“There is no sincerer love than the love of food."
- George Bernard Shaw
Meals for Two for $10.00 or Less
Recipes for Couples and Singles on a Budget
Hey everyone don't forget to check out the expanded recipes page at Fabulous Food!
Salmon with White Rice and Asparagus
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| Salmon with White Rice and Asparagus |
This is a simple, classic meal and it can be made using your favorite fish. We used salmon that we purchased in bulk from our local Costco.
Start the rice first as it takes 20-30 minutes for the rice to cook. Take 2 cups of water and 1 cup of white rice, teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of butter and turn the heat on until the liquid in the pot starts to bowl. Turn down until just boiling and cook until most of the liquid is gone. Stirring occasionally so the rice doesn't stick.
Cut off the woody steam of the asparagus and peal the bottom half if it is late season. If it is early season, just cut the ends off. Put asparagus on a platter that is longer than the asparagus and cover with plastic wrap. Cut small slits in the plastic wrap and place asparagus in the microwave. Heat the asparagus for one minute at 3/4 of the way cooking time for the fish.
The fish will take 15 minutes to cook. Put some olive oil in a pan heated to medium-high (the oil needs to be under the smoking point about 380 degrees), add garlic (smashed). Put salt and pepper on the salmon and place in the pan skin side down. Cook the salmon until done (the flesh needs to be firm and not overcooked and dried out). If you want it more cooked, and the end you can put the lid on the pan for 3-4 minutes and it will steam the fish from the top down so it is more cooked and not dried out.
When the fish is almost done, heat the asparagus on high for another minute. For softer asparagus, heat for an additional third minute. Otherwise, add a little salt and butter when serving.
Cost: Rice when purchased in bulk on average is $.10 to $.20 per serving. Asparagus is $.75 per serving. The fish we purchased was $15.00 which we cut in half and we each had 1/2 of the half. So the cost per serving is $3.75. Total cost is $4.60 - $4.70 per serving.
This is an amazing meal and you won't go hungry...I can guarantee it. We had it with a nice bottle of dry white wine (which didn't cost us a thing because I got the bottle for free).
Pasta In A Bowl
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| Pasta In A Bowl |
I love pasta. All kinds. I guess you could say I am a "Carb Queen"! Regardless, there is nothing better than simple comfort food that comes in a bowl. Pasta In A Bowl is a very easy, quick and inexpensive meal to make.
The trick with this is to start the sauce first. However, you do want to start a pan of water to boil. Prepare the water according to the package of pasta and heat it slowly. It should take about 10-15 minutes to get the water boiling. I know you're wondering why I am asking you to take so long to get the water boiling. It's all about timing, so trust me. At this point, don't put the pasta in the water.
Empty your favorite pasta sauce (I tend to like the Classico brand, but you can use whatever you prefer) into a saucepan. Bring the temperature to medium heat. When we're in the mood, we might make the sauce from scratch, but it's off season and not worth the effort tonight. Remember that your sauce should taste the way you want it. We always add extra ingredients such as fennel, basil, oregano, salt, bay leaf and sugar to taste. If you need to add some vegies, choose onion, green peppers, and black olives.
Mix all the ingredients together in the saucepan and simmer the sauce on medium heat for about 20-30 minutes Remember you don't want to cook the sauce on really high heat because you'll burn it. I will start out a little above medium heat and then turn it down as I don't really want it to boil. Use a splatter screen while the sauce is heating to minimize the sauce from spraying out of the pan.
About halfway thru the heating process of the sauce, the water should be boiling. Simply take whatever pasta you might have on had, above I used shells. Place the pasta in the water and make as directed. When the pasta is finished, remove the pan from the heat and drain into a pasta strainer. Don't rinse. The sauce should be ready now so turn off the heat. Be sure to remove the bay leaf if you've used one as it's toxic if you ingest it.
Place your pasta in a bowl and pour the sauce over it. Add parmigiano reggiano or other cheese you prefer. Serve with a baguette and your favorite glass of wine!
This whole meal costs less than $5.00 for two depending on the extra ingredients you add and if you choose to serve it with a baguette. (I didn't count the cost of the wine, because this page is all about the food!)
2011 Valentine's Day Dinner
Just finished an amazing dinner prepared for me by my husband. He is a fabulous cook and I love it when he makes meals for me. So what did he make?
Anjou Pears with Gorgonzola Cheese
Tenderloin Tidbits with Mushrooms, Onions & Tomatoes and Mashed Potatoes
A fabulous bottle of Toad Hollow Vineyard's Risque Sparkling Wine
1/2 hour prep and cook. Restaurant Cost = $75/plate; Cook at home cost = less than $10.00 for two. More details to follow.
