Author: Philip

Lunch

You can’t make just one sardine and avocado sandwich, so we each had one.

• An avocado is $1.49 or 75c per serve
• Lightly smoked sardines in olive oil are $1.69 per can, or 85c per serve
• Two slices of bread are 39c.

Lunch today was pretty good – it’s an Alton Brown favorite – for $1.99 per serve.

Dinner

Yesterday we took a pack of Cross Rib Steak (from Prather Ranch) and marinated it over night and through the day. It was then cut, speared on skewers and perfectly grilled.

Served with a spicy Thai peanut sauce, Vietnamese Salad and rice noodles, it turned out to be a really good combination.

• The cross rib steak was $6.02 or $3.01 per serve
• The shredded green cabbage was 42c for the pack, or 14c per serve
• The ingredients for the sauce add another 35c per serve
• Mint cost 50c and we used half, or 8c per serve
• The bunch of carrots was 89c but we used half in this dish, or 15c per serve
• The limes for the dressing were 19c each (bargain) and we used four, but only about half the juice was used – 13c per serve
• The peanut butter was $3.99 and we used about 1/4 in the recipe or 50c a serve
• Add 40c for the spices in the sauce per serve
• Rice noodles are $3.56 per 14oz box, we used about 1/2 of the box, or 90c per serve.

The peanut sauce oozed down into the noodles to make a tasty mouthful. The spiciness of the peanut sauce was a great complement to the beef, while the crisp, wet salad helped keep all in balance for $5.66 per serve.

Lunch

It’s leftover clear out lunch. The remaining chicken breast along with the last bit of the salad from the last couple of nights went in a wrap with the rest of the hummus in the open container!

• The mixed green blend was $2.49 and we used half a serve, or 32c per wrap
• The chicken was $6.99 and we shared a breast, or  88c per serve
• Hummus adds 30c per serve
• The wraps are $3.99 for six or 67c each.

Lunch today was serviceable for $2.17 per serve.

Dinner

We have a limited range of ground pork recipes, but one of our favorites is Pork Larb.

There are four serves in the dish, particularly when you use 1lb of pork, instead of half that in the recipe.

• The ground pork was $8.15 or $2.04 per serve
• Allowing 50c per serve for the remaining ingredients would be generous
• Cucumber adds 50c per serve
• Bean sprouts add 14c per serve
• The lettuce was 99c and we used about half tonight, or 25c per serve.

The Larb is very good, along with the fresh vegetables make a perfect hot weather meal for $3.46 per serve.

Lunch

Today we decided to celebrate the return of our favorite wraps to the shelf, with a top sirloin and little of the mixed salad from two nights ago.

• The top sirloin was $5.99 per 1lb container, but we used about 1/4 of a serve and shared it, or 75c a serve
• The mixed green blend was $2.49 and we used half a serve, or 32c per wrap
• A serve of the roquamole is $1.08 and we split one for 54c per serve
• The wraps are $3.99 for six or 67c each.

Today’s wrap was really good. The roquamole provided intense blue cheese flavor, the salad contributed wetness and crunch, and the meat took care of the umami flavors. Not bad for $2.28 per serve.

Dinner

When Greg suggested the Grilled Vegetable Salad I had low expectations, but going vegetarian for some meals is a good way to go, so I thought “why not.”

We were blow away as to how good this salad is. Another use of our new grill, it took a while for the vegetables to soften and char a little. Then cooling, chopping and adding the oil and feta elevates the flavor. The salty feta perfectly complements the (otherwise bland) vegetables. Putting the olive oil after cooking not only avoids the dangers of over heating the oil and makes it possible to taste the oil on the salad.

• The feta in brine was $6.50 and 1/4 went into dinner, or 41c per serve
• The sucking was 54c or 27c per serve
• The Chinese eggplant was 92c or 46c per serve
• The red bell pepper was $1.49 or 75c per serve
• Add 25c for the olive oil per serve.

Dinner tonight was really good. If you have a grill you’ve got to give this a try before summer is over. Not only extremely tasty, but economic at $2.14 per serve!

Lunch

Another Burbank Monday had Philip eat his regular Double Double Animal Style from In and Out between appointments. With the recent living wage increase it now costs $4.26 with tax. Greg finished the Dutch mustard soup for $2.18 a serve.

Dinner

The main reason we added a grill to our culinary options was for Eloté. We even did a video on it while we still had access to Avalon Burbank’s grills. It’s simple to prepare but has a huge flavor pay-off with the sweetness of the corn – enhanced by the grilling – balanced with the creamy ‘glue’ and salty cotija cheese.

The corn came from Jon’s market and was super fresh.

• Six ears of corn were $1.98 or 66c per serve of two
• Cotija cheese is probably the most important ingredient for sloté and this time we found some at our local Ralph’s supermarket for $3.99 for 8oz, and we used about 1/4 or 33c per serve.
• Add 15c for mayonnaise and sour cream for the ‘glue’.

Dinner tonight cost $1.14 per serve for the elite. While the corn was grilling we enjoyed half of a batch of roquamole – avocado and roquefort cheese mixed together, which was delicious and, with blue corn chips, added $1.08 to the meal, for a total of $2.22!

Lunch

After a tumultuous morning making emergency plumbing repairs foodie Greg decided we’d try Pho Saugon, which had very good reviews on Yelp. Because it’s a known quantity, we had pork bahn mi. They were very, very good, probably the best bahn mi we’ve ever had. Sorry Mandolin Grill!

Lunch today cost $8.25 per serve.

Dinner

We had plans to share the meal with a friend, but last minute unforeseen complications saw that meal postponed until tomorrow, so we had to make a last minute meal for ourselves tonight.

Fortunately we still had roast chicken legs and mixed salad greens, so chicken and salad was on the table in less than 10 minutes.

• The chicken is $6.99, so a thigh and drumstick portion is $1.75
• The mixed green blend was $2.49 and we used half, or 63c
• Add 20c for olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a dressing.

Tonight’s quick meal was tasty and cost $2.57 per serve.

Lunch

A great baguette from Jon’s over the hill in Simi Valley was cut and a quarter each filled with fresh roast chicken breast, avocado and sun dried tomatoes. It was a great combination and we thoroughly enjoyed it, although Philip thinks his was better because of a smear of mustard aioli.

• The baguette is $2.79 or 70c per serve
• The chicken was $6.99 and we shared a breast, or  88c per serve
• The jar of sun dried tomatoes is $3.29 from Trader Joe’s, or 21c per serve
• A bag of four avocados was $5.49 and we shared one, or 69c per serve
• Add 12c for the mustard aioli.

Lunch today was great for $2.60.

Dinner

Time to use up the remainder of the bolognese sauce! Tonight we paired with black bean rotini to create a dish worthy of Wednesday Addams!

• The bolognese sauce was $5.05 from July 23rd
• Shaved parmesan comes in a $5.49 pack, and we used 1/4 or 46c per serve.
• We used half a $2.99 packet of Trader Joe’s organic black bean rotini, or 75c per serve.

Dinner tonight looked interesting, tasted great and cost $6.26 per serve.

Lunch

More shared mixed sandwiches: roast beef, mustard aioli and tabouli; cheddar and tomato relish.

• Two slices of bread are 39c
• The top sirloin was $5.99 per 1lb container, but we used about 1/4 of a serve and shared it, or 75c a serve
• The garlic mustard aioli is $2.49 for the jar, and we used 1/8 or 17c per serve
• Tabouli is $2.69 but we used 1/8 or 17c per serve
• The cheddar is $5.99 per block and we used 1/4 or 75c per serve.

Today’s lunch sandwiches were both good, for $2.23 per serve.

Dinner

A beautiful night to eat under the stars, and what better than Nigel Lawson’s watermelon, feta and black olive salad. It’s a summer regular and very, very good.

We made three serves from a small watermelon. This time we were able to get Valbreso French feta, which is definitely superior in flavor and texture than the lesser feta from more local sources.

• The watermelon was 99c, or 33c per serve
• The Valbreso (French) feta comes in a $9.99 tub and we used a quarter, or about $1.25 per serve
• Pitted olives come in $2.99 jars and one quarter was used, or 25c per serve
• The red onion is 52c or 17c per serve (there is left over onion)
• Mint cost 50c and we used half, or 13c per serve
• Olive oil and seasonings add another 20c per serve.

Dinner tonight cost $2.33 per serve. It’s an excellent dish and every time we serve it for someone, they want the recipe.

Lunch

A return to an egg salad with watercress sandwich, paired with a spicy tuna sachet sandwich. Both were shared.

• Two slices of bread are 39c
• The tuna pouch is $1.29 or 65c per serve
• Add 10c for watercress
• Mayonnaise dressing is $2.29 or 12c per serve
• Eggs are 50c each and we shared one or 25c per serve

Lunch today cost $1.51 per serve.

Dinner

The first opportunity to cook on the new grill we assembled this morning, so we cooked Prather Ranch rib eye. We served it with a Kale slaw kit from Ralph’s (Kroger) and the most decadent onion, cream and blue cheese sauce, which is almost a side.

• A slightly larger than average rib eye – at .87 lb – cost $21.74 or $10.87 per serve
• The kale, cabbage and dried cranberry salad kit was $2.99 and we used half for this meal, or 75c per serve
• Instead of heavy cream we used a mix of half and half, and sour cream, which works out around 80c per serve
• An onion is 12c
• Blue cheese crumbles are $3.49 for the pack but we used about 1/3 or 75c per serve.

The rib eye was cooked to a perfect rare, the onion, cream and blue cheese sauce was beyond decadent with sweetness from the onion, a tangy bite from the blue cheese and that creamy mouth feel that made French cuisine so popular for so long, while the salad provided a balancing fresh crunch. A near perfect meal for $13.29 per serve.