  $.25

3 cloves garlic, minced  $.18

1 T. red chili paste OR 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on your heat preference)  $.12

Put the chicken and cornstarch mixture in a large plastic bag or container and shake to coat.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken pieces, using a small amount of oil to cook the chicken.

to make the sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  Pour sauce into the pan of cooked chicken. Stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat until thickened, about 3-6 minutes.  

Serve over rice with your favorite stir fried veggies!

Total Estimated Cost: $4.61
Servings: 4
Cost Per Serving: $1.15

If you want to factor in the cost of rice, it's about $.20 per cup of dry rice. Take that, Panda Express! Here's a super cheap meal that is super yummy, costs less, and feeds more!

Reindeer Pretzel Rods

One treat that my family always made right before Christmas were chocolate covered pretzels. With that sweet and salty mix, it was a hit! We would always make a large amount (along with lots of other treats) to put on plates and deliver to our neighbors and friends as a small gift for Christmas. This is one of my favorite traditions during Christmas time and I plan on doing the same thing this year.... once finals are over. Well, here's the classic treat my family would make, but with a twist. This recipe is a great one to make with your friends, family, or kids. It's a chance to turn pretzels into reindeer, with red noses, scarfs, and all!

Reindeer Pretzel Rods

6 oz. chocolate or vanilla bark  $.75
12 pretzels  $.10
12 pretzel rods  $1.00
24 mini chocolate chips  $.10
12 red candies  $.05
1 fruit roll-up  $.20
12 mini m&ms (or chocolates)  $.10

Place candy coating in 1 cup microwavable bowl. Heat for 60 in microwave, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Dip the twist pretzels and place on wax paper. Dip top 2 inches of pretzel rods into chocolate. Right before it's completely cooled, place 2 mini chocolate chips on each pretzel as their eyes and 1 red candy as the nose. Place on wax paper and place on other chocolate dipped pretzels to become their antlers. After the chocolate has cooled, cut the fruit roll-up in 12 pieces and wrap around reindeer like scarves, put a drop of chocolate on the top and place the mini m&m as a button.

Total Estimated Cost: $2.30
Servings: 12 Reindeer Pretzels
Cost Per Serving: $.19

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Here's a holiday classic for you. It gives you the rich chocolate flavors mixed with the cool peppermint. I love making chocolate bark and snacking on it. Holiday baking is so much fun and I can't get away from it! This recipe was fun to make with my good friends Holly and Kelly. We have way too much fun cooking together! It took little to no time nor effort to make such a delicious treat. So, if you need a last minute idea or a quick chocolate fix, this recipe is for you!

Holly, Me, and Kelly in our natural habitat... the kitchen!!

The delicious recipe you're about to partake of

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

12 oz. dark chocolate chips  $2.34
12 oz. white chocolate chips  $2.34
8 peppermint candy canes  $.65

Unwrap candy canes and put them in a food processor and crush them into small pieces. Or, you can put them in a plastic Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Cover cookie sheet in aluminum foil. Melt the dark chocolate (either with a double boiler or in the microwave for 1 minute). Pour chocolate on cookie sheet and spread to an even thickness. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer. While dark chocolate hardens, melt the white chocolate. Stir in most of the candy cane bits, keeping about a quarter of the peppermint pieces to put on top. Remove tray from freezer. Spread white chocolate over the dark chocolate layer. Sprinkle on the remaining peppermint pieces. Place the cookie sheet back into the freezer for about 20 minutes. Once the bark is completely cooled and set, break into pieces.

Total Estimated Cost: $5.33
Servings: 15
Cost Per Serving:  $.36

Bacon Cheese Wreath

Who doesn't love bacon? Or Cheese? Seriously, this recipe is the best of both worlds. I made this yummy appetizer the other day and my husband would not stop eating it! This cheese spread is addictingly good and really easy to make. It's such a wonderful recipe to use at parties and gatherings.

Bacon Cheese Wreath

2, 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened  $3.00
1/2 cup mayonnaise  $.52
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese  $.63
1/4 cup sliced green onions  $.25
10 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled  $2.19
Crackers

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, mayo, and Parmesan cheese. add onion. Stir in bacon. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Then scoop out bacon cheese spread onto platter and make a wreath out of crackers. (you can add parsley on top of the spread to give it more of a wreath look). Serve.

Total Estimated Cost: $6.48
Servings: 20
Cost Per Serving: $.32