Author: Cathy

Blogging…about food…still.  That's mmm-yoso!!!  Today, Cathy is back with another easy meal.

Hi.  I am sort of doing a series of "$5 Fridays" recipes, (OK, well, two in a row anyhow).  Meals that can be made, maybe with stuff that is on sale locally in San Diego, for about $5 for two people.   But also at regular prices the food is not terribly expensive. Simple recipes.

Carnitas.  I *love* carnitas.  Essentially, fried pork.  Seems so difficult, eh?  Nope. A lovely Polish lady by the name of Martha Stewart had this 'recipe' which I have adapted.

Country Style pork shoulder.  Sometimes called Country Style ribs.   

You've seen them in the grocery store.  They were 99¢ a pound two weeks ago, are on sale for $2.29 a pound this week at Vons and apparently some people buy them for $4.46 a pound.  As if.

I happen to know that it takes four pounds of this meat to fill my one deep fry pan. (Circulon commercial 12 inch 5.7 L).  Buying 4 lbs makes the $5 part kind of not there, unless you figure how many meals you get out of four pounds…There was exactly one bone in all of this package I bought.

Here is the "recipe" part:

Cover all that meat with water. 

Add one of my size handfuls of KOSHER or SEA salt, plus this much more. About 1/3 cup total.  (Kosher and sea salt are not as salty tasting)

Put on low heat.

Yeah.

Nothing else.

NOTHING. No spices, no herbs. N-o-t-h-i-n-g.

It will boil.  The water will get low.

and lower.

You'll hear a sizzle when the water is almost gone.  Let it sizzle a bit, so some of the meat sticks to the pan.

The bone(s) will fall out, no problem.

There will be a crispy, salty (but not overly salty) bottom to the pieces.

The meat will shred easily.  I promise.

Tender, juicy, excellent.

Serve with tortillas (on sale for $1.25 at Vons), refried beans (75¢ for the generic can or 10 for $10 if you are mathematically challenged), cilantro (25¢ at Henry's) and chopped onion.  I don't like cheese or guacamole with it. (although avocados are 77¢ at Henry's).  The pure, simple flavors are what matters.

The extra meat tastes wonderful on a salad or reheated for more tacos.

Cathy's Carnitas

4 lb country style pork shoulder/ribs

1/3 C Kosher or sea salt

Water to cover

Boil on low until water is gone. About an hour. Let crisp for about an extra minute or two once you hear the sizzle start. 

Remove bones. Shred.

Yep, the blog mmm-yoso!!! is where you are.  Today, it's Cathy's turn.

Hi.  A few weeks ago, I was having lunch with Kirk and Carol and we were brainstorming about different things to blog about.  I do cook and eat at home..and I have had this habit, for years, of  only buying sale items and making a meal out of them(along with some staples I always have in the house).  I was going to do a series of  "$5 Fridays" but figured that would obligate me to always be doing something, plus not all of you who read this blog have access to the same stores and sales we do out here in Sunny Southern California…so, I decided to show you some of my easy meals that I am making coincidentally with sale items and post something once a week. Hopefully on Friday.

Oh, and I have been on this 'curry craving' kick lately.  Maybe it is just turmeric, since a curry is just a blend of spices, one of them always being turmeric…

This week, Henry's has chicken breasts (with skin and bone) for 99¢ a pound.  So I bought a four pack and boiled two of them, cooled, skinned and tore the meat off the bone, chopped it up.

Then I mixed : mayonnaise, orange marmalade (assume these are basics in your house), curry powder (bought in the bulk bin at Henry's-one scoop cost 18¢), some fresh lime juice(they are on sale 5/$1 as opposed to 39¢ each for lemons) and some salt and white pepper(again, assume those are basics).

It looks this way because the marmalade has all the skins of the fruit in it, but you can taste and add or subtract the amount of ingredients.

Then I fold the above sauce with the chicken and some green onion tops (25¢ for one bunch this week) until just blended.

Sometimes I chill it, to get the flavors to meld…but depending on the heat of the curry, it doesn't matter…sometimes we just sit down and eat it at room temperature.  With rice.  Or greens.  Or some naan from Trader Joe's.

Cathy's Curried Chicken Salad

3 C cooked diced chicken (or really any meat or fish that is cooked)(leftovers?)

2 green onions, chopped

Put with each other in bowl and set aside.

Whisk together:

1/2 C Mayo , 1/2 C orange marmalade, 1 Tbs lemon or lime juice, 1 tsp curry powder, salt and white pepper.

Stir in with chicken and green onions until just blended.

Quick, simple and, at least this week, less than $5 for at least two servings.