Author: Philip

Mar 1: The Country Deli; Braised Pork Chops with Egg Noodles and Sugar Snap Peas

Lunch

A trip to buy a new wheelbarrow bought us right past The Country Deli on our way home, so we stopped in for lunch. Even after perusing the menu, Philip had the ‘usual’: marinated skirt steak, eggs and home fries. Greg had an excellent pastrami rueben, the second half of which we finished later in the afternoon as a snack.

Lunch at The Country Deli costs $22.00 with tax and tip.

Dinner

Looking for a different way to prepare thin cut pork chops Greg found Pioneer Woman’s Pork Chops with Wine and Garlic, which was pretty good.

  • The pork chops were $9.82 or $4.91 per serve
  • A whole head of garlic is 50c and we used half, or 13c per serve
  • Snow peas were $2.99 but we used only half a container, or 75c per serve
  • Red wine adds 25c per serve
  • The carton of beef broth was $2.49 or 16c per serve
  • Add another 25c per serve for seasonings
  • Egg noodles are $3.69 for the pack and we used half, or 93c per serve.

Dinner tonight was tasty and cost just $7.38.

February 2017 Summary and Observations

February was very much a stay at home month. We were only out for three evenings: a Super Bowl party, dinner with a friend and dinner and beers with some other developers.

The averages for this month:

  • Lunch prepared at home $2.49 ($2.93 in January)
  • Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $7.68 ($8.81)
  • Dinner eaten at home: $5.86 ($6.36)
  • Dinner eaten out: $28.00 ($12.36)

Our most expensive meal was dinner at Gordon Biersch at $28.00 per serve.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $215.04 per person in February. We actually spent $34.82 for lunches at home plus $92.13 for lunches purchased or eaten out: $126.95.

Had we purchased every evening meal out and prepared none at home, it would have cost us $784.00. We actually spent $146.62 for dinners at home and $28.00 for dinners out: $174.62.

We saved $697.42 by preparing and eating most meals at home, plus we have better control over what we eat. Over the month we prepared 16 different recipes for evening meals.

Feb 28: Bacon and Tomato Sandwich; Roast Chicken with Edamame and Ginger Pilaf

Lunch

Because we could, we repeated the bacon and tomato from a BLT on a very nice sprouted multigrain bread from Trader Joe’s with some supermarket tabouli.

  • The sprouted wholemeal is $3.49 a loaf with 18 slices, or 39c per two slice sandwich
  • The bacon was $6.99 for 12 slices, and we used 1.5 per serve, or 88c
  • We used one kumato per serve or 58c
  • We served 1/4 of the tabouli salad or 67c per serve
  • Eggless mayo add another 15c per serve.

Lunch today cost $2.67 and was pretty good.

Dinner

The remaining roast chicken (thighs and drumsticks) needed to be used and what better to accompany it than an Edamame and Ginger Pilaf?

Greg created a dressing from tahini and labne with a little water and oil to thin it out and a sprinkle of salt. It was definitely unusual, but really tasty with the chicken and pilaf.

  • The chicken is $2.50 per serve
  • An onion adds 15c per serve
  • Rice adds 62c per serve
  • Ginger and spices add another 15c per serve
  • Labne adds 25c per serve
  • The organic tahini came from Trader Joes and is $3.49 for a 10oz jar, or 52c per serve.

Dinner tonight cost $4.19 and was pretty good.

Feb 26: Quesadilla with Fried Egg; Cottage Pie

Lunch

Wanting something warm for lunch we repeated  our version of a quesadilla made with flatbread, and one (or two) fired eggs on top.

  • One flatbread (half of two) costs 50c a serve
  • Half a can of refried beans, shared across two halves: 26c
  • Eggs are 50c each, or $1.00 per serve (although Greg had only one)
  • 2 oz of cheddar split between two is 50c per serve.

Lunch today cost $2.26 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we went to a classic English dish: cottage pie, which is shepherd’s pie but made with beef, not lamb. Instead of the traditional mashed potato topping, we substitute pureed cauliflower that has been pressure cooked and allowed to cool slightly (until steam has stopped rising, otherwise the mash is too loose).

The recipe makes four serves.

  • The ground, dry aged beef came from our Prather Ranch pack and cost $8.95 or $2.24 per serve
  • Organic celery was 59c or 15c per serve
  • Organic carrots were 26c, or 7c per serve
  • Onion adds 10c per serve
  • The cauliflower was $3.64 or 91c per serve
  • Add 20c for oil and spices.

Dinner tonight was tasty and cost $3.67 per serve.

Feb 24: Chicken Wrap; Shrimp (Salmon) and Corn Chowder

Lunch

Back to our routine chicken wrap.

  • The flatbread is 50c per serve
  • The roast chicken is $9.99 for the bird, but we used half of one breast, or 63c per serve
  • We served 1/4 of the tabouli salad or 67c per serve.
  • Hummus is $3.99 per container and we used about 1/6 or 33c per serve
  • We added half a kumato each or 29c per serve.

Lunch today cost $2.42 per serve.

Dinner

We’re still eating our way through the Shrimp and Corn Chowder. The estimate that it would make six generous serves, and six serves later, there are still at least four more serves in the pot!

Tonight we added a can of salmon to the mix and served with a par baked sourdough roll.

  • Frozen corn cost $4.98 for two 16oz packs or 49c per serve
  • Russet potatoes cost $1.43 or 14c per serve
  • Carrots cost 24c or 3c per serve
  • Six onions cost $2.49, we used two or 9c per serve
  • Coconut milk cost $1.69 for a can, or 17c per serve
  • Chicken broth cost $1.99 for a quart, or 20c per serve
  • Thick cut bacon is $7.99 for 12 strips, or 26c per serve
  • The can of salmon was $5.99 but it will contribute to at least six serves, or $1.00 per serve
  • Par-baked roll is 63c.

Dinner tonight cost $3.01 per serve.

Feb 23:HPA Retreat; NY Strip Steak with Crash Hot Potatoes

Lunch

Foodie Philip was presenting on a panel at the Hollywood Professional Alliance Retreat (on Artificial Intelligence, Learning Machines and Production if you’re interested) so they provided lunch.

Dinner

A last minute decision to revert to steak night, as Philip arrived back earlier than planned for. We experimented with leaves from the California Mustard growing on our property, but it was terrible. We think that only the leaves from the stalks are edible, not those from the ground plant.

  • The Prather Ranch New York Strip steak was $20.22 or $10.11 per serve
  • Potatoes run around 30c per serve.

Dinner tonight – other than the mustard greens – was $10.41 per serve.

Feb 22:Popey’s Fried Chicken; Smoked Salmon Bagel

Lunch

For lunch we had the remaining fried chicken, with Trader Joe’s Giant Baked Beans and some brown rice.

  • Each 2 piece special is $1.79 and we had one each
  • Trader Joes Giant Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce cost $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
  • Basmati rice $1.69 and we used half tonight, or 43c per serve.

Lunch today cost $3.22.

Dinner

Instead of staying at LACPUG for pizza we headed home after the break as Philip had a very early start next morning. We planned on salmon chowder but it would have taken too long to warm up, so we had smoked salmon bagels instead.

Philip had two bagels, which are averaged out below.

  • Smoked salmon $5.99 for the 4oz pack or $3.00 a serve
  • The pack of six onion bagels is $1.99 or 50c per serve
  • Instead of cream cheese we substituted a kefir dip with shallot that is $5.49 for the 8 oz pack. We used about 1/6 or 46c per serve
  • Add 5c for capers.

Dinner tonight was quick and tasty. The kefir dip with shallot is definitely tastier than cream cheese. The meal cost $4.01.

Feb 21:Popeye’s Fried Chicken; Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto

Lunch

Because of the public holiday Monday, Philip was back in Burbank today, quite near a Popeye’s! Even better, being a Tuesday there’s a drumstick/thigh special!

  • Each 2 piece special is $1.79 and we had one each
  • The large red beans and rice were $3.99 or $2.00 per serve.

Lunch today was $3.79 per serve.

Dinner

After searching around for options – we had asparagus to use – Greg settled on Ricotta Gnocchi With Asparagus and Prosciutto. This is quick to cook and really delicious. It almost took more time to separate the prosciutto from its layer separating papers because the prosciutto is so thin.

  • The asparagus was on special for $3.49 and we used half of it, or 88c per serve
  • The gnocchi was$1.69 for the pack or 85c per serve
  • Prosciutto was $3.99 or $2.00 per serve
  • Half a pint of whipping cream cost $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
  • Shaved parmesan to top the dish was $2.99 and we used about 1/3 or 50c per serve
  • Lemons cost 79c or 40c per serve
  • Add 15c for seasoning and garlic.

Tonights rather delicious meal cost $5.78 per serve. The addition of lemon zest and lemon juice elevates this dish.