Feb 1: Nachos; Cuban-Style Roast Pork, Cuban Beans and Brown Rice

Lunch

Since we still had White Chili left, and since they turned out so well last time, we made Nachos again.

  • The Corn Chips were $1.99 and we used about ⅓, or 33c per serve
  • The Creamy Corn and Chorizo Chili was $2.89 per serve, but we used only half a serve each, or $1.45 per serve
  • The Quesadilla Cheese was $2.69 and we used ¼ or 34c per serve.

A nice variation on lunch that turned out to be pretty tasty for $2.12 per serve.

Dinner

A Pork But in our meat box usually means Pulled Pork, but this time Foodie Greg wanted to try Cuban-Style Roast Pork. That’s the Roast Pork you’d get in a Cubano Sandwich. We served with Cuban Black Beans and Brown Rice.

  • The Pork Butt was around $18.50 or $6.17 per serve
  • Pickled Onions (prepared separately) add about 30c per serve
  • Navel Oranges were $3.83 or $1.28 per serve
  • Limes were $2.45 or 82c per serve
  • Add 50c for the canned Cuban Beans
  • Add 33c for Brown Rice.

The Pork was marinated for about 22 hours, then slow cooked to temperature. It was excellent. Tender with an overtone of citrus. The sauce was well balanced with the meat, and amplified the citrus and garlic of the marinade. It was so good, it’s our new preferred use for Pork But, for $9.40 per serve.

January 2020: Summary and Observations

This was the first time in many months that the Foodies haven’t travelled away from home! Our only evening meal out was pizza after our user group meeting. We had a lot of very inexpensive evening meals – one as low as $1.00 per serve – and some that pushed the average to about where it normally is.

The averages for this month:

  • Lunch prepared at home $2.15 ($3.04 in December)
  • Lunch eaten or purchased outside the home: $8.79 ($10.73)
  • Dinner eaten at home: $5.52 ($5.49)
  • Dinner eaten out: $10.00 ($10.00).

Our lunches at home average in a fairly narrow band and this month’s average is up a little from from last month.

We ate sixteen of 64 meals that were prepared outside the home (all but one lunch).

Our most expensive meal for the month was the Pork Cutlets in Marinara Sauce at $12.47 per serve at home

This month, lunches at home cost 25% of the cost of eating lunches prepared outside the home. Using last month’s dinners out as a reference, dinners at home cost 33% of those prepared outside the home.

Had we purchased every lunch and prepared none it would have cost us $272.49 per person in December. We actually spent $35.35 for lunches at home plus $123.05 for lunches purchased or eaten out:  $158.40 in total.

Had we purchased every evening meal out and prepared none at home, it would have cost us $310.00 per person. We actually spent $165.66 for dinners at home and $10.00 for dinners out, or $175.66 in total.

This month’s savings from preparing most of our food at home is $248.53 and we had a lot more control over what we eat.

Over the month we prepared 22 different recipes for evening meals.

Jan 31: Bahn Mi; Smoked Cod Tacos

Lunch

For lunch the Foodies had their favorite sandwich – Bahn Mi – for $9.27 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

Being Fishy Friday we decided to smoke some Cod and make Tacos.

  • The cod fillets were six for $12.99 or $2.17 per serve
  • Tortillas were six for $1.99 and we used two each, or 67c per serve
  • The Slaw adds 50c per serve
  • Add 30c for other ingredients.

At first we thought the Cod had been over-cooked, but it turned out to have a great smoky taste, and was perfectly cooked. A decent meal for $3.64 per serve,

Jan 30: Meatloaf, Kumato & Quesadilla Cheese Panini Roll; Pork Sirloin Cutlets in Marinara Sauce with Gnocchi

Lunch

We sliced and reheated the Meatloaf topped with Quesadilla Cheese, while heating two Panini Rolls. We topped with Garlic Spread and Kumato for an over-stuffed Panini!

  • The Panini Roll is 63c per serve
  • The Meatloaf is $7.17 or $3.59 per serve
  • The Quesadilla Cheese was $2.69 and we used ¼ or 34c per serve
  • Add 30c for Garlic Spread
  • Five Kumato were $3.49 and we shared one, or 35c per serve.

There was a little more Meatloaf than was really necessary for a balanced sandwich, but it was good for $5.21 per serve.

Dinner

As we have Pork Sirloin Cutlets in our meat box again, we decided to try – once again – to not overcook them and serve in a Marinara Sauce.

  • At 1.1 lb it was a very generous serve of pork cutlets costing $13.99 or $7.00 per serve
  • The Marinara Sauce was $8.99 or $4.50 per serve
  • The Cauliflower Gnocchi was $2.69 and we used half, or 67c per serve
  • Add 30c per serve for Capers and Butter and Shredded Parmesan.

This third attempt turned out correctly. We seared the Cutlets in Brown Butter, but pulled them as soon as they took on color. We heated the Marinara Sauce and added some Capers for a little extra kick. We returned the Cutlets to the Sauce as we served and this time they were perfectly cooked and just barely pink. A good meal for $12.47 per serve.

Jan 29: Baked Beans on Toast with Fried Egg; Mushroom and Red Wine Meatloaf

Lunch

Since we still had some Boston Baked Beans left, we heated it, served on toast and topped with a Fried Egg.

  • Dave’s Killer Bread is 33c per serve
  • The Baked Beans have already been accounted for
  • A Pastured Egg is 51c.

It was pretty good for 84c per serve.

Dinner

When you dinner guest is a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy, what better than a Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy! We served ourselves some Sugar Snap Peas and reverted to our tried and true Mushroom and Red Wine Meatloaf.

  • The dry aged ground beef was $20.16 or $5.04 per serve
  • Sliced portobello mushrooms were $2.49 or 63 per serve
  • Onions and garlic add 20c per serve
  • Two large eggs are $1.02 or 25c per serve
  • The butter is $3.99 per block, and we used about 3/8 for four serves, or 38c per serve
  • Red wine adds $1.00 or 25c per serve
  • Add 20c for Worcestershire sauce and other spices per serve
  • Gravy was $1.99 or 67c per serve
  • The Potatoes were $3.57 and we only used half, or 60c per serve
  • Sugar Snap Peas were $3.47 and we used half, or 87c per serve
  • The Sour Cream was 99c and we used ¼ or 13c per serve.

The Meatloaf was very successful. The ‘secret’ to this meatloaf is to chop onion and mushroom very finely, so they don’t break the texture of the meatloaf. A good meal for $9.22 per serve.

Jan 28: Nachos; Swiss Chard Stir Fry

Lunch

Since we had so much White Chili we made Nachos.

  • The Corn Chips were $1.99 and we used about ⅓, or 33c per serve
  • The Creamy Corn and Chorizo Chili was $2.89 per serve, but we used only half a serve each, or $1.45 per serve
  • The Quesadilla Cheese was $2.69 and we used ¼ or 34c per serve.

A nice variation on lunch that turned out to be pretty tasty for $2.12 per serve.

Dinner

In order to use the ‘stir-fry’ beef from our meat box, we did a Swiss Chard and Shiitake Beef Stir Fry.

  • The Beef cost $14.41 for a full pound of beef, or $7.21 per very generous serve
  • The Swiss Chard was $2.49 and we used half, or 63c per serve
  • The Mushrooms were $3.99 or $2.00 per serve
  • The Bell Pepper was 99c or 50c per serve
  • Soba Noodles are $3.29 and we used about ⅓ or 55c per serve
  • Add 30c per serve for seasoning.

An expensive, but decent Stir-fry, for $10.89 per serve.

Jan 27: Bacon & Guacamole Sandwich; Creamy Corn and Chorizo Chili

Lunch

We put together a rather odd sandwich today: Bacon and Guacamole! We fried the bacon and spread both slices if bread with Guacamole.

  • The Guacamole was $4.49 or $2.25 per serve
  • Bacon is $4.99 for the pack of 12 slices, and we used half, or $1.25 per serve.

While the sandwich was good for $3.50 per serve, we felt that cutting back on the Guacamole and spreading one slice of bread with Garlic Spread, and adding a leafy green, would have made this even better.

Dinner

Foodie Greg found an intriguing recipe for ‘Meatless Monday’ this week: Creamy Corn and Soy Chorizo. We substituted White Beans for the Potato, because it’s a Chili, not a Chowder! We also went for ¾ cup of Crema and no milk.

The recipe makes at least four serves.

  • Soy Chorizo is $2.29 or 58c per serve
  • A can of White Beans is 99c or 25c per serve
  • Bone Broth is $2.99 or 75c per serve
  • Crema was $3.49 and we used about half between the Chili and garnish, for 88c per serve
  • Onion adds 10c per serve
  • Celery adds 10c per serve
  • Carrot adds 13c per serve
  • Other ingredients add 10c per serve.

We were pleasantly surprised at how good this was. It had a good depth of flavor, a little spice from the Chorizo, but balanced with a rich mouth feel from the Crema. Not just a good meatless meal, but a good Chili for $2.89 per serve.

Jan 26: Chicken Pot Pie, Philly Cheesesteak Bao Buns; Duck Breast with Swiss Chard and Farrow

Lunch

Foodie Greg picked up so frozen meals at Trader Joe’s and shared a Chicken Pot Pie after some Philly Cheesesteak Bao Buns as an appetizer.

  • The Chicken Pot Pie was $3.99 or $2.00 per serve
  • The Bao Buns were $3.49 or $1.75 per serve.

The Bao Buns were a little odd. The first bite had a distinct Philly Cheesesteak flavor, but it seemed to peter out after that, and eat a little bland. The Chicken Pot Pie was more potato than chicken, but had decent flavor. Convenient, but a little disappointing for $3.75 per serve.

Dinner

Since we discovered that Whole Foods has a consistent supply of frozen Duck Breast, and have a fool-proof cooking method using souse vidé to get the perfect done-ness, follow by a heavy fry on the fat side, we decided to make it a regular.

Tonight we served with Swiss Chard wilted in the Duck Fat, along with a Farrow and Pomegranate Seed Salad.

  • The Duck Breasts were $15.35 or $7.68 per serve
  • The Swiss Chard was $2.49 and we used half, or 63c per serve
  • The farrow was $1.79 for the pack, but we shared ⅓ or 30c per serve
  • The Pomegranate Arils (seeds) were $4.99 and we used about ⅓ or 83c per serve
  • Add 30c for Pomegranate Molasses (not pictured.

The Duck was perfectly cooked, with well rendered fat and great flavor, balanced by some great sides for $9.74 per serve.

Jan 25: Afghani; Smoked Ribs, Baked Beans and Coleslaw

Lunch

For lunch the Foodies decided on Skewers Afghani: Foodie Greg had Falafel while Foodie Philip had Kobide. With tax and tip it was $10.30 per serve.

Dinner

We had Baby Back Ribs in our Keller Crafted Meat Box so we smoked them for an hour in our cooktop smoker, and finished in the oven for an hour. We got great smoke taste and the extra cooking made them moist and tender.

  • The Baby Back Ribs are an estimated $6.00 per serve (unfortunately Keller Crafted no long provide per item costing)
  • A serve of our Boston Baked Beans is $2.15
  • The Slaw kit was 50c per serve
  • Add 30c for Labne for the Slaw.

This was a meal that was full of flavor for $8.95 per serve (est.).

Jan 24: Heuvos Rancheros; Smoked Trout and Burrata ‘Cobb’ Salad

Lunch

For lunch we picked up Heuvos Rancheros for $10.00 per serve with tax and tip.

Dinner

Being ‘Fishy Friday’ we returned to our Smoked Trout and Burrata ‘Cobb’ Style Salad.

  • The Smoked Rainbow Trout is $7.49 per pack, or $3.75 per serve
  • The Burrata was $4.99 or $2.50 per serve
  • Pastured Eggs are 51c per serve
  • Organic Spinach was $1.99 and we used about ¼ or 25c per serve
  • An Avocado was $2.00 and we shared one, or $1.00 per serve
  • The Grape tomatoes cost $2.49 or 63c per serve
  • Add 40c for Olive Oil and Balsamic Glaze.

The vacuum sealed Trout was better than the canned we’ve used previously. Overall, this is a great salad for $9.04 per serve.