Breakfast has the least variety of all my meals. Ninety percent of the time it will be either oatmeal, an omelette, or bacon & eggs.
My technique for cooking up bacon & eggs was something I picked up during my first visit to Japan. My sister and I were traveling the country, lodging with families our old houseguest had met through a bulletin board for women with young children. This was in 2000 when staying with strangers you met on the internet was not quite as common.
As an eighteen year old with very little experience with meat (but a love for overcooked bacon), when one of our host moms served us a conglomerate of bacon & eggs for breakfast it blew my mind. It's like bacon, and eggs, but... so much more! For years I would think wistfully back to that meal but it wasn't until last year that it occurred to me that surely I could recreate such a simple dish at home. That's right, it took me years to realize that I, too, could take the revolutionary step of frying my eggs and bacon together.
Bacon & Eggs
2 slices of bacon - usually Niman Ranch Applewood Bacon from TJ's ($.78)
2 eggs ($.42)
Total: $1.20
Fry up one side of the bacon. Flip so they're parallel with about 3 inches between them and crack both eggs in between. They should cook up as one unit. Fry until desired level of doneness, flipping them for a few seconds at the end.
If you want to cut down the fat you can pour the excess bacon grease in to a jar before frying the eggs. I store it in the fridge and use it to cook up everything I can think of.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Drinking for the fiscally challenged
The most often used novelty kitchen gadget in my house is my citrus press. One of the ways I resign myself to allowing my (fabulous) friends to buy me drinks is by always offering them a tasty cocktail when they visit. I have a decent selection of smooth but affordable liquor and I try to keep limes and lemons on hand.* I like to think I can make them something as tasty as they would get at a bar so it's a reasonable exchange. Crap liquor is not something I'm willing to consume no matter how poor I end up and I'm not interested in forcing it on my friends. With a little knowledge you don't have to sacrifice taste for your budget.
My affordable favorites:
Bellringer Gin $10.95 - Stronger than your average gin at 88 proof
Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon $13.95
Old Overholt Rye $16.95 - Makes a fine inexpensive Sazerac
Lunazul Tequila $18.95
Lillet Blanc $14.29 - Refreshing with soda water and a splash of OJ
Rittenhouse 100 Proof Rye $16.15 - Also a fine choice for a Sazerac
Luksusowa Potato Vodka $15.95
(Unfortunately all these prices will be up about 10% come August. The WA government wants to use booze to make up for some budget shortfalls.)
An easy rule to follow for experimenting with drinks is to use 2 parts liquor, 1 part sweet (usually simple syrup), 1 part sour (usually citrus of some sort). Adjust to taste. I almost universally use 2oz of my base liquor which works out to 12 1/2 drinks per bottle.
Simple Syrup is ridiculously easy to make and great to keep on hand. You can buy it in a bottle at Trader Joe's for $2.49 but I recommend making it yourself after the initial bottle purchase. It was too confusing when we stored it in a tequila bottle. Just dissolve sugar in boiling water at a 1:1 ratio. Cool and bottle. It should be stored in the fridge and will last for a long time. Use it to sweeten tea, coffee, or make fresh lemonade!
Lemonade
2 small lemons ($.50 from TJ's but you can do better at Chinese markets)
2 Tbsp Simple Syrup (dirt cheap)
Water or soda water
Squeeze lemons in to a cup, add simple syrup, top with water, stir.
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Citrus-Juice-Press/dp/B0002IBOAK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1248731133&sr=8-1
* Most of the liquor purchasing was done before I lost my job so I am fortunate enough to only need to restock the base alcohols.
My affordable favorites:
Bellringer Gin $10.95 - Stronger than your average gin at 88 proof
Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon $13.95
Old Overholt Rye $16.95 - Makes a fine inexpensive Sazerac
Lunazul Tequila $18.95
Lillet Blanc $14.29 - Refreshing with soda water and a splash of OJ
Rittenhouse 100 Proof Rye $16.15 - Also a fine choice for a Sazerac
Luksusowa Potato Vodka $15.95
(Unfortunately all these prices will be up about 10% come August. The WA government wants to use booze to make up for some budget shortfalls.)
An easy rule to follow for experimenting with drinks is to use 2 parts liquor, 1 part sweet (usually simple syrup), 1 part sour (usually citrus of some sort). Adjust to taste. I almost universally use 2oz of my base liquor which works out to 12 1/2 drinks per bottle.
Simple Syrup is ridiculously easy to make and great to keep on hand. You can buy it in a bottle at Trader Joe's for $2.49 but I recommend making it yourself after the initial bottle purchase. It was too confusing when we stored it in a tequila bottle. Just dissolve sugar in boiling water at a 1:1 ratio. Cool and bottle. It should be stored in the fridge and will last for a long time. Use it to sweeten tea, coffee, or make fresh lemonade!
Lemonade
2 small lemons ($.50 from TJ's but you can do better at Chinese markets)
2 Tbsp Simple Syrup (dirt cheap)
Water or soda water
Squeeze lemons in to a cup, add simple syrup, top with water, stir.
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Citrus-Juice-Press/dp/B0002IBOAK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1248731133&sr=8-1
* Most of the liquor purchasing was done before I lost my job so I am fortunate enough to only need to restock the base alcohols.
Change in my stomach
Earlier this year I became one of the unfortunate masses who lost their jobs due to layoff. Six months in to unemployment and my lifestyle has changed dramatically. I am thankful that I was raised in a frugal household but my taste for the finer things in life sure didn't leave with my income.
It's easy to tell someone to stop eating out and make your own tea and coffee to save money. In practice I'm considerably more productive in a coffee shop (I'd do the library but the internet keeps going out) and going out for food or drinks is an essential part of networking. Cut out those expenses and my job hunt would be hampered.
At the end of the day, I'm finding that almost my entire food budget is spent on tea, coffee, and cocktails and I have to eat on the cheap. I love to eat but this has never translated in to any great culinary feats. I don't like recipes that use many ingredients because I don't like ending up with a bunch of things that need to be used up. Everything I eat is simple, quick, and has a short ingredients list. My diet isn't the most well-balanced but it's not the worst and at least I prepare my own food. Until I have regained my old lifestyle I've decided to document my meals for the cheap and lazy.
Tuna & Avocado Salad
Serving of bagged salad (About $1 worth)
1/2 an avocado ($.60)
1/2 can of tuna ($.75)
Tuscan Salad Dressing ($.20)
Mix. The tuna and avocado make this surprisingly filling!
Total: $2.55
Serving costs are rough estimates because I didn't have the foresight to save the receipts. I'll try to do better in the future!
It's easy to tell someone to stop eating out and make your own tea and coffee to save money. In practice I'm considerably more productive in a coffee shop (I'd do the library but the internet keeps going out) and going out for food or drinks is an essential part of networking. Cut out those expenses and my job hunt would be hampered.
At the end of the day, I'm finding that almost my entire food budget is spent on tea, coffee, and cocktails and I have to eat on the cheap. I love to eat but this has never translated in to any great culinary feats. I don't like recipes that use many ingredients because I don't like ending up with a bunch of things that need to be used up. Everything I eat is simple, quick, and has a short ingredients list. My diet isn't the most well-balanced but it's not the worst and at least I prepare my own food. Until I have regained my old lifestyle I've decided to document my meals for the cheap and lazy.
Tuna & Avocado Salad
Serving of bagged salad (About $1 worth)
1/2 an avocado ($.60)
1/2 can of tuna ($.75)
Tuscan Salad Dressing ($.20)
Mix. The tuna and avocado make this surprisingly filling!
Total: $2.55
Serving costs are rough estimates because I didn't have the foresight to save the receipts. I'll try to do better in the future!
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