Guests Tonight? Patatas Bravas

The Menu Tonight:
Patatas Bravas
Broccoli
Garlic Bread

Estimated time:
45 minutes

Meal Plan (food will be ready by 6pm!)
5:15 -- Chop Potatoes into bite-sized squares
5:30 -- Begin Frying Potatoes
5:40 -- Heat up oven to 425 degrees for the garlic bread
5:50 -- Put garlic bread in the oven, Begin preparing Broccoli
5:55 -- Mix up Potato Dressing
6:00 -- Mix Fried Potatoes in the Potato Dressing, slice the Garlic Bread and place in a basket (don’t forget to turn off the oven!), and season the Broccoli. Then set the table and serve while hot!

Patatas Bravas (Brave Potatoes) SERVES 8
A Spanish recipe. Not the healthiest for you, but oh, so delicious. Definitely a comfort food and also good to impress the guests!

8 medium potatoes
8 cloves of garlic
8 tablespoons of mayonnaise
A dash of salt

1. Chop potatoes into bite-sized pieces
2. Fry in a deep-fryer and lay out on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
3. In your soon-to-be serving bowl, mix the mayonnaise, salt, and crushed garlic.
4. Then add the potatoes and toss.

Thoughts:
This is best served when hot.
Believe it or not, I was never a mayonnaise fan at all, until my family found this recipe. Make extra, because everyone will be wanting seconds.

Price Estimate: $ 2.69 (if bought at Aldi’s)

Broccoli:
Gotta have those veggies…

I like to use the frozen pre-chopped kind. It’s fast, cheap, and as close as you can get to the fresh stuff. You can either microwave or cook it over the stove, usually 6-10 minutes (following the directions on the package). When you’re done, sprinkle a bit of chicken bouillon powder over it. It’s simple, but very tasty.

Thoughts:
Remember not to use too much water when cooking vegetables, as vegetables release vitamins when they’re soaked for long periods. A tablespoon or two of water is usually adequate.

Price Estimate: $ 1.19 (if bought at Aldi’s)

Garlic Bread:
Okay… I admit. I cheat and use the pre-made stuff. But why go out of your way to make your own when it’s so cheap to buy someone else’s labor and heat it up? It’s such a convenient way to add a side dish to your menu.

Price Estimate: $ 1.00 (if bought at Dollar Tree or Aldi’s)

TOTAL PRICE ESTIMATE FOR THE NIGHT SERVING 8:

$ 4.88 (That’s .61 cents a person, folks!)

--Kelsey Shade


Anybody who believes that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach flunked geography. ~Robert Byrne

The Starting of the Ex-Vegetarian

Growing up in the fourth generation of an entirely vegetarian family, I found myself the recipient of many delicious, yet distinctly different menus than the average person. They were entirely meatless, but you never seemed to feel lacking of it. Since I’ve married a very enthusiastic carnivore (not three months ago, since the writing of this post), I have converted and allowed myself to experience the new pleasures that this American staple does provide for the first time. I also began cooking meat for the first time, sometimes with disastrous results, though I have improved immensely.

Though I am now an official meat eater and great fan of steak, hamburgers, and hot dogs, I still believe my vegetarian upbringing has given me a distinct advantage that I will carry with me through my cooking years. For example,

1) Vegetarian food is cheaper
2) Vegetarian food tends to (though, not always) be healthier
3) Vegetarian food doesn’t go bad as quickly as meat-containing foods so leftovers stay good for longer
4) Vegetarian food doesn’t carry a lot of the disease risks and cautions associated with raw or incorrectly prepared meats

Here, in this blog, I hope to keep a collection of all new recipes (meat and meatless) that I try with their results, both pleasant or appalling. This is for the purpose of my own record-keeping and for sharing with friends. I also hope to include my tips on what I changed in the recipe or what I think went wrong, as well as an estimate of how much each dinner cost me, how much time it took me to prepare, or perhaps even a shopping list (I’m Type A, okay?) depending on how much time I have. Feel free to give feedback or even email me recipes. I would love to hear from you!

--Kelsey Shade

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. ~Jim Davis