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.
Friday, October 30, 2009
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.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Broke Foodie: Beef stew
Are you sensing a theme yet? It's "soup." Even though it's 75 degrees here, I'm still craving winter foods. I guess it's that time of year.
Prep work for beef stew involved taking some frozen stew meat out of the freezer. (Stew beef, bought in bulk at Sam's Club and broken down into roughly 3/4 lb pkgs for easy freezing) Standard soup procedure, I threw an onion and some garlic in bacon fat and let that cook down. Then I added the thawed beef and let that sear a little while I added seasonings (BBQ rub, salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, dried red pepper flakes, cumin, etc.). Add one big can of tomatoes and some broth. I also added about 3/4 cup of dried mushrooms, reconstituted in some Long Island red wine (I threw the wine in, as well). Let cook maybe twenty minutes. Add about three handfuls of frozen peas and half a box of orzo. When the orzo is done, so is the soup!
I could also have added carrots and celery to the first step, but I didn't have any. They're nice additions to soup if you have them on hand, but if not, I usually find the soups don't suffer.
Prep work for beef stew involved taking some frozen stew meat out of the freezer. (Stew beef, bought in bulk at Sam's Club and broken down into roughly 3/4 lb pkgs for easy freezing) Standard soup procedure, I threw an onion and some garlic in bacon fat and let that cook down. Then I added the thawed beef and let that sear a little while I added seasonings (BBQ rub, salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, dried red pepper flakes, cumin, etc.). Add one big can of tomatoes and some broth. I also added about 3/4 cup of dried mushrooms, reconstituted in some Long Island red wine (I threw the wine in, as well). Let cook maybe twenty minutes. Add about three handfuls of frozen peas and half a box of orzo. When the orzo is done, so is the soup!
I could also have added carrots and celery to the first step, but I didn't have any. They're nice additions to soup if you have them on hand, but if not, I usually find the soups don't suffer.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Broke Foodie: Black bean soup
Last night this was actually black bean soup with venison, thanks to a packet of venison from my mom. Thanks Mom!
A local grocery store here, Henry's, sells a lot of bulk drygoods. I can get quinoa and dried beans there in bulk, which is nice. I usually start a bean soup a couple days in advance. Day 1: soak the beans overnight. Day 2: rinse beans, cook them all day in a Crock Pot on low. Just add water, no seasonings. If you cook them twice, it cooks out all of the, shall we say, undesirable side effects of beans. Two days of prep sounds like a lot, but really it involved about three minutes over two days, two minutes of which were getting the Crock Pot down.
So, Day 3: standard soup preparation. I sauteed an onion and some garlic in bacon fat, added a jar of canned tomatoes and the venison, and all the beans. Add stock and seasonings (in this case, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika). Let cook on low for, oh, let's say, 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream. Total prep time: about 30 minutes. I've also made this same soup with ground beef or sausage; just add the meat to the onion and garlic and let cook before adding the tomatoes and beans.
Total cost: tomatoes and venison were free. Black beans: maybe 75 cents worth? Pennies for the onion, garlic and seasonings, all bought in bulk. Broth: homemade. Sour cream: actually also free, as it was leftover from an office lunch meeting (burritos). So total cost of soup, being generous: maybe $1.00. At least six servings' worth.
A local grocery store here, Henry's, sells a lot of bulk drygoods. I can get quinoa and dried beans there in bulk, which is nice. I usually start a bean soup a couple days in advance. Day 1: soak the beans overnight. Day 2: rinse beans, cook them all day in a Crock Pot on low. Just add water, no seasonings. If you cook them twice, it cooks out all of the, shall we say, undesirable side effects of beans. Two days of prep sounds like a lot, but really it involved about three minutes over two days, two minutes of which were getting the Crock Pot down.
So, Day 3: standard soup preparation. I sauteed an onion and some garlic in bacon fat, added a jar of canned tomatoes and the venison, and all the beans. Add stock and seasonings (in this case, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika). Let cook on low for, oh, let's say, 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream. Total prep time: about 30 minutes. I've also made this same soup with ground beef or sausage; just add the meat to the onion and garlic and let cook before adding the tomatoes and beans.
Total cost: tomatoes and venison were free. Black beans: maybe 75 cents worth? Pennies for the onion, garlic and seasonings, all bought in bulk. Broth: homemade. Sour cream: actually also free, as it was leftover from an office lunch meeting (burritos). So total cost of soup, being generous: maybe $1.00. At least six servings' worth.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Broke Foodie: Refrigerator soup
I've had a lot of people ask me how, knowing my tastes and proclivities for things like fine wine and foie gras, I can feed myself on less than $100 a month. First, you have to have a fully stocked pantry; my food costs right now are higher than that, because I'm in the process of building the pantry. Oh, and because I'm feeding two people instead of one. Second, you have to eat your leftovers, all your leftovers, and not be afraid of things like beans and soup. Third, no liquid calories (other than alcohol). I'm continuously amazed at how much people spend on soda, juice, Red Bull, Gatorade, etc., and also amazed at how these same people usually wonder about how much weight they've gained/how much their dentistry costs. I'd rather save my calories for the food. Fourth, and most important, you have to know how to cook.
Which is usually the sticking point for most of the people I know. But it's easy, it really is. The human race survived for millenia without convenience foods, and in the amount of time it takes a Lean Cuisine meal to heat in the microwave (5-7 minutes), I can throw some things into a pan on the stove and serve up a hot, fresh, homecooked meal. Without a lot of preservatives and chemicals I can't pronounce. So I'm starting a new thread on this blog, called Broke Foodie, in which I'll share all my favorite (cheap) recipes.
So, one of my standby recipes: Refrigerator Soup. This is a catch-all term for "a soup which uses up all those random, seemingly unrelated things hanging out in your fridge." I call it minestrone for other people. Obviously, what goes into it will vary, but the basic shape remains the same. Saute a chopped onion and some garlic (maybe some carrots and celery if you have them on hand) in olive oil or bacon fat. Then add a can of tomatoes, a can of beans (any kind), a package of frozen spinach, and whatever else you have handy. Last night I threw in some leftover spaghetti sauce, a handful of dried fusilli, and a handful of quinoa. Any vegetables you have that are in danger of going bad can be added. Then add broth to the pot, about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches above the food line, and whatever seasonings seem reasonable. (Sam's makes an all-purpose Italian seasoning mix that I like to use for soups. I put in that, plus bay leaves and salt, last night.) Cook till everything's heated through and the pasta's done, maybe 15-20 minutes.
There! You've made soup. Easy as pie and very cheap and filling. Serve with freshly shredded parmesan on top. I guarantee it tastes far better than anything Campbell's or Progresso ever made.
Total cost: Let's see...maybe .50 each for the cans of tomatoes and beans (bought in bulk), pennies for the onion and garlic, about $1.00 for the frozen spinach. Call it another $1.00 for everything else (handful of pasta, spices, etc.). The broth was homemade. So $4.00, max, for eight servings of soup. That's fifty cents per serving.
Which is usually the sticking point for most of the people I know. But it's easy, it really is. The human race survived for millenia without convenience foods, and in the amount of time it takes a Lean Cuisine meal to heat in the microwave (5-7 minutes), I can throw some things into a pan on the stove and serve up a hot, fresh, homecooked meal. Without a lot of preservatives and chemicals I can't pronounce. So I'm starting a new thread on this blog, called Broke Foodie, in which I'll share all my favorite (cheap) recipes.
So, one of my standby recipes: Refrigerator Soup. This is a catch-all term for "a soup which uses up all those random, seemingly unrelated things hanging out in your fridge." I call it minestrone for other people. Obviously, what goes into it will vary, but the basic shape remains the same. Saute a chopped onion and some garlic (maybe some carrots and celery if you have them on hand) in olive oil or bacon fat. Then add a can of tomatoes, a can of beans (any kind), a package of frozen spinach, and whatever else you have handy. Last night I threw in some leftover spaghetti sauce, a handful of dried fusilli, and a handful of quinoa. Any vegetables you have that are in danger of going bad can be added. Then add broth to the pot, about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches above the food line, and whatever seasonings seem reasonable. (Sam's makes an all-purpose Italian seasoning mix that I like to use for soups. I put in that, plus bay leaves and salt, last night.) Cook till everything's heated through and the pasta's done, maybe 15-20 minutes.
There! You've made soup. Easy as pie and very cheap and filling. Serve with freshly shredded parmesan on top. I guarantee it tastes far better than anything Campbell's or Progresso ever made.
Total cost: Let's see...maybe .50 each for the cans of tomatoes and beans (bought in bulk), pennies for the onion and garlic, about $1.00 for the frozen spinach. Call it another $1.00 for everything else (handful of pasta, spices, etc.). The broth was homemade. So $4.00, max, for eight servings of soup. That's fifty cents per serving.
Still 75 and sunny
Well, I didn’t get the job I wanted. And the temp job is not paying anywhere near what I used to make. But life is pretty good, regardless. John and I worked out finances, at least until the temp job goes perm (when I can hopefully start making more money). My container-garden tomatoes on the patio are starting to take off (in October!) and I have some freshly planted pea shoots that are going bonkers. Exciting stuff. Best of all, I can walk to work in a t-shirt, in the bright California sunshine (last week in New York: 43 and rainy. Last week in San Diego: between 70 and 75 and sunny). I have yet to break out a jacket or an umbrella. I’m currently on track to celebrate the first birthday I’ve had without rain in…more than a decade? Early November in New York is always rainy and miserable. I’m considering going to the beach on my birthday this year. The beach!
Speaking of which, I thought about having a house party, but then upgraded that idea to a night out in LA. Most of the people I know in SoCal are in LA, anyway, and I haven’t been there since I moved. We’ll have dinner at Ford’s Filling Station, and then go out to some really nice but not crowded or expensive bar afterward. Does such a thing exist in LA? We’ll find out. And any West Coasters that are reading this, you’re all invited. I think I’ll save the house party for an actual housewarming sometime later in November, and I’d also like to put together a Thanksgiving dinner for everyone I know that, like me, will not have other family commitments that weekend. Thanks to the San Diego library, I’ve been drooling over the Alinea and Thomas Keller’s sous vide cookbooks and now I really want to cook for people. There’s a new tabletop sous vide small appliance coming out that I’m really excited about, retailing for $399. I’m wondering, though, if I can’t get essentially the same results with a sous vide temperature regulator (around $150) and a Crock Pot. Of course, I’d need a vacuum sealer ($150) either way. So as much as I’d like that, I think there will not be any bison tenderloin sous vide for Thanksgiving. (Mmmmm...bison tenderloin sous vide...) Which now makes me want to plan a menu.
Walking down to the library last night, I realized just how small your world is with no car. My world has shrunk down to a mile in all directions. I feel like a loser, having been here for close to two months with no good intel on local restaurants/bars/shopping, etc. And in a sort-of-unrelated note, I’ve been thinking about career moves lately. An old idea is burrowing back to the surface, and the more I examine it, the more I think I like it. More on that later.
Oh, and we've decided to drive cross-country (and back) for Christmas. Even with gas being what it is, it's cheaper than flying for three people to two different destinations. Hopefully both John and his son will adapt to road-tripping, and I will not want to kill all three of us by the time we make it to Virginia.
Speaking of which, I thought about having a house party, but then upgraded that idea to a night out in LA. Most of the people I know in SoCal are in LA, anyway, and I haven’t been there since I moved. We’ll have dinner at Ford’s Filling Station, and then go out to some really nice but not crowded or expensive bar afterward. Does such a thing exist in LA? We’ll find out. And any West Coasters that are reading this, you’re all invited. I think I’ll save the house party for an actual housewarming sometime later in November, and I’d also like to put together a Thanksgiving dinner for everyone I know that, like me, will not have other family commitments that weekend. Thanks to the San Diego library, I’ve been drooling over the Alinea and Thomas Keller’s sous vide cookbooks and now I really want to cook for people. There’s a new tabletop sous vide small appliance coming out that I’m really excited about, retailing for $399. I’m wondering, though, if I can’t get essentially the same results with a sous vide temperature regulator (around $150) and a Crock Pot. Of course, I’d need a vacuum sealer ($150) either way. So as much as I’d like that, I think there will not be any bison tenderloin sous vide for Thanksgiving. (Mmmmm...bison tenderloin sous vide...) Which now makes me want to plan a menu.
Walking down to the library last night, I realized just how small your world is with no car. My world has shrunk down to a mile in all directions. I feel like a loser, having been here for close to two months with no good intel on local restaurants/bars/shopping, etc. And in a sort-of-unrelated note, I’ve been thinking about career moves lately. An old idea is burrowing back to the surface, and the more I examine it, the more I think I like it. More on that later.
Oh, and we've decided to drive cross-country (and back) for Christmas. Even with gas being what it is, it's cheaper than flying for three people to two different destinations. Hopefully both John and his son will adapt to road-tripping, and I will not want to kill all three of us by the time we make it to Virginia.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
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