The Frugal Foodie Cookbook (20 page)

3 white sweet potatoes, peeled

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons ponzu sauce (an Japanese citrus-based sauce)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring large pot of water to boil. Cut sweet potatoes into large chunks. Add to boiling water; boil 30 minutes, until soft. Drain and put in large bowl; mash until soft. Add butter, ponzu, brown sugar, ground ginger, and fresh ginger; continue mashing. Season with salt and pepper.

Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

price
$12
servings
8
price per serving
$1.50

T
his salad is inspired by our favorite method for roasting potatoes— with rosemary, thyme, a dash of olive oil, salt, and pepper. We both crave potato salads as a summery side dish, and our version is tossed in lemony vinaigrette, so it’s refreshing and light. You can refrigerate the salad before serving so that the flavors really mesh, or even serve it warm.

2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh thyme, finely chopped

3 scallions, thinly sliced

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and cool 15 minutes, then quarter. Whisk oil, lemon juice, and zest in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in rosemary, thyme, and scallions. Add potatoes to bowl with dressing and toss. Let stand 10 minutes. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

price
$6
servings
4
price per serving
$1.50

S
omeone needs to take these Brussels sprouts and serve them to everyone who claims to be offended by this mild and delicious vegetable. This method of preparation masks the bitterness that so many dislike by coating them with a crispy layer of savory cheese

1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved

cup olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, toss sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake 20 minutes in a baking dish, turning once, until sprouts begin to brown. Sprinkle Parmesan over sprouts; return to oven additional 3–5 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Simple Roasted Asparagus

price
$6
servings
4
price per serving
$1.50

T
his delicious method for cooking asparagus is as simple and frugal as possible, yet the resulting asparagus are classy and tasty. Season the asparagus liberally and serve them plain, as a side dish, or over a salad.

1 bunch asparagus

cup olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Snap thick ends off asparagus. In baking dish, toss asparagus, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake 20 minutes, turning once, until asparagus are slightly browned.

Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges

price
$6
servings
4
price per serving
$1.50

T
oo often, side dishes lack punch; they play the drab sidekick to the dazzling main course. If you’re looking for a little role reversal, try a batch of these hot, flavorful potato wedges—a healthier alternate to French fries when you’re craving a filling accompaniment to burgers, sandwiches, or anything else.

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" wedges

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss potato wedges with olive oil, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt. Bake on nonstick baking sheet 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until browned.

Squash Soufflé

price
$12
servings
6
price per serving
$2

W
e imagine soufflés as requiring attentive care and precision. But for this dessert-like side, the entire preparation consists of blending a few ingredients together and baking them in the oven. Because it cooks in a large baking dish, there’s no need to worry about it rising and falling. Instead, you can concentrate on enjoying the sweetness and spice that vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg infuse into this warm, nourishing dish.

1 (10-ounce) package frozen squash, defrosted

3 tablespoons butter

3 eggs

2 cups milk

½ cup flour

cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. In small saucepan over low heat, stir together squash and butter until butter melts. In blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and vanilla; blend until smooth. Add squash to blender; continue to mix until ingredients are blended well. Pour into greased 9" × 9" baking dish; sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon. Bake 1 hour and serve immediately.

Vegetarian Mexican Bean and Pepper Salad

price
$12
servings
6
price per serving
$2

T
his is a vegetarian side dish that’s full of protein. Serve it alongside fajitas or quesadillas so you can scoop this tangy salad on top.

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced

1 medium orange bell pepper, diced

1 cup fresh corn or 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained

½ cup onion, diced

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

DRESSING:

¼ cup olive oil

Juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon cumin

teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

In large bowl, mix together beans, peppers, corn, onions, and cilantro. Separately, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, cumin, cayenne, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss bean mixture with dressing and serve.

Twice-Baked Parmesan Potatoes

price
$10
servings
4
price per serving
$2.50

W
hen we first started cooking, we scoffed at dishes like casseroles and puddings, appalled by their bold use of fatty ingredients and generally unattractive presentation. But we soon realized that our bias was unfounded, and we began to investigate ways to cut down the unhealthy aspects of some of these recipes. Here, twice-baked potatoes get a minor makeover with skim milk and minimal butter, but we’re sure you’ll still recognize the classic flavors.

4 large baking potatoes

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces

¼ cup skim milk

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

¼ teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using fork, pierce several holes in potatoes. Bake 45 minutes; remove from oven. Cut thin slice off top of each potato; scoop out soft inside, keeping skins intact. Sauté scallions and garlic until soft. In large bowl, mix potato insides with butter, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, scallions, and Parmesan; stir until well combined. Spoon mixture back into skins; dot tops with butter. Sprinkle with paprika and Parmesan. Return to oven; bake 15–20 minutes, until crispy.

Baked Beans with a Kick

price
$6
servings
6
price per serving
$1

T
he next time you break out baked beans, try this spicy, more flavorful version. Leave out the bacon and Worcestershire Sauce for a veggie version.

1 (15-ounce) can black beans with liquid

1 (28-ounce) can vegetarian baked beans with liquid

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons spicy mustard

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon garlic powder

3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9" × 13" baking dish with oil; pour in beans. Add all remaining ingredients; stir until well mixed. Cover with aluminum foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 1 hour, or until mixture is bubbly and onion and pepper are tender. Remove from oven and serve. Flavors improve when baked ahead and reheated.

PART III : DESSERTS