Tag: Cheese

Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs

Renee Leave a comment

We’re making Meatless Monday awesome with Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs. A bed of fresh spinach is topped with a layer of cheese and two eggs. Then it’s all baked to perfection. Add an extra layer of flavor with garlic herb breadcrumbs. Finally, a pile of toasted ciabatta brings it all together. Get into it.

Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Can you believe it? I ate a vegetable and actually enjoyed it. My life-long struggle with veggies has been well-documented on this blog. It’s a struggle and a source of shame. I definitely feel like there’s something wrong with me. I’m a freak, but I don’t know how to change it. It probably holds me back professionally as well. As an aspiring food blogger, this a big hole in my experience.

People often ask me if I can post more healthy recipes or ways to make indulgent food more healthy. The short answer is no. Mostly because that’s not the kind of food I like. I only put recipes on my blog that I believe are truly awesome. I use this site for my own dinner planning, and if I’m not excited to eat something again, I don’t think it’s worth sharing.

Moreover, I don’t believe in taking great food and making it gross because someone told us we should feel guilty about eating it. If you want cheese or sugar, eat it. If you want to be more healthy, just eat less of that stuff. Don’t try to make your brownies healthy. They’ll never be as good. Just cut them smaller and share them with more people. I know some people have serious medical issues, and they can’t eat certain things. Trust me, there are plenty of other bloggers out there serving what you need. I share the food I love, and I hope you like it. If you don’t, that’s fine. To each their own. I still love you.

Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

This recipe, though, is something I didn’t expect to like. These Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs with Garlic Herb Breadcrumbs were actually delicious. As I weighed out the spinach, I was like, “Yeah, that’s a lot of green stuff. This can’t be good.” I was so wrong. Served with fingers of toasted ciabatta, the mix of flavors and textures was awesome.

I adapted this recipe from the first book by Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats. Seriously Delish is filled with recipes that bring a great balance of healthy and indulgent. I show up for the latter, but she’s starting to win me over with the former. Her original recipe uses fontina cheese, which is difficult to source and expensive in Glasgow, so I opted for mild cheddar. I also added a little extra cream because it felt right. Finally, I switched out fresh herbs for dried ones in the breadcrumb mixture because I’m lazy. It’s super simple and super tasty.

Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

We’re always growing and changing. That’s the way it was meant to be. Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs today. Next, world domination. It’s gonna be awesome.

Are you looking for more Meatless Monday recipes? This this Egg & Mango Chutney Flatbread.

Spam Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Spam Mac & Cheese

Renee Leave a comment

Spam Mac & Cheese is a cheap and easy week night dinner. It feels nostalgic and a little bit naughty. Try it with your favorite Spam flavor tonight.

Spam Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

February is definitely when I miss Hawaii the most. Though the crocuses are emerging and signs of life are returning, we’re still firmly in winter. The wind is harsh, the rain is endless, and the sun barely penetrates. When I see my friends on the beach, my heart aches for our tiny house in Honolulu.

That’s not to say that Scotland doesn’t have its own charm. Stepping into a cozy pub to escape the storm never gets boring. Lighting a fire in the fireplace and snuggling up under a blanket to watch a movie is something we never would have done in Hawaii. And I can cook and bake whenever I want without sweating to death.

Spam Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

This Spam Mac & Cheese is the perfect mash up of my life in Hawaii and my life in Scotland. It features the salty weird but somehow delicious canned ham that Hawaiians adore mixed with the coziest comfort food of all time, mac and cheese. I didn’t realize that mac and cheese was a pub food staple here. It’s so amazing. I never have to worry that there won’t be anything I like on the menu.

We’re making a simple mac and cheese sauce here with evaporated milk that thickens and sets in the oven. First, the Spam gets cubed up and cooked until crisp in a skillet to change up the texture. Then sprinkle the crispy Spam bits over the creamy mac and cheese, and dig in.

Spam Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

No place is perfect. Everything has beauty. Spam Mac and Cheese is awesome. Some things are just universally true.

If you love mac and cheese, check out this Chorizo Mac & Cheese recipe.

Are we hanging out on Instagram? Follow me for more awesome food and lots of love.

Chorizo Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Chorizo Mac & Cheese

Renee Leave a comment

Chorizo Mac & Cheese is spicy and gooey and so satisfying. Take a little help from the store to easily get this on the table on a week night. Dinner is gonna be awesome.

Chorizo Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Can we be done with our January diets yet? You know I don’t let anything get in the way of me and cheese. A couple of years ago I tried to take a week long cheese hiatus, and it was super sad. Let’s not even think about it.

For me, cutting specific foods out of my diet has never worked. I give up so easily. I personally find it much easier to just not eat for a day once or twice a week than to give up dairy or gluten for a month. Maybe this isn’t the best long-term solution, but I don’t think anybody comes here for nutritional advice. I’m delivering comfort, friends, and today is no different.

Chorizo Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

My husband randomly requested Chorizo Mac & Cheese one day, and Pinterest led me to this. I’ve adapted my recipe from this one at Simply Recipes. Translating recipes from American to British almost always requires a bit of adjustment. We have about a third less choice at the grocery store. I never realized how spoiled I was as an American grocery shopper until I came here.

Chorizo is very popular here, though. Perhaps because we’re that much closer to Spain. What I love is that I can buy pre-chopped chunks of chorizo which saves me tons of time. We’re using a blend of regular cheddar (which is white by default here) and cheddar with chilies. In the US, you should be able to get your hands on some pepper jack no problem, but UK friends might have to go to the specialty cheeses. If you want a little less heat in your mac and cheese, use all plain cheddar.

Chorizo Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

If you’ve made mac and cheese from scratch before, there’s nothing revelatory here. The flavor, however, is worth getting excited about. Chorizo Mac & Cheese makes bacon mac seem boring. I hope you give it a try.

Chorizo Mac & Cheese | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Go after what you want in life, friends. And if it’s Chorizo Mac & Cheese, now you know exactly how to get it.

Looking for more mac and cheese awesomeness? Try this Potato & Pancetta Mac & Cheese.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Renee Leave a comment

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole turns a steak house classic into a delicious side dish for the whole family. We’re mixing in all the good stuff like cheese and bacon and leaving out those gross potato skins. You’ll want to make this way too often.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

My darling husband has a cold. Bless him. This means he’s going to spend the entire weekend on the couch playing video games surrounded by an ever-growing pile of used tissues and half empty cups of team and orange juice. It’s fine. Being sick is the worst. You should get to do whatever you want. I’ve brought him a bag for his tissues, so at least that problem is contained. Now I just have to find a way to keep him from breathing on me.

Luckily for my husband, my dinner plans were thwarted last night. That means he got to order a takeaway. In his opinion, the ultimate comfort food is Chicken Tikka Masala. He simply had to have it. So that’s what he got.

This highlights yet another perfect example of the difference between Brits and Americans. I only eat Indian food under the most dire of circumstances. I’m a very boring, very picky eater with the palate of a 12-year-old. This is no secret. Just leave me alone with my PB&J. He, on the other hand, could eat curry every day.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

As far as I’m concerned, this Loaded Baked Potato Casserole ticks all the comfort food boxes. There’s fluffy mashed potatoes with all their carby goodness, obviously. There’s also plenty of cheese because what’s life without it. And of course, there’s lots of crispy bacon. It’s the source of all our power.

Regular baked potatoes are great, and yes the skin is good for you, but it’s practically impossible to get all the different elements together in the right amount. That’s why Loaded Baked Potato Casserole is superior. Everything is pre-mixed, so you get the perfect bite every time. You don’t have to make a mess trying to do batle with your baked potato. It’s genius. Take this to your next potluck and watch people line up for the recipe.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Next time you need a comforting side dish, make this Loaded Baked Potato Casserole. Eat it every day. Bring it to parties. Share it with friends. The more the awesomer.

Recipe adapted from Six Sisters’ Stuff.

If you like this recipe, you might also dig my Twice Baked Potatoes.

Fiery Halloumi Salad | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Fiery Halloumi Salad

Renee Leave a comment
Fiery Halloumi Salad | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

This Fiery Halloumi Salad is an easy, healthyish dinner with homemade sweet chili sauce. Pan-fried halloumi makes a bed of greens so much more awesome. Go on, eat a salad, and actually enjoy it.

As you read this, I will be heading back to work after a little over two weeks off. It’s never easy to get back into the swing of things. I know I’m lucky because my husband’s been back in work since last week, but still, it’s hard not to feel a bit mopey.

Fiery Halloumi Salad | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

It’s been two glorious weeks of not being stuck behind a desk. Of staying in my pajamas as long as I want. Having plenty of time for all the things I really want to do, like take pictures of my food and share it with you. Two glorious weeks without whining teenagers or late trains or having to wear high heels.

I’m grateful to have a job because it allows me to help people. It also allows me to buy all the food I want and travel from time to time. I’m very lucky in many ways, and I don’t want to forget that. But just a few more days of peace and quiet would be nice.

Fiery Halloumi Salad | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

Being back at work means we all need more quick and simple dinner ideas, and this time I’m even giving you leafy greens. Of course, it wouldn’t be awesome on 20 if I didn’t somehow also ruin the health factor by adding something delicious. This Fiery Halloumi Salad is awesome because it’s easily just as much cheese as it is salad. You know you can’t stay mad at me for long.

We’re making up a simple homemade sweet chili sauce with sliced red chilies, honey, and lime juice. We slice up a block of halloumi and fry it in a hot, dry pan. We drizzle our favorite salad leaves with a bit of nice olive oil, lay on the hot cheese, and drizzle over some heat with our sweet chili sauce. Then we eat, feel smug about having a salad, but actually enjoy it because cheese.

Fiery Halloumi Salad | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

I hope your transition back to work has been smooth and as stress-free as possible. I hope you’re having something awesome for dinner tonight, like maybe this Fiery Halloumi Salad. It’s gonna be awesome.

This recipe is adapted from Simply Nigella by Nigella Lawson.

And just in case you can’t get enough salad, maybe try this Bacon & Egg Salad.

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