Month: June 2018

Lunch

We shared almost the same two sandwiches as yesterday.  We did a do-over on the canned asparagus and Swiss but with more salt, which did improve it somewhat, but it still lacks freshness.

• The pastrami was $13.51 for 1.04 lb and we used 2 oz, or 82c per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• The Tabouli is $2.69 and we put about 2 oz on the sandwich, or 33c per serve
• The asparagus is $3.29 for the can, but we used only 1/5 or 33c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 17c per serve
• Add 45c for butter and garlic dip.

Lunch today cost $2.42 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we took pork cutlets from our Keller Crafted meat delivery (formerly Prather Ranch) and prepared them in a Mushroom and Marsala sauce from Trader Joe’s. We served with a cheesy pureed cauliflower with baby kale chopped through.

• At 1.1 lb it was a very generous serve of pork cutlets costing $15.39 or $7.70 per serve
• The Mushroom and Marsala sauce was $2.99 or $1.50 per serve
• The cauliflower was $3.96 or $1.96 per serve
• Baby kale adds 30c per serve
• The cheddar was $3.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Add 30c for seasoning.

Tonight’s pork chops were excellent and perfectly cooked. The Mushroom and Marsala sauce was full of mushroom and flavor. It was not shy with the Marsala! The cheesy cauliflower puree was a little disappointing, because in chopping the baby kale for distribution through the puree, it went a little “grassy” tasting: good but not great. Overall, though, a great meal for $12.76 per serve.

Lunch

We shared two sandwiches for lunch. The pastrami and tabouli (with garlic spread) was pretty good. The canned asparagus was attempting to reproduce a food memory from our younger days. The memory was definitely better!

• The pastrami was $12.73 for .98 lb and we used 2 oz, or 82c per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• The Tabouli is $2.69 and we put about 2 oz on the sandwich, or 33c per serve
• The asparagus is $3.29 for the can, but we used only 1/5 or 33c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 17c per serve
• Add 45c for butter and garlic dip.

Lunch today cost $2.42 per serve.

Dinner

Once again our “Thursday night steak night” was our deconstructed satay: grilled top sirloin with satay sauce and a Vietnamese inspired slaw.

• The top sirloin from the Prather Ranch delivery was $12.47 or $6.24 per serve
• The peanut butter was $3.99 and we used about 1/8,  or 25c a serve
• Other seasonings in the satay sauce add 35c per serve
• Two baby bok choy was 38c per serve
• Carrot adds 30c per serve
• Salad seasonings add 20c
• Mint came from our garden.

Even though thin, the steaks were perfectly cooked, the satay sauce bought umami, sour and salt to the party and the black rice was a nutty carrier for the other flavors. The Vietnamese/Thai inspired salad contrasted with a sharp sour, but fresh, bite and definitely benefited from the substitution of bok choy for cabbage.  A good meal for $7.72 per serve.

Lunch

We reheated the remaining Popeye’s chicken and served it with a supermarket salad kit. It was the most Californian of salads: edamame and quinoa!

• The 10 piece pack is $15.31 with tax and we served two pieces each, or $3.06 per serve
• The salad kit was $5.67 or $2.84 per serve.

Lunch today cost $5.90 per serve.

Dinner

It was time for an easy, mid week meal, so we decided on our got0 easy meal: Vegetable Gyoza in a Ginger Miso Broth with a poached egg.

• The Miso Ginger broth was $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
• The gyoza were $3.99, or $2.00 per serve
• Add 20c for seasonings.
• A pastured egg is 50c.

As always, a good meal, on the table quickly, for $3.70 per serve.

Lunch

Putting smoked salmon and avocado together on a toasted sandwich seemed like a good idea. It should be at least okay, we thought. Well, it was okay, but the less expensive smoked trout would have worked better.

We’ll keep smoked salmon for Cobb Salad!

• The smoked salmon was $6.99 or $3.50 per serve
• The avocados are $2.69 for five and we shared one, or 30c per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• Add 20c for butter.

As we said, an okay sandwich, which should have been better for $4.32 per serve.

Dinner

Because of NAB and our Australia trip, the meat is building up in our freezer ahead of the next delivery this week, so we’re “forced” to eat our way through it. Tonight we defrosted and light pan fried some boneless pork chops. That was paired with Chinese-Style Bok Choy with Mushroom Sauce as the side.

• The pork chops were $10.94 or $5.47 per serve
• Bok Choy was $1.50 or 38c per serve
• We doubled up on mushrooms with oyster mushrooms for $2.79 and shiitake for $1.99 (on run out), or $2.39 per serve
• Add 45c per serve for other ingredients.

The pork chops were perfectly pan fried and still very slightly pink inside while the bok choy and mushroom definitely had that familiar “Chinese” flavor. A good meal for $8.69 per serve.

Lunch

As Foodie Philip was traveling that way heading for lunch, he stopped and picked up Popeyes Fried Chicken for lunch, along with a large red beans and rice.

• The 10 piece pack is $15.31 with tax and we served two pieces each, or $3.06 per serve
• The beans and rice are $4.37 with tax and we shared it, or $2.19 per serve.

Today’s chicken was fresh and hot out of the frier and very enjoyable for $5.25 per serve.

Dinner

After such a meat heavy lunch we opted for tostadas with refried black bean, avocado, lime pickled onion and topped with micro-greens (the fancy new name for sprouts).

• The tostadas are 22 for $2.29 or 21c per serve
• Half a can of refried beans, shared across four tostadas are 26c per serve
• The avocados are $2.69 for five and we shared one, or 30c per serve
• Add 20c for a dusting of cotija cheese and the pickled onion.

We felt the best part of tonight’s meal was the bean and pickled onion combination, but overall it lacked some zing! Not bad for 97c per serve, though.

Lunch

We shared two sandwiches: pastrami and tabouli on one, heirloom tomato and may on the other.

• The pastrami was $12.73 for .98 lb and we used 2 oz, or 82c per serve
• Sprouted Rye bread is 32c per serve
• The Tabouli is $2.69 and we put about 2 oz on the sandwich, or 33c per serve
• Two heirloom tomatoes were $3.47 and we used 1/2 of one, or 87c per serve
• Add 25c per serve for mayo
• Add 40c for garlic spread.

Today’s sandwiches were both good for $2.99 per serve, although we agree the tomato and mayo was our favorite.

Dinner

The hot weather returned today so we returned to a favorite salad – Nigel Lawson’s watermelon, feta and black olive salad and eating outside on the North Terrace

• The watermelon was $3.95, or $1.98 per serve
• The feta is $6.49 for 10.5 oz and we shared 3/4 or $2.43 per serve
• Pitted olives come in $2.99 jars and one quarter was used, or 25c per serve
• The red onion is 52c or 17c per serve (there is left over onion)
• Mint came from our garden
• Limes were $1.95 or 98c per serve
• Olive oil and seasonings add another 20c per serve.

Tonight’s meal was as delicious as it always is for $6.01 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we had scrambled eggs with moon touched tomatoes (semi dried) on “fry” toast, done in the panini press. It was all pretty good.

• Two eggs are $1.00 per serve
• Tomatoes  add 40c per serve
• The bread is 16c per serve
• Add 25c for butter.

Lunch today was tasty for $1.81 per serve with perfect scrambled eggs and a hint of acid from the tomatoes.

Dinner

It was time to finish a few things so we paired the cold chicken legs remaining from the supermarket chicken, with heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese as the salad.

The salad was great, with a good balance of creaminess and acid.

• The chicken is $5.99 or $1.50 per serve
• Two heirloom tomatoes were $3.47 and we used 1/2 of one, or 87c per serve
• The burrata was $4.99 for four and we used only one each, or $1.25 per serve.
• Add 30c for dressing and balsamic drizzle.

A pretty good meal for $3.92 per serve.

Lunch

As we were still climbing out of an unseasonably gloomy period our days have not been warm, so heating up some Trader Joe’s meat pies for lunch not only gave us a hot lunch, but contributed to warming the room as well.

Foodie Philip had the Steak and Stout while Greg had the Balti Chicken. Each pie is $3.25.

Dinner

We didn’t grill this Thursday night because the deck is being refurbished for summer, but we enjoyed pan seared pork chops with an apple endive salad.

• The Keller Crafted pork chops were $11.39 or $5.70 per serve
• The Envy apple was 86c or 23c per serve
• The endive was $2.27 or $1.14 per serve
• Add 20c for dressing ingredients
• Add 40c for nuts.

An excellent pork chop with a salad that perfectly pairs the sweet crispness of the apple with the bitter endive. A great meal for $7.67 per serve.