One Teaspoon From Disaster

In keeping with our theme this month of "budget gourmet," here is an easy marinade that's worth a shot. You'll likely have all the ingredients on hand, and surely this concoction is cheaper than a bottle of store-bought marinade.

Grill or bake the chicken. Pair it with a salad or other fresh veggie and a side or rice or baked potato. Easy! Cheap!

Southwestern chicken marinade
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 C. olive oil
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. black pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients. Puncture chicken breasts, place in a re-sealable plastic bag and add marinade. Allow to soak for several hours. Grill for a few minutes on each side until cooked through, or bake at 350 degrees until chicken is no longer pink (ewee) in the middle.

Times are tough and we need to adapt by dining out less and preparing thriftier meals more.

Next on our list is Portobello mushroom burgers (and I threw in a homemade chicken noodle soup recipe as a side dish). Going meatless definitely meets our theme's criteria, but these burgers are surprisingly delicious. So much so that I'm disappointed I hadn't already added this recipe into my regular rotation. Better late than never.

I skipped on the cheese, but did top my "burger" with all the regular condiments - lettuce, mayo, ketchup, etc. Yum!

Portobello mushroom burgers
Ingredients:
4 Portobello mushroom caps
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper as desired
favorite cheese, sliced (optional)

Directions:
Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms, letting marinade for about 20 minutes. Brush grill with olive oil. Grill mushrooms on each side for about 7 minutes, or until they are tender but not soggy. Top with cheese, if desired. Lightly toast hamburger buns, and top add condiments.

Chicken noodle soup
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped celery
4, 14.5 ounce cans chicken broth
1/2 pound cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 1/2 C. egg noodles
1 C. sliced carrots
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter for a few minutes until tender. Pour in broths and add chicken, noodles, carrots, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil then simmer for at least 20 minutes before serving.

I've decided this month's collection of recipes will not be devoted to holidays. No Valentine's Day or President's Day (huh?) dishes here. Instead our theme is "budget gourmet."

Times are tough and we need to adapt by dining out less and preparing thriftier meals more.

First up is black bean chicken and pasta shells. I came across a version of this recipe and was intrigued. Frankly, it's a little odd. The jumbo pasta shells that are normally stuffed with ricotta and marinara are now being topped with a Tex-Mex chicken mix. But I had all the ingredients on hand and it can be whipped up pretty quick, so I gave it a try. Even more odd, it's pretty good. (I made it twice just to be sure).

I actually cooked the chicken in the Tex-Mex mixture, rather than adding it already cooked, which seems to save even more time. Another bonus, this makes enough for four, or two plus leftovers.

Black bean chicken and pasta shells
Ingredients:
1, 16 oz. package jumbo pasta shells
1 C. corn kernels, canned or frozen
1,15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1, 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
shredded cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet over low heat, cook corn and black beans for a few minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and add Worcestershire. Increase the heat slightly and stir in chicken until heated through. Meanwhile, cook pasta shells according to package directions. Spoon over cooked pasta, top with shredded cheese and serve.