Frugal Café Blog Zone

Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on March 18, 2011

Spring is on its way, thank heavens… and Friday has finally arrived.

FOOD. GLORIOUS FOOD.

When available, recipes will accompany the “Fab Food Friday Fotos,” with a guarantee that at least one (usually more) cheap and easy recipe will always be included.

Adams & Knickle Scallops, The Old Fish Factory, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia | Photo credit: jimmywayne, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Lingonberry Cake | Photo credit: Su-Lin, Flickr, Creative Commons, Some Rights Reserved

BBQ Pork Back Ribs with Moxie Glaze Barbecue Sauce | Photo credit: Dennis Wilkinson, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Are you salivating yet?

Photographer/BBQ dude Dennis Wilkinson wrote the following barbecue info and also provided this recipe for his Moxie Glaze Barbecue Sauce:

Mmmmm… ribs.

My new smoker (a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, the 22″-diameter model) arrived on Friday, and I couldn’t wait to fire it up this weekend. Figured I’d start with something that wouldn’t be an 18-hour cook, so I fired up a few chickens (one to pull, one to carve up and freeze) and these two racks of dry-rubbed, Moxie-glazed pork back ribs. Turned into about a 5 1/2 hour smoke. I used mesquite chunks and some Jack Daniel’s barrel chips left over from last year (yeah, yeah, I know. Mesquite is a Texas thing, pork… isn’t. But that’s what I had left from last season.)

Here’s the recipe for the Moxie glaze I used with these:

Moxie Glaze Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

* 1 L Bottle of Moxie
* 1 c. ketchup
* 1/3 c. orange juice
* 1/3 c. honey
* 1/3 c. bourbon
* 1 T. red wine vinegar
* 1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
* 1 tsp. onion powder
* 1 tsp. smoked paprika
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
* black pepper

Instructions

In a large saucepan, reduce the Moxie until only 1 c. of liquid remains. Add remaining ingredients, simmer for 10 minutes, and use.

Butter Chicken, Pilaf Rice, Chicken Curry, Dessert, and Lassi, Top of India, Spokane Valley, Washington | Photo credit: toosuto, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Plum Harvest, Beautiful Plums from Our Garden - Middelburg, Zeeland, Netherlands | Photo credit: Henk Kosters, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Fall Squash and Mushroom Salad | Photo credit: empty highway, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Here are the ingredients (sans measurements or proportions) that photographer/cook empty highway used, and the farms/locations where they were purchased, when making the Fall Squash and Mushroom Salad:

Tempura Battered and Fried Oyster Mushrooms, Satur Farms: Frisee, Mizuna, and Spaghetti Squash; Lardons, Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Blanched Brunois Kuri Squash, Pecan Butter.

Baked Egg and Veggies for Dinner | Photo credit: Freddy, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Cornbread Casserole | Photo credit: telepathic george, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Thrifty, veggie-loaded casserole that takes no time to prepare — photographer/cook telepathic george provided the recipe:

Cornbread Casserole

* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 green pepper, chopped
* 1 pkg. chili mix (I left this off, but I’d probably include it next time)
* 1 pkg. Jiffy cornbread mix
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 c. canned tomatoes
* 1 can red kidney beans, drained
* 1/2 c. water

Brown hamburger, onions, and pepper. Add 2 cups tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Add package chili mix with 1/2 cup water. Add 1 can kidney beans. Bring to boil. Pour in casserole dish.

Mix 1 package Jiffy cornbread mix as package calls for and spread evenly on top of casserole mixture.

Place in 400 degree F oven and bake for 20 minutes.

White Russian Cupcakes | Photo credit: Sugar Daze, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Cheese on Toast | Photo credit: DuncanC, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Quick description of the cheese on toast, from photographer/cook DuncanC:

Not quite Welsh Rarebit; cheese melted with some chopped tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.

Ice Cream Cone Buckyball | Photo credit: Alyce Santoro, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer Alyce Santoro explained her odd photo:

I make these “buckyballs” by gluing together ice cream cones at their points, then deploy them in outdoor environments as a form of biodegradable graffiti.

Last year, Google paid tribute to the buckyball’s (aka fullerene’s) 25th anniversary with an interactive graphic on its homepage — click the link for some info about it, along with the Google homepage buckyball doodle screenshot and a video.

Lots of Thai Food, Father's Day at Buddhapadipa Temple, Wimbledon, London | Photo credit: gnasheruk, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Fresh Beets, St. Petersburg Farmers' Market, Florida | Photo credit: newwavegurley, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Beef Heart Satay | Photo credit: Lucas Richarz, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Brief description from photographer/cook Lucas Richarz for preparing this beef heart satay:

I marinated the beef hearts in an Indonesian satay seasoning, and then broiled them. Served on top of steamed rice with peanut satay sauce.

Liquorice Coconut Rolls, Ashton under Lyne Market, England | Photo credit: kh1234567890, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Jamaican Meal of Shredded Beef, Jerk Chicken, Black Beans, Rice with Zucchini & Broccoli, & Plantains | Photo credit: Mulling It Over, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Liverwurst, Radishes, Greens, & Asparagus Pickles Lunch | Photo credit: cafemama, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Spaghetti with Braised Kale | Photo credit: Ned Raggett, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Spaghetti with Braised Kale Recipe

Ingredients

* 1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
* 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
* 8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 1/2 pound spaghetti
* 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
* Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry.

Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Parsnips & Carrots with Honey & Rosemary | Photo credit: uglyagnes, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Chocolate Marble Pound Cake | Photo credit: hawaiianfoodrecipes, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Sugar Cube Dissolving into a Glass of Absinthe | Photo credit: spark_editor, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Au Gratin Casserole | Photo credit: Matt De Turck, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Cheese, potatoes, and ground beef baked in a casserole… what could be more hearty and heavenly on a cold night? Photographer/cook Matt De Turck modified a Cheesy Potato Beef Bake recipe and provided his version of this simple recipe… he writes the following:

Modified from a cookbook recipe, I added vegetables to this casserole made with packaged potatoes. I served it warm with biscuits, but it might have even been better the next day after it solidified overnight in the fridge.

Au Gratin Casserole Recipe

* 1 lb ground beef
* 2 packages (5 1/4 oz each) au gratin potatoes
* Milk, Butter, Boiling Water (according to au gratin ingredient list)
* 1 green pepper
* 1 tomato
* 1 small onion
* Shredded cheese (optional)

Cook beef in skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Place in a greased 13×9 baking pan.

Prepare the au gratin potatoes in a large mixing bowl, according to directions on box.

Chop vegetables and add to potato mixture. Pour over beef in baking dish.

Bake at 400° F for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese (if desired) and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese begins to brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from: “Cheesy Potato Beef Bake”, Fast Fixes with Mixes, pg 105

Roasted Beet Pear Endive Salad | Photo credit: Emilie Hardman, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Fried Clams | Photo credit: Rick Audet, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Banoffi Pie for English Tea Party | Photo credit: Sam Breach, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Sweet Paul's Goat Cheese & Honey Open-Faced Sandwich & Edelweiss Grapes | Photo credit: thedabble, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook TheDabbler has more background information about this amazingly simple, but elegant dish (plus some wonderful scenic photos of Minnesota) posted at her upbeat blog, The Dabble — tagline, “food with a side of life.”

Chevre and Honey Open-Faced Sandwich from Sweet Paul

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:
4 thick slices of hearty bread (of your choice)
4 slices of apple (of your choice)
2 oz. chevre (goat’s cheese)
4 tbsp honey

Place the bread on 4 plates, dividing the ingredients, top with the apple slices, cheese and honey. Simple is good.

Tupelo Biscuits & Sausage Gravy | Photo credit: snowpea&bokchoi, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Hot Cocoa, Melbourne, Australia | Photo credit: Angela Rutherford, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Vintage 1977 Ad & Recipe, Egg Nests, The 42 Cent Lunch | Photo credit: jbcurio, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved,

Cool vintage food ad and thrift-minded recipe for Egg Nests — this advertisement appeared in Homemakers, March 1977. The “42 Cent Lunch” headline is misleading — since the recipe serves 2 to 4 people, each lunch serving would be between 10 and 21 cents — when adjusted for inflation, each serving is about 34 cents (as of 2009, likely nearer to 50 or 60 cents per serving today, depending on where you live and the current price of eggs). Regardless, it’s an inexpensive lunch that is a bit fancier than a regular sandwich. These Egg Nests should be a fun lunch for the kids on a rainy Saturday and are so darned easy to make, the children could assist. A small cup of tomato or navy bean soup would be a perfect companion to the Egg Nests.

For a breathtaking collection of unusual and fascinating photos of old cookbooks, vintage food ads, and countless recipes, explore photographer jbcurio’s (real name: Jamie Bradburn) fun-filled blog, JB’s Warehouse & Curio Emporium. There are more than 1,700 posts to date… with little effort, you can lose yourself in these recipes from the past.

Chinese Market in Paramaribo (Cured Poultry) | Photo credit: Taran Rampersad, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Sharee's Chicken Salad | Photo credit: The Culinary Geek, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Wow — a thing of beauty here.

Garlic Festival Loot, Connecticut | Photo credit: Lynn Gardner, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Mi Bento de Hoy | Photo credit: Blanca Egea, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Hush Puppies | Photo credit: jeffreyww, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook jeffreyww is a contributor to the fab food blog, Whats4DinnerSolutions, with myriad recipes… this one for hush puppies is just one of them. Pop over for more of his recipes, such as lasagne, enchilada pie, ravioli, and andouille hash. This one is really intriguing: Tes’ Strawberry Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce. Mmmm….

Mrs J called for fried fish for dinner today. We consider certain sides to be “must haves” for a fish fry: Slaw, baked beans, and hush puppies. Occasionally there will be a substitution or an addition-French fries come to mind.

For years I used a box mix for my hush puppies, I would add some minced peppers and onions, maybe, and count myself as “really cooking now”. LOL Making them from scratch is fairly easy. The recipe I used today could have been halved, we have plenty of leftovers.

Hush Puppies Recipe

* 1 c flour
* 1 c corn flour
* 1 c corn meal
* 2 T sugar
* 2 eggs
* ~1/8 c bacon grease
* 1 t baking powder
* 1/2 t baking soda
* 1 t salt
* 1 c buttermilk

And you can stop there for the basic hush puppy recipe. Drop ~1T of the batter into oil heated to about 325 and let it brown-I used a small cookie dough scoop, worked great. Here the usual instructions add: turn it over after a couple of minutes to cook the other side. Hah! You might be able to get one to turn over and stay one time out of ten. I still try, don’t know why. I guess it’s that one time in ten. How long does it take to cook them? That will depend on the size of the portion, the temperature of the oil, the number of pups you are trying to do at once, and maybe humidity and how the dog feels about the cat. Just let one get nice and brown and take it out, cut it in two and look at the middle. Go from there.

Of course I didn’t stop at just plain hush puppies. I minced 2 jalapenos, 1/4 c of yellow onion, about 1/4 c of various colored bell peppers, and a good handful of green onions. Oh, and whole corn, from a can. You can use creamed corn if you want. I used about 3/4 of a can. Be aware that liquid additions may require additional amounts of meal and/or flour to keep the batter stiff enough to scoop.

Enjoy!

Tiramisu Ice Cream with Ladyfinger, in/upon Wilfriede Maaß' Elegant Gingko Leaf Pottery | Photo credit: majorbonnet, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Pickled Pigs' Feet, Pirosmani, Brooklyn, New York | Photo credit: Robyn Lee, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Swedish Visiting Cake | Photo credit: Isabelle, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook Isabelle shared this easy recipe for making Swedish Visiting Cake and has it posted on Eat My Cake Now blog — the recipe is available in English and French on the blog:

When I first read this recipe, I admit I hesitated a little: at first, I wasn’t much attracted to it. But the second reading was the charm, because it was pretty easy to prepare and at worst, we’d end up with some fruit covered cake. You could say that it was fortunate that this little cake got its chance, because it was one of those surprising little discoveries. It’s a very soft cake, quite tasty and very versatile, pleasing all on its own or with a generous serving of fruit sauce. Exactly the sort of cake you’ll prepare with your eyes closed, minutes before some unexpected visitors make their entrance.

Swedish Visiting Cake Recipe – Gâteau Suédois
Via Dorie Greenspan: Baking from my Home to Yours

* 150 g (3/4 cup) sugar
* grated zest of 1 lemon
* 1 ml (1/4 teaspoon) salt
* 2 eggs
* 10 ml (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
* 5 ml (1 teaspoon) pure almond extract
* 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
* 120 g (1/2 cup – 1 stick) butter, melted
* 25 g (1/4 cup) sliced almonds

Preheat the oven at 350°F (180°C).
Butter a 23 cm (9 inch) pan.
Pour the sugar, the salt, and the lemon zest into a medium bowl.
Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
Add the vanilla and the almonds extracts.
Stir in the flour and finally, fold in the melted butter.
Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.
Bake the cake for 20 to 28 minutes or until it is golden and crisp on the outside.
Let the cake cool for 5 minutes before unmolding.

Bon Appétit!

Lunch at L'Escargot Montorgueil, Paris | Photo credit: rc!, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Jumbo Pucchin Pudding | Photo credit: rie h, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Honey Galore - Jars and Bottles of Honey at the Dane County Farmers' Market, Madison, Wisconsin | Photo credit: Shihmei Barger, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Vintage Photo of Funny Face Hamburgers, 1968 Pillsbury Cookbook | Photo credit: bunchofpants, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Another vintage food photograph, meant as a kid-pleaser, although I think they’re rather creepy — photographer bunchofpants provided this summary of the funny-faced hamburgers:

From the 1968 Pillsbury’s Bake Off Main Dish Cookbook. These are basically hamburgers encased in Pillsbury refrigerated Parker House Roll dough and baked, with little faces added.

Spicy Pickled Vegetables, Famous Sichuan, New York | Photo credit: Jason Lam, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Cheese in Shapes, Wisconsin | Photo credit: Beige Alert, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Kenickie Fried Chicken | Photo credit: jukebox909, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Kenickie Fried Chicken… heh, heh. Funny.

Food photos selected and posted are credited and have Creative Commons-licensed content with some rights reserved for noncommercial purposes, unless otherwise noted.

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Previous three months of Fab Food Friday Fotos posts:

Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday Edition – New Orleans, Cajun, Creole Food & Recipes… Let the Good Times Roll

Tantalizing Thanksgiving Food Extravaganza Special… Holiday Recipes & Scrumptious Food Photos Galore

Categories: Business & Economy, Conservatism, Food, Drink, Frugal Kitchen Tricks, Frugal Shopping Info, Social and Political Climate
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