Dinner: Wednesday, January 21

Classic Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Crusty Peasant Loaf
Total Cost: $4.75

Beef was on sale this week. I'm not much of a meat eater, but I do love the flavor that meat imparts to the food it mingles with.

Rule #1 (The only beef rule) Never cook a slab of beef in the oven--it ends up dry and tough. Just ask your mother-in-law. The only way to cook beef is in a crockpot, with lots of onions, carrots, potatoes, and celery. And a squirt of ketchup. Let that cook on high for a few hours (or on low for a few more hours) and you'll have perfectly done meat, perfectly cooked veggies and a dinner that took you all of three and a half minutes to whip together.

All you need to top it off is a loaf of crusty peasant bread. Serve the bread whole at the table and rip off hunks to dip in the pot roast drippings. This isn't low fat, but who cares?

Dinner: Tuesday, January 20

Baked Potato Bar
Buttered Brussels Sprouts
Total Cost: $6.75

No matter how much money you have, there comes a time each day when you need to answer the question, "What's for dinner?" Last night, the answer was "Whatever is quick and easy." (Hmmm...that was the answer for the night before, as well.)

Anyway, baked potatoes are one of my favorite standby meals. They ain't never done me wrong. Here's what we did: we "baked" ten potatoes in the microwave, sliced up an onion, chopped half a bell pepper and two tomatoes, shredded some sharp cheddar, reheated a can of chili, and put out the sour cream and salsa.

We also steamed about 15-20 Brussels sprouts, and baptized them in butter with a shakey-shake of salt.

My baked potato was so loaded that I was full after just one. I loved every bite of my buttery Brussels sprouts. The whole family loved this nutrient dense meal.

Favorite dinner moment: When my six-year-old peeled the leaves off a Brussels sprout to "get to the brain". We had artichokes a while ago and he loved getting to the artichoke heart. I guess Brussels sprouts have a brain!

Dinner: Wednesday, January 7

Bacon and Spinach Quiche with Baked Potato Crust
Romaine Salad with Roma Tomatoes and Asiago
Total Cost: $3.65

For the quiche, slice up a half pound of bacon and cook it. If you're an onion-lover, then dice up a half onion and throw it in after the bacon is mostly cooked. Defrost half a 10 oz package of frozen spinach and squeeze out the liquid. In a bowl, mix 8 eggs, a cup of milk, the drained bacon, and spinach. Pour it into the--whoops! You make the crust by shredding a couple baked potatoes (quick nuke them in the 'wave) then shred them with a cheese grater, add a little bacon grease, a few Tbs. of flour and a bit of salt, then mix lightly and press into tart pan. Phew! Now you can pour the filling into the crust and bake for about 30-35 minutes at 350.

This salad is a quick classic. Cut up some lettuce. Cut up some tomatoes. Grate some mighty powerful cheese on top (Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano--these cheeses were meant to me used in small quantities). Microbrew a batch of vinaigrette and baptize your salad.

What are you having for dinner tonight? How much did it cost?