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Pandemic isolation continues and we’ve decided to do take-out every alternate week, now that we have three potential meals that we know will still be good when they’re on the table at home. This month we did a hybrid meal – the Dinner version of the Marinated Skirt Steak – from The Country Deli, and augmenting it with fried eggs prepared at home. We substituted Home Fries for Mashed Potato and it was a pretty good simulation of Foodie Philip’s favorite Skit Steak meal.

Because we split what is intended as a meal for one, between both Foodies, the take-out dinners are about double the (single serve) take-out lunches

The averages for this month:

• Lunch prepared at home $2.17 ($2.71 in September)
• Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $9.21 ($8.47)
• Dinner eaten at home: $5.75 ($5.71)
• Dinner prepared in a restaurant $16.54 ($17.70)

The variations month by month are quite small.

We ate six lunches and one dinner, of 60 meals in the month, that were prepared outside the home. 

Our most expensive meal of the month was the  Dry Aged New York Strip with Slow Cooked Broccoli at $14.12. Our evening meal average cost is right in the middle of the expected range. Oddly, that exact same meal was or most expensive of August!

Although The Country Deli intended it as a meal for one, we shared our single take-out meal for $16.64 per serve with tax and tip.

This month, lunches at home cost 24% of the cost of eating lunches prepared outside the home. Our evening meals prepared in the home are 35% of the cost of The Country Deli.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $276.30 per person in June. We actually spent $52.11 for lunches at home plus $55.23 for lunches purchased or eaten out:  $107.34 in total, which is much closer to our long term average.

If every evening meal cost us the same as our one this month, it would be $499.20 We actually spent $166.65 for dinners at home and $16.64 for dinners out, or $183.29 in total.

We saved about $485 by mostly eating at home, and we have a lot more control over what we eat.

Over the month we prepared 25 different recipes for evening meals.

Lunch

We repeated yesterday’s Apple & Smokey Cheddar “sandwich,” but as a regular sandwich.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Smokey Cheddar was $2.69 for 10 slices, or 54c for two slices
• The Apple was $1.12 after all discounts, and we used half, or 28c per serve
• Add 30c for Mustard.

This is a good balance of flavor and moisture for $1.86 per serve.

Dinner

We decided we had to have the Sous vide Poached Shrimp, with Avocado and Mango Salad again.

• 1 lb of shrimp is $10.99,  or and we used half $2.75 per serve.
• A Mango was 25c per serve
• An Avocado was 25c per serve
• Add 35c for Butter Lettuce
• Add 20c for dressing ingredients.

A really excellent salad for $3.80 per serve.

Lunch

Even half an Apple covers two sandwiches, so we both had an Apple & Smokey Cheddar “sandwich” on a Brioche Bagel.

• The Brioche Bagel is 58c
• Smokey Cheddar was $2.69 for 10 slices, or 54c for two slices
• The Apple was $1.12 after all discounts, and we used half, or 28c per serve
• Add 30c for Mustard.

A good balance between the Smokey Cheddar and the crispness of the Apple, also adding moisture. Tasty, for $1.60 per serve.

Dinner

A return to a favorite: Beer Bratwurst with Apple Sauerkraut Salad. The Salad makes four good serves.

• Beer Bratwurst were $4.49 or $2.25 per serve
• The Apple was $1.23 or 28c per serve
• The Artisanal Kraut was $3.29 or 42c per serve
• Add 30c for Dressing ingredients
• Add 10c for Carolina BBQ Sauce.

It a regular on our roster because the Apple Sauerkraut Salad is a slightly acidic, balancing the Pork Fat of the Sausages. The Carolina BBQ Sauce was a surprisingly good pairing for the Bratwurst. A flavorsome meal for $3.35 per serve.

Lunch

Two simple, but tasty sandwiches: Egg Salad and Butter Lettuce on one, Apple & Smokey Cheddar on the other.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• The Tuna Pouch is 99c or 50c per serve
• Egg Salad is $3.69 and we use about ¼ for each sandwich, or 46c per serve
• Butter Lettuce add 35c per serve
• Avocados are 49c or 25c per serve.

A nice pair of half sandwiches for $2.30 per serve.

Dinner

It’s been a very long time since we last enjoyed Nigella Lawson’s Watermelon Salad, and it was definitely time to revisit it.

• The watermelon was $4.99, or $2.50 per serve
• The feta is $6.49 for 10.5 oz and we shared 1/2 or $1.63 per serve
• Mint was 33c per serve
• Limes were $1.95 or 98c per serve
• Olive oil and seasonings add another 20c per serve.

An expensive Watermelon from Whole Foods, but a very tasty one. It has definitely been too long away from this extra tasty salad for $5.64 per serve. We prefer to leave out the Olives.

Lunch

We had a little Bacon left, so we fried up the last two strips. When ready we added the Eggs, scrambled them and served on a Brioche Bagel.

• The Brioche Bagel is 58c
• Two Pastured Eggs are $1.02 per serve
• Bacon was $4.99 and we used two of 10 slices, or 25c per serve
• Add 15c for Butter on the other half Bagel.

An enjoyable and tasty lunch, topped with Everything but the Bagel seasoning, for $2.00 per serve.

Dinner

We picked up an eight bone Rack of Lamb on special at Aldi, which we halved so we can share across two meals. Each serve will be a generous eight ounces of protein.

After we sous vide the Lamb to what turned out to be a little lower temperature than we will next time, we fried off the fat to create a nice crust.

• The eight bone Rack of Lamb was $20.53 or $5.13 per serve
• The Broccoli was $2.73 or $1.37 per serve
• The Feta was $6.99 and we used about ⅓, or $1.17 per serve
• Add 25c for Onion and seasoning.

The Lamb had great flavor and was very tender. While not a perfect pairing the Slow Cooked Broccoli was still tasty. A very good meal for $7.92, largely thanks to that great price on Rack of Lamb at Aldi.

Lunch

Time to revisit Skewers Halaal where we obtained a Kobedeh Pita for Foodie Philip and a Chicken Pita for Foodie Greg. The Pitas come with the Kebab of choice and a decent salad mix for $10.94 per serve.

Dinner

We took the boneless Pork Chops and sliced into strips for a Pork, Bok Choy and Oyster Mushroom Stir-fry with Yakisoba Noodles.

• The pork was $8.99 or $4.50 per serve
• The Oyster Mushrooms were $4.99 or $2.50 per serve
• The Noodles are $3.19 for the pack, or $1.60 per serve
• The Bok Choy was $2.00 and used about half or 50c per serve
• Add 50c for Sauce ingredients.

A good stir-fry for $9.44 per serve.

Lunch

As a change from sandwiches, we put together a Caesar Salad Kit and draped with Smoked Trout.

• The Caesar Salad kit was $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
• We shared a $3.49 can of Smoked Trout, or $1.75 per serve.

This made a very acceptable lunch for $2.75 per serve.

Dinner

Our ‘Fishy Friday’ has been almost any seafood but fish! Tonight remedied that by returning to the Thai-Style Cod à la Nage served with Edamame.

• The cod fillets were six for $12.99 or $2.17 per serve
• Coconut milk was $1.89 or 95c per serve
• Limes were 68c or 34c per serve
• A Onion works out at 21c per serve
• Add 55c per serve for fish sauce, garlic, chili, ginger and seasoning
• Shelled edamame was $1.29 or 33c per serve.

This is a great way to give Cod the flavor it lacks natively for $4.55 per serve.

Lunch

We took the remaining Lamb Rissoles and served in a hot Panini Roll.

• The Panini Roll is 63c
• A serve of the Lamb Rissoles is $3.01 or $1.50 per roll
• Add 30c for Lettuce
• Add 40c for Garlic Spread.

An excellent sandwich for $2.83 per serve.

Dinner

A favorite is the Hot and Sour Beef Salad, which we always do with Top Sirloin from our Keller Crafted Meat box.

• The Top Sirloin was $12.36 or $6.18 per serve
• The Salad Greens mix was $1.99 but we shared half, or 50c per serve
• Limes were 49c for two but we shared one, or 13c per serve
• Mint was from our garden
• Lettuce adds 60c per serve
• Shallot adds 10c per serve
• The Bell Pepper was 64c or 32c per serve
• Instead of a Chili we used some Sambal Ulec, which adds 20c per serve.

An excellent meal for $7.93 per serve.

Lunch

After a break we returned to the Trader Joe’s Egg Salad as a sandwich ingredient.

• The Dave’s Killer Bread is 74c per serve
• Smokey Cheddar was $2.69 for 10 slices, or 54c for two slices
• Five Kumato were $3.49 and we used one each, or 70c per serve
• Egg Salad is $3.69 and we use about ¼ for each sandwich, or 46c per serve
• Sprouts add 30c per serve
• Add 40c for Garlic Spread

Two quite good sandwiches shared for $3.35 per serve.

Dinner

Foodie Greg missed the Seared Scallops with Chorizo and Corn back in January, when we last cooked this, as he was recovering from a short illness. So we’re back to it tonight.

• The frozen “dry packed” Scallops were $9.69, or $4.85 per serve
• The Chorizo was $5.75 but we used ½ in the recipe, or $1.43 per serve
• Scallions were 44c per serve
• Three Cobs of Corn were $1.50, or 75c per serve
• Add 20c for other ingredients.

The Scallops were excellent (thanks Aldi) and the Chorizo Corn was good, but not awesome. A very tasty meal for $7.67 per serve.

Lunch

Boredom with sandwiches had us turning to a Shin Noodle Bowl. A pack of four was $3.69 or 93c per serve, which proved to be quite generous and a satisfying – if spicy hot – meal. We do, however, only use one of the two flavor pouches.

Dinner

Our experiment with Soutzoukakia as rissoles was successful, so we did them again.

• Ground lamb was $5.99 or $2.00 per serve on special at Aldi
• An egg is 51c or 17c per serve
• 8 oz Panko breadcrumbs are $2.99 and we used half, or 25c per serve
• Parmesan is $3.99 for 8oz and we shared 2 oz or 50c per serve
• 1/4 cup and a tablespoon of red wine – halved – is 34c per serve
• Onions, shallot and garlic adds 25c per serve
• Pomegranate Seeds were $4.49 and we used about half, or $1.13 per serve
• Shaved parmesan comes in a $5.49 pack, and we used 1/4 or 46c per serve,
• Butter Lettuce adds 38c per serve
• Add 30c for Dressing ingredients.

The Lamb Rissoles came had a crisp shell and moist tender inside. This is a much herbier version than the traditional Australian Beef recipe. The Lettuce was a good carrier of the dressing and foil to the Parmesan. The Pomegranate seeds added a fresh pop, and crunch. A very enjoyable meal for $5.28 per serve.