BrokeAss Gourmet

BrokeAss Gourmet

Angel Hair with Wasabi, Peas and Mint

  • Prep Time 0:25
  • Cook Time 0:05
  • Estimated Cost $12.00
  • 5 Comments

It’s no secret that pasta is an inexpensive, filling pantry staple to have on hand, but seriously, you have to stop eating it with store-bought jarred sauce. You’re better than that. Just because you’re broke (or whatever, “frugal”) doesn’t mean that you should be subjected to such boring fare. Make this on a Sunday night and eat a gourmet lunch or dinner for the next 4 days for just $3 per serving.

Hint: Try batting your eyelashes and asking your local sushi joint for extra wasabi the next time you order takeout. They’ll likely give it to you for free.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried angel hair (cappellini) pasta $1
  • 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted $1.50 for 12 oz.
  • 2 cloves garlic Pantry
  • 2 handfuls of fresh mint leaves $1
  • 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil Pantry
  • 2 tsp prepared wasabi $3 for 4 oz.
  • 4 oz. crumbled feta $4 for 8 oz.
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Recipe Serves 4

Directions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water. Drain and return to pot.
  2. In a food processor, combine half of the peas, the mint, the garlic, the olive oil and the wasabi. Puree until a chunky pesto forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss with hot pasta. Add remaining peas, feta, red pepper flakes and more salt and pepper if desired.
  3. Serve hot or chilled.

Easy Mini Key Lime Pies

  • Prep Time 0:30
  • Cook Time 0:15
  • Estimated Cost $9.00
  • 2 Comments

One of the coolest things about being a food blogger is that my friends frequently ask me for culinary help. James, for example, regularly calls to recite the contents of his refrigerator and ask what he can make from what is in front of him. I love helping. It makes me feel important.

So naturally, I was extra-excited when my friend Dehlia emailed me with a request for a Key lime pie recipe to make for her husband’s upcoming birthday. I haven’t seen her in the ten years that have passed since high school, but thanks to Facebook, she was well-informed that I can cook. I’d never made Key lime pie before, but I’m always up for a challenge, so I set out to put together something fresh and homemade, yet simple and of course inexpensive. These were all of the above—not to mention delicious and refreshing. No worries if you can’t find Key limes—regular limes work too.

Note: If you want to skip the homemade crust, simply buy a pre-made graham cracker crust and make 1 pie instead of 4 miniature ones.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Nilla (about 1 box) Nilla Wafers, crushed until fine $2.50 for a box
  • 3 tbsp flour Pantry
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted $1
  • 3/4 cup sweetened-condensed milk $2 for a 14-oz can
  • 5 ripe Key limes, juiced (about 1/2 cup) $2
  • 4 egg yolks, beaten $1.50 for 6 eggs

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 4 4-oz ramekins (or 1 8" pie pan). Set aside
  2. Combine crushed Nilla Wafers, flour and butter. Stir until dough forms and is cohesive enough to handle. Wet hands with water and carefully press dough into prepared pan(s) to form a crust. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened-condensed milk, lime juice and egg yolks. Pour into prepared crusts and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until custard sets.
  4. Cool completely and then refrigerate until serving.

Makes 1 8" pie or 4 mini pies.

Sausage and Cheese Quiche

  • Prep Time 0:30
  • Cook Time 0:45
  • Estimated Cost $10.50
  • 0 Comments

My BFF and her adorable dog Ziggy are stopping over on their way down to Ventura for the weekend, so I made a quiche. I’m just that kind of girl. You should make it too—it’s delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour, plus more for rolling Pantry
  • 1 very cold stick butter, cut into pieces $1
  • salt Pantry
  • 1/8 cup ice water 
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten $1.50 for 6
  • 1 cup half-and-half $1.50 for 1pint
  • 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese $3 for 8 oz.
  • 1 6" grilling sausage, any kind, diced $2
  • 1/2 red onion, diced $0.50
  • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped $1
  • pepper Pantry
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for greasing pan Pantry

Recipe Serves 4-6

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8" pie pan with olive oil and set aside.
  2. Combine flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles small peas. Slowly stream 1/8 cup ice water with machine running, just until dough comes together (you may need slightly more or less--just pay attention to the dough). Remove dough from machine, dust ball lightly with flour, place in a bowl and immediately refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  3. Combine eggs and half-and-half and beat together. Stir in cheese, sausage, onion, parsley and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Set aside.
  4. Remove dough from refrigerator and turn out onto a lightly-floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 10-inch circle.
  5. Transfer dough to the greased pie pan (if this is tricky, try rolling the dough onto the pin and then unrolling it over the greased pie pan). Press the dough gently into the pie pan, using your fingers or a fork to make a decorative crust (see here for help with this).
  6. Pour the prepared mixture into the prepared pie crust and bake for 35-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and custard is set and browned in spots.

$5 Dessert: Lemon-Basil Ice Cream

  • Prep Time 2:00
  • Cook Time 0:20
  • Estimated Cost $4.50
  • 3 Comments

Once again, the ice cream maker that Holly and Jeremy gave me for my birthday has knocked my socks off with another amazing, inexpensive confection.

This unique, brightly-flavored ice cream tastes like a sweet scoop of summer. Enjoy drizzled with a little bit of good olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups half-and-half $1.50 for 1 pint
  • 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten $1.50 for 6 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar Pantry
  • pinch of salt Pantry
  • juice and zest of 1 lemon $0.50
  • 1 small bunch basil (about 12 leaves) $1

Directions

  1. Whisk half-and-half, sugar, and salt together in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
  2. Tear basil leaves into small pieces and add, along with the lemon zest, to the hot liquid. Remove from heat, cover and allow to steep for 20 minutes.
  3. Strain liquid and return to pot, over medium heat. Add about 1/2 cup hot liquid to eggs and whisk in gently. Slowly add egg mixture to half-and-half mixture in pot. Continue gently whisking liquid for 8-10 minutes, or until a somewhat thick custard forms. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in lemon juice quickly, so as to avoid curdling.
  4. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until hard enough to scoop.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups ice cream.

College Nachos

  • Prep Time 0:20
  • Cook Time 0:12
  • Estimated Cost $12.00
  • 7 Comments

Back in college, my friends and I would stumble back to my Allston, MA apartment at 3 AM, after the usual libations (mostly “jungle juice” and Jell-o shots) to hang out. I would shuffle off to the kitchen and open the fridge to see what we had, which, frequently, wasn’t much. Somehow though, I almost always could find the makings for nachos, which were then immediately consumed with gusto by my friends.

Since then, I’ve dropped many of my college habits (ahem—Crystal Light and bottom-shelf vodka…), but these nachos are the real deal. No Velveeta American cheese nonsense. Just real ingredients baked onto chips, topped with more fresh, real ingredients. So good, sober grown-ups love them too.

Note: If you don’t have chips but you do have tortillas (any kind will do), cut them into wedges, toss lightly with vegetable or canola oil and a little salt, and bake at 375 for 15 minutes until crisp.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups tortilla chips $2 for 16 oz.
  • 1/2 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained $1.50
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella, cheddar, or jack cheese $3 for 8 oz.
  • 1 green jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced (leave the seeds intact if you really like spicy) $0.50
  • 1 avocado, diced $1.50
  • 3 tbsp sour cream or Mexican crema $1.50 for 15 oz.
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped $1
  • 1/2 red onion, diced $0.50
  • 1 Roma tomato, cored and diced $0.50

Recipe Serves 4-6

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Spread chips over an ungreased baking sheet. Scatter beans over the chips. Cover with shredded cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  3. Top baked nachos with jalapeño, avocado, sour cream or crema, cilantro, onion, and tomato.
  4. Serve immediately.