Moving Menus

Since we are currently in the process of moving (and still on a very limited budget), meals have been largely dictated by what we have in the fridge or cupboard. We're trying to limit the amount of stuff we end up having to move to our new placce. Well, in the process of moving, I have also inadvertantly packed up alot of our cooking utensils, leaving me with a few pans, two pots, and a set of knives. With that in mind, we had to get creative yesterday when preparing dinner. Feeling like a bit of Cacciatore, I came up with the following recipe inspired by things found commonly in my cupboard.

RECIPE OF THE DAY: ITALIAN HUNTERS CHICKEN

1lb chicken breast (about 2 large whole breasts)
2Tbs olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 scallion
2 cloves garlic
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried sage
1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 can artichoke hearts (drained)
1/2 dry white wine
10 leaves of basil in a chiffonade
2 cups cooked pasta
grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Heat oil in a dutch oven on the stove, at medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken in the dutch oven until golden brown on each side (about 5 minutes each side). Remove chicken and add onion, scallion, and garlic to the dutch oven and cook until fragrant and soft. Add oregano and sage. Saute until fragrant. Add tomatoes and white wine. Add the chicken back to the pot, cover and place in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes and then add artichoke to the pot. Cook another 20 minutes. While the dish is cooking, cook the pasta until tender. Drain and dish into separate bowls. When the chicken has finished, spoon on top of the pasta and top with basil and parmesan cheese.

Budget Crunch

At times our budget gets quite tight (like right now), and it requires a bit of panic on my part as I think about how to pay our bills and eat at the same time. My husband and I always been at a crossroads about the cost of produce and other things. I stick by my assertion that produce is cheaper than buying alot of processed foods and meats. But with the rising cost of food, buying any food gets expensive really quickly. I've been having to spend quite some time getting coupons online through websites like couponmom.com and coupons.com to save some extra money on our food. But with our debt consistently rising with each passing month, just going to the grocery store makes me nervous. I'm hoping for relief in the next few weeks, but until then it's slim pickin's in at our place.

RECIPE OF THE DAY: BRUSCHETTA PASTA SALAD

1 cup dry pasta (shaped pasta works better than spaghetti)
1 tomatoe-chopped
7-8 big basil leaves
1/4c. extra virgin olive oil
2Tbl. grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic-minced
salt/pepper

In a pot, boil 2 quarts of water to cook the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, chop the tomato and basil. Mix the basil and tomatoe together with olive oil, cheese, and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the past when al dente. Mix with the tomatoe mixture. Let the salad marinate for a few hours either in the fridge or in a chilled container. As it sits, the tomato mixture will develop a very garlickly, fruity flavor. Also a good picnic or lunch meal. You can also add feta cheese to the dish for more cheesy flavor.

20 minutes in between

RECIPE OF THE DAY: CURRIED COUSCOUS SALAD

1.2 c Seasoned beef (see day 1)
1c. broth (chicken or vegetable)
1tsp curry powder
1tsp ginger powder
salt/pepper
1 clove garlic
1c. dry couscous
frozen peas
frozen corn
12 slices cucumber
2 stalks cilantro, chopped

In a saucepan, boil the broth with curry powder, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. When it boils add to the couscous in a small bowl. Cover immediately with plastic wrap and allow to sit, covered, for 15 minutes. In a small pan, reheat the seasoned beef and add frozen vegetable. When the vegetables have sufficiently defrosted and the meat is heated through, add to the cooked couscous. Add the cilantro and mix the dish together to help fluff the couscous and mix the vegetables and meat together. Serve and top with the cucumber.

I came up with this dish after I faced a dilemma this past semester. I had two classes scheduled from 11-2pm in the afternoon two days a week. I also only had twenty minutes between the classes in which I needed to get to the next class (in another building) and eat something, because I can't go that long without eating something. So I created a few recipes for lunch that didn't require reheating and that weren't solely sandwiches. This was one of my favorites and adding the meat is very important. Couscous is best served at room temperature. To keep the rest fresh, I bought a little tupperware set that had one of those ice packs attached to the lid to keep things a bit cooler. It was a nice break from sandwiches and pasta salad. I would make it in 15 min in the morning while also making breakfast. So within 20 min, I would have breakfast and lunch ready to go.

Forays into Fusion

RECIPE OF THE (YESTER)DAY: Chinese Meatball Subs

1lb ground pork
1TB soy sauce
1/2c bread crumbs
1 egg
3 green onions-finely sliced
2 cloves garlic
1TB brown sugar
salt/pepper
french rolls
Peanut Sandwich sauce (below)

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix together pork, soy sauce, bread crumbs, egg, onions, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well combined. Form into large meatballs (~2TB) and place on a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 25 mins or until done. You can cut one with a knife to see how done the meatballs are. Split the french rolls in half and toast in a dry frying pan. Make the Peanut sauce. When the meatballs are done, place 2-3 meatballs into the bread and top with the peanut sauce.

Peanut Sandwich Sauce
1/2c water
2 green onions-finely sliced
1T vegetable oil
1/4c Peanut Butter
1tsp Hot Chinese mustard
1tsp Asian chili sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat oil and onions. When fragrant, add peanut butter and water. When the peanut butter has "melted" add the mustard and chili sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add extra water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency.

This recipe marks my first foray into fusion cooking (mixing cuisines of two cultures). I saw a recipe for chinese meatballs and thought maybe I could make them into a sandwich and then brainstormed the peanut sauce . They came out pretty good. I made them with a simple "pickled" slaw of cabbage, carrots, and cucumber with some vinegar, sugar, and salt. It turned out pretty good. I think you can start to create recipes once you learn how certain ingredients go together to make the food I have enjoyed for years in restaurants. I get excited whenever I can make something that reminds me of my favorite dishes. I also get excited when I can make a dish better than some of the bigger restaurants can. Makes it easier to stay home than to go out all the time to try new things. Of course you'll always be saving money when you make things from what you already have around the house, than eating out for interesting dishes.

Love/Hate with Bulk Buying

Buying is bulk is an art that requires a good amount of thought, especially when it comes to food. I'm not of the economy that I can keep from freezing or buying alot of my meat frozen. It's usually cheaper for me to buy some of it in bulk, split it into smaller portions, and use it up for the next few months. But to do that you need to think ahead and buy good equipment. The first of which is :
The Food Saver which my wonderful-father-in-law bought for us. But it has allowed us to save a good deal of money on meat. We'll buy the huge loins of pork, slice them up and freeze them. Divide italian sausage into 4 sausage packets and stick them in the freezer, and separate cuts of beef into little packets so all I have to do is figure out what I want to cook, pull it out a day before and freeze it. The Second thing you'll need is a good freezer with space for holding frozen food.
But like I said before, we have a love/hate relationship with bulk food. I refuse to buy bulk vegetables or produce. I won't go near bulk desserts because I usually feel guilty after eating my umpteenth muffin. I will only buy bulk food when I know I can store it for a while or if we use a lot of it. The only perishable thing I ever buy in bulk is olive oil (Pure not Extra Virgin) because it's really the only oil I ever really use for cooking and we always go through it. The other items that get included are rice, pasta, meat (so we can freeze it) and bread (because we can freeze it). While that might not be foodie behavior it's just one way to stay on budget without sacrificing knowing what you're putting into your body.

RECIPE OF THE DAY: Simple Seasoned Meat
This recipe is used for a variety of dishes but it started when I realized I didn't need to spend money buying the over-salty, over priced spice packets at the Store. This takes as much time as the packets and you can control the salt and the flavor, plus you can jazz it up for whatever it is you're making.

Basic:
1lb ground meat
2 cloves garlic
1/2 finely chopped onion
1Tb Olive Oil
1/4 cup broth (beef,chicken, veg it doesn't matter)
Salt/Pepper
Spices : 1-2tsp Cumin, chile powder, curry powder, cayenne pepper in various combinations

In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and then add the chopped onions and garlic. Saute until soft and then add the ground meat. Brown the meat and then add the spices, salt, pepper, and the broth. Stir the mixture until well combined and simmer for 10 minutes. You can use this for tacos, enchiladas, couscous recipes, salads, and a number of other things. The all-purpose use for ground meat.

Welcome

So this is a page that is focused on the trials and tribulations of eating well while also living on a budget. There are so many things that I have learned, things that have frustrated me, and lessons that I am still going through that have infused and refined my love of food. To me food is more than just something to eat. It's an expression of one's culture, of love and care for other, and an indulgence that can transcend economics if done well. I have grown frustrated of the number of TV shows that try to teach people how to cook but then leaves them stranded with ingredients that are never available and methods that require a lot of expertise. As a graduate student living in a remote town, the trials and tribulations of eating well are no stranger to myself. Living from paycheck to paycheck makes it hard to really eat some of the rich foods I love, but it has also made me more creative in how I cook. Also my husband is allergic to most forms of dairy so trying to make some foods is out of the question while others require a bit of finessing terms of what to use. So this page is dedicated to the misadventures of a poor humble college student who is exploring and expanding her love of food and hopefully allowing other to indulge as well. Happy eating!!