UPCOMING: I spent a lot of time last week setting myself up on Facebook. The only 'recipe' was the beginning of a section on how to start putting food away for the winter. Check out how to freeze fresh strawberries and by the end of the week there will be a piece on freezing niblet corn from fresh cobs. The recipes this week will be for a frittata (eggs were on for $2.99 or even $2.29 if you live near a Shopper's Drug Mart). We're also going to try a Steak Caesar Salad. This will be an experiment in costing. I picked up a 1 lb. NY strip steak at M.R. Meat ($6.99/lb.) and I want to see how far it will stretch using romaine lettuce at $1.49 and I bought a couple of Caesar dressings to taste and compare to the cost of making my own dressing. If it will feed 4, it will still be a bit higher than usual but it could be a special occasion meal, Beef is ridiculously expensive these days.
Week of July 19, 2015
Vegetable Frittata - serves 4
Adapted from Emeril Largesse's Vegetable Frittata
www.foodnetwork.com
6 eggs (1 1/2 eggs per person) ($1.25)
3/4 cup Gouda or Fontana cheese, shredded - about 2 oz. ($.63 for Gouda on sale at $4.44/400g)
2 tbsp. milk ($.04)
1/4 tsp. salt ($.01)
1/8 tsp. pepper ($.04)
1 tbsp. butter ($.09)
3 large fresh mushrooms, sliced ($.72)
1 small zucchini ($.37)
1/4 of a red pepper, chopped ($.25)
2 green onions, sliced ($.20)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder ($.02)
1/2 tsp. thyme ($04)
1 tsp. parsley ($.11)
Beat eggs, half of the cheese, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl. Over medium heat, in a frying pan that can also go into the oven, melt butter and sauté the mushrooms and zucchini for about 5-6 minutes. Add red pepper and onions, sprinkling with garlic, thyme and half of the parsley. Cook, stirring until mushrooms start to brown. Distribute vegetables evenly around the pan and pour the egg mixture on top. Let sit, cooking until the edges of the egg mixture are set and start to show that they are cooked (about 3-4 minutes). Preheat the broiler in your oven with the rack about 5 inches from the heat. Remove the pan from the burner and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. The frittata, at this point, is not fully cooked on top. Put the pan under the broiler until the eggs are cooked and the cheese starts to turn golden about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it because it can cook quite quickly! Slice into 4 and serve with crusty rolls.
TOTAL: $3.77, $.94 per person for 4 servings, plus 1 crusty roll per person @ $.55 with butter at $.09 = $1.58 per person
Vegetable Frittata - serves 4
Adapted from Emeril Largesse's Vegetable Frittata
www.foodnetwork.com
6 eggs (1 1/2 eggs per person) ($1.25)
3/4 cup Gouda or Fontana cheese, shredded - about 2 oz. ($.63 for Gouda on sale at $4.44/400g)
2 tbsp. milk ($.04)
1/4 tsp. salt ($.01)
1/8 tsp. pepper ($.04)
1 tbsp. butter ($.09)
3 large fresh mushrooms, sliced ($.72)
1 small zucchini ($.37)
1/4 of a red pepper, chopped ($.25)
2 green onions, sliced ($.20)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder ($.02)
1/2 tsp. thyme ($04)
1 tsp. parsley ($.11)
Beat eggs, half of the cheese, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl. Over medium heat, in a frying pan that can also go into the oven, melt butter and sauté the mushrooms and zucchini for about 5-6 minutes. Add red pepper and onions, sprinkling with garlic, thyme and half of the parsley. Cook, stirring until mushrooms start to brown. Distribute vegetables evenly around the pan and pour the egg mixture on top. Let sit, cooking until the edges of the egg mixture are set and start to show that they are cooked (about 3-4 minutes). Preheat the broiler in your oven with the rack about 5 inches from the heat. Remove the pan from the burner and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. The frittata, at this point, is not fully cooked on top. Put the pan under the broiler until the eggs are cooked and the cheese starts to turn golden about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it because it can cook quite quickly! Slice into 4 and serve with crusty rolls.
TOTAL: $3.77, $.94 per person for 4 servings, plus 1 crusty roll per person @ $.55 with butter at $.09 = $1.58 per person
MY RESULTS: This is pretty good. It's not, perhaps, filling enough to be dinner but it would be a great brunch/lunch. If you don't over cook them, the vegetables will still have some bite to them and be quite satisfying. I used Gouda cheese because I bought a 400 g. bar when they were on sale last. My frittata had a little more cheese in it than the recipe called for because I had 3 oz. of cheese left and it didn't make sense to save it. You can change the vegetables, of course, to use up whatever in is in the fridge. I think broccoli would work well, as would regular onion, etc.
Check out the "Other Stuff" page to see the experiment in freezing niblet corn. We will test the results next week and that will determine how I freeze fresh corn from now on. |
Steak Caesar Salad - serves 4
1 - 1 lb. NY strip steak cut thick ($6.99 sale price at M.R. Meat)
1 head of romaine lettuce ($1.49)
Croutons made from 1 slice of bread ($.12)
A little oil or butter for the croutons ($.03)
1 - 1 lb. NY strip steak cut thick ($6.99 sale price at M.R. Meat)
1 head of romaine lettuce ($1.49)
Croutons made from 1 slice of bread ($.12)
A little oil or butter for the croutons ($.03)
Dressing #1
1 clove garlic, minced ($.07) 1 tbsp. lemon juice ($.04) 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard ($.03) 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce ($.01) 1/2 cup mayonnaise ($.57) 1/4 cup grated parmesan ($.43) Salt and Pepper TOTAL: $1.15 to cover salad for 4 |
Dressing #2
1/4 cup olive oil ($.40) 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard ($.03) 1/2 tsp. sugar ($.01) 1 tbsp. white wine (or regular) vinegar ($.02) 1 clove garlic, minced ($.07) 1 tbsp. lemon juice ($.04 from a bottle) 1/4 cup grated parmesan ($.43) TOTAL: $1.00 to cover salad for 4 |
Wash the lettuce well and dry it. Tear the lettuce into a salad bowl. Make croutons (brush bread with a little oil or melted butter, cut into cubes and either fry in a pan or toast under the broiler).
Drizzle the steak with a bit of oil and season it with salt and pepper or sprinkle with whatever spices you like (garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, etc.). Grill the steak if you have a BBQ or pan fry it. If you are pan frying, put the steak in a hot pan and leave it until the juices come to the top of the meat. Flip the steak and when the juices come to the top again, the steak should be about medium. Remove steak to a plate, cover and let sit for a few minutes to rest and when the steak is sliced it will be about medium-well.
While the steak is resting, mix dressing of preference and toss with lettuce and croutons. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Cut the steak into very thin slices and lay them across the salad. Serve with a roll.
TOTAL: $8.63 plus dressing #1 = $9.78 ($2.44 per serving for 4) OR
$8.63 plus dressing #2 = $9.63 ($2.41 per serving for 4) OR
Using bottled dressing @ $1.59: $8.63 plus $.80 = $9.43 ($2.36 per person for 4)
Drizzle the steak with a bit of oil and season it with salt and pepper or sprinkle with whatever spices you like (garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, etc.). Grill the steak if you have a BBQ or pan fry it. If you are pan frying, put the steak in a hot pan and leave it until the juices come to the top of the meat. Flip the steak and when the juices come to the top again, the steak should be about medium. Remove steak to a plate, cover and let sit for a few minutes to rest and when the steak is sliced it will be about medium-well.
While the steak is resting, mix dressing of preference and toss with lettuce and croutons. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Cut the steak into very thin slices and lay them across the salad. Serve with a roll.
TOTAL: $8.63 plus dressing #1 = $9.78 ($2.44 per serving for 4) OR
$8.63 plus dressing #2 = $9.63 ($2.41 per serving for 4) OR
Using bottled dressing @ $1.59: $8.63 plus $.80 = $9.43 ($2.36 per person for 4)
MY RESULTS: I wanted to try this because beef is such a treat these days and $6.99 for a NY strip is relatively reasonable. This actually worked out better than I expected it to, cost wise. My steak was just a smidge under a pound and we got 22 slices from it. I made dressing #1 which is a mayo based recipe and it was very tasty. Dressing #2 is one a friend made and if you're not using meat to supplement the salad, toss in a couple of hard boiled eggs (and a couple of crisply cooked bacon strips) and this salad is really good. I didn't make that one because I already know how good it is! A lot of Caesar dressings call for raw egg but most people are shying away from that. The bottled dressings are the least expensive way to go, which was surprising I thought. I really expected homemade to be cheaper. You would use about half a bottle to dress a dinner salad for 4 so you would have enough left to make the meal again and perhaps use left over cooked chicken instead of steak. Chicken Caesars are really good too.
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UPCOMING: The last package of chicken thighs I bought broke down to about $.93 each. I found a recipe for Mellow Spiced Chicken with Chickpeas. It's served in a bowl and I'm thinking this might be more of a hearty fall dish but it looks good so we'll try it now. I'm going to use 6 chicken thighs because, while some of them were kind of small, some were a good size and one per person might be acceptable in this dish. We'll see.
Week of July 26, 2015
Week of July 26, 2015
Skillet Rosemary Thighs - serves 4
Adapted from simplyrecipes.com
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced OR 1 tbsp. dry rosemary ($.18)
Zest of 1 lemon ($.60 includes price of juice)
2 cloves of garlic ($.14)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1/4 tsp. pepper ($.04)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
2 tbsp. lemon juice (included in price of zest)
2-2 1/2 lb. chicken thighs, skin on & bone in - about 6 ($5.58 @ $.93)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
2 cloves of garlic ($.14)
Side dish: 1 potato per person or 3 large potatoes(3 x $.20 = $.60)
1 onion cut into thin wedges ($.17)
2 carrots, cut into 1/2" slices ($.40)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
1 tsp. rosemary ($.06)
1 tsp. oregano ($.08)
Salt & pepper
If the plan is to marinate the chicken thighs at room temperature for 1 hour vs in the fridge for longer, start the side dish. Heat oven to 350F. Peel and cube potatoes into 1" pieces. Put potato pieces, onion wedges and carrot slices into a baking dish, sprinkle with 1 tbsp. olive oil, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in the oven while chicken is marinating.
Mix finely minced rosemary, zest, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and whisk well. Place the thighs in a non-reactive bowl and rub the thighs all over with the rosemary mixture. Arrange them skin side down and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour (in which case you have already started the vegetables) or chill several hours/overnight, removing about 1 hour before cooking to allow them to come to room temperature (in which case you will start the vegetables when the chicken comes out of the fridge).
Over medium to high heat, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a cast iron frying pan (or whatever pan you have that can go on top of the stove and then into the oven) that is just big enough to hold the thighs. As soon as the oil is shimmery hot, dry the thighs with a paper towel and place skin side down in the pan . Sear for 3-5 minutes, without moving them, until the skin has browned. Remove the pan from the element and turn the thighs over so the browned skin side is up. Tuck the remaining cloves of garlic in between the thighs and place the pan into the oven, taking the opportunity to stir the vegetables. Roast at 350F for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the internal temperature is 175F. BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU REMOVE THE PAN. Tie a tea towel around the handle to remind you that the handle is HOT.
Serve with the roasted vegetables.
Adapted from simplyrecipes.com
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced OR 1 tbsp. dry rosemary ($.18)
Zest of 1 lemon ($.60 includes price of juice)
2 cloves of garlic ($.14)
1 tsp. salt ($.01)
1/4 tsp. pepper ($.04)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
2 tbsp. lemon juice (included in price of zest)
2-2 1/2 lb. chicken thighs, skin on & bone in - about 6 ($5.58 @ $.93)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
2 cloves of garlic ($.14)
Side dish: 1 potato per person or 3 large potatoes(3 x $.20 = $.60)
1 onion cut into thin wedges ($.17)
2 carrots, cut into 1/2" slices ($.40)
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
1 tsp. rosemary ($.06)
1 tsp. oregano ($.08)
Salt & pepper
If the plan is to marinate the chicken thighs at room temperature for 1 hour vs in the fridge for longer, start the side dish. Heat oven to 350F. Peel and cube potatoes into 1" pieces. Put potato pieces, onion wedges and carrot slices into a baking dish, sprinkle with 1 tbsp. olive oil, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in the oven while chicken is marinating.
Mix finely minced rosemary, zest, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and whisk well. Place the thighs in a non-reactive bowl and rub the thighs all over with the rosemary mixture. Arrange them skin side down and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour (in which case you have already started the vegetables) or chill several hours/overnight, removing about 1 hour before cooking to allow them to come to room temperature (in which case you will start the vegetables when the chicken comes out of the fridge).
Over medium to high heat, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a cast iron frying pan (or whatever pan you have that can go on top of the stove and then into the oven) that is just big enough to hold the thighs. As soon as the oil is shimmery hot, dry the thighs with a paper towel and place skin side down in the pan . Sear for 3-5 minutes, without moving them, until the skin has browned. Remove the pan from the element and turn the thighs over so the browned skin side is up. Tuck the remaining cloves of garlic in between the thighs and place the pan into the oven, taking the opportunity to stir the vegetables. Roast at 350F for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the internal temperature is 175F. BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU REMOVE THE PAN. Tie a tea towel around the handle to remind you that the handle is HOT.
Serve with the roasted vegetables.
TOTAL: Chicken thighs ($6.89), Roasted vegetables ($1.21) = $8.10 for 4 servings, $2.03 per person
MY RESULTS: This is very good. As grocery prices have increased, it's getting more difficult to keep the complete meal price under $2 but this is close. As you can see in the picture, I used peas instead of roasting carrots. My carrots weren't very nice so I opted for the peas but that was a bit more expensive. And frankly, roasted carrots are delicious and would have been my first choice.
I'm not kidding when I say to be careful with the pan once you have removed it from the oven. Both my husband and I have burned our hands because we forgot the frying pan handle was just as hot as the rest of it. Do something to remind yourself, such as tying a tea towel around the handle or putting the oven mitt right over the handle. I still want to try the Mellow Spiced Chicken and Chickpeas but it prices out a little higher than I would like. I want to play with it and see if I can get it under $2 per person. I'll get back to you about this one! |
UPCOMING: I don't know what happened to this paragraph! I posted it Monday morning, before I did groceries but just discovered it didn't appear on the site. Pork Tenderloin is on sale at Freshco for $2.77/lb. which is pretty good. However, they come 2 to a package and they are frozen so you have to thaw them both. So, I'm going to do two recipes: Five-Spice Pork Tenderloin and Pork & Zucchini Scallopines. You can make one and keep the other tenderloin in the fridge for a day (or two at the most) or make both recipes and freeze one. For the Five-Spice dish, I will be using different vegetables than the recipe actually calls for because pea pods are too expensive. Also, you have to buy one orange ($.74) because you need 1/2 tsp. of orange zest. I'm not sure how to cost that because you will have a perfectly edible orange with a bald spot when you are done. Gotta think about that....
Week of August 2, 2015 (August already!)
Five-Spice Pork Tenderloin - serves 4
Adapted from www.houseandhome.msn.com (2003)
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce ($.44)
1 garlic clove, minced ($.07)
1/2 tsp. five-spice ($.04)
1 pork tenderloin ($3.98 @ $2.77/lb.)
1/2 lb. green beans ($1.00)
1/2 onion cut into thin wedges ($.17)
1/2 cup red pepper cut into strips (about 1/2 pepper - $.75)
1/2 tsp. orange zest ($.01)
1 tbsp. brown sugar ($.03)
1 cup long grain rice ($.95)
Five-Spice Pork Tenderloin - serves 4
Adapted from www.houseandhome.msn.com (2003)
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce ($.44)
1 garlic clove, minced ($.07)
1/2 tsp. five-spice ($.04)
1 pork tenderloin ($3.98 @ $2.77/lb.)
1/2 lb. green beans ($1.00)
1/2 onion cut into thin wedges ($.17)
1/2 cup red pepper cut into strips (about 1/2 pepper - $.75)
1/2 tsp. orange zest ($.01)
1 tbsp. brown sugar ($.03)
1 cup long grain rice ($.95)
Mix teriyaki sauce, garlic and five-spice and pour over pork tenderloin in a resealable plastic bag or in a casserole dish. Refrigerate 2-8 hours, turning occasionally. In the meantime, tear off a piece of tin foil large enough to hold the vegetables on one half of the sheet. Place vegetables, zest and brown sugar on one half of the foil, fold the other half over and seal the edges to make a packet, leaving enough room for steam to expand.
Remove the pork tenderloin from the bag, reserving the marinade. If you have a BBQ, heat it to medium and grill the pork for 30-35 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 155F), basting with the reserved marinade every 5 minutes, stopping about 5 minutes before the meat is cooked. Put the vegetable package on the grill for the last 15 minutes of the grilling time. The vegetables will take about 25 minutes altogether.
If you are cooking this in the oven, heat the oven to 375F and follow the rest of the instructions. When the meat has reached an internal temperature of 155F remove to a plate and cover. Let is rest 5-10 minutes. By the time the pork has rested and been sliced, the vegetables will be done. Serve with rice.
TOTAL: $7.44, $1.86 per person for 4 servings
Remove the pork tenderloin from the bag, reserving the marinade. If you have a BBQ, heat it to medium and grill the pork for 30-35 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 155F), basting with the reserved marinade every 5 minutes, stopping about 5 minutes before the meat is cooked. Put the vegetable package on the grill for the last 15 minutes of the grilling time. The vegetables will take about 25 minutes altogether.
If you are cooking this in the oven, heat the oven to 375F and follow the rest of the instructions. When the meat has reached an internal temperature of 155F remove to a plate and cover. Let is rest 5-10 minutes. By the time the pork has rested and been sliced, the vegetables will be done. Serve with rice.
TOTAL: $7.44, $1.86 per person for 4 servings
MY RESULTS: Okay, to be honest, this dish was WAY better than I thought it would be. As you can see by the date at the end of the source link, I've had this one in my "Recipes To Try" binder for a really long time. I wish I'd made it before, especially the vegetables! The pork was tender and flavourful and the orange zest and brown sugar were a delicious addition to the vegetables. You certainly don't have to buy the pea pods the recipe called for or even use green beans. Any vegetable you have in the fridge will work but definitely put in the onion, The wedges took on the flavours really well and might have been my favourite part!
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I did cook it on the BBQ but it would work just as well in the oven. The pork picks up a dark colour from the marinade and really needs to be basted to prevent it from drying out. The original recipe called for this amount of marinade to do 2 pork tenderloins and it wouldn't have been enough. I made the full amount and ran out just as there was about 5 minutes left on the cooking time. You don't want to be basting at the very end anyway because the marinade had raw meat in it so you need to stop when there is about 5 minutes left. I couldn't believe how good the vegetables were. My green beans were actually free because I managed to save what was left of the plants after the rabbit mowed through them (who would have thought something that cute and small could eat that much?)
Pork and Zucchini Scallopines - serves 4
Adapted from www.albertapork.com
2 tbsp. Oil ($.20)
1 pork tenderloin cut into sections and pounded between waxed paper sheets to 1/4" thickness ($3.98 @ $2.77/lb.)
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced (3 large mushrooms) ($1.19)
1 garlic clove, crushed ($.14)
2 small zucchinis, thinly sliced (($1.25 @ $1.27/lb.)
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped ($.50 @ $.99/lb.)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano ($.08)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated ($.50)
1/2 box of spaghetti or linguini ($.50)
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. When you add the zucchini, etc. to the mushrooms in the skillet, put the pasta in to cook.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown pork cutlets on both sides, for about 1 minute per side. Remove pork and place in a large oven -proof dish. Heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, tomato and oregano and cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Preheat oven broiler or toaster oven. Spoon zucchini mixture over pork cutlets. Top with grated mozzarella. Place 20 cm (8 inches) under broiler or in toaster oven and broil for 6-7 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve with cooked pasta, lightly drizzled with olive oil (optional).
Adapted from www.albertapork.com
2 tbsp. Oil ($.20)
1 pork tenderloin cut into sections and pounded between waxed paper sheets to 1/4" thickness ($3.98 @ $2.77/lb.)
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced (3 large mushrooms) ($1.19)
1 garlic clove, crushed ($.14)
2 small zucchinis, thinly sliced (($1.25 @ $1.27/lb.)
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped ($.50 @ $.99/lb.)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano ($.08)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated ($.50)
1/2 box of spaghetti or linguini ($.50)
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. When you add the zucchini, etc. to the mushrooms in the skillet, put the pasta in to cook.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown pork cutlets on both sides, for about 1 minute per side. Remove pork and place in a large oven -proof dish. Heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, tomato and oregano and cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Preheat oven broiler or toaster oven. Spoon zucchini mixture over pork cutlets. Top with grated mozzarella. Place 20 cm (8 inches) under broiler or in toaster oven and broil for 6-7 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve with cooked pasta, lightly drizzled with olive oil (optional).
TOTAL: $8.34, $2.09 per person for 4 servings for the complete meal
MY RESULTS: Because I had to thaw out both of the frozen pork tenderloins, and because our schedule this week doesn't lend itself to holding the second tenderloin for a couple of days, I made this recipe right away. It's quite nice. To be honest, I cut back on the quantities of the ingredients to get the total cost as close to $2 as possible and it turned out just fine with 1 cup fewer mushrooms, 1 less zucchini, 1 tomato instead of 2 and 1/4 cup less cheese. If you can afford to increase any of those amounts, great! If not, don't worry because this is delicious just as it is.
Because there are only two of us, I split it between two pans. We ate one and I have frozen the other. Also, I made this yesterday but we didn't eat it until today. I refrigerated it before putting it in to melt the cheese and today I took it out, let it come almost to room temperature and popped it into the toaster oven for about 20 minutes to warm it through. We had it with linguini and it was very good. I think the 2nd tomato would have cooked down to provide more liquid to pour over the pasta so if you can increase anything, do that. |
UPCOMING: I think I have the Mellow-Spiced Chicken and Chickpeas recipe down to affordable. I picked up a loaf of the bakery French bread that was on sale for $1 per loaf to go with it. Let's see how this tastes!
Week of August 9, 2015
Mellow-Spiced Chicken and Chickpeas - serves 4
Adapted from www.goodtoknow.co.uk
6 chicken thighs - bone-in, skin on (@$.93 = $5.58)
1 cup dried chickpeas ($.31)
2 garlic cloves ($.14)
2 medium onions, sliced into thin wedges ($.34)
1 1/4 cup chicken stock ($.60 for store-bought or FREE if you made it yourself)
1 tbsp. EACH: cumin ($.22), coriander $.21), paprika ($.20)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
2 tbsp. plain yogurt ($.20 taken from an individual cup of Balkan style yogurt @ $99)
1/2 of a loaf of good bread ($.50)
Week of August 9, 2015
Mellow-Spiced Chicken and Chickpeas - serves 4
Adapted from www.goodtoknow.co.uk
6 chicken thighs - bone-in, skin on (@$.93 = $5.58)
1 cup dried chickpeas ($.31)
2 garlic cloves ($.14)
2 medium onions, sliced into thin wedges ($.34)
1 1/4 cup chicken stock ($.60 for store-bought or FREE if you made it yourself)
1 tbsp. EACH: cumin ($.22), coriander $.21), paprika ($.20)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil ($.10)
2 tbsp. plain yogurt ($.20 taken from an individual cup of Balkan style yogurt @ $99)
1/2 of a loaf of good bread ($.50)
If you can plan ahead, the night before you are making this dish put the dry chickpeas into a bowl and cover them with water by several inches. Let sit until you are ready to start preparing the meal. If you wish you can put them into a bowl and cover them with boiling water and let them sit for a couple of hours, instead. When you are ready to begin, drain the chickpeas and put them into a saucepan with enough water to cover them by a couple of inches. You can add a sprinkle of salt and a teaspoon of baking soda to the water, but this is optional. Baking soda does help to soften dried legumes. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, testing a chickpea for doneness at 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. You can also cook the chickpeas the night before.
Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pack in the thighs, skin side down and cook for 8-10 minutes until skin releases from the pan and is golden brown. Turn thighs over and cook for an additional 5 minutes (6 if they're very large). Remove the thighs to a plate and drain off all but 1 tbsp. of the fat from the skillet.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the spices and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring. Add chickpeas and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and return the thighs to the pan, skin side up. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Stir in the yogurt and warm it through but do not allow it to boil.
Serve hot in bowls, sprinkled with chopped cilantro or dried parsley (both are optional). Serve with a good bread.
TOTAL: $8.69, $2.17 per person for 4 servings using store-bought chicken stock, including bread.
$8.09, $2.02 per person for 4 servings using homemade stock, including bread.
Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pack in the thighs, skin side down and cook for 8-10 minutes until skin releases from the pan and is golden brown. Turn thighs over and cook for an additional 5 minutes (6 if they're very large). Remove the thighs to a plate and drain off all but 1 tbsp. of the fat from the skillet.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the spices and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring. Add chickpeas and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and return the thighs to the pan, skin side up. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Stir in the yogurt and warm it through but do not allow it to boil.
Serve hot in bowls, sprinkled with chopped cilantro or dried parsley (both are optional). Serve with a good bread.
TOTAL: $8.69, $2.17 per person for 4 servings using store-bought chicken stock, including bread.
$8.09, $2.02 per person for 4 servings using homemade stock, including bread.
MY RESULTS: This is REALLY filling! I only had one medium chicken thigh and I could barely finish the bowl. My husband had two and said that was a good amount, so I'm saying 6 thighs for 4 people. The description of the dish as mellow-spiced is right on the mark! The three spices blend perfectly and I think this would be even better as comfort food for a cold winter night. It's easy to make and delicious. The French bread loaf I bought was okay with it but I would have preferred whole wheat or something with more earthy flavor of its own. Because you simmer it uncovered, some of the liquid evaporated and I think you might want to top it up with a bit of water just so there is lots of liquid because it's really good. I did have a little bit of cilantro in the pot out back so I chopped it up for mine and used parsley for my husband's, but neither added much to the flavour. You can easily leave it out.
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UPCOMING: M.R. Meat had ground beef on for $1.98 last week so I'm going to try Nachos. I'm not sure I've ever made them at home but I love them! Oh, by the way, my first round of flyers came a day early and there was a Bulk Barn flyer in the bundle. They have TWO coupons for $3 off of a $10 purchase. Good time to check your spices and see if you need to replenish anything or add to your collection!
Week of August 16, 2015
Nachos - serves 4
1 bag of Tostitos Restaurant Style tortilla chips ($1.99 on sale)
1 lb. ground beef ($1.98)
1/2 cooking onion, chopped ($.08)
1 tsp. cumin ($.08)
1 tsp. chili powder ($.06)
Salt and pepper
Toppings:
1/8 of a head of iceberg lettuce, shredded ($.18 @ $1.49)
1 large tomato, chopped ($.70)
1 1/2" from a bar of Monterey Jack cheese ($.74 from a bar @ $4.44)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded ($.50)
1/2 of a bell pepper, any kind, chopped ($.50)
2 green onions, sliced ($.18)
1/2 cup sour cream, optional ($.50)
Handful of olives, green or black, sliced, optional ($.50 @ $.99/can)
Spread a layer of tortilla chips on a baking sheet. In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat, breaking down the large pieces. Add onion and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Drain well and add cumin and chili powder to the meat mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 325F. Sprinkle half of the meat mixture over the layer of chips, sprinkle a little less than half of the cheese and add a second layer of chips. Spread the rest of the cheese evenly over the pan. Put the pan into the oven until the chips are hot and the cheese is melted - approximately 5-10 minutes. Keep a eye on it! Remove from oven and sprinkle the rest of the cold toppings on top. Serve with napkins.
TOTAL: $6.99, $1.75 per person for 4 servings, omitting the olives
$7.49, $1.87 per person for 4 servings, including the olives
Nachos - serves 4
1 bag of Tostitos Restaurant Style tortilla chips ($1.99 on sale)
1 lb. ground beef ($1.98)
1/2 cooking onion, chopped ($.08)
1 tsp. cumin ($.08)
1 tsp. chili powder ($.06)
Salt and pepper
Toppings:
1/8 of a head of iceberg lettuce, shredded ($.18 @ $1.49)
1 large tomato, chopped ($.70)
1 1/2" from a bar of Monterey Jack cheese ($.74 from a bar @ $4.44)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded ($.50)
1/2 of a bell pepper, any kind, chopped ($.50)
2 green onions, sliced ($.18)
1/2 cup sour cream, optional ($.50)
Handful of olives, green or black, sliced, optional ($.50 @ $.99/can)
Spread a layer of tortilla chips on a baking sheet. In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat, breaking down the large pieces. Add onion and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Drain well and add cumin and chili powder to the meat mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 325F. Sprinkle half of the meat mixture over the layer of chips, sprinkle a little less than half of the cheese and add a second layer of chips. Spread the rest of the cheese evenly over the pan. Put the pan into the oven until the chips are hot and the cheese is melted - approximately 5-10 minutes. Keep a eye on it! Remove from oven and sprinkle the rest of the cold toppings on top. Serve with napkins.
TOTAL: $6.99, $1.75 per person for 4 servings, omitting the olives
$7.49, $1.87 per person for 4 servings, including the olives
MY RESULTS: I made half the amount and it definitely served 2 so I feel safe in saying that doubling the amount will serve 4. I just kind of made it up as I went along based on what I have enjoyed eating. One piece of advice from Deanna whose website is www.mapleleafmommy.com, was about pre-cooking the nachos before adding any toppings so the bottom layer of chips won't go soggy. If you want to do that, put the bottom layer of chips on the pan and put it under the broiler but WATCH THEM! What you can't see in my photo are the dark chips on the bottom layer or the burned ones I had to throw out!
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UPCOMING: I've been doing a bit of babysitting for my daughter while the kids are out of school. Feeding my grandchildren is a challenge because her youngest would take a gold medal in the picking eating Olympics. The other day, I bought a ham steak on sale at Freshco ($3.70 for 1.25 lb.) and we're going to have it with homemade mac & cheese. If I can get the price down, I will post that recipe. Superstore has chicken thighs and drumsticks on sale again so I'm going to try a citrus glazed chicken, done in the oven if I can get the price down. It calls for marmalade and that can be kind of pricey. It looks good, though.
Weekly of August 23, 2015
Ham Steak with Homemade Mac & Cheese - serves 4
Ham steak recipe: adapted from www.tasteofhome.com
Mac & Cheese: adapted from www.allrecipes.com
Mac & Cheese
8 oz. of uncooked macaroni noodles (2 cups) ($1.30)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded ($2.00)
2 cups milk ($.50)
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter ($.38)
2 1/2 tbsp. flour ($.07)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add macaroni noodles. Cook until almost done. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325F. Spread a little dab of butter in a casserole large enough to hold the cooked noodles.
Melt butter in the pot you used for the macaroni, over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Gradually add milk, then water at little at a time, stirring or whisking well to incorporate it to a smooth sauce. Stir in shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add cooked noodles and mix gently. Pour mixture into the greased casserole dish and place into the oven for 15 minutes. Serve.
Ham Steak
1 ham steak ($3.70 for 1.25 lb.)
2 tbsp. butter ($.18)
2 tbsp. brown sugar ($.09)
Over medium heat, brown both sides of the ham steak in a large skillet. Remove the steak to a plate. Melt butter in the pan and stir in the sugar until melted. Return the ham to the skillet and cook until heated through, turning often. Cut into 4 pieces and serve with homemade macaroni and cheese (above) and raw vegetables.
TOTAL: Mac & Cheese: $4.25, $1.06 per person for 4 servings
Ham Steak: $3.94, $.98 per person for 4 servings (depending on cost and size of ham steak)
Total meal including celery and carrot sticks $8.53, $2.13 per person for 4 servings
Weekly of August 23, 2015
Ham Steak with Homemade Mac & Cheese - serves 4
Ham steak recipe: adapted from www.tasteofhome.com
Mac & Cheese: adapted from www.allrecipes.com
Mac & Cheese
8 oz. of uncooked macaroni noodles (2 cups) ($1.30)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded ($2.00)
2 cups milk ($.50)
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter ($.38)
2 1/2 tbsp. flour ($.07)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add macaroni noodles. Cook until almost done. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325F. Spread a little dab of butter in a casserole large enough to hold the cooked noodles.
Melt butter in the pot you used for the macaroni, over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Gradually add milk, then water at little at a time, stirring or whisking well to incorporate it to a smooth sauce. Stir in shredded cheese and stir until melted. Add cooked noodles and mix gently. Pour mixture into the greased casserole dish and place into the oven for 15 minutes. Serve.
Ham Steak
1 ham steak ($3.70 for 1.25 lb.)
2 tbsp. butter ($.18)
2 tbsp. brown sugar ($.09)
Over medium heat, brown both sides of the ham steak in a large skillet. Remove the steak to a plate. Melt butter in the pan and stir in the sugar until melted. Return the ham to the skillet and cook until heated through, turning often. Cut into 4 pieces and serve with homemade macaroni and cheese (above) and raw vegetables.
TOTAL: Mac & Cheese: $4.25, $1.06 per person for 4 servings
Ham Steak: $3.94, $.98 per person for 4 servings (depending on cost and size of ham steak)
Total meal including celery and carrot sticks $8.53, $2.13 per person for 4 servings
MY RESULTS: I changed the recipe for the mac & cheese so much that the people at allrecipes.com probably wouldn't recognize it. The biggest changes were in leaving out 1/2 cup of parmesan to shave the cost a bit and leaving out the crumb topping which, frankly, gave the entire dish a gritty texture and I really wished I'd left it off. Substituting the 3rd cup of milk with a cup of water made the dish a little less rich but it was still flavourful because of the cheddar. Don't skimp on that part. I know KD is fast and easy but there is no "cellulose gel, cellulose gum", or "tartrazine" on my cheese label.
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My oldest grandson, who is seven, is a very picky eater. I have to tell you that he not only devoured the ham steak but pronounced it to be "the best pink chicken EVER"! And it really was good. You could shave off the cost of the glaze ($.27) by cubing the steak and adding it to the macaroni just before you put it into the oven but it would almost be a shame. It's that good.
Mexican Street Corn
Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown (Remember her? She was the inspiration for this website and now that our local fruits and vegetables are being harvested, I have a few more recipes from her cookbook to try.)
4 cobs of corn ($1.68 @ $5/12)
4 tbsp. mayonnaise. ($.28)
1/2 cup cotija, quesoblanco, feta, Romeo or Parmesan, grated ($.85)
1 tsp. chili powder ($.06)
1 lime, cut into wedges ($.25 @ 4/$1)
Turn your oven's broiler up to high. Peel off the outer layers of the corn and clean off all of the corn silk. Leave the green ends attached for a convenient handhold.
Place the cobs on a baking pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, then rotate them and repeat until they're brown and toasty all the way around. The broiling shouldn't take more than 10 minutes total.
Working quickly, spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise over each cob, lightly coating every kernel. Next, sprinkle the cheese all over the corn. It should stick fairly easily to the mayonnaise but you'll probably get a little messy coating them thoroughly. Sprinkle chili powder over the corn, but not too heavy or it'll be gritty. Use any chili powder you like; ancho or cayenne are great. Lastly, squeeze lime juice all over and serve hot!
TOTAL: $3.12, $.78 per person for 4 servings
Leanne: $4, $1.00 per person for 4 servings
Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown (Remember her? She was the inspiration for this website and now that our local fruits and vegetables are being harvested, I have a few more recipes from her cookbook to try.)
4 cobs of corn ($1.68 @ $5/12)
4 tbsp. mayonnaise. ($.28)
1/2 cup cotija, quesoblanco, feta, Romeo or Parmesan, grated ($.85)
1 tsp. chili powder ($.06)
1 lime, cut into wedges ($.25 @ 4/$1)
Turn your oven's broiler up to high. Peel off the outer layers of the corn and clean off all of the corn silk. Leave the green ends attached for a convenient handhold.
Place the cobs on a baking pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, then rotate them and repeat until they're brown and toasty all the way around. The broiling shouldn't take more than 10 minutes total.
Working quickly, spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise over each cob, lightly coating every kernel. Next, sprinkle the cheese all over the corn. It should stick fairly easily to the mayonnaise but you'll probably get a little messy coating them thoroughly. Sprinkle chili powder over the corn, but not too heavy or it'll be gritty. Use any chili powder you like; ancho or cayenne are great. Lastly, squeeze lime juice all over and serve hot!
TOTAL: $3.12, $.78 per person for 4 servings
Leanne: $4, $1.00 per person for 4 servings
MY RESULTS: Okay, I have a confession to make: apparently I'm a corn snob. Growing up in Windsor, my mother would bring home Green Giant corn from the stall in front of the processing plant on Tecumseh Road (remember that?) as soon as it opened and that's what we would have for supper. Corn. Just corn, but you could have as many cobs as you wanted! Dripping with butter and dusted with salt, that's my corn experience. Maybe if this particular food wasn't tied so strongly to my childhood, I would like the Mexican Street Corn better than I did. It took longer than 10 minutes to broil the cobs but I might have had them a little too far from the heat. This is an interesting dish but I'll stick to butter and salt!
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UPCOMING: Panzanella will be our next dish. It's a bread salad and I'm going to use Leanne's recipe but just the other day, Bobby Flay made a different version on his BBQ Addiction show, using grilled eggplant and zucchini. Both look really good but Leanne's uses cucumbers and tomatoes, both of which are in season right now. Don't you just love this time of year?
Week of August 30, 2015
Spicy Panzanella - serves 4
Good and Cheap - Leanne Brown
2 small field cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, chopped (1 English - $1)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped ($.66)
Salt & pepper
4 slices day-old bread (I used 1 ciabatta bun $.70)
Dressing:
1 jalapeño, finely chopped ($.31 @ $8.80/kg - only used half)
2 tbsp. chopped tomato (included above)
1 lime ($.25)
2 tbsp. olive oil ($.20)
Additions: fresh herbs (rosemary & thyme), peaches ($.74 @ $2.98/6), nectarines or plums, red onion ($.02 @ $1.01), zucchini or summer squash, olives, grapes
Spicy Panzanella - serves 4
Good and Cheap - Leanne Brown
2 small field cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, chopped (1 English - $1)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped ($.66)
Salt & pepper
4 slices day-old bread (I used 1 ciabatta bun $.70)
Dressing:
1 jalapeño, finely chopped ($.31 @ $8.80/kg - only used half)
2 tbsp. chopped tomato (included above)
1 lime ($.25)
2 tbsp. olive oil ($.20)
Additions: fresh herbs (rosemary & thyme), peaches ($.74 @ $2.98/6), nectarines or plums, red onion ($.02 @ $1.01), zucchini or summer squash, olives, grapes
If you're using field cucumbers - usually much less expensive than English cucumbers - peel them roughly to remove the tough skin.
Keep about 2 tbsp. of chopped tomatoes aside to use in the dressing, but throw the rest of the tomatoes and all the cucumbers into a large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; the salt helps draw out the juices. Toss the vegetables quickly.
Place a small saucepan on medium heat with a few drops of olive oil. Sauté the jalapeño for about a minute, then add the remaining tomato and a tablespoon of water. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the tomato juices release. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Once the water has evaporated, turn off the stovetop and dump the jalapeño-tomato mixture on your cutting board. Chop it very finely, then throw it back into the pan - with no heat - along with the lime juice and olive oil. Taste it and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Chop or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces, then toast it in a skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally until the bread chunks are toasty on all sides. Alternatively, just toast full slices of bread in a toaster and tear them up afterwards, or skip the toasting entirely if the bread is already super-hard.
Mix the bread and vegetables with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning once more. Let it sit for a few minutes so that the bread can soak up the juices, then serve!
TOTAL: $3.12, $.78 per person. With the addition of 1 peach and some red onion: $3.88, $.97 per person for 4 servings.
Keep about 2 tbsp. of chopped tomatoes aside to use in the dressing, but throw the rest of the tomatoes and all the cucumbers into a large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; the salt helps draw out the juices. Toss the vegetables quickly.
Place a small saucepan on medium heat with a few drops of olive oil. Sauté the jalapeño for about a minute, then add the remaining tomato and a tablespoon of water. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the tomato juices release. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Once the water has evaporated, turn off the stovetop and dump the jalapeño-tomato mixture on your cutting board. Chop it very finely, then throw it back into the pan - with no heat - along with the lime juice and olive oil. Taste it and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Chop or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces, then toast it in a skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally until the bread chunks are toasty on all sides. Alternatively, just toast full slices of bread in a toaster and tear them up afterwards, or skip the toasting entirely if the bread is already super-hard.
Mix the bread and vegetables with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning once more. Let it sit for a few minutes so that the bread can soak up the juices, then serve!
TOTAL: $3.12, $.78 per person. With the addition of 1 peach and some red onion: $3.88, $.97 per person for 4 servings.
MY RESULTS: I like this! English cucumbers were on sale at $3 for a 3-pack so I used one of those . I had a sad looking peach in the crisper so I salvaged what I could from that and added a little thinly sliced red onion. The flavour was fresh and bright and I found it to be satisfying. My husband, aka the carnivore, thought it would be a great side dish to some kind of protein - maybe ham steak or cold left-over chicken. I didn't have any day-old bread and I thought this would be good with a firmer bread so I bought 1 ciabatta roll and put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to toast it. Then I cut it into cubes and tossed it into the vegetables. It was good! Another version of this uses grilled eggplant, zucchini, etc. and it looks really good - kind of a warm version.
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