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Do IT this week: Layering
'Homey Chicken Hash' is a modern variation of favorite stretcher dish
By Beverly Mills, with Alicia Ross
United Feature Syndicate
Published on Wednesday, Oct 08, 2008
We have a love-hate relationship with grocery coupons. We love the savings — not so much the time and organization they require. Our best advice? Gradually work toward becoming coupon royalty.
Most people start clipping with good intentions, get overwhelmed and end up tossing these slips of paper worth hundreds of dollars into the trash. We've been there, done that, too! But if you start out slowly, giving yourself time to develop some new habits and a sensible system, success is highly likely.
Here are our best tips:
• Set a realistic goal. At first, ours was simply to save the cost of the Sunday newspaper. After several years of clipping, our current goal is to save 10 percent of our grocery bill. We often do.
• At first, clip only coupons for items you already buy and use. It's easy to end up buying unnecessary items or products that are more expensive than the store brand or brand you'd typically buy, and thus erase any savings.
• At first, clip only coupons worth 75 cents or more. Too many coupons spell disaster.
• Always keep the coupon file in your car or purse. It's quite frustrating to know you have the coupon back at home.
Today's recipe for Homey Chicken Hash from our cookbook Cheap. Fast. Good! will save you money whether you clip coupons or not. When the budget was running tight, our grandmothers turned to hash. They were ''stretcher meals'' to make the month's final groceries last until the next paycheck. Our modern version is loaded with potatoes and spiked with carrots and chicken, ensuring everyone leaves the table satisfied.
HOMEY CHICKEN HASH
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion (for about 1/2 cup chopped)
2 medium carrots (for about 1 cup slices)
4 cups diced cooked potatoes (see note)
2 cups (1 lb.) cooked chicken chunks (see note)
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
Ketchup for serving, optional
In a 12-inch skillet that has a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Peel and slice the carrots, adding them to the skillet as you slice. Cook until the onion begins to brown on the edges, about 3 minutes.
Add the potatoes to the skillet. Stir and cook until brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. (If using purchased potatoes, cook longer if necessary, until tender.) Add the chicken, and stir well to break up any pieces. Cook until the chicken is heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season the hash liberally with salt and pepper, to taste.
Sprinkle the cheese over the hash, and cover the skillet. Turn off the heat, and let the skillet rest until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Serve at once, with ketchup, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Notes: For the potatoes, you may scrub, peel, dice and boil 1 pound of raw potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well, and proceed with recipe. Or use 1 package (1 pound, 4 ounces) refrigerated diced potatoes with onion, such as the Simply Fresh brand.
Leftover cooked chicken, roasted chicken meat removed from the bone, or roasted or grilled chicken breast from the refrigerated meat case at the supermarket works well. Or first cut 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-size chunks, and saute until cooked through, then proceed with the recipe.
Each serving has about 509 calories (38 from fat), 22 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 131 milligrams cholesterol, 43 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams dietary fiber and 299 milligrams sodium.
Send desperate tales of woe or everyday success stories and your favorite quick recipes to:
Desperation Dinners
c/o United Media
200 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10016
Or visit http://www.desperationdinners.com.
Beverly Mills is a former food editor for the Miami Herald. Alicia Ross is a former food columnist for the Raleigh News & Observer.
We have a love-hate relationship with grocery coupons. We love the savings — not so much the time and organization they require. Our best advice? Gradually work toward becoming coupon royalty.
Get the full article here.
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