Frugal Gourmet in the Twin Cities

Squid in Pesto sauce

2009-03-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

My husband really likes squid. The last time I cooked Spanish-style squid was successful by all accounts if you ask the CTO (chief tasting officer). That’s why I decided to make an Italian meal using the squid. After all, everyone likes calamari and that’s a traditional Italian appetizer. I also wanted the meal to be simple and fast. I decided to cook the squid in a simple pesto sauce and serve it over pasta. This is a very easy recipe and if you’re scared to eat squid try it with shrimp or scallops. Look for this recipe at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Bok choy with cranberries and sun-dried tomatoes

2009-02-20T10:57:00.000-08:00

I am always interested in trying new vegetables. I especially love going to ethnic stores and looking at their produce section, where there’s often a good selection of vegetables I won’t find at Cub Foods or Rainbow.
The problem is I never know what to do with them. I often can’t even tell what the vegetable is, because the names are written in a different language, let alone know how to prepare the food.
Sometimes, when I don’t mind being annoying, I’ll ask store employees to tell me what I am looking at and how to prepare it.
“Just boil, boil,” is a typical response at Asian grocery stores. However, I suspect the food in question isn’t just boiled. It is probably cooked in a wok and seasoned with peanut oils, chili powder and soy sauce for flavor.
I had tried bok choy (a variety of Chinese cabbage) before, but never cooked it. During a recent trip to Shuang Hur Supermarket (on University Ave. 651-251-2196) I saw bok choy for 99 cents a pound. I paid $1.53 for 1.5 lb of the green leafy vegetable that resembles miniature heads of romaine lettuce. It yielded four meals. I estimate the cost of each meal at $3.
I sautéed the cabbage, which tastes like spinach, in sesame oil and soy sauce. I added cooked sun-dried tomatoes and cranberries to the dish and it was delish! This meal can be prepared in less than 10 minutes, which is another bonus.
See the full recipe at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Shrimp in Asian peanut sauce

2009-02-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

Seafood is very versatile and is a prominent food is many cuisines. My CTO (chief tasting officer) is a fan of Asian foods and loves peanut sauce, so I often find myself experimenting with peanut butter, peanut oils and soy sauce to incorporate the flavors into our meals.

I developed this easy recipe a few days ago and it got rave reviews. It takes 15-20 minutes to cook this meal and trust me, there won't be leftovers.

Find the full recipe on Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Turkey Taco Pockets

2009-02-11T12:29:00.001-08:00

Ground beef is often used in tacos, empanadas and enchiladas. But people often overlook using ground turkey as a substitute in these meals. I recently got a pound of ground turkey on sale at Cub for 99 cents. I thought about making traditional tacos or chili with the meat, but opted to make my own version of tacos instead. I used fresh tortillas instead of store-bought taco shells because they are less expensive and contain less calories and salt.
Check out Momentous Occasions for the full recipe.

A war fit for soup

2009-01-29T10:01:00.001-08:00

Have you noticed the soup war between Campbell’s and Progresso?
Commercials from both companies filled with claims the others’ products have MSG, more calories and unhealthy ingredients have aired on television.
As I watch these organizations hurl calorie-ridden insults at each other I want to tell them I choose not to buy either soups.
Instead I head to my local Costco, where I can buy a 6-pack of Pacific Natural Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. The pack costs $10.49 and contains six 32 Fl. Oz containers of soup.
That’s $1.74 per box.
Campbell’s charges $1.66 for a 26 oz container of condensed tomato soup. Progresso carries a Hearty Tomato soup in a 19 oz container that I bought on sale for $1. Normally it is around $2.
Now I am not saying the Costco soup is similar in nutrition, even though it is “organic”. Each serving (which is a cup) has 110 calories, 2 grams of fat, 10mg of cholesterol and a whopping 720mg of sodium.
Progresso’s soup has 110 calories, 1 gram of fat, no cholesterol but it has 980mg of sodium per one cup serving. Campbell’s serving size is ½ a cup. It has 90 calories, no fat and no cholesterol. But it has 710mg of sodium. If you have a cup of soup, which most people will, you’re consuming 1,420mg of salt. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet that’s 60 percent of your daily value. So, while Campbell’s and Progresso wage their duel, I think the best cost-saving and healthy alternative is Costco’s roasted red pepper and tomato soup.

Chili

2009-01-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

It is –21 degrees in St. Paul today.
Our house, built in 1922, is creaking and popping as if to say, “Can you believe this weather? Why didn’t they build me in California?”
Believe me, I am thinking about packing our house and moving to San Francisco, which warmed up to 58 degrees today. Toasty!
Of course this will never happen because the CTO and I love St. Paul and have made many wonderful friends here.
Instead, I decide to warm myself with a nice bowl of chili. Everyone can agree it is the ultimate food on a cold winter night, if you have the time to let the pot of soup simmer for three hours.
I pulled the recipe from a combination of cookbooks and after stirring the ingredients every 15 minutes for three hours the reward was worth every turn of the wooden spoon.
You can find the recipe at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Make Cappuccino at Home

2009-01-16T09:01:00.001-08:00

I am not a coffee drinker, but I know people who shell out at least $3 for cappuccino at coffee shops.
A recent article in the new Food Network magazine explaining how to make this frothy coffee drink at home caught my eye. The magazine estimates the cost of making your own cappuccino is 34 cents, versus the $3 or more you'd pay at a Starbucks or Caribou.
Here is what you do to make your own cappuccino.
1. Fill a mug halfway with skim milk and heat on high in the microwave until hot, roughly 60 seconds.
2. Place a whisk inside the mug and, with the handle between your palms, spin the whisk back and forth to froth the milk.
3. Add home-brewed coffee or espresso to the frothed milk and enjoy!

Castillian Casserole

2009-01-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

I am always on the prowl for easy chicken dishes. My husband considers chicken breast bland and tasteless and masking the white meat with enough sauce to make him forget what he’s eating is always a challenge.
A few months ago I discovered a recipe for rabbit braised in pepper and herb sauce in “Spanish Home Cooking” by Miriam Kelen.
The recipe called for 3 lb of rabbit, but noted that chicken could be used instead. The rabbit became a quick success among my friends. I cooked the rabbit for a couple in early December. The two cornered me on New Year’s Eve to tell me they were ready to eat rabbit again anytime.
I was curious to try the dish with chicken, but didn’t want to make the sauce from scratch. Instead I decided to make a “Castillian Casserole” using sauce I had frozen after the last time I made rabbit. (Note, the sauce is really easy to make. I just wanted to see if it could be frozen and still taste good when thawed).
Tonight I made the casserole. It included peas, chicken, cheese, matzo and the pepper and herb sauce. I have no pictures to share from this meal because my husband, the Chief Tasting Officer, ate it too fast.
“Since you like it so much we should take a picture for my blog,” I said at one point.
“But there’s barely any left and I am going to finish this,” he said as he scrambled for the kitchen.
You’d think the camera was going to steal the food!
Check out the full recipe for the casserole on Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Entertainment book on sale

2009-01-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Entertainment Book is now on sale. You can buy it by visiting http://www.entertainment.com/discount/?linkName=060802_FEL_EMAIL_75&subid=CD14. The Minnesota Entertainment Book is $22.75.

Sun-dried tomato and parmesan bread

2009-01-04T10:16:00.001-08:00

I recently purchased a copy of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" and gotten a chance to experiment with some of the recipes in the book. My CTO (Chief Tasting Officer) has been quite happy as I pulled baguettes, prosciutto bread, green olive bread and roasted red pepper bread out of the oven.

My latest baking obsession is sun-dried tomato and Parmesan bread. It goes well with rice dishes, tomato based soups and sandwiches. I estimate each loaf cost me $2.50. I bought a can of sun-dried tomatoes for $4.99 and that will yield roughly 4-5 loaves. I also bought a wedge of Parmesan cheese on sale for $2.99. The cheese will probably last for 6 loaves, if not more. I already had the ingredients for the dough.

I will say it takes longer than 5 minutes to make the breads that require a filling because you need to chop the ingredients. I'd estimate it takes 15 minutes to prepare the bread.

I am not going to post the recipe here because it is too complicated and you need to read the book to understand the cooking methods. You can check out http://www.zoebakes.com/ for some of Zoe Francois' recipes and information about the book.

Adding fresh bread to the table is a great way to spruce up a meal, just ask my CTO.

Poor man's paella

2009-01-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

On a recent trip to Barcelona my husband and I marveled at the incredible flavor of paella. Meat, seafood and spices blended together with rice form this savory dish.

We couldn't get enough of it. Although I have the recipe for making this meal in America, it can be very costly to buy the special rice, seafood and meats needed to make this dish worth the effort.

I thought there has to be an easier and cheaper way to make this meal. I created "Poor Man's Paella" after experimenting with various ingredients at home. This doesn't taste like paella, but it is a satisfying rice dish great for cold Minnesota nights. Check out the recipe at Momentous Occasions.

Bake-free pineapple flambe

2008-12-23T12:01:00.001-08:00

I have no problems cooking enchiladas, turkey or lamb from scratch, but if you ask me to bake chocolate chip cookies I start to panic.
I was never much of a baker. At my first job out of college the women organized a cookie exchange every year. I purchased cranberries, flour and baking powder with the intentions of making delicious oatmeal cranberry cookies.
Unfortunately they were so hard you could barely bite through them and the bottoms were burned.
If I recall correctly, my cookies were almost untouched at the party.
Oh well.
That's why I am always on the prowl for desserts that involve little or no baking.
I was recently introduced to a wonderful dessert called Postre de Pina y Chile (spicy pineapple-rum flambe). Chef Amalia Damgaard (www.cookparty.com) presented it during a class entitled Latin Holiday Entertaining. She served it with fried cheese, which I don't do because I find that by the time guests get to the dessert they don't want to eat hunks of fried cheese. But if you plan to serve this dessert tapas style, then I suggest including the cheese. I'll post both recipes on Momentous Occasions.

$3 macaroons

2008-12-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

If you shop at Lunds or Byerly's you've probably noticed prices of their baked goods have almost doubled while the packaging shrunk.
I used to treat myself and my husband, the Chief Tasting Officer, to a package of the coconut macaroons for dessert. But once the price of the macaroons surpassed $4 and the packages became smaller, I stopped buying the dessert.
Haven't bought them in months. What I have done is learned to make macaroons at home. It is quite easy and much cheaper. A 7 oz bag of macaroons is $1.50 at Cub. You can find my macaroons recipe at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.
Happy baking.

It's all in the bread

2008-12-15T12:57:00.000-08:00

The smell of fresh bread is intoxicating in Europe.
It wafts through the narrow streets, enticing passersby to enter bakeries and purchase fresh bread in the morning and afternoon. Europeans, especially the French, are obsessed with fresh baguettes and with good reason.
A loaf of bread costs only $1.50 there, which makes it an affordable luxury for anyone.
When my husband and I were in Barcelona this fall I felt as if I’d entered a special heaven where it was mandatory to sell affordable cheese breakfast pastries, croissants and demi-baguettes (half-loaves).
So why is bread so expensive here? Sometimes I feel the urge to hurl flour at the makers of bread products as I browse a store’s selection just to remind these folks that bread should be cheap. Sara Lee bread runs around $4 a loaf at the grocery store. And fresh bread, well you’re probably more likely to see a Keebler dwarf sitting atop chocolate chip cookies then you are inexpensive bread. Cub charges $3.99 for a 14 oz package of Ciabatta bread.
I am sure there’d be a European Yeast Revolt if they were suddenly forced to pay 3 Euros for a mediocre loaf of bread.
Thankfully there is a way out of this rather battered situation. Put on an apron and bake your own bread.
Readers rest assured: the image you have of a woman kneading dough and monitoring the bread rising for hours was left behind with black and white television.
A quality bread maker is a great way for a beginner to learn about baking.
I purchased a “Breadman” bread maker from Bed, Bath and Beyond for $60 two years ago. It is not a cheap investment, but once you realize you can make bread for roughly $1 a loaf it is well worth the price.
This kitchen tool comes with a recipe book for yummy breads such as French, honey banana whole wheat, rye and cinnamon raisin. As an added bonus not discussed in the manual -- it makes your home smell like a bakery in the morning.
All you need to do is place water, yeast, salt, flour and any other required ingredients in the bread maker and press start.
I’ve graduated to the next level of baking bread now that I purchased a copy of “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.” For those not familiar with the book, authors Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois (both of Minnesota) developed a method for bread baking that requires no kneading.
You simply mix ingredients in a large container and let the dough rise for two hours. Once the process is done you simply refrigerate the container and use the flour whenever you want to bake bread. It keeps in the fridge for two weeks!
The authors also use the steaming method to help the bread cook. You simply place a broiling pan under your bread and throw a cup of water in there. Half an hour later you’ll have a delicious loaf of bread and the added bonus of a nicely smelling home. Their recipes include mouthwatering olive oil bread roasted red pepper, Vermont cheddar bread and olive fougasse.So don’t be intimidated by that image of grandma wrestling dough with a rolling pin. This is America, where you can get inexpensive fresh bread with the touch of a button.

Jewish comfort food on a budget

2008-12-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

One of the best comfort foods in Jewish cuisine is matza ball soup.
There’s nothing like the flavors of chicken, carrot and matzo to warm the soul on a cold winter day. Especially, if you live in Minnesota.
Two schools of thought exist in the world of matzo ball soup. Some people say the best soup can only be made from scratch, while others counter that Manischewitz Matzo Ball & Soup Mix is just as good.
I love stocking up on boxes of Manischewitz soup mix after Passover (they usually go on sale!) and make the soup using a fresh chicken stock to enhance the soup’s flavor.
If you’ve never had Jewish food before this is a perfect way to introduce your palate to the world of gefilte fish, kugel and latkes.
I’ve posted two recipes on Momentous Occasions, one for soup from scratch and the other with the help of a mix, for anyone to try.
Lechaim!

Kicked-up potato salad

2008-12-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

Every respectable Russian woman offers a bowl of “Olivye” (pronounced oliv- yea) to dinner guests.
The French owner of a well-known restaurant in Moscow called Hermitage created this Russian potato salad. His name, Olivye, of course.
He guarded the recipe carefully, refusing to share it. It was his sues-chef who eventually revealed this recipe. The original dish calls for chicken, but Russian housewives usually substitute the meat with sliced baloney, ham or salami.
Critics say this substitution changes the flavor of the salad, but everyone agrees it tastes great either way.
I took this salad to our block party last year and walked away with an empty bowl. One neighbor even grabbed a Tupperware container and took some salad home for her Polish husband. He’ll love this, she said.
Find the recipe at Momentous Occasions.

Ballad to childhood leftover rabbit

2008-12-04T21:10:00.000-08:00

The first real pet I had as a child was a rabbit.
My father found it in the woods and brought it home.
Mys-Mys (pronounced moose-moose) had soft gray and white fur and an energetic personality. I was 6 and delighted to be the only girl with a pet rabbit among my friends.
He hopped around our Soviet-style apartment and heartily ate the lettuce my mother set on the floor.
No dog can beat that, I thought.
He lived with us for about two weeks. Then my parents announced he wasn’t doing well in an urban setting.
Mys-Mys needed the soft grass, pine trees and other animals to keep him company, I was told.
I was reluctant to give up my pet, but agreed I’d be satisfied if his life could be improved once he was in his natural habitat.
Days later the rabbit was gone.
I no longer had a pet that hopped around the apartment and ate lettuce leaves.
Thankfully, the mind of a 6-year-old is easily distracted. I barely mourned this loss and even ate a wonderful meal of braised rabbit with my family a few days later.
I’ve always enjoyed eating rabbit and in Russia the meal was considered a savory treat.
After all, this is a country where meat is simply meat. At a grocery store when you ask for meat, you get a hunk of meat.
“What kind of meat is this?” you might ask the woman on the other side of the counter.
“It is just meat,” she’ll bark back.
Russians back then were not picky when it came to good food because it was scarce.
I remember my father going to buy chicken at a farmer’s market. The rule was one chicken per person. He’d borrow the neighbors’ daughters and sons to stand in line with him so we’d have enough food for our family of four.
That’s why -- two decades later -- the braised rabbit dinner is fresh in my mind.
It wasn’t until years later that my mother informed me Mys-Mys was the guest of honor at that fine family dinner.
I admit I was appalled that my parents let me eat my pet. And then I understood he was no pet at all. My parents judiciously fed him lettuce and carrots in our apartment to fatten him up.
Those sneaky Russians!
I assure you I’d never do that, but I proudly serve rabbit to my family.After all, it conjures up some of my favorite childhood memories.

Click here for a braised rabbit recipe: http://tiny.cc/rabbit394

Frugal Turkey Leftovers

2008-12-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

By this point you’ve probably realized your jeans are a bit tighter, you can’t stand the smell of cranberry sauce and you’ll scream if you have to eat more leftover stuffing.
This can only mean one thing: the aftermath of Thanksgiving.
My husband and I spent the weekend with my parents, which meant this year I didn’t have to worry about turkey leftovers.
From past experience I’ve concluded there are three ways to use the remains.
1. Freeze the meat and bones and use in soup.
2. Make a turkey salad
3. Bake a turkey casserole.
All three are smart choices. I offer two recipes on Momentous Occasions for – one for my turkey salad and another for an unusual casserole.
Enjoy the short break from feasting and remember Chanukah and Christmas are in three weeks.

Enchilada Recipe

2008-11-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

I read this article about enchiladas and cranberry salsa and thought I'd share it here. http://tiny.cc/enchiladas.
A Happy Thanksgiving to all!

BelGioioso Cheese coupons

2008-11-22T17:24:00.000-08:00

When I saw that BelGioioso cheese was on sale at Rainbow Foods, I wanted to print a manufacturer's coupon so I could buy the cheese. I visited www.belgioioso.com, but found no coupon there. What I did find was an e-mail address if I wanted more information. I sent the company a note asking if they had online coupons and figured I'd never hear back from them.
To my delight, a Jennifer Barbeau, the company's marketing assistant, sent me an e-mail that same day apologizing for the lack of online coupons. She offered to mail me some coupons and I replied back with my address.
The coupons arrived in the mail today, less than a week after our e-mail exchange, accompanied by a recipe book and letter from Jennifer.
"Thank you for your e-mail expressing your interest in receiving BelGioioso product coupons," the note read.
I wish some of the other companies out there would take cue from the folks at BelGioioso Cheese.
I guess the lesson learned here is it never hurts to ask.
If you would like to receive coupons send a note to info@belgioioso.com.
(I am keeping this entry short because I have to run to Rainbow, the sale ends tomorrow!)

My two cents on Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T10:51:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is special for my family.
Exactly 21 years ago, a plane carrying my parents, my brother and me touched down in New York. It was en route from Italy, where it had picked up immigrant passengers eagerly awaiting to begin their new lives in America.
My family came to America from the former Soviet Union. We were among the first wave of people to leave the country in 1986 after the government promised to be more lenient toward immigration.
Every year we gather around the dinner table to eat turkey, mashed potatoes, caviar, herring and lox.
What, you don’t eat caviar, herring and lox during Thanksgiving?
Well, let me assure you it was not until I started dating Dave, who is now my husband, that I realized our Thanksgiving was a bit unusual.
Russians consider sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and stuffing strange foods. (It is an acquired taste, they say) My mother only started making gravy after endless begging from my American-born brother.
Then there’s the turkey.
I distinctly remember the interesting expression on my future husband’s face the first time he joined us for Thanksgiving dinner.
What does your mother use to marinade the turkey, he asked.
Ketchup and mayonnaise, I replied.
And that was before my mother began hacking away at the turkey, to use my husband’s term.
See, at our house the turkey isn’t carried out on a special tray for the man of the house to carve.
My mother takes her favorite kitchen knife and hacks at the legs, wings and breasts, contouring them into unrecognizable pieces of meat. This happens while my relatives push their plates toward her for pieces of the turkey.
One year, even that didn’t happen.
My mother decided to cook the turkey in an oven bag. She must have overcooked it because when she slit the bag open the turkey collapsed.
This is a snippet of a conversation I had with her that year.
“Mom, can I have a wing please?” I asked.
She pointed to the turkey, which she left in the kitchen, and replied: “If you can find it it’s yours.” I tried to navigate a fork in the soupy mess, but abandoned the plan and opted to eat a drumstick that year.
It’s no better at friends’ houses.
Two years ago my parents’ friends invited us to their home for Thanksgiving.
The hostess, with the help of a female guest, carried the turkey to the dining room and announced: Everyone, look at how nice the turkey is. Now I am going to take it to the kitchen and carve it.
No presentation and no special carving skills required. I heard the buzzing of an electric knife for a few minutes and then magically a plate of meat, which looked nothing like the neat pieces of turkey servings shown in Thanksgiving photos, appeared at the table.
As my husband says, Thanksgiving with the Russian mishpuha (crew) is wild for a WASP from New England.
For the above mentioned reasons I don’t consider myself an expert on Thanksgiving cooking, etiquette and traditions.
At the same time, I can’t resist the urge to offer some advice on making this year’s event successful. After all, I usually contribute cranberry sauce ( http://tiny.cc/cranberrysauce ) to my family's feast. So maybe that qualifies me as someone who's mildly knowledgeable about the holiday.
Parties can be very stressful at a time when food is expensive and people are trying not to spend unnecessarily. And if there's one thing Russians know a thing or two about, it's the art of saving money.
Here is a compilation of tips I use to make my holiday festivities fun and thrifty.

1. Vary the appetizers. If you’ve been serving pigs in a blanket, shrimp cocktail and mini-quiche for years perhaps it is time to change the offerings. Make apricot chutney on toast, hummus, various olives and cheese and crackers for guests. These are often less expensive, but do require more work because you’ll need to make everything from scratch.

2. Divide the work. This year my mother is hosting Thanksgiving but she has asked close guests to bring dishes to share. One of her friends offered to bring khatchapuri, a Georgian cheese-bread. Last year when I hosted Thanksgiving I wasn’t shy in asking my friend to bring dessert. We feasted on a homemade apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

3. If you have 20 guests coming, cook for 20 people not 40. This is a mistake many hosts fall prey to. I admit I often break this rule. Don’t worry that your guests will leave hungry, they won’t! Buy the right size turkey and go easy on the sides.

4. Incorporate a dish you love to cook into your meal. My mother loves to make matzo ball soup. Even though that is not a traditional Thanksgiving dish the guests always eat it and compliment her. When I hosted Thanksgiving I made a crab meat salad. My husband teased me because it wasn’t a traditional salad, but I had the last laugh because the guests loved it. Click here (http://tiny.cc/crabsalad ) for the recipe.

5. Don’t be afraid to start a new tradition at your house. If your parents always make cheddar mashed potatoes but you don’t like cheese, then make garlic mashed potatoes. Since you are gracious enough to invite everyone into your home you should feel free to vary the menu to your preference.

6. Utilize the leftovers. Freeze that turkey carcass. Make a turkey and raisin salad and bake leftover bread into croutons. I’ll post plenty of leftover ideas on Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

7. Don’t forget to buy turkey after Thanksgiving. That’s right. Usually grocery stores take leftover turkeys, cut them and sell them in smaller portions. Since there’s usually a plethora of extra turkey they mark down prices too. You can buy thighs, wings, drumsticks or turkey breast and freeze it for a time when your family starts to crave turkey again.

Galician Octopus

2008-11-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

The octopus is considered a part of everyday cuisine in Europe and the Mediterranean. In America, unfortunately, it hasn't quite caught on.

Last night I cooked baby octopus. I used a recipe for Pulpo a la Gallega, Galician Style Octopus, from a Spanish cookbook called "Spanish Home Cooking" by Miriam Kelen.

The octopus turned out soft and tender, but it also had a very strong fishy taste. I'd suggest serving this as an appetizer instead of the main course because of its strong flavor. You can see the full recipe on Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Savory Squid

2008-11-18T11:57:00.000-08:00

Ever since my husband and I returned from our vacation to Andorra I've tried to recreate some of the decadent meals we enjoyed there.
Andorra is a tiny country of 67,000 residents located between Spain and France. It sits in the Pyrenees, which makes for splendid views of mountains from even the budget-friendly hotel rooms.
The country's residents speak Catalan, which is native to the northeast region of Spain. But its food is a medley of French, Spanish and Russian cuisine.
A typical restaurant offers Spanish-style spinach with raisins and pine nuts, foie gras and Russian potato salad on the same menu.
We only spent three days in the country but managed to find a "favorite restaurant" called Papanico, located in the heart of Andorra La Vella, the country's capital.
Delicacies such as rabbit stew, snails in tomato broth and garlic squid is considered typical fare at this place.
I can still recall the smell of garlic and grilled seafood that penetrated our nostrils when our waiter brought us food.
That's why, armed with three Spanish cooking books, I set out to make grilled squid for dinner last night. I can't afford to go to Andorra anytime soon, but I can spend $3.99 on squid without worries.
The meal, in my husband's words, proved that I've "taken my culinary skills to a new level."
(in other words the food was good)
If you like grilled calamari, you'll love this meal. It costs around $5, cooks in minutes and is versatile. Best of all, there's little prep work.
Just click on Momentous Occasions by Natasha to see the recipe.

This week's sales

2008-11-17T12:43:00.001-08:00

Coupons 11/15/08

CUB

Cub has a buy one get one free sale on Arctic Shores Incredible! Cooked shrimp.
Gold’n Plump Fresh whole roaster is $2.29/lb
The mailer has a $5 off Jennie-O Oven Ready Turkey or Turkey Breast
Jennie-O Turkey Fresh young turkeys are $1.39/lb
Del Monte canned vegetables are 48 cents
Brownberry Stuffing is 2/$3, a better deal than Rainbow’s 2/$4
Gold n Plump Rotisserie chicken is $6.69, use a coupon here for $1.50 off http://www.goldnplump.com/coupon.cfm?page=Grill&cid=1234 (you can print it off your computer and you have a $5.19 dinner!)
Philadelphia Cream Cheese is 4/$5
Bird Eye Steamfresh vegetables are 10/$10 and you can print a $1 off coupon here http://www.birdseyefoods.com/promotions/

ALDI

Butterball whole turkey, 99-cents per pound. Check out these Butterball coupons here http://www.butterball.com/promotions
Happy Harvest Extra fine Green Beans, $1.59 for a 16 oz bag
Broccoli crowns, 99 cents
Cranberries, 99-cents a bag
Sweet potatoes 99 cents for a 3lb bag
Celery 69 cents a bunch
Brown Gravy Mix is 33 cents
Smoked Salmon is $3.89 each bag

RAINBOW

Jennie-O frozen hen or turkeys is 58 cents a pound. You can sign up on their web site to get coupons via e-mail. Just go to http://www.jennieo.com/about/newsletter/default.aspx
Brownberry stuffing is 2/$4
Yoplait Original or Thick & Creamy Yogurt is 10/$5. You can also check www.yoplait.com for coupons. Right now there isn’t one, unfortunately.
Starkist Chunk Light Tuna is 99 cents
Belgioioso Cheese wedges are $2.99
Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese or Velveeta & Shells dinner is $1.79
Tombstone Pizza is 3/$12
All Roundy’s shrimp is 15% off
Cucumbers are 59-cents
On the vine tomatoes are $1.99/lb
Red seedless grapes are $1.79/lb
Roundy’s premium orange juice is $2.79
Roundy’s heavy whipping cream is 89 cents

Easy Party Appetizers

2008-11-16T09:02:00.001-08:00

My friend hosted “Craft Night” last night. Five of us gathered around a dining room table in St. Paul to scrapbook drink wine and make dog clothes.
I chose to make appetizers for my craft. I cooked chicken satay and spring rolls.
I spent $16 for the ingredients that served five people. It could have fed more because we had leftover spring rolls. I also didn’t use all the shrimp and pork and plan to use those for dinner tonight.
The girls raved about the food, so I am posting the recipes on Momentous Occasions by Natasha. Happy entertaining.

Grilled cheese from Town Talk, Nick and Eddie and Key's Cafe

2008-11-14T08:25:00.000-08:00

As winter approaches I started to think about my all-time favorite comfort food: grilled cheese. There are plenty of excellent restaurants in town that serve this sandwich and I wanted their recipes so I could share them here.
I asked the chefs at Town Talk Diner, Nick and Eddie and Keys Cafe to share their grilled cheese secrets. Thankfully they did and you can find the recipes at Momentous Occasions by Natasha.

Use for leftover garlicky red sauce

2008-11-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

After I made the garlicky red sauce a few nights ago ( http://tiny.cc/baEqK) I ended up with leftovers. I found a great way to use the sauce: put it on chicken. I baked chicken and during the last 12 minutes of cooking I brushed the sauce on one side of the bird and cooked for 6 minutes. I then flipped the pieces of chicken and placed the sauce on the other side and cooked for another 6 minutes.
It tasted wonderful.

D-eel-icious eel and pasta with garlic sauce

2008-11-11T18:51:00.000-08:00

For the last two weeks I kept eel in the freezer, waiting for a good time to thaw it and cook a Spanish dish from Catalunya called Anguilas con Ajo y Pimiento. This translates into eel with garlic and peppers.
So yes, I cleaned an eel, which is similar to gutting a fish. The big difference is the eel has no rib cage. Once the stomach and intestine are removed I used a paring knife to cut around the bone, more on that in the recipe. My biggest piece of advice on this dish: find a place that sells cleaned eel. If you find it let me know!

The meal was inexpensive since one eel costs $3.29 at the local Asian market. The red peppers were $1.99/lb at the same store. The sauce required no additional expense because I had all the ingredients, but I would estimate the cost of the spices at $1.

Overall, the meal cost around $6 for the eel, pasta, spices and sauce ingredients. Not bad, especially since the leftovers allowed me to pack my husband a lunch and have enough left over for myself.

I made a side dish of pasta and a Garlicky Red Sauce to go with the meal. It turned out quite well. You can find the eel and sauce recipes by clicking on Momentous Occasions by Natasha (on the right side of this page).

Weekly ad review

2008-11-09T13:14:00.001-08:00

Coupons for the week of Nov. 10

CUB FOODS

Rancher’s Preferred USDA Choice Black Angus Beef Boneless Chuck Roast is $2.98/lb
Navel Oranges or red grapefruit are buy one get one free.
Fresh 80% lean certified ground chuck is $2.59/lb
Del Monte canned vegetables are 4/$3
Or
If you buy Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole you get a free can of Del Monte Beans, Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup free and free French’s French Fried Onions (with coupons)
Fresh Mountain Stream Tilapia Fillets are $7.29/lb
Australian Cheddar is $6.99/lb (this is great if you are entertaining)
Cub Orange Juice is 2/$5
Green Onions are 2/$1

On the bad side, their Black Angus Roast beef is now even more expensive, at $10.49/lb
Jif Peanut butter is $1.99 and if you buy any 10 participating products such as Pillsbury Flour, Crisco Cooking Oil, Jif, Hungry Jack Pancake mix, Smucker’s Ice Cream topping, Pillsbury Brownie Mix you can use a $5 off your grocery order coupon. Check the weekly flier for the complete list of coupons.
Also, this week’s Pioneer Press has Jif Peanut Butter, Smucker’s, Crisco, Hungry Jack and Pillsbury brownie mix coupons. You can use them on the above items to save more.

RAINBOW

California Red Seedless Grapes $1.29/lb
On the vine cluster tomatoes $1.38/lb
Del Monte Gold pineapple $2.99
Pillsbury Cake Mix, classic brownie mix or muffin mix is 88-cents
Green bell pepper is 59-cents each
Colgate toothpaste is 99-cents
Yoplait Yogurt is 2/$4 for a 32 oz. container (check my Pillsbury coupon link for a $1 off)
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers are 4/$6 (again, go to the Pillsbury site for a $1 off coupon)
Red Baron Pizza is 3/$10.98

ALDI

Butterball Whole Turkey is 99-cents a pound
Butterball Fully Cooked Smoked Turkey is $1.69/lb
Red grapefruit is 29-cents each
Entertainment Crackers are $1.19/each
Imported Havarti Cheese is $2.99/package
Butter is 99-cents

Wild Harvest Organic product sale

2008-11-09T08:51:00.001-08:00

This week Wild Harvest Organic products are on sale at Cub. Wild Harvest Organic Russet Potatoes are $3.48.The organic coffee is 2/$10. Organic beans are $1.79 for a 1 lb bag. Wild Harvest Organic tomatoes or tomato sauce is $1.59. Wild Harvest organic pasta or whole wheat pasta is 2/$2.50. The organic pasta sauce is 2/$4. Frozen vegetables are 3/$4.98. The organic salad dressing is $2.89. The organic applesauce is 2/$5.
The best part is you can use a manufacturer's coupon with it. Go t www.wildharvestorganic.com/ and print off the $1 off coupon. I printed out four and will buy each item separately so I can get a $1 off each item.
Happy shopping.

Chump Change Chutney

2008-11-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I spent a half hour observing an instructor chop vegetables and stir apples during a chutney-making class at Cooks of Crocus Hill.
Mary the instructor told us the vinegar component of chutney makes it ideal because you can put it in a mason jar and it will keep refrigerated for about 6 weeks.
I particularly liked the apple and apricot chutney and bell pepper relish because the two are versatile. The apple chutney can be used as a salad topping, dip, topping for meats and cooked vegetables and even a dessert topping. She served it to us on toast smothered with goat cheese. The bell pepper dish can be mixed with rice, placed in soups and served with meats or on bread.
I've posted both recipes on the Momentous Occasions by Natasha blog.
A note about the class. It is worth checking out because it is only a half hour and cost $10. That's a bargain since most classes at Cooks cost $65. The company also offers another thrifty cooking option called Sunday Supper. For $15 you get a three course meal. In December, for example, the menu includes family-style fresh bread with roasted vegetable soup, spinach phyllo rolls, mashed sweet potatoes, stuffed pork roast with a sweet mustard sauce and pumpkin cake with white chocolate frosting.

$10 fun at Kitchen Window

2008-11-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

If brewing a good cup of coffee is part of your Saturday morning ritual, consider attending Kitchen Window's Coffee Festival.
The $10 admission on Nov. 22 from 10 am to 2 pm will get you a mug and access to free samples at the store, located in Calhoun Square.
Proceeds from the 19th annual festival will go to Second Harvest Heartland.
Store manager Mike Braam said Second Harvest was chosen because it distributes groceries to food banks in several states.
Sample coffee, teas, cocoas while eating foods inspired by the brew.
Staff will also teach coffee roasting techniques, show off brewing equipment and help visitors experience coffee and tea cupping.
"It is interesting to have a large group of people and give them lots of coffee, that's why we only do it for a part of the day," said Braam.
For more information go to www.kitchenwindow.com or www.calhounsquare.com.

Lamb Masala recipe

2008-11-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

Preparing lamb masala is easy and inexpensive. Check out http://momentousoccasionsbynatasha.blogspot.com/ for a great recipe.

On Wine and Spices

2008-11-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

I would normally not recommend Cost Plus World Market as a place to go if you're trying to save money on food.
But I've recently noticed their spices and wines are quite reasonable.
I went to the Woodbury World Market and looked closely at how much they charge for small bags of spices. They range from 99 cents to $1.99. Not bad.
One ounce of green curry powder will cost you 99-cents. A .5 oz bag of Herbs de Provence is $1.99. A 1 oz bag of ginger is 99 cents. Ground turmeric is 99-cents for a 1.5 oz container.
This is a great bargain if you want to buy a small amount of a spice to try it out. I bought a 1 oz (7 in the bag) container of whole nutmeg for 99 cents. That's a steal.
The store also has some reasonable wines. They carry a World Market brand of Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for $4.99 a bottle. Another decent brand to try is the Eclectic Reindeer, which is $5.99 a bottle.
The store also carries Cava, which is a Spanish champagne. It is a dry sparkling wine that's quite delicious and very popular is Catalonia, the northeast region of Spain.
They're selling a Rene Barbier Mediterranean Brut Cava for $6.97.

Pillsbury Product coupons

2008-11-04T11:02:00.001-08:00

Pillsbury has coupons on their Web site that you can print at home. Just visit www.pillsbury.com/coupons-promotions/ and register to get access to the coupons. I'll also post a permanent link to this section on the blog.

Spice up your pork chops or chicken

2008-11-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

I know cooking pork chops or chicken can sometimes be tedious because it is hard to find new ways of making the meat tastier. I have an easy solution to this. You'll need two additional ingredients: cumin and a green onion (one is enough for three pieces of meat) .
First, rub your meat with the cumin to give them a smoky flavor (in addition to salt and pepper). Heat oil in a skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook for just two minutes, until the scallions get warm. Place your meat directly on top of the onion. The scallion will stick to the meat and add a wonderful flavor to it.
If you try this method, I'd love to hear what you thought of the dish.

Weekly Ad Highlights

2008-11-02T11:43:00.001-08:00

Coupons for Nov. 2
Here are the
Cub Foods
There are some great deals at the new Phalen Cub.

Hormel Always Tender Fresh Bone in Center Pork Chops, $1.99/lb
Cub Chicken party wings $4.99
Tampico Orange Juice is 79 cents
Free pound of Red Seedless Grapes
Honeycrisp Apples are $1.58/lb
Gold Medal Flour is 4/$10
Buy two Dole Salad Blends (2/$4) and get two pounds of Dole Bananas for free.
Assorted Red, yellow and orange bell peppers are 10/$10

Rainbow
The sore has its 10/$10 sale going on. Rice a Roni, Bolthouse Farms carrots, Valley Fresh steamers, bottled water, and Roundy’s bread are on sale.

Roundy’s milk is on sale 2/$5 for a gallon
Cilantro is 39-cents
Pineapple is $2.99
Fresh Pork Spareribs or Boneless Country Ribs are $1.99/lb
La Prefiedrida Tomato Sauce is 29 cents (8 oz can)
Roundy’s Frozen Fruit is $1.79
Roundy’s Fresh Chicken wings are $1.69/lb

Walgreen’s
This week’s flyer has some good coupons such as:

Coupon for 59-cent Swanson Chicken Broth
Coupon for 79-cent Geisha Canned fruit
Coupon for 99-cent Ricola Cough DropsThere’s also a $5 off coupon for the Entertainment Coupon Book

SitterCity deals

2008-11-01T09:47:00.001-07:00

Are you a member of Sittercity.com? This is a free babysitting service that helps connect potential babysitters with parents.
One of the new perks of joining is you can get deals from PerkSpot. This service allows you to get 10 percent off purchases at Target, 15 percent off the Children's Place and even deals on a Costco membership.
For my money, the best bargain is through restaurant.com. This Web site allows you to buy gift certificates to restaurants at discount prices. A sittercity affiliation gives you an additional 25 percent off on the gift certificates.
The site sells gift certificates to restaurants such as Casa Vieja, Dixies on Grand, M&S Grill and Joe's Garage.
The gift certificates range in price from $3 to $40.
You could get a $25 gift certificate to Joe's Garage for $12.50. The certificates do have restrictions such as minimum purchase or days of the week when you can use them.
But it is a great deal. I would say a $25 gift certificate to M&S Grill for $10 is worth a try!

Authentic $2 Hummus

2008-11-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

Anyone else notice how hummus is no longer $1.99 a container? I doubt the ingredients have changed, but the price has gone up.
I enjoy making my own hummus. You need very few ingredients and it can be ready in just five minutes. I've posted a recipe for my hummus on Momentous Occasions by Natasha, so be sure to check it out.

Fleischmann's Yeast Deal

2008-11-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

I love my bread maker! You throw ingredients in there, press the start button and a few hours later your whole house smells delicious and the bread is decadent.
The most expensive ingredient for the bread is the yeast. I've seen it sell from around $5 at Wal-mart to close to $7 at Byerly's.
I usually use Fleischmann's and am happy to report I found a way you can get a coupon sent to you via e-mail.
All you need to do is visit http://www.breadworld.com/. This is the company's source for recipes, tips and of course coupons. Except they don't really explain how to obtain that coupon.
What you need to do is click "register" on top of the page and sign up for their monthly newsletter. I was frustrated at first because once I signed up I was able to access previous months' newsletters, but not the coupons.
But this morning the newsletter arrived in my inbox and I printed a coupon for 55-cents off a jar of Fleischmann's Yeast or 3-strip pack.
Happy Baking!

Deals at the New Cub Foods

2008-10-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

The new Cub Foods has finally opened in St. Paul. The isles are crowded with people pushing shopping carts while scouting for deals in the store.
There's lots of sales there at the moment.
They're selling Cub butter for 88-cents with a coupon. An eight-piece fried chicken is $3.99 with a coupon (and you can print out a second Gold -n-Plump coupon for double the savings!).
A Cub fresh whole chicken fryer is 49-cents a pound and Colgate toothpaste is 79 cents, with a coupon.
I purchased $70 in groceries for only $52 with all my coupons. It was great.
I suggest leaving children at home as the store is crowded.

Find cheap steals at exotic stores

2008-10-30T09:33:00.001-07:00

I grew up eating caviar sandwiches for lunch, so not much seems exotic to me.
As a native of Kyiv, Ukraine that was the norm. Young children ate caviar sandwiches.
Growing up I'd often accompany my mother to Russian grocery stores in Chicago that displayed fish with heads behind the glass counter.
Although I didn't think about it at the time, someone who has shopped nowhere but Cub Foods may find this experience intimidating.
I urge you not to be afraid.
There are two great stores in the area, Holyland Bakery & Deli in Minneapolis and Ha Tien Groceries in St. Paul, that you should try.
Both offer wonderful deals and interesting foods for the pallet.
Holyland is a Middle Eastern deli that boasts a lunch and dinner buffet, meats, vegetables and wonderful sweets.
At Holyland (http://www.holylandbrand.com/) you can buy day-old bags of pita for $1.99 or 3 for $5. It is a great bargain, especially since many area grocery stores have stopped carrying pita (such as the Rainbow in Coon Rapids!).
The store also sells an assortment of fresh-baked pita chips in flavors like garlic, ranch and Parmesan cheese. At $1.99 for two boxes, they're a delightful steal.
The store also carries a variety of cheeses and olives, all more affordable than what you'd get at Byerly's.
Last, they carry meats. Now their butcher may at first seem frightening, as he doesn't speak English well and scrutinizes all customers. I've learned that's just part of his personality and once he sees you a few times he might even crack a smile.
Everyone who frequents the store seems to know the protocol at the meat counter.
"Can I get three pounds of lamb shoulder cut thin, please," customers say. Everything the butcher needs to know in a short sentence. Brilliant.
You get to watch him select a lamb shoulder and slice it. He might ask you if you want big or small slices-- so be ready with your answer.
The frozen lamb is $2.79 a pound and works great for dishes such as masala or stew.
Same goes for their goat. That's right, GOAT! It is a wonderfully-flavored meat overlooked in the United States. In many countries it is considered a delicacy, so you should try it.
I repeat the same line to the butcher when I go there.
"Can I have 3 pounds of goat leg please." Simple as that.
Now if you're not sure what to do with the meat but are interested in trying this alternative there is a solution in one of the isles right inside Holyland.
It's called Laziza. That's the Middle Eastern version of Hamburger Helper. I usually buy a "Laziza Quarma (meat) Masala" package and follow the instructions on the box. A word of caution about these mixes-- unless you are very tolerant to spicy foods I suggest you only use 1/2 or a third of the packet at a time. The cooking instructions are easy and results delicious. You can use those $1.99 pitas as an accompaniment to the meal.
If Asian food is more your style I suggest checking out Ha Tien Groceries at 353 University Avenue. The store has a great selection of Asian oils, a deli and a self-service seafood deli area. Here you get tongs and a bag so you can pick your own shrimp, fish or blue crab still crawling on ice. Yum!
The prices are great, for example a 7 oz bottle of sesame oil is only $2.19 (compared with $2.99 at Cub Foods). They also have a nice selection of seafood broth, which can be used for shrimp or lobster bisque, for only $1.59.
The store also has plenty of exotics, such as $6.99 for frozen baby octopus and $5.99 for frozen squid. An eel I purchased for $4 at the store sits in my freezer. I plan to use it in a garlic eel with red pepper dish I want to try.
The store also currently sells live blue crab for $3.49/lb. I'd call the store first to make sure they still have some left before making the trip.
The store's deli can also help you with short cuts when making Asian recipes. When I make spring rolls I go there to buy BBQ pork, a pound usually costs about $6. I cut the cooked meat at home and insert it into the rolls. The pound of pork will easily be enough for 20 spring rolls. Then I let my guests compliment me on my cooking savvy. Enough said.
Are there any stores you like to visit for good deals? Or are there stores you'd like to visit but are too intimidated? I'll scout the place out for you, just tell me where.

Frugal Find-- Feta cheese

2008-10-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

I love sprinkling bits of Greek Feta cheese on my salads. Unfortunately I have noticed the price of feta (like many other cheeses) skyrocket in recent months.
It costs $3.29 for a 4oz container of Atheno's Feta at Rainbow. The President Feta isn't better at $4.79 for a 6 oz container.
There is a better deal out there. Visit Holyland Bakery and Deli, in Minneapolis. (http://www.holylandbrand.com/).
They have tubs of Feta cheese at the deli that they sell by the pound (16 oz). You can buy Greek Feta cheese for $4.99 per pound. Just today I bought 1/3 of a pound of feta for $1.30. That's less than half the price of the same cheese Rainbow sells for $3.29!
If you have a Costco membership and plan to make a dish using feta (such as Spanikopita), the wholesaler is a good alternative.
They sell President Feta for $3.39 a pound. That means you can get a 2.5 lb chunk of the cheese for $8.41. They also sell the cheese crumbled. A 20 oz container costs $6.39.
What about you, have you found a great deal on a favorite food you'd like to share with the readers?

Thrifty Thighs with Potatoes

2008-10-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

So, what do I do with those chicken thighs I bought on sale at Cub Foods?
At $5.98 for two packages, I just couldn't resist.
But turning a chicken thigh into a flavorful food that's attractive for a family (even if it's just the two of us) can be challenging.
Since I'm not easily deterred, I opted to make seasame-flavored thighs with a side of potato, mushroom and onion medley.
The whole meal, which can easily feed four people, cost $6.64.

Here is what I spent:
Chicken: $2.99
Onion: 40 cents (I bought five onions for $2 at the farmer's market)
Red potatoes: $1 ( I bought a box of 20 for $2 at the farmer's market)
Mushrooms: $1.25 (I used 8 oz, but purchased a 16oz box for $2.50)
Spices: $1 estimate
To see the full recipe and pictures check out Momentous Occasions by Natasha.
Happy eating!

Sunday Coupon Notes

2008-10-26T11:28:00.001-07:00

Here are my Sunday Coupon Notes, which I’ll post every week.
I’ll include best deals at Aldi, Rainbow, and Cub Foods. I’ll also provide coupon links when I can.

RAINBOW

Perdue Frozen Chicken Breast $4.99 for a 3Lb. Bag
If you’d like, subscribe to their newsletter, which includes coupons. http://www.perdue.com/util/newsletters.html

If you buy five boxes of General Mills Ceral you get $5 off your grocery purchase as well as a coupon for a free gallon of milk at your next shopping trip.

Roundy’s Orange Juice is $2.79

Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers are 2 for $6, and the paper has a coupon for 75-cents off.
Also, become a member on their web site and receive coupons via e-mail.
http://www.healthychoice.com/start/login.jsp

Whole white mushrooms are 2/$5 for a 16 oz container, a better deal than Cub’s 2 for $3 for an 8 oz container.

Kraft shredded or chunk cheese is 4/$10, but you can buy just one for $2.50.

Birdseye Steamfresh Blends or Freshlike Veggies are 4 for $7

Sara Lee bread is $2.29

If you like baked beans, Bush’s Baked Beans are 4 for $3, and with that you get a $1 off your whole purchase.

ALDI

Onions are 79-cents per bag
Carrots are 79 cents per bag
Carlini Vegetable Oil is $2.29 for a 48 oz box

CUB FOODS

A new Cub Foods is going to open at 1177 Clarence St. in St. Paul.
They will be giving away free Ground Beef, a head of lettuce, Cub cheese, Mission Flour Tortillas and a pound of vine on tomatoes with a $25 purchase.

Farm Stand baby peeled carrots are 2 for $3

Cub canned vegetables are two for 88-cents
Gold n Plump drumsticks or thighs are two for $5.98
Receive a free cookbook from Gold n Plump here

http://www.goldnplump.com/chicken.cfm?page=Coupons_and_Offers

Hormel Pork Roast is $4.29Here is a link to Hormel’s recipes http://www.possibledinner.com/

Chicken Coupons

2008-10-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Rainbow and Cub Foods constantly sell Gold 'n' Plump chicken at a discount. You can save even more by printing these coupons.
Happy shopping.
http://www.goldnplump.com/chicken.cfm?page=Coupons_and_Offers

Sopa Castellana, Castilian Garlic Soup

2008-10-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

This soup comes from the Castilla y Leon province of Spain, which include cities such as Avila, Burgos, Palencia and Salamanca.
This particular dish is from Palencia and has been modified to satisfy the gourmet on a budget. I found this in a book called "Spanish Home Cooking" by Miriam Kelen.

What you need:
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 chorizos, sliced (Johnsonville has them for $5.39 for five of them or visit a mexican carniceria)***
4 cups of water
2 cups of beef broth
5 oz of ham, cubed*
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
4 eggs
2 or 3 (1/2 inch thick) slices of toasted day old bread, cubed (toast to dark to ensure they don't get too soggy in the soup)**
Serves 4-6

* The original recipe calls for serrano ham or prosciutto. But at $12.33/lb. at Rainbow, the proscuitto it is simply not worth it. It is cooked down and everyone at the table agreed that simple cubes of ham will do just fine. As for the serrano ham, I am sure it would be very expensive since it'd likely come from a specialty store.
** I bake my own bread, so the slices are as big as regular Wonder Bread pieces, but thicker. Do not use fluffy, processed bread for this dish because it will simply get too soggy in the soup. I suggest buying a hunk of french bread at Cub or Rainbow for $1.99.
*** You can usually find Johnsonville coupons in the paper. Also, check out this offer if you prefer to substitute the chorizo with the Italian sausage. http://www.johnsonville.com/home/events-promos.html

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden.
2. Add chorizo; brown. Add water, ham, salt and paprika. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and summer for 5 minutes.
3. Break eggs into a saucer (do not beat them). Slide eggs one by one gently into the soup. Arrange the bread cubes around the eggs. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until the eggs are poached. Divide eggs in the soup or once in bowls (you can just put an egg in a ladle, cut it with a knife and return the pieces to the soup).
Ladle into individual soup bowls and serve.

About me

2008-10-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

I shamelessly pick up pennies left on the ground.
I turn leftover stale bread into croutons (and bake my own bread).
I consider clipping coupons on Sunday the highlight of my morning.
That's why when I became unemployed a few months ago I started paying closer attention to cooking on a budget.
My goal is simple: keep the weekly food cost down to $40 while keeping my always-hungry husband satisfied.
The results have been wonderful and produced recipes such as garlic soup with chorizo and egg, creamy parmesian pasta salad and perch marinated in soy sauce, peanut butter, garlic, chili and paprika.
The trick to doing this right is setting a few simple guidelines and sticking to them. For example I've changed recipes that might call for duck and substituted it with chicken. Or if an item is on sale at a grocery store I'll go to the manufacturer's Web site to print a coupon.
Sure, it is easier to reach for the $5 bag of Doritos instead, but why get unhealthy food that won't satisfy hunger?
For that same $5 you can buy sweet potatoes, bushel of spinach and chicken thighs to make a delicious dinner that'll likely produce leftovers for next day's lunch.
That's why as I watched people load their shopping carts with food that results in a $120 bill and forces the buyer to return for "small things" later in the week I opted to find a better way to deal with the exorbitant food prices.
You can do it too.