10 Dinners, 10 Dollars...

I've been looking at my budget and I realized I spend a stupid amount per month on groceries.  In my defense, that number is higher now that most of my meals are for two people. I do love cooking for that fella.  Especially when he goes back for seconds.  *happy sigh*

Where was I?

Oh yeah. Couple the extra stomach with the fact that my grocery store trips include everything from toilet bowl cleaner to dog food to mascara, and it's hard to say what's "food for me" and what's not when I look at the bills.  But still.  I have a full pantry, a full freezer, and a full fridge. 

Why do I keep buying food?  Well, (a) I like to think of food as art, and when I get a vision or a craving for a dish that has one...or 5...specialty ingredients, I go buy them. And (b) I like fresh food.  But they often sell such items in HUGE quantities that they go bad before we can eat them.  I'd buy less, but small quantities of the same item aren't always available, and when they are, they cost 3x as much than in bulk. 

Fresh loaf of bread = 30 slices.  Make 15 sandwiches? do I throw a toast party? invite some ducks to dinner? 

 3 hearts of romaine = enough salad greens for 6 to eleventy people. Do I adopt rabbits?  construct edible lettuce clothes?  That last one sounds kind of fun, actually...

 

Scratch that.

In short, buying big bunches of food and then making a meal for two people means that I've got a lot of extra food laying around.  It's annoying.  And inefficient. 

Anyway, I got fed up with spending mucho dollers & using up mucho space on ingredients for new & exciting meals & just decided to try and make as many meals as possible with the items I currently have without buying anything at the store. I took inventory of my pantry, fridge & freezer, listing mainly the items that are going to go bad soon (milk & nuts & meat, v.s. eggs or jars of pasta sauce or containers of mustard).   Here's a list of the randomness I have to work with:

Freezer: peaches, chicken, pork tenderloin, broccoli, spaghetti sauce, edamame, hamburger, hash browns, hatch chiles, green beans, sweet potato fries, turkey sausage, spinach, puff pastry

Fridge: beef stock, parmesan, cream cheese, bacon, ham, sundried tomatoes, capers, garlic, lemons, onion, sour cream, cheddar (+ lots of staples like milk, eggs, butter, salsa, mayo, etc)

Pantry: pasta, olives, rice, ranch dressing mix, almonds, polenta, asparagus, bread crumbs, jalapenos, alfredo sauce, tuna, tortilla soup mix, tomato-basil soup, cream of asparagus, fiesta corn, italian wedding soup, saltines, caramel, cocoa, tomato paste, cake mix, icing, various exotic oils/vinegars

Grown up items: white wine, kahlua, bourbon, creme de menthe

After making that list (there's a lot more food than that, but those are the main things I want to use up) I sat down and spent a while brainstorming about different combinations for main/side/dessert, and let me tell you - it was crazy!  I have SO MUCH FOOD!  I didn't even get to using 1/2 of it before I stopped myself, because I figured 10 full meals is more than enough to start with.  The items I highlighted in my lists above are going to go into these recipes, plus various other spices and staples of course, but ONLY things that I already have. I AM buying lettuce & tomatoes for side salads etc, and I needed turmeric for one recipe, so that's why these ten meals are costing me $10. 

Without further adieu, I invite you to view the Menu of Options.  Some I'm freestylin' but others are recipe'd and for those I've provided links below...

First, for the omnivores...

CHICKEN

1. chicken tortilla soup / cheesy polenta / salad

2. chicken with tomato & apple balsamic vinegar / saffron risotto

3. lemon asparagus chicken / bread / salad

PORK

1. bacon-wrapped pork loin / saffron risotto

2. croque madame cheddar-ham sandwiches / salad

 BEEF

1. lettuce-wrap "burger" / sweet potato fries

2. optional: hatch chiles relleno stuffed with cheese & beef/ spanish rice

3. big ol' taco salad 

TURKEY

1. gnocchi with sausage & spinach / salad

And for my animal-hugger crowd, a kinder & gentler option:

MEATLESS

1. wholewheat pasta with lemon-caper sauce & sundried tomatoes, olives, parmesan / broccoli

2. optional: hatch chiles relleno stuffed with just cheese / spanish rice

- BONUS ROUND -

 DESSERTS!

1. braided peach streudel (w/vanilla bean ice cream & caramel sauce)

2. italian almond citrus cake

3. chocolate kahlua cupcakes

4. pineapple upside-down cake

 

Bon appetit! Let the games...& cooking...begin!

First, I made lemon asparagus chicken. Base recipe courtesy of Campbell's. 

This may not appeal to all, but D & I really like asparagus - him more the fresh, me more the canned...yeaaaaah, my palate leans toward redneck sometimes. Or toddler.  Really, who eats canned asparagus?  Me! I love me some mushy vegetables.  I will be very easy to please when they finally put me in "the home."

Anyway, canned asparagus is part the ingredient set I bravely attacked (read: fished out of the back of my fridge & pantrry) & used to make said dish.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Asparagus Soup (I used a gourmet non-condensed brand, and cut out the milk)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Lemon slices (optional)
• (I added 1 can of asparagus, garlic powder, and SALT - I mean reeeeeeeally, Campbells - who left salt off the list?)

Directions

1. Heat oil in skillet. Cook chicken 10 minutes or until browned.
2. Add everything else. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes or until done. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired. (I desired.)

Okay, if I'm honest, in a dish like this I would have used perhaps fresh asparagus instead of canned.  But this is "10 meals, 10 dollars!"  I have to adjust!  I'm not going to lie -- the dish turned out a little bland for my taste -- but it was better than I thought it was going to be.  I wouldn't make it for company, but it'll do for a nice little after-work dinner. It kind of ended up looking like this...but with less fresh asparagus :)

While I'm getting started on this little project, what's your go-to "shop in the pantry" meal?  And what staple do you you always keep around, just in case you need to make that one foolproof dish at the last minute? When I have exhausted my provisions, what should I buy in bulk and what should I buy "as needed?"

 Finally, if you love humor & food, especially paired together, check out this blog called "CheapHealthyGood." The girls who write it are so funny, and the recipes look GREAT (in addition, of course, to being cheap...and healthy).
 

 

Comments

[Gina]

Hey :-) My favorite go-to meal is a version of Chipotle's bowl meal. I cook up rice (either brown or white), then add some canned black beans, canned corn, fresh Pico De Gallo (pineapple pico is actually really yummy in this) and maybe some guacamole if it's on hand. Virtually no effort so it's perfect for those nights I come home from work exhausted.

[C]

Hey Gina, that's awesome - & magnificently meatless!! I usually have all of that on hand (except quacamole) so I'll def have to whip that up soon. Right now I have everything but the beans...but, hm...$.85 ain't bad. :)