Frugal Café Blog Zone

Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on July 8, 2011

Friday, once again…

FOOD. GLORIOUS FOOD.

Enjoy this week’s selection of gorgeous food photographs and easy recipes — the perfect tonic after a hectic week.

When they are available, recipes and recipe links will accompany select “Fab Food Friday Fotos,” with a guarantee that at least one frugal-minded recipe will always be included.

Trio of Tapas, Rambla, New Orleans | Photo credit: Robert, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer Robert provided this description of the trio of tapas:

Right to left: Medjool dates stuffed with Valdeon cheese and Marcona almonds; Morcilla and caponata bocadillo, and albondigas.

Giant Crab Leg | Photo credit: pokester, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Red Onion Marmalade | Photo credit: mellowynk, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Banana Bento | Photo credit: Sakurako Kitsa, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Japanese bento boxes make for easy, thrifty lunches — this one is vegan-friendly, and is a light, balanced meal perfect for summer, whether eaten at the office, at school, or at home. Instructions are provided by photographer/cook Sakurako Kitsa:

Banana Bento

This is great for a hot day. I still recommend refrigeration and ice packs, though.

FROZEN BANANA ROLLS:

You’ll need
- 1 tortilla (I use La Tortilla wholegrain low-carb, so flexible!)
- 1 banana (I’ve found the ones slightly past their prime are best)
- your favorite brand of peanut butter
- a dinner plate covered in plastic wrap
- a good, sharp chef’s knife.

1) Lay the tortilla on the wrap-covered plate.

2) Spread a thin layer of peanut butter evenly over the entire top surface, right to the edges.

3) A couple of inches away from the edge, lay the peeled banana directly onto the peanut butter.

4) Bring the smaller edge of the tortilla up over the banana and roll it VERY TIGHTLY into a tube. If you don’t roll it tight, it’ll fall apart when you cut it.

5) Release the plastic wrap from around the plate and roll it up around the tortilla-tube to keep everything in place.

5) Pop in the freezer for a couple of hours. You don’t want it frozen solid, but firm enough so that it slices well.

6) when the tube is frozen, bring it back out onto the plate, Cut the ends off with the chef’s knife- you might have to use a slight sawing motion. If the tube feels squishy, put it back in the freezer.

7) Cut the tube into 1-inch slices and serve.

These are soooo good! Vegan and diet-friendly, too.

Almond Tart | Photo credit: tomylees, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Seafood Lunch, Fisherman's Wharf Seafood Restaurant, San Francisco, California | Photo credit: caccamo, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Lentil-nut Loaf & Ratatouille | Photo credit: larkspurlazuli, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Summary from photographer/cook larkspurlazuli:

Lentil-nut loaf recipe from The New Laurel’s Kitchen along with ratatouille made with zucchini, onions and squash from the garden. Both the ratatouille and the lentil-nut loaf turned out really well, and together they kept me fed for a week. The lentil-nut loaf was great with ketchup, mustard, or horseradish sauce. In texture, it was similar to meatloaf.

Recipe for Lentil-Nut Loaf from the cookbook:

A flavorful and nourishing (if somewhat rich) loaf. This recipe is a favorite from our first edition, much simplified and improved. Quick to prepare using leftover lentils, and very well received at lunchtime with mustard or Homemade Ketchup or at supper with sauce or gravy.

* 1 onion, chopped fine
* 1 T. oil
* 2 c. cooked, drained lentils
* 1/2 c. whole wheat bread crumbs
* 1/2 c. chopped toasted walnuts, or toasted sunflower seeds
* 1/2 tsp. sage or thyme
* 2 T. whole wheat flour
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 c. broth or water
* 2 tsp. vinegar
* 2 tsp. shoyu
* 1 T. toasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.

Sauté onion in oil until translucent and slightly browned.

Mix ingredients except sesame sees and place in greased loaf pan. Sprinkle top with the seeds. Bake for 30 minutes covered, then for 10 minutes uncovered.

If you are in a hurry, you can shape patties and cook them on the griddle, with bread crumbs and/or more sesame seeds on top and bottom.

Makes one loaf, or 8 patties.

Swordfish at Fish Market in Venice, Italy | Photo credit: Eric Victor Gitter, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Ham & Cheese Omelette | Photo credi: Pahz, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

During this bad economy, eggs are still a tremendous value. Photographer/cook Pahz offered these instructions on making an omelette:

Just a basic omelette. I had this for lunch today. The recipe can be increased or decreased as needed. Since this was just for me I used three eggs. Beat the eggs with a splash of milk and pour into a hot (medium-high heat) frying pan sprayed with Pam (or oil, or butter, whichever you prefer).

When the eggs start to cook, I add diced ham (today, I cut it into strips instead of cubes). Then I sprinkled generously with shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Just as it looks about done, I take it from the stovetop and put the skillet into the oven with the broil setting on. Just for a few moments, to melt the cheese all the way through and to brown the eggs ever-so-slightly.

Don’t leave it in there long- less than two minutes at the most. Then, back on the stovetop to use a spatula to flip half of the now cooked omelette onto itself.

Then, gently slide onto a waiting plate and enjoy!

I’ve made this same omelette in a larger frying pan with as many as six eggs. I’ve also used pepperoni and mozzarella, or even diced up hot dogs and Velveeta cheese.

Braised Baby Bok Choy | Photo credit: essgee51, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Bread at Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada, Epcot, Walt Disney World | Photo credit: sanctumsolittude, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Pasta with Rocket, Red Lentils, & Goat Cheese | Photo credit: diekatrin, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

The recipe is provided in German on photographer/cook Katrin’s Blog. Here is a translation of the recipe (in some spots, it’s a bit rough, so I’ve tried to tweak it as best I can, taking some liberties with missing words):

Pasta mit Rucola, Linsen und Ziegenkäse (Pasta with Rocket, Red Lentils, & Goat Cheese)

Very yummy and tastes of summer. The noodles were brought by my parents from Italy, they smell very aromatic – taste, great! Arugula and goat cheese are delicious spicy and go well with the mild red lentils. I just needed to cook the noodles and finished in 10 minutes…

Ingredients for 1 person

* Pasta (depending on appetite)
* 1 handful of arugula (also called rocket)
* 50 g red lentils
* Fresh goat cheese
* Salt, pepper
* 2 T. lemon juice
* 2 T. oil (walnut and olive oil used)
* 1 tsp. honey

Cook noodles in salted water. Boil lentils in vegetable stock (mine were yesterday still ..).

Wash and coarsely chop arugula. Mix lemon juice and oil and season with salt, pepper and honey. Mix arugula with the dressing mix.

When pasta and lentils are cooked, mix both in a pot with the rocket. Place on a plate and crumble the goat cheese over the top.

Wild Mint by the River | Photo credit: withrow, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Artichoke Ravioli | Photo credit: Queen Roly, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Chicken Fried Bacon | Photo credit: Brandon Cripps, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook Brandon Cripps provided this information:

Chicken Fried Bacon AKA Chicken Friend Bacon.

Yes, that’s gravy for dipping.

If you haven’t seen it, make sure to check out the video, and head on down to Snook, TX and try it for yourself.

Yan Toh Heen - Stewed Mushrooms & Goose Liver in Abalone Sauce Served in Casserole | Photo credit: InterContinental Hong Kong, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Jello Shots | Photo credit: big/sara, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Toffee & Date Pudding, with Honey, Pecans, & Ice Cream | Photo credit: jovike, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Ham & Asparagus Frittata | Photo credit: hullam, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook hullam provided the LA Times recipe for this ham and asparagus frittata:

Ham & Asparagus Frittata Recipe

* 6 oz. ham, cut in 1/4-inch dice
* 2 T. chopped parsley
* 2 T. butter, divided
* 3/4 lb asparagus, trimmed and peeled if thicker than a pencil
* 12 eggs
* 1 oz. Parmesan, grated (about 1/3 cup)

Heat the broiler.

Cook the ham, parsley and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over low heat until ham renders its fat and begins to shrivel, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut up the asparagus. Start cutting from the base in 1/4- to 1/2-inch crosswise slices. Cut up to the tips, but leave the last inch of the tips whole. Add to the ham and continue cooking another 5 minutes.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat in a 10-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with a fork to break up the yolks. Do not whisk — you don’t want to beat air into the eggs. Stir in the asparagus, ham and parsley.

Pour into the skillet and cook, stirring gently, just until the eggs start to form curds, about 5 minutes. Be careful to scrape the bottom of the pan while you’re stirring to keep the eggs from setting up too quickly. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the top is almost set, another 5 to 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan and place the pan 4 or 5 inches under the broiler. Cook just until the cheese begins to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the frittata from the broiler and loosen the sides with a thin spatula. Set aside to cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, remove the frittata from the pan and cut it into wedges. Or, cut it in 1-inch squares and place a toothpick in the center of each to serve as an appetizer.

Flaky Croissants | Photo credit: begemot, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

African Kale & Yam Soup | Photo credit: greenlagirl, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

This thrifty, hearty vegan soup recipe (kale is one of those super-vegetables bursting with all sorts of minerals and vitamins), provided by photographer/cook greenlagirl, is also posted on The Happy Herbivore — be sure to explore the site, especially for the tantalizing Hawaiian BBQ Teriyaki Chickpeas recipe:

African Kale and Yam Soup

This soup has a wonderful ethnic feel to it. The broth is especially flavorful, so be sure to have toast on standby so you can soak up every last drop!

* 1 whole red onion, small
* 2 cups vegetable broth
* 1 whole yam, diced
* 5 cups kale, chopped
* 2 tsp chili powder
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
* 1 tsp mild curry powder
* 1 T. yellow miso paste
* 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Slice red onion into thin slices. Line a medium pot with 1/4 cup of water and cook onions over high heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add broth, yam, 3/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium and cook until potatoes are almost fork tender, about 3 minutes.

Immediately add kale and remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, until kale is dark green and soft, about 3 more minutes. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, allowing flavors to merge.

BBQ Cabbage | Photo credit: Another Pint Please, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook Another Pint Please wrote this:

A successful retry of BBQ Cabbage. Great stuff! Thanks to BG over at BBQ Source Forums for the idea!

With a bit of Googling, I found the BBQ cabbage directions from BG on the forum:

It’s very simple, but we like it.

Quarter a head of cabbage
Spray with Olive Oil Pam Spray
Season with salt and pepper
Grill with direct heat for grill marks
Finish with indirect heat [until cabbage is fairly tender with toothpick]
Serve with a sprinkle of malt vinegar and salt .. or butter, salt and pepper

BG in WV

Meatballs Toscana | Photo credit: dos82, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

The recipe was provided by photographer/cook dos82:

Meatballs Toscana

I ate them with some pasta…Great!

* A pound of minced meat flavored with mustard, salt & pepper rolled to 11 meatballs
* Some chilis, olives, & capsicum
* Tomato soup powder mixed with whipped cream instead of water
* A quarter-pound of mozzarella

Put the meatballs, chilis, olives, and capsicum in a casserole or a pan, pour the sauce over the meatballs, and add the mozzarella on them.

Now put the casserole in the oven and bake it 30 minutes @ 200°C / 390°F.

Complete!

Grapes - Traders Village Flea Market, Arlington, Texas | Photo credit: gudonark, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Ribeye Steak, Steak Tasting Event at Hawksmoor, London | Photo credit: Food Stories, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Pistachio Almond Cupcakes | Photo credit: chotda, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook chotda provided this description and recipe link for these divine cupcakes:

Super moist, superrrrrrica, super rich, super. cupcakes made with chunks of pistachio almond paste, lots of butter, sugar, and eggs. strangely light and bouncy in texture. Mmmmm.

I adapted an almond cake recipe on David Lebovitz’s blog, which he adapted from a recipe used at Chez Panisse.

Broccoli & Anchovy Spaghetti, West Side Organics, San Francisco Bay Area | Photo credit: rhosoi, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Fresh Black Raspberries | Photo credit: Cheryl, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Overnight Potato-Herb Bread | Photo credit: messycook, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

For the overnight potato-herb bread recipe, visit Messy Cook/Crumb: A Food Blog. Blog mistress/photographer messycook (aka Isabelle) wrote this about making overnight breads:

Overnight breads are wonderfully convenient things – you do the lion’s share of the work the night before by mixing and kneading the dough, and then throw it in the fridge overnight. Then, the following day, all that’s needed is to remove the bread from the oven a few hours in advance, shape and promptly forget about it while it rises in a cozy, draft-free corner.

Which is what makes it so wonderful… In theory, you can prepare a fantastic gourmet meal while the bread is rising and then pop the loaf into the oven shortly before the guests arrive, filling the house with the smell of baking bread. People will be amazed at your kitchen mojo, and you’ll look fresh as a daisy because you haven’t had to stress one bit about your bread. Proposals (both decent and indecent), promotions, mad love and utter slavish devotion are guaranteed to follow.

Tan Abour (Yogurt Soup) | Photo credit: DailyCraft, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Turkey Chili | Photo credit: savannahchik, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

This looks so tasty — photographer/cook savannahchik provided this recipe for turkey chili:

I usually make a pot pie at the end of Thanksgiving weekend, but we wanted to try something different this time. So we cubed up some of the turkey and made a chili from it.

It came out SO GOOD. Here’s the recipe.

Turkey Chili

Adapted from Halftime Chili recipe

* 2 T. olive oil
* 3 green bell peppers, chopped
* 1.5 c. onion, chopped
* 8 cloves garlic, rough chopped
* 3 c. cubed turkey breast
* 5 T. chili powder
* 1 T. Ancho chili powder
* 1 tsp. dried basil
* 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
* 1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes
* 2 T. chipotle peppers in adobo, diced (or to taste – adjust to change heat level)
* 1 c. chicken broth
* 1 12 oz. bottle beer

Sauté bell peppers for a few minutes (they will still be firm). Remove and place in crock pot.

Saute onions for a few minutes (they will also still be firm). Add garlic and fry for 1 minute. Remove and place in crock pot.

Add turkey to frying pan and sprinkle with chili powders and herbs. Toss to coat well and saute briefly. Remove and place in crock pot.

Add tomatoes, chipotle peppers (w/adobo), chicken broth and beer. Cook on high for 6 hours. During the last hour remove the lid to allow the liquid to cook down.

Note: I found it needed the full 6 hours to break down the turkey and meld it all together.

Serve hot with shredded cheese and lime sour cream (below).

Lime Sour Cream

I use this with almost any Tex-Mex/Mexican dish (tacos, carnitas, chili, etc.). The lime adds a great layer of flavor.

* 1/2 c sour cream
* 1 tsp lime zest
* 1 tsp lime juice

Combine ingredients. Refrigerate.

Pork Cutlet & Russian Borscht, Budapest Restaurant and Pálinka Bar, Victoria | Photo credit: mmmsedap, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

James Joyce Cocktail | Photo credit: Kenn Wilson, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer Kenn Wilson supplied this recipe for the James Joyce Cocktail, which is also posted at the Cocktalia site — it has some background info on the author as well:

James Joyce Cocktail

* 1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
* 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
* 3/4 ounce Cointreau
* 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake until cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

This cocktail has what looks like an odd combination of ingredients, but it actually works pretty well, creating a nice, easy to sip drink. The fruitiness from the Irish whiskey works well with the Cointreau and lime juice, and the vermouth adds a little extra complexity. The James Joyce is based on the Oriental cocktail, which uses rye in place of the Irish whiskey used here.

Also pictured is Sarai’s old copy of Ulysses, by James Joyce. I’ve been meaning to read it but haven’t yet gotten around to it. I understand it’s very good, but also a bit of work.

Outback Steakhouse Bloomin' Onion | Photo credit: chapstickaddict, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Fried Herring Sandwich | Photo credit: Ruby Slippers in Italy, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook Ruby Slippers in Italy wrote this about the fried herring sandwich:

My attempt to duplicate a Swedish street food known as knäckis. It was great, but I think a visit to Sweden would be even better.

A&W Root Beer Float, Manado Mall, North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia | Photo credit: Daniel Kwok, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Steak Carpaccio | Photo credit: ceejayoz, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Brief description from photographer/cook ceejayoz:

Steak carpaccio – Raw beef on spring greens and drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice, and some ground pepper.

Stuffed Peppers | Photo credit: lovestruck, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Clementine Tangerine Cake | Photo credit: justgrimes, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

A clementine, sometimes called Algerian tangerine, is a variety of mandarin orange. Photographer/cook justgrimes provided this link to the SmittenKitchen for the clementine tangerine cake recipe.

Figs from My Father's Garden in Greece | Photo credit: starlight 84, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Noodles with Oriental Pork, Stir Fried Squid, in a Root Ginger & Coriander Broth | Photo credit: kevinmcc, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Puff Pastry with Milk Chocolate Sauce | Photo credit: Greg Turner, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer/cook Greg Turner has this recipe posted on his old food blog, Winepairings, which he left in 2008 to start Kitchen Sojourn. The newer site hasn’t had any new posts in several months, but both are still online. Here is the link to the recipe, posted in February 2008.

Ribston Pippins & Other Assorted Apples, Farmer's Market, Toronto | Photo credit: Suzanne Long, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Chile Rellenos | Photo credit: jpellgen, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Description from photographer/cook jpellgen on making this dish of chile rellenos:

Due to the shortage of poblano peppers, I went with Anaheim chiles. They are harder to stuff and a quite a bit more fragile, but it worked out well overall. This isn’t a completely authentic recipe, but I stuffed them with things I thought would taste good — jack cheese, tomatoes, onion, ground beef. The sauce is a red pepper purée made with cilantro and crema Mexicana.

Ive never been able to fry anything well at home due to the electric stove top, so I always look for alternative ways to do traditionally fried foods. This just went under the broiler once it was stuffed. I think the purée really brought the dish together though.

Peach Coffee Cake, Garnished with Peach Slices & Fat-free Vanilla Yogurt | Photo credit: prettydaisies, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Rice Au Gratin & Rice Jardin Print Ad with Recipes, Rice Council of America, 1971 | Photo credit: mod as hell, Flickr, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

Photographer mod as hell’s vintage rice ad with recipes above — “Switch from Routine to Rice!” — appeared in the Rice Council of America’s “Man-Pleasing Recipes,” 1971. Double click the image to enlarge to read the rice recipes.

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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Past three months of Fab Food Friday Fotos posts:

The Explosive Fourth of July "Salads, Salads, & More Salads" Food & Recipe Extravaganza

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