Thanksgiving: A Betty's Bargain?

This year I was unable to venture home with Mama and Papa McBricker due to the restraints of work at the stone query; but I was able to take the day to cook my first thanksgiving dinner with the help of Barney. And it turned out to be a Betty's Bargain. Can you believe it?

Here is the what we had and the bargains I found:


Turkey before it was in the oven. I got that 11 pound turkey for.....$5. I couldn't believe it.


Bargain TIP 1. Thanksgiving is the time to do major shopping because if you spend a certain amount you can usually your turkey for a reduced price or even FREE.

Bargain TIP 2. Have a plan for extra turkey. You can make turkey stock easy from the turkey bones and the not so edible piceces. You will likely have extra vegetables and herbs so you can throw those in the pot. What do you turkey stock? Make soup, stew, gravy or freeze it for another time...X-mas is around the corner!

This is the finished product. As you can see it was delicious and we enjoyed eating it for the next 4 days. I had never cooked a turkey before so I was glad it turned out well.

Cooking TIP 1. Make sure if you buy a frozen turkey that you let it defrost in your refridgerator for at least 72 hours. You do NOT want to cook a turkey that is partially frozen.

Cooking TIP 2. Buy fresh herbs and vegetables to flavor your turkey. Often, you will need a couple of lemons, whole onion, rosemary, thyme, garlic.



Here is the final table spread. I was proud of myself. I couldn't have pulled it off without the help of Barney and some good planning.

Bargain/Cooking TIP 3. Make a list about a week before you plan to start cooking. It should not only have what are you planning to make but the ingredients that go into making it. This may seem self explanitory but you would be surprised what you take for granted. Then I would look in your weekly circular and mark off the products you will use in your dishes. Remember to carry your coupons for extra savings. Lastly, before you go out, check your pantry for items you may have or may need to resotck. Things like oil, flour, sugar, vinegar, chicken stock, butter, eggs, containers are often overlooked because we use them everyday.

I hope Wilma and I have inspried you to cook at your next holiday gathering and save money at the same time!

Coq au Vin Wilma Style

I'm lucky enough to have access to free range chickens from my farmer's market. I'm very good at rationalizing my meat consumption so I say that buying it locally from a small farm cancels out any bad karma or pollution that might be caused. This whole one pot meal can be made using local ingredients that are available year around so if you really think about it... Ok I could keep going around in circles trying to convince myself that eating some chicken every once in a while isn't the end of the world. Digging into a hot satisfying meal when it's cold out is one of the best feelings in the world in my opinion and sometimes vegetables alone just won't cut it.

Ingredients

A couple pieces of bone-in, skin on chicken legs or thighs
Handful potatoes diced, small thin skinned work best
1 or 2 large carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 container mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup of flour
A few cloves of garlic, sliced
1 bottle white wine
Pinch of dried rosemary
1 Vegetable bullion cube
Olive oil

Start with a large pot, a dutch oven would be ideal. Sear the chicken over medium high heat, skin side down until the skin is brown and crisp. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Turn down the heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the carrots, onion, and mushrooms along with plenty of salt and pepper and sautee until the onions are soft. Add the chicken back into the pot along with the flour. Stir to coat the chicken and veggies.

Add the garlic, rosemary, and bullion. Stir to dissolve the bullion then add enough wine to just cover the chicken and veggies. Simmer over low heat for about a half hour until everything is cooked through.

Serve piping hot with fresh bread.

What Do You Get...

when you combine cranberries, orange rinds, walnuts and celery? I'm reminded of that friend's episode where Rachel makes the traditional english trifle. My mom's cranberry "salad" isn't far off, and my brothers and I are convinced that she somehow mixed up or misread the recipe. I'm pretty sure that orange rinds are not safe for human consumption. All I can say is, thank you mom for only making this once a year, however, for the sake of posterity and since it was handed down by her mom I think it's worth preserving. So I present to you, Grandma Slaghoople's Cranberry Orange Salad.

Ingredients

1 package cherry jello

1 Cup hot water

1 Cup Sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Cup pineapple syrup/juice

1 Cup ground cranberries

1 Orange ground, peel and all

1 C drained, crushed pineapple

1 Cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Dissolve jello in water. Add sugar, lemon juice and pineapple juice. Stir until dissolved. Chill until partially set. Add rest. Chill in oiled pan or individual molds.

Apple Socks

Well I couldn't think of a word to describe what these are so they've been dubbed "apple socks." It's fitting because blue cheese kind of smells like feet.

Ingredients

1 package phyllo dough - although you'll only need a few sheets so keep the rest in the freezer

1 apple, cored and chopped

1 small package or chunk of blue cheese

1 small package or chunk of goat cheese

Handful chopped toasted walnuts

Honey for dipping or drizzling

Butter, melted

Phyllo dough is if possible even more finicky than wonton wrappers. I keep mine in the freezer and thaw as needed. Some people say that covering it with a damp towel will make it easier to work with but I think you just need to work with it as quickly as possible. Either way they'll flake on you.

Anyways, in a bowl mix the apple, goat cheese, blue cheese, and walnuts in a bowl. With a knife carefully cut squares of phyllo dough a copy of layers deep. Working quickly, spoon some filling into the middle of each square. Unlike the ravioli, you don't need to be as worried about overfilling them.

Carefully pinch the corners of each phyllo square together and kind of fold them onto each other to seal the filling inside. Using your fingers or a pastry brush, brush some butter over the top which should help it seal and will help it brown.

Pop in a 350 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes until the tops are nice and brown. Before serving, drizzle with honey or put on the side for dippling.

A Slaghoople Thanksgiving

Vrapple: The Other White Meat

I'll admit it. I actually like the taste of some fake meat products. Now I'm not saying that they taste like meat, but I can say that if used properly they can be made into a satisfying meal, and are great if you don't like tofu. My general rule of thumb is that they are best in dishes that are very flavorful and have lots of ingredients like chili or stew, not in dishes where meat is the central flavor. See below for my recommendations.

Burgers

Morningstar Griller's Prime - I'm not a fan of most veggie burgers, but these have the best texture and least "soy" taste.

Morningstar Spicy Blackbean Burgers - Again, a nice texture and spicy flavor.

Garden Burger - not a fan. They don't heat well, tend to be watery, and are bland.

Chicken Products

Boca Spicy Chik'n Patties - hands down one of my favorite soy products. It's one of my guilty pleasures, and I stock my freezer when they're on sale. I eat them by the box. I eat them as a sandwich, but also with pasta and sauce.

Trader Joes Soy Nuggets - I'm not generally a fan of nuggets, and these are no exception. They are bland, but might be ok if you use a really flavorful sauce.

Quorn Gruyere Chik'n Cutlet - sold at Whole Foods, and definitely my favorite meatless product. It's so good, but so expensive.

Sausage

Trader Joes Soy Chorizo - another one of my favorite products. It's surprisingly flavorful and spicy.

Gimme Lean Ground Sausage - great for dishes like shepard's pie or for making a stuffing for stuffed peppers.

Morningstar Farms Veggie Italian Style Sausage - the best sausage link. excellent in casseroles, such as a breakfast bread pudding.

Beef Products

Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs - decent. doesn't have the texture of meatballs but not bad with pasta and sauce.

Gimme Lean Smart Grounds - great in pasta sauce, chili, etc.

Trader Joe's Beefless Strips - I'm not even sure about the concept of a meatless strip. I think it's trying too hard to be meat, but it's not convincing anybody. The only strip product that I find to be acceptable is TJ's Beefless strip because it has a decent texture. See below for a "beef" and brocolli I've made several times with it.

Other

Vrapple - Even though it's made locally, just don't go there. If you're cravin scrapple, eat some scrapple.

Any kind of luncheon "meat" - also steer clear of anything in this category.

Featuring Fall Flavors: Butternut Squash Ravioli

Squash is everywhere. From the kabocha and spaghetti squash in our CSA share to the ubiquitous pumpkin. I think of my dad's Russian friend who upon experiencing Halloween for the first time remarked "what's with all the funny looking squash?"

I wanted to make something special that would highlight the flavors of fall. I found a blue cheese and dried cranberry mix at Trader Joes and I immediately thought ravioli. With the mustard greens from my CSA, I decided that some toasted walnuts would round out the meal nicely. Now this isn't exactly quick and easy, nor is it foolproof. I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time around that wonton wrappers are tempermental. After much tweaking and many many burst raviolis I finally figured it out. And as a bonus my large squash produced enough filling that I froze the rest with the plan to make a risotto later.

Ingredients

1 medium to large butternutsquash

1 small container blue cheese

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

Handful greens (spinach, mustard greens, kale etc)

1 package wonton wrappers

1 egg

Olive oil

Butter

Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Lay on some foil and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 degree oven until soft, should take about 45 minutes depending on the size.

Let cool slightly, scoop out the insides and mix in a bowl with the blue cheese and cranberries. In a small dish, beat the egg. Make an assembly line with the filling, egg, and wonton wrappers. Also set a large pot of water on to boil. Use one square wonton wrapper as the bottom. Spoon a small amount of filling the middle. Use your fingers to spread some egg around the edge of the wrapper and place another wrapper on top. Smooth out all the air bubbles and pinch the edges together until it seems secure. It will take some practice to find the exact right amount of filling and the best method for smoothing out the air bubbles.

When you have a pile of ravioli, carefully drop them with a slotted spoon, one at a time, into the boiling water. While they are cooking prepare a large sautee pan by melting some butter over medium low heat. When the ravioli have cooked for about 5-7 minutes, carefully remove them with a slotted spoon and drop them immediately into the buttered pan. Add a handful of greens to the pan. After a few minutes and when the greens have wilted, carefully slide everything onto a plate and top immediately with the toasted walnuts. Congratulations if you can get them onto the plate in one piece. If you have any secret ravioli making techniques please do let me know.

Restaurant Week: Not Just for Center City

I've done Restaurant Week a few times, but have found that the trendy Center City restaurants are overhyped and overpriced despite the prix fixe menu. Philly Neighborhood Food Week is the answer to that problem. In case you didn't get the memo, it was a week of great deals at local restaurants in different neighborhoods, Center City not included. I headed down to East Passyunk to Da Vinci Ristorante for some great BYO italian. At $30 for a decadent 4 course meal, I'll take it over Center City any day. With four people, I think we got to try everything on the menu. The truffle gnocchi was maybe the richest and most indulgent thing I've ever eaten. See below.

Popular Mechanics

I don't hang out in Old City often, and there are only a few places that I think warrant a trip down there. I tend to avoid the trendy, overpriced bars and college age crowd especially during the weekends, but I've added National Mechanics, on 3rd St. between Chestnut and Market, to my list of favorite happy hour spots. It often makes people's lists for the best burgers in the city, and I would add that it's also one of the best bargains in the city for quality bar food. I always appreciate a roomy dining area, perfect for a group, and as a bonus they have a giganctic big screen tv.

I can't say enough about the food. The first time Betty and I went for happy hour, Betty got bread pudding. If you think it isn't normal happy hour fare, you are wrong. I've sampled quite a few things on their menu, but have not yet tried their famous veggie burger. All the burgers are $6 during happy hour which might explain their popularity. They have decent beer specials as well. Here are some pics from my last trip.

Guest Blogger Betty Presents:

Miami Beach featuring the McBricker/Rubble couple!

Recently, Barney and I took some much needed time off from stone quarry in Bedrock to travel to Miami Beach, Florida. It was great! We got to relax at the beach, party in the clubs, and of course drink cocktails and dine at some fabulous (and a couple not so fabulous) restaurants. I wanted to highlight some of local cuisine that you can only get in Miami....well maybe you can get these in Philly but I argue these are the most authentic.

We landed in Miami International Airport at 8:30 pm. Our 3 hour flight got in 30 minutes early, so Barney and I checked into our hotel earlier than we anticipated and immediately got a couple of drinks. Most hotels have their own restuarants and awesome outdoor seating areas. Maxine's is open 24 hours and the ombionce beckoned us to sit down. It also helped that this place was next door to our hotel. Barney sampled the traditional mojito while I tried the nuvo-tini (nuvo is a sparkling vodka and makes a great martini).

We stayed in a resort-like area so there were always people on the beach to bring us food, drinks, and party information. One day we indulged. Barney stuck to his mojito drink (left) and ordered a Miami Vice (a mix of pina colada, strawberry daquiri, and blue caracao(?)). Like the picture? Credit is all due to Barney on this one!















We dined in our hotel (Art Deco area), Lincoln Road (Art District), Ocean Drive (on South Beach) at delicious 4 and 5 star restaurants. However, this local diner with a faded, pale exterior was my favorite dining experience of the whole trip. Puerto Sagua, located 10 blocks down from our hotel, is no frillesbut offers delectable Cuban cuisine. Barney and I both had their Pollo Asado which is their roasted chicken with white rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. I opted to try their unsweetened ice tea as well. There was nothing left after we finised eating. The best part was like unlike most of the dining in Miami, this place did not break the bank. We had enough to go out and enjoy the rest of the night.

While I was sad to leave Miami, I missed Wilma terribly. Plus, I couldn't wait to get back and blog about the food and drinks. Hope you enjoyed our little trip to paradise.

- Betty "Cubana" McBricker

Single Serving: Satisfying Sandwich

For an easy weeknight dinner, try this simple sandwich. I've blogged about portabello mushroom sandwiches before, but they're so good I thought they deserved another mention. Portabello mushroom caps come in convenient packs of like 2 or 3 - perfect for the single chef. Another plus is that this requires so little effort and there's no cleanup. I often hate dirtying an entire kitchen for one measly serving. For the struggling vegetarian they are also satisfying in an almost meatlike way. Notice I said almost.

I originally made this with pesto, and this time went for a bruschetta to make use of the last of the summer's bounty. As you can see below I got beautiful cherry tomatoes in different colors. Between the 'shrooms, tomatoes, basil and garlic this meal is incredibly local. The bruschetta made fabulous leftovers with a sliced baguette. See earlier post for the recipe.

Sandwich Ingredients

1 mushroom cap

Slice of cheese

1 hearty sandwich roll

Splash of olive oil and soy sauce

Optional: hot sauce

Clean up the mushroom with a paper towel. Place on some foil and sprinkle some olive oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper on it. (And optional hot sauce.) Pop in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. The mushroom should be tender all the way through then top with cheese and melt for a minute or so. Put on bun. Top as desired. Shove in mouth.

Cous Cous Revisited

I've posted about the virtues of cous cous before as a staple and a backdrop for fresh veggies. Regular cous cous is delicious but if you ever see Israeli cous cous (Trader Joe's has a good one) give it a try. Whereas cous cous reminds me of rice, Israeli cous cous definitely leans toward pasta in texture and tastes almost like orzo. It stands up to a sauce or dressing and absorbs flavors quite well.

Here is a recipe for a greek style salad, best served room temperature or chilled.

Ingredients

1 box Israeli cous cous

Handful kalamata olives, chopped

1 small bunch scallions or chives

Handful tomatoes, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

Handful toasted pine nuts

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Optional: handful of capers

Cook the cous cous according to the package. While it's still warm, add all of the ingredients along with salt and pepper.

Disappointing Dinner at La Fourno

Fred and I decided that we needed to change up our regular dinner routine so we headed on down to the other end of South Street to check out La Fourno. The gift certificate Fred had been holding on to didn't hurt either.

It was a mixed bag of great service but mediocre food. The attention to customer service almost bordered on overbearing. The manager was hard at work mingling with customers the entire night and my water was constantly refilled. They were trying so hard so I felt bad when the food turned out to be mediocre.

Our appetizers of mussels and crab bisque were fine. I really think my overall impression of the food was due to the fact that they call themselves a pizzeria but the pizza was terrible. I expected a nice crispy crust at the very least, but the roasted peppers on my pizza seemed to have turned it into a soggy mess. Almost all of their pizzas seemed to contain roasted peppers, and I'm sure they aren't all as soggy as mine was. Maybe my pizza was just a result of a busy kitchen that night. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, but I don't think I'll get pizza there again.

Maybe if I'm in the neighborhood I would give them another try because they are reasonably priced, but there are so many great restaurants in this city and this just wasn't a standout.

Happy World Vegetarian Day!

http://www.worldvegetarianday.org/

Recipe for Steamed Eyeball

What do you do with fresh jalapeno peppers? It's surprisingly hard to come up with uses for 6 whole peppers that don't involve a giant vat of salsa. When repeatedly given peppers by my CSA I decided to try my hand at jalapeno cheddar cornbread to go with my world famous chili. Having a penchant for spicy food but no experience cooking with chili peppers, you can imagine that my first attempt was somewhat foolhardy. Everybody thinks they can handle more heat than the average person right? Especially when the recipe is from Ina Garten.

It wasn't the spice that got me. I still think I'm right in leaving some of the seeds and membranes in, otherwise what's the point? The problem arose when I attempted to put my contacts in. {Insert bloodcurdling scream here.} I immediately pried my eye open, took my contact out and put my glasses back on only to find that my glasses steamed up on that one side. You heard that right. My eyeball was literally steaming. My eye doctor thought it was hilarious. I did not.

Other than that, this is a good recipe for a beginner baker. I've actually made it twice, tweaking it to get the right texture. I really wanted a moist cornbread that didn't fall apart, so I used an additional egg. I also used less than the 2 sticks of butter suggested. Only certain southern Food Network chefs who shall remain nameless need that much butter in one batch of cornbread. I'm not sure what Ina was thinking.

Beginners French

French food is an anomaly. I think a lot of home chefs are probably inspired by French cooking, but how often does one sit down and conciously make a French meal? (Or maybe you do, what do I know?) Other ethnic cuisines are very distinct in their ingredients - throw in some cilantro and call it Mexican or add some ginger and suddenly it becomes Asian.

But I think French is more about technique, culture, subtlety and intimidation. Even though I bought a French cookbook and find that most of the recipes are surprisingly simple and use few ingredients, the thought of making a Daube de Boeuf Provencal in my tiny kitchen fills me with dread. I think I need to ease myself into it with dishes that don't require any classical training, advanced knife skills, fancy gadgets, or pricey ingredients. Pair such a recipe with local, seasonal ingredients, slap a beret on me and cue the soundtrack from Amélie.

Inspired by some giant leeks from the farmer's market, a bottle of wine, and "Drunken Angel Hair with Leeks and Cream" from Serious Eats, I got to cooking. See them for the recipe because shockingly I followed it pretty closely. Ok, I didn't use the chervil. Oh, and I added a handful of frozen peas and some sauteed mushrooms.

Here's my mise en place, which incidently is French for "putting in place." The leeks, mushrooms, and cream were local.

Washing the leeks is the most labor intensive part. Leeks, and especially ones from the farmer's market, have a ton of grit. The only way to clean them is to slice them and soak in a big pot of water. Swish thoroughly and the grit will fall to the bottom.

Here is the finished product, topped with plenty of parmesan cheese. It made for plenty of great leftovers, but it's probably not a "Single Serving" recipe unless you've got time on your hands and people to share with.

Centennial Celebration!

In honor of my 100th post, I've decided to reflect on some of my favorite recipes. If you haven't noticed by now, I like lists and I like ranking things. I'm not really sure why. But anyways here are my top 10 favorite dishes that I've cooked. I've already written about some, but others are what I call "from the archives." I'll try to provide recipes and pictures at a later date. They're chosen for ease of preparation but mostly taste. And, if I might add, they are mostly vegetarian (or pescetarian for all you sticklers out there.)

10. Shrimp Scampi

9. Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

8. Roasted Fennel with Lemon and Parmesan

7. Eggs "Mi Rancho" (My version of huevos ranchero)

6. Panzanella

5. Southwestern Rice Casserole

4. Eggplant Parm

3. "Green" Caldo

2. Vegetable Lasagna

1. Vegetarian Chili

It's All Greek to Me

Ah Greek Lady. How I miss living near you so I can savor your delicious gyros and gigantic salads whenever I want. Your veg gyro is a magic meatless combination of crispy golden fries, creamy tatziki, lettuce, tomato and onions all wrapped up in a thick but fluffy pita. My mouth waters at the mere thought of it. (Although in my thoughts I get the lamb gyro instead.)

I figured it couldn't be that hard to recreate. The only part that requires thought is the tzatziki and I've been making a ton with the plethora of cucumbers I've received. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

1 containter plain greek yogurt

1 cucumber, small to medium

Juice of 1 lemon

Couple cloves garlic

Dice the cucumber- seeds, skin and all. Also mince or crush the garlic. Mix everything into the yogurt with some salt and pepper. Let sit for a little in the fridge for a little before eating with pita chips or veggies.

For these gyros, all I did was buy some flatbread, frozen french fries -of course you can make your own- lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Mine was veg (I swear) but as you can see Fred added some chicken. Clearly not as good as the original. I want to know what kind of bread they use because supermarket pitas and flatbreads are dry and bland. Other than the bread, it wasn't half bad though.

At Home With the Hatrocks

Sometimes it's nice to go out, but most of the time I would rather cook and entertain at home. Alas, my apartment can barely fit 2 people and the seating option is my bed. Intimate, maybe. But not exactly the ambiance for a dinner party.

So any time someone wants to cook for me I'm there! I'm so excited to find people who appreciate home cooking as much as I do. I'm even more excited to find people who really know how to cook. When the Hatrocks invited Fred and me over for paella I knew I was in for a treat. Paella is an ambitious undertaking involving specialty ingredients like saffron and even a special type of pan. Surprisingly, the Hatrocks used brown rice. I don't eat a lot of brown rice, but I have to say it was the perfect texture and really held up to all the other ingredients in a way that more delicate types of rice might not have. It also created the desirable crust on the bottom of the pan.

Like me, the Hatrocks kind of made it up as they went using a little of this and a little of that. Maybe they don't have a recipe, but I'm hoping they will share the ingredients and maybe some tips. It was a spectuclar summer meal, and I can't wait to return the favor. Just maybe not at my place.

Guest Blogger Betty Presents:

Single Serving: Solo Suppers (Betty's Book Review)

Hello Food Fans!

My involvement in the blog has been anything but consistent this summer. I think calling it sparse is being too nice. But in any event, I am back and I thought my return post would complement Wilma's recent love of all things single by reviewing a cookbook for solo chefs.

As you may know from reading older posts, Wilma and I visited Portland, Oregon where we ate some of the best meals of our lives. Therefore, it is no surprise that while in Portland I purchased one of my favorite cook books from the world famous Powell Books. If you are not familiar with Powell, let me tell you that it is one of the coolest bookstores I have ever visited. The store encompasses an entire city block. Powell prides itself on being an independent bookstore with millions of new and used books at competitive prices. Despite its size, it was fairly easy to navigate the book categories. It was my mistake I ended up by the cookbooks. I was actually trying to find Wilma and the Great Gazoo at our meeting place when I took a wrong turn by the children’s books. And to my benefit, I found a great book by Joyce Goldstein called Solo Suppers.

Wilma is right! Singles are an overlooked market. Singles are one of the fastest growing segments, according to Joyce, representing about twenty seven percent of the U.S. population. As most of you know, cookbook recipes are designed to feed four to six servings. What about the single servings? Well here is a book that shows you how to cook, shop, and reinvent meals to eliminate throwing out food. All of her recipes begin with a personal connection to dish and a lot of them share a way to transform the dish or make substitution according to pantry. This book provides tips and advice along with over a hundred recipes that making cooking for yourself simple and inexpensive.

One of my favorite dishes is the “Spaghetti alla Carbonara,” on page 72. It could not be easier to make. All you need is pasta, an egg, parmesan cheese, pancetta or regular bacon, and your basic salt, pepper, butter, and olive oil. Now I know what you may be thinking - sounds like a heart attack – and I would not recommend that this be a staple in your diet. However, it is a great comfort food that you can make without going out to the grocery store and little prep/cooking time. What attract me to this dish, besides it’s delicious picture on the cover, was the personal connect Joyce shares in the beginning of the recipe about her first time eating spaghetti alla carbonara in Rome. That image surrounded me as I was making the dish.

So check out Solo Suppers. I hope you enjoy it like I have. Also, if you know of any other cookbook, websites, articles, etc. related to the solo chef, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Unsung Heroes

The folks over at Serious Eats posed the following challenge: highlight ingredients that usually don't get much respect in the kitchen. I just posted about my pantry staples and have been giving a lot of thought to what you can do with very little. Being on a budget means finding creative uses for inexpensive ingredients is a necessity. I recently found myself in a bind with little time to spare and was saved by my favorite underappreciated item: a humble can of beans.

When beans are on sale I have a field day, buying them in every variety and storing them away like a squirrel. Kidney beans, black beans, and cannellini beans can turn into hearty and satisfying meals for practically nothing. Besides the usual applications like chili or rice and beans, I'd like to highlight their power to stretch pricier ingredients without sacrificing flavor. I'd been dying to roast up an eggplant for some baba ghanouj, the delicious Middle Eastern eggplant dip with lemon, garlic and tahini. When dinner for one became dinner with Fred's friends, the Hatrocks, I realized that my small eggplant might not be enough to feed 4. Enter the hero of the hour, a can of cannellini beans. It also had the added value of replacing the pricey tahini in the original recipe by providing the same flavor and texture. The result is somewhat hummus-like but definitely retains the rich roasted eggplant flavor.

Ingredients

1 small or medium eggplant

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

A few cloves of garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

Splash of olive oil

Optional: paprika

Cut the top off the eggplant and wrap the whole thing in foil. Roast at 350 degrees until it's nice and soft all the way through. This might take up to an hour. Meanwhile wrap a few garlic cloves in foil and pop in alongside the eggplant for about 10 minutes until slightly soft. When the eggplant is done and cooled enough to handle, throw everything in a food processer or blender with some salt and pepper. I like it a little chunky, but it's up to you. I also like all of the eggplant skin but somepeople might not. I toasted up some pita bread which is a million times cheaper than buying pita chips at the store. I also sliced up a pepper from my CSA to serve alongside.

Single Serving: A Pantry for One

Here is my list of things that you should always have on hand. They are all multi purpose, inexpensive, and will help you make meals without having to go to the store.

The very basics
Salt and pepper- duh, but go for sea salt and peppercorns in a grinder
Vinegars-balsamic and rice wine
Olive oil
Veg. oil
Garlic powder
Red pepper flakes or cayenne powder
Dried herbs- rosemary and basil to start with
Other spices you like- ginger, paprika, cinnamon etc.
Honey- unless you bake, you can use honey to sweeten everything
Soy sauce or tamari

In your cupboard
Pasta- this should also include some ethnic varieties like soba or rice noodles
Rice- buy in bulk for pennies at an Asian grocery store
Cous cous
Beans- kidney, black and cannellini
Canned tomatoes
Jarred olives
Flour
Cornmeal and/or panko
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Crackers

In your freezer
Gnocchi- for when you don't want pasta
Wonton Wrappers
Frozen veggies- more important in the winter
Nuts- unless you're eating them right away, store in the freezer. Peanuts and pine nuts are staples
Tofu- prep first by squeezing the liquid out

In your fridge
Eggs
Lemons
Bread
Cheese
Condiments- a good mustard is a must have

Then fill in with fresh and seasonal ingredients. I'm lucky enough to have farmer's markets I visit every Wednesday and Saturday in addition to my CSA pickups every other Monday. This summer I've realized that my fridge is always brimming with fresh produce, sometimes more than I can eat. I think my pantry items and strategies will change significantly when it gets colder and fresh ingredients are harder to come by. I guess this is why so many people are canning and freezing fruits and vegetables. Anyways, having a well stocked cupboard will make cooking a lot easier. Even if you have to visit several different stores, shop around until you know where to get your pantry items in bulk for cheap.

Are there any items I missed that you always keep on hand?

Birthday Surprise Dinner Course #3

I very rarely make dessert, but bread pudding is about as easy as it gets. The orange is a fresh and unexpected twist.

Ingredients
1 baguette- I used walnut and raisin
1 orange, juice and zest
1 cup of heavy cream or whole milk plus more as needed
2-3 eggs

Drizzle of honey
Cinnamon, optional
Bar of dark chocolate
Fresh fruit for garnish


In a bowl, blend the milk and eggs. Add the juice of 1 orange along with some of the zest and a drizzle of honey. If using a plain baguette, add more honey and maybe some cinnamon. Let this mixture sit in the fridge for an hour or so.

Slice or tear the baguette into bite size chunks and place in a baking dish. I made individual bread puddings in two small dishes. Pour the custard over the bread and mix to combine. All the bread should soak up some of the custard, if not add some more milk. If you like it really custardy go for three eggs and also let it sit for a while, but I like mine drier and even a little crispy on the top.

Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until it's steamy. Take it out, and grate some dark chocolate over the top. Even breaking the bar up into chunks is fine. Put back in the oven for another 5 minutes until the chocolate melts. Serve with fresh fruit on the side. (I heated up the leftovers the next day and topped with ice cream which is great but maybe too rich after a heavy meal.)

Birthday Surprise Dinner Course #2

Duck is another one of Fred's favorite foods. This one was definitely an experiment and one I was sure would be a disaster. Happily, I was wrong. It was so tender and juicy that I forgot about how cute ducks are. Best of all, it was incredibly easy.

Ingredients

2 duck breasts
2 oranges
1 shallot
1 tbsp grated ginger
Splash soy sauce
Red pepper flakes
Handful small potatoes
Dried rosemary
Garlic
Green beans
Squeeze of lemon

Early in the day, start marinating the duck breast. Mix together the juice of 2 oranges, 1 minced shallot, the grated ginger, soy sauce, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Trim the excess fat from the duck. A layer of fat is fine on one side of the breast, but trim any that's hanging over the sides. Pour the breasts into a large ziplock bag with the marinade and place in a bowl in the fridge. Should marinate for 3-4 hours.

Slice the potatoes into rounds and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with some olive oil, rosemary, salt, pepper and chopped garlic.

Take the duck out of the marinade and place skin side up in a baking dish. Pop in a 325 degree oven, uncovered. This should take about 40 minutes total, and don't worry if it sizzles and pops while cooking. After about 15 minutes put your potatoes in as well so that they are both done at the same time. The duck is done when it's nicely golden brown on the top and firm when you poke it, and the potatoes should be fork tender.

While they are in the oven, steam your green beans. When done to your liking squirt some lemon juice over and season with lots of salt and pepper. To serve, slice the duck breasts and fan on the plate. Note that some people like it a little pink, in which case check around the half hour mark.

Birthday Surprise Dinner Course #1

Fred adores lobster. (Who doesn't?) I don't eat lobster much in Philly and have never prepared it myself. Undeterred by the price Betty paid at Whole Foods, I trekked down to Reading Terminal. I don't go there often enough. Where else in the middle of the city will you find a petting zoo on a random Saturday afteroon?

I was on a mission to find 2 decently priced lobster tails and 2 duck breasts. Now I won't tell you what I paid per pound becuase it might shock you non city dwellers, but Reading Terminal is probably the best place to buy meat and seafood besides the Italian Market. I think I got a bargain when considering what you'd pay in a restaurant. The rest of the meal I got for pennies anyways either from the farmer's market or for free from friend's with gardens. So here is the recipe:

Ingredients
2 lobster tails (1/4 lb per person is substantial enough)
1 bag local greens (any kind, mine was a mix with edible flowers)
Handful tomatoes, any kind
2 ears corn
1 shallot
Cornmeal or panko
Flour
Vegetable and olive oil
1 lemon
Balsamic vinegar

Early in the day you can oven roast the tomatoes and corn. Slice the tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices and lay on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 200 degrees for a couple of hours. I did this to intensify their flavor and sweetness. Summer is the only time you will get great tomatoes so this is something different you can do with them. They will take a couple hours to shrivel up and lose some of their moisture. You can leave them a little moist or dry them all the way like a sun dried tomato. At some point while they are baking throw in the corn (cut off the cob, and wrapped in some foil). This should only take about a half hour to soften and brown around the edges every so slightly.

Meanwhile throw your lobster tails in a steamer over low heat and don't touch. Check after about 20 minutes to see if they are firm and the shells are bright red. Pull out and let cool.

Slice the shallots into little rings, like you would for onion rings. Toss in a bowl with flour and cornmeal or panko. Pan fry in some vegetable oil until crispy and brown. Salt immediately.

Assemble the greens, corn, tomatoes and shallots. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve lemon wedges and the lobster tail on the side. I squeezed the lemon over everything to make a sort of dressing, but some might prefer balsamic vinegar.

Gifts For the Gourmand in Your Life

Holidays, birthdays and other gift giving occasions are times to celebrate. But for the budget concious, these can be a reminder of the materialism and excess involved with finding the perfect and often pricey gift.

Why not show someone you care by whipping up a homemade meal? It's far less expensive then going out, won't be tossed aside unused because the recipient doesn't want or need it, and people appreciate the time and effort, not just the price tag. It is a far more genuine way to celebrate with someone. I remember once when I was young spending all day making a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake for my Mom's birthday. Even though it didn't turn out perfectly, I thought it was more memorable and thoughtful than going to the store and buying something. You get bonus points for remembering a person's favorite food, or something that they love but never make for themselves.

Here are a 2 menus that I've cooked for special occasions. They are specifically budget friendly and easy to prepare. I don't have pictures for the first menu but would be happy to share the recipes. The second one I cooked recently so will definitely share pictures with the recipes. It was also made almost entirely with local ingredients. (The lobster tail and duck breast were bought at Reading Terminal - I forgot to ask whether they were local or not.)

Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner

Ceviche with corn and avocado
Vegetable lasagna
Salad with apple, goat cheese and almonds
Molten chocolate lava cake (admittedly from Trader Joes)

Birthday Surprise Dinner

Salad of wild greens with oven dried tomatoes, roasted corn, crispy fried shallot rings and a steamed lobster tail
Roasted duck breast served with herb roasted potatoes and green beans
Orange bread pudding with dark chocolate and fresh blackberries

Single Serving: Tomatoes are Your Friend

To all my budget concious chefs, single or not:

Do me a favor and never buy prepared pasta sauce. Please. The cheap stuff tastes like ketchup and the expensive stuff is, well just that. It might be tempting but tomato sauce is the easiest thing you will ever make in your life, and you can throw it in your freezer for a rainy day. I was thinking about more recipes I make during a relaxing evening in, and there is something magical and Italian Grandmotheresque about a simmering pot of tomato sauce. Anytime you see large cans of plain crushed tomatoes on sale grab as many as you can. You can go plain with this or add vegetables, but my favorite is puttanesca style with kalamata olives and capers.

Ingredients
1 can plain crushed tomatoes
Handful kalamata olives
Handful capers
1 medium onion
Garlic
Olive oil
Optional: splash of red wine, fresh basil, red pepper flakes

Sautee the onion in olive oil over medium heat with plenty of salt and pepper. Once the onions are slightly caremelized add some minced garlic and red pepper flakes if desired and sweat for a minute. Add the tomatoes, juice and all and turn down the heat to med/low. While it is coming to a simmer, chop the olives into small pieces and add along with the capers. At this point you can add some wine, and if using fresh herbs add right before serving. The sauce can simmer for a while, usually about a half hour while you sit and watch some tv. Cool leftovers and pop in your freezer.

*Note: Canned tomatoes are cheap and readily available year round but during the summer if you have fresh tomatoes, chop them and throw them in.

*Another note: I like things spicy but occasionally get a little overzealous with the spice. If this ever happens to you, add a few drizzles of honey. Some people do this anyways to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes.

More From the Funny Vegetable Department

See Sam's post for further explanation as to why this is funny.

No Caption Necessary

Sidecar(nivorous)

The Sidecar officially gets my vote for the best bar food and happy hour in Philly. I think we sat and ate/drank for almost 4 hours which is no easy feat. The beer list is not your usual suspects and it's all cheap, in the $3-$5 range. Their happy hour food specials are nothing to sneeze at either. Forget Center City Sips, I'm coming here for half price chili and carnitas.

When I tasted the chili I believe my exact words were "Why doesn't my chili taste like this?" I thought I made a decent chili but now I'm ashamed of it. I know eating meat is wrong, but it tastes so right.

After the chili I had to stop rationalizing my carnivorous tendencies. Meat is delicious and when it's $2 a carnita you must eat it. It's that simple.
Mussels cooked in beer and a smoky tomato sauce with grilled bread = I couldn't be more full but I have to eat every last bite. If I don't, I'll regret it.
Fred's friends, the Hatrocks, came so between all of us we got to sample even more like the fish and chips. I wish I could have tried everything on their menu.
I'm not sure how after 4 hours of eating and drinking we managed to fit this chocolate souffle in but maybe we got a second wind.


Clearly I am a fan, and I will say they are vegetarian friendly. I like when restaurants indicate veg items on their menus, but at a place this good I say go ahead and indulge in some meaty goodness and try and make up for it later.