Spicy Tuna Bowls

Courtesy of budgetbytes.com--- my favorite recipe site!

As a warning.. this is a very UNIQUE recipe! The first time I REALLY liked it. The second time I hated it! haha! So i'm trying it a third time and we'll see! Taylor loved it both times.

SPICY TUNA GUACAMOLE BOWLS

SAVEPRINT

PREP TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

15 mins

Total Cost: $7.45

Cost Per Serving: $1.86

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cooked rice (I used brown jasmine rice) $0.50
• 1 medium cucumber $0.95
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame $0.82
• 1 medium carrot $0.14
• 2 (5 oz.) cans chunk light tuna in water $1.98
• 8 oz. package guacamole $2.50
• ¼ bunch cilantro $0.22
• 4 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce $0.34

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dice the cucumber and shred the carrot (use a large box or cheese grater). Cook the edamame according to the package directions (microwave on high with a few Tbsp of water for 2-3 minutes). Drain the tuna and roughly chop the cilantro.
2. Place ¾ cup of cooked rice in the bottom of each bowl. Top with ¼ cup edamame, ½ a can of tuna, ¼ cup guacamole, a handful of diced cucumber, a pinch of shredded carrots, and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro. Drizzle sriracha over top, then serve.

NOTES

The bowls stay good refrigerated for about three days when stored in air-tight containers.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Meat:
1 lb. ground beef
2 tbs dehydrated onion (or I just chopped up about 1/4 c. onion)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. bread crumbs

Sauce:
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
3 tbs flour
1 1/2 cups water or pineapple juice
1/4 c. white vinegar
3 tbs soy sauce

In a medium bowl, combine meatball ingredients. Shape in 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place under the broiler for 5-7 min or until the meatballs begin to brown. In a large saucepan whisk together the sauce ingredients and bring toa  boil. Add the meatballs and reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Serve over rice! Yields 4-6 servings - I doubled it so we could have plenty of leftovers.

Price Guesstimate: $4-5

Steph's Comments: My mom gave me a new recipe book for Christmas: Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen, and I have had so much fun with it already! (In fact, you'll probably be seeing tons of recipes from here over the next little while!) Anyway, this recipe came from there, and I really enjoyed it - the sauce is tangy and really yummy to pour over the rice along with the meatballs - my husband really liked it too. My kids could see the onions, so... I'm sure you can guess what their reaction was. :) 

Chicken Rice Casserole

Sauce:

1/4 c. butter

1/3 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 c. chicken broth

1 1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. cooked rice

2 c. cooked chicken - cubed

1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained (opt.)

1/3 c. chopped green peppers

2 T. chopped pimento (opt.)

Combine all ingredients prior to making sauce. For sauce: heat butter until melted, blend in flour, salt, & pepper. Cook over low heat stirring constantly until bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth & milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil & stir one minute. Pour over other ingredients and then pour into an ungreased 2 quart casserole dish. Cook uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes (or in microwave for 5 or so minutes).

Price Guesstimate: $5-6 ish

Steph's Comments: My neighbor, Anne, made this for me after I had my 3rd baby. It tasted SO SO delicious that I immediately called her for the recipe. You can add whatever veggies you want - but having the peppers and mushrooms is a great mix (red peppers is yummy too!). This is a great comfort food - and a great meal if you need to prepare it ahead of time.

Fried Rice

2 cups uncooked long grain rice
3 eggs
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup diced onion (white or green or mixture)
3/4 cup frozen peas
Any other veggies you want (I like shredded red cabbage... or even broccoli or snow peas would be fun!)
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tsp
5 spice powder  (you can buy this at the store, or you can look it up online and find a substitute -see my comments for more info)
2 Tablespoons butter
salt &pepper to taste

Cook the rice according to the package directions. Let the rice cool.Beat eggs in a small bowl and scramble in a large skillet over medium high heat. As they cook, break the eggs into smaller chunks. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots and peas (or whatever other veggies). Immediately top with the cooked rice. Do not stir for about 1 minute, to allow the peas to heat through a little. Then toss veggies and rice together and continue to cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring often. Add soy sauce, 5 spice powder, and scrambled eggs. Toss to combine all ingredients. Taste, and add salt, pepper and more soy sauce if you desire.

Price Guesstimate: $2-3

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe here. I left out the sesame seeds that she adds - just to save on some cost. As for the chinese 5 spice powder -you will really like it if you like the "sweet" chinese flavor (like my husband!). I prefer salty, so I think next time I will leave that out and add my own spice mixes- probably garlic powder, ginger, and lots of soy sauce (I love soy sauce!)... but I was glad to know about the spice and try it. This is a really quick meal (well, I guess you have to cook the rice, that's it!) and it was filling and yummy. I'm glad to have tried it and will be making it again!

Easy Spanish Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
1 onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups of chicken stock (or water with chicken bullion)
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained ( I just used 1 cup of canned diced tomatoes)
Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Price Guesstimate: $1?

Steph's Comments: I wanted a quick, yummy side dish when I was making Chicken Tacos the other day, and Spanish Rice sounded yummy, but the only recipe I have is a little complicated, and it has bacon, which I didn't want to use... so, I googled and found this recipe, and it was a HIT - my husband even told me he could eat it alone for dinner! I think the real key is the chicken broth that you cook the rice in. I probably would add a whole can of tomatoes next time 'cause I'm a tomato girl, and I might try adding some other things - green peppers, green onions, etc. Also, I didn't think there was any need for the whole "brown the rice in oil" step - next time I'll just throw it all together and then cook it. But, it was yummy! Oh, I found the recipe here.

Zucchini Beef Skillet

1 lb. ground beef

1 c. chopped onion

1 diced pepper

5 c. thinly sliced zucchini (approx 3 medium zucchinis)

15 oz. can of diced tomatoes (or 2 lg. tomatoes peeled, seeded, and sliced)

1 T. pimento (opt. - I've never added this!)

1 c. fresh, frozen, or canned corn

1 clove minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

Rice or Crusty Bread

Brown hamburger with onions, add peppers and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes longer. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender (about 10-15 min). Serve with crusty bread or rice.

Price Guesstimate: $5-ish

Steph's Comments: I picked this recipe to help us get ready for zucchini season! Usually by the end of the summer everyone has zucchini coming out of their ears, so this is a great way to use it. I don't remember where I got this recipe from, but it's become a staple during the harvest season for our family. I have a few other zucchini recipes that I LOVE, so I'll be putting those up in the next little while. Enjoy!

Easy Stroganoff

1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can mushrooms

2 lbs. hamburger

1 pint of sour cream (I use fat free)

Egg noodles, rice, or baked potatoes

Brown hamberger, add soups and mushrooms. Simmer. Just before serving, mix in sour cream. Serve over egg noodles, rice, or baked potatoes. Serves about 6.

Price Guesstimate: $6-7 (assuming hamburger was around $2/lb)

Steph's Comments: This is my mother-in-law's recipe and it is yummy. I've made stroganoff a lot, but hers was always so much better than mine, so I finally got her recipe. The secret ingredient is the Lipton Onion soup mix! Yum.

Sausage-Rice Casserole

1 lb. sausage

3 c. cooked rice

1 can mushroom soup

Italian Seasoning, to taste

Garlic Powder, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Brown sausage, crumble and drain. Combine and mix sausage, 3 cups cooked rice, and 1 can mushroom soup together. Add seasonings. Pour into casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Yields: 4 servings.

Price Guessimate: $5-ish

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe out of The Three Ingredient Cookbook that my friend Margee shared with me. My kids downed this casserole! I was shocked - next time I'll double it for sure so that there can be some leftovers for my husband to take to work. This was a really yummy casserole. I used low-fat sausage and low-fat cream of mushroom soup to help make it a tad healthier. :)

Almost-Old Veggie Stir Fry

1-2 cups of dried rice
1-2 Tb. oil

Almost-Old Veggies. Veggies I like include, but aren't limited to:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peppers
Snow Peas
Onions
Potatoes (I like them grated)
Carrots (diced or grated)
Garlic
Mushrooms
Squash
Zucchini
Cabbage (red and green)

Eggs (2-4, depending on how eggy want it)
Peanuts/Cashews (if you have them lying around)

Soy Sauce
Rice Vinegar (not necessary, just if you happen to have it)
Sesame Oil (again, not necessary, just if you happen to have it)

Go through your fridge and gather all of the almost-old veggies. Cut them up. At this point get the rice going, and then put the harder veggies (onions, carrots, potatoes, etc.) in the frying pan or wok with oil. Once they soften up a little add the softer vegges (broccoli, squash, cabbage, etc.). You can also add the nuts at this point if you happen to have any. Cook veggies until they're as soft as you like them, and then add eggs and scramble (move the veggies over to the side and scramble on the bottom of the pan, then mix them in). Add the soy sauce, as well as the rice vinegar and sesame oil (if you have them) until it tastes good to you. It's always good just with the soy sauce, so don't fret if you don't have the other stuff!

Price Guessimate: This is a little difficult to say, because the goal with this meal is to get rid of your veggies before they go bad!

Steph's Comments: We lived in China for 4-5 months as a family and we ate stir fry 3-4 times/week! We still love it, and I've found it's a great way to get rid of veggies that are about to go bad... any variety is yummy - and it's fun to through new ideas into the mixture. Sometimes we only have peppers and onions and it's still good, other time we're able to throw more in. It's a great way to get veggies in too, and for kids, I just give them a bowl of rice and put a few of the veggies they like on top (broccoli, snow peas, etc.). It's always good with some added meat, but I usually don't because I'm trying to keep it cheap. Plus, if you add the eggs and nuts you've got the protein you need! Have fun with this one!

No Cream of Soup Hawaiian Haystacks

2 cups of cooked and cubed chicken (or shredded chicken)
3 tablespoons butter
½ onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp flour, optional
2 Tbsp water, optional

Rice

Optional Toppings:
Pineapple
Cheese
Tomatoes
Chow Mein noodles
Mandarin Oranges
Diced green onion
Olives
Coconut

In a large sauce pan, saute the onion in the butter until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to combine. Stir until bubbly. Add the salt and paper. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. If the sauce isn't as thick as you like, in a small bowl whisk together the 2 Tbsp flour and 2 Tbsp water until smooth, you don’t want lumps. It should look like a paste. Drizzle a little of the flour mixture at a time while whisking into to sauce mixture until desired thickness is reached. Serve the sauce over steamed rice with desired toppings. (I often just put shredded cheese on top b/c that's all I have and it's still good! So go as simple or as fancy as your pantry allows!) Serves 4-6.

Price Guesstimate: $3-4-ish (without toppings)

Steph's Comments: I love Hawaiian Haystacks. I always make the sauce with Cream of Chicken soup - and it's yummy, but it was fun to find a from-scratch version. I got this version off of Real Mom Kitchen (www.realmomkitchen.com), although I changed the cooking instructions slightly. It's yummy! I asked my husband which version he likes better and he said he likes them both -they're different from each other. I agree - I like the onions and garlic in this one - it was a real yummy sauce, but I also just love Cream of Chicken Soup. I will definitely make it again! Also, you could EASILY leave the chicken out and make a meatless version. It would be very yummy and cheaper too!

Super Bean Burritos

1 cup brown or white rice (or 2 cups already cooked rice)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced (can substitute 1 can of green chiles)
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or black beans)
1 1/2 cups water
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn or 1 can whole kernel corn, drained

6 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
16 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you have)


Cook rice; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno (chilis) and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add one can of beans and mash gently in the pan (a potato masher or fork works great here). Add the second can of beans and the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic powders. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and cooked rice. Heat tortillas in microwave for about 30-45 seconds or until all are warmed through. Fill each tortilla with about 2/3 cup bean and rice mixture and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos. Serve warm immediately, with salsa and sour cream if desired. Yield: 16 burritos

Price Guesstimate: $10-12 (for 16 burritos, so about .75/burrito)

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe on realmomkitchen.com. These burritos are YUMMY and they have no meat. It's also a great recipe because you can leave things out or add things if you feel like it. It's a very versatile recipe. These are filling and make great leftovers!

Oven Baked Chimichangas

1 1/2 c. chopped, cooked chicken/beef
1 can black beans
1 c. cooked rice
1 c. shredded cheese
2/3 c. salsa
1 c. green enchilada or taco sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 TB melted butter
10 flour tortillas

Mix all except butter and tortillas. Place about 1/2 cup mixture in each tortilla. Roll up, seam side down and place on greased baking sheet. Brush with butter. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my Aunt Adrienne. I luuuurve it because you can mix it up with just about anything you have in your kitchen. It's great with leftover roast; it's great with more rice, more beans, etc. etc. Also, just a low-fat sidenote, I made some of mine with the butter on top, and some without, and I couldn't tell a difference, so next time I make it I won't be using the butter at all.

Creamed Ham & Eggs

3 TB butter
3 TB flour
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 1/4 c. milk
1 c. diced, cooked ham
4 hard-cooked boiled eggs

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour& seasonings. Cook over low heat stirring until mixture is smooth & bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil & stir for 1 minute. Gently stir in ham & eggs. Heat thoroughly. Serve over toast or rice.

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe from my mom, and my husband and kids love it. If you don't have the good ham from the deli (it's not something I usually have on hand) you can substitute plain old lunch meat. Also, it's obviously creamier and yummier when you make it with cream or whole milk, but I always use 1% milk and it turns out plenty creamy for my tastes, and it much less fattening. Make sure you remember to boil the eggs before you get things going - sometimes I forget and then I have 20 minutes to wait until the eggs are done! :) Oh, and a meatless option that my sister told me (see her comment to this post) is to do 6 eggs and leave out the ham. Good idea Heath!

Aunt Susan's Casserole

1-2 c. dry rice

1-2 cans of Chili

Cheddar cheese

Optional toppings:

Sour Cream/Ranch

Salsa

Cook rice. Put in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread chili on top rice. Top with cheese. Warm either in oven at 350 for 20 minutes OR in the microwave for 5-7 minutes. If you want, top with sour cream/ranch and salsa after it's been warmed.

Steph's Comments: When I was growing up my parents used to "swap kids" with my Uncle Chris and my Aunt Susan. So about once a year we would go stay at their house for a few days. I loved it. (And so did my parents!) Anyway, this was something my Aunt Susan would cook often, and we loved it. We ended up telling my mom about it, who started making it, and we all just called it "Aunt Susan's Casserole." I make this for my family now, and even my picky kids eat it!

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

1/2 chopped red pepper (I never add this though b/c they're usually too expensive!)
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T. oil
1 can black beans
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
water
cooked rice


In a medium pot, saute peppers, onions, and garlic in oil. Stir in remaining ingredients adding enough water to make it a little-less-than soupy consistency. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.

Steph's Comments: I got this recipe out of a recipe book from my church, and I have loved it ever since. This recipe has a GREAT flavor. This is one of our staples dinners. If you have chicken, it's yummy with some grilled chicken in it (but only add the grilled chicken after everything's simmered). For our small family I usually double or even triple this recipe - but we eat a lot, and my husband takes the leftovers to work. I also like it sometimes with some sour cream or cheese mixed in, but you don't need it. Also, for picky eaters (like my four year old!) you can open a separate can of beans and just add the flavoring but not the gross onions and peppers.