Linguine with Basil Cream Sauce and Corn
I’m not typically a fan of creamy sauces — I find fettuccine alfredo way too rich. But in thinking up a way to use the lovely corn I got from the Grand Army Plaza farmer’s market on Saturday, I thought a creamy basil sauce with corn sounded nice. And it was! The sauce was not overly thick, and the main texture takeaway was the crispy, sweet corn. The best part about this dish is that besides the prep of chopping, the actual cooking time is just about 10 minutes, so no slaving over a hot stove in summer. I had mine over a bed of arugula dressed with just a little lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Tangy!
I also want to point out that this is a meal packed with summer flavor, and a great vegetarian main dish. You could always add meat to this, but really, when the flavors are so pure and fresh, why would you?
Continue reading Linguine with Basil Cream Sauce and Corn
By Rachel Crawford on August 10, 2009 | 2
Creamed Rice: A Three-Ingredient Dessert
I may not have been the only student that ate the creamed rice served in my school’s cafeteria, but I’m pretty sure I was the only one to ask for seconds.
I couldn’t get enough creamed rice. I still can’t. The only difference? The creamed rice I now make at home is about 100 times better than the stuff I craved in school.
Creamed rice is a cheap and easy side dish or a light and affordable dessert. I always have the three necessary ingredients on hand but tend to make it the most when my milk is nearly expired and I want to use every last drop.
Add even more milk to make your rice truly creamy, and add more (or less) sugar to suit your tastes. Creamed rice is delicious hot from the stove, but cold, refrigerated leftovers are nearly as good. Continue reading Creamed Rice: A Three-Ingredient Dessert
By Diane Erwin on July 14, 2009 | 1
Day 1: Arroz con Pollo and Black Bean Soup
So, Day 1 report. My daily allowance for 2 people is $7.14 to equal $50 for the week.
What we ate Monday:
Breakfast: Brown Bread = $.23 x 2 servings = $.46
Lunch: Leftover Arroz con Pollo = $1.58 x 2 servings = $3.16
Snack: Orange (already accounted for cost in scone recipe)
Dinner: Black Bean Soup = $.74 x 2 servings = $1.50
Total: $5.12 – wow! under!
The Arroz con Pollo recipe, which I made for dinner Sunday, was supposed to serve 4, but definitely came out to 6 servings (and I think I put in 1/2 the chicken it called for!). So that brings my per meal price down significantly. The Arroz con Pollo and soup are also combined to nice effect for lunch — a little bean & rice action. Last night I made cornbread to go along with the soup…but first things first. Continue reading Day 1: Arroz con Pollo and Black Bean Soup
By Rachel Crawford on June 25, 2009 | 0
Clean the Fridge Bulgur Salad
One of the quickest ways to fail at sticking to a food budget is to let produce and other perishables go to waste. I am, admittedly, frequently prey to this folly. I find a recipe I like. I buy some ingredients for it, and usually buy too much of a vegetable or herb (or only need, say, half an onion). Then I do it again the next day, with different ingredients. Then those leftover bits and pieces of veggies and herbs don’t seem to go together, so I forget about them until I find them days later, shriveled and molding in the bottom of my crisper drawer. It upsets me greatly to throw out food I failed to eat in time.
So yesterday, I decided to do a fridge clean-out recipe. I would use whatever leftover bits and pieces I had, add a grain as a base (I picked bulgur) and here you have it. It may not be glamorous, but it was tasty, healthy, and can be eaten hot or cold. Next time I would add a little zip to the dish, maybe with a chipotle lime dressing. Take a look in your fridge: could you cobble something like this together?
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. bulgur (you could easily substitute brown rice, cous cous, or quinoa)
1 c. frozen corn
1 tomato, diced
2 small carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 handful cilantro, chopped
1/2 can chickpeas
2 c. baby spinach, chopped
Pinches of cumin, cayenne, and chili powder
Salt & Pepper
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Cook your grain. (There are a few ways I’ve seen to cook bulgur — you can just put it in a bowl and pour about twice as much boiling water as bulgur over it, let it sit for 20 minutes or so, and check it. With this method you will most likely have to drain the bulgur and press it to get some of the remaining water out).
Heat some oil in a medium saute pan and add a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Saute your onions, carrots, and corn over medium heat until the onions have softened. The carrots will still be a bit crunchy (which is how I like them). Meanwhile, chop your tomatoes, spinach, and cilantro, and add to a large bowl.
Place your chick peas in a dry, non-stick pan, and add your spices and some salt to taste. Toast the chick peas until they have dried out a bit and begun to take on some color.
When the bulgur is done cooking, transfer it to the bowl and add the cooked veggies. Top with chickpeas. Serve warm or cold from the fridge.
By Rachel Crawford on June 10, 2009 | 0
Bargains in the Bulk Food Bins
The Fairway market in Red Hook bills itself as the home of “the greatest selection of organic foods in Brooklyn.” I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that if you’re not paying attention, you could miss the organic section’s star attraction: the bulk beans and grains. Push your cart past the granola and you’ll find 47 bins filled with all kinds of rice (jasmine, arborio, basmati, sweet, sushi, etc…), beans (kidney, pinto, navy, lima, lentil, etc…), oats, couscous, kasha and more. Continue reading Bargains in the Bulk Food Bins
By Diane Erwin on May 12, 2009 | 4
