The frugal gourmet

Chancie · 05-22-2010, 07:12 AM

I bought one of these when Pete took me to The Vermont Country Store.

I haven't used it yet, but I can't wait to try it out!

adorable · 05-22-2010, 09:13 AM

I am currently in lust with all versions of these bagged wonders for the microwave:

Bit · 05-22-2010, 08:17 PM

I have a pork roast in the fridge. It started life as a New England Boiled Dinner, and it's morphed several times. All the taters and sauerkraut are gone, and the last of the carrots got used up tonight. The broth has made spaghetti a couple times and penne rigata once. I've reboiled the roast a couple times and added significant amounts of water to the broth each time--it still gels, so I know there's still calcium coming out of the bones (yay for us!).

I topped the first two pastas with shredded cheese (4 cheese Mexican blend); tonight I topped it with homemade yogurt and discovered that yogurt is GREAT with pork! I dumped in the carrots, too, and tonight also dumped in a can of generic diced tomatoes w/jalapenos.

The flavor of the meat and broth just keeps getting better. I never knew you could cook like this!

The final destination of the broth (probably a couple batches) will be rice.

The final destination of the meat--after I use some to make burritos or enchiladas or something--will be pulled pork, with honey mesquite barbeque sauce.

I think the label on the pork said "shoulder arm picnic roast" or some variation on that, and it was a ten pounder on sale for $1.39 a pound.

I'll be doing this again!

Chancie · 05-22-2010, 08:21 PM

I made delicious pasta tonight. I cooked a pound of spagetti, al dente, and added one pint of cherry tomatoes, roasted with olive oil and pepper, one package of pre washed spinach, and garlic sauteed in olive oil. I threw in a little jar of capers that I think I bought at Aldo's when I was there with drvnsnow and some shredded parmigian cheese.

Ursy · 05-23-2010, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chancie

I made delicious pasta tonight. I cooked a pound of spagetti, al dente, and added one pint of cherry tomatoes, roasted with olive oil and pepper, one package of pre washed spinach, and garlic sauteed in olive oil. I threw in a little jar of capers that I think I bought at Aldo's when I was there with drvnsnow and some shredded parmigian cheese.

I so love roasted vegies - really brings out the flavour.
I never really liked sweet potato until I tried it roasted with sour cream on top. That's the best way to have it, if you ask me!

Anyway Chancie, your pasta sounds yum!

Wow Cath, $1.39 a pound is a pretty amazing price. I don't think we'd ever find a special like that here in Australia. The best I've seen is about $4.00 a kilo (now the online converter says 1 kilogram = 2.20462262 pounds, but I don't want to think that hard so let's just say $2.00 a pound) but that's a very rare find. That was for a pork roast.

Meat is getting more and more expensive. The cheapest meat here is turkey mince (something like $2.50 a pound). I imagine it's because turkey meat must be relatively cheap to produce, but I wonder why? Chicken mince and beef mince is more like $5.00 - $6.00 a pound, on average. It would be interesting to do a comparison.

Oh, yeah... but that was Australian dollars... too many variables - I give up!

Fancy · 05-23-2010, 09:24 AM

Ursy -

When you say mince, is that comparable to what I'd call "ground"? When I read mince, I think something like paste. It can't be the same, I think.

I've been striving to not by meats (as much), or to look for local sources rather than chain super markets. I do buy a lot of turkey (ground), and fish when able. I don't mind paying a little more for the right meats when I know I'm saving money elsewhere (produce).

Quote:

Originally Posted by urs

I so love roasted vegies - really brings out the flavour.
I never really liked sweet potato until I tried it roasted with sour cream on top. That's the best way to have it, if you ask me!

Anyway Chancie, your pasta sounds yum!

Wow Cath, $1.39 a pound is a pretty amazing price. I don't think we'd ever find a special like that here in Australia. The best I've seen is about $4.00 a kilo (now the online converter says 1 kilogram = 2.20462262 pounds, but I don't want to think that hard so let's just say $2.00 a pound) but that's a very rare find. That was for a pork roast.

Meat is getting more and more expensive. The cheapest meat here is turkey mince (something like $2.50 a pound). I imagine it's because turkey meat must be relatively cheap to produce, but I wonder why? Chicken mince and beef mince is more like $5.00 - $6.00 a pound, on average. It would be interesting to do a comparison.

Oh, yeah... but that was Australian dollars... too many variables - I give up!

Ursy · 05-23-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freckle-K

Ursy -

When you say mince, is that comparable to what I'd call "ground"? When I read mince, I think something like paste. It can't be the same, I think.

I've been striving to not by meats (as much), or to look for local sources rather than chain super markets. I do buy a lot of turkey (ground), and fish when able. I don't mind paying a little more for the right meats when I know I'm saving money elsewhere (produce).

Oh yes Freckle, I think you guys call it ground. Funny how we have to negotiate different terminologies across the ocean. I read an amusing discussion about biscuits and cookies just this past weekend - here it is:

http://ask.metafilter.com/43569/What...biscuit-abroad

Because what you guys call cookies, we call biscuits. We tend not to have biscuits in the U.S. sense at all. It intrigued me greatly when I first heard of them. I think I'm going to have to try them!

Gemme · 05-23-2010, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by urs

Meat is getting more and more expensive. The cheapest meat here is turkey mince (something like $2.50 a pound). I imagine it's because turkey meat must be relatively cheap to produce, but I wonder why? Chicken mince and beef mince is more like $5.00 - $6.00 a pound, on average. It would be interesting to do a comparison.

Oh, yeah... but that was Australian dollars... too many variables - I give up!

Ground/minced turkey is a little cheaper because they throw everything in there...skin, meat, bits of this or that...if it's on the bird, it's in there. Most of the chicken here is specialized. Breasts, skinless breasts, drumsticks, etc. so that ups the cost due to packaging and the machinery required to separate the parts.

Ursy · 05-23-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemme

Ground/minced turkey is a little cheaper because they throw everything in there...skin, meat, bits of this or that...if it's on the bird, it's in there. Most of the chicken here is specialized. Breasts, skinless breasts, drumsticks, etc. so that ups the cost due to packaging and the machinery required to separate the parts.

Blurk!
That really puts me off the turkey then. Thanks for the explanation Gemme!

Bit · 05-22-2010, 08:23 PM

Btw, wanted to share that I've discovered there isn't really such a thing as low-acid tomatoes, only high sugar tomatoes. That makes them like oranges, yanno? So much sugar that you just don't taste the tartness--but the acid is still there.

Gryph is allergic to the high acid content, so I fugured out how to neutralize it--baking soda! One 14 or 15 ounce can of tomatoes + 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon baking soda = no acid reaction! It does make the tomatoes foam up (just like baking soda and vinegar), so make sure you have enough room in the pan if you try it--and of course, raw baking soda is not exactly delectable, so you want to do this only in dishes that will be cooked.

It's really nice to be able to use tomatoes again!

PS, thanks to PearlsNLace for doing the research about the low acid tomatoes!

05-22-2010, 08:23 PM	#10
Bit Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Stonefemme Relationship Status: married to Gryph Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,177 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,126 Thanked 3,770 Times in 1,264 Posts Rep Power: 10778870	Tomato acid hint Btw, wanted to share that I've discovered there isn't really such a thing as low-acid tomatoes, only high sugar tomatoes. That makes them like oranges, yanno? So much sugar that you just don't taste the tartness--but the acid is still there. Gryph is allergic to the high acid content, so I fugured out how to neutralize it--baking soda! One 14 or 15 ounce can of tomatoes + 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon baking soda = no acid reaction! It does make the tomatoes foam up (just like baking soda and vinegar), so make sure you have enough room in the pan if you try it--and of course, raw baking soda is not exactly delectable, so you want to do this only in dishes that will be cooked. It's really nice to be able to use tomatoes again! PS, thanks to PearlsNLace for doing the research about the low acid tomatoes!

05-22-2010, 07:12 AM	#1
Chancie Senior Member How Do You Identify?: queer femme-inist Relationship Status: I'm lucky. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Western Mass Posts: 3,774 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,518 Thanked 14,541 Times in 2,744 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	I bought one of these when Pete took me to The Vermont Country Store. I haven't used it yet, but I can't wait to try it out!

05-22-2010, 09:13 AM	#2
adorable Member How Do You Identify?: Sarcastically Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: Unavailable Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Home of the Yankee's Posts: 752 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,708 Thanked 2,644 Times in 590 Posts Rep Power: 12725119	I am currently in lust with all versions of these bagged wonders for the microwave:

05-22-2010, 08:17 PM	#3
Bit Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Stonefemme Relationship Status: married to Gryph Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 2,177 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,126 Thanked 3,770 Times in 1,264 Posts Rep Power: 10778870	I have a pork roast in the fridge. It started life as a New England Boiled Dinner, and it's morphed several times. All the taters and sauerkraut are gone, and the last of the carrots got used up tonight. The broth has made spaghetti a couple times and penne rigata once. I've reboiled the roast a couple times and added significant amounts of water to the broth each time--it still gels, so I know there's still calcium coming out of the bones (yay for us!). I topped the first two pastas with shredded cheese (4 cheese Mexican blend); tonight I topped it with homemade yogurt and discovered that yogurt is GREAT with pork! I dumped in the carrots, too, and tonight also dumped in a can of generic diced tomatoes w/jalapenos. The flavor of the meat and broth just keeps getting better. I never knew you could cook like this! The final destination of the broth (probably a couple batches) will be rice. The final destination of the meat--after I use some to make burritos or enchiladas or something--will be pulled pork, with honey mesquite barbeque sauce. I think the label on the pork said "shoulder arm picnic roast" or some variation on that, and it was a ten pounder on sale for $1.39 a pound. I'll be doing this again!

05-22-2010, 08:21 PM	#4
Chancie Senior Member How Do You Identify?: queer femme-inist Relationship Status: I'm lucky. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Western Mass Posts: 3,774 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,518 Thanked 14,541 Times in 2,744 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	I made delicious pasta tonight. I cooked a pound of spagetti, al dente, and added one pint of cherry tomatoes, roasted with olive oil and pepper, one package of pre washed spinach, and garlic sauteed in olive oil. I threw in a little jar of capers that I think I bought at Aldo's when I was there with drvnsnow and some shredded parmigian cheese.