Cherry Pie

Posted on 02/05/2014 by Walter Blevins

President’s Day is coming up on February 17 this year.  As a kid in elementary school I recall how we were taught all about George Washington.  Father of our country.  “First in war. First in peace. First in the hearts of his countrymen.”

And, then there was the story about how he was so honest that as a child he confessed to having cut down a cherry tree with an axe.  Whoopdee-doo.  He was a normal kid who got into mischief but was enough of a nerd to confess.  He probably got his butt whupped anyway.

But I guess that’s how George Washington came to be connected to cherry trees and cherries and cherry pies.  So, in celebration of President’s Day (which now combines a celebration of both Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday along with homage to all the other Presidents) let’s make a simple, tasty, inexpensive Cherry Pie.

Homemade Cherry Pie

When I asked Mrs. CB what she wanted for dessert for Christmas dinner, without hesitation she said “Cherry Pie”.  What?  No pumpkin, or mincemeat or pecan?  Nope.  That’s what she wanted and here is the pie she got. Continue reading →

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Hawaiian Pizza

Posted on 01/30/2014 by Walter Blevins

Here it is the first of February and I’m still sitting on leftover Christmas Ham.  That’s one of the challenges of baking a 9 lb. spiral cut ham at Christmas to feed 3 people.  There’s lots of leftovers.

Funny though, we sure seemed to chow down on the mashed potatoes and gravy along with the pan-roasted Brussels sprouts followed by homemade cherry pie but there’s still a bag of frozen left over ham in the freezer. 

Christmas ham

So it’s pizza night and I’ve got the dough proofing.  We’re on a Wal-Mart run looking for new stuff for in the bathroom.  Hey, while we’re here, let’s pick up a can of pineapple and then make Hawaiian pizza was my big idea.  Mrs. CB jumped all over that.  We love homemade pizza and we’re always looking to try something a bit different.

So, I cut up some ham and drained a can of pineapple chunks in its own juice, carefully cutting each chunk in half so it wouldn’t be too thick on the pizza (how’s that for just a bit anal retentive?).  And I cut up a fresh jalapeno for just a bit of kick.

Then I built the Hawaiian pizza and popped it into the oven.  The result was fantastic.  And the cost was pretty cheap.  The only extra expense was a buck for the can of pineapple.  I keep everything else on hand.

Here’s a link to my pizza crust recipe:  http://www.cheap-bastid-cooks.com/homemade-pizza/

Hawaiian Pizza

Homemade crust, ham, pineapple and some fresh jalapeno for a little kick. Fantastic!

Yeah, I’m bragging a bit but I’m also suggesting that you stretch your food budget by getting just a bit creative.  In today’s world the popular word is “re-purpose”.  So yeah, leftovers can be “re-purposed” into something altogether different.  In this case a Hawaiian pizza which was really, really tasty.  And which would be about $18 at a pizza joint.

Just wait.  I’ve still got a big old ham bone in the freezer with a whole bunch of ham bits on it.  It’s going to get chilly and damp here in SoCal sometime soon and then I’m going to make a big old pot of “Beans” with cornbread—that’s ham and bean soup.

That’s the Cheap Bastid Way:  Eat Good. Eat Cheap.  Be Grateful!

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Super Bowl Food

Posted on 01/25/2014 by Walter Blevins

OK, on Sunday, February 2 they’re going to play Super Bowl XLVIII.  If it wasn’t for the Super Bowl nobody—especially males—would have the faintest idea of Roman numerals. 

That’s something that an old fart like me had some exposure to in elementary school—maybe because it was a lot closer to the days of the Roman Empire than today.  And, I even got it hammered into my skull in the year of Latin I took in 9th grade (that’s IX by the way).  But, tempus fugit. 

What Super Bowl Sunday means for many people is getting together with other people…and food.  Lots of food.  Super Bowl Food.  (What it means to Mrs. CB is Puppy Bowl VIII on Animal Planet).

Super Bowl Sunday

So are you ready for some Super Bowl Food that’s also Cheap Bastid food?  Following are links to 4 different Cheap Bastid posts that are really some pretty good Super Bowl eats that are also really inexpensive.  And…only one of the 3 has any involved cooking and preparation.  That’s what Super Bowl food is all about–easy, tasty and cheap. Continue reading →

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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Posted on 01/21/2014 by Walter Blevins

Here we are at the end of January and I’m just getting around to writing about Christmas leftovers.  Well, I’ve been busy trying to sell cars to people who want a $25,000 car for the price of a Yugo.  Oh the many times I’ve wanted to say, “that just ain’t gonna happen, folks”.

But, as usual, I digress.  Yeah, I cooked this up a couple of weeks ago and it’s a dish that I’ve always liked—about once or twice a year.  Scalloped potatoes and ham.  Leftover ham.  From that big-ass ham I put in the oven on Christmas Day—9 pounds worth for 3 people.  And I’ve still got the hambone in the freezer waiting for some cold weather so I can make up a big old pot of beans and corn bread.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Scalloped potatoes and ham is actually pretty easy to make.  The only “tricky” part is making the cheese sauce and even that’s not hard and only takes about 10 minutes.  And, I also had the bright idea (after getting impatient and declaring the scalloped potatoes and ham done before the potatoes were totally done) of microwaving the potatoes for about 5-6 minutes before slicing them so the dish would get done quicker. Continue reading →

Posted in Comfort Food, family meals, left overs, pork, Southern Cooking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Momma Stellas Spanish Rice

Posted on 01/07/2014 by Walter Blevins

According to Mrs. CB, Momma Stella made Spanish Rice fairly often and she was often drafted to be the rice “stirrer”.  “I’m not much of a cook, but I was a good stirrer,” confesses Mrs. CB.

So last night, I suggested making fish tacos and Mrs. CB volunteered to cook Momma Stella’s version of Spanish Rice (which is also known as Mexican Rice).  This is a simple, inexpensive and tasty side dish. 

Mrs. CB made the Spanish rice while I took a few photos and asked questions about what she was doing and why.  Now, this tends to exasperate Mrs. CB who thought I might be trying to micro-manage while what I was really trying to do was channel my inner Guy Fieri on “Triple D”.   Invariably Mrs. CB answered each of my questions with either “Because that’s what my Mom said to do” or “I don’t know,” both while brandishing a wooden spatula in a most intimidating fashion. 

Now there are a couple of reasons why the rice was cooked first and then the fish tacos.  One is that it can sit and slowly simmer while the rest of the meal is prepared and the other is that there is probably not a kitchen big enough anywhere to accommodate the 2 of us cooking at the same time.

Spanish Rice with Fish Taco

Now I imagine that we’re not the only couple like that out there.  We’ve got a tiny kitchen to begin with and it’s pretty tight quarters with both of us there, surrounded by access to sharp objects and no maneuvering room.

But, the fish tacos got made—and devoured and the Spanish rice/Mexican rice came out tasty (by the way many recipes say to cook it until it’s fluffy but we like it a bit clumpy). Continue reading →

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