BrokeAss Gourmet

BrokeAss Gourmet

Candied Bacon

  • Prep Time 0:05
  • Cook Time 0:25
  • Estimated Cost $3.50
  • 9 Comments

OK, don’t freak out, but this is amazing. And i mean uhhh—maayyy-ziiing.

It’s not an everyday bacon (if there is such a thing as an “everyday bacon”), but once in awhile, crumbled atop a fancy salad, wedged into some mashed sweet potatoes or even chopped and served over bourbon vanilla ice cream, it’s magical.

It’s also addictive, so if you’re going to bother anyway, you might want to make a double-batch.

Ingredients

  • 1 12-oz package thick-cut bacon (preferably uncured) $3.50
  • light brown sugar Pantry

Recipe Serves 4-6

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  2. Cut bacon slices in half, short-wise. Arrange, with a bit of space between them, on the foil-lined baking sheet.
  3. Sprinkle each piece of bacon evenly with about 1 tsp brown sugar.
  4. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until bacon is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving (this will help solidify the caramelized sugars).

Category: Meals

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Baby Beets with Pistachio-Mint Pesto

This unique and very flavorful vegan salad is made extra-simple when prepared using Trader Joes’ packaged baby beets highly recommended is serving it with a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted toasted pistachios $2
  • 2/3 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves $1 for a bunch
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed Pantry
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pantry
  • juice of 1/2 lemon $0.50 for a whole lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste Pantry
  • 12 baby beets, steamed and peeled (or use 2 packages of Trader Joes' steamed, peeled baby beets), sliced into wedges $4

Recipe Serves 4

Directions

  1. Combine pistachios, mint and garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse until roughly chopped.
  2. Stream in olive oil and lemon juice and continue pulsing until a chunky paste forms.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Place the pesto in the bottom of a serving bowl.
  5. Add the beets and toss well (this may take some time as the pesto is quite thick).
  6. Serve immediately.

Category: Meals

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Stupidly Simple Banana Sorbet

  • Prep Time 2 hours, 10 minutes
  • Estimated Cost $1.50
  • 14 Comments

This brilliantly easy, creamy sorbet is really nothing new. The Kitchn did a post on it a while back, but more importantly, my mom has been making it since the early 80’s. It’s great served right out of the food processor, as a custardy, soft-serve style dessert, but if I have the time, I like to freeze it a bit more, just until it’s firm, so I can serve it in scoops.

Ingredients

  • 6 bananas, peeled and sliced into 1" pieces $1.50 for a bunch

Recipe Serves 4

Directions

  1. Arrange sliced bananas on a baking sheet or a few large plates. 
  2. Freeze for at least 2 hours, until hard.
  3. Puree in a food processor or blender. 
  4. This will take several minutes and you will have to scrape down the sides periodically (at first, the frozen bananas will resemble crumbs, but continue blending and they'll quickly turn into creamy sorbet).
  5. Once the bananas have been pureed, either serve immediately as a soft-serve style dessert, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for at least an hour, until firm enough to scoop.

Category: Meals

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Grain-Free Honey Granola

  • Prep Time 0:05
  • Cook Time 0:22
  • Estimated Cost $12.50
  • 5 Comments

This granola isn’t cheap, but it is quite filling, so a little bit goes a long way. Plus, it’s soooo good—equally so for breakfast with almond milk as it is sprinkled over ice cream for dessert.

Since several different types of nuts, seeds and dried fruit are called for, head to your grocer’s bulk section to buy only the amounts called for (which, by the way, is a great money-saving rule to abide by in general—why buy a 24-oz. bag of expensive cashews if you only need 1/2 cup for your recipe?).

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup honey (agave or maple syrup would also work) Pantry
  • 1/8 cup unsalted butter (or use coconut oil) $1.50 for a stick
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon $1.50 for 1 oz
  • 1/2 tsp salt Pantry
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas) $1.50
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds $2
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews $2
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds $1.50
  • 1/2 cup pitted dried apricots, chopped (any other dried, pitted and chopped fruit would also work) $2.50

Recipe Serves 3-4

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a bakng sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large pot, heat the honey and the butter (or coconut oil) over medium heat until completely combined. Remove from heat.
  3. Stir the nuts and seeds into the warm mixture in the pot and continue stirring until it is all evenly coated.
  4. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes, stirring occasionally. The granola should be golden-brown.
  5. Remove from oven, let cool completely, then break apart and toss with the dried fruit.
  6. Granola will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Category: Meals

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Thai Pumpkin-Beef Curry

  • Prep Time 0:20
  • Cook Time 1:30
  • Estimated Cost $14.25
  • 5 Comments

This is one of my favorite things to order when I go out for Thai food. The total ingredients cost is a little steep compared to most BrokeAss recipes, but don’t forget that a little jar of curry paste is enough to make several batches of curry.

Note: Check out Asian specialty grocery stores for the best deals on harder-to-find ingredients like coconut milk and fish sauce.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1" cubes $4 for 1 small cutting pumpkin or 2 packages of pre-cut pumpkin pieces
  • 1 tbsp flavorless oil, such as vegetable, coconut or grapeseed Pantry
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped Pantry
  • 1 1" piece ginger, peeled and minced $0.50
  • 1 medium onion, cut int 1" pieces $0.50
  • 1/2 lb beef stew meat $3
  • 1 14-oz. can coconut milk $1
  • 2 tsp Thai red curry paste $2.50 for 4 oz.
  • 1 tbsp soy or fish sauce Pantry
  • 2 tsp honey Pantry
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces $1.50
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped $0.25
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped $1 for a bunch

 

Recipe Serves 4

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Spread the pumpkin out in an even layer on an ungreased baking sheet (use 2 if necessary) and roast for 45 minutes, just until pumpkin is fork-tender.
  3. About 20 minutes before the pumpkin is finished roasting, heat the oil over medium heat in a large frying pan (make sure it also has a fitted lid--you'll need it later).
  4. Add the garlic, ginger and onion and cook, stirring once or twice, for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the beef and brown lightly on both sides.
  6. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, soy/fish sauce and honey and stir well to make a pale red, creamy sauce.
  7. Add the bell pepper and jalapeño, stir contents of pan well, and cover with the fitted lid. Cook, covered, for about 15 minutes.
  8. Once the pumpkin is done, carefully add it to the pan. Stir well and cover again. Cook for another 12-15 minutes, until beef is very tender.
  9. Serve in bowls, over rice if desired, topped with the chopped cilantro.

Category: Meals

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