Month: November 2017

Lunch

We decided to give our toasted sandwich maker one more try before deciding to send it back. Once again it leaked out and made an incredible mess so that appliance is now packed on its way back to Amazon.

Our sandwiches were okay. Another ham, mustard and cheese, and a silverside and spicy labné.

• Two slices of bread are 32c per serve
• The ham cost $16.51 on special and will make at least 15 serves, or $1.10 per serve, although we used 1/3 of a serve shared, or 18c per serve
• The corned beef/silverside was $6.82 for 1 lb, and we used about 2 oz in this sandwich, or 43c per serve
• Add 20c for the spicy labné
• 12 slices of yoghurt cheese are $4.79 and we shared one or 20c per serve.

Lunch today was hampered by the fact the sandwich maker holds too little filling to make the sandwiches tasty. Lunch today cost $1.33 per serve.

Dinner

Pork Shoulder Chops are often challenging because they require a slow braise to bring out the best. Fast cooking would make them very tough and not enjoyable. We tried a new recipe with a vinegar braise that turned out very well. The chops were tender and tasty. We dropped the sugar and water for slightly less sweet approach.

We paired it with wilted greens flavored with garlic and anchovy, and a baked apple.

• The pork chops were $11.69 or $5.85 per serve
• The apples were 85c or 43c per serve
• The greens were $3.29 or $1.65 per serve
• Add 45c for garlic and anchovy.

Dinner tonight was tender, tasty and had a good variety of flavors. The garlic in the braise linked to the garlic in the greens in a pleasing manor. A good meal for $8.38 per serve.

Lunch

Another Burbank Monday had Foodie Philip at In and Out Burger for a Double Double Animal Style for $4.27.

Dinner

Tonight’s use of leftover ham is a ham, mushroom and emmental frittata.

• The ham cost $16.51 on special and will make at least 15 serves, or $1.10 per serve
• Portabella mushrooms were $1.69 (on run out special) or 85c per serve
• The emmental was $7.99 or $4.00 a serve
• Eggs are 55c each or $1.65 per serve.

Dinner tonight was tasty. We could have served three with this frittata but with two it was $7.60 per serve.

Lunch

Obviously, we’re still eating through our enormous store of baked ham so we paired it with an avocado and some mustard aioli for a great sandwich.

• The avocado was $1.25 or 63c per serve
• The ham cost $16.51 on special and will make at least 15 serves, or $1.10 per serve, although we used 1/3 of a serve shared, or 18c per serve
• Two slices of bread are 32c per serve
• Add 10c for mustard aioli.

We’ve learnt that ham and “fat” go together nicely on a sandwich: either the brie or avocado work well to make a delicious sandwich for $1.13 per serve.

Dinner

A simple meal of Trader Joe’s Bavarian Bratwurst, crash hot (purple) potatoes and steamed green beans.

• The bratwurst are $3.49 for the pack, or $1.75 per serve
• Potatoes add 30c per serve
• We used the last half of the $2.99 packet of beans between the three of us, or 50c per serve.

Dinner was simple and tasty for $2.55 per serve.

Lunch

When thinking about lunch we decided we had a hankering for  a Bahn Mi from Pho Saigon 1, which we very much enjoyed for $8.50 with tax.

Dinner

Loosely based on a Salade Niçoise, we repeated our smoked trout version, with more of the purple potatoes we’ve been enjoying lately. The purple potatoes have the softest flesh when cooked.

Foodie Greg used the oil from the trout to carry the smokey taste into the dressing, and, along with anchovy, give the dressing tremendous umami.

• The smoked trout is $3.49 per serve
• An egg is normally 55c but they are on special for 66c per serve
• The green beans were $2.99 but we used about half, or 75c per serve
• The cherry tomatoes were $3.49, but we used about half, or 88c per serve
• Potatoes add 30c per serve
• Add 35c per serve for the dressing ingredients.

Each time we have this I believe it to be the best nicoise salad we’ve ever had. The smoked trout costs about the same as good canned tuna but has a lot more flavor. Very good for $6.43 per serve.

Lunch

Still eating through the ham we balance it with other sandwiches for variety. Today we repeated the Ham, Brie and Watercress, but substituted silverside for pastrami on the other sandwich.

• Two slices of bread are 32c per serve
• Hummus is 33c per serve
• The corned beef/silverside was $6.82 for 1 lb, and we used about 4 oz in this sandwich, or 85c per serve
• The ham cost $16.51 on special and will make at least 15 serves, or $1.10 per serve, although we used 1/3 of a serve shared, or 18c per serve
• The brie was $7.37 and we used about 1/3 for pre-dinner snacks last night, and less than that for lunch, or 92c per serve
• Add 30c for watercress.

Lunch today was definitely above average, for $2.90 per serve.

Dinner

One of our favorite meals each month is the thick cut pork chops from Prather Ranch.

• 12oz (about double a typical restaurant portion) of pork chop cost an average of $10.14
• A small pack of pecans is $1.59 or 80c per serve
• The celery was 50c but we used about 1/3 or 10c per serve
• An Envy apple was $1.29 or 65c per serve
• Add 15c for mayonnaise and labné for the dressing.

Dinner tonight was excellent: every bit as good as a restaurant version at $30-$40 a serve, but cost us only $11.84.

Lunch

With substantial amounts of ham left over, we – obviously – had a ham sandwich. We paired it with brie remaining from the night before, and some watercress for a fresh crunch. It was spectacular!

The other sandwich paired garlic hummus with pastrami. It was good, but not as good as the ham and brie!

• Two slices of bread are 32c per serve
• Hummus is 33c per serve
• The pastrami beef was $4.99 for 8 oz, and we used about 3 oz in this sandwich, or 94c per serve
• The ham cost $16.51 on special and will make at least 15 serves, or $1.10 per serve, although we used 1/3 of a serve shared, or 18c per serve
• The brie was $7.37 and we used about 1/3 for pre-dinner snacks last night, and less than that for lunch, or 92c per serve
• Add 30c for watercress.

Lunch today was definitely above average, for $2.98 per serve.

Dinner

For dinner we finished the supermarket chicken from earlier in the week and paired it with a mango, avocado, black bean and mint salad.

• The chicken was $1.75 per serve
• A can of seasoned beans was $1.00 or 50c per serve
• Mangos were $1.78 or 89c per serve
• The avocado was 5 for $2.99, or 60c per serve
• The mint was 79c and we used about 1/4 or 10c per serve
• 1 lb of limes was $1.29 and we used 1/4 or 16c per serve

The salad was definitely the highlight of the meal, which was $4.00 per serve.

Lunch

Today’s sandwiches: avocado and tabouli and pastrami with hummus.

• Two slices of bread are 32c per serve
• The tabouli came from Jon’s and is $2.52, of which we used about 1/4 or 32c per serve
• The avocado was 4 for $2.99, or 38c per serve
• Hummus is 33c per serve
• The pastrami beef was $4.99 for 8 oz, and we used about 3 oz in this sandwich, or 94c per serve

Lunch today was tasty for $2.29 per serve.

Dinner

We had guests for dinner and wanted to prepare something “American,” so we decided on baked ham. While cold sliced ham is part of the Summer Christmas tradition in Australia, baked ham is unknown, so was a good choice for our Australian visitors.

We paired it with Nigella Lawson’s Double Potato Halloumi Bake.

• The ham cost $16.51 on special and will make at least 15 serves, or $1.10 per serve
• Baby purple potatoes add 30c per serve
• The sweet potato (yam) was $1.16 or 23c per serve
• The yellow bell pepper was $2.49 or 30c per serve
• The red pepper was 99c or 20c per serve
• A red onion is $1.16 or 23c per serve
• Halloumi $3.64 or 73c per serve
• Garlic adds 5c per serve.

Dinner tonight was an excellent example of a roast dinner: moist baked ham and perfectly roast vegetables for just $3.14 per serve.

Lunch

If it’s Monday, it must be Burbank and an In and Out Double Double Animal Style for $4.27.

Dinner

We returned to an old favorite: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup but substituted quinoa for the orzo, which worked fine and is a way to avoid carbohydrates in the evening.

The recipe makes three serves

• Carrots cost 25c or 9c per serve
• Celery, thyme, oil and garlic adds 20c per serve
• Chicken broth cost 67c per serve
• The store-bought rotisserie chicken breast is $1.75 for a breast, or 58c per serve
• We purchased about half a pound of quinoa for $3.01 but used the 3/4 left, or 75c per serve
• Add in 15c for the other seasonings, etc.

Dinner tonight cost $2.44 per serve!