Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese!!!

The inspiration for this meal came from a Rachel Ray Recipe! We have been getting squash every week from our vegetable box (www.pilgrimsproduce.com) and they have been giving us some recipes to try, we tried some soup awhile back which was Delicious! But I was craving something other then soup!!!

So baked mac and cheese it is!!!!

I love some things with Rachel Ray recipes, but one thing I dont like is the price. She always calls for so much cheese!! And frankly I just cant afford that!!

So I definitely modified that!! And then I added some of my own flare. The recipe Click here!!, called just to serve it up after you mix the sauce with the noodles, I made some bread crumbs and baked it off for 15 mins.
I also added Turmeric Click here!, to the sauce to add a rich golden look!! So you think there is TONS of cheese in there!!

I also instead of using frozen squash, cut and roasted my own butternut squash, then just added the flesh when the recipe called for it.

If you dont have bread crumbs on hand, take your food processor or mini food processor like I have and blend up some fresh bread with a bit of oil and salt and pepper!!

This recipes serving size is huge too!! I barely doubled it, and it fed us and the careys with lots left!!

So take some time and enjoy this meal!! It took me about about 15 to 20 mins to make! not including roasting and baking off.

Paired with a tasty Pork Cutlet!

Butter Pork

Mrs Munk whipped up some yummy butter pork!
We always use brown basmati but we were out, so shebs ran to nicis for some white basmati!
Used 3 pork loin chops, one jar of pc blue menu butter chicken sauce, added spinach and cauliflower!
Pork: $3
Rice: $.75
Spinach/cauliflower: $1
Sauce: $2.89
Total:$ 7.64!
Enjoy!
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Zucchini Relish!!!

The amazing zucchini relish!
We have made this relish 3 years in a row! Every year we have cherished it and it is amazing!
The flavor is great, the color is awesome! So versatile, great on a hot dog, mix with some tuna and some mayo, add some mayo for some tartar sauce! It has become the Munk favorite condiment!
It is cheap to make too! This year we got zucchini from Brett and Danielle stickles! Years before from Skye hamming and Nici and ourselves! If you have jars and seals already this relish is under a buck a jar!
Its not to late to try for yourselves!
Recipe:
9lbs of zucchini
3 red onions
2 to 3 red peppers
1/4 c. Pickling salt
2 1/2 c. Sugar
1 1/2 c. Apple cider vinegar
1tbsp dry mustard
1tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp tumeric
1tbsp cornstarch
1tbsp water
In your food processor chop zucchini, onions and peppers pretty fine. In your large pot mix veggies and salt. Mix well and let stand for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Drain well, rinse and drain again, pressing out moisture.
In saucepan combine sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery seed, ginger and tumeric. Bring to boil (carefully). Add to drained veggies on reduced heat and simmer and stir often for 15 mins or more untill veggies are just tender.
Mix cornstarch and water and stir into relish, simmer and stir till moisture seems thicker on the bottom of the pan.
Pack into pint jars, leave 1/2in headspace, remove air, wipe rims, seal and boil in water canner for 15 mins,
Enjoy! Yields 6 pints (we doubled)
Cory
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Egg Wrap!

The boys flippin love eggs, They love "egg burgers" "egg wraps", We go through tons of eggs!!!

Shelby and I love making egg wraps, throw in tons of fresh spinach and green onions,

These ones were quick and simple.

Scramble 8 Eggs with green onions and some diced tomatoes.
Grab some whole wheat 10 inch wraps, put a bit of mayo and salsa on it, lay down some fresh spinach, add eggs on top.
Wrap up tight!, Place wrapped wraps in hot pan with some oil, fry for 4 to 5 mins on each side. Cut in half and serve!

Enjoy!!

Mountain High Shepard's Pie!

Yum!! Shepard's pie and Garden Salad!!  The boys devoured it!! I grew up on meals like shepard's pie, it was cheap! And guess what? It still is!! Price breakdown!!
Shepards pie
Beef: $2.98                                                            
Potatoes: $1.50
Cauliflower: $1.25
Carrots: $.75
Leek: $1.00
Corn/Beans: FREE
Milk: $.25
Misc (spices) $.25
Total: $ 7.98

Salad:
Lettuce: $1.00
Peppers: $ 1.00
Cucumber: $.50
Tomatoes: $.50
Radish: $.25
Total: $ 3.25

Total Meal: $11.23
How awesome is that? For our family that's under 2.00 a person. If you break that down to Munk size servings!! Its 1.40! (8 servings)

And its healthy!! Everything in there is local except cauliflower! Salad from our vegetable box, corn from the Hansons and beans from Nici Carey! Spuds, leek, carrots all from Vegetable box. Calories for the whole Shepards pie was under 1500. Break that down for servings is 187 calories....thats unreal!!

Shepards pie is easy, cheap and healthy!! We skipped a gravy sauce for the meat, added 1 tbsp of Sour cream instead, and chopped leeks!
I boiled and mashed the potatoes, cauliflower and carrots for the top!, Corn and Beans in the middle!. Very simple. 1lb beef, 1lb potatoes, 1lb cauliflower, 6 carrots, 1 large leek, 1 cup corn, 2 cups green beens. 1/4 milk for the mashed veg, 1 tbsp butter and dash of salt and pepper for mashed veg. Put it all together in layers, (meat, veg, mashed veg), Bake off for 20 mins @ 350.

Simple. Yet delicious!! Enjoy!

Local Veggie Box

My awesome vegetable box courtesy of Pilgrims produce in Armstrong!
This year we joined the CSA program. We pay 102 a month for a weekly box! May to Oct! It is an awesome way to eat local organic produce at a great cost!
We have yet to be disappointed and the boys love going to the farm to get the box!
We, a family of six, only have to buy some fruit and extra cucumbers and peppers throughout the box program. So most months around $150 a month for fruit and veggies in our house!
Here is a link to there website! Sign up for next year! You won't regret!

www.pilgrimsproduce.com/csa.html
I will post a picture of supper tonight!
Cory
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My first post!!!!

Pork vs Chicken!!!

Shelby and I have always eaten a lot of Pork. We love the flavor, we love the versatility and we love the PRICE! It has dominated our freezer for a good chunk of our marriage! The sad news is, we are a rare breed. Most people now a days buy chicken breasts....by the boxes. Nothing wrong with chicken breasts! But I am here to tell you that I DARE you to COMPARE pork and chicken. You will be surprised!! Taste, Price, Versatility, Nutrition! Pork loin is very close to Chicken breasts in terms of Nutrition!

So take a look!! (Pork nutritional data courtesy of www.porkonyourfork.com, Chicken nutritional data courtesy of http://www.bcchicken.ca )

3.5 ounce Pork Loin Chop (fat trimmed) 174 calories, 33 g of protein and 3.8 g of total fat, Low in sodium and Trans Fat free. It is the second leanest cut of pork next only to the tenderloin!

3.5 ounce Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast 159 calories, 33 g of protein and 2.1 g of total fat.

So overall? Not bad for Pork. Its so close to chicken, yet most times half the price! It can be used in any meal that chicken is used!
A Munk family favorite is Butter Pork with Brown Basmati Rice. Use cubed pork loin in place of cubed chicken.

Look for deals wherever you are, we buy our pork from Askews in Armstrong, Its great tasting pork and cheap. I buy whole pork loins for 2.27 lb and simply ask the onsite butcher to cut it into chops or roasts for me. Today I purchased 38 dollars of pork, 2 loins, we got 45 chops. For us that's enough for 9-12 meals. Cant beat that!

Most places put prices per kg beside the total price. Remember, take your cell phone around shopping with you, use your calculator and divide the price /kg by 2.2, that gives you the per pound price. Chicken will range from $ 3-5 per pound, Boxes of chicken breasts are almost always 4kg. Times that by 2.2 and you get 8.8 lbs. Boxes range from $26-$35. average being $29.99. That is $3.40 lb. Not bad at all. Where it gets expensive is the small packs of fresh chicken breasts! or "family size" fresh chicken breasts. Do yourself a favor, if you see chicken breasts back on, skin on, and they are a buck or two cheaper per pound, take a knife and take out the bone yourself!!

So will you try it? Will you substitute? Will you try a pork loin instead of chicken breast? If you need proof that Pork is lean and tasty, come to my house for a bbq pork chop and let it melt in your mouth!!!