An E-Mail Miracle: Curried Sweet Potato Stew

About four or five years ago, I seriously embarked on a weight loss plan and signed up for eDiets. I did it mostly for the free body profile and never used the service, opting for Weight Watchers and self-tracking instead. (Which worked! Whee!)

Since then, I’ve received an e-mail from the company every. Single. Week. Normally, this would annoy my face off, as I generally trash any corporate ads without “FREE METS SEASON TICKETS FOR YOU, KRIS” plastered across the top. In this case, it would have been an awful mistake, like the AOL/Time Warner merger or hot pants.

Stunningly, eDiets' weekly missives are varied, educational, and even kinda fun. The best feature is undoubtedly the Food Hall of Shame, where readers submit their crazy-gross guilty pleasures (scrambled eggs and syrup, pickle and yogurt milkshake, etc.), but the healthy recipes always looked nice, too. I just never got around to trying one until this week. And you know what? Me like.

The first thing that struck me about Curried Sweet Potato Stew was the scent, since I began by sauteing a mirepoix with ginger and a bay leaf. After about twenty minutes, it assumes a fiery orange color, which definitely makes it one of the prettier meals on Earth. Finally, the taste enters the picture. It’s warming and exotic, with a touch of Thai in there (from the ginger and curry, I guess). For next time, I would double the lentils and add another cup of sweet potatoes for hardiness. The Boyfriend suggested reducing the liquid more and pouring over rice, and I could see that working well, too.

Yet, even without the alterations, this was a satisfying, thrifty late-Autumn meal, especially with a few Ritz thrown in for effect. All in all, a pleasant surprise, a lot like the eDiet e-mails themselves. Ahhh.

(NOTE: I don’t work for the company. Really. I swear.)

Curried Sweet Potato Stew
Makes 3 large, dinner-sized servings
Adapted from eDiets.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 bay leaf
pinch of red pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup brown lentils
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt to taste
plain yogurt of sour cream (used light sour cream)

1) In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, ginger, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Saute until veggies are soft, about 8 or 10 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and curry powder and saute 1 minute. Pour in wine and cook until nearly evaporated, stirring occasionally. Add broth, tomatoes, and lentils. Drop heat to medium and simmer about 30 minutes uncovered, until both lentils and sweet potatoes are cooked.

2) Remove pot from heat. Add lemon juice, salt, and half the cilantro. Serve, topped with sour cream and the rest of the cilantro.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
408.3 calories, 14.8 g fat, $1.15

Calculations
1/2 cup onion: 24 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1/4 cup carrot: 13 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.12
1/4 cup celery: 4 calories, 0 g fat, $0.15
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1 bay leaf: negligible fat and calories, $0.03
pinch of red pepper flakes: negligible fat and calories, $0.01
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil: 243 calories, 27.5 g fat, $0.04
1-1/2 cups sweet potato: 172 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.55
1 tsp. curry powder: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
1/4 cup dry white wine: 48 calories, 0 g fat, $0.27
4 cups chicken broth: 346 calories, 11.5 g fat, $0.92
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes: 25 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1/4 cup brown lentils: 271 calories, 0.8 g fat, $0.06
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, $0.48
juice of 1/2 lemon: 6 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
salt to taste: negligible fat and calories, $0.01
3 Dollops light sour cream: 67 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 1225 calories, 44.5 g fat, $3.46
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 408.3 calories, 14.8 g fat, $1.15

CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
Use Real Butter
Suggested by my friend Michele, Use Real Butter is a food blog in the Smitten Kitchen vein, meaning the writing is nifty and the pictures … oh, the pictures. Look at the photos in this post. And this one. And why not this one, while you’re at it? If you don’t start salivating immediately, you might not be human.

Organization of the Week
Your local house of worship
Whether you’re happily secular or a card-carrying member of the God Squad, churches, temples, and mosques must be acknowledged and lauded as prime combatants of hunger and poverty. Peruse the activities at your local shrine to see how you can pitch in.

Quote of the Week
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” -Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Sketch of the Week
Coffee Talk with Linda Richman
Mike Meyers! Madonna! Roseanne! BARBRA! Classic early-‘90s SNL piece with myriad references to both coffee and butter (thus qualifying it for this site). No one knew Ms. Streisand was coming, so the reactions at the end are genuine.

Tip of the Week
If you’re prepping a big holiday meal, create a menu and grocery list at least two weeks ahead of time. I did this for Thanksgiving, managed to buy almost everything on sale, and cut $50 off our bill from last year.

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Red Lentil Soup with Garam Masala by Sassy Radish
Colorful, comforting, filling, healthy and cheap. This could be the perfect food.

Video of the Week (Food Division)
“Feed Me” by Audrey II and Seymour Krelborn (Levi Stubbs and Rick Moranis)
A terrible lesson about the cannibalistic consequences of gluttony, brought to you by the sick, sick minds behind Little Shop of Horrors.

(Photos courtesy of Flickr.)

Touch of Class: 10 Thrifty, Healthy Ingredients to Improve the Quality of Your Meals

(Sorry for the delay today. Between Thanksgiving and yesterday’s massive Festival of Frugality, I’m a bit blog dizzy.)

For the first 25 years of my existence, my food stood alone. Meat went unseasoned, starches sought no accompaniment, and vegetables … hermits, all of them. Only recently have I discovered the wonders of spices, sauces, and assorted flavorings. I had heard they made edibles better, but discounted it as a blasphemous rumor. Y’know, like gravity.

In honor of these fine, zestful components, today’s article will expound on joy and wonder of my favorite ten. The following foods generally aren’t the main focus of a dish. Instead, they’re simple, easily attainable additives that will boost the quality of your spread immensely. Some cost a few cents more than generic or mass-produced items, but in most cases, a tiny little pinch goes a super-long way.

1. Freshly ground black pepper
Along with its sister, salt, black pepper is one of the most widely-employed spices globally. Alas, according to sources, it starts losing its flavor immediately after grinding, meaning the five-year-old jar on your shelf is little more than grey dust. Investing in a solid mill and Costco-sized package of peppercorns will juice up almost every meal you make, at minimal cost over time.

2. Fresh herbs
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme aren’t just tremendously soothing Simon and Garfunkel lyrics – they’re also a grade-A way to turn a dish from crappy to credible. Though price is contingent on time of year, every spent cent is rewarded. Casual Kitchen makes every other good point there is to make about this, but I’ll add that some herbs last much longer than you might think. I’ve had thyme survive my fridge for more than three weeks.

3. Stock/Better than Bouillon
When heated in stock rather than water, many foods (pasta, rice, veggies, etc.) assume extra flavor. While homemade stock is always preferred, Better than Bouillon is a good alternative to cans and cubes. A dense paste, it makes 38 cups of broth per 8-oz jar. Priced at $5.95 on Amazon (and a rumored $2.99 at Trader Joe’s), it comes out to $0.16 per cup, or about half the cost of on-sale Swanson broth. I used it in Thanksgiving prep at house, and the eaters were pleased. (Three cheers to Rachel, the Cheap Healthy Gourmet for the tip.)

4. Wine
Thanks to Trader Joe’s, the internet, and an expanding world of wine appreciation, a passable vino is becoming easier and easier to find. Five bucks will nab you a bottle suitable for braising and/or deglazing, which ups the flavor in meats, sauces, and vegetables.

5. Decent cheese
Whether you’re dusting penne with parmesan or grating sharp cheddar over potato soup, a smattering of frommage can invigorate a dish with mad flava. BUT, the quality of cheese matters, tons. Case in point: last night, I went to a generally reliable Irish bar for dinner and ordered a vegetable melt. Sure, the choice of produce was bizarre (broccoli, carrots, and zucchini) but the dish was totally sunk by the over-processed, barely-warm slices of Grade Z American cheese. Buying less expensive dairy is understandable, especially if it’s used in bulk (a la enchiladas), but if you can swing it, slightly better brands in small doses do wonders. (As god as my witness, this will never touch my pasta again.)

6. Real lemon juice
Frequently a main component of dessert or dinner, the lovely lemon (not to be confused with Liz Lemon) can also brighten the flavor of a sauce, salad, or slab of meat. BUT, there is no substitute for having the actual, physical citrus fruit on hand. My Ma’s been a staunch ReaLemon supporter for most of her time on Earth, and I’ve always found it tastes like dishwater. At $0.25 to $0.50 a pop, go with the real thing.

7. Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
I am not a supporter of breadcrumbs on macaroni and cheese. I think they take away from the main event. That said, I ate the beloved dish topped once with panko, and completely flipped my wig. Crunchier, lighter, and only slightly pricier than American-style breadcrumbs, panko ups the ante on everything. Try it with pork chops, chicken, and fish.

8. Anchovies
Discovering a whole dead fish on pizza might be enough to make you swear off anchovies for the rest of your life (and the next one, if you’re into that kind of thing). Yet, the tiny, economical add-on will give dips and dressings a much-needed kick in the pants. This simple, healthy dip by Kathleen Daeleamans is a great example.

9. Garlic straight from the bulb
This one’s a tad personal. Ma and Pa, who are righteous in every other way, cook with pre-minced garlic stored in huge jars of olive oil. Pa believes it saves some time and maybe a dollar, but he always has to use twice the amount called for since the pungency is severely compromised. Fresh garlic is delicious, un-diluted, and according to a new New York Times article, good for you as all get out. Plus, there’s the vampire-repellant factor, and that can’t be overlooked. (BONUS: Special mincing instructions here. )

10. Condiments
Soy sauce, tabasco sauce, teriyaki sauce, mustard, honey, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce – every one of these guys can stand on their own, or be incorporated into a grander concoction. And when employed in moderation, they enhance rather than overwhelm the taste of a meal. You can purchase according to your own taste and/or buy in bulk for savings, but coughing up an extra buck will make a difference in the end product.

Also worth mentioning: capers, bulk nuts, olives, fresh seasonal veggies (as opposed to canned), flavored vinegars, various pastes, fresh hot peppers, chutneys, salsas.

Any other suggestions? I’d love to hear ‘em.

Festival of Frugality #102: The Mix Tape Edition

One of my favorite aspects of the Festival of Frugality is the variety of articles from such different, awesome sources. It reminds me muchly of the mix tapes I made in high school and college.

Subsequently, this edition of the FoF is modeled after those cassettes of yore. Each post is paired with a tune that pertains to its subject matter, and when they're taken all together, the songs create a frugality-themed block of music you can listen to and enjoy for (about four) hours. (Warning: There is an inordinate amount of Weird Al on this list. If you fear goofy, light-hearted parody, this would be a good time to go to the bathroom.)

So, without further ado, behold the 102nd FESTIVAL OF FRUGALITY (featuring a super-strong travel section)!

EDITOR'S PICKS

My Personal Finance Odyssey channels former GE head honcho Jack Welch for Make Your Finances Six Sigma. Super creative twist on an oft-mined subject.
Mix Song: “Taking Care of Business” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Innside Montana expounds on the beauty of simple, homemade cleaning products in At Home Naturally. Invaluable tips and (dear god) a recipe for sweet potato cornbread included herein.
Mix Song: “Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin

U.K. native Monevator discusses relationships and cold, hard cashola in How Talking About Money is Like French Kissing. Featuring the greatest first line in all of blogdom. (Rated PG-13)
Mix Song: “Money Changes Everything” by Cyndi Lauper


FRUGAL FOOD

Straight from down under, Lightening’s Thoughts, Musings, and Happenings presents valuable purchasing advice in Reducing the Grocery Budget Part I.
Mix Song: “Lost in the Supermarket” by The Clash

Money and Values taps directly into my stomach with A Fancy, Frugal Favorite: Eggplant Parmesan Made Easy. Eggplant’s about $0.79/lb on sale by me, but Trader Joe’s is always a pretty safe bet, nonetheless.
Mix Song: “Eat it” by Weird Al Yankovic

If it’s a cooking gameplan you need, A Mother in Israel has the answer in What’s There to Eat? Saving Time in the Kitchen.
Mix Song: “Soul Kitchen” by The Doors

The Wastrel Show scores a deal on Thanksgiving dinner in Reduced Food Prices Give Me Thanks.
Mix Song: “Thnks fr th mmrs” by Fall Out Boy

Eden from Our Family Village theorizes that A Healthy Diet Doesn’t Have to be Expensive. Sing it, sister!
Mix Song: “I Feel Good” by James Brown

Paid Twice demolishes what’s left of her bird in Using That Turkey for all it’s Worth. (Well done!)
Mix Song: “Thanksgiving Song” by Adam Sandler


FRUGAL HOME

Eat your heart out, HGTV. LifeEdit.net tells us how it’s done in 10 Budget Home Decoration Tips.
Mix Song: “Our House” by Madness

Learn from Frugal Journey, my friends. Thinking ahead helps, and Be Organized and Be Frugal is right on the mark about its benefits.
Mix Song: “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green

My Two Dollars takes a step toward saving the planet (and a few bucks) with Rechargeable Batteries Can Save You Money and Help the Environment.
Mix Song: “The Power” by Snap

A quick tip from Clever Dude about Cleaning a Flower Vase. Good for those of us who’ve come perilously close to getting stuck in there. (Not mentioning any names.)
Mix Song: “Listen (to the Flower People)" by Spinal Tap

With oil prices skyrocketing, Cash Money Life is particularly noteworthy with Slash Your Winter Heating Bills – 7 Free Ways to Save Money This Winter.
Mix Song: “Mushaboom” by Feist

Plonkee lists four nifty advantages to single-person homes in How to Live on Your Own Frugally. #3 is mah favorite.
Mix Song: “Me, Myself and I” by De la Soul

Frugal Babe taps her inner Bob Vila for A Super-Frugal Scrapbook Nook. Nice work!
Mix Song: “Let’s Build a Home” by The White Stripes

A Penny Saved sits back and enjoys some booty (not that kind) in Embracing the Simple Joy of Freebies.
Mix Song: “Freedom” by George Michael

Brip Blap suggests revisiting your old collection of tomes in Saving Money on Books.
Mix Song: “Everyday I Write the Book” by Elvis Costello


FRUGAL COMPUTERS, BLOGGING, & INTERNET

An aging machine is repurposed in My Old New Laptop, brought to us by Free From Broke.
Mix Song: “It’s All About the Pentiums” by Weird Al Yankovic

There are oodles of free computer apps over at Debt Solution, and all you have to do is click on Free Software to Do Just About Anything - It’s Really Free (Mostly!).
Mix Song: “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young and Pearl Jam

One of my favorite bloggers is Lynnae at Being Frugal. This week, she delves into a Christmas spending theme with How Blogging Changed Me.
Mix Song: “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke

Everybody and their mother wants a Gymboree discount, and My Dollar Plan capitalized on the demand. Check out Selling Coupons on eBay for the bottom line.
Mix Song: “Hey Baby” by No Doubt

Just in time for Christmas, Home Life Weekly presents How to Bid to Win on eBay and Save a Fortune. If only I had known when Pa wanted that digital camera…
Mix Song: “eBay” by Weird Al Yankovic


FRUGAL TRAVEL

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Rather Be Shopping’s father! He has quite a few faboo tricks for vacationers in Frugal Traveling Tips From My Dad.
Mix song: “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson

After taking RBS’ Dad’s advice, head on over to Rocket Finance, where there are seven strategies for Saving Money on the Road.
Mix Song: “In a Big Country” by Big Country

Less Than a Shoestring constructively critiques the Grey Lady’s travel expert in NYT Frugal Traveler, Part Deux. The gauntlet, she is thrown.
Mix Song: “Into the Great Wide Open” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Me, My Kid and Life discusses a super-timely subject with The Dollar Drops Again: How the Exchange Rate Affects European Travel. Excellent post.
Mix Song: “Radio Free Europe” by R.E.M.

Our journey continues in the Caribbean with Save Money in Aruba, brought to us by the wicked smaht, most-likely-tan Lazy Man and Money.
Mix Song: “Kokomo” by the Muppets

Why haul your tuchus halfway around the globe when there are cultural and natural wonders to behold close to home? Mrs Micah counts down the benefits of sticking around in Hometown Tourism Saves Money and Sanity.
Mix Song: “Homeward Bound” by Simon and Garfunkel


FRUGAL FINANCE

Interesting advice from The Financial Blogger about how to leverage owed money in Become Frugal Now! Ask for a Loan.
Mix Song: “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits

As part of an ongoing series called Get Out of Debt in Nine Steps, blogger Finance and Fat proudly presents #5: Live Below Your Means.
Mix Song: “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi

When Should YOU Reconsider Refinancing Your Mortgage? I have no idea, but Financial & Legal Matters does, thank goodness.
Mix Song: “Home” by Zero 7

As the Baby Boomer generation is hitting their sixties, retirement grows ever nearer. Slow Down Fast explores the changing face of life after 65 in Entrepreneurs, Does Retirement Fit Into Your Plans?
Mix Song: “End of the Line” by Traveling Wilburys

It’s All About Choices, says the fine blogger over at Frugal Fabulous.
Mix Song: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones

CompGifts - The Frugal Way of Giving wants the world to know about 5 Cheap Date Ideas to Keep Your Date and Your Money Happy.
Mix Song: “First Date” by Blink 182


FRUGAL WORKING

KCLau’s Money Tips dives headfirst into the great What’s Your Time Worth conundrum.
Mix Song: “Money” by Pink Floyd

Living Almost Large puzzles over the eternal Income vs. Frugality debate.
Mix Song: “My Music at Work” by The Tragically Hip (great video)

Collecting My Cash saves extra moolah at his j-o-b in Frugality Continues in the Workplace.
Mix Song: “Finest Worksong” by R.E.M.

Combating the latte factor, d.i.y.-style, Watch Me Become a Millionaire Makes Coffee at Home and Saves Money.
Mix Song: “The Coffee Song” by Frank Sinatra


FRUGAL SHOPPING

Free Money Finance found a great holiday post called 18 Homemade Gifts Under $10, then takes it one step further with a great Costco calendar idea.
Mix Song: “Calendar Girl” by Neil Sedaka

Queercents goes a-purchasin' and eschews a lightly-used bargain for an in-box special in WWYD: Buy the Floor Model and Save a Few Bucks.
Mix Song: “The Bargain Store” by Dolly Parton

Need some brown loafers? You might wanna check out Ask Mr. Credit Card Blog, who tells the tale of massive footwear bargains in Crazy Shoe Shopping: Taking Advantage of MJM Closing Sale.
Mix Song: “Goody Two Shoes” by Adam and the Ants

Buy the Car that Keeps its Value Best is a stellar piece of advice, and American Consumer News delves into makes and models. (Hint: Volvo, good! Acura, good! Suzuki, not so much.)
Mix Song: “Keep the Car Running” by Arcade Fire (with extra Foo Fighters cover bonus!)

Applicable any time of year (but very much over the next month) The Digerati Life presents Black Friday Inspired Shopping Strategies.
Mix Song: “Friday, I’m in Love” by The Cure

MoneyNing polls readers in How Much Did we Spend on Thanksgiving’s Black Friday Sale? Someone blew more than $5000. Wow.
Mix Song: “Bills, Bills, Bills” by Destiny’s Child

Information is power! A Penny Closer has all she needs in Big Purchases Need Big Research.
Mix Song: “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer

Just a friendly reminder from Money Blue Book: Remember to Keep Your Holiday Shopping Spree Under Control.
Mix Song: “Control” by Janet Jackson

The Good Life scores big-time with early morning deals in Budget Black Friday Shopping Karma.
Mix Song: “Karma” by Alicia Keys

Watch Me Become a Millionaire suggests two coupon sites in A Dollar Saved is a Dollar Earned.
Mix Song: “If I Had $1,000,000” by Barenaked Ladies

Bean Sprouts saves the world a little bit at a time by practicing Ethical Frugality.
Mix Song: “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy


FRUGAL GIVING

The Happy Rock writes that you can Play a Game and Help End Global Hunger. I couldn’t pry myself away until I hit 1000. Addictive, especially for word geeks.
Mix Song: “We Are the World” by USA for Africa

Three cheers for Savvy Frugality, who lists several frugally-minded giving strategies within How to Donate to Charity Without Getting Ripped Off.
Mix Song: “Do They Know it’s Christmas” by Band Aid

Thanks to everyone who submitted to the festival. Next week, it moves to Lazy Man and Money, so get your entries in!

(Photos provided by Flickr.)

What's in a Name: Light Leftover Turkey Chili ... Stew ... Chili

Today’s recipe discussion will take place in the form of a one-act play.

Characters
ME: a tall, brunette Brooklynite whose kitchen skills are tapped after cooking two Thanksgiving dinners for 24 people.
MY BRAIN: a floating, squishy mass of neurons and synapses that directs ME where to go and what to do (some of the time, successfully)

Setting
November, 2007. A blue kitchen with inadequate cabinet space. ME is leaning on the counter, ruminating.

ME (out loud): Man. I’ve just arrived home from three incredibly loud days with my family. And despite shoveling comestibles into my seemingly never-ending stomach for 72 hours straight, I’m still hungry. How could this have happened?

MY BRAIN enters from the backyard.

MY BRAIN: Well, ME, it could be your age or your metabolism. Or, maybe you should stop hanging out exclusively in the kitchen when you’re home.

ME: AUGH! Dear god, what ARE you?

MY BRAIN: I’m your brain, freed temporarily from your skull for the sake of a blog post.

ME: Oh. Whew. I thought you were a mugger or something. Though, you have no arms, so I guess that would be kind of hard.

MY BRAIN: Yes. My lack of appendages makes it very difficult to stab things. (ME takes a step back.) Anyway, what were you thinking about for dinner?

ME: Well, I have 20 ounces of leftover Thanksgiving turkey and a few cans of beans. Maybe an onion? That’s pretty much it.

MY BRAIN: Chili, my dear. Go with the chili.

ME: Chili! Of course. I should have thought of that ... which I guess I technically did … hmm. We might have canned tomatoes - a 28-oz can of Redpack diced plum, I think.

MY BRAIN: Great! Diced tomatoes make it more of a stew, but it’s a good thing, methinks. Since you’re using turkey that’s already been cooked, the extra tomato will keep it moist.

ME: But won’t all this canned food take me dangerously close to She Who Shall Not Be Named territory?

MY BRAIN: Er, maybe. But the end product will be so tasty! AND I’ll conveniently forget this ever happened! That way, you won’t feel the Semi-Homemade guilt, and no one will know.

ME: But it’s going in a blog post.

MY BRAIN: Er, right. Hey! Look over there! A shiny thing!

ME: Oooo. Shiny thing.

~Fini~

(Side Note: I had no idea what to call this in the end, but it was good. Real good. And it’s a stellar way to rid yourself of turkey on the brink of spoiling.)

(Side Note #2: My calculations are based on 10 oz. of dark meat and 10 oz. of white meat.)

Leftover Turkey Chili … Stew … Chili
6 ample servings
Inspired by All Recipes.

1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 1-1/2 lbs leftover turkey, cut into ½” chunks
21 oz diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can kidney beans, liquid included
1 14 oz can black beans, liquid included
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1-1/2 tablespoon chili powder
2 t cumin
dash cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft.

2) Add the turkey and cook just long enough so it’s warm.

3) Add the tomatoes, beans, oregano, basil, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and red wine vinegar. Stir.

4) Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-50 minutes.

5) Remove cover and let liquid reduce for 15-20 minutes.

6) If necessary, season to taste. (My bird was brined, so the chili didn’t need much salt. - Kris) Serve with grated cheddar if you’re feeling saucy.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
327 calories, 10.6 g fat, $0.63

Calculations
1 T olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1 onion: 46 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.20
2 cloves garlic: 10 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1 to 1-1/2 lbs leftover turkey: 1038 calories, 44.2 g fat, $0.80
21 oz diced tomatoes: 118 calories, 0 g fat, $1.27
1 14 oz can kidney beans: 315 calories, 3.5 g fat, $0.50
1 14 oz can black beans: 315 calories, 1.75 g fat, $0.50
1 T dried oregano: negligible calories and fat, $0.06
1 T dried basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.06
1-1/2 T chili powder: negligible calories and fat, $0.06
2 t cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.04
dash cayenne pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 T red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.08
Salt and pepper to taste: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
TOTAL: 1962 calories, 63.55 g fat, $3.78
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 327 calories, 10.6 g fat, $0.63

A Yam-Packed Cornucopia of Thanks

Since tomorrow is National Digestion Day, I won't be posting again until Monday. But I did want to say, "Thanks, you guys!" to the lovely folks who’ve ushered traffic here for the last few months. You've been way kind, and I really appreciate it. (Check out their blogs!)

(P.S. Apologies to the bloggers. The links should be correct now.)

Apple Dabbler
Being Frugal

Clever Dude
Consumerism Commentary
The Digerati Life

Festival of Frugality
Filam Words

FIRE Finance
Food Porn Watch
Free Money Finance
Frugal Babe
Frugal for Life

Frugal Hacks
Frugal Law Student
Frugal Upstate

Get Rich Slowly

A Good American Wife

The Happy Rock

Like Merchant Ships
Mom Advice

Money and Values
My Retirement Blog

Paid Twice
A Penny Closer

Sense to Save

The Simple Dollar
Stop the Ride

Vixen on a Budget

(Pictures courtesy of Flickr.)

Finding Quality Kitchen Equipment on the Cheap

Last week, we talked about what cooking equipment is best for kick-starting a new kitchen and/or stocking an old one. Turns out? Though rice cookers and garlic presses tanked in my survey, they were sky-high on almost every commenter’s list. Oversight City, Population: Me.

Today, we look at another, more complex apparatus issue: where to find everything at a somewhat-to-severely discounted price.

This article took awhile, mostly because I wasn’t quite sure how to organize everything. Eventually, I settled on the following:

• FIRST STOP: Try this first, before anything else, whether you’re actively pursuing a Wusthof chef’s knife or casually looking for a Santa Claus spatula.
• IF YOU NEED IT NOW: Go here if you have a list of kitchen equipment in mind, and nothing but your specific ideas will do.
• IF YOU’RE BROWSING: Check these places if you’re not terribly pressed for time, but would be thrilled to trip over a certain piece of cookware.
• CONSIDER: This may not be your first choice, but it’s a valid one.
• KEEP WALKING: Don’t bother with these.
• DUNNO: I’ve heard of folks obtaining equipment through these methods, but don’t know much about them myself.

So, without further ado, (and just in time for Black Friday), the list. Comments and suggestions welcomed!

FIRST STOP

Friends and Family
Whether it’s a 2-quart saucepan, the world’s most adorable whisk, or a vegetable peeler from the Clinton years, odds are your loved ones have unused kitchen paraphernalia lying in hidden corners around the house. (Mayhaps in the kitchen?) With permission, raid their stashes for valuable booty. It’s good for you, good for the environment, and best of all, free.


IF YOU NEED IT NOW

Amazon
The King Daddy Mack of all online retail outlets, Amazon often offers the best possible prices for a range of cooking gear (especially the big stuff). The Markdown page and Bestseller columns are good places to start looking for bargains AND you might even be able to snag a partial refund through this site. Plus, Super Saver shipping is often available for the low, low cost of $0. Not too shabby. (Caveat: always read the reviews. Sometimes, that cake pan is discounted for a good reason.)

Spotted recently

• KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials 10-Piece Hard Anodized Cookware Set for $114.99 (was $390)
• Baker's Secret 10-by-16-Inch Nonstick Cooling Rack (2 pack) for $5.99 (was, er, more than that)
• Simply Calphalon Nonstick 6-Piece Bakeware Set for $29.99 (was $81)

Bargainist and Dealhack (with an order of Retail Me Not on the side)
Instead of perusing individual cooking websites looking for faboo deals, save time and money with sites that do it for you. Bargainist and Dealhack monitor tons of online sales (Amazon, Linens N Things, etc.) while Retail Me Not offers the latest and most updated coupon codes.

Spotted recently

• Free Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners sample (Bargainist)
• 22-Pc. Non-Stick Roaster Set $10 After Rebate (Bargainist)
• 20% off Total Purchase at Linens N Things (Retail Me Not)

eBay
Still the online leader in person-to-person goods exchange, auction icon eBay has a great advantage over Craigslist for finding bargain kitchenware. The range of items is unmatched, and coast-to-coast sellers mean you can have a pot shipped from close to home. Plus, detailed descriptions, pictures, and customer ratings help ensure safety and quality.

Spotted recently

• New Wusthof Ikon 8” Chef’s Knife for $8.99 shipping, plus bid ($120 on Amazon)
• New Circulon 5.5 Quart Dutch Oven for $6.99 shipping, plus min. $19.99 bid ($100 on Amazon)

Ikea
Measuring cups for a $0.99. Colanders for $1.99. Three mixing bowls for $4.99. Ikea, though not ideal for sturdy cookware (leave that to Amazon), is THE place to go for gadgetry that never seems to last that long anyway. For college kids to first-time apartment dwellers on down, the Swedes know the score.

Restaurant Suppliers
This may be difficult in small towns and the ‘burbs, but according to New York Times expert Mark Bittman, “Every metropolitan area has at least one [supply shop].” This means you can grab everything from a wire whisk to a heavy cookie sheet for way less than you’d pay at Macy’s. “In fact,” he claims, “I contend that with a bit of savvy, patience and a willingness to forgo steel-handle knives, copper pots and other extravagant items, $200 can equip a basic kitchen that will be adequate for just about any task, and $300 can equip one quite well.” Grab a muscular friend and go crazy.

Wal-Mart and Kmart
(Leviathan-esque big box stores are terrible at promoting community and competition, but they’re still some of the only options many people have, which is why they’re listed.) A brand name is a brand name is a brand name, wherever you buy it, so often, a discount store can offer you a much better deal. For example, a 14-speed Oster blender will cost $60 at Macy*s, while a roughly comparable one will only be $24.96 at Wal-Mart. It’s the same thing, so why pay twice the price?

Spotted Recently

• Kmart: Hamilton Beach 6-cup Bowl Food Processor for $29.99 ($31.82 on Amazon)
• Wal-Mart: Hamilton Beach 500-Watt 10-cup Food Processor for $34.96 ($59.99 at Macy*s on sale)

IF YOU’RE BROWSING

Clearance Sales – In Store
While popular, high-quality items are rarely located in the clearance section, smaller gadgets and seasonal gear are rife on the racks. Make it a point to take a gander each time you visit a home store, because hey – you never know.

Clearance Sales – On Line
Crate and Barrel, Crate and Barrel Outlet, Sur la Table, Bed Bath and Beyond, Linens N Things, Williams-Sonoma, Target, Sears, Kohls, JC Penney, Cooking.com, and Pfaltzgraff (to name a few) all have Sale or Clearance sections on their websites. Price varies wildly and shipping charges add a little extra, but you can occasionally score a faboo deal.

Spotted recently

• Sur la Table: Wusthof Trident Kitchen Shears for $9.96 (was $19.95)
• Crate and Barrel: Seville Pepper Grinder and Salt Shaker Set for $13.50 (was $15)
• Pfaltzgraff: Measuring Spoons for $1.29 (was $1.99) AND Cupcake Café Mixing Bowl Set of 3 for $15 (was $43.99)

Craigslist
Now available everywhere but Mars, this classified-section-turned-website offers some killer buys from real people. While the downsides are annoying and plentiful (dealing with flaky sellers, finding exactly what you want, etc.), the upside is gently-worn cookware for good prices. Think of it as a ginormous online garage sale.

Spotted recently

• New Mini-Prep Plus Cuisinart Food Processor for $18 (was $40-45 retail)
• New Pampered Chef Cookware set for $149 (was $300 retail)

Garage Sales
Speaking of garage sales, they’re another option for the kitchen completist hoping to get lucky (in a Rated G kind of way). Pick an early weekend morning (before everyone else wakes up) and cruise your neighborhood for bargains. Get Rich Slowly has some tips from The Yardsale Queen to help you along.

Outlets
Proximity and price are the two issues with outlets, since they tend to be sporadically-placed and costs are frequently comparable to their parent stores. That said, there are good values to be had, and if there’s an outlet mall near you, you can hit up several stores at once.

Thrift Stores and Flea Markets
Perhaps better for dinnerware and linens, thrift stores and flea markets can turn up the occasional pot, pan, or cooling rack. Quality is the question here, so take a good long look before making that purchase. This site can help you pinpoint thrift shops in your area.


CONSIDER

Independent Retailers
No, they're not often the least expensive option, and they may not have the exact Le Creuset Dutch Oven you want. Odds are they’ll order it for you, though. Small businesses do that kind of thing, and it’s our responsibility (and our pleasure!) to support them.


KEEP WALKING

The Dumpster / Sidewalk
Most people wouldn’t and shouldn’t have a problem with this. HOWEVER, there’s been an issue with bedbugs in quite a few North American cities lately (Seattle, Toronto, Cincinnati, New York, Vancouver, Lexington, etc.), and it doesn’t look to be improving. While I’m not sure these disgusting critters hang around cake pans, I have read they’re nearly impossible to exterminate. So … yeah. Avoid discarded equipment if your area’s at risk.

Overstock.com
I came, I browsed, I wasn’t impressed. Overpriced.com is more like it. (Haw haw.)


DUNNO

Restaurant Auctions and Liquidations
I did look at some of these, but they seem to be more pertaining to other restaurant owners. If anybody has any input, I’d love to hear it.

Estate Sales
Found on Cragislist and in your area (most likely) Estate Sales occur when someone passes away. Having never been to one, I’m not positive of the ins and outs, so if anyone has an opinion, bring it on.


In the past, I’ve found Amazon, Ikea, eBay, and the occasional yard sale most helpful, but I hope everything listed here is a relevant to someone. If y’all have anything to add, I welcome the comments. Happy Thanksgiving!

(Photos courtesy of Flickr.)