Reducipe - Honey Roasted Root Veggies

Reducipe
Pronunciation: ri-doos-uh-pee
Function: noun
1 : a recipe that can help lower your food costs in a variety of ways
     a : by scaling back an expensive recipe to be less pricey but still just as tasty
     b : by turning an already inexpensive meal into something special
     c : by using leftovers in creative ways to stretch their use

So sweet and festive! Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching I thought I’d put up a reducipe that would fit in nicely at the holiday dinner table. I started making this recipe a few years ago and now it has become a staple at our thanksgiving dinner.

This is a great replacement for the traditional candied yams or sweet potato casserole and it’s better for you, too. They are sweet and salty; a combo I like very much. The slight caramelization of the honey adds a bit of complexity and richness. And unlike sweet potato casserole, this recipe gets requested throughout the year, not just at the holidays.

Honey Roasted Root Veggies

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3-4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled seeded and chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup canola oil
Kosher salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix the honey and oil in a bowl with a whisk until it is completely blended. Coat a large jelly-roll style pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey mixture over the veggies and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread out the veggies in the pan and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until tender and beginning to caramelize, stirring every 15 minutes. Serves 6.

You can add any root veggies you want in this, really. I like using a variety of orange veggies because the sweetness of the honey really compliments them.

Tips: Over the years I have found that it is easier to thoroughly coat the veggies by getting your hands dirty. I take glops of the honey mixture and smear it all over handfuls of veggies then put it in the pan. That way I can make sure every piece gets coated, although it gets pretty messy. I bet kids would have a great time doing that.

Also, be sure to spray the pan with non-stick spray. Without it the pan can become pretty tough to clean.

Ingredient	Cost	Ingredient	Cost
Sweet Potatoes	$0.98	Honey	$0.60
Carrots	$0.48	Canola Oil	$0.22
Butternut Squash	$3.24	Salt	N/A
Onion	$0.82	Total	$6.34 or $1.05 a serving

This side dish would be really inexpensive if we omitted the butternut squash but it is a really nice addition. Using canola oil instead of olive oil also helps keep the price low. Enjoy!

Reducipe - The Blue Box Special

This is the kind of recipe that takes something very cheap and turns it into something special. On days where we have limited fresh food in the house this recipe is a winner. It may not be as cheap as straight up mac & cheese but this recipe transforms the mix so that you can barely tell you are eating boxed dinner. The Blue Box Special elevates a humble boxed dinner into something more exciting, filling, and palate-pleasing.

Eric loves this recipe and even raved about it to his friends. The trick to making this dish pop is getting the hot dogs really crispy on the edges. That adds a nice texture contrast and makes the dogs extra flavorful. Make sure to use a high quality hot dog if you can. We use Hebrew National hot dogs, they are sooo good and aren’t too expensive when you match a sale with a coupon. I have a fridge full of them from when I was able to get them for $0.75 a package. Good thing they keep a long time!

The Blue Box Special

1 box Macaroni & Cheese mix
Milk and butter for preparing mix (amounts specified on box)
1 package hot dogs, sliced (Hebrew National preferred)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Handful of leftover shredded cheese (Cheddar or Colby preferred)
Handful of frozen peas, thawed
Black pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
Cayenne, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni as directed on the box. While the macaroni is cooking set a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the hot dogs and cook them until they get crispy on the edges. Remove the hot dogs to a plate.

Add the onions to the remaining oil in the hot pan. When the onions are just about translucent, add the garlic. Cook until tender then remove from heat.

When the pasta is done cooking, drain thoroughly, and put the pasta back into the warm pot. Mix in the milk, butter and cheese mix like you normally would when preparing mac & cheese. Stir in the spices and the peas while the mixture is still very hot. Add in the hot dogs, onions, and cheese, stirring carefully. Enjoy!

Serves 4.

We tend to use store-brand mac & cheese but this box of Kraft was given to us by my mom when she cleaned out her pantry. We noticed it was expired but I still used it. How can boxed pasta go bad? :-)

We also used a handful of Monterey Jack because I was out of cheddar. No biggie, just use whatever cheese you have on hand. Adding the cheese helps give it richness and helps disguise the powdered cheese taste.

Ingredient	Cost	Ingredient	Cost
Mac & Cheese	$0.33	Onion	$0.87
Milk	$0.12	Garlic	$0.05
Butter	$0.24	Spices	$0.05
Hot Dogs	$0.75	Cheese	$0.18
Olive Oil	$0.15	Peas	$0.22
		Total	$2.96 or $0.74 a serving

For the price calculations I decided to use the cost of my store-brand mac & cheese because I didn’t think it would be fair to not count my box of Kraft (it was free). I also used the recommended amounts of butter (4 tbsp) and milk (1/4 cup) to make the boxed mix. You can also lower the cost by using canola oil instead of olive oil. Enjoy!

Reducipe - Baked Penne With Roasted Vegetables

Eat your veggies! Baked penne is one of my favorite pasta dishes. This recipe ditches the meat and incorporates a ton of good-for-you veggies in a really tasty way. Who needs meat when you’ve got pasta like this?

Roasting brings out the natural flavor and sweetness in the vegetables so don’t skip that step. Taking the time to do roast the veggies makes all the difference in the world. I mean, just look at that photo! Doesn’t it make you want to grab a fork and dig in?

I’ll admit, I’m very heavy handed on the sauce and cheese. Use less of each if you don’t like it especially saucy. I like to make this dish when peppers are plentiful and on sale. Get a variety of colors and it makes the dish really pretty.

Baked Penne With Roasted Vegetables (adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis)

2 red peppers, cored and cut into strips
1 orange or yellow pepper, cored and cut into strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into slices
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into slices
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced into strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix
Kosher salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
1 pound penne pasta
3-4 cups marinara sauce (Ragu marinara is great)
3 cups grated mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, dried herbs, salt, black and red pepper, and garlic powder. Roast until tender, about 15-45 minutes, checking for doneness and stirring every 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, mozzarella, and peas. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes. Serves 6 generously.

Check out these ingredients - it looks like a lot but it’s mostly different varieties of veggies. Gotta love that!

Ingredients for Baked Penne With Vegetables

Now on to the numbers. What does this meal cost in real life?

Ingredients	Cost	Ingredients	Cost
Peppers	$2.97	Pasta	$0.82
Zucchini	$0.87	Marinara	$1.50
Squash	$0.83	Mozzarella	$4.52
Mushrooms	$1.50	Peas	$0.40
Onion	$0.99	Parmesan	$0.10
Olive Oil	$0.20	Butter	$0.12
Salt & Spices	$0.05	Total	$14.87 or $2.47 a serving

You could make this dish even cheaper by cutting back on the cheese and substituting canola oil for the olive oil. I really like the olive oil in this dish though - it just seems more authentic that way. The original version of this recipe called for more expensive cheeses and after trying it both ways I honestly feel that using straight mozzarella is just fine. It sure costs a lot less and besides, the veggies are the true star of this dish. Enjoy!

This post was featured in:

Vegetarian Carnival #14 hosted by Veggie Chic

Reducipe - Crabbies

Crabbies! Crabbies are just plain awesome. They are wonderfully cheesy and as they cook the butter in the spread melts over the English muffin so it toasts to a crispy golden brown.

I have catered many parties, fancy and casual, and these never stay on the plates very long. They are a favorite among adults and kids alike and they are so simple to make that everyone should keep some in their freezer for surprise guests or an easy snack. The rule of thumb with these is to double what you think you will need because people will gobble them up.

When Eric and I first got married I asked him if there were any recipes that he wanted me to get from his mother. He immediately said “crab toasts”. Apparently, his mom only made these special treats when she was entertaining so Eric would try to see how many he could take without her noticing. She got wise to him stealing these toasts so she started making more to help offset his thievery.

I asked for the recipe and tried them out. They were good but I thought I could make them even better. By replacing the real crab with imitation crab and making a few other alterations I not only lowered the price but made them even more delicious. And with the changes came a new name - Crabbies!

Crabbies

1/2-3/4 cup finely chopped imitation crab
1 5oz jar sharp cheddar processed cheese spread (Old English)
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt (Lawry’s)
Garlic powder, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
Cayenne, to taste (optional)
White pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon finely minced yellow onion, lightly sautéed in butter (optional)
6 English muffins

Combine all ingredients (except muffins) in medium bowl and blend well. Split the muffins into 12 halves and spread evenly with the crab mixture. Freeze on cookie sheets for 1 or 2 hours. Once frozen, cut into quarters and store in a large ziplock-style bag in the freezer.

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place frozen Crabbies on a cookie sheet and bake for about 12-15 minute, or until the cheese has melted and the underside is golden brown. Serve hot. Makes 48 pieces. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer

NOTE: These reheat very well and keep for months in the freezer.

You can make this with canned crab but to me, that kind of crab just tastes too fishy. The imitation crab is milder and sweeter and it reminds me more of real crab than the canned version sometimes. Plus the red specks of the crab look pretty in this appetizer.

Look how easy it is to make these! Hardly any steps or ingredients for such a big payoff!

When you make these make sure to make two batches. They go so quickly that you will be happy you did. They last forever in the freezer although the longest we have managed to keep them was 3 months before they were all eaten up. Eric and I have been known to pull some out of the freezer as a quick meal on long days, too.

When making these for an elegant party just be sure to cut them uniformly and neatly. I have tried cutting small circles with a cutter and although it makes for a cleaner presentation it wastes too much in my opinion. A few chives look nice on top as garnish but they don’t really need it.

Ingredients	Cost	Ingredients	Cost
Imitation Crab	$1.55	Cheddar Cheese	$0.16
Cheese Spread	$1.99	Spices	$0.02
Mayonnaise	$0.02	Onion	$0.03
Butter	$0.47	English Muffins	$2.24
		Total	$6.48 or ~$0.65 per serving

This may not be the cheapest appetizer out there but when you consider that you get a sure-fire crab appetizer that can be frozen months ahead of time you can’t help but see the value in that. Try these out and let me know what you think! I’m sure you will love them!

Enjoy!

Reducipe - The Budget Breakfast Sandwich

The Budget Breakfast Sandwich This is one of Eric’s favorite breakfasts. It is simple and best of all cheap! I think the combo of the buttery toasted bread, crispy fried egg, and creamy American cheese is classic and comforting. Sometimes simplicity is sublime!

If you are looking for a way to use up leftover hamburger buns make this sandwich the next morning. Every time we get hamburger buns we have several leftover so this recipe comes in handy!

Keep in mind that this recipe can be changed to use up any leftovers you might have. You can use any type of bun or thick bread for this really. If all you have is shredded cheese, just sprinkle that on top of the egg. If you don’t have bacon grease simply fry the eggs in a little more butter. When I have leftover bacon I’ll fry that up and add it on top, but that’s rare because bacon doesn’t last long in my house.

The Budget Breakfast Sandwich

1 hamburger bun
Butter
Bacon grease, optional
1 egg
1 slice cheese (American preferred)
Garlic Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Place a frying pan over medium heat. Add a little butter to the pan. Once the butter is melted, rub the cut sides of the bun in the butter to coat them well. Toast the buns in the pan until they are golden brown and set aside.

Add a little bacon grease to the hot pan (you can use butter if you prefer). Fry the egg to your liking (for this recipe we like sunny-side down). Sprinkle the egg with garlic salt and black pepper. When the egg is almost done, put the slice of cheese on top to warm it. Once the cheese has softened and started to melt around the edges remove the egg and place on the toasted buns to form a sandwich. Enjoy! Serves 1.

The toasted buns and garlic salt really makes the sandwich taste special as opposed to “cheap”. The ingredients are few and inexpensive but they sure make a tasty breakfast!

The Budget Breakfast Sandwich Ingredients

When I added up the costs to make this sandwich it came out to be about $0.54. Compare that to what you can get from a fast food joint. This is better AND cheaper!

Ingredients	Cost	Ingredients	Cost
1 Hamburger Bun	$0.23	1 Slice Cheese	$0.14
1 Egg	$0.12	Butter	$0.05
Bacon Grease	N/A	Garlic Salt & Pepper	N/A
		Total	$0.54 a serving

We used deli-style American slices, store-bought buns, and non-bulk ingredients for this sandwich. Those factors inflated the cost a little but when you consider that I’m using some leftovers I’m getting extra value from it. This sandwich could be made even cheaper if you got ingredients in bulk and you made your own buns at home. Imagine how low you can go! Enjoy!