The Kitschen Bitsch

We've moved!

2010-01-31T03:30:00.002-05:00

KitschenBitsch is open for reading at www.kitschenbitsch.com. Please do come over!

Moving...

2009-06-08T22:42:00.000-04:00

The Kitschen Bitsch is building a new kitschen at www.kitschenbitsch.com. Drop by for coffee next month -- see you there!

Time Management?

2009-02-24T00:27:00.002-05:00

Do I ever suck at maintaining this blog. I have about five posts waiting for me to add pictures from my camera, and a queue of 25 article ideas. The problem? I'm working NINE jobs right now. NINE. I barely have time to make enough coffee to keep getting to them all on time.

I'm pretty lucky, though. I have enough work to keep me well above water, and there is the prospect of work to come this summer. And, AND! I am teaching a cooking class this fall! I'm so excited!

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know I'm alive, though barely. Spring break is coming up,and I hope to resume posting then.

One day (and by one day, I mean this summer), this will be a real website.

xoxo,
KB

Becoming a Domestic God(dess), Part One

2009-01-10T23:15:00.006-05:00

It occurred to me today that I've been cooking all week and only spent $5 at the grocery store on Monday. I haven't made the big grocery run in going on three weeks, which is really unusual. I will have to go in the next few days to replenish the pantry, but I've been very pleased with saving money, utilizing what I have, and not having to leave the house.

A friend of mine is embarking on cooking to save both money and calories. My biggest struggle when I started cooking for myself was doing it cheaply and healthfully. I could pull off one but not the other. At one point, I was spending over $75 a week on food, not finishing it, and not having room in my freezer for leftovers. Then I got smart about it. And now, I'm smart about it, have access to a real kitchen, and have someone to help me eat these dinners and contribute to the budget for these dinners. Now, this happy occurrence doesn't... uh... occur for everyone so nicely and conveniently. Yet, the cooking can be done, cheaply, healthfully, and in a hurry after work when you are worn out. The key is smart stocking. This friend mentioned what he was trying to do and I thought I would post this to help him.

First, you need the basics. Now, basics are different for everyone. My basics are as follow:

Cabinet/pantry
Canned tomatoes
Canned crushed tomatoes (I use in lieu of tomato sauce)
Canned beans (black, white, kidney -- mostly black)
Canned vegetables you will eat (for me, this is green beans and corn, because Mr. B will eat both with no prodding)
Orzo
Rice
Some variety of macaroni
Some variety of long pasta
Broth or base (I now swear by Better than Boullion -- you get 38 cups' worth of base in a tiny jar... imagine how much room 16 cans of broth take up, and how much you will waste because no one ever calls for 2 cups of broth -- always 1 or 3 -- and the stupid cans only come in 2 c. sizes. Uh... I digress...)
Tomato soup
Dried beans (black, white, red)
Fresh garlic
Onions
Potatoes
Canned fruit

Fridge
Buttah!(can also be bought in bulk and frozen)
Carrots
Natural vanilla low-fat yogurt
Cottage cheese
Fresh fruit (apples, pears etc. can hang on the counter)
Eggs
Milk or soymilk (or canned evaporated milk -- some of us can't use up milk quickly enough)
8 oz. cheese bricks (Buy on sale -- they keep for ages and can be frozen. They melt better than pre-shredded so you get more flavor, better texture and can use less. The anti-caking agent on pre-shredded makes it all dry. Just trust me on this; you won't be sorry.)
Corn tortillas (yes, you can make your own, but if you're just starting out, don't bother. The pack of eight zillion keep for ages in the fridge.)

Freezer
Frozen veggies (spinach is completely necessary)

Powdery things
Flour
Sugar
Dark brown sugar (I never ever use light. I just love dark and don't see why they bother with the light.)
Cornmeal
Corn starch
Cocoa
Baking powder
Baking soda

Near the stove/spice rack
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Red wine vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Red wine
White wine
Basil
Oregano
Cumin
Nutmeg
Tabasco sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Vanilla
Salt and pepper

Now, this is not comprehensive, and I'm sure there are many things on here you might not need. And, you can build on this. Clearly, the first month you cook, you won't need all the spices I listed. Pick them up on an on-sale or as needed basis. (And, buy them in the international section or at another store -- spices are a racket as described at Casual Kitchen. Much of the items can be picked up on sale, in bulk, at warehouse stores (they have killer deals on giant cans of tomato puree), and even at the dollar store.

You'll note something missing -- meat. I buy that weekly, and I stretch it. If I buy a package of sausage, it will likely go in a lasagne, a bean soup, and maybe a quiche. Same for bacon, beef, chicken, etc. I'll go ahead and cook the whole pack, then divide and freeze some for the next recipe. It saves money, and it keeps me and Mr. B from eating so much meat. (Well, he has been known to go forage after dinner, but baby steps, people, baby steps.) Also, if you're like me and lack self-control, go ahead and put some of the dinner in storage containers to cool and go into the freezer. Leave some out for lunch or the next night in the fridge, put some away for the next week or two when you're busy, and leave out a max of two servings in case you're starving. Instantly, your meal has staying power. Also, keep a list on the fridge/freezer of what meals/perishables you have so you can eat what is already there. I'm a notorious food forgetter.

I can make about 85% of my regular recipes from what's listed up there plus meat. (Casual kitchen also has an article about that -- CK calls it the 80/20 rule. Seriously, you need to read the whole site anyway. Just go look. It's lovely. CK and CHG are very much my favorite sites about cooking. They are well-written, informative, and it sounds creepy, but they seem like people I'd like to have over for cake and coffee and to tell about any hysterical kitchen tragedy/triumph.

So, that's my first musing on the topic. Read up, buddy. Next post -- how to feed yourself in 30 minutes or less or the soup's free. Oh, wait.

Overemployment, Tastiness, Strawberry Tarts, and a New Year

2009-01-09T21:51:00.004-05:00

I went from being jobless to having six part time jobs. Aaaack! I'm teaching AND tutoring at TWO institutions and doing other stuff as well. I'm already tired and I'm not even into my new schedule yet. Anyway, one of my New Year's good ideas (heh) is to post here once a week since I can't seem to even post once a month

In other news, I am back in the kitchen. Granted, I'm practically sleepwalking when I get there, but as a bonus, recipes are easier.

On New Year's eve, Mr. B. decided he wanted to make cabbage rolls with beef and sausage. I talked him out of the STICK OF BUTTER the recipe called for. I wanted to be able to eat dessert after said cabbage rolls without feeling like dying. Yeah, it is a holiday, but I was feeling all healthy and virtuous from going to the gym. Yeah, that was it.

For dessert, I planned to make chocolate and strawberry crepes according to a recipe by Emeril. I started making the crepes while the cabbage rolls were in the oven -- after a four-hour prep time. The most essential part of cabbage roll preparation seems to be four trips to the grocery store. The crepes were bloody awful. They tasted like crep, that's for sure. I tasted one because they were sticking and falling apart, and the taste was horrid. I mean, ick! So, I decided to improvise, like I do.

A few months ago, in a fit of grocery ninja thrill, I bought some sweet pastry shells on clearance. They taste a bit like sugar cookies, but thicker and flakier. I pulled them out of my freezer and went ahead with the crepe filling that I came up with on my own, because I had at this point abandoned Emeril's suggestions. Here it is.
Soften one 8 oz. package of cream cheese.
Chop some strawberries and beat them with the cream cheese
Add 1/8 c. confectioner's sugar -- taste and decide if you want to add more.
Add vanilla flavoring and a little milk.
Put in tart shells
Tell yourself you are nothing like Sandra Lee and lie about how you made it when you serve it. To be extra fancy, drizzle then with melted chocolate.

The cabbage rolls were out of this world delicious (even without the butter) and I hope to one day get him to write here what he did. Granted, we didn't get to eat them until 1 a.m., well after we welcomed 2008 with glasses of cheap champagne, but they were worth the wait and even better the next day. And while they weren't strawberry chocolate crepes, Mr. B. dug the tarts. From a ridiculously obnoxious dessert to a five minute prep dessert. Amazing.

Oh, one other thing. I know I shouldn't be buying strawberries right now because they're not in season, etc., etc. I don't care. I wanted them, they were at Costco, and sweet goodness they were good.

So happy New Year!

Happy Late Boxing Day

2008-12-27T11:20:00.002-05:00

I hope all of you are recovering well from your holiday festivities. I've got one more gathering tomorrow night and then I'm all done.

I got a new job, and my super at the job I lost said I may still have hours, which is fabulous. Granted, I'm up to seven or eight part-time jobs at this point, but that's so much better than, say, none.

In addition to getting a job for Christmas, I also got a ton of... stuff. My parents continue to spoil me exponentially with each passing year. I got the cutest cookie jar ever, a handbag that's waaaay too nice, an assortment of bath and body products, other lovelies, and the lamp I've wanted my whole life. I haven't brought it in yet because I'm having to prepare Mr. B for it. It's tacky. It's terrible. And I love it! Mr. B got me the pasta attachment for the Kitchenaid and a bunch of other kitchen lovelies. I'm very excited to try making pasta, and I'll let you know how it works out. :)

Father Christmas also handed me a bit of cash to hit the sales with, so I'm off to replenish the professional wardrobe and schedule a haircut. Happy Christmahanukwanzakah, and leave your trees up till at least the sixth!

Love,
KB

Christmas News

2008-12-20T11:43:00.002-05:00

Hey all. I hope your holidays are going wonderfully.

So, I'm off work at my main job (woohoo academia!)a few weeks for Christmas. I'm still cleaning houses and all that jazz. I've secured a bunch of part time work for the spring and have been feeling really good about the prospect of paying off my consumer debt, making big dents in the student loans, and whittling down my car payment.

And then I came home yesterday to an email informing me that my academic job, the one that actually pays the bills, is probably gone. The economy means that they can't pay us. Most of the jobs are revoked, and all the remaining jobs are significantly reduced in hours.

THIS SUCKS. This was a threat a few months ago, and then the situation was rectified and I was given my hours back. Now, our contracts won't be what we were told, if any of us have them at all.

Now, that being said, I'm already setting up interviews -- I have one Monday morning. I never have stopped looking for a full time job, that illustrious unicorn that comes with health insurance, a normal schedule and paid vacation. I won't have it any time soon, but I've been trying. And, since I had overloaded my schedule for spring, I have some work. Not enough right now, but some. And, since I'm on a horrendous pay delay, I have another paycheck at the end of January. These are all good things that are keeping the panic attacks from lasting more than fifteen minutes.

The upside? You're gonna see me a lot more. And boy, will the frugality tips keep coming. And you know what? We're all going to get through this depression/recession/economic flu, and we're going to be alright.

And who the hell sends out a mass email the week before Christmas telling employees they don't have jobs? Seriously!

Happy Holidays, eveyone! I hope to be back this weekend with the Christmas baking update.

Happies,
KB

Holidays on the Cheap

2008-12-09T22:36:00.002-05:00

Wow. It's December. I pretty much missed Halloween, which totally threw off my holiday barometer. Then Thanksgiving came late, and here I am still with pumpkins strung about my apartment, no tree, and no shopping done. Oh, and like EVERYONE ELSE in the country except for the tools that wrote that article in the Times about throwing a "budget" party (to the tune of $30 a head), I am freaking worried about my finances. With academia, I get what I like to call mandatory unpaid vacation for almost a month, and employment is shaky for summer. While I could toss some cash around this holiday, I need to sit on it for hard(er) times and keep paying down the unholy amount of debt I've amassed over the five years. Hey, I'm working on it quite well. Just sayin'.

So how to handle this situation? Well, most of my nearest and dearest are getting various combinations of delicious Cinnamon Bread (I can make two loaves for about a dollar -- recipe to follow), other assorted baked goods, and bargain-basement knickknacks I've picked up over the last few months at ridiculous discounts. The parents and Mr. B. get a little more.

So how do I make bread for a dollar? Easily. Granted, I'm blessed with two things many people are not -- a Costco membership and a Kitchenaid stand mixer. (Both results of Mr. B.) 25 pounds of flour at costco is about seven dollars. Two pounds of yeast is between three and four dollars. A giant container of Saigon cinnamon? Three dollars. I don't even know what I paid for the ten pound bag of sugar. I do know that I fell over laughing when I saw it contained over 1500 servings. Anyway, the bread recipe I use, which I will post soon, calls for about five cups of flour, a little butter, 2 packs of yeast (I need to refresh myself on the conversion -- five spoonfuls or something), a little water, and a little sugar. The dough hook does the work, I let it rise, divide it, roll it, melt more butter, brush it, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over it. Then, roll, rise, and bake, and you have two loaves of ridiculously delicious bread at less than a dollar. One of the bakeries in town sells it for $6 a pop. I really need to open a shop.

Anyway, more on holiday frugality to come.

It's Over, Phil. Farewell.

2008-12-09T22:08:00.004-05:00

Dear Phillip,

People said I'd never do it, and I bet you thought I wouldn't, too. But the time has come. I have to end this.

You've never been good for me. I met you years ago. I mean, we've been doing this on-again, off-again crap for a decade. And yeah, there have been some times when we've been tight, for years even. Especially during college, O.H., and that rough patch of grad school. And when times were hard, I relied on you.I always turned to you, Phil. You and Mr. Coffee. But MC never let me down. Why did you?

Dammit, Phillip. I should have listened. My friends told me you were no good. My parents threw a fit -- they were really worried about the effect you had on me.

You've been holding me back, Phil. I turned to you always; I was always there. But what did you do for me, Phil? You made me feel like crap! You made me feel sick! Yeah, whenever we'd get back together, it would be good at first. But then, I'd start to feel the real effect, Phil. When I needed you, you would just burn up into a puff of smoke. And you always came around when I'd drink. What's up with that, Phil? You'd show up when I was studying. I couldn't get away.

You're bad for me. I know it. You're really an addiction. For years, I thought I needed you. But I don't. Man, I know I'll be ok. Yeah, it's hard. There have been some days when I've thought, "Just once. For the good times, man. Just a little fix." But I know that as soon as you touch my lips, it'll be the same old crap, man.

You've been bad for me since the day TB introduced us in high school. HIGH SCHOOL, MAN. Granted, you weren't a habit for me till college, but it started way back then. I should have known better. Everyone told me you were bad for me, but I just HAD to try you, and see what you were all about.

It was a mistake, Phil. We're through. People say, Oh, but the holidays will be hard. Oh, you'll miss it. Whatever, man. I'll be okay. I'll be fine without you. I'll walk a little more quickly, drink a little more coffee, probably be nervous for awhile. But Phil, I'll be fine without you. It's been three weeks. I only caved once, and I threw you out as soon as I realized my mistake. I can do this, Phil. I don't have to go back to you.

And as for the holidays, there are some other old pals. Jimmy Beam, Jack Daniels, George Dickel, Johnny Walker -- those guys, they'll be there for me. I can moderate with those fellas. But not you, Phillip. I just don't know when to quit with you.

So this is it, Phil. Don't come around. I mean, I know I'll see you out and stuff. I'll just have to avoid places we used to spend time together, and when friends bring you around, I'll just ignore you. Maybe have a Dum-Dum instead.

Goodbye, Phillip Morris. I loved you while it lasted, but you were bad for me.

KB

Wooh, the Bitsch is Back!

2008-08-29T21:07:00.003-04:00

Hello! I have been so freaking busy. I started my new job, and it's taken me two weeks to adjust to the point I'm not a complete pile of dead sludge when I get home. But anyway, I'm here, and first up -- two food products I am IN LOVE with.

Exhibit A:

Haagen-Dazs Chocolate Sorbet.

There are no words, but I shall try. Delicious. Chocolate. Frozen. And, dare (dairy?) I say, as good/better than chocolate ice cream. I know, I know. And there's no dairy in it. Cocoa, sugar, corn syrup (not hfcs, though), egg whites, pectin, vanilla, salt. It's just scrumptious, and even if you gorge on it, you don't feel like you ate an entire cow the way you do after you snarf down a pint of Ben and Jerry's (not to say I don't LOVE snarfing down some cookie dough... I just waddle like I'm 13 mos pregnant after). And the best part? 130 calories per 1/2 cup serving. Ie, you can beast through the whole carton and take in 520 calories. And there's only half a gram of fat and no cholesterol per serving. Good stuff.

Exhibit B:

Ling Ling's Chicken Spring Rolls

These are delish, and you can actually recognize everything in the ingredients list. They're quick to prepare, come with tasty sauce, and 3 mini rolls have about 200 calories. At Costco, they run about $10 for a 30-pack.

I hope to be posting a bit more frequently. I have three recipes to put up this weekend if I can get a few minutes.

Pasta PrimaSquasha for Two One

2008-08-07T19:23:00.006-04:00

I came in ravenous on Friday afternoon. I don't know what it is about cooking lunch on Fridays (see Trash(y) Pasta Salad), but it's been happening of late. It is probably just the knowledge that after next week, I work real jobs and can't do it anymore. Anyhow, I wanted something filling and tasty, and did not want to go out in public. I scanned the kitchen... 2 tomatoes on the verge of squish, a squash on the verge of squish, an onion, and some whole wheat fettucine. Perfect!

Twelve Minute Pasta PrimaSquasha

-A little olive oil
-One large summer squash (or zucchini)
-About a cup of sliced onion (I used half of a gigantic vidalia)
-Two fresh tomatoes, or canned diced tomatoes
-Two cloves garlic (I sliced... I still can't remember to bring the mincer back to Mr. B.'s)
-Herbs and spices
-A little white wine for deglazing
-A little sugar
-Freshly ground salt and pepper
-Whole wheat pasta

Put pasta water on to boil. Wash and cut squash lengthwise and scrape out some of the seeds with a spoon. Slice squash and saute in a little olive oil while you cut onion. Add onion to pan and cook with squash until both veggies are getting soft while you cut the tomatoes. (I bet you can put your pasta on now). Add tomatoes to pan, stir, add garlic. Let that cook and get happy. Add herbs and spices. After things have been cooking a bit and are starting to smell and look delightful, remove pan from heat and add a little white wine to deglaze the pan. Stir and scrape and put the pan back on the heat. Things a little dry? Not too saucy? Add a dash of sugar (less than a tablespoon) to the veggies. This will bring out the flavor of the tomatoes and draw out a little juice. Turn heat to low and stir while you wait for pasta to cook. Season to taste, and serve a giant helping of veggies over some pasta, perhaps with a little fresh parm.

Now, I made that giant pan up there with the intent of feeding Mr. B. too. He foolishly decided to go fishing, and I ate the entire pan of veggies all by my ownself. I didn't even have pasta with the second serving, and I did not feel bad about cleaning out that pan one bit. It was freaking wonderful. You know what else? One tomato was a delicious farmers market tomato. The other was a pinkish grocery store tomato Mr. B. put in the fridge -- but cooking it made it better. So, don't give up on the eehhhh-about-to-squish produce all the time. I mean, don't eat moldy carrots, but some stuff you can salvage.

The cost? The tomatoes were about .50, the squash was about .50, the onion, .50, and the pasta, mmm... about .50. Let's call it a 2.50 lunch that should have served two. Alas, je suis un piggy.

Magical 17 Cent Low Fat Low Cal Brownies of Wonder

2008-08-07T18:39:00.006-04:00

Hi again! It's been awhile. I've been busy not posting, but I have been busy cooking and taking pictures, and reading cookbooks, and doing lots of things that I'll get around to here. :) So... today's project... magic brownies!

Awhile back (like, say, ten years ago), mom and I found a great lowfat brownie recipe that we made ad nauseum. Well, not really, cause I don't so much tire of brownies. Anyhow, it had interesting ingredients, but nothing really strange. It called for cocoa and lowfat sour cream, and I can't remember the rest. I've been looking all over for it, and can't find it. But, the search led me to something really neat. As I googled, all-reciped and cooks.commed around, I discovered a completely odd recipe for healthier brownies. People have been talking about it all over the internet. It's just brownie mix and one secret ingredient. You just have to keep the secret ingredient a secret until you get someone to eat it.

So, I went to the grocery store the other night and Ghiradelli double chocolate brownie mix was on sale for 1.89 and the secret ingredient was .79. I figured this would be a fair investment for something that could be a culinary disaster.

And here we go. Try it before you judge.

Magic brownies
Makes 16 2-inch brownies. I call this 4-8 servings.

-1 box brownie mix
-1 can black beans (I swear to Paula Deen, it's true)

Preheat oven according to package directions. (I did 325, using a glass 8x8 pan -- I like thick fudginess.) Make sure your significant other will not come into the kitchen for the next two minutes. Dump beans into a colander, saving the can. Rinse them well. Rinse out the can. Return the beans to the can and put enough water in the can to just cover the beans. Dump beans and water into blender and blend the bejaysus out of them. If you don't blend them well, you'll get bits of bean skin in the brownies. While blender is on forever, go make small talk with significant other and tell him you're doing a science experiment in the blender. Run back and make sure you hid the bean can. Dump brownie mix into a bowl. Add the blended beans. Stir well. Pour in greased brownie pan/dish. Bake according to package directions. Cool. Cut. Serve. Make s.o. or small children eat one and then tell them what's in it. Smile as they gawk.

The nutritional stats are pretty awesome. Per brownie using Ghiradelli:
Calories:164
Fat: Less than 4 grams
Saturated fat: 1.5 grams
Fiber: 2.5 grams
Sodium: 200 mg.
9% RDA for iron
No cholesterol!

Go ahead and double that, cause I already ate 2. Oh, and by the way? The cost is 17 cents per brownie. Seriously, you can't not try this. And if you like frosted brownies, what better way to feel good about indulging?

I served one up to Mr. B. He ate it and said, "That was good."

I said, "Come on! I need more than that. I know the texture was weird, but tell me what you think of them."

"Ok. Yeah, the texture's different. The taste is good, just not as rich as regular brownies." Fair enough. They don't get the crusty top, but criminy they're fudgy. Then he looked at me again.
"What did you put in there?"

"Black beans."

"Damn good use of black beans."

So there! Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

Trash(y) salad

2008-07-26T18:51:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, I got into my housekeeping groove and didn't want to quit. I was doing laundry, washing dishes, throwing stuff away, and I didn't want to stop to go to the grocery store, but I was crazy hungry. It came to me that we hadn't been to the grocery store all week, and we used to go almost every day for something. Granted, we had dinner out with Mr. B.'s parentpeople one night, but other than that, we had leftovers and madeovers. I saw no reason to break the cycle for lunch on a Friday. After cleaning the kitchen, I looked around and saw a lot of odds and ends. Odds and ends are the perfect opportunity for...

Trash(y) Pasta Salad!

Serves as many people as you want. Just add more stuff. (I am SO technical!)

8 oz. dry rotini (or fusili, or for true trashy salad, the cheapest elbow mac you can find. I had wacky mac, so mine was a trace more garbage blanche than white trash--just like me!)
red wine vinegar
olive oil
herbs and spices
low-fat mayo (if you're doing better than I am, you've got yogurt in your fridge, and can mix it 50/50 with the mayo... I wasn't there on Friday)
sugar
delicious veggies you need to use

Boil water. While you wait for water to boil, mix about a tablespoon olive oil with about 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Add spices. I used Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Whisk in small bowl (I used a measuring cup). Add about 2 tablespoons mayo, or your mayo-yogurt mix. (Some people like to use reduced fat sour cream. I'd go easy on the vinegar if you're gonna do that.) Add a little sugar. Whisk some more (I say whisk... I did in fact whisk it with a fork... a whisk was entirely unneccesary for this operation) and let all that get comfy and intimate together while you dump pasta in the pot and chop veggies. I had an orange bell pepper we've had since... I don't know, but I'm surprised it's still good. I also have a ton of baby carrots, so I sliced them thinly and tossed them in the pot for the last 4 minutes or so of the pasta cooking so they could slightly soften. I also chopped a tomato.

When pasta is done, drain and rinse with cool water. Dump in bowl, add veggies. Pour some dressing over, stir, and add more dressing if necessary. Salt, pepper, and put in fridge. If you're starving like I was, you can stick it in the freezer for a cold minute and then put your face in it after you've grated some fresh parm on top.

This would also be fantastic with peas, ham, chicken, or any odds and ends things you have in the fridge. I mean, I wouldn't put fruit in it, but you get the idea.

Not the healthiest, but I made it entirely from staples (not the metal kind, ew) and leftovers.

Thrift Store Ninja I: How to get 'new' clothes for work, quell your shopping urge, and come home with money left over

2008-07-26T12:02:00.012-04:00

After years of vintage, studenting, t-shirt hawking, tutoring, and housekeeping, I have a job in which I am the youngest employee and will be teaching students just a few years younger than me. In some cases, the students are older than my own personal mother. This means the funky has to be saved for the weekend and I've got to look professional. I mean, I'm not gonna start buying beige tweed, but I can't really rock the shabby chic to work so much anymore. And, I'll be working at the same place four days a week, so I can't play the "recycle my five pieces of nice stuff" game anymore.

So a couple weeks ago, Mr. B. called me up and told me he'd found a new thrift store and it was half-price day. I withdrew cash from the bank and was at his house ready to go before he could even get out of the shower. I took out $20 with the intention of spending just that, and getting a blue shirt and a khaki skirt for work. A couple months ago, I got a fantastic pair of blue and brown pants and an awesome plaid skirt (both on clearance for ridiculously tiny amounts of money) that match nothing in my closet, and my khaki skirt has a stain. Heading into month two of lame summer pay, I was dying to shop but had small money.

Mr. B. and I went to what I will call Tiny Thrift Store for the purposes of this blog. I did not find any clothes, and decided I'd spend some loot on other things, namely a set of curtains (Hello, Window Scarves!)

and cookbooks.

It turned out I'd been to the thrift store before, but not on the glorious wonder that is 50% off day. And I found out that here, the last Sunday of every month is 50% off day at most of the thrift stores in town. It makes sense--it's a good time to clear out the junk. How much did I spend at Tiny Thrift Store?

Window scarves 8.00 4.00
Williams Sonoma
Cookbook 2.00 1.00
Vegetarian
Entertaining 2.00 1.00
Joy of Home
Brew (for Mr. B) 2.00 1.00
----------------------------
7.00

Well, those were great finds! Just one problem--I had no shirts, and I still was itching for clothes and to make some purchases. So, we went to Larger Thrift Store. After sifting through the fun of the kitchen supplies and playing the WTF is That? game, Mr. B. and I parted ways and I destroyed the women's section. While there was nothing great in the skirt or pants department for me, I got four shirts for work that will carry me through the summer and into fall (and I know as hot-natured as I am, I'll wear them to work this winter).

For those of you who watch "The Office" (that's everyone in America under 40, right?), I call this my "Pam Shirt."

It has completely awesome buttons, but it's missing one! Oh no, what will I do?

Well, the missing button will still let me be modest, but even better... look what's hidden under the collar.

Booyah! Moral of the story... don't give up too easily if the thrift find is awesome. The black shirt above even had the original extra buttons stitched to the inside care tag. It pays to check this stuff over. I know all y'all can sew on a button. Even if you think you can't, you actually can. I promise. Try it, just don't stab yourself. And if you have a waterbed, don't use it to hold the needle while you find your thread. I haven't done it, but it's been done. All I'm saying.

This next one doesn't look like much, but the neckline is fabulous, the fit is wonderful and the fabric feels like your favorite blanket. It will be good for early fall and spring, and I now wear it for what I call "fake fall." Fake fall is when I get up early and it's cool outside, and I curl up on the couch with a cup of coffee and a blanket and think about Halloween. (Fall fever has set in superbly early this year.)

I came home, removed tags, and have worn all but the shirt I went out specifically to get, the first blue one. *head smack* However, they've all worn great and are in excellent condition, and they were purchased for about $10. So, for under $20, I quelled the shopping urge, revamped my wardrobe, and found the opportunity to use Mr. B.'s shower curtain as a backdrop. Wooh!

Some pointers for thrifting that you probably already know but I will talk about anyway:

1) Carry a measuring tape. (And if you're shopping for furniture, a tape measure.) Sizes vary hugely, especially if you run across vintage. Know your measurements or the measurements of clothes that fit you well, and shop accordingly.

In Thrift Score, Al Hoff notes that you can wear clothes while thrifting that will allow you to try on clothes right there in the aisle (leggings, tight pants, flowy skirts, etc.). Of course, some people will think you are shoplifting. A lot of stores have gotten better about dressing rooms, but if you're in a hurry, these are good ways to get around that. I'm a combination measurer/try on in the aisles/dressing room girl myself.

2) Look at seams. Make sure they aren't crooked. It may be a $4 dress, but if you don't like to sew, it will be a $4 dress that stays in the "sewing pile." (Don't even start on the sewing pile. It's a tragedy, especially if you have no free time, and spend the free time you have on a blog. Seriously.)

3) Wash everything that can be washed. I don't think I have to explain this one.

4) Find out what time or days the new old clothing is put out, and what days have what discounts. Almost every store has special discount days. Pick up a flyer, check the website, or ask!

5) If you have Talbot's taste on a Goodwill budget, hit the thrift stores in the froufrou part of town. Those ladies will get rid of some high end stuff that they are just tired of or out of closet space for. Personally, I prefer hideous aprons from the 70s and vintage waitress uniforms, but when I need work clothes, those are good places to hit up.

Do any of you have thrifting tips? Share! I mean, I don't expect you to tell me your secret spot, but what have you learned in the thrifting process?

(A note: all thrift stores I vist can not currently be named because one of them may be hiring me for side work. Woo.)

I'm Tired, Turkey

2008-07-17T14:35:00.004-04:00

So last night when I came in from work, I was so tired I immediately went to bed for an hour and a half, and so did Mr. B. This led us both to wake up around nine p.m., each hungry enough to contemplate pouring mustard on the other, chomping, and facing consequences later. I asked Mr. B., "Do you want healthy?" He's kinda got to do the healthy thing, but at nine p.m. allowances can be made.

"Yes and no."

"Ok," I said. "That I can do."

Mr. B likes meat, cheese, and carbs. I like veggies, cheese, and carbs, and I like meat sometimes. I knew that his belly needed filling, and it had to be tasty, but I didn't want a nutritional travesty. I excel at pasta; I excel at casserole. These powers combined...

A Variation on Ziti.

-One pound of whole wheat penne (Barila was on sale for $1.39)
-One pound of ground turkey (3.99 -- this can usually be gotten cheaper on sale)
-One can of diced tomatoes (I use Hunt's Fire Roasted with Garlic -- thick, chunky, very little juice, and on sale for .97!)
-8 oz tomato sauce (I bought a 16 oz can of the store brand for .65 and used half--
The rest will certainly be used within days)
-One onion (had on hand, about $1 at the grocery store)
-One green bell pepper (had on hand, about .79 at the grocery store)
-Garlic clove (again, had on hand)
-1 c. lowfat cheddar cheese (Used Kraft -- it was the only lowfat, non-fake cheese I
could find. Unfortunately, the package cost $4.39. I can usually get two of the
store brand for that, but I was willing to compromise for lower fat)
-1 c. lowfat cottage cheese (I used a little more than a cup. I purchased a two-cup
container for 1.97, and will annihilate the rest on salads this week
Optional, but awesome: assorted herbs and spices, fresh parm for topping

The directions that follow are intended for someone with a dirty kitchen who might hurt someone if she doesn't eat soon.

Come in from grocery store, exhausted. Find only clean pot, add water, lid it and put it on heat to boil while you chop and fry. Preheat oven to 350. Start sauteing turkey while you wash the cutting board and knife so you can chop bell pepper. (I kinda halfass large-diced it. I was not concerned with looks.) Throw bell pepper in with cooking turkey (pepper needs longer than onion to cook). (Your water's probably boiling now. Add penne and stir.) Dice onion (we had a vidalia. Was tasty.) and add to pan. When turkey is about done, mince or slice a large garlic clove and add it to pan. Stir a bit and wait for some of the water to cook out of the pan. (By the way, there's enough water in the turkey that you generally don't even have to use olive oil. For real!) When everything's done and looking happily delicious, lower the heat and add the tomatoes (if you use regular diced tomatoes, drain off some of the liquid). Stir. Add some tomato sauce (you can use more than I did -- Mr. B just isn't a huge fan of lots of tomato sauce in a dish) and herbs to taste. I threw in some Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, a little sea salt and a few turns of the pepper mill. Then, I added the cottage cheese (lower fat than even the part-skim ricotta, and still tasty!) and a half cup of cheddar. Stir. Sniff. Get excited.

Put some cooked, drained pasta in your baking dish. (I think I used a 2 quart and still had some left over for a smaller casserole. You'll have to eyeball this.)Add some of the sauce mixture. Stir. Add more pasta and more sauce and stir. Do this till the ratio makes you happy and the pan is full. Sprinkle with about a half cup of cheddar, and bake for about 15 minutes. Everything's fully cooked and hot, so it doesn't have to cook long. Plate some and grate some fresh parmesan on top if you like. It went well with green beans, and today at lunch it went well with salad. Mr. B pronounced it good with a glass of merlot, and I did the same with a glass of vinho verde. (What versatility!)

Mr. B noted after dinner that it would have been good with half the amount of cottage cheese combined with an equal amount of the lowfat ricotta, and also suggested adding zucchini next time. (I will.)

As far as servings, he and I are fairly big eaters, so I don't want to say a cup is a serving. However, the fiberlicious whole grain pasta and turkey make it a fairly filling dish. We're getting about 7-8 meal-sized servings (again -- us-sized servings) out of it.

My total cost at the grocery store: $13.36 (and I have sauce and cheese left over for later culinary endeavors this week). Add in the onion and bell pepper, and it could cost around $15. Not the cheapest in the world, but feeding 2 people four times, and serving it with canned green beans ($1) or a bag of salad (Manager's Special -- $1.99), it's a pretty sweet deal.

Check out the blurry deliciousness (I really need to work on my photography...)

The Bitsch is In

2008-07-17T01:10:00.001-04:00

Inspired by my love for writing, my devotion to eating, and an awesome blog (Cheap Healthy Good), I have decided to use my ninja-like shopping skills, culinary adventurousness, and… um… laptop computer to embark on a journey of spending less money, eating more healthfully, and bombarding you, dear reader, with far too much information about it.(I'll probably bombard you with more than you ever wanted to know about a lot of things. In fact, you may want to leave now. BUT -- if you stay, there will be cake. Or at least sex brownies. But more about those later.)

A recent M.A. graduate, I spent half a house on school and have to pay that back now. Also, I’m about to start paying for astronomical health insurance. I'm already quite the thrifty girl, but I'm gonna see just how thrifty I can be.

I’ve always been, shall we say, zaftig (so zaftig that I started a fake 80’s metal band with my other zaftig friends – see here). I like to eat, and I’m only moderately active. Hell, I’m a busy girl. I lost about 20 pounds in grad school, but put eight or so of them back on due to writing my master’s thesis on Faulkner (try it and see if your options aren’t a) street drugs, b) alcoholism, or c) ice cream dependency) and due to finding myself in a very cozy relationship with a wonderful man who appreciates my country cooking background and Paula Deen/Nigella tendencies.

This awesome man has not taken the best care of himself (and neither have I), but has been making changes in the last few months to do better with this (so have I).I’m working a bit harder to feed us better, and to do so with deliciousness and low cost. We both like to eat, so food has to taste good. My boyfriend thinks that chickens and cows are vegetables, so food has to be filling. I don't do "fake" (artificial sweetner, margarine, etc. -- it's sugar and butter, dears, though I am willing to cut back on these types of things). These are my parameters for starting off.

So, here we go. The kitschenbitsch is in.