BrokeAss Gourmet

BrokeAss Gourmet

Banana Cake with Cinnamon Swirl

  • Prep Time 0:25
  • Cook Time 0:30
  • Estimated Cost $6.00
  • 8 Comments

Anyone who thinks that banana bread qualifies as actual bread is kidding themselves. Banana bread is, without a doubt, a form of cake. This noble recipe is groundbreakingly, unabashedly honest about what it is and so is baked in a cake pan, further accentuating its true identity.

Also, I don’t own a loaf pan, so there’s that too.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sugar Pantry
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for pan $1 for a stick
  • 1 egg $1.50 for 6
  • 1/8 cup milk $1.50 for a pint
  • 2 ripe bananas, smashed with the back of a fork $0.50
  • ground cinnamon $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • 1 cup flour Pantry
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder Pantry
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda Pantry
  • 1/2 tsp salt Pantry
  • 2 tbsp honey Pantry

Recipe Serves 6-8

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8" round or square cake pan. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Whisk in egg, milk, bananas, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Continue stirring until batter has been fully incorporated.
  3. Scoop out about 1/3 cup batter and transfer to a small bowl. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the remaining batter into the prepared pan.
  4. Whisk reserved 1/3 cup batter with honey and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. It should be dark brown in color.
  5. Use a spoon to drizzle the dark batter in a spiral over the regular batter. Drag the blade of a butter knife over the batter to create a swirly, marbled look.
  6. Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  7. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Category: Meals

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Cilantro Chicken Drumsticks over Mango Quinoa

  • Prep Time 0:40
  • Cook Time 0:40
  • Estimated Cost $9.50
  • 23 Comments

I could hardly believe my eyes when I picked up a package of free range chicken drumsticks at Trader Joe’s earlier this week and saw that 1.5 lbs cost just $2. Obviously I had to buy a package (or 2!). The sweet quinoa proved the perfect match for this simple and flavorful preparation of the meaty drumsticks.

Note: This chicken would also be delicious grilled.

Ingredients

  • extra virgin olive oil Pantry
  • juice and zest of 1 lime $0.50
  • 1 small bunch cilantro (stems and leaves) $1
  • 4 cloves garlic Pantry
  • 6 chicken drumsticks $2
  • pinch each salt and pepper Pantry
  • 1/2 white onion, diced $0.50
  • 1 cup quinoa $2 for 12 oz.
  • 1 tbsp honey or sugar Pantry
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar $1.50 for 10 oz.
  • 1 mango, diced $1
  • 1 small bunch mint, chopped very finely $1

Recipe Serves 3-4

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a food processor or blender, combine 1/8 cup olive oil, lime juice and zest, cilantro and garlic. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Place chicken drumsticks in a baking dish. Rub cilantro mixture all over drumsticks. Cover dish tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (up to 2 hours).
  4. Bake chicken, covered with foil, for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. Place drumsticks briefly under broiler (2-3 minute) to achieve a brown exterior.
  5. To make the quinoa, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook just until fragrant--about 1 minute. Add 1quinoa and 2 cups water and cover. Once water comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.
  6. Remove from heat and transfer quinoa mixture to a bowl. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to bring quinoa's temperature down.
  7. While quinoa refrigerates, whisk together 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, honey, rice vinegar and mint.
  8. Once quinoa has cooled slightly, toss with diced mango and olive oil-vinegar mixture.
  9. Serve chicken over mango quinoa.

Category: Meals

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Spinach-Feta Lasagna

  • Prep Time 0:45
  • Cook Time 0:42
  • Estimated Cost $15.00
  • 5 Comments

When I have a craving for spanakopita but no patience for phyllo dough, I make this easy lasagna.

This recipe utilizes my favorite kitchen shortcut—won ton wrappers. Not only are they highly affordable fresh pasta at just $1.50 for a pound of them at my local Asian specialty market, but they’re also lighter in both texture and calories than traditional pasta. Moreover, they cook quickly and don’t need to be pre-boiled as with traditional lasagna noodles.

Ingredients

  • extra virgin olive oil Pantry
  • 1 white onion, diced $0.50
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed Pantry
  • 6 oz. feta cheese $3.50 for 8 oz.
  • 1/4 cup half-and-half $1.50 for a pint
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten $1.50 for 6
  • pinch each salt and pepper Pantry
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • zest of 1 lemon $0.50
  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves $1
  • about 30 small square won ton wrappers $1.50
  • 4 cups spinach leaves, roughly chopped $1.50
  • 1/8 cup sliced or slivered almonds $2 for 10 oz.

Recipe Serves 2-3

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8"x8" square pan. Set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onions until fragrant and light brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Combine garlic, feta, half-and-half, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg and lemon zest in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
  4. Place a layer of won ton wrappers on the bottom of the prepared baking pan (cut them with a knife or kitchen scissors to fit if you need to). Spoon 1/3 of the feta mixture over the won ton wrappers. Top with half of the spinach.
  5. Place a layer of won ton wrappers over the spinach and top with another 1/3 of the feta mixture. Scatter the onions over the feta mixture and top with another layer of wrappers.
  6. Top wrappers with the remaining 1/3 of the feta mixture, the remaining spinach and the almonds. Cover with wrappers.
  7. Drizzle top wrappers with a little extra virgin olive oil. Top with a sprinkle of almonds.
  8. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, covered.
  9. Remove foil and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until brown and bubbly.
  10. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares to serve.

Category: Meals

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Garden Vegetable Turkey Burgers

  • Prep Time 0:20
  • Cook Time 0:14
  • Estimated Cost $11.00
  • 23 Comments

These colorful turkey burgers keep things interesting with crunchy vegetables, creamy goat cheese and a lightly charred outside. The vegetables and cheese keep the meat moist and juicy down to the last bite. Try serving these burgers in pita bread or sprouted wheat buns.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey $4.50
  • 1/2 white onion, diced $0.50
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
  • 1 cup packed spinach leaves, chopped $0.50
  • 1 large or 2 small carrots, diced $0.50
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced $1
  • 1 handful fresh herbs (parsley, basil and/or cilantro work best), chopped $1 for a bunch
  • 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese $3 for 6 oz.
  • pinch each of salt and pepper Pantry
  • olive oil for grill or pan Pantry

Recipe Serves 4-6

Directions

  1. Use clean hands to mix together all ingredients except olive oil. Form into 6 patties.
  2. Brush a grill or grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 5-7 minutes on each side or until fully-cooked (check by cutting into a burger).
  3. Serve burgers plain, on buns/pitas or over lightly-dressed greens.

Category: Meals

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Easy Molasses Pulled Pork

  • Prep Time 0:20
  • Cook Time 1:30
  • Estimated Cost $16.25
  • 1 Comment

I love pulled pork, but have been hesitant to make it at home because every recipe I’ve found calls for 5-7 hours of slow braising in the oven. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t had 5-7 hours to spare since like 1997.

But I got to thinking, and it occurred to me that I could probably apply the same quick stovetop braising technique I used with Pan-Braised Chipotle Short Ribs to pork shoulder to make it tender enough to shred. It worked like a charm in this perky-sweet sauce.

I whipped up some quick and light coleslaw by tossing thinly sliced green cabbage with some Creamy Yogurt-Herb Dressing and served the pulled pork piled with slaw on soft wholegrain buns.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil Pantry
  • 1 red onion, sliced $0.50
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
  • 2 lbs pork stew meat (cubed pork shoulder) $9
  • 3 large tomatoes, diced $1.50
  • 1 green jalapeño, diced finely $0.25
  • 1 quart chicken, beef or vegetable stock $2
  • 3 tbsp molasses $3 for 10 oz.
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar Pantry
  • freshly-cracked pepper Pantry

Recipe Serves 4

Directions

  1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot (make sure it has a fitted lid) or dutch oven. Add onion and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add pork pieces to the pan and brown, about 1 minute on each side.
  3. Add diced tomatoes, jalapeño and stock. Stir well to combine.
  4. Gently stir in molasses, brown sugar and a few grinds of black pepper.
  5. Cover pot with lid and cook for and hour (up to an hour-and-a-half), until liquid has been reduced to a thick sauce and meat is very tender.
  6. Use 2 forks to pull pork into shreds.
  7. Serve pulled pork on sandwich buns with coleslaw, or on its own.

Category: Meals

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