Temperature check: 70. Sunny.
Every birthday I've had for the last ten years, it was between 40 and 47 and raining. Possibly longer than that, I can't remember back that far. Today: I'm walking around in a tank top and bare legs. And I haven't touched an umbrella since I moved here.
Thanksgiving update: A big foodie extravaganza seems unlikely. John implied our chances of getting non-family to come over for Thanksgiving dinner was slim to none. Thanksgiving seems kind of beside the point without family, anyway, doesn't it? And while I'd love to cook a feast for the two of us, I suspect we'd both choke on the leftovers within six days. It's just not a proper holiday without a crowd. That's one of the reasons I've been traveling on Thanksgiving the last few years (well, that, and you can get amazing international deals then). So now I think I'll revive my travel tradition, rent a car, and see some national parks.
This may not sound like the most exciting vacation at first, but I missed quite a few of them my first time through California, and it'll make for a great frugal last-minute vacation. My plan so far is to rent a car and see Joshua Tree and Yosemite National Parks, then come back via Big Sur (I didn't get any pictures the first time) and Hearst Castle. We can pack sandwiches, sleep at the Motel 6, and photograph some amazing scenery. Looking through Ansel Adams' pictures of Yosemite, I'm pretty excited about this plan. Plus my National Parks Pass is good through May, so I feel obliged to get some more use out of it.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Thinking about Thanksgiving
I realized the other day that this will be the first Thanksgiving in a few years that I've even been in the country, and many more years since I've actually celebrated Thanksgiving (thank you, bad breakups). So naturally, I'll have to do something this year. Ideally, I'd like to invite over a bunch of people who don't have family plans already and do a big traditional dinner, complete with football and turkey and pumpkin pie. We'll see if I can manage to pull that off--perhaps John and I will just be eating Thanksgiving leftovers for the month of December, because I'll probably cook the same amount of food regardless.
D'Artagnan is selling fresh, free-range, organic, heritage breed turkeys. They're exponentially more expensive than the supermarket sale turkey (Safeway frozen turkeys, 8-12 lbs: $5), but guess which one tastes better? Also, can you really trust an entire 12 lb turkey selling for $5? D'Artagnan may end up getting a lot of money from me this month: they're also selling wild boar, tasso, quail eggs, duck bacon...I'll stop before I drool all over the keyboard.
Here's a possible menu:
Turkey and gravy (duh)
Butternut squash soup with fried sage leaves
Shittake mushroom stuffing
Beet-mashed potatoes
Cranberry and apple terrine
Bacon and almond quinoa
Edamame salad with beets and greens
Creamed spinach with truffle oil
Roasted sweet potato and okra salad
Possibly bourbon corn pudding
Fresh pumpkin pie
With a couple of nice pinot noirs. Oooh, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Now picture the above, and then compare it to this:
The 20 Worst Kids' Foods in America
D'Artagnan is selling fresh, free-range, organic, heritage breed turkeys. They're exponentially more expensive than the supermarket sale turkey (Safeway frozen turkeys, 8-12 lbs: $5), but guess which one tastes better? Also, can you really trust an entire 12 lb turkey selling for $5? D'Artagnan may end up getting a lot of money from me this month: they're also selling wild boar, tasso, quail eggs, duck bacon...I'll stop before I drool all over the keyboard.
Here's a possible menu:
Turkey and gravy (duh)
Butternut squash soup with fried sage leaves
Shittake mushroom stuffing
Beet-mashed potatoes
Cranberry and apple terrine
Bacon and almond quinoa
Edamame salad with beets and greens
Creamed spinach with truffle oil
Roasted sweet potato and okra salad
Possibly bourbon corn pudding
Fresh pumpkin pie
With a couple of nice pinot noirs. Oooh, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Now picture the above, and then compare it to this:
The 20 Worst Kids' Foods in America
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Broke foodie: Zucchini "crab cakes"
I found zucchini on sale last week, so I bought a few. This week I realized I still had the zucchini, so it was time to eat them. Broke Foodie Tip #12: Don't throw food away. Try to use it up before it goes bad.
So I decided to try a new recipe--essentially I was making crab cakes, but substituting shredded zucchini for the crab. They were much better than I thought they would be--and except for the obvious green of the shredded zucchini, I may have been hard-pressed to know these weren't crab cakes at all. Proof positive that if you add enough Old Bay to anything, it will taste like crab.
Start with 2 cups shredded zucchini, with all the water squeezed out. Add 1 cup breadcrumbs, and mix together. In another bowl, mix together 1 egg, 1 T Dijon mustard, 1 T plain yogurt or mayo, 2 t Old Bay (I added more, I like Old Bay), 1/3 cup milk (I substituted slightly diluted cream, as I was out of milk), and chopped parsley (I used cilantro instead, I use cilantro in regular crab cakes and also I was out of parsley). Stir into the zucchini mix, form into patties, and fry just like you would crab cakes. Which is to say over medium heat, 3-4 minutes per side, in olive oil and butter.
Total cost: I doubled the recipe, to use up all the zucchini, and it yielded 8 big patties. $1.50 for all the zucchini, 13 cents each for the eggs, pennies for the additional ingredients...let's say $2.00 for everything. That's 25 cents each for the fake crab cakes. I served them plain, though you could serve with a variety of sauces or salsa, with a pear cobbler for dessert (to use up all the pears I got on sale).
So I decided to try a new recipe--essentially I was making crab cakes, but substituting shredded zucchini for the crab. They were much better than I thought they would be--and except for the obvious green of the shredded zucchini, I may have been hard-pressed to know these weren't crab cakes at all. Proof positive that if you add enough Old Bay to anything, it will taste like crab.
Start with 2 cups shredded zucchini, with all the water squeezed out. Add 1 cup breadcrumbs, and mix together. In another bowl, mix together 1 egg, 1 T Dijon mustard, 1 T plain yogurt or mayo, 2 t Old Bay (I added more, I like Old Bay), 1/3 cup milk (I substituted slightly diluted cream, as I was out of milk), and chopped parsley (I used cilantro instead, I use cilantro in regular crab cakes and also I was out of parsley). Stir into the zucchini mix, form into patties, and fry just like you would crab cakes. Which is to say over medium heat, 3-4 minutes per side, in olive oil and butter.
Total cost: I doubled the recipe, to use up all the zucchini, and it yielded 8 big patties. $1.50 for all the zucchini, 13 cents each for the eggs, pennies for the additional ingredients...let's say $2.00 for everything. That's 25 cents each for the fake crab cakes. I served them plain, though you could serve with a variety of sauces or salsa, with a pear cobbler for dessert (to use up all the pears I got on sale).
Monday, November 2, 2009
We'll file these under "Duh"
The BBC is reporting on a study linking depression to processed foods.
And check this out, particularly this paragraph (italics mine):
In spite of their pledges to reduce unhealthy marketing to children, the large cereal companies continue to target children with their least healthy products. Child cereals contain 85% more sugar, 65% less fiber and 60% more sodium when compared to adult cereals. In fact, not one cereal that is marketed directly to children in the United States would be allowed to advertise to children on television in the United Kingdom. Only one, Cascadian Farm Clifford Crunch, would be eligible to be included in cereals offered through the USDA Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. In addition, 42% contain potentially harmful artificial food dyes.
Is it any wonder kids can't concentrate in school? Now, I'm not going to get all up on my high horse, because I've eaten several handfuls of Halloween candy in the last week. I will say, however, that I do not eat candy as a general rule; and if my heart races and my ability to concentrate plummets eating that amount of sugar as an adult, I can't even imagine what it must be like trying to process that much sugar in a 40-lb body.
Dad, this one's for you:
Junk food is as addictive as heroin.
And check this out, particularly this paragraph (italics mine):
In spite of their pledges to reduce unhealthy marketing to children, the large cereal companies continue to target children with their least healthy products. Child cereals contain 85% more sugar, 65% less fiber and 60% more sodium when compared to adult cereals. In fact, not one cereal that is marketed directly to children in the United States would be allowed to advertise to children on television in the United Kingdom. Only one, Cascadian Farm Clifford Crunch, would be eligible to be included in cereals offered through the USDA Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. In addition, 42% contain potentially harmful artificial food dyes.
Is it any wonder kids can't concentrate in school? Now, I'm not going to get all up on my high horse, because I've eaten several handfuls of Halloween candy in the last week. I will say, however, that I do not eat candy as a general rule; and if my heart races and my ability to concentrate plummets eating that amount of sugar as an adult, I can't even imagine what it must be like trying to process that much sugar in a 40-lb body.
Dad, this one's for you:
Junk food is as addictive as heroin.
Finally, a play
My refrigerator and my hard drive overfloweth.
Obviously these are separate issues.
This weekend, I decided to strike out on my own a bit and I rented a car for 24 hours. Zipcar operates within walking distance, but they’re best for quick, last-minute errand running, an hour or two at a time. For longer-term (and unlimited mileage) rentals, there’s an Avis counter at a hotel nearby, also within walking distance. Tres convenient. I walk to work every day, and there are several small errands I can run that are also within walking distance (library, drugstore, bank, drycleaners, the gourmet grocery store, etc.). But for groceries and bulk errand running, I’ve been dependent on John to drive me around on the weekends. I was tired of feeling like a mooch, so I took myself back out on the open road. I hit Sam’s, Ralph’s, and discovered a Trader Joe’s nearby. Then I drove up to South Coast Rep in Orange County to catch the new Noah Haidle play.
It was the first real driving I’ve done since I moved here (Labor Day weekend, for those keeping score). And as a side note, let me just add that rental cars have improved exponentially in the last few years. I can remember renting an economy-class car and getting just that--a car. Maybe a radio. No CD player, no AC, no power windows, nothing. These days, an econo rental will come standard with iPod hookup, GPS, and sunroof. Plus AC and power windows. Driving around town in a cute little snappy car buying groceries is one thing; taking it out on the open road for the 75-mile drive to Orange County is quite another. I’d driven that stretch of I-5 on the road trip, between San Diego and Los Angeles. The traffic was much heavier this time, but it’s still a fun drive. I always enjoy finding a highway where I can go 90 and people still pass me like I’m standing still. Especially with the sunroof down and the tunes blaring. Especially when completely independent, at least for the day. I’m going to have to do that more often.
South Coast Rep is a great theatre; I’m going to enjoy seeing other stuff there. I’m hoping to convince John to take his son and me there for some family-friendly fare in the near future. Saturn Returns had the usual regional theatre issues; an intimate small-cast play on a cavernous stage, in front of an audience of blue-hairs, with the glib slickness that so often accompanies these productions. The play was a little maudlin for my taste; but I’m glad I stuck it out, there was an emotional payoff at the end. It did seem to be a departure from Haidle’s previous work. Plays like Kitty Kitty Kitty and Mr. Marmalade were edgy and unpredictable; Saturn Returns seemed written specifically for the regional theatre audience. Perhaps it was; I was chatting with the bartender before the show and I noted that the crowd seemed sparse. He said that Haidle’s previous play there, Mr. Marmalade, had been very poorly received. “Oh, but it was such a great play, and he’s a lovely writer,” I said. “Yes,” said the bartender, “but the language was too salty for most people.” WTF? I moved away from the South to get away from shit like that. John keeps telling me Orange County is the DC of California, but I didn’t believe it until now.
Sunday involved a trip to the La Jolla Farmer’s Market, to pick up the first CSA box. I got fresh lettuce, Swiss chard, green beans, radishes, apples, guava, yellow pear tomatoes, and a huge bunch of dill. I didn’t do any other shopping, but I made some mental notes on the other stands there so that I can do some in the future. Coupled with the other grocery buys this weekend, the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator are all filled to overflowing. Which is fine with me. Nothing improves my mood so quickly as food and beverage largesse. The pantry is stocked twenty deep with non-perishables, the freezer is so full I had to remove some ice trays, I have two cases of cheap wine for everyday use, and the refrigerator now smells like a huge bunch of fresh dill. Yum. Plus the bowls of fruit, onions and garlic, and winter squash on the counters. I don’t know if it’s because I grew up poor or just because I’m a glutton at heart, but seeing all that food in my kitchen is deeply satisfying.
My hard drive overfloweth, as well. My iTunes folder has now officially eaten up my entire hard drive. It looks like the only solution will be to offload all those files to a much bigger external hard drive--and possibly I’ll also need to purchase a larger iPod at some point in the near future, as well. 80gb doesn’t go as far as I’d like. So I’ve been cleaning up my iTunes this weekend--deleting corrupted/duplicate files, completing partial albums, adding stuff I need that I don’t have, etc. I also had a bunch of stuff that I’d copied wholesale from ex-boyfriends, that I decided I would never actually listen to and could finally be deleted. It’s bad enough I once dated someone who owned the entire Enya catalogue--I don’t need that cluttering up my hard drive. The less said about the Megadeth albums I found, the better.
John and I have just gotten hooked on Mad Men. So much so that it completely derailed me from watching Lost. Well-written, well-acted, well-produced TV shows are so rare, aren’t they? I can count on two hands the number of TV shows ever produced, ever, that I think are worth owning/watching repeatedly. To wit: The Simpsons, South Park, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Entourage, Freaks and Geeks, Slings and Arrows, and now Mad Men and Lost. Possibly Twin Peaks. Possibly Deadwood.
So this week I’m looking forward to a) fun with food, b) further fine-tuning of my music collection, c) my birthday!, and d) T’s impending visit! Yes, my first East Coast visitor will be here this weekend, just in time for my inaugural party. We’re currently on track to celebrate the first birthday without rain in...a significant number of years. I would like to point out that I had lunch today, outside, in short sleeves and bare legs. Last year on my birthday, it was 45 and pouring. Oh, and I got stood up. On my birthday. What a difference a year makes, huh? This year I’ll be celebrating with my SSO (Sexy Significant Other) in 75-degree sunshine. Turning 34 never felt so good.
Obviously these are separate issues.
This weekend, I decided to strike out on my own a bit and I rented a car for 24 hours. Zipcar operates within walking distance, but they’re best for quick, last-minute errand running, an hour or two at a time. For longer-term (and unlimited mileage) rentals, there’s an Avis counter at a hotel nearby, also within walking distance. Tres convenient. I walk to work every day, and there are several small errands I can run that are also within walking distance (library, drugstore, bank, drycleaners, the gourmet grocery store, etc.). But for groceries and bulk errand running, I’ve been dependent on John to drive me around on the weekends. I was tired of feeling like a mooch, so I took myself back out on the open road. I hit Sam’s, Ralph’s, and discovered a Trader Joe’s nearby. Then I drove up to South Coast Rep in Orange County to catch the new Noah Haidle play.
It was the first real driving I’ve done since I moved here (Labor Day weekend, for those keeping score). And as a side note, let me just add that rental cars have improved exponentially in the last few years. I can remember renting an economy-class car and getting just that--a car. Maybe a radio. No CD player, no AC, no power windows, nothing. These days, an econo rental will come standard with iPod hookup, GPS, and sunroof. Plus AC and power windows. Driving around town in a cute little snappy car buying groceries is one thing; taking it out on the open road for the 75-mile drive to Orange County is quite another. I’d driven that stretch of I-5 on the road trip, between San Diego and Los Angeles. The traffic was much heavier this time, but it’s still a fun drive. I always enjoy finding a highway where I can go 90 and people still pass me like I’m standing still. Especially with the sunroof down and the tunes blaring. Especially when completely independent, at least for the day. I’m going to have to do that more often.
South Coast Rep is a great theatre; I’m going to enjoy seeing other stuff there. I’m hoping to convince John to take his son and me there for some family-friendly fare in the near future. Saturn Returns had the usual regional theatre issues; an intimate small-cast play on a cavernous stage, in front of an audience of blue-hairs, with the glib slickness that so often accompanies these productions. The play was a little maudlin for my taste; but I’m glad I stuck it out, there was an emotional payoff at the end. It did seem to be a departure from Haidle’s previous work. Plays like Kitty Kitty Kitty and Mr. Marmalade were edgy and unpredictable; Saturn Returns seemed written specifically for the regional theatre audience. Perhaps it was; I was chatting with the bartender before the show and I noted that the crowd seemed sparse. He said that Haidle’s previous play there, Mr. Marmalade, had been very poorly received. “Oh, but it was such a great play, and he’s a lovely writer,” I said. “Yes,” said the bartender, “but the language was too salty for most people.” WTF? I moved away from the South to get away from shit like that. John keeps telling me Orange County is the DC of California, but I didn’t believe it until now.
Sunday involved a trip to the La Jolla Farmer’s Market, to pick up the first CSA box. I got fresh lettuce, Swiss chard, green beans, radishes, apples, guava, yellow pear tomatoes, and a huge bunch of dill. I didn’t do any other shopping, but I made some mental notes on the other stands there so that I can do some in the future. Coupled with the other grocery buys this weekend, the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator are all filled to overflowing. Which is fine with me. Nothing improves my mood so quickly as food and beverage largesse. The pantry is stocked twenty deep with non-perishables, the freezer is so full I had to remove some ice trays, I have two cases of cheap wine for everyday use, and the refrigerator now smells like a huge bunch of fresh dill. Yum. Plus the bowls of fruit, onions and garlic, and winter squash on the counters. I don’t know if it’s because I grew up poor or just because I’m a glutton at heart, but seeing all that food in my kitchen is deeply satisfying.
My hard drive overfloweth, as well. My iTunes folder has now officially eaten up my entire hard drive. It looks like the only solution will be to offload all those files to a much bigger external hard drive--and possibly I’ll also need to purchase a larger iPod at some point in the near future, as well. 80gb doesn’t go as far as I’d like. So I’ve been cleaning up my iTunes this weekend--deleting corrupted/duplicate files, completing partial albums, adding stuff I need that I don’t have, etc. I also had a bunch of stuff that I’d copied wholesale from ex-boyfriends, that I decided I would never actually listen to and could finally be deleted. It’s bad enough I once dated someone who owned the entire Enya catalogue--I don’t need that cluttering up my hard drive. The less said about the Megadeth albums I found, the better.
John and I have just gotten hooked on Mad Men. So much so that it completely derailed me from watching Lost. Well-written, well-acted, well-produced TV shows are so rare, aren’t they? I can count on two hands the number of TV shows ever produced, ever, that I think are worth owning/watching repeatedly. To wit: The Simpsons, South Park, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Entourage, Freaks and Geeks, Slings and Arrows, and now Mad Men and Lost. Possibly Twin Peaks. Possibly Deadwood.
So this week I’m looking forward to a) fun with food, b) further fine-tuning of my music collection, c) my birthday!, and d) T’s impending visit! Yes, my first East Coast visitor will be here this weekend, just in time for my inaugural party. We’re currently on track to celebrate the first birthday without rain in...a significant number of years. I would like to point out that I had lunch today, outside, in short sleeves and bare legs. Last year on my birthday, it was 45 and pouring. Oh, and I got stood up. On my birthday. What a difference a year makes, huh? This year I’ll be celebrating with my SSO (Sexy Significant Other) in 75-degree sunshine. Turning 34 never felt so good.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Prom
I know, you're thinking, "Enough with the bean soup already, post some real recipes and a real update, dammit." Quite honestly, I haven't been cooking much this week--a big project has been building all week at work, meaning the guys I work for have been working some very long days and nights, meaning I've been ordering lunch and sometimes dinner too for the whole department. Couple those leftovers with the nine metric tons of Halloween candy floating around the office, and you have the perfect Broke Foodie meal: free leftover deli sandwiches and salads. But this weekend I will tackle the monthly grocery shopping, in addition to the new Thomas Keller cookbook, so new cooking adventures await.
And now you're thinking, "You only go grocery shopping once a month?" Without a car, it's easier to do a big blowout of shopping once a month than worry about how to get around every week. I've also joined a CSA, which will provide me with a large box of locally grown, organic produce every two weeks. (Note: CSA stands for Community-Sponsored Agriculture, not Confederate States of America, as John opined when I brought it up. Too funny!) So between the once-monthly shopping for staples and the box of fresh greenery twice a month, I have no need for more frequent shopping trips. Especially since I've been getting back into menu planning, which means I've got dinners for the next two weeks mapped out in my head. Menu planning is essential for using up things before they go bad.
But I digress. The office I work for has a tradition of making Halloween into a BFD: this year, the theme is 80s Prom. For the past two weeks, fake senior prom posters, trophy cases, streamers, and banks of lockers have been going up around the office. It's already led to prom-induced dreams of prom and high school. The other night I dreamed that I ran into a group of people I went to high school with, who decided they were going to all crash the senior prom. The whole dream was punctuated with me thinking, "A bunch of 35-year-olds crashing the prom is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard of," followed by, "Wait. I don't have a date. THAT'S the most pathetic thing I've ever heard of." When I told John about this dream, his inexplicable reaction was, "Well, conceivably, in a few years, we could go to the prom, as chaperones," which caused a large mental dry heave on my part. I don't know which part was worse: the fact that we're both old enough to be prom chaperones, or that he was serious.
So this morning, when I got dressed, I had to get creative with my now very minimal wardrobe. Never fear, though: an 80s look can be had with the combination of the following very common wardrobe elements. One denim skirt. One pair legwarmers. One old black concert T-shirt, paired with a big slouchy belt. One can AquaNet. All the bangles, rings, and chain necklaces I currently own, all worn at once. One great big earring--just one. One blazer, with popped collar. Blue eyeshadow. Body glitter. Rinse and repeat, as necessary. I haven't been so over-accessorized since 1991. Last night I actually uttered the words, "I have to get up early tomorrow morning so I can tease my hair." I definitely haven't said that since 1991.
John's taking his son for Halloween-related activities tomorrow, so I'm treating myself to a full day of Me. I'm renting a car for the day, running various errands, and then taking myself to see my first play here in Cali: the new Noah Haidle at South Coast Rep. Then Sunday I'll get up early and go cruise the La Jolla Farmer's Market. I can't wait.
And now you're thinking, "You only go grocery shopping once a month?" Without a car, it's easier to do a big blowout of shopping once a month than worry about how to get around every week. I've also joined a CSA, which will provide me with a large box of locally grown, organic produce every two weeks. (Note: CSA stands for Community-Sponsored Agriculture, not Confederate States of America, as John opined when I brought it up. Too funny!) So between the once-monthly shopping for staples and the box of fresh greenery twice a month, I have no need for more frequent shopping trips. Especially since I've been getting back into menu planning, which means I've got dinners for the next two weeks mapped out in my head. Menu planning is essential for using up things before they go bad.
But I digress. The office I work for has a tradition of making Halloween into a BFD: this year, the theme is 80s Prom. For the past two weeks, fake senior prom posters, trophy cases, streamers, and banks of lockers have been going up around the office. It's already led to prom-induced dreams of prom and high school. The other night I dreamed that I ran into a group of people I went to high school with, who decided they were going to all crash the senior prom. The whole dream was punctuated with me thinking, "A bunch of 35-year-olds crashing the prom is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard of," followed by, "Wait. I don't have a date. THAT'S the most pathetic thing I've ever heard of." When I told John about this dream, his inexplicable reaction was, "Well, conceivably, in a few years, we could go to the prom, as chaperones," which caused a large mental dry heave on my part. I don't know which part was worse: the fact that we're both old enough to be prom chaperones, or that he was serious.
So this morning, when I got dressed, I had to get creative with my now very minimal wardrobe. Never fear, though: an 80s look can be had with the combination of the following very common wardrobe elements. One denim skirt. One pair legwarmers. One old black concert T-shirt, paired with a big slouchy belt. One can AquaNet. All the bangles, rings, and chain necklaces I currently own, all worn at once. One great big earring--just one. One blazer, with popped collar. Blue eyeshadow. Body glitter. Rinse and repeat, as necessary. I haven't been so over-accessorized since 1991. Last night I actually uttered the words, "I have to get up early tomorrow morning so I can tease my hair." I definitely haven't said that since 1991.
John's taking his son for Halloween-related activities tomorrow, so I'm treating myself to a full day of Me. I'm renting a car for the day, running various errands, and then taking myself to see my first play here in Cali: the new Noah Haidle at South Coast Rep. Then Sunday I'll get up early and go cruise the La Jolla Farmer's Market. I can't wait.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Broke Foodie: Roast chicken, and resulting chicken broth
I consider a whole roasted chicken one of the easiest things to cook, with the most bang for my buck. It's versatile; it's cheap; the carcass yields plenty of homemade broth; and it invariably impresses guests. Usually I get something like, "You cooked a whole chicken for me?" I try to refrain from telling them just how easy it really is.
Between shopping at Sam's and working the sales, I can usually get a whole chicken for $2 or $3. Compare that with the usual price of boneless skinless chicken breasts here: $6.99/lb. Keep in mind these are chicken breasts that have been pumped full of water, and harvested off Frankenstein genetically-modified factory farm chickens, to make them seem bigger and more impressive than they actually are. Whole chickens at least are not pumped full of water, and I think they're easier to cook than chicken breasts. Really. When was the last time you cooked a chicken breast that didn't taste at least a little dry? (It's because all that water they pump in evaporates during cooking.)
So, here's my standard recipe. First, put the chicken breast-side-up in a roasting pan. Stuff the inside of the (thawed) chicken with half an onion and half a citrus fruit (lemon, lime, orange). Save the other half of the onion for something else, and squeeze the other half of the lemon/lime/whatever over the top of the chicken. Next, add some liquid, maybe 3/4 cup or so, to the pan. The liquid can be white wine, red wine, any kind of juice, red/white wine/cider vinegar, vodka, rum, beer, whatever. The possibilities are endless. Essentially it's whatever you have on hand. Then add some seasonings to the top of the chicken. Again, it's whatever you have on hand. It can be some combination of green herbs--parsley, basil, oregano--or spicy herbs--paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper--or a prepared mix, like steak or Thai seasoning. Whatever. Don't scrimp.
Throw the chicken into a preheated 375-degree oven. In an hour, flip the whole bird over in the pan, so the breast is now soaking in the liquid. In another hour, flip the bird back over. Wait 15 min or so, long enough for the breast to re-crunchify, and take it out. Let it sit for another 15 min or so before carving. Eat.
That's it--maybe 3 minutes of prep work, and 1 minute's worth of doing something to the bird while it cooks. Total cost: $3, or however much you paid for the chicken, since the other ingredients can be cobbled together from what you already have. After you cook it, you can serve it whole; or pull the meat off and use it in any number of other things (chicken salad, soup, gumbo, etc.).
Be sure to save all the bones, and the liquid inside the roasting pan, for chicken broth. To make the broth, just throw the carcass (and the onion from inside the chicken) into a large stew pot. Add bay leaves and salt. At this point you can cook on low for several hours until the broth is a pleasant medium-brown color. You can also add vegetable leavings (peels, onion ends, celery leaves, pepper insides) for a more full-flavored broth. I keep a Ziploc bag in the freezer for the vegetable leavings--you can throw everything into the broth frozen, and you don't have to worry about your trash can smelling like onions. When the broth is appropriately brothy, strain out the chicken bones and pour the broth into something. I save old jars, but you can also use Tupperware or Ziploc bags. The added bonus of Tupperware/Ziploc is that you can freeze the broth until you need it, freeing up room in your fridge. The broth tastes so much better than ready-made versions, and it doesn't have all the sodium/preservatives.
It occurs to me that these entries would be much more helpful with pictures. I'll start taking some when I cook.
Between shopping at Sam's and working the sales, I can usually get a whole chicken for $2 or $3. Compare that with the usual price of boneless skinless chicken breasts here: $6.99/lb. Keep in mind these are chicken breasts that have been pumped full of water, and harvested off Frankenstein genetically-modified factory farm chickens, to make them seem bigger and more impressive than they actually are. Whole chickens at least are not pumped full of water, and I think they're easier to cook than chicken breasts. Really. When was the last time you cooked a chicken breast that didn't taste at least a little dry? (It's because all that water they pump in evaporates during cooking.)
So, here's my standard recipe. First, put the chicken breast-side-up in a roasting pan. Stuff the inside of the (thawed) chicken with half an onion and half a citrus fruit (lemon, lime, orange). Save the other half of the onion for something else, and squeeze the other half of the lemon/lime/whatever over the top of the chicken. Next, add some liquid, maybe 3/4 cup or so, to the pan. The liquid can be white wine, red wine, any kind of juice, red/white wine/cider vinegar, vodka, rum, beer, whatever. The possibilities are endless. Essentially it's whatever you have on hand. Then add some seasonings to the top of the chicken. Again, it's whatever you have on hand. It can be some combination of green herbs--parsley, basil, oregano--or spicy herbs--paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper--or a prepared mix, like steak or Thai seasoning. Whatever. Don't scrimp.
Throw the chicken into a preheated 375-degree oven. In an hour, flip the whole bird over in the pan, so the breast is now soaking in the liquid. In another hour, flip the bird back over. Wait 15 min or so, long enough for the breast to re-crunchify, and take it out. Let it sit for another 15 min or so before carving. Eat.
That's it--maybe 3 minutes of prep work, and 1 minute's worth of doing something to the bird while it cooks. Total cost: $3, or however much you paid for the chicken, since the other ingredients can be cobbled together from what you already have. After you cook it, you can serve it whole; or pull the meat off and use it in any number of other things (chicken salad, soup, gumbo, etc.).
Be sure to save all the bones, and the liquid inside the roasting pan, for chicken broth. To make the broth, just throw the carcass (and the onion from inside the chicken) into a large stew pot. Add bay leaves and salt. At this point you can cook on low for several hours until the broth is a pleasant medium-brown color. You can also add vegetable leavings (peels, onion ends, celery leaves, pepper insides) for a more full-flavored broth. I keep a Ziploc bag in the freezer for the vegetable leavings--you can throw everything into the broth frozen, and you don't have to worry about your trash can smelling like onions. When the broth is appropriately brothy, strain out the chicken bones and pour the broth into something. I save old jars, but you can also use Tupperware or Ziploc bags. The added bonus of Tupperware/Ziploc is that you can freeze the broth until you need it, freeing up room in your fridge. The broth tastes so much better than ready-made versions, and it doesn't have all the sodium/preservatives.
It occurs to me that these entries would be much more helpful with pictures. I'll start taking some when I cook.
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