Gourmet Food on a Budget — Ever Forward, Ever Flavorful
Paula Deen is going to be at Barnes and Noble to do a book signing this evening at 7 pm. That made me think of how lucky I am to be living here in Glendale, California. We have things here that you just don’t find everywhere else.
This morning, I went to my favorite store, Best Grocery on Maple, and got two big, red tomatoes, a fat slice of smoked turkey and avocado. I went home and made a wonderful stuffed tomato salad.
Apple Cranberry Puff Pastry is easy to make with dried fruit and frozen puff pastry. Have fruity goodness anytime!
This afternoon when I was at the local store, I had a taste for Mexican food. I already had frozen taquitos in my freezer (I’m too lazy to make them myself), so all I needed was avocado. Well, surprise, surprise my little store didn’t have any, so I decided to make the white sauce similar to the fish taco white sauce at Rubio’s.
I also had some cabbage in the refrigerator. I love cabbage and it’s very good with Mexican food. I picked up a can of black beans so I could make the same black bean dip I used for my Black Bean Tacos.
There is a wonderful restaurant in Glendale, California, called Elena’s Greek Armenian Cuisine that we go to quite frequently. The rice pilaf is just the best, I could eat it every day. Dinners are usually served with a tomato and green Anaheim chili that have been grilled on the barbecue. Often, we don’t finish everything, so I wind up picking up the rice, tomato, and chili pepper in a to go box.
In 2010, I threw together a dish for Teacher Appreciation Day at my son, Spane’s elementary school. I was in a rush, and when I was asked later how I made it, I didn’t even remember. In 2012, the PTA is now putting out a cookbook, and I was again asked about that recipe, so I started wracking my brain to figure out what it was.
Tonight, being a Friday, and wanting to use up leftovers, but not eat meat, I remembered there was a box from Elena’s in the refrigerator. I also had some corn tortillas, some cheddar cheese, and a half-full jar of green enchilada sauce. Serendipitously, while making this, I rediscovered that old recipe!
When the stars make you drool
Joost-a like pasta fazool (Pasta Fagioli)
That’s amore
When you dance down the street
With a cloud at your feet, you’re in love
When you walk in a dream
But you know you’re not dreamin’, signore
‘Scusami, but you see
Back in old Napoli, that’s amore
We all remember Dean Martin singing That’s Amore, either on television if you’re old enough, or in the movie Moonstruck if you’re not. It was raining here today in Glendale, and I had a PTA meeting to go to, so I thought that soup would be an excellent idea.
I have a wonderful book, The Mafia Cookbook, where I know I can get very authentic Italian recipes. This soup can either be an appetizer, having very little meat, as it is in the book, or you can add meat like I did and have a full filling meal.
Well, let’s get started.
When I was in grammar school at Cheremoya Avenue Elementary School in Hollywood, California, about once every two weeks we had Hamburger Gravy and Mashed Potatoes. I really loved that dish, it was my favorite. All the other stuff was pretty bland, and actually kind of nasty, especially the paper thin cheeseburgers. For years and years, I have been trying to replicate the special taste of that gravy, and have been pretty much successful.
Years ago, when I first met Chef John Farion, he treated some friends and I to dinner at another chef’s restaurant on Melrose . I ordered the filet mignon with blue cheese sauce. It was truly fantastic, and I have been pairing blue cheese with beef ever since. I guess I’m not the only one, even Carl’s Jr. now has a steakhouse burger featuring blue cheese.
I get my blue cheese at the Armenian stores, for several reasons, 1) because the cheese is of a superior quality, 2) because it is much less expensive than the major chain supermarkets, and better quality. I just bought a half a pound brick a few days ago, and it was sitting in the cheese drawer waiting to be the star of some dish.
I had an epiphany! Why not make hamburger gravy and add blue cheese at the end? I tried it, and it was, well, fantastic! This was much, much better than the gravy I had had when I was a child. Now, just because Spane gave it a big thumbs up, I can’t guarantee that every child will like it as much as we did.
Graham cracker crust is useful for so many desserts. I just love being able to make something on a whim. This Graham cracker crust allows me to do that. You can either use the crackers that come whole in a box, or you can get the crumbs. I have a jar of crumbs always in my pantry should the mood strike.
Oreo Rum Balls make a nice dessert or snack. The ones I make don’t have liquor in them so they are fine for kids of all ages, from 2 to 92!
Make these fried shrimp stuffed wontons as part of a Chinese feast, or enjoy them as an after-school snack. You can even make them in the air fryer.
Hot Tin Roof Salad is a composed salad that has everything going for it, grilled marinated steak, grilled onions, Persian cucumbers, croutons, and fresh lettuce. It’s a complete meal you can enjoy with friends and a bottle of white wine.