Author: Philip

Lunch

For lunch we, once again, finished the par baked panini roll and stuffed it with egg salad and watercress.

• The panini roll is 63c per serve
• The egg salad is $3.69 for 10 oz and we used 2 oz per serve, or 92c per serve
• The watercress cost $1.99 and we shared about 1/8 or 12c per serve.

We enjoyed this roll a lot for $1.67 per serve.

Dinner

Another way to use ham is in an Asparagus and Ham Frittata! We precooked the asparagus in the panini press, mixed in a generous amount of finely diced ham and cooked.

We will get four serves.

• Six eggs are $3.06 or 77c per serve
• The ham is $1.02 per portion, or 51c per serve
• The asparagus was $2.59 but we used ⅔ tonight, or 87c per serve
• Add 10c for butter.

This turned out particularly well for just $2.25 per serve.

Lunch

A mid-morning trip to Whole Foods provided an opportunity to pick up some spicy tuna rolls, and a black rice avocado and cucumber roll.

In total, the sushi was $17.98 or $8.99 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we tried a Beef Stir-Fry recipe from Whole Foods (pure co-incidence) that we used sliced top sirloin for the meat, and augmented it with carrots and the remaining box choy.

• The top sirloin was $4.05 per serve
• The bok choy was $1.10 and we used half, or 55c per serve
• Carrots were $1.99 but we only used half, or 50c per serve
• The bell pepper was $1.49 or 75c per serve
• Add 30c for seasoning.

This recipe was terribly bland. It is not a stir fry recipe at all, given that the meat stews in the liquid and the vegetables effectively steam. We added a little fish sauce after serving to bring some flavor to the dish. Disappointing for $6.15 per serve.

Lunch

Since we have so much ham, we riffed on a Reuben by substituting ham for pastrami and mustard for Russian dressing.

• The ham $1.02 per serve and we shared a serve or 51c per serve
• Sprouted rye bread is 32c per serve
• Swiss slices are 12 for $3.99 or 34c per serve
• The Bubbies (natural) Sauerkraut is expensive at $6.99 or 22c per serve, but it is a very superior sauerkraut without the bad odor of most sauerkraut
• Add 40c for butter and mustard.

Ham makes a fine substitute for pastrami, although this is its own quite good flavor combination for $1.79 per serve.

Dinner

For out “meatless Mondays” we are exploring meat substitutes like Trader Joe’s Chickenless Mandarin Chicken Morsels, which we served with an Asian style Stir Fried Bok Choy.

• The meatless morsels were $3.29 or $1.65 per serve
• The bok choy was $1.10 and we used half, or 28c per serve
• Add 30c for dressing ingredients.

We were not impressed with the Mandarin Chicken Morsels, not because if wasn’t real meat, but because the breading stuck and added no flavor, we won’t be buying them again. There are other meat alternatives to explore. Still this wasn’t a terrible meal for $2.23 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we heated the remaining Popeye’s Fried Chicken and served it with a Spicy Pepper and Corn Salad from Ralph’s.

• The salad $4.19 or $2.20 per serve
• A 10 piece special was $13.98 and we had two piece each, or $2.80 per serve.

A nice lunch for $5.00 per serve.

Dinner

Easter is one of the few times a year when Leg Ham comes on “loss leader” special, so we always take advantage of it. Today we baked it and served with Choucroute.

• The ham was $10.22 and we’ll get at least 10 serves, or $1.02 per serve
• The Sauerkraut was $7.99 but we used ⅓ or $1.33 per serve
• The apple was 51c or 26c per serve
• The carrots were $1.99 but we used half for four serves, or 25c per serve
• Add 20c for sherry and other ingredients.

The ham turned out particularly well as did the choucroute. We enjoyed both for $3.06 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we finished the par baked panini roll and stuffed it with egg salad and watercress.

• The panini roll is 63c per serve
• The egg salad is $3.69 for 10 oz and we used 2 oz per serve, or 92c per serve
• The watercress cost $1.99 and we shared about 1/8 or 12c per serve.

We enjoyed this roll a lot for $1.67 per serve.

Dinner

Because of our crazy schedule this last week, we had “Thursday night steak night” on Saturday! The weather is warming so tonight’s rib eye was grilled to perfection on the outside grill. We served with an Endive, Blue Cheese and Truffled Almond Salad with a Apple Cider Vinegar dressing

• At 10 oz the rib eye is $8.10 per serve
• The endive were $2.69 or $1.35 per serve
• The truffled almonds were $5.99, but we used about ¼ or 75c per serve
• Blue cheese crumbles are $3.49 and we used about ¼ or 44c per serve
• Add 30c for apple cider vinegar and oil for the dressing.

A great meal for $10.94 per serve.

Lunch

We might as well make it an all-take-out lunch week, so Foodie Philip picked up some Popeye’s Fried Chicken on his way home from Burbank.

• A 10 piece special was $13.98 and we had two piece each, or $2.80 per serve
• The red beans and rice is $3.99 or $2.00 per serve.

We enjoy Popeyes from time to time, for $4.80 per serve.

Dinner

A return to “Fishy Friday” with Squid Puttanesca. We based the Puttanesca source on Nigella Lawson’s recipe, staring in the squid at the very last minute, allowing it to heat and cook, but remaining tender.

• The squid was $4.50 or $2.25 per serve
• Anchovies are $1.59 a can, or 40c per serve
• Garlic and seasonings add about 10c per serve
• The pasta was $1.29 or 33c per serve
• The unseasoned canned tomatoes were $1.00 or 50c per serve
• A jar of pitted olives is $2.99 but only half is used in the recipe or 38c per serve.

Although a little salty this puttanesca variation worked particularly well, although neither of us particularly liked the tentacles, for $3.96 per serve.

Lunch

Our last trade show floor lunch and we tried the Yeros because the crowds had thinned out on day three, for $11.37 per serve with tax.

Dinner

Our trade show duties done we retreated to an Air BnB rented by our friend and associate, where we cleaned out her refrigerator! Foodie Greg sliced some remain (cooked) pork chops and stir fried a bag of seasoned broccoli mix, adding the pork at the end to reheat without further cooking.

It turned out pretty good, especially since it cost us nothing!