Gourmet Food on a Budget — Ever Forward, Ever Flavorful
So I was hunting around Big Oven one night, getting hungry and trying to find something interesting to make with our dinner. It had to be visually appealing, and it had to go in the microwave, because a) I didn’t want to heat up the house, b) I was hungry! When I saw a picture of these, I was intrigued, and even though all recipes said to use the oven, I figured the microwave would work just fine. I was right, it did.
Recipes in this PostWhen I went to the local farmer’s market, they had some lovely leeks and beets available. I bought both. I made pickled beets with the beets, and then struggled with what to do with the leeks. Usually, I make a Quiche, but I really didn’t like the idea of turning my oven on twice, once to pre-bake the shell, and then to bake the Quiche itself. Now that I have my mandoline, I have had so much fun, and I thought to combine potatoes and leeks together in a casserole.
I also had a lovely pork loin in my refrigerator, and leeks and pork go together so nicely. A bottle of white wine was waiting to make it a perfect meal.
One of the reasons artichokes are not that popular is they take a long time to cook on the stovetop. Well, there are easier ways. In this recipe, I offer two ways to have artichokes on the table quickly, either microwave artichokes or if you have one use the Instant Pot.
What!!!!! What did you say? Hellman’s Mayonnaise in California? Well, actually, no it was Hellman’s Sandwich Spread in Glendale, California.
Spane and I were at the 99 Cents Only store on our way to visit Alexandria’s Archives’s President, and stopped at the store to get a Danish or something, and I spied these jars of Hellman’s. I was amazed, and then found a jar of Bestfoods next to it. I couldn’t help take a picture, considering that I will probably never see the two brands together in the same place, unless I take it upon myself to start rock climbing or something. Don’t get your hopes up, folks, this was a jar of Hellman’s that will expire in August, 2014, just a few weeks after this post. So, no, we won’t be buying that.
I have to say I was flabbergasted when I found Hellman’s in Glendale. I told Spane that the jar was very, very far from home. Hellman’s is typically not sold west of the Rocky Mountains, where Best Foods is sold. The ingredients on both are the same, while some people prefer Best Foods because it is perceived to have a more tangy flavor, more vinegar. Wikipedia has an interesting article about the history of the popular condiment.
Mayonnaise is a great starter for sauces, including my Summer Bean Salad with Lemon Mayonnaise. It also has a host of other uses, but we will talk about those another day.
When Spane and I went to the store and I picked out our 4th of July dinner, I got to thinking that I really missed German Potato Salad. When my family was stationed in Kaiserslautern in Germany, it was something that we had quite often. I’ve had it since coming back to the United States, but it never seemed as good. I thought maybe I could improve on it.
But, why would I want to have German Potato Salad on a holiday that celebrates Independence from British rule? Well, because there were plenty of Germans involved in the Revolutionary War, among them Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. There were also French involved in helping us win, hence the inclusion of Blue Cheese
This is not something for every day. Green tomatoes are wonderful in the spring before the beautiful red tomatoes are ripe – that is if you can keep from eating them!
Jalapeno Stuffed Peppers are a practical leftover recipe that uses already cooked rice and pickled jalapeños from a pizza order to make a quick vegetarian dinner. The peppers cook gently in a covered roaster, the filling stays creamy and balanced, and the dish adapts easily to what you already have.
Baked asparagus fries make an excellent appetizer or side dish. Did you know that you can eat asparagus with your fingers?
Szechuan Green Beans were featured at Harvest Inn in Glendale, now, sadly closed, but the recipe still lives in my kitchen.