How To Eat On A Dime

So many of us and close friends and family are feeling the pinch; the money pinch specifically more than ever. I fondly remember my mother who grew up in the Depression of the 1930’s whose comment regarding today’s economic crisis was rather simple, ‘we (Us Americans) have gone through this once before you know…there’s nothing new about trying to save money when feeding your family. You simply have to be creative’.

Now my mother was one of those who taught me much in the kitchen, whose home cooked meals mostly from scratch since I think I can only recall two or three ‘pre-made’ products in our home, the occasional Campbell’s soup can, the box of Biscuit, and the Manischevitz Split Pea Soup Mix which we would make often when there was left over ham, yeah, I know, not very kosher, then again we were not Jewish or other religion that would make eating ham a naughty thing.

But here starting with a ham, I share my tips and ideas on how to eat healthy and affordably stretching your meals into more, just by getting a little more creative and learning how certain foods can go a long way to feeding your family. Dorothy Parker probably quoted Irma S. Rombauer (Joy Of Cooking in the 1930’s) who coined the phrase; Eternity is two people and a ham. And these women were both correct, regardless of who actually came up with the phrase that still holds true today as it did in 1930’s.

But I share this with you; ham is one of those affordable meats that once cooked, can turn into a variety of dishes with a little forethought. I chose to list a main dish which then can be turned into many other dishes along with links on how to make them.

The chosen foods for today are Baked Ham and Roast Chicken.

Baked Ham Dinner – can then be turned into these favorite meals…

• Navy Bean Soup
• Quiche with ham
• Western Omelets with ham, sliced bell peppers and onions
• Pasta Carbonara or Penne a la Vodka
• Sliced Ham Sandwiches
• Ham Hash
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich with ham
• Go all out with Eggs Benedict – from the food network website

Roast Chicken can then be turned into these fine meals:

• Chicken Quesadillas with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
• Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
• Chicken Soup
• Chicken Tetrazzini
• Chicken Salad – a list of their favorites from Epicurean.com

Easy and Quick Roast Jerk Chicken for Two

This is one of those super easy phenomenal tasting spicy roasted chicken dinners that takes no time to prepare. simply set it up, throw it in the oven, and voila, it’s done an hour later or less -no fuss cooking with the feel of a fine French Restaurant-looking lovely fresh roasted chicken with a jerk twist.

Ingredients:

• 1 split down the middle small chicken.
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• red chili flakes (optional – but oh so good!)
• kosher or rock salt & fresh cracked pepper
• 2 teaspoons dry jerk seasonings
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• hot preheated oven 350 degrees
• cast iron or clad skillet – or shallow pan, anything that can go into the oven.

Directions:

1. Start your oven, and set chicken skin side up in skillet or shallow pan.
2. Pour and rub olive oil over skin. Add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, dry jerk seasonings and fresh rosemary.
3. I also place one sprig of rosemary under wing as it laid across the chicken half.
4. That’s it! Throw it into the oven, cook till internal temperature in breast/thigh reaches 165 degrees – depending upon size of bird, mine took 55 minutes.
5. Let rest out of pan on a plate before splitting in half to serve on two plates.
6. My dish shown has roasted bell peppers and potatoes that I inadvertently left in a little too long – but still had a nice bite to them.

Though the photo is not very good, my pal and I were too eager to stop long enough to set up the photo, but I assure you that it was mighty tasty!

Bottom Round Roast of Beef – Best Recipes for Pot Roast and Beef Stroganoff

It’s near St. Patty’s Day and I found a good bottom round roast of beef, which was easier to find than say a good man. Little did I know, about this piece of beef – to me it looked like a good choice at a good buy for one heck of a sized piece of beef. But what to do with this monstrous beef I really did not have a clue. Basically is was the boyfriend who had seized upon this beef – alas his so-called primitive hunting instincts had taken over ‘persuading’ the cave woman side of me to accept his begging in allowing said beef into my shopping cart.

I learned that some of the best recipes to make with a bottom roast are all of the following due to their long cooking times: beef stew, beef stroganoff, beef pot pie, pulled BBQ beef, and of course pot roast.

So I can blame the boyfriend, but I cannot blame my ignorance when it came to this piece of beef – as it lay in the refrigerator, looking up the details in the many cookbooks that I have (me looking up recipes, not the beef), it seemed the best job for this beef was to become a pot roast (again the beef not me).

It was then, I realized, I had never cooked a pot roast. Had my mother ever made one when I was a kid? I think I can only recall one or two times – and its a murky memory if that! She was more known for her incredible roast beef, that succulent garlicky melted crispy fat juicing roast that smells super all over the house as it taunts you for the few hours it’s in the oven.

So if it was going to be a pot roast, I wanted the best recipe for one. During my research, I also learned that this side of beef was also perfect to be cooked like a corned beef – covered in water, till it dies a second time. But that sounded ugly, since I prefer to only do that with corned beef, since amazing hash can come out of that. (Mind you, there is a corned beef with my name all over it sitting in the fridge as we read this – and it teases me over the bottom roast as to what I should cook first) – And as a side, do note that if you should decide to cook this like a corned beef, you can also make amazing ‘corned beef’ hash out of it – which I have done in the past. Click on link to see my recipe for that if you would like.

So if pot roast it was going to be, then pot roast it will be. But what exactly is pot roast? I had had my share of experiments – one ex mother-on-law had cooked hers so much, that the amount of salt could kill a horse, and her ‘gravy’ which I would call Italian red sauce was something else. Though this sauce served over her homemade wide noodles could not be exchanged for anything else but a personal dish cooked by Molto Mario himself, but I didn’t think that would happen in any time too soon. So I started to look up pot roast recipes. Mind you pot roast recipes are the kind you do on a Sunday, and let it roast (simmer in water with chosen side veggies and herbs) for 3-5 hours or even more -yikes! But on a slow temperature over a long time is what makes this a super tender chunk of beef. This is one of those recipes that a slow cooker comes in super handy – but it is not necessary by all means – but a crock pot, or a deep and large soup pot with lid will easily suffice.

In this posting I share the best pot roast recipe and beef stroganoff recipes I could find and think are worthy should you too be looking at what the heck to do with your bottom roast of beef. I did learn that the bottom roast comes in two types, one has a point on one end and that is called the rump roast and the one I have with is simply a somewhat rounded rectangular slab of beef. Now the bottom round is not the most tender of cuts, hence why it is more affordable. Nor is it marbled, so it is quite lean – but when properly and slowly cooked – or in this case, pot roasted, you will have a tender roast that provides great juices for the perfect pan gravy.

Best Pot Roast Recipe:

Ingredients:

• beef rump roast, about 4 pounds
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons salad oil
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) beef broth, undiluted
• 12 small white onions
• 6 to 8 carrots, peeled & halved lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons flour

Directions:

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large heavy kettle over medium heat, brown the rump roast with sliced onions, turning, until browned on all sides using olive oil and a little butter.
2. Add garlic, thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, black peppercorns and and salt; cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
3. Add beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook for about 2 1/2 hours. Add onions, carrots, and parsley; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables and meat are tender.
4. To make gravy: Transfer meat and vegetables from Dutch oven to warm serving platter. Keep warm, covered loosely with foil. Into 2-cup measure, strain liquid remaining in Dutch oven. If necessary, add water to measure 2 cups. Return the hot liquid to Dutch oven.
5. Combine flour with 1/4 cup of cold water; stir until smooth. Stir flour mixture into liquid in Dutch oven and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for another 3 minutes. Taste and add salt if desired. Serve with potatoes.

   Serves 8.

And of course, here’s one recipe by a fave man of mine: Tyler Florence. Now you know I normally only share my own recipes here, but this one was on one of his ‘Ultimate” shows, and I could not resist – pretty much like I couldn’t or wouldn’t resist if this man came on to me – oh my I digress.

Beef Stroganoff Courtesy of Tyler Florence:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cognac
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sour cream, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 (1-pound) package wide egg noodles

Directions:

1. Heat the beef stock with the carrot, 3 thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over high heat.
3. Fry the meat in batches so that it is browned on all sides. Lower the heat to medium and return all the meat to the pot.
4. Add the onions and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the cognac and cook until the alcohol has burned off, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the beef stock, discarding the carrot, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Cook, partially covered, over a very low flame for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and remaining 3 thyme sprigs and cook until the mushrooms are browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. When the meat is done, remove it from the heat and fold in the mushrooms, sour cream, mustard, and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
8. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain the noodles well, toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper.
9. Serve the stroganoff over the noodles; garnish with more sour cream and chopped parsley.

Now you should have learned something you can do with a rounded beef roast, let alone learned who I may think is cute…have fun with these – and as I always say…stay tuned!

Technorati Tags: beef stroganoff, how to cook bottom round roast of beef , best recipes, pot roast, tender roast, tyler florence, pot roast, what tempurature should I cook my bottom round roast, chuck round