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Cooking With spool32: Fast, Fresh, Nearly Free - Check OP for links!
spool32
Contrary LibraryRegistered User, Transition Team regular
Contrary LibraryRegistered User, Transition Team regular
Hey!
So, those of you in [chat] know I do a lot of cooking. I'm the main meal preparation person for our family, consisting of myself, my wife, and three teenagers. We cook on a budget, spending on quality ingredients and fresh food when we can, with the goal of eating well in smaller volume rather than more / worse. I share recipes from time to time, but often people either don't have the experience or the ingredients to attempt them... so I thought perhaps I'd do a thing!
I'll come up with a list that includes everything you'll need to participate in the exercise. Each week I'll offer a recipe from the ingredients on the list, and post directions, images, & perhaps even a video. Then you guys attempt to recreate it and we share the results! In each recipe I'll try to cover a basic concept that's applicable to cooking in general, with some overall goals:
1) Holding down costs. This is a prime directive in my house, and the effort to find healthy food that isn't expensive is a worthy challenge.
2) Using quality ingredients. I won't be promoting a low-fat, paleo, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, etc diet but I will be looking to reduce HFCS and unnecessary sugar as much as possible. There will probably be no processed food in this menu either.
3) Short prep time and minimum mess. Ain't nobody got time to spend 2 hours in the kitchen for a meal that takes 10 minutes to eat.
To Participate, You Will Need:
A skillet and two pots, one small and one large.
Something to stir food with.
Something to pick up really hot food with.
Something to cut food with.
Approximately $70.00 American Freedom Money Dollars (over the course of the 5 weeks)
A stove
An oven
A refrigerator
An appetite
Want a more detailed list? Prepare for battle with the the following:
These are the essential food items you'll need to have in the house to complete all 5 recipes. Taken together they should cost you $20 or just under, leaving us with around $50.00 for the food itself.
1) Olive Oil. This link will run you $9.95, and you may or may not be able to find a cheaper bottle at the store. If cooking becomes your thing, you'll eventually want to spend more money for a bigger bottle, just to make sure you have it around all the time. It's one of those staples costs up front but lasts you months. I suggest that when you get it home, pour off a half a shot and drink it straight, just to see what you've got... it should taste a bit peppery.
2) Salted butter. Not margarine or spread or butter-substitute! There are lots of reasons for this, but we'll go with the main two. Firstly, flavor, particularly when heated. Secondly, even without trans-fats margarine is still one of the more terrible things you can consume.
3) Salt. I use Morton's kosher salt because I like the taste and it dissolves faster than standard crystals. The family is probably iodine deficient or something now. A box like that link usually lasts me about 6 months. Anyhow, any salt will do!
3) Black pepper. At some point you may want to buy a grinder and a bag of peppercorns (I prefer this by far), or one of those all-in-one disposable pepper mills (cheaper up-front but not economical over time), but any basic black pepper will do.
4) Balsamic vinegar. Go ahead and buy the cheapest, smallest bottle they have on sale at the store. This stuff is like wine both in variety and price difference - you can easily drop $60 on 4oz. It's used in very small quantities though; we're talking a couple of tablespoons at a time. When you get it home, dip a finger in it and taste. Again, it's important to see what you're working with.
Prep video for Recipe 1: Cooking video for Recipe 1:
Inquisitor's Results!
Gundam470's Results!
Deebaser's Results!
AresProphet's Results!
Rear Admiral Choco's Results!
marz_1982's Results!
Jefe414's Results!
DaemonSadi's Results!
Syndalis's Results!
donteatmenooo's Results!
BeNarwhal's Results!
ToneWyrm's Results!
Dehumanized's Results!
Bullhead's Results!
dlinfiniti's result goes dramatically awry!
Vesty's Results!
Nessic's Results!
Beast's Results!
Steel Angel's Results!
Dark Raven X's Results!
TheBlackWind's Results!
So It Goes's Results!
Alegis's Results!
Fidoh's Results!
Choco drops the price knowledge for expanding the recipe.
Here is the recipe.
Here is an optional dessert recipe!
Prep video for Recipe 2:
Deebaser's Results!
Beast's Results!
marz_1982's Results!
DaemonSadi's Results!
Inquisitor's Results (Japan is hard)
Steel Angel's Results (w/ excellent tips on fish skin)!
jefe414's Results!
Tomewyrm's Results!
BobCesca's Results!
gundam470's Results!
Kana's halibut was not up to the task
AresProphet's Results!
Giggles_Funsworth's Results!
Rear Admiral Choco gets into the weeds, but pulls it off!
Here is the recipe.
DaemonSadi's Results!
marz_1982's Results!
Dark Raven X's Results!
Steel Angel's Results!
Deebaser has a disaster, and speaks of it no further...
Rear Admiral Choco's Results, and results take 2!
Burtletoy has bean issues...
jefe414's Results!
Beast's Results!
AresProphet's Results!
Skippydumptruck rises above adversity
DivideByZero's Results!
Japan's Results!
Arch covers the vegan substitutions
Steel Angel + google + creativity = Japanese ingredient substitution
Here is the recipe.
Prep & Cooking video for week 4:
Why so much money?
I'm assuming that participants are starting only with the metal ingredients - $70 should cover a set of staples that will last for many more than 5 meals. If you already have some of this stuff, it'll be a lot cheaper.
Is that seventy bucks per week or seventy bucks for the full five weeks?
I figure it at about $50 for five meals and about $20 for other stuff you might not have if you don't cook regularly. I'll have a much more exact price & ingredient list later this week.
What have you got against paleos / vegetarians / etc?
Nothing, it's just not my scene. I like cooking with butter and meat and occasional pasta or bread. Expect the recipes to be mostly protein and greens, but not exclusively so.
What have you got against processed food and added sugar?
It would take a book-length post to explain!
What sort of food might we be cooking in this expedition to kitchenland?
Here are some recent meals I've cooked!
OK now I'm hungry. How do I join?
If you Sign Up phalla-style in bold limegreen then I will add you to a list and poke you a couple times and compile your efforts into a weekly slideshow! However it's not that formal... if you want to join in, join in.
How much food am I going to be making?
My recipes are geared to feed 4-5 people. Feel free to cut down on the volume, or take it to work for lunch tomorrow! Almost all the recipes I prepare regularly can be reheated and eaten later. Some of them end up being more tasty the next day!
You didn't answer my question!
Ask it in bold goldenrod and I'll update the OP.
Ingredients and the first recipe should be posted on Saturday. Let's cook!
__________________________________________________________
Signups:
1: Winky
2: BeNarwhal
3: DasUberEdward
4: AManFromEarth
5: Rear Admiral Choco
6: Inquisitor
7: BertezBertez
8: Deebaser
9: Nessic
10: Syndalis
11: PLA???
12: redx
13: jefe414
14: So It Goes
15: TheBlackWind
16: marz_1982
17: gundam470
18: AresProphet
19: DaemonSadi
20: Vesty
21: TomeWyrm
22: fugacity
23: donteatmenooo
24: kuhlmeye
25: Dehumanized
26: Bullhead
27: dlinfiniti
28: Beast!
29: Steel Angel
30: Dark Raven X
31: Kana
32: Fidoh
33: Alegis
34: BobCesca
35: Giggles_Funsworth
36: DivideByZero
37: DyasAlure
???????
So, those of you in [chat] know I do a lot of cooking. I'm the main meal preparation person for our family, consisting of myself, my wife, and three teenagers. We cook on a budget, spending on quality ingredients and fresh food when we can, with the goal of eating well in smaller volume rather than more / worse. I share recipes from time to time, but often people either don't have the experience or the ingredients to attempt them... so I thought perhaps I'd do a thing!
The Idea
I'll come up with a list that includes everything you'll need to participate in the exercise. Each week I'll offer a recipe from the ingredients on the list, and post directions, images, & perhaps even a video. Then you guys attempt to recreate it and we share the results! In each recipe I'll try to cover a basic concept that's applicable to cooking in general, with some overall goals:
1) Holding down costs. This is a prime directive in my house, and the effort to find healthy food that isn't expensive is a worthy challenge.
2) Using quality ingredients. I won't be promoting a low-fat, paleo, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, etc diet but I will be looking to reduce HFCS and unnecessary sugar as much as possible. There will probably be no processed food in this menu either.
3) Short prep time and minimum mess. Ain't nobody got time to spend 2 hours in the kitchen for a meal that takes 10 minutes to eat.
Prerequisites
To Participate, You Will Need:
A skillet and two pots, one small and one large.
Something to stir food with.
Something to pick up really hot food with.
Something to cut food with.
Approximately $70.00 American Freedom Money Dollars (over the course of the 5 weeks)
A stove
An oven
A refrigerator
An appetite
Want a more detailed list? Prepare for battle with the the following:
Weapons
The essential two items are:
1) A cheap 6" or 8" chef's knife from the grocery store. If you don't have a sharp knife of any sort in your house, picking one up will run you less than $10 and it'll last you months or possibly even years. No, you won't be able to shave off paper-thin tomato slices and yes, it'll dent and dull if you're carving around bones, but it will do for the vast majority of tasks.
Here's a decent one for $15
And here is a silly pink one for $9.95!
2) A wooden spoon of some sort. You can get them in packs of three for like $2.00 at the grocery store. They're basically invulnerable and as long as you keep to a pair of rules they'll last pretty much forever: a) wash them immediately after cooking, and b) don't run them through the dishwasher / soak them for long periods of time. Also there is bonus rule c) don't let your dog steal them after ignoring rule a).
Above this, I would also recommend locating
3) a whisk
4) some tongs of some sort
5) a spatula, preferably metal and flexible
Those three links together are less than $20, but garage sales or goodwill could net you one of each for half that. If you'd like to spend a little more, this is a good deal on a starter set.
Armor
The essential items are:
1) An 8" or 10" saute pan / skillet / frying pan. The cheaper ones are not the sort of thing you'll keep around forever. Avoid cast-iron unless you're feeling a little adventurous. Searching garage sales is probably the best way to get a great cast-iron pan quickly - buying a new one is a project that takes a couple of days on its own.
Here's a decent one for $18.
2) Two sauce pots, one small and one large, with lids. You'll need one for boiling water and making pasta, one for heating up smaller things like rice and so forth. If you're buying, get a 2qt and a 4qt. Again, these can be gotten at goodwill for very little, and replaced with more long-lasting and quality equipment a piece at a time.
3) Two cutting boards. Wooden, plastic, stone, flexible, whatever. Two cutting surfaces are important to prevent accidentally poisoning yourself by contaminating your raw veggies with raw chicken, and similar catastrophes.
4) A metal baking sheet. These are sometimes called jelly roll pans, but I always called them cookie sheets. Apparently a proper cookie sheet has no sides? OK. I don't have one of those but I can see where it'd be nice...
Above this, it would be convenient (but unnecessary) to have:
3) A second saute pan of the same or slightly smaller size.
4) A really small saute pan, 4" or so
5) A big pot for making pasta.
6) A really small pot that can't hold more than a single can of corn
7) A set of mixing bowls
The essential two items are:
1) A cheap 6" or 8" chef's knife from the grocery store. If you don't have a sharp knife of any sort in your house, picking one up will run you less than $10 and it'll last you months or possibly even years. No, you won't be able to shave off paper-thin tomato slices and yes, it'll dent and dull if you're carving around bones, but it will do for the vast majority of tasks.
Here's a decent one for $15
And here is a silly pink one for $9.95!
2) A wooden spoon of some sort. You can get them in packs of three for like $2.00 at the grocery store. They're basically invulnerable and as long as you keep to a pair of rules they'll last pretty much forever: a) wash them immediately after cooking, and b) don't run them through the dishwasher / soak them for long periods of time. Also there is bonus rule c) don't let your dog steal them after ignoring rule a).
Above this, I would also recommend locating
3) a whisk
4) some tongs of some sort
5) a spatula, preferably metal and flexible
Those three links together are less than $20, but garage sales or goodwill could net you one of each for half that. If you'd like to spend a little more, this is a good deal on a starter set.
Armor
The essential items are:
1) An 8" or 10" saute pan / skillet / frying pan. The cheaper ones are not the sort of thing you'll keep around forever. Avoid cast-iron unless you're feeling a little adventurous. Searching garage sales is probably the best way to get a great cast-iron pan quickly - buying a new one is a project that takes a couple of days on its own.
Here's a decent one for $18.
2) Two sauce pots, one small and one large, with lids. You'll need one for boiling water and making pasta, one for heating up smaller things like rice and so forth. If you're buying, get a 2qt and a 4qt. Again, these can be gotten at goodwill for very little, and replaced with more long-lasting and quality equipment a piece at a time.
3) Two cutting boards. Wooden, plastic, stone, flexible, whatever. Two cutting surfaces are important to prevent accidentally poisoning yourself by contaminating your raw veggies with raw chicken, and similar catastrophes.
4) A metal baking sheet. These are sometimes called jelly roll pans, but I always called them cookie sheets. Apparently a proper cookie sheet has no sides? OK. I don't have one of those but I can see where it'd be nice...
Above this, it would be convenient (but unnecessary) to have:
3) A second saute pan of the same or slightly smaller size.
4) A really small saute pan, 4" or so
5) A big pot for making pasta.
6) A really small pot that can't hold more than a single can of corn
7) A set of mixing bowls
Consumables
These are the essential food items you'll need to have in the house to complete all 5 recipes. Taken together they should cost you $20 or just under, leaving us with around $50.00 for the food itself.
1) Olive Oil. This link will run you $9.95, and you may or may not be able to find a cheaper bottle at the store. If cooking becomes your thing, you'll eventually want to spend more money for a bigger bottle, just to make sure you have it around all the time. It's one of those staples costs up front but lasts you months. I suggest that when you get it home, pour off a half a shot and drink it straight, just to see what you've got... it should taste a bit peppery.
2) Salted butter. Not margarine or spread or butter-substitute! There are lots of reasons for this, but we'll go with the main two. Firstly, flavor, particularly when heated. Secondly, even without trans-fats margarine is still one of the more terrible things you can consume.
3) Salt. I use Morton's kosher salt because I like the taste and it dissolves faster than standard crystals. The family is probably iodine deficient or something now. A box like that link usually lasts me about 6 months. Anyhow, any salt will do!
3) Black pepper. At some point you may want to buy a grinder and a bag of peppercorns (I prefer this by far), or one of those all-in-one disposable pepper mills (cheaper up-front but not economical over time), but any basic black pepper will do.
4) Balsamic vinegar. Go ahead and buy the cheapest, smallest bottle they have on sale at the store. This stuff is like wine both in variety and price difference - you can easily drop $60 on 4oz. It's used in very small quantities though; we're talking a couple of tablespoons at a time. When you get it home, dip a finger in it and taste. Again, it's important to see what you're working with.
Week One - Garlic Mushroom Chicken
Here is the recipe.Prep video for Recipe 1: Cooking video for Recipe 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4oT6jkiK1g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DatZ8Cqk7JMInquisitor's Results!
Gundam470's Results!
Deebaser's Results!
AresProphet's Results!
Rear Admiral Choco's Results!
marz_1982's Results!
Jefe414's Results!
DaemonSadi's Results!
Syndalis's Results!
donteatmenooo's Results!
BeNarwhal's Results!
ToneWyrm's Results!
Dehumanized's Results!
Bullhead's Results!
dlinfiniti's result goes dramatically awry!
Vesty's Results!
Nessic's Results!
Beast's Results!
Steel Angel's Results!
Dark Raven X's Results!
TheBlackWind's Results!
So It Goes's Results!
Alegis's Results!
Fidoh's Results!
Choco drops the price knowledge for expanding the recipe.
Week Two - Tilapia with Chickpeas, Spinach, & Leeks Fish & Chicks
Here is the recipe.
Here is an optional dessert recipe!
Prep video for Recipe 2:
Deebaser's Results!
Beast's Results!
marz_1982's Results!
DaemonSadi's Results!
Inquisitor's Results (Japan is hard)
Steel Angel's Results (w/ excellent tips on fish skin)!
jefe414's Results!
Tomewyrm's Results!
BobCesca's Results!
gundam470's Results!
Kana's halibut was not up to the task
AresProphet's Results!
Giggles_Funsworth's Results!
Rear Admiral Choco gets into the weeds, but pulls it off!
Week Three - Spicy Black Beans & Rice
Here is the recipe.
DaemonSadi's Results!
marz_1982's Results!
Dark Raven X's Results!
Steel Angel's Results!
Deebaser has a disaster, and speaks of it no further...
Rear Admiral Choco's Results, and results take 2!
Burtletoy has bean issues...
jefe414's Results!
Beast's Results!
AresProphet's Results!
Skippydumptruck rises above adversity
DivideByZero's Results!
Japan's Results!
Arch covers the vegan substitutions
Steel Angel + google + creativity = Japanese ingredient substitution
Week Four - Pasta Carbonara with Sun-dried Tomatoes
Here is the recipe.
Prep & Cooking video for week 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOkmV8-sQhc
Questions!
Why so much money?
I'm assuming that participants are starting only with the metal ingredients - $70 should cover a set of staples that will last for many more than 5 meals. If you already have some of this stuff, it'll be a lot cheaper.
Is that seventy bucks per week or seventy bucks for the full five weeks?
I figure it at about $50 for five meals and about $20 for other stuff you might not have if you don't cook regularly. I'll have a much more exact price & ingredient list later this week.
What have you got against paleos / vegetarians / etc?
Nothing, it's just not my scene. I like cooking with butter and meat and occasional pasta or bread. Expect the recipes to be mostly protein and greens, but not exclusively so.
What have you got against processed food and added sugar?
It would take a book-length post to explain!
What sort of food might we be cooking in this expedition to kitchenland?
Here are some recent meals I've cooked!
Beef Fajitas (uncooked)
Bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken breast
Blueberry crunch coffee cake
Broiled tomato slices w/ turkey
Bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken breast
Blueberry crunch coffee cake
Broiled tomato slices w/ turkey
OK now I'm hungry. How do I join?
If you Sign Up phalla-style in bold limegreen then I will add you to a list and poke you a couple times and compile your efforts into a weekly slideshow! However it's not that formal... if you want to join in, join in.
How much food am I going to be making?
My recipes are geared to feed 4-5 people. Feel free to cut down on the volume, or take it to work for lunch tomorrow! Almost all the recipes I prepare regularly can be reheated and eaten later. Some of them end up being more tasty the next day!
You didn't answer my question!
Ask it in bold goldenrod and I'll update the OP.
Ingredients and the first recipe should be posted on Saturday. Let's cook!
__________________________________________________________
Signups:
1: Winky
2: BeNarwhal
3: DasUberEdward
4: AManFromEarth
5: Rear Admiral Choco
6: Inquisitor
7: BertezBertez
8: Deebaser
9: Nessic
10: Syndalis
11: PLA???
12: redx
13: jefe414
14: So It Goes
15: TheBlackWind
16: marz_1982
17: gundam470
18: AresProphet
19: DaemonSadi
20: Vesty
21: TomeWyrm
22: fugacity
23: donteatmenooo
24: kuhlmeye
25: Dehumanized
26: Bullhead
27: dlinfiniti
28: Beast!
29: Steel Angel
30: Dark Raven X
31: Kana
32: Fidoh
33: Alegis
34: BobCesca
35: Giggles_Funsworth
36: DivideByZero
37: DyasAlure
???????
spool32 on
+33
Posts
if you have salt, pepper, olive oil, butter, cayenne, basil, and garlic already you will probably be fine. I try to hold costs in all my meals to less than $4/plate and I'm pretty confident I can put together the ingredients for the food at around $10/meal with $20 more for supplies you might not have on hand.
This should be intro to fast healthy cooking - the strangest thing on the list is probably a green olive.
I can handle 4 bucks a plate. Recently i've taken to just eating chicken thighs with various experimental seasonings off of the grill. This could be a nice change. Hopefully I can truncate the grocery lists into dinner for two with ease.
This is important.
How much do you think the fact that I live in rural Japan and have a very bare bones kitchen (only two burners and a microwave and.... that's it) will impact my ability to participate?
for the full five weeks. Break it down like so:
approx $50 for five meals for at least two people.
approx $20 for other stuff you might not own if you don't cook regularly
dip
No oven might be an issue for one of them. I'm not familiar with the food choices in Japan but I think it'd be awesome to see how you end up needing to substitute and what the results are. Can you get chicken, ground beef, and fish without selling organs?
i approve.
I'm in!
I'm in.
Bro you know that if we were doing true Texan cooking we'd be forcing the women to cook for us
Two shallow pans, one acting as the lid of the other, on a burner make a tiny oven in a pinch.
You'll just have to turn it fairly regularly, unlike using an actual oven. :P
Because obviously spool is a busy man who cannot be bothered to infer my intentions
she she needs to stop being a pud and eat more diverse food
sign up
i don't think my lifestyle is really settled enough that i can formally participate - frankie and i go out most nights now that the weather is good, but i love cooking under constraints, i'll be watching the thread, and i'd be happy to make recommendations
really if "dry beans and rice" aren't part of the repertoire, they should be
Neat idea!
Democrats Abroad! || Vote From Abroad
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
One meal a week will be given by spool, and then we make the meal, and take pictures and shit.
It's like a book reading club for foods.
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
I'm curious if I can actually force myself to follow a recipe for once and not just say "fuck it" halfway through and start improvising. My cooking is basically culinary jazz.
But that bacon-wrapped chicken dish is one pretty goddamned meal.
That is uncooked beef, immediately after it went in the pan. It's from a flank steak I cut myself and froze earlier in the month, which is why it's not the usual deep red color. I cut too much, and this was me using up what was left over.
Do you mind, spool, mentioning what you did with your red potatoes in the bacon-wrapped chicken dish?
I do this a lot myself, and on my end it's going to be fun to try and codify what I'm doing. In that chicken dish the jazz happens in the stuffing, which in this case was (going from memory) feta, salt, pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, olive oil, sage, rosemary, & capers.
I sliced them into wedges and boiled them until they were juuuuust soft enough to push a fork through, then drained the water. Then I sort of tossed them in kosher salt & cracked pepper so that it very lightly covered all sides and spread them on a baking sheet, sprinkled dried basil & rosemary over them, drizzled olive oil over everything and threw it in the oven at 425 on the bottom rack, with the chicken on the top rack. They came out a little before the chicken was done - my timing could've been a bit better.
Probably better off in the main cooking thread - I'd like to keep this one to the weekly effort and people's results / substitutions / improvisations on it.