Don't eat Ramen. Eat Kielbasa and Vegetable Stew!

This stew has been my favorite recession recipe so far.  It’s easy and satisfying.  I love any dish that has four cups of water in it.  Water is really cheap.  Seriously though, for under $15 and 40 minutes you can feed 4 with leftovers.  I usually make a cucumber salad on the side and if I’m feeling crazy…popovers or just a nice baguette for serving.  It may seem like a lot of ingredients…but once you make it once it’s sooo easy. 

 This is from food network magazine.  But, I’ve added a couple of twists.

 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large red onion diced.

4 cloves garlic diced

1 tablespoon paprika

kosher salt

3 tablespoons flour

6 ounces kielbasa cut into small chunks

3 carrots peeled and cut into large chunks

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 medium red skinned potatoes or 6 – 8 small potatoes.  Quarter them.

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped

¾ cup low fat sour cream

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic.  Cook. Stirring occasionally, until soft and glistening, aout 6 minutes.  Add the paprika and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until the oil turns deep red about 1 minute.  Add the flour and cook until just toasted, 30 more seconds.  Immediately whisk in 4 cups water. Add the kielbasa, carrots, parsnips, potatos and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. 

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened, about 20 minutes.  Add the vinegar and season with pepper. 

Combine about half of the parsley with the sour cream in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Ladle the stew into the bowls, top with the remaining parsley, dollop of herbed sour cream and sprinkle of paprika. 

I admit it. I sneak my own popcorn into the movies.

And I’ve been doing it way before the financial collapse.  When I was young we’d pop it in our home popper, fill up a paper bag.  I’ll admit, it bummed me out.  I think it was the lack of butter, or maybe the stares we got.  Our massive “Victory Market” paper bag opening up at the beginning of “ET” wasn’t exactly conspicuous. 

In my more mature years I’ve grown to admire my parents for this.  It’s damn expensive to go to the movies.  Buying popcorn, candy and drinks is not only unhealthy but about a 30 dollar proposition.  I am now channeling their mantra of how to be poor and still enjoy the finer things in life. 

 So, I pop at home for the movies and sometimes just for a delicious snack.  When I sneak it into the movies, I use a series of small paper bags so each person can use their own.  I NEVER do microwave popcorn (I don’t have a microwave) but that’s another entry…another day.  I must admit though, microwave popcorn seems like an easy way to sneak your snack. 

So, with each person armed with a small paper bag of popcorn, a bottled water and a couple boxes of convenience store milk duds I figure we save a lot.

 Here is an awesome recipe for popcorn, with Franks Red Hot. Yes, Franks Red Hot.  Yum!

 I use a medium sauce pan with a lid.  I heat up a teaspoon of vegetable oil and a tablespoon of butter.  I wait until it’s very hot then I coat the bottom with the popcorn.  I shake the pan until I hear the first pop.  Then I open the pan just a touch to let out some air (this ensures your pop corn isn’t steamed and tough…trust me, it may be cumbersome but it works.)  When the pot is about ¾ popped I turn off the burner, keep shaking and let it finish.  I immediately dump it into a big bowl.  Then, I throw a little more butter and about two tablespoons of Franks Red Hot into the pan I just cooked the corn.  It will melt.  I dump that over along with a little bit of salt.  It’s very very yummy.  The Franks Red Hot is delicious.  Trust me.  Although, I don’t use it for kids.  Just a little bit of butter.  Try it. Bag it.  You’ll save 30 bucks next time you go to the movies. 

 Oh and bring napkins unless you’d like to borrow some from the movies popcorn stand.

Am I cheap? Am I a thief?

I live in New York City, one of the food capitals of the world.  During the recession I’ve been trying to make that capital, my kitchen.  It’s tempting to go out though, restaurants are more accommodating and available than ever.  My Aunt visited this weekend, so my bother, his wife my cousin and I all went out for a splurge.  We visited Mario Batali’s, Otto.  This is a restaurant that despite the recession never ceases to impress.  The quality is top notch, and there are affordable wines that are delicious.  Which brings me to my moral dilemma.

The five of us ate and drank like Kings.  Appetizers, main courses, desert, coffee, and two bottles of beautiful $38 wine.  The check arrived. It was $127.00.  I was shocked.  5 people indulging at a Mario Batali restaurant for under $150.00.  I announced the price and my cousin said, “let’s pay it and get the hell out of here.” My brother inspected the bill.  “They left off a bottle of wine.”  “Pay it and get the hell out of here” my cousin proclaimed again.  I agreed. 

While we waited about 15 minutes for our very busy and somewhat pleasant waitress to return we had a debate.  My brother insisted it would come out of her pay if she was found out.  Myself, being a former bartender/waitress insisted it would come out of the bottom line.  I felt that if it had been a small mom and pop establishment I’d pay it immediately without looking back.  But something inside of me just didn’t want to pay. 

My brother insisted.  Our waitress was too busy to return to our table so sent a hostess over.  “You left a bottle of wine off of our bill” my brother admitted.  “Oh thanks” said the hostess as she walked away. 

We looked at each other.  My brother somewhat thrown off. 

The hostess returned.  Thanks for that.  I fessed up.  Thank him.  I didn’t want to bring it to your attention.  My brother made us.  “So, do we at least get a hug from Mario or something?” They were not amused. The waitress came over and thanked us too.  I think they were shocked. 

I get it.  We ordered it.  We should pay for it.  Yet, I never get a break.  Mario Batali has earned every ounce of his millions and fame.  Why should he give me a free bottle of wine.?Why should he reward us for being honest?  He didn’t and I suppose he shouldn’t.

Do you think the waitress will be punished now that her server error was brought to managements attention?  Do you think I’ll be karmically punished for my resistance?  My brother rewarded? Am I cheap?  Am I a thief?  What would you do?