Month: January 2021

Lunch

Foodie Greg had baked a Hebrew Temptation, otherwise known as Smokey Cheese and Pumpkin Slice. I told the story of how it became known as Hebrew Temptation earlier and the recipe is there too. It makes four generous serves.

• The bacon was $6.99 for 12 slices, and we used five, or 73c per serve
• Five pastured eggs at 48c each is $2.40 or 60c per serve
• A small bag of organic flour is $2.69 and we used about 1/3 or 23c per serve
• A Butternut Squash was $2.99 and we used half, or about 75c per serve
• The Smoked Gouda was $2.99 or 75c per serve.
• An onion adds 8c per serve.

While it might seem odd to have cake for lunch, because this is indeed a savory cake, it is great cold and was a fulfilling lunch for $3.14 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we finished the remaining Quick Moussaka, which reheated well and was even more tasty, for $5.41 per serve with Tabouli on the side.

Lunch

On a cold day a warm meat pie fits the bill perfectly, so we heated two Trader Joe’s Steak and Stout Pies for $3.25 per serve.

Dinner

A new Fishy Friday recipe: Smoked Trout Chowder, which makes four serves.

• The Smoked Trout was $7.49, or $1.88 per serve
• Potatoes add 34c per serve
• Garlic and Scallions add 15c per serve
• Chicken Bone Broth adds 50c per serve
• Wine adds 25c per serve
• Half & Half is $1.49 per pint and we used ¼, or 10c per serve
• Add 20c for other soup ingredients
• The Naan Was $3.99 or $1.00 per serve.

Although it looked like it was a little thin, the soup was very tasty and filling for $4.42 per serve, with the Garlic Naan.

Lunch

Today we mixed it up a little. One sandwich was the very tasty Apple & Delice de Bourgogne, while the other was Leg Ham & Coleslaw.

• The Aldi Bread is 53c per serve
• The Leg Ham adds 5c per serve
• The Delice de Bourgogne was $5.38 and we shared ⅓ , or 45 per serve
• Apple adds 10c per serve
• The Coleslaw is 28c per serve.

Two very good sandwiches for $1.41 per serve.

Dinner

For tonight’s Steak Night we returned to our Grass Fed NY Strip Steak from Aldi, and served with Crash Hot Potatoes and blanched Green Beans.

• Two Strip Steaks in a single pack were $16.29, and shared one for $4.07 per serve
• Fingerling Potatoes were 68c per serve
• Green Beans add 48c per serve.

The Steak was not quite as tender as dry aged beef, but was good and very flavorful. A good meal for $5.16 per serve.

Lunch

Our “once every three weeks” expedition to Simi Valley finishes with Fried Scallops from Mr Fish & Chips. This is a meal for one that we shared -adding extra Coleslaw – making it $5.19 with tax and tip.

Dinner

A new recipe for us: Martha Stewart’s Quick Moussaka. We will get four serves from this recipe.

• Ground lamb was $5.99 or $1.50 per serve
• The Eggplant was $1.39 or 35c per serve
• The Tomatoes were $3.99 or $1.00 per serve
• The Ricotta was $4.99 or $1.25 per serve
• The French (Valbreso) Feta was $10.99 but we used 1/6 or 69c per serve
• A Pastured Egg adds 12 per serve
• Add 50c for the remaining ingredients.

An excellent meal, full of flavor, for $5.41 per serve. The Ricotta/Feta mix on top was better than any roux-based topping we’ve had in the past.

Lunch

We repeated the Chorizo, Bell Pepper & Smokey Cheddar toasted sandwich for $3.77 per serve.

Dinner

Taking advantage of our abundant leftovers, we fried a Ham Steak, heated some of the remaining Boston Baked Beans, topped with two Fried Eggs and served with fried Cherry Kumatos.

• The Ham is about 10c per serve
• The Boston Baked Beans are $2.83 per serve, but we had a small serve for $1.55 per serve
• Two Pastured Eggs are 96c per serve
• The Cherry Kumato are 28c per serve.

An excellent meal for $2.89 per serve.

Lunch

Today’s lunch was a direct copy of yesterdays Apple & Delice de Bourgogne on a Brioche Bagel for $1.68 per serve.

Dinner

For Meatless Monday we prepared Baked Halloumi, Guacamole, Bell Peppers, Sprouts with Roast Pepper Salsa.

• The Halloumi was $5.99 or $3.00 per serve
• Guacamole is $1.10 per serve
• Bell Peppers are 32c per serve
• Tostados were $1.39 for 21, or 10c per serve
• Add 10c for Roasted Pepper Salsa.

These were pretty tasty for $4.62 per serve.

Lunch

Foodie Greg had found some Delice de Bourgogne – a Triple Cream Cheese in the Brie family – and we paired it with Apple on a Brioche Bagel.

• The Brioche Bagel is 58c
• The Delice de Bourgogne was $5.38 and we used about ⅓, or 90c per serve
• Apple adds 20c per serve.

The Delice de Bourgogne was stunning, and made an excellent sandwich for $1.68 per serve.

Dinner

Before they sold out, we picked up another ‘on special’ Ham from Aldi and today we sous vide it to perfection and paired with Choucroute. We made a Dressing from Trader Joe’s Blue Cheese Mustard and Raw Honey.

• The Ham was $5.38, or about 27c for an 8oz serve
• Carrots were 51c, or 26c per serve
• The Sauerkraut was $4.99 and we’ll get four serves of the Choucroute, or $1.25 per serve
• Fingerling Potatoes were 34c per serve
• The Dressing ingredients add 70c per serve.

A very filling, and tasty meal. The Dressing was a success, contributing to a very filling and tasty meal for $2.92 per serve.

Lunch

We had some Chorizo on hand, so we added Smokey Cheddar and Roasted Bell Pepper to make a great melt.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Smokey Cheddar is 68c per serve
• The Chorizo was $5.38 after all discounts and we used half, or $1.35 per serve
• Add 50c for Garlic Spread
• Fire Roasted Peppers cost $1.99 and we used half, or 50c per serve.

The flavors blended to create something completely new and unexpected, in a good way, for $3.77 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we tried a new recipe for New England Baked Beans, to which we added some Bacon and Fried Eggs.

• Pinto Beans were $1.29 and we used half or 16c per serve
• Bacon is $6.99 and we used about ⅓, or 58c per serve
• Add 80c per serve for other ingredients
• Dave’s Killer Bread is 33c per slice
• Two Eggs add 96c per serve.

This is a very simple recipe, and we had to boil it down to the right consistency, but it generated a lot of flavor for $2.83 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we repeated yesterday’s success: the Turkey Bacon Chipotle Meatloaf with Smokey Cheddar on a Hot Panini Roll for $2.57 per serve.

Dinner

Being Fishy Friday we chose Salsa Simmered Cod – mostly to give the Cod some flavor!

• The cod fillets were six for $12.99 or $2.17 per serve
• The Salsa was $1.95 or 98c per serve
• Tostados were $1.39 for 21, or 13c per serve
• The Dressed Mixed Greens add 45c per serve.

Thanks to a very tasty Salsa, this turned out pretty well for $3.73 per serve.

Dinner

We took half the remaining Turkey Bacon Chipotle Meatloaf, topped with Smokey Cheddar and heated it with two Panini Rolls.

• The Panini Roll is 63c per serve
• The Meatloaf was $2.53 per dinner serve, or $1.27 per lunch
• The Smokey Cheddar is 34c per serve
• Add 30c for Mayo and Chipotle Pepper Sauce.

An extremely tasty roll for $2.57 per serve. We think it was the Mayo that tripped it toward a Burger flavor profile.

Dinner

A return to a favorite: Black Pepper Beef.

• The top sirloin was $3.52 per serve
• Bell Peppers were 48c per serve
• Chipotle powder adds 10c per serve
• Onion and garlic add 25c per serve
• Brown Rice adds 33c per serve
• Add 50c for the other ingredients.

It’s a pretty decent stir-fry for $5.18 per serve.