Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Heaven!!!!

Recipe from Cooking Like A Champion

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain reduced-fat yogurt or sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 small green onion
1 clove minced garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup buttermilk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked crisp

Directions:
Cover potatoes with 1-2 inches of cold water and add the tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, chives, parsley, green onion, garlic, lemon juice and buttermilk in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, then refrigerate until ready to use.

Drain potatoes and transfer to a serving bowl. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in half of the ranch dressing. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Toss with remaining ranch dressing and top with bacon and additional chives or green onion if desired. Serve cold.

Food Shopping On The Cheap!

Stop & Shop Trip!

Total Cost: FREE!!!

(Side note: My calculations figured this trip would have costed me about $4...but it rang up $7.83. I looked at the receipt before leaving and noticed they didn't take off the BOGO bread. Customer service refunded me not only for my BOGO but also for the other loaf as well for their mistake! I actually made money off this trip! Guess it pays to check your receipt and know how much everything is suppose to be with the sale! Woohoo!)

Corn and Two-Bean Burgers with Chipotle Ketchup

Recipe from here.

These were really good....except next time I think I'll skip the Chipotle Ketchup and just use my Heinz Chili Sauce...which is the best burger topping EVER.

• YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 burger)
• COURSE: Main Dishes, Sandwiches

Ingredients

• Burger:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup canned whole-kernel yellow corn, drained
• 1/4 cup prechopped onion
• 1 large egg
• Ketchup:
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 
  
• Remaining ingredients:
• 4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns
• 4 lettuce leaves (optional)
• 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato (optional)
• 
  

Preparation

• To prepare burgers, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Combine kidney beans and black beans in a large bowl; partially mash with a fork. Add breadcrumbs, corn, onion, and egg; stir until well blended. Form bean mixture into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Add patties to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until crisp and beginning to brown.
• To prepare ketchup, combine ketchup, honey, lime juice, chile powder, and cumin, stirring with a whisk.
• Spread 1 tablespoon ketchup on bottom half of each bun; top each serving with a patty, 1 lettuce leaf and 1 tomato slice (if desired), and top half of bun.
• 
  

Sorry for my crappy photo :)

Blueberry Boy Bait

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

I found this recipe online today and wanted to make it immediately. It's so light, fluffy, and delicious!

Serves 12, generously

2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not defrost first as it tends to muddle in the batter)

Topping
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease generously and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl. Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping:
Scatter blueberries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter (topping side up). Serve warm or at room temperature. (Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

Food Shopping On The Cheap!

I just shopped for Memorial Day wknd items and everyday items....my cart was overflowing! I literally spent 2 nights working on getting my list & coupons together because it was so much stuff...and it paid off! This crappy photo doesn't even do it justice. :)

Shoprite Trip!

Total Cost: $65.25

Savings of: $66.76 with coupons & sales!!

Food Shopping On The Cheap!

Shoprite Trip!

Total Cost: $45.22

Savings of: $52.22 with coupons & sales!!

Whole Foods Trip!

Total Cost: $14.68

Savings of: $8.00 in coupons!

Food Shopping On The Cheap!

Total Cost: $18.83!!!

Savings of: $36.60!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tbsp butter

2 (10.75 oz cans condensed cream of chicken soup

2 potatoes, cubed

2 or 3 carrots, cut up

1 (16 oz.) package refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Directions:

Place chicken, butter, soup, potatoes, and carrots in a slow cooker and fill with enough water to cover.

Cover and cook on High 5 to 6 hours.

About 45 minutes before serving, place torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Eggplant and Mozzarella Melt

Ingredients:

• • 2 large eggs
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 3/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
  • Olive oil, for baking sheet
  • 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
  • 1 loaf (8 ounces) soft Italian bread
  • 2 cups store-bought tomato sauce
  • 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread breadcrumbs in a pie plate or shallow bowl.
2. Oil a rimmed baking sheet. Dip eggplant rounds in egg, then dredge in breadcrumbs, turning to coat completely; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake (without turning) until golden and tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, split bread lengthwise, and place cut side up on another baking sheet; press gently in centers to create a well. Layer both halves with tomato sauce, eggplant, and cheese. Bake until cheese is browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup - oil

1 cup - milk

1 tsp - vanilla

1 3/4 cup - all-purpose flour

1/2 cup - sugar

1/4 cup - cocoa

1 tbsp - baking powder

1/2 tsp - salt

1/2 cup - semi-sweet chocolate chips (85g)

Directions: 

1 Preheat oven to 400F and prepare muffin pan. Grease muffin pan or fill with paper liners. A nonstick pan requires no greasing.

2 In large bowl add and combine well eggs, oil, milk and vanilla.

3 In smaller bowl combine well flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips.

4 Combine wet and dry mixtures and fold together gently until just mixed. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake at 400F for 18 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

5 Hint: Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin halfway thru baking.