Pizza Quiche (yeap, really!) $2.07-yeap, really cheap!

Crustless Pizza topping Quiche

1 medium onion, diced .20
4 oz mushrooms .70
10 black olives .10
4 oz sausage (4 links - cut into small pieces) OR 2 oz turkey pepperoni, cut coins into wedges
2 large eggs .15
1/2 cup egg whites (4 egg whites?).30
1/2 cup flour .20
1/2 tsp baking powder.05
1/4 tsp salt.02
pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/3 cup non-fat or 1% milk.30
1 tsp pizza spice or italian seasoning .05

1/2 cup mozzarella .50
1 tbsp grated parmesan .10

1/4 cup pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Lightly spray a 10 inch pie plate (or quiche pan)

in a medium frying pan, cook diced onion with a bit of cooking spray over medium high heat until transparent and tender. Add in olives, mushrooms and meat heat thoroughly. Set aside

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, then meat/veg mixture.

Pour quiche into prepared pan, top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake 20 minutes, or until center is almost set and the outside edge is golden brown - sprinkle with parm and bake another 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to set for 5 minutes, slice, and serve with 1 tbsp of pizza sauce on top.

good luck!

Grilled Pork Chops with Spicy Tomato Jam and Veggies

My recipe for Spicy Tomato Jam is so good it should be professionally jarred. I actually like it just poured over cream cheese as an appetizer, however it is great topped on chicken, fish, and definitely pork. When making the jam, since it is a bit of a procedure, it would be best to double or triple the batch. It will definitely keep in the fridge for a few weeks. I actually grabbed the last of my tomatos in my garden, but store bought or farmers market bought will do just as good. What you will need:

3 medium tomatoes(1 lb)
1 small onion
1/3 cup apple jelly
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dried hot pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water. In a sauce pan, boil water. Place tomatoes in boiling water and blanch for 10 seconds. With slotted spoon transfer tomatoes to ice water to stop the cooking. Peal tomatoes, seed and chop. Chop onion.

In a 1 quart saucepan bring tomatoes, onion, jam, vinegar, pepper flakes and salt to a boil over moderate to low heat. Stiring constantly until jam is thick(about 30 to 40 minutes)

let cool

Season Pork Chops with salt and Pepper. Bake at 350, or grill
when thoroughly cooked top generously with tomato jam

Blackbean Brownies

Ok picture this-no school due to Roshashana, and six 11 and 12 year olds playing games on XBox3- at my house. They have completely wiped out my oreos, pretzels and sunchips, and they are still starving, but thats ok, because I have made them mystery brownies, I just havent told them that they are mystery brownies. Infact, they went over so phenomonally well, that I made another batch for my friends passover dinner tonight. OK, ready for the unveiling of the secret- I made them with black beans, infact the only ingredient in the brownie, besides the box mix, is a can of blackbeans with the bean juice as well. Sounds unappealing? I think so too, but shock of all shocks, the taste of beans cant be detected at all!! The brownies were so incredibly moist but not in that raw egg moist way, because obviously thier are no eggs, but in a yummy, gooey, chocolatey way. The brownie is awesome!! Not to mention incredibly healthy with the high in fiber and protein
here is the uncomplicated recipe

Box of brownie mix, doesnt matter which one, I got mine at Walgreens along with the other ingredient
1 can black beans 15.5 ounces

in blender or food processor, mix the brownie mix and the entire content of blackbeans until batter is smooth
pour into a 9X9 greased baking dish and bake according to box instruction.
when done baking let stand atleast an hour because the brownies will be soft due to all the moisture from the beans.
serve and watch the brownie disappearing act

Penne with Spinach, Tomatoes & CHICKPEAS $3.60

I found this recipe on the internet and it so fits with what I'm doing. Simple, nutritious, and no artificial stuff or hard to acquire things. Just...

Ingredients

Spinach, frozen, 1 package (10 oz) yields - or 10 oz bag fresh $1.19

1 Tbsp Olive Oil .30
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic .10
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes .02
1 medium, whole, Red Ripe Tomato .40
1 can Chick Peas .89
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated .20

8 ounces Penne Pasta .50

Directions

1. If Fresh Spinach is used, place the spinach in a large skillet with just the water that clings to it after thoroughly washing, cover, and cook over medium heat just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain, cool, then squeeze dry with your hands. (If you are using frozen spinach, just squeeze out all the moisture with your hands.) Set aside.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the penne. Cook until al dente, 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chick peas and cook 2 minutes more. Add the spinach, salt, and 1/4 c of the boiling pasta water and stir well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

4. When the pasta is done, drain it thoroughly in a colander. Return it to the pot or put it in a large serving bowl. Spoon on the sauce and toss well. Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese, toss again, and serve with additional cheese to pass at the table.

Makes 4 servings.

Another night where Barbara and I made the same dish and they both turned out BEAUTIFUL! I used cherry tomatoes from a friend's garden - they were so amazingly sweet and yummo! I could probably get to like those!

Baked Potato Bar $5.39

My kids don't eat potatoes if they can help it, unless they are either french fries or... the roasted potatoes that they call Mommy Fries... two weeks ago they nibbled on a great baked potato at the festival luncheon in my home town - and tonight ... Mom, these are great - can we have potato bar more often. Seriously, I looked at Joe and asked who had delivered these alien children.

They devoured potatoes,

butter,

sour cream,

cheese,

ham, and even

broccoli.

they each at a half of a big baker - i mean like a 10 oz baker - so they ate some SERIOUS potato for my expectations. I grilled some chicken for mine, and ate it with a plethora of fresh broccoli and some 2% cheddar cheese that I sliced off the block. This fit well for me with my eating plan of the week - simple, and high protein! The potato had a TON of carbs, but in moderation, I needed them tonight!

I cooked the potatoes in the microwave, and mine has a button and auto sensor, so I can't be sure how long they cook, but I'd say one 8-10 oz baker takes about 7 minutes in the microwave. Start by washing your potato well so you can enjoy the YUMMY and highly nutritious skin. Scrub it well - get your frustrations out. Then poke 3-6 holes in the thing with a fork ... stab it good - more stress reduction! Finally throw it in the micro and get your other stuff ready. Potatoes get softer and moister if you let them sit under an inverted bowl after they finish cooking. It really changes the texture, try it!

Salmon Patty $1.64

I have absolutely no expectations going into this. I have never eaten salmon from a can - tuna, yes, all the time in fact, but salmon, no. Just doesn't seem right to me. So, I ask Joe to buy me a can because, well, Aldi doesn't sell salmon in a can (at least I don't think they do)... same size can a tuna, a bit better nutritionally, OK, I'll make my favorite tuna salad sandwich, but with Salmon. Surely it will taste different, and likely I won't like it, but at least I can cross if off my list of things to do...

WRONG! Here's a few great things about Salmon
1) It smells better than tuna in a can
2) It looks better coming out of a can than tuna - fishier, more wholesome, less catfood-ish (a tendency that you see when you eat inexpensive tuna, not one you see with the name brand tunas).
3) Joe will never know that it's Salmon instead of Tuna unless I tell him.
YES!

So, I made a basic tropical tuna sandwich, but with salmon, and served it on a whole wheat, all natural "thin bun" (great concept - for a long time I've been digging the middle out of my bun because I didn't need the calories, etc... now I don't have to as they make these great "thin buns" - and, they are all natural!).


1 can salmon, drained (purchased at dollar store next to my Aldi .99) they are on sale often at Walgreens for .99 often
2 tbsp mayo product (I use Kraft Olive Oil reduced fat).20
2 tbsp pickle relish .25
1 tsp mustard .05
1 tbsp crushed pineapple.15

mix. spread on bread. enjoy.

Brats and Coleslaw

Labor Day time!! Feel like it was just Memorial Day, and yet Summer is coming to an end. While Im sorry to see it end, Im looking forward to more structure with kids in school, and less idle time playing X Box, Play Station, driving around like a taxi cab to golf, pool, friends houses. Time to get going on the many projects that Kim and I are working on. I love coleslaw, infact I love any version of colslaw whether it is made with vinegar, mayo a combo of both, lemon juice, poppyseeds......there are many different "secrets" to making coleslaw. This is the first time I have ever made coleslaw from scratch and it was a snap. It was easy, fairly cheep, and really good.

We had a bbq at my brothers house and I was incharge of the bruscetta and coleslaw.
Heres my version:
4 to 5 cups shredded cabbage
1 medium green pepper(thinly sliced)
3 carrots coarsly shredded
2 tablespoon onion
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c vinegar
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon mayonaise

shred cabbage, add peppers, carrots and onions
in separate bowl combine sugar, vinegar, oil, mayo, mix well
toss with cabbage combo until completely coated add salt and refrigerate for a few hours

I warmed Chicken Sausage Brats (With mozzarella and sundried tomaotes inside) on the grill.  I then threw them in buns, and served with sausage! 

Here's a look at the brat...  yeah, that's my thumb.  sorry.

Veggie Pita Pizza

I made this dish for Memorial Day. and it was YUMMY...but, the crust that crust is made with crescent rolls - from pillsbury.  They are buttery, flakey, and nice - in the pan, not so nice on my hips and stomach.  This is a great alternative - with a ton of healthiness!

4 whole wheat pita flats

1/2 cup fat free greek yogurt
8 oz low fat cream cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (herbs only, no salt)

VEGGIES, VEGGIES, VEGGIES!
I like cucumber, red pepper, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower - about one cup of each, cut into really small pieces.

Mix the yogurt/cream cheese mix - spread evenly onto the four pitas
spread the veggies on the cheese mixture
refrigerate until ready to serve

cut into wedges and enjoy.

We had this AS supper - a whole pita each, and it was awesome.  Very filling and refreshing!