Citrus Lemon Cupcakes

I've already written a blog post about Lemon Buttercream Frosting, combined with this citrus lemon cupcake batter, and you got yourself a fantastic lemony dessert for a nice, sunny day! I decorated these with extra big sprinkles :)

Ingredients:

• Stick of butter
• 1 cup of sugar plus 2 tbs, preferably golden bakers'
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 2 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbs sour cream
• 1 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one.
2. Sift the two flours together in a different bowl. In another bowl, mix the milk, lemon juice, and sour cream together. Add 1/3 of the flour to the creamed mixture, beat well. Add 1/3 of the milk mixture, beat well. Repeat steps until all flour and milk have been added. Mix the lemon zest with the last third of flour.
3. Using a 1/4 cup, scoop the mixture into the cupcake liners in the cupcake baking pan (2/3 full.)
4. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before icing.

Costs:

• Stick of butter- $0.16
• 1 cup of sugar plus 2 tbs, preferably golden bakers'
• 2 large eggs-$0.20
• 1 cup self-rising flour-
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 2 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice-$0.20
• 1 tbs sour cream
• 1 tsp. lemon zest

Approximate Total Cost: $5 for 20 cupcakes

xoxo,

Amy

Peanut-Ginger Green Bean Salad

Spring break is over, back to real life. Sorry guys that I haven't posted in awhile! It's a bit difficult to cook when you don't have your guinea pigs (roommates) to taste your food! :)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs green beans
• 1 cup of peanuts
• 1 one inch of ginger
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbs. soy sauce
• 1 tbs. granulated sugar
• 2 tbs. vegetable oil
• 3 tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt

Prepartion:

1. Clean green beans. Break off tips.
2. Coarsely chop peeled ginger and garlic clove. 

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans to boiling water. Cook for about 4-5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Refrigerate.
2. Coarsely chop peanuts in a food processor or blender. Take out 1/3 cup of peanuts to toss in salad later. Continue mixing until the peanuts are finely chopped. Add vinegar, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, oil, salt, and 2 tablespoons of hot water. Blend until smooth.
3. Toss the green beans with the dressing. Sprinkle the 1/3 cup of chopped peanuts over the green beans.

Costs:

• 2 lbs green beans- $2-2.60
• 1 cup of peanuts- $1.00
• 1 one inch of ginger- $0.30
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbs. soy sauce
• 1 tbs. granulated sugar
• 2 tbs. vegetable oil
• 3 tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt

Approximate Total Cost: $5 for a serving of 5-6

xoxo,

Amy

Soy-Glazed Salmon Ciabatta Sandwiches

My friends and I decided to go on a hike at Greenbelt this past weekend. Nothing is better to satisfy that growling stomach after the hike, than these delicious sandwiches! These sandwiches are perfect for picnics/hikes for a variety of reasons: no soggy bread, no need for utensils, no refrigeration, and easily transportable! 

Ingredients for 4 sandwiches:

• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 4 five ounce salmon fillets or 2 .6 lb. salmon fillets, (each fillet for each sandwich needs to be about .3 lb a piece
• 4 ciabatta sandwich rolls (found in frozen bags)
• asian chili sauce ( not sriracha, but in a cylinder container with green cap)
• mayonnaise
• 1 large carrot (shredded)
• a few springs of cilantro
• 1 lime, or 2 key limes
• cooking spray

Preparation:

Salmon Marinade

• In a freezer ziplog bag, combine the brown sugar and soy sauce and mix well. Clean salmon. Skin salmon. Cut salmon in portions of .3 lb. 
• Place clean salmon pieces in ziplog bag. Shake around to marinate. 

Ciabatta Bread

• Defrost. Follow instructions on the back of the bag.

Carrot

• Using a cheese grater, make shredded pieces of carrots.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 400F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Using cooking spray, spray foil. Place marinated pieces of salmon on baking sheet. Pour remaining marinade evenly over pieces of salmon. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or when cooked throughly (salmon should be flaky.) Remove from oven, and let cool. 
2. Split the rolls in half, and spread bottom half with mayonnaise, top half with chili sauce. Place a piece of salmon on the bottom half, season with salt and a squeeze of lime juice. Top with some carrots, and springs of cilantro. 
3. If you're taking this on a picnic/hike, wrap each sandwich with plastic wrap, and place in a ziplog bag. 

Costs:

• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 4 salmon fillets- $8 ( for 1.2 lbs.)
• 4 ciabatta sandwich rolls -$3(for 4)
• asian chili sauce (not sriracha, but in a cylinder container with green cap)- $2
• mayonnaise
• 1 large carrot (shredded)- $0.20
• a few springs of cilantro- $0.25 (for a bulk)
• 1 lime, or 3 key limes- $0.20
• cooking spray

Approximate Total Cost: $4 per sandwich

xoxo,

Amy

Orange Sliced Jello Shots!

Regardless of the party, these jello shots are always a hit! I made these for the first time for a Halloween party because the orange fit the occasion. I made them again for my birthday party a few months ago but I used a variety of flavors such as raspberry, blackberry fusion etc. (the red color has a really nice contrast with the orange peel) 

Ingredients:

• .5 liter of Vodka
• 6 (small box) packs of jello mix or 3 (big box) packs of jello mix
• water
• 15 symmetrical medium oranges (each orange makes 6 orange slices)

Preparation:

1. Wash the oranges, pat them dry with a paper towel. Cut the oranges in half, and carefully with a spoon take out the pulp. Lay the halves on paper towels to dry. 
2. Clear a shelf in the refrigerator to make room for the trays.

Instructions:

1. The jello box will say to add 1 cup of boiling water  to the jello mix ( or 2 cups of boiling water to the jello mix, depending on the size of the jello mix.) 
2. Next the jello box will say to add 1 cup of cold water. Instead, mix in 1/2 cup of cold water, and 1/2 cup of vodka.
3. Place the orange halves on a baking tray or cupcake tray. Pour the jello-vodka mixture into the orange halves. Place in the refrigerator overnight, or for about 4-5 hours to set. 
4. Once the halves are set, slice into thirds! 

Approximate Total Cost: $9-10 for 90 orange shots!

Enjoy!

Amy

Honey Sriracha Glazed Chicken Wings

I've had so many variations of chicken wings, but I must say that Honey-Sriracha wings are in my top 3. The sweetness from the honey, and the kick from the sriracha gives a flavor similar to spicy honey barbeque. These chicken wings are pretty easy to make, and they are a great treat on game days! 

Ingredients:

• Vegetable or peanut oil
• 2 lbs chicken wings
• a stick of unsalted butter
• 1/3 cups of sriracha sauce
• 1/4 honey
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 lime

Tips Before Frying:

The more wings you put into the pan the more heat gets taken away. Therefore, add just enough chicken wings for one layer, but make sure to not overcrowd them!


Preparation:

• Cut the chicken wings so that the wing and the drumstick are separated. Rinse chicken under water and pat dry. Lightly season with salt.

Instructions:

1. Fill a wide  pan with about 1 1/2″ of oil. On med-high, heat to 350°F. Preheat oven to 200°F.

2. When oil is hot, fry chicken wings in batches.  Fry the chicken wings for about 5 minutes, flip them, then fry for another 5 minute or so. As each batch finishes, place on foil on a baking pan, and place in oven to keep warm while you cook the rest of the chicken wings.

3. Now we're going to do some multi-tasking. While frying the chicken wings, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add sriracha, honey, salt, and lime juice, then stir to combine.  Keep warm over low heat.

4. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked chicken wings with the sriracha-honey mixture, so that the chicken wings get coated evenly. 

Costs:

• Vegetable or peanut oil
• 2 lbs chicken wings- $4
• a stick of unsalted butter- $0.18
• 1/3 cups of sriracha sauce- $2.14 for a bottle
• 1/4 honey
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 lime- $0.33

Approximate Total Cost: 8 wings, 8 drum sticks = 16 pieces for about $6

xoxo,

Amy

Fresh Homemade Guacamole

Need a great, healthy dip for parties? Guacamole is super tasty, healthy, and easy to make! 

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Campari Tomatoes or 1 roma tomato
• 2 Large Avocados
• 3-4 Key Limes ( or 1-2 regular limes)
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1 tsp of onion powder
• 1 tbsp of sour cream
• 1-2 tbsp of minced cilantro
• salt
• pepper

Tips Before Beginning:

• When picking avocados, remember that the darker the avocado, the riper it is. 
• If you're not using the guacamole right away, stick the avocado pit in the mixture, this helps the dip keep its fresh color. 

Instructions:

1. Cut the avocados in half, and depit. Cut into slices, and peel skin away. Chop the avocados into large pieces, this facilitates the mashing process. 
2. Add sourcream, lime juice from the limes, and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
3. Once at a chunkiness consistency, slice the tomatoes and deseed. Cut the tomato skins in pieces the size of a pinky nail, and add the tomatoes and cilantro into the mixture.
4. When the tomatoes are in, make sure to mix in a flipping motion, to prevent the tomato pieces from falling apart. Season with more salt and pepper if you like! 

Costs:

• 3-4Campari Tomatoes- $5 for 20-25
• 2 Large Avocados-$1.33 each
• 3-4 Key Limes ( or 1-2 regular limes)- $1.98 for a bag of 30
• 2 cloves of minced garlic- $1 for a bulk
• 1-2 tbsp of minced onions- $0.38 per lb.
• 1 tbsp of sour cream- ?
• 1-2 tbsp of minced cilantro-$0.29 for a bundle.
• salt
• pepper

Approximate Total Cost: $4-5 for a serving for 5

xoxo,

Amy

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Love baked potatoes? Well then this is the perfect dish for you. Warm, cheesy, and just the perfect consistency of a full loaded baked potato, this hashbrown casserole will soon be a top favorite side! I first had them at Sarah's house, I love them so much....her mom named them "Amy Potatoes" mmm yummy:)


Ingredients:

• Bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns
• 1 can of campbell's cream of mushroom preferably the one with garlic flavor
• 8 oz. of sour cream
• 1/2 cup of chopped yellow onions
• 2 handfuls of shredded cheese
• 1 stick of melted butter ( or just soft enough to mix)
• 1-2 tsp of salt 
• 1/2-1 tsp of pepper
• 1 tsp of minced garlic

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Mix all the ingredients and a cup of shredded cheese in a large mixing bowl. Spray the baking dish, and pour the ingredients into the dish. Top the ingredients with the rest of the shredded cheese, some pepper and salt.
3. Bake for about 60 minutes or until the cheese becomes golden.

Costs:

• Bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns- $1.94
• 1 can of campbell's cream of mushroom- $1.22
• 8 oz. of sour cream
• 1/2 cup of chopped onions- $0.29( for one onion) 
• 2 handfuls of shredded cheese- $1.50
• 1 stick of melted butter ( or just soft enough to mix)- $0.40
• salt 
• pepper

Approximate Total Cost: $6 side for a serving of 8 

xoxo,

Amy

Happy Fried Chicken with Lemon

Want some fried chicken? but don't want all those extra calories? Although these aren't super healthy, they are a lot healthier than the traditional fried chicken. Skinless, and rolled in panko bread crumbs, you still get the crunch without the excess guilt!

Ingredients:

• 3- 4 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
• 2 lemons
• 8 skinless chicken thighs
• bottle of vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp.pepper
• 1 tb salt

Tips Before Beginning-

• Although it might defeat the title of fried chicken, you can stick these on a baking pan and bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes or until cooked. 

Instructions for Cooking Fried Chicken:

1. In a medium sized pot, pour about 1-1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil on medium- high heat. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Pour the panko bread crumbs into a dish and add pepper and salt. Clean the chicken thighs, and cut them in half. 
2. Mix the eggs in the bowl, and drench each half piece of chicken into the eggs. Roll the drenched chicken in the dish with panko break crumbs. 
3. Once the oil has been sitting on the stove for about 5-8 minutes, turn the heat to medium. Place each breaded chicken into the oil. Cook the first side for about 5 minutes, and then flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes. 
4. Take fried chicken out to dry on a  plate of paper towels ( so it can soak up the oil) Lightly sprinkle with salt. For a subtle citrus taste, squeeze a lemon slice over the chicken (it really brings out the flavor!)

Costs:

• 3- 4 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
• 2 lemon- $0.40
• 8 skinless chicken thighs $4-$5
• bottle of vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp.pepper
• 1 tbsp salt

Approximate Total Cost: $6-7 for 16 pieces of chicken! 

xoxo,

Amy