Month: November 2017

Lunch

We decided to experiment with sardines, creating a ‘sardine salad’ along the lines of tuna salad, and then spreading it on toast and grilling cheese on top. We paired it with a ham, mustard and cheese melt.

It had more flavor than a tuna melt and wasn’t overly “sardiny”.

• Skinless, boneless sardines in water are $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Two slices of bread are 32c per serve
• The ham was $3.49 and we used about 1/4, or 44c per serve
• 12 slices of yoghurt cheese are $4.79 and we had two each or 80c per serve.
• Add 30c for shallot, capers and mayo.

Lunch today was determined to be a success. We plan on replacing tuna with sardines (or smoked trout) wherever we can. Lunch today cost $2.86 per serve.

Dinner

Thursday night is traditionally our “steak night” so tonight we had aged top sirloin served with Caesar Salad. Normally sirloin would be a cut prized for its beefy flavor but not terribly tender. Dry aging takes care of the tenderness, so the steak now has a rich beefy flavor, and still remains tender, and much less expensive than rib eye.

For the Caesar salad we substituted cheese bites for a low carb alternative to croutons.

• The aged sirloin came in two pieces of about 6oz each – a typical restaurant protein serve – for $5.67 per serve
• The cheese bites were $2.49 or $1.25 per serve
• An egg in the dressing is 50c or 25c per serve
• Organic romaine lettuce was $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Add 50c for the other dressing ingredients.

Dinner tonight exceeded expectations. A tender, flavorsome steak with a very tasty Caesar dressing – we added more garlic this time – for $8.67 per serve.

Lunch

It was time to use the last two pieces of our Reuben Casserole at $2.76 per serve.

Dinner

We have been impressed by smoked trout lately. First at the RAI in Amsterdam at IBC, and recently with the canned smoked trout on lunch sandwiches. Foodie Greg wondered how the smoke trout would work on a classic Nicoise Salad.

The answer: brilliantly. Without a doubt the best nicoise we’ve ever had.

• The smoked trout is $3.49 per serve
• An egg is normally 55c but they are on special for 33c 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.

As I said, tonight was 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. We used the oil from the trout in the dressing, which carried the smokey flavor through the whole dish. Definitely to be repeated for $6.10 per serve.

Lunch

We discovered smoked trout in a similar can to sardines, and decided to give them a try. With avocado it worked really, really well. A pastrami, tabouli and spicy labné rounded out the lunch.

• 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 smoked trout was $3.99 a can or $2.00 a serve
• The avocado was 4 for $2.99, or 38c per serve
• The 2+ lbs of corned beef was $13.55 but we used about 3oz  for tonight’s dish, or 62c per serve
• Add 25c for labné.

The smoked trout was particularly tasty and made a great sandwich. All up today’s lunch cost $3.89 per serve.

Dinner

Every month we get a pack of “beef for fajita” in our Prather Ranch meat box, and it’s a struggle to find something interesting – and different – to do with it other than beef and broccoli stir fry!

Tonight Foodie Greg found a recipe for Black Pepper Beef, which turned out really well. It’s great to have a ‘background’ flavor like black pepper take a staring role.

• The beef was $19.39 (for over a pound) or $9.70 per serve
• The pack of bell peppers was $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Onion and garlic add 25c per serve
• Add 50c for the other ingredients
• Add 30c for rice.

Tonight’s stir fry was expensive at $11.75 but it was really tasty, and the beef was tender.

Lunch

Today’s two shared sandwiches were a turkey, tabouli, and avocado, and an avocado and cheese. We had an avocado to use!

• 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 turkey breast was $2.99 and we used 1/3 or 50c per serve
• The avocado was 4 for $2.99, or 38c per serve
• 12 slices of yoghurt cheese are $4.79 and we shared two or 40c per serve.

Lunch today was an interesting mix of sandwiches for  $1.92 per serve.

Dinner

We had a good sized chuck roast from our Prather Ranch meat deliver, and decided to do a pot roast variation: beef and barley stew in a pot in the oven, not on a stove top.

The recipe makes four very generous, and filling serves, with the barley. We added half a pack of steamed lentils to up the fiber quotient.

• The beef was $21.22 or $5.30 per serve
• Mushrooms were $2.39 or  60c per serve
• The lentils are $2.99 for a 500g (about 1lb) and we used half or 38c per serve
• The pearl barley is $4.89 for a 28 oz bag, or 35c per serve
• Mushroom stock replaced the other stocks in the recipe for $3.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Wine adds 20c per serve
• Onion, celery and garlic add 35c per serve.

Tonight’s beef was extremely tender. Braising is an amazing conversion of a tough piece of meat into one that is tender and flavorsome. Tonight’s meal cost $8.18, although we could have probably served less and made more portions available!

Lunch

A repeat of the heirloom tomato and mayo sandwich with the other half of the tomato, paired with corned beef, tabouli and spicy labné.

• The heirloom tomatoes were $5.07 for two, and we used half a tomato, or 63c per serve
• Add 30c for the spicy labné and mayo
• 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 turkey breast was $2.99 and we used 1/3 or 50c per serve.

Lunch today was an interesting mix of sandwiches for  $2.07 per serve.

Dinner

Another serve of the Reuben casserole, this time paired with sliced avocado, sun dried tomato and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

• The Reuben Casserole is $2.76 per serve
• Four avocados were $2.99 and we shared one, or 38c per serve
• Add 30c for sun dried tomatoes and the balsamic reduction.

Dinner tonight was even better with some variation on the plate, for $3.44.

Lunch

We had intended to go to The Country Deli but a sudden power outage as we arrived required a change in plans, so a Bahn Mi from Pho Saigon 1 was second choice. And a good one it is for $8.50 with tax.

Dinner

Some large, bone in pork chops from Prather Ranch were grilled on the outdoor grill until perfect medium rare and served with a baked apple and creamy, mustardy lentils.

The pork chop was drizzled with a balsamic reduction Greg found today.

• The pork chops averaged $10.14 per serve
• The apples were 69c each
• The lentils are $2.99 for a 500g (about 1lb) and we used half or 75c per serve
• Mustard adds 25c per serve
• Labné substituted for cream and adds 40c per serve
• The balsamic glaze adds 20c per serve.

Dinner tonight was better than restaurant quality, with a perfectly cooked pork chop and tasty sides. The lentils were about as good as lentils get. All up the meal cost $12.43, which is expensive for us, but a fraction of what the meal would have cost out.

Lunch

Some more lunch sandwich experiment: Ham, mustard and Spicy Labné on one with Turkey Breast, Kale Salad and Kefir Cheese. Both were good.

• The ham was $3.49 and we used about 1/4, or 44c per serve
• Add 20c for the spicy labné
• Two slices of bread are 32c per serve
• The salad kit came from Ralph’s (Kroger) was $2.99 and the remaining serve will do a couple of lunches, or 13c per serve
• The turkey breast was $2.99 and we used 1/3 or 50c per serve
• 12 slices of yoghurt cheese are $4.79 and we shared one or 20c per serve.

Lunch today was an interesting mix of sandwiches for  $1.79 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we went to a classic English dish: cottage pie, which is shepherd’s pie made with beef, instead of lamb. Instead of the traditional mashed potato topping, we substituted mashed sweet potato.

The recipe makes four serves.

• The ground, dry aged beef came from our Prather Ranch pack and cost $9.12 or $2.28 per serve
• Organic celery was 59c or 15c per serve
• Organic carrots were 26c, or 7c per serve
• Onion adds 10c per serve
• The organic red yam/sweet potato cost $2.04 or 51c per serve
• Add 20c for oil and spices.

Dinner tonight was tasty and cost $3.32 per serve.