I discovered Mujaddara probably about ten years ago at this little Lebanese lunch spot in Baton Rouge, called Serop’s Express. I didn’t know what the brown crumbly mixture was, but I ordered on a whim and I was instantly in love. The soft grain-like mixture was earthy, flavorful, and had an intoxicating blend of seasoning. I immediately googled the recipe, determined to make it myself. … [Read More]
03.07.15
Broccoli Cheddar Casserole
$6.56 recipe / $1.09 serving
I've been craving Broccoli Cheddar Casserole for quite some time, and I finally got around to making it for lunch today. Yay! This awesome homemade version contains NO "cream of" soups and, thanks to pre-cooked rice, doesn't take much effort to pull together. Wait, what? You don't have any pre-cooked rice on hand? Maybe it's time to ... [Read More]
03.04.15
Homemade Freezer Garlic Bread
$2.76 recipe / $0.17 per slice
The other day when I was roaming around the internet, I stumbled upon this recipe for Garlic Texas Toast, from lovetobeinthekitchen.com, that you keep in your freezer just like the premade kind that you'd buy from the grocery store. It was such a "Duh! Why didn't I think of that?!" moment. I've made my own garlic bread in the past and ... [Read More]
02.28.15
No Sugar Added Banana Nut Granola
$5.45 recipe / $0.45 serving
I'm a sucker for crunchy homemade granola, but I always wish there was a way to make it without loading in the oil and sugar. Well, when I made a batch of Pumpkin Spice Granola last fall, I accidentally discovered that fruit purée can act as a binder in a similar way to the oil and sugar in traditional granolas. Sooooo, it was time for me ... [Read More]
02.25.15
Fudge Brownie Pots (for two)
$1.04 recipe / $0.52 serving
I made some awesome Black Bean Chili the other day and what goes great with chili? Chocolate! In the spirit of not wanting to "accidentally" eat an entire pan of brownies, I decided to make two little single serving brownies instead. Sure, I could have made a Chocolate Mug Cake and killed the craving in about 60 seconds, but I wanted an ... [Read More]
02.23.15
Weeknight Black Bean Chili
$7.19 recipe / $1.20 serving
I'm so over the cold and dreary weather. How about you? With the arrival of this latest arctic blast, I felt myself craving a warm, rich bowl of chili, but I didn't want to spend all day in the icy cold kitchen making it. So, I made this super fast and simple Weeknight Black Bean Chili and crawled back under the cozy blankets as fast as ... [Read More]
02.19.15
No Knead English Muffin Bread
$0.71 recipe / $0.06 per slice
I haven't baked any bread in a long time, mostly because I don't eat bread very often lately. I do love to bake, though, so when I came across this recipe for No Knead English Muffin Bread on KitchenParade.com, I knew I had to make it, even if just for fun. If you're a bread person and eat it often, making your own bread can be a huge ... [Read More]
02.17.15
Pastalaya
$9.10 recipe / $1.14 serving
Happy Mardi Gras!! It was an icy cold and grey morning here in New Orleans, so instead of going out and enjoying the parades, I decided to take it easy, stay warm, and cook up a big pot of Pastalaya. What is pastalaya? It's like jambalaya, but made with pasta instead of rice! You'll find this easy and filling dish at large gatherings, ... [Read More]
02.15.15
Caramelized Onion and Artichoke Flatbread
$4.95 recipe / $1.65 serving
Y'all know I'm obsessed with pizza right? Well I've actually really been into flatbreads lately. They're a little less heavy than pizza because they tend to have a thinner crust and they don't have a lot of sauce or cheese. But they are piled high with tons of flavorful toppings. For this flatbread I combined sweet caramelized onions with ... [Read More]
02.11.15
Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce
$2.20 recipe / $1.10 serving
Do you ever get tired of plain old red sauce? ...Yeah, no, I don't either. But if for some reason you did want to try something new, this quick and creamy pumpkin sauce is a great way to switch up your pasta routine. I had a partial can of pumpkin purée left over from another recipe this week, so I borrowed the flavors from this old ... [Read More]
02.09.15
Nacho Taters
$6.84 recipe / $1.71 each
I've been craving nachos ever since the Super Bowl. Seeing every single blog and food website feature nachos during the weeks leading up to the big game made them impossible to resist, so I'm finally giving in... But I'm not giving in without a fight. I'm switching up my nachos to make them at least a little bit healthier. Instead of ... [Read More]
02.02.15
Green Chile Breakfast Quesadillas
$4.20 recipe / $1.05 each
Tortilla + Cheese + *Wild Card* = recipe for deliciousness. I've had a couple cans of green chiles in my pantry that need to be used up, so I decided to toss them into my favorite breakfast—a tortilla, egg, and cheese quesadilla. I also had some leftover cilantro in the fridge, so I thought, "Why the heck not?" and tossed it in there ... [Read More]