Saturday, July 08, 2006

Cooking on a Budget

I've read alot of other blogs, such as Boston Gal's Openwallet, My Open Wallet, and Dawn's Frugal For Life, where recipes on a budget are often posted.

I have a chicken recipe that I often make to stay within my budget. It's probably already quite commonly known and made around the cooking circle. I find that it is quite stretchable in terms of the number of days it could last while still tasting yummy as well as it being cheap and easy to make.

Ingredients

A Whole Chicken
- I am quite lazy so I buy the whole rotisserie chicken from a major supermarket chain store, like Ralph's or Albertson's. If you buy after 10:30 pm, they sell it at a reduced price.
Cost = $4.99

Mayonnaise
1 small jar
- Always buy the store brand since they tend to be the cheapest.
Cost = $1.99

Yellow Mustard
1 small jar
Cost = $1.99

Capers
1 jar
Cost = $3.99

Black Olives
1 can
Cost = ~$1.00 (I got a can for $0.98)

Green Olives
1 can
Cost = ~$1.00/$0.98
- Add green olives if you wish to add variety.

Total Cost = $14.96

Method

- Slightly warm up the cooked rotisserie chicken, if it is not warm already. Break rotisserie chicken into thin strands or chunks. This is very easy if you use the rotisserie chicken since it falls apart very easily in your hands. If not, boil a whole chicken and add two spoonfuls of chicken stock in the boiling water.

- Add approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 to 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard. Most people might find 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of mustard to be abit much.

- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of capers. Again, 2 tablespoons should be fine.

- Chop up approximately 1/4 cup of Black and Green Olives each.

- Mix everything together.

You can eat this mixture by itself, over some greens/spinach/corn/beans as a salad, as a spread for sandwiches, or with rice. The remaining unused portions of olies, mayonnaise, mustard and capers should last and make two or three more dishes, so I make sure that they are handled and stored as cleanly as possible.

I find that this lasts me about 4 days, eating it by itself or with a slice of bread or rice for both lunch and dinner.

Not bad for approximately $15.00 for 4 days, with some ingredients left over to make additional batches.

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:31 PM

    Awesome chicken recipe that's easy to make! Thanks for sharing. $15/4 days = $3.75/day. Now that's smart and healhy living!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3:33 PM

    I love to try the recipe on your entry. sounds yummy! I just recently started to try more frugal way of living here in Orange County. This place is beautiful but I feel like lots of people living in the vanity and fake media illusion. I love nice and luxuarious stuff too but I want to fell right about owing it or using it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tell me about it...it seems as if in OC, everything and everyone's been modified. Hair: chemically straightened, highlighted (allright, I commit my crimes), or bleached. Chest: pumped, plumped, and crafted. Eyes: shaped, shaded, and lifted. Nose: well... you get the picture.

    I realize that alot of the people I am acquainted with have had their bodies changed with plastic surgery.

    But that is not to say that they're vain...after all, everyone's got and need their own reasons to live in this vanity fair.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd be worried about storing a dish made from reheated cooked chicken for four days. It's just asking for a case of food poisoning. If you ask you can usually get a half a roast chicken instead of a whole one.

    Ralph
    enoughwealth.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I always find its better to eat out than in.

    I can eat out everyday for about 4 bucks a day.

    But Im sure it may not be healthy as your chicken recipe

    ReplyDelete