Week of April 20th, 2015
UPCOMING: We had the BEST dinner the other night and those recipes will be posted this afternoon or tomorrow. It was Greek Chicken and Roasted Vegetables (Leanne's recipe). I'm still having trouble uploading the videos under Other Stuff that show how to cut a whole chicken into useful pieces. And, of course, you know to make stock with the left over bones. [VICTORY! THE VIDEOS ARE LOADED] Freshco has pink salmon in the 418 g size can for $2. If you haven't tried the Creamed Salmon on Toast, this is a great opportunity to try it with a mildly flavored salmon. I am also getting a recipe from a friend for salmon cakes using canned salmon and mashed potatoes. She makes these and serves them with a vegetable or salad on the side and they love'em. So watch for that. Food Basics has Europe's Best Frozen Fruit on for $2.99 for 400-600g (depending on which fruit you pick) if you want to try the smoothies. I'm going to look for a small container of Greek yogurt and try mine again.
UPCOMING: We had the BEST dinner the other night and those recipes will be posted this afternoon or tomorrow. It was Greek Chicken and Roasted Vegetables (Leanne's recipe). I'm still having trouble uploading the videos under Other Stuff that show how to cut a whole chicken into useful pieces. And, of course, you know to make stock with the left over bones. [VICTORY! THE VIDEOS ARE LOADED] Freshco has pink salmon in the 418 g size can for $2. If you haven't tried the Creamed Salmon on Toast, this is a great opportunity to try it with a mildly flavored salmon. I am also getting a recipe from a friend for salmon cakes using canned salmon and mashed potatoes. She makes these and serves them with a vegetable or salad on the side and they love'em. So watch for that. Food Basics has Europe's Best Frozen Fruit on for $2.99 for 400-600g (depending on which fruit you pick) if you want to try the smoothies. I'm going to look for a small container of Greek yogurt and try mine again.
Greek Chicken - serves 4
1 - 3 to 4 lb. chicken cut into pieces (see new video!) $6
2 lemons cut in half ($1)
1 tbsp. dry oregano ($.08)
1 tsp. onion powder (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder ($.06)
5 tbsp. olive oil ($.50)
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat oven to 350F. Place chicken pieces in baking dish, skin side up. Squeeze the juice of the lemons over the chicken. If you are going to make the roasted vegetable recipe which follows here, use 1 1/2 lemons for the chicken and save 1/2 for the vegetables.
Sprinkle chicken with oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken pieces. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
TOTAL: $7.64 using the smallest of the chickens which were on sale for $1.98/lb., $1.91 per person for 4 servings
1 - 3 to 4 lb. chicken cut into pieces (see new video!) $6
2 lemons cut in half ($1)
1 tbsp. dry oregano ($.08)
1 tsp. onion powder (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder ($.06)
5 tbsp. olive oil ($.50)
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat oven to 350F. Place chicken pieces in baking dish, skin side up. Squeeze the juice of the lemons over the chicken. If you are going to make the roasted vegetable recipe which follows here, use 1 1/2 lemons for the chicken and save 1/2 for the vegetables.
Sprinkle chicken with oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken pieces. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
TOTAL: $7.64 using the smallest of the chickens which were on sale for $1.98/lb., $1.91 per person for 4 servings
MY RESULTS: You will LOVE this chicken. Nothing could be easier to prepare and the flavour is absolutely wonderful. Make it with the following roasted vegetables for a complete delicious dinner!
Roasted Vegetables - serves 4
Suggested vegetables:
Root vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, onions, parsnips, carrots, sunchokes, kohlrabi, fennel
Non-root vegetables: bell peppers, winter squash, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, eggplant
Extras: whole garlic cloves (unpeeled), lemon slices or lemon zest, anything you would pair with roast chicken, tough herbs like sage, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, any dry spice combination
Set the oven to 400F [note: I think this is too high]. Thoroughly clean and chop your vegetables, leaving the skins on to crisp if you like. It's up to you how you want to chop your vegetables. Many are nice roasted whole, like new potatoes or little sunchokes or turnips. The general rule is that the smaller you chop things, the faster they cook, so try to keep everything about the same size so nothing cooks faster than anything else.
Dump your vegetables into a roasting pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil or melted butter - about 2 tbsp. per medium-sized roasting pan. Season generously with salt and pepper and add any other extras from the list above. Use your hands to coat the vegetables thoroughly with the oil and spices. Pop the pan into the oven for 1 hour or longer, bjut check on the vegetables afer 45 minutes. Test them by poking them with a knife. If it meets no resistance, they're finished; if not, let them cook longer. Don't worry: it's not much of a problem if you overcook them. After you pull the vegetables out of the oven, push them around with a spatula to free them from the pan. Remove any garlic cloves and smash them into a fine paste (removing the skins at this point), then put the garlic back in the pan and mix together. Squeeze the juice out of any lemons and discard the woody bits of any cooked herbs (stems if you used fresh). Add a little more butter, a bit of favourite sauce, a little soft cheese or mayonnaise, and serve.
Suggested vegetables:
Root vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, onions, parsnips, carrots, sunchokes, kohlrabi, fennel
Non-root vegetables: bell peppers, winter squash, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, eggplant
Extras: whole garlic cloves (unpeeled), lemon slices or lemon zest, anything you would pair with roast chicken, tough herbs like sage, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, any dry spice combination
Set the oven to 400F [note: I think this is too high]. Thoroughly clean and chop your vegetables, leaving the skins on to crisp if you like. It's up to you how you want to chop your vegetables. Many are nice roasted whole, like new potatoes or little sunchokes or turnips. The general rule is that the smaller you chop things, the faster they cook, so try to keep everything about the same size so nothing cooks faster than anything else.
Dump your vegetables into a roasting pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil or melted butter - about 2 tbsp. per medium-sized roasting pan. Season generously with salt and pepper and add any other extras from the list above. Use your hands to coat the vegetables thoroughly with the oil and spices. Pop the pan into the oven for 1 hour or longer, bjut check on the vegetables afer 45 minutes. Test them by poking them with a knife. If it meets no resistance, they're finished; if not, let them cook longer. Don't worry: it's not much of a problem if you overcook them. After you pull the vegetables out of the oven, push them around with a spatula to free them from the pan. Remove any garlic cloves and smash them into a fine paste (removing the skins at this point), then put the garlic back in the pan and mix together. Squeeze the juice out of any lemons and discard the woody bits of any cooked herbs (stems if you used fresh). Add a little more butter, a bit of favourite sauce, a little soft cheese or mayonnaise, and serve.
MY RESULTS: I used the following:
3 potatoes ($.40)
1 carrot ($.20)
1 onion ($.17)
1/4 of a cauliflower ($.75)
1/2 of a red pepper ($1.00)
1/2 of a lemon (cost would be about $.25 but it was included in the cost of the Greek Chicken)
These vegetables are delicious. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They melted in your mouth. The cauliflower roasted beautifully and we even ate the lemon. I had cut the lemon half into 4 pieces and roasted them just like they were a vegetables. I think 400F is too hot an oven for this. The Greek Chicken goes in at 350F so I put the chicken in the oven and 15 minutes later, I put the vegetables in as well. They were both done about the same time, ready for dinner.
3 potatoes ($.40)
1 carrot ($.20)
1 onion ($.17)
1/4 of a cauliflower ($.75)
1/2 of a red pepper ($1.00)
1/2 of a lemon (cost would be about $.25 but it was included in the cost of the Greek Chicken)
These vegetables are delicious. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They melted in your mouth. The cauliflower roasted beautifully and we even ate the lemon. I had cut the lemon half into 4 pieces and roasted them just like they were a vegetables. I think 400F is too hot an oven for this. The Greek Chicken goes in at 350F so I put the chicken in the oven and 15 minutes later, I put the vegetables in as well. They were both done about the same time, ready for dinner.
TOTAL: $2.52, $.63 per person for 4 servings
Leanne: There was no costing in the "Good and Cheap" cookbook because she provided a method more than a recipe.
Leanne: There was no costing in the "Good and Cheap" cookbook because she provided a method more than a recipe.
UPCOMING: Leanne has a dessert recipe that looks yummy: Caramelized Bananas. Walmart has Chapman's ice cream on for $2.47 and while this dessert would be nice on its own, I think serving it with ice cream would be even better. I'm going to use up the chicken fillets I save separately when I debone chicken breasts to make chicken satays for dinner and they will be served with Leanne's Peanut Sauce. This past week, cryopacked pork tenderloins were on sale at the Superstore for $2.98/lb. I got two generously sized tenderloins for $8.83 so, the meat for dinner for four at $4.41 is pretty good. I can cook one and have the other loin in the freezer.
Week of April 27, 2015
Chicken Satays with Peanut Sauce - serves 4
20+ chicken fillets (reserved from deboning chicken breasts OR purchased for a lot of money)
1 pig. wooden skewers ($1.00 - any dollar store - not included in total)
1 jalapeño or other chili, minced ($.40) or 2 tbsp. chili paste
3 cloves garlic, minced ($.21)
2 tbsp. onion, minced ($.08)
Splash of oil (maybe 2 tsp - $.06)
1 tsp. turmeric (optional but nice - $.05)
1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk ($.88)
1/2 c. sugarless peanut butter (if using regular pb, omit brown sugar) ($.44)
1 tbsp. brown sugar ($.03)
1 tbsp. soy sauce ($.09)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
Marinade:
1 tbsp. brown sugar ($.03)
5 tbsp. soy sauce ($.45)
3 tbsp. lemon juice ($.30)
1 tsp. coriander ($.07)
1 tsp. cumin ($.07)
1 tsp. ginger ($.07)
Mix marinade ingredients and lay in the chicken fillets. Let them sit on the counter for half an hour or marinate them in the fridge for an hour. Soak the skewers in water for 20-30 minutes to make them less likely to burn.
Finely chop the pepper, garlic and onion, or use a food processor to make them into a paste. Splash some oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Be careful not to put in too much oil because the peanut butter will render its oil as it's heated and you don't want the sauce to be greasy. Once it's warm, add the chili, garlic and onion and sauté until everything's translucent Add the turmeric, coconut milk, and chili paste if applicable. Let it come to a boil, then turn the heat down. Add the peanut butter and soy sauce and stir to combine. Once it's all combined, taste it and add whatever you think it needs - but think about the salt and spice in particular. [There is no mention of the sesame oil in the instructions but it should probably be added when the sauce is off the heat and ready to serve.]
Cover a cookie sheet with foil. Thread the fillets on the skewers in and out so they are secure, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the skewers on the tray. With a second piece of foil, cover the handle ends of the skewers. Broil at 400F for about 10 minutes, turn over each skewer to do the other side and let them go for a couple of minutes more. Serve with Peanut Sauce.
TOTAL: $2.24 for about 2 cups of peanut sauce
Leanne: $3.00 for 1 cup
Chicken Satays with Peanut Sauce - serves 4
20+ chicken fillets (reserved from deboning chicken breasts OR purchased for a lot of money)
1 pig. wooden skewers ($1.00 - any dollar store - not included in total)
1 jalapeño or other chili, minced ($.40) or 2 tbsp. chili paste
3 cloves garlic, minced ($.21)
2 tbsp. onion, minced ($.08)
Splash of oil (maybe 2 tsp - $.06)
1 tsp. turmeric (optional but nice - $.05)
1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk ($.88)
1/2 c. sugarless peanut butter (if using regular pb, omit brown sugar) ($.44)
1 tbsp. brown sugar ($.03)
1 tbsp. soy sauce ($.09)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
Marinade:
1 tbsp. brown sugar ($.03)
5 tbsp. soy sauce ($.45)
3 tbsp. lemon juice ($.30)
1 tsp. coriander ($.07)
1 tsp. cumin ($.07)
1 tsp. ginger ($.07)
Mix marinade ingredients and lay in the chicken fillets. Let them sit on the counter for half an hour or marinate them in the fridge for an hour. Soak the skewers in water for 20-30 minutes to make them less likely to burn.
Finely chop the pepper, garlic and onion, or use a food processor to make them into a paste. Splash some oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Be careful not to put in too much oil because the peanut butter will render its oil as it's heated and you don't want the sauce to be greasy. Once it's warm, add the chili, garlic and onion and sauté until everything's translucent Add the turmeric, coconut milk, and chili paste if applicable. Let it come to a boil, then turn the heat down. Add the peanut butter and soy sauce and stir to combine. Once it's all combined, taste it and add whatever you think it needs - but think about the salt and spice in particular. [There is no mention of the sesame oil in the instructions but it should probably be added when the sauce is off the heat and ready to serve.]
Cover a cookie sheet with foil. Thread the fillets on the skewers in and out so they are secure, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the skewers on the tray. With a second piece of foil, cover the handle ends of the skewers. Broil at 400F for about 10 minutes, turn over each skewer to do the other side and let them go for a couple of minutes more. Serve with Peanut Sauce.
TOTAL: $2.24 for about 2 cups of peanut sauce
Leanne: $3.00 for 1 cup
MY RESULTS: I really like this! I've bought the PC brand peanut sauce before and it's very good - a little on the spicy side but good. This is JUST AS GOOD. I did add the turmeric, used 1 cup of coconut milk, used regular peanut butter so I omitted the brown sugar and didn't bother with the sesame oil. It was peanutty, creamy and delicious. Serve the satays with rice ($.95 for a cup of long grain) into which you have thrown a cup of bright green frozen peas ($.70). The entire meal cost is $4.88 for four servings - $1.22 per person not counting the chicken. My chicken fillets were, essentially, free because I had counted the cost in with the recipe for which I used the chicken breasts. I just save up those little chicken fingers, wrapped in waxed paper in a freezer bag until I have enough for a meal.
|
PORK TENDERLOIN & MUSHROOMS OVER PASTA - serves 4
Adapted from canadianliving.com
1 pork tenderloin ($2.60 sale price)
1/2 lb. any kind of mushroom, sliced (portobellos @ $2.40)
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil ($.10)
1 onion, sliced ($.17)
3 garlic cloves, minced ($.21)
1 tsp. sage ($.08)
1 1/2 cup chicken stock (free homemade or $.75)
2 tbsp. flour + 3 tbsp. cold water
1 - 375g. box of spaghetti
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tbsp. salt and full box of pasta. The rest of this meal will be ready by the time the pasta is cooked.
Cut pork tenderloin into finger-width slices and flatten slightly with the side of a knife. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pan and brown pork on both sides. Do not cook through. Remove pork slices to a plate and keep warm. Add onion, mushrooms, garlic, sage, salt and pepper to pan and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add stock and boil for 2 minutes.
Whisk flour with cold water and slowly add to the stock, stirring constantly until thickened. Return pork to the pan and simmer until pork is cooked.
Drain pasta and pour into a large bowl. Pour pork mixture over top & serve.
TOTAL: Using store-bought stock: $7.46, $1.87 per person for 4 servings
Using homemade stock: $6.71, $1.68 per person for 4 servings
SERVE WITH WEDGE SALAD: Cut 1/2 iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges ($1.00). Top with any vegetable in the fridge or 1 chopped tomato ($.50)l
TOTAL: $1.50, $.38 per person for 4 servings
Adapted from canadianliving.com
1 pork tenderloin ($2.60 sale price)
1/2 lb. any kind of mushroom, sliced (portobellos @ $2.40)
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil ($.10)
1 onion, sliced ($.17)
3 garlic cloves, minced ($.21)
1 tsp. sage ($.08)
1 1/2 cup chicken stock (free homemade or $.75)
2 tbsp. flour + 3 tbsp. cold water
1 - 375g. box of spaghetti
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tbsp. salt and full box of pasta. The rest of this meal will be ready by the time the pasta is cooked.
Cut pork tenderloin into finger-width slices and flatten slightly with the side of a knife. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pan and brown pork on both sides. Do not cook through. Remove pork slices to a plate and keep warm. Add onion, mushrooms, garlic, sage, salt and pepper to pan and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add stock and boil for 2 minutes.
Whisk flour with cold water and slowly add to the stock, stirring constantly until thickened. Return pork to the pan and simmer until pork is cooked.
Drain pasta and pour into a large bowl. Pour pork mixture over top & serve.
TOTAL: Using store-bought stock: $7.46, $1.87 per person for 4 servings
Using homemade stock: $6.71, $1.68 per person for 4 servings
SERVE WITH WEDGE SALAD: Cut 1/2 iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges ($1.00). Top with any vegetable in the fridge or 1 chopped tomato ($.50)l
TOTAL: $1.50, $.38 per person for 4 servings
MY RESULTS: I did buy pork tenderloins at Superstore but then Freshco had them for $3.00/lb. so I bought some of theirs as well. They were two to a cryopack and frozen so I opened the package and cut them cross-wise into two pieces, each one the equivalent of one tenderloin. The package was $5.10 so each one is $2.60. This recipe was made for an article by Beatrice Fantoni which will appear in the Windsor Star and on their website on Wednesday, May 6th. I was so nervous! It turned out pretty well but I would increase the salt and pepper I used and maybe add a little thyme and parsley. When my husband and I ate this for dinner, we agreed it also needed a little more stock to make it more saucy. |
CARAMELIZED BANANAS - serves 2
2 bananas, peeled and split in half ($.49 @ $.57 /lb.)
1 tbsp. butter ($.09)
2 tbsp. brown sugar ($.06)
Melt the butter in a non-stick or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat. Add the sugar and let it melt into the butter for about 2 minutes. Place the bananas face down in the butter-sugar mixture, then cook for 2 minutes or until they become brown and sticky. Carefully flop them over and do the same to the other side. Serve them whole or split them into quarters. Drizzle any caramel left in the pan over the bananas.
Serve with ice cream or on their own.
TOTAL: $.64, $.32 per person for 2 servings
2 bananas, peeled and split in half ($.49 @ $.57 /lb.)
1 tbsp. butter ($.09)
2 tbsp. brown sugar ($.06)
Melt the butter in a non-stick or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat. Add the sugar and let it melt into the butter for about 2 minutes. Place the bananas face down in the butter-sugar mixture, then cook for 2 minutes or until they become brown and sticky. Carefully flop them over and do the same to the other side. Serve them whole or split them into quarters. Drizzle any caramel left in the pan over the bananas.
Serve with ice cream or on their own.
TOTAL: $.64, $.32 per person for 2 servings
Week of May 3rd, 2015
UPCOMING: I may not post any new recipes this week but check out "Other Stuff" for some thoughts on how to make a grocery list. I know that sounds kind of basic but it's really not and it is truly the most important aspect of managing your food budget. I did notice that Superstore has fresh pineapple on for $1.98 and the recipe for Caramelized Bananas can be adapted for pineapple. Fresh pineapple is very different from what comes in a can and if you use half the pineapple (take off the top, cut the pineapple in half and cut off the outside with a sharp knife, remove the core and cut the fruit into wedges) you will have dessert for at least 4 people. Use the other half in a stir fry with sweet and sour sauce (see Recipe page 1). Freshco has whole chickens for $1.88/lb. I bought a couple of the Prime chickens that were on special last week and Sunday's dinner is going to be roasted chicken with lemon, garlic and rosemary - one of my favourite meals.
UPCOMING: I may not post any new recipes this week but check out "Other Stuff" for some thoughts on how to make a grocery list. I know that sounds kind of basic but it's really not and it is truly the most important aspect of managing your food budget. I did notice that Superstore has fresh pineapple on for $1.98 and the recipe for Caramelized Bananas can be adapted for pineapple. Fresh pineapple is very different from what comes in a can and if you use half the pineapple (take off the top, cut the pineapple in half and cut off the outside with a sharp knife, remove the core and cut the fruit into wedges) you will have dessert for at least 4 people. Use the other half in a stir fry with sweet and sour sauce (see Recipe page 1). Freshco has whole chickens for $1.88/lb. I bought a couple of the Prime chickens that were on special last week and Sunday's dinner is going to be roasted chicken with lemon, garlic and rosemary - one of my favourite meals.
Week of May 10, 2015
UPCOMING: Sorry, this is a little late. I'm just back from North Bay where there is a beautiful new granddaughter! This week I'm going to make pearl balls using a pound of ground pork I bought on sale a couple of weeks ago. There are some fun Asian items on sale at Superstore so I think we'll have a Chinese meal. Pork Tenderloin is on sale at M.R. Meat so if you wish to make the recipe that was in The Windsor Star last Wednesday (many thanks to Beatrice Fantoni for getting it right and to Jason Kryk for making me look good), I will repeat the recipe with a minor adjustment to the seasoning. Superstore has nice chicken thighs on sale and I price matched them with Walmart's $1.88/lb. price which made them even nicer. They're in the freezer while I look for a new recipe for them.
UPCOMING: Sorry, this is a little late. I'm just back from North Bay where there is a beautiful new granddaughter! This week I'm going to make pearl balls using a pound of ground pork I bought on sale a couple of weeks ago. There are some fun Asian items on sale at Superstore so I think we'll have a Chinese meal. Pork Tenderloin is on sale at M.R. Meat so if you wish to make the recipe that was in The Windsor Star last Wednesday (many thanks to Beatrice Fantoni for getting it right and to Jason Kryk for making me look good), I will repeat the recipe with a minor adjustment to the seasoning. Superstore has nice chicken thighs on sale and I price matched them with Walmart's $1.88/lb. price which made them even nicer. They're in the freezer while I look for a new recipe for them.
Pearl Balls - serves 4 - about 20 meatballs
1/2 cup short grained rice ($.53)
1 l. ground pork ($2.00)
1 egg, lightly beaten ($.25)
1 tbsp. Soy ($.09)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1 tsp. ginger ($.07)
8 canned water chestnuts, finely chopped - about half a can ($1.29 / 2 = $.64)
2 green onions, finely chopped ($.25)
Soak rice in 1 cup cold water for 1-2 hours. Drain and spread on a paper towel.
Mix pork with other ingredients, not including the rice. Shape 2 tbsp. of mixture into balls. Roll in rice, pressing gently so rice will adhere to meat. Place in steamer over a small amount of water and steam for 30 minutes or a little more.
TOTAL: $3.85 plus vegetable stir fry of whatever is available in the fridge, $.96 per person for 4 servings
1/2 cup short grained rice ($.53)
1 l. ground pork ($2.00)
1 egg, lightly beaten ($.25)
1 tbsp. Soy ($.09)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1 tsp. ginger ($.07)
8 canned water chestnuts, finely chopped - about half a can ($1.29 / 2 = $.64)
2 green onions, finely chopped ($.25)
Soak rice in 1 cup cold water for 1-2 hours. Drain and spread on a paper towel.
Mix pork with other ingredients, not including the rice. Shape 2 tbsp. of mixture into balls. Roll in rice, pressing gently so rice will adhere to meat. Place in steamer over a small amount of water and steam for 30 minutes or a little more.
TOTAL: $3.85 plus vegetable stir fry of whatever is available in the fridge, $.96 per person for 4 servings
Before steaming
|
After steaming
|
MY RESULTS: I hadn't made these in a quite while and had forgotten how good they are. You get the flavor of the pork with a hint of ginger and the crunch of the water chestnuts. They look really cool after they have steamed and I'm sure the kids would get a kick out of rolling the meatballs in the rice. I made a stir fry of celery, carrot, onion, a piece of broccoli and a little bit of cauliflower that I salvaged from the back of the crisper. It made a great accompaniment to the pearl balls and you don't need to cook extra rice unless you want it. As well, because there were Asian food items on sale, I picked up a package of pork & watercress dumplings for $1.98 and served them with soy sauce.
|
UPCOMING: I found a couple of great recipes using the chicken thighs I bought last week. The Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes is a meal in one dish except for your vegetable or a side salad and it's delicious! I also found one called Sweet Hot Mustard Chicken so we're going to try that one too. Bulk Barn has a flyer this week and it has a $3 coupon, just in case you need to replenish your spices, rice, etc.
Week of May 18th, 2015
Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes - Serves 4-6
Adapted from www.simplyrecipes.com
Vinaigrette
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar or white vinegar ($.04)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
1-2 tsp. Dijon mustard ($.10 for 2)
1 tsp. herbs de province ($.08) or Italian seasoning or dried thyme ($.07)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt ($.01)
1/2 tsp. ground pepper ($.09)
Chicken
2 lb. chicken thighs (8), bone in, skin on but trimmed (at last week's sale price of $1.88/lb. = $3.76 or $.54 each thigh)
1 tsp. kosher salt ($.01)
1 tsp. olive oil ($.03)
3 large Yukon gold or yellow flesh potatoes, about 1 1/2 lb. ($.60) peeled
1 cup peeled and sliced shallots or thinly sliced onion soaked in water for 10 minutes ($.17)
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled ($.28 for 3)
Sprigs of fresh tarragon or thyme (optional)
More salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 375F. Combine all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette and set aside. Slice the potatoes as thinly as you possibly can but not more than 1/8" thick (thinner is better). Put the teaspoon of olive oil in a baking dish that is large enough to hold the thighs. Spread it to coat the bottom of the dish, adding more if necessary.
Layer the potato slices on the bottom of the dish, sprinkled with salt and pepper. The next layer is the onion, sprinkled again with a little salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with kosher salt and place on top of the onion layer, skin side up. Smash the garlic cloves and tuck the pieces here and there among the thighs. Give the vinaigrette a stir and pour it over the thighs. Spread it with your fingers to make sure the chicken is completely covered. Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes or until thighs are done. If potatoes aren't cooked, remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm and pop the potatoes back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes. If everything is cooked, let it rest a few minutes before serving.
TOTAL: $5.27, $1.32 per person for 4 servings
Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes - Serves 4-6
Adapted from www.simplyrecipes.com
Vinaigrette
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar or white vinegar ($.04)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
1-2 tsp. Dijon mustard ($.10 for 2)
1 tsp. herbs de province ($.08) or Italian seasoning or dried thyme ($.07)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt ($.01)
1/2 tsp. ground pepper ($.09)
Chicken
2 lb. chicken thighs (8), bone in, skin on but trimmed (at last week's sale price of $1.88/lb. = $3.76 or $.54 each thigh)
1 tsp. kosher salt ($.01)
1 tsp. olive oil ($.03)
3 large Yukon gold or yellow flesh potatoes, about 1 1/2 lb. ($.60) peeled
1 cup peeled and sliced shallots or thinly sliced onion soaked in water for 10 minutes ($.17)
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled ($.28 for 3)
Sprigs of fresh tarragon or thyme (optional)
More salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 375F. Combine all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette and set aside. Slice the potatoes as thinly as you possibly can but not more than 1/8" thick (thinner is better). Put the teaspoon of olive oil in a baking dish that is large enough to hold the thighs. Spread it to coat the bottom of the dish, adding more if necessary.
Layer the potato slices on the bottom of the dish, sprinkled with salt and pepper. The next layer is the onion, sprinkled again with a little salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with kosher salt and place on top of the onion layer, skin side up. Smash the garlic cloves and tuck the pieces here and there among the thighs. Give the vinaigrette a stir and pour it over the thighs. Spread it with your fingers to make sure the chicken is completely covered. Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes or until thighs are done. If potatoes aren't cooked, remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm and pop the potatoes back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes. If everything is cooked, let it rest a few minutes before serving.
TOTAL: $5.27, $1.32 per person for 4 servings
MY RESULTS: You have to make this dish, if only for the pure pleasure of how your kitchen will smell while this is baking! I kept finding excuses to go through the kitchen just to savour the aroma. I made several adjustments to the recipe. Not everyone has red wine vinegar so I made 6 thighs with the red wine vinaigrette and did 2 in a separate dish using regular white vinegar - we couldn't tell the difference. I sliced one regular cooking onion and soaked it in water for 10 minutes instead of incurring the cost of shallots and it worked just fine. I did put sprigs of tarragon around the edge of the dish just because I have it in my garden and it's one of the first plants to announce the arrival of spring. It was a very good addition but it's entirely optional. If you cook 1 cup of frozen peas ($.70), it will makes this a full meal for $1.49 per person. I can't tell you how good this dish is. You'll just have to try it!
The top picture is before they went into the oven, the bottom is before the chicken disappeared! |
UPCOMING: Superstore has chicken thighs and drumsticks on for $1.88/lb. They also have cryopaks of side ribs for the same price so I'm going to pick up a package of both. Butter (Neilson or Gay Lea) is on at Zehrs for $2.99 which is the most I will EVER pay for a pound of butter. Butter freezes really well and it's a natural product (vs margarine). I'm going to my granddaughter's soccer game on Saturday so I'll stop at Zehr's and pick up a couple of pounds just in case the brand the Superstore has isn't one of the ones on sale. I might not be able to price match if it isn't. I found a few more interesting recipes for chicken thighs. Food Basics has 2 lb. rolls of lean ground beef for $5.98 per roll ($2.99/lb.) so I will see what I can find that uses ground beef.
NOTE: If you pick up the side ribs from Superstore, there is that funny piece they always package with it. BEFORE you freeze the ribs, take out that piece and cut off all of the meat for a pork stir fry. It's like a free meal but I'm going to allow $1.00 of the cost of the package to that piece i.e., if the package was $7.85, the rib dinner will be costed out at $6.85 for meat and the other $1 attributed to a pork stir fry. BTW, Freshco has Brussels sprouts on for $2/1b but they're awful. AND, there is a Tropicana Watermelon 'beverage' on for $1.99 at Food Basics - check out the label: 1 cup of the drink has 24 g. of sugar!
NOTE: If you pick up the side ribs from Superstore, there is that funny piece they always package with it. BEFORE you freeze the ribs, take out that piece and cut off all of the meat for a pork stir fry. It's like a free meal but I'm going to allow $1.00 of the cost of the package to that piece i.e., if the package was $7.85, the rib dinner will be costed out at $6.85 for meat and the other $1 attributed to a pork stir fry. BTW, Freshco has Brussels sprouts on for $2/1b but they're awful. AND, there is a Tropicana Watermelon 'beverage' on for $1.99 at Food Basics - check out the label: 1 cup of the drink has 24 g. of sugar!
Sweet Hot Mustard Chicken - serves 4
Adapted from allrecipes.com, recipe by Chef John
8 chicken thighs ($3.76 - 2 lb. @ $1.88)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard ($1.13)
1/4 cup brown sugar ($.12)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar ($.09) (and this time I actually used the red wine vinegar)
1 tsp. dry mustard powder ($.05)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1 tsp. pepper ($.17)
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder ($.15)
1 pinch of cayenne ($.01)
4 cloves of garlic, minced ($.28)
1 onion, peeled and sliced into rings ($.17)
2 tsp. oil ($.06)
Make 2 slashes crosswise into the skin and meat of each chicken thigh with a sharp knife, cutting to the bone. Cuts should be about 1" apart. Transfer thighs into a heavy repeatable plastic bag.
Whisk Dijon mustard, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, ground chipotle pepper, and cayenne pepper In a bowl until smooth. Whisk garlic into marinade. Pour marinade into bag over chicken thighs and massage marinade into chicken, coating each thigh thoroughly and working the marinade into the cuts. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight for best flavor).
Move a rack to the centre position in the oven. Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil the foil. Scatter onion rings onto prepared baking sheet. Place chicken thighs on top of onion rings. Spray or brush thighs with vegetable oil; sprinkle thighs with additional salt and cayenne pepper if desired.
Roast chicken in preheated oven until the skin is browned, meat is tender, and the juices run clear, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer chicken and onions onto a serving platter & cover. Pour pan drippings into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and continue boiling, stirring often, until drippings are reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Skim excess fat from pan sauce. Spoon reduced pan sauce over each chicken thigh and serve.
TOTAL: $6.00, $1.50 per person for 4 servings. Add mashed potatoes (3 potatoes ($.60), milk ($.04), butter ($.10): $.74) and 1 cup of frozen peas ($.70) for a complete meal: $7.44, $1.86 per person for 4 servings.
Adapted from allrecipes.com, recipe by Chef John
8 chicken thighs ($3.76 - 2 lb. @ $1.88)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard ($1.13)
1/4 cup brown sugar ($.12)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar ($.09) (and this time I actually used the red wine vinegar)
1 tsp. dry mustard powder ($.05)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1 tsp. pepper ($.17)
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder ($.15)
1 pinch of cayenne ($.01)
4 cloves of garlic, minced ($.28)
1 onion, peeled and sliced into rings ($.17)
2 tsp. oil ($.06)
Make 2 slashes crosswise into the skin and meat of each chicken thigh with a sharp knife, cutting to the bone. Cuts should be about 1" apart. Transfer thighs into a heavy repeatable plastic bag.
Whisk Dijon mustard, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, mustard powder, salt, black pepper, ground chipotle pepper, and cayenne pepper In a bowl until smooth. Whisk garlic into marinade. Pour marinade into bag over chicken thighs and massage marinade into chicken, coating each thigh thoroughly and working the marinade into the cuts. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight for best flavor).
Move a rack to the centre position in the oven. Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil the foil. Scatter onion rings onto prepared baking sheet. Place chicken thighs on top of onion rings. Spray or brush thighs with vegetable oil; sprinkle thighs with additional salt and cayenne pepper if desired.
Roast chicken in preheated oven until the skin is browned, meat is tender, and the juices run clear, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer chicken and onions onto a serving platter & cover. Pour pan drippings into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and continue boiling, stirring often, until drippings are reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Skim excess fat from pan sauce. Spoon reduced pan sauce over each chicken thigh and serve.
TOTAL: $6.00, $1.50 per person for 4 servings. Add mashed potatoes (3 potatoes ($.60), milk ($.04), butter ($.10): $.74) and 1 cup of frozen peas ($.70) for a complete meal: $7.44, $1.86 per person for 4 servings.
MY RESULTS: This was pretty good. I left out the cayenne because I'm not terribly familiar with chipotle and was afraid of making the dish too spicy. It had a very little bit of heat that was quite nice so you can judge from there whether you want to include the cayenne or not. There were no pan juices when my chicken was done, however. I had reserved a small amount of the marinade so I was able to boil that for my sauce and it was really good. I'm not sure why I had no pan juices but it didn't seem to matter too much and I was able to leave the grease from the chicken in the pan, no skimming required. I would definitely make this again.
|
Slow Cooked Ribs with Beans and Corn Salad - serves 4
Rub for the side ribs: www.instructables.com by jessyratfink 1 tbsp. chili powder ($.18) 1 tbsp. cumin ($.11) 1 1/2 tsp. coriander ($.11) 1 1/2 tsp, kosher salt ($.01) 1 1/2 tsp. paprika ($.10) 1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar ($.02) |
3/4 tsp. black pepper ($.12) 1/8 tsp. cayenne ($.01) 1/4 tsp. mustard powder ($.02) 1/4 tsp. garlic powder ($.69) Mix together in a small bowl. TOTAL: $.69 but you will only use half. |
Barbeque Sauce
Adapted from thekitchn.com 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil ($.05) 1/4 of a medium onion (red onion, if available) ($.08) 1 tsp. garlic powder ($.06) 1 tbsp. tomato paste (approx. $.20) 1/2 tsp. cumin ($.03) 1 cup tomato sauce ($.50 based on a large can at $1.49) 2 tbsp. brown sugar ($.06) 1 tbsp. Cider vinegar ($.02 for white vinegar) 2 tsp. Dijon mustard ($.10) |
1 tsp. salt ($.01) 1/2 tsp. cayenne ($.03) Mince onion and cook in the olive oil on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Lower the heat and add the tomato paste and cumin. Stir and cook the paste for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer 5-10 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Blend until fairly smooth, adding water if necessary. This will keep in the fridge for 1 weeks or you can freeze it for 3 months. TOTAL: $.93 for 1 1/3 cups of sauce but you will only use half. |
Lay 1 strip of side ribs, bone side up, on the counter. Using the tip of a knife, separate the membrane from the bone and grab it with a dry paper towel. Pull the membrane down the length of the strip of ribs and remove it. This step isn't essential but it allows any excess fat to cook out of the back of the ribs and allows the flavors in the spice rub to penetrate the meat much better. Work half of the spice rub into the meat on both sides of the strip.
Cover a baking tray with tin foil (unless you don't mind scrubbing the pan afterwards) and put whatever kind of cooling rack you have on top. This will raise the ribs up off the pan enough to allow the heat to move underneath and cook them evenly. Lay the strip, meaty side up, on top of the cooling racks. At this point you can return the ribs to the fridge for cooking later in the day or you can put them in the oven at 300F for 3 hours.
When the ribs have been cooking for 2 1/2 hours, baste them with half of the homemade barbeque sauce and cover them with a piece of tin foil. At the 3 hour mark, remove from the oven and slice into individual ribs and serve. Alternately, at the 2 1/2 hour mark you can remove them from the oven, cut them into individual ribs and baste them with the sauce. Then return them to the oven for the last half hour, covered with foil to keep them moist.
Cover a baking tray with tin foil (unless you don't mind scrubbing the pan afterwards) and put whatever kind of cooling rack you have on top. This will raise the ribs up off the pan enough to allow the heat to move underneath and cook them evenly. Lay the strip, meaty side up, on top of the cooling racks. At this point you can return the ribs to the fridge for cooking later in the day or you can put them in the oven at 300F for 3 hours.
When the ribs have been cooking for 2 1/2 hours, baste them with half of the homemade barbeque sauce and cover them with a piece of tin foil. At the 3 hour mark, remove from the oven and slice into individual ribs and serve. Alternately, at the 2 1/2 hour mark you can remove them from the oven, cut them into individual ribs and baste them with the sauce. Then return them to the oven for the last half hour, covered with foil to keep them moist.
Corn Salad - serves 4
An amalgamation of several recipes
2 cups of frozen corn, thawed ($1.00)
1 green onion, sliced ($.17)
1" of red pepper, chopped (@ $2.50 for 4 peppers - 1/4 of 1 pepper $.16)
Anything else in the fridge you might like: 1" cucumber chopped, 1 or 2 stalks of asparagus (blanched and chopped), radishes, whatever....
Dressing:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp. lime juice (1 fresh lime ($.35))
1/2 tsp. garlic powder ($.03)
1 tsp. basil ($.07)
1/4 tsp. cumin ($.04) TOTAL: $1.33 for salad + $.58 for dressing = $1.91
Thaw the corn and drain it well. Put a dribble of oil or a small dab of butter in a frying pan and sauté the corn, stirring it as it warms and 'toasts'. Taste a kernel and if it is tender but still crisp, remove the pan from heat and set aside. Mix the dressing ingredients and combine the corn, onion, pepper, extra veggies if you have them, with the dressing. Chill.
An amalgamation of several recipes
2 cups of frozen corn, thawed ($1.00)
1 green onion, sliced ($.17)
1" of red pepper, chopped (@ $2.50 for 4 peppers - 1/4 of 1 pepper $.16)
Anything else in the fridge you might like: 1" cucumber chopped, 1 or 2 stalks of asparagus (blanched and chopped), radishes, whatever....
Dressing:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp. lime juice (1 fresh lime ($.35))
1/2 tsp. garlic powder ($.03)
1 tsp. basil ($.07)
1/4 tsp. cumin ($.04) TOTAL: $1.33 for salad + $.58 for dressing = $1.91
Thaw the corn and drain it well. Put a dribble of oil or a small dab of butter in a frying pan and sauté the corn, stirring it as it warms and 'toasts'. Taste a kernel and if it is tender but still crisp, remove the pan from heat and set aside. Mix the dressing ingredients and combine the corn, onion, pepper, extra veggies if you have them, with the dressing. Chill.
MY RESULTS: I looked forward to this dinner all week! Ribs is kind of a fancy meal for mid-week so I saved it for Friday night. Because the ribs have to cook so long (and they really do) this would be a great dinner for the weekend. I get to do these things on a Friday because I'm retired.
The ribs were tender and flavorful. The strip had 13 ribs which is not an overly generous serving when divided by 4 but enough. The corn salad is really good and who doesn't like ribs and corn together? This summer, when the local corn is available, I'll make the salad again or just have corn on the cob with the ribs. Yum! One can of No Name baked beans was $.75 on sale this past week. One 10 oz. can isn't enough so you will probably need 2 cans to serve 4 people. If you could find a 14 oz. can for less than $1.50 it would improve the overall cost of the meal. I'm going to use the remaining spice rub and sauce on chicken thighs next week. I'll let you know how they turn out. |
TOTAL: Ribs @ $1.88/lb. minus $1.50 for the back piece from which the meat has been removed for a pork stir fry: $6.35+ $.35 for half the rub + $.47 for half the sauce = $7.17, 2 cans of baked beans = $1.50. Corn salad = $1.91
GRAND TOTAL: $10.58, $2.65 per person for 4 servings.
GRAND TOTAL: $10.58, $2.65 per person for 4 servings.
UPCOMING: Porcupine Balls using 1 lb. of the ground beef I bought at Food Basics for $2.99/lb. and Sausage Stuffed Potatoes which I saw on the Stefano Faita TV show this week. And maybe a Slow Cooker Sloppy Joe recipe. Both the Sloppy Joes and the Porcupine Balls use a can of tomato soup.