artisan02
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Normally we take turns doing the evening cooking, but I am the main cook in the house and could whip up some soups that pack in a thermos. I pack my lunch daily.
Christine ~ I will give you this weeks meals -
breakfasts- english muffin egg sandwhiches or oatmeal with dried cranberries and almonds or homemade granola w/ soy milk
lunch - I take canned soup or some japanese dish I made, popcorn. (the hubby eats out..)
dinner - monday - homemade pizza, tuesday - ham cassarole w/ bread, weds - homemade pot stickers, rice, veggie stir fry, thurs - homemade BBQ wings with fries, Friday - chicken yakatori, rice, I probably will put some veggie dish with this...I have also home made bread and pumpkin bars for the week.
That is about an average week for me and my hubby...I don't consider this fancy food at all, so the fact my grocery bill is so high is what was killing me! I can see from everyone's response they cook very different. As you can tell from the menu there is nothing on there that is "cook once - eat twice" even the pizza crust came from scratch. The serving sizes huge! Of course I am leaving out beverages, which we don't drink, so it's tea or colas.
Okay, I snipped some of your post. You mentioned taking canned soup for your own lunch and also about making some for your husband. Why not make a pot of soup for lunches for you both? Much cheaper than canned soup, and much healthier!
Do you buy any ingredients that can be found in bulk bins? I am thinking of your oatmeal, for instance. It tends to be much cheaper and you are not paying for packaging. Same for a lot of ingredients though.
One thing struck me as I was looking at your dinner menus, and maybe this will give you an idea of what I am talking about.
You mentioned ham casserole. Did you buy all the ingredients for that particular dish? Such as a piece of ham, etc?
Now mind you, I am not a particularly inventive cook myself, but a few things came to mind. For me, if I thought I might be wanting that sometime during the week, I might buy a ham to start with, say for dinner on Sunday. Then I could plan somethings around the remainder of that ham, such as your ham casserole. Maybe ham sandwiches for lunch one day, or ham salad. Plan on saving the meaty bone from the ham, and make a wonderful bean type soup with the bone and some of the ham-there are more meals there for your lunch, maybe even as a main dish meal later on. I would probably freeze part of the soup and bring it out later on down the road, along with some good cornbread and a tart salad. To not get bored with the ham, I would probably freeze some of it, and then bring it out to add to something else down the road. And what is left of the ham casserole itself, would find it's way into my lunchbox the next day.
This is just one example.
Like many folks here, I tend to buy things on sale, and use them as needed. So for your chicken, I would have waited til I saw a good sale then stocked up on the chicken I needed. Then sometime down the road, say this week you could pull out what you needed from your stash to fix those chicken dishes.
Maybe others will have suggestions how to best plan meals, etc for you.
Hope this helps a bit...
Christine
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Advice I saw in the newspaper years ago stuck in my mind, and I've found it helpful: "Cook everything you buy, and eat everything you cook. " Using that guidline, I found myself either buying less to avoid leftovers, or making sure to eat the leftovers.
I also remember that my co-workers's heads would turn towards my desk when I unscrewed the top of the thermos at lunch break, releasing the rich scent of chicken/vegetable soup, or of lentils and rice. Just leftovers, heated up quickly before leaving the house, eaten with a hearty sandwich or a big salad retrieved from the office fridge.
One thing I have noticed from a lot of great chefs, is that they are extremely thrifty. Nothing is wasted, and very rarely is anything thrown out. Those leftover vegetables get put into a soup or stew, or an egg or pasta dish. That little bit of leftover tomato sauce gets used for something else. The chicken carcass gets thrown into the stockpot for the basis of a great soup, or the remmants of it get turned into hash, or a salad, or something like a chicken pot pie.
I do the same with leftovers when I am working. But it does take planning ahead. I may cook several things on my days off, which will then form the basis of my meals on my working days. Except for rare occasions, the main dish has to extend to at least 2 meals. Not necessarily in the same form, but that is part of the fun of cooking to me: to see what tasty thing I can prepare from this original preparation.
I personally am curious as to what at typical week's meals are at CKat's house. And what a typical grocery list would be for her, for that week.
Christine
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I cook from scratch always, with the exception of bread and canned tomatoes, and bought pasta, and frozen veggies you won't find processed food in my house. I cook alot of japanese and chinese food.
I guess what I am looking for is everyones basic staples that can make cheap but quality meals. Are the meals you make have simple, few but good ingredients?
One of the things I have not seen mentioned is whether or not you use "leftovers". In other words, do you start from scratch for every meal, or do you plan to get several meals from one basic ingredient, such as chicken. In other words, does that roast chicken one night become hash, and then chicken soup? Just an example.. Or in the case of Asian inspired meals, does that leftover steak make it into a stirfy the next night?
I am also wondering if you brown bag your lunches, say taking last night's main dish into work the next day, or some variaton thereof.
I know several people who state that they don't eat leftovers and their food bills are sky high.
Just some thoughts for your consideration.
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I made Chicken and Pork Adobado tonight. Delicious, though the pork didn't get as tender as I would have liked in the amount of time given. Next time I would start the pork simmering first, giving it about a 15-20 minute head start on the chicken and braising for an hour and fifteen minutes instead of the 40-50 minutes suggested. This one is a keeper, with slight modification.
I made that tonight and found out the pork took much longer to cook. I think I ended up cooking the entire dish about twice as long... Part of that may be due to the fact that I am at about 6000 or more feet elevation.
Christine
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Heather, getting the books I use out and accessible is one of the biggest steps toward feeling at home after moving, for me. Good luck with that!
2 new to report: McGee's On Food and Cooking , and the elsewhere discussed Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
I also just moved and felt bereft until the cookbooks were unpacked and shelved - now I need to count them so I can add to this thread - I did some culling before the move and have a few to send on to folks that I decided not to keep, but that's another thread
I also just moved, and I am currently unpacking all my cookbooks. I had already added how many I thought I had, to this thread, but I will do an accurate count when I am done unpacking them all. Unpacking is slow however, as I find a favorite cookbook and sit down to look at it and oftentimes reread it. They are like my very old friends.
Christine
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First....why not UC Berkeley?, there really is no reason to go to Stanfurd (I assume you're shooting for grad school?), and I've heard the environment is a lot better for grads here than at Stanfurd (undergrads might be a little different, but their football team sucks right now, and the sandstone buildings look like they're made out of mud). [...] There are of course many more things to put down, and some would argue over what to taste, but really you just need to go with your gut and take some chances when you're out driving around.
I may also stop by UC Berkeley. They are also right near the top in my field of interest (mechanical engineering). Basically, I am perhaps the most indecisive people on the planet, so I figured I should limit my options from the start. Right now, I'm only considering MIT, CalTech, Stanford, and Columbia (where I go now). Maybe I should re-consider and add UC Berkeley into the mix...
By the way, your recommendation to just go with my gut and take some chances as we drive around is a good one. Having every single detail of the trip planned out would be incredibly lame.
If you stop by UC Berkeley, take a trip to Berkeley Bowl, and Monterey Market, if you have time. Parking is horrendous at the Bowl, but the place is amazing. You could see all the stuff you would have available to you for cooking, if you went to UC Berkeley.
Christine
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California Day 1 cont'd
Tomorrow we hang out in Carmel for a bit, drive up to Santa Cruz, then make the final push to San Francisco. Anyone have any dining recs along the way? I'm especially looking for moderately priced options ($50 p/p at the end of the day) in San Francisco that offer items I might not be able to get at home. Also, is there anywhere I can get great fish tacos in the area?
Duartes Tavern.
A California classic..on the James Beard list...of I forget what...but it is a classic. In Pescadero. An American classic.
Christine
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My memory may be faulty, but it seems as if the ice creams of my youth had more of a chewy texture. I grew up in Virginia in the 50's and 60's, and I am pretty sure that they didn't use exotic ingredients to achieve this. I would love to know how to achieve that texture.
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For my regional two cents... I think the Heartland and the Southwest get overlooked, too often.
I second this...how about the NM towns/cities such as Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and Las Cruces?
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A book I found in the bargain racks of Barnes and Noble.
I recognized the author, as I have several of his books, (Siimple Fare, and Company Fare), but they are in storage now. The author is Ronald Johnson, and the new book I got is called The American Table. It seems to be a reprint.
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Clearly, I didn't know what a Foodie was back then. But in hindsight, this was my indoctrination into the world of good eating. How about you? When did you first know you were a Foodie? And what was the memorable food item that pushed you over the edge?
I don't know if I knew I was a foodie at an early age, but the memory of a memorable roast chicken has stayed with me for years. It was a benchmark of sorts.
I was probably about 8 or 9 and I was home sick with some bug. The black lady that came to clean our house in those days, roasted the most incredible chicken for me to have some of it. I don't know how exactly it was cooked, but it was buttery and the flavor was incredible.
My mother later told me that this woman had been trained to cook at some of the James River plantations, by French cooks.
And ever since, I have been searching for the perfect roast chicken. And that memory made me realize that I had something of a palate, and it gave me a standard of excellence to try to emulate and search out.
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We have the very same shelves - Hold Everything??
We've used them all over the house for various items, from cookbooks to kids' toys. Pretty versatile shelves...
I think I got mine at Cost Plus, but I'm sure they're the same -- and yes, they're very handy, especially since they fold up if you need to store them.
These are the very same shelves I tote around with me on my travels as a traveling nurse. I use mine for cookbooks though.
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Interesting...you also have to wonder how much real estate is left in the immediate Union Square vicinity for a large store like TJ's...though if what's being said above is true, that TJ's is a sort of cheaper alternative to the gourmet market, then its location may make sense.
My experience with Trader Joes is that the stores are not large at all, and in fact can be rather cramped. They are certainly no where near the size of many supermarkets.
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I am going to a potluck with a group of foodies tomorrow, and I changed my offerings based on the news of her death. I am making several things from her last book, as well as some from my own southern heritage.
I am thinking of making Country Captain, and Chess Pie. The Asparagus and Scallion Pie
Please share how they turned out and what your thoughts were ... and, yes, exposing Californians to true southern cuisine is always a good idea!
Well, I didn't end up making the Country Captain, as my time and energy were at a premium. I did end up making the Thyme-Smothered Chicken, which was a big hit, and wonderfully tender and flavorful.
And the Chess Pie I made, got wonderful reviews, especially from a veteran pie maker.
I didn't end up making any other of her recipes, but did cook some of my family recipes, which come down from some southern grandparents. Those too, were a big hit.
Edited to add: I totally forgot that I made her Pimento Cheese as well. I walked into the party with it, and when I put it down on the table and told people what it was, I got these delighted responses: "Oooh!!! Pimento Cheese!!!". I never saw people moving so fast to get to it!
I did manage to take a picture of the Chess Pie yesterday, but somehow didn't get a picture of everything else. Too much going on. If I can figure out how to upload it here, I will post it.
I still have scallions and asparagus here. I might try something with those tonight. And I still have some chicken, so I think I am going to fix the Country Captain or repeat the Thyme Smothered Chicken, all for myself.
Christine
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Epicurious article on Edna Lewis which gives numerous details on her background
In celebration of her life, as well as Black History Month, we are planning to have our own tribute, using her recipes as our base of operations ...Some of us will be joining in our own personal tributes to Edna by trying some of her recipes here (Southern Food Culture forum) and sharing both our thinking about Edna as well as our versions of her recipes .. join us? You need not own her books, some recipes are on the Net ....
I don't think that this has to be done in a day ... maybe over a week or two .. with a winding up using our thoughts and, if you wish, photos .. and maybe a few words on how Edna made the recipe worth producing ... a few of us Edna Lewis fans are going to try it. ... PM me if you wish details ...
This touches my heart. I too am a native Virginian, like Edna Lewis. I grew up with the foods she talks about in her books and I learned to cook there as well.
I moved away about 30 years ago, but the South has never really left me. I have had to reteach myself some of the things I learned while growing up in Virginia. Edna helped me with this process.
I have all of her books but most of them, except for the last one, are in storage right now.
I am going to a potluck with a group of foodies tomorrow, and I changed my offerings based on the news of her death. I am making several things from her last book, as well as some from my own southern heritage.
I am thinking of making Country Captain, and Chess Pie. The Asparagus and Scallion Pie is calling out to me too, as asparagus is starting to fill some of the produce markets here in northern California. I am looking for other ideas as well: I figure I might as well expose Californians to some good Southern cooking.
Christine
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The Super Slaw recipe over at Epicurious is really, really good. All peanut and ginger flavors and crunch. My mayonnaise-hating husband adores the stuff, as do I.
This link doesn't go to the Super Slaw recipe, by the way. Unless of course I am missing something here...
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Fat carries flavor. Free yourself from the popular culture's fear of fat, and use enough of it, of the right type and quality, to accomplish the culinary task at hand. Deprogramming myself from my mother's blind worship of margarine and "vegetable" oil and learning not to be stingy with the butter and olive oil was a major leap forward in my coming of age as a cook. Corollary: don't be trimming off the layer of fat from that roast nor removing the skin from that poultry before cooking--that's where all the flavor and juiciness come from!
And free yourself of the fear of salting. I don;t know how many times I have eaten things that have not been salted enough to bring out the flavor. I think folks are as scared of salt as they are of fat.
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What about artichoke stems?? huh?? come one...you know you love'em!
Poached in chicken stock, with chopped tomatoes and garlic...lemon juice right before you devour...I mean serve....
I LOVE em! I was scandalized a year or so ago when i was doing a cooking appearance at a famous place (starts with a C and is in napa) and my designated assistant (whose credentials were that she had assisted a big shot cooking teacher in france, initials a w) anyhow we're going over the organization and prep on the phone. one of the dishes was a braised artichoke dish, you pare the artichokes of their thorny leaves, cook the chokes in olive oil, lemon, white white, garlic, parsley. anyhow i was scandalized because when i said to put the trimmed stems into the pile of artichokes to use, she refused! and haughtily informed me that she had never eaten an artichoke stem, had no intention of doing so and we would not be doing so at C. she said that in her training at a w they didn't use the stems, she had never heard of anything like it! (what a great assistant, eh!).
Marlena, I would be your assistant in a heartbeat! You are my kind of cook... Only, I have no experience outside of home cooking...
Christine
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Marlena, I have the little book you did on vegetables for Williams-Sonoma, and I have made the roasted multicolored peppers and cherry tomatoes recipe there. It is sooooooooooo good!we have eggplant, three cucumber (the big kind!), two bags of salad, three containers of cherry tomatoes, a bag of multicoloured peppersChristine
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My book is From Pantry to Table, Addison Wesley publishers. i'd like to say that the book was a james beard nominee. i wish i didn't have to say that it sold about ten copies.
Must have been more than 10 copies, because I know I personally bought three.
I also have a copy. I remember being so excited when I brought it home because it had a recipe that called for flageolets and I had a bunch that I had no idea how to use
My guess it that by the time this blog finishes more than 10 owners will come out of the woodwork.
And I also have a copy.
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Drinking wine in the morning hours is as much a question of culture as it is of personal life-style.
If a glass of wine makes you sleepy in the morning, obviously don't drink it. If it gives you pleasure though......why in the world not?
I also want to add that some people's personal lifestyles require that they work all night, and go to sleep during the day. I am speaking of myself, in this instance.
My "evening" is often another person's morning. And very often, before I go to bed in the morning, I will have a glass of wine while winding down from the night's work.
It is all in how you look at it.
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Long long ago when I had just traded in my earth shoes for high heels and parka for a black wool coat with darts and a fake fur collar, there were only two kitchen stores in D.C. as far as I knew. One was on Upper Connecticut Avenue near Politics and Prose and had an excellent selection of professional ware for home cooks....and then the place you describe, across from the guy who has a fondness for lunchboxes and Tin Tin.
I know the one you mentioned that was on Connecticut Ave. It was called Kitchen Bazaar. They had a another store in Seven Corners at the time also.
When I came back to the DC area a bit ago, I was dismayed to find they were no longer in business. It was a fantastic kitchen store, with some products I have never been able to find anywhere else since. And they had a marvelous cookbook collection, which often fed my own growing cookbook collection.
They also published a little cookbook, about food processor cooking. I saw my first food processor demonstration there, with one of the first Cuisinart models.
DC lost a great kitchen store in that store.
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Has anyone used the method from Fine Cooking, which has you dry age wrapped in cheesecloth for 7 days? I'm thinking of trying that for Christmas dinner.
I don't have access to Fine Cooking. Can you describe the method a bit more, or is that the gist of it?
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spend too much on food...
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
When I first started earning money, I had enough for meat, etc. But I had a mother that knew how to stretch everything...and it was ingrained in me to buy ingredients and stretch them.
I have rice in the fridge now, that was cooked Afghani style..and I am thinking of fixing fried rice with the leftovers. Should be an interesting fried rice.
Christine