Month: August 2008

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food written by Kirk and friends.  Today, Cathy is writing about cooking at home with stuff she bought on sale this week. Again.

Hi. Back again, showing you a meal (actually two meals )I made for two for $5, buying stuff that is on sale this week in San Diego.

London Broil. That is how it is labeled at Henry's this week.  $2.59/lb. A tough cut of meat that is sometimes labeled that way- how it should be cooked.  Actually, the cut of meat is more often (correctly) labeled flank or top or round steak.  It has muscle fibers that run through the entire cut and needs to be massaged or pounded and NEVER scored or stabbed or otherwise mutilated-the few juices in the meat will run out.  It is best when marinated and then…broiled… as the way of cooking it.  Then you cut against the grain and the meat is tender and juicy when hot or cold. Simple.

The marinade I usually make for roasts and red meat is pretty simple: Olive oil, red wine, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, black pepper. You really can't put in too much of any of the ingredients, except maybe the black pepper.  Just make sure everything is coated and let it marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.

I saw this cool hanging planter thing at the County Fair last year and found it on line and, as you can see, I have a lot of fresh herbs (mostly different basils) at my fingertips. (They sell something similar to this at Home Depot now)

Broil about 3 minutes on each side.  No more than that, unless the meat is more than 1.5 inches thick. (broil about two minutes per side if the meat is an inch thick or less)

WHEN YOU TAKE THE MEAT FROM THE BROILER, LET IT REST FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES. If you cut it right away, the juices run out and the meat will get tough when it cools down.

When you slice it-against the grain-  it will slice thin easily and be pink in the center.

I served it hot with some noodles with a simple cheesy cream sauce.

and the next day we each had the chilled meat on top of a salad, made with red and green peppers, slices of mushrooms and radishes and some celery on some mixed lettuces. (Along with some tomatoes from my garden.)

I do buy the 'by the pound' lettuce  and mushrooms  from Henry's and find those to be more economical -less waste-. A large bag filled with enough mixed lettuces for two salads was 80¢.  A large handful of mushrooms was 92¢.  All the other veggies were on sale this week at Henry's.

Cathy's London Broil Marinade

For one lb meat: 1 C Olive oil, 1 C red wine, 1/2C chopped garlic, 1/4 C each chopped fresh basil, oregano and parsley.  Black pepper to taste.

If you are using dried instead of fresh herbs, use less-the flavor is way more concentrated in the dry stuff.

Cathy's Cheesy Cream Sauce for pasta

melt 1 stick butter

Heat 1 C milk in sauce pan. Add melted butter.

Add 2 Tbs wine vinegar-(this will turn the milk to cheese)

Simmer for about 15 min until the sauce cooks smooth.

Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and immediately toss in two whipped eggs, the above sauce and 1/3 C fresh grated Parmesan or Romano, salt and pepper.  Toss and serve.

(if you cook 1/4 lb bacon (cut in little cubes) until clear with the butter in the above recipe and then pour the bacon with the melted butter/bacon fat mix into the milk, then follow the rest of the recipe, that *is* pasta carbonara)

Cathy's Salad Dressing

1/2 C oil, 1/4 C vinegar, dash Tabasco, salt and pepper

mmm-yoso!!! is the blog about food.  Food we eat out and food we eat at home and food we think about eating.

Hi.  Well, this is the third "$5 Friday" meal I am showing you.  It is what I prepare when I find stuff on sale at local grocery stores and do the cooking.  Everything here is kind of simple, tasty and what was available when I went shopping, save for a few "staples" I have around the house.

So, whole chickens are 99¢ a pound at Henry's this week.  I did get a 5 pounder, which is the whole budget, but this will make more than food for at least two meals for two people.

You also need a can of beer- any kind will do.  Even soda pop, sweetened (not with that artificial stuff in it), some  seasoned salt and a bunch of rosemary. I have a Rosemary plant, apparently the Chernobyl variety, that grew from a 50¢ garage sale  mini pot into a 3 foot by 3 foot monster of a bush.

It also helps if you have one of these contraptions placed in a pan.  It holds a can.  It cost 88¢ at WalMart years ago.  You can get one for about $15 if you want to shop elsewhere. All of them work the same way.  It  holds a can. It also will keep the chicken upright.

Drink half the can of the beer or sugared soda pop. (Just so you all know, somebody left this beer at our house: I buy dark beer for myself). 

Stuff the can with rosemary.  Put can into contraption. Put seasoned salt on the chicken. All sides.

Mount the chicken over the can. 

Place the chicken in the center of the grill.

Our grill has three burners and I put the sides on low and leave the center one off.

Cover.

Cook until juice runs clear when you put a knife in near the thigh.  About an hour in this case of a 5 pounder.

The basic premise is that the inside beverage boils and therefore steam cooks from the inside and the outside cooks, skin burns and gets crispy.

I served it with Stouffer's Spinach Souffle (on sale at Albertsons last week for $2 each).  The extra chicken will be moist and taste wonderful on a salad tomorrow.

Cathy's Beer Can Chicken

One chicken;Seasoned salt; Rosemary; One can of beer or regular (sugared)  soda

Drink half the can of beverage.  Stuff can with fresh rosemary. Mount chicken upright with can inside cavity.  Place on pan. Heat gas grill on low so there is radiant heat from all sides.  Cook until juices run clear.