Month: February 2021

Lunch

We’ve avoided Popeyes for the last year as there are no nearby drive through outlets, and going into a store is unnecessary exposure in the days of Covid19, but today we were in Moorepark on our way back so we picked up Popeyes from the drive through outlet there.

The total of $21.43 with tax, included 12 pieces and a Large Red Beans and rice.

• We split the $4.89 of the Red Beans and Rice at this meal for $2.45 per serve
• We will get four serves from the chicken at $4.13 per serve.

Tasty take-out and welcome return for $6.58 per serve.

Dinner

While we usually cook Mussels in a Coconut Curry Sauce, it’s way more traditional to prepare them in a White Wine Sauce. Since that was the base flavor of the packed Mussels we amped up the flavor in the sauce.

• Mussels are $2.29 for the pack, or $1.15 per serve
• We used 80c worth of ingredients in the Sauce, or 40c per serve
• The remaining Baguette was 40c per serve.

A classic is usually a classic for a reason, and Mussels in White Wine is a delight. We found the Mussels had more broken shells and other degradation than the slightly smaller “natural” Mussels. Still a great meal for $1.95 per serve.

Lunch

We had a Baguette from Trader Joes, that we packed with the reheated remains Soutzoukakia serve.

• The Baguette was $1.99 and we used 60% for lunch, or 60c per serve
• A serve of the Soutzoukakia was $3.39 or $1.70 each today.

The Baguette could have done with 5 minutes in the oven, despite not being par-baked, but otherwise it tasted great, for $2.30 per serve.

Dinner

We took the remaining Caramelized Onion, added Red Wine and Stock and some seasoning to make a great French Onion Soup. We toasted two slices of bread, and spread one of them generously with the Delice de Bourgogne, topped with the other slice and cut in half as a ‘toastie.’

The Delice de Bourgogne is too soft to stand toasting in a classic toastie style.

• The Delice de Bourgogne was $5.38 and we shared ⅓ , or 45 per serve
• A slice of Dave’s Killer Bread is 37c
• Caramelized Onion adds 90c per serve
• Add 30c for other seasoning.

The soup turned out to have great depth of flavor for $2.02 per serve.

Lunch

We sliced and toasted some of the remaining Sourdough, before topping with Giant Baked Beans & a Fried Eggs.

• The Giant Baked Beans are $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Eggs are 84c per serve
• The Sourdough was free.

A tasty meal for $1.84 per serve.

Dinner

Our final meat from Keller Crafted is thin cut Pork Chops. Once again we did Saltimbocca and served with a Garlic Roasted Alfredo

• At 1.1 lb it was a very generous serve of pork cutlets costing $13.99 or $7.00 per serve
• The Prosciutto was $4.99 and we used about 70% or $1.75 per serve
• Alfredo Sauce was $1.69 or 43c per serve
• The Broccoli was $2.65 or $1.32c per serve
• Add 30c for Butter.

The thin cut Pork Chops have been a challenge to prepare until we found Saltimbocca, which is the perfect was to serve. Tonight’s meal was very good for $11.32 per serve.

Lunch

We finished the remaining half of the par-baked Baguette and filled with half the remaining Chuck Roast and some Caramelized Onion we made this morning. We heated the Beef in an A Jus made from Bone Broth, Worcestershire Sauce and Horseradish.

• A serve of Chuck Roast was $4.56 or $2.28 per serve
• The Baguette was 38c per serve
• Caramelized Onion adds 30c per serve
• Bone Broth adds 50c per serve
• Add 30c for Worcestershire Sauce and Horseradish.

An excellent sandwich and very tasty Jus for $3.76 per serve.

Dinner

We returned to a favorite Fishy Friday combo: Barramundi with Caesar Salad. We use our Cuisineart multipurpose cooker to cook from both sides of the fish at once, minimizing the risk of breaking it in handling.

• The Barramundi was on special for $7.99 or $4.00 per serve
• The Caesar Salad kit was $1.99 or $1.00 per serve.

A quick, but very tasty meal, for $5.00 per serve.

Lunch

We had some Hammon (City Ham) in our Charcuterie, so we finished cooking half a Baguette, brushed it with Olive Oil, added Fire Roasted Peppers and Smokey Cheddar for a new flavor profile that riffs on the Chorizo & Fire Roasted Pepper combo of yesterday.

• With all discounts taken into account the Hammon was 85c per serve
• Smokey Cheddar is 34c per serve
• The Baguette was 38c per serve
• Add 30c for Olive Oil.

This turned out really well for $1.83 per serve. The balance between the ingredients was very good and the combination was better than the sum of the ingredients.

Dinner

We had a Grass Fed Chuck Roast so we cut it up into some larger chunks, for later use, and smaller pieces for tonights meal.

• The Chuck Roast was $18.22 or $4.56 per serve
• The curry is $3.38 per can or $1.69 per serve
• Coconut milk is $1.69 per can or 85c per serve
• Peanuts were $2.99 but we only used half, or 75c per serve
• Carrots add 37c per serve
• Peal onion adds 20c per serve
• The Medley of Baby Potatoes was $2.69 and we used ⅓, or 45c per serve.

We noticed no difference between the Keller Crafted and the Aldi Simply Nature grass fed Beef. We had a delicious, flavorsome curry for $8.87 per serve.

Lunch

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

Dinner

It was time to return to the Aldi Beer Bratwurst, so we served with a salad made by augmenting the remains of last night’s salad with more Apple and Radicchio.

• Beer Bratwurst were $4.49 or $2.25 per serve
• The Radicchio was $3.49, but half makes four serves of the salad, or 44c per serve
• The Apple adds 20c per serve
• Add 30c for Dressing ingredients and Mustard.

As always a pretty decent meal for $3.19 per serve.

Lunch

A cold start to the day made hot noodles an attractive proposition. A pack of four Shin Noodle Bowl was $3.69 or 93c per serve ($1.23 with vegetable), which proved to be quite generous and a satisfying – if spicy hot – meal. We do, however, only use one of the two flavor pouches.

Dinner

We were able to procure some Short Ribs on special from Whole Foods, so we smoked them on our stovetop smoker, before cooking for an extra 90 minutes. We served with an Apple Radicchio Salad and the remaining small serve of Baked Beans.

• The Short Ribs were $8.57 after Prime discount, or $4.29 per serve
• The Radicchio was $3.49, but half makes four serves of the salad, or 44c per serve
• The Apple adds 20c per serve
• Add 40c per serve for Rub, and Dressing ingredients.

The Short Ribs came out perfectly, with a good smoke flavor and fall off the bone tender. A very good meal for $5.33 per serve.