Shop Cheap

It's raining, it's not. It's sunny, it's not. This has got to end at some point. While we're waiting check out what recipe researcher Sheila Kern has come up with in the Shop Cheap Kitchen. These tasty recipes will take your mind off the unpredictable weather.

Here's what's on sale and where to get the ingredients:

Berries: Raley's

Chicken: Raley's, Save Mart, Safeway

Mushroom: Safeway

Zucchini: Safeway, Raley's

Tilapia: Save Mart

Grilled Chicken Salad with a Fresh Strawberry Dressing

From www.eatingwell.com

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces thin asparagus, stem ends snapped off, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, stemmed (2 cups) (see Tip)
8 ounces snow peas, stemmed (2 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon almond oil (see Note), or canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped scallions
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning
Fresh Strawberry Dressing, (recipe follows)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
4 whole strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking vegetables. Prepare a grill or preheat broiler.

Blanch asparagus, sugar snaps and snow peas in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water to refresh, then blot dry with paper towels. Whisk lemon juice, almond oil (or canola oil), salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the vegetables and scallions; toss to coat.

Rub chicken with canola oil and sprinkle with lemon-pepper seasoning. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the chicken and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes per side. (Alternatively, broil the chicken on an oiled broiler pan 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.) Let rest for 5 minutes.

Cut the chicken crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Divide the vegetable mixture among 4 plates. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables. Spoon about 3 tablespoons Fresh Strawberry Dressing over each salad. Sprinkle with almonds and garnish each serving with a strawberry. Serve immediately.

Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Blanch the vegetables up to 4 hours before serving; store in the refrigerator under barely moistened paper towels.
Tip: Sugar snaps have a fibrous seam on the inside curve. To remove it, grasp the stem protruding from one end and pull it down the inside curve as if you were unzipping the pea.
Note: Almond oil is an unrefined oil pressed from almonds. You can find it in many supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store it in the refrigerator.
Tip: To oil the grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

Fresh Strawberry Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries, (6 large berries), rinsed, hulled and sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons almond oil, (see Note) or canola oil

Directions

Place strawberries, vinegar, pepper, sugar and salt in a blender or food processor; process until pureed, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Add oil and process until smooth.

Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Note: Almond oil is an unrefined oil pressed from almonds. You can find it in many supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store it in the refrigerator.
 
Stuffed Mushrooms

From www.southernfood.about.com

Makes 8 to 10 appetizers

Ingredients

8 to 10 medium mushroom, firm, closed caps
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons minced onion or green onion
1/4 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soft bread crumbs (see below)
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons water
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Wash mushrooms quickly under running water; drain on paper towels. Pull stems from mushrooms and chop finely. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat; add chopped mushroom stems and onion. Sauté until tender. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, soft bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper. Sprinkle salt over mushroom caps and fill with sautéed mixture, mounding over the top. At this point, you may cover and refrigerate these mushrooms for up to 24 hours. Before serving, put 2 tablespoons of water in a shallow dish and arrange stuffed mushrooms in dish. Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Soft bread crumbs: Put bread on cutting board and use fork tines to tear off crumbs, or use food processor to make finer crumbs. One slice bread makes about 1/2 cup lightly packed crumbs.

 
Zucchini Oven Chips

From www.cookinglight.com

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

1/4  cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4  cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4  teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4  teaspoon garlic powder
1/8  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2  tablespoons fat-free milk
2 1/2  cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.
 
Almond-Crusted Tilapia

From www.allrecipes.com

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic pepper
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets
1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dusting
6 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 sprigs parsley
8 lemon wedges

Directions

Beat the eggs with the lemon pepper and garlic pepper until blended; set aside. Stir together ground almonds with 1 cup of Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish until combined; set aside. Dust the tilapia fillets with flour, and shake off excess. Dip the tilapia in egg, then press into the almond mixture.
 
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook tilapia in melted butter until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium, and season fillets with salt if desired. Sprinkle the tilapia with the remaining Parmesan cheese, cover, and continue cooking until the Parmesan cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
 
Transfer the tilapia to a serving dish, and garnish with parsley springs and lemon wedges to serve.