Lasagna Soup with Basil Ricotta Crème

Serves 8
Total cost: NY $23.24
Cost per serving: NY $2.90

So one of the things that drives me crazy about expensive shaped pastas like manicotti, shells and even curly-edge lasagna noodles is how I invariably end up with broken noodles in the package, no matter how carefully I carry them home from the store. The other thing that drives me crazy about these shapes is that there always seems to be a 2 or 3 noodle mismatch between what I get in a package and what the recipe calls for, leaving me with a whole box in the cabinet to house one lonely manicotti noodle, sadly wondering where all his friends ran off to. And that is precious real estate in my NYC kitchen that I cannot afford to squander.


Solution? Save up all your broken or orphaned pasta pieces until you have about 2 cups worth, then make lasagna soup. If you get impatient before you have a enough, you can use any leftover pasta shape or even, if you must, pulverize a couple of whole lasagna noodles from a full box. As long as all your pieces are of approximately the same size, the cooking time will work out. You want to aim for the size of the broken bits to be about the size of penne or rotini, which, not coincidentally, is the shape we would recommend if you don’t have enough leftover smashed pasta. (You’ll notice we didn’t have quite enough ourselves, so used some rotini from the back of the cupboard that wasn’t, on its own, quite enough for a full plate of pasta.)


Once you taste this, I think you’ll see why one might decide to jump the gun and sacrifice some whole shells for this soup. The broth is tomatoey and warming, the noodles toothsome, and the cool herb ricotta topping contrasts beautifully with the heat from the sausage and peppers. Go on and stir the ricotta in to the soup if the spirit so moves you. For those of you who care about such things, you'll note that the calorie count is quite low for a dish that is rich, meaty and creamy all at the same time.


Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil (staple)
• 1 pound uncooked Italian turkey sausage (NY $5.79)
• 1 onion (NY $0.79)
• 1 green pepper (NY $0.99)
• ½ pound mushrooms (NY $1.89)
• 3 cloves garlic (NY $0.25)
• 4 cups beef broth (NY $2.89)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (NY $1.39)
• 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes (NY $1.19)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (staple)
• 1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained (NY $1.49)
• 1 tbsp oregano (staple)
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (staple)
• ½ tsp dried basil (staple)
• ½ tsp dried thyme (staple)
• Pepper to taste (staple)
• 2 cups mixed broken lasagna/manicotti/shell pasta (staple or NY $0.89 for box of penne)
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan (staple)
• 1 15 oz container part-skim ricotta (NY $2.89)
• 1/2 bunch (about 6 stems) fresh basil (NY $2.79 for whole bunch)

Directions

Dice the onion and pepper, mince the garlic, and chop the mushrooms into eighths.

Remove sausage from casing by cutting a slit in the skin vertically and then peeling back and off the casing. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then crumble in the sausage meat. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir chopped veggies into the pot, and continue cooking until softened, onions slightly translucent and mushrooms release juices, about another 5 minutes.

Add broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and spinach, and raise heat to high. Add spices and bring to a boil. While soup is coming to a boil, taste to check your seasoning. Be sure to actually bite into a piece of sausage when tasting, as sausage can hold a lot of spice that doesn’t carry over into broth. Once boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes depending on type of noodles. Meanwhile, chop basil and stir into ricotta along with the parmesan. Serve soup in bowls topped with generous dollops of basil ricotta crème.


Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving

Calories 299.7	Vitamin A 77.1 %	Iron 18.3 %
Total Fat 12.6 g	Vitamin B-12 3.0 %	Magnesium 14.9 %
Cholesterol 54.8 mg	Vitamin B-6 11.4 %	Manganese 23.4 %
Sodium 1,102.5 mg	Vitamin C 75.4 %	Niacin 10.5 %
Potassium 764.0 mg	Vitamin D 5.3 %	Phosphorus 29.0 %
Total Carbohydrate 27.3 g	Vitamin E 7.5 %	Riboflavin 22.8 %
Fiber 4.2 g	Calcium 25.6 %	Selenium 18.3 %
Sugars 7.3 g	Copper 20.0 %	Thiamin 14.8 %
Protein 20.4 g	Folate 22.4 %	Zinc 17.0 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Turkey Patty Melts

4 servings
Total cost: NY $6.42/10.21
Cost per sandwich: NY $1.60/2.55

Both Jersey natives*, the LBUH and I grew up hanging out in diners. When we saw Bill Telepan on the Today Show making an elevated version of the classic Jersey patty melt, it got us salivating, although the high levels of butter and red meat gave us pause. (Well, it gave me pause anyway, the LBUH would exist on nothing but an all bacon diet if I let him.)


If you don’t know from patty melts, they’re like the perfect union of a grilled cheese and a hamburger. Tasty, yes? Here’s the less heavy version of Telepan’s patty melt that we cooked up.** You’ll notice that we put ketchup right in the meat mixture. We did this for two reasons: (1) turkey meat is less fatty than ground beef, so can get dried out on its own and (2) you shouldn’t be pulling apart a true patty melt to add in any condiments, as it should be partly melted together with the cheese, and partly precariously slippery from the caramelized onions. But in our opinion, its just not a burger without ketchup. OK fine, that’s just my opinion, the LBUH disagrees. But you’re with me, right?


Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil (staple)
• 3 tbsps butter, softened (staple)
• 1 large onion (NY $0.79)
• 8 slices rye bread (staple if you’ve got some/NY $3.79 for a whole loaf)
• 6 slices reduced fat aged Swiss cheese (NY $1.64)
• 1 lb. ground turkey (NY $3.99)
• 4 tbsp ketchup (staple)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (staple)
• ½ tsp paprika (staple)
• ½ tsp cayenne (staple)
• Salt (staple)
• Pepper (staple)

Directions

Slice onion thinly. Melt half a tablespoon butter in one tablespoon olive oil until lightly browned in a large skillet. (If your pan is dark, look for the yellow color of the butter to disappear.) And onion and cook over high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low, add a teaspoon of salt and continue cooking another 6-7 minutes, until onions are golden brown and translucent.


Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine together turkey, ketchup, mustard, spices, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into four patties that are more oval-shaped than round. After the onions are done cooking, add another tbsp of olive oil to the pan and add patties. Cook for about 5 minutes per side over medium heat, or until juices run clear when you press down on the top of each patty with a spatula.


While the patties cook, prep the sandwiches. Lay out 8 slices of bread. Top each slice with part a slice of cheese, cutting off the edge so that the cheese doesn’t extend beyond the edge of the bread. Lay the trimmings on the top of the next slice, starting the next slice of cheese after the reset of the trimmings. You’ll end up using about one and a half slices per sandwich.


* The LBUH even grew up down tha shourah.

** You’ll note that even though this is lighter version, this is still far from “diet” food. I shudder to think what the fat/calorie content must have been on the version made on the Today Show; I think Telepan glopped about 2 tbsps of butter on each slice of bread. (You’ll note that his recipe literally directs one to “slather” the butter on the bread. Gross.) These make pretty hefty quarter-pound sandwiches. If you like, you could easily make 6 patties out of the meat, or only use one slice of cheese per sandwich.


Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving

Calories 633.4	Vitamin A 15.5 %	Iron 23.7 %
Total Fat 34.9 g	Vitamin B-12 0.2 %	Magnesium 8.3 %
Cholesterol 133.3 mg	Vitamin B-6 5.4 %	Manganese 33.6 %
Sodium 1,519.4 mg	Vitamin C 5.3 %	Niacin 12.8 %
Potassium 194.3 mg	Vitamin D 0.0 %	Phosphorus 9.9 %
Total Carbohydrate 40.8 g	Vitamin E 6.5 %	Riboflavin 13.8 %
Fiber 4.9 g	Calcium 44.0 %	Selenium 28.8 %
Sugars 5.5 g	Copper 8.2 %	Thiamin 19.8 %
Protein 40.4 g	Folate 15.7 %	Zinc 5.6 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Spicy Turkey Bean Chili

10 servings
Total cost: NY $18.79
Cost per serving: NY $1.88


Everyone needs a good turkey chili recipe in their repertoire, particularly during the dark days of January. This one has some zing to it; if you like it milder, knock it back down to 1 chipotle pepper. In furtherance of my continued quest to break free from the tyranny of commercial broths, this recipe calls for no broth whatsoever. This makes a lot, but like most chilis, it improves with age as the flavors meld and freezes well to boot.


Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil (staple)
• 2 cloves garlic (NY $0.31 for one head)
• 1 large yellow onion (NY $1.26)
• 1 green pepper (NY $1.89)
• 1 red pepper (NY $2.15)
• 1 pound ground turkey (NY $5.99)
• 2 tbsps chili powder (staple)
• 1 tsp cumin (staple)
• ½ tsp oregano (staple)
• ½ tsp hot paprika (staple)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (staple)
• 1 14.5 oz can kidney beans (NY $0.89)
• 1 14.5 oz can pinto beans (NY $0.89)
• 2 chipotles en adobo (NY $2.19 for one can*)
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (NY $1.89)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (staple)
• 1 bottle cerveza (NY $1.33)
• 1 bunch scallions (NY $0.99) (optional**)

Directions

Start this one about an hour before you plan to eat.

Mince the garlic, and chop the onion, green pepper and red pepper.


Warm 2 tbsps olive oil in a large pot, and saute the chopped vegetables about 5 minutes until softened. Add the ground turkey, spices and cocoa powder. Continue cooking, stirring to break up the meat, until the turkey is browned, about another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the chipotles. Once turkey is no longer pink, stir in the drained and rinsed beans, the chipotle, crushed tomatoes, vinegar and beer.


Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, approximately 30 minutes longer.


* When you have leftover chipotles, which you inevitably will b/c I’ve yet to see a recipe that calls for an ENTIRE can (and my lips burn just thinking about it!), freeze the excess.

** You can, of course, garnish this with any number of things, according to taste and the contents of your fridge. Diced tomatoes, sour cream, chopped red onions, sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips, shredded monterey jack, diced jalapenos for the truly bold, etc., etc. We happen to like scallions, and we didn’t want to leave all toppings out of the pricing for this recipe, because half the fun of chili is the make-your-sundae-style garnishing.


Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving

Calories 220.7	Vitamin A 32.8 %	Iron 17.8 %
Total Fat 6.8 g	Vitamin B-12 0.0 %	Magnesium 11.9 %
Cholesterol 32.0 mg	Vitamin B-6 11.6 %	Manganese 23.7 %
Sodium 329.6 mg	Vitamin C 79.3 %	Niacin 3.9 %
Potassium 457.6 mg	Vitamin D 0.0 %	Phosphorus 13.0 %
Total Carbohydrate 24.2 g	Vitamin E 3.1 %	Riboflavin 6.9 %
Fiber 8.3 g	Calcium 5.6 %	Selenium 5.1 %
Sugars 1.0 g	Copper 11.9 %	Thiamin 10.7 %
Protein 15.6 g	Folate 26.3 %	Zinc 5.9 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Mmmmmm Moussaka

12 servings
Total cost: NY $ 21.26
Cost per serving: NY $1.77

It’s the time of year when you don’t mind having the oven on for hours, and having an all day kitchen project to occupy your time saves you from having to venture out into the frostbitten world.* Yet its also the beginning of January, a time when it seems almost everyone I know--and I think this says something about the ages and accompanying plunging metabolic rates of my intimates--is pledging themselves to a new diet, a new gym routine, or just “eating better” in general. Hmm, how to harmonize these two seemingly disparate impulses? Enter this moussaka.


A moussaka is something like a Greek version of lasagna, but with thin layers of eggplant instead of pasta. Hey, what’s that? It uses vegetables in place of white carbs? Eureka! A traditional moussaka recipe will call for lots of egg yolks and ground meats; this rendition eases up on both, making it kinder to both your wallet and your waistline. Don’t worry though, it still takes positively ages to make, and requires having the oven cranked on for most of it. (Well, if your oven is anything like the crappy one in our rental apartment that, though tiny, still takes almost an hour to preheat and steadfastly refuses to admit that temperatures between 425 and 325 exist, thus requiring constant toggling back and forth between temps to even approximate a steady 350 or 400 degree temperature. But I digress.) Accordingly, I submit to you that this moussaka, which will fill your kitchen with heady warming aromas and satisfy your cravings for stick to your ribs foodstuffs, is the perfect recipe for deepest January.


Ingredients

• 4 eggplants (NY $7.68)
• Salt (staple)
• 5 tbsps olive oil (staple)
• 3 cloves garlic (NY $0.29 for one head)
• 1 large onion (NY $1.16)
• 1 pound ground lamb (NY $5.99)
• 1 tsp oregano (staple)
• ½ tsp cinnamon (staple)
• ½ tsp all spice (staple)
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley (NY $1.16 for one bunch)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (staple)
• 2 tbsps tomato paste (staple)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (NY $1.19)
• 4 tbsps butter (NY $0.51)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (NY $0.10)
• 2 ½ cups milk (staple, we used 1%)
• ½ tsp nutmeg (staple)
• Salt (staple)
• White Pepper (staple)
• 1 egg (NY $0.15)
• 1 egg yolk (NY $0.15)
• 8 oz. feta cheese (NY $2.88)
• 3 tbsps parmesan cheese (staple)

Directions

I’ll tell you upfront that this is going to take awhile: you’ll want to start well in advance of when you actually anticipate eating. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/8 in to ¼ in thick slices, making sure to maintain even thickness. Salt and let stand about 45 minutes, then rinse. Tossing the slices into a colander works well for this. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.


Pat eggplant slices dry, brush lightly with olive oil, and lay on baking sheets. Bake, in batches if need be, about 30 minutes. If your eggplant slices, despite your best efforts, end up varying in size, cook ones of about the same thickness at the same time, so you can remove them sooner or give them a bit more time depending on whether they’re thinner or thicker. Remove from baking sheets and set aside to cool. Just pile them up on a plate or in a deep bowl.


While eggplants are in the oven, cook the meat sauce layer. Mince the garlic and finely chop the onion, and cook in 1 tbsp of olive oil until fragrant and slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add lamb and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in oregano, cinnamon, all spice, parsley, Worcestershire, tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook uncovered until liquid has reduced by about 2/3rds, about 15 minutes. Cover and set aside while you prepare the next layer.


To prepare the béchamel layer, put milk in a small pot to warm. Melt butter in a larger pot, then add the flour, stirring vigorously, until well combined. Toast over low heat, stirring continuously, for about a minute. Remove the pot containing the butter/flour mixture from heat. Slowing add in the warmed milk, whisking to combine. You’ll get a bit of a work-out here (go ahead, count it towards that exercise resolution goal) as you need to whisk vigorously, and the béchamel is going to start to thicken up and fight back. Stay strong and have at it, you don’t want to let any lumps develop. Once you’ve got your thickened, smooth white sauce, whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Step back and admire the sunny lemony color of your completed béchamel.

And now for the assembly! (Some time will have passed at this point, and your kitchen should be nice and toasty warm at this point. Then again, so will you.) You can enlist a helper at this point if you feel like sharing the fun. If your idea of a helper needs to be opened with a corkscrew, I, for one, won’t judge. And if you own a dog, you’ll probably find that you have at least one volunteer poking curiously around the kitchen trying to find out where all the meaty-milky-eggy-eggplanty smells are coming from. Apparently, dogs dig eggplant. Who knew?


In a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish, lay down a layer of eggplant, just like you would if you were making a lasagna. Spoon some of the lamb mixture on top, followed by a layer of the béchamel. Crumble some of the feta on top of the béchamel, then grate about a tablespoon of parmesan across the top. Repeat! Once you get to the top of the dish, put down a deep layer of meat sauce, lay eggplant slices a top, then end with a thick layer of béchamel topped with the cheeses.

Bake, uncovered, until lightly browned on top, about 1 hour. Put your feet up while you wait, sip some of your “helper” if you like, and let someone else tackle the dishes. Once the moussaka comes out of the oven, let sit about 20 minutes before cutting and serving. Then, if you’re actually eating before 10 pm, pat yourself on the back.**

* Particularly if you have a LBUH to make the grocery shopping excursions for you. Heh heh.

** Or, have someone else do it for you, and make that “pat” into a “rub”. That was a lot of knifing and whisking!


Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving

Calories 365.3	Vitamin A 17.7 %	Iron 11.4 %
Total Fat 24.5 g	Vitamin B-12 25.1 %	Magnesium 11.9 %
Cholesterol 93.1 mg	Vitamin B-6 16.7 %	Manganese 17.2 %
Sodium 2,734.4 mg	Vitamin C 16.5 %	Niacin 20.0 %
Potassium 638.1 mg	Vitamin D 7.5 %	Phosphorus 24.6 %
Total Carbohydrate 23.0 g	Vitamin E 5.8 %	Riboflavin 27.2 %
Fiber 5.9 g	Calcium 21.5 %	Selenium 23.7 %
Sugars 4.6 g	Copper 8.9 %	Thiamin 15.2 %
Protein 15.0 g	Folate 16.8 %	Zinc 16.8 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Bargain Basement Lobster Risotto

8 servings
Total cost NY $19.59
Cost per serving NY $2.49

Yes, you read that right, LOBSTER! In the current economy, the price of lobster has fallen to a point it hasn’t seen since 1990. In Manhattan it’s currently running about $9.95 a pound, down from almost twice that a little over a year ago, back when the recession was just starting to get its groove on. The lobstermen/women/folk are suffering fiscally due to the lack of demand for their catch. So, yes it’s still a splurge, but by buying lobster you (1) enjoy a spectacular bargain*, (2) help fellow victims of the economy out and (3) get to eat lobster! Isn’t that worth $2.49 a serving?


Now for some unpleasantness. Yes, this recipe calls for a live lobster. Yes, that means that you yourself will have to make it un-live.** If you’ve seen Julie & Julia***, you’ll know that this is when you start singing “Lobster Kill-ah! Qu’est que ce? Fa fa fa fa fa fa!” One can buy cooked lobster meat, but the price is sky high and the freshness is frequently in doubt, so I just can’t recommend that method. If you don’t have the stomach for this (and I feel you, I really do) perhaps you’d be interested in a nice vegetarian mac & cheese? Or some salmon cakes or clam chowder, both made with seafood that comes in nice little tins?



(UPDATE: We've been Slashfooded! ("Lobster Risotto - Feast Your Eyes")


Ingredients

• 1 1 ½ pound lobster ($14.93)
• 1 onion (NY $0.37)
• 2 bay leaves (staple)
• 15 peppercorns (staple)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (staple)
• 2 tablespoons butter (staple)
• 2 shallots (NY $0.92)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (staple)
• 1 cup white wine, at room temperature (NY $0.75)
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley (NY $0.79 for one bunch)
• 2 cups arborio rice (NY $1.83)
• Salt and pepper to taste (staple)

Directions

Bring just enough water to cover your lobster lengthwise to a boil in a large pot. Add the peeled, quartered onion along with 2 bay leaves and about 15 peppercorns. Pop the live lobster in the freezer for about 15 minutes to desensitize. (“Ah yi yi yi yi yi yiiiiiiiiii!!!!”) Once the water is boiling, plunge the lobster into the pop head first and cover. (“Run run run, run run run awaaaaaaay!!!”) Cook about 5 minutes, until bright red. (Be careful not to overcook at this point, as the lobster will continue to cook in the risotto later.) Remove lobster from pot ("Hey hey hey hey HHHHHHAAAAAAAA!"), but leave the pot on the heat. Rinse your lobster in cold water, then remove lobster meat from the shell.


Since the LBUH is renowned far and wide as a master lobster sheller****, I’ll let him tell you himself exactly how it should be done:

Since the Lobster is full of the lobster stock, start by dismantling the lobster over a lipped plate or a shallow bowl. Start by removing the claws. While holding the lobster’s main carapace in one hand, grab one of it’s claws and while gently twisting the limb, pull it away from the body. As the clawed limb comes off, the juice inside the body should start to pour out into the bowl. Repeat this action with the other clawed limb.

Next, while grasping the tail in one hand and the body in the other, twist your hands in opposite directions and gently crack and pull apart to separate the tail from the torso. Pour the rest of the liquid held in the torso back into the bowl of lobster stock.

To remove the meat easily from the tail, start by snapping off the fanned end so that the flesh is exposed at either end of the tail. Next, insert a chopstick (or the handle of a fork or spoon if you don’t have a chopstick) into the smaller opening on the tail and gently push forward to coax the meat out in one lovely piece.

Now attack the claws. Start by removing the claws from small joined pieces. Don’t discard the joints as there is meat inside those that we will remove soon. Crack the claw vertically along the thickest part of one claw, breaking off the back shell exposing the flesh within. Twist and remove the lower pincer, and pour the liquid within the claw back into the broth (don’t want to lose that tasty lobster infused water!). Using your chopstick, prod the meat through the hole made by removing the lower pincer, pushing it out through the large hole in the rear of the claw. Repeat with the other claw.

Crack each joint to separate from the others and more easily coax the meat within out with your chopstick.

Return cleaned pieces of lobster shell to your pot as you go. Next, remove the carapace shell from the legs by holding the shell in one hand and the legs in the other, and pull apart. Return the shell to the broth, take the remaining legs and break into segmented pieces to allow the bits of meat within to be more easily absorbed into the broth and toss them in as well, and toss them in along with any other lobster bits you have left (but reserving the larger than tiny chunks of meat for the risotto).

Phew, got that? I promise it took you longer to read than it took the LBUH to execute. (Err, no pun intended.) OK, now continue boiling the lobster shells in the pot for about another ten minutes. Meanwhile, dice the shallot finely.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add diced shallots and tomato paste. Saute just until golden, about 5 minutes. Add Arborio rice and toast, stirring, about 1 minute until opaque. Begin adding lobster stock by ladlefuls: add a ladleful, then stir until absorbed. Repeat until you’ve added about 5 -6 cups of the lobster stock. Umm, yeah, that is a lot of stirring. Congratulations, you’ve squeezed in an upper body workout while you’re cooking! You’ll know when to stop when the risotto seems to resist adopting any more liquid. If it seems to be thinking to itself “no, stop, no more I can’t take AAAAHHH!”, that’s when you’re done.***** Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and reserved lobster meet, and warm for about 1 minute. Stir in chopped parsley, and season to taste.


* And I will freely admit that I am a sucker for a deep discount.

** Sound of our vegetarian audience frantically closing out of their browser windows.

*** What do you mean you haven’t seen it yet? I’m sorry, I’m not sure we can still be friends.

**** We recently attended a rehearsal dinner clambake for some friends of ours, at which a crowd gathered to watch the LBUH extract the lobster from it shell. Of course, about half the attendees were vegetarian, so they were pretty easy to impress on this score. But still!

***** If you have stock left, discard the onion, peppercorns and lobster shell and freeze for another use.


Nutritional Facts
Amount Per Serving

Calories 371.8	Sugars 2.8 g	Folate 5.2 %
Total Fat 8.5 g	Protein 20.1 g	Iron 5.5 %
Saturated Fat 2.9 g	Vitamin A 8.3 %	Magnesium 9.8 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8 g	Vitamin B-12 40.5 %	Manganese 10.3 %
Monounsaturated Fat 4.2 g	Vitamin B-6 8.9 %	Niacin 16.8 %
Cholesterol 68.2 mg	Vitamin C 6.4 %	Phosphorus 19.6 %
Sodium 559.9 mg	Vitamin D 0.5 %	Riboflavin 11.1 %
Potassium 512.3 mg	Vitamin E 7.1 %	Selenium 52.7 %
Total Carbohydrate 7.9 g	Calcium 6.1 %	Thiamin 4.3 %
Dietary Fiber 0.2 g	Copper 80.8 %	Zinc 17.1 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Zucchini, Potato and Scallion Pancakes with Chived Sour Cream

Makes about 15 pancakes with topping
Total cost: NY $6.81
Cost per pancake: NY $0.45


Now that zucchini season is in full swing, its time to take advantage of how cheap and tasty these veggies are right now. Enter zucchini-based pancakes. They’re a lot like the traditional potato latke, but using zucchini along with the potato gives them more interest, particularly when you also toss in a hefty portion of scallions to boot. These make a great side dish, or if the summer heat has zapped your appetite, make a lovely light supper all on their own. It you know latkes, you’ll probably figure out without me telling you that these can also be paired with applesauce instead of the sour cream and chives, or even with both if that’s how you happen to roll. But sour cream and chives are a classic combination for good reason, and that’s how we prefer to serve these crisp yet tender golden brown and green pancakes.



(UPDATE: We've been Slashfooded! ("Loaded Latkes - Feast Your Eyes")

Ingredients

• 1 large potato (NY $0.89)
• 2 large zucchini (NY $1.78)
• Salt (staple)
• 1 bunch scallions (NY $0.59)
• 2 eggs (NY $0.33)
• ½ cup whole wheat flour* (NY $0.14)
• Pepper (staple)
• 4 tbsps canola or olive oil** (staple)
• 1 cup lowfat sour cream (NY $1.09)
• 1 bunch chives (NY $1.99)

Directions

Clean and scrub, but do not peel, the potato and zucchini. Using a box grater, grate potato and zucchini into a colander and toss with a teaspoon of salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes, then scoop up about a handful into a clean dishcloth. Wring out over the sink. Place dried grated vegetables into a large bowl. Repeat, switching to a clean dry dishtowel if need be, until you’ve dried all the grated vegetables. You want the potato and zucchini to be pretty dry at this point.


Slice the scallions into ¼ inch slices, and add to grated veggies in bowl. Add the flour, beaten eggs, and pepper to taste and stir to combine. Add in a few extra dashes of salt if you like.


Chop chives and combine with sour cream in a separate bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pick up about a handful of veggie mixture, and shape into a ball in your palm. Smoosh it into a cake by flattening it with your other hand, and add to skillet.


Repeat until you fill the pan, making sure not to crowd your pancakes. Cook about 3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden, and the cakes have set, being careful not to burn the bottoms. Then flip ‘em over, and continue cooking approx. another 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Adding more oil to the pan as needed, repeat until all the pancakes are cooked. If not serving immediately, these keep very well in a warm oven. Serve topped with dollops of sour cream and chives.

* You can of course substitute regular flour if that’s what you have/keep on hand. Doing so will
drive the cost down even further, as regular flour is less expensive than whole wheat.

** I’d recommend using canola for this, if you have it. Healthwise, its pretty analagous to olive oil and a good deal cheaper.


Nutritional Facts
Amount Per pancake with topping

Calories 74.9	Sugars 1.2 g	Folate 6.3 %
Total Fat 2.8 g	Protein 2.9 g	Iron 3.7 %
Saturated Fat 1.4 g	Vitamin A 13.9 %	Magnesium 4.8 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g	Vitamin B-12 1.9 %	Manganese 6.5 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0.8 g	Vitamin B-6 6.1 %	Niacin 2.6 %
Cholesterol 34.6 mg	Vitamin C 16.4 %	Phosphorus 6.2 %
Sodium 175.0 mg	Vitamin D 0.9 %	Riboflavin 5.5 %
Potassium 266.7 mg	Vitamin E 1.0 %	Selenium 3.8 %
Total Carbohydrate 10.5 g	Calcium 3.9 %	Thiamin 3.5 %
Fiber 1.9 g	Copper 3.7 %	Zinc 2.3 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump

Cure-Whatever-Ails-You Chicken Soup with Ravioli

Makes 8 -10 servings
Total cost: NY $13.34
Cost per serving: NY $1.33 – NY $1.67


Even though Spring has at last arrived, I seem to have caught this cold/flu thing that’s been making the rounds at my office, felling everyone in its wake. Thus, it seemed an appropriate time to post this recipe. I’ve been making this for years, both for myself and others, and I personally guarantee that it will make you feel much rejuvenated.


Its spicy enough to pierce congested nasal passages, but the mellowness of the chicken broth and the cool mildness of the ravioli ensure that its not too much for tender throats and confused palates.* You’ll feel your sinuses clearing just from breathing in the aroma of the vegetables sauteeing, and your stuffed passages unclogging as you slurp the zesty and restorative chicken broth. Inhale deeply and let the recovery begin!


Ingredients

• 1.5 tbsps olive oil (staple)
• 3 cloves garlic (NY $0.10)
• 1 large onion, such as Vidalia (NY $0.73)
• 1 red pepper (NY $2.15)
• 1 green pepper (NY $1.00)
• 1 tbsp oregano (staple)**
• 1 tsp dried basil (staple)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (staple)**
• Salt and pepper to taste (staple)
• 6 cups chicken broth (NY $4.59)
• 2 medium zucchini (NY $2.43)
• 2 medium carrots (about 1.5 cups) (NY $0.75 for one bag)
• 1 13 oz package frozen cheese ravioli (NY $1.59)
• Parmesan cheese (staple)

Directions
Mince garlic, and chop onion and peppers. Heat oil oil in soup pot until fragrant, and add chopped veggies along with the spices and a few grinds black pepper. Cook until just tender, approx. 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the zucchini into half moons about ¼ inch thick, and peel and chop the carrots.


Add broth to pot, cover and simmer approx. 5 minutes. Add carrots, cover, and continue cooking until the carrots are close to tender but still a bit crisp, approx. 5 minutes.


Increase heat, bring to a boil, and add ravioli and zucchini. Stir to ensure ravioli are just submerged under the top of the soup, and, if necessary, return to a boil. Continue boiling until ravioli is cooked and just tender, approx. 10-15 minutes or according to package directions.
Adjust seasoning to taste, and serve in bowls topped with grated parmesan cheese.


* True story: back in school I cured my friend Ginger of the SARS virus with this soup. OK, fine, she didn’t *really* have SARS, but she was hospitalized and they thought for a while there that that's what she had and quarantined her and everything. And, if you’re going to insist on being such a stickler, it didn’t technically “cure” her of disease, but she *did* say she felt much better after the soup and that she liked it a lot. Happy now? You really know how to kill a good story, don’t you?


** As noted, I like the spices in this on the “so aggressive, you wouldn’t want to run into them in a back alley at night” side. All the better to clear your nasal passages with, my dear! If, however, the sound of that makes you nervous, or if you’re feeling so delicate that you think applesauce might be a bit of an adventure, drop down to approx. ½ a tsp red pepper, and 1 tsp oregano.


Nutritional Facts
Approximate values per serving

Calories 147.1	Vitamin A 85.7 %	Iron 10.8 %
Total Fat 6.2 g	Vitamin B-12 10.0 %	Magnesium 4.7 %
Cholesterol 17.5 mg	Vitamin B-6 11.5 %	Manganese 27.4 %
Sodium 1,267.1 mg	Vitamin C 94.2 %	Niacin 26.2 %
Potassium 559.2 mg	Vitamin D 0.0 %	Phosphorus 17.7 %
Total Carbohydrate 16.6 g	Vitamin E 3.9 %	Riboflavin 8.9 %
Fiber 2.3 g	Calcium 16.3 %	Selenium 10.8 %
Sugars 3.1 g	Copper 13.4 %	Thiamin 4.8 %
Protein 7.3 g	Folate 6.7 %	Zinc 4.7 %

Recipe and Nutritional Information after the jump