Category: Frugal Foodie Friday

Cinnamon Apple Wontons with Pecan Praline Dipping Sauce
Desserts

Cinnamon Apple Wontons with Pecan Praline Dipping Sauce

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Cinnamon apple wontons is essentially an easy apple pie fix.  Because sometimes you just gotta have apple pie. But, your mom’s not around to whip one up and your husband doesn’t know how.  Your kids? Forget about it. That’s a mess you’ll be cleaning up for a week and odds are you won’t end up with a pie; besides, they’re only 4 and 9 years old.  So, it’s up to you. But, you’ve worked all day and who in heaven’s name wants to come home after a day’s work to bake an apple pie?

Not me. And probably not you.  So, cinnamon apple wontons is a good alternative.  This is not heavy lifting on a work night Wednesday and it satisfies your middle-of-the-week apple pie craving. Cinnamon apple wontons are a delicious little treat that takes only a few minutes to make.

Cinnamon apple wonton with confectioner's sugar

Some people bake their cinnamon apple wontons which adds about 15 – 20 additional minutes to the  process. Wait…what??? No!!!!  Sure, for those who are concerned about oils and frying, baking is a perfectly good option and I’m not minimizing it.  However, it takes about 2 minutes to deep fry a tasty cinnamon apple wonton and you’re good to go.  It’s your choice, because food freedom!

Baked or fried, it still beats trying to cobble together an apple pie in the middle of the week on a work night, right?  Not only are cinnamon apple wontons a quick and easy weeknight dessert, it’s also inexpensive. Most of the ingredients you more than likely have in your cupboard already.  So, it’s a win all the way around. 

Although you can, I don’t recommend saving any for leftovers. They don’t age well, IMO.  At least, I haven’t had much luck refrigerating and rewarming them. They are crunchy and delicious the day they are made but become soggy and limp when left over in my experience.

The pecan praline dipping sauce is an equally easy option that just kind of levels up the cinnamon apple wonton a bit. You can buy a jar of caramel sauce but this quick sauce takes about 5 minutes to make and is so good. If you prefer walnuts or another nut switch it up or don’t use nuts at all. I used pecans and it turned out great. Another option is to dust them with cinnamon and confectioner’s sugar. I dusted my wontons with sugar and they were delicious. Try the pecan praline sauce with my homemade ice cream, it’ll be a great treat.

Cinnamon Apple Wontons

Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Other
Servings 4 Wontons

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium Apples
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp Cloves
  • 1/8 tsp Ginger
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 4 sheets Wontons
  • Water to seal wontons
  • 1 tbsp Confectioner's sugar
  • Canola oil, for frying

Pecan Praline Sauce

  • 1-¼ cup Brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • ½ cup Heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ½ cup Chopped pecans

Instructions
 

  • Peel, core and cube apples into 1-inch cubes
  • Toss cubed apples in lemon juice
  • In a medium saucepan, add apple cubes, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt.
  • Cook for about 10 minutes. Let cool then add in vanilla.
  • With a slotted spoon, add about one tablespoon of apple mixture to the middle of a wonton sheet, careful not to go to the edges.
  • Heat oil.
  • With a pastry brush or fingers, wet all four sides of the wonton sheet. Fold over diagonally careful to seal the edges completely.
  • Drop filled wontons into hot oil, cooking one or two at a time until lightly golden brown.
  • Drain on paper towel lined plate.
  • Sprinkle wontons with confectioner's sugar.

Pecan Praline Sauce

  • Add sugar, butter, milk and salt to medium saucepan, stirring occasionally until bubbles begin to form around edges.
  • Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pecans.
  • Let cool.
Keyword apples, cinnamon, dessert, praline sauce, sauce, wonton
A Refreshing and Healthy Shaved Spring Salad
Frugal Foodie Friday

A Refreshing and Healthy Shaved Spring Salad

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Jump to Recipe

Here is a tasty, refreshing and incredibly healthy spring salad arriving just in time to put winter in the rearview mirror. This salad is so delicious and it started as a project to “clean” the refrigerator. We used up the vegetables nearing the end of their freshness so we didn’t have to throw them away. The salad is a nice balance of vegetables and fruits so none takes over the bowl and becomes overbearing. This shaved spring salad is a perfect beginning course or side dish. I added chicken and bacon to turn it into an entrée’. And, it has just enough natural sweetness that you might even get the kids to eat it, too.

Jam Packed with Nutrients

Not only is this salad budget-friendly – it rescues veggies at risk of going past their “best life date”. It’s also simple, versatile, full of nutrients and bursting with flavor. Brussels sprouts are packed with fiber and vitamin K – 137% RDI and 81% of vitamin C and are low in calories. If you read my pork loin post you’ll know my relationship with the little cabbagey thingies have been renewed. Not very long ago, I would just as soon eat road tar than a brussels sprout. I love like them in this salad. Radishes contain coenzyme Q10 – a compound that helps protect against insulin resistance. Zucchini has 40% RDI of vitamin A and 10% magnesium. Strawberries is an excellent source of vitamin C and has a respectable amount of fiber per serving. The list of health benefits for this salad goes on and on.

It’s Not Complicated

Other than bacon which is not more than a garnish, there are NO artificial or processed ingredients taking up space in this healthy spring salad. The vegetables and fruits are sliced and shaved very thinly so their weight does not cause them to plummet to the bottom of the bowl. The slices are thin enough so that they all play well together. The vegetables can be cut on a mandolin or with a vegetable peeler to achieve the paper-thin slices. 

A word of caution for those of you that never used a mandolin: finger tips don’t grow back. Be careful and use the vegetable grip that came with your mandolin or another safety device as a barrier between the mandolin blade and your digits.

Shaved and thinly sliced fruits and veggies

The Dressing is Healthy, Too

The dressing is a simple pomegranate olive oil dressing.  Pomegranate is a fall season fruit and is almost impossible to find right now. So, I had some pomegranate juice handy and mixed it with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and a pinch of garlic powder, it adds a bit of complexity and is the perfect topping for this salad.

Many dishes that begin with tossing together random ingredients can oftentimes end up becoming a favorite. This is my new favorite salad and will no doubt see the dinner table many times during the spring and summer.

Healthy Shaved Spring Salad

This vitamin-packed spring salad is perfect as an entree'
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Vegetable peeler or mandolin, paring knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head Romaine lettuce
  • ½ bag Baby arugula
  • 1 bunch Baby spinach
  • 1 bunch Curly parsley
  • 1 cup Zucchini, shaved thin
  • ½ cup Red radish or daikon, shaved thin
  • 1 cup Brussels sprouts, shaved thin
  • ¼ cup Shiitake mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup Strawberries, sliced thin
  • 1 cup Mango, cubed

Meats

  • 1 lb Chicken breast, cubed
  • 5-6 slices Bacon

Salad Dressing

  • ¼ cup Good olive oil
  • ½ cup Pomegranate juice
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • ½ tsp Crushed garlic
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

Meats

  • Cut chicken breast into small cubes and season.
  • Heat pan on medium high, add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add seasoned chicken and sear 5 -6 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Fry bacon and drain oil on paper towels
  • Set meats aside.

Spring Salad Greens and Vegetables

  • Wash and dry salad greens. Tear romaine into bite-sized pieces.
  • With a mandolin or Y-shaped vegetable peeler, shave zucchini, brussels sprouts, and radishes.
  • Wash, hull and slice strawberries, shiitake mushrooms and mango very thin.
  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with pomegranate dressing and toss.

Pomegranate Dressing

  • Combine all ingredients and shake vigorously to mix.
Keyword salad, shaved salad, spring salad, spring vegetables, vegetables

Hoppin’ John, Skippin’ Jenny and Fat Pockets
Frugal Foodie Friday

Hoppin’ John, Skippin’ Jenny and Fat Pockets

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As far as Southern dishes go, Hoppin’ John is about as due south as it gets.  Originating from the South Carolina lowcountry and coastal Georgia, Hoppin John is said to have been introduced to America by West African slaves. Many of the southern dishes we enjoy today are rooted in the cooking techniques and traditions of West Africa. My mom’s people come from Georgia and her father was native to South Carolina so it’s no mystery how Hoppin’ John landed on our plates.

It’s history runs deep into America’s DNA. The earliest known reference to Hoppin’ John  in the U.S. comes from the Carolina Housewife cookbook by Sarah Rutledge, published in 1847.  Hoppin’ John has been further traced to similar foods in West Africa, in particular the Senegalese dish thiebou niebe according to acclaimed chef and culinary historian Michael Twitty in his book,  “The Transnational Dish of the Motherland: The African Roots of Rice and Beans”. Many iterations of bean and rice dishes originating in West Africa, migrated to the colonies along with Africans that were captured and brought here.

Traditionally, Hoppin’ John is served on New Year’s Day. This guarantees the person eating it good luck and fortune throughout the year (except apparently 2020!). Growing up, it was definitely a staple in our home.  My mom served it with smoked ham hocks, collard greens and cornbread. She was adamant about serving it every New Year’s Day. If you’re not familiar with what the meal represents: black-eyed peas = coins, collard greens = dollar bills, cornbread = gold.

Hoppin’ John is quite simply just rice and beans. That’s it! Couldn’t be simpler! My mother, Ms. Humphrey made them taste sooo good though, and while you could bet on seeing Hoppin John on our New Year’s Day dinner table, they weren’t reserved just for New Year’s at our house. It was very often a go-to everyday meal that included a few big juicy ham hocks. And, if you cooked enough for the next day well, Hoppin’ John becomes Skippin’ Jenny! How funny is that?

Skippin’ Jenny is the counterpart to Hoppin’ John. Gender-bending Jenny symbolizes frugality and is supposed to provide more luck for the new year than John (I guess). So, eating your Skippin’ Jenny will bring you greater prosperity for the year. She’s a budget-friendly leftover meal to help save some dollars and get your pockets fat! She’s a badass!

Hoppin John is the kind of meal that you think you’ve outgrown once you get a little older. At some point as your tastes mature, you rediscover the foods you grew up eating and remember how much you really love them. It’s funny that some of these foods we grew up eating have now been elevated to ” high-end cuisine.” Now, it almost impossible to buy things that were almost free years ago, like ox tails that are now crazy expensive. But, I digress.

So, here is a simple, delicious and inexpensive meal that takes very little culinary heavy lifting. While I prefer soaking my beans, usually overnight, there’s absolutely no shame in using canned beans.  Many people swear by Carolina Gold rice as the best rice to use. If you find it the good for you. Finding it online is a little easier than trying to find it at your local grocery store but, you may find it a Whole Foods. Here is one location you can find Caroline Gold online at Anson Mills. And here’s a tip, save your Christmas ham bone and toss it in the pot to season your black-eyed peas, OMG, nothing better!

Hoppin’ John

1 lb bag of dried black-eyed peas, sorted, soaked and rinsed
2 med. smoked ham hocks
1 med. diced yellow onion
1 rib diced celery
1 – 2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp bacon drippings or cooking oil
2 bay leaves
1tsp thyme
salt to taste
pepper to taste
dash of cayenne

In a heavy pan, cover ham hocks with water and cook on medium, topping off as needed to keep water covering the ham hocks. Cook the ham hocks until the meat falls away from the bone. That might take about 3 to 3-1/2 hours.

At this point, ham hocks can taken from the cooking liquid and pulled from the bones . Return the meat to the cooking liquid.

In a heavy medium sized pan, sauté onion and celery in bacon drippings or other cooking oil until translucent (about 4-5 minutes). Add minced garlic and let cook for another minute or so.

Add sautéed onions, celery and garlic, black-eyed peas, bay leaves, thyme and seasonings to the ham hocks and let the pot come to a boil. Lower heat to medium low to simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until peas are soft but not mushy.

Steam rice in a separate pan according to cooking instructions.

Serve beans over steamed rice, garnish with parsley. Serve with collard greens and cornbread.

Cowboy Caviar
Frugal Foodie Friday

Cowboy Caviar

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Jump to Recipe
“Ate a lot of them caviar beans back there, ma’am…we should probably sleep in separate wagons tonight”

Cowboy Caviar is one of the easiest and heart healthiest dishes you can make.  This dish is loaded with beans, vegetables and spices and not much else. And it’s awesome that it’s definitely vegan-friendly!

You can call it a dip or salsa but is also a great side dish. Cowboy Caviar does have a bit of a kick but, you can ratchet up the heat by adding more chopped jalapeno or take it down a notch or two to suit your taste. I took cowboy caviar to work for a potluck and it’s been a hit ever since and it’s a staple at our backyard barbeques.

This budget-friendly dish pairs well with chicken or pork but it is also great by itself. And, most of the ingredients are staples that you probably already have in your cupboard.

Adjust it to Your Taste

Cowboy caviar is also a dish that you can add or take away anything you want or need to to make it yours. Would it still be authentic? If it’s got what you like in it then yes, yes it would. You may not like black-eyed peas, my husband hates them and says they taste like dirt. Take them out. You like garbanzo/chick peas? Toss em’ in! Some people hate the taste of cilantro, I’m in love with it myself but, switch it out if it’s detestable to you with curly or flat leaf parsley. I’d advise if you’re including avocado in your caviar, don’t toss it in until you’re ready to actually serve. Avocado oxidizes quickly and will definitely not look very appetizing. I love cojito cheese and look for every opportunity to add some in different dishes. Cojito and cowboy caviar were made for each other.

Cowboy caviar

Looking for another way to enjoy black-eyed peas? Try my hoppin’ John recipe.

Cowboy Caviar

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cup Black-eyed peas
  • 2 cup Black beans
  • 2 cup White beans
  • 1½ cup Diced roma tomatoes
  • 1 cup Whole kernel corn
  • ½ cup Green bell pepper, finely diced
  • ½ cup Red bell pepper, finely diced
  • ½ cup Yellow bell pepper, finely diced
  • ½ cup Shallots or red onion, finely diced
  • 1 Avocado
  • 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ cup Cilantro, plus 2 tbsp for garnish
  • ½ cup Olive oil
  • ⅓ cup Lime juice
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • 1 tbsp White wine vinegar
  • ½ tbsp Chili power
  • ½ tbsp Minced garlic
  • 1 ½ tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice for avocado
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, chop avocado and toss with lemon juice to prevent oxidation. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, shallots or onions, avocado and jalapeno. Using a strainer, strain any liquid out of mix.  In a separate bowl, make the dressing. 
  • Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey, vinegar, chili powder, garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper. Pour dressing over the mixture of beans and vegetables and fold the mixture ensuring beans and vegetables are covered with the dressing mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Serve up in a pretty bowl with corn chips on the side for dipping (optional). Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Keyword black beans, black-eyed peas, cowboy caviar, vegan