Frugal Kick

Frugal Recipe: Asian Grilled Chicken

We are a family of meat-eaters. No meal is complete without some kind of meat dish on the table. Since steak every night is not an option on a frugal budget, I've been hunting down chicken-based recipes that are flavorful and do not revolve around boneless, skinless chicken breast, which I abhor.

This recipe for Laos-inspired grilled chicken is a winner and uses ingredients I always have stocked in my pantry.

Mix sauce:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. ginger, grated
1/2 t. pepper
2 t. sugar
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. curry powder
1/2 t. salt
1 T. fish sauce

Marinate in sauce 30 minutes or longer:
2-1/2 lb. chicken, cut up, or chicken pieces

Barbeque over charcoal fire or broil in oven, turning and basting until tender. Or bake on baking sheet (with sauce poured over) 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, then at 350 degrees Fahrenheit 45 minues or until tender.

The cost per serving of this main course is roughly $1.33 for three generous servings, based on using chicken leg quarters at $1.49 per pound. You can increase the Frugalicious Factor of this recipe by cutting up a whole chicken yourself and saving 50 cents per pound.

Recipe courtesy of "Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook" by Joetta Handrich Schlabach.

Toddler Lunches

Bee recently started attending preschool every day and I've entered into the world of packing lunches. The alternative is to pay $4.50 for a school-prepared lunch that Bee may or may not eat and would probably cost me less than half that to prepare myself.

Being the internet junkie that I am, as I contemplated what foods would be appropriate for a toddler's lunch, I came across the idea of bento lunches and this website. Apparently, like being frugal currently is, bento lunches are quite trendy.

After a sad bento-less first week at preschool while I was still researching this lunch idea and acquiring the needed equipment and supplies, we're off to a great start. Bee loves her bento boxes and I like to think that she's the envy of her classroom.