Thursday, December 31, 2009

Wednesday December 30, 2009 - Sale at Safeway

Its almost 2010 and I welcome it with open arms. My friend Anna challenged me to list the things I would like to do in the next year. I thought about the places I would like to travel to, dishes I would like to cook, the things I would like to learn more about. In 2010, what I want most is to learn to relax, let go, and enjoy the simple moments. I don't think any of the stuff I accomplish will mean much if I can't take the time to enjoy them more when they happen.

Oh...and in 2010, I'll be spending a lot of time with this beauty...

Thank you to my great friends who got together and made my dreams of owning a Kitchen Aid mixer come true. I love you.

May you all have a safe and happy New Year!
Here are this week's deals at Safeway:

Assorted Pork Loin Chops - $1.49 per lb
Split Chicken Breasts - $0.99 per lb
Chicken Legs and Thighs - $0.99 per lb
Cornish Hen - $0.99 per lb
London Broil - $1.99 per lb
Grape Tomatoes - Buy one container Get one Free
Fresh Scottish Salmon Fillets - $6.99 per lb
Red Grapefruit - $0.99 each
Strawberries - Buy one container Get one Free
Limes or Lemons - 3 for $1

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Lost in Holiday and Vaction Land

I really wanted to write that it has taken me this long to recover from my 30th birthday hangover. The reality is that my good housemates gave me lots of water to drink and ordered me a pizza before I headed off to bed. My co-workers were very surprised to see me awake, at work, and properly dressed the next morning.

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind of holiday parties and family time. My friends and I tried out Henry's Soul Cafe on 4th and K Street NW (meh.) Adventures in Shaw, Urban Bohemian, Stop the Pota and I met with Dan Simmons at Founding Farmers to discuss the Washington Post article and his response to it. My friends and I had a cookie exchange that also turned into a cookie charity donation to a local Santa's Workshop. In California, my mom and I took at trip to San Jose to eat at my cousin Amanda's restaurant Gumbo Jumbo (delish!) What I will miss most about being here in California is waking up every morning and having breakfast with my 1 year old nephew Camden. We share a banana (you should see him stuff the banana into his little mouth. He starts chewing and he stuffed so much in that most of it falls out.) He is a good eater and I love watching a good eater enjoy his food.

But tomorrow, I will be back in DC and back to DC life. Grocery shopping sale postings will be up again as well as some fun recipes. Apparently I was a very good girl this year because I got a ton of new kitchen toys. I'll consider being a good girl again next year.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Wednesday December 9, 2009 - Sale at Safeway

Today is my birthday and I turn 30. Yep...30. Its been strange. I have moments when I'm really calm and I am taking it in stride. I have moments when I get kind of excited and I hear Frank Sinatra singing "the best has yet come." Then there are those moments when "30" feels very heavy and...dooming.

Taking it all into perspective, I've learned some things in this last decade. I've learned that I can move to a new city and build a home for myself. I've learned what it is like to lose a job and find one I like better. I've learned to fall in and out of love. I've learned to appreciate that I have the most amazing family and friends. I've also learned that there are a whole lot of people out there who love food as much as I do and its so good to share that love with them. And so, here are this week's deals at Safeway:

Top Sirloin Steak - $3.69 per lb
Boneless Pork Loin Roast - $1.99 per lb
Cornish Game Hen - $1.99 per lb
Barrilla Whole Grain Pasta - $1.00 per box
Variety of Pears - $1.47 per lb
Mangos - $0.99 each

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Wednesday December 2, 2009 - Sale at Safeway

Happy December! Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I spent my Thanksgiving with some family members and a whole lot of food. For lunch, I visited my Aunt Emily in Bethesda and we made a Ribeye Roast, garlic mashed potatoes, and Brussels sprouts with bacon and figs. Knowing that I had a large turkey dinner to eat, I tried to limit myself to a very small slice of the roast but we had marinated it in garlic, salt and pepper and rubbed thyme all over it so the crust around the roast was so delcious. And it was very easy to make. The roast simply sat fat up in a 330 degree oven for 2 hours and it came out perfectly medium inside. Safeway had it on sale for $4.99 per lb so for a six pound roast, we spent about $30. Its a great option if you are having a dinner party and want to impress your guests.

My Thanksgiving dinner with my Uncle Hoan's family was an experience. How did I fit a 10 course meal after my lunch? I don't know, I just did it.

Here was our menu:

Cheese and Pate Platter
Duo of Soups - Butternut Squash with Sauteed Shrimp and Seafood Bisque
Frisee Salad with Poached Egg and Fried Pancetta
Sage Butter Turkey
Duck L'Orange
Corn Gratin
Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing
Roasted Acorn Squash with Nutmeg
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Figs
Sweet Potato Pie with fresh Whipped Cream

It was amazing and more amazing was that I was able to walk after all that food. But I am thankful for a loving family who allowed me to celebrate with them when I'm so far away from parents.

Here are this week's deals at Safeway:

Whole Pork Shoulder Blade - $0.97 per lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - $1.77 per lb
Banana - $.39 per lb
Fresh Scottish Salmon Fillet (Farm Raised) - $5.99 per lb
New York Strip Steak - $4.97 per lb
Marinated Artichoke Hearts - Buy One Get One Jar
Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail - $1.97 per 64 oz bottle
Avocados - 4 for $5
Variety of Potatoes - $0.69 per lb

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Wednesday November 25, 2009 - Sale at Safeway

Looks like Safeway is extending last week's deals until tomorrow. You can see this deals here.

Happy Turkey Day!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Pancetta

In my cupboard are eight lovely, yellow Le Creuset ramekins that I have never used. They were given to me by my brother and sister-in-law a year (two years?) ago and I just haven't found anything that I wanted to make in them until recently; Baked Eggs with Spinach and Pancetta. I really should call this clean-out-the-fridge-baked-eggs but it doesn't sound as tasty. I just happen to have all these ingredients so this is how these pretty little ramekins got used. May I recommend that you use farm fresh eggs from the farmers market for this dish. The egg is the star of this dish and so you should really use a good quality egg. The kind where the yolk has such a golden color that its almost orange. It will make a big difference in the taste of the dish. I bought a dozen farm fresh eggs today at the Bloomingdale farmers market for $4. There are just some dishes worth spending the extra few bucks for.

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Pancetta
Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

4 ramekins
Butter for greasing the ramekins

4 eggs
1/4 lb of pancetta - sliced and then cut into small 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 a cup of frozen spinach - thawed and squeezed dry
8 Tb of heavy cream
1/2 a cup of Fontina Cheese - grated
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Fill a 8x8 pan 3/4 inch of simmering hot water.

Sautee pancetta until crisp. Place on a plate with paper towels to drain out fat. Butter the ramekins and add a tablespoon of cream to each. Add a little spinach, a little cheese, one egg, and another tablespoon of cream into the ramekins. Place ramekins into the 8x8 pan and place in oven. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. The eggs are done when they are just set but trembling slightly in the ramekin. Do not assume they are underdone and need to sit in the oven longer like I did the first time I made these. They will cook a bit more if you leave them in pan of hot water for a bit longer outside of the oven.

Season with salt and pepper. Top each ramekin with the crisp pancetta and serve with good bread.

Even with the extra money you spend on the fancy eggs, this dish is still pretty low budget. You can also use bacon instead of pancetta if you want to use a less expensive meat. You can use any cheese you have on hand. Frozen spinach is about $2 per bag.


Friday, November 20, 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009 - Items on Sale at Giant


In case you are looking to eat light this week in preparation for the gluttony that will happen next Thursday, you can buy one Sabras Hummus and get another Sabras Hummus for free.

Here are this weeks deals at Giant:

Variety of turkeys - from $0.47 to $1.39 per lb
Land O Lakes Butter - $1.99 per package
Yams - 3lbs for $1
Beef Rib Roast - $5.99 per lb
Brussel Sprouts - $2.50 for a 10 oz container
Asparagus - $2.49 per lb
Collard, Kale, Mustard, and Turnip Greens - 2lbs for $1
Green Beans - $3.99 per 2lb bag
Sabras Hummus - Buy one Get one

Please check http://www.giantfood.com/ to see the specials at your local Giant Supermarket.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Lemongrass Marinated Pork Chops

In college, I lived with two other Vietnamese girls who also loved food and loved to cook. The roommate who taught me the most about cooking was Nga who is a great cook. I used to watch her dice ginger into little bits and was amazed by her knife skills. Together, we experimented with making Korean BBQ, Vietnamese eggrolls, lotus salads, Pho, etc. We always had a great time.

When we actually made it out to an Asian store, we went wild. Riverside, Ca is about an hour east of Los Angeles and there wasn't an Asian grocery out there (kind of like DC). So when we made it out to an Asian store, we would stock up on things such as mangos, asian herbs, and different condiments. Back then, the only lemongrass I knew about was the one that was already frozen and already chopped up. It wasn't until I moved to DC that I really started using the fresh stalk. Now I can never go back to the frozen green stuff (I don't know know how they get it so green.) Its just so easy and more flavorful to buy the fresh stalk, rough chop it, and place it in the food processor to grind up. The smell is just amazing.

If you plan to buy lemongrass in DC, buy it at Whole Foods. They charge something like $5 per lb but lemongrass is so light that you end up paying $1 for a stalk which goes a long way in terms of flavor. Its fresh and the flavor is good. The biggest rip off is the packaged kind sold at Safeway and Giant that is already cut up. I end up paying $4 and they were flavorless the last few times I bought them.

When Nga made me this lemongrass marinated pork chop, I was really amazed how easy it was. She pan fried it and got enough heat on the pork chops to give the fatty edges a delicious smokey flavor without drying out the meat. She would add chili flakes to the marinade to give it a bit of spice.

This marinade is pretty awesome. Its kind of sweet and kind of salty. The lemongrass gives it this nice, fresh taste. My favorite bite is the crispy fatty edge. Its just a bite full of goodness. I made this for a meal for some friends. I'm not sure if it was the pork chops or the wine but it was a warm and lovely night.



Lemongrass Marinated Pork Chops
Adapted from Viet World Kitchen

This marinade will work with any pork chop. Of course, the more fat in the meat, the more flavor you are going to get out of the pork chop. Pork chops are normally very inexpensive. I buy them on sale when they are $1.49 per lb but at most, I've seen them sold for $2.99 per lb.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless pork shoulder steak, about 1/2 inch thick

Marinade:
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallot or yellow onion
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped (3 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon dark (black) soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oil


Put the sugar, garlic, shallot and lemongrass into an electric mini chopper and process to a fine texture. (Or, mince the garlic, shallot, and lemongrass individually, put them into a bowl, and add the sugar.) Add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil and process to combine well. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the pork, and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate overnight. Let it sit out for an hour before cooking.

Preheat a grill (or pan) to medium-high. Grill/panfry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through. If you like the fatty edges to crisp up a bit, let it sit on one side a bit longer until you see the edges smoking. Nick with a knife to test. Serve with Jasmine rice and slices of cucumbers and tomatoes.




Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 - Sale at Safeway


I love shopping for food during the holidays. I especially love it that I can get good deals for a holiday meal and for other events. My friend Michael (from www.wingipedia.net) is having a birthday cabin trip this weekend and since I can't head out of town for this reason, I will be sending him off with some sweet potato pie. Lucky for me, yams are $0.39 per lb at Safeway . Also lucky for me, I know Michael will probably read this and I know he will not judge me for spending less than $3 on his birthday pie. Happy Birthday Michael!

Here are some sweet potato recipes I've come across that look good. After reading comments and suggestions, I will roast the potatoes instead of boiling them to get a deeper, more intense flavor. Hopefully these pies will turn out delish.

Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie - Smitten Kitchen
Sweet Potato Pie - Washington Post
Sweet Potato Casserole - Maya Angelou
Sweet Potato Pie (made with yogurt) - Alton Brown
Old Fashion Sweet Potato Pie - Paula Deen
Sweet Potato Cheesecake - Gladys Knight

Here are this week's deals at Safeway:

Variety of Turkeys from $0.47 per lb to $0.99 per lb
Safeway Frozen Vegetables - $1.88 per lb
Rib-Eye Roast - $4.99 per lb
Pork Shoulder Blade Roast - $1.29 per lb
Whole Roasting Chicken - $0.99 per lb
Yams - $0.39 per lb
Grapes - $1.47 per lb
Cranberry Cocktail - $2.50 for a 64 oz bottle
Cool Whip - $1.29 a tub
Broccoli Crowns - $1.49 per lb
Green Beans - Buy one Get one 12 oz bag
Russet Potatoes - $3 for 5 lb bag
Celery - $1.50 per bunch
Asparagus - $2.99 per lb

Please note that each Safeway location is different. Please check Safeway.com to see your local specials.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Baked Potato with Brocoli-Cauliflower-Cheesy Sauce

As a kid, my favorite thing to order at Wendy's was a baked potato topped with broccoli and cheese sauce. I don' t know what makes the flavor of broccoli work so well with the flavor of a cheese sauce but it works and is so good. Broccoli and potatoes are both in season right now so you should get good prices on both. Safeway had a 5-lb bag of Russet potatoes on sale for $1.49 each last weekend. You can probably find them for about $3 a bag now. Broccoli should run about $1.49 to $1.99 per lb. Note that you can also use frozen broccoli for this recipe.



Ingredients:

1 lb of broccoli
1/2 lb of cauliflower
4 large Russet potatoes - baked
1 cups of whole milk
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese - shredded
1 cup of Monterey Jack - shredded
1 tablespoon of flour
4 tablespoons of butter

Place butter into a small sauce pan and heat to a simmer. Add flour and stir using a whisk to make a roux. Allow to cooking at medium for about 4 minutes until it browns just a bit. Add milk slowly while you are stirring the mixture. The mixture will thicken a bit. Add cheese slowly while stirring. The sauce should be pretty thick.

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into 1 inch pieces using mostly the crown. Boil in water for 3 mins and then place them into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain them set them aside for awhile to dry out the moisture. Drop the vegetables into the cheese sauce and allow it all to heat up a bit. Cut open a baked potato and spoon cheesy vegetables on top. Enjoy.



Or you can just buy a block of Velveeta. I think a Broccoli-Velveeta Cheese baked potato would also be delish.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Gourmet Magazine's Beef Stew

I liked how Gourmet magazine looked on my coffee table. This is the reason why I started collecting them. The covers were so beautiful and they weren't just flimsy pieces of media filled with advertisements. They had great stories and good recipes. If asked what I liked most about the magazine, I would say that the food was photographed with respect.

It was a year ago that a co-worker of mine told me about a dinner party she was having for her future father-in-law. Her fiance and her were on a budget but wanted to throw a nice dinner party. They decided to do a stew and found this recipe. Stews are an economical way to throw a dinner party because you can use a less expensive cut of meat and it would still come out delicious. She described the rich and deep flavor of the stew and it was burned into my memory.

The stew is so rich tasting because it calls for an entire bottle of red wine. Is it worth it? YES. Don't forget to use a wine that you enjoy drinking. At the Metropolitian Cooking and Entertainment Show, Giada DeLaurentis reminded the audience that if you use a wine you don't like, the flavor is just going to be more intense when its reduced. Check out the YES! Organics on 14th and U or in Petworth for some good deals on wines. Trader Joe's also usually has good deals.

The recipe doesn't actually call for tossing the pieces of beef in flour but I like a thicker sauce and so I did before browning the meat in olive oil.

Note that I don't have a dutch oven so I sauteed the vegatables in a large pan and added the wine, balsamic vineagar, and wine into the vegtable mixture before transferring it into a crock pot. The meat was browned in a separate pan and then placed into the crock pot. It was all mixed together before stewing on high for 4 hours.


Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

(note: this recipe was halved to fit into my 4 quart crock pot)

For braised beef:
5 pounds boneless beef chuck (not lean), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup of flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, quartered
3 celery ribs, quartered
2 medium onions, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (about 3 3/4 cups)
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
2 thyme sprigs
3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
3 cups water

For potatoes and carrots:
2 1/2 pounds small white boiling potatoes
1 1/2 pounds carrots

Braise beef:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Pat beef dry and season with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss pieces flour so that they are lightly covered. Heat oil in pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown meat, without crowding, in 3 batches, turning, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter. Reduce heat to medium, then add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 12 minutes. Push vegetables to one side of pot. Add tomato paste to cleared area and cook paste, stirring, 2 minutes, then stir into vegetables. Add vinegar and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in wine, bay leaves, and thyme and boil until wine is reduced by about two thirds, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer into a crock pot. Add broth to pot along with water, beef, and any juices from platter and turn crock pot on HIGH. Cover and braise for about 4 hours. (You can also turn it on HIGH for one hour and on LOW for 6-8 hours. This might result in the meat coming out more tender.) Set a large colander in a large bowl. Pour stew into colander. Return pieces of meat to pot, then discard remaining solids. Let cooking liquid stand 10 minutes.

Cook potatoes and carrots:
While beef braises, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges. Slice carrots diagonally (1-inch). Add potatoes and carrots to stew (make sure they are submerged) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 40 minutes. Serve over rice or with crusty bread.

Note: Giant has Chuck Roasts on sale this week for 1/2 off the per pound price.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Friday, November 13, 2009 - Items on Sale at Giant


I get tired of turkey very easily. I love the whole Thanksgiving holiday fare with the stuffing and the cranberry sauce but I really like it for one meal...not the six meals you end up eating with leftovers. And when my housemates and I started talking about having a Thanksgiving meal together before we all head our separate ways for turkey day, I knew we had to think about non-Thanksgiving foods. My plan is to make a beef roast with non-Thanksgiving sides (no mashed potatoes, no mac and cheese, no green bean casserole.) Hopefully we can come up with some fun sides that won't ruin us for our Thanksgiving meal. (sauteed spinach? potatoes au gratin? french onion soup?)

Here are this weeks deals at Giant:

Certified Angus Beef Roasts - Half Off all Roasts
Shady Brooks Frozen Turkeys - $0.47 per lb
Nature's Promise Organic Eggs - $2.99 per dozen
Swanson Broth - 4 cans for $3
Ragu Pasta Sauce - 3 for $5
Barilla Pasta - $1 a box
Variety of berries - $2 per pint
Celery - $1.99 per bunch
Broccoli - $1.99 per lb

Please check http://www.giantfood.com/ to see the specials at your local Giant Supermarket.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - Sale at Safeway


Wow...its been awhile. I can only tell you that I have every intention of continuing to find good deals but am just having a hard time finding time to get posts up. I do have some fun recipes to share with you and will be posting them up soon!

Here are this week's deals at Safeway:

Shady Farms Turkey - $0.79 per lb
Boneless Beef Bottom Round Roast - $1.88 per lb
Pork Loin Chops - $1.88 per lb
Red Delicious and Braeburn Apples - $0.99 per lb
Avocados - $0.99 each
Pepsi Products - $0.88 per 2-litre
Lucerne Butter - $1.99 per package
Hillshire Farms Lil' Smokies - $3 each package
Green and White Asparagus - $2.99 per lb
Red Grapefruit - $0.99 each
Pineapple - $2.99 each
Yams - $0.99 per lb

Please note that each Safeway location is different. Please check Safeway.com to see your local specials.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

DC Food Blogger Happy Hour

I will be stopping by here tonight. Please join us. RSVP here.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Good Ole Bakes Sales and Spice Cupcakes

The Bake Sale was a success! Its been a few days since the first DC Food Bloggers Bake Sale and I have already gotten several requests from people to do this again. We raised over $500 for Martha's Table and I'm just so happy with how everything turned out. The baked goods were delicious, everyone who promised to donate baked goods came through, and I got to meet a lot of really nice people! I got to see Modern Domestic again, I got to talk Culinary School talk with Mango & Tomato and Capital Spice. I got to meet State Dinner, French Twist DC, Gradually Greener, and Metrocurean for the first time. The couple from Pete Bakes! stopped by to check out our baked goods. So many others came and supported us such as Urban Bohemian, DC Brit from Endless Simmer, and thanks to Stopthepota for doing the heavy lifting. (Yes, I am shamelessly name dropping.)

A big thank you to Adventures in Shaw for coming up with the idea and organizing. Thank you to Arugula Files for helping recruit great Food Bloggers to participate and for having great energy at the booth. Another big thank to my friends Joy, Rachel, and Anna who donated delicious baked goods for the cause (these girls are some of the best bakers I know.) For more pictures and info about the event, please check out these write-ups:

Adventures in Shaw
Arugula Files
Modern Domestic
Gradually Greener


This is a picture of the table towards the end of the day when we had already sold most of the baked goods. The two tables were COVERED with delicious things such as Caramel Bars, Heath Candy Bar cookies, Congo Bars, Mint Chocolate Whoppie pies, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Peanut Butter Cupcakes, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and so much more.


Thank you ACKC for donating coffee. It was so nice to sip a hot cup of coffee while it was drizzling and we were shivering from the cold wind.


One of the items that I baked for the Bake Sale were Spice Cupcakes. This recipe was given to me by a good friend's mom. She would like to stay anonymous but I can tell you that this lady is one of the sweetest and coolest moms I know. I hope she comes to visit us often!


The recipe calls for one box of Pillbury Plus Yellow Cake Mix. I have been told that this is the best boxed cake mix that you can buy because it produces the most moist cake. Lucky for me, they were on sale for $1 per box at Giant last week. The secret to using boxed cake mixes is to add a little bit of flavor to each batch. I added a teaspoon of vanilla that my cousin Stephanie got for me from Mexico. Its a very strong vanilla. Also added to these cupcakes are a variety of spices: nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. I ended up using pumpkin spice because I didn't have any allspice or cloves in the house.


Did you know that you are suppose to remove the paper wrappers from the foil wrappers? I always baked my cupcakes with the paper wrappers in the foil. I guess that just doubles the value of those foil wrappers because I will just use the paper ones the next time I make cupcakes.

They come out so pretty and so moist.



The topping is a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Its pretty awesome. Here is the recipe:

Cake:

1 Pillsbury Plus Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves
1-2 tsp vanilla, depending on taste

Mix cake as directed and add the spices and vanilla. Mix it all together. Pour into baking cups and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely. Frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz cream cheese softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
1tsp vanilla
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon, depending on taste

Mix all ingredients together at medium speed until light and fluffy.

All I can say is that Food Bloggers are probably the nicest people on earth because they eat well and have good Karma for sharing the food love.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Friday, October 30, 2009 - Items on Sale at Giant


Here are some deals you can find at Giant this week:

New York Strip Steak - $4.99 per lb
Whole Boneless Pork Loin - $1.99 per lb
Green or White Asparagus - $1.77 per lb
Whole Roasting Chicken - $0.99 per lb
Barlett or Anjou Pearks - $1.89 per lb
Cauliflower - $2.99 each

Please check http://www.giantfood.com/ to see the specials at your local Giant Supermarket.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - Sale at Safeway


It surprises me when people tell me that they never tasted a Honey Crisp apple. Its just such a good apple. I had my first taste of a Honey Crisp about four years ago while visiting my best friend Caroline when she was studying at Northwestern University. She made all these great plans for us. We went to see a play, we ate at all her favorite restaurants, and she even drove us out to an orchard to go apple picking. Both of us were raised in California and there is not a whole lot of apple picking opportunities in California. We ran around grabbing all the apples we could find. Caroline looked and looked but she couldn't find any Honey Crisp apples. I didn't understand her obsession over these apples until she stopped by a grocery store on the way home and bought me some. I took a bite. It was slightly tart, sweet, and so juicy. I'm now in love with this apple. I just can't get enough of them. Farmers markets are selling them for about $2.49 per lb. Safeway has them on sale for $1.49 per lb (the one in Adams Morgan is selling them for $0.99 per lb.)

Here are some other deals you can find at Safeway this week:

Boneless Pork Loin - $1.69 per lb
Top Sirloin Steak - $2.99 per lb
93% Ground Beef - $2.49 per lb
Tomatoes on the Vine - $1.49 per lb
Pineapples - $1.99 each
Whole Chicken - $1.49 per lb
2-litre bottles of Coke Products - $0.88 each (must buy four)
Barrilla Pasta Sauce - $1.99 per jar
Barlett Pears - $1.49 per lb
Italian Zuchinni and Yellow Squash - $1.29 per lb
5-lb bag of Russett potatoes - $2.99
Pomegranates - $3 each

Please note that each Safeway location is different. Please check Safeway.com to see your local specials.

Monday, October 26, 2009

DC Food Bloggers Spooktacular Bake Sale - Halloween Day


My parents never baked. My dad roasted chickens, simmered soups, and made some mean barbeque but baking rarely happened at my house. So when there was a bake sale at school, I would rummage through my backpack (or my parents' bureau) for some spare quarters or dimes. I remember biting into a moist, sweet cupcake and loving every bite. These bake sales let me taste what it was like to be American. (I mean this in all seriousness.)

So when Adventures in Shaw asked me to join her and Arugula Files in running a bake sale to benefit Martha's Table, I was all in. I love doing work for charities but also, this would give me a good reason to make the treats that made me feel so good as a child. On my list so far are rice krispies treats, brownies, spice cupcakes and caramel apples.

Please come out and support us. We will be at the 14th and U Street Farmers market on Halloween day from 9am to 1pm. If you would like to donate some baked goods, please email me at thriftydccook@gmail.com

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Friday, October 16, 2009 - Items on Sale at Giant


This would be a great week to try making pulled pork or a carnitas recipe. Pork Shoulder Picnic is $1.29 a lb. One of my favorite crock pot dishes is to cover a pork shoulder with taco seasoning, throw it in a crock pot, add water until its 1/4 full, add onions, slices of jalapenos, and cook for 8 hours on low. Take out the pork, using a fork, pull it apart into shreds of meat, and add the meat back into the crock pot so it absorbs the juice. Heat up some tortillas, fill it with meat, and top with cilantro and diced onions. I like a dollop of sour cream on my tacos. Enjoy.

Here are the deals you can find at Giant this week:

Turkey Breast - $0.99 per lb
Iceberg Lettuce - $0.88 each
Gala Apples - $0.88 per lb
All Purpose Potatoes - $2 per 5 lb bag
Barilla Pasta - $1 per box

Please check http://www.giantfood.com/ to see the specials at your local Giant Supermarket.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Grand Re-Opening! Safeway on Columbia Road


Looks like the Safeway on Columbia Road (in Adams Morgan) is having a Grand Re-Opening. If you happen to stop by, let me know how the place looks. Here are some deals you can find at Safeway this week:

Ribeye Steak - $3.99 per lb
Assorted Pork Loin Chops - $1.49 per lb
Whole Chicken - $0.99 per lb
Tangerines - 4 for $1
Red Grapes - $0.99 per lb
Lucerne Milk - $1.99 per gallon
Iceberg Lettuce - $0.99 each
Raspberries - 2 containers for $3
Jimmy Dean Sausage - Buy one Get one
Pineapple - $2.99 each
Asparagus - $2.99 per lb
Italian and Yellow Squash - $1.29 per lb


Please note that each Safeway location is different. Please check Safeway.com to see your local specials.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Restaurant Supply Store Deals

Did I mention that I like to get good deals on food? Did I also mention that I like to get good deals on kitchen tools? So naturally, while on vacation in New York, I found myself in the aisles of a restaurant supply store in the lower east side. I know they exist in DC, but there is just something about New York that just makes me want to spend money. So at the WIN Restaurant Supply store, these are the items I picked up:



Lately, my friends and I have had a lot of big dinner parties and the one thing that I would really like to correct is our use of disposable plates and utensils. It really bothers me that we 1) spend money on these things each time we have a party 2) that it all goes in the trash at the end of the night. To solve this, I want to start a "party supply box" with utensils and plates that we can easily transport to each others houses when other people are hosting. I found these forks for 50 cents a piece. I'm looking for a good deal on some Correlle dishes since they are durable and easy to store.


This is probably my favorite item that I purchased this weekend. Its a "scum skimmer." At least, that is my name for it. Its a tool that you can use to skim to scum that floats to the top of your stock/broth when cooking soups. Its great because you remove the oil and junk that floats to the top and end up with clear, delicious stock or broth. I got this one for $2.55.

While cooking some fried chicken with Jenny, her thermometer was broken. I decided to replace her broken one with an industrial grade one because I hope she will fry chicken with me again and because I am not the most gentle person with tools. I don't plan to break her second thermometer. This one was picked up for $6.50


Paula Deen is known for her use of butter but what I always remember about her cooking is her "house seasoning" which is salt, pepper, and garlic salt. I've used it pretty frequently in recipes so I've decided to create a little container for it. I got this for $1.14.

So this was not purchased at the restaurant supply store. This was purchased at Crate and Barrell for $10. It was so pretty and felt so durable that I had to have it. This picture doesn't do it justice.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Friday, October 9, 2009 - Items on Sale at Giant


About two weeks ago, I started to see deals on squash for about $0.99 a lb. I thought that was a great deal until today. Giant has Acorn and Butternut Squash for $0.59 a lb. Recipe sites and food blogs have lots of squash recipes I've been wanting to try out. Here are some recipes to consider:

Acorn Squash Quesadillas
Acorn Squash with Chili-Lime Vinagrette
Roasted Butternut Squash
Lasanga of Roasted Butternut Squash

Here are some other deals that can be found at Giant:

Boneless Chicken Breast - $1.99 per lb
Eggs - $1.99 per carton of 18
Red Seedless Grapes - $0.99 per lb
Acorn or Butternut Squash - $.59 per lb

Please check http://www.giantfood.com/ to see the specials at your local Giant Supermarket.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Dear Kind Representative of the White House

This week, my friend Shannon sent me an email to tell me that her husband, Dan, will be performing at the White House and asked me if I wanted to come along and get a tour of the White House Garden. WHAT? REALLY? I was so excited and felt so special to be invited. I felt like I got the Golden ticket. I even sent a message via Twitter boasting about my luck. Well, turns out that the tour is open to the public and that I would only get a glimpse of the Kitchen Garden. (yes...i felt a little foolish.) I'm still very excited about going on the garden tour but really, I want to see the Kitchen Garden. Tonight at a DC Food Blogger happy hour, I started to mention my idea of sending a request to the White House for a DC Food Blogger tour. Turns out that food bloggers like this idea. I checked the White House Kitchen Garden Tour website and filled out an application. (They are only giving tours to local schools but I filled out the application anyways.)

School Name: Thrifty DC Cook
School Address: www.thriftydccook.com
Principal Name: Sylvie "Real Last Name"
Phone Number: "Real Phone Number"
Principal Contact Info (Email): thriftydccook@gmail.com
Principal Contact Address: "Real Home Address"

Do you have a vegetable garden or a healthy eating program at your school? If so, please describe it in 250 words or less (Here is what I wrote)

Kind Representative of the White House, I am a local DC food blogger and just came from a DC Food Blogging event. The local food bloggers of DC would love to come and visit the White House Kitchen Garden. We are fans of food, we are fans locally produced food, and I believe that many of us would love to spread the word about the White House garden. Please contact me so that we can make arrangements for a tour. With much kindness, Sylvie (Thrifty DC Cook).

I am fully aware that this is a long shot but can you imagine how excited I would be if this works? (silently praying...please let this happen.)

Really, if anyone who knows anyone from the White House is reading this, can you help us Food Bloggers out?

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - Sale at Safeway


Reading through food blogs and talking to my friends, I'm finding that everything is about pot roast, beef stew, and root vegetables. These are signs of autumn to me. Its time to pull out the crock pot from storage and start making some hearty soups. Safeway has Boneless Beef Chuck Pot Roast on sale for a $1.99 a lb this week. Here are some delicious recipes where this cut of beef could be of use:

Crock Pot Pot Roast
Parker's Beef Stew
Triple "B" Stew
Pot Roast
Company Pot Roast
Tyler's Texas Chili

Here are this week's Safeway specials:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast or Thighs - $1.68 per lb
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast - $1.99 per lb

(I am interrupting this list of deals because I thought it might be important to share this New York Times article about ground beef. This article (and watching Food Inc) has convinced me that its time to start grinding my own meat. Unfortunately, I don't have a Kitchen Aid with a meat grinder attachment but Adventures in Shaw sent me this article about grinding meat in a food processor. Using brisket or chuck are good cuts because they tend to have a bit of fat in them which is GREAT for tasty burgers. Ok...on with the deals)

Top Sirloin Steak - $3.99 per lb
Beef Eye Round Roast - $2.99 per lb (great to use to make Pho)
Asparagus - $1.99 per lb
Whole Boneless Pork Tenderloin - $2.99 per lb
Pears - $1.49 per lb
Broccoli - $1.49 per lb
Yams - $0.99 per lb (this is a sure sign that is it Fall)

Please note that each Safeway location is different. Please check Safeway.com to see your local specials.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Apple Recipes

This past weekend, I had several conversations with good friends who went apple picking. If I didn't already have prior plans, I most definitely would have hitched a ride with them to an orchard. In addition to hearing about all the fun they had on their apple picking adventure, I heard one common question: "What am I going to do with all these apples?" For my friends who went apple picking or for those who find themselves picking up the totes of apples at the grocery store (they are $0.88 per lb at Giant), here are some tasty looking recipes:

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

Apple Ricotta Pancakes


Apple Bread


Cabbage, Apple, Walnut Salad


Apple Chutney


Apple Dumplings


Tarte Tatin

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Friday, October 2, 2009 - Items on Sale at Harris Teeter




Big reason to go to Harris Teeter this week...Fryer Chicken for $0.57 a lb. Let me tell you that I have learned that buying "fryer" chicken makes a BIG difference when you are frying chicken. Yeah. I learned the hard way.

Here are some other deals at Harris Teeter this week:

Chuck Tender Roast - $2.99 per lb
Organic Chicken (thighs, wings, drumsticks) - $2.49 a lb
Cremini Mushrooms - $2.50 per package
White or Green Asparagus - $2.99 per lb
Variety of Apples - $0.99 per lb
Red Grapes - $0.99 per lb
Valencia Oranges - 5 for $3
Yellow or White Onions - $0.79 per lb
Sour Cream - $1.29 per 16 oz

Please note that each Harris Teeter location may have different specials than listed above. Check out the weekly specials at a location near you here. Also, you can have weekly specials from Harris Teeter sent directly to your email box by signing up for their E-VIC service.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Friday, October 2, 2009 - Items on Sale at Giant

Here are this week's Giant deals:

Porterhouse or T-Bone Steaks - $4.99 per lb
Center Cut Pork Chops - $2.99 per lb
Whole Chicken - $0.99 per lb
Progresso Vegetable Soup - $1 per can
Sweet Red Peppers - $1 per lb
Del Monte Vegetables - $1 per can
Chicken Wings - $1.99 (football season = buffalo wings!!!)
Hagen Dazs Ice Cream - $2.50 per pint

Please check http://www.giantfood.com/ to see the specials at your local Giant Supermarket.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 - Sale at Safeway


This week was all about good news for my family. First, my cousin Stephanie got engaged to a great guy named Ron. Then my cousin Loan announced that she and her husband Carter are expecting their first child next spring! 2010 most certainly will be year filled with family parties which means...good food!!!

Here are this week's Safeway specials:

Pork Shoulder Country Style Ribs - $0.88 per lb
T-Bone Steak - $4.99 per lb
Whole Chicken - $0.79 per lb
Jumbo Crab Clusters - $4.88 per lb
Safeway Cranberry Cocktail - $1.99 per 64oz
Lucerne Milk - $2.99 per gallon
Navel Oranges - $1 each
Asparagus (White or Green) - $2.99 per lb
Spaghetti Squash - $0.99 per lb
Green Acorn Squash - $0.99 per lb
Butternut Squash - $0.99 per lb
Broccoli Crowns - $1.49 per lb

Please note that each Safeway location is different. Please check Safeway.com to see your local specials.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Friday, September 25, 2009 - Items on Sale at Giant

Here are this week's Giant deals:

Boneless Chicken Breasts - Buy one Get one
Ground Beef (80%) - $1.99 a lb
Pork Tenderloin - $3.99 per lb
Stouffer's Frozen Entrees - $2 each (I do frown upon processed food but sometimes, coming home and having hot lasagna ready to eat in five minutes is the best thing ever.)
Philadelphia Cream Cheese - Buy one Get one
Baby Carrots - Buy one package Get one package
Autumn Royal Black Seedless Grapes - $1.49 per lb
Gala Apples - $1.29 per lb
Russet Potatoes - $0.89 per lb

Please check http://www.giantfood.com/ to see the specials at your local Giant Supermarket.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - Sale at Safeway


My co-worker Angie called her doctor to schedule a flu shot recently and was told that her doctor's office no longer offers flu shots because they don't get enough money back from the insurance company. Yet, everywhere I shop, Safeway, Giant, CVS, Costco, all have been heavily advertising sales on flu shots? I don't get it? Safeway is even advertising that you can get 10% off your grocery bill with a flu shot purchase. To some extent I'm glad these grocery stores are making the flu shot available because it makes it more accessible for those without health insurance. They don't have to pay for the doctor's time and the shot. But still, doesn't it feel backwards that you can get a flu shot at Harris Teeter and your doctors office doesn't offer it? What are your thoughts?

Here are this week's Safeway specials:

Beef Chuck Blade Roast - $1.49 per lb
Ground Beef (80%) - $1.49 per lb
Boneless Whole Pork Loin - $1.99 per lb
Broccoli - $1.00 per lb
Variety of Apples - $0.77 per lb
Boneless Shoulder Beef Rib Steak - $2.99 per lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - $2.99 per lb
Navel Oranges - $1.00 each
Barlett Pears - $1.00 per lb
Eggplant - $1.00 per lb
Celery - $1.00 each
Organic Carrots - $1.00 per lb
Russet Potatoes - $1.00 per lb

Please note that each Safeway location is different. Please check Safeway.com to see your local specials.