Eat your leftovers (with your previous savings).

I am a person who can not throw anything away. I blame my father, the packrat extraordinaire, for this habit. This comes in handy in the workshop, where notches I cut out of stair stringers years ago become finally useful for some new carpentry project. In the fridge though, where I just couldn't bring myself to toss that half-cup of couscous I knew I'd never eat, it can turn into a smelly mess. I've never been a big fan of leftovers. I save them with the best of intentions, but they end up languishing above the crisper drawer until unrecognizable.
Last week, Lisa and I instituted a rule: No buying new groceries. We roast a ham on Monday. For the rest of the week we integrate the leftover ham and whatever we have in the house into a new dinner meal. Here's how it turned out...
Day 1, Monday, Roasted ham with Cheesy Potatoes and Cabbage/Candied Pecan Salad:

Ham was about $12 - we got it when hams were on special for $1.69/lb and tossed it in the freezer. Potatoes we got a 5 lb bag of for $0.48, and the Cheddar was $2.49 for a large brick. Cabbage cost around a dollar, with free pecans from my parents (they live next to an orchard), and the dressing we just threw together from staples we had in the cupboard. Total cost, $16.

Good enough for ham day. But we had just roasted a seven pound ham! What to do with the rest? Tuesday, day two, was a bit of an improvisation, as we didn't have much for bread. We had asparagus though - it was on sale for $1.50 a couple days before. We ended up sautéing the asparagus and using a $1.00 tube of Pop'n'Fresh dough and more of the cheddar brick, along with about $2.00 worth of scallions and eggs to come up with mini quiches. They were delicious, and there were two left over for my breakfast the next day. Total Cost, $4.50.

Day three, Wednesday, was easy. We had bowtie pasta and frozen peas that were both a dollar a piece, and a cup tub of Parmesan we'd picked up for about $2.50, each of which we only used half of to make a ham pasta served with a side of Greek salad. The Romaine lettuce was $1.50, the Feta was $2.50, the Tomatoes were $2.00, and the Kalamata olives were $2.00. We used half of each. Total cost: $6.25.

Day four (Thursday, pictured below) we splurged on, but it sounded too good to pass up. You be the judge: Cauliflower we bought for $.89, and used half. The double-corn polenta we used a dollar frozen corn bag for, along with corn meal from the cupboard, the remaining Parmesan, herbs from the spice rack, and cream from the fridge. Ham loaf was made with ham, onions ($2.00/3 lb - we used one onion), $.25 worth of egg, and a $.75 half-pound of ground pork. The glaze was a couple tablespoons of brown sugar from the cupboard mixed with pan juices and $.50 worth of ginger. Total cost: $4.00.

This is Friday, day five: Tuscan bean and ham soup. The beans we got for $.50. The chicken stock we made ourselves months ago. The bread I made from cupboard staples, and I'll allow $.50 for the yeast, since most people don't have it readily available. Artisanal honey we got at the farmers' market last fall for $.50. Total cost: $1.50. By far the most delicious meal of the week.

Saturday, day six, was something of a surprise. I wasn't sure what we'd come up with, but we had picked up a bell pepper for $.50, so we did ham, $.25 of egg, and soy fried rice (both staples in the cupboard). Pork fried rice... Total cost: $.75. Cheapest meal of the week.
Day seven happened to be Superbowl Sunday. We had friends over (long story), but one of the sides we made by putting the pork in a food processor, and adding $.25 of cream cheese, $.25 of horseradish, pepper and tarragon, both from the spice rack. Total price was fifty cents, but it wasn't a main dish so I didn't count it as cheapest meal.
Overall though, two of us ate for a full week with one ham and what we had in the house for a grand total of $33.50. Ham week success, and we've still got a bone and some meat in the freezer to make soup out of with the bag of split peas in our cupboard (see my earlier post). With the Easter season coming up, I wish you well in your ham endeavors.

Fried Rice Is So Easy!

I keep a few staples in the cupboard: a couple oils, a few vinegars, some basic condiment sauces. So when I find myself with leftover steamed rice from Chinese delivery, or with extra meat from the grill the night before, here's something that's easier than falling down the stairs.
Take a decent wok. I'm a packrat, and have a couple. What you need is one that heats up quickly and evenly. Get it good and hot, and toss some oil (or bacon fat) in and follow it with some chopped onion, and a little crushed garlic. Cook them until soft, and add a crushed dried chili pepper (buy them at the farmers' market in September at a bargain and string them up to dry) with whatever veggies you care for (choose two or more of the following: bell peppers, celery, bean sprouts, snow peas, julienne carrots, water chestnuts, bok choy), along with whatever leftover meat you have (chopped into 1/2 inch squares or so) and one egg.
Meanwhile, in a rice cooker (or sauce pan, or refrigerated take-out container) prepare about a cup of white rice. When all the veggies and meats are tender, add the rice and splash it with some soy, fish sauce, a little rice vinegar, and if you like it spicy, some Sambal Oelek. Man, that stuff is good. If you are of the vegetarian/vegan persuasion leave out the meat and fish sauce/egg, or subsitute tofu. However, if you leave out the fish sauce you may want to supplement the mix with more salt before it's done cooking. Stir until tasty, and serve with a cold beer for taste bud preservation. I personally added more soy and a little more Sambal afterwards, and was not at all disappointed.

Split Pea and Ham Soup for the Soul

So most of us who are of any number of religious or ethnic backgrounds have been there: After a family Easter (or any other) dinner, everyone is bloated on too much food, siblings and relations start filtering out the door, and the host will say, "Does anyone want to take the ham bone home?" Most people in the room are done thinking about food, and will politely decline. They are wrong. It turns out the tail end of a ham can turn a tiny amount of money and effort into a brand new meal (or two).
Here's what to do: Chop half an onion, and sauté (I save my bacon fat in a jar for these occasions, but if you don't, a couple tablespoons of oil works). Remove from heat and add one 16 oz bag of dried split peas, your ham bone (if you like, add some veggies too - I chose carrots), and enough water to cover everything. Simmer it under a cover until the peas have dissolved into green liquid (approx. 2 hours). Then, take out the ham and chop the meat off. Discard bone. Once you have the ham pieces (I prefer larger pieces, but it can be cut very small) back in the soup, simmer it to thicken it up, and salt and pepper to taste.
I served it with fruit salad and some baguette. All told, the ham bone was free, I had the onion in the fridge, $1.15 for the split peas, and $1.99 for the bread. I had to buy the fruit in this case, but this summer when I've got salad from the garden I'll have dinner for two and leftovers for lunch for all of $4.00. Here's what it looked like: