Jan 23: Peanut Butter & Swiss, Sweet & Spicy Tuna & Swiss; Hot and Sour Beef Salad

Lunch

Today we shared two simple sandwiches. One with Peanut Butter & Swiss; the other Sweet & Spicy Tuna & Swiss.

  • Dave’s Killer Bread is 66c per serve
  • The Sweet & Spicy Tuna is 50c per serve
  • The Swiss is 34c per serve
  • Peanut Butter adds 35c per serve.

The Peanut Butter & Swiss turned out better than expected, although both were good for $1.85 per serve.

Dinner

We returned to the Hot and Sour Beef Salad but the weather wasn’t conducive to grilling outdoors, so we seared it in hour high tech wok, which gets a great crust. We then marinated and served on a bed of Greens, Mint and Sugar Snap Peas.

  • The 10 oz Dry Aged Rib Eye is $8.10 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. The Sugar Snap Peas were a tasty addition to the greens. An excellent meal for $9.37 per serve.

Jan 21: Meat Pies; Boston Baked Beans with a Fried Egg

Lunch

As Aussies, a cold miserable day calls for a nice meat pie. Foodie Greg had Trader Joe’s Chicken Balti, while Foodie Philip had the Steak and Stout.

Trader Joe’s pies are $6.49 for two or $3.25 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we tried a slow cook Baked Beans recipe, from dried beans, that had been soaked for 24 hours ahead of a six hour cook! We will get four serves from half the recipe.

  • Pinto Beans were $1.29 or 33c per serve
  • Bacon is $6.99 and we used about ⅓, or 58c per serve
  • Add 40c per serve for other ingredients
  • Dave’s Killer Bread is 33c per slice
  • An Egg is 51c per serve.

The recipe was a little sweet, so we added a lot more Mustard Powder and a generous amount of Worcestershire Sauce (for acid). It didn’t thicken as much as we’d like, but served with a slotted spoon the flavor was good, for $2.15 per serve.

Jan 20: BBQ Chicken, Swiss & Kumato; Miso Butter Mushroom Broth

Lunch

We used the second Chicken Breast on sandwiches, with Swiss and Kumato and toasted them.

  • Dave’s Killer Bread is 66c per serve
  • The Chicken Breast is 75c per serve
  • The Swiss is 33c per serve
  • Five Kumato were $3.49 and we shared one, or 35c per serve
  • Add 30c for Garlic Spread.

A tasty toasted sandwich for $2.39 per serve.

Dinner

Our Meatless Monday meal was a new one: Miso Butter Mushroom Broth.

  • The Mushrooms were $3.99 or $2.00 per serve
  • Edamame was $2.29 and we used half or $1.15 per serve
  • Broth was $1.99 or $1.00 per serve
  • An egg is 51c per serve
  • Soba Noodles are $3.29 and we used about ⅓ or 55c per serve
  • Add 30c per serve for other ingredients.

This turned out really well. The Mushrooms became quite meaty and the broth flavorsome. A good meal for $5.51 per serve.

Jan 19: 101 Cafe; Chicken Leg in Yellow Curry

Lunch

A friend was in town so we met for a late brunch at 101 Cafe. It was acceptable diner food, without being outstanding. Our friend paid.

Dinner

We created a quick Yellow Curry from a simmer sauce, some Capsicum, Onion and Sugar Snap Peas, and heated the Chicken Leg in that.

  • The Chicken Leg was $1.50 per serve
  • Peas were $3.49 and we used about half, or 88c per serve
  • Curry Sauce was $2.99 or $1.50 per serve
  • Bell Pepper adds 30c per serve
  • Onion adds 10c per serve.

We thought this was tasty and better than “Chicken and Salad” on a cold night. Pretty good (and easy) for $4.28 per serve.

Jan 16: BBQ Chicken & Tomato on Fresh Baguette; Frogmore Stew

Lunch

A lunch trip to Jon’s always gets us a BBQ Chicken, a fresh Baguette and a Tomato – usually a heritage breed, but today a regular tomato.

  • The Chickenwas $5.99, and a Breast is $1.50 or 75c per serve
  • The Baguette id $2.79 or 70c per serve
  • Tomato was $1.16 and we used half, or 29c per serve
  • Add 30c for Garlic Spread.

Jon’s do a great BBQ Chicken, and with the Tomato and Baguette this is a great sandwich for $2.14 per serve.

Dinner

A return to a Winter favorite: Frogmore Stew. Think southern boil with shrimp, corn, etc, but where the stewing liquid is turned into a sauce.

  • Leaks cost $2.99 or 75c per serve
  • The can of diced tomatoes cost $1.49 or 38c per serve
  • The fish stock was $3.99 or $1.00 per serve
  • A cup of white wine is about 80c or 20c per serve
  • Potatoes add 30c per serve
  • The corn cost $3.49 or 88c per serve
  • Chicken andouille sausage cost $3.99 or $1.00 per serve
  • 1 lb of shrimp is $10.99,  or $2.75 per serve
  • Other ingredients add another 25c per serve
  • We served with the remaining Baguette for 70c per serve.

The recipe serves four (at least). We keep the shrimp out of the soupy mix until each meal, cooking only enough for that meal to prevent the shrimp over-cooking when reheating. An excellent meal for $8.21 per serve.

Jan 15: Ham, Cheese & Mushroom Frittata; Eggplant, Beef and Zitti Casserole

Lunch

For lunch we finished the Ham, Cheese and Mushroom Frittata from last night, for $2.81 per serve.

Dinner

Tonight we returned to an old favorite, Eggplant, sausage and ziti casserol, from a hybrid of recipes. The basic inspiration is from an Emeril recipe from Food Network. When we’ve cooked this in the past we found the recipe to have too much oil, so we grill the eggplant.

Instead of Emeril’s meat sauce we used the remaining Bolognese sauce. The béchamel sauce was made with half-n-half.

  • The meat sauce was $4.31 each for two remaining serves, but we will get four, or $2.16 per serve.f
  • Onion works out at 10c per serve
  • Carrot is 17c per serve
  • Celery is 11c per serve
  • A pint of half & half is $1.49 and half is used in the béchamel, or 19c per serve
  • The eggplant cost $1.35 or 48c per serve.

Dinner tonight cost us $3.21 per serve and we have another meal to come. It was perhaps a little meat light, but otherwise very tasty and enjoyable.

Jan 14: The Country Deli; Ham, Cheese and Mushroom Frittata

Lunch 

A parcel drop-off put us at The Country Deli, where Foodie Philip had is usual Skirt Steak, Eggs and Home Fries. Foodies Greg experimented with his first Tuna Melt. The meals averaged $22.00 per serve, with tax and tip, although we took half the Tuna Melt home for later.

Dinner

We decided to us some of the Ham bounty with Mushrooms and Cheese in a Frittata.

  • Mushrooms were $2.99 or $1.50 per serve
  • Ham is about 30c per serve
  • Grated Cheddar adds 50c per serve
  • Eggs add 51c per serve.

This turned out really well, with a nice light texture to the Frittata and a good mix of flavorsome add-ins for $2.81 per serve. We have half left over for lunch tomorrow.