The semiSerious Foodies

Lunch

An essential hardware store trip takes us close to New York Chicken and Gyro where we picked our Gyros for $8.17 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

We shredded the remaining Pot Roast Beef and combined with Spinach, Salsa and Refried Beans to repurpose into Tacos.

• The Tortillas were $3.99 and we used half, or $1.00 per serve.
• The Beef was $5.30 per serve
• Spinach adds 23c per serve
• Aldi Refried Beans are 50c per can, or 25c per serve
• Add 30c for Salsa.

The Shredded Beef was excellent, and a very generous serve over two Tacos each. Overall, a very decent meal for $7.08 per serve.

Lunch

Two pretty ordinary sandwiches today: Sweet & Spicy Tuna on one, Tomato and Deli Ham on the other.

• Dave’s Killer Bread is 67c per serve
• The Tuna is 99c or 50c per serve
• Tomato adds 35c per serve
• Black Forest Ham is $3.29 per pack, or 55c per serve
• Add 50c for Garlic Spread.

Decent, tasty sandwiches for $2.57 per serve.

Dinner

WhWe’ve had various Antipasto style salads in the past, this variation with Marinated Cauliflower is the one we keep coming back to. We will get four serves.

• Cauliflower florets were $2.49 or 63c per serve
• Kalamata Olive were $2.99, but we shared ¼, or 38c per serve
• Fire Roasted Yellow and Red Peppers were $1.99 and we shared ¼ or 25c per serve
• Sliced Salami was $4.29 for the tray, or $1.08 per serve
• Add 38c per serve for marinade ingredients and capers.

A very filling and flavorsome meal for $2.72 per serve.

Lunch

We reheated the remaining two Rissoles as we finished baking the Panini Rolls. Spinach and Carolina BBQ Sauce finished the meal.

• A Rissole is $1.19 per serve
• The Panini Roll is 63c per serve
• Spinach was $1.49 or 38c per serve
• Add 10c for Carolina BBQ sauce.

As a variation on an Australian Classic, it hit elements of comfort food, while being a modern, local interpretation for $2.30 per serve.

Dinner

Being Meatless Monday we did Baked Beans on Toast, with the remaining Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce.

• The Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce were $2.88 per serve
• Dave’s Killer Bread is 33c per serve
• Large Eggs are 21c each, or an average of 32c per serve.

The Beans were even better tonight, rounding out a decent meal for $3.53 per serve.

Lunch

We had some Garlic Naan so we made pseudo pizza by topping it with Garlic Spread, Tomato, Crumbled Feta and topped with Smoked Gouda.

• The Garlic Naan was $3.49 or $1.75 per serve
• Add 50c for Garlic Spread
• Add 90c for Smoked Gouda
• Add 20c for Tomatoes
• Feta adds 82c per serve.

A nice change, and a decent lunch, for $4.17 per serve.

Dinner

One of our favorite things to get in our meat delivery are the Berkshire Pork Loin Chops. Last month’s were exceptional and tonights as good. We have the technique down – temperature and process – for the perfect result every time.

• The Pork Chops were about $9.70 per serve
• Giant Beans were $14.85 for one pound, and we used half, or $1.85 per serve
• The Tomatoes were 90c per can or 23c per serve
• Wine adds 30c per serve
• Add 50c for Onion, Garlic, Pepper Flakes and other ingredients.

The Pork Chop was perfectly cooked and very juicy, and the Beans were a tasty side. The Giant Beans had a really creamy texture. A very good meal for $12.58 per serve.

Lunch

For lunch we toasted some Aldi bread, layered on some Trader Joe’s Giant Baked Beans and topped with a fried egg.

• Aldi Bread is 17c per slice
• A Pastured Egg is 51c/$1.02, or 76c on average
• Trader Joes Giant Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce cost $1.99 or $1.00 per serve.

A nice change from sandwiches for $1.93 per serve.

Dinner

As we haven’t had Australian style rissoles for a while, we prepared a batch and cooked them on a griddle in the grill outside. We got three serves of rissoles.

The salad is “inspired” by the salads the Foodies grew up with: iceberg lettuce, quartered tomato, Kraft (processed) Cheddar and slices of pickled beetroot. We used spinach as the green and Feta as the cheese, but we kept to the spirit of the salad with Pickled Beets.

• Dry aged 85/15 ground beef $8.57 or $2.86 per serve
• 8 oz Panko breadcrumbs are $2.99 and we used half, or 50c per serve
• A pastured egg is 51c or 17c per serve
• The onion is 4c per serve
• Spinach was $1.49 or 38c per serve
• The cherry tomatoes were $2.99 and we used half or 75c per serve
• Pickled beets in vinaigrette are $1.69, of which we used about ⅓ or 28c per serve
• Add 10c for Carolina BBQ sauce.

We agreed that tonight’s Rissoles where the “best ever,” largely attributed to cooking on a griddle over a grill outdoors. A really enjoyable meal for $5.08 per serve.

Lunch

We picked up take out from La Fiesta on our way back from an essential trip, for $10.00 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

We enjoyed the Salt and Pepper Calamari a little while back, and tonight’s version from Aldi we paired with an Avocado Mango Salad.

• The Salt and Pepper Calamari was $5.79 or $2.90 per serve
• Mango was $3.38 or $1.69 per serve
• Avocado was 99c per serve
• Add 40c for Greens and Balsamic Drizzle.

The Salt and Pepper Calamari was very good and the slightly acidic salad paired well with it. A tasty and well balanced meal for $5.94 per serve. The sauce that came with it, however, was way too sweet and simple in flavor, with an odd texture.

Lunch

For variation, today we toasted some excellent Pumpernickel Bread from Aldi, smeared with Dutch Mustard,* spread with Liverwurst and topped with chopped Shallot.

*We bring our Dutch Mustard back from the Netherlands after a conference each year. With that unlikely this year, we’re conserving supplies.

• The Pumpernickel Bread is 50c a generous slice.
• Liverwurst works out at 40c per serve
• Add 15c for Dutch Mustard and Shallot.

The bread took a long time to toast, but the way it was transformed into an intensely flavorsome toast was worth the wait. Overall, an excellent open sandwich for $1.05 per serve.

Dinner

We returned to the Hot and Sour Beef Salad. We sous vidé the New York Strip then sliced it and dumped tin the Marinade and served on a bed of Greens and Mint.

• The NY Strip Steak was $20.18 or $10.09 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
• The Mint was from our garden
• Sugar Snap peas were $3.49 but we used ¼ or 44c per serve
• Instead of a Chili we used some Sambal Ulec, which adds 20c per serve.

We really enjoyed this salad. The slight heat in the dressing lifted both steak and salad to another level. An excellent meal for $11.36 per serve.

Lunch

Because we were traveling past on our way back from a necessary trip, we treated ourselves to Naan Sandwiches from Skewers Halal. These start with a great Naan bread split, then stuffed with Beef Koobideh/Falafel and simple salad slathered in an excellent garlic yogurt sauce.

With tax and tip is works out at around $12.00 per very generous serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

A return to an old favorite: Hebrew Temptation, or Smokey Cheese and Pumpkin Slice for $2.57 per serve.

Lunch

Since we still had Ham, Sauerkraut, Swiss and Bagels we repeated our “Ham Ruben.” Again.

• The Brioche Bagels are $2.89 for five, or 58c per serve
• Swiss adds 34c per serve
• We shared a half serve of our Ham, or 32c per serve
• The Artisanal Kraut is $3.29 per packet and we used about ⅛, or 21c per serve
• Five Kumato were $3.49 and we had one each, or 70c per serve
• Add 40c for Garlic Spread.

Definitely not a Bagel you’d find in a Jewish Deli, but a good sandwich for $1.85 per serve.

Dinner

There were two packs of Lamb Stew Meat to our Keller Crafted delivery, and since it worked out so well last time, we again simmered it with a Rogen Josh sauce and served with Brown Rice. Simple, but very tasty.

• The Lamb was $16.79 or $8.40 per serve
• The Garlic Naan was $3.49 or $1.75 per serve
  
• The Rogen Josh simmer sauce was $4.99 but after special offers and Prime discount it cost $3.60 or $1.80 per serve
• Brown Rice adds 33c per serve.

The Sauce turned out to be well spiced, without being ‘hot’ spiced. The Lamb had a definite flavor and together they worked well for an enjoyable meal for $12.28 per serve.

Lunch

Still on the Bagel kick, we took some sliced Black Forest Ham, Tomato and Melted Swiss and made a sandwich with a Brioche Bagel.

• The Brioche Bagels are $2.89 for five, or 58c per serve
• Swiss adds 34c per serve
• Black Forest Ham is $3.29 per pack, or 55c per serve
• The Tomato adds about 35c per serve.

Another interesting sandwich for $1.82 per serve.

Dinner

A return to an old favorite: Hebrew Temptation, or Smokey Cheese and Pumpkin Slice.

Originally this was a Zucchini Slice, but the Foodies made a few modifications. We use the fat from the bacon as the oil component for this savory cake. It’s name derives from an experience where this dish tempted a Jew because “my wife says I’ve got to try it.”

• Five eggs are 19c per serve
• A cup of Flour adds 9c per serve
• Bacon was $6.99 for the pack or 69c per serve
• Butternut Squash (cubed) was $3.99 or $1.00 per serve
• Add 60c for other ingredients.

This makes an excellent meal for $2.57 per serve.