Cranberry Feta Salad

As I was putting together my work lunch this morning, I thought--hey, I make this salad all the time... How come I haven't posted it yet?  It's so easy, it only uses 3 ingredients (plus whatever dressing you like).  I can put it together in minutes, it's delicious, and it's cheap!  Make in whatever portion size you like... These directions are for a single serving, but you could easily increase it for a party or potluck.

Ingredients:

• Spring Mix luttuce
• Crumbed Feta cheese
• Dried cranberries
• Salad dressing (I like to use Italian dressing)

Directions:

1. Grab a large handful of lettuce, and place in a bowl.
2. Top with 1 1/2 tbsp feta and 1 tbsp cranberries (I usually eyeball this to however much I like).
3. If you're taking it to work, keep the dressing in a separate container until you're ready to eat.

Kale Chips

This one comes from my mother, who found it online somewhere... I never thought I'd like Kale, but this turned out to be pretty amazing... Plus, if you haven't heard, Kale is SUPER good for you. Thanks to Tastefully Julie for the picture.

Ingredients:

• 1 big bunch of kale
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F
2. Wash the kale thoroughly under lukewarm water, then drain and pat dry with a towel.
3. Pull pieces of the kale leaves off into potato chip-sized pieces, leaving out the stem.
4. Place the kale in a big bowl and pour in the olive oil.  Stir with your hands until all of the kale is entirely coated.
5. Season to taste with the sea salt and pepper, then add the lemon juice.  Mix this with your hands too, but be careful if you have a cut on your hands-- I learned that the hard way!
6. Place the kale in a single layer on a big baking sheet (you may need 2) and place in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until crispy.  You may want to toss the chips every 10 minutes or so to make sure they all cook evenly.
7. Sprinkle extra sea salt if desired, then consume. :)

Garlic Chicken

I was at a loss as to what I should make for dinner last night, and being on a tight budget, I had to use what was on hand.  This simple recipe only calls for a few ingredients, so it's a great weeknight meal to use.  I've found it makes a great chicken to use with pasta dishes, too!  Thanks to Carol over at Allrecipes.com for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp crushed garlic (about 5 cloves)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (the crumbly kind you get in from the green can)
• 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 425º F (220º C)
2. Warm the garlic and olive oil in a pan until warm, in order to mesh the flavors together
3. In a separate dish, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan.
4. Dip the chicken into the garlic/oil mixture, then dip both sides of the chicken into the bread crumb mixture so it is completely covered.
5. Place in a shallow baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Bruschetta Chicken

So I'll admit it-- I hate tomatoes.  I pick them out of everything.  But I can handle bruschetta, so when I found this recipe on Pinterest, I thought--it's so easy and cheap, why not?
Boy, was I glad that I did.  The husband couldn't stop raving about it, and it really didn't take long to prepare at all!  The best part is, it's only five ingredients.  It's the perfect solution for the weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato dressing, divided
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

Directions:

1. Place your chicken into a large ziploc bag along with the dressing and allow to soak for at least 10 minutes (I started mine in the morning and let it sit all day) in the fridge.
2. Preheat your oven to 425º F.
3. Combine the tomatoes, cheese, and basil into a large bowl.
4. Bake your chicken until almost cooked through (about 25-30 minutes).
5. Spoon large amounts of your tomato mixture on top of the chicken, and put back in the oven until the cheese has melted through, and your chicken is completely cooked (about 5-8 minutes).

Thanks to The Girl Who Ate Everything for the inspiring recipe.  (I do admit though, I baked mine while the original recipe called for grilling the chicken.  If you'd rather grill, check out the link above.)

Choco Banana Melt

If there were ever a cheap delicious dessert that you could pass off as being semi-healthy, this would probably be it.  I mean, yes it's got loads of chocolate and marshmallows in it, but bananas are healthy, right?  The banana will cancel all of the calories of the chocolate and marshmallows.  At least that's what I tell myself...  Besides, calories don't count on the weekends...  Thanks to FamilyFun.Com for the original recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 small handful of mini marshmallows
• 1 small handful of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven for 400º F.
2. Peel the banana, then cut a lengthwise slit across the banana.  Place on a sheet of aluminum foil.
3. Put a bunch of chocolate chips and marshmallows into the slit.
4. Wrap the banana in your aluminum foil, then place in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the marshmallows have melted.
5. Eat with a spoon and plenty of napkins.

Shamrock Shakes

March just isn't complete without Shamrock Shakes for St. Patrick's Day!
Here's the McDonald's copycat recipe taken from Yahoo News.

Ingredients

• 3 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• Green food coloring

Directions

1. Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend it until smooth.
2. Feel free to throw in some chocolate chips for some extra flavor too!

Thanks for the picture, Evite! I ate mine faster than I could take a picture.

Gracie's Strawberry Liquado

I made this with my niece Gracie.  She really enjoyed it, so I thought I'd share it here.

Ingredients:

• 15 fresh strawberries, stemmed and wiped clean
• 1/4 cup lowfat milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 15 ice cubes

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into the blender.
2. Blend until slushy and smooth.
3. Pour into a glass, and then scarf it down.
4. Have a great breakfast!

Ranch and Dill Weed Oyster Crackers

These are a great munchie to put out on a table at a party, or just enjoy during a good movie.  I guarantee everyone will be addicted!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of oyster crackers
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch mix
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• Salt

Directions:

1. Set your oven to 175 degrees F.
2. Mix everything except for the crackers and salt in a small bowl.
3. Pour the crackers into a large bowl, then pour the oil mixture over top.  Stir well.
4. Pour the contents into a large baking pan or cooking sheet, then sprinkle salt over top.
5. Stick the pan in the oven, then bake for an hour, flipping every 20 minutes.  Add salt each time you flip.

Pigs in a Blanket

As a child development major, I'm always looking for good projects to do with children.  This easy recipe came up in one of my classes so I thought it would be a good one to post. Thanks to MarleesMom for the great photo.

Ingredients

• 8 hotdogs
• 1 package refrigerated biscuit dough* or crescent roll dough

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut your hotdogs up into 3rds
3. Wrap each hotdog in a biscuit, and add a half a slice of American cheese if you're feeling extra saucy.
4. Stick it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the biscuit dough is slightly browned.

*If you don't have any biscuit dough, just whip up some of your own using 1 cup flour, 1 egg, a little water, and a pinch of salt.

Mexican Fudge

Unfortunately, I haven't made this in a while, so this post will be without a picture.  However, I will put my name on the line and say that this is one of those appetizers you can't stop eating. It is highly addictive and probably pretty bad for you.  But sometimes, we need to let our tastebuds win us over and stop thinking about how big our butt will look in the morning.
Thanks to the Skuban-Hobbs family cookbook for the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup green taco sauce
• 3 eggs
• Large tortilla snack chips

Directions

1. Combine cheeses.
2. Beat eggs and taco sauce together.
3. Using a 9x9 inch square pan, layer cheeses, sauce, cheeses.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
5. Cool 5 minutes.
6. Cut into squares and serve on chips.

Banana Ice Cream

Alright, I've finally tried this, and all I have to say is: Wow! Who would have thought that frozen bananas have the same consistency as ice cream?  This was so cool and easy to make, I can't wait to try it again.  And what a great treat to have if you're trying to fit into a wedding dress (ahem). 
Ingredients

• Bananas

Directions

1. Peel your bananas first.
2. Cut them into small pieces.
3. Freeze for just 1-2 hours on a plate.
4. Blend, blend, blend - scraping down the bowl when they stick.
5. Enjoy the magic moment when they turn into ice cream!

Brown Sugar Kisses

Got these out of the book, "Cook Yourself Thin Faster" with Lauren Deen.  These are SO simple to make and taste like you're eating sugar-tinted air.  And, at only 11 calories per kiss, I'm definitely saving these as a special low-cal treat after dinner.  Beats puttin' on the pounds with my go-to dessert: ice cream.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 225° F.
2. Line two baking trays with parchment paper or a silicone sheet.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and and salt with a mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
4. Add the sugar while beating, a few spoonfuls at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny (about 3-5 minutes).
5. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
6. Using a large tablespoon, drop the meringue onto the baking sheet in the shape of kisses, about 2 inches apart.
1. You could also spoon the mixture into a large ziploc bag and cut the corner off so you can squeeze the kisses onto the baking sheet.
7. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
8. After they're finished baking, turn the oven off, leave the kisses in the oven, and keep the door ajar for about 1 hour.
9. Do not store the kisses in plastic wrap or glass, as they'll become soggy very quickly.  The book recommends using a tin container or wrap loosely with aluminum foil.
10. Enjoy!

Popcorn Poppers

I have come to the conclusion that I LOVE popcorn poppers. Although the popper itself will run you anywhere from $20-$40 (Bed Bath and Beyond's were at $20, while WalMart was at $30), popcorn seeds themselves are really cheap... Like a couple bucks for a bag.  And the bag will last you a very long time.  Also, I think it goes without saying that the taste difference between microwave popcorn and homemade is incredible.
Here's the recipe for popcorn using one of these poppers.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt
• 2 tbsp butter

Directions (The popper should come with these, but I'll give it to you anyway)

1. Pour the vegetable oil into the popper, along with the kernels.
2. Turn your stove on medium heat, and begin turning the handle immediately.
3. After a few minutes, the kernels will begin to pop. 
4. Continue turning until the handle becomes hard to turn.
5. Remove the popper from the heat, and pour the popcorn into a large bowl.
6. Take 2 tbsp of butter and melt it in the microwave.
7. Pour it over the popcorn while stirring with a large spoon.
8. Then add salt--as much as you want.

Pumpkin Seeds

I got to carve pumpkins yesterday with my niece and nephews, and of course we had to make pumpkin seeds.  Usually when I try to make them, I end up burning them.  But I tried this new recipe from Simply Recipes, and they turned out to be the best seeds I've ever tasted.  Great for your next Halloween party :)

Ingredients

• Pumpkin seeds (as many as you want)
• Salt
• Olive Oil or Pam

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.
2. In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water (more if you like your seeds saltier). Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
3. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with Pam-or-spread around about a tablespoon of Olive Oil so the seeds don't stick.
4. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Mine weren't salty enough, so I sprayed another layer of Pam over top of the seeds and added more salt.
5. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, about 20 minutes.
6. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating.

Roasted Garlic

This is one of my specialties...  For less than $5, you can make a filling meal (or appetizer) that will leave you with unbelievable garlic breath... So eat it with your significant other so you can kiss each other and not be quarantined for your foul-smelling mouth.  Trust me, it's worth it.

Ingredients

• 1 long loaf of French Bread (fresh if you can get it)
• 1 container Feta Cheese
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Butter or margarine
• Various other veggies that you may want add
• (I like green or red peppers, but you can add things such as grape tomatoes, onions, kalamata olives, jalepeno peppers, cucumbers... the sky is the limit)

Directions

1. Chop the pointy tops off of your garlic cloves, so that each individual clove is showing like so:
This is a picture of what it looks like AFTER it's been baked, but you get the picture, don't you? I knew you were smart.
3. Put on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil
4. Generously pour olive oil over the cloves.
5. Stick it in the oven at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes.
1. Keep an eye on them so the cloves don't burn.
6. When the tops are starting to slide out of the peels a little bit, and they've begun to soften, remove from the oven.
7. Meanwhile, slice your french bread into little ovals, place on a baking sheet, and spread butter over top of them.
8. When your garlic has finished, put your bread in the oven- but keep an eye on it! The bread only takes a few minutes, and it's very easy to burn.
9. When both your garlic and your bread is finished, remove a clove with a knife and spread over your bread like you'd spread butter.
10. Add feta cheese, onions, green pepper, grape tomato slices, etc. then consume.

*Note that this meal (or appetizer) can be very messy... so keep some napkins or paper towels nearby... And bring out the Trident Gum for dessert, you stinky person you.

Oreo Truffles

I know, right?  I went to a football party thing a while back, and one of the girls brought these.  The container was empty about 20 minutes later.  Wow. 

Healthy?  Probably not.  Delicious?  You bet your boots they're delicious.
Thanks to Bakerella for the picture and the recipe. :)

Ingredients

• 1 Package of Oreo cookies, crushed
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 bag chocolate chips, melted or 2 packages of dipping chocolate (white, dark, milk---which ever you prefer)

Directions

1. Mix the crushed Oreo cookies and cream cheese together in a bowl.  Use a food processor or blender to speed up this process.
2. With your hands, roll Oreo and cream cheese mixture into small balls.
3. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
4. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Melt chocolate chips or dipping chocolate in the microwave untiil melted
   Note: only melt for 10 seconds at a time, stirring between meltings
6. Using a toothpick, dip the Oreo balls into the melted chocolate. Cover well.
7. Let the Oreo balls harden on the cookie sheet in the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes.
8. Serve cold.

*To make a healthier version, you could try using low fat cream cheese, but really--does it make that big of a difference?

Makes about 25-40 balls, depending on how big you make them.

Cheese Quesadillas

Okay, so some of my recipes may be far from complicated (much like this one, for example), but though you may know how to make a cheese quesadilla, you may have forgotten that you could make one in the first place. Sometimes we stare into the empty abyss that is our refrigerator and simply can't connect the dots. So this recipe is a reminder that yes, you do have food to eat in your refrigerator, even if there's only a couple of condiments and a piece of cheese.

Ingredients

• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Flour tortillas (you can use corn tortillas, but you should deep fry them in oil first)
• Pam (spray-on vegetable oil)
• Salsa (optional)

Directions

• Spray a tortilla-sized skillet lightly with Pam.
• Throw on a tortilla, and turn the stove on to medium heat.
• Sprinkle a bunch of cheddar cheese on top
• Cover with another tortilla
• Flip when you believe the cheese is melted enough to stick the two tortillas together.
• Continue flipping until both sides are lightly brown.
• Remove your quesadilla from the skillet and cut into eighths.
• Dip in salsa and enjoy.

Note: You can also add other ingredients to your liking, such as (but not limited to) cooked chicken, onions, green peppers, jalepenos, tomatos, etc.

Tuna Casserole

If you look closely (okay, not that closely), you'll see a resemblance to this recipe and my taco casserole recipe. Um, yeah, it's the same recipe--but with tuna instead of taco meat.
Is that sad? I say no! You get two meals with almost the exact same list of ingredients. I'm a starving student! Of course I'm gonna make the same casserole a bunch of times--especially if I buy the ingredients in bulk! Anyway, here's the recipe (again).

Ingredients

• 2 cans of tuna in water
• 8 oz macaroni noodles
• 1 can Cream of Celery soup
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

• Set oven to Broil
• Cook noodles and drain
• Mix in soup, butter, mayo, and tuna.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add cheese to the top.
• Put in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Jello Shots!

What student is complete without a recipe for jello shots? Here's the basic recipe, followed by the many, many different combinations you can use, thanks to My Science Project.
http://www.myscienceproject.org/j-shot-3.html

Ingredients

• 1 package of Jello (not the sugar free kind)
• Water
• Liquor

Directions

• Boil 1 cup of water in a large pot.
• When water is boiling, pour in 1 package of Jello.
• Stir for AT LEAST 2 minutes until completely dissolved.
• Stir in one cup cold liquor
• Pour into shot-sized cups.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.
  

Feel free to double, triple, or even quadruple this recipe. Just follow the directions on the back of the Jello box, replacing the cold water with liquor.

Now, on with the flavorful combinations!

Lime Jell-O: Absolut Citron – Crisp and lively citrus flavor.
Tequila – Plain tequila and lime is the quick and dirty way to make a “margarita” shot.

Cherry Jell-O: Amaretto – An excellent combination, tastes like the syrup from a jar of maraschino cherries. Can be overly sweet if you add too much.
Peach schnapps – Mild but flavorful, tastes like candy.
Crème de cacao – This creates a chocolate/cherry flavor with more complexity than average. Too much of the liqueur tastes bitter.

Orange Jell-O: Peach Schnapps – Use for a Fuzzy Navel effect. Sweet and mellow flavor.
Tequila – Tangy and spicy, the orange really smooths out the tequila.
Captain Morgan’s - Sweet and spicy, would be good for the holidays.
Amaretto – Tastes like a creamsicle or Orange Julius.
Malibu – Very smooth, pleasant coconut aftertaste.
Southern Comfort – Sweet with a bit more alcoholic bite and edge than schnapps.

Lemon Jell-O: Absolut Citron – Tart and clean, like a lemondrop but not as sweet.

Watermelon Jell-O: Sour Apple Schnapps – Fantastic flavor, tastes exactly like a Jolly Rancher candy.
Tequila – Complex, tangy flavor, has a bite to it.
Midori – Sweet, more of a generic melon flavor.

Strawberry Jell-O: Peach Schnapps – Sweet and candylike.
White rum – The quick and dirty strawberry daiquiri.
Tequila – Peppery, tangy, not overly sweet.
Sour Apple Schnapps – The schnapps enhances the berry flavor for a sweet/tart effect.
Midori – Fruity, tastes a bit like bubblegum.

Peach Jell-O: Malibu – Very smooth, alcohol flavor almost unnoticeable.
Captain Morgan’s – Tastes like peach pie, a little spicy.
Southern Comfort – Sweet, with a mild bourbon flavor.
Peach Schnapps – Very, very sweet and very peachy.
Sour Apple Schnapps – Tastes like Sweetarts.

Raspberry Jell-O: Peach Schnapps – Fruity, sweet, tastes like red Twizzlers.
Midori – Very sweet, fruity, tastes like bubble gum.

Cookie Dough Pie

I just came across this awesome recipe from Big Red Kitchen and thought it was perfect for a starving student. Just imagine--you'll be the life of the party when you show up to a kegger toting this awesome pie for a bunch of drunk people. And it's so easy, it's almost embarrassing.

I made a special trip to the grocery store for these ingredients, but don't worry. I only spent about $8.00 total. I literally went through my jar of change to come up with the money. So, a couple hours later, here I sit--eating my cookie dough pie, and let me just say--it is divine.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 15.25 ounce package Chips Ahoy Cookies (Original kind)
• 12 oz Cool Whip
• 2 cups milk
• Chocolate syrup (optional)

Directions

• Quickly dip cookies in milk, shake off excess liquid, and layer in 9 inch pie plate, breaking cookies to fill any gaps.
• Once the first layer is complete, top with a thin layer of Cool Whip.
• Repeat twice more making last layer of Cool Whip a bit thicker.
• Garnish with chocolate syrup if desired.
• Place in freezer 2-3 hours before serving.
• You can also use 1 C. strong coffee mixed with 1 C. milk for dipping instead of plain milk. Very nice.
• Note- You must dip quickly or your pie will be very soggy. Make sure to shake off excess milk as well so that you do not have a puddle of milk in your pie. You will have leftover milk but you do need that amount to get the cookie completely immersed. The final product will be like a soft cookie dough-like consistency.