Michael Pollan Earth Day Special

Hey everybody,

I didn't add "Why Bother" by Michael Pollan to this morning's links, but please read if you get the chance. Thoughtful, informative, and full of solutions, it's an excellent piece on how we as individuals can and do affect the environment.

Two excerpts:

1) "The climate-change crisis is at its very bottom a crisis of lifestyle — of character, even. The Big Problem is nothing more or less than the sum total of countless little everyday choices, most of them made by us (consumer spending represents 70 percent of our economy), and most of the rest of them made in the name of our needs and desires and preferences."

2) "The single greatest lesson the garden teaches is that our relationship to the planet need not be zero-sum, and that as long as the sun still shines and people still can plan and plant, think and do, we can, if we bother to try, find ways to provide for ourselves without diminishing the world."

Happy Earth Day!

Kris

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Tuesday Megalinks

Folks, I don’t know if you knew this, but it’s not only National Jelly Bean Day and National Karaoke Week, but also National Welding Month. So get out there, pop a Buttered Popcorn, belt “Since You’ve Been Gone,” and hug the nearest guy holding a blowtorch.

AV Club: Taste Test – Nutriloaf
And you may ask yourself, “Sweet merciful crap, what is that THING?” And the Onion's answer is: “Nutriloaf, a.k.a. Prison Loaf, a.k.a. what it tastes like to have your soul whither and die inside of you.”

Casual Kitchen: More Applications of the 80/20 Rule to Diet, Food and Cooking
A sweet continuation/expansion of Dan’s original piece on the 80/20 cooking rule. He’s been on a tear lately with the recipes, too, so be sure to check one out.

Chow: Q&A Alton Brown
OO! Alton’s got a sequel to Feasting on Asphalt coming up called Feasting on Waves. It’s Alton on the sea! And after that? Feasting in Air and Space. AND? He’ll be featured in the Wii version of Iron Chef: Supreme Cuisine. Man, I love this guy.

CNN: Men eat meat, women eat veggies
A.k.a. Also - Puppies are Fuzzy and Socks Feel Nice: Things We Learned Just By Being Alive (Thanks to Get Fit Slowly for the link.)

CNN: Moms’ new battle – the food price bulge
Quick, story-based summary of nationwide saving strategies. This stuff's been all over Frugal Hacks for the last 47 years, but it's nice to see a more widespread acceptance of the frugality shebang.

The Economist: The new face of hunger
We’ve heard a lot about rising U.S. food prices lately, but they’re absolutely soaring in other corners of the globe. Basics (wheat, corn, rice) have jumped as much as 141%, and dozens of countries are in serious danger of a shortage. The really interesting part is where it all comes from: “The changes include the gentle upward pressure from people in China and India eating more grain and meat as they grow rich and the sudden, voracious appetites of western biofuels programmes, which convert cereals into fuel.” (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)

Festival of Frugality #122: On Financial Success
In clever paragraph format. Hark! The keyboard is truly mightier than the sword, good sir!

iVillage: How to Use Up Leftover Ingredients
Short’n sweet slideshow on … take a guess. It includes quite a few recipes along with the photos of gray-haired aunties opening suspiciously perfect refrigerators, so skip on over.

The Kitchn: Kitchen Spotlight – London Urchin’s Fold-Out Jewel Box
This tiny Transformer-esque galley took top honors in Apartment Therapy’s Smallest Coolest Kitchen contest last year, and with such good reason. Flat-dwellers, take notes! (P.S. The 2008 Small Cool Contest is up right now at AT, and it’s definitely way fun. East #9: Roxy’s Room to Grow is my favorite so far.)

NY Journal: Stars, Here and Elsewhere
Confidential to New Yorkers: ever wonder why a four-star Time Out eatery might only notch two stars from the New York Times? Here’s your answer. Nice breakdown of the restaurant star rating system for Michelin, the Daily News, New York Magazine and more.

New York Times: Leftovers, Yes, but Perfectly Crisp
Speaking about NYC, it looks like the frugality movement finally made it over. S’about time, Mets fans.

Pinch My Salt: Use Food Blog Search to Find the Best Recipes
Thorough, gushing review/description of Food Blog Search, an excellent, Google-sponsored search engine for blog-spawned recipes, as well as a must-see if you like pretty pictures, enjoy clever writing, and/or want to get off the AllRecipes/Epicurious/Food Network grid.

Slashfood: Jamie Oliver says lighter meals for a better chance to score
(*Bowm-chicka-bowm-bowm.*) Just another pleasant side effect to light eating. Know what I mean, baby? (*wink*)

Torontoist: Vintage Toronto Ads - How to Prevent a Domestic Disturbance
For anyone who’s ever reminisced about the good old days: Torontoist found a vintage Canadian Heinz ad that begins with the following excerpt: “Most husbands, nowadays, have stopped beating their wives…” And yes, it gets better. Crazy. (Thanks to Jezebel for the link.)

Wall Street Journal: NYC Can Force Chain Restaurants to Post Calorie Counts
Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and Burger King are gonna hafta start listing health information, which is even MORE important in light of recent findings that very few people have any idea what’s in the average fast-food sandwich. (Thanks to Consumerist for the link.)

(Photos courtesy of The Onion AV Club, Nouriche, and SMH.com.)

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Popovers and Out

There comes a time in every former dieter’s life when she takes a good, long look in her boyfriend’s full-size IKEA mirror and comes to the realization that her thighs are slightly thicker than they were a year ago, her arms a tad flabbier, and her butt, while not quite epically proportioned, is definitely nearing a novella.

It is not a fun realization.

Ask any Weight Watcher, South Beach devotee, or heaven forbid, Slim Fast quaffer, and they’ll tell you straight up: the problem with dropping pounds isn’t necessarily doing it in the first place. Rather, it’s keeping them off. Maintaining that level of discipline over the long run is, for lack of a better term, really, really hard. Some ridiculous percentage of dieters pack the bulk back on within a couple of years, and I hoped that between the blog, the cooking, and my ever-burgeoning awareness of food, I could avoid that pitfall. Alas, a few too many beers and nachos later, and I’m at a delicate crossroads. Namely, do I address this minor gain now (before it gets worse), or do I hope a future of healthy eating and raised consciousness will right my nutritional wrongs?

This isn’t the first time this has happened, either. My body’s oscillated in heft since the mid-‘90s, a 40-pound swing I’ve strived mightily to halt. In 11 years, I’ve donned everything from an itty-bitty cocktail dress to a what I’m pretty sure was a burlap sack once worn by the Incredible Hulk. And I know it’s not good. The dietary see-saw is bad for my heart, my self-esteem, and womankind in general. I don’t want to care as much as I do. But I do. For all kinds of reasons.

Which brings us to popovers? (How’s that for a segue?) I remember Ma making these for my siblings and I when we were little, and being totally stoked at how huge and puffy they grew in the oven. Soft and chewy and warm, I didn’t know until yesterday that they’re also pretty healthy for a baked good. (Thanks, Betty Crocker!) You can eat ‘em anytime, and what’s more, at $0.14 a pop(over), they’re one of the cheapest foods ever to be featured on this here blog. Sweet.

I expect I’ll be eating a lot of popovers the next few months, but I’m not sure. I’ll keep y’all updated on my gluteal magnitude, though (lucky you), and hopefully we can make some sense of it together. Whee!

Popovers
Makes 6 popovers.
Adapted from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook.

1 teaspoon shortening
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 cup skim milk
1 cup all-purpose flour (Do not use self-rising flour)
½ teaspoon salt

1) Preheat oven to 450ºF. Grease 6-cup popover pan or 6-cup muffin pan with shortening.

3) In a medium bowl, beat eggs a little. Then, add rest of ingredients and beat until smooth. (Don't go crazy - overbeating is not so good.) Split batter among pan cups. Each should be about 1/2 to 3/4 full.

3) Bake 20 minutes.

4) Drop oven to 350ºF and bake 15-20 more minutes. Popovers should be brown and puffy when finished. Remove from oven and get popovers out of pan a.s.a.p. Serve immediately.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
115 calories, 2 g fat, $0.14

Calculations
1 teaspoon shortening: 37 calories, 4 g fat, $0.02
1 egg: 74 calories, 5 g fat, $0.17
2 egg whites: 34 calories, 0.1. g fat, $0.33
1 cup skim milk: 91 calories, 0.6 g fat, $0.25
1 cup all-purpose flour: 455 calories, 1.2 g fat, $0.05
½ teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 691 calories, 10.9 g fat, $0.83
PER SERVING: 115 calories, 2 g fat, $0.14

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Comments of the Week

This week: stellar suggestions for maximizing kitchen equipment, a few great ideas for healthier mac and cheese, and the start of the Great Ranch Dressing Wars. Bring your courage ... and a salad.

As always, some comments have been edited for length.

On Mission: Light Mac and Cheese

Erica: I've also found a great way to make mac and cheese low fat is to sub in some cottage cheese. If you use 1/2 cheddar and 1/2 low-fat or 2% cottage cheese it tastes almost as cheesy. And the cottage cheese actually becomes very creamy.

Kevin: I have tried a few lower fat versions of mac and cheese. … My favourite of the ones that I tried is from a show called Eat, Shrink and be Merry.

Kristen: Whenever I made mac and cheese, I depend heavily on a roux to make it taste richer than it is. It helps a great deal with any weird clumps of cheese, and you can just toss it with hot pasta and the cheese, then stick it under the broiler for a browned top. An uber-simple roux is this: melt 2 T butter in a microwave-safe dish, then stir in 2 T flour with a fork. When it is lump-free, add 1 c milk (1% works just fine, or you can use something less skim), and heat until just bubbling around the edges. Whisk thoroughly to dissolve the flour mixture in the milk, and you'll see it start to thicken. Alternatively, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and whisk constantly until you can smell the nuttiness of the flour. Add the milk, which you've heated to just under boiling in the microwave or on a separate burner, and whisk until the mixture thickens. Season with freshly ground black pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Toss with the hot pasta and sprinkle with cheese, or add the cheese to the roux, stir to combine, and toss with pasta.

On Tuesday Megalinks

Paid Twice: Sandra Lee still sucks. She could be blind and have one leg and still suck. Maybe she's missing taste buds... maybe that's why.

On Cheap Healthy Salad Dressing: 102 Light Recipes

Hops: Ranch dressing is everything that's wrong with this country.

J. Sassydo: Agreed, hops--ranch should never have ventured forth from the hidden valley. Also, when I want to keep it light, I dress my salad with a few squeezes of lemon juice or a drizzle of good vinegar. (Berry vinegars are especially great on summer greens.) Toss in some salt and freshly ground pepper, and you're in fat-free business.

Mamacita: Don't be hatin' -- ranch dressing has its place.

On Of Cheese and Rock: Low-Fat Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Julia: I've been meaning to make my ricotta-spinach soup from True Tuscan by Cesare Casella, a fabulous cookbook, and you've inspired me to do it this weekend. It's an absolutely luscious use of part-skim ricotta cheese...does that fall under healthy? I hope so. But honestly, it's so good I don't care.

On Free Cooking Lessons Part II – A Beginner’s Guide to TV Chefs

Anonymous #1: I learned to cook from one of the early TV chefs - Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet - who passed away a few years ago and disappeared from the air severals years before that because of a bit of a scandal. He was incredibly informative and took pains to be sure to show all techniques and methods. I'm sure you must be able to get all his different series on DVD, and, as I have them, can recommend the companion books wholeheartedly. (Good call, Anonymous. Can't believe I forgot this guy. - Kris)

Anonymous #2: I'd just like to add that Ina can't go a half hour without saying "That's fabulous.” (This is TOTALLY true. It’s like her favorite word next to “Jeffrey.” - Kris)

On Finding Quality Kitchen Equipment on the Cheap

Anonymous: One thing to keep in mind is that certain pieces are WAAAY more versatile than others. Steel, NON-TEFLON cookie sheets get such a workout at our house that I have half a dozen and am always looking for two more, just to avoid having to stop cooking in the middle to wash and dry them! The other thing to remember are non-standard uses for less "necessary" items. Ramekins- the 7oz ones, or the new, 16oz "soup mugs" which are microwave and oven safe and come with a plastic lid. Why buy a jumbo-muffin pan if you have four or six 7oz ramekins? Set them on a cookie sheet for easy carrying/handling, and dont fill completely--there's no support for really big muffin tops. … 7oz ramekins are *wonderful* for making individual meatloaves or meatless quiches, and actually cook faster and more evenly in the smaller containers.

(Photo courtesy of Jupiter Images.)

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Low-Fat Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Of Cheese and Rock

Wednesday night, The Boyfriend and I jaunted off to Queens to play Rock Band with our friends A and A. I’m not a big video game fan, preferring to read, socialize, or hit myself in the head with a mallet. That said, Rock Band was the most incredibly fun game in the history of America, time, and space. Seriously, playing skee ball on a roller coaster in Oz wouldn’t even compare. I got to strum bass to a Pixies song, bang drums to an R.E.M. classic, and discovered that my vocal range most resembles that of ‘70s-era Ozzy Osbourne. Which, frankly, is a tad uncomfortable, but good to know for future karaoke parties/Black Sabbath auditions.

Our impromptu evening of RAWK curbed my cooking plans, so I was forced to make Cook’s Country Low-Fat Broccoli Cheddar Soup late last night instead. (And lemme tell you - nothing endears you to a roommate faster than running a blender at 11pm.) The soup is part of my self-imposed Use More Cheese mandate, as one of the drawbacks of writing a healthy cooking blog is the general absence of face-loving, soul-warming, high-in-fat foods like bacon, chocolate, cheese, and bacony chocolate cheese. Cooking Light’s Fresh Tomato Lasagna, Cheesy Eggplant Bake, and Light Mac and Cheese have also been also part of the effort.

Which brings us back to the soup. I liked it! It made a healthy, gloriously green side or main course, with enough frommage-y goodness to keep me from feeling like I was drinking a salad. There are, as always, a few notes:

1) Leeks are dirty, dirty birds, so they have to be cleaned pretty thoroughly before adding to a recipe. I use Lidia Bastianich’s method, which can be found here.

2) I didn’t puree the soup well enough at first, which resulted in something not unlike leaf-strewn rainwater. It took a few minutes on ICE CRUSH to finally get a smooth consistency, but the extra choppage was worth it in the end.

3) Both leeks and broccoli were pretty pricey in my ‘hood this week, and I’m betting that better shoppers could make this schlamiel for about two bucks cheaper.

Cook’s Country kindly provided the nutritional information, so only the price calculations are listed below. Happy weekend, everybody! (And go play Rock Band. Seriously. Now. Run.)

Low-Fat Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Makes 6 (large) servings
Adapted from Cook's Country.
Note: I know this picture is terrible. Please, please make it anyway. You won't be sorry.

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1-1/2 pounds broccoli, florets chopped, stems peeled and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or veggie)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¾ cup fat-free evaporated milk
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
salt and pepper

1) In a large pot over medium heat, warm butter until melted. Add leeks and broccoli stems. Cook around 8 minutes, or until both are a tiny bit soft. Add garlic. Cook about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. It will look like this:

Add broth and water. Jack up heat until everything starts to boil. When that happens, drop heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer around 8 minutes, or until broccoli stalks are pretty soft. Then, add broccoli florets. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes, until those are tender, too.

2) Kill heat. Add soup to blender. Blend/puree the heck out of it, until there are no broccoli bits left. I can't emphasize this enough: it should be totally, completely smooth. Add mustard, milk, and cheese to blender. "Puree until cheese is melted." Salt and pepper to taste. (You can do this in two batches. Whatever you do CC says, "make sure to fill your blender no more than halfway with hot soup.")

Very special note: this soup will last a few days in the fridge, but be careful reheating. Boiling it will cause the cheese to do weird things, so cook leftovers over medium-low.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
210 calories, 11 g fat, $1.34

Calculations
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter: $0.05
2 leeks, white and light green parts only: $2.00
1-1/2 pounds broccoli: $2.97
2 garlic cloves: $0.06
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth: $1.00
1 cup water: FREE
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard: $0.18
¾ cup fat-free evaporated milk: $0.37
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup): $1.25
salt and pepper: $0.03
TOTAL: $8.01
PER SERVING: $1.34

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CHG Favorites of the Week

Hey everbody! I learned how to embed videos! Well, actually reader Hops taught me because I'm 30 and don't understand this newfangled technology stuff. Now, if there's anyone out there that can explain the flashing "12:00" on my alarm clock ...

Blog of the Week
My Recycled Bags
After a few seconds on this site, you too will be pretty amazed at what Cindy can do with a few dozen used plastic grocery bags, and how cute they can look when they’re repurposed the right way. She’s also newly diagnosed with breast cancer, so if you can pop over and lend a few words of support and/or “Wow! Nice bags!” it would be awesome.

Comedy of the Week
"Cookie Monster Searches Deep Within Himself and Asks: Is Me Really Monster?" at McSweeney's
Oh man – HILARIOUS. An excerpt: “Snuffleupagus not supposed to exist—woolly mammoths extinct. His very existence monstrous. Me least like monster. Me maybe have unhealthy obsession, but me no monster.” Many, many thanks to reader Beanalby for the link.

Quote of the Week
"As you know, the hot dog was invented in America when a family of raccoons wandered into a toothpaste factory." – Stephen Colbert

Service Organization of the Week
Canstruction
This is dead brilliant, and it’s a bit difficult to get all the details right, so I’ll let the site do it: “Canstruction is a design/build competition currently held in cities throughout North America. Teams of architects, engineers, and students mentored by these professionals, compete to design and build giant structures made entirely from full cans of food. The results are displayed to the public as magnificent sculpture exhibits in each city where a competition is held. At the close of the exhibitions all of the canned food used in the structures is donated to local food banks for distribution to emergency feeding programs that include pantries, soup kitchens, elderly and day care centers.” How neat is that?

Tip of the Week
Kings County’s local ant population decided to convene at our back door this past weekend. It wasn’t terrible, as Brooklyn ants are pretty laconic, preferring to smoke, swear, and whistle at 16-year-olds rather than lay siege to our food, but it did necessitate a terrible killing spree, along with 14,000 pounds of boric acid mashed into various household crevices. (Poisonous! But effective!) In retrospect, I would have been a lot better reading this post at Get Rich Slowly before totally losing my mind.

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Tube-Shaped Pasta with Wild Mushrooms at Serious Eats
Simple, filling, and still bizarrely Spring-y, I bet you could do this with button mushrooms and a little less olive oil and still get a pretty decent meal. Anybody wanna give it a shot?

Video of the Week
“Lips Like Sugar” by Echo and the Bunnymen
Ladies and, uh, the one gentleman that reads the blog … it’s time to muss your hair, don a black peacoat, and start gazing at your navel, because the BUNNYMEN are here. Yes, the BUNNYMEN. ALL HAIL THE BUNNYMEN. (*dances*) Woot!



Special Extra Bonus Video That Has Absolutely Nothing to Do With Food … of the Week:
The Collected Wisdom of Angela Chase
If any of you, like, hit high school in the mid-‘90s, odds are Claire Danes was, like, thinking everything you were, like, thinking. About life. About love. About school. About how Jordan Catalano’s hair hit his jawline at juuust the right angle. About how your mom is always, like, doing things that annoy you. About how Rayanne needs to cut back on the booze a little bit. About how Tino probably doesn’t exist. Anyway, like, these are her insights, and you should, like, watch them. (Thanks to Jezebel for the link.)

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Cheap, Healthy Salad Dressing: 102 Light Recipes

Ah, Spring - the birds are singing, the trees are budding, the construction next door has resumed, the writers’ strike is over, and last but not least, salad season is finally upon us. So gather ‘round, my leafy green-lovin’ compatriots, and let’s talk dressing.

Much like marinades and mixes, making your own salad dressing is a frugal, delicious, and preservative-free exercise. The problem, alas, is the fat content, as homemade toppings generally contain a small tureen of olive oil. While the heart-healthy liquid can have enormous health benefits in moderation, let’s face it – sometimes you just want (need?) to pile the stuff on.

Subsequently, as a naked salad is a dinnertime tragedy, listed below are 102 recipes for lightened dressings of all colors, shapes, consistencies, and flavors. They come from a variety of sources, including Eating Well and Cooking Light, both of which have dozens more deep within their recipe pages. And for those of you wishing to branch out? Fatfree.com is another excellent resource, and includes a long inventory of options that haven't been added here. If anyone out there knows of other neato sites, please share! (The comment section is waiting for your call.)

Oh yeah - one more thing: many of the dressings have good-to-excellent ratings on their home sites, but I haven’t tried a single one myself. Thus, this a strictly try-at-your-own-risk adventure. (A saladventure?) Like an Indiana Jones movie, only with lettuce.

Now, go forth and eat salad!

Asian-inspired Dressings
Cooking Light: Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette
Epicurious: Spicy Vietnamese Dressing
Mayo Clinic: Ginger-Miso Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Asian Ginger Dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressings
Cooking Light: Balsamic Vinaigrette
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serious Eats: Light Balsamic Vinaigrette

Blue Cheese Dressings
All Recipes/Taste of Home: Low-Fat Blue Cheese Dressing
Cooking Light: Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
Cooking Light: Blue Cheese-Buttermilk Dressing
Eating Well: Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
Epicurious: Blue Cheese Dressing

Buttermilk Dressings
Epicurious: Buttermilk Dressing
Mayo Clinic: Buttermilk Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Cayenne Buttermilk Dressing

Caesar Dressings
Alton Brown: No Guilt Caesar Dressing
Cooking Light: Caesar Dressing
Cooking Light: Creamy Caesar Dressing
Eating Well: Caesar Salad Dressing

Curry Dressings
All Recipes/USA Weekend: Non-Fat Curry Dressing
Epicurious: Curry Dressing
King County: Curry Dressing

French Dressings
CD Kitchen: Low-Calorie French Dressing
Eating Well: French Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Makeover Creamy French Dressing

Fruit-based Dressings
All Recipes: Orange Vinaigrette
All Recipes: Raspberry Vinaigrette
Cooking Light: Citrus Vinaigrette
Cooking Light: Cranberry Vinaigrette
Cooking Light: Vanilla-Pear Vinaigrette
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Ginger Orange Dressing
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Raspberry Vinegar Dressing
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Garlic-Lemon Dressing
Eating Well: Moroccan-Spiced Lemon Dressing
Eating Well: Orange-Oregano Dressing
Eating Well: Orange-Sesame Dressing
Ellie Krieger: Apple Cider Dressing
Epicurious: Creamy Lemon Dressing
Epicurious: Creamy Mango Dressing
Epicurious: Grapefruit-Ginger Dressing
Epicurious: Tangerine Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Honey Lime Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Lemon, Orange, and Dill Salad Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Lemon Yogurt Vinaigrette
Recipe Zaar: Orange Honey Vinaigrette
Recipe Zaar: Strawberry Vinaigrette

Green Goddess Dressings
Cooking Light: Green Goddess Dressing
Epicurious: Green Goddess Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Green Goddess Salad Dressing

Herb-based Dressings
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Basil Vinaigrette
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Creamy Herb Dressing
Eating Well: Creamy Tarragon Dressing
Epicurious: Creamy Basil Dressing
Epicurious: Mint Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Dijon Herb Dressing

Honey Mustard & Mustard Dressings
All Recipes: Mustard Salad Dressing
Alton Brown: Honey Mustard Dressing
Cooking Light: Creole Honey Mustard Dressing
Cooking Light: Dijon Vinaigrette
Cooking Light: Honeyed Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Honey-Mustard Dressing
Epicurious: Honey-Mustard Dressing
Kathleen Daeleman: Mustard Vinaigrette
Recipe Zaar: Creamy Mustard Dressing

Italian Dressings
All Recipes: Italian Dressing Mix
Juan Carlos Cruz: Creamy Italian Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Creamy Italian Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Italian Dressing

Poppy Seed Dressings
Cooks Recipes: Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Lowfat Poppyseed Dressing

Russian Dressings
Eating Well: Russian Dressing
Geocities: Russian Dressing – Low-Fat
Geocities: Russian Dressing Lo-Cal

Ranch Dressings
All Recipe/Taste of Home: Low-Fat Ranch Dressing
Cooking Light: Ranch Dressing
Eating Well: Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Eating Well: Creamy Dill Ranch Dressing
Ellie Krieger: Ranch Dressing
Epicurious: Low-Fat Herbed Ranch Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Creamy Ranch Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Ranch Dressing

Thousand Island Dressings
Cooking Light: Thousand Island Dressing
Epicurious: Low-Fat Thousand Island Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Extreme Low-Fat Thousand Island Dressing
Sara Moulton: Low Fat Thousand Island Dressing

Vegetable-based Dressings
Cooking Light: Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette
Cooking Light: Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Creamy Garlic and Chive Dressing
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette
Epicurious: Creamy Chive Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Creamy Cucumber Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Onion Garlic Low Cal Salad Dressing

Other Dressings
Cooking Light: Honey Vinaigrette
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Basic Vinaigrette
Eating Well: Creamy Feta Dressing
Eating Well: Warm Maple Dressing
Ellie Krieger: Greek Dressing
Epicurious: Tamarind Dressing
Epicurious: Tasty Diet Dressing
Recipe Zaar: Golden Middle-East Dressing

(Photos courtesy of DNROnline.)

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Tuesday Megalinks: The Ides of April Edition

Chocolate & Zucchini: On Greens, and How to Keep Them Fresh
One genius’ strategy for preserving leafy thingies. Hint: paper towels are involved, so go grab some Brawny. (Thanks to Slashfood for the link.)

Chow: “By the Way, I’m Vegan”
Really interesting piece on how upscale restaurants deal with dietary restrictions. Turns out, folks with severe (life-threatening) food allergies are using something called The Card, which can be passed around the kitchen so nobody’s accidentally killed by a stray nut. (Speaking of – I knew a guy once with a severe peanut allergy. You couldn’t eat and shake his hand without washing in between, or it would seriously put his life in danger. That's, um, nuts. [Sorry.])

Culinate: Butter me up
How could something so deleterious to our arteries ameliorate our moods to such a degree? (Translation: How could something so dang bad taste so dang good?) Debra Gwartney explores her personal relationship with churned milk.

Festival of Frugality #121: Rather Be Shopping
Ah, the Tax Day edition. Happy April 15th, everybody! (And thanks to Kyle for making The Hour: How 60 Minutes a Week Can Save Hundreds of Dollars on Food an editor's pick! Yay!)

Frugal Upstate: Making Maple Syrup
Delicious, natural french toast topping, straight from Jenn’s driveway. This looks so neat, I guarantee you’re gonna wanna lick a tree afterward.

The Kitchn: How to Sear Meat
I originally, mistakenly read this as “How to Sear Men,” and wondered briefly if The Kitchn was dabbling in cannibalism. It didn't help that the very next post was about having an old friend for dinner. (Muahahahahahaha.)

The Kitchn: What Should I Do With These Lemons?
Because there’s only so much lemonade and lemon bars one can tolerate. (Hm. On second thought, that’s patently false. I think, if given the choice, I could survive on lemonade and lemon bars for about 400 years. There’s no downside here.)

Make it From Scratch Festival: This Wasn’t in the Plan
Alison takes over festival duties this week, and the very first post is about Cindy's super-sweet looking messenger bag made from spare plastic sacks. It's the ultimate in recycling, people!

MSNBC: Smallest salad wins in friendly food battle
Boy, this makes me crazy. Ladies (and gents), EATING IS NOT A COMPETITION. (Er, unless you’re a pro competitive eater, a la Kobayashi.) Please, go out there and have a burrito.

New York Times: Latest College Reading Lists – Menus with Pho and Lobster
Wow. This beats the everloving crap out of what we ate at school. More Broccoli Cheesebake and Turkey Tetrazzini, freshmen? (If you’re good, there’s a side of tots in it for you.)

Serious Eats: A Change of Heart Concerning Sandra Lee
Hm. It looks like Lee’s Chefography special might have softened some attitudes toward her. She DID pull her family through some pretty tough times, so maybe she’s not all bad?

Serious Eats: The Boundless Value of Disposable Chopsticks
Chopsticks: they’re not just for hunks of raw fish anymore. S.E. has eight creative uses for free sticks, plus a few other suggestions for random bits and pieces located around the kitchen.

Serious Eats: Tips for Enjoyable Drinking Without Going Broke
A few nice tricks for the teetotalers in your life. Best idea: don’t use good liquor for mixed drinks. High-quality booze should be sipped on its own anyway, and milk/mix will dilute the fabulousness.

Simple Dollar: Eight Questions About the Current State of the Economy and How it Affects You
This has very little to do with food, but it’s a MONSTER post nonetheless. Trent explains in layman’s terms the ins and outs of the subprime mortgage crisis, and what it will mean to Joe Sixpack. A must-read.

Slashfood: Breast milk cheese, anyone?
Is it a delicacy? The ultimate in frugality? Or a terrible, terrible hoax? (Please don’t try this at home to see.)

Wired: How to Shop and Eat Locally
Brief, informative article on CSAs and 100-mile grocery plans. This is a great magazine, by the way, whether you're a World of Warcraft player or just a secret mad scientist. (Thanks to Lifehacker for the link.)

Wise Bread: Eight Natural Ways to Make Water More Flavorful
Does hydrogen dioxide bore you? Could your daily hydration use a little more je ne sais quoi? Should throwing back some aqua bring on such endless bouts of ennui? Never fear – Wise Bread is here, with a few boss tricks to jazz up your Evian.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr members cookthinker, foodmuse, and smokeyrockford.)

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Mission: Light Macaroni and Cheese

I’m sitting on our futon watching Diary of a Mad Black Woman because I’m not only a gigantic sucker for Tyler Perry melodramas (you GO Madea), but I’m also too dang full to move. Our friends F and H were just here with their giggly, grabby nine-month-old, and we feasted together for the first time since the little guy started teething. (Which? Looks like it hurts. I’m kind of glad I don’t remember it.) The vittles, which were plentiful, included biscuits, Barefoot Contessa’s Roasted Carrots, and my lightened version of Alton Brown’s Stove Top Mac-and-Cheese.

Now, I know mac and cheese is NOT exactly health chow. But I love it more than any other food, including sushi, M&Ms, and even sweet potatoes, for which I would gladly give up my first-born. (“My beautiful child? The joy of my life? For a barbecued yam? … Deal.”) In fact, my passion for the dish is surpassed only by my adoration for Alton, so I was highly, HIGHLY hesitant to mess with the man’s recipe. But 37 grams of fat per serving seemed excessive, especially for H, who’s trying to drop some baby weight now that her boobs are finally returning to semi-normal. (a.k.a. Leaving the Land of the Nursing.)

This was my third shot at lightening this dish, and this time around, I think I got it. At least, it’s the best lower-fat mac and cheese I’ve ever had, and it stands up pretty well to full-fat versions. A few notes on the process:

1) To cut the caloric load, I reduced the butter by half, used egg whites instead of whole eggs, subbed in fat-free for whole evaporated milk, and grated six ounces of reduced fat cheddar cheese instead of eight ounces of full-fat. If my calculations are correct, these steps slashed about one-third of the calories, and 58% of the fat off Alton’s recipe. If my calculations are incorrect … hey! Look over there! A shiny thing! (*runs away*)

2) At first, I tried this with pre-shredded cheese. No good. It made the sauce floury and bland. The next batch contained cheddar grated from a block of Cracker Barrel ten minutes before it was added to the sauce mixture. This was MUCH better-tasting and made for a smoother consistency as well. Aces.

3) I paid a ridiculous amount for the cheese because I A) wanted a better-quality frommage, and B) was so eager to try the dish that I didn’t bother to wait for a sale. Thusly, I have broken the Rules of Frugality, and am available for flogging on Wednesday nights after Idol.

4) If I had to make one change at all, I’d add a little more salt. A half-teaspoon might be too much, but a quarter couldn’t hurt.

And that's it. If anybody out there has another stellar, inexpensive recipe for light mac and cheese, I’d LOVE to see (and try!). I entreaty you to please, please pass it on in the comment section - because the search for a good mac and cheese is the noblest search of all.

Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
3 main servings or 6 side servings
Adapted from Alton Brown.

8 oz elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 egg whites
½ cup fat free evaporated milk
A few dashes cayenne pepper (a little hot sauce will also work.)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
½ tablespoon dijon mustard
6 ounces reduced fat block sharp cheddar, grated by hand (Cracker Barrel 2% rules here.)

1) Boil elbows in salted water until al dente. Drain. Turn heat to low and add pasta back to pot. Add butter and melt, stirring constantly to coat macaroni.

2) In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, cayenne, salt, pepper, and mustard with a whisk. Pour into pasta. Stir. Add cheese. Stir until sauce is creamy and cheese is totally incorporated, about 3 or 4 minutes. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
Main: 570 calories, 20.1 g fat, $1.50
Side: 285 calories, 10.5 g fat, $0.75

Calculations
8 oz elbow macaroni: 811 calories,4.1 g fat, $0.50
2 tablespoons unsalted butter: 204 calories, 23 g fat, $0.11
2 egg whites: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.30
½ cup fat free evaporated milk: 113 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
¼ - ½ teaspoon hot sauce: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
¾ teaspoon kosher salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
Fresh black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
½ tablespoon dijon mustard: 7 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
6 ounces reduced fat block sharp cheddar: 540 calories, 36 g fat, $3.22
TOTAL: 1709 calories, 63.2 g fat, $4.51
PER SERVING MAIN (TOTAL/3): 570 calories, 20.1 g fat, $1.50
PER SERVING SIDE (TOTAL/6): 285 calories, 10.5 g fat, $0.75

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Comments of the Week

(Hi there, everybody coming over from Money Saving Mom. Very happy to have you, and please feel free to look around and e-mail me with questions or suggestions. Thanks for the linkage, Crystal!)

This week, Jaime lightens her brownies, Linda flings some fruit, and Ms. Meaghan sounds off on Billy Corgan and Co. Plus, lotsa hardcore shoppers share their grocery-buying strategies for the good of all.

As always, some comments have been edited for length.

On CHG Favorites of the Week

Laura: Heh. Yeah, I was like, fourteen when I finally realized that *none* of Cookie Monster's cookies were going in.

On Tuesday Megalinks

Linda: OK, I confess. I think I tried the citrus fruit slinging thing. Now I feel much better.

Jaime: In hopes of getting some pumpkin flavor, I replaced all 2/3 c of oil with pumpkin puree. Used 2 eggs and 1/4 c water as directed. I've never made applesauce-for-oil brownies, so I don't have a lot to compare - I also am a novice brownie maker - and this might just be lame brownie mix, but they're not impressive. (Or pumpkiny!) Flat, dense, sticky, yet still sorta dry. Definitely not fudgey. … Half oil half pumpkin probably would've worked better.

On We’ve Got the Means to Make Amends: Cooking Light’s Fresh Tomato Lasagna

Liz: Sometimes Cooking Light cracks me up. Call it 8 servings instead of 6, and it's "light!"

Ms. Meghan: I still listen to the Smashing Pumpkins, which were my version of Pearl Jam. And a good portion of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" sends a chill down my spine when I hear it. I also heard "Caress Me Down" by Sublime on the radio the other day, and I had an intense flashback to being 13 and wishing I knew Spanish.

On The Hour: How 60 Minutes a Week Can Save Hundreds of Dollars on Food

Karen: Make sure coupons are really saving you money. … I found that they don't save money for me - I just don't buy many items that are coupon-able. Being a geek, I calculated it out with a spreadsheet a couple of years ago. I compared the price with coupon to the price I'd normally pay (so if I normally buy the store brand, I'd compare the store brand price to the price of the name brand with coupon). I kept track over three months, and by the end, I had saved some money. But once I factored in the price of the newspaper (which I normally don't buy), I ended up losing money. I decided it wasn't worth it. The caculation would be different if I could have gotten coupons for free, or if I bought more "couponable" foods.

Aryn: I like to keep my weekly menus in a little notebook so I can go back and see whether we've eaten a particular dish in the last month or two. That way I don't make jerk chicken with homemade tortilla chips and fruit two weeks in a row. I also have a magnetic list on the fridge where we write down anything we run out of or are about to run out of (like margarine, which I don't use and therefore don't think to check.)

Aahzmandius Karrde: The list is where I go to the extreme. I have a spreadsheet setup that I record what aisle the items are in, including a lookup table that tells me what order I hit those aisles in. After I mark the items I need,I sort by needed then order. So as I go through the store I pretty much check things off top to bottom. Avoids having to backtrack in the store and gets me to the checkout faster.

Brian: I recently created an Excel-based “menu planner” for recording the circular deals, a spot to create the weekly menu and a couple other items to help with store shopping. If anyone’s interested, feel free to look at it at Weekly Menu Planner.xls. (See comment section for this. – Kris) I have it up on the computer when I go through the circulars and recipe sites, print out the results as a grocery list, and hang it on the fridge as a daily reminder of what we planned to eat.

Monica: Don't forget about "Manager's Specials" on items nearing their sell-by dates. I routinely get bread, cheese, and sometimes meats and produce for 50-75% off this way.

Sarah: My Hour happens once a month - I look at my list of meals (inspirations plus last month's meals and seasonal favorites), select about 20-25 (lasts a month with some meals that provide leftovers), and then make my lists - Farm, Aldi, Walmart, Fresh foods ordered by meal. Print my text file of menu / shopping lists / recipes, and I'm set for a month. It is probably more than an hour, but I'd rather spend more time at the computer planning and less time in the store overall.

(Photo courtesy of sanseverything.)

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Cheesy Eggplant Bake: The Power OF WORDS

Last night was full of good things: warm(ish) weather, the return of The Office and 30 Rock, a solid $4.99 Shiraz from Trader Joe’s, and most of all, the regrettably-named Cheesy Eggplant Bake.

As an ex-English teacher, I’m somewhat aware of the power of language. Only, I don’t think I knew how much it could affect food until Cheesy Eggplant Bake. (P.S. I will be repeating the phrase “Cheesy Eggplant Bake” as many times as possible in the following paragraphs. Because I can!) Cheesy Eggplant Bake is a simple, delicious five-star vegetarian dish from AllRecipes. It should have hundreds of reviews, but alas – only 10 decorate its lonely page. Why, I ask. Why?

Is it the picture? Nope. Stunningly (for AllRecipes, anyway), the accompanying photo makes Cheesy Eggplant Bake look alluringly tasty.

What about the ingredients? Nope. Cheap, plentiful, and way healthy, especially if you have a garden.

Could the similarly-monikered Cheesy Baked Eggplant be hogging all the glory? Er … nuh unh.

It’s gotta be the name. There’s no other explanation for it. Who the crap wants to eat anything named Cheesy Eggplant Bake? You might as well call it Vegetables in a Dish with Stuff on Top, because it would elicit about the same level of temptation. Y’know – let’s put it this way: if Cheesy Eggplant Bake was listed on Epicurious as Deconstructed Ratatouille with Mushrooms and Mozzarella, people would get wind burns in the rush to the kitchen.

But hear this, my lovelies: ignore the name. You gotta try this thing. It’s a winnah, and the servings are HUGE so there's no need to pair them with another food (though pasta could be a good side if needed). And while the AllRecipes version would be totally fine, you can lessen the caloric impact by cutting one tablespoon of olive oil, substituting two egg whites for two whole eggs, and using part-skim shredded mozzarella instead of full-fat slices. (Those directions are below.)

Readers – how ‘bout you? Have you ever had a really great meal with a wildly awful name? Or vice versa? Do tell. (And try the Cheesy Eggplant Bake!)

Cheesy Eggplant Bake
6 servings
Adapted from All Recipes.

1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg + 2 egg whites
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
6 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1) Slice eggplant crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. Arrange rounds in a colander in your sink and sprinkle salt all over them. Walk away for half an hour. When finished, "rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels."

2) While eggplant is sitting, combine bread crumbs, garlic salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on a plate. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk eggs. When eggplant is done, douse each slice in the egg mixture. Then dip in the bread crumb mixture to coat. Shake off any excess and/or drippy-ness.

3) In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook a few rounds until browned, about 2 minutes per side. When finished, arrange in 13x9-inch baking dish. Repeat for second batch.

4) Preheat oven to 350°F.

5) Heat last 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, onion, and mushrooms. Cook until onion is softening and pepper is crisp/tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top eggplant with mixture. Add tomatoes on top of that, spreading evenly.

6) Cover with tin foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and take off tin foil. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake another 25 or 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and a little brown. Serve to applause.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
260 calories, 11.2 g fat, $1.41

Calculations
1 medium eggplant: 110 calories, 0.9 g fat, $1.41
2 teaspoons salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs: 330 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.45
1 tablespoon garlic salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.06
1/2 teaspoon pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 eggs + 2 egg whites: 108 calories, 5.1 g fat, $0.45
2 tablespoons olive oil: 237 calories, 26.8 g fat, $0.20
1 large green pepper: 33 calories, 0.3 g fat, $0.74
1 medium onion: 46 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.20
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms: 50 calories, 0.8 g fat, $1.50
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes: 214 calories, 1.6 g fat, $1.58
6 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded: 432 calories, 27.1 g fat, $1.83
TOTAL: 1560 calories, 67.2 g fat, $8.45
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 260 calories, 11.2 g fat, $1.41

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CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
Home Ec 101
Worth a visit for the graphics alone, Ivy and Heather's cooking/cleaning/snarking blog is a neato source for not only the domestically challenged, but their pearl-necklace-and-apron-sporting older sisters, as well. Far out!

Book of the Week (That I Can’t Stop Blathering About)
A Cook’s Tour by Anthony Bourdain
Sweet, sweet readers – I know I’ve gone on ad nauseum about this travelogue the last few weeks, but I swear on all that’s good and true, it’s totally worth it. Please, do yourself a favor and check it out of the library RIGHT NOW. Bourdain writes circles around every person who’s ever picked up a pen, living or dead (except maybe Philip Roth), and this particular novel will make you want to head to Cambodia and eat cobra hearts immediately.

Comedy of the Week
“Hey Food” by Cookie Monster and the Sesame Street Beetles
From the creators of “Letter B” comes this pro-comestible performance by a few mop-top muppets (moppets?) and the estimable Mr. Monster. Speaking of, did anyone else, when they were little, think he was actually eating those cookies? I did, and couldn’t understand how he did it without a tongue. Mysterious!

Organization of the Week
Idol Gives Back
Ain’t nothing like a star-studded quasi-telethon to get America’s hearts in a giving mood. This year’s Simon-sponsored extravaganza will benefit Children’s Defense Fund, The Children’s Health Fund, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Make it Right, Malaria No More, and Save the Children. Check out this page for a phone number, address, and donation link.

Quote of the Week
“If life gives you lemons, make some kind of fruity juice.” - Conan O'Brien

Tip of the Week
To save storage bags when freezing smaller cuts of meat, place the first piece in the bag and squeeze out the air. Then, fold the remaining part of the bag over, insert the second piece, and seal. If it’s kept folded during the freezing process, there should be a partition of air between the two meats.

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Michael Anthony’s Fork-Crushed Purple Majesty Potatoes at Smitten Kitchen
Oh my my, aren’t these just the prettiest things you ever done seen? I do declare, they’re purpler than Prince himself. And they probably taste better, too. (Addendum: the Michael Anthony in question is Michael Anthony the chef, not Michael Anthony the bassist from Van Halen.)

Video of the Week
“Pour Some Sugar on Me” – Def Leppard
Ahhhhh, the anthems of my tween years. Who amongst us hasn’t jammed out to this at their 8th grade Halloween Dance? (Um … younger readers, don’t answer that.)

(Special extra bonus joke:
Q: What has nine arms and sucks?
A: Def Leppard)

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The Hour: How 60 Minutes a Week Can Save Hundreds of Dollars on Food

Since I started reading personal finance and food blogs about a year-and-a-half ago, I’ve tried dozens of new dishes, learned an obscene amount about index funds, and discovered that no topic on Earth drives women into a commenting frenzy like overpriced bridesmaid dresses. Yet mostly, I think more than anything else, I’ve realized how to save money and eat well at the same time.

For this, I owe tons of thanks to destinations like Money Saving Mom and Like Merchant Ships, who have long advocated things like grocery lists and menu planning. This kind of stuff never occurred to me in my early ‘20s, and The Boyfriend and I are much better for it now. We eat like the dickens and haven’t had to sell any major organs to finance peanut butter purchases (lately).

Yet, as our needs are ever-changing and Brooklyn is Brooklyn, I’ve gradually created my own system. Basically, it’s a mish-mash of everything I’ve ever read online (excluding Office recaps), crammed into an hour. And it might not work for some. But for others – it’s exciting! And it could save hundreds of bucks a month! And if you’re interested in trying it, the process is spelled out below! Woof.

Ah – but before your first Hour begins, a few preliminary steps are necessary. These may seem like a pain in the tuchus now, but they’re vital, and after they’re completed, things will run much smoother.

1. Go through your fridge, kitchen cabinets, pantry, and any other food storage areas of your humble abode. Make mental notes of the staples you own, and chuck or donate anything that A) you can’t identify, B) is in an advanced state of decay or mummification, and/or C) is old enough to be carbon dated.


2. If you don’t already know, do a quick Google search to find out which two acceptable grocery stores are located nearest to you. Make sure they have online circulars, note which day of the week they come out, and be sure to sign up for any discount cards or rewards programs next time you’re in the store.


3. Find some form of coupon source, whether it’s through the Sunday paper or a website (Coupons.com, Smartsource.com, etc.). Many of the online sites require the download of a special printer program, but they’re not terribly invasive.

Once you have these steps accomplished, it’s time to get rolling on your Hour. So, find a quiet spot, plug in your Macbook, jack up your iPod (to 11 of course), and start your timers.

00:00 – 00:15
SCAN THE ONLINE CIRCULARS
In general, a supermarket’s biggest sales are found in its weekly circulars. The most steeply discounted items, called “loss leaders,” usually go for well under the regular price, since they’re used to lure customers into stores. They also tend to include produce, meat, dairy, and staples, which are healthier than processed foods.

Use the first 15 minutes of The Hour to comb each of your two selected circulars, and record sale prices ONLY for items you willingly eat. Look especially for staple items, so you can stockpile. Your list can have any format, but here’s a sample of mine:

Pathmark
Beans (Goya 14 oz cans) – 2/$1
Bread (Arnolds) – 2/$4
Carrots - $0.59/lb
Cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios 17oz) – 2/$5
Chicken (boneless, skinless breast) - $1.99/lb
Flour (Gold Medal 5lb) - $1.99
Mushrooms - $1.50/lb

Food Lion
Cereal (GM 13-17oz) – 4/$6
Grapes - $0.98/lb
Oranges – 10/$2
Red Onions - $0.59/lb
Pasta (Ronzoni 16oz) – 2/$1

Of this list, you may only be in the mood for carrots, chicken, grapes, mushrooms, oranges, and pasta. However, you might also consider buying beans, flour, and cereal, as you’ll probably use them in the future, and it’s rare to see such good prices. (Incidentally, a great side effect of writing all those numbers down: you’ll have a better idea of what food CAN cost versus what it USUALLY costs.)

Oh, and no worries if you prefer to visit one supermarket per week. You’ll generally get better prices if you try two, but with gas costs being what they are …

00:16 – 00:30
CLIP AND ORGANIZE COUPONS
Lotsa bloggers consider coupons a waste of time, as their primary function is to get consumers to purchase goods they wouldn’t have otherwise. Yet, when applied carefully, coupons can be a great boon to one’s savings. The trick is to A) pair them with sales, and B) only clip ‘em for stuff you already use.

For instance, in this week’s Key Food circular, four boxes of GM-brand cereal were being sold for $6, total. I had two coupons for $1 off, meaning my final cost for the whole shebang was $4. They normally would have gone for about $16. Not too shabby, yo.

If you have the time, you might find it useful to gather coupons from the newspaper AND a few websites, of which Coupons.com is particularly good. One caveat, though – if you decide to print them off your computer, make sure your grocery store(s) accept(s) them. One of mine doesn’t. It’s a bummer. (Yeah, I’m talkin’ ta you, KEY FOOD.)

00:31 – 00:45
STEP 3: PLAN A WEEKLY MENU
Based on what’s on sale and what you already have stocked, draw up a menu strategy for the upcoming seven days. It’ll prevent you from ordering out, and give you an idea of exactly how much food you need, keeping waste to a minimum.

This week, since chicken breasts are going for $1.99/lb and mushrooms are $1.50, you might want to make Light Chicken and Mushroom Marsala one night for dinner. For breakfast another day, maybe try French Toast, since you have eggs and syrup, and loaves of bread are on sale for $2. Anything goes, and you can use All Recipes, Epicurious, or Food Network to search for recipes.

When writing it up, your menu can be as simple as this:

Monday
B: cereal & fruit
L: PB&J & granola bars
D: Chicken, rice & carrots

Or as complex as this:

Monday
B: Me (cereal, soy milk, grapes), TB (cereal, soy milk)
L: Me (leftovers, orange), TB (sandwich, grapes, popcorn)
D: TB & Me (Light Chicken and Mushroom Marsala, rice)

For more examples try here, here, or here.

00:46 – 00:60
STEP 4: CREATE A GROCERY LIST
Finally, the easy part. When you have an idea of what you have, what you need, and what you want to make, it’s time to create a grocery list. It should include the sale items, plus any other ingredients needed, but not much else. Then, go forth and start buyin'. Just remember, STICK TO THE LIST. It’ll keep you from purchasing extraneous, overpriced, last-minute items that your roommate will eat anyway.

And that’s it. Hour’s done. Admittedly, this procedure might take more than 60 minutes the first few weeks. But once you get the knack, it’ll flow like mad. And the savings will be plentiful. Personally, I save more on weekly groceries than either of us make at work in an hour, which makes the process totally worth it.

If anyone decides to try The Hour, I’d love to hear constructive criticism, but in the meantime, readers – any suggestions? Do you see anything I could add? Or anything I could take away for streamlining purposes? The comments are open!

(Photos courtesy of Flickr member toriloveskitty, jupiter images and raw story.)

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