Food & Wine Online Extra [CITYSunTimes August 2009]

QUICK & EASY

pantry

Money-Saving
Food Tips

Arm Your Pantry
Buying long-lasting pantry items in bulk is a smart investment. These ingredients are inexpensive, extremely useful in the kitchen and will stay fresh for long periods of time.

Breadcrumbs: Shelf life, up to four months. Both versatile and utilitarian, breadcrumbs can stretch expensive ingredients, create a crispy coating and make countless varieties of savory stuffing.

Chicken stock: Shelf life, one year. Chicken stock is essential for making flavorful soups and stews, but it also plays a starring role in many low-fat sauces and side dishes.

Rice: Shelf life, two years. Enjoyed the world over, rice is economical and stays fresh for a very long time. Keep a well-sealed package of rice on hand for quick main dishes, sides and low-fat stuffing.

Cook Once, Dine Twice
Look for large quantity recipes, such as Family-Sized Soft Tacos featured here. Make the whole recipe and save leftovers for a meal later in the week. Or double a recipe like Arugula Salad with Pork Chops, Baked Chicken Alla Milanese or Oven-Fried Chicken and enjoy a hearty lunch the next day.

For more money-saving tips, recipes and how-to videos, visit delish.com.

Five Ingredient Feast

Arugula Salad With Pork Chops

arugula

Read the story in our August issue.

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FOOD & WINE

Quick & Easy Dishes Your Family Will Love

Everybody’s looking for ways to save money. When it comes to food, cutting costs doesn’t have to mean cutting great taste. With only a few main ingredients, along with pantry staples and the right seasonings, you can serve gourmet meals any night of the week. Here are a few easy recipes from delish.com and quickandsimple.com.

chicken

Baked Chicken Alla Milanese
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Cost per serving: $6.50
1 clove garlic
1 cup parsley leaves
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Zest of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper
2 boned chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400F. Chop garlic together with parsley and place in a small bowl. Add breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Moisten mixture with 2 tablespoons oil.
Lay boned thighs in a heavy baking pan and coat the top of the chicken with breadcrumb mixture. Drizzle chicken with remaining olive oil and bake for 25 minutes, or until browned. Serve with lemon wedges.

taco

Family-Sized Soft Tacos
Serves 12
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Cost per serving: $2.08
1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, visible fat trimmed away
1 pound boneless pork tenderloin
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 New Mexico chili pods or other dried chili peppers
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 cube beef bouillon
1 cube chicken bouillon
5 cups water
¼ cup cornstarch
24 corn tortillas, 6-inch
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 pound reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 avocados, diced
1 bunch cilantro

Combine first 10 ingredients in large stockpot; cover with 5 cups water. Set pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes, or until meat is cooked through.
Remove meat, chop into small pieces and set aside. Strain broth to discard chilies and return to pot. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1 cup broth until smooth. Bring remaining broth to a boil; whisk in cornstarch mixture until broth is thickened.
Return meat to broth and toss to coat evenly.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Add tortillas (1 or 2 at a time) and toast briefly, 1 to 2 minutes per side. To assemble, place 2 tortillas on each plate and spoon meat mixture onto center. Top with lettuce, cheese and avocado. Garnish tops with sprigs of fresh cilantro.

FOOD & WINE Online Extra | CITYSunTimes August 2009