I think I know you. You're more aware, than ever, of the importance of health, in terms of what you eat. Because you watch "Top Chef," "The Next Food Network Star" and all the other foodie porn, you know all about foams and a jus and essences and amuse bouches. Unfortunately, all of that knowledge, which costs money to implement, is available during a recession. So you're amusing yourself with Top Ramen and mints you took from the bowl at your doctor's office, you want to know how to approximate something really delicious...
...and really cheap.
So in lieu of going into debt at Whole Foods or resigning yourself to culinary crappiness, you, you intrepid eater, you, have used your hunger, creativity and whatever food you have left in your cupboards and fridge after you ate all the good, easy to prepare food. And you are going to create art. Or at least as close to art as you can get with eggs that expire tomorrow, instant brown rice and some hummus.
You are a Kitchen MacGyver. You could make dinner out of anything. And I want to hear of your brilliance.
Use this space to tell me the best meal you ever made from the scraps you have left. Or to ask other people what to make with what you have. Or post pictures of the fruit of your exceptional cunning.
Remember the time we made salmon tacos out of the stuff in your fridge? I think you had one tortilla, some salmon, some black beans and a little sour cream and some cheddar cheese. Voila! Blogspot won't let me paste the story here, but the whole exercise is one of my favorite activities! I made cookies the other night without going to the grocery store: miamiherald.typepad.com/no_spend_zone/2009/10/free_cookies.html
ReplyDeleteLet's cook together again sometime soon!
Poached eggs! Eggs so delicious and cheap - poached, they are little pockets of protein sauciness. Good on toast with braised vegetables, or on rice with ginger-scallion sauce (fresh ginger + soy sauce + scallions + sherry vinegar + salt). Or in leftover onion soup, as I made today for lunch.
ReplyDeleteOoh. I love poached eggs. And those salmon tacos were banging.
ReplyDeleteThe freezer is my friend! After years of throwing wilting, almost dead foods away, the lightbulb went off!! Now, open my freezer and you'll encounter some alarming sights... like dozens of frozen bananas, still in nature' wrapper, which is black and frightening, but I guarantee the taste is still delish in a banana protein shake.
ReplyDeleteTry putting a bag of Steamfresh frozen peas and mushrooms in a pot. Add a jar of sauce (whaetver kind you have in the pantry)Next add in a handful of frozen uncooked shrimp. Spice it up with oregano, black pepper whatever suits your taste buds. Cover and cook. Eat over spinach pasta. This was two dinners and a lunch for me. Don't forget some really good Parm cheese to top it off. Just a hint from someone who was in the food business for 15 years. If you are going to buy grated Parm cheese keep it in the freezer and use it directly out of the freezer!
ReplyDeleteCheap dinner or lunch!!
ReplyDeleteYou divide Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (it's .99!!!) into 3 pieces and roll out flat. Then you put salsa, black beans and shredded cheese in the middle and fold over like an empenada. Then bake at 450 for about 20 minuted (but look at the time.
REALLY cheap; Really good.