Mango Salsa

Here's a lovely sweet and spicy mix that tastes like pure summer. This works great with chips, in a salad, or with chicken.

1 Mango, finely diced
8 Roma Tomatoes, finely diced
2 Jalapenos, finely diced
1/4 t Salt
1/2 Fresh Lime, juiced
1 t Sugar
1 T Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Give this about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together. But yes, it can be eaten right away if you can't wait and it still tastes good.

Carne Asada Marinade

On our last freezer cooking adventure, we made a carne asada  marinade. We put the steak in a gallon freezer bag, put all the ingredients in a blender to mix it up, and poured the marinade over the steak.  Grill the meat to medium and allow the meat to rest/cool a bit before slicing. Be sure to cut the steak thinly, cross-grain to keep it as tender as possible.

When I pulled the steak out to make the tacos this week, it turned out tender and flavorful. My son couldn't get enough of it. This is a great way to use a less expensive cut of meat, and not a lot of it to feed the whole family. Serve with lots of veggies (peppers, onions, lettuce, tomatoes/salsa, etc) and a bit of sour cream.

3/4 c Oil (I used olive oil) - I'd use 1/2 c next time
1/4 c Lime Juice
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 t Cumin
1 t Salt
1/4 t Pepper
1/4 t Chili powder (optional)

Gluten Free Chicken Coating

In our gluten-free world, I've been working on a thin (non-corn meal) coating to make chicken strips out of. I think we have reached success. My husband and kiddos devoured the chicken. This coating is lightweight so the chicken is the star, browns nicely, and develops a great crunch.

I used potato starch as the base for the coating. You'll find it in the baking isle near the flour and corn starch. However, it's much cheaper to find at an Asian or ethnic food market. I guess you could use corn starch as well, but I don't think the flavor would be quite the same.

1 c Potato Starch
1 t Salt
1 t Italian Seasoning
1/2 t Garlic Powder
1/2 t Onion Powder

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Dip the chickens strips in milk (cow, rice, or almond) and then into the coating mixture. Shake off excess and then add to a frying pan of hot oil. Allow to cook for 2-4 minutes until coating is browned and then turn. Continue to fry until chicken is completely cooked through and all sides are browned. Serve warm on their own, with BBQ sauce, sweet & sour, marinara, etc.

This tasted great dipped in sweet and sour sauce and might have to make a meal of that soon.

Sesame Garlic Chicken

I've been experimenting with new recipes again. I love the flavors of Chinese, but I can't use soy if my oldest is going to eat it... That posses a bit of a problem. So I'm working with the flavors I can use - garlic and sesame.

1 lb. Boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 t Garlic, minced
1-2 T Oil (sunflower, safflower, other)
1 T Sesame seeds
1/2 t Sea Salt
Pepper

I sliced the chicken into very thin slices and added it to the oil I had pre-heated in a large fry pan. I browned the chicken over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes and added the garlic, sesame seeds, salt and pepper to the chicken and finished cooking until the chicken was cooked through (being careful not to burn the garlic).

I served this over basmati rice (any type will do) and leftover chopped carrots. The oil from the sauce lightly coated the rice and it wasn't dry at all. I tried a bit with sweet and sour sauce and that worked well too.

We'll definitely be making this one again. It was super fast and easy.

Chicken Fiesta Enchiladas

A bunch of leftovers was combines to make these amazing enchiladas. I used the base recipe from my Creamy Chicken Enchiladas and tried to make it a bit healthier and fresher. We've also been looking at cutting back our meat consumption to help control grocery costs and focus on eating more fruits and veggies. This meal does both. My husband likes these even better than the original.

10 - 12 Tortillas
1 c Chicken, cooked and shredded
1 c Sour cream
1 t Taco seasoning
1 sm can Green chilis, drained
8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded & divided
1 c White rice, cooked and cold
1 c Corn
1 c Bell pepper, chopped
1 can Green enchilada sauce

Mix together the soup, sour cream, taco seasoning, and green chilis. Add in the chicken, rice, corn, peppers, and 3/4 c of cheese and mix together. Spoon about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the mixture into each tortilla and lay in a 9 X 13 baking pan*, seam side down.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas and top with the remaining cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned. Serve with lettuce, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, or other garnishes of your choice.

* I usually split this into 2-3 meals for my husband and I since it isn't a favorite with my kids. It freezes well.

Quinoa Apple Salad

I've head a lot about quinoa (KEEN-wah) lately. The newly marketed superfood that the Incas survived on. If you aren't familiar with it (which I wasn't until this summer), it's actually a seed, not a grain. It's high in protein, has a bit of a chewy texture and nutty flavor. It's mild enough to be really versatile for a salad and side dish.

I found an intriguing recipe for it in Family Fun magazine and adapted it to my own tastes.

1 c Quinoa, rinsed
2 c Apple juice (or water)
1 T Honey*
2 t Sugar
1/4 lemon juice
1/2 t salt
2 T Olive oil
1 c Apples, peeled & finely diced
2/3 c Celery, finely diced
1 T Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 Almonds, toasted and chopped

* I'm not a fan of the flavor of honey and for me it was a bit overwhelming. Next time I'll probably replace this with agave or sugar.

Variations:
Lime juice, diced Mango, Cilantro, Jicama, Water (replace apple juice)
Apple juice, diced Pear, Cashews, Parsley
Lemon juice, Basil, Walnut, Water (replace apple juice)
Coconut, cilantro, lime, coconut milk (replace juice)

Mexican Pork Salad

I love when I can take a bunch of leftover bits of nothing and turn them into something wonderful. This one was so good, I may have to conjure up a bunch of leftovers, just so I can make it again.


1/2 lb Pork, cooked & shredded (left over Herbed Pork Roast)
1/2 c Water
2 c White rice, cooked and cooled (left over from stir fry)
1/2 c Bell Peppers, chopped & grilled (left over from kabobs)
1/4 c Tomato, diced
2 c Lettuce, chopped
1/2 c Salsa
1/2 c Sour Cream (or tofu sour cream)
2 T + 1 tsp Taco seasoning, divided

In a saute pan, add pork, water and 2 T of taco seasoning. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally until most of the water has evaporated. Stir in rice and peppers and heat thoroughly.

In a small bowl, wisk together salsa, sour cream, and 1 tsp of seasoning. Toss together all ingredients and serve. It makes for a great zesty salad.

For The Love of Pineapple

So, mention pineapple and you are bound to get mixed reviews. Usually people either love or hate it. I love a good pineapple. After having fresh ones in Hawaii, the store bought kind are just not the same, let alone canned. However, years later the memory of great pineapple has faded and I've learned to enjoy what's available on the mainland.

By far, my favorite way to eat pineapple is to grill it. I like to cut a fresh pineapple into long wedges and put them on skewers on the grill. It's an entirely different taste. The heat helps caramelize the sugars and yum. I've never tried to fry it, but I can imagine it would have similar results if you can leave it alone to brown slightly.

Skewer chunks of pineapple with chicken, pork, or shrimp and the juices help keep the meat moist. The grilled pineapple paired with grilled peppers, chicken, and mushrooms (which I don't usually like, but grilled with pineapple it was awesome) last night's cook out at our friends - was fabulous.

They had canned pineapple rings that they drained and threw on the grill and it was great as well. Sounds like a great summer treat to pull out mid-winter to me. Best of all, it's inexpensive. So happy fruit grilling to you.

NOTE: let it cool down before eating. Hot pineapple is not nearly as enjoyable.

Jicama Lime Chicken Salad

It just tastes like summer or an island treat. Lime and cilantro - what's not to love about that? A college friend of mine passed along a recipe for a creamy jicama chicken taco that I adapted into this salad. I waited until my manly meat eaters left the house on day and celebrated my solitude with this salad. Someday my my boys will appreciate it. If not, more for me.

2 Romaine hearts or 1 leaf lettuce, chopped
1-2 T oil
1 Lime
1/4 t Salt
1 t Ground cumin
1/4 t Chili powder
1/4 t Garlic powder
1/4 t Pepper
2 Chicken breasts
1/2 sm Jicama*, shredded
1/4 c Cilantro, chopped
1 sm Mango, chopped (optional)
1/4 c Tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 avocado, peeled and sliced (optional)
2 T Almonds, toasted - your pick of sliver/sliced/chopped (optional)

Chop and rinse lettuce and set aside. Mix together salt, cumin, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder. Rub chicken with oil and sprinkle seasoning on top. Allow to sit/marinade 20-30 minutes. Grill or fry the chicken until done. Squeeze lime juice over chicken and allow to rest a few minutes before slicing/chopping up to keep juices from running out.

Meanwhile shred the jicama (I used my box cheese grater) and chop cilantro. Toss together with lettuce and top with chicken and desired toppings like mango, tomato, almonds, and/or avocado. I used the Lime Vinaigrette for a cool and refreshing summer salad.

* NOTE: I had no idea what a jicama (pronounced HICK-a-mah) was. It's a root vegetable from Mexico (a.k.a. Mexican turnip or yam). It's round, white and has a crunchy and mildly fiberous texture and a hint of sweetness. Becomes a bit wet while shredding, not so much when chopped, much like a carrot would. New users I would recommend shredding into small pieces to introduce yourself and move on to small pieces.

Lime Vinaigrette

I'll be posting soon the DELICIOUS summer Jicama Lime Chicken Salad I made to go with this dressing. It has to be almost as good as it gets for summer flavors.

1/4 c Lime juice, fresh squeezed if you can
1/4 c Canola oil
1 T White wine vinegar
1 T Sesame Seeds
1/2 t Ginger, freshly grated
1 T White sugar (adjust to taste or use agave nectar)
dash of salt

Wisk all the ingredients together until well mixed. Serve over your favorite salad, or use as a marinade for chicken or shrimp. I'm thinking about adapting this sauce for a rice or quinoa dish. More to come on this later.

Fried Couscous

This is a little take on fried rice but with couscous instead. I made WAY too much one night and my boys decided they didn't like it so that left me with LOTS leftover. So that left me with time to experiment with it for lunch the next several days.

So here is a couple of takes on a light tasting lunch. Let me tell ya, I'm hoping for more leftovers to try this again. I'm also gonna try this with quinoa for a gluten-free take on this...

(for 2)
2 c Cooked couscous (or quinoa)
2/3 c Steak, finely chopped
1/3 c Carrots, finely chopped
2 T Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 t Garlic, minced
2 T Lime juice
1 T Olive oil
1/4-1/3 c Water or beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add steak and carrots to pan and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and stir frequently, 1 minute. Add water or broth to deglaze the pan (pick up the drippings). Add couscous and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime juice. Serve immediately.

(serves 2)
2 c Cooked couscous (or quinoa)
2/3 c Chicken, finely chopped
1/3 c Carrots, finely chopped
1/3 c Tomato, finely chopped
1 t Garlic, minced
1 T Olive oil
1/4-1/3 c Water or chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and carrots to pan and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and stir frequently, 1 minute. Add water or broth to deglaze the pan (pick up the drippings). Add couscous and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and add tomatoes.

Total Costs: $2.50 *
Couscous - $1.00 (Sunmart)
Steak/Chicken - $1.00 (Cashwise)
Veggies - $.50 (Cashwise)
Seasoning - from stock

* I made this completely with leftovers both days so I count as free since the costs were figured into other meals!

Glazed Chicken

I adapted this recipe from one I found on line for a bourbon chicken. This doesn't taste anything like our favorite bourbon chicken from the mall, but it was still really good.

2 lbs Boneless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-size pieces
2 T Olive oil
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1/2 t Fresh grated ginger
1/4 t Crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 c Apple juice
1/2 c Brown sugar
2 T Ketchup
1 T White wine vinegar
1/2 c Water
1/2 c Soy sauce
1 t Sesame oil

Add olive oil to a large hot skillet. Cook chicken until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.

Wisk together all remaining ingredients other than sesame oil. Add mixture to hot pan to deglaze it (adding liquids to a pan to pick up any drippings/caramelized good stuff on the bottom of the pan). Use a wooden spoon or a spatula to scrap the bottom of the pan. Bring liquid to a slight bubble. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice.

Total Cost: $6.15*
Chicken : $5.00 (Cashwise)
Apple juice: $.20 (Cashwise)
Brown sugar: $.20 (Sunmart)
Soy sauce: $.75 (Cashwise)
Oil, Ketchup & Spices from pantry stock

* This made a lot, enough for a meal and leftover lunches. Or it could easily be morphed into fried rice with the leftovers from dinner for a whole other meal.

Cheesy Tortilla Soup

This will warm up the coldest day and put a little kick in your step. This is my variation on my friend Elissa's soup. I managed to get a picture of my third bowl at MNF at her house. Missed the first two bowls because I ate them too fast.

3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (blended if desired)
1 can (10 oz) tomatoes with green chilies (blended if desired)
1 sm can green chilies
2 can cream of chicken
2 handful of tortilla chips, crushed
5 c water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1 1/2 T dried onion
1 c apple juice
1 c corn (optional)
1 lime – juice
2 T Fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine the ingredients and let simmer for at least an hour. Garnish with sour cream, tortilla chips, cilantro, cheese, etc.

Total Costs: $6.45
Chicken - $2.50 (Cashwise)
Canned Tomatoes - $1.10 (Cheep Foods)
Green chilies - $.45 (Cheep Foods)
Cream of chicken - $1.00 (Cashwise)
Chips - $.10 (Cashwise)
Apple juice - $.10 (Walmart)
Corn - $.50 (Sunmart)
Lime - $.50 (Cashwise)
Cilantro - $.20 (Cashwise)

Kitchen Disappointments

Okay, a little piece of honesty here. This blog is about my attempts to feed my family well on a budget. Notice the ATTEMPTS.

Keeping it real, not all my attempts are successes, and this past week has been one of those learning curve times and try again experiences.

* Hospitality OOPS
We had a family come over Friday night for homemade pizza and let our kids play. I used the bread maker to make pizza dough for me while I was at the chiropractor. Thanks to traffic I was running late. I threw a bit of cornmeal on the cookie sheets, spread the dough and off we go... late of course. WELL, in my haste, I didn't grease the cookie sheet and didn't put enough corn meal down. SO time to serve and the pizza is STUCK to the pans. It was chiseling with the spatula to get some off to serve.
Welcome to our world. Our new friends were very gracious and we had lots of good laughs over it.

* Cinco de Mayo
Wanted something with a bit of spice other than taco (I love them but my husband is not so much a fan). So I put 1 1/2 lbs of cubed pork loin into a dutch oven with 2 T of taco seasoning, 1 can of tomato sauce and enough water to cover the meat. I cooked it for about 3 hours at 325.

While the meat was tender, it was REALLY bland. I think I'll try it again with the following alterations. Coat meat lightly with flour and brown in oil before adding liquid. Add pepper and onions to the saute mix. Up seasoning to 3-4 T of taco mix. Served over rice.

So if you are saying to yourself, the things I make don't turn out, please know that you are not alone. It happens to ALL of us.

Canollis

Found the canolli shells at the local scratch and dent store and was inspired to create these lovelies for dinner to pair with pasta and loaded tomato sauce.

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
4 oz Ricotta Cheese
1/2 c Powdered Sugar
1/2 t Cinnamon
5 T Milk chocolate chopped finely, divided

Blend together cheeses, sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Add in 2 T of the chopped chocolate and stir in. Spoon the filling into a ziplock bag and snip the end to make into into pipping bag to squeeze filling into the pastry shell. Sprinkle remaining chocolate on top of filling.

TOTAL COSTS: $2.95
Cream Cheese $1.00 (Sunmart)
Ricotta Cheese $.50 (Cashwise) or left over from lasagna rolls
Powdered Sugar $.10 (Walmart)
Chocolate $.25 (Cashwise) or left over chocolate chips
Pastry Shells $1.10 (Cheep Foods)

VARIATIONS:
Next up is a custard style filling with fruit

Chicken Chimichangas

I adapted this recipe a bit from one I found at allrecipes.com - My husband and I both loved it, and the kids - not so much. Next time I might skip the work of rolling/frying and heat the filling to dip chips in.

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 can diced green chilies
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 T fresh lime juice
2 T sour cream
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1-2 T taco seasoning
2/3 lb shredded cooked chicken meat
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1-2 c canola oil
Garnish - chopped green onion, sour cream, lettuce, chopped tomato, Cheddar cheese


In a blender, puree soup, green chilies, jalapeno, sour cream, and lime juice (or use canned enchilada sauce with 2-4 T of sour cream mixed in). Heat over low heat while making recipe.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese, and taco seasoning until well blended. Stir in chicken. Scoop 1/4 of mixture into a warm tortilla, fold sides in and roll up.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Test oil with wooden spoon to see if oil bubbles for heat test, or put a piece or broken tortilla in. If oil is too hot, the chimichanga will burn before cooking through. Fry 2-4 chimichangas at a time until golden brown, then drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Serve immediately with warm sauce and garnish as desired.

TOTAL COSTS: $5.65+
Soup: $.70 (Cashwise)
Chilies $.60 (Cheep Foods)
Jalapeno $.25 (Cashwise)
Lime $.50 (Cashwise)
Cream Cheese $.50 (Sunmart)
Cheese $.50 (Sunmart)
Meat $1.75 (Cashwise)
Tortillas $.85 (Cashwise)
Seasonings from pantry stock

VARIATION:
The filling would work GREAT as a hot dip for chips.

Frugal Tip: Spices

One of the great things about moving is the opportunity to purge. We've moved 3 times in 3 years. We've managed to weed out a lot of stuff and learn to part with what isn't necessary. I love being able to do that. I'm looking at this as a fresh start.

As a fresh start in the kitchen is starting with my spice rack. It's easy to let the contents of those little jars get old and before you know it, there is a bunch of flavorless powder or flakes inside. It goes against everything I was taught growing up - but I'm throwing out what I have and getting new. (We found some spices of my mom's from the 80's when we moved her a few years ago).

Spices can be really expensive and you don't necessarily get a lot for your money. I grow a lot of my own herbs, but winter/spring in ND isn't exactly a great growing season. Until I can, I found a bulk herb rack in the organic section of the supermarket. Yeehaw did I have fun. I'm rationing myself to a few each week so that I work on developing recipes with what I did get...

Seriously - scored enough basil to last for quite a while for $.10 and Italian spices for $.16. I think I got 3 or 4 T of nutmeg for $1.16 and a big batch of sea salt for $1.18. Lastly, I was thrilled to find good coconut in bulk. I'm talking the unsweetened finely shredded stuff that doesn't taste like sweet plastic. I got almost 4 cups for $1.56.

The sweet deal on the spices is definitely anything flaky/lightweight. The best part of the deal is that they are all organic and VERY fresh (as fresh as dried herbs get). Next up is oregano (my fav herb), garlic powder, ginger (I bought fresh ginger too - sm root for $.75), cinnamon (my fav spice), and some seeds.

In MI there were several stores that specialized in bulk spices. Kicking myself that I never made it there, but this isn't bad. You can also check you local health/organic stores often sell bulk or in small packets rather than larger jars. It's a lot cheaper that way, and often a lot fresher (due to demand/turnover).

Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry

I've been experimenting with different vegetables and cuisines. This little Asian crunchy veggie is a treat to try out. It's a perfect addition to stir fry or as a side dish. It has a mild flavor, but the crunchy texture is what I love about it. I'd throw a few almonds or cashews in to this next time.


1.5 lb Chicken, cubed
2 bunches Baby bok choy, chopped
1/2 c Carrots, peel & sliced*
1/2 c Celery, chopped*
1/2 c Bean sprouts*

Sauce:
1 c Chicken broth
1 T Corn starch
3 T Soy sauce
1/2 t Ginger

Total Costs: $4.95
Chicken $2.50 (Cashwise)
Baby Bok Choy $1.00 (Sunmart)
Carrots $.20 (Cashwise)
Celery $.20 (Cashwise)
Bean Sprouts $1.00 (Cashwise)
Broth $.05 (homemade)
Spices from pantry stock

* Veggies can be replaced by a canned oriental veggies - but I don't recommend it. The fresh taste in stir fry can't be beat.

Polynesian Pork

Love how the flavors meld on this dish. Works great in the crock pot or slow roasting in the oven. This freezes beautifully and I've done it for meal swaps. I cooked 3 meals worth of this last week. We actually ended up with almost 4. Jazz it up with a little bit of sweet heat or ginger if you are looking for a bit more traditional Polynesian flare. I used a cheap store brand marinade this time and paid for it. It's all about the flavoring so don't cheap out on that one.

2 lbs Pork Sirloin (or other lean pork)
1 sm can Pineapple tidbits
1 bottle Sesame Ginger Marinade (I like Lawry's or Ken's)
1 can Chicken broth
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 T Sesame seeds
Rice

The pork can be roasted whole or chopped into bite size pieces. If cooking whole, they are tender enough to easily pull apart to serve.

Start by chopping bacon into small pieces and cook over low heat until cooked through but not dry. Drain and set aside. Cover meat with pineapple and it's juices, seeds, and bacon. Add about 1/2 bottle of marinade and enough broth to cover the meat so it braises while slow cooking.

CROCK POT - cook on low heat for 7-8 hours (stirring occasionally). Serve over rice.

OVEN METHOD - cook in a dutch oven at 325 for 2 - 2 1/2 hrs, until fork tender. Watch liquids at 1 1/2 hours and add a bit of extra broth if needed. Recommend chopping the pork into pieces with this method.

Serve over rice.

TOTAL COSTS: $8.00
Pork $4 (Sunmart)
Marinade $1 (Cashwise)
Pineapple $1 (Cashwise)
Sesame Seeds* $.50 (Cashwise)
Bacon $1 (Sunmart)
Rice $.50 (Walmart)

*Sesame seeds add tons of flavor, but can be costly. DO NOT buy them in the spice isle. You'll pay way too much. Check in the ethnic food section, bulk spices, or an Asian market. They keep a long time so buying in bulk is great. Use them on pizza crust, bread sticks, sauces, stir fry, salads & dressings, spiced or sugared nuts, etc.

Fried Rice

This is the perfect leftover meal and so much healthier than the take out version. Use what have on hand. Any meat will do - beef, pork, chicken, shrimp or none at all.

4-5 c uncooked white rice
2 T canola oil
2 t sesame oil
1 sm onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c Diced meat, cooked (chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, ham, etc)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 c water chestnuts, chopped or bean sprouts (optional)
1 c frozen green peas & carrots mix (thawed)
2 egg, beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce

Cook rice according to package directions. Cool completely. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in canola oil and stir in onion.

Lower heat to medium and stir in veggies and garlic. Fry until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add meat and heat until warm through. Mix rice thoroughly with vegetables and stir in soy sauce. Make whole in the middle of the pan and stir in beaten egg and cook just until egg is scrambled and firm. Drizzle with sesame oil. Adjust seasoning to your preference and serve immediately.

TOTAL COST: $.70 - $4.20
Rice $.50 (or leftovers)
Meat $2.00 (or leftovers)
Veggies $1.00 (or leftovers)
Oil - from stock
Soy Sauce $.50 (Meijer)
Eggs $.20 (Aldi)

VARIATION:

• You can use cooked ramen noodles or rice noodles rather than rice for a variation. Reduce oil a bit. Toasted sesame seeds add a lot to the noodle version.
• Remove meat for a great vegetarian dish or basic side dish.