budgetsmartgirl

Posts Tagged ‘fish’

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Three New Recipes to Try

In Budget Smart Cook on January 20, 2012 at 5:31 pm

I always love the recipes the folks at Pringles send my way. Here are three  that look easy to make but I’m sure delicious. I’m told the chicken fingers are especially good. And with fish going on sale next month when Lent rolls around, the fish nuggets will make an ideal meal.

Chicken Pringlers 

INGREDIENTS

·   2- 6.38-ounce cans of  Pringles (BBQ, Honey Mustard, Xtreme Blastin Buffalo or any of your favorite Pringles flavors)

·   2 pounds of boneless chicken breast or chicken tenders, cut into 1 1/2” nuggets

·   2 cups of skim milk or buttermilk

 DIRECTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle.

2.   Place nuggets in milk.

3.   Puree the Pringles in a food processor, and pour into a large sealable plastic bag. Place two or three nuggets at a time in the bag and shake to coat.

4.   Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and place the well-coated nuggets in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. 

5.   Remove and let stand, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes to crisp.

Crispy Fish Nuggets

 

INGREDIENTS

·    2- 6.38-ounce cans of Pringles Salt & Vinegar flavor

·    2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes

·    2 cups of skim milk

DIRECTIONS

1.   Place nuggets in milk.

2.   Puree the Pringles in a food processor, and pour into a large sealable plastic bag. Place two or three nuggets at a time in the bag and shake to coat.

3.   Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and place the well-coated nuggets in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. 

4.   Remove and let stand, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes to crisp.

Loaded Twice-Baked Taters Appetizers

 

INGREDIENTS

·   2 – 6.38-ounce cans of Pringles Loaded Baked Potato flavor

·   1 1/2 cup skim milk

·   1 egg

·  1 slice of cheese

·   Dried chives for garnish

·    Bacon bits for garnish, optional

 DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.   Place one 6.38-ounce can of Pringles Loaded Baked Potato crisps in a food processor and puree until well crushed.

3.   Add milk, egg and cheese slice into mixture and puree until well mixed.

4.   Take Pringles from remaining can and place 48 crisps on a cookie sheet with the curve of the crisp and sides facing down.

5.    With a very small spoon, place a rounded scoop onto each crisp and sprinkle with dried chives and bacon bits.

6.   Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

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The Blog-Stocking Up for Future Meals

In The Blog on August 22, 2011 at 5:22 pm

My last couple of trips to the supermarket have yielded some bargain buys that I’ve decided to keep for future meals. Last week green peppers, sweet onions and baking potatoes were all on sale so when I got them home, I chopped the green peppers and froze them. The onions; half were chopped and also frozen, the rest sliced and carmelized and stored in the fridge. The baking potatoes turned into twice baked potatoes and ready for a chilly fall day.

And here are some more bargains. These one pound bags of fish were just $4 each. Great eaten as is or for turning into soups and chowders for a cold snowy day.

Yogurt has also been on sale a lot lately and I use it for everything from salad dressings to smoothies. One type I really like is Greek style yogurt and good news is more companies sell it these days. Here’s a link I found just today for a free sample of Dannon’s Oikos Greek Yogurt. If you live in CA, LA or NJ it’s $1 off coupon.  One of my favorite flavors in their key lime. http://oikosyogurt.com/promotions/

This Week on Budget Smart Girl-another Friday recipe, this time a quick and easy lunch idea or even a light supper. And later this week I’ll be introducing the first of the new contributors to the site. Let me just say this lady knows all about couponing. To kick things off she’ll share some tips and tell us about her new book on the topic.

Have a good week.

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A Budget Smart Good Buy

In Budget Smart Cook on March 25, 2011 at 5:01 pm

One food I always think’s a good buy is fish. And this time of the year it’s an even more of a bargain. Two reasons-Lent and Frozen Food Month. During March I stock up on lots of items like fish sticks, canned tuna, frozen cod and salmon, stick it in the freezer or pantry and use it throughout the coming months. Besides being a good price there are lots of reasons to like this budget smart good buy-

Perfect Speedy Meal

I have about ten favorite desperation dinners as I call them. Meals that can be ready in less than 30 minutes and at least half of them are fish dishes. It’s easy to defrost and simple to cook too.

Freezes Well

Even if you cook a fish meal ahead of time you can freeze it for later. Just about any type of fish freezes well too.

Variety

There are more varieties of fish than I’m sure most of us can name so you never get bored. It’s also great to take a recipe and try a different type of fish for a change.

It’s Good For You

In moderation, fish is a good food choice. Many years ago I wrote an article about Omega-3 and how most of us don’t get enough of it in our diets. Salmon is one of the best sources and canned salmon is on my list of budget buys.

It Makes Any Kind of Meal

Best thing about fish is you can make a hearty dinner with it, use it as a filling for a sandwich, or even a light salad on a hot summer’s day.

Favorite Fish Recipes

Some of my favorite stand by recipes include, salmon fish cakes…I always use crackers now instead of mashed potatoes as I think, one, they taste better and two, they hold together much better which makes freezing them easier too. I sometimes make tuna pot pies. I have made them with salmon too and puff pastry is really good with it. Salmon quesadilla are easy as well. Fish sticks often get turned into tacos. I sprinkle on taco seasoning before I cook them. I’ve even tried using cod with some taco seasoning and lime juice added which is really good. Top it with coleslaw and it’s a quick and easy meal.

One of my favorite sandwiches for a light supper is salmon and cucumber. The combination is great and perfect for the summer.

Fish chowder are also easy to put together. In the summer and when it’s too hot to cook I often make gazpacho soup and add shrimp so it’s more of a meal.

Fish Recipes

Here is a recipe I recently found on a UK site-

http://www.allaboutyou.com/food/italian-fish-linguini-recipe/recipe

I actually made this other night because I was short on time and thought what’s quicker than fish and pasta for dinner? I didn’t have any red wine so I used vegetable stock. I think you actually need more than the recipe states so if you try it, double it. I used the tilapia but next time I’d opt for the cod. I didn’t have linquini on hand so used spaghetti instead. While I was making it I thought it might work with canned tuna too. Plus, next time around I’d use more olives.

I also found this on another UK site, ten classic fish dishes-

http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/10-best/10-best-classic-fish-dishes

And if you missed my salmon chowder recipe the first time, here it is again

 

(Serves 4-6)

1 tablespoon oil

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups diced peeled potatoes

1 cup sliced carrots

1 teaspoon of fresh dill or ½ tsp. Dried dill

1 can (14 ½ oz.)  chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup corn

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

Leftover ingredients-

Salmon—I used a leftover salmon steak from a previous dinner. It was probably about 1 cup of salmon, a 7 ½ oz. can of salmon could probably be used to0, maybe two if you wanted more salmon in the chowder.

Green Beans—I used about ½ cup chopped cooked green beans.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, sauté the onion until softened, add the garlic, carrots, celery and potatoes and stir together, sprinkle in the dill and add the chicken or vegetable broth. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the corn, green beans and then gradually stir in evaporated milk. Gently stir in salmon and heat through.

Serve with bread or crackers.

Coupons

One site I always check for coupons is Gortons-

http://www.gortons.com/coupons_promotions.htm

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Some Convenience Foods Are Worth The Price

In Budget Smart Cook on October 15, 2009 at 5:36 pm

It’s that time of year again when the days start to get shorter. I don’t know about you, but during the summer I always feel like I have plenty of time to tackle everything on my to do list, but once fall rolls around I start wishing some days had an extra hour or so.

For us budget conscious cooks we’re often torn between purchasing more convenience type foods that will give us some extra time, or making everything from scratch.

But do you have to feel guilty if you spend a few extra dollars heading to the salad bar at the supermarket rather than putting together your own at home? I think you have to look at each situation as it arises. And now and then we all have emergency situations.

Here are a few other foods I’ve found ideal for those days when nothing goes right but dinner still needs to be made.

Coleslaw
A bag of shredded coleslaw, especially the type with shredded carrots. A quick and easy side dish. If I have some in the fridge, I’ll put a homemade peanut and soy dressing with it. I also like the broccoli slaw that goes great with blue cheesing dressing and chopped roasted walnuts. It pairs ideally with chops, burgers or veggie burgers.

Frozen Burgers and Meatballs
Speaking of burgers, I always make sure I have a packet of turkey burgers and veggie burgers or meatballs stored in the freezer, plus some hamburger buns.

Mixed Veggies
A couple of bags of mixed vegetables, like baby corn, broccoli, sliced red pepper, perfect for a quick stir-fry

Frozen Pastry
Phyllo and puff pastry dough. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a recipe for Phyllo dough and I can’t imagine spending an hour or so making puff pastry when you can get a package of both these items for less than $4. Perfect for a speedy pot pie.

Pizza Crust
I always have every good intention of making my own, but whenever I pass the pasta aisle I see the prepackaged ones on the top shelf and can’t seem to leave the store without one.

Salad Dressings
I’m switching over to making my own, but I do keep one or two on hand for those just in case days. Not so much for salads, but types like Italian or vinaigrette dressings are great for a quick marinade for chicken or fish. The taste will make everyone think you spent hours on the recipe.

Frozen Potatoes
I usually make my own oven fries, but once again, keep prepackaged ones on hand for those just in case days.

Chicken Breasts
Look for the type that doesn’t have to be defrosted before you put them in the oven. They can be pulled out of the freezer and on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Frozen Fish
Some type of packaged frozen fish, quick to defrost and cook and really versatile. One of my favorites is fish tacos.

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No Cook Meals

In Budget Smart Cook on July 8, 2009 at 1:25 pm

It’s hot, it’s humid and you can’t stand the thought of spending more than 10 minutes in the kitchen. Here are some meal ideas I often fall back on. They’re quick and budget friendly.

Mediterranean Platter
This one’s a breeze to put together, especially if you have some of the ingredients already in your pantry. On a large platter, place hummus, sun dried tomatoes… I prefer the ones packed in oil, some olives, and feta cheese, maybe some canned tuna and pair it with pita bread or focaccia. It’s a light meal and people can pick and choose what they want. Leftovers make ideal sandwiches for lunch the next day.

Salmon Quesadillas
You’ll need four tortillas; one 7 oz. can of pink salmon, about ¼ cup of mayonnaise, mixed with 1 tsp. dill weed. Mix the salmon and mayo mixture and spread it on two tortillas. Top with another of the tortillas and press down slightly. Lightly grill or fry until they’re golden brown on each side and then cut into quarters. Serve it with your favorite salsa.

Tuna and Egg Stuffed Tomatoes
When I taught afternoon tea classes I’d used this mixture for one of the sandwiches, but these days I find it makes a really good filling for stuffed tomatoes. I like to serve them with triangles of toasted whole wheat or whole grain bread. Allow either one large beefsteak tomato per person or two smaller ones. The filling serves four. Three hard- boiled eggs, chopped. Six tablespoons of mayonnaise, one 7 oz. can tuna in water. Mix all the ingredients together, pile into the tomatoes and chill for about an hour before serving.

Grilled Fish
A quick cooking food is fish. You can select any fish you like, grill it for a few minutes, and serve it with salsa or chutney. It’s ideal paired with a tossed green salad.

Curried Chicken Salad
This one’s really tasty and full of good for you ingredients. If you don’t want to use chicken you can go with tuna. Another idea is to replace the real chicken with a vegetarian product like Quorn. This recipe serves four people. You’ll need three cooked chicken breasts, chopped into bite size pieces. ½ cup of mayonnaise, 1 cup of chopped seedless red or green grapes, ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, one tablespoon of curry powder. Just mix everything together. This is great with crusty French bread, or once again served in a scooped out tomato.

Pasta Salad
Take any cooked pasta and toss it with chopped tomatoes, fresh shredded basil, and cubes of mozzarella cheese, chopped olives and add a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Veggie Loaf
Here’s something I’ve been making for years and I always connect it with summer. Take an uncut loaf of bread; I really like the round boule style ones. Cut it in half horizontally. In a bowl add half a sliced onion, the sweet varieties like Walla Walla are great for this, two chopped tomatoes, half a red pepper, chopped. Add a handful of chopped olives, ¼ cup blue cheese, and enough Italian or vinaigrette dressing to coat all the ingredients. Mix everything together and pile onto one half of the loaf and top with the other half, press down firmly and wrap tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. When it’s chilled enough, slice it into wedges. You’ll find all these ingredients have blended together and made the bread soft and full of flavor. If you don’t want to go with just veggies, you can add a can of tuna to the mix. This makes a really great picnic item because a ‘soggy’ sandwich is really what you want to end up with anyway.

The Pantry Comes to the Rescue
I’ve found the following items are ideal to keep on hand for no cook or simple meals, cans of tuna, beans, pasta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, lots of herbs and spices, and in the freezer you should keep a couple of different types of breads.

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