New England Chili con Carne

This recipe doesn't use chili powder because the seasoning comes from the adobo and chipotle chilis. It's spicy and meaty but also lean and mostly vegetables. I served with whole-grain wild rice to be even more nutritious. I started the rice before cooking the chili and both were done at the same time. Apparently beans in chilli like this are more of a New England thing because in other regions the meat is the emphasis. This is a great recipe for keeping on the stove to serve as people arrive at various times and for big groups, especially on cold days.

$4.99 3 1/2 lbs ground turkey
$1.79 1/4 to 1/3 to taste of small can of chipotle chilis in adobo, pureed
$0.69 1 small can Cento tomato paste
$4.58 2 boxes of Pomi strained tomatoes
$1.00 1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
$1.00 1 can sweet corn, drained
$0.50 2 green bell peppers
$0.10 1 medium onion, diced
$0.10 5 cloves roasted garlic, minced
$0.05 2 tbls oil
salt to taste

For garnish:
$1.50 per bunch chopped cilantro
$1.50 8 oz. sour cream
$3.50 shredded cheddar cheese

$22.00 Total cost
$3.66 Per serving. (Served with rice, pasta, tortillas, or bread this makes enough for about 6 meal-size bowls.)

In a large, heavy pot with a tight lid, sweat the onions and garlic in the oil until slightly browned and soft. Add tomato paste and cook until slightly darker in color. Add the turkey and brown. Add the tomatoes, chipotle puree and peppers. Simmer at least 20 minutes or until everything is hot but a longer cooking time will give better results. 20 minutes before serving, add the beans and corn. Garnish and serve with rice, pasta, tortillas, or bread.

Better, Cheaper, Faster

OK, Rachel Ray and Sandra Lee of the Food Network are horrible, horrible cooks who are doing bad things to American cuisine. But the premise of good, cheap, quick food is laudable. The recipes here are already reasonably easy and fast (although no ridiculous absolute limit, like 30 minutes or less) but from now on, I will also include the estimated price of the groceries and amount of servings. The idea is to prove that home-cooked food compared "convenience" foods is easier and cheaper than frozen, canned, or packaged food.

Shopping
The advice to shop the perimeter of the supermarket is one I try to follow. The produce, diary, meat, and breads are generally on the outside walls. The canned shit and Hamburger Helper are in the middle. In the frozen food aisle, I generally only buy frozen vegetables, ice cream, and ravioli.

I don't go to gourmet or trendy supermarkets like Citronella or Whole Foods. The closest ones are smallish local chains (Bravo and Food Village) that cater to the Latino community here in Sunset Park. These are not mega-marts. They have food, a few household products, and a deli. As a result, the produce is hit-or-miss and the selection is limited. Still, even in the 'hood, you can make good, fast, cheap, nutritious food.

Read labels. Not just nutrition facts but also the net weights which can let you compare prices. Sometimes bigger is not cheaper.

Ravioli avec ratatouille

This recipe took about 15-20 minutes, start to finish. It cost about $8 for 4-6 servings because Celli marinara is a little expensive but uses about 1/3 of the jar. (I like this sauce because it tastes good and has no high fructose corn syrup or sugar.) You can use Pomi diced or stewed tomatoes which are cheaper, and add more seasonings, but it's quicker and easier to use marinara sauce. This can be eaten hot, cold, or room temperature.

$3.99 1 13 oz. pkg of Celentano large cheese ravioli
$1.00 1 large zucchini, about 2 inches in diameter
$1.00 1 medium Italian eggplant, about the same size as the zucchini
$0.20 1 medium onion
$4.89 1 1/2 c. Celli marinara sauce
$0.02 2 tsp garlic, crushed

salt & pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
garlic croûtons for garish

Set a large pot of water to boil for the ravioli.

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Julienne the onion and toss into the skillet. Add the garlic. Slice the two halves of the zucchini into half-inch slices and toss them in. Increase the heat to medium-high. Peel and halve the eggplant and slice into half-inch slices, too. Toss into the pan. Add salt, pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the marinara sauce. Add the ravioli to the boiling water. Cover the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes, which is the same amount of time that it takes for the ravioli to cook. When the ravioli are done, use a slotted spoon to add them to the vegetables. Serve garnished with croûtons.

Greek Ceasar salad

A fusion between two great salads.

Salad
1 small heart of romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 small onion sliced very thin
1 can of anchovy fillets, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin (bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover for 15 minutes)
1/2 cucumber peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 lb feta cheese crumbled
2-3 tbls grated Parmesan cheese
Garlic croûtons
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Dressing & garnish
Olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Pickled hot cherry peppers

Combine all the salad ingredients. Top with the dressing. No salt is needed because of the salty cheeses.