Author: Philip

Lunch

We cooked our final Sausage Rolls for $4.88 per serve with a slide salad.

Dinner

Time for our sous vide and seared Duck Breast with Orange Sauce, served on a Wild Rice Mix, Preserved Lemon and Pecan Salad and topped with an Orange Sauce made from the cooking marinade.

• The Duck Breasts were $8.99 or $4.50 per serve
• Wild Rice Mix is 64c per serve
• Preserved Lemon adds 30c per serve
• Pecans add 48c per serve
• The Salad Mix adds 45c per serve
• Add 35c for other ingredients.

After finishing the sous vide cook, we seared the Duck Breasts to render fat and color up the skin. The sugars from the Orange Marinade prevents the skin crisping before burning, but the rendered skin is still extremely flavorsome and adds moisture to the Breast. An excellent meal for $7.17 per serve.

Lunch

Shin Ramen with Coleslaw Mix makes a warming meal on a very chill day for $1.63 per serve.

Dinner

We had picked up a small Ham Shank from Aldi while they were still available, and sous vide it over a couple of hours, before carving and serving with Choucroute.

• The Ham was “full price” at $1.29 per pound, which works out to approximately 85c per serve
• Sauerkraut was $1.29 for four serves, or 33c per serve
• Add 50c per serve for Carrot
• Add 30c per serve for other ingredients.

As always the Ham is moist and tender and the Choucroute is a great side. Not quite the cheap meal it is in December, but pretty good for $1.98 per serve.

Lunch

It was way past time to get a Lamb Gyro from New York Chicken and Gyro, for $8.17 with tax and tip.

Dinner

We took the other Chicken Leg and served with an Australian-inspired Salad featuring Pickled Beetroot.

• The Chicken Leg was $1.25 per serve
• Pickled Beets adds 15c per serve.
• Salad Greens add 30c per serve
• The Parmesan Crisps we substituted for Croutons were $2.86 and we used about ¼, or 36c per serve
• Add 30c for Balsamic Vinegar.

The sharpness of the Pickled Beetroot is an essential ingredient in any Australian Salad (or Burger). Adding it raises culinary memories from times past. We substituted Parmesan Crisps for a much more interesting take on Croutons. A very simple, but satisfying meal for $2.36 per serve.

Lunch

A rare trip to Amazon Fresh brings a hot Roasted Chicken. We struggle for a bread choice from there, but settled on sharing an Artisan Roasted Garlic Loaf that we finished in the oven. Spread liberally with Garlic Spread and topped with a generous serve of Roast Chicken Breast and slices of Tomato.

• The Chicken is a bargain at $4.97, or 62c per serve
• We shared the Artisan Loaf for $1.25 per serve
• The Tomato adds 42c per serve
• Add 50c for Garlic Spread.

The bread was a very generous serve, but it was a good combination of a crisp crust and an even crumb, with the first layer of Garlic flavors. The Garlic was amped up with the Creamy Garlic Spread while the Tomato brings a little acid and some fresh wetness. The Amazon Fresh Chicken is moist and tender. A really great sandwich for $2.79 per serve.

Dinner

Our second meal from the Turkey, Bacon Chipotle Meatloaf was reheated by frying, and served with Carolina Baked Beans, which we’ve never heard of before, and Chipotle Coleslaw.

• The Meatloaf was $4.38 per serve
• The Carolina Gold BBQ Beans were $1.89 or 90c per serve
• Add 30c for Mayonnaise and Chipotle Hot Sauce for the Dressing
• Add 40c for Coleslaw Mix.

We found the Carolina Gold BBQ Beans a little sweet, so we tempered it with two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to bring it into balance. It paired well with the Meatloaf. The Chipotle Coleslaw picks up on the Chipotle notes in the Meatloaf to harmonize the whole meal. A pretty good meal for $5.88 per serve.

Lunch

Lunch was a simple toasted sandwich of Smoked Trout with Capers and Celery, and Gouda.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Gouda is 24c per serve
• We shared a $3.49 can of Smoked Trout, or $1.75 per serve
• Add 40c for Garlic Spread
• Add 30c for Capers and other ingredients.

The Smoked Trout has more complex flavor than Tuna, making it a more robust sandwich for $3.43 per serve.

Dinner

We tried a new Meatless Monday recipe: Gingery Soup with Poached Egg.

• Ginger adds 45c per serve
• Garlic adds 10c per serve
• Chicken Bone Broth adds $1.00 per serve
• The Bok Choy was $1.99 and we used about half or 50c per serve
• Add 30c for Tamari and other seasoning
• Add 76c per serve for Pastured Eggs.

The Ginger Soup really didn’t have time to develop much flavor, not that there’s really any layering of flavors in the recipe to start with. It was rather disappointing for $3.11 per serve.

Lunch

We shared a tetra pack of Organic Leek and Potato Soup on special at Whole Foods for $3.88 after all discounts, or $1.94 per serve.

Dinner

In a very rare occasion, the Foodies had dinner guests, for whom we prepared sous vide Rack of Lamb that was seared to perfection before serving with a Citrus and Feta Salad. We served with a Lemon, Mint and Yoghurt sauce with Mint and Meyer Lemon from our garden.

• The full Rack of Lamb was $25.82, but we served four, or $6.45 per serve
• The Grapefruit were $2.89 or 72c per serve
• The Feta was $6.49 and we shared ½, or 81c per serve
• Add 30c per serve for Shallot and other ingredients
• Add 30c for Yoghurt
• Mint and Lemon came from our garden.

We sous vide a little higher than we have in the past, and it turns out that 140ºF is the perfect temperature for Lamb. It was the best we’ve ever done, with the meat just a little firmer and the fat significantly better rendered. The acidic Citrus Salad is the perfect foil to the fattiness of the Lamb and the Lemon, Mint and Yoghurt Dressing was a hit around the table. A restaurant quality meal for $8.58 per serve.

Lunch

It’s the weekend so we had more time to cook lunch, settling on Giant Baked Beans, Bacon and Fried Eggs on toasted Italian Bread.

• Italian Bread adds 32c per serve
• The Giant Baked Beans are $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Pastured Eggs are 38c each, or 76c per serve
• Bacon was $4.99 and we used five of 10 slices, or $1.25 per serve.

The toast provides the textural base, the Baked Beans make the dish satisfyingly filling. The Bacon brings Salt and the Eggs form a creamy dressing. A very satisfying meal for $3.33 per serve.

Dinner

Time for our other favorite Meatloaf: Turkey, Bacon Chipotle, which we served with a Twice Baked Loaded Potato and Chipotle dressed Coleslaw.

• Ground turkey cost $6.39 or $1.60 per serve
• Bacon was $5.99 and we used ⅓, or 50c per serve
• A can of chipotle is $1.50 and we used half, or 38c per serve
• Add 65c for onion, breadcrumbs and seasonings
• Add 30c for Mayonnaise and Chipotle Hot Sauce for the Dressing
• Add 40c for Coleslaw Mix
• The pack of two Twice Baked Potato was $2.99 or $1.50 per serve.

The Meatloaf came out with a very fine texture thanks to additional processing in the food processor. We changed our side at the last minute to a Twice Baked, Loaded Baked Potato from Aldi, which was again well cooked and the filling rich with a hint of bacon and cheddar. A pretty good meal for $5.73 per serve.

Lunch

We toasted some Italian Bread and topped with Delice de Bourgogne and Green Apple.

• The Delice de Bourgogne was $5.38 and we shared ½, or $1.35 per serve
• The Italian Bread was 32c per serve
• Apple adds 20c per serve.

A very tasty lunch for $1.87 per serve.

Dinner

Pan-fried Rainbow Trout with a Caesar Salad kit, makes for an easy ‘Fishy Friday’.

• The Rainbow Trout was $9.37 for four pieces, or $2.34 per serve
• The Caesar Salad Kit is $1.00 per serve
• Add 30c for Capers
• Add 40c for Butter.

The Rainbow Trout was tasty, but the Caesar Salad Kit, which was the same “product” from the same store, has definitely changed and is nowhere near as flavorsome nor enjoyable. A mixed meal for $4.04 per serve.

Lunch

After a little wild goose chase looking for an eWaste recycling center we stopped at La Fiesta for Chili Verde Enchiladas for $16.96 per serve.

Dinner

The problem with a smaller range-top smoker is that it’s inside, and cold weather precludes adequate ventilation for the smoke. Foodie Greg got smart and smoked the Ribs mid afternoon while it was warm enough to have windows and doors open. It was worth it. We served with a simple Apple Coleslaw with an Apple Cider Vinegar dressing.

• The very generous serve of Ribs was $16.22 or $8.11 per serve
• Coleslaw Mix adds 45c per serve
• Add 50c for Dressing ingredients.

An excellent, and very filling meal, for $9.06 per serve.