So I totally messed this one up: somehow I missed the fact that Jenn’s frugal food series is thematic, that is, she’s choosing a theme for each week. This week I should have listed a ground meat recipe. Let’s see, do we eat ground meat? Not very often. And I’m not certain that adding ground turkey to jars of Classico spaghetti sauce classifies as frugal. But adding chopped, leftover venison which was shared with us by a hunter friend (I call it “free meat”) probably does.
Anyway, here’s my best shot: instead of using ground meat, in any recipe you like such as tacos or whatever, use a combination of lentils and short-grain brown rice (50/50), plus some oil and your seasonings. The beauty of this combo is that they cook together in the rice cooker. More frugal ground meat recipes at Frugal Upstate. (Next week’s theme is chicken.)
Now, back to what I wanted to share.
Being that we eat salad just about every day of the year, salad dressing no doubt accounts for a measureable portion of my food budget … although I’ve never (believe it or not!) actually measured it. 🙂
In Italy, we innovated an Americanized version of the Italian staple salad dressing: oil and vinegar, salt and pepper. Instead of sprinkling each individually on our salad, I mixed them all in the bottom of the bowl before adding the greens, then tossed. The proportions were as follows:
- a tablespoon or two (by eye) of whatever vinegar you choose
- 3 to 5 times as much olive oil, or use another oil such as grapeseed or walnut
- salt and pepper to taste
Now that I’m back at home, for some reason, this simple formula doesn’t seem exciting enough. So we use a non-MSG bulk seasoning mix that I buy through a food co-op for under $5/lb.
Next, I will be working on a replacement for Lighthouse Bleu Cheese dressing. Suggestions?
I love lentils, so that is a great suggestion to substitute it. Have you ever been to the Lentil Festival in Pullman before? They serve lentil pancakes. I haven’t been, but I have to admit I’m curious and love those little small-town festivals.
As I’ve been packing our kitchen I’ve noticed that I am a salad dresser hoarder. It would sure save lots of space if I made the dressing fresh as you described. I’m not into bleu cheese, but good luck!
I make all my own salad dressings too. I’ve done your oil/vinegar in the bowl a lot in years past, and should get back to that.
Martha Stewart’s website has lots of good dressing recipes. You could look there for bleu cheese.
Our homemade family favorites are a Caesar variation, poppy seed, honey mustard, and a few different vinaigrettes. For green salads w/fruit, I mix equal amounts of sugar, oil and vinegar and pour over.
I agree that simple recipes while traveling don’t seem as exciting at home. Sorta like camping. You could eat Raisin Bran when camping and it tastes better than in your kitchen. Trying different vinegars might make it more interesting too.
Hey, glad to hear you have a rice cooker too! I thought only rice-crazy Asians would buy an appliance that only cooks rice. I love mine.