Girl Meets Grill

Inspired by a really awesome dish I order at Terroni in Los Angeles, I created my own version. But first, I cozied up to George (Forman).

GRILLED SHITAKE MUSHROOMS WITH ARUGULA AND PARMESAN

THE GOODS

Shitake mushrooms ($1.50 - I bought a basket of the ugly ones for cheap at the Farmer's Market - THE UGLY ONES NEED LOVE TOO!)
Arugula ($1.00 at Farmer's Market)
Parmesan ($2.99 for a tub of freshly shaved Romano, Pecorino, Parmesan at Trader Joe's)
Balsamic Vinegar/Olive Oil (I used my friend's truffle oil that she got as a party favor at a work function... ah, the for-profit world....)
Salt/Pepper

The Grand Total: $5.49 or less (e.g. if you have parmesan)

THE WAY

Wash your mushrooms by using a damp paper towel to wipe off any dirt. You don't want to decapitate them (or else).

Spray your grill--or George Forman in my case--with Pam. Heat it up. If you don't have a grill, this would still be delicious on the fry pan.

Toss on your mushrooms. I used about 10. Season with salt and pepper and let them grill for about 10 mins. or until they look delectable.

Heap the cooked mushrooms on top of a mound of arugula. Top off with parmesan and drizzle with balsamic and oil. Shroomy.

Cream Me

Ever wonder what to do with that package of frozen spinach sitting in the back of your freezer? (I know you hear it crying for your loving attentions!) Wonder no longer, reader.....

I based this recipe off a recipe on Foodnetwork.com for Creamed Kale with Caramelized Shallots, but since my wallet screamed "No, no, no!" to the kale and shallots and "Yes, yes, yes!" to creamy goodness, I went with frozen spinach ($1.99 for a huge bag) and baby red onions ($1.31 for a bag of 20 in Chinatown. Gosh I love that place.) Tonight I present you with:

CREAMED SPINACH WITH CARAMELIZED RED ONIONS

THE GOODS

For Spinach

Frozen Spinach (Used about half the bag, which I bought for $1.99)
Unsalted butter ($1.99 for 2 sticks if you have to buy it)
White onion ($0.40)
Flour (Not sure, I had it on stock)
Milk (I used 1% low fat, but the fattier the tastier, usually about $1.49 per 1/2 gallon)
Salt and pepper

For Onions

Baby red onions, duh (Bag of 20 for $1.31)
Sugar (I hope you have some. If not, borrow from your neighbor.)

The Grand Total: About $7.18 if you have to buy all that stuff, but I bet you have some of it!

THE WAY

Spinach

Chop up 3 tablespoons of the white onion. Heat a tablespoon of unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, not letting it get brown. Whisk in 3 cups of warm milk and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper (the Foodnetwork recipe also recommends nutmeg, which would be delicious, but I didn't want to invest in it). Keep warm until ready to use.

Meanwhile, spray a medium sized saute pan with Pam. Add 1/2 the package of frozen spinach and saute for 10-15 minutes until hot (and lacking all traces of freezer burn). Add cream sauce and cook until flavors get happy together, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper. 

Onions

Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add about 10 baby red onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they begin to brown all over, about 10 minutes. Eat 'em on your spinach, your sandwiches, your salads, your honeymoon. Ah.

The Grand Finale

Put spinach on your plate, top with caramelized onions and make Popeye proud.

Making the World a Butter Place

 Once upon a time there was a girl who had a recipe for Sweet Potato Hash with Fried Sage and Eggs. This girl did not have much cash to spare, so when she invested in a $1 bunch of sage--which she purchased from the self-dubbed "Herb Man"--she knew she had to put it to good use. The Herb Man saw the worried look in her eyes and assured her she could use this sage for a variety of recipes. In baking, for instance. Thanking the man, the girl found her smile. She knew what she had to do.

SAGE BUTTER COOKIES

They taste and smell even butter than they look.

(This young girl couldn't have done it without the help of Ovenhaven.wordpress.com and his recipe for Ramadan Brown Butter Buttons, which she halved, for heaven's/her cholesterol's sake).


THE GOODS

1 stick of butter ($1.49 or less for 2 sticks)
1 cup all-purpose flour (Don't tell me you don't have sugar!)
1/4 tsp baking soda ($1.55)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence ($4.79 for a large bottle - could be free if you have it!)
1/2 cup sugar *I originally wrote 1 cup, and I'm so sorry to Patty and anyone else who tried it that way and got sandy results! It should be 1/2 cup of sugar, and I've noted the change here.
6 fresh sage leaves (already purchased for sweet potato... but $1 if you didn't)
Parchment paper ($3.59 - or a nonstick cookie sheet if you have one)

The Grand Total: $11.42

THE WAY

1. Chop up the sage leaves as finely as possible. Place the butter and the sage leaves in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, stirring carefully for about 8-10 minutes until the mixture begins to brow.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

3. Sift (that means gently pouring dry ingredients together, for those less kitchen-savvy) flour and baking soda into a medium-sized bowl, set aside. 

4. In a large bowl, combine the browned butter and vanilla. Stir in half the sugar, blending well, then stir in the remaining sugar. Add the flour in two additions, stirring until just combined each time. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow flour to absorb moisture.

7. Form dough into small balls, about 1″ in diameter. Place about 1/2″ apart on baking sheet. Bake for 15 – 18mins, until cookies crack across the top and brown around the edges. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, before transferring onto wire rack (or mouth, in my case).

Your kitchen will smell buttery and divine. And your mouth will never be happier. If you're in a wild mood, crunch them up into vanilla ice cream. Feel butter now?

Before

After

Fried Green Sage at the RC Cafe

You know when you wake up and you feel like you could eat a herd of elephants? Well, that was me Sunday. And after this feast (which did not involve hunting endangered species) I felt much differently...

CRISPY SWEET POTATO HASH WITH FRIED EGGS

(this is based on a Foodnetwork.com recipe, which you can follow the link to above)

THE GOODS - I halved the Foodnetwork recipe to make enough for 3 hungry people

1/2 stick unsalted butter, divided ($1.99 for 2 sticks)
6-8 fresh sage leaves, divided ($1 for one bunch, more than enough)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes ($0.79)
1 cup water (FREE)
1 Vidalia or sweet onions, chopped ($0.40)
6 large eggs ($0.80)

Grand Total:  $4.98 for 3 people - $1.66 per person!!!

THE WAY

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 sage leaves and fry quickly until crisp, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Reserve.

Add the sweet potatoes to the skillet, toss until coated in the butter, then add the water and the remaining 8 sage leaves. Bring the water to a simmer and cook the potatoes, uncovered, until the water has evaporated and the potatoes are just fork tender, about 10 minutes. (I like them crispy so I really let them crisp!) If there is any excess water in the pan, remove it with a large spoon and reserve. Continue cooking the potatoes, scraping the pan frequently with a spoon, until crusty brown, about 10 more minutes. Add a tablespoon of the leftover cooking liquid or fresh water if the potatoes stick or begin to scorch.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, adding water as necessary when the pan gets dry, until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to a serving bowl. Wipe out the pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and fry the eggs, 2 at a time, to your preference. (I like mine sunny side up, baby.)

Plate the potatoes in the center of 4 plates with the caramelized onions alongside. Top each plate with 2 fried eggs, garnish with a fried sage leaf and enjoy.

In my case, have a guest kind enough to treat you to a blackbottom (a.k.a. chocolate cream cheese) muffin, chocolate croissant, and 3 foot long baguette to serve alongside your sweet feast.You'll be ready to go back to sleep in a jiffy.

Pimp Cup

You might be thinking: RC, how do I use my pennies and pots to make cheap drinks? Look no further, reader friends.Credit for this goes to my genius and hot roommate Amy, who masterminded this masterpiece.

THE GOLDEN KEY*

*just because it's golden, doesn't mean it's pricey

THE GOODS

Citrus vodka - Vitalli, baby ($9.99 for a handle)
Triple sec - off-brand ($6.00)
Orange Juice ($1.99)
Can of sprite/7up ($.75)
Licorice (we have a tub but it shouldn't cost more than a couple bucks)
Lemon slices if you feel like gettin fancy

The Grand Total: $18.73 (for enough drinks for a crowd)

THE PLAN

Pour 2 parts vodka, 1 part triple sec, 1 part sprite and a splash of OJ into a fancy margarita glass. A red cup works too if you ain't as classy as us. Garnish with a licorice twist, a lemon slice, and a smile. The end. (Insert dancing here.)

If you get lucky, maybe you'll pick up a hottie too.

Brunch Munch

To celebrate Saturday and prove my fearlessness against the Salmonella threat, I was all about the eggs today. The result:

MEDITERRANEAN DELIGHT

The strict instructions begin with fearless flirting with a guy selling Afghan flatbread at the farmer's market. Just kidding. Well, my Afghan flatbread, or "bolani" as they're called, was the product of a nice man who kindly gave me a spinach bolani for free (normally $6).  But if you're not in the mood to turn on your smile and charm, there's always the option of buying them full price at your local Whole Foods and/or using some cheaper carb roll-up--i.e. tortilla, mushu pancake, pita bread (use your imagination).

THE GOODS

Spinach Bolani (free for me! cheap for you)
2 eggs (a dozen is $1.49, so about $0.13)
Feta cheese, chopped ($2.99 for the block at Trader Joe's)
A peach (I bought a crate of 15 giant peaches--where's James?--for $11, so about $0.73)
Salt and pepper if you wanna
Grand Total: $3.85 + lots of extra feta cheese for later enjoyment


THE PLAN

Spray a fry pan with Pam (or a bit of butter, depending on your preference of fatty goodness). Using a fork, beat 2 eggs in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper. Place the fry pan over medium-low heat. Pour in the eggs. Add as much feta as you want--I use a lot. Stir occasionally, allowing the eggs to scramble. Cook for about 5-10 minutes or until eggs look cooked. Microwave the bolani or pita/tortilla/etc. for 20 seconds. Stop. Drop (the eggs in the bolani). And roll (the eggs in the bolani).


Yum.

All Thai-ed Up

Living in such close proximity to Chinatown has got me on an Asian binge. Hence:

AROMATIC NOODLES WITH LIME PEANUT SAUCE

Grand Total: $13.01 for my dinner and lunch the next day, with half a box of spaghetti left for a rainy day.... (and even less if you have these things lying around like I did!)

THE GOODS

1 pack whole wheat spaghetti (I used half and had enough leftovers for a big lunch today)
$1.99 1 pack frozen stir fry veggies
$2.29 Canola spray (I used what I had, but it would be better to use peanut oil)
$0.20 Lime
$0.00 Pack of peanuts stashed from Southwest flight
$1.31 Bean sprouts (I used the ones leftover from my mushu extravaganza)
$1.49 Soy sauce (Leftover)
$0.25 Scallion (Again, leftovers)
$2.00 Red pepper flakes
$1.99 Peanut Butter
$1.49 Rice wine vinegar

I opted out of the brown sugar and used normal sugar that I had on hand for $ reasons.
I used the ginger that I had leftover, but I don't think it's a necessity.

THE WAY

Cook the pasta in a large pot of water according to the directions on the package (I used half the package). Drain and rinse with cold water. Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over a medium heat until they become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set them aside to cool.

While the pasta is cooking, spray the pan you used for the peanuts with Pam and bring it to medium heat (less cleanup is clutch). Add the frozen veggies and stir occasionally as they brown.

Make the sauce by pureeing the 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup water, 2 tbsp. vinegar, juice of half a lime, a couple scallions, a bit of ginger, 2 tbsp. sugar and a dash of red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Right before serving, toss the veggies into the pasta and pour on that sauce, baby. Chop up the peanuts, throw em in, and there you have it.

Squeeze extra lime on your leftovers the day after. I hope you're as tongue thai-ed as I was.