RICHARD FRISBIE :: Efficient and Frugal in the Kitchen

In which recipes for a week’s worth of dinners are planned and described.

    Because I am frugal and have a busy schedule I have to be able to shop for, prepare and cook multiple meals efficiently while minimizing waste. Week-before-last was a perfect example. I went grocery shopping as usual on Sunday and bought a 2.5 lb. boneless loin of pork on sale, a pound of thinly sliced chuck steak reduced on its last day of sale, a pound of dried kidney beans, bread, half pounds of sliced ham and Swiss cheese, and a pound of boneless chicken breasts, plus the sundry vegetables, condiments and miscellaneous staples every kitchen needs.


    Sunday is a day I have more time to cook (usually an extra hour or so.) Which means it is a perfect night to entertain. I roasted the pork with red cabbage, potatoes and apples. Adding a little apple juice for a moist and tasty meal meant that my dinner guests really cleaned their plates.

    Monday I thinly sliced the leftover butt of the roast. Using the ham and cheese, I made Cuban (panini) sandwiches and salad for dinner. At the same time I grilled the chuck steaks and chopped them for Tuesday’s chili. While I was at it, I diced peppers and onions and garlic, plus the last slices of pork and the end of a chorizo link I found in the refrigerator. (The chorizo goes on sale periodically at latienda.com and I stock up.) I combined them all in a bowl to chill overnight. I even remembered to put the beans down to soak in herbed water before I went to bed.

    Tuesday was a bear of a day. I had an 8 AM meeting and a 7 PM meeting with my bookshop open in between. Before I ran out of the house I threw the bowl of beans and the bowl of meat & veggies into the crockpot, added chicken stock, chili and hot pepper, and plugged it in (the most important step!) When I came home I stirred in a large can of diced tomatoes and a handful of salt to cook while I relaxed and cleaned up. (Had they cooked all day with salt and acid the beans would have been tough. As it was they were soft and delicious.) That chili was dinner Tuesday night and Friday night. I also froze small containers of the leftovers for lunches in my shop. Now, instead of $7 or $8 for lunch, I can eat for free!


    Wednesday morning before work I mixed up some Satay seasoning and put the chicken breasts in to soak up all those good flavors. It was delicious that night grilled and served on toasted bread with a salad. Leftovers became sandwiches for Sunday before I went to work.


    Thursday night after work I washed and broke up a head of local cauliflower and some carrots into a shallow baking dish. I poured 2 tbs melted butter mixed with a few tbs of olive oil over them and dusted with oregano, Parmesan and breadcrumbs before throwing them in a moderate oven for about 45 minutes. It is a simple but very tasty (crusty and crunchy) vegetarian meal - something I try to sneak into my dinner plans a couple of times a week.


    Friday night, before I ate my leftover chili while watching the first Presidential debate, (look elsewhere on Gather for the vitriolic articles about that event!) I thawed bits of tomato-based leftovers (a cup of homemade sauce, some half tomatoes in herbs leftover from last tomato season, and a bit of ratatouille - all part of cleaning out the freezer for new preserves) and combined them to become a sauce for a casserole. While three kinds of pasta were boiling I adjusted the seasonings. Mixed together in a deep dish, covered with shredded cheese and breadcrumbs, and cooled on a frozen mat, this was ready to pop into the oven to reheat after a hard day working -

    Saturday’s Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. I was so tired that the fact that it smelled and tasted good didn’t matter. Since the Festival is a two-day event, half that casserole became -

    Sunday’s dinner, too, served with sliced fresh garlic and heirloom tomatoes. It was great!

    Monday morning I flew out of Boston’s Logan Airport for a week in Sardinia. (More on that in my next installment!) There were no leftovers or anything else remaining in the refrigerator to go bad while I was away. It’s all about planning, cooking from scratch, and being creative in the kitchen.

Richard Frisbie, FOOD Correspondent:

RICHARD FRISBIE is published twice a month to Gather Essentials: Food. It is a food junkie's take on growing, raising, preparing and - above all else - eating food. Together we’ll explore the trends, addictions, equipment and regional specialties that make up the sometimes mundane and sometimes sublime cooking and dining experience. You can keep up with my other postings and Gather activity by joining my Gather network -- I look forward to hearing from you.

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BIO - Richard Frisbie writes culinary travel articles, is a columnist for his local newspapers, and is a regular contributor to the many Hudson Valley, Catskill Mountain and other regional New York publications. Online, he writes frequent articles for EDGE publications, GoNomad and Travel Lady, as well as Gather.

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