Valentine's Day Blast the Frugal Way

We spent $102.00 at the supermarket on Friday, including $17.00 for two beautiful bouquets of red and white tulips.


Eating out on Valentine's Day is usually a horor show--crowded, with bad service and nervous, overdressed couples.  We find it's much more enjoyable to go out before or after the event, or like yesterday, sit at the bar in Chestnut Hill at Paparzzi, drinking good pino grigio and eating carpaccio and focaccia, and fine Italian soup. 

 

You can see what we ate with our $ 102.00 which includes groceries for the rest of the week, too.  If we had gone out for this meal at a nice restaurant, I calculated we would have spent $175.00 for two with tip, tax, wine and four courses. (A salad of lettuce, artichoke bottoms, cherry tomatoes and cucumber is not shone.  I made everything from scratch, a labor of love, but hey, it's Valentine's day.  The crepes were delicious.  

If you have eggs, milk, flour and fruit you can do scrumptious crepes and cafloutis.  I used an on sale package of frozen stawberries and made a sauce with cornstarch, a little sugar, orange juice, orange liquor and a dash of brandy.  The crepes are filled with cream cheese (on sale) and powdered sugar.  The recipe made 12 crepes, which means we have three luscious deserts for  Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  

The stuffed chicken breasts are from Rachel Ray and there is enough for tonight and extra stuffing for some stuffed shells later in the week.  

The shrimp bisque was made with on-sale shrimp and their shells, and I splurged and bought leeks and a fennel bulb.  Again, enough bisque for three days and was it ever good.  I use cheap white vermouth when a recipe calls for white wine. 

Yes, I spent a good portion of yesterday in the kitchen, but having (delicious) food for 2-3 days is a good tradeoff.  Living cheaply does not mean living poorly.  Give your creativity free rein.  

Happy Valentine's Day and President's Day from The Cheeseparer

Going Bananas

We're in the path of the current snow storm, one of those freaky nor'easters that dump snow and lash us with cold winds. 


We always keep some "winter stores" in the house from December - April.  Just canned goods mostly and maybe a box of Biquick or Hungry Jack--stuff to eat if we get snowed in for more than a day or two.  I usually have tuna, hash, and Spam, but since we are trying to reduce salt,  hash and SPAM are iffy.  We have a gas stove, so even if the power goes out, there's still an oven and burners.  


This morning I ran to the store for milk and eggs which were in short supply.  With milk and eggs you hve a wide variety of menus,  frugal menus, even.  Tonight we're having some prepared chicken, part of a BOGO I purchased in the fall.  The first bag of chicken (a good brand name) wasn't very good, but I'm hoping with a different flavor and the new oven things will come together.       


In case the chicken is still mediocre, there's still baked beans (I add bacon, cherry tomatoes and  onion) and a wonderful never fail dessert.  It says serves 2, but it really makes 4 servings unless you're VERY piggy.   A Clafouti can be made with almost any kind of fruit--cherries are classic.  But good old bananas, cheap and always available are dynamite. 


Here is the recipe: 


1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar (we like recipes that are not TOO sweet).
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milke  (I use 2%) 
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large banana, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits


In a blender, blend together 1/3 cup of the sugar, the flour, eggs, milk, vanilla and the salt until the mixture is smooth.  Arrange the banana slices in one layer in a buttered 3-cup gratin dish or flameproof shallow baking dish, pour the pudding over them and bake the clafouti in the middle of a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is puffed and springy to the touch.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, dot it with the butter and broil the clafouti under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until it is browned. 


Serves 2-4.  


Gourmet Magazine, 1992


What could be simpler  than this?  So yummy.  And children will like it.  Nothing artificial.  Bon Appetit!

Bean Dip, Easy from Scratch

A friend on Facebook gave me this recipe when I was bemoaning the lack of bean dip among 16,000 jars of salsa.  Hey, beans are good for you, too.  I can buy a can of black beans for 99 cents.

Mash a drained can of black beans, add sour cream to the consistency you like, add 1 or 2 green onions chopped, cumin and salt...tada! very easy and very good!

You can be lazy and throw everything into the food processer, except the scallions (green onions).  I added some chili powder and a spoon of hot salsa.  Whatever floats your boat.  Get some minimally process all natural chips.  I know the super bowl is over, but enjoy.  

This is a recipe where low-fat (never non-fat) sour cream might be acceptable. 

The Cheese Parer

Refried Rice

Of all the cheap, tasty meals you can prepare, re-fried rice is one of the best.  My recipe, from the Chicago Tribune, is umpteen years old.  I use it for the basics and then I get creative. 


The basics:  
Early in the day, heat some regular oil in a small skillet.  Beat 1-2 eggs, depending on how many you are serving.  Pour the eggs into the hot oil and let them cook until done.  Remove from skillet, cool on a plate and then shred with a fork.  


Cook however much rice you think you'll need.  I use basmati rice for everything, but that's just me.  Brown rice is also a good choice.  For the two of us, I usually cook 3/4 cup rice in 1 1/2 cups water.  Add a bit of salt. 


Next cook 1-2 slices of bacon until crisp. 

Get out the remaining ingredients and slice and chop as time permits:  you will need 
1-3 cups of leftover meat, depending on number of eaters.  I've used leftover pork roast, pork tenderloin, pork chops, shrimp, steak, roast beef, roast chicken.  Coarsely chop.  Set aside. 

Chop some onion and scallion.  Now you have the basics.   Good stuff to add:  nuts, broccoli (precook) bean sprouts, spinach, water chestnuts, green beans, frozen peas, mushrooms (great!)  You want something for crunch and some greenery for nourishment and to make it look pretty.  Use your imagination.  Get out the sesame oil, hot oil and/or red pepper flakes, Sechuan peppercorns, garlic, and soy sauce.  You will also need a bit of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. 

Final preparation.  Add some oil to a very large skillet, and add the onion(s) bacon, leftover meat and saute until the onion is mostly cooked.  Add the rice and stir/fry like crazy until all the rice grains are coated with the oil.  Add the veggies and cook until they're how you like them, from crisp to well-done.  Add the egg and the soy sauce, sugar and the rest of the seasonings in proportions you like.  Add the nuts and some fresh chopped chives if you have them.  Taste for proper seasoning.  Stir and fry.  

Serve.  I like to serve this with a salad of lettuce (your fave) topped with a sliced orange and some sort-of-sweet vinaigrette.  

It really tastes good.  The 2 people recipe will provide 2 dinners.  Any bits of veggies are good, but I am particularly fond of mushrooms, broccoli, spinach and peas.  Peanuts or almonds are dynamite.   

You will not leave the table hungry, and you'll leave the table happy.   Vegans or vegetarians could eat this if you substtute firm tofu for the meat.   

We didn't even half to pare any cheese to produce this dinner. 

Cheers!